Town-Crier Newspaper February 1, 2008

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T Two More woMore W Wellington Candidates File ellingtonCandidatesFile

Two new candidates have emerged in the race for the one open seat on the Wellington Village Council.

Political newcomer Timothy Shields and onetime council candidate Jean-Joseph Lexima both filed papers with the village Thursday as candidates for the council seat currently held

by Councilwoman Laurie Cohen, who has said she will not run for re-election.

Shields, 34, is a six-year village resident who teaches at Nova Southeastern University.

While this is his first run for public office, Shields said he gained some experience on political campaigns by working for his brother-in-law Jeffrey Murphy’s failed bid for the State House District 85 seat. Murphy

lost the 2006 Democratic primary to incumbent Shelley Vana.

Shields was a member of the local Republican Executive Committee for 15 months but resigned in January of last year to assist Murphy in a second bid for the seat. He told the TownCrier Thursday he is currently registered as an independent.

“I look at the candidates and

V Villages Expect illagesExpect T To o T Tighten ighten Their

With the passage Tuesday of the state tax-reform amendment, leaders of both Royal Palm Beach and Wellington are contemplating how to deal with the anticipated loss of significant tax revenues.

Royal Palm Beach Mayor David Lodwick said the amendment will result in an expected $600,000 hit to village revenues in the next fiscal year.

“About 25 percent of our budget is in fact property taxes,” he told the TownCrier Thursday. “But we’re going to continue to find a way to get our job done and continue to find ways to make our village better. We’ll just find a way to do it with less resources.”

Lodwick and his fellow council members opposed the amendment, which will require $9.2 billion in statewide property tax cuts over the next five years. The

amendment passed with 64 percent of the vote, comfortably above the 60 percent required for passage.

“I thought it was going to be between 58 percent and 61 percent,” Lodwick said. “I never in my mind saw it passing by that wide a margin. But the bottom line is, when you give people an opportunity to save money in bad economic times, they’re going to do that. My bigger concern is, if we are in a recession, property values have declined on their own, so revenue was going down anyway. You have to guess that sales tax revenue statewide is probably down, and all the other revenue sources are going to be down as well. This is potentially not just a one-time hit in property taxes. It might be a broader hit.”

Lodwick said passage of the amendment sends a strong message to elected officials that voters don’t want their tax dollars wasted. “We’ve always tried to

ART FESTIVAL

The Seventh Annual Wellington Art Festival took place Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 26-27 near the Mall at Wellington Green. The festival featured works in various media by more than 175 artists. SEE STORY, PAGE 42A

Voters settled the question of who would end the six-month vacancy of Seat 2 on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council on Tuesday by electing Martha Webster over her rivals Tinuade “Tinu” Pena and David Dangerfield.

A total of 5,818 RPB voters cast ballots, and Webster garnered 2,890 (49.67 percent).

Pena came in second with 1,779 votes (30.58 percent), and David Dangerfield trailed with 1,149 votes (19.75 percent).

Until she is sworn in as the newest council member next month, Webster said she will be meeting with Village Manager

David Farber to get up to speed on items the council is working on. “I want to find out where they are and what we can do for the best interest of the village,” she told the Town-Crier Thursday. “I am interested in where they are in Village Commons. I know we’re at phase one, so I’m interested in what their next step is and what they are already committed to do and what might be open for a little more discussion with the residents, with a little more input.”

Webster said the cost and maintenance responsibilities of the $40 million park project on the site of the old Tradition Golf

Councilwoman

have that philosophy in our community, but voters have been clear that they want to tighten their belts in Royal Palm Beach even further, and we’re going to do that,” he said. “We’ll be discussing this with the whole council as we move forward. Well find a way to get our job done.”

Wellington anticipates a revenue loss of between $1 million and $1.3 million in the coming year. Acting Village Manager Paul Schofield said staff members have already been exploring ways to deal with the shortfall. “The past couple of months we have been looking at ways to make further cuts,” he said.

Other variables such as falling interest rates and appraised housing values could exacerbate the revenue loss, he said.

While Schofield said the village wants to avoid employee layoffs if at all possible, a hiring freeze will probably be necessary. The village will also try to avoid cutting services beyond those

made last year due to the legislative millage-rate rollback mandate, he said.

Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore said the council will be discussing exactly what to do at future meetings, but he expected the amendment would pass.

Priore said 78 percent of respondents to a Florida League of Cities survey in February 2007 supported doubling the $25,000 homestead exemption, and 66 percent supported portability of the Save Our Homes tax cap — two key parts of the amendment approved Tuesday. “I think this is going to open the door,” Priore said. “Seniors will take this portability and they won’t feel they are captive in their own home. Properties are falling off in price and will be more available for people who want to relocate. Hopefully, they can sell and move and their taxes don’t go up.”

Wellington successfully cut about $4

PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER
Kaleidoscope 2008 took place last Sunday at Centennial Square in downtown West Palm Beach. Kaleidoscope is an annual tradition where children from Palm Beach County schools partner with representatives from local cultural organizations to promote diversity. Shown above are Elbridge Gale Elementary School students Jordan Bloom and Jessica Pass at the Israel booth. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 37A
New
— Martha Webster celebrates her victory Tuesday evening with husband Gary.
PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington’s Equestrian Stakeholders Discuss Arena Rules

Although Wellington’s Equestrian Committee lobbied hard for strong attendance at a public meeting of equestrian stakeholders, turnout at the Monday meeting was light. Although the village mailed thousands of notices to village equestrians, less than 50 showed up for the meeting at the Wellington Community Center.

The purpose of the meeting was to gather feedback on rules the village is drafting to regulate development and operation of equestrian arenas and show grounds. Many who attended Monday’s meeting voiced concerns that the amendment to the village’s zoning regulations would burden the operators of small and informal horse shows.

Wellington’s Community Development Director Marty Hodgkins told attendees that the proposed zoning text amendment is aimed at larger operators. He noted that it would consolidate many of the existing requirements applicable to larger commercial facilities.

“In many respects the proposed draft that we are talking about is a consolidation of many of the requirements that may be applicable to a larger-scale facility,” he said. “We looked at a variety of impacts, such as the sewers, the roads, the street lights, with the proposed language. We have the legal underpinnings for requiring rational or reasonable improvements that

can be reasonably tied to that type of facility.”

Hodgkins recognized that members of the Equestrian Committee had expressed concerns about the possibility of the proposed rules being applied to smaller facilities, and their concerns about the possibility of rules being abused to over-regulate existing facilities, no matter what their size.

“We’re not trying through this ordinance to regulate them or bring them into scrutiny,” he said. “There are types of items that do require special-use permits for seasonable types of uses. Other than that, it’s not the intent of this ordinance to pull them under the tent of these requirements.”

Equestrian Committee Chair Don Dufresne said public feedback was the point of the meeting. “This has been before our committee several times,” he said. “We have been working on it for a year. What has been an overwhelming concern is the unintended consequence of this ordinance. We would like to have everyone’s input so we can make an intelligent decision.”

Attorney Craig Galle, who represents several owners of large equestrian properties, asked for some rationale for the amendment, as seasonal applications had served in the past for commercial equestrian events.

Hodgkins said it would be wise to have a set of standards on hand that staff could employ when faced with a request to develop a large facility in the

Equestrian Overlay Zoning District. The standards would speed the process for both sides, he said.

“There has been a great deal of discussion about the number and types of venues that could be built in the Village of Wellington,” Hodgkins said. “There has been discussion in the past that the community could support two or more permanent largescale-type venues. If an applicant comes in, we need to know what they need to do to comply with it as far as the village review process.”

The amendment as drafted requires arenas to be located on paved thoroughfares, and equestrian Prudence Hostetter expressed concern about the possibility that the rule would encourage the paving of some dirt roads in the Equestrian Preserve Area to accommodate them.

Hodgkins said the village’s comprehensive plan addresses the issue of road paving, and staff understood that it was the wish of many equestrian residents that the roads in the Equestrian Preserve Area remain unpaved. “We understand that the general feeling is to not pave roads,” he said. “That is the reason we put the requirement that the facilities be constructed on roads that are already paved. We would certainly not look to paving the internal roads outside those major roads.”

Equestrian Mark Edlund said he had concerns about the architectural guidelines outlined in the amendment, recalling an ear-

lier unfavorable reaction to similar rules. “We were in this room seven or eight years ago,” he said. “Someone made a comment that these lots are large enough if you don’t like the way someone’s house or barn looks, you need to plant a tree so you don’t have to look at it. I just feel we don’t need this.”

One of the undecided points of the draft amendment is whether to use an area of 25 or 50 acres as the minimum property requirement to establish an arena. Palm Beach Point resident Chris Tsonas said he felt that 25 acres would be too meager to support a large-scale commercial facility with 2,000 spectators and many vendors. He suggested that staff settle on 50 acres instead. He said he was worried about the possibility of owners of 25-acre parcels in the Equestrian Overlay Zoning District converting them into com-

mercial arenas or show grounds.

Dufresne said the 25-acre threshold would take smaller parcels outside the Equestrian Preserve Area into account. “If it was anything in the Equestrian Overlay Zoning District, it was likely you’d want to increase the acreage,” he said.

Dufresne and Committee Member Victoria McCullough encouraged attendees to attend the committee’s Feb. 13 meeting and offer more feedback to the committee and village staff.

“We need to pull together,” McCullough said. “When we meet and talk in a committee setting, I often wonder what you think. I wonder what changes we would have the opportunity to make. It’s really important for you to speak to us and to everyone else, including staff. We can only do this together. We need you to make it work.”

“Stakeholders Meeting” — Wellington Equestrian Committee Chairman Don Dufresne speaks at Monday’s meeting.
PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Our Opinion

Schofield The Right Choice To Be Wellington Village Manager

Charlie Lynn’s decision to retire as Wellington’s village manager on Jan. 25 was made final only after village council members raised the possibility of convincing him to stay on board. At the time, we supported the council’s desire to keep Lynn at the helm. Besides having overseen projects that are crucial to Wellington’s current quality of life, Lynn’s 11-year tenure with the village has given him an intimate understanding of residents’ needs. For the same reason, we support choosing Community Services Director Paul Schofield as Lynn’s permanent replacement.

The proposal was brought up by Vice Mayor Bob Margolis at the Jan. 22 council meeting; it will come up again at the council’s Feb. 12 meeting, possibly for a vote. The idea is to hire from within, rather than look outside the village for a new manager, although the council has already engaged a firm to conduct a nationwide search. That firm — the Chicago-based PAR Group — was given a set of qualifications to seek in potential candidates. Margolis said Schofield possesses those same qualities. He is correct.

Schofield, who has been serving as acting village manager since Lynn’s departure, has been with the village for more than six years. Before that, he was in charge of planning and zoning for Royal Palm Beach. He is a longtime resident of the western communities.

Support For Bowen

This is a very difficult election for me. Several of my friends are running against each other and I know I will make one or more of them unhappy. Unfortunately, I have concluded that the Wellington Village Council has lost its way and forgotten that it works for the residents rather than the other way around. And I know from personal experience. I own two condominiums in Sheffield Woods. I live in the

Like Lynn, Schofield has proven himself capable of getting the necessary work completed. Not only has Schofield been a source of reliability for the village — no further evidence of this is needed than his current role as acting village manager — but he is also well-versed in village affairs. That’s something no outside candidate can claim, regardless of how much homework he or she has done. Nothing compares with first-hand knowledge and experience.

Now that the property-tax referendum has been approved, Wellington will face some tough fiscal challenges. This isn’t the right time to be training someone who is new to the village — possibly new to Florida — and doesn’t fully understand the desires of its residents. Schofield’s innate knowledge will come in handy when the village must decide whether to cut popular programs or services, and which programs and services those should be.

As Margolis noted at the Jan. 22 meeting, Lynn’s replacement should be someone with little or no learning curve. The Village of Wellington has many crucial issues to deal with in 2008, most of which are complex and have long histories, such as ongoing drainage improvements, plans for K-Park, improved senior housing and major renovations proposed in the equestrian area. They will demand action, and the village manager’s job is to provide that action… not worry about playing catch-up and learning on the job.

Letters To The Editor

upstairs unit while my 89-yearold mother lives rent-free in the downstairs unit. The other morning I received a notice of violation/notice of hearing (Case NOH-08-00002778) because the village had decided the unit my mother lives in “is a rental dwelling unit.” The alternatives I was given were to pay $100 to get a rental unit license and inspection or appear for a hearing on Feb. 12. How the village determined that the second unit I own is a rental unit is beyond me. No one

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ever asked me what I used it for. Instead, the village apparently assumed it was a rental. So I either have to pay $100 or show up for a hearing. Needless to say, I will be at the hearing on Feb. 12, and I suppose I will have to drag my 89-yearold mother along to testify.

Our village has gone seriously astray. It is time for new leadership. That why I am supporting Darell Bowen for mayor in the next village election. I am also supporting Carmine Priore. Colin Baenziger Wellington

Bureaucracy Bad For Healthcare

Editor’s note: The following letter is a response to the Jules Rabin column “A Cure For Washington Gridlock?” that appeared in the Jan. 11 issue of the Town-Crier.

cancer when it is less then a centimeter and curing what was once a death sentence. The days when a doctor could open an office with a scale, a stethoscope and a blood pressure pump are over. MRI machines cost millions, and can save millions of lives and dollars if used properly.

Doctors are leaving HMOs and PPOs and other major medical healthcare plans faster then snowbirds leave the north come winter. Some doctors leave because they are “capitated,” which basically means that the doctor may get a set dollar figure ($15 each) for the number of patients he has, and collects only the co-pay of $5 for treating the patient. Not many people know that. In fact, the word “capitated” was not in the dictionary I have, but it is a fact of life that doctors who have a good practice prefer to deal with patients who can afford their services, and pay at the window before leaving the office.

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We all agree that the cost of healthcare insurance is high and many cannot afford it. You seem to support a government solution. Shortly after your article, the Miami Herald reported that Medicare data shows that Miami-Dade County alone had more paid durable medical equipment claims than 44 states combined. Apparently the high costs are due to what was termed “massive fraud” by nine healthcare providers.

The report stated that the nine perpetrators were able to overbill Medicare $56.6 million for unnecessary durable medical equipment and infusion therapy. Some of the good citizens of Florida can probably remember when the doctor made house calls, brought his black bag with instruments and pills, treated the sick, wrote out a bill, or just took what the person could afford. In the end, there was no fraud; no high-schooleducated insurance company employees or government workers overseeing the work of a competent and dedicated doctor whose overhead consisted of a car and gas, which was about 19 cents a gallon.

Of course, we are all fortunate that advances in medical science now allow us to find

Unfortunately, this may be fine for the rich for now, but if we all paid our medical bills out of our healthcare savings accounts directly to the doctor, then perhaps more doctors would be able to reduce the cost of their services, and we would not need to support an army of government inspectors, nor create piles of paperwork and delay to justify prescribing Avalide to a senior with high blood pressure.

Frank Morelli Wellington

Code Enforcement Too Much During Ongoing Drought

On Jan. 15, mandatory Phase III water restrictions went into effect for residents of South Florida, in part to relieve the effects of last year’s horrific drought and in part to be proactive about the foreseen shortfall this year. However, local governments do not seem to understand the severity of the restrictions or the foolishness of their code enforcement requests.

