Town-Crier Newspaper August 27, 2010

ELECTION 2010: CONGRESS, STATE SENATE, INDIAN TRAIL PRIMARY ELECTION

Jess Santamaria Wins Primary, Looks Toward General Election

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

Incumbent District 6 County Commissioner Jess Santamaria defeated Glades activist Michael Jackson in the Democratic primary Tuesday, setting up a November rematch with Republican challenger John Carroll. Santamaria defeated Carroll to win the seat four years ago. Independent candidate Andy Schaller will also be on the November ballot. Santamaria received 5,057 votes (62.11 percent) to Jackson’s 3,085 votes (37.89 percent).

Jackson, who lives in the Glades and owns his own political consulting firm, also ran against Santamaria in the Democratic primary four years ago. Shortly after he was elected, Santamaria offered Jackson a job as county liaison for the Glades area. Jackson held that position until about a year ago, when he decided to run again.

Santamaria, who had said he did not intend to run for more than one term but was persuaded by constituents to change his mind, said he was not upset that Jackson ran against him.

“I have sad feelings more than hard feelings,” Santamaria said. “I liked him. I wouldn’t have engaged his services had I not liked him. I had a pleasant relationship with him. I wish him well, and I hope he continues his intentions of pursuing future governmental service and his intent to do public service. He has done it in the past, and he should pursue it further. I have nothing but good wishes for him.”

Santamaria said he anticipates a divisive general election campaign, similar to the one in 2006.

Pafford Keeps District 88 Seat; Donnelly And Rooney Secure GOP State House Nominations

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

State Rep. Mark Pafford defeated Wellington restaurant owner Ron Miranda in Tuesday’s Democratic primary to secure himself another term serving District 88 in the Florida House of Representatives.

Pafford took 4,259 votes (57.72 percent) to Miranda’s 3,120 votes (42.28 percent), according to unofficial tallies. Pafford will face a write-in candidate in the Nov. 2 general election.

Pafford gathered with his supporters Tuesday at Tree’s Wings in Royal Palm Beach to await results.

“I’m delighted that the voters

and people in District 88 had confidence in me as a legislator,” Pafford told the Town-Crier on Wednesday. “I’m energized to go back to the legislature.” He said he would continue to stand up against corporate interests.

“I will continue to do what I’ve done — stand up for the little guy and not allow corporate control of every aspect of government,” Pafford said. “I’m going to ensure that people who pay their taxes get quality services and get what they need. And I’m going to make sure that the more vulnerable people in the district have protections in place.”

District 88 includes all of Roy-

al Palm Beach and continues east into West Palm Beach.

In the District 85 Republican primary, Tami Donnally won with 4,907 votes (67.44 percent) to opponent Donald Jude “D.J.” DeRenzo’s 2,369 (32.56 percent), according to unofficial tallies.

Donnally won the right to challenge Democratic freshman State Rep. Joe Abruzzo in the general election.

Donnally and her supporters, along with unsuccessful State Senate District 27 hopeful Mike Lameyer and his supporters, gathered at a restaurant in suburban Lake Worth to await results.

She credited her grassroots

See STATE HOUSE, page 7

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

District 6 Palm Beach County School Board candidates Marcia Andrews of Royal Palm Beach and Dean Grossman of Boca Raton advanced to a November runoff Tuesday after taking the top two spots in a three-way race to replace retiring School Board Member Dr. Sandra Richmond.

Andrews received 9,276 votes (44.05 percent), while Grossman garnered 8,611 votes (40.89 percent). Ron Young of Loxahatchee Groves took 3,170 votes (15.05 percent) and was eliminated.

Andrews said she was hoping she would win outright but was prepared to continue the race to November.

“I’m going to work real hard the next 10 weeks and get it done,” Andrews said. “I’m going to have to stay focused and stay on message. My message is to help the children. I’m someone who works on the ground, and I try to meet the people and let people know what I can do. I’m the one who’s experienced and knows how to do it.” Andrews, a retired school administrator, principal and teacher, said there’s a lot of work to be done.

“I believe the kids need me, and I believe the teachers need me badly now with all the things that are going on,” she said. “I’m going to stay with this and try to make myself available to them

with my expertise. I saw the need over the last two years, so I’m going to try to finish this.”

Although she is in a runoff, Andrews said she drew comfort watching the returns come in, noting that she remained ahead all night.

“I believe that with the endorsement from the unions and teachers and police and the bus drivers and all the people who really work with the children, they’ve said they need me,” Andrews said. She said she will continue to let people know what she stands for and to explain the difference between herself and Grossman.

“I stay abreast of the issues,” Andrews said. “I’m the one who can really hit the ground running, because I’ve been part of the process for the last 35 years.” Grossman, a former teacher who is now in sales for ESPN and owns an agency that represents coaches and athletes in broadcast media, said he and his supporters pushed hard the last couple of weeks.

“We had a good ground attack and ground campaign, and I felt really good going into it, and I’m really happy,” he said. “I’m excited about the runoff. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Grossman said he does not feel this is a race pitting the northern and southern portions of the district against each other.

“This is a race about whoever

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

To help attract businesses and high-wage employment to the area, the Palms West Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Task Force will offer an interactive way for companies to find available properties in the western communities.

Named the “Heart of Palm Beach County Shovel Ready Map,” the project will identify properties within the region to analyze their readiness for nonresidential development.

In order to be shovel ready, the site must have a site plan, conceptual architecture, traffic concurrency, environmental permits, final engineering and plat, Dr. Juan Ortega,

director of Land Design

South, said during a presentation to the task force Wednesday evening at Greenacres City Hall. Using the map, a prospective business could search for specific criteria such as acreage, square footage, land-use types, traffic and location to find a site that matches its desires. A business owner can then browse the site maps for each property.

“This

By Ron Bukley

area, and put a liner over the top primarily to

Winner In District 88 Race — State Rep. Mark Pafford and campaign manager Rodney Statham fist bump in victory while Tracy Pafford looks

Victory Party — County Commissioner Jess Santamaria celebrates his victory Tuesday evening with supporters in the original Wellington Mall.

Marcia Andrews (in yellow) celebrates her first-place finish at Tree’s Wings & Ribs in Royal Palm Beach. (L-R) Lisa Goldman, Rita Solnet, Marcia and Robert Andrews, Christina Howley and Debbie Block. PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

PHOTOS BY DENISE

Larry Gill, Anna Niehaus, Wally Sanger, Bob Kalinowski and Mark Welch.

Jane Gavlick and Sue Glasnapp of Gold Coast Quilters made a quilt of valor for Steven Holloway and pillow pals for his kids.

Laurie and Steven Holloway in their new home.

Homes for Our Troops veterans liaison Larry Gill.

Royal Concrete Concepts’ Wally Sanger turns over house keys to Steven Holloway.

Larry Gill and Steven Holloway with Bob Kalinowski of Fujifilm.

Johnson: County’s New Ethics Rules Having An Effect

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics Executive Director Alan Johnson offered an update on the progress of ethics ordinances at the monthly forum sponsored by County Commissioner Jess Santamaria on Wednesday, Aug. 18.

Similar versions of the county’s ordinances creating a Code of Ethics, Commission on Ethics and Office of the Inspector General will be on the ballot in November as countywide charter amendment referendums.

“As you are aware, Palm Beach County in the last half-dozen years has gotten black eyes and bloody noses repeatedly as commissioner after commissioner in both the county and principal municipality of West Palm Beach went to prison,” Johnson said. “Things got so out of control that outside the county we were referred to derisively as ‘corruption county.’”

As a result of the scandals, a grand jury was convened in 2009. Among the recommendations was to establish an independent inspector general. Johnson noted that many inspector general positions have been created but few, if any, are as independent as the inspector general position in Palm Beach County.

“You can’t even take a step without tripping over an inspector general all over Florida, but are they truly independent?” Johnson asked. “I can tell you that the ethics commission and the inspector general in Palm Beach County have that degree of independence.”

The grand jury used the MiamiDade County ethics commission and inspector general as a model for its ethics ordinances, but the Palm Beach County version corrects problems with the MiamiDade model, Johnson said.

“Dade County has certain unique problems that we don’t have in Palm Beach County,” Johnson said. “They also have a code of ethics that’s almost unreadable. They’ve monkeyed with it and added stuff. The more specific you are, the more loopholes there are.”

Johnson credited county staff, including Assistant County Administrator Brad Merriman, County Attorney Denise Nieman and Assistant County Attorney Lenny Berger, with constructing the Palm Beach County Code of Ethics thoroughly but quickly. “It’s pretty remarkable,” he said. “It took Dade two years after the scandals broke there that they actually got a workable ordinance. It took less than nine months here.”

State Attorney Michael McAuliffe, Inspector General Sheryl Steckler and the Commission on Ethics function independently and cooperatively, Johnson said.

“We have three circles here in Palm Beach County,” Johnson said. “One circle is the State Attorney’s Office. The state attorney has certain functions that he can do that nobody else can do in Palm Beach County. He’s the only one who can prosecute, so he handles the violations of criminal laws.” The inspector general has her own function, which includes the examination of contracts with county vendors.

“She is not a prosecutor,” Johnson said. “She looks for mismanagement. She looks for waste. She figures out how things can be done a little better and makes recommendations. More importantly, she digs into the contracts and has access to all the county contracts.”

If the inspector general uncovers something criminal, she refers it to McAuliffe’s office, which is what happened recently when Steckler received information that a code inspector was believed to be accepting bribes. The information was turned over to the state attorney. “The system is already starting to work,” Johnson noted.

The third component is the Commission on Ethics, the group Johnson leads as executive director.

“We do investigations, but the Commission on Ethics looks toward ethics violations and the misuses of office that stem from financial abuse of officials,” he said, noting that includes board members, volunteers, employees and elected officials.

Anyone with a complaint against an employee or elected official, vendor or lobbyist can submit it in writing and under oath with supporting documents.

If county employees, for example, have a question about accepting a gift or an invitation to be a guest free of charge at a hotel, they can request an advisory opinion from the Commission on Ethics.

“It’s good that this is all local, because there is already a state commission on ethics, but it has 60-some-odd counties that it answers to, and there’s not a lot of service there,” Johnson said.

The Commission on Ethics also reaches into the community by training, speaking and visiting schools.

“We need to change people’s minds so they can feel comfortable enough that they can make a difference,” Johnson said. “Ethics is not just government. Ethics needs to be a part of everyone’s daily life.”

Among the plans are an ethics awareness week in the spring, scholarships and internships for local college students.

Johnson said former County Commissioner Jeff Koons’ resignation after his harassment of those opposed to his Lake Worth Lagoon improvement project was unfortunate, but it pointed out that citizens can push back at elected officials and employees.

“That whole affair was a tragedy, but it was abuse,” he said.

“Whether you think he should have got more punishment or less punishment is not the issue when it comes to going forward… Somebody felt they could pick up the phone and report this. That’s huge, because if you think back five years ago, I rather doubt that phone call would have been made.”

Johnson said the jurisdiction and power of the Commission on Ethics is currently limited to county employees and elected or appointed officials, although the November referendum could carry its influence over municipalities whose residents vote favorably, as well as other government entities, such as the Palm Beach County School District.

Lox Groves Council Sets Workshop For Southern Projects

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council last week scheduled a September workshop to discuss two proposed commercial developments on Southern Blvd. The agents for two developments of almost 100 acres each on the east and west sides of B Road north of Southern Blvd. have received a cool response from some residents. The developers are attempting to move forward while the town finalizes its comprehensive plan. Developers agreed to propose plans that will meet the existing county comprehensive plan as well as the town’s proposed plan.

Atlantic Land Investments, developer of the 97-acre Loxahatchee Groves Commons, also called the Simon property, on the west side of B Road, is requesting a land-use change from low-density residential to multiple use, which would allow up to about 256,000 square feet of commercial office and medical space as well as a 232-unit recreational vehicle park.

The Loxahatchee Equestrian

Partners/Solar Sportsystems property, which covers 90 acres of vacant pasture land on the northeast corner of B Road and Southern Blvd., also asked for an amendment from low-density residential to commercial, institutional and public uses with about 140,000 square feet of retail and office space, 15,000 square feet of 120 age-restricted dwelling units and a 15,000-square-foot daycare center.

The council held public hearings on the proposals for the third time in less than two months at a meeting Aug. 17. Once again, a decision was postponed to a later date. Referring to the Simon project, Ann Parker of Collecting Canal Road said she was concerned about the size of the request. “I’m not against commercial, I’m just against the density,” Parker said. “I don’t know how big this is going to be and the type of buildings you’re going after.” Parker said she wants residents to meet with the developers to reach a mutual agreement.

Attorney Joseph Verdone, repSee WORKSHOP, page 18

OUR OPINION

Primary Election A Reminder Why Redistricting Reform Is Needed

The Tuesday, Aug. 24 primary elections saw some decisive victories and quite a few that were quite the nail biters. We congratulate those who won, and hope they stick to the issues as they continue to campaign toward the general election in November. The same thing goes for candidates of county races involved in runoffs. Regardless of the outcome, the voters will benefit only if the candidates keep their hands out of the dirt and run clean campaigns. Maybe if that happened more often, voter turnout wouldn’t be so consistently low year after year.

Still, despite another poor showing at the polls, those who did turn out to vote made their choices clear. But in addition to what voters said directly through their individual candidate choices, much was said indirectly as well — just take a look at the voting statistics. And once again, it shows that certain districts allow an unfair advantage for certain candidates. For example, State Senate District 27 is one of the most gerrymandered districts in the state. Any district that covers five counties and nearly stretches from coast to coast can’t possibly have a population homogenous enough to be sufficiently served by one person from one party.

Palm Beach County was fortunate to have had a Greenacres resident (State Sen. Dave Aronberg) serve the district for the past eight years. But our good fortune came at the expense of the many voters on the other side of the state. And although they

Rural Route Rules In Loxahatchee

Tim McGraw’s song “Down on the Farm” starts “Every Friday night there’s a steady cloud of dust,” and this leads in to, “Just some rural route rules that you need to know.” Here in Loxahatchee Groves and in The Acreage, many of us live, work and play on dirt roads. We also like the freedom of the country life and the ability to kick up our heels. However, when those heels are our tires and we are going over 25 to 30 miles per hour, the “cloud of dust” can really get big. When I see “free wheeling country boys and girls” flying down our dirt roads, all I can think is that they are just being rude to their neighbors who have to “eat their dust.” Houses can’t be opened up in good weather due to the dust, people get breathing problems, and basically these drivers are just saying, “Howdy, neighbor — up yours!” Slow down and smell the meadow muffins, y’all.

Bill Louda

Loxahatchee Groves

RPB Should Clean Up Mess It Created

At the Aug. 19 Royal Palm Beach Village Council meeting, the council reversed their recent decision to remove the ugly hills decorating the backyards of the unlucky residents living on Meadowlark and Sandpiper avenues. At a previous meeting, the council admitted the hills were a mistake and ordered a study to “delete” the hills. And while we waited for the study, the council also ordered the hills reduced in an effort to appease the affected residents.

In recent weeks, most of the hills, mine included, were reduced. However, the cost of the study to “redesign” the park and finish deleting the hills was rejected by the council at their last meeting. I guess the “reduction” is all some of us get. The primary reason discussed for not removing the eyesores was the projected $1.6 million price tag and, oh, by the way, the problem with the arseniccontaminated soil is really just too great to consider. What? Yes, it appears the hills were required in order to dispose of all the contaminated soil obtained from digging the new lakes. What? I was told the hills were required to build the unique “box-type” golf course we all wanted. When was the arsenic contamination discussed? When was the decision made to make humongous, ugly hills with the contaminated soil and call it a “box type” golf course? I did not get the memos on these decisions. Last reason, given the high cost of correcting these problems, it is the consensus of the council (Councilman Fred Pinto excluded) that we few unhappy residents must suck it up for the benefit of the many, who will surely have a beautiful park to enjoy that will likely increase property values, even for the unhappy few who have no view and must now reside next to a multitude of known toxic waste dumps. This story just keeps getting better and more insulting. My parents taught me that, “If you make the mess, then it’s your responsibility to clean it up.” I think the council should clean up this mess and oh, by the way, I think the engineers running this project should be fired. Somebody is guilty of either withholding key information and spinning a few stories to dupe us taxpayers or trying to circumvent the council’s orders to remove these ugly hills. Whatever it is, I no longer feel the village staff is working in my best

hoped to change that this year in the Democratic primary, which saw Lee County put forward one of its strongest, most well-funded candidates (Peter Burkert) since the district was drawn nearly 10 years ago, he lost to Delray Beach State Rep. Kevin Rader.

