Town-Crier Newspaper March 27, 2020

THIS WEEK’S NEWSPAPER SPONSORED BY THE NRI INSTITUTE OF HEALTH SCIENCES SEE PAGES 10 & 11 THE

TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE Volume 41, Number 13 March 27 - April 2, 2020

Your Community Newspaper

INSIDE

Serving Palms West Since 1980

TO OUR READERS 2020

Pages 13 thru 15

COVID-19: An Inside Look At How WRMC Is Drilling & Preparing

Wellington Regional Medical Center had a drill on Thursday, March 19, and it was the third in less than two weeks regarding COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus. Specifically, the most recent drill focused on the best and safest way to triage and transfer an influx of patients into the emergency department for treatment. Page 3

As we go to press with this issue of the Town-Crier, I recognize that it may be a while before we are able to produce another printed issue of the newspaper we all know and love. If you would have told me three weeks ago that I would be writing those words, I would not have believed you. I have been working in the publishing industry for more than 50 years and have been through dozens of business cycles. I’ve published newspapers through boom years, and I’ve published newspapers through devastating recessions. I’ve published newspapers through a devastating hurricane season where they ran out of names. Yet never before in my life have I seen such swift changes in the business landscape — and never before have they been accompanied by such logistical challenges as we have all faced over the past few weeks.

The severe constraints created by the COVID-19 pandemic — including the closure of the original Wellington Mall, the building that houses our corporate offices, in order to comply with restrictions mandated by the governor — are in addition to the unprecedented restrictions on our employees and a national emergency that has closed the majority of businesses and canceled all the events we cover on our pages. It has also thrown impossible logistical roadblocks into the fragile supply chain we rely on to publish our printed and mailed newspaper each week.

However, the Town-Crier is not going away. We will continue updating our web site at www.gotowncrier.com on a daily basis with updates from the communities we cover.

For a short while, that is how we will have to continue our 40-year mission of serving Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, The Acreage, Loxahatchee Groves, Westlake and all of central Palm Beach County. We will also be working with all of our advertisers to bring you the most current information about closures and adjusted hours of operations, as well as information about all of the local drive-up, takeout and call-ahead services our advertisers may offer.

Together, as a community, we will see our way through this storm, just as we have done so many times before, and we will continue as a news organization to provide the most accurate and necessary information we have to keep our readers informed — just for now, not in the print format you are familiar with.

Today’s emergency situation, which has created a new reality for us all, will not last forever. Like everyone else, we look forward to returning to our offices and getting back to normal, which we hope will be soon. Please stay safe and healthy, follow the guidelines, practice social distancing, and check www.gotowncrier.com for news updates until you find us once again in your mailbox.

Oli’s Fashion Cuisine Creates ‘Emergency Market’ To Serve The Local Community

Owner Juan Gando of Oli’s Fashion Cuisine has jumped right in to help the Wellington community through the COVID-19 pandemic by creating an “emergency market” right inside the now non-seating dining room. The market sells everything from fine wine and beer to eggs, whole milk, avocados and even toilet paper.

Page 7

Owners Of Popular Sweet Cravings Food Truck To Open Café At RPB Commons Park

The Royal Palm Beach Village Council voted Thursday, March 19 to award Royal Palm Beach Commons Park’s concession contract to Sweet Cravings LLC, an offshoot of Sweet Cravings NY, a popular food truck that has frequented the community for the past seven years.

Page 7 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 16 OPINION.................................. 4 BUSINESS............................. 13 NEWS BRIEFS....................... 13 COLUMNS............................. 14 CLASSIFIEDS.................17 - 18 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

Barry S. Manning Publisher

Chambers Swing Into Action To Support Business Community

By Joshua Manning the Small Business Administration Town-Crier Staff Report Loan program.

With many businesses reeling “On our web site, we have from the economic damage ac- the applications right now on companying the COVID-19 virus the landing page,” Bedford said. pandemic, local chambers of com- “We’ve also been sending out merce have stepped up to assist in information on a daily basis with any way they can. updates, and we’ve “Our biggest fobeen offering webiMore From Local cus right now is on nars that the SBA Chambers, Page 4 our members and has been putting getting them the most up-to-date on regarding how to complete the information — not only on COV- application.”

ID-19, but the financial assistance Like the rest of her staff, Bedthat the state and federal govern- ford has been working remotely, ment is supplying,” said Mary with chamber’s office shut down Lou Bedford, CEO of the Central for safety reasons. Nevertheless, Palm Beach County Chamber of she is doing her best to keep up Commerce. with the fast-moving situation.

Examples of this are the Gov“I’ve been partaking in weekly ernor’s Bridge Loan program and conference calls from the Western

Communities Council with local governments so that we can make sure that we are sending out similar messages, and they can utilize the chamber’s resources as well to get loan application messages out to our businesses,” she said.

The Central Palm Beach County Chamber is also participating in a weekly conference town hall put together by the Business Development Board.

“Last week, we had Sen. Rick Scott, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Superintendent Dr. Donald Fennoy from the school district, County Administrator Verdenia Baker and others,” Bedford said. “These phone calls are giving weekly updates, so the chamber is aware of See CHAMBERS, page 16

Stuck At Home?

Find Some Time To Fill Out Your 2020 Census Form

By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report The nation and the world are focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, but there’s another national story that has nearly been sidelined due to the crisis — it’s time for the 2020 Census.

Local municipal leaders want to remind residents of the fastapproaching deadline for the 2020 Census. In mid-March, households nationwide began receiving census instructions in the mail, including the need to self-report their information by Census Day on April 1.

Residents can complete the 2020 Census online, by mail or over the phone. This is the first time that the census is being completed with a heavy push on a new, secure internet-driven reporting system. People who do not fill out the report online using the code they received in the mail will receive a paper form. If they still don’t respond, census workers will come to their home. That part of the process, however, could be delayed due to the pandemic.

With many households working and schooling from home, and travel not encouraged, it is the perfect moment to take about 10 minutes to complete the census online and be counted for their community, which in turn directs billions of dollars in federal funds to schools, roads and other public services.

Royal Palm Beach Mayor Fred Pinto said that he has already completed the census and that the process online is straightforward.

“We’ve already sent out infor-

mation explaining to residents the amount of money [Royal Palm Beach] lost in the last census. We wanted to put a dollar amount on the value of their responses and make it real for people,” he said.

Local government officials have been talking about the census and its importance since last year. As of Wednesday, March 25, only 29.7 percent of Royal Palm Beach residents had completed the selfreporting process online. While that’s higher than the Florida response rate of 25.8 percent and the Palm Beach County response rate of 27.2 percent, it’s not nearly where the village wants it to be.

If Royal Palm Beach only reaches the mark 10 years ago of 78 percent counted, it could result in a loss of around four million dollars in federal funding.

Royal Palm Beach Village Manager Ray Liggins completed the census on his iPad in just a few minutes and emphasized that the importance is more than financial — it’s also about representation in government.

“Filling out the census is how we get maximum representation.

We are a representative democracy, and that requires others to do that for us. The more people we have representing us, the better. It’s so important,” Liggins said. “Our number of representatives is how we pick our president.”

When a community does not fill out the census on their own, the government sends trained workers door to door so they can estimate the remaining numbers. Currently, due to the pandemic, the governSee CENSUS, page 16

FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE IN RPB

RPB Inks Senior Transit Deal With Uber; Dunkin’ Gets Variances For New Building

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report Amid dire discussions regarding preparations and readiness for the COVID-19 virus, there was time on Thursday, March 19 for the Royal Palm Beach Village Council to make future plans for discounted senior transportation, approve a new Dunkin’ location on Royal Palm Beach Blvd., and get the clock fixed at the corner of Okeechobee and Royal Palm Beach boulevards, signifying that a long-vacant building is about to be in use.

Village Manager Ray Liggins updated the council on the actions that the village is taking to help in the fight against COVID-19.

“There is a lot of fear and anxiety out there,” he said, explaining that Royal Palm Beach is following the guidance laid out by the Centers for Disease Control.

He added that the village’s web site at www.royalpalmbeach. com has links to the most current information from the CDC and the local health department. There is a red ribbon at the top when a viewer enters the web site that provides a link to the COVID-19 information, and the balance of the page has information about doing business remotely with Royal Palm Beach.

Councilman Jeff Hmara said that accurate information is the best way to combat the fear and anxiety.

Mayor Fred Pinto agreed. “Stay plugged in and posted on what’s going on, and we shall persevere,” he said.

UBER DEAL After the pandemic passes, a plan to make transportation easier and cheaper for senior citizens in Royal Palm Beach should be ramping up, as village staff received council authorization and approval to execute an agreement with Uber Technologies Inc. Hmara explained that the village has been pushing for this for more than two years. When they initially contacted Uber with the idea for the program of discounted rides for village senior residents, with See RPB COUNCIL, page 16

The Village of Royal Palm Beach held its inaugural Father Daughter Dance on Saturday, March 14 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. After a buffet supper, everyone enjoyed the ice cream bar. There were glitter tattoos and balloon animals, as well as a photo booth. DJ Saturn of Let’s Party DJs kept the music going strong all evening. Shown above are Elizabeth, Olivia and Jeff Anderson. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Construction Underway On Home For Injured Veteran

Work is proceeding at Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer’s new homesite.

By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report Marine Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer and his wife Meghan have been looking forward to putting down permanent roots in the Wellington area — and they recently saw a roof appear on their new home being built by the nonprofit Homes For Our Troops.

A community kickoff event in April was supposed to celebrate the Dwyers’ new home. While that has been canceled, the project itself is still moving forward.

Dwyer is not only a military veteran, he was injured in Afghanistan after stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED) during patrol in 2011.

Dwyer lost his left leg and severely damaged his right leg and right arm. Since the incident, he has undergone more than 50 surgeries and spent more than four years in recovery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where met his future wife.

Intensive rehabilitation has helped, and Dwyer even found the motivation to become a successful professional racecar driver for Mazda in 2014. He even drives without modifications to the car.

Unfortunately, he continues to face physical obstacles every day.

“I’m currently not racing. I’ve been in and out of surgeries over the last two years,” Dwyer said.

“Every time I think I’m ready,

something health wise comes up.”

These limitations make navigating around a typical house extremely difficult. But now the Dwyer family is looking forward to starting a new life in Florida, thanks to Homes For Our Troops.

The organization broke ground on a house filled with special accommodations, and free to Dwyer, earlier this year.

The focus of the organization is to help injured troops rebuild their lives.

“Homes For Our Troops has built and donated 293 specially adapted custom homes in 42 states since 2004,” HFOT Marketing Associate Teresa Verity said. “All our See DWYER, page 16

Page 2

March 27 - April 2, 2020

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Page 3

NEWS

COVID-19: An Inside Look At How WRMC Is Drilling & Preparing

There is an old saying that practice makes perfect. It is the main reason that a basketball player will shoot hours of jump shots or a musician will play a new musical piece over and over. Their goal is to take their craft and make it as flawless as possible. It is also the same reason that Wellington Regional Medical Center (WRMC) practices and tests possible disaster situations.

