SUNDAYBUSINESS Trump, Russia and the Palm Beach Mansion

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The Palm Beach Post REAL NEWS STARTS HERE Sunday, September 20, 2020 D1 SUNDAYBUSINESS Trump, Russia and the Palm Beach mansion

property sale a dozen years known that ago surged again this month in the buyer was the wake of yet another tell- Russian. all book about the president. “Don’t say This one by his former per- Russian,” sonal lawyer, Michael Cohen. Trump said. Back in 2008, the Palm Trump So the May Alexandra Clough Beach Post was the first to 15 story about learn and report that Trump the pending sale referred on’t say Russian.” had a contract to sell the to the buyer as “foreign.” Those were the former Abe Gosman estate The sale closed in July 2008 ‘Dwords Donald at 515 N. County Road. for $95 million to County Trump first told me The property was known Road Property LLC, netting back in May 2008. as Maison de L’Amitie, or Trump a profit of $54 mil- Donald Trump bought this mansion at 515 N. County Road in Palm The topic was the buyer of House of Friendship. lion just months before global Beach in 2004 and sold it in 2008 for a recorded $95 million to Russian a Palm Beach mansion owned Sources familiar with the markets crashed. County businessman Dmitry Rybolovlev. It has since been torn down and by Trump. The then-New deal told me that the man- Road Property was owned by subdivided into three lots. [PALM BEACH DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTO] York real estate developer had sion’s buyer was Russian, and Russian billionaire Dmitry just inked a blockbuster deal there were plans to tear down Rybolovlev, who made his to sell the oceanfront estate and subdivide the property. fortune in fertilizer potash. erstwhile attorney, Cohen, “Disloyal: A Memoir,” and the for $100 million — a record for In a telephone interview Details of the 2008 on MSNBC’s The Rachel sale of Trump's Palm Beach home sale even in the island's on May 14, 2008, Trump Trump interview came Maddow Show on Sept. 8. mansion. Cohen also dished billionaire playground. confirmed the pending sale to mind following the In the interview, Cohen The intrigue over the Trump but told me he didn’t want it appearance of Trump’s talked about his new book, See CLOUGH, D6

INSIDE | D4 GroovyTek teaches seniors LEGAL how to use consumer tech CLASSIFIEDS Job fair set to match workers, employers

