Town-Crier Newspaper February 7, 2014 by Wellington The Magazine LLC

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Volume 35, Number 6 February 7 - February 13, 2014

Serving Palms West Since 1980

Church To Close Entire Wellington Christian School

INSIDE Hart: Wellington Crime Rate Continues To Fall

Overall crime is down in Wellington, with retail theft and vandalism decreasing the most, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jay Hart told the Wellington Village Council last week. Page 3

Father-Daughter Dance Returns To Village Park

On Saturday, Feb. 1, Wellington’s annual father-daughter dance returned to the Village Park gym. Many fathers and daughters came together at an event sponsored by Simon Orthodontics and the Wellington Preservation Coalition. Page 5

WRMC Launches Beauty On The Spot

Gary Carter Family Brings Music To The PWH Pediatrics Unit

Palms West Hospital held a dedication for its new pediatrics unit piano on Friday, Jan. 31. The family of baseball legend Gary Carter donated a Kretzer piano to the pediatric unit. Page 9

OPINION Shutting Wellington Christian Would Be A Terrible Loss

Wellington will lose a valuable part of its community later this year if doors to the longstanding Wellington Christian School are shut as planned. Wellington Christian has been a pillar of the community for more than 30 years. While it’s a devastating loss to the school families who are now displaced, a possible sale of the land means new questions and concerns for surrounding residents. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS ............................. 3 - 11 OPINION .................................4 CRIME NEWS .........................6 NEWS BRIEFS........................ 8 PEOPLE ............................... 13 SCHOOLS .....................14 - 15 COLUMNS .....................16, 25 BUSINESS .................... 26 - 27 CALENDAR .......................... 30 SPORTS ........................ 31 - 33 CLASSIFIEDS ................ 33 - 37 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

Country music star Hunter Hayes with Paige Bellissimo, Alex Crown and Nicole Bellissimo at the Great Charity Challenge. PHOTO BY LEXEY HALL

Great Charity Challenge Awards $2.25 Million To Local Nonprofits By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report In a record-setting display of generosity, more than $2.25 million was distributed to local charities on Saturday, Feb. 1 as part of the fifth annual FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge presented by Fidelity Investments. Donors in the equestrian community and throughout the area helped the event smash its fundraising goal, giving away more money this year than ever before. “It’s an amazing night. It exceeded my expectations,” said Mark Bellissimo, who founded the event in 2010 with his daughter, Paige. “We raised half-a-million dollars more than we targeted. It truly shows the passion of the equestrian community for Wellington and greater Palm Beach County.” The night was topped off with an electric performance by country music star Hunter Hayes, whose own charity — MusiCares — took third place and received more than $100,000 to help struggling artists. His performance helped bring more exposure to the great causes championed by the participating charities, Bellissimo said. “I love being a part of an event that does so much good for so many nonprofits,” Hayes said. “The sheer number of charities and important causes that receive funding through the FTI Consulting Great Charity Challenge is un-

matched, and it’s very meaningful to me to be able to add music and entertainment to the event.” Amid cheers from a record crowd at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, teams of riders raced over a course of jumps to determine their charity’s placing. In the top slot, winning $150,000, was Speak Up For Kids, whose team included 10-time Olympian Ian Millar, Kelly Soleau and Emily Kinch. Roger Rich of Speak Up For Kids said the money will go to help children who are abused, abandoned or neglected. “Just the fact that we were selected was so exciting, but to win is just fantastic,” Rich said. “It has given us great exposure. We are so thankful to be involved and grateful to all the people who run this event.” Speak Up For Kids provides support to children as well as their court-appointed Guardian ad Litem volunteers — advocates for children who are involved in dependency court proceedings. “Many times, children are kicked out of their homes and all they have is a garbage bag of clothing,” Rich said. “We try to supplement that by giving them a sense of normalcy. We make sure they have proper school clothing, along with all the things they need for a normal life.” The $150,000 prize will help more than 1,700 kids currently going through the dependency court system. “The money will help us

hire more staff to assist Guardians ad Litem in advocating on behalf of the children,” he said. Wellington children were also in the winnings, as the team of Ken Berkley and Chloe and Lilly Hymowitz jumped the Wellington PTO/PTA/PTSA group into second place for $125,000. The event has given almost $300,000 to Wellington schools in its last three years. Binks Forest Elementary School PTA President Tanya Siskind called the prize a “huge gift.” “It takes so much time for us to fundraise money, so this is a wonderful win for us,” she said. “To receive this much money from one source is a huge gift.” Wellington’s 13 schools split the prize, with each school spending its portion to assist students however it is most needed. “We’ll continue to further our technology,” Siskind said. “We still have great needs in that area. Everyone fills their own individual needs, but the need is there.” Polo Park Middle School PTSA teacher liaison Nora Bernstein agreed. “There are so many things our schools can use that money for,” she said. “Public schools are only given a small pot of money each year, and we have to meet the needs of all our children. This is really a blessing.” Bernstein said Polo Park probably would use the money for tutorial programs for the Florida ComSee GCC, page 7

County Gives Developer More Time To Build Acreage Plaza By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach County Commission voted 6-1 last week to let developers of the Shops at Indian Trails, a new shopping plaza planned in The Acreage, divide the commercial project into two phases and delay the start of construction. Commissioners considered the request Thursday, Jan. 30 to adopt a resolution reconfiguring the site plan for the 31-acre property at the southwest corner of Northlake and Coconut boulevards, moving some square footage, modifying conditions of approval and restarting the date for the commencement of development. Commissioner Jess Santamaria, who represents the western com-

munities, cast the lone dissenting vote. The project, approved in 2011, includes about 107,000 square feet of commercial space, including a restaurant with a drive-through, about 89,000 square feet for shops, two banks with drive-through lanes, medical office space and a convenience store with gas pumps and a car wash. Robert Bentz of Land Design South, representing the developers, said his client was not seeking to change the approved square footage, percentage of open space, site access or retail uses but, rather, to build in two phases, move some square footage and extend the build-out date. Bentz said the planned traffic light on Northlake would be in-

stalled on the eastern portion of the tract and then moved later to the original planned location farther west. Neighboring residents voiced concerns that the area could become a strip mall, that traffic would overwhelm the community and that the gas station could lead to drinking-water worries in an area that uses primarily well water. The issues raised were similar to the concerns brought up in 2011 when the development was approved. The developers’ representatives emphasized that the scope of the project, the use of the land and the types of businesses to occupy the plaza already have See PLAZA, page 4

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report After mounting a fight to save its high school, parents of Wellington Christian School students were shocked last week by the news of a decision by Wellington Presbyterian Church leaders to close the school entirely and sell the site it sits on. A $9 million contract has been offered to church leaders from an undisclosed source, but parents have mobilized efforts to find a source of financing that could purchase the property and keep the school together. Last Thursday, parents were mailed a letter from the Session — the group of elders and leaders at Wellington Presbyterian Church that governs its operations. “We are at a point in the history of the church and school where important, long-range decisions must be made and, at this time in the life of the church, it is the Session’s opinion that we must redirect the ministry of Wellington Presbyterian Church by closing the school after the completion of this school year, selling the prop-

erty and relocating to a new site,” the letter explained. Wellington Christian School is owned and operated by Wellington Presbyterian Church, though families do not have to be members of the congregation to attend the school. Late last year, parents were notified that because of financial constraints, the school might have to cease offering high school classes. A group of parents mounted an effort to find funding, but church leaders said it would need a $1.6 million commitment to keep the high school running. “We had a very large group who worked together with the information we got in December hoping to impact change with the high school,” said parent Lainie Guthrie, who spearheaded the fundraiser. “I don’t regret doing that event. A lot of people supported us, like the entertainers and the Village of Wellington. I’m sad we weren’t able to accomplish what we set out to do.” WCS PTF President Nathalie Drahos, who has two daughters See WCS CLOSING, page 20

BARTENDING CELEBS

The Grille Fashion Cuisine in Wellington was the place to be Friday, Jan. 31 for celebrity bartending to benefit the American Cancer Society. The event was the kickoff for the Diamond Ball to be held Saturday, March 8 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Shown here, Jessica Bauer and Brandon Phillips tend bar. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 11 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

New Wellington Charter School To Open In August By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report The new Renaissance Charter School at Wellington is set to open for the 2014-15 school year, and enrollment is now available for it, along with several other Renaissance schools in the area. The Wellington Village Council voted last year to approve the school, along with a daycare center. Construction is already underway on State Road 7, south of Stribling Way. “Our schools all go by the same educational model,” spokeswoman Colleen Reynolds said. “The thing parents really like about the Renaissance Charter Schools is that the curriculum is personalized. Each child has a personal learning plan, and they set goals for students to meet. Everyone is involved in getting students where they need to be academically.” The 75,000-square-foot building will serve about 1,200 stu-

dents. The school will open with kindergarten through sixth grade, adding grades seven and eight in the following years. Reynolds said that parents like the school curriculum for its datadriven system. “We determine what benchmarks there are for students and revisit them often to determine where they need to be,” she said. “We have an information system called Power Schools where parents can get real-time data on their students.” This means parents will know sooner if issues arise in a student’s performance. “There is no more getting a progress report three-quarters of the way through the year to find out the student isn’t turning in their homework,” Reynolds said. “Parents can go on the computer and see how students are performing. If, say, a student bombed a See CHARTER, page 20

Tom Goltzené Claims A Second Term On Groves Council By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report It became official at noon on Tuesday, Feb. 4: Tom Goltzené was not going to be challenged for Seat 5 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council. When the filing deadline passed without a challenger coming forward, Goltzené won a second three-year term by default. And, since no other seats were up for grabs, there will not be a Loxahatchee Groves municipal election this year. Goltzené’s goal for the next three years is to continue doing what

he has been doing. “I will continue to look out for the interest of the people in Loxahatchee Groves and to continue to give thoughtful consideration to each of the issues as they come up,” Goltzené said. Some of the issues include creating a consistent policy regarding town roads and the trail system. “I would like to see the trails and some greenways added and come into use, rather than just be in the planning stages,” he said. “I think we have to be very diligent in looking out for the commercial chang-

es being proposed for the town, both changes that we know and don’t know of yet.” Loxahatchee Groves is a unique area, and Goltzené wants its importance to be recognized. “The agricultural character, the historic nature of the town, is a refuge for people from the more urban and suburban parts of Palm Beach County and South Florida,” he said. “The wildlife in Loxahatchee Groves can be seen and lives with us. There are wild areas that are still here and open spaces that are still here because of the farms and nurseries.”

Often a dissenting voice on the council, Goltzené plans to continue raising issues that he feels need to be discussed. “I will continue to add a voice, hopefully, to add a voice of reason, and to balance out some things,” he said. “The forces of change are always with us, and I try to moderate that.” Goltzené explained that there is a culture clash occurring right now within Loxahatchee Groves. People who have lived in the community for years, he said, are used to the dirt roads and the low-service, do-it-yourself lifestyle, but there

has been an influx of newer residents who prefer that more services be available. There are issues such as how to create the right balance of services for the area, as well as many others that need to be debated and discussed. “It’s interesting times, and I wanted to continue to be a part of it,” said Goltzené, who has been a resident of Loxahatchee Groves since 1991. Aside from his work on the council, Goltzené runs a native plant nursery and does environmental restoration.

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

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NEWS

Central Chamber Members Updated On Inland Port Project

By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report Caroline Villanueva of Florida Crystals addressed the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce during a breakfast meeting Wednesday, Feb. 5 at the Wanderers Club in Wellington. Florida Crystals is the world’s largest refined cane sugar producer and a multinational company with sugar mills and refineries in nine countries, headquartered in Palm Beach County. Villanueva discussed the opportunities possible with her firm’s planned South Florida Intermodal Logistics Center (ILC) inland port. “What is the ILC? It is primarily intended to serve Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The ILC is a concept beyond the traditional industrial park,” Villanueva said. A key component to the idea is U.S. 27, which already serves as a freight corridor alternative to Interstate 95, which is extremely busy. In contrast, U.S. 27 is underutilized and has available capacity. Essentially, there is not much traffic using it, and the road can easily handle more trucks. Compared with the current imports from Savannah, Ga., there would be a 24 percent logistics

cost savings by utilizing an ILC in western Palm Beach County. “The market here is up to 12 million people within the Caribbean basin,” Villanueva said. “There’s only so much land, and most are not large parcels, such as ours.” The site can easily be accessed from U.S. 27. It is 54 miles from the Port of Palm Beach, 67 miles from Port Everglades and 85 miles from Miami; 81 miles to Fort Pierce and 133 miles to Naples. All of the locations are within two hours’ drive time. The 850-acre parcel of land is designated as industrial and is close to existing infrastructure. The site is already prepared with water and electricity. Villanueva estimated that unemployment in the Glades area, where the parcel is located, is more than 30 percent. While the site is near the Tri-Cities of South Bay, Belle Glade and Pahokee, the land is within unincorporated Palm Beach County. “It’s all about location, location, location,” she said. “Our site, which is 850 acres, is planned for up to 10 million square feet.” There are other inland port locations under consideration around Florida, but they are constrained

in size, Villanueva said, in some places up to 100 acres are available, in comparison to Florida Crystals’ 850 acres. There has been speculation about the option of adding a railway alongside U.S. 27 to allow rail traffic to the center of the state, making transporting goods more efficient. It would also increase the effectiveness of the ILC location, which would have a substantial economic impact on the area. “We’ll make a significant dent in decreasing the 40 percent-plus unemployment rate in the Tri-Cities area,” Villanueva said. At least 3,000 full-time jobs could be created on-site, noted Wayne Burns, CEO of the chamber. “This inland port idea really is about being a hub for distribution and redistribution,” he said. The industries that would come to the area would be clean industries, such as distribution and repacking, or assembly and light manufacturing. “If a company wants to come here and build a facility here, and they want to take a half a million square feet and put buildings or a campus out there, everything is ready to go,” Burns said. “You’ve got power, you’ve got water, you’ve got roadways.”

Chamber Breakfast — Caroline Villanueva of Florida Crystals with chamber officials Wayne Burns, Frank Gonzalez and Mary Lou Bedford. PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER The project is important for diversifying the regional economy, Burns said. “This is a major opportunity for us to be ready for the next downturn,” he explained. “This is a rare

moment for us, to be in a competitive environment where you can actually win in this arena. We have the land, we have a company that is behind it, we have a business community that understands it and

wants to get behind it. When this goes to the county, when this goes to the state, we have to show our support for this. This is really going to be a major economic driver for us.”

PBSO Capt. Hart: Wellington’s Royal Palm Beach To Host Crime Rate Continues To Fall ‘West Fest’ Feb. 28 - March 2

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Overall crime is down in Wellington, with retail theft and vandalism decreasing the most, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jay Hart told the Wellington Village Council last week. On Tuesday, Jan. 28, Hart gave his annual report, which showed that increased enforcement has also led to a decline in traffic accidents, while property crime as a whole continued to drop. “Property crime has declined for the fourth consecutive year,” Hart said. “Our goal was to reduce it to fewer than 1,000 cases, and this year we reduced it to 713 cases.” Compared with the 745 cases in fiscal year 2012, property crime declined 4 percent. “The numbers are going in the right direction,” he said. “I’d like to see that decrease even more next year.”

Retail theft declined most drastically, with a 19 percent drop, while residential burglaries also fell from 275 cases last year to 232 cases this year. Hart said that although residential burglaries are tough to solve, many homeowners are taking measures to help police identify criminals. “So many factors go into solving a case, and if someone comes into your home with gloves on and never pawns an item, it’s very difficult,” he said. “But more families are installing cameras, which helps.” This leads to pictures and car descriptions. “As more people continue to put them up, it will make things easier for us,” Hart said. Vandalism also fell in Wellington by 11 percent. Hart attributed this to increased deputy presence.

But the village did see an increase in robberies over the past year, with three more cases than in fiscal year 2012. Although Wellington is still below average in terms of robberies, Hart said he wants to see them eliminated. “One robbery is too many,” he said. “Twenty-four robberies occurred in Wellington this year, which is still 20 percent below average.” Of the robberies, Hart said about 54 percent of them had been solved, with several being fabrications. “Some of them did not occur,” he said. “What happens is someone spends their money on drugs and then has to make up an excuse to where the money went. We know the indicators and are able to figure that out fairly quickly.” Hart said Wellington saw some See CRIME, page 20

By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report West Fest, “A Western Style Celebration,” is being planned as a free community event at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park (11600 Poinciana Blvd.) from Friday, Feb. 28 to Sunday, March 2. West Fest will mark the oneyear anniversary of the grand opening of the park and will be a family-friendly weekend featuring performances, live music, displays, ATVs, airboats, swamp buggies and more. Special events that require registration or pre-registration include a chili cook-off, a 5K run and the Miss and Mr. West Fest Pageant. Attendees, who will be able to try various chili recipes for $2, will judge the cook-off. Royal Palm Beach staff member Carlos Morales suggests that attendees carpool and bring beach

blankets, lawn chairs, towels or other seating. He estimated that there are approximately 1,600 parking spots, and if previous events are any indication, about 10,000 individuals will attend each day. “This is something that is true to the community,” Morales said. “Royal Palm Beach is a municipality, and we have this beautiful, brand-new park, and it’s not only for our residents. We look at this park as being a regional park. That’s why we went with the name West Fest. We invite all to come to this event.” Those attending can expect performances from local and national recording artists, including County Line Road, the Grayson Rogers Band, Tate Stevens, Tom Jackson

and more. There will be carnival rides for all ages as well as displays, an area with a blacksmith, a medicine cart, gold mining and other child-friendly events. On Saturday, the Police Athletic League will be doing a boxing show, which Morales said is also for kids of all ages. For food and refreshments, the Food Truck Invasion will be present and the Royal Palm Beach Green Market will run as normal on Sunday. There are many things in the park to do, including visiting the splash pad or the golf range, and canoeing or kayaking around the park. To learn more, or to register for events, visit www.rpbwestfest. com or call (561) 790-5149.

