Tag: instagram

Posted on

DELICIOUS DINING

Our local guide to some of the best specialty foods in our area

Where to go for a great happy hour

Happy hour is the perfect excuse to meet up with friends, unwind after work, or simply enjoy a favorite local restaurant for a little less. From discounted craft cocktails and wine to bar bites and weekday specials, several local restaurants offer deals worth arriving early for. Whether you are looking for an upscale cocktail, a cold beer, or something to share, these local happy hours make an afternoon or early evening out even more appealing.

Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar – Coral Springs

Tap 42 combines a lively, modern atmosphere with a happy hour made for catching up with friends after work. Offered Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the bar, happy hour includes discounts on craft beers, spirits, wine, and handcrafted cocktails. Current specials include $2 off craft beers, $4 off spirits, and $3 off wine, along with reduced prices on craft cocktails. Pair a drink with one of Tap 42’s bar bites or shareable dishes for an easy start to the evening.

Runyon’s – Coral Springs

Runyon’s offers happy hour Tuesday through Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m., available at the bar, cocktail tables, and patio tables. Current happy-hour listings feature 50% off qualifying liquor, beer, and wines priced $18 and under, along with a dedicated menu of appetizers and small plates. With its classic steakhouse atmosphere and lively Piano Room, Runyon’s is an appealing spot for an early drink that can easily turn into dinner.

Sharkey’s Bar & Grill – Coral SpringsImageSharkey’s gives happy-hour fans one of the longest windows in the area, running Monday through Friday from noon to 7 p.m. Happy-hour cocktails are $9, hard seltzers and premium beers are $6, and domestic beers are $4. With wings, seafood, burgers, and plenty of other casual favorites on the menu, it is an easy place to settle in for an afternoon. Sharkey’s also regularly features trivia, live entertainment, and additional food specials throughout the week, adding to its neighborhood sports-bar atmosphere.

Sicilian Oven – Coral Springs

Sicilian Oven starts happy hour earlier than most. Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., drink specials are available throughout the restaurant, including $1 off beers, $3 off glasses of wine, $6 well cocktails, and $8 select spirits. From 4 to 7 p.m., guests can also order special bar bites at the bar and high-top tables. Midweek brings even more reasons to stop in: Tuesday features BOGO beers, Wednesday offers 50% off bottles of wine, and Thursday brings $10 specialty cocktails all day. Add a wood-fired pizza or the restaurant’s popular Sicilian salad, and happy hour can easily turn into dinner.

TacoCraft Taqueria & Tequila Bar – Coral Springs

TacoCraft brings a lively atmosphere and plenty of options to happy hour, offered seven days a week from 3 to 6 p.m. and again from 10 p.m. to close, excluding holidays and special events. Drink specials include $8 classic margaritas, $10 specialty margaritas and craft cocktails, $6 wines, $5 bottled beers, and $6 drafts. Tequila and mezcal fans get an especially good deal with 50% off most selections. The happy-hour menu also features $5 tacos as well as various-priced bar bites such as chicken taquitos, street corn, yuca fries, and queso, making it an easy spot to turn drinks with friends into dinner.

Posted on

Coexisting with the ‘Super Genius’ coyote

For those familiar with the Looney Tunes cartoons, the term “Super Genius” conjures up images of a Wile E. Coyote, and his ingenious but often ill-fated attempts to capture his nemesis, the Road Runner. The coyote was an icon of the American West, with its wide-open, dusty landscape. But unlike Wile E., real-time coyotes have been employing their adaptivity and smarts to spread eastward, and they’ve steadily expanded their natural ranges into southern Florida.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), coyotes are found throughout Florida’s 67 counties. Coyotes were living in Florida until around 12,000 years ago, when they disappeared from the fossil records. In modern times, coyotes became confined to the plains and deserts of the western U.S.

So it came as a surprise to many South Florida neighborhoods that coyotes started to show up in their local neighborhoods. They arrived first in the Florida Panhandle area in the 1970s and naturally expanded their territory until today they’re throughout all of Florida. Unlike many new animal arrivals to Florida, like the pythons and lionfish, coyotes arrived naturally on their four legs, and they’re considered “naturalized” residents of Florida per the FWC.

Coyotes’ success is often attributed to their adaptability. Coyotes are a close relative to gray wolves and domestic dogs, and they’ve taken advantage of the disappearing wolf population to expand their territory. DNA testing has shown that Florida coyote populations contain significant genetic contributions from wolves and dogs, which has made them sturdier and less afraid of humans.

Unlike Wile E., real-life coyotes are pragmatists. With no Acme product on their body, real coyotes typically weigh 20–40 pounds, and they resemble a medium-size dog with pointed ears and a bushy tail. They are generalist predators; they prey on small to medium-size animals and will consume fruits and humans’ leftovers.

This pragmatic nature allowed the coyotes to take over the ecological vacuum that was created when the larger predators like the red wolf and Florida panther populations were reduced. Like the Hollywood reboot, the coyotes came back to dominate their new domain in Florida.

With no roadrunners to chase, the Florida coyotes found new targets. A recent study shows local coyotes have been preying on many South Florida icons. Iguanas, especially in the winter season when they are slower and often enter a torpor state due to the cold, are being regularly hunted by the coyote, along with Indian peafowls. Coyotes are also found to be dining on local crabs when they are in season, and local fruits, like palm seeds and mangos. Juvenile pythons are also on a coyote’s menu, which in turn has helped to control the invasive python population.

