Town-Crier Newspaper February 13. 2009

Opinion

It’s Time To Change

The Way Florida Draws District Lines

The Florida Supreme Court approved a pair of amendments for the 2010 ballot that would create guidelines for congressional and legislative redistricting. To get on the ballot, each petition requires 676,811 signatures. We urge everyone to sign them. Page 4 News

Traffic-Calming Measures Planned For Acreage Roads

The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors approved a special permit Wednesday to allow the county to install traffic-calming devices on Persimmon and Orange Grove boulevards before connections to the new State Road 7 extension actually open on those roads. Page 2

Economic Experts: Brighter Days Ahead For Palm Beach Area

Members of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce heard two of Palm Beach County’s leading economic development officials Monday describe current efforts to improve local fortunes in the coming years. Page 7

Wellington Quilters Help Those In Need

The Wellington Community Center buzzed with chatter last Friday as the Wellington Quilters and the National Council of Jewish Women’s Palm Beach Section collaborated to provide handmade quilts to battered women and their children. Page 9

Father-Daughter Dance A Night To Remember Many fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers and more took part in Wellington’s Annual Father-Daughter Dance last Saturday at the Village Park gymnasium. Page 10

ST. PETER’S MARKS 30 YEARS

Wellington Council: Allowing Stables Needs More Study

By Mark Lioi Town-Crier Staff Report

The Wellington Village Council mulled the pros and cons of allowing stables and horses in a residential neighborhood in northwest Wellington on Tuesday before tabling the item and requesting more data on the effect it would have.

Horse stables are currently allowed only in the Equestrian Preserve Area (EPA) in western and southern Wellington, where large lots and equestrian-centered homes and businesses predominate.

The EPA also includes the square-mile Little Ranches neighborhood off Southern Blvd.

But last year, residents of the Paddock Park I subdivision requested that the village allow them to build stables and keep horses, a right they enjoyed until the EPA was established in 2001.

The original draft of the ordinance would have granted stable rights to 37 lots in Paddock Park, but last month the village’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board recommended a greatly expanded version after other residents in northern Wellington subdivisions requested they be included as well.

The expanded version recommended by the PZA Board would have affected approximately 473 homeowners in the Paddock Park, Pinewood and Pinewood East neighborhoods, which are in close proximity to a horse trail that runs along Florida Power & Light transmission lines.

Village staff Tuesday recommended approving stables in a more limited area in the Paddock Park I neighborhood between Paddock Drive and the FPL easement north of there, which would affect 122 lots.

Village Manager Paul Schofield told the council that

the more limited scope being recommended by staff was restricting the possibility of stables to a neighborhood that was originally intended for equestrian uses and is adjacent to horse trails not associated with power line or canal easements.

“Should other neighborhoods wish to be considered for this, then I would suggest that we consider them separately,” he said. “Give us time to get into those neighborhoods and see what the residents actually think.”

Schofield noted that the Paddock Park I neighborhood contains a few existing stables that were built before the EPA was established and have been grandfathered in as permitted uses.

The draft ordinance specifies that qualifying lots would have to be larger than one acre and meet certain criteria, such as adequate setbacks and the ability to accommodate and screen a horse trailer. The ordinance would limit the number of stables on a qualifying lot to two, covering no more than 1,250 square feet. Groom’s quarters would not be permitted in order to deter commercial activities. No variances from the conditions would be allowed.

Vice Mayor Dr. Carmine Priore suggested an additional condition in the ordinance that would restrict stable rights to properties that are directly adjacent to equestrian trails. “As long as I’ve been here, the argument has been made that horses and paved roads don’t mix,” he said. “If we don’t have dirt roads, then where are these horses going to go?”

Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto noted that she lives in a neighborhood where horse owners ride on the street, even though it is paved.

“You have to take every

safety measure possible, but I do not think that paved roads are the determinant of where horses are or are not,” she said, “and really, all we are doing is restoring the right that these homeowners had before we took it away from them. So as long as all the criteria are met, and safety is a priority, I’m OK with it.”

But Priore said the traffic conditions on Paddock Drive would offer too great a hazard. “Paddock has got a long history of problems with traffic and speeding by itself,” he said. “Now adding horses to the equation would be extremely problematic.”

Paddock Park resident Mitch Marcus said he also feels the area is now unsuitable for horses. “As Paddock Park I was developed, it’s not an equestrian area,” he said. “It’s not what the homes are like, it’s not what the setbacks are like, and it’s not how it’s being used.”

Noting that residents voted to pave Squire Drive years ago, Marcus took issue with the concept of restoring rights to residents that had been taken away. “You could say that about a lot of areas subsequent to the way they got developed, and the original conception is not what the buildout turned out to be,” he said. “I don’t think horses belong there.”

But Squire Drive resident Roy Rosner disagreed, saying that preventing people who live near horse trails from keeping horses would be like barring people on the Intracoastal Waterway from having docks behind their houses. And once you allow those adjacent to trails to keep horses, he said, it would be only fair to allow those just a few steps away from a trail, and elsewhere in the community, the same right.

“The law is you can ride your horse on a paved street,

See STABLES, page 2

RPB’s Fred Pinto Wins Re-Election Without A Fight

By Mark Lioi

Town-Crier Staff Report

Of the two potential races for seats on the Royal Palm Beach Council next month, only one will feature a contested election.

On Tuesday, the filing period for candidates in the March 10 election closed, and while incumbent Councilwoman Martha Webster has drawn challenger Demian Saenz in her bid to retain Seat 2 on the council, Vice Mayor Fred Pinto was unopposed and will return to Seat 4 for another two-year term.

On Thursday, Pinto told the Town-Crier he is grateful to the residents for having confidence in him and being happy with the job he has been doing for the last six years.

“I look forward to continuing to serve this community,” he said.

Pinto said his accomplishments on the council do not matter as much as the work that lies before him.

“I’m a believer that you have to earn the trust of the citizens,” he said. “It’s not what you did for them before, it’s what you are going to do for them going forward. Every day is an opportunity to earn their trust and demonstrate performance and integrity. I focus on doing what’s right for the citizens.”

Meanwhile, Webster told the Town-Crier she is looking forward to mounting a serious campaign to keep her seat. “We’ll be running this campaign like we would run any campaign,” she said, “hard, and getting out there and letting the people know what I’ve accomplished in the nine months since I was elected to take over the vacant position.”

Among her accomplishments of the past year, Webster counts the passage of yet another village budget with a lowered millage rate, as well as her representation of the village on the westward extension of Roebuck Road, both in meetings with West Palm Beach officials and lobbying Palm Beach County to keep money in its budget for the extension.

Webster also noted her countywide voter education

efforts as a board member of the Palm Beach County League of Cities on the virtues of the “home rule” amendment to the county charter on last year’s ballot, which won wide approval. “It has been a busy year,” she said.

Webster noted that she has gained a lot of campaign experience in recent years, not only in an initial unsuccessful council bid in 2006 and her more recent victorious run for the council, but also helping County Commissioner Jess Santamaria win his seat in 2006. “I do enjoy campaigning,” she said. “Campaigning is a good opportunity to get out and talk to the people and really stay in touch, although I have done my best to stay in touch over the last nine months. Campaigning is not a bad thing; it can be a very good thing.”

Saenz, who works as a supply specialist for Office Depot, said he is taking his challenge of Webster very seriously. “I have two kids and a full-time job,” he noted. “This isn’t something I’m doing as something fun on the side. I’m taking this seriously, and I’m taking Martha seriously.”

As the father of two small children, Saenz said he would represent on the council a significant segment of the Royal Palm Beach population. “I would be one of the only members on the council with a young family, and I think that’s important,” he said. “There are many families here in the community and I think that’s the one segment of the voting population that I need to focus on.” At 34, Saenz would definitely be the council’s youngest member. “And there’s nothing wrong with that,” he said. “I know Fred has a son, and I believe other council members have had children who are obviously grown, so they’ve gone through that phase of their life. But we have five schools, if you want to include the Ideal School, in our community and a council member with children in that school program I think is beneficial.”

RPB Seeks Grant Money To Help Fund New Park

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation Department is applying for a $200,000 grant through the state’s Land & Water Conservation Fund to help pay for the development of Village Commons Park. It will be the fourth grant that the village has applied for to help underwrite the estimated $18 million in construction costs for the 160-acre facility, said Parks & Recreation Director Lou Recchio. The village paid about $8 million for the former Tradition Golf Course on the east side of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. between Southern and Okeechobee boulevards, and

has set aside $22 million in its five-year capital improvements plan for construction of what has been dubbed the village’s “Central Park.”

“Whenever you apply for grant dollars, there are certain criteria you have to meet,” Recchio said. “It’s a very competitive market for the dollars that are available. We have three applications in right now with the state, two with the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) each worth $200,000. We have a third application in, which is a cultural facilities grant for $500,000. These are all matching grant funds.”

With $22 million showing on the books and $8 million

already invested in the property, showing matching funds is not an issue, Recchio noted. “There are certain grant parameters,” he said. “We have to show that we held advertised public meetings.”

One such meeting was held Thursday at the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center, attended by only Recchio and a newspaper reporter.

“I have also presented it to a civic club and the Young at Heart Club,” he said, noting that he will present the application to the village’s Recreation Advisory Board for approval on Feb. 23. “This is the infancy — the first step of putting an application in.”

The $200,000

See COMMONS,

&

Land

page 18

RPB’s “Central Park” — Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation Director Lou Recchio points out features on a map of the planned Village Commons Park.

St. Peter’s United Methodist Church celebrated 30 years of ministry in Wellington last weekend. Members and friends of the congregation enjoyed an elegant dinner on Saturday, Feb. 7 and a special worship service on Sunday, Feb. 8. Shown here is Assistant Pastor Rachel Lever with Bishop William Willimon and Rev. Rainer Richter. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 3

PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Measures Planned For Acreage Roads

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors approved a special permit Wednesday to allow the county to install traffic-calming devices on Persimmon and Orange Grove boulevards before connections to the new State Road 7 extension actually open on those roads.

The board also approved a long-negotiated interlocal agreement for the connections to Acreage roads.

County Engineer George Webb told the ITID supervisors that the Palm Beach County Commission had approved the interlocal agreement and permit for the county to connect the SR 7 extension to the two Acreage Roads last week, although the last time he had met with ITID supervisors in January, they hadn’t resolved final details of the agreement.

“We couldn’t get to the last one percent of the items, and I took a motion to the county commissioners with the main items outlined in your conditions,” he said. “They conceptually approved all those items with little discussion. Based on that, we move forward to the last one percent, and hopefully you will execute this agreement and special permit tonight.”

Webb said he still has to bring the finalized agreement to the commission for approval, and asked the supervisors to grant the county a temporary permit to proceed immediately with construction of traffic-calming devices the county had agreed to install along Persimmon and Orange Grove boulevards so they would be in place when the connections are actually made.

“I’ve worked with your administrator to get another permit to work on your behalf to install the traffic-calming devices starting almost immediately,” Webb said. “Even if our board doesn’t execute that agreement, you will have the traffic-calming devices at our expense on your roads. That’s the worst-case scenario. The best case is we can move forward getting those in so that when we’re ready to make the connection, which our contractors tell me is a month to six weeks away, we will be able to open up and move forward with those traffic-calming devices in place.”

ITID Administrator Chris King said the county would give the district $490,000 upon approval of the agreement for other improvements to the roads including widening, hardening and landscap-

Stables More Study Needed

continued from page 1 at your own risk,” he said.

“I’m sure that’s a difficult situation, but I think in fairness to the community, if some people have the right to do that, all should have the right to do that.”

ing sections of Persimmon and Orange Grove boulevards. In addition, the interlocal agreement would eliminate a lawsuit pending between the county and the district, and give the county a permit to connect the extension, King said. The agreement also includes an assurance that the county will make an earnest effort through the Metropolitan Planning Organization to get funding for the extension to continue to Northlake Blvd.

During public comment, Acreage resident Alex Larson cast doubt on the fruition of the extension to Northlake Blvd. She also said the Village of Royal Palm Beach should be pressured into allowing a connection into its La Mancha neighborhood at Madrid Street, which it has resisted.

Supervisor Mike Erickson said he supported the temporary permit because the county is trying to look out for the citizens. He added that there is insistent language that the county and district are going to make every effort to connect to Northlake Blvd.

“I am confident that one way or another we will get at least a two-lane reliever road completed to Northlake or I wouldn’t be supporting this,” Erickson said. “On the other hand, the road is almost complete. It is going to relieve our citizens. More than half our citizens here in The Acreage go down to State Road 7. Yes, I believe Royal Palm Beach should take on responsibility for their own community and create that connection. They’ve chosen not to for some political basis, and I think some of them actually live near that connection.” Erickson said there are other ways of forcing Royal Palm Beach’s hand, including future traffic studies that he felt would show advantages of completing the connection. “This is one particular element of the transportation network that I firmly believe needs to be in place,” he said. “I’m a firm believer that the connections should be as many as possible to distribute it amongst everyone.” Erickson added that the funds collected from the county would be used at the board’s discretion to make improvements. Webb also stressed that Persimmon and Orange Grove boulevards would remain district and not county roads. Erickson made a motion to approve the interlocal agreement and temporary permit. It was seconded by Carol Jacobs and passed unanimously.

horses the way someone would be expected to do with a small dog,” he said. Jorn also noted the potential the manure poses for contamination of wells that residents of the area depend on for water.

Madison Boyd, the 12year-old who started a petition in Paddock Park I to allow stables, told the council the stables would reinforce community equestrian values, improve property values, allow her neighborhood to make use of the nearby trail and also provide young people like herself with an instructive and healthy activity.

A series of other residents also spoke on the issue, some touting its merits and others warning of its hazards, such as Ishnala Circle residents in Pinewood Manor who worry that the smell of manure would make living there unpleasant and damage their property values.

Councilman Matt Willhite suggested a survey of residents, noting the previous mixed feelings expressed by area residents on bringing potable water service to their homes.

Boyd’s father Al noted that his family moved into the neighborhood in 2001 only to discover that the right to a stable had been taken away. He urged the council to restore that right, noting that there was no commercial aspect to it. “This is kids enjoying the outdoors, taking an active interest and staying focused on what’s good and right about Wellington,” he said.

But Horseshoe Trace resident Fred Jorn, who lives next door to a stable, called the introduction of more stables “inconceivable,” saying that animal husbandry in a residential neighborhood would bring with it all sorts of ills: rodents, the odor of nearby manure, safety problems and sanitation issues. “Equestrians don’t clean up after their

Priore cautioned about painting the area with a broad brush and suggested instead offering a conditional use or a special exceptional use for stables to individual applicants. He also wanted to know exactly how many lots in the area would qualify, once all the terms of the ordinance were applied.

Schofield noted that as a zoning ordinance, the village would be better able to change or further extend the number of conditions to limit the applicability of the new rule.

Willhite made a motion to table the ordinance, directing staff to gather data on the eligibility of the lots in the limited area they had recommended. Priore seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

St. Peter’s Church Celebrates 30 Years Serving Wellington

St. Peter’s United Methodist Church celebrated 30 years of ministry in Wellington last weekend.

Members and friends of the congregation enjoyed an elegant dinner on Saturday, Feb. 7 and a special worship service on Sunday, Feb. 8.

During the Feb. 7 gala, Wellington Vice Mayor Dr. Carmine Priore, Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto and Councilman Matt Willhite presented a proclamation to Rev. Dr. Rainer G. Richter. Music was provided by Higher Ground, a contemporary praise band from First United Methodist Church of Coral Springs.

The highlight of the evening was a message

from Bishop William H. Willimon, one of the leaders of the United Methodist denomination.

St. Peter’s usually has three worship services on Sunday mornings. However, for this special weekend, there was one combined service in the Family Life Center. Several choirs, including the Littlest Angelz, Joyz R Us, Celebration Singerz, the Praise Team and the Chancel Choir provided music.

St. Peter’s United Methodist Church was chartered on Feb. 4, 1979 under founding pastor Rev. John E. Denmark. Rev. Dr. Douglas R. Kirk served as pastor from 1984 until 1992, when Rev. Rainer assumed the role.

Tom and Barbara Close PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Master of Ceremonies David Albright

Presley, Sandi and Tony AlmondCindy and Keith Jackson

Dr. Carmine and Marie Priore with Rev. Rainer Richter

OUR OPINION

It’s

Time To Change

The Way Florida Draws District Lines

In 1812, Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed into law a redistricting bill that redrew the state’s district boundaries to benefit his own party, and the practice known as “gerrymandering” was born. Nearly 200 years later, gerrymandering is alive and well. Nowhere is there more evidence of this than in the halls of the Florida Legislature. Despite two national elections that saw the Republican Party lose control of Congress (2006) and continue to lose seats (2008), the GOP’s grip on both chambers of the state legislature has remained steady, largely due to carefully designed districts almost impossible to shift from one party to another.

Of course, things weren’t any better when Democrats ruled Tallahassee in the 1980s. The use of gerrymandering was as prevalent then as it is now. It’s not a tradition we’re particularly proud of. Fortunately, it’s not one we have to hold on to, either. We’re still three years away from the next redistricting. This provides a window of opportunity in light of a recent decision by the Florida Supreme Court, which approved a pair of amendments for the 2010 ballot that would create guidelines for congressional and legislative redistricting respectively. To get on the ballot, each amendment requires 676,811 signatures.

Included in the proposed amendments are plans to require districts to follow existing political and geographic boundaries “where feasible” and to prohibit the redistricting process from favoring any incumbent or political party, or denying equal

We Need A Moratorium On Noise

On Jan. 13, the Wellington Village Council met on the request of the Planning & Zoning Department to amend the code of ordinances of the village to give “exemption of noise standards” to include equipment associated with “normal maintenance” of golf courses.

