Large crowds and several ducks turned out for Wellington’s Fourth of July celebration at Village Park on Pierson Road. Guests braved the inclement weather to enjoy the daytime festivities. The rain stopped in time for the fireworks to go off as planned, and the night concluded with a bang.
T Two wo Area High Schools Miss ‘A AreaHighSchoolsMiss‘A AreaHighSchoolsMiss‘A’ ’ Grades By Narrowest Of Margins GradesByNarrowestOfMargins
By Paul Gaba and Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
Both Wellington and Seminole Ridge high schools missed getting “A” grades from the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) by the slimmest of margins, according to information released by the state June 29. Seminole Ridge earned 524 points, one shy of the 525 required for an “A.” Wellington’s 576 points were 51 points above the minimum benchmark, but with only 49 percent of its lowest reading students making gains in 2006-07, the school was docked with a one-grade penalty.
School grades are based on student performance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) using a formula factoring third-, eighthand tenth-grade student performance and improvements in reading, writing and math. Also, science scores by students in fifth, eighth and 11th grades now count toward school grades for the first time.
Schools can earn a maximum of 100 points in eight different categories. In addition, beginning this year, high schools can earn 10 “bonus” points when at least 50 percent of their juniors and seniors retaking the FCAT in reading and math pass the test.
This is the second time in three years Wellington High School missed an “A” grade by essentially one or two students. In the 2004-05 school year, the high school missed the minimum needed to achieve an “A” by a single point.
WHS Assistant Principal Barbara Forgash expressed frustration at the state’s announcement.
“We were very disappointed that we slipped, even though the total number of points was well within the range we needed to maintain our grade from last year,” Forgash said. “We will have to regroup our talented teachers and motivate our kids to be the very best they can be. We will put forth all the effort we have
to reclaim our ‘A,’ setting new directions and goals.”
The Palm Beach County School District’s Assessment Manager Cherie Boone said WHS Principal Cheryl Alligood had already contacted her requesting data to investigate an appeal, which would be spearheaded by Assistant Principal Sandy Heath.
“I’ve had several schools who have called and asked for information for them to further investigate the appeal process,” Boone said. “They haven’t decided whether they will appeal, but they’re looking into it.”
WHS has until the end of July to gather data, review records and put together its written appeal letter for the FDOE.
Seminole Ridge High School Principal Dr. Lynne McGee reported that the entire school population was thrilled to have earned a “B,” especially given the disappointment of last year’s low grade.
“We missed an ‘A’ by one point,” McGee said. “We made See GRADES, page 12A
Royal Palm RoyalPalm T To Lower oLower Millage Another Y Year ear
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The latest version of Royal Palm Beach’s draft budget for Fiscal Year 2008 includes a reduction in the millage rate to 1.99 mills from its present rate of 2.14 mills. That’s lower than the reduction to 2.11 mills Village Manager David Farber anticipated in early June.
“Clearly any other reductions will have an effect on services,” Farber told the Town-Crier Thursday. “The goal is — should we find ourselves in that position — to reduce those services that have the least impact on the average consumer.”
If the council approves the millage rate at its July 19 meeting, it will mark the 13th consecutive year the village has delivered a tax rate reduction to its citizens. One mill represents one dollar of tax on every thousand dollars of taxable property value. Once the village sets its tentative rates this month, it can lower but not raise them before approving the budget in September.
The overall budget for 2008 is slightly more than $20 million larger than the 2007 budget. But most of that difference is contained in the village’s Capital Improvement Fund. The proposed 2008 Capital Improvement Fund budget is $27 million, compared to $7.89 million in 2007. That money is earmarked for construction of the new Village Commons Park on the grounds of the former Tradition Golf Club. Apart from that exception in the Capital Improvement Fund, Farber said,
the village budget is virtually unchanged from Fiscal Year 2007.
“We’re pleased to be able to pursue the single largest capital improvement project we’ve had, certainly, in my 12 years with the village,” Farber said.
Farber said he hopes the village can put out requests for bids on construction of the large central park in May or June 2008. “The capital [improvements] side is really not an issue for us,” he said. “The question is whether or not we’ll be able to undertake the operating costs with whatever we end up building.”
And that raises the question of whether Royal Palm Beach can afford any tax cuts after 2008. The answer depends largely on whether Florida voters will approve a constitutional amendment in January that would create a homestead “super exemption” of 75 percent of the first $200,000 of value for homesteaded properties that supporters say will result in an average 44 percent reduction of homeowners’ tax bills.
“Given the predominant impact on the first $200,000 of housing costs in Royal Palm Beach and other similar cities, the amendment will have a far greater impact,” said Farber, who added that the Royal Palm Beach is in a “position of maintenance” regarding its budget.
“Other cities are in a position of cutting back,” Farber said. “Knowing there is a constitutional amendment in January, I don’t think anybody is prepared to make any long-term plans in regard to operations or capital.”
ON THE FOURTH
Pictured here, Sally Sutton gives Mackenzie Kirkbride, 7, a patriotic face painting. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 46A
PHOTO BY LISA KEENEY/TOWN-CRIER
Royal Palm Beach had a full day of Fourth of July activities, starting with lunch at Veterans Park followed by music and a fireworks display at the Sound Advice Amphitheatre. Shown here, Cassidy Carmichael and Madison Carmichael don their patriotic duds.
Wellington Council Considers Capital Improvement Plan Cuts
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
The Wellington Village Council reviewed their capital improvement projects last week as the village continues its budgeting process for Fiscal Year 2008.
Village Manager Charlie Lynn told the council at the June 28 workshop that they would have to decide which of the village’s ongoing and future capital improvement projects should be retained, deferred or scrapped. Capital projects already budgeted and not yet completed amount to almost $33 million in expenditures.
Lynn told the council he was looking for their direction on various capital improvement projects. “We will emphasize we are here for direction on capital improvements and financing,” he said, “but it’s not the final decision. We will be providing an overview with the areas where we need direction and inter-department participation.”
Unlike previous years, the village this year is giving projects and other expenditures priority ratings based on their necessity. Lynn described 2007 as a “pilot year” for this approach to the budget and said the experience gained would be applied toward budget planning in coming years.
“This process is still evolutionary,” Lynn said, “and hopefully will be defined as we move further into the process.”
Lynn said some existing 2007 capital improvement projects
had been frozen in previous months pending action in Tallahassee on property tax reform, which affected the amount of revenue municipal governments can collect from residents. Legislation passed last month requires municipalities to roll back their assessment rates, which in Wellington’s case will mean going from the current 2.7 mills to about 2.3 mills.
Beyond making decisions on current and proposed projects, Lynn said the council should consider whether to turn to a bond issue or special assessments to secure funding for some projects. Among the bigticket items the council has been discussing in recent months are development of the village’s “K Park” property on State Road 7, construction of new tennis and swimming facilities, a new municipal complex and facilities for senior citizens.
Deferring projects, Lynn cautioned, would not necessarily result in savings because the costs for such projects might rise sharply by the time they are actually implemented, and would cost more money in the long run. A hurricane would also wreak havoc on any calculations, he noted.
“This year, we saw the costs go up from five to 15 percent,” Lynn said. “They depend on market conditions. We saw the costs go up during the hurricanes. If you defer a lot of the fleet replacement and routine maintenance, the bill comes due even when you stretch out the life in the vehicle. Future oper-
ating impacts have not been determined for all projects as available resources continue to decline.”
Also, Lynn said, certain frozen projects could be shifted around to other areas in the budget, others deemed worthy enough could be “thawed out” quickly, and projects funded at a lower level of service might be retained in the budget.
Environmental & Engineering Services Director Gary Clough led the council members through the details of various capital improvements projects. During a discussion about usage of the dog park at Greenbriar Park, Councilwoman Laurie Cohen asked if there was any way to limit access to Wellington residents. Clough said the park is heavily used by both residents and nonresidents, and 80 to 100 residents and nonresidents turned out for a recent meeting to give feedback on the park, and how the bagging system could be tracked to make it a village-only facility.
Clough said it was not likely the village would proceed with many Beautiful Wellington grants, which are matching funds provided to residents’ groups for beautification projects. Since some of the funding for that had been “soft frozen,” there were few applications being submitted for this year, and it didn’t look like the village would be in a position to fund them next year.
Council members suggested deferring the installation of sports netting at Tiger Shark
Cove Park, scheduled for the coming fiscal year, but were unanimous on retaining planned improvements to the leaking Village Park gym ceiling.
Council members asked Clough about the status of lawsuits filed against the company that built the gym.
“We’ve been trying for ten years to stop the leaks in the gym,” Clough said. “We have been unsuccessful. There have been lawsuits. They come back and it appears to have been corrected. We went through some heavy rains, and it started leaking again.”
Council members also requested to retain funding budgeted for the creation of the Rotary Peace Park near Elbridge Gale Elementary School, although Cohen wanted to make sure the organization was doing some fundraising. The council also suggested retaining many of the road improvement projects Clough had listed.
At the close of the workshop, Clough told the council that village staff had been meeting with representatives of Stadium Jumping regarding their master plan and site plan for a new horse show facility they intend to build in extreme southwestern Wellington. Clough said staff had been having a contentious time with the company’s representatives.
Staff members are taking issue with methods of disposing of horse manure and the facility’s impact on 120th Avenue and 50th Street, which will provide access to the property. Clough
said he and his staff hoped they could work through the differences because they didn’t want the horse show promoter to look to relocate outside of Wellington, but that Stadium Jumping officials are expecting the village to do a lot of infrastructure work outside the property.
“We’ve had some meetings over the last few weeks with their team,” Clough said. “They have been suggesting a lot of off-site improvements. We’re having a difficult time right now. Water is also a problem. In the meetings, they expressed that they were looking for some public participation for off-site improvements.”
Clough said discussions had focused on Stadium Jumping possibly building a wastewater facility of its own, but the dialogue had gotten testy.
“We’re getting ready to start our last wastewater plant expansion,” he said. “It’s in design, and it has our final capacity included. Initially, we told them they would have to build a second wastewater plant, and they balked at it. The injection well is close to $15 million in cost.”
Clough cautioned the council that they would be faced with some fundamental policy decisions in the future in order to make the facility a reality.
“We have to have something there for the vision for the future,” he said. “They are caught in the middle of a lot of money and decisions on your part. I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn’t be caught off guard.”
Our Opinion
The FCAT: A Flawed Format For Grading Public Schools
Singer/songwriter Tom Chapin may not be as well known as contemporaries such as Fergie, Justin Timberlake or the White Stripes. But when he appeared on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition last New Year’s Day, he struck a chord that has resonated long, proud and strong among teachers who have been shackled by what many educators have dubbed “the dirtiest four-letter word around” — FCAT.
Never mind that FCAT is an acronym, not a word. That’s beside the point, which is: the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test continues to be the anvil that weighs down the collective educational experience.
Chapin’s ditty “Not on the Test” is a social commentary on the enormous stress placed on students, teachers and the education community to “teach the test” at the expense of anything that is vacant from state-mandated standardized assessments. And while this might be a slight generalization — many area teachers and administrators will proclaim that their respective educational communities continue to incorporate a variety of learning styles and methods into all areas of the curriculum — there is a symbolic truth to Chapin’s stance, because so much in today’s educational world rides on FCAT results.
Legislators and the Florida Department of Education staunchly insist that the process, begun under then-Gov. Jeb Bush nearly ten years ago, is a method by which educators can be held accountable. But there are many sharks swimming around Bush’s A+ educational legacy.
One of the numerous problems is that the FCAT is, has been and — until further notice — will be a glaringly unsound means by which to rate schools. This is not what the FCAT was designed to do. When Bush devised the FCAT in 1998, it was to measure a child’s progress in school.
Not any more. Or, at least, that doesn’t seem to be the focus anymore. The
Support For ‘Super Exemption’ Amendment
The Town-Crier has printed letters and has allowed opinions to be expressed in articles that tend to point out sup-
FCAT helps decide whether third-graders get promoted and high school seniors graduate. It provides a letter grade for almost every school, which determines whether it is penalized or rewarded with extra money.
A second issue is that the FCAT is neither a criterion-referenced nor a diagnostic test, despite the premise presented by the Department of Education. Educators, parents and students are not allowed to review student responses after taking the test, and there are no legal opportunities for anyone directly involved in the child’s educational process to review copies of it. Thus, it cannot be used to help educators identify specific student strengths or weaknesses, or plan child-appropriate lessons.
As far as school grades go, Wellington High School plans to appeal its “B” grade; despite earning more than 50 points above the minimum for an “A,” the school was penalized because only 49 percent of its lowest readers showed growth. But there are questions about how, exactly, the state determines the crucial “lowest 25 percent” of students in reading and math. In previous cases, some student scores were counted more than once, while others were skipped, skewing a school’s overall score.
And given a third problem with the FCAT — the Department of Education fiasco in May, when state education officials announced they botched one of last year’s FCAT reading tests — there are question marks on everything from school grades and student retention to the status of Florida schools under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. This also may have administrators at WHS — and many other “borderline” schools across Florida — questioning the viability and legitimacy of any grade in any category when the state plays a role in determining the grade. And that, we seriously doubt, was something anyone studied for when preparing to take the test.
Letters To The Editor
posed fallacies in the proposed super exemption amendment to the state constitution.
These opinions speak eloquently of the fact that, if the amendment passes in the January election, the value of property on which taxes are based
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can increase beyond what they would have done under Save Our Homes.
What has not been made clear is that increased property market values do not necessarily mean increased property taxes.
It will still be, as it always has been, within the power of local taxing authorities to keep taxes constant.
Local taxing authorities set millage rates. Regardless of property values, taxes depend on millage rates.
If your property value doubles, the local elected officials should and can drop the millage rate in half to keep your taxes constant. And voters can insist that elected officials will promise to do that.
It is certainly true that local taxing authorities have not kept revenue within the confines of inflation and population growth in recent years. It is equally true that they have used the ruse of keeping tax rates constant, claiming that they have not raised taxes.
But the public is now much more aware of that shady practice.
I believe that we should all vote in favor of the super exemption amendment. By doing so we will get an immediate and substantial tax cut. Then we can put pressure on candidates for local office to keep our taxes within bounds by cutting millage rates as property values increase.
If we fail to pass the super exemption amendment now, we are just asking for more of the same property tax treatment we’ve been getting.
Phil Sexton Wellington
Kudos On School Grades
Congratulations to all Acreage and Loxahatchee schools receiving impressive grades for the 2006-07 school year!
The local elementary schools and middle schools received “A” grades, with Seminole Ridge High School receiving a “B,” up from last year’s “C.” Wonderful! Thank you to all who were involved in making these grades happen.
Cathy
Probst The Acreage
Wellington Needs Adult Care Facility
The old polo stadium is no longer. What will become of the eyesore that is left?
The Wellington Village Council should seriously consider allowing a new adult care living facility to be constructed on the site for several reasons: no impact on our overloaded schools, minimal impact on roads and traffic, job creation inside our boundaries (staff), increased tax base for the hun-
gry village coffers, a place close by where we can place our parents in need of care, a quality developer from within our own community who cares, and no negative impact on the equestrian community.
I say the village has a need, has the land and has someone to put up the investment who will provide a quality product. Seems like good growth to me.
Mark Miles Former Councilman Wellington
Finally... Judicial Sense
Footloose and...
By Jules W. Rabin
It has taken two years and all sorts of soaring legal costs, but the case of the judge who sued a neighborhood dry cleaner for $54 million over a supposedly lost pair of pants has finally been adjudicated. Washington, D.C. Administrative Judge Roy Pearson Jr. will not get $54 million for the pants in question. Actually, the litigious judge won’t get anything — and he was ordered to pay the defendant’s legal costs.
Yup, Judge Judith Bartnoff of the district’s Superior Court ruled that Pearson had failed to prove that Custom Cleaners misled customers with its “satisfaction guaranteed” sign. Judge Bartnoff was not even convinced that the cleaner had lost the pants Pearson originally brought in for a $10.50 alteration. Talk about clogging the judicial system with frivolous lawsuits… this red-letter case made its way through two hear-
ing judges, three settlement offers, dozens of exhibits and hundreds of pages of court paperwork.
In March 2007, Judge Bartnoff even commented that she found one of the shop owners more credible than lawyer/ judge/plaintiff Pearson. Unless he appeals and overturns the verdict, Judge Pearson will be out up to $5,000 on the court cost docket. Should Judge Bartnoff rule for a defense lawyer’s motion seeking legal fees from the losing plaintiff the errant trousers could become one of the most expensive items of clothing in history.
To cap her decision, Judge Bartnoff wrote forthrightly, “a reasonable consumer would not interpret ‘satisfaction guaranteed’ to mean that a merchant is required to satisfy a customer’s unreasonable demands.” Sounds on track to me.
