Town-Crier Newspaper June 28, 2013

COUNCIL PRAISES RPB’S RAY LIGGINS SEE STORY, PAGE 3

POLO AND PUNCH EVENT AT VINCEREMOS SEE STORY, PAGE 5

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TOWN - CR IER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

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INSIDE SOAR Program Helps Workers With Education Costs

Volume 34, Number 26 June 28 - July 4, 2013

AUTHOR TAMI HOAG’S BOOK SIGNING

Want to jumpstart careers, change careers or upgrade job skills to improve marketability?

Wellington residents take note: applications are currently being accepted for the SOAR program.

Page 3

RPB Zoners OKs New Lantern Walk Tree Plan

The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday approved a request that it tabled a month ago from the Lantern Walk Homeowners’ Association to replace 13 oak trees that community officials said were pushing up the sidewalks. Page 7

Author Tami Hoag debuted her most recent no vel, The 9th Girl, at a book signing Friday, June 21 at the Barnes & Noble book store near the Mall at Wellington Green. Fans of the best-selling author gathered to hear about her inspiration for the book and its characters. Shown here, Hoag chats with a miniature horse. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 10

Wellington Regional Graduation Ceremony

Wellington Regional Medical Center held a graduation ceremony for residents and interns of its Residency Training Program on Wednesday, June 19 at Breakers West Country Club.

The ceremony recognized the achievements of the graduating residents. Page 10

Chamber Presents Health & Wellness Fest

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce sponsored a Health & Wellness Festival on Saturday, June 22 in the Whole Foods Market plaza. Vendors from the health, beauty and fitness industries gave out samples and discount coupons. Page 17

OPINION Leave Fireworks To The Pros And Visit Village Festivities

Next week, the country will come together to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day. For most of us, that means a day off from work spent with family and friends. But amid all the festivities, the Fourth of July is also a day that sees many injuries and accidents due to overzealous celebrators looking to make the day explosive.

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DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS ............................. 3 - 10 OPINION .................................4 CRIME NEWS ......................... 6 SCHOOLS ............................ 12 PEOPLE ............................... 13 NEWS BRIEFS..................... 15 COLUMNS .................... 21 - 22 BUSINESS .................... 23 - 25 ENTERTAINMENT ................ 30 SPORTS ........................ 33 - 35 CALENDAR ................... 36 - 37 CLASSIFIEDS ................ 40 - 43 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

No Transition: ITID Board Asks Quickel To Leave Immediately

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors accepted the resignation of District Administrator Tanya Quickel on Tuesday, asking her to leave immediately instead of giving her the option of remaining for a 60-day transition period until a new manager could be found.

After months of contention, with two board members seeking to change to a less powerful manager position, Quickel submitted her resignation June 10.

Human resources attorney Lara Donlon said the end date from Quickel’s resignation letter would be Aug. 9, adding that the board had the option of keeping Quickel as administrator until then or have her leave sooner.

The board unanimously agreed to have her leave immediately.

Next, the board had to decide

how the office will operate in the absence of an administrator.

Donlon pointed out that the district administrator is authorized to make expenditures up to $10,000, but if the staff must wait for a board meeting to get approval for small expenditures, it could make operations difficult. “We need to have someone on an interim basis who can have that authority,” she said.

ITID Vice President Carol Jacobs said she wanted to give longtime finance department employee Jim Shallman that authority in the absence of an administrator.

“He’s always here, and he’s very professional,” Jacobs said. “I think we should put out an advertisement for a district manager, but in the meantime, this ship can take care of itself.”

Jacobs noted that board members are able to sign checks and attorneys can write letters that need to be written. “Even if we did

nothing, it’s basically what we’re doing right now,” she said. “I think we’re going to be fine. Nobody needs to get all freaked out about this.”

Supervisor Michelle Damone said she has nothing against Shallman having temporary authority to sign checks but that she would not be signing checks until a permanent district administrator is in place.

“You will find out shortly that when you have no one directing the ship, how things fall apart,” Damone said.

Supervisor Ralph Bair said he wanted Director of Operations & Services Kim Hutchison to remain as office manager. “She has done it before; she knows how to do it and make sure that things get done,” Bair said.

Jacobs did not like that idea. “I’m understanding right now that See ITID, page 16

Wellington Council Will Explore New Grant Program For Schools

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Members of the Wellington Village Council directed staff Tuesday to look into creating an education grant program that would funnel up to $275,000 into Wellington’s public schools to boost reading and math initiatives.

Local equestrian Victoria McCullough offered a matching grant through her foundation, which would be spent to help students who are among the lowest in reading and math.

“I was one of those kids,” McCullough said. “I would never have succeeded [in school] if a wonderful teacher hadn’t found that I was stumbling.”

The topic was raised by members of the Wellington Education Committee, who hoped to bring back similar grant programs financed in years past: the Reading Challenge Grant and the Student Enrichment Program.

Both were suspended in 2009 because of budget woes. The Reading Challenge Grant award-

ed each elementary school in Wellington $25,000 annually geared toward reading programs, while the Student Enrichment Program gave schools $5 per Wellington student.

Wellington Education Committee Vice Chair Michelle McGovern told council members that the new grant program, as proposed, would allow Wellington public schools to apply for up to $25,000.

“It would allow schools to apply for a grant based on their specific needs in math or reading for students performing below grade level,” she said. “Our hope is this program will provide the additional support and flexibility for our schools to meet the standards required by the state and the district.”

McGovern noted that schools receiving Title I financing — those with a high level of low-income students — already receive federal funds to help the lowest 25 percent of students.

“Our schools, none of which are considered Title I, are required to give the same student support

without the dollars to back them up,” she said. “We believe that $25,000 per school would really help them make the impact that they need.”

In the face of slashed school budgets due to county and state cuts, Wellington’s schools remain among the top in the county, making the community an attractive place for families, she said.

“Wellington schools are working hard to be as good as they can be, and they deserve our support,” McGovern said.

The schools would have to submit a council-approved application, McGovern said, and make a presentation before the Education Committee to receive the grant.

“The schools will present outcomes of the funding to the committee at the end of each school year,” she added.

Palm Beach County Schools Superintendent Wayne Gent said the school district fully supports the idea. “The opportunity to work with you to better the See SCHOOL GRANT, page 4

Serving Palms West Since 1980

Capt. Hart: Vehicle Burglaries Continue To Plague Wellington

By Laure Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Home burglaries and vandalism cases are down, but vehicle burglaries are on the rise in Wellington.

Capt. Jay Hart, commanding officer of Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office District 8, told members of the Wellington Village Council on Tuesday that overall, crime in the village is 21 percent below average. Vehicle burglaries, however, increased by 4.3 percent between October 2012 and March 2013.

“Last year at this time, we had 139 vehicle burglaries. This year we have 145,” Hart said, noting that most incidents, though, involved unlocked vehicles.

Hart said that the goals of the PBSO have been to focus on property crime prevention, robbery reduction, traffic safety and public preservation.

“Our goal was to reduce property crimes to below 1,000,” he said.

“We are on track to do that.”

So far this year, deputies have made 26 burglary arrests and seen

a decline of 19 percent in residential burglaries. There has also been a 28 percent decline in vandalism, Hart said.

The PBSO is continuing its fight against robberies in Wellington.

Hart said that Wellington has an average of 30 robberies a year, and his goal was to reduce that number to 20. So far, there have been 15 since the start of the fiscal year last October — 13 in the first half of the year alone, and two more since March.

“There have only been two in the second half of the year so far,” Hart said. “I don’t know if we’ll reach that goal, but it looks like the plan we have put in place to combat robberies is working.”

Overall, Hart said that Wellington deputies made 608 arrests this year so far, with the most common offense being retail theft.

He stressed that most of the crime in Wellington is nonviolent. “Less than 1 percent of the crime in Wellington is violent,” Hart said.

Traffic accidents continue to be See PBSO REPORT, page 16

MULTIPLES REUNION

Wellington Regional Medical Center hosted a reunion for multiples Saturday, June 22, welcoming back children born at the hospital since it opened in 1986. Families with twins, triplets and more were invited to celebrate with snacks, games, music and outdoor activities. Shown here, twins Sherry and Hila Silverman with mom, Lindsay Silverman.

MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTOS BY ALEXANDRA ANTONOPOULOS/TOWN-CRIER

LGWCD Ponders Assessment Hike To Fix Clogged Canals

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District could increase its assessments next year by up to $15 per acre in an effort to clean neglected canals.

In a preliminary 2014 budget discussion Monday, supervisors agreed to include a maximum $15per-acre increase in the budget.

The money would be used to acquire an extended-reach backhoe to dredge canals along Okeechobee Blvd. that have accumulated several feet of silt that is impeding drainage.

If the entire $15 increase makes it into the final budget, the district’s per-acre assessment will rise from

$135 to $150. However, several supervisors supported a smaller increase.

District Administrator Stephen Yohe said his staff recently cleaned a clogged culvert on A Road and found that other canals have not been dredged and maintained the way they should. The problem could negatively affect the review of federal flood plain maps that could require residents to obtain flood insurance, he noted.

“North A Road wasn’t draining at all,” Yohe said. “No matter what we did with any of the discharge structures, full wide open, we weren’t draining North A Road, so See LGWCD, page 7

Wellington Will Celebrate Holiday With Village Park Fun

By Alexandra Antonopoulos Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington’s Family Fourth Celebration will be held Thursday, July 4 at Village Park (11700 Pierson Rd.). The park will once again host activities for family members and friends of all ages to enjoy as they celebrate Independence Day. The day starts, however, at noon with a Patriotic Pool Party at the Wellington Aquatics Complex (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). For the pool’s regular entrance fee, kids and adults can spend the afternoon splashing around under the sunshine before they dry off and head to the park. The pool party ends at 5 p.m., but more holiday fun gets underway at 6 p.m.,

when the party officially moves to Village Park for the Family Fourth Celebration.

From 6 to 9 p.m., the park will be filled with inflatable slides, rides and obstacle courses, vendors selling everything from hot dogs to snow cones and live music by the Brass Evolution band.

Wellington Parks & Recreation Director Bruce DeLaney reminds patrons that there will be a lot to see and do, and most of it at no cost to them.

“Everything is free except for the food,” DeLaney said. “We will have a lot of traditional games: tugof-war, sack races, a pie-eating contest and even a watermeloneating contest,” he said.

“For those who want to get out of the heat a little bit, people can participate in a free bingo game inside the gymnasium,” DeLaney said, adding that the air-conditioned gym will offer a respite from the heat for the majority of the evening.

DeLaney noted that kids can enjoy about 10 different events, including a rock-climbing wall and several different bounce houses.

Throughout the Family Fourth Celebration, live music will be performed by Brass Evolution, led by Wellington’s Jody Marlow.

DeLaney noted that the popular local band has a great reputation.

“They have a very good follow-

ing, and they do a really good job,” he said.

Brass Evolution will add to the festive atmosphere as they play a variety of tunes throughout the evening.

New this year, the holiday lineup also includes some animal encounters. “This year, we are putting a small petting zoo area behind the gym,” DeLaney said, explaining that kids can interact with small farm animals and even take a pony ride. “We thought it would be a good opportunity for something different that everyone can enjoy.”

At 9:15 p.m., onlookers at the park and in surrounding areas will enjoy a spectacular fireworks

show produced by Zambelli Fireworks, complete with musical accompaniment and a grand finale sure to please everyone watching.

DeLaney said that the Fourth of July is always a special time, but that it seems to have particular significance because it brings families out and about in Wellington. “We expect that 5,000 to 6,000 people will come out to celebrate with us,” he said. “It’s a terrific evening for everyone to come out and enjoy Independence Day.” As for parking, free shuttle transportation will be available from the Mall at Wellington Green’s Palm Tran bus stop.

For more info., visit www. wellingtonfl.gov.

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NEWS

RPB Council Gives Positive Review To Village Manager Ray Liggins

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council gave Town Manager Ray Liggins a generally glowing report card last week during his annual performance review.

At the June 20 meeting, criticism of Liggins was minimal, with slight concerns raised regarding delays in completing the new Royal Palm Beach Commons Park and a Royal Palm Beach Blvd. improvement project gone awry.

Vice Mayor Jeff Hmara said he thought village staff does an excellent job maintaining the community and delivering services.

“Much of this, of course, is due to Mr. Liggins’ management and leadership skills,” he said.

Hmara pointed out that managing the village is complex, often balancing many competing factors. On a scale of 1 to 5, Hmara gave Liggins between a 3 and 4.

He rated Liggins excellent in the area of employee relations, financial management and long-range planning. In communications with council members, village intergovernmental image and completion of projects, Hmara rated him good.

“The opening of Commons Park

was delayed, but opened with a great three-day event and is still growing in value every day,” he said.

Hmara lauded Liggins’ creation of a strategic planning process and initial strategic plan that is already being implemented.

“Also under Mr. Liggins’ management, staff has developed and executed an annual budget balanced without raising the millage rate, with a five-year, long-range financial plan as a backdrop,” he added. “Furthermore, the village is respected through the county, and I’ve seen it in many meetings.

He has an excellent reputation for balanced development, with Aldi and projects like that being planned and executed in a way that does not degrade our citizens’ quality of life.”

Hmara said one of Liggins’ major strengths is his willingness to address areas where he needs to improve.

“Specifically, I think some improvement is needed in the area of project management, especially of our capital projects,” Hmara said. “I believe that we all would benefit from regular progress reviews on all ongoing projects, and

I believe we would all benefit from an objective after-action review of the Commons Park project and the Royal Palm Beach Blvd. roadway project to identify lessons learned.”

Councilman Richard Valuntas said Liggins is doing a great job.

“I am happy that he’s our manager,” Valuntas said. “He really gives 100 percent to the residents of the community, and I appreciate his effort.”

Valuntas said he didn’t know whether it was fair to fault Liggins concerning the delays at Commons Park and Royal Palm Beach Blvd., but that was the issue that drew the most resident complaints.

“I’m not an engineer, I’m not used to the contracting world, but everything seems to be a battle and things seem to get drawn out,” he said.

Valuntas said he had heard more complaints about Royal Palm Beach Blvd. than Commons Park.

“I understand it was a contractor problem, but I never want to see that again,” he said.

Councilman Fred Pinto based his assessment of Liggins’ performance on how he has come along, from being village engineer, to as-

sistant village manager, to interim village manager and finally to permanent village manager.

“From that time to now, I view Ray as growing exponentially in his abilities and results,” Pinto said. “It is a difficult job, and it is a challenge to keep a staff motivated. We talk philosophically about attracting the best and the brightest. When you get the brightest on board, you want to retain them and you want to keep them motivated.”

Pinto pointed out that when Liggins became manager, he promoted someone from within staff to follow him who was relatively new to the village engineer’s responsibilities.

“I think the challenge that Ray had was to not step out of his role as village manager and go back into village engineering and take over projects,” he said. “I think he tried to give his staff the leeway to manage through the challenges that they were having. Sometimes when you do that, those challenges bubble over and become more problematic for the elected officials and some of our citizens.”

Pinto characterized Commons Park as the biggest project the vil-

Teens Gain Insight Into Government Through Wellington Summer Service

By Anne Checkosky Town-Crier Staff Report Nine high school students are learning first-hand how government works this summer.

The students applied for and were accepted into Wellington’s summer service program. They’re now spending eight hours each week through Aug. 8 learning about different Wellington departments and helping village employees with hands-on projects, explained Community Projects Manager Scott Campbell.

Since 2011, 34 students have completed the summer service program. In return, they receive 75 hours of community service. All Palm Beach County School District students must log at least 20 hours of community service in order to graduate.

To be part of the program, students must be entering their junior or senior years of high school,

provide two letters of recommendation and have a 3.0 grade point average.

The program works much like an internship. Students go through orientation first and then are assigned to specific departments, such as parks and recreation or payroll, Campbell said.

There they engage in specific projects.

What they don’t want the students doing all summer is filing or other such mundane tasks, Campbell said.

For example, one of the students assigned to his department is helping with a neighborhood engagement program. She’ll actually end up going door to door to get the word out about neighborhood programs.

Students in the finance department are helping with payroll, and in parks and recreation, students are helping run summer

camp programs, Campbell said.

“It’s all about learning what government does and how it works,” he said.

Jacob Gill, a junior at Wellington High School, is also working for community service hours this summer. He called it an honor to be accepted into the program.

Gill, 16, has been conducting customer service satisfaction surveys to gauge how those applying for village permits find its operations.

So far the comments have been positive about the village permitting process, he said.

Gill admitted to being a little nervous at first, but now sees the program as a great opportunity. “I would highly recommend it,” he said. “My friends have already asked about it.”

His supervisor, Customer Service Supervisor Janet Silva, is impressed by the work he has been

doing. “He has been of wonderful help,” Silva said of Gill. “He has been awesome.”

In addition to learning how government works, students gain valuable contacts through the program and learn what it’s like to work in a professional environment. And students who have been through the program often come back to volunteer on their own. They see the value of an on-the-job type experience. It’s also something concrete to put on their college applications.

Generally, students work fourhour days twice a week, but some opt to put in the full eight hours at once, Campbell said.

The program is only offered in summer. Upon completing the program, the students get certificates to show they’ve done the work, and the school district is notified that they’ve logged the 75 community service hours.

lage has ever undertaken. “I just want to put that in context because we did have some bumps in the road, and we had some bumps with the project up there on Royal Palm Beach Blvd., but at the end of the day, I’m really happy that we have Ray here with us, and I hope he will continue to stay with us for a very long time,” Pinto said.

Councilman David Swift said he used to criticize Liggins because as an engineer he tended to see things in black and white.

“I don’t see that coming from him anymore,” Swift said. “I see him navigating in the gray… I think he has really come a long way in doing that, and I appreciate that, and I really see that he has stepped back and looked at that bigger picture. That’s the biggest improvement that I have seen.”

Swift said Liggins has done a good job helping to project a good image for the community.

“He’s out there trying to represent the village in a good way,” he said.

Swift also gave Liggins good marks on long-range strategic

planning. “That was an excellent effort, even though we had to drag some of our council members, including myself, through this process,” he said.

As for the project delays, Swift said there were good reasons for them. “Not that we want them, but we’re dealing with some difficult issues,” he said. “I think everybody should listen to those kinds of things and look at how we can all work together.”

Mayor Matty Mattioli said that he and Liggins spend a lot of time together and they don’t always agree, but that the overall result is positive.

“You solve problems; you don’t make problems,” Mattioli said.

