Broward County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Reyka, a Wellington resident, was laid to rest Wednesday at the South Florida VA National Cemetery in Lake Worth. Representatives from multiple agencies in South Florida paid homage. Reyka, 51, was gunned down last week in Pompano Beach as he checked for stolen cars. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 2A
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
The new school year will begin in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach next week with some new faces and a lot of new construction.
The newly completed Emerald Cove Middle School at the corner of Pierson Road and State Road 7 will open Wednesday with Principal Nancy Lucas in charge.
Former Wellington Elementary Principal P.J. D’Aoust has moved to the recently rebuilt Panther Run Elementary, while
new Wellington Elementary Principal Mike Borowski will use the experience he gained during the reconstruction of his former school Liberty Park Elementary as Wellington’s oldest school undergoes a serious renovation.
Also, Crestwood Middle School will have a familiar face in a new position as principal: former assistant principal Stephanie Nance.
After eight years at Wellington Elementary, first as assistant principal and then as principal, D’Aoust said he’s ready for his new assignment at the newly rebuilt Panther Run on
Lake Worth Road. “I’m ready to apply what I have learned to something else. I need a new experience,” said D’Aoust, who lives near Wellington Elementary. “The time was right, having some positive experiences at Wellington Elementary, to try something new at a new location. I met a lot of neighbors, I met a lot of kids and had an extended family.”
But having been on the Panther Run campus since late June, D’Aoust said he is ready to build a new extended family. “I know many of the people
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The options on filling a vacant seat on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council became a bit more diverse this week thanks to Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Dr. Arthur Anderson. Village Manager David Farber told the council Thursday that Anderson informed the village in a letter
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
The Wellington Village Council voted Tuesday to schedule a special one-item meeting next week to further discuss changes to the village’s rules regarding equestrian show grounds. With show promoter Stadium Jumping planning a new facility in southern Wellington, village staffers have crafted an amendment to Wellington’s land development regulations concerning commercial equestrian arenas and show grounds. The biggest change would
that a state law allows municipalities a one-time chance to move their March 11, 2008 general elections to Florida’s early presidential primary election scheduled for Jan. 29.
The council will discuss the early date at its Sept. 6 meeting, when it is scheduled to weigh its options on filling the seat vacated by Barbara Isenberg last month. The council could decide to name a replacement
make such facilities a conditional use on properties with a commercial recreation land-use designation, instead of a permitted use. Critics of the amendment have accused the village of rushing the amendment through the approval process, at a time when a significant portion of Wellington’s equestrian residents are elsewhere. While in July the amendment was slated for a Sept. 6 review by the village’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board, the board actually reviewed and approved the amendment on Aug. 2 be-
for Isenberg or keep the seat empty until the election.
“I think you could make a case for the January date,” Royal Palm Beach Mayor David Lodwick told the Town-Crier after the meeting. “You’d get a greater voter turnout.”
A January election, Lodwick said, also would cost the village less money because Royal Palm Beach would share costs with
fore the Wellington Equestrian Committee was finished considering it. The Equestrian Committee’s recommendation on approval customarily precedes review by the PZA Board.
On Tuesday, members of the public said they had been led to believe the council would not review the amendment until Aug. 28. Palm Beach Polo consultant Mike Nelson, one of the amendment’s critics, said a lack of public turnout at Tuesday’s hearing resulted from lack of notice.
“Look at what happened at the PZA meeting,” he said. “There
of western communities residents were among the
participating in
the bike course on his way to a fourth-place finish in his division. STORY & MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 29A
were 80 people there. They are not here tonight. They were told to come on Aug. 28. No one was told it was going to be two readings of this.”
Council members themselves expressed reservations about the amendment even before the public had a chance to speak.
Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore was among those who questioned the amendment’s limitation of equestrian arenas to parcels of 25 acres or larger.
Councilman Dr. Priore, expressed concerns that smaller parcels of land could not have equestrian arenas on them.
“If there is a limitation on the piece of acreage,” Priore said, “a smaller piece of property that wants to continue to be equestrian would not be able to do so unless they receive conditional approval.”
Council members also questioned the imposition of conditional use for equestrian arenas and the associated intensive village review, particularly because horse show producer Littlewood Farms is already well into the approval process on a comprehensive plan amendment to allow it to build a show facil-
See COUNCIL, page 42A
Broward County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Reyka, a Wellington resident, was laid to rest Wednesday at the South Florida VA National Cemetery in Lake Worth. Representatives from multiple agencies in South Florida paid homage. Reyka, 51, was gunned down last week in Pompano Beach as he checked for stolen cars, according to Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne. Reyka was a founding member of St. Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church in Wellington. A fund has been established for the family. Checks may be mailed to the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County, 2601 W. Broward Blvd., Room 3519, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312; specify that donations go to the fund of Sgt. Chris Reyka.
If the summer of 2007 seemed a bit longer than usual, you’re right, thanks to the wisdom of Tallahassee legislators who standardized the starting date for public schools.
The adjustment, which has practically every public school district in Florida kicking off classes next week, stemmed from three ideas:
(1) “Balancing” the playing field when preparing students for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in March. Supporters argued students in districts that kicked off classes in early August (or, in one case, late July) would no longer receive an unfair advantage over students who did not return to the classroom until several weeks later.
(2) Creating a “longer” summer for parents and students (and helping out Florida’s tourism industry). The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association lobbied hard for the change, touting the need for a uniform start date to help support the tourism and hospitality business.
(3) Preventing weather-related interruptions early in the school year — you know, hurricanes
Regardless of whether you buy into these arguments (after all, the later school year still would have been interrupted by hurricanes Frances, Jeanne, Katrina and Wilma), the proposal became law. Thus, Palm Beach County students will start the 2007-08 school year on Wednesday, Aug. 22 — a week later than last year. It also means the district’s exam and graduation schedules will be pushed back. First semester exams will be held in mid-January instead of prior to winter break, and commencement ceremonies will likely take place after Memorial Day weekend.
“Standardization” is the hot button word in today’s educational world, and it
ers with the same brush.
Santamaria Is
I find I must take exception to the rant about our county commission in Don Brown’s Aug. 10 column (“Newell Part Of A Bigger Problem With The County Commission”) as he has tarred all the commission-
was probably inevitable that the entire school year calendar would fall under the same umbrella as the FCAT testing. However, the change has had its minor snafus already, including the not-so-subtle issues of advanced preparation time for Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams at the high school level and a “gap” in employee paychecks for returning educators. The latter was resolved in May when district and union officials worked out the addition of a 27th “advanced” 2007-08 paycheck, which was paid on Aug. 10. As for the lost week of AP and IB test preparation, the jury is still out as to how that will affect students.
One of the advantages the previous schedule offered students — specifically, high school students — was a schedule that paralleled the collegiate year, when the fall semester ends prior to the holidays. How the schedule change will affect those students advancing from high school to higher education remains to be seen. There are also concerns about how much students will retain for first semester exams, given the two-week winter break which now precedes those all-important assessments. Previously, students took the exams — which count as 20 percent of the overall semester grade — prior to the break.
Change, they say, is the only constant in life, and there is no guarantee Tallahassee won’t change its collective mind regarding the public school schedule in the future — either returning “local control” back to each individual district or pushing the standardized start date until after Labor Day weekend.
Next week, thousands of area students will step into a brave new era; time will tell what the new schedule’s impact will have on Florida’s educational world.
Jess Santamaria, our western communities commissioner, was not even in office when the events leading to criminal corruption charges transpired.
Anyone who knows Jess knows that his integrity is beyond reproach. Since he has been in office, Jess has shown
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himself to be a breath of fresh air in western communities politics.
His “town meetings” have given a forum for citizens to express their views and concerns, and I don’t think that anyone can accuse him of being “in the pocket” of developers.
As for the rest of the county commission, it now has the opportunity to step up to the plate and do the right thing by reversing the charter amendment and restoring home rule.
Now that the true purpose of this charter amendment has come to light, that is to facilitate the corrupt dealings of former commissioner [Tony] Masilotti, the county commission has nowhere to hide on this issue.
Randy Pfeiffer Wellington
problems. Better yet, let’s replace all the fences in Wellington such as was done on South Shore and part of Big Blue. I’m sure you would be in favor of a special assessment from you and your neighbors.
These issues should have never come before the council for resolution and did so because of the lack of code enforcement!
So let’s hold up on the kudos to village code enforcers and ask them to get going on correcting the problems here in Wellington.
Donna and Alan Weaver Wellington
Kaplan of Wellington High School.
On United Nations’ International Peace Day, Sept. 21 of each year, our Rotary club plans and implements a nonpolitical, non-denominational and multicultural world peace dedication ceremony, stressing those concepts of the Wellington Rotary Peace Park, of multicultural understanding and “may peace prevail on Earth.”
Jasmine Velez Contest Committee Chair Wellington Rotary Club
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Increase Wellington Code Enforcement
In response to Mr. [Frank] Ventriglio, president of the Cypress Forest HOA in Wellington, my wife and I were delighted to read that the village’s code enforcers are doing a good job for your community.
However, perhaps you would like to take a drive to other areas of Wellington and observe the numerous violations in our community: unkempt lawns, unpainted houses, discolored roofs, trash cans and vegetation out continuously; cars/trailers/boats parked in the streets or blocking the sidewalks and swale areas, not to mention unmaintained fences.
It seems the village needs to move toward a more aggressive code enforcement policy if the citizens of Wellington are to get the standard that is expected and appreciated per your own words.
Or maybe we can rezone some of the property to development (such as the council did with Binks) and resolve the
The Rotary Peace Park is designed to serve all of us here in Wellington, as a reminder of our permanent commitment to cultural understanding and world peace, above all interests of race, religion or politics.
A Wellington Rotary Peace Park committee has been formed and has designed a series of Peace Park awareness projects to be implemented within the community.
In our continuing effort to promote world peace and multicultural understanding, this committee invited all of our local middle school students to participate in the 2006-07 poetry contest.
The subject was “May Peace Prevail on Earth” with an award of $75 and poems to be published in the local paper. There were two winners, both from Wellington Landings Middle School: Felicia Yan and Andrea Erickson.
We also asked our local high school students to participate in a photo contest. The students were asked to submit a photo that promoted multicultural understanding. The award is also $75, and the photo will be displayed at the Peace Park Ceremony. The winner is Keri
In response to the letter from Dennis Hawkins published last week, I’m not thrilled at the thought of more traffic lights, but the fact is that I’ve still had to be concerned all summer long at rush hour when I want to turn onto 60th Street from Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. I get very close to the center line and hope that the larger trucks, etc. move over and go around me safely. (They can and do go around you, safe or not… right on the M Canal bridge.)
I’m not much for that kind of gambling. At the very least, for safety’s sake, we need a turn lane on Seminole Pratt heading north there at 60th Street that is long enough to accommodate several cars.
When heading south, the traffic must stop; it can’t go around you due to the guard rail. I will admit that even with a traffic light, you won’t get far when it’s all bogged down. Dennis makes a very good point about the school being more of a player in the solution to the traffic congestion, in the morning most especially. Why aren’t they using more entrances as he has stated?
Deborah Behary The Acreage
I was very pleased to attend a news conference recently on the campus of A.G. Holley Hospital in Lantana to announce the establishment of the Florida Public Health Institute. I won’t be surprised to see this new nonprofit agency do for our public healthcare system what the Scripps Research Institute is expected to do for biotechnology.
The Florida Public Health Institute (FPHI) will work to bring government, academic and professional organizations together to improve the quality of local healthcare. Among the institute’s goals are to help keep locally trained medical professionals working in Palm Beach County; form long-term teaching partnerships with local colleges and universities; increase access to preventive healthcare outreach programs; and re-
duce workforce healthcare costs.
FPHI is headed by Dr. Claude Earl Fox, who is currently a professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami. Partners include the Palm Beach County Public Health Department, the Quantum Foundation, the Town of Lantana, Florida Atlantic University, Nova Southeastern University, the University of Miami and the South Florida School of Public Health. To help get the new agency up and running, the Quantum Foundation donated $1 million.
For the past 20 years, A.G. Holley has primarily been a place where tuberculosis patients were treated. FPHI’s presence will enable it to address other public health threats, such as anthrax and avian flu.
OK, now let’s wait for the loopholes. Call me a cynic, but my prediction is that the congressional “lobbyist reform legislation” will look like Swiss cheese before too long.
By Jules W. Rabin
Blistered by public opinion for months because of irritating inaction, both the House and Senate passed the new bill by extremely wide margins. It will stop free meals and gifts and do away with discount travel for legislators.
It will lengthen the “revolving door” path for former senators to become lobbyists from one to two years (it remains one year for House members), keep lobbyists who are former members of Congress from congressional gyms and bar them from “access to the floor.” And it will, supposedly, slow the burgeoning business of “earmarks” — those latenight, secretive grants that provide money to all sorts of special interests — by requiring a 48-hour public notice of an earmark before a vote on it.
There’s more, like requiring lobbyists to disclose online when they bundle or tie together contributions from diverse individuals that exceed $15,000 in a sixmonth period and give them to one official at one time.
Of course, just to get a “loophole head start,” Congress built a beauty right into the bill. The Senate majority leader can waive the earmarks disclosure provision by deciding compliance isn’t “technically feasible”… whatever that means. Those D.C. congressional “watchdog” groups should have a ball in the months ahead monitoring the certainty of lawmaker fun and games in this arena.
“This will continue the earmarking and pork-barrel projects,” Sen. John McCain commented. “We are passing up a great opportunity, and again the American people will have been deceived.”
I guess you can look for a future column called “Loopholes Exposed in New Lobbyist/Earmark Legislation.”
One thing FPHI has already done is organize a class in public healthcare administration for area nurses. The institute intends to help establish more federally qualified health centers that treat patients with and without insurance. These facilities provide access to lowerpriced prescription drugs and malpractice coverage for health professionals, and are staffed by doctors and dentists affiliated with the National Health Services Corps.
FPHI is working hand in hand with FAU’s public healthcare masters program to improve local medical field training and will team with the Palm Beach County Health Care Alliance to develop a plan to ensure that everyone eligible for any type of public healthcare assistance, such as Medicaid, receives it.
Another initial activity is to create a “think tank” to locate and apply existing health policy research by in-state groups.
An example would be a study done by the Winter Park Foundation to analyze
By County Commissioner Jeff Koons (District 2)
Medicaid waiver implications for Florida residents. Data uncovered by this think tank can be effectively translated and disseminated to local advocacy groups and governmental and non-governmental organizations. A benefit is that this could influence expenditures by the Palm Beach County Healthcare District, possibly resulting in increased state funding for prevention and primary care.
As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please feel free to contact me or my staff at (561) 355-2202.
Should Stadium Jumping’s New Show Grounds Be Approved?
A. Yes! The future of Wellington hangs in the balance.
B. Yes, but only after changes have been made to mitigate traffic and other issues.
C. No. It is being rushed through and needs more study.
D. No! Who needs them?
Cast your vote by visiting www.goTownCrier.com and scrolling down to the poll question at the bottom left of the web page. It’s as easy as that!
Previous Question: Should The PBSO Do More Or Less Traffic Enforcement? A. More! We need to make our streets safer: 66 percent; B. Less! Stop harassing residents and focus on real criminals: 34 percent.
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
The Wellington Village Council heard a summary of feedback gleaned from a recent series of public budget forums Tuesday.
The village hosted three days of forums in late July to allow the public to weigh in on the services they hold most important after many residents expressed fears that the village would cut their programs out of the fiscal year 2008 budget. The forums were also intended as a venue in which to brainstorm ways of generating revenue for programs and services as Wellington’s property tax in-
come stream dwindles.
Consultant Lyle Sumek, who served as moderator at the forums, delivered a rundown of input gathered during the forums.
While security, water, drainage and flood protection, land use regulations and planning were ranked as the most important service priorities, items figuring as “less important” service priorities included multipurpose and equestrian trails, leisure and culture, community festivals and events, and mobility and transportation.
Sumek told the council that while they consider which services they should continue to maintain, they should also
look at the options available to get the services to support themselves. While recreation and sports programs can be supported by charging fees, he said, equestrian trails could generate revenue from the creation of a special assessment district.
Sumek said revenue generators suggested during the forums included user fees and nonresident fees, corporate sponsorships, selling village services and an equestrian assessment district.
If it decides to pursue any of these ideas, Sumek said, the council would need to consider fee levels, guidelines for corporate sponsorships, whether the village should sell services and to whom,
and to what degree the village should compete with the private sector. Should the village create a special taxing district for the equestrian area, the definition and purposes of the district should be discussed carefully, he said.
Sumek said there is strong support for the continuation of patriotic events in the village on the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Veterans Day, as well as selfsupporting events in which fees cover expenses, such as the Father/Daughter Dance. The forums indicated official village sponsorship of the National Horse Show and hosting of sports tournaments should also continue, he said.
See FORUMS, page 41A
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
AUG. 1 — A routine traffic stop in Royal Palm Beach resulted in the arrest of a Lake Worth man on Wednesday, Aug. 1. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, a deputy from the RPB substation observed a vehicle without its headlights on traveling southbound on State Road 7 near Belvedere Road at approximately 11:09 p.m. The deputy pulled
over the driver, 31-year-old Juan Martinez, and determined that he did not possess a valid driver’s license. Martinez was arrested without incident and transported to the Palm Beach County Jail.
