The Wellington Village Council voted Tuesday to suspend a senior housing market study until effects of a planned assisted-living facility and voter-approved property tax changes are better understood.
The decision was met with approval from residents of the Village Walk subdivision, where the village was considering placing a senior housing facility. The project would have been in addition to the Sunrise assisted-living facility project recently approved for a slice of villageowned land on State Road 7.
In September, the council gave the go-ahead for a study to explore the possibility of developing affordable housing units for senior citizens, with an eye on a village-owned 15-acre parcel at Village Walk as a potential site. The developer-donated parcel was originally intended for a civic purpose.
In November, council members met with Village Walk residents concerned about the possible negative effects of an affordable senior housing project built in their neighborhood.
The resolution approved by the council Tuesday notes that when the market study resumes, it will not focus on the feasibility of a specific site.
Mayor Tom Wenham thanked residents who attended the Tuesday council meeting for their input on both sides of the issue. “You residents wanted something, and you worked hard for this,” he said. “We have
worked equally as hard to put something together for the total community. We represent the total community and not just a segment of the community.”
Councilwoman Laurie Cohen said that while she supported the resolution, the village cannot forget its senior population and must come up with something to meet their needs.
“I think it’s great that we redo our needs analysis as a result of the changing market,” she said.
Before the council voted, members of the public got a chance to comment.
Seniors advocate Tony Fransetta told council members he’d never heard of a senior who willingly moved into a nursing home and said the village’s priority should be to help seniors stay put as long as socially and medically possible. He urged the council to review the village’s policies and programs for seniors, and proceed with a needs analysis without delay.
“It is requested that this land be located on the west side of State Road 7, and the housing remain affordable,” he said.
“You should identify any third parties who want to be involved, and use the housing for the benefit of the Wellington seniors. I would ask the council to come forth with a motion of clarification that we proceed with the needs analysis study that not be specifically designated for a piece of land. We take care of the equestrian community. It’s time we step up and do the right thing for the senior community.”
Village Walk resident Melissa
Fritsch asked council members to consider her three young children when they decide how to develop the civic site at Village Walk, noting that “under Florida law, any student living within a two-mile radius of their school is not eligible for bus service.” She said that a highdensity housing project at the site would be dangerous for those walking and riding bicycles to school.
Village Walk resident Ruth
Kurtz identified herself as a senior and said that even the suggestion of building senior housing in her subdivision had negative consequences.
“I must speak to the bigger issue,” Kurtz said. “I am opposed to the senior affordable housing on principal because government involvement is not appropriate on the Village Walk site. It’s also not appropriate anywhere in Wellington and the USA. That sounds kind of rad-
ical, but the proposal that is before you is radical. Wellington officials came to our meeting to assure us that this proposal was not a plan to build subsidized housing, low-income or Section 8 housing. The unintended consequences of this were evident right off. In our own community, private sellers, within the affordable price range, were already trying to sell their homes. If the Wellington government
VINCEREMOS RIDER OF THE YEAR
were on hand for an evening of dinner, music and dancing, as well as live and silent auctions. Shown here are U.S. Equestrian
and Candace
Patrick. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 17A
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The Royal Palm Beach Recreation Advisory Board approved a recommendation from Parks & Recreation Director Lou Recchio on Monday to request $250,000 from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to support the recreational trails program at the planned Village Commons Park.
“We’re putting in a walking, jogging and biking trail,” Recchio told the board. “That qualifies us to apply for this grant.”
Bids for construction of the $16 million first phase of the 160-acre park are scheduled to go out in May. The recreational trail is slated to go around the park’s perimeter.
“We’ll try and get as much
grant money as we can, not only from the state but from the federal government, too,” Recchio said. “Up to this point our grant applications have been very successful. We don’t want to miss a beat.”
A key feature in the park will be a nine-hole golf course, some of which will be fashioned out of the old Tradition Golf Club whose land the park will occupy. The village has signed with the Bates Golf Design Group of Palm Beach Gardens to design the nine-hole facility. Recchio told the Town-Crier the village is in the process of finding a management company to oversee the course when it is complete.
“We’re getting our listings together as to what it’s going to cost to bring someone in to manage it,” he said.
PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Go Gr Green een At W WestFest estFest This
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
The Palms West Chamber of Commerce has high hopes for a bigger, “greener” version of its signature annual event this Saturday and Sunday.
The annual Palms WestFest has long been a festival of family fun and entertainment for residents of the western communities and visitors alike, but this year organizers are bringing the event to a new venue at Okeeheelee Park, expanding the range of activities and entertainment, adding an environmentally friendly emphasis, and changing the name to the West-
Fest Land & Sea Festival. Frequently held in and around the civic center of Royal Palm Beach, WestFest will have room to grow in its new location, Palms West Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jaene Miranda said.
“It’s a new venue,” she said.
“It’s at Okeeheelee Park, which is right off Forest Hill Blvd. The reason we moved the venue is we were trying to make it larger, and the facilities we were at in Royal Palm Beach weren’t big
W Weekend eekend
enough to handle what we wanted to do.”
The festival’s location at the Micanopy Pavilion in Okeeheelee Park is along a lake, allowing organizers to add the “sea” component to the Land & Sea Festival. “We’re next to a lake,” Miranda said. “It’s the first time we’ve been close to a body of water where we can do ski shows and wakeboarding shows. We’re excited about it.”
Miranda said she is also enthusiastic about the new environmental emphasis of the annual festival.
“We are trying to make the
The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center hosted its 22nd Annual Benefit Auction at the International Polo Club Palm Beach on Friday, Feb. 22. Plenty of equestrian supporters
Team members Margie Engle, Georgina Bloomberg
King with Rider of the Year three-year-old Brendan Paige and his dad
Wellington Candidates Debate Refunds, Village Hall, Job Centers
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
The eight candidates seeking seats on the Wellington Village Council fielded questions on the village’s current state and future prospects at a candidates forum Wednesday evening.
The forum, held at the Wellington Community Center and organized by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, was moderated by WPTV anchor Jim Sackett. The panel of candidates included Mayor Tom Wenham and his opponent Darell Bowen, Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore and his challenger Duane Christensen, and four candidates seeking the open Seat 4: Howard Coates, Timothy Shields, Dr. Fred Van Dusen and Matthew Willhite.
First the candidates gave their reasons for running and what they hope to accomplish in serving the community.
Wenham said he was proud of his tenure and his record as mayor. He said the village is in fine financial shape, but warned that the effects of the recent property tax reform amendment on the village are so far unknown and that growth-management issues should take priority, as developers would be eyeing what land remains in the village. “I stand firm in what we have created in Wellington, great schools and streets that are clean and safe,” he said. “You know me and what I have done in Wellington.”
Wenham’s challenger Bowen, president of the Wellington
Chamber of Commerce, said he would treat Wellington as a business and use his financial background and business management skills to do right by the residents. He said the village should watch its future growth, cut waste in its budget, and improve the efficiency of its spending. “We have the opportunity to make changes,” Bowen said. “There will be some clear choices when we go to the polls. We can effect the change we need for our future.”
Priore noted that he and his wife Marie have lived in the village for 23 years. Priore said he has taken his community involvement beyond the borders of Wellington, and he wants to continue to do so. “For example, I am on the board of the Florida League of Cities,” Priore said. “I am proud to be a part of this community. It is my pleasure to have served this community. I would like to serve four more years as councilman. I appreciate your vote.”
Priore’s opponent Christensen said he wants to use management and business skills he gained in St. Louis in serving on the council. “I became an entrepreneur of sorts,” he said. “In that capacity, I did a lot of things in the community and the state. I mention these things because in doing these things, it has taken a great deal of skill and leadership ability to work with people to make the decisions that are best for everyone.”
Seat 4 is being vacated next month by Councilwoman Laurie Cohen, who chose not to
seek re-election. Among the candidates hoping to replace her, Willhite noted his military service in Iraq and his current work as a local firefighter have prepared him to serve village residents. “I am not going to make any false promises to fix everything,” he said. “I will give it a try. Every day I am called to an emergency for people who dial 911. I identify the problem and also the best solution and the best outcome. I will get the input from all of you and try to find the best solution for all of us.”
Coates said he is running for office because he is concerned with the changes he has seen since moving to Wellington, especially growing traffic congestion and attitudes toward the equestrian community. “I am a businessman,” Coates said. “I am a 20-year practicing attorney. I committed myself professionally to the business community as well. I want to be a voice for us to have a cohesive vision in Wellington. Having businesses and services in Wellington, as much of a quality of life, are big issues.”
Shields said he is running as a representative of the future in Wellington. A college professor, Shields said he moved to Wellington for its quality of life, and noted that he also wanted to work closely with the equestrian community. “I want Wellington to be a great place for years to come, like many of your neighbors do,” he said. “I hope you will support me March 11.”
Van Dusen noted his background in the military, law en-
forcement, public safety and coaching. “At the present time, I am a college professor,” Van Dusen said. “I teach at both the grad and undergrad level. I am considered an anti-terrorist expert. I hold a doctor’s degree in criminal education and psychology and have had training from numerous other law enforcement schools. Vote for me. Thanks.”
Among the topics discussed at the forum was whether or not the village should refund money residents paid in 2005 for hurricane expenses now that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has come through with extra money for Wellington.
Willhite said he didn’t want to make a false promise about re-
turning the money and said the village should wait until it is in hand before making any decisions, while Priore said he had no doubt the village would get the money, and that he supported refunding it.
Coates said recent actions in the state and local level might make keeping the village’s promise to refund the money difficult. “When the village council members make a promise, the residents rely on it,” he said. “You have to be careful of the promises you make.”
Wenham said he supported giving the money to the residents, and that village staff has already been directed to put together a plan to do just that.
Shields said he supported
See FORUM, page 46A
Seat 1 Candidates — Dr. Carmine Priore, the incumbent, (left) and challenger Duane Christensen (right) at Wednesday’s forum.
Our Opinion Return Hurricane Fee By Lowering Next Year’s Assessments
The Wellington Village Council was right to vote to rescind its controversial Park Player Pass program Feb. 12 and refund the money residents have paid for them, in the wake of an unexpected windfall of $6 million in hurricane-related reimbursements. The Park Player Pass was far from perfect, having created its own set of problems, most significantly the decrease in registration for many of the village’s key sports and recreation programs. After the pass generated about $75,000 in revenue for the village, the council voted to extend a refund to everyone who purchased one, either resident or non-resident.
While refunding money spent on the passes was the right decision at the right time, the same unfortunately cannot be said for the current proposal to refund the $115 hurricane recovery surcharge the council assessed property owners in 2005 to pay for residential storm cleanup expenses.
Because the Park Player Pass program was still in its infancy, refunding the money poses no serious issues. The hurricane recovery fee, on the other hand, covered hurricane-related costs the village incurred during the bad years of 2004 and 2005 for which it was told there would be no federal reimbursement. Many argue that any reimbursement the village received should be returned directly to
Where Are The Details?
I heard Wellington mayoral candidate Darell Bowen speak at a forum the other day, and I couldn’t believe the campaign promises that he offered. He promised to build a senior center and a new village hall. And he said he’s going to maintain municipal services while lowering taxes. What I want to hear from Darell is how?
We’re already in a slowing economy. The housing slump has lowered impact fees. Our
the taxpayers, and some on the council voiced such sentiments when voting to approve the assessment years ago.
Because the recent windfall includes reimbursements from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for hurricane damage to village equipment, not neighborhood cleanup, arranging refunds for property owners would involve a bit of a budgetary shell game. “Borrowing from Peter to refund Paul” is not a wise way to run a village. While residents were burdened by the extra assessment, trying to right old wrongs three years later is simply wrongheaded.
Residents should benefit from the village’s late-arriving and unexpected reimbursement; however, it should be done cleanly and non-controversially through tax reductions in the coming fiscal year. A good way to do that would be to lower next year’s Acme Improvement District assessments either $115 for one year, or perhaps $60 for two years. While some might suspect it would be politically advantageous to simply cut refund checks — there is an election right around the corner — such action would not be in the best interest of the village or its residents. Sharing the benefit of the windfall by easing next year’s tax burden, on the other hand, would be.
Letters To The Editor
water system is collecting less due to drought restrictions. The new property tax rules will lower village revenues, this year and every year in the future.
A new village hall will run about $20 million and a senior center about $6 million. So how will Mr. Bowen deal with revenue shortfalls, cut our taxes and build $26 million in new facilities that we have to then maintain?
Let’s hear details, Darell. Howard Trager Wellington
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Bink Glisson Would Support Bowen
Darell Bowen and Bink Glisson were friends for many, many years; Darell was like a son to Bink — the son he never had. They had mutual respect for each other and enjoyed so many events together, especially community events. Bink, as one of the founders of Wellington, and with his vision of things to come, knew Darell to be a man of great integrity, a superb and honorable businessman, and a wonderful husband and father. Bink praised Darell for his compassion and his commitment to the Wellington community as well as his sense for what was good for the citizens of Wellington. If Bink were still with us he would be urging Darell to get involved and to continue to help make Wellington the best it can be. Bink would be proud to fully endorse Darell in becoming Wellington’s next mayor, saying “well done my good and trusted friend.”
Joan Glisson Hendersonville, N.C.
Wellington than Tom Wenham, and I hope that you too will support him with your vote on March 11.
Councilwoman Laurie Cohen Wellington
Adams: Wenham
Better Suited For Mayor’s Post
It is with a great deal of pride in the Village of Wellington that I sit down to write my second letter in as many months. While other towns and villages can’t get anyone to run for office, our village has a slew of PhDs, Yale-educated lawyers and retired business executives just eager to “preserve the quality of village life” and to “give something back.” Bully for them!
amount of time you think the council position takes. No more side trips to St. Louis or the Carolinas.
Paul Adams Wellington
Keep Art And Spanish Classes
Editor’s note: the following letter was addressed to Gov. Charlie Crist. A copy was sent to the Town-Crier for publicaton.
Dear Gov. Crist: I was so sorry to hear from a local middle school band teacher that there is even a possibility that our fine arts department could be in jeopardy. It is totally ludicrous that these areas be eliminated from our schools. The fine arts program in our schools is there for a reason — it gives our children the opportunity to be exposed to a creative environment, which is a much-needed part of their education.
Cohen: Keep Tom Wenham
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In the next several years, Wellington will face many challenges, including redevelopment of some of our older areas, building Park Site K, meeting the needs of seniors and continuing to provide the levels of service that sets this village apart. All of this must be done while simultaneously responding to our citizens’ demands that we keep taxes as low as possible.
These challenges require someone with the experience, dedication and the know-how to get the job done. That is why I am supporting Mayor Tom Wenham in the upcoming election. I have worked side by side with Tom for the past five years. I know his character, and I know his heart. Although he and I have sometimes differed on the issues, never have we differed in our love for this village and in our desire to do what is best for all of its residents.
Tom is a man of honesty and integrity, who is committed to doing what must be done to preserve and protect this community that we all cherish. I cannot think of a better person to be the face and hands of
However, as a former council member and past president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce I must take this opportunity to warn them they may get more than they bargain for if elected. Take the mayor’s race for example. I served with [incumbent mayor] Tom Wenham and have known [challenger] Darell Bowen for years (he’s one of my many tenants in the local business park). Both are good men, no question there. The major difference seems to be in management philosophy and governmental experience.
Tom is known as a “consensus builder” and one who occasionally goes overboard in letting citizens speak at meetings. He’s even been known to change his mind based on new information. Darell, on the other hand, puts an emphasis on top-down decision-making, which worked so well for him in the business world. His firecracker personality does not easily suffer fools. I suggest that the American system of government is designed with checks and balances and demands consensus. Business on the other hand only demands profits. In addition, the mayor only has one vote, just like the four other council members. Not the way businessmen are used to working at all.
In this time of financial turbulence, I suggest the village does not have time to “train” a businessman to become a “government servant” no matter how good the shoot, aim style sounds. Oh, by the way — all the candidates should triple the
As our academic subjects are important, so are our fine arts programs. I am of the belief that the creative classes that are taught through the fine arts program are as important as math, language arts, history and science. Why would the State of Florida want to remove programs that teach the love of music and art, not to mention the much-needed opportunity to learn a language such as Spanish, which is quickly becoming a standard in this world?
If you feel the need to eliminate Spanish classes from our students’ schedules, then you must prepare to have all (Spanish-speaking) immigrants learn English. Are you ready to put through such a requirement? I think not. So by eliminating the opportunity for our children to take such classes you will, once again, put our children before their Spanish-speaking counterparts, especially here in South Florida. You have already failed in so many of your promises, which brought you into office — are you sure you want to add another blemish to your record that will surely have you voted out after your current term?
The fine arts programs that our children have access to are a much-needed addition to their academic studies. The cultures that they are exposed to during See LETTERS, page 5A
The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit letters, with contact name, address and telephone number (anonymous letters will not be published) to: 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to 793-6090; or you can e-mail to letters@goTownCrier.com.
With Water Wars Near An End, Road Wars Are Just Beginning Point of View...
We’ve had years of the Western Water Wars and internal squabbling over local roads. The multi-million-dollar battle between the former Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors and Palm Beach County is about to be settled by the new board — a deal that will enrich the district by at least $9 million.
Now get ready for the Great Road Wars, one side led by ITID and Royal Palm Beach, and the other by the City of West Palm Beach.
Here’s a refresher course:
The Water Wars were actually fought on three fronts. Wellington is generally blamed for touching it off by attempting to send a new water line across Southern Blvd. to provide the small Seminole Improvement District (actually CalleryJudge Grove) with an emergency water supply. Wellington’s motive, some say, was actually to gain a utility foothold north of Southern Blvd., and perhaps even one day annex land to the west at Palm Beach Aggregates and on to the huge tracts of lands owned by Florida Crystals, which was (and is) keen on developing its sugarcane property.