That law currently excludes the use of tractors and any equipment producing audible noise in excess of 55 decibels before 7 a.m. daily and 9 a.m. on Sundays. If passed, this proposition would allow the use of tractors as early as 6 a.m. daily and Sunday as well. This change in ordinance was originally requested by the Wanderers Club, a private golf course surrounding Lakefield North and parts of Lakefield South, Lakefield West and Meadow Wood. This change in the noise abatement ordinance, if passed, would permit golf courses to mow before dawn, as many are currently doing, at the expense of awakening scores of homeowners who live in the communities that the Wanderers Club (formerly the Wellington Golf & Country Club) surrounds.

At the Jan. 13 meeting, the council decided to postpone voting on the issue until it could determine how other cities and counties around the state are handling the same situation. In doing so, the council decided to declare a moratorium and table the issue until then. A moratorium on what? Complaints from residents? Early-morning mowing as current law says?

Or just turning a deaf ear to the complaints of residents who are being startled and awakened by loud tractors, flashing lights and other machinery and workers starting at pre-dawn, preparing a golf

course for the “possibility” of a couple of PGA tournaments later this summer?

Other golf courses are hopefully “rooting” for the Wanderers Club, because if it is successful in having the noise-abatement rules changed, they too would be allowed earlier mowing and tee-offs. While residents are irate over being awakened on many mornings, the Planning & Zoning Department “has confirmed that the council did in effect, declare a moratorium on any enforcement, until the issue is addressed formally, and the amendment proposed is approved or denied.”

On many mornings, the silence continues to be broken, protestations are generated by residents, dreams are interrupted with tractor headlights. Nearly 30 days have passed and there is to be no enforcement of the noise abatement law as currently exists, and the council has still not determined when they will take the matter up. I, for one, am for a moratorium on the noise until the matter is approved or denied. Sampson Nebb Wellington

Don’t Close

50th Street

As a Rustic Ranches resident in Wellington, I am appalled to learn that there is an effort to gate off 50th Street. I fail to see the necessity of this. It is a road primarily used by Wellington residents both in the village and in Rustic Ranches.

This would not only devalue our property, but it is a road of major importance to the businesses in our area that have had access since the road was opened. This is a road our equestrian community uses to transport horses to the shows in the village. Turning onto Southern Blvd. with a trailer full of horses

opportunity for racial or language minorities. We would have preferred the amendments go all the way and call for a bipartisan commission, not the legislature, to be in charge of reapportionment. But as it stands, these amendments are Florida’s best shot at improving the upcoming redistricting process. The group behind the amendments, Fair Districts Florida, has posted the petitions online at www.fairdistricts florida.org. We urge everyone to sign them.

A nonpartisan state committee, Fair Districts Florida is chaired by former county judge Thom Rumberger; the group is co-chaired by former senator/governor Bob Graham, former state senator Daryl Jones, former U.S. attorney general Janet Reno and former Interior Department assistant secretary Nathaniel Reed. This is not a group of radicals, but people with a lot of experience in government — enough to know when democracy is not being served.

One of the more ridiculously drawn districts Fair Districts Florida mentions on its web site is State Sen. Dave Aronberg’s District 27, which covers 115 miles across five counties. Who benefits from that? Certainly not the voters. That is why the time is right to put the amendments on the ballot. The best way to celebrate the 200th anniversary of gerrymandering is in memoriam.

Florida residents have the chance to return fairness to the political process. It would be a shame if we ignore it.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

with the current volume of traffic is a dangerous situation. Our residents working in the southern part of the county would add 30 miles to their trip, and have to allow 30 to 45 minutes more travel time.

In emergency situations, sheriff’s deputies have diverted traffic off of Southern Blvd. at Flying Cow Road and through the village. The most recent was the accident on Southern Blvd. and Binks Forest Drive (eastbound), which was closed for at least eight hours. The only way out was 50th Street. With the past hurricanes, we had 11 telephone poles down. On both occasions, we could not get out on Flying Cow Road northbound for over a week. The only way out was 50th Street. There were two accidents where deputies closed Flying Cow Road over eight hours (southbound) from Southern Blvd. The only way in was 50th Street. Closing 50th Street is not only a major inconvenience, it creates a dangerous situation. Emergency vehicles would waste precious time reaching us if there were a fire or medical emergency. There is no valid reason to close this road. You have taken into consideration the concerns of the people in Homeland, as you should with regard to eliminating the teardrop roundabout so they can have access, and they are not Wellington residents. Do the same for us.

Chris Wallace Wellington

Access To 50th Street Needed

I have been a resident of Rustic Ranches since 1989. The [50th Street] back road has been vital in several instances. It was only through this way that we were able to get out when [Hurricane] Irene came our way and the

front road was flooded. When other hurricanes came and we had power poles down, this again was our way out. When we have had accidents and the road has been closed down for hours, we could come home on the back road. This back road has significance in how valuable our property would be should we want to sell it. Who would want to buy our properties? Most probably people who are interested in the equestrian identification that has been assigned, yet when they find out we are not actually part of the Wellington equestrian road circuit, they will see us as a less viable option. As residents who use the road for employment purposes when going to our farm in Boynton, or the jobsites on Lantana Road, going north, east then south again, really puts a dent in our time and cost. With the economy the way it is, every drop of gas spent is the difference in staying in the black or going in the red. The closure of the back road is another loud statement telling us our needs don’t count. Let’s keep them out of our more valuable Wellington neighborhoods!

Bob and Maria Fong Wellington Side

With The Residents, Not Golf Courses

Two meetings have taken place over the noise ordinance and the Wanderers Club. Neither one of these meetings should have taken place. Four communities have consistently called the village to complain about the Wanderers Club maintenance starting as early as 5:30 a.m. Lights shining into our homes at these early hours. Tractors, lawnmowers and other machinery swarm around before dawn with no regard for the law or the surrounding communities. If Mayor Darell

Bowen resided in one of the communities impacted, one meeting certainly would not have occurred!

At one of these meetings, Mayor Bowen stated, “Wellington cannot afford to have another golf course close.” To further intimidate members of the affected communities, Mayor Bowen stated, “Mr. [John] Goodman could go elsewhere with his golf course.” These two statements clearly indicate Mayor Bowen’s lack of concern for our communities; these are the words of an elitist with no regard for his constituents. Residents of these communities have the right to live free of these disturbances. Currently, the noise ordinance for the Village of Wellington has been suspended by the council. This permits the maintenance crews of the Wanderers Club to be on the grounds at 5:30 a.m. and out of harm’s way once players take to the course by 7 a.m.

The families in these communities should be of primary concern. If the success of Mr. Goodman’s golf course depends on a tee time for maybe one or two of his 60 members, it absolutely should not come at the expense of the hundreds of residents comprising these communities. Perhaps Mayor Bowen is the one being intimated by one voice.

The number of people who have complained, and the number of homes affected by the Wanderers Club in total disregard of Village of Wellington regulations, should serve as a red flag for the citizens, council members and the mayor. Rather, Mayor

Bowen has shown a total disregard for the members of these communities and the very rights he was elected to uphold. Yes, as was stated, small houses do have loud voices. Hopefully, former mayor Tom Wenham has stored some of his “Vote for Tom Wenham” signs. Angie Weltzien Wellington

No Benefits From Golf Course

In response to a recent article in the Town-Crier and comments made at some recent meetings, as a resident who lives near the Wanderers Club, I felt compelled to clarify a few issues. I keep hearing comments made by people in other communities and the owners of the club discussing all the benefits we are receiving from living on the golf course. That is simply no longer true. Not only do we not get any benefit from being on the golf course any longer, it has actually had a negative impact on our property.

Most of us moved to the golf course because we valued the benefits and the views. We were willing to pay extra for those benefits. We co-existed for many years with the prior club; I daresay I have never been aware of any complaints made against the old club. We valued and appreciated being on the golf course and the benefit we did receive.

My first encounter with anyone from the new club

See LETTERS, page 18

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

Of Newspapers As We Known Them? I Sure Hope Not

Two friends recently pointed me toward articles in two separate national magazines. I stopped reading both the magazines many years ago, so I wouldn’t have noticed them without getting tipped.

One was in Newsweek, with the gleeful headline “We Are All Socialists Now.” The subhead in Newsweek’s online edition (more about that later) asserts that in many ways “our economy already resembles a European one. As boomers age and spending grows, we will become even more French.”

Since I don’t like either Socialism or the French (and I’m partly of French heritage by accident of birth), I stopped reading after the subhead.

The other was Time magazine. I read that article because it was about a subject dear to my heart that I think and talk about often — the death of newspapers in America. The article, “How to Save Your Newspaper” by Time former managing editor Walter Isaacson, opines that the “crisis in journalism has reached meltdown proportions. It is now possible to contemplate a time when some major cities will no longer have a newspaper and when magazines and network news operations will employ no more than a handful of reporters.”

This, he says, despite the fact that “newspapers have more readers than ever. Their content… is more popular than ever — even (in fact, especially) among young people.”

The difference, he notes, is that these news-

By Don Brown

papers are being read online for free rather than the genuine article being purchased by subscription or news racks. While I’m neither young nor very savvy about web browsing, I’ve been reading newspapers and magazines online for years. The exception has always been local newspapers, until a few years ago, when I cancelled my Palm Beach Post subscription because I didn’t like the way it covered the news. While I am a consummate reader of newspapers and magazines, I very rarely buy them. Mr. Isaacson is right: why buy something you can get for free?

Online daily newspaper readers hurt the Fourth Estate for two reasons: they don’t buy the real deal, plus the journalists and others who produce the news are not paid for those services that web surfers get for free. Does the adage “you get what you pay for” for ring a bell? More “news” is available via blogs and questionable web sites, and there is little or no scrutiny about the veracity of the information they proffer. Another way web reading hurts newspapers is that fewer people are

reading the advertising, which is the lifeblood of all publications.

Traditional newspapers make their revenues through newsstand sales (though fewer today), subscriptions and advertising. For community newspapers such as the TownCrier, advertising is the sole source of revenue. Virtually everything else is provided as a free service to both advertisers and readers. I’m not free, but I’m damn close.

Many newspapers are either eliminating or slashing their print editions and putting more emphasis on web sites. The Palm Beach Post which has drastically reduced the number of news pages, sections and reporting staff, is an example. While I never considered the Post as a top-tier newspaper for a metropolitan area of our size, it has nonetheless long been the only real daily choice for readers in Palm Beach County. The success of the Town-Crier is largely due to its thorough local news coverage across the substantial western communities and service to both readers and advertisers not provided by the Post. Local newspaper readers and advertisers are commonly as loyal to a community paper as it is to them.

The decline of journalism is also apparent on the national scene. The Project for Excellence in Journalism recently noted a drastic decline in the number of journalists covering the nation’s capital for we, the people. According to the same group, the Arab news channel Al-Jazeera has nearly the number of

accredited journalists CBS News has. In fact, since the 1980s, the number of newspapers accredited to cover Congress has declined by two thirds. At the same time, the number of reporters for special-interest publications has risen substantially.

What all this means is that the so-called Fourth Estate no longer exists in the traditional sense — as the final nonpartisan watchdog of the three branches of the United States government. We have all been hijacked by partisan and other special interest groups that relay their spin on what is happening in Washington, D.C.

All this means that local areas around the country are not getting the news from Washington that affects those communities. Local daily newspapers have reduced their editorial staffs so much that they no longer bother covering Congress on local issues, relying instead on being spoon-fed by potentially unreliable “stringers” and congressional staffers when their bosses want to control the spin of a headline.

I must confess that all this makes me sick. I have been either directly or indirectly connected to the newspaper profession for nearly half a century. I worked for several daily newspapers and a couple of weekly papers. I remember when working for daily newspapers was fun, before journalists weren’t such stuffed shirts. My colleagues and I had a lot of laughs, and we enjoyed the competition.

See BROWN, page 18

LITTLE SMILES SHINE BRIGHT AT ANNUAL STARS BALL IN WELLINGTON

The Stars Ball 2009 was held last Saturday at the Binks Forest Golf Club to benefit Little Smiles, a charitable organization that strives to fulfill the dreams of children in local hospitals, hospices and shelters. At the ball, a handful of these “little stars” arrived by limousine for a simulated “Oscar night.” As the stars enjoyed their own private party, guests enjoyed an evening of dining and dancing. For more info., call (561) 383-7274 or visit www.littlesmiles.org.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

It’s

You

Members of the Little Smiles Board of Directors.

Regis Wenham, County Commissioner Jess Santamaria with his wife Victoria, and Laurie and Irwin Cohen.

State Sen. Dave Aronberg and builder Wally Sanger with Diamond Smith.

Peter Caufield is interviewed by WILD 95.5 FM’s Kevin Rolston while Jason Pennington looks on.

Dr. Melissa Singer and Carson Ruffa share a dance.

Former Wellington mayor Tom Wenham gets an autograph from Natalie Davila. Virginia Lang and Melanie Simko.

Palms West Hospital CEO Bland Eng and his wife Erika get “thank-you” plaques signed by the kids.

Myles and Diana Tashman, Julie Pickens, Toy and John Wash, and Janet and William Pearson.

Olivia Jiminez is interviewed by WILD 95.5 FM’s Virginia Lang.

Man Arrested For Disorderly Conduct At Starbucks Store

By Jason Budjinski Town-Crier Staff Report

FEB. 7 — A Wellington man was arrested last Saturday night for drunken disorderly conduct at the Starbucks Coffee location in the Wellington Plaza on Forest Hill Blvd. According to a PBSO report, 51-year-old Joseph Marine entered the establishment and began screaming. Marine then walked over to a corner table, where he fell asleep and remained so for approximately an hour. When he woke up, Marine started yelling loudly and cursing at customers. The complainant told a PBSO deputy that Marine was asked to leave but refused. He was asleep when the deputy arrived. The deputy woke Marine and asked him to go outside and discuss what had happened. But when Marine attempted to stand, he toppled over and almost fell onto the table. The deputy noticed Marine’s breath had a strong odor of alcohol. Marine was then placed under arrest for drunken disorderly conduct while in an establishment.

FEB. 7 — A resident of Opal Lane called the PBSO substation in Wellington last Saturday afternoon regarding a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 5:30 p.m. last Friday and 2:40 p.m. the following day, someone entered the victim’s vehicle and stole a black bag containing a HewlettPackard mini computer, miscellaneous credit cards, store cards, gift cards, a Florida driver’s license and a Bible. The victim acknowledged that the vehicle was left unlocked. A deputy canvassed the area for witnesses and evidence but was unsuccessful. The deputy was also unable to obtain latent prints.

FEB. 7 — A Belle Glade man was arrested last Saturday for driving without a license in Royal Palm Beach. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was traveling on Southern Blvd. when he observed a Ford pickup truck driven by 27-year-old Fermin Hernandez Vazquez driving well below the posted speed limit. The deputy performed a computer check of the vehicle’s tag and discovered its owner had an expired license. Upon contacting Vazquez, the deputy learned that he had never been issued a driver’s license, and that the vehicle’s owner was traveling as a passenger. Vazquez was issued two uniform traffic citations for not having a driver’s license and impeding traffic. He was taken into custody without incident and later transported to the Palm Beach County Jail.

FEB. 8 — An Acreage man was arrested early last Sunday morning for drug possession following a traffic stop in Royal Palm Beach. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 1:45 a.m. a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was traveling westbound on Okeechobee Blvd. when he initiated a traffic stop on a 1990 Cadillac driven by 18-year-old Michael Mahoney, who was

driving without headlights on. Upon making contact with Mahoney, the deputy noticed a smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. After asking Mahoney to exit the vehicle, the deputy noticed a drug pipe in plain view on the front passenger seat. Approximately 5.1 grams of marijuana were found inside the center console. Mahoney was arrested without incident and transported to the county jail. He was also issued a citation for driving with his headlights off.

FEB. 9 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach responded Monday to the Bealls department store on Southern Blvd. in reference to a retail theft. According to a PBSO report, 20-year-old Ericka Rodas of West Palm Beach was observed selecting a lingerie dress, a pair of panties and three dresses, which she concealed in her purse. She then left the store without paying for the merchandise. Rodas was apprehended by a loss prevention officer. A records check revealed there was an outstanding warrant for Rodas’ arrest, which was served. She was transported to the county jail.

FEB. 10 — An employee of the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Belvedere Road called the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach on Tuesday night regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, the employee observed 21-year-old Victoria Romero and 21year-old Lisa Harlan of West Palm Beach select a large box of condoms and vibrator rings. Romero and Harlan then opened the box, removed the items and placed them in their handbags. They proceeded toward the exit, passing all points of sale before they were stopped by a loss prevention officer. The merchandise was recovered, and Romero and Harlan were charged with petit theft. Both were transported to the county jail.

FEB. 10 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched Tuesday night to the Pointe at Wellington Green regarding a vehicle theft. According to a PBSO report, the victim parked his white 2001 Range Rover in the parking lot at approximately 6:15 p.m. When he returned at approximately 7:30 p.m., the victim discovered his vehicle was missing. There was no glass on the ground, the vehicle had been locked and the victim was in possession of the keys. In addition to the theft, two vehicle burglaries occurred in the area on Monday. According to separate PBSO reports, sometime between 3 and 3:30 p.m., someone gained access to the vehicles and stole numerous items. Stolen from one of the vehicles was a bag containing $1,340 in checks, multiple gift cards and $750 cash. Stolen from the other vehicle was a purse containing a driver’s license, bank cards and $40 cash. The deputy attempted to obtain latent prints but was unsuccessful. FEB. 10 — A resident of

Wendy Aprile Winston Thompson

See BLOTTER, page 18

Economic Experts: Brighter Days Ahead For Palm Beach County

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

Palms West Chamber of Commerce members heard two of Palm Beach County’s leading economic development officials Monday describe current efforts to improve local fortunes in the coming years.

