Town-Crier Newspaper January 13, 2023

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB DINNER DANCE

Westlake Council Urged To Push

For School Boundary Changes

For many Westlake parents, access to a middle school for their children is so close, and yet so far away — not only physically but administratively, even though one exists within the city’s boundaries. During the Tuesday, Jan. 3 meeting of the Westlake City Council, representatives of Minto, the area’s largest landowner and developer, urged council members to “rally” the Palm Beach County School Board to redraw attendance boundaries so that all Westlake students can attend Western Pines Middle School.

Get Ready For Dinosaur Sightings At The 2023 South Florida Fair

Tyrannosaurus Rex and triceratops may have vanished millions of years ago, but the 2023 edition of the South Florida Fair will bring them and other dinosaur species back to life. That’s because the 111th annual South Florida’s Fair’s theme is “Dino-Myte.” The 2023 event kicked off with a Ride-A-Thon on Thursday, Jan. 12, with the full fair being held Friday, Jan. 13 through Sunday, Jan. 29 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Page 7

Westlake To Explore Joining Minto-SID Suit Against ITID

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

Flags For The Cure Flag Football Tournament

Raises Money For ACS

The annual Flags for the Cure flag football tournament was hosted at Wellington’s Village Park. There were 72 teams participating during the five-day event. At a ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 7, it was announced that Flags for the Cure raised its highest amount to date at $40,000. Pages 16 & 21

The City of Westlake is considering going to court after the Westlake City Council heard at their Tuesday, Jan. 3 meeting that Indian Trail Improvement District officials planned to push a measure at this week’s gathering of the Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation that would give ITID greater control over disputed roads in the district.

The Seminole Improvement District (SID) and Minto — Westlake’s largest landowner and developer — already are in litigation against ITID over access to ITID’s roads, which it has refused to grant since the city was created in 2016 by a handful of area residents.

Today, Westlake is one of Florida’s fastest growing communities, but the city’s only ingress and egress is via Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.

“Westlake has stayed pretty neutral in the fight over those

connections, but it is getting to the point where it is directly, adversely affecting this city,” Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor said. “If it came to it, the city would be willing to join that fight… We can’t have one way in and out of the city.”

ITID has resisted the push by SID and Minto to connect Westlake’s Persimmon Blvd. to ITID’s road network at 140th Avenue North near 60th Street North — pointing out that ITID’s roads are paid for entirely by residents of those units. ITID officials have said that the additional wear and tear created by Westlake residents and business/construction traffic, and the inevitable repairs, would create an unfair burden on Indian Trail taxpayers.

Minto and SID contend that because many of those roads were financed by publicly sold bonds, they are public roads, Minto attorney Tara Duhy told the council.

“I’m not suggesting we should

drive all over [ITID’s] local streets. We wouldn’t want that [in Westlake],” O’Connor said. “That’s not what’s being proposed. But the connectivity to Persimmon and 60th is critical.”

ITID is fighting “tooth and nail” to prevent Westlake from making that connection or connecting to other primary roads already designated by Palm Beach County as “thoroughfare roads,” Duhy said.

The Safe Streets/Safe Neighborhoods Bill to be proposed to local legislators at the Thursday, Jan. 12 meeting in Jupiter would simply give residents of specific neighborhoods greater control over access to their streets, ITID Executive Director Burgess Hanson said Wednesday.

Duhy urged council members to oppose the proposed legislation, saying that ITID’s bill “goes far, far beyond the powers in the statute” and would allow the district to See WESTLAKE, page 14

Wellington Council Votes To Close Office Complex

By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report

The King’s Academy girls varsity basketball team has some unfinished business from last year. This year’s unit is trying to advance a little further in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 3A state tournament. Last year, the team, coached by Chris Race, advanced to the FHSAA’s Class 3A Final Four, which is always held in Lakeland at the RP Funding Center.

Despite pleas from a number of business owners operating out of the facility, the Wellington Village Council voted Tuesday, Jan. 10 to begin the process of closing the Lake Wellington Professional Centre.

The process will give the 52 tenants in 66 leased offices, as well as 63 virtual clients, at the business suite facility, approximately a year to find an alternative location.

Deputy Village Manager Tanya Quickel told the council that if the LWPC is to continue to operate, it will need approximately $500,000 in repair work. That includes $400,000 for a new roof and $75,000 to $100,000 for a new, modern phone system.

“Those are the two driving fac-

tors bringing up the discussion tonight,” Quickel said.

Neither expense is a surprise.

The village bought the facility in December 2013 with the understanding that the roof was past its lifespan. Replacement has been delayed through repair work.

Now, the life of the LWPC appears to be drawing to a close, with the village set to repurpose the land as part of the Phase III expansion of the Town Center project.

When the village bought the facility for a net $4 million, it was primarily to gain control of the land, which abuts the Town Center site and the Wellington Promenade, for future expansion.

Approximately two dozen people addressed the council on the issue. All opposed the closure, particularly without the village first

providing an alternative Wellington location for their businesses.

County Commissioner Sara Baxter said that the village should not close the LWPC.

“I am here on behalf of the small business owners who are potentially impacted by your decision here tonight,” Baxter said. She ran for the Palm Beach County Commission last fall on a platform of putting more of a focus on small business owners.

“Please do not do this without finding a place for those businesses to go first before tearing down the building they currently exist in,” Baxter said.

Linda Braswell is an attorney who has operated out of the LWPC for 13 years.

“When I found this little gem

2023 Show Season Kicks Off At Wellington International

By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report

The 2023 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) have launched their three-month winter show seasons. Two top riders joined two key show officials on Tuesday, Jan. 10 in the Gallery at the Wellington International showgrounds to welcome the new season, which brings many upgrades to the facility.

“As usual, our focus is on the horses,” said Michael Stone, president of Equestrian Sport Productions, which manages the huge equestrian shows at Wellington International, owned by Global Equestrian Group. “So, it’s a complete change and there are three new barns — permanent

barns — which has been a request from the riders for a long time. We redid rings seven and eight. They were an issue before. They used to flood a lot, and trying to school in a muddy, half-flooded arena doesn’t work.”

Stone explained that the peak tents were removed over the box seats to create an area where spectators can stand or walk around and still enjoy the competition. Other changes seem small, but make a big difference for the spectator experience, such as improved wireless internet and an improved sound system.

“Our concentration is on the horses and improving the issues, but we also realize that we need spectators. The riders need spectators. They drive the sponsors,

the sponsors drive the money, and the money drives the riders,” Stone said. “Since we were acquired by Global Equestrian Group, we’ve spent just over $9 million on improvements to the show grounds.”

Stone also noted the parking difficulties experienced on opening weekend, particularly for the popular Battle of the Sexes on Jan. 7. He assured everyone that the issues were resolved for the rest of the season.

“The main thing is, we offer family entertainment, and you don’t have to get dressed up. You don’t have to be special. Just come and enjoy the highest level of competition that you can imagine. There are Olympic riders from all over the world who come every

Community Mourns Former Wellington Mayor Tom Wenham

By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report

Longtime Wellington community leader Thomas M. Wenham died Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022, at the age of 90. A memorial service was held Thursday, Jan. 5 at the Palms West Funeral Home, followed by an interment with full military honors at the South Florida National Cemetery.

Wenham’s contributions to the Wellington community were numerous, but he was most wellknown for being the community’s first elected mayor, and later serving as chair of the Wellington Community Foundation, and as a founder and commander of Wellington’s American Legion Post 390.

“Tom Wenham had a deep love for his country, for his community, and especially for his sweetheart of 70 years, Regis,” said longtime friend Mickey Smith, who spoke at Wenham’s memorial service. “In turn, Tom was beloved throughout Wellington. He will certainly never be forgotten.”

Wenham was born Nov. 20, 1932, in Passaic, New Jersey. The two most defining events of Wenham’s younger life occurred in January 1953 — his marriage to his wife Regis, and his deployment the next day to Korea, where he served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. The marriage has lasted nearly 70 years, and his military service instilled in him a deep patriotism and a desire to help his fellow veterans whenever he could.

Returning from the war, Wenham graduated from Northeastern University in Boston with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and management, and then worked as a civil engineer for the Town of Needham, Massachusetts. He later attended Florida State University, where he earned a certificate as a certified public manager.

The Wenhams moved from Lexington, Massachusetts, where he worked as the assessor, to Florida in February 1981. They settled into a house in the fledgling community of Wellington, where they have lived for the past 41 years.

From 1981 to 1993, Wenham worked for the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office, first as director of field evaluations and later as assistant property appraiser. After that, he worked as the courthouse move coordinator, moving all the departments from the old courthouse into the new main courthouse over a two-year period. In 1995, he took a job with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue as director of capital projects and facilities manager. It was a job he held until his retirement in 2008.

Aside from his many professional accomplishments, Wenham provided decades of service to his adopted hometown of Wellington, starting as a volunteer with the Acme Improvement District, the community’s pre-incorporation government. Wenham was on the board of the community group

Nearly 400 guests enjoyed a gala evening at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club on Saturday, Jan. 7 at the 35th annual Wellington Dinner Dance, a philanthropic event held to benefit the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington. The elegant evening of auctions and entertainment yielded an impressive $385,000 worth of proceeds for the club. Shown above are Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County President & CEO Jaene Miranda, Wellington Board Chair Louis Eisenberg and Wellington Board Vice Chair Marcella Montesinos. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY MEREDITH BUROW/TOWN-CRIER

TKA Girls Basketball Team Focused On Winning In Lakeland

CAFCI presented its annual New Year’s Eve Gala on Saturday, Dec. 31 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. The dinner was catered by Piquant Cuisine, and there was a champagne toast at midnight to welcome 2023. Shown above are CAFCI President Dennis and Yvonne Wright. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 18

PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

ESP President Michael Stone, show jumper Brianne Goutal-Marteau, dressage Olympian Adrienne Lyle and AGDF Director of Sport Thomas Baur. PHOTO BY CALLIE SHARKEY/TOWN-CRIER year,” Stone said. “Every year, the community support is better and better. A testament to that is when the top riders enter the ring, and the place gets a little bit quieter, because the public actually knows who the top riders are. Which is something that in 15 years, it has probably taken 10 years to happen.

Now it has happened, and that’s only good for the sport.”

International show jumper and hunter rider Brianne Goutal-Marteau expressed her appreciation for the upgrades made throughout the grounds.

“As a rider, as a trainer and a

Thomas M. Wenham PHOTO BY ABNER PEDRAZA

Polo Park Students Wow Wellington Council With Robotics

By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report

The Wellington Village Council enjoyed a presentation by the Polo Park Middle School Robotics Team on Tuesday, Jan. 10, and also presented a proclamation recognizing retiring Assistant Planning, Zoning & Building Director Michael O’Dell for his dedication to the village and welcomed a new Masonic Lodge chapter to the community.

“Last year, we had a state championship team,” teacher and coach David Grad said. “Another one received an award that is only given out to one team, called the Rising Star award. And one of our teams qualified and went on to worlds and finished 38th out of 108 teams.”

Members of the school’s three robotics teams came and addressed the council regarding the projects they are working on. Since September, they have been working

every afternoon from 4 to 6 p.m. toward their project solution, innovating something to make it more practical or creating something to use energy to our advantage.

The first team, Team 16113, spoke about how they are utilizing water that travels through pipes to produce storable energy. Their qualifier event will be held Jan. 28.

Team 44893 presented their prototype machine that utilizes sound energy that charges a battery, that can then provide electricity through a reverse-engineered speaker. Their qualifier event is on Feb. 11.

Team 36112 presented their universal energy label project, which discloses the energy consumption used to create a product. With this knowledge, consumers can choose items with less energy impact. Their qualifier event is on Feb. 12.

Mayor Anne Gerwig congratulated the students on their innovative ideas and requested the results

of the team qualifiers when they are available.

Saluting Michael O’Dell — O’Dell joined Wellington’s staff in 2011 and became assistant Planning, Zoning & Building Director in 2016. The council recognized O’Dell, extending best wishes for his retirement and appreciation for his service, which included work on a number of complicated special projects with a focus on equestrian issues.

“Your work for this village started before you came on staff,” Gerwig said. “You worked on everything that came along.”

Vice Mayor Michael Drahos said O’Dell is always considered the go-to person for answers.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do now that you’re retiring,” Drahos said. “But I will say, from behind the scenes, so the residents know, Mike has always provided a calm and very steady influence here at village hall... I’m going to miss that.”

Councilman Michael Napoleone said O’Dell never got the easy projects.

“I wish you all the best in retirement. Enjoy your years not being here,” Napoleone said.

Councilman John McGovern started by thanking Kim O’Dell.

“For my entire tenure here, what I know is that if there’s something complicated or big, I’m going to be seeing Mike O’Dell about it,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do next. Sincerely Mike, you have made this village a better place both for your service, for your ideas, for your creativity, and we will owe you a debt of gratitude for many years to come.”

Councilwoman Tanya Siskind asked if they could vote for O’Dell not to retire.

“You’re just amazing. I don’t know what we’re going to do without you,” she said. “You definitely deserve the best in retirement.”

O’Dell thanked the council for the honor. “I’ve enjoyed working with all of you. Seeing all the projects you’ve authorized come to fruition has been great,” he said.

O’Dell raised his children in Wellington, and he thanked the entire village staff for all their hard work. He asked that they not leave “what if” out of their vocabulary.

“What if has gotten us the Town Center boardwalk. What if has gotten us Greenview Shores Park. What if has gotten us the golf cart ordinance, and I could go on,” O’Dell said. “All of those things happened because of sitting around a table and brainstorming with this staff, which is just incredible.”

Jane Cleveland, who chairs the Equestrian Preserve Committee, thanked O’Dell for his expertise and talent.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do without you, truly,” she said. “They say that everybody can be replaced. I really don’t think so. Enjoy your next step.”

And last but not least, Village Manager Jim Barnes thanked O’Dell for his time in Wellington.

“One of the biggest things that Mike is leaving us with, in addition to the list of projects and great accomplishments, is that Mike has come a long way to bring a bunch of staff we’ve had here in the time and developed them,” Barnes said. “He trained a lot of people,

and mentored a lot of people, and I think that’s going to be the biggest impact he’s going to have on us and the community. Thank you for that, Mike.”

New Masonic Lodge — New to Wellington is the Thurgood Marshall Masonic Lodge #121.

