
NEW ACREAGE SKATE PARK OPENS
The kids immediately took to the ramps. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 25A

The kids immediately took to the ramps. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 25A
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
Plans for a new equestrian show grounds in Wellington cleared another hurdle last week as the village’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board approved applications to allow the facility on residential land and an amendment to the approved Wellington Preserve master plan allowing for the arena.
Horse show producer Stadium Jumping, which claims to have outgrown its current facility at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club, accepted an offer in May to build on 179 acres in the heart of Section 34, a 640-acre tract west of 50th Street South slated for residential development as the Wellington Preserve.
Features of the planned complex include multiple arenas, a grand prix field with covered stands, stables, quarantine and veterinary areas, VIP event and catering pavilions and administrative offices. Wellington’s Equestrian Committee unanimously approved the applications last month.
Several Stadium Jumping representatives spoke to the PZA Board at its Aug. 2 meeting, including attorney Ed Stacker, arena designer Robert Jolicoeur, and the company’s president John Canavan and CEO Gene Mische.
Mische described the company’s long presence in the village starting with a small facility “out in the country” in southern Wellington in the late 1970s, to its current facility beginning in 1990. The continued growth of the company’s shows and the lack of land on which to expand, Mische said, had forced him to search for a new home, and he wanted it in Wellington.
“We made it a priority to stay in Wellington,” Mische said. “We are looking forward to the next ten years, and the next 50 to 100 years in Wellington.”
Several members of the public told the board they welcomed the move, and praised Stadium Jumping for seeking their input.
Dennis Andruskicuicz, a resident of the Homeland development just east of Section 34 and outside the village, said he wanted to thank Stadium Jumping for the host of forums they held and how well they seemed to listen to residents. He said he and his wife looked forward to Stadium Jumping’s arrival.
“They will be my next-door neighbors,” Andruskicuicz said. “They have shown themselves to be a good neighbor. I hope Wellington keeps them in their neighborhood.”
Fellow Homeland resident Victor Connor, president of the South Florida Hunter Jumper Association, also supported the proposal and said Stadium Jumping would be a continued good friend of the village.
“The equestrian element has made Wellington what it is,” Connor said. “Without it, we would be a Parkland or a Plantation. We are trying to move it to keep it here. I would suggest you support the application.”
Other members of the public expressed fears that the project might fall through. Saddle Trail resident Kate Sanders suggested requiring performance bonds to keep the applicant and property owner on the hook for the accompanying improvements and amenities. “I am a developer’s daughter,” she said. “If they decided to walk off the project, the village may be stuck paying for it. I would like to see bonds for specific performance.”
But opponents of the proposal were also vocal at the meeting.
See PZA, page 42A
The Village of Royal Palm Beach partnered with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to host National Night Out Against Crime on Tuesday night at the Target Superstore on Okeechobee Blvd. The event included a bounce house and obstacle course for youngsters; free hot dogs, hamburgers and soda; and members of the PBSO and its specialty units. The purpose of the event was to create better relations and awareness between the community and law enforcement. Shown here are Deputy Luis Ledbetter and K-9 Deputy Clue with Trevor Searing.
MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 20A
PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office officials expect to show the Village of Royal Palm Beach a significant increase in arrests this fall when they tabulate crime statistics from their first year patrolling the village.
The Royal Palm Beach Police Department was merged last October into the PBSO, which took over law enforcement duties in the municipality as its District 9 administrative area.
District 9 Commander Capt. Tony Araujo told the Town-Crier this week the PBSO’s emphasis on maintaining con-
tact with area residents is paying off.
“Our contacts are way up, so the opportunity for proactive enforcement is greater than it was when we were [just] Royal Palm Beach,” he said. “I’d venture to say proactive contacts and activity with persons who do things that are unlawful in this community are up. We’re very proactive when it comes to illegal drug use and juvenile matters such as underage drinking. But I won’t hang my hat on a number. Sometimes the number of arrests doesn’t tell the whole story.”
While Araujo will present a year’s worth of official arrest statistics to the Royal Palm Beach Village Council in Oc-
tober, some numbers already stick out, specifically in regard to the district’s “Street Team.” Comprising four deputies and a sergeant, the Street Team works both in uniform and plain clothes where needed or on special assignments.
“They’re our water on the fire,” District 9 Executive Officer Lt. Eric Coleman said. “If we’re having a problem, for example, with daytime burglaries, they’re going to do surveillance. If there is a problem with people breaking into cars in the middle of the night, that’s their mission.”
From the team’s inception last December through June 31, Coleman said, members accounted for 801 traf-
fic citations, 70 DUI arrests, 441 written warnings, 22 warrant arrests, 83 felony arrests and 123 misdemeanor arrests. Misdemeanor and felony tallies include drug arrests.
“That doesn’t mean there’s more crime,” Coleman said. “But with more officers on the street, we have time to be more proactive and make those contacts with persons in our community, follow up with investigations and look for those opportunities to intervene. We’re quite pleased with where we are. There always is room for improvement, but we believe our strategies are helping. Residents tell us they see more presence in their communities.”
By Paul Gaba Town-Crier Staff Report
A benefit fundraiser for former Wellington High School football coach Jeff Raab is slated for Sunday at the Gypsy’s Horse Irish Pub & Restaurant in Wellington.
The fundraiser, which includes a buffet dinner, raffles, a silent auction and live entertainment, will benefit Jeff and Bobbi Raab. The couple’s financial resources have been drained in the past three years due to Jeff Raab’s affliction with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, a debilitating form of dementia that usually afflicts individuals much older.
The 52-year-old Raab, who coached football and golf at WHS, has been a fixture in the community for years. “Jeff was my children’s football coach when they were at Wellington,” said family friend Susan Semon, who is helping to coordinate the fundraiser. “He was the coach when my son Michael was on the football team. Many years later, we all became friends — Jeff and Bobbi, my husband and myself — after they had graduated, and we’ve continued our friendship.”
That friendship, and concern not only for Raab’s health but the family’s financial situation, inspired Semon and several other friends to plan this Sunday’s fundraiser. Semon said Jeff is at a severe disadvantage because his relatively young age does not qualify him for some benefits older Alzheimer’s patients receive.
“This benefit was an effort between myself and Kim Plankar, Ruth Proctor and Joan Marino,” Semon said. “Six weeks ago, we decided to try and put something together for the Raabs because their funds are pretty much depleted.”
Bobbi said the plans for the benefit took her by surprise. “They are wonderful; we have very good friends, we do,” she said. “I was surprised when they called and said they wanted to do it. I was elated by it.”
Bobbi and Jeff will be on hand at the benefit, as will Jeff’s uncle from Vero Beach. Jeff’s two children both live out of town and will be unable to attend; one will be at a wedding in Hawaii, while the other recently began a new job and is unable to get the required time off.
Semon said the Wellington community has come out to support the benefit. “They have just come out like gangbusters,” she said. “We have gotten so many prizes for the raffle, and so many nice things donated for silent auction. The Gypsy’s Horse has kicked in for us, while the White Stone Band has donated its time for this event. It looks like it’s going to be a really great time.”
Bobbi said she has been buoyed by the local show of support. “Everyone has been really wonderful in Wellington. I’m very appreciative,” she said. “Teachers and a lot of people I don’t even know have been calling and e-mailing me and dropping off donations. A lady from Delray dropped off two handmade watches herself.”
Donations have come from as far away as New York, Semon said. In addition, the Village of Wellington has been very supportive, and several community leaders will be in attendance. Semon said she is hoping to sell at least 250 tickets for the event, which will also be available at the door.
Jeff Raab’s daycare costs amount to $1,200 a month, and that — combined with $950 a month for health insurance — has depleted the couple’s savings from more than $52,000 to around $5,000, with no end in sight. Bobbi said her husband just qualified for Medicare, after a two-year wait, but its benefits cover “only the tip of the iceberg.”
“Because he’s under 60, we
can’t get Medicaid unless he goes into a home, and I’m not ready to do that,” Bobbi said. “They have a Medicaid waiver, but there are no funds for it.”
In addition, Jeff’s condition has affected the couple’s social and professional lives. Bobbi’s interior decorating business has dwindled because she is continually taking Jeff to various appointments, and she has to stay with him after 5:30 p.m. every night.
“It’s hard; when Jeff gets home, he has accidents, and I am running constantly to wait on him, to help him out,” Bobbi said. “He doesn’t sleep at night. I always feel like I have a hangover, and I don’t drink.”
Because Jeff’s condition has
given him the habit of wandering around, Bobbi has had to go so far as to lock all the doors when they are inside, for fear Jeff will just up and leave their home.
The benefit runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday at the Gypsy’s Horse Irish Pub & Restaurant in the original Wellington Mall at 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd. Tickets are $50. For tickets or more information, call Semon at (561) 795-2608 or Bobbi Raab at (561) 8015986.
Tickets are also available at the Gypsy’s Horse, and can be purchased with cash, credit cards or by check. In addition, donations to the Raab Family Alzheimer’s Fund can be made at Regents Bank.
Respect for all cultures and religions is a mantra that many have embraced over time. When the Dalai Lama commented on it in December 1989, it was one month after the Berlin Wall was torn down. A new era seemed to be upon us; a world in which Communism had finally collapsed and the democratic ideals it had conflicted with for decades were to be embraced. And while some of this did come to fruition, the optimism of world peace was not to be achieved.
Fast-forward nearly 18 years. As the military conflict in Iraq drags on with no resolution in sight, it seems daily more Americans want to bring the entire scenario to closure. At the same time, we are seeing a renewed youth involvement in the push to end the war, a distinct turnabout from the apathy that has permeated college and high school campuses the past 30 years.
Evidence of this reversal can be seen on the campus of Palm Beach Central High School and at the new Rotary Peace Park, located between Elbridge Gale Elementary School and the Wellington library, in the form of “peace poles” erected on the respective campuses. These eight-foot poles are inscribed with the phrase “May peace prevail on Earth” written in a variety of languages. While the “peace pole” movement is not partisan in nature, it does reflect a growing desire to see real changes in human interaction.
This is not a fad. According to the World Peace Prayer Society, there are more than 200,000 peace poles in 180 countries all over the world dedicated as monuments to peace. Other locations include the Pentagon meditation chapel, the North Pole, the Giza pyramids in Egypt, the Jordan River (on the Israeli side), the Hague,
Last week’s edition of the Town-Crier included a story summarizing comments of residents participating in one of the many Wellington town forums being held to encourage citizen input into the village’s “future planning” process now underway.
Confucius’ burial site in Taiwan, Gorky Park in Moscow, the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima, and the headquarters of the World Trade Organization and International Monetary Fund. They serve as constant reminders for us to visualize and pray for world peace.
We endorse the idea of peace, and look forward to the day when it will be a reality, not just in our own world, but throughout the world. We are eager to see an end to the turmoil in Darfur and Rwanda, reconciliation between the Pakistanis and Indians, Arabs and Israelis working together instead of fearing suicide bombers and missile launches, and an end to the hostilities in Iraq.
Next month the Wellington Rotary Club will celebrate International Peace Day with a two-day festival Sept. 21 and 22 at the new Rotary Peace Park. The park will maintain a wetland area but will have a boardwalk access, with a large open wooden rotunda housing the Wellington Rotary Peace Pole, which was erected last year.
After the park dedication ceremony Sept. 21, the Wellington Rotary Peace Festival will take place Sept. 22. It will feature a carnival-type atmosphere, including entertainment, games and food. The purpose of the festival is to foster a greater understanding and interaction among different cultural groups.
We strongly encourage area residents to not only participate in the celebration, but strive daily to achieve the concept of “peace” in our time. The Wellington Rotary Club is still looking for religious, social, cultural and ethnic groups to participate in the festival. If you would like to get involved, call (561) 804-1500.
One person who was liberally quoted in the article was a Wellington citizen who recently was named executive director of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce [Jaene Miranda]. One of her comments was factually inaccurate... and others not reflective, in my opinion, of the attitudes of the overwhelming majority of Wellington citizens. Here is
Your Community Newspaper
Serving The Palms West Communities For 27 Years
Published Weekly By Newspaper Publishers, Inc.
12794 West Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31
The Original Wellington Mall Wellington, Florida 33414
Phone: (561) 793-7606
Classified Ads: (561) 793-3576 • Fax: (561) 793-6090
World Wide Web: http://www.goTownCrier.com E-Mail Address: news@goTownCrier.com
JODY GORRAN Associate Publisher DAWN RIVERA General Manager
the essence of her comments: “Who are we and what are we? I can tell you what we started out being. We are nowhere near where we started. It was supposed to be a small equestrian community that was very family-oriented.”
Public records show that in February 1972 Palm Beach County commissioners approved a petition from Alpha Beta Inc. and Breakwater Housing Corp. to proceed with their very detailed plans for a new planned unit development, Wellington. The development [should]:
• Cover an area of 7,400 acres, heavily residential, with two units per acre, with an expected population of 37,000 people.
and members. A person in the public eye, and one speaking about a large body of constituents, should be careful and make sure that it is factual, appropriate and accurate.
Duane Christensen Wellington Editor’s note: Mr. Christensen was a candidate for mayor of Wellington in 2006.
On Tuesday [Aug. 7], the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council discussed the contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Here’s an opinion from one citizen. It’s human nature to think everything is OK as long as it is not affecting you personally. My view on the future of the area is different because I am raising small children. I have to look forward to raising four decent human beings in this area over the next 16 years. Retirement is nowhere in my near future.
BARRY S. MANNING Publisher JOSHUA I. MANNING Executive Editor RON BUKLEY Managing Editor
• Be a community of low density, encourage a variety of lifestyles, with complete self-contained recreational facilities, a unique and pleasurable identity, ecology oriented with 25 percent or more of open space.
JASON BUDJINSKI Community Editor MARK LIOI News Editor
WRITERS/ Denise Fleischman • Paul Gaba • Lisa Keeney Steve Pike • Carol Porter • Leonard Wechsler
CONTRIBUTORS/ Don Brown • Jules Rabin • Deborah Welky • Ernie Zimmerman
ART & PRODUCTION MANAGER/ Stephanie Rodriguez
ADVERTISING/ Evie Edwards • Wanda Glockson STAFF/ Betty Buglio • Shanta Daibee • Geri O’Neil
Founded In 1980 By Bob Markey Sr. Copyright 2007, Newspaper Publishers Inc.
The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising.
The planning document is 17 legal-sized pages long. The only reference to equestrian facilities covers a mere ten lines (one paragraph) “to serve the needs of the community residents who wish to utilize the facility, and to underscore the orientation of Wellington as an ecologically oriented community.”
It continues: “While the beginning equestrian facility may require from five to seven acres, the expansion of the facility may ultimately require 20 to 30 acres. A horse stable is proposed with a number of stalls, expandable as demand arises. Approximately 25 to 30 miles of bridle paths are being planned throughout the project.”
It is clear, Wellington was not intended to be a small equestrian town. To the credit of the equestrians of the 1972 era up to today, they have expanded and prospered far beyond the original developers’ dreams... and they have done it without infusion of any taxpayer funding.
The Palms West official goes on to say, “We need to identify who we [Wellington residents] are, and who we are supposed to be. The thing is, we don’t know who we are anymore.”
Of course, not many agree with her assessment. But what is troubling, is that in view of her position at the chamber, she speaks for all chamber leaders
It seems lately that many residents are quick to criticize our elected officials and their staff. As president of the Cypress Forest Homeowners’ Association in the Preserve at Binks Forest, I feel the need to give credit to one of the Village of Wellington’s code enforcement agents who has patrolled the Preserve for several months. This agent’s diligence in enforcing existing violations has resulted in an improved quality of life within this community. These offenses include issuance of various violations for illegally parked boats and vehicles, as well as citations for safety conditions such as unfenced pools and removal of dead pine trees. Additionally, this agent has upheld the village’s regulations as they relate to unmanaged lawns and water restriction violations.
It is a difficult task for myself and the board of directors to enforce violations within this community because, as a board, we are unable to fine our residents. Without the agent’s hard work, many of these violations would not be corrected in a timely manner, thereby undermining the aesthetic appeal of our community.
The Cypress Forest Board of Directors and myself would like to thank the Wellington Village Council members, staff and all of the village’s code enforcement agents for doing an exemplary job. Keeping this village up to the standard that is both expected and appreciated is not an easy undertaking. We applaud all of you!
Frank Ventriglio President Cypress Forest HOA Wellington
Crime and the deterring of it is very important to me for these reasons. I love Loxahatchee Groves, but there are some issues I have recently become aware of that now make me want to assure 24hour police coverage:
1. Migrants are human beings. Whether or not the violent crimes being visited upon these people is reported is not the issue. The issue is that it is a fact that violent attacks are being made upon human beings in our town borders.
2. There were busts of several “grow houses” within our town borders.
3. There was a case of arson on a dwelling within our town borders.
4. There were at least two home invasions within our town borders.
5. There is gang graffiti in quite a few areas within our town borders — get out and drive around on our roads and you will see it.
6. There have been thefts of personal property: golf carts, bikes, tools, work equipment, etc.
7. There have been home burglaries within our town borders
8. There is more than our share of “quality of life” issues: a) waking up on a Sunday morning and still having an intact mailbox is very thrilling; b) cars with music so loud that it can be heard and felt from the road when you house is three acres away from it; c) vehicles
See LETTERS, page 5A
The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit letters, with contact name, address, and telephone number (anonymously sent letters will not be
; or you can e-mail to letters @goTownCrier.com.
The U.S. Attorney’s office just released 25 pages of criminal charges against former Palm Beach County Commissioner Warren Newell and warned residents that more heads will roll before the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice complete their far-reaching investigation into political corruption.
I say good. It’s about time. But even after all the investigations are over, we will still be left to fix the problem that allowed the corruption to exist in the first place — an out-of-control county government and a board of commissioners who apparently believe they trump every other elected official in the county.
There are 38 municipalities in Palm Beach County where probably not a single county commissioner could get elected, not even in their own district. But yet they set themselves up as kingpins in a garden where cash grows faster than a Palm Beach Polo lawn. While those of us who live in one of those municipalities — that’s most of us — debate deci-
continued from page 4A driving at dangerous speeds and failing to yield right of way; and d) cockfights/ dogfights.
9. And last but not least, endangered turtles that were so bad off we needed an actual ordinance to protect them!
I grew up in a small town with our own sheriff’s deputies assigned to the island. Those officers who knew our area certainly made a difference. We need the 24-hour police protection that we were promised during the election. It was stated over and over again at the debates that the budget was fine and we have the money to handle a contract with the sheriff’s office.
If our town council decides not to have 24-hour protection within our borders
sions in the bright sunshine to determine which ones are good for us, county commissioners actually believe they already know. The rest of us are just a herd of unwashed hicks who don’t know what is good for us.