The keynote speakers at the chamber’s monthly business luncheon were Dr. Munroe Harlow, senior planner with the county’s Economic Development Office, and Andrew Duffell, senior vice president of the Business Development Board.

Harlow said the county’s 21st Century Strategic Economic Plan was developed to respond to changing economic conditions. “The idea is we understand that the economy is changing,” she said. “We want a different kind of economic growth in the coming decades. We can continue to grow, but the way we do that is to diversify the economy.”

Science and culture are two of the economic sectors that are already strong in Palm Beach County, Harlow said. “We understand that the knowledge-based industry is big in Palm Beach County thanks to Max Planck and Scripps,” she said. “This will continue to have spinoffs throughout the economy. We have a very strong arts, culture and film representation. The idea is to grow those sectors even further. If we can get 20 percent growth in the knowledge-based industry in the next ten years, and a 20 percent increase in the arts and culture, we can increase jobs by 30,000 or more and increase revenue to the coun-

ty by over a billion dollars within nine years.”

Harlow said some of the plans under development in Palm Beach County will eventually dovetail with federal efforts at economic stimulus. She noted some largescale projects in the works include waterfront redevelopment initiatives in Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach and Boynton Beach, and efforts to establish an inland port for cargo transit somewhere in the far west of the county.

Harlow noted the potential of further expanding the equestrian industry locally, with Kentucky an example of what can be done, and also said Palm Beach County should strive to become more of a financial center.

“We can draw on the banking industry, the insurance industry, the real estate industry and trade,” Harlow said. “There are many people from around the world who look at this area because of the investments.”

Duffell said the Business Development Board’s efforts tie into the plans discussed by Harlow. Duffell noted that Palm Beach County has been involved in innovation since Henry Morrison Flagler built a railroad here, and that developing alternative energy would be its next step.

“In 1950s, Pratt & Whitney came to Palm Beach County and started testing rocket engines,” he said. “In the 1980s, IBM came along and built the personal computer. In the 2000s, Scripps came along, investing in the treatments for ailments that afflict us as human beings. We have the opportunity to lead the world in

new and clean energy for the future.”

Palm Beach County offers plenty of environmentally friendly resources, Duffell said.

“We have hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural land out west,” he said. “As you all know, we are beginning to harness those as a new source of energy. Florida Crystals is the owner and operator of a biomass ethanol facility. Very few people know about it and very few people have seen it. It’s creating a million barrels every year and decreasing our reliance on foreign energy.”

Duffell said the BDB is starting a familiarization program to attract new industry to the county. “Every year we bring to Palm Beach County 12 economic development consultants,” he said. “They are retained by Fortune 500 companies or smaller companies interested in expanding facilities and figuring out what services or benefits are available to them in various locations.”

Duffell said he was just on the phone with one such consultant, whose client is looking to establish 22 waste-toenergy facilities in the U.S. “One of the things he mentioned as an input product was manure,” he said. “There is a huge amount of horses in Wellington, and there is a problem of what to do with the manure. He had the solution.”

Duffell also stressed the value of multi-cultural, multilanguage curricula at all levels of education, which would broaden minds and enable future generations to take ad-

vantage of a wider range of opportunities.

“It’s very important that our students in K through 12 and through university have these high-tech skills and the language skills to win these deals to take full advantage of the potential that we are putting in front of them today,” he said. “Let your legislators know how important education and economic development is to our future and to us as a state.”

Monday’s luncheon was sponsored by Florida Public Utilities, which provides natural gas and propane and has been expanding its gas service in the western communities. The company’s marketing director Marc Seagrave described natural gas as an environmentally friendly, clean-burning domestic fuel source, important to a nation trying to turn away from dependence on foreign energy.

“It’s a fuel source that is in such abundance, and based on the known reserves of natural gas, our children and our grandchildren will have this fuel source in abundance well into their lifetimes.”

Seagrave noted that Florida Public Utilities still sells washers, driers, ranges, and other appliances from its facility on Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, which sets it apart from other utilities.

“We still sell them and install them,” Seagrave said. “We still do the installation of the piping work in your home. Not many utilities are still involved in that part of the business. We are a bit more old-school from that perspective.”

Seagrave said converting

Palms West Chamber of Commerce President John Spillane with Dr. Munroe Harlow of the county’s Economic Development Office and Andrew Duffell of the Business Development Board. (Right) Marc Seagrave of Florida Public Utilities.

PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

to gas-powered appliances makes economic as well as environmental sense. “In the event of a power outage, we can provide the home and business with an energy source,” he said. “If you are concerned about the environment, just installing the gas heater reduces 3,000 pounds of carbon and reduces the carbon footprint. We have energy conservation programs available. We have been here since 1924, and we are looking forward to serving you.”

Monday’s luncheon took place at the Wellington Community Center, with food supplied by Panera Bread.

Panera representative Nicky Tesser of Covelli Enterprises said Panera would have 21

stores in Broward and Palm Beach County by the end of April. “We are really excited about this,” Tesser said. “As you know, we just opened our new store in Royal Palm Beach. We encourage everyone to stop by and try out Panera Bread. Thanks for having me, and hope you all enjoy the luncheon.” For more about the Palms West Chamber of Commerce, call (561) 790-6200 or visit www.palmswest.com.

Speaker Urges Women’s Club Members To Embrace Imagination

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

Motivational speaker Paul Martinelli offered members of the Wellington Women’s Club advice on finding a new track in life as the guest speaker at their February meeting.

At the Feb. 5 meeting held at the Binks Forest Golf Club, Martinelli described his upbringing in a family in which all his siblings seemed to excel in everything they did. One became an Army heli-

copter pilot, another a tenured college professor, and another graduated at the top of her nursing class. All seemed destined for great things, Martinelli said, while he did not seem to excel at anything. That, combined with a stuttering problem, made him think he would never amount to anything or accomplish anything. His siblings, after all, came from the same background, so it had to be something to do with him personally. Whenever there was an

opportunity for him to learn, grow and change, he said he approached it with the belief that he would fail.

“That’s a powerful thing about how beliefs are created,” Martinelli explained. “As we grow, these are the things that become the filter through which we experience our world, and we adjust our perception.”

But after dropping out of high school in the early 1980s, Martinelli was recruited by Guardian Angels and

traveled through the United States setting up unarmed volunteer safety patrols in tough urban neighborhoods. By the time he was 22, he said, he was second in command of the organization.

In 1988, Martinelli started a cleaning company with $200 and a used vacuum cleaner, and built it into a multi-state company after becoming acquainted with the teachings of personal development expert Bob Proctor. In 2005, he sold the company and became Proctor’s business partner at Life Success Consultants, based in West Palm Beach.

Martinelli said Proctor’s material had made the difference in his life, and changed his own view of himself. He began to understand that once someone is introduced to his or her own potential and linked to a specific purpose, that person will readily embrace change.

“When I began studying Bob Proctor’s material, I started to understand there was already perfection inside of me,” Martinelli said. “I did not need to find something that needed to be added to

New Fertility Support Group Meets At WRMC

Fertility Hope, a new support group providing education and encouragement to couples trying to conceive, is now meeting at Wellington Regional Medical Center. Facilitated by reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Scott Roseff, the group meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in Conference Center Room B.

The support group helps couples do two things: 1) Deal with emotional issues

surrounding infertility, such as anxiety over upcoming treatments, discord in relationships, society and family pressures, personal loss (of fertility or prior pregnancy failure) and loneliness, and 2) educate about cutting-edge medical information regarding testing and treatments from highly qualified professionals in the specialty of reproductive medicine such as reproductive endocrinologists, nurse practitioners, nu-

tritionists/dieticians, urologists, psychotherapists, and practitioners of alternative and complementary medicine (such as acupuncturists and herbalists).

The spectrum of fertility issues will be discussed, as well as treatment options including natural and fertility supplements, insemination, in-vitro fertilization and gender selection.

Dr. Roseff is board-certified in obstetrics and gyne-

cology as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility. His practice, the Palm Beach Center for Reproductive Medicine, is located on the campus of Wellington Regional Medical Center. The group is open to all women and men, regardless of their physician.

For more information about the support group, call Dr. Roseff’s office at (561) 333-8232.

Weaver To Headline Chamber Luncheon

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce will hold a luncheon on Monday, Feb. 16 at noon at the Binks Forest Golf Club (400 Binks Forest Drive). The featured guest will be ten-year-old Damon Weaver, a reporter for K.E. Cunningham/Canal Point Elementary School’s TV station in Pahokee and the only child in America to be granted credentials for presidential inauguration events.

K.E. Cunningham/Canal Point Elementary School TV News Director Brian Zimmerman sent an e-mail to the White House to request an interview for Weaver with President Barack Obama. As a result of the e-mail, ABC News’ Diane Sawyer had her

me. What I needed to do was become aware of the perfection inside of me and express it. I started to apply that to my business and it started to grow. My life completely changed.”

Martinelli said people should change the way they think about things so much that it scares the heck out of them and excites them at the same time. And when you do something like that, he said, life sometimes gives you a counterpunch.

“We experience pain, and we experience failure,” Martinelli said. “It appears that we start going backward. We say it’s not working. We don’t like this failure thing. Not understanding, when you make a big pot of success, the first thing you do is you put in a big dose of failure. Everything you do today successfully, you failed at in the past. Failure is an absolute necessity.”

And Martinelli cautioned that failure causes people to shrink back to doing what they know, and set goals lower than they know they can achieve, is counter to inspiration and growth.

“You have to step outside of your comfort zone,” he said. “You have to step out and do things you have never done before. You have to face challenges, conditions and circumstances you have never done before.”

Too many times, Martinelli cautioned, we question whether we are worthy of a goal, which is why we often don’t achieve it. If you reason yourself out of something, he said, you lose the ability to visualize it, and you cannot turn it into reality.

“The Wright brothers saw themselves flying long before they got into the air,” he said. “The vision you glorify in your mind, the ideal you build in your heart, this is what you build your life by, and what you ultimately become. To build that picture, you have to use a different intellectual faculty. You have to use your imagination.” For more information about Paul Martinelli, visit www.paulmartinelli.net. For more information about Life Success Consultants call (561) 833-4404 or visit www. lifesuccessconsultants.com.

producer contact Zimmerman. When Weaver was sitting on the ABC news desk with Sawyer on Jan. 20, Diane asked Weaver to whisper in her ear the number-one question Weaver wants to ask the president. Weaver whispered, “President Obama, in my town, Pahokee, I have seen a lot of shootings and fights. What are you going to do about violence and to keep me safe?” Palm Beach Community College will sponsor the luncheon. The cost is $15 for chamber members in advance, $20 for members at the door and $25 for nonmembers. There will be special pricing for children. For more information, call (561) 792-6525.

(Above)

Weinberg. (Above) Jessica Barndollar of Royal Palm Beach gets her plaque from Capt. Pat Kenny. (Below) Cheryl Tenore of Wellington with Capt. Kenny.

Vinceremos Strides Of Hope Gala Feb. 20 At IPC

The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center’s Strides of Hope gala is just around the corner, and event co-chair Tuny Page and Vinceremos Executive Director Ruth Menor are getting revved up for the big auction on Friday, Feb. 20 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington. If you’ve got a need for speed, or at least a fun pair of scooters, you can bid on Extreme Key West Scooters courtesy Mad Dog Motorsports of West Palm Beach.

Other great live auction prizes include trips to New York and Las Vegas, one ton of horse feed courtesy of Pu-

rina, equine air transport from Lazcar International and the opportunity to be Palm Beach County Sheriff for a day! There will also be plenty of silent auction items to suit every style and budget. Proceeds from this event cover all of the non-profit’s annual operating expenses.

The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center, located in Loxahatchee Groves, has been providing therapeutic horseback riding to those with disabilities in Palm Beach County for more than 25 years.

The horse’s gentle nature and rhythmic movement, joined with their staff’s extensive expertise, provides un-

Open House — FranchiseMart (8480 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) held its February Business Social and Open House Forum last Wednesday. For more info., call (561) 333-4228 or visit www.franchisemart-wpb.com.

Shown here, Angel Wrona and Steve Echols of FranchiseMart (center) are visited by Indian Trail Improvement District Supervisor Carlos Enriquez and his wife Maria. PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

equalled therapeutic benefits for many individuals. For more information, call

(561) 792-9900 or visit the organization’s web site at www.vinceremos.com.

Rep. Rooney Introduces Property Insurance Bill

Congressman Tom Roon-

ey (R-District 16) recently introduced legislation to help strengthen insurance policyholders in the occurrence of a major disaster. The Policyholder Disaster Protection Act of 2009 is aimed to help lower the cost of property insurance for all Floridians.

“Just last month we saw State Farm announce they will be dropping all property insurance policies in Florida,” Rooney said. “We must take action now to help make property insurance more affordable and keep companies in Florida.”

The legislation suggested by Rooney would create a tax-deferred reserve that insurance companies can set up to cover the losses from future natural disasters. Currently insurance companies can only reserve against losses that have already occurred.

“It is very clear the current system needs to be changed and serious reforms are needed,” Rooney said. “Insurance companies need to be able to save for future losses to help drive down property insurance rates and keep companies solvent in the event of a disaster.”

Santamaria

Forum Feb. 18

County Commissioner Jess Santamaria will host a community forum on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. center court at the original Wellington Mall (12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd.).

The meeting will feature discussion about the state of the county and a presentation by the Palm Beach County Substance Abuse Coalition. Coffee and cookies will be served.

Hawk Band Family Fun Day

The Seminole Ridge High School Hawk Band will host its Fourth Annual BBQ & Family Fun Day on Saturday, Feb. 21 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on school grounds (4601 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road).

The event will feature a classic car show (all car clubs welcome), a craft and vendor fair, and silent and live auctions with auctioneer Bob Nichols. Entertainment includes the Hawk bands, local middle school bands, elementary school groups, performances by local dance studios, a rock wall, bounce houses, monkey jump and a Guitar Hero contest.

Admission is free. For crafter/vendor, car show or entertainment information, call Roland Greenspan at (561) 792-6704 or e-mail bandbbq@aol.com.

Acreage Community Yard Sale

Grace Fellowship Church will hold a community yard sale on Saturday, Feb. 28 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its Acreage campus (75th Road N. and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road). Call to reserve a table for your family or organization. There is no set fee. Donations from your proceeds will be accepted. The church will also accept donations for the Community Clothes Closet, including clothes, accessories, furnishings, yard sale leftovers, and new and gently used items. For more information, call (561) 827-5990 or e-mail cindy_potts@bereanwpb. org.

Wellington Program To Honor Artist

The Village of Wellington has renamed its public art program. The event will now be known as the Susan G. Bradford Art in Public Places program. Bradford, a wellknown Wellington artist, was actively involved in the Wellington Art in Public Places Program from its inception in 2004. Known in the Wellington area and across the nation for her murals, Bradford died in December in a tragic traffic accident. For more information about the program, visit www.ci.wellington.fl.us.

Vinceremos Executive Director Ruth Menor and gala co-chair Tuny Page.

Wellington Quilters Collaborate To Help Those In Need

By Candace Marchsteiner Town-Crier Staff Report

The Wellington Community Center buzzed with chatter last Friday as the Wellington Quilters and the National Council of Jewish Women’s Palm Beach Section collaborated in an effort to provide handmade quilts to battered women and their children.

Heart-patterned quilts, including a matching motherdaughter set in reds and pinks, were labeled with love for their recipients, gently

folded and placed in suitcases. “I thought that if I were a battered woman, what would I like?” Wellington Quilters founder Marietta Bowie said. “I would want to feel that somebody loves me, so I chose this heart pattern.”

In addition to the quilts, members filled the donated suitcases with household goods such as dishes and glasses for the NCJW’s Luggage for Independence project. The project provides housekeeping basics to women leaving the shelter as well

as to emancipated foster children who find themselves completely independent on their 18th birthdays.

“We respond to calls from various agencies and pack suitcases according to family size,” NCJW Palm Beach Section co-chair Judi Kaufman said. “We like for them to have suitcases instead of using garbage bags, because they typically move around a lot.”

For more information on the NCJW, visit www.ncjw palmbeach.org.

& Scrapes

Strains & Sprains

& Sinus Infection

Marietta Bowie, Judi Kaufman and Carolyn Silbey display a mother-daughter heart quilt.

Shirley Siegel of Wellington uses a lighted magnifier to sew an appliqué on a quilt square.

Josephine Landolfi sews on binding.

Fay Grossman, Carolyn Silbey, Judi Kaufman and Susan Freudenthal load a car with donations.

Beverly Perham and Mildred Pitchon with quilts they made for preemies at St. Mary’s Medical Center.

Eric Gordon with his son Jeremy.

Amy Bradshaw, Catherine Engel and Royal Palm Beach Mayor David Lodwick.

Amanda Klein and Randy Nitzky of Rita’s Water Ice.

Fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers and all blends of family took part in Wellington’s Annual Father-Daughter Dance last Saturday at the Village Park gymnasium. Dads and their daughters had a great time sharing a night of dancing, a delicious dinner, games and pictures. Each couple received keepsakes to cherish the memories of the evening.

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE HOSTS TENTH ANNUAL EVERGLADES DAY

The Tenth Annual Everglades Day was held on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Arthur R. Marshall National Wildlife Refuge. The theme of the event was “Celebrating the Everglades: Celebrating Wildlife Success,” and the keynote speaker was National Refuge System Deputy Chief James Kurth. There were other speakers as well as walks, music and activities throughout the day. The refuge is located at 10216 Lee Road in Boynton Beach. For more info., call (561) 732-3684 or visit www.fws.gov/loxahatchee.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

James Kurth speaks about the Everglades.

Dan Liftman, aide to Congressman Alcee Hastings, with John and Nancy Marshall.

Bradley Goldstein and Erin Beauchesne of Royal Palm.

Matt Estes and his daughters Casey and Caridad.

Corina and Victoria Forberger with their dad Paul.