Practice drills can cover any situation from hurricanes or tornados to a mass-casualty situation that result in a large number of patients arriving at the hospital in a short period of time. The ultimate goal is to make sure that the hospital is ready for a surge of patients.

WRMC had a drill on Thursday, March 19, and it was the third in less than two weeks regarding COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus. Specifically, the most recent drill focused on the best and safest way to triage and transfer an influx of patients into the emergency department for treatment.

“It is vital for healthcare organizations to think through scenarios that might happen and then pressure test them to look for points where we might fail,” WRMC CEO Pam Tahan said. “Once we find those different areas we need to address, we can make adjustments. The drills allow us to improve our processes to make patients, guests and staff safer when they come to Wellington Regional.”

As part of the COVID-19 preparations, WRMC began screening all patients and visitors for symptoms of COVID-19. In addition, the hospital started asking about visitors’ possible exposure to the virus, including international travel in the past 14 days, exposure to a known patient with coronavirus in the past 14 days, and any COVID-19 symptoms such as cough, fever or shortness of breath.

WRMC Director of Risk Management Brenda Atkins guided the group of hospital and nursing leaders through a COVID-19 situation.

Participating in the drill are physicians as well as representatives from the emergency department, infection control, respiratory, admissions, radiology, pharmacy and administration.

Atkins provided various scenarios to the group to resolve. Once a problem is solved, it leads to the question, “OK, then what happens?” That way, any solution can be looked at from multiple angles to make sure the resolution is in the best interest of caring for the patient, as well as protecting visitors and hospital staff. The topic of the most recent COVID-19 drill: five patients arrive at the emergency department with known exposure to COVID-19 and are experiencing symptoms.

Initial conversations center on the best way to move the five patients to rooms inside the department for examination, while diminishing the possible exposure to staff and other visitors inside the

hospital. Discussions are detailed and even include examining the best and most efficient rooms to use for the patients’ care inside the emergency department. Once the theoretical patients were transferred for treatment, the conversation shifted to the appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as the best way to put PPE on and how to remove it to limit exposure or cross-contamination in the emergency department.

“Once we have found the best way to transfer the patients to the room, we are triaging them to better determine their symptoms and condition,” said nurse Stacy Morast, director of the emergency department. “The nurses and doctors will assess and treat the patients once they have safely been transferred into the rooms.”

The drill continued with the disclosure that one of the patients is a person of interest for COVID-19 per the Centers for Disease Control and the Florida Department of Health guidelines. The room then began to discuss the phone tree of people that need to be notified that a suspected COVID-19 patient is in the hospital, including calls to the Florida Department of Health.

“We have put together a crisis plan that lists all the phone numbers that need to be notified if we have a suspected patient,” Morast said.

The confirmation by the department of health is vital to allow testing of patients. “OK, the Florida Department of Health has indicated that the patient meets the

Emergency Department Manager nurse Jose Cepeda and Emergency Department Director nurse Stacy Morast participate in the recent COVID-19 drill at Wellington Regional Medical Center. qualifications to be tested,” Atkins said. “What are the specimens that need to be collected and where do we send the samples?”

The drill concluded with the group walking through the collection techniques and steps required to ship the samples for testing. In this situation, the patients were not critical enough to require admission to the hospital, so the group discussed the discharge process and the safest route to exit the patient from the emergency department and limit exposure to others.

There was also discussion about misinformation that exists, including patients being told physician offices can’t do tests or that only emergency departments can perform the COVID-19 test. Further public confusions include that only emergency rooms can clear a person to return to work after being sick or travelling internationally.

The current recommendations by the CDC and the Florida Department of Health are for patients who are not critically ill to remain at home and self-isolate for 14

days. Individuals should be sure to hydrate, take over-the-counter medications for fever, rest and eat well during the recovery period.

There is currently no “cure” for COVID-19, except time, and patients are currently treated by addressing the symptoms of the illness. Only patients who are critically ill will be admitted to the hospital for symptom treatment.

Wellington Regional is providing updated COVID-19 information at www.wellingtonfl.gov/ coronavirus.

COVID-19 INFORMATION FROM WRMC

Members of the Wellington Regional Medical Center staff have participated in several drills over the past few weeks to be better prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic.

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• The coronavirus is in the same family with the virus that causes the common cold. Most everyone has already been exposed to a type of the coronavirus in their lifetime.

• For the vast majority of the people who are positive for the virus, they will only have the symptoms of a common cold. The people at the highest risk for complications are people over age 60 and people who have other medical conditions, such as diabetes, a heart condition or respiratory conditions.

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March 27 - April 2, 2020

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OPINION

Wellington Chamber Supports Community In This Time Of Crisis

First and foremost, I want to assure everyone that the Wellington Chamber will continue to be a voice of reason, sharing factual information as it becomes available and will work tirelessly to advocate for and support our local businesses and community. We are currently looking for creative ways to host virtual networking events, have compiled a list of local restaurants and country clubs offering take-out and deliveries, as well as working to keep our office fully operational and functioning as a go-to for resource information.

We are posting daily video spots from local business owners regarding who they are, how their

business is responding in this current situation and how community members can best support them, and they the community as well.

We are scheduling out the videos as posts on our chamber page as well as local community pages and Instagram feeds.

It has been a hard couple of weeks to be a business owner or employee, a school administrator, a teacher, a government official, a parent, a student and even a friend. What we are currently experiencing is definitely new territory for all of us. Please bear with one another as we all continue to adapt. Right now, we implore everyone to please follow the safety guidelines put forward

by the State of Florida, Palm Beach County and the Village of Wellington.

Lastly, I would encourage us to vent or scream in your pillow or to a good friend, but then come back to the table with gratitude and positivity. Why? Because, we need to band together as businesses and community to support one another. We must help reduce the hysteria and encourage and uplift one another. Ideas? 1) Post your business doing some random act of kindness. 2) Share something funny (not related to COVID-19).

3) Highlight your staff with a “Meet So & So” feature. 4) Share fun facts or historical anecdotes about your business. 5) Shout out

another local business. And above all, be kind.

This is a true test of all our leadership to ensure that the Wellington business community can navigate through this challenging time. This too shall pass, and we will be better individuals and businesses because of it.

We are always available to you and would appreciate all input as we navigate these challenging times. Please call, e-mail and stay in close touch. Let’s be proactive now, and again please follow the safety guidelines put forward by the State of Florida, Palm Beach County and the Village of Wellington so that this crisis is mitigated sooner rather than later,

and we can get back to business as usual.

We greatly appreciate your patience and consideration. We are in this together. We will survive.

If you have any suggestions for the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, feel free to e-mail me or just give me a call if you need to talk. I may not have the answer, but I can listen. The chamber values our relationships with each and every one of you, not just as chamber partners, but as fellow human beings. We are so proud of the measures so many of you are taking already to adapt and showcase the leadership to those around you.

Let’s leave a legacy of success

in the wake of this crisis. We may never be the same, but we will be better.

Michela Green, Executive Director Wellington Chamber of Commerce Editor’s note: Learn more about the Wellington Chamber of Commerce by visiting www. wellingtonchamber.com.

Central PBC Chamber Working To Help Our Local Businesses

During this challenging and unprecedented time, the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce is working diligently to make sure that we are reaching out through e-mails, social media, teleconferencing and text messages to keep our member businesses and community partners informed.

We continue to send updates from municipal, county, state and federal levels to keep you connected and updated on such topics as Small Business Administration (SBA) loan requirements, local businesses that you can support and who want to serve their community, businesses that are looking to hire and employee assistance for those in need.

I want to assure you that the chamber is here for you and knows the struggle that many of you are experiencing. We will be

here for you through the duration as we navigate this together. Now is the time for us all to be innovative, step up our digital presence and stay connected to one another.

As your business resource, please utilize our web site at www.cpbchamber.com. We have the latest updates on COVID-19, the applications for the SBA Loan program and the Governor’s Bridge Loan program, as well as links to many of the agencies and organizations that you may require at this time. We also supported National Takeout Tuesday with a list of participating businesses. We encourage everyone to make every Tuesday a Takeout Tuesday for the length of this crisis.

As I write this on March 25, overnight, the White House and Congress agreed on a bipartisan $2 trillion virus relief bill with

leaders of both political parties saying that this will create a rush of sweeping relief that will help the many businesses, workers and the healthcare system, which has been inundated by this pandemic. This is the largest economic relief measure in our nation’s history and is intended to help keep workers employed and businesses from going under.

We’ll share more details on this relief package soon.

CareerSource Palm Beach County is also offering help for employers amid the COVID-19 impact.

Palm Beach County employers are having to make some difficult business decisions. That said, it’s fortunate that we started all this from a position of economic strength, and we are optimistic that this pandemic will be shortlived, so that companies large

and small can get back to normal soon.

Even though we are in troubling times, employers should keep in mind that layoffs now will be more costly later if you try to rebuild your business with new employees. I encourage you to do all you can to avoid layoffs by taking advantage of all the federal, state and local resources available to help you: • The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program is available to provide short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that experience economic injury from COVID-19. The application period is open now and runs through May 8. Interested businesses should visit www. floridadisasterloan.org for more information.

• The U.S. Small Business Administration is also offering

low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury.

• The Short Time Compensation Program, also known as Work Sharing, allows employers to receive assistance with retaining employees. The program is administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and permits prorated reemployment assistance benefits to employees whose work hours and earnings are reduced — helping to avoid layoffs.

• The Business Damage Assessment survey evaluates businesses affected by COVID-19 and the impacts that the virus has had on the local economy so actions to implement appropriate relief programs can begin. All businesses that have been impacted should fill out the survey

at www.floridadisaster.biz.

• For those employers with job openings, the CareerSource business services staff can connect you with qualified candidates at no cost to you. Contact them at www.careersourcepbc.com or call (561) 340-1060 and select Option 3.

For any questions or additional help, please e-mail us at info@ cpbchamber.com. Stay connected! Wishing you health, peace and hope, Mary Lou Bedford President/CEO Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce

INTERNET SAFETY: How To Keep Your Children Safe From Sex Traffickers And More During The COVID-19 Lockdown

Current measures put in place due to the COVID-19 coronavirus have children out of school across the nation, at home with access to the internet to guarantee their continued education. Are you convinced your children are out of harm’s way during this nationwide lockdown?

While most people immediately think of a dramatic abduction when talking about the sex trafficking of children, research shows a growing number of child predators using mobile applications.

As reported by the Human Trafficking Hotline, almost 1,000 cases of potential victims of sex trafficking were recruited through social platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, etc. between 2015 and 2018. Melissa Rangel, case manager with the Texas Center for the Missing, adds that gaming messenger apps such as Discord can also be used to lure kids.

With traffickers looking for a possible victim’s vulnerabilities, someone posting or commenting on having a bad day, feeling lonely,

etc. can quickly become an invitation to like or comment, send a friend request, in the hopes of developing a relationship. Sometimes, these individuals even pose as someone that your child thinks they know.

