County, Groves Join RPB In Roebuck Road Complaint Palm Beach County and the Town of Loxahatchee Groves have joined Royal Palm Beach in a complaint to the state about language in the City of West Palm Beach’s comprehensive plan opposing the Roebuck Road extension.
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‘Weedoo’ Visits Palm Beach Aquatics representatives were at the Wellington Municipal Complex Monday to demonstrate the electric, ecofriendly skimming vessel known as the Weedoo. Page 5
Ultima
By Mark Lioi Town-Crier Staff Report
Homeowners in a northwestern Wellington neighborhood are anxious to learn whether the village will allow the construction of horse stables in their community. The Wellington Village Council is set to decide the matter for the Paddock Park I neighborhood on Tuesday.
Paddock Park was originally designed as an equestrian neighborhood with fairly large lots of about an acre each, but little equestrian activity had been established there by 2003 when the village drew up its Equestrian Preserve Area in Wellington’s south and west, where large lots and equestrian-centered homes and businesses predominate.
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Help Us Celebrate Royal Palm Beach’s 50th Anniversary
This June, the Village of Royal Palm Beach is gearing up for its 50th anniversary. To accompany the festivities, the village is partnering with the TownCrier to produce a souvenir magazine. We would like to hear from longtime residents, as well as those who may not have lived here as long but are equally invested in the community’s future. Page 4
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
Many Palm Beach County and western communities officials attended the longawaited opening Wednesday of a county-funded extension of State Road 7 from Okeechobee Blvd. north into The Acreage.
Elected representatives and staff from Palm Beach County, Royal Balm Beach and the Indian Trail Improvement District were among more than a dozen dignitaries participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the road, which winds along the western edge of the Pond Cypress Natural Area and is intended to relieve heavy commuter traffic in the western communities.
“Opening this up is definitely relieving the congestion, the bumper-to-bumper traffic,” Indian Trail Improvement District Supervisor Carol Jacobs told the Town-Crier. “It’s very stressful getting out in the morning and getting in at night.
The scenic route — what is it, a three-mile trip? — is very beautiful. It’s like going back in time with all of these trees out here, and it’s a stress release to get out of the city and back into your beautiful Acreage area.” Jacobs said she was once among the many Acreage residents who opposed the road for fear that it would dump too much traffic in The Acreage. She said she initially held to the belief that the extension should be built all the way to Northlake Blvd., but said the present extension north to Persimmon Blvd. in The Acreage will help prove that point.
“I was part of that at first, wanting to go to Northlake before they do anything — was,” she stressed. “If we don’t get this far, we’ll never get to Northlake. If we get this far, they’re going to see that it’s needed.”
Royal Palm Beach Mayor David Lodwick said village residents have been waiting years for the road to open.
“Seventy percent of the folks on Royal Palm Beach Blvd. are folks driving to and from work,” he said. “The bottom line is it’s going to be a relief to a lot of people. Now we all need to work together to continue the battle to get Roebuck Road completed.”
Royal Palm Beach Councilwoman Martha Webster told the Town-Crier she has been asked more frequently about an opening date for the extension than any other issue.
“We have a lot of people here who are supporting it,” Webster said. “It’s a great road, it’s well done. I think we should all take a ride down it to see where it goes. It will be a great reliever for some of the residents out west.”
County officials who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony included commissioners Jess Santamaria and Jeff Koons, County Administrator Bob Weisman, Assistant County Administrator Brad
Excluded from the EPA, homeowners in Paddock Park I lost their right to construct stables. The neighborhood does contain a few existing stables that were built before the EPA was established and have been grandfathered in. The call to regain stable rights began late last year with a neighborhood petition drive led by 12-yearold horse lover Madison Boyd.
To help them decide
By Mark Lioi
Officials in Royal Palm
and
are awaiting word that their applications
eral dollars
millions
transportation projects have
whether to return stable rights to homeowners in the community, the Wellington Village Council in February ordered a survey of Paddock Park residents to gauge their attitudes. By April 1, the village had received 102 responses to the survey, about 40 percent of the number that had been sent out. The survey offered three options: allowing stables on any property in Paddock Park I that would meet certain criteria, allowing them only on eligible properties that abut canal easements and public trails, or keeping things as they are. A majority of respondents weighed in for either all or nothing, with 39.2 percent in favor of allowing stables throughout the neighborhood, and 35.3 percent completely opposed to stables. Another 25.5 percent advocated allowing stables only on lots that abut trails or easements.
When the council reviews the ordinance Tuesday, it will get a staff recommendation to go with the option limiting stables to lots that abut trails or easements.
Community Development Director Marty Hodgkins, who issued the survey to res-
See STABLES, page 18
received two free tickets to the Seventh Annual Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Collector Car Auction. Page 3
To balance the budget, should the county and area municipalities cut services or raise taxes?
A.Cut services! Our taxes are high enough already.
B.Raise taxes! It’s the lesser of the evils.
C.Do a little bit of both. Raise taxes only after making some serious cuts. Cast your vote by visiting www.goTownCrier.com and scrolling down to the poll question at the bottom left of the page.
By Ron Bukley
Staff Report
Town-Crier
Work has begun on construction of an educational marsh and passive recreation area on a piece of land known as Section 24 at the southwestern end of Wellington. The village-owned parcel is actually a 420-acre portion of a square-mile surveyed section west of Flying Cow Road and south of the Rustic Ranches community. The land has been designated for development both as a passive park and a filtration marsh to cleanse phosphorusladen waters that will flow into the Everglades. The $10 million project includes construction of an impoundment structure, pedestrian and equestrian trails, boardwalks, an observation tower and kiosk, and plantings of trees and shrubs.
“It’s an incredible project for the village, the South Florida Water Management District and all of the western communities,” Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto told the Town-Crier Thursday. “This will be a really neat opportunity for folks to be in that environment, see the work that’s being done and watch all the wildlife and plant life.”
Benacquisto said the project would serve several purposes: water cleansing, flood control, education and recreation. “There are several bonuses; it’s a filtration marsh, cleaning the water in this community and making it safe for the environment,” she said. “We have been committed to that in Wellington and have done many things to be good stewards to the environment.”
Benacquisto said she hopes for nature walk tours in Section 24 once the project opens. “We hope to create the opportunity for people to learn about what’s going on there,” she said. “We will have the observation tower so people can look out and see the convergence of many great environmental projects that are being done in our area.”
Plans for an environmental education facility and conference hall on the site have been in the works for years, but have been deferred due to budget constraints. Benacquisto said she hopes the educational offerings at the site will grow in time. The educational facility, housing displays explaining the site’s functions, will have to wait for a future phase of construction. “It will be built in a sep-
approved. The Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization is coordinating the requests for local transportation projects seeking federal stimulus plan funding, including a request from Royal Palm Beach for $2 million to help pay for improvements to Royal Palm Beach Blvd. north of Okeechobee Blvd., and Wellington’s request for a $3 million contribution to its improvement plans for Forest Hill Blvd. The two projects were included in the MPO’s list of
Villages Await Final OK On Stimulus Cash See STIMULUS, page 7
arate phase because of the funding situation,” she said. “That will be something to pursue once this project is completed.”
Benacquisto said the SFWMD gave the Section 24 land to the village with the intent of filtering stormwater runoff from Wellington’s southern, equestrian half, which for drainage purposes is designated Basin B. Eventually, another plan was devised to route Basin B water to the C51 Canal and the stormwater treatment areas on the north side of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Section 24, deemed not necessary in the overall filtration plan, was made a separate project. Once finished, the project will resemble an existing park in Wellington, Peaceful Waters Sanctuary, but on a much
grander scale, Benacquisto said.
Peaceful Waters is an eight-acre wetlands park with elevated nature boardwalks, walking and equestrian trails at Village Park on Pierson Road.
Benacquisto said Peaceful Waters has demonstrated what such areas do to enhance wildlife populations.
“Once you create an environment that is more friendly to wildlife coming to it and put it back to its natural state, the birds come back and some of the wildlife comes back, and when you walk through Peaceful Waters, it’s really neat because you didn’t realize that there were so many animals in the community,” she said. “We hope to see that in Section 24 as well.” Benacquisto said the vil-
See SECTION 24, page 18
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
Palm Beach County and the Town of Loxahatchee Groves have joined Royal Palm Beach in a complaint to the state about language in the City of West Palm Beach’s comprehensive plan opposing the Roebuck Road extension.
In a recent submittal of comprehensive plan amendments to the Department of Community Affairs in Tallahassee, West Palm Beach had completely removed plans for Roebuck Road, a threemile stretch that will connect Jog Road with the State Road 7 extension. DCA ordered the city to put the Roebuck Road extension back in, which the city did, but with language that Royal Palm Beach Village Attorney Trela White said gives West Palm Beach opportunities to continue its opposition to the road.
“Royal Palm Beach filed a petition first, and then the county filed its petition, and then the Town of Loxahatchee Groves filed a motion to intervene,” White said. “They are intervening on behalf of Royal Palm and the county on the same side against DCA and West Palm Beach.”
The Roebuck Road extension was part of an agreement West Palm Beach entered into in 1994 in order to get approval from the Baywinds, Andros Isle and River Walk residential developments on the north side of Okeechobee Blvd. east of State Road 7. West Palm Beach has recently tried to back out of the agreement after residents in those communities voiced opposition to the road, which would run on the north side of the developments.
“We already litigated this matter once back in 1994 when Royal Palm Beach filed against West Palm Beach and DCA for finding their comprehensive plan in compliance because they did not provide sufficient roadway amenities for these new projects they were planning along Okeechobee Blvd.,” White said. “There’s over 6,000 homes in these three developments.”
During that lawsuit, West
continued from page 1 Merriman and County Engineer George Webb.
Other officials from Royal Palm Beach included Vice Mayor Matty Mattioli, councilmen Fred Pinto and David Swift, Village Manager David Farber and Village Engineer Ray Liggins.
Other ITID officials included President Michelle Damone, supervisors Carlos Enriquez and Mike Erickson and District Administrator Chris King, as well as engineers Keith Jackson and Lisa Tropepe.
Palm Beach entered into an interlocal agreement with Palm Beach County to help facilitate the extension of Roebuck Road in order to get its transportation concurrency certification needed to build the new developments, White said. They also amended the development orders to include a 160-foot right of way along the north side of the developments for Roebuck Road. “They did all the things they were supposed to do back then to settle the case so that they could build all of those projects,” White said. “Now West Palm Beach does not want Roebuck Road built.”
White said the village filed its petition on March 24, the county filed March 26 and Loxahatchee filed its petition March 31. They are objecting to language in the West Palm Beach comp plan amendment that states that Roebuck Road is included solely for consistency with the county’s comp plan and does not reflect the city’s position on the future development of the road. It continues that the city is challenging the future development of Roebuck Road on environmental grounds. The Roebuck Road right of way runs along the south side of the West Palm Beach Water Catchment Area, which is why the city is challenging the road on environmental grounds. County officials and others have argued that the city’s environmental argument is without merit.
During the opening of the State Road 7 extension on Wednesday, County Engineer George Webb said the extension, which runs along the Pond Cypress Natural Area, demonstrates that a road can be built alongside environmentally sensitive areas. “We intend to fight this every way we can,” White said. “It’s pretty disingenuous to put it in and say, ‘we’re doing this to get around DCA objections.’ The western communities have suffered all this time. It’s very difficult to commute in and out along Okeechobee. There’s an awful lot of traffic there.”
the construction of Roebuck Road, which will run along the south end of the West Palm Beach Water Catchment Area and has been embroiled in challenges from West Palm Beach.
“This is a great day,” Webb said during the ceremony. “I can’t believe this day is finally here. This is going to be one of the better roads in Palm Beach County. I think it’s one of the most beautiful drives in Palm Beach County.”
Webb said the extension will feature marked bike lanes as well as pedestrian access along its entire length.
Webb said $7 million of the $25 million cost of the extension was for land mitigation.
“We bought an entire section and put it in the Pond Cypress Preserve to help mitigate the impacts to this area,” he said.
“It shows we can build a road in wetlands. We have other roads in this area we are looking forward to building in the next few years.”
The Palm Beach County Commission recently approved moving forward with
Webb said the county would continue to support the further construction of the newly opened extension to Northlake Blvd., the tentative route of which is along the Pond Cypress Natural Area and the West Palm Beach Water Catchment Area. Santamaria said the project has been about seven years in the making. “It took everyone here today in a joint effort — The Acreage, Royal Palm Beach and the county — to make it happen; however, we have only accomplished one third of our objective,” he said. “I hope the other two thirds doesn’t take seven years. The other two thirds are opening up Madrid [Street], continuing to 60th [Street] and the ultimate goal is to get this road to Northlake. Last but not least is the road George did not want to mention, Roebuck Road.” Camilla Beasley, property manager for Maisano Condominiums near the intersection of SR 7 and Okeechobee Blvd., drove a golf cart to the ceremony and told the TownCrier that the extension will make life easier for residents in her development, whose only previous access was on Okeechobee Blvd. “It’s very dangerous coming out onto Okeechobee from our property,” Beasley said. “We’re very pleased with this.”
Fifty years ago, the area now known as the western communities was a much different place. Besides the obvious lack of development and substantially smaller population, the area had recently witnessed the birth of its first municipality, the Village of Royal Palm Beach. The summer of 1959 saw the village begin work on its canal system and roadways. On June 30 of that year, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to usher in the new community. This June, the Village of Royal Palm Beach is gearing up for yet another celebration, one that marks its first half-century of existence. The event will take place June 12-13 and feature a VIP reception, a sculpture dedication, a 5k run/walk, the burial of a time capsule, a chili cookoff with live music and more. Look for more information in coming weeks. To accompany the festivities, Royal Palm Beach is partnering with the TownCrier newspaper to produce a 50th anniversary souvenir magazine. What will this very special publication entail? Well, that’s where you come in. The Town-Crier would like to hear from longtime Royal Palm Beach residents, as well as those who may not have lived there so long but are equally invested in the community’s future.
This past week, residents in Wellington’s Paddock Park subdivision responded favorably to an impending ordinance to reinstate the ability of homeowners to build a stable on their property. The ordinance to provide stables in Paddock Park existed from the inception of the community. In 2003, it was repealed, with most residents of Paddock Park unaware of its dismissal. This in itself, ethically and morally, provides merit to reinstate the ordinance without question. A decision of this magnitude affects our rights and our property values. We purchased in Paddock Park with the knowledge that stables were allowed, as did many other residents. Now for us to have to fight for our property values, particularly in a real estate market where every appreciable element is crucial, is an injustice.
However, a special thankyou goes out to the efforts of the very competent Wellington Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board, along with the Equestrian Preservation Committee. Both agencies researched this issue and voted to recommend approval to restore the rights to owners in Paddock Park. The professionals were able to see through some of the rhetoric that threatened infestations of biblical proportions as real “horse manure.” As part of the approval, very strict maintenance and architectural elements were set forth in the code enforcement rules that will ensure that Paddock Park retains its unique, clean and natural environment. This honorable endorsement helps to right a wrong.
To confirm my belief as a veteran real estate investor, I spoke with a well-known Wellington MAI appraiser who indicated that Wellington real estate with equestrian approvals increases in value by 25 percent to 50 percent per acre. This notion was again supported when I approached a longtime Wellington real estate agent who told me that in her experience horse properties sell at a premium. She told me that she receives requests looking for smaller parcels that have equestrian approvals. This approval will provide options for families that are not commercial horse enthusiasts.