“That is the biggest improvement I saw in you the past year. I think you are probably the best engineer we’ve ever had. I don’t know if you ever dreamed you were going to become a village manager, but I would say [former Village Manager] David Farber, rest his soul, broke you in and you got a feeling of it, then you made your own way.”

SOAR Program Helps Workers With Education Costs

By Anne Checkosky Town-Crier Staff Report Want to jumpstart careers, change careers or upgrade job skills to improve marketability?

Wellington residents take note: applications are currently being accepted for the SOAR program.

SOAR stands for Skills, Opportunity, Achievement, Reward, and it’s a tuition-reimbursement program aimed at moderate and lowincome residents who qualify, said John Darnell, project management assistant for Wellington and the SOAR program administrator.

The idea is to improve access to education and jobs for lowerwage earners. This is the first year Wellington has offered the program, which is funded through a U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development community development block grant.

Wellington got about $200,000 in block grant money this year with

$15,000 earmarked for SOAR, Darnell said. If it’s successful, the village could apply again next year for the same amount of funding or possibly more.

So far, the program is proving successful, Darnell said. Since it began on May 1, seven residents have applied, with three ruled ineligible, four eligible and three approved. One application is pending.

Here’s how it works: residents apply online. If they qualify — there is an income requirement — they select a program of study from an approved list of target occupations. These are areas where the state expects job growth, Darnell said. More than 100 occupations are listed, including everything from food service managers to graphic designer to registered nurses.

Typically, a single person would See SOAR, page 16

Page 4 June 28 - July 4, 2013

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OUR OPINION

On July 4, Leave Fireworks To The Pros And Visit Village Festivities Next week, the country will come together to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day. For most of us, that means a day off from work spent with family and friends, participating in quintessential summertime activities like backyard barbecues, beach days or pool parties.

But amid all the festivities, the Fourth of July is also a day that sees many injuries and accidents due to overzealous celebrators looking to make the day explosive.

Though a staple of the holiday, fireworks pose a large safety threat. Most of the accidents during the holiday are a result of personal fireworks displays gone awry. And it’s not just the person lighting the fireworks that is in danger. Explosives are unpredictable and uncontrollable and in a split second can go from pointing toward the sky to pointing at someone. The noise and bright lights can also spook nearby animals, sometimes causing them to injure themselves in fear. This is especially an issue in equestrian areas.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office will once again enforce its ban on all illegal fireworks including bottle rockets, standard fireworks, M80s with mortars and more. A good rule of thumb is if it launches or explodes, it’s better left to the professionals. Anyone caught violating the rules could face up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine.

Luckily, several local municipalities are offering fun, free Fourth of July celebrations, complete with professional fireworks displays — which are far more impressive than any illegal

backyard display. And with everything from food and bounce houses to music and games, there is something for the whole family to enjoy.

Royal Palm Beach kicks off its celebration Thursday at 6:30 a.m. with the Red, White & Blue Fishing Tournament. At 7:30 a.m., runners will gather for a 5k walk/run, while golfers head to the Village Golf Club for the Firecracker Golf Tournament. Starting at 1 p.m., Commons Park will be open to the public with a carnival-like environment. Lasting until 8 p.m., families can enjoy the Kids Fun Zone with rides, slides, games and more, as well as food trucks and a volleyball tournament. At 7 p.m. Odyssey Road, a Journey tribute band, takes the stage and will play the crowd into the Zambelli fireworks display at 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, in Wellington, residents can enjoy a patriotic pool party from noon to 5 p.m. at the Wellington Aquatics Complex. Then, Village Park will open at 6 p.m. for “A Family Fourth Celebration,” which includes games, inflatable rides and live music from the Brass Evolution. At 9:15 p.m., the sky will light up with a Zambelli fireworks display.

With so much in store for the day, you’re sure to find a way to celebrate without risking life and limb. But no matter how you choose to spend your holiday, we at the Town-Crier encourage everyone to stay safe and be kind to one another. After all, the day is about coming together as a nation to celebrate our freedoms — fireworks not necessarily included.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SFWMD Doesn’t Keep Promises In response to Mr. Bill Louda’s letter proclaiming the sale of Mecca Farms to the South Florida Water Management District to be a win-win (“Mecca Sale A Win-Win For Everyone,” June 14), I have to say that this was nothing more than a regurgitation of SFWMD propaganda. It’s very troubling that the SFMWD has a lot of people convinced that this sale somehow benefits Acreage residents.

My point is not that the things the SFWMD promises to do are bad; rather, my point is that they can’t be trusted to fulfill any of their promises in the first place. So, selling the land to private developers and reserving a chunk of it for the Palm Beach County Health Care District to build a new hospital is a better idea.

One of the myths I hear a lot is that once the SFWMD takes control of Mecca Farms, Acreage storm water will drain into the Loxahatchee River. That is false, and here’s why.

There is already an existing canal, the C-18 crossover canal, that runs from the north border of Mecca Farms to the C-18 canal in Jupiter Farms, and is then subsequently discharged into the Jupiter Inlet. About 2.5 miles south of that canal is another canal that terminates at 94th Street and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. That canal connects to the Indian Trail Improvement District’s drainage infrastructure and also to the L-8 canal. It is only an assumption on my part, but if The Acreage were ever going to be drained into the Jupiter Inlet, it would be done by connecting these two canals.

So, here’s the rub: If the SFWMD was ever going to connect these two canals, they would have done it a long time ago. While there is no doubt that connecting

The Acreage to the Jupiter Inlet would help with drainage, the probability that the SFWMD will actually do it is very slim. The ownership of Mecca Farms is not a requirement, but digging a connecting canal is something they could have done a long time ago but didn’t.

It’s pretty much agreed that the SFWMD plans to dig out Mecca Farms. What isn’t so clear is what they plan to do with the fill. Mr. Louda said they will haul millions of tons of dirt down Northlake Blvd. and dump it in the Lake Worth Lagoon for the betterment of Palm Beach County residents.

Translation: Palm Beach County will purchase the Mecca fill back from the SFWMD for probably near what they sold the property for, and then also gets to spend millions more to repair Northlake Blvd., which will be damaged by the constant pounding of thousands of dirt trucks. A much closer place to dump all that fill would be on the unimproved Seminole Pratt Whitney right-of-way and connect that road to the Bee Line as we were promised 60 years ago.

A dirt road is better than no road at all. Either that, or dump it on Acreage roads where it’s desperately needed. But something tells me that neither will ever happen.

While I may be guilty of kicking a dead horse here because it seems that the sale of Mecca is a done deal. I would like to point out that this is corrupt government at its finest. I’m a 50-year resident of Palm Beach County, and the SFWMD’s track record says they won’t do much of anything they promised. But I do hope I’m wrong. So let’s mark our calendars and see if a year from now we have a shooting range, watersports park and adequate drainage in The Acreage. Only time will tell.

Dennis Hawkins The Acreage

ITID Must Fix Intersection Editor’s note: The following letter is in response to “ITID Was Warned About Deadly Intersection” by Karl Witter, published last week.

Thank you, Karl, for stating it like it is regarding speeding on Tangerine Blvd. and our dangerous intersection at Tangerine and 120th Avenue N. I, too, have talked to ITID about the problems in the area to no avail.

It seems every time I have talked to someone, “there is no record of a problem.” After I spoke with media camped on my swale after the unfortunate fatal accident a week ago, the news stated there was only one reported accident since 2010 at our intersection. My son and I have witnessed and heard many accidents and near misses at this intersection. Maybe there is only one reported accident because no one stays around to see what they hit or just barely missed.

Many weekends, I see errant tire tracks in the swale or a new gouge in one of the trees. I’ve picked up car parts and thrown them away. I check to see if my fence is still intact as I have dogs and want them safely inside my boundaries. I encouraged the media to come back and run a follow-up segment on the speeding in the area. Steve Schelb from Channel 12 News was doing that one afternoon and was quite surprised at the blatant disregard for the speed limit. He is willing to speak with anyone living in the area.

It truly was only a matter of time before someone was killed along this stretch of roadway. There are many walkers, joggers and families cycling along this road. There is also a bus stop on the southeast corner of the intersection.

Katherine Rigby and her son,

Devin, were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Condolences to the family and friends.

And unfortunately, this problem may worsen when State Road 7 is extended to 60th Street. I would expect more traffic to come down Tangerine.

ITID, it is time to open your eyes and pull your head out of the sand.

It was stated that only one person wants speed humps in the area.

You are very wrong. I have spoken with several neighbors along Tangerine and we all want speed humps. I suggest you speak with those of us who live along this road and surrounding roads and get our input. Do a survey and have PBSO run radar. Ask them about the motorcyclist who raced down the road at around 90 mph while they were finishing their paperwork on the night of the accident.

The time to act is now — before the next fatality. I am certain that there will be more if you fail to act.

You cannot state the you are unaware of a problem any longer.

Let’s work together to make this a safer roadway.

Ann Junkes The Acreage

Morelli Trusts Informed Voters Sometimes voters overlook the brightest ideas, and politicians oppose them for personal reasons.

Last month, a brilliant idea was advanced by Palm Beach County Mayor Steven L.Abrams. He proposed to merge the two inspectors general into one more efficient and less expensive office.

There are only two reasons to oppose the merger. One is personal, and the other is the belief that only an “independent” IG can fight corruption.

Recently, my friend Richard [Nielsen], on whom my satire was

wasted, wrote that the “public has learned the only time politicians lie to them is when their lips are moving.” (“Mocking Voters Who Support Independent OIG?,” June 14) Yet he apparently trusts a completely unaccountable inspector general. True, if the merger were approved, voters would have a say in what the inspector general does or does not do. Voters would have a say in how much to fund the inspector general.

I assume that my friend does not trust voters to make sure that the inspector general is doing a good job? Yet he writes that I am mocking the 72 percent of voters who approved the $7.5 million woman. Which one of us has faith in our republican form of government?

The fact is that I trust well-informed voters, which is why I write these letters that are usually replete with facts, annotations, references, and to date not one writer has disputed the factual bases of any of my arguments.

The problem in this county is that we elect corrupt politicians.

We elect incompetent politicians.

We elect politicians who are in the pockets of rich donors. We elect rich politicians who protect their investments with their votes.

Then when we discover that they are corrupt, we create an unaccountable government agency to fix the problem.

The brilliant proposal of Mayor Abrams would cost taxpayers less, would eliminate multiple lawsuits and would be much more efficient.

Finally, other politicians would have no say in the matter, and voters would hold the inspector general accountable. Unfortunately, in this county it is unlikely that voters will be given another opportunity to decide which proposal is best.

Frank Morelli Wellington

Time To Sue The Companies Being a Verizon customer, along with being a Comcast subscriber, I would like to file a class-action lawsuit against both companies for allowing my personal e-mail and cellular phone calls to be made available to the government. I agreed to their privacy agreement.

They agreed to the privacy agreement because they wrote it, and I did not change anything about it.

They failed to adhere to their rules.

I know the government requested the information from both companies, but we can still sue and allow the courts and a jury to make the decision on the legality of their actions. We have no defense against the government, but we do against companies that allow our rights to be taken from us.

We, the people, need a course of action against the government; our only recourse is to sue the companies that allow the government to go against our constitution, which gives us the right to privacy.

Ronald Piretti Royal Palm Beach

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

OPINION

Retired Basketball Star Jason Kidd: He’s A Hall Of Fame Cinch The accolades and endless plaudits are still pouring in for Jason Kidd after his recent retirement from the National Basketball Association after 19 outstanding seasons. After all, how many other professional basketball stars could “dominate a game” without being a leading scorer? Kidd

Footloose and...

By Jules W. Rabin

could, and did, regularly.

Perhaps the most surprising statistic for the 6-foot, 4-inch guard playing with the likes of Shaquille O’Neill (7’3”), was his career ranking at No. 50 in the league’s rebounding numbers (8,725). Other impressive career totals: assists, at No. 2; triple-doubles (12,091);

steals, No. 2 (2684); minutes, No. 3 (50,111); and 3-point field goals, third (1988). Remarkable!

Like any of the great football quarterbacks, Kidd was able to see plays develop prior to their actual happening and deliver a perfect pass often at the very second the recipient realized he was open.

Kidd could deliver a flawless pass through a pileup of players, or, with equal skill, flick an alley-oop pass for a dunk basket.

“He was always one pass ahead in his mind,” enthused Dwyane Wade, the Miami Heat all-star.

“He just made so many guys better with his special talents.”

For the record, Kidd played for four teams: Dallas, Phoenix, New Jersey and New York. He accumulated one championship ring (Dallas, 2011), two Olympic gold medals, 10 all-star selections and more.

He was a true basketball whiz. I wonder if we’ll see another like him in the next 19 years?

“If Binks Forest was a Title I school, they would receive about $25,000 worth of books to help their kids reading below grade level,” she said. “Unfortunately, they don’t have the $25,000 and they have to go out and raise it. Piece by piece [they are] putting together the money to buy another set of books. It’s a set of books they have to have, but they have to go out and raise the money for it.”

Coates asked why the school board wasn’t providing that money. “If it’s so important, why is the school board not providing it?” he asked.

McGovern said the district did not have the money. “We feel like there is a need here in our schools,” McGovern said. “And we feel that there is an opportunity for us to support them.”

School Board Member Marcia Andrews also spoke in support of

the measure. “We have great schools here in the Village of Wellington, and anything we can do to uplift all of our children is very important,” she said. “I think this will make a difference.”

Willhite made a motion to direct staff to try to work the money into the budget, which passed unanimously.

Gerwig suggested naming the grant after the late Keely Spinelli, former principal of Binks Forest Elementary School who died in 2008. “She was an incredible and energetic woman who dedicated herself to those 25 percent of students,” Gerwig said. “The pictures on the walls in her office were of the kids in that 25 percent. Her heart was in it to impact them.”

Village Manager Paul Schofield said the item would come back before the council, probably during budget hearings.

NEWS School Grant

Designed To Help Students

continued from page 1 schools is very important to us,” he said. “If the council chooses to approve the grant, it’s something we support 100 percent.”

Councilwoman Anne Gerwig liked the measure but thought schools could use the money for more than just their lowest-performing students. “I’d rather have the schools tell me what they need,” she said. “I would rather see it be driven by the needs of the school.”

Gent said that input from the principal of each school would be crucial. “I think there needs to be flexibility for the principals to meet

the needs of the individual schools,” he said.

But McGovern said the goal was to equalize the financing across all schools by targeting the grant at helping low-performing students.

“We didn’t want there to be any thought that one school asked for a jungle gym while another asked for books,” she said. “It would be an equalizer. For all of our schools, the effort is to lift up the low-performing students.”

Councilman Matt Willhite said he believed that helping the schools would add value to the community.

“I think it’s something we should seriously look at,” he said.

“I like the idea of this grant being based on curriculum. There are children who don’t have those abilities, and this would help them to raise their grades.”

He pointed out that principals

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would have the option to apply for help in reading and/or math, and could tailor the application to help the school meet the needs of its students.

Willhite asked Gent whether the program funding Wellington schools might mean the school district would trim financing in response. “If the Village of Wellington was to fund this grant program, would you find it in your budget to shorten the school’s budget in Wellington to offset that amount?” he asked.

Gent said he would “absolutely not” cut the budget of Wellington’s schools because of that.

Gerwig said she was under the impression that in the past, the district did cut some financing because of Wellington’s grant programs. “The district saw that we were providing funding so they felt they didn’t have to,” she said.

McGovern said that in the past, the grants helped to bring in a parttime reading instructor at the elementary schools.

“At that time, the school district funded the other part, to make it a full-time position,” she said. “At some point, the district decided that they no longer could afford the part-time position and pulled back.”

Vice Mayor Howard Coates was concerned that taxpayers already pay the school district to finance their children’s education.

“Are we getting something more from the school board than we would be getting?” he asked. “Or are we simply funding an obligation that was the school board’s responsibility to begin with?”

McGovern said the money would help make up for budget shortfalls. She pointed to Binks Forest Elementary School.

BARRY S. MANNING Publisher

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June 28 - July 4, 2013 Page 5

NEWS

VINCEREMOS THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER HOSTS POLO AND PUNCH EVENT

The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center celebrated its summer polo camp finals Friday, June 21 with Polo & Punch. Sponsored by Everglades Farm Equipment, FPL and the Palm Beach Kennel Club, the event gave campers the opportunity to use the polo skills they learned in camp during a match. Guests enjoyed beverages and a light lunch. For more info., visit www.vinceremos.org.

PHOTOS BY ALEXANDRA ANTONOPOULOS/TOWN-CRIER

Cindy Garber, Hannah Woods and Carole Woods cheer on Garber’s son, Ashton, during the match.

Both teams line up to do their warm-up routine as spectators arrive.

Vinceremos campers Reed Gutner, Jeff Perham and Ashton Garber represent the orange team.

Vinceremos’ Emily Marschock, Executive Director Ruth Menor and Director of Development Susan Guinan.

Vinceremos camper Ashton Garber is ready to get the match started.

Event workers Jordan Nelson, Debbie Shackley, Cassidy Hoff and Shiela Conde await the start of the match.

MULTIPLES REUNION BRINGS DOZENS OF FAMILIES TO WELLINGTON REGIONAL Wellington Regional Medical Center hosted a reunion for multiples Saturday, June 22, welcoming back children born at the hospital since it opened in 1986. Families with twins, triplets and more were invited to celebrate with snacks, games, music and outdoor activities.

PHOTOS BY ALEXANDRA ANTONOPOULOS/TOWN-CRIER

Twins Liana and Layla Meoni with older brother Logan and mom, Debbie.

Chris and Carrie Skierski with twins Ocean and Coral, on left, and older daughter, Breeze, on right.

(Back) Shalaina and Christelle Fleurisme, Jovon and Jovony Anicett e with sister, Maurina Anicett e, between them.

Page 6 June 28 - July 4, 2013

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CRIME NEWS

Marked PBSO Vehicle Vandalized In Front Of Wellington Home

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report JUNE 24 — A deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office substation in Wellington responded to a home in the Oakmont Estates community Monday regarding a case of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 7:45 and 10 a.m., someone used a rock to damage a marked PBSO patrol vehicle parked outside the home. According to the report, the perpetrator(s) smashed the rock on the windshield of the vehicle, causing two areas of impact. The rock was also used to put dents on the hood of the vehicle. The damage was estimated at approximately $300.

There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

••• JUNE 18 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to the Walmart Supercenter on Belvedere Road last Tuesday morning regarding a recovered firearm. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 5:45 a.m., an employee discovered a black fanny pack inside a shopping cart. Inside the fanny pack was a semi-automatic firearm with two loaded magazines.

There was no further information available at the time of the report.