Meanwhile, the situation wasn’t much better in U.S. Congressional District 16. The Democratic primary in that race was won by Palm City’s Jim Horn, a man who doesn’t live in Palm Beach County and didn’t feel the need to campaign in this portion of the district… and he still won handily.

If districts were drawn in more logical and contiguous shapes, the candidates running would be more accountable to the people they’re supposed to care about representing. Fortunately, this November’s ballot will see two amendments to the state constitution that call for a more fair and equitable redistricting process, thanks to a petition campaign conducted by the bipartisan group FairDistrictsFlorida.org. We strongly recommend everyone visit that web site and support the organization’s efforts. Again, we congratulate Tuesday’s victors and hope the remainder of the campaign season is free from political mudslinging (well, as much as can be reasonably expected). And for those who stayed home this past Election Day, we hope you can find the motivation to hit the polls in November.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

interest. For the good of the community, would the Royal Palm Beach Village Council like to buy my house? I will give them a good price. Or maybe the council would like to compensate the unlucky few of us for aggravation and loss of property value. Or maybe the council would like to get the staff to finally clean up this mess, regardless of the cost. Cleaning up this mess would be the right thing to do!

Joseph Hosick Royal Palm Beach

Support ‘Hometown Democracy’

Regarding the Aug. 20 TownCrier article “Bogdanoff: I’ve Proven I Can Be Effective In Tallahassee,” politicians always promise to “listen to the people” don’t they? But when “the people” put an initiative on the November ballot to make politicians listen to community plans (Hometown Democracy Amendment 4) it is “problematic?” On the contrary, the right of We the People to say yes or no to “public servants” is fundamental. The problem is that residents voting on changes to their community threatens political power.

Hometown Democracy Amendment 4 is “government of the people, by the people and for the people” because public consensus for the cost, amount and type of development and services that residents want (or don’t want) in their community is the basis of a comprehensive plan. But last year, 11,000 changes were made to community plans in Florida without allowing the public to vote on them. Politicians cast those votes.

Should a few politicians make the final decision every year to change or uphold local comprehensive plans? Three or four new

projects a year can change the natural environment, the character of a community and cause more taxes for extra fire-rescue, police protection, roads, etc. So allowing voters to agree to or deny those changes on the regular local ballot can save more money than current votes by politicians. For instance, residents of the Town of Loxahatchee Groves will not be able to vote on adding 180 acres of commercial, office, medical and an RV park at B Road and State Road 80 to their (rural?) community, but will bear costs and impacts.

The people of Palm Beach County have a national awardwinning comprehensive plan against Browardization and a surplus of vacant shopping centers and empty houses and land already approved for development. Yet the People can’t vote on changing more farmland and existing business into more houses and shopping centers. Example: on Monday, Aug. 30, seven county politicians can vote to put 254 houses on Lion Country Safari land and a 280,875-square-foot commercial center on the corner of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road and State Road 80 in the central western communities.

Our communities, our vote. Please be informed and “Vote Yes on 4” Florida Hometown Democracy.

Rita Miller Loxahatchee Groves

DeRenzo: Race Was Quite A Ride

I wanted to run for a seat in the State House and I did just that. At times, running for office felt right, at other times not so much. I wanted to win. I’m disappointed. I poured my heart and soul into this campaign. I spent 21 (a subtle reference to Blackjack) months on the campaign trail. I will miss it, but I will not

miss the time I had to spend away from my family. My time on the campaign trail was magical, from the moment my web site was created by my man Erik Moore until I met my last couple in Lake Clarke Shores on Aug. 23. In the end, life got in the way. I could not work all day at the polo club and visit people in Wellington afterward. I was too messy, too disheveled, y muy cansado (a subtle reference to my desire to embrace humble immigrants of good will). My heart could not compete with my opponent’s heart, manpower and know-how. Hats off to T.D. (a subtle reference to the theme of my campaign). Tami got the job done. The tribe has spoken and Tami outwitted, outplayed and outlasted D.J. Tami deserves all the credit in the world. D.J. lost, but his son won; he can have his father back.

D.J. DeRenzo Wellington

Not In Support Of Santamaria

I am writing regarding County Commissioner Jess Santamaria. I have been an Acreage resident for 10 years. Since Santamaria took office, all he has done is raise our taxes 15 percent last year, and he recently voted to increase the millage rate for county homeowners. Our taxes went up $300 last year because of Jess. He then voted to give away $170,000 to Belle

Glade — a bailout. He took our money and gave it away. Nobody asked us for approval. This arrogant man does absolutely nothing to improve The Acreage. Not one road has been widened and zero improvements. We get no services here except for garbage pickup. He never returns phone calls or e-mails as he is too busy to answer the “small” people. He is a wealthy developer who is only interested in those who pay little or no taxes. Jess should not be re-elected. He should be ashamed of himself for raising the millage rate this year. All he has done is taken $300 more from us. Dump this guy and vote in a Republican instead of another liberal Democrat. He also has done nothing to curb the huge expenditures by the special interest groups (police and fire). Jess is a do-nothing commissioner who has no intention of helping people like us who are just barely hanging on to our home. Our house has dropped over $47,000 in value over the last five months, and Jess voted to raise the millage rate knowing this. He should force [County Administrator] Bob Weisman to force layoffs and salary reductions back to 2002 levels. He has done nothing to address these issues. We are fed up with being forced to pay for everyone else while we live check to check because of high taxes. Rob Hoffman The Acreage

SEND IN YOUR LETTERS

The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit letters, with contact name, address, and telephone number (anonymous letters will not be published), to The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to (561) 793-6090; or you can e-mail letters@goTownCrier.com

Chamber ‘State Of The Village’ Luncheon Features Mayor Bowen

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

Wellington Mayor Darell Bowen outlined recent village accomplishments at the monthly luncheon meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Aug. 25 at the Wellington Community Center.

Bowen discussed the village’s economic development, strategic planning, neighborhood stabilization, home preservation programs, business community initiatives and other topics.

He noted that Wellington has changed some of its regulations to bring a more business-friendly environment to the village, including expediting the permitting process.

“Some of the zoning regulations that were changed made it easier for businesses to be located here,” Bowen said. “All of you were with us to make this happen, and they have happened, and it has made us a better business community.” He then explained some of the changes in depth.

“In the case of expedited permitting, we will assign someone to you, and we will guarantee you we push it through as fast as we possibly can,” Bowen

said. “We will [issue] your permit and get your inspection as quickly as possible so you can get to work.”

Bowen also noted the expanded uses of zoning, including hightech and industrial zoning at the business parks along Pierson Road. Further, mixed-use planned developments would help renovations in older communities. “We put some incentives in there to make it easier for developers to do this,” he said. Bowen said he looks forward to working on the proposed Medical Arts District, which the village hopes will bring many good-paying jobs to the community.

“They all loved the idea of us developing a master plan there that would all be medically related,” Bowen said. “It will also run the gamut of bringing in a medical school, and maybe bring a place for adult and senior living. We envisioned this to create 6,000 jobs over the next 10 years. It’s a pretty aggressive plan.”

Bowen said that the village would continue to add signs and banners in the Equestrian Preserve Area and the Medical Arts District.

“What we have tried to do is build on the two largest industries we have here,” he said.

Bowen added that the village is working on reforestation and landscaping to make up for the aftermath of the hurricanes in 2004 and 2005.

“We lost so many pine trees,” said Bowen, “and lost trees in the hurricane. We are working on that, and we will continue to do that.

Along Forest Hill Blvd., you will see some new landscaping and some trees there. We will continue to promote it.”

The new Town Center, Scott’s Place and a new Village Hall are among projects that have been completed or will be finished soon. A new amphitheater was built with county money, while Scott’s Place was built with private donations. Bowen also touched on the Safe Neighborhoods Program, explaining how the village, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the various neighborhoods are working together to get the residents in the community to buy into the program.

“It has worked,” Bowen said. “Our crime rate has gone down. We have purchased these buildings with grants, and we will resell them to people that we would want moving in there. We improve the neighborhood, and it’s good for all.”

ranks high in foreclosures and it is important to reduce that number, Bowen said.

Related to housing and foreclosure is the village’s work with the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America, which held six to eight sessions within the community to help people keep their homes. The village

“Several hundred people who were having difficulty came to these sessions,” Bowen said. “We had some legal folks and helped them to deal with the foreclosure process. We want to try to take the lead and get out in front of this thing.” Bowen added that Wellington is trying hard to work with a budget of $75 million, down from $120 million. While there has been much discussion about plans to raise the tax rate, Bowen pointed out that taxable values are going down far faster than any rate increases.

For more information about the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, call (561) 792-6525 or visit www.wellingtonchamber.com.

Wellington Chamber Luncheon — (L-R) Thomas Leinwol, Michael Stone, Bill Tavernise, Francine

Ramaglia, Mayor Darell Bowen, Vice Mayor Matt Willhite, Councilwoman Anne Gerwig and Alec Domb.

PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

FRIENDS OF GARY LAUER GATHER FOR MEMORIAL SERVICE AT ACREAGE PARK

Family members and friends watch the release of the balloons.

Ernie Sullivan says

of Gary Lauer.

Troop 111 Boy Scouts Jordan Davis, Christopher Rice and Miguel Peña served as volunteer greeters.

Hubert McIntosh visits Jacqueline McMorris and Al Graham of Keyes Realty. Teresa Franzoso with Royal Palm Beach Mayor Matty Mattioli.

Joey Johnson and Amanayea Abraham shake hands while Lorna Johnson looks on.

Peterson Rehabilitation’s Tony Armour and Michelle Brooks.

Port Printing owner Ernie Garvey and Winsome Martin look over engraved stationery.

Woman Arrested For Drunken Behavior At Restaurant

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

ing with a suspended license and refusal to submit to a breath test.

AUG. 21 — A Palm City woman was arrested last Saturday night on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct following a complaint by an employee of the Olive Garden restaurant on Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, a waitress reported seeing 42-year-old Diane Welbaum, who had been drinking at the bar, fall and hit her nose while walking, curse at the manager and throw breadsticks at people. According to the report, Welbaum also tried to pick up a baby belonging to someone else from its car seat. The deputy made contact with Welbaum, who was uncooperative. According to the report, the deputy asked her for her driver’s license, but Welbaum couldn’t concentrate and instead gave the deputy her hand and her credit card. The deputy said he detected a strong smell of alcohol coming from her. Welbaum was arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail where she was charged with disorderly intoxication in a public place.

• AUG. 20 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched to the parking lot of a church on Forest Hill Blvd. last Friday morning in response to a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 9 and 10 a.m., someone smashed the victim’s rear driver’s-side window and stole her Gucci purse containing her wallet and $20 cash. The suspect(s) then used the victim’s credit card for a $1 purchase at a gas station on State Road 7, but there was no security footage available. The stolen items were valued at approximately $1,720. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

AUG. 20 — A juvenile was arrested for giving a false name last Friday night outside a gas station on Belvedere Road in Royal Palm Beach. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was dispatched to the gas station after a report of a suspicious male who was trying to buy gas for people at the pumps using a Wal-Mart gift card in exchange for cash. The deputy made contact with the juvenile suspect, who initially gave the deputy a false name and date of birth. He admitted his real name a short time later. The juvenile was arrested and then taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center where he was charged with giving a false name.

AUG. 20 — A Wellington man was arrested late last Friday night on charges of drunken driving following a traffic stop on Southern Blvd. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation observed 41-year-old Jorge Bonet fail to use a signal during a lane change while speeding down Southern Blvd. The deputy pulled Bonet over and immediately detected the odor of alcohol on his breath. Bonet was also found to have a suspended license. The deputy administered a roadside sobriety test, and Bonet was arrested for driving under the influence. Bonet was taken to the county jail where he was charged with driving under the influence, driv-

AUG. 21 — A Royal Palm Beach man was arrested early Saturday morning on drug charges following a traffic stop on Okeechobee Blvd. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was on patrol when he observed a vehicle traveling 56 miles per hour in a 35-mph zone at approximately 4:45 a.m. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with 22-year-old Evan Worland, who had an active warrant for failure to appear in court. After a search, the deputy asked Worland if he had any contraband on him. Worland responded that he had a bag of marijuana in his buttocks area, according to the report. The deputy recovered a clear plastic bag containing approximately 12.7 grams of marijuana. Worland was arrested and taken to the county jail where he was charged with possession of marijuana and failure to appear in court.

AUG. 21 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to a business on Belvedere Road early last Saturday morning in response to an alarm call. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 4:45 and 5 a.m., someone used a brick cinder block to break open the front door to the store. The suspect(s) stole three left-foot shoes, valued at approximately $110 to $160 each for a pair. There was no surveillance video available. DNA evidence was taken at the scene, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

AUG. 24 — A resident of the Equestrian Club Estates called the PBSO substation in Wellington on Tuesday to report a theft. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 5 p.m. Monday and 2:15 p.m. the following afternoon, someone stole the victim’s koi fish from the pond outside his home. The pond is on the southeast corner of the property, and the home is fenced and gated. The suspect(s) stole eight to 10 mature fish that were calico, orange and gold in color. The stolen fish were valued at approximately $3,000. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

AUG. 24 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach responded to an alarm call at the Golden Corral restaurant early Tuesday morning. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 3:24 and 3:45 a.m., someone tried to break into the restaurant with a concrete rock through a glass door on the southwest side of the building. According to the report, surveillance footage revealed that a gold Ford Taurus arrived at 3:24 a.m. and two men exited the vehicle with shirts over their faces. One suspect had a rock in his hand and threw it multiple times at the door in attempt to gain entry, but they were unsuccessful and left. A third suspect was driving the vehicle, but was not seen on the video. According to the report, one suspect was between 5’7” and 5’9” and appeared to weight 175-200 lbs. The second suspect was between 6’1” and 6’3” and approximately 180210 lbs. The video was taken into evidence.

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives:

• Lydie Felisma is a black female, 5’5” tall and weighing 230 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. Her date of birth is 07/27/64. Felisma is wanted for neglect of a child. Her occupation is unknown. Her last known address was Oak Terrace in Greenacres. Felisma is wanted as of 08/26/10.

• Allen Swift is a white male, 5’10” tall and weighing 200 lbs., with gray hair and hazel eyes. He has tattoos on both arms and shoulders. His date of birth is 04/05/67. Swift is wanted for obtaining property in return for a worthless check and failure to appear on a charge of not having a driver’s license. His occupation is unknown. His last known addresses were Sawgrass Court in Wellington and Dogwood Circle in Boynton Beach. Swift is wanted as of 08/26/10. Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestopperspbc. com.

Lydie Felisma

Allen Swift

Congressional District 22 Primaries Set Up Klein-West Rematch

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

Democratic Congressman Ron Klein will face Republican challenger Alan West again in the Nov. 2 general election after both emerged as their parties’ nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District.

Just as he did in the 2008 Democratic primary election, Klein easily defeated Paul Renneisen on Tuesday. Klein received 23,934 votes (84.58 percent) to Reinneisen’s 4,362 votes (15.42 percent), according to unofficial tallies.

West received 29,847 votes (76.64 percent) to opponent David Brady’s 9,096 votes (23.36 percent) to win the Republican primary. Klein won a second term in the House when he defeated West in the 2008 general election. In that election, Klein took 55 percent of the vote to West’s 45 percent. Starting from the Martin Coun-

ty line, the 22nd Congressional District includes parts of the western communities, suburban West Palm Beach and central Palm Beach County, continuing through the south county area and into Fort Lauderdale.

As results came in Tuesday night, Klein gathered with supporters at the campaign’s Pompano Beach office. In a statement, Klein wasted no time focusing on the November election.

“I am very grateful for the tremendous support from the people across the congressional district,”

Klein said. “This November, voters have a clear choice. On one hand, my opponent is pushing an extreme agenda and follows the Sarah Palin model of divisive politics. On the other hand, I believe in bringing people together and turning their ideas into action.”

Klein, who lives in Boca Raton, said he would continue to stress job creation and would work to help South Florida if elected.

“My top priority is creating

jobs, and I will not stop fighting until everyone in South Florida who wants a job, has a good quality job,” Klein said. “I am working every day to move South Florida forward and find solutions to improve the lives of our families, students, small businesses, seniors and veterans. I look forward to continuing to meet and listen to people around the district in the coming months as we discuss the issues most important to strengthening our community.”