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OUR OPINION

Shutting Wellington Christian School Would Be A Terrible Loss

If the current plan moves forward, Wellington will lose a valuable part of its community later this year when the doors to the longstanding Wellington Christian School are shut. While it will be a devastating loss to the Wellington Christian School families who are now displaced, the closing of the school, along with a possible sale of the property, mean new questions and concerns for surrounding residents in a densely populated section of central Wellington. Wellington Christian School has been a pillar of the community for more than 30 years and is the only Christian school in the village. Late last year the school community was rocked by the news that its 10-year-old high school might close. But then, last week, parents were informed that Wellington Christian School would soon be closing in its entirety, meaning that approximately 500 students will have to start at a new school next year. Parents are understandably upset. The tight-knit Wellington Christian School community has seen children become parents and parents become grandparents as generations of families passed through those hallways. For many students and families, Wellington Christian School is the only school they’ve ever known. Earlier this week, Wellington Presbyterian Church leaders — who govern the school —

Kudos To County For C2Z Vote

As a resident of Palm Beach County concerned about the tragic plight of homeless animals and the ethical and financial issues involved, I am glad that on Feb. 4, the Palm Beach County Commission unanimously approved a resolution brought forth by the Animal Care & Control, which will establish Palm Beach County as a “Countdown to Zero” (C2Z) community with a 10-year goal of ending euthanasia of adoptable animals. I hope that the commissioners, in approving this resolution, will also commit to dedicating the funding needed to achieve these goals. Funds spent on this project in the short term will save tax dollars in the long term. One important project should be to address trap, sterilize, return (TSR) and care of cats abandoned in our neighborhoods. A resident should be able to call Animal Care & Control for free assistance in TSR of cats they will care for but need help to get them sterilized and vaccinated against rabies. Whether residents of Palm Beach County love cats or loathe them, everyone agrees there are too many of them and their numbers need to be humanely reduced with the proven, effective TSR and care program. Debbie Lewis The Acreage

Fluoridation Does Not Lower IQ

In the most recent edition of the Town-Crier, considerable coverage was given to the decision by Wellington Village Council to discontinue fluoridation of Wellington’s water supply. Village resident Tracey Powers expressed concerns that fluoride might reduce IQs of Wellington citizens. Based on the bizarre reasons she gives for her anti-fluoridation position and the befuddled comments of some of our council members, she may have a point that something is addling brains around here. The practice of fluoridation of municipal water supplies has been in place in the United States since Grand Rapids, Mich., initiated the practice in 1945. Today, about 74 percent of the country’s population drink from taps supplied with fluoridated water. Health professionals estimate that there has been a 20 to 40 percent reduction in incidence of tooth decay because of this public health practice. The

informed parents that a $9 million offer was made on the property, though the potential buyer has not been named. This raises questions not only for the school families, but also for the surrounding community. Years ago, when the church decided to add a high school, some neighbors fought the decision. As the property is currently zoned for an institution, such as a church or school, it is unlikely neighbors will want to see additional development on the site. Right now, the best-case scenario is that another similar institution buys the property, perhaps providing a location for Wellington Christian School students to continue on the same path with their education. At the very least, retaining the site for education and/or another congregation would be sure to put nearby residents’ minds to rest. While it is a shame to see the school close and the church relocate, facing a new project from a developer capitalizing on the church’s bad financial situation could make it worse. We applaud other local organizations for reaching out to the Wellington Christian School community. It’s important that the community come together for comfort and solace in these times of uncertainty, but it’s also important to ask questions and seek answers. This is truly a loss for the community, and if there is a chance the school could be saved, we hope it comes to light in time.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR standard U.S. protocol is to supplement drinking water with 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million (ppm) of fluoride. This concentration has never been shown to correlate with any adverse health impact in any of the 50 U.S. epidemiological studies on the subject. Ms. Powers refers to the fluoride as a “drug” in our water. Oh, please. Fluoride additive in our water is no more a “drug” than iodine in our table salt (≥ 15 ppm) or folate added to breads and cereals. To further her position, Ms. Powers claims that there are “hundreds of scientific studies that say that fluoride reduces IQs in children.” Actually, there is one study that is the basis for this claim. It is out of Harvard University and it is what we refer to in the scientific literature as a “meta-analysis” or robust review of previously published research. Sophisticated statistical procedures are used to find trends across a panel of experiments reported by other workers. The Harvard authors did not do the actual research but examined 25 papers, 23 of which were from China. They concluded that when communities in China used drinking water with very high naturally occurring levels of fluoride (in the range of 7 ppm or about 7 times the concentration used as an additive in the U.S.), a drop of about 7 IQ points was found, compared to the control group. This might seem of concern at first glance, but if you go to the original papers (which we geeky scientists have an annoying habit of doing), you see striking numbers. The control group, that is, the group with the higher IQs, were drinking from water sources with a fluoride concentration of 0.8 ppm, right in the range used to fluoridate U.S. water systems! And what’s more, the adults in the communities with the high fluoride levels actually had a statistically significant increase in longevity over those in the control or lower fluoride group. The authors of the Harvard study made this statement concerning the use of their own work: “These results do not allow us to make any judgment regarding possible levels of risk at levels of exposure typical for water fluoridation in the U.S.” If they can’t, why are Ms. Powers and three of our council members confident they can? Recently the city of Wichita, Kan., had a referendum on the ballot to discontinue fluoride use in the city’s drinking water. Our Harvard scientists wrote to

Wichita’s daily newspaper, urging voters to not vote for elimination of fluoridation, stating that their study was insufficient to overcome the obvious health benefits from fluoridation. I’m sure they would have the same things to say to Wellington. That Ms. Powers may be led astray by the anti-fluoride conspiracy theories out there may not be all that surprising. After all, 30 percent of Americans believe Sasquatch lives! But the policy decision of three of our council members is something else, indeed. They voted to discontinue fluoridation despite the informed advice of health professionals in attendance, as well as the official stance of the American Dental Association, the American Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control and the Surgeon General. This is not a matter of locating the village tennis courts, but a matter of the health and well-being of our residents, young and old. We deserve better. Shame on you. Ken Pernezny, PhD. Wellington

Santamaria Speaks For The Acreage

Kudos to County Commissioner Jess Santamaria for being a spokesman for the people. At the Palm Beach County Commission meeting on Jan. 30, Mr. Santamaria was the only commissioner who spoke for the residents of The Acreage in their protests against encroaching development. To paraphrase, he said the people of The Acreage are having big government and special interests decide what is best for them, namely unwanted development. It is being pushed upon them whether they like it or not, being told the developers are there to serve the residents and improve their lives. He acknowledged that while only a half-dozen people spoke in opposition to the pending development on Northlake Blvd., the opinions voiced were the opinions of the majority of the residents. Mr. Santamaria is a lone warrior for the people. He speaks for the people, not the special interests. Unlike the other commissioners, he does not ignore the public input. He has been a champion of the people of the western communities and he will be sorely missed when his term is completed. Janice Sommer The Acreage

A Moronic Decision

Regarding the Wellington Village Council’s moronic decision to eliminate fluoride from the village water supply: in the interests of unity, the two council members who voted against de-fluoridation should take up a “defend to the death” issue to make them look as stupid as the three who voted in favor. Let me suggest a few possibilities: climate change denial, vaccination alarmism, Obama birtherism, 9/11 trutherism... Kim Grinder Royal Palm Beach

Disappointed In Wellington Village Council

I was shocked and disappointed at the Wellington Village Council’s decision to remove fluoride from our water. I quietly listened during the hearing on Tuesday to all the arguments, and it was abundantly clear that the council members sided with the conspiracy theorists instead of the fact-based, highly educated professionals who dedicated their lives to the field of healthcare. How they could not side with science and the Centers for Disease Controls (CDC) recommendations is extremely disturbing to me. The CDC described fluoridation as one of the 10 most important public health accomplishments of the 20th century. I could almost understand Vice Mayor Howard Coates defending his position believing people should not be forced to drink fluoride without their consent. I would argue that the benefits have proven to outweigh the risks. Councilmen Matt Willhite and John Greene’s argument was that there was not enough proof of the long-term effects. Council members chose to agree with the local conspiracy theorists, refusing to listen to people who have dedicated their lives to the health of the general population. Instead, the council members questioned why these health professionals came from great distances to debate fluoridation in our village. Great distances include such foreign lands as Lake Worth. To follow the twisted logic of the council, I suggest the Wellington Village Council adopt the following measures. Remove the Patriot Memorial. The 9/11 attack was a government conspiracy to draw the U.S. into a regional war with Afghanistan and Iraq. Pass a measure to stop immunizations of

our children. We do not know the long-term effects of immunization. While we are at it, please stop the Wellington Wireless Network. People should not be subjected to radio waves hitting their bodies. And finally, please change the green lights to amber in our traffic signals. I read that green can cause cataracts. Rich Schoenfeld Wellington

Minto West Will Harm Existing Rural Lifestyle

I was very disappointed in the article titled “Acreage Residents Speak Out At ITID’s Minto West Meeting” (Jan. 31). Despite the title, the article did not adequately address the many legitimate concerns many of us who live out west have regarding the 3,800-acre, five-mile-wide proposed Minto development. Palm Beach County is a diverse county with a blend of many cultures and also many uses for land. Those who live “in town” may not realize that our county’s agricultural production was estimated at $1.4 billion in 2010 to 2011. That number is not trivial. We are the largest county in terms of agriculture east of the Mississippi. Before we talk about new jobs, perhaps we should consider preserving existing employment. Between the large commercial farms and high density developments you will find Loxahatchee, The Acreage and unincorporated areas. This is where I live. This is the area that the Minto land is in. Some of us prefer to live on dirt roads on large lots and grow tropical fruit, our own vegetables or raise chickens. Some of us out west are simply here because we want to raise a family in an area that still has a taste of traditional values and/or a connection to the land. Some work in town but prefer the peace and quiet out here. Some prefer to see the stars at night. Many of my neighbors have small family businesses that are based on landscape plants, niche agriculture, landscaping, farm animals, horses, bees and so much more. The diversity and creativity of my neighbors is incredible. When we talk about diversity, jobs

and quality of life, please consider what is here right now that will be lost if we change the land use to accommodate big development. We recognize that some people like to live in condos with beautiful oceanfront views. They like to live free from the need to do yard work. There is a place for them in Palm Beach County. We recognize that some people like to live in zerolot-line HOAs where standards and uniformity create a consistent look. There is a place for them, too, here in Palm Beach County. However, some of us don’t want to be told we can only paint our house one of three boring colors or that we are not allowed to have our own trailer or boat in our own driveway. Some of us don’t want to live five feet from our neighbors. Some of us enjoy working with the earth to garden, to landscape and to grow things from our own food to our children without a lot of silly rules and oversight. Political diversity is another kind of diversity. Most of us follow “live and let live” out here. My neighbors range from die-hard Tea Party conservatives to the greenest of green vegan liberals. Most of us get along amazingly well. Perhaps this is because we have the freedom to pursue our own individual versions of happiness. Perhaps this is because we all have some space between us and most of us look out for our neighbors but also mind our own business. City planners should continue to protect and nurture Palm Beach County’s full diversity of land and lifestyles use through enforcing the current land use restrictions. We should protect agriculture; after all, it feeds us and is already a huge part of our economy. The allowable density on the Minto land was already greatly increased in 2008. It should not be increased again. HOAs do not belong out here. There is a place for condos, zero-lot-line HOAs and high-density housing near the coast in Palm Beach County. I support that. But there also should be a place for low-density agriculture/residential housing that has fewer public services but also has fewer restrictions. That lifestyle, our lifestyle, is being threatened by the current Minto proposal. Dr. James B. Wood The Acreage

The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words suggested). Submit letters, with contact name, address and telephone number (anonymous letters will not be published), to The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to (561) 793-6090; or you can e-mail letters@ goTownCrier.com.

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continued from page 1 been approved and would remain unchanged. While Vice Mayor Paulette Burdick agreed to support the change, she was not happy that the project has been delayed. “We approve a lot of these projects because we are told that they are going to create jobs, and by continuing to postpone them, we are not creating jobs,” she said. “I’m going to support the project, but I think it’s important, when we’re told that this is going to create X amount of jobs, as we postpone it, those jobs aren’t being created.” Postponement of the project

was blamed on the economy, and Bentz emphasized that no big changes were being sought. “What we are doing today is creating a phase line in our project,” he said. “This has no new impacts to the community.” The biggest difference is moving the traffic light to the east, temporarily, and then moving it west, Bentz said. “The changes that we are making, honestly, are… better for the community than what currently exists today,” Bentz said. “This center is a neighborhood-serving retail center. It’s going to serve the community in the Acreage area.” Santamaria said that the feelings expressed by the handful of residents attending reflected the feelings of 80 percent or so of

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Acreage residents, and he noted that there was no one from the Acreage Landowners’Association supporting the change. He also said that development extensions in Palm Beach County have become too common. Phasing, Santamaria added, is too common as well, citing extensions he has seen that went beyond 10 years. He said his main concern is access from Hamlin Blvd. “I would be willing to support this project if they close the access on Hamlin,” Santamaria said. “That is the main reason that I will not approve this project or any other project in the future that negatively impacts a residential area. We must stop infringing on [people who] moved into an area

because of the character and the peacefulness of the community. We are forcing congestion and traffic in the areas like The Acreage, and that has to stop.” Commissioner Steven Abrams said that changing the time frame does not change the project itself. “The fact is, eventually the project will get built and the jobs will be created,” Abrams said. “We just can’t control the specific market conditions as to the timing, and that’s presumably why applicants come in seeking a phasing, because they want to try to conform as best as they can to the prevailing market conditions.” The commissioners’ 6-1 vote means construction won’t begin until 2017, and the project will be built in two parts.

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Wellington Art Society Meeting Set For Feb. 12

The next Wellington Art Society meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the Wellington Community Center featuring a presentation by artist Deb LaFogg Docherty. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a raffle, followed by the general meeting at 7 p.m., with the presentation and demo to follow. Guests are welcome for a $5 fee. Docherty grew up on a small farm in Connecticut exploring the woods and swamps around her house. She received no formal training till attending art college,

where she majored in advertising and illustration. She has studied with world-renowned artists. Docherty will be talking about some of the basics of painting and pastels. She will do demonstration in which she explores different forms of underpainting, application techniques, and illustrates how light, color, contrast, composition, texture and atmosphere make any painting in any medium luminous and breathtaking. For more information, visit www.wellingtonartsociety.org or www.wellingtonartsociety.blogspot.com.

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EDITORIAL STAFF/ Chris Felker • Denise Fleischman • Julie Unger • Damon Webb CONTRIBUTORS/ Jules Rabin • Ellen Rosenberg • Leonard Wechsler • Deborah Welky ART & PRODUCTION MANAGER/ Stephanie Rodriguez ADVERTISING/ Betty Buglio • Evie Edwards • Wanda Glockson STAFF/ Shanta Daibee • Carol Lieberman • Geri O’Neil

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Annual Wellington Father-Daughter Dance Returns To Village Park

On Saturday, Feb. 1, Wellingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual father-daughter dance returned to the Village Park gym. This was a great event to kick off the month of February. Many fathers and daughters came together to enjoy great food and a traditional father-daughter dance. This photos by Jayme Salerno/town-crier event was sponsored by Simon Orthodontics and the Wellington Preservation Coalition.

Chris and Logan Seal with Greg and Hailey Guzik.

Marrell and Haylee Jerkins.

Jeremy and Abigail Cole enjoy the evening.

Dean and Brooke Goodson, Vito Torchia and Jordynn Velez, Duane Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor and Sid and Helen Kafka.

Alexa and Euston Maynerd.

Karsyn and John Baughman.

New Horizons Gets Donation While Students Learn About Patriotism New Horizons Elementary School invited Tom Wenham and Robert Wigersma to speak about respect for the American flag on Thursday, Jan. 30. Also at the event, the Wellington Preservation Coalition, on behalf of the Jacobs family, presented a $3,000 check to be used for books through the Leveled Literacy Program. photos by Denise Fleischman/town-crier

Tom Wenham showed his Korean War United Nations medal to the students.

Robert Wigersma showed Angela Camacho, Eileen Valdez, Sofia Rodriguez, Victoria Watson and Marleny Pineda how to fold an American flag.

Mickey Simmel, Jeannie Robbins, Communities In Schools Executive Director Margaret Bagley, Area 3 Superintendent Mathew Shoemaker, Guidance Counselor Lynne Bray, Wellington Preservation Coalition Executive Director Tom Wenham and Principal Betsy Cardozo.

