Town-Crier Newspaper March 8, 2013

LOX GROVES: McLENDON VS. ROCKETT SEE ELECTION PROFILES, PAGE 7

ROYAL PALM: PINTO VS. SALLENBACH SEE ELECTION PROFILES, PAGE 9

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

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INSIDE ITID Getting $1.5 Million From FEMA

Volume 34, Number 10 March 8 - March 14, 2013

NEW COMMONS PARK OPENS IN RPB

The Indian Trail Improvement District has received approval for approximately $1.5 million in assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for expenses incurred during recovery from the flooding during Tropical Storm Isaac.

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Singer Lexi Luca Claims ‘Wellington Idol’ Title

Lexi Luca took home the title 2013 Wellington Idol at the competition finals held Tuesday, March 5 at the Wellington Amphitheater. A total of 13 finalists competed in front of residents and the judging panel for a chance to win. Page 5

Fundraiser For The Equestrian Aid Foundation

The fifth annual Equestrian Aid Foundation Inspection Reception fundraiser was held Thursday, F eb. 28 at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby. Page 15

RPB Relay For Life Teams Gather To Plan Fundraisers

The Royal Palm Beach Relay for Life held a team party Thursday, Feb. 28 at the MarBar Grille.

Team members gathered and discussed fundraisers and other events to raise money for their teams. Page 24

OPINION Town-Crier Endorsements In Council Races

On Tuesday, March 12, voters in Royal Palm Beach and Loxahatchee Groves will head to the polls for municipal elections.

There are two seats up for election in Royal Palm Beach and one in Loxahatchee Groves. The Town-Crier profiles all six candidates this week and also issues our endorsements. Page 4

DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS ............................. 3 - 15 OPINION .................................4 CRIME NEWS ......................... 6 NEWS BRIEFS..................... 10 SCHOOLS ............................ 16 PEOPLE ............................... 19 COLUMNS .................... 29 - 30 BUSINESS .................... 31 - 33 ENTERTAINMENT ................ 34 SPORTS ........................ 41 - 43 CALENDAR ...................44 - 45 CLASSIFIEDS ................ 46 - 49 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

Royal P alm Beach held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday, March 2 to open the long-awaited Royal Palm Beach Commons Park. Guests were treated to hors d’oeurves by Tuxedo Gourmet as well as a Food Truck Invasion. Kids tried out the new playscapes, and everyone enjoyed music and entertainment. A larger grand opening celebration is set for March 22-24. Shown here, Royal Palm Beach Village Council members celebrate the park opening with representatives from the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 11 PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

ELECTION 2013: RPB COUNCIL SEAT 2

David Swift Wants To Bring Unity Back To Divided Council

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Former Royal Palm Beach Councilman David Swift is asking village voters to put him back on the dais as he challenges Councilwoman Martha Webster in the Tuesday, March 12 election.

“I come from a standpoint of working with our residents and the people who come before us,” Swift said. “For me, our residents come first.”

The election is for a two-year term to Royal Palm Beach Village Council Seat 2.

Swift, 68, is a 36-year resident of Royal Palm Beach who served for more than 20 years on the council.

He resigned in 2011 due to a conflict with his state retirement benefits. He lives in La Mancha with his wife, Nixie.

Before he was first elected to the

council in 1985, Swift served as the chairman of the Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission.

“Royal Palm Beach was the fastest-growing community in the country when I was elected,” he recalled, noting that he served for 15 consecutive years along with former Mayor David Lodwick, current Mayor Matty Mattioli, Councilman Fred Pinto and others.

“I thought it was a very productive time for the village,” Swift said.

“We worked well together, and I felt we achieved a lot. We reduced taxes for 16 consecutive years.”

Swift said he is proud of having a hand not only in keeping taxes low, but in setting Royal Palm Beach up to weather an economic downturn without having to make major sacrifices.

“We were growing, and we had See SWIFT, page 8

Board. In that capacity, she first worked with former Royal Palm Beach Village Manager David Farber, who was then the manager in Greenacres.

After moving to Royal Palm Beach, Webster ran unsuccessfully for a council seat in 2006, before winning a one-year term in 2008.

She has since been re-elected to full two-year terms in 2009 and 2011.

Upon her election, Webster was appointed representative to the Palm Beach County League of Cities, which she considers a great place to learn about government.

“With the Sunshine Laws, learning really has to come from a different venue,” she said. “I can talk to peers with no conflict of interest and hear them explain to me how they solve similar problems.”

Webster is currently in line to See WEBSTER, page 8

Lox Council Agrees To Curtail Business Code Enforcement

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council decided Tuesday to discontinue proactive code enforcement on commercial operations after learning that Palms West Plaza, where the town’s office is located, had drawn a dozen violations on various tenants.

Councilman Ryan Liang said he had asked for discussion of the proactive code-enforcement policy at the request of resident Howard Voren.

“I think we all need to take a long, hard look at what’s going on,” Voren said. “I was here at the meeting when the council approved code enforcement on commercial properties. However, the specific wording that I recall by [Town Manager] Mark Kutney was ‘egregious’ violations. You cut code enforcement loose, they’re going to do what they want, and I believe they need specific direction.”

Voren said residents were prom-

ised that the town would avoid the strident code-enforcement policies that are happening now.

“We were promised that when someone lodges a complaint, the code enforcement officer would go to that property and only look at what was complained about,” Voren said. “They do not do that.

They go there, and anything else that they notice at the same time, they cite as a violation. We were promised that was never going to happen, and it happens on a regular basis.”

Voren added that residents were also promised there would be no anonymous code complaints allowed. “I got a list of the codeenforcement complaints, and there are some that are listed as anonymous,” he said.

Specifically, the list of violations at Palms West Plaza has spiraled out of control. “There is a mechanic shop in the back that has been there for 20 years,” Voren said. “It was cited for having inoperable See LOX CODE, page 22

ROLLER HOCKEY AWARDS

Jeremy Jacobs, Wellington resident and owner of the Boston Bruins, presented trophies to the junior division of the Wellington Roller Hockey Association on Sunday, March 3 at Wellington Village Park. Shown here, Michael Lesh, Zach Perkins and Blake Halverson wait for their trophies.

MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

David Swift

Webster Stresses Community Outreach And Regional Posts

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Royal Palm Beach Councilwoman Martha Webster is defending her seat in the March 12 election against a challenge from former Councilman David Swift.

The two veteran officials are facing off for a two-year term to Royal Palm Beach Village Council Seat 2.

“I think my record speaks for itself,” Webster said. “I have been very involved. You have seen me be an advocate for the village and the programs that we do. As an elected official, you administer and you govern, but I also think there is some leadership involved. People need to see you, and they need to be comfortable being able to come to you to talk to you.”

Webster first became involved in local government in 1986 as a member of the Greenacres Zoning

Serving Palms West Since 1980

Martha Webster

Wellington Zoners Agree To Plan Easing Business Hour Rules

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report After months of debate, Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board agreed Wednesday to recommend an ordinance governing hours of operation for some businesses in the village.

At present, businesses located within 300 feet of homes may be open only from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., while businesses outside of that distance are not limited to such hours.

Last year, some business owners said they were at a disadvantage because of the code. At the request of the Wellington Village Council, village staff looked into the issue and proposed a solution in December to the zoning board that would lift the restriction on

hours of operation for indoor activities, instead using code enforcement to govern noise or other issues.

But board members rejected that proposal, asking instead for more stringent codes. They struck down a second proposal in January with similar concerns and appointed Board Member Mike Drahos to work with village staff to come up with a solution.

The proposed rules would allow staff to handle requests for extended hours, Long Range Planning Director Tim Stillings said.

“The proposal is to establish a new permit for extended hours of operation,” he said. “Instead of requesting a conditional-use approval, which would go through See BIZ HOURS, page 22

Wellington Council Irked By More Fast Food On SR 7

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council voted 4-1 last week to alter the comprehensive plan and allow another fast-food restaurant in the Village Green Center on State Road 7 at Stribling Way. Vice Mayor Howard Coates was the lone dissenter, but other council members cautioned the property owner that they wanted to see plans for other uses on the site before the item returns for second reading.

“I’ll support this to go to second reading,” Councilman Matt Willhite said. “But I want to see plans for retail in the back and other aspects back before second reading. I want to see that this project is going forward with ad-

ditional uses other than fast-food restaurants in this location.”

The proposed comprehensive plan change would allow the property owner to shift 14,738 square feet of space formerly allotted for office space to general use, and also would allow for a 4,272square-foot fast-food restaurant.

Currently the property is home to a McDonald’s with drivethrough, a Taco Bell with drivethrough and Buffalo Wild Wings, an eat-in restaurant.

Council members were concerned that another drive-through restaurant was too much.

“My concern is that it’s another fast-food restaurant with a drivethrough,” Willhite said. “When we talk about the vision of Wellington, do we see a strip of fast-food

restaurants along State Road 7?”

He noted that when the project first came to the council, long before anything was built, it was presented as a multi-use space.

“We were told it was going to have office space, restaurants, retail, banks and more,” Willhite said.

“That was what made this project attractive to us. I was hoping for a lot of these things. I wasn’t hoping for fast food.”

Coates agreed.

“That was one reason we agreed to the Taco Bell and the McDonald’s,” he said. “We didn’t expect you to be back here in the middle of [construction] asking for another fast-food restaurant. You got the [two fast-food restaurants] and now you’ve taken the bank off the table, which was the incen-

tive for the original approval.”

Don Hearing, agent for the applicant, said that the original intention was to have a bank and plenty of retail space, but he noted that the business market is still recovering.

“If it weren’t for the fast food and Buffalo Wild Wings, we wouldn’t be able to bring you some of the other uses we hope to bring,” he said. “All of these pieces work together to create an economic engine that will work.”

Hearing noted that the property is waiting for approval to begin development on the two retail buildings.

“My staff is aggressively trying to bring in companies who will be good for Wellington,” he said.

“If it wasn’t for what is in the front

[of the property], we wouldn’t be able to talk about what could happen in the back.”

Willhite was still concerned about giving up so much office space allotment.

“We’re giving up 33 percent of what could be those high-paying jobs in that office space,” he said.

“It feels like we’re settling by accepting the things being built there now with today’s market value rather than what will be marketable in the future.”

Willhite said he would approve the preliminary reading of the changes, but wanted to see a plan for the future of the site before giving final approval.

“Show us what your overall plans are right now, and what your See FAST FOOD, page 3

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NEWS

RPB Zoning Board OKs Trees For RPB Blvd. And Sign On Belvedere

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval of a request by the Country Club Village Homeowners’ Association last week to replace trees in the roadway buffer along Royal Palm Beach Blvd.

The trees in question had either died or were falling over.

Development Review Coordinator Kevin Erwin said the HOA was requesting to plant two silver buttonwoods and six pink tabebuias to replace eight cassia trees. “The applicant has removed some of the dead and dying landscape material,” Erwin said. “The applicant is also proposing to replace the dead accent plantings with groupings of wax lilies.”

Staff recommended approval of the application as submitted.

Commissioner Jackie Larson asked whether the request was the

result of code enforcement action or the HOA did it voluntarily, and Erwin replied that code enforcement had informed them while they were removing the old trees that they would need to get approval to put in the new plantings.

Larson commended the HOA for taking on the project. “We’ve got a lot of dead vegetation in the village that needs to come out and be replaced,” Larson said. “It’s hard to be a tree city when so many trees are dying, so I commend you for doing it.”

Vice Chairman Michael Newkirk asked whether the buffer area is properly irrigated, and an HOA representative said the trees are difficult to keep rooted since they’re atop a berm.

Erwin added that cassias have a shallow root system, which had allowed the trees to fall over. “They blow over very easily,” he said.

Commissioner Richard Becher

ITID Getting $1.5 Million From FEMA For Isaac Work

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Indian Trail Improvement District has received approval for approximately $1.5 million in assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for expenses incurred during recovery from the flooding during Tropical Storm Isaac.

“We have been working with FEMA to submit reimbursements for work done during Tropical Storm Isaac,” ITID Administrator Tanya Quickel said. “We’re very happy that basically three small project worksheets and three larger project worksheets have been completed and are in the process of being obligated through FEMA, which is their process. The total reimbursements we anticipate are between $1.5 million and $ 1.6 million for expenditures related to the storm.”

The reimbursement covers emergency protective measures, pumping, signage, overtime, equipment used during the event, emergency repairs for washouts or breaches, and repair of unpaved roads.

Last month, Gov. Rick Scott an-

nounced that he put $8 million in his proposed budget for improvements to the dike separating the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area from The Acreage.

During Isaac’s flooding in The Acreage, state, county and local officials monitored the levee closely for a possible breach because water levels differed between Corbett and the surrounding residential areas. If the berm had been breached, it could have significantly worsened the flooding problems in The Acreage.

Material was brought in to use in the event of a breach, and a weir was built on the east side of Corbett to allow some of the water to flow across the Seminole Pratt Whitney Road right-of-way into the Mecca Farms property.

Quickel added that the South Florida Water Management District is organizing another meeting this month to review the project with all parties involved, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, ITID and the Florida Department of Emergency Management.

said he drives on Royal Palm Beach Blvd. two or three times a day and had noticed that there are gaps in the screening, and the code requires continuous plantings.

Erwin said that there is a hedge behind the trees, but there may be some areas where it has died. “I was out looking at them the other day,” Erwin said. “That’s more of a maintenance issue. They wouldn’t have to come back to you to add those back as long as it’s the same species.”

Chairwoman Barbara Powell asked about tabebuias’ vulnerability to wind damage, and Erwin said the yellow tabebuias are more vulnerable. “The pinks are more hardy than the yellows,” he said.

Commissioner Darrell Lange said that root anchors can be used to help improve wind resistance.

“All they are is they go through the root and they go all the way through the berm,” Lange said.

“They help stand them up in storms.”

Lange made a motion to approve the application, which carried 5-0.

In other business, the commission approved an application to replace the six previously approved monument signs at Connect Corporate Center at 9100 Belvedere Road with a single monument sign.

The sign would be located on Belvedere Road just east of State Road 7, adjacent to the Walmart plaza, Erwin said. The previous master sign plan was approved more than six years ago. The current master sign plan requires the tenant sign to be China red with black font. A color change was requested, making the color of the base sand, with a red background and white lettering. “The applicant is requesting a single 20-foot by 12-foot marquee sign in lieu of six previously approved monument signs,” Erwin said.

Staff had recommended approval of the application as submitted. Erwin added that the six approved signs had never actually been built.

Lange said he liked the design of the new sign but was concerned about font styles since there was

no requirement stipulated. “I’m a little concerned about that,” he said. “Given our recent examples, I’m a little bit hesitant in letting it go wild.”

Larson said the sign looked nice and asked whether the other sign approvals would be rescinded.

Erwin said the old application would be rescinded and a tenant would have to come back and request approval of an individual monument sign.

Larson shared Lange’s concern about each line conceivably be-

Fast Food

Changes To SR 7 Project

continued from page 1 plans are in the future,” he said. “I don’t really think the plans are the same as they were when this came before us the first time.”

Hearing said he didn’t expect any other major changes.

“You might see us coming in for some conditional use approval for

ing a different font. “I wouldn’t mind putting in a condition that it all be the same font because I think it would look a lot better than a different font on each line,” Larson said.

Becher asked about landscaping at the base of the sign, and Erwin said that was not in the application but could be included as a condition.

Larson made a motion to approve the application as submitted, with conditions about the font and landscaping. It carried 5-0. doctor’s offices, orthodontists or other uses,” he said. “These are the type of things I expect we’ll come back for.”

Councilwoman Anne Gerwig made a motion to approve the ordinance, which carried 4-1, with Coates opposed.

The comprehensive plan change must now be approved by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity before returning to the council for final approval.

Wellington Chamber Will Honor Three Businesses At Luncheon On March 20 The Wellington Chamber of Commerce will honor three outstanding businesses with its Business Excellence Awards at a luncheon on Wednesday, March 20.

The awards are given to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the betterment of the community and the chamber through business, philanthropy and education. The Wellington Chamber of Commerce is honored this year to bestow the Business Excellence Award to both Florida Power & Light Company and Aesthetic & Family Dentistry. The Best Emerging Business Award will go to Floridian Community Bank.

The businesses must be nominated and then voted upon to receive the award. Award winners must exhibit honest and credible practices valued by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Lastly, each nominee must have exhibited stewardship by providing their time, leadership, talents and gifts to enhance and enrich both the chamber and the community.

The Business Excellence

Awards will be presented on Wednesday, March 20 during the chamber’s annual installation luncheon at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in the Wellington Tent. For reservations, call (561) 792-6525 or visit www. wellingtonchamber.com. Tickets cost $25 and VIP tables of ten are available for $300.

FPL is the largest rate-regulated electric utility in Florida and serves the third largest number of customers compared to any other electric utility in the United States.

FPL serves approximately 4.6 million customer accounts and is a leading Florida employer with approximately 10,000 employees as of year-end 2012. During the fiveyear period ended Dec. 31, 2011, the company delivered the best service reliability among Florida investor-owned utilities. Its typical residential customer bills, based on data available in July 2012, are about 26 percent below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one

of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach-based NextEra Energy, Inc. Dr. Steven Miller of Aesthetic & Family Dentistry of Wellington is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his practice. Miller’s love for dentistry has not wavered over his 33-plus years since graduating in 1979 from New York University College of Dentistry on a U.S. Army Health Professions scholarship. After two tours of duty, he settled with his young family in Florida. In 1986, he was awarded as a fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and, to this day, Miller stays current because of his love for continuing education.

Miller has served as president of the Central Palm Beach County Dental Association from 1996 to 1997. Locally, he was the president of the Wellington Lion’s Club from 1992 to 1993. His latest and upcoming accomplishments will include attending the International Team for Implantology Congress North America in Chicago on April

5-6, as well as offering Invisalign braces. Aesthetic & Family Dentistry of Wellington won the Super Service Award for 2011 from Angie’s List.

Lee Frankhouser, president of Floridian Community Bank, said her company was honored to be recognized as Best Emerging Business. “Management and staff of Floridian Community Bank are truly honored to be recognized with the Best Emerging Business Award presented by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce,” she said. “Just as our name says, we do strive to have a positive impact on the communities we serve, and this recognition is accepted with great thanks and appreciation to the chamber. The Wellington business community has been wonderful to work with, and we hope that our organization can continue to provide leadership, philanthropy and energy to the people and businesses of greater Wellington.

Thank you once again to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce for this honor.”

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TOWN-CRIER ENDORSEMENTS

Jim Rockett In Lox Groves; David Swift And Fred Pinto In RPB On Tuesday, March 12, voters in Royal Palm Beach and Loxahatchee Groves will head to the polls for municipal elections. There are two seats up for election in Royal Palm Beach and one in Loxahatchee Groves. In this week’s issue, we profile all six candidates running in this election cycle. The profiles are based on their individual visits with the Town-Crier’s editorial board. Here, we also issue our endorsements in the races.

Loxahatchee Groves Town Council, Seat 2 — Incumbent Jim Rockett faces a challenge from community activist Todd McLendon. At the core of this election is the battle over a planned Palm Beach State College campus in Loxahatchee Groves.

We were impressed with Mr. McLendon’s extensive knowledge of the issues in this campaign. It is clear that he cares deeply about Loxahatchee Groves, and we applaud him for speaking out about his concerns. He has been involved with the town since its inception, and he knows the history well. While we believe he would bring a different view to the council, we do not believe he is the right choice. However well intentioned, we believe he is on the wrong side of the college issue. As we have said before, we support this campus and believe it will be a great benefit to the town and the surrounding communities as well. Furthermore, we believe Mr. McLendon underestimates the legal problems that would arise should he be successful in the referendum he has championed.

Jim Rockett has been a strong advocate for the college. Not only is he on the right side of this issue, we believe his extensive expertise in finance and accounting has been dramatically beneficial to the council. He has proven that he will spend residents’ money only when needed and is a believer in returning unused funds to residents. We also appreciate his desire to maintain the rural character of the community while also improving services for residents.

The Town-Crier endorses Jim Rockett for Seat 2 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council.

Royal Palm Beach Village Council, Seat 2 — Two veteran council members are battling for this seat, where incumbent Councilwoman Martha Webster faces a challenge from former Councilman David Swift.

Ms. Webster has been a dedicated council member who cares deeply about the community.

She brings an often alternative point of view to the council. She has also done a good job reaching out beyond the borders of Royal Palm Beach and helping residents gain access to more regional opportunities. She has been a strong leader in the fight to extend State Road 7 to Northlake Blvd. and her leadership on several regional agencies would certainly be useful to Royal Palm Beach.

Mr. Swift has served the village on and off for more than two decades. He played a large

role in shaping Royal Palm Beach into the community it is today. An advocate for residents, Mr. Swift has stood behind his constituents on issues from the La Mancha berm to the future of the old wastewater treatment plant property. We also applaud his ability to find compromise with his fellow council members. Royal Palm Beach’s success is largely due to past council’s ability to find common ground, and Mr. Swift has been a crucial element of that success.

In reality, there are good arguments for the election of either Ms. Webster or Mr. Swift.

They each offer useful, but divergent qualities. In the end, though, it is unity of purpose that has long made the Royal Palm Beach Village Council successful while other local governments have faltered. In our opinion, that tips the scale slightly in the favor of Mr. Swift. The TownCrier endorses David Swift for Seat 2 on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council.

Royal Palm Beach Village Council, Seat 4 — In this race, longtime incumbent Fred Pinto is being challenged by Justin Sallenbach, a teacher at Turning Points Academy.

Mr. Sallenbach brings new and interesting ideas to the table, most notably his desire to provide after school care and tutoring programs for village students. At 29, he is clearly passionate about his community, and we are glad to see younger residents stepping up to the plate.

His desire to encourage more community participation is a noble one. We believe there could be a council seat in Mr. Sallenbach’s future should he seek office again, but feel that he should gain more experience in local government first — perhaps through one of the village’s volunteer boards. No matter what he does, we believe he will be successful, and we would encourage him to stay involved.

Mr. Pinto has been a strong voice for residents for many years and was instrumental in setting Royal Palm Beach up to weather the recent economic crisis. He had a hand in selling the village’s water utility to the county, providing Royal Palm Beach the nest egg it has used to weather hard times. He has also kept a keen eye on that nest egg, making sure the village doesn’t tap into it indiscriminately. He was also an early supporter of the contracting with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, which has made the village safer, and most recently, helped bring Aldi to the village. Pinto has contributed a great deal, and we feel he still has more to offer. As the village continues to grow, it is beneficial to have experienced council members who understand the community’s past, and who can help guide it into the future.

The Town-Crier strongly endorses the re-election of Fred Pinto to Seat 4 on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council.

Whether or not you agree with our opinions shared in this space, more important is that you make your way to the polls this Tuesday. Local elections tend to be low-turnout affairs, but they shouldn’t be. Show up and make your vote count!