JUNE 18 — A resident of 120th Avenue North called the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation last Tuesday morning to report a case of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 10:30 p.m. last Monday and 6:40 a.m. the following morning, someone drove an unknown vehicle across her front lawn, making donuts in the grass and causing approximately $200 in damage. The victim said she did not know who would have damaged her lawn.

There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

JUNE 19 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was called to a home on Locust Lane last Wednesday morning regarding a home burglary. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 10:45 a.m., a witness observed an unknown man walk through her backyard carrying a pillowcase. The deputies discovered that a neighbor’s home had been entered through a smashed rear sliding glass door.

According to the report, the perpetrator entered the home and stole several pieces of jewelry from one of the bedrooms. The suspect was described as a black male in his late teens to early 20s, standing approximately 5’6” and wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and dark checkered underwear. There was no further information available at the time of the report.

JUNE 19 — A resident of Apache Blvd. contacted the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation last Wednesday to report a theft. According to a PBSO report, the victim said he had ordered several items online, including dog food from Petco and two portable stoves. The victim expected the packages to be delivered, but never received them.

According to the report, the victim discovered that records from FedEx showed his package had been delivered Saturday, June 15.

According to the report, the victim contacted FedEx, and the driver claimed to have left the packages inside a plastic bag outside the victim’s gate. The items were valued at approximately $500. There

were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

JUNE 20 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to an automotive business on Business Parkway early last Thursday morning regarding a fire. According to the report, the deputy arrived at the business at approximately 4:15 a.m. and discovered two Ford pickup trucks engulfed in flames. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue arrived and extinguished the flames. According to the report, two other vehicles sustained damage from the heat of the blaze. There was no further information available at the time of the report.

JUNE 20 — A resident of Sparrow Drive called the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach last Thursday afternoon to report a case of fraud. According to a PBSO report, the victim was reviewing her bank account when she observed two transactions that she did not make. According to the report, the victim’s debit card information was used for two online transactions for $81.57 at an online flower store, and for $115.89 at an online clothing company. The victim contacted both companies but was unable to get the order information. According to the report, the victim was in possession of her debit card and did not know who would have made the purchases. There were no suspects at the time of the report.

JUNE 21 — A resident of Wisteria Street called the PBSO substation in Wellington last Friday morning to report a case of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 5 p.m. last Thursday and 7:50 a.m. the following morning, someone threw an unknown substance on the victim’s white 2013 Ford F-150, causing damage to the paint. According to the report, the perpetrator(s) threw the substance on the hood and right front quarter panel, causing approximately $2,000 in damage. The deputy observed tire tracks in the sod near the truck.

There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

JUNE 22 — A Riviera Beach woman was arrested last Saturday evening on charges of grand theft after she was caught shoplifting from the Abercrombie & Fitch store in the Mall at Wellington Green. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched to the store after a loss prevention officer observed 29year-old Ebony Butler select 34 items of clothing, remove the antitheft sensors and conceal the clothing in a shopping bag. According to the report, Butler left the store without attempting to pay for the items, and the loss prevention officer stopped her. The stolen items were valued at $1,504.85. Butler was arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail, where she was charged with grand theft.

JUNE 25 — A resident of Oak Chase Court called the PBSO substation in Wellington on Tuesday morning regarding a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 7 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m. the following morning, someone entered the victim’s unlocked vehicles and removed two pairs of designer sunglasses. The glasses were valued at approximately $400. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives: • Alexi Krivonojko is a white male, 6’0” tall and weighing 170 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes. His date of bir th is 09/07/80. Krivonojko is wanted for failure to appear on charges of grand theft. His last known address was Southern Pride Place in Wellington. He is wanted as of 06/ 19/13.

• Tanya Perham is a whit e female, 5’3” and weighing 130 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes. Her date of birth is 07/25/74. Perham is wanted for violation of probation on charges of culpable negligence and possession of Xanax. Her last known address was Linda Court in Royal Palm Beach. She is wanted as of 06/19/13.

Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestopper s pbc.com.

Alexi Krivonojko

Tanya Perham

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

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June 28 - July 4, 2013 Page 7

NEWS

RPB Zoning Commission OKs New Tree Plan For Lantern Walk

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday approved a request that it tabled a month ago from the Lantern Walk Homeowners’Association to replace 13 oak trees that community officials said were pushing up the sidewalks.

Once removed, the oaks will be replaced by other trees planted away from the sidewalks.

At the commission’s May meeting, staff had recommended approval of the application, but commissioners said they did not want to pull up 30-year-old oaks.

Commissioner Darrell Lange, a landscaper, said the trees had not been maintained properly through root pruning and other means, and would prefer that the applicant seek other alternatives.

On Tuesday, Site Plan Coordinator Kevin Erwin said Lantern Walk, located on the east side of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. next to the

Village Golf Club, had wanted to replace the oak trees with triple foxtails, Christmas palms, cassias or queen crepe myrtles, but the applicant indicated that they would be willing to replace the trees with oak trees instead if the commission preferred oaks instead of the trees originally chosen.

“They did supply a map showing the location of the trees to be removed,” Erwin said. “They also obtained the water and sewer plan, which clearly shows that the water and sewer lines run very close to being under the trees.”

Erwin said the HOA proposes to plant the new trees in areas that are open space to improve the vistas and shade in those areas. He also pointed out that there are no curbs in the areas where the existing trees are located, which makes them vulnerable to being hit by vehicles.

Erwin added that, although the development was built prior to Palm Beach County’s purchase of

the village’s water utility, its standards require a minimum 20-footwide easement in order to ensure that neither structures nor trees or shrubs are placed any closer than 10 feet to an apartment or home in order to maintain pipes and other water-related structures unless a proper root barrier were to be installed.

HOA President Valerie Gerold said she thought they had now met all the criteria the commission had asked for, and that she had brought a certified arborist with her to the meeting.

Arborist Mark Baker said that the trees Lantern Walk wants to remove would never meet current standards, and most of them have wounds from recent hurricanes.

Baker said there is ample open space in the development where new trees could be planted, but that he would not want to try to uproot and move the existing trees.

For tree choices, he encouraged diversification, avoiding palm

trees because they are susceptible to whiteflies.

To enhance the fronts of houses where there is enough space, he recommended crepe myrtles or other, smaller trees that would meet the growing space and also enhance the property.

“They have plenty of open space to put tons of maples and oaks and a whole diversification of trees throughout their property,” Baker said. “They just need to go in the right direction, with the proper permitting, submit a nice site plan, identify the trees that need to be removed, also identify where they’re going to go back in.”

Baker said a big problem in South Florida is a lack of certified arborists to trim the trees properly. “If a tree is properly pruned, it can control root mass and root issues in a community 25 or 30 years down the road,” Baker said. “Proper pruning can eliminate 90 percent of issues and problems in the urban forest.”

Baker added that liability is another issue that he has dealt with, providing testimony in cases where people have tripped on broken or raised sidewalks and injured themselves. “Liability is the biggest issue when someone with certification steps on a property and recognizes that, but also brings it to a representative or homeowner’s attention,” Baker said.

Commissioner Joseph Boyle wanted to focus on the plan presented to the commission and whether it meets ordinance requirements.

“You are proposing to remove certain trees because of potential problems either with the sewer or something like that, and you have a plan to replace them?” Boyle asked Gerold. “The replacement trees that you are going to use meet the village requirements as far as replacement, is that correct?”

Erwin said that the replacement plan in the original application met the code.

Vice Chair Richard Becher said he regretted that the association had to replace the trees, and that the trees would be lost due to improper care, but said the action was warranted.

“Frankly, I can’t find any code to prevent you from pulling out these trees at this time,” Becher said.

Lange was concerned that there was no comprehensive landscape plan, and Erwin said they have a landscape plan but that it’s faulty because it locates trees over the water lines.

Baker said he can submit a proper landscape plan, recommending maple, oak, a species of magnolia and single-trunk crepe myrtle.

“I can create that site plan for you,” he said. “I just want to make everybody happy.”

Becher made a motion to approve the application with conditions that the four types of trees cited by Baker be used. The motion carried 5-0.

County Administrator Explains Budget At Santamaria Meeting

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Palm Beach County Administrator Bob Weisman reviewed his proposed budget for 2014 at a meeting hosted by County Commissioner Jess Santamaria on Wednesday, June 19 at the original Wellington Mall.

Santamaria said “millage” has been his pet peeve during his tenure as a commissioner because he thinks the concept is generally misunderstood, but Weisman said it is difficult to explain the budget without using the term.

“I wish I could give this speech without saying ‘millage’ once, but you can’t,” Weisman said. “The law requires it.”

The county’s initial budget workshop was held June 11, when commissioners approved a proposed budget of about $1 billion, including $6 million in proposed salary increases, with a 0.03 millage rate increase. The commissioners will set the maximum property tax rate Tuesday, July 16. The first public hearing on the budget will be Sept. 9, with the second on Sept. 23, both at 6 p.m.

LGWCD

Assessment Increase?

continued from page 1 we recognized we had a problem there in the culvert.”

Yohe said they contacted the county, which has technical responsibility for the culvert, and its staff allowed LGWCD workers to remove silt that was halfway up the pipe.

“We removed the boards that were in the flashboard riser on the north side that had been inhibiting flow, inspected the pipe, found the condition and recognized that every other pipe on Okeechobee Blvd. looked just like it,” Yohe said.

He added that he had reviewed a canal survey and cross sections taken in January 2010 and found that the canals had not been maintained to their design.

“They also surveyed cross sections of the canals, and as it turns out, those cross sections south of Okeechobee Blvd. are filled with silt 2 to 3 feet above the design section,” Yohe said, adding that the downstream canals will need to be cleaned first so that canals upstream can flow through it.

The experience convinced Yohe to put together a proposal to buy the equipment necessary to fix the

Weisman noted that the largest part of the budget is the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, which costs approximately $500 million, or about 47 percent of the budget.

“The general county budget for the other county operating departments, including Palm Tran, parks and recreation and engineering departments, is $278 million.

That’s only 26 percent of the budget. The sheriff’s is 47 percent,” Weisman said. “Some people wonder why I speak about the sheriff’s budget so much. That’s because in the balancing of our budget, it’s more important to balance the budget for what the sheriff does, than all the other county operations.”

All the other constitutional officers’ departments aside from the sheriff cost only about $46 million, about 4.4 percent of the budget, Weisman said.

The county’s annual debt service is $85 million. “A little less than a third of that is tied to Scripps,” Weisman said. “A good portion of the rest of that is for the county courthouse and the county jail.

That number is going to drop significantly starting in 2015.”

The reserve of $85 million helps assure the county’s AAA bond rating, along with other financial management controls and sound management of the county by the county commission, Weisman said. “That $85 million is money we don’t want to touch,” he said.

“That provides sort of a safety valve.”

Bond rating agencies take that number into consideration, along with general management efficiency, he said. “When the bond rating agencies see that number, that’s the minimum,” he said. “We don’t want to go any lower than that, or they’re going to hurt our triple-A bond rating.”

Weisman said the taxable value of property will have decreased about 20 percent in 2014 from its high in 2007. “That was the peak year of county revenue and property valuation before the bad economy hit,” he said, pointing out that in the interim, financing for general departments decreased 22 percent. “We’ve actually cut the county operating budget by more

than the reduction in terms of percentage than what was raised in taxes. I’m really proud of that because we’ve really maintained most of the services that the public looks for us to provide while we were making these cuts.”

The decrease in property value and financing for the county’s general budget is contrasted in the same time period by an approximately 23 percent Consumer Price Index increase and a 24 percent increase in the sheriff’s budget, Weisman said.

“We have been successful in balancing the budget with tax decreases because the general county has been very conservative,” Weisman said. “We’ve reduced our costs while maintaining services.”

The total proposed ad valorem tax revenue for 2014 would be about $625 million, which is up from $600 million collected in 2013 but still down 9.3 percent from about $689 million collected in 2007, Weisman said.

The county’s voted debt would go up slightly from $26.2 million to $26.6 million, but that’s down 16.4

percent from its high of $31.8 million in 2007. “We haven’t issued bonds like that in a few years,” he noted.

Special taxing districts such as Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue apply in Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, unincorporated Palm Beach County and the Glades cities, Weisman said.

“I think it’s true to say that all of Commissioner Santamaria’s district pays these taxes,” he said.

Library funding is proposed to go up slightly from $41 million in 2013 to $43 million in 2014, which is still down almost 20 percent from $53 million in 2007. “We’ve actually dropped library taxes $10 million in the past seven years, and we’re not proposing an increase at all for them in the coming year,” Weisman said. “We have an outstanding system that has been very cost-effective.”

The Fire-Rescue MSTU is proposed to increase from $177 million in 2013 to $182 million in 2014, which is still down 3.7 percent from $189 million in 2007, Weisman said.

“That is an incredible fact,” he said. “We’ve cooperated and re-

duced costs, particularly with the union, which is very influential and involved in how that department functions. We’ve had great leadership there in how to save money and keep taxes down.”

Weisman explained that this year there is no pay raise for firefighters or paramedics, and they are going to be hiring 80 new people because there has been much attrition.

“We negotiated with the union a lower starting salary for the employees,” he said. “It’s approximately 20 percent lower than a starting employee would have made five years ago. We had 1,200 applicants for the 80 positions.”

That has been whittled down to a short list of about 280 applicants, and the interview process has begun.

“I assure you there is no shortage of qualified applicants at the reduced pay rate,” Weisman said.

“I suggested this to the sheriff as something he could consider in trying to reduce his cost in the future. This will allow us to keep costs under control for the coming decade.”

problem. “That’s why we feel the need to get the necessary equipment, to have employees in-house operate on a continuous basis, because no doubt each and every one of these other canals, in fact, all the OGEM roads I’ve inspected, have similar neglect,” he said.

Supervisor John Ryan said that based on the work clearing the A Road culvert, Yohe had focused on what work could be done immediately, and ascertained that the west maintenance road on A Canal is wide enough to use the existing backhoe to clear between a third and a half of the canal width to improve flow on the north and south sides.

“The first thing that has to be done south of Okeechobee Blvd. is to rent a bulldozer and have a qualified operator widen that road, because right now that section of our right-of-way maintenance road is not wide enough to allow a piece of equipment to operate there,” Ryan said, adding that the operation might have to be coordinated with property owners.

Ryan anticipated that many of the other canals will need to be dredged and asked that sufficient money be designated to allow for clearing the A Canal in the current fiscal year and to plan for other roads in the next fiscal year.

Supervisor Don Widing favored looking into options for equipment

designed especially for the size of those operations, pointing out that new equipment has been designed in recent years for that purpose.

Supervisor Frank Schiola agreed that there are areas in addition to A Road that need attention.

“These canals are not functioning right now,” he said. “I don’t want to wait until January, February or March of next year to do this.”

The board gave consensus to have staff proceed immediately to build up the A Canal bank and have Yohe research equipment options to most efficiently address the drainage issues and report back at the board’s July 8 meeting.

Yohe also reported on the recently released Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps, cautioning that the maps do not accurately reflect the area’s drainage system.

Yohe said county staff warned that each municipality and drainage district should review the maps, because there are serious errors and implications pertaining to residents and flood insurance.

“The flood zone designations for most properties have been downgraded, meaning that the insurance companies are going to be looking at the downgraded flood insurance map designation and charging you more,” Yohe said. “It’s the intent of Palm Beach

County and the municipalities… to push back and at least give them the correct information.”

However, before the LGWCD can assert its level of flood protection, the drainage infrastructure must be working properly. “It really falls right into our previous discussion that to push back we would like to stipulate that our canals are at their designed section,” Yohe said.

To accomplish those goals, Yohe said a $10 to $15 assessment increase would be needed, explaining that every $10-per-acre assessment would bring the district about $80,000. He pointed out that the board could set the assess-

ment higher now and reduce it later once there is more information on the actual costs.

“If I have a 5-acre estate that would impact me by $50, and certainly, if I owned a 5-acre estate, I would want to pay $50 to have my canals cleaned out,” Yohe said.

Yohe said he was not asking for a motion to approve an assessment increase immediately, but wanted direction on how to proceed.

Supervisor Robert Snowball said the lack of canal maintenance is the result of the loss of $150,000 per year in county money that used to pay for that work.

“Now we’re paying for it big time,” he said. “We have a town now, and I would hope the town would see what’s going on here and want to help with this one way or another.”

Widing said he would support no more than a $10 increase.

Schiola said he would support $15 with the understanding that the board could lower it later. “If we go to $10 and find out after our discussion that we’re going to go up, we’re going to be stuck,” he said.

Chairman David DeMarois said he would support $15 for discussion and declared a consensus to pursue that amount.

Wellington Rotary Club Holds Awards Banquet And Installation Ceremony The Wellington Rotary Club held its awards banquet and board of directors installation ceremony Saturday, June 22 at the Wanderers Club. Most members of the club and many members of the community attended.

President Karen Hardin started the program with the Pledge of Allegiance, invocation and the worldwide peace toast. David Unversaw, past club president, gave a year in review of the club’s activities during 2012-13. Unversaw

presented many members of the club with recognition awards for their outstanding commitment to the club’s activities during the year.

Carol O’Neil received the Rotarian of the Year award for her outstanding commitment to the club and her service-above-self attitude.

Dr. Carmine Priore presented the Frank T. Gladney award, which is given to a local Wellington citizen who best exemplifies unselfish

dedication through devotion of time, energy and numerous contributions to the betterment of the community. The recipient of this year’s award was Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Michael Gauger.

Finally, Priore swore in the new board of directors for the 2013-14 year. Tom Neumann was sworn in as president-elect, and Larry Kemp was sworn in as the president. The club looks forward to a successful year.

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WELLINGTON REGIONAL HOSTS GRADUATION CEREMONY AT BREAKERS WEST Wellington Regional Medical Center held a graduation ceremony for residents and interns of its Residency Training Program on Wednesday, June 19 at Breakers West Country Club. Appetizers and drinks were served before the ceremony, which recognized the achievements of the graduating residents and ushered in the next phase of their medical careers.

PHOTOS BY ALEXANDRA ANTONOPOULOS/TOWN-CRIER

WRMC’s 2013 graduating class gathers to celebrate.

Dr. Jeffrey Bishop, Dr. Joanna Widdows, WRMC Interim CEO Robbin Lee and Dr. Brad Glick.

Wellington Regional CFO Joe Paul, Marketing Director Helen Rengepis and Director of Environmental Services Bill O’Brien.

Dr. Todd Gersten, Dr. Jeffrey Bishop, Dr. Joanna Widdows, Dr. Steven Sacks and Dr. Adam Bromberg.