I found that most folks in Paddock Park were more interested in having the ordinance approved to provide flexibility in the marketing of their property and an increased value. Most had no intention of actually building stalls. When I spoke with the director of communications for one of the most famous international golf course designers, he said his family was representative of many homeowners who might not own a horse but thoroughly enjoy being a part of an equestrian community. Having been involved with golf course design all around the world, he said statistics show that 60 percent of those who live in golf communities don’t play the game, but they enjoy being a part of the life
and lifestyle that surrounds golf. That is how he viewed the opportunity to live in an equestrian community.
In conclusion, I submit to the residents of Wellington and Paddock Park that property values, our community rights and safety are very important components. However, the most important element is the value that is priceless — “the good stuff” in Wellington. That unique opportunity in Wellington to grow up with a beloved pony, participate with that pony that you’ve cared for in a sport that builds confidence, family fun, teaches responsibility, goal setting and grounded family values — this is what makes Wellington a special place.
One horsey girl told me that caring for and loving her pony Mariah taught her a lot about responsibility, working hard and achieving goals. Another told me she loved working with her horse and enjoying time with family and friends on trail rides and competitions. And yet another indicated that training hard and working with her horse King kept her focused and a better student. This is the “good stuff” in Wellington. Albert Boyd Wellington
Dear Parents of the Next Generation: I am an 81-year-old widow in your neighborhood wondering about your kids and their values. You see, I have a shortcut to their bus stop through my yard. I didn’t mind the occasional littering of candy wrappers, but I thought, “why not ask each of them to pick five weeds and deposit them in the conveniently located green trash can?”
They asked, “do you mean each one of us has to pull five weeds?” I said, “yes, and in each direction, coming and going.” Only two of the dozen or so middle schoolers were willing to do that “dreaded task.” The others elected to go through a neighbor’s gate… until school closed for spring break March 28. Then they were too tired to open the gate and came en masse through my yard. I was out watering and asked, “did you pull your five weeds?” Instead, they ran! (Two of them are a principal’s children.)
This morning I was trying to help a neighbor who is hospitalized, and while pulling weeds in his yard (he pays a yard man regularly), tripped over a root and fell. I didn’t hurt myself, but could have used a helping hand. Along comes one of the boys who used to use my shortcut. I called out, asking for a hand up. He was too preoccupied with his friends to give me any help. Disgusted, I told him what I thought of him and his friends, and got up by myself.
Parents, your kids may be star athletes; they may be long-distance runners. But you need to give your kids a lesson or two about the work ethic and helping a neighbor.
Ruth Keen Wellington
The Early Years — For Royal Palm Beach residents who remember the village’s early years (pre-1984), we want to hear your stories. Explain in vivid detail what life was like back in the “good old days.” Submissions of up to 200 words are welcome, and a handful will be selected for publication. Be sure to include full contact information so we can get in touch with you. In you submission, note if you have old photographs that may be useful.
The Next 50 Years — But what would a celebration of Royal Palm Beach’s past be without a nod to its future? The Town-Crier would also like to hear your thoughts on where the village is headed over the next 50 years. This opportunity is open to anyone with ties to Royal Palm Beach. Again, submissions should be up to 200 words and include full contact information.
Submissions for both input opportunities can be mailed to the Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax submissions to (561) 793-6090. E-mails can be sent to VORP50TH@aol.com
The Town-Crier congratulates the Village of Royal Palm Beach on this landmark anniversary, and we look forward to celebrating this important milestone with all village residents.
Wellington Mayor Darell Bowen had nothing good to say about the results of the recent appraisal of the 68 acres on State Road 7 called K- Park that he plans to give away to Palm Beach Community College. That should surprise no one, since he did not want the appraisal in the first place. So he demonizes it.
The Town-Crier quoted the mayor as saying he did not bother to go over the details in the appraisal. “Don’t know, don’t care. It’s irrelevant, really. The value of the property is what we’ve got in it — that’s the value to us.” It sounds like he is taking his cues from the United States Congress with actions and statements like these.
The mayor also said the appraisal is not worth the paper it was printed on due to the real estate market. There are no buyers for that kind of property; there is no financing for that kind of property. Pardon me, but the West Palm Beach appraisal firm Anderson & Carr said it is worth $29.5 million, the same price the group known as “Stop the Giveaway” has always said it was worth. But what do state-certified appraisers know? Oh yeah, they know that Sunrise Senior Living paid $5 million for five acres, and since when is prime real estate a stagnant thing, especially since PBCC does not plan to begin constructing a single building until 2017?
Well the mayor knows this, but the less he says the land is worth, the easier it is to give it away. I’m sure developers would really be glad to hear that they can buy that property at $127,000 an acre. Any bidders?
Morley Alperstein Wellington
In a matter of days, the Wellington Village Council will vote on whether or not to approve an ordinance to allow construction of residential stables in certain portions of Paddock Park I. This vote is important to many, as it will culminate months of passionate pleas and lobbying on behalf of those who were disappointed when a few years ago, this right was taken away from residents without warning and little discussion. Many in Paddock Park I, including our family, want to see this right return to residents.
We are longtime residents of Wellington, and one of the beauties and lures of the community was its storied tradition and history tied to the equestrian and polo world. Our family is representative of many homeowners in Wellington who might not own a horse, but still thoroughly enjoy being a part of an equestrian community and lifestyle. I have been involved in the golf industry for many years. Our company designs golf courses all over the world, and we’re currently working in 46 different countries. Almost all of these
design projects are for a golf course that is to serve as the centerpiece to a residential community. What’s interesting is that many studies show that only 40 percent of those who live in a golf community actually play golf. The other 60 percent choose to live there because they love to be around the game. They enjoy being a part of the life and lifestyle that surrounds golf. That is how we view the opportunity to live in an equestrian community. It is as much about being a part of the equestrian lifestyle as it is about owning a horse.
We all live in a market that serves as a saddening microcosm of declining property values nationwide, and having the opportunity to build a residential stable or being a part of a community that allows horses greatly enhances the property values of such communities. We see worldwide how golf, as an amenity, can often add a 20- to 30percent premium to lot and home values, and having talked to real estate sales and marketing consultants from Argentina to Wellington, there is a similar impact with equestrian. In fact, one of our projects in Buenos Aires, Argentina, focuses its marketing efforts around two primary amenities — golf and equestrian. So, giving homeowners in Paddock Park the opportunity to build horse stables will enhance the marketability of the community and thus increase property values.
As I mentioned, we might never own a horse, but that will never change our opinion about and our affinity for being around “horse people.”
My wife is from the Midwest and she grew up around people who owned horses, and her memories of those people and those experiences are among the most cherished in her life. During our time in Wellington, we have been fortunate to have met a number of families who own horses, and we have found the children to be among the most respectful, disciplined and responsible children we’ve ever met. If I can’t give my children the opportunity to own a horse, I don’t want to deny them the opportunity to be around people who do. And that is all we are asking of the Wellington Village Council — restore the right residents of Paddock Park once enjoyed. Common sense says that only a small number will actually build horse stables, but at least give them the right and the opportunity to make that choice. And give all residents the opportunity to be a part of an equestrian community.
Scott Tolley
Wellington Editor’s note: Mr. Tolley is director of communications for Jack Nicklaus and the Nicklaus Companies.
In regard to the recent letters to the editor between Mr. [Howard] Sohn and Mr. [George] Unger, Mr. Sohn made a reference to Mr. Unger’s behavior toward residents as a member of the Code Enforcement Board. Previous to serving on the Planning, Zoning & Adjust-
ment Board, I served on the Code Enforcement Board with Mr. Unger. Mr. Unger did routinely ask and challenge council to support the board and to improve code enforcement. However, with all due respect to Mr. Sohn, I believe he confused Mr. Unger with another board member, as Mr. Unger was considerate and professional in his interactions with residents who came before the board.
Carmine Priore III
Wellington
The Village of Wellington has been torn apart by the Palm Beach Community College land donation issue, with residents, community organizations, staff and council members lining up on each side of the issue with no end in sight. The village does not have the money to build a park, and the college does not have the money to build a campus. So let’s take a break. The village budget is going to take a big hit of 10 percent or more with possible layoffs in the future. The state budget is in shambles with FRDAP, Florida Forever and PECO funds being eliminated. Let’s take a break and table the PBCC issue for a year until the economy and budgets have a chance to catch up with the current economic circumstances. Heck, PBCC doesn’t even have enough funds to change their name like the other community colleges because of the cost for signs and printing charges.
A break of a year will allow the council to focus on this year’s budget, which is very critical, and make important decisions on capital projects, a new administration building, levels of service and keeping Wellington the place we all know and love.
A year’s break will allow Councilwoman [Lizbeth] Benacquisto to integrate her university partnership program into PBCC’s lease parameters, and allow Councilman [Carmine] Priore to arrange the property and a possible lease to get the best deal for Wellington residents.
A year’s break will allow PBCC to realistically look at its funds and come up with a building plan that matches the state’s ability to pay for it. Right now, the state has no plans to fund any of its buildings at the Wellington site.
Hopefully Mayor [Darell] Bowen will realize that KPark is not going anywhere, and neither is PBCC. There is no need to make a decision right now with so many questions being unanswered and our economic future uncertain at best. The mayor needs to display some true leadership and send this issue back to the drawing board so that it will work for all parties involved. Let’s take a break, table this issue for a year, and get it right so that the residents and the community can make this issue a win-win for all residents and organizations in the village.
Steve Haughn Wellington
I write this letter in response to a letter by Howard Sohn published in the April 3 edition of the Town-Crier. I was the last chairman of the Wellington Code Enforcement Board when it was disbanded, and during my years on the board, I cannot remember George Unger ever being abusive, rude, fresh, disrespectful or any other way of being out of line to anyone who appeared in front of the board for a violation. I have my own feelings on why [former mayor] Tom Wenham disbanded the board, but since I cannot prove it, I shall keep my opinion to myself. Stephen Jay Sacks Wellington
Editor’s note: The following letter is a response to the letter from Dr. Wesley Boughner published last week.
Dear Wes:
I am extremely disappointed that with your background and intelligence you cannot see the benefits of a college in our community. Further, it troubles me that you have so many questions now after this proposal has been before us for over a year. Just last week I was in Tallahassee, where State Sen. Dan Gelber from Miami was the keynote speaker at a breakfast that I attended. His speech was centered on how Florida can only achieve economic stability by attracting businesses to locate here and retaining the ones we have here now. He said the only way this can happen is for us to improve our higher education so we can have a trained workforce for these businesses. He further pointed out how the university system and the community college system are both overloaded... Just a few days ago, the Palm Beach Post reported that there were over 9,000 students wait-listed for admission to Florida Atlantic University this fall. Where are they all going to go? Sen. Gelber pledged his support to
A year’s break will allow Wellington to really weigh the traffic concurrency problem and see if the state changes the standards. A year’s break will allow recreation staff to see if it really needs additional fields to continue its level of service to the community. With our economy continuing to move downward, the village may need the funds from the sale of the property to keep its level of service to the residents intact without a tax increase. See LETTERS, page 18
The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit letters,
By Candace Marchsteiner Town-Crier Staff Report
Wellington’s Elbridge Gale Elementary School swarmed with excited students and parents for Literacy Night on March 25. Coordinated by reading coach Jennifer Jones, the event included a book fair, interactive educational activities, courtyard read-alouds and face painting by after-care workers.
Science Fair and Math Fair
winners picked up their trophies in hallways filled with “Shrink the Science Fair” projects on display. In an effort to be economical, practical and unique, students crafted project boards from construction paper. Teachers and administrators offered creative services for the second annual silent auction. This year’s proceeds
will be used to purchase classroom materials and supplies. Auctioned items included several ice cream parties, board game time, chess lessons, lunch with the teacher, guitar lessons and the popular principal for a day. On special display and under the watchful eye of fifthgrade science teacher Linda Petuch was a collection of NASA moon rocks and aster-
oids. These national treasures arrived by armored car and in a locked box to remain in Petuch’s possession at all times. Petuch earned lunar certification at the Kennedy and Marshall space centers. In 2008, she participated in the Lunar Precursor Robotics Program and has been invited to witness the May 20 launch of NASA’s next lunar reconnaissance orbiter.
By Jason Budjinski Town-Crier Staff Report
APRIL 6 — A resident of Westside Way called the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office substation in Royal Palm Beach on Monday regarding a home burglary. According to a PBSO report, a guest was sleeping in the northeast bedroom when she heard glass break. Moments later, a man opened the bedroom door and appeared surprised when he saw the guest. According to the report, the man apologized and fled the residence through the front door. He was described as a light-skinned black or Hispanic male approximately 5’10” with black hair and a thin, muscular build. The man left in a silver or beige sedan, traveling eastbound on Showboat Lane.
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APRIL 2 — A resident of Rosalie Lane called the PBSO substation in Wellington last Thursday regarding a burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 9:45 p.m. last Wednesday and 3:45 p.m. the following afternoon, someone entered the victim’s vehicle and stole a BMX bike stored inside. The victim said he believed the vehicle was locked. There were no signs of forced entry.
APRIL 3 — A West Palm Beach man was arrested last Friday for shoplifting at the Best Buy store on State Road 7 in Wellington. According to a PBSO report, a store employee observed 26-year-old Daniel Rowe enter the gaming department, remove three games from the shelf, place them under his waistband beneath his shirt and enter the restroom, where he removed the anti-theft devices and placed the games back under his waistband. Rowe attempted to leave the store but was apprehended by store security and a PBSO deputy. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Palm Beach County Jail.
APRIL 3 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington responded last Friday to a home on Equestrian Way in reference to a grand theft. According to a PBSO report, someone stole a Tourneau watch from the victim’s master bedroom closet. The victim said the theft possibly occurred on March 30 during a party that included 50 guests. There was no additional suspect information. The watch was valued at $25,000.
APRIL 3 — A Lake Worth man was arrested on drug charges last Friday following a traffic stop in Wellington. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation pulled over a vehicle driven by 22-year-old Matthew Jackson for traveling over the speed limit. Upon making contact with Jackson, the deputy smelled marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Jackson told the deputy there was a marijuana roach in the ashtray and a “blunt” in the vehicle as
well. Jackson was issued a citation for speeding and a notice to appear in court for possession of marijuana.
APRIL 4 — An employee of the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Belvedere Road called the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach last Saturday regarding a shoplifter. According to a PBSO report, the employee witnessed 22-yearold Christopher Meehan of Royal Palm Beach enter the electronics department, select several items from the shelves and conceal them inside one of his pockets. Meehan then proceeded to the exit, attempting to leave the store without paying for the merchandise. He was apprehended by store security, and the items, with a total value of $195.52, were recovered. Meehan was transported to the county jail.
APRIL 6 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched Monday morning to a home on Fairway Lane in reference to a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. someone stole numerous power tools from the victim’s 1994 GMC truck, which was parked in the driveway. The deputy found pry marks on the window of the cab. Latent prints were lifted from the rear window. The loss is valued at approximately $1,019.
APRIL 8 — A Royal Palm Beach man was arrested on drug charges and for resisting arrest early Wednesday morning. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 2:40 a.m. a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was on patrol near the intersection of Southern Blvd. and State Road 7 when he discovered 21-year-old Jeremy Korzeniowski asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle. After waking Korzeniowski, the deputy attempted to turn off his vehicle. Korzeniowski then tried to pull away, but the deputy succeeded in turning off the engine. A search revealed two multicolored glass pipes and a small amount of marijuana in the center console. Korzeniowski was placed under arrest and transported to the county jail.
