CRYOREGENEX OPENS IN WELLINGTON SEE STORY, PAGE 3
COUNCIL INKS ENGINEERING CONTRACTS SEE STORY, PAGE 7
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TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
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INSIDE Western Academy Charter School Reports High State Test Scores
Volume 37, Number 3 January 15 - January 21, 2016
Serving Palms West Since 1980
DENIM & DIAMONDS DINNER DANCE
At Monday’s meeting of the Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board, Western Academy Charter School Principal Linda Terranova reported that the kindergarten through eighth-grade school placed higher than the state overall this year, as well as the Palm Beach County School District, on the Florida Standards Assessments. Page 3
Acreage Flag Football Tourney Supports ACS
The ninth annual Acreage Flags for the Cure Flag Football Tournament, supporting the American Cancer Society, took place Wednesday, Jan. 6 through Sunday, Jan. 10 at Acreage Community Park. During the tournament, there was a formal opening ceremonies event on Saturday, with a check presentation and a ceremony where cancer survivors were honored. Page 7
The 28th annual Wellington Dinner Dance to benefit the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club in Wellington was held Friday, Jan. 8 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. The theme was “Denim and Diamonds,” and the event was chaired by Georgina Bloomberg, Dr. James Goad and Marley Goodman Overman. There were live and silent auctions, along with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner. Shown here are Todd Barron, Marley Goodman Overman, Dr. James Goad and Georgina Bloomberg. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 21 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Wellington Salutes Seniors Advocate Howard Trager
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council honored retiring Wellington Seniors Club President Howard Trager on Tuesday for his more than 23 years of community ser-
RPB Young At Heart Club Celebrates Chinese New Year
The Royal Palm Beach Young at Heart Club held its monthly luncheon Friday, Jan. 8 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. The theme was Chinese New Year. The Chinese Performing Arts Group of South Florida entertained seniors and ushered in the Year of the Monkey. Page 17
OPINION
We Have A Dream: The Legacy Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This Monday, Jan. 18, our nation will recall the message and memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And while his dream remains unfulfilled, and seemingly broken at times, that doesn’t mean we don’t continue to try to solve the problems and work toward peace. Dr. King’s message still resonates strong, across the United States, and here in our backyard. Several local organizations will come together to recall the legacy of the slain civil rights leader on Monday. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 13 OPINION.................................. 4 CRIME NEWS.......................... 6 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 8 PEOPLE................................. 14 SCHOOLS.............................. 15 COLUMNS...................... 16, 25 BUSINESS......................26 - 27 SPORTS..........................31 - 33 CALENDAR............................ 34 CLASSIFIEDS................ 35 - 38 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
Howard Trager speaks at Tuesday’s council meeting.
vice as an advocate for Wellington’s senior citizens. Trager joined the nonprofit Wellington Seniors Club in 1992, where he became a valued and dedicated member, according to the village’s proclamation honoring him. Shortly after joining, Trager became a member of the club’s board of directors, and served as vice president before being named president from 2006 to 2010, and then again from 2014 to 2015, when he retired. “Since 1999, Howard has sat at the helm as the editor and publisher of the Golden Banner newsletter, which serves to inform the Wellington Seniors Club members of upcoming social and community events, as well as important health information,” the proclamation noted. As a participant in variety shows, Trager displayed his vocal, comedic and theatrical talents by
appearing in numerous sketches. Trager also served as Wellington’s official senior services coordinator from 2010 to 2012, when he identified and brought to light critical issues such as the need for senior transportation in Wellington. “I’ve been here since December of 1988, and a lot has transpired since then,” Trager said. “I am deeply honored by your words and kindness, thoughts and deeds, but there are many, many people to thank.” He thanked his partner, Estelle Rubin, the Wellington Seniors Club board of directors and Wellington officials who have worked with him over the years. “It has been a labor of love, and I thank you all so very much for this great honor,” he said. “I didn’t know that I’d be speaking tonight, but I just wanted to express my thanks for what you have done for See TRAGER, page 4
Wellington Leaders Laud Neighborhood Watch Successes
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington’s Neighborhood Watch program has expanded over the years to include many more aspects than the original crime watch mission, which officials believe has resulted in the rejuvenation of some communities that were beginning to deteriorate. Once a program run largely by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Neighborhood Watch has been embraced by the village to galvanize residents to help improve their own communities. The village’s Community Services Department recently released a plan for Neighborhood Watch meetings that will reach nearly two dozen communities over the next three months. “The Neighborhood Watch program has grown to include neighborhood engagement more than anything else, to include residents [and give them] an avenue to communicate with the village,” Director of Community Services James Poag said. That communication works both ways, with the village also able to better communicate with residents, he added. “In addition to being a deterrent for crimes in our neighborhoods, the primary focus of the Neighborhood Watch has shifted from a traditional crime watch program more to an engagement where the village can communicate and listen to the concerns of the residents,” Poag said. “It provides them an avenue and a stage where they can voice their concerns, and we can take those concerns and go to the appropriate departments to get things resolved in a timely manner.” In addition, the village uses the Neighborhood Watch program as an incentive for neighborhoods to participate in improvement grants