I received a “nasty gram” (our neighborhood’s term for the code violation letters sent out by the Village of Wellington) because my air conditioner is visible from the street. Now, please understand that I would not normally be guilty of something so heinous, but as a result of last year’s drought (and my following the law by not watering), my gorgeous bushes that shielded the appliance died and had to be cut down. Rather than plant new ones and break water restrictions, I elected to wait out the drought, only to be written up by Wellington code enforcement. So, village officials, I went out and bought new bushes and will have to use more water than I should to keep them alive. Absurd If this blunder by the village code police were the only one, I bet I could let it go. However, I noticed last weekend that six (no exaggeration) of my neighbors were all out pressurecleaning their sidewalks and driveways, an act while not prohibited by the Phase III restrictions, no less causes water consumption to skyrocket. I inquired as to why, during a drought, neighbors decide to embark on this task, and (you guessed it) they told me they had all received nasty grams threatening a fine if the dirty pavement was not cleaned within 30 days.

Please note, I am not anticode enforcement by nature. I understand that part of Wellington’s allure is its well-kept neighborhoods and efforts to maintain conformity. I applaud efforts to make the non-mowers cut their grass and keep the streets clear of trash and debris. However, there must be room for common sense in code enforcement. The village pays someone to go out every day and chart our water usage, yet residents are told they’ll be fined for not cleaning a little dirt off the sidewalks. In a time when local governments are begging voters not to cut their budgets, you’d think they could make better use of the resourc-

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

Atwater: It’s Time For Insurance Companies To Explain Rates

Exactly one year after Gov. Charlie Crist signed legislation designed to lower property insurance premiums, the Florida State Senate has convened a special select committee to investigate why certain insurance companies are not passing the savings on to policyholders, as required by law.

In December, I called for the creation of a Senate Select Committee on Property Insurance Accountability. The purpose of the committee is to uncover why insurance companies failed to lower premiums after the state took on a substantial portion of risk. We have now notified selected insurance company executives that we will require them to testify under oath about their pricing practices and increased profits.

The committee initiated our work last week with expert testimony from J. Robert Hunter, a former Texas insurance commissioner and high-ranking official

Letters

continued from page 4A es already at their disposal and exercise some good judgment in a time of crisis. Jean Robbins Wellington

Bill Louda: I’m Just A Plain Ol’ Citizen

This past week, the Town-Crier published a letter to the editor that I had submitted (“Louda: FPL Should Invest In Alternative Energy”). As submitted, it clearly indicated that it was from me as a “citizen of the central western communities of Palm Beach County.”

As published it identifies me as “councilman.” While it is true that I am a councilman in the Town of Loxahatchee Groves, the addition of that label to my letter makes it appear that this represented an official position of the town council. It most certainly does not, nor was it

in both Republican and Democratic administrations in Washington. Mr. Hunter told the committee that, had certain insurers followed the law, their customers would have seen bigger premium reductions.

Insurance companies testified a year ago that the biggest reason for mounting rates following the 2004-05 hurricane seasons was the cost of reinsurance — coverage insurers themselves purchase for catastrophic events. To help alleviate this burden on Floridians, the state agreed to provide reinsurance at a fraction of the price charged by commercial reinsurers with the understanding that 100 percent of the savings would be passed along to consumers. Mr. Hunter concluded that instead of passing along the savings to Floridians, a number of large insurance companies wrongfully diverted those discounts to other purposes including: excess profits, buying back stock,

intended to be placed in that light.

I appreciate your assistance in clearing up this misrepresentation.

Dr. Bill Louda Loxahatchee Groves

Editor’s note: While we are certainly glad to point out that Dr. Louda’s letter represented his own opinion, not that of the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council, it is (and will continue to be) Town-Crier policy to note their titles when elected officials submit letters to the editor.

In March, Help Raise Colon Cancer Awareness

As you may be aware, March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. I would be very interested in bringing awareness to the public of the urgency to get screened and to make people aware of the silent, but deadly signs that could be ignored or misinterpreted.

I am a colon cancer warrior and

JOIN IN A TOWN-CRIER

POLL!

What is your opinion of the current Writers Guild strike?

A. The writers are justified; they deserve their share of revenue.

B. The writers are in the right, but need to negotiate more.

C. The writers had a point, but now they’re being selfish.

D. It’s a good thing — maybe more people will watch less television.

Cast your vote by visiting www.goTownCrier.com and scrolling down to the poll question at the bottom left of the web page. It’s as easy as that!

Previous Question: Do you plan to vote in favor of the Jan. 29 property-tax referendum? A. Yes, this is the best plan so far: 20 percent; B. Yes, but more reform is needed in the future: 34 percent; C. No, it will bankrupt local governments: 30 percent; D. No, I don't stand to benefit from the exemptions: 16 percent.

and purchasing unnecessary excess reinsurance from related or parent companies at inflated prices.

State Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty was careful to indicate that not all companies failed to reduce rates. McCarty presented a list of companies that cut premium costs to their customers by 20 to 30 percent. By contrast, Mr. McCarty pointed out that the better known, national brand name insurers had offered far smaller decreases and some had the audacity to seek rate increases, which the state quickly denied.

Floridians have serious questions about what happened to the savings we were promised. Those insurance companies that received the benefit of placing their reinsurance risk on the backs of the people of Florida in exchange for rate relief now owe our citizens some answers. Those answers should lead to fair and honest dealings with policy holders. The

thought you may be interested in my story. I feel it is very important that I get my story out; colorectal cancer is a very quiet disease, and we need to talk about it. Hopefully it will help raise awareness!

My name is Susan Dion, and I was diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer on Nov. 2, 2006 at the age of 40.

I have had hemorrhoids since the birth of my son in 1990, so I thought the bleeding was just that. Then the bleeding got worse, and I knew something else was going on. I went to a gastroenterologist, had a colonoscopy, which confirmed a tumor in my rectum. An MRI was ordered, which also found spots on my liver. On Nov. 2, I had a PET scan, which lit up my rectum, a cyst on my ovary and my liver. The first surgeon I saw, stated the tumor was so low in my rectum, I would have to have a colostomy bag.

I was then sent for a second opinion at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston. What a wonderful facility! The surgeon there thought he could do the surgery and reconstruct part of my colon to be a J pouch, which replaced my rectum. On Nov. 14, I had my first outpatient surgery. They did a biopsy on my rectal mass, along with putting in my port for my future chemo treatments. My first inpatient surgery was Nov. 17. Wow, were things moving fast! It was a blur! The surgeon removed the tumor, reconstructed my rectum by pulling down my colon and making a J pouch, did a biopsy on the ovarian cyst, which was benign, and did a biopsy on my liver, which confirmed mets [metastases].

I had my first chemotherapy treatment Dec. 27, 2006. I was on the FOLFOX with Avastin to follow with two days of a pump with 5FU. I had seven treatments of chemo; a CT scan showed no new tumors, only the three original, and so they decided to resect my liver. On April 27, 2007, I had my liver resected and

Point of View...

select committee is not out to arbitrarily punish insurers. But we are determined that all Floridians should see the relief they were promised, and we will pursue that goal with the full force of the law. That’s why our committee is holding public hearings and putting witnesses under oath. The legislature is pressing hard to alleviate the burden on homeowners. It’s time for insurance companies to hold up their end of the deal.

started on chemo again three and a half weeks later.

In July, I had a new CT scan, which showed three new spots on my liver. What a bummer! So my chemo regiment was change to the FOLFIRI. I had another six treatments of chemo, and again another CT scan, which showed no new tumors. So on Nov. 8, I had radiofrequency ablation to my liver and am now back on chemo. I have now had four of my five treatments.

Cancer has completely changed my life. I was given a gift with the cancer. I now see things differently. I appreciate my family and friends so much more, and just watching the sunrise, or hear the wind in the trees makes me happy! I have been married for over 19 years and have a 17-year-old son. I have a wonderful support system — my husband, son, mother, step dad, brothers and other extended family members are so supportive! Everything looks different to me, I have slowed down, and I try to appreciate every day, even when it’s a bad day!

My father died of cancer in 1994, my family is not sure what type of cancer. My parents were divorced, so they did not talk about it, and my father never discussed his health with myself or my brothers. His cancer was so bad that it had traveled to his spine, and he died three months after diagnosis. I believe he had colorectal cancer, and the family history was never discussed. I would like to help people become more aware of how important it is to discuss family history. I had no family history, but if I had known sooner the type of cancer my father had, tests may have been run sooner, and my cancer may have been caught at an earlier age.

People need not be embarrassed. Please talk!

Susan Dion

The Acreage

Macy’s Shoplifter Arrested With More Than $10,000 In Cash

JAN. 25 — A Greenacres man was found with $10,690 in cash after being arrested for shoplifting last Friday at the Macy’s department store at the Mall at Wellington Green. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, a deputy from the substation in Wellington observed 24-year-old Robert Diaz and 26-year-old Maritza Chirinos select and conceal merchandise worth $333

CRIME NEWS CRIME NEWS

and attempt to exit the store at approximately 3 p.m. After Diaz was detained, it was discovered that he had the cash, mostly in $100 bills. Diaz and Chirinos were transported to the Palm Beach County Jail and the money was seized as evidence.

JAN. 9 — A man was arrested Wednesday, Jan. 9 in Counterpoint Estates for drug possession with intent to sell. Ac-

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

• Brian Funderburk is a black male, 6’2” tall and weighing 170 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 10/31/86. Funderburk is wanted for dealing in stolen property and false verification of ownership to a pawnbroker. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was Goldenrod Road in Wellington. Funderburk is wanted as of 01/31/08.

• Brian Yeary, a.k.a. Anthony Williams, is a white male, 6’1” tall and weighing 175 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes. His date of birth is 07/27/80. He has tattoos on his chest, both arms, left leg and left shoulder. Yeary is wanted for failure to appear in court on the charge of domestic felony battery, violation of supervised own recognizance on the charge of domestic aggravated battery, burglary with assault or battery and grand theft of a motor vehicle. His occupation is auto body. His most recent address was Crossing Lane in Boynton Beach. Yeary is wanted as of 01/31/08.

Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crime stopperspbc.com.

THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, WHICH IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

cording to a PBSO report, a deputy from the substation in Royal Palm Beach was conducting a residential check of the area at approximately 1:15 a.m. when he observed a Ford Explorer driven by 34-year-old Muharem Biscevic of Palm Beach Gardens driving too close to his patrol car. The deputy stopped Biscevic and noticed he had red and glassy eyes, a flushed face, slurred speech and an alcohol smell on his breath. According to the report, Biscevic told the deputy they were

in Riviera Beach and the deputy was wrong as to their location. Biscevic failed a series of fieldsobriety tests and was arrested for driving under the influence. A search of Biscevic found a glass pipe used for smoking cocaine and three pieces of rock cocaine. Biscevic was transported to the county jail and his car was towed.

JAN. 12 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach arrested a Wellington man Saturday, Jan. 12 for driving under the influence on Southern Blvd. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 1:42 a.m., the deputy observed 35-year-old Erik Ross passed out in his vehicle, which was stopped in some bushes near the Taco Bell restaurant. Ross’s vehicle was running, and it was not in park. Upon waking Ross, the deputy observed his eyes were bloodshot, his speech was slurred and the odor of alcohol was on his breath, according to the report. Ross refused to submit to a field-sobriety test and was arrested. He was taken to the county jail, and his car was towed.

JAN. 13 — A Coral Springs woman was arrested Sunday, Jan. 13 for driving under the influence on State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation stopped 44-year-old Tisha Smith for running a red light at approximately 1:50 a.m. The deputy noticed that Smith had bloodshot and glassy eyes, and the odor of alcohol on her breath, according to the report.

Smith failed a series of field-sobriety tests and was transported to the county jail.

JAN. 27 — A Wellington man was arrested for an outstanding warrant and driving with an expired license early Sunday morning on Forest Hill Blvd. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the substation in Wellington stopped 49-year-old Douglas Haide for a broken taillight at approximately 1:10 a.m. Upon making contact with Haide, the deputy discovered his license expired in 2004 and that he had an arrest warrant from Palm Bay. Haide was transported to the county jail.

JAN. 30 — A West Palm Beach man was arrested Wednesday for a parole violation and driving with a suspended license on Greenview Shores Blvd. in Wellington. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation pulled over 38-year-old Aldo Loayza at approximately 7 a.m. for failing to stop for a school bus that was picking up children. Loayza was transported to the county jail.

JAN. 31 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington arrested a West Palm Beach man Thursday for reckless driving on Forest Hill Blvd. According to a PBSO report, the deputy observed 18-year-old William De Jesus driving at a speed of 120 miles per hour at approximately 1:30 a.m. According to the report, De Jesus went through two intersections without slowing down. De Jesus was transported to the county jail, and his car was towed.

Brian Yeary
Brian Funderburk

Webster RPB’s New Councilwoman

continued from page 1A Club have some residents worried. “That’s a lot of money,” she said. “It’s a concern that residents have expressed to me as I was campaigning. Their concerns were the ongoing maintenance of the property. Their second concern was many people felt there was way too much planned for this piece of property, and the outcome besides maintenance cost was the impact that was going to be on the immediate residents in safety and traffic.”

Webster also questioned whether the council would be adding amenities that are already available to residents. “Can we go down the road to a water park?” she asked. “Can we go down the road to go kayaking? Can we go down the block to an interactive water fountain? And we have a very lovely little café at Veterans Park that has struggled as long as it has been there. We need to ask ourselves what would be the value of putting in things that we already have or things that we see are having difficulty and struggling to survive.”

Transportation issues are also on Webster’s mind. “I’m interested in the position on the Roebuck Road extension and if the village needs to work on that and see that it gets completed,” she said. “We definitely need to do something about traffic. I have not been in discussions, and I really don’t know where they are. All I know is what the public has the information on. Roebuck Road would certainly help us relieve the traffic on Okeechobee Blvd. It would give us an alternate. We need some roads that will intersect with something that will take them somewhere. We don’t need any more roads to take us halfway to Northlake to jump back in a residential area.”

Residents want better coordination of traffic signals on Okeechobee Blvd., Webster said. She said she is also concerned about the county’s plans

Shields

Seeking Seat

continued from page 1A their issues,” he said. “I’m fiscally conservative, and my main political slant is that the government be a good steward of the people’s money.”

Budgeting issues will be a prime concern of the council and the village in the coming years, as revenues decline because of build-out and property tax reforms. Shields said Wellington is at a critical juncture, and he decided to enter the race to help shape the village’s future.

“We’re a maturing community, and the decisions made over the next several years will have a great impact,” he said. “I want to make sure that we grow and mature in the correct direction.”

Shields said he doesn’t take issue with the past budgeting decisions of the council, but “the years coming up are where it’s going to matter,” he said. “They weren’t forced to make as many hard decisions as we’re going to have to make in the future.”

Shields said his own perspective on budgeting starts with needs, not available resources.

“I tend not to look at how much money we have coming in, but

to widen the boulevard, which ends abruptly at Wildcat Way.

“If they added two more lanes, one in each direction, and all of a sudden they had to merge at this spot, they’re not alleviating any problem, they’re creating an additional problem,” she said.

Webster added that she also intends to work on creating more sidewalks in order to encourage pedestrian and bicycle traffic and enhance safety for children walking to school.

Webster credited her victory to village residents who are looking for someone who will listen to them and give them a voice on the council. “Most of the people I’ve talked with are looking for integrity,” she said. “I think I convinced people I can deliver on that.”

Webster said residents are questioning how council members reach decisions at meetings with minimal discussion. “In the past there hasn’t been a lot of open discussion,” she said. “How can you have all these decisions without discussion? It’s not whether it’s right or wrong, they just wonder why.”

Just as Webster failed in her first bid for a council seat in 2006, her rivals this year say they are not giving up on politics. Pena told the Town-Crier Wednesday that the election was just the beginning of her political career and that she intends to run again for a council seat.

