Town-Crier newspaper December 26, 2014

WEISMAN NEARLY READY TO RETIRE SEE STORY, PAGE 3

VETTING CANDIDATES IN ROYAL PALM? SEE STORY, PAGE 4

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TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

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College Campus, Town Hall Among Loxahatchee Groves Projects In 2015

Volume 35, Number 52 December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Serving Palms West Since 1980

WELLINGTON BALLET THEATRE STAGES ‘THE NUTCRACKER’

2015 will see a number of projects come to fruition for the Town of Loxahatchee Groves and the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District, including the beginning of construction for the new Palm Beach State College campus and the planned purchase of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce building for use as a town hall. Page 3

Equestrian Committee To Help Develop Golf Cart Rules In Wellington

Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee was tasked last week with developing a set of rules to regulate the increasing use of golf carts in the Equestrian Preserve Area and elsewhere. At the Dec. 18 meeting, Village Manager Paul Schofield said that the increasing number of both golf carts and horses is causing a critical problem. Page 4

ACA Health Advisors Helps Get People The Insurance They Need

Prominent in the Mall at Wellington Green is a kiosk with signs for “Obamacare” and the Affordable Care Act. The kiosk — ACA Health Advisors — is near the mall’s Grand Court. At the kiosk, people can learn about the healthcare insurance subsidies they might be entitled to.

Page 7

Jewish Center Hosts ‘Frozen’ Chanukah Party

Wellington Jewish Center hosted its Frozen Chanukah Party on Sunday Dec. 21 at the Wellington Amphitheater. The event included activities for children, Israeli singers, a live ice carving demonstration and a menorah lighting. Page 11

KCF Hosts Annual Breakfast With Santa

The Kids Cancer Foundation’s annual Breakfast with Santa was held Saturday, Dec. 20 at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

Santa arrived on a fire truck, and all the kids received plenty of toys. Page 11 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 11 CRIME NEWS.......................... 6 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 8 PEOPLE................................. 13 SCHOOLS.......................14 - 15 COLUMNS...................... 16, 23 BUSINESS......................24 - 25 SPORTS..........................27 - 29 CALENDAR............................ 30 CLASSIFIEDS.................31 - 34 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington Ballet Theatre presented the classic story of The Nutcracker, produced by Rocky Duvall, at the Wellington High School theater Dec. 20 and 21. Shown here, the “reindeer” get ready to head onstage. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5

PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Indian Trail To Focus On Traffic Calming In 2015

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Indian Trail Improvement District plans to finish up several projects and initiate a few more in 2015, including better traffic control devices and the completion of the Acreage Community Park southern expansion.

ITID President Carol Jacobs said she was surprised and glad to be named president for another year and will use her position to the fullest to get projects going and see them finished.

“There’s some issues that I want to press to get done,” she said. “That’s why I had a meeting today with [District Manager Jim Shallman] and the professionals on Acreage Community Park for our workshop on Jan. 7.”

Her top priority for 2015 is traffic calming, in light of recent serious accidents and an anticipated increase in traffic from new development.

“I want to get going on traffic calming,” Jacobs said. “That’s really important to get started ASAP, and get it ready for the following year’s budget so we can budget in even more traffic calming.”

Jacobs also wants to move forward on seeing that every paved road has a sidewalk and finish the Acreage Community Park expansion, a dog park at Downers Park and a bathroom at Hoefl Park, as well as Acreage entry signs.

“The ‘Welcome to The Acreage’ signs, we’re still having problems with the county, but we want to get them in place,” she said, explaining that the county has to get agreements from property owners.

“We picked locations, we’re just waiting for the county to give us the blessing that they’re all right and they’re ready to be installed.”

The delay on that project irks Jacobs. “Those should have been up last year,” she said. “It makes me upset when someone is basi-

cally doing it for free for you and it takes a year or so to get them approved.”

Former ITID Supervisor Mike Erickson volunteered to design the signs, and the district will install them, Jacobs said.

One of her personal goals in the coming year is to get a water testing program for residents, possibly in cooperation with a local vendor, to find out the quality of their water and the depth of their wells. “That’s just my thought,” she said. “I don’t know if we’re allowed to do that.”

She plans to talk to the Palm Beach County Health Department and ITID’s legal staff about implementing a program where residents can have their water analyzed for contaminants and see if their wells need to be deeper.

“I’m hoping to get a lot accomplished,” she said. “It started out already before Christmas, and See ITID 2015, page 18

Gov. Scott Appoints Howard Coates To Circuit Court Bench

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington Village Councilman Howard Coates has been appointed as a judge on the 15th Judicial Circuit Court bench serving Palm Beach County.

“I was just notified today that Gov. Rick Scott appointed me, along with two other individuals, to the vacancies,” Coates told the Town-Crier on Tuesday. “There were three initial vacancies at the 15th Judicial Circuit Court.”

The other newly appointed judges are Edward Artau, general counsel for the South Florida Water Management District, and Kurt Volker, who is an assistant state attorney.

“I put in an application because I did want an appointment, but you never really know until you get the call as to whether it’s going to happen,” Coates said. “It’s a very competitive process. There were 53 people who originally applied for the three spots, and then they narrowed it down to 15,

Howard Coates and then the governor picked three candidates out of the 15 that were submitted to him.”

Coates will be required to resign from the Wellington Village Council because he can’t serve in two elected positions in Florida.

Coates has often found himself in the minority on council quesSee COATES, page 4

KIDS’ FISHING FUN

The 24th annual Children’s Holiday Fishing Classic took place Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Wellington Community Center docks, as dozens of young anglers reeled in the fish. The event was presented by Wellington Parks & Recreation, in conjunction with Bass Pro Shops and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. Shown here is Jackson Antheil, who placed first in the 6-and-under division, with Ryan Church, Marcin Trawinski and Robert Spanier of the FWC. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9

Six Bidders Lay Out K-Park Plans To Wellington Officials Several Big Projects On The Agenda For Royal Palm In 2015 PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Six respondents to a request for proposals for the sale and development of Wellington’s K-Park land made presentations last week to the Wellington Village Council and village staff members.

The meetings were held Wednesday, Dec. 17 in a closed session, but the proceedings were released on the village’s web site shortly afterward.

The 66-acre site at the southwest corner of State Road 7 and Stribling Way has long been a point of contention, with past councils arguing about what, if anything, ultimately should be built on the site. It was originally purchased as future park land.

The respondents were Bainbridge-Brefrank K-Park Joint Venture, Divosta/JKM Developers, Lennar, Reinvent America, Stiles and Wellington Gardens Partners.

Most of the potential developers

stressed their connections to the Wellington area when noting the benefits of their projects.

Wellington resident Chuck Mineo, representing Wellington Gardens, credited landscape architect Jon Schmidt with assembling their team.

“That’s kind of where it all started,” Mineo said. “Jon has been with us since the very beginning over a year ago. In a lot of ways, I think if it weren’t for Jon, we probably wouldn’t be here today.”

He also pointed out that part of his team, Rick Gonzalez of REG Architects, developed Wellington’s municipal complex and amphitheater.

Stiles was represented by attorney Marty Perry, who said what they offered was consistent with the theme of what makes the village a great hometown — low density, low intensity in an upscale community that serves the needs of everybody. He pointed out that

he has worked with Wellington since the 1970s, years before incorporation.

“The goal here, I think, is consistent with what both Roger Wellington and Bink Glisson envisioned for Wellington,” Perry said.

John Markey, representing Divosta/JKM Developers, said he moved to Wellington before it incorporated to raise his family, and that Divosta offered a balance of what is right for the community and what is financially feasible.

Markey said he learned from talking to people in the community that they were concerned about having assisted living for seniors and no more commercial strip malls with a sea of parking, but mixed uses on the scale of Mizner Park in Boca Raton or CityPlace in West Palm Beach. “Being a dyedin-the-wool New Urbanist, I think that is the right solution,” he said.

Richard Schechter, chairman of See K-PARK, page 7

By Chris Felker Town-Crier Staff Report Two big decisions made by the Royal Palm Beach Village Council in 2014 set the stage for major progress in Royal Palm Beach during the coming year, Village Manager Ray Liggins told the Town-Crier this week.

Specifically, he cited council votes to establish a plan for the disposition of the old wastewater treatment plant land at the village’s north end and to try to attract a developer for construction of a senior-living complex on a 10-acre tract at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park. “I think the decision on the land use for the Crestwood property — our old wastewater treatment plant — as single-family

residential, approving a site plan on that property and agreeing to market it were milestone decisions for us,” Liggins said. “Obviously, they were all done in 2014, and we’ll see the effect in 2015. Hopefully, we’ll get the property sold, and we’ll get another single-family development out there.”

He also believes that there will be movement on the senior housing front. “Royal Palm Beach is moving forward with our senior living complex at Commons Park, taking that 10-acre piece of property there and putting it on the market for a senior living complex that we don’t have in our village,” Liggins said.

And as in every year, the village See RPB 2015, page 18

Wellington Officials See 2015 As A Year Of Change

By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report The upcoming year is expected to be a year of change in Wellington, starting right off the bat with a new member of the Wellington Village Council.

“What’s new for 2015? A new council member,” Councilman Matt Willhite told the Town-Crier on Tuesday, referring to Councilman Howard Coates’ appointment this week to a circuit court judgeship.

Coates will need to resign from the council upon taking his seat on the bench. The council will have 30 days to fill the vacancy, Willhite said.

Be it a council appointee or other decisions, Willhite is optimistic when looking forward to 2015.

“I am sure that whatever the council decides, they feel it will be for the betterment of Wellington,” he said. “I think no matter what any of our differences are, we all, in our mind and in our hearts, feel whatever we do, it’s for the betterment of Wellington.”

Differences of opinions arise, Willhite explained, but the intent is always to make Wellington better.

Making Wellington better is important to Councilwoman Anne Gerwig, who notes that council strife has become a focal point in Wellington.

“Everything that happens in Wellington is a good thing,” she said. “We’ve kind of gotten famous for arguing and really long meetings. I’m hoping that we can get to not the really long meetings,

getting more efficient in how we do things with the residents and each other.”

Village Manager Paul Schofield feels that 2014 has been a year of progress, and he expects 2015 to be one as well.

“I’m very pleased and very proud of what both my council and my staff have accomplished over the last year,” he said. “Council [members have] come a long way.

They’ve made progress on the equestrian venues, they have set policy as it relates to how we do in total construction. A lot of stuff goes into running a municipality of nearly 60,000 people. It’s not the most exciting stuff you’ll ever do, but they’ve come a long way. I’m very pleased with their efforts, and 2014 was one of our better years.”

One project from 2014 is particularly important to Gerwig, who is excited to work on education issues, which is not usually a council focus.

“We have to stay on top of what is happening at our schools,” she said. “That’s why I’m very proud of the Keely Spinelli grant program and how effective it has been for helping our local schools.

That $25,000 grant for each public school in Wellington has just been reinstated. It has been very successful.”

Special events such as Wellington Idol, the Food Truck Invasion and equestrian events are also important to Gerwig.

“This is what we are. We’re Wellington,” she said. “We do a great job at education, we do a

great job at recreation, and we’re the winter equestrian capital of the world.”

Some of the most successful events, Gerwig said, take place at the Wellington Amphitheater, such as Wellington Idol and previews of high school musicals.

“Those are the kinds of things I’m hoping to do more of, if I can find other ways to tap into the local arts and make the best use of that amphitheater,” she said.

In the future, though, Gerwig would like to see more variety at the amphitheater.

“It’s great to have the cover bands,” she said, “but I would like to see it be a little more hometown as far as what’s happening there.

That’s why I like Wellington Idol See WELLINGTON, page 18

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NEWS

Weisman Sees Progress In Final Year As County Administrator

By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report Palm Beach County Administrator Bob Weisman, who will be retiring in August after 35 years in county government, is ready for the changes the new year will bring, as well as tackling some of the challenges that seem to be perpetual.

“There are some issues which never go away,” he said. “One is the budget and taxes. There are more and more services that are wanted by people and facilities, and there’s definitely a desire not to raise taxes, so it’s hard to find dollars to provide those services.

That challenge will continue.”

As the county has seen various battles over growth this year, including decisions affecting residents near the planned Minto West development, that topic remains a challenge for the county.

“You have the development challenge, with projects like Minto. People own property, and they

want to develop those properties in the future, and there’s not enough traffic capacity,” Weisman said.

“We’ll be dealing with that in the coming year as projects come forward to be considered, and that certainly has a big effect on the western communities.”

Improvements in more rural parts of the county, such as the Glades, are a continuous effort, and one that newly elected County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay made a focal point in her campaign.

“We have the ongoing issues in the Glades, including the economic development out there,” Weisman said. “We need to assure that the [Herbert Hoover Dike] is repaired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the federal government so they know that there’s stability out there. We need to have leadership out there to help make sure we try to do the best we can.”

McKinlay’s outlook and new approach have been helpful, he

said, especially with the Glades.

“We’re working with the new commissioner to get good results out there,” Weisman said.

Though McKinlay is new to the commission, she has hit the ground running, he said.

“Commissioner McKinlay is new, but she’s had a lot of involvement with government,” he said.

“She is much more familiar with how we function than the typical commissioner who gets elected for the first time.”

One topic that has created a stir in the county is the future of spring training baseball. Weisman is ready to take action, with the direction to be determined shortly.

“We have special projects like baseball, which right now is the hottest thing, seemingly, in the county,” he said. “Are we going to build a new stadium and put four teams here, or is that going to go away? I think we’ll know that in about 90 days or so.”

Weisman wants closure on the

baseball issue before he leaves.

“I’d like to finish baseball and get that set up so whoever comes in as a new person doesn’t have to deal with that issue,” he said. “Either we should have it done or it will be on its way to completion, one or the other.”

Clean water is always an issue, he said, affecting many different facets of county government. “Is there enough water for farmers, for development, for the environment? I don’t expect anything radical to happen in regard to that,” he predicted.

Weisman, who described the majority of his role as county administrator as routine, has a great deal to accomplish in 2015 before hanging up his hat.

“I need to help prepare my replacement, whoever that is, to take over the job. I believe the replacement will be selected before I leave, so it’s my number-one goal to prepare that person as well as I can,” he said, noting that it feels

strange to be wrapping things up.

“It will still be my responsibility to prepare the budget for 2016,” he added. “I won’t be here for the final approval of it, but it will be my job to prepare it for the board to consider in September.”

Joining the county staff in 1980, Weisman became county administrator in 1991. After 23 years, he has had a great deal of experience tackling anything that comes his way.

“Even when new things come up, I tackle issues very aggressively,” he said. “Because of my experience, I generally know how to deal with issues, and I try to get the board to where it wants to go as well as possible for the good of the public and their good as well.”

In a few months, though, Weisman will be leaving his job, which will be bittersweet.

“I don’t know what to think,” he said. “A lot of the things I’m doing now are the last things I’m going to be doing. It will be the last budget.

County Administrator Bob Weisman will retire in 2015.

It will be my last trip to Tallahassee for the legislation. It has been different thinking about things that way. I’ve been doing this job for 23 years. I do it today as I did it years ago. I’m fully engaged, and I’m still thinking of leaving the county in the best position possible for when I leave.”

College Campus, Town Hall Among Lox Groves Projects In 2015

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report 2015 will see a number of projects come to fruition for the Town of Loxahatchee Groves and the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District, including the beginning of construction for the new Palm Beach State College campus and the planned purchase of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce building for use as a town hall.

“We have the beginning of Palm Beach State College in January and in operation in the spring of 2016,” Town Manager Bill Underwood told the Town-Crier.

The opening will come after a long process that saw opposition and a petition to stop the college by some residents who believed the campus would infringe on their rural way of life. The college broke ground in November.

The town is also looking at negotiating the purchase of the chamber building after renting cramped quarters in Palms West Plaza and meeting in the LGWCD administration building.

The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council authorized its staff in November to proceed with the purchase of the chamber building, which is located at F Road

and Southern Blvd. “We believe we’ll be able to finish that in 2015, along with the very good possibility that the Palm Beach County Commission will grant us the land upon which the building sits,” Underwood said, explaining that the chamber currently leases the property from the county.