But the unspoken truth (unspoken out of fear of retaliation from this collection of gods and goddesses) is that they believe they should be the tail wagging the dog in every single one of our municipalities from Jupiter to Pahokee. Rather than helping communities in ways they choose, commissioners demand tribute in a way only a Mafia godfather would understand. They expect submission, not an honest discussion of the issues. Most municipal elected officials need a year or more just to understand the problems they are facing. County commissioners are experts from the very day they are sworn in.
Palm Beach Aggregates wasn’t satisfied to pocket just one county commissioner, so the company found a way to enrich Mr. Newell along with buying the influence of our own former county
and something awful happens to a person here, will the money we “saved” be worth it? Saying that you are saving the citizens money by not having 24-hour police protection is like saying you are saving money by not carrying adequate health insurance. You’ll find out you did not “save” anything when it’s already too late.
Darlene Crawford Loxahatchee Groves
Light Not Needed At 60th Street
In response to the letter in the Aug. 3 edition “Traffic Light Needed,” I must disagree. However, at the same time I fully acknowledge that there is a major traffic problem in the Seminole Pratt/60th
commissioner, Tony Masilotti. You may recall that Aggregates was due to be annexed into Wellington a few years ago, causing the panicked county commission to hike development density in exchange for Aggregates withdrawing its annexation petition. Then, to punish Wellington, the commission pushed through a county charter amendment making it nearly impossible for the village to annex property.
Meanwhile, the Palm Beach County League of Cities is attempting to rein in the commissioners. To its credit, Wellington is leading the effort to rescind the ridiculous annexation amendment and to carry the message that the county is improperly tinkering with municipalities’ right of self-rule.
However, the real way to give the county its just desserts is to limit commissioners’ power over municipalities where most of us actually live. Many of the billions of dollars collected each year by the county would be better spent by these villages, towns and cities. County commissioners should be seeking direc-
Street area during the early morning school hours.
Putting a traffic light at 60th Street will make matters worse. If you did, you can expect traffic to cut through the dirt roads in order to bypass the backlog between 60th and Orange. The real solution is to limit the school traffic to Seminole Ridge High School so there isn’t a problem in the first place.
The high school is the source of 95 percent of the traffic at that time of day. There is only a problem during school days. The students are all young and inexperienced drivers and do not always drive responsibly, so Ms. [Deborah] Behary is definitely justified when she expresses concern for her safety.
What needs to be done is the students need to be allowed to use all three en-
By Don Brown
tion from municipalities rather than dictating their half-baked and self-serving agendas and expecting those communities to just go along.
The push for county commission influence and favor serves only to split areas like ours that have numerous municipalities. We could probably work out our differences if we were left to our own devices. But it is often easier to find a county commissioner to pave the way, creating win-lose scenarios rather than finding solutions that make all of us winners.
It is long past time to tell these county emperors that they are wearing no clothes.
trances and not just the one like they are now. Also, a side entrance from Sycamore needs to be built. The school needs to split the school starting times so that not everyone has to be there all at once. And most importantly, the gates need to be open at least an hour before kids start piling up on Seminole Pratt waiting for them to be opened. Lastly, and as a last resort, if the above is insufficient, student driving passes need to be limited so there is no backup at that time of day.
In short, Seminole Ridge officials need to start working with the community and not against the community. They have the power to end the traffic congestion at that time of day. They should do it.
Dennis Hawkins The Acreage
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board last Thursday denied approval of a plan to expand Wellington’s parking rules that would have benefited the Tavern on the Green Equestrian Club.
The club, a spinoff of the famous New York City eatery, opened during the last equestrian show season in the former clubhouse of the Equestrian Club Estates neighborhood in southern Wellington. The club soon drew the ire of residents because of its temporary parking arrangements on a nearby lot.
Community Development Director
Marty Hodgkins told board members at their meeting Aug. 2 that the request for
an amendment to the village land development regulations was submitted by Tavern on the Green representatives, but village staff thought the proposed change had some merit.
“We thought we would look at it on a more village wide basis. It would expand the potential for valet parking in the village,” Hodgkins said. “Currently, valet parking cannot be used for restaurants, lounges or convenience stores.”
Hodgkins said the amendment would allow restaurants, lounges, convenience stores and other convenience-oriented uses to have off-site parking and two types of valet parking: regular valet parking in reserved, single spaces, and bullpen valet parking, which squeezes more vehicles into an area.
Vice Chair Steve Delai questioned the need for valet parking and asked what establishments in Wellington use it.
Hodgkins replied that the Mall at Wellington Green and the Players Club offer valet service.
Board Member Howard Sohn said he felt the village’s current parking regulations serve well and don’t merit changes, and asked who else could take advantage of the parking rules proposed.
Hodgkins said Wellington Regional Medical Center could do so, and Sohn asked if they had requested such parking.
Hodgkins said they had not, and the hospital’s parking garage serves its current parking needs.
Sohn suggested that village staff was trying to revamp village regulations just
to accommodate one applicant, Tavern on the Green.
During public comments, Palm Beach Polo consultant Mike Nelson noted that the Tavern on the Green site had a history of people parking along the streets and on the swales, and said the property’s new owner, developer Mark Bellissimo, was trying to cure a ten-year-old problem.
But Equestrian Club Estates resident Carol Coleman, one of many residents who opposed the proposal, said most of the problems with the property had been created by village staff, who had approved improvements to the property that increased the club’s size. She also said the club took advantage of a villageSee TAVERN, page 42A
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
JULY 31 — A traffic stop for speeding led to the arrest of a Royal Palm Beach man on a charge of possession of a controlled substance last Tuesday. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, a deputy from the RPB substation stopped 26-year-old Jeffrey George at 11:38 a.m. on Belvedere Road and State Road 7. A search of George’s vehicle revealed an open Fed-Ex box that contained the steroid nandroline,
a Schedule III controlled substance, according to the report. According to the report, George admitted to not having a prescription for the nandroline. George also was cited for driving with a suspended license. He was transported to the Palm Beach County Jail.
AUG. 4 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach on Monday arrested a 32year-old RPB man after he discharged a firearm in public. Ac-
cording to a PBSO report, four witnesses said Karl Wagner confronted them with an AR15 rifle at 2:36 p.m. on Hemingway Court. Wagner was charged with four counts of aggravated assault, one count of improper exhibition of dangerous weapons and one count of discharging a firearm in public. Wagner was arrested and taken to the county jail.
AUG. 4 — A Boca Raton man was arrested Saturday for driving under the influence at the intersection of Forest Hill Blvd. and State Road 7. According to
Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives:
• Adam Potts is a white male, 5’9” tall and weighing 190 lbs. with blond hair and blue eyes. His date of birth is 07/22/86. Potts is wanted for attempted robbery with a firearm. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was Miramar Avenue in Royal Palm Beach. Potts is wanted as of 08/09/07.
• Fedrico Ramirez is a white male, 5’6” tall and weighing 170 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 09/09/54. He has tattoos on his chest and right arm. Ramirez is wanted for failure to appear on the charges of battery on a police officer, resisting an officer with violence and escape. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was 80th Lane North in The Acreage. Ramirez is wanted as of 08/ 09/07.
Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crime stopperspbc.com.
THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, WHICH IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.
a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation observed a white Ford Explorer stopped in the right turn lane south of Forest Hill Blvd. near the Mall at Wellington Green at 3:40 a.m. The deputy further witnessed the vehicle move forward inch by inch. Contact was then made with the driver, 46year-old Belisario Rada. After failing a field sobriety test, Rada was arrested and taken to the county jail.
AUG. 4 — A traffic stop on Windsor Bay Place resulted in the arrest of a Wellington man on a charge of grand theft of a motor vehicle last Saturday. According to a PBSO report, a deputy stopped 31-year-old Alexander Onofrietto driving an ATV at approximately 5 p.m. A records check indicated the ATV was stolen.
AUG. 4 — An Acreage woman was arrested for retail theft at the JC Penney store at the Mall at Wellington Green at approximately 6:30 p.m. last Saturday. According to a PBSO report, a store security guard observed 41-year-old Jonetta Lawe attempting to conceal jewelry.
AUG. 5 — A 44-year-old Greenacres man was arrested in Wellington on Monday for driving under the influence. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation stopped Steven Donhoff at the intersection of Pine Valley and Birkdale drives at 7:52 p.m. after observing him drift over the white line and onto a grass shoulder of the road. Donhoff failed a sobriety test and was transported to the county jail.
AUG. 5 — A traffic stop for a burned-out tag light led to the arrest Sunday of a Lantana man on a DUI charge. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation pulled over 41-year-old Robert Himes on SR 7 at approximately 12:04 a.m. The report also noted that Himes was driving with a license that had been suspended since 1984. Himes was transported to the county jail.
AUG. 6 — A traffic stop for an expired tag on Capeside Circle in Wellington led to a drug arrest on Monday. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation pulled over 22year-old Daniel Donovan at approximately 12:55 p.m. After making contact with Donovan, the deputy discovered he possessed marijuana. Donovan was arrested on a charge of possession of marijuana with intent to sell, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia and carrying a concealed weapon.
AUG. 8 — Deputies from the PBSO substation in Wellington arrested two women for retail theft at the JC Penney store at the Mall at Wellington Green on Wednesday. According to separate PBSO reports, 19-year-old Emmanuella Pierre of West Palm Beach and 19-year-old Eda Dorcelin of Tallahassee were arrested at approximately 5:13 p.m. and 6:25 p.m., respectively. Pierre attempted to remove $796.45 worth of merchandise from the store; Dorcelin was caught trying to take $666 worth of merchandise.
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
While Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board approved a series of changes to the village’s zoning rules for commercial horse show facilities last week, the Wellington Equestrian Committee on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction with the board’s handling of the amendment.
With show promoter Stadium Jumping planning a new facility in southern Wellington (see related story, page 1A), village staffers have crafted a series of changes to Wellington’s land development regulations concerning commercial equestrian arenas and show grounds. The biggest change would make such facilities a conditional use on properties with a commercial recreation land-use designation, instead of a permitted use.
The changes would allow the Wellington Village Council, the PZA Board and the Equestrian Committee to review and influence the development of show
facilities. The zoning text amendment would also streamline the permitting process for show producers, who are now required to request permits annually for their shows.
At the PZA Board’s Aug. 2 meeting, Community Development Director Marty Hodgkins told board members that village staff felt the current land development regulations applicable to commercial equestrian arenas did not reflect the potential size and impacts associated with permanent, large-scale equestrian facilities.
Board members questioned village staff for about an hour.
Board Chairman Alan Johnson and Board Member Carmine Priore III had questions about manure management and the sampling process after a rain, and wanted to make sure appropriate penalties were in place for those who did not comply with environmental regulations.
Environmental Services Director Gary Clough and Community Services Director Paul Schofield assured Johnson that
any noncompliance would be addressed through the village’s code enforcement process. Johnson also said he was concerned with the health issues that might arise from the cleaning and “byproducts” of thousands of horses in a limited area. Clough said the there was a limited amount of discharge from horses and the horse washdown area, and it could be handled through the current potable water and sanitary sewer services. If too much byproduct was generated, he said, the applicant could create a solution of its own.
During public comment, show promoter David Burton Sr. said he did not support the changes because he had been forced to seek a comprehensive plan change, a lengthy process involving state review, in his three-year effort to create new show grounds for his company Littlewood Farm. As Stadium Jumping would benefit from the proposed amendments, he suggested that promoter should be forced to undergo the same pro-
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The Royal Palm Beach Village Council’s vote on whether or not to approve the site plan for Village Commons Park is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 6 instead of Thursday, Aug. 16 as originally scheduled.
The council is expected to hold a somewhat abbreviated meeting Thursday as Mayor David Lodwick and Village Manager David Farber will leave that evening to attend a Florida League of Cities conference in
Orlando. The meeting will be held at 5 p.m. instead of its regular 7 p.m. time.
The village’s Planning & Zoning Commission approved the site plan for the 160-acre park on the site of the former Tradition Golf Course last month. Lodwick told the Town-Crier he doesn’t expect any snags in regard to the council’s approval of the site plan, which will cost approximately $20 million to realize.
“I think everyone is for it. I hope everyone is,” Lodwick said. “We have a pretty unified
voice in moving forward with the park. We had budget meetings and I didn’t hear anything from other council members there, so we’ll see.”
If approved as expected, Village Commons Park will include a community arts center, nine-hole golf course, bike and boat trails, central plaza and a “great lawn” for weddings, picnics and parties. Royal Palm Beach Village Engineer Ray Liggins told the Town-Crier he expects the village to put out bids for the construction on the park early next year.
The State of Florida is making getting such things as a driver’s license, a child’s identification card and a vehicle tag easier. On Aug. 13, the Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles kicks off its Five Star Tour with its Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW) mobile units. One of the mobile units — a converted bus — will be at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center on Thursday, Aug. 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The DHSMV has a total of 11 vehicles, including the five buses and six vans. One of the vans visits the Royal Palm Beach Village Hall on Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Those services include license and tag services, safety initiatives through emergency contact information registration, identification cards for children ages five and older, and safety campaigns by the Florida Highway Patrol.
PHOTOS BY STEVE PIKE/TOWN-CRIER
cess he has endured.
Board Chair Alan Johnson asked Village Attorney Jeff Kurtz if there was some way the Burtons could be grandfathered in, since they had done so much legwork before the proposed changes were crafted. Kurtz replied in the negative and also said the Burtons had implied there would be a challenge if the language were approved.
Both Aero Club resident Janixx Parisi and Palm Beach Polo consulant Mike Nelson expressed concerns about the impact of 688,000 square feet of buildings, office space and other uses on the property in southern Wellington on which Stadium Jumping is planning a new facility.
Nelson noted that most of the equestrian population is out of town for the summer months, and that the changes for arenas would have considerable impact. He said the changes are being pushed through, and that traffic is a huge issue not being fully addressed.
“This is such a major impact,” Nelson said. “We should have them here. This should be taking place after the Winter Equestrian Festival is over. Do it during the fall and the spring. It shouldn’t be taking place when people like me are here because I live here year round. They should have the right to stand up here like I do. I think this should be tabled.”
Priore made a motion to approve the amendment, which was seconded by Board Member Morley Alperstein. It passed 4-1 with Board Vice Chair Steve Delai opposed.
When the Equestrian Committee met Wednesday, they
raised several issues with village staff concerning the PZA Board’s handling of the amendment and the content of the amendment itself. The committee was scheduled to vote on approval of the amendment last month but postponed their decision in order to examine its language at a workshop they held July 18.
Committee Member Brad Scherer told Schofield that the much of what the committee discussed in their July meeting and workshop was not incorporated into the document reviewed by the PZA Board.
Committee Member Victoria McCullough, who said she stayed at the PZA Board meeting until after midnight in order to talk with staff and board members, said she was disturbed that it appeared that some of the approval oversight had been taken away from the Equestrian Committee.
“There was a recommendation for the PZA Board instead of the Equestrian Committee being able to approve what events would take place there,” she said. “They took that right away from us and proposed the decisions to be made by staff.”
McCullough and fellow Committee Member Carol Coleman also said they found it disturbing that the PZA Board called on consulting engineer Andrea Troutman for many of the traffic questions in the Equestrian Preserve Area (EPA). They asked why the village did not have an equestrian consultant on hand, and if it would be possible to retain one.
“They don’t understand the nature of the EPA,” McCullough
By Paul Gaba Town-Crier Staff Report
When teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan and the rest of the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour lifted off from Cape Canaveral on Wednesday evening, Dr. Linda Ewing was among the observers closest to the launch site.
Ewing, a fifth-grade resource science teacher at Equestrian Trails Elementary School in Wellington, was one of ten educators NASA invited to participate in a week’s worth of festivities heading up to the actual launch.
The ten were all recipients of Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowships, a Department of Energy-administrated program that places selected teachers in a congressional office or a federal agency for up to a year, where they help shape public policy. Ewing was assigned to the National Science Foundation for her 2002-2003 fellowship, and has also served as a consultant to NASA.
“I got selected to come to the launch because I was a former Einstein Fellow,” the 59-yearold Ewing said. “They had ten seats available that were opened up to Einstein Fellows. They emailed me, and I said I’d be very interested in going.”
The actual launch — which Ewing viewed from the VIP Banana Creek section with astronauts’ families and government officials — was the main event of a hectic and exciting series of space-related activities. Last Sunday, Ewing attended a
dinner in the Saturn V Building adjacent to the Banana Creek launch site, where some 200 guests were in attendance to honor astronaut Morgan. Unfortunately, Morgan herself could not attend, as she and her fellow astronauts were under quarantine.
“They don’t want anyone getting sick before the flight,” Ewing said.
Ewing attended a briefing on the NASA mission Monday, where participants discussed the new digital learning network NASA is implementing for schools. They also discussed the impact of science in schools and other NASA-related education topics.
Ewing was one of the many educators who applied to be NASA’s first “Teacher in Space” in the 1980s, a position ultimately secured by Christa McAuliffe. McAuliffe’s life and those of her fellow astronauts ended in tragedy when the shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after launch in 1986.
Ewing said the prospect of sending another educator into space is thrilling. “I’m very excited. I’ve been to several launches, and to Banana Creek several times, but this is special, because of the teacher in space,” she said. “I was teaching in Clewiston when Christa McAuliffe was on board. I was outside watching, and you could see the smoke. But I didn’t know what happened until I turned the TV on.”
As an applicant for the original Teacher in Space candidate slot, Ewing went through astro-
naut training, although she did not complete the program because she was not selected. She did, however, embrace the opportunity to learn as much as possible, including travel to Russia where she trained on their equipment and even met highly decorated Russian cosmonaut Vladimir Titov.
“It didn’t occur to me not to apply [for the Teacher in Space program],” Ewing said. “I felt it was something you were supposed to do. It was a very exciting opportunity, and I couldn’t imagine anyone who would not apply from my point of view.”
Ewing said her family encouraged her training for the American space program, but not so much training with Russian cosmonauts in the days of the Cold War.
“My family was very supportive, although my mother didn’t understand when I went to Russia,” Ewing said. “I have two daughters, who were younger then, and they were all excited about it.”
Besides training in Russia, Ewing escorted ten Florida students to Kazakhstan to witness the launch of a Soviet mission to Mir and six Florida students to Siberia for an international space conference for children. She has taught at the University of Alabama in both the Aerospace Engineering (via a NASA fellowship) and Education departments, at Ohio State University, and at Florida Atlantic University, where she is currently an adjunct professor.
Ewing, who first moved to Florida in 1985, was based in
Dr. Linda Ewing
Ohio only a few years ago but decided to return despite unpleasant encounters with hurricanes.