The returning coyotes act as a top-tier predator, which keeps the smaller wild animal population in check, and it helps reduce predatory stress on local bird and turtle populations. According to Florida FWC, coyotes “help maintain healthy ecosystems by managing populations of rodents, insects, and other small animals. By preventing conflicts, we can better exist with coyotes and other wildlife.”

Another reason for their success is because coyotes are great parents, which helps to increase the survival chances for their pups. Coyote families are small and tight-knit, as parents form pair bonds that stay together for many seasons. This helps the parents learn and adapt to their surroundings together, and the pups have more success surviving the vulnerable early months of their lives. Older siblings and related coyotes often stay with the parents to form a small clan, which helps with pup-raising and, in return, allows youngsters to learn from the experiences of the older bonded parents.

Unlike their Hollywood caricature, Wile E., who is a loner and doesn’t talk, the real coyotes are very vocal. Their Latin name, Canis latrans, means “barking dog.” Their yips, howls, and woofs are key to their socialization, and it’s often heard at night when they are in the area.

Florida’s suburbs are also particularly attractive to coyotes. It provides many of the food sources that coyotes prefer, and they are quick to adapt to our suburban schedule. They will learn the daily routines of the human residents of the neighborhoods, and to move without human detection. They are often only detected by motion-activated cameras, or by their yip-howls at night.

Coyotes don’t fit well into a typical Floridian’s vision of curated gardens and golf courses. The coyote is a natural predator that will happily snack on a pet animal when opportunities arise. Trapping and relocation is often considered, but it’s a temporary solution, and as effective as an Acme product. When a coyote is removed, the remaining coyotes often respond with a larger litter of pups, which fills the void left by the removed animal.

Once we accept that coyotes are here to stay, our mindset changes to how best to live with them. Their arrival in our neighborhoods is a reminder that we live amidst nature in South Florida. Knowing their habits allows us to coexist with them. Coyotes still retain a fear of humans, which helps minimize their human contact. Experts recommend a strategy of “hazing,” where coyotes are made to feel unwelcome in populated areas through making noise, waving arms, or spraying them with water. This reinforces the natural boundary of fear that coyotes have for humans.

To prevent coyotes from losing their fear of humans, Florida FWC recommends securing garbage cans, pet foods, and fall fruits around your house. Keeping your pets in enclosed areas and walking dogs with a short leash will help keep them safe from coyotes looking for a quick snack.

So next time you see your local coyote, remember, they are resilient canines that have found their way home to Florida and help us to keep our natural surroundings in balance. Though it resembles a domestic dog, it is a wild animal that has earned its place in Florida and should be kept wild, for its own success.

Meanwhile, the Looney Tunes super genius Wile E. Coyote is seeking justice for all those faulty Acme products he has used over the years in the new movie “Coyote vs Acme,” in theaters now.

Image here:  https://myfwc.com/media/15892/coyotes-in-florida-infographic.jpg

Posted on

Two local grandparents, giving back

Giving back doesn’t always start with a fundraiser, a committee, or a formal volunteer position. Sometimes it starts with noticing a need and deciding to help.

That is the case for two local grandmothers who have each found a practical way to make a difference. One regularly donates much needed items to a homeless shelter. The other collects unwanted pet supplies and household items from neighbors and delivers them to local animal shelters and rescue organizations.

Neither asked to be recognized for what they do. For them, helping isn’t about attention or getting credit. It is simply something they have chosen to make part of their lives.

For one Parkland grandmother, the focus is on the basic items that homeless shelters often need most. She keeps an eye out for toiletries, socks, towels, blankets, clothing, and other everyday necessities, and she either purchases them or gathers what she already has at home.

“Once you realize how many basic things people need, it’s hard not to help,” she said. “These are things most of us have without even thinking about it.” Rather than waiting for a holiday drive or organized collection, she donates throughout the year whenever she sees a need she can help fill.

In Coral Springs, another grandmother has taken a similar approach but for animals, donating to various local pet shelters and rescues.

Her neighborhood has a community clubhouse, which makes it easy to get neighbors involved. She posts flyers letting residents know what she is collecting and sets specific times for donations to be dropped off there. She then gathers everything and delivers it where it can be used.

“The clubhouse makes it really easy,” she said. “I can put up a flyer, give everyone a drop-off time, and people bring things they were probably going to get rid of anyway. They’re happy knowing it’s going somewhere that needs it.”

The donations vary depending on what shelters need and what neighbors have to give. What matters is that useful items are being redirected rather than thrown away or left sitting unused.

Both efforts are simple, but that is part of the point. Community service doesn’t always have to mean a large commitment, a formal organization, or hours of volunteer work. Sometimes it is as straightforward as paying attention to what is needed and finding a way to help.

For grandparents, there can also be more opportunity to do that later in life. Once their children are grown and the schedules that once filled their days begin to slow down, there may be time to look beyond the daily responsibilities.

As they both noted, their grandchildren are watching too.

“I love that my grandchildren see the bags being set aside and the donations being collected,” one grandmother said. “My hope is that they understand the importance of helping others and will want to do the same someday.”

And perhaps that is one of the best things these grandparents are passing along. Not every good deed needs an audience. Sometimes making a difference is simply seeing what needs to be done … and doing it.