The town plans to pay cash for the building. If the closing goes smoothly, he expects town operations to be housed in the building within a few months.

“Assuming that that works, we expect to implement a live streaming video of council meetings and other meetings,” Underwood said.

Since the town currently rents the LGWCD building for meetings, it must monitor them with a video recorder set up on a tripod.

The town also looks to starting building horse trails next year after a long series of delays.

“We expect to finish up the interlocal agreement with the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District for the surveying of the easements of the trails for horses in the town along all the lettered roads, both north and south,” Underwood said. “We’re looking forward to that.”

Other town projects will be less

obvious to the public.

“We’re looking forward to finishing up the negotiations of the town’s financial software as a service provider,” he said. “The town will, in the future, not have to rely on data being transferred from one of their [data] managers to another and another. They will have all their data under their control.”

The council recently imposed a building moratorium on Okeechobee Blvd. that will give the town the opportunity to develop a master plan amendment for the corridor.

“I think that is a positive aspect for the future, and I think those things are big,” Underwood said.

The town is also working on an interlocal agreement with the county for a traffic signal at D Road and Okeechobee Blvd., which is being financed by Minto through the county, although there has been some delay due to lawsuits filed against the county over the Minto West approval.

“The county has agreed to fund the traffic light, but that funding would go to the county, and in turn the town, implementing the traffic signal,” Underwood said. “What we’re looking for is an interlocal agreement where the county says it will reimburse the town if the

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town chooses to go ahead with the development of that signal.”

The town is also working on the final details of putting open-graded emulsified mix on B Road north of Tangerine Blvd. to Okeechobee Blvd., with funding from the college and developers at the corner of B Road and Southern Blvd., who will pave B Road from Southern to Tangerine with asphalt, curbs and gutters.

LGWCD Chairman Dave DeMarois said the district and the town have been working well together on various projects, in-

cluding a funding agreement to maintain town roads.

The district has been able to dig out all the canals to specifications with the use of a long-reach backhoe it purchased this year, has cleared off the canal banks to the waterline with a recently purchased long-reach mower and will go into a phase of regular maintenance in 2015.

“We are working with the town on maintaining the side roads and improving the water flow in the canals,” DeMarois said. “We have a good relationship.”

Wellington Parks Honored By CAPRA The Wellington Parks & Recreation Department continues to be recognized as one of the nation’s elite recreation agencies, recently earning re-accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Wellington Parks & Recreation first achieved accreditation in 2009 and is one of only 24 accredited agencies in Florida and 138 in the country.

CAPRA accreditation is the only national accreditation for recreation agencies and is a mea-

sure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management and service. The mark of distinction indicates that an agency has met rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety and services.

As part of the process, Wellington had to demonstrate compliance with 144 recognized standards and document all policies and procedures. The process involves selfassessments, a formal application, a site visit by a team of experts and a hearing with the commission to grant accreditation.

The district also plans to work with the town on the development of horse trails along district canal rights of way through surveys to assure they are on the correct alignment. “A lot of people think it’s just opening them up,” he said.

“There’s a lot more to it than that.”

DeMarois said he anticipates a continued good relationship and cooperation with the town to accomplish good things for the residents.

“We’re looking forward to another good year,” he said. “We have a good group of employees.”

For The Record

An article in the Dec. 5 edition of the Town-Crier titled “ITID Board Congratulates New Commissioner” incorrectly indicated that former ITID Supervisor Mike Erickson had been appointed to the Palm Beach County Zoning Commission. He was actually appointed to the Palm Beach County Planning Commission. The Town-Crier regrets any confusion this may have caused.

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December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

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NEWS

Equestrian Committee Asked To Help Develop Golf Cart Rules

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee was tasked last week with developing a set of rules to regulate the increasing use of golf carts in the Equestrian Preserve Area and elsewhere.

At the Thursday, Dec. 18 meeting, Village Manager Paul Schofield said that the increasing number of both golf carts and horses, combined with heavier traffic, is causing a critical problem.

“There is a great deal of misinformation out there,” Schofield said, referring to rumors that Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies were now ticketing golf cart drivers. “The village has not changed its policy on golf carts in the 13 years that I have been here.”

He said the village works within state statutes that govern the use of golf carts.

“On the other hand, while the rules are exactly the same, we’re

not changing our enforcement practices, either,” Schofield said, explaining that several weeks ago he had received a number of e-mails indicating that the PBSO was ticketing golf cart drivers.

“We have not issued golf cart tickets this year.”

He said that several places were targeted for heightened enforcement, primarily around schools, where verbal warnings were given.

“Most of the work we’ve done with golf carts has been in the urban core, principally around the elementary schools,” Schofield said. “We have a view that 7-yearolds should not have to get off the pathways for a golf cart. It should be the other way around. That has pretty much resolved itself.”

Schofield said the fact that deputies have not issued tickets to golf cart drivers does not mean that they will not issue tickets in the event that a driver does something that draws the deputy’s attention,

such as texting while driving, being clearly underage, running a stop sign or getting too close to a horse. He added that noisy, off-road motorcycles and ATVs on the trail systems illegally are scaring horses.

“We have to work toward a solution, and I know the solution isn’t going to happen overnight, but the genesis of the solution really should be in this committee,” he said. “You have a better idea of how things work and what can be done.”

The PBSO does do targeted enforcement, particularly if there is a complaint about a specific issue.

“When young people in golf carts are doing the kinds of things that kids do, you’ll see the PBSO out there in force,” Schofield said.

“There are also places where ATVs and off-road vehicles tend to be that we’ll do enforcement as well, but by and large our practice is to remain the same as they have been.

The laws are unchanged; we’re not doing things vastly differently.”

Schofield said he had attended a recent meeting where people said golf cart drivers were getting tickets. “I asked people in that room who had gotten tickets,” he said. “One person raised his hand, and that was from two years ago.”

However, there has been increasing concern on both sides of the issue on whether to increase enforcement.

“We’re getting some conflicting viewpoints from the equestrian community,” he said. “On the one hand, I have equestrians telling me that golf carts are an essential part of the equestrian lifestyle and that the equestrian community can’t function without them. On the other hand, I have a group of people who are equally concerned that the proliferation of golf carts and off-road vehicles on our trails and roadways is getting to the point where it’s dangerous.”

Schofield agreed that something has to be done, which is probably a combination of regulation and improvements. The village has $2.8 million in the capital budget for multipurpose trail improvements in the Equestrian Preserve Area, and an additional $2.3 million for similar types of improvements in the more urban areas.

“There’s sort of this never-ending debate about where we allow golf carts and where we don’t allow golf carts,” he said. “The statute is very specific. Golf carts are not permitted on public roadways. What is permitted on roadways is a low-speed vehicle that is appropriately registered. That’s probably where we need to move over time.”

Schofield pointed out that one municipality where golf carts are allowed is Key Biscayne, a 1.4-square-mile residential community at the end of an island chain where there is no through

traffic. “We don’t have that luxury anywhere in Wellington,” he said.

Schofield reiterated that he thought the solution is to transition to registered, street-legal golf carts, and that the village is under increased pressure to enforce regulations.

“Over time, those vehicles need to be made street-legal,” Schofield said.

He also pointed out that most of the village’s bridle trails are on private property, which further complicates the issue.

“Tell me what you think it ought to be,” Schofield said. “Where we sit is things are changing. When you go back to pre-2006, the traffic was significantly less than what it is today, the development was significantly less, and there has been an explosion of development of homes and barns. There has been a proliferation of stalls that Wellington has never seen in its past.”

ROYAL PALM SENIORS ENJOY FESTIVE HOLIDAY PARTY AT CULTURAL CENTER

The Royal Palm Beach Senior Activities Group held a holiday party on Friday, Dec. 19 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. DJ Terry Harms played holiday music while the seniors danced and sang along. Daisy Troop 20093 members Isabella Talerico and Abigail Degroot helped Santa distribute gifts to the seniors.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Linda Isaacs, Sydelle Banks, Tony Morrongiello, Marilyn Trimble, Kathleen DeMatteo, Ella Kaldschmidt and Dottie Santo.

Catherine Amico, Jerry Springer, Dori Stowe and Peg Caliendo.

Coordinator Dolly Hughes accepts a gift from Vinette Tracy on behalf of the volunteers.

Royal Palm Beach Senior Activities Group volutneers with Santa.

Joan Corum and Renee Naseck.

Joe Schelorke and Beth Kaplan arrange the gifts.

Santa with Isabella Talerico and Abigail Degroot.

RPB Officials Question Rules For Vetting Council Candidates

By Briana D’Andrea Town-Crier Staff Report As it does every year, the Royal Palm Beach Village Council last week formally authorized the upcoming village election set for Tuesday, March 10.

Seats 2 and 4, held by Vice Mayor David Swift and Councilman Fred Pinto, respectively, are up for election. Both plan to seek re-election, but the vote will only be held if challengers come forward.

However, at the Dec. 18 council meeting, officials discussed the role of the village in vetting potential council candidates.

“Since we had the proclamation and we’re talking about laws, there has been an issue that has been bugging me for a while,” Councilman Richard Valuntas said. “I find it a little bit disturbing that the Village of Royal Palm Beach conducts a criminal background check on every single person that it hires, except for the five of us sitting up here.”

He added that he didn’t understand that hole in the law.

“It doesn’t make sense even

Coates

Will Leave The Council

continued from page 1 tions, especially as they pertain to equestrian issues since Mayor Bob Margolis and Vice Mayor John Greene were elected to the council in 2012.

Coates said he regrets leaving a

more, because if you are convicted of a felony, you can still work for the village, but you can’t sit up here, and the village at this point does nothing to confirm that,” Valuntas said.

He said he would like to find out why background checks aren’t performed and add the discussion as a future agenda item for the council. “To my understanding, we do nothing, and that’s problematic for me,” Valuntas said.

It was not the first time the issue has come up, but Swift urged caution.

“I’ve heard this now and then,” he said. “I understand your concern, but I think you have a legal problem with the elections office.

It’s up to your candidate to do the background check and all that.

We’re kind of breaking new legal ground by doing that, so I’d like to have some sort of legal opinion.

There are some reasons why the state doesn’t do that.”

Pinto supported investigating the idea.

“I support the request; let’s at least get educated on it and why

the rules are the way the rules are,” Pinto said. “Just from a practical standpoint, there’s some logic to it. If someone is elected for office, you want to find out if they have a criminal background.”

In other business: • Pinto gave a report regarding his concerns with the Florida Department of Transportation and the State Road 7 extension project.

“The FDOT has decided to push back the funding schedule for the next segment of the SR 7 extension,” Pinto said.

He requested that the District 4 FDOT representative come to a council meeting to explain why the project is being postponed.

“I’m hearing all kinds of stories.

One story was the funding was shifted to some project in West Palm Beach, because people in West Palm Beach are complaining, and if that’s true, now we’re creating an east-versus-west problem, and I have a concern about that,” Pinto said.

The project is slated to create a connection from 60th Street North to Northlake Blvd. It was expected

to begin in 2016, but now has been pushed back several years.

Village Manager Ray Liggins said he will aim to get an FDOT representative at the next council meeting.

Councilman Jeff Hmara said the change was made due to pending legal action. “I had a conversation with State Rep. Mark Pafford,” Hmara said. “He got the impression with a number of people that the possibility of a lawsuit was more than just a possibility, but imminent, which could constitute a two-year delay in the development of that extension.”

However, Hmara was hopeful that more money could be found to move the project up.

“Rep. Pafford did say he’s committed to finding the money and putting it back as best he could do that through the budget advisory commission they have,” he said.

“Maybe hearing from FDOT would be a good idea.”

Liggins said getting the money back will be a challenge.

“While there’s a lot of optimism that the money will move forward,

there’s a lot of work for us to do to get it to move forward,” he said.

Liggins said construction projects have increased in cost. “With the economy coming back, prices are going up,” he said. “Meanwhile, West Palm Beach has been successful in making it a more expensive mitigation project.”

He said that the mitigation project, coupled with a number of other projects on the radar, forced it to be pushed back.

“It is not in the District 4 budget, and we don’t think it’s in the draft budget. We will try to get the money allocated. The state has a billion dollars to decide what to do with, and I think we can help them,” he said.

Although they are expecting a challenge from West Palm Beach, Liggins said the state has kept its commitment to the project and sees it as a priority.

• The council also unanimously approved a new awning for bus drop off and pickup at the Renaissance Charter School at Palms West.

“The site plan modification

will allow for the inclusion of a bus staging area and a covered walkway and traffic flow plan,” Planning & Zoning Administrator Bradford O’Brien said. “One of the conditions of approval on the previous site plan was that any change to the traffic plan be reviewed.”

The school is at the northwest corner of Southern and Crestwood boulevards. The Planning & Zoning Commission considered the application on Dec. 3 and recommended approval, as did village staff.

“I was very impressed that we were able to contain the traffic circulation,” Swift said. “As far as I can tell, it hasn’t been a concern for our residents. I go by there a lot in the peak hours, and traffic seems to be moving properly.”

He initially had been concerned about traffic flow in the area.

“There won’t be any negative impacts,” O’Brien said. “It actually gets some of the buses that are currently there out of the traffic circulation aisles and over to the side.”

divided council, opening the door for the current council majority to appoint his replacement, but the judgeship fits in with his personal aspirations.

“The only position I would even consider leaving the council for is something that is in my career path, which being a judge is,” he said. “I’m a litigator, and being a judge is part of that process… I felt the timing was right for me

to make an application, but I do have concerns about the village, and I’m hopeful that my leaving the council won’t mean a call for further division. I’ve seen a lot of uniting over the last 18 months, and I’m hopeful that we will see that trend continue.”

Coates said he did not know what the mind-set will be among his fellow, soon-to-be-former, council colleagues. “I won’t have

any involvement or say, but hopefully it will go reasonably well for the village,” he said.

Coates is a 1986 Yale Law School graduate and was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the University of Florida in 1982. He also earned a master’s degree in business administration from Florida Atlantic University in 2001. He has practiced law in Palm Beach County for nearly 30 years and is

a longtime resident of the area.

Coates has served on the council for six years, initially acquiring a seat through an appointment to fill a vacancy. He had previously run unsuccessfully for the council. He also made an unsuccessful run for state representative on the Republican line in 2008.

The judge’s appointment is for one year, whereupon Coates will have to run for re-election, if he is

challenged. He will also have to wrap up his day job as an attorney.

“Being a judge is a full-time position, so you really cease practicing as an attorney and become a judge,” Coates said. “It’s an all-in position.”

However, Coates feels that he is up to the challenge. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “It’s a natural progression of my career and what I do as an attorney.”

THE

TOWN-CRIER Your Community Newspaper Serving The Palms West Communities For 34 Years Published Weekly By Newspaper Publishers, Inc.

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Page 5

NEWS

WELLINGTON BALLET THEATER STAGES HOLIDAY CLASSIC ‘THE NUTCRACKER’

Wellington Ballet Theatre presented the classic story of The Nutcracker, produced by Rocky Duvall, at the Wellington High School theater Dec. 20 and 21. For more information about upcoming productions, call (561) 296-1880 or visit www.wellingtonballettheatre.com.

PHOTOS BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Mikaela Wetter, Gillian Gouveia, Tiffany Moore and Sarah Manuel on stage.

Josie Chase dances as company members watch.

Tiffany Moore (left) and Skye Schneider (right).

Sarah Manuel flies through the air.

Sarah Marsengill with the Nutcracker.

Amanda Campion dances.

Mikaela Wetter, Amanda Campion, Tiffany Moore, Gillian Gouveia, Sarah Manuel and Sarah Marsengill.

RPB CHABAD CENTER CELEBRATES CHANUKAH WITH PARADE & PROGRAM

The Chabad Jewish Center in Royal Palm Beach held a car menorah parade on Wednesday, Dec. 17 to celebrate Chanukah. More than 20 cars paraded along Southern Blvd., State Road 7 and Okeechobee Blvd. with speakers blasting Chanukah music before PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER gathering at the Chabad Jewish Center on Sparrow Drive for music, crafts and free latkes.