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

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CRIME NEWS

Man Arrested For Car Burglary In RPB

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report JAN. 23 — A Pompano Beach man was arrested Thursday, Jan. 23 on charges of burglary after he was caught attempting to open vehicles in the parking lot of the Village Shoppes plaza on Southern Blvd. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was dispatched to the plaza after a witness reported a suspicious person attempting to open vehicles in the parking lot. According to the report, the deputy made contact with 32-year-old Troy Giardina in the parking lot. According to the report, Giardina said he had gone into the vehicle looking for items of value. Giardina was arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail, where he was charged with burglary to an unoccupied structure. ••• JAN. 18 — A resident of Queens Lane called the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach on Saturday, Jan. 18 to report a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 11:46 p.m., the victim went outside to discover two unknown males standing next to his vehicle. The two suspects then fled in a silver Chevy Impala. According to the report, the victim discovered that his Garmin GPS system was missing from his vehicle and believed the suspects were able to gain access through an unlocked door. The suspects were described as white teenage males, one of them approximately 6’ tall and wearing a flannel shirt. The stolen GPS unit was valued at approximately $200. There was no further information available at the time of the report. JAN. 19 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to Commons Park on Sunday, Jan. 19 following a theft. According to a PBSO report, the victim was at the park at approximately 7 p.m. when he was approached by an unknown young black male. According to the report, the suspect asked to use the victim’s phone to make a call, and the victim agreed to give him his Samsung Black Galaxy Note 3. The suspect then pretended to call someone before fleeing with the phone. The stolen phone was valued at approximately $750. There was no further information available at the time of the report. JAN. 27 — A resident of Prado Street in La Mancha called the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach last Monday to report a home burglary. According to a PBSO report, the victim left his home at approximately 11 a.m. and returned at approximately 4 p.m. to discover that his 60-inch Sony Bravia LCD television was missing from the living room. The victim’s mother also reported

four pieces of jewelry missing, including hoop earrings and a jade bracelet. According to the report, there were no signs of forced entry. The perpetrator(s) might have gained entry through an open rear sliding-glass door. The stolen items were valued at approximately $2,400. DNA evidence was processed at the scene, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. FEB. 1 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was called to the Mall at Wellington Green last Saturday regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, the victim was at the mall last Friday evening when someone stole her iPhone 5c from the front pocket of her purse. The stolen phone was valued at approximately $400. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. FEB. 2 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington responded Sunday to a home on Yarmouth Circle regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 3 and 5 p.m. last Friday, someone stole a black and green junior BMX bicycle from the victim’s front porch. The victim’s son reported seeing an unknown black male riding the bicycle on Saturday. The stolen bicycle was valued at approximately $59. There was no further information available at the time of the report. FEB. 2 — A resident of the Binks Forest community called the PBSO substation in Wellington on Sunday to report a home burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., someone entered the victim’s home and stole a small safe containing approximately $15,000 along with documents and jewelry, as well as a Breitling watch. The victim was unsure if he locked the doors to his home. According to the report, the only other person who knew about the safe was the victim’s cleaning woman, who recently quit. The stolen items were valued at approximately $35,000. A neighbor said they heard a dog bark at approximately 11 a.m. that day. DNA evidence was taken at the scene, but there was no further information available at the time of the report. FEB. 2 — A Wellington woman was arrested last Sunday on charges of theft after she was caught shoplifting from the Walgreens pharmacy on Greenview Shores Blvd. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington station was called to the store after 19-year-old Destiny Brown was stopped by a loss prevention officer, who observed her take several items, including a memory stick and several cards. The stolen items were valued at $63.02. Brown was arrested and taken to the county jail, where she was charged with petty theft.

Woman Dies Following Fall From Horse At PBIEC

JAN. 31 — A woman died last Friday afternoon after a fall from a horse at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington. According to a PBSO report, 52-year-old Anne Heyman was competing when she became dislodged from the horse after a jump. Heyman fell off the left side of the horse, and witnesses said she struck the back of her head.

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue was on scene at the show grounds and responded immediately, but Heyman was unconscious. She was taken by Trauma Hawk to Delray Beach Medical Center, where doctors performed emergency surgery. According to the report, Heyman went into cardiac arrest during the surgery and was pronounced dead at 1:39 p.m.

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives: • Arturo Rubio is a white male, 5’9” tall and weighing 140 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 09/01/76. Rubio is wanted for violation of supervised own recognizance on charges of lewd and lascivious molestation. His address is listed as at large. His occupation is a laborer. He is wanted as of 01/30/14. • Carolyn Taylor is a white female, 5’5” tall and weighing 125 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes. She has scars on both her arms. Her date of birth is 05/15/86. Taylor is wanted for violation of probation on charges of grand theft. Her last known address was 42nd Road North in The Acreage. She is wanted as of 01/30/14. Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestopperspbc.com.

Arturo Rubio

Carolyn Taylor

THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY. CRIMESTOPPERS IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT SHOWN HERE.

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NEWS

SOUTH FLORIDA FAIR BIDS GOODBYE AFTER A 17-DAY RUN OF EXCITEMENT

The South Florida Fair finished its 17-day run Sunday, Feb. 2. Guests flocked to the South Florida Fairgrounds to enjoy carnival rides and games, local talent and performances, agriculture, entertainment, food and more. For more info., visit www.southfloridafair.com. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Celebrating their birthdays were Jimmy Shirley, Ron Davis, Deanna Boehner and Kathy Clark-Tilson.

The JayCees Western Cowgirls Drill Team.

Zebb Belcher and his mother, Dana Lauffer, in the clutches of King Kong.

The Wellington Ballet Theatre performed “Newsies” featuring copies of the Town-Crier.

John and Toy Wash with their grandson, Ayden James Wash.

Fair Queen Alexandra Cossio with Girl Scout Troop #20244 of Wellington.

Central Chamber Continues Leadership Team Reorganization The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce has undergone significant changes among its executive leadership in recent months, ever since the chamber’s board of directors named Wayne Burns as the new CEO, replacing Jaene Miranda, who left last year for the top job with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. Mary Lou Bedford, the former vice president of marketing and business development, was pro-

GCC

Dozens Of Charities

continued from page 1 prehensive Assessment Test, as well as its summer prep program for incoming sixth-graders. “This is money well spent,” she said. “All of Wellington’s children will benefit from it.” Wellington-based charities took home more than $323,000 this year, with more than $952,000 total distributed to Wellington charities in the event’s five years. Bellissimo has made a point to include local charities in the mix each year. “It gives us a great opportunity to give back to Wellington,” he said. “We make sure that at least one-quarter of the charities chosen come from Wellington. I’m so happy that the schools will be enjoying this gift. It’s important that this goes back into the community to help our own.” The team of Doda de Miranda, Paige Bellissimo and Alex Crown helped MusiCares to a third-place finish and $100,000. The organization was awarded an additional $12,500, to bring its total winnings to $112,500. The Great Charity Challenge has raised around $6.4 million for more than 100 charities in Palm Beach County over the past five years. “We thank all of the riders, horse owners and the amazing sponsors who contributed to this important effort,” Paige Bellissimo said. “Thanks to the support of this com-

moted to executive vice president. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the direction in which we are headed,” Bedford said. “Our new CEO is a visionary, and under his leadership, I’m confident we will take our organization to new heights.” Gary Loft has been hired as the associate director of finance and operations. Loft’s background includes 29 years in finance, having worked for large nonprofits such

as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Florida Grand Opera in Miami and the Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center in Boca Raton. Sonya Moste has been hired as the associate director of marketing, communications and public relations. She is the former director of marketing with Invest Atlanta, the official economic development and redevelopment agency for the City of Atlanta.

“There’s a lot going on in central Palm Beach County, and it’s my goal to tell the story so that other businesses will read about the successes and want to move here and create jobs,” Moste said. The chamber is conducting a national search for an associate director of economic development. “My number-one priority right now is putting a winning team together,” Burns said. “When I look at the talent around me, I

munity, we have raised nearly $6.4 million over the last five years.” This year, the event surpassed its fundraising goal with a $50,000 donation from Elizabeth Freed’s family foundation, which brought the donations over the $2 million mark. But sponsors and donors continued to get swept up in the spirit of giving, and several charities walked away with additional money from random drawings and other means. Dan and Ellen Crown matched their prize money for the Wounded Warriors of South Florida, adding $25,500 to the charity’s earnings. Random drawings throughout the night saw 12 more charities add between $5,000 and $10,000 to their winnings. Meanwhile, local Little League organizations took home between $3,000 and $7,000 each to help finance their teams. Bellissimo said the energy and passion of the event prompted donors to continue to give above and beyond their initial sponsorship. “The random nature of the event is kind of exciting,” he said. “We all have charities that are dear to us, and it’s like a random act of kindness in giving back. People feel really good about participating. We have people from all over the country who have taken interest in giving.” Fans also got in on the participation, voting online every day for their favorite charities. Big Dog Ranch Rescue won first place and the $25,000 Fan Favorite award. Meanwhile, Healing Horse Therapy Center and Danny & Ron’s Rescue came in second and third,

respectively, and each took home an additional $12,500. “More than 50 local groups will walk away with thousands of dollars, and 100 percent of that money stays right here in Palm Beach County,” said Dennis Shaughnessy, retired executive chairman of sponsor FTI Consulting. “I can’t think of another event that has such a far-reaching positive influence, and I’m proud that my company

was able to contribute significantly to this year’s allocations.” Bellissimo said he hopes to see the event grow in the future. “I hope it becomes one of Wellington’s defining events,” he said. “I think it was a wonderful event, and I’m glad we had a record crowd to celebrate what I think was a great moment in history.” For more info., visit www.fti greatcharitychallenge.com.

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could not be more delighted. I’m excited about the possibilities of what we as a chamber will be able to achieve for our members and our economic impact on Palm Beach County.” The geographic footprint of the central Palm Beach County Chamber extends from the sugar cane fields near Lake Okeechobee to the coral reefs of the Atlantic Ocean, encompassing 15 incorporated municipalities and serving a

population of more than 420,000 residents, roughly 30 percent of the population of Palm Beach County. More than 1,200 member businesses receive benefits through the chamber’s programs and services. The chamber also produces community events such as Reggae Fest, Salsa Fest, the Tropical Triathlon and the Wellington Holiday Parade. For more info., visit www. cpbchamber.com.

(Above) Mark Bellissimo and Roger Smith give Hunter Hayes a team shirt. Speak Up For Kids won the $150,000 award for first place.

(Left) Myrto Illiadis takes a jump.

PHOTO BY SPORTFOT

The Wellington PTO/PTA/PTSA Group is awarded second place.

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

Rotary To Host Wine & Food Fest In April

The Wellington Rotary Club is excited to announce the inaugural Wellington Wine & Food Fest to benefit the charities of the Wellington Rotary Foundation. The event, chaired by Carol O’Neil and Tim Chance, will take place Thursday, April 10 at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club starting at 6:30 p.m. Food and wine from around the world will be served to the attendees. Tickets range from $100 to $150 per person. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on fabulous auction items, with all proceeds to benefit the charities. Sponsorships are available. For more about this event, ticket sales, or further information about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.wellingtonwineand foodfest.com or call O’Neil at (561) 389-1227 or Chance at (561) 791-8585. For more about the Wellington Rotary Club, or to become a member, visit www.wellingtonrotary. org or call Bob Salerno at (561) 512-8247.

Radish Festival Set For Feb. 15

The 2014 Radish Festival will arrive at the Wellington Green Market on Saturday, Feb. 15. Attendees can learn about the spicy, pungent and nutritious red, black or white radish. Palm Beach County-grown radishes are high in vitamin C and loaded with antioxidants, fiber, electrolytes, vitamins, minerals and more. Local chefs will be preparing artisan, creative dishes made with local radishes for sampling. The Wellington Green Market takes place Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex (10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 283-5856 for more info.

La Vita Health Seminar Feb. 18

Massages feel great, but can they help you achieve your weightloss goals? Learn about the massage’s role in digestion and weight loss during a health seminar Tuesday, Feb. 18 at LaVida Massage. Owner Patti Gilliano and massage therapists at LaVida will discuss

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NEWS BRIEFS what happens in the lymphatic and digestive system during a massage. “While many people may understand how a massage benefits your muscles, there is less awareness of what happens in the lymphatic and digestive systems as a result of a massage,” said Gilliano, a registered nurse. “While you can’t massage your way thin, you’ll have better results with weight-loss goals if you understand how your body works.” The seminar takes place at 7 p.m. at LaVida Massage, 129 State Road 7, Royal Palm Beach, just south of Southern Blvd. It is part of a series of wellness seminars. There is no charge to attend, but space is limited. RSVP to (561) 790-7755.

Hugs & Kisses Plans Fashion Fundraiser

Hugs and Kisses Inc. will present its 2014 collection at a Fashion Fundraiser on Saturday, March 1. Never-before-seen couture pieces will highlight the collection. Themed “Be a Life Saver with Hugs and Kisses,” the event will include top designers’ fashions

from local boutiques accessorized with pieces from Hugs and Kisses. Rounding out the event will be performances from local talent, plus great raffle and auction items. “This is our biggest annual fundraiser,” founder Jean Morris said. “Our volunteers and sponsors put a lot into this event to make it exciting and fun to help us support local cancer patients whose finances are severely challenged during treatment.” Tickets are now on sale at www. hugsandkissesinc.org or at the Hugs & Kisses Center at 10131 Southern Blvd in Royal Palm Beach. FPL is among the event’s sponsors. Anyone interested in getting involved as a sponsor should contact Morris at (561) 819-9471 or jean.morris@hugsandkissesinc. org.

St. Patrick’s Celebration In The Acreage

Get your green on as the Acreage Community Park Music Jam celebrates St Patrick’s Day on Saturday, March 15, from 4 to 10 p.m. The Acreage Landowners’ Association and the Indian Trail

FOR THE LOVE OF

Improvement District will host the Acreage Community Park Jam at Acreage Community Park (6701 140th Avenue North). The event features local musicians of all ages, styles and skill levels. Food trucks will be on site. For the classic car lovers, there will be a classic car cruise-in. Attendees are invited to bring and display classic vehicles or motorcycles. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and a corn hole tournament. Glass containers are not allowed, and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or other seating to this family-friendly event. This event is fun for all ages. The park also has a playground adjacent to the jam area. Adult supervision is required for playground use. Acreage Community Park Jam vendor and entertainer applications can be found at www. acreagelandowners.org. Call (561) 203-1012 for more info.

Wellington Recognized As Fit Worksite

The Village of Wellington has been recognized as a Gold

Level recipient of the American Heart Association’s Fit-Friendly Worksites recognition program. The program recognizes employers who champion the health of their employees by creating physical activity programs within the workplace. Wellington is among 38 Palm Beach County companies and organizations that have been recognized as “Fit-Friendly.” Last year, more than 100 Wellington employees participated in at least one of the wellness programs offered through the “Commit to be Fit” program. Programs offered through the initiative include offering employees physical activity support; providing/ increasing healthy eating options at the worksite; promoting a wellness culture; and implementing at least nine criteria as outlined by the American Heart Association in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and culture. Wellington also received the Worksite Innovation Award for achieving all criteria for Gold Level recognition and leading the development and implementation of innovative, effective programs that promote physical activity, especially in the workplace.

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Wellington Regional Medical Center Launches Beauty On The Spot

Wellington Regional Medical Center hosted a launch party Thursday, Jan. 30 for a new addition to its hospital campus called Beauty on the Spot. The fee-based service offers hair styling, nail treatments, massages and facials by appointment. Patients, employees and physicians were invited to experience the new services by receiving free hand paraffin treatments and massages. For more info., photos by Damon Webb/town-crier call (561) 472-2599.

WRMC CEO Robbin Lee with Beauty on the Spot Owner Teresa Yeager.

Tia McIntosh gives Wanda Baez a paraffin treatment.

Christine Renney, Stacie Chapman, Anne Barron, Pamela D’Angelo, Alice Williams, Tia McIntosh, Teresa Yeager, Dee Gallo-Machleid and Brooke Mock-Brown.

WRMC Director of Marketing Helen Rengepis with Dr. Andrew O’Leary.

Victoria Scott and Sandy Marits.

Director of Women’s/Children Services Kylie Rowlands with Beauty on the Spot owner Teresa Yeager.

Gary Carter Family Brings Music To P.W. Hospital’s Pediatrics Unit

Palms West Hospital held a dedication for its new pediatrics unit piano on Friday, Jan. 31. The family of baseball legend Gary Carter donated a Kretzer piano to the pediatric unit. The piano was hand-painted with a baseball theme in honor the famed Mets catcher. photos by DAmon Webb/town-crier

Jona McClain, Kathi Kretzer, Sandra Carter, Chief Operating Officer Madeline Nava, CEO Eric Goldman, Chief Nursing Officer Silva Stradi and Child Life Specialist Vanessa Barquin.

Kathi Kretzer and Dilan Gonzalez play the piano.

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Sandra Carter with artist Frank Navarrete.

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

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news

Celebrity Bartending At The Grille Benefits The ACS Diamond Ball

The Grille Fashion Cuisine in Wellington was the place to be Friday, Jan. 31 for celebrity bartending for American Cancer Society. The event was the kickoff for the Diamond Ball to be held Saturday, March 8 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. For more info., contact Rebecca Solomon at rebecca.solomon@cancer.org or call (561) 650-0131. photos by Denise Fleischman/town-crier

Diamond Ball committee members Dean and Bernardita Morgan, Rebecca Solomon, Fawn Daiagi, co-chairs Linda and Larry Smith and Rebecca Blitman.

Hannah Selleck, Amer Marukic, Rolanda Stephanos, Barbara Biba, Maria Mazzurco and Ann Stewart.

Celebrity bartenders Mark Bellissimo of Equestrian Sport Productions, Realtor Carol Sollak and polo players Kris Kampsen and Brandon Phillips.

Diamond Ball co-chairs Larry and Linda Smith with Dr. Jennine Cabanellas and Juan Gonzalez.

Matthew Bellissimo, Mark Bellissimo, Mark Jimenez and Steven Daiagi.

Event supporters Ashley and Joe Maguire.

Royal Palm Beachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Annual Kids Yard Sale Returns To Veterans Park The Village of Royal Palm Beach held its annual Kids Yard Sale at Veterans Park on Saturday, Feb. 1. The event, which focuses on items for children, toddlers and infants, was a great way for local parents to get rid of unwanted toys, clothes and other necessities, photos by Julie Unger/town-crier and a great deal for parents looking to pick up a few items.

Justin Garcia enjoys the alligator fountain.

Derek and Jessica Dunn at their booth.

Azure and Nancy Kordick sell some toys.