A 2018 study by Thorn, an international anti-human trafficking organization that works to address the sexual exploitation of children, found that 55 percent of domestic minor sex trafficking survivors who became victims in 2015 or later had initially met their traffickers online, through text message or via a mobile app. This is further supported by another study done by the University of Toledo, revealing that “traffickers quickly target and connect with vulnerable children on the Internet, through social media.”

While these facts and statistics are frightening, these unprecedented times offer many of us something that we commonly don’t have: time!

So, how can we keep our children and teenagers safe?

First step: Get familiar with the

applications your children or youth in your care are using and have an open conversation about internet safety with them.

Second step: Identify guidelines (which sites can be visited, how long, how/when and where can be these accessed, etc.). We truly encourage a mutual understanding that this isn’t a “punishment.”

As a teenager, I can assure you that I would have wanted my parents to show me examples of these things actually happening.

So often, teens feel like “parents don’t get it,” but these measures aren’t just lessons, they are opportunities to be empowered, to become a voice or to simply be educated. A few recent articles, such as “How human traffickers are recruiting victims in a digital age” by Maria Salazar (January 2020), “What is online child exploitation” by O.U.R. Stories (May 2019) or “Sex traffickers using social media to target children” by Katie Kormann (November 2019), highlight the issue and make the subject of internet safety very real.

Reading these together can give you something to discuss and debate together. Furthermore, local nonprofit organizations, coalitions and task forces are working hard to not only address the demand but also raise awareness of human trafficking in the United States.

Perhaps this is also a good time to watch a documentary film on the subject, read a book highlighting a particular youth’s story “in the life” or even sign up for an online human trafficking awareness program such as through A21’s portal.

Resources can be easily accessed through a Google search, but here are a few to get the conversation going: • The Internet Safety 101 Information Guide found at www. internetsafety101.org/objects/ FF_IS101_InformationalGuide. pdf highlights the most widely used tools such as parental controls and blocks but argues that in order for your child to be truly safe, you must become the “first line of defense.” With 1 in 7 children receiving a sexual solicitation online and

an average age between 13 to 15 years old, this doesn’t solely target girls. Boys make up 25 percent of the victims of internet-initiated sex crimes.

• SafeFlorida.net offers a broad range of resources for schools, parents, teens and children as it relates to online safety. Applications to keep children safe also exist and can be part of your approach.

• Internet Safety 101 offers

PHOTO BY GLENN CARSTENS-PETERS/UNSPLASH

introductory guides on not only sexual exploitation but also online gaming, social media, cyberbullying, safety, prevention and more.

For additional information on human trafficking awareness, resources and local nonprofit organizations working to end human trafficking, feel free to contact me at annecarolineinc@gmail.com.

Anne Caroline Valtin Wellington

FROM AN EXPERT: Children Suddenly Learning From Home?

Here Are Some Tips For Homeschooling During A Crisis

Many are currently considering homeschooling (or have been forced to homeschool) due to the current coronavirus scare. They aren’t the first who’ve suddenly started homeschooling due to a crisis.

So how do you homeschool when you’ve had no time to plan how to do it, no time to gather materials and no idea how to go about it? First take care of the official business.

1. The School’s Way — If the homeschooling is temporary and the student will return to a school as soon as this is over, the school should give directions on what they expect. They may host online lessons or have the student sign up with FLVS (Florida Virtual School, an online public school) through their Flex program at www.flvs.net. Let them know it’s due to coronavirus and they’ll ease the transition.

2. Your Own Way — Parents can choose to homeschool on their

own. Perhaps they want to homeschool longer than the schools will be closed, don’t want to use the school’s format, don’t have easy access to their materials or want to try out independent homeschooling.

In Florida, the law requires officially withdrawing from the school first. Send the school something in writing — an e-mail works — with the child’s name, date of birth, address, a parent’s name and signature stating that you are withdrawing the child from school.

Don’t worry, the child can be re-enrolled later if the parent wishes. In high school, it’s best to wait for a new semester to re-enroll; at other grade levels, re-enrollment can be done anytime.

Two options for legally homeschooling a child are as a home education student in a program run by the parent or as a private school student through a private school that offers an at-home option.

To start a home education pro-

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gram, send a letter to the school district’s home education office.

Include the child’s name, date of birth and address, a parent’s name and signature stating that you intend to home educate the child according to Florida law. E-mail to homeed@palmbeachschools.org is a great way to send this letter, or the district has an online form on its web site.

Contact information for other Florida school districts’ home education offices can be found on a list from the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Choice.

Parents can choose any learning materials they deem appropriate. There are workbooks and textbooks available online or at discount stores, educational web sites or even materials that may not have been designed for a classroom but are educational. Feel free to get them started with any materials you have available. The public library has lots of options, as does the internet. Discount

stores and bookstores have inexpensive workbooks available, too.

Parents have 30 days legally to get started. So, it’s OK to take some time to gather materials. Keep up work on reading and writing, and get a math workbook or an online math program to cover the bare basics. Feel free to let your child pick topics to read up on or explore some new hobbies and write about them. Consider joining some online homeschool support groups or read some homeschool web sites or blogs to find out about different methods and resources used by homeschoolers.

Education at home tends to be easier than education in a school — just like cooking at home isn’t as complicated as operating a restaurant.

Keep records of the child’s learning: (1) titles of any reading materials used (books, web sites, articles, etc.), (2) a log of educational activities (keep something brief about what the child learns

BARRY S. MANNING DAWN RIVERA JOSHUA I. MANNING Executive Editor Publisher General Manager RON BUKLEY Senior Editor

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— could be as simple as a list of subjects worked on each day or week), and keep a few (3) samples of work (screenshots of web sites used, papers written by the child, a copy or two of pages read by the child, photos of projects done, etc.).

An evaluation is required once a year to verify that the child is learning. The first evaluation, which would be due no later than an entire year from when the student begins to homeschool, could be the public school’s FSA or another achievement test. Some homeschool support groups usually offer group testing sessions, though that may be different this year, but it could mean simply having a Florida-certified teacher look over the records kept to verify that the child has been learning.

Another option is to register the student with a private school that offers a learn-at-home option. Such schools are known as

umbrella schools. After the registration process, which should include submitting medical records including immunization records (or exemption forms), the parent must regularly submit attendance reports, but otherwise the rules are up to the particular school.

Some provide learning materials (curriculum) or help in figuring out what materials to use. Some have a teacher on staff who will help when needed. Some keep records of the child’s learning, while others expect the parent to keep their own records.

Many who start homeschooling because of a crisis find their kids learn more and enjoy it more.

Many stick with homeschooling long-term.

Cheryl Trzasko Wellington Editor’s note: Cheryl Trzasko is the chair/president of Palm Beach County Homeschoolers. Learn more at www.pbchomeschoolers. com.

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March 27 - April 2, 2020

Page 7

NEWS

COVID-19: Wellington Announces Modified Business Operations Wellington’s Village Hall has closed its doors to the public until further notice. Staff will continue working to provide services to residents. The village encourages everyone to take advantage of its online services. For a list of services that may be accessed online, visit the “How Do I” page at www. wellingtonfl.gov.

Village Hall, including the

Building Department, is closed to the public. Assistance with Planning & Zoning, Engineering, the Building Department, or Code Compliance is outlined below: Building — All permits will be processed electronically. To start the permit process, e-mail the completed permit application to buildingdocs@wellingtonfl.gov.

Once your application is entered,

you may follow the standard online permit process. Instructions and guidance is available online at www.wellingtonfl.gov/269/guideto-permitting.

Customers who regularly submit water heater and air conditioning replacement permits by paper must e-mail the completed permit application and supporting documents to buildingdocs@welling-

Oli’s Fashion Cuisine Creates ‘Emergency Market’ To Serve The Local Community In Need

Owner Juan Gando of Oli’s Fashion Cuisine has jumped right in to help the Wellington community through the COVID-19 pandemic by creating an “emergency market” right inside the now non-seating dining room.

The market sells everything from fine wine and beer to eggs, whole milk, avocados and even toilet paper. Yes, even toilet paper is available by the roll or case.

Gando and his team continue to adhere to the strict guidelines amid the pandemic. They are cooking and offering their full menu for pick-up or delivery. Call-ahead service is recommended.

When asked why he found it necessary to offer additional products through this new emergency market, Gando said it is his part to help the community he loves.

“No matter how difficult it has become over the last weeks, as we continue to deal with this virus, there is nowhere else I would want to live,” he said. “We are truly blessed, and we wanted to do what we could to continue

(L-R) Oscar Vigil, Dessalines Charles and Juan Gando. to serve our community, adding extra items to help the community that has supported us over the many years.”

Oli’s Fashion Cuisine is a scratch kitchen and wine bar that provides a contemporary and visual twist to all of your favorite

classics. For more information about the emergency market items, or to check out the latest “Fashion Cuisine” TV show, visit their Facebook page or check online at www.olisfashioncuisine.com. Be sure to call ahead your order to (561) 792-2220.

tonfl.gov for processing. For any assistance, call (561) 753-2430 Code Compliance — Wellington’s Code Compliance Division remains operational. Public interaction will be by appointment only. Customers and respondents that need assistance should e-mail code@wellingtonfl.gov or call (561) 753-2560.

Engineering — Meetings with the Engineering Department will be on an appointment basis only and will be limited to e-mail at engineering@wellingtonfl.gov

and phone calls to (561) 791-4002.

Planning & Zoning — E-mail planninginfo@wellingtonfl.gov for assistance or call (561) 7914000.

Utility Payments — Water and wastewater utility services continue to operate normally. To pay your water bill, visit www. wellingtonfl.gov/waterbill or call (561) 753-2418 (press 1, then 1).

Wellington has activated two call centers: Village Hall at (561) 791-4000 and the Senior Call Center at (561) 791-4796.

These lines are for information about services and changes; they are not intended to provide medical assistance. Please call your physician or the Florida Department of Health for health-related questions.

The following facilities are closed until further notice: Village Park, the Wellington Amphitheater, the Wellington Community Center, the Lake Wellington Professional Centre, the Wellington Aquatics Complex and the Wellington Tennis Center.

Owners Of Popular Sweet Cravings Food Truck To Open Café At RPB Commons Park

By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report Looking for positive thoughts in these bleak times? Think ahead to summer and, hopefully, spending time with family and friends in an area park.

Clouds on the horizon doesn’t diminish the fact that there is a horizon there, and Royal Palm Beach Commons Park is a gem among area venues. And the park is set to feature a new food and beverage vendor starting soon after the COVID-19 emergency has ended.

The Royal Palm Beach Village Council voted Thursday, March 19 to award the park’s concession contract to Sweet Cravings LLC, an offshoot of Sweet Cravings NY, a popular food truck that has frequented the community for the past seven years.

Owners Russ and Jana D’Agostino of Royal Palm Beach

were at the meeting to answer any questions about their new venture, but it was their young daughter Gianna who did the real convincing.