For The Record
In the Town-Crier article “County Board Favors Slimmed Down Plan At Southern & Seminole Pratt” published last week, it should have been pointed out that the county’s Land Use Advisory Board recommended a motion to approve commercial development of up to 250,000 square feet. Under the existing long-range traffic plan, the developer is entitled to development of 36,000 square feet until the Central Western Communities Sector Plan is in place. The Town-Crier regrets any confusion this might have caused.
The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit letters, with contact name, address, and telephone number (anonymously sent letters will not be published), to 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to 793-6090; or you can e-mail to letters @goTownCrier.com.
ITID To Hold Down Assessments; Final Vote Set For July 11
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors decided June 27 to essentially hold the line on expenditures to avoid raising assessments in the coming budget year.
ITID’s draft budget for Fiscal Year 2008 totals about $12 million and includes about $7.6 million in operating expenses and more than $2 million in debt service.
At last week’s budget workshop, ITID Vice President Mike Erickson commended district staff, noting that the previous board had cut their budget by $1 million, but the current board still managed to improve services, deal with inflation and keep costs in line, he said.
ITID President Michelle Damone also commended the staff and her fellow supervisors for dealing with increasing costs without raising district spending, even with the slashed bud-
get. “Still, we were able to improve services, to buy the new land for Hamlin Park, to pay for the new skateboarding and inline skate area at the park, improve training and technology,” she said. “Every staff member should be commended. We added to our assets and added benefits.”
ITID assesses property owners based on the services they receive in the district’s various development units, which vary from unit to unit. ITID Finance Director Margie Perez told the Town-Crier Monday that the budget would result in a tiny average decrease for district property owners.
Noteworthy increases in the ITID budget involve the creation of the position of a district planner and the assumption of grading work by the district’s maintenance department previously contracted to private companies.
The board voted last month to hire a planner to reduce the workload of district staff on
projects such as the creation of a comprehensive traffic plan and the restoration of the district’s trail network for equestrians and other users. The district budgeted about $60,000 for the position.
The assumption of road grading work involves the purchase of two dump trucks worth $56,000 each, the addition of three operator positions and an additional “floater” operator to ensure the equipment stays running in the event of an employee absence.
Perez said the district will spend an additional $265,600 to fund the grading work, but will save the $290,000 it would have spent to contract the work to a private company, resulting in a net savings of more than $25,000 in the first year and more each subsequent year.
“Everyone else around us is talking about cutting back personnel and services,” Damone told her fellow supervisors last week. “We’re providing five
more employees and giving five percent cost-of-living increases.”
The budget also includes some $209,000 for allocation in the parks reserve budget, down from the $230,000 previously proposed. The money will fund the construction of an equestrian ring in Hamlin Park, the restoration of the district’s eastern network of multi-use trails and the hiring of off-duty deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to provide security in district parks.
Damone commented that she was beginning to see more riders in her neighborhood. “I was delighted to see a big old horse crossing the street in front of me,” she said. “People are beginning to see improvements in safety.”
District Administrator Bob Mearns told the supervisors that hiring the deputies would be a good solution to the problem of vandalism in the parks. “We can hire them for $35 an hour and
the sheriff will provide the cars and gas,” he said. “We already have two full-time deputies on duty. We can hire a whole group more and have several more cars patrolling the areas, particularly at times we feel the parks are most at risk.”
The supervisors were receptive to the plan. “We know what we need, and we can add people if, when and where we need,” Erickson said.
Supervisor Sandra Love Semande noted that the district would not have to bear any administrative expenses for the deputies, and Damone said that if the added security results in a sharp drop in park vandalism, the expense of $50,000 would pay for itself.
The board is scheduled to hold a public budget hearing and final vote on assessment rates July 11. The district must submit the rates to the county by July 13, and the budget must be approved by the end of September.
Groves Council Treads Carefully On Code Enforcement Issue
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council spent a good deal of time Tuesday discussing options for bringing some system of code enforcement to the new town.
The council had previously directed Interim Town Attorney David Tolces to approach Palm Beach County about providing interim code enforcement services, but Tolces told the council Tuesday that the county’s Code Enforcement Director Terry Verner had recently said the county was not interested in doing so.
Vice Mayor Marge Herzog asked Tolces what took the county so long to make up its mind.
“They were still mulling over the idea for Loxahatchee Groves,” Tolces replied. “In my last conversation with Verner, he said he would look at it and decide, based on an interim basis, if they might do it. They decided they did not want to do it.”
Matt Lippman of New Community Strategies, the firm providing management services to the town, said it was his understanding that the town wants code enforcement based on resident complaints, and said he could research how towns sim-
ilar in nature to Loxahatchee Groves handle code enforcement.
Lippman also introduced Patrick Figurella of the West Palm Beach firm Calvin Giordano & Associates, who told the council his company has some experience in providing code enforcement services to local governments.
Figurella said his firm handles code enforcement with the Broward County municipality West Park, incorporated in 2005, and also does some consulting for the City of Weston, also located in Broward County. He said his firm could meet the challenges of working with the Town of Loxahatchee Groves.
“We provide code enforcement for the new City of West Park,” Figurella said. “We are currently in negotiations with three or four other municipalities to provide code enforcement services. I talked with the people in the office, and they said they could provide code enforcement services for the Town of Loxahatchee Groves according to the town’s desire, which would be complaintbased code enforcement. I talked earlier with the management firm, and he asked that we prepare something for you guys to evaluate.”
With the council’s permission, Figurella said, his firm would
provide a possible fee schedule and other material to evaluate.
“It would be a basis for you guys to evaluate how much enforcement you would need and what private code enforcement might cost as a service for the new town as opposed to creating your own code enforcement services,” Figurella said.
Councilman David Autrey noted that the county had earlier proposed providing code enforcement based on the history of prior code enforcement action in Loxahatchee Groves, and Lippman said he could ask Verner to provide Figurella’s firm with the appropriate information.
Figurella also said his firm’s own staff would be doing the code enforcement and would not contract it out to anyone else. “We have our own staff,” he said. “They have their own vehicles. They have their own computers and their own tracking system. We have everything from soup to nuts.”
Mayor David Browning asked Figurella how much they charged and would the code enforcement be on a complaintdriven basis or with a flat fee. Figurella said the firm would do it however the town wanted it handled.
Councilman Dr. Bill Louda said the town might be better off paying a flat fee because the
council would know how much the cost would figure in budget discussions.
Herzog also asked Lippman if New Community Strategies had ever heard more from the Village of Wellington, which also had offered code enforcement services. Lippman said New Community Strategies would look into it.
When it comes to codes applicable in Loxahatchee Groves, Tolces said New Community Strategies could work with the council or whatever agency they selected to pare down the county’s current codes to those which suit the town.
“With respect to the ordinances,” Tolces said, “if there are specific provisions to be adopted or changed, we can look into it and show you some proposed language. We can direct staff to go through the codes and section by section present provisions to you.”
Council members suggested residents offer feedback on code enforcement issues, as well as a workshop on paring down the county codes and the selection of a supplier of code enforcement services.
Louda suggested the council issue requests for proposals, to be evaluated at a separate time.
Several residents raised the
issue of trailers being used as dwellings on lots in the town.
“If it’s one dwelling unit per five acres, it has to conform to the zoning codes,” A Road resident Elise Ryan said. “That is what you put there. You can’t add another trailer on a property that has a house.”
E Road resident Howard Voren said he wanted people who file code complaints to pay for the privilege. He said he was worried that vengeful people would abuse the process if it were free, but noted that county staff had been ignoring the trailer situation.
“Someone from Lake Worth could have a vendetta and call about a trailer,” Voren said. “Most of the travel trailers are illegal. You can get away with it. People will say they use them when they travel. They are using them as an office. They are not legal or permitted. The county turns a blind eye.”
Linda Isaacs of Marcella Blvd. suggested requiring people to provide their name when complaining, and that anonymous complaints should not be allowed. Isaacs, a former resident of Southwest Ranches in Broward County, asked the council not to consider contracting the Village of Wellington to do code enforcement
See GROVES, page 7A
Two Arrested For Street Racing In RPB; Grand Theft In Wellington
By Paul Gaba Town-Crier Staff Report
June 23 — Two men were arrested on June 23 after being pulled over for street racing on State Road 7. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, 48-year-old Conrad Thirbenny of Royal Palm Beach and 22-year-old Andrew Birdsall of West Palm Beach were issued criminal citations after traveling nearly twice the posted speed limit. At approximately 2:28 a.m., a deputy from the PBSO substation in RPB observed a black
CRIME NEWS CRIME NEWS
2006 Toyota pickup truck and a silver 2001 Toyota pickup truck turning northbound onto State Road 7 from Southern Blvd. As the silver pickup made its turn, the rear end began to fishtail and the tires began squealing. Both trucks became side-by-side and accelerated at a high rate of speed at the same time, according to the PBSO report. The deputy clocked the drivers at 78 miles per hour in a 45 mph zone and noted that both drivers traveled at a high rate of
speed for nearly three-quarters of a mile. Upon the arrival of a second deputy, a traffic stop was conducted and both men were issued criminal citatations for racing on a highway.
JUNE 24 — A Palm Springs man was arrested June 24 after deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office substation in Royal Palm Beach discovered him in possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. At approximately 12:50 p.m., 31-year-old Luigi Montante was observed speeding westbound on Southern Blvd. in a black Pontiac Grand Prix with a bro-
Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives:
• Jose N. Cruz is a white male, 5’8” tall and weighing 180 lbs. with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 09/20/70. Cruz is wanted on two counts of failure to appear on the charges of driving while license revoked — habitual and driving under the influence. His occupation is construction. His last known address was Swain Blvd. in Greenacres. Cruz is wanted as of 07/05/07.
• Brandon Pinkerman is a white male, 6’ tall and weighing 150 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 08/18/87. He has tattoos on both arms. Pinkerman is wanted for failure to appear on the charges of aggravated retail theft, possession of cocaine and resisting a merchant and violation of supervised own recognizance on the same charges. His occupation is lawn maintenance. His last known address was E. Burns Drive in Loxahatchee. Pinkerman is wanted as of 07/05/ 07.
Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crime stopperspbc.com.
THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, WHICH IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.
ken windshield. The vehicle was stopped after making a right turn into the Queen of Peace Cemetery. According to the PBSO report, Montante continually reached under the driver’s seat and, after being ordered to show his hands, revealed a glass pipe containing marijuana. After Montante was arrested, a search of the vehicle resulted in discovery of a prescription bottle with no label which contained 3.25 tablets of methadone. Montante told officers the paraphernalia and methadone were his, adding he had taken three-quarters of a tablet of methadone earlier in the day and was still feeling the effects, reports said. Montante was arrested and charged possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of marijuana under 20 grams, possession of narcotics equipment and possession of a schedule II substance.
JUNE 26 — A golf cart was reported stolen from the Deer Ridge Farm property on Pierson Road in Wellington last Tuesday. According to a PBSO report, at some time between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. the golf cart was left unattended at the southeast part of the property and unknown suspect(s) drove the cart off the property, heading eastbound toward 120th Avenue. No serial number was provided to the PBSO.
JUNE 27 — A Royal Palm Beach man was arrested last Wednesday after PBSO deputies discovered marijuana in his possession. According to a PBSO report, 25-year-old
Marcus Boone was stopped by deputies from the RPB substation at approximately 8:16 p.m. after failing to use a turn signal when making a right turn from Okeechobee Blvd. onto Ponce De Leon Street, then failing to use a turn signal while turning from Ponce De Leon Street onto Galiano Street, according to a PBSO report. Upon contacting Boone, the deputy observed that he was acting extremely nervous, and was unable to find his driver’s license inside his wallet. The deputy also noticed an odor of marijuana emanating from the interior of the vehicle and could see marijuana stems, seeds and pieces scattered throughout the front of the interior, according to the PBSO report. After getting Boone’s consent to search the vehicle, the deputy discovered two clear plastic baggies containing marijuana that had been concealed behind the leather of the stick shift. The deputy further noted that after Boone was arrested, a subsequent search of the vehicle’s trunk led to the deputy’s discovery of a small red and white lunch box containing 16 individually packaged marijuana baggies along with a large number of empty baggies as well. During a subsequent interview, Boone told deputies a friend of his had fronted him approximately 2.5 ounces of marijuana to sell and that approximately 1.5 ounces would be for his own personal use if he sold the marijuana. Boone was processed at the RPB substation and later transported to the Palm
Brandon Pinkerman
Jose Cruz
Groves Code Enforcement
continued from page 5A because of a similar arrangement Southwest Ranches made with Davie.
“I hope you don’t do Wellington,” Isaacs said. “We had a terrible situation with Davie. They started using their own codes in Southwest Ranches. It was a fiasco.”
After some further discussion, the town council decided to tentatively schedule a workshop on code enforcement for Aug. 23.
Also Tuesday, Elise Ryan and her husband John, a Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District supervisor, urged the council to take action quickly to secure a zoning density of one unit per five acres for the town.
Blotter
continued from page 6A Beach County Jail for booking.
JUNE 27 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched to a home on Yorke Road last Wednesday in reference to a vandalism complaint. According to the complainant, at some time between 12:30 and 6:30 a.m. unknown suspect(s) spray painted a “warning” message on the windshield of her vehicle that read, “keep car off sidewalk, last warning.” According to the PBSO report, this was the second time in three days the vehicle had been vandalized in such a manner. There was no other damage to the vehicle. No further suspect information was available at the time of the report.
JUNE 29 — A Royal Palm Beach man was arrested last Friday for possession of cocaine and marijuana. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the RPB substation was traveling eastbound on Belvedere Road at approximately 8:41 p.m. and noticed a 2000 gold Buick with extremely tinted windows. During the stop, the deputy noticed a strong odor of burning marijuana, as well as a hew of marijuana smoke floating outside from the open windows. When asked if there was any contraband inside the vehicle, the driver responded that he and his passenger — the owner of the vehicle, 18-year-old Jonathan
John Ryan said the council members had promised they would seek such a density during their campaigns for office. “We need to have the town council address it and what can and should be done to implement it,” he said.
Tolces said securing such density would require a largescale comprehensive plan amendment, and thus, that the Florida Department of Community Affairs and neighboring municipalities would weigh in on it. Louda noted that the community was originally platted in five-acre units.
“When it was platted, it was one in five,” Louda said. “If all the properties were cut to one in five, it would add about 332 units. That increases the tax base.”
Autrey said he was supportive as well, but was concerned about the cost involved in fil-
Ospina — had “just finished smoking it.” Ospina informed the deputy that his license had been suspended, which is why he was not driving the vehicle, according to the PBSO report. Ospina added that while there was no contraband in the vehicle, “there might be some on me.” No items were found in a subsequent vehicle search, but a search of Ospina revealed marijuana wrapped in money in his shorts pocket and three plastic baggies containing 1.5 grams of cocaine. He was arrested and transported to the county jail for booking.
JUNE 29 — A routine traffic stop in Royal Palm Beach last Friday turned into a drug bust. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 8:30 p.m. a deputy from the RPB substation was traveling on Belvedere Road and conducted a traffic stop on 22-year-old Jonathan Toro of Port St. Lucie. After making contact with Toro, the deputy noticed an odor of marijuana and saw a marijuana blunt on the floor of Toro’s vehicle. A subsequent search revealed that Toro had two clear plastic baggies containing marijuana inside his pants, according to the PBSO report. Also, three more baggies were discovered inside the vehicle. Toro was arrested for possession of marijuana under 20 grams, as well as for failure to appear for a traffic violation from December 2006.
JULY 1 — A 29-year-old
ing a large-scale comprehensive plan amendment.
Browning concurred. “Everyone is in agreement,” he said, “but we want to figure out how to do it and save money.”
E Road resident Bill Gurney said he hoped the town would move fast, because he could not afford the upkeep on the entire 10 acres he owns.
“I thought there was an implication prior to the election that they would seek one in five,” Gurney said. “I concur with what John said. I know personally, my plans are to sell relatively soon. I can’t afford to live here anymore. If I were to be allowed to take the ten acres and divide them, I could. My plans now are to put it up for sale and move out of the area. I am retired now. I don’t want to spend all my money taking care of my home.”