APRIL 8 — An Acreage man was arrested early Wednesday morning on drunk driving charges in Royal Palm Beach. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 3:40 a.m. a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was conducting radar patrol on Okeechobee Blvd. when a vehicle driven by 26-year-old Lee Wilson was observed traveling 64 miles per hour. The deputy proceeded to make a traffic stop, noticing that Wilson’s vehicle swerved outside of its lane. According to the report, Wilson had an odor of alcohol on his breath, and he was unable to complete a roadside sobriety task. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to the county jail.
dwelling with assault or battery. His occupation is construction. His last known address was 58th Place North in The Acreage. Walsh is wanted as of 04/09/09. Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800)
The Western County Democratic Club held its monthly meeting Tuesday at the Wellington library, with precinct captains giving updates about activities in their areas. The meeting was led by Club President Diana Demerest, who is also a member of the Democratic Executive Committee, and DEC members Alan Olinsky and Barbara Magovsky. DEC Chair Mark Alan Siegel also spoke briefly. For more information about the club, call Demerest at (561) 644-0963 or e-mail her at ddemarest@ pagepartners.com. The club meets on the second Tuesday of each month. (Above left) Phil Green says a few words. (Above right) Magovsky, Demerest and Olinsky.
BY
CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER
The monthly meeting of the Loxahatchee Groves Garden Club will be held on Saturday, April 18. The club will gather from 2 to 4 p.m. at Palms West Presbyterian Church for a business meeting. The members will then caravan to the Tropical Bamboo
Nursery to learn about the different varieties of bamboo that are available for growing in this area. For more information about the club, call Marge Herzog (561) 791-9875.
American Legion Post 367 will hold tryouts for its 17-U
PHOTOS
baseball team on Saturdays, April 11 and 18 at 5 p.m. at Hamlin Park (corner of Hamlin and Hall boulevards in The Acreage).
All players must have been born in 1992 or later. The season will run from May to mid-July.
For more information about the American Legion Post 367 17-U baseball team, call Manager Robert Pettet at (561) 718-5858 or (561) 7906543.
The boat ramp in Royal Palm Beach has re-opened after about $80,000 in improvements including paving and drainage improvements to the parking lot area, Village Engineer Ray Liggins said. The project, which was tied in with construction of the bike and pedestrian path in the FPL easement, started in the spring of 2008 and was to be finished by Thanksgiving, but the contractor was delayed by construction of a bike path bridge over a nearby canal, Liggins said. The boat ramp is located off Sparrow Drive behind the village’s Field Operations Center at 10996 Okeechobee Blvd.
PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER
The Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association will hold its next monthly meeting on Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at Palms West Presbyterian Church (13689 Okeechobee Blvd.). The meeting will take place in the smaller building, where voting is held during town elections.
Speakers include a representative from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue, who will discuss a county surtax that is currently being debated in the Florida Legislature and how this surtax could be used to reduce other taxes. The other speaker will be a representative from the Palm Beach County Extension Service, who will discuss the agency’s role and the impact that budget cuts will have on it. The extension service representative was also asked to discuss bills such as House Bill 593 (Florida Friendly Landscapes). For more information, call LGLA President Marge Herzog at (561) 791-9875.
featured hundreds of exhibitors offering decorative accessories and collectibles including furniture, lighting, garden accents, architectural ceramics, pottery, glass, silver, rugs, linens, books, fine art and more.
continued from page 1 eight local transportation projects that stand to benefit from the $27 million allotment for Palm Beach County projects. Palm Beach MPO Director Randy Whitfield said the ball is currently in the hands of officials at the Florida Department of Transportation.
“The Department of Transportation is now working with the applicants to look at the plans, look at the right of ways to make sure they’ve got it all, and doing the state and federal paperwork to ready the projects to be sent
up to Tallahassee for the federal highway administration to sign off on them,” Whitfield told the Town-Crier Thursday. “Once that happens, the DOT will then sign an agreement with the applicants saying the project is ready to go.”
Whitfield noted that the authorization is supposed to be made within 120 days of the signing of the federal stimulus bill. As President Barack Obama approved the stimulus plan of almost $800 billion on Feb. 17, the deadline will arrive in mid-June.
“Only half of the money has to be committed within the first 120 days,” he said.
“If we can get half of it done in 120 days, then if it takes 150 days to do the other half, we’re still OK.” Due to the limited amount
of funding for transportation projects, the MPO had the task last month of selecting a short list of priority projects from 17 submitted. “I did have some cities that weren’t happy they didn’t make the ranking list, but I had $27 million and 60-some million dollars in projects,” he said.
Whitfield said that last month he initially offered the MPO board a list of five priority projects that would account for all the funding, but also included three more “in case something went wrong.”
However the MPO board, which includes county and municipal officials, agreed to trim the projects somewhat so that all eight could be included for consideration by the state.
“Wellington, I believe, was one of those that reduced their
application by about $2 million, which was comparable to what the estimate for their landscaping was,” Whitfield said. “Royal Palm did reduce theirs, the county reduced the money on theirs, and theirs was actually a resurfacing project, not landscaping, so they wound up shortening their project.”
As Royal Palm Beach was ranked seventh on the list, its project would have been left behind without the concessions made among the projects under consideration.
RPB Village Engineer Ray Liggins said the March 19 MPO meeting was a demonstration of the effectiveness of the organization and its ability to see to the needs of both the county and its municipalities, as the representatives on the board worked to find an
arrangement that all would find acceptable. “The meeting became a fair process in divvying up the $27 million, and that would result in a compromise of individuals to get a motion that would pass,” Liggins said.
The ambitious Royal Palm Beach Blvd. improvement project includes bike lanes, bike/pedestrian paths and greatly improved drainage. Liggins said the village could not muster the total $5 million for the project this year and would have deferred it without the availability of the stimulus funding. “This $2 million put us over the top and put us in a position where we are now going to build it this year,” he said.
In Wellington, Village Manager Paul Schofield said his village is going ahead
with its Forest Hill Blvd. project regardless of the stimulus funding. “No matter where we are at in the process, we are still sending out the first $4.5 million on Forest Hill Blvd., probably in July,” he said. “The thing is, it had to be shovel-ready projects, and we’re shovelready, and we’re going out to bid.”
The project includes lighting, drainage, new sidewalks and signage for Wellington’s “Main Street,” and Schofield said the federal funds would serve to enhance the project rather than enable it. “If the stimulus funding comes in, we actually have more of it ready to go than we had money for,” he said. “We will expand the project by the amount of stimulus money.”
The Acreage community will throw out the welcome mat Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26 for the WIRK Acreage Music & Chili Cookoff, the biggest family festival west of Florida’s Turnpike and a perfect blend of hot sounds and spicy food.
This is the second year for the festival, the only event of its kind in Palm Beach County that combines a great lineup of national and regional music in a familyfocused setting with the chili cookoff.
This year the International Chili Society, which sanctions the cookoff, upgraded the event from a district-level competition to a double regional, with chili cooks having two chances to win entry to the World Chili Cookoff Championship in Las Vegas.
Judging takes place at midday on Saturday and again on Sunday. There are three categories — Red, Verde and Sal-
sa — in addition to a restaurant category and a people’s choice competition. Local celebrity judges food writer Jan Norris and Dan Oliver (a.k.a. “the Beer Guy”) will join the regular panel to help decide whose chili is worth a trip to Vegas. The event is being presented by WIRK, with CBS radio stations Sunny 104.3 FM and 103.1 FM “the Buzz” involved as well. There will be major Nashville acts onstage each day, including the Eli Young Band, Halfway to Hazard and David Nail. Numerous local and regional bands, including recording artist Cecilia Lauren and the Chili Chicks line dancing team, will be there to provide non-stop entertainment. Since their formation, just in time for last year’s inaugural Chili Fest, the Chili Chicks have performed at events across the country. The Chicks will keep the crowd on its feet throughout the weekend.
This year’s Acreage Music & Chili Cookoff brings a new element to the children’s play area — a potentially world record-breaking inflatable obstacle course. Sure, you’ve seen them 50 feet or even 75feet long. This one, constructed by A Perfect Party, will stretch nearly as long as a football field, topping out at more than 260 feet in length. The unofficial record of 200 feet was set in England, but the Acreage Music & Chili Fest plans to take the prize away. Employees from A Perfect Party will finish setting it up Saturday morning, just before the festival opens at 11 a.m.
To get things rolling, there will be a kickoff party on Saturday, April 18 at Uncle Mick’s Bar & Grill in Jupiter. The event will include a jam session featuring the local and regional bands that will be at the cookoff. Celebrity bartenders will serve drinks, including the new Chili Chicks signature drink.
There will be great prizes, including free drinks for a year and a hopping dance floor led by the Chili Chicks.
In addition to great entertainment, the festival will include a community benefit. A portion of the proceeds from the event will go toward the New Beginnings Educational Foundation, which provides assistance to teens and young adults in the western communities in completing high school, technical school or college.
The WIRK Acreage Music & Chili Cookoff will take place 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 25 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 26. Acreage Community Park is located at 6701 140th Avenue North. Tickets cost $12 for adults and are free for children ten and under and active members of the military. For more information, call Robert Trepp or Sophia Rossi at (561) 4209505 or visit www.acreage chilifest.com.
The American Cancer Society’s 2009 Acreage/Loxahatchee Relay for Life will take place on Friday, April 17 at Acreage Community Park. At 5 p.m. there will be a special dinner for cancer survivors and their caregivers. The relay kickoff is at 6 p.m. when cancer survivors get to
take the first lap as a “victory lap.” After that, the teams will march together to start off the event.
Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s version of an athletic relay, but with a twist. It is a family-oriented event where participants enjoy the camaraderie of a
team and also raise funds to support the activities of the American Cancer Society.
Participants camp out at the relay site, and when they are not taking their turns walking, they take part in fun activities and enjoy local entertainment.
Teams from companies,
churches, organizations, hospitals and schools collect donations and can win individual and team prizes for their efforts.
To participate in the event, join a team or make a donation, go to the American Cancer Society, call Kelsey Wright at (561) 650-0141.
The Village of Royal Palm Beach recently announced its 2009 Earth Day celebration to unite the village and its schools in the care and preservation of the planet through a “greening” partnership.
Approximately 6,000 students who attend H.L. Johnson Elementary School, Crestwood Middle School, Cypress Trails Elementary School and Royal Palm Beach Elementary School have wholeheartedly embraced the partnership “It Takes a Village to Save the Earth,” with the support of their teachers, administrators, school volunteers, parents and school support staff.
Since last August, each local school and the village have all been busy with a variety of activities and contests that demonstrate why each and every individual and institution must act responsibly as trustees of the planet, seeking choices in ecology, economics and ethics to provide a sustainable future for everyone. The culmination of this partnership will take place on Wednesday, April 22, when each school will present a morning program with featured speakers, music, contest winners and the planting of trees.
The Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board will honor students, staff and community volunteers on Monday, April 27 at 7 p.m. in the Village Meeting Hall.
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
Ultima Fitness/Xtreme Tae
Kwon Do is starting a program to help people find a path of healthier living in a realistic and feasible way.
According to owner Jill Merrell, the Wellington fitness center will host a series of workshops in May called “Fitness for Life,” taught by Eric Peterman, a certified personal trainer at Ultima Fitness. The series will discuss how attitude, nutrition and exercise work together to create a healthier lifestyle.
“Eric has done public speaking about how to make a difference in your life,” Merrell said. “He wants to
offer that knowledge to help people in health and fitness, with the help of the professional staff at Ultima Fitness.”
Merrell noted that the series reflects the staff’s experience in the fitness industry as well as what clients at Ultima Fitness have told staff they have found to work.
The classes will run for three Saturdays on May 2, 9 and 16 beginning at 9 a.m. In week one, participants will learn how to have a winning attitude as opposed to a losing attitude, how to see things differently from how they have seen them so far, and to use positive thinking as a catalyst for change.
The discussion in week two will include how to deal with pitfalls in efforts to eat properly, how to eat to meet the nutritional needs of their bodies, and how to listen to and interpret the messages their bodies send.
The final week teaches
“It comes from continuing education and certification,” Merrell said. “We know what in the fitness world is successful. But the strength we have is that we are not just putting information out. We are working with the clients, who then are telling us what things they have found to be successful at what they are trying to accomplish.”
By Deborah Welky Town-Crier Staff Report
The Wellington Seniors Club’s Onstage Theatrical Company will present two performances of “Puttin’ on the Glitz,” a show created and directed by effervescent club member Sunny Meyer, with able assistance from Manny Sternfeld and Marilyn Hogan.
The first show is open to the public and will be presented Tuesday, April 14 at 1 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center with an encore presentation for club members only Wednesday, April 15 at 1 p.m. Admission is free.
Join Lancôme national makeup artist Ricardo Costales and his team for a private makeup lesson on Saturday, April 11 at Lancôme in the Macy’s store in the Mall at Wellington Green. From runway to real way, learn the newest tips and beauty tricks for this season’s hottest looks. Reserve your time today; space is limited. Appointments are available
The show will open with the entire company singing “Puttin’ on the Glitz,” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” and “Let Us Entertain You.”
The company includes Meyer, Hogan, Sternfeld, Tony and Mary Alfalla, Dora Bogholtz, Alan Graham, Trisha Landsdorf, Ed Leipzig, Dr. John Meyer, Jack and Mildred Pitchon, Gloria Rothenberger, Estelle Rubin, Carllene Smith, Sali Stegall, Howard Trager (who also created the playbill), John and Marilyn Trimble, and Art Willing. Next up is “42nd Street,”
between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. To schedule your appointment, visit the Lancôme counter at Macy’s or call (561) 493-2146.
The Wellington Chamber of Commerce will present Wellington’s first “organic happy hour” on Thursday, April 16 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Pizza Fusion in the Pointe at Wellington Green.
followed by “It’s Almost Like Being in Love,” “Softly, in the Morning Sunshine,” “Razzle Dazzle” and “On a Clear Day,” with “I Got Rhythm” and “You’re Just Too Marvelous” as musical treats. “Popcorn” is the next treat, then “The Tea Meeting.”
The show concludes with the company reconvening for “It’s a Grand Night for Singing,” “Blue Skies” and “Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries.” Could an afternoon of comedy, skits, dance and song get any better than this?
The Wellington Seniors Club would like to give credit
Local “green” companies will be on hand to offer product demonstrations and ways to keep the environment clean. Featured exhibitors and co-hosts of this event include Green Team Solutions, Easy to Be Green and Greenergy LLC. Green Team Solutions has been providing lawn-care services to various residential and commercial clients in Wellington since 1996. For more information, visit www.greenteamsolutions.net. Easy to Be Green offers Get Clean products using bio-
how exercise affects the central nervous system and how in order to see results, people must keep the body guessing. They will also learn why weight-bearing exercise is so important to overall fitness and well-being.
The price is $20 per class or $50 for the series. A 50percent-off coupon is available in this newspaper for participants who register before April 30.
All the workshops will be held at Ultima Fitness/ Xtreme Tae Kwon Do, located at 12799 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in the Wellington Plaza. For more information, call (561) 795-2823 or visit www. ultimafitness.com. The staff
to those who helped behind the curtain: backstage assistants Dot Emig, Joan Kahler, Barbara Powers and Bob and Helen Prior; costume mistresses Mary Alfalla and Mildred Pitchon; lighting wizards Mathew Lukasiewicz and Michael Landsdorf; sound director Dom Salviola; and last but not least, musical director Rita Kellar.
If you want to see what has taken the place of the rocking chair on the front porch, you must take in the energy of the Wellington Seniors Club’s Onstage Theatrical Company. The Wellington Community Center is locat-
degradable cleaning agents. For more information, visit www.shaklee.net/easytobegreen. Greenergy is dedicated to providing energy efficient consulting services for residential and commercial clients. For more information, visit www.getgreenergized. com. This is an event not to miss if you live, work and play in Wellington. At the end of the evening, the audience will be asked a question, and whoever gives the correct answer will receive four tickets to
ed at 12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd. For more information on this active group, call Sunny Meyer at (561) 7933743.
