VILLAGE THANKS COMMUNITY PARTNERS SEE STORY, PAGE 3
WHS FOOTBALL COACH STEPS DOWN SEE STORY, PAGE 23
THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
Your Community Newspaper
INSIDE Without Challengers, Two RPB Incumbents Keep Council Seats
Volume 42, Number 3 January 29 - February 11, 2021
Serving Palms West Since 1980
FUN TIMES AT THE MINI FAIR
Royal Palm Beach Village Council members Jan Rodusky and Richard Valuntas secured additional two-year terms earlier this month without opposition when the election qualifying period closed without challengers coming forward. Page 3
Wellington’s Catherine Chen Creates New Children’s Book
Wellington native Catherine Chen, a recent college graduate, spent her extra time during the lockdown completing her first book, Smores: My Fat Guinea Pig, which debuted on Dec. 30 of last year on Amazon. com. Page 4
RPBHS Instructor Dr. J.P. Linstroth Wins Award For Second Book Of Poetry
Royal Palm Beach High School instructor Dr. J.P. Linstroth’s newly released, second book of poetry, Epochal Reckonings was recently named as co-winner of the prestigious Proverse Prize for Literature. Page 7
The South Florida Mini Fair, a slimmed-down version of the South Florida Fair, opened Friday, Jan. 15 and continues through Sunday, Jan. 31 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. While adult rides, indoor expos and major concerts are not included, many of the other popular fair activities are available to enjoy. Shown above, Seth Lubas has fun in the waterball. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 18 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
County Commissioners Troubled By Vaccine Distribution Plan
By Ron Bukley Town-Council Staff Report Several members of the Palm Beach County Commission expressed outrage Tuesday, Jan. 26 at the state’s method of distribution for the COVID-19 vaccine, which favors private corporations over public health agencies. The state, acting under orders from Gov. Ron DeSantis, has opened distribution to Publix, Walgreens, CVS, certain churches and private senior communities, along with public health agencies, which commissioners claim has resulted in a lack of equity of distribution to poorer and non-white communities. The virus vaccine has been in very short supply, and state and federal agencies have been unable to keep up with demand, leading to heavy contention over who
should receive the vaccine first. The Florida Department of Health-Palm Beach County has reserved much of its available vaccine to give second doses to those who have received their first shot, according to Dr. Alina Alonso, the department’s director. County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay said the state giving authority to private corporations has resulted in a shortage to many communities in the county, with the white population receiving the vast majority of the available vaccine. “I am absolutely disgusted that the governor of this state has 100 percent taken the ability to vaccinate our residents in Palm Beach County out of the hands of public officials and medical officials and given that authority to a corporate entity,” McKinlay said, adding
that she did not understand how Publix staff could be equipped with enough technical staff to administer that many vaccines. She pointed out that west of the Publix store in Loxahatchee Groves, there is not another for 186 miles on State Road 80. “That’s in Lee County,” McKinlay said, adding that the health department in rural Glades and Hendry counties, which is a combined department, stated on its web site that it no longer has COVID-19 vaccine available at this time and is not scheduling more appointments. Commissioner Robert Weinroth agreed that there is a disparity in the county’s vaccine distribution. “I think one of the concerns of all of us up here is the lack of equity within our county,” Weinroth See VACCINE, page 16
Wellington Council Reviews More Comp Plan Elements
High Schools Compete In Cheerleading State Finals In Lakeland They came from far and near last weekend to determine Florida’s best in competitive cheerleading. The 2021 Class 1A and Class 2A Florida High School Athletic Association’s Competitive Cheer State ChamDEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 18 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 SPORTS......................... 21 - 23 PEOPLE................................. 24 SCHOOLS.............................. 25 BUSINESS............................. 27 COLUMNS............................. 28 CLASSIFIEDS................ 29 - 30 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report At a meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 26, the Wellington Village Council reviewed several elements of a revised comprehensive plan for community. Planning, Zoning & Building Director Tim Stillings explained that the comp plan, first adopted in 1999 and updated several times since, is required by state law for every municipality. The plan is currently going through a major rewrite, with several parts of it coming to the council for review each meeting. The previous plan had 11 elements, and the new plan will have 10, with some information combined and moved. Stillings said that the comp plan is aspirational in nature. “It is designed to lead us into the next 10 to 20 years,” he said, explaining that the purpose is to update all the elements in the goals, objectives and policies to reaffirm and revise them for the future.