Royal Palm Beach Councilman Jeff Hmara, Mayor Matty Mattioli and County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay help Rabbi Zevi Schtroks celebrate the holiday.

Jake Swickle, Jake Goldstein and Abigail Katz paint wooden menorahs.

Lavi Klein distributes Chanukah signs for the cars.

Rabbi Zevi Schtroks welcomes guests.

Page 6

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

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CRIME NEWS

EARLY CHILDHOOD CAMPUS

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SAVE $125 OFF REGISTRATION FEES

A Leading Edge Curriculum National Accreditation Applied Technology Fine Arts Spanish Music

The Mattisyn School - Early Childhood Campus 8289 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL

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Puppy Stolen From Its Home In The Acreage

By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report DEC. 21 — A deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was contacted by a resident of Orange Grove Blvd. in The Acreage last Sunday regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 7 and 11 a.m. last Friday, someone removed the victim’s 7-month-old Dogo Argentino puppy, valued at $2,500, from her property. According to the report, the victim found the dog’s collar where he liked to rest.

••• DEC. 16 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Royal Palm Beach substation was called to Willows Park last Tuesday afternoon regarding a delayed vandalism report. According to a PBSO report, a public works employee noticed that the roll-up window to the concession stand’s storage area had been damaged.

DEC. 16 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Royal Palm Beach substation was called to a home in the Victoria Grove community last Tuesday afternoon regarding a case of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, sometime between Dec. 2 and Dec. 6, someone poured sugar into the gas tank of the victim’s 2001 BMW, causing nearly $1,800 in damage.

DEC. 17 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Royal Palm Beach substation was contacted last Wednesday regarding a stolen wallet. According to a PBSO report, at 1:45 p.m., the victim purchased food at one of the restaurants near the Walmart store on Belvedere Road and believes that his wallet, containing $50 and various bank cards, might have fallen out of his pocket upon entering his vehicle. According to the report, shortly thereafter, he began receiving text messages requesting the verification of purchases at Walmart. The fraudulent purchases were declined.

DEC. 18 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Royal Palm Beach substation was called to a residence in the Huntington Woods community last Thursday regarding a stolen vehicle. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 10 and 10:30 p.m., the victim noticed that his 2001 Ford Ranger truck was missing from where it had been parked. According to the report, the victim left the keys to the vehicle in the center console, but did not give anyone permission to use the vehicle.

DEC. 19 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was called to 84th Place North in The Acreage last Friday regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 8 a.m. last Wednesday and 5 a.m. last Friday, someone

entered the victim’s property and removed a Bobcat Bucket loader and a pair of Bobcat forks, valued at approximately $2,800.

DEC. 20 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was called to a home on 64th Place North in The Acreage last Saturday regarding a residential burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 10 and 11 a.m. last Saturday, someone entered the vacant residence and removed $1,000 worth of copper wire from the junction box located in the garage and the air conditioner. According to the report, a witness noticed two men attempting to remove the air conditioner and called the PBSO. DEC. 21 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Wellington substation was called to a home in Wiltshire Village on Sunday evening regarding a residential burglary.

According to a PBSO report, the victim arrived home to discover that the home had been burglarized, a 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 SUV was missing and the family dogs were locked in the bathroom. According to the report, the vehicle was later found down the street. Missing items included a Sony Playstation 3 and two guns, together valued at $1,850.

DEC. 22 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was contacted Monday by a resident of 42nd Road North in The Acreage regarding a theft.

According to a PBSO report, the victim discovered that his license plate decal was missing when using his vehicle and trailer on Sunday. It was the first time he had used the trailer in approximately two months.

DEC. 22 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Wellington substation was called to the Abercrombie & Fitch store in the Mall at Wellington Green on Monday afternoon regarding a case of shoplifting.

According to a PBSO report, two juveniles were arrested for stealing two bottles of cologne, valued at $108. The cologne was recovered.

DEC. 22 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Wellington substation was contacted by a resident of Sugar Pond Manor on Monday evening regarding a case of fraud.

According to a PBSO report, the victim received a call from someone claiming to be from the Department of Immigration, saying that there was a warrant for her arrest and she needed to send $500 to an address in Peru, otherwise she would be arrested and deported. According to the report, the victim was concerned and contacted law enforcement.

From there, detectives called the number provided to the victim and advised her not to send any funds.

NEWS BRIEFS

CAFCI To Host New Year’s Eve Gala

Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) will host its 25th Anniversary New Year’s Eve Gala at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center on Wednesday, Dec. 31 starting at 8 p.m. and continuing until 2 a.m.

The gala will be the last event in CAFCI’s 25th Anniversary “Year to Remember.” The semi-formal party will feature cuisine by Chef G and entertainment by the

Ernitones and DJ Valho. There will also be door prizes and a 50/50 raffle.

Tickets are $45 per person and include a buffet dinner and midnight champagne toast. For tickets, call Dennis Wright at (561) 653-1586, Ernie Garvey at (561) 676-5664, Lawrence Logan at (561) 791-0162, Junnette Powell at (561) 346-2353 or the CAFCI office at (561) 790-4002.

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives: • Eric Davis, alias Derrick Littles, is a black male, 5’11” tall and weighing 140 lbs., with black hair, brown eyes and tattoos on both arms. His date of birth is 07/21/70. Davis is wanted on felony charges for unlawful sexual activity with a minor and traffic charges for failing to appear in court for driving with a suspended, canceled or revoked license. His last known addresses were 19th Street in West Palm Beach and White Pine Drive in Wellington. He is wanted as of 12/18/14.

• Christopher Deleon is a white male, 5’8” tall and weighing 170 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 01/04/74. Deleon is wanted on felony battery charges. His last known address was Pier Drive in Greenacres.

His occupation is an electrician. He is wanted as of 12/18/14.

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.

Eric Davis

Christopher Deleon

THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY. CRIMESTOPPERS IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT SHOWN HERE.

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December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Page 7

NEWS

ACA Health Advisors Helps Get People The Insurance They Need

By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report Prominent in the Mall at Wellington Green is an insurance kiosk with signs for “Obamacare” and the Affordable Care Act. The kiosk — ACA Health Advisors — is just outside the mall’s Grand Court near the Patio Verde Food Court.

The Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, is set up with a subsidy system, Jack Polsky explained, but many people are not aware of the availability of the subsidies.

“What we decided to do, among other enrollment centers throughout the country, is to make certain communities aware of the subsidies that may be available to them,” he said.

The mall, an epicenter for shoppers coming from Wellington, The Acreage, Loxahatchee Groves, Royal Palm Beach, Greenacres, West Palm Beach and other communities, offers a variety of shopping experiences through its many different stores.

“This is a very diverse mall.

That’s one of the reasons we chose it,” Polsky explained. “What we’ve been able to do is to create a little bit of a sense of urgency to come and check if you are entitled to any sort of subsidy that the government may help you pay toward your insurance.”

So far, since open enrollment began Nov. 15, ACA Health Advisors has signed up close to 400 people and hopes to see the numbers increase. “Probably 20 to 25 percent of them have gotten free coverage,” he said, noting that many enrollees are getting insurance coverage for $20 to $30 a month because they’re getting $400 in monthly subsidies.

This service, Polsky said, is one that ACA Health Advisors provides at no cost to the consumer.

“There is no charge or fees.

We get paid from the insurance companies directly,” he said. “Essentially, it’s a free enrollment, no-fee service.”

The motivation behind the company, he said, is helping people get the coverage they need.

“We act in an advisory capacity

as health advisers to clarify the air, so to speak, about what this is all about. A lot of people have preexisting conditions, which are no longer excluded under the act. You can have pre-existing conditions and be covered,” he explained.

AHA Health Advisors offers a helping hand toward navigating the health insurance marketplace and the many different plan options and insurance companies offering plans in Florida.

“People need coverage,” Polsky said. “A lot of them are confused, so we’re really trying to clear the air and cater to those demographics that are not being catered to.”

Through ACA Health Advisors, people can get answers to basic questions that might have been lost in the politicization of the recent healthcare changes.

“What we really bring to the table is our expertise and knowledge in the plans and going over the plans,” Polsky said. “What does it cover? What doesn’t it cover?

Copays, maximum out of pockets, who is covered, who is not. It’s a combination of educating, creating

urgency and enrolling them.”

The questions Polsky is asked run the gamut from whether current doctors are covered, if individuals are qualified, how to qualify and how to get free coverage, to what exactly is covered under the act.

“I think the satisfaction of seeing customers and people who are enrolling walk away happy and referring a friend is what it’s all about,” he said. “Now they can see a doctor, and that’s what’s most gratifying about what we do here.”

Open enrollment lasts until Feb. 15. Coverage for all 2014 marketplace plans ends Dec. 31, and 2015 coverage begins Jan. 1, 2015.

ACA Health Advisors is multilingual, with employees who speak Spanish and French Creole.

For more information about ACA Health Advisors, call (877) 803-8823 or (561) 809-7887, visit info.acaexpress.com, www. facebook.com/affordablecareactt or e-mail info@acahealthadvisors. com. ACA Health Advisors also will be at the South Florida Fair next month.

Jack Polsky with enrollment assistant Rachel Garcia.

PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

PETITE ACADEMY BRINGS ‘NUTCRACKER’ TO LIFE AT RPB CULTURAL CENTER

The Petite Academy of Dance, in affiliation with Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation, presented its annual performance of The Nutcracker on Thursday, Dec. 18 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. The enchanted holiday story was brought to life by young Petite Academy dancers. The show featured dancers as young as age 2, up through age 12, with some adults rounding out the cast.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER For more on the Petite Academy of Dance, e-mail Charlene Shaw at TinyToesDance@aol.com.

The Petite Academy’s Charlene Shaw with Maia Derrevere and Sara Connor.

Sara Connor (Clara) and Alex Shaw (Prince).

Sara Connor (Clara) drifts off to sleep.

K-Park

Six Bidders Offer Plans

continued from page 1 the Bainbridge Companies, said Bainbridge and Brefrank have had an enormous impact on the Village of Wellington.

“Most of the high-quality rental apartments and most of the highquality retail have been developed by ourselves or Brefrank. I’m a longtime resident of the village, and Brefrank has owned land here for about 60 years, so we have a tremendous connection to the area,” Schechter said. “This project, I think, is extremely important to us, so we want it to be an exceptional project in every way.”

Reinvent America was represented by Donaldson Hearing, who said part of their team is Scott Architecture, which has been responsible for projects including Pineapple Grove in Delray Beach,

the Delray Marketplace and numerous other mixed-use projects.

Hearing said his team is focused on aspects of sustainable economic growth, innovation and high-technology jobs. “It’s a strategic platform for creating an environment that’s conducive to business, conducive to connecting, communicating and to collaborating together as professionals in one environment,” he said.

Bob Bentz of Land Design South, representing Lennar, said their proposal was from one company only, as opposed to others.

“We think that’s a unique feature only Lennar has,” Bentz said. “For example, if you want more commercial or more single-family or more apartments or whatever, or none of those particular elements, you have that flexibility. You don’t have any internal struggles within the company itself.”

The council, which heard the presentations but did not debate their merits at the closed-door

The tug of war over Clara’s nutcracker.

Mechanical soldier doll Maia Derrevere. meeting, did hear a staff analysis of the different projects.

Staff found that the positive points of the Bainbridge proposal were that it had central lakes, connectivity, good residential amenities, water used as a buffer to the west and nice architecture.

Minuses were that the building types lacked diversity, too much surface parking, that “curb appeal” from Stribling Way needs work, that there is limited open space and limited complementary mix with no entertainment, limited office, retail and restaurants, with more focus on residential. Bainbridge’s mix was 13 percent commercial, 49 percent residential and 38 percent open space/lakes.

Divosta’s positive points were central lakes and a hotel as the main feature on the SR 7 frontage.

Minuses included minimum buffers, no integration of uses, typical residential development, limited detail of commercial layout, limited open space, parking garages

not integrated into commercial buildings, limited mix and unit diversity, dead-end residential streets and assisted living vs. senior housing. Divosta’s mix was 23 percent commercial, 45 percent residential and 32 percent open space/lakes.

Lennar’s pluses included connectivity, an open space layout, commercial layout with a boulevard, pedestrian circulation, perimeter buffers and entertainment uses. Minuses included limited integration of uses and a lack of a senior lifestyle. Lennar’s mix was 26 percent commercial, 39 percent residential and 36 percent open space/lakes.

Reinvent America’s pluses included an amphitheater, although in a poor location, employment uses with a mix of service and higher wage opportunities, maximum use of property, separation of uses and entertainment. Minuses included limited open space, a poor senior living layout with a lack of connection to SR 7, more

Candy cane dancers Madison Shelby, Annabelle Felice, Skye Swirner and Ana Estrada.

Sara Connor and Maia Derrevere on stage.

Sugar plum fairy Charlotte Campagnuolo.

design detail needed for elements, the need for a better lake design and that residential space was too linear. Reinvent America’s mix was 42 percent commercial, 34 percent residential and 24 percent open space/lakes.

Stiles’ pluses included a proposed congregate living facility’s proximity to commercial, commercial layout and hotel arrangement, entertainment and lake design used as an amenity.

Minuses included no residential connectivity, a single-family subdivision dominating the plan and congregate living vs. senior housing. Stiles’ mix was 20 percent commercial, 64 percent residential and 17 percent open space/lakes.

Wellington Gardens’ pluses included entertainment uses, a campus layout, a “green” corridor, a senior living layout, good incorporation of water, good diversity of uses, a balance of intensity/density, higher adaptivity, and a passive park and open space. Minuses

included exposed parking garages, residential roadway connections, awkward SR 7 connections and the lack of connections of commercial to senior lifestyles. Wellington Gardens’ proposed mix of uses was 41 percent commercial, 32 percent residential and 27 percent open space/lakes.

The council also received a financial overview on each project, estimating its impacts on tax revenue, impact fees and more.

The price offered for the land ranged from $16 million by Lennar to $25 million by Bainbridge.

All the other bids were $20 million or slightly above. All proposals included between 100 and 200 hotel rooms.

The council plans to discuss the selection in a public meeting early in 2015.

Videos and information about the bidding is on the village’s web site at www.wellingtonfl. gov/departments/purchasing/solicitations.

Page 8

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Holiday Parade Winning Entries

The winners of the 31st annual Wellington Holiday Parade have been determined. Evaluating 113 parade entries were judges Sal DelGreco of the Schumacher Family of Dealerships, retired news anchor Jim Sackett and Karen Cavanagh with Allstate Insurance.

The parade took place on Sunday, Dec. 14. This year’s theme, Peace on Earth, was on display as parade participants walked the 1.3 miles of the route. The parade winners are: Best decorated vehicle: Waste Management and Temple Beth Torah.

Best adult float: Knights of Columbus and the American German Club of the Palm Beaches.

Best high school marching band: Palm Beach Central High School and Seminole Ridge High School.

Best performing group: The Wellington Elementary School Twirlers and the Wellington Landings Middle School Twirlers.

Best juvenile float: Eagle Arts Academy PTA and Golden Grove Elementary School.

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NEWS BRIEFS Best marching group: New Horizons Elementary School and Solid Gold Twirling.

Best four-legged entry: Justin Bartlett Animal Rescue and the Mule Team.

The parade was organized by the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce and the Village of Wellington. The presenting sponsors were the Schumacher Family of Dealerships and the Wellington Preservation Coalition. Holiday Park at the Wellington Amphitheater was sponsored

by Waste Management.

Flags For The Cure Aims To Set Donation Record

Since its beginning eight years ago, the Flags for the Cure flag football tournament at Acreage Community Park has hosted more than 4,000 participants and raised over $138,000 for cancer research through the American Cancer Society.

This year’s Flags for the Cure event boasts more than 50 registered teams with an estimated donation of $30,000 that will go

directly toward finding a cure for cancer. The tournament will be held Dec. 29 and 30, then continue on Jan. 2, 3, and 4. The community-fueled event will showcase flag football teams made up of players as young as 10 years old and ranging to athletes over 30.

Since its first year in 2008, the tournament has grown exponentially and it is estimated that it will double its average annual income this time around.

For more info., visit www. flagsforthecure.com.