Ed Lynch with his daughter Isabella and Kevin Poignant with his daughters Britani and Hailey.

Matt Kurit with daughters Samantha and Halle. Lauren Mundy and her dad David.Dr. David Simon with his daughter Lexi.

Jessica Steen and her father Ed.

RPBHS Med Science Students — Michelle Kautz, Ky Desmarattes, Simeon Lyons, Jonessa-Rose Cortes, Amina Smith and Danielle Toker.

RPBHS Med Science Students Win Medals

Royal Palm Beach High School Medical Science Academy students participated in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Region IX competition on Friday, Jan. 30 at Jupiter High School.

The following RPBHS students earned awards: Michelle Kautz won first place in Veterinary Medicine; Jonessa-Rose Cortes, Simeon Lyons, Amina Smith and Danielle Toker placed first in Creative Problem Solving; Meagan Starr placed first in Interviewing Skills; Dina Ramadan placed third in Medical Spelling; Ky Desmarattes placed third in Nutrition; Ashley Estaris placed fourth in Human Growth and Development; Jessica Bake placed fourth in Concepts of Health Care; Westana Artilde placed

fourth in Extemporaneous Writing; Ellyse Jutte placed fifth in Concepts of Health Care; Norkeria Scott placed fifth in Prepared Speaking; and Jessica Huber placed fifth in Nutrition and sixth in the National Health Care Issues Exam.

The competitors who earned first, second or third place are eligible to attend HOSA State Leadership Competition April 2-4 in Orlando.

Medical Science Academy Coordinator Karen Kissel and instructor Janet Fabra serve as HOSA advisors and accompanied more than 40 students to the competition. Special appreciation to Dr. Erin Newkirk for mentoring first-place winner Michelle Kautz in the Veterinary Medicine event.

Eight Seminole Ridge Biotech Academy Students Win At County Science Fair

Eight students from the Seminole Ridge High School Biotechnology Academy won awards for their research projects at the 2008-09 Palm Beach County Science and Engineering Fair.

Crystal Corona won third place in Zoology with “Can Chick Embryos Develop Without Their Shells?”; the team of Rachel Hand, Lindsey Hanrahan and Mary Norman took third place with “The Effect of Music on the Appetite of Betta Splendens”; Lucas Ortiz’s project “A Novel Way to Detect Protein Activity Using Recombinant Modifications” won second place in Biochemistry; Meagan Petrillo placed third in Environmental Science with her project “The Efficiency of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa in Bioremediation”; Kayleigh Previte won first place in Microbiology with “Does an Antibiotic’s Mechanism of Action Increase its Effectiveness Against E. Coli?”; and Paige Spence’s project “Do Organic Products Contain GMOs?” earned her third place in Biochemistry.

Ortiz earned the Stuyvesant University Creativity Award, and Previte earned the Photography Award, both presented by outside vendors

and organizations. Both students will advance to the state science and engineering fair, to be held at Lakeland in April. Congratulations, Hawk researchers! • NHS Inducts 2009 Members — The SRHS National Honor Society chapter inducted its 2009 members in an evening ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 5. The Hawk students who were inducted are as follows: Anthony Bass, Victor Beguiristain, Nadia Beni, Zackery Bohl, Charlotte Brovero, Ramiek Campbell, Hazel Canete, Adam Castle, Alexander Cohen, Colby Cohen, Andrea Comiskey, Crystal Corona, Christina Dearth, Ashley De La Cruz, Frank DeSanti, Leah Egezeino, Alexander Fandrey, Kirk Fiddis, Michael Foley, Maira Gaffar, Manuela Garcia, Rebekah Gilmore, Victoria Glass, John Gonzalez, Gregory Harris, Melanie Hilles, Nick Hofmann, Precious Johnson, Samantha Jordan, Alexandra Lao, Daniel Lowenthal, Morgan McClain, Duncan Miller, Jonathan Moore, Maxx Neilsen, Lauren Nunez, Katlyn Oliver, Emily Ortiz, Kaitlin Parisi, Jonathan Parra, Joseph Pavicic, Ana Resendiz, Jonathan Reyes, Hayley Rodgers,

Wellington Rotary Students Of The Quarter

The Wellington Rotary Club presented its Student of the Quarter awards to Palm Beach Central High School senior Ryan Chiarello and Wellington High School student Jacob Sendziak. Presentations were made at the club’s quarterly dinner meeting on Thursday, Jan. 29 at Madison Green Golf Club in Royal Palm Beach. Attending the awards presentation and dinner were the students’ immediate families, who were extremely proud of their sons’ accomplishments both inside and outside school.

Both exemplary students were selected from numerous candidates at their respective schools by faculty members as the students who “proved

himself to be beneficial to the school, religious organization or the community as a whole” by performing some type of service demonstrating the Rotary International motto “service above self.”

After the awards were given, Carl Rosenberg, the faculty liaison from Palm Beach Central High School, praised the students’ selections in his remarks by stating that “both of these students presented the spirit necessary to motivate their fellow students as well as support the community in anyway possible. Chiarello and Sendziak are involved in community, charity, religious, school and neighborhood endeavors. Both display solid values and

extraordinary character.

Chiarello has been involved for the last three years in numerous community and school extra-curricular activities including the National Honor Society and the Rotary Interact Club. He has taken part in projects and activities outside of school such as the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, the Florida Association of Student Councils, Dream Sponsors (to help care for Kenyan orphans) and the Souper Bowl of Caring (to feed the homeless in Palm Beach County). Chiarello has managed to work part-time at various local businesses during his high school years. He has won numerous recognitions through

Ryan Ruebenson, Dylan Schmer, Kira Schwab, BreAnne Skidmore, Amanda Smith, Luke Spratt, Julian Valiente, Rachel Walker, Taylor Warren and Cassidy Yerkes.

Current NHS members chose as 2009 honorary inductees social studies teacher Mrs. Becky Bush, Assistant Principal Mr. Ronnie Graydon and Band Director Mr. Tim Skinner.

• Hawk Band’s Winter Guard Competes — The SRHS band’s varsity indoor winter guard (rifle, sabre, flag) competed recently at the Winter Guard International Premier Show held at Santaluces High School, where the performance of their show Rain brought home the gold! Congratulations to guard members Cierra Allen, Courtney Baker, Alexandra Bobinchuck, Jaclyn Bryant, Dominique Cinilia, Kellie Cochrane, Chelsea Eppenbaugh, Breanna Garcia, Samantha Jordan, Christina Karimi, Tiffany Massey, Tori Thomas, Tiffany Welsh and Cassidy Yerkes.

• Another Successful Blood Drive — National Honor Society sponsor Mrs. Shawna Ahmad was proud of her club’s recent efforts during its Jan. 27 blood drive.

FCCLA projects primarily in Interpersonal Communications. Sendziak’s interests run the gamut from being the drum major at WHS, where he has earned Superior ratings by the FBA Marching Band District Assessments, to participating at soup kitchens to feed the homeless. Sendziak has also volunteered for as many projects and outside activities as his parents would allow. Some of these activities include coaching youngsters in basketball and soccer at his church and earning Boy Scouts’ Arrow of Light award. Sendziak is always punctual and a class leader, according to his peers and teachers.

“We collected 172 units from staff and students, and we continue to break records and lead the county high school drives,” she said. “Our local hospitals will be thrilled, and we truly appreciate the support and cooperation.” The next NHS blood drive is scheduled for Wednesday, March 25.

• FACE Makes Holidays Memorable — The SRHS FACE club members, donating gifts for local families invited to the club’s December party, made the winter holidays memorable as music, food, cheer and laughter filled the air. One special family from Port St. Lucie was adopted by the club: the Williams brothers (eight-year-old triplets) and their mom Stephanie sent Christmas lists to the club, and the students did a great job of fulfilling their wishes.

FACE members also attended the recent FCPA (Florida Cleft Palate Association) conference in Daytona Beach on Jan. 10. The club commends members Christina and Jessica Persaud and Rachel Walker. Mrs. Persaud chaperoned, and the girls were in charge of child care while other parents attended an informative meeting.

SPELLING CHAMPS

New Horizons Elementary School’s 2009 Spelling Bee took place on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Participating were 40 students from the third, fourth and fifth grades. Each class had two students enter. The winners will advance to the district spelling bee on Feb. 28. Fifth grader Adam Neto placed first. Third grader Vanessa Tavera was the runner-up. The winner and alternate each received a college dictionary. Pictured above are teacher Cheryl Lay and Principal Betsy Cardozo with Tavera and Neto.

Crestwood To Honor Dr. Seuss At Book Fair

Crestwood Middle School has decided to honor Dr. Seuss’ legacy to generations of young readers by choosing Dr. Seuss’ birthday as the theme for the spring book fair. After calculating Seussbased math problems and rereading their favorite Dr. Seuss titles during the school day, Crestwood staff and students will attend the book fair on Wednesday, Feb. 25 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in Wellington.

Not only will book fair attendees purchase books and sip lattes, but they will also enjoy performances by many student groups. National

Honor Society members will read Dr. Seuss’ stories while the student council will distribute Cat in the Hat bookmarks to those in attendance. The jazz band, handbells and chorus will showcase their talents with two performances each throughout the evening.

Special guests for the evening’s literacy event will include the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch and the Crestwood mascot Regal Eagle. Proceeds from the event will be used to purchase new titles for classroom libraries. The community is invited to share in the Seuss fun.

Crestwood Middle School’s jazz band members:

Poinciana Students Celebrate 100th Day Of School

Poinciana Day School elementary students celebrated the 100th day of school with lots of fun math activities centered on counting, building, measuring and graphing. Kindergartners and fifth graders paired up for some joint activities in the morning. Together each pair created books titled “100 Favorite Things,” including favorite foods, toys and places. Students sorted candy hearts by color, made patterns and grouped them by fives and tens, fifties and hundreds. A snack of ice cream sundaes was a yummy finale to the joint activities. Later in the day, the kindergartners continued with the 100 Day activities by making headbands with 100 stickers and caterpillars with 100 stamps.

First graders estimated and then counted out shiny new pennies in a jar. Students grouped the pennies into tens and then hundreds, noting that each group of ten could be substituted by a bright new

dime, and each group of 100 could be substituted by a crisp new dollar bill. Altogether, the students had a total of $7.35 — a very practical counting lesson.

Second graders worked in two teams during the day to locate 50 items in the classroom. Each team made groups of ten from their items. Together the teams came up with 196 groups of 10 for a total of 1,960 items! Third and fourth graders wrote in their journals about

how they would spend $100 and tried to see who could create the most words out of the letters “one hundred days of school.” On graph paper, students colored in 100 squares to create a picture. Students also brought in 100 items and used them to create structures. There were castles made out of 100 pieces of clay; poodles and teepees made out of marshmallows and toothpicks, and planes made out of 100 pieces of Lego building blocks.

“At Poinciana Day School, we feel that it is important for students to be actively engaged in the learning process,” Head of School Ms. Nixie Swift explained. Located at 1340 Kenwood Road in West Palm Beach, Poinciana Day School is a small, independent private school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. For more information, call (561) 655-7323 or visit www. poincianadayschool.org.

McLellan Foundation To Begin Awarding Scholarships

The Tyler McLellan Foundation recently announced that applications are now available for the 2009 Tyler McLellan Sports Scholarship Program. Each year, the Tyler McLellan Foundation will

award three to five college scholarships with up to $1,000 each to Palm Beach and Martin county high school seniors. Applications are available from high school athletic departments. You may also

download an application from the foundation’s web site at www.tylermclellan foundation.org. All applications must be postmarked by Wednesday, April 1.

The Tyler McLellan Foundation is a youth sports orga-

nization helping financially burdened families keep their kids in youth sports in Palm Beach and Martin counties. For more information about the scholarships, call Karin or Kevin McLellan at (561) 215-3717.

CRESTWOOD JOINS IN RACE FOR THE CURE

The King’s Academy To Present ‘Music Man’

The King’s Academy Vocal Arts Department will present Meredith Willson’s smash Broadway and cinematic hit The Music Man on March 20, 21, 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m., and at 1:30 p.m. on March 21 and 28.

The Music Man tells the story of Harold Hill, a traveling salesman, and his visit to a small town in Iowa at the turn of the last century. With his fast-talking style, “Professor” Harold Hill, as he likes to call himself, convinces the town to adopt his revolutionary music program to prevent the young boys in town from

falling into the “depths of degradation.” He convinces the parents to buy instruments and expensive uniforms in order to form the River City Boys Band. Along the way he falls in love with the town librarian, the willful spinster Marian Paroo. Chaos ensues as Hill’s credentials are questioned and he is called upon to prove himself to the citizens of River City. Tickets cost $15 for center seating and $12 for reserved seating. Reserved tickets can be ordered online at www. tka.net or by calling (561) 686-4244, ext. 353.

RPBHS Project Grad Meeting

The next meeting of the 2009 Royal Palm Beach High School Project Graduation Committee is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. The committee will be meeting the first and third Mondays of each month as the graduation date gets closer. This is a non-profit, allvolunteer-run group that needs all the support and help it can get. Besides prom night, grad-

uation night can be the deadliest night for teens. The committee wants this to be a safe night for all graduating seniors to remember. It will offer this all-night, drug-free and alcohol-free party to keep them safe. Call Cheryl at (561) 7238298 for more information and directions to the meeting, which will not be at the high school, due to the school holiday.

Want Tortilla Soup FREE

Everyone loves Max & Erma’s famous, tortilla soup—and now, if you’re one of the first 100 visitors in line on Monday, February 16, at 11 a.m. the Grand Opening of our brand new Royal Palm Beach location you will win tortilla soup for an entire year!

for

We can’t wait to show you our new look. Remember, the doors open at 11 a.m., so get there early!

A team from Crestwood Middle School took a trip to downtown West Palm Beach on Jan. 31 for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Pictured above are (front row, L-R) Tracie O’Connor, Beth Marion, Johanna Jurado and Emily Bottone; (back row) Allison Hill, Jenna Widness, Amanda Leonard, Dawn Amoroso, Blanche Martin, Havela Drucker, Beverly Wessel, Rosemarie Poggi, Melisa Chui, Todd Wells, Bethani Wells, Stephanie Nance and Cathy Martino.

(front row, L-R) Tylor Kula, Kyle Edmonds, Ron Sambeli and Gabriel Coello; (second row) Donald Barber, Pattiya LaOrngsudhi, Davonte Shivers-Jenkins, Rigel Dinglasa and Kayden Wilkinson; (back row) Bryce Zarini, Jacob Tardiff, Chris Delsoin, Bryan Baker, Andrew Amico and David Alves.

(Left) Fourth graders Nelson Olaguibel of Wellington and Amanda Rossi of Greenacres. (Right) Students count and sort candy hearts with Mrs. Debbie Berris.

COMMUNIT Y CALENDAR

Saturday, Feb. 14

• The Winter Equestrian Festival continues through March 29 with a series of weekly show jumping and dressage competitions at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, located at 14440 Pierson Road in Wellington. Shows run Wednesday through Sunday, culminating with a grand prix. For tickets, call (561) 793-5867 or visit www.equestriansport.com.

• The ’60s musical revue Beehive will run through Feb. 22 at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre (1001 E. Indiantown Road and State Road A1A in Jupiter). With six amazing vocalists onstage, relive the ’60s and the coming-of-age of women’s music. For more info., call (561) 575-2223 or visit www. jupitertheatre.org.

• The Palm Beach Jewelry, Art & Antique Show will continue at the Palm Beach County Convention Center (650 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) through Tuesday, Feb. 17. The show will feature more than 200 top-tier international exhibitors of fine art, jewelry, sculpture, porcelain and ceramics. Call (561) 8225440 or visit www.palm beachshow.com for info.

• Michelob Ultra, sponsored by former high-goal patron Adolphus A. Busch IV, will play EFG Bank in the 2009 Outback 40-goal Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 14 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington. Proceeds will benefit the Polo Players Support Group. For more info., visit www.internationalpolo club.com.

• Temple Beth Tikvah’s Scholar-in-Residence Weekend will present Jewish Education Commission of South Palm Beach County Executive Director Dr. Leon Weissberg on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 9 a.m. Dr. Weissberg’s topic will be “The Ten Commandments: Cornerstone of Jewish Thought for 3,500 Years.” Temple Beth Tikvah is located at 4550 Jog Road in Greenacres. Call (561) 9673600 for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will hold “Celebrate Valentine’s Day” on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 10:15 or 11:15 a.m. for ages two and up. Bring the family to share special holiday stories, music and a craft. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Saturday Science Series: Water Drops!” for ages five to eight on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m. Explore the amazing water cycle and see how water travels up a flower stem. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register.

• The Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) will hold its Annual Valentine’s Party on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way, Royal Palm Beach). Tickets cost $25, which includes meal and entertainment. Dress will be semi-formal. To purchase tickets, call Jannette Sharpe-Paul at (561) 8763900 or Henworth Ferguson at (561) 315-9566. Sunday, Feb. 15

and Tuesday, Feb. 16 and 17 at 8 p.m. at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) featuring world-renowned performer Dee Daniels. For more info., visit www.palm beachpops.org or call (561) 832-7677.

Tuesday, Feb. 17

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host Anime Grab Bag for ages 12 to 17 on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Get a sneak peek at some of the coolest new anime titles. Snacks will be provided by the Friends of the Library. Call (561) 790-6070 to preregister.

• The Solid Waste Authority will hold a meeting to inform the public about the planning process for a new western landfill site at the Wellington Community Center on Tuesday, Feb. 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. The first hour will provide the public with an opportunity to review project maps and materials and hold conversations with the SWA team members. At 7 p.m. there will be a presentation by engineers and experts, followed by a question-and-answer period. Visit www.swa.org for more info.