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR All Hail, King Steven Abrams!

When Commissioner Steven Abrams became chairman of the Palm Beach County Commission, he felt he needed another more important title to get more attention and respect. He decided that “Mayor” of Palm Beach County would do it. I suggested “King Abrams” for even greater attention for his big ego.

At the recent commission meeting, King Abrams made two edicts: (1) Over 200 Century Village residents who came early to speak on a very important topic (the rezoning of their golf course) were told they would not be allowed to speak and should sit quietly and behave, while the commissioners decided on allowing the construction of homes and commercial buildings on their golf course.

(2) The recorded public agreement stating that the Century Village golf course would remain a golf course “in perpetuity” would end with the vote of four county commissioners! The opposing three commissioners did not stand a chance, because of the very shrewd manner King Abrams controlled and directed the discussion.

King Abrams has forgotten that all county commissioners are “public servants” and that we still are a “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” The “kingdom system” ended in 1776!

Jess R. Santamaria Palm Beach County Commissioner, District 6

Martha Webster Rises Above The Attacks I cannot sit by and not stand up for Councilwoman Martha Webster, who has served the residents of Royal Palm Beach with dignity for the past five years. I admire her forging ahead to be an active member of any and all organizations that benefit the village. She understands that we are a part of this region, and that we must all work together. The success of the State Road 7 outpouring of support was because she worked with area municipalities and our chamber to activate community participation.

For her opponent to say that she is anything but a positive consensus builder is simply proven false.

She has had the good grace to act respectfully toward her peers and the public who come before the council. She continues to carry on with the business of the village; even when this past year the mayor, acting from the dais, and [her challenger Dave] Swift, pushing from the council floor, went on a year of personal attacks. Now Mr. Swift comes forward and very clearly states that his platform is a personal vendetta against Mrs. Webster. This is an appalling motive to run for elected office and

certainly does not serve the residents, who deserve much better.

The village has been served well by her professionalism and passion in representing the citizens.

As a woman, she brings a diverse perspective to our issues. She has been endorsed by former Councilwoman Carmela Starace, who worked with Mr. Swift for many years, yet chose not to support him. I value her opinion and believe that Councilwoman Webster has served us very well. I will vote for Martha this coming Tuesday and urge every voter in Royal Palm Beach to do the same.

Marcia Berwick Royal Palm Beach

Be Sure To Vote In Critical Election All the citizens of Royal Palm Beach must come out in droves and vote, or we will rue the day we did not. We are faced with a critical situation, and we have an opportunity to protect our homes, the safety of our communities and our children’s lives.

The task force that I sat on in 2011 was charged with coming up with a plan for the old wastewater treatment plant off Crestwood Blvd., next to H.L. Johnson Elementary School. Despite our findings and recommendations, Ms. [Martha] Webster’s position has not changed. She still wants to designate this land usage for commercial or industrial development.

In my view, Ms. Webster’s actions, voting records and history of confrontation at board meetings makes most of us feel like she believes she is always right and everyone else is always wrong.

Imagine the perilous situation our children will face as 18 wheelers barrel down Crestwood Blvd.

Imagine the noise pollution and traffic on Crestwood Blvd. Imagine the potential carnage from accidents or hazardous materials that could go through this bedroom community and right next to an elementary school. All things are possible when you open Pandora’s Box. Her ideas, if they come to fruition, would probably cause our property values to plummet as our homes become undesirable. Ms. Webster’s voting record speaks volumes on where her loyalties lie.

Clearly they are not with the home owners north of Okeechobee Blvd.

Please, take a look at her voting record. The development of commercial/industry on this site is clearly wrong, and it does not belong there. I am all for job creation, but it must be situated in logical places. It must be conducive to business development, success and growth. Further, it must be harmonious with the surrounding area. None of her recommendations meet this criteria, and frankly her position is contrary to common sense.

To all the citizens of Saratoga,

THE

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Wellington, Florida 33414 Phone: (561) 793-7606 Classified Ads: (561) 793-3576 • Fax: (561) 793-6090 World Wide Web: http://www.goTownCrier.com E-Mail Address: news@goTownCrier.com

Madison Green, Hawthorne, La Mancha, the Woods, Porto Sol, and the rest of us who reside in Royal Palm Beach, you must come out and vote. It is your inalienable right to vote and be heard. Stand up for yourself and let your voices be heard. Vote and get all your neighbors to vote, and please spread the word to get everyone out to vote!

In my view, and as demonstrated by his actions, not empty words, Mr. David Swift has the vision, the experience and works very well with others. He is committed to protecting our communities. Putting industry right next door to our homes and directly next to an elementary school is irresponsible and shows lack of concern for our community’s best interests. Mr. David Swift, in my view, is a fabulous candidate who has all of our best interests at heart. He deserves your support, and I know he has mine.

Michael Axelberd Royal Palm Beach

Jarriel Supports Jim Rockett I’ve sat on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council for four years. Three of the four, I have served with Jim Rockett. I believe Jim has done a good job in representing the residents of Loxahatchee Groves. He has reduced our town taxes by 20 percent, at one time wanting to do away with them completely. He has 40 years of experience in accounting and financial planning, which helps to keep our management firm on their toes and allows us to spend our money wisely. Jim Rockett is a good listener. When the residents came and expressed their concern about speed humps in the community, he listened and agreed that something should be done to make them better for our residents.

He took the time to drive to other communities, check out their speed tables and supported an improvement to our existing speed humps and a 30-mph speed table for our future roads to be OGEMed. Jim Rockett will strive to preserve our rural lifestyle. He truly believes that the Groves are “the last frontier” of the western communities. He will fight to protect our home-based businesses and the character of our town. He has always had a commitment for the betterment of our community. He is an active member of our CERT Team, has volunteered on town committees, and when the storms come, he is out there riding through the Groves to see how he can be of help to those neighbors in need.

Jim is a man of great integrity.

He’s honest and has the best interest of the residents of the Groves at heart. He is one you can call on and depend on if or when you have a problem. He will come,

listen and try to help you solve it.

For myself, having grown up (and still living) in the Groves for approximately 52 years, I believe that most Loxahatchee Groves residents know me personally. Therefore, they know that my heart is in doing what is best for them. To keep our council on the right track and doing what is best for all of us, I am asking for your support and your vote for Jim Rockett on Tuesday, March 12.

The election will be held at Palms West Presbyterian Church on Okeechobee Blvd. in Loxahatchee Groves. Please come and exercise your right to vote for your town council.

Councilman Ron Jarriel Loxahatchee Groves

McLendon E-Mail Concerns Schiola The following excerpts are from an e-mail sent to the town manager from Loxahatchee Groves Town Council candidate Todd McLendon dated Feb. 15, 2013.

Todd was questioning the town staff and manager on the release of public documents pertaining to the college petition at the request of a town resident. “Members of the public should not be allowed access to information until it is processed and copied,” he wrote, adding, “I am furious that this was allowed and that all documents and information be guarded and kept in confidence from here on out.”

As most of us know, anytime a municipality receives a letter, receipt or other documents, those e-mails or pieces of paper are open to public scrutiny and, at the request of the public, can be copied.

Todd’s campaign platform is, “I’ll listen to the public,” but it is clear that he might listen, but will object to any release of public records.

Todd goes on to say that, “since this is a $4.5 million issue, it should be handled with the utmost confidence.” Todd now admits that the state college issue could cost the town more than the $300,000 that he and his petition committee have been advertising since this petition began. How would the town pay this massive debt? Well it’s really simple — our town’s ad valorem taxes would soar 990 percent and this would be with us for many years to come.

If you want higher taxes and a clandestine town government, then vote for Todd McLendon. If you want the lowest possible taxes and an open and transparent town government with a proven leader, then vote for Jim Rockett.

That’s who I’m voting for.

Todd’s entire e-mail is available at the town office for the public to view, since it is a public record.

Frank Schiola Loxahatchee Groves Editor’s note: Mr. Schiola is a supervisor of the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District.

BARRY S. MANNING Publisher

JOSHUA I. MANNING Executive Editor

JODY GORRAN Associate Publisher

DAWN RIVERA General Manager

JASON BUD JINSKI Community Editor

RON BUKLEY Managing Editor

EDITORIAL STAFF/ Chris Felker • Denise Fleischman Jessica Gregoire • Lauren Miró CONTRIBUTORS/ Jules Rabin • Ellen Rosenberg • Leonard Wechsler • Deborah W elky ART & PRODUCTION MANAGER/ Stephanie Rodriguez ADVERTISING/ Betty Buglio • Evie Edwards • Wanda Glockson STAFF/ Shanta Daibee • Carol Lieberman • Geri O’Neil

Support For Martha Webster There are many reasons why I am voting again for Martha Webster. First, she is an active member of the community. Martha can be found at most events and organizations, speaking with residents on a weekly basis — not just during election time. She actively works for us, listening to our concerns and weighing all points of view.

Second, Martha is willing to make changes to improve our community. In this past year, she has worked with staff to draft ordinances to change the rear fence and hedge height from 6 feet to 8 eight, and increased the number of garage sales permitted, as well as including space on the village web site to promote them. Martha has also added a dog park to the Commons Park budget and a skateboard park to the village — all from residents’ requests.

Lastly, and most importantly, Martha Webster is a woman of her word. She does not flip her position for personal gain. These are just a few of the reasons why I’m voting for Martha Webster, and I encourage all residents to speak with her to prior to the election.

Selena Smith Royal Palm Beach

Where Is The Leadership?

Although unfortunate, it seems like the lack of leadership in Washington has made its way to Wellington. Since our last election, all that has come from the Wellington Village Council has been acrimony, excess litigation, staff bashing, and attacks on the business and the equestrian community.

Resident dissatisfaction with the council and the village has led many in the community to want to de-annex from Wellington. On top of the that, our mayor and one councilman have been under investigation by the ethics commission for accepting large amounts of cash from influential residents with hopes of getting their way on many issues affecting the village.

Just like our country, Wellington was blessed with outstanding leadership in the early years of its existence. mayors Foster, Wenham and Priore, and managers Lynn and Schofield, did an outstanding job leading this village to be one of the premier communities in Florida. Even though there were differences on many issues, they all put aside their personal desires and worked together in a spirit of compromise to do what was best for the village.

Since being elected, none of the current council has forwarded their vision or strategic plan for the village. No direction or new initiative (except the community center and tennis center) has been brought forward to bring the residents together in a positive way and to look at keeping our community as an outstanding place to live both now and in the foreseeable future. Let’s get rid of the big money politics that has corrupted Washington, and has now affected our small community as well.

Hopefully, the village can return to the positive and resident-driven government that made it great in the early years.

Steve Haughn Wellington

Former RPB Councilwoman Supports Swift As a former 25-year resident of Royal Palm Beach who also had the privilege of covering the Royal Palm Beach Village Council for this newspaper from the mid-1980s to 1991, as well as the honor of serving on that same council as a councilwoman, I heartily endorse the candidacy of David Swift.

I met David 27 years ago when I was a news reporter for the TownCrier and he was a councilman.

That period was one of stunningly fast growth for Royal Palm Beach and council members were charged with some challenging decisions, which would forever impact the community.

Basically, there was nothing the village didn’t need, with the growing influx of residents and demands for services and amenities.

Schools; road improvements; landscape, sign and code ordinances; police and fire-rescue protection — all needed attention and improvement. The key was to find a way to do so without raising taxes to unaffordable levels.

David proved his leadership during those earlier days by offering logical, well-planned methods to achieve the goals and needs of Royal Palm Beach residents.

When our high school-aged children were being bused because there was no Royal Palm Beach High School, David was instrumental in tirelessly working to assure that village students would get their own high school. The task was difficult, lengthy and daunting. Thanks in large part to David’s efforts, the goal of a high school for the community was achieved.

I strongly encourage village resSee LETTERS, page 22

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March 8 - March 14, 2013 Page 5

NEWS

SINGER LEXI LUCA CLAIMS ‘WELLINGTON IDOL’ TITLE AT COMPETITION FINALS

Lexi Luca took home the title 2013 Wellington Idol at the competition finals held Tuesday, March 5 at the Wellington Amphitheater. A total of 13 finalists competed in front of residents and the judging panel for a chance to win. Runners up were chosen in each of three age categories. Category 1 winner Adrianna Siena, Category 2 winner Meghan Ritmiller and Category 3 winner Krystie Seese each received a $250 cash prize. Luca was presented with the $500 grand prize. For more info, visit www.wellingtonfl.gov.

SEE VIDEO FROM THIS EVENT AT WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Judges Michael Lifshitz, Jason Evan Fisher and Mark Hagan listen to the Wellington Idol performers.

Runner up Meghan Ritmiller (center) with friends Melissa Ramirez and Yolanda Lozano.

Krystie Seese, Adrianna Siena, Wellington Idol winner Lexi Luca and Meghan Ritmiller with their prizes.

Adrianna Siena sings “Defying Gravity.”

Krystie Seese on stage.

Winner Lexi Luca with manager and coach Mike Soper.

Lexi Luca sings “Feeling Good.”

Meghan Ritmiller sings “Turning Tables.”

JEREMY JACOBS PRESENTS TROPHIES TO WELLINGTON ROLLER HOCKEY PLAYERS Jeremy Jacobs, Wellington resident and owner of the Boston Bruins, presented trophies to the junior division of the Wellington Roller Hockey Association on Sunday, March 3 at Wellington Village Park. Jacobs, who is also chairman of the National Hockey League Board of Governors, presented trophies to the champions, the Oilers, and runners up, the Panthers, after their title game. Players also received Bruins memorabilia.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs with WRHA players from the junior Oilers and Panthers.

Jeremy Jacobs and Tom Wenham of the Wellington Preservation Coalition hand out Bruins hats.

Jeremy Jacobs hands a trophy to Don Tuckwood.

Page 6 March 8 - March 14, 2013

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CRIME NEWS

Sleeping Driver Leads To Drug Arrest In RPB

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report MARCH 2 — A Royal Palm Beach man was arrested early last Saturday morning on charges of drunken driving after he was found asleep behind the wheel. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, a deputy from the Royal Palm substation was on patrol when he observed a beige Honda Accord stopped on the westbound exit ramp at Southern Blvd. and State Road 7. According to the report, the deputy watched as the vehicle remained stationary through three green lights, with its brake lights illuminated. The deputy approached the vehicle and observed the driver, 19-year-old Alec Jackson, unconscious in the driver ’s seat. According to the report, the vehicle was still running and in drive. The deputy knocked on the window several times and when Jackson woke up, he appeared disoriented. According to the report, Jackson grabbed a clear cup containing an unknown clear liquid and began to drink it while keeping it out of the deputy’s reach. The deputy said that when he recovered the cup, it smelled strongly of alcohol. A search of the vehicle found a black backpack in the trunk of Jackson’s vehicle with 18 individually packed balls of marijuana and a bottle of vodka. Jackson was arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail where he was charged with possession of marijuana over 20 grams, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of alcohol by someone under 21 years old and tampering with evidence. ••• FEB. 28 — A Royal Palm Beach man was arrested on shoplifting charges last Thursday evening after he was caught stealing from the WalMart Supercenter on Belvedere Road. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was called to the store after a loss prevention officer observed 19-yearold Gladimy Louis enter the electronics section of the store and select several video games. Louis walked around the store with the game in his hands, but the officer later noticed Louis carrying the games in a plastic bag and entering the bicycle department. According to the report, Louis selected a black bicycle, set the games on top of the handlebars and proceeded to push the bicycle out of the store without attempting to pay for the items. The loss prevention officer stopped him and recovered 16 video games along with the bicycle. The stolen items were valued at $608.36. Louis was arrested and taken to the county jail where he was charged with grand theft.

MARCH 1 — ABoynton Beach woman was arrested early last Friday morning on charges of drunken driving following a traffic stop near the intersection of Lamstein Lane and Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was on patrol when he observed a silver car driving the wrong way out of a shopping plaza, not coming to a complete stop before entering the roadway. According to the report, the deputy initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, 30-year-old Jennifer

Castillo. According to the report, the deputy observed that Castillo’s movements were slow and she had trouble finding her driver’s license. The deputy also smelled alcohol coming from the vehicle and observed a bottle of vodka sitting on the front passenger seat.

According to the report, the deputy asked Castillo to step away from the vehicle, and then asked her to perform roadside tasks.

When he asked Castillo to sit on the curb while he moved his vehicle, she became angry with him and refused to comply. According to the report, he asked her again to do the roadside tasks and she refused. The deputy arrested Castillo and took her to the county jail where she refused to submit to breath tests. She was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

MARCH 1 — Adeputy from the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was dispatched to a home on F Road last Friday morning regarding a stolen vehicle.

According to the report, the victim parked his Ford F250 truck outside his home under a canopy.

Sometime between 7 and 10:30 p.m. last Thursday, someone removed the truck from the property. According to the report, the victim said he left the keys in the truck. The victim said it could have been taken by a former employee, but there was no further information available at the time of the report.

MARCH 3 — Adeputy from the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was called to Orange Blvd. last Sunday morning regarding a case of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, the victim was driving westbound on Orange Blvd. at approximately 11:45 a.m. when an unknown white truck threw a beer bottle out of its window. The victim said that the bottle struck his driver’s side window and cracked the glass. According to the report, when the victim attempted to roll the window down so he could get the truck’s information, the glass shattered inward.

The victim said the truck kept traveling at a high rate of speed and he was unable to get a license plate. There was approximately $300 in damage. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

MARCH 4 — Adeputy from the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation responded to a home on 61st Place North on Monday regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, sometime between Friday, Feb. 8 and last Wednesday, someone entered the empty property and ripped out the breaker box and the copper wiring in the attic. The complainant said she did not see any sign of forced entry, but did not know when the theft occurred. The stolen items were valued at approximately $5,000.

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

MARCH 4 — Aresident of 93rd Road North called the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation Monday morning to report a case of fraud. According to a PBSO report, the victim filed her taxes in October of last year and had not yet received her return. The victim said she contacted the Internal Revenue Service last Friday and was told a refund was issued in her name. According to the report, See BLOTTER, page 22

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives: • Kevyn Castillo, alias Kevyn AndurayCastillo, is a white male, 5’8� tall and weighing 175 lbs., with black hair and br own eyes. His date of birth is 07/15/90. He has a tattoo on his neck and a scar on his forehead. Castillo is wanted for violation of probation, burglary, felony battery, failure to appear, giving a f alse name to law enforcement and no driver’s license. His occupation is unknown. His last known addresses were Gardenia Avenue in Lake Worth and Treasure Lane in Greenacres.

Castillo is wanted as of 02/28/13. • Adam Flint is a black male, 5’11� tall and weighing 170 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. He has multiple tattoos. His date of birth is 12/20/82. Flint is wanted for trafficking in oxycodone (2 counts) and attempt to obtain a controlled substance by fraud (2 counts). His occupation is unknown. His last known addresses were Caston Way in Boynton Beach and Northtree Court in Lake Worth. Flint is wanted as of 03/04/13.

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

Kevyn Castillo

Adam Flint

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

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March 8 - March 14, 2013 Page 7

ELECTION 2013: LOXAHATCHEE GROVES COUNCIL SEAT 2

Todd McLendon Opposes Campus, Aggressive Code Enforcement

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Loxahatchee Groves activist Todd McLendon is challenging incumbent Jim Rockett for Seat 2 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council in the March 12 election.

McLendon, a leader in the petition drive to force the repeal of the council’s approval of a Palm Beach State College campus on Southern Blvd., moved to Loxahatchee Groves in 2006 with his wife and family. He breeds exotic birds on the 5acre lot where they live.

“I started breeding exotic birds back when I was a teenager,” said McLendon, who is now 38.

McLendon also owns and operates a company that does computer-controlled air-conditioning for commercial buildings.

He moved to Loxahatchee Groves just before the town incorporated. “I actually voted against the town incorporating,” McLendon said. “Of course, we all know that it passed, so we have to make the best of it.”

McLendon became involved with town government during the development of its unified land development code. “I had a problem with one of my neighbors who was very vocal and didn’t want my birds next to their house, so I was instrumental in trying to guide the ULDC as to what would be fair to everybody,” he said.

Today, McLendon believes the town codes are too strict and are being applied subjectively to certain people. “Certain people seem to be exempt from these codes,” he said.

McLendon feels that he is a better choice for councilman because he is willing to listen to the people and go by what the majority want.

“My opponent does not want to allow people to vote,” he said. “He doesn’t welcome input at the council meetings. He says that we’re an audience, but an audience is somebody who watches a play and doesn’t interact, and that’s not how it

should be. Public input should be open, and decisions shouldn’t be made before the meetings start.”

McLendon said his top accomplishments include going out and speaking to more than 300 residents during the college petition drive. “I have a good grasp as to what a lot of people want in the community,” he said.

McLendon is also proud of bringing to light a state statute that exempts farm structures from the town’s code, alleging that the code was being enforced illegally.

“My accomplishment is I have taken a burden off of code enforcement, and a big burden off of people out there who have farms with farm structures where they are exempt from the codes,” he said. “That’s probably going to cut out 50 percent of code violations. Right now we are spending probably $60,000 a year for code enforcement.”

He lists the top issues of the campaign as the college campus, town expenses and subjective code enforcement. He believes residents should have the right to vote on the college. “My opponent doesn’t feel the people should,” he said.

McLendon said that his opponent, who operates a plant nursery, has turned in another nursery for code violations. “He is not out there to protect nurseries,” he said. “He is out there to protect his own nursery.”

He was also critical of Rockett’s son, who opened a landscaping business in violation of the code. “Somehow all of those things are OK as long as you’re in the clique,” McLendon said.

He believes the relationship between the town and the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District should remain as it is for now, with the district remaining independent. “The town itself is still an infant and has a lot of growing to do and has a lot of problems to work out,” he said. “It’s simply not the time to take on another government entity.”

Asked whether there are services not provided by the town that should be, McLendon said he supports more horse trails.

“The million and a half that has been set aside for a town hall should be set aside for horse trails,” he said. “That’s going to directly help a tremendous amount of people out here.”

He envisions Okeechobee Blvd. as a two-lane, divided road with lots of trees, which would calm traffic and be more pleasurable for motorists. However, he’s not sure the town will have much say in the matter. “The county is going to come through and do what they want to do,” McLendon said.

Asked whether the town can intervene, he said: “No, not if the county acts the way our local government does. If the county actually listens to the people, then yes.”

McLendon thinks the town’s management company is doing a good job but warned that costs have been increasing.

“I think they are a professional organization,” he said. “I don’t think that they are controlled by a select few people like was anticipated. I think they have allowed costs to get out of control. It’s in their best interest to increase government. It’s in the residents’ best interest to decrease government.”

He was critical of the town for not spending its gas tax revenue efficiently.