PCAHU To Meet Jan. 7

The Palm Coast Association of Health Underwriters will meet Wednesday, Jan. 7 at the Embassy Suites Hotel at 1601 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach. There will be networking from 11:30 a.m. to noon, followed by a luncheon featuring Doug Dencker of Invisus and Erisa Trey Tomkins of Admin America. Continuing education about employer reporting requirements will take place from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. RSVP by Tuesday, Jan. 6. For more information, e-mail pcahu@pcahu.org.

Christmas Tree Disposal Right At Your Curb

The holiday decorations will soon be coming down, and it will be time to dispose of real Christmas trees. The Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County reminds its customers with curbside service in unincorporated parts of the county about the proper disposal of Christmas trees.

Like with any other yard waste, just place your real Christmas tree curbside on your regular yard waste collection day. As a general rule, Christmas trees up to eight feet long and weighing no more than 50 pounds can be placed at the curb whole. Trees larger than eight feet long should be cut in half. Remember to remove all decorations before placing your Christmas tree at the curb.

Collected Christmas trees are treated like any other vegetative waste.

Residents who live in multifamily communities with dumpster services should contact their property management company directly for disposal procedures.

Residents who live in municipalities should contact their municipality directly for Christmas tree collection procedures. More about SWA services is available by calling (561) 697-2700.

Kick Off 2015 With A Fun & Leisure Class

Is taking a class on your list of resolutions for 2015? Registration begins Jan. 5 for Fun & Leisure classes for adults at more than 26 community schools throughout Palm Beach County.

Check out the Palm Beach Community Educator Winter 2015 catalog online for course offerings in everything from arts and crafts and music to starting a business and motorcycle maintenance.

Classes begin Jan. 20, and fees vary by class.

Online registration is available for Fun & Leisure classes at 19 schools for the winter 2015 courses, and will be available for all schools by summer 2015. Online registration is not available at this time for general equivalency diploma (GED) or English for

Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.

For info., visit www.pbclearn. org or call (561) 649-6010.

‘If I Were Mayor’ Essay Contest

The Village of Wellington encourages public school seventh graders to participate in the “If I Were Elected Mayor…” essay contest. The statewide contest is sponsored by the Florida League of Mayors and the Florida League of Cities. The essay contest provides students the opportunity to reflect on the role of the key elected official in their own city.

All seventh-grade students in public schools are encouraged to participate. Entries must be postmarked by Jan. 16. Essays will be judged by a committee comprised of members from of the Florida League of Mayors Board of Directors. Three statewide winners will be selected. Winners will receive a joint resolution from the Florida League of Mayors and the Florida League of Cities to be presented by their mayor at a public meeting.

For more information, visit www.floridaleagueofcities.com.

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December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Page 9

NEWS

DOZENS TAKE PART IN WELLINGTON CHILDREN’S HOLIDAY FISHING CLASSIC

The 24th annual Children’s Holiday Fishing Classic took place Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Wellington Community Center docks, as dozens of young anglers reeled in the fish. The event was presented by Wellington Parks & Recreation, in conjunction with Bass Pro Shops and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

PHOTOS BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Robert Spanier, Phil Stone, Marcin Trawinski, tournament director Christina Weber, Ryan Church and Stephen Spradling.

Jackson Antheil placed first in the 6-and-under division.

Wyatt Maley placed first in the 7-8 division.

Participants gather at the end of the event.

Nolan Sanchez placed first in the 10-12 division.

Lucas Roldan placed first in the 13-15 division.

Christina Weber raffles off door prizes.

Katie Antheil, Caroline Hart, Oliver Mikula and Anthony Fiduccia complete crafts.

WELLINGTON OFFICIALS VISIT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL WITH TOYS FOR HOLIDAY

Wellington officials met with representatives from Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and the Mall at Wellington Green on Friday, Dec. 19 to hand out toys at the Children’s Hospital at Palms West. The gifts were part of a village-wide PHOTOS BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER toy drive that were collected this month at various locations in the Wellington area.

R.J. Afanador, Deputy Scott Poritz, Wellington Councilwoman Anne Gerwig, Capt. John Garrow, Deputy Jason Horowitz, Candi Price, Chief Ken Sehres, Es Medrano Meyer, Jorge Garcia, Pastor Jay Carrero, Pediatric Director Cathryn Hinton and Gregg Harr.

Santa and Ken Sehres bring gifts to Travis Wise.

Mason Brown gets a gift from Jorge Garcia.

Page 10

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

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Page 11

NEWS

THE KIDS CANCER FOUNDATION HOSTS ITS ANNUAL BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

The Kids Cancer Foundation’s annual Breakfast with Santa was held Saturday, Dec. 20 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Santa arrived on a fire truck with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue firefighters and Uncaged Ryderz motorcycle members as escorts. All the PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER kids received stuffed animals, a joy jar and other toys.

Courtney Wolfe hangs with the firefighters.

Adam Zeller, Iseult Broglio and Brad Starace give out joy jars.

Ainsley, Sandy, Jaime and Jacob Erb with Santa.

Katie and Mackenzie Collins decorate gingerbread cookies with Miss Florida Ciera Techmann.

Teri Barbera, Angela Lacy, Kelly Weiner, Tammy Finn, Allie Skinner and Kathleen Alvarez.

Amanda, Piper and Kinleigh Apfel with Santa.

Santa arrives on a fire truck.

Frank Trischetta, Kyla McCauley, Michelle O’Boyle and Suzanne McCauley.

WELLINGTON JEWISH CENTER HOSTS A FROZEN-THEMED CHANUKAH PARTY

Wellington Jewish Center hosted its Frozen Chanukah Party on Sunday Dec. 21 at the Wellington Amphitheater. The event included activities for children, Israeli singers, a live ice carving demonstration and a menorah lighting. For more info., visit www.wellington PHOTOS BY ANDREA UNGER/TOWN-CRIER jewishcenter.org.

Eliana, Brielle and Leora Zimmerman with Jordan and Justin Deptola.

Agustin Barcenas with Elsa and Olaf.

Liad Cohen enjoys his snow cone.

Louis Maldonado from Ice Occasions carves a menorah.

Rabbi Mendy Muskal lights the Frozen ice menorah.

Page 12

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

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PALMS WEST PEOPLE

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Page 13

‘American Equestrians Got Talent’ Holding Auditions At The Grille

FAWL PROVIDES PACE CENTER HOLIDAY LUNCH

(Above) Michael Barisone puts his dancing skills to the test at the 2014 Prancing with the Stars fundraising event in Wellington.

(Right) Todd Flettrich performs at Prancing with the Stars.

The Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Association For Women Lawyers (FAWL) hosted a holiday luncheon on Tuesday, Dec. 16 for the students and staff of the PACE Center for Girls.

FAWL provided the school with lunch served by members, and each PACE student received a $20 Target gift card. Pictured here are Judicial Reception Co-Chair Stephanie Cagnet, Community Service Co-Chair Nelson Baez, PBC FAWL President Nicole Hessen of Wellington, Lana Shrode, PBC FAWL President-Elect Lindsay Demmery, PACE Co-Chairs Esther LaBovick and C. Annalies Mouring and Chapter Administrator Hallie Agostinelli of Wellington.

American Equestrians Got Talent will make its debut in 2015 and promises to be a hit, drawing together equestrians from across the disciplines to showcase their non-horsey talents and compete for a grand prize.

Spearheaded by U.S. Dressage Team Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover, American Equestrians Got Talent will serve as the third annual East Coast fundraiser to benefit USEF high performance dressage programs through the USET Foundation. After putting on successful events in 2013 and 2014, Dover is planning to take it to the next level in 2015. “This fundraiser is well underway to becoming our best event yet,” Dover said.

The Grille Fashion Cuisine in Wellington will host auditions every Wednesday from Jan. 7 through March 4 from 7:30 to 10 p.m. The auditions are open to the entire equestrian community, including riders, grooms and others involved in any discipline from dressage and hunter/jumpers to polo and Western. Come out to audition or simply to watch and cheer for the contestants.

PSdressage.com is sponsor-

PHOTOS BY MEG MCGUIRE

ing weekly prizes of $500 to be awarded to the top performer at each of the nine auditions. A pair of celebrity judges will be on hand each evening to critique the performances, and the audience’s applause will determine who moves forward to the final and who goes back to the barn.

Villari’s Holiday Party Gives To Harmony House

On Saturday, Dec. 13, Master Ken Smith of Villari’s Martial Art Center in Royal Palm Beach held the school’s annual holiday party for the students and community with a special guest appearance

by Santa, who arrived on a fire engine with lights flashing and sirens sounding. Everyone enjoyed a wonderful time, as Santa had brought early Christmas gifts for all in attendance.

Another special guest was Mary Cauthen, the director of domestic violence services at Harmony House. This is the fifth year of the collaboration between Harmony House and Villari’s RPB. “The children and coaches began the toy and needed materials drive right before Thanksgiving,” Smith said. “There is a real sense of sharing with the community, and the children learn a lot about giving and sharing.”

On Wednesday before the party, the coaches and students held a

wrapping party to get all the gift baskets ready to go for Harmony House. Many parents also helped.

Harmony House, a branch of the YWCA, is a shelter and a safe haven for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. Harmony House almost exclusively relies on support from the surrounding community for donations, including everyday supplies.

Master Ken Smith, Mary Cauthen, Santa and Sensei Carolyn Penn.

The most popular contestants from the auditions will square off in the final competition, to be held March 15 at the Global Dressage Festival show grounds. The winner will walk away with the title of America’s Most Talented Equestrian and the grand prize, valued at no less than $5,000.

Along with the East Coast event, a West Coast fundraiser will be held in California. The proceeds from both fundraisers will go to the USET Foundation to support USEF’s High Performance Dressage programs. If an equestrian

from one of the other FEI disciplines wins the grand prize at the East Coast event, 10 percent of the proceeds from the final event will be directed to that discipline’s High Performance program.

Sponsors, led by Kim and Fred Boyer, Equestrian Sport Productions, Tuny and David Page, and PSdressage.com, are already coming forward to support the event.

Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor should contact Sara Ike at (908) 234-1251 or sara.ike@uset. org, or Robert Dover at rdover2@ aol.com.

Merker Named Temple Beth Tikvah President

Temple Beth Tikvah recently announced the election of Michael Merker as its new president.

Merker and his wife Robin have been active in the conservative synagogue for almost 30 years.

He brings a youthful vision for continued growth and outreach to all. He will govern for the next two years.

“I’m excited to work to help make TBT a force in the Palm Beach County Jewish community, as well as the entire community of Palm Beach County,” Merker said.

“TBT has great clergy, people and programs, and I invite everyone to visit us and find out why we’re the best temple in the county.”

Temple Beth Tikvah is located

FIRE-RESCUE HONORS PW HOSPITAL STAFFER

Palms West Hospital’s Manager of Engineering Bill Casperson, who has been with the hospital for 16 years, was honored recently

by Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. Casperson was presented with a plaque for his endless hours with the PBCFR crews over several months conducting informative walk-through tours of the hospital.

This was done as a training exercise to help increase productivity in emergency situations.

Anthony Vega Graduates Air Force Basic Training

Michael Merker at 4550 Jog Road in Greenacres.

Call (561) 967-3600 for more information.

Air Force Airman Anthony J. Vega recently graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas.

Vega completed an eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air

Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

Vega is the son of Marco A. Vega of Royal Palm Beach, and Jennifer M. Vega of Greenacres.

He is a 2013 graduate of Royal Palm Beach High School.

Page 14

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

KINDNESS IN ACTION AT NEW HORIZONS

New Horizons Elementary School students have been practicing kindness by collecting items for needy families. Through “Toys for Needy Families,” sponsored by the student council, and the “Kindness Tree,” sponsored by the guidance department and the PTA, children from Wellington and Belle Glade received gifts including jackets, school supplies, books and toys. Pictured here with donated items are fifth-grade students with Student Council President Hunter Gore.

SCHOOL NEWS

Polo Park’s NJHS Students Donate Toys

This holiday season, the National Junior Honor Society at Polo Park Middle School donated nearly 100 toys and clothing items to the Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS), the largest private nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children statewide.

The toys, clothing, accessories and baby items were all donated by the NJHS members themselves and delivered to CHS in mid-December.

“It didn’t look like we were going to be able to do our toy drive this year because of scheduling during the few weeks between Thanksgiving break and winter break,” said Craig Kaliser, co-sponsor of the Polo Park NJHS. “But our honors students are unbelievable. They were dedicated to this project and made sure it happened. I can’t tell you how proud Kathleen [Lodes, the other co-sponsor] and I are of our kids.”

Prior to bringing the presents to

CHS, the NJHS students held their own “wrapping party” where the entire group got together, wrapped all the presents and shared in the joy of doing something kind and

generous for those less fortunate, especially children.

The Children’s Home Society of Florida has been protecting at-risk children from more than 100 years.

WESTERN ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL DONATES TOYS TO PBSO

RPBHS DANCERS ADOPT A FAMILY FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Polo Park NJHS students with donated toys.

DSOA Students Qualify For Youngarts Week

Principal Linda Terranova got everyone at the Western Academy Charter School involved this year for the school’s annual toy drive.

Students participated in a “penny war” raising money for gifts while the faculty participated in a “jean”-erosity fundraising event where they paid $10 for the opportunity to wear jeans to work for the entire month of December. The school was able to donate more than $1,500 in toys and gift cards to those less fortunate.

RPBHS Teacher Wins Grant For Third Time

The dancers from Royal Palm Beach High School’s dance department, along with their master teacher and director Michele Blecher, collected gifts for their adoptive holiday family. The dancers have been in partnership with the program for the past several years. The dancers brought in gifts for their adoptive family, not for points or grades, but as a way of sharing their hearts and kindness. Shown above are Royal Palm Beach High School dancers with gifts for their adoptive holiday family.

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Royal Palm Beach High School teacher Monique Paramore is the winner of a $700 Target field trip grant for the third time.

Paramore’s exceptional education students will be going on a field trip to either the Palm Beach Zoo in West Palm Beach or the Morikami Museum in Delray Beach.

The purpose is to promote community-based education and social interaction.

“We are very excited about this grant,” Paramore said. “These funds allow us to participate in concrete educational activities that are necessary for our students’ academic and social progress.”

The 34th annual National YoungArts Week will be held Jan. 4 to 11 in Miami, and nine students from Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts have earned the opportunity to work with distinguished master teachers and mentors during the week-long event.

Each year, the National YoungArts Foundation receives approximately 11,000 applications to participate in its programs, and approximately 700 students are chosen for programs in Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Winners are selected in categories representing different art forms, including literary, visual and design arts.

The Dreyfoos students who will participate in National YoungArts Week are: Jessica Baldinger, design arts; Catrina Crawford, visual arts; Yuhua Golnick, photography; Eddieomar Gonzalez, dance/modern; Seanna Harris, design arts; Daniela O’Neil, dance/ ballet; Melissa Posner, visual arts;

Zachary Rapaport, visual arts; and Dreyfoos alum Talia Suskauer, theater/musical.

A total of 21 current Dreyfoos students and two former students qualified as 2015 YoungArts winners. In addition to the nine finalists, Dreyfoos had two students in the honorable mention and 12 students in the merit category. All of the Dreyfoos students who earned finalist, honorable mention and merit designations will be eligible to participate in the YoungArts Miami Week in March.

“It’s an honor to have so many students qualify to participate in both of these prestigious events,” Dreyfoos Principal Dr. Susan Atherley said. “This is an amazing opportunity for our students to learn from masters who will help them to grow as artists.”

The foundation was founded in 1981 by Lin and Ted Arison to nurture the next generation of artists and support the artist development of young artists.

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SCHOOL NEWS

WHS Band Celebrates Great First Semester

The Wellington High School band and its members had an outstanding first semester this year, with many group and individual achievements to recognize.

The Mighty Wolverine Sound Marching Band earned the school’s 21st overall Superior rating at the Florida Bandmasters Association District Marching Assessment, held at Palm Beach Central High School on Oct. 25.

The band earned superiors in every judged category, with 17 As and only one B from the adjudicators.