Posted on

Dyscalculia: Changing the math equation for students

Most people have heard of dyslexia, but did you know that there is a math version called dyscalculia? Many children, and even adults, struggle with it their whole lives, just believing that they are “bad at math.”

Dyscalculia affects how a person understands numbers, quantities, and how they relate to each other. It also impacts sequencing and working memory, just like dyslexia, which is why longer math problems can become so overwhelming.

The good news is that once parents and teachers know the red flags, dyscalculia can be much easier to recognize and address. With the right approach, students can completely change the way they think about math and, more importantly, the way they think about themselves.

So, what does dyscalculia actually look like?

A student might reverse numbers and write 16 instead of 61. They might solve a problem correctly and then bubble in the wrong answer choice. They may mix up math symbols, struggle to decide which fraction is larger, or have difficulty telling time on a clock.

In my experience, many students with dyscalculia have a much easier time adding and multiplying than subtracting and dividing. Counting forward is often easier than counting backward because of the sequencing challenge. Division can be a nightmare, because it may involve multiplication, subtraction, estimation, and what feels like a million steps.

The challenges do not stop when math class ends. A child may struggle to judge how long it takes to get dressed for school, follow a schedule, measure ingredients, keep score during a game, or read a map.

While there is no officially recognized dyscalculia intervention equivalent to the Wilson or Orton-Gillingham methods used for dyslexia, strategies that connect math to visuals, words, and real-life situations can have the same powerful effect.

This year, I worked with an 11th-grade student who had never passed a high-stakes exam. She had taken the SAT, CLT, and FAST repeatedly because she needed a passing score to graduate. By the time she came to me, passing felt impossible to her, and she was just going through the motions.

After I noticed the signs, I recommended she be evaluated, and she received an official dyscalculia diagnosis. From there, we began intervention.

Here’s what many people don’t realize: Students with dyscalculia are often very strong with language, and that’s the key to unlocking math for them. We turned math problems into drawing contests until this student could visualize any problem on her own. She rewrote numbers and symbols as words, and turned each equation into a sentence she could actually reason through. Once the math became a story, she could solve it.

A few weeks later, she excused herself from class to call me. She said she couldn’t even wait until she got home to tell me the news.

“I passed! I passed!” she shouted in the middle of the hallway. “I got a 4 on the FAST!”

I was thrilled that she passed, but what filled my heart the most was hearing the confidence in her voice. She had overcome something she believed she never could, and the way she saw herself had changed forever.

By the end of the school year, she was dividing difficult polynomials, carefully following the steps she had written down. You would never guess what she said next: “My brain just needed a system. This is actually fun now!”

What I have learned is that these students don’t need someone to just explain the same thing one more time. They need to learn a system of explaining it to themselves to see how capable they were all along.

Posted on

Preserving the magic of Malachi Acres

When Sonseeahray Cheek first found Malachi Acres, a Parkland riding stable, back in 2006, it drew her in. A horse person since childhood, Cheek was brought back to her horse-loving roots, and Malachi Acres provided a safe place where her daughter was able to build confidence and both were able to find community.

For Cheek, it also provided an enduring friendship with former owners Donice and Steve Muccio.

“Donice and I became best friends,” recalls Cheek, current owner of Malachi Acres. “She was like a mother and sister to me. It’s harder when you’re an adult to meet somebody who has such an impact on your life.”

When Donice Muccio had a stroke in 2019, her health began deteriorating and her husband planned on selling the facility. Cheek knew she had to step in.

“My heart just couldn’t see this place be knocked down and another multimillion-dollar house put here,” says Cheek. “Just knowing what we do for the community, for the kids, primarily girls, I couldn’t see that die. I do believe in a Malachi magic and what Malachi does. It’s something that this area needed.”

In 2021, Cheek became the owner of Malachi Acres. While deciding to leave the corporate world with its steady paycheck was difficult, she credits a diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma (stage 4 lung cancer) in 2018 with giving her the courage to pursue what really fulfilled her.

“I was diagnosed in 2018. When surgery failed, I was told the best-case scenario would be 5 years life expectancy,” says Cheek. “I was 49. Donice, my husband, my mother, and mother-in-law were all there. Everything in the room was moving in slow motion and became a blur. I remember just hearing muffled voices of panic with everyone asking the doctor questions on my behalf. This was a life-changing experience I had never imagined would happen to me. When someone tells you you have 5 years left, you really think about what you want the quality of those 5 years to be.”

Choosing Malachi Acres was the right decision for Cheek. “I do feel I’m getting paid more in what I get back out of being here.”

While Malachi Acres teaches dressage with the standards of a competitive show barn, its true focus extends far beyond ribbons and rankings. Some students compete, while others ride simply for the joy of being with horses. What unites them is a culture where kindness matters

more than status. “Being kind is the basic foundation of anything you do in life,” says Cheek. Nobody cares what kind of car you drive or what kind of helmet you wear.”

Connection and presence are equally central to the Malachi Acres experience. One of the barn’s most noticeable rules is that cell phones stay tucked away.

“You’re handling a thousand-pound animal,” says Cheek. “You can’t be on your phone and be aware of what’s going on around you.”

Beyond safety, the policy is meant to encourage riders to connect with one another and with the horses. “Malachi is a place to learn about friendship, trust, growth, community, and confidence,” says Cheek, who emphasizes that kids won’t learn all those things if they’re busy checking social media.

Students are also taught the fundamentals of horsemanship, including how to groom their horses, tack up, and administer basic first aid. Once they’ve been at Malachi for a couple of years, students have the opportunity to lead by teaching new students these skills.