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

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Page 13

Palms West People

Cashmere Elected Forgotten Soldiers Chairman Joshua Smoot Completes

Jay Cashmere, local anchor and reporter for WPTV News Channel 5 and WFLX Fox 29, has been elected to serve as the Forgotten Soldiers Outreach national chairman. The nonprofit group has been sending monthly “We Care” packages to troops serving overseas for more than a decade. To date, FSO has touched the lives of more than 350,000 soldiers since beginning is mission. Cashmere has a long history of service with Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, since it was founded 10 years ago by Executive Director Lynelle Chauncey Zelnar in her Lake Worth home. He has supported the charity from its beginning and was hooked after his first story on the work of FSO. “It’s my honor to sever as your chairman picking up where Bob

Nichols left off,” Cashmere said. “We are so thankful for his direction, leadership and confidence in FSO. I look forward to continuing the mission for our troops with the rest of our board, our team and all our volunteers. I can’t think of a better way than to join hands with FSO and say thanks to all who fight for our freedom.” Cashmere has served as vice chairman on the board since the beginning of the charity and will be replacing South Florida television personality Bob Nichols. Nichols has served the charity as its chairman since its beginning. “My time as chairman has been very rewarding, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to help FSO bring giant morale boosts to those brave young men and women who have volunteered

who oversees the Village Green McDonald’s as operations supervisor with McDonald’s WBF Management, has been named a winner of the prestigious 2014 Ray Kroc Award, an annual performance-based honor that recognizes McDonald’s top one percent of managers nationwide. Only the top-performing managers at the nearly 14,000 McDonald’s restaurants in the U.S. will receive the award, which recognizes outstanding managers who bring company founder Ray Kroc’s vision for excellence to life every day. Established in 1999, the honor comes with a cash award, a Ray Kroc Award trophy, and a trip to Chicago for the awards gala. “Working with McDonald’s is

of a family,” Balde said. “The people aspect of the work is what I love most — building a team committed to serving customers at the highest level possible is very exciting.” A native of France who came to this country in 1999, Balde attended college in Virginia and worked in the human resources field before joining McDonald’s in 2009. “Ama is an inspiring leader who cares deeply about delighting her customers, developing each person on her team and serving her community,” said Brent Bohn, a partner with Mark Watson in WBF Management. McDonald’s owner/operators and regional staff nominate restaurant managers for the Ray Kroc

to serve and protect wife Kelly welcomed the freedom all of us their son Cruz into the enjoy as Americans,” world in July 2012. Nichols said. They also rescued a “I couldn’t be more Great Dane in 2012 excited that Jay will named Jake. be taking over the Other board memhelm of the board of bers elected to podirectors,” Zelnar said. sitions on the FSO “He has been such an board include Nichincredible supporter ols as immediate past of our mission, and chairman, Chuck Dehis support of family, bevec as vice chair, Jay Cashmere community and his C. Annelies Mouring work makes him the as secretary, Art Snow epitome of what FSO is all about.” as treasurer, Elizabeth Varian as Cashmere has worked in South director and Dennis Bixler as Florida for 12 years. He has also director. been involved with several other For more information about charities across the Palm Beaches Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, or and the Treasure Coast. He enjoys to volunteer with the group, visit golf, surfing, cooking, exercising www.forgottensoldiers.org or call and being a father. He and his (561) 369-2933.

Air Force Basic Training

Joshua P. Smoot

Air Force Airman Joshua P. Smoot recently graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate’s degree in applied science through the Community College of the Air Force. Smoot is the son of Diane Smoot of Wellington. He is a 2012 graduate of Palm Beach Central High School.

Thompson Gets Ready To McDonald’s Ama Balde Earns Ray Kroc Award March For Climate Action Amatoulaye “Ama” Balde, more than a job, it’s being part

Alma Balde with her team at the Village Green McDonald’s. Award to recognize their hard work and dedication to McDonald’s. From there, a selection

committee chooses the top one percent of McDonald’s restaurant managers for the award.

Old Bags Lunch To Help Center For Family Services

Linda Adelson, Soula Rifkin and Lorrain Hall.

Photography by LILA PHOTO

The Center for Family Services’ 16th annual Old Bags Luncheon, one of the most popular luncheons of the season, will take place Thursday, Feb. 27 at 10:30 a.m. at the Breakers Palm Beach. Linda Adelson, Lorrain Hall and Soula Rifkin will serve as chairwomen. Honorary chairs are Joan Klann and Kitty Silverstein, and advisory chair is Judi Richards. The exciting event features a magnificent silent auction of more than 300 designer handbags, jewelry, a raffle and a luncheon featuring comedian Darrell Hammond. Proceeds from the Old Bags

Luncheon benefit the Center for Family Services’ programs provided to children who suffer from domestic violence, sexual abuse or homelessness. Tickets cost $350 per person. Major sponsors of the luncheon include Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. The jewelry sponsor is Kaufmann de Suisse, the corporate sponsor is PNC Bank and the media sponsor is Palm Beach Illustrated. For tickets, or more information, contact Stanton Collemer at (561) 616-1257 or scollemer@ctrfam. org, or visit www.ctrfam.org.

Activist Kathe Thompson, a Wellington grandmother and former president of the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County, is going for a walk — a 3,000-mile walk from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. as part of the Great March for Climate Action. Although several hundred people are expected to participate in this cross-country hike, Thompson might be the only one from South Florida planning to make all 7 million steps. The Great March for Climate Action leaves from Wilmington, Calif. on March 1 and arrives in Washington right around Election Day 2014. With the goal of walking 14 miles a day, six days a week, the participants will hike through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland. The goal of the Great March for Climate Action is to change the hearts and minds of the American people, elected leaders and people across the world to act now to address the climate crisis. For more info., visit www.climatemarch. org. Thompson grew up in the Midwest, attended the University of Illinois and graduated in 1963 from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. She taught mu-

Kathe Thompson sic in elementary, middle and high schools, worked in law offices in Texas and Washington, D.C. and framed art work in a gallery in New Orleans, among other exciting careers. Six years after she and her husband, John, moved to Wellington in 2002, Thompson joined the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County, where she served as president from 2009 to 2011. In 2013, she joined the board of directors of the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation for the Everglades.

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

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School News

STEM Students Visit Kennedy Space Center Elbridge Gale Chess Team Shines At Regional Event

The Elbridge Gale Elementary School chess team earned numerous top honors at the U.S. Chess Federation-rated 2014 South Florida Regional Scholastic Chess Championship held recently in Miami. In addition to bringing home trophies, the Elbridge Gale team now qualifies to compete in the Florida Scholastic State Championship in Orlando from March 14 to March 16. The team is coached by Antonis Loudaros. The Elbridge Gale team’s youngest players earned a close second in the K-1 Team Division, with high scorers Logan Memberg, Cristian McDaniel, Veenya Oodal and Varshini Venkat leading their kindergarten and first grade team members. Individually, Memberg and McDaniel placed third and fourth respectively. Second-grade and third-grade players achieved first place in both the K-3 Team Open and Under 500 Rating team sections, with highest combined scores from Antonio Selva, Raghav Venkat, David Selva and Brandon Lee in the Open Division and Tyler Schmaling, Jackson Colombier, Nicolas Bolaños and Sophia Antoni in the Under 500 Team Division. Selva won first place and Venkat won third place in the indi-

vidual K-3 Open. Schmaling won third place, while Colombier and Bolaños placed ninth and 10th respectively in the Under 500 in individual play. Competing against the greatest number of scholastic teams, fourth and fifth graders claimed third place in the K-5 Team Open and in the K-5 Under 800 Rating team sections. High scores from Vansh Varak, Szander Brenner, Austin Lee and Patrick McCue combined to place in the K-5 Team Open, while high scorers Kieran Abesamis, Tyler Hoffman, Jack Berman and Ethan Nelson placed in the K-5 Under 800 Team Division. Varak won ninth place and Brenner won 10th place in the individual K-5 Open. Abesamis won sixth place in the Under 800 Individual Division. Organized by the Florida Scholastic Chess League and sanctioned by the Florida Chess Association, the South Florida Regional Scholastic Chess Championship is played annually, followed by the North Florida Regional tournament. Results of both events qualify teams and individual players to compete in the annual Florida State Championship. For more information about the Elbridge Gale chess team, call Loudaros at (561) 422-9300.

Some of the brightest high school minds from Wellington and Palm Beach Central high schools explored America’s space program recently through customized field trips to the Kennedy Space Center. Approximately 150 students from each school enrolled in challenging STEM education classes learned first-hand what space travel is like from astronauts John O. Creighton and Robert Springer. The students toured the Space Shuttle Atlantis and experienced shuttle flight for themselves through the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s Shuttle Launch Experience. “It was really cool. I felt like I was a real astronaut going into space,” Wellington High School’s Shannon Gaffney said. The customized trip was designed to challenge the students enrolled in the most challenging math, science and engineering classes. The students study Advanced Placement chemistry, physics, pre-calculus, calculus and engineering. The Kennedy Space

Center’s instructional staff worked with the Wellington teachers to put together the adventure. The day’s activities also included a tour of a Saturn V rocket used in NASA’s Apollo and Skylab programs, an information “scavenger” hunt through the Rocket Garden, and an air rocket build and test launch. This is the second school year that students from Wellington’s two high schools have taken the

trip, underwritten by Wellington resident Jeremy Jacobs, whose Delaware North Companies is the operator of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. “This experience is the epitome of why I teach,” WHS teacher Brian Nelson said. “I’ve been teaching chemistry for 10 years, and this experience makes the kids want to understand why the concepts we study make a difference.”

Teachers also see the possibility of students choosing careers related to the space program because of the trip. Palm Beach Central’s lead engineering instructor Abby Elder was glad her students had the opportunity to see engineering at work. “It was a great experience for my students to see how many opportunities they have right here in Florida,” Elder said.

Palm Beach Central High School students in the rocket garden.

Western Pines Honors Three Students Of The Month

Principal Hatcher recently honored Western Pines Middle School’s Students of the Month. Selected by their math teachers, they reflect true character in and out of the classroom, as well as academic excellence. Jazmine Palos, a sixth grader, consistently does her homework, participates in class and does extra credit work. She has come to every single one of the offered morning tutorial sessions. Palos also has an amazing attitude and has maintained it all year long. Seventh grader Grace Waldron is a great

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student. She will always go the extra mile when offered. Waldron has managed more than 100 percent for the first and second nine weeks. Not only is she an exceptional student, she is also competitive in baton twirling and competed in the Junior Olympics. Finally, eighth grader Alexis DiBello works hard to complete all assignments and always asks for help on questions she doesn’t understand. She goes above and beyond to grasp concepts in algebra, including coming in before school.

Prinicpal Bob Hatcher with Jazmine Palos, Alexis DiBello and Grace Waldron.

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School News

A Responsibility Lesson At New Horizons

New Horizons Elementary School recently celebrated responsibility with a school-wide pep rally. A variety of presenters demonstrated how to show responsibility. The Wellington High School Pep Band, under the leadership of teacher Mary Oser and student directors Joey Hempfling and Tommy Davis, performed several selections, including the national anthem. Hempfling, along with band member Molly Cuthbertson, challenged students to think about they would like to be when they grow up and show responsibility by working toward those goals. Students were encouraged by New Horizons guidance counselor Lynne Bray to take responsibility

for their choices by owning and learning from their mistakes. The New Horizons Elementary School Music Club, under the direction of music teacher Veronica Dillingham, performed several rhythm-based numbers focusing on responsibility. Assistant Principal Mickey Simmel challenged students to develop their own plans by creating acrostics for R-E-S-P-O-NS-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y. Principal Betsy Cardozo encouraged students to know what’s expected and to do it. Students rallied together in chanting the New Horizons student motto: “I am a safe and respectful learner. These are the skills I work on each day. I am safe; I am respectful; I am a learner. I stop, I think and then choose.”

The Wellington High School Pep Band at the New Horizons responsibility pep rally.

Polo Park Students Win FBLA Awards

Polo Park Middle School students did well at the Palm Beach County District Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Competition for middle schools and high schools. The awards ceremony was held Wednesday, Jan. 22 at Palm Beach Gardens High School. This is the fifth year that Polo Park has competed in the annual event. The mission of the FBLA is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship. First place award winners were: Theodore Lester, keyboarding applications; Colby Gullo, spreadsheet applications; Katie Schrank,

business math; and Nicholas Benjung, introduction to computers. Second place winners were: Kevin Labra, keyboarding applications; Adam Fabrikant, spreadsheet applications; Logan Fenimore, FBLA principles and procedures; and Ross Blumstein and Ryan Shnider, web page design. Third place winners were: Chelsea Fenimore and Emily Spear, computer slide show; Renard Gowie, public speaking; Steve Ruiz, introduction to computers; and Kevin Shulman, introduction to business communications. Fourth place winners were: Rashard Gowie, career explora-

tion; Garret Gold and Dylan Soto, computer slide show; and Xavier Cruz and Jake Levy, web page design. Ben Shaevitz won fifth place in

public speaking, while Oliver Tutak won seventh place in desktop publishing and Alexis Blumberg and Gabriela Cabrera won ninth place in desktop publishing.

Page 15

Binks Cheerleaders Win At FAU Competiton

The Binks Forest Elementary School cheerleading team won first place at the Ultimate Bash Competition at Florida Atlantic University. Binks cheerleaders placed first in the elementary school division. The girls performed a routine with cheers, dance, jumps, stunts and tumbling. Shown here are team members with their trophy.

Pierce Hammock Elementary School Hosts Spelling Bee

Polo Park Middle School FBLA students with their awards.

WHS Senior Among Poetry Fest Winners

Winners Tiffany Abreu, Abigail Miller, Kenneth Haliburton, Juliana Diatezua and Tessa Bravata.

Miles Coon, director of the Palm Beach Poetry Festival, and Blaise Allen, the festival’s director of community outreach, recently honored the winners of the annual Palm Beach County High School Poetry Contest. The first place prize (two passes to the festival and $100) went to Abigail Miller, a senior at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, for her poem, Crescent Moons. The next four winners, who each received two festival passes and $25, were: • Kenneth Haliburton, a junior at the Riviera Beach Maritime Academy, for his poem, Handbrake Turn. • Juliana Diatezua, a senior at

Wellington High School, for her poem, Ways to Disappear. • Tessa Bravata, a Dreyfoos senior, for her poem, Rebel Gum. • Tiffany Abreu, a Dreyfoos sophomore, for her poem, Wisps. Open to Palm Beach County public and private high school students, a pre-selection committee of Lorraine Stanchich-Brown and Adele Alexandre reviewed 366 entries, narrowing the list to 25 finalists. The winners were then chosen by Dr. Jeff Morgan of Lynn University. In addition to the festival passes and cash prizes, the poems by the winning students were posted on the festival’s web site at www. palmbeachpoetryfestival.org.

Pierce Hammock Elementary School in The Acreage was buzzing with excitement on Friday, Jan. 24 as 27 fourth-grade and fifthgrade students and their families assembled in the cafeteria for the school’s annual spelling bee. The students prepared for months, and the competitors were strong spellers. After many rounds, a champion speller shined through. Colton King, a fifth-grader, took home the win. The first runner-up was Brady Machado, also a fifth-grade student, and the second runner-up was Brody Holland, a fourth-grader. King and Machado will represent Pierce Hammock at the local area spelling bee on Feb. 20 at St. Andrews School in Boca Raton. Shown here is Holland, King and Machado with their trophies.

FEB 8TH 7:30 PM Tribute Music & Food Truck Festival Join us for a weekend full of your favorite Food Trucks from the highly popular Food Truck Invasion, and Great Music by some of the finest Tribute Bands in all of South Florida!

FEBRUARY 21ST and 22 ND | 5:00 PM – 10:30 PM

FREE Events

at the Wellington Amphitheater February 07 08 08 13 13 15 21

22 22

27 28

The Wolverine (PG-13) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 PM Green Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Screaming Orphans in Concert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 PM Food Truck Invasion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:00 PM – 9:30 PM Big Sound Band in Concert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:30 PM Green Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Tribute Music & Food Truck Festival . . . . .5:00 PM – 10:30 PM The Boss Project Springsteen Tribute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:00 PM Keep the Faith Bon Jovi Tribute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:30 PM Green Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Tribute Music & Food Truck Festival . . . . .5:00 PM – 10:30 PM Rocketman Elton John Tribute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:00 PM Odyssey Road Journey Tribute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:30 PM Food Truck Invasion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:00 PM – 9:30 PM Wellington Idol: Auditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 PM

March 01 01 06 07 08 08

Green Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Wellington Idol: Auditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 PM Food Truck Invasion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:00 PM – 9:30 PM Wellington Idol: Semifinals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 PM Green Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Wellington Idol: Finals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 PM 12100 Forest Hill Blvd | (561) 753-2484 For more information on FREE Amphitheater events scan the QR code to the left or visit wellingtonfl.gov.

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

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Features

A Naughty Balloon: Simple Ideas Entertain Toddlers For Hours

It was quite by accident that I discovered the perfect way to entertain a toddler. My grandson Skippy is almost 18 months old, and he is a ball of fire. I can’t decide if he’s hyperactive, “all boy” or merely a Welky. I don’t think he has Baby Attention Deficit Disorder or BADD (a condition I made up, so don’t try to Google it) because he is able to focus on something and play for a pretty long time. But that “something” better be good. Real good. Like the Naughty Balloon game. We were out shopping when a considerate clerk gave the Skipster a yellow helium balloon. We tied it to the cart. He batted it around. It was fun.

Deborah Welky is

The Sonic BOOMER When we got home, Skippy wanted to hang from the door frame (in his swing... he’s not that wild), and I pulled up a chair because I knew that I’d be pushing him for a long, long time. And I did. I pushed and I pushed, and eventually I looked over and saw that balloon.

