UNDERWOOD ISSUES HIS FINAL REPORT SEE STORY, PAGE 3
FAMILY FUN DAY AT PBSC LOX CAMPUS SEE PHOTOS, PAGE 7
THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
Your Community Newspaper
INSIDE
Volume 40, Number 8 February 22 - February 28, 2019
Serving Palms West Since 1980
INAUGURAL SHARE THE LOVE BASH
2019 GUIDE
Pages 17 thru 19
WCF Launches Arle And Ken Adams Scholarship Application Process
The Wellington Community Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2019 Arle and Ken Adams Scholarship, open to all of Wellington’s graduating high school seniors. Page 3
Above & Beyond In RPB Preschool Encourages Kids To Learn And Grow
A colorful fish tank filled with live versions of Finding Nemo characters is not the only thing that greets visitors when walking into Above & Beyond Preschool. Now under new ownership, the long-standing facility located at 672 Camellia Drive in Royal Palm Beach is updating its educational programs and infrastructure. Page 7
Horses & Hounds Charitable Foundation Hosts Fundraiser
The 10th annual Horses & Hounds Charitable Foundation fundraiser was held Sunday, Feb. 17 at Horses & Hounds Farm in Homeland. Jeri Caprio and Jane Bistline of the Horses & Hounds Charitable Foundation hosted the event to support the Tri County Animal Rescue. Page 13
Wolverines Notch Sixth-Straight Title With Win Over Jupiter
The Wellington High School boys basketball team continues to make school history, this time notching a sixth-straight district title with a 50-42 victory over Jupiter High School on Friday, Feb. 15. Page 23 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 20 LETTERS.................................. 4 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 PEOPLE................................... 8 SCHOOLS................................ 9 COLUMNS............................. 18 CALENDAR............................ 20 BUSINESS............................. 21 SPORTS..........................23 - 24 CLASSIFIEDS................ 25 - 26 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
Nearly 150 guests attended the inaugural Share the Love Bash celebration hosted by Feeding the Hungry Inc. on Saturday, Feb. 16 at the Wellington National Golf Club. The goal of the fundraising event was to help grow the organization from a group of trucks to a full food distribution facility. In addition to dinner and drinks, participants enjoyed a silent auction, raffle prizes, a wine pull and an interactive photo booth. Shown above, Roland and Sara Valdivieso and Stephanie and Christopher Mills served as honorary chairs for the event. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 10 PHOTO BY CALLIE SHARKEY AND LILA GOLDSTEIN/TOWN-CRIER
Anita Kane And Lisa El-Ramey Vying For Lox Council Seat 3
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Incumbent Councilwoman Anita Kane and challenger Lisa El-Ramey are running for Seat 3 of the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council in the Tuesday, March 12 election. Kane was appointed to the council in December 2018 to fill the seat of former Councilwoman Joyce Batcheler, who resigned in November. Kane and El-Ramey are vying to fill the remaining two years of the current Seat 3 term. El-Ramey is a Florida native and an 18-year resident of Loxahatchee Groves. She graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in zoology. “I have been a professional equestrian since 1994,” El-Ramey said. Her achievements as an equestrian include many national championship victories for herself and her clients. “I grew up in Broward County, the north end. It was unincorporated at the time,” she said, explaining that she was encouraged to participate in all types of equestrian activities. “I’ve ridden jumpers, western, played polo on a casual basis. I’ve driven horses and taken horses to the beach. You name it, I’ll do it.”