Flavors 2009, a $100 value. Admission is free for chamber members and $10 for non-members. Pizza Fusion is located at 10160 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite G130. RSVP by Tuesday, April 14 to (561) 792-6525.
The Village of Royal Palm Beach will participate in the Great American Cleanup on Saturday, April 18. Registra-
tion will take place from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center (100 Sweet Bay Lane), where participants will be equipped with bags and gloves for the cleanup. Scout groups, home schoolers, 4-H groups, service organizations, residents and friends — anyone who is interested in keeping Royal Palm Beach beautiful — is invited to participate. Refreshments and lunch for participants will follow the cleanup. For more information, call Michael Cheatham at (561) 790-5199.
The “Splash & Dash for Cash” took place last Sunday at the Wellington Aquatic Complex. Events included a 50yard swim/one-mile run for ages seven and eight, a 100yard swim/one-mile run for ages nine-12, a 200-yard swim/one-mile run for ages 13-19, and a 200-yard swim/two-mile run for adults. To see a list of results, visit www.splitmastertiming.com.
A press conference was held Tuesday outside the Palm Beach County Governmental Center in downtown West Palm Beach to kick off Safe Teen Driving Week, which is celebrated April 20-25. Attending the press conference were former state representative and safe-driving advocate Irv Slosberg, Dori Slosberg Foundation Executive Director Tara Kirschner, county commissioners Burt Aaronson and Shelley Vana, and others. (Above
Kirschner addresses the audience. (Above right) Vana speaks while Irv Slosberg looks on.
Saturday, April 11
• The Rooney’s Foundation Charity 5K Walk/Run will take place at Rooney’s Pub on Saturday, April 11 in Jupiter’s Abacoa. The 5K walk/run will start at 7:45 a.m. followed by kids’ runs at 8:45 a.m. The cost is $20 for adults and $15 for students. Runners will be offered a traditional Irish breakfast after the run. Call (561) 683-2222 for info.
• An Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Egg Roll will be held at the Flagler Museum (One Whitehall Way, Palm Beach) on Saturday, April 11 at 9
a.m. Hosted by the Whitehall Society, children of all ages are invited to hunt for more than 2,000 eggs and participate in the Gilded Age tradition of egg rolling. Call (561) 655-2833 or visit www.flaglermuseum.us for more info.
• The Village of Wellington will host its Annual Egg Hunt for children ages one to ten on Saturday, April 11 at Village Park (11700 Pierson Road). The event will begin promptly at 10 a.m. and will be divided according to the following age groups: ages two and under, three to four, five to seven and eight to ten. For more info., call (561) 791-4005.
• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will hold “Drop-in Story Times” on Saturdays in April at 10:15 and 11:15 a.m. for ages two and up. Gather around for stories about bears, birds and buzzing bees. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.
• Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) will hold its annual picnic on Saturday, April 11 from 11 a.m. to sundown at the Micanopy Pavilion at Okeeheelee Park. The cost of admission for adults is a $15 donation; the cost is $5 for children under 12. For more info., call Henworth Ferguson at (561) 784-8804.
• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Meditation for Everyday Living” on Saturday, April 11 at 2 p.m. for adults. John Bednarik, a 30-year meditation practitioner, invites you to practice a short meditation. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register.
• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Saturday Science Series: Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!” on Saturday, April 11 at 2:30 p.m. for ages five through eight. There are more than 800,000 insect species. Participants will get up-close and personal with a few of them. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.
Monday, April 13
• Golden Grove Elementary School will start accepting kindergarten and new student registration for 2009-10 on Monday, April 13. Kindergarten roundup will be held on April 30 at 8:30 a.m. For info., call the school at (561) 792-5200.
• The 2009 Royal Palm Beach High School Project Graduation Committee will meet every Monday at 7 p.m. at the school until graduation day. Currently, the group is working on decorations for the party and filling volunteer slots for upcoming events. For more info., call Cheryl at (561) 723-8298 or Karen at (561) 371-8377. Tuesday, April 14
• The Na’amat-Sharon Club of Royal Palm Beach will hold its annual Passover meeting on Tuesday, April 14 at 11:30 a.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). The guest speaker will be Dan Hirschon of the Yad Vashem Names Recovery Project. The project seeks the names of those who perished in the Holocaust but are not yet recorded at the Yad Vashem Hall of Names. A light Passover lunch will be served. For more info., call Cecile Millman at (561) 795-5811.
• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Patrick Bell: Storytelling & Celtic Harp for Children” on Tuesday, April 14 at 3:15 p.m. for ages prekindergarten and up. Patrick Ball, one of the top Celtic harp players in the world, offers children an introduction to the instrument. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.
• The last regular Wellington Art Society meeting of the 2008-09 season will feature a demo by pottery artist Barb Powell on the basics of creating clay pot-
tery using a potter’s wheel. The meeting will be held Tuesday, April 14 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. Light refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by a business meeting at 7 p.m., with the demo starting about 7:15 p.m. For more info., visit www. wellingtonartsociety.org or call Adrianne Hetherington at (561) 784-7561.
• The Wellington Village Council will meet on Tuesday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center. For more info., call (561) 791-4000.
• The Wellington Seniors Club will host an onstage production titled “Puttin’ on the Glitz” Tuesday and Wednesday, April 14 and 15 at noon at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The performance on April 14 is for the public. The April 15 performance is for Wellington Seniors Club members. RSVP by e-mail to tamainfl @comcast.net or call (561) 784-0119 or (561) 3103745 for more info.
Wednesday, April 15
• As a part of the Maltz Jupiter Theatre’s Emerging Artist Series in Musical Theater Playwriting, a reading of the musical Dani Girl, will be performed Wednesday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. on the theater’s stage. The theater is located at 1001 East Indiantown Road. For more info., call (561) 575-2223 or visit the theater’s web site at www.jupitertheatre.org.
Friday, April 17
• The Palm Beach Community College Foundation Annual Golf Classic will be held Friday, April 17 at the Binks Forest Golf Club in Wellington. Foursome sponsorships start at $2,000 and include golf, lunch, range balls, greens and cart fees, a special gift and the awards reception held after the tournament; individual players pay $375. The tournament’s shotgun start begins at 1 p.m., and the awards reception begins at 6 p.m. For more info., call (561) 868-3569.
• The Acreage/Loxahatchee Relay for Life to benefit the American Cancer Society will be held on Friday, April 17 at 5 p.m. at Acreage Community Park (140th Avenue and Orange Blvd.). There will be a special dinner for cancer survivors and their care givers. The relay will kick off at 6 p.m. For more info., call Kelsey Wright at (561) 6500141 or e-mail kelsey. wright@cancer.org.
• Palm Beach Central High School will host the American Cancer Society’s 2009 Wellington Relay for Life overnight on Friday, April 17. For more info., visit www.relayforlife.org.
Thursday, April 16
• Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will hold “The History of Beer and Tasting” on Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m. Jeff Figley will introduce participants to the foundations of beer. Admission is $5 per person. To pre-register, call (561) 904-4015.
• The Cancer Caregivers Support Group meets the third Thursday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m., center court in the original Wellington Mall. For more info., call (561) 798-4110 or e-mail palmbeachcancer foundationinc@yahoo.com.
• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host a Teen Advisory Group meeting Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m. for ages 12 to 17. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.
Friday, April 17
• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Science Club: Bubbles” on Fridays, April 17 and 24 at 3 p.m. for ages eight and up. Find out what it takes to make the best bubble concoction and blow bubbles. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register.
• Horizon Baptist Church will host a free showing of Fireproof with free popcorn, candy and drinks on Friday, April 17 at 6:45 p.m. The showing will be at Pierce Hammock Elementary School (14255 Hamlin Blvd., The Acreage). Call (561) 792-1122 for tickets and/or more info., or e-mail office@horizonbc.com or visit www.horizonbc.com.
Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@gotowncrier.com.
Executive Women of the Palm Beaches recently announced the nominees for the annual Women In Leadership Awards (WILA).
All the nominees will be invited to attend the annual luncheon, which takes place, Tuesday, May 5 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The keynote speaker is Jeannette Walls, the awardwinning author of The Glass Castle
The nominees from Wellington are Krista Springer Basore (private sector), Yolette Bonnet (public sector) and Dr. Maria Vallejo (public sector). Other nominees for the coveted awards in-
clude Margarita Pardo Abrishami, Dr. Alina Alonso, Dorothy Bradshaw, Barbara Cheives, Cheryl Crowley, Gwendolyn Davis, Elayne Forgie, Kelli Freeman, the Rev. Mimi Howard, Gale Howden, Ann E. Killets, Christine King, Sharon Koskoff, Kathi Kretzer, Nancy Marshall, Mia Matthews, Sheri McCandless, Dr. Kristen O. Murtaugh, Betsey Owen, Christine Pitts, Dianne Reeves, Victoria Rixon, Meenu T. Sasser, Deirdre Shapiro, Donna Sloan, Sandra Close Turnquest, Carol A. Wehle and Suzette Wexner. Each year, three outstanding women are presented at
at the Bak Middle School of the Arts, auditioned for and won a solo portion during the children’s chorus part of Act 2 of the famed opera. Pictured above is Cara with lead Italian tenor Alessandro Liberatore, making his U.S. debut as Rodolfo.
the event and honored for their contribution to the community in the private, volunteer and public sectors. WILA luncheon proceeds benefit the scholarship and grant programs of Executive Women through its charitable foundation Executive Women Outreach. Executive Women’s mission is the professional and personal advancement of women through networking, sharing resources, and encouraging leadership. For more information regarding WILA, benefiting the scholarship programs of Executive Women Outreach, call (561) 833-424 or visit www.ewpb.org.
Air Force Airman Jacob R. Steinhart recently graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
Steinhart completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate’s degree in applied science through the Community College of the Air Force.
Steinhart is the son of Jan Agardy of Wellington and Justin Steinhart of Cheyenne, Wyo. He is a 2006 graduate of North Broward Preparatory School in Coconut Creek.
Robert Maxwell Hartmann, 21, wed Samantha Kyle Roknich, 20, on Saturday, Feb. 21 at St. Rita Catholic Church in Wellington. Father Donald Munro officiated. A reception followed at the Links at Madison Green in Royal Palm Beach.
Hartmann, a 2006 graduate of Palm Beach Central High School and a Palm Beach Community College student, is a roofing foreman with Hartmann Roofing. He is the son of Rob and Janet Hartmann of Wellington and grandson of Janet Kratz and Marion Hartmann, both of Lake Worth.
Roknich is a 2007 gradu-
Cynthia Ann Nedoroscik was inducted into the Delta Omicron Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Palm Beach Community College on April 3. Nedoroscik, a business major, is the daughter of Stephen Nedoroscik Sr. and Pamela Dorsey of Loxahatchee.
ate of Plainfield Central High School in Illinois and the New School for Massage, Bodywork & Healing in Chicago. She is a massage therapist with Cobblestone Chiropractic & Wellness in Royal Palm Beach. Roknich is the daughter of Paul Roknich of Loxahatchee, Debbie Bruggeman of Wellington, and Kristin and Brian King of Chicago. She is the granddaughter of Mike and Pat Foster of Chicago, and Paul and Sylvia Roknich of Chicago.
The happy couple honeymooned in Atlantis, the Bahamas, and now resides in Royal Palm Beach.
Established in 1918 by two-year college presidents, Phi Theta Kappa is the oldest and most prestigious honor society serving two-year colleges around the world. The society serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming.
Students must rank in the top 20 percent of the class to be invited to membership in Phi Theta Kappa and must maintain high academic standing during their enrollment in the two-year college.
Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 1.7 million members and 1,100 chapters located in 50 United States, United States territories, Canada and Germany. In 1929, the American Association of Community Colleges recognized Phi Theta Kappa as the official honor society for two-year colleges. The society holds membership in the prestigious As-
sociation of College Honor Societies as the general scholarship honor society representing two-year colleges.
Army
Pvt. Steven D. Sokul has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. During the nine weeks of training, Sokul studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills. Sokul graduated in 2000 from Piper High School in Sunrise. He is the son of Robert Sokul of Wellington.
The Little Place Neighborhood Kids Preschool at 1040 Wellington Trace set up an art gallery on two Fridays in March featuring art work by future artists currently in their two-year-old, three-year-old and pre-kindergarten programs. These budding artists utilized the latest in finger paints and watercolors to bring to life the colors of spring!
Parents paid $1 admission and a minimum donation of $5 per piece, with proceeds going to help local kids with cancer. The Little Place was able to raise over $700 for the Kids Cancer Foundation
of South Florida. The Kids Cancer Foundation is a charitable organization that strives to meet all the unique physical, educational, emotional, financial and spiritual needs of children with cancer and their families by working collaboratively with other community organizations to coordinate and provide supportive care services. For more information, visit www.kidscancersf.org
Since 1978, the Little Place Neighborhood Preschool has offered a high-quality early childhood learning program. For more information, call (561) 793-5860.
Evan Slayden performed his Eagle Scout project on April 4 and 5. He wanted to do something to help his local area.
To do so, Slayden organized the two-day event in which he and six other Boy Scouts from Troop 111 canoed the M-1 Canal and associated connecting canals, cleaning up trash and debris from the waterway.
The scouts pulled loads of trash from the water, including bikes, chairs, tables, car batteries, cast nets, shopping carts and other debris. One of the cast nets had a dead bird next to it, suggesting that the
net had entangled the bird and killed it. In addition, Slayden made up “no dumping” signs and attached used fishing line collectors to the poles. These fishing line collectors will be used to recycle old fishing line so it won’t be wastefully discarded where it could hurt birds, fish and turtles. The scouts installed the signs/fishing line recycling canisters at Challenger Park, La Mancha Park, the M-1 Canal by 40th Street, the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center, the Royal Palm Beach boat ramp and the docks near Dunkin’ Donuts.
Five-year-old India Howley of Wellington recently donated ten inches of her beautiful hair to Locks of Love. The organization provides hairpieces to children suffering from longterm medical hair loss. India, a preschooler at the Ideal School in Royal Palm Beach, enjoyed the whole process of giving her hair as a gift. She faced the dramatic change with great confidence and willingness. Her haircut was in the safe hands of Frederic Fekkai’s renowned Creative Director Bernard Arapoglou. For more info., visit www.locksoflove.org. Pictured here, Arapoglou gives India’s hair a good trimming.
Coast Guard Seaman Recruit Cody Acebal, son of Charlotte Acebal of Florence, S.C. and Michael Acebal of Royal Palm Beach, recently graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Training Center in Cape May, N.J.
During the eight-week training program, Acebal completed a vigorous training curriculum consisting of
and
on
and courtesies, seamanship skills, first aid,
and marksmanship.
A total of 806 students at Crestwood Middle School participated in the Florida Sunshine State Readers’ Program for 2008-09. These students chose to read three or more novels on the state’s recommended list of newly published books for young adults. In 2008, 706 students had achieved this feat. Each year the program shows remarkable growth. In 1997, 63 students were Sunshine
readers. The Crestwood staff also accepted the challenge of becoming Sunshine readers. Twenty-nine adults became Sunshine readers and earned t-shirts for their efforts.
To honor their achievement, the Sunshine readers attended the annual banquets, one for each grade level. After being treated to pizza, cookies and lemonade, the students voted for their favorite books.
The highlight of the eighth grade assembly was recognizing eight outstanding readers.
These eighth graders read all 15 books for three consecutive years: Patricia Eligado, Allison Fandrey, Josh Harkins, Braden Hartigan, Branden Johnson, Tyler Moak, Jeffrey Rizzo and Brandon Singh.
The 2009-10 Sunshine State book list will arrive in early May.