On Dec. 8, 2021, permission was given for the lodge, and it was named. On Oct. 1, 2022, the lodge was granted a full charter.

Lodge members came to the podium, sharing that their focus is

on service, and they want to be a part of charitable efforts within the community. They’d like to focus on mentorship, and are a lodge of professional men, business owners, and look forward to being a part of the community.

Now that we’re here, we’re looking forward to helping,” Junior Warden Brother Alan Bottorff said.

The council members welcomed the lodge, offering to help them fulfill their mission.

Westlake Council Urged To Push For School Boundary Changes

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

For many Westlake parents, access to a middle school for their children is so close, and yet so far away — not only physically but administratively, even though one exists within the city’s boundaries.

During the Tuesday, Jan. 3 meeting of the Westlake City Council, representatives of Minto, the area’s largest landowner and developer, urged council members to “rally” the Palm Beach County School Board to redraw attendance boundaries so that all Westlake students can attend Western Pines Middle School.

At the same time, Minto and the city are working with the school district to create a backdoor from the planned Pines neighborhood to adjacent Western Pines Middle School and Golden Grove Elementary School.

In 2016, when Westlake was created, the school district elected to zone its future middle school students to a school outside the new city, City Manager Ken Cassel explained.

Now Minto is urging the city to join in an effort to encourage the school district to redraw attendance boundaries so that all Westlake middle-schoolers can

attend Western Pines, which will be almost in the backyard of the 428 housing units of the Pines development once it is built out near the city’s northeast boundary.

“We oppose that [earlier] redistricting,” Tara Duhy, an attorney for Minto, told the council. “I would highly recommend, for the benefit of your residents, that you also lobby [for new boundaries] as well.”

Meanwhile, Minto and the city continue to plan a way to solve the physical distance problem created by a lack of connectivity between Westlake’s streets and those controlled by the Indian Trail

Improvement District. The gap forces Westlake parents of Golden Grove Elementary School students to drive several miles outside the community to drop off and pick up their children.

The connectivity issue is the subject of ongoing litigation between Minto and Indian Trail.

“It’s a huge issue now, getting around to the school that is located within Westlake,” Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor said.

The first step in the plan came in a 5-0 vote to approve the plat for Phase I of the Pines development, which will include 214 residences and a large lake that will surround

Phase I and Phase II on three sides. On the outside of the “linear lake” will be a 2.5-mile multimodal path for walkers, bikers and golf carts that will include a secure entrance to the grounds of Western Pines and Golden Grove that the school district seems willing to create.

“The school board has been nothing but cooperative to date,” said Donaldson Hearing of Cotleur & Hearing Landscape Architecture, also representing Minto.

There was also some support from residents.

“This is truly one of the most creative, fascinating and fabulous ideas I’ve seen in an American

city,” said Whippoorwill Circle resident Alicia Torres, who spoke during public comment. “It feels very European. I’m really looking forward to this.”

As is O’Connor, who suggested that Minto should make the path a priority.

Cassel said he would work with Minto to ensure that the path is “one of the first finishes” in the development.

This week he said that after discussions with Minto, priority construction of the path is part of Minto’s current “game plan” with scheduled completion in the spring or summer of 2024.

The council presents Michael O’Dell with his proclamation. PHOTOS COURTESY THE VILLAGE OF WELLINGTON

The council recognizes Thurgood Marshall Masonic Lodge #121.

More Public Art Coming To RPB, This Time At Aldi Warehouse

By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report

With one public art project already in the works to be installed at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center, Royal Palm Beach’s Planning & Zoning Commission — which also serves as the Public Art Advisory Board — heard plans Tuesday, Jan. 10 for another piece of public art, this time at the Aldi Distribution Warehouse off State Road 7.

Artist Robert Fehre is looking forward to bringing his work called “Transcendence” to the public eye.

The proposed stainless-steel sculpture is 10 feet tall, 8 feet wide and 8 feet deep. The concrete base will expand it to 13 feet in height. It is slated to stand in front of the Aldi warehouse, located at 1131, 1141, 1151 and 1161 North State Road

7. The welded structure showcases three spires with three levels of horizontal circles in the center.

“It’s called Transcendence, which is a universal meaning of transcending into positivity and just being who you are as a person,” Fehre explained. “There is going to be lighting for the sculpture. There are going to be three lights to light up the sculpture from dusk until dawn, I believe. The proposed anchoring will be cinched down using concrete cinches. The piece will be welded.”

Fehre is a local artist with a large, welded sculpture commissioned by the City of West Palm Beach and located behind the Norton Museum of Art, where he is also a teaching artist. He also has a photographic piece as part of the permanent collection at the Orange County Convention Center.

Michael Lanford, representing R.P. Logistics LLC, was very enthusiastic about the project overall.

“It has been a great experience. I’m super excited to put this thing out here. It has been great, and I would put public art in front of all my buildings now if I could,” he said.

The commissioners were very supportive of the work and approved it unanimously. If approved by the Royal Palm Beach Village Council, fabrication will begin immediately, and installation will likely take place in June 2023.

“It looks really cool, man,” Commissioner Adam Miller said.

Commission Alternate Kara Cowser asked about public access to the site. “I really want to make sure his work gets seen by the public,” she said.

Lanford reassured the commis-

sioners that the traffic along Aldi Way leads to another shopping center and other businesses and will certainly be in the public view.

Public Art Professional Mario Lopez Pisani returned with an update to the works of art planned for the Cultural Center. Instead of one commissioned piece and two purchased pre-existing photo collages, the village will still purchase one commissioned piece and the original American flag piece that was presented to the commissioners in December. The commissioners supported the changes.

In other business:

• During the regular Planning & Zoning Commission meeting, the board unanimously approved design updates to both the Taco Bell restaurant at 10115 Southern Blvd. and the Rooms to Go store at 161 South State Road 7. The

latter is removing the existing arches and updating the façade. The new storefront will have more windows, the roof changed from barrel tile to metal, and the new colors will be white and off-white instead of the current earth tones.

• The commissioners rejected a request from a resident of Whitcombe Drive for a variance for a swimming pool to be built without the necessary rear setback — three feet instead of the required eight feet. The resident would like to build the pool to allow for aquatic therapy after having been in an accident. Village staff did not recommend approval, as it would grant special privileges. The commissioners voted 3-1 against the variance with Miller dissenting. The variance application will still be presented to the council at a future meeting.

Groves Council Begins State-Mandated Review Of Comp Plan

By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report

At a Loxahatchee Groves Town Council workshop meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 3, the council discussed a schedule for the review of its state-mandated Evaluation and Appraisal Review (EAR), which updates the elements of the town’s comprehensive plan.

At the meeting, Planning Consultant Jim Fleischmann provided the council a draft of the comp plan’s Introduction element, along with some proposed text revisions to the Future Land Use element and Transportation element. He

LWPC Vote On Closure

continued from page 1 of a building that sits on Lake Wellington, I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “The building itself isn’t the prettiest building in Wellington, but it has an awesome atmosphere.”

She said that if the building closes down, she doesn’t have another place to go in Wellington and would have to relocate her practice to another community.

Diane Gutman of Wellington Cares said that closing the LWPC would negatively impact the senior population of Wellington. The local nonprofit houses its nonperishable food pantry program at the facility, as well as its meeting place for training programs.

“I will be forced to work from home, which would not be conducive to operating this valuable senior resource,” she said.

Attorney Dermot Mac Mahon operates his practice out of the LWPC. He noted that there are no other executive office suite locations in Wellington.

“I talked to the manager of the

WEF Opens Horse Show

Season

continued from page 1 spectator, it’s the only circuit that we have all year that we unpack. For me, I have little kids, and it’s a place that we come that we are relieved to get here every winter,” she said. “We are here almost five months. WEF is unique and significant.”

She added that WEF is extremely important for developing horses.

“In November, you see a slew of young horses, and we reach Week 12, and these babies are veterans by the end,” Goutal-Marteau said. “It’s really an incredible opportunity for young horses and clients to get better. I don’t think that many places in the world offer that for this amount of time and scope of level. We have low beginner level and the best in the world.”

Representing dressage athletes, U.S. Olympic dressage team silver medalist Adrienne Lyle added her appreciation for the improvements and expanded on the benefits.

“We have businesses and students. We have the ability to come down here, be five minutes from the showgrounds, show in a World Cup qualifier, show against the best of the best. Go home. Train my students, train my clients. And have enough shows offered that I can spread out,” Lyle said. “I’m able to pick and choose, and

recommended a discussion of the Introduction element, particularly the “community character goal” portion.

However, council members felt that they did not have enough advanced notice to review the proposed texts revisions and decided that beginning with the most controversial portions of the comp plan is not the way to go.

“I recall the council deciding to discuss this at pre-agenda meetings, one topic at a time,” Vice Mayor Laura Danowski said. She said that the council was not prepared to discuss the Fu-

Nexus, who informed me that they technically have no available space, and they actually have a waitlist for vacancies there,” Mac Mahon said, referring to an office suite facility in suburban Lake Worth.

Wellington Chamber of Commerce President Scott Sweigart spoke on behalf of the chamber, which has its offices at the LWPC.

“The Lake Wellington Professional Centre has thrived under the village’s management,” he said. “Why would you not want to include this as just another cog in the wheel of our uniqueness and celebrate the success of a village-owned, boutique business product?”

Accountant Stuart Hack challenged the idea that rents at the LWPC are subsidized by the village.

“Although LWPC is owned by a municipality, our rents are not below market value for executive suites,” he said.

He noted that the Village of Wellington considers itself a “champion for businesses.”

“Demolishing the only executive suite offices in Wellington without a replacement doesn’t

ture Land Use element — which Danowski called the “hottest topic in town” — at that meeting.

“Can’t we just slide into this with, like, the Intergovernmental Coordination element? That’s an easy one,” she said.

The council agreed to open the discussion by reviewing easier and less-controversial parts of the comp plan, starting Jan. 9 with a workshop on the Conservation, Recreation/Open Space and Housing portions of the plan, followed on Jan. 23 with a discussion of the sections on Intergovernmental Coordination, Property Rights

sound like a champion to me,” Hack said.

During council comments, Mayor Anne Gerwig asked the council to table the item until March to allow more time to come up with a plan for the closure, such as finding a partner to work with on a replacement for the LWPC.

“I don’t want to send the letter out,” she said, referring to a draft eviction notice prepared to go out to clients after the council vote.

“I would ask for two months of delay.”

Councilman John McGovern asked that the $1 million balance in the LWPC fund be repaid into the village’s general fund to partially pay back the purchase price. He noted that since the village bought the facility in 2013, no repayments have been made.

Councilman Michael Napoleone agreed that there needs to be a place for small businesses to function in Wellington.

“Several of us up here, myself included, worked with the village to try to find alternative places where executive suites, which don’t exist now, could be built,” he said, naming several potential locations.

McGovern said that even if

and Capital Improvements. While capital improvements have tended to be controversial in Loxahatchee Groves, the town does have an approved capital improvements plan that was discussed as part of the recent budget process.

A discussion of the Transportation and Infrastructure elements will follow on Feb. 6. Then the council will return to the more controversial and lengthy Future Land Use element, along with the comp plan’s Introduction element. However, a date for that discussion was not set at the Jan. 3 meeting. After all of the elements have

Wellington wanted to be in the executive suites business, the LWPC needs to be replaced.

“It is not to our standards,” he said, noting that the building is more than 40 years old and is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Vice Mayor Michael Drahos said that Wellington should not be in this business.

“I have been consistent over the last six years on my fundamental opposition to the government’s role in a private landlord-tenant business,” he said.

Drahos said that the decision may not be popular, but “it is the financially prudent vote to make for the Village of Wellington.”

The council unanimously agreed to proceed with the closure, but not send out the eviction letters until March 15, extending the deadline to vacate the facility until Dec. 31, 2023.

In a related matter, the council agreed to postpone issuing a call for letters of interest for the Wellington Green Park 10-acre civic site for one month to allow for more research into a possible public-private partnership to develop the site with several community amenities, including a

been discussed and updated, the council will hold a final workshop on the entire document before a series of public hearings later in the year. Then the revised comp plan will be adopted.

The entire process is anticipated to be completed over the next six to eight months, which includes time for review and input by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity in Tallahassee.

The council did look at some of the recommended changes, but also expressed concerns regarding other portions that exist in the current comp plan.

possible state-of-the-art executive business suite project to replace the LWPC.

At the meeting, Gerwig said that she had reached out to a national group she had spoken to before the pandemic, and they expressed a continued interest. Meanwhile, a local group spoke up to say they might also be interested.

In other business:

• The council unanimously rejected a request from a property owner in the Palm Beach Little Ranches neighborhood to amend the Wellington Planned Unit Development (PUD) to add one additional residential unit to the Little Ranches East plat for a .23-acre parcel at 977 Cindy Drive.

Neil Winer purchased property designated as open space/recreation in 2006 at a tax deed sale for $3,900 when the developer failed to pay the taxes on the parcel. Little Ranches is a large-lot equestrian community, and the council agreed with the staff recommendation that the parcel’s size and other factors make it inappropriate for a residential unit in Little Ranches.

Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee and Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board previously rejected the request, which was

“This is an Evaluation and Appraisal Report of the comprehensive plan, and it is required by Florida Statutes,” Town Manager Francine Ramaglia said. “So, the idea that we have language in here that we don’t want is exactly why this is required to be done at regular intervals.”

She said that whatever language the council objects to, be it newly recommended changes or items that have been there for years, can be changed through this process.

“It is all subject to however we wish to change it to match today and tomorrow,” Ramaglia said.

also opposed by other residents in Little Ranches.

• The council unanimously approved the voluntary annexation of Panther Run Elementary School into the village. The 20-acre school site is on the north side of Lake Worth Road just east of the village’s border. It has long been considered a Wellington school but has never been officially in the municipal boundaries. Most of the students are Wellington residents. The village worked with the School District of Palm Beach County to make the voluntary annexation possible.

• The council awarded a contract to the Ohlson Lavoie Corporation for architectural and engineering services for the construction of a new aquatics facility. The amount of $63,550 would be for design services. At a workshop meeting in December, the council short-listed three possible sites for a new aquatics facility — the current site at Wellington Town Center, a site at the back of Village Park and a site at Wellington High School. The firm will come up with designs and master plans for the various concepts for the council to then decide which would be best.

work their horses between competitions at the

that has been hugely beneficial, both as a high-performance rider and someone who runs their own business.”