“The really cool thing about the environment we’ve created here is that these kids support each other and cheer each other on,” says Cheek.

That positive reinforcement extends to the instructors. Rather than coaching through fear or criticism, instructors focus on meeting students where they’re at emotionally.

“Sometimes you get the best out of somebody by relating to what they’re going through and validating their feelings,” says Cheek. “It’s OK to cry. It’s OK to be nervous. Take that into the performance.”

For Cheek, the greatest reward has never been building a successful riding program. It’s seeing the impact that Malachi Acres has on the people who walk through its gates.

Now, five years into her tenure as owner, Cheek is still battling lung cancer, but her love and dedication to Malachi Acres remains.

“Malachi is magic. And if you have any interest in horses or horsemanship, it’s a really good place to come and be able to be yourself, not have to walk on eggshells, not have to worry about being judged, and just really open up and experience what the horses have to offer.”

For more information, visit malachiacres.com.

Posted on

Power to the people: Flower Power

Local nonprofit rescues discarded flowers to brighten seniors’ lives

How It All Began

On a typical morning, while most parents with four young kids are juggling breakfast and backpacks, one Parkland mom is also rescuing flowers headed for the trash heap—and delivering them to seniors in local living facilities.

Shayna Stein Schon, 35, and her husband, Gideon, 37, are the founders of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit aptly called Flower Power, which redeploys unused flowers and arrangements from florists, hotels, funeral homes, and grocery stores to local seniors.

More than rescued bouquets, Flower Power is a grassroots effort that turns discarded flowers into moments of joy for seniors, bringing together local businesses, volunteers, and community groups to spread smiles across South Florida.

The Chain of Love

Trader Joe’s in Coral Springs is one of Schon’s largest suppliers of excess flowers, plants, and anything floral.

“Flowers make everyone happy,” says Schon, who admits to a fondness for roses. “What is a better way to commemorate a life event or to just brighten someone’s day?”

To date, the organization—whose motto is “Spreading smiles one bouquet at a time”—has given new life to more than 5,000 bouquets, allowing them to bloom again and spread joy on their way.

The idea originated when Schon worked for the food bank Feeding San Diego, where she matched grocery stores with local nonprofits. The stores donated excess food, and the nonprofits distributed it to those in need.

“That experience inspired me and planted the dream of starting my own nonprofit,” she says.

After relocating to Parkland in 2024, that dream began to take shape. When friends and neighbors fell ill or needed surgery, Schon brought flowers. She realized that although she couldn’t fix their problems, she could brighten their day.

“I kept asking myself, ‘What can I do to make their situation better?’ ” she says. “The answer kept coming back to flowers.”

Schon’s mission quickly found support from local businesses. As a part of the community, Trader Joe’s believes it does more than just sell groceries.

“Being a neighborhood grocery store is about more than just selling groceries,” says Nakia Rohde, a spokesperson for the company. “It’s also about being good neighbors.”

According to Rohde, through its Neighborhood Shares program, the company provides nourishment to its communities every day, by donating 100% of unsold products (including flowers) that are fit to be enjoyed to local nonprofit organizations.

What began with the Schons, their children, and extended family has grown to include community volunteers and local organizations such as the Foundation for Independent Living (FIL), a residence in Coconut Creek where people with cognitive and physical disabilities learn to lead independent lives.

Coconut Creek resident Vicki Matthews, 63, who recently retired after 37 years at American Express, is one of those volunteers. She read about Flower Power in the local news and reached out to Schon.

“Shayna is incredibly responsive and has a passion for helping others,” says Matthews. “She called me immediately.”

Matthews was recruited to pick up flower donations from Trader Joe’s in Coral Springs, one of their largest donors, and drove her Lexus IS 200 to transport the delicate cargo. “I had flowers in the front seat, on the floor, on the back seat and floor, and in the trunk,” she says. “It was so cool, and the scent was amazing.”

At FIL, residents and staff pick up donated flowers twice each month from Trader Joe’s. They rework the unsold flowers, giving them a new life and purpose.

Mabell Angel, director of marketing and communications for FIL, says she and her residents are grateful to Schon for the opportunity to be a part of her mission. “I call it the ‘chain of love,’ ” she says. “Our residents get to pick up the flowers, create beautiful bouquets, and then deliver them to seniors—it’s a beautiful chain of love and compassion.”

The activity provides a creative, social, and purposeful outlet for the community’s 60 residents, who then get to brighten someone else’s day at another living facility.

Typically, Flower Power receives between 30 and 150 bouquets each week through its donation partners. Some are delivered as-is, while others are creatively repurposed into new arrangements.

Other organizations they partner with include Broward Health, Allegro Senior Living, Tamarac Center for Rehabilitation and Healing, Menorah House, and Sinai Residences in Boca Raton.

Rischelle Waxberg, activities director at Sinai Residences, says, “We’re so grateful to Shayna and Flower Power for brightening the lives of our residents.”

Flower Power typically brings bouquets for the traditional Friday-night Shabbat dinner. “When our residents see the flowers, their faces light up,” Waxberg says. “This is a wonderful mitzvah to have flowers on Shabbat.”

Impact and Future Goals

Additionally, Flower Power offers floral arranging workshops for schools, organizations, and community groups. Participants create something beautiful—one arrangement to keep and one to give away. Proceeds support the nonprofit’s mission of rescuing flowers and spreading smiles.