Dr. Brad Glick, Dr. Jeffrey Bishop and his wife, Charlene, and Dr. Mitchell Davis.

Dr. Kimberly Sussman, Dr. Matthew Smith and Dr. Melissa Mora.

AUTHOR TAMI HOAG SIGNS NEW NOVEL AT BARNES & NOBLE IN WELLINGTON Author Tami Hoag debuted her most recent novel, The 9th Girl, at a book signing Friday, June 21 at the Barnes & Noble book store near the Mall at Wellington Green. Fans of the best-selling author gathered to hear about her inspiration for the book and its characters. They were joined by miniature horses named Barnes and Noble.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Tami Hoag pets Barnes, a miniature horse.

Vanessa Norman gets her copy of The 9th Girl signed by Tami Hoag.

Barnes & Noble Store Manager Randi Rosenberg and Community Relations Manager Barbara Cicero with Tami Hoag.

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FIRST GRADUATION AT MATTISYN SCHOOL

The Mattisyn School graduated its inaugural class on Friday, June 7. All of the graduating students exceeded expectations on their state assessments. The Mattisyn School is located at 8289 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach, across from Berean Christian School. For more information, visit www. mattisynschool.com or call (561) 318-5750.

(Left) Graduates are honored at a ceremony. (Below) Mattisyn School teachers celebrate at graduation.

SCHOOL NEWS

PBCHS Hosts College Prep ‘Boot Camp’ Palm Beach Central High School held its annual college prep “boot camp” from Monday, June 10 through Thursday, June 13.

The Inside Track program prepares students for the college admissions process. Guidance counselor Michelle Mills and English teacher Lisa Hayes facilitated the program. More than 60 students attended the four-day event, which included narrowing the college search to the right schools, writing the college essay, complet-

ing the college application, researching and applying for scholarships, analyzing the SAT and ACT, and preparing for the freshman year.

This year the seminar also included the presentation “Financial Aid and You” by David Eisenson of College Planning Masters.

(Right) PBCHS alumni Samantha Wallace, Aldo Arajuo and Cassidy Cann discuss their firstyear college experiences.

FIFTHGRADERS CELEBRATE

New Horizons Elementary School celebrated fifth-graders at an end-of-year party. Students enjoyed a magic show, dancing with a DJ and lunch. The event was sponsored by the PTA. New Horizons wishes the students well as they begin their adventures in middle school. (Left) The 2013 fifth-grade class.

Local Professors Receive Promotions At PBAU NATIONAL POLICE WEEK AT MATTISYN SCHOOL

The Mattisyn School celebrated National Police Week by hosting West Palm Beach police officers, who spoke to the preschool children about community safety, dialing 911, helmet safety and stranger danger. The officers also visited lower school children, infant through age 2, providing stickers and interacting with them in the nursery and their classrooms. The children were engaged, gave their undivided attention and interacted with the police officers. Pictured here are VPK students with the officers.

Palm Beach Atlantic University Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Joseph Kloba recently announced four faculty promotions.

Dr. Christine Brooks of Royal Palm Beach was promoted to associate professor of nursing. She holds a bachelor ’s degree from Georgia Southern University, a master’s degree from Kennesaw State University and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern Univer-

sity. She has been a member of the PBAU faculty since 2006. Brooks previously worked as a family nurse practitioner in private practice. She also has experience working in adult critical care as a staff nurse. Brooks has enjoyed precepting many students in critical care and in private practice at the associate and baccalaureate levels. In 2012, she received PBAU’s Corts Award for Outstanding Teaching.

Dr. Matthew DellaVecchia of Wellington was promoted to associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences. He holds bachelor’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Florida.

Dr. Lynn Erickson of Royal Palm Beach was promoted to associate professor of nursing. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida and a master ’s degree from Florida Atlantic University, and she has complet-

ed additional studies at the University of Florida and Nova Southeastern University. She joined the PBAU faculty in 2008.

Dr. Olga Rybalkina of Royal Palm Beach has been promoted to professor of music. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Eastern Ukraine University, as well as a master’s degree and doctorate from the University of Toledo. She joined the PBAU faculty in 2005.

Christine Brooks

Matthew DellaVecchia

Lynn Erickson

Olga Rybalkina

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PALMS WEST PEOPLE

PALMS WEST HOSPITAL RECOGNIZES VOLUNTEERS Palms West Hospital held its annual celebration to honor its volunteers Friday, June 7 at the Binks Forest Golf Club. The hospital thanks them for everything they bring to the facility — skills, advice, experience, friendship, vision and inspiration. Palms West Hospital has more than 80 active volunteers. Some have been with the hospital for more than 20 years.

Palms West Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Silvia Stradi, Chief Executive Officer Eric Goldman, Chief Financial Officer Scott Herndon and Chief Operating Officer Madeline Nava.

Volunteers Uma Bhatti, Joann Kirby and Mary Marder.

Some of the Palms West Hospital Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon attendees.

Women Of Note Chorus Celebrates 15 Years Of Music The Women of Note a cappella chorus celebrated its 15-year anniversary with charter members, former members and prospective members Monday, May 20 at Palm Beach Central High School.

Dedicated chorus members and guests shared many fond memories. The group develops continuing friendships while singing a (Right) Louise Hurwitz, Libby Petrovsky, Lois Atchley, Sherry Mayo, Betty Laycock, Gail Bennett and Lisa Lupo.

cappella four-part harmony with songs like “Cabaret,” “Love Walked In” and “Over the Rainbow.” Awards, recognition, reminiscing and tag singing cemented those friendships.

The Women of Note chorus provides the gift of music to thousands of listeners each year. The chorus holds open rehearsals on

Monday nights at Palm Beach Central High School in Wellington and welcomes any woman who loves to sing and wants to have fun while making new friends.

For more information about the chorus and quartets, or to visit a rehearsal, call (877) 966-7464, visit www.womenofnote.com or look the group up on Facebook.

Wellington’s Dumancas Graduates From Wooster Lorenzo Dumancas, a graduate of Wellington High School, received his bachelor’s degree from the College of Wooster during commencement exercises on May 13. A physics major, Dumancas is a resident of Wellington.

The College of Wooster is Amer-

ica’s premier college for mentored undergraduate research. Every Wooster senior works one-on-one with a faculty adviser to create an original research project, written work, performance or art exhibit.

Founded in 1866, the college enrolls about 2,000 students.

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Amber Moseley Earns Law Degree Amber L. Moseley received her juris doctor from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad School of Law on May 11.

Moseley is a 2006 honors graduate of Royal Palm Beach High School and a four-year varsity starter in softball. She graduated from Jacksonville University with honors in 2010 with a dual bachelor’s degree in political science and history, while finishing all-conference and all-academic in the Atlantic Sun Conference for the Dolphins.

Moseley is the daughter of Edward and Victoria Moseley of Royal Palm Beach.

Amber L. Moseley

Ralph Bair Receives FASC Certification The Florida Association of Special Districts held its annual conference June 10-14 in Fort Lauderdale and presented Indian Trail Improvement District Supervisor Ralph Bair with the Certified District Official (CDO) designation as part of the association’s annual graduating class.

The CDO program is offered through FASD and is open to all elected officials from special districts in Florida. The CDO designation requires the completion of 32 hours of training in contract management, strategic planning, board relations with district manager and staff, public relations, intergovernmental affairs/agreements, financial management and

audits, the legislative process, and election, ethics and sunshine law.

Bair is currently serving as the assistant secretary of the Indian Trail Improvement District. Bair has previously served numerous times as president, vice president and treasurer during his multiple terms.

He has also served in the Acreage/Loxahatchee Rotary Club, the Royal Palm Beach Jaycees, American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and the Acreage Landowners’ Association.

Bair participated in the certified district official program along with other elected officials and attended FASD meetings throughout the year.

Smith Completes Army Training Army Private Tyler Smith has graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga. During the nine weeks of training, Smith learned drill and ceremonies, weapons, map reading, tactics, military courtesy, military

justice, physical fitness and first aid. Additional training included development of basic combat skills and weapons familiarity.

Smith is the son of Wayne Smith of Royal Palm Beach. He is a 2009 graduate of Royal Palm Beach High School.

Derek Niesman On Dean’s List Derek J. Niesman of Wellington has been named to the Dean’s List at East Tennessee State University for the spring 2013 session. To receive this honor, students must successfully complete a minimum

of 12 hours of undergraduate coursework with a grade-point average of at least 3.7 on a 4.0 scale. East Tennessee State University is located in Johnson City, Tenn.

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QUARTERS AUCTION AT CULTURAL CENTER BENEFITS ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION

A Quarters Auction was held Wednesday, June 19 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center to benefit the Southeast Florida Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Attendees could buy items from vendors or bid on auction items with quarters. The next auction will be held Wednesday, July 17.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Bernadette Laudermilt gives Kelly Cummins a patriotic Scensy basket.

Julie Bryant shows some Tupperware up for bid.

Mary Santoro was high bidder on a basket from Nikki Pezzuti of Gold Rush America.

Bidders have fun showing off their paddles.

Elizabeth Kusuk of Eliza Beads gives Kim Jesse a bead set.

Cindy Schoolmaster and Sean McCoy.

PALMS WEST AMATEUR RADIO CLUB PARTICIPATES IN THE ANNUAL FIELD DAY

The Palms West Amateur Radio Club participated in National Field Day, Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23, at Okeeheelee Park. The American Amateur Radio League holds this 24-hour nationwide drill to simulate the effectiveness of ham radio communications in the event of a disaster. For more info., visit www.palmswestradio.org.

Jim Nagle with his satellite antenna.

Bob Blauvelt shows visitors the digital contact list.

John Samuels with the “Get On The Air” radio for visitors.

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Clerk Expands RPB Service Clerk & Comptroller Sharon Bock’s office is changing its hours beginning Aug. 5. All clerk’s office courthouse locations will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., while the office in Royal Palm Beach is expanding its service to five days a week.

The new hours are designed to give employees more time to process electronically filed court documents now coming to the clerk’s office 24 hours a day, while the expanded service in Royal Palm Beach will allow the office to better serve Palm Beach County’s growing western communities. “Now that e-filing is required for civil cases, we’ve seen hundreds of documents filed with us each day, on weekends and after regular business hours during the week,� Bock said. “Changing our operations will allow us to keep up with the expanding electronic document volume.�

Clerk’s office employees will continue to work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, the hour in the afternoon where employees are not available to the public will allow them time to process documents,

June 28 - July 4, 2013 Page 15

NEWS BRIEFS update court files and complete other work. This will save on overtime costs, because that work was previously done before and after normal operating hours.

While these hours are new for Palm Beach County, about onethird of Florida’s 67 clerks — including Broward and Miami-Dade counties — either open to the public after 8 a.m. or close before 5 p.m. to give employees time to process documents.

The clerk’s branch office at the Midwestern Communities Service Center in Royal Palm Beach, now open twice a week, will open five days a week beginning on Aug. 5 to accept traffic ticket payments and payments for other penalties under county criminal court, such as marine infractions and animal infractions.

The office also will sell self-service packets for divorce, eviction and other legal forms, and handle property owners’ petitions for the Value Adjustment Board. “We recognize the importance of giving our customers as many options as possible if they need to pay a traffic ticket in person or buy legal forms through our selfservice center,� Bock said. “Our office in the Midwestern Commu-

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nities Service Center gives residents in the western communities a way that’s convenient to them to conduct business with the clerk’s office.�

For more information about the clerk’s office, visit www.mypalm beachclerk.com or call (561) 3552996.

RPB Plans ‘Star Spangled Spectacular’ Royal Palm Beach’s annual “Star Spangled Spectacular� will take place at the new Royal Palm Beach Commons Park. Festivities begin at 1 p.m., and the Zambelli Fireworks International show begins at 9 p.m.

As part of the celebration, the day will feature multiple activities including a kids fun zone area packed with carnival-style rides, slides, games and fun. The zone will run from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will require a wristband purchase.

The headline entertainment will feature live music by Odyssey Road, a Journey tribute band, beginning at 7 p.m. The ever-popular food truck invasion will be on hand with more than 20 gourmet

food trucks. Great shopping will be at a premium featuring an arts and crafts show displaying local artists and their hand-crafted masterpieces.

An interactive DJ will spin all the hits and a variety of live country and tribute bands will perform.

There will also be an open mic session, cornhole and volleyball tournaments, the annual Mayor Cup kayak race, a fishing tournament, a 5k fun run in the morning and more.

Parking is available throughout the park. Avoid traffic and come early; bring lawn chairs and a blanket. For more information, visit www.royalpalmbeach.com or call (561) 790-5124.

Best Of Broadway Show June 29 The Wellington Children’s Theatre Summer Players will present “The Best of Broadway!� on Saturday, June 29 at the Wellington High School Theater (2101 Greenview Shores Blvd., Wellington).

The show will feature fully staged songs and scenes from Les Miserables, Oliver, Annie, Guys & Dolls, Peter Pan, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Annie Get Your

Gun and Fiddler on the Roof. Tickets cost $12 for adults and $6 for children. For more info., call (561) 223-1928 or visit www.wellington childrenstheatre.com.

Summer Camp At Science Center From outer space to the depths of the ocean, from dinosaur digs to wizard adventures, the South Florida Science Center & Aquarium’s summer science camp will entertain and educate young scientists this summer.

The science center is offering nine, one-week sessions now through Aug. 16 for children ages 4 to 12.

Summer science camp will feature a different theme of hands-on science exploration each week.

During the camp, children can become astronauts, paleontologists or oceanographers, as well as make potions and crystals, whip up scientific culinary creations, use engineering skills to build a roller coaster and more. The days will be filled with fun learning, exciting labs, crafts and outside activities led by science center expert educators. “We’ve done everything pos-

sible to ensure an educational, fun and safe experience for all our campers,� said Lew Crampton, CEO of the South Florida Science Center & Aquarium. “Not only will this year be filled with exciting new themes, but campers will benefit from the newly expanded and renovated space.�

Summer science camp is held Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with extended hours of structured activities available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekly.

Themes include: “Out of this World;� “Build It, Launch It, Thrill It;� “Potions 101;� “H2Ocean;� “Food Frenzy;� “T-Rex Trek;� “Superhero Science;� “Blast Off� and “Science Stew.� Children can pick their favorite week or sign up for the whole summer.

The camp is $210 for science center members and $235 for nonmembers per week, and there is a one-time registration fee of $25.

Palm Beach County School District employees receive a 20 percent discount. Space is limited, so register online at www.sfsm.org or by calling (561) 832-1988. The South Florida Science Center & Aquarium is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North in West Palm Beach.

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CGMS Gallery Exhibit To Reflect Theme Of Earth & Sea July 4 Weekend In Lake Worth Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery celebrates the July 4 weekend with its “One if by Land, Two if by Sea” exhibition. The event takes place Friday, July 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening ends with the lighting of peace lanterns that will soar 200 feet into the sky. The holiday event includes a surf and turf sampling of food that will accompany the

art made from foraged treasures of the earth and the sea. This gallery party is free to the public.

Lake Worth Artist Kathleen Kirschner joins with gallery artists Julie Sylvester and Valerie Brotherton in this special presentation of art, made from the cast-off debris left in forests and on seashores. Scavenging the beaches,

seabeds, back alleys and wooded areas of Palm Beach County, these collectors amass a wide variety of materials that are then turned into unusual works of art.

Kirschner, after visiting local bird-watching preserves, found herself sifting through her collection of driftwood and palm fronds to create a larger-than-life-size

South Beach Tanning Co. Celebrates Grand Opening Of Wellington Location South Beach Tanning Company will hold a grand opening for its latest franchise on Saturday, June 29. It acquired an existing salon in the Pointe at Wellington Green shopping center near LA Fitness in Wellington.

“The Wellington market is a very affluent and sought-after market, one in which we have little or no significant competition,” said Brian Hibbard, South Beach Tanning Company’s founder and current president. “In addition to the full renovation and all-new stateof-the-art equipment, we have already had discussions with the landlord about doubling the size of the facility based on how well our metrics are indicating this location will perform.”

Special deals will be offered during the grand opening, such as spray tans for $10 in the new VersaPro machine, which is exclusive to the club, and there will be a special appearance by Mrs. Greenacres.

PBSO

Traffic Always A Worry

continued from page 1 a problem, Hart said. And although deputies have stepped up and written more citations at the request of council members, texting and driving continues to cause accidents.

Hart said the goal is to have less than 2.2 accidents per 100 residents, but he noted that the average is projected to be 2.3 crashes per 100 residents this year.

“Traffic issues are always highest in the first half of the year be-

ITID

Several Vacancies To Fill

continued from page 1 she’s doing HR work, which board policy says has to have a college degree,” Jacobs said. “She also employed her niece who lives with her to drive around with fellow maintenance workers doing absolutely nothing.”

Hutchison replied that she had been helping out with human resources duties but was not serving as HR director.

“I was helping through the interviewing process,” she said.

“The department heads made the decisions on who to hire. An Acreage resident, who, yes, is my niece, applied, she went through the interview process, she went through all the background checks, and she was hired at the minimum starting salary that the district has.”

Jacobs asked what she does, and Hutchison said she is a laborer with one of the zone crews, which was confirmed by Director of Maintenance & Operations Mike Guinaugh.

Hutchison said she wanted the board to know she was not acting

great blue heron. This joins her swan and a huge assortment of wall hangings and sculptures that grace the CGMS Gallery.

Both Sylvester and Brotherton gather every shell they use. They, however, take very different approaches to incorporating them into art. Sylvester creates sailing ships, dragons, flowers, butterflies and jewelry from her finds. Brotherton uses her shells, sea vegetation and corals to make abstract sculptures and museum-like specimen collections under glass.

Continuing the summer food fest at the gallery and in keeping with the surf and turf theme, July 4 holiday foods will overflow many serving vessels made by gallery artists. Look for shrimp and crab treats along with pigs in a blanket and surprise treats from the earth.

Round that out with sips of beverages, wine and beer.

Clay-Glass-Metal-Stone Cooperative Gallery is sponsored by the Flamingo Clay Studio, a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to provide affordable studio and

gallery space for three-dimensional artists. The gallery is located at 15 South J St. in downtown Lake Worth. Hours are Sunday through Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Gallery openings are the first and third Friday of each month from 6 to 9 p.m. with many special events in-between. For more information, call Joyce Brown at (215) 205-9441 or e-mail JCLay6@ aol.com. The gallery phone is (561) 588-8344.

Irma Anapol Receives Award From YWCA

The location will be run by one of South Beach Tanning Company’s existing franchisees, Patti Martel.