“If you get a setback, you regroup and move forward,” she said. “That’s what I’m planning on doing. I have a vision.

how much money we need,” he said. “What kind of infrastructure we have, what improvements need to be made — and then you see. You build your budget from zero and then see what you need to spend from there.”

Married and the father of three young children, Shields holds a doctorate in organizational leadership and is working toward another in computer information systems. As a Nova faculty member he currently teaches classes on technology to graduate-level students in the university’s college of education. “Between my organizational background and technology background I think I have a pretty interesting skill set to bring to the village,” he said.

A member of the Wellington Rotary Club, the Pinewood East resident sees himself as a fairly typical member of the Wellington community. “I’m just a regular guy,” he said. “I’ve got kids and dogs, I have a little hybrid car and pay my mortgage and am a Cub Scout den leader and do the things normal people do.”

Jean-Joseph Lexima, who could not be reached for comment by press time, has been a Wellington resident for nine years. He came in third in a

CAFCI Valentine’s Party Feb. 9

The Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) will host its Membership Appreciation and Valentine’s Party on Saturday, Feb. 9 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). Music will be provided by Top Ranking Sound with Selector O.G. The cost is a $25 donation, which includes dinner. For ticket information, call O.G. Smith at (561) 798-9444, Amanayea at (561) 791-1618, Audrey at (561) 333-9606.

Suspect Sought In Eagle Shooting

People came out to support that vision. I have to make sure I fulfill it by being their eyes and ears and voice in the council. It’s not a setback. It’s a step up, and I will be back.”

A single mother of two and civil engineer by trade, Pena said that while she didn’t win, she wasn’t disappointed in her final numbers. “I ran a clean campaign. I didn’t take any shots at anyone,” she said. “I brought a lot of strength that I think would have served the council well. I’m glad I did it, and I’m honored by those who came out to vote for me and for those who believe in me. I’m still moving forward with the same vision and goals. This is just the beginning.”

Dangerfield was home with his wife Erica awaiting poll results Tuesday after campaigning with teenage sons Jarrod and Jordan. Like Pena, Dangerfield said he’ll be back for another run. “Without a doubt,” he said. “I’m rooted in the community. There are seeds being planted. But now I’m willing to work with this council and give it my support.”

A retired New York City firefighter who moved his family to Royal Palm Beach three years ago, Dangerfield called his first campaign “a very humbling” experience. “I didn’t have the most signs or the most money, but I got the opportunity to meet a lot of folks,” he said. “I got a lot of support from people I didn’t know were my supporters. That was very satisfying.”

three-way race against incumbent Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto and challenger Julio Galvez in 2006, garnering about 8.9 percent of votes cast. At the time, the Binks Forest resident was the head of his own private security firm and also working as a private investigator. He has served as a committee chair for the Palm Beach County Democratic Party and is currently vice-chairman of the Florida Juvenile Justice Foundation, a not-for-profit, direct-support organization for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.

Born in Haiti but raised in Chicago, Lexima studied criminal justice and trained as a firefighter in Houston, Texas after serving in the military. Among other positions, he worked as a rescue worker for 11 years. He and his wife Willetta have three adult children.

Attorney Howard Coates is also seeking the seat being vacated by Cohen. Also on the ballot are the seats currently held by Mayor Tom Wenham, who is being challenged by Darell Bowen, and Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore, who is being challenged by Duane Christensen. The election will be held March 12. The deadline to file is Feb. 12.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering up to a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of person(s) responsible for shooting a juvenile male bald eagle. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office recovered the eagle Jan. 27 and it is currently being rehabilitated at the Folke Peterson Wildlife Center in Wellington. The bird suffers from a broken wing with metal fragments scattered throughout its body. The bald eagle was found southwest of the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and State Road 80, three miles west of the Miami Canal, near South Bay.

Although bald eagles have been removed from the federal list of endangered and threatened species, they are still federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Violations of these acts can result in a fine of up to $100,000 and/or one year in prison. Anyone with information is urged to contact Eddie McKissick, agent in charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Law Enforcement Supervisory Office in Miami, at (305) 526-2610, ext. 13.

(Left) David Dangerfield and his wife Erica watch election returns. (Right) Tinu Pena (right) with daughter Eleana and campaign manager Iris Gonzalez campaign Tuedsay at the RPB Cultural Center. PHOTOS BY

ANIMAL PARTY CONTINUES AT THE 2008 SOUTH FLORIDA FAIR

The South Florida Fair continued last weekend with its 2008 theme “Party with the Animals.” In addition to barn animals and sea creatures, there were plenty of dogs, bunnies and horses (both regular-sized and miniature) on hand for various competitions. The fair ends its 17-day run this Sunday. Visit www.southfloridafair.com for more info.

South Florida Fair Chair Pamela Adams with a Burmese python.
Jessica Coffey and her miniature stallion Spirit with ribbons they won.
Trevor and Kali Alexander with English mastiffs Boo Boo and Wuzz.
PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
David Gomes and horse Poppy, a paso fino.
Hanna Quinn feeds Sebastian, the first calf born at the fair.

DEP Meeting To Discuss Power Plant Feb. 13

The Department of Environmental Protection will host a meeting Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way) to discuss Florida Power & Light’s power plant under construction near 20-Mile Bend.

The purpose of the meeting is to provide the public with a brief overview of an air-construction permit application submitted by FPL for a proposed 1,250 megawatts natural gas-fueled combined cycle unit at the West County Energy Center. The DEP’s process and timeframes for reviewing the permit application will also be identified.

DEP representatives will also be available from 5 to 6 p.m. for informal public discussion. In early 2007, the department issued an air-construction permit for units 1 and 2 at the West County Energy Center. Those are already under construction.

The department has set up a web page for the West County Energy Center at www.dep.state.fl.us/air/permitting/construction/westcounty.htm.

For more information, contact Alvaro Linero at (850) 921-9523 or alvaro. linero@dep.state.fl.us, or Debbie Nelson at (850) 921-9537 or deborah.nelson@ dep.state.fl.us.

Anne Rodgers To Address Wellington Women’s Club

The Wellington Women’s Club will hold its next meeting Thursday, Feb. 7 at the Wanderers Club (1900 Aero Club Dr., Wellington). The guest speaker will be Anne Rodgers of the Palm Beach Post. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. with a dinner buffet. Guests are welcome at a cost of $25, which includes dinner. RSVP to Mary at (561) 790-3384 or email mair@armandpest.com.

Ms. Rodgers oversees the “Charm”

section on Saturdays, a place for women 45 and older to talk about the choices, changes and challenges of mid-life. She will be speaking about “General Life Issues” and her work at the Post

The Wellington Women’s Club is a charitable organization supporting the YWCA Harmony House, a home for abused women and their children, and college scholarships for local high school seniors. The club generally meets the first Thursday of the month, September through June.

Wellington Recovers More Money From FEMA

The Village of Wellington is pleased to announce that through the efforts of village staff and the assistance of a former Federal Emergency Management Agency employee working diligently on behalf of the village, Wellington has now received additional revenues in the amount of $3,136,496 as of January 2008 for the reimbursement of hurricane-related expenditures.

The reimbursement was initially denied by both FEMA and by the village’s insurance provider.

As the result of being directly struck by hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004 and the devastating effects of Hurricane Wilma in 2005, Wellington incurred millions of dollars in costs associated with debris removal and emergency measures, as well as permanent repairs and replacement of public buildings and infrastructure.

In order to be recognized and gain eligibility for grants, a great deal of administrative effort, documentation and perseverance was needed to achieve a successful outcome and get the village’s fair share of FEMA money. These reimbursements are to cover many of the expenditures associated with cleanup efforts, debris removal, repairs, reforestation and reconstruction programs.

FAREWELL, CHARLIE LYNN

Village of Wellington staffers, council members and friends said their goodbyes to outgoing village manager Charlie Lynn at a farewell party held before the Jan. 22 council meeting at the Wellington Community Center. Lynn retired from service Friday, Jan. 25 after serving as village manager for 11 years. (Above) Lynn (center) with Dick Palenschat and Director of Administrative Services Francine Ramaglia. (Below left) Lynn with longtime village employee Kathy Tatgenhorst. (Below right) Community Liaison Officer John Bonde signs a framed photo of Lynn. PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

County Officials Push ‘Overlay’ To Replace Ill-Fated Sector Plan

County Commissioner Jess Santamaria and several members of the Palm Beach County Planning Division met with residents at Seminole Ridge High School in The Acreage on Wednesday in the first of a series of community forums on the creation of an overlay plan to replace the county’s stillborn sector plan.

The sector plan was intended to guide development in about 43,000 acres of unincorporated Palm Beach County generally west of Royal Palm Beach and between Northlake and Southern boulevards.

In November, the Palm Beach County Commission repealed the ordinance that created the sector plan after a long and unsuccessful struggle to satisfy Florida Department of Community Affairs objections that it was not in compliance with state laws.

Santamaria told the audience at this week’s meeting that the proposed Central Western Communities Overlay would serve the same purpose as the sector plan and incorporate many of its elements. “We need to take the good things we developed over the past years and then add our own voices and ideas to it,” he said.

County Planning Director Lorenzo Aghemo told the 35 residents present that county staff members are now designing an overlay to avoid further DCA review.

“I think it’s more prudent for the board to consider an overlay,” he said. “It would take far less time to get an overlay through.”

Aghemo added that the sector plan would have allowed developers to avoid the lengthy development of regional impact (DRI) review process. “The difference between the sector plan and an

overlay is, with the sector plan, private property owners don’t have to go through a DRI process, and with an overlay they do,” he said.

Aghemo said the state requires developers seeking to build more than 3,000 homes to undergo the DRI process.

“Now each of the developers will have to go through the DRI process if they want to build more than 3,000 homes,” Aghemo said, “or if they want smaller lots” in the overlay area, which generally allows one unit per ten acres under its current rural designation.

County Planner Maria Bello said the county is now projecting less space for commercial, office and industrial development in the area than it had under the original sector plan.

“People don’t want a lot of regional uses,” she said, “and while we want to encourage non-residential uses, we know that many people in the community want them limited, and we intend to prevent strip development.”

Residents attending the meeting greeted the overlay plan with great skepticism. Loxahatchee Groves resident Rita Miller questioned the effort to apply an overlay quickly.

“There is no need for an overlay,” she said. “We already have principles laid down for the rural tier and for a comprehensive plan. All we have to do is follow those principles.”

Miller said the sector plan had been spoiled by county commissioners’ concessions to developers. “The state DCA had no trouble with the general principles of the sector plan,” Miller said. “They objected to all the secret deals that were done, all the special changes.”

Acreage activist Alex Larson also called on the county to put the brakes on. “We need to put Mecca Farms and Palm Beach Aggregates back into the plan,” she said. “Also, why is there such a hur-

ry to produce an overlay? The sector plan has been under discussion for eight years. Why do we have to do everything in a few months?”

Larson also challenged claims that the area needs more retail space.

“I read about The Acreage, and I’m ready to assume no one has a job here,” she said. “In reality, we have a lot of home businesses, a lot of people with occupational licenses. We don’t need the commercial space. But you people tell us we need it.”

Acreage resident Amy Hackney voiced opposition to any commercial or industrial development in The Acreage.

Several attendees urged the inclusion of properties that were exempt from the sector plan. Like Larson, Loxahatchee Groves Councilman Dr. Bill Louda demanded that Mecca and Palm Beach Aggregates property along Southern Blvd. be added back into the overlay area, as well as the Florida Power & Light power plant site at 20-Mile Bend.

“I used to oppose incorporation, and then the county hit me with a two-byfour as they showed me how the county could control the debate and do whatever they want,” he said. “The original Mecca plan was good, before Scripps came in. We need to go back to it.”

The idea was seconded by Loxahatchee Groves Councilman Dennis Lipp, who urged that the county commission reverse its controversial rezoning of the Aggregates property, which was engineered by former commissioner Tony Masilotti.

Aghemo replied that it was not feasible to change it unless the developer wanted it changed again. Santamaria said that even though he opposed Palm Beach Aggregates’ development plans, the county’s lawyers were convinced they could not win.

Several Indian Trail Improvement Dis-

‘I

think it’s more prudent for the board to consider an overlay. It would take far less time to get an overlay through.’

— Lorenzo Aghemo

trict residents complained that the county had treated them unfairly and that the new overlay would not change anything. Larson wisecracked that complaints about the newly passed property tax cuts are old hat in The Acreage. “We’ve had tax cuts for years as our impact fees went to build roads elsewhere,” she said, challenging public officials to determine where the impact fees had actually gone.

ITID Supervisor Michelle Damone said that she preferred the area being subject the county’s comprehensive plan and was particularly opposed to homes being converted to businesses, which she said would ruin the character of neighborhoods.

ITID President Mike Erickson was concerned that almost no one was talking to his board about the issues involved in the plan. “We provide 80 percent of the infrastructure of what will happen here and no one even mentions us,” he said. “They talk about the South Florida Water Management District, but we do 90 percent of the drainage. We build roads and a lot of non-residents wind up using them. We wind up paying for a lot of other people.”

With the overlay still in the drafting stages, the county’s next scheduled public meeting on the topic is a Land Use Advisory Board workshop Feb. 22 at the Palm Beach County Planning Zoning & Building Department headquarters at 2300 N. Jog Road in West Palm Beach at 9 a.m.

Groves-Based Foundation Aims To Save Endangered Species

Members of the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association learned more about a wildlife research center right in their own back yard during their monthly meeting Jan. 24.

Rare Species Conservatory Foundation president Dr. Paul Reillo described the foundation, located on 30 acres in Loxahatchee Groves, as one of the “best-kept secrets” in Palm Beach County and Florida. He said he moved to Palm Beach County in 1989 to establish the conservation center, which has a bare-bones, highly experienced staff committed to hands-on conservation work.

“We’re a publicly supported nonprofit organization,” Reillo said. “Wildlife conservation is our focus. We have been addressing wildlife conservation projects all over the world, primarily in the tropics. We are all wildlife geneticists, biologists or physiologists in one form or another. We are all pretty much just academic fallouts.”

Reillo said the RSCF employs a “flagship species” approach in order to promote preservation of biodiversity — by highlighting the status of high-profile priority species, protection for the ecosystems they represent can be leveraged, with the ultimate goal of long-term biodiversity preservation at a regional level.

Besides its conservation initiatives, the foundation also provides consulting and technical

services to governments and conservation and research organizations, he said, and forms educational, scientific and economic partnerships to expedite habitat and species preservation projects.

“We work very closely with governments,” Reillo said. “We are licensed by the USDA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and with [the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission]. We are also a part of the International Species Information System, which is the database for all genetic work for species worldwide. Overseas, we work with various governments, and we work with the United Nations.”

Reillo said some of the foundation’s work takes place on the Caribbean island of Dominica, aiming to protect and preserve endangered species like the red-browed parrot and the golden lion tamarin, and their habitat. One of the foundation’s highest-profile endeavors has been to reestablish a wild population of the bongo, a rare large forest antelope, in Kenya. Such projects are ongoing despite the politically charged and unsafe environments in some of the nations where the foundation works, he said.

“We have tremendous hope despite the uprising in Kenya and the recent elections,” Reillo said. “I saw a lot of people cry when we brought the bongo back to Africa. Their great-grandparents had seen them, but they never had.”