She enjoys the electric atmosphere of the Friday Night Stars events at AGDF.

“It is honestly one of the coolest atmospheres I’ve ridden anywhere in the world,” Lyle said. “The electricity and the enthusiasm on Friday night in those freestyles is really incredible. You can feel it

as a rider, your horses can feel it and it’s really an experience I’m not sure you get it anywhere else.”

AGDF Director of Sport Thomas Baur is happy to see years of work finally resulting in dressage coming to Wellington International.

“The Olympic qualifications started Jan. 1 for us. That means we will have a lot of riders already starting their qualification process. We have the Asian games later this

year. We will see for the first time, riders from Turkey, Singapore and Thailand here in Wellington,” Baur said.

The next four months of equestrian competitions will result in $13 million in prize money. Baur believes that up to 35 different countries could be on site for the events. Both AGDF and WEF have seen an increase in the number of horses signing up to compete.

JOSHUA I. MANNING Executive Editor

STEPHANIE RODRIGUEZ Art & Production Manager

When asked about the recent rebranding of the facility, which used to be known as the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, Stone was quick to share his enthusiasm.

“It showed a clean change from where we were to where we are going. Part of the background is if you go anywhere in the world and ask, ‘Where are you going this winter?’ They would say they are going to Wellington. That is

something they were already saying,” he said.

Stone added that spectator numbers have been going way up since the two seasons that were impacted by the pandemic. He expects that it will continue that way.

For more information about the various events during WEF, visit www.wellingtoninternational. com. Learn more about the AGDF at www.globaldressagefestival. com.

BARRY S. MANNING Publisher DAWN RIVERA General Manager

“Transcendence” by artist Robert Fehre.

Riders

showgrounds.

PHOTOS BY CALLIE SHARKEY/TOWN-CRIER

President Michael Stone discusses changes at the Wellington International showgrounds.

WELLINGTON DINNER DANCE AT WYCLIFFE SUPPORTS BOYS & GIRLS

Nearly 400 guests enjoyed a gala evening at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club on Saturday, Jan. 7 at the 35th annual Wellington Dinner

Dance, a philanthropic event held to benefit the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington. The elegant evening of auctions and entertainment yielded an impressive $385,000 worth of proceeds for the club this year. It is the club’s largest annual fundraiser. PHOTOS BY MEREDITH BUROW/TOWN-CRIER

Herta Suess and Darlene Finocchietti.

Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club members Vijaya Bharath, Averi Polynice, Gabriella Brito, Isabella Rodriguez, Jenna Pierre, Jaenathan Ross and Milan Ross.

Ben Shenkman and Frank Suess.

Kyle Eldredge with Dr. Andrea and Eric Horbey.

Dan and Diana Brettler with stilt walker Cayla McDonald.

Bryan Raymond, Paula Ramos, Charlene Ramos, Kristie Mason, Bon Hall and Julius Mason.

Dance Hub Palm Beach instructors Alexander Chudin and Natalie Didyk with student Andrea Hayes.

Boys & Girls Club members Nevaeh Baker, Averi Polynice and Aniyah Walker with Wellington Club Executive Director Latricia Jenkins.

Denzil Seedial, Dhruti Pandya, and Kila and Anil Mistry.

Julie Kime presents Dr. Edward and Maria Becker with the Lifetime Achievement Award for their decades of service to the Boys & Girls Club.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric and Dorothy Bradshaw.

Wellington Mayor Anne and Alan Gerwig.

Maria Becker, President & CEO Jaene Miranda, Wellington Club Executive Director Latricia Jenkins, Marcella Montesinos, Sonali Mendiratta, Lidy Mata and Julie Kime.

Town of Palm Beach Mayor Danielle Moore with her mother, former Mayor Lesly Smith.

Kelsey Abernathy

Brian and Gloria Coleman.

Stephanie Ruiz

Megan and Damon Barrett.

A Salute To Our Hometown Hero

of the Wellington Community Foundation

Thomas M. Wenham, Founder and Chair

Aside from his many professional accomplishments, Tom Wenham dedicated decades of service to his adopted hometown of Wellington. Until 2015, the Wellington Community Foundation was dormant, and the Wellington Village Council decided to place the foundation in a community-run board. Wenham stepped up to volunteer. He helped put together an active board of community leaders dedicated to projects that benefit Wellington’s children, veterans and seniors — three groups near and dear to Wenham’s heart. The revitalized foundation was reborn, which Wenham chaired from its inception until his recent passing on December 29, 2022. The Board of Directors will continue to celebrate the life of a man who honored his country, and above all else, served the Village of Wellington until his last days.

Get Ready For Dinosaur Sightings At The 2023 South Florida Fair

Tyrannosaurus Rex and triceratops may have vanished millions of years ago, but the 2023 edition of the South Florida Fair will bring them and other dinosaur species back to life. That’s because the 111th annual South Florida’s Fair’s theme is “Dino-Myte.” The 2023 event kicked off with a Ride-AThon on Thursday, Jan. 12, with the full fair being held Friday, Jan. 13 through Sunday, Jan. 29 at the South Florida Fairgrounds, located at 9067 Southern Blvd.

Imagine Exhibitions will offer a scale of animatronic dinosaur displays that is second to none. The traveling exhibit, titled “Dinosaurs Around the World,” will showcase some of the world’s most unique and recently discovered dinosaurs. Guests will discover where the various species of dinosaurs lived, how they arrived and the latest paleontological, cutting-edge research.

Fairgoers also will have the opportunity to see lifelike dinosaurs in action and may touch and interact with them throughout the Jurassic Kingdom Lockdown show. For the past nine years, this show has been one of the most beloved displays in the fair and festival industry.

“We know that many children are fascinated by dinosaurs, even though they’re extinct,” South Florida Fair President & CEO

Vicki Chouris said. “Dinosaurs fit into their world of imaginary play, and we hope to entertain and educate them and their families in a fun-filled, visual way.”

Additional theme-related exhibits will include prehistoric dinosaur adventures, a mobile museum, the Palm Beach Museum of Natural History, the Cox Science Museum & Aquarium, a Dino Encounters Excavation Zone, and Mr. Adler — an experienced paleontologist who loves to take his babies for a stroll around the fair.

Aside from the theme exhibits, the fair will feature a wide array of new and returning attractions.

Highlights include:

• Extreme Illusions and Escapes, new for 2023, presented by American Bath & Shower. This show is one of the largest ones touring today. Featuring Josh and Lea Knotts, the duo has designed a show mixed with stage illusions, skillful escapes, audience participation and music to go along with it. Not an everyday magic act, the show has become a crowd favorite at every event where they have performed. They’ve traveled the U.S. entertaining audiences of all sizes and have performed more than 300 shows annually since 2009.

• Dinotopia On Ice, presented by Ford. A Florida-based, international company founded in

1994 with more than 50 years combined experience, Rosstyn Ice Shows showcases professional performances by adagio pairs with their breathtaking moves. Star soloists and talented skaters perform with elaborate costumes, lighting, sound, special effects, scenery and unique specialty acts on ice, including jugglers, comedians, magicians and singers.

• Two different wine pairing dinners are scheduled on Monday, Jan. 23, and on Friday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. in the hospitality building. Presented by Cugini Winery, limited tickets are available for $75 per person, which includes fair admission. Reservations are required. Wine tastings also will occur each day in Building 3, along with demonstrations (included in fair admission).

• A new horse show titled “Hollywood Horses Tricks and Tales” is expected to wow guests. This is an exciting and educational show owned by Austin Anderson. He teaches the audience how the horses are trained and discusses how he approaches training, working with a horse’s natural ability and how to enhance it. After a fun audience participation and a few demonstrations, Anderson will then have the horses perform some amazing tricks.

• The fair also features more than 200 rides, games and attractions, including the return of the Midway Sky Eye, known as the “giant wheel.” As North America’s largest traveling Ferris wheel, the ride reaches a peak height of 155 feet and is comprised of more than 500 pieces. More than 524,000 individual LED lights make it the brightest spectacle at the fair. Guests also can see for miles from the top of this ride. New rides

NEWS BRIEFS

• The fair’s award-winning agriculture and livestock program features more than 1,000 exhibitors from more than 30 Florida counties. The always popular Mooternity barn gives guests a chance to see calves being born. At the 2022 fair, 19 calves were born, including one set of twins.

• There will be five stages of live music and entertainment featuring country, rock, disco and more. The Tribute Band Competition also is returning on Saturday, Jan. 28. There will also be a drumline competition and two robotic competitions, new in 2023, on the K&M community stage and the Concourse Building.

• Comedy hypnotist Brad Matchett returns with his familyfriendly, Vegas-style hypnosis show. Willing volunteers who are selected to be in the show provide plenty of laughs for the audience.

• Artist Alley will feature the artwork of some of the area’s most creative artists in Building 2, and the Horton Fair Display will show off a giant fair display of rides and more, all made from recycled materials.

• If the ever-popular fair food is what you’re craving, the usual “fried everything” will be offered. New items include Miller Lemonade’s pickle lemonade, Holy Macaroni’s Thai bowls and its build-your-own macaroni bowls, which were introduced last year.

• In conjunction with the Downtown Development Authority’s “The Next Big Thing” project, world-renowned Finnish artist and architect, Marco Casagrande, will present a workshop in Yesteryear Village on Monday, Jan. 16. He was the winner of the DDA’s quest

to bring a unique and imaginative outdoor experience to the heart of West Palm Beach. Children have been selected to draw their concept of a trojan horse during the workshop, which may be observed by guests. Casagrande will take their concepts and create eight life-sized rocking horses, which will be displayed in March.

• A favorite, the Sundy Feed Store, will have locally grown vegetables, rice and products for fairgoers to purchase and take home. The Ag-xotic Landscape Contests will return in which area schools will compete. This will take place beside the Sundy Feed Store.

• Some 2,000 elementary students from almost 40 schools will complete the last mile of a marathon as part of the South Florida Fair Kids’ Mile, sponsored by Baptist Health. The event will take place on Saturday, Jan. 14. The Kids’ K race for under school age children begins at 8:20 a.m., and the Kids’ Mile race begins at 8:30 a.m. The event is the culmination of a 12-week training program that enables children to run a full 26.2mile marathon by running portions of it each week.

Many of the fair most popular annual events will also be making

their return, such as $2 Tuesdays featuring $2 admission. Each food vendor will offer a sample food item for just $2, and most rides will be $2. There is also the return of daily parades featuring custom floats straight from New Orleans, lots of beads tossed to onlookers and music by the fair’s own marching band.

Don’t miss the Miss South Florida Fair & Miss Palm Beach County Scholarship Competition. Participants will compete for more than $13,000 in scholarships. The live portion of the contest will be held on Saturday, Jan. 14, starting at 4 p.m. inside the Expo East Theater. Both title winners are automatically entered into the Miss Florida 2022 Competition.

Speaking of scholarships, the fair awarded 23 scholarships totaling $50,750 to 19 local students in 2022. Another $55,000 will be awarded to 21 recipients at the 2023 South Florida Fair.

The South Florida Fair is produced by the South Florida Fair & Palm Beach County Expositions, a nonprofit organization with a longstanding tradition of raising funds for educational and charitable purposes. For more info., call (561) 793-0333 or visit www. southfloridafair.com.

Art Society Announces New Exhibitions

The Wellington Art Society has announced its new municipal art exhibitions, “Inspired” and “Images.”

“Inspired” is going on now through Feb. 21 at Wellington Village Hall, located at 12300 W. Forest Hill Blvd. “Images” runs from now until March 21 at the Wellington Community Center, located at 12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd. Both exhibitions are free and open to the public on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The public is invited to the opening reception celebrating both exhibitions on Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 5 to 7 p.m. Meet the artists and vote for your favorite artwork. There will be door prizes and refreshments to enjoy.

All artwork in the exhibition is for sale, and a portion of the proceeds goes toward the Wellington Art Society’s scholarship and outreach programs. To arrange the purchase of artwork, e-mail presidentofwas@gmail.com.

For more information about the featured artists or the exhibition, visit www.wellingtonartsociety. org.

Wellington Launches FlashVote Surveys

Wellington has partnered with FlashVote to launch a new platform to make it easier for residents to give their feedback. This new survey tool gives participants a convenient way to have a voice in village government through text, e-mail or voice responses.

FlashVote is a leading platform for online voting and public engagement, and makes it easy for residents to participate in the decision-making process and provide valuable feedback on issues that matter to them.

FlashVote will help Wellington staff acquire statistically valid information directly from village residents, to inform

decisions on services, programs and initiatives.

Residents may sign up now at www.flashvote.com/wellingtonfl, or call (775) 235-2240 to participate by phone or text only.

Signing up takes less than one minute and input is kept anonymous. When residents sign up, they can determine how surveys are received. They will receive a notification whenever there is a new survey, and they will have 48 hours to participate before voting closes. Once a survey is closed, everyone who participated will automatically receive a summary of the overall results and be able to see how their responses compare to the group.

“FlashVote will enhance our current public engagement efforts. We know everyone is busy, and we want to make engaging with the village quick and easy,” Village Manager Jim Barnes said.

The first surveys will be sent once the number of people who have signed up is large enough and includes a cross-section of the community.

“We’re excited to use the input collected in these surveys to inform decision-making at village hall in ways that serve our residents better,” Barnes said.

County Bucks State Trend In Overdose Deaths

Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg recently announced new data showing a 14 percent decrease in opioidcaused deaths in Palm Beach County in 2021, compared to the previous year. This statistic, from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Annual Medical Examiners Report, comes at the same time as overdose deaths increased statewide.

In Palm Beach County, opioid deaths dropped from 604 to 519. But across Florida, there were 6,366 deaths, up from 6,089 the year before, or a nearly 5 percent increase. Most of the deaths were attributed to fentanyl or a fentanyl analog. Fentanyl is a synthetic opi-

oid up to 50 times more potent than heroin. It is now being found in other non-opioid street drugs at an alarming rate. In many cases, the user has no idea that these drugs contain deadly fentanyl.

To save more lives, the State Attorney’s Office is calling on state lawmakers to pass new legislation in 2023 that would decriminalize fentanyl test strips in Florida, which can easily detect the presence of this killer substance.