That’s when it hit me. I fetched the balloon and brought it over. I had Skippy’s attention. He stopped swinging long enough to watch me push it down to the floor and hold it there, saying, “OK, balloon. You stay down.” (“Down” and “up” are words Skippy must learn in order to watch his stocks someday.) Skippy watched, fascinated, as the balloon stayed down. But then I removed my hand, and it floated to the ceiling. This was my cue to shout, “No, no, no! Stay down!” Skippy laughed that deep-throated chuckle he has, and I pulled it back to earth. “That’s a good balloon,” I said. “You must stay down.” I gave it a few minutes (every minute

with a quiet baby is to be cherished), then took my hand away. “No! Stop!” I screamed. “Do not go up! You must stay down!” Skippy was hysterical. There is just something about bad behavior that children like. You can see it in their favorite books — Eloise, Bad Mousie and The Poky Little Puppy, for instance. My brothers, sister and I wore those books out. I pulled the balloon down again. When it took off this time, I yelled, “You naughty balloon! Didn’t you hear me? I said to stay down!” Predictably, it bounced along the ceiling instead. By now, Skippy was delirious with laughter. For once, he wasn’t the

one being told, “No, no, no!” He started screaming at the errant balloon as well. (Years of therapy might be in his future but, for now, it was enormous fun.) We played this game until the leg holes in the canvas seat of the swing had cut off all circulation to his extremities. I was hoarse from yelling, and Skippy was hoarse from laughing. It was obvious we both needed some juice and a couple of graham crackers. A word of caution: If you decide to play this game with your tot, make sure you hide the balloon the following day. The helium will be gone, so the Naughty Balloon will stay obediently on the floor. And no one wants that.

‘Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ TV Series On ABC An Amusing Distraction As a confirmed science fiction fan, I was really excited when the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV series was announced. Although there have been quite a few blockbuster movies based on the Marvel Comics universe, most of which were enjoyable, the idea of weekly ways to feed our desire to see it seemed irresistible. And the series is good, not even close to great, but enjoyable. Based on the secret fictional (we can only hope) organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division), it can mine the rich annals of the vaults of the strip. Joss Whedon, who directed the Avengers movie, heads up series production. It is different from the movies in that it focuses on the human members of the group, not the superhuman ones. People don’t have superpowers; they are

‘I’ On Culture By Leonard Wechsler just smart with a lot of talent. There are advantages to that: The characters are fallible, and they can really grow. On the other hand, there is not a lot of difference between them and the cast of many TV police shows. They have top scientists, tough fighters and computer hackers. Of course, their enemies sometimes have superpowers, but the shows focus mostly on good vs. bad. The lead character, Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), actually was killed

by villain Loki during the Avengers film. Clinically dead for eight seconds, everything has changed for him. The series spends more time than necessary discussing biologic and spiritual changes wrought by that. Actually, of course, many people have been “dead” for that long and have been brought back by doctors. But this death, and for want of a better word, resurrection, has created a rather useless diversion. Gregg is a good actor but lacks star quality. This is covered up by giving him a lot of fun “toys” to play with. Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen) is the really tough agent, nicknamed “the Cavalry,” as in “the Cavalry comes to the rescue.” She is very tough and beautiful. According to the plot, she has previously been hurt by her experiences and had been an office worker before Coulson rescued her. She is often the person who ends the fights. Unfortunately, she seems not to

have much of a personal life. Grant Ward (Brett Dalton) is the guy generally taking the lead in most of the physical operations. Very buff, very tough, very gruff, he usually plays the skeptic in the group. There are two scientists who are part of this group. Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) is a biologist, who not only is expert on humans but also aliens; and Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker), an engineer who focuses a lot on weapons. Both are Brits, both really cute, and both demonstrate a deep chemistry for each other, a chemistry that is constantly downplayed, or at least has been since the start of the series. The key central character is Skye (Chloe Bennet), a computer hacker and member of a more or less secret hacking group called the “Rising Tide.” She starts out in the series as an opponent, is brought into the group, and is never quite trusted. Officially, she claims to be involved to

learn more about her parents while the group treats her as a “0-8-4” — “an object of unknown origin.” The villains are, as expected, on the surface even tougher than the team. But somehow, week after week, our agents find ways to hold their own and even occasionally win. In recent weeks, the series has focused on creating even stronger villains. There are rumors that Mike Peterson (J. August Richards), who got superpowers from the villainous Operation Centipede in the pilot program, will become cyborg Deathlok. Some film characters have dropped in as a way of promoting not only the series, but upcoming movies. Some of the plots wind up as convoluted as the average soap opera, bringing in characters for a few scenes and then seeming to forget them. There is too much focus on Skye’s persona, with nothing See WECHSLER, page 20

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Page 19

NEWS

Palm Beach Illustrated Tops Coca-Cola In Ylivsaker Cup Opener

After a long wet week of no polo, the International Polo Club Palm Beach was back in action for last Sunday’s opening game of the 20-goal Ylvisaker Cup tournament featuring Coca-Cola (Gillian Johnston, Jeff Hall, Julio Arellano and Nick Morrison) and Palm Beach Illustrated (Jared Zenni, Tommy Collingwood, Magoo Laprida and Facundo Obregon). In the end, Palm Beach Illustrated claimed a narrow 11-10 win. Palm Beach Illustrated grabbed three first-chukker goals while shutting out the impressive CocaCola lineup. Obregon scored the first goal of the game for Palm Beach Illustrated, followed by a pair of goals from Zenni for the 3-0 lead. Laprida’s first goal of the game in the opening minute of the second chukker gave Palm Beach Illustrated a 4-0 lead, before CocaCola made a comeback. Hall scored the next two goals, with teammate Arellano cutting the Palm Beach Illustrated lead to 4-3. The third chukker belonged to Coca-Cola, which scored four more unanswered goals to take a 7-4 halftime advantage. Hall scored the tying goal less than a minute into the period. Arellano

gave Coca-Cola its first lead of the day, 5-4, less than two minutes later. Johnston scored at the 5:27 mark, and Arellano converted a 30-yard penalty shot for the 7-4 score. A determined Palm Beach Illustrated team took the field after the break and immediately pressured the Coca-Cola defense. Obregon took advantage of a couple of Coca-Cola fouls to cut the lead to a single goal, 7-6, as his teammates helped him shut down the CocaCola attack. Three consecutive Palm Beach Illustrated goals in the fifth had Coca-Cola trailing, 9-7. With 42 seconds on the clock, Arellano split the goalposts for a score, but Palm Beach Illustrated continued to lead, 9-8. Laprida’s third goal of the day had Palm Beach Illustrated on top, 10-8. Arellano converted a penalty shot for a goal, 10-9, but a costly penalty goal put CocaCola behind by two goals, 11-9, with under three minutes left on the clock. Coca-Cola continued to press, but alert defense kept them at bay through the balance of the match. Arellano scored the final goal of the period, but time expired before

Coca-Cola could capitalize on the one-goal margin. Palm Beach Illustrated left the field with the 11-10 win. Arellano led all scoring with six goals (two on penalty shots). Hall scored three times, and Johnston added a goal in the loss. Laprida, Obregon and Zenni each scored three times for Palm Beach Illustrated. Collingwood added a goal, and the team received one goal by penalty. Palm Beach Illustrated’s Jared Zenni was named MVP, while Jeff Hall’s eight-year-old black gelding, Christian, received Best Playing Pony honors. ••• Monday action at IPC saw Los Machitos/Heathcote (Steve Lefkowitz, Sterling Giannico, Hilario Ulloa and Matias Magrini) holding off a late rally by CT Energia (Alessandro Bazzoni, Kris Kampsen, Joao Ganon and Nick Manifold) for a 12-11 victory, while Villa Del Lago/Casablanca (Jim Zenni, Agustin Obregon, Polito Pieres and Inaki Laprida) scored a come-from-behind 1514 win over Faraway (Hutton Goodman, Martin Pepa, Santiago Chavanne and Mariano Gonzalez). In Monday’s opening match, CT

Kevin Babington rides Shorapur last month during the Wellington Turf Tour at IPC.

Energia scored the first three goals of the game and led 4-0 before Los Machitos/Heathcote got on the scoreboard. CT Energia received one goal by handicap and added another on a shot from the field from Manifold. Los Machitos/Heathcote was unable to score and trailed 2-0 after the first chukker. A 30-yard penalty conversion from Kampsen and a goal from the field from Bazzoni gave CT Energia its 4-0 edge. With just a minute left in the chukker, Giannico managed to break through the CT Energia defenses and score a goal for Los Machitos/Heathcote, to make it 4-1. Giannico jumped on the ball in the opening seconds of the third period and scored his second goal of the match, 4-2. A minute later, Magrini converted a penalty shot, cutting the CT Energia lead to a single goal, 4-3. Ganon answered with a penalty conversion of his own, and CT Energia was back at two goals, 5-3. Giannico capped off an impressive third chukker for himself by driving a well-executed shot through the goalposts from nearly 70 yards out. Ulloa (substituting for Mariano Aguerre in the Los Machitos/Heathcote lineup)

Up-and-comer Sarah Segal aboard Zelda.

scored the final goal of the first half to tie the score 5-5. The two teams traded goals in the fourth chukker with Kampsen scoring on a goal from the field and a penalty shot, while both of Ulloa’s goals came on the run. The score remained even, 7-7. Los Machitos/Heathcote scored four times in the fifth — two from Magrini, including one in which he blocked a penalty shot at the goal line and raced the length of the field to score, and single goals from Giannico and Ulloa, while limiting CT Energia to a single penalty goal. It was a new game now, 11-8, and Los Machitos/ Heathcote was in control. Ganon scored in the opening minute of the final chukker to cut the lead to two goals, 11-9, and Bazzoni’s second goal of the game had it at a single goal, 11-10 at the 3:24 mark. Giannico’s fifth goal of the game put Los Machitos/ Heathcote in the lead by two goals, 12-10, with just under two minutes on the game clock. A scramble in front of the Los Machitos/Heathcote goal resulted in a penalty goal with 28 seconds left in the game. Los Machitos/Heathcote took control of the throw-in in front of their own goal and drove the ball

into the sideboards to end the game in a 12-11 win. Giannico led all scoring with five goals. Ulloa scored four times, and Pepa was credited with three goals. Ganon and Kampsen scored three goals each for CT Energia. Bazzoni added two goals, and Manifold scored once. Monday’s second game started out in a feeding frenzy, as Faraway took an early 3-2 lead with Gonzalez scoring three times from the penalty line. Villa Del Lago/ Casablanca responded with a pair of goals from 10-goaler Pieres. Villa Del Lago/Casablanca took immediate control of the second chukker, scoring on goals from Pieres (a 40-yard penalty shot) and Laprida for a 4-3 advantage, while holding Faraway scoreless. Faraway took the field in the third and was ready to play. Chavanne opened the tying goal with a shot from the field. Pepa gave Faraway a 5-4 lead. Laprida and Gonzalez exchanged goals in the waning minutes of the first half, each scoring twice for a 7-6 Faraway lead. Goals from Pepa and Gonzalez ushered in the fourth period. Laprida came alive in time to score See POLO, page 20

Mason Phelps Jr., IPC’s John Wash and George D’Ambrosio.

PHOTOS BY KENDALL BIERER

Taking The Leap: International Polo Club Adds Show Jumping

After a decade of hosting primarily polo events, the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington is stepping out onto new turf, featuring show jumping this winter season. “We are a polo club, but we want to be able to support all of the equestrian disciplines,” explained John Wash, IPC’s president of club operations. “Our mem-

bership is made up not only of polo players and enthusiasts, but hunter/jumpers and people involved in dressage, as well as those who simply love horses. It seemed like such a great idea to open our fields to yet another sport.” Wash said he hopes the initiative will help grow the equestrian industry. “I felt that we have the land, we have

the access, and we want to do anything to help the equestrian industry and make our members happy,” he said. For four days in January, IPC hosted the Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour, which quickly turned into a fan favorite. The Turf Tour was designed to develop young riders and young horses. But last year, it became the talk of the Wellington

circuit, with big earnings at stake for Level II jumpers. “After seeing the competition, I would love to expand what we can do for show jumping and hopefully help its growth in the future,” Wash said. However, the club’s focus is still polo, with IPC hosting America’s “triple crown” of prestigious polo tournaments: the C.V. Whitney Cup, the Piaget Gold

Cup and the Maserati U.S. Open Polo Championship, featuring the highest goal polo tournaments played anywhere in the United States. IPC is also planning an exciting season of croquet and tennis events in 2014. IPC is located at 3667 120th Ave. South in Wellington. For more information, visit www.internationalpoloclub.com.

Page 20

February 7 - February 13, 2014

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HEALTH & FITNESS SPOTLIGHT

Corporate Wellness Programs Can Help Employees Thrive

By Donna Marsh Special to the Town-Crier If your business works with the public or any type of customer service, a wellness program can help your employees to be better at what they do. Studies show wellness programs can have a positive effect on the level of job satisfaction of employees. According to an article on www. healthfitness.com, a recent study done by Aflac Insurance Company shows that people who participate in wellness programs offered by their company are 22 percent

more satisfied with their company benefits program, 16 percent more agree strongly that their company is a great place to work and 13 percent more are extremely or very satisfied with their current job, compared to employees who did not participate with a wellness program. Studies have also shown that the more satisfied employees are with their job and benefits offered by employers, the better the customer service they provide. At Ultima Fitness, we believe that outstanding customer service

means doing the right thing at the right time for the right person to create the best possible outcome for everyone. We know this starts with us and the culture we create within our company for our employees. We strive to create a positive culture within our business at Ultima Fitness, because we truly understand that happy, healthy employees mean happy members and guests in our club. When we feel good, it’s easy to be nice, show support and a willingness to go above and beyond. So, what can your company do?

First, you can establish a culture of health and wellness within your organization. Getting employees to buy into the idea of living healthier, more positive and productive lives is the first step. You can do this by creating a mission statement that focuses on customer service and ties in a culture of health and wellness. The second step is to create an atmosphere and environment that is conducive to the new healthier culture you wish to nurture. The possibilities are endless, and every business will be different. Ultima

Fitness can help you do that with our Corporate Wellness Program. The program is free to your organization and provides you with all the resources you and your employees need to make your wellness program a success. Energize your workforce! Call me today at (561) 795-2823 to schedule an informational meeting. Donna Marsh is membership services director and corporate wellness coach at Ultima Fitness, located at 12799 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington.

NEWS

EAF Founders Honored At ‘Who Reins Supreme?’

The 2014 EAF Luminary Award was presented to three Equestrian Aid Foundation founders, past presidents Robert Dover and Mason Phelps Jr., and the current president, R. Scot Evans. PHOTO BY MEG MCGUIRE

The equestrian community came together Friday, Jan. 31 for the fourth annual Equestrian Aid Foundation “Who Reins Supreme?” — an event at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center supported by MeadowView Farm. The event centered around a reining competition featuring hunter, jumper and dressage riders. World-class riders Susie Dutta, Nick Dello Joio, Louise Serio and Nicole Shahinian Simpson showed off their newfound reining skills. Accomplished reiner and trainer Mark Rafacz joined one of the alltime leaders in the sport, Tim Mc-

Quay, to captain the teams. Joio, Shahinian Simpson and McQuay were the winning team. The 2014 EAF Luminary Award was presented to three Equestrian Aid Foundation founders, past presidents Robert Dover and Mason Phelps Jr., and the current president, R. Scot Evans. “We founded this organization in 1996 to financially support those battling HIV/AIDS,” Dover said. “As the EAF matured and grew stronger, we evolved into an organization providing financial help to those in the equestrian community suffering from any life-threatening illness or injury. I

am honored to have been a part of this organization for so long and humbled by this award.” Phelps said he was grateful to be honored alongside Dover and Evans. “It is immensely rewarding to see a community where members support each other, and together our efforts have truly made a difference,” he said. The event featured mixed drinks from Tito’s Homemade Vodka, dinner provided by Aaron’s Catering as well as an auction with great items. “Outsiders often view the world of equestrian sports as a life of

privilege. That is not always the case, however, and many people in our midst are in need of assistance,” Evans said. “Who Reins Supreme provides an opportunity for the community to come together for an enjoyable evening while also raising money for a worthy cause.” For 17 years, the Equestrian Aid Foundation has delivered financial assistance to equestrians, horsemen and equine-related professionals who are suffering from catastrophic illnesses or injuries throughout their time of need. For more info., visit www.equestrian aidfoundation.org.

RPB Relay For Life Meeting On Feb. 13 ‘Rainforest Parrot Party’ Set For Feb. 23

The Royal Palm Beach Relay For Life will hold a fun and informative team party on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. at the MarBar Grille at Madison Green (2001 Crestwood Blvd. North). Attendees will be able to meet other teams, join a team or register a new team, and important event

WCS Closure

Land Under Contract For $9 Million

continued from page 1 in the school, said parents were assured just recently that the school would continue to offer a pre-kindergarten through eighthgrade education. “We knew for a while that funds had been low, enrollment had decreased — especially in secondary — and the cost of running a high school is high,” she said. “When the news of the possibility of the high school closing broke, we were saddened and, yes, worried about the future of the rest of the school. But we were assured soon thereafter that plans were in place for WCS to remain open as a pre-K through eighth-grade school, and that the current program model involving those grades would be strengthened.” Interim Pastor Peter Bartuska, who took over at the church in October, said the Session hoped to see the school remain open. “When the announcement to close the high school was made, the intention was to raise enough money to keep it open,” he told the Town-Crier Wednesday. “The whole school was not in jeopardy at that point. We planned to continue with pre-K through eighth grade.”