Royal Palm Beach objected and the war was on. RPB claimed the move violated regional utility boundaries and that it owned water-utility rights north and
west, and that Wellington was impinging on RPB’s water rights. Meanwhile, ITID joined the fray by opening up yet another front, claiming for itself water utility rights throughout The Acreage that were being claimed by RPB. The ITID went to court over the issue (and others), amassing a legal debt of more than $1 million in a losing fight.
A majority of ITID’s then-supervisors claimed they had Acreage residents on their side. However, they soon learned they were wrong after a huge election upset resulted in four new members elected to the five-member board.
Enter former county commissioner
Tony Masilotti, who before he left office in scandal led the county’s charge to stop Wellington’s westward expansion plans while also engineering the county’s purchase of Royal Palm Beach’s water utility for a whopping $70 million — plus future water sales royalties throughout The Acreage and elsewhere in its service area. That deal was consummated about as quickly as it takes a faucet drip to reach the drain.
Wellington surrendered — for the time being, at least — and dropped out of the war. However, ITID pressed on, nearly bankrupting the district until the new board called a screeching halt to the madness. The current board now be-
‘Now comes the Road War that pits ITID and RPB against West Palm Beach and some environmental allies. That war has two fronts. One involves the State Road 7 reliever road that has been many years in the planning. The other is the Roebuck Road extension from Jog Road west to the planned SR 7 extension.’
Letters
continued from page 4A these courses are not only a privilege, they are their right. Myself, as a parent of a child enrolled in a wonderful fine arts class, band, will leave no stone unturned in regards to stopping the elimination of such programs. Wellington Landings Middle School is second to none in Palm Beach County, and one of the reasons for it being such a wonderful school is due to the fine arts program they have in place and the dedication of the teachers that teach these programs. Thank you for your attention to this matter. It is with great urgency that this matter be carefully thought about and that these programs stay in place.
Joanne Seibert Wellington
Protect Our Open Space
Wellington Mayor Tom Wenham has recently made numerous statements that are not really correct. He alluded that his opponent was a developer, yet Mr. [Darell] Bowen developed nothing here. The mayor also stated, “[the] village
must continue to guard its open land such as golf courses, and if we don’t watch it, the developers will come here and take over the golf course.”
Well, our council and mayor opened the flood gates with the Binks Forest Golf Course taking open space and restricted land, rezoning it for 90 townhouses, so they would have money for the golf course. But they are two separate projects and two different pockets. Will the golf course go back to the way it was after the townhouses are done? The village should rescind its development order, keeping our open space. So much for “protecting the golf course.”
Bart Novak Wellington
Throw The Bums Out
Not sure who to vote for in the upcoming Wellington municipal election? Let me give you 50,000,010 reasons (not a typo) why and how you should vote. First, the seemingly small 10 reasons represent the ten solid years of property-tax increases [Councilman] Dr. Car-
lieves it has worked out a deal with the county to bring the years of water wars to a whimpering end.
Or not. The ITID got a concession in its deal with the county to sue Royal Palm Beach (and, by extension) the county over the ten-percent royalty (future water sales surcharges) its residents would have to pay. ITID wants a similar deal. Now comes the Road War that pits ITID and RPB against West Palm Beach and some environmental allies. That war has two fronts. One involves the State Road 7 “reliever road” that has been many years in the planning. The other is the Roebuck Road extension from Jog Road west to the planned SR 7 extension. Both roads would provide significant traffic relief in The Acreage and Royal Palm Beach. And both are being opposed by West Palm Beach.
Mayor Lois Frankel has vowed to stop the Roebuck Road extension under the bumper-sticker slogan “No Build.” Not to be outdone, ITID has dismissed environmental arguments and has come up with its own slogan, “Human Life,” because Roebuck (and the SR 7 extension) would provide The Acreage with needed evacuation routes for hurricanes and other emergencies such as brush fires.
Fires have plagued The Acreage in recent years, such as one that shut down Northlake Blvd. And, just a few weeks ago, a traffic accident that killed two people in front of the Ibis neighborhood shut down Northlake, forcing Acreage motorists to drive an hour out of their way. Ibis is opposed to the SR 7 reliever road, ITID claims, because the upscale West Palm Beach subdivision doesn’t want to be pestered by traffic.
The source of the environmental concerns is the fact that the SR 7 reliever road would be built over the West Palm
mine Priore and [Mayor] Tom Wenham have given Wellington residents. It would have been 11 in a row, but the state legislature intervened in 2007 and mandated a property tax rollback to 2006 levels. (Wenham, Priore and the other three could have overridden this with a supermajority of four of five votes, but lucky for us, political self-preservation kicked in and they voted to uphold the will of the governor and legislature for some property tax relief.) Contrast this with Royal Palm Beach, which decreased their property taxes for the 13th year in a row. (RPB was one of the few Florida communities not mandated to roll back property taxes since they had previously decreased their rates.) Did I forget to mention that over the past ten years Wellington also had the highest percentage increase in property-tax revenue (over 600 percent) of all communities in Palm Beach County by a very large margin? The numbers quoted in this paragraph are pure untampered-with facts. It’s all from government sources, check for yourself if you like. Those are the first ten reasons.
By Don Brown
Beach water catchment area, an argument that county and state agencies have already dismissed. It’s West Palm Beach’s gated communities along Okeechobee Blvd. that object to the Roebuck Road extension. Of course, those communities were only built because Roebuck was supposed to be there to handle the extra traffic, a point RPB Mayor David Lodwick said he plans to bring up with Frankel.
Meanwhile, ITID, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County and who knows what other groups are making plans to show up in Tallahassee next week for Palm Beach County Day to lobby legislators for or against funding the SR 7 extension. All the soldiers in the Road War are also lobbying the Metropolitan Planning Organization and Florida Department of Transportation.
It is hard to believe agreements were supposedly in place decades ago settling both of these road projects. So much for agreements in the Wild West.
I hope County Commissioner Jess Santamaria steps forward to provide the leadership necessary to protect the western communities from NIMBY West Palm Beach, which in case you haven’t noticed can’t even manage its own water utility. Say you heard it from me first: the county is in secret talks at this moment with WPB interests entertaining the takeover of the city’s water utility.
The other 50,000,000 reasons require a little more work. First look at a Wellington property tax bill. Notice the Palm Beach County MSTU portion of the bill at 2.78 mills (the third highest tax on your bill), which is 18.8 percent higher than Wellington’s tax rate of 2.34 mills. This is where it gets interesting: multiply this by the village’s tax base of approximately $7 billion and you come up with tax receipts of about $20,000,000 annually. (For those counting all fire-rescue revenues sources, add in about another $5,000,000 annually for fire inspections, ambulance service fees, impact fees and property tax collections for a large number of developments served by the four stations in Wellington but located outside village limits, about $25,000,000 total for the four fire stations’ service area.) Now contrast this with what Wellington is paying for police services contracted for with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, about $6,500,000 for this fiscal year. First, I admit we are getting a great deal from Sheriff [Ric] Bradshaw; if Wellington had its own police See LETTERS, page 46A
West Palm Beach Police Officer Arrested For Burglary In Wellington
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
FEB. 25 — A West Palm Beach Police officer was arrested after committing an armed burglary in Wellington’s Edge on Monday.
According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington responded to a burglary in progress call at 6:42 p.m. When he arrived, the deputy witnessed 39-year-old Craig Lemanowicz of North Palm Beach walk from the side of the house. According to the report, Lemanowicz told the deputy, “I’m a West Palm cop” and admitted to burglarizing the house, adding “now my career is over.” Lemanowicz said he parked his truck near the Mall at Wellington Green and rode a bicycle to the house. A witness told the deputy that he was in-
CRIME NEWS CRIME NEWS
side the house taking a shower when he heard a window break, according to the report. The witness said he then entered the bedroom, where Lemanowicz approached him with a screwdriver. According to the report, the witness told Lemanowicz he had a knife, and twice told Lemanowicz to leave the house before walking him to the front door.
According to the report, a computer check of Lemanowicz’s record revealed a temporary injunction for protection against dating violence that was served Feb. 12. Prior to being transported to the Palm Beach County Jail, Lemanowicz told deputies he had no weapons on his person. Once at the jail, however, Lemanowicz was strip-
Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding this wanted fugitive:
• Tekishia Burgess is a black female, 5’8” tall and weighing 170 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. Her date of birth is 05/14/78. Burgess is wanted for public assistance fraud. Her occupation is unknown. Her last known addresses were Classic Court in West Palm Beach and Westhampton Circle in Wellington. Burgess is wanted as of 02/ 28/08.
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.
searched and a three-inch lockblade knife was found in his front waistband, according to the report. A search of the area outside the house turned up a screwdriver, blue rubber gloves and a loaded 9mm handgun. In addition to armed burglary, Lemanowicz was charged with possession of burglary tools with intent to use, the introduction of contraband into a detention facility and violating an injunction. As of Thursday afternoon, Lemanowicz remained in the county jail.
• • •
FEB. 13 — A West Palm Beach woman formerly employed at the BP gas station on State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach was arrested on Feb. 13 for grand theft. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the substation in Royal Palm Beach arrested 32-year-old Mistie
Howard at approximately 8 a.m. after a station manager discovered she had stolen gift cards from the counter. When confronted by the manager, Howard admitted to the thefts and promised to pay back the money but never did, according to the report. The manager told the deputy he later discovered multiple transactions made by Howard. In total, she stole $4,987.25 worth of gift cards. The deputy confronted Howard at her home, and she confessed to her actions. Howard was transported to the county jail.
FEB. 23 — A man and woman were arrested for shoplifting last Saturday at the Dillard’s department store in the Mall at Wellington Green. According to a PBSO report, 22-year-old Bedyna Joseph and 21-year-old Charles Judeline, both of Lake Worth, entered a fitting room with 10 items and exited with only nine. According to the report, a dress was found in a brown purse carried by Jude-
line. The dress was valued at $181. Joseph and Judeline were both taken to the county jail. FEB. 24 — A Wellington man was robbed by three men last Sunday on Wellington Trace. According to a PBSO report, the victim said he was walking to Sturbridge Lane from the Publix supermarket in the Town Square shopping plaza at 9:10 p.m. when a man came out of a thick hedge and grabbed him in a bear hug. The victim further reported that two other men came out of the hedge and wrestled him to the ground. The suspects were described as black males wearing black-hooded sweatshirts to conceal their identities. According to the report, the suspects took some of the victim’s personal papers as well as approximately $100. The victim said that after the robbers released him, he started running down the sidewalk with the robbers in pursuit on bicycles. According to the re-
Wellington Man Dies After Shooting Self, Son
FEB. 28 — A Wellington man died Thursday after succumbing to injuries from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, 43-year-old Jay Medore shot himself and his 18-year-old son Jayson last Sunday night during a domestic altercation at his home on Corsica Drive in the Lakefield West neighborhood.
Jay Medore was involved in an altercation with his wife Michel at 10:42 p.m. According to the report, when Jayson attempted to intervene, Jay shot him in the upper right shoulder, and then shot himself in the head.
Both father and son were flown via Trauma Hawk to Delray Medical Center. Jayson is expected to survive.
Tekishia Burgess
PBSO Safety Fair Coming To RPB
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office will hold its first Royal Palm Beach Safety Fair around the lake at the Royal Palm Beach Village Hall on Saturday, March 15.
PBSO deputies from District 9, which serves Royal Palm Beach, along with personnel from Palm Beach County FireRescue and the Florida Highway Patrol, will be among those participating in the event, scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In addition, the PBSO Explorers, Mounted Unit, Marine Unit,
K-9, Traffic Unit and Aviation Unit will have personnel on hand to meet fair attendees.
Among the safety fair’s activities will be a free car seat safety check, a bike rodeo for kids, a fire-rescue demonstration at 11:30 a.m. and a SWAT demonstration at 12:30 p.m.
The fair will also feature bounce houses along with free hot dogs, chips, soda, cotton candy, popcorn and snow cones.
Other organizations and agencies participating in the safety fair include the Palm Beach County Safety Council, Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control, the Palm Beach Coun-
ty Drowning Coalition, the Palm Beach County and Royal Palm Beach code enforcement departments, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Palms West Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re going to have a little bit of everything there for our community,” PBSO District 9 Capt. Tony Araujo said. “We want citizens to come out and interact with us and see what the sheriff’s office is all about. I want the people in this community to see what their tax dollars are paying for. It’s very important that they see what’s available if, God forbid, they should ever need it.”
Council Honors State Soccer Champs
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
The Wellington Village Council congratulated members of the Wellington High School Lady Wolverines varsity soccer team Tuesday for winning their first state championship earlier this month.
The council presented the team, along with coach Mike Kozlowski, with a proclamation.
Vice Mayor Bob Margolis said the WHS soccer program had made the village proud. “The boys and girls soccer teams both put Wellington on the map,” he said. “I go over to the Village Park, where the four- and five-year-olds start to play soccer. Ultimately, they get to the state championships. We are proud of you. I am so thrilled you are here tonight to accept this proclamation and best of luck in the future.”
Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto said she was especially glad to see a team of girls soar so high. “I am particularly proud of watching young girls achieve their dreams and do whatever it takes to realize them,” she said. “We hope you enjoy your activities beyond soccer. Thank you for being so committed to the community as well. Thank you to the coach for leading the girls to victory, and to the parents who are always taking their kids where they need to go.”
Councilwoman Laurie Cohen told members of the team to savor their hard-earned victory. “This must be a sweet victory,” she said. “You have come close in the past. We are tremendously proud of you, and your coaches and parents are proud of you.”
Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore was doubly pleased because
the players’ talents were not limited to the soccer field. “These young ladies spend a great deal of time participating in the sport, and they also have their school work to maintain,” he said. “A number of the ladies are all excelling in their schoolwork. They are honor students. I am particularly proud of that, and your exploits on the field. You have proven that brains and brawn and hard effort go together. I am proud of that. Congratulations.”
Mayor Tom Wenham congratulated the players and their parents and coaches as well. “Without them we would not be congratulating you,” he said. “We are so proud of you. It’s our pleasure and honor to have you with us this evening.”
Coach Kozlowski said he too was thrilled with the championship. “They did everything they did to become a true team,” he said. “The bond they have, and the closeness they have, comes from their work together. Our legacy is they finally won. Congratulations to all of you.”
Seniors Housing Study
Postponed
continued from page 1A got into the middle of this, that would put downward pressure on them.”
Village Walk resident Michael Babineau said he was pleased with the council’s decision to drop the proposal.
“We are not against seniors or senior housing,” Babineau said. “We are against any kind of residential development for land that was donated to the city for civic use. That’s the only thing that applies. I ask you to pledge to the residents of Village Walk that you will do right by them and use the land for a civic site to enhance the beautiful community we live in.”
Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore made a motion to approve the resolution, which was seconded by Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto. The motion passed unanimously.
Woman Stabbed At Home In The Acreage
FEB. 22 — The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance regarding a stabbing that occurred last Friday at a home in The Acreage.
According to a PBSO report, deputies responded to a house on Key Lime Blvd. at approximately 10 a.m., arriving to find 27-year-old Gadear Touma covered in blood.
According to a preliminary
Blotter
continued from page 6A port, when the robbers saw a deputy approach, they abandoned their bicycles and fled. The bicycles were recovered and placed into evidence.
investigation, Touma was cleaning her home when she was surprised by an unknown white male, who attacked Touma with a knife. Touma was stabbed in the torso area, arms and hands, according to the report. She was flown via Trauma Hawk to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, where she underwent surgery. At the time of the report, Tou-
FEB. 24 — A resident of Mizner Way called the PBSO substation in Wellington last Sunday to report a vehicle burglary. According to the victim, at sometime between midnight last Sunday and 8 a.m. the fol-
American Legion Post In Wellington Seeks Members
All veterans of the United States military are invited to attend a startup rally on Sunday, March 2 at 4 p.m. New members are needed to form the Wellington American Legion Post. Mayor Tom Wenham is scheduled to attend.
The rally will take place center court at the original Wellington Mall (corner of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace). For more information, call David Knapp at (561) 301-2961.
Pure Thoughts Horse And Foal Rescue Fundraiser March 15
Pure Thoughts Horse and Foal Rescue will host its annual fundraiser Barnboots & Baubles Carnivale on Saturday, March 15 at 6:30 p.m.
The evening will feature food, drinks, a casino, a silent auction, dancing, temporary tattoos and psychic reading, as well as special celebrity guest Amanda Sorvino, who will present a gift from her father Paul Sorvino.
The first of Pure Thoughts “Little Loads of Love” will be present at the Barnboots & Baubles celebration to greet visitors to the rescue’s new foal pavilion built by the Emily Vernon Foundation, a sponsor of Pure Thoughts. Tickets cost $100 per person and can be purchased at www.pthr.org or by calling Jennifer Swanson at (561) 254-0415.
Pure Thoughts is located at 19181 Capet Creek Court in Loxahatchee. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving, rehabilitating and adopting out horses, ponies and foals that would otherwise be destined for slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit www.pthr.org or call (561) 753-6555.
Vendors Sought For Garage Sale At RPB Veterans Park
Is your garage filled to the brim with boxes and toys? Are your closets and dressers overflowing with clothing? Then stop by the Royal Palm Beach Community Garage Sale on Saturday, April 19 at Veterans Park (corner of Sparrow Drive and Royal Palm Beach Blvd.). From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the park will be filled with venders selling their treasures to lucky bargain hunters. Enjoy a great morning surrounded by the fountains and waterfall, musical entertainment and refreshments at the cafe. Interested vendors can reserve their space at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). A fee of $15 will reserve an open ten-by-ten space. Reservations are required, and space is limited. The deadline to register is Monday, April 14. Call (561) 790-5149 for more information.
ma’s injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.
The suspect is described as between five feet, five inches and five feet, seven inches tall with short blond hair, blue eyes, and wearing a blue shirt and jeans.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the PBSO’s Violent Crimes Division at (561) 688-4000 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS.
lowing morning, an iPod and a pair of sunglasses worth a total of $600 were stolen from her vehicle, which was left unlocked. There was no suspect information at the time of the report.
State Champs — Wellington Village Council members with the Wellington High School Lady Wolverines varsity soccer team.