Aronberg said that the encouraging signs from the local battle against the opioid epidemic are partly due to the Sober Homes Task Force crackdown on fraud and abuse in the drug treatment industry since October 2016. That effort includes 121 arrests and 110 convictions so far.

Aronberg also credited broader access to Narcan to quickly help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, along with innovations in treatment, such as the countyfunded Addiction Stabilization Unit. “We have made real progress and know there is still more work to do,” Aronberg said.

RSVP For The 20th Annual JustWorld Gala

On Friday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m., equestrians won’t need to stamp their passports to go globe-trotting! Simply book a ticket to Belle Herbe Farm in Grand Prix Village to journey around the world in 20 years with JustWorld — all in one magical night.

The 20th annual JustWorld Gala, presented by Caryl Philips and Frank Zeiss, is a monumental milestone in the nonprofit’s global campaign against poverty. Evening celebrations will match the magnificence of the occasion. When you arrive, grab a Tito’s designed cocktail from the open bar and toast to the nearly 10,000 children who JustWorld supports together in Guatemala, Cambodia, Honduras and the United States. After perusing the brimming silent auction table, feed the soul with a dinner catered by Maxwell’s Plum, which pays homage to the four

project sites. Finish your meal on a sweet note with a delicious dessert crafted by Christy’s Bakery. The gala’s energy will then reach a crescendo with a thrilling live auction, exciting entertainment and special guest speakers.

To learn more about the 20th annual JustWorld Gala, corporate sponsorship opportunities or auction donations, contact jwinfo@ justworldinternational.org.

ACC Offering $23 Adoptions

In January 2023

Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control (ACC) is encouraging the community to ring in the New Year with a new best friend. To help, ACC is offering $23 adoption fees for the month of January.

For those looking to exercise more or catch up on their reading, ACC has many adoptable animals that would be great companions for those activities. With more than 300 animals in the shelter, it is easy to find the perfect cat or dog to fit any lifestyle.

ACC is seeking help this year to find homes for the animals. Residents can also be part of something bigger this year by becoming a #HealthyHome foster, which is a community member who chooses to care for, love and promote a shelter animal to increase the chances of adoption. Supplies, such as monthly preventatives, food, collar, leash and crate, are provided for the dog. The foster parent just has to supply the love. Fostering a dog helps make space for another dog in need and provides the opportunity for a foster dog to experience love and attention outside the kennel environment.

Those interested in adopting or fostering a furry friend can visit Animal Care & Control in person (no appointment needed) or view pets online at https://secure. co.palm-beach.fl.us/snap.

Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control is located at 7100 Belvedere Road, just west of Florida’s Turnpike. For more information, call (561) 233-1200 or visit www.pbcgov.com/animal.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Culver’s Restaurant in Loxahatchee Groves on Tuesday, Jan. 3. The new restaurant, part of a national chain, is under construction on the north side of Southern Blvd. east of B Road as part of the Groves Town Center project. The restaurant is being built by Campbell Construction JC Inc. Shown above taking part in the ceremony are owners Kase Bethel and Dr. Jennifer Bethel with their son Chase in the middle.

World Of Musicals’ At Dolly Hand Jan. 23

The music of Broadway returns to the Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center on Monday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m.

“The World of Musicals” is “all of the hits in one show” — an emotional journey through the great world of Broadway musicals that will leave attendees spell bound.

Enjoy beautiful and emotional ballads from Evita and Les Miserables, great favorites from Dirty Dancing, We Will Rock You and The Lion King, and hits from the newer musicals, such as Rocky and

Sister Act. There’s something in this show for everyone.

Come early to the performance and enjoy the beautiful photography exhibit of islands around the world by Kari and Jeaux McCormick.

Tickets for “The World of Musicals” can be purchased online at www.dollyhand.org, by calling the theater at (561) 993-1160 or by visiting the Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center Box Office on the Palm Beach State College Glades Campus at 1977 SW College Drive in Belle Glade.

include the Wave Swinger and Corky’s Wipeout.

The Midway Sky Eye is among the 200 rides and games at the fair.

The “Hollywood Horses Tricks and Tales” show will wow guests.

Don’t mess with T-Rex at the 2023 South Florida Fair.

‘The

Aqua Soft Celebrates 50 Years Serving Community’s Water Needs

Aqua Soft Water Systems in Royal Palm Beach recently marked a milestone anniversary — 50 years of installing and servicing the water systems at homes and businesses across Palm Beach County.

Aqua Soft started out as a family business and remains one to this day.

“In the mid-1960s, my father Lloyd Rice worked for Pratt Whitney. He was part of ‘Skunkworks,’ the engineering team that built the SR-71 spy plane’s engine,” Debbie Suftko recalled. “That job required my parents to move often and live undercover — after all, we were fighting in Vietnam. My parents knew this was no life in which to raise a family.”

By the 1970s, Lloyd and his wife Peggy had two children, Debbie and Darren. They purchased a triplex that was on well water. Little did they know, that decision would lead to a new business venture.

“They purchased a water softener, and soon my father learned that he had to repair it often,” Debbie said. “Once he learned to repair our softener, he was soon repairing the neighbor’s system. It was at that point, they knew that God had provided a business.”

The couple used their savings to open Aqua Soft in 1972.

“At this point, we had moved into a home in Lake Clarke Shores, and we ran the business out of the garage,” Debbie continued. “Over the years, we moved the business

four times, stepping up to larger locations.”

Previous locations have been on Old Okeechobee Road, Military Trail and Broadway Street in Lake Worth before moving to the current location on Business Park Way in Royal Palm Beach.

“We built this building in 1997,” Debbie said.

In 1984, Aqua Soft became the authorized dealer for Kinetico Water Systems in Palm Beach and Broward counties.

“By the mid-1980s, both my brother and I were also working in the family business. Darren became our well driller, and I started out in scheduling,” Debbie recalled. “As the years passed, we hired more employees, and Darren branched out into his own well drilling company, Rice Well Drilling. Darren still drills our wells to this day.”

In more recent years, a third generation has joined the family business.

“By the mid-2010s, my three boys — Eric, Alex and Ryan Suftko — came to work in our business to help continue the family legacy,” Debbie said. “Over our 50 years in business, the Lord has truly blessed us, and we strongly believe in giving back. We have actively given to Water for Life, an organization that helps provide clean drinking water around the world, as well as Tunnels to Towers, an organization that helps our veterans and first responders.”

Aqua Soft has also made donations to Habitat for Humanity, as well as many other local charities and nonprofits.

“We do a lot of work with different animal rescues, such as Barky Pines. We donated all their water systems to them. The Rare Species Conservatory Foundation had their whole system stolen, and we replaced it free of charge for them,” Debbie said.

While the business provides regular monthly service for many clients, equipment sales remain the heart of the business.

“The biggest thing out on the market now is whole house reverse osmosis systems,” Debbie said. “That brings people bottled water quality at their tap.”

These are the types of systems that giant cruise ships use, and they are becoming more popular with residential customers as well.

“That seems to be the wave of the future, and we install those daily,” Debbie said. “We customize them to the customer’s water, since there are different filters you can use.”

On top of residential service in the western communities, Aqua Soft does a great deal of work in the commercial sphere.

“We also do a tremendous amount of horse farms in Wellington,” she said. “Everything from small homes to large commercial facilities.”

Debbie believes that her company’s size and experience make

Aqua Soft the best choice for those in the market for a water system.

“We have been around for so long that we have the knowledge base,” she said. “We are able to buy in bulk, so we can keep the costs down. Because we install so many, we understand exactly what the customer needs.”

Aqua Soft celebrated the company’s 50th anniversary with several giveaway events and special

discounts. Now, they are looking toward the future.

“We are celebrating with our 39 employees and family. Most of our employees have been with us for more than 10 years, with many over 30 or 40 years,” Debbie said.

“Our first employee, Terry Stitt, my mother Peggy’s brother, still works for us, along with his boys. We were also recently blessed to welcome in the fourth generation, when Alex and his wife Kalee

welcomed a daughter, Lindsay Grace.”

So, if you stop by the office today, you will often see Lloyd and Peggy Rice working hard beside their daughter Debbie and their grandsons Eric, Alex and Ryan.

Aqua Soft Water Systems is located at 220 Business Park Way in Royal Palm Beach. For more information, call (561) 753-7700 or visit www.aquasoftpalmbeach. com.

The Wellington Historical Society will present “A History of Equestrian Life in Wellington” with featured speaker Tim Gannon at its next Lunch & Learn event on Wednesday, Jan. 18.

The lunch event takes place from 11:45 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the Mallet Grille at the National Polo Center (3667 120th Avenue South, Wellington).

Gannon is well-known as co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, but in polo circles, Gannon and Outback have been synonymous with polo since the 1990s.

A polo player since 1992, Gannon is considered one of the greatest sponsors of the game. And during the 1990s and early 2000s, the Outback Polo Team won five U.S. Open Championships, winning

three back-to-back in 1999, 2000 and 2001. In 1999, the United States Polo Association named him Sponsor of the Year.

By the time Gannon picked up a mallet, he had made an indelible mark in the restaurant industry, having founded Outback Steakhouse in 1987 with partners Bob Basham and Chris Sullivan. The “food guy” of the trio, Gannon developed Outback’s iconic “Bloomin’ Onion” recipe and several other dishes on the Outback menu. In 2006, Gannon co-founded OSI Restaurant Partners, an operator of Outback, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Roy’s Restaurant and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar restaurants. In 2016, Gannon and his son, Christopher, created and opened Bolay, a fast

casual restaurant with a chef-inspired, gluten-free menu.

Last year, Gannon returned to polo in a new role as chair of the Wellington Polo Tour. He also serves as chairman of the board of a United States Polo Association subsidiary in charge of hospitality services at the National Polo Center. The USPA acquired the former International Polo Club Palm Beach last year.

At the luncheon sponsored by Seacoast Bank, Gannon will talk about the history of polo in Wellington, how equestrian sports shaped the community and he’ll provide some insight into the future of Wellington’s equestrian life.

The event continues the Wellington Historical Society’s popu-

Deborah and Scott Dalton, live-in managers of the newly constructed Palomino Gardens Retirement Community, have announced they will host a grand opening to introduce Palomino Gardens’ unique, all-inclusive, resort-style 55 and over community on Thursday, Jan. 19, from 2 to 6 p.m.

The new community is located at 9885 Palomino Drive in suburban Lake Worth. The grand opening will allow the public to tour model apartments and the community; meet the team, including the executive chef, lifestyle director and concierges; view floor plans; sample hors-d’oeuvres, the dessert bar and a meat carving station; and learn more about grand opening specials.

Palomino Gardens is a portfolio community of Resort Lifestyle Communities (RLC), which prides itself on providing “resort lifestyle” independent retirement communities. RLC offers an all-inclusive experience for one- and two-bedroom apartments. One competitive monthly rent includes chef-prepared meals with flexible dining hours; a range of entertainment options with a full calendar of activities; on-site staff and a 24-hour emergency call system; scheduled transportation and valet parking; and a 150-seat theater. There are no buy-in fees or longterm leases.

For more information about Palomino Gardens, visit www. palominogardensretirement.com or call (561) 328-2920.

Aqua Soft founders Lloyd and Peggy Rice (seated) with Eric, Debbie, Alex, Lindsay and Ryan Suftko (standing) in front of the family business in Royal Palm Beach.

At WEF’s Opening Week, Men’s Team Wins Battle Of The Sexes

The first Saturday Night Lights event of 2023 Winter Equestrian Festival started off with a bang, bringing in huge crowds and tremendous fun on Saturday, Jan. 7 with the $75,000 Battle of the Sexes, presented by Wellington Regional Medical Center.

This crowd-favorite event highlighted Premiere Week of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), which runs for 13 weeks through April 2. The men’s team broke an 11-year winning streak for the women in the 13-year history of the event.

The women’s team for Battle of the Sexes consisted of team

captain Nicole Jayne, Kelly Soleau-Millar, Heather Caristo-Williams, Delaney Flynn, Samantha Mackenzie, Mia Mannis, Abigail McArdle, Catherine Pasmore, Alexis Sokolov and Ally Worthington.

The men’s team, led by captain Charlie Jayne, also included Christian Coyle, Daniel Coyle, Jordan Coyle, Alex Granato, Luis Larrazabal, Tony Stormanns, Sohnke Theymann, Michael Tokaruk and Simon McCarthy.

The Battle of the Sexes consists of three phases, with the first being a Table C faults-converted speed course where the riders go to head-

to-head over the same course, and the one with the fastest time gains a point for their team. Following the first phase, the men’s team had a commanding lead at nine to one.

In the second phase, each team had three relay groups, where a trio of riders each did a section of the course. The women’s team fought back in the second phase closing the gap by 10 points.

The final phase was a match race where riders competed at the same time over a course that mirrored itself in the ring. Scores started at 11 to 14 with the men still leading, but by the penultimate match, they were neck and neck.

Christian Coyle brought back hope to the men’s team by overtaking Nicole Jayne in their match race with only one match remaining.

“Going into the match race, I wanted to try and be as slick and neat as possible because my horse is naturally fast,” Christian Coyle said. “I saw after number three that Nicole was still close, and then going to the skinny, I thought she was a little ahead, so I took a risk on the second-to-last, and it paid off. Then I could be a little cautious and make sure I left the last up. It’s a great class. There was brilliant atmosphere here tonight, and it is good fun for everyone.”

Christian’s cousin Jordan bested Samantha Mackenzie to guarantee

a victory for the men’s team in the very last contest. The final score landed at 29 to 23.

“I told the girls that we have to let them win every now and then or they aren’t going to come back out and challenge us anymore,” women’s team captain Nicole Jayne said. “It was down to the wire and a really fun class. Congratulations to the boys!”

Echoing her, Charlie Jayne noted, “It was an exciting class. I’m happy all the riders and horses tried their best. It was a great finish at the end, and Jordan did a great job finishing up for our team. I was excited about the energy tonight that both teams showed.”

Pam Tahan, chief executive officer of sponsor Wellington Regional Medical Center, partic-

ipated in the prize giving for the $75,000 Battle of the Sexes that concluded the night.

“As always, it was an exciting and fun night here in Wellington,” Tahan said. “We love to see the community come out and support the equestrians. We are thrilled to be part of everything that happens [at WEF], and we look forward to the great year ahead.”

