Town-Crier Newspaper February 15, 2019

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RPB MIGHT TRIM MEETING SCHEDULE SEE STORY, PAGE 3

JOE DIMAGGIO FACILITY OPENS ON SR 7 SEE STORY, PAGE 21

THE

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

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INSIDE

Israel Tennis Centers Foundation Returns To Wycliffe March 2

Volume 40, Number 7 February 15 - February 21, 2019

Serving Palms West Since 1980

HORSE DRIVING IN WELLINGTON

The Israel Tennis Centers Foundation is once again coming to the Wellington area with a HighPerformance Tennis Exhibition and Grand Reception at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club. The tennis exhibition matches take place at Wycliffe’s Stadium Court on Saturday, March 2 from 3:45 to 7 p.m. Immediately after the exhibition, the reception will take place in the dining room. Page 3

RPB Board Discusses H.L. Johnson Programs

The Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board met Monday, Feb. 11 to discuss issues and improvements in local schools — this time with a specific emphasis on H.L. Johnson Elementary School and school security overall. Page 4

The 2019 Chesapeake International Horse Show, hosted by Victoria McCullough, was held on Feb. 8-10 at Crab Orchard Farm in Wellington. The event included a number of driving competitions featuring beautiful teams of Percherons, Belgians and Clydesdales. McCullough, of the Wellington-based Chesapeake Clydesdales, supported the EQUUS Foundation and the Young Singers of the Palm Beaches during the event. Shown above are the Clydesdales from Burger Barn in Ohsweken, Ontario. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 12 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Danowski, McLendon Square Off For Seat 2 On Lox Council

CAFCI Black History Month Celebration

On Saturday, Feb. 9, CAFCI held a special Black History Month celebration. A brief meeting was followed by cultural performances. Audrey Smith recited a poem written by Maya Angelou. After the poem, a dance group did an amazing performance. Then, guest speaker Yvonne Belcher stepped up to offer an inspiring speech. Page 10

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Former Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Supervisor Laura Danowski is challenging Loxahatchee Groves Vice Mayor Todd McLendon for Seat 2 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council. The election for a threeyear term will be held on Tuesday, March 12. Two other seats will be on the ballot. In the special election for a two-year term in Seat 3, Councilwoman Anita Kane, who was appointed to fill a vacancy, is being challenged by Lisa El-Ramey. Seat 4 will be left open by the retirement of Mayor Dave Browning. Residents Robert Shorr and Karen Plante are vying for that seat. Danowski told the Town-Crier that she has the desire and ability to fix issues that are dividing the town and putting it in turmoil. Goals foremost in Danowski’s mind are to fix drainage and roads. “Prior to September 2017, regardless of weather or conditions, we had drivable roads,” she said. “It’s alarming to me that since the district was taken over in

June 2018, that it has taken until February 2019 to get a grader and in-house employees to do the work. We need to be able to provide services that we can afford now and going forward, so one of my goals is better management of our money, which includes plans, which includes long-range thinking, and decisions that don’t necessarily benefit or heavily burden a select few while other residents don’t get what they need.” Danowski also wants to address police service, since the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has given notice that it will not renew its contract when it expires in October. “I sent a letter to Sheriff [Ric] Bradshaw asking if there is anything that he could share with me — remember that I am still a citizen, I’m not an elected official of any type — if there is any insight that he can provide,” Danowski said. “His liaison called me back and said, ‘We, the sheriff’s department, are not addressing anything regarding Loxahatchee Groves until after your election.’ That can be interpreted a number of differ-

ent ways, and I’m not going to speculate on any of them, but that is a primary goal for me.” Danowski said that because the town is being presented with the idea of creating its own police force — or looking elsewhere for police service — she does not support removing the language from the charter that requires the PBSO be in charge of police protection, as stated in a referendum question on the March 12 ballot. Danowski also has thoughts on the other referendum question, on whether or not the town should be allowed to take out long-term debt, which is currently prohibited in the town charter. “I will fully disclose that at the candidates’ forum,” set for Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at Palms West Presbyterian Church, hosted by the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association, she said. Danowski said she looks forward to working with the town’s new manager, Jamie Titcomb, who will take the position on March 18. “We had a couple of opportunities to exchange a few sentences,” See LOX SEAT 2, page 20