Alexandra Clough Palm Beach Post USA TODAY NETWORK

A free virtual job fair featuring hundreds of jobs will take place on Wednesday as South Florida retailers, hospitality and tourism companies gear up for the coming tourist and holiday season. The Sept. 23 job fair will feature employers working with CareerSource Palm Beach County, Broward and Research Coast, said Tom Veenstra, vice president of administra- tion for CareerSource Palm Beach County. The nonprofit helps job seek- Marc Storch, a trainer with GroovyTek, works with client Kim Pemberton in Denver. The company helps people understand consumer ers and employers. technology. It serves South Florida customers from Jupiter to Fort Lauderdale from its Boca Raton ofﬁce. [GROOVYTEK] The fair follows one held on Sept. 16, with Teaching service aims technology in relatable, over to phone sessions, With more people working 10 Palm Beach County to coach client to have understandable terms and where we can remote into from home, spending more country clubs and pri- ‘epiphany’ moment become confident and someone’s computer or time at home and children vate clubs seeking 150 competent enough to turn do a Zoom meeting.” learning online from home, seasonal workers. About Susan Salisbury their frustrations into fun. The company is once the demand for GroovyTek’s 100 job seekers attended Special to Palm Beach Post In November the com- again doing home visits, services has grown. the hospitality job fair, USA TODAY NETWORK pany, headquartered in with employees wearing “Some customers Veenstra said. Denver, expanded to the masks and gloves and using have businesses out of But the upcoming Navigating the online South Florida market and disinfectants, or custom- their homes. They have event is expected to be world can be difficult, espe- opened its Boca Raton ers can opt for service over attached themselves to much larger and will cially for older people who office. Both in-home and the phone. Trainers can us as their consultants. feature hundreds of jobs didn’t grow up with tech- one-on-one phone ses- either remotely access a We work with them every in Palm Beach, Martin nology. Seeking the usual sions are available. More client’s computer or meet week,” Rogers said and Broward counties, “tech help” can result in a than 300 customers have with them on Zoom. Assistance can range from Veenstra said. barrage of confusing terms been served from Jupiter “People over 50, anybody teaching the client how to The jobs will be full- that can be intimidating. to Fort Lauderdale, said who has not been born and shop online, use email or time, part-time and GroovyTek’s found- Barry Rogers, GroovyTek’s raised with technology, is a texts, or master Facebook or seasonal positions. ers Matt Munro and Alex vice president. good candidate for us to be an iPhone. It also can go as Despite the corona- Rodas started the company “We opened the office working with. We get a lot of far as setting up a computer, virus pandemic, the in 2015 with people over 40 here in Boca Raton right calls from people in their 60s iPad, smart home system, a upcoming winter season in mind after they found before the pandemic,” to late 80s and early 90s. It Roomba robot vacuum or a is expected to see greater their parents needed help Rogers said. “We had to is pretty amazing to see peo- remote garage-door opener. demand for hospitality with technology. They morph into a different ple who are competent and “Our approach is so dif- services. recognized there was a approach. In-home ses- living independently. They ferent. If people have two Many employees niche for personalized help sions were not going to work really want to understand need workers between to enable people to grasp at the peak. We changed and learn,” Rogers said. See TECH, D3 October and Easter, when the winter season brings part-time resi- dents and tourists to the county. The hospitality industry is the county’s New companies face tough task overcoming pandemic, recession largest employer, and demand for hospitality Joyce M. Rosenberg company to sell directly to workers is expected to The Associated Press consumers. jump during the season, To save Pasted Paper, despite the pandemic, NEW YORK — Julie Campbell learned online Veenstra said. Campbell had to rethink selling and marketing — her new wallpaper business skills not immediately in her See FAIR, D3 before she could sell her first wheelhouse. sheet. “I had so much inventory Campbell launched Pasted and I needed to sell it. I was Paper in February, but soon forced to figure this out,” FIND after, the coronavirus forced Campbell says. the cancellation of the trade A recession amid a pan- RESIDENCES shows where she expected demic may seem like the to introduce her wallpaper worst time to start a business. SECTION to prospective retail custom- Despite millions of loans and ers. Suddenly, the $30,000 grants from federal and state INSIDE she’d invested in creating the governments, it’s estimated After losing their jobs as corporate executives during the pandemic, wallpaper was at risk, depen- Amy and Cody Morgan of Cypress, Texas, decided to start a pool dent on her transforming the See RECESSION, D2 servicing company, Pit Stop Pools. [DAVID J. PHILLIP/ASSOCIATED PRESS] The Palm Beach Post REAL NEWS STARTS HERE Sunday, September 20, 2020 D3 Carnival to ditch 18 ships to offset COVID-19 losses