West met with supporters in Deerfield Beach. As the results came in, he remarked on his landslide victory. “This evening, after nearly two years of hard work, our campaign to restore honor, integrity and character to Washington reached an important milestone,” West said. “With a vast majority of the precincts having reported their results, we will have defeated David Brady by a margin of nearly 4 to 1.”

West, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who lives in Plantation,

also noted that more than 10,000 more votes were cast in the Republican primary than the Democratic primary.

“With GOP turnout significantly higher than Democratic turnout throughout District 22, our victory tonight is proof that South Floridians are sick and tired of the status quo in Washington and are looking for leaders instead of politicians,” West said.

He said he is confident he can defeat Klein. “Tonight, the tone has been set,” West said. “Over the next two months, we will continue to draw a contrast between Ron Klein’s ultra-liberal policies that have bankrupted our district, our state and our country, versus my principled leadership. I am confident that, 70 days from tonight, the good people of Florida’s 22nd Congressional District will be firing [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi’s favorite Florida son, Ron Klein.”

In the Democratic primary for the U.S. House of Representatives

Benacquisto, Rader Claim Senate District 27

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

Former Wellington Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto will face State Rep. Kevin Rader (DDelray Beach) in the Nov. 2 general election for the State Senate District 27 seat being vacated by Sen. Dave Aronberg.

Benacquisto won a three-way battle Tuesday to claim the Republican nomination against former State Rep. Sharon Merchant and retired pilot Mike Lameyer.

Benacquisto had 12,154 votes (39.08 percent) and was followed closely by Merchant with 11,267 votes (36.22 percent), according to unofficial tallies. Lameyer had 7,682 (24.70 percent) votes.

While Merchant out-performed Benacquisto in Palm Beach County, Benacquisto carried the election with a strong showing in Lee County. The gerrymandered district runs across the state in a thin strip from Palm Beach County to Fort Myers in Lee County.

“I really feel strongly that our grassroots effort was what brought us home in the primary,” Benacquisto told the Town-Crier on Wednesday. “We made thousands of calls and walked thousands of doors trying to connect with voters, and it showed on Election Day.”

She said she would continue her grassroots effort in the campaign against Rader, who was elected to the District 78 State House seat in 2008.

“We’re ready to get back to work tomorrow, so we can get District 27 back to work,” Benacquisto said. “We faced a career politician before, and we’re ready to do it again.”

In the Democratic primary, Rader defeated Fort Myers attorney Peter Burkert. Rader garnered 10,820 votes (52.80 percent) to Burkert’s 9,674 votes (47.20 percent).

As in the Republican race, the results were split by county, with

Burkert finishing well ahead in Lee County, but Rader more than making up the difference in Palm Beach County.

“I feel great,” Rader told the Town-Crier Wednesday. “When you build a great campaign based on volunteers and people supporting you, and you work hard for months, and then you win, you feel great. You feel like you’ve knocked the ball out of the park.”

Rader said jobs and the economy would be on the forefront of the debates for the general election.

“I think we’re going to talk about what we’ve been talking about for the last 14 months,” he said. “We’re going to talk about how to stimulate the economy, bring good jobs to Florida and get people back to work.”

Rader said his small business experience will serve him well against Benacquisto. “I’m a small business owner,” he said. “I know what it’s like to hire employees and manage a budget.” He attributed his win to the voters and said he would continue to serve them if elected. “I want to thank all of the Democratic voters in District 27 for electing me to be their candidate,” Rader said. “I look forward to representing the district in the same way that Sen. Aronberg did for the past eight years.” In the state Senate District 25 Republican primary, State Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff of Fort Lauderdale defeated State Rep. Carl Domino of Jupiter. Bogdanoff took 16,433 votes (58.02 percent) to Domino’s 11,891 votes (41.89 percent).

Bogdanoff will now face State Rep. Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton) and independent candidate Miranda Rosenberg on Nov. 2 for the seat being vacated by Senate President Jeff Atwater in his bid to become Florida’s next chief financial officer.

Nichols And Hager Advance To Indian Trail Runoff In November

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

Indian Trail Improvement Dis-

trict Seat 1 candidates Jennifer Hager and Mike Nichols will face off in a Nov. 2 runoff election after being the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s primary election.

Candidates Bill Riley and Richard Waite were eliminated. Nichols received 1,055 votes (35.88 percent), while Hager took 996 votes (33.88 percent). Riley came in third with 489 votes (16.63 percent), and Waite received 400 votes (13.61 percent), according to unofficial returns.

Also on Nov. 2, ITID Seat 3 incumbent Ralph Bair will face challenger Greg Sitnek for the other contested supervisor slot.

“We got a lot of votes,” Nichols told the Town-Crier on Wednesday. “We got the most votes out

Schools Two Races Head To Runoffs

continued from page 1 will be the best candidate,” he said. “Anytime you have a race, you have two people who want it really bad and who are going to say the things that they feel will put them in a position to be elected.”

Grossman said he has always been honest with people.

“All I care about is that we do what’s best for our kids,” he said.

“As I’ve always said, the $2.5 billion budget is a trust fund for our kids. We need to make sure that that $2.5 billion… gets back in the hands of our children and our teachers.”

Although Andrews stresses that she attends every school board meeting, Grossman said he does not and that it is not necessary with today’s technology to watch meetings remotely. He said he is excited that his campaign workers anticipated a runoff and held back on funding to assure that they did not run out of money in the next leg of the campaign. “We have a lot of other people who we know that are willing to contribute,” Grossman added.

Grossman said he has had the opportunity during the campaign to speak to Andrews’ supporters and discovered that their goals are similar to his.

“I want to work with them,” he said. “I don’t want to work against them, because ultimately we all have the same goal. The people who like Marcia and the people who like me, ultimately our goal

there, and now we’re going to start working for the general election.”

Nichols said his campaign will continue to go door-to-door talking to people and handing out brochures.

“What we stand for is trying to make government effective and efficient,” he said. “We pledge to make sure that we look at every single aspect that the district is responsible for and to make sure that it’s effective and efficient.”

Another big concern is water quality.

“Residents want to know the water is good out here,” said Nichols, who has owned his own water-consulting firm for about 10 years. “We need to highlight and we need to advertise and get the word out on just how good the water quality is.”

People are still concerned about

is to make a difference in education and make it the greatest system possible.” School Board District 6 includes most of the western communities and extends south into western Boca Raton.

DISTRICT 3

In the Palm Beach County School Board District 3 race, education activist Karen Brill and incumbent William “Bill” Graham will face off in November’s runoff.

Brill received 6,620 votes (35.64 percent), while Graham took 4,014 votes (21.61 percent). Three other candidates were eliminated: Tom Whatley with 3,587 votes (19.31 percent), Steven Ledewitz with 2,389 votes (12.86 percent) and John Adams with 1,963 votes (10.57 percent).

Brill said she was impressed with the civility of the District 3 campaign, despite the number of candidates drawn into the race over numerous issues. “Compared to other political races, I think we all treated each other with great respect,” she said. “I was very pleased.”

Brill said she would continue to focus on teacher retention, fiscal responsibility, student achievement, transparency and accountability.

Being in the runoff with a 22year incumbent, she said, “I think the public is ready for a change. I have enormous respect for Bill Graham, but I think he’s a little too complacent. We need new people to bring new perspective.”

Brill said the recent issues including the new teaching curriculum and the school board’s silence over the controversial Senate Bill 6 teacher merit pay bill were dam-

doing something to help property values and remove the stigma created over the highly publicized cancer scare, he said.

“A lot of people think getting public water is the panacea,” Nichols said. “From what I’ve seen, it really isn’t. It’s going to increase cost for everybody.”

Hager, who teaches elementary school, did not return calls for comment Wednesday, but in earlier interviews she noted that she is an avid equestrian and a member of Florida 4-H, where she is a horse show judge. She also is a member of the Florida Junior Rodeo Association, the Florida High School Rodeo Association, the National Barrel Horse Association and the American Quarter Horse Association.

While people call The Acreage an equestrian community, Hager

aging to all board members.

“There was no ‘I’ next to his name, but in part, long tenure and silence over issues, I think the public wants a change,” she said. “To me, the hardest part of the race is behind me.”

Brill said many of the supporters of other candidates who were eliminated have contacted her to show their support.

Graham said he is not surprised by the primary results.

“It gets to be mathematically challenging when you get to four or more candidates in a primary, so I’m not surprised,” he said.

Graham added that low turnout probably also affected the results.

“The weather wasn’t too great, and I heard from a lot of people who were kind of turned off by the rich guys at the top slamming each other incessantly in TV ads,” he said, adding that the general election will offer a completely different environment.

Graham said he and his campaign worked hard to get the word out, but because of the early primary, many voters were not back from vacation. He said a lower number of absentee ballots requested were actually returned in the primary cycle. Going into the general election, Graham said he would focus on reaching a larger number of people. “The universe will expand significantly in the general election,” he said.

A business teacher at Palm Beach State College, Graham said he will continue to stress fiscal responsibility while retaining a high level of education and benefits for staff.

District 3 includes eastern sections of Wellington, along with large eastern parts of central Palm Beach County.

feels more needs to be done in that regard.

“As a horseman, our trails aren’t what they could be,” Hager said in a previous interview. “They aren’t horse-friendly at all. As a matter of fact, they are quite dangerous. There has to be a lot of improvement there for it to keep horse people out here and to invite horse people to move here.”

Acreage parks could also use improvement, Hager added, explaining that parks currently under construction need to be finished in order to provide Acreage families places to enjoy recreational activities.

Before becoming a teacher, Hager was a veterinary nurse and animal hospital manager for 15 years. She is a graduate of Saint Leo University’s College of Education.

State House GOP Primary Results

continued from page 1 campaign and the supporters who helped spread her message.

“I’m extremely grateful to all the volunteers,” Donnally said. “I attribute the win to all of the people who helped us. It was a team of grassroots supporters who made this possible.” She also commended DeRenzo for running a clean, issue-based campaign.

“I couldn’t have asked for a nicer opponent,” Donnally said. “We had a great relationship. He has a lot of integrity. We both ran really great campaigns.”

Donnally recalled sitting down with DeRenzo outside a polling location Tuesday before the polls closed.

“We got to sit together and had a really nice time and good conversation,” she said. “We both said early on that whichever one of us

reigned victorious, that the other would support them.”

As she looks toward the general election, Donnally said that creating jobs would be the biggest issue before voters.

“We’re on to what everyone is talking about — jobs and what will get this economy moving,” she said. “I constantly relate it to a traffic jam. The first two cars in the line are small business and jobs, and once we get those moving, we’ll do what we can do to help the economy.”

District 85 includes most of Wellington, parts of Loxahatchee and The Acreage, and several eastern communities.

In the three-way battle for the Republican nomination in State House District 83, businessman Pat Rooney took his party’s nomination and will face Democrat Mark Marciano in the general election.

Rooney beat Realtor Nancy Cardone and Francisco Rodriguez to win the primary. The seat is being vacated by term-limited

Carl Domino, a Republican. According to unofficial tallies, Rooney easily defeated his opponents taking 7,442 votes (61.09 percent). Cardone earned 3,537 votes (29.03 percent), and Rodriguez took 1,204 votes (9.88 percent).

“It was a hard-fought battle,” Rooney told the Town-Crier on Wednesday. “And I’m obviously happy with the results.” Rooney, brother of Congressman Tom Rooney (R-District 16), noted that he was thankful that all candidates ran a clean campaign.

“I have to commend my two opponents for running very upstanding campaigns,” he said. “It was issues-oriented, and that speaks very well for the people of District 83.”

Looking toward the general election, Rooney said that he and his campaign will continue their efforts to speak personally with voters and share his message.

“I’m going to give the staff a couple of days off, even though they don’t want to, and then we’re going to do more of the same,” he said. “When you’re in a State House race, it’s really about going door-to-door and making phone calls.”

Rooney said that he is confident that he will be elected. “I’m confident only because I have great on-the-ground staff that makes me look good,” he said. But, he cautioned, there’s a long campaign ahead. “I’m looking forward to having a spirited debate with my opponent,” Rooney said.

in Florida’s 16th Congressional District, Palm City businessman Jim Horn defeated Wellington civics teacher Ed Tautiva for the right to challenge freshman Republican

Tom Rooney in November. Horn received 20,821 votes (67.75) percent; Tautiva had 9,913 votes (32.25 percent) in unofficial returns.

District 83 includes most of northern Palm Beach County, including northern portions of The Acreage.

Alan West Ron Klein

Indian Trail Improvement District Seat 1 candidate Mike Nichols talks with voter Anthony Ettorre at Pierce Hammock Elementary School on primary election day Tuesday. PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER

Tami Donnally celebrates with husband David, daughter and son-in-law Victoria and Billy Fritsch and her grandchildren. PHOTO BY LAUREN MIRÓ/TOWN-CRIER

County Commissioner Burt Aaronson congratulates State Rep. Kevin Rader on his victory in the State Senate District 27 Democratic primary over Fort Myers attorney Peter Burkert. PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

GODDARD SCHOOL HOLDS GRAND OPENING

New ‘Health Unplugged’ Season

Underway

Health is the hot-button issue. With this concern comes the natural desire to gather facts; to separate what’s true from what’s not; to cut through the hype and find real answers for many problems facing us today. There is so much information out there, how can you tell who’s blowing smoke and who’s in it for the right reasons?

That’s why Health Unplugged, the show that explores the many facets of natural health and wellness, is coming back for a brandnew season.

Joining host Matt Auerbach on Health Unplugged are co-hosts Tracy Mastandrea, a registered and licensed dietitian; Renate Wallner, a raw food expert and chef at the Hippocrates Institute in West Palm Beach who also teaches classes at Whole Foods Market; and other passionate professionals who are dedicated to helping you live a longer, safer, healthier life. Guests from all fields will drop by to discuss, debate and deliver the latest news and breakthroughs in the health field. So be sure to catch Health Unplugged on TCIN.TV every Thursday from 9 to 10 p.m. It’s your weekly multi-vitamin of information and entertainment.

To watch live, visit www.health unplugged.com and click the link or visit www.tcin.tv directly. Shows will be available on demand at www.tcin.tv after broad-

cast. For more information, e-mail healthunplugged@gmail.com or call (561) 714-0422.

Panera Bread To Benefit Quantum House Sept. 10

Panera Bread is partnering with Quantum House for their first “Cinnamon Crunch for Kids” campaign. For every cinnamon crunch bagel sold on Sept. 10, Panera Bread will donate 100 percent of proceeds to Quantum House. In addition, community members can stop into any of the local Panera Bread bakery-cafes to pre-order cinnamon crunch bagels before Monday, Sept. 6. The Cinnamon Crunch for Kids campaign will take place at 13 Palm Beach County Panera Bread locations, including the one in Wellington. Several radio stations will be supporting the fundraising efforts. Panera Bread is located at 10540 W. Forest Hill Blvd. near the Mall at Wellington Green. For more info., call (561) 333-1330.

Shop For A Cause Aug. 31 At Whole Foods

Whole Foods Market Wellington will host the back-to-schoolthemed “5 Percent Day” on Tuesday, Aug. 31, in which 5 percent of the day’s net sales will be donated to the Palm Beach School for Autism.

A roundup of the day’s fun family activities are as follows: • From 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., the

Palm Beach School for Autism will have an information table available.

• From 2 to 4 p.m., Buck McWilliams from 98.7 FM “the Gater” will bag groceries at register No. 8.

• From 5:30 to 7 p.m., there will be a block party featuring afterschool snacks for everyone to try. Guests can vote for their favorite and enter to win a $50 Whole Foods Market Gift Card. No purchase is necessary to win; ballots are given in the produce department at the main entrance.

• From 6 to 9 p.m., the “Road Rascal” car cruise-in will take place, featuring more than 30 motorcycles, hot rods, muscle cars and more.

The Palm Beach School for Autism’s mission is to provide a developmentally appropriate intense behavior intervention program for children with autism-spectrum disorders and related disabilities.

Whole Foods Market is located at 2635 State Road 7. For more information, call (561) 904-4000 or visit www.facebook.com/ wholefoodsmarketwellington.