Charter

Schools To Open

continued from page 1 couple of quizzes in their math class, parents can learn of it early and find out what is going on.” The tuition-free public charter schools are operated by Charter Schools USA and governed by Renaissance Charter School Inc. The company manages approximately 70 schools in seven states. In addition to the Renaissance Charter School at Palms West, which opened last year near Palms West Hospital, the company will open two other new

Crime

Capt. Hart’s Report

continued from page 3 bank robberies this year, but arrests had been made in each case. “We had no robberies that were identified as gang robberies,” he said. “That is a very good thing.” PBSO deputies continued to keep the crash rate low this year — fewer than 2.2 crashes per 100 residents — but Hart said texting and driving continues to be an issue. “We averaged 107 crashes per month; that’s about three or four a day,” he said. “But over the Christmas holiday, we had 36 accidents in two days. The majority of that is people not paying attention. They’re texting. A lot of the cases are rear-enders from people just not paying attention.”

details will be provided, including how to become a sponsor and join the committee, as well as program changes for the relay. The theme of this year’s relay will be “Going Costal Within Marga-Relay-Ville.” Attendees are encouraged to wear tropical beach attire to the team party.

Cancer survivors and caregivers past or present are welcome at the meeting to register to be honored at the relay, as well as throughout the year at team party meetings and events. To RSVP, or for more information, e-mail relayforliferpb@aol. com or call (561) 436-7498.

The Rainforest Clinic for Birds & Exotics will hold a one-day event on Sunday, Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The “Rainforest Parrot Party” will take place at the facility’s 10acre property at 3319 E Road in Loxahatchee Groves. The event will include fun for

the entire family with vendor booths, a variety of parrot and pet supplies, educational talks by avian experts throughout the day, a variety of food trucks, cane pole fishing and a bounce house for kids and adoptions of both parrots through the Rainforest Adoption Garden and puppies through A

Second Chance Puppies & Kittens Rescue. Admission is $5 for 13 and older with kids 12 and under admitted free. There is no admission charge to visit the adoption area. For more information about the event, call Terry Timberlake at (561) 635-0676.

Some parents have questioned that assertion. “The speed at which they arrived at the outcome — selling the property — makes it seem like this was decided a long time ago,” said George Greene, who has children in second and fourth grades. “It seems like someone already laid the cards down and just needed the opportunity to do this.” Bartuska said the decision to close the school was not made until the last possible minute, when the Session felt it could not afford to keep the school open. He noted that this is enrollment season for many schools and church leaders knew parents would need time to find a new school. “We really had come to a point where we could not afford to operate the school,” he said. “We had hired a financial consultant to help us put a business plan together, and were working toward saving pre-K through eighth grade through the 2014-15 school year.” Drahos said she was “shocked, speechless and very confused” when the news broke. “This came without warning,” she said. The school has seen a steady decline in enrollment since 2008, Bartuska said. When news broke that the high school might close, he said elementary numbers dwindled even more. “There was a level of uncertainty that impacted a lot of parents’ decisions for reenrollment,” he said.

Bartuska said the Wellington Presbyterian Church congregation is stable. “There will be an effort to relocate the church,” he said. At meetings with parents earlier this week, church leaders announced that an offer of more than $9 million has been made to purchase the property, but nondisclosure agreements prevented them from saying to whom the property could be sold, leading to speculation. “There are people worried that this was some kind of a plot by a developer to appropriate the land to put condos up,” Greene said. “That is what is terrifying. I can’t imagine anything would go there that would bring this level of family values and keep it a small, family-friendly community.” Greene said some parents reached out to other Christian schools and congregations to see if anyone would take over the school. “From what I heard, the way the church has resolved themselves is to sell the property, not lease it,” he said. The church congregation must still vote on whether to sell the property, Bartuska said. The sale would be dependent on a rezoning of the property, but no further information was provided. Greene said he found it hard to imagine that nothing could be done to save the school. “It’s hard to imagine that with a piece of property worth $10

million, there was no mechanism in place to do anything to recover from this or come up with a solution,” he said. “Given the financial mechanism, with 500 students paying $1,000 a month in tuition, and the affluence of the community we live in, I can’t believe there are no other options. I think someone was resolved to offload the property and get out from underneath it.” Bartuska said the offer to purchase the property was made to the church on Jan. 2, and church leaders hoped to see fundraising efforts come through. “We had every intention to keep the school running,” he said. “The offer was not made before we announced the decision to close the high school.” Had parents known that the entire school was in jeopardy, Greene said the community might have worked to find a solution. “If we had known we were in danger of losing the school and having everything torn apart, we could have done something,” he said. He said he and other parents have started letter-writing campaigns to anyone who might help — from the stars of Duck Dynasty to former Congressman Allen West. “We want to see if there’s someone out there who can appreciate the significance of what we are losing,” Greene said. “We’re trying to keep this community together.

schools in central Palm Beach County. The schools are open to all Palm Beach County students. If more students apply during open enrollment than there are seats available, a random lottery will be held. “We have experienced a high degree of demand in Palm Beach County,” said Richard Page, executive vice president of development for Charter Schools USA. “We are now managing six schools in this county and look forward to providing high-quality educational options for students and parents. We have an excellent relationship with the Palm Beach County School District as we work together to provide the

best education possible for all students.” The Renaissance Charter School at Cypress will open at Okeechobee Blvd. and Benoist Farms Road, and the Renaissance Charter School at Central Palm will open on Military Trail in Lake Worth. Enrollment for the schools began Saturday, Feb. 1 and runs through Friday, March 14. Enrollment is open to anyone living in the county, regardless of where. Interested families can apply online at the individual school’s web site. Additionally, several public information meetings will be held for prospective families. Families interested in the Wel-

lington location can attend informational sessions on Thursday, Feb. 20 and Wednesday, March 5 at the Renaissance Charter School at Palms West (12031 Southern Blvd.). For more information, visit www.wellingtoncharter.org. The Cypress location will have its next meeting on Thursday, March 6 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). For more information, visit www.cypresscharter.org. The Central Palm location will hold its sessions on Tuesday, Feb. 11 and Tuesday, March 4 at the Boynton Beach Civic Center (128 E. Ocean Ave.). For more information, visit www.central palmcharter.org.

It would be sad to see all of these families go off separate ways.” Wellington Christian School has been in the community for more than 30 years, expanding to serve more than 500 children from throughout the area. Parents and staff alike describe the community as close-knit, with generations of families that have grown up in the classrooms together. “We love Wellington,” Bartuska said. “We’ve ministered here for more than 30 years, and it’s heartwrenching to think of leaving. It’s no shock to us that this is emotional. We feel the weight of that and want to do everything we can to help.” Several area private schools have offered options, holding informational meetings for WCS families who are now displaced. WCS Headmaster Dr. Tim Sansbury said the school will host an open house featuring several of them. “We contacted all of the private schools in the area and invited them to come in,” he said. “It’s an open house for our families who are trying to decide what to do next year. It’s not the situation we want to be in, but we want to make the best of the situation we are in.” Drahos said the other schools have been helpful. “They have also committed to helping our transition into these new schools be as seamless as possible,” she said. “Selecting a school is a difficult choice to make. You go on tours with fellow parents and friends and know that you may be separated in the end,

but you go through the process together anyway.” As students finish the year at WCS, Sansbury said his staff will continue to focus on education. “We want to continue doing the best job we can for our kids,” he said. “In the classroom, we want to make sure everything continues. We want to offer the best educational environment we can. While we’re all hurting, we want to try and work well together.” For the many staff members who are now without a job, Sansbury said they can use teacher administration days — typically reserved for planning for the following year — to look for work. “This way they’re not having to take days off from teaching to look, and parents know that students will continue to have their teachers in class rather than a substitute,” he said. Guthrie said that all the money raised in the effort to save the high school will go to the WCS teachers. But for many, they are losing not just a school but a community and a family. “It has been devastating,” Drahos said. “It’s like we’ve been evicted from a life we loved with no notice. We’ve found ourselves displaced and in desperate need to push forward to find a resolution to our problem. For many of us, WCS is the only school our children have known. I think it’s unfortunate that the only Christian school in Wellington, in existence for more than 30 years, is closing.”

To help, PBSO deputies stepped up enforcement last year and made 9,948 traffic stops, a 21 percent increase, Hart said. “We issued more than 7,500 citations,” he said. “But we are writing three to four warnings for every two to three citations.” There was a 16 percent increase in citations. “We wanted the traffic rate to go down,” he said. “We felt the only way to do that was to stop more cars and write more tickets, and it worked.” Overall, PBSO deputies made 1,162 arrests last year, far below the average of 1,520 arrests per year. “We feel the village is getting safer,” Hart said. “As a result, we have made fewer arrests. We feel we are doing our job suppressing crime, and that gives our deputies more time to investigate calls and make arrests.”

But there is still work to be done, Hart said. He said next year his goal is to see fewer than 700 residential burglaries, down about 300 cases from the goal in the past. “We’ve come in under 1,000 residential burglaries for the past three years in a row,” he said. “We hit that benchmark, and now we want to surpass it by aiming for fewer than 700.” He also hopes to clear 10 percent of those burglaries, something Hart said should be easier thanks to increases in staff. “We now have a detective sergeant and three staffed detectives,” he said. Deputies will continue to enforce traffic laws, hoping to keep the crash rate low. Hart said his department will also step up enforcement of commercial vehicles. “We have a vehicle that comes out once a month for eight hours

and does nothing but commercial enforcement,” he said. “You have a lot of building going on in the south area. Any time there’s a big project, more than 200 trucks a day will be in that area. We want to make sure they are being safe and in compliance with the law.” Finally, Hart said deputies will continue to focus on preserving public spaces. Hart said this is achieved by having a PBSO presence in parks and other public areas. “You have some of the most beautiful parks in the county, and you’ve put a lot of money into those parks,” he said. “We’re going to continue to go into the parks and be a presence. We tell our deputies to go sit there while doing paperwork so they can observe what is going on and so their presence can be seen to dissuade any trouble.”

Polo

Ylvisaker Cup Action

continued from page 19 the final goal of the chukker, with Faraway in front, 9-7. Seven goals were scored in the fifth, with Faraway holding on to a one goal edge, 12-11. Pepa added two goals for Faraway, and Gonzalez scored on another penalty shot. Pieres scored four times (one on a penalty conversion). Six more goals were scored in the sixth with Pieres tying it at 12-12 to open the period. Chavanne scored from the field, and Laprida converted a penalty shot for a goal, 13-13. Pieres converted a penalty shot for a goal and then scored his eighth goal of the day for the 14-13 lead. Obregon gave Villa Del Lago/Casablanca the breathing room they needed in the 15-13 game. Chavanne scored the final goal of the game in the 15-14 victory. Pieres won scoring honors on the day with nine goals (two on

Wechsler

‘Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.’

continued from page 16 determined yet, although as one of the characters with a more sympathetic point of view, it is unlikely she will become a villain.

penalty shots). Laprida added five goals and Obregon added a goal in the win. All seven of Gonzalez’s goals came on penalty shots for Faraway. Pepa scored four times, while Chavanne had a bad day and accounted for three goals. In Tuesday’s Ylvisaker Cup match, a 4-0 third chukker fueled Las Monjitas (Camilo Bautista, Geronimo Obregon, Eduardo Astrada and Alejandro Astrada) to a 13-10 win over Audi (Juancito Bollini, Carlitos Gracida, Nic Roldan and Nico Pieres). Alejandro Astrada scored six of his game-high seven goals on penalty shots. Eduardo Astrada added three goals. Obregon scored twice, and Bautista scored once for the win. Pieres led the Audi attack with five goals. Roldan scored three times while Bollini accounted for two goals. Polo season continues this weekend at IPC with more action in the 20-goal Ylvisaker Cup. IPC is located at 3667 120th Ave. South in Wellington. For tickets, call (561) 282-5334 or visit www. internationalpoloclub.com. I enjoy watching the show. It still has some challenges, especially in terms of plot and an enormous universe of characters who seem to come and go. The larger challenge is that it is on opposite NCIS, a better-written show that in many ways provided character types for S.H.I.E.L.D. So I watch this on DVR and enjoy it. Try it.

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

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The Perfect Match Polo and Brunch

Experience the energy of world-class polo and brunch at the International Polo Club. Delicious food, champagne, celebrity sightings, music, fashion and, of course, polo. Every Sunday at 3 p.m. through April 20 The Pavilion opens at 2 p.m.

Join us at The Pavilion for the after-party from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

For ticket options, please visit InternationalPoloClub.com or call 561.204.5687.

3667 120th Avenue South Wellington, Florida 33414

Photography by LILA PHOTO

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Fun For Everyone At WEF Events In Wellington

Columnist Ellen Rosenberg recently enjoyed several fun-filled evenings at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington. Learn more about Friday Night Stars at the Global Dressage Festival and Saturday Night Lights at the show grounds in this week’s issue. Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 25

February 7 - February 13, 2014

Page 23

Wellington Basketball Squad Falls To West Boca

The Wellington High School boys varsity basketball squad hosted West Boca Raton High School on Friday, Jan. 31, falling to the Bulls 71-53. Early on, it appeared the Wolverines had all the right moves, leading the Bulls 30-28 at the half. However, the Bulls were able to mount a second-half rally. Page 31

Shopping Spree A Town-Crier Publication

inside

Business

Keystone Chiropractic In Royal Palm Beach Celebrates Its Grand Opening

A rainy day in Royal Palm Beach couldn’t put a damper on the ribbon-cutting party at the new Keystone Chiropractic on State Road 7. Dozens of happy patients and community leaders came out to enjoy a great evening in the area’s first Structural Chiropractic health center run by Dr. Jonathan Chung. Page 26

Sports

RPB Basketball Team Defeats Santaluces 54-47

The Royal Palm Beach High School boys varsity basketball team hosted Santaluces High School on Jan. 31 and defeated the Chiefs 54-47. The Wildcats built a 23-9 lead in the first quarter. But what appeared to be an easy route for RPB quickly turned as the Chiefs refused to throw in the towel. Page 31

THIS WEEK’S index Tails from the Trails............................. 25 BUSINESS NEWS....................................26-27 COMMUNITY CALENDAR............................. 30 SPORTS & RECREATION.........................31-33 CLASSIFIEDS..........................................33-37

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

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welcome to tHe fti consulting winter equestrian festival held at the Main Grounds at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center

January 8 - March 30, 2014 Join Us Every Wednesday through Sunday to Experience Equestrian Sport at Its Best! Watch Horses and Riders Compete in a Variety of Settings and Enjoy a Day at PBIEC.

Shop Around the Show Grounds You are invited to shop in a variety of locations throughout the PBIEC, including the Vendor Village, Hunter Hill, and The Bridge Deck, the outdoor courtyard oasis filled with exquisite shops and boutiques offering fashion, jewelry, home design, fine art, photography, horseware and more.

Visit a new Vendor area each week! vendor village Alessandro Albanese Anne Gittins Photography Ann Hubbards Tack Shop Antares Saddlery & Equestrian Clothing Beval Saddlery Bomber Bits British Toad Hall Charles Ancona NY CM Hadfields Saddlery Inc. CWD Saddlery David Erdeck Photography Der Dau Custom Boots Equine Tack & Nutritionals E. Vogel Boots F. Lli. Fabbri Italian Boots Fox Run Saddlery Good Therapy Vibration Plates Horseware Ireland Equestrian Isabel Boutique James Leslie Parker Photography Jods Equestrian Apparel Kocher Tack Shop La Martina

La Mundial Boots LA Saddlery Le Fash Little Hound MJR America Equestrian Fashion One Horse Town OnTyte Stirrups & Footwear Paddock Cakes Parlanti Personalised Products Petography Rumor Has It Silverwood Gallery Skiffington Boutique Sofie Belgium Boutique Styleliner Tack ‘N’ Rider Tattini Italian Equestrian Attire The Little Hound The Mixed Bag Turner & Co Voltaire Design Fine Saddlery WEF Official Boutique

Grab a Bite to Eat A variety of Food Vendors are located throughout the property, including: Tito’s Tacos: Margaritas, Tacos, Burritos, Chips, Salsa Tiki Hut: Grilled Chicken, Variety Burgers, Grilled Fish, Salads Olis Fashion Cuisine: in the Vendor Village

Take a Lunch & Tour See the world-renowned equestrian competition, vendors, stables and various venues that Palm Beach International Equestrian Center has to offer, followed by a catered lunch with your group. Equestrian Lunch & Tours are available by appointment Wednesday through Sunday during the WEF season.

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Main Grounds at PBIEC 3400 Equestrian Club Drive, Wellington, FL 33414 561.793.JUMP (5867)

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features

February 7 - February 13, 2014

Page 25

Fun For Everyone At The Winter Equestrian Festival

“Is this here all the time?” Joe stood, transfixed, gazing around the show grounds in Wellington. It was Saturday night, Jan. 11, and a group of us had come to watch the Battle of the Sexes, part of the Jumping Under the Stars series held each Saturday night during the Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center on Pierson Road. “Every weekend through the end of March,” I assured him. I’d suggested an evening out, and my two cousins, Jerry and Gloria, had taken me up on it, along with Jerry’s son, Joe, and his two children, Loren, 8, and Josh, 12. We’d come in two cars. “In case the kids get bored or tired, and we want to leave early,” Joe explained. The show grounds were packed. It had been a blustery, windy week, but the skies had magically cleared hours before the start of the class, and the weather couldn’t be better. We headed over the children’s area and watched the kids put away their handheld devices and start interacting with the real world. They slid down the tall, inflated slide, took turns at the shooting gallery, rode the carousel, visited the petting zoo, observed the face painting and ran around with the other kids. We watched the thrilling class as the men’s

Get updates all week long... follow Ellen Rosenberg on Twitter at twitter.com/HorseTalkFL or stop by the Tales from the Trails page on Facebook and click “like.”

