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Calif museum inches toward fundraising goal to build permanent NASA space shuttle exhibit

Blame it on geography. Ever since the world discovered South Florida, the farther reaches of the Sunshine State have become a tourist and retiree magnet. Lured by sun, sand and surf, everyone from winter-weary snowbirds to fashionable Europeans have flooded its cities and towns, turning this subtropical region into a place that feels more up north than Deep South.

This two-bedroom, 2,312-square-foot house in a gated community is selling for $219,000.

A three-bedroom, 2,149-square-foot house offered for $399,000.

Boynton Beach is a small-sized city set in Palm Beach County, a place many consider to be the ultimate second-home retreat. It may not have the same name recognition as some of the regions more publicized escapes, but the fast-growing town has no less drawing power. With a well-kept public beach, tepid waters and gentler property prices than many of its neighbors, this town of nearly 70,000 promises the same level of paradise.

Once relatively unknown to would-be buyers from the Northeast, who instead flocked to places like Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton, the word has gotten out about Boynton Beach in the last decade.

“Its no longer the overlooked stepchild,” said Elizabeth Cohen, a 50-ish Rutherford resident who works as a researcher in Brooklyn. “Like other destinations down here, it now feels more like an extension of New York City and North Jersey than a Southern town. It has a certain familiarity because of all the people from back home who have come here, but it still offers the sense of escape and weather that is unmistakably Sun Belt. Thats why I like to call it Floridas Little Apple.”

In 2010, Cohen bought a spacious two-bedroom condo in a country club community for $139,000, which she visits several times a year to enjoy the beach, golf, tennis and “alone time.” Like other sun-seeking arrivals from northern climes, she appreciates the abundant sunshine and “soft winters.” Cohen also likes the fact that Boynton has a large Jewish population, providing opportunities to socialize in her element (“Ive developed a couple of nice friendships”) and making it easy to find kosher foods.

Reasonable prices

Boyntons biggest draw could be its cut-rate real estate in an area known for pricey property. Although housing costs have risen overall since its beneath-the-radar days, the national meltdown has left the city with home values about half of what they were before the bust. And current listings are, on average, selling for one-half to one-third of what they were when they hit their peak in 2006.

There are scores of single-family houses listed for under $200,000 and many in the low $100,000s and a number of condos with asking prices in the five figures.

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Boynton Beach, Fla.: Unassuming, yet alluring

Whether your notion of celebrity runs to politics, film or executive clout, there was glitter everywhere you looked Thursday night asGeorge Clooney opened his hillside home to a record-shatteringfundraising dinner for his old friend, President Barack Obama, who madehis first visit to the Valley since taking the oath of office.

DreamWorks Animation chief and mega-Democratic donor JeffreyKatzenberg was the co-host and Wolfgang Puck was the chef as 150Democratic donors made their way up carefully guarded streets toClooneys home near Studio Citys Wilacre Park, just off Laurel CanyonBoulevard. Celebrities in attendance included Robert Downey Jr.,Barbra Streisand, Tobey Maguire, Eddie Murphy, Jack Black, BillyCrystal, Herb Alpert and Salma Hayek. When welcoming the guests to his home, Clooney joked: “We have Iron Man, Spider-Man and Batman in the room. We should let the Secret Service take the night off.”

PHOTOS: 10 Entertainers Democrats and Republicans Love to Hate

Obama addressed the crowd shortly after 7 p.m. He thanked Katzenbergfor putting the event together and Clooney for hosting it at hishouse, according to a pool report. The president noted that he spotteda Hope poster, by Shepard Fairey, hanging in Clooneys house.

People don’t realize that the photograph of me is actually me sittingnext to George at an event when Clooney was advocating on behalf ofDarfur, the president told the crowd. We struck up a friendship, he said, and then he joked, to much laughter: This is the first timethat George Clooney has actually been Photoshopped out of a picture. Never happened before, will never happen again.

Obama added: “But the wonderful thing is the artist actually sent George — some of you have seen this — a print with my picture and his picture right next to each other with the same … in the same format. Why he said at the bottom, ‘Dope and Hope’ I don’t know. I don’t think that’s fair.”

As for the record-breaking evening, Obama said: “We raised a lot of money because everybody loves George. Theylike me, they love him. And rightfully so. Not only is he anunbelievable actor, but he is one of those rare individuals who is atease with everybody. He seems to occupy a constant state of grace anduses his extraordinary talents on behalf of something trulyimportant.

PHOTOS: 11 Children’s Movies With Political Agendas? You Betcha, Say Conservatives

After the niceties to Clooney, Obama briefly discussed his ABCinterview he gave Wednesday, where he announced that he was coming out in supportof same-sex marriage.

Obviously, yesterday we made some news,” Obama told the crowd to a bigapplause. “But the truth is, it was a logical extension of what Americais supposed to be. It grew directly out of this difference in visions.Are we a country that includes everybody and gives everybody a shotand treats everybody fairly and is that going to make us stronger? Arewe welcoming to immigrants? Are we welcoming to people who arent likeus? Does that make us stronger? I believe it does. So thats whats atstake.