Mentoring 4 Kids Seeks Mentors

Since 1998, Mentoring 4 Kids, a free program for children 6 to 14 years old, has been offered at Alpert Jewish Family & Children’s Service in West Palm Beach. The organization serves people of all faiths, matching caring adult volunteers with children needing a positive role model in their lives. Most of its children

have lost a caregiver through death or divorce. By providing caring adult “pals” of the same gender with similar interests, Mentoring 4 Kids hopes to provide another positive role model for the child. Together, the mentor and “pal” enjoy fun activities for several hours twice a month for at least one year. Mentors must be at least 25 years old. Before any match is made, both the potential volunteer and the child and his/her family are thoroughly screened. Following the match, training and ongoing support are provided. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, or if you have a child who would love to have a “pal” in his or her life, contact Outreach Coordinator Peggy Kroll at (561) 238-0281 or e-mail pkroll@jfcs online.com.

St. Peter’s Seeks Vendors For Harvest Fest

St. Peter’s United Methodist Church in Wellington is currently planning its fourth annual Harvest Fest to be held on Saturday, Oct. 16. Harvest Fest will feature craft vendors, a barbecue dinner, bake sale, onstage entertainment and kids games. Booth space (8’x8’) is available to vendors in the church’s air-conditioned building, or vendors can furnish their own tent for a 10’x10’ space outside. Inside space is furnished with a six-foot table and costs $45; outside space costs $50. There is limited space available. For more info., or to request an application, call Al Bennett (561) 753-6784.

The new Wellington location of the Goddard School celebrated its grand opening on Saturday, Aug. 21. Pre-school age children and their families enjoyed refreshments, games, music, face painting, balloon animals, a bounce house and fun activities. For more info., call (561) 333-2020 or visit www.goddardschoool. com. (Above) Owner Eddy Sarnow with wife Liora. (Below) A view of the playground.

PHOTOS BY LAUREN MIRÓ/TOWN-CRIER

BANK ATLANTIC IN RPB HOSTS PALMS WEST CHAMBER NETWORKING MIXER

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Temple board members Procopia Scorin, Rob Solomon, George Peltzmacher and Jack Asher.

Rabbi Michael Korman from Congregation Anshei Shalom speaks about Israel.

Spokesman for the Israeli Consulate Lyon Roth, State Rep. Mark Pafford and County Commissioner Jess Santamaria.

Chamber CEO Jaene Miranda, Cheri Pavlik, Andrea Plevin and Libra Pistella.

Bank Atlantic Vice President Eric Gordon gets a certificate of appreciation from Tracey Benson. Frances Corgnati gets Costco info from Staci Di Raimondo.

New chamber members gather for a group photo.

Maureen Gross sells Linda Seyedin a car raffle ticket.

Havana Restaurant owner Martha Reyes, the chamber’s Debi Leed and Costco marketing representative Staci Di Raimondo.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Shirley Morrison and Josephine Harrison like Marcia Andrews.

Congressional candidate Ed Tautiva supporter Nancy Parker.

Norma Grant and Dante Spadoni support Jess Santamaria. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN AND LAUREN MIRÓ/TOWN-CRIER

Kenneth Jackson Sr. urges support for his son Michael Jackson.

Mike Nelson and Irwin Cohen show support for County Court judicial candidate Laurie Cohen.

Mary Davis, Lisa Goldman and Carrie Wheeler support candidates outside the Wellington Community Center.

Billy Chafin supports State House candidate Ron Miranda.

Susan Collins and Judith Ballen wave signs outside the First Baptist Church in Wellington.

Mark Pafford supporter Vin Rollo at RPB Village Hall.

State Senate candidate Mike Lameyer stumps for votes.

Premier Family Health & Wellness Hosts Wellington Grand Opening

Premier Family Health & Wellness held a grand opening and ribbon cutting on Saturday, Aug. 21 for its new Wellington facility located at 1037 State Road 7 in the Wellington Reserve. The family-friendly event featured rock-wall climbing, face painting, a bounce house, vendors from local businesses and restaurants, and more.

“We want people to get involved in their health and make good choices for themselves and their family,” said Dr. Vincent Apicella, co-founder of Premier Family Health & Wellness. “We chose

to do a grand opening event that includes fun and good health options. We know times are tough, and we wanted to do something absolutely free, welcome the kids back to school, and just have some good family fun.”

Premier Family Health & Wellness has recently expanded with two new programs — the Premier Center for Healthy Aging, a comprehensive wellness and prevention program, and Premier Urgent Care, which offers urgent care with primary care as well. For more information, call (561) 798-3030.

Bocato gets

Car Accident Claims RPB’s Henry And Beverly Blackwood

Royal Palm Beach residents

Henry Newton Blackwood, 68, and his wife Beverly Yvonne Blackwood, 60, died in an automobile accident in Jamaica on Aug. 5. They will be lovingly remembered by their sons Duane Blackwood of Canada and Maurice Blackwood of Wellington; their grandchildren Toni, David, Lucy and Maurice; brothers Duncan McCorkell and his wife Lil of Canada; Winston McCorkell and his family of Port St. Lucie; Stanley Blackwood and his wife Suzanne of Australia; Calvin Blackwood and his wife Gerry of Canada; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A celebration of their lives will take place on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 9:30 a.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way, Royal Palm Beach).

Rotarian Mark McLean Dies After Long Battle With ALS

Mark Jones McLean, 63, died Aug. 22 at his home in Wellington, after a long courageous fight with ALS.

McLean was known for his sense of humor and a passion for flying. He was a true athlete, participating in several triathlons, bicycle safaris and many road races. If he wasn’t donning his running shoes, he was sporting a leather jacket for a joy ride on his motorcycle. McLean was a lifeline of endless facts and trivia.

Born in NAS Bermuda, he was one of four boys and grew up a Navy brat, which was no doubt where he developed his love for flying. He met his wife Helene on Long Island, where they both worked together.

McLean received his MBA from the University of Central Florida, continuing on to get his MAI.

After the birth of their son Michael in 1994, they relocated to Florida, where McLean began and built his commercial appraisal business, McLean & Associates. A dedicated Rotarian, he was inspired by a college scholarship to give back to others and became a business leader in the community. McLean’s memory will be cherished by his wife Helene, son Michael, daughters Carolyn and Sarah Barney, sonsin-law Ben Cameron and Jerrod Pratt, grandchildren Sadie, Greg, Grace and Joshua, and dogs

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Beverly and Henry Blackwood

Mark McLean with his wife Helene

A ribbon cutting with the Palms West Chamber of Commerce.

Milena

her face painted.

A ribbon cutting with the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

Skylar Young and Madison Turner check out some of the friendly animals at the event.

Chris Leate of Dean Anthony’s.

Benny and Bernie. A viewing was held Wednesday at Palms West Funeral Home. Services were held Thursday at St. Rita Catholic Church.

Seminole Ridge Biotech Students Win National Competition

Seminole Ridge High School biotechnology academy students are national champions in the U.S. Army’s annual eCybermission Challenge, a web-based science, math and technology competition in which student teams in grades six through nine propose a solution to a real problem in their community and submit their experiment and research online. More than 13,000 students from across the country competed in this year’s challenge.

A project by SRHS students Melanie Bean, Berenice Cortez, Megan Crumb and Rosemary Murray was initially selected as the southeast regional winner. The SRHS team and their advisor Karensa Wright traveled to Baltimore, Md., to present their project at the national judging, and on June 25 eCybermission officials announced that the team had won first place out of the ninth-grade teams nationwide. Each of the SRHS students received a medal and an $8,000 savings bond. The team’s project studied the effects of variables on bacterial growth in cosmetic makeup. SRHS students tested expensive versus inexpensive makeup to compare which provides the best protection against bacterial growth.

• Hawk Cadets’ Summer Achievements — SRHS would like to congratulate Army JROTC cadets Christopher Marinucci and Alexander Martinez, the honor graduates at the JROTC Cadet Leadership Camp held at Martin County’s Camp Tanah Keeta in June. Both cadets received the Association of the United States Army medal for their outstanding performance. In addition, cadets Shyanne Rocky and Kyle McDonald earned the Boy Scouts of America “Ranger” and “Canoeing” medals for completing the camp’s rigorous “Raider Course.” Also this summer, Martinez and cadet Ian Banks attended the Nationals Drill Camp at Texas A&M University, joining cadets from across the nation. Banks earned the “Most Motivated Cadet in the Platoon” and the “Best Cadence Caller in the Camp” awards. Martinez has been selected to command the SRHS JROTC chapter of Scabbard and Blade, a national military honor society more than a century old, enriched with tradition, and established to encourage high standards of academic performance. With that honor comes a promotion for Martinez to cadet lieutenant colonel.

• Hawks Read Hard — Semi-

‘TEA & TEARS’ AT NEW HORIZONS

and Melody Guidicy.

nole Ridge stands head and shoulders above other area high schools at sparking student interest in summer reading, according to Barnes & Noble community relations manager Maryann Hanley.

In June, Hanley received summer reading lists from several local high schools. The SRHS assignment of books from the 201011 Florida “Teens Read” list — the state’s annual recommendation of contemporary young adult literature — stood in contrast to the assignments of classic literature from other schools.

How did the Hawks respond? “These are books that teens want to read,” Hanley said, referring to the 15 “Teens Read” titles. “[Seminole Ridge] students were not only going for one book at a time; they’d buy two or three. I order 20 of each title, but I can’t keep those books in stock. I’m ordering them every three days.”

• Cheerleaders Win Twice

The school congratulates its varsity football cheerleaders, who not only received a first-place trophy for their “Extreme Routine” at the Universal Cheerleaders Association cheer camp recently, but also received a second-place trophy for the cheer performance itself.

“While those are great achievements, they’re most proud of

bringing the ‘Banana’ home from camp,” cheerleading coach Kelly Dickmann said.

The “Banana,” awarded to the team with the most spirit, is an honor shared among freshman, junior varsity and varsity football cheer squads. In addition, Hawk freshmen Emily Cress and Rachael Garcia, along with seniors Sarah Dyda, Vanessa Morgado and Amanda Smith, earned individual awards, have been selected as members of the UCA All-American Team, and will have the opportunity to participate in a New Year’s Day parade in London.

• Guidance Department News — SRHS seniors are now able to make appointments to see their guidance counselors. Underclassmen can start making appointments with their counselors Tuesday, Aug. 31. Students can make an appointment in the guidance office before or after school, or during lunches. The actual appointment times are 7:45 to 8:15 a.m. and 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings; and 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. The last day for schedule changes will be Friday, Sept. 3.

The guidance counselors are available in the guidance office from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every day

and can easily be found in the cafeteria each day during lunch duty.

• Shoe Drive Continues Seminole Ridge is again running an environmental “recycle your shoes” program with the assistance of the National Honor Society and the health and environmental classes. Adjacent to the cafeteria are five recycling bins where students can drop off their shoes, earning one community service hour per

pitiful ones will be broken apart for parts to recycle, and the good ones will go to people who need them. We can even donate single shoes to amputees.” The drive, May said, “helps to keep shoes from filling up landfills,

Crestwood Recognizes Hardworking Parents

At the start of each school year, Crestwood Middle School recognizes its teachers for their hard work as they look forward to starting the new year. However, in the background are parents such as Karina Fedele, Dawn Fresch and Cheryl Bychek, whose tireless efforts help make each day run more smoothly for the faculty and staff.

Thought of as Crestwood’s “fairy godparents,” Fedele, Fresch and Bychek organize fundraisers and put together newsletters to keep parents abreast of what’s going on.

“They offer to make copies,” history teacher Tracie O’Connor said. “That saves us a lot of time!”

Principal Stephanie Nance was similarly appreciative of their help around the school. “We are very lucky to have such helpful parents,” she said.

The three spend countless hours preparing and decorating the cafeteria for all the school dances, which they monitor once they dancing begins. And when the dance is over, they stick around to break down and clean up.

They are constantly seeking resources to raise money for the school through events such as Barnes & Noble Night, Duffy’s Night and a spaghetti dinner at the school. In addition, the three parents help with the yearbook, sporting events, the school band, and they even make sure that the teachers’ appreciation is second to none.

Fedele, Fresch and Bychek all have children in the eighth grade, and the school is hoping it will find more “fairy godparents” among the sixth-grade parents.

Send school news items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@goTownCrier.com.

New Horizons Elementary School provided “tea and tears” for parents having difficulty dropping off their children during the first week of school. Guidance counselor Lynne Bray supplied parents with iced tea, homemade cookies, tissues and lots of support as their children, escorted by the safety patrols, happily went off to class. Pictured here are Bray, safety patroller Brady Pinta, and parents Stella Thompson, Rich Robb, Sharon Scanlon

Karina Fedele, Dawn Fresch and Cheryl Bychek.

Hawk cheerleaders celebrate their big win.

KIDS JOIN MICHAELS

EMPLOYEES TO SEND ITEMS TO U.S. TROOPS

Michaels arts and crafts store in Royal Palm Beach recently held a free event in its classroom where children spent a fun-filled afternoon making brightly colored back-to-school wallets and digital camouflaged wallets to send to U.S. military members using Duck brand duct tape. The wallets were donated to and will be mailed by Operation Shoebox, a nonprofit organization located in Belleview, Fla. Each child enclosed a hand-written note of well wishes and a self-addressed, unstamped envelope. Parents and Michaels employees made a generous contribution of much-needed personal care items. For more information, visit www.operationshoebox.com. (Above) Ibiza Pearson, Tyler Waltner and Alicia Cook. (Below right) Sisters Sierra and Savannah Velazquez. (Below left) Kyoko and Tyler Waltner.

Wellington Filmmaker Producing New Movie

Fresh from the success of the sold-out premiere of The Misadventures of Wallace Weaver , award-winning filmmaker and Wellington resident Marc Zatorsky has begun production of his latest project, Gina and the GIT the almost-plausible, possibly true story about a genie from Brooklyn and Tina, her Genie-In-Training.

Zatorsky is even more optimistic about the new film. “We have double the cast and double the laughs of Wallace Weaver,” he said during a break in filming.

Co-producer Shawn Morell Lewis said he is enjoying the experience of filming locally. “I love filming in Palm Beach County,” he said. “There is an amazing amount of talent. The cast is amazing.”

Being shot entirely on location in Jupiter and Jupiter Farms, Gina and the GIT will feature a theme

song composed and performed by Platinum Award-winning songwriter Cooper Getschal, with cinematography by another award winner, Paul Haluch, a recipient of the Burt Reynolds Scholarship at the Palm Beach International Film Festival.

Gina and the GIT is the story of Gina, a genie from 1978 Brooklyn who is summoned from her bottle in present-day West Palm Beach by three unsuspecting children. Things go well until Gina asks the girls to summon Tina, a genie-in-training Gina is attempting to mentor.

Starring Lori Lescht and Rachel Barcia as Gina and Tina, with former Palm Beach Idol finalist and Jupiter resident Carlie Schelhorn, the rest of the cast includes Courtney Grosbeck, Mackenzie McGahee, Diane Hulton, Scotty Fusion, Julie Morell, Chelsea Grosbeck, Lindsey Dixon, Eva

Habitat For Humanity Holds Volunteer Build Day

Habitat for Humanity recently held its first volunteer build day in the Glades communities. Volunteers from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Pahokee High School, teachers and other community support groups gathered bright and early on a Saturday morning in Paho-

kee to start building the first ever Habitat for Humanity home in western Palm Beach County. The future home owner, Darren Hill, was also present and chipping away with his trusty hammer. “I am so grateful,” Hill said. “The Lord has blessed us, and it’s wonderful to see the

community coming together like this.”

This has been a three-year endeavor spearheaded by the PBSO and brought to fruition with the support of the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate and the City of Pahokee. The idea was to bring members of the community and

government officials together for a worthy cause. With more than 50 volunteers showing up in over 94-degree temperatures, the concept has become a reality. This is the first home of several that are planned for the area. If you would like to volunteer, visit www. habitatpbc.org.

Army Deploys Joquetta Shannon To Afghanistan

Army PFC Joquetta L. Shannon has deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, to serve in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Operation Enduring Freedom is the official name given to anti-terrorism military operations involving U.S. troops and allied coali-

tion partners. Active duty and reserve component members from all branches of the U.S. armed forces have been deployed to support the war against global terrorism outside the borders of the United States. U.S. troops serve in south, southwest and central

Asia, the Arabian peninsula, the Horn of Africa, Europe and islands in the Pacific. Shannon is a cable installer and communications specialist assigned to the Task Force Destiny, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Kandahar Air Field in Afghani-

stan. She has served in the military for one year.

Shannon is the daughter of Gwen Davis of Royal Palm Beach and sister of Amanda Roman of Belle Glade. She is a 2008 graduate of Royal Palm Beach High School.