“I was at Ohio State when I came down here to do research on the Kissimmee River Restoration Project,” Ewing said. “While doing that, three hurricanes came through and damaged the trailer I was living in,
destroyed the wet lab building, and caused lots of damage. I had been living in Ohio because of my parents, but they have both since passed away, and all of my family is down here now. I didn’t want to go back; I wanted to be around my grandchildren. So I took a job at the elementary school, and I absolutely love it.”
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
While most people in the western communities have adjusted to the chronic mess caused by construction of the flyway over State Road 7 at Southern Blvd., others have found another source of roadway stress: the closing of lanes on Southern Blvd. west of Crestwood Blvd. as widening of the east-west thoroughfare continues.
The Florida Department of Transportation began this part of the Southern Blvd. widening project in February. The 8.5mile project includes milling and repaving the existing roadway, landscaping, installation of pedestrian signals at several locations and guardrail improvements.
Although the $8.8 million project was scheduled for completion in mid-2008, FDOT spokesperson Christie Klammer told the Town-Crier on Wednes-
day that the project is moving along faster than expected. “We have a great project administrator, Greg Landgraf,” she said, “and we think almost all of the project will be completed by the end of 2007.”
Klammer said FDOT is going out of its way to avoid slowing up traffic. “We close alternating lanes so people can get by,” she said. “We would like this part of our project to be finished not long after the full opening of the flyway over SR 7.”
Harry Kremer of West Palm Beach said he must take Southern Blvd. to reach Palms West Hospital. “Sometimes it takes longer to drive that short distance from Crestwood to the hospital than to drive from West Palm Beach,” he said. “I always take Okeechobee Blvd. as far west as I can go, which means Crestwood, and then drive south. But I have to leave earlier to make sure I get to the doctor’s on time. When there are no delays, they’re always
shocked at how early I get there.”
Celeste Hathhorn of The Acreage said she avoids using Southern Blvd. as much as possible. “But I have to pick my husband up at Palm Beach International Airport a lot, and Southern Blvd. is great until you hit Jog Road,” she said. “But it is still a fast road to get out west and will be better as soon as the work is finally complete.”
Loxahatchee Groves Vice Mayor Marge Herzog noted that she and her neighbors were informed two years ago that there would be delays. “Of course, we all try to avoid Southern Blvd. when we can,” she told the Town-Crier on Tuesday. “That flyover is a mess. But it will make traffic better in the long run.”
Herzog was optimistic about the work. “I am pleased by the planting of so many trees and bushes along the road,” she said. “I think that will have a real calming effect on many drivers.”
Loxahatchee Groves Mayor David Browning said he and his family simply avoid Southern Blvd. when possible. “It’s a lot easier to take Okeechobee and avoid the mess,” he said. “Of course, once Southern is completed, the trip going east and west will be very fast until everyone learns about it.”
Browning is philosophical about the delays. “Things were a mess further east as they worked on the different intersections,” he said. “Right now, it’s still a mess at [SR 7], but in a few months that will be finished and the road will be a lot better. The work further west will go on a bit longer, and we’ll just have to live through it.”
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
When the Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building Department gathers representatives of local municipalities and residents for a discussion of the future of State Road 7 on Tuesday, Aug. 14, Royal Palm Beach Mayor David Lodwick will be among those listening in.
The county has invited officials from the municipalities of Royal Palm Beach, Wellington
and Greenacres and members of the public to help coordinate the preparation of a master plan for the SR 7 corridor. The study area includes properties fronting on or adjacent to SR 7 between Okeechobee Blvd. and Lantana Road. Other properties close to SR 7 with the potential to generate significant traffic in the corridor have been added at the request of the three local governments.
The proposed corridor master plan will address the future
use of land within the study area, specifically focusing on undeveloped properties that have redevelopment potential. In other words, areas that might attract companies to locate or relocate their businesses — a key to continued economic growth in the western communities.
While Senior Planner Bradford O’Brien will represent Royal Palm Beach at the session, Lodwick said he is very interested in the future of the major north-south artery.
“The biggest thing for me is, I’d like to see a meaningful job base out west,” Lodwick told the Town-Crier. “That doesn’t mean another Target or WalMart, although we’re glad they’re part of our communities, but we need to get real jobs out here. How are we going to work together to do that? That’s what I want to hear. Let’s all just work together — not worry about whose city it’s in — and bring a quality employer to the western communities.”
Earlier this year, Lodwick, his fellow council members and village staff were among the most visible opponents of a proposed “new town” development by Callery-Judge Grove that they argued would have created an urban sprawl nightmare in the western communities.
The fact that project opponents convinced the Palm Beach County Commission in April to reject the proposal demonstratSee SR 7, page 42A
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
Palm Beach County Engineer
George Webb told Indian Trail Improvement District supervisors Wednesday that even under the most optimal conditions, a northern connection of the Acreage Reliever Road to Northlake Blvd. would not likely be operational until 2015.
“Right now, the federal government has demanded an environmental impact study that is scheduled to last for two and a half years,” Webb told the supervisors at a special workshop session Wednesday evening called to discuss the county’s road building plans in The Acreage and the surrounding areas.
“If they say we can move forward, the state could put out bids for design work the same day,” Webb continued. “The project is already in the plans by the Metropolitan Planning Organization and the funds have been set aside.”
But Webb noted that the City of West Palm Beach and residents of Ibis are opposing the construction of the road, which would reach from 60th Street North in The Acreage up to Northlake Blvd. on the eastern end of the Ibis neighborhood.
ITID Vice President Mike Erickson asked how long a delay the opposition could create.
“Assuming that the federal government gives the OK and the project moves forward,” Webb replied, “the legal battles could take as long as three years. And, of course, might stop the project completely.”
If things go well, construction might begin as early as 2013, Webb said, and would probably take at least 18 months — longer than normal because a bridge would have to be completed at 60th Street North.
ITID President Michelle Damone urged residents to work hard lobbying elected officials.
“We can’t let Ibis be more proactive than we are,” she said.
“We need to get all 50,000 of our residents out to demand that the road be built.”
Webb recommended that ITID leaders and residents call elected officials in Washington, D.C. to get money for the project.
“We are coming up on a transportation improvement cycle in 2010 where the government provides support for worthy projects,” he said. “Last time around, they supported 5,000 projects around the country. For this project, it has already been listed as a priority program by the county. That could help get some monetary support.”
One important element of the project, Webb said, is that 60th Street North would need significant improvements to handle the larger traffic flow. Supervisor Ralph Bair asked whether the county could provide money for those improvements.
“We’re about 75 percent finished with the design,” Webb replied. “We’re more concerned about the permitting process. How do you put all the traffic on 60th Street North if that becomes an exit from the Acreage Reliever Road?” Webb handed out information
sheets listing the costs of current and proposed projects in the Acreage area. Currently, there are two major projects under construction.
The first is the improvement project at the intersection of Orange and Royal Palm Beach boulevards, which is budgeted at approximately $1.7 million. The second is the southern end of the Acreage Reliever Road, ending at Persimmon Blvd., which is budgeted at $22.2 million and will be completed by the end of 2008.
There are several proposed projects, including improvements along Royal Palm Beach Blvd. at Persimmon Blvd. estimated at $13 million; the widening of Northlake Blvd. between Seminole Pratt Whitney Road and Coconut Blvd. estimated at $27 million; intersection improvements at Orange and Coconut boulevards estimated at $2.6 million; and the extension of the Acreage Reliever Road from Persimmon Blvd. to 60th Street North estimated at $9.6 million.
The biggest ticket item is the widening of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, which will cost approximately $158 million broken out into several phases. The extension of SR 7 to Northlake Blvd. is estimated at $45 million.
Webb told the supervisors he agreed with their suggestion that the first area to be widened on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road should be the area around Seminole Ridge High School. He promised to shift budgetary lines so that the area between Sy-
camore and Orange boulevards is begun first. Webb pointed out that traffic has not increased on Acreagearea roads as much as had been projected. “It is the same all over the county,” he said. “Traffic counts are lower at many points than they have been in the past and there has been far less traffic growth than predicted.”
Supervisor Sandra Love Semande asked whether Royal Palm Beach had agreed on allowing connections between their roads and the new Acre-
age Reliever Road.
“We thought everything was fine until two months ago,” Webb replied. “But officials there are concerned that if Indian Trail does not allow connections to be made, their village will get all the extra traffic. They will not agree on connections until you do.”
Webb said he had suggested that County Commissioner Jess Santamaria hold a meeting where both RPB and ITID come to sign on to the plans simultaneously.
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
Members of the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council received an update from Town Attorney David Tolces Tuesday night regarding a comprehensive plan amendment to revise land use in the town to one dwelling unit per five acres from the existing one dwelling unit per ten acres.
The change, only applicable in the areas of Loxahatchee Groves under one-in-ten zoning, has long been sought by area activists as a way of making owning and maintaining a home in the community more affordable. It will allow affected property owners the right to subdivide ten-acre parcels into two five-acre parcels. Zoning will remain rural residential.
Based on presentations by Palm Beach County Senior Plan-
ner Lisa Amara and Shelley Eichner — a planner with the firm Calvin, Giordano & Associates — staff was directed to consult with the Department of Community Affairs regarding the adoption of a “corrective amendment” to go forward with the process.
Tolces said he had contacted the DCA representative, who said it was up to the council to decide what they wanted to do next.
“If the council wants to, you can authorize staff or the planning council to begin the work,” Tolces said. “The only issue is you are limited to two comprehensive plan cycles each year.”
Eichner said she was hopeful that the she and Town Clerk Matt Lippman could get the proposed amendment in the works as soon as possible, since time
See COMP PLAN, page 42A
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
The Indian Trail Improvement District found itself without a top manager Tuesday after District Administrator Bob Mearns resigned.
Mearns’ letter of resignation indicated a desire to return to municipal government. “I want to thank the Board of Supervisors for the opportunity to serve this district in the capacity of district administrator,” Mearns wrote in a letter dated Tuesday and addressed to ITID President Michelle Damone. “However, I feel it is in the best interests of all concerned that I resign and return to municipal government.”
Damone told the Town-Crier on Wednesday that the workings of an improvement district call for specialized expertise.
“I think Mr. Mearns’ strengths are in municipal government,” she said. “As we move forward in this district; it was nothing personal — it’s just we need a
continued from page 7A said. “There was nobody for them to call for consulting on issues like this.”
Schofield replied that the committee had never been satisfied with any consultant village staff had recommended.
“That question has come up several times over the years,” he said. “We have never found anyone who the equestrian committee members could agree upon. The council looks to you all as equestrian experts. We have addressed this every year. We have never been able to settle it.”
Coleman also asked why a second workshop had not been scheduled, as the committee had requested. Schofield said a second workshop had been discussed, but a date had not yet been set.
person with more experience with a special district.”
Damone stressed that she holds Mearns in high regard. “After speaking with Mr. Mearns, I think some of the other supervisors probably had certain areas of concern,” she said. “I think Mr. Mearns is a bright man, and he realized his strengths are in a city. I applaud Mr. Mearns. He got us through a very difficult time. He got us through the 2006 budget, which I will be forever grateful for. He looked over the budget until we had a board change. I will always speak highly of Mr. Mearns.”
At the district’s regular business meeting Wednesday, Damone suggested seeking a new manager right away, but Supervisor Sandra Love Semande said she would prefer to hold off to allow staff to regroup under the leadership of interim manager Margie Perez, the district’s finance manager. “It is not something we need to do right away,” she said.
Damone cautioned that the search for
Coleman and McCullough asked when the amendment would be reviewed by the council. Schofield said the council is scheduled to review the amendment Aug. 14 and again on Aug. 28.
Committee Member Robert Howe suggested having another meeting with just the amendment on the agenda. Committee members agreed that the meeting should be held either Aug. 15 or Aug. 22. In the meantime, Scherer suggested, committee member should write down their comments and concerns and forward them to village staff.
Schofield said he would also review the tape and documents from the committee’s prior discussions.
During public comment, former Equestrian Committee chair Cynthia Gardner said she supported further re-
a new administrator could take four months, but Semande said she didn’t mind. “That position is so important I don’t want to rush in,” Semande said. “It’s not an administrative requirement to have a manager. I would like staff to figure out things and where everybody is at and give Margie time to get up to speed.”
Damone pointed out that Perez will be serving both as finance director and interim administrator, but Semande replied that Damone, Perez and ITID Vice President Mike Erickson can handle the duties involved. When asked, Perez told the board she welcomes the responsibility. “I’m actually looking forward to getting more involved,” she said.
Concerned about the administrative burden, Damone said she was reminded of a situation in which former ITID president Myra Orlando took on administrative duties for a long period after the board she led fired former administrator Ed Oppel. “I was against when the previous president sat in there and pretended
view of the amendment, and that she did not support it in its current form. Gardner also said she was disturbed that the amendment apparently went ahead to the PZA Board without the customary Equestrian Committee vote.
“I would love to suggest it to come back,” Gardner said. “I am not in favor of the document. If we have a document, I want it to make sense. They spent half the evening discussing water runoff out of stalls. They so clearly don’t get what is supposed to be there. If this will be a law, I want it to make sense. It ought to make sense and deal with the things it’s supposed to deal with. I did not hear them talking about manure pits. If we need a law, and if staff wants us to have a law, let’s have a good law.”
On a related matter, the master plan
she was the administrator,” she said. “I can’t go against what I’ve preached.”
“I think staff would like to have a breather,” Semande said. “I think the board just needs to digest it all.”
Erickson told the Town-Crier Wednesday he did not know the circumstances of Mearns’ departure, but said he had performed his job fairly well. “There were things that got done and things that did not get done,” Erickson said.
Mearns did not return phone calls on Wednesday. His former employer, Dr. Irv Rosenbaum of New Community Strategies, said he had not heard from Mearns, but he understands that rules for special districts are different than municipal government. He said that since Mearns has not been in touch with him since he submitted the resignation letter, he had not invited him to return. “Not that we wouldn’t,” he added.
Mearns served as Rosenbaum’s deputy for about 14 years in the 1970s and 1980s when Rosenbaum was administrator of the Town of Davie.
amendment application for Stadium Jumping’s planned new facilities in Section 34, Schofield said the village had received a challenge from an attorney representing Bellissimo that afternoon.
“At 4 p.m. this afternoon we received a Section 5.8 challenge,” Schofield said. “A 5.8 challenge is the provision under the zoning code to challenge a decision that has been made in the interpretation of the code. Over the next several days we will be making determinations over it. The person who has filed the appeal has the first possible hearing date at the September Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board meeting. It won’t impact the hearing schedule on the master plan, but it may impact the site plan approval. I won’t know until the PZA Board renders a decision.”
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council authorized its attorney and staff Tuesday to begin negotiations with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services, leaning toward a service option that would cost the new town half what it has budgeted for police services in its first year.
While the PBSO offered the town service that includes the guaranteed presence of one law enforcement deputy on duty within the town 24 hours a day at a cost of $518,232 annually, it also offered full coverage for police services, supplemental coverage and special needs, but without the guaranteed assigned deputy, at less than half that price.
Major Michael Veccia, representing the county’s law enforcement agency, said the PBSO had never before offered the lower-cost option, which was formulated as a result of conversations he had with Councilman David Autrey and Interim Town Clerk Matt Lippman, and the PBSO’s legal staff. Veccia said the PBSO might offer the option to other new municipalities as well.
“There is not a tremendous amount of difference with what you see, although the price is much better,” Veccia said. “The option I believe I quoted you is $240,000, and I would stick with that one.”
The town has been mulling over its alternatives for several weeks, and in response to written questions submitted by residents Veccia said the terms of the town’s contract would not affect the attitude of officers on patrol there.
“Deputies don’t know which option the contract is,” Veccia said. “They don’t care. They go by what they were sworn to do. We don’t have a minimum.”
Veccia also said the PBSO tries to keep its deputies assigned to a particular community in order to serve it more effectively.
“We try to keep the same deputies in the same area,” Veccia said. “They get to know and intimately get involved in the community, not with just the bad guys.”
Veccia added that if the town opts for a full-time deputy, the PBSO would likely establish a satellite office in an appropriate location, providing deputies a place to go between shifts, to write reports and do other paperwork and make phone calls. No matter which option is chosen, he said, it is important to remember that the PBSO works round the clock.
“If someone is kicking the sand out of you,” he said, “that doesn’t mean wait until it’s 6 a.m., and we come back on duty.”
Councilman Dr. Bill Louda asked what the “special needs” in the contract might include, and Veccia said the term covers situations such as a serious graffiti problem or a significant traffic problem that requires extra backup. Louda also asked if under the lighter contract, the town would be allowed to request additional enforcement in a specific area. Veccia said it was likely but such requests could be discussed at PBSO headquarters.
Mayor David Browning said residents and council members are both concerned that criminals consider the town vulnerable because it does not have an enforcement services contract, and that speeding drivers consider it “open season.” He invited deputies to park in his driveway any time they want to catch speeders on D Road.
“We have become a new town,” Browning said. “In some of their minds,
there is no law enforcement. They go down the road and fly.”
Some residents urged the council to take the pricier option, saying the constant law enforcement presence would deter crime. Veccia responded that studies indicate a more numerous presence does not significantly affect crime statistics.
Marcella Blvd. resident Frank Schiola said he was concerned that a situation elsewhere might draw the town’s deputy away, leaving Loxahatchee Groves vulnerable.
“Let’s say, for argument’s sake, the deputies in a patrol zone are all tied up on a serious call,” Schiola said. “If another serious call comes in, are you going to pull them from Royal Palm Beach and Wellington?”
Schiola also warned that the town should not go light on law enforcement just to save money. He said his and other homes in his neighborhood had fallen prey to burglars, and the town had been without coverage long enough.
“Let’s think about this a little longer,” Schiola said, “but not too long. I think we have wasted enough time. This should have been one of the first things on the agenda to get done.”
C Road resident Cindy Corum asked
if the town could go with the lower figure and up the ante if it was decided more coverage is needed.
“I know in the budget there is $500,000 for the PBSO,” Corum said. “If we go with the plan, can we augment that with some other money? Even if we spend $240,000, can we get supplemental contract for selective services?”
Veccia said it could be done if the council chose to do so.
Resident Linda Isaacs asked if the $240,000 option could be revisited when the town renews its contract. Town Clerk Matt Lippman said the option is a onetime offer.
Before the council voted, Louda said he was offended at the suggestion that the council had not put this on the front burner. He made a motion to pursue negotiations on the $240,000 option with the provision that the council revisits the issue next February.
Councilman Dennis Lipp seconded the motion. Lipp also asked for monthly updates from PBSO representatives. The motion passed 4-0 with Vice Mayor Marge Herzog absent. The PBSO will talk with town staff and the council will vote on the resulting contract at the next council meeting.
County Cable Channel 20 produces many original programs, including On 20, Naturescope, Everything Animal, Nuestro Hogar, Critical Minutes, Storm Watch, Cultural Capital, Politically Speaking and County Connection. All Channel 20 programs can now be seen at the viewer’s convenience online by going to pbcgov.com and clicking on “Programs On Demand” under the “Channel 20” header.