“There are a lot of drainage improvements that the water control district has said for years that need to be done, and they just didn’t have the money,” he said. “Now we’ve got this pile of money sitting there, and it’s not being used.”

McLendon believes that the college campus will promote faster development.

“I’m afraid that we’re going to have the need for affordable housing,” he said.

“Our town right now is a rural lifestyle.

We’re not like West Palm Beach or Wellington or Royal Palm Beach.”

While he does not support the cam-

pus, he said it could be more palatable if access were only from Southern.

“Everybody keeps trying to say that Palms West Hospital didn’t impact the traffic in Loxahatchee Groves,” he said. “The difference between the two is that one is encapsulated and the other is not. The college is going to have direct access to B Road, which leads directly into our town.”

The petition submitted by the initiative committee was recently deemed insufficient by the town, but McLendon believes there will be a referendum even if they have to hold another petition drive.

“I think the referendum will happen,” he said. “It will not happen without a lot of opposition. If we have to go out and do it again, we’ll do it again. Going around and collecting the signatures, probably 80 percent of the people felt we incorporated to preserve Loxahatchee Groves. The college is clearly not preserving Loxahatchee Groves.”

Although he is personally opposed to the campus, he said he would follow the determination of the referendum if it came out in favor.

Some people have said that McLendon is a one-issue candidate. He partially agrees. “It’s almost a true statement, but it’s not in regard to the college,” he said.

“It’s in regard to time and time again, the council doesn’t do what the people want.

They represent a small group of people instead of the community as a whole.”

McLendon thinks his election might sway the balance on the council. “Right now, there’s a group of three people making all the decisions behind the scenes,” he said, referring to Rockett, along with councilmen Ryan Liang and Ron Jarriel.

McLendon has also criticized road policy, including grading on private roads and the recently paved letter roads, which included speed humps of which he was particularly critical.

“I’m very unhappy with the speed humps,” he said. “I went to the workshops

Todd McLendon when they proposed to do the four segments. I asked, ‘Are we going to get speed humps like we did on F Road?’ I was told by [former LGWCD District Administrator] Clete Saunier, ‘Absolutely not, those were done incorrect, we’re not going to get speed humps like that.’ My second question was, ‘Are you going to sod the side of the road that’s not having paving placed on it, or seed it?’ ‘Yes, we are.’ Both of those were bald-faced lies.”

He said the speed humps are dangerous because they are rated for only 25 miles per hour by the engineering specs, but the speed limit is 30.

McLendon said his vision for the future of Loxahatchee Groves is to preserve and protect it, which he said was the purpose of incorporation. He added that residents should vote for him because he wants to listen to the people and not be self-serving.

For more information, visit www.todd mclendon.com.

‘My opponent does not want to allow people to vote,’ Todd McLendon said. ‘He doesn’t welcome input at meetings. He says that we’re an audience, but an audience is somebody who watches a play and doesn’t interact, and that’s not how it should be.’

Rockett Puts Focus On Fiscal Expertise, Town’s Accomplishments

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Loxahatchee Groves Vice Mayor Jim Rockett is asking voters to return him to the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council for a second three-year term.

Rockett faces challenger Todd McLendon on Tuesday, March 12 in the race for Seat 2 on the council.

Rockett, 66, is an upstate New York native who has more than 40 years’ experience in accounting and financial planning.

He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Pace University.

He and his wife, Nancy, moved to South Florida in 1980, living in several different Palm Beach County communities before eventually settling in Loxahatchee Groves to work at his son’s nursery. He has served on many homeowners’ association boards, using his financial expertise to help the organizations.

“I always have focused on finance and making good financial decisions,” Rockett said.

He began his service to Loxahatchee Groves as vice chair of the town’s Finance Advisory & Audit Committee and helped develop the town’s land use and environmental codes.

In 2010, Rockett ran unopposed for Seat 2 on the council. He said he is qualified to continue serving because he will work to save residents’ tax dollars while protecting the rural lifestyle of Loxahatchee Groves.

“I’m very frugal when it comes to someone else’s money,” he said. “If we have a surplus, I think it’s our duty to give it back.”

As an example, Rockett pointed to the money that was returned to residents when the town saw its cost for garbage pickup services decrease.

Among his top accomplishments, Rockett said he is proud that the town has been able to hold taxes low. He is also proud of the open graded emulsified mix (OGEM) road-paving projects the council supported.

“The cost per acre varied depending on where you lived,” he said. “What I convinced the council to do was... balance the cost for anyone who wanted an OGEM road. It made it equal for all residents.”

When first elected, Rockett was involved in settling the disagreements with Callery-Judge Grove, which opposed the town’s comprehensive plan but later dropped its lawsuit. “That was really the beginning of when the town could move forward,” he said.

Central to his campaign is Palm Beach State College’s new campus on Southern Blvd. Rockett has been a proponent of the plan, while his opponent has strongly disagreed.

“I paid my own way through college,” Rockett said. “That’s one reason the issue is so personal to me. This will give anyone’s children the opportunity to start college at a lesser cost. There are nothing but good things that will come as a result of the college.”

Rockett said that the campus has been carefully designed to minimize its impact on residents. Its classes are also designed with the town in mind, including an equestrian-oriented program.

“It’s an opportunity that will benefit the community and create jobs,” he said. “The college is a resident. They’re not going to come in, make a bunch of money and leave.

It’s going to be a 50-year process for them to develop the school. It will bring a sense of pride to our town.”

Rockett criticized the petition that has

been submitted calling for a referendum on the issue.

“It has been done contrary to statute,” he said. “They have not provided all of the information so that people can make an informed decision.”

Rockett said that there had been opportunities for residents to step forward and comment on the issue, but that going back on the deal with the college could cost the town millions of dollars.

“Their opposition is late coming, and reversing approval of the college site would be extremely damaging to the town and its residents,” he said. “This process started in November 2011. I can’t count how many opportunities there were for public input due to all the changes we had to make.”

Once the town passed an ordinance to allow the college, Rockett said that residents had 30 days to make a formal objection.

Another divisive issue facing the town is the future of Okeechobee Blvd. as it runs through Loxahatchee Groves — both in the road’s makeup and how the land around it will look.

“I want to see a two-lane road with turn lanes at all major intersections,” Rockett said. “One of the proposals I’m in favor of is a tree-lined roadway where you wouldn’t see much but trees and maybe an [equestrian] trail system.”

He said he thought the town had to be careful when considering commercial development along the road. “In the heart of your town, you have to be very careful with what you put along your main road,” Rockett said.

Instead, he’d like to see development focused along Southern Blvd. “It’s a matter of what form [the development] takes,” he said. “It needs to meet our requirements.

It needs to be something the town needs and something residents will benefit from.”

As for the relationship between the town council and the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District, Rockett said he felt it should be a partnership.

“I think it’s a mutually beneficial relationship,” he said. “It’s a partnership, not a domination where we are in control.”

But the council has considered taking over the responsibility of maintaining roads, leaving the LGWCD to focus on canals.

“Our goal is to strip the road maintenance responsibility and leave them with water,” he said. “That’s what they should be doing best anyway. It’s not something [the district] needs to do. They should focus on water, and we can focus on roads.”

Rockett said he supports leaving the district as an independent entity rather than assimilating it under town control.

Rockett believes the new town management company is doing a good job.

“One of the first things they did was to apply for a grant for an equestrian trail — something we weren’t able to get anyone to handle in the past,” he said. “They have a lot of things on their plate, but I think they’ve brought a lot to this town.”

He said that he was happy with the current budget but thinks the council should scale back the $1.5 million allocated for a town hall.

“I don’t think it’s time to make that kind of investment,” he said, but he noted that the town’s government is in need of new office space. “What we have now isn’t conducive for an office environment.”

Though some have accused him of being aligned with the interests of large nurs-

Jim Rockett eries in the area, Rockett said he advocates for all residents.

“I’m aligned with all interests,” he said.

“I’m an avid horse person. I’m a country boy at heart. I’m a resident, a father and a grandfather. It’s about having a balance; that’s what I look at.”

Ultimately, Rockett said that he would continue to be a councilman who will push to maintain the town’s rural character while looking out for residents’ tax dollars.

“I feel like I’m looking out for residents in terms of spending their money,” he said.

“I’m not interested in spending it. I love our community, and I want to maintain our rural character. The town is still in its infant stages, and I want to help make it a place that we can be proud of.”

For more information, visit www.jim rockett.com.

Jim Rockett said he advocates for all residents. ‘I’m aligned with all interests,’ he said. ‘I’m an avid horse person. I’m a country boy at heart. I’m a resident, a father and a grandfather. It’s about having a balance; that’s what I look at.’

Page 8 March 8 - March 14, 2013

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ELECTION 2013: RPB COUNCIL SEAT 2 Swift

Eyes Return To Council

continued from page 1 a growing budget,” Swift said of his early years in office. “Most cities took that money, went out and hired more people.

We did the opposite. We went smaller.”

He pointed to the sale of the village’s water utility to Palm Beach County as a decision that has put the village in a prime position.

“We used that money in the last two budget years to balance our budget,” he said. “It has been very important for the village.”

Swift noted that he also voted to merge Royal Palm Beach’s independent police and fire departments with the county organizations, after some persuading.

“That saved us millions and improved the response time,” he said. “I was on the opposite side of that issue at first. We disagreed completely, but I finally saw the light that it was a good thing.”

But the prevailing attitude on the council was much different then, he recalled.

“We may have disagreed, but at the end of the day we were still friends,” Swift said.

“It was different than what we have right now.”

Webster

Seeking Re-Election

continued from page 1 become president of the League of Cities if re-elected. She also serves a leadership role on the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. “I feel as if this year is the culmination of a lot of investment in my work for the village,” she said. “I can do even more than I have been able to by sitting on these boards.”

Webster added that she is working on getting the village full membership on the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization, rather than sharing a seat with Greenacres. “We’re always on the defense, particularly with regard to roadway funding,” she said. “I have made a request, and it’s being seriously considered.”

As one of her top accomplishments, Webster points to getting a dog park included in the plans for Royal Palm Beach Commons Park, which she said had been discussed during workshops but did not make it to the final plans.

“I knew there was a desire for that, and the timing was great,” Webster said. “It was just before the budget process, so that allowed me to bring it up at the right time.”

She also initiated an amendment to in-

He said that part of what motivated him to run again was his concern about dissension on the council.

“We need to restore civility on the village council,” Swift said. “I was watching my opponent’s strident behavior on the council. I put my name in hoping that maybe her behavior would improve because there’s someone running against her.”

He pointed to an incident regarding appointments to the Planning & Zoning Commission, when Webster was removed as liaison after trying to remove several long-standing volunteers in favor of new ones.

“Surely, none of the council members were going to be in favor of dumping volunteers off the board, at least in the way she wanted to do it,” Swift said. “It caused all kinds of problems. People’s feelings were hurt, those who were on the board or wanted to be on the board. It was completely unnecessary.”

Swift was also concerned that residents’ voices were being silenced, noting at least two occasions where residents were not permitted to speak about issues.

“People have the right to speak about their concerns,” he said. “It used to be that if an issue came up from a resident and we’d never heard it before, we’d get them together with the village manager to

work it out. There were two incidents where that did not happen.”

If elected, Swift said he would continue to work for residents’ best interests.

He hopes to have a hand in crafting the village’s new strategic plan, and making sure that the plan is good for both residents and business owners.

“One thing that hasn’t been talked about is that we have the highest number of vacant storefronts in the village’s history,” Swift said. “I want to focus on how to get those filled, whether it’s offering two years with no taxes or other incentives.”

The planned Aldi project could help bring more business to the area, Swift said.

“I think it will bring better jobs,” he said. “I hope there won’t be a traffic issue with trucks lumbering onto [State Road 7]. But I think the council did a great job of incorporating the needs of the developer with the needs of the residents nearby.”

Another issue he plans to tackle is the future of the former wastewater treatment plant property on the village’s north end.

Swift said he would like to see the land become single-family residential.

“It could include a park that would be paid for by the developer and not the village,” he said. “You have young mothers coming out of their homes very concerned

about two things: the possible commercial development and the road safety issue. They love the quiet streets and wonder why we have to have commercial development there.”

Swift said he would always fight to not raise taxes, instead looking to use reserve funds. If reserves couldn’t make up for a shortfall, he said he’d have to consider cutting parks and recreation allocations.

“We have been very lucky to have those reserve funds,” he said. “Our parks and recreation budget is 15 percent [of the budget], which is high. This is an issue that is very touchy. Some people like to have parks, even if they aren’t used. If we have it, we have to maintain it.”

Swift said he believes Village Manager Ray Liggins has done a good job leading the village.

“He’s very sincere and dedicated to the job,” he said, noting that attempts to compare Liggins to his predecessor, the late David Farber, are unfair.

Several years ago, Swift led a task force inquiring about problems at Royal Palm Beach High School. Today, he believes the school is under better leadership.

“The issue was that we had more than 1,000 of our students going someplace else,” he said. “I’m encouraged by the programs that [Principal Jesus Armas] has brought on.”

But the battle is not over, Swift said, until more students near the school attend Royal Palm Beach’s community school.

“The biggest issue is that we got sold down the road on boundary changes,” Swift said. “People living across Okeechobee in the Baywinds and River Walk communities travel all the way down to Palm Beach Lakes. My strategy is to bring some of those kids back here. I want more people who live in the area to go to our school.”

Swift said he is looking out for the average resident, accusing Webster of taking money from interests outside Royal Palm Beach.

“I think I represent the voters,” he said.

“If you look at [Webster’s] treasurer’s report, 80 percent of her money comes from outside the village. Who is she representing in terms of money?”

Swift classified himself as a pro-resident candidate who will listen and support residents’ needs but also look to enhance the business community where commercial development is appropriate.

“I’d be aggressive in bringing development to the areas already zoned for it,” Swift said. “For me, residents come first.”

Visit www.dave-swift.com for more information.

crease allowable hedge heights from 6 to 8 feet. “We had many variances for people who wanted 8 feet rather than 6 feet,” Webster said.

Webster also noted that she goes out of her way to serve the needs of residents.

For example, this year she established office hours at village hall so people can come and share their concerns or desires.

She does not see such initiative in her challenger.

“My feeling is that he has spent 20 years sitting on the council, diligently attending meetings and voting with the group of people he has been with,” she said. “But do I think he’s actively involved? I feel I have a passion for it I have not seen in him.”

Over the next two years, Webster would like to put a focus on road repairs. “We had been doing one mile a year of resurfacing,” she said. “I asked, and it has been upped to three miles per year.”

She also wants to see the establishment of a senior living facility near Commons Park and a program to upgrade the village’s canal system.

The top issue in the campaign, Webster said, is whether the village will continue to move forward. “Are we looking at the past or the future?” she asked. “I feel that I represent the future and moving forward.”

Traffic woes continue to be an issue in Royal Palm Beach, even though the prob-

lem has improved in recent years. She said traffic can be improved by increasing connectivity between communities.

“That is the new approach for planning purposes,” she said. “What they’re trying to do is bring communities together, and when you have large freeways cutting right through the middle of towns, or very wide streets going through them, you’re isolating communities. What they are trying to do is provide for more ways in and out.”

Webster opposes urban interchanges or flyovers on Okeechobee Blvd. that have been discussed as an alternative to the completion of Roebuck Road to State Road 7, which she favors. She also supports a Madrid Street connection to SR 7, which was blocked when Swift, a La Mancha resident, was on the council.

“I get calls all the time that people want it open,” she said. “The thought that there is a large majority of people who are opposed to this is not what I’m hearing. You have an isolated group of houses east of La Mancha who desperately want to get out of there. You have a group of people getting in their cars and traveling through the community going west to get down to a light to go east.”

Webster believes that Village Manager Ray Liggins, who replaced Farber upon his untimely death, is doing fairly well. “I think that Ray is a different person, and he has different skills and different tal-

ents,” she said. “He’s a detail man, but I think he has done a good job.”

Regarding the disposition of the former wastewater treatment plant facility off Crestwood Blvd., she said there have been rumors that she wants commercial development there.

“That is absolutely not true,” Webster said, pointing out that she led a resident task force to look into the issue.

“The wastewater treatment plant is 165 acres It is the largest asset we have. I got public input when nobody else did.

I reached out. They came up with a plan, and that plan wasn’t considered by the village.”

She said that Aldi’s decision to build a regional distribution center in the village will bring jobs and economic opportunity. “The good thing about Aldi was that we got a reputation for being a great municipality to work with,” she said.

Webster recently ran afoul of other council members when as liaison to the Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission, she wanted to replace some longtime members. The council refused to consider her recommendations and removed her as liaison. She said her recommendations were in keeping with village policy.

“Last year we had some very outstanding applicants,” she said. “We had two members whose terms were up for renew-

al, and we had one total vacancy. I made a selection to make a recommendation, and unfortunately I wasn’t even able to make my recommendation.”

The issue extended over two meetings, and culminated with Webster trying to make her case and being silenced by Mayor Matty Mattioli.

“I very respectfully let everyone speak.

They went through the process, and I am not the person who stood up and behaved in the manner they did,” she said. “What I regret the most was the treatment that those people who, because I had recommended them, stood up in front of that council and faced public humiliation and bullying.”

Swift is running a campaign that alleges that Webster is an impediment to the council. “I believe that there should be differences of opinion on the council,” Webster said. “I don’t believe we should be in lockstep. I believe that the public wants us to vet every question from every possible angle.”

She said voters should choose her because she will work hard for residents.

“I’m going to go the extra mile, and then some,” Webster said. “I believe in the village, and I believe we all have a place in the village, and I believe it’s a place you can be excited about, not just a little box you go home to.”

For more information, visit Webster’s campaign page on Facebook.

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March 8 - March 14, 2013 Page 9

ELECTION 2013: RPB COUNCIL SEAT 4

Fred Pinto Puts Focus On Leadership, Experience And Results

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Royal Palm Beach Vice Mayor Fred Pinto faces a challenge from teacher Justin Sallenbach in his bid for a sixth two-year term on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council.

Pinto, who has held office since 2003, is seeking re-election to the council’s Seat 4 on Tuesday, March 12.

Pinto said he is better qualified because he brings 20 years of executive experience on Wall Street with three major banking firms, a large software company and international projects under his belt. He also brings leadership experience. As a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard, now retired, his experience includes serving as a battalion commander in the Persian Gulf War. “I have a lot of experience, knowledge and capability to bring to bear for the Village of Royal Palm Beach,” said Pinto, who has also been active with CaribbeanAmericans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) for many years.

When he first ran in 2003, Pinto said the village needed to make significant business decisions in the interest of its longterm prosperity. “That’s what I’ve been doing for the last 10 years,” he said.

Among his top accomplishments was to get the council to agree that it was time to “get out of the police business” and contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

Pinto recalled meeting with Royal Palm Beach Police Chief Ed Stepnowski shortly after joining the council. Stepnowski explained the difficulties he was having keeping talented officers and hiring a force reflecting the village’s growing diversity. The small village force tended to hire new police recruits, just to lose them to larger agencies.

“As I learned the lay of the land, I said, ‘Chief, we will never retain the best and brightest.’ If I was a young person who

wanted to start a law-enforcement career, how much career will I have working in a Mayberry police force?” Pinto recalled telling Stepnowski.

After a year of tense negotiations with the police union, it was the union that first threatened to go to the PBSO, Pinto recalled. “That was perfect,” he said. They opened the door for us on this.”

Pinto said it was an opportunity to get more coverage without additional staff or money. “We had a lot of folks doing administrative stuff that under the PBSO structure we wouldn’t have, so we would take those positions and put them back on the streets,” he said.

In addition, the village also got other law enforcement components Royal Palm Beach could never afford — a SWAT team, a full cadre of detectives, and the mounted and motorcycle components. The village would also become part of the force that already covered the surrounding areas.

Selling the village’s water utility to the county was another major accomplishment, too, although it was also emotional, Pinto said. “There, the business proposition was very easy to make,” he said, explaining that the village’s water utility was profitable but had problems, including the need to invest millions upgrading the operation to comply with Environmental Protection Agency standards.

“We had the water wars going on, where surrounding agencies were trying to encroach on our areas of water rights to sell water, except there were no residents at the time to buy the water, so the problem was we would have to spend $10 million to $15 million laying new pipe to increase the service area,” Pinto said.

Village staff calculated that residents’ water rates would double if they took on the infrastructure improvements themselves.

Negotiations continued with the county, and the village finally agreed to sell its

water utility to the county for $70 million, as well as its utility expansion rights in The Acreage, and collect 10 percent of future revenue in return.

This one decision put the village on strong financial footing to weather the economic storm of the past several years, Pinto noted. “We did not reduce services,” he said. “In fact, we increased services. We did not gut our staff.”

Pinto said the council has also developed a five-year transition strategy that will bring Royal Palm Beach through the downturn in revenue with no tax rate increase.

Pinto said he can best serve residents because he has delivered on his promises. “I said I would bring to bear my business experience and acumen, my leadership ability,” he said. “I have provided leadership on this council since I have been here. I have been an integral part of the major decisions that have been made.”

His most important goal over the next two years is to decide intelligently about how to dispose of the 145-acre former wastewater treatment plant site on the village’s north end.

“That property really belongs to the citizens of this village,” Pinto said, pointing out that surrounding residents have made it clear that residential use is the only compatible use for the land. “I want to put a park there as well. We’ve got the capacity. I’d like to see a nice park on the north side of Okeechobee Blvd.”

However, the time in not right for any such development, Pinto said. Instead, the village should wait for the economy to fully come back. “We’ll put it on the market and get a developer to come in with a plan that addresses what I just shared, and we should be selling that property for $30 million to $35 million,” he said.

Once that happens, Pinto would use the money to liquidate the village’s bond debt on the new Royal Palm Beach Commons Park and build an aquatic center.

“We don’t have our own aquatic facilities,” he said, adding that one is needed to expand athletic programming for youth and could also be used for water safety programs.

Pinto also wants to solidify how to financially support Palm Beach County’s Office of the Inspector General so that the burden is on vendors as was originally intended, not taxpayers.

He predicted the village will not have to raise property taxes due to planning strategies the council has put in place with its current five-year plan, and may be able to reduce the tax rate for fiscal year 2013 without cuts to services. “Right now, based on how we’re tracking through the first quarter, we’re going to be in very good shape,” Pinto said.

To ease traffic, he said the implementation of traffic circles and changing speed limits have worked fairly well.

“We used to have a situation where you come off of Okeechobee Blvd. heading west, where once you crossed State Road 7 it would drop from 50 miles an hour to 35 miles an hour,” he said. “That created an unintentional speed trap for people, and it was dangerous.”

The village has now dropped the speed limit from 50 to 45 west of SR 7, then after Wildcat Way, it decreases to 40 mph the rest of the way through the village.

