In July we reported on a fatal accident that occurred at the corner of Palmetto Park and 441. Police comments at the time suggested that Kelsey Cooper (above, 32) was to blame and that they suspected some kind of alcohol or drug impairment.
Court records show charges were filed against her on Monday and she was arrested on Tuesday. An appearance was scheduled for Wednesday morning but there’s no record in the system yet as to what happened. However, the Sheriff’s blotter shows that she was released on bond Wednesday afternoon.
The charges against Ms. Cooper include both DUI Manslaughter and Negligent Vehicular Manslaughter. We have not seen the toxicology report, but the Palm Beach Post reported that it showed her blood-alcohol level was “three times the legal limit” and also that it showed “signs of cocaine.”
Of course Ms. Cooper is innocent at this stage of the process. Her reported address is in the Boca Pointe community, northeast of Powerline and SW 18th. We see no criminal history for her, other than a minor traffic ticket in 2012.
The case is vaguely similar to two other DUI Homicide cases we’ve reported on in the past. Bianca Fichtel’s case from an accident with a bicyclist on Yamato at I-95 is still pending. We also previously reported on the appellate dismissal of the case against Angela Stracar from an accident that occurred in front of Boca Isles on Cain Blvd.
Tag: 441
La Ferme Media Dinner: Photos
We were fortunate to be invited to a media dinner for the new La Ferme restaurant in Yamato Village Center. It’s a reopening of the former Bistro Gastronomie in the same plaza as Doris Market. Bistro Gastronomie struggled but the new owners (pictured above) are optimistic they can make the concept work. The Shapiros have extensive experience running restaurants. They’ve learned from their successes and more from the few that didn’t go well.
The new chef, John Belleme (pronounced like Bellamy), put together an excellent meal for all of us. He came out and explained the finer points of the meal in far more depth than this author is capable of understanding, to the delight of the more experienced food writers. Their press release described the cuisine as Meditteranean but we’d call it French.
We started with a series of appetizers. First up was the “gougeres”, bread puffs filled with gruyere cheese. The bread was light and airy and the cheese was soft inside – nearly liquid – even after they had cooled off a bit.
Served at the same time was steak tartare, which was my favorite item of the night. The meat blended with dijon, capers and other ingredients for a hint of spice and smooth feel in the mouth.
Oysters are not something I would typically order, but I did like these.
They came out along with “Clams 2 Ways.” One of the ways included bacon, which was excellent.
During the meal Mr. Shapiro introduced Kahl Wilfert, who coordinated the artwork inside the restaurant.
There is a variety of art, though Kahl mentioned something being a precursor to the pop art movement.
Next came two different salads. One was a beet salad. That’s something I usually like and this was no exception:
There was also a “farm salad.” This was the one item that really didn’t click for me. There was something bitter in it that overpowered the rest of the ingredients, though others at the table did like it.
We were then served two kinds of mussels. The Thai version was my favorite of the two.
I had the chance to try three of the four entrees that were served. A guest of mine showed up late and had the salmon. We both thought it was very good.
I had the scallops with risotto. Of the entrees this was my favorite. My guest particularly liked the risotto.
I also had a chance to try the porchetta, made from pork belly.
The meal closed with two desserts, an apple turnover that was spectacular, and a chocolate torte that would definitely appeal to chocoholics.
We have not seen a menu yet but expect La Ferme to be pricey. The Shapiros tell us it will not be as expensive as Bistro Gastronomie was. We hope to get there again in the next month or so for a regular meal.
Yamato Village Center is on the north side of Yamato halfway between 441 and Lyons at Lakeridge.
The website, LaFerme.kitchen, is still under construction.
Recent Home Sales in 33434
Homes in the 33434 zip code are located between 441 and St. Andrew’s Blvd, North of Glades Road to Yamato Road. Neighborhoods in this area include Boca West Country Club, Hamptons at Boca Raton, Woodfield Hunt Club, Santa Barbara and Century Village. The following homes sold in September 2014.
This 5 bedroom home at 9537 Carousel Circle sold for $350,000. Built in 1988 in the West Boca Lake development, it has 2.5 bathrooms in 2756 sq. feet. The home has a open floor plan and modern kitchen. It also has a large inground pool.
The famous “White House” of Boca Raton at 3075 Hampton Place sold for $1.825 million. Located in the Woodfield Hunt Club, it has 5 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms in 6613 sq. feet of living space. Built in 1985, it has 2 stories of glass throughout and a gourmet kitchen. It is located on a cul de sac with lake views, an infinity pool and outdoor shower. The house was previously purchased in 1989 for $1.26 million and in 1993 for $875,000.
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20290 Fairway Oaks Dr, Apt 253 in Boca West Country Club sold for $750,000. This condominium was once featured in Florida Design Magazine. It has 3 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms in 3650 sq. feet. The kitchen has stainless steel sub zero appliances, wood cabinetry and granite counter tops. It was built in 1994 and sold for $437,500.
