Traveling east/west on Yamato Road can be downright uncomfortable. At periodic intervals at the train tracks just west of I-95, the lights will flash and the crossing gates will close. While the train can be seen in the station, the wait until the ten second long Tri-Rail train passes through can be excruciatingly long.

Alternatively, the lights flash and the crossing gates go down and no train ever passes through the intersection. Mysteriously the gates raise and allow you to cross the tracks, praying that it was not a malfunction and that your life insurance is up to date.

On those occasions when there is no train in the vicinity, the road is so bumpy that if you drive the speed limit it feels like your car is about to be launched into space.

In an effort to remedy the bumpy road and hopefully the problems with the train crossing, the Yamato/ CRX crossing will be closed to all traffic for ten days starting at 5 a.m., Friday, February 1. Alternative suggested routes include Spanish River Boulevard and Glades or Palmetto Park Road.

The fact that the work is being done in the height of tourist season makes no sense. While the ten days of construction will be much more than downright uncomfortable, hopefully it will be a short term inconvenience for a better long term result.

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Although it took almost four years to build, cost much more than expected, and is the subject of a lawsuit against the original contractor, the City of Boca Raton Spanish River Library appears poised to be a huge success.

The Library opened with a grand flourish on Saturday, January 26th. Over 2,000 people attended the first day ceremonies which included clowns, magicians, a bounce house and a harpist.

My informal survey of the initial crowd was overwhelming positive and I wholeheartedly concur with this sentiment.

The architectural details that comprise the physical building have a mediterranean flair and make the premises a visual delight. The library itself is well thought out and provides something for everyone.

There's a teen room that specializes in teen books, a children's computer lab with specially pre-programmed games, a tiny tots reading room called pooh's corner, a cafe situated next to a beautiful outdoor terrace, conference rooms available for rent, an adult computer lab, a gift shop and a plentiful assortment of books, books on tape and videos.

Programs for the new library are scheduled to start immediately and include Story Time, Tween and Teen programs, a Sunday speaker series and a Book Club. The hours of operation are 9 to 9 Monday through Thursday, 9 to 6 Friday and Saturday and 12 to 8 on Sunday.

Having such an amazing library and great programming really was worth the wait.

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When Florida Atlantic University ("FAU") opened in Boca Raton in 1964, President Lyndon Johnson delivered the keynote address. On Thursday, January 24th, FAU was once again in the national spotlight, hosting the Republican presidential debate.

Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney took center stage in FAU's Kay Auditorium. Moderators Brian Williams and Tim Russert framed questions to the candidates, which included issues concerning the economy, the war in Iraq, global warming, and even Florida's property insurance crisis. McCain and Romney came across as dignified and presidential, Huckabee as homespun and down to earth, Guiliani as friendly and affable and Paul as out of the mainstream.

Over 1,500 people attended the debate. The attendees included FAU students, individuals supporting various candidates, and a who's who of Florida Republicans - Governor Charlie Crist, Speaker of the House Marco Rubio, Attorney General Bill McCollum, Representative Connie Mack, and Mayor Steve Abrams, to name a few.

FAU President Frank Brogan spoke to the crowd prior to the debate. He greeted each of the candidates and then left to attend an FAU student watch party, giving up his seats for student use. After the debate several of the candidates also went to meet the students at a watch party.

The debates were FAU's ninety minutes of fame. The professional and competent manner in which the University executed this event should serve to place FAU in a long lasting positive light. Kudos to all the candidates and President Brogan and FAU for their participation in the debate.

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“NBC and the RNC both had a concern about Boca Raton because it sounded snooty, was not a real city, like holding a debate in Beverly Hills.” This was the opening line of my first blog posted in October, 2007. Well, here we are two days from the Republican Presidential debate taking place at Florida Atlantic University ("FAU") and specious criticism of our town, rightfully so, is not an issue.

FAU and Leadership Florida have acted professionally in organizing Florida's only presidential debate. While the Democratic debate does not appear to be taking place because of party politics, the Republican campaign is in full swing. With 57 delegates at stake and the possibility for a front runner to emerge, the Republican debate has became even more significant, giving Boca Raton a greater opportunity to be in the national spotlight.

It certainly helps our tourism industry to have an event in balmy South Florida when the rest of the country is in the grip of winter. It is also an opportunity to debunk some of the myths about Palm Beach County. After the 2000 election butterfly ballot fiasco, it is good for the nation to see that there are intelligent, well informed citizens in Palm Beach County and that the snotty caricature is just that, a caricature.

Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain and Mitt Romney have been crisscrossing Florida to gain votes for the January 29th primary. The FAU debate presents a chance to see all the candidates in one place. The debate should provide a forum for each of the candidates to discuss important issues on the national agenda and for Boca Raton to shine.

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Over 25,000 people jammed Flagler Boulevard in West Palm Beach on Saturday, January 19th for the Susan G. Komen South Florida Race for the Cure. Young and old, men and women, children and pets, including one dyed pink standard poodle, all joined together to run or walk 5 kilometers to help find a cure for breast cancer.