“Patti is an extremely good operator,” Hibbard said. “She is the one who identified this location as an ideal conversion candidate, and we believe this location fits perfectly into her long-term plans of being a multi-unit operator. We have no doubt that, under her management, this location will outperform any competition in the area.”

The salon will remain open during the conversion process, which should take about 30 days to complete.

This is the second South Beach Tanning franchise for Martel, and she can’t wait to get started. When asked about her interest in this particular location, she said the area is very health conscious and she thought it would be a great fit for South Beach.

“This area is so vibrant and

health and fitness oriented, and being next to LA Fitness couldn’t have been a better fit,” she said.

“I’m so excited about this location.

I think it’s going to do very, very well.”

Martel has been with South Beach Tanning for a little more than a year and has enjoyed every minute of it. Her current location in Lake Worth opened in October 2011 as a corporate location; she bought it as a franchise in February 2012.

The new Wellington location is at 10160 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington. For more info., call (561) 333-3644.

South Beach Tanning is headquartered in Orlando and operates salons throughout Florida and in Charlotte, N.C. Founded by Hibbard, a certified public accountant, South Beach Tanning has been in business since 2003 and has never closed a location in its 10-year history.

Irma Anapol was honored by the YWCA of Palm Beach County at its “Polynesian Paradise” luncheon June 11 at the Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach.

Anapol received the YWCA’s prestigious Grace Hoadley Dodge award presented annually to a woman residing in Palm Beach County who has overcome personal adversity and in doing so, has empowered herself and created opportunities for other women to empower themselves.

A three-time breast cancer survivor, Anapol committed herself to helping other breast-cancer patients by providing counseling to and visiting women in the hospital and at home, often bringing them her famous homemade applesauce, chicken soup and seasonal décor to cheer them.

Anapol is a former fashion model and partnered with Estee Lauder Inc. to provide makeup for pa-

tients and teach them how to wear it along with wigs and hats.

Anapol was active in “Our Kids Sake,” a national educational program for pregnant women, was a vocal critic against harmful pesticides in foods and has been a major supporter of the YWCA’s Harmony House, a secure shelter for abused women and their children, for many years.

“I can think of no one more deserving of this award than Irma,” said Suzanne Turner, CEO of the YWCA. “She exemplifies all the qualities that the Grace Dodge award seeks to recognize.”

For more information about the YWCA or the Grace Hoadley Dodge award, call (561) 640-0050 or visit www.ywcapbc.org.

cause that’s when we have the largest population,” he said. “The goal is to make more traffic stops and to write more tickets to get people’s attention.”

Deputies wrote almost 2,000 more tickets this year, Hart said — 5,300 compared with last year’s 3,600 citations.

“You guys asked us to do something about traffic,” he said. “We got the word out to our deputies.

They listened; they responded.”

But Hart said that effort hasn’t curbed the village’s traffic woes.

“Did it lower our crash rate?” he asked rhetorically. “No, it did not. As long as we have individuals texting and driving, we’re going to have a higher crash rate.”

With Florida’s legislature mak-

ing texting and driving a secondary offense, Hart said, it would not necessarily stop people from doing it. But he expressed optimism that it will eventually be curbed.

“It’s like our seat-belt law,” he said. “It was a secondary offense and, eventually, we made it a primary offense. Once that happens, I think we’ll see a reduction in crashes. People are just too busy in their cars.”

Wellington has seen success in curbing crime in its public spaces, Hart noted.

“We have beautiful parks in Wellington, and our goal has been to keep them that way,” he said.

“We now have our deputies go into the parks when they have paperwork to do, so we have much

higher presence than we have had in the past.”

As a result, Hart said, there have been fewer burglaries in the parks this year than last, though incidents of vandalism remain the same, with two cases this year.

Hart said that crime is down overall largely because the village provides the support deputies need to curb crime.

“We get the job done with what we have, because the Village of Wellington gets us what we need to do the job,” he said.

Some council members, however, worried that there is a perception of increased crime in the area.

“The perception in this community doesn’t match what the statistics say,” Vice Mayor Howard

inappropriately. “I never have acted inappropriately,” she said. “I offered to help in a position where it needed help.”

Hutchison later informed the board that she had tendered her resignation effective July 1, as had Stormwater Manager Henry Shaw.

Supervisor Gary Dunkley made a motion to review all actions made by administration in terms of employment, hiring, firing, expense and contracts for the past six months.

“I think it would behoove us as a board to look at all actions, especially when it comes to employees and employment,” Dunkley said.

Jacobs seconded the motion, which carried 3-2, with Damone and Bair opposed.

Damone said she did not want to be involved with investigations into hiring and firing and asked legal staff to brief her on the ramifications of the action. “When they come back to sue the district, I don’t want to be the one who’s sued,” she said.

Jacobs asked Dunkley to revise the motion to say that the reports would be through the HR attorney, who would report to the board, and he agreed. That motion carried 5-0.

Donlon asked again that the board try to focus on the business

at hand, and the only item on the agenda, which was to discuss matters relating to Quickel’s resignation, including who should act as an interim manager and how to find a permanent administrator.

Jacobs asked whether the board could advertise for a special meeting before the July 10 regular meeting. “We have three graders down right now, and there’s some stuff going on in that yard that I do not like,” she said.

Jacobs said the budget needs to be discussed again and that she had a list of other issues she wanted to address, including a fuel monitor that was to be installed in January that is not working and that the depot recently ran out of fuel.

“It’s almost like we’re a joke up here, and they do in the field whatever they want,” Jacobs said.

Guinaugh asked for permission to speak.

“First of all, I wanted you all to know I turned in my resignation this morning, so July 8 is my last day,” he said. “Second, the fuel system that you all voted for is working operationally, but it doesn’t function properly. That’s the system that you voted for. I put it in; that’s what you got.”

Jacobs asked Guinaugh why he was resigning, and he said, “Because Tanya left.”

“That’s a really smart thing to do before you’re fired,” Jacobs replied.

Damone asked Jacobs why she would suggest that Guinaugh be fired, and Jacobs said she had a list of mistakes.

“Who’s judging his mistakes?”

Damone said.

“I’m judging them,” Jacobs answered.

Jacobs made a motion to make staff member Juan Massarda interim director of operations and maintenance. The motion carried 5-0.

Donlon again reminded board members that they need to name someone interim manager and decide how to conduct the search for a new manager or administrator.

ITID President Jennifer Hager said Shallman had agreed to step in for 60 days or however long it takes to find a permanent replacement.

“The word is on the street that there will be a position,” Hager said. “I think that we can do it without hiring a firm.”

Jacobs made a motion to put Shallman in charge until a replacement could be found, which carried 5-0.

Damone made a motion to advertise for a new district manager, which carried 5-0.

Coates said. “If you talk to seven out of 10 people in Wellington, they will tell you they don’t feel Wellington is as safe a place to live anymore and that crime is on the rise.”

He asked Hart why there was such a disparity between the statistics and the public’s perception.

Hart noted that people don’t often talk about the absence of crime in an area. He said that social media make stories of crime in the community spread faster, while successes in curbing crime and preventing crime often are ignored.

“If you’re a victim of a crime, these stats mean nothing,” he said. “The residents are able to get information out faster. They are communicating more. When someone does have an issue, they don’t hesitate to get it out there.”

But that is not necessarily a bad thing, Hart said.

“Because we have the lowest crime rate in the county, we are often lulled into a false sense of

(Right) YWCA of Palm Beach County honoree Irma Anapol.

IMAGE COURTESY LUCIEN CAPEHART PHOTOGRAPHY

SOAR

Grant Program For Workers

continued from page 3 have to make less than $38,550 per year, while a single mother with three children would have to make less than $55,050 to qualify for SOAR, Darnell said.

These are not necessarily typical degree programs, he explained.

They really are designed to give those in dead-end or low-wage jobs a chance to improve, or help those unemployed find career paths. “I want to help people not in an education program to get in one,” Darnell said, adding that his measure of success for the program would be to spend all or almost all of the $15,000.

Wellington will reimburse students up to a maximum of $1,000 once they prove they’ve successfully paid for and completed a class.

Students must provide transcripts

security,” he said. “We want citizens to be aware. We’re asking people to protect themselves.”

He added, however, that he thought his office could do a better job of sharing its successes.

“Although we’re very proud of the accomplishments we’ve made, we do need to do a better job of getting the word out there,” he said.

Also Tuesday, the council approved the Law Enforcement Services Plan with the PBSO. Hart noted that PBSO makes up about 10 percent of Wellington’s budget.

“Seven million dollars is a lot of money, and we don’t take that lightly,” he said.

Comparatively, the Boynton Beach law enforcement budget consumes 15 percent of its total budget, costing $24 million.

“Wellington gets all the bells and whistles the PBSO has to offer,” Hart said.

The council voted unanimously to approve the plan. with grades and receipts for course payment.

Qualified residents can also apply for classes that will help them upgrade their skills. For example, an administrative assistant might want to learn Microsoft Office Suite in order to improve his or her chances of getting a promotion or applying for a position. Palm Beach State College offers such continuing education courses, and Wellington would reimburse for that through SOAR, Darnell said.

And there isn’t a long wait time between applying for and becoming eligible. It could be done in the same week, as long as all the requirements are met — meaning proof of residency and income eligibility are provided and a course of study is selected, Darnell said.

Snags only occur when potential students apply, but aren’t prepared.

Learn more by visiting www. wellingtonfl.gov/community/ neighborhood-services/grants/ soar.

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June 28 - July 4, 2013 Page 17

NEWS

WELLINGTON CHAMBER HOSTS HEALTH & WELLNESS FESTIVAL AT WHOLE FOODS The Wellington Chamber of Commerce sponsored a Health & Wellness Festival on Saturday, June 22 in the Whole Foods Market plaza.

Vendors from the health, beauty and fitness industries, among others, gave out samples and discount coupons to attendees. There were cooking and karate demos, as well as mini massages, pet therapy and more.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Massage Envy’s Tiffany Warner, owners Kevin and Josephine Kern and Erin Redfield.

Ron Martin and Brent Bedwell from Genbu-Kai Karate.

Jeanne Mullin gets a sample bag from Nancy Mason as Leyanis Morejan and Dr. Vincent Dolce look on.

Fred Roger and Ricky St. Croix from Dr. G's Weight Loss do some squats during a fitness demonstration.

Amanda Fernandez, Bridget Marschang and Suzanne Redmond give out fruity water at the Whole Foods hydration station.

Nevada was adopted by Patti Gilliano with help from Lisa Beadle of A Second Chance Puppies and Kittens Rescue.

WELLINGTON RADIO CLUB TAKES PART IN NATIONAL FIELD DAY AT VILLAGE PARK

The Wellington Radio Club took part in National Field Day on Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23, at Village Park. Field Day is a national preparedness exercise in emergency communications used during hurricanes, fire, flood or other disasters, and radio clubs across the nation have a friendly rivalry to see who can make the most contacts from around the world in the 24-hour period.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

GOTA (Get On The Air) station operator Brian Sippert and logger Steve Masur.

Wellington Radio Club members enjoy the successful event.

Wellington Radio Club President Larry Lazar sets up a shortwave radio station.

Page 18 June 28 - July 4, 2013

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier

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Gonzalez Enjoys Breeding, Training Polo Ponies

Carlos Gonzalez is passionate about the things in his life: his wife, his children, his horses and his sport. He grew up playing polo in Argentina, moving to Florida 30 years ago. Four years ago, he settled in Loxahatchee Groves, where he plays, trains and breeds polo ponies. Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 21

June 28 - July 4, 2013

Page 19

Lax Players Headed To Brine National Classic

Two Wellington student athletes were recently named 2013 Brine Lacrosse National All-Americans. Both Thomas Oporto and Jake Legates were selected to play in the Brine National Lacrosse Classic. The two will represent Florida in the nationally recognized event. Page 33

Shopping Spree A Town-Crier Publication

inside

Business

Bubbles & Bones Offers Dogs And Their Owners A Bath Time Bonding Experience

Eryka Snodgrass, owner of the self-service doggrooming boutique Bubbles & Bones in Wellington, believes that washing pets means more than having a clean animal — it’s an opportunity to build trust and develop a closer relationship. “It’s not just about washing your dog. It’s about setting that time aside to bond,” she said. Page 23

Sports

Wellington Pitcher Kevin Siegrist Debuts In Majors

Kevin Siegrist was once a middle-of-the-rotation high school starter who threw with below-average velocity. His mechanics weren’t right, and he didn’t properly use his 6-foot, 4-inch frame. Today, he’s a Major League Baseball pitcher for one of the sport’s most respected franchises. Page 33

THIS WEEK’S index COLUMNS & FEATURES.........................21-22 BUSINESS NEWS................................... 23-25 DINING & ENTERTAINMENT........................ 30 SPORTS & RECREATION........................ 33-35 COMMUNITY CALENDAR........................36-37 CLASSIFIEDS......................................... 40-43

“Freedom is never more than

one generation from extinction

We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

— Ronald Reagan This July 4th, let us remember that freedom is never free. and let us give thanks for those who keep us free.

Visit www.Vandell.com Both Locations Open 10 to 6 Daily

Wellington

Royal Palm

Courtyard Shoppes

Southern Palms Crossing

(Between Sam Jon’s and Kon Tiki)

(Between Stein Mart & Marshalls)

753-7937

784-5220

Page 20

June 28 - July 4, 2013

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The Town-Crier

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features

Page 21

Carlos Gonzalez Enjoys Breeding, Training Polo Ponies Carlos Gonzalez is passionate about the things in his life: his wife, his children, his horses and his sport, which happens to be polo.

He grew up playing polo in his native Argentina, moved to South Florida 30 years ago and stayed here playing polo for 11 years. He then moved to Kentucky and South Carolina to play polo, returning to South Florida every season to… well, you get the picture.

Finally, four years ago, he settled in permanently off of F Road in Loxahatchee Groves, where he plays, trains and breeds polo ponies.

Formerly a five-goal player, he’s now a threegoaler; four-goal in the arena.

Polo players are rated each year and assigned a handicap, similar to golfers, with one big difference. In golf, the lower your number, the better you are. In polo, it’s the reverse.

Handicaps run from minus two to 10. Ten-goal players are the best in the world.

“Currently, there are only eight 10-goal players in the world,” Carlos noted.

Interestingly, polo players are assigned their ratings by their peers. It has nothing to do with how many goals they score and everything to do with their value to the team. Only about a third of all polo players are rated three goals or higher, and a rating of two goals or more indicates a professional. Players are judged on their knowledge of the rules, horsemanGet updates all week long... follow Ellen Rosenberg on Twitter at twitter.com/HorseTalkFL or stop by the Tales from the Trails page on Facebook and click “like.”

Tales From The Trails

By Ellen Rosenberg ship, offensive and defensive playing skills, position knowledge, teamwork, strategy and ponies, whose ability should match or exceed that of the rider’s.

By the way, polo ponies aren’t technically ponies. A pony is a horse that, when fully grown, measures 14.2 hands or less. A hand equals 4 inches, the “.2” being 2 inches. A pony measuring 14.2 hands stands 58 inches, or four times 14 plus 2 inches. The height is measured from the ground to the top of the withers, the point where the neck meets the back. Anything over 14.2, and you’ve got a horse.

According to Carlos, the perfect height for a polo pony is 15.2 to 15.3 hands. “A good polo pony is confident, agile and fast,” he said. “They have to be handy, able to turn and stop instantly, and have a good mind — one that’s quiet and focused. Their body should be short and stocky, with wide shoulders and butt, neck well forward, legs right underneath with a solid, square build. They have to enjoy the game and have a good attitude.”

In other words, you can’t make a great polo

Thais and Carlos Gonzalez at their farm in Loxahatchee Groves. pony out of a horse that’s high-strung or klutzy.

Virtually all polo ponies are Thoroughbreds.

Many polo players prefer to ride mares, but Gonzalez is different.

“Some consider him the black sheep of the

Argentines,” said his wife, Thais. “Three of his ponies are stallions, and this is extremely rare. But his horses are very special, with the best minds and the best personalities. These See ROSENBERG, page 22

Page 22

June 28 - July 4, 2013

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features

The Town-Crier

My Grandson Seems To Like His Food With Some Bite

On the momentous occasion of my grandson turning nine months old, his pediatrician royally announced that he could now eat whatever those around him were eating — everything except honey.

I rejoiced at this because we had been sterilizing, straining and otherwise blandifying his food, and now I could introduce him to French fries!

“No!” my daughter Jen ordered. “No French fries.”

“But French fries are one of life’s great joys!” I protested.

“Well, the dogs love their food, too, but we’re not giving it to him,” she replied.

Personally, I’m pretty sure Skippy has been eating dog food since the day he learned to crawl. I mean, we watch him like a hawk, but Get your Sonic Boomer humor every day!

Follow Deborah Welky on Twitter at twitter. com/TheSonicBoomer or stop by “The Sonic Boomer” page on Facebook.

Deborah Welky is

The Sonic BOOMER a crawling baby ventures where others fear to tread — under tables, behind drapes, deep into the unknown recesses of the pantry.

And, during these adventures, he will sometimes get lucky and come across a dropped raisin, a rolling Cheerio, an errant bit of kibble. This is why you so often see frantic parents with a finger in their child’s mouth, rooting around to see what the heck the kid is chewing on.

The kid’s job is to demurely and discreetly swallow before the prize can be fished out. If he can look up innocently with big blue eyes,

all the better. It’s another one of those games families play.

“If you go out, I only want him eating at the restaurants his father and I eat at,” Jen continued. “That way I know he is getting organic, free-range, locally grown, recently harvested, wholesome food.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Skippy pull something out of the compost bin, turn his back to his mother and quickly stuff it into his mouth. I didn’t mention it. After all, compost is about as organic as you can get. Instead I said, “OK.” The very next day, Mark and I decided to celebrate Skippy’s new menu choices by taking him to one of the parent-approved restaurants. Nothing fancy, just a Mexican place. Mark broke off tiny bits of soft tortilla for him, and I cut a piece of chicken into kibble-sized bits.

Skippy was in heaven. He popped these things into his mouth as fast as he could and did his best to chew them — quite a feat given

that both his teeth are on the bottom. Soon he had advanced to beef bits and then, the moment we let our guard down, he grabbed a handful of salsa and slobbered it into his face.

“Oh, no!” I hollered. “He’s got a mouth full of salsa! Tomatoes and onions and red peppers and… and… man, that kid really likes his salsa.”

As we sat there in amazement, Skippy ate a tomato’s worth of salsa then reached for his sippy cup.