With Wellington already buzzing in anticipation for the first ever Florida Circuit 16-Goal Super Series, the United States Polo Association and participating clubs recently announced the addition of the inaugural Florida Circuit 8-Goal Super Series to the 2023 winter season docket.

Much like the 16-goal version, the series will be played across multiple clubs, with the championship hosted at the National Polo Center-Wellington (NPC).

The participating clubs include the Villages Polo Club in the Villages, the International Polo School in Wellington and Port Mayaca in Okeechobee.

The USPA tournaments that comprise the series include a Regional President’s Cup at each respective club, as well as a fourth qualifying tournament that is still being determined. Each tournament will serve as a qualifier for the Florida Circuit 8-Goal Super Series Championship, with each

winning team moving on to the final event in April.

Encouraging even more collaboration across the Florida Circuit, the series will allow participants to experience the grandeur and prestige of competing at NPC, while also having the opportunity to enjoy playing in the comfort of their home club. At the 8-goal level, there is also a lot more room for players of all backgrounds to compete, expanding the number of players that will have the opportunity to step onto the field at NPC.

USPA Tournament Committee Chair Stevie Orthwein said that the new series unites the polo community across several clubs in the state.

“This competition connects us all together as part of the season,” Orthwein said. “There was always the idea of trying to figure out how to get other levels of polo played at NPC and to work NPC into the surrounding club landscape. With the enthusiasm of the 16-goal and

how well it was received, that got people a little more excited and sped the USPA up in trying to get something going for the 8-goal.”

The primary objective in creating the 8-Goal Super Series was to make 8-goal polo a staple in the Florida circuit, persuading players from across the country to map their way to the Sunshine State to compete.

“Around the country, 8-goal is a very popular level that a lot of different clubs play,” Orthwein said.

“This will add a very significant, prestigious 8-goal experience in Florida that will entice players who in the past may not have traveled to Florida to come and compete. That’s the real draw.”

He believes that this new series will give players who are not coming to Florida something in the Florida circuit worth competing in.

“I think the beauty of the 8-Goal Super Series is that it’s at a level that a lot of different people can play in, and that helps draw people

in who don’t come to Florida who play that level in the summer. Now they have something to come to Florida for,” Orthwein said.

In the future, the hope is to expand the scope of the series to include more circuits, further developing the prestige of 8-goal polo. “The evolution of this competition at this level is that we start to host qualifiers outside of Florida,” Orthwein said. “For example, there might be a qualifier in California, one in the northeast circuit, and so on. Each one would be an eligible qualifier. I see this growing where we include more circuits across the country. The idea is that this will be the most prestigious 8-goal in the U.S.”

Florida Circuit 8-Goal Super Series championship qualifying tournaments include:

• A Regional President’s Cup hosted and managed by Port Mayaca Polo Club slated for Feb. 2-25. For more info., contact Club Manager Laura Townsend at (772)

The primary objective in creating the new series is to make 8-goal polo a staple in the Florida circuit, including introducing new players

228-0115 or laura@pmpolo.com.

• A Regional President’s Cup hosted and managed by the International Polo School slated for March 1-31. For more info., contact Club Manager Gates Gridley at (203) 232-6935 or jgridley@ equestriansport.com.

• A Regional President’s Cup hosted and managed by the Vil-

lages Polo Club slated for April 7-16. For more info., contact Club Manager Francisco Bilbao at (561) 889-6603 or francisco.bilbao@ thevillages.com.

• The Florida Circuit 8-Goal Super Series Championship will be hosted and managed by NPC with the final to be played at 10 a.m. on April 23.

Christian Coyle and Honour ride for the men’s team. PHOTO BY SPORTFOT

Wellington Regional Medical Center ICU Medical Director Jacqueline Montoya, CEO Pam Tahan and COO Elizabeth Rochaine with the winning men’s team. PHOTO BY SPORTFOT

to the experience of competing at NPC.

PHOTO BY CHRISSY KOECHELER

Twenty-five local couples will have a historic twist on a courthouse wedding, when the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller hosts its 2023 Valentine’s Day group wedding in the beautifully restored courtroom of the 1916 Palm Beach County Courthouse.

Registration is now open for the clerk’s annual Valentine’s Day group wedding, which will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at the Historic Palm Beach County Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach.

Palm Beach County Clerk Joseph Abruzzo will officiate the ceremony for 25 couples and their guests from Palm Beach County’s first courtroom.

“Our Valentine’s Day group wedding has provided a unique experience for more than a decade, and few places are more significant in Palm Beach County than the Historic Courthouse,” Abruzzo said. “It is our privilege to bring the

Westlake May Join Lawsuit

continued from page 1 “privatize” roads without approval from the county.

“We’re open to working with our neighbors,” Hanson said, “but we’re going to continue to do what is in the best interest of our 45,000 to 50,000 residents.”

Westlake City Attorney Donald Doody said that he would look into what it would take for Westlake to join the suit, scheduled for trial in April, but added that doing so might be counterproductive at this point because it could slow down the litigation.

The lack of connectivity to a wider road grid “is affecting us now,” O’Connor said. “Think about five years from now when we’ve got double the population.”

Councilwoman Pilar Valle Ron agreed. “When all the neighborhoods are built and everyone is living here with their kids, this is going to be impossible,” she said.

In other business:

• The council heard a presen-

Valentine’s Day wedding to this grand space that holds a special place in our county’s history.”

The Historic Courthouse opened in 1916 and served as home to all of Palm Beach County’s government offices, including the courtroom and jail.

Once slated for demolition, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners voted in 2002 to restore the Historic Courthouse and preserve this important landmark.

The Historic Courthouse reopened to the public in 2007, following the restoration project that began in 2004. The two-story courtroom where the Valentine’s Day wedding will take place was part of that restoration, with its judge’s bench, jury box and other elements recreated to how it looked more than a century ago.

Couples can register for this special ceremony by visiting www.mypalmbeachclerk.com/ valentine. Registration will con-

tation about the Complete Streets and Vision Zero programs from Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency Deputy Director Brian Ruscher.

The programs encourage the implementation of wider sidewalks, medians with trees, raised crosswalks, designated bicycle lanes and tree-lined streets with the goal of zero traffic fatalities within the city and the greatest possible use of non-automotive transportation.

“Your shared use path system is impressive. Your dedication to building separated facilities off the street will pay off,” said Ruscher, suggesting that at some point Westlake might be able to create a Multimodal Micro Investment District.

“As we are literally birthing this city from the ground up, we should be on the forefront of this sort of technology,” O’Connor said. “We have a rare opportunity… to think in terms of safety now rather than retroactively fix something.”

The other council members agreed and voted 5-0 to adopt both programs, which will allow Westlake to apply for funding from county, state and federal agencies

tinue until all 25 spaces are filled, and couples will be placed on a waiting list once the spots are filled. Due to capacity limits in the historic courtroom, each couple will be limited to two guests for the wedding.

Although the ceremony itself is free, couples are still required to pay for a marriage license. More information about license requirements and fees is available on the Marriage Licenses & Ceremonies section of the clerk’s web site at www.mypalmbeachclerk.com.

The happy couples will receive a complimentary professional digital photo by Karla Korn Photography, as well as a complimentary rose and boutonniere for each couple from Heaven & Earth Floral. Heaven & Earth will also donate floral arrangements for the event.

For more information about the Valentine’s Day wedding, visit www.mypalmbeachclerk.com/ valentine.

to improve major throughfares such as Seminole Pratt Whitney Road and create adjacent multimodal access.

• The council heard from City Manager Kenneth Cassel that planning continues for a community park south of Seminole Ridge High School and west of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.

The park will be built on Seminole Improvement District land with the idea of having space that will accommodate “a lot of uses without a lot of structures,” said Cassel, who also manages SID.

Among the likely features that will be phased in over time are a multimodal path, hook-ups for a portable stage and food trucks, accessible bathrooms, pickleball and tennis courts and perhaps even a community center, Cassel said.

A long, linear lake beside busy Seminole Pratt Whitney Road will serve as a noise and security buffer.

“None of this is set in stone,” O’Connor said. “As the city grows, as will the park grow.”

Cassel said he expects the fill and sod to be in place by January 2024.

Wenham Dies At Age 90

continued from page 1 Residents of Wellington and became its president in 1988. He served as chair of Acme’s Utility Review Committee from 1989 to 1994, and also as president of the South Shore 2A Neighborhood Association from 1990 to 1993.

In 1994, Wenham was elected to the Acme Improvement District Board of Supervisors, overseeing drainage, roads and parks in the still-unincorporated community of Wellington. He was active in the successful incorporation effort that followed and was elected to the inaugural Wellington Village Council in 1996.

From 2000 to 2003, Wenham served as Wellington’s third appointed mayor. After a charter change created a directly elected mayor for the Village of Wellington, Wenham ran for and became the village’s first popularly elected mayor in 2003. He continued to serve in that capacity until 2008.

While mayor, Wenham was very proud of his work to bring Wellington Regional Medical Center into the community through annexation. He also volunteered at WRMC, where he was a longtime member of the hospital’s governing board and a member of the Patient Safety Committee.

“Tom was the epitome of a selfless public servant,” said Wellington Village Manager Jim Barnes, who worked with Wenham during

his time at Palm Beach County and at the village, and also spoke at the memorial service. “From his service to his country to various public sector and community positions, and, of course, his work as an elected official, he was in a class by himself. He was a giving person and served this community with distinction and integrity. He made all decisions through the same prism: ‘Is this what’s best for Wellington or Palm Beach County?’ My hope is that we will all honor Mr. Wenham by sharing positive stories and memories that shape his legacy.”

After leaving elected office, Wenham continued to serve the community with the same dedication he had as an elected official. The aesthetics of the Wellington community were always very important to Wenham, and he served as an appointed member of the village’s Architectural Review Board for years, up until the time of his death. He also served on the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.

In 2008, Wenham was part of a dedicated group of local veterans who worked to establish an American Legion post in Wellington to serve veterans and provide other community service. Wenham served as the second commander of the new Post 390 and was an active member until his death. He was a frequent speaker at Veterans Day and Memorial Day events in the community, where he was also proud to lay the U.S. Air Force wreath.

Originally created by the Village

of Wellington as a fundraising arm, the Wellington Community Foundation lay dormant for years after rule changes stopped that type of municipal-run fundraising. In 2015, the Wellington Village Council decided to hand over the foundation to a community-run board, and Wenham stepped up to volunteer. He helped put together an active board of community leaders dedicated to projects that benefit Wellington’s children, veterans and seniors — three groups near and dear to Wenham’s heart. This revitalized foundation, which Wenham chaired from its inception until his death, will long outlive him, continuing his community service into the future.

In 2018, Wenham suffered a stroke, but even this setback he turned into a chance for community service, working with the American Stroke Association and Wellington Regional Medical Center on a stroke awareness campaign, and undoubtedly helping save the lives of other older Wellington residents.

For his decades of service to the community, Wenham is one of just a handful of people honored by the Village of Wellington to have their name engraved on the Founder’s Plaque on display at Wellington Village Hall.

Memorial donations can be made to the emergency room at Wellington Regional Medical Center, the Wellington Veterans Memorial and the Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Clinic (7240 7th Place North, West Palm Beach, FL 33411).

Pets Are Family, Too!

By Randall S. Dugal, D.V.M.

PROPER PET GROOMING

No pet owner wants their dirty, smelly furry friend, however wellloved, to jump up on their furniture or clean clothes. Pet grooming means more than just having a cute pet; it is essential to a pet’s overall well-being and health. It’s important for the entire family, too, since proper pet grooming helps get rid of shedding fur, fleas, and ticks. It also brings to light health conditions that may only be noticeable by inspecting and touching the skin and ears. Some cats and dogs have a higher tolerance for grooming than others, which can be stressful for all involved. Professional pet groomers often save the day as they are trained to handle animals of all behavior types.

Grooming offers a wonderful opportunity to spend some quality time with your dog or cat. And if you want to make the event even more special, sing to your pet as you brush its coat. You’ll probably be rewarded with a beautiful toothy grin, a gleam of love in its eyes, as well as a silk, gleaming coat. Take care of your cherished friend with routine wellness visits, top-notch treatment of on-going conditions, and emergency care from COMMUNITY ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF ROYAL PALM BEACH. Please call 798-5508 for appointments or emergencies pertaining to your pet’s health. We are conveniently located at 11462 Okeechobee Blvd., 1/4 mile east of Royal Palm Beach Blvd., Where Pets Are Our Passion! OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. P.S. Matted fur can cause skin ulcers.

Tom Wenham during his time in the military (left) and during his time as mayor (right).

Loving husband of 60 years to Hannelore (Paefgen) Burr, he was father to Renee (Burr) Parks and Andrew Burr and adored his grandchildren, Juliana Parks, Megan Burr, and Sean Parks. He was the eldest of 3 siblings, brother to James (Jim) Burr and Catherine (Cathy) (Burr) Lauhon.

A 21-year veteran of the Army, with two Vietnam War tours, he was recognized by the National Intelligence Community as a national level intelligence and counterintelligence authority on Far Eastern communication and received many medals, including the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service, Army Commendation, Air Force Commendation, Good Conduct and (2) Vietnam Service medals to name a few.

In his civilian life, Bob was an avid philatelist who served as the President of the Cresthaven Stamp Club for many years and was a member of the Hollywood Florida Stamp Club as well. He was an avid treasure hunter and could often be found at local beaches and parks metal detector in hand.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Robert Burr’s memory to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a charitable 503c organization which helps America’s heroes by providing mortgagefree homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building custom-designed smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. They are also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and aiding the victims of major U.S. disasters. You can make your donation here: https://t2t.org/donate/.

Robert Maxwell Burr (Bob) of Old Town, Maine and most recently West Palm Beach, Florida passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 4, 2023 after a brief illness at the age of 83.

ROBERT MAXWELL BURR

Pope Taekwondo Academy Family

FLAGS FOR THE CURE FLAG FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT RAISES MONEY FOR ACS

Rudiger (Rudi) Schoenbein 1940 - 2023

The Wellington Rotary Club mourns the passing of longtime Rotarian Rudiger “Rudi” Schoenbein.