“This is something that we have been trying to make a success for a while, and they have had a truck that is successful in the area,” Parks & Recreation Director Lou Recchio said.

The second-floor café at Commons Park will be the concession’s location.

“We will have a wide array of food,” said Jana, who began to list some of them to the stagewhispered prompts from Gianna, who made sure that homemade ice cream-related products were mentioned prominently and frequently.

“I have visited your food truck,” Councilman Richard Valuntas said. “It was beyond exceptional.”

Mayor Fred Pinto said that the community and council are look-

Jana, Russ and Gianna D’Agostino of Sweet Cravings. ing forward to it. “I see who your chief marketing officer is,” he smiled at Gianna.

For more information, e-mail info@sweetcravingscafe.com or visit www.sweetcravingsny.com.

RPB Mayor: Don’t Make The Trip When You Can Make The Click

Closures due to COVID-19 has led the Village of Royal Palm Beach to ask residents to use the village’s many available online services.

Mayor Fred Pinto said that the village is continuing to take extraordinary steps to protect the public and village employees. As of March 19, these include: • All indoor activities at village facilities are cancelled.

• Access to the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center lobby

is open, but access to the facility is closed.

• Access to the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center lobby is open, but access to the facility is closed.

• Access to the Royal Palm Beach Village Hall lobby is open, but residents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of online and phone services.

• At this time, pavilion rentals remain available, but most outdoor activities are canceled.

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As for other village services: • Public meetings are continuing as planned, but attendees are urged to practice social distancing if attending.

• Village parks are open to the public.

• Building and code enforcement inspections remain uninterrupted, however, if an inspector comes to your property, residents are asked to practice responsible social distancing to protect you and the inspector.

The Village of Royal Palm Beach provides many services either online or over the phone.

For public safety and the safety of village staff, Pinto is urging the public to use these options instead of visiting village offices in person.

The village is also rolling out new public awareness materials to be distributed at all its public buildings. Informational signs specific to the coronavirus are being posted at village facilities. Links to the Centers for Disease Control and

the Palm Beach County coronavirus web pages have been posted to the village web site.

“This is an unprecedented threat to public health and safety, and as a village, we are responding with equally unprecedented measures,” Pinto said. “Our efforts are targeting two fronts. We must ensure our first responders and facilities are prepared. But we also have a responsibility to arm our residents with the information they need to protect their families.”

While government business must continue during the crisis, the village is moving quickly to increase visitor safety at government facilities. Extra cleaning supplies are being stockpiled, including bleach wipes, air sprays, hand sanitizer and dispensers. Departments that have frequent public contact have been instructed to wipe down counter tops, doorknobs and public areas with disinfecting wipes.

For more info., visit www. royalpalmbeach.com/coronavirus.

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Visit us on the web at www.NRIINSTITUTE.EDU Licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education, License No. 1768 Accredited By The Council On Occupational Education

The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

March 27 - April 2, 2020

Page 9

NEWS

RPB HOSTS INAUGURAL FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE AT THE CULTURAL CENTER The Village of Royal Palm Beach held its inaugural Father Daughter Dance on Saturday, March 14 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. After a buffet supper, everyone enjoyed the ice cream bar. There were glitter tattoos and balloon animals, as well as a photo booth. DJ Saturn of Let’s Party DJs kept the music going strong all evening.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Janiyah Samuels watches dad Terrell limbo.

Grace and Gaby Little with grandfather Kip Little.

Councilman Richard Valuntas with his daughter Christina.

Kyle and Lacey Dubbs on the dance floor.

Averie and Adam Fuchs.

Kinley and Bryan Sealey.

Ameena and Elijah Moody.

Gianna and Russ D’Agostino.

Kyra Yanchik and Valeria Sarria led the girls in dancing.

Avery and Matt Hanna.

Audrey Catapano and Ryeleigh Johnson.

Jillian and David Longest.

Anaya Rossi gets a glitter tattoo from Maureen Dibble.

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Page 10

March 27 - April 2, 2020

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The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

March 27 - April 2, 2020

Page 11

THE HEROES OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Modern heroes are individuals who perform great deeds or selfless acts for the common good instead of the classical goals of wealth, pride and fame.

The coronavirus, more precisely the Novel CoVid19, is deadly.

It is also invisible. We can’t see it coming and, therefore, it is extremely frightening. Most of us can protect ourselves by hunkering down and embracing our use of the new term “social distancing.”

For our first responders and healthcare providers, that is not an option. The police, fire and paramedics must be on the job and on the streets. The sheriff’s deputies, police, firefighters and paramedics are our first line of defense against the unseen coronavirus. They are exposed to emergent situations constantly and repeatedly, not knowing if the victim, patient or perpetrator has the virus. Yet they quietly report to work every day and do their duty.

They are modern heroes who perform great deeds or selfless acts for the common good.

Our healthcare delivery system is a complex mechanism. The magnificent campuses and complex technologies of our local hospitals, like Palms West and Wellington Regional, are reassuring by their mere presence. We know they are there to provide lifepreserving and lifesaving therapies to sustain us. The bricks and mortar of the hospitals are the outward visible sign of what goes on inside.

The real therapies and treatment are provided by the doctors, the nurses, the technicians and all the support personnel who work within the hospital walls, including the administrators. These professionals go to work every day not knowing if they will be exposed to the deadly virus. Yet they press on. They leave their families and report to work not knowing if today could be the day they catch the virus.

The hospital CEO, the administrators, the doctors, nurses and techs as well as the housekeepers, maintenance staff and volunteers are all modern heroes who perform great deeds or selfless acts for the common good.

I HOPE THOSE OF YOU WHO READ THIS WILL TAKE TIME TO THANK EVERY HEALTHCARE PROVIDER AND FIRST RESPONDER YOU KNOW. THEY ARE OUR HEROES. WE VALUE AND APPRECIATE THEIR SELFLESS SERVICE AND COMMITMENT. At the NRI Institute of Health Sciences, we enjoy being part of the system that brings the best-trained healthcare workers into our local hospitals. We educate nurses and diagnostic medical sonographers. We opened our school in Royal Palm Beach eight years ago.

We did so because of the nursing shortage. Even before we entered this coronavirus crisis, our nation, and Florida, had a frightening shortage of nurses in this country. Unless changes are made, that shortage will continue, and in fact, is likely to get worse.

WILL WE HAVE ENOUGH NURSES FOR THE NEXT PANDEMIC? The shortage of nurses was a healthcare crisis in this country even before the coronavirus hit. According to the World Health Statistics Report, there are approximately 29 million nurses and midwives in the world, with 3.9 million of those individuals in the United States. Estimates are that upward of one million additional nurses are needed right now here in the United States.

According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), there will be more registered nurse jobs available through 2022 than any other profession in the United States.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation also believes we have a current shortage of 1,000,000 nurses.

The nursing shortage means the coronavirus is ultra-stressful for nurses. They must work longer hours, double shifts and face burnout. Retired nurses are volunteering to alleviate the crunch, and student nurses are being used in many states to fill the gaps.

While our courageous nurses may get us through this pandemic — if it is quickly contained — what happens if another virus comes along as bad or worse than CoVid19?

Nurse education and licensing is a matter that is regulated by the states. Almost every state in the nation has been adopting policies to increase the number of nurses by encouraging the development of new nursing schools and increasing the capacity of the schools in existence.

Every state, but one, is doing everything humanly possible to increase the number of nursing schools and spaces available in those schools.

FLORIDA HAS A UNIQUE APPROACH — CLOSE NURSING SCHOOLS. Reduce the number of new nurses.

Increase the nursing shortage.

Continue the low supply of nurses in the face of high demand.

Unbelievable!

In fact, the Florida Board of Nursing, in collaboration with the Florida Legislature, is seeking to reduce the number of nursing schools by as much as 50 percent over the next few years, and has tried to close more than 30 Florida schools over the last 10 months.

This is at a time when we are facing a pandemic of unknown proportions and duration. We will no doubt lose nurses and other healthcare providers to the illness.

The healthcare industry is scrambling to head off a predicted nursing shortage that could be devastating to patient care.

“Baseline forecasts show that Florida will face a shortage of registered nurses by 2025 that is capable of crippling our healthcare system and reducing access to care for Floridians,” according to the Florida Center for Nursing, a workforce center established by state statute, which is part of the University of Central Florida.

According to a study by the same Florida Center for Nursing, we do not have nearly enough seats currently for all qualified applicants.

So why is Florida in a rush to reduce the number of nursing schools?

To understand that question, you must understand professional licensure. Almost every profession requires licensure in the United States and Florida. There is an exam taken by the new graduates in a profession, and they receive a license based on pass/fail. In virtually every profession, there is an opportunity to take the exam two, three or four times to pass. For example, most doctors and all lawyers can take their test multiple times.

No profession other than nursing penalizes schools based on the number of attempts it takes a student to pass the state licensure exam, which is referred to as the NCLEX (a national exam used by Florida).

For nursing programs, if the pass rate for first-time takers falls below a certain arbitrary standard, the Board of Nursing can pursue a process that puts a school out of business and eliminate those seats. The standard that is used is a national standard and does not account for any cultural or demographic variances in the State of Florida.

Florida happens to have the lowest first-time pass rate in the country. Florida’s first-time pass rate is 10 percent below the national average pass rate.

The population of Florida is different demographically than the

nation. The nation is 72.4 percent white and 28 percent minority, including Hispanic, Latino and black.

Florida has a significantly higher minority population. Almost half our state is Hispanic, Latino, black and Asian American.

Why is this important? It matters because minorities historically have a more difficult time passing the nurse licensure exam on their first try. This fact is well-documented in the literature and the difference has been constant over time.

There are many reasons why this may occur. Language issues, cultural issues, ethnic and cultural bias in the exam itself — many reasons. No one has postulated that it is because minority students are not as capable as their white counterparts.

The overall pass rate in Florida, based on second and third takes, is comparable to the other states. So, why is the State Board of Nursing hell-bent on measuring schools based on first-time pass rates rather than overall pass rates, like every other profession?

We don’t know. Other than the fact that this is the way it has always been done.

Interestingly, there is NO evidence in the literature that nurses who pass NCLEX-RN on their second, third or fourth attempt are inferior to nurses who pass on the first attempt. Hospitals and other healthcare providers do not ask students how many times they took the NCLEX before passing. Thus, there is no compromise of the stated objective of the Florida Board of Nursing: “To ensure that every nurse practicing in Florida meets minimum requirements for safe practice.” There is nothing to be gained by placing a school out of business solely based on the school’s first-time pass rate on NCLEX-RN. It is amazing that the legislature, presumably with the approbation of the Board of Nursing, would adopt a standard for which there is no credible evidence that supports its legitimacy.

The standard utilized by this state does nothing to improve the quality of nurses or make any of us patients safer. In fact, we submit that the standard is detrimental to the quality of care in Florida as it will exacerbate the shortage of nurses in the state and particularly in underserved minority areas. Nursing shortages impact the quality of care. At our advancing age, that is something I take very seriously. So does the Florida Center for Nursing.