AUG. 2 — Two men were arrested for possession of marijuana near the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center on Sweet Bay Lane on Aug. 2. According to a
PBSO report, a deputy from the RPB substation observed a vehicle parked in a secluded area near the recreation center at approximately 10:55 p.m., after it was closed to the public. Upon making contact with the occupants of the car, the deputy arrested 19-year-old Calvin Lantigua and 23-year-old Christopher Nunez for possession of marijuana. Lantigua and Nunez were both transported to the county jail.
AUG. 2 — A traffic stop for
Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives:
• Christopher Bradley is a white male, 6’3” tall and weighing 200 lbs. with brown hair and hazel eyes. His date of birth is 01/31/86. Bradley is wanted on the charges of fleeing or attempting to elude a marked police car, resisting an officer without violence and driving while license cancelled, suspended or revoked, as well as violation of probation on convictions for grand theft of a motor vehicle and resisting an officer without violence. His occupation is laborer. His last known address was 90th Street North in The Acreage. Bradley is wanted as of 08/16/07.
• Antonio Rodriguez is a white male, 5’9” tall and weighing 200 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 01/31/87. He has tattoos on his back and chest. Rodriguez is wanted on three felony counts of burglary of a dwelling, as well as dealing in stolen property and false verification of ownership to a pawnbroker, and failure to appear on the misdemeanor charges of possession of narcotic equipment and possession of marijuana. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was Dorchester Drive in Greenacres. Rodriguez is wanted as of 08/16/07.
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.
speeding at the intersection of Okeechobee Blvd. and Wildcat Way led to the drug arrest of a Loxahatchee man on Aug. 2. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the RPB substation observed 20-year-old Richard Caplano III roll a marijuana cigarette while parked at a nearby gas station at approximately 9:20 p.m. The deputy followed Caplano and made a traffic stop after witnessing him drive ten miles per hour above the posted speed limit. Upon making contact with Caplano, the deputy observed a strong
odor of marijuana and spotted a partially burned joint inside the vehicle, according to the report. After gaining consent to search the vehicle, the deputy found a baggie of marijuana and a scale covered with what tested to be marijuana. Caplano was charged with possessing more than 20 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and transported to the county jail.
AUG. 3 — A South Bay man was arrested in Royal Palm Beach Aug. 3 and charged with
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
Although an ordinance prohibiting the operation of ATVs on unpaved county roads has been in force for more than five months, deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office say they are still issuing citations to violators in The Acreage.
PBSO Deputy John Walker said a citation also carries stiff penalties. “There’s a $500 fine,” he said.
Violators are also subject to 60-day jail term. “I have a lot of people tell me they were not aware of the ordinance,” said Walker, who noted that he is still required to issue a citation.
In February, the Palm Beach County Commission approved a countywide ordinance over-
riding the state’s recent relaxation of restrictions on all-terrain vehicles.
The state law, enacted last October, allows operation of allterrain vehicles by a licensed driver, or minor under the supervision of a licensed driver, on unpaved roads during the day where the posted speed limit is 35 mph or less.
But the county commission exercised an option to override the statute, approving an exemption ordinance that prohibits the operation of ATVs on unpaved county roads any time during the day or night.
The county commission contended that the state law endangers health, safety and welfare, citing the large number of ATVrelated fatalities and injuries each year.
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies in Royal Palm Beach wrote 159 citations to drivers who ran stoplights during the PBSO’s “Stop Red Light Running Week” campaign Aug. 4 through 11.
The total was about four times the number written during a routine week, District 9 Executive Officer Lt. Eric Coleman said.
“It was very successful,” Coleman told the Town-Crier “Our goal, as always, was to seek voluntary compliance, not to write the most tickets or to harm anyone financially. But redlight running probably is one of the most serious infractions that can be committed because it’s a complete violation of the right of way and a huge cause of serious accidents.”
Deputies also issued 182 warnings regarding stoplightrunning violations, Coleman said.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, 40 percent of all traffic deaths and injuries in the state occur at in-
tersections. Many are caused by running a stoplight, driver distractions or failure to yield the right of way.
During the campaign, Coleman said, District 9 deputies made a total of 474 traffic stops and wrote 204 citations apart from those for running stoplights.
“Not having your child in a safety restraint, not having insurance, things like that,” Coleman said. “Some of these people might have received a redlight citation and a citation for something else.”
The fine for running a stoplight is $188.
District 9 deputies were deployed at the intersections of State Road 7 and Southern Blvd, State Road 7 and Okeechobee Blvd., Royal Palm Beach and Southern boulevards, and Crestwood and Okeechobee boulevards.
“We weren’t out there hiding or anything like that,” Coleman said. “The deputies were in marked cars.”
Lest any driver think otherwise, Coleman said the end of the campaign isn’t the end of the PBSO’s watchfulness and
‘Our goal, as always, was to seek voluntary compliance, not to write the most tickets or to harm anyone financially. But red-light running probably is one of the most serious infractions that can be committed.’
— PBSO Lt. Eric Coleman
concern about stoplight violations in Royal Palm Beach.
“We’re still concerned, particularly at major intersections, specifically State Road 80 [Southern Blvd.] and State Road 7 with all the construction,” Coleman said. “That intersection is challenging. The way those lights are timed, if you were the fifth car to run the turnlane lights, the eastbound or westbound people could be getting a green light and come through there at full speed. Then you’re going to have a disaster.”
continued from page 6A possession of marijuana, possession of a weapon and driving with a suspended license. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the RPB substation stopped 31-year-old Taurance Lovely for speeding at approximately 4:32 a.m. at the intersection of Okeechobee Blvd. and Wildcat Way. Upon making contact with Lovely, the deputy found a bag of marijuana, along with a .25-caliber pistol that was concealed in Lovely’s waistband, according to the report. Lovely was transported to the county jail.
AUG. 5 — Two men were arrested for larceny at the Lowe’s Home Improvement store on State Road 7 on Aug. 5. According to a PBSO report, a store security officer observed 41-year-old Melton Butler of West Palm Beach attempt to leave the store with a lavatory faucet hidden beneath his clothing at approximately 4:15 p.m. When confronted by the store officer, Butler began fighting and had to be subdued, according to the report. During the same incident, 45-year-old William Lyman of Riviera Beach was
observed by a store security guard attempting to leave the store with two light switches concealed in his clothes, according to the report. Lyman and Butler were transported to the county jail.
AUG. 6 — A Royal Palm Beach man was arrested for shoplifting at the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Belvedere Road last Monday. According to a PBSO report, a store security guard observed 19-year-old Cesar Chalas attempt to leave the store at approximately 12:45 p.m. with $98.72 worth of concealed DVDs. A store security officer apprehended Chalas outside the store. He was arrested and given a notice to appear in court on a charge of retail theft.
AUG. 10 — A traffic stop on Sandpiper Avenue resulted in drug-related citations for two men last Friday. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the RPB substation stopped a truck after he observed it make left turn across a double-wide lane at approximately 6:30 p.m. Upon further inspection, the deputy found two passengers — 19-year-old Michael Cifelli of Royal Palm Beach and 19-year-
The Wellington Leisure Services Department has been awarded the prestigious Agency Excellence Award by the Florida Recreation & Park Association (FRPA) for 2007. Every year FRPA selects one agency from across the state in five categories designated by population. Wellington entered an application in category four, serving populations between 35,000 and 74,999. FRPA recognizes and honors the state’s most outstanding community park, recreation and/or leisure service agencies for excellence in parks and recreation management. Categories that are evaluated include parks development and/or acquisition, recreation programming including inclusion efforts, aquatics, athletics, leisure, cultural arts, cultural diversity, administration and management, fitness, wellness, marketing, long- and shortterm planning, staff training, environmental education and citizen involvement. The department will accept the award on Aug. 30 at the annual statewide FRPA conference.
Love nature? Love coffee? Then the Friends of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge have a proposition for you.
On Saturday, Aug. 25 beginning at 11 a.m. at West Palm Beach’s Hotel Biba (320 Belvedere Road), the Friends group will kick off its campaign to sell “Coffee Clutch Kits” to raise money for state-of-the-art educational exhibits that will be part of a new visitor center currently being built at the refuge. The kits include a commemorative brick that will be prominently displayed at the new visitor center.
“The bricks can be engraved in honor of a family or individual and will serve as a permanent tribute to all the wonderful people who helped us make these exhibits a reality,” said fundraiser Ann Marie Sorrell, whose Riviera Beach company, Upscale Events by Mosaic, is spearheading the effort to raise $700,000 for the cutting-edge displays.
The kits also contain select gourmet coffees from Boca Java, a coffee mug and a “Get Green, Go Everglades” t-shirt, a DVD about the refuge and Everglades trivia questions.
The high-tech exhibits are expected to be unveiled when the 11,846-square-foot Visitor Center is completed in 2008 and will include a mini-theater where visitors can experience “night sounds of the Everglades,” an interactive activity explaining the benefits of wetlands, a habitat diorama and a virtual airboat ride thought the Everglades.
“These new exhibits will be exciting, interactive and engaging for today’s audience,” Friends of the Refuge President Jay Brenner said. “They will show visitors how diverse and dynamic the Northern Everglades are.”
The Acreage Landowners’ Association’s next meeting will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 21 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Seminole Ridge High School Media Center. The guest speaker will be Kevin Kushell with the Violent Crimes Task Force. He will be speaking to ALA members about drugs and gangs in the Acreage area.
old Kristian Echevarria of West Palm Beach — each in possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, according to the report. Both were issued notices to appear in court and released.
AUG. 14 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched to the the Pacific Sunwear store in the Mall at Wellington Green regarding a shoplifter Tuesday night. According to a PBSO report, 20-year-old Jessica Wright of Loxahatchee was caught putting $129.50 worth of merchandise in her bag at approximately 9:20 p.m. She was arrested and charged with retail theft.
AUG. 15 — A Wednesday traffic stop on Wellington Trace led to the arrest of a Delray Beach man for driving with a suspended license and making a false statement to a law enforcement officer. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation pulled over 36-year-old Anthony Sanders for a broken tail light on his vehicle at approximately 4:30 p.m. According to the report, Sanders gave the deputy a false name and Social Security number. He was arrested and taken to the county jail.
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
When Copeland Davis was playing with such big rock names as Eddie Floyd (“Knock on Wood”) and Bill Pinkney of the Drifters before he was 20, he figured he had reached the height of his musical career.
Little did he know that it was just the first of many chapters. “I was going to be a music teacher,” said Davis, who celebrated his 57th birthday on Thursday and lives in Royal Palm Beach with his wife of 31 years, Mary.
Davis’ string of musical successes recently have been clouded by medical woes. While his wife was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2001, Davis recently contracted health problems of his own. He is threatened with blindness in his right eye due to a detached retina.
Davis has undergone three surgeries but needs a fourth operation to restore his sight. The couple can no longer get health insurance because of Mary’s illness, and they do not have the money for the surgery.
Friends and board members of My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper Charitable Trust have organized a benefit this Sunday evening to help pay for Davis’ operation.
The event takes place at the original Wellington Mall and will feature performances by Davis as well as other popular local musicians, buffets from several local restaurants and a raffle of a dozen gift baskets each worth more than $100.
County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, the trust’s founder and a longtime friend, said he is eager to help Davis in his time of need. “His wife is on and off and because of her cancer history, they have been unable to get health insurance. Now he needs expensive eye surgery,” he said. “I want to help. I like him. I’m always ready, willing and able to help a friend.”
Mary Davis completed an eight-day hospital stay on Thursday and said she plans to attend. “I’m resting up. I’m determined to make it on Sunday,” she said.
Davis grew up in Orlando and between the ages of 16 and 20 he played regularly in nightclubs with popular artists of the late 1960s and early 1970s, meanwhile earning an associate’s degree at Seminole Junior College.
“I came to South Florida for one reason only, to study piano at Florida Atlantic University with a teacher named Raul Spivak,” he said.
While attending FAU, Davis stopped gigging after another piano teacher advised him he had developed poor keyboard technique while playing the clubs.
“I was using good technique a few hours a day and bad technique six nights a week,” he said.
In 1972, he received a bachelor’s of fine arts degree in composition and arranging. With a newly acquired classical style, he resumed the nightclub circuit, playing popular music first at the Abbey Road restaurants in Lighthouse Point and Palm Beach Gardens for two years, then at the Brick Balloon in Palm Beach for 13 months. There he
became acquainted with Santamaria, who at the time was still a resident of Philadelphia and visiting Palm Beach County.
After long club appearances in Palm Beach and Broward counties, Davis played Las Vegas’ Stardust Hotel in 1978. From 1979 to 1982 he toured with singer/actress Barbara McNair. At that time he was also arranging for the Fifth Dimension.
In 1982, Davis returned to Florida where he became an artist in residence for the Boca Pops orchestra, later renamed the Florida Symphonic Pops, which got him a write-up in the Wall Street Journal as the only African-American artist in residence with a major symphony orchestra. It was in that time period he was listed in the International Who’s Who in Music.
He writes his own arrangements for piano and orchestra. “It’s easier now with computers,” he said, recalling that at the time an incorrect transposition for one of the instruments was more than a quick typing keystroke. It meant rewriting each part by hand.
In the late 1980s, Davis took up acting, playing a nightclub pianist in the B.L. Stryker television series starring Burt Reynolds. In 1991, he signed a fiveyear contract with Atlantic Records and moved to Boston, where he and Mary lived for 11 years.
They moved back to Florida in 2003 after Mary developed cancer. “I had to get Mary out
of the cold. That’s when I turned my attention to Mary, rather than my career,” he said.
Living in Royal Palm Beach, he became active with the Crestwood Performing Arts League and reacquainted with Santamaria, who asked him to perform at a restaurant he owned, as well as other events he sponsored.
Davis also maintains the position of artist in residence with the Florida Sunshine Pops orchestra in Delray Beach con-
ducted by Richard Hayman, where he writes the arrangements for the 40-piece orchestra.
The benefit for Copeland Davis takes place at the original Wellington Mall at 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd. beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $40. Dress is casual. RSVPs are preferred, but tickets will be available at the door.
For tickets, call Ron Tomchin at (561) 337-7806 or e-mail to ron@rpbadvisors.com.
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
State senators Dave Aronberg and Jeff Atwater offered Palms West Chamber of Commerce members their views on the results of June’s special legislative session during the chamber’s monthly luncheon Monday.
Aronberg, a Democrat, said he hoped his successful collaborations with the Republican Atwater would demonstrate to other legislators what benefits are produced when legislators work together from opposite sides of the aisle.
“What has happened in politics is that we have become so partisan and so polarized,” Aronberg said. “It’s what your party leaders tell you to do in many cases. That is not true for Jeff and for me. I hope it’s a model for other legislators.”
Despite working so well together, Aronberg admitted he and Atwater have some differences of opinion, and respectfully disagree on insurance and property tax issues. Aronberg said he does not support the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot in January that will offer voters a homestead “super exemption,” whereas Atwater does.
Aronberg said the Senate had a stronger plan, but the House didn’t go along with it. However, said he doubted the referendum would pass because it would be hard to get the 60 percent voter approval required for a constitutional amendment.
“There were two things we passed on taxes,” Aronberg said. “One was a statutory tax cut that limits government spending and has a rollback. That’s in effect. The other is a constitutional amendment to be voted on Jan. 29. I think we could have done better. I don’t think it will pass. The more people find out about it, the less people will like it.”
While Gov. Charlie Crist has also
reached across party lines, Aronberg said he might have raised expectations a bit too high regarding insurance issues. The government, he said, can only do so much regarding insurance rates.
“There was an expectation that it would lower insurance rates by 40 percent,” Aronberg said. “It did not happen. Government can only do so much when you lower insurance rates. Government can lower taxes. It has that lever. Government doesn’t have that lever when it comes to insurance unless government wants to be the only insurer in town. We have a private market, and we have acts of God. A lot of that is out of our hands.”
Aronberg said that by selling cheaper reinsurance to insurance companies, the government might be able to produce some savings for customers, but so far that has not happened.
“If the state sells low-cost reinsurance, you should have lower rates,” he said. “It’s a bit of a roll of the dice. Hopefully, we don’t have an active hurricane season, and it will be a successful gamble.”
Atwater described Aronberg as a strong advocate for his constituents and praised his counterpart’s work on Everglades restoration as chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Everglades Oversight.
Atwater said the legislature tried to lower the costs of windstorm insurance for Floridians who live in coastal areas. “We did try to drive down the costs,” he said. “We did set some very high expectations. What we are finding now is that some of the private-market players are looking into rating agencies and the profit lines of their numbers. Instead of just buying the reinsurance at a lower rate, they go back to the private market and buy more reinsurance just to protect themselves if the ‘big one’ comes.”
Florida residents won’t see the effects of the reinsurance plan until next year,
Atwater said. “Most reinsurance won’t come up until June,” he said. “The numbers you are seeing are working off of old reinsurance numbers. Hopefully, you will see some of that in effect in June.”
Atwater also said he and other legislators had been talking with some private insurance companies that expressed interest in coming to Florida with commercial lines, and allowed Citizens to write theft and fire policies to force private carriers to reduce their rates.
