SEAFOOD FESTIVAL SAILS BACK TO RPB SEE STORY, PAGE 3
TWO BALLOT QUESTIONS IN LOX GROVES SEE STORY, PAGE 4
THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
Your Community Newspaper
INSIDE
Volume 40, Number 10 March 8 - March 14, 2019
Serving Palms West Since 1980
CHAMBER HOSTS SUNSET STRIDE 5K
2019 GUIDE
Pages 17 thru 19
Matt Willhite Hosts Town Hall Meeting
State Rep. Matt Willhite (DDistrict 86) addressed the public during a town hall meeting at the Wellington Municipal Complex on Wednesday, Feb. 27. State Sen. Kevin Rader (DDistrict 29) was slated to speak as well but was unexpectedly out of town. His legislative assistant, J.J. Piskadlo, was there on his behalf. Page 3
The Wellington Chamber of Commerce held its Sunset Stride 5K on Saturday, March 2 at the Wellington National Golf Club, sponsored by Baptist Health South Florida. Runners enjoyed the beautiful views and serene landscapes of the golf course at an event designed to put a focus on healthy living. Shown above are Wellington National General Manager Ted Strelec, first place women’s finisher Jennifer Rapaport, Wellington National owner Doug Marty and first place men’s finisher Adam Akel. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 15 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Renovated Cultural Center Rededicated
The newly renovated and expanded Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center was rededicated on Thursday, Feb. 28. Catering companies gave food samples with passed hors d’oeuvres and display tables. Several rooms were decorated to show what your event could look like. Page 5
Wellington Wins Regional Title With Three-Pointer At Buzzer
The Wellington High School boys varsity basketball team relied on a half court threepoint buzzer-beater shot from junior De’ante Perez to defeat Cypress Bay High School in Weston on Friday, March 1. The last-second heroics sent the Wolverines to the state tournament for the third straight year. Page 23 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 20 LETTERS.................................. 4 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 SCHOOLS........................... 8 - 9 PEOPLE................................. 10 COLUMNS............................. 18 CALENDAR............................ 20 BUSINESS............................. 21 SPORTS..........................23 - 24 CLASSIFIEDS................ 25 - 26 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
Wellington Rec Board Looks At Master Plan, Greenbriar Park
By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington’s Parks & Recreation Advisory Board met Monday, March 4 and discussed the village’s proposed Parks & Recreation Master Plan and got an update regarding the future of Greenbriar Park. After years of knowing there is a need for more long-term planning, the Wellington Village Council recently approved consulting firm AECOM to put together a Parks & Recreation Master Plan. “This process will take anywhere from 8 to 12 months,” Parks & Recreation Director Eric Juckett explained. “It is very extensive. They look at everything from staff to land to facilities to resources that we have. They give us a comprehensive plan of where we are at now and where we will hopefully be in the future. We can always be better. They’ll give us a year out, five years out and 10 years out of what we can do with the department.”
After AECOM completes gathering data and crunching the numbers, they will conduct a full presentation for the advisory board. “It’s something that we’ve really wanted to get completed for a while now,” Assistant Village Manager Jim Barnes said. “It’s a good benchmark to see how we compare to other agencies our size. While we will probably compare favorably, it is always good to have a basis for comparison.” No comprehensive evaluation or master plan existed for Wellington’s Parks & Recreation Department in the past. Since the department is now in pursuit of renewing its accreditation through the national Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA), having such a plan is a requirement under the current standards and can no longer be delayed. “We’ve had bits and pieces, with some facility master planning related to neighborhood parks right when the village incorporated,”
Barnes said. “We’ve had some programming and staff assessment completed over the years, but there has not been a comprehensive one that looked at staffing, facilities, programming all together at the same time, while comparing us to other agencies.” A full community needs assessment is coming along with the new master plan. Feedback directly from the community will be gathered by several methods over the next few months. The study will take a broad look at the needs of Wellington’s citizens and not one specific site, such as the current discussion over the future of the Town Center area. “There will be a mailed survey, an online survey, multiple night meetings where they invite the community to come, as well as focus groups,” Juckett said. “We are going to have a kickoff meeting March 18.” Additional information and meeting times will be announced See REC BOARD, page 4
Bacon & Bourbon Fest Returns To Wellington On March 22-23
By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report It’s almost that time again for unique and interesting pairings of the world’s most flavorful food: bacon, combined with the quintessential American liquor: bourbon, at the annual Bacon & Bourbon Festival. This year’s edition offers free admission and will be held Friday, March 22 from 4 to10 p.m. and Saturday, March 23 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater. “We’ve partnered with the Village of Wellington again. It’s our second year that the popular event will be held in Wellington,” said promoter Nancy Stewart-Franczak of Festival Management Group. The event had previously been held in Delray Beach for three years before moving to its new home in the Wellington last year. “We have a new pedestrian
traffic flow for the attendees that is more conducive to enjoying the festival’s offerings,” said StewartFranczak, who also noted that there will be all the returning vendors, plus more, to make the event bigger and tastier than ever. The festival challenges the culinary skills of chefs from around the county as they expand the boundaries of New American Cuisine, embellish on good, old-fashioned family-style comfort foods and embrace the farm-to-table movement. Past creations have included new and unusual menus of bacon and porkrelated entrees, including Bacon and Bourbon Pulled Pork and Chocolate-Dipped Bacon. “The food and bourbon pairings are very popular, a crowd favorite,” said Stewart-Franczak, explaining that many of the seminars and tastings sell out early, as
some have very limited space. Complementing this dynamic duo of bacon and bourbon is an enviable selection of bourbon and whiskeys. Tastings and seminars share the art and patient techniques of the distillers, expanding attendees’ knowledge and enjoyment of bourbon, rye and whiskey. Live music will be provided by great local bands on the amphitheater stage, while artists and crafters will display and purvey an eclectic mix of art, funky crafts and items related to the bacon and bourbon theme. Plus, there will be plenty of backyard games to play. The festival is committed to creating fun events for the food-loving community featuring unique food and beverages, providing rich rewards for sponsors and raising funds for the nonprofit organizations that help staff the event. “The See BACON, page 4
