MEET THE ROYAL PALM BEACH VILLAGE COUNCIL SEAT 2 CANDIDATES DARRELL LANGE, DAVE SWIFT & MARTHA WEBSTER PROFILES, PAGE 7
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Wellington Council OKS Alzheimer’s Day Care Center At Church
Volume 36, Number 9 February 27 - March 5, 2015
Serving Palms West Since 1980
WHITE WHITE WEST PARTY AT IPC
The Wellington Village Council approved a conditional-use permit Tuesday for an adult day-care facility for Alzheimer’s participants at St. Michael Lutheran Church at the corner of Forest Hill Blvd. and Birkdale Drive. Page 3
Reception At Whole Foods Market For Artist Emmanuel Gonzalez
A reception was held at the Whole Foods Market gallery in Wellington on Friday, Feb. 20 for Wellington Art Society member artist Emmanuel Gonzalez. The event was hosted by Whole Foods Market and the Wellington Art Society with live jazz music, delicious appetizers and wine. Page 9
Hanley Foundation Family Picnic Returns To The Show Grounds
The Hanley Center Foundation’s annual Family Picnic celebrated its 20th anniversary on Sunday, Feb. 22 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The event included VIP seating for world-class show jumping, adult and kid-themed silent auctions, children’s activities and a buffet luncheon. Page 11
OPINION
It’s Time To Re-Evaluate The High-Stakes Testing
High school juniors (and their teachers) breathed a collective sigh of relief this week when Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order to suspend the 11th-grade Florida Standards Assessment for English. At least for now, it’s one less test to take in a seemingly endless barrage of high-stakes standardized assessments. However, a more comprehensive re-evaluation of Florida’s testing system is needed. Page 4
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Horses Healing Hearts held its annual fundraiser White White West at the International Polo Club Palm Beach on Friday, Feb. 20. The evening featured dancing, food, drink, good company and amazing auction items, all for a great cause. Horses Healing Hearts helps children raised with addiction in their home by working with horses. Shown here are Maria Alvarez, Amanda Chaplin, Haley Olszewski, Agnes Raese, Atlanta Hackney and Nicole Everly. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 22
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
LOX GROVES TOWN COUNCIL, SEAT 3
Harris Believes Town Should Be More Responsive To Residents
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report Community activist Keith Harris is challenging incumbent Councilman Ryan Liang for Seat 3 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council. The race is one of two council contests on the Tuesday, March 10 ballot, which also includes several ballot questions. Harris, chairman of the town’s Roadways, Equestrian Trails & Greenway Advisory Committee (RETGAC), has been sharply critical of the town’s policies, especially its relationship with the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District. “I want to be a public servant. I’m not a politician. I never participated in politics, never was interested in politics,” he told the Town-Crier. Originally from Richmond, Va., Harris attended Virginia Tech, then J. Sargeant Reynolds Com-
munity College in Richmond, and received his state registered optician’s license in 1980. He was called to the Florida Keys in 1985 to join his family’s construction business. Harris and his wife moved to Islamorada, where they lived until 2006. That work required Harris to be a problem solver. “[In] my 30 years’ experience as a state-certified general contractor in building multimillion-dollar projects, I’ve designed scopes of work, I’ve developed plans and specifications for them,” he said. “I have contracted the work, I have completed multi-million-dollar projects to successful completion.” He kept his father’s business going until 2008, when the economic downturn hit. “It took down half the construction industry in the State of Florida,” Harris noted. At the time, he was also hit with life-changing news. “In 2006, I was diagnosed with
Keith Harris Stage 4 cancer and was given a 15 percent chance of living five years. We moved to Loxahatchee Groves to set up my wife in a business and a life that she would be comfortSee HARRIS, page 21
‘Team Player’ Ryan Liang Sees Steady Progress For The Town
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Two-term incumbent Ryan Liang is being challenged for Seat 3 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council by community activist Keith Harris, chairman of the town’s Roadways, Equestrian Trails & Greenway Advisory Committee. The race is one of two council contests on the Tuesday, March 10 ballot, which also includes several ballot questions. “I’m seeking my third term, and I’m basically just looking to continue what I’ve started,” Liang told the Town-Crier. “The town is still in its infancy, and there’s still a lot of issues we still have to fix. I’d like to stick around and help resolve those problems.” Liang’s family has lived on a farm in Loxahatchee Groves for 18 years where they grow fruit trees. He also works as a chef at a
restaurant in Palm Beach Gardens. “My other full-time job is working with the town,” he said. Liang feels that he is the better candidate because of his experience with town government. “I would challenge anyone to seek out more knowledge in regard to current issues and future issues that the town is facing, and I think that’s important, especially for such a young town,” he said. He also pointed out that he is a “team player,” ready to work with others to support the town. “I try to work with everybody, not only people who support me, but also my opponents or people who don’t feel that they might have a voice,” Liang said. “I always try to keep an open mind in regard to any issue that comes before the council. That’s what we need, as opposed to closedmindedness and divisiveness.” For Liang, a top issue in the
Ryan Liang campaign is the continued effort in cooperation with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to stop illegal manure hauling into See LIANG, page 21