West Palm Beach man was arrested last Sunday for possession of marijuana and heroin after he was pulled over for speeding in Royal Palm Beach. According to a PBSO report, at 12:55 a.m. a deputy from the RPB substation observed a silver Honda traveling west on Southern Blvd. at 75 miles per hour in a posted 45 mph zone. After stopping the vehicle, the deputy noted that several white chips were observed in the driver’s lap, which the driver claimed was glaze from Krispy Kreme donuts. The driver was unable to provide a driver’s license or paperwork for the vehicle but claimed his name was “Jay Rizzo.” A female passenger, to whom the car was registered, allowed a search of the vehicle, which resulted in discovery of two marijuana blunts between the driver’s seat and center console, as well as a black magnetic box behind the driver’s seat containing several white chips believed to be cocaine. The driver claimed “that stuff ain’t mine.” During a test of the chips, it was discovered they were heroin, not cocaine. It was also discovered that “Jay Rizzo” did not exist, and the driver was actually Joseph McNees, a habitual traffic offender. McNees was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and providing a false name. He was transported to the county jail for booking.
Car Seat Safety Checks At Pediatric Associates
Pediatric Associates in Royal Palm Beach and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office have teamed up to offer “Car Seat Safety Days,” a program giving parents a convenient location to have their child’s car seats inspected.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 21 the PBSO will be stationed outside Pediatric Associates office at 1017 N. State Road 7 to inspect that car seats are properly installed. There is no charge for the inspection and they will be done on a first come, first served basis.
“There is no such thing as the ‘best’ or ‘safest’ child safety seat,” said Dr. Mohamed Chan, Pediatric Associates’ Royal Palm Beach office lead physician. “In order to ensure you are keeping your child safe, the car seat must fit your child’s size and be properly installed every time you drive.”
Some of the more commonly found car seat misuses include improper direction placement of the car seat, seat belts being either too loose or too tight, car seats not being the appropriate size for the child’s size, age and weight, and poor locking mechanisms, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Pediatric Associates Royal Palm Beach is a primary care pediatric office caring for infants, children and adolescents. The office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Extended night, weekend and holiday hours are available at the regional urgent care center in Boynton Beach. For more information on Pediatric Associates, visit www.pediatricassociates.com or call (877) 334-5437.
Fundraiser At Moose Lodge
The Royal Palm Beach Moose Lodge #2245 will hold its second annual fundraiser on Saturday, July 7 from 2 p.m. 10 p.m. The event will benefit the organization Forgotten Soldiers Outreach and will feature live bands, entertainment, raffles, games and fun for children and adults. JD of WIRK 107.9 FM’s “JD and the Wake Up Crew” will broadcast live during the event. Admission includes food and costs $5 for children 12 and under, and $10 for adults. The Moose Lodge is located at 828 F Road in Loxahatchee Groves. All proceeds from food and raffle sales will go to Forgotten Soldiers Outreach. For more information, call the Forgotten Soldiers Outreach at (561) 369-2933, Francine of the Moose Lodge at (561) 667-6674 or visit www.forgottensoldiers.org.
Registration Begins July 18 For Miami Dolphins Bus Trips
On Wednesday, July 18 the Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation Department will begin accepting registration for bus trips to Miami Dolphins games. Trips will be made on the following dates: Sept. 30 (Oakland Raiders), Oct. 21 (New England Patriots), Nov. 11 (Buffalo Bills) and Dec. 2 (New York Jets). The cost is $80 per person and includes a ticket, transportation, giveaways, food and beverage. Tickets are limited. For more information, call (561) 790-5124.
Honor Our Heroes — Employees of Wellington Regional Medical Center's Business Office Service Excellence Committee recently presented a check to the VA Medical Center in West Palm Beach on Honor Our Heroes Day. Pictured here are (L-R) Brenda Davis, Tina Loudermilk, Carolyn Wise, Susanne Watson (daughter of patient Francis Drake), Dr. Marshall Goby of the VA, Michelle Neidert, Dawn Bonacorsi, Helen Becker and Richard Rosenzweig.
Congregation B’nai Avraham: A New Approach To Old Traditions
By Lisa Gartner Town-Crier Staff Report
Congregation B’nai Avraham, the brainchild of seven young Wellington families, is taking a new look at Conservative Judaism.
Conservative synagogue Congregation B’nai Avraham will celebrate its grand opening July 15 at the original Wellington Mall
from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The congregation’s president Dr. Mel Kohan said he is excited to open its doors to the Wellington community.
“There’s a local reform synagogue and an orthodox synagogue,” he said. “Conservative Judaism is going to be represented in this town.”
What, then, is the new spin on an old tradition?
Point 1: the board members will be serving Starbucks coffee at the grand opening of their synagogue. “It’s kosher,” said Dr. Marla Friedman, vice president of programming.
Point 2: with his first child on the way — the expected due date is Yom Kippur in September— Rabbi Dr. David J. Abrams is considered a young rabbi at 49.
Point 3: the only conservative synagogue in Wellington, B’nai Avraham focuses on what Friedman calls South Florida’s defining characteristics: new families, close communities and open minds.
“The closest conservative synagogue is in Greenacres,” said Friedman, whose husband, Marc, also serves on the temple’s board of directors. “Six out of seven board members have small children, so it’s nice to have something close by.”
Friedman said the “newness” of Wellington offers an ideal environment for new congregations. “That’s the funny thing about South Florida, especially in the western communities,” she said. “Everything’s new. Up north, to have a new conservative synagogue is unheard of. The ones up there have been established for years and years.”
B’nai Avraham, on the other hand, started when Kohan placed an ad in the paper. “I thought, hey, maybe it’s time to get something started of our own,” he said.
After contacting the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Kohan chose Friedman,
her husband and five other Wellington residents to join the board of directors. They began meeting on Monday nights at the Wellington Community Center, and held Shabbat services every other Friday night at the Jewish Community Center in Wellington.
Kohan signed the lease at the original Wellington Mall last month. “The Wellington Mall had the best space plan where we did not have to spend much on tenant improvements, and the rent was very reasonable,” he said.
Perhaps even more momentous was the acquisition of a rabbi for the budding congregation. Rabbi Dr. Abrams practiced at Temple Emanuel in Virginia Beach, Va., before taking a leave to pursue his doctorate in clinical psychology.
“I’m officially back on the pulpit after a short hiatus,” said Abrams, who will continue his private practice in Boynton Beach while serving as the rabbi at B’nai Avraham.
“It’s really thrilling to start something new and be with people that are excited about building their own spiritual community within the confines of the conservative movement,” he said. “I get to see a lot of exuberance. It’s a lot of growth in a very short amount of time.”
The rabbi and the board look forward to the congregation’s grand opening — and what’s beyond.
“We’re going to be holding High Holiday services,” Friedman said. “And this fall we’re
set to open a Hebrew school, which will be K through 12. We’ve already got a curriculum.”
Friedman also said that bar and bat mitzvah training would be available for interested students of age. For now, however, Friedman and the rest of the founders are thrilled to present the grand opening of their synagogue to the community.
“We’re giving people a chance to not only see our space, but to meet the families involved, the rabbi and the board members,” she said. “We would like to talk to people who are interested in membership, high holidays and Hebrew school.”
Rabbi Dr. Abrams will perform a special dedication ceremony for the space. “Being that we’re new, that we’re so young, allows people to feel like they have a voice in how we grow and what we do from here,” he said. “We’re not looking to build a community; we’re looking to grow and learn together.”
Abrams said there is nothing more essential to the conservative sect of Judaism than growing with traditions.
“To know that even though they’re observing Jewish life, they’re changing and growing with it… that’s the beauty of Conservative Judaism. You’re observing the Jewish tradition with eyes open to growth and learning.”
For more information on Congregation B’nai Avraham, visit www.congregationbnaiavraham .com or call Dr. Friedman at (561) 790-0100.
PHOTO BY LISA
Dr. Marla Friedman inside Congregation B’nai Avraham's new location in the original Wellington Mall, which opens July 15.
Palms West Republican Club Hosts Congressional Candidate
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
State Rep. Gayle Harrell took aim at Congressman Tim Mahoney last week while touting her qualifications to replace the first-term Democrat in Washington, D.C.
Mahoney, initially considered a distant challenger to incumbent Mark Foley, narrowly won the seat last November after Foley dropped out due to a scandal involving congressional pages.
But Harrell, a Republican representing District 81 in Florida’s House of Representatives, told members of the Palms West Republican Club June 27 that Mahoney does not reflect the conservative, family-focused Republican core values of the people living in District 16, which includes parts of the western communities.
“Look at his voting record,” Harrell said. “He has a 93 percent voting record on par with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Does Nancy Pelosi represent us? I think not. We need someone who can move forward to take this seat back. I have the experience in the state legislature to be able to deal with the issues, whether it’s health care, domestic security, fiscal responsibility or other issues.”
Harrell described herself as a fiscal conservative and said Mahoney is among the many Democrats who are working to raise taxes and do away with tax exemptions. “He wants to increase our taxes,” she said. “We need someone to go to
Washington, D.C. to work hard to keep the tax dollars here. We spend them a whole lot better than the government spends them.”
Harrell, who is a member of the State House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety, also attacked congressional efforts to arrange an amnesty for illegal immigrants, saying a guest worker program would be a better option.
“When I see what is happening with the immigration issues, the attempt to offer amnesty is the worst thing we can do,” she said. “We have to secure our borders. I sit on [the] domestic security [committee]. I know what’s happening in the State of Florida. This is so intertwined and integrated in our security issues. We are going to have another terrorist attack if we do not deal with this right now. We have to secure our borders. We have to deal with the people who are here.”
Harrell said she is working to ensure that Florida’s Kid Care coverage is not extended to children of illegal immigrants.
“I want to be sure that the children of the citizens who have access to that are not illegal children,” she said. “We on the state level are being impacted with this in our school system. There are those of us who feel strongly that we need not pay for illegal children, but children who are born here.”
Harrell said the tax reform legislation passed during the state legislature’s special session last month would have a beneficial impact on residents, particular-
ly the rollbacks in taxation levels.
“Palm Beach County has not been fiscally responsible,” she said. “You should see a nine percent cut from taxes on your segment of the bill. This is moving forward. It will not stop. The cities and counties can only increase their revenues by the growth of the personal income and the ability of you to pay. That is an important feature as we move forward.”
Harrell said the homestead “super exemption” offered by the legislature would fix the inequity between longtime residents and newcomers, and keep government spending in line.
“Government spending will only grow at the rate the income grows,” she said. “We will be cutting spending and keeping the spending down. We are growing the exemption. It will control government spending.”
Some Republicans in attendance expressed concern that legislators did not address portability of homestead exemptions, and said they could not continue to afford to live in South Florida.
Harrell said new residents are facing discrimination in favor of older residents, and that portability runs the risk of being challenged as unconstitutional. Harrell said she herself is a great believer in portability, but it had become such a controversial issue that legislators had been advised not to consider it.
“There is a whole group of people that will challenge this as discrimination at the federal level,” she said. “We run the risk
of losing the portability exemption and having this declared unconstitutional at the federal level.”
Harrell urged club members to join the “Gayle Force” and help her mount a challenge to Mahoney.
“This is the number-one retention seat for the Democratic Party,” Harrell said. “It’s going to be a huge challenge to take this seat back. Congressman Mahoney already has a machine
out there. It will take all of us working together. This is not an easy race to take. I am the most qualified person out there. I can take the experience and go to Washington, D.C. and get things done. I have experience in cutting taxes, in healthcare and in security issues. That will be so important.”
For more information about the Palms West Republican Club, contact Charlie Fetscher at (561) 753-0084.
Congressional Challenger — State Rep. Gayle Harrell discusses her plans to challenge incumbent Congressman Tim Mahoney (D-District 16) in the 2008 election.
ROYAL PALM BEACH CELEBRATES FOURTH
OF JULY ALL DAY LONG
The Village Royal Palm Beach had a full day of activities to celebrate the Fourth of July, starting with a picnic lunch and lots of activities for the children at Veterans Park. From there the celebration moved to Sound Advice Amphitheatre, where the band Hot Brass Monkey performed, followed by a fireworks display... and lots of red, white and blue fun.
Fireworks light up the sky for the Fourth of July finale.
Royal Palm Beach resident Dolly Hughes and brother Dick Carmine share a laugh.
Jordyn Frank, Miranda Hill and Miranda Caruso have some ice cream.
Madison and Johnny Carmichael have fun at the Sound Advice Ampitheater.
Autumn and Aubrey De Filippo from New Jersey and their mom Cassi in the Village of RPB tent.Dereck and Marsha Erilus relax with a bite to eat.
Dylan and Justin Backer
Beth Escobar, Noel Escobar, Casey Escobar and Kendra Goodman.
Hot Brass Monkey performs on the Sound Advice stage.
RPB Mayor David Lodwick and wife Dana.
County Administrator and Wellington resident Bob Weisman and his wife Debbie.Susan Haas, Matthew Ritchie and Joey Tricoli.
A fireworks display capped off the day’s festivities. Loxahatchee Groves Vice Mayor Marge Herzog and Ruth Hamlyn at Sound Advice Amphitheatre. The Kislewski family and friends in the FPL booth.
Grades Reaching For Higher Marks
continued from page 1A great improvements over the last year, so we are pleased with that.”
Seminole Ridge was the only school among six in the district to successfully appeal a grade change last year. The school initially received a “D” for the 2005-06 school year, missing a “B” by one point and slipping an additional letter grade because only 48 percent of its lowest readers showed improvement. Following a successful appeal, Seminole Ridge was bumped up to a “C” grade.
McGee admitted an “A” would have been a crowning accomplishment. Still, the school has something to shoot for in 2007-08. “We are pleased with the teachers, the staff and the students,” she said. “I can’t say it enough. We are thrilled with the progress we made. The students, the teachers and the staff did an outstanding job. We know what our goal is for next year. We are extremely happy and proud of the performance by the school, teachers, students and staff. But what I wouldn’t give for one more point.”
Seminole Ridge’s biggest numerical demon was the FCAT science test, which only 42 percent of its junior class passed.
The two schools were joined by Palm Beach Central and Royal Palm Beach high schools as the only area public education institutions failing to earn the highest grade possible. Palm Beach Central also earned a “B,” while Royal Palm Beach earned a “C,” the same grades the two schools earned in 2005-06.
Despite each school seeing less than 50 percent of their lowest reading students making gains last year, neither PBCHS nor RPBHS was docked with a one-grade penalty. This is because for “B” and “C” schools, the state’s grading provisions allow gains in one of two consecutive years; each school showed ad-
equate improvement in 2005-06 to avoid the penalty this year, according to the FDOE web site.
Palm Beach Central earned 519 points, six shy of an “A,” and — like Seminole Ridge — was hurt by a low FCAT science score; only 49 percent of the school’s juniors passed that portion. However, even if at least 55 percent of its students had passed the FCAT science test, the school still would have received a “B” grade due to only 48 percent of its lowest readers showing improvement. Royal Palm Beach’s score of 437 was at the bottom end of the “C” grade; the school avoided a “D” by three points and was the only high school in the western communities that didn’t earn the 10 bonus points for FCAT retakes.
All middle and elementary schools in the western communities earned “A” grades, including Equestrian Trails Elementary School, which last year was the only area elementary school to earn a “B.” Equestrian Trails Principal Sandy Gero was ecstatic.
“It was an absolute focus on the part of all of my teachers with increasing the lowest 25 percent,” Gero said. “We concentrated on them, but worked with all of our students. It was a total team effort; we all worked together.”
When looking at the western communities as a whole, Gero said many people have misconceptions about what the “lowest 25 percent” represents.
“We have some high-achieving students that fall into that category,” Gero said. “In our area, the ‘lowest’ 25 percent are already meeting high standards.”
Pierce Hammock Elementary School Principal Jeff Eassa said he and his staff are very pleased the Acreage school received an “A” for the third consecutive year.
“Many of our kids performed exceptionally well, as we expected them to,” Eassa said. “This year we focused on our most needy students academically
and provided them with an in-school tutorial program,” Eassa said. “Our teachers made a decision and came together to find time in their schedule and day to help tutor, and it was a huge differencemaker for our performance.”
Crestwood Middle School Principal Stephanie Nance, who replaced Karen Whetsell in May, said she, her staff and faculty are pleased that the school had earned its seventh consecutive “A” from the state. “We are very excited,” Nance said. “We are so proud of our students, parents and the community support. They were all factors that have contrib-
uted to the success at our school.”
Nance said the school will post information on Edline, in the Crestwood newsletter and on its marquee.
Dr. Susan Atherley, departing principal at Osceola Creek Middle School, said she was thrilled with the school’s results. “They were an ‘A’ for the third year in a row,” she said. “They also went up in writing. They showed improvements with the lowest 25 percent in their reading scores.”
More than 60 percent of Osceola Creek’s lowest-scoring readers showed gains this year.
It’s Not Easy To Appeal A School Grade
According to the Florida Department of Education, school districts have a 30-day window to make a formal request to the state for reconsideration of school grades. The appeal must be backed up by documentation or evidence that suggests the initial grade was not correct.
Palm Beach County School District Assessment Manager Cherie Boone said a very specific process is required when filing an appeal, starting with the school analyzing data provided by the state.