Lori Yanotti Lescht, Wendy Morell and Marc Zatorsky at work.

Gluck, C. Todd Vittum, Taylor Blackwell, Vincent Chimato, Jackie McDow, Aeja Pinto, An-

drew Brown and Zatorsky. For more information, visit the Gina and the GIT page on Facebook.

Volunteers work on putting up the frame.Some of the volunteers take a break to pose for a photo.

CUB SCOUT PACK 120 VISITS BOCA RATON’S GUMBO LIMBO NATURE CENTER

Palm

visited the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton on Saturday, Aug. 14. The scouts and their family members turned out for the pack’s third summer activity during which they saw several creatures in their natural habitats, including starfish, lobsters, coral, turtles and tortoises. The scouts also got to see some of the animals being fed. Pack 120 is excited about and planning for the new school year, which will include plenty of den meetings, pack meetings and other fun activities.

Three King’s Academy Siblings Honored By United States Congress

This summer, the United States Congress honored 252 young people for excellence in voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness and expedition/exploration. The King’s Academy’s Nicole, Dustin and Dylan Provenzano were among the winners of the prestigious Congressional Award Gold Medal.

The Provenzanos followed unique paths to the award. Nicole, a 2009 graduate of the King’s Academy, traveled with the People to People program in Japan and volunteered as a summer counselor at a camp for young children.

Dustin, a senior at the King’s

Academy, volunteered to feed the needy in Palm Beach County and planned and executed a survival trip in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Dylan, also a senior at the King’s Academy, volunteered hundreds of hours as a summer camp counselor and at local feeding programs, and developed the necessary rafting skills to navigate Class IV rapids.

“By working through the levels of the Congressional Award program, I have learned how to set goals and develop the discipline required following through with them, while helping others in the process,” Dylan said. In 1979, the United States Congress established into law the Con-

gressional Award to honor, encourage and inspire America’s youth. In the ensuing years, Congress has recognized thousands of outstanding young Americans who have earned and deserve recognition.

Through the Congressional Award, Congress challenges young people to challenge themselves. Youth, ages 14 to 23, participate in the Congressional Award by setting and achieving individual goals in four program areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness and expedition/exploration. The only other medal awarded by the United States Congress is the Medal of Honor.

The King’s Academy is a nationally recognized private Christian school serving approximately 1,200 students from preschool through 12th grade and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Association of Christian Schools International, and the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools.

The King’s Academy serves students and their families across Palm Beach and Hendry counties at its main campus at Belvedere Road and Sansbury’s Way in West Palm Beach.

Additional information about the King’s Academy is available online at www.tka.net.

Dustin, Nicole and Dylan Provenzano.

Royal

Beach Cub Scout Pack 120

Pack 120 arrives at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.The boys enjoy a beautiful view.

The scouts watch the turtles and starfish.

Practicing Ophthalmology Very Rewarding For Dr. Jason Gorscak

Dr. Jason J. Gorscak focuses on comprehensive eye care at Florida Eye Microsurgical Institute in Wellington and Boynton Beach, including diagnosing and treating cataract conditions, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. He also specializes in diagnosing and removing both benign and sometimes even malignant tumors of the eyelids. A board-certified ophthalmologist, in the two years Gorscak has been with Florida Eye, he has already established himself as a caring and dedicated physician in Palm Beach County.

“Being able to help someone see again who cannot because of a particular condition is the most rewarding thing I can do for someone,” said Gorscak, who said he chose this branch of surgery because of witnessing a patient having cataract surgery in medical

County Santamaria

Vs. Carroll

continued from page 1

Santamaria noted that during that campaign, he was the frequent target of independent political campaign groups, known as 527s. He holds Carroll responsible for the nasty nature of that campaign.

school. “She was legally blind before her surgery. Back then they used to put patches on the eyes right after surgery for one day. I was in the office the next day and when the patch was removed. Words could not describe the look on that patient’s face. She was blind for years, and overnight she was able to see again. I’ve never seen someone so appreciative of anything in my life before that day.”

Equally as moving, Gorscak said, is the time he was a resident on call, spending the night in the hospital to cover the emergency room. “A child came in with his mother around 3 a.m. and the mother was concerned because one of the child’s eyes was drifting outward,” he recalled. “The history and examination was very alarming, and because of what I found, I ordered an MRI of the

“I find him to be the typical candidate who will use whatever resources are at his disposal,” Santamaria said. “That’s the way he operated in the past, and I don’t expect him to change in the future.”

Santamaria said he plans to focus on his goals, which have been to eliminate corruption in county government.

“I’ll stick to my principles as I

Task Force New Map Program

continued from page 1 built today that have space available,” Ortega said. “They’re beyond shovel ready. So we want to incorporate that into the system.”

In the program, a property that meets the business’ criteria and has a site plan available would appear green on the map. Properties that meet most of the criteria and don’t necessarily have a site plan would appear yellow. Properties in red or gray would be those that meet little of the criteria.

Wellington Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Carmine Priore asked what the most important criteria in determining whether a property is green, yellow or red would be.

Ortega said that the criteria will be dependent on each company and what it seeks.

“If you have yellow or green, then most likely you have a site plan,” he said. “So if everything goes through, then most likely the most difficult one is going to be traffic concurrency.”

Ortega noted that for a property to have a site plan, it had to have traffic concurrency. He said that a red property usually has land-use and zoning approval, but does not necessarily have a site plan. Additionally, he noted that the property could have problems such as wetland issues.

Priore asked what would happen if the municipality removed or altered the requirements for traffic concurrency with traffic exemptions, or removed traffic concurrency completely.

“What happens to those desig-

Workshop Set For Sept. 25

continued from page 3

resenting resident Nina Corning, said the existing development moratorium is designed to protect against changes until the comprehensive plan is in place.

“If you wait, you will have a plan to protect your rural character,” Verdone said. “You sought incorporation to protect your rural character.”

Verdone was concerned about the commercial nature of the RV park. “These people are going to have completely different needs,” he said. “How do you

child’s brain. Unfortunately, they found a brain tumor. It turned out to be cancerous. Thankfully though, the child was treated promptly and to this day is doing well. It was a very rewarding experience. Sometimes in ophthalmology, not only can you save someone’s vision, but you can save their life as well.”

Gorscak often performs charitable work for those who are uninsured by offering to perform examinations and surgery at a much reduced rate. He also gives monthly lectures at Wellington Regional Medical Center to the attending residents and medical students.

And when he’s not in working mode, Gorscak can be found spending time with his fiancé on the beach, watching the Yankees on TV, boating and car racing. “Coming from right outside New

always have,” he said. “I have no interests other than to serve the public. I have no interests other than to make sure that everybody follows the law.”

Santamaria said people moved to Palm Beach County from large cities that were not perceived as good places to raise families.

“We wanted to get away from the big cities, the congestion, the crime and the abusive government of the big cities,” he said. “People are bringing into Palm Beach County the bad things of the big metropolitan areas.”

Santamaria said the 527 ads aimed against him in his race against Carroll four years ago pointed at numerous lawsuits that Santamaria has filed through the years.

“I won all of my lawsuits against people who broke the law,” Santamaria said. “I won because I was demanding they obey the law.”

Carroll said he and supporters were encouraged at their chances of defeating Santamaria after watching the returns Tuesday.

“I was really quite happy because [Jackson] made a better run than I thought. That was actually good for my campaign,” Carroll told the Town-Crier on Wednesday. “Jess is a four-year incumbent, a sitting county commissioner. He outspent Michael 10 to 1, and for him to get only 62 percent gives us an indication we are in really good shape in this race.”

nations?” he asked. “Where do they move?”

Ortega said that without traffic concurrency requirements, most of the designated yellow properties would become green, but red and gray properties could have a roadblock other than traffic.

Priore suggested that the task force look at what is preventing development and try to change it.

“If we find that the majority of the times the projects we look at are classified as yellow or red,” he said, “and the problem with those is, perhaps, concurrency, I’m thinking that maybe that becomes the direction of this body, in attempting to get those properties available for development.”

Ortega noted the peak 50 minutes of travel during the year determines that traffic concurrency.

“I haven’t seen any other requirements so high in other places,” he said. “It’s very difficult to meet those standards.”

Task Force Member James Dubois recommended a level of service sensitivity analysis, which would look at what kind of traffic concurrency would be available at different levels of service. He said that is something task force members could do in working with Palm Beach County.

Palms West Chamber Chairman Carmine Priore III, who is also chairing the task force, suggested ranking the criteria in order of time, impact and complexity, and then determine a focus area.

“It may become very clear as to [what] the top couple of items that we want to make sure we address are,” he said. “And I’m sure traffic concurrency will be one of them. This is something that is impacting in growing our commu-

screen for sexual offenders?”

Verdone added that the proposed developments would increase the commercial use in the town by more than 400 percent.

“That is more than what is needed for the town,” he said.

Resident Ken Johnson said Groves residents know some type of commercial development will go on Southern, but they want a clearer idea of what will be there.

While agents for the developers pointed out that land-use changes do not require specific plans, Johnson pointed out that the developments are huge in comparison to other commercial developments in the town. “That is going to be im-

York City — Kinnelon, New Jersey, to be exact — I consider West Palm Beach to be very relaxing,” he said. “I like to take advantage of the weather whenever possible.”

Gorscak attended Johns Hopkins University and then obtained his medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine. He then completed his ophthalmologic residency at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey before joining Florida Eye in 2008.

Gorscak has already collected several awards and honors, including the 2004 University of Miami School of Medicine Alpha Omega Alpha Award. He has also served as a research assistant with the Department of Ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, a research coordinator with Becton Dickinson in Franklin

Regarding the 527 ads, Carroll said a candidate cannot and should not be involved with 527s, but he added that he does not have control over what 527s do.

“If there’s enough of them that like me and don’t like Jess, obviously they are going to write good things about me and bad things about Jess,” Carroll said. “In the last election, Jess did not like that and insinuated that I was personally behind them. That is the furthest from the truth that could be. There are organizations out there that I don’t know exist that will probably be involved in a negative sense in this campaign. I promise you we will not condone it and will certainly not participate in it.”

Carroll said the upcoming campaign will be different because, in the previous campaign, they were both first-time candidates running for the seat left open by Tony Masilotti when he resigned.

“None of us had a track record as a county commissioner,” Carroll said. “We talked about what we wanted to do and what we wanted to accomplish. Now Jess has a four-year track record.”

Carroll, who lives in Wellington, said he takes issue with some of Santamaria’s positions, such as voting against a change to allow a medical arts campus in Wellington.

nity in terms of the right thing for our businesses that are here and other potential businesses.”

Greenacres Mayor Sam Ferreri agreed that traffic concurrency would be on the top of the list. He also said he expected to meet a lot of resistance.

“I think there’s an opportunity that we have to seize and change the mindset,” he said. “And it’s almost like the reverse commute, if we create the jobs in the community. Right now, traffic concurrency only looks at the cars on the road; it doesn’t look at the direction totally. It needs to look at the type of jobs and how they fit in the matrix now.”

He thinks the public is ready to support the idea of changing the jobs, rather than the roads.

“You don’t want to build more roads just because someone is measuring the traffic going one way at a certain time if we can create traffic going the other way,” he said. “And there’s precedence for this in other areas of the country where there’s incentives to create jobs that are in the reverse commute direction.”

In other business, the task force will launch a three-month test program for its “buy local” campaign starting Oct. 1.

“We have determined that we will put a three-month test program together so that we can test it out in a small market,” said Sue Giddings, who leads the chamber’s Economic Development Committee. “That way we can work out bugs and get feedback so that when we put a full-blown program out, it’s successful.”

The pilot program will focus on local restaurants and, if successful, will expand.

mense,” he said, adding that by considering the plans together, the true impact could be better understood. He added that the RV park is not a park but a commercial enterprise. “They’re calling it a park,” he said. “That is economic gain for them.”

Johnson urged council members to proceed cautiously. “We, the citizens of Loxahatchee Groves, are in your hands,” he said. “Before you commit to anything, I trust you will put in safeguards.”

Simon property agent Joe Lelonek of Land Design South said the firm had modified its request based on input from residents, but some of the requests were difficult to comply with at

Lakes, N.J., and as a research assistant at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md.

Associated with several professional organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Gorscak is affiliated with Bethesda Memorial Hospital and Wellington Regional Medical Center.

Gorscak has published numerous articles in a variety of medical journals and conducts presentations on various ophthalmologic conditions, study findings, and has recommended treatments to colleagues since 2002.

The Florida Eye Microsurgical Institute is located at 1397 S. State Road 7, Suite 380 in Wellington. For more information, call (561) 792-1205 or visit www.fleyedocs. com. Dr. Jason Gorscak

64,684 votes (55.06 percent) to win the election outright without the need for a runoff. Jaimie Goodman came in second with 25,657 votes (21.84 percent), while Kenneth Lemoine took 20,618 votes (17.55 percent) and Andrew Daire received 6,514 votes (5.55 percent). Small told the Town-Crier that she was overwhelmed by the support she received.

“I believe I am the most qualified candidate for Circuit Court Group 33, but if people don’t remember your name, they can’t vote for you. And, yes, ‘Think Big, Vote Small’ was effective,” she said.

Small said winning outright against four other candidates speaks volumes about the confidence people have in her candidacy and qualifications. From 2003 to 2004, Small served as president of the Palm Beach County Bar Association and has served on the Florida Bar’s Board of Governors since 2005. Additionally, she has served as a traffic-hearing officer for the past year.

“The voters responded well to me because I put out a positive message about myself and my qualifications and why I was running,” she said. “I want to be a judge because I want to ensure fairness and impartiality in our courts.”

Lloyd Comiter received 21,312 votes (18.78 percent); both were eliminated.

Cohen said she considers making the runoff a success.

“All of the candidates worked very hard,” Cohen said. “I’m tremendously honored and humbled. I feel especially grateful because I did not have the funding Marni had. I did not have the ability to send out absentee ballots. I did not have the funding to send out even a single mailer… I feel good that people realized the decision should be made not on how much money a person spends on their race, but on the qualification of the particular candidate.” Cohen said her experience gives her the advantage. She had almost 10 years in business management with major corporations before she went to law school and has done a wide variety of charitable work.

“I have an extremely broad legal background,” Cohen said, noting that she started her legal career as a prosecutor before opening a practice where she did criminal defense work and civil litigation.

“There are a lot of things that need to be said, but we are not going to say anything bad about Jess personally,” Carroll said. “He has not done a good job. We talked about the inland port, and he voted against it. That will put people to work in the Glades. Quality of life will go up. For whatever reason, he voted against it, and we want to be sure the public knows that.”

CIRCUIT COURT

Lawyer Lisa Small was elected a judge of the 15th Circuit Court on Tuesday. Small received

RPB Park

Liggins: No Danger

continued from page 1 keep the arsenic from leaching into the groundwater,” Liggins said. “This liner, with four feet of soil on top, will prevent any future contamination and actually make it safer for your family in the future.”

Liggins said all golf courses in Florida use fertilizer that contains low levels of arsenic that eventually becomes concentrated in the tees and greens. The biggest threat is to the groundwater. “The method that we used is a very acceptable, common method to use,” he said.

If the site had remained a golf course, no action would have been necessary.

“If we had kept this as a golf course, our responsibility to do anything is zero,” Liggins said. “On the portion where the golf is remaining in the design as a ninehole golf course, there was no obligation for us to do anything with those soils and with that area. However, knowing that we wanted the flexibility of not using it as

this point in the approval process.

“One of the comments is what is it going to look like,” Lelonek said. “This is a comprehensive plan amendment. These are things typically dealt with in the zoning process. This is the first step in a long, arduous process.”

Mike O’Dell, agent for Loxahatchee Equestrian Partners and Solar Sportsystems, said buildout for his project could take 15 years.

O’Dell said his clients have met with residents and offered to make changes, including the addition of an equestrian pathway and improvements to C Road. O’Dell also agreed to make a presentation to the Loxa-

COUNTY COURT

Former Wellington Councilwoman Laurie Cohen was the top vote getter of four candidates seeking a vacant County Court seat. However, she did not garner enough support to avoid a runoff.

Cohen will face Marni Bryson in November’s runoff for County Court Group 7.

On Tuesday, Cohen drew 34,931 votes (30.77 percent) while Bryson took 32,987 votes (29.06 percent). Jane Francis Sullivan took 24,282 (21.39) and

a golf course, we chose to still take those soils and contain them within this area. I don’t want you to think there’s this huge threat to the health of people out there. That does not exist.”