The link takes the viewer to a display of PBC-TV shows with the most recent edition listed first. Some shows have previous editions posted, as well.
RealPlayer and high-speed broadband Internet service are required to view a program. The digital RealPlayer format loads quickly and enables the viewer to easily skip ahead or back to any point in the show. A link is available to download the RealPlayer software free of charge.
is
Organizational Management (ORM) is a broad based program that emphasizes management theory and
What will the degree do for me?
You will enhance your career opportunities while you develop the knowledge and skills to compete with other college graduates. Learn how to lead effectively and apply sound business and management principles as you enhance your understanding of human behavior and its relationship to today’s global work environment.
How long will it take?
certificates. If have earned an Associate of Arts
“Palm Beach Atlantic’s Wellington location suits my busy schedule and the evening classes allow me to complete class assignments throughout the week. My education will help me move up the ranks.”
Ask about the Master of Science degree program starting this fall.
The ORM program is flexible in applying previously earned college credit to your degree. Professional Education Credit may also be awarded for professional licenses and certificates. If you have earned an Associate of Arts Degree or the equivalent you should be able to complete your
degree in 1½ to 2 years.
How ar e classes of fer ed?
credit to Professional Education
Classes are accelerated and meet in the evening from 6 - 10 p.m.. Attending two nights per week gives you full-
time status.
Brenda Smith of Belle Glade, lieutenant for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department, Palm Beach County Jail that and practice
Earning an evening college degree is an investment that will pay off. Your total cost and your cost per semester will depend on several factors: Full-time or part-time student status, the number of credit hours you transfer to PBA, the type of financial aid you qualify for Florida residency and tuition assistance from your employer. Full-time students who are Florida residents receive the Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG) fall and spring
student status, the number of credit hours transfer
Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG) fall and spring semesters, $1500 each semester.
About 30 members of the Wellington Toastmasters Club and guests were in attendance Monday for a special Toastmasters “Salute to Professionals Day” presentation. Two experienced showcase speakers were featured at the meeting, John Cesta and Alvin Day.
John
presents a motivational, inspirational, educational, fun and entertaining program, performing demonstrations that showcase the power of the mind.
The Palm Beach County Mounted Posse held a barrel racing show Saturday, Aug. 4 at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. The event included a tribute for the recently deceased Dean Rheney, a carpenter and father of barrel racer Jessica. Dean’s widow Tammy walked Dean’s favorite horse Dot around the arena with his hat and toolbelt draped over the empty saddle. Posse members also planted a live oak tree, which has white ribbons and windchimes hanging from it. The Mounted Posse meets at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center the first and second Saturday of the month. For more info., visit www.pbcposse.com.
So much for “the best-laid plans of moms and men,” or something like that. I really thought I had my daughter’s wedding down pat. Location, clergy, music, flowers, dinner, cake, decorations, favors, invitations, hotels, car rentals and a shower — everything seemed to be moving along so smoothly, so cleanly. We’d untangled every snag, smoothed over every bump in the road. It had even seemed easy. That is, until I called to confirm my family’s hotel reservations.
“Just checking to make sure Confirmation Number 8674HZAT32AA.7(3)6 is still on the books,” I said cheerily to the clerk.
“Yes it is, ma’am,” she replied.
“And that it’s OK for the ring-bearer to stay in our room with us.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And that said ring-bearer is a dog.”
“Yes, ma’am. We are fully aware of the oddities of the Welky family, their room preferences, food preferences and the matrimonial duties of their accompanying pets.”
“OK, thank you,” I said.
“Actually, it was wise of you to confirm because all our rooms are sold out due to Oktoberfest.”
“Due to what?!”
Oktoberfest. Evidently, even though my daughter’s wedding is being held in September, the quaint nearby town of Helen, Georgia (where every wedding guest from each of the 48 contiguous states will be staying) starts its beer-guzzling celebration early.
“But you can’t!” I cried, “you wouldn’t!” knowing even as I did that there was nothing she could do about it. That in fact, this event was probably the annual economic boost upon which the livelihoods of the entire town depended.
“But my whole family is from Milwaukee — Beer City!! The groom’s friends invented the word kegger. The wedding isn’t until 5 o’clock in the afternoon!
Everyone will be sloshed out of their minds by then!”
“Enjoy your stay in Helen,” the clerk said quickly, and hung up.
Oh, this is bad. This is bad, bad, bad. I got on the phone to my mother immediately. I needed advice. Should we
change the date? The location? The guests? Every conceivable possibility ran through my head as the phone rang. There had to be a way to avoid this inevitable disaster. Unfortunately the phone stopped ringing when my dad picked up.
“Hi, honey! How are the wedding plans coming along?” he asked brightly.
Desperate, I decided to confide in him, a male. “Dad, something awful has happened. The town of Helen — the nearest town to Jenny’s horse farm wedding — well, Helen kicks off its Oktoberfest that very weekend.”
“The same weekend she’s getting married?” he asked.
“The very same.”
“Why, that’s fabulous news!” he enthused. “That’s the best news I’ve had all week! Wait ’til I tell your brothers. You know, at first they weren’t even sure they wanted to come but wow — once they hear this…”
“Dad!”
“What?”
“Dad, this is not a good thing. Everyone will be ploughed before the ceremony begins. The reception is going to be one
big free-for-all! It will be impossible to control people.”
“I know! It’s great! I can’t wait!” He hung up, eager to call Jim and Dave. I sat miserably down at my desk and began composing a letter to the Helen Chamber of Commerce that I know is going to bring big laughs up there. But what else can I do? I have to try to get them to shut down Oktoberfest — at least until October. When they refuse (and they will), I am going to Plan B — hiring bouncers. A couple of brawny goons hired by the bride’s mother to stand guard over the exits and glare suspiciously at happy guests always adds so much to a religious celebration.
Just shoot me.
I went to a Beatles concert recreation at the Kravis Center on Saturday. Most people know what I mean by that. We can’t see the Beatles any more. When Mark Chapman killed John Lennon, he ended any chance of any comeback tours. But for people of my generation, the Beatles reverberate with a host of special memories.
Why do we always love the music we grow up with? My younger daughter loves today’s music. Play some rap (which I admit I do have trouble classifying as real music), and she’ll start moving in time to the beat. My older daughter was a disc jockey at college in the early ’90s and sent me tapes with
her commentary on a lot of what she called “industrial.” I hated the music, but she still likes it.
I remember my parents hating early rock and roll when I began to listen to it. I loved groups like the Coasters and Drifters. But my mom who loved opera constantly berated me for listening to “junk.” Why couldn’t I be happy with Puccini? She was willing to accept Rodgers and Hammerstein as substitutes, but never Chuck Berry. That actually sounds like my own attitude toward my daughters’ favorite music.
I guess that is a constant as the older generation always considers the younger generation to have degenerated instead
of building on what their elders have done. There are similar complaints about that going back as far as ancient Greece. Why do we love the music of our adolescence and early adulthood so much? My own guess is that it marks a lot of sentimental occasions, ones we want to remember, and the music keys in the memories.
But the Beatles were special. At first the adults all hated the music. The young loved the beat; their parents seemed to focus heavily on the hair. It sounds ridiculous these days that adults really thought longer hair meant the end of civilization. A lot of school officials and ministers were convinced of that thought.
By Leonard Wechsler
But the music was glorious. At first, adults simply mocked the songs. But a lot of musicians disagreed. I remember a night on The Tonight Show when 1960s opera star Jan Peerce sang “And I Love Her.” Johnny Carson tossed in the
See WECHSLER, page 42A
The Village of Royal Palm Beach partnered with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to host National Night Out Against Crime on Tuesday night at the Target Superstore on Okeechobee Blvd. The event included a bounce house and obstacle course for youngsters; free hot dogs, hamburgers and soda; and members of the PBSO and its specialty units. The purpose of the event was to create better relations and awareness between the community and law enforcement.
Butterfly Buffs — The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association hosted a presentation on butterflies in their ecosystems during an Aug. 6 meeting at the Okeeheelee Nature Center. Speaker Alana Edwards explained that butterflies are found in environments such as pine flatwoods and feed and reproduce on certain native plants. Because development often destroys native plants, butterflies have to go elsewhere to find food. The Loxahatchee Chapter of Florida Trail Association meets the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Okeeheelee Nature Center (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.). Visit www.floridatrail.org for info. (Above) Sherry Cummings, Ted Winsberg and Daisy Palmer look over a book about butterflies. (Left) Edwards discusses the zebra heliconian, the state butterfly.
PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Acoustic Musicians Night was held Monday, Aug. 6 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. Six talented musicians showed up to strum the evening away and entertain a small crowd. The free event is held the first Monday of every month and includes a jam session and open microphone. For more information, call Steve Petrone at (561) 790-5149. (Above) Musicians David “A1A” Frye, Randy Madison, Richard Dieker and Steve Petrone. (Below) Frye gets his closeup.
The Palm Beach County Division of Youth Affairs hosted the 10th Annual Resource Fair on Monday at the Highridge Family Center in West Palm Beach. This year’s theme was “Stop Violence Before It Stops You: Connect Our Youth to Community Resources.” Participants took part in on-site family activities and working with others as “action plan designers” to find solutions to youth violence. Groups designed action plans to connect Palm Beach County youths to existing resources in an effort to reduce gang membership, school dropouts and violence. There were also were many exhibits and displays presented by community organizations and family activities such as face-painting, fingerprinting for children and visits by McGruff the Crime Dog and Sparky the Fire Dog. The day started with a keynote address from State Rep. Priscilla Taylor (D-District 84). For more information, call (561) 625-2534.
Acreage youths and their parents joined representatives of the Indian Trail Improvement District and Palm Beach County for the opening of the new skating area at Acreage Community Park on Wednesday. The 55-by-100-foot area is located in the park’s northern parking lot and can be used for skateboarding, inline skating or street hockey. The county-owned park costs the same for Acreage residents and non-residents. Pay the $25 membership fee and each session costs $2; the cost is $3 without membership. For more info., visit www.indiantrail.com.
Skateboarders
Friends watch from the bleachers as skaters try out the park.
The teams have a “hands-in” moment before practice.
The Wellington-based travel baseball team the Hammertime Hurricanes and North Miami’s Red Sox met at the Elks Lodge on Belvedere Road last Saturday for baseball practice and a barbecue lunch. The last time the teams played, over Memorial Day weekend, Hurricane players noticed the Red Sox team had inadequate bats, balls and helmets. Hurricanes Dallas Ryder, Jordan Beller and Eric Roginski got the idea to donate their extra equipment to the newly formed Red Sox. Ryder’s father Scott, manager of the Hurricanes, thought it was a great idea and was proud of his team for being so generous.
the uniforms donated by
Players and coaches from both teams gather for a group
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
Building a successful football team often is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Once you have a few key pieces in place, it’s easier to find the remaining pieces to complete the puzzle. Palm Beach Central High School football coach John Timmins has some of those key pieces for this season’s team, most notably senior running back David Ahola and senior offensive tackle Danoas Esternen, but he’s going to spend the next couple of weeks putting the pieces around them together.
The Broncos, 7-5 last season, open the 2008 season Aug. 23 against Spanish River in the annual Kickoff Classic at 7 p.m. with one returning defensive
starter, senior linebacker Mike Dorman, and four returning offensive starters: Ahola, Esternen, senior wide receiver Cedric Joseph and junior fullback John Best. PBCHS began practice Monday with 140 players — varsity and junior varsity combined — taking part in twoa-day drills. Timmins said that number could increase to as many as 160 when school begins Aug. 22.
“We’ve got a lot of holes,” Timmins said. “We’re very young on defense and need to find some guys there. We need to execute to perfection and play as a unit. If we do that we’ll be fine.”
The Broncos, who open their
regular season at home against Cardinal Newman on Aug. 31, are slightly more settled offensively, where they’ll use the Multiple I to get the ball in the hands of Ahola, a lightning-quick running back coming off shoulder surgery. Ahola should get the majority of the carries for the Broncos, while Joseph is expected to be the primary target of junior quarterback Travis Simmons, who played on the JV squad last season.
“He’s done pretty well so far and has some nice pop in his arm,” Timmins said. “And David’s shoulder is fine. We’re expecting big things from him and Cedric. We need to play to our strength, which is ball control and avoiding mistakes.”
Along the Broncos’ offensive line, Timmins is high on junior center Alex Gonzalez and of course, Easternen, a six-footfour, 300-pound tackle who is among the best offensive linemen in Palm Beach County. Esternen, who dropped 40 pounds over the summer, has been highly rated by various scouting services and is being courted by several major colleges.
“He’s been working really hard on his conditioning and looks good,” Timmins said.
With his size and strength, Esternen is hard to miss, but Timmins pointed to another player to watch as well — kicker Patrick O’ Donnell, a six-footfive junior.
“He’s got some pop in his leg [punting] and can really kick it,” Timmins said.
August Activities
A number of programs are on the agenda at the Grassy Waters Preserve on Northlake Blvd. just east of Ibis:
Saturday, Aug. 11, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Celebrate the summer’s end with the annual Dragonfly Summer environmental open house. Activities include mini canoeing, dip netting, a mini swamp tromp, conservation activities, crafts, music and refreshments. This activity is free for all ages. A shuttle bus will be provided from the north side parking to the location on the south side.
Saturday, Aug. 18, 9 to 10 a.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. — Mini-canoeing for those who don’t have much time or are new to canoeing, for ages 6 and over. Fees are $5 for adults and $1 for children. The location will be on the south side at the Wilderness Pavilion. Reserva-
The 22 teams that make up the Wellington Soccer Club took to the fields at Village Park on Tuesday night during their second week of practice. Boys and girls ages eight to 18 years old are gearing up for the soccer season, which starts the last week of August. The club is also looking forward to hosting its first tournament, scheduled to take place Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 13 and 14. Dedicated to the development of boys and girls who want to compete at the highest level of youth soccer, the Wellington Soccer Club has been serving young players in the western communities since 1995. For more info., visit www. wellingtonsoccer.com. Pictured left and right are some of the young players at Tuesday’s practice at Village Park on Pierson Road.
PHOTOS BY LISA KEENEY/TOWN-CRIER FOR MORE PHOTOS, VISIT
WWW.WELLINGTONIMAGES.COM
tions are required 24 hours in advance.
Sunday, Aug. 19, 9 a.m. to noon
Learn about the City of West Palm Beach’s innovative water supply system, a wetlands-based water reclamation project that uses the marshland as a filter for water resources. The $34 million project has been in the works for 15 years and will assist West Palm Beach in maintaining sustainable water resources through 2020. Ages ten and up. Fees are $15 for adults, $5 for children. The Apoxee Urban Wilderness Park is on Jog Road one mile north of Okeechobee Blvd. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance.
Saturday, Aug. 25, 10:30 a.m. to noon — Learn about beneficial insects, the answer to reducing the use of pesticides, which can find their way into the water system. For ages 13 and over. Fees are $5 for adults, $1 for children. Location will be on the north side at the Ever-
glades Pavilion. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance.
For more information, call the Grassy Waters Preserve, located at 8264 Northlake Blvd., at (561) 804-4985 or (561) 629-6016, or visit www.grassywaters preserve.com.
The Okeeheelee Nature Center has the following programs coming up:
Every Saturday — Guided nature trail walks are held every Saturday at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. No reservations are needed.
Friday, Aug. 24 from 7 to 8 p.m. The Sunset Safari is an evening hike for ages seven and up. The cost is $3 per person. Reservations are required.
Saturday, Aug. 25, 2 p.m. — Prepare to be amazed as resident birds of prey are introduced in Raptor Chapter. This
program is for all ages and costs $3 per person. Reservations are required.
Saturday, Sept. 8, 10 a.m. — Come explore the Nature Center’s touch tank and learn about amazing underwater creatures. The cost is $3 per person for ages seven and up. Reservations are required.
Saturday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m. — Explore the shore of the Nature Center pond with net in hand to capture small fish, shrimp and aquatic insects. Participants should wear closed-toed shoes that can get wet. Ages 9 to adult, $3 per person, reservations are required.
Friday, Sept. 28, 7 to 8 p.m. — Sunset Safari is for ages seven and up, and costs $3 per person. Reservations are required.
The Okeeheelee Nature Center is located at 7715 Forest Hill Blvd. inside Okeeheelee Park. For more information, call (561) 233-1400.
The inaugural Seminole Ridge High School Football Camp for the Acreage Youth Football League recently ended. Campers were taught football fundamentals and proper techniques for a successful season in the AYFL. For more information, call (561) 795-5908.
Coach Thadd Pokabla shows Caleb Gregory and Nick Massimo the proper three-point stance.
The Wellington Aquatic Complex will begin fall hours the week of Aug. 20. The pool will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The last set of summer swimming lessons begins Aug. 20 and ends Aug. 30.
Fall lessons begin in September; registration is currently ongoing at the complex. If you have questions regarding the placement of your child, call the pool office for a placement test.
For more information about the Wellington Aquatic Complex, call the pool office at (561) 753-2484, ext. 2836.
Registration for Wellington Roller Hockey’s fall season runs now through Aug. 31 for ages four to 18. Signup is available at Village Park on Pierson Road or online at https://rec.ci.wellington.fl.us. You must have a Recreation Household number and password to register online. Registration hours at Village Park are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. The next meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 6 at 7:30 p.m. inside the park’s gym. The not-for-profit Roller Hockey Board is looking for members to help manage the youth roller hockey program. For more information, call (561) 2525478.
Saturday, Aug. 11
• The Maltz Jupiter Theatre (1001 E. Indiantown Road, Jupiter) will continue The Kid From Brooklyn through Sunday, Sept. 9. The smash musical is based on the life of New Yorker Danny Kaye. Tickets are $30 for matinee and $35 for all evening performances. Group tickets are available for 20 or more. Visit www.jupitertheatre. org or call (561) 575-2223 for tickets.
place at the Links of Madison Green on Monday, Aug. 13. Registration starts at 7 a.m. with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. The fundraiser will help James Rivera, a five-year-old diagnosed with MD. Call Terri Wescott at (561) 253-4724 or Dawn Dallin at (561) 309-5864 for more info.
• A Gun Show will be held at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.) Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 11 and 12. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults and free for ages 12 and under . For more info., call (561) 793-0333.
• The Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association will host an Ice Cream Social on Saturday, Aug. 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Good Earth Farm (2141 B Road, Loxahatchee Groves). The event will include a refreshing treat from Edy’s ice cream, a tour of the animal rescue facility, music and possibly dancing. Call Sharyn Browning at (561) 793-2193 for more information or to confirm the number of people you will bring.
• The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will conduct a trail maintenance clip and walk in the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area on Saturday, Aug. 11 at 6 a.m. For more info., call Paul at (561) 963-9906.