Using a standard that has no credible evidence to support it, is just plain, old-fashioned, bad public policy. In this case, that bad public policy adversely impacts all nursing students, faculty and the schools themselves. Additionally, and most importantly, it adversely impacts public heath, as it exacerbates the nursing shortage and endangers patient care.

We are at war with an unseen enemy — the coronavirus.

I have no doubt that we will win this war in large part because of the first responders, doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

What about the next pandemic? Will we have enough nurses? If I were put in charge of solving the nursing shortage, we would.

What would I do: 1) Remove the current Board of Nursing (whom are appointed by the Governor) and replace them with people who are willing to creatively solve the problem without compromising the quality of nursing care. The current board does not acknowledge that we have a problem and, therefore, will never solve it. I testified before the Board of Nursing last June on this very issue. I thought I was at Mount Rushmore. They were stone faced and never moved, never commented or asked a question.

2) Appoint a non-political, blue-ribbon task force to address the nursing shortage in Florida, including representatives from private nursing programs.

3) Revise the nursing education statutes to mirror the other professions in terms of pass rates on exams and measurement thereof. Creating barriers through a nonsensical measurement that is not meaningful is just plain dumb.

4) Suspend the operation of any statute that is causing nursing schools to be closed until a complete overhaul of nursing education laws can be accomplished.

5) Increase scholarships available to high school students and adults who wish to enter the nursing profession.

6) Provide a state subsidy for every qualified nurse who is willing to teach full time.

7) Encourage schools to increase capacity and immediately stop the shutdown of schools.

Make no mistake. We are at risk — every single one of us. We will make it through this pandemic. Many will die, and some of those will be nurses, doctors and first responders. 10 percent of the people affected right now in Spain work as healthcare providers.

We don’t know when the next pandemic is coming.

We do know we are now in a war. One of the critical elements required to win a war is manpower. We need nurses. The time to act is now so we are not caught flat-footed when the next pandemic hits or this one drags on.

I pray there will be enough nurses to care for all of us.

I hope you share my frustration. Fighting an enemy is always a daunting task. Doing it without weapons and troops is an impossible task.

Nurses are our front-line defenders against this virus and others to come. We need nurses. We need our present nurses and 1,000,000 more.

We owe it to our nursing corps, to ourselves and to the next generation to ensure that there will be enough nurses and other healthcare resources when the next pandemic hits.

Let the Florida Governor Ron DeSantis know you are concerned.

You can e-mail Governor DeSantis at: GovernorRon.Desantis@eog.myflorida.com You can also contact your local member of the Florida House of Representatives or State Senator.

In the meantime, stay healthy. Continue to practice social distancing and help your neighbors.

If you see a nurse, doctor, sheriff’s deputy, paramedic or other healthcare provider, thank them. They are putting their lives on the line for us every single day.

We will continue to educate nurses at the NRI Institute of Health Sciences. We are located in the Royal Plaza at Southern Boulevard and Royal Palm Beach Boulevard.

We are all potential patients and virus targets. That is enough to worry about. We should not have to worry if there will be a nurse to care for us when we need it.

Godspeed to all!

The Administration and Staff of the NRI Institute of Health Sciences Comments invited to: dsplain@nriinstitute.edu Dan Splain March 22, 2020

Page 10

March 27 - April 2, 2020

www.gotowncrier.com

The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

March 27 - April 2, 2020

Page 11

THE HEROES OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Modern heroes are individuals who perform great deeds or selfless acts for the common good instead of the classical goals of wealth, pride and fame.

The coronavirus, more precisely the Novel CoVid19, is deadly.

It is also invisible. We can’t see it coming and, therefore, it is extremely frightening. Most of us can protect ourselves by hunkering down and embracing our use of the new term “social distancing.”

For our first responders and healthcare providers, that is not an option. The police, fire and paramedics must be on the job and on the streets. The sheriff’s deputies, police, firefighters and paramedics are our first line of defense against the unseen coronavirus. They are exposed to emergent situations constantly and repeatedly, not knowing if the victim, patient or perpetrator has the virus. Yet they quietly report to work every day and do their duty.

They are modern heroes who perform great deeds or selfless acts for the common good.

Our healthcare delivery system is a complex mechanism. The magnificent campuses and complex technologies of our local hospitals, like Palms West and Wellington Regional, are reassuring by their mere presence. We know they are there to provide lifepreserving and lifesaving therapies to sustain us. The bricks and mortar of the hospitals are the outward visible sign of what goes on inside.

The real therapies and treatment are provided by the doctors, the nurses, the technicians and all the support personnel who work within the hospital walls, including the administrators. These professionals go to work every day not knowing if they will be exposed to the deadly virus. Yet they press on. They leave their families and report to work not knowing if today could be the day they catch the virus.

The hospital CEO, the administrators, the doctors, nurses and techs as well as the housekeepers, maintenance staff and volunteers are all modern heroes who perform great deeds or selfless acts for the common good.

I HOPE THOSE OF YOU WHO READ THIS WILL TAKE TIME TO THANK EVERY HEALTHCARE PROVIDER AND FIRST RESPONDER YOU KNOW. THEY ARE OUR HEROES. WE VALUE AND APPRECIATE THEIR SELFLESS SERVICE AND COMMITMENT. At the NRI Institute of Health Sciences, we enjoy being part of the system that brings the best-trained healthcare workers into our local hospitals. We educate nurses and diagnostic medical sonographers. We opened our school in Royal Palm Beach eight years ago.

We did so because of the nursing shortage. Even before we entered this coronavirus crisis, our nation, and Florida, had a frightening shortage of nurses in this country. Unless changes are made, that shortage will continue, and in fact, is likely to get worse.

WILL WE HAVE ENOUGH NURSES FOR THE NEXT PANDEMIC? The shortage of nurses was a healthcare crisis in this country even before the coronavirus hit. According to the World Health Statistics Report, there are approximately 29 million nurses and midwives in the world, with 3.9 million of those individuals in the United States. Estimates are that upward of one million additional nurses are needed right now here in the United States.

According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), there will be more registered nurse jobs available through 2022 than any other profession in the United States.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation also believes we have a current shortage of 1,000,000 nurses.

The nursing shortage means the coronavirus is ultra-stressful for nurses. They must work longer hours, double shifts and face burnout. Retired nurses are volunteering to alleviate the crunch, and student nurses are being used in many states to fill the gaps.

While our courageous nurses may get us through this pandemic — if it is quickly contained — what happens if another virus comes along as bad or worse than CoVid19?

Nurse education and licensing is a matter that is regulated by the states. Almost every state in the nation has been adopting policies to increase the number of nurses by encouraging the development of new nursing schools and increasing the capacity of the schools in existence.

Every state, but one, is doing everything humanly possible to increase the number of nursing schools and spaces available in those schools.

FLORIDA HAS A UNIQUE APPROACH — CLOSE NURSING SCHOOLS. Reduce the number of new nurses.

Increase the nursing shortage.

Continue the low supply of nurses in the face of high demand.

Unbelievable!

In fact, the Florida Board of Nursing, in collaboration with the Florida Legislature, is seeking to reduce the number of nursing schools by as much as 50 percent over the next few years, and has tried to close more than 30 Florida schools over the last 10 months.

This is at a time when we are facing a pandemic of unknown proportions and duration. We will no doubt lose nurses and other healthcare providers to the illness.

The healthcare industry is scrambling to head off a predicted nursing shortage that could be devastating to patient care.

“Baseline forecasts show that Florida will face a shortage of registered nurses by 2025 that is capable of crippling our healthcare system and reducing access to care for Floridians,” according to the Florida Center for Nursing, a workforce center established by state statute, which is part of the University of Central Florida.

According to a study by the same Florida Center for Nursing, we do not have nearly enough seats currently for all qualified applicants.

So why is Florida in a rush to reduce the number of nursing schools?

To understand that question, you must understand professional licensure. Almost every profession requires licensure in the United States and Florida. There is an exam taken by the new graduates in a profession, and they receive a license based on pass/fail. In virtually every profession, there is an opportunity to take the exam two, three or four times to pass. For example, most doctors and all lawyers can take their test multiple times.

No profession other than nursing penalizes schools based on the number of attempts it takes a student to pass the state licensure exam, which is referred to as the NCLEX (a national exam used by Florida).

For nursing programs, if the pass rate for first-time takers falls below a certain arbitrary standard, the Board of Nursing can pursue a process that puts a school out of business and eliminate those seats. The standard that is used is a national standard and does not account for any cultural or demographic variances in the State of Florida.

Florida happens to have the lowest first-time pass rate in the country. Florida’s first-time pass rate is 10 percent below the national average pass rate.

The population of Florida is different demographically than the

nation. The nation is 72.4 percent white and 28 percent minority, including Hispanic, Latino and black.

Florida has a significantly higher minority population. Almost half our state is Hispanic, Latino, black and Asian American.

Why is this important? It matters because minorities historically have a more difficult time passing the nurse licensure exam on their first try. This fact is well-documented in the literature and the difference has been constant over time.

There are many reasons why this may occur. Language issues, cultural issues, ethnic and cultural bias in the exam itself — many reasons. No one has postulated that it is because minority students are not as capable as their white counterparts.

The overall pass rate in Florida, based on second and third takes, is comparable to the other states. So, why is the State Board of Nursing hell-bent on measuring schools based on first-time pass rates rather than overall pass rates, like every other profession?

We don’t know. Other than the fact that this is the way it has always been done.

Interestingly, there is NO evidence in the literature that nurses who pass NCLEX-RN on their second, third or fourth attempt are inferior to nurses who pass on the first attempt. Hospitals and other healthcare providers do not ask students how many times they took the NCLEX before passing. Thus, there is no compromise of the stated objective of the Florida Board of Nursing: “To ensure that every nurse practicing in Florida meets minimum requirements for safe practice.” There is nothing to be gained by placing a school out of business solely based on the school’s first-time pass rate on NCLEX-RN. It is amazing that the legislature, presumably with the approbation of the Board of Nursing, would adopt a standard for which there is no credible evidence that supports its legitimacy.

The standard utilized by this state does nothing to improve the quality of nurses or make any of us patients safer. In fact, we submit that the standard is detrimental to the quality of care in Florida as it will exacerbate the shortage of nurses in the state and particularly in underserved minority areas. Nursing shortages impact the quality of care. At our advancing age, that is something I take very seriously. So does the Florida Center for Nursing.

Using a standard that has no credible evidence to support it, is just plain, old-fashioned, bad public policy. In this case, that bad public policy adversely impacts all nursing students, faculty and the schools themselves. Additionally, and most importantly, it adversely impacts public heath, as it exacerbates the nursing shortage and endangers patient care.

We are at war with an unseen enemy — the coronavirus.

I have no doubt that we will win this war in large part because of the first responders, doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals.

What about the next pandemic? Will we have enough nurses? If I were put in charge of solving the nursing shortage, we would.