“He’s thirsty,” Mark said.

“Ya think?” I replied.

Later that day, at dinner, his mother gave him a tablespoonful of garlic mashed potatoes, also a hit. The entire serving soon disappeared.

“He seems to prefer things with flavor,” I commented... just before he breathed on me.

Hmm. Probably not what they were envisioning when they named those delicate white flowers “Baby’s Breath.”

Hopefully, Skippy also likes the minty fresh taste of organic mouthwash.

Pitt’s ‘World War Z’ Is Poor Even For A Zombie Movie World War Z is a $200 million bore. Brad Pitt, playing a retired United Nations disease specialist with an adorable family, is in Philadelphia when everything seems to explode. He spends the next two hours (which felt like 20) running all over the globe to find a way to stop zombies. There are incredible computer graphics of zombies doing all sorts of wild and crazy things, but, after all, they have no character at all… that’s the way zombies come.

Zombies are the bottom of the barrel of the supernatural world. Vampires are a form of Gothic lust from the Victorian era: body fluid transfer, the mesmerizing of young British virgins forcing them into (for that time) unspeakable acts that we show casually on television today. Werewolves are a manifestation of our animal nature: they are very strong and can be vicious at times, while sweet the rest of the time. Zombies are simply undead.

They don’t talk, they’re not intimate, they don’t even seem to need to eat and drink. All they do is run very fast, faster than just about everyone except the hero in this film, and attack by tearing people to shreds. That makes them dull enemies.

Rosenberg

Polo Player Carlos Gonzalez continued from page 21

horses have played up to 26-goal games with some of the best players in the U.S.” Like the players, the matches are rated as well, by adding the handicaps of the four team players. So if a team’s four members were each rated four goals, they could play in tournaments rated 16 goals or less. The highest rating in U.S. tournaments is 26.

“The reason so many polo players choose mares is because you can get more out of a mare,” Thais explained. “They try harder.

Plus, if the mare is very good, you can always breed her.”

Indeed, while I was visiting, one of their

The story, based on a popular science fiction book by Max Brooks, shows a single hero (there were a lot of different point-of-view characters in the book, many of whom did not make it) who can seemingly do everything. He is a wonderful family man who manages to steal a Winnebago that just happens to have a really powerful rifle. He manages to fight off a whole load of zombies in Newark, N.J., and then is basically forced to lead the hunt for the source of the plague causing the disease.

Somehow, he and a top medical specialist wind up in Korea, where the specialist shoots himself, ensuring the importance of Pitt’s character. A CIA operative there tells him to go to Israel because it had built walls to secure itself

from zombies. He gets nowhere there, and the zombies attack and look like they’re winning.

Somehow, the Israelis alone seem to know how to shoot them. Whatever happened to something like napalm that could have killed thousands at a time? That might well have ended the whole thing. But this is a movie.

Pitt’s character, Gerry Lane, saves a young female Israeli soldier by cutting off her hand as soon as she is bitten, and she becomes his sidekick on a zombie-infested plane ride from hell. Things get nasty; it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a flight worse than a regular one on Spirit Air (whose agents seem to be zombies if you ask for anything). Pitt blows up the plane, and somehow, he and the Israeli are the only survivors in a crash that lands him within walking distance of a World Health Organization facility. He figures out what is needed to protect people, but, of course, everything he needs is in an area taken over by zombies. You can figure out the rest.

After a while, I recognized that this was nothing more than an old-fashioned “B” movie with hopped-up computer graphics. The problem simply is that Pitt is the hero of the movie

and, as a result, can do anything. He outfights groups of zombies that somehow manage to kill a legions of skilled military men. He can outrun the zombies although no one else can.

He can survive plane crashes even when his body is pierced by a major piece of metal. He can out-think everyone and be everywhere. He manages to be the ultimate survivor, but, since he’s Brad Pitt, we expect it. He makes Batman, Iron Man, even Superman look like wusses.

This is a very one-dimensional movie (and in 3-D, no less). While there are a few nice family scenes at the beginning and a few phone calls, the movie is essentially one long chase that seems to go only where they can do really good graphics. Aside from Pitt, none of the actors makes a splash, and most actually play nameless characters.

It would have been a far better film with a cast filled with stars in smaller roles, allowing some deaths, some horror. It might have been better if the last three-quarters of the film were not a simply thousands of computer-generated zombies chasing Pitt.

Save your money. See one of the far better summer movies.

stallions, Ciggy, was paying court to one of the mares. Despite his somewhat advanced age of 20, Ciggy seemed to be having no problems in the romance department. And yet, when Carlos walked over and haltered him, he walked away docilely, standing quietly when Carlos hopped up onto his back and rode him into the field where other horses grazed, wearing only the halter and lead rope.

“We train some horses for riders if they’re green horses to polo,” Thais explained. “We won’t take a horse who has been trained by someone else. Some of these horses have been ruined. There’s no coming back from that, not for polo. They might be fine for some other discipline, but Carlos’ specialty is training horses for high-goal players.”

According to Carlos, a green polo pony should be 2 to 5 years old.

“The training takes three to five years, and

gets more involved as they mature,” he said.

“The perfect age is 7 to 8, and the good ones can play for 10 years, if they’re cared for and kept fit.”

One of the big mistakes some trainers make is pushing a young horse too hard too soon, he said.

“If they get scared, if they get bumped too hard by another horse or whacked in the leg with a mallet, they may never trust the rider again,” Carlos said. “Horses are easily frightened, and they don’t forget.”

Carlos owns 34 horses, ranging in age from one month to 20 years. In addition to breeding and training horses and playing polo, Carlos teaches the game.

“If you want to learn to play polo or improve your skills, come here,” Thais said. “We have everything you need. Just bring your boots and helmet, and we‘ll supply the rest.”

Private lessons run from $120 to $150.

There are also group lessons, easy practice games and green horse chukkers. You can bring your own horses or ride one of from the farm. It’s all about having fun.

They named their farm Deal is a Deal because of the tradition of a man’s word being his bond: Men of honor didn’t have to sign contracts, only shake hands.

Carlos and Thais clearly love what they’re doing.

“We live simply,” Thais said. “Our two sons, Santiago, 7, and Lucas, 6, aren’t into horses, and that’s fine. They may decide to ride one day, or not. That’s up to them. We’re really happy. It’s not fancy, but we love what we do.”

For more information, call Carlos at (561) 914-6211, or visit www.dealisadealfarm. com.

‘I’ On Culture

By Leonard Wechsler

The Town-Crier

Business News

www.gotowncrier.com

June 28 - July 4, 2013

Page 23

Eryka Snodgrass, owner of Bubbles & Bones, with Blizzard, her long-haired Chihuahua.

photo by Alexandra Antonopoulos/town-crier

Bubbles & Bones Offers Dogs And Owners A Bath Time Bonding Experience

By Alexandra Antonopoulos Town-Crier Staff Report Eryka Snodgrass, owner of the self-service dog-grooming boutique Bubbles & Bones, believes that washing pets means more than having a clean animal — it’s an opportunity to build trust and develop a closer relationship.

“It’s not just about washing your dog. It’s about setting that time aside to bond,” Snodgrass said. “If you have a dog that’s afraid of getting washed, or is nervous, they are going to want to be with you, not for you to dump them off at a groomer’s and say, ‘OK, I’ll pick you up in an hour.’”

Originally from Oregon, Snodgrass’ love of animals began with horses and continued to the great Danes she kept as pets. Now, Bubbles & Bones gives her the opportunity to help foster great relationships between her customers and their dogs.

The idea behind Bubbles & Bones began when Snodgrass was in college, managing a similar self-service grooming boutique. When she moved to Wellington, she decided to take the plunge, opening Bubbles & Bones on her own in her ideal location: the Kobosko’s Crossing shopping plaza on Forest Hill Blvd.

“I waited and waited, and finally this spot opened up, so I jumped on it,” she said. “I’d saved up all my money and just decided to go for it, and built this place.”

Snodgrass explained that her typical customers are families with children, who love to make a big mess washing their furry friend.

“We really encourage them to blow out the [dog’s] hair all over the place and get into it and have fun,” she said. “We get a lot of kids.”

If that sounds messy, it’s no problem at Bubbles & Bones.

“For hairy dogs, it’s a really great way to do it without having to worry about cleaning up afterward,” Snodgrass said. “You can trash

your whole bathroom when you wash a big, hairy dog.”

Because Bubbles & Bones is a niche business, Snodgrass and her employees spend a lot of time talking with their customers about different services. “When people come in, we really focus on educating them and showing them how to do it,” she said. “We like to help everybody out. Until you come in, a self-service dog wash can be hard to imagine.”

When she isn’t at the shop, Snodgrass shows long-haired Chihuahuas. There is at least one Chihuahua frolicking around the store on any given day. “I built the little pens in the windows so they could run around,” she said.

Those window pens serve another purpose, since Snodgrass has reached out to Big Dog Ranch Rescue and other pet adoption organizations in hopes of teaming up to put adoptable dogs in those windows.

“I’m trying to get [pet adoption organizations] to do a Saturday and stay all day.

Hopefully, we can place some dogs that way,” Snodgrass said, adding that Bubbles & Bones recently donated 25 gallons of shampoo and conditioner to Big Dog Ranch Rescue through a fundraiser.

The pet boutique is not strictly do-it-yourself, although most customers prefer it that way. Traditional grooming services are available, but Snodgrass stressed that the time spent with family and dog is the point of her shop.

Bubbles & Bones also offers homemade, raw treats, with flavors like peanut butter cup and apple cinnamon. “We really promote feeding raw food, and we try to teach people about how it can keep their animal healthy,” Snodgrass said.

Bubbles & Bones is located at 9176 Forest Hill Blvd., in Kobosko’s Crossing. For more info., call (561) 360-2666 or visit www.bubblesandbonesflorida.com.

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Page 24

June 28 - July 4, 2013

The Town-Crier

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Business News

Wellington Chamber Welcomes Attorney Daniel Alan Terner

Wellington Chamber of Commerce officials with Stuart A. Hack of Hack Tax and Accounting Services.

photo courtesy wild eyes photography

Hack Tax And Accounting Joins Wellington Chamber

Stuart A. Hack, managing member of Hack Tax and Accounting Services LLC, recently joined the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

Hack has more 25 years of experience in the accounting field.

He specializes in high-net-worth individuals, which have included numerous managing directors from Morgan Stanley and Brown Brothers Harriman, as well as small businesses and not-for-profits.

Hack received both his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and his

master’s degree in accounting from the State University of New York at Albany, where he also called the radio play by play for the football and basketball teams.

A Queens, N.Y., native, Hack relocated to Wellington in 2005 with his wife of 21 years, Diann, and children Leah, 15, and Corey, 13.

The offices of Hack Tax and Accounting Services LLC are located at 12230 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 110-A-1,. Call (561) 214-6171 or e-mail hacktax@bellsouth.net for more info.

Elder law attorney Daniel Alan Terner recently joined the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

Terner has assisted seniors and disabled individuals of all ages as an elder law attorney for more than 14 years. His firm, Terner Elder Law P.L., is located in Suite 164 of the Lake Wellington Professional Centre.

The firm’s mission is to provide compassionate and comprehensive long-term care planning, disability advocacy, incapacity planning and estate planning for South Florida seniors, their families and disabled individuals of all ages.

Terner assists with Social Security disability appeals and Medicaid eligibility establishment and applications, as well as with drafting legal documents such as revocable living trusts, wills, durable powers of attorney and healthcare advance directives.

Terner has been a resident of South Florida for many years. He lives with his wife, Stacy, and their four children, Zoe, Lila, David

and Griffin. He maintains active memberships with the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys and the Elder Law Section of the Florida bar.

Terner lectures extensively on disability and aging matters, and authored the chapter on public ben-

efits for the current (seventh) edition of the Florida Bar’s guardianship practice manual.

Terner’s offices are located at 12230 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 164, in Wellington.

For more information, call (561) 227-1577 or visit www.ternerelder law.com.

Mayor Bob Margolis and Wellington Chamber of Commerce officials with elder law attorney David Alan Terner.

photo courtesy wild eyes photography

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

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Business News

The 2013 graduates of Leadership Palm Beach County’s adult program.

50 Complete Leadership PBC Program Leadership Palm Beach County (LPBC) recently honored graduates of its Adult Leadership Program on June 6 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach.

The program exemplifies LPBC’s mission to identify and unite diverse leaders to increase understanding of countywide issues and improve participants’ ability to lead effectively.

The class of 2013 is the 29th class of local leaders to complete the program. Its 50 graduates join a network

of more than 1,000 alumni. Each year, LPBC selects 50 leaders to participate in a 10-month experience that grants class members access to influential people and significant sites throughout the county, as well as hands-on experience with major local industries and community issues. The class meets once a month to examine social, economic and political issues.

As part of the program, class members select civic engagement

projects to address the needs and goals of nonprofit organizations.

In 2013, leadership class members worked closely with representatives from Alpert Jewish & Family Services, Big Dog Ranch Rescue, Habitat for Humanity and Take Stock in Children to help these organizations reach strategic goals.

The recent graduation ceremony stirred excitement among the 2013 class members to stay involved with Leadership Palm Beach County.

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Cellairis Opens New Store At Wellington Green Cellairis, one of the world’s largest and most trusted wireless accessory specialty retailers, is increasing its brand presence in South Florida by introducing one of its new and innovative store models in the Mall at Wellington Green.

Recognized for its 700-plus kiosks in malls across the country, the company is launching this new model in order to provide consumers with a more robust retail experience.

Cellairis provides an expansive selection of innovative, fashionable and fun accessories to complement mobile devices and tablets. While every location provides guests with exceptional, personalized service, the new store model will give a richer overall brand experience.

This opening is one of the first in a company-wide initiative to implement fresh concepts for a variety of consumers. The new stores allow more real estate for branding and showcasing the exclusive lines that Cellairis carries. The Wellington store features multimedia displays to assist customers in identifying the perfect case for any style, with a vast selection of protective, fashion and multi-functional accessories, as well as on-site phone repairs.

“The cellular accessories industry has reached $20 billion,” said Jaime Brown, COO of Cellairis. “We’ve really set the standard in terms of service, quality and variety. We want to make sure consumers can easily identify Cellairis locations so they receive the complete shopping experience they’ve come to expect.”

Offering a broad range of wireless accessories, Cellairis Franchise Inc., based in Alpharetta, Ga., recognizes the importance of image. Cellairis locations worldwide offer innovative and fashion-forward accessories, as well as specialty services, such as phone repair, at mall-based kiosks and inline stores throughout North America, South America and Europe. Cellairis delivers exceptional, personalized service online and at their convenient store locations.

They were recently ranked No. 87 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 500 Franchise List.”

The new Cellairis store is located at 10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, visit www. cellairis.com.

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#1 Education Place — #1 Education Place is a small, private Montessori school for students grade one through 12. The school features a year-round academic year, flexible scheduling, individualized instruction and an accredited curriculum. Many of the school’s students are now professional athletes or performers. #1 Education Place has been serving the western communities since 2001 and is conveniently located in the original Wellington Mall at 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 23. #1 Education Place is currently welcoming new students for the summer and fall terms. For more information, call (561) 753-6563.

Acreage Montessori — The goal of Acreage Montessori Academy is to maximize the potential of toddlers and primary or elementary school children by providing hands-on materials, dedicated teachers, personalized curriculum and lifelong study skills to cultivate their intellectual, physical and social development in a safe and loving environment. The goal of Acreage Montessori is to provide children with a secure, loving and educational environment in which to happily grow and develop and to be a place where learning is fun. Acreage Montessori is a parent’s partner for the highest wellbeing of the child. Free VPK 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. all year. The school accepts children ages six weeks to 12 years and has a loving, caring and professional staff. Acreage Montessori’s aftercare program has low student-supervisor ratios and structured program hours, which run Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Acreage Montessori is located at 5700 140th Avenue N. For additional information, call (561) 784-0078.

Cambridge School — A quality preschool lays the foundation for a child’s future academic success. At the Cambridge Schools, which have been serving South Florida for over 20 years, preschool is about much more than just learning ABCs and 123s. Cambridge strives to cultivate each child’s spirit, imagination and love of learning. This is achieved through the school’s carefully crafted, hands-on, academic curriculum. “Our dynamic program encourages children to explore their world in a safe and loving environment,” said Denise Goetz, director of the Cambridge Schools’ Wellington campus. “By offering different age-appropriate, hands-on, brains-on activities, our students gain an understanding of math, science, writing, art and literacy.” The Cambridge Preschool at Wellington serves children from 2 years through pre-kindergarten. School hours are 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., with early care and aftercare available. Flexible scheduling is offered.

The school follows the Palm Beach County Public School schedule. Enrollment is ongoing. The school is located at 1920 Royal Fern Drive. For more information, call (561) 791-0013 or visit www.cambridgepreschools.com.

A FOUNDATION FOR LIFE 12 Months - Grade 8

• Superior academic achievers - approximately two-thirds of 7th and 8th graders are Duke TIP scholars • Acceptance into competitive secondary schools (day and boarding) • Qualified students are eligible to receive Math and Spanish high school credit • Unsurpassed athletic and fine arts programs • Spirit-centered community welcoming families of all faiths Founded in 1925, Rosarian Academy is a private, coeducational Catholic school sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Sisters. Its mission is to educate the whole person for life in a global community in the light of Gospel values.

COMPLIMENTARY BUS SERVICE FROM THE WESTERN COMMUNITIES 807 North Flagler Drive | West Palm Beach, FL 33401 | 561-832-5131 | www.Rosarian.org

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Cardinal Newman High School — Established in 1961, Cardinal Newman High School is a co-ed college-prep Catholic high school attracting students of all faiths from Palm Beach and Martin counties. Students may choose to challenge themselves in the International Baccalaureate degree program, Advance Placement courses, honors classes and college-prep classes. Following the winning CNHS tradition, athletes participate in 15 sports and 22 organizations. Students are exposed to religious values and family life that guides their lives long after graduation. For more information, call (561) 683-6266 or visit www.cardinalnewman.com.

Huntington Learning Center —Whether a student is looking for a better report card, help with a specific subject or a higher score on a college entrance exam, Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring solution. The center can help with academic skills, subject tutoring or exam prep for SAT, PSAT and ACT. The Huntington Learning Center is located at 2655 State Road 7 in Wellington Green Commons. For more information, call 1 800-CAN-LEARN or visit www. huntingtonhelps.com.