Atwater said the legislature also disposed of the arbitration panel process that allowed insurers to set higher rates the legislature had rejected.
“We did away with the arbitration panel, which allows them to go to get the rate approval even if the state declined it,” he said. “Citizens can write more and it can compete.”
On the issue of property tax, Atwater said the legislature is trying to give Florida residents some relief from the current high cost of government. He noted that in the last five years, the state’s population grew 12 percent, but personal income grew by only four percent. County spending, meanwhile, had increased by 81 percent, the average municipality 103 percent and the average special taxing district 107 percent.
“We are dipping into the family pocketbook for 50 percent to run government,” Atwater said. “It’s our response to be relentless to drive down costs. All the legislature is trying to do is let people take a breath. The average homeowner cannot afford to buy a home. They cannot invest in a piece of property.”
Atwater said the legislature must make some tough budget choices in order to provide relief.
“We are going back to cut the state budget by one and a half billion dollars in September,” he said. “You will read
BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER
about how we are throwing people under the bus or leaving people out to dry. In a budget that is $73 billion in size, we will find it. It will be tough calls, and it won’t be easy.”
Atwater said the homestead “super exemption” would offer more opportunities to homebuyers.
“The super homestead exemption allows the individuals the chance to buy and make a choice,” he said. “If you want to stay there, nobody will take it away from you. The super exemption gives people the chance to move again, downsize or buy a home for the first time.”
Monday’s luncheon took place at Te-
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
A public meeting to discuss potable water delivery in The Acreage has been tentatively set for Wednesday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Indian Trail Improvement District office.
The ITID Board of Supervisors discussed the date for the meeting last Wednesday, as well as other issues including a Sector Plan administrative hearing Aug. 29 and 30 and adopting the Rustic Lakes subdivision as an active unit.
“Publicly, we want to get citizen input on water,” ITID Vice President Mike Erickson told the Town-Crier. “I’m not certain if the citizens have been asked if they want potable water or not.”
Erickson said there is also much to be discussed with the county in the aftermath of a long and expensive legal battle waged by the previous board of supervisors. “There’s a lot of options,” Erickson said. “Do we want to sell our rights to the county or maintain [a water utility]?”
Most households in The Acreage currently depend on well water, and Erickson said a study conducted several years ago by the district’s engineering firm at the time, Craig A. Smith & Associates, recommended the county as the least expensive and most practical water supplier. The previous ITID board, already entrenched in a deal with the City of West Palm Beach, ignored the study.
ITID President Michelle Damone said the district got a water main from the City of West Palm Beach, built at a cost of $2.5 million, that currently has health issues because it is underutilized and does not have enough water flowing through it to remain sanitary.
“There has not been a balanced public input meeting,” Damone said, recalling a meeting at Western Pines Middle School in 2004 in which thencommissioner Tony Masilotti announced numerous infrastructure improvements anticipating the building of a Scripps facility at Mecca Farms. Shortly thereafter, the previous ITID
board sued the county over control of water utility rights, while the county ran water lines to Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.
“The board spent $2 million, and so did the county,” Damone said. “We were involved in an expensive lawsuit for the county and residents. We are now at a different level of asking residents for input. Now we have water lines from Palm Beach County in the ground. It’s a different platform than back in 2003 and 2004. Scripps played a huge role in getting those lines in the ground.”
Damone said she thinks Acreage residents are divided into three roughly equivalent groups by their attitudes toward water service.
“I feel you have 33 percent of people in The Acreage that do not want potable water,” she said. “There are 33 percent that own more expensive homes that want potable water, then there’s another 33 percent that want a cost estimate.”
If Damone’s intuition is correct, an accurate cost analysis would be the deciding factor. However, no matter what the decision, Damone stressed that the board would move cautiously. “I’ve always said that I would never force anyone to hook up to water,” she said. “It would increase the value of the utility if you force people to hook up, but I don’t want to add any more financial burden to residents.”
Damone added that she knows many residents who want public water for fire hydrants in order to lower their property insurance rates. She said there are hookups for hydrants where the county water lines go through, but no hydrants as of yet.
Coincidentally, an administrative hearing is set to begin Aug. 29 on the Central Western Communities Sector Plan, in which Indian Trail has intervenor status, meaning it can take a hand in the county’s negotiations with the state on the long-stalled blueprint for growth.
ducting the hearing by Monday, Aug. 13. Erickson said the district’s main issue is that no provision has been made to pay for road improvements in areas covered by the Sector Plan that have received increased density.
The district is also objecting to acknowledgements in the plan of the role of nearby municipal governments, but not special districts like ITID.
Other intervenors include the Seminole Improvement District, Callery-Judge Grove and its general manager Nat Roberts; the environmental watchdog 1000 Friends of Florida; the municipalities of Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm Beach, West Palm Beach and Loxahatchee Groves; the Fox Trail Property Owners’ Association; and local residents Patricia Curry, Alex Larson and Sharon Waite.
ITID Attorney Charlie Schoech said the district, as an intervenor and not an original participant, is limited in what issues it can raise. “The problem with such a large cast is trying to schedule anything,” he said. “I’m not optimistic that it will be settled in mediation.”
In other business, the supervisors decided not to take on maintenance of canals in the Rustic Lakes community unless it becomes an active unit of the district, which currently charges the development to receive its outflow.
Erickson told the board he understands the community, located between Ibis and Stonewall Estates, is willing to become an active ITID development unit.
ITID Engineer Jay Foy described the drainage condition of the development. “Looking north, you can see the canal is in poor shape,” he said, showing slides of an overgrown canal and decrepit outflow pump and describing the need to have the canals cleared and pump upgraded.
“They need an entity that can do this for them,” Foy said, adding that the community is only asking for drainage management, not road maintenance.
Board members last week discussed items for negotiation, which had to be presented to the administrative law judge con- See ITID, page 42A
Erickson said ITID should
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By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building Department offered information and welcomed public input Tuesday as it develops a master plan of the State Road 7 corridor between Lantana Road and Okeechobee Blvd.
The study, more than eight months in the works, will address the future use of land
within the study area, which generally consists of properties that front or are adjacent to SR 7 in the study area. The purpose of the plan is to coordinate and guide long-range land-use and transportation planning along the corridor, specifically focusing on undeveloped properties that have redevelopment potential and their effect on the heavilytraveled north-south thoroughfare.
Palm Beach County Senior
Urban Planner Jorge Perez said SR 7 between Lantana Road and Okeechobee Blvd. is estimated to be operating at full capacity.
“We need to address the traffic matters as a whole, rather than parcel by parcel,” Perez told the Town-Crier.
Perez said analysis of the corridor shows space reserved for plenty of single-family homes and retail businesses, but the county and area municipalities
need to work together to bring in more diversified housing and entice more non-retail, higherpaying jobs to the corridor. The county invited officials from the municipalities of Royal Palm Beach, Wellington and Greenacres and members of the public to take part in the all-day session at the Planning, Zoning & Building Department’s Vista Center headquarters on Jog Road, both to provide input for the study and to listen to pre-
sentations on the corridor by county staff.
“It’s a joint effort,” Wellington Code Compliance Manager Steven Cramer said. “That’s pretty impressive.”
Recommendations on land use being drafted by county staff include encouraging more office uses to provide employment and light industrial uses where they might be applicable, as well as employment centers to reduce
See CORRIDOR, page 42A
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
The Indian Trail Improvement District’s Planning Advisory Committee made it clear at their Monday meeting that it would focus on the need for sidewalks near schools.
Resident and activist Amy Hackney told the committee that two miles of 162nd Drive North had no sidewalks, as well as a half-mile of Sycamore Blvd. near Seminole Ridge High School.
ITID Operations Director Terry Narrow said that his crews had completed another two blocks of sidewalk on 162nd Avenue North but that costs are high because of a large drainage ditch on the east side of the road near the sidewalk.
“It cost $12,000 for two blocks,” Narrow said, “and that’s with being able to dump dirt to fill in the ditch from other
projects so we don’t have to pay for it.”
Narrow said that the cost of filling in the drainage ditch is a major problem although he said that over the course of the next fiscal year, there would be enough dirt available to complete that part of the work.
Hackney said county and school district representatives both told her laying the sidewalks is an ITID responsibility.
Committee Member Bertram Shapero suggested asking the state for funds under the “Safe Pathways for Schools” grant program.
ITID Vice President Mike Erickson, the ITID board’s liaison with the committee, said completing the sidewalks as soon as possible is the highest priority in terms of road improvements.
Hackney also noted that several registered sex offenders live near Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School. “One lives
across the street,” she said. “Many of them were grandfathered in when the new law that prohibited being that close to schools was passed. They cannot be forced to leave without the permission of a judge.”
Committee Chair Bryan Vasser asked why children walking along 162nd Drive North could not use the equestrian path on the west side of the road.
“Residents along the street do not want ATVs and motorbikes using the path, so they spread manure on it,” Hackney replied. “I looked at the road, and I couldn’t walk through it, so you can imagine what it would be like for a child. We’ve asked some of the people who live along the road if they would stop, but they really hate the noise of the ATVs.”
In other business:
• Erickson announced that the planned traffic circle at Temple Blvd. and 140th Avenue North
had been surveyed and that the engineering design work is being completed.
• The committee discussed requests for speed bumps by residents along Tangerine Blvd. west of Banyan Blvd. up to 180th Avenue North.
“There have been a lot of complaints about fast-moving cars along the mile-and-a-half strip,” Narrow reported. “Also, it is very close to Frontier Elementary School and Osceola Creek Middle School, which creates a danger for children walking to school.”
Committee Member Patricia Curry said that she was not certain speed bumps would be a good idea. “I would hate to see more of them considering how much horse people hate them,” she said. “Maybe we should see if a traffic circle would work better.”
Hackney suggested that Narrow check the signs along the street to make certain that it was
actually considered a school zone. “I have seen signs coming toward the school but none leaving it,” she said. “That would lower the speed to 20 mph during the times students are coming to and leaving school.”
Shapero said the committee should consider speed bumps not only to calm traffic but as a way to protect children.
• ITID Engineer Jay Foy presented county plans for median breaks on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road between Southern and Sycamore boulevards, which is slated for widening. “This is very important because some people will have to make U-turns to move in the other direction, and they will be making them regularly,” he said. “They have to be spaced correctly.”
The committee decided to discuss the spacing of the breaks at the next meeting of the committee, scheduled for Sept. 17 at 7 p.m.
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
While the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District has enjoyed Palm Beach County funding for road improvements in recent years, shrinking county revenues forced the district Monday to favor stabilization of a portion of F Road with county help rather than overall dust abatement.
The county has provided funding to the district for calcium chloride, and in the past year has also funded the stabilization of certain roads in the district with open graded emulsified mix (OGEM), a sort of pervious asphalt, when a majority of residents petition the district for it.
But when the LGWCD Board of Supervisors met Monday, District Administrator Clete Saunier told them County Commissioner Jess Santamaria said they could expect county funding on one or the other at best in the coming fiscal year.
The district has requested county funding assistance on two projects: an estimated $179,000 for OGEM on F Road from Okeechobee Blvd. to Collecting Canal Road, and an estimated $109,000 for the application of calcium chloride solution on all district roads.
Saunier said Santamaria explained he could only fund one project due to cuts at the state level, and wanted the district to choose. Saunier added that Santamaria wanted to make clear that there were no guarantees, either.
“If you read the letter carefully, there is no commitment to provide the funding,” Saunier said. “It’s a request to direct the efforts to bring the funding to the district. I want to make that very clear.”
Supervisor Robert Snowball said he supported requesting the calcium chloride, but Supervisor Ron Jarriel disagreed, saying he wanted to get the most money he could, and he also wanted the request that would get the most bang for the buck. The calcium chloride would dissipate after application, whereas the OGEM on F Road would last longer, Jarriel said, adding that OGEM would help law enforcement and fire-rescue perform their services better.
“One thing I have learned from the commissioner is when he invests in us, he wants to see something for his money,” Jarriel said. “I like the idea of us solving the calcium chloride problem, but it may last three to five months. It’s a lot of money to blow up in the rain. I don’t think he would like that. As far as south F Road, I can justify it more to the county commission.”
Saunier said the developer of the Groves Medical Plaza on the northeast corner of F Road and Southern Blvd. had agreed to improve a portion of F Road. If Santamaria could provide for the remainder of the road, he said, it would be completely stabilized.
During public comments, B Road resident Joan Shewmake
urged the supervisors to request funding for calcium chloride because it would help reduce the dust on all roads and would benefit all residents. “For those of us who have breathing and lung problems, the dust is a pretty bad situation,” she said.
Shewmake also asked if the calcium chloride would be beyond reach if the district cannot get county funding. Supervisor John Ryan said if the proposed “super exemption” constitutional amendment does not pass in January, it might open the door for more funding requests, and then the district could ask for help with calcium chloride funding again.
“The county may have more flexibility in response for a request,” Ryan said. “In future years, we also will have increased gas tax revenues.”
Shewmake said B Road is in poor condition because people from outside Loxahatchee Groves use it as a cut-through to Wellington and other areas.
“B Road is in terrible, terrible condition,” she said. “When you come east from Southern, it’s the first light people can take. It’s the continuation of Binks Forest [Drive]. The road is in horrible condition. The dust is bad.”
A Road resident Jeff Smith said he considered the calcium chloride a waste of money, and said he suspected the material, being salt-based, had corroded the metal box in the back of his truck. Smith also asked whether road improvements could be funded by residents through a
vote. Saunier replied that voters could agree to tax themselves by a special assessment, but it’s up to them. He also said he had received many requests for road improvements.
“We can create a special taxing unit,” Saunier said. “It would not necessarily go to a bond referendum. It would have to go to a referendum vote on financing. There would be a special assessment in addition to the regular assessments that would have to be put into the equation. It would be based essentially on a petition basis. Many people are interested in having their roads improved. It’s a matter of who pays for it.”
Jarriel made a motion to request county funding for OGEM on F Road, which was seconded by Chairman David DeMarois. It passed unani-
mously 4-0 with Vice Chair Don Widing absent.
In other business:
• The board approved a series of amendments to the current 2006-07 budget to account for projects that will not be completed this year; to offset unanticipated expenditures; to reconcile unanticipated, reimbursable projects funded by Palm Beach County; and to provide funding for repairs to the district office building complex.
Saunier said the adjustments would result in a drop in the projected fund balance on Sept. 30 from $169,845 to $95,567. The assessments to landowners, however, would remain at $137.95 per acre in the coming budget year.
Although the supervisors approved the adjustments and
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
State Sen. Dave Aronberg spoke to members of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County at a luncheon last Wednesday. Held at the Esperante building in downtown West Palm Beach, the luncheon also featured representatives from sponsor Washington Mutual.
Executive Committee Chair Elena Contreras welcomed members attending the luncheon. They were followed by Washington Mutual representatives Yasser Ponce, Philip Friedly and Rita Bligh, who thanked the chamber for allowing them to sponsor the event.
Aronberg (D-District 27) focused his remarks on the recent legislative session in Tallahassee, as well as the January 2008 constitutional amendment offering a homestead “super exemption” to property owners. Aronberg also noted the importance of cultural diversity and bilingualism.
“I am originally from Miami,” Aronberg said in Spanish, “and it’s very important for a politician to understand and speak Spanish. But since I have moved to Palm Beach County, I do not really have the opportunity to speak Spanish a lot.”
Aronberg praised many of the changes that have taken place in Tallahassee since Gov. Charlie Crist took office last January. Although a Republican, he said, Crist is reaching across the aisle in a nonpartisan, inclusive fashion.
“When I last spoke to you, Gov. Bush was in Tallahassee,” Aronberg said. “It was a very different environment. Tallahassee was a very different place. It was very partisan. Gov. Bush, like him or not, he had a vision. He was focused on issues, and he would push them.”
When Crist was sworn into office, Aronberg said, Democrats expected busi-
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee Chair Elena Contreras, State Sen. Dave Aronberg and chamber ambassador Yasser Ponce of Washington Mutual, the luncheon’s presenting sponsor.
ness as usual. But after hearing Crist’s State of the State address, Aronberg saw a governor who was not swayed by either party.
“He does not care what the Republican Party thinks on an issue,” Aronberg said. “After the past years in Washington, D.C., and all the partisanship and personal attacks on both sides, the public is ready for someone who says, ‘Enough with party affiliations. I want to just do what is right.’”
However, there were still some hard battles, Aronberg said, namely insurance and property tax reform.
“When it comes to those issues, the governor said we are going to have taxes drop like a rock, and people are expecting that,” Aronberg said. “He has said we are going to reduce insurance rates by passing this landmark legislation, and
we did. But our insurance rates have not really gone down. For some people, they’re still going up.”
Aronberg said the better option would be to spread the risk nationally through a national catastrophe plan. Such a bill is being co-sponsored by United States senators Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez, both representing Florida.
However, there are still a few kinks to work out, Aronberg said, and it would not be an easy issue to push. Some states don’t like the idea of bearing the costs of hurricanes in Florida, but Aronberg suggested that those states needed to consider things like earthquakes, floods or even something like the recent bridge collapse in Minnesota.
Regarding the constitutional amendment to decide whether a homestead “super exemption” should replace the
Save Our Homes initiative, Aronberg said it likely won’t get the 60-percent vote it needs to become law. “You get the super exemption, but there is no portability if you move,” Aronberg said.