As in past years, I participated in the Race for the Cure and once again saw the strength of our communities' efforts to fight this horrible disease. Groups carried banners representing churches, synagogues, schools, businesses, counties, and civic organizations. People wore the event t-shirt or donned one of the own and adorned themselves with pink parasols, hats, necklaces and boas.

Especially moving were the tribute signs worn by many of the participants. Pinned on their backs were lists either in memory of deceased family members and friends or in honor of those who had breast cancer. The number of names was overwhelming, highlighting the need to find a cure for this disease.

The event is in its 17th year and is part of a nationwide effort started by Palm Beacher Nancy Brinker after her sister died of breast cancer. This year organizers anticipated revenues of $1.5 million for the West Palm Beach walk.

The walk itself took less than an hour and I can't think of a better or more meaningful way to have spent my Saturday morning.

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Upcoming events:
Thursday, January 24 at 9 p.m. - Republican Presidential Debate at FAU
Saturday, January 26 at 10 a.m. - Opening of the City of Boca Raton Library on Spanish River Boulevard
Thursday, February 7 at 6 p.m. - Junior League of Boca Raton Chocolate Decadence, Shops at Boca Center on Military Trail 561-620-2553 or visit www.JLBR.org.

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With each day that passes without any arrests in the Bochicchio murders, frustration mounts. Law enforcement officials have been working diligently on the case for over a month. Despite their efforts and the supposedly abundant forensic evidence collected at the scene of the crime, the police evidently do not have any clue as to who committed the atrocious murders.

The only thing they know is that it appears similar to an August incident at Town Center and another in Mizner Park, both of which have not resulted in any arrests. There are also no suspects in the Randi Gorenberg murder case which happened over ten months ago.

Reliable sources have advised me that there was an attempted carjacking at gun point on Jog Road in December and an attempted car robbery in broad daylight last week at the Military Trail post office. In early December, my car was robbed of an ipod and several of my neighbor's cars were also robbed of personal items. Credit cards taken from one of the vehicles were used hours later in Miami but to my knowledge the case was immediately closed without any arrests.

The fact that the perpetrators of murders and robberies are still walking the streets of our community has everyone in a justifiably heightened state of concern. The lack of any arrests in these high profile cases along with stories of widespread crime makes it feel like we are living in the Wild West.

Local law enforcement officials need to reassure the public that we are not living in a lawless community. A strong zero tolerance policy toward any crime needs to be adopted and enforced. While we should not compromise on-going investigations, the police do need to be more forthcoming so that citizens can be aware of potential problems and feel more secure.

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Now that the holidays are over and the snowbirds have taken up residence, the social season is starting in full force. Mail boxes are starting to overflow with invitations for multiple charitable balls.

If you have a deep wallet, you can take advantage of events and parties at some very cool venues. Even if your philanthropic budget is limited, it's fun to pick one event and hobnob with the rich and almost famous.

Some of the upcoming galas are listed below. Enjoy the season and feel free to add your own favorites as a comment to this entry.

Saturday, January 19th - Imagination Ball, Boca Raton Community Hospital, Boca Raton Resort and Club (561) 955-4142

Sunday, January 20th - State of Israel Bonds Prime Minister's Club Dinner, Boca West County Club (800) 229-6950 ext. 5829

Thursday, February 7 - Torch of Learning Award Dinner, American Friends of Hebrew University, Woodfield Country Club (561) 750-8585

Saturday, February 9 - American Heart Association's 26th Annual Boca Raton Heart Ball, Avitat Aviation (561) 394-0170

Sunday, February 17th - Donna Summer Concert and Disco Party, Stand Among Friends, Bank Atlantic Center (561) 297-4402

Tuesday, February 26 - Focus on the Future, Weizmann Institute of Science, Four Seasons Resort (561) 210-8440

Sunday, March 2 - Friends of the Israel Defense Forces Annual Gala, Mar-A-Lago Club (561) 483-2771

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On the third floor of the Florida Atlantic University library, lies a treasure trove of art works disguised as books. The Arthur and Mata Jaffe Collection of Books as Aesthetic Objects contains over 4000 books handmade by artists. The books were created more for their artistic merit than content and each one is a mini masterpiece.

The collection was started and donated by Arthur Jaffe and his late wife Mata. Arthur is a curator for the collection and has a hands on role in continuing to grow and exhibit the books. I attended a special exhibition that he arranged and it was delightful to see the books and the joy and pride he took in displaying them.

The books are housed in a 4800 square foot center which is open to the public by appointment. In the atrium right outside of the center, there are continuing exhibitions which are displayed at all times that the FAU library is operating. In addition, many of the books are available for viewing online at http://www.library.fau.edu/depts/spc/jaffe.htm .

Visiting the Arthur and Mata Jaffe Collection is a trip to a combination art gallery and library. It's an enchanting collection and a town treasure for Boca Raton.

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