Closer to home, Reillo said the

foundation studies a parrot colony that has become established in the trees at the Breakers in Palm Beach. There the foundation employs the same methods it uses in its fieldwork in remote locations, studying their habits and diet with cameras and by examining the droppings the birds leave behind. Reillo said it might seem like fun and games for foundation staff to hang around at the Breakers, a place known for its golf, tennis and beautiful grounds, but the study of the parrot colony is important work. “It is a tremendous example of a model species close to home,” Reillo said. “I wish the wildlife species were all as convenient as the ones at the Breakers, where you can park in the vestry and watch what’s going on.”

Reillo said species are going extinct at an astronomical rate worldwide, simply because of human pressure on the environment. “At this rate, we will lose half of our living species within the next 100 years,” he said. “That is a sobering reality. Our challenge is a very tall order. There is an elephant in the room, which is the presence of politics and government. Do we prioritize in terms of resources? Do we need more roads, more buildings and more profit? We also need to educate people about our population growth. We are crowding ourselves out, and a lot of nature. We need to become very acutely aware of what we have to preserve. We can save a lot of what’s out there.”

For more information about the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, call (561) 790-5864 or visit www.rarespecies.org.

In other business, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office District 3 commander Capt. Chris Calloway gave the LGLA his monthly report on law enforcement activity in Loxahatchee Groves. Crime activity in the month of December included stolen vehicles, two residential burglaries, two petty larcenies and numerous traffic stops, he said.

As of Jan. 1, Calloway said he had designated one sergeant and three deputies exclusively to enhanced traffic enforcement and business checks throughout the Loxahatchee Groves area.

“The majority of complaints I received from the Groves residents are traffic,” Calloway said. “These are speeders and ATVers driving recklessly. Hopefully we can educate the public that they’re not to speed or drive recklessly through the Loxahatchee Groves area. We’ve also made a couple of arrests for drugs that we’ve discovered as a result of the traffic stops.”

The business checks, Calloway said, are not the type where his deputies drive by a business and hit it with a spotlight. “The deputies are getting out of their vehicles and they are getting out of their cars, and they are conducting foot patrols in these areas,” he said. “What you may or may not have noticed, too, is I made a special request to the PBSO Mounted Unit to enhance

‘At this rate, we will lose half of our living species within the next 100 years. That is a sobering reality. Our challenge is a very tall order.’

— Dr. Paul Reillo

their enforcement in the area. I can tell you they have probably tripled their efforts in Loxahatchee Groves in the last month so you can see some of our mounted deputies out there in conjunction with our regular road patrol deputies who are doing traffic enforcement. That is going to continue.”

LGLA President Marge Herzog asked Calloway when the PBSO would set up shop in an office near the town’s administrative office on Southern Blvd. Calloway said he and his men would move in shortly, but the presence would not be around the clock. “We will be in and out,” he said. “If you drive by and you have an issue or question, please feel free to stop by.”

At the end of the meeting, outgoing LGLA Secretary Holly Proesel swore in the LGLA’s officers for 2008: President Marge Herzog, Vice President Howard Sosonski, Treasurer Ken Johnson, Sergeant-at-Arms Claus Von Grote and membersat-large Nancy Handwerg and Diane Von Grote. Herzog noted that the position of secretary is still open.

Input Sought On Southern Blvd. Widening

Members of the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association raised concerns but few objections during a presentation last week on a private proposal to widen their stretch of Southern Blvd.

Bob Carballo, an engineer with the Florida-based engineering and architecture firm C3TS, and a team of engineers and consultants associated with the project gave a presentation on the proposal at the LGLA’s Jan. 24 meeting.

Although the Florida Department of Transportation did not anticipate studying the possibility of widening the four-mile stretch of Southern Blvd. between Forest Hill Blvd. and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road until 2011, Carballo told LGLA members that development interests have offered to pay $25 million to widen the road much sooner.

The property owner is Palm Beach Aggregates, whose 1,200-acre Highland Dunes Planned Unit of Development received a controversial residential rezoning from Palm Beach County after the company withdrew a request for the land to

be annexed into Wellington in 2003.

Even though the developer has offered to pay for the project, Carballo said a study of the feasibility and impact of the widening must be conducted in order to comply with state and federal laws.

“Basically we’re looking at widening the corridor from a four- to six-lane facility,” Carballo said. “We will look at all the environmental impacts. We will be looking at traffic. We’re looking at traffic in the years 2012, 2022 and 2032. We will evaluate existing conditions. We will evaluate drainage, safety and other issues. We will have a public involvement process. This is part of the public involvement process. We also met with the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council. We met with the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District. We are meeting with you.”

To culminate the study and the public involvement process, Carballo said FDOT is scheduled to hold a public meeting in July to present the final findings and recommendations. “Between now and then we are available to meet with different groups to continue the public involvement

and to get feedback from you,” he said.

LGLA member Bill Gurney asked Carballo whether utility lines in the existing roadside swales would have to be moved as a result of the widening.

“There are various utilities that are in the swale areas,” Carballo replied. “Some of them are buried, and some of them are above ground. As a part of our evaluation process, we are gathering that utility information. We will take a look at that information and make a determination to see if some of the utilities will be impacted by the construction. Sometimes we have to make adjustments to the utilities, and sometimes we have to relocate some of those utilities. We typically try to work with the utilities in the right of way.”

LGLA member Ken Johnson asked if any more traffic signals would be installed on Southern Blvd. as part of the project. Carballo said FDOT would not likely install any additional traffic signals but is considering the potential for dual left-turn lanes. Johnson also asked if the speed limit would change because of the widening, and Carballo said it would likely to stay at the current 55 mph, as a lower speed

See SOUTHERN, page 42A

Big Changes In Store When Palms West Chamber’s WestFest Returns March 1-2

You may not know it yet, but the western communities are in for big surprises at the Palm West Chamber of Commerce’s 2008 WestFest Land & Sea Festival. Sponsored by Florida Public Utilities, the event will take place Saturday and Sunday, March 1 and 2 at Okeeheelee Park on Forest Hill Blvd. just east of Florida’s Turnpike. Gates open at 10 a.m.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the chamber looked at how much the western communities have grown and recreated a signature event to reflect that growth.

Taking some of the wonderful features of an already established 14-year-old event, West-

Fest was reshaped, rebranded and rolled out with a new vision, direction and goal to support the area’s diversity. Florida Public Utilities is lending its environmentally friendly support to this “green event.”

If you’re an early bird, join the “Help HomeSafe” 5K walk/ run that supports abused and neglected children throughout Palm Beach County. It starts at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, March 1 and will be held prior to the opening of the festival. It will begin and end inside at the event. Immediately following the walk/ run, all participants will be granted free admission to the festival. Other activities include water-skiing and wake-boarding

demonstrations; a circus featuring a high-wire act and motorcycle show; an animal and reptile show; environmental “green” demonstrations; treasure maps for the kids to find “green treasure”; a sports zone; arts and crafts; surf and turf foods; wine and beer gardens; interactive games, crafts and hip-hop dance demonstrations; two stages filled with all-day entertainment; obstacle courses; rides; and more.

The cost is $10 daily admission, $15 for a two-day pass, $30 for a daily family four-pack and free for children under seven. For more info., visit www. palmswest.com or call (561) 790-6200.

Wellington Health & Wellness: More Than Just Chiropractic

Wellington Health & Wellness in the Wellington Plaza offers more than your average chiropractic center, that’s why chiropractor Dr. Christopher White is glad to join the staff.

The center’s licensed physical therapy staff is one thing that sets Wellington Health & Wellness apart.

“We do actual physical therapy,” said White, 42, a five-year Royal Palm Beach resident. “A lot of people say they do physical therapy, but they don’t have the licensed physical therapists and licensed physical therapist assistant.”

White said there is a big difference between the physiotherapy that many practices offer and full-scale physical therapy.

“There are some who do chiropractic and physiotherapy, which includes hot packs, ice packs and low-voltage or muscle stimulation,” White explained. “It does not encompass the exercising and stretching that is encompassed with physical therapy. A lot of people may claim to do physical therapy, but you should really have a licensed physical therapist and/or a licensed physical therapist assis-

tant, which we have on staff.”

Chiropractic is accepted by most insurance companies as a portal-of-entry healthcare provider, he said.

“People come to us for general health care and wellness,” he said. “We work with sports injuries, slip-and-falls, auto accidents. What we try to do is associate ourselves with very good medical doctors and orthopedists.”

Many auto accident victims do not realize they have been badly injured until the morning after, when they wake up with a backache or sore neck, White said. Their first stop is frequently a chiropractor to get relief.

“If I get someone who walks in here from an auto accident that has not been to the ER, that has not been to another doctor, I do an evaluation, a couple of X-rays and, if I think he can drive, I call ahead and send him over,” he said.

Some other offices try to keep auto accident victims in house to collect as much insurance money as possible, he said, but that may not be in the best interest of the patient. “We will refer out immediately, the first day, whatever is best for the patient,” White said. “When you focus on the patients first, you

get a great return. People talk well about you, because you do the right thing.”

White joins longtime local chiropractor Dr. Ron Tietjen at Wellington Health & Wellness. Besides their two physical therapists, a full-time massage therapist is also on staff.

The office is equipped with rooms for individual treatment, evaluation and X-rays, as well as exercise equipment. The facility has resources to perform a variety of different therapies including muscle spasm relief through electrical stimulation, cold laser or ultrasound; cardiopulmonary rehabilitation for heart attack patients; and neuropathy to treat leg numbness in diabetics.

White earned his chiropractic degree at Life University in Marietta, Ga. in 1997. A former construction supervisor, he was influenced to change his career by his brother and sister in New Jersey, who are both chiropractors.

“After years of educating myself on chiropractic, a light bulb went on,” he said. “What I do right now for healthcare is what I used to do for construction. I used to try to really help people out with their homes and get things done properly at a

Racing For The Cure — The staff of Grayhills & Mohip Dental in Wellington joined a crowd of 35,000 participants in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Jan. 19 in downtown West Palm Beach. Under the direction of Staff Chair Debbie Cyran, the team raised more than $3,000 for the cause and in celebration of survivors Deborah Grayhills and Mary Hallenbeck. Grayhills & Mohip Dental is located at 250 Professional Way. For more information, call (561) 798-1600 or visit www. grayhillsmohipdental.com. Shown left is the Grayhills & Mohip team at the Race for the Cure.

reasonable price. I found that healthcare was more my avenue. I love to work with people.”

White said he works a lot with sports injuries, including local high school students and equestrians. “I love to work with athletes,” he said. “I appreciate the zeal that athletes have. They want to play through injuries.

There are times when an injury can be guarded and they can play with it, and there’s times they shouldn’t play with it because it a long-term injury could develop from that.”

Wellington Health & Wellness is located in the Wellington Plaza at 12797 W. Forest Hill Blvd. For more information, call (561) 793-5550.

New Parenting Class At WRMC

Wellington Regional Medical Center recently added a new parenting class “Happiest Baby on the Block” to its list of educational offerings. Pioneered by Dr. Harvey Karp in his bestselling book and DVD of the same name, the class provides expectant and new parents with a step-by-step approach to calm even the fussiest baby in minutes.

The class instructor is nurse Terri Brevda, a fellow of the American College of Childbirth Education (Lamaze International). She was certified by Dr. Karp to teach the program, which is endorsed by mem-

bers of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The program’s aim is to teach parents simple, effective and fun techniques to quickly soothe their babies’ cries and help them sleep a little longer. Parents will receive hands-on training on topics such as “The Missing Fourth Term,” “The Calming Relfex,” “The Five Ss” and “The Cuddle Cure.”

The class costs $60 per couple and includes a parent kit with a choice of The Happiest Baby on the Block on VHS or DVD and a Soothing Sounds CD. To register, call (561) 7989880.

Keeping You Healthy — Dr. Ron Tietjen and Dr. Christopher White of Wellington Health & Wellness.
PHOTO BY RON

Planet Fitness Celebrates Two Years At Royal Palm Location

If you’re one of those “muscleheads” who enjoy grunting and posing in a mirror, Planet Fitness isn’t your cup of whey protein. But if you’re simply looking for a gym where you can get in shape and improve your health, Planet Fitness is the place to be.

Celebrating its second anniversary in Royal Palm Beach, Planet Fitness is 14,000 square feet of what the company calls a “Judgment Free Zone,” a comfortable and non-intimidating atmosphere where the emphasis is on general health and fitness for people of all ages.

“We’ve been getting a lot of positive feedback the past couple of years,” Planet Fitness owner Glenn Dowler said. “We don’t cater to bodybuilders. We cater to general fitness. And that’s what I like to see. People are real comfortable here. Our target members and people we try to attract have never joined a gym before. When they come here, they’re comfortable.”

Even more so now that Dowler recently installed a pair of massage chairs in front of a flat-panel television just off the exercise floor. Those chairs, however, are only part of the club’s “Judgment Free Zone” experience. A centerpiece is the Planet Fitness Unlimited Group Training Program, in which a trainer is on hand on Monday and Tuesday mornings and

Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and evenings to help members achieve their goals.

For example, Monday’s 7 to 8 a.m. session features upper body training and the day’s 9 to 10 a.m. session features lower body and abdominal training.

Thursday’s 2 to 3 p.m. session involves cardio work and the 5 to 6 p.m. session involves a total body program.

Dowler said the sessions take place in a group setting of up to four people. “If only one or two people sign up, then they’re going to get even that much more personal time,” he said. “He’s going to help them design a total body program. That’s when he sits down with you and says ‘what are your goals?’ If you want to lose weight, get stronger, whatever it is, he just does a little interview with you. Then he designs a program that says ‘this is what you need to do.’ He gives you an orientation on the equipment and shows you the proper way to use it. The program is free and unlimited with all our memberships.”

In addition to the Royal Palm Beach location, Dowler has another Planet Fitness facility in Palm Beach Gardens and is planning to open a third in Stuart. Each location features cardio equipment such as treadmills, Body Master machines that target upper- and lower-body muscles and free weights.

Dowler is offering a membership special through Feb.

8 whereby a person can sign up for $15 per month and a $49 one-time startup fee. The club’s Black Card membership features reciprocal use of any of the 150-plus Planet Fitness facilities around the country, unlimited guest privileges, unlimited tanning and free use of the tanning chairs for $19.99 per month with a $99 enrollment fee.

Dowler said approximately 60 percent of the members at his Royal Palm Beach location are women. “They like the 30minute circuit that we have up front, but a lot of guys like it, too,” he said. “We get a lot of people who get really good results, and they love the entire experience. You feel like a different person. And when you’re not working out, you

feel bad and tired. But when you start working out you have more energy.”

Planet Fitness is located in the Southern (Kmart) Plaza at 10301 Southern Blvd. and is open 24 hours on weekdays, from 5 a.m. on Monday to 9 p.m. on Friday, with Saturday and Sunday hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call (561) 333-3833.

A World Of Workout — Planet Fitness trainer Ivo Fernandez explains the leg-press machine to members Paul Fayles, Mary Simeone and Andrea Simeone.
PHOTO BY STEVE PIKE/TOWN-CRIER

TLC Ultrasound Now Offering 3D/4D Imaging

United Imaging Partners recently announced it has signed an agreement with TLC Ultrasound to open a new 3D/4D ultrasound center at 6649 Forest Hill Blvd. in Greenacres. The facility will offer expectant parents the cutting-edge technology to bring images of their unborn baby to life.

From a yawn, to a stretch, from a smile to a wave, expectant parents can now see and bond with their unborn child through 3D and 4D ultrasound images shown in color and real-time motion. With the GE Voluson 730 PRO Ultrasound machine, new state-of-theart technology makes it possible to see activities and dimensional features of the baby inside the womb.

“State-of-the-art technology has inspired people around the country to bring this exciting new innovation to their city,” said United Imaging Partners CEO Kathy Dimmick. “We are delighted to help entrepreneurs like Robert and Renita Cuevas at TLC Ultrasound to provide safe and successful 3D/4D ultrasounds in the West Palm Beach area.”