El-Ramey said she came to Loxahatchee Groves to flee the tide of population growth. She feels that this is a critical moment in the existence of the town to retain its rural environment. “I feel that we need equestrian representation on the board, not somebody who’s been mostly a horse owner, but for some people, this is their actual lifestyle, this is their business,” El-Ramey said. “I think we have a romantic notion of agriculture here in Loxahatchee Groves that is not big sugar, big vegetable, whatever, but… small operations, and people who are operating the facilities generally live there.” El-Ramey said the equestrian community benefits from living close to Wellington but having lower costs and taxes and fewer restrictions. “When the billionaires run the millionaires out of [Wellington], they want to come here, and we want to make sure that, as we’re deciding on how to retain the rural nature of the town and deal with the growth that is somewhat inevitable around us, and make sure that the changes that we’re making protect all aspects of the town’s interests, but mostly retain-
ing the rural, agricultural nature of the town,” she said. “That was my impetus for running. I don’t see that being the case in the current structure.” El-Ramey explained that there are many serious equestrians coming into Loxahatchee Groves who are investing into their properties. “We’re seeing a lot of newer facilities going in, people investing in stabling, fencing, arenas, irrigation,” she said. “It’s a huge investment, and people want to settle down and put their roots here.” However, El-Ramey said that the town must not follow the Wellington mentality of having bridle paths that are perfectly groomed and the high taxes that go along with those amenities. “I don’t believe that any of the people settling here now want the Wellington lifestyle,” she said. El-Ramey said some of the Wellington equestrians have chosen to escape the restrictions that have made it too expensive to keep horses, but she thinks that road problems are a big issue for equestrians. “I, myself, live almost at the end of my road,” El-Ramey said. “My dirt road became impassible See LOX SEAT 3, page 20
Indian Trail Continues Traffic Calming Push
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors heard an update on the progress of traffic calming efforts in The Acreage on Wednesday, Feb. 20 and approved the submission of transportation projects for funding through the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency. Traffic engineering consultant Joe Capra with Captec Engineering reported on progress of a stop sign study that is underway, as well as grants that he would like to pursue, and several projects that have received grant funding. “In the past several years, the district has been discussing with Palm Beach County’s engineering department that we have had quite a few accidents out here,” Capra said. He explained that in addition to accidents, they have found excessive speed in many areas. “We want to improve the intersections and traffic control, but
it’s important to recognize that the district is not in charge of the roads. Essentially, Palm Beach County controls traffic control,” Capra said. In November 2018, he met with County Engineer David Ricks and his staff, and they offered several initiatives that ITID could take. “One of those things was to look at our stop signs,” Capra said. “We pointed it out to them because we thought that we had too many accidents, and one of them specifically at Hall and Northlake. We talked to them about potentially putting in a signal at that intersection, and they were very hesitant to do that. They feel there’s other improvements that could be made, and at your last meeting, I asked for approval on putting a lighted stop sign there.” Capra added that ITID also plans to refresh the rumble strips, freshen the paint and put in delineators to make it clear that there is an intersection that seems to take some drivers by surprise after See ITID TRAFFIC, page 4
NATIONS CUP EVENT
The Palm Beach Masters Series returned to Wellington as Deeridge Farms hosted six different nations in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup of the United States of America on Sunday, Feb. 17. Mexico took the top spot with a score of four. Israel won silver with an overall score of nine, while the United States claimed bronze with a final score of 12. Shown above, Mexico’s Manuel Gonzalez Dufrane clears the final bars to claim victory. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY CALLIE SHARKEY/TOWN-CRIER
Bench Aimed At Suicide Prevention Finds A Home In Wellington’s Village Park
By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report Josh’s Benches for Awareness, a new Wellington-based nonprofit, unveiled the first of its bright yellow benches on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at Wellington’s Village Park on Pierson Road. The organization was founded in honor of Joshua Nadelbach, a Wellington resident and victim of suicide who died last year at age 21. The benches are engraved with information on resources to assist those struggling with mental health issues. “This is the very first bench, and it means a lot to us because not only is it in the same park that Josh used to go to, but it symbolizes the start of this whole movement,” Josh’s Benches co-founder Victor Perez explained. “This is one way that we can introduce a physical symbol that represents the awareness of mental health issues. This is a real issue, and there is no more hiding it. We are trying to show it by putting it on a big bright bench.” The concept of using a bench to create awareness about suicide risk came from Joshua Nadelbach’s mother, Cindy. “Yellow is for ‘hello.’ I have gone to suicide awareness walks, and all the posters say to take the stigma out of the darkness. People don’t want to talk about it, they push it under the carpet, and they
think if you don’t talk about it, it’s not going to happen,” Cindy Nadelbach said. “But it is just the opposite. You talk about it, and it won’t happen.” Communication is the key message with Josh’s Benches. From the resources directly printed on the bench itself, to the goal of bringing awareness to the issue of mental health, the bright yellow benches are meant to be used by everyone. “It’s an epidemic. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, if you’re an athlete or a regular person. Suicide affects a lot of people, and it’s out of control,” said Joshua’s father, Barry Nadelbach. Among the many Wellington leaders in attendance were Mayor Anne Gerwig and Councilman John McGovern. “We are sorry for the tragedy for this family, but if we can be a part of turning it into something that can get awareness out, so this doesn’t happen to another young adult — we are proud to do that,” Gerwig said. After a firm concept was in place, Cindy Nadelbach reached out to McGovern while looking for a location where the inaugural bench could be placed. “Cindy Nadelbach talked about the fact that she had a deep passion to make sure that what happened to her and her family did not happen to another Wellington family,”
McGovern said. “Something that is as simple as this bench that says there is help before making an ultimate decision, is a good thing. I think to have this bench promotes conversation and dialogue. It prompts people to have tough conversations in a constructive way.” With future plans that include benches in all K-12 schools across Palm Beach County, and talks with Palm Tran now in process, the journey for Josh’s Benches for Awareness has just begun. “I feel like communication is very huge on a personal level. For See JOSH’S BENCH, page 4
Mayor Anne Gerwig, Cindy Nadelbach and Councilman John McGovern find the new bench a great addition to Village Park.
PHOTOS BY CALLIE SHARKEY/TOWN-CRIER
Cindy Nadelbach, Victor Perez and Barry Nadelbach unveil the new bench.