Cypress Trails Elementary School will participate in an Arbor Day Celebration and Global Youth Services Day on Wednesday, April 22.
They received a $1,000 grant from United Health Care to build walking trails on campus for the students to use for “walking breaks” during recess time.
Three separate walking trails are being built by students from a variety of class-
es, and the trails will officially open at the assembly on April 22.
The Arbor Day/Earth Day celebration will include a presentation of student improvements to the courtyard area and tree planting and entertainment by several student groups. The special guest will be Royal Palm Beach Councilman Fred Pinto.
Global Youth Service Day is the largest annual service event in the world. GYSD
highlights and celebrates the difference youth make in their communities year-round through community service and service-learning. On April 24-26, millions of young people will participate in and lead service projects in all 50 states and in more than 100 countries around the world.
To learn more about GYSD, download planning resources or register a project, visit www.gysd.org.
Seminole Ridge High School senior Mark James is the recipient of a United States Navy ROTC scholarship with a Marine option. The U.S. Marine Corps will provide up to $150,000 for his college education. The scholarship includes full tuition and fee coverage, a books stipend and other financial benefits at America’s leading colleges and universities featuring a Navy ROTC program. Upon graduation, James will be commissioned as a naval or Marine Corps officer. Scholarship recipients must serve at least four years of active duty service upon being commissioned. Although there are several scholarships rewarded nationally, James is the only recipient from Palm Beach County to receive the Navy ROTC scholarship with the Marine option. Sergeant Jesse Bergeron of the West
Palm Beach Marine Corps recruiting office assisted James throughout the process. James is the battalion commander for the Seminole Ridge Army JROTC program. “As a leader and scholar he has set the bar rather high for future commanders,” senior instructor Mr. Samuel Smith said.
• Percussion Takes Silver, Winter Guard Gold — In competition at the South Florida Winter Guard Association regional championships show March 28, the SRHS band’s indoor percussion ensemble took second place in their best performance of the year, and the varsity winter guard completed its season with a gold win, their first time winning the regionals. The school would like to congratulate members of the indoor percussion ensemble: Emigdio Abac-Ordonez, Kristi Butler, Paige Carmean, Vicky DiRaimondo, Brian
Febles, Nick Hofmann, Jordan Hoke, Erin Holtz, Mark James, Chris Lauterbach, Michael Lerer, Matt Murray, Michael Paige, Eric Reeder, Jonathan Reiss, Jared Schorr, Trevor Smith, Chris Swindler and Megan Wright. Varsity winter guard members include Cierra Allen, Courtney Baker, Ally Bobinchuck, Jackie Bryant, Dominique Cinilia, Kellie Cochrane, Chelsea Eppenbaugh, Breanna Garcia, Samantha Jordan, Christina Karimi, Tiffany Massey, Tori Thomas, Tiffany Welsh and Cassidy Yerkes.
• Tennis Singles, Doubles Success — Competing against Suncoast on April 7, Justin Bullard won a 10-8 tiebreaker in singles play. Also, Hawk Alix Garic, winning her singles match, advanced to 10-3 for the season. In doubles play, Garic and her partner Allison Hewitt won again and are now 9-3.
• Annual Career Fair Day
April 24 — SRHS serves more than 2,400 students excelling in academics, athletics, community service, and the performing and visual arts. The SRHS Biotechnology Academy (the first of its kind in Florida) and the nationally certified Construction Academy are open to any student in the county. The Automotive and Information Technology academies are inhouse programs for students who live in the school’s attendance area. The Accipiter academic program prepares students for upper-level ad-
vanced placement courses.
And beginning this year, the school has added an Army JROTC program. These academy and special programs all feature a rigorous curriculum to prepare SRHS students for college, apprenticeships or entry into the workforce.
“The Ridge” wants you to be part of its second annual Career Fair Day on Friday, April 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Your organization or business can hold mock interviews with students interested in your particular career field. Hawk students are eager to participate in a potential op-
portunity to gain a job shadowing/internship experience or future employment. For more information about Career Fair Day, call academy coordinator John Walker at (561) 422–2600. • Are You Ready for Some Football? — SRHS head football coach Matt Dickmann has scheduled an important meeting on Wednesday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the Seminole Ridge auditorium for all current eighth graders interested in playing freshman football for SRHS next fall. For more information, contact Dickmann at (561) 422-2694.
Crestwood Middle School in Royal Palm Beach will host its spring “Crestival” on Friday, April 24 from 2:30 to 6 p.m. This annual school carnival consists of a variety of
games and activities for all ages. Some of the highlights include the dunk tank, bounce house, hole in one, coin toss, food court, football and basketball tosses, face painting and much more.
Food, music, and crafts will also be part of this fun event. Students, parents and siblings accompanied by parents are invited to attend, and tickets are on sale now. For more info., call (561) 753-5000.
The Northern Palm Beach Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) recently named Cathy Erdek 2009 Chapter Woman of the Year. Erdek has been employed by Tire Kingdom in Juno Beach since 1987. Her title is retail product manager. Erdek resides in Royal Palm Beach with her husband, her elderly father Martin, dog Louis and four cats: Inky, Emmy, Blue and Chula Mow.
ABWA meeting as a guest,” Erdek said. “Three years later, I joined the association as a member. I am in my fifth year as a member of the ABWA Northern Palm Beach Chapter 1545. At ABWA, I held the hospitality chair for three years. This past year, I was nominated and voted in as the secretary of the chapter. I have met many women of diversity. I have grown in my professional development, networking, speaking and writing skills and, most of all, with ABWA, I have many ABWA sisters who are Cathy Erdek
“In 2001, my friend Michelle brought me to an
true friends you can rely on.”
The mission of the American Business Women’s Association is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professional through leadership, education, networking, support, and national recognition.
For more information on the American Business Women’s Association, contact Chapter President Marianne Kohlmer at (561) 7414912.
Business Network International (BNI), the world’s largest business referral organization, will hold a Visitors’ Day for its Wellington chapter BNI Power Partners on Friday, May 1 at Bonefish Grill (9897 Lake Worth Road). BNI is a professional business organization specializing in helping its members generate qualified business referrals between one another.
“BNI has a proven system for businesses to create significant growth by using word-of-mouth marketing to generate a steady influx of qualified referrals,” said Sandy Donovan, executive
director for the Palm Beach Southeast Florida Region. BNI has more than 5,000 chapters represented in 39 countries with more than 100,000 members. Last year the organization passed over $2.3 billion in business among its members.
“This is the type of referral generation that businesses are depending on in this uncertain economy,” Donovan said. “There is a real need for a structured, proven system that creates a steady flow of referrals based on trust and credibility. When people are shopping price more than ever, the referral from someone who has built a solid re-
lationship with you will not only open the door to a potential client, but keep it open because the trust is already there. As long as your product/service is strong and prices are competitive, you’ll be way ahead of your own competitors.”
The Wall Street Journal and CNN have called BNI the most successful business referral organization in the world. Founded in 1985 by Dr. Ivan R. Misner, known as the “father of modern-day networking,” BNI provides a structured environment for the development and exchange of quality business referrals. It does so by pro-
moting a team atmosphere, allowing business professionals to build trust and confidence in one another. This results in members enthusiastically promoting one another and singing the praises of one another’s businesses to their best clients, colleagues and friends. BNI allows only one person per profession to join a chapter. Business professionals who are looking to actively increase their business through a structured word-of-mouth marketing program are invited to attend. RSVP for the May 1 event by calling Ilene Racher at (561) 422-6168 or Milly Taylor at (561) 255-8984.
The 2009 hurricane season starts June 1, but homeowners should consider purchasing flood insurance now. It takes 30 days from the day a flood policy is written before it becomes effective. According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), just one inch of floodwater in your home could cost $7,800 out of your own pocket to clean up after the waters subside.
With consumers closely guarding their wallets now more than ever, going without flood insurance could be financially devastating.
Because most homeowners’, condo and renters’ insurance policies do not cover flood damage, it’s important
that consumers consider their need for flood coverage. Floods are the most common and most costly natural disaster. In fact, 90 percent of all natural disasters in the United States involve flooding, causing more than $2 billion of property damage each year. According to the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), a person’s home has a 26 percent change of being damaged by a flood during the course of a 30-year mortgage, compared to a nine-percent chance of being damaged by fire.
Allstate’s Florida Region Vice President Mike Sheely said people need to ask themselves if they could afford to
go without flood insurance, especially when floods are so common. “Purchased separately from your homeowners’, renters’ or condo policies, a flood policy is part of the insurance protection for your property,” Sheely said. Flood insurance is mandatory for anyone in an area designated as a Special Flood Hazard Area. However, property owners outside these zones should still consider flood insurance. According to FEMA, roughly 25 percent of all claims paid by the NFIP are for policies in low- to moderate-risk communities. Floods and flash floods happen in all 50 states. Just because customers haven’t experienced a flood in the past
doesn’t mean they won’t in the future.
Many conditions can result in a flood: hurricanes, broken levees, outdated or clogged drainage systems and rapid accumulation of rainfall. New land development can also increase flood risk, especially if the construction changes natural runoff paths. Floods often happen when bodies of water overflow or tides rise due to heavy rainfall. Flash floods may occur without warning when a large volume of water falls in a short time. The NFIP provides flood insurance throughout the country, and claims are paid by the NFIP. For additional information, visit www.fema.gov.
Transitional Smiles — Located at 1015 State Road 7, Suite B in Royal Palm Beach, the dental team at Transitional Smiles has more than 50 years combined experience, offering a wide variety of services aimed at helping patients achieve optimal dental health. Dental services include cosmetic veneers, tooth whitening, periodontal plastic surgery, implants, Invisalign, conscious sedation dentistry, pediatric dentistry, root canals, oral surgery and other restorative dental services. Doctors Cecilia Crosby and Gina D. Dean-Bey are trained to provide excellent service in their state-of-the-art treatment areas. For more information, call (561) 753-6633 or visit www.transitionalsmiles.com. Pictured above is the Transitional Smiles team with Palms West Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.
DiSalvo Financial Services — The Palms West Chamber of Commerce ambassadors recently held a ribbon cutting for DiSalvo Financial Services. This full-service accounting and tax preparation firm is committed to providing excellent customer service. The company provides services such as individual and business tax preparation, IRS representation, tax planning, bookkeeping and payroll services, business plan preparation, business consulting, non-resident tax returns and preparation of loan request packages. DiSalvo Financial Services is located at 1760 N. Jog Road, Suite 150, West Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 659-1177. Pictured above is the DiSalvo team with chamber ambassadors.
In most professional sporting leagues, allstar games are played to separate one half of the season from the other. Like Major League Baseball and the NBA, the games are prolonged with events during the week, leading to the actual game. This gives players who didn’t make the game to have substantial time off.
Many Wellington High School teams came across one of these weeklong breaks, with spring break occurring for all Palm Beach County schools last week. This Monday and Tuesday, the boys tennis and girls lacrosse teams kicked off the week’s athletic festivities.
In their first district playoff game, the girls lacrosse team cruised to victory over rival Palm Beach Central 19-5. Freshman forward Olivia DiCarlantonio outscored the entire Bronco team, scoring a team-high eight goals. “My offense was a result of our team’s transitioning,” she said.
Juniors Danielle Boudreau and Gloria Kelly both had leading performances and finished the evening with four goals apiece. It was the first game of the year Kelly played offense with DiCarlantonio, a move made by Coach
By Josh Hyber
Carlene Werkle last week.
“We play travel together, so we really got to show how well we know each other’s games,” DiCarlantonio said.
The Wolverine defense also had a solid game, establishing a quality that every team needs if it wants to make a playoff run. The goaltending of Caryn Werkle, and the play of junior Christine Waterhouse and sophomore Quinn Ruderman, as well as freshman Christina Barnes, will play dividends down the stretch.
The girls’ next game was on Wednesday night at Park Vista High School, potentially followed by another regional playoff game. Scores weren’t available at press time.
Members of the Wildcat Dance Team from Royal Palm Beach High School recently won first-place awards during a trip to Michigan. Accompanied by Dance Director Michele Blecher and Kelly Lewis, the girls particpated in an advanced dance workshop, which included ballet, tap, progressive jazz, hip-hop and lyrical. The following day the girls competed at the University of Michigan, dancing to five routines choreographed by Blecher. Each routine won gold, and Alexa Blecher was given the honor of Most Professional Dancer at the workshop/competition. Shown above are Joanna Luc, Melissa Irizarry, Lisa Bec, Alexa Blecher, Jolynn Bohannon and Dina Irizarry.
BOYS TENNIS
On Tuesday, Wellington’s most underrated team came back from spring break, continuing the fire power they’ve shown all season. The boys tennis team, which as of April 8 had a record of 14-0, has been a tough match, no pun intended, for its competitors.
It was much of the same on Monday as each of the Wolverine’s top six players easily won matches over Centennial High School in Port St. Lucie. Steven Bender and Sean Dargan, the team’s lone seniors, won their singles matches 8-2 and 8-3 respectively.
“Steven is the most aggressive player I’ve ever been around,” Wellington boys tennis coach Bruce Israel said. “He moves all around the court and intimidates his opponents.”
As for the “middle of the pack” players, they’ve played equal to the level of many other school’s first- and second-ranked individuals this season. A trio of sophomores greatly complemented Bender and Dargan on Monday, winning three more matches for the Wolverines. Number-three ranked player Travis Michaud beat his opponent 8-1, and Ben Aqua and Ben Montoya did the same.
As for double pairs, Bender and Michaud
teamed up for an 8-1 victory. The team of Dargan and Montoya won 8-0.
After completing their regular season on Thursday afternoon at Santaluces High School, the boys will compete Monday and Tuesday, April 13 and 14 in the district finals at the Whispering Pines Tennis Center in Port St. Lucie. All of the competing teams at the finals have been no struggle for the Wolverines this year. “I think we have an excellent chance and won’t have any problems,” Israel said. “The dedication that this team has shown has amazed me.”
They may not be the trendy team to watch at Wellington High School, but they certainly are putting up results that no other Wolverine team has this year. However, it does not bother the players.
“It’s not a name sport or a sport that everyone plays,” Israel said. “But we’ve been successful in the past.”
The WHS boys tennis team has been most successful this year and will likely ease past the regional final matches to the state final competition, which takes place April 29-31 in Orlando.
The 11-U TPX Titans travel baseball team earned an invitation to the prestigious Triple Crown National Tournament to be held this fall in St. Augustine by finishing as runners up in the Triple Crown Spring Chase for the Championship Tournament held March 2729 in Broward County. After losing the first game of the tournament, the Titans rebounded and reeled off three straight wins to earn a spot in the championship game against the Broward Piranhas. After three long games and almost 13 hours of baseball last Sunday, the Titans fell to the Piranhas 9-8. Pictured right are: (front row, L-R) Neil Brown, Ryan Stark, Tanner Brown, Chandler Miles and Dominic Paolo; (back row) Dante Cook, Zach Odell, Armando Rodriguez, Kyle Lamb, Eddie D’Eusanio and Logan Goldenberg.
Thirty-three members of the Wellington Swim Team competed in the Florida Gold Coast Junior Olympic Championships at the Coral Springs Aquatic Center March 26-29. The swimmers arrived with lofty goals and managed to exceed all expectations. Perhaps the presence of Olympian Dara Torres helped inspire South Florida’s best young swimmers.
Competing against 1,200 swimmers from 40 teams throughout South Florida, the Wellington swimmers achieved 82 best times, 33 topten finishes and one historic team performance. They brought home six individual gold medals, three silver medals, two bronze medals, one individual High Points award, and one Age Group Division Team Champion trophy.