Research shows that 3D and 4D ultrasound scans are safe for the mother and the fetus. In order for an expectant mother to experience this type of ultrasound at TLC Ultrasound, she must first have a 20-week diagnostic ultrasound from her healthcare provider. The scans are performed from 18 to 38 weeks, though the optimum time is between 24 to 34 weeks.

3D/4D ultrasounds are seen as positive experiences for the entire family. Expectant moms are encouraged to bring family and friends to the session. To forever capture the magic of first

seeing your baby, TLC Ultrasound will record this personalized session in your choice of formats including color photos, CD or DVD, set to lullaby music.

“We are very excited to bring this amazing technology to expectant parents in South Florida,” said Renita Cuevas of TLC Ultrasound. “The thrill of seeing your baby’s face for the first time is truly a touching and memorable experience.”

TLC Ultrasound offers expectant mothers safe elective prenatal 3D and 4D imaging sessions to show their unborn child in the womb. Through the power of technology, parents-tobe enjoy an emotional bonding experience as they watch their baby’s movements prior to birth and receive fullcolor prenatal images on CD.

TLC Ultrasound is a member of United Imaging Partners, the fastest-growing group of 3D/4D ultrasound franchisees in the United States with more than 90 locations nationwide. For more information, call (561) 965-3236, or visit www.tlcultrasound.com and www.unitedimagingpartners.com.

Free Diabetes Screening In Royal Palm Feb.

6-8

CholestCheck Corp. will offer free diabetes screenings Wednesday through Thursday, Feb. 6-8 at the Kmart store in Southern Plaza (10101 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach). Screenings will take place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 2:30 to 5 p.m. No appointments are necessary. For more information, call CholestCheck Corp. at (800) 713-3301.

Acreage/Loxahatchee Groves Relay For Life Returns May 2

Organizers of the American Cancer Society’s 2008 Acreage/Loxahatchee Groves Relay for Life are looking for participants and volunteer staff for the event, scheduled for May 2 and 3.

While last year’s event was held at Seminole Ridge High School, this year’s event will be held at Acreage Community Park.

Many participants in last year’s relay at Seminole Ridge agree that the event put both The Acreage and the newly incorporated Town of Loxahatchee Groves in the spotlight. Because it was the first such event in the Acreage/Loxahatchee area, organizers set a goal of raising $30,000 for cancer research and support programs. Nevertheless, the 18-hour event raised about $60,000, a huge number for an area starting an event from scratch.

“Everyone at the American Cancer Society was so impressed by the huge turnout and the large amount of money raised,” said Elizabeth Gregg, ACS’s community representative for the event. “We had more teams present and people participating than anyone expected. It was the kind of event that we sometimes get when we have a lot of experienced people in charge. Everyone tells me how

great the people out in the western areas of the county are and how much they really care.”

This year’s relay is scheduled to begin the evening of May 2 and will continue through the night until the morning of May 3. Event chair Michelle Damone said the event this year will have a “Classic Hollywood” theme. “We’re going to have a purple carpet for our special guests, and we hope to have a lot of paparazzi to take photos,” she said.

Damone, an Indian Trail Improvement District supervisor, said ITID intends to form a team to participate in the relay.

“The ITID team will use ‘Viva Las Vegas’ as our particular theme,” she said.

Damone said the relay has already attracted several sponsors. “We’re already moving forward,” she said. “GL Homes, Robert Trepp’s Cardinal Electric, Callery-Judge and Michelle Desjardins’ Allstate Insurance agency are already signed up as sponsors.”

During the relay, members of volunteer teams take turns walking the relay course continuously, after collecting pledges of monetary support for the fight against cancer.

“We are always amazed at how many people take part in these events,” Gregg said. “Out here last year, we had an amazing turnout from kids from both Loxahatchee Groves and The Acreage. Of

‘[Last] year, we had an amazing turnout from kids from both Loxahatchee Groves and The Acreage. Of course, they all had a wonderful time. It was like a campout for them, but they worked hard at their walking and raised a huge amount of money. Even better, they became part of our anti-cancer family, and we hope they continue their work until we beat the disease.’

of the American Cancer Society

course, they all had a wonderful time. It was like a campout for them, but they worked hard at their walking and raised a huge amount of money. Even better, they became part of our anti-cancer family, and we hope they continue their work until we beat the disease.”

Damone also played a role in organizing the inaugural Acreage-area relay last year, chairing the Survivors Group, those who have successfully battled the disease. Survivors are honored with the first lap of every relay.

“Each one will receive a personalized invitation to demonstrate how important we feel they are,” Damone explained. “Also they’ll get survivor T-shirts and bags. And, of course, we will feed them before the event begins. They do the first walk around the track as everyone applauds.”

Gregg said she has already spoken to some people who are forming teams for this year, and wants to exceed last year’s total of 47. “I’ve met with a few team captains already,” she said. “We want even more teams than we had last year.”

Damone said she has been hard at work organizing the event for months.

“In November I invited all the interested parties to my house for a deep-fry turkey fest,” she said. “Then I ran an Italian night this month with baked ziti. In February, I’ll do a chocolate fondue fountain for Valentine’s Day. People want to help, but feeding them really catches their interest this early.”

Two team captains who have already signed up for the coming year have particularly interesting stories. Last year, Town-Crier columnist Don Brown was battling leukemia and the early prognosis was not good. He survived and this year is captain of “Don’s Team,” to raise money in several relays.

Cardinal’s Trepp, who walked the entire 18 hours of last year’s event and raised thousands of dollars in pledges as a one-man relay team, has vowed to repeat the feat this year. For more information on volunteering, participation and sponsorship opportunities, call Gregg at (561) 366-0013, ext. 125 or e-mail her at elizabethgregg@ cancer.org, or go to www.relayforlife. org/relay/findevent and search using the 33411 Acreage ZIP code.

Fighting Cancer — Elizabeth Gregg is the American Cancer Society’s community representative for The Acreage/Loxahatchee Groves Relay for Life.
LEONARD WECHLSER/TOWN-CRIER

It May Be A Granny Cart, But It’s Still My Wheel Of Life

My life as an antiques trader came to a sudden and disturbing halt last weekend when tragedy struck — one of the wheels on my L.O.L.C. froze up right in the middle of my shopping day.

I know it may sound like nothing to you, but my L.O.L.C. (little old lady cart) is an intrinsic part of my business. Ugly and awkward though it is, I need it when stocking up on vintage plates and ceramic pots and anything else that is heavy and without handles. I’d already fixed that wheel up once when the rubber tread came off by wrapping it around and around with duct tape. This repair detracted somewhat from the cart’s utilitarian “beauty,” but it did the trick.

This was far more serious. How long could I keep on pushing it around in a tiny little circle?

Worse, this tragedy happened right in the midst of the Deland Antiques Show. So what, you ask, aren’t antiques dealers a kind and friendly bunch?

They are — to a point. They sympathized with me and felt my pain. They told me where I could get another cart. But they also knew it would slow me down, effectively taking one more shopper out of the race for “the best stuff.”

Here’s who was really helpful — the dealer located in the far corner. He’d been passing by when he witnessed the scene and, afraid I’d never make it to his booth at all, helped me carry my sad cart and some early purchases to the car. Grateful, I made it a point to go back in and visit his booth cartless. Still, the fun had gone out of the day.

When I got home, I carried my in-

jured accomplice in to Mark, cradling it in my arms like a gangly (and rather heavy) teenage child.

“Look,” I mourned. “Ol’ Red has breathed her last.”

“Your cart? You finally wore it out?”

I snurfed loudly.

“Let me take a look.”

Mark laid Ol’ Red gently down on the floor. “The wheel won’t turn,” he said.

“Precisely.”

“You could get a new wheel.”

I started to cheer up. “They sell single wheels? By themselves?”

“Sure. But I suggest you buy a pair — the other one isn’t long for this world either.”

“Where do you get these fabulous wheels?”

“Any home improvement store.”

“You’re kidding. There is so much I do not know about life.”

“I wouldn’t kid about something this serious, believe me.”

“And if I buy them, you’ll help me put them on?”

“Of course. After all, it appears that your mental health is at stake.”

I smiled, but you know what? Mark is starting to know me a little too well.

I Mused On Golden-Age Screen Stars Watching

While the Oscars seem to be praising the most violent films in America this year, many people prefer movies in which no one gets killed and where the central figure does not represent the repressed violence that some critics feel is obviously the center of American life. The movies getting the largest number of nominations either center around a man ready to destroy everyone who might block his chances of becoming rich, or an actual serial killer. I might admire the filmmaking, but having seen it once I will never watch it again.

On the other hand, some movies are like comfort food. They are probably too sweet, but I can enjoy them. My wife took me to see 27 Dresses this week and I found it charming, an homage to the old-fashioned romantic comedies I always enjoy watching on the classic movie channels. You know what I mean, a film that just gives a good time and does not try to tell me that I, or my friends

or my country or the human race, is rotten.

Jane (Katherine Heigl) is the “best friend” of dozens of women, the kind of friend who organizes their weddings, keeps them sane during the process, and even wears the absolutely horrendous dresses imposed on her by brides who obviously want to look good compared to their friends. The dresses of the film’s title help create a couple of the funniest scenes in the picture.

Heigl plays the role in the mode of a modern day Carole Lombard, an actress who combined being lovely with a wickedly comic sense. Heigl plays a woman so repressed she is a doormat for her boss George (Edward Burns), for whom she has fallen. Burns would be a perfect George Brent or Ralph Bellamy character in the old movies, stalwart and a bit dull. And, of course, Jane has a wisecracking girlfriend. Judy Greer plays the deadpan role like the late Glenda Farrell,

stealing every scene she appears in.

How does a filmmaker turn Heigl, a fashion-model type, into a plain Jane? First, of course, you make certain that her hair is pulled back, colored a mousy brown, and that she wears non-glamorous clothes. Second, you introduce a glamorous sister Tess (Malin Akerman) who has the beautiful blonde hair and gorgeous smile of an actress like, well, Katherine Heigl, from a year or two ago. George falls in love with the image she projects, one totally false, which leads to one of the major plot twists.

The third way is to have her play opposite one of the best-looking leading men in today’s movies. James Marsden plays Kevin, a cynical wedding reporter. He might fit as a modern Cary Grant with his looks and charm.

As in most movies like this one, the two start off fighting and then discover they desire each other. Then comes the normal complication that drives them

On My Mind...

apart until at the end, the audience gets what they (or at least the women) have wanted from the beginning, true love. Screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna’s script keeps the plot moving, allowing Heigl the opportunity to be a fun wiseguy anytime she is not near her boss. She has several great bits in a series of taxicab scenes shuttling between two weddings. Needing to change outfits in the back, she tells the cab driver she’ll give him $300 for the evening with $20 knocked off every time he peeks. At the

A Randy Pig Gave My Son More Than He Bargained

A couple of weeks ago I told you about the zoo at my son Ronnie’s house. I told you about the dogs, cats, pigs, etc. Well, the other day when I went to my son’s house I was greeted at the front gate by a fat, fully-grown potbellied pig.

Trailing very close behind the pig was my son. He could tell by the look on my face that I wasn’t a happy camper about his new addition. The first words out of my mouth were “are you out of your mind?” My son, who has the patience of a saint (you need it with five kids) had a very hurt look as he asserted he is very sane.

He told me the pound called him and told him about this great pig they had. Indeed, while I was watching his kids at my house a few days before, he was at the pound picking up his pig. When he came back to my house to round up his herd, I mean his kids, he didn’t bother to tell me about the new addition to his household. He figured I would find out

soon enough.

He told me the pig was special. I said, “OK, I’ll bite, why is this pig special?”

He told me it could roll over and do a few other simple tricks. He added that it was very friendly and loved to lay down and let you rub his very large belly.

The love affair with the pig lasted a couple of days. Two days after my visit I got a very frantic phone call from my daughter-in-law. She told me the pig had gone crazy. It had become a sex manic. The pig had chased her up the slide/swing set, where she sat for about an hour. The pig ripped off the slide and tried to make love to it.

The first question out of my mouth was “where and how are the grandkids?”

She said it had all happened right after everyone went to school. She assured me the baby was safe and sound. If I was there with a video camera, I am sure I would’ve won the grand prize on a funny home video show. At that point I

didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. My daughter-in-law went on to say she called Animal Care & Control, but they informed her the pig was her problem, not theirs.

This didn’t sit too well with my son. He called the pound and whatever he said to the people there got them to his house in less than half an hour. Three folks from the pound were required to capture and control this oversexed pig. When you get a dog or a cat from the pound, part of the deal is they fix them so they can’t reproduce. My question is, how come they don’t fix pigs?

The pig did about $200 worth of damage to my son’s property. I don’t think he will be getting another pig for a very long time. The kids accepted the departure of the pig better than I thought. They missed all the excitement, but they saw the damage the pig did in their zoo, I mean back yard.

I figured my son would be cured from

taking unexpected trips to the pound, but to my surprise, as I was leaving his house he was on the pound’s web site, checking out a couple of white toy poodles recovered in Wellington. They were both less then a year old. They appeared to be a brother and a sister.

I merely gave my son one of my wife’s famous looks and walked out of the house without saying a word. I know that is hard to believe, but I was speechless

P.S. Go New York Giants! (OK, go New Jersey Giants!)

SAVINGS for Village of Wellington Residents

WELLINGTON IMPROVES FEDERAL INSURANCE RATINGS

The Village of Wellington Community Services Department, Building Division, is proud to announce the new ratings it has achieved that may provide reduced insurance premiums for:

Hazard Insurance Premiums (in both commercial and residential construction)

Village Flood Insurance

These new ratings may provide homeowners and business owners in the Village a reduction in insurance premiums.

Hazard Insurance Premiums (in both commercial and residential construction)

Classification ratings are on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being exemplary and 10 being the worst score. The Village had a rating of 3 for commercial and 3 for residential. The division achieved new ratings of 2 and 3 for commercial and residential construction respectively. The new ratings may provide homeowners and business owners in the Village with a reduction in insurance premiums. Village policy holders are encouraged to contact their insurance companies about the new ratings awarded by the Insurance Services Office .

Village Flood Insurance

The Village’s new rating of 7 will now give Village residents a 15% reduction of their premiums for mandatory flood insurance policies (as opposed to last years rating of 9 and a 5% reduction). The new rates are effective October 1, 2008. This reduction should automatically be reflected in your premium, please contact your insurance company with any questions. Village of Wellington 14000 Greenbriar Boulevard Wellington, Florida 33414

OUTDOOR SALE AT ST. THERESE

St. Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church in Wellington held a neighborhood swap and green market Saturday, Jan. 26. Items for sale ranged from paintings and photographs to books, pet mats, food and beverages. The Peggy Adams Rescue League Pet Mobile made an appearance as well. The church is located at 11800 Lake Worth Road. For more info., call the church office at (561) 784-0689. (Above) Members of the Council of Catholic Women with books for sale. (Below) Volunteers line up near one of the food stands.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

HINDU ASSOCIATION HOSTS ‘MAGICAL’ NIGHT IN ROYAL PALM

The Florida Hindu Cultural and Religious Association presented “An Unforgettable Magical Journey” Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. The event featured dance performances by youths and adults involved in the group, as well as the magic of internationally renowned illusionist Heman Faroy.