Ideal Elementary School and Dream Middle School — Ideal Elementary School and Dream Middle School are premier private schools for innovative and gifted students. Serving the areas of Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach and Loxahatchee, Ideal Elementary School and Dream Middle School offer students an innovative learning environment beginning with preschool, continuing through elementary and now middle school. Well known in Palm Beach County, the schools have been producing critical thinkers and leaders since 1993, and this success is largely based on the incorporation of Harvard Professor Dr. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence. As a private school, Ideal Elementary and Dream Middle schools consistently strive to change ordinary education into extraordinary learning for understanding and critical thinking. For more information, or to schedule a tour of the schools, call (561) 791-2881.

The Learning Foundation of Florida — TLFF is a unique private school nestled in Royal Palm Beach. Its emphasis is on individualized academic programs, which provide structure for the diverse needs of its students. TLFF customizes flexible and personalized learning programs to work for many different types of students, from advanced learners to students with special needs.

TLFF’s program serves third through 12th grades and focus on building self-esteem, confidence, pride and motivation, which leads students to achieve their academic goals. Elementary and middle school hours are Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with before care starting at 7:30 a.m. and after-school academic enrichment running until 4 p.m. High school hours are Monday - Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. High school students are required to attend five hours daily. For more information, call Debra Thornby at (561) 795-6886.

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Noah’s Ark Preschool —Noah’s Ark Preschool offers care for infants and preschool children as well as after school care, free VPK and low rates and special registration for the fall. Noah’s Ark is conveniently located at 14563 Okeechobee Blvd. Se habla Español. For more information, call (561) 753-6624.

Rosarian Academy —Offering a superior education from 12 months to grade 8, Rosarian Academy is committed to educating the whole person for life. The school fosters each student’s unique spiritual, physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs at every developmental stage. Known for academic excellence and a welcoming faith-centered community, Rosarian’s curriculum is enhanced with 21st century technology and excellent athletic and fine arts programs. Rosarian is the only independent, Catholic school in Palm Beach County. For more information, or to schedule a tour, call (561) 832-5131 or e-mail maryr@rosarian.org.

Really Learning LLC —Really Learning serves high school students from all local high schools using Brigham Young University Independent Study for credit recovery or to get ahead in a class.

Individual instruction is provided and students will love the ease and flexibility of working on a class at their own pace. Owner Pam Taplin has 25 years of experience in Palm Beach County schools. Really Learning LLC is located in Royal Palm Beach. For more information, call Mrs. Taplin at (561) 790-0508 or e-mail her at WVU1977@bellsouth.net.

Sacred Heart School — Sacred Heart School in Lake Worth is now accepting applications for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade for the 2013-14 school year. State scholarships, VPK, McKay and Step Up for Students are accepted. The Cathleen McFarlane Ross Learning Lab, which teaches the Morning Star Program, opened in the fall of 2011 allowing children with learning differences to receive a quality Catholic education. These children may have ADHD or an autism spectrum disorder, to name a few. Sacred Heart believes that all of God’s children have a right to a Catholic education. The positive is accentuated to help the students recognize their potential. Building self-esteem and self-confidence is integrated into the curriculum of language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, computer, library, art and music, and Sacred Heart offers a technology-based curriculum. The school has Promethean boards in all classrooms and 25 iPads. All the desktop computers, laptops and iPads are loaded with the Rosetta Stone program, which gives students access 30 different foreign languages. For more information, call (561) 582-2242 or visit www.sacredheartschoollakeworth.com.

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St. Clare Catholic School — St. Clare Catholic School has been educating and enriching children’s lives for nearly 50 years. The school has a strong academic curriculum that prepares graduates to meet the rigors of a competitive college preparatory high school, learn a variety of skills, such as study habits, time management, organization, strong work ethic, active listening and independence. At St. Clare, students will also demonstrate growth and learning from the joy of success and frustration of failure. For more information, call (561) 622-7171 or visit www. stclareschool.com.

Summit Christian School — Summit Christian School provides a distinctive quality Christian education founded on the Word of God. The school’s mission is to impact students by teaching them to think critically and Biblically and to act morally and responsibility while providing an environment that gives them security, significance and opportunity. Summit Christian is happy to announce that Pastor Mark Davis from Calvary Christian Academy and Headmaster Jim Rozendal from DeMotte Christian School, formerly Lake Worth Christian, will be joining the school’s leadership team as the new pastor and new headmaster, respectively. Together with Administrator Sheila Van Es, the team serves children through grade 12. It is located at 4900 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach. For more information, call (561) 686-8081, ext. 313.

Temple Beth Torah Leonie Arguetty Preschool — Temple Beth Torah Leonie Arguetty Preschool has been in Wellington for over 20 years with a strong reputation for high-quality early childhood education. The school is the only area preschool with NAEYC accreditation, assuring parents that their program meets high national standards for quality and professionalism. Temple Beth Torah Leonie Arguetty Preschool offers a variety of learning experiences that prepare children for private and public elementary schools. The school provides caring teachers, warmth and sense of community to its students. Temple Beth Torah Leonie Arguetty Preschool is located at 900 Big Blue Trace in Wellington. For more information, call (561) 793-2649 or e-mail psdirector@ templebethtorah.net Wellspring Academy — Wellspring Academy is a residential weight loss boarding school located in Reedley, Calif., near Fresno, and is the first of its kind. The premier program serves students ages 11 through 25 years old. While continuing their middle school, high school or college education, students reside on campus and learn to live a healthy lifestyle. The Wellspring Academy campus is open year-round and accepts rolling enrollments. The academy is a clinically proven weight loss treatment program that trains students to transform their bodies and change the way they think about diet and activity. The Wellspring Academy promotes a healthy lifestyle with simple, scientific and sustainable behavioral changes. For more information, call (866) 277-0221 or visit www.wellspringacademies.com.

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Dining & Entertainment

Architectural Exhibits On Display At The Norton Museum The Norton Museum of Art’s summer season is highlighted by “Block by Block: Inventing Amazing Architecture,” an exhibition of landmark buildings made from Lego bricks. The exhibition is now open and will be on view through Sunday, Oct. 20.

The Norton is offering free admission to Florida residents every Thursday during June, July and August.

“Block by Block” is accompanied by the exhibition “Architecture in Detail: Works from the Museum Collection,” which features architecture-inspired paintings, works on paper and photography by legendary artists such as Stuart Davis, Andreas Feininger, John Marin, Addison Mizner and Vic Muniz.

It is a wonderful opportunity to view some works that are rarely on display because of their sensitivity to light. “Architecture in Detail” is curated by Ellen E. Roberts, Harold and Anne Berkley Smith curator of American art, and Tim B. Wride, William and Sarah Ross Soter curator of photography.

For “Block by Block,” the Norton commissioned Dan Parker, a Seattle-based, Lego-certified professional, to construct the landmarks, which range from 4 to 9 feet tall and include One World Trade Center in New York, the Seattle Space Needle, Burj Khalifa in Dubai and Taipei 101 in Taiwan, among others. Parker is one of only 13 people outside the company authorized as a professional builder of all things Lego.

Colin Campbell Cooper’s oil painting of Columbus Circle in New York is part of “Architecture in Detail.”

Parker joined Norton curatorial assistant Maggie Edwards for a Curator’s Conversation on June 20 and will return on Aug. 8 for a family block party to lead a group build. The exhibition is curated by Edwards.

“Block by Block” includes a play area where visitors can create their own architectural marvels. The museum has planned plenty of programming that encourages kids to be creative, enjoy building with Legos and celebrate the art of architecture.

Related free programs include DIY for Kids on Thursday nights from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The schedule is as follows: • July 11, Higher and Higher — Visit the special exhibition “Block by Block: Inventing Amazing Architecture” to learn about the characteristics of some unique skyscrapers from around the world.

Then, let your imagination soar and build your own model skyscraper using paper straws, corrugated panels and tape.

• July 25, I Love NY — View the intriguing city images in “New York Mural” by Stuart Davis. Follow it up by joining your peers in the classroom, where you’ll form your own unique city skyline from foam shapes. Connect your creation to other renditions and watch the skyline take form.

• Aug. 1, A Perfect View — Visit “Block by Block: Inventing Amazing Architecture” to discover architectural elements that make a building functional and unique.

Afterward, head to the classroom to create a special window to “frame” your personal, magical view on the world in oil pastels.

• Aug. 8, Family Block Party — Parker will discuss Lego bricks as an

Dan Parker works on a Lego replica of the Space Needle for the exhibit “Block By Block.” art medium and lead a group build during the party.

The Norton Museum of Art is a major cultural attraction in Florida, internationally known for its distinguished permanent collection featuring American art, Chinese art, contemporary art, European art and photography. The museum is located at 1451 S. Olive Ave. in West Palm Beach, and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Thursday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday. It is closed on Mondays and major holidays.

General admission costs $12 for adults, $5 for students with a valid ID, and is free for members and children age 12 and under. Special group rates are available. Palm Beach County residents receive free admission the first Saturday of each month with proof of residency.

For more information about the exhibit “Block by Block: Inventing Amazing Architecture,” call (561) 832-5196 or visit www.norton.org.

Boca Theatre Guild To Produce Musicals For 2013-14 Season The Boca Raton Theatre Guild has chosen to produce two acclaimed musicals for its 2013-14 season. The commercial and critical success of their recent production of Chicago was one of the key factors inspiring the change. In the past, its seasons have consisted of one musical and one play.

The BRTG season will open with They’re Playing Our Song, the Neil Simon/Marvin Hamlisch disco era musical, and will conclude with Stephen Schwartz, Bob Fosse and Roger O. Hirson’s 1972 classic Pippin.

“The recent loss of composer Marvin Hamlisch led us to re-examine his unique body of work to see which shows have been overlooked,” Producer/Director Keith Garsson explained. “It didn’t take long to come across They’re Playing Our Song and realize that

its energetic disco score, New York setting and funny script by Neil Simon was a terrific choice to insert into the spot usually reserved for our straight play.”

They’re Playing Our Song will star Carbonell Award winners Margot Moreland and Oscar Cheda as fictional counterparts to the real-life romance between Hamlisch and lyricist Carol Bayer-Sager.

Moreland recently wowed BRTG audiences in her critically acclaimed performance of last year’s Sweet Charity, and Cheda recently completed a run in the critically acclaimed production of In the Heights at Actor’s Playhouse. Caryl Fantel will serve as musical director for the production.

The season will conclude with the guild’s traditional “big” musical.

According to musical theater scholar Scott Miller in his 1996 book,

From Assassins to West Side Story, “Pippin is a largely under-appreciated musical with a great deal more substance to it than many people realize.”

Currently enjoying an extremely successful revival on Broadway, Pippin uses the premise of a mysterious performance troupe, led by a Leading Player, to tell the story of a young prince and his search for meaning and significance.

“Pippin features a collection of dance-in the-aisles tunes,” Garsson said. “It ran for years on Broadway, beginning in 1972. Of course that was over 40 years ago... expect some innovations. And we’re really pleased Ron Hutchins, who created all that brilliant choreography in Chicago, will be joining us for both shows this season as we continue to grow our productions as our audience demands.”

The Boca Raton Theatre Guild is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to producing professional productions and advancing the art of theater in the South Florida community.

They’re Playing Our Song runs Nov. 8-24, with previews on Nov. 8 and 9. Performances of Pippin will run Jan. 24 through Feb. 9, 2014, with previews Jan. 24 and 25.

General admission tickets cost $35; tickets to previews cost $30.

Show times are 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m.

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

All performances will take place in the Willow Theatre at Sugar Sand Park (300 S. Military Trail in Boca Raton, just south of Palmetto Park Road).

To purchase tickets for They’re Playing Our Song or Pippin, call the Willow Theatre box office at (561)

347-3948. For more about the Boca Raton Theatre Guild, visit www. brtg.org or www.carolkassie.com.

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Sports & Recreation

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Wellington Pitcher Kevin Siegrist Debuts In Majors

By Josh Hyber Town-Crier Staff Report Six years ago, Kevin Siegrist was a middle-of-the-rotation high school starter who threw with below-average velocity. His mechanics weren’t right, and he didn’t properly use his 6-foot, 4-inch frame.

Today, he’s a Major League Baseball pitcher for one of the sport’s most respected franchises.

Siegrist, a former Palm Beach Central High School, Wellington High School and Palm Beach State College pitcher, made his MLB debut earlier this month for the St. Louis Cardinals.

After several up and down years of relocation and uncertainty, of adjustments and education, Siegrist has made it to the game’s biggest stage.

“He was a guy who came a long way in a very short period of time,” Palm Beach State College head coach Gary Forbes said. “And then, when he got into the minor leagues, his velocity just jumped. Now he’s a big leaguer.”

Siegrist began 2013 with the AA Springfield Cardinals. He made 13 appearances before being promoted

to AAA Memphis. He made five appearances with the AAA Redbirds and was named the Cardinals’ Minor League Pitcher of the Month in May. So, on June 6, when the big club needed a lefty reliever, Siegrist received the call only a tiny fraction of baseball hopefuls get.

“Our AAA manager Bob Warner called me up and told me the news,” Siegrist recalled last Tuesday from St. Louis. “I really couldn’t believe it at first. I was just really excited.”

The lefty made his big league debut that night. He pitched one and two-thirds innings, giving up a run-scoring single to the first batter he faced. He then retired the next five batters, four by strikeout.

“I was nervous at first, and then when I stepped on the mound and started throwing, it all went away,” he said. “Baseball is baseball at that point.”

Siegrist made two relief appearances in the Cardinals next series in Cincinnati. He faced Reds’ stars Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, which he called the most fun he has ever had on the mound. His fourth and fifth outings came against the Marlins in

Miami, where his family was able to see him on a big league mound for the first time.

Though his family now calls South Florida home, Siegrist grew up in western New York, moving to Wellington before high school. He attended Palm Beach Central for two and a half years before transferring to Summit Christian School. He then attended WHS for his senior year.

But at these schools, Siegrist was never the main attraction. At Wellington, he didn’t even pitch in the district playoffs. PBSC was the only college to recruit him.

Former PBSC head coach and current Washington Nationals scout Alex Morales saw potential. “He had a lot of work to do,” Morales said. “In baseball terms, he was 6-4, but he pitched liked he was 5-9. He had a really long stride and he threw across his body. It wasn’t effective.

He just needed to get on the mound more often because he was so raw.”

Through extensive periods of long toss, Siegrist improved his velocity.

And through repetition, he improved his breaking pitches.

Forbes recalled a conversation he

had with Siegrist about Siegrist’s stride coming off the mound. “When he got here in the fall, the first time he threw off the mound, he was extremely wild,” Forbes said. “As a lefty, he strode with his right foot toward the first base dugout. He needed to stride toward home.”

Forbes thought it would take weeks or months to correct. “He went home and did it about a gazillion times,” the coach said of Siegrist. “He came back three days later and his stride was good, right at the target.”

At PBSC, Siegrist went from a reliever lucky to throw two innings to throwing six or seven quality innings as a starter. After just one year, he was chosen by the Cardinals in the 41st round of the 2008 draft.

Five years later, he’s in their big league bullpen.

On June 17, he pitched one and one-third innings of shutout ball on ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball. As of June 23, he had a 0.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts.

From an afterthought to Monday Night Baseball, Siegrist took the road less traveled.

Pitcher Kevin Siegrist “I believed it, and I thought it would happen,” Morales said. “I think it’s awesome that he has gotten to where he is. He reached his goals through hard work and perseverance.”

“It wasn’t like he was an absolute star,” Forbes added. “He kind of came out of nowhere.”

Local Lax Players Headed To Brine National Classic

By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report Two Wellington student athletes were recently named 2013 Brine Lacrosse National All-Americans.

Both Thomas Oporto and Jake Legates were selected to play in the 2013 Brine National Lacrosse Classic.

The two will travel to Boyds, Md., and represent Florida in the nationally recognized event from Sunday, June 30 through Wednesday, July 3.

The Brine National Lacrosse Classic is an annual event that attracts top high school lacrosse players from around the nation to a single location where regional all-star teams compete to become national champions.

Both Oporto (Wellington High School) and Legates (St. Andrews-Boca Raton) are rising seniors and play lacrosse for their schools.

Oporto helped the Wolverines

win back-to-back district championships, including this year’s convincing 14-4 victory over crosstown rival Palm Beach Central High School.

Legates helped guide the Scots all the way to the state championship finals, where they finished as runners-up.

The two are accustomed to facing one another on opposite sides of the field. The Scots have ended the Wolverines run at a state championship

St. Andrews midfielder Jake Legates maintains possession of the ball in the Scots’ regional state playoff game against Wellington.

in regional play the last two years.

For the Brine National Classic, the two will be joining forces, representing Florida in one of the most prestigious high school lacrosse events in the country.

Oporto posted impressive stats this year with 28 goals and 13 assists. He rallied 77 ground balls and forced 22 turnovers. He received first team all-district, all-region

and all-conference honors. Legates put up 36 goals last season, had 19 assists and 45 ground balls for the Scots.

Both athletes have played lacrosse since a young age, and have developed into two of the area’s best. Both Oporto and Legates will return next season as seniors, hoping to lead their squads back to the FHSAA playoffs for a run at the state title.

Wellington Wolverine midfielder Thomas Oporto finds room to move the ball up field in the state regional playoffs.

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sports & recreation

RPBHS Introduces The Wildcat Dancers Dance Team For 2013-14

Coach Matthew Collin with WHS basketball player Stephon Gordon.

WHS Basketball Standout To Play At California School

Wellington High School standout basketball player Stephon Gordon signed with West Hills Community College in Coalinga, Calif. on June 10. The 6-foot, 3-inch wing was selected first team all-conference, second team all-area and was the second leading scorer on the team averaging 14 points per game, and the leading rebounder with 7.5 per game.

“Stephon is an exceptional athlete who was the leader of the Wolverine basketball team,” Coach Matthew

Colin said. “He is going to have the opportunity develop, get stronger and has the potential to come out of junior college two years down the road as a Division 1 player, much like Jon Octeus did. I think this young man is going to turn a lot of heads as he continues to develop.”

West Hills plays in the Central Valley Conference, one of the top conferences in California. The Falcons have qualified for the playoffs nine out of the last 12 years and reached the state quarterfinals in 2007.

Royal Palm Beach High School Dance Director Michele Blecher recently announced the 2013-14 Wildcat Dancers dance team. The dancers are already learning a vast amount of choreography for their various summer shows, which will culminate with a prime-time performance at Disney. The team is looking forward to an exciting, jammed-packed show and competition season. (Front row, left to right) Will Betancourt, Bryce Blecher (captain), Andres Cazares and Jecoby Humphries; (back row) Stephanie Sanchez, Ana Roldan, Lorida Jimenez, Rachel Lambe, Yoreli Madera, Maureen Derius, Brittany Canales, Larissa Nivard, Ashley Telisme, Bianca Labady, Bri Gribble and Tatyanna Blackmon.