Schon hopes to recruit additional volunteers so she can spend more time fundraising and writing grants. Her goal is to source enough flowers to warrant daily pickups, not just weekly.

Flower Power has received small grants from Walmart’s Spark Good program and Target’s corporate giving initiatives, and it hopes to secure additional support. Its greatest needs include financial donations, flower suppliers, social media volunteers, and floral supply donors.

“We’re so grateful to Trader Joe’s in Coral Springs and everyone who works with us and donates to us,” says Schon. “Our vision is to continue growing throughout South Florida and eventually deliver thousands of rescued flower bouquets every week, bringing comfort and joy to even more people, one bouquet at a time.

“At Flower Power, we believe kindness doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Sometimes it just begins with a flower.”

For more information, or to make a donation or become a volunteer, visit flowerpowercommunity.org or follow Shayna Schon on Instagram.

Posted on

Local scam that’s all too common these days

This spring, a local Parkland resident found herself in front of a Coinhub ATM ready to follow the instructions of a Captain Brian Smith, badge #1074, to deposit funds to resolve an alleged court order. Just before she deposited the cash, which she had to take a cash advance for, her husband, with the help of local police, got a hold of her and advised that it was a scam.

This is an ordeal that is all too common these days, and luckily this scam didn’t succeed, due to the help of family and police.

The scam started with a call on April 23, 2026, to our victim by a person going by the name of Brian Smith, who claimed to be a captain of the local sheriff’s department. He even provided a badge number, 1074, to sound official.

After confirming some personal details, the fake sheriff captain claimed our victim failed to appear for a court date, and that two warrants had been issued. The scammer explained that, due to its legal sensitivity, the victim shouldn’t discuss the issue with anyone until it was cleared up, and he could help with that.

This is where our fake captain started the next phase of the scam. He asked our victim to provide a bond of $3,250. Then to keep the pressure on and to monitor her, he asked her to update him on her mileage and estimated time of arrival, supposedly to help with the reimbursement of mileage and gas. He directed her to a Coral Springs Coinhub ATM.

Coinhub ATMs are legitimate and follow existing regulations. Due to the nature of bitcoins, which the ATMs use, this is also employed by scammers to trick people into depositing and transferring money to pay scammers.

Our fake sheriff captain guided our victim through setting up an account and demanded that she send the bond payment to a digital wallet. Sensing success, the scammer then requested more funds, which he said was due to another violation for contempt from a U.S. district judge.

Luckily for our victim, she did tell her family, and while this was happening, her husband and daughter were warning her that it sounded like a scam. Like most of us, brought up trusting law enforcement, our victim continued to the ATM that the scammer requested her to go to. Luckily her husband got the police involved, and finally, with real police reassuring that it was a scam, our victim broke off contact.

Even after the scam was uncovered, the fake sheriff captain continued to try to call an additional 10 times, to resurrect the same ploy. At that point, our victim was already in touch with both the Fort Lauderdale and Broward sheriff’s departments and the Parkland police to file reports. After she contacted her bank, froze her credit report, and made a report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the scammer gave up.

According to the FTC, $3.5 billion was lost to scammers in 2025, a 3-times increase since just 2020. Victims are lured via text, phone, email, social media, and even search engine results. Some of the costliest scams involve criminals impersonating officials, including bank authorities.

As opposed to our victim’s story, where scammers tried to convince her that her personal freedom was at stake, fake bank scams try to convince victims that their bank accounts are compromised. Once the victim is successfully convinced, the criminals will try to move all available funds to their control.

The FTC has brought legal action against various imposter scheme companies, but so far, it’s only obtained $70 million in redress for consumers.

“The government will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money or withdraw cash,” according to our federal government. “If you’ve been targeted by a scam like this, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.”

For more information:

  • pfs2.acl.gov/strapib/Lies_Govt_Imposters_Tell_Infographic_508_ef756beebb.pdf
  • pfs2.acl.gov/strapib/Imposter_Scams_Infographic_508_48f1d37cd7.pdf
Posted on

Building new pathways for students with dyslexia

For many students with dyslexia, the hardest part of school isn’t reading—it’s believing they can succeed.

“They struggle with confidence,” says Dr. Irene Arshad, founder of Wise Owl Tutoring. “They’re terrified of being called on to read out loud because they know they’re going to struggle, and that embarrassment can stay with them.”

Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects how the brain processes written language, making reading, spelling, and writing more difficult. It’s not related to intelligence. “It’s a language processing and sequencing issue,” explains Arshad. “It’s not that they can’t read. It’s that they’re not processing it. They’re not remembering it.”

According to Arshad, dyslexia is more common than many parents realize. She often identifies signs of the learning disability within minutes of meeting a new student—including adults who were never diagnosed as children.

Some early warning signs include difficulty remembering the alphabet, confusing similar letters, avoiding reading or writing, and struggling to recall events in the order they happened. Younger children may also have trouble with fine motor skills, such as tying their shoes.

In the classroom, those challenges often extend far beyond reading.

“I have students that, when they come to me, have never passed any required state exams or college entrance exams,” Arshad says. “They’re required to pass these tests to graduate, and that becomes incredibly discouraging.”

As an educator with a Ph.D. in educational technology, Arshad has spent years studying not only how students learn, but how technology can help them learn differently.