The WHS Wind Ensemble also continued its new tradition of the “Salute to Veterans” Concert on Nov. 11, and all of the bands presented their annual joint winter concert with the WHS choruses on Dec. 11 in the Wellington Landings Middle School gym.

The WHS Majorettes were the winners of Best Performing Group in the Lake Worth Holiday Parade on Dec. 13.

The WHS Band Program had five students selected for the TriState Honor Bands, which performed at Florida State University on Dec. 7, and featured the top 400 band students from Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Congratulations to seniors Zachary Landress,

Michael Leatherman and Paolo Dumancas, and juniors Michael Cesta and Christian Jansen, on earning this honor. Landress was also selected by competitive audition for the Florida All-State 11-12 Band as the top bass trombonist in the entire state, and performed with this prestigious ensemble in Tampa.

Wellington High School had six students selected by audition for the Palm Beach County All-District Jazz Band this year.

Senior Paolo Dumancas and juniors Michael Cesta, Wei Chen, Eric Jansen, Steven Lemons and Evan Sponder performed with the best jazz students in Palm Beach County in a concert hosted by the Wellington High School band and Wolverine Band Boosters on Nov. 6.

Finally, six band members were selected by audition for the Palm Beach County All-District Concert Band. Congratulations to seniors Paolo Dumancas, Zachary Landress and Victor Lucena, and juniors Michael Cesta, Eric Jansen and Evan Sponder (also known as “The Thrumpets.”) These young men will perform with the best band students in the county on Jan. 23 in the All-District Bands

of students earning a diploma from a district-operated high school rose by 2.7 percentage points in 2014, with 84.3 percent of students graduating.

“We are pleased that the hard work by our teachers, principals, staff, students and their families is reflected in our results,” Superintendent E. Wayne Gent said.

“While we recognize we have more work to do, we are making progress and moving in the right direction as a system. We are committed to ensuring that every student who walks through our school gates also walks across the

graduation stage prepared for life, career and college.”

The district also boosted its graduation rates among Hispanic and black students in 2014. The number of Hispanic graduates in 2014 increased by 1.7 percentage points to 76.7 percent, while the number of black graduates in 2014 grew by 1 percentage point to 64.8 percent.

Under Gent’s leadership, the graduation rate for district-operated schools has grown by almost 4 percentage points, from the 2011-12 school year to the 201314 school year.

While graduation rates improved overall, Palm Beach County’s charter school graduation rate dropped 1.1 percentage points in 2014.

Florida’s high school graduation rates are based on the federal graduation rate, which includes standard diplomas but excludes special diplomas and general education diplomas (GEDs).

The Florida Department of Education’s web site has more information about graduation rates, including graduation rates for individual schools and for other school districts in the state.

Students Take Top Honors In Chess Championship

Four students from the School District of Palm Beach County placed in the top 10 in the nation, while teams from Elbridge Gale Elementary School finished in third and eighth place in the nation at the National K-12 Chess Championship held in Orlando from Dec. 12-14.

Approximately 1,500 students

competed in the National K-12 Chess Championship. The winners included: • Maya Behura, who is in the second grade at Citrus Cove Elementary School in Boynton Beach, tied for second place in the second-grade category at the chess championship. She also was the highest finishing girl in the nation

Page 15

RENAISSANCE PALMS WEST CAREER DAY

The Wellington High School band.

Concert in the WHS theater at rate sponsorship program. Spon7:30 p.m. The public is invited, sorship rewards are available for donations as small as $50. For and admission is $10.

To help support the WHS band more info., as well as more about program, the Wolverine Band the band program, visit www.

Boosters Association has a corpo- whsband.com.

County’s Grad Rate Outperforms Other Districts

The School District of Palm Beach County has the highest graduation rate of all large urban school districts in Florida, and was the only large district to raise its graduation rate in 2014, according to figures recently released by the Florida Department of Education.

The county continued to outperform the state for the fifth consecutive year, with 77.9 percent of all students in the county’s district-operated and charter schools earning diplomas in 2014, an improvement of 3.6 percentage points since the 2010-11 school year.

Excluding charters, the number

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

among all school grades.

• Marvin Gao, in the first grade at Waters Edge Elementary School in Boca Raton, earned second place in the first-grade category.

• Anthony Leyva, a senior at Suncoast High School in Riviera Beach, tied for fifth in the 12thgrade category.

• Raghav Venkat, in the fourth

grade at Elbridge Gale Elementary School in Wellington, tied for seventh place in the fourth-grade category.

Two teams from Elbridge Gale Elementary also had top-10 finishes. The school’s fourth-grade team finished in third place, and its third-grade team finished in eighth place.

Renaissance Charter at Palms West held its Career Day for third graders on Dec. 12. Several parents shared information about their careers, including well-known polo player Kris Kampsen.

There was also a visit from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. The students got an inside look at the trucks and heard about the work firefighters do. Shown above, students visit the PBCFR vehicles.

Shown below, students with polo player Kris Kampsen.

Page 16

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

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FEATURES

I Love Christmas, But St. Stephen’s Day Always Troubled Me

When I was growing up, there were many traditions my parents passed on to us children — things they hoped would stick with us. There were the traditions for all the major holidays (like Christmas) and all the minor holidays (like our birthdays).

Raucous celebration of these holidays taught us that it’s better to give than to receive and instilled in us a lasting joy.

Except for St. Stephen’s Day. “Celebrated” ninja-style by my Polish mother (while dad hid in the next room, already a recovering victim), St. Stephen’s Day remains my least favorite holiday. With the murky excuse (provided after the fact)

Deborah Welky is

The Sonic BOOMER that “St. Stephen was stoned to death,” she would wake us from our sugarplum slumbers every Dec. 26 by yelling, “Yassa, St. Stephen!” and pelting us as hard as she could with handfuls of nuts — not

shelled pistachios or gentle filberts, but hard-shelled walnuts, pecans and Brazil nuts sent hurtling through space in shells so tough they could take out an eyeball.

We’d wake up screaming and crying, grabbing sheets around us as we ran for cover, diving under the beds or locking ourselves in the closets. Was this the same mother who had been so nice to us just yesterday? The woman who had gifted each of us with a pair of hand-knit woolen socks and plied us with homemade Christmas cookies all day long?

As teens, we became convinced that she flipped out due to an overindulgence in

eggnog and hot cross buns the day before.

There was no other plausible explanation save for food allergies.

Unsuspecting overnight guests — or, heaven forbid, a new boyfriend who had been allowed to sleep over on the couch — were far from exempt. At the crack of dawn, and still in her bathrobe, she’d silently hurl an avalanche of chestnuts at this sleeping target from across the room, wait until they awoke shouting in terror, then flee — usually with a self-satisfied cackle. It was left up to me (the now “former” girlfriend) to try to explain.

“She says it’s a Polish custom.”

“Like needing three people to screw in a light bulb?”

“Sort of.”

“Yeah. Well, goodbye.”

The ironic part is that, no matter how badly we’d been maimed (by the nuts themselves or by tripping on an errant extension cord while frantically trying to escape), we never seemed to remember this blasted holiday the next year — which made us easy prey.

Every Dec. 25, we’d take to our beds in our warm woolen socks, tummies full of the best cookies on the planet and fall See WELKY, page 18

Final ‘Hobbit’ Film Enjoyable, But Not Quite ‘Lord Of The Rings’

Sequels are always tricky things, and when you have a sequel that is also a prequel, things get very complicated, as the writers know how things will end and have to create a story that ties up all the loose ends. This is the case with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

Director Peter Jackson has already created one of the great fantasy series in movie history, The Lord of the Rings, but has fallen somewhat short of that high mark in the second trilogy. The battle of good vs. evil is still present, but not nearly as vivid.

Of course, the first trilogy was based on three large volumes, and the second group is based on one smallish book.

The movie begins as a continuation of the previous film. Smaug the dragon, who has hoarded an enormous treasury of gold and jewels, has left his great castle and attacked Laketown, burning it to the ground. However, he is killed by Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans). The humans who lived there come to the castle needing

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler a place of refuge but are turned away despite having provided assistance to the dwarves. The central figure in all of this, Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), had been heroic on the journey but turns almost solely to the preservation of the great fortune he now controls and casually breaks his own word by refusing the help the refugees.

Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), the charming hobbit who is the central character of the trilogy, has the Arkenstone, a special jewel that is of central interest, and tries to ward off a war that is ready

to take place between the dwarves in the castle, the humans huddling around it and the elves under Thranduil (Lee Pace), who have come to collect some sacred jewels that the dragon has taken.

As they are preparing for battle, another army of dwarves appears, and finally, a huge army of the villainous orcs arrives to kill everyone.

Thorin fights through his madness and leads his dwarf forces out to kill the orc generals. There is a lot of heroism, a lot of sacrifice and eventually the good guys win. Legolas (Orlando Bloom) the elf, the spurned suitor of Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) kills one of the orc generals while Thorin kills the other. Legolas is told by his father to go north and meet the son of Arathorn (who is Aragorn, the great hero of The Lord of the Rings trilogy). Bilbo quietly returns to the shire, discovering that his fellow hobbits are auctioning off everything he owned from his precious home. In essence, the movie moves to

the start of the first of the films of the greater trilogy.

That is the curse of movies like this, visible also in the second Star Wars trilogy. Things have to fit together neatly, and that limits the imagination. Still, this is a superb undertaking. The characterizations are incredibly vivid: Bard bravely fighting enormous odds while always looking out for his children; Bilbo trying to be reasonable while somehow always turning out wonderfully heroic; and most importantly, Thorin becoming a tragic hero, almost losing his mind and his decency before regaining his sanity and his honor. The battle scenes, lasting 45 minutes, were filled with wonderful moments of individual heroism and incredible creatures, and still somehow kept a semblance of humanity.

The cast was uniformly excellent.

Freeman has been a charming Bilbo, always humble, always friendly, yet possessed of an unerring moral compass.

Armitage was superb as Thorin. This was a role that was almost Shakespearean in its complexity while carrying enormous physical challenges, and he did everything wonderfully well. I particularly liked Evans; the lead human was remarkably human. As he fought both a dragon and orcs, he always looked toward the safety of his family; he was remarkably easy to identify with.

Aidan Turner as the lovelorn dwarf Fili was excellent, and Lilly matched him in feeling. Their final battle was wrenching.

We even had a bit of a reprise from the earlier trilogy with brief appearances

by Elrond (Hugo Weaving), Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) and Sarumen the White (Christopher Lee) as they rescue Gandalf (Ian McKellen).

While not quite on the level of the earlier films, this is a very good movie.

There is plenty of action and a lot of plot to explain it. I found it enjoyable, well worth the time and money I was spending.

CALLING ALL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH TIES TO THE WELLINGTON COMMUNIT Y

Are you part of a nonprofit organization with ties to the Wellington community? We want to hear from you! Kicking off our “Wellington Gives” campaign with our January 2015 issue, Wellington The Magazine will be featuring a different nonprofit organization’s mission and cause each month. We want to partner with local organizations and help them achieve their goals by sharing their histories, missions and impact they have on the community. The criteria for submitting organizations is simple: they must be registered nonprofit organizations with an active 501(c)3 status, and have an office in Wellington, have a board member or other organization official live in Wellington or hold a major fundraiser within Wellington. If you are part of an organization that meets the criteria, or know one that is, submit a nomination today! Only 12 nonprofits will be selected and featured in this series, so submit your nomination today!

Visit www.wellingtonthemagazine.com and look for the “Teamwork” icon (pictured above), click on it and complete the submission form — it’s that easy!

C O M I N G TO G E T H E R TO C R E AT E A B E T T E R C O M M U N I T Y

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December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Page 17

NEWS

HUNDREDS TURN OUT TO TAKE PART IN JINGLE BELL 5K RUN AT VILLAGE PARK

The third annual Wellington Holiday Jingle Bell Run 5K took place Saturday, Dec. 20 at Village Park on Pierson Road. More than 600 participants registered, and many ran in holiday attire. There was snow, Santa and a toy drive to benefit the fifth annual Hometown Holiday Toy Drive in Wellington.

PHOTOS BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Scott Simpson was the first runner in with a time of 16:57:160.

Santa greets Ncognito massage therapist Dan Bostick, Wellington community services specialist Meridith Tuckwood and Ncognito owner Marcus Nisbett.

Graham Stark, Ramiro Melendez, Abigail Lofstead, Kristy Rodgers, Gabi Thomas and Sarah Stark.

Katie Eubanks, Kelly Ford, Kelly Egan, Kaitlyn Croucher and Kristin Williams got dressed up for the run.

Sharlet Remus pushes Bridget Rogers Goodman through her first run.

Eliza, Andy and Chrissy Lambert with Santa.

SONS OF ITALY LODGE DELIVERS GIFTS TO PALMS WEST PEDIATRIC PATIENTS

Representatives from the Sons of Italy Michelangelo Lodge #2864 visited the Children’s Hospital at Palms West on Friday, Dec. 19 to deliver toys to sick children. Pictured here are lodge members and the young patients sharing in the holiday cheer.

PHOTOS BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Frank Melillo with Samantha Quinones.

Amelia Anirude can’t wait to play with the doll Antonio Bianco gave her.

Lodge members Frank Melillo, Sam Pittaro and Antonio Bianco with child life specialist Vanessa Barquin.

Page 18

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

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NEWS

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS DONATE 72 BICYCLES TO CHILDREN IN THE GLADES

On Friday, Dec. 19, the Knights of Columbus Peter A. Benvenuti Council 8419 from St. Rita Catholic Church in Wellington purchased 72 bicycles from Walmart and delivered them to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Pahokee. This is the fifth year that the group has purchased bikes for impoverished children in the Glades. The project was funded by 200 Knights of Columbus members reaching PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER into their own pockets.

Bill Arcuri and Mike Carroll from Project 425 in Loxahatchee Groves with some of the bicycles.

RPB 2015

Several Big Projects

continued from page 1 will conduct an election on March 10, if there are challengers to the incumbents in the two seats up for grabs: Vice Mayor David Swift’s Seat 2 and Councilman Fred Pinto’s Seat 4.

Both incumbents told the TownCrier this week that they would be seeking re-election.

“Yes, I’m going to run for my seat,” Swift said, adding that his top priorities match up with those cited by Liggins. “The issues for 2015 that I see are: one, completing the sale of the tract where the old wastewater treatment plant is; and two, I’m very interested in moving forward with the tract of land at Commons Park.”

Pinto, who will also seek reelection in March, deemed 2014 a good year.

“We executed several items that were on our strategic plan,” he said. “We went and bought new equipment to work on the canals, and put more money into that project as well, to improve the situation with excess vegetation, and we were finally able to turn

ITID 2015

Traffic Calming

continued from page 1 I’m sure [ITID staff] didn’t all appreciate coming down here today, but I want to get going, and the year goes by real quick.”

Purchasing more road graders, training more employees to use

Wellington

A Year Of Change

continued from page 1 and the high school musical preview.”

One of Gerwig’s favorite events is the Fourth of July celebration. “All we need is really great weather, and then we’re good for that one, because our staff does such a fantastic job putting on those events,” she said.

K-Park, the much-coveted parcel of land on SR 7 in Wellington, is going to be at the forefront in 2015.

“We have proposals from $16 million to $25 million for the piece of property, if it’s going to be [sold] and how it’s going to be developed,” Willhite said. “We’re hopefully going to decide early in January. We’re going to rank the applicants on how we felt their presentations were, hopefully short-listing three out of the six.

Walmart Store Manager Greg Allen with Jerry Fonda, Bill Arcuri and Mike Carroll.

Knights of Columbus from the Peter A. Benvenuti Council.

the corner on that this year and get it under control.”

He agreed that the move to sell the Crestwood property will have an impact. “That’s something that I would see as the major thing that we’re going to get done in the coming year,” Pinto said. “We expect in the early part of the year we’ll be looking at proposals from people inquiring about that.”

Liggins confirmed that planned time line. “Hopefully we’ll take our proposals on that early in the year and be done with that in the first half of the year,” he said.

The village manager was also effusive about the success of Commons Park after its first full year of operation.