Boone said each appealing school’s focus can be different, depending on its own unique situation. She noted there are areas outlined by the state that may not be used as the basis for an appeal.
There are some very specific areas where neither a school nor a district is allowed to appeal. These areas include:
• Incorrect student identification numbers, district numbers or school numbers on any student or assessment records
• Changes in student demographic information — race, gender, limited English proficiency, exceptionality, free or reduced-cost lunch status and grade level
• Student withdrawals from a school or district
• Prior year reading and math FCAT assessment information
• School type assignment and
• Any request for a change in a school grade that requires a change in statute or rule.
Using the data, and following the state’s guidelines, Boone said a school will put together its case as to why its grade should be adjusted favorably. The school’s proposal is then sent to Boone’s office, which reviews the request. The appeal then needs to be approved by Superintendent Dr. Art Johnson. If Johnson gives his blessing, the appeal is sent to FDOE Deputy Commissioner Jay Pfeiffer’s office, and the state will review the request. The decisions are made by the commissioner based on department staff recommendations. The appeal needs to be in Tallahassee by July 30. Boone said while there is no timeframe for the state to respond, past experience suggests six to eight weeks.
“The onus is on the schools to put forward a very good case,” Boone said. “Even so, it’s very difficult.”
— Paul Gaba
RPB ROTARY INSTALLS NEW OFFICERS, AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS
The Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club held its annual installation of officers dinner last Saturday at the Links at Madison Green Golf & Country Club in Royal Palm Beach. In addition to the installation, the club presented scholarship checks in the amount of $1,000 to local students. The officers for 2007-2008 are as follows: President Dr. Giuseppe Corinella, President-Elect Scott Armand, Vice President Anthony Endler, Secretary Joan Brown-Folkes, Treasurer Terri Wescott, Sergeant at Arms Keith Jordano and Past President Lynn Balch. For more information about the RPB Rotary, visit www.rpbrotary.org. PHOTOS BY
The 2007-2008
Yvonne Seaton, scholarship recipient Aaron Jhagroo, Rotary Scholarship Committee Chair Dr. Ron Peterson, Roslyn Jhagroo and Lorna Jhagroo.
Scholarship recipients Amber Frost and Aaron Jhagroo.
RPB Rotary officers: Secretary Eric Gordon, President Dr. Giuseppe Corinella, Vice President Tony Endler, Treasurer Terri Wescott and President-Elect Scott Armand.
DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Lynn Balch presents Terri Wescott with a gift for being Rotarian of the Year.
New RPB Rotary Club officers with scholarhip recipients.
Outgoing president Lynn Balch and incoming president Dr. Giuseppe Corinella.
Dr. Ron Peterson and $1,000 scholarship recipient Ta Shauna Graham.
Michael Borrello, scholarship recipient Kelly-Ann Fasano of Wellington and her parents Richard and Cindy.
DRC Gives Stadium Jumping Green Light For New Showgrounds Project
Stadium Jumping announced this week that the Wellington International Equestrian Arena at the Wellington Preserve has received certification from the village’s Development Review Committee both for the master plan amendment and the development order amendments for the Wellington International Equestrian Showgrounds.
The certification allows for the project to continue through the approval process.
The DRC is composed of Wellington staff members and consultants from various village departments. There are two components to the application: an amendment to the existing Orange Point PUD development order and an amendment to the existing Orange Point PUD master plan.
In addition to its DRC certification, Stadium Jumping has been hosting a series of forums with neighborhood groups.
The next forum for all equestrians will be held on Monday, July 9 at 6 p.m. A presentation of the project will be made, followed by a question-and-answer session.
To receive an invitation to the community forum, e-mail equestrianarena @hotmail.com. These forums are in addition to public hearings that will be held by the Village of Wellington as part of the group’s application review process.
The forums have allowed interested property owners and equestrians the opportunity to learn more about the new world-class showgrounds and amenities, as well as the details of the project and approval process. In addition to these local forums, Stadium Jumping hosted a reception at the Lake Placid Horse Show in New York on Friday. Equestrians had the opportunity to view the renderings and discuss the project with its designers and Stadium Jumping executives.
The project has been called one of the
most significant equestrian projects in North America. A world-class team of professionals is part of the blue ribbon panel of experts working on this project, including internationally recognized equestrian designer Robert Jolicoeur and nationally recognized and local firms that specialize in engineering and environmental issues.
The project is slated to bring significant benefit to neighborhoods surrounding the arena, the Village of Wellington and the entire region by maintaining land values and creating businesses, jobs and tax revenues.
The group announced the Wellington Preserve Corporation will be donating 179 acres of land for the project. In addition to its donation of the land, the Wellington Preserve Corporation will be contributing a portion of the surrounding lot sale proceeds for the construction of the new facilities. The group continues to evaluate a number of financing options but says it is not seeking funding from the village.
“We are grateful to the Wellington Preserve Corporation for working with us on this important project. Today, we are at an exciting stage in this process,” said Stadium Jumping Chairman and CEO Gene Mische. “From the design and facilities to the environmental standards and planning, this effort has been unmatched in terms of quality considerations. I have no doubt as we continue to go through this process that we are building something special for the community and generations to come.”
The WIEA will meet the new facility standards established by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), and will exceed visitor and participant expectations for show quality and ambiance. Its facilities for riders, horses, vendors and spectators will be unparalleled, according to various experts in the equestrian industry.
Open 7 Days • 9 AM – 9 PM No Appointment Necessary
•
Applications for development approval and a conceptual master plan have been submitted to the village, according to Stadium Jumping officials. The target opening is 2009.
The facility will be available to the public for equestrian uses. Constraints on public use are security, liability, the need to protect competition surfaces and to protect surrounding property owners from other unrelated events.
The group outlined its application and approval process, which includes an Equestrian Committee meeting on July 11, a Planning, Zoning and Adjustment Board meeting on Aug. 2 and a village council meeting on Aug. 28. It is expected to break ground as soon as the final ap-
provals are received.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to continue to provide further outreach to the equestrian community, business interests and all residents of Wellington. The group will be using new technology to communicate to the equestrian community, especially due to diverse geography of interested parties.
The group has committed that all interested parties will have the same opportunity to review the information and comment on it, regardless of their geographical location.
The site plan, renderings and other communication will be available for viewing at Stadium Jumping’s web site at www.stadiumjumping.com.
Stadium Jumping Principal Jerry Jacobs, President John Canavan and CEO Gene Mische during a recent unveiling of plans in Lake Placid, New York.
RPB’s Deborah Jaffe To Chair 2008 Komen Race For The Cure
The Komen South Florida Race for the Cure has named Deborah Jaffe of Royal Palm Beach its race chair for the 17th annual event, to be held Jan. 19, 2008 in downtown West Palm Beach.
Jennifer Smith of West Palm Beach will serve as co-chair, Elizabeth DeWoody of West Palm Beach is consulting chair and Erin Arbabha of Stuart is next year’s honorary chair.
Jaffe has been an active volunteer for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the South Florida Race for the Cure for seven years. She most recently served as the 2007 race co-chair, and has served as president of the organization’s board of directors. Jaffe also serves as president-elect of the board of directors for the Executive Women of the Palm Beaches. She is the co-owner of A Passion for Parties, an event- and party-planning firm
based in West Palm Beach.
The 17th annual Komen South Florida Race for the Cure is the oldest and largest 5k run/walk of its kind in Florida.All proceeds benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure, established in 1982 by Nancy G. Brinker in honor of her sister Susan G. Komen, who died of breast cancer at the age of 36.
Last year’s Komen South Florida Race for the Cure attracted more than 23,000 participants and raised a record $1.7 million. Of the money raised annually at the event, up to 75 percent stays in the area to fund valuable education, screening and treatment. The remaining 25 percent helps fund cutting-edge breast cancer research.
For more information, visit www.komensouthflorida.org or call (561) 841-0041.
(L-R) Erin Arbabha, Jennifer Smith, Deborah Jaffe and Elizabeth DeWoody.
WellingTAN Offers A Safe, Quality Tanning Experience
By Paul Gaba Town-Crier Staff Report
Back in the mid-1970s, “tanning” was in its heyday and was epitomized by the bronzed skin of George Hamilton and the hippie-esque Zonker Harris of Doonesbury fame. But the practice took some major hits over the question of cancerous rays and skin aged through overindulgence of worshipping the sun god.
Thirty years later, much more is known about the dangers of too much sunlight, and — equally important — how to best combat those dangers. And the upscale WellingTAN salon in the Wellington Country Plaza uses cutting-edge tanning beds to help make the tanning experience as safe and positive as possible.
“This is not your father’s tanning salon. We don’t use hot bulbs; this is the good stuff,” owner David Thorpe said of the business he opened five years ago.
“I want it to be clean here,” Thorpe said. “We’ve never had any problems. We’ve never been cited by the health department. All we do is get compliments. Our beds will not burn you, versus going out and getting fried in the sun. The number-one thing you want to avoid is getting sunburned. Burning is bad.”
Thorpe noted that getting a tan can actually be healthy, because humans naturally produce vitamin D in their bodies through exposure to sunlight that individuals can.
“You need some UVB [ultraviolet B rays] to get color, but we limit it here,” Thorpe said. “UVB provides vitamin D, which helps prevent against osteoporosis, colon cancer and breast cancer.”
Thorpe said UVB is different than the dangerous ultraviolet C (UVC) rays, which are cancercausing rays. “We don’t have any UVC rays in here whatsoever,” Thorpe said.
Thorpe added that those who come to WellingTAN for a “base
tan” are less likely to burn when outside.
“A person who tans indoors, or if you’ve got a base tan, is less likely to burn outdoors,” Thorpe said. “If you go to the beach and you’re white, the chances are that, even if you put sunscreen on, if you go into the water, you’re going to end up with a burn. That is bad. If you can get a base tan, you’ll have at least some protection against that.”
Thorpe’s entrance into the tanning field was as surprising to him as it was to friends and family members. Prior to opening WellingTAN, he was in the music business, owned a cellular telephone dealership and had dabbled in several other projects. None of his prior business dealings were remotely related to the tanning industry.
“I was pretty much burned out with corporate America after 9/11,” Thorpe said, “and AT&T wasn’t really friendly to the dealerships that put them where they were, so I decided — after 11 years of cell phones — it was time for a change. I wanted something else to do with my life. I couldn’t see myself going to work for WalMart.”
Thorpe said he investigated the tanning business at the suggestion of several friends from Toronto.
“They said, ‘Dave, have you thought about getting into the tanning salon business?’ It was the last thing I would ever think of,” Thorpe said. “I said to them, ‘Isn’t it just young girls with pierced tongues?’And they said, ‘no — it’s a business.’”
Thorpe said he did some research and thought it over, even toying with some possible names, such as “the International House of Tancakes,” before deciding he would venture into the industry. WellingTAN was a natural name for a Wellingtonbased tanning salon.
“I went up to Toronto and looked at seven or eight different salons,” Thorpe said. “They put money into them up there;
they were nicer than what I had seen down here. Some had things like waterfalls inside them; it was definitely not ‘ghetto,’ with white walls and a boom box, where they hand you a towel and you’re on your own.”
Thorpe decided to go upscale, taking a year to create his business.
“I’d never done this before, and a lot of people thought I would run out of money; I probably could have saved money in certain areas,” he said. “Somewhere along the line I began to think maybe they’re right. But I’d decided if I was going to do this, I was going to do it right.”
Thorpe said 38 clients came in the first day WellingTAN opened its doors. The business now has more than 9,000 clients, and during the winter peak season, a line can usually be seen waiting at its door.
“No one had seen this (upscale) level of tanning salon; within four months, we made the Wellington Forum’s ‘Best of
the West,’ and we hadn’t even been open a year,” Thorpe said. “We’ve won ‘Best of the West’ five years in a row. In 2004, we won Tanning Trend’s ‘Salon of the Month’ — only 12 are picked out of the entire world. In 2007 we won Looking Fit magazine’s ‘Top 250,’ out of 100,000 salons in the United States. It’s definitely a pride thing now.”
In late June, the salon was also honored as the 2007 WPBF-TV 25 “A-List” winner among area tanning salons.
Unlike some salons, WellingTAN does not offer any additional services, like smoothies, nail care or spray tanning. “I figure if we can just be the best at one thing, versus trying to be a master of all areas, it’s the way to go,” Thorpe said.
However, WellingTAN does offer a variety of packages starting as low as $29.95 per month for unlimited tanning. Clients can purchase minute-rate plans, can share minutes with others, and the minutes have no expiration
PHOTO BY PAUL GABA/TOWN-CRIER
date. Coupons are available on its web site at www.welling tan.com, and gift certificates are also available in any denomination.
“We’re probably the least expensive, if not close to the least expensive,” Thorpe said. “We provide the eyewear for free, and we put chocolate mints on the pillows” In addition, Thorpe said his staff is professional — “they’re not on their cell phones, there’s no TV up front,” he said. During the peak season, three or four girls will be working a shift; during the summer, two girls work at a time. Thorpe is also on the premises until 2 p.m. daily, as well as some evenings. WellingTAN is located in the Wellington Country Plaza at 12797 Forest Hill Blvd. and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. Call (561) 383-8883 for an appointment or more information.
The Hot Bed — WellingTAN owner David Thorpe inside one of the tanning rooms.
Synergie Cellulite Program Available At Wellness Experience
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
It’s not exactly the bane of western civilization, but cellulite is something women and men fear like the plague, particularly at this beach-going time of year.
For years people have used products such as creams, luffa sponges and vitamins to get rid of cellulite – those deposits of dimpled fat on the thighs or buttocks. Some work better than others.
Now comes Synergie, touted as a “cellulite solution” program that consists of a series of twiceweekly sessions, followed by monthly maintenance visits.
The Synergie Cellulite Program is available at the Wellness Experience at Kobosko’s Crossing in Wellington as part of chiropractor Dr. Randall F. Laurich’s practice.
Laurie Vyselaar, the massage therapist who runs the program, said Synergie can provide a temporary reduction in the appearance of cellulite.
The program uses FDA-approved vacuum massage technology that physically manipulates collagen fibers and connective tissue and increases metabolism to the treated area through increased blood circulation.
Vyselaar said the technique was originally developed in France to aid burn victims in getting rid of scar tissue.
“One of my clients in Scottsdale was burned from her knee to under her arm,” said Vyselaar, who moved to Wellington from the Phoenix area seven years ago. “She had tremendous results and increased freedom of movement. So it helps in that way as long as the burns are older.”
Vyselaar has started working with Weston-based Dr. Alberto Sant Antonio to provide followup procedures for Sant Antonio’s body sculpting surgery. The surgery, Vyselaar said, is an advanced technique of permanently removing excess fat deposits in areas resistant to diet and exercise.
“It’s a way of losing the fat without having all the extra skin,” Vyselaar said. “It gives people their lives back. We follow up here with anybody who has that procedure.”
The centerpiece of the Synergie Cellulite Program is an aesthetic massage system machine. Vyselaar uses the machine’s vacuum suction head to treat the skin painlessly.
“Different heads do different things. It’s like getting a massage,” Vyselaar said. “People even fall asleep on the table.”
“If you get a better blood flow, you get rid of the cellulite,” Vyselaar said. “It also works on scar tissue and it will work on very tight muscles. For men, it helps eliminates love handles. Some clients just want a massage. It gives a nice, even massage, too.”
Vyselaar said she has taken as much as seven inches off a person’s waist through the cellulite removal program. The program, however, is not an overnight solution. Each treatment takes approximately 30 minutes and treatments need to be done twice a week for eight weeks, a total of 16 ses-
sions. The cost of the program varies by treatment, Vyselaar said. The Wellness Center is currently offering an introductory session for $49.
“I learned to do this about seven years ago,” Vyselaar said. “In Arizona I was doing it six days a week for five hours a day.”
The Wellness Center is located at 9180 Forest Hill Blvd. Vyselaar is available for treatments from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays and from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays she is available by appointment only. For more information, call (561) 333-5351.
Massage Therapy — Laurie Vyselaar runs the Synergie Cellulite Program at the Wellness Experience at Kobosko’s Crossing shopping plaza in Wellington.
PHOTO
Then Or Now, Parental Dating Advice Is Never Welcome
Sometimes when I’m out and about, I’ll catch sight of a teenage boy trying to get a teenage girl to go out with him and it’s cute. I know it’s not cute for the kids involved, though. For them, it’s more of a catch-in-the-throat kind of thing. Life-and-death serious. For the guy, a lot of ego is at stake. For the girl, it’s her reputation.