Located in the gated community of Santa Barbara, 6176 NW 24th Street sold for $555,000. It was built in 1992 and has 3 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms. Impact glass windows, doors and skylights have been installed throughout the house. There is new flooring and modern kitchen and bathrooms.
This open and airy courtyard home at 4284 NW 29th Way was sold for $475,000. It has 5 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms in 2678 sq. feet. Built in 1995, it is located in the Carriage Homes at Woodfield. The home overlooks a nice backyard and an in ground pool.
19419 Cedar Glen Dr in the gated community of Cedar Glen sold for $475,000. This patio home, with views of the lake and golf course, has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Built in 1985, the roof was replaced in 2006 and the pool and patio were built in 2006. It was originally purchased for $325,300.
Hobby Lobby "Protest": Photos
Protesters gathered this afternoon on the northwest corner of 441 and Palmetto Park Road, motivated at least in part by the opening of the Hobby Lobby in West Boca Square. Our best estimate is that there were 30 people there, though there more may have come after we left.
As we drove in we saw this woman telling people to “Get a new hobby.”
There were a number of other motivated people there:
We had a pleasant conversation on the scene with Laura Goodhue, who is a VP with the local Planned Parenthood organization:
We asked Ms. Goodhue about the fact that Hobby Lobby’s main competitor, Michael’s, is owned by Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital. She said the protest was not about Hobby Lobby and they are not advocating for a boycott of the store. She said this was more about making people aware of women’s rights, particularly involving healthcare. She talked about political candidates and made clear that Governor candidate Charlie Crist is more in line with their views than the incumbent, Rick Scott.
When we asked Ms. Goodhue about the distinction between an individual’s rights against the government, as compared to an employee’s rights against their employer, and that employer’s rights against the government. The contrast is between the government’s power to actually ban something, and an employer’s refusal to pay for something. She didn’t give a straight answer to the question.
When we first arrived we saw a protester inside the plaza on the sidewalk right in front of the store. By the time we left he was gone and there were two Sheriff’s vehicles along the sidewalk.
The deputies were speaking with the store managers. We asked if they had removed the protester and one of the deputies said that they were “just keeping the peace.” We asked store management about the protest and also again about whether and when they would be carrying merchandise for the Jewish holidays. Like Ms. Goodhue they did not give a straight answer to those questions.
As we left we saw a few more protesters at the exit:
And to be fair, we did see one counter-protester, out on the median of 441:
Hobby Lobby Grand Opening: Photos and Video
Hobby Lobby is finally open. The grand opening was this morning at 9 am. We missed the ceremonies but got there before 10 am. There seemed to be a lot of customers for a weekday morning and it looks like a good start.
Some key details: It’s definitely big and there are a lot of sections. They have a fabrics section which we’ve heard some demand for:
The store map is helpful:
There’s also a framing section that is likely to be popular:
Here’s our video of walking into the store:
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding Hobby Lobby for various reasons, related to their identity as a “Christian company.” When I walked in I was greeted by Jacqueline Chavez (below, far right), of the firm’s Management Ministries.
I think some of the critics don’t get how serious the company is about being Christian. Having Ms. Chavez there at the front door is a sign of it. The “Management Ministries” staff are part of that:
The focus is to exhibit a Godly culture by making a positive impact on the lives of the management teams. I believe this position is one of equipping men and women, right where they are and that is in the workplace. It is exciting to see biblical principles touching and changing lives across the country. Jesus said “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32) The goal of Management Ministries is to let them see Jesus!
I met the two co-managers and they were happy with how things were going. The soft opening was Saturday and business was strong even though it was essentially unadvertised. This is not the first Hobby Lobby in South Florida – they told me there are stores in Davie and Kendall. From the store website there are plans to open another one in Coral Springs in a few weeks.
The store does seem to be running well, but from a business perspective I was surprised at how uncomfortable and unprepared they were for questions about the controversies. In light of an incident of alleged antisemitism in New Jersey where the Hobby Lobby President apologized, I asked about whether they would be carrying merchandise for the Jewish holidays. They had no idea whether or when Hanukkah merchandise would be coming to the store, though the store has plenty of Christmas merchandise on the shelves already.
The managers seemed unaware of the significant Jewish population around them. The West Boca Square plaza borders Boca Woods, which is mostly Jewish, and the Jewish Federation campus is not far away on the other side of 441.
I asked about the decision to locate a Christian store in an area that has such a large Jewish population and they simply said it was a decision made by the company’s real estate division and they didn’t know about it. To me it doesn’t come off as antisemitism but rather that they’re tone deaf. For a more critical perspective see this article in Coral Springs Talk.
Regardless of all of that, we’re pleased to see that the opening is going well. This is a great shopping option for a lot of people in West Boca and also a source of good jobs. We wish Hobby Lobby well.