“I think Commons Park was a pretty big highlight for us,” Liggins said, citing the success of the Fourth of July and spring, fall and winter festivals staged at Royal Palm Beach’s equivalent of a village square. “I think the staff has fine-tuned that delivery, and it has been very well-received by the public.”

Sometimes the crowds at major events surprise even Liggins.

“The good news is that I think what we envisioned happening out at Commons Park is happening, and the people are enjoying it,” he

said. “We’re going to keep getting better than that going forward.”

Not only that, but the bottom line is evening out, too.

“When we program our park, we can’t program short, so the dollars look high, but when we’re estimating our revenues on something like the use of these facilities, they’re low,” Liggins said. “I think what we’re finding is sponsorship is going strong at the park, stronger than we expected, so our net costs of running these events is balancing a little bit better than we thought.”

Both Liggins and Pinto are looking forward to the new dog park at Commons Park.

“We were able to get some funding from the county for that,” Pinto said, “which helped us with the budget.”

Liggins added that another choice the council made in 2014 will come to fruition in the new year.

“We did get our grants for pathways and things like that, and our dog park is going to be open in 2015 there,” he said. “So Commons Park is still fresh and alive on our minds. Every time we go, we just see more and more people enjoying that park, and that’s exactly what we want.”

Liggins noted that development potential also will be high on village officials’ minds in 2015, regarding a key area inside Royal Palm Beach and one just outside it.

“That 200 acres, west of Lowe’s and south of State Road 80, people have been buying and looking to annex into the village,” he said.

“Some of that annexation, about half of it, happened this past year.

I think we’ll see more annexation than that in 2015, and different development than what’s there now.”

them and developing a program to control dust on roads is another priority for Jacobs. “That is affecting the animals and the people during the dry season,” she said, explaining that some stretches, such as 130th Avenue North, are especially dusty. We’ve had a lot of complaints from residents. I’m on a small, dirt road, and I keep my windows shut all the time. I don’t open them because of the dust.”

Jacobs said she thinks the supervisors are working well together, and she wants to work to heal the community after a strong division among residents over the Minto West project.

“Hopefully the division from Minto will be over with and we can bring this community back together, because we have a great community,” she said. “The community has been so divided,

and I want to see us come back together.”

She also wants State Road 7 completed to Northlake Blvd. after years of opposition and litigation that have stalled the project.

“Whatever we need to do, we need to do it to get State Road 7,” she said. “It’s very, very important.”

She pointed out that Ibis residents — where SR 7 extension foe and West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri

Then we’re probably going to come down to a decision on which one we’re going to offer it to.”

Coming up also is the new Wellington Tennis Center, which should be ready by April, Schofield said.

“The new tennis center will be open early next year,” he said.

“Then we will start construction on the [new] Wellington Community Center. We’ve got projects to improve drainage that start next year and will continue over the next decade after that.”

Other action will come from the Equestrian Preserve Committee, which is drawing up a new equestrian master plan, and the Charter Review Committee, which is set to complete its tasks in 2015.

The new community center will be a huge project for Wellington, Gerwig said.

“The groundbreaking at the community center is going to be a big deal,” she said. “We’re finally going to have a functional building for that. It was so hard for Wel-

lington Seniors Club [members] to walk up that incline — it’s hard for me to walk up that incline.”

One thing that bothers Willhite is the ongoing litigation that is occurring. “I hope that any of the litigation and the differences of opinions that we’ve had with individuals, will hopefully, to some extent, come to some resolution,” he said.

Willhite would prefer keeping focus on the positive, not the negative.

“We have so many good things going in Wellington. We have some of the best schools in the state. We have one of the best park systems in the state. We have so much growing in our equestrian area. Our building department is just swamped with permit applications and reviews and inspections that are going on. Things are just growing in Wellington,” Willhite said.

With growth, however, comes drainage, and drainage issues will continue to be a focus, as well as

connections to equestrian trails, Willhite said.

The many changes in Wellington are working toward the betterment of the area, Schofield explained.

“Lots of things are improving in Wellington,” he said. “The economy has improved… Foreclosures are down; new construction is up.

We’re investing more money in our infrastructure. Those are the kinds of things that are going on next year.”

While many things are changing, Schofield hopes some things remain the same. “I’m really, really looking forward to getting the new community center up and running.

We’re looking at doing some parks improvements and those kinds of things, but for us, those are kind of the highlights,” Schofield said.

“We like to remain the quiet, comfortable community that we are.

It’s hard to say much more than that. We’re a great place to live and raise your family, and we just want to continue that.”

But the elephant in the room for everyone in the western communities will be Minto West.

“Having Minto West approved with the site plan that was approved, that’s going to bring some significant changes,” Liggins predicted. “There is going to be another kind of town center existing in the western communities that didn’t exist before. I think it has the potential of making a significant difference out here, when that starts coming out of the ground.”

However, Liggins said the true

impact of Minto West is likely a decade or more away.

Pinto has one fond hope for the new year.

“I’m hoping in 2015, when we do our next budget, we’ll be able to reduce the millage rate, if the economy continues to move in the direction it has been,” he said.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to get back to the position where we’re able to reduce the millage rate every year. Even though we haven’t increased it, we’ve stayed flat the last three or four years.”

‘How To Succeed On Broadway’ Jan. 15 At Dolly Hand

Coming to the Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center on Thursday, Jan. 15 is Matt Davenport Productions’ How to Succeed on Broadway.

Celebrate the magic of the Great White Way through dazzling production numbers performed by the next generation of Broadway stars.

The multi-talented cast brings to life the most popular scenes and songs from the latest Broadway hits. The Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center is located on Palm Beach State College’s Belle Glade Campus at 1977 College Drive in Belle Glade. For more info., call (561) 993-1160 or visit www.dolly hand.org.

The cast from How To Succeed On Broadway.

Muoio lives — cut through The Acreage to reach locations to the south, when they would otherwise have a straight shot on SR 7.

“Coconut Blvd. used to be dead until they built Ibis and the rest of them,” she said, explaining that residents on Northlake currently take Coconut to Orange Blvd. and Royal Palm Beach Blvd. to Persimmon Blvd. to access the existing SR 7 extension. “You would expect those residents would want it to go through.”

Palm Beach County is set to open a new segment of the SR 7 extension from Persimmon Blvd. north to 60th Street, and then continuing west on 60th Street to Royal Palm Beach Blvd. A ribboncutting ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 10 a.m. at the project’s southern end.

That opening is expected to take significant traffic off interior roads in The Acreage, but not Coconut and Orange until the extension is finished to Northlake.

Shallman said paving projects top his agenda for the coming year, including 140th Avenue North from Orange Blvd. to 61st Street, Tangerine from 140th to Avocado

Welky

Odd Holiday Traditions

continued from page 16 into a deep sleep. Looking back, it may all have been part of her

Blvd., and 61st Street from 140th to Avocado. He said the projects are a combination of residents’ requests and improving general traffic flow.

“Residents have been requesting them for years on a couple of them, and it’s definitely to improve traffic flow, consistent with what’s coming in with the county and everything else,” he said.

He is also working on completion of the “Welcome to The Acreage” signs, which will be lit with solar power. “We’re about to put the first one in,” Shallman said, explaining that not all the signs have to get residents’ signoffs.

He agreed that traffic calming will be a big priority in light of serious accidents that have occurred recently.

“Traffic calming is a big issue this year,” Shallman said. “We’re just about to finish up a districtwide traffic calming study, but based on some of the dangerous accidents that we’ve had, we’re also going to look at some shortterm, less expensive traffic calming that seems to be effective. So, hopefully we’ll get something going on that in January.” plan (the sugar crash, the slippery socks…).

At its best, St. Stephen’s Day is a very traumatic experience for a child. But now I’m the mom, and it’s a tradition. Poor St. Stephen. Hey, do you want to sleep over?

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December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Page 19

Page 20

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

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The Perfect Match Polo and Brunch

Experience the energy of world-class polo and brunch at the International Polo Club. Delicious food, champagne, celebrity sightings, music, fashion and, of course, polo.

Every Sunday at 3 p.m. through April 19 The Pavilion opens at 2 p.m.

Join us at The Pavilion for the after-party from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

For ticket options, please visit InternationalPoloClub.com or call 561.204.5687.

3667 120th Avenue South Wellington, Florida 33414

Photography by LILA PHOTO

57527_IPC_TownCrier_FP_Ad.indd 1

12/17/14 10:45 AM

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Champers’ Story: Meet The Other Face In The Picture

Some of you are familiar with Champers, my old gelding who serves as the other face in the picture at the top of each column. This is his story. It was Dec. 24, 2006. I was out in the yard when a golf cart with three teenage boys in it pulled up to my gate.

Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 23

Business

California Pizza Kitchen Debuts New Look, New Flavors At Wellington Green

California Pizza Kitchen has gone “off the chain” in Florida, scrapping the expected in favor of an all-new, relaxed atmosphere where guests can unwind and feel at home. A newly reimagined menu debuted this month at the chain’s Wellington restaurant in the Mall at Wellington Green. Changes include a reimagined menu offering new seasonal items. Page 24

Sports WHS Quarterback Shannon Patrick Makes His Mark

If you ask Wellington High School quarterback Shannon Patrick what his passion is, without hesitation, he will tell you, “All my life, football has been my passion.” Patrick transferred to WHS over the summer from Forest Hill High School and was an integral part of the Wolverines’ success this year. Page 27

THIS WEEK’S INDEX TAILS FROM THE TRAILS............................. 23 BUSINESS NEWS....................................24-25 SPORTS & RECREATION.........................27-29 COMMUNITY CALENDAR............................. 30 CLASSIFIEDS..........................................31-34

Page 21

Shamar Jackson An Impact Player For RPBHS

Shamar Jackson has grown up playing football and wants to show everyone what he’s capable of on the gridiron. The Royal Palm Beach High School senior played both on offense and defense for the Wildcats this season. He proved to be equally dangerous to opposing teams on both sides of the ball. Page 27

A TOWN-CRIER PUBLICATION

INSIDE

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Shopping Spree

Page 22

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

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Featuring a $10,000 Welcome Stake and USEF Computer List Grand Prix at all Holiday Series shows.

Holiday & Horses CSI2*-W November 26-30, 2014 Premier (AA) 5* Jumper Rated Closing Date - November 19th

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Holiday Finale

December 31 - January 4, 2015 Premier (AA) 5* Jumper Rated Closing Date - December 22nd

Palm Beach International Equestrian Center 3400 Equestrian Club Drive | Wellington, Florida 33414 | 561.793.JUMP (5867) www.equestriansport.com

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10/27/14 3:04 PM

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FEATURES

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Page 23

Champers’ Story: Meet The Other Face In The Picture

Some of you are familiar with Champers, the old gelding who sends cute Tweets in my name each morning. He’s the other face in the picture at the top of each column. This is his story.

It was Dec. 24, 2006. I was out in the yard when a golf cart with three teenage boys in it pulled up to my gate.

“You got horses, right?” one asked.

I allowed that I did, indeed, have two horses.

“Want another one? For free,” he said.

“No thanks,” was my reply.

I knew all about free horses. As soon as you get them, they go lame. Or colicked. Or did something that cost a lot of money. Free horses were never free.

“It’s a really nice horse. It belongs to my neighbor.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Nothing. You wanna see it?”

“No. I don’t want any more horses. See that one? She’s pregnant.”

The kid looked at me. “This horse really needs a good home.”

“What kind of horse is it?”

“A Thoroughbred. He’s just down the road.”

The kids sensed a chink in my armor. “It won’t take even five minutes.”

Ten minutes later, we stopped in front of a gate.

Get updates all week long... follow Ellen Rosenberg on Twitter at twitter.com/Horse TalkFL or stop by the Tales from the Trails page on Facebook and click “like.”

Tales From The Trails

By Ellen Rosenberg “Hi,” I said, shaking the man’s hand. “You got some persuasive salesmen here.”

We walked back to a scrubby field surrounded by a rusty wire fence. The horse was a dark chestnut, fuzzy, thin and short. Nothing like a Thoroughbred. It gave us the once-over.

“My daughter used to ride, but she has been gone three years.”

“What’s his name?”

“Chance.”

We couldn’t get within 20 feet of Chance.

It took 40 minutes to corner him and get a halter on.

He was short, his mane and tail impossibly knotted, embedded with twigs. His coat was dull, his ribs visible, the front of his chest crisscrossed with scars. His hips stood out. His hooves were cracked and needed trimming.

“He ever been sick? Ever colicked?” I asked.

“No, nothing like that.”

“Had his shots?”

“Nope.”

“I don’t know,” I said, shaking my head.

I did know. I didn’t want this angry, miser-

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Champers (left) with one of his buddies. able, not-a-Thoroughbred horse. “I need to knew for a certainty that, if left here, it was think about it.” very possible that he’d simply give up and die We walked out of the field. I turned. Chance of loneliness. Here was, perhaps, the saddest stood toward the back of the field, watching to horse I’d ever seen in my life, and I was turnmake sure we weren’t coming back. ing my back and walking away, leaving him It was a look of such infinite sadness that it to his world of nothing. froze me in my tracks. More than the annoyIn that moment, I knew I was lost. ance, more than the anger, more than anything, “Well... ” I said. I must be nuts. “I guess I I saw how very lonely this horse was. And I See ROSENBERG, page 29

Page 24

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

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BUSINESS NEWS

California Pizza Kitchen Debuts New Look, New Flavors

California Pizza Kitchen has gone “off the chain” in Florida, scrapping the expected in favor of an all-new, relaxed atmosphere where guests can unwind and feel at home. A newly reimagined menu debuted this month at the chain’s Wellington restaurant in the Mall at Wellington Green.

CPK has reimagined its menu to offer new seasonal items (Harvest Kale Salad and Sunnyside Up Bacon + Potato Pizza) and mains (Fire-

Grilled Ribeye and Hearth-Roasted Halibut), as well as options that are low-calorie, vegetarian or gluten-free.

CPK’s Lunch Duos offer more than 80 fresh, made-to-order pairing combinations for a quick and affordable weekday meal. The new beverage menu of handcrafted cocktails utilizes fresh ingredients and unique flavor combinations.

The Wellington location is among the first 12 in the country to be rede-

Pizza doughs are first proofed, then hand-tossed into the air before the ingredients are added and the pies are placed in the oven.

signed and to launch the new menu.

Others doing so in Florida include California Pizza Kitchen locations in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay and Naples.

At CPK, guests can see fresh produce being prepped from scratch, using locally sourced ingredients, including arugula, strawberries, cabbage, parsley, green and red peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and more.

A recent Harvard Business Review study on open-kitchen environments found that customer satisfaction went up as much as 17 percent when they could see chefs preparing food in the open kitchen. The same is true for the chefs. When their work was observed by their guests, they felt more appreciated and satisfied with their work, and exerted extra effort. Guests at CPK have a front-row seat to all the action in the kitchen, including the pizza-making counter and the hearth oven. The pizza counter serves as a culinary theater where dough is proofed, and then every pie is hand-tossed 3 feet into the air before it is topped with unique ingredients and baked in the open hearth oven.

CPK supports FDA regulations requiring restaurants to put calorie counts on the menu. It was among the first restaurant chains in the country to make nutritional infor-

Remodeled CPK locations have modernized decor. mation available in every restaurant. sine and is widely known for its In addition to traditional menu fa- innovative menu items. California vorites, CPK has a Lite Adventures Pizza Kitchen provides a range menu featuring globally inspired of California-inspired dishes for items that are all under 650 calories. guests who seek the unique, from For those with special vegetarian, signature hand-tossed and hearthvegan and gluten-free dietary needs, baked pizzas to imaginative salads, CPK provides variety and choices pastas, entrées, soups, sandwiches without skimping on flavor. and hand-crafted cocktails. The Born in Beverly Hills in 1985, chain has expanded to 11 countries.

California Pizza Kitchen is a leader For more information, visit www. in authentic California-style cui- cpk.com.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Engel & Völkers Becomes New Field Sponsor At IPC

Combine the world’s leading international real estate advisers, Engel & Vӧlkers Wellington and Palm Beach, with the world-renowned International Polo Club Palm Beach, and you have a prestigious partnership highlighting the 2015 high-goal winter polo season.