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, March 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 in October, 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
HONORING FALLEN OFFICERS
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office representatives Deputy Jim Corman, Deputy Rick Jackson and Sgt. Kevin O’Brien presented two checks in the amount of $2,500 each to Rev. Patricia Wallace on behalf of the Tour de Force fundraiser, sponsored by the North Miami Beach Police Department. The proceeds raised from the PBSO’s 2007 Annual Tour de Force Bicycle Ride were distributed to the families of all fallen Florida law enforcement officers who were lost in the line of duty during 2007. Wallace accepted the two checks for her family and on behalf of the Manuel family; both lost their sons, deputies Jonathan Wallace and Donta J. Manuel, in a tragic accident Nov. 28 in Belle Glade. Shown above, Rev. Wallace accepts the checks from (L-R) O’Brien, Corman and Jackson. PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER
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 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 call Steve Petrone at (561) 790-5149 to be placed on the schedule.
Registration Now Open For KidzArt Classes
The Village of Wellington is now accepting registrations for KidzArt classes. In KidzArt Discover, instructor Lori Alpern will introduce pre-schoolers to the delightful world of creative arts through praise, support and direction. KidzArt Imagine & Explore will take students in grades one through five on a journey of artistic styles, cultural interpretations and a variety of media.
KidzArt Discover is held on Wednesdays, beginning March 5 and continuing through April 30 from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. KidzArt Imagine & Explore is offered on Wednesdays, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. also March 5 through April 30, or Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m. beginning March 22 through April 26. Classes are held at the Wellington Community Center. The cost for each session is $145 for residents and $181.25 for non-residents.
For more information, call Julie
Strow at (561) 753-5262 or the Wellington Community Center at (561) 753-2484. If you are registering for the first time, be sure to register in person at either the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) or the Village Park Gymnasium (11700 Pierson Road).
Register Now For Cheerleading, Hip-Hop Classes In Wellington
The Village of Wellington is offering a fun, energetic and creative hip-hop dance class with lots of movement and great music. Classes are held Wednesdays at the Wellington Community Center beginning March 5 and continuing through April 9. Classes for ages five to seven take place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. For ages eight to 15, classes are held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., and for those competitive dancers, classes are from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The cost is $75 for residents and $93.75 for nonresidents.
The village’s cheerleading program teaches children ages six to 15 the fundamentals of cheerleading required for school tryouts and the Wellington Cheer All-Stars, the village’s competitive cheer team. Classes cost $75 for residents and $93.75 for non-residents and are held on Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center beginning March 6 and continuing through April 10.
The classes are taught by Christina Reickel. For details on both programs, visit www.wellingtoncheeranddance. com. For additional information, call Julie Strow at (561) 753-5262 or the Wellington Community Center at (561) 753-2484. Register in person at either the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) or the Village Park Gymnasium (11700 Pierson Road).
Loxahatchee Groves Garden Club Visits Color Garden Farms
On Feb. 16, the Loxahatchee Groves Garden Club met at Color Garden Farms, owned by Elise and John Ryan. The club listened to Christine Rainbolt from the Palm Beach County University of Florida Master Gardener Program speak about xeriscaping your gardens.
Rainbolt’s talk was follow by a golfcart tour of the Color Garden Nursery, and an explanation by Elise of how she manages to grow drought-tolerant plants, so she is less affected by the lack of water in the surrounding area.
The next Loxahatchee Groves Garden Club meeting will be held Saturday, March 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. Club members will learn how to create pond gardens and how to become active with the Habitat for Humanity planting projects.
For more information, call Marge Herzog at (561) 791-9875.
LGLA Hosts Adopt-A-Road Cleanup On Okeechobee Blvd.
The Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’Association hosted an Adopt-a-Road cleanup on Saturday, Feb. 23. Participants couldn’t have asked for better weather as they worked along Okeechobee Blvd. from the entrance to Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School on 162nd Street east to Folsom Road.
The 50-plus volunteers who showed up to work cleaned all of the litter on the north and south sides of the road. One of the Spanish-speaking volunteers even convinced the day laborers waiting to go to work to help clean up their areas around the guard rails on the lettered roads. The collection of the bags of litter required 12 pickup truck trips to haul it all to one location near the Adopt-aRoad sign at the Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School.
Thanks goes out to Loxahatchee Groves Mayor Dave Browning for
bringing his pickup truck to use for collecting the bags of litter and Vice Mayor Marge Herzog for organizing the event. Special thanks for the hard work given by Connie Kilgore and Nellie Benjamin from the Loxahatchee Garden Club. Outstanding participation from Seminole Ridge High School made the success of the event possible.
Mrs. Shawna Ahmad from Seminole Ridge High School helped shuttle the National Honor Society members and the Interact Club volunteers to the areas along Okeechobee Blvd. where litter was still present. Riverside Bank helped make the event more pleasant by supplying the volunteers with plenty of bottled water.
There will be another Adopt-a-Road event held Saturday, April 19 from 8 to 11 a.m. For more information, call Herzog at (561) 791-9875.
Garden club members Don Houck, Connie Kilgore, Peggy Houck and Lois Coates enjoy a snack after the meeting.
Cleanup Crew — Volunteers gather along Okeechobee Blvd. last Saturday for the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association’s Adopt-a-Road cleanup.
Wellington Election Question 3: What Is Your Opinion Of Development?
From now until the March 11 election, the Town-Crier will ask questions for publication each week to the eight candidates seeking seats on the Wellington Village Council. This week’s question: “What is your opinion on future development and annexation? What types of development would you like to see or not see? Where, if at all, would you like to see the village increase its borders?”
MAYORAL CANDIDATES
TOM WENHAM
Annexation is no longer an issue due to the county charter amendment adopted a few years ago. But development is perhaps the biggest issue Wellington will face in the coming years, and we have two types of development to guard against.
First, we must stop development on our borders, which our residents are forced to subsidize through overcrowded classrooms, traffic congestion and added strain on our recreation programs and public-safety resources. That’s why I voted against the Callery-Judge Grove development. I have repeatedly called for a moratorium on further development in the western communities through the restriction of additional utility hookups. Bluntly, control the water and you control growth. I will continue to work with our western Palm Beach County neighbors to deter excessive growth on our borders.
Second, we must hold the line on growth within Wellington. We always envisioned a time when Wellington would have over 50,000 residents. Our planning set aside land for great schools, parks and recreation, and the Equestrian Preserve. As we realize that vision and reach build-out, developers will be eyeing our green spaces. Again, bluntly — they only make money when they’re building. I will continue to make sure that development within the village is reserved for
Darell Bowen Tom Wenham
genuine improvements supported by the residents, not projects that only benefit developers. Wellington’s purpose is not to create business profits through paving over our green space. Wellington’s purpose is to serve our residents.
DARELL BOWEN
Most of Wellington’s residential areas are already at build-out. Future development is limited to mostly commercial property and the rehabbing of older residential properties. We must be careful utilizing the land that is left for things we really want or need. For example, we need more small and medium-sized businesses to support all the retail businesses that are already located here. We also need a university campus that would not only satisfy the needs of families, but also provide activities and opportunities for our seniors to continue their lifelong learning.
I support annexation only when it makes good economic sense for Wellington. Annexing just to get bigger makes no sense; however, if the tax revenues generated by the annexed areas exceed the cost of providing infrastructure and services, we should consider it. We also have several small enclaves along our borders that are not part of the village. Annexing those areas would give us better control over our borders.
In general, I am in favor of controlling future development to meet our needs
and that we not annex unless there are compelling reasons to do so.
CANDIDATES FOR SEAT 1
DR. CARMINE PRIORE
Wellington is surrounded by natural and man-made borders, the C-51 Canal and Southern Blvd. on the north, the South Florida Water Management District’s stormwater treatment area on the west, the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge on the south and west. From 1996 to 1998, as a result of visionary sessions, the comprehensive plan committee was created. The 2016 Vision soon became our comprehensive plan, with the firstever equestrian element. Our eastern border was extended to Florida’s Turnpike. The vision was to protect the front door of Wellington. Our borders are established. There are some pockets of unincorporated land and some land along State Road 7 north of Forest Hill Blvd. that belong to Royal Palm Beach.
The annexation referendum passed by Palm Beach County limits annexation to only the urban service area. The only remaining sites are along SR 7 and are adjacent to Wellington. I am opposed to annexation with the exception of those properties which would square off our border. But, for annexation to occur, the property owner must submit a voluntary request to be part of Wellington and a vote of the council is required.
The SR 7 corridor study — a joint effort among Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Greenacres, Palm Beach County and the Florida Department of Transportation — presents the potential for a series of specific results, namely job creation/economic development and reduced travel time to employment locations. The promotion of high-tech/highquality centers such as corporate centers and medical health care businesses would provide employment opportunities so our residents can work closer to
home. Business and employment opportunities, services and jobs for residents are among the top goals listed in Wellington’s Strategic Plan.
DUANE CHRISTENSEN
It’s time to shift our focus away from development and packing our streets with more cars… to preserving our quality of life
It would be a huge mistake for Wellington to again try to annex substantial amounts of land westward into the sugarcane fields toward Belle Glade and Pahokee. Three years ago the County Commission ruled that Wellington could not push its boarders westward; that it was the county’s responsibility to oversee development of unincorporated areas. Led by Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore, the village, based on the concept of “home rule,” took the county to court, lost the case plus $750,000 of our tax money. Carmine and the village were encouraged and supported in its lawsuit by the Florida League of Cities, a statewide organization he will head if he is re-elected March 11. My concern is that, as head of that organization, Carmine and the League of Cities will write a bill for consideration by the state legislature, that if passed, would give Florida cities the right to annex unimpeded based on the concept of “home rule.”
I would agree with small annexations
Duane Christensen Dr. Carmine Priore
Candidates
continued from page 10A on the immediate borders of Wellington, if initiated by the people desiring to be annexed. I would not agree to more shopping centers or the development of a town center, a huge mixed-used project lurking in the background as part of the village’s seven-year vision of the future.
I support the concept of a Wellingtonbased Regional Economic Development Council to pursue home or branch offices of large corporations and finally, a realistic “game plan” that allows the Cultural Trust to realize its remarkable potential to become a major contributor to our economy and to the quality of life in Wellington, the western communities and South Florida.
CANDIDATES
FOR SEAT 4
MATTHEW WILLHITE
It is my belief that all future development in the village should conform to Wellington’s comprehensive plan; this would include redevelopment and future developments. Development has to be looked at to make sure it meets concurrency in the area and won’t degrade the makeup of the existing community.
With regard to annexation, anytime the village expands its borders, it needs to be done methodically. When a city looks to grow through annexation it affects not only the people in the existing service area, but it can definitely change the character of the area being annexed. All future annexations should be accomplished while preserving and/or enhancing the quality of life of those being annexed. It is my hope that any future developments would promote family values, creating a family-friendly neighborhood. While new developments are being proposed, affordable housing should always be a consideration. Another area to consider would be to build multiple-use developments — creating a community that will allow people to work, live and play in the surrounding area.
Any time we look to annex and extend
our borders, we need to look to our neighboring cities and work hand in hand with them, to make sure that we don’t get in between a developer trying to get the best deal from each other, and that the deal is in the best interest of the residents. Wellington is a unique city in Palm Beach County. I would never want to change the character and quality of life we all have come to expect of our village. I moved here because Wellington represents all the things I want for my family, and I don’t want to lose those characteristics.
DR. FRED VAN DUSEN
I want Wellington to develop in a responsible manner. Development has to be planned and must keep within the Wellington charter and the PUD. The types of developments should be consistent with our current land usage. We have a need for office space and that would help to bring small business to Wellington and provide employment for people who live here. We have the best land-to-population ratio in the state and should keep it that way. Over-development is not the answer to a tax problem, it is just the opposite. Regarding annexation, there is just one question: will the annexation benefit Wellington? We should only annex if there is a need to. For instance, bring in to Wellington small pockets of land or developments that would create a more natural boundary or would afford Wellington a tax base. We are not in the land-grabbing business for the sake of having more land.
TIMOTHY SHIELDS
As the core of Wellington ages, we need to focus on re-growth rather than new growth. The future for development within the boundaries of the village is with re-development. We need to encourage the private owners of Wellington’s original commercial and residential properties to continue investing in the village to prevent areas from becoming run-down. We can establish redevelopment zones and work with the county to target affected areas.
Commercial properties should include the expansion of mixed-use projects on existing commercial properties within the core of the village to help eliminate traffic in and around the village. People should be able to walk or bike to local stores for their basic needs, and to develop a mix of local businesses and services. We can work with the local business-development organizations to help seed the growth of new small businesses — the engine that drives the local economy. We need to work with medium-sized businesses to keep them in Wellington rather than moving east when they can’t find the space they need to grow. We can work with the private sector to develop projects that are part of the character of Wellington. The equestrian areas should remain as such by not expanding unrelated commercial developments within the preserve area. Development should be encouraged that meets the needs of all residents. The village should not consider widespread annexation for the sake of fueling future growth. Annexation plans should only be considered if the properties are within the existing character of the village.
HOWARD COATES
We must not pursue growth simply for growth’s sake. Future development must be carefully scrutinized for its impact on our village infrastructure, traffic and congestion, and our quality of life. I am opposed to any significant additional retail development along the Forest Hill Blvd. corridor. Any development in the
Equestrian Overlay Zoning District must be managed wisely and sensitively to ensure its equestrian character and purpose and to preserve the unique nature of this area. As for other developable areas, I favor developments that will bring a positive synergistic benefit to our community by providing local jobs or enhancing existing businesses with minimal additional burden to our infrastructure.
In Wellington’s interior, we must encourage the revitalization of our existing commercial areas, as well as residential areas suffering blight. We must also seek to preserve as much green space as possible. I would be very concerned about any land-use changes that would permit conversion of existing golf courses to other commercial and residential uses. While due recognition must be given to an owner’s right to use and develop his or her property, such development should not be allowed to occur in a way that destroys the nature, quality and character of our community.
Finally, I would be wary of any significant future annexation because of the added long-term costs of servicing such areas. Still, I recognize there are areas that need to be monitored such as the land off Southern Blvd. along Wellington’s northern boundaries. What happens in this area could significantly impact Wellington, and we need to be proactive in ensuring that the village’s interests are protected. The best way to do this is to work cooperatively with our sister communities and to be good neighbors.
Howard Coates Timothy Shields Matthew Willhite Dr. Fred Van Dusen
County Commissioners: Don’t Rush Acreage-Area Overlay
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
Palm Beach County Commissioners decided Tuesday they would be moving too fast to push through a western communities overlay plan during the current comprehensive plan cycle.
Commissioners reviewed an initial staff report on the overlay, intended to guide and restrain development in an unincorporated, semi-rural portion of the county that includes The Acreage and surrounding rural areas. The overlay would replace the failed the Central Western Communities Sector Plan, which the county abandoned after it could not
muster approval from the Florida Department of Community Affairs.
In order to meet the deadline for state review in the current comprehensive plan cycle, the overlay would have to be complete by the time of the commission’s transmittal hearing on April 28.
Brushing aside staff appeals that the plan had to be in the planning tube at the same time as Callery-Judge Grove, which is making a second development appeal after being turned down eight months ago, commissioners gave staff two months to do a traffic study of the area through 2025. Other issues such as future density and water retention will be reviewed later, they said, and transmittal
could wait until the next round.
“We want you to have a focus point in a timely fashion, like the next 60 days, bring us back a traffic update,” Commissioner Karen Marcus said. “We ought to know what’s out there already. You ought to be able to run the model. All I’m asking is what the level of service is going to be in 2025, not who’s going to pay for it. Just tell me how bad it’s going to be.”
The commissioners’ reaction was largely due to what they felt was a staff traffic study for the overlay that was based on the five-year road plan.
County Engineer George Webb said a lot of traffic modeling was done in The
Acreage during the Sector Plan process and during the first Callery-Judge development application. The modeling made some assumptions in land use and was refined as much as possible, he said, adding that the model is one used by the Metropolitan Planning Organization to allocate state funding for area roads.
One of the models assumed that traffic demand would not change significantly under present land uses, existing development approvals and currently planned road improvements, he said.
Webb said that although some roads are congested now, with improvements written into the five-year road plan, there
See OVERLAY, page 46A
Acreage Horseman’s Association To Host ‘Play Day’ March 15
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
The Acreage Horseman’s Association is holding a “Play Day” on Saturday, March 15 at Hamlin Equestrian Park.
“All skill levels of riders are welcome and all ages as well,” AHA President Celeste Hathhorn said. “This is going to be a fun day for everyone and a chance for all the horse people in the area to get to know each other better.”
Registration for the daylong event starts at 9 a.m. with games and events starting at 10 a.m. Association member Linda Renna said the egg-and-spoon races on horseback are her favorite activity. “It’s such fun watching the kids,” she said. “They can be so serious about something so silly. But then they do it right and start to grin.”
The South Florida Mustang Club will have horses available for adoption at the event. “We have people who would love to own horses and are not able to buy one, and we also have some horses that
need a loving home,” Hathhorn said. “We want to get them together. Watching someone find a horse to love and vice versa is wonderful. That’s why we even welcome people who are just thinking about getting a horse. They’ll have fun, too.”
Deborah Knapp said the event will also feature horse safety training. “We’re also going to run a couple of ‘bomb-proofing’ classes where horses are trained not to overreact to loud noises and other distractions,” she said.
Hathhorn said the event is geared for the whole family. “We’ll have some little guys riding with their parents leading the horses,” she said, “and we’ll have some of the older ones as well. We’ll also have some horses for children with disabilities. We’ll have ribbons for all.”
The event will feature many vendors, particularly those who sell equestrianrelated products, and the AHA will also raffle a saddle.
Hathhorn promised good eating as well. “We’re going to have a bake sale
as well,” she said. “And we just got a new caterer. We’ll start out selling breakfasts and continue with plenty of good food. We’ll even be serving wine and beer to the adults.”