A volunteer for one of Heman Faroy’s escape tricks.
Heman Faroy talks to some young volunteers.
Illusionist Heman Faroy.
Lisa Ramsarran, Jessie Singh and Tricia Narsingh.
A pair of young dancers grace the stage.
Janet Singh, Dana Haripersaud and Diana Dhauraj.
PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington Girls Shut Out Broncos, Advance To Regional Finals

Same teams... same field... higher stakes. And, fortunately for Wellington High School, the same result.

Once again, the Lady Wolverines varsity soccer team topped visiting Palm Beach Central in

the Class 6A regional semifinal game just as they did in the district championship game.

Natalie Punal and Lindsey Wilkinson each scored one goal to help Wellington shut out Palm Beach Central 2-0. The Wolver-

ines advanced to the regional final, where they hosted to Weston-Cypress Bay at 7 p.m. Friday. Results were not available at press time.

A Wellington win at Friday’s game would mean the girls will advance to the state semifinals on Friday, Feb. 8 at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

Wellington Soccer Boys Defeat The Broncos To Win District Title

against the Jupiter defense.

The Wellington High School boys soccer team captured the District 9-6A title over Palm Beach Central for the second consecutive year last Friday.

The Wolverines topped Palm Beach Central 2-1 for the championship Saturday afternoon. Both teams earned a berth in the first round of regional action.

In order to make it to the title match, the Wolverines and the Broncos first had to survive the semifinals earlier in the evening.

At a 5 p.m. game, Palm Beach Central bested Royal Palm Beach 2-1. Aaron Macri and Mariano Gelso each scored a goal for the Broncos. Juan Cas-

tellon’s goal helped the Wildcats avoid a shutout.

Meanwhile, the Wolverines stopped visiting Jupiter 2-0. Andrew DiLallo scored with a header on a throw in from his brother Marcus. The second WHS goal also came off the hands of Marcus and the head of Andrew, but the goal was finished off by Nick Brewer.

The Broncos (20-3) traveled to Boca Raton on Thursday for the regional quarterfinals and the Wolverines (18-4-2) hosted Spanish River. The winners will compete in regional semifinals Tuesday, Feb. 5. Results of Thursday’s games were not available at press time.

Wellington’s Nico DeArmas handles the ball
Wellington’s Andrew DiLallo breaks away with the ball in the game against Jupiter.
Bronco David Maldonado celebrates the win over RPBHS.
Wellington’s Ricardo Zamora gains control of the ball from a Jupiter player.
Wildcat Matt Lalonde avoids a slide tackle by Bronco Miguel Gomez, but loses control of the ball.
Wolverine Marcus DiLallo avoids colliding with a Jupiter player.
Wellington’s Natalie Punal scores in the first period.
The Lady Wolverines celebrate their victory.
Bronco Arielle Cohen wrestles control of the ball away from Leah Sylvester.
Wellington’s Brittany Wallrath sends the ball downfield.
Samantha Bandremer didn’t allow any Bronco goals.
Palm Beach Central’s Alexandra Hoover’s free kick ricochets off Wolverine Sarah Lenhart.
PHOTOS BY LISA KEENEY/TOWN-CRIER - FOR MORE PHOTOS, VISIT WWW.WELLINGTONIMAGES.COM

Local Girls End Their Seasons In Hard-Fought District Play

Fortunately for the Royal Palm Beach High School girls varsity basketball team, it wasn’t being judged for style points Wednesday night.

The Lady Wildcats’ 37-33 victory over Palm Beach Central High School in the first round of the District 9-6A tournament at Palm Beach Lakes was anything but a thing of beauty for both teams. But it was good enough to get Royal Palm Beach (15-10) into Thursday night’s

BASKETBALL BASKETBALL

semifinal game against the host Lady Rams, who beat Seminole Ridge 68-23 in a first-round game Tuesday night.

“It’s tough to beat a team three times in a season, and Palm Beach Central came out and played a heck of a game,” RPBHS coach Anthony Dangerfield said.

The Lady Broncos (14-7) did play well the first half when some hot shooting from sophomore guard Amanda Collins,

Binks Aces — Binks Forest Golf Club in Wellington recently recorded its first two holes-in-one since it re-opened last October. Valerie Danzey got her ace with a three iron on the 145-yard, par-three 13th hole, and Joanne Marris got her ace with a nine iron on the 78-yard, par-three 16th hole. Each ace was the first for each lady. Shown above, Binks Forest head golf professional Wheeler Stewart (center) presented the ladies plaques to commemorate their special shots.

who hit a pair of three-point baskets, brought them to a 24-19 lead. But the Lady Wildcats put the clamps on Collins and company in the second half and outscored Palm Beach Central 8-4 in the fourth quarter to get the victory.

“We were a little sluggish offensively early, but I knew our defense would help us out down the stretch,” Dangerfield said. “We wanted to make it a grind-out, four-quarter game, and we did.”

Sophomore guard Sharnele Brown’s basket gave Palm Beach Central a 33-31 lead with three minutes and 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter. But Lady Wildcats sophomore center Patrice Collie hit a three-point basket with 3:15 to play for a 34-33 lead RPBHS wouldn’t surrender.

“It’s a tough loss,” PBCHS coach Bruce Gaffney said. “We needed to be more intense in the second half. I knew that if we didn’t keep up the intensity, what would happen did happen. The girls played hard, but they didn’t finish. They didn’t make good decisions in pressure situations.”

In the second girls game on Wednesday night, Wellington ended its season

with a 52-36 loss to Palm Beach Gardens. The Lady Wolverines (11-15) were never really in the game and trailed by as many as 22 points in the second half. The game basically was a microcosm of Wellington’s season. That is, the WHS girls played hard the entire game, but hurt themselves with turnovers and were unable to overcome a more athletic opponent.

Senior guard Samantha McGee led the Lady Wolverines with nine points.

Despite the loss and the fact that Wellington won two fewer games than in the 2006-07 season, coach Vic Navarro walked out of the Palm Beach Lakes gym with a smile on his face.

“We might not win on the scoreboard, but we win in terms of the family atmosphere we teach in our program,” Navarro said. “These kids have always supported each other. They were 18 points down in the fourth quarter today and still diving on the floor for loose balls. We fall short on some levels of offensive skills but that’s just part of the game. Giving up has never been an issue for them. They’re great kids who played hard all season.”

Recreation Programs In Royal Palm Beach

The Village of Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation Department will offer the following programs:

• Tiny Toes — The RPB Recreation Center is offering ballet classes for children ages two and three. Tiny Toes is designed for children and their parents to discover the world of dance through movement, music and imagination. The eight-week class begins Friday, Feb. 1 at 10:15 a.m.

• Introduction to Dance — This program for three- and four-year-olds will start the dancer off on the right foot. The class will focus on discovering dance

through movement, music and imagination, and slowly introduce the dancer to more formal ballet. The eight-week class begins Friday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m.

• Florida Marlins Pre-Season Baseball Trip — The RPB Recreation Department is sponsoring two trips to watch the Florida Marlins play the New York Yankees on Friday, March 28 at 7:10 p.m. and Saturday, March 29 at 6:10 p.m. The trip includes a field box ticket, transportation, giveaways, food and beverage. The cost is $55 per person; space is limited.

For more info., call (561) 790-5124.

PHOTO BY STEVE PIKE/TOWN-CRIER

Catamount Wins Joe Barry Cup, Ylvisaker Cup Continues

Catamount’s Brandon Phillips scored two consecutive goals in the sixth chukker to put the icing on capturing the third Joe Barry Memorial Cup for his team, defeating Isla Carroll 13-8 Jan. 13 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington.

“It’s a very special tournament,” said Catamount’s team captain Scott Devon, who was unsure about the game’s outcome at halftime when the score was 54 in favor of Catamount.

“It was a very long halftime. But I just told the team to stay positive and we put it together in the fourth,” said Devon, whose team scored four goals to take a

9-6 lead, three of which were on penalty shots.

Catamount also won the opening Joe Barry Memorial Cup tournament in 2004 and again in 2006.

In other polo news, 11 teams have entered the next North American Polo League tournament, the Ylvisaker Cup. Teams have been randomly placed in three brackets and play began Wednesday, Jan. 30 at IPC.

The Ylvisaker Cup is expected to be even more competitive than the Joe Barry Memorial Cup, as three more teams — Bendabout, Black Watch and Audi — have joined the field and Pony Express

Challenge Of The Americas March 8

The 2008 Challenge of the Americas will be held on Saturday, March 8 at the newly renovated Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The equestrian sport spectacular is a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Competition will be held under the new lights in the International Arena. The VIP Gala will be held in the International Club overlooking the arena, with catering by Tavern on the Green. A new addition to this year’s VIP Gala will be dancing in the International Arena following the competition.

“I want to thank Mark and Katherine Bellissimo, our new honorary chairpersons, for their generosity to the foundation and to the challenge in providing the use of the facilities at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center,” said Mary Ross, founder of the Challenge of the Americas.

The 2008 Challenge of the Americas will also feature new additions to the entertaining equestrian-focused format. Opening ceremonies will be included for

the first time. In honor of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, a special equestrian “Salute to America” will launch the night. Then, honoring Judy Guden, one of dressage’s most beloved owners, Lauren Sammis, Chris Hickey and Susan Dutta, team gold medallists at the 2007 Pan American Games, will ride a special musical freestyle tribute titled “In Memory of Judy.” Guden died of cancer last November. Judy is remembered for her love of horses and dressage.

Challenge of the Americas competition will take center stage when Team USA, Team Canada and Team International face off for the title in this year’s Challenge of the Americas. The awards ceremony will conclude the mounted action in the arena. An installed dance floor in the International Arena will host guests for the VIP gala dance party. Master Disc Jockey Jody McDonald will spin his magic to wrap up the 2008 Challenge of the Americas.

General admission tickets are $20. For more information, contact Mary Ross at (561) 852-2591.

and San Saba have re-aligned their teams. Pony Express has picked up 10-goaler Matias Magrini in favor of Carlos Gracida, and San Saba added Dawn Jones in favor of Tommy Lee Jones.

Dawn Jones is one of the three women competing. Melissa Ganzi will be playing with Audi, last year’s runner-up, and Gillian Johnston will be joining her NAPL team Bendabout.

Other NAPL teams in the competition and also trying to accumulate point totals from its circuit play that will result in a $100,000 cash prize in April are Skeeterville, Isla Carroll, Mt. BrilliantFaraway Polo and Black Watch. Cur-

rently, Skeeterville leads with 190 points followed by Isla Carroll with 155, Bendabout 95 and Mt. Brilliant Faraway 60.

Rounding out the field are Patagones, a team that has been known to go on scoring barrages and defeat their opponents by as many as seven goals, and Bud Light/ERG who is led by eight-goaler Hector Galindo. The tournament concludes Sunday, Feb. 17.

The International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South. For more information, call (561) 204-5687 or visit www.internationalpolo club.com.

Wrestling Champs — The Wellington High School wrestling team placed eighth out of 24 teams in the annual Palm Beach County Wrestling Tournament. Wolverine Zach Pincus defeated all of his opponents in the 152-pound weight class to earn his first county championship. Pincus entered the tournament as the number-one seed with a 19-0 record and extended his record to a perfect 23-0. Mikolaj Wilga also took home a medal with a fourth-place finish for the Wolverines in the 103-pound weight class. Pincus and Wilga have placed in every tournament they have competed in this year and are looking forward to the district tournament Feb. 2 at Seminole Ridge High School. Pictured here are Pincus and Wilga.

Wellington Christian Baseball Optimistic About Coming Season

The Wellington Christian School Eagles varsity baseball team finished its 2007 campaign with a 25-2 record and its firstever district championship. The team was ranked number two in the state by the Florida Sports Writers Association.

Although the 2007 season ended with a 5-3 loss in the regional semifinal, the Eagles are optimistic about the 2008 season, according to coach Mike Drahos. Last year’s entire squad will be returning with the exception of cocaptain Zach Frabitore, who is now

Child Safety Program At Karate 2000

We’ve seen the movies: a girl walks through an alley or parking lot. Suddenly, an evil-looking guy jumps out from behind a car. Girl jabs bad guy in the eyes — or maybe she kicks him in a certain sensitive place. Either way, while he’s squirming, she runs to safety. That’s the movies.

Here’s the real-life action replay: When the girl goes to jab or kick the guy, he knows what’s coming and grabs her arm (or leg), pulling her off balance. Enraged by her attempt to fight back, he flips her onto the ground. Now she’s in a bad place to defend herself and she can’t run away.

Many people think of self-defense as a karate kick to the groin or jab in the eyes of an attacker. But self-defense actually means doing everything possible to avoid fighting someone who threatens or attacks you. Self-defense is all about using one’s intelligence, not the fists.

Karate 2000, located at 1204 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., is offering a complimentary Child Safety Program on Feb. 9 and 16 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. for girls ages five to 11. The safety program will discuss and demonstrate self-defense maneuvers that children can use to de-

attending Florida State University.

The complete pitching staff — senior Scott Roselli, junior Kevin Goff, sophomore Dan Roselli and freshman J.J. Salazar — will be returning with the addition of an 88-mph senior transfer, Jeff Fignar.

As for offense, “we don’t have a weak link in the lineup,” Drahos said. “One through nine can inflict a lot of damage for us this year, and we have a tremendous amount of speed to boot.”

The Eagles will be unveiling a junior

fend themselves. For more information, call Sensei Wright at (561) 383-5026.

Everglades Day At Loxahatchee Refuge

The Everglades Day Festival “Walking Wild in the Everglades” will be held at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, Feb. 9 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event is free and features exhibits, presentations, nature walks, canoeing, live music and food for sale.

“Walking Wild in the Everglades” will include nature walks focusing on birds, butterflies, fishing and plants, speakers, live animal presentations, canoeing and music. Exhibitors from agencies, clubs and non-profits will have booths.

The Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is located at 10216 Lee Road, Boynton Beach, off State Road 7 two miles south of Boynton Beach Blvd. For more info., call (561) 734-8303 or go to http://loxahatchee.fws.gov.

Visitors will receive free off-site parking at Monte’s Packing House, a halfmile south of the refuge, with a shuttle bus service to the hub of activities. Allday trolley service will be available to transport visitors to every venue offered during the festival.

varsity program this year for the first time. The JV team is well equipped with good young pitching and hitters, which will be assuring a strong varsity program for years to come.

“We’re succeeding in building something special here at Wellington Christian School,” Drahos said. “Our soccer and basketball teams have had a tremendous season this year, and our baseball program is improving every year. It all starts at the top, and we have tremendous people leading our athletic pro-

Petters Foundation Announces Polo Weekend

The John T. Petters Foundation will hold the 2008 John T. Petters Foundation Cup Feb. 15-17 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington. The event-filled weekend will feature four world-class polo teams playing for a $25,000 grand prize and will culminate with the Blu Party hosted by Bluhammock Music at the Equestrian Club by Tavern on the Green.

The John T. Petters Foundation honors the short life of John Petters by providing college scholarships to students in financial need for study abroad. Established in 2004, the foundation has awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships.

“John felt it was important to understand the world around us in order to operate successfully in the global business economy,” said Tom Petters, John’s father and CEO and chairman of Petters Group Worldwide. “We are fulfilling his dream to help all students gain a global experience.”

Attendees from throughout the country are anticipated to participate in the event. A complete listing of events for the weekend can be found at www. johntpettersfoundation.org.

grams, from our headmaster Joe Austin to our athletic director Matt Winters.”

The 2008 season will be a test for the young Eagles as Trinity Christian, ranked number one in the state in 2007, will join the district. The Eagles have also beefed up their schedule with the addition of the King’s Academy, Benjamin, Lake Worth Christian and Boca Christian.