Engel & Vӧlkers has secured the sponsorship naming rights to the Engel & Vӧlkers Field, giving them prominent positioning on the championship field’s scoreboard, which overlooks the polo field where the greats of the sport compete.

“Amy Carr and Carol Sollak, owners of Engel & Völkers Palm Beach and Wellington, are wellknown in equestrian circles,” IPC President John Wash said. “In the field of equestrian real estate, they rank among America’s most elite brokers and advisers, and we are honored to have their prestigious brand affiliated with our organization.”

The Engel & Vӧlkers name will be associated with the “American Triple Crown” of prominent polo tournaments hosted at IPC: the USPA C.V. Whitney Cup, the USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Polo Championship.

Engel & Vӧlkers is a new field sponsor at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington.

“Our two locations in the Palm For more about Engel & Vӧlkers, Beaches exclusively represent many visit www.wellington.evusa.com. of the most exciting high-end propThe 2015 polo season will open erties in the world. Our discerning on Sunday, Jan. 4, and will conclude clientele require properties that 16 weeks later with the U.S. Open personify passion, inspired design, Polo Championship final on Sunday, skilled workmanship and luxury April 19. Polo matches are open to amenities,” Sollak said. the public, with a wide range of “We can’t think of a more perfect hospitality and guest seating that partnership. Two luxury brands includes grandstand viewing, field serving an international market, tailgating, lawn seating, field-side with similar core values of first-class champagne brunch and exclusive service, dedication and profession- sponsor boxes. Tickets start at $10. alism,” Carr added. “To have our For ticketing and sponsorship name adorn the sport’s premier polo information, or to book a special facility is an extraordinary pairing of event, call (561) 204-5687 or visit two exclusive brands.” www.internationalpoloclub.com.

December 26 - January 1, 2014

Page 25

Third Annual County Drug Abuse Summit A Success

Nearly 150 concerned members of the public gathered recently to explore the current state of mental health and drug abuse at the third annual Palm Beach County Drug Abuse Summit.

The free discussion was open to the public, thanks to co-hosts the Hanley Center Foundation, the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the Ryan Licht Sang Bipolar Foundation. It included panels featuring prominent members of the healthcare and law enforcement communities, scientists, elected officials, educators and other community leaders.

The half-day discussion took place at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience on Dec. 9.

“The Palm Beach County Drug Abuse Summit’s mission is to effectively inform and educate the local community about the impact of mental health and substance abuse,” said Dr. Rachel Docekal, CEO of the Hanley Center Foundation.

“The partnership between so many different agencies was impressive.

We are grateful to our co-hosts and the esteemed panel participants, who recognize the importance of collaboration to improve awareness,

treatment options and community education. We hope this event incites a continued impactful discussion of issues and solutions.”

In its third year, the summit continues to grow. Presented in the past

by Hanley Center Foundation and the PBSO, the addition of the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and the Ryan Licht Sang Bipolar Foundation allowed for an expanded conversation to include mental health issues.

“Disease is personal — whether it is you, your spouse, your child, a friend or neighbor,” said Barbara Suflas Noble, CEO of the Max Planck Foundation. “Our researchers are committed to doing their part to impact our local community, which is why we were proud to co-host this important and necessary event, and we are grateful to the Hanley Center Foundation for initiating this collaboration.”

The summit had three different panel topics, with several different experts featured in each panel, moderated by WPTV News Channel 5 anchor Michael Williams.

The presenting sponsor was Florida Power & Light Co. and the corporate sponsor was Origins Recovery Centers.

Page 26

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

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SPORTS & RECREATION

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Page 27

Shamar Jackson Proves An Impact Player For RPBHS

By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report If you talk to Shamar Jackson, he will tell you he has grown up playing football and wants to show everyone what he’s capable of on the gridiron.

The Royal Palm Beach High School senior played both on offense and defense for the Wildcats this season,

as a running back and free safety.

He proved to be equally dangerous to opposing teams on both sides of the ball.

Jackson helped his team achieve its most successful season in school history. The Wildcats fell short of the playoffs last year. While the team had an impressive 8-2 record,

Royal Palm Beach running back Shamar Jackson breaks a run to the outside for a big gain against district rival Atlantic.

a couple of disappointing key district games caused them to miss the post-season. This year, Royal Palm Beach ended with an even more impressive 11-2 finish, the District 13-7A title, two playoff wins against Fort Lauderdale and Atlantic, and a regional finals appearance.

Jackson’s contributions on offense included 92 carries totaling 900 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. Jackson also recorded one reception for a score. Defensively, he reeled in six interceptions, proving to be a thorn in the side of opposing quarterbacks.

He was often avoided during special teams, when opposing kicking teams took the field, due to his speed and ability to shake tacklers in the open field. He was quick to give credit to his offensive line.

“All the credit goes to those guys; without them I couldn’t do it,” he told the Town-Crier.

Jackson still has two more football games left in his high school career. In the coming weeks, he will be making appearances in two all-star games, the Florida-Georgia game and the North-South Outback game.

What most people don’t know about Jackson is that he spends his time in the off-season running for the Wildcats track and field team,

participating in several sprint and jumping events. He believes that track has helped him on the field.

“Track helped me a lot, especially in the open field and I hit that second gear,” he said.

Last year, Jackson helped his track team take the conference and county titles, and a second place in regionals. He also spends hours in the gym lifting weights to increase the strength on his 5-foot-8, 160-pound frame. Jackson can bench press 275 pounds and squat 355 pounds. After all of the training, he still manages his time in the classroom and wants to study business once he graduates.

Jackson explained his dual support function within the family. He gets total support from his parents, and supports his two younger brothers on the football field as well. His two younger brothers play in the Western Communities Football League, and Jackson helps train them.

“I try to stay positive with my younger brothers when they’re on the field and encourage them,” he said, also emphasizing the importance of education. “I tell them your grades have to come first.”

For now, Jackson is focused on preparing for offers from colleges.

South Dakota is making an offer, and Utah State, Eastern Kentucky

Shamar Jackson breaks it open for a long run against rival Fort Lauderdale in the regional quarterfinal game.

PHOTOS BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER

and Robert Morris have contacted him with interest. More are sure to follow. What he may lack in size, Jackson makes up for in his passion and determination, on and off the field.

WHS Quarterback Shannon Patrick Makes His Mark

By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report If you ask Wellington High School senior quarterback Shannon Patrick what his passion is, without hesitation, he will tell you, “All my life, football has been my passion.”

Patrick transferred to WHS over the summer from Forest Hill High School. There, he played his freshman through junior years.

The senior quarterback began his football career at the young age of 5 and has always played the quarterback position, starting with the Palm Beach County Youth Football League at Lake Lytal Park. Patrick still works with the league as an announcer on Saturdays during the season. That probably explains why he wants to study sports broadcasting or sports management in college.

Patrick’s family has football in its blood. His uncle, Kevin Patrick, was a standout defensive end at the University of Miami. Patrick’s grandfather played quarterback in high school as well, and provides support at breakfast before and after games throughout the season.

Patrick was an integral part of the Wolverines’ success this year. A team that had gone 4-6 the previous year and lost all four of its district games needed a boost. Patrick was

an important ingredient needed to complete the recipe.

When practice started for the Wolverines, he met head coach Tom Abel and said, “Coach, I am going to be your quarterback.” Patrick said Abel just said, “We’ll see.”

A short time later, Patrick won the starting job for the kickoff classic against Olympic Heights High School, and then started every game for the Wolverines. Patrick admits that nobody really knew who he was because he wasn’t able to show his full potential in the past, but maintained he just needed the opportunity to show his skills.

Patrick earned the role as team captain. He had his best year as a Wolverine, leading the team to a 12-2 record, helping his team win the District 9-8A championship, post a 4-0 district record and make a regional finals appearance. It was the best performance for the Wolverines in the school’s 26-year history.

Patrick’s statistics were staggering for a high school quarterback.

He threw for a total of 3,438 yards and 49 touchdowns. Those stats were among the highest of any player in the state.

“It was an amazing year this year. Coach gave me control of the offense to change a play if I saw

something, and had enough trust in me to control the offense,” said Patrick of offensive coach Corey Clawson.

Patrick’s leadership ability shined off the field as well, picking up his team when things were not always running smoothly, and keeping them focused when they were. On weekends, he would get his receiving corps together for timing drills to perfect their craft. “We were always watching film of our opponents,” he added.

The second game of the season against West Boca, Wellington suffered a disappointing 38-14 loss.

“I told the guys, ‘We can’t let this happen anymore. We have to push through,’” Patrick said.

The response was a 10-game win streak, deep into the post-season, and an average of 40 points per game.

To top off the season, Patrick was nominated for a Lou Groza award as Player of the Year and said it was an honor to be nominated but that it meant a lot more to win the Groza Team of the Year Award. “That was the ultimate award, and awesome to be a part of,” he said.

Patrick has a couple of colleges interested in him — Jacksonville See PATRICK, page 29

Wellington quarterback Shannon Patrick rolls out in the homecoming game against John I. Leonard.

PHOTO BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER

Page 28

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

SPORTS & RECREATION

JA Hosts Successful Golf Classic

Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast held its 28th annual Golf Classic on Dec. 5 at Jonathan’s Landing Old Trail at the Fazio Course. The event is one of four throughout the year to raise money for the programs that Junior Achievement provides to more than 20,000 students.

The 2014 Golf Classic Chair Emeritus is long-time supporter David Nicholson of the Stiles-Nicholson Foundation. The co-chairs were Board Member Carlos Alvarez of PNC Bank and Jim Walton of Southwest Greens of Florida, who donated

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the putting green. Sponsors for this year’s tournament include the Stiles Nicholson Foundation, the Esther B. O’Keeffe Foundation, G4S, Cocuy, Burns & Co., Bozetarnik & Company, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Constellation Brands with Corona Extra and Modelo especial.

During the event, two members from the Northwood University golf team were there to drive for the golfers on two separate holes.

Bobby Bradley with Charity Golf International was also there to drive for the golfers and to raise funds.

For the first time during a Junior

Achievement event, there was a golf ball launcher on a tee for the golfers to substitute for a drive. There was not a silent auction this year, but an online auction for anyone in Florida to bid on items, such as a putting green to be built in the winner’s backyard.

Proceeds will support the ongoing operations of Junior Achievement and the programs it brings to students in grades kindergarten through high school across Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Hendry counties. For more info., visit www. juniorachievement.com.

Co-Chair Jim Walton poses with the winning foursome. Knight Corporations had a score of 54.

The winning foursome included Jeffrey Knight, Stephen Boruff, Paul Lepoli and Dave Donovan.

Shop Talk Chat Features Dressage Judging Duo

Fashionable dressage boutique ShowChic was once again filled as dressage enthusiasts flocked to the latest Shop Talk event, eager to hear from Bill Warren and Bill McMullin on their perspective from inside the judge’s box. Held Dec. 9, it was the second of ShowChic’s educational Shop Talk series this season.

Shop Talk events, in which the Wellington boutique invites the dressage community to spend evenings learning from equestrian icons, are a popular activity for the local dressage community.

It was clear that December’s Shop Talk was a favorite — the event was so full that there was standing room only as riders listened intently to the duo, known fondly as “the Bills.”

Warren is an FEI 3* judge, a USEF ‘S’ judge, and USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist. His partner, McMullin, is a USEF ‘r’ judge, USDF certified instructor, and is a USDF bronze and silver medalist.

The two judges also train under the name Warren-McMullin Dressage.

The pair unveiled to attendees the secrets from a judge’s perspective — everything from collective marks to scoring each movement.

They also informed listeners about the journey from learner judge to

The December Shop Talk featured the acclaimed judging duo Bill Warren and Bill McMullin.

FEI judge, and then opened the floor for questions.

Riders left with tips that they could bring back to the barn and show ring.

For the first time, ShowChic hosted videographers Joey Ambrose and Mat Marino from Afflux Studios to film the event. The Shop Talk video will be available on ShowChic’s YouTube channel soon.

ShowChic carries everything a rider needs to dress for success.

For more info., visit www.showchicdressage.com or call (561) 319-2121.

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SPORTS & RECREATION Rosenberg

The Other Face In The Picture

continued from page 23 could give him a try.”

The owner smiled. The golf cart boys were grinning. They’d found a sucker.

“Yeah, but you see, it’s not really up to me. I have two other horses. If they like Chance and he gets along with them, then he can stay. But if they don’t, he’ll be back here in five minutes.”

“That’s fine,” the owner said.

“You want to take him now?”

“How about early tomorrow morning, on Christmas Day?” “OK,” he replied.

I got back into the golf cart, and the boys brought me back home.

They were ecstatic. All I could think of was what an idiot I was to bring in some hostile, unhappy, unknown horse. What was I thinking?

As I walked over the next morning, I realized I must be crazy.

Bringing home a strange horse?

One who hadn’t had shots? What if Chance had some disease and my horses got sick? There were about a

million reasons to change my mind.

Just at that point, I looked down and saw an odd sight. It looked as if someone had emptied their change purse all over the road. There were coins in piles and scattered across the sand.

A sign, I thought. This horse will somehow bring me good luck.

The owner met me at the gate, and we walked out to Chance’s field. He saw us coming and played the stay-away game. I finally caught him. He hadn’t been out in years.

His head was up, nostrils wide.

“Good luck,” the owner said.

“Merry Christmas.”

I walked my Christmas present home.

My gelding clearly liked him and wanted to play. The two commenced sniffing, biting, squealing and otherwise getting acquainted.

Within an hour, they were best friends.

The mare lunged at him a few times, and he obligingly moved, so she was satisfied.

The vet came out a few days later to do shots. He opened the horse’s mouth. “Well, look here.”

The upper lip was tattooed in blue ink.

“He’s raced,” I said, dumbfounded. “So he is a Thoroughbred.”

I contacted the Jockey Club. He

was a well-bred horse, with Bold Ruler on both sides, 16 years old.

He’d won a few times. “You were a Champ,” I told him.

After that, he had a new name: Champers.

One day a woman drove by while I was grazing him out front.

She pulled over and turned off the engine.

“Glad to see you ended up with him,” she said.

“You know this horse?”

“I live nearby. I’ve always kept an eye on him. He has had a rough life. All that scarring on his chest — he got hit by a car. It was pretty bad. They didn’t think he’d pull through.”

“When was this?”

“Years back. There was always just something about him...” The woman watched him for a minute.

“Anyways, I’m glad you ended up with him. He looks happy.”

She drove off. I never even knew her name.

Champers became the soul of our herd. Here was a horse who had been severely damaged by life, and through luck or chance had found his way to my pasture.

I made him a promise. He’d never be sold or given away. He would live with me for the rest of his life.

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Page 29

Everglades Bassmasters Event Jan. 1

The Everglades Bassmasters of South Florida will host its One Largemouth Bass Tournament, Hangover Edition, on Thursday, Jan. 1 on Lake Okeechobee.

Tournament hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the entry fee is $20 per person. You may have as many an-

Patrick

glers as your boat is USCG certified for. There is a one-pound dead fish penalty; no live bait allowed. Sign up and weigh-in will be at Roland Martin Marina beginning at 7 a.m.

Contact Tony Crowder at (954) 254-9072 or tcrowder42@yahoo. com for more info.

WHS QB

continued from page 27 and Florida Atlantic universities — but hopes more will follow after his appearances in two upcoming all-star games, the Outback NorthSouth game and the Florida-Georgia game.

Patrick reflected on NFL quarterback Tom Brady, whom he watched play over the years and is inspired by, because of the similarities. “I’m a pocket passer like he is, and he really didn’t have many offers out of high school, wasn’t drafted high, and it shows you can do something big if you just work at it,” he said.

Patrick, without a doubt, has made history as a Wolverine. With his determination and confidence, he is sure to continue his journey as a football player at the next level and is also likely to enjoy much success off the field.

Shannon Patrick looks to throw down field against Cardinal Newman.

Page 30

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Saturday, Dec. 27 • The Miami City Ballet will present George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker from Saturday, Dec. 27 through Tuesday, Dec. 30 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach). For more info., call the box office at (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org.

• The South Florida Fair’s Annual 5K Run/ Walk will take place Saturday, Dec. 27 at 7:45 a.m. at Okeeheelee Park (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.).