Hamlin Equestrian Park is located on Hamlin Blvd. just east of Hall Blvd. For more information, call Brenda Riol at (954) 648-3803 or visit www.acreage horseman.com.
AHA Members — (L-R) Deborah Knapp, Linda Renna, Helmut Schmitt, Carol Jacobs and Celeste Hathhorn invite everyone to their Play Day.
795-1404
Administrator Gives Direction To ITID Committee Members
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
Indian Trail Improvement District Administrator Chris King stressed the need for the ITID’s advisory committees to focus on the main goals of the district at a Monday workshop involving members of all three committees.
The workshop followed up on a Jan. 31 visioning session in which members of the ITID Board of Supervisors clarified the district’s priorities for the next few years.
The district’s three committees are intended to provide recommendations to the board of supervisors regarding infrastructure planning, the district’s trail system, and parks and recreation issues. Formed after the current board’s election in 2006, the committees have so far been focusing on issues they consider most relevant.
King called the workshop to explain the priorities the supervisors have identified, and to emphasize the need for the committees to concentrate on providing input on those goals. “We have a lot of projects, like changes to Acreage Community Park, where the Parks & Recreation Committee is obviously directly involved,” King said. “But the Planning Committee has to deal with the impact the change will have on traffic and changes in drainage involved, and the Trailways Committee will want to discuss ways to make the park friendlier to riders.”
King credited committee members with a great deal of passion for their work, as well as for some improvements including the new skate section of Acreage Community Park, the traffic-calming designs for the intersection of 140th Avenue North and Temple Blvd. and the work on creating a wider trail system in the district.
Noting that the committees tend to move in different directions due to a lack of communication, King suggested the three committees meet as one to discuss issues on which they all should offer recommendations.
Planning Committee member Bertram Shapero was concerned that the members of the separate committees might not be knowledgeable enough to get a handle on issues brought before all three committees at once.
Parks & Recreation Committee member Cliff Battles cautioned that some committee members might become discouraged trying to be heard among a multitude of voices.
While some Trailways Committee members agreed that joint meetings would be useful to address some district projects, some worried that such an arrangement might lead to the demise of the separate committees. Committee Chair Celeste Hathhorn said she would favor joint meetings as long as her committee would continue to meet and focus on its specific agenda items.
ITID Supervisor Carol Jacobs, the board’s liaison with the committee, said the Trailways Committee is already dealing with some very specific projects, including better signage for trails and special gates to allow riders into the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area. While she said the supervisors did not identify either project as a major priority, both would improve the riding experience for equestrians in The Acreage.
Trailways Committee member Helmut Schmitt noted that improving the footing for horses at Hamlin Equestrian Park is a high priority for riders, but the board had not put Hamlin at high on its priority list during its visioning session. “We have been working on all of our projects which are important to riders,” he said. “Why should we stop working on them? We can help ourselves and also work with the others.”
King admitted the board had not drawn a complete picture in its visioning session. “We needed to have dollar figures attached so we could make budget decisions,” he said. “But there are times we need to more forward on specific issues,
uniting all our groups to help solve our problems together.” King said the completion of Acreage Community Park is the board’s highest parks and recreation priority, but the work would certainly cost several million dollars. “We may not have the money we need in the budget to complete the project for several years,” he said. “On the other hand, we budgeted money to upgrade Hamlin Park in this year’s budget and finishing that might be doable now.”
Planning Committee member Brian Vasser suggested district staff put high-priority items on the agendas of all three committees when their views are needed. “Then we can meet together and worry about how we get past bottlenecks,” he said. “We can streamline the process. We might have fewer decisions, but the quality of each would be higher.”
ITID President Mike Erickson, the board’s Planning Committee liaison, agreed that diverse projects are worthwhile, but stressed that focusing on the common good takes precedence. “Putting up signs on the equestrian trails is valuable and should not be stopped,” he said. “But we want to move to complete more high-priority items, the ones that affect everyone in The Acreage.”
The workshop, like the visioning session, was arranged with a view to the district’s upcoming budgeting process. King said the current budget had been done “in backward fashion.”
“We need to set priorities and allocate money to meet our needs for them instead of doing the reverse, where we have to do projects based on how much money is left,” he said. “We’re starting the budget process for next year, and staff is beginning to identify what money should be allocated for our highest-priority projects. We had lofty goals for this year, but now we are going to look for more money so we can complete the work over the next months and years. We want to ensure that everyone is proud to be an Acreage resident.”
With Time Being Money, Leap Year Offers A Small Fortune
Leap year! An extra day in February!
Oh, man. If ever I needed an extra day, this is the time. How often have I threatened, “if only I had an extra day, an unplanned day, what I would do with it!”
Then came a string of plans for the unplanned day: I’d sleep late. That’s right, L-A-T-E. I’m thinkin’ 11 a.m. I’d turn off all the bells and whistles and beeps and dings that serve to wake me up if the previous bell, whistle, beep or ding didn’t do it, and I’d have a pillow over my head just in case a dog dared bark.
I’d go to the beach. Once I got my sleepy self vertical, I’d put on my bathing suit and a cover-up, slide into my flip-flops, toss a towel into the car and off I’d go. It’s a long way to the beach, but I’d go there. I’d drive right past all the sparkling clean blue pools on the way
and not stop until I was guaranteed to get sand between my toes and seaweed in my hair.
I’d have a cocktail with lunch. Yes, I’m a big girl now, and if I didn’t have to work in the afternoon I might be tempted to sit at one of those outdoor cafés in my sunglasses with the wind blowing through my hair, and order something decorated with a monkey stir stick and a little parasol. Don’t think I wouldn’t!
I’d go to the library. Wow. To have even half a day to breathe in the smell of the books and linger among the stacks and read the jacket flaps and pick out the perfect story to read. It might be mystery, romance or humor. It might be travelogue or autobiography. I mean, (just between you and me) there are a lot of books I haven’t read yet!
I’d cook dinner. I think my husband
would drop dead if he ever came home and dinner was on the table. I can cook, it’s just so low on my list of priorities that I never seem to get to it by six o’clock. Or seven. Or eight. I usually don’t even realize I’m hungry until nine and, by then, I’m so ravenous I just eat potato chips right through the bag. But if I had a “free day,” I’d make my crusty three-cheese broccoli casserole — the one so “hearty” it comes with its own defribrillator. Yum.
I’d read in bed until I fell asleep with the book in my hand. That would be the perfect end to a perfect day. Ahhh But wait! Here we are — today! — with an extra day, a free day, a truly unplanned day. If I really get an early start, I can write next week’s column, work on my book, turn out a press release or two, do some laundry, go to the store
and pay the bills. I can mow the lawn, pull the weeds, pressure-wash the driveway and write a letter to my parents. If I really keep my nose to the grindstone, I’ll even be able to clean out my closet, scrub the inside of the microwave and finally, finally mend that hole in the pocket of my slacks.
What’s that you say? Go to the beach? You must be kidding. And waste a free day?
An Occasion To Calculate My Proximity To Celebrity Status
The Academy Awards have come and gone, and as expected, I watched a lot of actors standing around proving once again how much they really need writers. How many brains does it take to explain what a set designer does when you have worked in movies for years? But they still need those writers. A good comedy writer or two might have helped as well.
I get a kick out of the awards mostly through the pre-show march along the red carpet, where the celebrities line up to be asked the most inane questions about movies along with the really important information about which designer provided without cost the dress that costs more than my car to an actress, who may or may not look good.
What is really more fascinating is that there are so many celebrities I do not recognize. My younger daughter is do-
ing a term paper on celebrity magazines, and I looked through a few of them, quickly learning that I recognized no more than perhaps half the people mentioned.
“Who is that girl?” I asked about one pretty blonde.
“Oh, she was dating so-and-so,” Erica said.
“Who?”
“Oh, I think he was on a series on the CW network,” she answered. Then she remembered that she thought he might have been in one of the sequels to a horror movie.
When I think of celebrities, I think of stars. Now we have kids who are in a handful of things that no one watches. And it goes further than that. We have the people who date them; people who may never have performed in anything but have dated, or are friends with, per-
formers in barely seen productions. We have their hairdressers and their manicurists. Remember the early days of Paris Hilton? She was rich and could afford to go to the hangouts of celebrities, and so became one herself.
It’s sort of a “six degrees of celebritization.” If you date someone who has dated someone else who once dated the first cousin of someone who appeared on an episode of Law & Order, you too may be featured in Us magazine. Maybe all of us will be celebrities. I certainly think there is a clear argument that could be made that the entire staff of the TownCrier should be eligible: people from the paper have occasionally interviewed celebrities and are even on a first-name basis with politicians.
Lyricist Ira Gershwin, 70 years ago, had fun with a character from the musical Of Thee I Sing who was “the illegiti-
On My Mind...
By Leonard Wechsler
mate daughter of the illegitimate son of the illegitimate nephew of Napoleon,” and created an international incident between the U.S. and France in the farce.
Many years ago, the big stars were celebrities, with some of the betterknown supporting people as lesser ones. Now almost anyone can be part of the crew. How democratic! Date someone who once dated a celebrity and you are a star. Be a dentist and put caps on the
A Kid’s Life Out Here Means Playing Ball In Gator Country
The county has built a beautiful park somewhere deep in The Acreage. It’s called Samuel E. Friedland Park, but most people know it simply as the Hamlin Blvd. park. I will match this park up against any other county park. Yes, it is that nice.
It has great baseball fields, fields for football and fields for all other types of sports. On any Saturday morning there must be at least a thousand kids there. For every kid who is playing in a game, at least three brothers and/or sisters have tagged along to cheer them on. Well, at least it appears that way.
As nice as this park is, I do have one major problem with it. As far as I know, it’s the only park of this type that has signs all over the place warning everyone to watch out for alligators.
I wonder how you can build a park for kids (a lot of them between the ages of five and eight) in the middle of alligator country. It’s a tragedy waiting to happen, especially when kids as young as
seven are wandering around looking for alligators on the outskirts of the park.
As my grandkids play ball, I watch the game with only one eye. The other is looking about 200 feet down the right field line, looking out for gators.
Last Saturday I took my seven-yearold grandson Max behind the outfield to play a little catch with him, so he could loosen up for his baseball game. For the first five minutes everything was going fine; we were tossing the ball around, having a grand ol’ time. Then Max threw the ball over my head. When I went to get the ball, something caught my eye that made me freeze in my tracks. A gator that was at least five feet long (maybe more) was also going after the baseball. Maybe the gator was an expectant mother that thought one of its eggs had gotten away.
When the gator saw me it also froze in its tracks. We were only about five feet apart and were having a staring contest. My grandson kept yelling at me to
get the ball. He hadn’t seen the gator — yet.
I didn’t look back at my grandson. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the gator. It was at least two feet longer than the one I held at fair a couple of weeks ago.
I finally realized the baseball didn’t belong to me any longer. The gator claimed it, and I wasn’t about to ask it to give it back. I started to back up to where I thought my grandson was. But after taking about two steps I almost knocked him down. He came over and asked why I was taking so long. Then he saw the gator.
Much to my surprise he wasn’t scared. (I meanwhile, a grown man, was starting to shake.) My grandson thought this was the coolest thing he had ever seen. He didn’t want to leave. He just wanted to stay and “study” the gator.
I finally convinced him it was time to go. I’m sure the alligator was very happy we were leaving. The only problem was
Max wanted his baseball back. And of course the gator was not giving up the ball. The only way I could get Max to leave was by telling him I would buy him a new one.
When Max’s baseball game began, I took a walk to see if the gator had decided to leave the baseball. It had. After scouting out the area, I grabbed the ball and ran back as fast as a man of my advanced age could go. Max was happy to get his ball back, and he loved the story I told him, about how I had to fight the alligator for the ball. The story sounded so good I started to believe it.
AUCTION BENEFITS VINCEREMOS THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER
The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center hosted its 22nd Annual Benefit Auction at the International Polo Club Palm Beach on Friday, Feb. 22. Plenty of equestrian supporters were on hand for an evening of dinner, music and dancing, as well as live and silent auctions. News Channel 5’s Roxanne Stein served as master of ceremonies. Candace King, Tuny Page and Dr. Cetty Weiss were event co-chairs. For information about Loxahatchee Groves-based Vinceremos, call (561) 792-9900 or visit www.vinceremos.com.
Horses for Heroes Director Amy Vulpis with her husband Scott, Rebecca Reubens and Sandy Simon.
The U.S. Equestrian Team’s Candace King, Margie Engle and Georgina Bloomberg with Rider of the Year Erica Brant.
Loxahatchee Groves Councilman Dave Autrey with his wife Laura, Marie and Wellington Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore, and Jean and Mike Sexton. Carol and Ludwig Sollak.
Dr. Bradley Weiss, Roxanne Stein, Dr. Cetty Weiss and Mason Phelps.
Stephanie Ostrin and Gabriella Bianchini.
Lee and Iseult Broglio.
Celia and Glen Schwartz with Carol Cohen and Michelle Huntz.
Candace King, Margie Engle and Georgina Bloomberg with volunteers of the year Kaley Walker and Deb Rasmussen.
MITZVAH DAY AT BETH TORAH
Temple Beth Torah’s annual Mitzvah Day was held Sunday, Feb. 24, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and running all day long. Participants in the event met at the temple to drop off and gather supplies to distribute at hospitals, fire stations and other locations throughout the community. Mitzvah means “good deed” in Hebrew. For more information about Temple Beth Torah, call (561) 793-2700 or visit www.templebethtorah.net. (Above left) Corinne Ingerman helps out the Morse Geriatric Center. (Above right) Alycia, Brian and Jared Schwartz support public safety employees. (Below) Judie Herzlin, Jane and Ken Arfa and Vincent Ammirato package some gifts.
PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER
Wellington Piano Students Perform At Morse Geriatric Center
Students of Wellington piano teacher Sylvia Skoller entertained residents at the Tradition of the Palm Beaches Morse Geriatric Center assisted living facility in West Palm Beach on Friday, Feb. 22. The students included Brendan Bou-
dreau, Klendy Muller, Wendy Huang, Alyssa Uzzi, Nina Mangiola, Kimberly Ramento, Kathleen Rentelman, Kelsie Boudreau, Stefan Katz, Danielle Boudreau and Nicky Shaffer. Skoller has been teaching piano for more than 40
years and is originally from Brooklyn, where she started playing the piano at age 10. She attended the Julliard School of Music in Manhattan and studied under Carl M. Roeder and Sacha Gorodnitzki. After touring and performing for
many years, Skoller started her teaching career in New York.
Tradition of the Palm Beaches is located at 4847 Fred Gladstone Drive in West Palm Beach. For info., call (561) 471-5111 or visit www.morselife.org.
Brendan BoudreauStefan KatzAlyssa Uzz
Nina Mangiola
Wendy Huang
PHOTOS BY CAROL
Piano teacher Sylvia Skoller (second from left) with her performing students.
Leadership We Can Count On
Of course you would expect me to vote for my husband, Mayor Tom Wenham, but let me tell you why. I’ve watched for years as he gathered information from Village residents, carefully deliberated his decisions and then resolutely created the community we love.
Tom is not a man to brag or hog the spotlight, he just quietly goes about his business. Only in retrospect do you realize he has had such a significant impact on the Village and the people that live here. You can expect more of the same proven effective leadership from Tom. It’s simply who he is.
I believe Tom is the only candidate with the dedication, experience and knowledge we need in our Mayor. He is uniquely qualified and his experience will continue to serve us well. You know you can trust Tom’s love for Wellington, his reliable work ethic and his commitment to our residents.
I respectfully urge you to re-elect my husband Tom Wenham for Wellington Mayor.
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Tom
Wenham for Mayor of Wellington
GLADES DAY FUNDRAISER
Glades Day School held its Fourth Annual Mardi Gras Extravaganza Dinner & Auction on Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club. The event kicked off with a silent auction at 6 p.m., followed by dinner, a live auction and “dancing on Bourbon Street.” The event is a major fundraiser for the school. Glades Day School is located at 400 Gator Blvd. in Belle Glade. For info., call (561) 996-6769 or visit www.gladesdayschool.com. (Above) Mike Schlechter, Chip Edwards, Brian Lohmann, Tim Stein, Chelsa Hilliard, Buddy McKinstry, Robert Coker and Paul Orsenigo. (Below) Jim and Sharon Teets with Karen and David Weeks. PHOTOS BY SERGIO
GRAND OPENING
GRAND OPENING
“Come visit us, we are now open!”
“Come visit us. We are now open!”
CRAFT & SCRAPBOOKING SHOW AT AMERICRAFT EXPO CENTER
The Buckler Craft and Scrapbooking Show returned Feb. 22-24 to the Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Vendors offered everything from custom-tailored clothing and baby items to doll and pet clothes, kitchenware and more. For more information, visit www.bucklerpromotions.com.
PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Marilyn Copeland-Cahill of Quilted Creations.
Sharon Dubé of Sew Creations.
Touch of Purple’s Lisa Chichester, Barbara Bass, Tracey Geisz and Cheryl Collins.
Cheryl Robertson sells Honey Bee cream and jelly. Kerry Keiter with Mary Ann DeWeese of Simply Country.
Shirley Watson with some of her solid oak display cases.
WHS Bids ‘Fantastick’ Farewell To Little Theatre
Wellington High School will bid farewell to the Little Theatre with its production of The Fantasticks. Soon to be replaced by an 840-seat state-of-the-art theater, the Little Theatre will be converted into a distance learning center.
The Fantasticks was the longest-running musical in the history of the theater. It ran 41 years off Broadway. With a book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, Wellington’s
production features Tyler Hartmann as El Gallo, J.D. Pounds as Matt, Jessica Ramos as Luis, Mike Cecere as Bellomy, Brittney Feliciano as Hucklebee, Matt O’Boyle as Henry, John Guziejka as Mortimer and Kari Ottosen as the Mute. Toni Stamos will be on keyboards.
The show is directed by Dennis Schaber. Performances are March 5 through 8 at 7:30 p.m. Adult tickets are $10 and child and student tickets are $8.
