Luxury on the waters of West Palm

By Evelyn Ticona
Managing Editor

A four-day marine extravaganza filled with boats, marine products and accessories, the 25th annual Palm Beach International Boat Show took place at the West Palm Beach waterfront from March 25 to 28.

Presented by Merdeces-Benz USA and Palm Harbor Marina, it primarily targeted people considering buying a boat or marine equipment.

All photos by Evelyn Ticona, Managing Editor

“It is a buyers’ market offering highly unusual opportunities for great values,” said Show Management President Efrem Zimbalist III.

The show had 434 exhibitors displaying boats and yachts with prices varying from $10,000 for the cheapest to $14 million for the most expensive.

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New West Palm Beach Waterfront opens with a bang

By Evelyn Ticona
Managing Editor

An estimated 80,000 people attended the inauguration of West Palm Beach’s new downtown waterfront on Saturday, Feb. 20.

Palm Beach Atlantic University students were part of the evening’s entertainment along with live music, a Cirque Majik performance and fireworks.

Mayor Lois J. Frankel first envisioned the waterfront project six years ago. The city tore down its old library and built docks, gardens and a waterfront pavilion. The project cost $30 million.

Click here to view a slideshow of images from the Waterfront opening

Click above for a slideshow of images, with photos by Evelyn Ticona and presentation by Casey Elia.

Frankel has seen this project as a key to drawing more people downtown.

The events Saturday included PBA’s improvisational comedy showcase, A Live Improv Comedy Experience (A.L.I.C.E.) and a performance by the PBA Dance Ensemble.

The spectacle of the night was Cirque Majik’s performance, with more than 30 acrobats suspended from ropes and wearing multicolored costumes.

Following the performance, a spectacular fireworks display lit up the sky.

At the end of the night, a disc jockey gathered people from different ages together around the stage to dance and enjoy music until 11 p.m.

Musicians unite for Haiti relief

By Evelyn Ticona & Jen Rodino
Managing Editor & Features Editor

Singer-songwriter Shaun Groves urged the Palm Beach Atlantic University family to support Haiti relief by watching the upcoming “Help Haiti Live” concert Saturday.

DeSantis Family Chapel served as the stage to host Groves last week.

Groves also offered a free concert in chapel Tuesday night where, along with his performance, Groves sent a message about salvation and God’s purpose for us in life.

The relief concert will take place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville at 8:30 p.m., and can be seen live online at www.helphaitilive.com.

Groves is a partner of Compassion International, a child development organization that sponsors children from third world countries.

He said it took Compassion International longer than expected to put the concert together, leaving little time to promote.

Photo by Christina Cernik, Photo Editor

“We want you to help us spread the word,” Groves told the crowd.

Big Kenny will host the concert and singers like Mat Kearney, Brandon Heath, Dave Barnes and Matt West will perform for free to raise funds for the earthquake relief.

Beacon News: Slavery exists in 2010

By Evelyn Ticona
Managing Editor

As President Barack Obama named January National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention month, a group of West Palm Beach residents raised awareness of the problem in their own back yard.

On Thursday, Jan. 28 a crowd held a vigil outside a home on Lave Avenue where two years ago, federal investigators found 13 women used as sex slaves.

Todd Mullins, pastor of Christ Fellowship Church, addressed the issue of human trafficking on Jan. 31 in his sermon.

According to Mullins, 27 million people serve as slaves in the world today, and half of those are children.

With the earthquake in Haiti, the issue of human trafficking was brought to the table.

Beacon News: Donald Trump to host ACS fundraiser

By Evelyn Ticona
Managing Editor

The Mar-a-Lago Club, owned by Donald J. Trump, will host the 52nd annual American Cancer Society Ball this Friday, Feb. 5.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Trump offers his property for this event, held at the Breakers in Palm Beach in previous years. Trump also serves as the New York Ambassador for the American Cancer Society Ball.

Staci H. Eaton, community representative at the Island of Palm Beach ACS Unit, said she expects up to 450 attendees at this year’s ball. The price of the tickets to attend the ball is $750 per person.

Beacon News: Inside Scientology

The Beacon takes a look at the controversial religion with strong Florida presence

By Evelyn Ticona
Features Editor

From behind a podium next to a big wooden cross, the mission holder begins the service saying, “Welcome to the Church of Scientology.”

After greeting the attendees, Marilyn Cocco, mission holder and executive director of the Church of Scientology of West Palm Beach and benefactor of the Scientology Ideal Organization, reads the creed of the Church. She then reads the sermon of the day written by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology.

Scientologists display an eight-cornered cross, representing what they call the eight parts of the dynamic principle of existence: self, creativity, group survival, species, life forms, physical universe, spiritual dynamic and infinity.

“The cross predates Christianity by thousands of years,” Cocco said. “It has always represented some kind of spiritual symbol.”

Hubbard believed that humans should enhance their spirituality by acquiring mental, spiritual and bodily freedom through knowledge. Dianetics, scientologists believe, is the modern science of mental health that can help cure people from pain and heal themselves.

“Scientology is an exact science; you have to be trained to deliver it. If not, it’s not effective,” said Donna Noboa, basic courses supervisor and treasury secretary. “It’s a process of learning about yourself and life self-realization.”

Beacon Opinion: ‘Dear Mr. Anti-Interracial Marriage Guy’

By Evelyn Ticona
Features Editor

Dear Justice of the Peace Keith Bardwell:

Please check your calendar carefully; it’s 2009 not 1909. Also, please refer to your American history classes in high school and college. At some point, they must have addressed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 regarding equal treatment of every American regardless of race.

It’s been 42 years since the U.S. Supreme Court brought down the Virginia statute impeding whites from marrying people of a different ethnic group when Mildred Jeter (African American) and Richard Loving (Caucasian) were banned from getting married.