STC EDITION – FINAL X

By Kimberly MillerPalm Beach Post Staff Writer

MANALAPAN — The home in the 1600 block of South Ocean Boulevard is little more than a concrete block frame at this point in construction, but the opulence is apparent.

There are views of the At-lantic Ocean from the mas-ter bedroom and of the Intra-coastal Waterway from the guest rooms, a 2,500-bottle wine cellar, plans for up to $60,000 in kitchen applianc-es, a high-speed elevator, a 350-square-foot master clos-et and a centralized comput-er system that will store “his” and “her” shower tempera-tures.

It is one of about 10 luxu-ry estates under construction

in the tony coastal town of Manalapan, a veritable build-ing boom of mansions on the 400-resident strip of beach that is reminiscent of real es-tate’s heydays.

Not to be outdone, well-heeled Palm Beach is experi-encing its own high-end home surge with 19 new single-fami-ly homes under construction, the most since 2008, accord-ing to Veronica Close, assis-tant director for the town of Palm Beach’s building depart-ment. In 2010, just five sin-gle-family homes were built on Palm Beach, but that in-creased to 14 in 2011.

Like their affluent, yet re-served clients, some home-builders to the rich and fa-

New mansions rise on fortunes’ tide

POST COVERAGE LUXURY BUILDING BOOM

Mansions continued on A6

Manalapan, Palm Beach construction recalls realty’s heyday.

A 25,000-square-foot mansion in Manalapan is under construction by Lands End Developers. The firm has four projects under way in Manalapan — double last year’s number. GARY CORONADO / THE PALM BEACH POST

‘The underlying reason is people who have money are comfortable enough now to invest in their personal home.’Greg BermanCEO, Lands End Developers

Classifieds E1Crosswords D7, E9Dear Abby D2Deaths B10Horoscopes D7Lottery B2Movie listings TGIFScoreboard C7

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call 561-820-4663Copyright 2012 The Palm Beach Post

Vol. 104, Number 212, 7 sections

GOP: Abandon Iowa straw pollIowa Gov. Terry Branstad says scrap the Ames event that has devolved into a garish sideshow and a false test of candidates. A3

NATION & WORLDPost office to try same-day delivery The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service tests premium service for Web shoppers seeking fast gratification. A3

Mail-in ballot glut: Arizona’s votes are finally counted, but those who registered a record number of Latinos remain suspicious. A3

New details: Emails of U.S. military officers say no sailors watched Osama bin Laden’s burial at sea. A11

LOCALEl Sol center dishes up hope, festive meal Dozens of people in need eat turkey dinners thanks to donors and volunteers at the Jupiter center. B1

Complications: Drake, the former police dog clinging to life after being shot, may be flown to Gainesville for emergency surgery. B1

Juveniles targeted: An undercover prostitution sting by Boynton Beach police leads to the arrests of 16 people. B10

BUSINESSBulk condo buy lifts W. Palm downtown A sluggish recovery in the condo market finds momentum in a 165-unit buy by a Palm Beach billionaire. B11

Hedge-fund case: SAC Capital Advisors figures in the biggest-ever insider case in a crackdown on illicit trading. B11

SPORTS’Fins in short supply of great playmakers The 4-6 record in a rebuilding season is not a shock. But they are losing with so little flash. C1

IN THE NEWS

By Karin Laub and Sarah El DeebAssociated Press

GAZA CITY, GAZA STRIP — Hamas has emerged from battle with the tri-umphal sense of a hard-won game change: By stopping its offensive when it did, Israel’s hard-line government seems to have grudgingly accepted that the Islamic militant group cannot soon be dislodged from power in Gaza.

Hamas dared rocket the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem areas, then stared down threats of a ground invasion to wipe out the group — emerging with its rule intact, world figures rushing to the re-gion to put out the fire and key Muslim countries openly on its side.

In the rush of diplomacy, Hamas al-so succeeded in overshadowing its main Western-backed Palestinian ri-val.

Still unclear is whether the Egyp-tian-brokered truce can deliver the promised end to Gaza’s stifling block-ade.

On Thursday, the first full day of calm after eight days of fighting, the contrast in mood couldn’t be sharper.

Gazans celebrated the cease-fire with fireworks, Hamas militants flaunted their weapons in the streets, and a Hamas political leader, Khalil al-Haya, taunted Israel at a victory ral-

Scott builds his war chest

By John KennedyPalm Beach Post Capital Bureau

TALLAHASSEE — While most Floridians were riveted on the presidential race, cash contin-ued to flow Election Day into a political spending commit-tee run by Gov. Rick Scott and focused on his re-election two years away.

Scott, who a recent poll shows remains dogged by poor approval ratings, has pulled in about $4.5 million this year for the 2014 gover-nor’s race, even as President Barack Obama’s victory and Democratic gains in the legis-lature and congressional del-egation are emboldening po-tential rivals.

Former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, now an inde-pendent who addressed the Democratic National Conven-tion and campaigned heavi-ly for Obama, tops the list of possible opponents.

Former state Sen. Nan Rich of Weston is running, while Scott’s 2010 rival, former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink is considering a bid, as are Orlando Mayor Buddy Dy-er and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler.

“Gov. Scott’s going to need a lot of money to convince people that he’s not the guy they think he is and already don’t like,” said Dan Gelber, a Democrat and former Mi-ami Beach state senator and candidate for attorney gener-al, who counts himself among those eyeing the race. “He is going to have to create a new fiction, and that’s going to be

Governor’s race still two years away, but he has raised $4.5 million.

POST IN TALLAHASSEE POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Re-election continued on A2

Hamas continued on A7

Surviving threat of removal, Hamas celebrates cease-fire

CRISIS OVER GAZA STRIP

A Palestinian baby wears a Hamas bandanna during a rally to celebrate the Israel-Hamas cease-fire in the Jebaliya refugee camp, north Gaza Strip, on Thursday.BERNAT ARMANGUE / AP

Infighting over health district mission erupts

By Stacey SingerPalm Beach Post Staff Writer

If board meetings at the Palm Beach Coun-ty Health Care District resemble the partisan bickering in Congress, it’s no accident.

Once-subterranean tensions have surfaced as the agency awaits a decision from Gov. Rick Scott on a key board opening, one that could tilt the complexion of the current board to-ward a slate of limited government advocates.

The district is on the brink of a defining mo-ment in its 23-year history. Once the insurance exchanges of the Affordable Care Act are up and running, the district’s managed care pro-gram for the working poor may not be neces-sary. Advocates of less government argue that the property tax-supported district has gone too far in pursuing its mission of “ensuring ac-cess to a comprehensive health system.”

Scott appointees, in the minority on the sev-en-member board, have taken to questioning nearly every decision and management call. Staffers are responding by erecting a defensive wall of subtle governance changes that effec-tively blunt the board’s control.

CEO Dr. Ron Wiewora and his staff are long-time advocates of a strong public health safe-

POST IN-DEPTH HEALTH DISTRICT

Health care continued on A5

Partisan bickering, jockeying emerge as key board appointment looms.

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