EMERALD COVE PERCUSSION
Cove Middle School band teacher Matt Jensen poses for a photo with the percussion ensemble during the Florida Bandmasters District XIV competition, held Feb. 9 at Boca Raton High School. The students took home a score of Superior, the highest score possible.
FUN AT YESTERYEAR VILLAGE
Second-grade students at Royal Palm Beach Elementary School recently visited Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairgrounds to experience life in Florida from long ago. The children saw baby chicks, learned about agriculture, watched a clog dancer and rang the bell of an antique fire truck. The students topped off the day eating lunch at the community stage and were entertained by a singer. (Above) Students marvel at a vintage fire truck. (Below) Students and a chaperone pause on the porch of a rustic store at Yesteryear Village.
Members of the Wellington High School and Dreyfoos School of the Arts debate programs tackled the hot-button issue of affordable housing on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at Wellington High School.
Roughly 100 guests and members of both programs watched public forum debate teams from each school weigh ideas and facts. In the end, everybody won, as each team received a $3,000 donation from Boynton Beach real estate broker/owner Carmen Basilovecchio, who proposed the idea after reading about the debate programs in early February.
“High school students have no political agenda. You can get a pure, honest answer if you have a really good question,” Basilovecchio told the audience.
A debater in his high school days in Philadelphia, Basilovecchio said he thought it would be a great idea to get word to the public about ways to solve the current housing crisis. He pitched the concept to Wellington coach Paul Gaba and Dreyfoos coach Angela Weber, who said they were both surprised and honored to take on the unique project.
“We really didn’t see this coming,” Gaba said. “We had about a two-week window in which to put this whole thing together, from creating a topic to finding a location to doing the research. But it really went smoothly. I am so very proud of all four of the students who debated this topic.”
Dreyfoos debaters Zoe Friedlander and Rachael Mielke faced off against Wellington’s William Fetzko and Kevin Sopczak. Dreyfoos handled the affirmative side of the topic “Resolved: the federal government should offer foreclosure and affordable housing solutions.”
The two schools agreed in advance to modify National Forensic League rules by designating sides ahead of time, since there would be only one round of exhibition debate.
The two sides also ended up with a six-minute-long grand crossfire, but no one in the audience seemed to mind. Judges for the debate were State Rep. Shelley Vana (D-Lantana), attorney Tim Morrell and Regulatory Compliance Commission President David Barie, who voted 3-0 in favor of the affirmative argument.
Following the debate, Basilovecchio spent 45 minutes answering questions from the audience about the current housing situation and how to best resolve the crisis. Debaters from both teams were on hand to discuss their programs and high school debate in general as well.
Polo Park Science Project Winners
Polo Park Middle School held its own school science fair for the first time this year, which included 34 entries from Mrs. Jill Krystel’s seventh-grade gifted classes.
Five of those students progressed to the county competition in December. In its seven years, Polo Park has earned first- and second-place trophies at the district fair in the bridge-building competition under the direction of Mrs. Krystel. Students also earned first- and second-place trophies at the District Olympiad for the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering (SECME), a science and engineering club for which Mrs. Krystel served as the school coordinator from 2001 to 2006. This year, Polo Park participated in the
project category for the first time.
Among the participants, Kyle Perkins won second place in botany for his project titled “Where’s the beef?”; Ash Lee Pryer investigated the question “Is premium gasoline worth its price?”; Marissa Mangini tested whether her fellow middle school students learned better using visual or auditory prompts; Lauren Talio earned second place in behavioral science with her project titled “Chew on this”; and Cara Zhuang placed second with her computer science project that analyzed whether simple algorithms could predict the reproduction of a simulated worm. Several of the students plan to continue their investigations and present their findings at next year’s school science fair.
(Left) Wellington’s William Fetzko delivers the first negative argument. (Right) Wellington High School’s Kevin Sopczak and the Dreyfoos School of the Arts’ Zoe Friedlander discuss the housing crisis.
A Mayor should have strong leadership skills, a strong background in management with experience in budgeting, planning, and customer service, and a firm commitment to the community. Darell Bowen has all these qualities.
Darell has owned two successful businesses in Wellington. Darell’s experience managing nearly 200 employees, preparing multi-million dollar budgets, planning and charting the growth and success of his businesses has prepared him to lead the Village. Quality customer service has been the cornerstone of his business success.
Darell will bring his much needed business experience, new leadership and fresh ideas to our Village Council.
Palm Beach Central Boys Power Past Seminole Ridge 4-2
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
This isn’t the start to the season the Seminole Ridge High School baseball team anticipated. With eight starters back from a 17-8 team in 2007, the Hawks figured this was their year to make a serious run at the District 9 title. They can still make that run, but Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to traditional district power Palm Beach Central made it a bit longer. The Hawks fell to 1-2 in district play after Tuesday’s home
BASEBALL BASEBALL
game and went into Thursday night’s game against Suncoast with a 1-4 overall record; the score of Thursday’s game was not available at press time. Seminole Ridge scored only seven runs in its first five games, was shut out twice and committed 11 errors.
Against the Broncos (5-1), the Hawks committed five errors and allowed the winning run to score on an infield fly rule. To make head coach Trent Pen-
dergast’s night that much more miserable, Seminole Ridge had three fly balls drop in front of or between fielders for hits.
“We’re just not a very good team now,” Pendergast said. “We’re struggling offensively and defensively. We’ve really struggled catching fly balls. We’ve worked and worked on it, but we’re still not catching them.”
The game started well enough for Seminole Ridge. The Hawks jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Hawk starter Steven Arvanitis cruised into the third in-
ning before the Broncos loaded the bases with three consecutive hits.
Jon Bostley’s single tied the game at 1-1. Palm Beach Central took the lead when, with one out and the bases loaded, Dexter Price popped up to the right side of the infield.
Price was out because of the infield fly rule, but the ball fell between two Seminole Ridge infielders and allowed Devon Travis to score the go-ahead run. Palm Beach Central made it 3-1 on Steve Colon’s twoout single and made it 4-1 in
the fifth on an Alex Hernandez home run.
Palm Beach Central junior pitcher Kyle Finch went the distance for the victory. Finch struck out seven and walked only one batter.
“He went after batters, mixed up his pitches well and gave our defense a chance to make some plays behind him,” Broncos head coach Scott Benedict said. “He’s been sick so he’s still building up his stamina. Hopefully he’ll get better as the season goes along.”
Wildcats Baseball Squad Falls To Visiting John Carroll 7-3
By Lisa Keeney Town-Crier Staff Report
The Royal Palm Beach High School varsity baseball team fell to visiting John Carroll Catholic High School 7-3 Tuesday night.
The teams were tied 3-3 going into the fourth inning. The stalemate continued until the seventh inning, when the Rams hit a three-run homer.
BASEBALL BASEBALL
The Wildcats hosted Seminole Ridge Friday night. Results were not available at press time.
Royal Palm Beach will travel to John I. Leonard Tuesday, March 4 before hosting Wellington Friday, March 7. Games are scheduled for 7 p.m.
Wildcat Austin Perez is caught in a rundown between the catcher and first baseman.Royal Palm Beach’s Robert Smith heads to third.
RPB’s Daniel Morales makes contact with the ball.
Seth Karbal scores for RPB off a double by Robert Matarrese in the third inning.
Joey Sharkey gets a glove on a high pitch.Julian Landron waits for the throw at first base.
Wildcats pitcher Robert Marcello on the mound.
Shortstop Daniel Glevenyak throws to first base.
Binks Forest Named Finalist For Renovation Award
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The Binks Forest Golf Club in Wellington was one of five finalists for Golf Inc. magazine’s fifth annual Renovation of the Year competition. Reopened last December under the ownership of Aquila Property Co. and managed by KemperSports, Binks Forest was the only South Florida course in the daily fee division.
Golf Inc. named Bedford Springs Old
Celebrity Polo Match To Benefit Komen
The world’s greatest male and female polo players will mount up against each other Monday, March 3 for a charity polo match to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington.
Adolfo Cambiaso will take on the world’s number-one ranked female player Sunny Hale at the four-chukker match set for 3 p.m. Swiss master watchmaker Jaegar LeCoultre is sponsoring the event. Prior to the match will be a watch presentation at 11 a.m. and a 12:30 p.m. asado. Jaegar LeCoultre will donate $500 to the foundation for each goal scored.
For more information, call (561) 2825330 or (561) 827-8347.
PBCHS Lacrosse News
Palm Beach Central High School’s boys lacrosse team defeated Spanish River 18-2 in an away game Thursday. High scorers for the Broncos were Julian Owens with seven goals and five assists, Greg Babiak with two goals and two assists, and PJ Burrows with three goals and one assist. The Broncos’ (6-2) next
GOLF GOLF
Course in Bedford, Pa. as the winner in the daily fee division. Besides Binks Forest, the other finalists were Florida’s Deltona Country Club, the San Marcos Golf Course in Santa Barbara, Calif., and the Sportsman’s Country Club in Northbrook, Ill.
Each of the finalists will be honored at the Golf Inc. annual awards dinner at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Doral,
game is Monday, March 3 at Jupiter Christian.
The PBCHS girls lacrosse team defeated John I. Leonard 14-3 Thursday on the Lancers’ field. Leading scorers for the Broncos were Melissa Boulbol with six goals and two assists, Dierdre Ruggeri with one goal and two assists, and Alex Camilleri with one goal and one assist. The Lady Broncos (3-1) will host Park Vista Tuesday, March 4.
Wellington Christian’s Roselli Pitches No-Hitter
The Wellington Christian School baseball team, last year’s District 13 champions, kicked off the 2008 season with a disappointing 7-2 loss to host the Benjamin School. But last Thursday and Friday, WCS players were back in form. Kevin Goff dominated last Thursday’s contest with a two-hit shutout for a 12-0 victory. Josh Frabitore was three for five with three RBIs to lead a 12-hit offensive attack. Jeff Fignar, Joey Lelonek and Dan Roselli all chipped in with two hits each. Last Friday, the Eagles defeated district rivals Berean Christian. Scott Roselli pitched a masterful complete game as he pitched a no-hitter and struck out 18 of 21 batters.
Fla. on April 21. “We’re very proud to be a finalist and think it’s a significant achievement for Binks Forest,” Aquila Chief Executive Officer Jordan Paul told the Town-Crier. “I understand it was a very competitive process with close to 30 courses around the country competing. To achieve this outside recognition at such an early date is a great testimony to the KemperSports team as well as Gene Bates, the architect.”
Paul said rounds played in January exceeded projections and that Binks Forest saw a record 190 golfers on the course Feb. 9.
“Our previous record had been 186 one Sunday over the Christmas holidays,” Paul said. “But I think what’s even more encouraging is that there has been a steady pickup in play since day one.
Paul said the course sees 140 or 150 players on any given Saturday or Sunday.
“When we first started, I’d say the average during the week was about 40 players per day,” he said. “We were at 40 for a while, and then went to about 60. We were there for a couple of weeks, and then it went up to 70. Now, day in and day out, we’re consistently seeing players in the high 80s on weekdays. That’s not even counting tournaments and outings that we’re just now starting to get.”
TRACK AND FIELD SEASON UNDERWAY AT LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS
The track and field season opened for local schools with a meet Tuesday afternoon as the Royal Palm Beach High School Wildcats hosted Seminole Ridge, Wellington, Palm Beach Central and Pahokee high schools. Shown here are photos of athletes from the various teams.
PHOTOS
Palm Beach Central’s Josh Dess tosses the discus.
Wellington’s Phil Marfisi with the shot put.
Wildcat Geraldine Fleuelmond on the track.RPB’s Derrick Wood arches over the high jump.
Austin Rodriguez carries the baton for the Hawks.Seminole Ridge pole vaulter Brittney Gault.
WestFest
New Location, Lots Of Fun!
continued from page 1A event green,” she said. “We’re going to have a lot of organizations within the area that are green companies, such as the South Florida Water Management District, the Solid Waste Authority and the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department. Our toilet paper is coming from recycled products. We’re trying to do as much as we can to make the event a green event. We have solar panels that will run certain portions of our festival. We would hope that as the years progress, we can make more changes to make it even greener.”
The “green” theme also runs through some activities at the
festival. For example, the WestFest poster contest, a mainstay of the event, has become the Green Tales “Save the World” Poster Contest, open to all South Florida students in grades K through 12. Instead of simply creating a poster design, participants in the contest must also write a short essay on protecting the environment.
“Now you have to write a hundred-word essay about what you would do to save the world from things that would damage the environment,” Miranda said.
“It gives them a chance to write a little essay and draw a picture. It’s twofold. It’s harder and challenging for them. We’re challenging the children.”
The lead sponsor for the 2008 WestFest Land & Sea Festival is Florida Public Utilities, with major sponsorship by Royal Palm Toyota and Weitz Con-
PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
struction. Miranda said the festival this year boasts a total of 47 sponsors and will feature booths from 68 businesses, 30 arts and crafts vendors, and 15 food vendors.
Miranda said attractions on the event’s main stage are being upgraded this year, with the musical group Starship starring Mickey Thomas as Sunday’s headline act. “Mickey Thomas will be singing all the classics from his days with the band, during its heyday of the 1980s and 1990s,” Miranda said. “We are also bringing in a show that ran on Broadway called Beatlemania Now, that’s a salute to the Beatles. They do four costume changes. We also have the Jake & Elwood Blues Brothers Show, and they will be also playing on both Saturday and Sunday. We wanted to bring in some national acts.”
Traditional small-town attractions will continue on the community stage, such as an appearance by Smokey the Bear and performances from western communities students, dance troupes and winners of the South Florida Fair’s Starz of the Future contest.
Adults and kids will also get a thrill from BMX bike exhibitions by Extreme BMX rider Daniel Boyer and the Victory Riders, featuring “The Globe of Death.” A circus troupe will also perform at the event on both days in the late afternoon, Miranda said. An event to watch for Saturday is the fifth annual Battle of the Burgs, wherein officials from the Palms West Chamber’s communities will compete in hopes of grilling the area’s tastiest burger.
On Sunday, local high school students will compete for their school’s supremacy in the Battle of the High Schools, featuring a series of amusing competitions.
Miranda said planning this year’s WestFest event has been hard work, but now the only thing still needed is public participation. “It has definitely been a lot of work to make it happen because of all the changes,” she said. “We’re learning the ropes, and we’re learning the lay of the land. It will be great. It will be fantastic, I’m sure. We just need to get the people out there.”
The WestFest Land & Sea
Festival is scheduled for Saturday, March 1, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, March 2, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Micanopy Pavilion at Okeeheelee Park on Forest Hill Blvd., just east of State Road 7. Daily admission is $10, and a two-day pass is $15. A daily family fourpack is $30. Kids seven and under are admitted free, and no pets are allowed. Parking at the event is free, with overflow parking at Palm Beach Central High School. For more information about the event, call the chamber at (561) 790-6200 or visit www.west festpalmbeach.com.
The 1980s band Starship is headlining Sunday at WestFest.
Debi Leed, Jeane Miranda and Catherine Engle of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce were at the Mall at Wellington Green last Saturday previewing all WestFest will have to offer.
Saturday, March 1
• The 2008 CN Winter Equestrian Festival continues through April at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (14440 Pierson Road, Wellington). For more information, visit www.equestriansport.com or call (561) 793-5867.
• On Saturday, March 1, the Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will offer a one-hour walk in John Prince Park in Lake Worth. Enter the park off Congress Avenue, turn right at the stop sign and left into the first parking lot. The walk begins at 7:30 a.m. For more info., call Paul at (561) 963-9906.
• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce’s West Fest Land & Sea Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, March 1 and 2 at Okeeheelee Park (7500 Forest Hill Blvd.). Gates open at 10 a.m. The cost is $10 for 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.palms west.com or call (561) 7906200.
• The Pine Ridge South IV residents in Greenacres will hold an Arts & Crafts Show in the clubhouse within the complex, just east of Melaleuca and Jog roads, on Saturday, March 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Included in the sale will be framed watercolor art, hand-crafted three-dimensional metal work and handcrafted items such as jewelry and a large variety of handmade sewn and knitted items. The public is invited. For more info., call (561) 967-0912.
• The Wellington interest group of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will host a Sisters and Friends Legacy Reception on Saturday, March 1 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Villa Olympia Clubhouse in Wellington. All female Pan-Hellenic organizations and professional women are invited to attend. For more info., e-mail Soror Luletha or Tiffanie at 20pearlsaka@gmail. com.
• The Autism Project of Palm Beach County is promoting its Seventh Annual Renaissance Food & Wine Festival, including silent and live auctions, scheduled for Saturday, March 1 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Palm Beach Shores Community Center. The event will raise money for the Autism Project’s school in West Palm Beach. For more info., call Michelle Damone at (561) 315-2973 or e-mail appbcdamone@aol. com.
• The Diabetes Jungle Safari will be held on Saturday, March 1 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. The Jungle Safari is a fundraiser for the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. Attendees can expect numerous surprises set against a lush, jungle atmosphere. Live and silent auctions will feature a week stay in the mountains of North Carolina, an exotic African safari and a puppy, and other fantastic items. For more info., call Chrissy Lane at (561) 7533389.
Sunday, March 2
• The YMCA Strong Community Polo Brunch “Polo with Pedro” will be held Sunday, March 2 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington. Friends gather for Sunday brunch in the festive and classy-casual style of the YMCA to raise money for schol-
arships and enjoy a 26-goal polo match. For more info., call (561) 968-9622.
Wednesday, March 5
• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Celebrate Yourself and Others” Wednesdays, March 5, 12 and 19 at 3:30 p.m. for ages six and up focusing on different themes, using books, stories, music and artwork to discover themselves and the world while celebrating similarities and differences. To pre-register, call (561) 790-6070.
Thursday, March 6
• The Wellington branch of the Jewish Community Center of the Palm Beaches (13889 Wellington Trace, Suite A-15) will offer Introductory Mah Jongg lessons March 6, 13 and 20. The cost is $2 and a donation of a pillow case for the JAFCO Children’s Village. Drop-in games are ongoing Thursdays at 10 a.m. beginning March 6. Call Sharon at (561) 253-6030 for more info.
• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “Whooo’s There?” Thursday, March 6 at 11 a.m. Children ages four and up can hoot it up with stories about owls. To preregister, call (561) 790-6070.
• Comerica Wealth Management (1037 State Road 7, Suite 117) will hold an evening of food, music and other activities on Thursday, March 6 from 5 to 8 p.m. RSVP to Sallyanne Lucey at (561) 804-1416.
• The local rock band Ego Tripp will perform at Clematis by Night on Thursday, March 6 in downtown West Palm Beach from 6 to 9:30 p.m. For more info., call (561) 822-1515 or visit www.clematisbynight. net.
• Israeli Art Month at the Armory Art Center (1700 Parker Ave., West Palm Beach) will take place from March 6 to April 5 and will feature unique works created by leading Israeli fiber artists, artist-led workshops, lectures and more. For more info., call (561) 832-1776 or visit www.armoryart.org.
Friday, March 7
• The Wellington Jewish Center (12785 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will hold a dinner presented by the Hebrew school on Friday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $25 for adults and $15 for children ($54 maximum per family). RSVP to Rabbi Mendy Muskal at (561) 3334663 or rabbim@bellsouth.net.
• Temple Beth Torah in Wellington will host speaker Robert Tanen, the Anti-Defamation League’s associate director for the Florida region, during Friday services on March 7 at 7:30 p.m. Temple Beth Torah is located at 900 Big Blue Trace. For more info., call (561) 793-2700 or visit www.temple bethtorah.net.
Saturday, March 8
• The Wellington Antique Show & Heritage Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, March 8 and 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days at the Grand Marquee on the Cultural Campus near the Mall at Wellington Green. There is no admission fee and a portion of proceeds received from $5 parking fees will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Wellington. Attendees can have items appraised at $5 per item (limit two). A limited number of indoor booths are still available to antique dealers. Call Deborah Welky at (561) 795-5916 for more info.
• The 2008 Challenge of the Americas will be held on Sat-
urday, March 8 at the newly renovated Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The challenge is a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. General admission tickets are $20. For more info., call Mary Ross at (561) 852-2591.
• The Palm Beach Dog Fanciers Show will be held Saturday and Sunday, March 8 and 9 at the Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.) from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days. Admission is $6; parking is $4. Children under 12 are admitted free. For more info., call (561) 793-0333 or visit www.pbcdfa.org.
• South Florida Parenting Magazine’s Spring Extravaganza will be held Saturday and Sunday, March 8 and 9 in Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.). Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Admission is $8 and parking is free. Children under 18 months are admitted free. For more info., call (561) 793-0333.
Sunday, March 9
• The 2008 polo season will continue Sunday, March 9 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (3667 120th Avenue South, Wellington) with the start of the 26-goal Piaget USPA Gold Cup. Gold Cup play will continue until Sunday, March 23. For more info., call (561) 204-5687 or visit www. internationalpoloclub.com.
• The Acreage Landowners’ Association will host its annual Huck Finn Family Day at the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area Youth Camp on Sunday, March 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring a petting zoo, wildlife exhibit, a pinewood derby for homemade wooden model cars, fishing, canoeing and a variety of rural-style activities. Music will be provided by DJ Mark Thomas. Admission is $3. The Corbett Youth Camp is at the northern end of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. For more info., call Carlos Enriquez at (561) 714-8516.
• The 18th Annual Red Cross Polo Luncheon & Auction, hosted by the American Red Cross Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter, will be held on Sunday, March 9 at 11:30 a.m. at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington. Enjoy a fabulous lunch, world-class polo, and silent and live auctions to benefit the Red Cross. Tickets are $250 per person. Call (561) 833-7711 or visit www.redcross-pbc.org for info.
• St. Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church (11800 Lake Worth Road, Wellington) will conduct a Lenten Mission Sunday, March 9 through Tuesday, March 11. Deacon Alex Jones will be the featured guest speaker. For more info., call (561) 784-0689.
• Temple Beth Zion (129 Sparrow Drive, Royal Palm Beach) will hold a book signing and brunch Sunday, March 9 at 11 a.m. featuring Elliot Goldenberg, author of The Hunting Horse and The Spy Who Knew Too Much. Goldenberg’s presentation is titled “The Truth Behind the Jonathan Pollard Spy Case.” Donations will be appreciated. For more info., call (561) 798-8888. Send calendar items to: TownCrier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@gotowncrier. com.
Spor ts Injuries
Spinal Injec tions
Spinal Cord Stimulators
B otox Injec tions
Chronic Pain Management
Stroke Rehabilitation
Spinal Cord Injur y Rehabilitation
Traumatic Brain Injur y Rehabilitation
Outpatient D etox Program
Dr. Charles S. Huang
Race For The Cure Supporters Honored — More than 150 loyal sponsors and volunteers of the Komen South Florida Race for the Cure were recently honored with a cocktail reception at a private residence in Palm Beach. Race Chair and Royal Palm Beach resident Deborah Jaffe acknowledged the dedication and support of the group and announced the results of local grants funded by the proceeds of the annual race. (Above) Beatrice Gottschank, Mark Lowham and Jaffe. (Below) Panera Bread franchise owner Tim Sparks, Forte di Asprinio owner Stephen Asprinio of Wellington and Compass Realty Principal Don DeWoody.
PHOTOS COURTESY ALISSA DRAGUN
• CASPEREY STABLES HORSE CAMP — Casperey Stables is a small, fun-filled day camp for children ages 7 to 14. With four riding opportunities each day, arts & crafts and outdoor games, our campers find little time to be bored. Our low counselor/child ratio ensures your child will receive individual attention. There are camp sessions for spring and winter school breaks, and during the summer, each two-week session has a theme, such as Indian Days, Circus Days and Medieval Days. We have a weekly swim party and end each session with a horse show and family BBQ! Call soon — this small, quality program fills quickly! To learn more about our camp, located at 2330 D Road in Loxahatchee Groves, call us at (561) 792-4990 or visit our web site at www. caspereystables.com.
• VILLARI’S SUMMER CAMP — The staff members at Villari’s of Wellington are pleased to offer a full nine-week summer camp. Villari’s summer camp will improve your child’s focus, fitness and confidence and communication skills through interacting with their peers. We will focus on flexibility, coordination, listening skills, personal fitness and improved social awareness. Martial arts is not just kicking and punching, it’s about having fun! Call (561) 792-1100 to reserve your space.
• SPORTS BROADCASTING CAMP — Boys and girls 10 to 18 will have an opportunity to learn from the pros and meet sports celebrities. Campers will record play-byplay, reporting, sports anchor and PTI tapes. Campers will tour a pro stadium/arena and make reporting tapes at the stadium. Kids will participate in mock sports talk radio and PTI (“Pardon The Interruption”) style shows, trivia contests and much more. The camp runs June 9-13 at the FAU Boca campus. For more information, call Sports Broadcasting Camps at (800) 319-0884 or visit our web site at www.playbyplay camps.com.
• WELLINGTON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL — Come join us once again for our Summer Camp Eagle. Programs available for children four years to fifth grade. Camp runs June 9 through Aug. 1, 2008 (no camp Friday, July 4). Join us for Jump Start Academics (morning hours only) or Summer Camp Eagle until 3 p.m. Aftercare is available. Activities include arts and crafts, cooking, Bible, swimming and field trips. Jump Start Academics in reading, math and writing (ages 6-12). Look for our ad in this section. Call (561) 868-2225 for more information or stop by and see us at 1000 Wellington Trace in Wellington.
• FAME DANCE & PERFORMING ARTS STUDIOS Fame Studios offers summer camp and intensive workshops. We offer Fun Camp where no experience is necessary; Performance Camp for those with a bit of experience; and our Intensive Workshop for experienced dancers. Visit us at our Wellington location at 3080 Fairlane Farms Road, Bay 4 (just west of the Mall at Wellington Green) or call us at (561) 7959992.
• CAMP EXPLORATIONS Camp Explorations is located on the beautiful campus of JFK Medical Center Charter School. Join us for 10 weeks of fun-filled summer days. We have a new heated swimming pool on site, which we will use for daily swim lessons. Campers will enjoy our computer lab, air conditioned gym, crafts, science fun, sports and more. Register by May 1 to receive $10 per week discount. Call (561) 868-6105 for info.
ART - Ages 8-11 Send your young artist on an adventure in the visual arts! While studying past and present works of the world's arts and cultures, students will rotate between studio areas daily, completing creative projects in painting, drawing, mixed media, ceramic, sculpture and more!
Session 1: June 9-13 Art of Storytelling
Session 2: June 16-27 (2 wks) Art of the Wild
Session 3: July 7 - 11 Art That Makes No Sense
Session 4: July 14 - 25 (2 wks) Art & Science
Session 5: July 28 - August 8 (2 wks)Art From Around The World
Session 6: August 11 - 15 Art That’s Magical
Parker
www.ArmoryArt.org
• ST. DAVID’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP St. David’s Camp is open to children ages three to eight. Children can sign-up by the week and can pick two days, three days or five days. Each week has a theme, with activities such as arts and crafts, cooking, outside play and learning activities. All activities are on-site with our trained, loving staff. We are located at 465 W. Forest Hill Blvd. on the northwest corner of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace. For additional information, call (561) 7931272.
• PALM BEACH ZOO SUMMER CAMP The Palm Beach Zoo’s 2008 Summer Zoo Camp offers great adventures for children ages five to 14. Zoo campers will gain a better understanding of a variety of animals and the habitats in which they live while enjoying a full schedule of daily amusements. Hands-on animal encounters, fountain play, crafts, hands-on science, zoo tours, games, scavenger hunts and, of course, zoo keeping duties are included. Each week the program introduces a new wildlife adventure, so parents may want to consider more than one week of zoo camp. Camp hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Before and after care and lunch are available for an additional fee. All programs are on Palm Beach Zoo grounds at Dreher Park in West Palm Beach. Weekly sessions are from June 9 through Aug. 22. For more information and registration forms, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org or call (561) 547-WILD.
Runs June 16 through Aug. 8. Designed to meet the needs of children ages two to five, our program features arts & crafts, cooking, science, nature, water play, computers, music & movement, sports, gymnastics and weekly shabbat celebrations; weekly entertainment such as puppet shows, carnival day, magic, library time, and more! We are also offering summer and fall VPK. We are a licensed and NAEYC-accredited school. For more information or a tour of the facility, contact Director Ann Parades at (561) 793-2649.
• ARMORY ART CENTER GET CREATIVE SUMMER ART CAMP — Jump Start for ages five to seven; Adventures in Art for ages eight to 11; and Studio Art Shops for teens (middle & high school students). An adventure in the visual arts for your young artist! Six sessions starting June 9. The center is located at 1700 Parker Ave., West Palm Beach. For more information, call (561) 832-1776 or visit www.armoryart.org.
• WELLINGTON SHOW STABLES “RIDING CAMP” — An introduction to the world of horses and ponies. Our summer program runs eight weeks in one-week sessions for all ages, five to seven and eight to 16. The camp provides safe school horses and ponies carefully matched to each rider. Your child will spend his or her day learning about horsemanship, including learning about feeding, grooming, proper care, riding and general veterinary care. We also include a classroom for arts and crafts, lectures and reading. We train the English style of riding, which includes learning how to jump based out of a large showing facility. We have been here for 20 years and have been training and teaching to a high quality, and we have trained many champions! To obtain a pre-class packet with registration forms, call Wellington Parks & Recreation at (561) 791-4005.
Acreage Resident Named Boy Scout Council Commissioner
Brian Morgan of The Acreage has been selected as commissioner for the Gulf Stream Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The Gulf Stream Council includes all Boy Scout activities between Boca Raton and Vero Beach, as well as around Lake Okeechobee. Currently there are more than 10,000 registered scouters and 1,200 volunteers in the program that the council commissioner is responsible for.
Commissioners are leaders who help scout units succeed. They coach and consult with adult leaders of Cub Scout
Suzane Rubin, Joseph Sussman To Wed Joseph and Candace Rubin of Wellington announce the engagement of their daughter Cherie Suzane Rubin to Dr. Craig Bradley Sussman, son of Pam Sussman and the late Jeffrey Sussman of Ormond Beach, Fla.
packs, Boy Scout troops, Venturing crews and Sea Scout ships. Commissioners help maintain the standards of the Boy Scouts of America.
Morgan, an Acreage resident since 1997, has been active with youth programs his entire adult life. He served as umpire and chief for the Acreage Athletic League in 1999. He has coached baseball and football. He also served as a coach for the American Legion baseball team out of Wellington for several years.
For the past five years he has been involved with the Cub Scout pack from
Cherie is a 2006 graduate of the University of Florida, where she received a bachelor’s degree in event management. She is the youth development director for the March of Dimes in Gainesville.
Craig is a 2001 graduate of the University of Florida where he received a bachelor’s degree in physiology and his medical degree from St. George’s University. He is currently a pediatric physician at Shands Hospital in Gainesville and will be specializing in neonatology. A wedding is planned for this summer in Boca Raton.
Betancourt Completes Army Basic Training
Army Pvt. Claudio Betancourt recently graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C.
During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle
Frontier Elementary School as well as Boy Scout Troop 105 and Venturing Crew 2005, which both meet at Osceola Creek Middle School. Before that he lived in the Broward community of Tamarac for 17 years and served as president of the Police Athletic League, umpire for little league, commissioner for soccer, founder/president of flag football and always managed the teams his children played on.
Morgan has also been active in fraternal organizations. He has served as president of the Tamarac Kiwanis Club, presi-
marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches and field training exercises.
Betancourt is the son of Maribel Martinez of Loxahatchee and a 2006 graduate of Royal Palm Beach High School.
Benyon Invited To Join Psi Chi
Angela Leigh Benyon, a 2006 graduate of Wellington High School, has been invited to join Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology.
Angela is a sophomore majoring in psychology at Stetson University and is an active member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Scott Benyon of Wellington.
Loxahatchee’s Greene Completes Navy Basic
Navy Seaman Recruit Richard Greene, son of Elizabeth and Richard Greene of Loxahatchee, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training with honors at Re-
dent of the Royal Palm Beach Optimist Club and is now a member of the Acreage Rotary Club. Now semi-retired, Morgan spends any time left after scouting as a substitute teacher at Osceola Creek Middle School, averaging about two days a week there. When asked why he is so passionate about scouting, Morgan responded by reciting the mission statement of the Boy Scouts of America: “to help young people make moral and ethical decisions over their lifetime by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.”
cruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill.
During the eight-week program, Greene completed a variety of training, which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.
The capstone event of boot camp is “Battle Stations,” an exercise that gives recruits the skills and confidence to succeed in the fleet. Battle Stations galvanizes the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance.
Greene is a 2007 graduate of Seminole Ridge High School in Loxahatchee.
Lewis Makes Central Michigan Honors List
Kelly Alexia Lewis of Loxahatchee made the fall semester honors list of Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant. The fall semester ended in December. The honors list includes students who earned a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or higher grade point average.
Send Palms West People items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@goTownCrier.com.
Cherie
Joseph Sussman and Cherie Suzane Rubin
Meghan Walsh, Mitchell Bishop Marry
Meghan Lynette Walsh and 1st Lt. Mitchell David Bishop were married Sept. 22 at the Royal Poinciana Chapel in Palm Beach.
The bride is the daughter of Judy Walsh and the late Donald Joseph Walsh. The groom is the son of Lanny and Lynn Bishop of Lake Butler, Fla.
The bride, a graduate of Florida State University, is a registered pediatric nurse with the Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville. The groom, a graduate of the Florida Coastal School of Law, is an attorney with the U.S. Marine Corps.
The bride and groom honeymooned in Italy, visiting the cities of Milan, Rome, Florence and Venice, and toured the Tuscany region of the country.
The couple are residing in Jacksonville until they move to Quantico, Va., in March.
DARELL BOWEN FUNDRAISER
Meghan Lynette Walsh and 1st Lt. Mitchell David Bishop
Wellington mayoral candidate Darell Bowen held a fundraiser at the home of John and Linda Herring on Thursday, Feb. 7. Ninety-five supporters attended the event. Shown above is Bowen (center) surrounded by his supporters.
Pack 120 Holds Banquet — Many Cub Scouts from Pack 120 in Royal Palm Beach earned their badges at the pack’s annual Blue and Gold Banquet. The following scouts advanced: Bobcat - Ryan Lange, Andrew Lange, Sean Roberts, Noah Britt and Marco Bell; Tiger - Conner Elder, Ryan Hammett, Ryan Lange, Gavin MacLean, Ryan Pinto, Austin Russell and Conner Ward; WolfBennett Aikey, Noah Britt, Joshua Minear, Nicolas Toney, Zachary Vera and Cameron Whalen; Bear - Sheridan Aikey, Christopher Rice, Dylan Green, Andrew Lange and Carl Mohr; Webelo - David Adamczyk, Benjamin Aubrey, Jonathan Germain, Gino Martinez, Daniel Rocha, Pat Spagnardi and Cameron Tate; Arrow of Light - Jonathan Claridge, Travis Collura, Joshua Marker, Jordan Shillingford and Tommy Smith. (Above) Scouts receive Webelo badges. (Below) Scouts receive Bear badges.
ROYAL GEMZ SQUAD SHINES
The Royal Gemz All-Star cheerleaders recently performed at the national championship “Bringing on the Heat” held by the Spirit Cheer Association in conjunction with the Miami Heat. The event took place at the American Airlines Arena in Miami on Saturday, Feb. 2. The Royal Gemz is currently holding tumbling classes for anyone interested in trying out for the 2008-09 team. The Royal Gemz also teamed up recently with Tumbletots and is now accepting registration for “mommy and me” programs for ages four months and up. For further information regarding Royal Gemz All-Star cheerleading or Tumbletots, visit www.royalgemz.com or call coach Lori Sedore at (561) 315-5470. (Above) Rachel Garcia of Loxahatchee performs a toe touch basket toss during her junior performance in Miami.