Pinto is pleased with the job performance of Village Manager Ray Liggins. “I think you have to look at the reality that Ray is still going through a growth phase,” Pinto said, pointing out that Liggins, as village engineer and assistant village manager, was being developed for the job but was thrust into the position with the untimely death of his predecessor, David Farber. “I think his growth from last year to this year has been exponential.”

The Aldi grocery store chain’s decision to locate a regional distribution center in the village is a tremendous success, he

Fred Pinto said. “It’s a classic example of the right application for the right site,” Pinto said, claiming some credit for helping persuade Aldi to choose Royal Palm Beach as opposed to the 26 other locations they were considering.

Pinto recalled telling them that the village already had the zoning for the use they wanted in the perfect location for them. “From that moment, it began moving down the track very rapidly,” he said.

Pinto’s vision for the future of Royal Palm Beach is to hold on to the quality of life that has been established for young families while continuing to serve the community’s senior citizens.

He said voters should vote for him because he has fought and won many battles for residents over the past 10 years and will continue to do so. “I am not a politician, I’m a public servant, and I have one special interest group — the citizens,” Pinto said.

‘I said I would bring to bear my business experience and acumen, my leadership ability,’ Fred Pinto said. ‘I have provided leadership on this council since I have been here. I have been an integral part of the major decisions that have been made.’

Justin Sallenbach Believes RPB Needs New Ideas, Fresh Voices

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Teacher Justin Sallenbach is looking to bring new ideas to the Royal Palm Beach Village Council, challenging Vice Mayor Fred Pinto in the Tuesday, March 12 election. He hopes residents will see his passion and dedication and elect him to Seat 4 on the council.

Sallenbach, 29, moved to the village in July 2009. He was born in West Palm Beach and is a third-generation Floridian. He has been married for a year and teaches alternative-education students at Turning Points Academy, which serves children with behavioral issues.

Sallenbach received his bachelor’s degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2006 and his master’s degree in educational leadership from the American College of Education in 2011. He’s now training to become an assistant administrator with the Palm Beach County School District.

Among his top accomplishments, Sallenbach served as vice president of the Greenway Village North Homeowners’ Association. And although he’s a political newcomer, he said he would bring fresh ideas to the council.

“This is a first for me,” Sallenbach said.

“But I have a hard-work attitude, and I come with a different kind of mind-set.

Often the mind-set I see from the top down in politics is about the law; my background is in service.”

He chose to run rather than join a board because he has spent many years volunteering and wanted to play a larger role in village policies. “I want to help better the lives of those around me,” he said.

Sallenbach believes residents want better services and lower taxes, something he’d work hard to make happen. He also

seeks to help the village’s businesses by offering incentives. “There’s many vacancies that need to be filled,” he said. “Additionally, 40 percent of the land zoned for commercial development is undeveloped.”

With so much commercial space for larger businesses to come into the village, Sallenbach said he doesn’t understand why anyone would want to develop the village’s former wastewater treatment plant site.

“I don’t know why anyone would want to go out and rezone the land when we still have other land on the corridor closer to State Road 7,” he said.

Instead, he would like to see the property stay residential or perhaps be the site of an assisted-living facility. The space could also be a location for an after-school program.

Sallenbach said he would like to see more projects like the Aldi distribution center come to Royal Palm Beach so some of the property that’s already commercially zoned can be developed. “I’d like to see more projects along those lines,” he said, “but not near residential facilities.”

Sallenbach hopes additional business revenue could help lower the village tax rate and also help bolster programs providing services to residents.

“I believe in having a savings fund,” he said. “I’d also like to try to build an afterschool program. Many of our children come from working-class families, and for some reason the school district doesn’t provide after-school programs. I’d like to see us have that.”

He believes the village could provide tutoring and organized recreation along with after-school care. “We have a growing number of students in the area, and I think that’s something that could keep them out of trouble,” Sallenbach said.

Money could also go to help with improvements around the village, such as roads, Sallenbach said.

“I’d like to have more efficient roads,” he said. “People want better outlets, but at the same time other residents don’t want those outlets because they’d run through residential communities.”

Sallenbach said it’s about finding a balance. “Right now, the commute times for Royal Palm Beach residents are 35 to 40 minutes on average,” he said. “To me, those can be cut.”

For that reason, he supports the extension of State Road 7 to Northlake Blvd.

“If we could put more outlets but put things like speed bumps in, you could go through residential areas without having to worry about speeding and heavy traffic,” he said. “That is a real concern for residents.”

Sallenbach said he might support opening the berm at Madrid Street in La Mancha to the SR 7 extension, “but not if our residential communities are going to be getting blown through by traffic,” he said, adding that he’d like to see Royal Palm Beach consider less costly traffic calming measures than roundabouts.

“I’d like to see resourceful spending toward our roads,” Sallenbach said.

“When I did the research, I found that roundabouts are very expensive to build.

I do believe they look great, but I think you can save money.”

Before he would be willing to cut Royal Palm Beach’s budget, he said he would push for the business initiatives. “I wouldn’t want to make more cuts,” he said. “I’d rather find some way to sell more property to the county. It may not be the best solution, but if it would save jobs, I’d do it.”

Another way for residents to save mon-

ey, Sallenbech said, is to reduce permit fees to help promote investment in homes.

“There’s some permits I’d like to see amended to promote the growth of property values,” he said. “If families want to make additions to their properties, I understand there is a fee. I believe that fee is 30 percent of the original permit fee, and I’d like to see that lowered. Many residents are having a hard time bettering their homes because of that. It may not seem like a lot to those who are more affluent, but for working-class people, that’s tough.”

Sallenbach believes Village Manager Ray Liggins is doing a good job in his position. “He’s made a lot of good decisions,” he said. “I think he’s doing a good job getting more businesses into the area.”

Sallenbach said he chose to challenge Pinto because he believes the incumbent has become too complacent in the past several years. “I think he lacks a lot in his work ethic, specifically in the last two years,” Sallenbach said. “I know my opponent has a lot of experience; that’s not what it’s about. I’m a common man with common sense, and it’s about representing my village residents.”

Sallenbach said Pinto has not been an active liaison to the Planning & Zoning Commission or the Education Advisory Board.

“He’s not mandated to show up, but I think being there face to face is the best way to communicate,” he said. “If you’re not at the meetings, well, that’s the bare minimum of getting the job done.”

He also pointed to Pinto’s employment with County Commissioner Jess Santamaria. “The conflict of interest he had with the county is evident,” Sallenbach said.

Though Pinto has done good for Royal

Justin Sallenbach Palm Beach, Sallenbach believes there should be more opportunity for new voices on the council and would support term limits for council members.

“It would have to be voter-initiated, but I think serving for eight years is enough,” he said. “It gives others the opportunity to have a voice.”

Sallenbach said he would strongly advocate for residents and asked them to get out and vote for him on March 12.

“I will put our residents above everything else,” he said. “I believe in the power of the people. You’re only as good as the people who vote you into office. As a councilman, I will start by listening to each and every resident, hearing all sides of the story.”

For more information, visit www.justin forroyalpalmbeach.com.

‘This is a first for me,’ Justin Sallenbach said. ‘But I have a hard-work attitude, and I come with a different kind of mind-set. Often the mind-set I see from the top down in politics is about the law; my background is in service.’

Page 10 March 8 - March 14, 2013

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NEWS BRIEFS Joint Pain Talk Set For March 26 The Center for Bone and Joint Surgery will present a discussion

by Dr. Jorge Acevedo on Tuesday, March 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.).

Acevedo will present a seminar on foot and ankle pain with remedies designed for people of all ages who may be experiencing joint pain. The seminar is free and open to all ages, and lunch will be provided.

Acevedo is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with advanced fellowship training in foot and ankle surgery. He is one of only a few surgeons in Florida performing total ankle replacement on the arthritic ankle. Acevedo is also recognized as a pioneer in “arthroscopic lateral ankle ligament reconstruction.” As the inventor of this technique, he has more experience with this procedure than anyone in the United States today. His other areas of specialization include sports medicine, lower extremity conditions and platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy injections.

To register for the free Lunch & Learn seminar, call (561) 753-2489

Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or stop by the Wellington Community Center.

Spaghetti Dinner Benefit March 10 A spaghetti dinner to benefit the veteran and youth programs of the General A.A. Vandegrift Detachment 068, Marine Corps League of Palm Beach County will be held Sunday, March 10 at the Elks Lodge (6188 Belvedere Rd.) from 3 to 7 p.m. Guests are invited to enjoy dinner, an auction, raffle items, a 50/50 auction and karaoke.

Tickets cost $8 for adults and children 13 and older, and $5 for children 5 to 12 years old. Donations are also being accepted. For tickets, call Manuel Moreno Jr. at (561) 328-9392 or e-mail towtech@palm beachmcl.org.

Irish-Themed Jam March 15 Residents are invited to “get their green on” at the Acreage Community Park Jam’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration Saturday, March 15 from 5 to 10 p.m. at Acreage Community Park (6701 140th Ave. North).

Hosted by the Acreage Landowners’ Association and the Indian Trail Improvement District, the event will feature musicians, comedians and other artists to entertain the crowd. Additionally, the Holy Cow Food Truck will be on site serving up delicious meals, and there will be a Classic Cruisers car show as well as a 50/50 raffle.

Guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets for seating.

Glass containers are not permitted.

Musicians and entertainers of all ages and skill levels are invited to perform. Those intending to perform can sign up at www. acreagelandowners.org, or by emailing bobrenna@bellsouth.net.

Sign ups or walk-on entertainment the day of the jam are also welcome. The stage will be set up with an audio system and some instruments for use.

Women’s Club Scholarship Women of the Western Communities is offering $500 to local students as part of the 2013 WWC College Scholarship Awards. Applicants must live in the western communities, be graduating by

June 2013 and be accepted into an accredited college degree program.

To apply, students must submit their high school transcripts, records of community service hours and an essay titled “What my education means to me and how I will use it to benefit society.” Applications must be submitted by April 20 to be eligible for consideration.

Students can pick up applications at the guidance offices of all high schools in the western communities, or may request an application by e-mailing marge_hartig @prodigy.net. For more information, contact Marge Hartig-Specht at (561) 309-7202.

Yoga Classes In Wellington The Wellington Community center is offering two new yoga classes for children and beginning adults.

“Kids Yoga,” for ages 7 to 10, will be held Wednesday evenings from March 13 to May 1. Classes run from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and are taught by instructor Fernanda Beccaglia. The eight-week session costs $80 for residents and $100 for non-residents. The classes fo-

cus on teaching children the physical and emotional benefits of yoga in their daily lives, as well as how to focus, relax and control their bodies by promoting strength, flexibility, coordination and body awareness.

A second class, “Gentle Yoga” will focus on beginners. It is designed as an introduction and will begin with the basics and history of yoga. Classes will follow a natural progression as students become more adept at the practice of yoga. They will learn the basic classical Sivananda Yoga routine, which offers breathing exercises, warm-up, stretching, postures and relaxation. Classes will run Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. from March 13 to May 5. The eight-week session costs $96 for residents and $120 for nonresidents.

For more information, call Community Programs Manager Michelle Garvey at (561) 791-4082.

March 22 IPC Event Benefits Local Causes The International Polo Club Palm Beach will host “An Evening

of Great Expectations” on Friday, March 22 from 6 to 11 p.m. Proceeds will benefit Grandma’s Place in Royal Palm Beach and the mission and outreach programs at St. David’s in the Pines Episcopal Church in Wellington.

The event will offer guests a relaxed, tropical evening that will include a cocktail hour, silent and live auctions, buffet dinner, and live tropical music.

Grandma’s Place provides shelter and loving care to children who have suffered abuse and/or neglect, and have been removed from their own homes by Florida courts.

St. David’s in the Pines vital ministries provide meals to two community soup kitchens; organize blood drives, school supply drives and toiletry drives for the homeless; provide Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas presents to children of incarcerated parents; deliver meals to the sick and bereaved; and host nine weekly meetings for people in recovery trying to reform their lives.

Individual tickets cost $125, and sponsorship and corporate tables are available. For more information, call (561) 753-3389, e-mail mbg@phelpsmediagroup.com or visit www.grandmasplacepb.org.

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NEWS

RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY OPENS NEW ROYAL PALM BEACH COMMONS PARK

Royal P alm Beach held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday, March 2 for the long-awaited Royal Palm Beach Commons Park. Guests were treated to hors d’oeurves by Tuxedo Gourmet as well as a Food Truck Invasion. Kids tried out the new playscapes, and everyone enjoyed music and entertainment. A larger grand opening celebration is set for Friday, March 22 through Sunday, March 24. For more info., visit www.royalpalmbeach.com.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Vice Mayor Fred Pinto, Mayor Matty Mattioli, and council members Martha Webster and Richard Valuntas at the ribbon cutting.

Tim Woodcock and Allie Vermilye.

Winsom Martin and Morgan and Mark Shim enjoy a snack.

Ni Ma Lion Dance Team performs at the opening ceremony.

Ryan McEwen with Neo and Jessica Nadeau with Teddy.

Bonnie and Reese Kelly join Bridgette, Ava and Nick DiPace to enjoy lunch on the lawn.

Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation staff at the new park.

CENTRAL PBC CHAMBER MIXER KICKS OFF ROYAL PALM ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce held a mixer Wednesday, Feb. 27 at Tree’s Wings & Ribs in Royal Palm Beach.

Members gathered for socializing and networking while enjoying ribs, chicken wings and more. The event served as the last meeting of the Royal Palm Art & Music Festival event committee before the March 9-10 event. For more info., visit www.cpbchamber.com.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

The Royal Palm Art & Music Festival Event Committee.

Jessica Clasby and Ronnie De Manna.

Joan Scherer and Andrew Burr.

Central PBC Chamber CEO Jaene Miranda, Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, Tree’s Wings manager Erin Peel, and the chamber’s Jessica Clasby and Mary Lou Bedford.

VOTE TUESDAY, MARCH 12 ENDORSEMENTS: ‡ 3DOP %HDFK &RXQW\ 3ROLFH %HQHYROHQW $VVRFLDWLRQ ‡ 3URIHVVLRQDO )LUHÀJKWHUV DQG 3DUDPHGLFV RI 3DOP %HDFK &RXQW\ ‡ 5HDOWRUV $VVRFLDWLRQ RI WKH 3DOP %HDFKHV

FRED PINTO has served as our Councilman for the past ten years. During that time, Fred’s accomplishments include: ✔ fighting for an independent Inspector General. ✔ leadership selling the village water utility and water rights, bringing in $70 million in revenues. ✔ holding the line on taxes – no increases in the property tax rate! ✔ keeping the former water treatment plant site residential, compatible with surrounding homes. ✔ increasing the speed limit on Okeechobee Boulevard to 40 mph. ✔ leadership in the transition to PBSO, saving our residents money and decreasing response times. ✔ supporting extending State Rd. 7 to Northlake Boulevard, to further alleviate traffic in the village. ✔ more parks and recreation facilities, including the new Commons Park.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ‡ County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, Executive Assistant ‡ Salomon Brothers, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley; Technology Executive ‡ Memco, Inc., Technology Consultant ‡ U.S. Army, Retired Lt. Colonel EDUCATION ‡ Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Business Administration, Fordham University ‡ U.S. Army Command and General Staff College CIVIC INVOLVEMENT ‡ 3DOP %HDFK &RXQW\ &DXFXV RI %ODFN (OHFWHG 2I¿FLDOV Past President ‡ Caribbean American for Community Involvement (CAFCI), Past President and Member ‡ Palm Beach County Fair Housing/Equal Employment Opportunity Board, Former Member ‡ American Cancer Society, Palm Beach County Chapter, 561-352-5748 Former Board Member and Treasurer

)UHG 3LQWR ÀJKWLQJ WR SURWHFW RXU TXDOLW\ RI OLIH Political advertisement paid for and approved by Fred Pinto for Royal Palm Beach Village Council, Seat 4.

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ADVERTORIAL

Wellington residents overwhelmingly want strong protection of Equestrian Preserve INDEPENDENT POLL SHOWS Residents in the Village of Wellington in Palm Beach County strongly support the preservation of the Wellington Equestrian Preserve and the direction the Wellington Village Council is taking the village, an independent public opinion poll shows.

The Wellington Equestrian Preservation Alliance commissioned the poll, conducted Feb. 20-22 by Florida-based polling firm Vancore Jones/Clearview Research of Tallahassee, of 300 registered voters in Wellington.

“Overall, the residents of this Palm Beach County Village enjoy their community, like where things are headed and – in particular – they are very protective of the Equestrian Preserve,” said lead pollster Steve Vancore. “These numbers, along the high satisfaction indices, represent a stark contrast from the rest of the country (and even our state) where most citizens are expressing high levels of dissatisfaction with the direction of things.”

%

84

LIKE

3:1POSITIVE!

The Village of Wellington has dedicated and set aside a portion of the village as an Equestrian Preserve.

A positive ratio of 3:1 have favorable feelings toward the Wellington Village Council.

%

7O

AGREE THE VILLAGE OF WELLINGTON

should do whatever it takes to protect and maintain the

EQUESTRIAN PRESERVE.

64

%

WANT LESS COMMERCIAL

4 out of 5 agree

DEVELOPMENT

The Equestrian Preserve is important to the economy and quality of life in the Village of Wellington.

The results indicate that Village of overwhelmingly like this new course Wellington residents are feeling very and believe that we are finally headed in good about their new Village Council the right direction. As for the Equestrian as well as protecting the local Equestrian Preserve, Villagers are very clear – ‘Hands Preserve,” said Mat Forrest, executive off this precious resource!’” Vancore EQUESTRIAN PRESERVATION ALLIANCE, INC. director of the Wellington Equestrian added, “These results show a wellPreservation Alliance. “The new Wellington Village Council has informed group of citizens who are very comfortable with their focused on protecting the preserve from over-development and local political leaders, the direction of things in their community on being more accountable to residents,” Forrest said. “Villagers and especially the protection of the Equestrian Preserve.”

WELLINGTON wellingtonalliance.org facebook.com/wellingtonalliance

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NEWS

DRESSAGE DERBY BARBECUE RAISES MONEY FOR EQUESTRIAN AID FOUNDATION The fifth annual Equestrian Aid Foundation Inspection Reception fundraiser was held Thursday, Feb. 28 at the Palm Beach Dressage Derby. The event included a barbecue dinner, live and silent auctions and special guest speaker Courtney King-Dye. For more info., visit www.equestrianaidfoundation.org.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Karin Of field, Mary Phelps and Sheryl Kursar.

Event organizer Mary Phelps displays one of the live auction items, breeding to top stallion Sandro Hit.

Courtney King-Dye, who represented the United States in the 2008 Olympics, discusses her struggles after her riding accident.

Tom and Carol Lavell enjoy the barbecue dinner.

Margee Koffler displays a live auction item.

Sheryl Kursar with dressage Olympian Robert Dover.

Mack and Judy McGaughan with their live auction win, a Super Bowl football signed by Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

WELLINGTON WOMEN BOWLERS RAISE MONEY FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH The Wellington Women Bowling League held its annual Bowl for the Cure event Wednesday, Feb. 27 at Greenacres Bowl. The league, which includes many breast cancer survivors, held the bowling event to raise money for breast cancer research. The event included a Chinese auction with gifts from various sponsors. SEE VIDEO FROM THIS EVENT AT WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Bea Weiss and Dottie Smith bowl for a great cause.

Carol Brummett won a gift basket.

Gail Rider gets ready to bowl.

Shelly Johnston, Lavinia Olson, and Dee Rolfe.

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SCHOOL NEWS

The Town-Crier

Western Pines Honors Students Of The Month

SRHS SECME Team — (Front row, L-R): Ed Batchelor and Erich Landstrom; (back row): Nicholas Smith, Kimberly Smith, Kyle Reilly, Patrick Dickson, Kyle Whirlo w, Victoria Simmons, James Carter, Cody Summerlin, Jarrett Rimel and Sam Smith.

SECME Hawks Soar To Silver Seminole Ridge High School’s SECME Club won five trophies and ribbons at the 2013 SECME Regional Olympiad, including second place overall, as teams from 16 district high schools participated Feb. 23 in the engineering contests at Santaluces High School.

Students squared off in racing mousetrap-powered model cars, launching model rockets and building unbreakable balsa wood bridges. Students also took part in general knowledge games during the Brain Bowl, and in literary and artistic competitions with essays, banners and posters. The competition was fierce.

SRHS students took first place in water rocket (Team Osprey), second place in banner, second place in water rocket (Team Seniors), honorable mention in balsa wood bridge and second place overall in the entire district.

SECME coordinators Ed Batchelor and Erich Landstrom, along with Principal James Campbell, congratulate the Hawks on their awesome achievements.

• Hawk Artist Showcase Finalist — More than 700 students and film industry professionals will come together March 15 to honor the Student Showcase of Films (SSOF) finalists, chosen out of a record-breaking number of entries.

Out of nearly 300 submissions, the Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF), in collaboration with the Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission, will award this next generation of Florida filmmakers with more than

$10,000 in cash and scholarships.

Among the showcase artists is Hawk videographer David Freund, whose commercial PSA “Above the Influence” is a first-place finalist. The winners of this year’s competition will walk the red carpet and receive awards in front of more than 700 attendees.

• Battalion Brings Home Drill Honors — On Feb. 23, the JROTC Hawk Battalion competed in a drill meet with area high schools Jupiter, Dwyer, Atlantic and Forest Hill, bringing home several honors: SRHS took first place for Female Armed Squad. Congratulations to commander Kimberly Waddell and her squaddies: Elaine Batres, Desiree Galavan, Elizabeth Outten, Ashley Rice, Shyanne Rocky and Shelby Shackelford.

In Armed Squad, SRHS took the gold under commander John Christian, along with squad members James Aspenwall, Dominick Barnes, James Bukowski, John DiCampli, Vincent Luciano-Sileo, Christopher Mitton and Jose Ruiz.

Cadet Hunter Grabbe, along with cadet John Christian, won first place in Dual Exhibition.

Cadet commander Devon Breen and squaddies Benoit Cloutier, Michael Garrity, Ben Hoffman, Cody Kline, Chris Outten and Will Smith qualified for second place in Male Unarmed Squad.

Cadet Ashley Rice won second place, and cadet James Bukowski took third, in the extremely competitive knockout competition, in which every cadet from all schools participated.

Western Pines Middle School Principal Bob Hatcher is proud to honor this month’s students of the month. The students were selected by the math teachers as students of excellence in and out of the classroom.

Sixth grader Tyann Bedwell is as sweet as can be. Since her teacher’s recent accident, she has come in early in the morning to run copies and offer any other assistance to make her teacher’s life so much easier. She is a wonderful student and a great young lady.

Seventh grader Sydney Panzone is a joy to teach. She does everything that is asked of her. She is responsible in every way. She

shows tremendous respect for her teachers, her peers and the learning environment. Sydney consistently demonstrates superior academic excellence and self-discipline.