For those of you who haven’t had a chance to get to know Rudi, he became a member of our club in 2005. At the time, he was the Food & Beverage Director at IPC and remained in that position until he retired in 2016. The rest of the club management knew that Rudi couldn’t work on Thursday lunch because he was going to be at Rotary.

Rudi never talked about himself, but every now and then, we would get some facts about his past.

He was born in August 1940 in Germany; WWII began in 1939. As a young boy, his family escaped the Nazis by running through the snow in a forest. The family thought they were caught by the Nazis, but it turned out they ran into other soldiers, so the rest of his life was able to move forward. His father died during the war.

At age 18, he left Germany for the U.S., and arrived in New York not speaking the language. As many immigrants do, he started in the hospitality industry. He worked his way up and ended up in management for the Waldorf Astoria. During those years, they thought highly of Rudi and they sent him to Cornell University for a special hotel management program. He later ended up moving to Jamaica and becoming manager of a boutique hotel called the Jamaica Inn. He treated the hotel guests like family; he knew all his regulars by name and was available at all check-ins. Rudi made sure he was in the dining room at mealtime. He lived on the hotel property, and his customers were always his top priority. As you can see, Rudi had an amazing work ethic. He was well known around Jamaica for his business knowledge on how to run a hotel.

This is where the story gets even more special. Rudi married a woman who had two young daughters from a previous marriage. They were married for a few years, but after the divorce, Rudi still treated those two daughters as his own. He paid for both to go to college and basically has taken care of them ever since. One has a child, and Rudi has always treated him as a grandson.

Rudi was always active in Wellington Rotary Club projects. We could always count on him as a volunteer. He has been an important Rotarian living by the Four-Way Test his whole life.

Rudi has been a man of his word and loyal to those around him. It’s very sad that he has left this world, but through the years he made it a better place for those around him.

The annual Flags for the Cure flag football tournament was hosted at Wellington’s Village Park this year due to construction at its regular venue, Acreage Community Park. There were 72 teams participating during the five-day event, held Wednesday, Jan. 4 through Sunday, Jan. 8. The event also remembered those who lost their fight with cancer, as well as survivors who won their battle. At a ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 7, it was announced that Flags for the Cure had raised its highest amount to date at $40,000, bringing the event’s 16-year total funds for the American Cancer Society to $400,000.

PHOTOS BY FRANK KOESTER/TOWN-CRIER

Team Acreage Misfits get ready to line up before the opening ceremony.

Teams compete on the Village Park football fields.

Lisa Noel and Maria Caraballo help out at the silent auction table.

Rich Cioffoletti and Art Barry stand with the Pink Pumper to help families remember loved ones who lost their battle with cancer.

Game referees walk from the 50 yard line to present a big check for $40,000 to the American Cancer Society.

Flags for the Cure board members (front row) Pat McCarthy, James Dodge, Hart Collier, Emily Dodge, Tricia Jones and Chris Matthews; and (back row) Keith Shivers, Sam Belohlavek, Logan Jones, Lindy Chase and Mike Chase hold the big check for $40,000, which was raised during the tournament.

Teams Golf and Strong Mothers Flaggers with the big check.

Participants gather for a group photo around the big check.

Board member Hart Collier welcomes attendees to the opening ceremony.

Lynda Mathews and Patty Mathews walk the field to remember a loved one lost to cancer.

Nicole, Nick and Gavin McAdam hope to win on their bids during the silent auction.

Orange Crush and Good Greek flag football teams compete during the event.

(L-R) Board members Mike Chase, Chris Mathews and Hart Collier during the Flags for a Cure tournament.

William Claude, Brandy Claude and Leslie Freundlich hold a photo of Willie Freundlich.

Event committee members Cindy Beckles, Geneive White, Alvin Nemhard, Audrey Smith, Charmaine Henry and Dennis Wright. (Not shown: Hildreth Stoddard-Brown).

Dr. Winston Davis and Rhonda Ferrin-Davis.

Menervah and Linval Taylor with Yvonne Wright.

Jannette Sharpe-Paul and Audrey Campbell.

Charmaine Henry and Earl Smith.

Sherry and Jim Richardson.

Garfield and Shirley King.

Jennifer and William Pittman.

Beverley Cooke-Myers and Patsy Lopez.

Lauriston Simms and Rhonda Ferrin-Davis.

CAFCI President Dennis and Yvonne Wright.

Geneive White and Audrey Smith.

Debbian Livingstone, Kayla Edwards, Maci Rayne Martin and Winsome Martin. Yvonne and Lincoln Elliott. Barclay and Hilary Varlack, Avis Springer and Joe Shenal.

50/50 raffle winners Timothy and Thalia Lauren, Cindy Beckles, Audrey Smith and Dennis Wright.

Shauna and Lauriston Simms toast the new year.

Janice Morgan, Audrey Smith, Kanetia Clarke and Deboran Luton.

Lee Friedman, M.D.

Randy Katz, M.D.

Barry Schechter, M.D., F.A.A.O.

Jonathan Criss, M.D.

Megan Rowlands, M.D., M.P.H.

Steven Naids, M.D.

James Walsh, O.D.

SPORTS & RECREATION

TKA Girls Basketball Team Focused On Winning In Lakeland

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

The King’s Academy girls varsity basketball team has some unfinished business from last year. This year’s unit is trying to advance a little further in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 3A state tournament.

Last year, the team, coached by Chris Race, advanced to the FHSAA’s Class 3A Final Four, which is always held in Lakeland at the RP Funding Center. Last February, TKA’s 2021-22 team lost in the state semifinals, 50-42, to the Cardinal Mooney Cougars. That concluded the season for the Lions, who finished with a record of 24-6. It truly was a historic campaign for TKA, but this year’s team is working to conclude the season with a pair of victories in Lakeland next month and return home with the state title.

This year, Race has returned as the head coach, and he has been joined by five of last year’s top seven players. He is cautiously optimistic that this will be another memorable and historic season for his team.

“I think one of our strengths is that most of the girls are so versatile that they all can play any position,” Race said. “They have all worked very hard over the summer and have improved from last year.”

Just after Christmas, Race’s team traveled to Tampa to play in the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational. The schedule featured four games in four days against top teams from Las Vegas to Orlando.

“We played teams from Louisville, Chicago, Las Vegas and Orlando. We were in a really tough bracket and went 2-2,” Race said.

“We play these tournaments to play against tough competition to prepare our team for the playoffs.

I want them to learn how to go on the road and play in a different gym at a high level. I think that team bonding is a key benefit on these types of road trips.”

On Jan. 6-7, Race took his team to Broward County for a two-day tournament.

“We also just played in the SUTS Scouting Report New Year’s Classic at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale,” Race said. “We played two top-level teams: Palmer Trinity (a win) and Miami High (a loss). It was another great tournament with some of the top teams in the state.

It gave us another chance to go on the road and play or watch some of the teams that we may face in the state playoffs.”

This year’s team has a few new faces who are making big contributions to the team’s overall success. The three biggest additions to the team are two freshmen, Madelyn Buccilli and Sofia Rathbun, and an eighth-grader, Lilly-Kaye Vance.

“Madelyn is a really good shooter and is learning the other skills to be a complete basketball player,” Race said. “She works really hard and is a key sub this season.”

“Sofia has been our starting point guard this season,” Race continued. “She is an extremely hard worker who is going to be one of the top players in the county before her high school career is over. She is an excellent shooter and defender. She is learning to play point guard and has been doing a great job thus far.”

“Lilly-Kaye has good size,” Race said. “She is learning to play

at the high school level and is getting better every day.”

Two of the returning starters from last year’s team are a pair of sophomores, Sophia “Soso” Kateris and Jade Jones.

“Soso is a very versatile player,” Race said. “She is very strong and attacks the basket really well. She can guard multiple positions and can score in a variety of ways. She is averaging about eight points per game and five rebounds per game. Jade is also a very versatile player. She has played every position at some point for us. She is averaging 13 points a game, 11 rebounds per game and is leading in steals per game. She is very strong and athletic and has really improved her game.”

Race’s squad has three returning seniors. They are Naomi Cadet, Jordan Race (the coach’s daughter) and Janessa Williams.

Cadet was recovering from an injury at the beginning of the season, but she is now back on the court. “Naomi is coming back from an Achilles injury last season,” Race said. “She just started playing again at the Tampa tournament. She gives us another strong, physical presence inside. Her role will continue to grow as she gets back into basketball shape.”

Race’s daughter, Jordan, is a key player for the Lions.

“Jordan is another versatile player,” Race said. “She is averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game. She has a great basketball IQ and sees the floor really well. She is leading our team in three-point shooting and assists.”

Williams is the team’s No. 1 defender, and she relishes that role on the team. She also leads by example on offense.

King’s Academy 2022-23 girls varsity

“Janessa is an ultra-aggressive and tenacious defender and rebounder,” Race said. “She almost always guards the opposing team’s best player. She is also our leading scorer and rebounder. She averages 16.5 points per game and 12 rebounds per game.”

With just two weeks left in the regular season, Race is working to make sure his team (11-4) stays focused throughout four quarters of play.

“I think we need to get better with our consistency,” he said. “The best teams usually only have a small difference between their best games and worst games. We have had a very large difference between our best games and our worst games this season. I think, as we get a little more consistent, we will continue to improve to hopefully make another run [at the state title] this season.”

This year’s TKA team has played some strong opponents with the goal of getting tourna-

ment-tested during the regular season.

“We have played a really tough schedule with former state champions, perennial powerhouses and national-level teams — all to

prepare for the FHSAA’s Class 3A state tournament,” Race said. Don’t be surprised if Race’s strategic scheduling pays a big dividend in February. Time will tell.

Flags For The Cure Tourney Raises $40K For Cancer Research

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

Under perfect, dry and mostly sunny conditions, the 16th annual Flags for the Cure flag football tournament held Jan. 4-8 had record participation and generated a $40,000 donation to the American Cancer Society. In all, more than 70 teams played in the tournament.

In the past, the tournament has been held at the Acreage Community Park, but that venue was not available due to it being renovated, so it was moved to Wellington’s Village Park.

In addition to crowning champions in eight different competitive brackets, the event had a bigger purpose. According to tournament director Dr. Hart Collier, this event is held each year in order to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

“The tournament was a huge success,” Collier said. “We had 72 teams and more than 750 participants, both record numbers for this tournament. The entire event ran smoothly. Many thanks to the Village of Wellington for allowing us to stage the event at Village Park.”

In first 15 years, the tournament raised a total of $360,000 for the American Cancer Society. This year, the goal was to bring that grand total to at least $400,000, and that goal was met. That $40,000 donation was announced in a special ceremony at the Village Park football fields at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7. (See related photos, page 16.)

In addition to the presentation of the $40,000 check to the American Cancer Society, the event was staged in order to recognize and honor those who are currently

battling cancer, those who have lost their lives to cancer and the caregivers who are so instrumental during all stages of the struggle against cancer.

The tournament’s eight different competitive brackets ranged from 10 & Under Co-eds to the Women’s Over-30 division.

The bracket with the largest number of teams was Men’s Open, which had 29 teams. Some of the more creative team names in the tournament were Why So Serious, Brenda’s B*tches, Acreage Misfits, Strong Mother Flaggers and Fight Like a Girl.

Listed below are the championship final scores of each bracket:

In the Hubb’s Tire & Service Men’s Open division final, Palm Beach Flight outlasted Eskimo Bros., 30-24.

In the Collier Chiropractic

Women’s Open division final, Carnage outscored Brenda’s B*tches, 27-13.

In the American Cancer Society Open Men’s Second Chance bracket final, Orange Crush won by forfeit against All Madden, 1-0.

In the Builtx Open Co-ed championship final, FBM Royals defeated Anarchy, 22-14 in overtime.

In the ESPN and JoJo’s Raw Bar & Grille 30 & Over Women’s finale, Fight Like a Girl shut out Anarchy, 12-0.

In the Entrusted Property Inspections 18 & Under final, Tru Skills defeated Benchwarmers, 26-6.

In the Acreage Athletic League 13 & Under division final, Tru Skills B defeated Cancer Outlaws, 31-6.

In the PDQ Wellington/Texas Roadhouse 10 & Under division

final, Steel City blanked Acreage Misfits B, 13-0.

The championship win in the Open Co-ed division by FBM Royals was especially poignant for Neeza Abraham, who played in the tournament to honor her late father, Valliyio, who lost his life to cancer at the age of 64 in 2014.

Abraham’s team won in overtime, and she caught the gamewinning touchdown pass from quarterback Adam Neff to secure the win. It was Abraham’s only touchdown of the entire tournament. Abraham took her first-place trophy and placed it next to an image of her father.

Learn more about the tournament at www.flagsforthecure.com. The tournament’s major sponsors included the Village of Wellington, Hubb’s Tire & Service and Builtx Inc.

The

basketball team. PHOTOS COURTESY TKA ATHLETICS

Neeza Abraham of the FBM Royals, which won the Open Co-Ed division, played in memory of her father.

Team Carnage won the Women’s Open division at Flags for the Cure 2023.

The FBM Royals were victorous in the Open Co-ed championship final, winning in overtime.

Sophia Kateris is a strong player on this year’s team.

Freshman Sofia Rathbun is the starting point guard.

Standout Performances By Local High School Athletes

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

In recent days, there have been a number of standout athletic performances by high school athletes from schools in the western communities.

At the King’s Academy, senior teammates Jordan Race and Janessa Williams led the Lions varsity girls basketball team to a big 63-46 victory against Miami’s Palmer Trinity School in the SUTS Scouting Report New Year’s Classic on Jan. 6. In this game, Race drained six three-pointers, scored a season-high 24 points, grabbed six rebounds, distributed two assists and had a steal. Williams corralled a career-high 17 rebounds, scored 16 points and had one assist in the win. After the first 15 games of the season, TKA’s record is 11-4.

At nearby Palm Beach Central

High School, senior basketball sensation E’Zaria Adams scored a career-high 41 points in her team’s 71-26 win against Forest Hill High School on Jan. 4. In that game, Adams had 10 rebounds, five steals, three blocks and one assist for coach Bruce Gaffney’s Broncos. After 13 games, the team is 9-4, but remain undefeated (4-0) in district play.