I had a couple of boyfriends in high school but didn’t fall seriously “in love” until college. Guys would ask me out, but I often said no. The reason I said no was always the same — I didn’t think I would be able to handle anyone aggressive enough to ask me out. So you can see where it was kind of a Catch-22. Yet I didn’t want to hurt their feelings later, so I nipped it in the bud by pretending I wasn’t interested. At my university’s incoming freshman mixer, I said no to one guy (who had only asked me to dance) because he had a mustache. I was 17 and fresh out of high school, so I knew that anyone with a mustache was much too
mature for me. Ironically, the poor guy had probably spent all summer growing the thing to try to look old enough for college.
Another time, my dad tried to “help.” Parents don’t like to think they are clueless... but sometimes they are. For instance, later in my college career I was student-teaching every morning at an elementary school near his office, so sometimes he would pick me up and we would go to lunch together.
On this particular day, the school had a special guest — a folk guitarist — and I was sitting with my young charges in the audience. I didn’t like the way the entertainer began singing directly to me instead of to my students. When the program was over, the kids went on to the cafeteria and I packed up my stuff and headed outside to Dad’s car. Trailing behind me was the guitar player.
Let me point out that after a few years, girls get pretty good at ascertaining when someone’s going to ask them out. Girls
try to zigzag a bit if they’re trying to avoid the approach. That day I was zigzagging like mad but Dad wasn’t. He came bounding up to my side, took my books and struck up a conversation with the entertainer! Not only was he clueless as to my avoidance efforts, he ended up taking the guy’s side.
The whole awful scene unfolded as I was trying to get into the passenger side of Dad’s car with both Dad and the guitarist trying to stop me. Dad was actually holding the door shut as I tried to enter.
“Aw, Debbie, why don’t you hear what the guy is trying to say?” (Thanks, Dad. Now he knows my name.)
“All I want to do is ask you out, Debbie.” (I know but I don’t want to.)
“Why don’t you go out with him?” (Because he’s already using my name! Too familiar! Too familiar!)
“Why don’t you listen to your father?” (Stop buttering him up! He’s only a clueless parent!)
It took a withering look toward Dad
and superhuman strength, but I finally got the car door open. I mumbled “no, thank you” to my suitor and leapt to safety. Dad lingered a few moments more, apologizing. “Well sport, I’m sorry. I tried.”
I fully expected him to hand him my phone number.
But I have two messages here. One is to boys trying to ask girls out: sometimes we girls are just running with our feelings. It’s nothing against you personally. It’s just that, in the beginning, intuition is all we’ve got.
And the other is to dads: trust your daughter’s intuition. Please.
Living The Good Life: What I Did On My Summer Vacation
My favorite kind of vacation is one in which I get truly pampered. An old former educator and his still-educating wife will never be rich enough to be taken care of like the average celebrity, but for one week a year we get enough to pretend we’re one of the rich and powerful couples.
I love going to the Moon Palace in Cancun where we have a timeshare. One of the reasons we go, of course, has to do with the 13 restaurants they have on premises. And, as an all-inclusive hotel, we have access to all of them. Want to feel rich? Choose where you eat without worrying about cost. When you can eat at a high-class Asian-fusion restaurant one night, an elegant Caribbean restaurant the next, and then “slum” by having
your tenderloin cooked to order on a patio right on a Caribbean beach the third, you wind up feeling awfully good. And we had a full week of this!
We particularly love the deliciously caring service of the people working there. (And the word “tip” is considered vile. Staff members are paid at a far higher rate than normal to ensure that tips are already covered.)
Turn around and someone is asking if you want another drink. And, yes, the drinks are also covered. Go to one of the swim-up bars in the gigantic pools and get your piña colada or a “Miami Vice.”
The people there were incredibly nice. Monica, who greeted us, was a charming woman from Mexico City who up-
dated us on changes to the place since our last visit. By the end of the week, she and my wife were discussing not only special events, but comparing childrearing practices in Florida and Mexico.
Monica was the person who insisted we really had to visit Chichen Itza, the famous Mayan ruins a few hours’ drive beyond the city. Of course, excursions are also included as part of our deal. We traveled in an air-conditioned Mercedes bus to visit a site that is both historically meaningful and breathtakingly impressive.
Chichen Itza was important for the Mayans and Toltecs as a key religious area between 400 and 1400 AD. The central pyramid dedicated to the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl still stands
By Leonard Wechsler
(although one of its sides was quarried for building stone, a horrible desecration). Its north wall, where the sun directly shines during spring and fall equinoxes, is filled with religious symbolism. People went there to hear the leaders; somehow the surface reflects sound back to listeners extraordinarily well, something
See WECHSLER, page 35A
Training Wild Horses A Passion For Loxahatchee Teenager
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
Ashley Stevenson is not your average 19-year-old Loxahatchee girl. She is spending her summer training a wild horse recently captured in Nevada, preparing it for competition in September.
Mustangs are feral horses of the American Southwest, originally descended from horses brought to the New World by the Spanish Conquistadors. With no natural predators and a shrinking habitat, federally protected mustangs culled from wild herds by the Bureau of Land Management are offered for adoption.
And these wild horses are just part of family life for Stevenson. “I grew up with them,” she said. “My mom adopted the first one in 1980. It took me forever to convince her to get another one. Right now we have 12.”
Ashley and her mother Darlene are both members of the South Florida Mustang Club, and as mustang enthusiasts they find good homes for some of the horses, train others, and try to dispel misconceptions about the breed.
“I pretty much change people’s minds,” Stevenson said. “They think they are untrainable and totally wild, feral animals. In fact, most of them are very trainable. A lot of people have misconceptions about Mustangs. They turn out to be some of the best horses to work with.”
Stevenson’s latest project as a trainer is On the Rocks, a
mustang she and her mother collected from the Bureau of Land Management last month. Stevenson and her new mustang are scheduled to compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover Sept. 21 through 23 at the Will Rogers Equestrian Facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Stevenson is one of a hundred trainers competing, chosen from a pool of over 200 applicants.
The newly captured mustangs in the competition must demonstrate their ability to wear a saddle, be loaded and unloaded from a trailer, walk, trot and canter, and negotiate a course of maneuvers.
Since making the 30-hour drive to bring On the Rocks to Loxahatchee from an Oklahoma holding facility, Stevenson and her mother have been working with the horse each day for six to eight hours. They said they
hope the judges at the competition will see a huge change in him in Texas in September.
Members of the South Florida Mustang Club held a tack sale at the Loxahatchee home of Ed Parks June 23 to help Stevenson raise the money she needs to compete, and she brought On the Rocks along to familiarize him with humans. While the mustang was skittish with strangers, Stevenson said he would settle down later in the day once he returns to his new home.
“He doesn’t do this at home,” Stevenson said. “He’s pretty scared. It’s good for him to see people. Eventually, he will settle down.”
Stevenson said the attention she and her mother have paid to On the Rocks is showing. “We have seen a lot of progress,” she said. “We couldn’t get close to
him two weeks ago. My mom works with him a bit, but I work with him the majority of the time. The first time I was able to touch his shoulder was last Tuesday.”
Ashley and Darlene said the length of time a wild Mustang needs to become accustomed to humans depends on the horse. Some are ready to work with people the minute they get off the trailer, but others take years.
“They think everything is out to kill them,” Ashley said. “So once they get over that, they get better. I can touch him now. When there are not a lot of people around, I can touch him all over. I walked him into the trailer this morning. He’s making a lot of progress.”
Stevenson’s fellow South Florida Mustang Club members said she has a way with the breed.
“Ashley is quite the trainer,” Ed Parks said. “She’s really good with him. She and her mom are also responsible for taking a lot of horses away from people who can’t afford to feed them. It’s all about preservation of the horse. We’re all friends, and it’s like an extended family. The group, the South Florida Mustang Club, is presenting this fundraiser today so she can compete in the competition. We’ve run signs. We’ve run ads. We sent out flyers and so forth. The South Florida Mustang Club is all about the preservation of the wild mustangs.” For more information about the Extreme Mustang Makeover, visit the Mustang Heritage Foundation web site at www.mustangheritagefoundation .org. To support Ashley, e-mail lakotasurprise@aol.com.
Ashley Stevenson and mom Darlene with Bacardi.
Karen Goodman and Cassidy Anderson of the South Florida Mustang Club at the tack sale to benefit Stevenson, who is raising money to enter a “mustang makeover” competition.
BUSCH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY VISITS ROYAL PALM BEACH LIBRARY
On Saturday, June 30 the Royal Palm Beach library received a visit from the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter. Children got to meet sanctuary animals and learn how they were rehabilitated. The animals arrived at the sanctuary after sustaining injuries in the wild or having been abandoned by people who failed to make pets of them. For more info., call (561) 5753399 or visit www.buschwildlife.com.
Six-year-old Mara Huvelbank pets Penny the skunk, held by Amy Kight.
Amy Kight with Amanda, a crested caracara, as she shows off her wings.
PHOTOS
Amy Kight holds an albino red rat snake.
Alex Porras, 8, pets Aki the alligator.
Grandmother Judith Dillon with Bailey Smith, 3, Austin Smith, 6, Amy Kight (with Penny the skunk) and Alexis Smith, 4.
Volunteer Ron Dunn holds Penny the skunk (left) and Ping the screech owl (right).
Indian Trail Improvement District Holds Employee Awards Picnic
On June 16 Indian Trail Improvement District employees and their families were treated to a barbecue at Ocean Reef Park on Singer Island for the district’s quarterly safety awards. Operations Director Terry Narrow and Public Works Supervisor Terry Benefield served as chefs. Quarterly safety awards were given to employees Ramon Rodriquez (parks), Bob Ochs and Irish Stossel (maintenance) and Do-
minick Liso (aquatics). Members of the ITID Board of Supervisors were in attendance. The employees’ annual horseshoe tournament was also held that day. Winners of the tournament were Mike Sheets and Scott Terrazas.
A wonderful time was had by all, including the employees’ children and even some grandchildren who were entertained, fed and then frolicked in the surf all afternoon.
Safety award winners Bob Ochs, Dominick Liso, Ramon Rodriquez and Irish Stossel.
(Left) Terry Narrow and Terry Benefield do the cooking. (Above) Employees Jesse Terrazas, Mike Sheets and Bradley Spitzer.
Bob Ochs receives a safety award from Terry Benefield.
ITID Supervisor Carol Jacobs, President Michelle Damone, VP Mike Erickson and Supervisor Sandra Love-Semande.
NATURE CENTER CAMPERS VISIT FOLKE PETERSON
Folke Peterson Wildlife Center welcomed Okeeheelee Nature Center day campers last Tuesday. Wildlife rehabilitators explained the dangers wild animals face when their habitat is taken over by humans. The animals shown in the program were all injured and cannot be returned to the wild. Folke Peterson Wildlife Center rehabilitates injured and orphaned native Florida wildlife and releases them back into the wild if possible. Animals that have imprinted on humans or cannot be released are cared for at the center and used in education and conservation programs. The center is located at 10948 Acme Road. For more info., call (561) 793-BIRD.
A peacock displays his colorful tail on the grounds behind the center.
Wildlife care manager Vered Nograd shows the children a box turtle.
Virginia Bowen shows the children Sunshine, a red-shouldered hawk.
Special Screening Of Dale Earnhardt Film July 19 at Regal Cinema In RPB
On Thursday, July 19 Dale Earnhardt fans will get one last chance to experience their idol on the big screen.
Produced by NASCAR Images and CMT Films and presented through National CineMedia’s Fathom, the Earnhardt family-authorized documentary The Intimidator will be shown at the Regal Royal Palm Beach Stadium 18 at 1003 State Road 7.
The screening starts at 7:30 p.m.
Narrated by Paul Newman, this new 100-minute documentary provides the most accurate
presentation of Earnhardt’s career and life.
Earnhardt’s fiercest competitors and most avid fans share memories of him on the track.
And his family members and closest friends give insight to the man behind “the Intimidator” persona. The July 19 screening features Earnhardt in his own words, followed by never-before-seen footage, interviews and deleted scenes that were not shown at prior screenings.
“Millions of NASCAR fans don’t live in cities along the race circuit, so we wanted to be sure that they, too, had the chance
to catch this new larger-thanlife documentary on the big screen in their home town,” said Dan Diamond, vice president of National CineMedia’s Fathom.
“This definitive film illustrates the depth of Earnhardt’s influence in the racing world and beyond, told in his own words and therefore in a way that no other prior movie can match.”
Tickets for this one-night event are available now for $10 at www.fathomevents.com, as well as at the theater box office. For more information about the film, visit www.dale themovie.com.
Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Meetings In West Palm Beach July 18-20
Individuals interested in the restoration of the Everglades are invited to attend meetings being conducted by the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Science Coordination Group this month. The meetings are being held in the Building B-1 auditorium at South Florida Water Management District headquarters, located at 3301 Gun Club Road in West Palm Beach.
The Science Coordination Group will meet Wednesday, July 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The SCG is the science coordinating body of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force and is currently working on revisions to the draft plan to coordinate science and on system-wide ecological indicators.
The working group will meet Thursday, July 19 from 1 to 5 p.m., and will begin with an opportunity for each member to inform the group about current events.
A consultation workshop will be conducted from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. regarding a project implementation report for the melaleuca scoping phase. Members will discuss accomplishments since the last meeting and planned activities scheduled before the next meeting. This will include updates by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on restoration progress and by the
South Florida Water Management District on their Acceler8 and Northern Everglades programs.
Updates will also be provided by the task force’s science coordination group, Biscayne Bay regional restoration coordination team, land acquisition task team and on the status of litigation. After an opportunity for public comment at 5 p.m., the meeting will adjourn for the evening, followed by a no-host social. Friday, July 20, the working group will reconvene from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Following receipt of a report from the task force’s executive director, the working group will receive an update on an avian ecology workshop, scheduled for Aug. 13-15 in Miami. The working group will then review recommended revisions to the current strategic goals and ob-
jectives in the task force strategy, in preparation for review by the task force at its next meeting in September. Following an opportunity for public comment at 11:15 a.m., next steps and closing comments, the meeting will adjourn.
The Florida-based group consists of 25 members representing tribal, local, state and federal entities which are working together on the restoration of the Greater Everglades ecosystem. For further information, contact Task Force Public Affairs Officer Mary Plumb at (305) 3481662.
The public is encouraged to attend and opportunities will be provided for public comment. Detailed agendas and directions can be found online at www.sfrestore.org. Directions are also available by calling (561) 686-8800.
PROCER Meets At Main Library July 10
The PROCER Organization will be holding a general membership meeting on Tuesday, July 10, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Palm Beach County Library, located at 3650 Summit Blvd in West Palm Beach.
As always, there will be a cultural chat and important announcements about the organization’s activities.
People are encouraged to come and learn about ways to help promote the Puerto Rican culture and arts by supporting emerging young artists.
For more info, contact the PROCER Organization, 125 S. State Rd 7 Suite 104-109, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411.
Call (561)753-3649 or visit www.proceres.org.
SUMMER CAMP
ACTIVITIES IN FULL SWING IN WELLINGTON
The Village of Wellington's Summer Camp for kids is well underway, having started in June and concluding in August. Last Friday, campers took to fishing and kayaking on the lake by the Pierson Park football fields. Other camp activities include field trips to a variety of locations, basketball, roller hockey, flag football and lacrosse. Additionally, the campers visit the Wellington Aquatics Complex and are entertained by visiting entertainment vendors. For more information, call (561) 791-4005.
On June 25, day campers at the Okeeheelee Nature Center welcomed a visit from Karrie Hamilton, education coordinator at the Palm Beach Zoo. Hamilton brought a pigmy hedgehog, ball python, tortoise and alligator for the children to see. The theme was animals from Africa and, with the exception of the American alligator, the animals all came from diverse environments on the African continent, such as the rainforest, desert and grasslands. The Okeeheelee Nature Center is located at 7715 Forest Hill Blvd. Call (561) 233-1400 for more information. (Left) Hamilton introduces Caitlyn Hulen to a ball python. (Right) Hamilton and Amber Rigsby with an American alligator.
Camp Counselor Marco Manuel helps launch Deanna Mirra in her kayak.
Campers navigate the small lake in their kayaks.
Camp counselors try to give campers pointers from the shore on how to paddle the kayaks.
Michael Viscusi, 9, tries a different fishing trick, dipping the tip of his fishing pole below the surface of the water.
Deanna Mirra, 10, shows off her casting form.
Justine Fern (left) and Abriah Miles (right) bait their hooks.
Palm Beach Central Basketball Coach Looks Ahead To Next Season
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
Seated in a Wellington café recently, Tom Adkins pushed his plate off to one side, put his elbow on the table and sighed.
“I’m tired,” the veteran Palm Beach Central High School boys basketball coach said.
But it was a good kind of tired — the kind born of satisfaction and success.