Forum Eight Council Candidates
continued from page 3A shoring up the village’s existing hurricane emergency fund for the future so that the village would not have to ask residents for the money again should there be another storm. He pointed out that it would be very difficult to identify all the people who deserve refunds three years later.
Bowen said the council should carefully weigh what to do with the money. “Maybe we ought to give it back, and maybe it ought to go into reserves,” he said. “A promise is a promise, and you don’t break it.”
Christensen said the money should go back to the residents.
Van Dusen also said “a promise is a promise” and that perhaps the money should be returned, but the village should carefully weigh its options.
Next, candidates were invited to comment on past council decisions, noting what they would have done differently.
Priore said most of his votes were done with careful thought and consideration, so he would not have changed too many of them.
Coates pointed to the shortlived Park Player Pass, calling it “bad public policy,” and he sup-
Overlay Take Time To Do It Right
continued from page 12A will not be congestion in five years. “You’re going to invest a whole lot of money out there,” he said. “Today we have congested roads out there, especially on Seminole Pratt, pieces of Northlake and pieces of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. If you build those roads that are already projected to be built, those capacity deficiencies go away.”
Webb’s description of the five-year traffic situation raised some eyebrows at the meeting, including those of development planner Kieran Kilday of Kilday & Associates, who spoke on behalf of clients Lion Country Safari and Callery-Judge Grove, both of which have proposed large developments.
Kilday said Webb’s report that everything would be good in five years was groundbreaking news.
“We don’t understand it,” Kilday said. “We need to see it. I’m saying to myself Okeechobee Blvd. is a two-lane road. It’s over capacity. It’s not on the five-year plan. How can that be? It’s a direct contradiction to not only what the county engineer has said, but what our own traffic engineers have said as to the roads that exist today, and it’s going to exist in five years, never mind in 20 years.”
Kilday also asked why the overlay had to be done so quickly with so little public input, and was bemused that the urgency was based on the Callery-Judge application. “CalleryJudge is older than my other client Lion Country. They came in here in ’64. I also point out that Callery-Judge is coming through in an entirely different process.”
Commissioner Jess Santamaria said Webb would have to show him how the traffic plan will work, because large projects have been approved that will ex-
ported the council’s recent decision to return that money, and he also supported the council’s decision the previous night to drop the Village Walk senior housing proposal (see related story, page 1A).
Wenham said he was pleased that the council chose to approve an assisted-living facility on State Road 7 rather than on the site of the old polo stadium on South Shore Blvd.
Shields did not point to one particular item, but rather a trend he saw of the council not clearly thinking out its decisions, then reversing them due to public outcry, thereby undermining its authority. “It teaches people to wait,” Shields said, “and the decision would be undone.”
Christensen took issue with Priore’s support of the old polo stadium’s failed redevelopment proposal and the Callery-Judge “new town” plan. “You don’t hear people asking for more shopping centers and putting more cars on roads,” he said.
Van Dusen said the village should consider its traffic issues carefully, especially with developments such as Callery-Judge, while Willhite said he was glad to see a resolution of the Binks Forest Golf Course saga, as well as the village’s recent deal with Sunrise Senior Living for an assisted-living facility.
When asked about building a
ceed the level of service in the next five years.
Santamaria said he has lived in the area for 33 years and well over half the people he sold homes to as a developer in the western communities were escaping from congestion in Dade and Broward counties. But in the last five years, he said, many in his district have been moving out because they do not like the congestion and over-development.
“I have heard more than once, ‘why rush to an overlay?’” Santamaria said. “No, we’re not going to rush to an overlay. We will have as many meetings as necessary. From my point of view, the floor is the Sector Plan that we approved in 2007. From there we will move up. What I want to hear from the residents is how we will further improve what we approved in 2007. We solve the issue when the great majority of people approve. We will please the greater majority.”
Commissioner Mary McCarty said there should not be a double standard, in which the county has to look only five years ahead for road standards and developers have to show through 2025. “I don’t think it’s fair that we hold the private sector to one standard but us to another,” she said.
Commissioner Jeff Koons characterized developers as fairly cooperative on traffic planning, and also urged a delay in submitting the overlay to the state.
“I don’t feel any pressure to get this done in this cycle,” he said. “I’ll be honest with you. I’d rather go to cycle two and feel much more confident on the traffic issues, and I do think we should look at the water issues.”
The next round of comprehensive plan amendments will begin in July with the county commission holding transmission hearings in December.
village hall, rather than operating out of trailers and rented space, the candidates agreed that a village hall would be nice, but differed on how to pay for such a project and questioned whether the timing is right.
Coates said the village missed the opportunity to construct one years ago, and a time of declining revenues would not be the time to consider it. Wenham said the only way he would support building a village hall would be if the residents approved a general obligation bond specifically authorizing the project.
The Candidates — (L-R) Matt Willhite, Dr. Carmine Priore, Howard Coates, Tom Wenham, Tim Shields, Darell Bowen, Duane Christensen and Dr. Fred Van Dusen after Wednesday’s forum sponsored by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.
it’s going to be more difficult.” The candidates then tackled the thorny issue of developing more job centers in Wellington.
Shields said he would support a village hall if the public demanded it, but he did not see that, while Bowen said the council should consider it carefully because village offices are spread among different locations, denying benefits brought by a single user-friendly facility.
Van Dusen said a central village hall might make more financial sense than keeping municipal offices spread around the village. Willhite did not object to looking at a village hall, but did not think it was a good idea unless the residents supported it through a bond.
Priore noted that when residents were surveyed years ago on their support for a village hall, most said no.
“We all criticized the ‘Taj Mahal’ that was built by the school board on Forest Hill Blvd.,” Priore said. “It always has been a high priority for the village, but with Amendment 1,
Letters
continued from page 5A force, we would probably be paying at least double what we are paying the sheriff’s office. Why so low? Who knows, but I’m not kicking a gift horse in the mouth. Back to fire-rescue, did I mention our contract with them is nonexistent, nada, nothing. Wellington is part of the countywide MSTU for unincorporated areas. Why is this relevant? Because our tax base is so large (seven big ones) we pay a bundle. Does it have to be this way? Absolutely not. What it takes is elected officials willing to do one of two things: either negotiate a lower rate by contract with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (this is what responsible government officials like those in Jupiter did, which pays a millage rate of 1.48 mills, 47-percent lower rate than Wellington) or start our own fire de-
Wechsler What Is Celebrity?
continued from page 16A bad teeth of a starlet, and you can have your own reality show like the plastic surgeons on Dr. 90210
Of course, I have even better claim to being a celebrity. My older daughter is an associate professor at a college that has the child of a TV celebrity there. That child’s roommate, of
Wenham noted that communities adjacent to State Road 7 are participating in a corridor study focusing on business and commercial development on the thoroughfare.
Shields said small- and medium-size businesses should be encouraged in the village, while Bowen said a study isn’t needed to show there is too much retail, and noted that the Wellington Chamber has witnessed several short-lived businesses in recent years. “We have done two or three ribbon-cuttings at the same location the last three years,” Bowen said. “We need to have people who work here during the day, and you need to have a vision and be proactive.”
Van Dusen said he supports more smaller local businesses. “People move here to help the industry and help the economy,” Van Dusen said. “We don’t need any more malls, and all the problems that go with them and the traffic.”
Willhite said Wellington is a bedroom community, and needs no more major retailers. “We do need to attract small businesses so people can live and work here,” he said.
Priore said more employers should be put on the State Road 7 corridor. He said he was worried about building more houses that would bring more residents needing more services. Small and medium businesses on SR 7 would minimize traffic, he said.
“The shorter the trips are, the less traffic there is,” Priore said. “We would be keeping the residents near their homes to their benefit.”
Coates said he was in favor of doing anything to promote job centers but was worried about developers asking for land use changes that would generate more traffic.
Another candidate’s forum, this one sponsored by the Palms West Chamber of Commerce, will be held Thursday, March 6 at the Wellington Community Center at 7 p.m. The election will be held Tuesday, March 11.
partment at a far lower cost than what we are now paying (this would require voter approval, but if we save money, who would vote against it?). I’m not biased toward either method; whichever saves us the most money is good by me.
The big question, of course, is why the lack of action by Wellington election officials or questioning of this lack of action by the press? For the press, I’m guessing timidity and self interest (Wellington is a big advertiser and supplier of information to the press). For the elected officials, first guess who Tom Wenham works for — Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. A high-paying job is a wonderful thing to have; too bad about the conflict of interest and breech of fiduciary duty as an elected official. Second, for Priore and the rest, they like being able to tout Wellington’s
course, now qualifies as a celebrity.
Since my daughter has taught the roommate, she qualifies. And since I am her father, I should be featured in People. But can we also bring in my chiropractor? Or is that pushing the line just a bit too far?
Celebrity worship, or as a sociologist would put it, the cult of celebrity , may seem more ridiculous than some of strange religions that anthro-
apparently low tax rate (the vast majority of large Palm Beach County municipalities have their own fire departments) and think the voters are too stupid to vote to raise their own Wellington property taxes even if it means an overall decrease in their tax bills due to the elimination of the fire-rescue MSTU. Where does the $50,000,000 come from? My estimate of overpayments of $10,000,000 annually for the past five years, a number I believe to be fairly accurate. I challenge anyone who can prove me wrong. In a quick summation, throw the bums out (the incumbents)! I’m strongly supporting Darell Bowen, Duane Christensen and Howard Coates. If 50,000,010 reasons aren’t enough for you, give me a call, and I’ll tell you a few million more.
Alan Medoff Wellington
pologists find among the most primitive people living in the world’s hidden places. But if we will not worship our celebrities at celebrations like the Oscars, would any culture remain in this country? I shudder to think of a world without these pretty young things. Of course, we’ve managed without much television, so… No, it is just too horrible to consider. Without the Academy Awards, would we even have spring?
PALMS WEST
A TOWN-CRIER Publication Business,
New Look For NewLookFor Palms W West Chamber estChamber’’s 2008 Community Guide s2008CommunityGuide
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
A special silver anniversary edition of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce’s community guide and business directory, published this month in cooperation with Wellington The Magazine and the Town-Crier newspaper, has expanded features and a special focus on the chamber’s 25 years serving the western communities.
“We converted it from what it had been for many years to more of a commemorative magazine piece, so we have many feature articles, which we have never really had before,” Palms West Chamber Executive Director Jaene Miranda said. “We still have the facts that we communicated in the past, but instead of just reporting on schools, for example, we have a story on [career] academies, which from a business aspect are wonderful, because we’re preparing our children for the future.”
The 180-page 2008 guide contains informative articles on a range of subjects concerning the chamber’s service area, which includes Greenacres, Loxahatchee Groves, Royal Palm Beach, The Acreage and Wellington.
“Because it is the chamber’s 25th anniversary, we included a historical retrospective,” Miranda said. “We also have a feature story on housing in the area; retail, entertainment and the arts; and a special focus on the golf and equestrian industries the past year. We really tried
to give it a more editorial than in past issues. It’s something someone can actually sit down and read, rather than just use as a reference. We want them to do both, enjoy reading through it and at the same time keep it as an information source for the community.”
Many of the directory’s regular features have been expanded or refreshed.
“Some of the things we did with the help of Kane Photography,” Miranda said. “We updated the pictures of our board, and we were able to offer enhanced write-ups of our chamber trustees. I really have to thank Gary [Kane] for that.”
A 25th anniversary section printed with special silver ink includes a historical look back at the chamber’s early days written by Deborah Welky, including interviews with many early chamber members.
Miranda said the chamber has grown to include almost 900 members, with about 170 added just in the past year. Chamber trustees pay a higher level of membership dues and enjoy perks such as additional marketing support. “In the past we just had pictures of trustee members,” she said. “This year we actually included write-ups.”
The guide, produced by the TownCrier’s sister publication Wellington The Magazine, is printed on heavy glossy paper in high-resolution color.
“It’s just so exciting to have this quality of a publication representing our members,” Miranda said. “This is a tremen-
dous improvement over prior years thanks to the efforts of many, and it’s appropriate because the publication is truly a reflection of the community we now operate in, versus 25 years ago. The publication needed to be different. It needed to change. It needed to be special. I’m hoping the publication can continue to look like this in the future.”
Barry Manning, CEO of Wellington
The Magazine and publisher of the TownCrier, was glad to be able to participate in this special 25th anniversary project.
“The Town-Crier newspaper was one of the chamber’s founding members back in 1983,” Manning noted. “We’re glad to have been able to do our part in helping celebrate this important milestone.”
Also featured in the 2008 guide is an update on the fundraising campaign to build a new chamber building. The effort’s biggest donor so far has been Florida Power & Light.
“We were able to do a nice feature
2008 Community Guide — The Palms West Chamber of Commerce’s Anitra Harmon, Debi Leed, Jaene Miranda, Catherine Engel and Kimari Rhoads with
a copy of the new community guide.
PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER See CHAMBER, page 4B
Dr. Shao: Acupuncture Helps Smooth Bumps On ‘Body Highway’
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
Dr. Henry Shao has been practicing the ancient Chinese art of acupuncture for more than 30 years. After a decade of practice in Palm Beach County, he moved the Chinese Medical Clinic to Belvedere Road in Royal Palm Beach last September.
A former professor at the Acupuncture Institute of China in Shanghai, Shao came to the U.S. in 1994. He spent four years in Springfield, Va., outside of Washington, D.C., before a friend urged him to move to West Palm Beach, where he first opened the Chinese Medical Clinic on Okeechobee Blvd. in 1998.
“In China, I wasn’t able to open my own office,” Shao said. “Every doctor belongs to the government. So I came here, where I can use my technique.”
Shao’s technique revolves around the Chinese philosophy of “26 meridians” or pathways in the human body.
“These meridians are the body highway,” Shao said, pointing to a body chart in one of the acupuncture treatment rooms illustrating the meridians.
“The 26 body highways connect to all the body’s organs, muscles and tendons. The highway gets a lot of traffic and has some bumps in it.”
Those bumps, Shao said, are aches and pains. Acupuncture helps alleviate that pain and opens up the body highway so “traffic” flows freely from organs to muscles to tendons, he said.
“Chinese medicine and western medicine are much different,” Shao said. “In western medicine, for example, if you have heart pain you treat the heart. If you have a lung problem you treat
the lungs. Surgery cuts off the body highway. Chinese medicine is different. Chinese medicine sees your whole body as one system and works on getting that one system back to normal. Everything in the body highway is very important.”
For example, Shao said one patient from Coral Springs came to him because she was under stress and didn’t have much energy. The medicines doctors had prescribed for her didn’t help.
“She came to see me and I could tell from her face she had a lot of stress. Her body was weak,” Shao said. “I told her, ‘you have too much stress and your organs are confused.’ After acupuncture, she felt great. She had so much more energy and her body didn’t ache. Her body highway was opened.”
Shao said acupuncture is effective in stress reduction, weight control, deep relaxation, enhanced physical function, rejuvenation of skin and complexion. He said it has helped patients withdraw from drugs, smoking and alcohol addiction, as well as relieve insomnia, anxiety, depression and impotence.
Shao said acupuncture works through the insertion of threadlike, stainless steel needles in specific points on the body grouped along the meridians. Upon insertion of one of these one-use, disposable needles, Shao said a patient might feel a slight sensation, “but little pain.”
Shao offers free consultations to first-time patients. The cost of an acupuncture treatment session is $60. He said patients with acute or functional diseases generally see improvement in three to six sessions.
For chronic diseases, Shao said the
one
suggested schedule of treatments is two to three times weekly in the beginning. Subsequent sessions might be spread out as the patient begins to improve, he said. “I tell people with any kind of pain that if they come here and don’t improve, I’ll give them their money back,” Shao said. “More than 95 percent of the people who come here, I can help.”
Besides five acupuncture treatment
rooms
rooms in its new location, the Chinese Medical Clinic also features an accompanying massage clinic with six private massage rooms.
The Chinese Medical Clinic is located at in the Royal Palm Business Plaza at 9100 Belvedere Road, Suite 109-110 and is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (561) 791-9970 or visit www.westpalmbeachacupuncture.com.
Send business items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@goTownCrier.com.
Acupuncturist — Dr. Henry Shao in
of the acupuncture treatment
at his Royal Palm Beach clinic.
Realtor Matt Johnson Specializes In Equestrian Properties
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
As both an avid equestrian and a real estate agent, Illustrated Properties Realtor Matt Johnson gets to combine the two loves in his life. His expertise in the former field allows him to provide a higher level of service in the latter.
“The equestrian market is a specialty market,” the ten-year Wellington resident said. “There are a few Realtors who specialize in horse properties, but they are not necessarily horse people.”
But Johnson, who owns two horses and competes in the discipline of dressage at the amateur level, is definitely a horse person.
“It’s like waterfront property,” he said. “People want to work with people who know about horses and know what type of facilities you need. It’s like if you were buying a boat, you would want to talk to someone who knows about boats. When you buy a horse property, you want to talk to someone who knows about horse properties: footing, stabling and turnout.”
Although Johnson connects various buyers with a range of available homes, he figures about 90 percent of his trade is in equestrian-oriented properties. He handles homes in Wellington neighborhoods such as Palm Beach Point, Saddle Trail, Grand Prix Village and Mallet Hill, as well as communities nearby such as White Fences,
Homeland, Deer Run and Fox Trail.
Equestrians have particular needs, and Johnson’s knowledge helps him find them the right home.
“I mainly like to focus on what their goals and needs are,” he said. “Do they need to be close to the show grounds? Is location a priority? Or is the decision price-driven? If they don’t have a lot of extra money to spend, it comes down to acreage. If they want 15 or 20 acres, they are going to be located outside of Wellington or on the periphery. The hunter/ jumper people often want to be closer to the show grounds so they can ride their horses to the show. If it’s more than a 10- to 15-minute hack, it becomes too long to ride the horse over to compete. Anyone who’s further away than that trailers their horse into the show grounds.”
