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Texting while driving is viewed by most people to be dangerous and in 40 states, it is illegal.  Florida will be the 41st state to ban texting and driving.  Governor Rick Scott is set to ban the act.  In a statement, the Governor said that texting while driving concerns him as a father and grandfather.  He also said state officials must do everything they can do to keep the roads safe, particularly during the 100 days summer between Memorial Day and Labor Day.  Those days are the deadliest days for teenagers on the road.

Florida’s Governor signed the ban Tuesday afternoon on texting while driving. The restriction takes effect October 1 and is a secondary offense.  A secondary offense means offenders can only be ticketed if stopped for another violation.  A…

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This Memorial Day please take a moment to commemorate all the men and women who have died while in military service for the United States of America.

This noble holiday started as an event to honor Union and Confederate soldiers who had died during the Civil War. After World War I, it was extended to include all men and women, who had died in any war or military action.  It was originally known as “Decoration Day” and fell on May 30, regardless of the day of the week on which it fell.  In 1968, a bill, known as the Uniform Holidays Bill passed, and Memorial Day became officially observed on the last Monday in May as a national holiday.

Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veteran’s Day.  Memorial Day is a day of remembering those who died while serving in…

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Canadian snowbirds may soon be able to spend two extra months nesting in their favorite spot, the sunshine state!  Each year Canadian snowbirds find their way to sunny south Florida. Currently, Canadians, aged 55 and older have a 182 day annual limit to stay in the U.S. without a visa. Winding its way through Congress is a provision that would extend that limit to 240 days – about eight months total.

Canadians represent a major boost to the economy in the U.S., particularly southern states such as Florida.  Florida recently dropped the requirement of an international drivers permit after strong objections from the Canadian Lobby.  Canadians are flocking to the sugary sand beaches of the Jupiter and Tequesta areas.   The surrounding areas are well known for…

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With more than 1,300 miles of coastline, it is no surprise that Florida has an active and thriving seafood industry! Florida fishermen harvested more than 106 million pounds of seafood, including grouper, mahi-mahi, pompano, shrimp, mullet, snapper and Spanish mackerel.  Florida fishermen provide 100% of the entire nation’s domestic spiny lobster and 97% of the stone crabs.  According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services more than 85 different varieties of seafood are harvested from our coastal waters.

Florida is ranked among the top 12 in the nation for fresh seafood production.  During the past five years, the dockside value of Florida seafood has grown by more than 25% to $222 million.  According to a recent University of…

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There is nothing better than a day at the beach!  Fresh air, sun and the surf.  The ocean is powerful and unpredictable, and without proper safety precautions and lifeguards, our local Jupiter, Juno, and Singer Island area beaches can be uncertain. With summer and beach season approaching it is important to refresh the basic safety tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable day at the beach.

Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation use a colored flag system to identify beach warnings.  Green Flag: Low hazard. Conditions are calm; normal care and caution should be exercised. Yellow Flag: Medium hazard. Moderate surf currents present. (i.e.: rip current,dropofff,rocks) Red Flag: High hazard. Very hazardous rough surf and/or strong currents; swimming for experienced…

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Did you know that there are over 21,000 public high schools in America? All three traditional high schools in Martin County ranked among “Newsweek Magazine’s America’s Best High Schools of 2013” list.   These high schools have proven to be the most effective in preparing high school graduates for college with quality education, teachers, administrators, and staff.  Congratulations to Jensen Beach High School (#969) in Jensen Beach, and  Martin County High School (#1,273), and South Fork High School (#1,322) in Stuart!

Martin County is a school district where it is not uncommon to take your child out of private school or charter school and enroll them into the local public high school.  Some advantages to the Martin County public high school system: …

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Photo courtesy of Palm Beach Post.

Good news for Jupiter area residents and visitors of the "golf capital of the world", a beautiful Courtyard Marriot hotel is now under construction in the Abacoa community!  Construction for the 128-room hotel began on April 24.  It is scheduled to open in February, 2014 and slated to include 2,500 square feet of event space, a bistro style restaurant, a Starbucks coffee shop, full service-bar, state of the art fitness center, outdoor swimming pool, business center, and guest laundry. There will be street level commercial space for lease and parking will be handled by an existing parking garage adjacent to the hotel.

The hotel will be located at Main Street and University, across from Roger Dean Stadium for an…

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photo courtesy of: Cultural Council of Palm Beach County

Of course, we have over 47 miles of awesome Atlantic Ocean coastline.  Did you know that our area has well over 100 miles of freshwater canals, rivers and lakes?  So when you are done fishing, swimming, diving, snorkeling, surfing, kayaking, boating, or just sunning on the beach or by the pool - how about an evening of excellent theater or the arts?

Join the arts and cultural scene in Palm Beach County, “where culture has found its place in the sun.” As the official agency, for arts and cultural development, the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County supports arts education and provides grants to cultural organizations and artists.  They know where all the fun events are, unique galleries, museums,…

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The 2013 LRE Symposium in Spain

Rob Thomson, Managing Partner, of Waterfront Properties and Club Communities attended the 2013 Luxury Real Estate International Symposium held in Valencia, Spain this year.  Luxury Real Estate (LRE) is one of the world’s leading international networks of real estate professionals. Waterfront Properties is one of the organization's longstanding and respected members.  This symposium welcomes a large contingent of prominent luxury real estate brokerage firms from across the globe, including North America, South America, Europe, and the Far East.

Connecting at this conference allows Rob and his team at Waterfront Properties, to look towards the future and provide insights for successful relationships with clients and colleagues.  Speakers and…

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Despite Hurricane Sandy, vigil was maintained at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  The United States Army handed out the above photo on Monday morning, October 29, 2012, in the face of Hurricane Sandy.  The photo was taken before Arlington National Cemetery closed because of the storm.   The U.S. Army’s 3rd. Infantry Regiment has kept continuous watch over the marker in Northern Virginia since 1948 without ever missing a second!

The marker memorializes an unknown World War I soldier who was laid to rest in 1921.  Frequently, visitors overlooked the marker and stepped upon it or set up picnic blankets on top of it.  The military eventually stationed a guard at the site.  Soldiers who stand guard at the memorial undergo nine months of synchronized…

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