Eighth grader Ryan Connell is an excellent student who consistently strives to do his best. He has really outdone himself in math this past month. He currently takes two high school credited math classes and won first place in the Math Mania Contest for the online division, and then continued with another math contest and finished first for the school.

His motivation and enthusiasm never ends.

Ryan Connell, Sydney Panzone, Tyann Bedwell with Western Pines Principal Bob Hatcher.

Golden Grove Hosts ‘Jump Rope For Heart’ Golden Grove recently hosted its ninth annual Jump Rope for Heart event.

The students jumped at the chance to help fight heart disease and stroke, deadly diseases that have touched the lives of many students and faculty members.

On Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, students jumped rope to raise money for the American Heart Association, which funds cardiovascular disease research, as well as public and professional education programs.

Jump Rope for Heart is co-sponsored by the American Heart Association and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Jump

Rope for Heart has been teaching kids the importance of a healthy heart for 34 years.

Golden Grove has collected over $89,443 through nine years of participation. This year, the school collected $10,372 in donations for the American Heart Association.

Each child in grades K through 5 participated in the event. They will receive thank you gifts from the American Heart Association.

The Physical Education Department will receive a gift certificate from U.S. Games.

The Top 4 Fundraisers were: Luis & Hermione Napoles, $1,000; Isabelle Zullo, $575; and Kaitlyn Barnes, $530.

Golden Grove’s top donors Luis and Hermoine Napoles.

Br yanna Youmans, Nisa Pierre, Kyndal Shaf fer, Alani Milledge and Brooke Reeves

NEW HORIZONS KIDS VISIT ‘ELLIS ISLAND’

Social studies recently came to life at New Horizons Elementary School. Through lessons in their classrooms and the media center, second grade students identified their country of origin, researched information, made “passports,” dressed in native costumes and traveled through “Ellis Island,” visiting each station before they “entered” the United States. Pictured here is Marjorie Dickerman with her class on their voyage to Ellis Island.

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PALMS WEST PEOPLE

Shopping Wish Comes True For Area Teen Thanks to Make-A-Wish and UnitedHealthcare, the shopping spree wish of a Wellington teen came true last month.

Rachel, 17, lives with disease of the circulatory system. When presented with an opportunity for a wish, she chose to go on a shopping spree. UnitedHealthcare sponsored Rachel’s wish through its national alliance with Make-AWish to support the organization and its mission of granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Rachel loves clothes and shopping at the mall. During her treatment, she was on steroids that caused weight gain. She has lost some of that weight and looked forward to shopping for new clothes.

While visiting Sawgrass Mills on Saturday, Feb. 2, Rachel took a break from shopping to get her nails done.

“We are very happy to see that UnitedHealthcare’s national alliance with Make-A-Wish was able

to provide Rachel with a shopping spree,” said Nick Zaffiris, CEO of UnitedHealthcare South Florida.

“As a health and well-being company, we work every day to make a difference in our communities, and we are honored to be a part of this wish.”

As part of a renewed three-year, $3 million alliance, each of the organization’s 62 chapters is eligible to receive wish-granting funds.

UnitedHealth Group has funded more than 1,250 wishes beginning with its initial three-year, $4.5 million alliance in 2007.

Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, Make-AWish is now the largest wishgranting charity in the world.

With the help of generous donors and more than 30,000 volunteers worldwide, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 280,000 wishes around the world since its inception. For more information, visit www.wish.org.

Royal Palm Beach Jaycees Reunion — (L-R) Phil Wenzofsky, Maggie Wenzofsky, Dinorah Shoben, Kim Leland, David Leland, Joan Scherer, Mike Saucier, Bruce Elkind and Scott Snyder.

(Above) Rachel started off her wish day with a manicure.

(Below) Rachel fills the limo with her purchases.

Former members of the Royal Palm Beach Jaycees held their “First Reunion Get-Together” on Feb. 20 at Francesca’s Pizza & Wine Bar on Okeechobee Blvd.

Emphasizing the fact that it has been at least 15 years since many of these members have gotten together, former Jaycees President Scott Snyder said that he felt the timing was right for the reunion.

The Jaycees were known for their community service projects.

During the group’s “golden years” between 1980 and 1995, the organization was known for its Hallow-

Good Earth Farm Works With Cerebral Palsy Kids The Good Earth Farm in Loxahatchee Groves hosted children from United Cerebral Palsy on Monday, Feb. 25 for some animalassisted therapy under the direction of Nancy Fried-Tobin.

Animal-assisted therapy is a great way to relax the nervous system, Fried-Tobin said. “It’s also great for little kids who can’t express themselves and older peo-

ple who also can’t formulate their desires and needs,” she said. “It’s a bonding with animals that happens very quickly without the risk and anxiety of riding.”

Fried-Tobin offered this service to the group for free during the month of February.

Similar organizations interested in this service are invited to call (561) 792-2666.

Cody Pervenecki Graduates From Marine Training

Training subjects included closeorder drill, marksmanship, physical fitness, martial arts, swimming, military history, customs and courtesies.

One week prior to graduation, Pervenecki endured the Crucible, a 54-hour final test of recruits’ minds and bodies. Upon completion, recruits are presented the Marine Corps emblem and called Marines for the first time.

Pervenecki is a 2012 graduate of Royal Palm Beach High School.

Marine Corps Pfc. Cody Pervenecki, son of Peggy and Robert Pervenecki, earned the title of United States Marine after graduating from recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C. For 13 weeks, Pervenecki stayed committed during some of the world’s most demanding entrylevel military training in order to be transformed from civilian to Marine instilled with pride, discipline, and the core values of honor, courage and commitment.

U.S. Navy Honors Allen’s Battalion Navy Lt. Christopher B. Allen, a 2000 graduate of Wellington High

Royal Palm Jaycees Gather For Reunion een haunted house, operation of teen dances, golf tournaments and Christmas tree sales, among other projects. Unfortunately, as members “aged out,” the organization began to dwindle.

Several members went on to join the fledgling Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club, continuing the spirit of “community service being the best work of life” — the last line of the Jaycee Creed. Members are planning on having another reunion later this year, in time to reflect on the Halloween Haunted House projects.

BENEFIT FOR BETHANY School, along with other Sailors attached to the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 recently received the Rear Admiral Eugene J. Peltier Award for fiscal year 2012.

Units selected for this prestigious award are recognized leaders in the naval construction force in safety, overall performance, readiness, construction accomplishment, equipment management, logistics programs, retention and training.

NMCB-11 completed an eightmonth deployment in Afghanistan during 2012 in which the battalion set the stage for the surge drawdown of U.S. and coalition forces and eventual transfer of mission

to the Afghan forces. NMCB-11 is a Seabee battalion specializing in contingency construction, disaster response and humanitarian assistance.

The battalion is homeported in Gulfport, Miss.

Perez On BU Dean’s List Nina S. Perez of Wellington has recently been named to the Dean’s List at Boston University for the fall semester. Boston University is the fourth-largest independent university in the United States, with an enrollment of more than 29,000 students in its 17 schools and colleges.

Bethany Smale (far right) is pictured with her family on Feb. 21 at the Chick-fil-A restaurant in Wellington, which held a fundraiser for the 12-year-old diagnosed with a ventricular brain tumor. Her family wears shir ts in her honor that say, “Brain Tumors Suck.” Two area Chick-fil-A restaurants held fundraisers to benefit Bethany Smale as she prepares for brain surgery.

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POLO & EQUESTRIAN

Alegria Polo Team Wins The C.V. Whitney Cup Tournament At IPC An action-packed day of polo had three cup titles being awarded with two at the 26-goal level and one in the International Polo Club’s final 20-goal tournament of the year.

Two years ago, Lechuza Caracas scored an 11-7 win in the fi-

nals of the C. V. Whitney Cup over a Hawks team led by Mariano Aguerre and Julian Mannix. This year, Aguerre and Mannix exacted their revenge as they captured the 2013 C.V. Whitney Cup championship in a 14-10 win Sunday afternoon.

Chukker with Dr. Scott McCranels of the YMCA, Shallyn and Shan Robinson, IPC’s John Wash and Lou Galterio.

After tying in the first two chukkers, 2-2 and 4-4, Alegria combined two goals in offense with shutout defense for a 6-4 halftime lead.

On the strength of a pair of goals from Facundo Obregon, Alegria extended their lead to three goals, 8-5, in the fourth, and led by four goals, 12-8, after the fifth. Alegria matched Lechuza goal for goal in the final chukker, withAlegria taking the game and the tournament trophy in a 14-10 victory.

Obregon set the pace for the day with eight goals, all on penalty shots, and was named MVP for his efforts. Ulloa added three goals for the win with Aguerre scoring twice and Mannix getting credit for a single goal. Ulloa’s 7-year-old chestnut American Thoroughbred mare Mia received Best Playing Pony honors. Pieres led the Lechuza attack with four goals. Vargas was credited with three goals.

Nero scored twice and Elizalde registered a single goal in the loss.

In the morning opener, the much-anticipated final of the 2013 Iglehart Cup fell apart when Crab Orchard withdrew from the competition, allowing the team they beat in the semifinals, Port Mayaca, to advance to the finals against Villa Del Lago.

Villa Del Lago had to spot the 19-goal Port Mayaca team one goal by handicap, but an aggressive Villa Del Lago offense took advantage of a number of fouls to run up a 7-5 halftime score, a two-goal lead that would stand up until the final chukker when a Port Mayaca rally would fall a goal short in the 13-12 Villa Del Lago victory.

Trailing 11-9 after the fifth, Port Mayaca made a run for it in the final chukker. Single goals from Arellano and Marianito Obregon tied it up at 11-11. Guille Aguero scored the go-ahead goal for Villa Del Lago, 12-11 in the waning moments of the period, but an Arellano penalty conversion locked it

The Alegria polo team claims the C.V. Whitney Cup. PHOTOGRAPHY BY LILA PHOTO

up again at 12-12. Fittingly enough, Laprida’s 11th goal of the match carried Villa Del Lago to the 13-12 victory in the final 20-goal tournament of the season.

Laprida registered eleven goals on the day, seven on penalty conversions, and received MVP honors. Teammates Aguero and AgusSee POLO, page 22

Team USA Claims Nations Cup At Winter Equestrian Festival Week eight of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival featured the $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup last Friday and the Hollow Creek Farm FEI Children’s, Junior and Young Rider Nations Cups last Saturday.

The powerhouse U.S. show jumping team of Kent Farrington, Reed Kessler, Laura Kraut and Beezie Madden earned victory in last Friday night’s $75,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup presented by G&C Farm. Teams representing seven different countries participated in the evening’s competition, with a win for Team USA

over Canada in second and Germany in third.

Friday’s nights Nations Cup competition consisted of two rounds shown over a challenging course set by designer Anthony D’Ambrosio of Red Hook, NY. Teams of four represented the countries of Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Germany, USA, Colombia and Venezuela.

After the first round, each team dropped their highest score. In the second round, all seven teams returned in order of highest to lowest total faults. The winner was determined by the lowest total of

Reed Kessler rides Cylana during Nations Cup competition.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SPORTFOT PHOTO

each team’s top three riders from each round.

The winning team from the United States was represented by Farrington aboard RCG Farm’s Uceko, Reed Kessler and her Cylana, Laura Kraut and Cherry Knoll Farm’s Cedric and Beezie Madden riding Abigail Wexner’s Simon under the guidance of new Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland.

In round one, Farrington had four faults while Kessler, Kraut and Madden all jumped clear rounds to lead the way into the second phase of competition. In round two, Farrington and Kessler each jumped clear rounds, Kraut and Cedric had four faults, and when it was determined that Team USA could not be beat, the team decided that Madden and Simon did not have to jump. They finished on a two round total of four faults for the victory.

The Young Rider Nations Cup was a close class, with teams USA and Canada coming into round two tied at the top, and the American riders taking the win. Colombia and Brazil also showed in the final round and finished third and fourth respectively.

The U.S. team, represented by Catherine Pasmore and Pasmore Stables’ Z Canta, Mattias Tromp and Beyaert Farm Inc.’s Casey, Abigail McArdle and David

McArdle’s Cosma 20, and Liza Finsness and Ormsby Hilll, was coached by Chef d’Equipe Michelle Grubb.

McArdle and Cosma 20 put in the only double clear rounds for Team USA. Pasmore was the drop score of eight in round one, but came back strong to jump clear in the second round. Tromp had one time fault in the first round and five faults in round two. Finsness had four faults in round one and then did not have to return in round two after it was determined that their team could not be beat. Team USA finished on ten faults total.

The Canadian team finished in second on a 15 point total. Their riders included Bretton Chad aboard Santa Catarina LS, owned

by Stone Ridge Farms LLC, Nicole Walker riding High Yummy, Amelia Vernon on Jaime Auletto’s Udolente, and Kara Chad riding Alberto II, owned by Stone Ridge Farms.

The Hollow Creek Farm FEI Junior Nations Cup had six teams make it to the second round of competition with a win for Brazil.

The teams of Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, USA and Argentina all showed under the lights on Saturday night.

It was another close class as teams USA and Mexico each went into round two with four faults, Brazil with six and Venezuela with

eight. Brazil scored the victory as three of their riders cleared the second round course, and they were able to drop one four fault score to stay on six faults.

The winning junior Brazilian team consisted of Carolina Drummond riding LaLa de la Hurie, owned by Madame Catherine Potin, Sofia Scheer riding Stoeterij Zangersheide’s Levin Z, Giulia Scampini riding Constantino Scampini’s Keep On Fighting, and Fernando Penteado riding Petit Paul de Beaufou, owned by M. Eric Levallois Et S.A.R.L Pilou. They were coached by Chef d’Equipe Caio Sergio de Carvalho.

Scampini was the only rider from Brazil’s junior team to jump two clear rounds in the class. Drummond had four and four, Scheer had two time faults and then a clear round, and Penteado had eight and zero.

Carvalho also coached Brazil’s children’s team to a victory in the Hollow Creek Farm FEI Children’s Nations Cup, where four teams were eligible to return for the second round. The teams from the United States, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina were represented.

In the end, it was extremely close between Brazil and Argentina, and Brazil took top prize.

The team from Brazil had only three riders compete in the two

rounds of competition after one of their riders had to withdraw from the competition, so all of their scores counted. Their competitors included Siew Chiang Cheng riding Up to You, owned by Yuri M. Guerios, Laura Ramos Rait riding LF Ponderosa, owned by Lincon Goncalves Fernandes, and Vittorio Burger riding Yves Sportiello’s Cheese Z. Fourteen-year-old Ramos Rait and LF Ponderosa were the only pair to jump two clear rounds for team Brazil on their way to a win in the children’s class. Ponderosa is an eight-year-old Finnish mare who Rait deemed, “the best mare in the world.”

The children’s team from Argentina was represented by Candela Oyarzabal riding La Pasion Arkansas Z, owned by Omar Gonzalez, Melina Vernengo riding Luis Vernengo’s Nero, Manuel Chechic riding Hector Chechic’s Margarita J I A, and Iara Veron riding Norit Larino, owned by Marcelo Luis Brandolino.

The Winter Equestrian Festival features 12 weeks of competition.

For full results, visit www.show groundslive.com. The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center is located at 14440 Pierson Road, Wellington. For more information, visit www.equestriansport.com or call (561) 793-5867.

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NEWS

CAMPAIGN RECEPTION FOR TODD MCLENDON HELD IN LOXAHATCHEE GROVES Loxahatchee Groves Town Council candidate Todd McLendon held a campaign reception Saturday, Feb. 23 at the home of Laura Tindall. There was a steady flow of residents who turned out to speak with McLendon and hear what his positions are regarding issues of their concern. It was a good time for neighbors to relax and get to know each other while enjoying delicious food. There were bounce house activities to keep the children busy while the grownups talked. McLendon is challenging Vice Mayor Jim Rockett in the March 12 election. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Todd McLendon talks with the Molina family.

Lox Code

Will Not Be Pro-Active

continued from page 1 vehicles on the premises. By nature, a mechanic’s shop has to have inoperable vehicles on the premises. I doubt that there’s anything cited there that’s egregious.”

Voren said the original discussion was to regulate manure and trash haulers who were dumping in Loxahatchee Groves illegally. “It wasn’t to allow code enforcement to raid the plaza and write everybody up for everything they could find,” he said. “This is completely against everything we were promised when we incorporated. All we are doing is hurting hard-working, honest people.”

Councilman Ron Jarriel said that when the council had discussed going to proactive code enforcement, it was intended for health hazards or other dangerous circumstances.

“I always felt like if we do not have a complaint, then we need to leave it alone,” he said.

Jarriel pointed out that a 25-foot storage container, which Al’s Automotive was cited for, is in the corner of the lot where the owner stores his tools and does not impair ingress or egress. He added that the shop owner keeps his

Polo

Gold Cup To Begin

continued from page 21 tin Obregon added single goals for the win. Arellano and Marianito Obregon scored five times each for Port Mayaca. Stevie Orthwein added a goal in the loss. Stevie Orthwein’s Hazard was named Best Playing Pony.

In a noon contest, Orchard Hill registered an 11-10 win in the 26goal Lester Armour Cup, the subsidiary to the C.V. Whitney Cup. Orchard Hill jumped out to an early 4-1 lead after the opening chukker, but ERG stormed back in the second period to tie it up at 55. Eduardo Astrada scored twice in the third, while Orchard Hill was unable to get on the scoreboard.

Ronnie Correll and his family ask Todd McLendon where he stands on the issues.

tools in the storage container so they won’t be stolen, explaining that his shop has been broken into at least three times and that the tools are easy to take.

“I personally think we made a mistake by going proactive on commercial,” Jarriel said. “I would like to see us back up and go back to complaint-driven unless it happens to be a health hazard or a danger to the community.”

Jarriel added that he thought the U-Haul dealer in the plaza should not have been cited. “They may not be pretty, but they do not hinder my progress through the plaza,” he said.

Kutney said a total of 12 violations had been issued at Palms West Plaza, including four that deal with storage and parking, one with disposal bins, one with landscaping, one with a fire hydrant and one with access. He added that some of the comments made were not accurate. He said the issue with Al’s was with the storage area not being maintained.

“At various times I have talked to all of you,” Kutney said. “All of you have indicated you had a problem with the center, so the town management and staff has done what you asked us to do. If you don’t want us to go ahead and enforce the codes, that’s fine; we won’t enforce your codes.”

He pointed out that Palms West Plaza has a development order

from the county that the town is bound to enforce. “It goes back to 1988,” Kutney said. “There are a number of provisions they are violating.”

Mayor Dave Browning said he believed council members were caught by surprise at the number of citations against the plaza. “If there are problems, we need to give them more time at least,” Browning said.

Kutney said he is scheduled to meet with the landlord to work through the issues.

Jarriel reiterated that it was not management’s fault. “We have created a nightmare,” he said. “All I’m saying is that going proactive commercial is not a priority.”

Councilman Tom Goltzené agreed with Jarriel about not being proactive on commercial enforcement but added that it raises more concerns about the code.

“Once again it comes down to the ULDCs,” he said. “If nothing is in compliance, then either everyone is an outlaw or we have some dumb laws.”

Goltzené made a motion to discontinue proactive code enforcement on commercial operations, which it carried 5-0.

In other business, council members gave final approval for council members to receive $500 a month to help defray the costs of carrying out town business.

ERG led by two at the end of the first half, 7-5.

Brazilian 8-goaler Rodrigo Andrade scored the only goal of the fourth chukker as Orchard Hill cut the ERG lead to a single goal, 7-6.

A four-goal fifth period turned the tables on ERG as Orchard Hill surged ahead, 10-8.

A final chukker rally by ERG fell short as Orchard Hill celebrated the 11-10 win.

Matias MacDonough scored seven goals on the day (six on penalty shots). Andrade added three goals to the mix, and Van Andel accounted for a goal in the victory.

Merlos led the ERG offense with six goals (two on penalty conversions) and was named MVP. Astrada was credited with three goals and de Narvaez scored once in a losing effort. Matias Macdon-

ough’s Barrista was honored as Best Playing Pony.

The second leg of polo’s “triple crown,” the USPA Piaget Gold Cup, gets started this week.

High-goal polo action takes place every Sunday through April 21 at the International Polo Club. Ticket prices for Sunday polo range from $10 general admission to $120 box seating. Tickets for Sunday brunch at the Pavilion and its reception start at $55, upward to $330 for the Veuve Clicquot brunch package for two.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.internationalpolo club.com, or by calling (561) 2045687. Find IPC on Facebook, follow on Twitter at @SundayPolo or visit www.ipcscoreboard.com for up-to-date scores, schedules, rosters and all other polo info.

I strongly encourage village voters to return David Swift to Royal Palm Beach Village Council.

Barbara Yoresh Vero Beach Editor’s note: Ms. Yoresh went by the name Barbara Isenberg when she sat on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council.

Wellington and back into the thriving equine industry.

I was here when Prince Charles and Princess Diana were guests of the polo community. We have shown at Gene Mische’s horse shows, long before the Winter Equestrian Festival became a reality. Bill Ylvisaker and Ken Adams were a big part of all in which I was involved. I give sincere thanks daily to the many who made this horse haven a reality.

Not only was Greenwich another amazing horse Mecca, but all of Westchester and Fairfield counties provided great venues for upand-coming riders of several disciplines, and a multitude of famous trainers and riders from the 1950s to the present. Winters were often spent in such illustrious towns as Tryon and Southern Pines, Camden and Aiken, but nowhere was the concentration of horse activities such as in Wellington.

I am old enough to know all of these fabulous personalities and to admire the innovations each and every one has contributed to our unique equestrian lifestyle we so enjoy here in Wellington.

There is still space to share with horsemen of every talent, discipline and nationality. Congenial planning, friendly cooperation and open discussion will get all of us to our destination — the equestrian world spotlight will shine on Wellington.

Jeri Freels Wellington

Letters continued from page 4 idents to look around the community. If you see adequate roadways, schools, landscaping, outstanding police and fire protection, parks and recreation programs and a tax structure greatly enhanced by the sale of the village’s water/sewer utility to the county which netted $60 million to invest, then know that David Swift helped provide it all through his work as a councilman.

As a biologist for the South Florida Water Management District, David applied scientific methods incorporating logical protocols to his work projects. He used the same approach on the council and made decisions based on his commitment to the needs and safety of village residents.

As a long-time resident, David knows Royal Palm Beach and as a previously elected “elder statesman,” he knows the council. Under his sage and unwavering leadership, Royal Palm Beach grew into a community that is the envy of many others. He casts a discerning eye on budgets, and during his tenure as councilman, David and his colleagues worked together to reduce taxes for 16 years while at the same time increasing village services and amenities. That is no small feat.

For the 27 years I have known and worked with him, I have found David to be thoughtful, highly intelligent, uncommonly insightful and congenial. His ability to work well with others to achieve important objectives is unparalleled and I would submit that sound experience and logic know no gender.

