Local Politics · Miami-Dade County
Early voting for the 2026 midterm elections opened at 7 a.m. Monday in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, and at 8:30 a.m. in Monroe County. Voters will decide races including governor (Byron Donalds vs. David Jolly), U.S. Senate (Ashley Moody vs. Angie Nixon), and competitive congressional districts 25 and 27. Ballot measures include Florida Amendment 3 on homestead exemptions, school funding renewals in Miami-Dade and Broward, and a Virginia Key waterfront lease vote in Miami. Early voting runs through Nov. 1 in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, and through Oct. 31 in Monroe County.
Local Politics · Boca Raton, FL
Boca Raton City Manager Mark Sohaney, a retired Navy captain overseeing eight municipal departments and nearly 1,800 employees, will join University of Maryland Global Campus as senior vice president of Global Military Operations effective Nov. 30, per the university's Oct. 19 announcement. Boca Raton announced his resignation on Oct. 16 without naming his new employer or last day. The City Council will decide interim leadership and the process for selecting a permanent city manager; its next regular meeting is Oct. 27. Neither the city nor UMGC has stated when Sohaney's final day at City Hall will be.
Crime · West Palm Beach, FL
Sean Aaron Armas, 39, and Billy Joseph Brewer, 37, were arrested Tuesday, Oct. 20, and charged with robbery without a firearm or weapon and false personation of an officer after three robberies in central Palm Beach County on Monday, Oct. 19. The suspects allegedly used a black Ford F-250 or F-350 pickup marked "State Trapper" with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission logo stickers to pose as law enforcement officers. The incidents occurred near Cresthaven Boulevard and Military Trail at approximately 2:38 a.m., near South Military Trail and Summit Boulevard at about 7:20 a.m., and in the 4000 block of Roberts Way at about 9:06 p.m. PBSO said detectives believe there may be additional victims who have not come forward.
Housing & Development · Boynton Beach, FL
Washington Prime Group, owner of the Boynton Beach Mall, has issued lease termination notices to tenants as the property moves toward potential mixed-use redevelopment on its 92-acre site. The mall, which opened in 1985 and currently houses about 75 stores, is expected to operate through Jan. 15, though JCPenney, Cinemark and Christ Fellowship Church may continue beyond that date. Listing adviser Newmark says the property is being positioned for a redevelopment that could include residential, retail, office and recreational uses. Boynton Beach Vice Mayor Thomas Turkin said any redevelopment will depend on the owner's plans and required approvals, and urged residents to weigh in on density and overdevelopment concerns.
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Community News
Preventive full-body scans, costing $1,000 to $2,500 out of pocket and typically not covered by insurance, are growing in popularity across South Florida, with Prenuvo operating at Boca Raton's Mizner Park and Coral Gables, Function/Ezra in nine area cities, and Baptist Health offering whole-body MRIs as outpatient services. Swedish company Neko Health plans to open a screening center at Aventura Mall on Dec. 9, using proprietary imaging devices and a 53-biomarker blood panel rather than MRI or CT technology. Medical experts including Dr. Atif Hussein of Memorial Cancer Institute caution that routine scans can uncover harmless findings leading to unnecessary biopsies and anxiety, while noting they do not replace standard screenings like colonoscopies and mammograms. Boynton Beach resident Paul "Cid" Ceresa credits a Prenuvo scan with early detection of aggressive prostate cancer.
Crime · Boynton Beach, FL
Boynton Beach police announced Monday, Oct. 19, that U.S. Marshals arrested a 17-year-old Boynton Beach teen on Thursday, Oct. 15, charged with accessory after the fact to a capital felony in the August shooting death of 19-year-old Nigel Beckford. Beckford was shot just before 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, in the 100 block of Northwest 8th Avenue near Sara Sims Park and later died at a hospital. Two other teens—Sebastian Abdul Miller of Boynton Beach and Jamill Jean-Baptiste of Lantana—were previously charged with first-degree murder. The latest release does not specify who the teen allegedly helped or what actions are attributed to them.
Community News · Boca Raton, FL
The City of Boca Raton will hold a ribbon-cutting for its new Community Accessibility Program (CAP) on Friday, Oct. 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Patch Reef Park, 2000 Yamato Road. Regular hours begin Saturday, Oct. 24, running Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Membership is free to apply for and open to anyone with a diagnosed disability, offering priority registration, a sensory room, and year-round programs including caregiver support groups and family nights. Registration has not yet opened; families can complete a Family Needs and Program Interest Survey or call 561-367-7034.
Public Safety · Miami-Dade County
Multiple South Florida law enforcement agencies have posted warnings about scammers calling residents while impersonating police officers to demand payment for fake warrants, bonds, or missed jury duty. The fraudsters use real officer names, badge numbers, and spoofed caller ID to appear legitimate, according to authorities in Sunny Isles Beach, Homestead, Hialeah, and Palm Beach County. In one Sunny Isles Beach case, a fraudster posing as a police lieutenant sent a fake notice attempting to obtain money, but the potential victim contacted the department before paying. Agencies stress they will never call demanding payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency, and urge residents to hang up and report suspicious calls to non-emergency lines.
Transportation · Boca Raton, FL
The City of Boca Raton will host its 2nd Annual Mobility Workshop on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in Gangal Hall at Florida Atlantic University's Engineering East building. The free event, co-presented with FAU's College of Engineering & Computer Science and the university's Institute of Transportation Engineers chapter, will feature updates on current city transportation projects and future mobility ideas. Participating organizations include the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Florida Department of Transportation and Circuit, the city's Fire Rescue Services Department, and the Office of Sustainability. Registration is required due to limited capacity and is available through the Mobility Workshop page on the city's MyBoca website.
Community brief · Boynton Beach, FL
Trader Joe's announced plans to open its first-ever store in Boynton Beach at 334 N. Congress Ave., Unit B, with a target opening in 2027. Two additional Florida locations are planned: Orlando at 1444 N. Alafaya Trail and Sarasota at 8199 S. Tamiami Trail, Unit 100, both with opening dates to be announced. The three new stores will bring Florida's Trader Joe's count from 29 to 32.