The first step is evidence-based reading intervention. Certified in both the Orton-Gillingham and Wilson reading intervention methods, Arshad focuses first on building foundational reading skills before introducing engaging learning activities. She compares the process to traveling to the grocery store.

“For most people, there’s one straight road to get where they’re going,” Arshad says. “For students with dyslexia, that road is closed. Reading intervention builds a new road—a new neural pathway—so they can still reach the same destination.”

That concept is rooted in neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new connections through learning and practice.

To strengthen those new pathways, Arshad combines reading intervention with technology she designs herself. One of her most popular creations is an Alice in Wonderland–themed digital escape room that transforms reading practice into an interactive adventure.

“We have so many learning platforms out there, but nothing really caters to students with dyslexia,” she says.

Students advance through colorful animated scenes by answering reading questions correctly and unlocking new levels. Along the way, built-in accessibility features—including dyslexia-friendly fonts, animated line readers, syllable breakdown tools, and digital annotation features—allow students to interact with text in ways that support how their brains process language.

The games continue to evolve with student feedback. In fact, the Alice in Wonderland theme came from one teenager who said it was her favorite story.

That same student had never passed a standardized test and was at risk of not graduating high school. After receiving reading intervention and working through the interactive lessons, she not only passed her required exam, but went on to excel on additional college entrance tests.

“She looked at me and said, ‘This is actually so easy. I just didn’t know how. Now my brain has a structure,’” Arshad recalls.

For Arshad, technology isn’t replacing great teaching—it’s amplifying it. By combining research-backed reading intervention with thoughtfully designed digital learning experiences, she’s helping students discover that dyslexia isn’t a limitation. Sometimes, all they need is a different path to learning.

For more information, visit wiseowltutoring.org.

Posted on

DELICIOUS DINING

Our local guide to some of the best specialty foods in our area

Good deals for kids at some local restaurants

Back-to-school season can be exciting, but it can also be stressful for younger kids adjusting to new teachers, routines, and homework. A family dinner out is an easy way to unwind, talk about the day, and enjoy time together. These local restaurants make it even better by offering free kids’ meals on select days, helping families save a little money along the way.

Lefty’s Tavern & Grille – Coral Springs

Lefty’s Tavern & Grille has the comfortable feel of a neighborhood restaurant, along with a game room that kids will love. On Wednesdays, children eat free all day with the purchase of an adult meal priced at $9.99 or more. The menu includes burgers, wings, sandwiches, pasta, and other American favorites, making it a fun and affordable choice for a midweek family dinner.

Miller’s Ale House – Coral Springs

Tuesday can become family dinner night at Miller’s Ale House. With the purchase of a food item costing at least $10, families receive one free kids’ meal, with a limit of two complimentary kids’ meals per table. The offer is available for dine-in guests. With a broad menu featuring burgers, chicken, seafood, salads, and its well-known Zingers, Miller’s makes it easy for adults and children to find something they enjoy. Its energetic, sports-themed atmosphere also creates a casual setting where families can unwind after school and work.

Outback Steakhouse – Coral Springs

Outback Steakhouse is making Mondays more appealing for families. With the purchase of a full-price adult entrée, guests receive one free kids’ meal from the Joey Menu. From grilled cheese and chicken fingers to burgers and steak, the Joey Menu offers several familiar choices for young diners. Beginning the school week with dinner already handled may be exactly the break that busy parents and children need.

Moe’s Southwest Grill – Coral Springs

For families looking for a casual way to close out the weekend, Moe’s Southwest Grill offer a free kids’ meal with the purchase of an adult entrée on Sundays. Children can create their own tacos, burritos, or quesadillas by choosing the ingredients they enjoy, making Moe’s a convenient option for families with selective eaters. Parents can customize their meals as well, while the complimentary chips and salsa add something for the entire table to share.

Chili’s – Coral Springs and West Boca

Chili’s takes a slightly different approach by offering free kids’ meals periodically through its My Chili’s Rewards program, which is free to join. When the promotion appears in a member’s account, children ages 12 and younger can select a meal from the Pepper Pals menu with the purchase of a qualifying full-price adult entrée. Because the offer is delivered through the Chili’s app, email, or text rather than being tied to one particular night, parents should watch their rewards account and redeem it when it becomes available. Pepper Pals choices include favorites such as cheeseburger bites, chicken tenders, pizza, pasta, macaroni and cheese, and quesadillas.

Posted on

‘Back to school’ isn’t just for the kids

The start of a new school year feels like a reset for the whole family. For students, it means new teachers, fresh school supplies, and seeing friends again. For parents, it means earlier alarms, school traffic, packing lunches, and of course … “the car lines.” After a summer of later mornings and flexible schedules, getting back into a routine can feel both welcome and overwhelming.

Once the children are dropped off, parents move on to the next part of their day. Some head to work, while others return home to work remotely, run errands, or catch up on things that were harder to manage over the summer. Back-to-school season also gives many parents a chance to return to their own routines. Local gyms get busier, morning fitness classes fill up, and exercise after drop-off becomes part of the day again.

For some parents, a workout, a walk with friends, or even a quiet cup of coffee is a welcome break. It gives them a little time to focus on themselves before the afternoon rush begins. That time can feel especially valuable after a summer spent working around camps, vacations, and children at home. But of course, the quiet usually does not last very long.