• The Acreage Landowners’ Association will host a series of conferences in hopes of tackling issues affecting the community. The first conference is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 17 at the Indian Trail Improvement District office in The Acreage (13476 61st Street North) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18

• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will hold an After Hours Networking event on Wednesday, Feb. 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Motor City Car Wash (135 S. State Road 7, Royal Palm Beach). For more info., call Catherine Engle at (561) 790-6200 or catherine@ palmswest.com.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host Socrates Café for adults on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m. The Society for Philosophical Inquiry initiated the concept for this discussion on thought-provoking topics, led by physicist Marji Chapman. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The emphasis will be on family fun on Sunday, Feb. 15 when the Hanley Center Foundation holds its 14th Annual Family Luncheon at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington. Festivities begin at noon. For info., call Mary Lewis at (561) 841-1212.

• Epiphany Lutheran Church will hold a fellowship/fundraiser on Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Fuddruckers restaurant in Wellington (10880 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Participants should arrive between 4 and 5 p.m. Call Carol Seguin at (561) 4321548 for more info.

• The third annual Bowling for Equestrians will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15 at Greenacres Bowl (6126 Lake Worth Road, Greenacres) from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The event is a benefit for the American Hunter-Jumper Foundation’s (AHJF) Emergency Relief Fund. For more info., call (508) 835-8813, e-mail ahjf@earthlink.net or visit www.ahjf.org.

Monday, Feb. 16

• Bob Lappin and the Palm Beach Pops will present “The Great Ladies of Swing: Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughn” on Monday

• Movement Arts Dance Academy (121 N. State Road 7, Suite 11, Royal Palm Beach) will hold Polynesian Dance Classes on Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. beginning on Wednesday, Feb. 18 and ending March 25. Learn hula and Tahitian dancing with cultural dance instructor Nephrite Frets. The session costs $100 and is designed for teens and adults of all skill levels. For more info., call (561) 792-9757 or visit www.movementarts danceacademy.com. Thursday, Feb. 19 • The 2009 polo season will continue Thursday, Feb. 19 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach with the start of the 26-goal C.V. Whitney Cup. C.V. Whitney Cup play will continue until Sunday, March 8. The International Polo Club is located at 3667 120th Avenue South in Wellington. For more information, call (561) 204-5687 or visit www. internationalpoloclub.com. Friday, Feb. 20

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature its Discover the World Book Discussion Series for adults on Friday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. Barbara Harnick will lead a discussion of Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. Call (561) 790-6070 for info. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Science Club: Measuring Up” on Friday, Feb. 20 or 27 at 3:30 p.m. for ages eight and up. Discover how well you measure up when it comes to measuring. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center will hold its 23rd Annual Benefit Auction “Strides of Hope” on Friday, Feb. 20 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. For info., call (561) 792-9900 or visit www.vinceremos.com. Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@gotowncrier.com.

A bingo benefit was held recently at the Indian Trail Improvement District office to raise money for the American Cancer Society’s Acreage/Loxahatchee Groves Relay for Life, which will take place April 17-18 at Acreage Community Park. Bingo players participated in 15 games, winning large gift prizes. Next month’s bingo will take place on Monday, March 23 at the ITID office featuring a leather western saddle donated by C&R of Palm Beach. (Above) A bingo game is underway in the ITID office. (Below) Cathy Probst, ITID Parks Director Tim Wojnar and administrative assistant Brenda Kilgore.

Fuddruckers Fundraiser

To Benefit Injured Teen

A fundraiser will be held on Monday, Feb. 16 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Fud-

Lee Fabian Earns Eagle Scout Rank

On Sept. 29, Lee Fabian was found worthy of the rank of Eagle Scout, the Boy Scouts of America’s highest honor, and was feted by his fellow scouts, friends and family on Saturday, Feb. 7 at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Approximately four percent of boys who enter scouting attain the rank of Eagle.

Lee joined scouting as a tiger cub while in the first grade and for the last three years has held dual membership in Troop 122 and in Venturing Crew 2005.

Along the path to Eagle, Lee earned 30 merit badges and has been the recipient of

multiple training opportunities, including Venturing Youth Leadership Skills. He is currently certified as a BSA lifeguard and holds certifications for CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, Epinephrine Auto-Injector Training and Administering Emergency Oxygen.

Lee has spent the past two summers working on staff at the Tanah Keetah Scout Reservation, where he has taught climbing, Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience (COPE) and lifesaving to other scouts and Junior ROTC groups, and has assisted in aquatics.

Lee’s Eagle Scout service

Hollar, Coburn Finish Army Basic Training

Army Reserve Pvt. William Hollar and Pvt. Micheal Coburn have graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C.

During nine weeks of training, they studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, participated in physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and

druckers restaurant in Wellington to benefit Weston Demmel, a 13-year-old New Jersey honor student who sustained a serious brain injury in an accident while playing at a neighbor’s house. Weston is the grandson of Dana and Pat Colabella and nephew of Dana Colabella, all of Wellington. After spending 45 days in a pediatric intensive care unit, Weston became stable enough to be transferred to the Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J., which is a rehabilitation hospital for children with severe/acute brain injuries. He remained at Children’s Specialized Hospital until Nov. 14. Weston requires various medical devices to aid in his recovery, some of which are not covered by medical insurance. To help raise money for Weston, 20 percent of each receipt will be donated to his medical fund to offset the cost of medical necessities that are not covered by insurance. Please note fundraiser at time of purchase. Fuddruckers is located at 10880 W. Forest Hill Blvd. For more information, call (561) 204-2373.

Lido, Kats On Emory College Dean’s List

Peter Lido, son of Peter Daniel and Geraldine Lido of Wellington, and Vitaliy Kats, son of Naum and Alla Kats of West Palm Beach, were named to the dean’s list at Emory College for the 2008 fall semester.

Emory College is the undergraduate, liberal arts college of Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. Students must be in the top 20 percent of Emory College or have approximately a 3.85 grade point average or higher to be named to the school’s dean’s list.

Emory University is known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate experience, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities.

Perennially ranked as one of the country’s top 20 national universities by U.S. News & World Report, Emory encompasses nine academic divisions as well as the Carlos Museum, the Carter Center, the Yerkes National

Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, Georgia’s largest and most comprehensive healthcare system. For more information about Emory University, visit www.emory.edu.

Matthews

Completes

Navy Basic

Navy Seaman Justin T. Matthews, son of Chris Morse of Royal Palm Beach and Tomlyn Matthews of Lake Worth, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. with honors. During the eight-week program, Matthews completed a variety of training, which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness. The capstone event of boot camp is “Battle Stations.” This exercise gives recruits the skills and confidence they

project involved the construction of two shelter/habitats at the Folke Peterson Wildlife Center. This project involved more than 310 hours of volunteer work by Lee and those he recruited, and yielded permanent homes for animals that cannot be released into the wild due to injury or domestication. These shelter/habits are now part of the Wildlife Center’s Findlay Educational Trail.

Now 18, Lee is continuing as an active member of Crew 2005 and has signed on as assistant scoutmaster and merit badge counselor for Troop 122.

ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat.

Coburn is the son of Daniel Carter of The Acreage and is a 2008 graduate of Seminole Ridge High School. Hollar is the son of Robert Hollar of Catonsville, Md. and the grandson of Adela Connors of Wellington. He is a 2007 graduate of Mount St. Joseph High School in Baltimore, Md.

ROEBKE, GUTIERREZ TO MARRY IN APRIL

Donn and Sandy Roebke of Wellington recently announced the engagement of their daughter Heather Melissa Roebke to Patrick Talavera Gutierrez, son of Dr. Miguela and Ruben Gutierrez of Williamsburg, Va. Heather is a 1994 graduate of Wellington High School and a 1998 graduate of Florida State University. The wedding will take place on April 19 in Palm Beach.

need to succeed in the fleet. Battle Stations is designed to galvanize the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical application of basic Navy skills and the core values of honor, courage and commitment. Its distinctly “Navy” flavor was designed to take into account what it means to be a sailor.

Matthews is a 2008 graduate of Lake Worth High School.

Quick Finishes Army Basic

Army Reserve Pvt. Mark L. Quick has graduated from Basic Combat Training at Fort Knox, Ky. During the nine-week training period, Quick received instruction in drill and ceremony, weapons, rifle marksmanship and bayonet training, chemical warfare, field training and tactical exercises, armed and unarmed combat, military courtesy, military justice, physical fitness, first aid, and Army history, traditions and core values. Quick is the son of Cindy Quick of The Acreage.

Paolo and Jennie Calise celebrated 50 years of marriage on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Village Golf Club in Royal Palm Beach. In attendance were their children Joseph Calise of Newport Beach, Calif., Albert Calise (Cindee) of Boynton Beach, Beatrice Luongo (Antonio) of Loxahatchee and Paul Calise (Denise) of Royal Palm Beach, along with eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Paolo and Jennie were married in Providence, R.I. on Feb. 7, 1959. They will be enjoying a trip to Italy in March. Shown above are Mr. and Mrs. Calise on their wedding day.

Eagle Scout Lee Fabian

Weston Demmel

Wellington Chamber Taps Diana Tashman As Incoming President

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce recently appointed Diana Tashman as its incoming president for 2009.

The installation of officers will be held in conjunction with the Business Excellence Awards on March 25 at the Binks Forest Golf Club.

Tashman’s term as president will begin in March.

The recipient of the annual 2009 Business Excellence Award will be the International Polo Club Palm Beach.

The Best Emerging Business honoree will be given to the Binks Forest Golf Club. Both honorees will be recognized for their exceptional efforts in community, business and philanthropy.

Tashman has made Wellington her home for the past

seven years. From the moment she maintained full residency, Tashman took an active role in the community. She became a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in order to become knowledgeable with the real estate market in Wellington, a key source of economic viability for the village. In addition, Tashman holds a property and casualty license to accommodate her real estate activity.

Tashman’s involvement with the community was crystallized when she became involved with the Wellington Chamber of Commerce in 2006, initially as chair of the Real Estate/Development and Equestrian committees, and soon thereafter as a mem-

RIBBON CUTTING FOR PANINI GRILL

The Palms West Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting for Panini Grill in the Mall at Wellington Green. Located on the upper level near Dillard’s, Panini Grill opens at 10 a.m. for breakfast, offering fresh panini sandwiches and specialty coffees and teas. Lunch specials include homemade soups, dumplings, salads and vegetable panini. Panini Grill also specializes in berry smoothies, fruit salads and a wide range of cakes made with organic products that contain no preservatives. There is also an interactive lounge with Xbox Live video games, world news and large screen televisions. For more info., call (561) 333-6667. Pictured here are owners Robert and Natalia Yengibaryan with Palms West Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.

ber of the board of directors. As president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Tashman is gearing up for the challenges faced by businesses during these difficult economic times.

Tashman grew up in New York City and spent more than 25 years of her professional career as senior vice president with Mocatta Metals Corporation, the New York subsidiary of Standard Chartered Bank, London.

Tashman lives in Palm Beach Polo with her husband Myles and their dog Buddy. She is an active member of the Wanderers Club at Wellington. In addition to golf, Tashman and her family are horse enthusiasts, having had a farm in Lambertville, N.J.

and a daughter who competed throughout the horse circuit. It is the equestrian industry that brought the Tashman family to Wellington in the first place.

Tashman has chaired the Stars Ball since its inception in 2006. The annual fundraising gala benefits Little Smiles, a non-profit organization that strives to fulfill the dreams of children in local hospitals, hospices and shelters.

“I look forward to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce’s role in bringing unity with the business community, our local government and citizens during these trying economic times in order to better the lives of all residents,” Tashman said. “With

a board of directors and membership consisting of strong business leaders throughout the community, your chamber is positioned to take on this role and to make every effort toward maintaining the quality of life that brought us all to Wellington.”

The 2009 Wellington Chamber of Commerce executive board includes Tashman as president, Mike Nelson as immediate past president, Bill Tavernise at vice president and 2010 incoming president, Priscilla Thomasevich as treasurer, Nan Martin as secretary, and officers Darell Bowen, Victor Connor, Todd Higley, John Mercer, Michael Stone and Dean Turney. For more information on

792-6525.

Max & Erma’s Grand Opening Feb. 16 In RPB

While many restaurant chains are downsizing amid dark economic clouds, Max & Erma’s sees a bright spot at its new location at 11111 Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. The restaurant, which created approximately 150 new jobs, serves lunch and dinner daily and offers carryout. It was developed by franchisees Andrew Levy and Ed Norris.

Max & Erma’s will host a special grand opening on

Monday, Feb. 16 at 11 a.m.

The first 100 guests in line will win free tortilla soup for a year. A ribbon-cutting ceremony with Royal Palm Beach Mayor David Lodwick and Palms West Chamber of Commerce ambassadors will be held at 10:30 a.m. Levy and Norris also own and operate two Max & Erma’s in Pennsylvania. They plan to open several more Max & Erma’s locations in South Florida over the next

few years. “The Royal Palm Beach community has really welcomed Max & Erma’s, and there’s been a tremendous outpouring of interest,” Norris said. “We’re confident that we will make this Max & Erma’s as much a part of the local community as it is in other parts of the country.”

A Midwest casual dining tradition for more than 35 years, Max & Erma’s is especially popular among families. Its menu features appe-

tizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, gourmet burgers, pasta, steaks and seafood, complemented by a full bar. Appetizers and soups start at $4.99; sandwiches start at $8.49; entrées start at $11.49. Max & Erma’s was acquired last year by Pittsburgh-based G&R Acquisition, which also owns the Damon’s Grill sports-themed casual dining chain. For more information, visit www.max andermas.com.

Business Leaders Plan For Florida’s Future

The Florida Chamber of Commerce recently unveiled the business community’s agenda for the 2009 Legislative Session, highlighting the need for pro-jobs solutions to stimulate the economy. The announcement comes at the end of a two-day jobs summit of the Florida Chamber Statewide Leadership Council, where board members, local chambers, economic development partners and legislative leaders focused on policy solutions for economic recovery. “Floridians are more concerned and cautious about the economy than ever before, proving the need for a clear,

unified business agenda for Florida,” Florida Chamber of Commerce Chair and AT&T Florida President Marshall Criser said. “True economic recovery comes from creating a healthy business climate to attract high-wage jobs and talent.”

The 2009 Florida Business Agenda provides legislators with a roadmap for job creation and details specific solutions to move Florida’s economy forward. The chamber’s agenda organizes business priorities while providing a measurable benchmark for legislators and business leaders to judge their decisions and overall perfor-

mance during session.

“The game has changed — compared to the other 49 states, Florida is unique in that we are not only in a recession, but Florida is also in a massive economic transition,” Florida Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Wilson said. “With seven million additional Florida residents projected by 2030, we must plan better and grow smarter for these seven million residents than we did for the last seven million.”

The 2009 Florida Business Agenda priorities include: a focus on talent and higher education reform to spur eco-

nomic transition for the future, substantial property tax relief for Florida’s employers, fix the workers compensation attorney’s fee glitch, and substantive growth leadership reform to spur economic activity. Additionally, a statewide poll conducted for the Florida Chamber of Commerce by Public Insight Research, the polling arm of Cherry Communications, from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1 showed that 51 percent of Floridians believe the state is headed in the wrong direction, compared with 47 percent in October 2008. For more information, visit www.florida chamber.com.

Diana Tashman the March 25 event, or for sponsorship opportunities, call (561)

PHOTO COURTESY BEA BOLTON

Young WHS Baseball Team Hopes To Fill The Experience Gap

Spring time. To sports fans, it’s the period of the year just after the NFL season ends and before the NBA reaches its playoff stretch. The smell of fresh grass and the cool February air truly mean one thing: baseball.

At Wellington High School, the spring semester signifies the beginning for another state championship contender. The boys varsity baseball team, led by fifth-year head coach Scott Riddle, is looking forward to another successful year. However, one key ingredient that every baseball team needs is missing; besides its youth, the team doesn’t have an “ace” starting pitcher. “The players are talented, but inexperienced,” Riddle said.

While attending Florida Marlins Fan Fest, I told Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad, a Palm Beach Gardens High School alum, that I attended WHS. He immediately threw out the names Tyler Herron and Sean Burnett. Herron and Burnett, both currently playing in Major League organizations, are former star WHS pitchers. Last year, it was senior John Brebbia who took control on the pitching mound. This year, the team doesn’t have that luxury.

Senior pitchers Dusty Wilson and Matt Solomon will make an attempt at this coveted position, but it’s unlikely they will have a “Brebbia-like” effect. “We probably won’t

Wolverine Watch

By Josh Hyber

have a pitcher throw seven innings,” Riddle said. “We’re going to have to piece together games.”

According to Riddle, sophomore Andrew Istler, who will usually play the outfield, will pitch on weeks when the Wolverines have three games. However, Riddle is still unsure of the team’s rotation and may not have one until their first game.

One thing to be certain of is the Wolverines’ infield. Senior shortstop Bryan Adametz, who is committed to playing for Palm Beach Community College, is a sure spot on the WHS roster. “I’m looking to improve every statistic possible,” said Adametz, who batted .402 last year.

Likely playing alongside Adametz is second baseman Mitch Morales. The sophomore is playing his first full year on the varsity level and brings a lively attitude and above-average defense to the team. The infield also

Barracudas Basketball Team Finishes In First

The Wellington Recreation Basketball League Freedom Boat Barracudas earned first place in the Prep Division with an impressive 11-1 record.

The nine- and ten-yearolds came up with Barracudas as their team nickname to describe their high-intensity play. The Barracudas kept their opponents on their heels all season long, leading to many fast-break opportunities.

The Barracudas’ successful style was never more evident than in their 19-6 final game victory over the talented Donner Dragons.

The Barracudas’ up-tempo passing was led by the point guard Myles “Scooter” Cohen and Krishna “Laces” Raj. The tenacious rebounding was anchored by Ryder

“Magic” Roscigno and Andrew “Get’ya Man” Jackson. The swarming defense started with Justin “Energizer Bunny” Kolnick and Jeremiah “Bullfrog” Scroggins. The scoring punch came from Scooter, Zach Warner and Jay Torres. Roscigno and Kolnick also keyed the halfcourt offense by setting some bone-jarring picks. The Barracudas were coached by Barry Cohen with assistance from Joe Roscigno.