The plan will address the changes in the community and shift the focus from development to preserving and protecting. It will also address changes to Florida Statues. “We are bringing several elements to the council at a time to try not to inundate you with the whole thing at once,” Stillings said. The plan has been before the appropriate advisory committees, boards and the public for input. After the council approves the first reading, it goes to the state for review, then it returns to the council a second time for more public input and final approval. The current comp plan will then be repealed, and the new plan put entirely in place of it. Stillings presented the Land Use and Community Design Element, which establishes land use throughout the village and describes the objectives and establishes some reinvestment and redevelopment potential of certain properties. It is generally focused on the State Road 7 corridor, the
area around the Mall at Wellington Green, older multi-family areas and the neighborhood commercial areas. “Staff started working on this in the spring of last year, and the first elements went before the committees in November,” Stillings explained. “Each section will have a short introduction, and there is a new introduction to the entire comprehensive plan, which explains the purpose and how the plan works, but these elements will not be part of the ordinance. They are informational and will be in the final document.” Councilman John McGovern commended Stillings and his staff for their hard work. “You’ve collected important things that this council has been focusing on, and with this rewrite, they are exact statements of what this council wants to see,” he said. McGovern questioned that breweries were specifically mentioned as an aspiration for the types See COMP PLAN, page 4
Victim’s Services, Human Trafficking Hot Topics At Public Safety Committee
By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington’s Public Safety Committee heard presentations Wednesday, Jan. 27 about the Palm Beach County Victim Services Department, efforts to find and protect human trafficking victims, and the impending village golf cart ordinance. Carol Messam-Gordon of Palm Beach County Victims Service spoke about the free assistance and support offered to victims of violent crime, such as domestic violence, DUI fatalities, serious bodily injury, human trafficking, sexual assault, stalking and survivors of attempted homicide. Messam-Gordon said the services are provided at five county offices. “We have advocates throughout
the county available to provide support,” she said. The department operates Butterfly House, a specialized site for forensic sexual assault examinations adjacent to Wellington Regional Medical Center. It is available at any time in response to a call. “It is a warm facility, and it is better than having to go to the hospital,” Messam-Gordon explained. “There’s a room for the victim to have some comfort there. They can have the examination by the forensic nurse, then get a shower and get a change of clothing.” Victims or the police call 211, where calls are answered and provided with an immediate handoff to the helpline, or victims may call direct at (561) 833-RAPE (7273). “The service is available every See SAFETY, page 16
CAFCI HONORS DR. KING
On Monday, Jan. 18, CAFCI, in collaboration with the Village of Royal Palm Beach, presented its 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration. The event was livestreamed from the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center and viewed from CAFCI’s Facebook page by a large audience. Shown above, Copeland Davis performs on the piano. SEE STORY & PHOTOS, PAGE 8
RPB Zoners Refuse Auto Repair Shop Request After Neighbors Complain
By Ron Bukley Town-Council Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday, Jan. 26 voted to recommend denial of a special exception request from an auto repair shop to locate on Business Parkway after representatives from nearby businesses complained that some of the shop’s customers have been racing modified cars on the road. Planning & Zoning Director Bradford O’Brien said applicant ProTek is seeking a special exception use to allow a 2,721-squarefoot automobile service facility at 300 Business Parkway, Suite A-2, located in the village’s industrial general zoning district. O’Brien said the application conforms with the compatibility standards of the village code.
“Staff has determined that the proposed exception comports with the village’s standards. Therefore, it is requesting approval to be sent to the Royal Palm Beach Village Council regarding this application,” he said. “There are many uses of this type within the business park.” During public comment, Margaret Rice with a water-softening business at 240 Business Parkway objected to the application due to heavy traffic on the roadway, as well as the location of a funeral home nearby and the shop’s nature of business, which she said is car modification, including the use of nitrous oxide fuel. “It’s a wonderful area for business, but with the noise and the fastness of cars, I think it’s very See ZONERS, page 16
RPB Native Kucharski New Principal At H.L. Johnson Elementary School
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Royal Palm Beach native Crystal Amado Kucharski, previously an assistant principal at Royal Palm Beach High School, has been named the new principal at H.L. Johnson Elementary School — the same school she attended as a child. Kucharski, who also attended Crestwood Middle School, began her career at Royal Palm Beach High School in 2006 as a teacher. She taught all levels of science from English as a Second Lan-
guage (ESOL) to Advanced Placement in biology, environmental science and earth/space science. She also became the ESOL coordinator and coached women’s soccer at RPBHS. Coming back to H.L. Johnson feels to Kucharski like she has come home. “It feels like I belong here,” she said. “It’s surreal, and it’s an exciting feeling. I’m going to bring my son here next year.” Kucharski and her husband Nick have a son who will turn 4 in June. She earned her master’s
degree in educational leadership in 2011. Kucharski’s appointment was approved by the Palm Beach County School Board on Jan. 13, but she has been at H.L. Johnson since Jan. 7 after working at RPBHS for 14 years. “I was a science teacher,” she said. “I was also a department head for science, and then I was an ESOL coordinator before becoming an assistant principal.” Kucharski said her experience sets her up perfectly to guide elementary students toward a
successful secondary school experience. “I’m really lucky because I grew up here, so I know how Royal Palm Beach is,” she said. “I’ve worked in this village. They try to do a K through 12 continuum, so I’ve been really lucky as an assistant principal to be able to work with the other schools.” She noted that all the area schools have done events together. “With a high school background, it’s almost like I’m backward mapping. I’ve seen the end See KUCHARSKI, page 16
Crystal Amado Kucharski