West Palm hands over four lots to revive the Tamarind corridor
City hands over four lots for a Tamarind corridor revival, two new restaurants file to open, and the Cuba quake rattles Florida.
West Palm hands over four lots to revive the Tamarind corridor
West Palm city commissioners voted unanimously on May 26 to give four city lots to Palm Beach Venture Philanthropy, the venture branch of the West Palm-based Quantum Foundation, for a housing and community project in the historically Black Coleman Park neighborhood. The lots sit at 2003, 2030 and 2107 N. Tamarind Ave. and 1001 20th St., and county property records value them at $1.2 million. The plan combines those parcels with nearby property the organization has acquired to build mixed-income residences, business and nonprofit office space, and a gathering area called the Culture Yard, all aimed at rejuvenating the Tamarind corridor. Raphael Clemente of Palm Beach Venture Philanthropy told commissioners the group has already spent more than $8 million and years of work in the neighborhood, and intends to scale the model countywide. Coleman Park residents live an average of 68 years against a countywide average of 82, a 14-year gap that organizers cite as central to the effort. Mayor Keith James framed the work as a public-private-philanthropic partnership. RISE Coleman Park and Neighborhood Renaissance, which recently finished the $20.5 million Coleman Park Renaissance Apartments, are partners in the initiative. Read more.
A 6.1 earthquake off Cuba was felt across Florida
A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck off Cuba about 2 p.m. ET on June 8, with shaking reported across Florida's peninsula and as far north as the Panhandle. The USGS placed the epicenter roughly 65 miles west-northwest of Mantua, Cuba, about 16 miles deep, and described it as an intraplate earthquake. As of early June 9, the agency had logged 5,462 responses from people who felt it. The USGS aftershock forecast put the chance of a magnitude 4-plus aftershock within the following week at 67 percent and a magnitude 5-plus at 15 percent. Officials in Cuba had not reported major damage or casualties. The agency's standing advice during shaking is to drop, cover and hold on. Read more.
Thousands of Florida inmates have died over the past decade
At least 4,000 inmates have died in Florida jails and prisons over the past decade, according to Florida Department of Corrections mortality data and unredacted death reports reviewed by the USA TODAY Network. Natural deaths, the state's catch-all category for illness, are the leading cause, with pneumonia, sepsis and diabetes among the most common. Researchers point to complex health profiles on intake, staffing shortages and barriers to care behind bars. The review also found higher homicide counts at critically understaffed prisons and that nearly 10 percent of recent deaths remain under investigation. Read more.
David Chang's Fuku files to open downtown
Fuku, the fried chicken concept from chef David Chang, has filed permit applications to open at 423 S. Rosemary Ave. in the heart of downtown West Palm, just after launching in Coral Gables. The brand's website lists a summer 2026 opening. Fuku is built around a crispy brined chicken sandwich with Fuku mayo and pickles on a buttered potato roll, available spicy, mild or with an Impossible filet, alongside tenders and waffle fries. The chain now runs about 30 locations nationwide. Read more.
Naked Farmer plans a West Palm location
Naked Farmer, a Florida-based farm-to-table restaurant, has filed permit applications to open at 1731 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite E315, with a summer 2026 opening listed on its website. Founded in Tampa Bay in 2020 by Jordan Johnson, the chain partners with local farmers and purveyors on a seasonal menu that includes grass-fed steak, Faroe Island salmon, maple-glazed carrots and rotating chef-curated items. The company now operates more than 10 locations. Read more.
Garden Butcher expands north to South Olive Avenue
Garden Butcher, a healthful Boca Raton cafe known for seed-oil-free dishes and viral smoothies, is opening a West Palm location at 501 S. Olive Ave., at The Shoppes on Gardenia near the corner of South Olive Avenue and Gardenia Street. Owner Erin Leeds announced the expansion, which the cafe's site says was targeted for May. The menu spans breakfast wraps, avocado toast, salads, grain bowls with vegetables, steak or tuna, and grab-and-go items, with vegetarian and vegan options. A Wellington location is also planned, with no further details yet. Read more.
Palm Beach County voters again get no say in circuit judge races
All 10 Palm Beach County circuit judges up for election this year were automatically returned to office for six-year terms after no one filed to run against them by the qualifying deadline, the third consecutive cycle without a contested incumbent race. The lone contested seat is an open one, where solo practitioner Jake Noble and Assistant Public Defender Schnelle Tonge will compete to replace retiring Judge Debra Moses Stephens. Veteran West Palm attorney Jack Scarola called the trend disturbing and tied it to the high cost of countywide judicial races and the appointment route, which he argued has grown politicized; commission leaders Gordon Dieterle and Eric Levine disputed that characterization. Read more.
Palm Beach State welding students forge a steel eagle for America's 250th
A team of 11 Palm Beach State College welding students turned 325 pounds of raw steel into 'Forged Freedom,' a larger-than-life bald eagle created for a statewide competition marking America's 250th anniversary. The piece stands about 3 feet tall with a 6-foot wingspan on a tripod base wrapped in vines and roses, and took more than 350 hours to complete under instructor Todd Rowley, who said students did all the fabrication themselves. The sculpture will be installed in a new roundabout at the college's Lake Worth Beach campus, outside the Education and Training Center. Competition winners are to be announced before the Fourth of July. Read more.
Bebe Winans headlines the Gospel Gala
Bebe Winans performs live as part of the Gospel Gala on Saturday, June 13, at 7 p.m. in the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Concert Hall at the Kravis Center. Details.
Celtic Throne II comes to the Kravis Center
Celtic Throne II — Psalter of Ireland, a celebration of Irish culture through song and dance, takes the stage Sunday, June 28, at 7 p.m. in the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Concert Hall. Details.
Master Gardener tour at Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens
The Master Gardener in Residence Tour with CJ McCartney is set for Friday, June 12, at 11 a.m. at Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, held on the second Friday of the month through June. Reservations are requested by phone at 561-832-5328. Details.
Lakeview Avenue closes overnight for Hyatt Place crane work
Lakeview Avenue between South Olive Avenue and Chase Street will be closed to all traffic from 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, until 4 a.m. Wednesday, June 10, to allow a crane to be placed for repairs at Hyatt Place. Drivers in the area should plan an alternate route overnight. Details.