By mid-afternoon, the busy part of the day begins again. School dismissal is followed by carpools, snacks, homework, tutoring, and sports practices, dance, or other activities. Some families leave school and go straight to a practice or their activity, squeezing in dinner whenever they can. Parents spend the afternoon driving, helping with homework, and cheering from the sidelines.

Keeping up with everything can be difficult. Shared calendars help, but last-minute schedule changes or school reminders can still be missed. Parents are also juggling work, meals, appointments, household responsibilities, and trying to find some time for themselves. Some days go smoothly, while others involve a forgotten uniform or an assignment that is suddenly due the next morning.

A successful back-to-school routine does not have to be perfect. Preparing lunches the night before, keeping extra snacks in the car, or setting aside time for exercise can make the week easier. Before long, the early alarms, afternoon carpools, and busy evenings begin to feel normal again. Somewhere between drop-offs, work, practices, and rushed dinners, families find their rhythm and settle into the new school year.

Wishing all of our local families and teachers a happy, healthy, and successful 2026–27 school year!

Posted on

Should the mockingbird keep its perch?

For a century, the Northern Mockingbird has been the official state bird of Florida. The avian symbol of Florida was designated in 1927. The decision was based on the songster’s prolific voice and its tenacious nature in defense of its home, traits that state leaders at the time felt represented the spirit of Floridians.

Florida is not the only state that championed the mockingbird as its symbolic bird. Four other states share the same connection to the iconic bird—Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.

Adopting the mockingbird as the state bird in 1927, the Florida legislature praised its ability to mimic songs of nature: The typical male mockingbird has 200 songs in his repertoire, including songs of other species, and even human-made sounds like car alarms. The mockingbird’s prowess as a songbird almost led to its extinction, as the birds were heavily captured and sold as pets from the 1700s to the early 1900s, until laws were passed to protect songbirds.

Bravery is another trait associated with the mockingbird. It is well documented that mockingbirds are fearless in defending their territory against much larger perceived foes. When feeling that its territory is being encroached, the mockingbird will attack hawks, dogs, and even humans to protect its home—Florida’s original “Stand Your Ground” homeowner.

Mockingbirds are also keen observers and have a good memory. They will recognize individual human neighbors, and they’ll respond differently to different people. Those who were seen as threatening to their nests in the past will often face a diving attack.

In recent years, there has been a persistent effort, especially from the South Florida tourism industry, to dethrone the state bird and crown another symbol of Florida—the flamingo.

The American flamingo was hunted to near extinction by the early 1900s. There were no reported sightings for a decade by the mid-1900s. The Flamingo Hotel, a popular destination in the 1920s, was famous for its captive flamingos used in marketing, along with many flamingo souvenirs. This made the flamingo a popular symbol for South Florida.

In recent decades, escapees from Hialeah Park, and ones blown in from Caribbean islands, started to increase the local flamingo population. Until 2018, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission listed the population as a nonnative species. In 1980, a study declared these flamingos native and asked for their protection as a threatened species. Caribbean flamingos are seeing a resurgence, and more are likely to migrate to Florida in the future to beef up the local numbers.

The naturalization of this new generation of flamingos, coupled with the marketing that puts the flamingo on our lottery tickets as well as on hotel signs, has led to a strong effort to replace the current state bird of Florida with the flamingo.

Flamingos’ striking appearance, and social nature, seems to be a fit for tourist-friendly Florida. They are known to form lasting friendships within their large flocks. The proponents of the change compare that to the aggressive mockingbird, and its tendency to dive-bomb you when you are walking your pet. Perhaps it is a change of the character of Florida, from the hardy, adaptable, boisterous, and stand-my-ground style of the mockingbird, to the beautiful recent arrival, with Hollywood-level marketability, of the flamingo. There hasn’t been a big-budget movie with a mockingbird since “To Kill a Mockingbird” in 1962, long before “Miami Vice” or the new “Toy Story 5,” with its Garden Gnome and Inflatable Flamingo.

The Florida legislature has been looking at replacing the mockingbird for the last few years, but so far the bird has kept its precarious perch at the top of the pecking order in Florida. Each attempt has gathered media attention in support of the more glamorous flamingo. The momentum may continue, as more retirees flock to Florida, often first discovering the great state through a tourist visit.

For almost 100 years, the mockingbird has symbolized the spirit of Florida. People from across the states and the world have come to Florida and called it home, and created a melting pot of cultures and languages, just like the mockingbird forms its songs from bits and pieces of other sounds. Now state politicians will be continually pressed to move from that history and embrace the always bankable flamingo, which is more likely to draw bigger crowds and will likely garner more souvenir sales.

Many of us are watching this mostly as a sideshow for more pertinent issues facing the state government, but these symbolic battles do have an impact on the future identity of the state. For bird lovers, both are symbols of resilience, and they have a long history in the state and each will have its fans.

Some decisions of the past can be lost in the fog of history, and the symbolism of the mockingbird is often forgotten when you hear their 24-hour chirp outside your window or you’re getting dive-bombed by an overprotective parent. It’s a metaphor for a typical Floridian—fighting for a spot on the highway, yet happy to sing a song in your preferred language. It is that innocent courage that is embodied by the songbird. As Harper Lee wrote, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

The flamingo is a grand bird, as eye-catching and majestic as the new skyscraper along the coast, and a resilient return resident of Florida, but the mockingbird represents an aspect of Florida that has always been here, tenacious and loud. It has been a deserving holder of the symbolic avian crown of Florida; it will be left to the next legislature to decide its fate.