“You don’t get any benefit.”
Aronberg concluded by saying that the constitutional amendment is a flawed plan, and he recommended people vote no on it. If the amendment is defeated, the legislature will be forced to fix the property insurance system properly next March, he said.
“If we reject that plan,” Aronberg said, “we will have more on the ballot in November 2008. It’s not the end of the debate. It’s just the beginning.”
For more information about the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County, visit www.palmbeach hispanicchamber.com.
The Fifth Annual Putting Kids First event took place on Saturday, Aug. 11 at Okeeheeleee Middle School. A variety of school supplies were given away. Kids’ activities included a bicycle rodeo, face painting and a bounce house. Youngsters involved in the event were from the Kenwood Estates, Royal Palm Estates, Lake Worth West, Dyson Circle, Lakewood, Ponce Drive and Indian Pines communities.
I’ve figured out why everyone is collecting old cookbooks now — they want to eat real food for a change. The new cookbooks, while weighing the portions, keeping track of the calories and minimizing the cholesterol you’re about to ingest, have left out one fairly important component — taste. Evidently all those ingredients that are so bad for you are what make things taste good. I, for one, miss cheese — “nature’s coagulant.”
And it’s not like you can depend on restaurants anymore, either. They’re taking the trans fats out of everything, too. I don’t know what they are, but I want them back. I miss them. You can’t train me to like something and then yank the rug out from under me. Kentucky Fried Chicken just doesn’t taste the same without trans fats as part of its secret recipe.
Speaking of fast food, they did a study
recently where children were offered the same food both in and out of McDonald’s packaging. One hundred percent of the children said the food that came in the packaging tasted better. Anyone who’s ever taken fast food to a picnic knows that. Once it’s out of the wrapper and hits the fresh air, it’s just blah. Sometimes it’s worse than blah. Perky red and yellow packaging is a must.
I do miss picnics, however. Picnics were big back when I was growing up.
Fast food restaurants hadn’t taken over yet, so “eating out” meant something completely different. Mom would spend the day before the big event boiling potatoes and cutting up celery for the potato salad, sometimes frying chicken in advance so we could eat it cold, and cutting various brightly colored veggies into easy-to-handle spears for us to nibble
on. The morning of the Big Day, she’d top off the deviled eggs, grab a package of bakery-fresh rolls, pour the homemade chilled lemonade into a Thermos so heavy no one could lift it, and we were off.
If I packed a lunch like that for Mark today, he’d check his vital signs — sure he’d died and gone to heaven. Even the ants would freak out.
Speaking of food, whatever happened to the “nice, healthy breakfast” that consisted of two or three fried eggs, a half rack of bacon, a stack of toast with butter and a glass of whole milk? Or the alternative — a steaming bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and cream? No wonder today’s kids are cranky. We send them off to school with a Pop-Tart in their backpack and expect them to last until lunch.
And what do they get for lunch now that peanut butter is out? I can see why they bring guns to school. They’ve had it!
Oh, the world has become a terrible place. The only solution is to take everything out of the cupboard and put it into McDonald’s packaging. We won’t be eating any better, but at least we’ll think our food tastes good.
That Wellington High School achieved a score of 50 points above the minimum level for an A school last year and was “demoted” to B because it needed to have one more of its weakest students make appropriate progress is perfect evidence that the system itself is ridiculous.
Even worse, it is damaging. Schools rated A get extra money; WHS lost that. Perhaps the lawmakers in Washington and Tallahassee, men and women we elected presumably because of their accumulated wisdom, can take a look at what they have wrought.
The rating system is nothing more or less than a disaster. Actually it is exactly what you get when elected officials decide they know more about education than people who are involved in it. There are lots of wonderful-sounding goals, things that sound great, and will trip you up in the real world.
About ten years ago I was an assis-
tant principal at an exceptional high school in The Bronx, Dewitt Clinton. From a low in the 1980s, the school had improved to where it was ranked as one of the best urban high schools in America (by Redbook magazine and US News & World Report). Not being satisfied with having an almost all-minority school of low-income students doing remarkably well, the Powers Who Thought They Were sent in some “experts” from a university to improve us.
The first step they wanted was a “mission statement” and we threw in noble words: “the goal of the school is to have all students graduate on time.” The school was actually doing reasonably well in terms of its graduation rate. My principal and I were shocked by the criticism that we had not put in an actual date when the goal would be reached. They threatened hearings on the score, threatened our careers, despite the fact
that the on-time graduation rate was nearly double that of the district overall. We settled the problem by putting the goal at a year after we both were certain we would be retired.
The moral of that story: be careful of stated goals. You may be asked to live up to them!
Here in Florida, our legislators have created a system that is so ungainly, it should be put to rest. That a school does brilliantly well means nothing unless it meets a series of very narrow benchmarks. WHS soared above the minimum for an A rating but did not get one.
We see the reasons for this most obviously in measuring progress for students who do not speak English well. After being dubbed “English language learners,” a designation that is almost completely at odds with their specific problem since they actually function in their native language, they are tested for
progress. However, the students who actually do learn English and test out of the category are constantly removed from the group being measured. The system ignores the better foreign students in a year or so and measures only the weakest students and the latest arrivals.
And of course, the high level of work by students out in the western communities means that the number of students in the lowest reading quartile is relatively
The Palm Beach County Democratic Party held a picnic last Sunday at John Prince Park in Lake Worth. Everyone who attended the picnic brought school supplies for youngsters who will begin school this week. Their charity was rewarded with hamburgers, hot dogs, drinks and other goodies. The event also included speeches from several Democratic hopefuls running for office in 2008, as well as from incumbents who hope to retain their seats.
Brian Lawrence of Royal Palm Beach was diagnosed with sickle-cell anemia when he was six months old.
He is now 20 and needs immediate financial assistance and a bone-marrow transplant. Anyone interested is welcome to join Brian’s caring supporters in a “Mega Fundraiser” dance on Friday, Aug. 31 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge (5876 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) featuring three dynamic DJs who will donate their services: TopRanking Sound (OG), Sir Winston and Ernitones.
The cost is a $25 donation, dinner included. Monetary donations will be accepted at any Washington Mutual Bank (Brian Lawrence Benevolent account). For more info., contact Norma at (561) 632-7731, Marjorie at (561) 333-8841 or Junette (561) 793-7370.
In a unique marketplace of over 48,000 square feet, Buckler Craft Fairs will host its 17th annual Christmas in August Craft Fair this weekend at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
The cost for adults is $6; children 12 and under are admitted free. Admission is good all weekend with a hand stamp. There are hourly door prizes and parking is free.
For a complete list of upcoming shows, visit the Buckler web site at www.bucklerpromotions.com.
Shaun Groves Live At Community of Hope
Community of Hope and Compassion International will present international re-
cording star Shaun Groves on Saturday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach High School auditorium. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Seats are available on a first come, first serve basis. Special guests City of David and Brent Walker open the free concert. Call (561) 7538883 or visit www.communityof hope.com for more information.
The Wellington Garden Club will hold its first meeting of the 2007-08 season on Friday, Sept. 7 at the Wellington Community Center, 12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd. The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a light lunch supplied by the members, followed by a business meeting and a speaker. The speaker will be Stephen Webster, public relations manager for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection southeast district.
His topic will be “Magnitude Springs, Protecting Florida’s Water Supply.” Guests are welcome; there is no charge. For more information, contact Deborah Russell at (561) 793-7360.
Open House Planned At Chabad-Lubavich
Chabad-Lubavitch Hebrew School will hold an open house and Shofar Factory on Sunday, Sept. 2 from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Classes are offered for children, preK through bar/bat mitzvah. New for this year is an expanded opportunity making it easier for children to participate, helping build Hebrew language skills with a focus on the spoken word. Shul membership is not required.
For more information, contact Rabbi “Mendy” Muskal at the Wellington Jewish Center, 12785 West Forest Hill Blvd., Suite C. (561) 333-4663.
Word among the colony is that the summer’s most fun event is moving to a new “hive” and a new day. It’s true. The Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition’s annual Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee is set to take place on Thursday, Sept. 27, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Harriet Himmel Theater in CityPlace. In its 16th year, the Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee promises an evening of exciting (and intense) competition for everyone. All money raised will benefit the Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition and its programs serving the community from Boca Raton to Jupiter and west to Belle Glade. “Bee-watching” is encouraged and free to the general public in the upper level of the Harriet Theater. Corporate teams consisting of three people will compete for first, second and third place while helping to raise awareness of literacy efforts in Palm Beach County. The cost for a team is $1,000
and includes a table for eight (three team members and five additional guests), one mulligan that may be used to redeem one incorrect spelling, and food and beverages.
For those who can’t take the heat of having to spell, letters of the alphabet may be purchased for $300 with all proceeds going toward the coalition.
WPTV NewsChannel 5 Chief Meteorologist Steve Weagle will serve as emcee for the bee. Buzzby Book Bee, the Coalition’s mascot, will be on hand to entertain the audience. In addition, there will be an audience participation game where one lucky person will receive a special prize for guessing the correct spelling of a list of words.
For more information about the PBC Literacy Coalition, its programs or to sign up a corporate team for the spelling bee, contact the coalition office at (800) 2731030.
Grassy Waters Preserve hosted its Dragonfly Summer open house last Saturday. The event featured mini-canoeing, animals from the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, hands-on interactive exhibits, refreshments, kids crafts, live music by Glenn Moody and more. For information about upcoming events, call the Grassy Waters Preserve, located at 8264 Northlake Blvd., at (561) 804-4985 or (561) 629-6016, or visit www.grassywaters preserve.com.
of Development
The Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association hosted an ice cream social on Saturday, Aug. 11 at Good Earth Farm (2141 B Road, Loxahatchee Groves). The event was organized after Sharyn Browning, wife of Mayor David Browning, submitted an essay to Edy’s ice cream explaining why Loxahatchee Groves should win their contest to host an ice cream social. As part of the prize, Edy’s sent 12 half-gallon containers of ice cream, as well as cups, spoons, napkins and other necessary items. In addition, the event also featured a tour of the animal rescue facility. For more information about Good Earth Farm, call (561) 792-2666 or visit www.thegoodearthfarm.org.
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
American Legion Baseball’s 17-and-under division held the West Palm Beach District allstar game last Friday at Dick Brown Field in Lake Worth.
Wellington Post 258 had four players representing the team, and Head Coach Brice Miller was also present.
The pre-game ceremonies started at 6:30 p.m. Brandon Cox, who had been named the season’s Most Valuable Player for the entire district, was honored along with longtime Palm Beach County coach Roger Vasquez.
American Legion officials picked Cox as this season’s MVP because of his excellence
BASEBALL
of play on the field, excellence in the classroom (he has a 3.5 grade point average) and his community service. Cox has volunteered for his church, umpired children’s baseball games and helped organize and develop the Briana Cox Scholarship Fund at Palm Beach Central High School in honor of his sister, who was killed in a traffic accident last year.
The game’s final score was 11-10 won by the South All-Star team. It was the final game of the 17-and-under division, which plays approximately 35 games a season. Wellington Post 258 ended its season with an 18-11 regular season record.
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
An adage in sports is that a team that sneaks up on its opponents one season becomes the hunted the next season. Consider the Seminole Ridge High School football team the hunted during the 2007 season. The Hawks went 5-5 in 2006 and advanced to the first round of the district playoffs, where they lost 14-7 to Palm Beach Gardens — impressive for a team in only its second season of competition.
“The goal of that team was to make the playoffs last year,”
Coach Matt Dickmann said. “We didn’t care how, just as long as we made it. We talked to this [senior] class about how last year’s class started a tradition. We want to continue that tradition.”
And then there are Dickmann’s goals. “We want to have a winning season — six wins plus — and continue to shoot for playoffs,” he said. “We have to be smarter than other teams and stronger than other teams because we’re going to play a lot of teams that have more speed than us.”
The Hawks will play in a different district from their first two seasons, moving from District 8 — which includes Wellington, Lake Worth, Palm Beach Central and Royal Palm Beach — to District 7, which includes Palm Beach Gardens, Vero Beach, Jupiter and Palm Beach Lakes. “You’re looking at a district that is pretty rich in
tradition,” Dickmann said.
Seminole Ridge’s first district game will be at home, Sept. 9 against Palm Beach Lakes. Dickmann stressed the importance of that game. “I think we really need to come out and win that game to establish ourselves,” he said.
Like most teams, the Hawks’ fortunes this season, which begins on Aug. 24 in the Kickoff Classic at Olympic Heights, rests with defense. Seminole Ridge lost the bulk of a defensive unit that allowed an average of only 17 points per game last season. But that number doesn’t really reflect how good the Hawks’ defense was. Excluding a 39-8 loss to West Boca Raton and a stunning 3431 loss to Lake Worth, Seminole Ridge gave up an average of only 13.7 points per game. The Hawks shut out two of their final four regular-season opponents.
“Our defense did a tremendous job last year, especially at the end of the year,” Dickmann said. “We have a lot of inexperience on defense going into this season, but I think we have people in the places who can do the job for us. It’s just a question of how quick and how fast they can get up to speed.”
Leading the way for the Seminole Ridge defense will be senior defensive backs Alain Lamontagne and Allen Lopez, each returning starters from 2006, along with junior Daryl Thomas,
back for his third season as a starter on the defensive line.
The Hawks, whose first home game is Aug. 31 against Wellington, are more set offensively, where senior running back Josh McCollum likely will get the bulk of the carries. McCollum, a starter as a sophomore and junior, ran for 718 yards on 100 carries and five touchdowns from the Hawks’ multiple set offense in 2006.
He’ll be joined by senior running back William Jones, who carried 52 times for 504 yards and five touchdowns last season, and senior fullback Curtis Griswold, who had 32 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries in 2006.
In summer, the quarterback duties have been split between senior Josh Jackson and junior Tyler Wilhelm. Jackson has more experience, having completed 23 of 63 passes for 11 touchdowns last season. Wilhelm was zero for one in the passing department in 2006.
By Lisa Keeney Town-Crier Staff Report
Dozens of western communities residents were among the 600 athletes participating in the 22nd Annual Loggerhead Triathlon on Saturday, Aug. 11. The participants started with a 3/8-mile ocean swim, followed by bicycling 13 miles and running 3.1 miles to cross the finish line in Carlin Park in Jupiter. The race is presented by the Triathlon Club of the Palm Beaches and the Jupiter Tequesta Juno Beach Chamber of Commerce.
Jonathan Pagalilauan of Royal Palm Beach won the Male 25-29 division with a total time of 1:05:49.
Four local triathletes took first place in their respective age divisions. Jonathan Pagalilauan of Royal Palm Beach, 29, won the Male 25-29 division with a total time of 1:05:49. Pagalilauan finished 17th overall, seven minutes after triathlon winner John Reback of Jupiter crossed the finish line in 58 minutes, 43 seconds.
Nicholas Jarriel of Royal Palm Beach, 21, took first among males 20-24 with a 1:06:16 finish.
Eighteen-year-old Wellington resident Angelo Lupardo placed
Twenty-year-old Ashley Grove of Loxahatchee makes her way across the 13-mile bike course.
first in the Male 15-19 division with a time of 1:08:56. And Wellington’s Stacy Cappadona, 19, won the Female 15-19 division with a 1:25:33 finish. Other top five finishers include Dennis Thompson of Wellington, 52, who placed fourth in the Male 50-54 division finishing in 1:09:55. Carl Lovetere, 57 of Wellington, took fourth place in Male 55-59 with a 1:22:17 finish. Tony Aseere, 31 of Royal Palm Beach, captured fifth in the Male 30-34 category in 1:09:34. Among females 30-34, Wellington resident
Angelo Lupardo of Wellington won first place in the Male 15-19 category.
Michelle Setzer, 33, took fifth with a 1:20:43 finish. And Ashley Grove, 20 of Loxahatchee, placed fifth in the Female 20-24 with a 1:30:05 finish.
Additional area triathlon finishers include: Mike Muscat, 1:11:27; Dave Matthews, 1:12:19; Joel McClintock, 1:13:07; Louis Blanco, 1:13:35; Tracy Clark, 1:15:38; Steve Tilley, 1:16:03; Tom Coates, 1:16:07; Scott Simpson, 1:16:15; Matt Masemore, 1:18:04; Alberto Tafur, 1:20:36; Mike May, 1:24:12; Dana Nelson, 1:25:46; Brianna Julius, 1:25:48; Robert Landrum, 1:26:38; Lori Shellman, 1:27:30; Julie Nestler, 1:28:24; Michelle Garvey, 1:28:36; Christopher Carney, 1:28:55; Lorraine Kryvicky, 1:30:13; Vickie Grove, 1:32:16; Victor Graffeo, 1:33:46; Timothy Shutes, 1:34:15; Nikki Stokes, 1:36:52; Patrick Rooney, 1:39:42; Kim Bozetarnik, 1:40:57; Abel Casillas, 1:46:12; Kimberly Corbitt, 1:44:12; Daphne Markey, 1:44:45; Diana Rodriguez, 1:47:43; Helen Varble, 1:48:31; Alain Perez, 1:44:25; Vivian May, 1:45:23; and Julie Mahoney, 1:51:00.