Liggins said the Department of Environmental Protection requires a cover soil depth of two feet, but the village used four feet in order to be able to plant trees without the risk of puncturing the liner.

“Everything we’ve done was in coordination with the South Florida Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection,” he said. “We’ve hired the best toxicologists out of Tallahassee to work with us on this and to come out with the methodologies that we have put in place to be able to convert this property to a park.”

Councilman David Swift said arsenic buildup is common on all golf courses, especially older ones, and the village has corrected the problem.

Mayor Matty Mattioli said residents’ concerns would be quelled once the berms are planted, but added there were limitations on what property owners can expect from the disposition of surrounding property.

hatchee Groves Landowners’ Association

Attorney Marty Perry, representing both developers, said the state requires an applicant to set forth the maximum allowable intensity.

“Builders will take advantage of that, but they don’t come into play until zoning approval,” Perry said. “Transmitting imposes no risk on you.” Perry added that he likes the idea of a workshop so residents can get a better idea of what the developments are going to be. He added that in previous meetings, council members and residents had registered general approval of a congregate living facility.

More recently, Cohen has focused on complex commercial cases. “I have litigated a range of cases,” she said. “I’ve done small claims; County Court matters. I’ve done landlord-tenant disputes, contract disputes, property disputes, condominium law, construction law, construction defect claims, employment issues, federal copyright and patent claims. I have a broad base of experience from which to draw.” Bryson did not return calls for comment Wednesday.

PORT OF PALM BEACH Port of Palm Beach Group 4 incumbent Blair Ciklin easily defeated challenger Charles Bantel, receiving 11,163 votes (62.84 percent) to Bantel’s 6,601 (37.16 percent).

However, Pinto said the intent of his original motion was to get rid of the hills.

“I didn’t ask staff for a recommendation on what policy we should follow,” he said. “You came back with the numbers. Now, I think we’ve got to make a tough decision. The right thing to do is to spend additional dollars and take this issue away because we created the issue.”

Vice Mayor Martha Webster said the safety issues were corrected by containing the contaminant. She was confident that homeowners’ property values would increase, including those near the mound.

“At this point, we have done everything that we in good conscience can do that’s not going to affect our budget and the pocketbooks of our residents,” she said. Councilman Richard Valuntas said he wished the issue had been addressed earlier but said the cost at this point is too much. Pinto made a motion to redesign the course, which failed for lack of a second. Swift then made a motion to follow staff’s recommendation to deny the redesign, which passed 4-1 with Pinto dissenting.

“We’ve listened when they talked,” Perry said. “We heard members of council and the public say, ‘We like the congregate living facility.’ We think this is a reasonable request, and you can always have your workshop after you approve transmittal.” However, the council decided to hold off on a vote until after a workshop with residents. The workshop will be from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25 in the sanctuary at Palms West Presbyterian Church. Light breakfast and lunch will be served. Loxahatchee Groves requires a supermajority of four out of five council votes for a land use change.

Santmaria thanks supporters after the final results are announced late Tuesday evening. PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER

Horse Slaughter, Egg Recalls & America’s Food Supply

Do you ever really know what’s in your burger or your hot dog? I’m not advocating that everyone become a vegetarian. But shouldn’t you have the right to demand that the meat you eat is created in a way that doesn’t automatically add antibiotics and spares the animal undue suffering. Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 23

Wildcats Volleyball Team Focuses On Strong Defense

The Royal Palm Beach High School girls varsity volleyball team is concentrating on rebuilding and defense to build toward a competitive season. Head coach Sal Ciano said that although the team lacks height, hard work on defense would make the Lady Wildcats a contender. Page 35

A TOWN-CRIER PUBLICATION

Business

New Windsor Cleaners

Aims To Provide A Great Customer Experience

Reena Patel, owner of Windsor Cleaners on South Shore Blvd. in Wellington, is eager to spread the word about her dry cleaning operation. Besides the usual services, Windsor Cleaners can clean a variety of clothing and furniture types: blankets and comforters, area and oriental rugs, draperies, cocktail and formal gowns, suede and leather. Page 31

Spor ts

Several Locals Make The List For The 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games

National federations from 58 countries have submitted nominated entries for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to be held in Lexington, Ky. from Sept. 25 to Oct. 10. Athletes on the short list to represent the United States at the eight world championships include several from the western communities. Page 37

Horse Slaughter, Egg Recalls And America’s Food Supply

Would you eat horse meat? How about if you didn’t know what it was? What if someone served you a delicious burger, hot off the grill, all the fixings, and you found out it had been ground horse instead of ground cow. Would it matter? And if so, why?

Of course it matters, but which part? After all, that was one delicious burger. Only now, afterward, the thought of what you ate leaves you queasy. But do you ever really know what’s in your burger or your hot dog, your sausage or your “chicken fingers?” Does taste trump knowledge? How do you choose to limit what you know? When is reality more important than fantasy? Is ignorance truly bliss?

I’m not advocating that everyone become a vegetarian. But shouldn’t you have the right to demand that the meat you eat is created in a way that doesn’t automatically add antibiotics and spares the animal undue suffering? And shouldn’t our food sources supply us with safe food? Recently, more than 500 million eggs were recalled because the chickens’ ovaries were infected with salmonella. Why should these layer hens have to live in wire cages so crammed with birds that each hen has only 67 square inches of space in which to sit and lay eggs? Why should broiler chickens live in 45-by-490-foot windowless sheds with 33,000 other chickens, so genetically deformed that they’re unable to walk more than a few steps before plopping down again, eating drug-laced feed until they’re slaughtered at about 40 days?

Tales From The Trails

By Ellen Rosenberg

People are always horrified when an animal hoarder is found with 100 cats or dogs living in filthy, crowded cages. What about the animals you eat? Shouldn’t they also have the right to live somewhere else than in filthy, crowded cages? Why should turkeys never breathe fresh air or see the sky until they go to slaughter?

Why should cows, killed at between 12 and 14 months, be fed a diet that promotes quick growth but so poorly fits a cow’s digestive system that the cow has to be on antibiotics to survive long enough to go to slaughter? Why should pigs be confined in individual steel and concrete gestation cages so small that they can’t turn around when they are nursing their young?

According to the book Eating Animals: “In the world of factory farming, expectations are turned upside down. Veterinarians don’t work toward optimal health, but optimal profitability. Drugs are not for curing diseases, but substitutes for destroyed immune systems.”

And this from the web site www.sustainable

table.org: When cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys are fed “conventional (or industrial) feed, which can include animal products, antibiotics and other unnatural substances such as chewing gum and chicken manure, their health is put in jeopardy. And when an animal is unhealthy, the meat and other products made from it will also be less healthy... But rather than provide these animals with more sanitary living conditions or a proper diet, these operations simply feed their [animals] a steady stream of antibiotics.”

If you saw someone keeping a horse (or any animal) the way most factory-farmed animals are kept, you’d call the Humane Society and report it, because it would be illegal and morally repugnant. With factory farms, it’s not only legal, it’s business as usual.

Does this make any sense?

So yes, if you really think about it, this is a moral problem: which animals are OK to eat? Does it matter how they live? Does it matter how they die?

So no, we don’t eat our horses. At least, most of us don’t. The last three U.S. slaughter houses that accepted horses closed in 2007. However, there now is a debate about reopening them. The economic situation is so dire that the numbers of neglected and abandoned horses are increasing. According to The New York Times in an article from April 6, 2009, Missouri, Mont., and the Dakotas are considering reinstating horse slaughterhouses. “An estimated 100,000 horses a year are

shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter, prompting Congress to consider a bill that would ban the sale and transport of horses for human consumption outside the country,” the articles states. “But Arkansas, Georgia and eight other states are against such a ban, saying owners need affordable options for unwanted horses.”

And then there’s this: since January 2009, 17 horses have been reported butchered in Miami-Dade County and two in Broward County. That’s how many were reported. Richard Couto of the SPCA believes there are actually many more, according to an interview he gave to CNN on Aug. 10, 2009. There may be a black market for horse meat, which sells for $7 to $20, possibly as high as $40, per pound.

On Sept. 9, 2009, a race horse was found dismembered in Miami Gardens. On Oct. 31, 2009, another young Thoroughbred was found “literally in pieces.” On Jan. 11, 2010, federal, state and county officers raided an illegal slaughterhouse in western Miami-Dade County, used for killing chickens, pigs and goats, and suspected of being involved in the black market horse meat industry.

When I offered a copy of Eating Animals to some friends, the answer was invariably the same: No thanks. Yes, the title is off-putting, because it describes something a lot of us do but don’t really want to think about in any great detail.

People want their steaks and pork chops, See FOOD SUPPLY, page 24

Boomers: Unite Against Annoying Drug Company Ads

I turned on my computer this morning and, again, the screen was filled with advertising for remedies — just like the TV screen last night and the magazine pages earlier that day. There’s something you can take if your knees don’t bend, if your hair won’t grow and if your blood isn’t flowing correctly.

These ads are aimed squarely at us Baby Boomers just because we will probably all grow old at once and, as we learned in the ’60s, many of us don’t mind taking drugs. What happened to the ads for Hulahoops, yo-yos and Silly Putty? Where’s Mr. Potato Head when we need him (and not that Mr. P. with the plastic head, the one where you had to raid mom’s vegetables)?

Fellow Boomers, it’s time for a revolution!

Again.

Just listen to the marketing for this one (I made it up myself): “Are you sick and tired of being viewed as sick and tired? Are

Deborah Welky is The Sonic BOOMER

you worried that the kids you just kicked out of the house last week are now considering you old and feeble? Can you still walk and talk? If so, the time to act is now! We’re too young to be looked upon as nothing more than fertilizer for ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’! Baby Boomers, take back the airwaves!”

And, finally, “Mr. Potato Head for president.”

But I digress.

When my parents were the very age I am now, the only thing bugging them on tele-

vision was maybe an ad for denture cream, and even that was insulting. Both my parents still have all their teeth and yours probably do, too.

Denture adhesive ads should be aired during Saturday morning cartoons anyway because kids are the ones who should be working to protect their teeth. Right after SpongeBob, a toothless old geezer would slop some cream onto a fake set of choppers, open his mouth wide, shove them in and then shout, “Brush your teeth! Or else!”

Then he would smile and let some of that gunk run down his chin. I tell you, we’d have kids stumbling over each other to get to the bathroom.

On our stations, there would be nothing but ads for Etch-a-Sketch, Play-Doh and Chutes ’n’ Ladders — because we’re the only ones with enough allowance to buy those things anyway.

I maintain that the world would be a happier place. Instead of lining our pills across

the countertop, we could do like we used to do: holler out the window to our friends that we’ll be downstairs as soon as we find our coonskin cap.

Is it any wonder that half the ads on TV are for antidepressants? Bring back I Love Lucy in prime time. Now that’s an antidepressant. There’s a reason that show is still playing somewhere in the world every minute of every day — it’s funny!

Oh, forget the revolution. Do what you want to do. As for me, my son-in-law Greg said it best. He was the first one to catch up to me at Disney World when I spotted the Rock ’n’ Rollercoaster and unwittingly abandoned the entire family to race toward it.

“Oh, I get it,” Greg panted, as Aerosmith pounded away. “You want to have fun!”

And that’s about it.

Join with me; I’ll wait while you get your cap.

Great Actors Can’t Solve Plot Problems In ‘The Switch’

The problem with The Switch as a movie is that morally it is so confused that even charming performances by the actors cannot rescue it.

The lead characters are so messed up that the story stalls. The film is not terrible; I could sit through it and laugh at the jokes and be amused by the quirks. But there is just no “there” there.

The story focuses mainly on Wally (Justin Bateman), an almost lovable shlub who really likes Kassie (Jennifer Aniston), who thinks of him solely as a more or less asexual best friend. Having disposed of his masculinity once by putting him into the dreaded “friends” category, as Wally’s best friend Leonard (Jeff Goldblum) described it, she then rejects the idea of using his sperm to have a baby on her own.

As part of the moral morass, Kassie’s best friend (Juliette Lewis) actually runs an impregnating party, and Kassie is insensitive enough to invite the rejected Wally so he can even meet the selected man, Roland (Patrick Wilson). Thanks to a whole mess of coincidences, Wally switches sperm.

Seven years later, Kassie, who had moved

Food Supply

continued from page 23 they just want to be divorced from the process that produces them.

And that’s just the way the industry wants it.

Food Inc. points out this fantasy, promoted by clever advertising and strategic signage, of farms set in grassy pastures, animals happily roaming the land. This, of course, is far from the truth. Most factory farms are as secretive as can be, and visitors are most definitely not welcome. You can go online and find the videos.

So, if any of this matters to you, the next

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler

to Minnesota to raise her child, returns to New York along with her very neurotic son, Sebastian (Thomas Robinson), and Wally recognizes his own neuroses and believes, correctly, he is the father. But his own neuroses get in the way until the end.

What is wrong with the film? Aside from the fact that switching the sperm could possibly be considered an act of rape? Or that Wally is so fearful of losing a woman who continually rejects him that he does nothing to try to overcome that? Or that a child could somehow have exactly the same kind of quirks as a natural father that he’s never met? (In the argument over nature vs. nurture, the producers take a very strong, albeit incorrect, stand.)

The real problem comes down to the fact

question is, what to do? A good first step is always to gather information. Search online. Visit www.sustainabletable.org and other web sites. Watch Food Inc. and other videos. Read Eating Animals and other books.

How about going meatless for one day a week? Or, if that’s too difficult, how about one day a month? What about asking the local market if it buys any of its meat, dairy or produce from smaller, local sustainable farmers, and encouraging them to do so? Shop at farmers’ markets. Talk to people. Write letters. Ask questions.

Do you think if enough people voted with their wallets, the industries might notice? If enough people demanded change, would they listen?

Think about what you eat. Make an informed, conscious, choice.

that Kassie seems totally self-centered and then son-centered. She chases after Roland, who clearly has nothing in common at all with Sebastian, and never stops to realize how like Wally the boy is. But then again, she never really saw Wally.

There have been several movies this year about artificial insemination and in almost all cases, donors who actually know the women seem to be the men chosen. And in all cases, problems arise.

Charm only goes so far in delivering movies. Aniston is, as always, charming. She is presented as almost an empty slate, almost too perfect, yet she somehow, until virtually the end of the film, manages to abuse poor Wally. Granted, he does get his revenge. But while it is clear to the whole audience as well as her seven-year-old son, and even a woman who just sees Wally with the boy on a bus, that the two have an incredible connection, Kassie is blind.

So, yes, the film has its amusing moments. And, of course, there have been and are plenty of strange relationships happening in this weird world of ours. But Wally does not make a convincing villain nor Kassie a really good

heroine. If Wally had consciously hijacked the impregnation, the story would have been more interesting. If Kassie had thought for a minute about how absolutely boring sperm donor Roland seemed to be, she would never have spent much time with him, not to mention flying off for a weekend in Michigan while leaving her super-neurotic son back in New York with a friend’s family.

I would guess this movie will disappear on movie screens soon and then appear on DVD, etc., in a remarkably short time. Pay-per-view might be the best way to see it; it costs less than anywhere else, and most of us could wait until it hits HBO. Come on, Hollywood, how about movies with people who are not quite as weird? When I feel the desire to wander over to the candy stand because a movie bores me despite the extortionate prices for the popcorn and candy there, the film has to drag.

Unfortunately, the movie business is in the dog days of summer, and far too many of the movies coming out now are turning out to be dogs.

At least football season is starting, so I will have something to do while waiting and hoping for a decent set of new television series.

Bru’s Room Coming To RPB

Bru’s Room Sports Grill will be opening its eighth location in September in Royal Palm Beach. For 21 years, Bru’s Room Sports Grill has won over South Florida locals at its seven locations in Broward and Palm Beach counties, and now plans to expand the family once again.

“We have listened to customers’ requests for a location in [central] Palm Beach County, and we are excited about bringing the Bru’s Room family to the Royal Palm Beach/Wellington area. This young, vibrant community is the perfect neighborhood for Bru’s Room and will benefit with the creation of over 200 new jobs,” Bru’s Room Director of Operations Rick Hamilton said.

Bru’s Room Sports Grill has a new menu that features its award-winning wings made one of more than 30 ways, signature ribs and barbecue dishes, and innovative selections such as the “Build Your Own...” section, which allows guests to customize burgers and chicken sandwiches exactly to their liking. Some of the more sophisticated entrees include a grilled portobello melt, sesame-seared tuna, seafood entrees and a New York strip. Traditional entrées include fajitas, a chicken chimichanga, hand-tossed pizzas, 11 fresh salads, and a variety of sandwiches and flatbread entrees. For additional information, visit www.brus room.com.