Every participant will receive a free running shirt and one free admission ticket to the fair, along with a quick energy breakfast, finisher’s medal, goodie bag, bib number and refreshments after the race. Entry fees are $35 on the day of the race and $15 for students 18 and younger.

Registration will take place at the Micanopy Pavilion. For more info., contact Lorie Stinson at (561) 790-5245 or lorie@southfloridafair.com.

• The Wellington Green Market will take place Saturday, Dec. 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex (12300 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 283-5856 for more info.

• Barnes & Noble (10500 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington) will host a “Happy New Year!” story time, activity and snack Saturday, Dec. 27 at 11 a.m. Call (561) 792-1292 for more info.

• CityPlace in downtown West Palm Beach will host Live Entertainment on the Plaza featuring the Valerie Tyson Band performing R&B Soul on Saturday, Dec. 27 from 7 to 11 p.m. For more info., call (561) 366-1000.

Sunday, Dec. 28 • The Acreage Green Market will take place Sunday, Dec. 28 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Acreage Community Park (6701 140th Ave. North). For more info., visit www.acreagegreenmarket.com or call (561) 723-3898.

• The Good Earth Farm Children’s Petting Zoo on B Road in Loxahatchee Groves is open every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through the end of March. The nonprofit sanctuary rescues large farm animals and has an area for smaller children to touch and learn about the farm. The cost is $16 for kids 6 months to 90 pounds and $12 everybody else. Call (561) 792-2666 for more info.

Monday, Dec. 29 • The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County will offer Winter Break Camps in six locations throughout the county, including the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club (1080 Wellington Trace). Winter Break Camp, is available Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 29 to Dec. 31 and Monday, Jan. 9. Annual membership at any Boys & Girls Club costs $30, and break camp is an additional $10 per day. Clubs are open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. For more info., call (561) 790-0343.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Wii U Gaming for ages 7 to 12 on Monday, Dec. 29 at 2 p.m. Challenge yourself and your friends by playing some of your favorite Wii U games. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host Lego Bricks for ages 6 to 12 on Monday, Dec. 29 at 4 p.m. Builders create vehicles or buildings out of Lego bricks. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

Wednesday, Dec. 31 • The Audubon Society of the Everglades will host a special holiday bird walk Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 8 a.m. at the Wakodahatchee Wetlands (13026 Jog Road, Delray Beach). Visit www. auduboneverglades.org for more info.

• CityPlace in downtown West Palm Beach will host a New Year’s Eve Celebration on Wednesday Dec. 31 with snowfall every hour, live music

by Jeff Harding and Quick Fix, and a variety of dining and entertainment options. For more info., call (561) 366-1000.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present Guys and Dolls on Wednesday , Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. For more info., call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org.

Thursday, Jan. 1 • The Good Earth Farm (2141 B Road, Loxahatchee Groves) will host a New Year’s Vegetarian Potluck Dinner beginning at noon. Bring a dish and label it vegetarian or vegan with the ingredients. The cost is $8 for adults and $4 for kids under 12. Participants must register online at www.meetup.com/West-Palm-Beach-Vegetarian-Vegan-Meetup. For more info., call (561) 792-2666.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present its New Year’s Concert 2015 on Thursday, Jan. 1 at 8 p.m. with a salute to Vienna by the Strauss Symphony of America. For more info., call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org.

Friday, Jan. 2 • The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present the Pacifica Quartet with Christopher O’Riley on piano on Friday, Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. For more info., call (561) 832-7469 or visit www. kravis.org.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Kids Wii U Gaming for ages 7 to 12 on Friday, Jan. 2 at 2:30 p.m. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Begin with Books for ages 7 to 17 on Friday, Jan. 2 at 3 p.m. Start the New Year off right by using a variety of materials to make a work of art bookmark. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register.

• Clay-Glass-Metal-Stone Gallery (15 South J St., Lake Worth) will present the work of Adrianna Ficarelli in “Rings, Bling and Adornable Things” on Friday, Jan. 2 from 6 to 10 p.m. Call (215) 205-9441 or e-mail joyce@flamingoclaystudio. org for more info.

• The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (10216 Lee Road, Boynton Beach) will host a Star Party with the Astronomical Society of the Palm Beaches on Friday, Jan. 2 at 6:15 p.m. An array of telescopes will be

focused on different parts of the night sky. RSVP to Elinor Williams at elinor@loxahatcheefriends. com to be notified in case cloud cover necessitates cancellation. Bring bug spray.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present Howie Mandel on Friday, Jan. 2 at 8 p.m. For more info., call (561) 832-7469 or visit kravis.org.

Saturday, Jan. 3 • The Audubon Society of the Everglades will hold its Christmas Bird Count all day Saturday, Jan. 3. Experienced birders are especially needed. Visit www.auduboneverglades.org for more info.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “It’s a Craft Bonanza” for ages 2 and up Saturday, Jan. 3 at 10:30 a.m.

Drop in and make as many crafts as you want with the supplies from the craft closet. Call (561) 790-6030 for more info.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd,) will host Acoustic Java Jam for adults Saturday, Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. Experience a caffeinated collection of local talent or bring your acoustic instruments and jam out with coffee provided by the Friends of the Library. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Crafts for Kids for ages 3 to 7 on Saturday, Jan. 3 at 2:30 p.m. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register.

Sunday, Jan. 4 • The International Polo Club Palm Beach (3667 120th Avenue South, Wellington) will open the 2015 polo season on Sunday, Jan. 4 with the Herbie Pennell Cup. For more info., visit www.internationalpoloclub.com or call (561) 204-5687.

• The Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea (141 South Country Road, Palm Beach) will take place Sunday, Jan. 4 with performances at 2 and 4:30 p.m. With more than 160 cast members, the performance is a re-enactment of the Christmas and Epiphany story. For more info., visit www. bbts.org or call (561) 655-4554.

Monday, Jan. 5 • The Wellington Garden Club will meet Monday, Jan. 5 in the Greenview Room at the Wellington Community Center with a business meeting at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m. and a program on “Elegance in Floral Design” presented by Petal Harvill, a master floral designer and owner of Petal Designs. Guests are welcome, but seating is limited. RSVP to Carol Coleman at (561) 792-2290. For more info., visit www.wellingtongardenclub.org.

• The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County (601 Lake Ave., Lake Worth) will host a luncheon with art collector Ambassador Nancy Brinker on Monday, Jan. 5 at 11:30 a.m. Visit www. palmbeachculture.com for more info.

Tuesday, Jan. 6 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host Game Day for ages 8 to 12 on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 3 p.m. Bring a friend for Wii gaming

The Town-Crier and board game fun. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host Pokémon League for ages 8 to 12 on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 5 p.m. Bring DS or Pokémon cards and get ready to battle, trade and make new friends. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

• The Audubon Society of the Everglades will hold its monthly meeting and lecture Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Pine Jog Environmental Education Center (6301 Summit Blvd.). Professional consulting ecologist Gregg Braun will speak about Bird Island, Florida’s newest critical bird area. The meeting is free and open to the public.

Wednesday, Jan. 7 • Palm Beach County will open the State Road 7 Extension from Persimmon Blvd. north to 60th Street, and then continuing west on 60th Street to Royal Palm Beach Blvd. with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 10 a.m. For more info., visit www.pbcgov.com.

• American Legion Auxiliary Unit #367 of Royal Palm Beach will meet Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 10 a.m. at Palms West Presbyterian Church (13689 Okeechobee Blvd., Loxahatchee Groves). For more info., call Marge Herzog at (561)791-9875.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host Craft-a-Palooza for ages 2 and up Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 3:30 p.m. Celebrate winter with multiple crafts available, and take home everything you make. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

Thursday, Jan. 8 • Registration closes Thursday, Jan. 8 for the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission’s 26th annual Citizen’s Criminal Justice Academy. The 11-week program begins on Monday, Jan. 12. Visit www.pbcgov.org/criminaljustice/academy to register. Call (561) 355-4943 for more info.

• The Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will host a Food Truck Invasion on Thursday, Jan. 8 from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Call (561) 753-2484 for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host a Writers’ Critique Workshop for adults Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Share, offer and accept constructive criticism to improve fiction, nonfiction and poetry in a supportive atmosphere. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

Friday, Jan. 9 • The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County will host its 27th annual Wellington Dinner Dance on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club (1080 Wellington Trace, Wellington) from 7 to 11 p.m. For more info., contact Melissa Mulvihill at (561) 683-3287 or mmulvihill@bgcpbc.org, or visit www.bgcpbc.org.

• The Wellington Amphitheater will host a free screening of The Maze Runner on Friday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Call (561) 753-2484 or visit www. wellingtonfl.gov for info.

Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414 or e-mail news@gotowncrier.com.

The Town-Crier

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES A/C AND REFRIGERATION JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC.—Service & new installation FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. “We are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks” 561-798-3225. Family Owned & Operated since 1996. Credit Cards Accepted

CLEANING - HOME/OFFICE WE CLEAN OFFICES & PRIVATE HOMES — Licensed & Insured. Call for an estimate and to schedule your apartment. Discount for Central Palm Beach County Chamber members and to all new clients for first cleaning. 561-385-8243 Lic. #2012-252779

COMPUTER REPAIR D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-333-1923 Cell 561-252-1186 Lic’d Well. & Palm Beach. We accept major credit cards.

DRIVEWAY REPAIR D R I V E W AY S — F r e e e s t i m a t e s A & M ASPHALT SEAL COATING commercial and residential. Patching potholes, striping, repair existing asphalt & save money all work guaranteed.

L i c.& In s. 1 0 0 0 4 5 0 6 2 5 61-667-7716

ERRANDS PICKUP GROCERIES HOME AND PET SUPPLIES — Kitchen organizing wait for appointments in your home, etc.

References available. 561-707-2834

FLOORING C O M P L E T E F L O O R I N G R E M O VA L ! B E S T R AT E S ! A L L T Y P E S O F FLOORS! — Your local flooring store and more. www.buyithereflooring.com 561-333-2306 buyithere7@gmail.com

HOME IMPROVEMENTS ANMAR CO.—James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC1327426 561-248-8528

HOUSECLEANING EXPERIENCED — reliable local references. Pet sitting available. Call Charlene 561-572-1782

LAWN SERVICE YELLOWHAMMER LAWN SERVICE — High Quality, affordable yard maintenance serving the Loxahatchee area. NO CONTRACTS!.

Locally Owned & Operated. 561-320-1118

NEW FLOORING BUY IT HERE FLOORING — Kitchen and Bath. Now available. Complete one stop shopping. Stop on By! Pike Road - Between Southern and Belvedere. West Palm Beach - Open 7 Days!!! 561-333-2300

PAINTING J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975 or visit ourwebsite at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. — Interior/Exterior - Repaint specialist, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair & roof painting. Family owned/owner operator. Free Est. 798-4964 Lic. #U18473 COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Int./Ext. residential painting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free est. Ins. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident

TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS 793-7606

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS CALL 561-793-7606 PET SITTING BEST IN THE WEST PET SITTING — your house or mine in 1 1/2 acres. Fenced in yard. Day, Week, Monthly. Former Animal C r u e l t y O ff i c e r. 5 6 1 - 2 1 5 - 4 7 2 4

PLUMBING JEREMY JAMES PLUMBING — Licensed plumber, legitimate estimate. Water heaters, new construction. CFC1426242. Bonded Insured. CFC1426242. 561-601-6458

PRESSURE CLEANING J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.

Interior & Exterior painting.

Certified pressure cleaning & painti n g c o n t r a c t o r. L i c . # U 2 1 5 5 2 C a l l Butch at 309-6975 or visit us at www. jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

ROOFING 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 RC-0067207

SECURITY SECURITY — American owned local security company in business 30 plus years.

Protection by officers drug tested. 40 hour course. Licensed & Insured. 561-848-2600

SCREENING JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 call us 798-3132. www.poolscreenrepair.com

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC — Complete repair of all types of systems. Owner Operated. Michael 561-964-6004Lic.#U17871 Bonded & Ins. Serving the Western Communities Since 1990

TIRES/AUTO REPAIRS TIRES/AUTO REPAIRS— Located behind Al Packer West off Southern Blvd. Tires for autos, trucks and commercial vehicles. 561-790-7228.

587 105 Ave. N. Unit 28, Royal Palm Beach.

TREE SERVICE TREES TRIMMED AND REMOVED — 561-798-0412 D.M. YOUNG TREE SERVICE. Family Owned & Operated Lic. & Insured 1992-12121 Visit our website at dmyoungtreeservice.com

WALLPAPERING PAPERHANGING BY DEBI — Professional Installation,Removal. Repair of Paper.

Neat, Clean & Reliable. Quality work with a woman’s touch. 30 years experience.

No Job too big or too small. Lic. & Ins. References available. 561-795-5263

WATER TREATMENT NEED A NEW WATER SYSTEM! — Let us come out and give you an estimate. Call Mike 561-792-5400

EMPLOYMENT BOOKKEEPER NEEDED — part-time, experienced in QuickBooks, flexible hours.

Please fax resume to 561-791-0952

December 26, 2014 - January 1, 2015

Page 31

PALMS WESTTHIS WEEK’S

WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER IN WELLINGTON — Now hiring certified teachers.$10-$15/hour. Call 561-594-1920 E-mail: MarleneGiraud@hlcwellington.com

DRIVERS: $5,000 Sign-On Bonus!

— Great pay! Consistent Freight, Great Miles on this Regional Account.

Werner Enterprises: 1-855-517-2488 TRUCK DRIVER FOR PLANT NURSERY — Local and instate deliveries with box truck, CDL, not required Excelsa Gardens 561-790-3789 HAIRSTYLISTS NAIL TECHS — (3 Tech Stations available) PT Facialist who also does waxing. PT Assistant Wanted For Wellington Salon Established 25 Years.

Please call or text 561-568-9817 or send resume to (comments) www.samjons.com G R E AT L O C AT I O N - B O N U S F O R FOLLOWING-CONFIDENTIAL. T E A C H I N G A S S I S TA N T N E E D ED — 2PM - 6PM Monday - Friday. Experience Preferred. 561-793-5860 EXPERIENCED VETERINARY TECHNICIAN — Minimum of 3 years experience required! Looking for honest, dependable team player. Email resume to drp@thecourtyardanimalhospital.com

SEEKING EMPLOYMENT

LEGAL NOTICE

HOUSEKEEPING — Detail orientated, experienced, reliable, trustworthy housekeeper, seeks full time/part time position additional duties laundry, ironing, loving pet care, shopping, running errands, etc. references furnished upon request, Florida resident over 20 years, born in Maine call 561-324-5166 or 561-656-1777.

REAL ESTATE FOR RENT - GREENACRES ROOMMATE TO SHARE — 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment - Purdy & Jog Road. $550 per month.

Looking for under 35 years old. 954-296-3748

TENNESSEE LAND FOR SALE TENNESSEE LAND — 12 Acres for sale in Equestrian neighborhood with 3 miles of riding trails. Call Dixon Te a m K e l l e r W i l l i a m s 4 2 3 - 8 8 3 - 0 6 5 6

OFFICE SPACE LAW OFFICE TO SHARE: ROYAL PALM BEACH/WELLINGTON Fully furnished executive office $550 per month additional secretarial office $200. Incudes all utilities, use of copier/scanner, use of conference room, reception, kitchen, file cabinets, 561793-1200 ext. 1

TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS CALL 561-793-7606

PLACE YOUR AD HERE CALL 561-793-7606

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HERE’S MY CARD

561-308-4774 www.deborahrassocounseling.com

Lic & Insured CFC057392, CAC1817688

SEPTIC & DRAINFIELD SPECIALISTS

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H E R E ’ S M Y CA R D

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PALMS WESTTHIS WEEK’S

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WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

New Location!

New Showroom!

CALL FOR FREE ESTIMATE!

561-333-2306 TOLL FREE: 855-808-8555

WE DO NOT SELL CHEAP FLOORING CHEAPER

WE SELL THE BEST FOR LESS! 766 Pike Road • West Palm Beach, FL 33411 (Between Southern Blvd. & Belvedere)

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