• Community of Hope Church will host Redemption Paintball from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug.11 for youth in grades 6 to 12. The cost of $10 covers lunch and unlimited air for paint guns. Equipment rental is available through Mike’s Paintball in Royal Palm Beach for a fee of $20. For more info., call Marc Goldberg at (561) 951-2835 or visit www.communityofhope.org. Community of Hope is located at 14101 Okeechobee Blvd. in Loxahatchee Groves.
• The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens’ annual Bon Festival will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11. Admission is $10 for adults 18 and up, $5 for children ages seven to 17. Children six and under and museum members are free. The Morikami is located at 4000 Morikami Park Road in Delray Beach. For more info., call (561) 495-0233 or visit www.morikami.org.
• The Wellington Aquatic Center’s final Dive-In Movie Night of the summer will be held on Saturday, Aug. 11, starting at 8 p.m. Enjoy the movie Ferngully while floating in the pool. The Wellington Aquatic Center is located at 12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd. at the Wellington Community Center. Call (561) 7532484 for more info.
Sunday, Aug. 12
• Visions Hair Studio’s firstever Haircut-a-Thon will take place Sunday, Aug. 12 from 12 to 5 p.m. at the salon at 12793 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in the Wellington Plaza. Visions will offer only haircuts during the five-hour fundraiser, requesting a minimum $25 donation for each. All donations will go toward finding a cure for leukemia and lymphoma. For more info., call (561) 790-1696 or visit www.vh salon.com.
Monday, Aug. 13
• The James Ryan Rivera Muscular Dystrophy Golf for the Cure tournament will take
• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will hold a member luncheon on Monday, Aug. 13 at Tequila Cancun restaurant in Greenacres. The event will feature presentations by state senators Dave Aronberg (D-District 27) and Jeff Atwater (R-District 25). Lunch begins at 11:45 a.m. Tequila Cancun is located at 2202 Jog Road. The cost is $15 for members with reservations, $20 for members at the door and $25 for nonmembers. RSVP to (561) 7906200.
• The Florida Alliance for Retired Americans (FLARA) will host a healthcare forum on Monday, Aug. 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the South County Civic Center in Delray Beach. The South County Civic Center is located at 16700 Jog Road. For more info., call (561) 792-8799.
Tuesday, Aug. 14
• The Acreage/Loxahatchee Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at 7:29 a.m. at Sneaky Pete’s Restaurant in the Grove (Winn-Dixie) Plaza on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. For more information, call President Richard Helton at (561) 792-5379.
• A meeting to discuss a master plan for the State Road 7 Corridor will take place Tuesday, Aug. 14 in Room 1-E-70 of the Vista Center at 2300 N. Jog Road in West Palm Beach. The proposed corridor master plan will address the future use of land within the study area, which generally consists of properties that front or are adjacent to SR 7 between Okeechobee Blvd. and Lantana Road. The meeting will take place from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more info., call (561) 233-5300.
Wednesday, Aug. 15
• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly after-hours mixer on Wednesday, Aug. 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Mr. Food’s NoFuss Meals, located at 10160 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in the Pointe at Wellington Green. The cost is $10 for members and $20 for non-members. Call (561) 790-6200 to RSVP.
• On Wednesday, Aug. 15, the Fresh Market in Wellington (10640 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington Green Square) will host a Fine Wine Gala featuring more than 50 wines available for sampling. All money from ticket sales will benefit diabetes research and education. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased by calling the JDRF chapter office at (561) 6867701.
• The Kravis Center (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will feature Kathy Griffin on Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. in Dreyfoos Hall. Griffin, best known for her stint on the sitcom Suddenly Susan and her reality show My Life on the DList, will share her uncensored observations on what A-list stars say and do. For tickets, call the box office at (561) 8327469 or visit the Kravis Center’s web site at www.kravis.org.
Thursday, Aug. 16
• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present a High School Musical Summer Celebration on Thursday,
Aug. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Participants ages 12-18 should wear red and white. Get in the game for a free-throw contest and bop to the top in a karaoke competition. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.
Friday, Aug. 17
• The Indian Trail Improvement District will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the opening of Acreage Community Park on Friday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. The park, located along 140th Ave. North, is the venue for many sports and recreational events in The Acreage. Call (561) 793-0874 for more info.
• Every Friday at 10 a.m. the Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) invites parents to bounce, sing and move with their babies to nursery rhymes and favorite songs. The program is for babies under one year. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.
• The Buckler Craft Show returns to the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.) Friday through Sunday, Aug. 17 through 19. Produced by one of the major craft show promoters in the southeast, this seasonal event features a large variety of crafts and accessories. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $6, under 12 free. For more info., call (561) 793-0333 or visit www. southfloridafair.com.
• Friday, Aug. 17 at 5 p.m. is the deadline for local artists to apply to be part of the Village of Wellington’s upcoming Art in Public Places Program. Artists are invited to submit an application to loan or donate artwork for a oneyear display in village facilities. All artwork should be freestanding or in display form (framed or mounted). All forms of media will be considered for review. Applications can be downloaded from the village web site at www.ci.wellington. fl.us or obtained by calling Nicole at (561) 791-4733.
• The Studio Theatre of Wellington will feature a performance by pianist Bradlee Hedrick on Friday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $15. The Studio Theatre of Wellington is located at 11320 Fortune Circle. Call (561) 204-4100 for ticket information and directions.
Saturday, Aug. 18
• CAFCI (Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement) will host its 12th Annual Business Awareness Expo at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center, 151 Civic Center Way, on Saturday, Aug. 18 from 1 to 7 p.m. Companies and individual business owners are welcome to showcase their businesses. Contact Amanayea Abraham (561) 791-1618 or Ed Clarke (561) 385-7224. Sunday, Aug. 19
• A benefit dinner for Copeland Davis will be held on Sunday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. at the center court of the original Wellington Mall (12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Davis, an internationally renowned pianist and Royal Palm Beach resident, needs urgent eye surgery that is beyond his means. The event is sponsored by My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper Charitable Trust and costs $40 per person, which includes dinner and entertainment. Call Ron Tomchin at (561) 807-7254 or e-mail ron@rpbadvisors.com for more information.
Parking Pass Application: Pick up or Go Online — Parking pass applications for Seminole Ridge High School students can now be picked up at the Student Services office. Students can also find the application online by visiting www.edline.net and using their Edline login from last year. The application re-
quires both a student and a parent signature.
Athletic Orientation Set for Aug. 23 — SRHS will hold its annual athletics orientation meeting Thursday, Aug. 23 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the gym. The meeting is open to all Seminole Ridge students and parents, and is mandatory
for any student wishing to participate in school sports this year. The event schedule is: food, Athletic Booster Club Membership signups (booster spirit wear and items on sale) at 5:30 p.m.; opening remarks at 6:30 p.m.; and meetings with athletic coaches at 6:45 p.m.
A medical doctor will offer athletics
Middle school performing arts students at Poinciana Day School in West Palm Beach demonstrated expertise in their chosen art forms at the musical finale for the year.
The performance consisted of the strings ensemble, world percussion circle and chorus. The strings ensemble also played at the graduation ceremony for the entire student body and families.
Under the direction of Susan Rasmussen and Suzanne Walter-Geissler of Palm Beach Suzuki, the strings ensemble plays violin, viola, cello and string bass instruments crafted by Nikolai Tambovsky of Florida Musical Instruments, a world renown master craftsman. Students learn the Suzuki method to play by ear, as well as the traditional method of sight-reading music. Students play individually, in small groups and as an entire ensemble.
The world percussion circle is under the direction of Jennifer Zivers, the founder and director of Rhythm and Rainbows, whose primary mission is to help children build self-esteem, life skills and a strong sense of community through the arts.
Students learn not only how to play the various instruments, but also about the different cultures where the instruments are from and their significance
within the cultures. Students learn about rhythms, interpreting stories and themes with their instruments.
The chorus is directed by Jorie Osuna, an accomplished jazz musician. Ms. Osuna has performed extensively in the Chicago area and South Florida as a soloist and part of big bands and duos.
The students learn and perform music from different genres and learn techniques of vocalization, including both the mechanics of singing as well as
eligibility physicals in the cafeteria at a cost of $25, with proceeds donated to the athletics program. A notary will be on campus as well to notarize athletic eligibility forms. For more information about this event, contact SRHS Athletic Director Scott Parks at (561) 422-2600.
Booster Club Meets Second Wednesdays — The SRHS Athletic Booster Club would like to welcome everyone to the 2007-08 athletic meetings. It meets the second Wednesday of the month in the media center at 6:30 p.m. Look for the applications in the mail or stop by the front office and pick one up. These memberships get boosters a season pass into all home sporting games.
The Booster Club is also putting together the annual sports program. Anyone who would like to sponsor or advertise in this program may pick up an application in the front office or call Cathryn at (561) 358-1509 for more information.
School begins Aug. 22 and the Palm Beach County Health Department is offering a number of locations for students to receive their required vaccinations prior to school beginning.
performance skills. The chorus also performs within the community.
Poinciana Day School is an independent school for kindergarten through eighth grade students with class sizes less than 15 students. The Montessoribased curriculum includes hands-on learning opportunities in all grades. Every student participates in a well-rounded curriculum including performing and visual arts, sports and fitness, Spanish and technology. For more information, call (561) 655-7323.
All new and transferring students are required to have been vaccinated against diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella and hepatitis B. Seventh graders should have a tetanus/ diptheria booster. Kindergarten through sixth grade should also have had their chicken pox vaccine.
For more information on open Health Department clinics and the sites for the immunization van, visit www.pbchd. com or call (800) 810-1225. People can also visit their physician to obtain forms and information.
Ten members of the Wellington High School band’s Majorette Squad under the direction of Coach Adrienne Brady recently won the Drum Majorettes of America National Championship.
The event was held at Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, July 18-22. The girls competed in five categories and were named national champions in three of the events: Senior Show Corps, High School Halftime and High School Line. They also earned third and fourth place in two events.
The girls’ average score from more than 20 judges was 90 percent and they received all “plus” marks in their performance to “Fiddler on the Roof” with no errors noted by the judges.
The girls and Coach Brady earned numerous compliments on their representation of Wellington and the State of Florida
from squads and instructors from throughout the United States. The DMA judges’ panel and contest officials also gave special commendation to the parental support of the group by their chaperones and equipment crew.
New Cross-Country Coach — The Wellington High School Athletic Department welcomes new girls cross-country coach Ms. Kara Fleming to the schools’ coaching staff.
Ms. Fleming has been recognized as “One of the Top Ten Road Runners in Florida” by Florida Sports. She has 11 years experience as a high school cross-country and track coach at Atlantic, Jupiter and Royal Palm Beach high schools.
Fall tryouts for girls crosscountry will start on Monday, Aug. 13 at 7 a.m. in the WHS courtyard. All participants should attend with a completed Palm Beach County sports eligibility packet.
Highridge Family Center in West Palm Beach is now accepting children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are on medication for the condition. The only additional admission requirement is that the child be closely monitored on a regular basis by the prescribing physician. Free help is available for youths with ADHD or who are having problems at home, school or with their friends.
Highridge Family Center, part of the Palm Beach County Public Safety Department’s Youth Affairs Division,
is a residential facility for “at-risk” youth between 11 and 15 years old. The center works with county families for up to three months and focuses on behavioral and emotional issues that youth struggle with in today’s society. The children attend a Palm Beach County alternative school on the property, participate in therapeutic programming and go home each weekend to practice their newly learned skills. The facility is located just east of I-95 at the corner of 45th Street and Australian Avenue.
Highridge Family Center has three boys’ dorms and three girls’ dorms located on opposite ends of the facility. Each dorm houses 12 children. The center employs dorm counselors who have bachelor’s degrees and experience working with children and teens. Treatment includes group, individual and family therapy and is provided by licensed master’s-level therapists.
The program utilizes a motivational system that rewards and encourages positive behavior while decreasing negative behavior. The mission and
philosophy of Highridge Family Center is prevention. The goal is to help children and families before problems lead to running away from home, failing numerous classes and/or grade levels, becoming totally disinterested in school or dropping out of school, fighting, joining a gang, using drugs and alcohol and having unprotected sex. Other than a nominal activity fee, the program is free.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (561) 6252540.
The Wellington Branch Library celebrated Clown Week on Monday, Aug. 6 with a visit by Mimi the Clown, a.k.a. children’s librarian Annmarie Campbell. She read stories, sang songs, danced and did crafts with the two- to five-year-olds and guardians attending. For more information about library activities, call (561) 790-6070.
Airman 1st Class Giancarlo Gonzales recently graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises and training in human relations.
In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate’s degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Gonzales is the son of Noemi Gonzales of Royal Palm Beach and is a 2004 graduate of Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach.
Lisa Benvenuto of Wellington recently graduated from the Art Institute of Fort
Lauderdale with a diploma in graphic and desktop design.
The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, established in 1968, offers several diploma programs as well as a variety of programs with bachelor’s and associate’s degrees.
It offers a large number of specialized programs, mostly focused on media arts, photography and graphics.
Kathryn Murdock of Wellington, a sophomore at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, was recently placed on the Deans’ Commendation List for outstanding academic achievement for the spring 2007 semester.
Students with a quality point average of 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale for a semester’s work are placed on the Deans’ Commendation List.
Gettysburg College is a four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park. The school was founded in 1832 and has a student body of about 2,600.
Coast Guard Seaman Apprentice
Rebekah Cabral, a 2003 graduate of Royal Palm Beach High School, recently graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey.
During the eight-week training program, Cabral completed a training curriculum consisting of academics and practical instruction on water safety and survival, military customs and courtesies, seamanship skills, first aid, fire fighting and marksmanship. A major emphasis is also placed on physical fitness, health and wellness.
‘Star Wars’ Invades Palms West Hospital Pediatric Unit — Pediatric patients at Palms West Hospital had some special visitors on Saturday, July 21 — Star Wars characters. Members of the local 501st Legion, Florida Garrison, Everglades Squad, visited ill children at the hospital. The 501st Legion is a worldwide Star Wars costuming organization composed of and operated by Star Wars fans. The organization aims to celebrate the Star Wars movies by dressing in character to promote the quality and improvement of costumes and props, as well as to contribute to the local community through charity and volunteer work.
Jonathan Hernandez has graduated from the Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) Leader’s Training Course at Fort Knox, Ky.
The 28-day course is a leadership internship for cadets who are normally between their sophomore and junior college years.
The Army observes and evaluates cadets to determine their officer potential
in leadership abilities and skills. The cadets are trained to have a sound understanding of traditional leadership values during the challenging, motivating “hands-on” training, which in turn develops well-disciplined, highly motivated, physically conditioned students and helps improve the cadets’ self-confidence.
Hernandez is a student at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He is the son of Joe and Laura Hernandez of Loxahatchee and is a 2005 graduate of Wellington High School.
Director Aaron Wells of Silver Beach Productions in Wellington recently announced the acceptance of the short film Opportunity Knocks at the acclaimed 2007 Moondance International Film Festival.
The festival will be held Sept. 7, 8 and 9 at Universal Studios CityWalk’s stateof-the-art theaters in Hollywood, Calif. Opportunity Knocks is scheduled to screen on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 8 p.m. in Theater IV. Fans of star Tristan Rogers are planning to attend the screening from as far away as Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Opportunity Knocks is a dark comedy about a distraught woman whose suicide attempt via poisoned tea is interrupted when Death’s bumbling bureaucratic assistant arrives early — causing “mortis interruptus.” She has second thoughts as he tries to hurry her into the afterworld before Death arrives to discover his blunder.
The film stars Rogers as Death, Suzanne Niedland as suicidal Luci and Tim Powell as Death’s assistant, Mr. More-
head. It was shot in high definition entirely in Palm Beach County.
The Moondance International Film Festival, popularly known as the “American Cannes,” is one of the premier venues for the exhibition and promotion of feature and short films in the U.S., and one of the leading independent film festivals in the world.
Dedicated to celebrating and sharing with international audiences the best in the world of film, the festival features special presentations, retrospectives, workshops, pitch panels, a gala awards reception and ceremony, and many of the world’s top independent film screenings. According to the festival’s web site, Moondance was voted the “third most important film festival in the world” after Cannes and Sundance in an online poll of 150,000 international film industry professionals.
Additional information on the Moondance International Film Festival is available at the festival’s web site, www. moondancefilmfestival.com.
Nicole Marie Samus and Corporal James Patrick Foster were married on Saturday, May 26 at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Bradenton, Fla. The bride is the daughter of Diana and the late John Samus of Bradenton. The groom is the son of James and Patricia Foster of Royal Palm Beach.
The bride is a senior at the University
Rahsi Nicole Bryant — daughter of Stacey Katrina and Randall C. Bryant of Loxahatchee was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 29.
Curtis O. King — son of Shakeria King and Curtis Chisem of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 29.
of South Florida where she is finishing her degree in elementary education. Foster, a 2002 graduate of Wellington High School and a 2007 graduate of the University of South Florida is currently serving in the United States Marine Corps.
The couple will reside in Temple Terrace, Fla.
Luke Joseph Figurella — son of Julie and Joseph Figurella of Royal Palm Beach was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 30.
Calib Michael Kreppin — son of Christina Mione and Jonathan Kreppin of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 31.
Cole Garrick Carver — son of Christy and Kyle Carver of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 30.
Three African leopard tortoises, ages three months to nine years old.
A recently-hatched male albino California black-and-white banded king snake was presented to the Okeeheelee Nature Center on Friday, Aug. 3 with the intention of mating with a year-old female albino scarlet California king snake. Both snakes were donated to the nature center by Fred Spector, curator of A Reptile Adventure in Port St. Lucie. Aug. 3 was also the last day at Nature Camp. Kids said goodbye to new friends and signed each other’s shirts. The Okeeheelee Nature Center is located inside Okeeheelee Park at 7715 Forest Hill Blvd. Call (561) 233-1400 for upcoming programs.
To celebrate its 27th year in the western communities, Absolute Dance of Wellington will be open on Saturday, Aug. 11 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. for a completely free day of dance. Absolute Dance specializes in educating students from pre-K to 18 years old with dance styles including ballet, jazz, hip-hop, acro, tap, lyrical and proven programs for “mommy and me” and pre-K students.
“We see our dance day as an opportunity to contribute further to our community,” co-owner Cheryl Alker said. “We have a team of exceptional teachers who are all giving their time voluntarily. It’s really a fun day; a chance to show that anyone can enjoy dance and benefit
from a creative, educational and healthy environment. We welcome children from all backgrounds. [It will be] a day when everyone gets a chance to have a go, a day of freedom of movement.”
Alker’s partner J.J. Butler added, “There are so many talented kids out there who can learn to express themselves through dance, but it’s important they recognize they do not always need to have started dancing when they were three years of age to excel. Many top dancers did not start until they were 10 or 11.”