Seminole Ridge High School senior soccer player Raheem Binns scored a key goal against Palm Beach Gardens High School on Jan. 4 to help the Hawks defeat the visiting Gators, 3-2. Two days later, on Jan. 6, Binns registered a hat trick against the visiting Atlantic High School Eagles to help the Hawks prevail 5-2. After the first 13 games, Seminole Ridge’s boys soccer team had a record of 8-4-1.

In girls high school soccer,

Glades Day School senior standout Hana Lohmann scored five goals on Jan. 9 in her team’s 8-0 shutout on the road at Pahokee High School. Through her team’s first 15 games, Lohmann has scored 42 goals to help the Gators achieve a record of 11-3-1.

At Palm Beach Central, senior Ashley Mahorn played a leading role in her team’s recent 5-0 shutout against Royal Palm Beach High School on Jan. 5. In that game, Mahorn had two goals and one assist. Under new head coach Dave Jimenez, the Broncos are 7-3-2 after 12 games.

Finally, in high school golf, TKA student Staci Pla won the girls 15-18 division of the Junior Honda Classic, which was concluded on Sunday, Jan. 8 at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens.

Hana Lohmann: Glades Day School’s Soccer-Scoring Sensation

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

Wellington resident Hana Lohmann, a senior at the Glades Day School in Belle Glade, continues to set school scoring records in soccer that may never be broken by any future player at the school.

It helps that Lohmann has been a member of the school’s varsity girls soccer team since she was in the sixth grade. While wearing jersey #15, she has scored a huge number of goals as a member of the squad. Her productivity on the soccer field — aided by the tutelage from her mother and head coach Angee Lohmann — has

been prolific since her eighthgrade year at Glades Day, which she has attended since pre-school.

Through her team’s first 15 games this season — where the team has an 11-3-1 record — the Gators have notched 80 goals.

Lohmann has registered 42 of them. Five of those goals were scored during the team’s 8-0 victory on Monday, Jan. 9 at Pahokee High School.

To say that Lohmann has a knack for scoring goals is an understatement. The soccer net just has a way of getting in the way of her kicks, which tend to leave her right foot with a great deal of speed, power and accuracy. When

Lohmann strikes the soccer ball, she scores often.

Right now, Lohmann is on pace to break last year’s scoring totals when, as a junior, she led Palm Beach County in high school soccer scoring — for both boys and girls — with 48 goals and 31 assists. Lohmann’s goal-scoring barrage helped propel her team to the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 2A regional semifinals.

As a sophomore, she had 33 goals and nine assists during a season sharply impacted by COVID-19. In her freshman year, she slotted 37 shots past the outstretched arms of opposing goalkeepers and had 15 assists. As an eighth grader, she recorded 16 goals and 21 assists. And when she was in the sixth and seventh grades, she combined for 10 goals and eight assists for the Gators.

Lohmann, who has also played with the Wellington Wave girls travel soccer team, is truly a goalscoring machine.

The obvious question is whether Lohmann — who sports a grade point average of 4.2 — will pursue a soccer-playing opportunity in college. When asked about that option, Lohmann shrugs her shoulders, but indicated that collegiate club soccer may be a route she will

choose, in addition to pursuing an undergraduate degree.

If she attends a major NCAA Division I university, Lohmann has been encouraged to contact the head coach, register as a nonscholarship walk-on and try out for the girls varsity soccer team next fall. She has been accepted at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, and she is also applying to other schools. In fact, it might be a good idea for some collegiate soccer coaches to contact Lohmann, who is clearly an overlooked goal-scoring soccer talent.

To add a little diversity to her athletic résumé, Lohmann tried out for the girls varsity volleyball team this past fall. She had not played competitive volleyball since middle school, but she made the squad and earned the starting nod as the team’s libero. The team had a winning 15-11 record and won the district tournament, which propelled the Gators into the state playoffs. On Nov. 1, Glades Day eventually lost to Williston High School in the Class 1A regional final, 3-2, after winning the first two games of that match, and then barely losing game four, 28-26. Lohmann’s presence on the volleyball court was a big reason why head coach Erin Bahruth’s team went so deep into the post-season.

After the current high school soccer season comes to an end in February, Lohmann will transition into a spring sport. She plans to be a member of the school’s track and field team, where she will run the hurdles, be a member of the girls 4 x 100-meter relay

team and participate in the triple jump. Don’t be surprised if she wins more races than she loses. Lohmann has a habit of doing just that when it comes to competitive athletics. After all, when she sets her eye on a target, she rarely misses.

(Above) Palm Beach Central’s E’Zaria Adams and (left) TKA’s Jordan Race.

Hana Lohmann takes control of the ball.

PHOTOS BY SHELLY BURCH

Hana Lohmann takes a corner kick.

Dr. Randy Shults DDS, MA, PhD

RPB Resident Florence Kusmierek Celebrates 100th Birthday

On Friday, Jan. 6, the Village of Royal Palm Beach celebrated the 100th birthday of Florence Kusmierek at the Young at Heart Club luncheon.

Kusmierek hails from Brunswick, Ohio, and has lived in Royal Palm Beach since 2016. She has always been an active person. Prior to moving to Florida, she was living in her own home, growing roses and vegetables in her garden. Besides being a wife and mother, Kusmierek performed with singing and dancing groups such as the Sweet Adelines. She also worked in an airplane factory during World War II making ailerons. She also has done volunteering for the Red Cross and veterans’ groups.

Kusmierek enjoys luncheons through the Young At Heart Club, attending events at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park, going shopping and being a great-grandmother to Emy, Brooks, Bryce and Scarlett.

Attorneys Stephens & Stevens Celebrate First Anniversary

January 2023 marks the oneyear anniversary of Stephens & Stevens PLLC, founded by partners Eddie Stephens and Caryn A. Stevens. The firm celebrates a memorable year filled with awards, charity and community.

In its first year, Stephens & Stevens PLLC was honored as 2022 “Top Lawyers” by Palm Beach Illustrated and was named a 2023 U.S. News - Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” in the area of family law. Eddie Stephens was nominated for Nonprofits First Hat’s Off Award for Volunteer of the Year. Caryn A. Stevens was a finalist for the Palm Beach Post’s 2022 Best Divorce Attorney and was included in the 2023 edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for her work in family law. She was also selected for the 2023 Rising Star Leadership Award by Herizon (formerly the Jewish Women’s Foundation).

“We are proud of our work and civic engagement this past year. Our team has exemplified what we stand for as a marital and family law firm helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome,” Stephens said.

The firm continues its ongoing commitment to local charities and the community. Recently, Stephens and Stevens chaired and sponsored the “Arts & Media Day” for Leadership Palm Beach County GROW Program, which empowers high school juniors to understand the

critical issues facing Palm Beach County while encouraging them to expand their leadership roles and build a foundation of involvement in their community.

Stephens has established himself as a leader in family law and the community. He founded a family law blog and has served as a mentor in his field for the past 18 years, writing articles and speaking to peers about new laws affecting family and marital law. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Center for Child Counseling and the board of governors for Leadership Palm Beach County.

Stevens serves on the board of directors for Herizon and was recently a speaker in their free educational workshop series,

Money Mavens. Her achievement of the Herizon 2023 Rising Star Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding young woman who has demonstrated a commitment to improving the lives of women and girls in our community through volunteerism and philanthropic investment. Stevens is also in her fifth year serving as a mentor for at-risk high school students.

“Giving back in a meaningful way and being a part of our community will remain a strong focus of our firm as we begin 2023,” Stevens said. “Our team has made this extraordinary first year possible.”

They will host a private event in January to celebrate their first year. For more info., call (561) 4304350 or www.ss-familylaw.com.

TAP Staging ‘Frosty’ In Wellington

Theatre Arts Productions (TAP), in partnership with the Village of Wellington, is producing the play “Frosty” for children. The play is written by Richard Dolce, the artistic producing director of the John W. Engeman Theatre of Northport, N.Y., and is directed by Debi Dubin-Kaufman.

“This is a play for children performed by adults,” said Jaycie Cohen, founding artistic director of TAP. “We would like to make this an annual performance and, if successful, the beginning of a children’s series to be directed by Debi Dubin-Kaufman. Our mission is to create live theater for all members of the community.”

This will be the Florida premiere of “Frosty.” Members of the cast are: Ashleigh Gans (Narrator), Debi Dubin-Kaufman (Ethel Pier-

pot), Shelby Tudor (Jenny), Debra Simon (Mayor Mom) and Renako Harmon (Frosty). Can Jenny and the Mayor save Frosty and the Town of Chillsville from the evil Ethel Pierpot who wants to melt all the snow, along with Frosty?

All performances are at the Wellington Community Center. After the premiere on Friday, Jan. 6, future performances will be held Friday, Jan. 13 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 15 at 2 and 4 p.m. Tickets cost $15 plus fees online in advance and $20 plus fees at the door.

This show is sponsored by Springboard Funding Partners. For tickets, visit https://our.show/ tap-frosty. For more info., contact TAP at tapstars.info@gmail.com or (561) 340-9623.

New Port Commissioners Sworn-In

On Jan. 3, newly elected Port of Palm Beach Group 5 Commissioner Dr. Deandre Poole took the oath of office in a private ceremony alongside his wife Stephanie Poole.

Poole is a native of West Palm Beach and a graduate of Suncoast High School. He serves as a university instructor, coordinator for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies at Florida Atlantic University.

“I ran for the port because I believe with the right leadership, the port can continue to be an economic engine in Palm Beach County,

and be put in a solid position to find additional opportunities for revenue growth and the creation of even more sustainable local jobs for the community,” Poole said.

Re-elected Commissioner Blair Ciklin, the longest serving commissioner on the board, was sworn-in by the Port of Palm Beach District Clerk Beatrice Greffin. Both Ciklin and Poole were elected during the Nov. 8 general election and will serve four-year terms.

Newly appointed Group 2 Commissioner Varisa Lall Dass was officially sworn-in Thursday, Jan. 5. The board appointed Dass to

the Group 2 seat to fill a vacancy. She will serve the remainder of the Group 2 term, which expires in January 2025. She is the first Trinidadian American woman to serve as a Port of Palm Beach commissioner.

“I am so grateful for this new opportunity to serve in this capacity. I look forward to continuing the great work we do here at the Port,” Lall Dass said.

Lall Dass currently works as a practice group partner at Kelley Kronenberg and previously worked as an assistant state attorney, assistant public defender and general assignment news reporter.

The Village Council of the Village of Royal Palm Beach is proud to announce they are awarding ten (10) $1,000.00 scholarships to high school seniors residing in the Village of Royal Palm Beach. Seniors, graduating in May, application can be downloaded from the Village website at www.royalpalmbeachFL.gov. The completed application must be postmarked no later than Friday, February 10, 2023 or may be hand-delivered to the Clerk’s Office at Village Hall located at 1050 Royal Palm Beach Boulevard in Royal Palm Beach by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 10, 2023. Finalists must be available for interviews on Saturday, April 1, 2023. The scholarship committee of the Education Advisory Board will make the final determination. Winners will be announced in May and the scholarships will be awarded at the Village Council meeting on Thursday, May 18, 2023. If you have questions, please call 790-5101.

Attorneys Eddie Stephens and Caryn A. Stevens.

Renako Harmon stars as Frosty.

Dr. Deandre Poole takes the oath of office alongside his wife Stephanie Poole.

Mayor Fred Pinto congratulates Florence Kusmierek.

New WHS Elective Takes A Fresh Approach To Hands-On Learning

Wellington High School has introduced a new agriscience elective for the 2022-23 school year. With the help of the Wellington Garden Club, Principal Cara Hayden, Assistant Principal Chris Romano, Wellington’s School Advisory Council, Lettuce Grow, and teachers Kristina and Gregory Shatskin, this elective has come to fruition.

The course itself is designed to teach foundational skills and understanding of agricultural sciences, and it is taught by both Mr. and Mrs. Shatskin. Their approach has been mostly hands-on, as the students spend each day in an outside learning environment and complete assignments aligned with the state standards.

In the beginning of the year, students were tasked with starting a school garden as part of a schoolwide campus beautification initiative and as a primary part of this course. In doing so, the students took a blank canvas of grass,

tilled it, prepared it, bordered it and planted a flower garden to attract butterflies, bees and the occasional hummingbird.

From there, the students prepared multiple garden beds to grow vegetables and herbs. The students have been learning not only about proper use and techniques of garden tools, but planting and harvesting methods as well.

The hydroponic stand that produces kale, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, parsley and oregano was donated by Lettuce Grow, and it has been pivotal in teaching the students about hydroponic gardening as an alternative to traditional farming methods.

As a result of this donation, Logan Shishkowsky, a senior at Wellington High School, was able to harvest cucumbers, pickle them, and bring them to school for his classmates to enjoy.

Not only has this course provided students with an opportunity to grow their own food and start

a garden from the grass up, it has created a community within the school. Students are able to work collaboratively in an outdoor classroom where they design, create and grow together. In doing so, they must solve problems and think critically. They are learning to work together, grow their own food and value the importance of community. Because of this, the class itself has gained traction due to the opportunity to provide students with an alternative to learning in a classroom setting. They can enjoy being outdoors while working with their hands and peers.

As this class begins to grow, the school hopes to bring more awareness to growing one’s own food and healthy eating to Wellington and the surrounding communities. If you would like more information, or to make a donation to this course, contact Kristina and Gregory Shatskin at Wellington

High School.

The current garden bed progress shows the mulch and new garden beds.

Amalia Jaramillo, Victoria Flores, Ainsley Alder, Logan Shishkowsky, Kristina Shatskin, Richard Tufaro, Nathalia Segura, Samantha Perry, Tornado Station, Lucas Arenas and Miguel Alvarez work on the garden beds.

An’Kyera Bess, Melanie Vega and Aurora Guadiana work on the new garden beds.

One of the hydroponic stands that produce vegetables.

Parsley, oregano, cucumbers, and basil from the hydroponic stand.

Justin Cativa, Ainsley Alder, Tornado Station, Amalia Jaramillo, Miguel Alvarez, Logan Shishkowsky, Richard Tufaro, Alyette Lopez, Alexa Walters and Kristina Shatskin.

SCHOOL NEWS

Educators Invited To Virtual Continuing Education Webinar & Job

American Heritage Schools, a topranked PK3 through grade 12 college preparatory school, invites educators from throughout the country to its virtual “Continuing Education Webinar and Job Fair” on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. From the convenience of their homes, attendees will learn about job opportunities and the benefits of teaching at American Heritage Schools’ campuses in Palm Beach and Broward counties.