What would I do: 1) Remove the current Board of Nursing (whom are appointed by the Governor) and replace them with people who are willing to creatively solve the problem without compromising the quality of nursing care. The current board does not acknowledge that we have a problem and, therefore, will never solve it. I testified before the Board of Nursing last June on this very issue. I thought I was at Mount Rushmore. They were stone faced and never moved, never commented or asked a question.

2) Appoint a non-political, blue-ribbon task force to address the nursing shortage in Florida, including representatives from private nursing programs.

3) Revise the nursing education statutes to mirror the other professions in terms of pass rates on exams and measurement thereof. Creating barriers through a nonsensical measurement that is not meaningful is just plain dumb.

4) Suspend the operation of any statute that is causing nursing schools to be closed until a complete overhaul of nursing education laws can be accomplished.

5) Increase scholarships available to high school students and adults who wish to enter the nursing profession.

6) Provide a state subsidy for every qualified nurse who is willing to teach full time.

7) Encourage schools to increase capacity and immediately stop the shutdown of schools.

Make no mistake. We are at risk — every single one of us. We will make it through this pandemic. Many will die, and some of those will be nurses, doctors and first responders. 10 percent of the people affected right now in Spain work as healthcare providers.

We don’t know when the next pandemic is coming.

We do know we are now in a war. One of the critical elements required to win a war is manpower. We need nurses. The time to act is now so we are not caught flat-footed when the next pandemic hits or this one drags on.

I pray there will be enough nurses to care for all of us.

I hope you share my frustration. Fighting an enemy is always a daunting task. Doing it without weapons and troops is an impossible task.

Nurses are our front-line defenders against this virus and others to come. We need nurses. We need our present nurses and 1,000,000 more.

We owe it to our nursing corps, to ourselves and to the next generation to ensure that there will be enough nurses and other healthcare resources when the next pandemic hits.

Let the Florida Governor Ron DeSantis know you are concerned.

You can e-mail Governor DeSantis at: GovernorRon.Desantis@eog.myflorida.com You can also contact your local member of the Florida House of Representatives or State Senator.

In the meantime, stay healthy. Continue to practice social distancing and help your neighbors.

If you see a nurse, doctor, sheriff’s deputy, paramedic or other healthcare provider, thank them. They are putting their lives on the line for us every single day.

We will continue to educate nurses at the NRI Institute of Health Sciences. We are located in the Royal Plaza at Southern Boulevard and Royal Palm Beach Boulevard.

We are all potential patients and virus targets. That is enough to worry about. We should not have to worry if there will be a nurse to care for us when we need it.

Godspeed to all!

The Administration and Staff of the NRI Institute of Health Sciences Comments invited to: dsplain@nriinstitute.edu Dan Splain March 22, 2020

..

Page 12

March 27 - April 2, 2020

HAVE NO HURRICANE PROTECTION; TIRED OF HANGING PANELS?

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The Town-Crier

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The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

March 27 - April 2, 2020

BUSINESS NEWS

Community Answers Call To Donate Digital Devices For Students

CareerSource Expands Assistance For Expected Surge In Unemployment Claims

CareerSource Palm Beach County is continuing to serve communities at this critical time by offering in-person services for unemployment claims at its Central Career Center in West Palm Beach and its West Career Center in Belle Glade.

All other services will remain available via online, e-mail and phone. Because of its limited capacity, the organization’s Delray Career Cottage is closed.

“CareerSource Palm Beach County is open for business for those who need our help at this critical time. We are focusing in-person services on unemployment claims assistance and the needs of our employers,” said

Julia Dattolo, interim president and CEO of CareerSource Palm Beach County, the nonprofit organization chartered by the state to lead workforce development in the county. “Just as many organizations are providing services online, we are transferring all of our other services to online and/ or by e-mail and phone.”

The organization also is postponing all public events, including job fairs, onsite recruitments, workshops and community events, until further notice.

Options for Filing Unemployment Claims: You do not need to come to any of the CareerSource offices to file a claim for unemployment assistance through the

Florida Reemployment Assistance (RA) program. Claims must be filed online, but if you need assistance or additional information, you can contact Florida RA for: General information: (800) 2042418 or www.floridajobs.org How to file a claim: (800) 6818102 or www.floridajobs.org Create PIN: (800) 297-0586 Expect long delays in handling phone calls due to the expected surge in the number of applicants.

Program Services: If you are a participant in any CareerSource employment-related program, call or e-mail your assigned case manager.

Virtual Services: CareerSource also is serving many of its cus-

tomers’ needs remotely through its Virtual Career System (VCS), available at www.careersourcepbc. com. The VCS is available 24/7 to serve you from your home via computer or mobile device for job seekers, employers and students.

“We hope everyone understands our need to act from an abundance of caution to mitigate exposure to the coronavirus and help protect our customers, clients and staff,” Dattolo said.

CareerSource is continuing to monitor information updates from national, state and local sources regarding the virus outbreak.

Updates on services and operations will be posted at www. careersourcepbc.com.

Mall At Wellington Green Closed Through April 6

In the interest of public health and with the support of local health officials, the Mall at Wellington Green temporarily suspended its operating hours on Monday, March 23 and currently plans to reopen on Monday, April 6.

Some of the center’s restaurants

and other service retailers may be open at various hours to provide essential services for Wellington and its surrounding neighborhoods. At this time, Dillard’s has chosen to remain open. Check that store’s web site for current hours.

The mall’s management teams

will continue to work together and closely monitor the ongoing situation, adhere to national guidelines and partner with local health officials to make decisions that are in the best interest of the community.

Information on COVID-19 and

how to protect yourself, families, friends and neighbors can be found online at the state and county health department web sites, and at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

For further mall updates, visit www.shopwellingtongreen.com.

Page 13

The call went out on March 20, asking the community to help students in need of digital devices to transition to distance learning. In just 48 hours, Palm Beach County answered.

Nearly $22,000 has already been donated to the Device Drive, spearheaded by the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County. In addition to the donations from individuals, local WalMart stores have committed an additional $3,300 for the cause.

Education Foundation CEO James Gavrilos said he has also been contacted by major foundations in the area about setting up grants to further support the efforts. This monetary support is in addition to the donations of gently used devices being donated by the public at Office Depot stores across the county.

“We are still in the initial stage of this effort, but the response has been overwhelming,” he said.

“Palm Beach County is a special place, and our community wants every child to have the opportunity for a world-class education.”

The foundation has now set up a text-to-donate option, for those interested. Text DEVICEDRIVE to 41444, to submit a donation easily from your cell phone.

Donations can also be made online at www.educationfoundationpbc.org or by check earmarked for “Device Drive” mailed to the Education Foundation, 505 S. Congress Ave, Boynton Beach, FL 33426. A $275 donation will cover the cost of one device for a student.

Gently used devices can be donated at any Palm Beach County Office Depot location. The public is asked to only donate devices that are on this approved list: • Dell Chromebook (4G memory/32G hard drive min).

• Dell Windows Desktop/Laptop (4G memory/128G hard drive min).

• Microsoft Surface Pro (4G memory/128G hard drive min).

• Apple Laptop (2013 or later with 4G/256G drive min).

• Apple iPad (5th generation or higher, 32G and above).

For more information, call Gavrilos at (561) 306-7762.

years of professional experience with access to the ActionCoach systems, Boysan has a track record of improving business performances in a variety of industries.

Learn more at https://arifboysan. actioncoach.com.

“In the best interest of our staff, taxpayers and the entire Palm Beach County community, I encourage the public to utilize our online services,” Palm Beach County Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks said. “We offer a range of online options: filing for a homestead exemption, tangible personal property tax returns, portability and more. The tax roll for 2020 will continue to move forward, as it is vitally important that the Palm Beach County taxing authorities receive their revenue later this year.”

As the situation develops with any potential changes to office operations, including the 2020 tax roll, filing deadlines and important notifications, Jacks said she will keep the public informed and maintain communication via the PAPA web site social media channels.

All contact information for departments within the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office can found at www.pbcgov. org/papa.

NEWS BRIEFS CAFCI Cancels Or Postpones Spring Events

CAFCI recently updated members regarding events planned for the next 30 days.

“As you know, everyone is concerned about the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and we are doing our best to prevent exposure to our members,” President Dennis Wright said.

“Your health and safety are our top priorities. We are continuously following updates and recommendations from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, and federal, state, county and local health officials.

The following events have been canceled: • The student assistance fundraising event scheduled for March 21 at Rustic Relish.

• The Cultural Committee fundraising event scheduled for March 28 at Camp Davis.

• The general membership meet-

ing scheduled for April 4 at the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center.

The following events have been postponed: • The Ferrin Scholarship Foundation Tea Party scheduled for April 5.

• The picnic scheduled for Okeeheelee Park on April 11.

• The Student Assistance Awards Ceremony scheduled for May 2.

A final decision has not yet been made about the annual Cultural Diversity Day held in May. Check the CAFCI web site at www.cafcipbc.org for updates.

2020 Gauntlet Of Polo Canceled

The United States Polo Association (USPA), the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) and U.S. Polo Assn. Global Licensing (USPAGL) has announced with great disappointment that it is in the best interest of the health and safety of players, their families and team organizations, fans, and

all the people who help to put on polo events for them to cancel the balance of 2020 Gauntlet of Polo winter season. They anticipate rescheduling the remainder of the 2020 USPA Gold Cup tournament in late January 2021, prior to the start of the 2021 Gauntlet of Polo.

The organizations will be considering the feasibility of rescheduling the 2020 U.S. Open Polo Championship, as well as options for changing the handicap level of the pre-Gauntlet tournaments next winter. They will reach out to all participating teams for their input prior to finalizing these decisions.

The USPA and IPC will work closely together to manage the maintenance of the IPC polo fields throughout the entire year and will send updates over the course of the off-season to show the progress of the field improvements. They are also anticipating adding two additional tournament fields.

For more updates, visit www. uspolo.org. For inquiries related to stadium tickets and tailgates, e-

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In an effort to further minimize COVID-19’s spread, the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office closed its main office and its five service centers to public walk-in traffic on Monday, March 23.

The office operations will be fully staffed and will continue to provide public services via phone at (561) 355-3230, e-mail at myexemption@pbcgov.org and the Property Appraiser Public Access (PAPA) web site at www.pbcgov. org/papa.

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Join in for a complimentary webinar introduction to “5 Ways To Survive and Possibly Thrive During These Uncertain Times” on Thursday, April 2 from 3 to 4 p.m. Learn more at https://ambpg. synduit.com.

The goal of “5 Ways To Survive and Possibly Thrive During These Uncertain Times” is to give you the confidence and show you that it is possible to come through these difficult times with a growing business. The only thing standing in your way are a few strategic changes that are tested and measured along the way.

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LMC’s summer camp programs are interactive, educational and stimulating.

Geared towards children ages 6 -17 and includes activities such as snorkeling, seining and scientific projects.

What Are Your Children Going To Be Doing This Summer?

Call (561) 793-7606 And Ask About Our Special Advertising Packages!