Groves Council Candidates Face Off At LGLA Forum
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The six candidates running for three seats on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council appeared at a forum hosted by the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association on Thursday, Feb. 28. Incumbent Vice Mayor Todd McLendon is being challenged for Seat 2 by former Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Supervisor Laura Danowski. In a special election for Seat 3, Councilwoman Anita Kane — who was appointed to fill a vacancy temporarily until the election — is being challenged by professional equestrian Lisa El-Ramey. Seat 4 features Planning & Zoning Board Member Robert Shorr and home-school mother and teacher Karen Plante running for the seat being vacated by Mayor Dave Browning. McLendon is a 12-year resident who became active with the town after a neighbor challenged him on his agricultural rights. He ran unsuccessfully in 2013 and was elected to his first term in 2016. Danowski, a 14-year resident, served three years as a LGWCD supervisor. She noted that the district was providing safer roads at a much lower cost than the town has been using a private company. Kane is a seven-year resident of the town. She has been actively involved, including as a member of the Finance Advisory & Audit Committee until she was appointed to the council, and as chair of the LGWCD Board of Supervisors until it became dependent to the town. El-Ramey said she is running because residents have told her they are concerned about increased taxes and fees by the town, as well as selective code enforcement and inferior services to residents, including the potential loss of Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office services. Shorr said he has been reviewing documents including the Loxahatchee Groves Neighborhood Plan and the town’s comprehensive plan, which he said outline how the town should be doing things. He said the council’s job
is to hire a manager and attorney and see that the town is going in the right direction. Plante, a resident for almost 16 years, has been active in the town on and off. She has been busy raising her son, who started college a year ago, and she now wants to get more involved with the town. Asked how their skills would make them a good fit on the council, McLendon said he believes in trying to get people to reach a consensus and pointed out that the council has accomplished many things in recent years, including drainage and road projects, and is getting things done more efficiently, including the recent acquisition of a road grader. “Very often, we’ll see people at opposite ends of an issue,” he said. “I try to find a common ground that we can all agree on. I’ve shown that. I’ve educated myself a tremendous amount since being on the council. There’s a lot of issues out there, a lot more than most people realize, and when you make those decisions, they are very difficult.” Danowski said that prior to moving to Florida, she was a journalist by trade. “I cite, I refer, I am committed to telling the truth. If you ask me a question, I will find you an answer,” she said. “One of my strongest skill sets is negotiation and listening. The best thing that I learned at the water control district was not to be married to my own ideas. You need to put the needs of the many ahead of pride and ego. We’re all here for the same reasons, whether it’s horses, privacy, cows, retirement. I love this community and want to preserve it.” Kane said her qualifications for the council include a background in education, finance and the legal field, and as a successful business owner for more than 20 years. “I think I have a unique skill set that will enable me to continue to problem-solve and create a positive outcome,” she said. “I’m a people person. I get along with a wide variety of people, and I think I’m known for getting things done… Often things have been in See LGLA FORUM, page 20
TENNIS EXHIBITION HELD AT WYCLIFFE
More than 450 guests attended the Israel Tennis Centers Foundation’s exhibition and grand reception at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club on Saturday, March 2. The sold-out event included exhibition tennis matches, dinner and first-hand accounts from the young players on how the ITC is influencing their lives. Shown above are event coordinator Michelle Esrig, co-chair Ellen Wechsler, ITC Vice President Jackie Glodstein and ITC CEO Ari Strasberg embrace how tennis can help shape lives. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 12 PHOTO BY CALLIE SHARKEY/TOWN-CRIER
Veronica Johnson Marks 20 Years Instilling Confidence
Veronica Johnson conducts the Crestwood Middle School Honors Handbell Ensemble.
PHOTO BY DENIS EIRIKIS/TOWN-CRIER
By Denis Eirikis Town-Crier Staff Report An enthusiastic team of parents, students, staff and even some alumni of Crestwood Middle School showed up in force to brief the Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board on Monday, March 4. Principal Dr. Stephanie Nance described the Crestwood Middle School community as “a mosaic, a tapestry of people who share one belief: that our children deserve a quality education and our collective goal is to help them advance.” While the Crestwood team came out in force to represent the school, the show was stolen by the Crestwood Honors Handbell Ensemble, which brilliantly performed tunes for the packed house ranging from
a bluesy Mississippi Delta spiritual to “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin. Led by Veronica Johnson, chair of the Crestwood Fine Arts Department, the choir is so well regarded that they have again been invited to perform in the Young Musicians Spotlight at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach near the end of this school year. “Veronica Johnson is a western communities’ icon,” School Board Member Marcia Andrews said. “This marks her 20th year of teaching our children the love of music and the joys of working hard together to achieve a common goal.” Andrews, whose grandchildren attended Crestwood, congratulated the school for providing a variety
of well-rounded opportunities to children, including offering the unusual performing handbells. Johnson passionately addressed the board about the importance of music education in the development of adolescents. “Students not only learn music, but they also learn a variety of other life lessons, including confidence, teamwork and the importance of hard work in order to achieve musical or any other kind of success,” she said. Handbell players are called “ringers,” and ringing bells while in middle school can be such a formative experience that many students return from high school or even college to sit in with the ensemble. “I always tell them, if you can still pick up a bell, then See CRESTWOOD, page 20