Mockingbird Facts

Scientific Name:  Mimus polyglottos

Diet:  Insects, berries

Behavior:  Fearless, territorial, mimics sounds, sings at night

Status:  Official state bird of Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee

Lifespan:  Typically 8 years in the wild, and up to 20 years in captivity

Posted on

Just may be the ‘Lunatics’ you’re looking for…

Billy Joel famously sings, “It just may be a lunatic you’re looking for.” Well, if you’re looking for a talented rock band that covers classics from the ’70s through the ’90s—one that does an incredible rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain”—it’s The Lunatics you’re looking for. And yes, they perform Billy Joel’s “You May Be Right” with a cheeky lyric substitution reminding audiences of that.

The Lunatics are composed of four pillars of solid talent: lead singer “Jess,” drummer “Marlee,” bassist David Carrey, and guitarist Anthony Angelone.

The group was originally formed by sisters Jess and Marlee, who’ve had a passion for performance and rock music since they were kids. “Both of us have been listening to rock music our entire lives, and that’s been a passion of ours. We’ve always wanted to do this,” says Jess of starting a band. “We really enjoy that type of music, so we got into playing it,” adds Marlee.

Marlee and Jess met Carrey and Angelone through Pro Jam nights at Cheers Restaurant and Bar in Fort Lauderdale and Pipers Pub in Pompano Beach. “Pro Jams are events where you can get up and play with professional musicians. You just sign up, almost like karaoke,” explains Jess, who used to sign up as a vocalist. “It’s a great opportunity to meet other local musicians.”

“A lot of times the people who sign up for these jam nights are looking for other musicians to form a band,” adds Marlee.

“Dave was the house bassist at Cheers, and we went to Cheers multiple weeks in a row and we ended up forming the band with him,” recalls Jess. “And then we met Anthony at the Pipers Pro Jam.”

The band’s name also came together naturally. Jess and Marlee were drawn to the word “Luna,” while bassist Carrey—better known onstage as “Crazy Dave”—inspired the other half. Together, they landed on The Lunatics. Today, each member embraces the nickname onstage, becoming Crazy Jess, Crazy Marlee, Crazy Dave, and Crazy Anthony.

Between them, these four musicians have plenty of talent and experience under their belts. Jess, who has a classical background, has been singing since she was 6 years old. She has performed with the Miami Ballet and sung backup vocals for Josh Groban. “I was previously a classical vocalist and switched over to rock so I could form a band with Marlee,” says Jess.

Marlee has been playing drums since she was 9, and she’s well known in the local music scene for her timing and groove. “Some of her fans call her ‘Pocket’ for that reason,” says Jess.

Dave is a veteran musician in South Florida and has toured the country with successful tribute bands. Anthony is also well known in the local music scene, having played in many tribute and cover bands.

Once the lineup was complete, the band’s first performance was a showcase at Cheers. “They have a band that they feature for a 30- to 45-minute set,” explains Jess. “We did that first. That was our coming out.”

Since that showcase, the band has seen plenty of positive momentum.

They’ve only been together for one year, and in that time they’ve built a seven-hour set list that includes hits from artists like Tom Petty, The Beatles, The Police, No Doubt, Paramore, 3 Doors Down, Rush, Prince, Heart, Bruno Mars, Black Sabbath, Linkin Park, Evanescence, and Fleetwood Mac.

“In the majority of our songs, we have three-part harmonies going, and all four of us sing full backup vocals and leads. We like to switch off,” says Jess. Marlee drums and sings lead on Aretha Franklin. Dave takes the lead on artists like Cake, Sublime, and 3 Doors Down.

“You get a much richer sound when you have multiple members harmonizing on everything,” says Jess.

One thing that makes the group unique is some of their song selections. “There’s some unexpected choices that the crowd might be excited to hear,” says Marlee. Some of those include “Rapture” by Blondie, “Never There” by Cake, “Psycho Killer” by Duran Duran, and “The Ocean” by Led Zeppelin.

They’ve also become regulars at diverse venues, from Cafe 27 in Weston to Throw Social in Delray Beach, as well as Marina 84, Cheers, Margaritaville Restaurant, and the Hollywood Bandshell. “We’ve played a lot of amazing venues that we feel lucky to be at,” says Jess. The Bandshell is a favorite of the group. “That’s when we get to just let it rip. We can bring all our passion and our energy.”

The group is strategic about choosing songs for different venues. At Cheers, they lean more toward classic rock. For biker bars, they turn up the harder rock. At Throw Social, they cater to a younger audience with more modern music and a stronger pop influence rather than a purely rock set.

Their performances deliver plenty of skill and energy. At a recent performance at Cheers, Marlee—who is only 18 years old—nailed the opening drum solo to Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher.” Lead singer Jess delivered powerful vocals with impressive range. Bass player Dave never stopped moving and even launched into a spontaneous high kick during Paramore’s “Misery Business.”

At just one year together, The Lunatics are already making a name for themselves on South Florida stages, and it’s easy to imagine their live performances becoming even more engaging as they continue to grow together.

The Lunatics’ upcoming performances include Thursday, Aug. 6, at Cafe 27 in Weston; Friday, Aug. 7, at Skipper’s Cove in Fort Pierce; and Friday, Aug. 21, at O’Shea’s Irish Pub in West Palm Beach. For more information, visit Facebook and search for The Lunatics.

Proudly powered by WordPress