Dead Body Identified in Coral Springs – Weston Faulkner

Coral Springs Police have identified the dead body found yesterday near US-441 and Wiles Road. Weston Faulkner, a 20-year-old male from North Carolina, died of an apparent overdose. The cause of death is not expected to be verified for at least a few months.
Our research indicates that Mr. Faulkner is a graduate of South Rowan High School in China Grove, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte. He was a lineman on the football team weighing up to or over 300 pounds.

The young man was troubled by drug abuse and depression, and well aware that he was at risk.

It appears he was living in South Florida at least off and on for the past year or two, with at least some minimal connection to Boca Raton. We have not been able to determine more than that.

New Project in Logger's Run: Assisted Living

Update (July 2017): The Assisted Living Facility is now named Symphony at Boca Raton. We called and a recorded message said they expect to open in November of 2017.
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Many readers have asked us what’s going on on the northwest corner of Ponderosa and Cobblestone. The location is north of Packy’s and the Montessori school, and borders the Crystal Cove Estates subdivision.

We looked into this further and learned that a 168-bed assisted living facility is being built. This will be fantastic for the local seniors as we have been crying out for a senior assisted living facility for such a long time. The name of it is: Cobblestone Place Congregate Living Facility. This is a form of housing intended primarily for seniors who need substantial nursing or medical assistance but not 24-hour supervision. If Florida is too far for you, then you might be interested in checking out this caregiver agency to help you with you find someone to look after you in your old age. However, if Florida is the perfect location for you, then you can read more on the Florida Elder Affairs website.
From the plan document we reviewed, there will be 90 parking spaces initially as required, with additional space set aside for 74 spaces if necessary. Assisted living through lakeside assisted living providers or similar can be a huge benefit to those who want their independence but are in need of help from time to time, if this is what you are looking for and you are looking for a facility to accommodate you, and you are not living in this vicinity, then there is The Hermatige based in Virginia. The Hermitage of Northern Virginia assisted living facilities are located in Alexandria Virginia with memory and skilled nursing care too, this can be of a great aid to you and your living conditions, check your local area for facilities near you.
Addressing concerns we’ve heard from residents, the plan is attempting to minimize the impact on neighbors:

The site has been design[ed] to orient the 3-story portion of the building away from the adjacent residential properties to the north with additional setbacks and required buffers to minimize any impact. In addition, the service driveways and service areas are located in areas away from the adjacent residential properties and are placed towards the interior of the building which will provide screening from any perceived nuisances.

We’re not sure that description fits with the overhead map in the project document, which shows only a fifteen foot buffer between an internal circular driveway and the existing wall on the south side of Crystal Cove:
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To us it looks like a large building is being squeezed into a tight space.
Here are some “elevation” images of what the project should look like:
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This is an image showing data from the project:
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The project is apparently owned by a Delaware corporation controlled by Capital Health Group and a man named Kenneth Assiran.
Here’s a 2014 interview with Mr. Assiran that mentions Boca Raton:

The transcript of that interview is available at Levin Associates.

Steve Monroe
Got you. Okay, good. Now, that’s a big deal for you to start the year. Do you have anything else like that in the pipeline for the rest of 2014?
Ken Assiran
Yes, we have other prospects we’re looking at. We’re looking at also developing a couple of deals. As a matter of fact, it’s very opportune that we’re in South Florida because we’ve bought some land in Fort Lauderdale and soon we are going to buy some land in Boca Raton and we’re going to build two large buildings in South Florida. We have a major commitment to South Florida or Florida.
I don’t know if you know this or not, but our management company now manages 75 buildings.
Steve Monroe
I knew it was up there; I didn’t know it was that high.
Ken Assiran
Yeah, we have quite a few. I believe we have eight in South Florida, so we’re really making a major investment in the Southeast.
Steve Monroe
Well, the Florida housing market is getting better, the Florida economy is getting better, so it’s probably not a bad place to be as long as too many people don’t follow you in the new development side.
Ken Assiran
Well, I think in South Florida, in Boca Raton and in Fort Lauderdale, it seems like in the markets here, there hasn’t been a lot of new product built here and I think the markets are ready for some new product.