Wellington Christian School will kick off its season on Thursday, Feb. 7 with a preseason classic tournament in Miami hosted by Sheridan Hills High School.

Counselors Sought For Okeeheelee Camp

Okeeheelee Nature Camp (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.) is looking for children’s summer camp counselors for June 16 through Aug 8. Call Meghan Murphy at (561) 233-1400, ext. 3 for more info.

Saturday, Feb. 2

• The South Florida Fair continues through Sunday, Feb. 3 at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.). This is Florida’s top-rated fair and Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest outdoor event. Advance tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children and $7 for seniors. Tickets at the gate are $15 for adults, $8 for children and $9 for seniors. Children five and under are admitted free. Parking is free. For more info., call (561) 793-0333 or visit www.south floridafair.com.

• The 2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival continues through April at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (14440 Pierson Road, Wellington). Call (561) 793-5867 for more information, visit www.equestriansport.com.

• The Wellington Rotary Club will present “A Magical Evening” at its annual ball on Saturday, Feb. 2 at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. Dress is black-tie optional. Dance, enjoy a festive meal and garner great items at silent and live auctions. The cost is $175 per person. RSVP to Laura Jaffe at laura@laurajaffe. com or call (561) 252-4426.

• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host its inaugural Wild West Poker Tournament & Membership Drive on Saturday, Feb. 2 at the Links at Madison Green clubhouse in Royal Palm Beach (2001 Crestwood Blvd.). The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and features professional dealers and tables in a Texas hold ’em tournament. The cost to enter the tournament is $30 per person in advance; tables of ten are available for $300. Space is limited to the first 100 registrants. To register, call (561) 790-6200.

Sunday, Feb. 3

• The 2008 polo season will continue Sunday, Feb. 3 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach with the start of the 20-goal Ylvisaker Cup. Ylvisaker Cup play will continue until Sunday, Feb. 17.

The International Polo Club is located at 3667 120th Avenue South in Wellington. For tickets or more information, call (561) 204-5687 or visit www.international poloclub.com.

Tuesday, Feb. 5

• St. David’s-in-the-Pines Episcopal Church (465 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington) will host a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper on Tuesday, Feb. 5 from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission costs $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12. Tickets will be available at the gate. The event is open to the public. All proceeds will support youth outreach programs and hurricane relief efforts. For info., call the church office at (561) 793-1976 or Father Harvey Klein at (561) 351-8115.

• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host a Women in Business Forum on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at Mayacoo Lakes Country Club beginning with dinner at 6 p.m. The featured speakers will be the dynamic mother and daughter team of Mary Ellen Sheets and Melanie Bergeron, founder and CEO of Two Men and a Truck International. The cost is $25 for chamber members and $40 for non-members, including dinner. RSVP to (561) 790-6200 or e-mail specialevents@palmswest.com.

Wednesday, Feb. 6

• The Wellington Jewish Center will begin the six-week course “Beyond Belief” on Wednesday, Feb. 6. “Beyond Belief” provides an innovative look at the process whereby lives are enriched and deepened by thinking about faith. The course costs $89 for individuals or $169 for couples; a textbook is included. For more info., contact Rabbi Mendy Muskal at (561) 333-4663 or rabbim@bellsouth. net.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host a Book Discussion on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. Sara Harris will lead a discussion of Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani. Sign up and check out a copy of the book. For more info., call (561) 790-6070.

• Congregation B’nai Avraham in Wellington (12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 6, in the original Wellington Mall) invites the community to participate in a six-night adult education series Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. starting Feb. 6 and ending March 12. The class will explore insights and history behind three of Judaism’s most precious literary treasures: Meggilah Esther, the Haggadah and the Prayerbook. The cost of the series is $48 per person. For more info., call (561) 793-4347.

Thursday, Feb. 7

• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Equestrian of the Year Cocktail Party will be held on Thursday, Feb. 7 featuring a light dinner and silent auction. For more info., call Darby Collins at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at (888) 478-8550, ext. 14 or Mary Ann Grant at (561) 301-5817.

• The Royal Palm Beach Writing Group will present best-selling author Lucia St. Clair Robson on Thursday, Feb. 7 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). St. Clair Robson is author of the books Ride the Wind and Shadow Patriots. She will speak about her experience as a writer. The event begins at 10 a.m. Space is limited. For more info., call Marge at (561) 793-5893.

• The Wellington Women’s Club will meet Thursday, Feb. 7 at the Wanderers Club (1900 Aero Club Dr., Wellington). The guest speaker will be Anne Rodgers of the Palm Beach Post The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. with a dinner buffet. Guests are welcome at a cost of $25, which includes dinner. RSVP to Mary at (561) 790-3384 or email mair@armandpest.com.

Friday, Feb. 8

• The USET Foundation will host the fundraiser gala “Hong Kong Night” to benefit the 2008 Olympic equestrian teams on Friday, Feb. 8 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. The nonprofit United States Equestrian Team Foundation supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America’s elite and developing international, high-performance athletes and horses in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation. For more info., call Mason Phelps Jr. at (561) 753-3389.

Saturday, Feb. 9

• The Stars Ball 2008 will be held at the International Polo Club Palm Beach on Saturday, Feb. 9. In addition to an evening of dining, dancing, auctions and entertainment, attendees will witness the gratification of giving firsthand during this Little Smiles benefit. At the Stars Ball, a handful of young Little Smiles clients arrive by limousine for a simulated “Oscar night.” As the stars enjoy their own private party, guest partake of an exquisite evening of dining and dancing. For more info., call (561) 383-7274 or visit www.littlesmiles.org.

• The Village of Wellington’s annual Father-Daughter Dance will take place Saturday, Feb. 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Village Park gymnasium (11700

Pierson Road). Tickets cost $50 per couple for Wellington residents and $62.50 per couple for non-residents. Additional single tickets will be sold at $20 per additional resident and $25 per additional non-resident. For more info., call (561) 753-2484, ext. 0.

• The Equestrian Idol Talent Show & Bash to benefit the Equus Foundation will be held on Saturday, Feb. 9 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Winter Equestrian Festival. Equestrian Idol is a casual evening of feasting and revelry with cocktails, dinner, a live auction and a musical talent show performed by multitalented equestrians. The Equus Foundation seeks to raise public awareness of the valuable role the horse plays in our society through the awards of grants to charities. For more info., call Lynn Coakley at (203) 259-1550.

Monday, Feb. 11

• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly luncheon on Monday, Feb. 11 at 11:45 a.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington). Members with reservations $15, members at the door $20, non-members $25. RSVP to (561) 790-6200.

Tuesday, Feb. 12

• The Wellington Village Council will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 791-4000 or visit www.ci.wellington.fl.us for more info.

Thursday, Feb. 14

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) hosts Teen Advisory Group (TAG) meetings on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. to discuss ideas for teen programs. Enjoy snacks, conversation and good ideas. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

Friday, Feb. 15

• The West Palm Beach Home & Garden Show will return to the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center Feb. 15-17. More than 500 exhibitors will feature the latest trends in home improvement, decorating and gardening, including some of the newest products in the marketplace. Experts will conduct live interactive seminars and demonstrations. Tickets are $9 for adults, $4.50 for children six to 12, free for children five and under and $6 for seniors on Friday only. For more info., visit www. floridahomeshows.com or call (888) 2540882, ext. 319.

• Hospice of Palm Beach County will host a lecture by Jim Towey on “Mother Teresa: Reflections of Her Lifetime” Friday, Feb. 15 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Palm Beach Community College Duncan Theatre (4200 Congress Avenue, Lake Worth). Admission is free with reservations. RSVP to (561) 227-5146. Saturday, Feb. 16

• The 2008 Outback 40-Goal Polo Challenge will be held at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (3667 120th Avenue South, Wellington) on Saturday, Feb. 16 to benefit the Polo Players Support Group. For more info., visit www.polosupport.com.

Saturday Morning Music

At RPB Veterans Park

Royal Palm Beach resident Mike Powers, a versatile and talented singer/guitarist, will be joined by dynamic vocalist Tanya Marie McPherson in a performance on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the courtyard area by the waterfall at Royal Palm Beach Veterans Park (corner of Sparrow Drive and Royal Palm Beach Blvd.).

The entertainment is part of the Saturday Morning Music in the Park program. The duo, who performed at the annual Royal Palm Beach Acoustic Musicians Guild Coffeehouse at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center on Oct. 13, have teamed up and plan to perform at Veterans Park the first Saturday of each month through May.

The Saturday Morning in the Park music program currently features Powers, McPherson, Willie Allen and Richard Dieker on alternating Saturday mornings. The guild meets the first Monday of every month (except holidays) at 7 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. All acoustic musicians are welcome to participate.

The guild is also seeking acoustic musicians who would like to volunteer their time and talent to entertain the community in the park on other Saturday mornings in order to keep the program running on a regular basis. The schedule

Wechsler ‘27 Dresses’

continued from page 20A end of the evening her deadpan line is, “here’s $140 and you know what you did.”

Heigl is natural comedienne as she demonstrates a parade of her old dresses, in a hilarious bar scene, singing a demented version of “Benny and the Jets.” After her success in Knocked Up earlier this

is flexible, but the prime time of interest is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Performers can be individuals or groups up to three who play folk songs, ballads and other soothing and contemporary music. All singers must either be musicians or be accompanied by at least one musician. Anyone interested should contact Steve Petrone at (561) 790-5149 to be placed on the schedule.

Midwinter Naturist Festival Feb. 14-19

People from throughout North America will gather Feb. 14-19 at Sunsport Gardens in Loxahatchee Groves for six days of fun, growth and community at the annual Midwinter Naturist festival.

This year’s festival will feature workshops on health, personal growth, bodywork, ecology, relationships, the arts and naturist rights.

There will also be sports, drum circles, musical performances, dances, sweat lodges, a labyrinth and activities for children. Attendees may choose from more than 245 activities.

Sunsport Gardens, South Florida’s premier family naturist resort, offers a heated swimming pool, spa, sauna, tennis, volleyball, petanque, nature trail, children’s playground, a full-service restaurant and camping.

For more info., call (561) 793-0423 or visit www.sunsportgardens.com.

year, Heigl has clearly become the “go to” star for comedies.

The plot is very meringue-light, but the movie is charming overall. It will never be nominated for any awards. None of the cast had to strain to play terribly dramatic scenes. But most people prefer dessert to vegetables any day. It may be a guilty pleasure to enjoy the film, but unlike a lot of other films out right now, the pleasure is actually there.

Seminole Ridge Service Organizations Collect Food For Jamaica

Three Seminole Ridge High School service organizations — the Student Government Association, the National Honor Society and Interact — undertook a food drive for the citizens of Jamaica whose lives were affected by Hurricane Dean last October.

Supported by donations and volunteers from across the campus and within the Acreage community, members of the three groups put forth a concerted effort to insure the success of their drive.

Following that success, Hawk head custodian Tim Canty coordinated delivery of the hurricane relief to the Newport SDA Church in Manchester, Jamaica.

From the church comes this message:

Greetings from the brethen of Newport SDA Church.

SRHS Athletic Boosters Plan Golf Fundraiser

The Seminole Ridge High School Athletic Booster Club is holding its inaugural golf tournament the Ridge Classic 2008 on Sunday, May 4 at the Ironhorse Golf & Country Club.

The country club, located at 8055 Ironhorse Drive in West Palm Beach, is a private course that recently underwent major renovations and enhancements.

The tournament will begin with registration at 11:30 a.m. with a 1 p.m. shotgun start in a four-person scramble format. A refreshment hour and silent auction will begin at 5 p.m., followed by a banquet dinner at 6.

Registration is $125 for individuals and $450 for foursomes if paid by March 31. If paid by April 27, the cost is $130 for individuals and $520 for foursomes. A $35 non-golfer package is available. Sponsorships are also available.

It is with a grateful heart that we, the members of the Newport SDA Church, Manchester, Jamaica, thank you wholeheartedly for the well-needed hurricane relief items that you have sent.

We are forever grateful for these items. It gave us joy to see the beautiful smiles that were on the faces of the recipients.

God bless you all.

Cleo Hynes (Mr.) Elder, Personal Ministries Director

B-Ball Makes Cardinal Repent —

The Hawks varsity boys basketball team defeated Cardinal Newman 59-52, making the Jan. 16 game their eighth win of the season. Hawk junior Tyrell Platt, who scored 17 points, led the team to victory. With this win, the team broke the school record for the most boys basketball wins in a season. The team, whose record is now 8-11, has six regular-sea-

All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the booster club, which provides much needed supplemental funding for the entire Seminole Ridge High School athletic department.

The booster club invites people to be a part of the event. There will be a limit of 100 golfers with 150 spectators anticipated. A monetary tax-deductible donation or an item/service for door prizes and auctions will help the booster club reach its goal of raising $10,000 to purchase equipment for hawk athletes and continue its annual athletic scholarship program. Support of the organization will help the academy programs as well.

People who would like to participate may register online by visiting www. yourenchantingevent.com and clicking on the link for charity events. For more information, call Nicole Love Weber at (561) 649-1500, Sandra Love Semande at (561) 723-3896 or Greg Williams at (561) 795-0804.

son games remaining before district competition Feb. 5.

Boys Soccer Competes At Districts

The SRHS boys soccer team fell short in its bid to upset third-ranked Palm Beach Central in the district playoffs. During the first half, goalie Michael MacInnes and the defense held off the Broncos, but with less than two minutes remaining, Central was awarded a penalty kick and took a 1-0 lead. In the second half, midfielder Brett Bonincontri scored his first career goal off a header from Alexander Ponce De Leon. The Hawks played strong again but couldn’t hold off the Broncos, who won the game 4-1. Despite the loss, the team had a much improved season with six wins and two ties. The Hawks expect to contend next year, as they’ll lose only three starting seniors.

PBC Film Showcase

Adds Student Category

The Palm Beach County Convention & Visitors Bureau, in collaboration with the Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission, has made an addition to the 2008 Student Showcase of Films — the Palm Beach County Video Competition. Students enrolled in Florida colleges and high schools are encouraged to submit entries by visiting www.palmbeachfl.com/contests. The deadline for submissions is March 31.

The Palm Beach County Video Competition is a promotion developed to increase the positive visibility of Palm Beach County on social media sites such as YouTube, MySpace, Facebook and others. Videos should creatively

promote Palm Beach County in a positive light, stimulating interest in the county as a tourist or business destination. Videos must be four minutes or less total run time and free of any copyright violations. There is no limit to the number of video entries submitted by one person. The top three videos selected will receive cash awards. The first-place award is $2,000, second place is $1,000, and third place is $500. Winners will be announced during the 2008 PBIFF Student Showcase of Films.

The Student Showcase of Films awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, April 15 at Palm Beach Community College’s Lake Worth Campus, Duncan Theatre. For more information on the Student Showcase of Films, go to www.pbfilm.com.

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

Food Drive — A parishioner of the Newport SDA Church in Manchester, Jamaica, with the barrels of food from Seminole Ridge High School.

Wellington Student Named Presidential Scholar Candidate

Tawnee Sparling of Wellington High School is one of ten Palm Beach County high school seniors named as a candidate in the 2008 Presidential Scholars Program.

The candidates were selected from nearly 2.8 million students expected to graduate from U.S. high schools in 2008. Other students are William Bell, Joseph Gerbino and Joseph Parra of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts; Anne Chen and Natalie Shibley of Suncoast High School; Dustin Katzin, Arianna Pattek and Max Ponoroff of Spanish River High School; and Blake Wertz of Jupiter High School.