September Events & Exhibitions At The Morikami Museum

The end of summer signals the last days to delve into the culture and wonder of the Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens at a relaxed pace. Soon winter residents and faithful tourists will be heading to Palm Beach County, the “season” will begin, and the energy will ramp up. Why not take advantage of the year’s last Sushi & Stroll, a visit to the exhibitions “Kaiju!” and “Kyoto,” an afternoon creating origami during the Family Fun Program, or simply a delicious meal at the Cornell Café, overlooking the magnifi-

cent gardens.

• Sushi & Stroll Summer Walk Series — Summer nights in South Florida are something special, especially when they are augmented with taiko drums and a cultural backdrop that can’t be beat. Add a cold drink, a breathtaking sunset and a walking path through a tranquil garden, and you’ve got Sushi & Stroll Summer Walks. Stroll the gardens at your own pace and take advantage of the self-guided audio tour. Excite your palate with something delicious from the Morikami’s Cornell Café, indulge in some shopping at the museum store or tantalize your senses with a drumming performance by Fushu Daiko. The museum galleries are closed for these special nights. The walk will take place Friday, Sept. 10 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for children 4-17, and free for museum members and children 3 and under. The cost is $2 for the taiko performance (optional). Reservations are not required.

• Origami for the Peace — Family Fun programs are for those who want to explore and learn about Japanese culture through hands-on arts and crafts projects designed for the whole family (all ages). Families can create projects in an open workshop. Origami for the Peace will take place Saturday, Sept. 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Classroom A. The cost is $2 with paid museum

admission. Reservations are not required. For more information, call (561) 495-0233, ext. 237.

• “Kaiju! Monster Invasion!” — This current exhibit will continue through Oct. 17, featuring vintage toys from the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, inspired by Japanese tokusatsu films and TV shows. Classic Japanese tokusatsu eiga, or special effects films, typically utilized an effects technique called sutsumeishon in which monsters of colossal size, termed Kaiju, were portrayed by stuntmen in rubber suits moving about on sets of miniatures. Beginning with the release of the film Gojira (Godzilla) in 1954, kaiju of all types have captured the imagination of legions of fans worldwide and have spawned a lucrative toy industry that endures to this day. The Morikami’s exhibition displays over 100 figures from an extensive private collection. Some kaiju are dinosaurian in appearance; others are based vaguely on insects, sea creatures, or plants; still others combine characteristics of all of these and more. All are included in the exhibition, seeming to give form to humankind’s deepest anxieties in an age dominated by nuclear, biological and environmental peril.

• “Kyoto: A Place in Art” — This exhibit is also on display through Oct. 17. Founded at the end of the eighth century, the city of Kyoto served as Japan’s imperial capital

for centuries and continues to be regarded as its cultural capital today. This exhibition explores why this magical city remains the center of Japanese traditional culture. Works by painters representing art movements closely associated with Kyoto, Kyoto textiles, photographs of Kyoto gardens by one of Japan’s best known photographers, woodblock prints, ceramics and more make up this exhibition, which includes a pair of 18th century folding screens depicting in fascinating detail the lives of the city’s inhabit-

ants from all parts of the social spectrum.

The Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $12 for adults 18 to 64, $11 for seniors 65 and up, and $7 for children and college students with identification. The Morikami is located at 4000 Morikami Park Road in Delray Beach.

For more information about the Morikami, its exhibitions, programs and events, visit www.morikami.org or call (561) 495-0233.

The Phantoms Like ‘Shakespeare (Abridged)’ At L.W. Playhouse

Next month, the Lake Worth Playhouse presents The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) — the fastest, funniest, fiercest comedy Shakespeare never intended… but wishes he had.

The playhouse is abuzz with the irreverent sounds of Shakespeare gone wild as it prepares to mount the show Sept. 2-11.

Written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, founding members of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) premiered in 1987 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and later played at London’s Criterion Theatre, where it ran for nine record-breaking years. Today, it is known as one of the world’s most popular stage shows, boasting a record-setting shortest-ever performance of Hamlet, clocking in at 43 seconds.

The show is a highly physical, improv-induced, comedic parody of all 37 of the Bard’s plays performed by three gutsy, high-spirited actors. The Lake Worth Playhouse production is directed by Stephanie Haber, who returns to the playhouse after her award-winning performance as Kate in last season’s Brighton Beach Memoirs. “This show is insanely fabulous,” Haber said, “and the cast is pure joy.”

The trio of playhouse veterans who make up the cast are: Todd “Canker Blossom” Cast-

er, J. Paul “Saucy Knave” Heiner and Calvin “Punkin’ Bloomers” Bankert.

Caster has played a vast array of historical characters throughout his lengthy stage career. Audiences will recognize him from previous Lake Worth Playhouse shows The Woman in Black and Leading Ladies, in which he skillfully portrayed nine different characters between the two shows. When the overachieving actor’s uncle’s housekeeper’s cousin, who happens to be a cashier at the Publix where director Stephanie Haber shops, gave Caster notice of the Shakespeare audition, he jumped at the opportunity to beat his own record. “Stephanie asked me if I would possibly agree to play 14 different characters,” Caster said. “My reply was simply, ‘only 14?’”

Heiner has played numerous roles on the Lake Worth Playhouse stage, which he describes in words almost as elegant as those of the bard himself: “I have morphed from a drunken deadbeat well-meaning daddy (Hollywood Arms) to a Manischewitz-quaffing (offstage) CEO hell-bent on finding the perfect rock of engagement (Modern Orthodox), unto the able curse of a Pulitzer-Prized play of terrifying proportions (The Crucible), to a greased radio jockey in the biggest, most fabulous high school musical ever (Grease), to a seriously damaged cereal-starved killer mouse

of a man trapped in a winter storm (The Mousetrap).”

Heiner uses his broad acting range to bring Shakespeare’s many diverse characters to life. Bankert, the youngest of the cast members and the one known affectionately as “Punkin’ Bloomers,” has performed many times at the playhouse, but until now had never been forced to wear “a chick’s costume.” He is toughing it out, however, just happy to be in a play that offers him a sideline diversion from his academics and keeps him off the streets of Lake Worth where he is known by the locals as “that strange boy who hears music inside his head.”

The Lake Worth Playhouse is a nonprofit community theater with a diverse array of offerings, including award-winning dramas, comedies, musicals, area premieres, Broadway favorites, children’s shows, ballets and operas on film, live concerts, improv comedy and alternative programming. In addition to its main stage theatrical fare, the playhouse presents year-round independent and foreign films in the Stonzek Theatre, an intimate black-box-style theater equipped with a large viewing screen and high-definition projection. The playhouse offers a variety of educational programs for adults and children, as well as community outreach initiatives that bring cultural programs into the neighborhoods of

underserved youth and also make theater available free of charge for disadvantaged citizens in the community.

Evening performances will take place Sept. 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 11 at 8 p.m. Matinee performances will be offered at 2 p.m. Sept. 4 and 11. Individual show tickets cost $25 and $29 for opening night and all regular performances. Student discount tickets cost $15. Subscriptions for the 2010-11 season are still available. All tickets and subscriptions can be purchased through the Lake Worth Playhouse box office at (561) 586-6410 or online at www.lakeworthplayhouse.org.

The Lake Worth Playhouse’s 58th season opens in October with Guys & Dolls (Oct. 824) and is followed by Steel Magnolias (Nov. 19 to Dec. 5), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Jan. 21 to Feb. 6, 2011), Biloxi Blues (March 420, 2011) and Annie (April 15 to May 1).

The Lake Worth Playhouse is located at 713 Lake Avenue in downtown Lake Worth. It is situated on the south side of Lake Avenue two blocks east of Dixie Highway. Free, welllighted parking is available on Lake Avenue and the surrounding side streets, with free parking lots located behind the playhouse. Join us for “much to do about Shakespeare.” In other words, “To be or not to be there, that is the question.”

See you at the Lake Worth Playhouse!

Gamera from the exhibit “Kaiju! Monster Invasion!”

Monsters from the exhibit “Kaiju! Monster Invasion!”

Because coffee should not be a fast food business, we offer the REAL coffee experience with the best quality you deserve. And, for you tea lovers we carry an excellent variety of loose leaf teas. Come and try our Pastries, Desserts, Panini and salads in a relaxed and modern ambiance. Ask about our one of a kind COFFTEA drinks. Coffee - tea - music - art.

13860 Wellington Trace su ite 39 @ C ourtyard Shops

New Windsor Cleaners Aims To Provide A Great Customer Experience

By Damon Webb Town-Crier Staff Report

Reena Patel, owner of Windsor Cleaners in Wellington, is eager to spread the word about her full-service dry cleaning operation that opened up earlier this year.

Besides the usual services, Windsor Cleaners can clean a variety of clothing and furniture types: blankets and comforters, area and oriental rugs, draperies, cocktail and formal gowns, suede and leather. The company also offers bridal gown preservation services.

“With my business, I sought complete customer satisfaction,” Patel said. “I wanted to be able to control their experience from every aspect from beginning to end. This would ensure that I could always provide a high level of service at a competitive price. I want to keep my customers happy and provide a complete level of satisfaction.”

Patel has been in the industry for more than six years. Windsor Cleaners’ first location in Palm Beach Gardens was very successful, so she decided it was time to expand her company to the western communities.

“I’m very excited about opening up this location,” Patel said. “I live in Wellington, and I saw this as the right time to become part of the local business community. There is a great sense of loyalty among the patrons within the western communities, keeping things local. In the near future, I have plans to make this location the headquarters for all my operations. There is such a great diversity within the community. Plus, there is a large population of young working professionals with families.”

When creating a memorable experience for the customer, Patel decided to offer additional services. The first added service is an alterations department. Windsor Cleaners has a professional seamstress, Salwa Nassif, onsite with more than 25 years of experience. She

has experience in altering designer fashions upon the customer’s request. Another added service is optional pickup and delivery of orders. By appointment only, this service is free of charge.

Patel has special prices for some services for a limited time to help promote her business and give people the opportunity to try the services. She has made it her mission to ensure customers are receiving consistent high levels of service upon each visit. Patel said she wants to make herself accessible to her customers. To Patel, customers are like an extended family, and she will take care of them with a smile and a willingness to serve. In addition, Patel is looking to partner with other businesses in the community to promote the local economy as well as give back to the community through special events and charitable functions.

Windsor Cleaners is located at 12020 South Shore Blvd., Suite 400, Wellington, in the Shoppes at Chancellor Plaza. For more information, call (561) 798-2228.

Windsor Cleaners is located on South Shore Blvd. in Wellington.

Windsor Cleaners owner Reena Patel.

PALMS WEST CHAMBER RIBBON CUTTINGS

McClellan Chiropractic is a chiropractic practice oriented toward family and pediatric care, athletic and motor vehicle injuries, workers’ compensation cases, and preventive healthcare. They use state-of-the-art technology and the latest diagnostic methods to determine chiropractic cases. McClellan Chiropractic has intentionally created an environment where the staff is warm and friendly, the doctors are accessible, and all patients are treated with care and respect. They offer gentle chiropractic care, massage therapy, corrective exercise prescription and nutritional coaching/education. For more info., call (561) 422-1819, e-mail drjonnmcclellan@ yahoo.com or visit www.doctorjonn.com. Pictured here are Dr. Jonn McClellan and the McClellan Chiropractic staff with Palms West Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.

Owned and operated by Carolyn A. Sierk, Sierk & Associates P.A. is a full-service certified public accounting firm that provides accounting services for both profit and nonprofit organizations. The firm provides bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, tax planning and preparation, startup services, consulting services, and QuickBooks set up and training services. It has been providing accounting services to the western communities for almost 20 years, now located at 1470 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. Sierk & Associates customizes its services to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving business world and offers very competitive rates. For a free quote or an appointment, call (561) 791-0645 or e-mail sierkcpa@aol.com. Shown above are Sierk & Associates staff members with Palms West Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.

Send business news items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@goTownCrier.com.

State Routes For Equine Transport

Kindred Spirit Equine Emergency Medical Transport has established weekly, non-emergency routes to Ocala, Orlando and Florida’s west coast.

Owner and driver Maria Vitale is certified in technical large animal emergency rescue and is FEMA trained. Her four-horse rig with movable partitions is equipped with an equine sled, winch, slings and Kimzey splints. The trailer also has a ramp and plenty of room to turn a

horse inside the trailer so they can walk out instead of backing out. The service is available for onsite events, scheduled trips or emergency trips. Based in Loxahatchee, Kindred Spirit provides humane and efficient transportation or removal of an incapacitated or deceased horse, and every effort is made to shield spectators from sensitive situations and to preserve the dignity of the horse. For more information, call Vitale at (561) 253-4282.

Michelle Bradley and Maria Vitale of Kindred Spirit.

Small Business Reception On Sept. 9

On Thursday, Sept. 9, the Lake Wellington Professional Centre and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce will host a reception for small businesses in Wellington. It is designed for the small business professional, home-based business, virtual office and startup companies. It will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Lake Wellington Professional Centre (11230 W. Forest Hill Blvd.).

The event will give small and home-based businesses a chance to network with like-minded professionals and other small business owners in a casual environment. One-on-one appointment scheduling opportunities with several local professionals who can assist small business owners include the Lake Wellington Professional Centre; the Wellington Chamber of Commerce; CPA Dale Grimm;

Scott Shulman, Newtek Small Business Finance; Dave O’Keefe, Your Computer Guy; Sandi Quigley, Quigley Marketing Group; MariEllen Sheldon and Dan Doorakian of Katz & Assoc.; and Tim Shields of Shields Technology.

Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. There is limited seating, and reservations are mandatory. RSVP by Sept. 6 to (561) 227-1500.

Grand Prix Feed Expands Delivery Route

Grand Prix Feed & Supply has expanded its Loxahatchee delivery route to include Tuesdays and Thursdays. If your total merchandise order is over $100, there is no delivery charge.

“We are grateful that our business continues to grow from local customer support and are happy to add Tuesday to our delivery schedule,” co-owner Laura Skinner said.

The store carries five types of shavings, a variety of hays and forage products, and multiple lines of feed including Seminole, Seminole Wellness, Triple Crown, Southern States, Cavalor, Tribute and Blue Seal Feed. Prices on other products — such as bug spray, other animal

feeds, supplements, barn tools and supplies — are extremely competitive.

One Grand Prix exclusive is Holly Morrell. Strategically positioned at the front counter, she is a comprehensive resource not only of product content, but intended use and application, which she is willing to address on a horse-by-horse basis. “Not all horses’ nutritional needs are the same, nor is their job description,” Morrell said. “So many behavioral and training problems can be reduced or eliminated if the horses were fed the right food stuffs.”

Grand Prix opened in 1995 and is family owned and operated. In the

beginning, it sold only Canadian shavings and was the first company to have plastic bagged shavings.

“My mother RoseMarie Shulman was answering phones and my father Frank, after working all day at another job, would come home and help me unload semi-trailers,” Skinner recalled.

Part the store’s success includes flexibility for emergency deliveries. Call (561) 792-1253, and they will do their best to help. The store is located at 13086 Pierson Road in Wellington. Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; it is closed on Sunday. For info., email grandprixfeed@hotmail.com.

Six Facts To Know About The American Opportunity Tax Credit

There is still time left to take advantage of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, a credit that will help many parents and college students offset the cost of college. This tax credit is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and is available through Dec. 31. It can be claimed by eligible taxpayers for college expenses paid in 2009 and 2010.

The following are six important facts the IRS wants you to know about the American Opportunity Tax Credit:

• This credit, which expands and renames the existing Hope Credit, can be claimed for qualified tuition and related expenses that you pay for higher education in 2009 and 2010. Qualified tuition and related expenses include tuition, related fees, books and other required course materials.

• The credit is equal to 100 percent of the first $2,000 spent per student each year, and 25 percent of the next $2,000. Therefore, the full $2,500 credit may be available to a taxpayer who pays $4,000 or more

in qualifying expenses for an eligible student.

• The full credit is generally available to eligible taxpayers who make less than $80,000 or $160,000 for married couples filing a joint return. The credit is gradually reduced, however, for taxpayers with incomes above these levels.

• Forty percent of the credit is refundable, so even those who owe no tax can get up to $1,000 of the credit for each student as cash back.