A native of Vermont, the 37year-old Johnson started riding at the age of ten. He attended the University of Vermont, majoring in animal science with a minor in business management. He first came to Wellington seasonally to train with dressage masters like Robert Dover.
“I originally came to Wellington back in 1992, and I came to ride and train with Olympic-level trainers,” Johnson said. “I have two horses that I own that I ride and train every day. I went back and forth for several years, so I was here in the winter and up north in the summer. After a while, I got burned out on hav-
ing to go back and forth and not having a real home. I got my real estate license and pursued that.”
Johnson said working in real estate offered him both the time and money to pursue his riding dreams.
“The goal was to get my own horse that was international quality, and to do that I had to earn some real money,” he said. “It’s not cheap to buy one of the horses. That’s partly why I went into real estate, and because it has a somewhat flexible schedule. I would have time to ride, and it works out nice because I have something in common with my clients right off the bat. If I had a regular 9to-5 job, I would have to ride at the end of the day, and that would make it hard. This gives me the flexibility and earning power that I need to do what I want to do.”
Johnson gives great credit to Realtor Robbie Johnson, who gave him a start and training at her company Boardwalk Realty, which recently merged with Illustrated Properties. Although the two are no relation, Johnson said callers to the Boardwalk office often assumed they were. “My name being Johnson, they thought I was her son,” he said. “Sometimes we would get calls and people would say, ‘can I talk to your mom?’ I would say my mom is in Vermont.”
For more information about the range of properties Johnson has available, call him at (561) 795-3013 or visit www. mattsells.com.
RETIREMENT LIVING
It’s resort-style living every day.
Discover a retirement lifestyle that’s just right for you.At Newport Place, you’ll enjoy resort-style amenities while experiencing a renewed social life in a comfortable atmosphere.You can rely on our friendly housekeeping services to keep your apartment home looking beautiful, leaving you plenty of time to take aerobics,play mah-jongg with friends or learn how to paint.
Located in warm and breezy Palm Beach County, Newport Place is close to world-renowned beaches and museums.You’ll be amazed at the wide range of cultural and recreation activities available daily. Whatever it is you’re looking for,you’ll find it at Newport Place Lovely apartment homes are available,and no large buy-in fees are required.Call Newport Place today at (561) 586-6455.
— Illustrated Properties Realtor Matt Johnson has been an avid equestrian since the age of ten.
Chamber
2008 Guide
continued from page 1B story about the planned building with all the contributors to date,” Miranda said. “Including the gift of $100,000 from FPL.”
There’s still more money to raise, but the chamber homes to get a groundbreaking accomplished this year. “We just got a gift of $10,000 from [chamber member and County Commissioner] Jess Santamaria,” Miranda said. “We’re looking to do is get additional cash, but we also are looking for support from different companies to get inkind services to get the rest of the building built. If we could get a company to donate con-
crete or sell it to us at cost, those kinds of contributions could save us thousands of dollars.”
Miranda thanked the many advertisers who made the publication of the guide possible. “I also want to thank all the wellwishers, because there were a lot of well-wishers in here for our 25th anniversary, and for their support for making this publication a reality,” she said. “We’re just so proud to be able to represent the members.”
Copies of the chamber’s 2008 community guide are available at the chamber offices at 13901 Southern Blvd. in Loxahatchee Groves. For more information, call (561) 790-6200 or visit www.palmswest.com.
Solara at Wellington — A stylish apartment community located at 2037 Polo Gardens Drive, Solara at Wellington offers one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes with spacious floor plans and detached garages, with amenities such as an oasis pool, lighted tennis courts and tot lots. For more info., call
Wellington
Palm Beach Atlantic University — Located at 1047 State Road 7 in the Wellington Reserve, Palm Beach Atlantic offers adult degree program classes. Through the MacArthur School of Leadership, the university offers a bachelor’s degree program in organizational management (ORM), as well as general education, ORM core courses and electives. For more info., call (561) 803-2850. Shown here are school representatives with chamber ambassadors.
Comerica Bank — Located at 1037 State Road 7, Suite 117, in the Wellington Reserve, Comerica is a multifaceted corporation with an abiding sense of community. For more info., call (561) 804-1419. Pictured here are Comerica representatives with chamber ambassadors.
Gym Ratz — Specializing in programs for kids, Gym Ratz offers circuit training equipment by Hoist, a traverse climbing wall, game bikes, dance and a basketball training court, as well as Kids Night Out and parties. Gym Ratz is located at 1039 State Road 7, Suite 104-A, in the Wellington Reserve. For more info., call Kelly Wiener or Kristy Prince at (561) 333-0390. Shown here are Wiener and Prince with chamber ambassadors.
Tanya at (561) 795-0819. Shown here are Solara representatives with
Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.
‘Battle Of The Burgs’ March 1 At WestFest Land And Sea Festival
State Sen. Jeff Atwater and Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria will join in the fun and camaraderie at the fifth annual Battle of the Burgs at the WestFest Land and Sea Festival, which takes place Saturday, March 1 beginning at noon at Okeeheelee Park. Local mayors will be joined by police and fire chiefs in this friendly contest between Greenacres, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Loxahatchee Groves and the Indian Trail Improvement District, the western communities represented by the Palms West Chamber of Commerce.
Judges include Palm Beach Post Food Editor Jan Norris, Chef Steve Sitnick of the Florida Culinary Institute, Chef Andrew Burr of Champagne and Roses Catering, and Battle of the Burgs sponsor Joe Sandora of Veolia Environmental Services. Grassy Waters Preserve CEO Bob Nichols will emcee while the participants cook their “organicburgers” on the Grill and Patio Solutions grill and vie for the “Best Burg Organicburger” trophy. Publix GreenWise Mar-
ket will provide all the fresh organic food for the event.
At 1 p.m. on March 1, six students from the Florida Culinary Institute will be challenged to prepare the best “land and sea food” dish with earth-friendly organic food provided by Publix GreenWise Market. Students will be competing for the Best Young Chef trophy and cash prizes.
On Sunday, March 2 at 11:30 a.m., the fun continues in the Grill and Patio Solutions tent as kids ages six to 16 are invited to
cook along with Chef Dianne Morin of Cooking for Kids. They will learn to prepare and cook delicious stuffed organic French toast. Three well know local chefs will share their expertise with cooking demonstrations beginning with Chef Guy Grasso of the Gypsy’s Horse Irish Pub and Restaurant at 12:30 p.m., Breakers West Executive Chef Robert Brovero at 1:30 p.m., and Burr of Champagne and Roses at 2:30 p.m. For more information, www. westfestpalmbeach.com.
Candidates Forum March 6
The Palms West Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee will host a Wellington Village Council candidates’ forum on Thursday, March 6 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.).
Members of the public are invited to attend and will have an opportunity to meet with the candidates prior to the forum. WPTV news anchor Jim Sack-
ett will serve as moderator, and an editorial panel made up of local media will ask questions of the candidates.
Time permitting, members of the audience will be able to pose questions to the candidates through previously submitted comment cards. The forum will be televised on Channel 18.
For more information, call (561) 790-6200 or visit www. palmswest.com.
Gross: Finances A Common Danger For Small Businesses
In today’s business climate, entrepreneurs face countless obstacles to success. Among them, according to research sponsored by the Entrepreneur’s Source, is financial management.
“About 50 percent of small business owners run into cashflow hurdles and use personal credit cards to finance operations in order to compensate for a lack of funding or revenue,” said Don Gross, Wellington business coach from the Entrepreneur’s Source.
“This is a common, oftentimes unaddressed issue that many entrepreneurs need to manage well.”
The Small Business Association echoes this sentiment, stating that cash flow management is probably the most frequent problem for business owners.
Watching the cash inflows and outflows is one of the most pressing management tasks for any entrepreneur. However, Gross said a business owner
must know the best sources for meeting additional cash needs and keep good relationships with those in finance, such as bankers and other creditors.
In addition, Gross said the most common areas of expenditures for companies come from technology, human resources, marketing and sales lead generation, office procurement, operational costs and inventory.
Companies often expend more than 50 percent of their revenues purchasing goods and services; therefore, managing these costs well can have a direct impact on increased profitability. Top trends in the industry suggest that finding people who can provide assistance or having the right partnerships in place when you need them are key to any small business’s success.
The Entrepreneur’s Source, a leading coaching and advisory firm, specializes in helping business owners to learn what is putting their business at risk,
to explore options that will help them see their company more objectively and to implement rapid impact solutions that will reduce expense and increase productivity, resulting in a healthier bottom line.
“It’s often difficult for small business owners to focus on their overall business objectives,” Gross said. “Most business challenges rarely have anything to do with the product or service a business provides. Business owners get caught up with working in the business versus on the business. Our job is to build lasting partnerships with business owners and implement the right solution in the right order that increases the value of our clients business.
Working with an E-Source coach, entrepreneurs can create realistic goals, be accountable for these goals and make fact-based decisions, thus increasing company performance.”
For more information, call Gross at (561) 723-8461.
WELLINGTON’S ASPRINIO OPENS NEW RESTAURANT ON CLEMATIS
Forté di Asprinio, TV chef Stephen Asprinio’s new restaurant, opened in downtown West Palm Beach on March 1. Asprinio, a Wellington High School grad who rose to fame on the first season of Bravo’s Top Chef, hosted a VIP pre-opening party along with business partners Gudrun and Bob Cuillo on Saturday, Feb. 23 at the trendy new Clematis Street hotspot. Forté di Asprinio is located at 225 Clematis Street. For reservations or more information, call (561) 833-7838 or visit www.fortepalmbeach.com.
PHOTOS BY JOSHUA MANNING/TOWN-CRIER
Darren and Allison Haligas with Stephen Asprinio.
Steve Lavine and Tamara Seely. Kim and Fred Asprinio, Stephen’s parents.
Gudrun and Bob Cuillo.Mike Hotary, Pamela Gottfried and Fusi Alberto.
Diana Salandra, Gudrun Cuillo and Lisa Salandra Zimmermann.
PALMS WEST CHAMBER HOSTS MIXER AT ROYAL PALM TOYOTA
The Palms West Chamber of Commerce held a member mixer on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at Royal Palm Toyota. The event was a kickoff for the chamber’s WestFest Land & Sea Festival, which will take place March 1-2 at Okeeheelee Park. Royal Palm Toyota is located at 9205 Southern Blvd. For more info., call (561) 370-7200 or visit www.royalpalmtoyota.com.
Gary Kane and Scott Armand flank Florida Public Utilities’ Dale Butcher.
Erica Blatte, Catherine Engel and Debi Leed.
PHOTOS
Tom Neumann of Allstate Insurance, Palms West Chamber President-Elect John Spillane, Eric Gordon and Dr. Sergio Rauchwerger of Smile Designs.
Florida Public Utilities’ John Costlow, RPB Toyota General Manager Ira Greenbaum and Weitz Construction’s Dave Teets.
Lia Larrea and Robert Trepp.
Montana Tucker entertains.
2/2/1CG CONDO IN GRANDVIEW AT CRESTWOOD — (Gated Community)
Includes all amenities, water & cable, 1 st & Security. No Smoking/No Pets. $1200/month 561-202-4373
VILLA SPACIOUS 1BD/1BA TOTALLY RENOVATED - Brand new kitchen & appliances. Brand new bathroom, screened & gated patio. Barbecue included, Greenway Village. $850/Mo. Partially furnished. Sean 635-1023
$18-$25/HR — Teachers/Tutors P/T. All subjects PreK to Adult. Certification/Experience required. Palm Beach County Areas Fax 561-828-8128 or Email Tutorking@WPB3331980.COM
HELP WANTED/BOOKKEEPER EXPERIENCED; Familiar with QUICKBOOKS - Full-Time position. Pay commensurate with experience. Fax resume to A. Silver - 561-432-2825
PT SALES PEST CONTROL OFFICEto work Saturdays. Commissioned position. Call Jim 561-512-4901
DELIVERY AND TO GO - FT/PT Delivery Drivers. Must have own insured vehicle. Earn $10.00 per delivery. 561752-4444
PART TIME SALES – Local pest control company has an opening for a residential sales person. Earn 20% commission on all initial treatments. Unlimited opportunities. Set you own hours. If interested call Jim @ 561-512-4901.
JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITION-
ING & REFRIGERATION, INC. - Service & new installation FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. "We are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks" 561-798-3225. Family Owned & Operated since 1996
ACCOUNTING/BOOKKEEPING/TAX
SERVICE — Accounting Professional available to provide accounting support to back office operations. Specializing in record keeping, tax compliance, planning, improving productivity and growth. Utilizing the most advanced Accounting software and spreadsheets such as,QuickBooks, DacEasy, Solomon and Excel. For information call: 561-693-4345 or 386-793-4543 Email: Visionsandconcepts@comcast.net.
FRED LADWIG ARCHITECT, P.A. - Specializing in custom residential architectural design for over 20 years. New construction, renovations and additions. FL. Registration AA 2706, 561-333-3353.
The only non-profit petting zoo in the area. - featuring parrots, mini horses, ponies, pony rides, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and Llamas and more and farm club. 561-792-2666
HOT WYRE ELECTRIC — For all your electrical needs. Panel upgrades, installations, repairs, lightening protection, troubleshooting. Licensed, Insured, Free Estimates. 561-313-0134
BILLS ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER SERVICE — New construction, repairs, upgrades, generators, cable, network. No Job Too Big or Too Small. 561-790-0000. Lic. EC13003167/INS
NEED CASH, REFINANCE NOW — rates are at record low! use equity to lower payments and pay-off credit cards! AMP Global/Funding/AL Aline. 967-4949 Evenings & Weekends Too!
HIGH QUALITY LAMINATE FLOORING
— at affordable prices. Hardwood floors. No deposit until delivery. Contractors welcome. Western Communities resident. Family owned and Operated. Licensed and Insured. Se Habla Español 561-568-6099
GUARDSMAN FURNITURE PRO —
For all your furniture repair needs including finish repairs, structural repairs, upholstery services, chair regluing, antique repairs, kitchen cabinet refurbishing. 753-8689
HOME STANDBY GENERATORS — Complete packages including fueled system - Best Prices & reliable new Generator systems installed from 15 to 200KW “More Practical and much quieter” Maintenance & Service for all types of generators. Factory Authorized Dealer. 561-707-0575 Palm Beach. Tropical Power Systems, Inc.
D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-333-9433 or Cell 561252-1186 Lic’d- Well. & Palm Beach
COMPUTER REPAIR - We come to you! After hours and weekends services available. Spyware/Adware/Virus Removal, Networking, Wireless, Backup Data, Upgrades. Call Anytime. 561-713-5276
CAN FIX IT — build it, move it, plant it, and more. Call Bruce, 793-2494. TFN BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS, INC. — Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair, door installation, minor drywall, kitchens/cabinets/countertops, remodeling, wood flooring. Bonded/Insured U#19699. 561-791-9900 Cell: 561-3705293
THE HANDYMAN CAN! - Craftsman with years of experience. Repairs, water damage, painting, wall/ceiling, texturing, moldings, flooring, organizers, plumbing, tile. Remodeling bath/kitchens. Big Savings on outdoor kitchen & bar using your grill or just hang a fan. Make your repair HONEY DO LIST. I show up & want your return business. References. Hourly/job. Call Greg 561531-3141
ANMAR CO. –James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC 1327426 561248-8528
MCA CUSTOM WOODWORKING, INC. — “Make your home standout from the rest” Call us for all your home improvement needs. Kitchen & bathroom remodeling, custom wall units, design your home office, cabinetry, tile & drywall repair. Lic. #U-19564. Bonded & Ins. 561-723-5836 TNT LANDSCAPING & LAWN CARE 561-644-8683 — Lic. & Ins. Landscape design, low maintenance gardens, professional plant installation, mulching, monthly property maintenance, sprinklers maintenance & repair, expert hedge & tree trimming. Yard cleanup too! CARL SAMUELS LAWNCARE AND PRESSURE CLEANING – Complete Lawn Maintenance and Pressure Cleaning incl. Roof, driveways, paverbrick. Quality work at affordable prices. 561633-3687. Lic./Ins. Free Estimate.
LET US AD A LITTLE COLOR TO YOUR LIFE — Residential/Commercial. Licensed • Bonded • Insured. Owner/Operator. Ask for Paul 561-309-8290.
COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Interior/ Exterior, residential painting, over 20 years exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free estimates - Insured. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident. RJA PAINTING & DECORATING — interior, exterior, custom colors, faux artwork, all work guaranteed. Lic. Bonded & Insured. 561-616-2255
PAINTING — HOME PAINTING Interior – Exterior. $1290 +tax up to 2500 sq. ft. (walls area) 561-674-HOME(4663) J&C’s Faux Painting Service, Inc. Lic./Ins. U14092
CREATIVE PAINTING SYSTEMS, INC. — Interior • Exterior • Residential Specialists. WE DELIVER WHAT WE PROMISE. All work guaranteed. FREE ESTIMATES. Family owned & Operated. Over 23 years experience. License #U-18337 • Bonded • Insured Owner/Operator George Born. 561-686-6701
PRIMROSE PROPERTY MANAGMENT FULL SERVICE RESIDENTIAL HOME CARE — Weekly inspections, repairs, & maintenance. Monthly reports, Reasonable rates. 561-602-6857. or email primrosepm123@aol.com MINOR ROOF REPAIRS – Roof painting. Carpentry. License #U9
ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC023773 RC-0067207 BD GARABAR, INC. ROOFING & GENERAL CONSTRUCTION — 561-337-6798 www.garabar.com Lic. #CGC 1510976 CCC1327252. “Deal” Direct with owner. * Please see our display ad* Major credit cards accepted. Fast Free Estimates. Insurance claim specialists. JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! Lic.#9001390. 798-3132. ROLL DOWN SHUTTERS — Accordion shutters, storm panels and rolling shutters...prices that can’t be beat. All
“You dealt with the rest now deal with the best” maintenance and repairs. Inquire about 1 months FREE service. 561-7915073 ELITE POOL CLEANING
J&B PRESSURE CLEANING — Established in 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.Call Butch 561-309-6975 BD