Stacy Cappadona of Wellington cycles her way to a first-place finish in the Female 15-19 division.
Nicholas Jarriel of Royal Palm Beach captured first place in the Male 20-24 division.
The 4-H program at the South Florida Fair will be one of the recipients of agriculture field trip programs, nutritional programs with emphases on Florida commodities and aquaculture curriculum distribution from Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, approved for funding as part of its 2007 Volunteer Grants program.
The South Florida Fair has been funded to hold a 4-H agricultural day camp in Palm Beach County in which students will learn about the production of Florida commodities. Dates have not yet been set.
Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, a non-profit association based in Gainesville, approved 21 grant projects around the state, many of them to be carried out by University of Florida/IFAS Extension and 4-H programs, county farm bureaus, local fair organizations, among other non-profit organizations. It will spend more than $27,000, and project organizers estimate they will reach nearly 15,000 students statewide.
“We are proud to fund projects Florida agriculture industry volunteers and others carry out to educate Florida students and teachers about the importance of our industry,” said Cara Martin, chair of Florida Ag in the Classroom and assistant director of government and community affairs for the Florida Farm Bureau. “Without this grassroots network of volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to reach nearly as many students and teachers around the state.”
Florida Ag in the Classroom uses proceeds from the sale of the agriculture specialty license plate, or the Ag Tag, to fund its teacher and volunteer grants programs, among other Florida Ag in the Classroom programs.
The mission of Florida Ag in the Classroom is to educate Florida stu-
dents and teachers about the importance of the agriculture industry by proving curricula, materials, grant money, Florida Agriculture Literacy Day and other programs for free or a nominal fee.
The Acreage Football League is preparing for the opening of its tenth season of play. Due to the efforts of the many volunteers that help run the program, another great football season is expected.
The annual opening ceremonies were set to be held on Friday, Aug. 17 at Acreage Community Park recognizing the players, cheerleaders and sponsors of the league. There will be a jamboree scrimmage for the teams on Saturday, Aug. 18. At the jamboree, the Indian Trail Improvement District will recognize the tenth anniversary of Acreage Community Park and the district’s “Summer of Progress.”
The Acreage Football League has a flag football division composed of four levels: PeeWee, Midge, Junior Varsity and Varsity. The tackle division includes the following groups: Prep, Collegiate and Pro, running from ages nine to 14. There are no weight restrictions in the league; division assignments are by age. Each division will play a regular season schedule of ten games followed by the playoffs, with the super bowl for each division to be played at Seminole Ridge High School.
The league thanks the Seminole Ridge High School coaching staff for the wonderful job it did in putting on the summer camp and clinic that many of the players attended. The instruction received was of the highest quality, and the players benefited from their time at these camps.
For more information, visit www. flyaa.org or call (561) 795-5908.
took place Monday at the Links of Madison Green in Royal Palm Beach. The fundraiser was held to benefit James Rivera, who was recently diagnosed with MD and needs money to go to Philadelphia Children’s Hospital in Pennsylvania where he can receive necessary medical treatment and therapy. According to event chair Dawn Dallin, the tournament raised more than $25,000. Pictured here is James (center) with brother Peter, NewsChannel 5 anchor Jim Sackett and his mother Milogras before the awards ceremony.
PHOTO BY STEVE PIKE/TOWN-CRIER
Saturday, Aug. 18
• 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.
• The Buckler Craft Show will continue Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 18 and 19 at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.). 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.
• The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will hold a walk in Okeeheelee Park on Forest Hill Blvd. on Saturday, Aug. 18. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the parking lot near the western entrance of the park. For more info., call Daisy at (561) 439-5780.
• Grassy Waters Preserve (8264 Northlake Blvd.) will feature mini-canoeing for those who don’t have much time or are new to canoeing on Saturday, Aug. 18 for ages six and up. The event will take place from 9 to 10 a.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. at the south side at the Wilderness Pavilion. The cost is $5 for adults and $1 for children. For more info., call (561) 804-4985 or (561) 629-6016, or visit www.grassywaters preserve.com.
• The Mounts Botanical Garden (559 North Military Trail in West Palm Beach) will host A Shady Affair Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 18 and 19. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature informative lectures, a plant sale by top shade-loving plant growers and a silent auction of gorgeous plant combinations in the exhibit hall. There is a $5 entrance donation; members and children under age 10 are admitted free. For more info., call (561) 233-1757.
• 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.
• On Saturday, Aug. 18 at 1 p.m. the Puerto Rican Organization for Cultural Enhancement and Reaffirmation (PROCER) will host an expo, musical performances and award certificates to PROCER program participants at Greenacres Community Hall (525 Swain Blvd., Greenacres). This activity will be the closing event for PROCER’s first endeavor in offering the community artistic programs, specifically Puerto Rican cuatro lessons and acrylic painting. The public is welcome. For more info., e-mail the procergroup@aol.com or call (561) 753-3632.
• The Kravis Center (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present An Evening With Clay Aiken on Saturday, Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. in Dreyfoos Hall. Aiken’s debut album Measure of a Man hit number one on Billboard’s top 200 chart and went triple platinum, while his rendition of “This Is the Night/Bridge Over Troubled Water” won the 2003 Billboard Music Award for Best Single. For tickets, call the box office at (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org.
Sunday, Aug. 19
• On Sunday, Aug. 19, the Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will offer a guided bird watching walk in the Green Cay Wetlands. Meet at the building entrance at 7 a.m. The Green Cay Wetlands are located on Hagen Ranch Road between Boynton Beach and Delray Beach. For more information, call Sherry at (561) 963-9906.
• Grassy Waters Preserve will host an educational program on the City of West Palm Beach’s innovative water supply system on Sunday, Aug. 19 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Apoxee Urban Wilderness Park (Jog Road one mile north of Okeechobee Blvd.). The $34 million, wetlandsbased water reclamation project has been in the works for 15 years and will help the city maintain sustainable water resources through 2020. The program is for ages ten and up, and costs $15 for adults and $5 for children. RSVP to (561) 804-4985 or (561) 629-6016, or visit www. grassywaterspreserve.com.
• St. David’s-in-the-Pines Episcopal Church will host a U2charist on Sunday, Aug. 19 at 6 p.m., featuring music of the Irish rock band performed by the St. David’s Praise Band. The Youth of St. David’s will lead prayers. St. David’s-in-the-Pines Episcopal Church is located at the northwest corner of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace in Wellington. For more info., call (561) 793-1976.
• 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. For more info., call Ron Tomchin at (561) 807-7254 or e-mail ron@rpbadvisors. com.
• Enjoy a walk on Juno Beach with the Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association on Sunday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. Participants will meet at the Bluffs Square Shopping Center and walk on the beach to the pier and back. For more info., call Gail at (561) 9683887.
Monday, Aug. 20
• The Wellington Aquatics Complex (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will begin its fall hours on Monday, 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. For more information about the Wellington Aquatics Complex, call (561) 753-2484, ext. 2836. • Free cholesterol and diabetes screening will be offered on Monday, Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Express RX (4752 Jog Rd, Lake Worth). For more info., call (800) 7133301.
• The Lake Worth Playhouse (713 Lake Ave., Lake Worth) will hold auditions Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 20 and 21 from 7 to 10 p.m. for three women and two men in their 20s to 30s. Strong actor/singers who dance or move very well are needed. Ability to rollerskate is a plus. To make an appointment, call (561) 586-6169, ext. 204. Bring a short song that tells a story (with a beginning, middle and end) and be prepared to dance if asked. Visit www. lakeworthplayhouse.org for more info.
Tuesday, Aug. 21
• 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.
Thursday, Aug. 23
• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host a Poetry Discussion Group on Thursday, Aug 23 at 6:30 p.m. Adults will immerse themselves in a lively discussion of several published poems written by various poets. Copies of the poems are available at the reference desk. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register.
Friday, Aug. 24
• 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.
Saturday, Aug. 25
• The Village of Royal Palm Beach will host its Second Annual Summer Art Festival on Saturday, Aug. 25 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Veterans Park. Individuals can enjoy food and beverages from the Wild Orchid Café, musical entertainment in the courtyard, and spend the day strolling along the park’s pathways to view the works of talented local artists. Interested artists can contact the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center for an application at (561) 790-5149.
• WRMF’s “Our Kids World” show will take place at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.) Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 25 and 26. Children can participate in hands-on educational activities, be entertained at two stages, meet their favorite sports mascots and television characters, and bounce in the Fun Zone inflatables. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more info., visit www.adayforkids. com.
• Prepare to be amazed as resident birds of prey are introduced in Raptor Chapter Saturday, Aug. 25 at 2 p.m. at Okeeheelee Nature Center (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.). The program is for all ages and costs $3 per person. Reservations are required. For more info., call (561) 233-1400.
Justin Thompson, an assistant pro at Pine Valley in the summer and head pro at the John’s Island Club in Vero Beach in the winter, has been selected as the first head golf professional for the new Wanderers Club at Wellington.
Formerly known as Wellington Golf & Country Club, the Wanderers Club at Wellington is undergoing a major renovation by Jacobsen Hardy Golf Design and expects to reopen in late November as a full-service private facility.
“We’re excited to have someone of Justin’s background and his diverse experiences join the Wanderers Club,” said Louie Bartoletti, general manager of the Wanderers Club at Wellington. “He’s worked at some of the best clubs in the country and the members are going to like his enthusiasm and work ethic.”
Johnson also worked at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rhode Island, Jupiter Hills in Florida and the Philadelphia
Cricket Club. “This is a tremendous opportunity, and I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Thompson said. “The new golf course will be fantastic, and the members will be thrilled with the renovations and improvements.”
Thompson graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2001 with a degree in business administration. While there, he was a two-time Golf Coaches Association of America Academic AllAmerican and named the Division I-District One Collegiate Player of the Year in 1999. Thompson also won the Rhode Island PGA Assistant’s Championship in 2005 and shot a course record of 61 at the John’s Island Club South Course.
Thompson was elected to PGA Membership in 2006 and also received the Acushnet Company’s Apprentice Scholarship.
A native Floridian, Thompson grew up in Springfield, Pennsylvania.
Wellington High School Debate’s Public Forum team of Hayley Kolich and Michael Stechschulte advanced to Round 10 of the National Forensic League 2007 National Championship Tournament in Wichita, Kansas the week of June 16-23. In doing so, they were recognized as one of the top 25 teams in the nation. Kolich, who is about to begin her senior year at WHS, and Stechschulte, an incoming sophomore, debated whether the private ownership of handguns should be banned in the United States. The students needed to argue both sides of the topic successfully in order to advance. This was the first time since 2002 that Wellington was represented at the NFL’s national championship tournament. Wellington Debate is coached by Paul Gaba. Pictured above are (L-R) Wellington Public Forum debaters Hayley Kolich and Michael Stechschulte with Timber Creek Public Forum debaters Samantha Sowers and Tad Ewald, represented the Florida Panther National Forensic League district in Wichita.
PBCHS Orientation
Palm Beach Central High School will hold its freshman/new student orientation on Monday, Aug. 20 at 6 p.m. Freshman will be able to tour the campus, pick up schedules and purchase lockers at this time.
Bus information will be posted in the front of the school. Students’ schedules will be available for pickup on Monday, Aug. 20 at the following time slots: seniors, 8 to 9:30 a.m.; juniors, 10 to 11:30 a.m.; and sophomores, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Students who are unable to pick up their schedules on Monday, Aug. 20 will receive them on Wednesday, Aug. 22 (the first day of school) prior to first period. No schedule changes will be made the first week of school.
Elbridge Gale Elementary School in Wellington will host a “Meet Your Teacher” event on Tuesday, Aug. 21 from 8 to 10 a.m. School collared shirts (two for $30) and school spirit shirts ($10) will be on sale as well. Aftercare registration ($25 per student) will also be available. For more information, call (561) 422-9300.
Back to school for the older kids means fun times for the South Florida Science Museum’s youngest visitors Aug. 23 and 24. The science museum will open early for grownups with toddler-aged children for a morning of storytelling with the Palm Beach County Library system, planetarium shows for young children, touch-tanks and other young visitor programs. The event runs from 8 to 10 a.m. with free refreshments from Einstein Brothers and Melton Management Mc-
Donald’s, as well as goody bags for the first 50 visitors. Enjoy character visits, touch stations, bubble-making and more.
Booths with giveaways will be set up from the Drowning Prevention Coalition, the Richard David Kahn Melanoma Foundation, South Florida Parenting magazine and the Safety Council of Palm Beach. Visitors will also take an additional 10 percent off a store item during Stroller Daze. Admission is $9 for adults and free for children.
The museum is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North, West Palm Beach in the north end of Dreher Park. For more information, call (561) 832-1988 or visit www.sfsm.org.
The Palm Beach County School District has provided a checklist to help the school registration process go as smoothly as possible. The following are required:
• Two proofs of residence, documentation in the name of the parent or guardian such as current telephone or electric bill, rent receipt with the name of person leasing the home/apartment or automobile insurance.
• Current Florida driver’s license/ Florida identification card.
• Birth certificate or alternative proof of age.
• Evidence of physical examination.
• Evidence of immunization, medical exemption or religious exemption.
• Completed registration form, which can be obtained from the school or downloaded from the school district web site.
• School records, if any.
• Latest report card and or transcript needed for proper grade placement.
To find out the school(s) assigned to a residence call the Boundaries Department at (561) 434-8100. For more information, call (561) 963-3876.
Seminole Ridge Athletics Boosters Begin New Year
The Seminole Ridge High School Athletics Boosters welcome Hawk fans to the 2007-08 booster meetings, which are held the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the media center. The Athletic Boosters welcome everyone’s thoughts, ideas and opinions.
The annual membership drive is about to begin; look for applications in the mail or stop by the SRHS front office to pick one up.
Help support the Hawk athletes by becoming a member. Boosters get a school-year season pass to all home sporting events for a substantial savings.
The Athletic Boosters are also getting ready for football season by pre-
paring its annual sports program. Anyone who would like to sponsor or advertise in it can pick up a form in the front office. For more information, call Cathryn at (561) 358-1509.
Auditions for ‘Annie’ — The Seminole Ridge drama department will present the musical Annie Dec. 6 through Dec. 9. Auditions for all parts of the production will be held beginning Wednesday, Aug. 29 and running through the end of the school week. Students can pick up audition forms from drama coach Mrs. Patricia Bates in Room 2-109.
Marlins Tickets On Sale — The Seminole Ridge baseball team is selling group tickets to Florida Marlins games. The tickets would be great for a family gathering or baseball team.
These are good seats in the lower-level outfield at a price of $20 per ticket,
for groups or individuals. For more information, call Donna Scott of the Hawks Baseball Fundraiser Committee at (561) 515-3105.
Pierce Hammock Open House Aug. 21
Pierce Hammock Elementary School will hold an open house for parents andchildren to come meet their teachers on Tuesday, Aug. 21 from 3 to 5 p.m. Pierce Hammock is located at 14255 Hamlin Blvd. in The Acreage. For more information, call (561) 6510400.
The Palm Beach County School District is working toward becoming dis-
Veteran Poinciana Day School teacher Debbie Berris recently had two articles on curriculum plans published in The Mailbox, a leading national teacher magazine.
Berris has had more than 30 curriculum plans accepted for publication over the past several years. Some of her published works include innovative classroom activities for math, language arts and social studies.
“I was thrilled last August to see my math place value activity features on several pages of the magazine as well as online,” Berris said.
Berris has both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida Atlantic University. She said she is continually seeking the latest information to incorporate in her classroom.
“I love to try out new and creative approaches,” Berris said. “I get as excited as my students. It’s great to hear from other teachers, too. I get inspired
by their successful projects. Mailbox magazine helps spread the word about them.”
Berris incorporates games and music in her teaching methods both to educate and reinforce concepts so students have fun in school.
Berris, a Greenacres resident, said she was inspired to enter the field of education by her grandmother, who was also a teacher.
Berris has taught third and fifth grade since 1999 and is head of the math department. She also teaches pre-algebra to middle school students and tutors children throughout the year.
Poinciana Day School is an independent private school located in West Palm Beach for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, with class sizes of fewer than 15 students. For more information about the school, call (561) 655-7323 or visit www. poincianadayschool.org.
trict accredited. Once achieved, all of Palm Beach County’s public schools and conversion-charter schools will be accredited, according to school district officials.
To earn accreditation, schools must meet quality standards, be evaluated by an outside group of professionals and implement a school improvement plan focused on enhancing school performance.
The external Quality Assurance Review visiting team will be Palm Beach County from April 27-30, 2008 to gather information.
District accreditation provides a comprehensive approach to raising achievement for all students.
AdvancED is the unified organization of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), and the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE). For more info., visit www.advanc-ed.org.
This organization creates the world’s largest education community, representing 23,000 public and private schools and districts in 30 states and 65 countries and serving nearly 15 million students.
The inclusion brings schools and districts greater access to NSSE’s products, services and a strong research base on factors that impact student learning.
According to school officials district accreditation will simplify accreditation without diluting it; reduce areas of duplication with state mandated processes; and provide resources, support and research-based practices to schools and the district.
For questions or additional information, call Denise Doyle at (561) 3577693 or Shawn Servos at (561) 3577667.
continued from page 1A here from having kids in sports,” he said. “Wellington is a tight-knit community. The Lake Worth Road corridor in the south part of Wellington is a great place.”
