A seriously ill, elderly woman in West Boca has been recuperating for some time in another state, leaving her home of 14 years here temporarily vacant. The home is in the middle of a lovely block, surrounded by many other houses.

Her relatives recently came to check on the house. As soon as they walked through the house, they saw that their mother’s house had been broken into during her absence.

But it turned out to be worse than that. The house was a filthy mess. Graffiti was scrawled around the kitchen, including the N-word and references to a satanic cult. When the relatives found personal effects that could not possibly belong to their mother, they realized that this was not just a break-in. Her house was being lived in by one or more intruders.

When police came and went through those personal effects, they found an ID belonging to a young man from Wooster, Massachusetts, along with a Circuit City employee badge. They also found a used plane ticket from Boston to South Florida suggesting that the squatter may have been living in the house for some weeks. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

No one in the neighborhood ever called the police while this home was occupied by one or more squatters.

The number of vacant homes is rising all over South Florida, including West Boca. It’s a sign of the times, caused by people abandoning homes that have more debt than equity, homes that are in foreclosure limbo, and sellers who had to move elsewhere before they were able to find a buyer for their home here.

Police say vacant homes everywhere have become targets for the homeless, for drug dealers and users, and for those seeking places to hang out.

In this deteriorating climate, it would be good if all of us paid a bit more attention to what’s going on in our immediate neighborhood. If you know an owner is away or has moved out and you see activity in their house, call the police.

And when you go away or move out and your home is vacant, let your neighbors know and ask them to keep an eye on your property.

We all need to become more pro-active neighbors in this worsening economy.

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Cable TV subscribers all over the country who are not set up for digital TV have been complaining loudly about losing analog channels in recent months.

In response, the Cable TV trade association, of which Comcast is a member, has just announced that effective December 31, its cable provider members would suspend further migration of analog channels to digital channels until March 1.

Meanwhile, the transition of broadcasters (NBC, CBS etc.) to digital-only broadcasting is set to occur on February 17, 2009. The date for this event was mandated by the federal government many years ago.

There is widespread confusion and anxiety about these major changes. Additionally, many community associations throughout West Boca are struggling with their cable future as bulk service contracts with Comcast are approaching expiration dates.

In response to these developments, the West Boca Community Council will host a public Cable TV Forum. The event will feature expert speakers. There will be ample opportunity for the audience to ask questions or make comments. Comcast has been invited to field questions about their service.

The Forum will be held on January 13 at the Boca Lago Country Club starting at 7:30 pm.

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A small insect called the ficus whitefly a.k.a. the fig whitefly has been spotted recently in West Boca. It is capable of completely defoliating ficus hedges and even killing them altogether.

If this infestation is not thwarted, it has the potential reduce the privacy provided by our ficus hedges along roads and between the properties of neighbors.

It can be stopped by the thorough spraying of hedges with insecticides.

The cost of the spraying will likely be in the vicinity of $2.50 per linear foot. It is also possible that the hedges will have to be sprayed more than once, which would double the cost. However, spraying will still be considerably cheaper than having to replace destroyed hedges with new ones. Plus replacement hedges will probably be no higher than three feet at time of planting, so it will likely be a couple of years before they reach hedge heights – and the level of privacy -- currently enjoyed.

The ficus whitefly is thought to have arrived in the Port of Miami from somewhere in Southeast Asia about 18 months ago. It has since migrated to much of Miami-Dade County and parts of Broward. For more information, just Google ficus whitefly.

You can test for it by shaking the foliage on your hedge. If it’s infested, you will see small, white, gnat-like bugs flying out of the foliage. The whiteflies are in the hedges to breed, not to devour leaves. Their offspring, in the larvae stage, are what destroys the foliage.

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The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department is offering Winter Camp for children ages 9-12 at Daggerwing Nature Center on December 29, 30, 31, and January 2 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Participants will discover the wonders of winter in South Florida! Campers will visit local attractions to learn about migration, hibernation, and special adaptations animals use to survive the winter weather.

The fee is $80 per child. Registration is open until full and limited to 20 campers. For more information and to get an application, visit Daggerwing Nature Center or visit our website at www.pbcparks.com/nature and click on the Daggerwing link.

Daggerwing Nature Center is operated by the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department and is located in South County Regional Park at 11200 Park Access Road, off Cain Boulevard between Glades Road and Yamato Road, in western Boca Raton.
Visit www.pbcparks.com/nature for more!

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Upcoming Events at Sunset Cove Amphitheater

Sunday December 14, 2008 – First United Methodist Church Christmas Sing Along. 6-7 PM. Come and sing Christmas Carols and your favorite holiday songs. Admission is free.

Saturday December 20, 2008 MPj04387210000[1] – A family fun-filled event as we celebrate the “Winter Solstice” 4 PM to 8 PM. Admission is free. Come and play in 24 tons of SNOW, make winter arts and crafts, play reindeer games, pictures with Santa and enjoy the magic of “STEPHAN.” Vendors on site, so no outside food or drinks allowed. No pets. Don’t forget your mittens!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL FROM SUNSET COVE AMPHITHEATER

Saturday, February 7, 2009 – Compassionate Pug Rescue’s (CPR) first Pugs and Pooches WinterBark 2009. South County Regional Park, Sunset Cove Pavilion 9 AM - 4 PM. Spend the day hanging out with your pooch while enjoying the festival. All proceeds will benefit a local animal rescue. Vendors on site. No outside food or beverages allowed. $10 parking fee.
Saturday, February 21, 2009 – Boca Raton Dog Club’s AKC Show. Sunset Cove Amphitheater and Pavilion 7 AM - 5 PM. Come and enjoy the thrill of competition combined with the joy of seeing beautiful dogs compete in the AKC All Breed Conformation Show. Vendors on site. No outside food or beverages allowed.

Festival seating - bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on. Vendors on site, no outside food or drinks (or pets) allowed inside the gates.

Visit www.pbcgov.com/parks for new additions to the schedule and sign up for E-lerts. Event Hotline 561-488-8069

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