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Clooney, Entertainment Industry VIPs Fete Obama at Record-Breaking Fundraiser

By Margaret Talev – Fri May 11 06:00:00 GMT 2012

A couple at a ‘Pop Up Chapel’ in New York City.

A couple at a ‘Pop Up Chapel’ in New York City. Photographer: Mario Tama/Getty Images

A day after announcing his support for same-sex marriage, U.S. President Barack Obama shifted his campaigns focus back to the economy in three West Coast fundraisers that included a dinner with actor George Clooney.

The issue of gay rights, a political wild card before the November election, arose in measured references rather than as a central message during Obamas remarks at fundraisers yesterday in Seattle and Los Angeles. The president said the same-sex marriage debate should be seen in the context of a spirit of inclusion versus what he called Republican willingness to exclude sectors of society.

Are we a country that includes everybody and gives everybody a shot and treats everybody fairly? Obama told 150 donors who paid $40,000 apiece to dine with him at Clooneys Los Angeles home last night. Are we welcoming to immigrants? Are we welcoming to people who arent like us? Does that make us stronger? I believe it does.

Obama is to continue pressing pocketbook issues today in Nevada, a battleground state hit hard by the housing crisis, to press Congress to adopt refinancing proposals aimed at making low-interest loans more accessible to struggling homeowners.

Nevada had the nations highest rate of foreclosure filings per household at one in 95 in the first quarter, followed by California at one in 103 and Arizona at one in 106. It also has the highest unemployment rate in the U.S., 12 percent in March, compared with the national rate in April of 8.1 percent. Thats down from a high of 14 percent in October 2010.

During last nights dinner on a basketball court at Clooneys house, the president called his endorsement of gay marriage a logical extension of what Americas supposed to be. That stance, announced in a May 9 interview on ABC News, ended years of vacillation and reversed Obamas earlier opposition.

Obviously yesterday we made some news, he said. It grew directly out of this difference in visions between Democrats and Republicans.

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Obama Lets Gay Marriage Stance Speak for Itself on Road

“From the beaches, to the mountains, to the deserts, to the sea … Can NYC have a chance to beat me?” wonders iReporter Allen Mealey, who shared this photo of the Griffith Observatory. “The energy, the inspiration, the neighborliness, the feeling you get just being there. I love New York,” wrote iReporter Nelson Sotomayor. He took this photo during a visit to the 9/11 Memorial with his fiancee. Lady Liberty is a popular attraction and an imposing reminder of our country’s roots.

New York

Los Angeles

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City smackdown: The winner is …

“From the beaches, to the mountains, to the deserts, to the sea … Can NYC have a chance to beat me?” wonders iReporter Allen Mealey, who shared this photo of the Griffith Observatory. “The energy, the inspiration, the neighborliness, the feeling you get just being there. I love New York,” wrote iReporter Nelson Sotomayor. He took this photo during a visit to the 9/11 Memorial with his fiancee. Lady Liberty is a popular attraction and an imposing reminder of our country’s roots.

New York

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

New York

Los Angeles

New York

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

New York

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New York vs. Los Angeles: And the winner is …

“From the beaches, to the mountains, to the deserts, to the sea … Can NYC have a chance to beat me?” wonders iReporter Allen Mealey, who shared this photo of the Griffith Observatory. “The energy, the inspiration, the neighborliness, the feeling you get just being there. I love New York,” wrote iReporter Nelson Sotomayor. He took this photo during a visit to the 9/11 Memorial with his fiancee. Lady Liberty is a popular attraction and an imposing reminder of our country’s roots.

New York

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

New York

Los Angeles

New York

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

New York

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NYC vs. L.A.: And the winner is …

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Death on NYC train platform leads to $180k mystery

Here is the $179,980 question: Who gets to keep the cash that was found in a Boston mobsters backpack after he was felled by a heart attack in Penn Station?

The feds believe 75-year-old William Coyman was ferrying drug money to Philadelphia when he collapsed last August, and theyve asked a judge to give them the cash, sources said Thursday.

Meanwhile, a lawyer for Boston bank robber John Burke, who now runs an outfit called 180 Entertainment in the City of Brotherly Love, has filed a lawsuit in pursuit of the loot.

The lawyer, Steven DiLibero of Providence, R.I., has not explained what kind of business Burke runs or what the money was for.

But Coymans son, also named William, said his pop was a courier for the company and suspects its funny money. He also wants nothing to do with it.

The people connected to that money are probably not good people, he said Thursday. Thats accurate.

Investigators, however, are not sure if Coyman intended to deliver the dough sources said he had an Amtrak ticket from Boston to New York, but no ticket to Philadelphia.

The mobsters son, who now lives in northern California, said his dads unsavory connections have been embarrassing my whole life and declined to discuss this case.

I really didnt want to talk about this, he said.

My dad was a great man. But he had a colorful history.

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Penn Station cash stash targeted

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