Wellington Pursuing Agreement To Build New Fields At WHS

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report The theme was parks and recreation at the Tuesday, Feb. 12 meeting of the Wellington Village Council. The meeting included the approval to proceed in developing an interlocal agreement with the Palm Beach County School District and Wellington High School to build facilities and fields on school land for joint use by the high school and the village, as well as the naming of a firm to provide a Parks & Recreation Master Plan. The approval of the interlocal agreement involves the construction of fields and support facilities previously planned for the nearby Greenbriar Park property. Councilman Michael Napoleone pointed out that the interlocal agreement to maintain several multi-purpose fields at Wellington High School would preserve the Greenbriar Park land for future use, perhaps decided years down the road. Awards for the conceptual design phase went to Kimley-Horn and Associates in the amount of $14,855, as well and Kaufman Lynn Construction in the amount of $9,805 to provide engineering/ architectural and construction manager at risk (CMAR) services. Assistant Village Manager Jim Barnes said that using either property, the money would come from the one-cent sales surtax, which currently amounts to approximately $10 million accrued. “Working within the confines of the existing high school property, we would have more fields and facilities than were planned for the Greenbriar parcel, and we would save money on drainage, water, sewer, cutting and filling.” Vice Mayor Michael Drahos said there is already the existing infrastructure at the high school property. “So, we get much more

for our dollar, and we get to keep our land,” he said. Barnes added that the project will not compromise security at the school, and there would be no comingling that would compromise security related to parking and access. He said all facilities will be lighted, but there would be no racquetball courts, because they present safety and security issues by providing blind spots. Councilwoman Tanya Siskind pointed out that the vote this week was not a final decision on the project. “The action tonight allows us to do the project, but doesn’t require us to do it, thus we can move forward,” she said. There is an option on the table to move Wellington’s competition pool to the high school site, an idea that didn’t sit well with Mayor Anne Gerwig. Gerwig stressed that she did not want to move the pool, but that the action before the council did not call for a decision on that, only that there would be an agreement that they could, if a future council wanted to, years from now. Gerwig also worried that an interlocal agreement is like a marriage, and there could be a need for a dissolution of the marriage and wanted to make sure that the village is protected. “Marriages can break up,” she said. “Not from my personal point of view, but I’ve heard of it.” Councilman John McGovern said that the interlocal agreement would be a win-win. “We would be remiss if we did not explore this opportunity and try to make this happen,” he said. In the public input portion of the meeting, two residents commented. Bruce Tumin spoke against the interlocal agreement saying that village residents had already paid taxes to build the school. “Why See FIELDS, page 20

A DAY FOR AUTISM

Wellington Residents Offer Opinions On Town Center

Seminole Ridge Basketball Girls Earn District Runner-Up Spot

On Friday, Feb. 8, the Seminole Ridge High School girls basketball team hosted the Class 9A, District 9 final four with the Hawks earning the runner-up spot in the finals. The Hawks fell 64-50 to Palm Beach Gardens High School in the championship round. Page 23 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 20 LETTERS.................................. 4 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 SCHOOLS........................... 8 - 9 COLUMNS............................. 18 CALENDAR............................ 20 BUSINESS............................. 21 CLASSIFIEDS................. 22, 25 SPORTS..........................23 - 24 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report About 70 residents showed up Wednesday, Feb. 13 to speak at a town hall meeting at the Wellington Community Center on possible changes to Wellington’s Town Center area. The Town Center project, at a cost of more than $20 million, would continue the village’s central complex, which now consists of the Wellington Municipal Complex, the Wellington Community Center, the Wellington Aquatics Complex, the Wellington Amphitheater, the Patriot Memorial and Scott’s Place playground. Among the concepts under discussion is a proposal to tear down the nearby Lake Wellington Professional Centre in order to better utilize the Lake Wellington waterfront. However, speakers at the meeting did not favor that idea.