For more information, call (561) 798 1388 or log on to www.absolutedance ofwellington.com.
Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful (KPBCB) will hold its annual International Coastal Cleanup on Sept. 15 and other dates in September. The cleanup is sponsored by the Ocean Conservancy and coordinated locally in Palm Beach County by KPBCB. Last year, more than 358,000 international volunteers helped clean up litter and marine debris from the shores, lakes, canals and rivers of 68 nations from Brazil to Bangladesh.
In Palm Beach County, most events begin at 8 a.m. For a list of sites, dates and times, visit www.keeppbcbeautiful. org or call (561) 686-6646 for more information. Community service hours will be given. Volunteers should pre-register by contacting the volunteer coordinators listed for each site. Trash bags and other supplies will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to wear hats, sunscreen, sturdy shoes and bring water. Free commemorative T-shirts will be given to volunteers while supplies last.
Last September, more than 3,800 volunteers in Palm Beach County picked up nearly 68,000 pounds of litter and debris
from area sites. Many of the volunteers record what they pick up on special Ocean Conservancy-provided data cards.
A list of the types of trash and debris picked up at some area sites was generated countywide, which can be found at www.keeppbcbeautiful.org/fcc2006 results.htm.
“What particuarly drives home the message for volunteers that this cleanup has purpose, is when they find birds, turtles and other wildlife entangled in fishing line or dead or dying from ingesting debris,” said KPBCB Executive Director Lourdes Ferris.
During the 2006 cleanup, 1,074 animals were found entangled in marine debris by international volunteers, including a year-old seal that was entangled in fishing gear along Hobe Sound.
Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful is a non-profit organization established in 1988, which serves as Palm Beach County’s affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. Its mission is to improve the quality of life in Palm Beach County through
litter prevention and education, beautification efforts and environmental stewardship.
The Ocean Conservancy, a not-forprofit organization, promotes healthy and
St. Peter’s United Methodist Church is planning its second Community Harvest Fest scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 6.
The Harvest Fest will feature a rummage sale, BBQ dinner, bake sale, entertainment and craft booths.
Six-foot tables are available to vendors in an air-conditioned building for $35 each. For vendors who prefer to furnish their own tent for a ten-by-tenfoot outside space, the cost will be $40. The deadline for applications is Sept. 15. For further information, or to request an application, call Al Bennett at (561) 753-6784 as soon as possible for there
diverse ocean ecosystems and opposes practices that threaten ocean life and human life. Based in Washington, D.C., the Ocean Conservancy has a regional office in St. Petersburg.
are limited spaces available. The church is located at 12200 Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington.
Community of Hope Church is sponsoring a trip to Redemption Paintball from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug.11 for youth in grades 6 to 12. The cost of $10 covers lunch and air for paint guns. Equipment rental is available through Mike’s Paintball in Royal Palm Beach for $20. A 24-hour advance notice is required for rentals. Redemption paintball is located at 14101 Okeechobee Blvd. in Loxahatchee. For more info., call Marc Goldberg at (561) 951-2835 or visit www.communityofhope.org.
continued from page 1A Palm Beach Polo consultant
Mike Nelson warned that the road improvements would result in excessive through traffic traveling 50th Street to reach State Road 7. He also took issue with the village’s decision not to demand a comprehensive plan amendment, which would require state review.
“We are selling the south end of Wellington for 80 days a year,” Nelson said. “It’s unfair for you guys to be stuck making this decision. It should be approved for a land-use change and go to Tallahassee. This is way too large.”
Attorney Dan Doorakian, who represents developer Mark Bellissimo, said he was convinced the village is erring not to require Stadium Jumping to seek a comprehensive plan change. “I have looked at every page of this village comprehensive plan and the code,” he said, “and I am absolutely confident that the decision for the comprehensive plan amendment not to be required is wrong.”
Aero Club resident Janixx Parisi said that as a local business woman and a former president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, she was suspicious of the official applicant Everglades Equestrian Partners, an entity whose controlling interests are unclear.
Parisi also accused Mische of abandoning a prior agreement with Bellissimo that would have created a massive equestrian development around Stadium Jumping’s current location.
“It’s a manufactured rush designed by the people who are saying we have to rush,” Parisi said. “Who let it get so bad? Who reneged on a 30-year con-
continued from page 10A was of the essence. If no problems arise, she estimated that an initial transmittal hearing can be held in August or September with the adoption hearing by the end of the year. Once it reaches Tallahassee, the amendment would need to be reviewed by a whole host of governmental agencies. If none object, the amendment would be adopted. If not, the process could take longer.
“If it comes back clean,”
Eichner said, “we can come back right away for an adoption hearing. If we have issues, we may not make it by December. We can roll it into 2008.”
Eichner said if given the goahead that evening, she and Lippman would come back to the council with an update on
continued from page 18A thought that when a really good singer did the song, it somehow sounded very good. Peerce had no trouble with the music. After all, he was a musician.
And there are other personal memories. I remember an evening with one girl I really cared about when the band at the nightclub began to play “Hey, Jude” as we danced and the whole audience sang along, and then segued into “Yesterday.”
I realized at that moment just
tract with another developer? Are we going to reward them for this sneak in the dark? If we don’t do it, they say, the equestrian industry will die. This is a big decision for this village.”
Stacker replied that the decision was not being rushed, and that Stadium Jumping welcomes input from as many groups as it could accommodate. He said ongoing lawsuits involving the failed MischeBellissimo partnership do not involve the village so far, and shouldn’t affect its development decisions. “There is a veiled threat they might be drawn in,” Stacker said. “It does not have a bearing on this process. We are asking for conditional use approval to go forward with this. In the unlikely event something would occur, it would not affect what this property would do under this entitlement.”
PZA Board members voiced support for keeping Stadium Jumping and its shows in Wellington. “If Wellington loses the equestrians, we might as well call it Royal Palm Beach,” Board Member Morley Alperstein said. “It looks like we have a door closed and a giant opportunity open up. I was excited about Stadium Jumping where it was. I am very much in favor of [this proposal]. I can’t see any reason in the world why we don’t do it.”
Board Member Howard Sohn agreed that the equestrian community is a critical element in the village, and the hurry is due to the fact that Stadium Jumping’s lease on its current facility expires at the end of 2008. Sohn also touched on the board’s mixed feelings about the Mische-Bellissimo proposal now abandoned.
“Everyone wants to keep them
the work at the next meeting.
D Road resident Carol Brooks supported the change. If the change does go through, the 32year resident said she might be forced to move.
“It would break my heart,”
Brooks said. “But I just became a grandmother. I can’t mow my grass. When you are talking about bringing in consulants, I see time ticking away. I am running out of time. We have been a town for a year now.”
Councilman Dr. Bill Louda made a motion for staff to work with Eichner on the change, which was seconded by Councilman Dennis Lipp. It passed 4-0 with Vice Mayor Marge Herzog absent. On a related topic, Julie Trevarthen of the Hollywood-based South Florida Regional Planning Council offered to help the town create its initial comprehensive plan.
how powerful the music was. And the audience at the show Saturday responded to the music. There are a couple of shows on television now that demand contestants know song lyrics. It would not have worked with this audience; they sang along, and at times the performers just waved and let the audience take over. Everyone in the place joined in on the wonderful harmonic chord buildup in “Twist and Shout.”
There was a poignant moment when Ron McNeil, personifying John Lennon, just sat at a piano and did the one non-Beatles song, “Imagine.”
in Wellington,” Sohn said. “We passed the last proposal. We all had misgivings, but we approved it. I feel the same way I felt then. If push comes to shove, I don’t want to see the horse shows leave. There are a lot of questions. It’s not a hundred percent yeah-yeah. If I had to err on either side, I would support it to keep it here. We have a lot of things to do before the building process.”
Board Chairman Alan Johnson credited Mische for his hand in developing Wellington’s equestrian element. “We have seen it happen before,” Johnson said. “I commend you, Gene, for trying to keep the shows here. I will vote for this because of you, and your drive to keep the shows here. I only hope, and I recommend, and I strongly urge the council to hold their feet to the fire to make sure we’re protected. We have to go in with our eyes open. There needs to be some kind of assurance. The council needs to demand that there should be an assurance that when this is approved, Mr. Mische has control. I am saying this is as a realist. We have seen it happen before.”
Board Member Carmine Priore III said he too supported the proposal, and if the project didn’t come to fruition, the zoning should revert. “I live very close to two pieces of property that have not turned out as we wanted,” he said. “I see little risk with this. If this project doesn’t go forward, it will go back to the way it was. It’s very acceptable to the community, unlike some of the other projects.”
Vice Chair Steve Delai made a motion to approve the development order amendment and master plan, which passed unanimously 5-0.
Trevarthen said the South Florida Regional Planning Council has worked with a number of new municipalities. As a nonresident, Trevarthen said she felt she could offer an unbiased perspective that could be helpful to the process.
“One of the reasons you would want to have someone like me to work with you is that I don’t have a dog in this fight,” she said. “It’s not my job to impose my vision on you.”
Trevarthen said her organization takes a creative approach to working with new municipalities, gearing meetings and sessions toward the residents in the communities.
“Some communities chose to do surveys through the web site,” she said. “We don’t slot you in a particular process that gets used for every community.”
It reminded all of us of our old days of innocence when the phrase “peace, love and freedom” did not mean kissing the backside of every murdering dictator in the world.
I love to listen to the old music. It was fun and often beautiful. But it is the memories it all brings back that makes it special.
I expect that’s why the younger generation still hangs on to a lot of what I consider awful. But then again my mother could not understand how I could prefer Lennon and McCartney to Verdi. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The Village of Royal Palm Beach is offering summer trips to area casinos for residents of the western communities.
Aug. 16: Isle of Capri in Pompano Beach. The price of $25 includes bus transportation, lunch and gaming.
Aug. 22: Prince Cruise Lines. The price of $28 includes bus transportation, show and buffet lunch.
Aug. 30: Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood. The price of $20 includes $15 gaming and lunch voucher, bus transportation and gaming.
continued from page 10A issued special parking permit for ten months before it was revoked.
“The staff allowed private parking, on a property not allowed, by the Tavern on the Green,” Coleman said. “We should not have this in the Equestrian Preserve Area. My home would be impacted by the noise.”
Resident Don Perham agreed that approvals from village staff had created problems, and that residents could not handle any more “improvements.”
“We can’t take this,” Perham said. “We can’t handle it. This is the Equestrian Preserve Area. They’ve already destroyed the horse trail. We have no horse trail now. It’s a parking lot sitting in the middle of a horse trail.”
Attorney Martin Perry, repre-
Trevarthen said the work would not be free, but as a nonprofit, she would charge a more reasonable price than some other consultants.
After some further discussion, the council directed town staff to work with Trevarthen on a proposal she could bring back to the next council meeting for their review.
In other business:
• The council voted to require manure haulers to register with the town and provide particulars about the origin and destination of a manure load, and also for residents accepting deliver-
continued from page 9A ed the village’s influence on development in the area.
“We certainly know our voices can be heard, especially when cities work together and show a unified front,” Lodwick said. “That was a lesson — hopefully — we learned very well. We’re always going to have issues we disagree on, but we need to focus more on the issues we need to agree on.”
The Aug. 14 meeting begins a busy week for Lodwick. Immediately following a village council meeting the following Thursday, which will begin earlier than usual at 5 p.m., Lodwick will drive to Orlando to attend the 81st Annual Florida League of Cities Conference that continues through Saturday.
Signups are held at the recreation center, 100 Sweet Bay Lane. Space is limited to 35. Call Noel for more information at (561) 791-7080.
The Village of Royal Palm Beach will present the second annual Summer Arts Festival. Visit Veterans Park on Saturday, Aug, 25 from 9 a.m. through 2 p.m. Enjoy food and beverages at the Wild Orchids Café as well as musical entertainment by the waterfalls. For more info., call (561) 790-5149.
senting Equestrian Club Estates residents in their fight against the club, said it took the better part of a year to get the special parking permit revoked. Perry also said safety is an issue, because the bulk of the parking is in front of the facility, which is near the entrance to Equestrian Club Estates.
“They are in front of the only entrance into Equestrian Club Estates, and it creates a safety issue, and it’s a concern,” he said
Equestrian Cynthia Gardner said the club’s owners knew what restrictions applied when they established the club.
“They knew this when they bought the property,” she said. “They don’t have any rights being taken away from them. It’s not the right spot. I oppose this move for the Tavern on the Green, and the village as a whole.”
Delai made a motion to reject the changes, which was seconded by Board Member Morley Alperstein. It passed 4-1 with Board Member Craig Bachove opposed.
ies to also register. Councilman Dennis Lipp made the motion, which passed 4-0 with Herzog absent.
• Collecting Canal Road residents Pat and Ken Johnson told the council they had gotten the go-ahead to form a Community Emergency Response Team or CERT in the community, which would meet Monday and Wednesday evenings at Palms West Presbyterian Church. If the town ever has a disaster, Pat Johnson said, the team would coordinate with the town on disaster response efforts.
“I’ll be there to listen, too, and to talk to some officials from surrounding counties. It’s also a good time to meet with some of the elected officials from Palm Beach County that we really don’t get to spend much quality time with,” Lodwick said. “There are several quality sessions. It will be interesting to hear their thoughts about our state government. I think that will be the topic of conversation, as always.”
The county’s SR 7 corridor plan meeting is scheduled to take place at the Planning, Zoning & Building Department’s West Palm Beach offices in the Vista Center at 2300 North Jog Road from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Besides answering questions and gathering input from interested parties, county staff will make presentations at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. For more information, call (561) 233-5300.
By Paul Gaba Town-Crier Staff Report
What started ten years ago as a small home roofing company has blossomed into a major player in the industry. And Ideal Roofing’s Vice President Jay Mangel is not complaining one bit.
“We started with new construction only, working with small builders,” Mangel said.
“We worked out in The Acreage, Wellington, with the equestrian and polo people, and we started with custom home builders — people that were building three to ten homes a year. That’s where we got our niche.”
But in the wake of the hurricanes in 2004 and 2005, Mangel said, many roofers devoted themselves to the re-roofing side of the business.
“They left their new construction high and dry, in the middle of the job,” Mangel said. “They basically said, ‘we can do less work for more profit by doing this.’ And we were one of the few companies in South Florida with only a new construction background, so we picked up a tremendous amount of work.”
The shift put the Wellington-
based Ideal Roofing in an excellent position to expand its operations, and the company now works with major housing conglomerates like D.R. Horton and Lennar Homes.
Ideal Roofing has also expanded into the re-roofing area, again as an aftermath of the hurricanes.
“Just recently we got into reroofing because we had so many people whose houses we roofed ten years ago who wanted us to do their roof again,” Mangel said. “Now we do service work, repairs and new construction. You can only tell people ‘no’ so many times before you go, ‘we had more calls this week for re-roofing than for new construction, let’s just do it.’”
Mangel added that business is now three and a half times what it was before the hurricanes.
“We still have people who haven’t been re-roofed since the hurricanes, and we’re still doing that repair work. It has been two or three years, and we’re still ripping off tarps and doing the work.”
Mangel said his company’s philosophy is simple: do the right thing. He stresses it constantly to employees regardless of whether they are estimating,
accounting or doing the actual roofing work.
“If someone calls us for a repair, we try to repair it instead of trying to sell them a new roof. If we can delay the roof for a year or two and help them out financially, we’d rather do that,” Mangel said. “We give the customer options — when we inspect their roof, we can tell them it’s either, say, $4,000 to fix the roof or can do a new roof for $26,000. But we give the homeowner the choice. We let them make the decision.”
Mangel said he never pushes a new roof on a customer, because he doesn’t know their financial limits. “I’d rather do the repair for them and help them out,” he said. “Most people don’t have $25,000 or $30,000 or $40,000 laying around for a new roof. Let’s fix the roof, and if they need a new roof, if they call back in a few years, we’ll be happy to help.”
Ideal Roofing has 8,000 square feet of storage space for various supplies, and Mangel said the company keeps the warehouse stocked year round. Ideal Roofing has a dozen crews that work from as far south as Broward County, north to Melbourne and west of Lake Okeechobee. The size of crews
vary, depending on whether they are laying shingles, tearing down a roof or mopping up a site. They also have an estimator and an in-house information technology employee who continually tracks the numerous projects in progress.
A typical roof will last between 17 and 24 years, regardless of whether it is covered with flat tile or shingles, Mangel said, adding that the real key to a roof keeping a home dry is the black underlay below the tiles or shingles.
“That’s the black stuff you see on the roofs,” he said. “Once it has been exposed to the sun for longer than 30 days, you have to tear it off. The sun pulls all that oil out of it, which is asphalt, and that dries it out and rots it. Nothing happens to the tile — the tile is good to go as long as we’re on the planet. But if people are missing tiles — if the underlayment is exposed — it will be leaking, if not now, within a few years.”
While Ideal Roofing was es-
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
Out here in the western communities, it can be difficult to find a nice bar “where everybody knows your name.” Connolly’s Sports Bar & Grill in Royal Palm Beach is a nice place to get a drink, have some great bar food, play some pool or other games, watch sports on flatscreen televisions and listen to live music. Yes, you read that correctly, live music. Connolly’s features local bands four nights a week!
The bar, in a small shopping center on State Road 7 at Belvedere Road, is such fun that television station WPBF named it the number-one sports bar in the county. Owner Trish Dunn named the bar for her late grandmother and said she works hard to make the place into a “home away from home” for her customers.
“We have different types of crowds in here,” Dunn said.
“Early in the day we have a lot of retired folks as well as people who stop off on their way home from work. Later on we have people stopping off on their way home. We have 14 flatscreen TVs as well as three 107inch projection TVs, an Internet jukebox, five pool tables and four tables with other games.”
Although it has had several names and owners, Dunn said Connolly’s is one of the few “real bars” in the area because it was already in place in 1982 before zoning regulations were enacted to keep similar places
out. “There are many restaurants that have bars and show sports,” Dunn said, “but they’re really just restaurants. Most people come in, have dinner and occasionally watch something on the screen. Here the people interact. They come in to meet and to have fun.”
Dunn said different people show up on different nights because of the music and the different specials.
“Monday night we have wings at 35 cents each, with a choice of toppings. Tuesday night we have a special on tacos for a dollar, each made fresh,” she said. “Wednesday night we feature a French dip but we also have our Hump Day Jam. That’s three different live bands that all play together. Thursday, Friday and Saturday we also have live bands. We have a whole group of bands that rotate in here and they often bring their fans.”
Connolly’s also features fish and chips on Thursday, clams for 35 cents on Friday and barbecue ribs on Saturday. Sunday features dollar hotdogs and discounts on pitchers of beer for special NASCAR and NFL sessions.