Wellington Council Moves Forward On Saddle Trail Project By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council approved four resolutions Tuesday related to the paving of part of the Saddle Trail Park neighborhood over the objections from residents of nearby neighborhoods that the project would negatively affect them. The project was initiated by residents in the southern half of Saddle Trail who were willing to pay an assessment to have paving and municipal water service in their community. The first two resolutions granted joint ownership of roadways in the Acme Improvement District to the village in order to protect both entities from possible lawsuits. Village Manager Paul Schofield said that after Wellington incorporated, the Acme Improvement District became dependent to the village. Despite that, Schofield
pointed out that it is a special taxing district created by the state and has powers that the village does not. “What we’re doing here is in light of some of the questions raised in the process of Saddle Trail,” Schofield said. “Wellington can operate and maintain roads. So does Acme. What we are doing is for those certain Acme roadways, this places them in joint ownership with Wellington so that whatever questions might exist in anybody’s mind, those are eliminated and removed. We don’t believe that this is necessary. This is something being done in an abundance of caution.” Schofield added that the council also sits as the Acme board and that agenda items are labeled as such. Councilman Matt Willhite asked why the issue was coming up now, See SADDLE TRAIL, page 4
EAF LUMINARY AWARD
The Equestrian Aid Foundation’s “A Night of Legends” was an evening of cocktails, dinner and unique entertainment held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. (Above) At the event, the Equestrian Aid Foundation presented its 2015 Luminary Award to Equestrian Sport Productions CEO Mark Bellissimo. STORY & MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
RPB Zoners OK Taco Bell Plan For Old Checkers Site By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday recommended approval of a major site plan modification to demolish the existing Checkers building at 1318 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. to build a new, 2,137-square-foot Taco Bell restaurant with a drive-through. Site Plan Coordinator Kevin Erwin said the site sits on an outparcel within the Crossroads shopping plaza. “The site has been vacant for a number of years,” Erwin said. “Restaurant with drive-through is listed as a special exception use within the general commercial zoning district. The applicant is also seeking approval for the building’s architecture, colors, signs and landscape plan.” He said the application, by
Cornelison Engineering & Design, meets all dimensional requirements of the village code, including the number of required parking spaces. “In addition, drive-throughs require stacking and queuing spaces,” he said. “A total of seven queuing spaces is required. Seven spaces have been provided. There was some concern by our village engineer for a potential for queuing to stack out into Royal Palm Beach Blvd. There is a special condition of approval that if that happens within a 365-day period more than 10 times, remedial action will be taken by Taco Bell, up to and including closing the drive-through.” Commissioner Joseph Boyle asked about the landscaping changes, and Erwin said the applicant is requesting infill landSee TACO BELL, page 3
Western-Themed Fun At West Fest In Royal Palm
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report Royal Palm Beach’s West Fest is coming up Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 6-8 at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park as the “wild west” gets ready to take over the village. With many musical acts, carnival rides, a Food Truck Invasion Round Up, western arts and crafts vendors, a western encampment village, hayrides, horse and carriage rides, a petting zoo and more, there is sure to be something for everyone at the free, familyfriendly festival. “We have four national acts from Nashville,” Community & Cultural Events Superintendent Carlos Morales noted. “I think we really have a good lineup. People
are going to be surprised.” On Friday evening, Lexi Luca, Adrianna Siena, County Line Road and Radio Romance will play. On Saturday, Burnt Biscuit, the Sweeney Family Band, the Tim Charron Band, Kristen Kelly and Walter McGuire will take to the stage. Sunday’s entertainment features Promenade Action, the Jess Taylor Band, Grayson Rogers and the Old Southern Moonshine Revival Band. In addition to the music, Royal Palm Beach is showing off some of the newer features of the park through hayrides, horse and carriage rides and a disc golf tournament, Morales said. “We actually have 18 holes of disc golf now at the park,” he said. “We have an organizer who will be
running the tournament. It will be a great way to introduce disc golf to a lot of people.” In addition to the disc golf tournament, there will also be a cornhole tournament and a demonstration by the Royal Palm Beach Police Athletic League. There will be a chili cookoff on Saturday and Sunday, with professional and amateur cooks, Morales said, where they will compete for a people’s choice award. A $10 tasting kit will be available, while supplies last, for visitors to check out the competition. Saturday morning there is a 5K charity run — Micayla’s Monarch Miracle 5K — to benefit a Royal Palm Beach High School student who is fighting lymphoma. The always-popular Miss and
Mr. West Fest Pageant has returned, and the Royal Palm Beach Green Market & Bazaar will visit during the weekend. Carnival rides are available with $20 daily access bracelets. In contrast to the rides is the Western Encampment Village, where pioneers are set up. Some nights there will be a fire, or an old-fashioned wheel barrel. It’s a western-themed area that adds to the atmosphere, Morales explained. The everyday things that are normally at the park will also be available, so there is plenty for everyone to experience during West Fest, he said. Offering parking advice, Morales said, “Come early, when parking is easier.” In addition to parking at the
park, there will be offsite parking at Village Hall and Lindsay Ewing Park, with a shuttle bringing people to Commons Park. West Fest takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday, March 6; 1 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, March 7; and 1 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 8. To learn more, or sign up for one of the events, visit www. rpbwestfest.com.