“It was a lot of fun coaching this group,” Cohen said during the trophy presentation. “The players’ attentiveness and desire to constantly improve, coupled along with the parents’ support, made this one season I wish that didn’t have to end.”

Seven WHS Wrestlers Qualify For Regionals

The Wellington High School wrestling team was competitive at the Class 3A, District 8 Tournament last Saturday at Jupiter High School.

The Wolverines qualified seven wrestlers to compete at the Class 3A, Region 2 Tournament to be held this weekend at Royal Palm Beach High School.

Wolverine qualifiers include sophomore Mikolaj Wilga (112), junior Jeff Maz-

Inaugural

za (130), senior Brian Nelson (135), senior Anthony Dedi (145), senior Zach Pincus (152), sophomore Brandon Lustgarten (189) and senior Eric Howard (285). Pincus (39-1) was the lone district champion for the Wolverines and became the all-time pins leader with 48 career pins.

Pincus is currently rated sixth in the state and has a career record of 108 wins and 19 losses.

features junior third baseman Joe Barbera and senior first baseman Sean Weinhouse. Riddle mentioned Weinhouse in particular as a player who will be counted on more this season.

Senior catchers Andrei Santalo and Colin Laundry will also need to show progress in order for the team to compete. “The seniors need to have strong season and show that they’re getting better,” Riddle said.

The team’s outfield is without a doubt its strongest asset. Senior right-fielder Nick Ferraresi had a stellar junior year, hitting .392. To stay on this level, he played competitively throughout the summer and fall. “Our coaches work with us to perfect our swings in the batting cages throughout the week,” said Ferraresi, who committed to Columbia University.

In center field is junior Sean Murrell. Murrell is a third-year varsity starter looking to top an excellent sophomore year, in which he had a .490 on-base percentage. When not pitching, Andrew Istler will play left field.

Coach Riddle also mentioned that three sophomores could possibly earn starting positions before the season ends. Besides Istler and Morales, sophomore Alex Tannone could possibly jump Santalo and Laundry before the Wolverines enter the postseason.

“We’re going to have to develop at least

one pitcher to become dominant… in order to win districts,” Riddle said. “You need a guy who can shut people out.”

The team will find out early if they can compete with the likes of Royal Palm Beach and Jupiter high schools. The team began its quest with two pre-season games on Feb. 11 and 12, and will travel to John I. Leonard to kick off its regular season on Feb. 17.

LACROSSE

Both the WHS boys and girls lacrosse teams kicked off their seasons Tuesday night with victories. The boys physically outplayed Olympic Heights, winning 16-1. Senior Tony Fremuth and sophomore Alex Breslin each had fivegoal performances. Sophomore goalie Pat Sylvester went almost untested during the game, saving three shots. The boys are set to play West Boca on Friday night. The team will play local powerhouse Benjamin on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Like the boys team, the girls also put up an incredible offensive performance. Freshman Olivia DiCarlantonio scored seven goals while junior Grace Thompson had three, leading the Wolverines to a 17-10 win over Jupiter. The girls played Thursday night against St. Thomas and will continue its season on Feb. 19 at Seminole Ridge.

NFL Star Kicks Off Iglehart Cup Match At IPC

New England Patriots’ starting fullback Heath Evans helped kick off the Iglehart Cup polo match last Sunday at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington, participating in the pre-game coin toss ceremony with patrons Melissa Ganzi of Audi and K.C. Beal of BTA.

Evans, who graduated from the King’s Academy in 1997 and still lives in Palm Beach County, also presented trophies after the match to the Audi team, which defeated BTA 11-10 behind eight goals from Gonzalito Pieres. Evans was a guest at IPC to help raise awareness for his foundation, signing autographs and posing for photos. Evans and more than a dozen NFL stars are playing in a charity softball game against the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team on Friday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter.

NFL stars, led by Patriots Randy Moss, Vince Wilfork and Adalius Thomas as well as Dolphins Anthony Fasano, Jake Long, Matt Roth and

Patrick Cobbs, are scheduled to join Evans on the diamond. Also expected to play are former University of Miami stars and current NFL players Devin Hester (Bears), Jonathan Vilma (Saints) and Santonio Thomas (Browns). The softball game is open to the public. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children seven and under. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster and at the PBSO office on Gun Club Road in West Palm Beach.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the not-forprofit Heath Evans Foundation, which is dedicated to fostering hope and healing in the lives of children and families affected by sexual abuse.

A limited number of sponsorships are available for the game, including being the bat boy or girl as well as dugout manager for Evans’ NFL team. For more information, contact Heath Evans Foundation President Glenn Martin at (561) 282-6345 or by email at glenn.martin@heath evans.org.

Wycliffe Golf Pro Kam Kutcha Aces Top Spot

It seems the adage “good things come to those who wait” is true even if it was not what tennis professional Kam Kutcha intended.

Kutcha, Wycliffe Golf & Country Club’s tennis pro, didn’t dream of his numberone ranking in the USPTA Single Men’s National Championship among players over the age of 35 when he was growing up.

Instead, like many ambitious young athletes, he aspired to be the world’s number one on the ATP Tour. But with that dream behind him and now happily working as director of tennis in the beautiful new Wycliffe facility, Kutcha feels quite satisfied with the new ranking.

Known in his youth for his somewhat egotistical approach, Kutcha now becomes quite introspective and unassuming when talking about his latest achievement. He equates the ranking to an enduring commit-

ment to his physical shape, and knows well that he would not be in this position right now if he had suffered any serious injuries.

Kutcha also confessed that he has a unique opportunity to compete in the state and national competition circuit due to his Florida location as well as support from Wycliffe, his peers and his energetic wife.

“Competition in Florida is second to none,” he said.

“We have more tennis tournaments and top junior level competition than the rest of the U.S., so getting a good hit is not hard to find.”

Ultimately, Kutcha said this is what keeps him focused and fit, “not to mention great support from the Wycliffe pros on my staff. Their experience and feedback is invaluable, and at the end of the day you need talented people around you to analyze your game. And that is exactly what I have.”

To be successfully ranked

in the USPTA Singles

Men’s National Championship, competitors have to compete in at least five recognized tournaments. To name a few of his latest triumphs, Kutcha won the International Championship in Palm Springs and placed fourth in the Clay Court National Championships held at the nearby Ibis Country Club. It was a culmination of these and several other results that catapulted Kutcha into the ranking he now enjoys. Wycliffe Golf & Country Club members could not be prouder of his achievements and only hope Kutcha’s prowess on the tour can translate to their own achievements on the court.

Jumping Derby Sunday, Feb. 15 At PBIEC Stadium

The inaugural $50,000 CN Palm Beach Jumping Derby will be held Sunday, Feb. 15 with some of the world’s top riders racing around a 1,000-meter course that includes a Devil’s Dyke and a newly created signature obstacle called the Palm Maze. Built on top of the world famous grass Polo Field One at the original Palm Beach Polo Stadium — considered by many to be among the finest grass surfaces for horse sports anywhere in the world — the course offers 19 obstacles (23 efforts) over water, through the Palm Maze, over a table bank and up and down the Devil’s Dyke. The course has been built with jumps at a height of 1.45 meters (four feet, nine inches). In keeping with tradition, at least half the obstacles are natural.

The Palm Beach Jumping Derby will start at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center’s Stadium at the corner of South Shore Blvd. and Pierson Road in Wellington.

The event is part of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival that is in the sixth week of 12 weeks of high performance show jumping, hunter jumping and dressage competition.

Equestrian Sport Productions, the

company that owns and manages the events at PBIEC, announced that admission is free, but there will be $10 per vehicle parking charge or $25 per vehicle for parking along the interior rail of the course. Rail parking can be purchased on line at http://equestriansport.tix.com. Rail parking is limited to the first 200 cars or golf carts. Food and beverages will be available from 2 p.m. Following the class, Equestrian Sport Productions will host a President’s Day Party.

“We’re excited about creating this CN Palm Beach Jumping Derby as another opportunity to bring thrilling new events for both the riders and the public,” said Equestrian Sport Productions CEO Mark Bellissimo. “This represents another venue, ‘the Stadium,’ within the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, for both hunters and jumpers. The venue will be integrated into future Wellington show circuits to leverage the beautiful grass fields and give the horses fresh new jumps and courses. We expect the Palm Beach Jumping Derby to grow both in stature and prize money over the years into an event that becomes known around the world.” The course for the event was de-

signed by Richard Jeffery of Great Britain.

“This is one of the most amazing projects I have ever been involved with,” Jeffery said. “I had this clean canvas of a beautiful, long-established grass field to create a completely new venue and event with features that are distinctly Palm Beach. We have a Devil’s Dyke, a table jump, a double Liverpool, a water jump, a hedge and, to reflect where we are, a jump between palm trees and the Palm Maze that we think will become the signature obstacle of this event. One of the most beautiful features is the newly created lake in the middle of the field that is integral to the design of the course. We did not have time to complete a bank, but when that is added, it will be another jewel in a magnificent derby field.”

Equestrian Services International, owned and operated by Brett Raflowitz, who was responsible for building the competition arenas at the main PBIEC show grounds, built the obstacles in the derby course.

Some of the world’s greatest riders have “dropped by” to review the course. Among them have been 1984 U.S. Olympic

more information, call (561) 793-5867 or visit www.equestrian sport.com.

PHOTO COURTESY LILA EVENTS

Iglehart Cup — Heath Evans presents an award to Gonzalo Pieres of Audi.

We’re Number One — The Freedom Boat Barracudas include Jeremiah Scroggins, Ryder Roscigno, Myles Cohen, Zach Warner, Justin Kolnick, Jay Torres, Krishna Raj and Andrew Jackson.

Tennis Champ — Kam Kutcha practices his swing at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club.

team gold medalists Leslie Howard and Conrad Homfeld, Britain’s Peter Charles, Brazil’s Olympic and World Cup champion Rodrigo Pessoa and Mario Deslauriers of Canada. The Palm Beach Jumping Derby is the only event to be held at the

The course for the inaugural Palm Beach Jumping Derby at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Stadium was designed by Richard Jeffery of Great Britain. Stadium during this year’s Winter Equestrian Festival. It was the venue for the inaugural Palm Beach Steeplechase over last Thanksgiving weekend. For

FEATURES

For Margaret ‘Peggy’ Belvin, It’s All For The Love Of Driving

Margaret “Peggy” Belvin has been riding horses “forever.” Four years ago, she found a new outlet for her enthusiasm: carriage driving. It all began five years back.

Tales From The Trails

By Ellen Rosenberg

“My husband and I were at a mule and donkey show in Tennessee,” she recalled. “I saw this wonderful matched pair of giant draft mules being driven, and I was hooked. I wanted some just like them, but my husband said no. When we got back home here to South Florida, I bought a cart. Then I found two mini-mules, and we decided that would be OK. I literally bought the cart before the… well, mules.”

But Belvin said all the pieces fell into place. She hooked up with Johnny Robb of the Miniature Horse Association and learned how to train her mules to pull. She attended a clinic in Port St. Lucie. Then she joined the Florida Whips, a statewide driving organization.

“They really opened up my world to all the possibilities of driving,” Belvin said. “These people are just the best, the most amazingly helpful and supportive group I’ve ever come across. They’re top quality. Even though they’re all competitive in the show ring, everyone helps everyone else out. There’s no meanness, no backbiting. They’re just fantastic.”

Two years ago, Belvin became the director of the Florida Whips Southeast Region, which stretches from Daytona to Key West. She said about 20 to 24 active members between Jupi-

ter and Miami meet somewhat regularly and hold occasional poker runs and horse driving trials. They also organize clinics for novices and experienced drivers, and meet at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center on the first and third Mondays of each month, from about 5:30 to 8 p.m.

“This gives everyone a great chance to work together and help each other,” Belvin said. “People come just to watch, and others bring horses or horses and carriages. You can practice long-lining or driving, and it lets horses see and get used to other horses pulling carts. Driving is always a work in progress. It takes tons of time and work, but that’s a lot of the pleasure you get from it.”

Belvin owns two white mini-mules and two draft mules that are half-brothers. She drives Spook, one of the white mini-mules, in competitions. She’s competing with Spook in the Very Small Equine pleasure-driving class at the Florida State Fair in Tampa this month.

“Spook and I were both green newbies when we started driving four years ago,” Belvin recalled. “Spook was someone’s lawn ornament. The owner’s son had grown up and moved out, and the mule was just hanging around and mowing the lawn. Then she ended up with me, and we learned about driving together. She was a little stubborn at first — she is a mule, and you can’t use a whip with a

mule. But she took right to it, and now she’s really cooperative. She can do all three speeds at a trot: slow, working and extended. She really knows her job. When she gets going, it’s like she’s on autopilot. She never ceases to amaze me.”

Belvin said that in driving, safety is the number-one issue. A lot can go very wrong, very quickly. “When you’re driving, there’s a tremendous amount of trust involved between you and the horse,” she said. “Basically, the only controls you have are the reins and your voice. You lose the normal riding communication aids of legs and touch. You and the horse both have to learn a lot of new techniques. It takes both of you to a new level of partnership.”

But driving allows horse enthusiasts to keep going in an equestrian sport even when they reach an age when riding gets more difficult, Belvin said.

“That doesn’t mean it’s easy, because it’s not,” she said. “It’s fairly challenging, and can even be dangerous. But it’s just so much fun. It’s addictive. Yep, I’m definitely hooked.”

For more information, contact the Florida Whips at (352) 266-7994 or visit www. flawhips.org.

The American Driving Society can be reached at (608) 237-7382 or online at www. americandrivingsociety.org.

Groves Town Council Not Happy With County’s Landfill Plans

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council approved a resolution Feb. 3 expressing concern over the Solid Waste Authority’s search for a new western landfill site.

The council cited the potential for an increase in truck traffic on Southern Blvd., and in the resolution recommended the SWA utilize existing rail lines to serve whatever site is selected.

The site currently favored by the Solid Waste Authority’s selection committee is five miles west of 20-Mile Bend on the north side of Southern Blvd.

With the primary access to the landfill on Southern Blvd., a significant increase in truck traffic along Southern Blvd. would adversely impact the town, neighboring municipalities and other traffic on Southern Blvd., the council’s resolution noted. The increased truck traffic would also result in increased carbon emissions and associated decrease in air quality, the resolution continued.

The council noted that the Florida East Coast Railroad and CSX operate rail lines in the county that could be used to transport solid waste, and

Commons Work Will Begin Soon

continued from page 1 Water Conservation Fund application will bring matching grant applications to $1.1 million, Recchio said. Although none of the grants have actually been awarded yet, he is optimistic some will come through.

“We are very proud of the fact that one of the applications ranked number one in the state, meaning that if there is any funding in that account, we’re going to get our money,” Recchio said. “Over the course of the 12 years that I have been involved, there have been a couple of years where every application was accepted and funded because they had the funds. It’s get-

Brown Newspaper Memories

continued from page 4

Most journalists today have never enjoyed competing against other newspapers in the same city. Getting the story first and better than our competitor was how we measured our performance — and so did our editors.

I remember the good stories and the camaraderie of my fellow journalists. Like my friend and competitor at the Lincoln Star when I worked for the Lincoln Jour-

Letters

continued from page 4 was right after it opened. I happened to be standing a couple of feet on their property when an individual came up to me and explained that there was going to be zero tolerance, that the club was going to be monitored 24 hours a day, and anyone seen walking or stepping on the property would have to deal with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Shortly thereafter, the club destroyed what little value

that using rail in conjunction with trucks would decrease the overall truck traffic necessary to serve the landfill.

Councilman Dennis Lipp recommended revising the resolution to note that heavy truck traffic would deteriorate the asphalt on SR 80 and increase the number of accidents. “We can have a whole litany of whereases,” he said.

Mayor Dave Browning said trucks carrying garbage are also bound to increase the amount of litter on Southern Blvd. “That whole corridor will be covered with stuff,” he said.

Councilman Dr. Bill Louda said that as the trucks would travel parallel to the C51 Canal, the potential for water pollution would also increase.

Resident Frank Schiola, who works in the waste management industry, said that the estimate of 300 daily truck trips only includes SWA trucks. “There will be far more than that if you include independent dumpers,” he said, estimating between 1,000 and 2,000 trips per day.

Collene Walter of Kilday & Associates said the SWA is planning three meetings in the western area to get public input. The first meeting

ting more and more competitive with the economics of today. We’re confident that two of those grants, the FRDAP grants, will be funded, but we won’t know officially until around July.”

The two FRDAP grants cover two different phases of the park’s construction. “I can’t put in two for the same phase, so I have one for phase one and one for phase two,” Recchio said. “The park is going to be done in one swoop, but we had to phase the funding.”

Phase one will incorporate the basic reconfiguration of the land, Recchio said. “There is a lot of groundwork to be done, and there will be a lot of earth-moving to make the waterways,” he explained. “We’ll put berms in along the perimeter of the park so that homeowners

nal in Nebraska when he set the city/county building on fire after one of his habitual flicks of a match into the trash can. The fire in the pressroom was quickly extinguished. I retaliated a few days later by lighting the newspaper he held when I caught him dozing at a meeting (the paper was the one I worked for).

I remember covering the American Indian Movement (AIM) from a barstool in Scottsbluff, Neb. after I learned that the AIM members and others in the community frequented that particular tavern and none of the army of reporters from all

and benefit we did receive when they put up a palm hedge across many of our back yards, including my property. Thus, no longer do we have any view of the golf course. They have placed palm tree clumps that will continue to grow, and what they have now done is to essentially close my backyard in, along with many other neighbors.