D’Aoust said he is excited to employ a curriculum that uses teachers as subject specialists who typically stick with a group of students through two or three grade levels. “Each teacher is teamed up with multi-grade teams,” he said.
D’Aoust said he is especially proud that Panther Run teachers and students maintained high FCAT scores while based in portables. “The teachers here at Panther Run have gone through the ordeal of construction,” he said.
On Thursday, a large backhoe slowly pulverized more than a dozen portables remaining on the campus. “These portables have lived up their life expectan-
cy, and they’re being demolished and carted out,” he said.
D’Aoust said he is glad Borowski will shepherd the Wellington Elementary campus through a trying reconstruction period. “Mike has come from Liberty Park, which just finished a similar if not larger project,” he said. “At the transition meetings, it was impressive to see what he brought to the table.”
Emerald Cove Middle School Principal Nancy Lucas has experience opening new schools. She comes from Frontier Shores Elementary School in Boynton Beach, which she opened three years ago.
“It’s not any easier. It’s challenging but fun,” she said, as a steady stream of parents and children came in to register for the new year at the new school. “I like to create.”
Lucas settled into the new school in June but has been assembling a staff since January. By school district regula-
tions, she recruited one third of the teachers from nearby schools, one third from within the system and one third from schools whose enrollment dropped as a result of new school construction.
Emerald Cove registration was at 1,026 students by noon Thursday, while the school is designed for a capacity of 1,400.
The school will have an orientation for seventh and eighth grade students and parents on Monday, Aug. 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. and orientation for sixth graders Tuesday, Aug. 21 from 4 to 6 p.m. A School Advisory Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 28 at the school library.
Crestwood Middle School’s new principal Stephanie Nance could not be reached on Thursday, but Assistant Principal Martin Pascarella said he is extremely pleased that Nance will be charge.
“She was assistant principal at Crestwood for 14 years and now she’s principal,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to have that happen. She’s highly motivated. This would have been the principalship she wanted, and she received it. It
for us. We’ve got a good thing going and it just keeps rolling.”
The first day of school for all Palm Beach County School District facilities is Wednesday, Aug. 22.
A four-week fall gardening course will be offered in October at the Mounts Botanical Garden building auditorium, 531 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach. Presented by the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service, Palm Beach County Garden Supply Dealers and the Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden, the course will help plant owners learn proper maintenance and how to better select and use new plants. This course will begin on Saturday, Oct. 6 and continue on Oct. 13, 20 and 27. Classes start promptly at 8 a.m. and will last approximately three hours.
The registration fee is $30 for Mounts members and $35 for non-members;
the fee includes lectures and morning workshops that will be offered to all attendees. Registration is limited to the first 125 applicants due to limited seating.
Topics to be covered include vegetable and flower culture, dooryard fruit tree maintenance, lawn maintenance, shade and flowering tree and shrub selection and a horticultural panel of experts. There will be numerous slides shown during each lecture illustrating the topics discussed and attendees will also receive a graduation certificate upon completion of the course.
For additional information, call (561) 233-1757 or (561) 276-1260 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Perez On Dean’s List
At Florida Gulf Coast
Alex Perez of Wellington was named to the dean’s list at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, where he recently completed his sophomore year.
To qualify for the dean’s list at FGCU, a student must attain a grade point average over 3.5 for the semester and take a minimum of 12 credit hours. Perez is majoring in political science. He is the son of Michael and Lisa Gifford.
FGCU is a comprehensive university created to address the educational needs of the rapidly growing southwest Florida population. For more information, visit www.fgcu.edu.
Kara Tedeschi, an avid equestrian and hunter/jumper competitor, has officially signed on as the new chair for the 2008 Denim & Diamonds fundraiser. After a long hiatus, Denim & Diamonds will be returning to the Wellington area during the winter show season. Benefiting the American Cancer Society, the soiree is scheduled for Feb. 17, 2008.
Mason Phelps, previous chairman of the event, recently handed over the reins to Tedeschi and designated her as the
Bertot — daughter of Janet Gonzalez and Frank Bertot of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on July 5.
John Robert Patterson Jr. — son of Natasia and John Patterson of Royal Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on July 7.
Jaedyn Romani Davis — son of Shardae Myers and Romaine Davis of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on July 7.
Logan Gregory Millett — son of Rachel and Eugene L. Millett III of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on July 10.
Damien Charles Steward — son of Emily King and Scott Steward Jr. of Wellington was born at Palms West Hospital on July 11.
Nicholas Paul Pesetsky — son of Annemarie Almas and Brian Pesetsky of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on July 11.
Matthew Enrique Cordero — son of Anita and Manuel Cordero of Royal Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on July 12.
Jaden Isaiah Nembhard — son of Crystal Lee and Cleve Nembhard of
official chairwoman for Denim & Diamonds. The theme of the 2008 gala will highlight the coming Beijing Olympics and honor the glorious past, present and future Olympians of the equestrian sport.
“I’ve had several members of my family affected by cancer,” Tedeschi said. “It’s something that touches every single person. It has affected a lot of people in the industry, and I really feel that this is an opportunity for me to help raise money for a fantastic cause. All of us
WestPalm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on July 13.
Branbaifa Cohen Joseph Miriki son of Tracy-Ann and Ebikenfa Miriki of Lake Worth was born at Palms West Hospital on July 14.
Haley Addison Hutchinson daughter of Teresa and Christopher Hutchinson of Loxahatchee was born at Palms West Hospital on July 18.
Kenadie Nicole Rogers — daughter of Amber and Christopher Rogers of Wellington was born at Palms West Hospital on July 19.
Braedyn Daniel Solana – son of Keystie Mitchelle Solana of Wellington was born at Palms West Hospital on July 19.
Tyler Noah Gutierrez – son of Francine and Angel Gutierrez of Wellington was born at Palms West Hospital on July 20.
Sidney Carlos Pereira Martins Neto — son of Fabiane and Alves Martins of Loxahatchee was born at Palms West Hospital on July 20.
Matthew Brian Nelson III — son of Alesia Nicole Quintero and Matthew Nelson Jr. of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on July 21.
Abigail Rosado — daughter of Jess-
need to help raise money and find a cure for this. Hopefully a cure will be found, and we won’t need another Denim & Diamonds to raise money for research.”
The event will be produced on a smaller scale than years past, and ticket sales and table seating will be limited. Additional details will be available soon. For more information about the 2008 Denim & Diamonds, e-mail Tedeschi at karatedeschi@aol.com or Meg Mulrooney at megmulroon@aol.com.
ie and Almino Rosado of Lake Worth was born at Palms West Hospital on July 23.
Brooke Grace Pennica — daughter of Mindy and Joseph Pennica of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on July 24.
Drake Wolverine Fox — son of Tabitha and Juan Fox of Loxahatchee was born at Palms West Hospital on July 25.
Rahsi Nicole Bryant — daughter of Stacey Katrina and Randall C. Bryant of Loxahatchee was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on July 29.
Curtis O. King — son of Shakeria King and Curtis Chisem of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on July 29.
Cole Garrick Carver — son of Christy and Kyle Carver of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on July 30.
Luke Joseph Figurella — son of Julie and Joseph Figurella of Royal Palm Beach was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on July 30.
Calib Michael Kreppin — son of Christina Mione and Jonathan Kreppin of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on July 31.
‘Eleemosynary’ At Studio Theatre In September
The Studio Theatre of Wellington will present Lee Blessing’s play Eleemosynary beginning Friday, Sept. 7 and running through Saturday, Sept. 15. Eleemosynary examines the delicate relationship of three singular women: grandmother Dorothea, who has sought to assert her independence through strong-willed eccentricity; her brilliant daughter Artie (Artemis), who has fled the stifling domination of her mother; and Artie’s daughter Echo, a child of exceptional intellect — and sensitivity — whom Artie has abandoned to an upbringing by Dorothea. Sensitive and probing, this masterful play explores the subtle and often perilous relationship between three remarkable women. Eleemosynary features local actor and studio artistic director Paula Sackett as Dorothea, Nancy Martin of Davie as Artemis, and Bak Middle School of the Arts student Erin Alexander as Echo.
Show times are 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7; Saturday, Sept. 8; Friday, Sept. 14 and Saturday, Sept. 15. The Studio Theatre is located at 11320 Fortune Circle, G-7. Tickets are $15. For further information, reservations and directions, call (561) 204-4100.
The Maltz Jupiter Theatre invites anyone who has ever loved New York, is from New York or loves the talent from New York to the smash hit musical The Kid From Brooklyn. Based on the life of New Yorker Danny Kaye, this smash hit musical has sold out all throughout America and is now in Jupiter running through Sunday, Sept. 9.
“For those who saw The Kid From Brooklyn and loved it, we urge you come back and see it once again. The Maltz Jupiter Theatre production is even more memorable and moving than the original
as it goes much deeper into Danny’s personal and professional life,” director and producer Peter Loewy said.
Four completely new songs have been added to this show including “Sam You Made the Pants Too Long,” “Hooray For Hollywood,” “Mad Dogs And Englishman” and “Pavlova.”
The musical chronicles Kaye’s career and his relationships on and off the stage and follows the rise of Danny Kaye from an undisciplined improvisational comic to his success under the guidance of Sylvia Fine, his mentor, wife and manager, as well as composer of his most famous songs. In addition to the role of Kaye, a cast of three move in and out of characters that were significant in Kaye’s personal and professional life, including Fine and renowned entertainers Eve Arden, Billy Rose, Laurence Oliver and Gertrude Lawrence. Favorite songs of the period are used to recreate the high-
lights of Kaye’s career from stage to film to television. Backed by a four-piece ensemble, musical highlights include “Anatole of Paris,” “Tchaikovsky, by Jingo,” “Minnie the Moocher” and more.
The Maltz Jupiter Theatre is located at 1001 E. Indiantown Road. Show times are Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 2
and 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m. and Wednesday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $30 for matinee and $35 for all evening performances. Group tickets are available for 20 or more. Tickets are on sale and available at the box office, online at www.jupitertheatre.org or by phone at (561) 575-2223.
The corks were popping all night long last Thursday at the Sixth Annual CityPlace Uncorked event at the Harriet Himmel Theater. This is one of those special charity events we look forward to attending every year.
Uncorked it was, with 19 wine-tasting tables displaying over 200 wines from around the world including New York, California, Washington, Italy, Spain, France, Austria, Germany, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Australia. Maloney’s Irish Cream was also featured. All wines were provided by Universal Wines & Spirits.
In addition to the wine tasting, 12 food stations offered something for everyone’s appetite from delicious pastas to paella, seafood to steak, Japanese to Thai, and coffee, donuts and ice cream, all provided by CityPlace Restaurants including: Blue Martini, Brewzzi, City Cellar, Columbia, Continental Catering, Il Bellagio, Legal Seafoods, Mark’s, Saito’s and the newest additions to CityPlace: Taverna Opa, a Greek treat, and Jinja Asian Bar & Restaurant.
Our favorite part of these events is the silent auction. Here is an opportunity to get a great deal on unique
items and help local charities. The beneficiary of this year’s event is West Palm Beach 100, an organization that supports West Palm Beach children and families through a network of established non-profit services. For more information, visit www.west palm100.org.
Auction items were valued from $100 to $5,000 included dinner from the above restaurants, rounds of golf, gift baskets of wine, food and cosmetics, clothing and fishing trips and hotel stays. We were fortunate to be the highest bidder on a very unique item we are looking forward to: lunch at Columbia Restaurant with West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel.
The evening capped off with an after-party at Blue Martini, and a great time was had by the hundreds who attended the sold-out event, which was truly “A Celebration of Wine & Food, CityPlace Style.” We hope to see you there next year.
Joe & Kathryn, the Phantoms, are featured writers for the Town-Crier newspaper and Seabreeze Publications. Comments and recommendations are welcome at thephantomdiners@ aol.com or (561) 309-4406.
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
While the Wellington Village Council will not appeal a judge’s ruling throwing out fines against several village residents for water violations, the village has not given up the fight to justify its actions during severe water restrictions this summer.
In late July, County Judge Frank Castor threw out 28 citations written by village code enforcement staff on residents who were deemed to be violating water restrictions. Castor ruled that the citations were improperly issued because village code enforcement policy requires a warning be issued first.
The village has issued more than 2,000 citations for improper water use since water restrictions were imposed in April by
continued from page 5A Criteria and guidelines for such events, the degree of village support must be considered, Sumek said.
Among major village investments, Sumek listed the Boys & Girls Club, the equestrian trail system, a senior center, a cultural facility and senior housing. While the Boys & Girls Club would receive village funding, Sumek said the council should consider whether certain groups or beneficiaries should shoulder more of the burden on some of
the South Florida Water Management District, employing a zero-tolerance policy at the request of the SFWMD.
Village Attorney Jeff Kurtz presented the council the option to appeal the rulings Tuesday, but recommended the village rest its case until another group of contested citations is heard later this month by Judge Janis Keyser.
Kurtz said other judges are not bound to follow one judge’s interpretation of the law.
“Other county judges do not have to follow his decision with respect to that,” Kurtz said. “It is our recommendation to not appeal them. We have another round of hearings going before the judge on Aug. 27. If there is another judge who follows Judge Castor’s logic to appeal that decision, we would bring
these projects. Senior housing and the senior center could be funded by seniors, while a cultural facility could be funded by community organizations, he said.
Sumek said further consideration should be focused on whether the village should develop a bond package and voter approval for such projects, as well as the future direction of the K-Park site on State Road 7.
While forum participants expressed support for crossing guards, flashing school zone signs, sports fields and a pool for school use, Sumek said the village must reconsider its role
that back to you for discussion.”
Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore said he did not understand how the SFWMD had seemingly left the village out in the cold when it came to enforcing its own regulations.
“I concur with no appeal,” Priore said. “But we need to make the public aware that restriction was imposed on us by the South Florida Water Management District. They have not stepped up to respond to the judge ruling in that way. I don’t see them coming around or coming to our assistance in making that argument before the judge.”
Kurtz said Castor’s ruling was unanticipated and that the SFWMD has been helpful with other muncipalities in the same boat, and the district has promised to lend its support to
in supporting education, to what areas it lends its support and what funding levels it should set.
Sumek also listed the perceived challenges for the village in the future, topped by keeping Wellington affordable. Maintaining Wellington’s uniqueness presented a multifaceted challenge, incorporating visual appeal, family orientation, equestrian heritage, sense of personal safety and security, quality leisure opportunities and recreational facilities, easy movement within the village and access to quality healthcare services.
Other challenges include dealing with aging neighborhoods
Wellington, including testimony, in the next round.
The village has until Aug. 29 to appeal Castor’s decisions. In other business:
The council approved award of a contract for installation of a playground at Pierson Park at a cost of $66,111 to West Construction, the lowest responsible bidder. Before the vote, Councilwoman Laurie Cohen asked how the playground would affect the development of the Boys & Girls Club facility by the park.
Environmental Services Director Gary Clough said construction of that facility was three or four years away, and not a consideration. Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto made a motion to approve the resolution, which was seconded by Priore. It passed unanimously 5-0.
and housing stock, planning to manage build-out and redevelopment, and maintaining and enhancing strong partnerships between the village and other entities.
Sumek said the forums had been a team process and that council members had been active participants, going from table to table and listening to feedback from residents. Sumek also praised Wellington residents for their part in the forums.
“Your residents gave it their all during the roundtables,” Sumek said. “I did not think the numbers were as significant as the quality of the participation. Yours were fully engaged. They
• The council declined to award West Construction a contract for the installation of four pavilions at the Greenbriar Dog Park at a cost of $99,814. Both Benacquisto and Priore raised concerns that the improvements would benefit nonresidents more than residents.
“I can’t support it,” Priore said. “The usage of the facility is more nonresident than resident. I would support the installation only after we have an arrangement in place like Boca has. The residents there have a card where they can use that facility. In these particular times of tax reform, $100,000 could be spent in other areas more effectively and more efficiently.” Cohen made a motion to not accept the bid, which was seconded by Benacquisto. It passed unanimously 5-0.
contributed immensely. You had a wide variety of the community represented. You got a good feel across the community as to the vision of the future and the goals.”
However, Sumek concluded, the work has just begun.
“It is now yours to make a tough decision on and to invest in the future and for the capital improvements plan,” Sumek said. “You need to ask yourselves, how do we allocate resources, and how do we partner and leverage village resources? I enjoyed my work with you. I compliment your citizens, and the challenges are now yours to make.”
continued from page 1A ity smaller in scale than what Stadium Jumping is planning.
During public comment, Aero Club resident Janixx Parisi said the amendment had apparently been tailored to serve the needs of Stadium Jumping alone, and designed to bypass the normal comprehensive plan process other applicants had to undergo. She urged the council to not pander to one group. “Do it right or just call it the Section 34 Stadium Jumping amendment,” she said.
Attorney Al Malefatto noted that he had represented the owners of two parcels of about eight acres each at the old Palm Beach Polo stadium complex, and said that a show ring currently is permitted on either property, but won’t be if the amendment is approved. He urged the council to study the amendment in a workshop.
“There are a lot of details that need to be looked at more closely,” he said. “We ask this to be referred to a workshop.”