Viewers will hear directly from American Heritage Schools President Dr. Douglas Laurie about how the mentoring program supports educators in their professional growth. They will also earn 1.5 hours of continuing education credit offered by the Association of Independent Schools of Florida (AISF) by attending a keynote address given by nationally

recognized teacher A.J. Juliani, founder of Adaptable Learning, on the importance of adaptability in the classroom.

Educating students is hard work. It was before the pandemic, and it has continued to challenge all teachers, coaches, administrators and parents. Going from in-person teaching to remote learning and then to a hybrid approach, educators have seen the need for flexible curriculum and instruction. Juliani’s keynote builds on the best of what educators have done for years: adapt their instruction to meet the needs of their students.

Juliani serves on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and is the former director of learning and innovation for Centennial School District. As a curriculum coordinator, tech director,

English teacher, football coach and K-12 instructional coach, he has worked toward innovative learning experiences for schools in various roles. Juliani is also an award-winning blogger, speaker and author of multiple books, including the best-sellers Adaptable Empower and Launch

American Heritage Schools is one of the top four largest private schools in the nation and among the top 20 largest employers in South Florida. It is headed by educators rather than a board of directors and maintains subsidiary departments in-house, such as admissions, human resources, curriculum development and marketing. The schools also offer free tuition for employees’ children and salary supplementation for additional roles, including tutoring during the year and

teaching at the Summer Institute.

The Tuesday, Jan. 31 program will begin from 7 to 7:30 p.m. with “Learn About Opportunities and Benefits of Teaching at American Heritage Schools.” A.J. Juliani’s keynote speech “Adaptability in the Classroom” will follow from 7:30 to 8:20 p.m. The event will conclude with a question-and-answer session. It will be held virtually via Zoom. Attendees may watch from the convenience of their homes.

The virtual “Continuing Education Webinar and Job Fair” event is free to attend. For more information and registration, visit www.ahschool.com/ job-fair-1-31-23.

For more information about American Heritage Schools’ open positions, visit www.ahschool.com/careers-at-ahs.

Wellington Elementary School recently participated in the Heroes for Education 5K at John Prince Park. The race benefits education, as well as promoting health and wellness. The Wildcats Team came in second place overall for the teams. Also placing individually for age group 2-9 was Andy High (first place); age group 10-14, Eden Tiscione (second place) and Kristen Maarsingh (third place); age group 15-19, Jacobus Van Dalen (first place); age group 20-24, Travis Vallis (third place); age group 40-44, teacher Kristen Smith (third place); age group 55-59, Diana Pilat (first place); and age group 60-64, Margaret Brannock (second place).

A.J. Juliani

Chef Jason Weiner Of Almond Palm Beach Will Return To Holman’s Harvest Jan. 16

Localism is more than just demonstrating a preference for the community by supporting home-grown businesses and area farms. To Chef Jason Weiner and the team at Almond, it’s a way of life.

Almond’s focus on localism means that every dish and cocktail is made with the freshest ingredients, produced sustainably to support the environment and the local economy.

Almond’s philosophy marries perfectly with the ethos of internationally renowned land artist Jim Denevan, who founded Outstanding in the Field 23 years ago to connect diners to the origins of their food while celebrating the hardworking hands that feed. Outstanding in the Field welcomes some of the world’s most renowned chefs to cook in their field kitchens, which are disman-

tled after each dinner, leaving no trace on the land.

The team will return to Holman’s Harvest, a small family farm in Loxahatchee Groves, on Monday, Jan. 16, to celebrate farmers Marty and Eliza Holman, who use permaculture practices to keep their soil healthy, their crops nutritious and their ecosystem thriving without synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. Permanent bed systems protect the delicate fungal networks and root systems underground.

“I’ve always believed that the less you do to an ingredient, the better. No discussion. No dispute. Hands down, fresh, local ingredients should always be the centerpiece of every meal,” Weiner said. “Picture an abundance of organic salad greens, tropical fruit from trees cared for by the family, and eggs from hens who roam freely

on the Holmans’ property. I can’t wait to be part of the table again to share the most fundamental and universal human conversation: a meal.”

Guests will be treated to a farm tour led by the Holman family before dinner, a tradition that is a favorite part of the Outstanding in the Field experience. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.outstandinginthefield. com.

Outstanding in the Field was founded by Denevan in 1999 as a radical alternative to the conventional dining experience.

Beginning with a humble dinner on his brother’s farm, the roving restaurant without walls has reached all 50 U.S. states and 22 countries around the globe with tables set in vineyards, beaches, meadows, fishing docks and city streets. The Outstanding in the

Field experience connects diners to the origins of their food.

Holman’s Harvest is a small family farm owned by Marty and Liza Holman, focused on serving residents and restaurants. Primarily a grower of salad greens, the farm has expanded to include tropical fruits and pasture-raised chicken eggs. Holman’s Harvest consistently strives to produce the best-tasting crops with healthy, living soil.

In Manhattan and Bridgehampton, New York, and Palm Beach, Florida, Almond serves hearty, seasonal dishes that reflect farmto-table roots and highlight local ingredients. The restaurant, named after Weiner’s wife, features a simple menu with ingredients sourced from local farmers, along with the friendly, laid-back atmosphere and philosophy that the less a chef does to an ingredient, the better.

New Year, New You: Get Healthy And Happy With Classes At The Mall At Wellington Green

Calling all kids and kids at heart!

The Mall at Wellington Green is hosting a robust 2023 schedule of dance and fitness classes for children and adults of all ages.

Weekly programming is offered on Mondays and Tuesdays through the Academy of Dance and Acrobatics.

Monday classes include: 3 to 3:30 p.m. - Mini Expressive (ages 2-4); 3:30 to 4 p.m. - Pre-Acrobatics (ages 3-5); 4 to 4:45 p.m.Dance Combo 1 (ages 5-7); 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. - Expressive (ages 3-5); 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. - Dance Combo 2 (ages 7-10); 6:30 to 7 p.m. - Fit and Flex (ages 5 & up); and 7 to 7:45 p.m. - Ballet 3 (ages 7 & up).

Tuesday classes include: 3 to 3:30 p.m. - Dance with Me (ages

up to 3); 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. - Jazz & Hip Hop (ages 4-6); 4:15 to 5 p.m. - Acrobatics 1 & 2 (ages 4 & up); 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. - Acrobatics 3 & 4 (ages 6 & up); and 7 to 8:15 p.m. - Acrobatics 5 & 6.

For cost information, or to register, contact the Academy of Dance and Acrobatics at (561) 568-4009.

Zumba is available on Saturdays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Enjoy a fun, toe-tapping fitness program that combines high- and low-intensity dance moves designed to get your heart rate up and boost cardio endurance. Classes are free. For more information, or to register, contact Jaime Eduardo at (954) 821-2654 or on Instagram at @eduard_rincon.

New year, new name, new logo at Armand Platinum Pest Control Services.

After nearly 40 years each in the pest control industry in South Florida, Scott Armand and Jim Bartley, along with their wives, are excited to announce the formation of Armand Platinum Pest Control Services.

The new company will cover all of the South Florida area, providing all the many facets of pest, lawn and termite control to both residential and commercial properties with the same reliable, guaranteed and professional services that South Florida has come to expect.

Ballet classes at the Mall at Wellington Green are offered by the Academy of Dance and Acrobatics.

All classes are located in the District at Wellington Green.

The Mall at Wellington Green is located at 10300 W. Forest Hill

Florida

Pest Control Services is excited to further serve the community delivering quality, personalized pest services.

To schedule your appointment, contact Scott Armand at scott@ armandpest.com or (561) 7898777, or Jim Bartley at jim@ armandpest.com or (561) 4404567.

Blvd. in Wellington. For more information, call (561) 227-6900 or visit www.shopwellingtongreen. com.

The team at Armand Platinum

HCA Florida Palms West Hospital welcomes the first baby of the new year. Kenelius Collins was born at 5:53 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1 to mother Quaneshia Lyles, making him the first baby of 2023 born at the hospital.

Chef Jason Weiner of Almond during his previous visit to Holman’s Harvest.

I Opened Up My Fridge And Was Shocked To See Food In There!

I know the holidays are over when my refrigerator is bursting at the seams with, well, food. My husband and I don’t eat food.

Oh, we subsist on things we have chewed up, but it is not what one would call real food

If you open that fridge door on a random Saturday — say, June 10 — it will contain a half-eaten sub from the local sub shop, a carton of milk slowly going sour and, of course, wine. There will also be a Styrofoam-tubbed history of the restaurants we’ve eaten in that week, with Monday jammed all the way to the back. The freezer is home to my collection of batteries.

I don’t like to cook. It’s not that I’m not good at it, it’s just that I’ve calculated

it out and, without fail, it takes me many more minutes to prepare the food than it does for people to eat it. So it’s not good time management on my part. If you add in the effort it takes to buy groceries and after-meal clean-up, it simply does not make sense.

I’d rather be typing. I enjoy it, and people pay me to do it. The ROI is greater.

Yet, after the holidays, my refrigerator is chock full of things given to me by people who have used their brief time on earth to cook.

When this first started happening — people cheerily foisting various foodstuffs on me unbidden — I would just say, “No, thank you.” I quickly learned that this is not something that people who have spent hours in the kitchen want to hear. So, right now, my refrigerator contains eight baked potatoes (“Just pop ’em in the microwave!” No.), an “egg bake” (an unspecified conglomeration of ingredients of which one, I assume, is eggs), and a gigantic dish of guacamole with leftover bits of tortilla chip reaching out for help from the middle of it.

There are also packages of random

cheese and sausage (another gift), accompanied by teeny, tiny jars of mustard. I dislike mustard, but it’s OK, the jars are too small to get a knife into anyway.

The worst is the sourdough bread. This ubiquitous substance never goes away.

Even though it’s the worst-tasting bread out there, you are supposed to keep a starter batch and — get this! — “share” similar starter batches to everyone within driving distance. No! Keep your time-sucking bread to yourself!

Initially, I looked over the lump’s accompanying recipe, but certain excerpts convinced me I will never be baking this stuff — “feed your starter the night before,” “get a kitchen scale and pour 525 grams of water into a bowl,” “let the dough sit for an hour,” then “let the dough rest

for 30 minutes, repeating 5 to 6 times,” “finally, let the dough rest for an hour, then put in the fridge for 12 to 22 hours,” and “when you take it out, let it rest for 30 minutes” then “back in the fridge for 3 to 4 hours.” That doesn’t count the time you spend kneading it and, after you finally shape it, it bakes for 45 minutes.

Are you kidding me. There is no way I am devoting 31 and a quarter hours of my life to babysitting a loaf of bread! No wonder people try to give it away! It costs a buck and a half at the grocery store. If I ever want some (and I don’t), I’ll pick it up when I’m in there buying a lottery ticket.

OK, OK. Enough ranting. I’m going to spend my time more productively — namely, by cleaning out the fridge.

Great Acting, But Many Flaws In The New Hollywood Film ‘Babylon’

One of the most popular kinds of films are those that praise Hollywood. There are so many, and the new film Babylon is another in the string. At times, it echoes my favorite film about the switch from silent films to talkies, Singin’ in the Rain. But director Damien Chazelle looks at things far differently than the maker of that film, even though he references it and even has a snippet of it in this new movie.

To Chazelle, the people who create dreams live through nightmares, and in this movie, we see both.

We have immigrant dreamer, Manny Torres (Diego Calva), who wants to become a movie director; Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie), the starlet who desperately wants to move up; Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt), the charming movie star struggling with his personal and professional life; and the exotic lesbian chanteuse

‘I’ On

CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler

Lady Fay Zhu (Li Jun Li), who becomes a casualty of the times due to Hollywood’s racism and stereotypical treatment of Asians. And we have black trumpeter Sidney Palmer (Jovan Adepo), humiliated by allowing minimal onscreen opportunities and forced to wear blackface so he didn’t look lighter than the rest of his band.

The plot focuses mainly on Torres back in the “Roaring Twenties,” who starts out by doing odd jobs in silent films, many of

them disgusting. But he falls for LaRoy and tries to help her. She moves up through upstaging others. He moves up by doing favors for drunken Jack Conrad, who gets him a better job and helps him move up the ranks. Nellie, struggling to get by with the demands of “talkies,” gets into drugs and gambling, ruining her reputation. Several elements are quite graphic, including her fighting a snake, being bitten on the neck before killing it, and then having the poison sucked out by Fay, followed by a passionate kiss. The lesbianism, coming as Hollywood becomes more puritan, helps ruin Nellie’s career. Meanwhile, Jack is going downhill, losing his popularity. From there on, just about everyone seems to decline.

The main point seems to be that it is what is on the screen that is important, and the lives of the people who put out the content don’t really count. Watching

this, no one would want their kids to get within a thousand miles of Hollywood. The film is very long, and we feel it, despite very good performances. By far the standout is Calva, perhaps because his is the most rounded character. He is able to create a real person, one who is a dreamer but also has flaws. He knows the flaws could destroy him, but he is willing to risk things to accomplish his dreams.

Pitt is his usual charming self, but bravely willing to show an aging actor in decline.

Robbie, one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, is strong as the struggling, low-class LaRoy, particularly near the end as she rebels against the hypocrisy of the Hollywood power elites, many of them coming from backgrounds as problematic as her own.

Chazelle has previously done a shameless sonnet to the loveliness of Hollywood

in La La Land, but this is the reverse. It is the nightmare underside of the place. There is an old line about not wanting to see how sausages are made, and the same may well go for movies, particularly back then. The hedonistic scenes are directly counter to the image being projected on the screen. And the performers, magical once the movie lights go out, are grungy when they try to live their lives.

This is a film that has some very vivid images. It is certainly not for kids. It does reflect a lot of Hollywood, but its constant focus on the worst elements, on the sleaze and fake glamour, takes a lot of the fun out of the film.

This is the kind of film you should wait for a few weeks to see and then watch at home on television, presumably when any kids are not around. And if you skip it, well, no great loss.

St. Jude’s Novena May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. St.Jude, worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude, help of the hopeless, pray for us. Say this prayer 9 times a day by the 8th day, your prayer will be answered. It has never been known to fail. Publication must be promised. Thank you, St Jude for granting my petition. S.R.