Adkins had plenty of each in June as he watched his 200708 Broncos team — bits and pieces of it, at least —compile a 16-2 record against Class 6A teams in summer league tour-
naments in Daytona Beach and Lake Wales.
Led by senior guards Diego Torres, Jason Ebbs and junior guard Rudy St. Germain, PBC went 4-2 in Daytona Beach and followed with a 12-0 record over a three-day period at Warner Southern College in Lake Wales. Warner Southern, by the way, is where two former Broncos stars — Josh Hosang and Jeremy Cooper — will compete as freshmen this upcoming season.
Hosang, a six-foot, six-inch center, led PBC in scoring and rebounding this past season. Cooper, a 6-5 forward who
came into his own as a junior, played only a few games last season because of a shoulder injury.
And while the Broncos will no doubt miss their inside games, Adkins has liked what he has seen this summer from PBC’s outside game, particularly from Torres, the team’s most consistent three-point shooter a season ago.
“He’s shooting the three-ball very well,” said Adkins.
Torres’ three-pointer at the buzzer beat Royal Palm Beach 68-66 this past season but it was a three-point attempt that went in and out at the buzzer against
Palm Beach Lakes in a 51-49 loss in a district semi-final game that still haunts Broncos fans.
“He’s responded very well from that,” Adkins said. “I think it’s going to harden him for the next time. I think we’ll have a better passing club this season. Last season we had some big kids who were good athletes. This year we have basketball players than we’ve ever had.”
The Broncos will have a new District 9 rival in 2007-08 in Centennial High School of Fort Pierce. Centennial had competed in a district that includes several Orlando-area schools, meaning it had to travel some two hours
for each of its district road games.
The Broncos will not host their popular holiday tournament this season but instead play in the Mid South Classic Dec. 18-21 in Jackson, Tenn., as well as the Fort Walton Beach Holiday Tournament Dec. 26-29.
“I’d like to have our holiday tournament, but with the cost of everything, especially what the school district charges for security, I could take the kids somewhere else,” Adkins said. “I think it’s good for them. It gets them and our program exposed to other schools.”
Winter In July Brings A Flurry Of Fun To The Palm Beach Zoo
On Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15, visitors to the Palm Beach Zoo will see snow. Once again, it’s time for Winter in July. Bring your mittens and dive into 40 tons of snow at the zoo’s “coolest” event of the season. This year Winter in July will be carbon-neutral. The Palm Beach Zoo is teaming up with FPL’s Sunshine Energy Program to take a stand against climate change by offsetting the carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) created by the electricity used to power the zoo over the weekend.
The event will be offsetting more than 1,500 pounds of CO2 emissions. To put this in perspective, it’s like not driving your car over 1,700 miles — or the annual carbon absorption of
about 93 trees.
Winter in July was created to educate children about the importance of sun safety while providing them the opportunity to experience the wonders of winter without leaving South Florida.
In addition to the snow, the days’ events will include an avalanche of activities:
• Dance to the music of jazz band Groovemerchant
• Visit the “Sand Box” and create your own cool art
• Join the Banana Peel Circus and learn to juggle with Glass Productions
• Listen to arctic-themed stories told by Pretend Party Productions
• Visit the Snow Queen
• Meet Lauren Wanger, Ms.
Florida 2007 (Ms. Florida will appear on Sunday only.)
Even the animals get into the act with “cool” animal enrichments you won’t want to miss. Tigers get blocks of ice in their pools, monkeys get frozen fruitsicles, and bears get a snowman with treats hidden inside. You’ll love watching their reactions!
Winter in July will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Palm Beach Zoo is located at 1301 Summit Blvd. in West Palm Beach. Admission is $12.95 for adults, $9.95 for seniors 60 and up, $8.95 for children three to 12, and free for zoo members and children under three.
For more information call (561) 547-9453 or visit www.palmbeachzoo.org.
Youngsters play in the snow at last year’s Winter in July
Coyotes Come From Behind To Play State Tournament
The Acreage Coyotes coached by Lenny Dutil came off a losing streak to win two tournaments in Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach Gardens recently.
The Fort Lauderdale tournament was a district qualifier for state and the Coyotes went into the tournament as underdogs.
The Coyotes won their first game against the Jupiter Hammerheads, then lost to the favorites, Palm Beach Gardens.
The Coyotes won the next five games to take first place after beating Palm Beach Gardens two games in a row.
The Coyotes again beat the home team Palm Beach Gardens in a Father’s Day tournament and advanced to the championship game against Fort Lauderdale to win 11-8. At state in Ocala the team did not make it into the champion-
ship game because they were in a three-way tie, having three fewer total runs than the second-place team.
Wellington Wild Places First In Sarasota Tournament
The Wellington Wild 10 and under girls fast-pitch travel softball team has had a successful season thus far.
The girls have finished in first or second place in six out of the ten tournaments they have entered this summer. Most recently the team traveled to Sarasota and won first place in the Dorie Locklier Memorial Tournament. In addition, the team qualified to play in the first annual USSSA Elite Tournament in Vero Beach, which was an invitationonly tournament for the top eight teams in the state.
The girls will complete their season by competing for a state and national championship in July.
Players include Chelsea Boretti, Kelsey D’Aoust, Megan
Bassmasters Fish Lake Osborne
The Royal Palm Beach Bassmasters held their monthly tournament on June 24 on the Lake Osborne Waterway in Lake Worth.
First place went to the team of Phil Northrop (boater) with four fish weighing 9 lbs., 5 oz. and Irene Northrop (non-boater guest) with two fish weighing 2 lbs. for a total team weight of 11 lbs., 5 oz. Second place went to Mike Gershberg (boater) with five fish weighing 7 lbs., 11 oz. and partner Tim Meehan (non-boater) with one fish weighing 9 oz. for a total of 8 lbs., 4 oz. Third place was Ron Demers (boater) with two fish weighing 2 lbs., 8 oz. and partner Jeff Martin (non-boater) with three fish weighing 5 lbs., 6 oz. for a total of 7 lbs., 14 oz.
The “Big Fish” of the tournament (weighing 4 lbs., 1 oz.) was caught by Phil Northrop. For individual heaviest weight Northrop was first with four fish weighing 9 lbs., 5 oz. In second place was Mike Gershberg with five fish weighing 7 lbs., 11 oz. In third place was Jeff Martin with three fish weighing 5 lb., 6 oz.
Anyone interested in joining the club as a boater or non-boater may call Irene at (561) 793-7081 for more information.
Meetings are held monthly on the second Thursday of each month at the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center; tournaments are held the following Sunday. Dues are $25 a year and tournament entry fees are $25 per person.
Mike Gershberg
Phil Northrop
Irene Northrop
Granitto, Sydney Jones, Kelly Kirchner, Kelsey Lay, Ashley Niesman, Britney Schmidt, Stephanie Schmidt and Kelly
Simone. The team is managed by Bob Schmidt, along with coaches Jenny Schmidt, Tom Jones and Tracey Lay.
The Acreage Coyotes
The Wellington Wild 10-and-under travel softball team.
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY’S ‘PINK DUCK’ PARTY AT NICOLE’S
The American Cancer Society hosted a “Duck Party” Thursday, June 28 at Nicole’s Village Tavern in anticipation of its annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event. This year’s walk will take place inside the Mall at Wellington Green on Sunday, Oct. 7 starting at 8:30 a.m. Mall Marketing and Sponsorship Director Rachelle Crain was at the party to help announce the partnership. The party featured pink breast cancer awareness ducks floating in the fountain in front of Nicole’s. Anyone signing up to walk or to work on a committee they would go pick a duck out of the fountain. If their duck had a smiley face on the bottom, they won a prize. For more information, e-mail Maureen Gross at beans144@ bellsouth.net or call her at (561) 793-4181, Allyson Samiljan at (561) 798-6741 or Julie Tannehill of the American Cancer Society at (561) 389-9984.
Valenza, Allyson Samiljan, Diane Weir and Linda
Susan Giddings and Shari Zipp.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Steering Committee: (L-R) Maureen Gross, chair; Allyson Samiljan, media and collateral; Julie Tannehill of the American Cancer Society; Maggie Zeller, team recruitment; Rachelle Crain of the Mall at Wellington Green; and Kate Alvarado, logistics.
Pat
Feldner.
Julie Tannehill, Faye Ford and Allyson Samiljan.
MV Awarded Medicaid Transportation Contract
Palm Beach County has announced that the Medicaid non-emergency transportation previously provided by Palm Tran Connection will be provided by MV Transportation, effective July 1.
The state awarded the contract to provide Medicaid transportation in Palm Beach County to MV Transportation after the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners voted to discontinue Palm Tran Connection’s operation of Medicaid service.
All trips for Medicaid participants will be scheduled and provided by MV Transportation. Medicaid customers who have been using Palm Tran Connection can contact MV Transportation toll-free at (866) 207-7214 with questions or to book a trip.
Palm Tran Connection will continue
Wechsler Summer Vacation
continued from page 19A demonstrated by our tour guide.
Along one corner of the great pyramid was a huge representation of the feathered snake, and the north side also served as a form of calendar by which the Mayans were able to track the seasons remarkably well.
According to our tour guide Jorge, there were actually two calendars in place. One, called the “snake calendar” had 18 months of 20 days each, and then a short month of five days. He told us that snakes kept their skins for 360 days and then shed them over a period of five days. There was also a woman’s calendar of 260 days, the average number of days for human gestation. As a result, the two calendars quickly move apart. They come together every 52 years (when the two calendars begin the year at the same time) and these come at the
to provide transportation for individuals qualified under the Americans with Disabilities Act program, the Transportation Disadvantaged program, the Division of Senior Services program and the County Senior Transportation Services program.
County Commission
Hearing July 10 On Palm Tran Fare Changes
The Palm Beach County Commission will hold a public hearing on July 10 to receive comments regarding proposed fare changes to both Palm Tran’s fixedroute bus system and Palm Tran Connection’s paratransit service. If adopted, the fare changes would become effective Oct.1.
The public hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. in the sixth-floor commission chambers at 301 N. Olive Avenue in West Palm Beach.
same time all the planets line up together.
Jorge told us NASA was shocked many years ago when its fancy computer programs informed the agency that the next time the planets would all line up, at the end of 2012, actually matched the predictions of the ancient Mayans.
As a non-specialist in the field of Mayan history, I accepted the story, while recognizing that many ideas we consider are our own were actually known to people with seemingly far simpler knowledge bases.
We had a great time. When I hear people saying that they could not wait to go home near the end of a vacation, I wonder what they got out of their time away.
Both Maria and I hated to leave and bemoaned the fact that we had to give up the “luxury life” as we returned to normal. And I expect we will be back there again next year, again enjoying the “life of the rich and famous.”
Local Cadet Graduates
From West Point
Cadet Christopher Patrick Figueroa, son of Jose and Patricia Figueroa of Wellington, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point May 26. Figueroa graduated from Wellington High School in 2003. While at West Point, he concentrated his studies in management and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army upon graduation. Figueroa has branched Military Police Corps and will complete his Officer Basic Course at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.
The mission of the U.S. Military Academy is to educate, train and inspire the corps of cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of duty, honor and country, and professional growth throughout a career as an officer in the Army and a lifetime of selfless service to the nation.
NSCAR Members Unveil 110-Year-Old Flag At Gathering
Hayley and Wendy Crowell of Boca Raton recently invited National Society of the Children of the American Revolution members from Palm Beach County to their home for a pool party and to unveil their family’s 110-year-old flag. The flag has 45 stars and, according to dad Charlie Crowell, has flown in three different centuries.
Keilly Pike, 13, and Zachary Pike, 11, of Wellington represented the Fifer George Weissenfels Society at the meeting and flag ceremony. Keilly, the society’s state historian, gave a presentation on the state theme of maritime history and the national theme of the Junior Ranger Program used in parks. Her presentation focused on the Irish exodus to the United States, noting how ships were overcrowded and disease was rampant.
During the meeting the children also learned about George Mason, a founding father, and his role in writing the Bill of Rights. For more information about NSCAR, call Martha Pearson at (954) 426-2150 or visit www.nscar.org.
STUDENTS LEARN COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERISM
The American Red Cross Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter held a Youth Leadership Development Camp last week at Gold Coast Christian Camp in Lake Worth. The sleepover camp hosted high schoolage students from Palm Beach, Glades, Hendry and Okeechobee counties. The goal was to prepare and educate the next generation on disaster readiness, first aid initiatives and safety. Activities included disaster training workshops, HIV/AIDS peer education classes, and measles and malaria workshops. (Right) Wellington students Abby Swartz, Zack Smith and Sabine Monice.
Cadet Christopher Figueroa
(L-R) Tiffany Schafer, Zachary Pike, Wendy Crowell, Hayley Crowell, Keilly Pike and Elizabeth Feury pose with a 45-star American flag from 1897.
Earn Your Master of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University’s Wellington Campus
As organizations struggle to adapt to rapid changes, they look to leaders who are effective in today’s fastpaced global environment. Whether you head a business, non-profit, religious or governmental agency, or aspire to that role, the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership provides you with the knowledge, disposition
Why leadership education? with the and abilities required to succeed.
What will the degree do for me?
• Learn to appreciate your leadership skills and abilities
• Develop an understanding of your organization’s needs
• Accomplish objectives through working with groups
• Become more effective at influencing others and teams
• Learn the importance of embracing change
• Develop skills to build sustainable ethical leadership
How long will it take?
The Master of Science in Organizational Leadership is a 36-credit hour program and can be completed by most
students in six semesters.
How are the classes offered? are for to come from your
“The Organizational Leadership program at PBA is amazing and has allowed me to think critically about decisions I make not only in the workplace but in every situation in life. I strongly recommend the program to anyone who wants to grow in leadership and impact the world around them.”
immediately and will grow in confidence in
Greg Langowski, executive director of the Republican Party of Palm Beach County
Courses are offered one evening a week from 6 - 10 p.m. to accommodate your work schedule. Graduate level programs are designed for learning to come from your fellow students as well as your professors, textbooks and class assignments. You can apply your new skills on the job dence in your leadership abilities as you go through the program each week.
How much will it cost?
Tuition for the graduate programs is calculated per credit hour. Your total cost and your cost per semester
will depend on several factors:
• Full-time or part-time student status
•Eligibilityforfinancialaid
• Eligibility for financial aid
• Tuition assistance from your employer
• GLADES DAY SCHOOL founded in 1965, offers a balance of academic, athletic and extracurricular programs. Serving students from K-3 through grade 12, Glades Day School provides the opportunity for students to develop to their fullest potential. Accelerated math and science programs are offered to advanced students and all students are offered a full range of programs from computer technology and foreign language to the performing arts. Registration for the new school year is on-going and financial aid is available to those who qualify. Glades Day School is located at 400 Gator Blvd., Belle Glade. For more information call (561) 9966769 or visit www.gladesdayschool.com.
• WELLINGTON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL is a Christ-centered, Bible-based school that is accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and Christian Schools of Florida. Students from early childhood education through high school will experience a rich academic environment taught by certified teachers whose goals are to achieve superior scholastic results. Students will also be enriched with foreign language, music, art, choral band, drama and varsity sports programs. The school is located at 1000 Wellington Trace. For more information and to schedule an appointment to visit our campus please call us at 793-1017.
• SUMMIT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL is an independent non-denominational Christian school that has been educating youth in our community for over 30 years. Serving children from six weeks of age to grade 12, we train students to think critically and biblically and act morally and responsibly — in a learning environment that gives them security and significance. Summit Christian offers a cohesive and systematic collegeprep curriculum, the most unique fine arts programs available and an extensive athletic program that includes varsity football. “Summit Saints” athletic offerings begin in K-5 and continue through high school. Summit Christian School is also home to Summit Productions, our school’s film and television program. Busing, extended care, fine arts after-school programs and summer camps are also available. For more information, call (561) 686-8081 ext. 319 or visit www.summitchristian.com.
• TEMPLE BETH ZION RELIGIOUS AND PRESCHOOL — “My First Jewish Experience” is a fun, Montessori-style experience for children ages 5 and 6 including vocabulary games, art, musical activities, Jewish holidays, prayers and customs. “More Jewish Experiences” (ages 6 and 7) is a continuation of MFJE, learning to read and write in Hebrew. At our preschool, children of all faiths learn and play together. For more information call (561) 798-8888 or go to our web site at www.templebethzion.net. We are located at 129 Sparrow Drive in Royal Palm Beach.
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The Town-Crier
• PLANET KIDS a family owned and operated child care center for 25 years, offers a safe, fun and educational environment for children from six weeks thru eleven years. Their state-of-the-art facility includes a theatre, computer/library, science/ art, music/gymnastics, multiple intelligence discovery class, Spanish/French, and specialty rooms. Your child will learn foreign languages as well as sign language. The three safe, age-specific playgrounds are the coolest in town. They offer a creative, hands-on curriculum to prepare your child for Kindergarten. The staff is warm, loving, and specifically trained for each age level. Planet Kids has five convenient locations in Palm Beach County.