Thus, not only do we not derive any benefit from being on the golf course, it has now had a negative impact

will be at the Wellington Community Center on Feb. 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. The second meeting will be at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center on Feb. 24 from 6 to 9 p.m., and the third will be at the Dolly Hand Theater on the Palm Beach Community College campus in Belle Glade on Feb. 26 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Lipp made a motion to approve the resolution, which passed unanimously.

In other business, the council approved a resolution requesting the Florida Legislature repeal a moratorium on local government regulation of the sale and possession of fireworks.

The resolution stems from an incident on New Year’s Eve in which a rare parrot held by a local conservation organization died after repeatedly thrashing itself against the side of its cage, apparently after becoming aggravated by fireworks.

Vice Mayor Marge Herzog said she had already given the Palm Beach County League of Cities a copy of the resolution and had asked other municipalities for input and support through the passage of similar resolutions.

Lipp suggested sending

have privacy. One of the things we wanted to be sure of is the homes are not going to lose their privacy.”

Phase one will also include the basic relief of a nine-hole executive golf course, which will be laid out on the northwest quadrant of the park. Phase two will focus on a basic park ready for enjoyment by the public. Some areas will be reserved for future development. In the front, near the entrance at Royal Palm Beach Blvd., is an area that Recchio calls “future build.”

“Eventually, buildings could be built there,” he said. “We’ve had various groups express an interest in having their own facility, like the American Legion and the Boys & Girls Club.”

A Community Art Center in the eastern portion of the

over the nation knew it. I dictated the top story for my newspaper and was the only reporter allowed into their strategy meeting the next day. Colleagues tried to interview me after I left the meeting, and I told them all to read the Lincoln Journal the next day. We met later at the same bar and laughed about it.

I remember the television reporter and cameraman setting up in front of me while I was attending a governor’s press conference. After advising them that I was in the front seat and that they were obstructing me, they proceeded to set up their camera. I

because it has effectively closed my backyard in. Thus, the property that I paid a premium for looks less attractive than the other properties in my neighborhood with wideopen backyards. That is why I have to respond when I hear people “remind me” that I should be appreciative of the benefits. Again, there are no benefits. Instead of being able to look out onto a golf course and open space, my backyard now looks as if it borders a major highway with a wall/

copies of the resolution to as many governmental entities in the state as possible. “We need to get resolutions from all over the state,” he said. “It would be good to get as much support as possible.”

Herzog made a motion to approve the resolution, seconded by Councilman Dave Autrey. The motion passed unanimously.

Also Feb. 3, the council directed town staff to draft a resolution that would limit town charitable contributions to $1,500 per year.

The discussion followed a request by Schiola for a donation to cover the cost of a bounce house or other activity at the annual Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School carnival.

Town Manager Irv Rosenbaum suggested local schools might be worthy recipients of charitable donations.

Schiola pointed out that that LGES is the only school in Loxahatchee Groves.

Autrey said he didn’t expect the residents would take it personally. “I don’t think the residents are going to hold anything against us,” he said. “We use the elementary school quite a bit.”

Town Attorney David Tolces said some cities have

park is another area that will be landscaped initially, but remain open for future development, perhaps by a community arts group, Recchio said.

“It’s something that in the future, let’s say a theater, if people have the funding and they want to put up a facility, that land would be set aside,” he said. “It may happen, it may not happen, or it could change.”

The centerpiece of the park will be the Central Plaza and Great Lawn featuring a threestory multi-functional building with boat storage and shops on the bottom, and party and banquet halls on the upper levels. “The plan is to rent out canoes and kayaks so people can make use of the waterways,” Recchio said.

The building could also house a restaurant, sundry

waited until the governor came to the podium before kicking one of the legs of their camera tripod, bring it down with a clatter that sounded like gunshots, which brought several state troopers into the room. I just sat in my chair looking dumb.

I remember the time President Ronald Reagan visited Oklahoma City while campaigning for president, and I was dispatched to the airport to cover the press conference. I was waiting right behind the yellow tape barrier when a reporter bounded from Gov. Reagan’s plane and took up his station right in front of me

hedge placed on the property line. Placing this tremendous hedge and blocking the view of all of the residents on the golf course seems to be an item that has been overlooked in all of the articles I have seen. We are certainly not looking to cause harm to the golf course, we are just hoping to continue to maintain the benefit we have received in the past and that we paid to enjoy. Anthony DiMatteo Wellington

a once-a-year submittal process for contribution requests. Autrey suggested keeping it simple. “If we get 1,500 applications we’ll give them $1 each,” he said, suggesting that the application cutoff time be June 30 in time for the budget cycle beginning in September.

Browning took a dim view of town contributions. “I hate to be a wet blanket,” he said. “I’m a firm believer in charity, but we’re taking the residents’ tax money, and I have a problem because I see it growing and somebody is going to be hurt.”

Town Clerk Matthew Lippman noted that the formulation of an official application process would draw more interest. Louda made a motion to direct staff to bring back a resolution to the Feb. 17 meeting limiting annual donations to $1,500. Herzog seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The council also voted to arrange a meeting on water sourcing for fire suppression with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue, the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District and the town engineer.

Louda said the intent is to show the South Florida Wa-

and beach/tropical apparel shop, Recchio said. In the front of the building will be an interactive fountain. There will also be a plaza where groups could hold a wedding or other social event.

“The Great Lawn is just that,” Recchio said. “If you can visualize one big open green space where you want to throw Frisbees around or just walk around, enjoy it and relax, this is where you would do it. There will also be two playground areas for younger kids. On the perimeter will be picnic pavilions.”

A concrete platform on the southeast perimeter of the Great Lawn will be the foundation for a portable stage for entertainment or a possible staging area for fireworks displays, he said. Along the entire perimeter of the park will be a path where people can

after shoving me out of the way. I waited until Gov. Reagan walked up to the yellowtaped line before bending the reporter’s knees with my legs and while he fell to the ground, I stepped over him and was able to reach the future president (and get a good story). And I also remember Mary, a copy editor and rewriter for the city desk of the Oklahoma City Times, who smoked cigarettes like a chimney and did her best work in the break room while coughing incessantly

Blotter

continued from page 6 Pennypacker Trail called the PBSO substation in Wellington on Tuesday regarding a burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 8 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. someone pried open a rear window and entered the home. Stolen from inside were a Wii game system, an Xbox 360, clothes and a laptop computer. There were no witnesses at the time of the report.

FEB. 11 — A Royal Palm Beach woman was arrested Wednesday night for drug

ter Management District that Loxahatchee Groves is making a good faith effort to find alternative water sources for fire suppression so that the district will be granted permission to back-pump more during droughts in order to keep canal levels high enough that fire pumpers can draw water. The meeting would cover the scope of improvements for firefighting, such as pumping rates and well placement.

At the last meeting of the town-LGWCD intergovernmental committee, members decided that drilling wells on all the “alphabet” roads might be the most cost-effective method of ensuring a water supply for firefighting. A looped system of the county water supply would need to run down all the “alphabet” roads and would require hydrants every 500 feet, which would be highly disruptive to the town and expensive, according to a town staff report. Deepening and hardening the canals would also be very expensive and would probably require an increase in assessments. Louda made a motion to direct staff to arrange the meeting, which passed unanimously.

walk, jog or bicycle. The trail network will be lushly landscaped. A horticultural park is planned at the south end. “There will be no ball fields,” Recchio noted. “That is not what we’re looking to do. It is basically a passive park. People will be able to come in here and really enjoy it. You’ve got a 160-acre piece of property that I think other municipalities are envious of… It’s going to be a great project. We’re anxious to get it going. I’ve been here since 1984, and this is the largest undertaking I’ve seen in the village. The nicest thing about it is the public had their input and all the departments have been involved.”

Recchio said he anticipates bid documents out for construction by midyear with actual construction beginning sometime in the fall.

and making me always look like a better writer than I was. Is this a wake? I wonder. I hope not. I’m just hoping that the newspaper business understands its own problems and does something about them. I entered this profession during the time of hot type and linotype machines and graduated to cold type, scanners and computers. I do not want it to end in bytes left on a blogger’s web site floor. To Newsweek, I would say adieu.

possession following a traffic stop in Wellington. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation pulled over a 1999 Mustang driven by 35-yearold Melinda Marti near the intersection of Forest Hill and Southern boulevards. Marti was arrested for operating a vehicle with a suspended license. A search incident to the arrest revealed that a clear plastic baggy containing marijuana was stored inside the center console. Marti was issued a notice to appear in court and released from the scene.

Peggy Belvin drives Spook. PHOTO COURTESY BRANAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Yeah,

It’s Valentine’s Day, And What Have You Done About It?

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Have I scared you? Because, if you have a significant other and you didn’t remember that Valentine’s Day is this Saturday, it is entirely possible that you are having a coronary attack right now. Run — do not walk — to your nearest purveyor of cards, chocolates and/or flowers and remedy the situation.

Back in my college days, I worked in a card and gift shop whose manager did not believe in offering holiday cards once the holiday had passed. “If you missed it, you missed it” was her mantra. I have no idea how many sales she lost with that tenet.

Every year, the day after Valentine’s Day, people would rush in with wild-eyed expressions, looking for the pink-and-red aisle. But they were greeted instead with a sea of green shamrocks and smirking little leprechauns.

Deborah Welky is The Sonic BOOMER

So, while the manager hid safely in her basement office, we 20-year-old clerks would be charged with the task of telling these people that Valentine’s Day was over. This was something they already knew. For many, it had been drilled into them overnight by their loved one; for others, they had justifiable excuses — like illness. Whatever the case, the cards were gone — spirited

away before the opening bell by the manager, who I imagined was now sitting atop a pile of them, purring like Smaug on his mountain of gold. The word “entitlement” has been bandied about quite a bit these days, and I wonder if it had its start with the Valentine’s Day tradition. Since when are you owed candy and a card on the fourteenth day of February just because you happen to be in a relationship? For new widows and widowers, the day must be awful. I know it is for lots of teens. They wake up one morning in mid-February and it strikes them that they aren’t dating anybody this particular week of the year and, therefore, will miss out on free candy in a heartshaped box. Bummer. God bless the moms and dads who get their kids a little something. I wish I could do it for my Uncle Jack.

Uncle Jack still laments the card-swapping tradition of his youth — the teacher put a big frilly “valentines” box on her desk, and children deposited cards for their friends. Then, in what is possibly the most cruel popularity contest ever, she would reach in and call out the name of the child receiving each card. Most children received three or four cards, some received 10 or 15 but Jack, of course, did not receive a single one. “Not one valentine!” he shouts, never considering that there may have been a reason for that. And I’d like to think he’ll get over it, but he’s 76. So this is a gentle reminder that V-Day is upon us. Take that information and do with it what you will. I, for one, am on my way to the store — not only to get Uncle Jack a valentine but because all of my “others” are quite significant. I’m lucky that way.

‘Slumdog Millionaire’ In Ways Reflects Our American Dream

Slumdog Millionaire is a tough feel-good drama based on an Indian novel but reflects the American Dream in some important ways. Based on the adventures of a young Muslim in Mumbai, the former Bombay, it uses the adventures of the hero to present many of the problems of modern India in a way that is simultaneously enchanting and horrific.

At the start of the film, the young hero Jamal (Dev Patel) has been arrested and is being tortured at a police station because he is suspected of having cheated on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

He has won ten million rupees and needs to answer only one more question to win the top prize. But because he gophers tea at his workplace, many in his society are convinced he must be cheating.

Jamal tells the police the story of his life and how he learned the right answers for the show through his experiences. He knows the

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler

name of a movie star because he went through a rather disgusting trek to get the man’s autograph. He knows what the god Rama holds in his hand because he had been chased through a Hindu neighborhood during an antiMuslim riot that killed his mother. Each of the questions brings up events in Jamal’s life.

The desire for success, the belief among the young that they might be important, is not very different from what most of us believe. But the social system that holds down the poor

I Felt Both Angry And Violated,

I was robbed the other morning. No, they didn’t break into my house or my car, and no one put a gun in my face and demanded my money. The crime happened at the very end of my driveway on trash collection and recycle collection day.

Wondering & Wandering

By Ernie Zimmerman

I put my recycle bins and the trash can out there after 6 p.m. the night before it was to be picked up. The next morning, I went out to throw a few more soda cans into the bin. The bin holding the newspapers was sitting on top of the bin holding my soda cans. As I lifted the newspaper bin to throw my cans in, I was shocked to see all the cans that had been in there the night before were gone. During the night, someone came by my house and took the cans. It was as if I was only leaving an empty recycle bin out for the collection guys. I felt mad and violated at the same time. I was mad because I’m a very light sleeper and I usually hear every noise in the night near my house. When I hear a noise I don’t like, the cop in me kicks in. I usually go outside to investigate. Most of the time it is nothing that would need to be investigated. I felt violated because I didn’t hear any noise when the cans were taken. And cans usually make noise. If they can take my cans without making any noise, will their next stop be my living room when they realize that the cans aren’t bringing them that much money? As you can see, some wild and zany thoughts go through my head.

I checked with my source at the Solid Waste

is very different. If someone from a poor family here does well on a quiz show, most of us believe, probably because we want to believe, that anyone can succeed. In India, many people seem not able to make those leaps of faith.

The TV show’s moderator (Anil Kapoor) begins by teasing Jamal and denigrating him, a shock to Americans accustomed to seeing TV hosts praise even the worst contestants. Eventually he betrays Jamal, who keeps going because he alone has faith in the future.

Patel may play Jamal as somewhat too perfect, and Freida Pinto as Jamal’s love interest Latika is so beautiful that she almost seems unreal. Then again, fairytale heroes are supposed to be reasonably perfect. The movie has its funny moments, particularly when Jamal and his brother briefly become guides at the Taj Mahal. The shifts between the horrible, the dramatic, the funny and the seemingly fated help make this an exceptional movie.

In a year when there have been a crop of poor movies, Slumdog Millionaire shines. Director Danny Boyle combines elements of fantasy with hardboiled realism to present a fable that is heartwarming even while horrific. There is violence and there is love. The violence of India remains there, part of a land of enormous contrasts. The difference between the Taj Mahal and the slums is enormous, and Boyle has presented a picture that encompasses both parts of the country. Many critics have complained about the lack of interest in the movies Hollywood has dubbed its finest via the Oscar nominations. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was excellent. Slumdog Millionaire also shines. I think the latter will win out for Best Picture. This is an exceptional movie. Not enough people are going to it. Watch it; it could well be the best picture of the year and, unlike some movies, would actually deserve it.

And I’m Not Just Talking Trash

Authority to see if this type of crime is common. Much to my surprise, the answer was yes. As more and more folks are affected by the economy, more and more cans go missing from recycle bins.

I was also told that the amount of garbage being hauled out to our local landfill is way down. According to my source at the SWA, this means people are buying less, thus they are throwing away less trash. This is bad news for the SWA, because they collect their fees from the haulers based on the amount of garbage taken to the dump. Less garbage dumped means fewer fees collected.

I would never have guessed that the economy would be taking a toll on the garbage dump. Maybe less garbage being dumped will push back the day when the SWA will open the dump they plan to build near the western communities (I know, wishful thinking).

My source wasn’t sure who owns the cans when they are at curbside — me, the SWA or

the Village of Wellington. Of course, less cans collected means less money for the SWA. It seems that a crime was committed, but I cannot determine who the victim is. The fact that I don’t own the bins makes me lean toward the SWA or the village as the owner of the cans. If the SWA collects fewer cans, does that mean they will have to raise the rates they charge us to collect our garbage and our recyclables to make up for their loss of income? It is like shoplifting: we all suffer when people steal from stores. The stores simply raise their prices to cover their losses. I am sure the SWA will do the same. You wouldn’t think I would have a soft spot in my heart for the people who took my cans, but I do. I understand their plight. But I really wish they would find some other way to make money. After all, I am trying my best to keep Planet Earth green, and of course to keep my solid waste and recycling collection rates as low as possible at the same time.

Protect Your Money With Equity Indexed Annuities

By Randy Pfeiffer

If you are like many people today, you may be having trouble sleeping at night because of significant losses in the market, combined with the value of your home plummeting, negative true yields on fixed investments after inflation and taxes figured in, and the truly frightening prospect of outliving your money.

After the worst financial meltdown since the Great Depression, most investors’ primary concern now is to try to cut their losses and hold on to what they can. This reminds me of

what one of our great Americans, Samuel Clemens (better known as Mark Twain), once famously stated: “These days I am much more concerned about the return of my principal, than the return on my principal.” Following a series of bad investments that forced him to sell off his library, art and antiques — all the things he had spent a lifetime accumulating — Clemens died destitute.

On the positive side, if you take the long view like Warren Buffett, the world’s most successful investor, the market will eventually recover. The big question is, how long

will it take? If you are young enough, you have the power of compound interest on your side and this becomes less of a concern. But if you are like many of us Baby Boomers, nearing or already in retirement, how you position yourself now is crucial. You can’t afford any more losses and must make the most of what you now have. If you lost 35 percent in the market, you must now make 55 percent just to break even. A 50-percent loss requires a 100-percent gain to recover.

Protection against any more losses should be your number one concern. But that does not mean putting your savings under the mattress or in low-yield fixed interest accounts such as CDs, which after taxes and inflation, many call “certificates of depreciation.” You must combine safety with the potential to make better returns as the market recovers. The only class of investment proven to do exactly this are equity indexed annuities or EIAs.

What these contracts deliver is the upside potential of the market with absolutely no losses to either your principal or your accumulated earnings, guaranteed. How is this possible? The first thing to understand is that they are a type of fixed annuity, and by definition they contractually can’t have losses and must have a guaranteed minimum rate of return. Even better is that as you get credited for each year’s earnings.