Taylor Dolven to say when it will be safe Miami Herald for cruise ships to resume passenger operations. Carnival Corporation At least 24 Carnival Corp. will part with a total of 18 ships have been affected by cruise ships in the next few COVID-19 and at least 80 of months — 12% of its fleet — the company’s passengers as it continues to cut costs and crew have died from while cruising in most of the the virus, according to a world remains banned. Miami Herald investigation. The company announced Carnival Corp., along with an adjusted third-quar- its competitors, have strug- ter loss of $1.7 billion in a gled to contain outbreaks financial filing Tuesday, among crew members on six months after it first its ships after all passengers announced it was shutting were repatriated. In June, down operations amid the Carnival Corp. decided to COVID-19 pandemic. The pull all of its cruise ships company had previously out of U.S. waters partly announced in July it would because it disagreed with part with 15 ships. The move a requirement from the to speed up efforts to slim CDC that crew members capacity comes as cruises remain in individual cabins in the U.S., the company’s as much as possible. It has most lucrative market, not reported COVID-19 or remain banned by the U.S. COVID-like illnesses to the Centers for Disease Control agency since then. and Prevention until Oct. 1. On Tuesday the company Most lines serving the U.S. said it is seeing bookings have ceased cruising until at for the second half of 2021 least Oct. 31. toward the higher end of Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Imagination, pictured in 2013, is one of 18 cruise ships Carnival Corp. is scrapping in response to the downturn historical ranges. More Carnival Fascination, in business caused by the coronavirus pandemic. [ALEXIA ELEJALDE-RUIZ, TNS] than half of bookings during Carnival Imagination, the third quarter were new Carnival Inspiration and schedule of its new ships, Italian passengers, who are protocols to keep passen- MSC Cruises about how bookings as opposed to Costa Victoria have already now expecting only five required to undergo rapid gers and crew safe and to they would prevent out- future cruise credits from been scrapped. In July, of the nine ships originally COVID-19 antigen tests prevent burdening govern- breaks at sea and avoid canceled cruises, the com- Holland America Line and scheduled to be delivered before boarding. ment resources. complications that left pany said. P&O Cruises announced by the end of 2021. CEO Arnold Donald par- “We want no one to expe- passengers and crew Since it stopped oper- that Amsterdam, Maasdam, Carnival Corp., the larg- ticipated in a public meeting rience a greater risk on a stranded in March and ating in March, Carnival Rotterdam, Veendam and est cruise company in the with Miami-Dade commis- cruise ship,” he said. April and overwhelmed the Corp. said it has raised $12 Oceanea would be leaving world with nine cruise lines, sioners recently to urge the Commissioners did not Coast Guard with medi- billion. As of the end of the the fleets and transferring restarted operations of one CDC to allow cruises to ask Donald or executives cal evacuation requests. A third quarter on Aug. 31, to undisclosed buyers. of its Costa Cruises ships restart in the U.S. He said from Royal Caribbean spokesperson for the CDC the company said it had The company is also in Italy on Sept. 6 . The the company was working International, Norwegian said the agency does not $8.2 billion of cash and cash slowing down the delivery cruises are only available to to develop science-based Cruise Line Holdings and have enough information equivalents.

can go to one of three The visa program was announced the imme- although none can be exe- suburban Delray Beach; FAIR CareerSource Palm particularly in demand diate suspension of the cuted until the expiration Woodfield Country Beach County offices. prior to the pandemic, due program until year's end. of Trump's proclamation. Club in Boca Raton; From Page D1 They are in West Palm to historic low unemploy- He cited the coronavirus Veenstra said he hasn't Jupiter Hills in Tequesta; Beach, Belle Glade and ment rates in Palm Beach pandemic, which caused seen any requests by Admirals Cove in Jupiter; Delray Beach. Visit www. County and the difficulty an avalanche of job losses Trump's Palm Beach Ibis Golf & Country Club The holidays also are careersourcepbc.com/ in finding available work- for U.S. workers. County properties for in West Palm Beach; coming up, and counties for more information and ers, Veenstra said. For this year's upcom- H-2B workers this year. Hunters Run Country moving into Phase 2 stages directions. In the 2019-20 season, ing season, some clubs A Mar-a-Lago official Club in Boynton Beach; have businesses that Unlike the upcoming CareerSource Palm Beach submitted applications for couldn't be reached for Old Marsh Golf Club in need workers, Veenstra fair, the Sept. 16 job fair received notices that H-2B workers prior to the comment. Palm Beach Gardens; and said. "The tourist season focused strictly on sea- applications had been filed June proclamation by the Club participating in The Everglades Club in outlook is looking much sonal jobs for country with the U.S. Department president, and some after- Sept. 16's virtual job fair Palm Beach. brighter," he said. clubs and private clubs. of Labor by 30 area hotels, ward. Thus far, there are were BallenIsles in Palm To register for the In prior years, many clubs and resorts for 1,732 2,377 H-2B visa applica- Beach Gardens; Quail [email protected] CareerSource virtual job private and country clubs H-2B visas positions. tions submitted by 35 area Ridge in Boynton Beach; @acloughpbp fair, go to https://www. hired workers through Among them were 80 hotels, clubs and resorts, Mizner Country Club in careersourcepbc.com/ the H-2B visa program. positions at President job-seekers/events- This program allowed Donald Trump's Mar-a- calendar and click on the employers to temporarily Lago club on Palm Beach Sept. 23 event. hire foreign workers to and 14 at the Trump Any job seeker needing perform non-agricultural National Golf Club in a computer to register and labor or services in the Jupiter. participate in the event United States. But on June 22, Trump