David represents all village residents: men and women; boys and girls.

Recalling Wellington’s Olden Days It has been a very long time since I have been inspired enough to acknowledge the Town-Crier’s superior effort in defining the effect horses and their owners bring to our Village of Wellington.

My childhood was spent in Purchase, N.Y., watching George Oliver star as the leader of the Blind Brook Polo Club. Pepsi-Cola was to eventually purchase that choice piece of property, hence no more polo, race meets or competitive horse shows held on the lush parcel of green.

College, marriage and a move to Greenwich, Conn., where I was to become part of a professional team with my husband, Bob Freels, totally filled my life. We raised two daughters, now both successful riders and trainers, and I eventually moved to Florida with a new husband.

I continued to judge and steward horse shows all over the country, finally working my way to

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

Marge Herzog with Todd McLendon.

Wellington Art Society Meeting March 13 Will Feature Artist Carol Ann Sherman The Wellington Art Society will present a demonstration by Carol Ann Sherman at its monthly meeting Wednesday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Cypress Room at the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.).

Refreshments will begin at 6:30 p.m. with time to welcome new members and view their work.

There will also be a raffle with items for artists and art lovers, which is open to all attendees. The general meeting begins at 7 p.m. and is open to the public with a guest fee of $5.

The presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Known for her extraordinary artistic talents, Sherman’s colorful works come to life on this recyclable, environmentally friendly (treefree) synthetic paper known as “yupo.” Sherman considers her life as a major work of art — full of whimsy and lush colors. Her high energy and effervescent personality are evident through everything and everyone she touches.

Sherman’s paintings are characterized by a strength of composition, a recognizable line quality, and a layering of color on color and tone on tone. Somewhat of an experimental artist, Sherman’s style is contemporary representationalism.

A well-known and established instructor, Sherman shares her talent, skills and tips by teaching traditional watercolor, batik on rice paper, watercolor on yupo and drawing. She offers individual as well as class instruction throughout the United States. She is currently working on a series of books and videos demonstrating her amazing watercolor skills and techniques.

Founded in 1981, the Welling-

Biz Hours

Staff Will OK Extra Time

continued from page 1 PZAB and the council, it would be an administrative permit.”

The new rules would also extend hours for all businesses within 300 feet of residences one hour in each direction — 5 a.m. to 12 a.m.

The changes came from discussion not only among staff and Drahos, but also local business groups and business owners.

Stillings stressed that permit holders would still have to follow village rules otherwise but would be granted the privilege of being open later.

“They wouldn’t be exempt from noise ordinances or any of the other performance measures in the code,” he said. “We wanted to be clear, because a special permit for an event is exempt from those conditions.”

The growth management director would be responsible for approving the permits and could impose conditions of approval on individual businesses, Stillings said.

“Any appeals would come before the PZAB,” he said.

But Board Member Marcia Radosevich thought there should be two levels of approval for the applications. “I think someone else, maybe the village manager, should have to sign off on it,” she said.

Stillings suggested the director of operations, who oversees the planning department.

Blotter continued from page 6 the IRS later told her that she had been a victim of identity theft.

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

MARCH 5 — An employee of the T-Mobile store on State Road 7 called the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach on Tuesday to report a theft. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 4:25 p.m. three women entered the store and removed three Samsung Galaxy phones from a locked display case.

ton Art Society is open to artists of all mediums and patrons of the arts, providing both local and regional artists the platform to share their work, learn more about their craft and serve the community through their art. The Wellington Art Society is open to any resident in Palm Beach County. Membership forms are available at the meeting, and the $5 guest fee will go toward the membership fee.

A charitable organization, the society’s mission is to educate and encourage originality and productivity among its members and area youth through programs designed to further the advancement of cultural endeavors in the western communities.

For more information about the Wellington Art Society, visit www. wellingtonartsociety.org or call (561) 791-3676.

DAVE SWIFT HOSTS ‘MEET AND GREET’

A campaign “meet and greet” was held recently for Dave Swift, candidate for Royal Palm Beach Village Council Seat 2. Supporters gathered at Hilary’s Restaurant and Royal Deli in Royal Palm Beach to support Swift, who is challenging Councilwoman Martha Webster in the Tuesday, Mar ch 12 election. At the meeting, Swift announced that he was recently endorsed by the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association and the Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of Palm Beach County. For more info., call (561) 793-5278 or visit www.dave-swift.com. Pictured above are Patricia Johnson, Beatrice Nechamen, Dave Swift and Esther Moak.

The process would also be simpler and less expensive than in the past, he said. “It would be a simple application of two pages,” Stillings said. “And we’d recommend a fee of $500, which is the same as our other special-use permit fees.”

In comparison, he said, businesses previously had to pay $3,000 for a conditional-use permit.

The changes also include consequences for those found in violation.

“If a business is found by a special magistrate to be guilty of a code violation that was associated with the hours of operation, the permit would be suspended immediately,” Stillings said. “It would then go to the council for reinstatement or revocation.”

Stillings noted that revocation would only be for the extended hours, not for any other permits or permissions. “We wouldn’t want to shut the business down,” he said. “We’d just want to take away the privilege of having extended hours.”

Board Chairman Craig Bachove was concerned that there was no warning system in place. However, Stillings said violators would go through the normal code process.

“We do courtesy notices when someone is out of compliance,” he said. “There would be a process before they come before the magistrate.”

Businesses would not be able to transfer the permit, meaning new owners would have to go through the same process.

There will also be opportunity for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to make recommendations for conditions. “Being a public safety concern, having them review the request and give their recommendations on it would be a critical component,” Stillings said.

Radosevich asked if the PBSO recommendations would be imposed at the discretion of staff, or whether they would be binding.

“I don’t want to see an application live or die by their recommendations,” she said.

Stillings said they would be a recommendation only.

Additionally, the rules define a business activity, providing leeway for things like stocking shelves and other internal activities once the doors are shut to the public.

Radosevich asked whether a business could be approved to operate 24 hours.

“Potentially,” Stillings said.

Drahos pointed out that the board was attempting to find a middle ground. “We started with a bare-bones, no-limit ordinance,” he said. “And we said we had to protect our residents. I think this is the middle ground that will let businesses be competitive and operate how they want, but yet there is a provision in place which will allow residents protection if a business violates this privilege.”

Board Member Carol Coleman made a motion to recommend the ordinance, which passed unanimously. It now heads to the council for approval.

The suspects then fled the store.

A witness reported seeing the suspects enter a gray four-door BMW that was parked in front of the store. A pair of needle nose pliers was found at the scene, and the deputy was able to take prints from it. The stolen phones were valued at approximately $1,900. There was no further information available at the time of the report.

MARCH 5 — A juvenile was arrested Tuesday evening on theft charges following an incident at the Marshalls store on Southern Blvd. According to a PBSO report,

a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was dispatched to the store after a loss prevention officer discovered that an employee was stealing. According to the report, the juvenile employee, who worked as a cashier, had two incidents where money was missing from her drawer. The loss prevention officer reviewed security footage and observed the juvenile remove three $100 bills and one $20 bill from the cash register and place them in her pocket. The juvenile was arrested and taken to the Juvenile Assessment Center.

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NEWS

ROYAL PALM RELAY FOR LIFE TEAMS GATHER TO CREATE FUNDRAISING PLANS

The Royal Palm Beach Relay for Life held a team par ty Thursday, Feb. 28 at the MarBar Grille. Team members gathered and discussed fundraisers and other events to raise money for their teams. The theme for this year’s relay is “Super Heroes.” The next team meeting will be held Thursday, March 14 at 6 p.m. This year’s relay will take place Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7 at Royal Palm Beach High School. For more info., contact Krista McNevin at relayforliferpb@aol.com or call (561) 436-7498. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Royal Palm Beach Mayor Matty Mattioli, Jenna Gillespie from the American Cancer Society and Event Chair Rob Hill.

Madison Green owner Todd Schoenwetter and General Manager Mike Brady with Event Chair Rob Hill (center).

Winsom Martin receives her raffle prize from Chris Wax.

The Crestwood Middle School Super Sur vivor s Team (6th graders).

Mayor Matty Mattioli with the Relay for Life Event Committee.

The Revenger Team gets ready for this year’s relay.

WELLINGTON SENIORS CLUB ENJOYS SEASONAL LUNCHEON AT SHOW GROUNDS

The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center hosted the Wellington Seniors Club for a horse show luncheon Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Guests enjoyed food and drink while watching the Hollow Creek Farm Children’s Welcome and $1,000 Junior Welcome in the International Arena. For more info., visit www.wellingtonseniorsclub.org.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

(Front) Estelle Rubin, Mary Alfalla, Eileen Kuhnel and Cyndie Sable; (back) Howard Trager, Eileen Dix, Tony Alfalla and George Kuhnel.

Howard and Mary Lincoln with Wanda and Anthony Salvik.

Beulah Mothershead, Polly Stuller, Barbara Fahmie, Peggy Caliendo and Hilda Roman.

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March 8 - March 14, 2013 Page 25

2012 USPA Piaget Gold Cup Winners – Team Valiente

The USPA Piaget Gold Cup Experience the unparalleled glamour and competition as we celebrate our 10th Anniversary Season, and find out which team wins one of the highest rated polo tournaments in the country!

Celebrating 10 Years of PLAYERS. PONIES. POLO. For tickets, please visit InternationalPoloClub.com or call 561.204.5687.

Sundays through March 24 at 3 p.m.

3667 120th Avenue South, Wellington, Florida 33414 PHOTOGRAPHY BY LILA PHOTO

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©Sportfot

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THIS WEEK

Every Saturday Night, world-class show jumping & entertainment for the whole family.

SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2013 $300,000 FEI World CupTM Grand Prix CSI-W 5* presented by The Bainbridge Companies Gates open at 6:00 pm.

This evening only, DONATE 3 CANNED GOODS and enjoy a FREE CAROUSEL RIDE. Fundraiser held for local food pantry and hosted by Binks Forest Elementary.

Free General Admission.

Parking $20 per carload.

For reserved seating call Annette Goyette at 561.784.1120.

WWW.EQUESTRIANSPORT.COM

561.793.JUMP (5867)

Palm Beach International Equestrian Center • 3400 Equestrian Club Road • Wellington, Florida

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Drivers & Riders Beware: Horses And Cars Don’t Mix

After stopping along the road to help corral a loose horse, columnist Ellen Rosenberg stumbled upon a web posting by Jacquie McCutchan exhorting riders to ride with more awareness and drivers to slow and use caution. That led Ellen to explore the issue further.

Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 29

March 8 - March 14, 2013 Page 27

RPBHS Wildcat Baseball Boys Fall To Forest Hill

The Royal Palm Beach High School boys varsity baseball team fell to Forest Hill High School 8-2 on Frida y, March 1. Though both teams struggled to score runs, a fifth-inning rally saw the Falcons send seven runners home to take a dramatic lead, leaving the Wildcats struggling to catch up. Page 41

Shopping Spree A TOWN-CRIER PUBLICATION

INSIDE

Business The New Mattisyn School In WPB Aims To Empower Young Children

The Mattisyn School is a new early childhood education center that aims to offer the highest standard of education for young minds in the western communities. The school, which opened in November, is the vision of owner Paula Francese, who believes that schools must work harder to empower children.

Page 31

Sports Bronco Baseball Squad Defeats Auburndale 2-0

On Friday, March 1, the Palm Beach Central High School varsity baseball team hosted Auburndale High School in a muchanticipated game. The Broncos bested the Hounds, coming away with a 2-0 victory. The shutout pushed the Broncos forward to a 6-1 record on the season. Page 41

THIS WEEK’S INDEX COLUMNS & FEATURES ........................29-30 BUSINESS NEWS.................................. 31-33 DINING & ENTERTAINMENT ...................... 34 SPORTS & RECREATION........................ 41-43 COMMUNITY CALENDAR ......................44-45 CLASSIFIEDS ........................................46-49

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FEATURES

Drivers And Riders Beware: Horses And Cars Don’t Mix Life imitates art, or vice versa.

The other day, I was driving home when, just as I got to a four-way intersection — thankfully, also a four-way stop — I glanced left and saw a horse flying toward me. The bay had no rider, no saddle, only a halter with a lead line fashioned into reins. It blew through the intersection at a run, then slowed and circled back, obviously wanting to get into one of the properties on the corner.

I parked my car crosswise in the middle of the road and went about trying to catch the horse, which kept running past me. The owner showed up, an older teen, barefoot, in shorts, sporting a soon-to-be-colorful bruise on the back of her right thigh. She had been trail riding and fallen when the horse spooked.

The other drivers waited patiently, and finally I grabbed the lead rope as the horse trotted past. I handed the horse back to the owner, who was spitting mad — at the horse.

She had no idea how lucky she had been that neither she nor her horse had ended up severely injured or dead.

I also recall a horrific accident on B Road a few years back. A rider was riding along just as a vehicle passed. The rider urged the horse over to the side of the road, but it had rained recently and there were large puddles. The horse, instead of moving over, shied back into Get updates all week long... follow Ellen Rosenberg on Twitter at twitter.com/ HorseTalkFL or stop by the Tales from the Trails page on Facebook and click “like.”

Tales From The Trails

By Ellen Rosenberg the road and was struck by the vehicle. It lost a leg and its life.

All of this was in my mind when I recently read a thread on the Wellington-WEF message board (www.wellington-wef.com) exhorting riders to ride with more awareness and drivers to slow and use caution. It was started

by Jacquie McCutchan. I met up with her at On Course Consignment Shop in Wellington, which she owns and runs.

“My barn faces Forest Hill Blvd.,” she explained. “One day, I saw a girl riding past on the grassy shoulder, obviously on her way to a show, dressed properly, a number on her saddle pad. The horse was walking. As they got to the corner of Forest Hill and South Shore, this crazy guy on a motorcycle went flying by, going about 90 miles an hour.”

The horse spun around, and the rider fell off. “Luckily, the horse didn’t take off. The rider, who didn’t appear to be hurt, remounted and continued on,” McCutchan recalled.

“That’s when I posted on the WEF board, to vent a little. This is show season, after all, and there are a lot of horses out and about. Riders

and drivers all need to be aware of each other and take sensible precautions. Some drivers appear to be either dumb or ignorant. They should know to slow down and move over, especially if they’re driving something big and noisy on a bumpy dirt road. Horses react fast and unpredictably.”

Distracted driving is also a problem, she said.

“Then there are the riders who seem to think they’re the only ones on the road,” McCutchan said. “They ride along while talking on phones, and cross streets without a thought given to any oncoming traffic. Even in marked horse crossings, they have to watch for distracted or belligerent drivers. Not everyone behind the wheel is horse-savvy.”

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Eric Davis warned riders to always be on the lookout for cars.

“Although horses are considered the same as pedestrians, cars have the right of way on a road,” Davis said. “There are no laws governing who can ride on the road, but riders 16 and under must wear helmets. If it’s dusk or dawn, wear reflective clothing. Riders should know their horses. If they’re easily spooked, they shouldn’t be riding on roads. But any horse can react to something unexpected, like a car horn, backfire or a blowing plastic bag.

You can’t think, ‘That wouldn’t happen to me.’ It could.”

Then there’s the issue of a loose horse on the road. A few weeks back, my neighbor, who drives to work quite early, around 2 a.m., found

Jacquie McCutchan of On Course Consignment. three horses wandering on the road. She tried calling 911 for help, but no one responded.

She finally herded them into a nearby fenced property, but was utterly frustrated by the lack of response.

“We’re not really trained in horse capture,” Davis said. “Horses loose in a rural horse community are not the same as a horse loose on a busy highway, where we’d block the road and See ROSENBERG, page 30

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FEATURES

My New Antique Store ‘Apartment’ Has A Few Drawbacks I was in North Florida last week, helping out at the antiques mall because there was a festival going on in town. We always get a lot of people in the store when this happens.

The minute we open our doors, in the first half-hour, the street booth vendors come in because they forgot to bring change, so they buy something for 99 cents and pay with a $100 bill. We keep rolls of singles on hand for them.

In the second half-hour, all the parents who brought their children downtown to watch the parade come in because their children have to use the bathroom. We keep rolls of toilet paper on hand for them.

In the third half-hour, serious customers Get your Sonic Boomer humor every day!

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

Deborah Welky is

The Sonic BOOMER come in, wondering why we don’t have any singles or toilet paper. It’s the same every year.

What’s different this year is that Mark and I no longer own a home up here. Instead, we are staying in a cozy apartment he built in the back of the store last summer.

Loyal readers may frown and say, “But Deb, didn’t you once tell us that your store was formerly a funeral home?” and I will say, “You are right, Loyal Reader.” Then you will certainly say, “But doesn’t that put your ‘cozy apartment’ in the former embalming room?”

and I will say, “Yeah. So what’s your point?”

You will respond with, “But didn’t that paranormal TV show come out and set up their equipment and tell you the place was loaded with ghosts?” and I will say, “I didn’t say I believed them.”

Whew.

But I will admit that, even though this apartment is the coziest thing ever, and decorated with all my favorite things like Oriental rugs and candelabras and ornate carved mirrors and poetry books in French, I was still a tiny bit wary of sleeping there the first night. What if the experts were right? What if the place was loaded with malcontent spirits from the Great Beyond?

“Don’t be ridiculous,” my husband said.

“That was just television. Of course they’re going to say there are ghosts.”

“But what if there really are?” I asked, one eyebrow raised, one eye over my shoulder in case they were listening.

“There aren’t.”

I wanted to believe him, I really did.

Either way, I was going to find out.

So I took my shower, snuggled down under the covers and waited for the sounds of wailing or rattling chains. Nothing.

I fell promptly asleep and remained happily so.

Until morning.

In the morning I was jerked out of Dreamland by the sound of a giant metal coffin falling from the sky and hitting the ground right outside my window — BAAAMM! I awoke, sitting bolt upright, eyes wide open, heart no longer beating.

I looked around wildly and I must say, no French poetry book on Earth can restore calm to a nervous system jangled by a forklift operator dropping an extra-large Dumpster outside your bedroom window at dawn.

So, even with its candelabras, the apartment has some drawbacks.

New ‘NCIS’ Spinoff Is OK, But Characters Need Some Work NCIS: Los Angeles began with a certain cachet as a spinoff of NCIS, which itself was a spinoff of JAG . The team of creators clearly wanted to differentiate at least a bit between the two shows with similar names, so they altered the formula slightly. And, just as in real life, sometimes that small bit of difference becomes very important.

The key difference in the Los Angeles show is that the people are supposed to specialize in going undercover. They are spies as much as cops. And, the creators obviously reasoned, it was necessary to create a different flavor for the show. While NCIS is rather straightforward, NCIS: LA is cool. Los Angeles is a far cooler city than Washington and its suburbs, and the main characters reflect the difference.

The lead team on the show consists of G. Callen (Chris O’Donnell) and Sam Hanna (LL Cool J). Callen is a mystery man, even to himself. He does not even have a first name, having originally bounced around through foster homes and worked overseas for years as an agent. Hanna is a former Navy SEAL with a lot of street smarts and a long background in the Middle East. They are backed up by Kensi Blye, the requisite young, attractive female (Daniela Ruah), who after half a season was partnered with street cop Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen). They are clearly to be con-

Rosenberg

Horses & Cars

continued from page 29 call Animal Care and Control (AC&C), who are better suited to deal with this type of problem.”

AC&C’s Capt. David Walesky said there are several reasons horses get loose.

“It could be a rider got dumped and the horse ran off, or could be the horse escaped from its enclosure,” he said. “I’ve seen some very lax confinement fences. AC&C is not an emergency response agency. We don’t have lights or sirens on our vehicles, but we try to get there as soon as possible. If the owner knows the horse is out, it’s usually caught by

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler sidered the “cute” couple. Back at headquarters, computer geek Eric Beale (Barrett Foa) is partnered with adorable genius-analyst Nell Jones (Renée Felice Smith). The leader of the group, Hetty Lange (Linda Hunt), has been involved in seemingly every major case and scandal of the last generation and growls a lot, even while protecting her charges.

The real difference between the shows can best be symbolized by the flawed chemistry between the partners. Callen and Hanna get along well but seem to have totally separate lives. Deeks subjects Blye to the kind of sexual harassment that would get him fired for even one instance, but he continues his attempt to bed her on an almost weekly basis. Beale clearly has the hots for Jones and she for him, but she seems simply to be running circles around him as he tries to keep up with her. Hetty, supposedly concerned about Callen’s happiness, knows more about his background than the time we’d get there. We do have a horse trailer, but it takes time to hitch it up and drive to the site.”

Walesky also advised riders to use caution when riding on roads. “Dress appropriately and use proper equipment,” he said. “Use caution. Horses can spook into traffic, and in a confrontation between a car and a horse, the car is always going to win.”

“I hope that both riders and drivers will be more aware of each other and proceed more cautiously,” McCutchan said. “Let’s get some education out there. Horses and cars don’t mix.”

If you see a horse loose on the road, call the PBSO’s non-emergency line at (561) 688-3000 orAC&C at (561) 233-1200.

she is willing to tell him despite his anguish over not knowing his roots.

On the original show, the relationships have become the most important element. We know that Gibbs and his team will solve the crime; it happens every week. But each character has a distinct character, and they all seem to like each other. Tony does desire Ziva, but he is always there for her; although they are not a couple, it is clear they deeply care for each other. Gibbs is a father figure for the entire team, with Ducky as a sort of wise old grandfather. They are a family; they have even shared Thanksgiving dinners. When they break the rules to help each other, it seems warm and right for the characters. There have fought at times, but they always get back together.

However, on the new show, each of the teams demonstrates an internal tension that makes it seem as if they really don’t care for each other. Kensi is shown to be tough, a nononsense, no-holds-barred warrior. But she accepts constant violations of her privacy by

her partner, and the two of them, despite clearly having worked together for years, still have not jelled, both as part of the plots and in reality. Hetty is shown as eccentric; she always comes around to give support, but Gibbs provides more warmth, with his slaps on the back of his subordinates’ heads, than she has ever given.

Another problem is that half the time the plots seem to have virtually nothing at all to do with the Navy, which is what they are supposed to be about. A lot of it has to do with terrorism, although any time anyone of a certain religion is shown threatening Americans, they do make certain there is at least one or more good guys of the same faith around as balance.

I do like and watch the show. But I go out of my way not to miss NCIS when it has first-run episodes on CBS and then catch up on reruns on USA. I just watch the L.A. version first time through. I wished I loved it like I do the original. Maybe if the characters seemed to like each other more, I would like it better.

Radio Club To Celebrate Wellington The Wellington Radio Club will celebrate the village’s birthday Saturday, March 16 by connecting Wellington Mayor Bob Margolis with New Zealand’s Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown over the airwaves.