“Actually, our major business of course is the bar and letting people just lean back and have a good time,” Dunn said, “but our bar food is pretty good. We’re not a restaurant, and we’re not fancy, but we serve what people want.”
The regular menu features wings, mozzarella sticks, chicken and buffalo fingers, jalapeño poppers, clam strips, fish and chips, onion rings and fries, along with salads, a variety of burgers and cheese-steak and grilled-cheese sandwiches.”
Dunn is a longtime resident of Royal Palm Beach. She and her husband, who also works as a subcontractor for Royal
Wall Systems, have two young children.
So if you want to enjoy a great sports bar, come on down to Connolly’s. You’ll probably keep coming back.
Connolly’s Sports Bar & Grill is located at 10045 Belve-
dere Road, on the west side of State Road 7, and is open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 2 a.m. Sundays. Call (561) 795-0403 for more information or visit www. connollysbar.com.
2,634sf+/-. Built 1993. Approx 1.25ac lot. Taxes approx $7526 (‘06). Opening Bid: $50,000 Inspections: 1-4pm Sun. Aug. 12th & 19th and 2hrs prior to sale.
WELLINGTON, FL - 13554 Exotica Lane
Formerly shown as WEST PALM BEACH. 3BR 3BA 1,588sf+/-. Built 1984. Approx .21ac lot. Taxes approx $4050 (‘06). 2-car attached garage. Sugar Pond Manor Wellington subdivision. Palm Beach County Schools. Opening Bid: $50,000 Inspections: 1-4pm Sun. Aug. 12th & 19th and 2hrs prior to sale.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - 9774 Osprey Isles Blvd 4BR 3BA 2,988sf+/-. Near the Palm Beach Gardens Golf Course. Built 2005. Approx .16ac lot. Taxes approx $7593 (‘06). Osprey Isles Pud subdivision. Opening Bid: $50,000 Inspections: 1-4pm Sun. Aug. 12th & 19th and 2hrs prior to sale.
Above properties sell: 4:00pm, Mon., Aug. 20th at 17348 79th Court N, Loxahatchee, FL
LAKE WORTH, FL - 109 N Palm Way
Formerly shown as Palm Way. 3BR 2BA 1,764sf+/multi-family. Near the Lake Worth Municipal Golf Club. Built 1925. Approx .15ac lot. No garage. Opening Bid: $50,000 Inspections: 1-4pm Sun. Aug. 12th & 19th and 2hrs prior to sale.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - 653 Bonnie Lane 4BR 2BA 1,649sf+/- multi-family. Built 1972. Approx .3ac lot. Taxes approx $3289 (‘06). No garage. Opening Bid: $25,000 Inspections: 1-4pm Sun. Aug. 19th and 2hrs prior to sale.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - 845 Dobbins Street 3BR 3BA 850sf+/-. Built 1948. Approx .172ac lot. Taxes approx $2787 (‘06). No garage. Lakeview Ridge subdivision. Opening Bid: $10,000 Inspections: 1-4pm Sun. Aug. 19th and 2hrs prior to sale.
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL - 8822-8826 Sunset Dr 4BR 4BA 2,583sf+/- multi-family. Built 1967. Approx .34ac lot. No garage. Opening Bid: $50,000 Inspections: 1-4pm Sun. Aug. 12th & 19th and 2hrs prior to sale.
Above properties sell: 6:30pm, Mon., Aug. 20th at 109 N Palm Way, LAKE WORTH, FL
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
When a potential client pays a visit to A-1 Polo Auto & Truck Repair in Wellington’s Commerce Park, they might be surprised to find a woman running the business.
“It’s totally unusual,” proprietor Sandy Collins said. “They assume there is a husband. It’s just me. It’s unusual especially for men because they are not used to it. The first question they ask is, ‘where’s your husband?’”
But Collins knows the automotive repair business intimately. Married at 18, Collins said she and her husband expanded their home-based car repair business into a combination salvage yard, dealership and repair shop in Miami.
“We had the whole block in Miami,” Collins said. “I got divorced ten years later. I was out of the business for a while. I was in the construction business for a time and got hurt. I needed to get another job, but I wanted to continue to be my own boss. Since I was in the car business, and I loved it so much, I felt like I could make a difference again, so I went back into it. In every business I own, that’s what I like to do — just make a difference.”
Collins, who now lives in The Acreage, bought the business formerly called A-1 Polo Automotive Repair of Wellington in June. Since then, her customer base has been growing through word of mouth. She said many
customers come to her after being quoted high repair prices elsewhere.
“I’ve had people who have been misdiagnosed,” Collins said. “I had a young lady who had a Chevy Blazer. They told her at one place that she needed her whole air conditioner fixed for $1,400. So Mark, one of the technicians, checked it out. It was something simple, so she paid us $380 to have it fixed. There was another lady with a Jaguar who was told at another shop that she needed a new transmission. She brought it here, and all it needed was a tune-up. It cost her $169 versus $1,600.”
Collins said Mark and Derek, her auto technicians, both have years of experience in auto repair, and don’t rely solely on computers to diagnose problems, unlike some newly trained mechanics. They are capable of doing work on all makes and models of cars and trucks, as well as four-wheel-drive vehicles, RVs and boat engines, she said.
“We fix almost everything,” Collins said. “Derek is an electrical and computer expert. We’re really good at diagnosis. Kids today, when they go to the school, they only learn how to diagnose with equipment. The technicians I have, they drive them, listen to them and smell them. They can tell you what’s wrong even if they don’t have the little computers with them. Some mechanics and technicians are lost if they don’t have the computers. I choose guys
like these because they know how to take engines apart, and they do high-performance.”
Collins said her technicians regularly perform tune-ups and work on starters, air conditioning systems, batteries, exhaust systems, timing belts, CV joints, catalytic converters, oil changes, alternators, brakes, radiators, clutch repair and replacement, shocks and struts, mufflers and differentials. Collins said they have been known to fix minor bodywork, but major body repairs will probably need to go to an auto body shop.
Whatever the repair, she said, her technicians will not do unnecessary work or order unneeded parts. “We’re here to make a difference and treat people like they are family instead of big money,” she said.
Another way Collins said she treats customers like family is to make sure they get a ride if needed, even taking them where they need to go while their vehicle is being serviced.
“Some of the other places don’t offer that service,” Collins said. “I offer free towing up to ten miles. That’s nice also. It helps out. I drop the kids off at L.A. Fitness all the time, or the mall. It’s whatever they need. I’m like the neighborhood mom. My guys are the same way. Whatever they can do to help.”
A-1 Polo Auto & Truck Repair is located at 3141 Fortune Way, Bay 5, in Wellington’s Commerce Park. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call (561) 383-5450 for more information or (561) 373-3958 in an emergency situation.
Choice Plus Joins Keller Williams Realty Team
Keller Williams Realty operating principal Diane Harbison and broker/team leader Nancy Jennings recently announced the addition of the Choice Plus Real Estate team to their Wellington market center.
The team includes top-producing broker associate Kimberly Joy Castellotti, along with her husband broker associate Thomas Ward, Realtor associate Teodat “Ted” Jagessar and Realtor associate Naomi Mayer.
Harbison and Jennings said the addition of the Choice Plus Real Estate organization to their western communities team is a tremendous asset for the Wellington office, adding that the team epitomizes the “best of the best” in the real estate business.
“Their example and desire to help other agents grow their business will make a tremendous difference in the lives of our agents and the continued growth of Keller Williams in Palm Beach County,” Harbison and Jennings said. “Additionally, we’re confident their personal real estate practice will continue to soar.”
Headquartered in Wellington, Choice Plus Real Estate has closed almost $50 million in residential real estate since opening its doors in early 2005. Castellotti began her real estate career more than eight years ago with ERA Professional Realty Group. In 1999, she was recognized as ERA’s International Rookie of the Year. Castellotti has since grown her business to become one of the top teams and groups within the western communities.
Ward joined her in October 2000, coming from a construction management career to help continue the growth of their team.
The Keller Williams Wellington market center has more than 109 agents and continues to grow as agents realize the
benefits the Keller Williams system offers. Castellotti, Ward and Jagessar said they are excited to be joining forces with Harbison and Jennings in such a prosperous marketplace.
For more information about the Choice Plus Real Estate team at Keller Williams Realty, call (561) 472-1236 or visit www.choiceplusrealestate.com. Keller Williams Realty is located at 12008 South Shore Blvd., Suite 101.
Fresh Market Gala To Benefit Diabetes Research
As part of a national campaign that brings communities together to raise critically needed funds for research on Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes, the Fresh Market in Wellington will host a wine gala on Wednesday, Aug. 15 to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The gala will include wine tasting stations and plenty of hors d’oeuvres.
In addition, the Fresh Market will hold its 13th Annual Sidewalk Sale on Friday, Sept. 7 through Sunday, Sept. 9 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. to benefit the JDRF. Each of the Fresh Market’s 70 stores will offer hot dogs, root beer floats, and fresh fruit for donations to JDRF in support of its mission to find a cure for diabetes and its complications. The Fresh Market is pleased to supply all food products for the event and will donate 100 percent of the money raised over the three days directly to JDRF.
“For more than a decade, the Berry family and the Fresh Market have been dedicated supporters of JDRF’s mission: to find a cure, fast,” JDRF President and CEO Arnold Donald said. “We are always grateful for this partnership with the Fresh Market in helping us turn research into reality through the fund raising brought in by their signature Sidewalk Sale.”
The wine gala and sidewalk sale are two of the many ways the Fresh Market
continues to support JDRF. This year, the company hosted “SummerFest: A Celebration of 25 Years of Service,” a daylong celebration that donated $12,815 from raffle ticket sales and 10 percent of the day’s store sales to JDRF. In addition, the Fresh Market was the first presenting sponsor of the Walk to Cure Diabetes held in the corporate headquarters city of Greensboro, North Carolina. The company has also consistently been a research sponsor, the highest gala sponsorship level, and was honored at the Piedmont Triad Chapter’s initial gala in 2001.
“These events brings communities together each year to increase awareness and raise critically needed funds for research on Type 1 diabetes,” Fresh Market founder Ray Berry said. “Last year the Fresh Market was proud to raise $200,000; our goal for 2007 is $300,000.”
JDRF was founded in 1970 by the parents of children with Type 1 diabetes — a disease that strikes children, adolescents and adults suddenly, makes them insulin dependent for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. Since inception, JDRF has provided more than $1.16 billion to diabetes research worldwide. More than 85 percent of JDRF’s expenditures directly support research and research-related education. JDRF’s mission is constant: to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. For more information, visit www.jdrf.org.
Tickets to the wine gala are available for purchase in advance at the Wellington store, located 10640 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington Green Square. Tickets are also available the night of the benefit. Call (561) 753-9861 for more information. The Fresh Market is a family-owned, privately held company. Visit www.thefreshmarket.com for more information.
Sixteen-year-old Riko Cole of Loxahatchee has designed a community service project to raise public awareness of the declining conditions in our environment due to global warming. Cole, a Florida native, has set out to convince people to trade in their old incandescent light bulbs for free compact fluorescent light bulbs donated by GreenLights.
The project will encompass the western communities and will continue for the remainder of the summer. By undertaking this project, he hopes to help his fellow citizens save some green while going green.
The compact fluorescent bulbs, though usually a little more costly, are actually a lot more cost efficient because they will last much longer than incandescent bulbs. Cole will be going door to door in local neighborhoods and advertising in local businesses to spread the word on his “Got a Light?” campaign.
“I feel like I can make a real difference with this project,” Cole said. “Global warming is a serious problem, but with this campaign I can educate people on the benefits of making their homes more energy efficient and help save the environment.”
The project is being sponsored by GreenLights, a company committed to making a positive impact on the environment through the sale of energyefficient products and through the promotion of environmental awareness.
“GreenLights is committed to reverse negative environmental trends by making it easy for everyone to take small steps which will, collectively, make a major impact,” GreenLights owner and founder Eddie Chu said. For more information about the project, visit www.greenlightsusa.com.
The Wellington Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed City Mattress to its newest location at 10650 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington Green Square near the Fresh Market. Sweet dreams begin when your bed is just right, and the sleep specialists at City Mattress can help you select the sleep set best suited to your own particular comfort needs. Stop by and meet the friendly team at this family owned sleep-specialty business or give them a call at (561) 784-8700. Pictured above are (L-R) Incoming Chamber President Mike Nelson, Immediate Past President Janixx Parisi, chamber ambassador Denise Carpenter of Security Self Storage, City Mattress President Mark Schiller, City Mattress Regional Manager Richard Glowacki, City Mattress employees Steven King and Jena Tirrell, and Chamber President Darell Bowen.
CityPlace will add the popular children’s specialty shop Alphabet Soup and the Italian gelato shop and café Mamma Che Buono to its tenant mix this fall. Additionally, due to the success of their current CityPlace location, Starbucks will open a second location on the property by the end of the year.
Previously located on South Dixie Highway near the Norton Museum, Alphabet Soup has a strong local customer base. The boutique is owned by sisters Sabra van der Poel and Kelly Kirkpatrick, both residents of West Palm Beach. It offers clothing, gifts and accessories for babies and children sizes 2T to eight years with lines such as Feltman Brothers, Anavini and Vive La Fete. They also feature a monogramming service, baby registry, shipping and gift wrapping.
“Since we founded Alphabet Soup three years ago, the business has grown steadily, with clients referring their friends and
neighbors to the point where we now fulfill orders from all over the country,” said van der Poel. “We were definitely ready to expand into this larger, higherprofile location at CityPlace, which will allow us to offer more unique clothing and gift lines, as well as grow our popular baby registry operation. CityPlace is already a popular destination for families, so it’s a perfect spot for what we have to offer.”
The 1,500-square-foot store will open this August on Rosemary Avenue between Oilily and Pottery Barn.
Mamma Che Buono will open a 1,635-square-foot location adjacent to the plaza this winter. With more than 400 stores worldwide, the company has become a popular favorite for its menu of Italian handmade gelatos.
The store will offer entertainment areas for its customers, including a children’s playroom, a reading and music area and an
Internet and wi-fi corner.
Also opening this fall is a second CityPlace location for Starbucks. Starbucks’ first location at CityPlace has reported great success; the nationally recognized Seattle-based coffee company has now signed on to take over the 200-square-foot kiosk on the plaza, across from the fountain. The beverage and snack bar will offer Starbucks’ signature coffee drinks, as well as pastries and light lunch fare. CityPlace recently announced that Kona Grill, an American grill and sushi bar, will open a 6,900square-foot restaurant near Barnes & Noble by the end of the year.
New stores and restaurants that opened during the spring were Jinja Bar & Bistro, Nine West, Quiksilver, Pac Sun, Journey’s, Lucky Brand Jeans, Sigrid Olsen and Sephora.
For more information, call CityPlace Guest Services at (561) 366-1000 or visit www. cityplace.com.
The Palms West Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Chicken Kitchen restaurant in Royal Palm Beach. Chicken Kitchen is a rapidly expanding franchise that features marinated grilled chicken, boneless pita chicken breast sandwiches, unique Chop Chop entrees, freshly prepared side dishes and special proprietary sauces. The key to the success of Chicken Kitchen is the emphasis on high quality, fresh, natural and healthy food. Located at 10233 Okeechobee Blvd. near the Target Superstore, Chicken Kitchen is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. To place an order, call (561) 793-3850. Pictured above is owner Archie Barrant with chamber ambassadors.
Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon was recently appointed to serve a one-year term on the inaugural Tax Collector Steering Committee created by Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Electra Theodorides-Bustle.
The committee is designed to assist DHSMV with efforts relating to strategic planning, legislative issues and customer service and will meet quarterly.
“As the people in the field, tax collector offices are well suited to assist the DMV in identifying and prioritizing key issues that impact delivery of mo-
continued from page 1B tablished in 1997, Mangel came on board last August as a partner to original owner Scott Davis. But before joining Ideal, Mangel spent eight years as a sales representative for Elk Building Products, a leading manufacturer in the roofing industry. He said his experience with Elk gave him great insight into the business, especially the six-month training period that included working in the plant, traveling cross-country with other sales man-
torist services to the public,” Gannon said. “I’m honored to provide guidance and recommendations on substantive issues such as legislation and innovative customer service.”
The intent of the DHSMV is to ensure the tax collector members are structured to offer equitable representation to both small and large counties, rural and urban counties, and those doing both motor vehicle and driver license services.
The Palm Beach County Tax Collector does not yet offer driver’s license service. For more information, visit www.taxcollectorpbc.com or call (561) 355-2264.
agers, and even doing roofs.
Along with roofing, Ideal is branching out into aluminum and iron stair railing and custom manufactured art, and may diversify further. Ideal Roofing was featured on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and has also sponsored local events and organizations such as the Community Reinvestment Act, various athletic teams and school organizations.
Ideal Roofing is located at 11101 S. Crown Way, Suite 6 in Wellington. For more info., call (561) 753-ROOF (7663) or visit www.idealroofingsystems.com.
Now that the school year will soon begin, the time is perfect for consumers to head back to class and refresh their financial know-how. Understanding budgeting basics, developing financial goals, protecting yourself from identity theft or foreclosure, understanding your credit score and what it says about you, and finding the mortgage that is right for you are all important lessons on the path to financial freedom.
To help get you started, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast (CCCS) is offering 49 free “webinars” in August. A webinar is a live online class you can attend anywhere, whether at work or in the privacy of your home.
“Our CCCS webinars are all about financial education and personal empowerment,” said Todd Mark, Director of Consumer Relations for CCCS. “What better time of year to enrich yourself and become ‘money-smart’ than back-toschool?”
Each workshop lasts 45 to 60 minutes and covers a wide range of topics, including:
“How Do I Save My Home?” — This webinar will provide you with clear concise steps you can take now to save your home and catch up on your monthly mortgage payments. We will also provide an explanation of the many different workout options available to avoid foreclosure.
“How Do I Get Out of Debt?” — This course will teach you that paying off debts gives you the freedom and flexibility to do what you want. You will learn how to prevent spending your future, how to pay-off charges quickly, and learn the steps to build a workable plan to payoff your debts.
“Where Does My Money Go?” — You will receive detailed instruction to
create a priority spending plan to save enough money to reach your goals.
“Where Do I Want to Be in Five Years?” — Learn to identify and commit to goals that inspire you to make the right choices. You will learn to start with your ending goal in mind, write down your goals and adjust your goals as necessary.
“Check it Out” — This webinar will show you how to open a checking account, how to manage a checking account, and how to reconcile your checking account.
“Handling Life’s Big Emergencies” — Do you know about the top five emergencies that can devastate a family’s finances? Learn ways to protect yourself and your family in case of an emergency and learn about resources that can help you with your emergency situation.
“Living On 70 Cents” — This webinar will instruct you on how to build a spending plan that includes margin, savings and investments. You will also learn how to make better buying decisions.