Equestrian Robert Brusie was one of several people who urged the council to be more supportive of smaller shows and events.
“The horse industry has a large number of wealthy people, but some are hand-to-mouth operators,” he said. “I don’t know if any of you have showed a horse. It’s quite costly. A lot of people make their living showing horses. I’ve had quite a number of clients in the past two or three years, and they are moving their operations to Ocala. You ought to think about these things we are doing. It’s a show for everyone, and not just a select few.”
Attorney Dan Doorakian, who represents developer Mark Bellissimo, characterized the Stadium Jumping effort and the amendment as a campaign to create a horse show monopoly in the village.
“This is no coincidence,” Doorakian said. “These people are trying to get a monopoly on the shows in Wellington. If this gets approved and the text amendment is approved, it will slam the door on other commercial arena projects that are pending already. So many conditions will be put on them, it won’t be viable for them to go forward. This is being fast-tracked. I’m not sure why. This is August. The primary portion of the equestrian industry is not here. I would encourage the village to reconsider the
continued from page 10A clearly describe the services it will provide, but preferred activation to a service contract.
“Under this policy I would support activation of units,” he said. “I would not consider it under a fee-simple basis.”
Maintenance Supervisor Terry Narrow reiterated that Rustic Lakes only wants canal maintenance.
“A unit can be activated for drainage
continued from page 12A traffic to eastern Palm Beach County. Multi-family residential units and mixeduse development would diversify housing, according to the draft recommendations.
Draft recommendations for roadway improvements involve the widening of SR 7 to eight lanes for the whole length of the corridor, and extending Lyons Road from Pierson Road to Lake Worth Road.
Mitigation recommendations under consideration include incorporating a point system that provides options for developers that mitigate the impact of new projects, local governments working with Palm Tran to maximize bus routes, and development/redevelopment to provide funding for express bus ser-
timing. I agree there should be a workshop, but it should be in November or December when a large portion of the equestrian community returns.”
Following public comment, Councilwoman Laurie Cohen said she had heard some valid arguments.
“I think the people who have spoken tonight have made some good points,” she said. “This is tailored for Stadium Jumping, and it just smells like it’s being rushed through. I would like to see us explore if that is what we want. Let’s approve it the right way. Let’s think it through. We may ultimately say Stadium Jumping can move to Section 34. We have not had that policy discussion. Let’s not rush to judgment on this thing.”
Councilman Bob Margolis noted that he had attended the Aug. 2 PZA meeting earlier this month and got the same impression as Nelson. “I would think if more people knew about this, they would be here this evening,” he said. “I heard a lot of comments about conditional use versus comprehensive plan changes. I concur with Ms. Cohen. I think we need to go back to workshop.”
Priore also called for more review. “I’ve had an opportunity to talk to the other parties involved,” he said. “This ordinance is confusing. We need to have a total understanding of it. I support the concept of a workshop.”
Community Services Director Paul Schofield and Village Attorney Jeff Kurtz suggested the council approve the amendment on first reading, which would still leave them free to conduct a workshop, but council members rejected the suggestion.
“There are other ways to get the agreement with Stadium Jumping,” Cohen said. “We could have done this through a developer’s agreement. I don’t think on an issue as important as this we should pass it on first reading. The second thing is that this ordinance justifies staff’s interpretation that a comprehensive plan change is not required for Stadium Jumping. I am not attacking staff. There is a legitimate question as to whether this is the best procedure and whether it’s proper. We need to stop. We need to back up. Let’s not set ourselves up for the inevitable challenges of rushing down the path without thinking.”
After clearing a date for a meeting with staff, Priore made a motion to continue the item until Monday, Aug. 20 at 5 p.m., which was seconded by Margolis. It passed unanimously.
only, right?” Erickson asked, to which ITID Attorney Mary Viator said yes.
“Right now we assess them for drainage taken,” Foy said. “We have an outflow structure that can be shut off.”
Erickson made a motion to direct staff to write a letter stating that the district is not interested in just maintenance, that it would have to become an active unit.
Supervisor Ralph Bair seconded the motion. “We’re not going to make all those improvements without them being activated,” he said. “They need to get their legislative boundary amended.”
The motion passed unanimously.
vice between SR 7 and downtown West Palm Beach.
The economic development draft recommendations include local and county governments working together to coordinate placement of employment centers, with the area southwest of SR 7 and Southern Blvd. to be developed in a “transit friendly” manner to benefit from bus service in the area.
Perez said planners will always be limited by the capacity of the road. “We come up with all these ideas and take it to the people who are crunching the numbers for us,” he said. “Then we have to go back and ground them into reality.”
County policy requires the preparation and adoption of corridor master plans for specific roadways by the end of this year, and Perez expected the Palm Beach County Commission might review the recommendations by early next year.
Making Strides — Representatives of the breast cancer support group Your Bosom Buddies II invited members of the Wellington Village Council Tuesday to participate in the annual fundraising walk Making Strides Against Breast Cancer at the Mall at Wellington Green on Oct. 7. “Next Thursday night we will have a kickoff party at the Players Club to get teams signed up and join us,”event chair Maureen Gross said. “You have invitations and lapel pins and bracelets. We hope to see you next week, or on Oct. 7, or both.”
continued from page 1A Palm Beach County. The village would foot the whole bill for a stand-alone election in March, Lodwick said.
In other business:
• Village Engineer Ray Liggins told the council a much-needed traffic signal on State Road 7 at the entrance to the Victoria Groves community is closer to reality. He said Palm Beach County has arranged for the installation through its signal contractor. “They’re ordering the materials now,” Liggins said. “I don’t have an exact date as to when they’ll start, but within the next couple of months based on the last time I talked to them.”
• The council postponed a hearing to
continued from page 9A quila Cancun in Greenacres and was sponsored by Maroone Chevrolet of Greenacres.
The dealership’s general manager Joe Amra said many people ask him where Greenacres is located, and he said he actively promotes the community in his advertising.
Amra said he and his staff are excited about the continued development and growth of the surrounding communities.
“Whether it’s Wellington, Royal Palm Beach or Loxahatchee, it can add to our business and it can create more jobs,” Amra said. “We’re right down the street
continued from page 14A amendments to the 2008 budget that reflect them, Snowball and Ryan said the district is stretching itself pretty thin.
“The net adjustments are a reduction of $74,478 in excess of the revenues over expenditures, which will affect our fund balance,” Ryan said. “We will have to pay attention to the expenditures and the timing of expenditures over the year.”
continued from page 18A small, which means that percentages used have relatively little validity. Special-education students wind up as a higher percentage of this category and have an undue impact.
The best way to measure performance in schools is by comparing them to themselves over a period of years. How many students each year test out of the English as a Second Language category? How many students improve their reading scores? Their math scores?
Comparing Wellington High School with Forest Hill High School, for example, tells a story of wildly varying socioeco-
consider a request for a variance by Minto Communities requesting permission to install two 10.5-foot-tall subdivision entrance signs at the entrance to its new PortoSol community on the northwest corner of Okeechobee Blvd. and State Road 7. Village code allows two subdivision signs at an entrance at a maximum seven feet in height.
Council members were inclined to consider the variance, but because no Minto representative was present, they postponed reviewing the request until Sept. 6. Lodwick, upset over the absence, directed Senior Planner Bradford O’Brien to inform Minto officials of the importance of attending the Sept. 6 meeting. “If you want to change the standards here, you have to justify why you’re doing it and why it makes the community better,” he said. “This is not a rubber stamp.”
and just east of Jog Road on Lake Worth Road. We are a big place, with 14 acres of Chevrolets. We will have special offers and special deals for everyone who is involved with the chamber or anyone you refer. Let us know when they come, and we will do everything we can to treat them with courtesy and respect. We have taken a lot of pride in customer service, and that helps us be successful on a yearto-year basis.”
The chamber’s next luncheon is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 10, at Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Royal Palm Beach with featured speaker Palm Beach County School Superintendent Dr. Art Johnson. For more information about the Palms West Chamber of Commerce, call (561) 790-6200 or visit www.palmswest. com.
• The board approved a proposal by Fusedog Media Group to develop, maintain and host the district’s web site for an estimated $1,400, with hosting and regular maintenance of the site costing $300 annually after the initial three months. The contractor also provides web-hosting services for the Indian Trail Improvement District. Jarriel made a motion to accept the proposal, which was seconded by Snowball.
• Ryan, who was absent at the board’s July meeting, was officially sworn into office.
nomic status. Comparing each school to its prior performance tells a more important and precise story. It would be far more difficult for Forest Hill to be an A school this coming year than Wellington. Let them compete on the basis of progress. Students in alternative education should not be compared to students who have not had the kinds of problems that bring our most challenged students to special schools.
We demand careful evaluation of each of our students. We need the same for our schools.
Teachers who reach (and teach well) our weakest students should be honored just as much as those who work with the strongest. That is fair; that is justice; that is common sense.
Visions Hair Studio in the Wellington Plaza hosted its firstever Haircut-a-Thon Sunday, Aug. 12. The salon offered only haircuts during the five-hour fundraiser, requesting a minimum $25 donation for each. Visions hairstylist Brianna Julius came up with the idea, which owner Tom Monticello fully supported. All donations will go toward finding a cure for leukemia and lymphoma. Visions Hair Studio is located at 12793 W. Forest Hill Blvd. For more info., call (561) 790-1696 or visit www. vhsalon.com.
By Jenna Fugate Town-Crier Staff Report
The Art of Life Gallery & Frame Shop in Wellington deals with both art and life, bringing those two concepts together while helping customers to beautifully preserve their treasured images.
Owner Dave Friedman moved to Florida from New York 30 years ago and established Art of Life just two years later.
From its original location in West Palm Beach at Southern Blvd. and Military Trail, the shop migrated first to the Palm Beach Mall, then to the River Bridge shopping plaza and later to Wellington’s Courtyard Shops. The store’s current location is in the Pointe at Wellington Green at the intersection of State Road 7 and Forest Hill Blvd.
“Now we are centrally and conveniently located at the busiest intersection in town,” Friedman said.
Friedman said the experience of himself and his staff, some of whom have been working at Art of Life for years, naturally leads many people to put their trust in his business. It has all the professionalism of a franchise yet also the pleasant atmosphere and friendly customer service of a small, local business.
“We have been around a long time, and we are part of the community,” Friedman said.
“We’re respected and still in business, which is not easy to do in this day and age.”
Friedman said the respect stems in part from the quality customers can always expect no matter what the project.
“We can handle almost anything because we’ve done almost everything,” Friedman said.
Art of Life can do giclee printing either for retail or wholesale purposes, for pieces as wide as 48 inches and as long as the customer pleases.
The gallery features fine art reproductions and limited editions by artists such as Dr. Seuss, Steve Hanks, Bev Doolittle, G. Harvey and many others, as well as a wide range of sports memorabilia.
The business has most recently expanded to provide both interior and exterior signage and banners, and the graphic designers at Art of Life can also be commissioned for affordable custom creative artwork.
But Friedman said framing treasured photos and works of art remains the heart of the business.
“When we work with people, we bring out the creativity in them,” Friedman added. “Many regularly leave things up to us, but we always consult them.”
And the great customer service is another reason Art of Life has thrived, Friedman said.
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employees Carol
many frames available.
“We make it a fun and painfree experience,” he said. “We always try to exceed expectations. When people see this they come back.”
Friedman said he recognizes the importance of each piece framed at Art of Life, and strives to honor and protect each in a beautiful, yet
practical manner. “People get to preserve their memories here,” Friedman said. “People frame things they want to remember, whether it is a special trip, person, time or thought. We help them remember things that are, to them, important.”
Art of Life is located in the
Pointe at Wellington Green at 10120 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 170 and is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For more information, call (561) 793-8888 or visit www. artoflifegallery.com.
Send business items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@goTownCrier.com.
By Paul Gaba Town-Crier Staff Report
David Davis is a man who likes challenges. And given his track record, the Preferred Properties International Realtor will be as successful at selling homes as he has been with other aspects of his life.
“Before I got into this, one of the complaints I always heard from people using Realtors was the lack of communication and service,” Davis said. “I try to focus on those two qualities as one of my key aspects in doing
the business — customer service and communication with clients.”
Davis, who worked as a canal supervisor with the South Florida Water Management District for 18 years, said he had already gained some experience in buying and selling property before getting into the real estate business professionally.
“I’ve done a lot of transactions on my own, with my own real estate, and I’ve always enjoyed it,” Davis said. “I understand the economics of real estate, and want to provide edu-
The Wellington Chamber of Commerce will host its next luncheon on Wednesday, Aug. 29 at the Players Club in Wellington. Sponsored by National City, the luncheon will start at noon and feature guest speaker Congressman Tim Mahoney (D-District 16).
A freshman congressman, Mahoney currently serves on the House Financial Services Committee and is the only Florida representative serving on the House Agriculture Committee. Mahoney is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a select group of representatives focused on restoring fiscal responsibility to Congress. He also belongs to the New Democrat Coalition, a moderate group of representatives focused on economic
growth, national security, personal responsibility and technological development.
“We are very enthusiastic to sponsor this luncheon,” National City Western District Sales Executive Tensy Caine said. “National City is committed to finding financial solutions for small businesses and to addressing the many varied interests of our western communities.”
The cost to attend the luncheon is $15 for chamber members and $25 for nonmembers. Reservations are required to attend. For more information about the Aug. 29 luncheon or any upcoming luncheons, call the Wellington Chamber of Commerce at (561) 792-6525 or visit www. wellingtonchamber.com.
cation, for lack of a better word, to the clientele and the community. I enjoy challenges and negotiations, and the people aspect of the real estate market on both sides, buyers and sellers. I’ve sold five homes in eight months, which is a great thing. People can’t believe it, given the market conditions.”
Davis, who earned his master’s degree in public administration from Nova Southeastern University and his bachelor’s degree in finance and business administration from Florida Atlantic University, attended school part-time at nights and on weekends while simultaneously working for the SFWMD and as a naval reservist.
“I wanted another challenging opportunity, a way to not only make a secondary income for myself, but share my knowledge with others,” Davis said.
After interviewing with five area real estate agencies, Davis joined Preferred Properties and works in the Wellington market, where he lives with his wife Colleen and daughter Kaila.
“I live in Wellington, and I work close to where I live,” Davis said. “I know the area and the people, and Preferred Properties offered a system I could work with.”
At the same time, Davis wants to help others with a military background. “I’d like to offer my services at a discounted rate to anyone who has served in the armed services or is still actively involved in the reserves or on active duty,” Davis said. “I am a veteran
myself, and I truly appreciate the honor and sacrifices they have given to our country.”
Davis joined the Navy after graduating from Palm Beach Gardens High School and was stationed in Pearl Harbor for four years. While he is still in the Navy Reserve, and away one weekend a month and for an additional two weeks annually, he said the reserve duty does not complicate his job.
“It hasn’t been an issue; I
know well in advance my schedule, and I will always have my cell phone available as well,” Davis said. “I also have computer access. It hasn’t been a problem.”
Preferred Properties International is located at 12789 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite A, in Wellington. For more info., call Davis at (561) 797-0258 or e-mail ddavis@preferred propertiesintl. com.
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
A major new office complex is coming to Wellington. Global Group Investment (GGI) has begun site development on an 18-acre parcel at South Shore and Greenview Shores boulevards that will soon be home to nine two-story buildings housing office condos offered for purchase rather than lease.
The company plans to begin building the first phase of the $47.5 million Professional Center at Wellington next month, with the first occupants expected to move in next summer. The buildings will be situated on a two-and-a-half-acre lake on the property, and the developer intends for the new buildings to meet the increasing needs of business and healthcare professions for office space in the western communities.
Susan Guinan and Greg Nelson of Illustrated Properties are the exclusive sales agents for the project, offering prospective buyers units as small as 1,500 square feet or as large as an entire building.
Guinan said creating business condominiums is a growing trend across the country. “Buying office space can be cheaper than leasing,” she said. “It enables the owners to accumulate equity, allows them to customize their interiors, and offers a location that’s closer to the home of owners, as well as their clients.”
Nelson added that buying provides more predictable costs than renting and offers buyers more for their money.
“It provides a purchaser the opportunity to turn a rental expense that can increase annually into a fixed expense because of ownership,” he said, “while
at the same time creating a new company or personal asset that did not previously exist using the same dollars.”
GGI President and CEO David Ortiz said the new office complex provides an opportunity for businesses to invest in their own growth.
“Bottom line, it’s an investment in their future for companies and professionals to purchase right now,” he said. “Typically, business owners paying rent for the next 20 years will have little to show for that time when they move or retire. But if they had purchased their office space, they should retrieve their loan payments plus appreciation when they sell.”
For more information about the project, call Guinan at (561) 236-7722 or Nelson at (561) 793-2300, or visit www.professionalcenterat wellington.com.
Two interactive new stores recently opened at the Mall at Wellington Green: the Edge and Build-a-Bear Workshop.