Inclusion in the Presidential Scholars

Wellington Teen Council Presents Mix Concert

The Wellington Teen Council is hosting its third annual “the Mix” teen concert for high school teens of the community. The event will take place at the Wellington Community Center front lawn on Saturday, April 5 from 5 to 10 p.m.

Live auditions for the concert will take place on Friday, Feb. 8 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 2B at Village Park Gymnasium, located at 11700 Pierson Road.

Applications are required and will be available onsite. All teen bands and musical performers are encouraged to audition; six bands will be selected to perform. Performers who are unable to attend the auditions may submit a demo tape or CD along with an application, which will be reviewed for final selection on Feb. 8.

For more information, call Julie Strow at (561) 753-5262. Demos and applications can be mailed or dropped off to the attention of Julie Strow at two locations, the Wellington Community Center and the Village Park gymnasium.

Program, now in its 44th year, is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Scholars are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character and involvement in community and school activities.

The 2,600 candidates from across the country were selected for their exceptional performance on either the College Board SAT or the ACT Assessment.

Further consideration is based on students’ essays, self-assessments, descriptions of activities, school recommendations and school transcripts. A distinguished panel of educators will review

Scholarships Available For Women In County

Do you know a woman who wants to continue her education or go back to school and who needs a scholarship? She can qualify for a Doris Karlik Scholarship of $500 to $1,000 if she is a female resident of Palm Beach County who needs financial assistance and is studying for an associate of arts, associate of science, bachelor of arts, bachelor of science degree or a certificated program equivalent to one of the degrees listed.

The application is available at hwww.florida-aauw.org/branches/08doriskarlikscholarshipapplication.pdf.

The form, evidence of Palm Beach County residency, your latest transcript and two letters of recommendation should be received by March 1. This scholarship is sponsored by the American Association of University Women.

For more information, contact Naomi Rothstein at rothstea2@bellsouth.net or (561) 848-4914.

these submissions and select 500 semifinalists in early April.

The Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of 32 eminent citizens appointed by President George W. Bush, will make the final selection of the scholars. They will select one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and from U.S. students living abroad; 15 students at large; and up to 20 students

studying the creative and performing arts. The U.S. Department of Education will announce the scholars in May. Scholars will be invited to Washington, D.C. for several days in June to receive the Presidential Scholars Medallion at a recognition ceremony and to participate in events and activities with their elected representatives, educators and other leading individuals in public life.

ACREAGE PINES SCIENCE FAIR

Acreage Pines Elementary School recently held its annual science fair, which was a tremendous success. Congratulations to all the first- and second-place winners whose projects will be going to the Palm Beach County Science Fair in April. (L-R) Kelsie Heckman, Jack McDonald, Justina Garland, Tyler Morgan, Amanda Wyman, William Ruback, Justo Alvarez, Chad Bonincontri, Andy Batres, Zachary Viola and Corey Munoz. Principal James Campbell is shown in back. Not pictured: Michael Beardslee.

Crestwood Middle School Goes Green With Recycling Program

Environmental Science Club students at Crestwood Middle School have taken a leadership role for the school’s recycling program that began last October. Each week the club members collect paper recycling bins from each teacher’s classroom. Three 95-gallon bins have been filled, which translates to about 2,800 pounds of recycled paper so far. Why have the students taken on this daunting task? Eighth grader Marietta Merced wrote that we need to think about what we are doing and recycle to save the earth. If we keep the earth healthy, it will last longer. If you ever wanted to be a superhero, this is your

chance to be one.

The program has expanded to include “Weekly Green Tips.” Students have recorded various skits that provide tips for the Crestwood students and staff to carry out at home or in their communities. Shenae Singh’s tip is to turn off the lights when you leave a room. Ashley Caballero suggested turning off the water when brushing your teeth. Another tip from Rickeisha Graham is to carefully plan errands so as not to waste gasoline. Joe Genovese suggested recycling old cell phones and Josh Rodriquez said to recycle glass and plastic. Jake Winthrop’s advice is to replace incan-

WES PLANNING BOOK FAIR

Students at Wellington Elementary School are getting ready for a road trip of reading fun. A road trip is the theme of the popular Scholastic Book Fair this year. A wide selection of reading materials will be available to students and family members throughout the celebration of reading. Wednesday, Feb. 6 is family night from 5 to 8 p.m. so put on your traveling clothes, hop in the car and make tracks to the media center. The book fair continues until Thursday, Feb. 7. Pictured here are (L-R) fourth graders Jaclyn Humienny and Ashley Klinkowitz planning their road trip.

descent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs, which reduce energy consumption by 75 percent and last up to 10 times longer. Alex Vanucci added that unplugging appliances that aren’t used daily can reduce carbon dioxide generation from power plants.

This busy group has also started a fund raiser selling “Smencils,” which are scented pencils made from recycled newspaper. Profits will be used for an April field trip to Gator Park and plans are being made for another end-of-theyear field trip.

Sponsors Elisa Cruz and Christine Georgallis said the best part of the program is the enthusiasm and motivation that the students have shown. They said hearing them promoting recycling and expressing their concerns over the environment make this program successful.

Crestwood students Ashley Caballero, Alex Vanucci, Josh Rodriquez, Shenae Singh, Rickeisha Graham, Marietta Merced and Joseph Genovese with barrels of recycled paper they have collected.
Josh Rodriquez holds up a recycling poster.

MANY WORLD CULTURES REPRESENTED AT KALEIDOSCOPE 2008

Kaleidoscope 2008 took place Sunday, Jan. 27 at Centennial Square in downtown West Palm Beach. Kaleidoscope is an annual tradition where children from Palm Beach County schools partner with representatives from local cultural organizations to promote diversity and, this year, “going green.” For more info., visit www.wpb.org/kaleidoscope.

Sierra Schaefer, Cheyenne Da Silva and Matt Piescik go green.
Anthony Trillanes enjoys sand art.
PHOTOS BY CAROL
Wellington residents Maddux Bloom and his mom Sandy enjoy some pizza.
Yanelis Gonzalez, Steven Novoa and Alex Dewall of Okeeheelee Middle School represent Italy.
Some of the youngsters representing Italy.
Some of the participants who marched in the parade.

Glenn Blackwood Makes Dean’s List

Glenn Blackwood of Wellington made the dean’s list for the 2007 fall semester at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Undergraduate students earning a 3.0 or higher academic average for the semester gain the distinction of being named to the dean’s list at Georgia Tech.

The Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as Georgia Tech, is one of the nation’s lead-

ing research universities, providing a focused, technologically based education to more than 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Georgia Tech has many nationally recognized programs, all top-ranked by peers and publications alike, and is ranked in the nation’s top-ten public universities by U.S. News & World Report

Alijewicz Named To Tufts Dean’s List

Katie Alijewicz of Wellington

ABSOLUTE DANCERS

Jan. 11-13 saw Absolute Dance of Wellington take part in the regional heats of the heavyweight national dance competition LA Dance Magic in Orlando. Absolute Dance successfully qualified for the national finals that are to be held in July. Absolute Dance specializes in dance education for girls and boys ages two to 18. For more info., visit www.absolutedanceofwellington.com or call (561) 798-1388.

Shown here are Chelsea Hull, Elizabeth Hayda, Nicole Lehto and Kendra Stevens performing “By My Side.”

made the fall 2007 dean’s list at Tufts University. Dean’s list honors at Tufts require a semester GPA of 3.4 or higher.

Tufts University — located on three Massachusetts campuses, as well as in Talloires, France — is recognized among the premier research universities in the United States.

Phi Theta Kappa To Induct Reynolds

Sandra Jacqueline Reynolds of Wellington will be inducted into the Delta Omicron Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Palm Beach Community College on Feb. 10.

Reynolds, an education major, is the daughter of Jose and Milagros Muniz of Oxford and is married to Troy Reynolds of Wellington.

Students must rank in the top 20 percent of the class to be invited to membership in Phi Theta Kappa and must maintain high academic standing during their enrollment in the two-year college.

York Names Spratt To Dean’s List

York College of Pennsylvania named Kerri Spratt of Royal Palm Beach to its dean’s list for the fall 2007 semester.

To receive this distinction, students must carry at least 12 academic credit hours and attain a semester grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

Spratt, a graduate of Bishop Shanahan High School, is pursuing a degree in elementary education. She is the daughter of Dan and Mary Kate Spratt.

Staska And Gremaux Engaged

Nicole Gremaux and Matthew Staska recently announced their engagement. The couple is planning to marry in May.

The bride is the daughter of Karen and Dan Gremaux of Boca Raton. She is a 2002 graduate of Spanish River High School and received a degree in early childhood education from Florida Atlantic University in 2007.

The groom is the son of Diane and David Staska of Loxahatchee. He is a 2001 graduate of Wellington High School and received his master’s degree in ocean engineering from FAU in 2007.

Saving Lives — Florida’s Blood Centers representatives recently honored the Knights of Columbus Council 8419 for saving 7,371 lives though blood donations since 1987. Pictured here at St. Rita Catholic Church in Wellington are Knights of Columbus Blood Donor Chairman Jerry Fonda, Donor Development Coordinator Kelly Martin, Donor Development Supervisor Christine Storino and Grand Knight Tru Hall.

The couple currently resides in Santa Barbara, California but will be married in Lighthouse Pointe.
Nicole Gremaux and Matthew Staska

Royal Gemz Cheerleaders Shine At Florida Matchplay

The Royal Gemz All-Star cheerleading squads recently participated in the Florida Matchplay Cheerleading Competition held at the Sound Advice Amphitheatre in conjunction with the South Florida Fair and hosted by the American Championships.

All five squads shined as they competed against several other teams from South Florida. The Tiny Team and Youth Two teams received fourth place in their respective divisions, while the Pee Wee and Junior teams placed second. The Youth One team was named the Florida Matchplay’s Team Champion and received a first-place trophy.

The Royal Gemz cheerleading squads

are coached by owner Lori Sedore with the assistance of Kimberly Pepe, Lindsay Wooley, Jennifer Rountry, Kimberly Rountry, Sheri Blakeney and Devron Richardson. The Gemz thank all of their local community sponsors for their contribution to the teams’ success.

The Gemz training facility is located in West Palm Beach. The cheerleading program is open to boys and girls ages four through 18. Current registrations are being taken for upcoming tumbling classes and anyone who may be interested in being a competitive squad member for the 2008-09 season. For more information, visit www.royalgemz.com or call (561) 315-5470.

Hoenstine

Finishes Air Force Training

Air Force Airman Theodore V. Hoenstine has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches; and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises and special training in human relations.

Airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate’s degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Hoenstine is the son of Theodore Hoenstine of The Acreage and a 2007 graduate of Seminole Ridge High School.

Ava Marie Hopson — daughter of Christina Marie and Hubert Ivan Hopson of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Jan. 4.

Naomi Isabel Gonzalez — daughter of Heather and George Gonzalez of Royal Palm Beach was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Jan. 8.

Bianca Lynn Canales — daughter of Crystal Causey and Adam Canales of Royal Palm Beach was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Jan. 9.

Jesus Gabriel Surprise Cadet — son of Monica Romano and Wilcos Cadet of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Jan. 10.

Jonathan Leroy Bozman — son of Jennifer Lynne Wilson and Gary Lee Bozman Sr. of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Jan. 10.

Jackson Roy Roberts — son of

Mindy Troyer and Roy Roberts Jr. of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Jan. 11.

Troy Alexander Daher — son of Sal and Rebecca Daher of The Acreage was born at Palms West Hospital on Jan. 11.

Alexandria Olivia Smith — daughter of Christine and Jason Smith of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Jan. 15.

Conrad Janbez-Joel Swinner — son of Monique and Conrad Swinner of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Jan. 16.

Spencer Jaye and Colton James Kane — sons of Carrie and Gary Kane of Wellington were born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Jan. 18.

Keith Aden Rainbolt — son of Linda Marcello and Keith Aiden Reinfolt of Royal Palm Beach was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Jan. 19.

Trophy Time — The Royal Gemz Cheerleaders at the Matchplay Cheerleading Competition at Sound Advice Amphitheatre.
Theodore V. Hoenstine

175 ARTISTS DISPLAY WORK AT THE WELLINGTON ART FESTIVAL

Palms West Hospital Director of Education

Audeanne Donaldson and pediatric nurse Debbie Ladd check Richard Tucker’s blood

Southern Speeding A Concern

continued from page 12A limit is usually associated with more intensive development.

“This is a rural principal arterial roadway,” Carballo said. “The requirement for this type of road is usually 65 mph, but we will likely stay at 55 mph. When you go down to 45 mph, it becomes more urbanized. My understanding is the community wants to keep this road rural.”

Johnson said Loxahatchee Groves certainly wants to keep the road rural, but that didn’t mean the community wants a superhighway busy with speeding trucks and cars, especially considering county plans for a

The Seventh Annual Wellington Art Festival took place Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 26-27 on the Cultural Trust site near the Mall at Wellington Green. The festival featured works by more than 175 artists in various media. In addition to its painting, jewelry and sculpture offerings, the festival included a garden market, which featured a sensory bouquet of cut flowers, orchids, flowering ornamentals, cacti and succulents, and exotic and rare plants.

new landfill near 20-Mile Bend.

“Why can’t we slow this one down until it gets past us?” he asked. “I’m serious about the speed out there. We have dump trucks and semis, and if they put this waste facility out there, we will get 300 trucks a day on this road.”

Some equestrian residents expressed concerns that a wider Southern Blvd. would hamper travel on an interconnecting trail system reaching to the central part of the state. Other residents voiced concerns about the noise level the road already generates.

LGLA President Marge Herzog questioned whether work on Southern would encourage drivers to use the town’s “alphabet roads” to reach another thoroughfare. She also noted that at a recent Palm Beach

County League of Cities meeting the town hosted at Loxahatchee Groves Park on Southern Blvd., traffic noise made it difficult to hear the speakers even with a public address system, and asked if additional landscaping or a sound wall could be incorporated into the project.

Carballo said landscaping alone would not totally mitigate the noise, and FDOT would have to evaluate the cost of a sound wall along the road.

Given the rising gas prices and environmental issues, North Road resident Morley Schloss asked about the possibility of incorporating a light rail system into the project to decrease the number of cars on the road. Carballo said that if any option was considered it would be a rapid-transit bus service.

Amendment Villages Will Lose Money

continued from page 1A million from its budget last year and Priore said the village will find ways to cut more.

“We’re going to have to tighten the belt,” Priore said. “But we’re committed to providing our community the services that they are accustomed to.”

Priore said the village’s life and health services, drainage, basic water and sewer services, and road maintenance will not suffer from budget cuts. He expressed confidence that the village would weather the revenue loss well.

“People thought we couldn’t get from 2.7 mills to 2.34 and

we did, and we did it with a substantial reserve. We are still a well-placed community and our credit rating is one of the best there is, and it needs to be kept that way. We have a hurricane reserve, which is extremely important. I will continue to pressure to find ways to reduce and meet the necessary requirements to be able to continue to operate.”

Priore said he considers the level of voter support for the amendment as a mandate.

“If 64 percent of the people said to add to the homestead exemption and have portability, we have to listen,” he said. “The legislature created a difficult requirement for a constitutional amendment to pass, 60 percent. This passed by 64 percent.”

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER
Wellington artist Patricia Astudillo with some of her paintings.Royal Palm Beach artist Gary Carpientier.
Artist Elizabeth Sullivan works on a piece in her booth.
pressure.
A. Cesar Nogueira with some of his bird sculptures.Flossie Fallins of Strawberry Tree Farms serves a visitor.
Equestrian artist Debbie Sampson.
Sculptor Alvin Todd.
Milton and Molly Bereson at their booth.

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