Hosted at Village Park in Pavilion 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., there will be plenty of activities for the family, with the conversation between Margolis and Wade-Brown expected at 3:30 p.m. The radio amateurs will inform their colleagues worldwide of Wellington’s anniversary and its evolution from a huge strawberry plantation to a bustling community of 60,000 people. That station will link the mayors of two Wellingtons on opposite sides of the globe. It has been assigned a special FCC call-sign: “W4W.” “Mayor Celia Wade-Brown of New Zealand will barely have time for her first cup of coffee, on her day off no less, before exchanging greetings with Mayor Bob Margolis,” Radio Club President Larry Lazar said. “While it’s 3:30

p.m., Saturday in Florida, it will be Sunday at 8:30 a.m. New Zealand time. She’s obviously very dedicated.”

Margolis is no stranger to this type of international goodwill gesture. In 2003, at the dedication of the Wellington Emergency Operations Center, then Councilman Margolis spoke with New Zealand’s Mayor Wayne Guppy.

What was expected to be a 5-minute exchange lasted almost half an hour, showing how much the two Wellington areas have in common.

Also included in the festivities, “Dit-Dah” Ron the Ham-Clown will be entertaining and making animal balloons. From 2 to 3 p.m. there will be demonstrations of competition-level, radio controlled racecars, and children can enjoy the nearby playground all day.

Club members volunteer at Wellington’s Emergency Operations Center and often partner with Wellington on communications projects. To learn more, visit the Wellington Radio Club web site at www.qsl.net/k4wrc.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Paula Francese, founder and owner of the Mattisyn School.

PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Mattisyn School Aims To Empower Young Children

By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report The Mattisyn School is a new early childhood education center that aims to offer the highest standard of education for young minds in the western communities.

The school, which opened in November, is the vision of owner Paula Francese, who has always had a love for children. This is the first school that Francese has opened. “For me, academics have always been important,” she said. “Even when I was young, I could never get enough of school.”

For more than 14 years, Francese was a practicing attorney focused mostly on her career. All of that began to shift when she had children. “I started getting really involved in learning different curriculums between private and public schools,” she explained, noting that the school is named in honor of her two children, Matthew and Addisyn.

Four years ago, Francese, originally from Rhode Island, moved from Arizona to Florida with her children. She discovered that there wasn’t enough superior-quality schooling in Florida for small children. After all, early childhood education has been proven to be extremely effective in shaping the positive development of children.

Francese came to the conclusion that schools did not work hard enough to empower children. “After practicing law, I started to get into self-development, motivational teaching and leadership training,” she said. “I did that for seven years, and I wondered why we weren’t doing that for our children.”

Through the Mattisyn School, Francese created a curriculum that incorporated all the things she thought were lacking in other early childhood education programs.

“The first seven years of a child’s life are so important,” said Francese, who has a degree

in psychology. “I’ve done research that proves that it’s crucial because these are their formative years.”

Francese developed the Mattisyn School from concept to completion. She decided the curriculum, designed the layout and décor, and chose the teachers. “Every teacher I hired here is just like me,” she said. “They’re very passionate about teaching children and are highly educated.”

Francese ensured that the school was built to the design standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). “These are the highest standards in the country, and it’s very hard to get accredited because they have such demanding criteria,” she said. “Most of the schools in Florida are not NAEYC-accredited, and that’s one of my goals for our school.”

Francese wants the Mattisyn School to set the standard for quality education in Florida.

“Either the schools in the area will follow us because we’ll be the leader,” she said, “or they’ll change their early childhood education standards because they have to follow us to be competitive.”

The Mattisyn School accepts children from six weeks old to pre-kindergarten. Since opening, Francese has seen the progress in the children at her school. “Our VPK kids are two levels above; our 2-year-olds, who never spoke a word, are now speaking, and most of them are now potty-trained; and we have babies who have completely come out of their shell,” she said. “The moms are also happy with their kids’ progress because they sleep better and eat better, and none of the kids want to leave.”

The Mattisyn School is located at 8289 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach, across from Berean Christian School. For more information, visit www.mattisynschool.com or call (561) 318-5750.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Wellington Chamber Welcomes Youfit As New Member The Wellington Chamber of Commerce recently had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Youfit Health Clubs located at 13865 Wellington Trace in Wellington.

Monti McGill is the general manager of the gym. His goal is to ensure people who come to the gym have an excellent work-out in a clean, non-intimidating environment.

McGill was born and raised in New Orleans. He moved to Florida as a teenager and graduated from Fort Pierce High School. Afterward he returned to New Orleans, where he attended Louisiana State University, earning a degree in business management in 2006. After working

for another health club, he joined Youfit last May. Youfit Health Clubs is based out of Coconut Creek. The company began operations 14 years ago and today has 54 locations nationwide.

When describing the gym, McGill said that the owner of the corporation has a strict policy of cleanliness at all of the locations and excellent customer service.

“Every gym has basically the same equipment,” he said. “We all have the treadmills and the weights, but when it comes to the customer service and cleanliness, you’ll never find a gym cleaner than Youfit. I don’t want a gym where you walk in

General Manager Monti McGill joins Youfit staffers and Wellington Chamber of Commerce ambassadors for the ribbon cutting.

and it smells like a gym.”

McGill said that memberships start at $10 a month. “We also have experienced trainers who are from Custom Built, which is a great personal training program,” he said.

“Just like our memberships are inexpensive, our trainers are as well.”

A popular program at Youfit Health Clubs is Silver Sneakers, which is a program that provides free membership to people over 60 years of age. This program is provided by Humana Health Care and Health-

ways, a private company that coordinates the gym memberships with the insurance company. McGill said more and more people are signing up every day and appear to enjoy getting out of the house and exercising.

In the community, Youfit Health Clubs supports different events to raise money for good causes. They do a lot of walking for different events to help raise money for research.

“Everyone needs to be healthy,

so I want everyone to join a gym,” McGill said. “But when it comes to Youfit, it’s the cleanliness and the customer service that matters the most.”

For more information about Youfit Health Clubs, call (561) 839-1925 or e-mail wellington@youfithealth clubs.com. For more info., visit www. youfithealthclubs.com.

For more information about businesses in the Wellington area, call (561) 792-6525 or visit www. wellingtonchamber.com.

Small Biz RoundTable Kicks Off New Season The first session of the 2013 Small Business RoundTable series was held Thursday, Feb. 28 at Hurricane Grill & Wings in Wellington. The session entitled “The Art of Attracting Customers Through Media.”

The sponsor was Eric H. Light, P.A., Attorney at Law. The first speaker was Mitra Malek, staff writer for the Palm Beach Post. She discussed the specifics of how her newspaper and other papers in general operate. To help bridge the gap between small businesses and her newspaper, she explained what makes events and happenings in the area newsworthy.

The second speaker was Kharin Gibson, senior audience development executive with the South Florida Business Journal. Gibson provided all attendees with the latest edition of her newspaper. She then walked everyone through the pertinent sections to point out how small businesses can utilize her paper to increase business.

It was an interactive session with attendees asking many questions and the speakers providing answers. Overall, the speakers provided excellent presentations.

The next session of the Small Business RoundTable will be March

28. That session will be focused on understanding how to utilize social media networks to increase business.

Attendees will be required to bring their computers because it will be a hands-on session. People will be grouped with one instructor to learn either LinkedIn, Facebook or Pinterest. Space is limited.

For more information about the Small Business RoundTable, contact Michela Perillo-Green at (561) 792-6526 or info@wellington chamber.com. Visit the Wellington Chamber of Commerce web site at www.wellingtonchamber.com.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Short Stacks Restaurant Supports Kids Cancer Foundation On Saturday, Feb. 23, Short Stacks Restaurant introduced its Hearts for Heroes Signature Stack of Pancakes.

All proceeds from the sale of the pancakes will go directly to the Kids Cancer Foundation.

Guests can purchase this special stack of pancakes from now until the end of March at Short Stacks, locat-

ed at 11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington’s Town Square shopping plaza.

The Kids Cancer Foundation is a non-profit. Its mission is to provide hope and support to children and families in the community battling childhood cancer and/or a blood disorder.

The Kids Cancer Foundation strives to meet all the unique physical, educational, emotional, financial and spiritual needs of the many local children and families they care for. For more information about the Kids Cancer Foundation, visit www. kidscancersf.org or call Michelle O’Boyle at (561) 371-1298.

RIBBON CUTTING FOR GOLF TODAY (Above) Short Stack volunteers work with the Kids Cancer Foundation.

(Right) The new Hearts for Heroes Signature Stack of Pancakes is available at Short Stacks Restaurant in Wellington until the end of March.

The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting for Golf Today, based in Royal Palm Beach. For more inf o., call (561) 792-1718 or visit www.golftodaychallenge.com.

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DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Capitol Steps Return To The Kravis Center March 12-24 Politicians beware! The political parody masters Capitol Steps are returning to the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts for a three-week run March 12-24. Featuring musical sketches with titles like “You Just Can’t Hide This Biden Guy,” “Super Congress Debt Committee” and the infamous “Lirty Dies,” the Capitol Steps’ new album Take the Money and Run... For President leaves no political party, scandal or world event from 2012 unsung.

Capitol Steps, a singing and dancing group composed of many former Senate staffers, has been putting the “mock in democracy” for 30 years.

Since they began, the Capitol Steps have recorded more than 30 albums.

They’ve been featured on TV and can be heard four times a year on National Public Radio stations na-

tionwide during their “Politics Takes a Holiday” radio specials.

This year, the group has done a special tribute to all of the major political events and scandals from the past 30 years, within one single sketch, entitled “We Didn’t Start the Satire.”

Capitol Steps is sponsored by Donald and Linda Silpe. The group performs at the Kravis Center Tuesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, March 13 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 16 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, March 17 at 1:30 p.m.; Tuesday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, March 20 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 23 at 1:30 and

7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, March 24 at 1:30 p.m.

Tickets are $40 and may be purchased at the Kravis Center Box Office located at 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach, by calling the box office at (561) 832-7469 or online at www.kravis.org/capitolsteps. Orders for groups of ten or more may be placed by calling (561) 651-4438 or (561) 651-4304.

The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts is a not-for-profit performing arts center whose mission is to enhance the quality of life in Palm Beach County by presenting a diverse schedule of national and international artists and companies of the highest quality.

(Right) The Capitol Steps visit Kravis March 12-24.

CGMS Gallery Presents Its Third Annual ‘Peeps Show’

“Peeps on the Beach” is a sample of what show visitors will see.

Clay-Glass-Metal-Stone Cooperative Gallery will be presenting its third annual “Peeps Show” on Friday, March 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. The show is free and open to the public.

Local celebrity Greg Rice will jury the show. This will be the final gallery presentation by CGMS at its present location. Artists from around the county have been invited to participate in this special, farewell event.

The Peeps Company will be contributing first, second and third prizes to the best entries.

For several years, CGMS gallery has joined in the national Peeps craze, presenting dozens of gooey dioramas made from the iconic Easter candy. Gallery artists have made clothing from Peeps and tortured every conceivable pun in creating

funny, scary, kooky and clever works of art from these sugary candies.

From the Cannibal Peeps who roasted their fellow Peeps around a campfire, to Little Bo Peep and Peeps at the Beach, the creativity escalated with dozens of depictions.

This year, artists from around Palm Beach County have been invited to join the exhibition. These artists will be judged by Greg Rice. The public is invited to visit the opening of this show and to try to influence Greg’s judgment. At stake are one cash prize and three wonderful prizes presented by Peeps.

The show will be the last major arts event presented at the Lake Avenue gallery. On April 1, the gallery will move to its new home at 15

South J Street. On Friday, May 3, the gallery will celebrate its fourth anniversary with its usual Monarch Butterfly Release.

Clay-Glass-Metal-Stone Cooperative Gallery is sponsored by the Flamingo Clay Studio, a nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to provide affordable studio and gallery space for three-dimensional artists.

The gallery is currently located at 605 Lake Avenue in downtown Lake Worth. Hours are Sunday through Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Gallery openings are the first and third Friday of each month with many special events inbetween.

For more information, call the gallery at (561) 588-8344.

‘Woody Guthrie: 100 Years Of Song’ March 24 In Lake Worth Woody Guthrie, dustbowl refugee and father of Arlo Guthrie, would have turned 100 years old this year.

Concerts in celebration of Woody, his songs and his life are being held all over the country.

On Sunday, March 24, a troupe of Palm Beach County’s finest performers will be singing and telling his story. Projected behind the performers will be a montage of photos reflecting his stories, as well as the words to all of the songs.

This unique concert will take place at the Lake Worth Playhouse. There will be a 2 p.m. matinee and a 7 p.m. evening concert. Tickets are on sale at the playhouse (713 Lake Avenue) or through www.lakeworthplay house.org. Discount prices are available with advance purchase. Full price will be charged at the door.

Woody Guthrie wrote over 3,000 songs in his short life (1912-1967).

Best known for “This Land is Your Land” and “Union Maid,” his songs recorded the history of this country as it happened. His prolific pen poured out so many songs, many are still being discovered. From his children’s songs that are still sung to the songs of working men and women, migrant workers, the environment and the dustbowl, Woody is as relevant today as he was in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

Woody traveled the country from coast to coast hopping freight trains and working in the fields with Okies and migrant workers. He performed on the radio, hobnobbed with New York intelligentsia, performed with Pete Seeger, the Almanac Singers, Leadbelly, Cisco Houston and

scores of the leading performers of the era. Bob Dylan made pilgrimages to Woody’s bedside as he lay dying, learning his craft at Woody’s feet. Rambling Jack Eliot was also among his many disciples.

The full theater production of “Woody Guthrie: 100 Years of Song” has been scripted by Joan Friedenberg and Bill Bowen (PinkSlip). Appearing with them on stage is narrator Charlie Birnbaum and performers Suzanne Cannon, Rick Cohen, Scott Goldblatt, Kat Mahoney, Ginny Meredith and Tracy Sands. All have active duo and solo careers throughout the region.

This concert will see them on stage throughout the entire performance showing their vocal virtuosity with killer harmonies, and instrumentally with guitar, banjo, fiddle,

mandolin, keyboard and flute.

“Woody Guthrie: 100 Years of Song” benefits four of Lake Worth’s nonprofit organizations: LULA (Lake Worth’s Arts District), the Downtown Cultural Alliance, ClayGlass-Metal-Stone Gallery and the Lake Worth Playhouse.

Concert ticket holders are invited to a reception in-between the matinee and evening concerts with the performers at Clay-Glass-MetalStone Gallery. South Shores Tavern will be offering 15 percent discount on meals all day with proof of concert tickets. Posters and concert CDs will be available at the Lake Worth Playhouse and Clay-Glass-MetalStone Gallery for purchase during and after the concert.

Tickets start at $20 in advance and $26 at the door.

Joan Friedenberg and Bill Bowen of PinkSlip scripted ‘Woody Guthrie: 100 Years of Song’

Send dining and entertainment news items to: The Town-Crier Newspaper, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. E-mail: news@goTownCrier.com.

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Camp Cambridge, serving age two through second grade, combines academic excellence, summertime fun and a safe environment to create an unforgettable summer experience. Theme-based curriculum and in-house field trips complement the concepts explored by all. There are nine weeks of camp offered at Cambridge Schools, located at 1920 Royal Fern Drive in Wellington. Activities include swimming, art, math, computers, sports, science and cooking. A certified swim instructor provides instruction to children ages three and up, Mommy & Me classes, private/group lessons and team swim programs. Bilingual classes, kindergarten readiness and enrichment classes are available as well. For more information, visit www.cambridgepreschools.com.

Camp Dovewood is a dynamic Christian camp for girls ages 7 to 16 in North Florida. The camp features an outstanding equestrian program featuring English and western riding, stable management, vet care, horse shows, trail rides, rodeo riding and dressage. Campers can also enjoy art, swimming, great books, Christian leadership training, Bible, tennis, drama, archery, basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, photography, water ballet, music, ballet, baton, soccer, gymnastics and riv er rafting. This year, Dovewood celebrates 36 awesome year s. The camp is accredited with the American Camping Association and the Camp Horsemanship Association. For more information, call directors Jim and Roberta Richmond at (386) 935-0863 or visit www.campdovewood.org.

Camp Varsity/Building Up Sports Academy is a full-day sports camp during the summer located at Wellington Landings Middle School. This camp is action-packed, combining a mix of team sports with fishing, karate and dance/cheerleading. Camp Varsity focuses on sportsmanship and teamwork as well as developing new sports skills. The camps have a different sports theme each week.

No matter the theme or week, campers will have the option to participate in many different sports and recreational games. Sports included every w eek are basketball, soccer, baseball, football, kickball, fishing, dance/cheerleading, golf, recreational games and more. For more information, visit www.buildingupsportsacademy.com or call (561) 601-5248.

Casperey Stables Horse Camp is a small, fun-filled day camp for children ages seven to 14. With four riding opportunities each day, arts & crafts and outdoor games, campers find little time to be bored. The low counselor-child ratio ensures your child will receive 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 hor se 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.casperey stables.com.

ELEV|8 Sports Institute Baseball Camps is the most comprehensive instructional baseball program available for campers ages 5-18. During the week-long camps, players will go through classes in hitting, bunting, defensive techniques, infield and outfield, pitching, catching and numerous other professional baseball drills. Special technique sessions included are sliding, base-running, rundowns, throwing mechanics and proper stretching and arm exercises. Rookie Ball (ages 5–7) is $225 per week and Training Cam p (ages 7-18) is $295 per week . Advanced training is available for middle schoolers and high schoolers (call for pricing). The camp has locations in Delray Beach and Coral Springs. To learn more, call (561) 265-0280, e-mail camp@elev8si.com or visit www.elev8spor ts institute.com.

The Lab/High Touch High Tech brings science to life with hands-on experiments pro vided by High Touch High Tech, the leader in science education for the last 18 years. Each day will be a ne w adventure, from interacting with real lab critters to launching rockets and panning for gems. Conveniently located off State Road 7 and Lantana Road, this unique facility offers affordable pricing, experiments with lots of cool take-homes, arts and crafts, physical activities and more. The Lab taps into children’s natural curiosity and provides them with safe and fun activities that help them learn about the world. Children can expect to have fun while they make slime, erupt volcanoes, make ice cream, make tie dy e t-shirts and more. Call (561) 444-3978 or visit www.thelabforkids.com for more information.

The Mattisyn School offers an early childhood campus summer camp as an extension of its academic excellence, combining themed curriculum with summertime fun. The camp focuses on age-appropriate activities including music, dance, games and arts & crafts in a clean, safe and secure environment. Conveniently located on Okeechobee Blvd., one mile west of the turnpike, it is a fully-licensed campus with webcam services. The Mattisyn School’s mission is to empower and inspire the individual child by creating meaningful positive experiences. For more information, visit www.mattisynschool.com or call (561) 318-5750.

At Noah’s Ark Summer Camp , children will enjoy field trips and activities such as swimming, bowling, sk ating, South Florida Science Museum, movies and picnics. Tuition includes camera surveillance, creative curriculum, computers and all meals. Registration is now being accepted.

Registration is free for new customers only. Noah’s Ark is located at 14563 Okeechobee Blvd. in Loxahatchee Groves. For more information, call (561) 753-6624 or visit www.smallworldpbc.com.

Tak e the stage this summer at the Plaza Theatre’s Performing Arts Conservator y Broadway at the Plaza Camp. Campers will spend the day working on fully staged Broadway musicals, as well as receive group and private instruction from working professionals in auditioning, monologues, improvisation, dance and voice. There will also be guest appearances from Broadway performers, casting directors and agents. Session one is for elementary and middle school students and runs June 10 through June 28 Campers will perform Broadway musical Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Session two is for middle and high school students, and runs July 1 to July 19. Camp tuition is $200 per week, and before and after care is available. For more information, call (561) 588-1820 or visit www.theplazatheatre.net.

Tiny Tikes Preschool Camp is geared towar d the elementary-age camper. Daily activities are sure to keep the camper s happy, busy and engaged. Trips include bowling, skating and weekly movies, as well as special trips to the zoo, the science museum and more. Tiny Tikes has three conveniently located centers, which are open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Activities occur throughout the day, both at the center and out on the bus. Meals are included. Call (561) 790-1780 no w to reserve your space or visit Tiny Tikes Academy at 16245 Okeechobee Blvd. in Loxahatchee.

Are you looking for a convenient and fun place to send your kids this summer? Look no further than Camp Eagle at Wellington Christian School. They offer an exciting 9-week program for children ages 3-12, which includes VPK, local field trips for older campers, on-campus sports and group building activities, daily devo tions, silly songs, crazy competitions and much more. You can choose one of the themed weeks or come all summer long. For more information, call (561) 793-1017.

Located on the beautiful cam pus of the Florida Institute of Technology, Wellspring Weight Loss Camp is the only scientifically based summer fitness and weight loss camp in Florida. Wellspring Florida campers enjoy a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities including kayaking, surfing, scavenger hunts, dodge ball, planned trips to Disneyworld and Universal Studios and much more.

With extensive athletic facilities, two outdoor swimming pools and the 30-acre Botanical Gardens, the Wellspring Florida campus is an ideal setting for a summer of fun and sun for boys and girls ages 10 to 18. For more information, visit www.wellspringcamps.com or call (866) 364-0808.

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SPORTS & RECREATION

Palm Beach Central Baseball Squad Tops Auburndale 2-0

By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report On Friday, March 1, the Palm Beach Central High School varsity baseball team hosted Auburndale High School in a much-anticipated game. The Broncos bested the Hounds, coming away with a 2-0 victory.

The shutout pushed the Broncos forward to a 6-1 record on the season. The team’s only loss came at the hands of Trinity Christian School earlier in the season. Palm Beach Central rebounded with four

victories to maintain their spot among the top ten schools in the county.

The Broncos are in District 9-8A, which is arguably one of the most competitive in the state.

It took three innings for the Broncos to get on the board, taking a 1-0 lead over Auburndale. The final run of the game came in the fourth inning.

Auburndale twice had the bases loaded but came up empty. Both teams had six hits, but the Broncos only gave up one error. The solid

Raige Hasko runs to third base.

Bronco defense locked down any chances for the Hounds.

Palm Beach Central’s lefty pitcher John Padich (2-0) had a seasonbest appearance. He pitched a complete game, striking out 10 batters and serving up no walks. Senior Raige Hasko was 2-for-3 with two doubles, both leading to RBIs. Palm Beach Central hosted Haines City High School on Saturday, March 2. The Broncos slipped past the Hornets, 7-6.

The Broncos hosted Park Vista High School on Tuesday night and traveled to Pahokee High School on Wednesday, but results were not available at press time.

Infielder Jameel Edney throws to first base.

Bronco Tim Becker at bat.

PHOTO BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER

Wildcat Baseball Boys Fall To Forest Hill High School 8-2

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Reporrt The Royal Palm Beach High School boys varsity baseball team fell to Forest Hill High School 8-2 on Friday, March 1. Though both teams struggled to score runs, a fifth-inning rally saw the Falcons send seven runners home to take a dramatic lead, leaving the Wildcats struggling to catch up.