Tales From The Trails By Ellen Rosenberg and women’s teams battled in a series of three speed events. The women were victorious, though it was close. Afterward, we all got snow cones or ice cream. We were all smiling. “I never knew all of this was here,” Gloria said, looking at the families streaming past. “Why isn’t there more publicity?” “I don’t know,” I answered. Jerry, Gloria and I left at 9:30 p.m. Joe and the kids headed back to the fun and games section. “We’re definitely coming back here again,” Joe declared as the kids dragged him off. “It’s so much fun, and amazingly affordable.” Indeed, the only fee had been a $20 per vehicle parking fee. Everything else (except food) was free: all the games, the rides, the carousel — all of it. A night of family fun for $20 is a real bargain. The following Friday night, Jan. 17, I was back in Wellington to watch the Wild West Show, part of the Friday Night Stars series held during the Adequan Global Dressage Festival on South Shore Blvd. That was the week winter arrived in South Florida, and everyone was

Australian Guy McLean performs during the Wild West Show in Wellington. bundled up for a night of fun. This was a totally ing on the backs of two horses. Not something free event, with no parking fees. to go home and try! Loop Rawlins performed trick roping, whip “It takes a few years to train a horse to do cracking and fancy gun spinning. Jessica and this,” Perdue said. “I start them as yearlings, Gena Cox, Brandon Perdue, Melody McRay, hauling them around to shows and exhibitions, Arthur Antone and rodeo clown Rusty McRay to get them used to the sights and sounds. entertained the packed stands with Roman When they’re 2, I start them with small things, riding and extreme trick riding. One of the like carrying a flag and riding in the Grand riskiest-looking stunts was when Melody Entry. Then I teach them a few tricks, and McRay jumped over a blazing bar while standSee ROSENBERG, page 33

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

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Business News

Keystone Chiropractic In RPB Celebrates Grand Opening

A rainy day in Royal Palm Beach couldn’t put a damper on the ribbon-cutting party at the new Keystone Chiropractic. Dozens of happy patients and community leaders came out to enjoy a great evening in the area’s first Structural Chiropractic health center. Attendees were treated to catering from Whole Foods Market and received a Keystone Chiropractic gift bag full of giveaways and prizes. The event was sponsored by the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce and was attended by well-known community members like Marcus Nisbett of Ncognito Fitness, Kimberly Leland

from Print-It Plus and leaders from the Wellington Rotary Club. “I’m thrilled to be a part of such a great and supportive community here in Royal Palm Beach,” owner Dr. Jonathan Chung said. “I’m looking forward to working with the local fitness and medical community in bringing a gentle and specific approach to structural correction to the Palm Beaches. There is no shortage of people who are suffering from secondary conditions related to their spine and nervous system, and I just want to be a resource and solution for people who are suffering needlessly.” Keystone Chiropractic is a prac-

tice that focuses on Structural Correction. Chung is the lead doctor and one of 250 doctors who utilize the NUCCA protocol to bring about a precise, gentle and scientific approach to Structural Correction. The practice is conveniently located on State Road 7, south of Southern Blvd. It focuses on correcting Atlas Displacement Complex as a way to help people with secondary conditions like migraines, TMJ, fibromyalgia and chronic spine pain. For more information, call (561) 247-0044 or e-mail Brittany Dobbs at keystonechiropracticfl@gmail. com.

Dr. Jonathan Chung leads the Keystone Chiropractic ribbon-cutting ceremony.

NAI/Merin Hunter Codman Honors Broker Steven Paige

NAI/Merin Hunter Codman Inc. recently announced that Managing Director Steven J. Paige has been named the firm’s 2013 Broker of the Year. The recognition is notable, distinguishing Paige as the leading broker at a firm that is not only the top commercial real estate brokerage firm in Palm Beach County, but also one of the leading real estate firms in the broader South Florida region. Paige excels at representing some of the nation’s most prestigious in-

stitutional investors, as well as local investors, in their ownership of commercial real estate. He was awarded the firm’s distinction for completing transactions on approximately 400,000 square feet of commercial real estate space in nearly 50 transactions in 2013, including significant leasing transactions on behalf of TA Associates Realty and the Lionstone Group. “Paige’s leasing efforts have appreciably increased the asset value for our clients,” CEO Jordan C. Paul said.

During 2013, Paige recorded over 100,000 square feet of leasing net absorption with approximately two-thirds of that for TA Associates’ properties, Centrepark Office Buildings and Northpoint Corporate Center, both in West Palm Beach. TA Associates is one of the largest privately held real estate advisors in the U.S. Both of its West Palm Beach office properties now boast occupancy over 80 percent, in part due to Paige’s strong efforts. The remaining third of Paige’s net leas-

ing absorption was for Waterfront Clematis, a signature mixed-use complex overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway in West Palm Beach, sponsored by the Lionstone Group, a private investment firm. Adding to Paige’s flurry of 2013 leasing was his sale of an $18.55 million mortgage note secured by the 10-story Bank of America Tower on Flagler Drive. Paige, whose primary focus is landlord and tenant representation, credits his success on tenacity,

responsiveness and the ability to advise landlords on what is required to enhance asset value in this extremely competitive market. He is a member of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County and sponsor of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP). NAI/Merin Hunter Codman is headquartered in West Palm Beach with regional offices in Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington. For more info., visit www. mhcreal.com.

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Business News

Page 27

Are You Sleeping With The Enemy? A Simple Test Can Tell

Wellington resident Cheryl Alker recently made an alarming discovery about the most used and trusted piece of furniture in her home, and the realization prompted her to start a new business. Her journey began two-and-a-half years ago when she and her family of four moved into a new home. “We moved into the house in June, and by early September, I came down with a cold,” Alker recalled. Obviously, there is nothing unusual about the common cold, but what followed were nine months of

relentless sickness for not only her, but her husband and two children. “At first I just thought we were passing our germs amongst each other,” she said. But it was the comment “you don’t think it’s the house that’s making you sick” made by her sister and a family friend that sparked Alker’s interest. Tests showed that the house had mold, and when the family moved out of the house the following June, their persistent headaches, coughs and high temperatures disappeared. “I found it remarkable that our

house had made us so sick,” she said. “I was determined to find out if there was anything else that we were living with that could cause persistent illness or allergic reactions.” Her dissection of the possible allergens in a normal home led her to the discovery that she and her family were actually “sleeping with the enemy” in the form of dust mites living in mattresses. A joint conference of the American and Canadian Lung Associations found that microscopic dust mites, feeding on dead skin flakes that accumulate in the typical bed-

room mattress, are causing allergy and asthma attacks at alarming levels. The findings, along with extensive medical evidence, showed that dust mites excrete a compound called guanine, which has been found to be a dominant cause of most allergies, and other maladies, such as asthma, eczema, hay fever, bronchitis and more. Unfortunately, simply vacuuming a mattress does not eliminate the dust mites. However, the Hygienitech process successfully eliminates the contaminants. The Hygienitech process is a low-

Mario Lopez To Host Style Event At New Outlets

Fans of actor Mario Lopez will be in for a special treat on Valentine’s weekend as the famed television personality will host “Celebrity Style” at the Palm Beach Outlets on Saturday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. as part of the new shopping venue’s grand opening weekend. Known to an entire generation as Saved by the Bell’s A.C. Slater, Lopez is an American actor who has appeared on television series, in films and on Broadway. He is the host of the syndicated entertainment news magazine show, EXTRA, host of the The X Factor and has

appeared on Dancing with the Stars. “We’re excited to have Mario Lopez here to kick off the grand opening of Palm Beach Outlets. We’ll be rolling out the red carpet for Mario and our shoppers,” Marketing Director Pam Rada said. “Celebrity Style” is free to the public and will feature the best spring has to offer in fashion and style. Attendees will find the essential ingredients for a celebrity-inspired wardrobe, while enjoying exclusive savings, prize giveaways and more. Palm Beach Outlets officially

opens on Feb. 14. Located directly off Interstate 95 on Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. in West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Outlets is being developed by a partnership of New England Development and Eastern Real Estate. The investment will make Palm Beach Outlets the premier outlet shopping attraction in the Palm Beach market. Palm Beach Outlets will feature dozens of favorite brands. For more information about grand opening festivities, visit www.palm beachoutlets.com or www.facebook. com/palmbeachoutlet.

All Equestrian Gear • Leather & Suede • Tailoring & Alterations Comforters & Linens • Wedding Gown Preservation • Draperies • Cocktail & Formal Gowns *

each

Men’s Business Shirts Laundered,Pressed & On Hangers With a Minimum of $10 of Dry Cleaning

Must present coupon with incoming order. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Expires 3/15/14 *Envi Fee

$ 99 each

Pants / Slacks (Some Restrictions Apply)

Must present coupon with incoming order. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Expires 3/15/14 *Envi Fee

561-798-2228

12020 S. Shore Blvd. #400 • Wellington, FL 33414 (Located in the Shoppes of Chancellor next to CR Chicks)

Mon-Fri 8am - 7pm • Sat: 9am - 3pm

cost, safe, chemical-free, allergen eliminating service that combines high frequency, pulsating waves, incredible suction and a patented, high-intensity germ killing, germicidal lamp to pulverize and extract dust mites, bacteria, viruses, fungal spores, harmful organisms and other sediment that accumulates in mattresses and upholstered items. The process is dry and chemical-free process, so there’s no odor and no drying time. The test for dust mites takes minutes to perform and is now available free to area residents. To register for your free, in-home, no-obligation test, visit www.freehomeallergen test.com or contact Alker directly at freehomeallergentest@gmail.com.

Job Fair At Cruzan

Mario Lopez

On Saturday, Feb. 15 from 8 a.m. to noon, Cruzan Amphitheatre will be hosting a job fair to recruit new employees at the venue for its upcoming season. The amphitheatre is currently hiring for the following positions: event staff, ticket takers, parking crew and box office. The amphitheatre is located at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Enter the amphitheatre just to the right of the box office through the VIP gate. For more info., call (561) 795-8883.

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COME FOR BREAKFAST! STAY FOR LUNCH BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIRS!

VENDORS FROM ALL OVER WESTERN COMMUNITIES!

ACREAGE

Green Market Family Fun Each Sunday • 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. SPEND A DAY IN THE PARK Brand New Jumbo Produce Display

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese • Locally Grown Trees & Plants Jam & Jellies • Gluten Free Foods & Desserts • Local Bakeries • Chef Prepared Meals • Food Trucks • Local Cupcake Bakers • Fresh Honey & Homemade Granola • Valentines Day Craft Vendors • Accessories and Way More!

Support Local Visit With Neighbors Enjoy The Community

Acreage Community Park (Off 140th) 6701 140th Ave. • Loxahatchee www.Shopgreenmarkets.com • For Info 561-929-0237 Sponsored by the ALA

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SALADS

Page 29

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

Saturday, Feb. 8 • The 15th annual Everglades Day Festival at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (10216 Lee Road, Boynton Beach, off State Road 7) will take place Saturday, Feb. 8 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. For more info., call (561) 734-8303. • The Wellington Green Market will take place Saturday, Feb. 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex. Call (561) 2835856 for more info. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature Incredible Insect Stories for ages 2 to 6 on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 11 a.m. Buzz on in for stories, songs and a cool craft featuring crawly creatures. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Clay-Glass-Metal-Stone Gallery in Lake Worth will host a Tribute to Pete Seeger with “Carry It On,” a history of the labor movement through song, on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Lake Worth Playhouse (713 Lake Ave.). Visit www.lakeworthplayhouse.org for more info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Lego Builders Club for ages 6 to 12 on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. Meet fellow builders and work on creative projects. Call (561) 6814100 to pre-register. • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will host Kid’s Club: Recycled Crafts and Cookie Decorating on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. Learn to use veggies to make handstamped Valentines. There is no charge. Call (561) 904-4000 to pre-register. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature Tales and Trails Storytellers: A Family Feast of Stories for all ages Saturday, Feb. 8 at 2:30 p.m. featuring Liz Mangual and Bob Kanegis. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will host Wine for Your Valentine on Saturday, Feb. 8 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a wine tasting to help you choose the best wine for your Valentine. There is no charge, and no registration is necessary. Call (561) 904-4000 for more info. • The Cleveland Clinic Florida Ball will take place Saturday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. The annual blacktie and ruby slipper affair at the Mar-a-Lago Club will benefit the not-for-profit medical centers in West Palm Beach, Weston, Palm Beach Gardens and Parkland. For more info., contact the Cleveland Clinic Florida Philanthropy Institute at (561) 804-0264 or ccfball@ccf.org. • The Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will host a free Screaming Orphans Concert on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. Call (561) 753-2484 or visit www.wellingtonfl. gov for more info. Sunday, Feb. 9 • The Acreage Green Market will take place Sunday, Feb. 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Acreage Community Park (6701 140th Ave. North). For more info., visit www.shopgreenmarkets.com or call (561) 929-0237. • The Royal Palm Beach Green Market &

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community calendar

Bazaar will take place Sunday, Feb. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park (11600 Poinciana Blvd.). For more info., visit www.rpbgreenmarket.com. • The International Polo Club Palm Beach (3667 120th Avenue South, Wellington) will continue its 2014 season Sunday, Feb. 9 with the Ylvisaker Cup. For tickets, visit www.international poloclub.com or call (561) 204-5687. • Teeing Off to Cooperstown, a golf outing benefiting the Okeeheelee Indians 12U Baseball Team, will be held Sunday, Feb. 9 at Palm Beach National Golf Club. Contact Judy Nichols at jnichols415@bellsouth.net or (561) 215-4311 for more info. Monday, Feb. 10 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature Little Bit of Love for ages 2 to 6 on Monday, Feb. 10 at 10:30 a.m. Design the perfect Valentine with markers, glitter, glue and more. Dress to get messy. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature Art Club for ages 8 and up Monday, Feb. 10 at 4 p.m. Dress to get messy. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Valentine’s Day Doodles for ages 8 to 14 on Monday, Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m. All supplies will be provided. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register. • The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Supervisors will meet Monday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the district office (101 West D Road, Loxahatchee Groves). Call (561) 793-0884 or visit www.lgwcd.org for more info. • The Community of Hope Church (14055 Okeechobee Blvd.) will offer a free 13-Week GriefShare Series on Mondays beginning Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. Participants can join at any time during the 13-week series. For more info., call (561) 753-8883 or email info@gocoh.com. Tuesday, Feb. 11 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature Dream, Discover, Do for ages 2 and 3 on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. Talk, sing, read, write and play to build early literacy skills. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Groundbreaking Reads: Adult Book Discussion Series on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. Barbara Harnick will discuss Vacationland by Sarah Stonich. Sign up and check out the book. Call (561) 790-6030 for more info. • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “We Love Gnomes!” for ages 5 and up Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 4:30 p.m. Make a gnome to take home with you while you watch a “gnomantic” movie. All materials will be provided. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Sit ‘n’ Stitch for adults and ages 9 and up Tuesdays, Feb. 11 and 18 at 5 p.m. Learn the fundamentals of crochet, bring your knitting, work on current projects and share ideas with

the group. Some materials will be provided. Call (561) 681-4100 for more info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.,) will host Pizza Chat for ages 12 to 17 on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 5:30 p.m. Bring a book, comic, short story or manga you’re reading. Chat with the group about it while enjoying pizza and drinks. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will host Shop in the Name of Love Block Party on Tuesday, Feb. 11 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Each team around the store will create a unique Valentine’s recipe for all to taste. There is no charge, and no registration is necessary. Call (561) 904-4000 for more info. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature Pokémon League for ages 6 to 12 on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. Bring your DS or Pokémon cards and get ready to battle, trade and make new friends. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature its Adult Book Discussion Series on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. Sara Harris will discuss Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. Sign up and check out the book. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Wellington Village Council will meet Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex (12300 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). For more info., call (561) 791-4000 or visit www. wellingtonfl.gov. • The Royal Palm Beach Winter Community Band will perform Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). Refreshments will be served during intermission. Call (561) 790-5149 for more info. Wednesday, Feb. 12 • The Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority will meet Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 9 a.m. in the SWA first-floor auditorium (7501 N. Jog Road, West Palm Beach). For more info., visit www.pbcgov.com. • The Inventor’s Society of South Florida’s Annual Expo will take place Saturday, Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The event is free to attend, free to exhibit and free to hear the speakers. For more info. visit www.inventorssociety.net or call (561) 676-5677. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature All You Need Is Love for ages 6 and up Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. Design a Valentine’s Day bag or a one-of-a-kind card for someone special. Call (561) 790-6070 for info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Be Proud of Our Presidents for ages 5 to 10 on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. Honor the nation’s leaders and make a patriotic craft. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. • Osceola Creek Middle School (6775 180th Ave. North) will host an Internet Safety Presentation on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. in the media center. The presenter will be Greg Schiller, assistant state attorney working on Internet

The Town-Crier crimes. The event is open to the public and admission is free. For more info., contact Sherri Hubbard at sherri.hubbard@palmbeachschools. org or (561) 422-2590. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature Anime Grab Bag for ages 12 to 17 on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. Snacks will be provided. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.,) will host “Would You Survive the Titanic?” for ages 10 to 17 Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. Have a night of interactive, out-of-your-seat storytelling. Dinner and drinks included. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. Thursday, Feb. 13 • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will host Pop-Up Cart: Lover’s Lane on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 13 and 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Stroll down Lover’s Lane to taste some delicious dipped bakery treats. Call (561) 904-4000 to pre-register. • Temple Beth Tikvah (4550 Jog Road, Greenacres) will host Food For Thought on Thursday, Feb. 13 at noon. Cantor Irvin Grossman will present a potpourri of the best videos of famous Jewish entertainers. A catered lunch will be provided. The cost is $10 for members and $12.50 for non-members. Call (561) 967-3600 for info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Love Your Heart for ages 4 to 8 on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m. Fill your day with fun, music, games and exercise. Hear stories about keeping your heart strong for your Valentine. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. • Wellington’s Food Truck Invasion will take place Thursday, Feb. 13 from 5 to 9:30 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 753-2484 or visit www. wellingtonfl.gov for more info. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature So You Think You Know Black History for families with children ages 10 and up Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. Test your black history knowledge with a fun-filled, trivia-style game show. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. Friday, Feb. 14 • Registration is open for the Fourth Annual Group Wedding Ceremony, set for 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach. Palm Beach County Clerk Sharon Bock will preside over the ceremony. Couples can register by calling (561) 355-2468 or by sending an e-mail to ccpbc@mypalmbeachclerk. com. For info., visit www.mypalmbeachclerk. com/valentinesday. • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Cool Creative Kids Club for ages 7 to 11 on Fridays, Feb. 14 and 28 at 3:30 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon of creativity using a variety of art materials and techniques. Materials will be provided. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register. Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@ gotowncrier.com.