• Camps start on June 1st and hours are Monday - Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Four unique experiences to choose from • Multi-week and sibling discounts • Late pick-up is available

Located in Loggerhead Park 14200 U.S. Highway One Juno Beach, Florida 33408 (561) 627-8280 ext. 128 jmbcamp@marinelife.org

Page 14

March 27 - April 2, 2020

The Town-Crier

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FEATURES

The Virus Is Horrible, But I’ve Come Up With A List Of Upsides I’m sorry but what else can I write about? “The Corona,” as I heard one semi-informed person call it, is almost everywhere. Where it isn’t, it is expected to be shortly. And fear is even more rampant than COVID-19. Fortunately, the antidote to fear is denial, and that is a very comfortable place for me — a place in which I have already lived most of my life.

Plus, I’m pretty old. Once you’re pretty old, you’ve already started thinking about death. So, eeh, death.

Of course, no one wants to die unnecessarily (even me) and certainly no one wants anyone they like to die. But could this deadly, fast-acting virus with no

Deborah Welky is

The Sonic BOOMER known treatment or cure have an upside?

Of course it could. Everything does. In fact, COVID-19 has many upsides Here’s a few that I came up with: • People are “sheltering in place,” a brand-spanking-new term for something

we used to call “staying home.” (“Are you grounded, Billy?” “No, I’m ‘sheltering in place.’”).

• The respirator business is booming.

(When China sells out of something, you know that thing is a very hot item.)

• Women are cutting up their bras to make face masks. (These masks don’t really work and large-breasted women are complaining that now they can’t breathe or see, but kudos for trying!)

• Shut-ins no longer feel ostracized.

Everyone’s a shut-in!

• Following the close of many restaurants, people are starting to cook again!

(This is where I would ordinarily add “...

and cooking is fun!” But it’s not, and I hate it.)

• Due to an unprecedented run (get it?) on toilet paper, Sears catalogs are back with a whole new use. Actually, I do not understand when toilet paper became crucial to our survival. Until it was invented in 1857, we existed without it for thousands of years. And no TP is a good excuse to use up those annoying leftover cocktail napkins that are cluttering up the house!

• Even great-grandmas are learning how to shop online.

• We’re saving money on vacations, sporting events, movies, festivals, travel and more. (We will soon have no money

to lose, but that’s not one of my upsides.)

• People have stopped being insulted if you don’t want to shake their hand. (Now they’re insulted if you do.)

• No one coughs in public anymore.

Cough in public, you’re a pariah.

• Visitors used to brag about being from New York City or California. Not anymore. Also, the pavement in Times Square is visible for the first time maybe ever.

• Anyone with a car can get a job delivering stuff.

In reviewing these upsides, you will note that they do not even come close to the downsides. However, for that you must blame “The Corona,” not me. I tried.

This Is A Time We Have To Hang Tough... And Hang Together

You won’t be hearing from me for some time because of the trying times ahead. I began writing this column in 2003 and haven’t missed a deadline. I will miss writing this, but even through all of this, I will be worrying about all the nice people who have told me or written to me that they enjoy the column. And even for those few who have told me the opposite.

This is a time we have to hang tough and hang together. For almost all of us having to hunker down is something new.

Going to BJ’s and finding no toilet paper and then, after picking up a few things I think we will need, I wait at the end of a 50-person line to pay. And was grateful.

Actually, I salute the people there. Employees worked hard and kept calm under horrid circumstances.

And generally, people so far have behaved well. Not all. Watching college kids partying on beaches against all med-

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler ical suggestions makes me fear for the nation’s future. Hearing a few of them call the whole thing “boomer kills” — in other words, spreading a disease which has cost a lot of old people their lives — really ticks me off since I am one of those in the target group.

But even many politicians are working together. Hearing the Democratic governors of New York and California praising Donald Trump and him telling reporters what a great job they were doing made me wonder if perhaps this was the end of the

world and we were coming to Judgment Day. Of course, some in the media spend more time wondering exactly how racist the current administration is by calling this the “Wuhan” or “Chinese” flu rather than asking what the facts are. Has anyone wondered whether Adolph Hitler actually began World War II because he resented having a disease the “German measles?”

Don’t bother looking it up. We call it rubella nowadays.

The real issues for most of us are worrying about our own health and those of others, worrying about the collapse of the economy, which all but the hardiest anti-Trumpers hope will rebound once this is all over, and, perhaps most important, what we are going to do when we are forced to stay home.

The movies are closed. Live shows are gone. We are left with the disaster we call television. Speaking to my sister — and has anyone noticed that we call

the people we care about more than ever before — I suggested that it would be great if those in power at the networks ran a lot of shows that have been popular in the past. Wouldn’t it be great to see some of those shows that have not been regurgitated over and over? She responded they would never do it because it would simply demonstrate how truly rotten the current content is and how little taste the current network leadership has shown. She is probably right.

The most horrible thing for some people is now they have to actually spend time with their spouses. I have friends who, like me, are retired and long-married, who credit the continuation of the marriages to the fact that both partners do different things most of the day and see each other fairly briefly. The men hang out and the women play mah jongg. Now they have to be together almost the entire 24 hours a day. Horrors! Of course, we happily

now have several TVs in our homes and can try some limits before we wind up having more homicides than death by coronavirus.

This will probably be a tough stretch.

Here in Florida, we have a bit of an advantage in that the weather is warm and we can take nice walks or hang out in our yards. We can try to learn. I am lucky, love to read and have a lot of books to spend time with. My wife loves FaceTime as a way to talk to the grandkids. There are a few benefits for all of this, but sometimes we have to look carefully.

All I can suggest is to love your family and friends, follow as many of the rules as is possible, do a really good job of reading all the media and do it by checking both sides of the political aisle, since more than a bit of bias shows through, and just take it one day at a time.

I’ll be thinking about all of you. See you on the other side.

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The Armory Art Center will offer its Summer Art Experience this summer. Junior artists in grades 1 through 5 will have fun making art with the Armory’s creative weekly themes. Teens in grades 6 through 12 can choose from inspiring media choices, including drawing, painting, photography, animation, ceramics, jewelry, graffiti and more.

All instructors have cleared the Palm Beach County background check. The Armory Art Center provides a safe and enriching environment for your young artist. The program runs June 1 through Aug. 7, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Armory Art Center is located at 811 Park Place in West Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 832-1776 or visit www.armoryart.org/youthartcamps.

Join us for a summer of fun, excitement, and outdoor adventure!

June 1st – July 31st Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Boys and Girls ages 5 to 12 years

Summer camp at Berean Christian School is not only packed with fun but will encourage individual confidence, teamwork and fitness. Campers will enjoy different educational activities, field trips, sports and so much more. Berean offers a full day schedule from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for grades K5 through 8, and extended care is available. Register before May 1 to receive an early bird discount. For more information, contact Michelle Metzler at bcscamp@bereanwpb.org or call (561) 798-9300.

FAU Pine Jog Summer Camp 6315 Summit Blvd. West Palm Beach | 561-656-5430 To register, please visit: http://www.pinejog.fau.edu/school-programs/summer-day-camp.php

BULLDOG SUMMER CAMP AT BEREAN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

8350 Okeechobee Blvd. West Palm Beach, 33411

One Week Session $200 Prior to May 1st/$220 After Registration Non-Refundable Fee $80 prior to May 1st / $100 after May 1st Extended Care 7:00am-8:00am and/or 4:00pm-6:00pm $25.00 per week Extra t-shirts 3 for $25 or 1 for $10

Casperey Stables Horse Camp is a small, fun-filled day camp for children ages 7 to 14.

With four riding opportunities each day, arts and crafts, and outdoor games, campers find little time to be bored. The low counselor-child ratio ensures that each child receives individual attention. There are camp sessions for spring and winter school breaks and during the summer. Each two-week session has a theme, such as Indian Days, Circus Days and Medieval Days. Casperey Stables has a weekly swim party and ends each session with a horse show and family barbecue. To learn more about the camp, located at 2330 D Road in Loxahatchee Groves, call (561) 792-4990 or visit www.caspereystables.com.

May 26th –July 24th

Grades: K5- 8th | Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm Ice Skating Science Competition Calypso Bay Games Urban Air Golfing Fun Spot America in Orlando Frost Science Museum Adrenaline Fitness Sports Team building

For more information, please contact Michelle Metzler at bcscamp@bereanwpb.org or call 561-798-9300.

Gift your children with a lifetime of fun, adventure and exploration this summer at the FAU Pine Jog Environmental Education Center’s Summer Day Camp. Campers will experience a balance of environmental education, arts, culture, sports and outdoor

SUMMER ZOO CAMP June 1 – August 7 Ages 5 – 14

Register before April 1 to have registration fee waived!

For more information, visit palmbeachzoo.org

Open Daily 9AM – 5PM (561) 547-WILD (9453) I-95 North to Exit 66 or 68

The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

March 27 - April 2, 2020

Page 15

NEWS

Casey Cares Inspires Hearts To Leap With Hope For Sick Children

Leap Day was the perfect time to get spirits soaring, and Casey Cares sure did so. Amid the elegant backdrop of the Breakers West Country Club was an elevated evening of inspirational fun during “An Evening with Casey Cares” on Saturday, Feb. 29. The inaugural event raised more than $38,000 and included hundreds of local supporters, board members, business leaders and media representatives that make the nonprofit’s palliative programs possible for critically ill children.

“We are blown away by the support of so many during our newest event,” said Casey Baynes, founder of Casey Cares. “Over the last few months, we have been able to provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences for so many children and

families. Knowing we have this support helps to bring our services to even more children and families during their time of need.”

The Casey Cares Foundation was founded after Baynes was inspired to create a nonprofit focused on providing special experiences for families with a child who is fighting a life-threatening disease that requires frequent hospitalizations. For some, the family events may be the only reprieve from hospital stays and doctors’ visits.

For others, they may be one of the last events they will attend with all family members present.

For children who are hospital-bound, Casey Cares found a special way to bring joy — new pajamas. The program, called “Kami’s Jammies” is in memory

of a young Casey Cares patient who loved to receive new pajamas when she was in the hospital.

The recent event featured a cocktail hour and silent auction, followed by a delicious dinner and heartwarming program that concluded with live music and dancing. Two Wellington volunteers, Jen Sherry and Kristina Bostwick, were this year’s co-chairs.

The Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Wellington spiced up the night with a ballroom rumba routine to kick off the dancing.

To learn about how you can support the Casey Cares Foundation, contact Jennifer McCorvey, Casey Cares southern region development director, at jennifer@ caseycaresfoundation.org or call (954) 821-0191.

Matt Hornaday, Rusty Hanna and Florida Advisory Board Member Kevin Jennings.

Scott and Jen Sherry with Casey and Mike Baynes.

Ross O’Brien and John O’Brien.

The Baynes Family: Mackenzie, Hunter, Casey, Jake and Mike.