For much of the first two innings, neither team could gain ground. After two outs for the Wildcats in the first inning, Brandon Hernandez walked to first. Then, while Sean Malynn stepped up to the plate, Hernandez stole second. Moments later, he stole third and was poised to run home, but a third out sent him back to the dugout.

At the bottom of the third, Hernandez again got on base, but was tagged out trying to steal. The distraction paved the way for T.J. Abrams to run home, putting the Wildcats ahead. But the lead didn’t last long. Forest Hill plated a run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the score at 1-1.

Royal Palm Beach tried to take the lead again in the fourth inning when Kevin Cordero hit a single. Malynn next hit the ball up the center, and it was dropped by a Forest Hill player.

That gave Cordero the opportunity to take second base, while Malynn landed on third. Then, Shendell Winright came up to the plate. The bases loaded up when Winright was beaned by the Falcon pitcher, but the next at-bat was the third out, and the Wildcats returned to the dugout empty handed.

In the fifth inning, Forest Hill’s Jose Crespo stepped up to the plate with bases loaded and hit a triple, sending in three runs. Forest Hill had four additional runs that inning to jump out to an 8-1 lead.

Though the Wildcats managed to score once more on a home run, they were unable to overtake such a large lead and finished the game 8-2.

The Wildcats hosted Glades Central High School on Monday. The game ended with the Wildcats routing the Raiders, 17-0. They next host Santaluces High School in a 6:30 p.m. game on Friday.

(Above) Wildcat pitcher Brandon Houk winds up for a pitch. (Right) Sean Malynn looks to steal second base.

PHOTOS BY LAUREN MIRÓ/TOWN-CRIER

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SPORTS & RECREATION

Local Gymnasts Shine At Cruise Classic In Cooper City The CATS of Wellington competitive gymnastics team recently took part in the 2013 Cruise Classic, held Feb. 2-3 in Cooper City.

In Level 2, Keelin Coleman placed first all around in her age group with a 38.1, including first place on floor with 9.75, and scores of 9.55 on vault, 9.2 on bars and 9.6 on beam. Sophia Roberts was awarded scores of 9.65 on vault, 9.3 on bars (first place), 9.5 on beam and 9.4 on floor. Enacoret Parziale earned scores of 9.45 on vault, 9.25 on beam and 9.05 on floor.

Aliyah Perez received scores of 9.3 on vault, 9.1 on beam and 9.2 on floor. Natalie Bornel earned a 9.2 on vault, 9.15 on bars and 9.2 on beam.

SRHS Football Seeks Freshmen On Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. in the Dr. Lynne K. McGee Auditorium, the Seminole Ridge High School athletics department will hold a football meeting for all eighth grade boys interested in playing freshman football for Seminole Ridge next fall. Questions regarding the meeting can be directed to coach Steven Humphrey at (540) 460-8702 (home) or (561) 422-2600 (school).

Alyssa Santoro was awarded a 9.15 on vault, 9.2 on beam and 9.2 on floor. Jordan Welsh received 9 on bars and 9.4 on beam. Ava Delafe earned 9.05 on vault and 9 on floor.

Kyleigh Gardner earned 8.9 on both vault and floor. Allison Franck was awarded 9.05 on bars. The Level 2 girls finished second in the team standings.

In Level 3, Angelina Apicella placed first all around in her group with a 37.6, including first vault with 9.5, and scores of 9.5 on bars, 9.3 on beam and 9.3 on floor. Zoe Kyrkostas was awarded first place on bars with 9.6, and scores of 9.3 on vault, 9.4 on beam and 9.35 on floor. Ruth Anne Lively earned 9.35 on vault, 9.25 on bars, 9.5 on beam and 9.4 on floor. Kayla Levins was awarded first on vault with 9.4, and scores of 9.2 on bars, 9.05 on beam and 9.3 on floor. Sasha Campbell received 9.15 on vault, 9.4 on bars and 9.2 on floor.

Sophia LaCosta earned scores of 9.15 on both vault and bars, and 9 on both beam and floor. Sophia Rodriguez scored 9.1 on vault, 9 on beam and 9.3 on floor. Katie Lettera was awarded 9.2 on vault and 9.1 on floor. Arianna Nettles received 9.1 on bars and 9.2 on floor. Nicole Campos earned 8.9 on bars. Hailey Gruber scored 8.75 on vault. The Level

CATS of Wellington competitive gymnastics team with their new trophies.

3 girls finished third in the team standings.

In Level 4, Allison Bunchuk earned scores of 9.35 on vault, 9.175 on beam and 9.15 on floor. Alexis Merritt was awarded 9.575 on vault, 9.175 on bars and 9.1 on floor. Alexa Alvarez received scores of 9.6 on vault, 9.025 on bars and 9.25 on floor.

Faith Campagnulo earned 9.575 on vault and 8.9 on floor. Hannah Hutchins was awarded 8.75 on vault and 8.85 on floor. The Level 4 girls

finished second in the team standings.

In Level 5, Arabella Campbell earned first on bars with a score of 9.05, and a score of 8.65 on vault.

Bianca Sileo scored 8 on vault and 8.1 on bars. Brieanna McCaffrey received 8.7 on vault and 8.475 on floor. The Level 5 girls finished second in the team standings.

In Level 7, Nicole Rosenthal was awarded 9.15 on vault and 8.825 on floor. Michela Arbocco received 8.7

on bars and 8.65 on floor. Elia Aird scored 8.65 on vault and 8.75 on bars. The Level 7 girls finished fourth in the team standings.

In Xcel Open USAG, Isabella Padilla received 9.05 on beam and 9.225 on floor. Alexia Moraes was awarded scores of 8.6 on bars and 8.775 on floor. This team finished fifth in the team standings.

The girls are trained by coaches Margarita Martinez, Felipe Restrepo and Joao Levy.

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SPORTS & RECREATION

Wildcat Dancers Take Home First Place From Orlando Event The Wildcat Dance Team from Royal Palm Beach High School, under the artistic direction of Michele Blecher, competed on March 1-3 at the I Love Dance competition in Orlando. The dancers competed with four dance routines, winning a first-place trophy for each routine.

Bianca Labady and Bryce Blecher performed “Everything You

Want;” Tatyanna Blackmon, Brittany Canales, Kim Benavente, Bryce Blecher, Bianca Labady and Anna Solomon performed “Already There;” Raul Santiago, Briel Acre, Nadia Perez, Kim Benavente, Anna Solomom, Bryce Blecher, Bianca Labady, Stephanie Ligorria, Loren Estebanez, Larissa Nivid and Brittany Canales performed “Dearly Be-

loved;” Bri Gribble, Tatyanna Blackmon and Andres Carazes performed “Already There;” and Raul Santiago, Bianca Labady, Kim Benavente, Nadia Perez, Anna Solomon, Stephanie Ligorria, Bryce Blecher, Loren Estebanez, Larissa Nivid, Tatyanna Blackmon, Bri Gribble, Brittany Canales and Andres Carazes performed “Big, Blond & Beautiful.”

The dancers who performed “Dearly Beloved.”

(Above) Bianca Labady and Bryce Blecher performed “Everything You Want.” (Left) The dancers who performed “Already There.”

RPB’s Madison Green Hosts Golfslinger.com Tour Event Sunny Kim of Palm Beach Gardens birdied the second extra hole Tuesday, Feb. 19 to earn his 29th win on the Golfslinger.com Tour. Kim edged Greg O’Mahony of Tequesta after they tied at six under par 66 at the Links at Madison Green in Roy-

al Palm Beach. The two halved the first hole with birdie-4s, then Kim made an eight-footer for birdie at the par-5 second for the win. Moments earlier, O’Mahony missed a 10-footer.

In regulation, Kim birdied the first

three holes and finished the day with seven birdies and a bogey for his second win of the year, earning $1,000 from the $7,452 purse. Second among 60 players, O’Mahony made eight birdies and two bogeys, collecting $725.

The Wildcat Dance Team with their trophies.

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Saturday, March 9 • The Royal Palm Art & Music Festival is set for Friday and Saturday, March 9 and 10 at Royal Palm Beach and Southern boulevards. For info., visit www.cpbchamber.com.

• The 2013 Challenge of the Americas will be at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center (7500 Forest Hill Blvd., West Palm Beach) on Saturday, March 9. For more info., call Mar y Ross at (561) 433-0988 or visit www. challengeoftheamericas.com.

• The Wellington Green Market will take place Saturday, March 9 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex.

Call (561) 283-5856 for more info.

• Mounts Botanical Garden (531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach) will host “Edible Well-Being from the Garden” on Saturday, March 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees will see how medicinal, fragrance, health and culinary herbs can be used. For more info., call (561) 233-1757 or visit www.mounts.org.

• The Council of Catholic Women at St. Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church will hold its annual Spring Fashion Show on Saturday March 9 at 11 a.m. at the Players Club (13410 South Shore Blvd., Wellington). Call Mae Loglisci at (561) 792-5707 or (561) 512-1591, or e-mail cajmae@aol.com for more info.

• The inaugural Bridles & Backswings Golf Tournament will be held Saturday, March 9 at the Binks Forest Golf Club. Registration opens at 12:30 p.m. with tee time at 1 p.m.

The cost is $400 for foursomes and $125 for single players. For more info., visit www. horsetalesliteracy.org or call Shelly LeConte at (561) 357-8729.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “Teen Writing Club” for ages 12 to 17 on Saturday, March 9 at 2 p.m. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register.

• Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will feature “Parmageddon!” on Saturday, March 9 at 3 p.m.

Whole Foods will break the world record for cracking the most wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano at one time. More than 500 wheels will be cracked company-wide. Enjoy free samples with paired wines and pasta until 5 p.m. Call (561) 904-4000 for more info.

• Rocketman’s Tribute to Elton John will perform Saturday, March 9 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater. Tickets cost $40 for VIP seats and $25 for general admission.

Tickets are available from the First Baptist Church of Wellington by calling (561) 7935670 or visiting www.fbcwellington.com.

Sunday, March 10 • The International Polo Club Palm Beach (3667 120th Avenue South, Wellington) will feature the USPA Gold Cup on Sunday, March 10. For tickets, visit www.internationalpolo club.com or call (561) 204-5687.

• The Arthur R. Marshall Foundation will host a family picnic at the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (10216 Lee Road, Boynton Beach) on Sunday, March 10 during the day, followed by the foundation’s 15th anniversary dinner at the original Wellington Mall from 5:30 to 7 p.m. that evening. The foundation is asking for a donation of $100 for a family of four for the entire day; $50 for one adult; and $10 for those 18 or younger.

Kids under 7 are free. For info., call (561) 233-9004 or visit www.artmarshall.org.

Monday, March 11 • The Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center (100 Sweet Bay Lane) will hold six-week Yoga Sessions on Monday mornings at 9:15 a.m. or Monday evenings at 5:15 p.m. from March 11 to April 22. The cost is $48 for residents and $58 for nonresidents. Call (561) 790-5124 for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Music Therapy” for adults on Monday, March 11 at 3 p.m., presented

by Hospice of Palm Beach County. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host an Art Club meeting for age 8 and up on Monday, March 11 at 4 p.m. This month’s activity will be painting. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

• The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Supervisors will meet Monday, March 11 at 7 p.m. at the district office (101 West D Road). Call (561) 7930884 or visit www.lgwcd.org for more info.

Tuesday, March 12 • The Palm Beach County Commission will meet Tuesday, March 12 at 9:30 a.m. in the government center’s Jane M. Thompson Memorial Chambers (301 N. Olive Ave., Sixth Floor, West Palm Beach). For more info., visit www.pbcgov.com.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Between the Covers: Adult Book Discussion Series” for adults on Tuesday, March 12 at 2 p.m. Barbara Harnick will discuss In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik Larson. Call (561) 7906030 for info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern See CALENDAR, page 45

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR CALENDAR, continued from page 44 Drive) will host “King Mario” for ages 12 to 17 on Tuesday, March 12 at 6 p.m. Play against your friends to see who will be crowned King Mario. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

• The Wellington Village Council will meet Tuesday, March 12 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex (12300 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). For more info., call (561) 7914000 or visit www.wellingtonfl.gov.

Wednesday, March 13 • Chick-fil-A restaurants in Royal Palm Beach (206 S. State Road 7) and in the Mall at Wellington Green will give 20 percent of food and beverage sales Wednesday, March 13 to the family of cancer patient Sharon Vomero. Mention Vomero so she gets the credit. Garden of Hope members will be at both locations from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. selling tickets to spin a wheel for prizes. Call (561) 333-4242 or visit www.facebook. com/chickfilaroyalpalmbeach or www. facebook.com/cfawell for more info.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “Between the Covers: Adult Book Discussion Series” for adults on Wednesday, March 13 at 4 p.m. Staff will lead a discussion of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Call (561) 681-4100 for more info.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “American Girl: Caroline” for ages 6 to 12 on Wednesday, March 13 at 4 p.m.

Celebrate Caroline with games and crafts related to the early 1800s. Call (561) 6814100 to pre-register.

• Clothier Vicomte A. (150 Worth Ave., Suite 110A, Palm Beach) will donate 20 percent of all purchases to the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center during its “SS13 Collection” unveiling Wednesday, March 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. Guests will enjoy light bites and refreshments. RSVP to vicomteapb@ gmail.com or (561) 833-3011.

• The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors will meet Wednesday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the district office (13476 61st St. North). Call (561) 793-0874 or visit www.indiantrail.com for more info.

• Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will feature “Gluten Free Cooking: The Irish Edition” on Wednesday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $5 per person. Call (561) 904-4000 for info.

Thursday, March 14 • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Discover South Flor-

ida’s Archeological Treasures: The Prehistoric Earthworks of South Florida” for adults on Thursday, March 14 at 2 p.m. Archaeologist Christian Davenport will talk about the mysterious Native-American earthwor ks. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Bowling Bonanza” for age 8 and up Thursday, March 14 at 3:30 p.m.

Knock down some pins and see who wins.

Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “How to Eat a Piece of Pi” for ages 8 to 12 on Thursday, March 14 at 3:30 p.m.

Learn a little about art, geometry and dessert. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Wii Gaming” for ages 7 to 10 on Thursday, March 14 at 3:30 p.m.

Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

• The Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center (100 Sweet Bay Lane) will host “USTA Tennis for the Itty Bitty” on Thursdays from March 14 to April 18 at 4 p.m. Specialized equipment helps 4- to 6-year-old boys and girls to experience greater success with tennis skills. The fee is $45 for residents $55 for nonresidents. Call (561) 790-5124 or visit www.royalpalmbeach.com to register.

• Wellington’s Food Truck Invasion will take place Thursday, March 14 from 5 to 9:30 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 753-2484 or visit www.wellingtonfl.gov for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Pajama Tales” for ages 2 to 6 on Thursday, March 14 at 6 p.m. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info.

• Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will feature “Basics of Beer Making and Tasting” on Friday, March 15 at 7 p.m. A $5 donation will benefit the Whole Planet Foundation. Call (561) 9044000 to reserve a spot.

• Tem ple Beth Torah in Wellington will present a performance by the Yale Spizzwinks on Thursday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Advance tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for students. All tickets cost $25 at the door.

To purchase tick ets, visit spizzwinks. ticketbud.com/wellington. To contact the temple, call (561) 793-2700.

Friday, March 15 • The Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will present a free screening of the movie Taken 2 on Friday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m. Call (561) 753-2484 or visit www.wellingtonfl.gov for more info.

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HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER — in Wellington needs EXAM PREP COORDINATOR Bachelors Degree- Demonstrate Solid Performance on SAT and ACT (either verbal or math sections) Available to work evenings and Saturdays.

Also needed: EXAM PREP TUTORS Now Hiring SAT/ACT Preparation Tutors. Must have a 4 year degree preferably in Mathmetics or English. Be available to tutor on Saturdays. Please e-mail resume tomarlenegiraud@hlcwellington.com PART-TIME LEGAL SECRETARY — for legal/accounting office. Fax resume 333-2680.

TEACHING ASSISTANT 1 - 5 P.M. MONDAY- FRIDAY — Experienced preferred 561-793-5860 TEACHERS/TUTORS - P/T SAT/ACT/FCAT All Subjects PreK - Adult Flexible Hrs. Great Pay. P.B. County Area.

Experience required.

Apply: ClubZ.com GENERAL MAINTENANCE PERSON Needed for community association. Full-Time $10 per hour. Drug & Background check required. Fax resume to 561-967-7675 or call 561-967-3337 for appointment or Email resume to: TKISER@capitalrealtyadvisors.com DRIVERS WANTED — Full-Time/ Part-T ime retirees welcome.

Wellington Town Car. Call for details. 561-333-0181 LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED NAIL TECH - to takeover full clientele and hairstylist F/T or P/T Flexible hours, fax resume 561-7903066 or call 561-790-5777 FULL TIME PERMANENT POSITION - Available immediately wanted for local produce market.

Must have knowledge of fruits and vegetables. 561-329-5000

CHURCH YARD SALE This Saturday, March 9th 7:30 a.m. – Noon.

Household items. Electronics, tools, toys, baked goods.

PALMS WEST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 13689 Okeechobee Blvd.

Loxahatchee,FL 33470 (Between E & F Road) TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFEDS CALL 561-793-7606 TO PLACE YOUR AD HERE

COUCH PULL OUT SOFA SLEEPER $150 call 561-793-4639

FREE CAT TO LOVING HOME — Russian Blue, 3 years old, neutered, with all shots. Other cats available as well. Interview required 561-901-7744

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JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC.—Service & new installation FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. "W e are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks" 561-798-3225.

Family Owned & Operated since 1996. Credit Cards Accepted

BOB CAVANAGH ALLSTATE INSURANCE — Auto •Home • Life• Renters •Motorcycle •RV • Golfcart • Boat Serving the Western Communities for 24 years Call for a quote 798-3056, or visit our website. www.allstateagencies.com/ rCavanagh

WE CLEAN OFFICES & PRIVATE HOMES — Licensed & Insured. Call for an estimate and to schedule your apartment. Discount for Central Palm Beach County Chamber members and to all new clients for first cleaning. 561-385-8243 Lic. #2012-252779

RJA PAINTING & DECORATING, INC. — Interior Exterior, Faux Finish, Residential,Commercial.Lic. #U17536 Rocky Armento, Jr. 561793-5455 561-662-7102 J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.

Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975 or visit our website at

MOBILE-TEC ON-SITE COMPUTER SERVICE — The computer experts that come to you! Hardware/Software setup, support & troubleshooting w w w . m o b i l e t e c . n e t .

561-248-2611 D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-3331923 Cell 561-252-1186 Lic’d Well. & Palm Beach. We accept major credit cards.

DRIVEWAYS — Free estimates A & M ASPHALT SEAL COATING commercial and residential. Patching potholes, striping, repair existing asphalt & save money all work guaranteed. Lic.& Ins. 100045062 561-667-7716

THE MASTER HANDYMAN — All Types of Home Repairs & Improvements. No job too big or small done right the first time every time 40 yrs of satisfied customers. See me on Angies List. Tom (561) 801-2010 or (954) 444-3178 Serving Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS INC. REMODEL & REPAIRS — Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair , door installation, minor drywall,kitchens/cabinets / countertops, wood flooring. Bonded and Insured U#19699. Call 7919900 or 628-9215 HANDYMAN AND CLEANING SERVICES — Caza Services for all your handyman and cleaning needs. 18 years experience. No job is too small. Call us today. Insured 561-802-8300 or 754-242-3459

ANMAR CO .—James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back!

Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC 1327426 561-248-8528

HOUSECLEANING — 20 yrs experience. Excellent local references.

Shopping available. 561-572-1782 HOUSECLEANING — affordable cleaning services, Royal Palm Maids. 561-666-7738 “For all your cleaning needs”

HURRICANE SHUTTERS P&M CONTRACTORS — ACCORDION SHUTTERS Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffit s, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561791-9777

www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. — Interior/Exterior - Repaint specialist, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall rep air & roof painting. Family owned/owner operator . Free Est. 798-4964 Lic. #U18473 COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Int./ Ext. residential painting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free est.

Ins. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident JEREMY JAMES PLUMBING — Licensed plumber, legitimate estimate. Water heaters, new construction. CFC1426242. Bonded Insured.

CFC1426242. 561-601-6458

J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.

Interior & Exterior p ainting.

Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch at 309-6975 or visit us at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

PSYCHIC ELIZABETH — Love & Soulmate specialist. Past, Present, Future, Love, Career, & Health, Palm & Tarot Card Readings. Call for appointment 561-284-6056 or 561-601-6264

CAZA SER VICES — Taking care of your home is our family business.

Remodeling, Handyman Service, Cleaning Service. 561-228-1084 Lic. Ins.

MINOR ROOF REPAIRS DON HARTMANN ROOFING — Roof painting, Carpentry. Lic. #U13677 967-5580 ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING — Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,insured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763.

ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC-023773 RC0067207 PLACE YOUR BUSINESS DIRECT ORY LISTING HERE CALL 7933576

SECURITY — American owned local security company in business 30 plus years. Protection by officers drug tested. 40 hour course. Licensed & Insured. 561-848-2600

JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening.

Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed!

CRC1329708 call us 798-3132. www.poolscreenrepair.com

ACCORDION SHUTTERS — Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985.

U-17189 561-791-9777

AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC — Complete repair of all types of systems. Owner Operated. Michael 561-964-6004Lic.#U17871 Bonded & Ins. Serving the Western Communities Since 1990 SKYLIGHT REPLACMENT SERVICE and minor roof leak repairs 561-670-1368 danflanders1@gmail.com

EXPERIENCED TAX PREPARER With expertise with individuals and small businesses - Hack Tax and Accounting Services 561-214-6171

SPECIALIZING IN BATHROOM REMODELING — Free estimates serving South Florida since 1980.

Quality you expect, service you deserve. Lic. bonded & Ins. U21006 561-662-9258

TREES TRIMMED AND REMOVED — 561-798-0412 D.M. YOUNG TREE SERVICE. Family Owned & Operated Lic. & Insured 1992-12121 Visit our website at dmyoungtreeservice.com

CLUB Z! In-Home TUTORING All Subjects: PreK - Adult 561•333•1980 CLUBZ.COM America's Largest In-Home Tutoring Co.

PAPERHANGING BY DEBI — Professional Installation,Removal.

Repair of Paper. Neat, Clean & Reliable. Quality work with a woman's touch. 30 years experience. No Job too big or too small. Lic. & Ins. References available. 561-795-5263

GORGEOUS 4 BEDROOM/4 BATH EXECUTIVE HOME — in private gated enclave of ten homes on Lake Wellington. Close to polo grounds, schools, & Shopping.

Heated community pool, clubhouse. $2,900/mo. 561-329-5000

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