A high-tech, one-of-a-kind interactive gaming center, the Edge features the latest in gaming technology, including Xbox 360, Wii and DDR (Dance Dance Revolution), the dancing game in which players move their bodies to upbeat tunes while allowing them room to exhibit their own innovative flair and original dance moves. The games are connected to high
quality surround-sound systems and high-speed Internet, which allows users to connect with and compete against players from around the globe. Players can also compete with each other right in the store. The cost is $5 for 30 minutes, $8 for one hour, $25 for a day and $3 for DDR 4x. Memberships, known as “citizen passports,” are also available for $35/ month. Among the membership benefits: access to the citizensonly projection gaming room, which has a 125-inch screen,
priority passes to all Edge special events, the Edge stats board listing and unlimited gaming in all areas. The Edge is also available for private events and birthday parties. The store hosts tournaments, lockdowns and special events. Children under 13 may not participate in gaming at the Edge.
“We go out of our way to provide players with the experience,” owner Todd Fuchs said.
Build-a-Bear Workshop is slated to open at the Mall at Wellington Green on Friday,
Discover a retirement lifestyle that’s just right for you.At Newport Place, you’ll enjoy resort-style amenities while experiencing a renewed social life in a comfortable atmosphere.You can rely on our friendly housekeeping services to keep your apartment home looking beautiful, leaving you plenty of time to take aerobics,play mah-jongg with friends or learn how to paint.
Located in warm and breezy Palm Beach County, Newport Place is close to world-renowned beaches and museums.You’ll be amazed at the wide range of cultural and recreation activities available daily. Whatever it is you’re looking for,you’ll find it at Newport Place
Lovely apartment homes are available,and no large buy-in fees are required.Call Newport Place today at (561) 586-6455.
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4735 N.W.Seventh Court Boynton Beach,FL 33426
Aug. 17. Its mission is to bring the Teddy bear to life. Children of all ages build their own bears and other furry friends, complete with unique hearts with personal messages and custom packaging.
At 10 a.m. on opening day, shoppers are invited to join Bearemy, the store’s huggable mascot, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a free gift while supplies last. No purchase is necessary, but the limit is one gift per person. Customers also will receive a free limited-edi-
tion birth certificate for the furry friends they make (while supplies last). Live entertainment will be featured from 4 to 6 p.m.
On Saturday, Aug. 18, the first 200 guests to enter Builda-Bear Workshop will be invited to help stuff bears to be donated to a “beary” special cause. The mascot will again make appearances between 10 a.m. and noon with live entertainment from noon to 2 p.m.
For more information, visit www.shopwellingtongreen. com.
Frank Zocco’s Auto Repair — The Palms West Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a ribbon-cutting cermony at Frank Zocco’s Auto Repair in Wellington. After 17 years, the repair shop recently moved into a 3,000-square-foot facility located at 3380 Fairlane Farms Road. Zocco has three lifts and can service dual-wheel, heavy-duty trucks. The service center equipment is state of the art and specializes in fuel injection, air conditioning and all engine repairs. ASE-certified mechanics Ken Green and Jerry Zabkiewicz have a vast knowledge in the servicing of European vehicles. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (561) 798-9194. Pictured above is owner Frank Zocco with his employees and chamber ambassadors.
Fuddruckers — Located at 10880 W. Forest Hill Blvd. near the Mall at Wellington Green, this is the only Fuddruckers to open in Palm Beach County since 1989. Besides fantastic burgers, the menu offers salads, chicken, fish, milkshakes and fresh cookies. Fuddruckers has weekly events such as fundraisers for local organizations on Monday nights, Kids Night on Tuesdays, Car Night on Wednesdays and Bike Night on Thursdays. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more info., call (561) 204-2373. Pictured here are Fuddruckers employees with Palms West Chamber ambassadors.
American Laser Centers — American Laser Centers offer the latest techniques in laser hair removal in a new state-of-the-art medical office. American Laser Centers is located 1035 S. State Road 7, Building C, Suite 214 in Wellington. Call clinic manager Amanda Prescott at (561) 804-1220 for more info. Pictured here are the laser center’s Prescott, Rose Bradwell and Yolanda Arroyo with Wellington Chamber of Commerce ambassadors and board members.
Sakura’s Steak House — Located at 1035 S. State Road 7, Suite 118 in the Wellington Reserve, Sakura’s Steak House offers a wide variety of Asian cuisine with a full bar. The restaurant is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and for dinner Monday through Thursday from 4:30 to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 11 p.m. and Sundays from 4 to 10 p.m. For more info., call manager Charles Chu at (561) 790-6779. Shown above are Chu, George Chin and Alex Liang with Wellington Chamber of Commerce ambassadors and board members.
Following instructions from Gov. Charlie Crist to better meet the continued needs of local governments and Florida hurricane victims, the Department of Community Affairs has invited cities and counties affected by Hurricane Wilma in 2005 to apply for a share of $100 million in long-term recovery funding. The announcement follows several months of work to make a share of the money available for ongoing efforts to recover from past damage rather than solely to protect homes against future storms.
DCA is providing application forms and information to local governments in the areas affected by Wilma, following recent federal approval of Florida’s action plan for distributing the Disaster Recovery Program funds to benefit low- and moderate-income residents.
A total of 18 Florida counties, some of which sustained more than $200 million in damage during the October 2005 hurricane, will share the $100 million for housing and infrastructure repairs and mitigation.
The State of Florida originally determined that most of the federal money should be designated for hardening, a process intended to shore up existing structures to better withstand the impact of future storms.
After hearing from local government officials in the affected areas, the state made changes in order to be more responsive to immediate local needs. DCA has worked with local officials in recent months to develop a process that will make it easier for eligible communities to apply for the recovery funds and ensure that funds can be distributed quickly.
“Under Gov. Crist’s leadership, we quickly recognized that many Floridians continue to suffer in very real ways from a devastating storm that ravaged their
communities almost two years ago,” DCA Secretary Tom Pelham said. “I am pleased that the federal government has approved our plan so those citizens can finally get the assistance they need.”
The $100 million allocation represents the third round of federal emergency assistance following the devastating 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. This particular allocation can be used for hurricane victims in the counties affected by Hurricane Wilma.
The funds will be distributed for purposes identified by local governments in the affected counties, with the program administered by the DCA’s Community Development Block Grant program.
Under the action plan, eligible local governments must submit plans to DCA outlining their needs for housing and public facilities affected by Wilma. The bulk of the federal assistance will be directed toward improvements to singlefamily homes and public infrastructure, while federal regulations require that at least 20 percent of the money be designated for repair and rehabilitation of multifamily rental housing. Under the newly approved plan, any home that undergoes repairs with the disaster recovery funds must also be hardened to minimize future damage.
The funding allocations are based on each county’s relative share of estimated damage. Eligible activities for use of the funds include: single-family housing repair, rehabilitation and hardening, replacement of single-family homes, multifamily housing repair, rehabilitation and hardening, or infrastructure repair and/or improvement.
A spreadsheet showing a county-bycounty breakdown of available funding, excluding multifamily rental housing and state program administration, is available, as well as a copy of the Florida Department of Community Affairs Disaster Recovery Program Action plan at www.floridacommunitydevelopment.org/ Files/DisasterRecoveryActionPlan.pdf.
Palm Beach County Tax Collector
Anne Gannon recently announced the promotion of three senior level managers and one external new hire.
David Brady has been promoted to facilities manager. Brady has been with the organization for 26 years. As facilities manager, Brady is responsible for modernizing the administrative and branch offices to position the organization to better serve the public. He reports to the director of operations. Additionally, he will act as the liaison to the county Facilities Department.
Jean-Luc Caous has been promoted to director of information technology. Caous has been with the Tax Collector’s Office for 13 years.
Vicki Wooldridge, who joined the Tax Collector’s Office in spring 2007 as governmental affairs manager, has been promoted to director of operations. She will be responsible for the day-to-day business operations of all branch offices. She succeeds David Brose, who will retire Oct. 1.
Tom Fortson was recently added as deputy tax collector. He graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in industrial and systems engineering, and has a master’s of business administration from Florida Atlantic University. He worked as a logistics engineer with Frito Lay, and most recently with Chiquita Brands International in project management and operations improvement.
“Members of our senior staff have shown exemplary leadership skills through their strong work ethic and commitment to our new customer service model,” Gannon said. “I’m proud to announce their well deserved promotions.”
For more information about the Palm Beach County Tax Collector’s Office, call (561) 355-2264 or visit the new web site at www.taxcollectorpbc.com.
In a tax emergency, would you be ready? Well-organized records not only help you prepare your tax return, they also help you answer questions if your return is selected for examination, or prepare a response if you are billed for additional tax.
Fortunately, you don’t have to keep all tax records around forever. There are laws known as statutes of limitations that impact how long you must keep receipts, canceled checks, and other documents that support an item of income or a deduction on your return.
Generally, for questioning the amount of tax you reported or making an assessment of additional tax, the IRS has three years from the date you filed the return. For filing a claim for credit or refund, you generally have three years from the date the original return was filed, or two years from the date the tax was paid, whichever is later. For either purpose, returns filed before the due date are treated as filed on the due date. There is no statute of limitations when a return is fraudulent or when no return is filed.
You should keep some records indefinitely, such as property records. You may need them to prove the amount of gain or loss if the property is sold. Generally, income tax returns should be kept for three years from the date the return was filed. They could help you prepare future tax returns or amend a return.
For more information on recordkeeping requirements for individuals, order Publication 552, “Recordkeeping for Individuals.” Publication 583, “Starting a Business and Keeping Records,” and Publication 463, “Travel, Entertainment, Gift and Car Expenses,” provide additional information on required documentation for taxpayers with business expenses. The publications are available at www.irs.gov or by calling (800) TAXFORM (800-829-3676).
The Mall at Wellington Green is helping students send family and friends a back-to-school wish list delivered by a personalized virtual version of themselves.
Beginning Aug. 14, students may visit the Mall at Wellington Green or www.findyourgo.com and transform a regular photo of themselves into a custom talking avatar — a virtual talking cartoon-like representation of a person. The talking characters may be customized down to their clothing, hair color and background. Users also can record
a personal voice message, type a message for the computer to speak or select a clever pre-recorded message that humorously tells parents why they need the attached wish list to succeed in school.
The customized avatar — created with the newly released auto photo technology from Oddcast, the speaking avatar technology company — may be e-mailed to friends and family as well as posted on a user’s MySpace page, blog or web site for others to view.
Not only will parents get to view their child’s wish list and access weekly sales information organized by shopping categories, they can also learn about the trendiest back-to-school items and voice
Autism Project — A team of Home Depot volunteers from several locations throughout Palm Beach County recently took a day off to build a butterfly garden for the students of the Renaissance Learning Center in West Palm Beach. The Renaissance Learning Center is a charter school for autistic children. The Autism Project of Palm Beach County is a key supporter of the Renaissance Learning Center. For more info., visit www. autismproject.org. Pictured here are (L-R) Autism Project of Palm Beach County Program Manager Michelle Damone, Home Depot’s Marcy Hossli and Arelene Murray, Renaissance Learning Center Principal Debi Johnson, and Home Depot’s Penny Paladino.
their opinions by voting on featured products.
“Students, particularly teens, like to be heard, and this talking avatar and trend polling are two ways for them to voice their thoughts,” Mall at Wellington Green Marketing & Sponsorship Director Rachelle Crain said.
Crain expects the animated avatars to create a buzz and increase traffic to the shopping center and its web site.
To launch the avatar program, the Mall at Wellington Green will host in-mall events from Aug. 17-19 and 24-26 in the Grand Court that feature Pixman — people equipped with LED screens suspended over their heads via a backpack-
like device. The head-turning Pixman will walk among shoppers educating them about the avatar program, directing traffic to center court. There, teams will hand out Findyourgo lip balm and show visitors how to create their own avatars on site from the center’s avatar kiosk or from home.
“This deployment is a perfect example of digital and nontraditional coming together for an innovative and inspiring campaign that empowers and entertains shoppers,” Oddcast CEO Adi Sideman said.
The avatars will be available for three months.
For more information, visit www.oddcast.com.
When I came home from my vacation, I avoided doing something for more than a week. I knew I would eventually have to do it, but I put it off as long as possible. Every time I walked into my bathroom I would see the scale on the floor, just looking at me, and I swear I heard it calling my name. I did my best to stay away. I pretended the scale had some terrible disease. I knew I gained a little bit of weight on my trip. OK, I knew I gained a lot of weight on my trip. My pants were so tight a belt was no longer needed. And that was a good thing, because none of my belts could reach around my waist anymore. Weeks before we went away, I begged my BW (beautiful wife) Sharon to go on a diet with me. Of course she agreed, but for some strange reason the diet never started. When I left on the trip, I was the heaviest I have ever been. Finally, a week and a half after returning home, I could no longer ignore the scale. When I finally did have the courage to step onto it, things weren’t as bad as I thought they would be. I was shocked. According to my scale I had only gained four pounds. I could not understand this, because over the entire vacation I was eating like a pig. Maybe my scale wasn’t telling me the truth. Food was al-
With Ernie Zimmerman
ways available... and so was my mouth. You name it, I ate it.
I checked the scale to see if it was broken. (I know nothing about broken scales, but I kept looking.) It appeared to be in fine working order. But even with a four-pound weight gain, it was the most I have ever weighed in my life. I knew a diet was in order. The minute I stepped off the scale, the diet began. A few years ago my great doctor gave me a fat-free diet. It worked for me then, so I figured I would try it again.
By going fat-free I feel like a rabbit (get your mind out of the gutter) because I am eating a lot of things a rabbit would love to eat. I am also eating a lot of turkey and chicken. I have not had a steak in over a month.
But steak is not what I miss the most. If truth be told, I miss my ice cream. Yogurt will never replace it, but I must admit I am starting to like yogurt.
I am happy to report I have lost 14 pounds in just a little over three weeks. My clothes are starting to fit again, and my belt can now reach around my evershrinking waist. I am going to try my best to lose another 14 pounds, but I must admit I am getting pretty tired of eating rabbit food.
Now that my wife is back from the mountains of North Carolina, she has told me she will join me on my diet next week (I am not holding my breath) right after I take her out for her birthday. Do you know how hard it is to watch someone eat a big, bloody steak while you’re trying to chow down on a salad? It isn’t “EZ.” But I am a survivor, and so far I have been able to resist the urge to grab the steak from my wife.
The last time I was on this diet I lost 26 pounds. It took me two years to gain back the weight I lost. This time I will give keeping the weight off forever my best shot. So please, if you see me on the street, don’t offer me any type of ice cream or sweets. My willpower is at an all-time low, and I need all the support I can get for my fat-free, rabbit diet.
Palms are an important component of many tropical landscapes, and as you drive around your neighborhood there are few homes that don’t have at least one. Here in Florida we’re fortunate to have hundreds of types of palms to choose from, and many large cities like palms well enough to line their streets with them and include large numbers in their parks and governmental centers.
Palms do require a regular maintenance program to stay attractive. The most important is to fertilize with a good quality palm fertilizer, which can be purchased at your favorite retail garden center or landscape company.
For small palms, you can fertilize as often as once every other month. For larger, well-established palms, two to
three times a year is probably the average, although three times a year would be a better schedule.
When applying palm fertilizers, make sure you put out the proper amount and that it’s spread evenly as far as the fronds extend to insure that as much of the root system as possible comes in contact with the fertilizer.
At this time of year, watch for diseases brought on by palm hearts or bud areas kept constantly moist by frequent rains. If you notice discoloration in the bud of the palm or fronds that develop brown spotting or other typical fungus conditions, have a pest control company treat the tree so you don’t end up with major damage.
Insects are not a super big problem
during the summer because heavy rains tend to keep many of them washed off the palms. This doesn’t mean you won’t find a few leaf-eating caterpillars or sapsucking scale insects, but usually they are a minor problem during the summer.
Many people complain about their palms having yellowed or discolored older fronds during summer months, and this might be due to a lack of magnesium. Big palms that have many fronds like date palms require large amounts of magnesium in their diet. You can buy a magnesium supplement at large retail garden centers, and apply this in addition to the palm food to insure that your palms have enough to keep all their fronds a rich, green color.
If you are interested in rare or unusual
Gardening With Gene
By Gene Joyner
Extension Agent Palm Beach County
palms, attend one of the monthly meetings of the Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Mounts Building Auditorium, 531 N. Military Trail. The Palm Beach County Extension office also has a number of free publications on palms and can answer questions about palm care at (561) 233-1750.
$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 EXPERIENCED; 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.
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SMALL PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL IN
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3/2 Rivberbridge Gated Community.
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 SERVICE - 561985-4137 Houses, new & used. Also stalls cleaned. Dependable & Honest. References Available.
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 all your furniture repair needs including finish repairs, structural repairs, upholstery services, chair regluing, antique repairs, kitchen cabinet refurbishing. 753-8689
STANDBY GENERATORS — Complete 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
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. BD 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.
“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 — Domes-
tic investigation, surveillance, missing persons. Background investigation into that new boyfriend or fiancé, hidden assets located and more. Lic. & Ins. 561312-4386 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
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS – Roof painting. Carpentry. License #U9 865. 9675580. BD
CLUTTER FREE CLOSETS — For all your organizing needs. Custom closets. NOW 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.
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
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.
ROLL DOWN SHUTTERS — Accordion shutters, storm panels and rolling shutters...prices that can’t be beat. All shutters Systems, Inc. 863-0955
\FFORDABLE HURRICANE PROTEC-
TION — 2 - 4 wks. Installed Guaranteed! 10% deposit . Will get you started. All products, Dade County approved. We manufacture our