Head Coach Rich Whalen and Age Group Coach Paul Vowles were ecstatic with this team’s performance against the best in South Florida. Tanner Fuller and Jared Ingram anchored a very strong 10-U boys team that dominated the competition and took first place in their age group. “I knew the ten-and-under boys were capable of winning this top spot,” Whalen said. “This marks the first time ever that the Wellington boys have won any division at JOs.”
Fuller continued his gold medal streak winning six golds, one silver and setting five team records. He
also tied the Gold Coast Open record of 26.36 seconds in the 50yard freestyle. It came as no surprise that Fuller brought home his third consecutive Florida Gold Coast Championship High Point trophy in the 10-U age group.
Ingram proved to be the team’s secret weapon throughout the meet, qualifying for seven finals with all best times. He took bronze in the 50 freestyle and a silver medal in the 100 freestyle, helping close the door in the team competition. Vowles was all smiles. “For Tanner and Jared to take first and second place in the 100 free against 85 other entries is an amazing accomplishment for the swimmers and for our team,” he said.
Boys 10-U teammates Matthew Watson, along with first time qualifiers Mickey Kennedy and Carson Walker, rounded out the A-Team relay swimmers, who took silver and bronze in the 200 freestyle and medley relays. A pair of eight-yearolds, Sean Ramos and Roberto Guerrero, achieved best times in their first major competition. Jorge Plaza helped round out this division in his first Junior Olympics by anchoring a strong B relay.
The girls 10-U team was equally impressive. Gianna Ramos posted seven personal-best times and qualified for five finals and fifth place in the 100 breaststroke. Lacy Phillips continued to impress with four
tremendous upside, and expect him to compete for a starting spot on our backline.” Bukowski also was a kicker for the RPBHS varsity football team, leading the state with nine recovered onside kicks. He also played club soccer for Palm Beach United, which was ranked as high as fifth in the state in 2008, while winning the 2008 Seminole Memorial Invitational and the 2006 Lakeland Spring Challenge, and finishing the 2008 season undefeated in the South Florida Premier League.
top-ten finishes including sixth place in the 100 backstroke. Grace Cozad qualified for the 50 freestyle final earning a ninth-place finish. First-time Junior Olympian Dominique Olivio had two personal-best swims and filled out a strong relay team, along with fellow JO newcomer Summer Ryder, that swam to a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay and sixth in the 200 freestyle relay.
Wellington’s girls 11-12 team had another strong showing in this year’s Junior Olympics. Veteran swimmers Emily Deem and Fabiana Ingram continued their streaks of top-ten finishes. Deem made five finals with an impressive fourth place in the 200 IM, while Ingram made three finals with fourth- and fifth-place finishes in the backstroke events. Shannon Kennedy improved her times in five events with a top-ten finish in the 200 breaststroke. Teammates Monica Cozad, Courtney Knoblaugh, Fabiola Plaza and Camilla Gonzalez all achieved personal-best times and enabled Wellington to field two strong relay teams. The Girls ATeam scored three top-ten finishes including a fourth in the 200 medley relay with help from newcomers Angela Arena and Ashley Knoblaugh.
The boys 11-12 team had several newcomers at JOs this year. Cody Cline and Cash Hollister were up
to the challenge, posting personal bests in multiple events, and Kyle Schaefer rounded out the relay team. Veteran swimmer Timothy Maris continued his strong spring with six personal bests. Jesse Costan lead the girls 13-14 team with four personal-best times, while Natalie Tyson and Irene Plaza each achieved personal bests as well. Sarah O’Boyle rounded the relay squad that competed in a very competitive division. Longtime team members Kamil Baska and Patrick Costan each had outstanding swims at this year’s champion-
ship. Baska, competing in the boys 13-14 age group, earned a top ten finish in the 50 butterfly finals and achieved three personal bests. Costan built upon his strong high school season with six personal bests. Next up for six Wellington swimmers is the annual all-star meet that matches the best swimmers from South Florida against North Florida’s elite. Emily Deem and Tanner Fuller make their third trip to Fort Pierce along with Wellington’s newest all stars, Fabiana and Jared Ingram, Lacy Phillips and Gianna Ramos.
The sixth annual Temple Beth Torah Brotherhood Golf Benefit will be held at Binks Forest Golf Club (400 Binks Forest Drive, Wellington) on Sunday, April 19.
Brunch and registration will be at 11 a.m. with driving range practice from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and a shotgun start at 1 p.m.
The cost of $125 per player includes 18 holes of golf, on-course beverages provided by Coca-Cola and Budweiser, breakfast provided by Whole Foods Market of Wellington, an awards reception, buffet dinner and a goody bag. Other sponsors include Hampton Inn Suites, Strathmore Bagels, Citibank, Braman Motorcars Palm Beach, Rosner’s, Ed Morse Cadillac and Massage Envy. The TBT Brotherhood wishes to thank its primary benefactor, the Kenneth & Laura Baxter Foundation.
The 2009 honoree will be Wellington Vice Mayor Dr. Carmine Priore. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. All proceeds raised by player participation, sponsorships and raffles will help fund programs for Temple Beth Torah and local charities.
In recent years, the temple has donated to Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the Jewish War Veterans of Boynton Beach.
Temple Beth Torah is located at
900 Big Blue Trace in Wellington.
For more information about the April 19 golf benefit, call Vincent Gerardi at (561) 309-7169, Barry Hirsch at (561) 723-7027, Greg
Lowenstein at (561) 793-5706 or Doug Barr at (561) 312-9809, or visit the event’s page on the temple’s web site at www.templebeth torah.net/golf.
Many a young girl dreams of one day owning her own horse. (And yes, lots of young boys and adults share this dream.) The vision may include winning ribbons at shows, or galloping across open fields or along empty beaches, racing the wind, horse and rider seemingly one in mind and body.
I think we’ve all been there at one time or another, those of us who’ve been bitten hard by the horse bug, but reality rarely matches fantasy, and sometimes the disparity can result in bodily and/or psychological harm to horse, owner or both. How can you choose the right first horse? And what should you avoid?
Even before you look at or try horses, sit down with a pad and pencil and make a realistic profile of your horse knowledge and riding ability. Realistic is the most important concept to keep in mind. This is you talking to you; you’re not trying to impress anyone with how much you know or how great a rider you are. That path invariably leads to disaster, because getting in over your head can get very dangerous, very quickly. If you’ve spent a year or less taking weekly lessons at a neighborhood barn or have minimal riding experience, you’re a novice. You don’t really know how much you don’t know. If you’ve ridden for a few years in a variety of situations (in groups, alone, both in a ring and out on trails) then you’re an intermediate rider. You have enough experience to think you know more than you do. If you’ve been riding forever and have owned horses, you probably know what you’re doing, but should always be willing to ask for help from
continued from page 1 idents last month, acknowledged the irony of advocating the least popular option on the survey.
“At least to us, when we looked at it, it seemed to be the most logical and least intrusive [solution],” Hodgkins told the Town-Crier Thursday, noting the lack of equestrian trails through the neighborhood and the practicality of riding from one’s property to the riding areas that are available in the area.
The effect on property values figures heavily on both sides of the stable argument. Besides bolstering equestrian values in the village, advocates of stable rights say that allowing more horses in Paddock Park I would boost property values in the neighborhood. Opponents of the stables, on the other hand, argue that they would lower property values particularly for those who cannot build stables, because they will still have to put up with nuisanc-
Letters continued from page 4 fix this problem. Also, Senate President Jeff Atwater has indicated he will support funding, approvals and university partnerships for a new Palm Beach Community College campus here.
Right here at home we have plenty of examples where we have lost businesses, and one of the reasons was that we could not supply the trained workers they needed. You may remember names like Pratt & Whitney, IBM, Motorola, RCA and others. The reason it is so important to keep and attract companies like these is that they broaden our tax base. Without them, we at the state level, the county level and the local level will not be able to continue to provide the services that you now enjoy. The days of depending solely on real estate growth to fuel our economy are gone. Here in Wellington, where we are near build-out, there is very little left to be gained from development.
You really wouldn’t have had to look very far to find out what some of the benefits are. Earlier this week, Fox Report with Shepard Smith did a story on college towns and how they are weathering the economic crisis. Their research determined that college towns have lower unemployment rates, more stable real estate markets, and better business in general than those towns without colleges. A couple of weeks ago, I saw a story comparing communities with different education levels. Those with higher-educated residents had higher real estate values, higher employment rates and higher earnings per family. Over the past year, I have also read many studies that show higher education reduces poverty and crime... I also know that higher education that is affordable and accessible to all of our residents won’t fix these problems overnight, but every day that we wait is just one day longer to realize the benefits.
By Ellen Rosenberg
someone more experienced and knowledgeable. OK, so now you’re ready to go out and look for your horse. The most important factors to consider are the horse’s temperament and experience. The worst mistake people make is matching a green horse with an inexperienced rider and assuming they’ll grow and learn together. Buying a horse isn’t like buying a dog: it’s OK to get a puppy for a child and let them grow up together, but you can’t apply this thinking to horses.
The less experience a rider has, the more experience you want the horse to have. Ideally, a green rider needs a seasoned horse, one that’s been everywhere and done everything. A calm, quiet, mature and knowledgeable horse can teach a rider many things and give confidence. An older horse will have patience with its rider’s mistakes and will forgive and correct when the rider goofs up.
But younger, less trained horses are themselves still learning. Mistakes can scare them, and a scared horse often reacts by bolting, bucking, shying or rearing. This can result in a scared rider and an even less confident horse.
es such as the odor of manure and sanitation issues.
Twelve-year Greentree Trail resident Michael Downey is one of the survey respondents who cited such reasons in his opposition to stables. “I’m not a horse person,” he told the Town-Crier Thursday. “I have nothing against horses or horse people, but I didn’t choose to live next door to somebody with one.”
But Theodora Wells, a nine-year resident of Horseshoe Trace, supports stable rights for the whole neighborhood even though she doesn’t have any plans to build one. As one of the few Paddock Park I homeowners who lives adjacent to a house with an existing stable, she dismissed the problems cited by stable opponents as the fears of people who don’t understand animal husbandry. “The stable was built after we moved in,” she said of her neighbor. “They have a turnout, a paddock that the horses are in, and they manage their animals well, and so there’s no problem with flies or odor — there are no prob-
Some of your other questions have been answered so many times over the past year that I am not going to devote much time to them, but I will give some short answers. There are currently over 3,000 residents of zip code 33414 registered at PBCC. The average age of a PBCC student is 28 — hardly the age that commits vandalism and crime. The traffic for a school is far less than other businesses because it is dispersed over the entire day rather than being concentrated. The college has no effect on our costs for fire-rescue, and they have their own internal security so there would be very little impact on our police services. Although I can’t tell you the exact economic impact, I haven’t found anyone who thinks there won’t be any impact. If each student and staffer spent only $2,000 per year in our community, the first dollar impact would be over $10 million, and when multiplied, the actual impact would be much greater than that. What a positive impact that would be to the vacant storefronts we have and the business that are currently struggling to stay afloat, not to mention the additional taxes that would be generated by this economic boost.
As you describe this as a “giveaway,” you also ignore the fact that the village would be gaining the use of three multi-use fields at no cost to the village. This alone will be worth over $250,000 per year. PBCC will also be building a cultural theater on the campus, which will allow us to use the ten acres by the mall originally designated for a cultural campus for another use. I believe the value of this is a minimum of $500,000 per year. This hardly seems like it should be described as a “giveaway.”
I haven’t addressed the value of the land because it is irrelevant. This land was purchased for public use, and we need to use it for our residents. It has sat idle too long, and we now have the oppor-
When you’re riding, there’s an inherent trust between horse and rider that neither will ask the other to do something dangerous. At least one of the pair should know enough to guarantee this trust. People often have a particular breed and/ or color in mind when they go horse shopping. In reality, that should be the least important consideration. You’re buying an individual, not a breed. Some Thoroughbreds can be quiet, just as some Quarter Horses can be frisky. Look at each horse and see what it has to offer. Age and size are more important, and, of course, health. A horse is in its prime from 10 to 15 years old, and by that age should already have seen a lot of the world. Don’t buy something that will make you look like a beanstalk on a miniature, or like a midget perched on an oversized parade balloon. And then there’s price. A horse is only worth what someone’s willing to pay. In today’s struggling economy, a lot of very nice horses are looking for a home. You can find real bargains out there, and people may be willing to take a lot less than they’re asking if you can guarantee a good and permanent home. Before you go looking, you should have a budget in mind that allows you to spend only so much for the horse. Keep in mind that with horses, it’s not about the purchase price so much as the upkeep. You should budget $300 to $400 per month if you’re keeping your horse at home, and more if you’re boarding it. If you’re a first-time horse owner, boarding your horse for the first year is a great way to learn a lot about horse-keeping without having to worry about making mistakes.
lems. They’re good neighbors.”
If the council decides Tuesday to allow stable construction in all or part of Paddock Park I, qualifying lots would have to be larger than one acre and meet certain criteria, such as adequate setbacks and the ability to accommodate and screen a horse trailer. The ordinance would limit the number of stables on a qualifying lot to two, covering no more than 1,250 square feet. Groom’s quarters would not be permitted in order to deter commercial activities. No variances from the conditions would be allowed.
While the original request for stable rights came from Paddock Park I, it generated much interest from other neighborhoods that formerly were allowed stables, such as the Pinewood and Pinewood East neighborhoods, which are also in close proximity to a horse trail that runs along Florida Power & Light transmission lines. At one point, based on a recommendation from the village’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board,
tunity to put it to good use for all of our residents without a significant cash outlay by the village... We now have an opportunity to enter into a lease agreement ... with an institution that has been serving the residents of Palm Beach County for over 75 years. They have a track record of growth and a continued commitment to provide educational opportunities to all residents. As far as I know, they have never defaulted on any of their commitments.
In your letter, you threw out a smorgasbord of other possible uses for this property. Many of those are also needed, and I am working to get them done too, but none of them are as valuable to all our residents, nor do they fit this property as well as a college would. For a senior-living facility, there are far-better locations, and as soon as the financial markets improve, I am confident that we will be able to attract one here. The medical school is also a good idea, and PBCC has already offered to share facilities and resources with them...
The simple question here is: do we want a college in Wellington or not? And do the benefits justify the cost? You will have to decide what your position is, but I ask you to please not ignore the benefits when evaluating the proposal.
Mayor Darell Bowen Wellington
Editor’s note: The following letter is George Unger’s response to a letter from Howard Sohn published last week. This is the final letter the Town-Crier will publish on the current Sohn-Unger interchange.
Mr. Sohn, if you wish to write a biography of my “golden years,” you should have asked me for an interview, instead of concocting
a draft version of the ordinance proposed returning stable rights to all these neighborhoods, affecting almost 500 homes.
Hodgkins said that if stables are approved for Paddock Park I, village staff would be keeping an eye on the effect they have. He said village staff would investigate any complaints from residents if the horse population in the subdivision increases, and that village staff is keenly interested in seeing how many property owners will actually choose to exercise stable rights. “One of the things we don’t know is how many we’ll get out there,” he said.
With the effects of more stables outside the EPA better understood, Hodgkins said, the village would be amenable to hearing requests for similar changes in the other neighborhoods such as Pinewood and Pinewood East.
“If there are other neighborhoods that are interested,” he said, “contact us and we’ll do the same sort of investigation and research.”
tales, fables and untruths. Certainly this does injustice to your credibility.
I might add here that your recent letter did not offer a single statistic refuting my assertions, proving that Wellington is indeed not “rampant with crime,” or that previous councils’ neglected code enforcement, in a large measure, caused our deteriorating neighborhoods and ensuing crime. It could well be that the citizenry had enough of the old school, and hence voted out Tom Wenham (by over 20 percent, a landslide) and the new council refused to re-seat Bob Margolis.