available through the Community Services Department. “We’ve utilized Neighborhood Watch for revitalization purposes so that people can access the funding that we have for our neighborhood improvement grants,” Poag said. Neighborhood Watch meetings scheduled include: Scribner in Olympia, Guilford, Wiltshire Village, Lakeside Shores, Stonegate, Black Diamond, Staghorn/Mulberry, Coventry Green, Channing Villas, Pine Valley, Greenbriar Circle, Summerwood Circle, Mayfair, Greenview Shores, Aero Club, Rye Terrace, Wisteria, Chatsworth Village and Folkestone/Yarmouth. In addition, a joint meeting is set for May 18 for all the communities to meet together. “This will be an opportunity for all the neighborhoods to share and engage with their neighbors throughout the village,” Poag said. “We’ll have a platform to share one overall topic at that particular meeting with all our Neighborhood Watch groups throughout the Village of Wellington.” Senior Neighborhood Advocate Jonathan Salas said the Neighborhood Watch program still encourages participants to be extra eyes and ears and to report any activity to the PBSO that seems suspicious, and not try to take matters into their own hands. “We give safety tips such as locking car doors, avoiding crimes of opportunity and things like that,” Salas said. “Typically, we segue into giving crime prevention tips.” Poag said crimes of opportunity are not typically committed by hardened criminals but often by local teens. “They check the doors, and if the doors are open, they’ll take whatever small items they can See WATCH, page 19
WHS DANCE MARATHON
LGWCD OKs Road, Canal And Trail Agreements With Town
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Supervisors approved several items Monday that will lead to the repair and maintenance of roads and canals by the town, as well as the long-planned construction of equestrian trails. LGWCD Administrator Steve Yohe reported that the town and district’s Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee recommended approval of the agreements, including a fill disposition policy for sludge removed from canals and more quit-claim deeds to enable the town to repair deteriorating roads paved with open-graded emulsified mix (OGEM).
Yohe reported that the committee recommended board approval of a proposed canal dredging and fill policy, which was approved later in the meeting. The committee also discussed quit claim deeds for gaps on North Road; South F Road, which was paved by the county; and South B Road, which was recently paved with asphalt from Southern Blvd. to south of Collecting Canal Road. Yohe said that town representatives at the committee meeting brought up that OGEM on areas of Collecting Canal Road east of South F Road near the new medical center, which was paved less than two years ago, had deteriorated and should have had a drainage culvert.
“We have agreed that it does deserve a drainage catch basin and a culvert to discharge into Collecting Canal,” Yohe said, adding that Town Manager Bill Underwood had indicated that the town might reimburse the cost to the district for the improvement. Yohe said that the town also offered to potentially have its engineer assess the condition of all the OGEM roads to see if any other catch basins are needed. He added that the district has some money from a loan it had taken out to construct catch basins and culverts if they are deemed necessary. As of now, he said, three areas have been identified. “It’s in the town’s court to get See LGWCD, page 19
Wellington High School held assemblies Thursday, Jan. 7 and Friday, Jan. 8 to promote its Dance Marathon event, which will take place March 11. The school hopes to raise $25,000, doubling last year’s fundraising efforts. Donations go to help sick children at Shands Children’s Hospital. The star of the day was 9-year-old Zander Wyant, one of Shands’ “Miracle Children.” Shown here are (L-R) Jake Anders, Kristen and Zander Wyant, Melissa Varvarigos, Christopher Wyant and Samuel Weingart. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Biz Alliance Lunch Features Sheriff Ric Bradshaw
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw addresses members of the Western Business Alliance on Wednesday.
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report The Western Business Alliance started off 2016 with a luncheon Wednesday at the Madison Green Country Club featuring Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. The well-attended luncheon was the first event of what is expected to be a busy year. “We have some great events coming up planned for the next year, some luncheons and some special things and people as well,” said Tim “The Byrdman” Byrd, who served as master of ceremonies. “It will be bigger and better. And hats off to you for making your first year, your inaugural year, so successful.” Byrd introduced Bradshaw, thanking him for keeping Palm Beach County safe. “He has been keeping Palm Beach County safe for many years.
That job is full of sacrifices, but he has the experience to do it at the highest level imaginable,” Byrd said. Bradshaw has more than 40 years of experience in law enforcement and is the leader of the largest law enforcement agency in Palm Beach County. He has specialization in domestic security, field operations and community-based policing. Bradshaw first made it a point to recognize Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Mike Gauger. “He’s an integral part of what makes things happen at our agency,” Bradshaw said. “Over the past 11 years that I’ve been fortunate enough to be your sheriff, he has helped tremendously to accomplish what we need to.” Bradshaw chose three areas to cover: violent crime, homeland security and body cameras.
“Business depends on safety. If your community is not safe, if your neighborhood is not safe, business is not going to flourish. People are not going to want to live there,” he said. “We get calls all the time from people saying, ‘I want to move into this area. Is it safe?’ or ‘I want to start a business in this area. Is it safe?’” People, he explained, will not go to places that are not safe. In Palm Beach County, violent crime, he explained, is mostly about gang activity. In Lake Worth, gang activity deterred community involvement downtown. “It took us about eight months to get rid of the gang that was there. They shot 111 people, killed 12, but they had a grip, not only in the community, but the downtown area,” Bradshaw said. “As soon as we got rid of them, business started coming back downtown… The See BRADSHAW, page 19