have a clue about how to GroovyTek train- TECH set it up. We also have a ers seek to be respect- program called 'Cutting ful of people, coming in From Page D1 the Cord,'” Rogers said. alongside them to help “It’s private. You can them learn, not just to ask us anything. There fix the problem and run. or three sessions with are no stupid ques- “When our trainers are us, they recognize we tions,” Rogers said. working with seniors, are genuinely all about People have needed there is an epiphany them,” Rogers said. help for issues as basic at one point. A light Employees have often as cutting and pasting a bulb goes on, and the worked at an Apple store URL link or purchasing person understands. It or on Best Buy’s Geek items through a website. is so empowering for Squad before coming to “We will provide them,” Rogers said. GroovyTek, and must whatever services people Marketing has been possess not only tech are looking for. We had through newspaper skills but also a desire a rabbi who wanted and television ads, and to help people and work help with a Zoom ses- word-of-mouth. well and patiently with sion for a funeral. We The hourly rate is people, Rogers said. set it up and stayed with $150 with price breaks “I recently hired him,” Rogers said. based upon the num- someone with a nurs- Richard Sandulli, 80, ber of hours purchased ing degree who decided of Palm Beach Gardens or if you purchase a she did not want to go retired from the finance membership. An online into the medical field. business in New York 22 membership is $49 and She had an understand- years ago, and has found includes free access to ing of technology, and GroovyTek’s assistance on-demand content and her real drive was to help invaluable. He had some videos on GroovyTek’s people,” Rogers said. computer skills but website and a reduced “If we are doing an wanted to improve. session rate of $100 an in-home session, we “They are very prompt hour. A $299 annual will find out what their and very knowledge- membership includes needs are, whether able. It is a darn good one in-home session they use an iPhone or service,” Sandulli said. and after that a $100 per an Android and expand “People come down hour rate per session, off that,” Rogers said. here who are 60 years plus one hour of over- When setting up the old, even less. It is get- the-phone support per appointment, GroovyTek ting to the point that if month, as well as session employees ask what you cannot do every- notes and free access to other technology they thing on the machine, members-only content. use at home, such as a you are in trouble. GroovyTek’s in-home computer or entertain- “Those fellows do a sessions are available ment system and get good job. They spend as in South Florida, the a feel for the client’s little or as much time as Phoenix and Denver computer aptitude. Some you need. They are very areas, or remotely from are fairly well-versed, patient and help you anywhere in the world. while others know very work through every- Rogers said the com- little. Sometimes people thing,” Sandulli said. pany, with a total of 35 to aren’t even sure what One customer loved 40 employees working in they need, or what to the concept of a smart its three markets, would ask, and that’s OK. home but had no idea like to expand to the west “We will adapt and be how to accomplish that. coast of Florida, Orlando a chameleon to the envi- He was assisted in being and Tampa and eventu- ronment we are going able to control lights, ally up the East Coast. into. A lot of people shades, alarm system, “We are growing move into a senior center drapes and entertain- organically. We want to or a new home. They get ment system with an make sure we cover and a great entertainment iPhone or an Alexa vir- take care of all the areas system or TV, but don’t tual assistant device. we are in,” Rogers said.