How are your earnings calculated? Each year you have the choice of allocating your funds among a fixed interest account or accounts that track various indexes on your behalf. The company will then track those indexes, and in years that they go up, your account will be credited according to the formula in your contract. In down years, nothing will be deducted. While your account value doesn’t change in down years, the index numbers do, and the better EIA contracts have a feature called “annual reset” that takes advantage of this for you. This feature has the company resetting the index number used to calculate your returns at the beginning of each policy year.

Let’s hypothetically imagine that at the beginning of your policy year, the S&P 500 index is at 1,000 and at the end of the year it has fallen to 500. As stated, while others have sustained heavy losses, your account value remains protected. The annual reset feature now comes into play by using 500 as the beginning index number for the coming year. If the index closes the new year at 550, you have new earnings credited to your account, while others are still suffering overall losses.

After explaining how this works to clients, the first thing I usually hear is “this sounds too good to be true” or “how can they do this?” The reason is simple. This is a fixed annuity and your money is not in the market The companies use a strategy based on pur-

chasing options on the indexes they are tracking on your behalf and only exercise them when it’s to their advantage.

If you have not looked at EIAs recently, I strongly advise you to find out about the newest and most exciting benefit being added to many contracts, called “guaranteed income accounts.” These riders, when added to your contract, guarantee a minimum percentage rate will be credited to a separate income account each year no matter what the index returns might be. Many companies are offering rates in these accounts that are guaranteed at seven percent for ten years to provide future lifetime income without having to annuitize your policy. Many companies are now offering upfront bonuses of 10 percent or more on premiums as an additional incentive. This can help to make up some of your recent losses.

Given the variety of choices, if you are considering purchasing an annuity, or simply want to learn more about them, I recommend consulting an expert in the field. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard financial advisers and CPAs advise against an EIA simply because their broker/dealer doesn’t offer them or they didn’t want to admit they haven’t taken the time to learn how they work.

The only real objection to annuities some people may have is, “I don’t want to tie my money up.” Annuities are to be looked at as long-term investments with charges for surrendering your policy or taking distributions of more than 10 percent annually for periods generally lasting three to 10 years. They were designed as a form of retirement account, and as such, IRS regulations treat them similarly to IRAs, giving them tax-deferred status, but with no restrictions as to how much you may put away. Tax deferral gives you triple compounding: interest on your principal, interest on your earnings and interest on the money that you haven’t had to turn over to the IRS yet. By the way, all annuities grow tax deferred, and here in Florida, they are also judgment-proof!

While fixed equity indexed annuities may not fit every situation, they certainly deserve a place protecting and increasing your core savings. By eliminating the worry and accompanying stress that comes with today’s uncertain and volatile markets, you will enhance your prospects of enjoying the retirement lifestyle you spent all those years of hard work to attain and now deserve.

Randy Pfeiffer, a 35-year resident of Palm Beach County, provides retirement and estate planning for his clients from his offices in West Palm Beach and Coral Springs. He resides in Wellington. For more information, call (888) 791-3676.

The Phantoms Visit Taverna Opa Restaurant In CityPlace

Welcome to Greece, and get ready to have fun!

If you’re looking for a fun night out on the town, then head to the newest Greek restaurant in CityPlace, Taverna Opa. It’s located on the second level of the former FAO Schwartz store, across from the Harriet Himmel Theater. Taverna Opa is about as close as you can get to authentic Greek food and tradition, and is a unique escape from the ordinary dining experience.

Diners are energized by the blend of house and Greek music, courtesy the talented DJ, and patrons are encouraged to dance on the tables during dinner and into the wee hours. The servers all participate in Greek Zorba dancing, traditional Greek songs and also toss large amounts of white paper napkins (which are always recycled) throughout the evening. There are also several belly dancers dressed in traditional garb who entertain every night beginning at 8 p.m. Taverna Opa is owned by well-known local restaurateur Lirim Jacobi, who also owns City Pizza and his newest venture Gingergrass, an upscale Asian fusion cuisine scheduled to open April in City Place.

One of our favorite places in the world is Santorini in Greece; we love the Greek Isles’

architecture and buildings, the people and the food. Taverna Opa is a fun-filled reminder of our visits to this Mediterranean paradise. Close your eyes and you will feel as if you have just stepped onto the Greek Isles.

The interior is dressed in shades of typical Greek whites and blues, with textured white walls, comfortable banquettes, imported handmade dark wooden tables and chairs, and pale blue glass vases. The high ceilings sport suspended dark wooden beams. The walls are accented with glass and wood sconces and pale blue-painted shutters framing faux mirrored windows. An open kitchen adds to the atmosphere, providing a steady stream of enticing aromas.

As soon as we were seated, we enjoyed the combination of chickpeas and olive oil that are brought to each table, served in a mortar and pestle to gently mash and smother onto warm tasty triangles of pita bread. This starter is the perfect prelude to the multitude of wonderful Greek dishes that are created by talented Executive Chef Bobby Orfanos, whose culinary creations have been the mainstay for years at the Saint Mark’s Church annual Greek Festival.

The menu is extensive, loaded with traditional favorites: spanakopita (baked phyllo

with spinach, feta, leeks and herbs), tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, garlic and dill), prawn saganaki (prawns, feta, tomato, basil and vodka). But then again, they have a whole list of seafood appetizers and a vegetarian selections. Greek seafood and lamb is the mainstay of Greek cuisine. You cannot go to any Greek restaurant without trying the mussels. We tried plump ouzo mussels ($10); you will want to savor every drop of this flavorful combination of ouzo, garlic, tomato, basil and oregano. Of course, Opa’s version of Greek salad was right on target.

For our main course, keeping with the fruits from the Mediterranean, Joe selected lavraki ($28), a whole lean white fish, very mild and moist that was tastefully seasoned and wood fire-grilled, and served with wild greens and very tasty rice. Kathryn opted for moussaka ($16), layers of roasted eggplant, potatoes, ground beef, all topped with a deliciously creamy Béchamel sauce. Both entrees were very good, and very Greek!

On our next visit we plan to go with a group of friends and order the Seafood Sampler Platter ($56), which serves two to four and includes lobster tail, prawns, king crab, mussels, calamari, scallops and grouper in a roasted tomato sauce with vodka, garlic and olive

oil. The Meat Sampler Platter ($48) also serves two to four and includes filet mignon, chicken kebab, pork loin, lamb chops, served with lemon potatoes and vegetables.

Greek desserts included our favorite baklava, a pastry with honey and nuts; galaktoboureko, a honey phyllo pastry with custard; and homemade rice pudding — all were excellent.

We can confidently predict Taverna Opa will become a top party destination for birthdays, rehearsal dinners, corporate events, business networking parties and special events. And if you’re in charge of next year’s Christmas Party, you’d better reserve it today! Taverna Opa serves lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight. The bars (inside and out) are open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 a.m. Taverna Opa is located at 700 South Rosemary Street, Suite 232 (on the upper level), at CityPlace in West Palm Beach. For reservations or additional information, call (561) 820-0002 or visit www.opapalmbeach.com, and please tell them that Joe & Kathryn, the Phantoms, recommended you call!

The Phantoms Recommend Florida Panthers Hockey In Sunrise

Sixty minutes of nonstop action — that’s hockey!

Coming from Philadelphia, we’ve been hockey fans for 40 years and welcomed hockey to Florida when H. Wayne Huizenga was awarded an NHL franchise for his native Miami on Dec. 10, 1992. (Who would ever think… ice hockey in Florida?)

The Panthers were brought into the league as part of the 1993 expansion draft. That expansion draft produced ten players that would be a part of the 1996 Eastern Conference championship team in only three years! The team first played at the Miami Arena, and in 1999 they relocated to the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, just off the Sawgrass Expressway about 50 miles southwest of West Palm Beach.

South Florida is the perfect place for ice hockey, spurred on by our seasonal visitors from Canada and our residents from the frozen tundra of New York, Chicago, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, our native Phil-

adelphia and even Boston! (However, they only show up when their teams are winning.)

At every sports event in Florida, be it the Panthers, Heat, Marlins or Dolphins, a high percentage of those in attendance are there to support their former hometown favorite team… we love them all… except the Jets fans! Each year since hockey came to Florida in 1993, we’ve always taken the one-hour drive to see our beloved Philadelphia Flyers play against the Florida Panthers. Wearing our Flyers jerseys along with nearly 50 percent of those in attendance gives you a sense of attachment to your roots and the opportunity to in some way cheer for both teams.

Another good thing is that the food at the BankAtlantic Center is restaurant quality and very affordable, freshly made pasta dishes, great salads, roasted chicken, tasty hamburgers, hand-cut French fries and the usual nachos, hot dogs, pretzels, etc.

Warning: if you have never at-

and www.YourNews.com...

tended a hockey game, you may become immediately addicted and purchase season tickets… Yes, it is that good. Like basketball, it is 100 percent end-to-end, nonstop action, hard-hitting, beautiful skating and some really good fights. But we cannot describe the excitement of when a goal is scored. You just have to be there… that’s hockey.

In summary, welcome to something very different, very entertaining, which affords you the opportunity to meet your fellow hometown hockey fans from: New York on Feb. 13; Washington on Feb. 15, March 17 and April 11; New Jersey on Feb. 17; Chicago on Feb. 19; Boston on Feb. 21; Pittsburgh on March 3 and April 5; St. Louis on March 7; Tampa on March 14; Toronto on March 19; Columbus on March 21; Carolina on March 25; Ottawa on March 31; and Atlanta on April 3.

What makes hockey and any sport more exciting is the prospect of your home team making the playoffs, and the Panthers stand a good

chance of making the playoffs this year! They are playing good hockey... and every game counts. And with the luck of the draw, we might get the chance to see our Flyers play your/our Panthers in the playoffs this spring.

For more information about Florida Panthers Hockey, visit http:// panthers.nhl.com or call (954) 835PUCK, and please tell them that Joey South Philly & Kathryn, the Phantoms, suggested you call… See you at the playoffs!

DRIVER WANTED FOR WELLINGTON CAB - Wellington Town Car. FT/PT Retirees Welcome. Call 333-0181

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MEDICAL AND PROFESSIONAL BUILDING CLEANINGS SPECIALISTS — • Pressure Cleaning • Office Cleaning • Residential Cleaning • Parking Lot Maintenance • Concrete Coatings. Call for Free Evaluation. 561-714-3608

HOUSECLEANING - Reliable with long term clients. Over 12 years experience. References available. Karen 561-632-2271

AMERIKANA INC. — Commercial and residential cleaning services. Half price special for residential customers (You pay 3 cleanings and get the 4th for ½ off the regular price) 561-628-0653

SPRING MORNING CLEANING — Residential Housecleaning. Honest, reliable, dependable. References available. Call Mary 561-215-1695

RESIDENTIAL HOUSECLEANING — Monthly, Weekly, BiWeekly. Excellent references. Honest. We do Windows. Call 561-598-0311

WWW.GARABAR.COM

Discount pricing. Remodeling & Repairs •Kitchens • Baths •Additions • Painting • Doors • Windows. No Deposit Until Permit • Credit Cards Accepted. 561-337-6798

Lic. #CCC1327252 & CGC1510976

HOME INSPECTIONS — Mold inspections, air quality testing, US Building Inspectors mention this ad $20.00 Off. 561-784-8811

DAVID A. CLAUD, MS, LMHC, CAP - Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Addictions Professional. Caring for Individuals with Substance Use Problems, Anxiety & Depression, Life Adjustment Issues, and Stress Related Concerns. (561) 398-5132

TOWN-CRIER

CLASSIFIEDS 793-3576

ANIMAL PALACE “Where Your Pets are Treated Like Royalty” — Pet sitting, dry baths/specialty shampoos. de-shedding treatments. All sizes/ cats too! 561-383-5000

Mold & Mildew Inspections — Air Quality Testing, leak detection. US building inspectors, mention this ad for discount. 561-784-8811

BRITT PHOTOGRAPHY — Wedding invitation photos, Valentine photos, Special events. Steve 561317-5813

Waterheaters, garbage disposals, faucet repair & replacement service. New construction. Licensed. Bonded. Insured. Wellington Resident 25 years. 561-601-6458. Jeremy James Plumbing, Inc.

ELITE POOL CLEANING —"You dealt with the rest now deal with the best" All maintenance & repairs, salt chlorinator, heaters, leak detection. 561-791-5073. Inquire about 1 months free service.

J&B PRESSURE CLEANING — Established in 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.Call Butch 561-3096975 BD

GRIME STOPPERS - Pressure cleaning, commercial & residential, houses, driveways, patios, screen enclosures, sidewalks. References available.561-779-1081

PLACE YOUR AD HERE 793-3576

PROPERTY CLEANOUT & MAINTENANCE SERVICE - Lawn Care/ Pressure Cleaning. Ins/Lic/Bonded Commercial/Residential. 561-3338388 Foreclosure Cleanout Solution Corp.

HORIZON ROOFING QUALITY WORK & SERVICE — Free estimates, No Deposits. Pay upon completion, residential, commercial, reroofing, repairs, credit cards accepted.561-842-6120 or 561784-8072 Lic.#CCC1328598

JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 798-3132.

Gutters, downspouts, vinyl/aluminum siding, windows & doors, aluminum railing. Screen enclosures (Repaired & Replaced), carports, porches, and patios. Lic. U17189. P&M Siding Contractors. 561-7919777

ROLL DOWN SHUTTERS — Accordion shutters, storm panels and rolling shutters...prices that can’t be beat. All shutters Systems, Inc. 8630955

MATH TUTOR — Algebra I, II and Geometry. Call Chris (561) 346-3608

FCAT SPECIAL ONE FREE WEEK

IN-HOME TUTORING

All subjects • Pre-K Adult SAT/ACT • Study Skills • Reading 333-1980 ClubZtutoring.com.

America's Largest In-Home Tutoring Co.

CAN FIX IT — build it, move it, plant it, and more. Call Bruce, 793-2494. TFN

BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS, INC. — REMODEL & REPAIRS Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair, door installation, minor drywall, kitchens/cabinets/countertops, wood flooring. Bonded/Insured U#19699. 791-9900 Cell: 370-5293

HANDYMAN SERVICES -No job too small or large. Prompt and professional service. Reasonable rates and Quality work. Licensed and insured. #CGC-032834. 561-2027044

ANMAR CO. —James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC 1327426 561-2488528

MCA CUSTOM WOODWORKING, INC. — “Make your home standout from the rest” Call us for all your home improvement needs. Kitchen & bathroom remodeling, custom wall units, design your home office, cabinetry, tile & drywall repair. Lic. #U-19564. Bonded & Ins. 561-7235836

ARMENTO PAINTING & SONS, INC. –– Painting, Interior, Exterior. Pressure cleaning. Custom painting, faux art. Lic. No. U14736. 7988978. BD

JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. ––– Interior/Exterior, artistic faux finishing, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair, & roof painting/cleaning. Free est. Call 798-4964. Lic.#U18473

LET US AD A LITTLE COLOR TO YOUR LIFE — Residential/Commercial. Licensed • Bonded • Insured. Owner/Operator. Ask for Paul 561-309-8290.

TOWN-CRIER

CLASSIFIEDS 793-3576

PLACE YOUR AD HERE! COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Interior/Exterior, residential painting, over 20 years exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free estimates - Insured. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident.

PAINTING — HOME PAINTING Interior - Exterior. $1290 +tax up to 2500 sq. ft. (walls area) 561-674HOME(4663) Masterpiece Painting Contractors Inc. CC U#21111 Lic./ Ins.

CREATIVE PAINTING SYSTEMS, INC. — Interior • Exterior • Residential Specialists. WE DELIVER WHAT WE PROMISE. All work guaranteed. FREE ESTIMATES. Family owned & Operated. Over 23 years experience. Lic. #U-18337 • Bonded • Insured Owner/Operator George Born. 561-686-6701

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

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

WWW.GARABAR.COM — Now is the time for the Best Prices. Re-roof & Repairs. No Deposit Until Permit Credit cards accepted. Free Estimate. 561-337-6798. Lic.#CCC1327252 & CGC1510976

IDEAL ROOFING SYSTEMS — Residential • Commercial • Licensed Bonded • Insured. New Construction Reroofs • Repairs • Roof Tile • Shingles Metal Roofs • Flat Decks • MaintenanceContracts info@idealroofingsystems.com. Palm Beach/Broward Office: 561753-7663 Fax: 561-753-7696. St. Lucie/Indian River. Office: 772288-6440. Fax: 772-287-9008. 11101 S. Crown Way #6, Wellington, FL 33414. Lic. #CCC1326453

AFFORDABLE HURRICANE PROTECTION — 2 - 4 wks. Installed Guaranteed! 10% deposit . Will get you started. All products, Dade County approved. We manufacture our own product. 561-568-6099, 772-342-8705 Lic. & Ins. CGC 1511213

SMALL ENGINE REPAIR AND WELDING - Golf carts - TractorsLawn Mowers - Farm EquipmentATV's - Trailers. Reasonable Rates. Quality work. Pickup and Delivery available. 561-282-7729

AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC —

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

INSTALLING IN SOUTH FLORIDA FOR 25 YEARS —Free estimates, residential/commercial, bathroom remodeling, floors, walls, backsplashes, custom designGOLDEN TILE INSTALLATION 561-662-9258

WE DO IT ALL! — Stump Grinding

Dead Pine Removal. All Phases of Tree Services. Licensed and Insured. 561-373-6117

ARABIC TUTORING FOR KIDS

(Reading & Writing) K-6. Fl. Certified teacher w/teaching experience. 561-386-9342

PAPERHANGING & PAINTING BY

DEBI — Professional Installation & Removal of Paper. Interior Painting, decorative finishes, clean & reliable. Quality work with a woman’s touch. 26 years experience. No Job too big or too small. Lic. & Ins. References available. 561-795-5263

WATER CONDITIONERS FROM

$499.00 —- Reverse osmosis units for the whole house. Mention this ad for equipment checkup and water analysis $19.99561-6896151