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Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure & Bikini Championships June 29 The 10th annual NPC Anna Level Figure, Fitness & Bikini Championships and the 34th annual West Palm Beach Bodybuilding & Physique Championships will take place Saturday, June 29 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.

This multi-event competition makes for an action-packed day as men and women strut their stuff, showcasing the hard work and dedication they have invested in their body as they compete to become national qualifiers.

The Anna Level Figure, Fitness & Bikini Championship honors Anna Level, one of South Florida’s most

IFBB Fitness Pro Jennifer Bishop will perform her high-energy fitness routine.

respected fitness professionals. This year, the event qualifies winners to compete in all NPC national fitness and figure shows and attain their IFBB Pro Card — one step closer to being in the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB).

The West Palm Beach Bodybuilding & Physique Championship is one of the oldest and most prestigious bodybuilding shows in the country. This year the men’s and women’s physique divisions are open to all NPC competitors throughout Florida.

Top competitors in their divisions qualify for national-level events.

In addition, the top finishers in all divisions will also receive paid entry into the 2013 NPC Southern States Championships to be held July 12-13 in Fort Lauderdale. Athletes aren’t the only ones who will be recognized on June 29. The prestigious Team Trainer of the Year Award will be given to the personal trainer amassing the most points derived from the number of contestants they have entered and those contestants placing in their divisions.

Other entertainment includes IFBB Fitness Pro Jennifer Bishop performing her high-energy fitness routine and a special performance by former NFL football superstar

Butch Rolle, winner of the 2013 NPC Sunshine Classic Men’s Physique Championship held in West Palm Beach.

Jupiter resident Kyle Wheeler will premiere in his first show as a guest poser. Wheeler recently won

first place in the Light Heavy Open division of the 2012 NPC Sunshine Classic held in West Palm Beach and first place in the Open Light Heavyweight division of the 2013 NPC Junior USA’s National Show.

Pre-judging begins at 10 a.m.

Admission is $20. The night show begins at 7 p.m. and costs $40 general admission and $45 for VIP admission. For more info., call (561) 627-9638. Proceeds from the show will be used as a fundraiser for the NPC Wheelchair Nationals.

RPB’s Kartrude Victorious On Links

Michael Kartrude of Royal Palm Beach birdied the 18th hole Wednesday, June 19 to score his first victory on the Golfslinger.com Tour.

Kartrude won with a three under 68 at North Palm Beach Country Club, finishing a shot ahead of four players tied for second at 69.

Making his 13th start since turning pro in January, Kartrude made five birdies and two bogeys, receiving $700 from the $2,900 purse, raising his career earnings to $3,298.50. He won the Palm Beach County Public Links title in 2010 while attending Palm Beach State College.

Golfslinger’s 61st tournament of the year drew 23 starters. Following an event Thursday on the Estate course at PGA National, the tour takes a break, resuming play July 8 at Jupiter County Club.

For more information, visit www. minorleaguegolf.com.

Join Okeeheelee Adult Softball Leagues Registration is underway for adult softball leagues at Okeeheelee Park.

Men’s and mixed teams, ages 18 and older, are available. Registration ends July 18.

Leagues are formed on a firstcome, first-served basis. Space is limited. For more information, contact Adam Schackmann at (561) 963-6722 or at aschackmann@ pbcgov.org.

Men play Mondays and Wednesdays (15 games). The cost is $620

and the league starts July 31. Men also play Tuesdays (10 games) for $495. The start date is July 30. A mixed league plays Fridays (10 games) for $495. That start date is Aug. 2.

Okeehelee Park is west of West Palm Beach at 7715 Forest Hill Blvd.

To register and pay online, visit ww.pbcparks.com/shop, create an account (if applicable) and register for the desired softball program. To

register in-person, visit the parks and recreation administration building at John Prince Park in Lake Worth between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and bring a check payable to the Board of County Commissioners.

If registering a new team for 2013, bring a separate check for $25 payable to A.S.A. For more leisure opportunities available through Palm Beach County, visit www.pbcparks.com.

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Community Calendar

Saturday, June 29 • The fifth annual Team Sargent Fishing Tournament, in memory of West Palm Beach Police Capt. Danny Sargent, will be held Saturday, June 29 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. out of Rybovich Marina (4200 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach). For more info., e-mail BarberaT@pbso.org.

• “Dig Into Reading: The Real Florida with Matthew Sabatella” will take place Saturday, June 29 at the Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) at 10:30 a.m. and the Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) at 2:30 p.m. Sing along to authentic songs about life in Florida while learning about the people who have called this state home over the past 500 years. Call (561) 790-6030 (Royal Palm Beach) or (561) 790-6070 (Wellington) to pre-register.

• The Mounts Botanical Garden (531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach) will host “Tropical Fruit Festival: Taste of the Tropics” on Saturday, June 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in collaboration with the Palm Beach Chapter of the Rare Fruit Council International and sponsored by Whole Foods Market. Fruit and fruit trees will be available for purchase. There is a $5 entrance donation. Call (561) 233-1757 or visit www.mounts.org for more info.

• The 13U Team Rage Travel Baseball Team will be holding a Texas Hold’Em charity poker tournament on Saturday, June 29 at the Beck Clubhouse (4696 123rd Trail, Royal Palm Beach). First place gets $500, second place get $250 and third place gets $100; $50 at the door includes registration and initial re-entry. Free food and drinks included. Call (561) 644-2110 to RSVP. Monday, July 1 • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Crochet Club for ages 9 and up Mondays at 5 p.m.

Learn basic stitches and socialize while you work on projects. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

Tuesday, July 2 • The Palm Beach County Commission will meet Tuesday, July 2 at 9:30 a.m. in the government center’s Jane M. Thompson Memorial Chambers (301 N. Olive Ave., Sixth Floor, West Palm Beach). For more info., visit www.pbcgov.com.

• Wellington Community Center (12150 Forest Hill Blvd.) will present a Free Seminar on Elder Law on Tuesday, July 2 at 10 a.m. for seniors 55 and older. Elder law

attorney Mark Shalloway will speak about protecting assets and getting the best long-term care at home, in an assisted living facility or nursing home. Pre-register in person, at www.wellingtonfl.gov or by calling (561) 753-2489, ext. 0.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Crafts for Kids for ages 4 to 8 on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. Make a new friend and bring your creativity. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature Happy Birthday, America! for ages 6 and up Tuesday, July 2 at 3:30 p.m. Celebrate the country’s independence by creating a patriotic wind sock. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

• The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council will meet Tuesday, July 2 at 7 p.m. at the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District office (101 West D Road). Call (561) 7932418 or visit www.loxahatcheegroves.org for more info.

• The Royal Palm Beach Village Council will meet Tuesday, July 2 at 7 p.m. at Village Hall (1050 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.). Call (561) 790-5100 or visit www.royalpalm beach.com for more info.

Wednesday, July 3 • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host eBook Assistance: One-on-One for adults Wednesday, July 3 at 10 a.m. Call for an appointment and learn how to borrow the library’s eBooks in a session with staff. Bring your compatible eReader device and your account information. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

Thursday, July 4 • Royal Palm Beach’s annual Firecracker Golf Tournament will take place Thursday, July 4 at the Village Golf Club (122 Country Club Drive). The scramble format tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. and includes cart and green fees, 50/50 raffle, prizes, contests and more.

A barbecue lunch will be provided. Golfers can pre-register at the Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way), the Recreation Center (100 Sweet Bay Lane) or the Village Golf Club. For more info., call (561) 790-5149.

• Wellington will offer family friendly Fourth of July entertainment, with a Patriotic Pool Party from noon to 5 p.m. at the Wellington Aquatics Complex (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Admission is free for children age 2 and under, $3 for juniors ages 3 to 17, $5 for adults ages 18 to 54 See CALENDAR, page 37

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Community Calendar CALENDAR, continued from page 36 and $2 for seniors age 55 and older. For more info., call (561) 791-4005.

• Wellington’s Family Fourth Celebration will take place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Village Park (11700 Pierson Road), with free bingo, traditional games, inflatable rides, face painting and live music. Free shuttle service will be available from the Palm Tran bus stop at the Mall at Wellington Green beginning at 5:30 p.m. The Zambelli Fireworks Extravaganza begins at 9:15 p.m. For more info., call (561) 791-4005.

• Royal Palm Beach’s annual Star Spangled Spectacular Fourth of July Celebration will take place at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park. Morning activities include a fishing tournament and a 5k fun run. Festivities begin at 1 p.m. Activities include a kids fun zone with carnival style rides, live music, food truck invasion, a craft show, an interactive DJ, cornhole and volleyball tournaments, kayak races and more. The day ends with a Zambelli fireworks show at 9 p.m. For more info., visit www.royalpalm beach.com or call (561) 790-5124.

• Holiday Events in Lake Worth are planned for Thursday and Friday, July 4 and 5. July 4 starts with the Great American Raft Race at Bryant Park on the Intracoastal Waterway, with vendors and great entertainment beginning at noon, continuing until fireworks at 9 p.m. The fourth annual Holiday Explosion is set for July 5, with Evening on the Avenue beginning at 6 p.m. in the Downtown Cultural Plaza at J Street and Lucerne Avenue between L Street and M Street. The evening will feature live music, dancing in the streets, contests, Haitian drummers and more. For more info., call Andy Amoroso at (561) 533-5272 or Joyce Brown at (215) 205-9441.

Friday, July 5 • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Crafternoon for ages 2 and up Fridays at 3:30 p.m. Drop in and make a small craft. Call (561) 790-6030 for more info.

• The Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will present a free screening of the movie The Croods on Friday, July 5 at 8:30 p.m. Call (561) 7532484 or visit www.wellingtonfl.gov for info.

Saturday, July 6 • The Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation Department will host Crazy Games for children ages 4 to 13 every Saturday, July 6 through July 27, from 10 to 11 a.m.

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at Lindsay Ewing Park off Sparrow Drive behind the Village Hall complex. Children will participate in water-oriented fitness games to improve their athletic ability. Registration is available online at www.royalpalmbeach. com or www.crazygamesfl.com. Call (561) 790-5124 for more info.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Acoustic Java Jam for adults Saturday, July 6 at 2 p.m. Experience a caffeinated collection of local talent or bring acoustic instruments and jam out. Coffee will be provided. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register.

• The Jove Comedy Experience will appear at the Atlantic Arts Theater (6743 W. Indiantown Road, Jupiter) on Saturday, July 6 at 8 p.m. performing a comedy theater production titled “Bourne on the 4th of July Supremacy,” a blend of improvised, sketch and musical comedy with audience participation. Tickets are $16 per person. Call (561) 575-4942 or visit www.theatlantic theater.com for info.

Monday, July 8 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host Messy Masterpieces for age 3 and up Monday, July 8 at 10:30 a.m. Dig into dirt, sand and other outdoor materials to create one-of-a-kind works of art. Dress to get messy. Call (561) 7906070 for more info.

• Wellington Community Center (12150 Forest Hill Blvd.) will feature a Free Book Review for Seniors age 55 and older Monday, July 8 from noon to 2 p.m. The review will discuss Alexander McCall Smith, Scottish writer and emeritus professor of medical law at the University of Edinburgh.

A light lunch will be provided. Pre-register in person, at www.wellingtonfl.gov or by calling (561) 753-2489, ext. 0.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Summer Reads & Travel Needs for adults Monday, July 8 at 4 p.m.

Develop language skills, find a good read and learn about library resources to explore this summer. Call (561) 681-4100 for more info.

• The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Supervisors will meet Monday, July 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the district office (101 West D Road). Call (561) 7930884 or visit www.lgwcd.org for more info.

Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090.

E-mail: news@gotowncrier.com.

June 28 - July 4, 2013

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At Noah’s Ark Summer Camp, children will enjoy field trips and activities such as swimming, bowling, skating, South Florida Science Museum, movies and picnics. Tuition includes camera surveillance, creative curriculum, computers and all meals. Registration is now being accepted. Registration is free for new customers only. Noah’s Ark is located at 14563 Okeechobee Blvd. in Loxahatchee Groves. For more information, call (561) 753-6624 or visit www.smallworldpbc.com.

Palm Beach Super Tae Kwon Do is a family-oriented martial arts school serving the western communities for over 17 years. Headed by Grand Master Ki Sop Yoon (former Korean National Champion and World Tae Kwon Do Federation 8th Degree Black Belt), Palm Beach Super Tae Kwon Do offers programs in Olympic-Style Tae Kwon Do, self-defense (Hap Ki Do) and weapons. It fields an outstanding demonstration team.

The programs teach self-confidence, discipline and respect in a safe and positive learning environment. Palm Beach Super Tae Kwon Do is located at 13860 Wellington Trace, Suites 24 and 25, in the Wellington Courtyard Shops, near Publix. Visit today to observe or participate in a class today. For more info., visit www.supertaekwondo.net or call (561) 795-1199.

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June 28 - July 4, 2013

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EMPLOYMENT Pa r t- T i m e L e g a l S e c r e tary — for legal/accounting office. Fax resume 333-2680.

D RI V ER S : $ 1 , 0 0 0 S IG N - O N BONUS! GREAT PAY! — Consistent Freight, Great miles on this regional accountant. Werner Enterprises: -888-567-4854 Transactional / commercial litigation law firm looking for a real estate legal assistant / paralegal to work out of our firm’s Wellington office location. A qualified applicant must have a minimum of five (5) years of experience handling real estate closings (residential and commercial) and must be familiar with the Wellington area, its brokers, and other real estate attorneys / law firms in the area.

Must be proficient in DoubleTime/ ATIDS/Outlook/QuickBooks/Excel.

Bilingual a plus. Salary would be commensurate with experience. Please email cover letter (or email), resume, and salary requirements to: csteward@katzlawpl.com

VOLUNTEERS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS AGES 14 AND UP — to help out our non-profit animal sanctuary . 2 days a week for 4 hours a day. Get community hours and have fun. Call 561-792-2666 SUMMER CAMP VOLUNTEERS — community service hours needed to work with horses & children 561-793-4109 OFFICE/WAREHOUSE SPACE Available Now 2,500 and 3,000 sq. ft.

Space with paint booth.

Located behind Al Packer West

Call 561-662-0246 or 334-740-3431 For More Information.

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JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC.—Service & new installation FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. “We are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks” 561-7983225. Family Owned & Operated since 1996. Credit Cards Accepted

DRIVEWAYS — Free estimates A & M ASPHALT SEAL COATING commercial and residential. Patching potholes, striping, repair existing asphalt & save money all work guaranteed. Lic.& Ins. 100045062 561-667-7716

J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.

Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975 or visit ourwebsite at www.

ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING — Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,insured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763.

TREE S TRIMME D A N D RE MOVED — 561-798-0412 D.M. YOUNG TREE SERVICE. Family Owned & Operated Lic. & Insured 1992-12121 Visit our website at dmyoungtreeservice.com

CLASSIFIEDS 793-7606

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ALTERATIONS BY LIA — Summer Specials 10% Off alterations 20% Off School Uniform alterations Monday and Thursday Noon - 5 p.m. Call for Appointment.

Courtyard Shoppes. Commerce Cleaners. 561-301-5338

THE MASTER HANDYMAN — All Types of Home Repairs & Improvements. No job too big or small done right the first time every time 40 yrs of satisfied customers. See me on Angies List. Tom (561) 8012010 or (954) 444-3178 Serving Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

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

561-385-8243 Lic. #2012-252779 ALL AMERICAN HOUSE CLEANERS — Residential, Commercial, Move-In/Move-Out, Organize. Call Elizabeth for all your cleaning need. 561-313-4086 CLEANING — Residential & Commercial home & office cleaning.

Home organization for closets / bathrooms & more. Since 2005 in Palm Beach County references available.Call Vera 561-598-0311

COMPUTER REPAIR D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-333-1923 Cell 561-2521186 Lic’d Well. & Palm Beach.

We accept major credit cards.

PLACE YOUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LISTING HERE

BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS INC. REMODEL & REPAIRS — Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair, door installation, minor drywall,kitchens/cabinets/countertops, wood flooring. Bonded and Insured U#19699. Call 791-9900 or 628-9215

HOME IMPROVEMENTS ANMAR CO.—James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC1327426 561-248-8528

HURRICANE SHUTTERS HURRICANE SHUTTERS P&M CONTRACTORS — ACCORDION SHUTTERS Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities.

Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777

INSURANCE BOB CAVANAGH ALLSTATE INSURANCE — Auto • Home • Life• Renters • Motorcycle •RV • Golfcart • Boat Serving the Western Communities for 24 years Call for a quote 798-3056, or visit our website. www. allstateagencies.com/rCavanagh

jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. — Interior/Exterior - Repaint specialist, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair & roof painting. Family owned/owner operator.

Free Est. 798-4964 Lic. #U18473 COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Int./Ext. residential painting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free est. Ins. 561-3838666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident

PLUMBING JEREMY JAMES PLUMBING — Licensed plumber, legitimate estimate.

Water heaters, new construction.

CFC1426242. Bonded Insured.

CFC1426242. 561-601-6458

PRESSURE CLEANING J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.

Interior & Exterior painting.

Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch at 309-6975 or visit us at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

TO PLACE YOUR AD HERE CALL 793-7606 ROOFING MI N O R R O O F RE P AIR S D on H a r t m a nn Roo f ing — Roof painting, Carpent r y. L i c . # U 1 3 6 7 7 9 6 7 - 5 5 8 0

ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC-023773 RC-0067207

SECURITY SECURITY — American owned local security company in business 30 plus years. Protection by officers drug tested. 40 hour course.

Licensed & Insured. 561-848-2600

SCREENING JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 call us 7983132. www.poolscreenrepair.com

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

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC — Complete repair of all types of systems. Owner Operated. Michael 561-964-6004Lic.#U17871 Bonded & Ins. Serving the Western Communities Since 1990

TILE / CERAMICS SPECIALIZING IN BATHROOM REMODELING — Free estimates serving South Florida since 1980. Quality you expect, service you deserve. Lic. bonded & Ins. U21006 561-662-9258 TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS CALL 561-793-7606 TODAY

WATER SYSTEMS TROPICAL WATER SYSTEMS —Whole House Reverse Osmosis, Sale & Repair of Water Systems, Well Drilling, pumps, and sprinkler installation repair.

561-795-6630 561-718-7260(Cell)

WALLPAPERING PAPERHANGING BY DEBI — Professional Installation,Removal.

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

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