• DILLON COUNTRY DAY is an accredited non-denominational private independent college preparatory school serving the western communities since 1995, Grades 6 thru 12, providing the “bridge” to high school & college. Individual attention is given with a low student/teacher ratio of 5 to 1. Music, fine arts, marine sciences – scuba & surf, are just a few of the unique and interesting programs we offer. We participate in the McKay Scholarship program. Our motto is “Leadership Through Service and Commitment.” To find out more, call us today at (561) 798-4748.
• UNITY FOR KIDS EARLY INTERVENTION CENTER is a non-profit denominational preschool and therapeutic center for children with and without special needs. Our inclusive setting allows children to learn, play and socialize together. Children can realize their full potential and achieve high levels of self-esteem. We are a center where school readiness skills such as phonics, reading, numbers and language skills are stressed. Some of our important activities include Spanish, sign language, computer, music, drama, arts and crafts. We will be a voluntary pre-K program beginning in August, as well as a family central provider. Many specialneeds children can receive speech, physical and occupational therapy right at our center. We are accepting sponsors for some children who otherwise would not be able to attend our program. For further information please call Sharon Green at (561) 478-7477 or visit us at the center located at 1063 N. Haverhill in West Palm Beach.
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Goulet Seventh In National Health Ed Competition
Acreage resident Monica Goulet placed seventh in pathophysiology at a national competition in Orlando June 20-24 after placing first in the state at the Annual State Leadership Conference of the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) in Daytona Beach April 12 through 15.
This national organization is for secondary, post-secondary and collegiate students enrolled in health science education programs. Goulet received most of her schooling in The Acreage, having attended Acreage Pines Elementary
School and Western Pines Middle School. She currently attends Palm Beach Gardens High School, where she is enrolled in its pre-med program.
Presently a junior, Goulet has been in the top two percent of her class in all the schools she has attended.
Local Resident Graduates From Tufts University
Marie Routier of Loxahatchee graduated from Tufts University with a bachelor’s degree in history during commencement on May 20.
More than 2,400 students graduated during the university-wide ceremony at the Medford/Somerville, Mass., campus.
Tufts University is located on three campuses in Massachusetts and one in Talloires, France. It is recognized among the premier research universities in the United States.
Thomas Named To Dean’s List At SCAD
Maria Christine Thomas of Wellington was named to the dean’s list at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia, for the spring quarter of 2007.
Full-time undergraduate students who earn a grade point average of 3.5 or above
for the quarter receive recognition on the dean’s list. Thomas is a fashion major. Named “Hottest for Studying Art” among America’s 25 Hottest Colleges by Kaplan College and Newsweek magazine, the Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with locations in Georgia and France. Accredited undergraduate and graduate degree programs also are offered online through SCAD e-Learning. The college offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine aris, master of architecture, master of arts, master of fine arts and master of urban design degrees. For more infonnation, visit www.scad.edu.
ACREAGE ROTARY DONATES WHEELCHAIR TO STUDENT HOWELL, ADAMS ENGAGED
the engagement of
Promoted from fifth grade at Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School, Sean Mielke will move on to Oceola Creek Middle School with his own set of wheels. Mielke was presented with his own wheelchair by the Acreage/ Loxahatchee Rotary Club so he can more easily navigate through the halls and buildings at his new school. Mielke has been a member of the Rotakids Environmental Club of Loxahatchee Groves, participating in activities such as making blankets for migrant children, warm shawls for the elderly and environmental landscaping at his elementary school.
Robert and Dawn Howell of Wellington announced
their daughter Michelle Suzanne Howell to Palm Beach County firefighter Michael Scott Adams of Royal Palm Beach. The wedding is set for May 9, 2009.
FATHER’S DAY FISHING TRIP
Mark Miles of Wellington got a special Father’s Day gift while fishing with his sons Matthew (center) and Brad (right) in the Atlantic Ocean. Matthew caught a seven-foot-long, 80-pound Atlantic sailfish in 300 feet of water, using live bait. The fish was successfully released off the coast near Jupiter.
Dance Recital — Kelly’s Dance Dance Dance! held its eighth annual recital on Saturday, June 23. Pictured is the FireSparks company which will compete at Dance Caravan in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., in mid-July. Auditions for the 2007-2008 dance company are in August. Call (561) 627-2580 for details. The studio is located in the Shoppes of Ibis on Northlake Blvd.
Poff Graduates From Boston University
Kristen Poff of Wellington was among 5,358 students awarded academic degrees at Boston University in May 2007. Poff received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management.
Boston University is an independent, co-educational and non-sectarian institution of higher education and research located along the banks of the Charles River in Boston, Mass.
It is the fourth largest independent
Michael Patrick Renda Jr. — son of Min Y. Kim and Michael Patrick Renda of Royal Palm Beach, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 17.
Isabella Rae Farrell — daughter of Shannon Hope and James Robert Farrell of Royal Palm Beach, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 20.
Gianna Marie Cruz — daughter of Lisa and Jonathan Cruz of Wellington, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 20.
Benjamin Paul Read and Darren Kenneth Read — sons of JoAnn and Darren Read of Royal Palm Beach, were born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 20.
Julia Christine Drahos — daughter of Nathalie and Michael Drahos of Wellington, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 20.
Trent Jason Leas — son of Christina and Jason Leas of Royal Palm Beach, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 22.
Victoria Mia Alvez — daughter of Liliana Salgado Goycoolea and Sergio Alvez Sandoval of Wellington, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center
university in the United States, with an enrollment of more than 29,000 students in its 17 schools and colleges.
The university offers an exceptional grounding in the liberal arts, a broad range of programs in the arts, sciences, engineering, and professional areas and stateof-the-art facilities for teaching and research. For more information about Boston University, visit visit the college’s web site at www.bu.edu.
on June 22.
Kaila Bethany Davitch — daughter of Jessica and Aaron Davitch of Wellington, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 25.
Miguel Robert Baque III — son of Meghan Hubek and Miguel Angel Baque Jr. of Royal Palm Beach, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 25.
Sophia Ruth Studley — daughter of Rachel and Steve Studley of Royal Palm Beach, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 25.
Ava Victoria Linder — daughter of Desiree and Robert Linder of Wellington, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 26.
Jericho Dylan Parker — son of Kathryn M. and Jeremy D. Parker of Wellington, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 27.
Julianne Michelle Moran daughter of Michelle and John Moran of Royal Palm Beach, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 28.
Isabel Ford — daughter of Sarah and William M. Ford Esq. of Loxahatchee, was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on June 29.
WELLINGTON’S FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION AT VILLAGE PARK
Large crowds and several ducks turned out for Wellington’s Fourth of July celebration at Village Park on Pierson Road. Guests braved the inclement weather to enjoy the daytime festivities. The rain stopped in time for the fireworks to go off as planned, and the night concluded with a bang.
Fireworks topped off a day of celebration.
Teya Rios, 3, and her brother Dresen, 7, show off their painted faces.
Nicole Chonatti, 5, goes down the waterslide.
Angie Butler and Tom Dongilla
Stuart Cohen sprints during a game inside the gym.
Dan and Lisa Rothem with Carmela and Joe Librizzi.
Paul Wassel Jr., Paul Wassel III and Joanne Wassel. PHOTOS
Madelynn Diaz, 9, and her friend Kendall Castillo, 10, work side-by-side at the craft table.
Vice Mayor Bob Margolis and his wife Linda Roland Tyson participates in the hula-hoop competition.
Wellington Village Manager Charlie Lynn and daughter Molly with Regis and Mayor Tom Wenham. Eric and Irwin Cohen. Ducks wade in one of several puddles at the park.
PALMS WEST
Calypso Bay CalypsoBay W Waterpark: aterpark: A Great Place T GreatPlaceTo
By Lisa Gartner Town-Crier Staff Report
Some like it hot, but during summer in South Florida most folks seek refuge from the oppressive heat. Enter the golden child of the Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation Department: Calypso Bay Waterpark.
The seasonal water park, in Seminole Palms Park on Lamstein Lane in Royal Palm Beach, is armed to the teeth with waterslides, pools and a lazy river to cool the sun-scorched residents of Palm Beach County every day this summer.
“It’s a nice, safe, fun place to bring younger children and have fun with your family on a nice day out,” park manager Lindsay Dalton said. “Especially since it’s so hot outside.”
The water park boasts the 900-foot Lazy River, the Lily Pad Walk for young children, a pair of four-story-high waterslides, a children’s water playground and a lap pool with diving boards.
Additionally, Dalton said, Calypso Bay introduced a full concession stand and three new party rooms this year — all equipped with air conditioning to beat the persistent South Florida heat.
“Before, we had a little trailer and we used to have our parties outside,” Dalton said. “Now we can do anywhere up to about nine birthday parties a day, whereas last year we could only do about three a day.”
These new additions have only increased the popularity of the park. “We see many families with children school-aged and younger,” park manager Diana Rodriguez said. “We’re
also very popular with summer camps.”
Dalton agreed, citing the park’s safe environment for its popularity with young families. “Since we’re not so big, it’s family-oriented and families can come here and feel comfortable enough to let their kids run free,” she said. “Parents don’t have to worry about something bad happening to their kids, or their kids getting lost.”
Lifeguard Dana Meschisi sits ready at the Lily Pad Walk to intervene if a child has trouble. “We make sure the kids can swim before they can play on the Lily Pad walk,” she said.
Meschisi, a 16-year-old junior at Park Vista High School, opted to work at Calypso Bay rather than spend her summer in an office or working retail.
“I get to be in the sun all day,”
she said. “You lose weight because you swim all the time. Plus, it’s like a sauna with all the heat.”
Calypso Bay is inexpensive thanks to county support.
“Palm Beach County has lots of ball fields and tons of parks, but not everybody plays sports,” Dalton said. “I think the county wanted this because it’s easier for parents to
See PARK, page 12B
Water Wilderness — Calypso Bay Waterpark includes a 900-foot Lazy River (left) and children’s water playground (right).
Hundreds Of Recreational Vehicles In Tow At Palm Beach RV
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The word “tow” generally conjures up images of flat tires and broken-down cars. At Palm Beach RV, however, a tow is a good thing. The West Palm Beach company sells and services recreational vehicles designed to be towed behind trucks, SUVs or even the family van.
Established in 1992, Palm Beach RV has been open at its present location on Military Trail since November. Its previous location, just across the street,
was destroyed by hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004.
“We worked out of temporary trailers before we got this place,” sales manager Jamie Hord said.
Hord said the interesting thing about that year was that business boomed, with the Federal Emergency Management Authority one of his best customers.
“People needed housing after the hurricanes,” Hord said. “We also did quite a bit of business with FEMA. We had to go through all the usual red tape, but overall that was pretty easy.”
Palm Beach RV offers 15 different brands of RVs, including such wellknown names as Keystone, Forest River and Skamper, and has more than 300 units in its inventory. The RVs come fully furnished and depending on price — ranging from $13,000 to $115,000 — have options that include flatpanel televisions, hidea-bed sofas and fireplaces.
“We have people buy an RV while they’re building a home,” Palm Beach RV owner Larry Waits said. “And we have people buy them and take them to the Keys as a vacation home.”
Palm Beach RV also has a nine-bay service center and sells accessories such as cleaning tools, lights, tables, and carpet and floor protectors.
“We get many repeat customers and referrals,” Hord said. “We have the highest volume of RV sales in Florida.”
And that’s without doing any motor coach business. “We’ll take motorized coaches on trade, but we don’t sell any,” Waits said. “We’ve been very successful selling tow-only vehicles.”
Waits said that towed RVs generally require less maintenance than motor coaches, and their users have that vehicle for local touring always on hand. “You can use your truck or SUV to tow your RV and then use it to get around,” Waits said. “With a motorized RV, you still have to have another vehicle with you.”
The Palm Beach RV inventory mainly consists of new vehicles, Waits said, but the company also sells used RVs. “But we don’t have much of a selection because used vehicles are hard to get,” he said. “Used vehicles sell right away. You’re not very far in price from a new one if the used vehicle is only one or two years old.”
Palm Beach RV is located at 5757 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach and is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call (561) 689-5788.
Seminar — A group of master hair designers from Visions Salon in Wellington recently spent some time studying with world-famous hair colorist Beth Minardi at a private seminar in Naples. Minardi is a highly sought-after colorist who has worked with such celebrities as Renee Zellweger, Carmen Diaz and Rene Russo, whom Minardi made into a redhead for the film The Thomas Crown Affair For more information about Visions Salon or for a complimentary consultation, call (561) 790-1696. Pictured here with Minardi (second from left) are Visions’ Brianna Julius, Amy Kuper and Tara Weldon.
Palm Beach RV has more than 300 units in its inventory.
There’s Plenty On The Menu At RPB’s Hurricane Grill & Wings
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
Many people enjoy wings and most places offer a choice of mild or spicy. But at Hurricane Grill & Wings in Royal Palm Beach, they can choose either boneless or regular wings that come in more than 30 flavors. And that is just the start of the choices.
Co-owner Robert Clark said his restaurant, open just a week, sets a new standard for food.
“Everything is top quality. All of our wings are fresh; we never freeze any of them. That way, the flavor is always the best,” he said. “This is one of the fastest-growing franchises in South Florida because we provide great food at good prices. People like wings, but where else do they get the range of flavors we have? And we have many other specialties no one expects in a place serving wings.”
His staff agreed. “People come here for the wings, and then they try all the other food,” waitress Samara Cooperman said. “Everyone I’ve served here said they’re coming back, and soon.”
Once customers have sampled appetizers like grouper fingers, chicken chili or garlic-andparmesan fries, they can enjoy the Hurricane Grill’s wings with sauces ranging in terms of heat from Cat 1 (“no worries — mild & sweet”) all the way up to Cat 5 (“seek shelter — extremely hot”).
“Some people look like they’re really breathing flames
after eating some of those,” server Samantha Carter laughed.
In between, customers can find something for any taste at any heat level, with ingredients as diverse as honey, raspberries, garlic, Thai ginger, mojo, bourbon, mango and Jamaican jerk seasoning. The grill’s own Hurricane Sauce can be had at any level from mild to extreme, and what’s more, customers can create their own flavor by combining any two from the menu.
Carter was quick to promote the boneless wings. “I like it much better that way,” she said. “I always liked wings, but these are absolutely outrageous.”
Carter suggested that customers boggled by the wide variety of wing flavors try the honey barbecue variety.
Server Diane Baum noted the grill also serves excellent salads topped with shrimp, mahi-mahi or chicken, as well as a range of Philly cheese steak sandwiches. “I have had more than a few customers who love the Philly steaks,” she said. “You have to try the Mahi Philly.”
The grill serves a range of wines and soft drinks and also has a wide variety of beers on tap, including Hefeweizen by Widmer. “We have domestic and imported beers,” Clark said, “and we always have at least a couple of microbrewery brands here.”
The Hurricane Grill chain began in 1995 with a Fort Pierce location and is now headquartered in Stuart. Although this is their first store, Clark said he
and his partners plan to open at least ten more locations in South Florida.
Clark proudly noted that Hurricane Grill is a “green” business. “Our cups are made of corn products and are totally biodegradable,” he said. “So are our napkins. All our cooking oil is without trans-fats, and we even recycle most of it into biodiesel fuel so that virtually nothing damages the en-
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vironment. We know healthconscious people are interested in all aspects of their environment.”
The business is geared to cater parties and meetings. “We’ve just opened, and we’ve already sent out orders with hundreds of wings,” Clark said. “People really enjoy our wings and call in for large orders. Try it once and you’ll be doing it too.”
Hurricane Grill & Wings is located in the Southern Palm Crossing shopping plaza at 11071 Southern Blvd., Suite 170 and is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
For more information, call (561) 753-4868 or visit the company’s corporate web site at www.hurricanewings.com.
PALMS WEST HOSPITAL RECOGNIZES EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
On Wednesday, June 27, Palms West Hospital held an ice cream social reception to honor its employees of the month for April and May. The Employee of the Month for April was Latoya Mosley of Your New Life Center. May’s Employee of the Month was Darlene Varney of food and nutrition services. Other nominees for April included Jose Enos of the cardiopulmonary department, Mary Kinlen of the post anesthesiology care unit, Geralyn McCarthy of Food and Nutrition Services, Ivan Rodriguez of the surgical services and Nancy Taub of the intensive care unit. Other nominees for May included Justin Kuruvilla of the supply chain, Larry Roys of food and nutrition services, Steven Stoddard of the cardiopulmonary unit and Colleen Vargas of surgical services.
PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER
(Above) Palms West Hospital CEO Ron Lavater with the nominees for April. (Below) Lavater with the nominees for May.
May Employee of the Month Darlene Varney with CFO Robert Preato (left) and daughter Abby (right).
Director of Women’s Services Rita Jeroloman (standing) with April Employee of the Month Latoya Mosley.
Palms West Hospital CEO Ron Lavater serves up some ice cream for the employees.
Director of Human Resources Katie Kato at the podium.
Send business news items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@goTownCrier.com.
P.W. CHAMBER RIBBON CUTTINGS
Jamba Juice In RPB — The Palms West Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribboncutting ceremony for the new Jamba Juice store in Royal Palm Beach. Jamba Juice offers an assortment of smoothies, including those made with fruit only, tea, dessert flavorings and the various “classics” on the menu, such as Razzmatazz or Citrus Squeeze. The new location is inside the Southern Palm Crossing plaza, 11081 Southern Blvd., Suite 170. For more info., call (561) 795-0429 or visit www.jambajuice.com. Pictured here is general manager Charlie Thornton with the chambers ambassadors.
Royal Palm Title — To celebrate its relocation to a new office at the intersection of State Road 7 and Okeechobee Blvd., Royal Palm Title & Abstract recently joined the Palms West Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Since starting the company in 1991, owner/operator Pamela Van Woerkom has grown Royal Palm Title to become one of the top producing title insurance companies in this area, providing title insurance and conducting real estate closings for buyers, sellers, builders and mortgage lenders. The office is located at 10140 Okeechobee Blvd., Suite B. For more info., call (561) 795-8989 or e-mail info@royalpalmtitle.com. Pictured here are Van Woerkom, Brandy Houser and Debbie DeLaPena with chamber ambassadors.
Deanna Fisher
Fisher Named Tax Accountant At Cass, Levy & Leone In WPB
The accounting and consulting firm Cass, Levy & Leone recently named Deanna Fisher as a tax accountant. Cass, Levy & Leone has offices in West Palm Beach and Stuart.
Fisher began working for Cass, Levy & Leone last November. She earned her associate’s degree in 2003 and expects to graduate from Florida Atlantic University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Fisher plans to take her CPA exam by the end of 2008. Fisher has 10 years of experience in accounting with small businesses. She lives in The Acreage with her family and enjoys scuba diving and whitewater rafting in her lei-
sure time.
Cass, Levy & Leone has become one of the largest Palm Beach County CPA firms through its commitment to offer the highest caliber of professional services to its clients without sacrificing personal service. The firm serves real estate firms, retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, professionals (including physician’s groups, athletes and attorneys), country clubs, food service companies and non-profit organizations.
For more information about Cass, Levy & Leone, or to schedule the directors as speakers for your organization, call Rachel Ibarra at (561) 840-0510.
Palm West Chamber’s Women In Business Dinner July 26 At Ideal
Continuing its tradition of providing members a first-hand look at area businesses, the Palms West Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business group will hold its next business dinner on Thursday, July 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Ideal School. The school is located at 400 Royal Commerce Road in Royal Palm Beach.
Host Wendy Soderman will present the inspiring story of how she and her husband Dr. Kris Soderman began their unique elementary and preschool where “learning is a journey of endless won-
ders and discoveries.”
There will also be a tour of the new middle school facility planned for an August grand opening. The evening is sponsored by the Sun-Sentinel and the Outback Steakhouse in Royal Palm Beach.
The event starts at 6 p.m. with networking and a buffet dinner catered by Outback Steakhouse.
For more information or to RSVP, call the Palms West Chamber of Commerce at (561) 790-6200 or visit www. palmswest.com.
CCCS Offers Free Workshop On Preparing For Homeownership
Owning a home is part of the American dream and for many consumers, favorable interest rates and declining home prices make now the perfect time to buy. The time you spend preparing to become a homeowner is as important an investment as the home you purchase, and will help ensure that you make the best choices for you and your family.
“The excitement of shopping for a new home can sometimes overshadow the realities of homeownership,” said Jessica Cecere, president of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast (CCCS).
“Without realistic goals and careful planning, many consumers end up spending more than they can comfortably afford, increasing their chances of financial crisis, and possibly foreclosure.”
To help prospective buyers understand and prepare for the joys and challenges of homeownership, Consumer Credit Counseling Service offers free pre-purchase counseling and homebuyer education workshops.
With pre-purchase counseling, consumers will learn the basics of the home buying process in a private one-hour session with a certified housing counselor. After becoming a homeowner, CCCS can show you how to develop a monthly budget to help you plan for household expenses, improvements and those “unexpected” bills that may arise.
During this six-hour workshop, you will assess your readiness for homeownership, take a realistic view of the costs involved in purchasing and maintaining a home, and evaluate your credit and financial situation to determine how much house you can really afford. You will also learn about the various mortgage options and what to look for in a lender, and explore the tremendous benefits of home ownership, from stabilized housing costs and appreciation,
to the many tax benefits. And for first time home buyers, the certificate you will earn may qualify you for downpayment assistance or special mortgage products available through participating lending institutions. Workshop topics include:
A place of your own — There are many advantages to owning your own home. Your monthly mortgage payment provides a scheduled savings program that allows you to build equity in your home. The upward trend of housing values is also appealing when considering homeownership, as are the potential tax savings. You will explore the benefits, as well as the risks, that come with buying a home.
The big picture — It is easy to get so caught up in the excitement of buying a home that we don’t take the time to investigate the real costs associated with purchasing and maintaining it.
A CCCS workshop will help you gain insight into the upfront costs of buying your home, from the downpayment and closing costs to private mortgage insurance and settling-in costs. You will look at the different options for homeowner’s insurance — what is required, what you really need, and how to find an insurance provider. Have you considered what repairs need to be made? Are there appliances or window treatments that need to be purchased? If so, you won’t want to spend all of your money on buying the house.
Once you move in, there are other costs to consider. You may need to outfit your shed or garage with a lawnmower and other maintenance tools. If you live in a neighborhood with a clubhouse, a gated entrance or other community amenities, you will likely have monthly or quarterly association fees. Utilities may be higher in your new home. You are now responsible for property taxes and homeowners’ insurance. By taking a realistic view of
the costs of home ownership, you will be better prepared to determine how much you are prepared to spend on your new home.
Shopping for a home — Are you a handyman whose idea of a great weekend is tearing down walls and installing new lighting? Do you have your heart set on a certain community? Do you need more bedrooms for family or a fencedin yard for Fido? These are all considerations when shopping for your new home. The workshop will help you identify the right type of housing to meet your needs, explore the benefits of working with a real estate professional, and provide tips for negotiating a purchase. It will also outline the role of a home inspector and why a thorough home inspection is a must when purchasing even the newest of homes.
Shopping for a loan — The first thing any lender will do when considering you for a mortgage is check your credit reports. It is a great idea even before you begin your home search to request copies of your credit reports to ensure that the information is accurate.
Under federal law, consumers are entitled to receive a free copy of each of their credit reports, upon request, once every 12 months from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion bureaus.
You can request copies of your reports online at www.annualcredit report.com, by calling (877) 322-8228, or by mailing a request form to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. It is important to get a report from each bureau as each tracks data slightly differently and there could be an error on one that is not on the others.
In order to access your reports, you will need to provide your name, Social Security number, date of birth, and information only you would know, such
as the amount of a monthly mortgage or car payment. Through the workshop, you will learn more about the types of loans available today, how to avoid unscrupulous lenders, and how to select the lender that is right for you. The CCCS workshop facilitator will walk you through the loan process, from gathering the proper documentation and securing an appraisal to what you can expect when you go to closing.
Life as a homeowner — Once you have successfully made your way through the home-buying process, you can begin to enjoy life as a homeowner. You will settle into your new home, meet your neighbors, and start working on household projects, from paint and wallpaper to major home renovations.
Through interactive discussion and helpful worksheets, the CCCS workshop helps you learn the importance of creating, and sticking to, a household budget. By taking a realistic look at your income and expenses, you will learn how to avoid some of the pitfalls that can threaten your financial security.
A United Way partner, the Consumer Credit Counseling Service provides confidential budget counseling, money management education, debt management programs, bankruptcy counseling and education, and comprehensive housing counseling. CCCS has offices in West Palm Beach and Boca Raton, with satellite service in Stuart and Port St. Lucie.
To register for an upcoming workshop, call (866) 616-3720. For more information about homebuyer programs or to schedule a free individual housing counseling session, visit the CCCS web site at www.cccsinc.org or call (800) 330-CCCS (2227).
Park
Family Fun
continued from page 1B spend time with their kids. It’s for families.”
Rodriguez credited the diversity of the park’s attractions for its popularity among families.
“The children like the playground, the parents like to float in the Lazy River and the older kids love the diving boards,” she said. “There’s a little bit for everyone here.”
Dalton said a highlight of her job is watching the smiling faces of customers. “We love to see anyone looking to have fun and enjoying the park,” she said. Whether under the colorful
umbrellas, bursting out the bottom of a waterslide, or just idling down the Lazy River, there is never a shortage of satisfied and smiling faces cooling off at Calypso Bay.
Calypso Bay is located at 151 Lamstein Lane in Seminole Palms Park in Royal Palm Beach and is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Adult admission (ages 12 and up) is $10 and youth admission is $8, while adult season passes are $70 and youth passes are $55. Birthday parties cost $17.95 per person.
For more information, visit www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/ parks/aquatics/waterparks/calypsobay or call the park at (561) 790-6160.
PHOTOS
Park Manager Lindsay Dalton
Youngsters play under one of the water structures.
For older kids and adults, there are two four-story water slides.
Kids climb the stairs at the water playground.
Why
Is It That Women Tend To Far Outlive Their Husbands?
A couple of weeks ago one of my uncles died. He was my father’s last living brother. His death started me thinking about my days growing up. I was very lucky to have had many uncles in my life. My father had four brothers and my mother had three brothers, which gave me a total of seven blood uncles. Of course if you count the uncle who married my mother’s sister, then I really had eight uncles. Oh, yes… just in case women’s libbers are reading this, I also had eight aunts.
I am sorry to report that all my uncles have departed Planet Earth except one. However, I am happy to report that all of my aunts are still alive and kicking. I feel like Prince Charles in England. When my Uncle Ben dies, I will be the oldest male member of my family.
I recently started wondering why my uncles are gone but my aunts are still enjoying life. It reminds me of the joke going around on the Internet: “why do husbands die before their wives? Because they want to.” But I really do want to know why wives (in most cases) live longer than their men. One reason is because most men are older than their wives. Most of my uncles were at least three years older than their wives. The exception to this rule was my father. He was two years younger than my mother. Of course, I didn’t find this
Wondering And Wandering
With Ernie Zimmerman
out until my father died. It was at this point I finally realized why I never knew the exact date of my father’s birthday. He always told us his birthday was on Thanksgiving. When I was about 13, I figured out that Thanksgiving is on a different date every year. I was never allowed to look at his driver’s license. He always told me he was born at home so he never had a birth certificate for us to look at.
My mother aided this deception by telling us her birthday was New Year’s Day. Of course I always found it strange that my mother’s sister also had a birthday on New Year’s Day. When I got older and was trying to figure out when my mother and aunt were really born, along comes my brother’s daughter Melissa. You guessed it: she was born Jan. 1. At this point I let the
birthdays go. I just chalked it up to my grandfather and grandmother having good timing. When my father died, I finally realized that he and my mother might have switched their birth years. I don’t know why they did this. I guess that in those days it just wasn’t right for a woman to marry a younger man. My mother has not and will not answer that question for me. She just shrugs it off and changes the subject whenever I try to discuss it. I now accept the fact I will never know the reason why the age of my mother and father was such a big secret. To this day I really don’t know how old my mother is. I can only guess what her real age is. I am pretty sure I am in the ballpark (91) about her age. It makes me wonder what other family secrets my mother is keeping from me. But the question remains, why do women live longer than men? I think part of the answer is that women start seeking medical care at a much earlier age than men do. And I also think women take better care of themselves than men do. Macho men just don’t go to doctors ’til they’re ready to die. That’s why I am now an ex-macho man. I go to doctors on a regular basis, and I encourage all men to do the same. Life is great. Let’s give the men of the world the chance to live as long as their wives do.
Ground Covers Can Make Landscapes Easier To Maintain
With continued watering being a problem, it may pay to consider reducing the area of turf where practical and using ground covers that are more conservative of water use and require much lower inputs of fertilizer or general maintenance.
Ground covers are basically lowgrowing plants or vines that are used as grass substitutes in areas where grass either isn’t practical or not desired because of shading or other problems.
Ground covers have been used successfully in area landscapes for many years. Some establish in one season and form a thick dense color while others grow more slowly and might take two growing seasons to give you the level of thickness that you desire. Ground covers also can be selected for their foliage
color or flowers in addition to other characteristics. Ground covers as a rule have few pest problems and require sprays for insects or diseases. Some of the following plants are ground covers that have been used in our area for many years successfully and can be found at your favorite retail nursery.
One of the most widely used ground covers is called lilyturf or Liriope. These grasses have thin narrow blades and can grow anywhere from an inch or two in the case of the dwarf types to more than two feet tall for the evergreen giant type. This plant forms a dense cover in sun or shade. In addition to the green-leafed form, there is also a striped or variegated form that is also attractive. A closely related plant called mondo grass with a thinner leaf blade can also be used in the
same situations. Both Liriope and mondo grass can be walked on, although it’s not recommended that you travel across them on a regular basis.
Another good ground cover that’s gaining in popularity is confederate jasmine or Asian jasmine, which has small leaves that are dark green and attractive. Because it is a vine, it spreads and fills areas very quickly. Some confederate jasmines also come in variegated or marbled leaf types that are very attractive. Dwarf oyster plant is one that will grow even in non-irrigated areas and forms a dense cover that resists weed encroachment. These get about 10 inches high. Leaves are green above with a purple underside. Many native plants make excellent ground covers. We have native lantana with a beautiful yellow or gold
flower and our native coontie, which thrives in sun or partial shade. If you’d like to see examples of ground covers, visit the Mounts Botanical Garden at 531 North Military Trail in West Palm Beach. Printed information on ground covers is available through the Palm Beach County Extension office. For more information, call the Extension Service at (561) 233-1750.
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PROFESSIONAL TILE AND GROUT SERVICE — Cleaning, Sealing, Grout coloring. Old fashion customer service. Western Community resident. HOME BEAUTIFUL INC. Lic. CBC087928 INS. 561-543-1582
TGK TILE & GROUT — Get rid of dirty grout lines forever! Tile and Grout experts. Tile Cleaning & Sealing, Grout Cleaning, restoration, color sealing & repairs. Res. & Comm. Free Estimate & Demo. TGK The Grout King.
$18-$25/HR — Teachers/Tutors P/T. All subjects PreK to Adult. Certification/Experience required. Palm Beach County Areas Fax 561-828-8128 or E-mail Tutorking@adelphia.net HELP WANTED/BOOKKEEPER EXPERIENCED; Familiar with QUICKBOOKS - Full-Time position. Pay commensurate with experience. Fax resume to A. Silver
“You dealt with the rest now deal with the best” maintenance and repairs. Inquire about 1 months FREE service. 561-7915073 ELITE POOL CLEANING
J&B PRESSURE CLEANING — Established in 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.Call Butch 561-309-6975 BD
SIGMA III CORPORATION PRIVATE INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE — Domestic investigation, surveillance, missing persons. Background investigation into that new boyfriend or fiance, hidden assets located and more. Lic. & Ins. 561-3124386 Member of Better Business Bureau Lic. #A2300091
PRIMROSE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC — Full Service. Residential Home Care for full or part time residents. Weekly inspections, repairs, Monthly reports. Reasonable rates. 561-602-6857 or email: primrosepm123@aol.com
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS – Roof painting. Carpentry. License #U9 865. 9675580. BD SHAKE ROOF SPECIALISTS –– New roofs, repairs, preservation. License #CC025465. Shake Masters, Shake Chem. Members of Shake Bureau. 4396668 BD ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING ––Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded, insured. Lic. #U-11006.790-0763 or 641-4592. BD ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction,
exp. Family owned & operated. Radio dispatched 791-8855 BD HORIZON ROOFING INCORPORATED — Quality Work & Service. Free estimates. NO DEPOSITS/Pay upon completion reliable & on time. Written warranty/credit cards accepted, residential/commercial. Reroofing, State cert. Roofing contractor. 15 yrs. Serv. So. Florida. 561-842-6120. Lic. #ccc1325633
JOHN’S SCREEN SERVICE –– Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight, wrinklefree, guaranteed!Lic.#9001390.798-3132.
Ins. Visit website excelpurewater.com or call us at 561968-9864