Assistant Village Manager Jim Barnes told attendees that this was the third in a series of meetings on the proposed Town Center changes to collect opinions on the many options, which could include moving the village’s swimming pool. After Barnes gave a brief presentation on the history of the site’s development, residents were invited to speak from one of two podiums set up at the front of the meeting room. Since Wellington incorporated, Barnes said the population has grown to more than 65,000 residents in 2019, reflecting a growing need for village services. In 2013, the village purchased the Lake Wellington Professional Centre for $4 million, which has returned about $280,000 a year in rent from its tenants, although no significant capital improvements have been made to the 30-year-old

building, which needs a new roof, among other renovations. “In 2008, we looked at the Town Center and started our process planning for the site, albeit piecemeal,” Barnes said. “We had decided that we need to make improvements in the existing village assets on the property and make one major improvement.” That was to move village offices that had been scattered all over the community into a central location. The permanent amphitheater was added nearby, as well as the memorial and the playground. In 2016, the new Wellington Community Center was constructed, replacing the old facility, which had been built by a private developer as a country club in the 1970s and could not accommodate the many activities needed to serve the growing community. The origiSee TOWN HALL, page 7

The Village of Wellington, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the FAU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) hosted “A Day for Autism: Building Bridges with Law Enforcement Picnic” on Sunday, Feb. 10 in front of the Wellington Community Center. The PBSO K9 and mounted units were available for a meet-and-greet, while a fun zone had bounce houses, games, crafts, face painting and more. Shown above are Daily Acosta, Yairemi Agula and Julia Gonzalez with PBSO K9 Tucker. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Feb. 19 Fundraiser Will Support Shinkevich Family

By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report Local businesses and the community have come together to support an area family during their time of need. Tree’s Wings & Ribs, located at 603 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., will host a fundraiser on Tuesday, Feb. 19 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to benefit local resident Kelley Shinkevich, who is battling breast cancer while also dealing with losing her husband Mike Shinkevich to laryngeal cancer earlier this month. The fundraiser is intended to offset the cost and bills accumulated as the Shinkevichs endured many challenges over the past year. Last February, the Shinkevich home was infested with black

mold that required significant work to repair. The following month, Kelley was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer requiring surgery in April. Then in May, Mike was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. The couple went through surgery, radiation and chemotherapy treatments side by side. They continued to run their business, J. Campbell Decorative Concrete Resurfacing, until Mike’s condition worsened to the point the pair could no longer work. “Kelley put off her own surgery while taking care of Mike,” said her sister, Jackie Pertusiello. “She was still struggling with the side effects of neuropathy from the chemo.” The Shinkevichs have been very

involved with the organization My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper Charitable Trust. So, friends and family banded together and began organizing ways to help two people who constantly helped others. In November, close friend Erica Del Valle launched a GoFundMe page on behalf of the couple, with Kelley Shinkevich as the beneficiary. The $50,000 goal of the campaign has not yet been reached, and supporters can continue to donate through a fund titled “Michael and Kelley Shinkevich” at www. gofundme.com. Sadly, on Feb. 6, Mike lost his cancer battle. A memorial service took place on Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Palms West Funeral Home. “They’re fighters and still fighting through it,” family friend Don

Gross said. “Kelley is fighting on her own now. She fought for her dad [Ron Tomchin] before he passed away, her husband, and now she fights for herself. They are very strong people.” Now Kelley’s fight starts anew as she prepares to continue fighting her own war against cancer. She has not yet finished with treatments, as much of her own care was delayed so she could spend time caring for her husband. “She was a rock — strong, and absolutely amazing,” said Kelley’s mother, Elaine Tomchin. “Totally devoted to Mike and his treatment 24/7, Kelley took care of him.” Kelley delayed the tradition of “ringing the bell” when her last chemo treatment ended, in the See SHINKEVICH, page 7

Mike and Kelley Shinkevich


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