• The credit can be claimed for qualified expenses paid for any of the first four years of post-secondary education.

• You cannot claim the tuition and fees tax deduction in the same year that you claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit. You must choose to either take the credit or the deduction and should consider which is more beneficial for you.

Complete details on the American Opportunity Tax Credit and other key tax provisions of the Recovery Act are available at www.irs. gov/recovery.

Wildcats Volleyball Squad Focusing On Strong Defense

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach High School girls varsity volleyball team is concentrating on rebuilding and defense to build toward a competitive season.

Head coach Sal Ciano said that although the team lacks height, hard work on defense would make the Lady Wildcats a contender against teams such as Atlantic, Wellington and Park Vista.

“We’re not going to be a very tall team,” Ciano said. “We’re an average-sized team, so we’re going to really have to play good defense. When we get a chance to terminate play, we really need to terminate play. That’s what I’m trying to teach them now — how to put a finish on it.”

To accomplish this, Ciano puts the players through a series of drills intended to improve their defense and overall skills.

“They’re going to chew us up

unless we play good defense,” he said.

The Lady Wildcats graduated key seniors Shaina Abdell and Latoya Harvin and will have a younger starting lineup this season. Ciano said the team is rebuilding with younger talent, which will make it more competitive in the future.

“We have some talent coming along,” he said. “We’re in a planning situation right now. We have a very good [junior varsity] team, and we have some height on our freshmen team.”

Key varsity players include sophomore Gabrielle Marionakis, freshmen Brianne and Bayley Cook, and seniors Cara Veclotch and Tarin Knott.

Ciano expects Knott’s success to be dependent on her playing time.

“Tarin plays a lot of different positions,” he said. “So she’s going to be in the game a lot. She’s a good defensive player, she can set the ball and she hits. She’s just not the tall-

est kid in the world. Were she six feet tall, she’d be golden.”

Ciano said the goal for the team is to improve each year. “It’s all rebuilding,” he said. “It’s all reload and see what you can do next.”

But he expects to have a good season.

“We have a good core group,” Ciano said. “If they can learn what [the coaches] are trying to teach them, we’ll have an effective season.”

And with tough competition this year in the district, Ciano said that the team would be equally aggressive toward everyone.

“We’re going to go after everybody the same way — with a win mentality,” he said.

Ultimately, Ciano said that he expects the team to do well because of its drive.

“We have a truly wonderful bunch of kids,” he said. “They are all very focused. They all want to win. I think we’ll be OK.”

The Lady Wildcats varsity volleyball team.

PHOTOS BY LAUREN MIRÓ/TOWN-CRIER

Jillian Tillman practices hitting while coach Sal Ciano instructs.

Gabrielle Marionakis runs for the ball.

Stephanie Lorelli prepares to spike.

Gabrielle Weintraub jumps up for a hit.

Brianne Cook sets the ball.Bayley Cook gets under the ball.

Locals Make Equestrian Games List A VARSITY RAIDER VICTORY

The Western Communities Football League varsity Raiders started the season with a hard-fought 12-6 victory against the varsity Ravens. Pictured here, Raiders quarterback Justin Kolnick (above) and running back Cole Martin (below) make a run for it.

National federations from 58 countries have submitted nominated entries for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to be held in Lexington, Ky. from Sept. 25 to Oct. 10.

Athletes on the short list to represent the United States at the eight world championships include several from the western communities.

They are: Katherine Bateson-Chandler, Dressage, Wellington; Todd Flettrich, Dressage, Royal Palm Beach; Lauren Hough, Jumping, Wellington; and Candice King, Jumping, Wellington.

“The excitement is building now with the short list announced,” said Erika Rachal of Alltech. “I can only imagine how proud they feel being able to represent the United States in this event, especially being the first time it’s ever been held in the U.S. I wish all of them good luck!”

In total, the nominated entries list includes more than 900 athletes and more than 1,300 horses. This list will decrease some when definite entries for each discipline are submitted to the World Games 2010 Foundation beginning in mid-September, following verification and

approval of horse and rider qualifications. Four nations are currently scheduled to field athletes for all eight disciplines — Australia, Canada, Germany and the United States. Additionally, 19 nations have submitted teams or individual competitors in five or more disciplines.

Tickets to the world championship competitions are still available for all eight disciplines at www. alltechfeigames.com/tickets, www.ticketmaster.com, local Ticketmaster outlets or by calling (888) 934-2010. For more information, visit www.alltech.com/games.

RPB Golfer Wins Big At Championship

Michael Kartrude of Royal Palm Beach shot a nine under par 62 on Sunday, Aug. 22 to break a six-dayold course record and win the 23rd annual Palm Beach County Public Links Championship at the West Palm Beach Golf Course.

At 132, which beat the tournament record by five strokes, Kartrude won by four with a birdie-eagle finish for his first Palm Beach County Golf Association title. “I’m not sure what was happening out there, except that I was playing very well,” said Kartrude, 21, a student

at Palm Beach State College. “But I guess I got back at Danny Germaine today, didn’t I?”

In 2008, Germaine beat Kartrude with birdie on the first playoff hole after they tied at 137, equaling the tournament record set by David Roschman in 2002 at Emerald Dunes. It was the second of three straight Publinx championships for Germaine, who tied for 10th on Aug. 22 at 147.

Prior to his blazing finish, Kartrude made six birdies, sinking a 25footer at the sixth hole and saving

par from behind the green at the 12th. At the par-4 17th, he hit driver and gap wedge to eight feet, and at the par-5 18th he hit driver and 5-wood on the green and dropped a 25-foot eagle putt.

Next on the PBCGA tournament schedule is the Mid-Senior, Aug. 28-29 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Jupiter, and the Challenge on Sept. 11 at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club at Old Trail.

For membership information and tournament entry, visit the PBCGA web site at www.pbcga.org.

WICKED PRIDE 16-U GIRLS WIN NATIONAL TITLE IN SOUTH CAROLINA

The Palm Beach Wicked Pride 16-U girls fast-pitch softball team competed at the Triple Crown Summer Nationals held July 29 to Aug. 2 in Myrtle Beach, S.C., where they took the first-place title. The Wicked team competed against teams from New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Connecticut and South Carolina with no losses. The Palm Beach Wicked Pride is based at Okeeheelee Park. (Left) The players and coaches celebrate their firstplace victory. (Right) Wicked Pride catcher Amanda Trainor waits for the pitch behind the plate.

King’s Academy Football Team Has High Goals This Season

This off season was a very rewarding one for the King’s Academy football program. Over the summer, the Lions traveled to the University of Central Florida for a fullcontact team camp and competed in “seven-on-seven” scrimmages against six other football programs, including Seminole Ridge and Fort Pierce Central high schools.

The Lions impressed the UCF coaches with their aggressive play as they went toe to toe with the

camp’s best. The team also boasted an impressive roster of attendance at their daily weight training sessions.

The Lions began practice with “two-a-days” on Monday, Aug. 9.

The team has 14 returning starters on both sides of the ball with a good number of them being underclassmen. Also joining the coaching staff are Justin Garrett as the quarterbacks coach and Brannan Thomas as the wide receivers and defensive

backs coach. New impact players on the roster to watch are quarterback Shane Bussey, tight end Kevin Stypulkowski, offensive tackle Tyler Chaisson and defensive back Zack Lowe.

The returning players expected to lead the team include tailback Brian Grove, offensive lineman Eric Ross, flanker Chris Machiela, linebacker Gage Batten and defensive end Alain Deltor.

The goals for this year’s football

team are simple. “We want to be very competitive this year and have a chance to win every game,” coach Craig Dobson said.

Senior defensive end and captain Alain Deltor said the team’s goal is to win the state title. “We have a real close team this year, and we are working hard to win districts and make a great playoff run with state as our goal,” he said.

Senior captain and all-state offensive lineman Eric Ross echoed

that sentiment. “Our goal is to defeat all the opponents in the district and make a run to state,” he said.

This year’s Lions football team had spent plenty of time in preparation and training during the off season and are hoping the results will show in the coming season. The Lions open the season with the Kickoff Classic facing Miami Gulliver Prep on Friday, Aug. 27 at Kahlert Field at 7 p.m.

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COMMUNIT Y CALENDAR

Saturday, Aug. 28

• Our Kids World Family Fun Fest will be held at the South Florida Fairgrounds Aug. 28-29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Designed for children 12 and under, this unique two-day event offers something for all children. Participate in hands-on educational activities, be entertained, meet your favorite sports mascots and television characters, or have fun bouncing around in the Fun Zone. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for kids. Visit www.adayforkids.com for more info.

• The Safety Council of Palm Beach County will host a Motorcycle Course on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 28 and 29 at Wellington High School (2101 Greenview Shores Blvd.). This combined classroom and road course is now required for motorcycle endorsement. For more info., visit www.safety councilpbc.org or call (561) 845-8233.

• On Saturday, Aug. 28, Kevin Powers will team up with Tailwaggers Learning Center to host a Fundraiser for Friends of Abused Children Inc. from 8 a.m. to noon at the South Florida Fairgrounds (enter Gate 6 or 8). The fundraiser will consist of an agility run for dogs, a raffle and a silent auction. The event is free and open to the public. The cost to run a dog through the agility course is $5 for the first run and $3 for each additional run, per dog. To register your dog to participate in the run, call Kevin or Karen Powers at (561) 333-0533 or e-mail to kpowers@bellsouth.net.

• Area 42 Toastmasters will present its 2010 Evaluation and Humorous Speech Contests at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 28 at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The event will feature speakers, food and door prizes. Admission is free and open to the general public. For more info., e-mail cindyebeckles@yahoo. com.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Scrapbooking for the Family” for age 5 and up Saturday, Aug. 28 at 2:30 p.m. Preserve your summer memories by learning new techniques. Bring photos and memorabilia. Basic supplies will be provided. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement Inc. (CAFCI) will host its 2010 Youth Talent Show on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way, Royal Palm Beach). For more info., visit www.cafcipbc. org.

• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host the third annual Wild West Poker Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. at Binks Forest Golf Club. Buy-ins are $50. Tables of 10 cost $500, which includes dinner. Western attire is recommended. Visit www.palmswest.com or call (561) 7906200 for more info.

• CityPlace in West Palm Beach will hold “Party on the Plaza” featuring the Bulldogs performing rock and blues Saturday, Aug. 28 from 7 to 11 p.m. on the plaza stage. For more info., call (561) 366-1000.

• Downtown at the Gardens (11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Drive, Palm Beach Gardens) will feature “A Night of Art and Jazz” on Saturday, Aug. 28 from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Enjoy art on display from local artists and listen to Tom Van Rijn’s Palm Beach Jazz Trio. For more info., call (561) 340-1600 or visit www.downtownatthegardens.com.

Sunday, Aug. 29

• CityPlace in West Palm Beach holds a weekly yoga class called Yoga Sundays. The class is for all ages and fitness levels and takes place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Build core strength, reduce stress and improve posture. No yoga experience is necessary. The fee is $15, and parking is free. Call (561) 650-1200 for more info.

• TCIN.TV will feature live broadcasts of Night Shul with Matt Auerbach at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 29, followed at 10 p.m. by Elsie Bell’s Secrets with Deb Welky Miles. Watch this new Wellington-based Internet TV station at www.tcin.tv.

Monday, Aug. 30

• The Winn-Dixie pharmacy at 1135 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach will offer Free Cholesterol and Diabetes Screenings on Monday, Aug. 30 from noon to 5 p.m. Call Cholestcheck at (800) 7133301 for more info. No appointments are necessary.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Board Game Spectacular” for age 6 and up on Monday, Aug. 30 at 3 p.m. Have fun playing board games with others. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will feature “12 Weeks to Wellness” on Monday, Aug. 30 at 6:30 p.m. Struggling to lose weight? Tired of feeling sick and tired? Come learn the approach that has helped many of your neighbors lose weight and feel great in just 12 weeks. Reg-

COMMUNIT Y CALENDAR

CALENDAR, continued from page 42 ister by phone at (561) 904-4000 or at the customer service desk. Visit www.facebook. com/wholefoodsmarketwellington for more info.

Wednesday, Sept. 1

• The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens (253 Barcelona Road, West Palm Beach) will present “The Art of Dance” by photographer Max Waldman opening Wednesday, Sept. 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and continuing through Oct. 27. Waldman initiated an original technique of dance photography from performances in his studio during the 1970s. Call (561) 832-5328 or visit www.ansg.org for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Once Upon a Time: Aladdin” for children of all ages on Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 3:30 p.m. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

Thursday, Sept. 2

• The Lake Worth Playhouse (713 Lake Ave., Lake Worth) will present The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) Thursday, Sept. 2 through Saturday, Sept. 11. All 37 plays will be featured in 90 minutes by three madcap men in tights. Call (561) 586-6410 or visit www.lakeworthplay house.org for more info.

• The Loggerhead Marinelife Center at Loggerhead Oceanfront Park (14200 U.S. Hwy. 1, Juno Beach) will feature “Turtle Tots” on Thursdays, Sept. 2 and 16 and Oct. 28 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. each day. These programs introduce the natural marine world to ages 3 to 5. Pre-registration is required. Call (561) 627-8280, ext. 119 or visit www.marinelife.org for more information.

• The West Palm Beach public library (411 Clematis St., West Palm Beach) will host an “Altered Books” craft class on Thursday, Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring photos or memorabilia for inclusion in their altered book. Registration is required for this free event. Call (561) 868-7701 or visit www.mycitylibrary.org for more info.

• The Royal Palm Beach Village Council will meet Thursday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. at Village Hall (1050 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.). Call (561) 790-5100 or visit www.royalpalm beach.com for more info.

• TCIN.TV will feature a live broadcast of Eye On Your Money, a financial talk show, Thursday, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m., followed by the alternative health show Health Unplugged

at 9 p.m. Watch this new Wellington-based Internet TV show at www.tcin.tv.

Friday, Sept. 3

• More than 300 volunteers with the Homebound Mitzvah Program of MorseLife will be out on Friday, Sept. 3 to deliver High Holiday packages to Jewish seniors throughout Palm Beach County. The packages include kosher holiday meals, wine, candles, a large print prayer book and a DVD of High Holiday services. Homebound Mitzvah Program volunteers will gather for their deliveries on the MorseLife campus (4847 Fred Gladstone Drive, West Palm Beach, off Haverhill Road) and at the Jewish Community Center campus in Boynton Beach (8500 Jog Road). For more about the program, call (561) 282-5388.

• The West Palm Beach public library (411 Clematis St., West Palm Beach) will present “Dog Tales: Time with Tabitha” on Fridays, Sept. 3 through Nov. 19 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Meet specially trained therapy dogs who will “listen” to your child read. The program is for reluctant readers or kids who love reading and love dogs. There is no charge. Call (561) 868-7703 or visit www. mycitylibrary.org for more info.

• Boston’s on the Beach (A1A and Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach) will host “Summer Nights in Delray Beach: Fat Friday” to bid farewell to summer Friday, Sept. 3 from 7 to 10 p.m. There is no charge. For more info., call (561) 279-1380, ext. 17 or visit www.downtowndelraybeach.com.

Saturday, Sept. 4

• The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will hold a two- to fourmile walk or stroll on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 7:30 a.m. at John Prince Park in Lake Worth. Participants will meet at the entrance on Congress Avenue south of Sixth Avenue South. The start time is 7:30 a.m. Walkers will have breakfast afterward at TooJay’s in Lake Worth. Call Paul at (561) 963-9906 for more info.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will feature “Candy Sushi” for ages 12 to 17 on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 2:30 p.m. Use marshmallows, crispy rice cereal and candy to create delicious treats. Food will be provided by the Friends of the Library. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090. Email: news@gotowncrier.com.

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POOL PLAS TERING AND RESURFACING —Lic. U19996. 561722-7690.

ELITE POOL SERVICE — You dealt with the rest now deal with the best.” All maintenance & repairs, salt chlorinators, heaters, leak detection. 561-791-5073

J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established in 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975

MINOR ROOF REPAIRS — Roof painting.Carpentry.Lic. #U13677.967-5580.

HORIZON ROOFING QUALITY WORK & SERVICE — Free estimates, No Deposits. Pay upon completion, res/comm.reroofing, repairs, credit cards accepted. 561-842-6120 or 561-784-8072 Lic.#CCC1328598

ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING — Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,insured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763. ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC-023773 RC0067207

SECURITY — American owned local

CRC1329708 798-3132.

ACCORDION SHUTTERS — Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777