For the record, Mr. Sohn, for the last 42 years of my life, I have devoted myself to public service (not collecting billable hours as an attorney). In 1966, I enlisted in the Marine Corps, and after seven months of training was sent to Vietnam. A few weeks before I was to rotate back home (about a year later), I was grievously wounded and given last rites. But I survived and was then sent to a VA hospital. Four months later, I went back to duty and was eventually retired.
I went back to college but changed my major from English to political science (due to the war). From there I applied to be a police officer but was refused due to my wartime injuries. But on appeal to state and county physicians, I was accepted. I remained a police officer until I retired, at which time my family and I moved to Wellington.
Once settled in, I attended some government meetings and decided to improve my education to assist my community. At the university, I received a certificate in code enforcement, and then I attended courses of the cooperative extension and was certified as a master gardener. These I did at my own expense to assist the master homeowners’ association, for these were the primary problems (and they still are).
I take unabashed credit for
The American Legion Auxiliary recently selected the delegate and alternate to attend Girls State, the weeklong governmental study program to be held in Tallahassee. Seminole Ridge High School junior Crystal Corona was chosen as the delegate, and Royal Palm Beach High School junior Lunedy Augustin was chosen as the alternate.
There are more than 300
getting the county to pave Paddock Park II (with one other person), of rewriting the entire master association code, over 25 communities and about 25,000 people (with a couple of other people), and personally, after being appointed for a single mission, brought together real estate, HOAs, civic associations and citizens to change our documents to allow the replacement of wood shingle roofs to three-dimensional fiberglass roofs to ameliorate the mold, fire, hurricane, longevity and cost of replacement, saving hundreds if not thousands per homeowner (replacement or maintenance).
Simultaneously, I have fought for enforcing our aesthetics (code enforcement), especially in our older areas. Unfortunately, after incorporation, enforcement was nonexistent for years, and after that it was selectively enforced, at best reactive (only by complaint) and wholly insufficient to date. Now the village has brought in the police, who have been quite inventive, dedicated and successful. That will make a difference, but the horse was/is out of the barn.
Mr. Sohn, you disparagingly assert that I spend my time sitting in my office, at my computer. But the truth is I have no office (you may build one for me if that is your pleasure). And as far as a computer is concerned, the TownCrier can attest that all my letters until recently were handwritten.
Yes Mr. Sohn, I have and will write letters, for I have fought for that right. And yes, Mr. Sohn, I’m proud of all my service from 1966 until today. If you feel that I have wasted my “retirement and golden years,” I humbly ask you, what business is it of yours?
Judging by the tone of your letter, you sound quite bitter. I have no reason to be, for I have accomplished much since retiring.
You attempt to encapsulate my life by your accusations.
girls from throughout the state who will join together for some intense civic activities. American Legion Auxiliary Unit 367 members are looking forward to seeing the girls get involved in their community and local government upon return from the program. For more information about the American Legion Auxiliary, call Marge Herzog (561) 791-9875.
Your attempts at describing my life have been an abysmal failure. You don’t know me. I believe now that your writings are the “foreplay” for the upcoming election, either for you or Mr. Margolis or heaven forbid, the both of you. Certainly time will tell. You have every right to expound upon your beliefs, and I praise you for it, but kindly leave out the descriptions of other people’s lives. You have not accurately described my very fulfilled life; you haven’t even begun. But of course, that was not your intent. My wife and I have been married 33 years. My two children are now successful adults. I have a number of hobbies, and we have our health. How much better could life be?
I shall always try to right wrongs — that is who I am. Oh, and I’m not running for office.
George Unger Wellington
Ponies can also be a surprisingly good choice for a first horse, even for adults. Large ponies can easily carry a normal adult without any problems. Ponies are clever and easy to handle. They eat less than horses, need less pasture and are generally good-natured. A good pony will last for many years. When you find a horse that seems suitable, be sure to ride it as much as possible. Some owners will even consider a trial lease period, so you can bring the horse home to see how it fits in. If not, go back to try the horse a few times, especially during “silly” weather — cooler, and with a wind. Try taking it out on the road to see how it reacts to traffic and unfamiliar sights. Find out if the horse stands for farriers, is OK being clipped, doesn’t mind being tied to things or standing in crossties, and will load quietly into a horse trailer. Have your vet come out to do a pre-purchase exam, and ask the owner if you can check with their vet to see if there have been any chronic medical conditions like colic or Cushing’s disease. Pay close attention to the horse’s feet. They should be in fairly good condition and trimmed regularly. Something to always keep in mind: horses are very big and very fast and move very quickly in unexpected ways. If you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, you’re going to get hurt. Horses aren’t like cars; they don’t always stop when you hit the brake. When you’re around horses, you’re potentially about ten seconds away from some disaster. Horses are fun, but also inherently dangerous. Be smart, and make the right choice when buying your first horse. Section 24
continued from page 1
lage is starting the process to find a name for the park that has a bit more charm than “Section 24.”
“We’ll probably form a naming committee, but if you have any suggestions, you could send them,” Benacquisto said. “We would really like to have an appropriate name developed that is representative of the location and history.”
She invites people to send suggestions to lbenacquisto @ci.wellington.fl.us.
Funding for the current phase of the project comes from the SFWMD. The village awarded the contract for the work to H&J Contracting last month.
Work is now underway, according to village officials, with completion expected in March 2010.
Next week is a biggie in our family. Not only is it Easter on Sunday, but it’s my Dad’s 80th birthday on Monday and my son Charlie’s birthday on Friday. So much for the household budget.
You know, I sometimes wonder if those people in Washington, D.C. get it. While talk show hosts rattle on importantly about housing issues, the automotive industry slump and a high unemployment rate, we moms have to focus on the big picture — birthdays and holidays. Because no matter what the economic graph says, little Susie’s birthday still comes once a year and so does the Easter Bunny. And little Susie gives a rat’s patootie about the price of heating oil — she wants candy, cake and presents. After all, you only turn five once… and six once… and seven once.
In my family, we like to think we’re imper-
vious to financial downturn because we have the two necessities of life — creativity and a good sense of humor. Then again, if your family is creative, you’d better have a sense of humor. I once wrapped everyone’s Christmas gifts in white paper, then colored them with markers to resemble boxes I’d found in Mom’s cupboards. My brother got a Lipton Tea box, my sister got a Campbell’s Soup can
— you understand. The boxes looked quite nice sitting on the bed in my room, but under the tree they put a gigantic “commercial” in “Christmas has gone too commercial,” outshining Mom’s blown-glass ornaments from Poland. “Hi!” our living room now greeted visitors. “Welcome to the food pantry!”
As an adult I startled the clerks in my store by telling them we would have a potato costume contest for St. Patrick’s Day. “I will not dress as a potato,” replied one potato-shaped clerk, quite staunchly.
“Oh, no, no,” I explained, laughing in a demented sort of way. “We’re going to invite people to dress their potatoes in costumes, and we’ll give a prize for the best one.”
I sent sample potatoes, all duded up in their finery, to the local newspapers to promote the idea. Unfortunately, 9/11 and the anthrax scare
had the newspaper people refusing to open unsolicited packages. So, especially because money is tight right now, my father and son wait in fear and trepidation to see how I will commemorate the days they were born. For Dad, it’s copies of every column I’ve ever written starring him (whoo-hoo!) and for Charlie, it’s a free pass to Walt Disney World I downloaded from my computer when Disney ran its “free admission on your birthday” promotion. (How he gets to Orlando is his business.) See? Nobody forgotten. Nobody depressed. And just wait ’til they see what they’re getting for Easter. I brought out those little plastic eggs I had left over from last year and I’ve been filling them with all those free chocolates I’ve been finding in the yard. Those are chocolates, aren’t they?
In a rare instance of a major network authorizing a second try for an old series, Cupid just began its second life on ABC, Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. Cupid dares to not care a whit about fingerprints and assorted identifiable body fluids. Shock! The lead characters are not into quick affairs that always prove meaningless. Even bigger shock! Cupid is unabashedly about love, the “make-any-sacrifice, cross-an-ocean-forlove” type, as the lead character says. Bobby Cannavale stars as Trevor Pierce, who may or may not be the god of love. Pierce believes he was sent down from Mount Olympus and must match 100 couples before returning. In 1998, I got hooked on the first version of the series, which starred Jeremy Piven and Paula Marshall. A lot of its appeal then had to do with the quality of the acting, as it does now. But deep down I have to admit that I’m a sucker for love. Americans used to want love stories but many have stopped believing. Have trouble with that? Start naming regular TV series that focus on love. We do have un-
‘I’ On
By Leonard Wechsler
requited love as in Chuck. We have “we’re waiting for the main characters to realize they’re actually in love” as in Bones. We watch the carousel of sexual relationships in shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice. Most comedy series focus either on the workplace or sex rather than real love. Actually, the one show that most seems to focus on love is HBO’s Big Love, which is about polygamy. Cupid breaks the mold. It is about unabashed love. Sarah Paulson plays psychologist Claire McCrae (for mythology aficionados, Cupid married Psyche), who has Pierce
as a case. At a seminar on relationships, she defines love as “what’s left after passion and fire leave.” At least she seems somewhat abashed for saying it. She believes more in things like trust and mutual interests and provides the balance wheel for Pierce’s matchmaking.
The pilot kicks off with Pierce helping an Irish singer (Sean Maguire) illegally in the United States looking for the girl he came to the country to be with forever. Pierce sets the stage for the couple to meet by getting a cynical reporter (Marguerite Moreau) to write a story about the whole thing. But eventually the singer and the reporter realize that they are the couple that should be together. But the authorities also read newspapers and ship the singer home. The reporter, smitten, gives up everything to go after him. Ah, true love!
The plots focus on real love. “Romeo and Juliet counts. Romeo and the hatcheck girl doesn’t,” Pierce quips. He believes in bold and passionate love; the psychologist believes in caution and taking things slowly.
It seems strange to have a show that pushes real love. After all, who really believes in love anymore? People don’t just meet and instantly know they should be together. They simply have a lot of affairs and if enough rational conditions are met, they marry. St. Valentine’s Day is simply to promote cards, flowers, candy and condoms. No. And I repeat it, no! Many years ago as a vice principal in The Bronx, I was told I had to stay late to interview a prospective teacher. I was grumpy. I had recently ended a disastrous relationship. Then the teacher to be interviewed walked in. I stood up, looked into her eyes and fell in love. I have stayed in love with the woman behind those eyes all these many years.
So yes, I am a sucker for love. Nothing feels so good when you’re part of it, and it used to be a major part of our culture. Cupid tries to bring that back. If you love the idea of happy endings, watch the show. If enough “fools for love” watch, the show and its cast could also have a happy ending.
During the recent spring break, my wife Sharon went to the west coast of Florida with number-one son Brian and his ever-growing family for a week’s worth of R and R on the beach. And as usual, I was left “home alone” to fend for myself.
To tell the truth, every now and then I don’t mind being alone for a week. I find it relaxing. I can come and go as I please and need answer to no one. Through the years my wife has replaced my mother in some ways. Whenever I approach the door to walk out of my house, I get the question, “where are you going and when will you be back?” That is the same exact question my mother asked me for the first 18 years of my life. It appears the more things change, the more they really stay the same. I must admit my wife filled up the fridge with lots of things I like to eat. But in truth
By Ernie Zimmerman
she also left a lot of stuff that I will never eat, no matter how starved I may be.
She left me plenty of fruits and loads of veggies. I guess she figured I would be eating healthy while she was away. Wrong. I guess my wife never heard that while the cat’s away, the mice will play (get your mind out of the gutter — I am only talking about food).
I found the local eating establishments very enjoyable during my wife’s vacation. As I only
had to pay for one person (me), at every meal
I felt like I was eating for half price. This made my one-week vacation even more enjoyable.
After each meal I still had some jingle in my pocket. The only time I needed the food in the fridge was during my late-night snack time. OK, I admit it: I snack almost every night. Is there anything wrong with that?
Since I couldn’t yell to my wife to get me something to eat, I had to check very carefully what was available. (I think I lost a couple of pounds walking back and forth to get my snacks.)
The first night I was alone, I had a choice: my favorite frozen pizza, or ice cream with a banana and Cool Whip? Decisions, decisions… I hate to make such hard decisions. I finally reached a compromise: a frozen pizza topped off with a sliced banana. I
popped the pizza in the microwave for four minutes.
I really didn’t know what to expect to see when I opened the door. It did smell good. It looked a little different from your everyday pizza. The sliced banana had melted ever so slightly. It made what passes for tomato sauce on frozen pizza very loose and runny. I almost didn’t have the heart to eat it. I was all set to toss it when I started to hear my mother’s voice in my head: “eat your food, people are starving in Asia.”
So eat it I did. I will say it was different, but it did taste good. I finished the entire pie. I ate it with my eyes closed. I really didn’t want to see what was going into my mouth. As usual, mother knows best. Will I ever make this great-tasting pizza again? I don’t think so. In fact I may never eat pizza again. Well, at least not ’til next week.
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Rooney’s All-In Sports Bar & Grille is not your typical sports bar and restaurant. Its owners prefer to introduce it as “the ultimate sports and dining experience.” The newly renovated gathering place located at Okeechobee Blvd. and Jog Road in West Palm Beach is surely a sports fan’s dream.
“The goal with Rooney’s All-In was to create a sports restaurant like no other,” said President Pat Rooney Jr. “We’ve completely renovated the facility in order to offer an upscale sports arena restaurant. It’s beautiful, classy, friendly, fun and everything sports!”
Upon entering the All-In, the first thing you will notice is the high-definition televisions located in all areas of the restaurant. This includes three 65-inch big screens and over forty 42-inch flat-screen HD TVs. And no matter what team you’re cheering for, you’ll always have the best seats in the house. Rooney’s All-In has secured all of your favorite sports packages including NFL Ticket, NBA League Pass, MLB Package, NHL Center Ice, College Full Court/Game Plan, NASCAR, the PGA and other featured sporting events including UFC fights. All of this comes to you with no cover charge.
One very unique aspect of the facility is the All-In Zone, a radio studio where live shows will be regularly featured. The 10-foot by 10-foot studio has already lined up sports shows from ESPN 760 AM, WZZR 94.3 FM and Seaview 960 AM. Watch your favorite radio personalities live as they broadcast right from the All-In.
And Rooney’s All-In has much more to offer including Wednesday Open Texas Hold ’Em from 6 p.m., Thursday Karaoke Nights from 7 p.m. and Friday Happy Hour Parties
with free hors d’oeuvres from 4 to 6 p.m. and live bands or DJ from 6:30 p.m. The facility also features four poker room tables for instruction and dealer training. Soon it will offer poker leagues for fun Wii / Madden tournaments, a pool table, video games and darts.
The newly prepared menu features American pub food emphasizing quality and freshness. A delicious selection of appetizers, wings, sandwiches, burgers, salads, entrees, kids items and desserts are prepared to order by a skilled culinary team. Patrons can also enjoy game day, happy hour and late night specials.
Rooney’s All-In joins family restaurants Rooney’s Public House in Abacoa, and the Paddock and Terrace restaurants at the Palm Beach Kennel Club.
Come see and experience the all-new and completely renovated Rooney’s All-In.
Rooney’s All-In Sports Bar & Grille is located at 6901 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 833-7802.
One of Broadway’s best musicals of all time.
The Tony Award-winning musical that has captured the hearts of people all over the world with its universal appeal, embarks on its national tour. In what is a huge theatrical feat, audiences will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Chaim Topol, star of the original motion picture, perform the role that made him legendary with his award-winning portrayal in Fiddler On the Roof, which runs April 1419 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach).
