Situated nine miles north of West Palm Beach, the Village of North Palm Beach is a haven for boating, shopping, and dining. Because the Village is close to the Palm Beach Inlet, as well as to a host of marina facilities, North Palm Beach attracts fishermen and boaters, alike. Boasting 12,500 residents, North Palm Beach offers an elite selection of waterfront and Intracoastal properties.

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The State of Florida Senate Finance and Tax Committee is in support of reducing commercial real estate lease tax.  The bill (SB 140) recommends reducing the current 6% tax on commercial real estate leases to 5%.  This reduction makes Florida even more attractive, in addition to the perfect weather and beautiful beaches, for homeowners and business owners.

Under the bill, the cut would take effect January 1, 2016.  Reduction in the state tax commercial real estate lease percentage will allow Florida to compete for businesses to move to the state.

Governor Scott said, “This part of our Tax Cut Agenda is a $100 million reduction in the sales tax on commercial rent, which costs businesses about $1.4 billion per year. This reduction will make it more…

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 tLoggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach

The ocean is Earth’s essence, and it is still 95 percent undiscovered. "No matter how far from the shore that you live, oceans still affect your life and the lives of your families and friends, classmates and colleagues. The air that you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat, the products that keep you warm, safe, informed, and entertained — all can come from or be transported by the ocean."

The Loggerhead Marinelife Center is putting on its 12th annual free admission festival, TurtleFest which focuses on uncovering our world’s oceans to teach and encourage safe practices to boost ocean and sea turtle conservation.

TurtleFest is a family friendly event where learning is the focus of the experience. There will be students showing off their…

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Are you inundated with calls from telemarketers and solicitors on your cell phone number?   If you are like many new homeowners, a landline is a thing of the past. Studies indicate new homeowners, in Palm Beach County and South Florida, are not requesting landlines for their new residences.

It is estimated that 100 billion “robo-calls” (those calls without a human on the other end), political candidate calls and other solicitations are made annually in the U.S.   You might be surprised how they get your mobile number.

According to Privacy Star, automatic dialing devices can figure out and call all possible telephone number combinations.  These numbers can be listed, unlisted and mobile numbers.  A number of telemarketing companies ignore “do not…

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The Loxahatchee River Railroad Bridge in Jupiter will close intermittently next week.  The bridge, which is owned and operated by Florida East Coast Railway, will be closed to boating traffic during the scheduled maintenance.   Last week a malfunction with the bridge left the Town of Jupiter and the Village of Tequesta with a traffic quandary. 

According to Florida East Coast Railway representative, Senior Vice President Robert Ledoux, “an electrical problem caused the bridge to remain in the upright position shortly before noon on March 7, 2015.”  The malfunction stopped a southbound freight train, no pun intended, "in its tracks".  Resulting in three vital crossings to be blocked, dividing the town in half.  Fire rescue noted aside from being an…

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Cruising into town March 26-29 2015 is the celebrated, 30th Annual Palm Beach International Boat Show! Each year the boat show gets bigger and better and the level of luxury keeps rising. This show has been one of the top five boat shows in the entire country. Prized for its extravagant boats, cars and events. 

Can you imagine yourself walking along the water in the warm sun with panoramic views of mega yachts and super cars? Immerse yourself in the luxury and sun at the Palm Beach International Boat Show. The legendary event is the most popular event put on in Palm Beach. Last year there was over $350 million worth of luxury boats and this year is going to trump that number. With over $1.2 billion in boats, cars and equipment this year is sure to be a…

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Photo courtesy Eduardo Buchin, Jupiter.

One thing many people will agree with is that this year has been an exceptionally brutal winter.  Spring break will come as a well-deserved break from the harsh, freezing temperatures up north.  Seasonal depression (Seasonal Affective Disorder) during the winter months can really get you down.

Some scientists think seasonal depression is caused by certain hormones in the brain that trigger “attitude related” changes at certain times of the year.  One theory regarding the hormone changes is that sunlight during fall and winter leads to the brain producing less serotonin.  Serotonin is a chemical produced by the brain which regulates mood.  When this isn’t functioning normally, results can be feelings of…

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Enjoy a taste of the islands Saturday March 21, 2015 from 1:00 – 6:00pm.  This family friendly event at the Plaza Down Under on the Riverwalk will feature something for everyone.  Listen to steel drum bands and live tropical music as local vendors sell island themed art, crafts and jewelry.

A “Junkanoo Band” will play from 2:00-3:00pm and lead a parade though the events plaza. Not familiar with Junkanoo? Junkanoo is a lively and colorful street carnival parade.  After 500 years of practice, the legends differ as to the roots of Junkanoo in the Caribbean. The most popular belief is that it stemmed from the days of slavery.  In the late 18th century many Loyalists, from England, brought their enslaved servants to the Caribbean. At Christmas time, they…

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Orchids, orchids, and more orchids!  Over 10,000 orchid plants from local and international vendors will be on display Friday, March 13, 2015 9:30 AM to Sunday, March 15, 2015 4:30 PM at the 13th Annual International Orchid Festival.  Learn all about the exotic air plants.  Pick up tidbits on how to grow and care for them.

Orchids are flowering plants that are often colorful and fragrant.  There are over 26,000 varieties of orchids more than twice the number of bird species on the planet and four times the number of mammal species.  Orchids date back 76-84 million years.  The first evidence of this was fossilized when an extinct stingless bee was carrying pollen from a previously unknown orchid subspecies.

Blankets of orchids take over Fairchild…

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couch_copy_500Modern interior design trends for 2015 are a fascinating blend of traditional materials, shapes, prints and decorating ideas with new products and rich room colors.  This year allows classic, contemporary and period pieces to shine with fresh new decorating colors and design ideas.  Designs reflect the intention of creating memorable living spaces with personality.

Traditionally, blue has been a classic, soothing color.  Any blue stirs up images of the ocean and sky.  Rich, saturated hues of the deep sea are vivid and opulent.  Beverly Lionetti, Lead Designer www.interiorsbybeverly.com  suggests navy blue as a trending color for 2015.   “Navy Blue is a true classic color and can bring drama to any room.  Whether it is used as an accent color on walls or…

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Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, Delray Beach, offers authentic Japanese cultural experiences to educate and inspire. According to the Japanese zodiac this year, 2015, we celebrate the “Year of the Sheep” for those born in 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, and 2015. If this is your year, perhaps a visit to the ephemeral beauty of “The Garden of the Drops of Dew” and a Sake VIP Tasting experience is warranted.

Within the walls of the Morikami Museum are tranquil gardens.  Morikami gardens, Roji-en: Garden of the Drops of Dew, were designed to be a living exhibit complementing the museum.  Designer Hoichi Kurisu created a garden complex with historical and aesthetic elements. Its six distinct gardens are inspired by, but are not replicas…

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