Hunter Baynes and Jake Baynes.

fun. Camp runs Monday through Friday, June 1 through July 31, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., for campers ages 5 to 12 years. For more information, contact Director Wendy Diazgranados at (561) 656-5430 or wdiazgra@fau.edu, or visit www.pinejog.fau.edu.

Harriett Overbeck and Alan Neiditch.

Champion of Children Award recipients Jen Sherry and Kristina Bostwick.

Summer Art Experience

June 1 – August 7, 2020 Ages 6 to 18 Mon-Fri, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Know an aspiring scientist? The Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s Junior Marine Biologist Summer Camps give children ages 6 to 17 a hands-on opportunity to explore Florida’s coastal ecosystems, partake in science activities and learn about fun ways to protect the oceans. Sessions include Ocean Adventures, Conservation Kids, Sea Turtle Savers and Field Experiences (ages 14 to 17) with activities like snorkeling, kayaking and more.

Camps run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Late pickup is available for an additional fee. Visit www.marinelife.org/camp for more information.

All instructors have cleared a background check.

Register today!

(561) 832-1776 armoryart.org/youthartcamps

Have a wild summer experience like no other at Summer Zoo Camp at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society. Campers will make lasting memories through up-close animal encounters, behind-the-scenes tours, zookeeping activities, interactive fountain time and much more. Zoo Camp for ages 5 through 10 will occur weekly, June 1 through Aug. 7, and for ages 11 through 14, weekly from June 15 through July 31. Register at www.palmbeachzoo.org before April 1 to have the registration fee waived. Learn more at www.palmbeachzoo.org/zoo-camp.

Western Academy Charter School will once again host its summer camp for grade K through 8. Kindergarteners must be five years old by the first day of camp on June 1.

Campers from other schools are welcome. There are three field trips per week, plus two campus activity days. The cost is $375 per two-week session. Before care is $50 per two-week session and starts at 7 a.m. The camp fee includes breakfast, lunch and snacks each day, plus transportation and admission to field trips. Call (561) 792-4123 or (561) 795-2186 for more info.

811 Park Place West Palm Beach, FL 33401

“A” Rated, High Performing Charter School

2 Week sessions start June 1st

• $375 per 2 week session includes: • Breakfast, Lunch & Snack each day

• 3 Off site field trips per week • 2 On site activity days each week • 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Daily • Before care $50 per 2 week session starts at 7:00 a.m.

• $35.00 Registration Fee Per Camper (includes 2 camp t-shirts)

Movies •Bowling • Museums • Calypso Bay Water Park • Zoo • Skating • Swimming • Computers • Arts & Crafts and More!!

WESTERN ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL FLORIDA 5 STAR SCHOOL

650 ROYAL PALM BEACH BLVD. SUITE 400 | ROYAL PALM BEACH, FL 33411

Call (561)792-4123 | Fax (561)422-0674 | www.westernacademycharter.com Western Academy does not discriminate in admissions on the basis of race, color, national origin or disability.

Page 16

March 27 - April 2, 2020

The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

NEWS

Dwyer

Project Underway

continued from page 1 homes are four-bedroom, two-bath and just over 2,800 square feet.

There are currently 81 projects underway nationwide.”

Dwyer retired from the Marines last year and is staying with Meghan’s family while the house is under construction. The young couple is excited to get to know the community at some of the future events planned for the project, including a volunteer day where the

Chambers

Helping Businesses

continued from page 1 the assistance that is out there for businesses.”

She is also working closely with CareerSource Palm Beach County, which is helping employees and employers navigate this emergency. There are links to these services as well on the chamber’s web site at www.cpbchamber.com.

“We just want everyone to know that the chamber is here to help and support all businesses as we go through these challenging times,” Bedford said.

Michela Green, executive director of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, has been urging her member businesses to stay calm and continue operating to the best of their abilities under difficult circumstances.

“This is affecting everyone,

RPB Council

Uber Deal

continued from page 1 the discount covered by the village, Uber wasn’t ready with the technology and resources.

“After [Uber] started their transit division, they called us from our original correspondence,” Liggins said.

The plan is to allow senior residents to receive a $5 discount on each ride, for up to eight rides per month. The program is for a one-year contract in the village funded by up to $40,000 to cover the discounted fares.

Uber will provide ADA-compliant vehicles and drivers who are licensed to help seniors, and there are plans for ride-sharing

public can help with landscaping and making the home presentable.

“We are probably looking at a September completion date, barring a temporary shutdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak,” Verity said.

The community kickoff event planned for April was postponed.

“In the meantime, people can support Liam’s project by making a donation or spreading the word about his build with their family and friends,” Verity said.

Those interested in learning more about future community events related to the Dwyer project can contact HFOT’s Community

Outreach Team at coc@hfotusa. org.

For Dwyer, recovery continues while he waits to claim the keys to his new home. “I was getting around pretty well until last Monday [March 16], when my kneecap gave out and broke in half,” he said. “We are waiting on a new part to come in, but the coronavirus is holding things up.”

To learn more about the mission of Homes For Our Troops, their projects, home designs and adaptations offered, visit www.hfotusa. org. Stay updated on Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer’s story and events at www.hfotusa.org/dwyer.

and certainly do what you can to support your employees,” Green said. “A lot of people are running off skeleton staffs. We are trying to support restaurants through a takeout initiative. We are sending out a list of restaurants who do takeout at least twice a week.”

The Wellington Chamber is also running a campaign called “open for business,” she said.

“We are asking businesses to send us videos and/or graphics letting everyone know that they are open for business and what their new hours are, how to contact them, as well as anything special they may be doing right now,” Green said.

She has suggested that businesses keep in touch with current and potential clients so that they are ready to fully resume operations once the virus emergency has passed.

“Reach out to current client lists and potential client lists, and make sure they know that you are

still available and there for them,” Green said.

Now is not the time to stop marketing campaigns, she added.

“We are urging people not to stop their advertising and marketing efforts,” Green said. “If you can, continue your social media outreach, continue your advertising and marketing, so that when this does pass, you are still on the forefront of everyone’s mind.”

Like the other chamber, Green has been referring businesses to state and federal assistance that may be available.

“We are referring people to the SBA disaster loan assistance program and asking them to please comply with all Palm beach County, State of Florida and Village of Wellington recommendations and safety precautions they have put into place for us,” Green said.

Visit www.wellingtonchamber. com to learn more about resources available through the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

programs in the future.

“Someday this will be convenient enough for people to choose Uber instead of using their own car,” Liggins said.

Hmara agreed. “The first year, we will learn a lot,” he said.

NEW DUNKIN’ Dunkin’ Donuts, now rebranding as just Dunkin’, received several variances for a new building to house its Royal Palm Beach Blvd. location. The variances also received approval by the Planning & Zoning Commission last month.

Originally constructed as a Miami Subs in 1985, mornings can have coffee and breakfast fans backed up onto Royal Palm Beach Blvd., stacking to get to the current building.

The vacant parcel between the current shop and the water to the north is a .92-acre pie-shaped lot at 1351 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.

It will be the new home of the fastfood restaurant.

Village Engineer Chris Marsh clarified that an unused easement along the waterway would be abandoned, as access to the water will be provided by a driveway built by the store, and the area has no waterway public use. He also said that no specimen or protected trees would be destroyed.

The landscaping will be the same quantity as if the easements had not been reduced.

The new Dunkin’ will be completed before the existing location closes, so there will be no interruption in service.

(Above) Staff Sgt. Liam Dwyer with his wife Meghan. (Right) Work progresses on their home.

Census

Fill Out Your Form

continued from page 1 ment is in the process of altering training and collection strategies.

“That estimating on the people who don’t respond — we shouldn’t rely on it,” Liggins said. “As a resident of Royal Palm Beach, I would want the data as accurate as possible. More of our revenue comes from state revenue sharing than we collect in property taxes.”

The former is based directly on census results.

Over in Wellington, the response rate is a bit higher at 30.3 percent. Village officials there are also being proactive with their census completions.

“I took advantage of my time

social distancing and being home to fill out the census,” Wellington Vice Mayor Michael Napoleone said. “It’s really easy — it doesn’t take more than maybe seven minutes to fill out the form. The less people in your house, the faster it is. All the information is confidential and not being used for any kind of nefarious purposes. It is strictly a head count.”

Napoleone explained how the growth of Wellington’s population directly translates to money for its citizens.

“The census is what helps determine how much federal funding flows into states and communities every year. So, accurate numbers are important to make sure we are allocated the correct amount of funds based on our population,” he said. “If the numbers are old and outdated, and lower, there is less federal money flowing into

Florida, and in turn, Wellington.”

Some people worry about the census being an invasion of privacy. Therefore, the questions are individually listed on the census web site with an explanation of why the question is asked.

All households should be watching for mail from the U.S. Census Bureau that contains the Census ID and PIN, which are unique to each address. A Census ID consists of a 12-digit code made up of numbers and letters.

As of March 25, the national census self-reporting numbers sit at 26.2 percent. While Wellington and Royal Palm Beach are slightly above average, another local community, Loxahatchee Groves, is currently below average with a self-reporting number of 20.3 percent.

For more information on the census, www.2020census.gov.

OFFICE BUIDLING Parking was the concern down the street at 11700 Okeechobee Blvd., at the southwest corner of Royal Palm Beach Blvd., where a clock tower is located. A two-story office building has sat empty since it received its certificate of occupancy, almost 14 years ago.

Brian Terry, agent for the new building owners, said a variance request is to allow 143 parking spaces for the building, instead of the required 149 spaces, for a six space, or four percent, reduction.

He explained that the applicant is seeking the variance in order to allow the entire two-story building to become a medical office hub.

Currently, a doctor has leased about half of the ground floor for his practice.

Terry said the entire justification for the variance was tied into their building alone and did not take into account or have any impact on the two nearby, vacant outparcels that are zoned for banks.

Terry noted that Royal Palm Beach is stricter than the surrounding communities. “If this building were in any of the surrounding communities, we wouldn’t be here discussing this,” he said.

The council granted the variance and was happy to see the vacant building occupied.

“I am delighted at the prospect of having this come to fruition and the building be used,” Hmara said.

The council wanted to know if the clock atop the clock tower would be repaired, and Terry said

that he had just received a lead that night for someone who might be able to repair it.

AUDIT REPORT Also at the March 19 meeting, the required Fiscal Year 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) was presented by the audit firm of Caler, Donten, Levine, Drucker, Porter & Veil P.A. The firm completed the audit for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2019. The audit was presented to the council by Mark Veil, a principal with the firm.

Veil said the firm certified that the records were fairly presented and gave an unmodified opinion, the highest rating available. “The village has $176 million in total assets… and no debt, which is a good thing,” he said.

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Maggie Zeller Office (561) 517-8048 Moble (561) 715-9262 medicaremaggie@gmail.com By calling this number, you agree to speak with an independent health insurance agent about Medicare Advantage products. Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed this information. This is an advertisement.

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Home Improvement ANMAR CO.— James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftsman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC1327426 561-248-8528

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Painting 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

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Page 18 March 27 - April 2, 2020

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