Based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem, Fiddler has been lauded by critics again and again, and won the hearts of people all around the world. Filled with a rousing, heartwarming score, which includes “Tradition,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Sunrise, Sunset,” Fiddler on the Roof is a timeless classic. No other musical has so magically woven music, dance, poignancy and laughter into such an electrifying and unforgettable experience. Relive a glorious tradition of the musical theater with Topol in Fiddler on the Roof Broadway has produced many fine plays and productions, and one of my favorites has been Fiddler on the Roof. It is a song about culture and a way of life for Jewish people
who lived in Europe before the Holocaust. The show describes how the anti-Semitism in Europe impacted the people’s lives, as well as the ritual of marriage and celebration in traditional custom.
Fiddler on the Roof stars Topol in a masterful performance in the role of Tevye, a Jewish father who has three daughters of marriage age all involved in relationships. It is the father’s duty according to religious custom to handpick husbands for his daughters to marry. They do not get a say in who they marry. The community is a tight-knit group; here everyone knows each other. Guests are invited each week to the traditional Friday night dinner. Even when money is scarce, it is still tradition for guests to be invited over.
The main storylines in the film focus on the daughters, one of whom is friends with a poor tailor who loves her dearly. The tailor is somewhat shy and doesn’t quite know how to tell her that he loves her. At the same time, Tevye has chosen a groom for the daughter who is twice her age, but he is rich and Tevye knows he will take good care of his daughter. In this community, love comes secondary in a marriage. It is considered something that is learned and developed, not the primary cause of marriage. When the tailor tells his daughter that he loves her, she embraces him and they decide to marry, much to
the dismay of her father, who has already shook hands and raised a toast — well, several toasts — with the man he arranged to marry his daughter.
The show is filled with shows and dancing and singing. In one scene at the local tavern, the popular song “L’Chaim (To Life)” is sung as the people dance and sing. Glasses of wine are raised in celebration.
Tickets cost $25 to $86. Order your tickets now by calling the box office at (561) 832-SHOW or online at www.kravis.org.
Joe & Kathryn, the Phantoms, are featured writers for the TownCrier newspaper, Palms West This Week and www.YourNews.com... comments and recommendations are welcome at ThePhantomDiners @aol.com.
West Palm Beach’s only resident professional theatre, Palm Beach Dramaworks will conclude is ninth winter season with the Florida regional premiere of Edward Albee’s acclaimed At Home at the Zoo, with performances slated from April 24 at 8 p.m. through June 14 at the company’s intimate downtown theater (322 Banyan Blvd., West Palm Beach)
Fresh from its off-Broadway debut last season, At Home at the Zoo delves deeper into Albee’s acclaimed play The Zoo Story by adding a first act, “Homelife.” In this taunting and mesmerizing work, featuring Todd Allen Durkin, Margery Lowe and Christopher Swan, primal magnetism and exploration is taken to a new level as Peter makes that fateful jour-
ney where he meets Jerry in Central Park. Palm Beach Dramaworks Producing Artistic Director William Hayes will direct the production.
The performance schedule is as follows: evening performances will take place at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday with select Sunday performances at 7 p.m. Matinee performances will take place Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. with select Fridays at 3 p.m.
Individual tickets are $42 for evening performances and $40 for matinees. Group rates for 20 or more, and discounted season subscriptions are also available. The theatre is located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, at 322 Banyan Blvd., between Dixie Highway and Olive Avenue.
Parking is offered across the street for a nominal fee, or in the city garage on the corner of Olive Avenue and Banyan Blvd. for $1 per hour with the first hour free. For ticket information, contact the box office at (561) 514-4042, open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or visit the Palm Beach Dramaworks web site at www.palmbeachdramaworks. org. Palm Beach Dramaworks is a non-profit, professional theatre and is a member of the Theatre Communications Group, the South Florida Theatre League, Southeastern Theatre Conference, Florida Professional Theatres Association, Florida Theatre Conference and the Palm Beach County Cultural Council.
With the tough economic challenges America is facing today, AVON can be the answer. Take control today. 561-236-8228. Jannette.
DRIVER WANTED - for Wellington Cab./Wellington Town Car. FT/PT Retirees Welcome. Call 333-0181
EXEPERIENCED SECRETARY — needed for busy Loxahatchee one person office. Must be able to multitask, work independently, have good written and verbal skills. Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel and Quick Books. Payroll experience a plus. Mon. - Fri. approx. 30-35 hrs per week.Fax resume to 561-791-0442 or e-mail to JEMTRANS1@yahoo.com
JUNK CARS, TRUCKS WANTEDTop prices paid. Call Now for FREE pick-up. 561-512-9606
2000 HONDA ELITE SCOOTERRequires to be tagged & titled. Insurance not required. Needs work $550.00 Call Brett 714-9942
USED 2008 CADILLAC DTS — Deluxe package, roof, navigation, $32,984, 561-992-9700
HOUSEKEEPER - Companion/ Child Care/Driver. Experienced with references. 561-379-8357
OUTDOOR GRILL - Dacor - Epicure Outdoor Grill (Model OBS36) with cart (Model OBC36-CAV). All stainless steel. smoker box, warming rack, motorized rotisserie w/infared burner, porcelain grills, 2 "U"-Burners, searing burner, LP-Tank w/ Guage, interior lights, temp guage. Retails at over $6,200. Make offer. Wellington 561-798-0806.
THOMASVILLE "RIVER ROAD"Etagere Large Display Piece 84x48 Mahogany Columns Three Glass Shelves Lighted $1,700 561-8910727
USED 2006 CADILLAC STS — Clean, must see! $24, 984 561-9929700
1998 DODGE RAM PICKUP TRUCK — Green 124,000 + miles 8 cylinder. big tires, hitch. $3,795 firm. 315-1508
1997 GREY SEBRING JXI CONVERTIBLE — new a/c, clean & well maintained. Engine & transmission in excellent condition and new top. Feel free to take it to a mechanic & check it out. Mint condition. $3500 (561) 793-5569 (917) 494-3422
1990 RED MAZDA MIATA CONVERTIBLE — mint condition incl. hard top. New clutch, tune-up in excellent condition. Great on gas. (561) 793-5569 (917) 494-3422
BUY OR SELL WATKINS PRODUCTS — Monthly specials, low prices. www.VanillaGourmet.com 561-512-9876. Associates wanted. The Leader in Natural Products since 1868
SATURDAY, APRIL 18TH, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. - MULTI-FAMILY GARAGE SALE! 288 La Mancha Ave.
PUPPIES FOR SALE - Boxer Puppies AKC registered. Available April 5th $500-$800 males & female. Both Parents Champion bloodlines. 561-820-0394 561-753-6304, 561-601-5207
$2,500
2007 CADILLAC CTS — $18,984 561-992-9700
2007 PONTIAC VIBE — $11,784 561-992-9700
2006 CHEVROLET 1500CC — $16,884 561-992-9700
2009 BUICK LUCERNE — $25,257 561-992-9700
2009 CHEVY MAILBU — $16,984 561-992-9700
JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC. —Service & new installation
FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. "We are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks" 561-798-3225. Family Owned & Operated since 1996. Credit Cards Accepted
SeaBreeze Air Systems, Inc. — for Air Conditioning and Heating Indoors and Outdoors. Let us heat your pool for year round enjoyment. Call 561-964-3817
ARE YOUR TREES READY FOR A HURRICANE? — Florida Arborists has highly trained professionals to provide superior and quality services. 561-568-7500
JJJ AUTOMOTIVE, INC. - "We're Looking Out For You!" Complete Auto repair, foreign & domestic. We'll beat any written estimate. Free Oil Change with any service. ASE & MITSUBISHI Certified Master. 561-309-9098. Lic. MV 52657
The only non-profit petting zoo in the area. — featuring parrots, mini horses, ponies, pony rides, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and Llamas and more and farm club. 561-7922666
MEDICAL AND PROFESSIONAL BUILDING CLEANINGS SPECIALISTS — • Pressure Cleaning • Office Cleaning • Residential Cleaning • Parking Lot Maintenance • Concrete Coatings. Call for Free Evaluation. 561-714-3608
HOUSECLEANING - Reliable with long term clients. Over 12 years experience. References available. Karen 561-632-2271
CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS CALL 561-793-3576 TODAY TO PLACE YOUR AD HERE.
D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-3339433 or Cell 561-252-1186 Lic’dWell. & Palm Beach
COMPUTER REPAIR — We come to you! After hours and weekends services available. Spyware/ Adware/Virus Removal, Networking, Wireless, Backup Data, Upgrades. Call Anytime. 561-713-5276
MOBILE-TEC ON-SITE COM-
PUTER SERVICE — The computer experts that come to you! Hardware/ Software setup, support & troubleshooting www.mobiletec.net. 561-248-2611
STAFF PLUS — Looking to fill full and part-time positions in customer service. For more info. Call 1-888333-9903
HIGH QUALITY LAMINATE FLOORING — at affordable prices. Hardwood floors. No deposit until delivery. Contractors welcome. Western Communities resident. Family owned and Operated. Licensed and Insured. Se Habla Español 561-568-6099
GUARDSMAN FURNITURE PRO — For all your furniture repair needs including finish repairs, structural repairs, upholstery services, chair regluing, antique repairs, kitchen cabinet refurbishing. 753-8689
XTREME CONSTRUCTION LLCSpecializing in all your construction needs. Kitchens/baths, remodels, tile, painting, plumbing, additions. Raymond M. Surdi/Owner-Contractor 561-252-9743
CAN FIX IT — build it, move it, plant it, and more. Call Bruce, 793-2494.
BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS, INC. — REMODEL & REPAIRS Interior
Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair, door installation, minor drywall, kitchens/cabinets/countertops, wood flooring. Bonded/Insured U#19699. 791-9900 Cell: 370-5293
ANMAR CO. —James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC 1327426 561-2488528
MCA CUSTOM WOODWORKING, INC. — “Make your home standout from the rest” Call us for all your home improvement needs. Kitchen & bathroom remodeling, custom wall units, design your home office, cabinetry, tile & drywall repair. Lic. #U-19564. Bonded & Ins. 561-7235836
WWW.GARABAR.COM Discount pricing. Remodeling & Repairs •Kitchens • Baths •Additions • Painting • Doors • Windows. No Deposit Until Permit • Credit Cards Accepted. 561-337-6798 Lic. #CCC1327252 & GC1510976
HOME INSPECTIONS — Mold inspections, air quality testing, US Building Inspectors mention this ad $20.00 Off. 561-784-8811
A Personalized Lawn Care Service that you can afford. Call Dave for a free estimate 561-262-4623 or email dmtonkin@bellsouth.net Monarch Lawn Care
ANIMAL PALACE — “Where Your Pets are Treated Like Royalty” — Pet sitting, dry baths/specialty shampoos. de-shedding treatments. All sizes/cats too! 561-3835000 or visit our website at www.animalpalacepetgrooming.com
Mold & Mildew Inspections — Air Quality Testing, leak detection. US building inspectors, mention this ad for discount. 561-784-8811
ARMENTO PAINTING & SONS, INC. –– Painting, Interior, Exterior. Pressure cleaning. Custom painting, faux art. Lic. U14736. 7988978.
JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. Interior/Exterior, artistic faux finishing, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair, & roof painting/cleaning. Free est. 7984964. Lic.#U18473
LET US AD A LITTLE COLOR TO YOUR LIFE — Residential/Commercial. Licensed • Bonded • Insured. Owner/Operator. Paul 561309-8290.
COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Interior/Exterior, residential painting, over 20 years exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free estimates - Insured. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident.
PAINTING — HOME PAINTING Interior - Exterior. $1290 +tax up to 2500 sq. ft. (walls area) 561-674HOME(4663) Masterpiece Painting Contractors Inc. CC U#21111 Lic./ Ins.
CREATIVE PAINTING SYSTEMS, INC. — Interior • Exterior • Residential Specialists. WE DELIVER WHAT WE PROMISE. All work guaranteed. FREE EST.Family owned & Operated. Over 23 years exp. Lic. #U-18337 • Bonded • Ins. Owner/Operator George Born. 561-686-6701
Waterheaters, garbage disposals, faucet repair & replacement service. New construction. Licensed. Bonded. Insured. Wellington Resident 25 years. 561-601-6458. Jeremy James Plumbing, Inc.
ELITE POOL CLEANING —"You dealt with the rest now deal with the best" All maintenance & repairs, salt chlorinator, heaters, leak detection. 561-791-5073. Inquire about 1 mo. free service.
J&B PRESSURE CLEANING —
Established in 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.Call Butch 561-3096975 BD
GRIME STOPPERS - Pressure cleaning, commercial & residential, houses, driveways, patios, screen enclosures, sidewalks. References available.561-779-1081
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS — Roof painting. Carpentry. License #U13677.967-5580.
ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING — Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,insured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763.
ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING
ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC-023773 RC0067207
WWW.GARABAR.COM — Now is the time for the Best Prices. Re-roof & Repairs. No Deposit Until Permit Credit cards accepted. Free Estimate. Call 561-337-6798 Lic.#CCC1327252 & CGC1510976
HORIZON ROOFING QUALITY
WORK & SERVICE — Free estimates, No Deposits. Pay upon completion, residential, commercial, reroofing, repairs, credit cards accepted.561-842-6120 or 561784-8072 Lic.#CCC1328598
AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC —
Complete repair of all types of systems. Owner Operated. Michael 561-964-6004 Lic. #U17871
Bonded & Ins. Serving the Western Communities Since 1990
INSTALLING TILE IN SOUTH FLORIDA FOR 25 YEARS — Free estimates, residential/commercial, bathroom remodeling, floors, walls, backsplashes, custom design GOLDEN TILE INSTALLATION 561-662-9258
SAT TUTORING, MATH & FCAT NOW AVAILABLE — in the Western Communities. Palm Beach Prep, Inc. 561-512-8441
4 BEDROOM, 2 BATH HOME - For rent, $1,900 per month. Available March 1st. For more information call (561) 385-3605
FULLY FURNISHED SINGLE FAMILY HOME ON PRIVATE CANAL LOT — Sparkling pool & lawn service included $2,200/month. Bob Faske with Illustrated Properties 561–346-6267 FORECLOSURE - 5 + Acres. Terrific Investment offered at $189K. Call Brett Balfara with Nautica Realty for this and other foreclosures in the Western Communities. 561714-9942
1182 Periwinkle Place in Wellington just blocks from schools and shopping -- cottage style 2 bedroom/2 bath home Recently remodeled with faux painted walls, beadboard, glass-paned cupboards, top-of-theline appliances (fridge with water purifier, stacking washer/dryer, air/ heat, etc.), satellite TV hookup, lots of closet space, full size pantry. For info or to arrange a home tour, call Mark at (561) 722-6444.
JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 798-3132.
Gutters, downspouts, vinyl/aluminum siding, windows & doors, aluminum railing. Screen enclosures (Repaired & Replaced), carports, porches, and patios. Lic. U17189. P&M Siding Contractors. 561-7919777
ROLL DOWN SHUTTERS — Accordion shutters, storm panels and rolling shutters...prices that can’t be beat. All shutters Systems, Inc. 8630955
AFFORDABLE HURRICANE PROTECTION — 2 - 4 wks. Installed Guaranteed! 10% deposit . Will get you started. All products, Dade County approved. We manufacture our own product. 772-342-8705 Lic. & Ins. CGC 1511213
CABINS, LODGES,LAKE FRONT, TRADITIONAL HOMES - Land for sale in the beautiful North Georgia Mountains. Serving, Blue Ridge, Blairsville, and Hiawassee, Georgia. Great time to invest in your 2nd home. Pat Macey. 706-455-6294 cell RE/MAX AROUND THE MOUNTAINS ENOTAH REALTY. 1800-346-0455.
