City opens bidding on Pence Park redevelopment

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cuba was felt across Florida on June 8, with shaking reported from the Miami area north toward Jacksonville. WFLX reports the quake prompted evacuations in the Miami area. A worker in West Palm Beach described feeling the building sway. The report did not detail major damage in Palm Beach County.

Florida voters could weigh a major change to the homestead property tax exemption. If passed, the exemption would rise from $50,000 to $250,000 over two years, with inflation adjustments beginning in 2029, according to WFLX. Coverage notes that other costs could shift if property tax revenue falls. The measure would affect homeowners across Boynton and the rest of the state.

A 73-year-old Boynton Beach woman lost about $44,400 after a caller posing as tech support used remote computer access, a fake refund story and a pickup code to arrange cash handoffs near her gated community. Hoodline, citing WPEC/CBS12 and Palm Beach County deputies, reported that Jefferson Paul, 31, of Port St. Lucie, was arrested June 1 on organized scheme to defraud and grand theft charges involving a victim over 65. Deputies said the woman made two withdrawals and two handoffs after being pressured to return money from a supposed refund error. Legitimate companies do not send couriers to collect cash for refunds. Hoodline

The city is moving ahead on a flood-risk reduction project in the Heart of Boynton. An evaluation committee for RFP No. 26-022R, covering project management services for NW 3rd Street tied to the SFWMD C-16 canal, is set to meet in City Hall Room 115. The grant-funded work targets flood risk reduction in the neighborhood. The committee meeting and the procurement step are part of getting the project staffed and underway.

Several food spots are in the pipeline for Boynton. Recent opening announcements include C.R. Chicks, Bud's Chicken & Seafood in West Boynton, Cluck Face Nashville Hot Chicken, and Pinecrest Bakery. Opening dates, addresses, and operating hours were not all specified, so check each business for current details before you go. The cluster points to continued restaurant activity around the area.

The Rock the Plaza series continues at One Boynton on Thursday, June 25, from 5 to 9 p.m., featuring Spred the Dub. The free CRA activation is built around live music, local businesses, and family-friendly activities. Event details run through the CRA.

The Boynton Beach Night Market runs Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25, from 5 to 11 p.m. at Centennial Park & Amphitheater, 120 E. Ocean Avenue downtown. The free event brings food trucks, CRA vendors, live music, games, and family activities. Full details are on the CRA event page.

The Boynton Beach City Library runs Quest Club: Ongoing Adventures, an intermediate Dungeons & Dragons campaign for players who know the basics, in the Florida Room on the 2nd floor of City Hall. The drop-in, drop-out session listed ran Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. with a waitlist open. Programs are scheduled through the library calendar.

Ten people were displaced after a June 5 house fire on Southeast 2nd Street, according to Hoodline coverage citing local reports and Red Cross assistance. The residents included seven adults and three children. No deaths were reported in the public coverage reviewed for this issue, but the item is kept as a service note rather than a detailed incident account because official fire-cause details were not available in the cited reports. Hoodline