“What’s the Best Mortgage Loan for Me?” — Understanding the loan prequalification/pre-approval process can save prospective homeowners money. Learn about the available mortgage options and the underwriting and loan decision process.
“Who Is On My Home Buying Team?” — Who do you need to have on your home buying team? Learn more about their roles and how they will help you achieve your goal of buying a home.
“Buy the House I Love or Love the House I Can Afford?” — This webinar will instruct you on how to establish your price range before shopping for a home. Understand the additional costs to include when purchasing a home, and determine what your budget is for all your housing costs.
“Financial Success Starts Here” — Take control of your finances today by
learning the steps involved in gaining a better view over your finances. This webinar will teach you concepts of setting goals and putting in place a priority spending plan.
“Why Am I a 678?” — Learn how your credit score can affect your financial life, and what to do to improve your score.
“Identity Theft: Protect Yourself” — You can protect yourself from identity theft. Learn the necessary steps that you need to take to protect your information and avoid the common mistakes that allow the thieves to take your identity. Learn also what you have to do if you are already a victim of identity theft.
In addition to these webinars, you can also tune in online for the CCCS radio show, featuring Mark and Director of Education Mechel Glass, who focus on stories of the week that impact your money and your life. The show is very interactive, and participants choose the direction of the discussion, often becoming an online support group.
For more information, log on to www.cccsinc.org and click on the “sign up for a free online education course” link or visit webinars.cccsinc.org.
Some tax deductions are not mentioned by name on a tax form but can still be quite valuable to a taxpayer. If you own a trade or business, you can deduct a number of expenses under the broad category of “other.”
In general, taxpayers may deduct ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in the conducting of a trade or business. An ordinary expense is common and accepted in the taxpayer’s trade or business. A necessary expense is appropriate for the business.
Although many common expenses are deducted on designated lines of the tax schedule, some expenses may not fit into a particular category. Taxpayers can deduct these as other expenses. A breakdown of other expenses must be listed on line 48 of Form 1040 Schedule C. The total is then entered on line 27.
Examples of other expenses include:
• Amortization of certain costs — These include pollution-control facilities, research and experimentation, and intangibles including goodwill.
• Bad debts — Business bad debts must be directly related to sales or services provided by the business, must have been previously included in income and must be worthless (non-recoverable). If a taxpayer deducts a bad debt expense and later recovers it, the amount must be included in income in the year collected.
• Business startup costs — These are costs related to creating an active trade or business, or investigating the creation or acquisition of an active trade or business. Generally these costs are amortized. However, taxpayers who started a business in 2006 may elect to deduct up to $5,000 of certain startup costs, subject to limitations. Refer to chapter 7 of Publication 535 “Business Expenses” for more information.
• Gulf Opportunity (GO) Zone cleanup costs — Fifty percent of qualified cleanup costs for the removal of debris from, or the demolition of structures on, real property located in the GO Zone which are paid or incurred in 2006 are deductible as other expenses. The property must be held for use in a trade or business, for the production of income, or as inventory.
Personal, living and family expenses do not qualify as deductible other business expenses. For more information, visit www.irs.gov or call 800-TAXFORM (800-829-3676).
The Life and Family Tour, a new home and lifestyle show for the entire family, took place Friday, Aug. 3 through Sunday, Aug. 5 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach. The show featured exhibitors and vendors who introduced new products and showed families new ways to enhance their health, leisure activities, entertainment and community awareness. Visit www.emcexpos.com for more information.
PHOTOS BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER
I admitted it before and I will admit it again: I am a news junkie. I watch, listen and read news every chance I get. I have tried to stop this disgusting habit in the past, but everything I have tried has failed. I have talked to doctors about my addiction. They gave me all sorts of advice, but so far nothing has worked. I have taken long vacations where there is limited TV and radio and no real newspapers (Alaska), but the minute I arrive home my addiction to news starts all over again. I now have a better understanding of why my beautiful wife Sharon can’t stop smoking.
Knowing the current news makes me feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. I am starting to get very tired with the weight of the world on my shoulders. The fact that I just lost 14 pounds may have something to do with it.
I use to read at least five newspapers a day. I am now down to two. And in another couple of weeks I will be down to one. To accomplish this I owe a very big thank-you to the local daily, because they have increased my subscription rate by about $40 a year. I now plan on going cold turkey to beat this newspaper thing I have.
The next thing I will do is throw away or at least
With Ernie Zimmerman
hide all the remote controls in my house. I don’t know how I ever lived without remote control in the good old days. I usually sit down on my favorite chair and watch all the news stations at the same time. I haven’t watched a commercial in over ten years. To me Fox, MSNBC, CNN and CNN Headline News are all about the same, and sometimes CNBC too. They all show the same stories and they all have the same silly guests. So I find myself asking, “why am I watching this junk?”
I know more about world events than about 90 percent of the folks I am watching. Yet nobody is ringing my phone or knocking on my door asking me to be a guest on any of these shows. Thus cold turkey will also be the way for me to end this addiction.
The radio is not so much a problem for me as the rest of the media. The reason is because we have such minor-league radio stations in this market. They only give us the news on the hour. Yes, I know there is one station that gives us the news from about 5:30 a.m. (if you can call it news) till about 9 a.m. The problem is that they repeat the same recorded news and weather every 20 minutes. It does get boring. This addiction is easy to solve. I have plenty of ’50s and ’60s CDs that have great sounds on them. I also have satellite radio. The local TV news is another joke in this market. If we are lucky we may see five minutes of local news on their newscasts. Don’t they get it? I want local news to be local. I am so sick of hearing on the 6 p.m. news to tune in to a must-see story on the 11 p.m. newscast. If it is must-see, show me at 6 p.m. I and many others of advanced age are counting sheep well before 11 p.m. (sometimes I do make it to see The Daily Show on Comedy Central). This too will have to be a cold turkey solution.
If you see a crazy-looking guy wandering down the street over the next couple of weeks, please give him encouragement. I will let you know how my cold turkey approach to this addiction is working out.
Lawn care during the summer months can take one of several routes. Some people avoid it as much as possible, along with the rain and the high temperatures. They put off mowing as long as possible and then pray for rain on the weekend so they can’t mow, so the lawn grows for another week.
After a few weeks, the grass is waisthigh and mowing produces ankle-deep clippings that must be raked up, and the lawn takes a lot longer to get normallooking again.
A much more practical approach is to just grit your teeth and accept the fact that lawns will require mowing every five to seven days up until mid to late fall. It’s much better for the grass to mow it regularly and shorten it by
no more than about a third at any one time. The proper mowing height is also critical.
Many people think if they cut it shorter in the summer, they won’t have to mow as often, but scalping is generally undesirable and exposes the grass roots to excessive sun that can kill or damage runners, especially St. Augustine grass.
The best mowing height for both bahia and St. Augustine grasses is three to four inches year round. The only thing you change between summer and winter is the frequency of cutting. Use a good, sharp mower that has the type of strength to go through thick turf without choking out or creating frustration. Many people have to sharpen blades ev-
ery other time they mow at this time of year.
Summertime conditions give pests and diseases a boost. Frequent rainfall, especially late afternoon rains that keep the grass wet all night, is very favorable for disease development, and the current nighttime temperatures that stay above 70 can cause diseases to spread quickly. Insects, too, can be a major headache. In hot, dry conditions, chinch bugs can be a real threat, and mole crickets and white grubs can do a lot of damage to roots in a short period of time.
Gardening With Gene
By Gene Joyner
Extension Agent Palm Beach County
You should certainly walk through the lawn on a weekly basis to look for potential problems. Turf problems are far easier to manage when they’re caught in the initial stages where you don’t have to spray the whole yard. This is also an excellent time for re-sodding either the whole lawn or portions that are not looking as good as you would like.
If you have questions about lawn maintenance, you can get some valuable free advice any time from the Palm Beach County Extension Service at (561) 2331750.
$18-$25/HR — Teachers/Tutors P/T. All subjects PreK to Adult. Certification/Experience required. Palm Beach County Areas Fax 561-828-8128 or E-mail Tutorking@adelphia.net
HELP WANTED/BOOKKEEPER EXPE-
RIENCED; Familiar with QUICKBOOKS - Full-Time position. Pay commensurate with experience. Fax resume to A. Silver - 561-432-2825
CLEANERS RESIDENTIAL FT — Car required, Pd. Training. North and West Palm Beach Cty. Up to $10/hr Start. 561-756-2282
RECEPTIONIST - For Lawyer and Accounting Office. Some bookkeeping. Fax resume to 561-333-2680.
HELP WANTED
Earn $800 - $3200 Monthly to drive brand new cars with ads placed on them. www.AdCarDrive.com
PINCH PENNY - POOL STORE — Forest Hill & South Shore in Wellington Perm Position - FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE - No nights - M/B avail some weekends. 18 yrs. - Will train - Apply in person.
CARETAKER NEEDED — for 27 year old mentally handicapped male, needs to be compassionate, motivated. No Felony convictions, needs drivers license & car. Weekdays 6am to 4 pm 561-352-4010
SMALL PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL IN
ROYAL PALM BEACH — Looking for energetic, multi-tasking, strategists experienced in any of the following: Math, Science, English, History, or Spanish. Call 561-795-6886 for more information. Part time or full time positions available.
BASIC OFFICE HELP — needed for church related business. Knowledge of computer and telephone skills. Nonsmoker/Non-drinker. 561-753-5998
RECEPTIONIST AND CHILD CARE — for busy Wellington Company. Experience a must Flexible Hours and some weekends. To apply Fax 561-795-8807 or email:ultima3@bellsouth.net
SOUTH FLORIDA FAIR — Needs temporary workers for event setup. Heavy lifting required. Flexible hours. Call H.R. Department. 790-5223
DOUBLE NICHE IN ROYAL PALM MEMORIAL GARDENS MAUSOLEUM — Includes 2 openings & closings. Current price $2,800 asking $1,995 OBO. 772219-8153
OAK TWIN CAPTAIN BED — bookcase, headboard, dresser w/mirror, corner unit computer desk with hutch, nightstand, mattress & bedding. $390 OBO. 561-6444098, 561-791-2176
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT: New featherweight motorized wheelchair at no cost to you, if eligible. Medicare & private insurance accepted. ENK MOBILE MEDICAL: Call 1-800-693-8896
ADULT TRICYLE - Red with basket. Like new condition. $100 OBO. 793-1360
LOWEST PRICES! — Nobody beats our Price! Free Est. Complete A/C units from $1,150. Repair Specialists. Lic./ ins. 561-795-1130 toll free 888-981-9815
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.
COMPLETE AUTO SHOP LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF LOXAHATCHEE!!Services provided; Brakes, Steering and Suspension, Belts and Hoses, Complete Engine Repair, Oil and Filters, Motor Tune Ups, Custom Exhaust Systems, A/C Repair, And Much More!!! Pick-up/Deliver Mark Hamilton Auto Repair "ASE Certified" Office: 561-793-1010 o Cell: 954-605-8416 MV#62390 Visa/MC/Amex accepted.
Specializing in Infant Care. References available over 20 years experience. Non-Smoker 561-389-2020
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. 561-792-2666
HOUSE CLEANING AVAILABLE — Over 13 yrs. experience. Great references. Very Dependable. Karen. 561-632-2271 MAURILIA - CLEANING
ROCKANDRECORD.COM - A professional DJ and Videography Service. Disc Jockey • Music • Entertainment • Professional MC's • Weddings • Bar/ Bat Mitzvah • Sweet 16/Birthday Parties • Anniversaries • Private & Corporate Events • Holiday Parties 561-4224336
RENT ME! - 2007 JOHN DEERE 110 LOADER BACKHOE — Rental includes truck w/100 gal. Diesel Tank for your convenience, Trailer and Tractor. Moves Dirt, backhoe for stump & tree removal and much more. Can be used for small or large jobs. 4 hour min/$40 Per Hr. rate without operator $65 Per Hr. with operator. Pump w/fuel meter for greater ease. Box blade available. 561-7840933. Leave Message. JB Cell 561-3157751
GUARDSMAN FURNITURE PRO — For
STANDBY GENERATORS
packages including fueled system - Best Prices & reliable new Generator systems installed from 15 to 200KW “More Practical and much quieter” Maintenance & Service for all types of generators. Factory Authorized Dealer. 561-707-0575 Palm Beach. Tropical Power Systems, Inc.
CAN FIX IT — build it, move it, plant it, and more. Call Bruce, 793-2494. TFN BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS, INC. — Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair, door installation, minor drywall, kitchens/cabinets/countertops, remodeling, wood flooring. Bonded/Insured U#19699. 561-791-9900
OFFERING THE AMAZING BOOKSHELF BI-FOLD CLOSET DOOR. Robert Powell/Owner. FREE ESTIMATES. 561-422-7999 Lic. & Ins.
D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-333-9433 or Cell 561252-1186 Lic’d- Well. & Palm Beach MOBILE -TEC ON-SITE COMPUTER SERVICE — The computer experts that come to you! Hardware/Software setup, support & troubleshooting www.mobiletec.net 561-248-2611 $25 Off Labor Home & Office e-Masque InteractiveHas your computer gotten slow? Do you get unwanted Pop-Ups? Does your computer seem to have a mind of its own? Would you like to connect multiple computers to the internet? Spyware & Virus Removal•Repairs •Websites•Networking Upgrades•Programming•Security call: 561-795-0559 we do make house calls www.e-masque.com
CONCRETE RESURFACING — Pools, decks, patios, & interior floors, spray deck, kook deck, stone design, Paver Repair & Resealing. 561-790-4588
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 561-248-8528
ATLANTIC SHORE HOME IMPROVEMENT — Kitchen & Bathrooms/Remodel, Ceramic & Wood Floors, Carpentry & Handyman Services, Doors & Windows. References upon request. 561-756-0428 Anthony Palermo Lic. #CGC057252 Ins.
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. 561-723-5836
Home repair. Quality Work. Free estimates. Fast on time service. "For all your home improvement needs" Lic. & Ins. 561-685-5360 561-308-6677.
LITL AUDIO/VIDEO SERVICE — specializing in Home Theatre Installation Satellite Services and communications. “I will Beat Retailer’s cost & Installation fees”! Call George for immediate service at 954-263-4189 561-784-4858 Office. Res./Comm. Lic. & Ins.
COMPLETE IRRIGATION — PVC/PIPE
supplies.Citrus ,Vegetables, Power units. Water Wheels, design services, Fairways Polo fields, Pumps/Engines mowing of all types. 1-863-675-6333.
UNIVERSAL IRRIGATION SERVICE & INSTALLATION — New Installations sprinkler repair pumps/Time Clocks. We Service all brands. Monthly Maintenance. Fast Response. Lic. #U-10740 Bonded Insured. 561-795-9735
FRANK’S BUSHHOG SERVICE — Lot mowing, Lawn Maintenance, Landscaping, Lot cleaning and TREE TRIMMING reasonable rates. 722-4403 Lic.& Ins. TNT LANDSCAPING & LAWN CARE 561-644-8683 — Lic. & Ins. Landscape design, low maintenance gardens, professional plant installation, mulching, monthly property maintenance, sprinklers maintenance & repair, expert hedge & tree trimming.
LAWN MAINTENANCE CARL SAMUELS LAWN CARE — Complete lawn maintenance, mowing, edging, trimming & much more. Free estimates. Quality work at affordable prices! Lic. & Ins. 561-6333687
ARMENTO PAINTING & SONS, INC. ––Painting, Interior, Exterior. Pressure cleaning. Custom painting, faux art. Lic. No. U14736. 798-8978.
JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC.
– Interior/Exterior, artistic faux finishing, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair, & roof painting/cleaning. Free est. Call 798-4964. Lic.#U18473
LARRY’S PAINTING & WALLPAPER — Licensed • Bonded • Insured. Interior/ Exterior painting. 561-309-2845. Wallpaper - Luanne 561-801-2018
Painting • Residential • Commercial • Historical Restoration • Faux Finishing • Stucco Repair • Roof Painting • and Pressure Cleaning • Sand Blasting • Mold Removal. FLEISCHER’S PAINTING • 561833-6661.
LET US AD A LITTLE COLOR TO YOUR LIFE — Residential/Commercial. Licensed • Bonded • Insured. Owner/Operator. Ask for Paul 561-309-8290. 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. RJA PAINTING & DECORATING — interior, exterior, custom colors, faux artwork, all work guaranteed. Lic. Bonded & Insured. 561-616-2255
561-601-4707 THE DOG NANNY — Wellington and individualized pampering for Wellington & Western Communities. Dogs at their Home & Office surrounding. Dog walks, Doggie Moi Play Sessions & sleepovers. American Red Cross Pet CPR/FIRST Aid Certified.
AT YOUR SERVICE PET CONCIERGE
- pet sitting, play dates, sleep overs, arrange pet grooming, vet visits, flea & tick products, Holistic/Natural pet foods. Come home to a well stocked fridge & your plants alive. Upscale services for all your beloved four legged friends. Bonded & insured. 561-791-2086
“You dealt with the rest now deal with the best” maintenance and repairs. Inquire about 1 months FREE service. 561-7915073 ELITE POOL CLEANING
J&B PRESSURE CLEANING — Established in 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.Call Butch 561-309-6975 BD
SIGMA III CORPORATION PRIVATE
INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE — Domestic investigation, surveillance, missing persons. Background investigation into that new boyfriend or fiancé, hidden assets located and more. Lic. & Ins. 561-312-4386 Member of Better Business Bureau Lic. #A2300091LRD: 09-14
PRIMROSE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC — Full Service. Residential Home Care for full or part time residents. Weekly inspections, repairs, Monthly reports. Reasonable rates. 561-602-6857 or email: primrosepm123@aol.com
American Reverse Mortgage Corp. — Reverse Mortgage Senior Benefit. No Income or credit requirements, no mortgage payments as long as you live in your home. Does not affect Social Security or Medicare benefits, you retain title to your home. Tax Free Cash, STOP FORECLOSURE. 561-422-2910. 954816-2027 MadelynPage@Bellsouth.net.
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS – Roof painting. Carpentry. License #U9 865. 9675580. BD
SHAKE ROOF SPECIALISTS –– New roofs, repairs, preservation. License #CC025465. Shake Masters, Shake Chem. Members of Shake Bureau. 4396668 BD
ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING ––Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded, insured. Lic. #U-11006.790-0763 or 641-4592. BD
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. CGC023773 RC-0067207 BD A ROOFING REPAIR SPECIALISTS INC. — All work guaranteed. 40 years exp. Family owned & operated. Radio dispatched 791-8855 BD JOHN’S SCREEN SERVICE –– Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight, wrinklefree, guaranteed!Lic.#9001390.7983132.
DOWN SHUTTERS — Accordion shutters, storm panels and rolling shutters...prices