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Sports & Recreation

February 7 - February 13, 2014

Page 31

Wildcat Boys Basketball Defeats Santaluces 54-47

By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach High School boys varsity basketball team hosted Santaluces High School on Friday, Jan. 31 and defeated the Chiefs 54-47. The Wildcats built a 23-9 lead by the conclusion of the first quarter. Less than four minutes into the game, RPB’s Marshall Riddle put up back-to-back three-point baskets

RPB’s Travis Weatherington goes up for two points.

to boost the Wildcat offense. What appeared to be an easy route for the Royal Palm Beach squad quickly turned into a Santaluces rally, as the Chiefs refused to throw in the towel, closing the first half down just three points, 23-20. The Wildcats would start the second half lighting up the court, adding four more three-point baskets by Riddle to jump-start the offense and extend their lead. The Chiefs

continued to play catch-up but could not overcome the deficit, and the Wildcats took the win 54-47. Riddle tallied 24 points for the Wildcats and also put up six three-pointers. Travis Weatherington added 18 points and six assists for Royal Palm Beach. The District 13-7A playoffs begin this week. The third-seeded Wildcats faced West Boca, but results were not available by press time.

Wildcat Johnnie Horsford takes the ball up court. Photos by Gene Nardi/Town-Crier

Royal Palm’s Travis Weatherington tries for a rebound.

Wellington Basketball Squad Falls To West Boca 71-53

By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington High School boys varsity basketball squad hosted West Boca Raton High School on Friday,

Jan. 31, falling to the Bulls 71-53. Early on, it appeared the Wolverines had all the right moves, leading the Bulls 30-28 at the half. However, the Bulls were able to

mount a second-half rally midway through the third quarter that forced Wellington (14-11) into a defensive situation. West Boca took advantage of Wolverine turnovers, converting them into points. The Bulls were also accurate at the free-throw line. The Wolverines had equal opportunity to convert at the line but could not seem to finish, which may have been the difference in the contest. The tide turned at the 3:46 mark in the third quarter when the Bulls regained the lead 39-38 and held on, despite a valiant Wellington come-back attempt. Turnovers proved costly for the Wolverines, and West Boca managed 26 points in the final quarter to put the game out of reach for Wellington. Steven Coulanges put up 21 points and had 14 rebounds for the Wolverines. Third-seeded Wellingtons plays second-seed Palm Beach Gardens in the District 9-8A playoffs Friday, Feb. 7 at Palm Beach Gardens High School. (Left) Gerry Milligan presses through the West Boca defense. (Right) Wellington’s Aaron Kwiatek shoots for two points. Photos by Gene Nardi/Town-Crier

Page 32

February 7 - February 13, 2014

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sports & recreation

St. Clare Catholic School Cheerleaders Win First Place In Competition

St. Clare Catholic School cheerleaders once again won first place in the Catholic School Athletic League Varsi-

ty Cheerleading Competition against seven other diocesan schools. More than 100 girls competed at the St. Ann Cath-

RPB Dancers Shine

The Wildcat Dancers Dance Team from Royal Palm Beach High School, along with their Dance Director Michele Blecher, Dance Team President Phyllis Blackmon and Crystal Causey, competed last month in Davie at the Signature Grand in Step Up 2 Dance Competition. The team was a big winner competing with nine routines and taking home five platinum trophies, four high gold trophies, one top score, one first-place runner-up top score and one second-place runner-up top score. Shown here is the Wildcat Dancers Dance Team: (front row) Ashley Telisme and team captain Bryce Blecher; (back row) Tatyana Blackmon, Ana Roldin, Will Benacourt, Andres Cazares, Yoreli Madero, co-captain Brittany Canales, Rachel Lambe, Bianca Labady, Stephanie Sanchez, Loida Jimenez and Maureen Derius.

olic School gym on Jan. 25. The winning St. Clare cheerleading team included: team captain Megan Bickel and Ana Kate Munsey and Julia Lorelli, co-captains

(eighth graders); seventh graders Sydney Peters, Nicole Silvester, Eliza Herbst, Parker Brown, Sydney Long, Malia Kanahele, Megan Simpson, Samantha Vacca, Faith

Crews, Piper Fendrich, Niki Burgess, Alyssa Malave, Ciara Faircloth and Mia Chmilarski; and sixth graders Michaela Chmilarski and Gabby Murray. The team is

coached by Angi Bickel and Staci Peters. St. Clare School alum and junior at Cardinal Newman High School Lauren Hagan has also been an instrumental leader and coach.

Runner Headed To Georgia State

11U Colts Take Second In PBG

Seminole Ridge High School track athlete Danielle Livingstone has committed to Georgia State University. As a junior in 2013,Livingstone was Palm Beach County and District 4A champion in the long jump and the 100-meter hurdles. She was also the 4A Region 3 champion in the long jump, finishing fifth in the 4A state championships in that event.

On Jan. 19, the Wellington Colts 11U travel baseball team won second place in the Palm Beach Gardens “Battle in the Gardens” Tournament. “The team did well, with us not having as much practice and having some of our pitchers not available,” coach Alex Peters said. “The boys did a great job, pitching, fielding and batting.” Shown here are: (front row) Jason Benhardus, Ray Laufenberg, Gavin Bogdanchik, Owen Keane, Max McClimans and Matthew Pinello; (back row) Tanner Martinez, Tristan Gasset, Angel Cruz, Gabe Peters, Connor Hewitt, Gabrial Garcia, Jacob Proenza-Smith, Kieran Etwara and Jake Penta.

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sports & recreation

February 7 - February 13, 2014

Page 33

Okeeheelee Heat U16 Girls Soccer Team Wins State Title

The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) held its state tournament at Wellington’s Village Park Jan. 18-20. Over 100 teams from across the state participated in the state games. The Okeeheelee Heat U16 girls team won their division and claimed the state championship. The same team also won the state title in 2012. The U16 girls team is comprised of young women who live locally and range in age from 14 to 16. In the final game on Monday, Jan. 20,

the Okeeheelee Heat girls defeated Weston 2-0. The Okeeheelee U10 girls, U14 girls, U14 boys, U19 girls and U19 boys also claimed the state title. The Okeeheelee U16 girls state champions will be competing for the national title in July 2014 in Torrance, Calif. Teams from all over the country will be participating. The estimated cost for players and coaches to travel and spend a week in California is $50,000. The league is seeking donations to assist in mak-

ing the dreams of these 18 young women become a reality, and giving them the opportunity to represent their state and country at the AYSO National Soccer Championships. Donations are a tax-deductible contribution to a nonprofit agency. Checks can be made out to AYSO 345, and can be mailed to 17314 61st Place North, Loxahatchee, FL 33470. For more information, contact Head Coach Mike James at Mikejamesnc345@yahoo.com.

(Front row) Ashley Johnson, Priscilla Cruz, Vania Cancela, Yvette Baez, Imani Tillet, Jennifer Li and Maxine Furtado; (back row) Head Coach Mike James, Ariana Mouring, Kristina Picard, Naomi Kelly, Ashley Vecchio, Elle James, Alex St. Germain, Victoria Jaimes, Barbara Prol, Joan Fyfe and Assistant Coach Paul Picard.

Wild West Show

16.00 seconds. The most astounding part of the evening was Australian Guy McLean on his second visit to the area. I was lucky enough to have watched him the first time, a few years back, and was still amazed to watch again. He entered the arena riding one horse Western. The other three had no tack on them whatsoever. During the next 30 minutes, he had them performing amazing feats: changing direction, moving separately or together, cantering around in a perfect pinwheel, halting — seemingly without a cue. He set the three horses in a barrel pattern and then ran

around them as if they were barrels. All three horses are Australian Stock Horses by McLean’s stallion, Nugget (now retired), and looked like a matched set, all duns with darker manes and tails. The most amazing part was when McLean had one of the horses lay down, then side-passed over him. And if that wasn’t enough, he had the other two horses join him, standing unconcernedly over the prone horse. Then he stood up on two of the horses and cracked his bull whips. Don’t try this at home, either. The following night, Jan. 18, Gloria, Jerry and a friend joined

me back at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center for the $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2*. The sun set, taking all the heat with it. Even heavy coats weren’t enough to ward off the cold. We watched the 44 riders, from nine different countries, tackle the tough course, which more than one pair didn’t complete. A couple of riders had clear rounds and just missed the jump-off with a one-point time fault. McLain Ward was doing great, then heartbreakingly had a rail down on the last fence. Nine managed to go clear, and

Rosenberg

continued from page 25 eventually they get worked into the act as they mature and can handle it. These horses have to be quiet, dependable and have good minds. We’re hanging down, our heads inches from their galloping hooves. Our lives depend on them being quiet and not spooking.” Fifteen women rode an exciting barrel race, which was won by Amanda Weekly from Davie in

PALMS WESTTHIS WEEK’S

Ronan McGuigan on Capall Zidane won the jump-off, going clear in 39.92 seconds. Todd Minikus on Quality Girl was second, and Nicholas Dello Joio on Carlos V.H.P. Z third. “It’s so exciting, and the horses are beautiful,” Gloria commented as we headed back to the car. So the next time you’re trying to think of something fun and different to do on a Friday or Saturday night, throw everyone into the car and head out to the show grounds. Any age, horse-savvy or not, you’ll have a great time. Just try to pick a night that’s not too cold.

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HERE’S MY CARD

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www.eclipsesalonwellington.com Lawn Maintenance • Landscape Design • Stump Removal

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES A/C AND REFRIGERATION JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & 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. Credit Cards Accepted

CLEANING - HOME/OFFICE WE CLEAN OFFICES & PRIVATE HOMES — Licensed & Insured. Call for an estimate and to schedule your apartment. Discount for Central Palm Beach County Chamber members and to all new clients for first cleaning. 561-385-8243 Lic. #2012-252779

COMPUTER REPAIR D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-333-1923 Cell 561-252-1186 Lic’d Well. & Palm Beach. We accept major credit cards.

O COMPUTER SERVICES (PC OR MAC) A N Y W H E R E , A N Y T I M E S P Y WA R E / VIRUS REMOVAL — Manufacture restore, network setup (WiFi or Wired), repairs, upgrades. Call Val 561-713-5276

DRIVEWAY REPAIR D R I V E W AY S — F r e e e s t i m a t e s A & M ASPHALT SEAL COATING commercial and residential. Patching potholes, striping, repair existing asphalt & save money all work guaranteed. L i c.& In s. 1 0 0 0 4 5 0 6 2 5 61-667-7716

HANDYMAN THE MASTER HANDYMAN — All Types of Home Repairs & Improvements. No job too big or small done right the first time every time 40 yrs of satisfied customers. See me on Angies List. Tom (561) 801-2010 or (954) 444-3178 Serving Palm Beach and Broward Counties. BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS INC. REMODEL & REPAIRS — Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair, door installation, minor drywall,kitchens/cabinets/countertops, wood flooring. Bonded and Insured U#19699. Call 791-9900 or 628-9215

HOME IMPROVEMENTS 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 CRC1327426 561-248-8528

HURRICANE SHUTTERS HURRICANE SHUTTERS P&M CONTRACTORS — ACCORDION SHUTTERS Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777

LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION/CLASSES THE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE — Master English, French, Spanish, Dutch, or Portuguese with Native Speakers. Online or Onsite. Individual or Group. daled@ languageinstitute.co.gy. 561-635-8121

PAINTING J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975 or visit ourwebsite at www. jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. — Interior/Exterior - Repaint specialist, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair & roof painting. Family owned/owner operator. Free Est. 798-4964 Lic. #U18473 COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Int./Ext. residential painting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free est. Ins. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PAINTING TRIPLE QUALITY PAINTING, INC. — The finest materials, service & price. Painting Exterior & Interior, Pressure Cleaning, Roof, & Patios, Roof Cleaning, Wood Repair & Faux Finishes Lic. # U21140 7 5 4 - 2 4 5 - 0 8 5 9 o r 5 6 1 - 5 5 7 - 3 11 3

PLUMBING JEREMY JAMES PLUMBING — Licensed plumber, legitimate estimate. Water heaters, new construction. CFC1426242. Bonded Insured. CFC1426242. 561-601-6458

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TILE / CERAMICS SPECIALIZING IN BATHROOM REMODELING — Free estimates serving South Florida since 1980. Quality you expect, service you deserve. Lic. bonded & Ins. U21006 561-662-9258

TREE SERVICE TREES TRIMMED AND REMOVED — 561-798-0412 D.M. YOUNG TREE SERVICE. Family Owned & Operated Lic. & Insured 1992-12121 Visit our website at dmyoungtreeservice.com

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J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painti n g c o n t r a c t o r. L i c . # U 2 1 5 5 2 C a l l Butch at 309-6975 or visit us at www. jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

PAPERHANGING BY DEBI — Professional Installation,Removal. Repair of Paper. Neat, Clean & Reliable. Quality work with a woman’s touch. 30 years experience. No Job too big or too small. Lic. & Ins. References available. 561-795-5263

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ROOFING MINOR ROOF REPAIRS Don Hartmann R oofing — R o o f p a i n t ing, Carpentry. Lic. #U13677 967-5580 ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING — Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,insured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763. 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. CGC-023773 RC-0067207

SECURITY SECURITY — American owned local security company in business 30 plus years. Protection by officers drug tested. 40 hour course. Licensed & Insured. 561-848-2600

SCREENING

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FOR SALE FOR SALE FINE CHINA & SILVERWARE WITH CHEST — Service for 12. Really beautiful. Best offer 561-790-5653 FURNITURE FOR SALE — Yamaha Baby Grand w/disk Lavier System. $5,000.Country French Dining Table w/6 chairs. $1500. French love seat $300. Secretary $600. Chinese and other antiques. 561-795-0533 WHIRLPOOL SIDE BY SIDE — 25.4 cubic ft. refrigerator. Bisque, looks and runs like new. Asking $600 call 561-352-9991 or 561-791-4485

LAW OFFICE TO SHARE: — Royal Palm/ Wellington. Two furnished executive offices plus two secretarial work stations, use of conference room, reception, kitchen. Utilities included. $1,450 month. 561-793-1200, ext. 1 or 561-386-7307

2013 FORD TAURUS SEL — 15,300 miles, white platinum metallic Tri-Coat. Only one year old, new condition with too many extras to list. Full navigation and large back up camera with sensors. Power moon roof, seats, doors and leather seats. Sync voice system 19” Aluminum Wheels. Push button start with remote. $20,900 Call 561-333-0791

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FOR RENT - GREENACRES ROOMMATE TO SHARE — 2 bedroom 2 bath apartment - Purdy & Jog Road. $550 per month. Looking for under 35 years old. 954-296-3748

HOUSE FOR SALE - WEST PALM BEACH HOUSE FOR SALE BREAKERS WEST — 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath, 3 car garage. Pool. Gated upscale - Golf Country Club. Available $895,000 by owner. 561-795-0533

COSTA RICA RENTALS ENCHANTMENT OF COSTA RICA — is less than 3 hours away. Home, Villa’s & Condo Rentals in Popular beachside area’s. f o r i n f o v i s i t w w w. b a h i a c u l e b r a . c o m email:info@bahiaculebra.com . Local agent number 561.628.7177

BOOKKEEPER NEEDED — part-time, experienced in QuickBooks, flexible hours. Please fax resume to 561-791-0952

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2009 HONDA ODYSSEY — 5 Door EX-L, 46,500 miles, Mocha Metalic. Great condition too many extras to list! With power roof, doors, seats & rear door. Roof rack, backup camera, heated seats, new Michelin tires and new battery. $17,900 call 561-333-0791

REAL ESTATE

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NEED A NEW WATER SYSTEM! — Let us come out and give you an estimate. Call Mike 561-792-5400

JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 call us 798-3132. www.poolscreenrepair.com

ACCORDION SHUTTERS — Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777

February 7 - February 13, 2014 Page 37

HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER IN WELLINGTON — Now hiring certified teachers.$10-$15/hour. Call 561-594-1920 E-mail: MarleneGiraud@hlcwellington.com WELLINGTON TOWNCAR DRIVERS & DISPATCHERS — retirees welcome. Call 561-333-0181. Full-Time Part-Time. DRIVERS: $5,000 Sign-On Bonus! — Great pay! Consistent Freight, Great Miles on this Regional Account. Werner Enterprises: 1-855-517-2488 PT/FT SALES HELP WANTED — For local flooring store expanding. Sales experience a plus. Will train the right person. 561-333-2306 buyithere7@gmail.com CABINET INSTALLER NEEDED FOR KITCHEN AND BATH REMODELING — Experienced in all remodeling phasesmust have tools, truck and Florida Drivers License.Must pass background check Email resume to: Kevin@Rhodesremodeling.com HELP WANTED: HAIRDRESSER w/ following — For family style salon. Flexible hours, commission or chair rental. 561313-8763. Call Valerie. Royal Palm Beach. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT — Parttime. Home Office in Loxahatchee. 60 WPM. Strong computer and English. Caribbean background due to client based. Christian values, daledan@serenityprojects.com

PALMS WESTTHIS WEEK’S WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

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February 7 - February 13, 2014

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