The 32-page pdf from 2012 describing the project is below:
[gview file=”https://westbocanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/cobblestone-2012.pdf”]

Dinner with the Doctor

stethoscopebWest Boca Medical Center is sponsoring two Dinners with the Doctor this June. On June 9th at 5 p.m. Dr. Curtis Kephart, an orthopedic surgeon, will talk about Makoplasty: Minimizing Total Hip Complications with Robotic Assistance. The Dinner will be at Aston Gardens at Parkland Commons, 5999 University Drive. kephart
On June 16th at 5 p.m. Dr. Raul Perez, an internist, will discuss How to Remain Golden during your Golden Years. This dinner will be at Heartland Boca Raton, 7225 Boca Del Mar Dr.
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Please call 866-904-9262. All lectures are free and light refreshments will be served.
 

Dinner with the Doctor

stethoscopebWest Boca Medical Center is sponsoring Dinner with the Doctor on May 14th at 5 p.m. The topic this month is “I’ve been Admitted through the Emergency Room, What Happens Next?” presented by Dr. Humaira Ali, a family medicine physician. The dinner will be held at The Menorah House at 9945 N. Central Park Blvd in Boca Raton. To RSVP, call 877-311-3281.
torresStrokes: Do you know the Signs? will be the topic of discussion on May 22nd at noon at the West Boca Medical Center Radiology Classroom located at 9960 Central Park Blvd, Suite 240. Maria Torres, MSN, RN, a stroke coordinator, will lead the discussion.
kephartDo you want to learn more about Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement? Dr. Curtis Kephart, an orthopedic surgeon, will answer your questions on May 27th at noon at the Coconut Creek Recreation Complex. The Complex is located at 4455 Sol Press Blvd.
Light refreshments are served at the lectures. To register, call 866-904-9262.

Going Bald and Saving Lives at Olympic Heights and West Boca High

Brian Levine is a student at West Boca High.
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Cross-town rivals West Boca High School and Olympic Heights High School are teaming up in order to fight against one common enemy, cancer. This year, these two high schools continue the eternal struggle against cancer by participating in St. Baldrick’s.
St. Baldrick’s is an organization that first started on March 17th, 2000. It began as a challenge Tim Kenny set forth to his colleagues John Bender and Enda McDonnell. One simple question – “How will you give back in return for your own good fortune in business?” – kicked off a massive, international program unlike anything seen before. Today, thousands of people world-wide volunteer, donate, and shave their heads in order to help put an end to children’s cancer. If you want to learn more about St. Baldrick’s, click here.
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Here in Boca Raton, high school students at Olympic Heights and West Boca are shaving their heads in order to support this cause. West Boca High has been participating since 2013 while Olympic Heights is going on their eleventh year of participation. Now, both schools together have earned well over half a million dollars. Students are working hard to raise money for the event by sending mail and emails and by taking advantage of social media.
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Olympic Height’s event will take place on February 26th at their gymnasium. In order to prepare for the event, students and teachers alike are selling custom dog tags ($5), wristbands ($5) and t-shirts ($10). They are being sold in room 8106 at Olympic Heights. Students here must raise a total of $100 dollars in order to get their head shaved. If you would like to help Olympic Heights, you can either write a check out to Olympic Heights, donate in cash to room 8106, or donate online to their website here. Donations can go to the entire school or to an individual student.
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West Boca’s event is also taking place on February 26th at the gymnasium in their school. To participate as a ‘shavee’ in the event, students at West Boca High have to raise $50. At the school store and around campus, volunteers are selling St. Baldrick’s bracelets ($5) that must be bought in order to attend the event. To donate and help raise money for West Boca High, you can write a check out to West Boca High, donate cash to the school store, or donate online to their website here. Donations can go to the entire school or to an individual student.
A child is diagnosed with cancer every three minutes world-wide. Come support schools and students alike as they work together to help save lives and put an end to cancer this St. Baldrick’s. If you have the opportunity, go bald! After all, hair grows back!
Pictures provided by Joseph Marutollo and Elena McKnight.
Note: Another student wrote up last year’s St. Baldrick’s event at Olympic Heights.