RPB READY TO START CRESTWOOD WORK SEE STORY, PAGE 3
SCIENCE MUSEUM’S EXPANSION TO OPEN SEE STORY, PAGE 7
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TOWN - CR IER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
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Wellington Offering B&G Club Summer Camp Scholarships
Volume 34, Number 18 May 3 - May 9, 2013
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB GRAND OPENING
With summer fast approaching, Wellington is making sure some of its neediest kids have a safe place to stay. To help families in need when school is out, the village is offering a scholarship program for children to attend summer camp at the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club. Page 3
Athletic Kids Compete In Wellington Triathlon
Wellington held its second annual Kids Triathlon on Sunday, April 28 at the Wellington Aquatics Complex. Children in various divisions competed in the athletic contest, which consisted of swimming, cycling and running. Page 5
The Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club hosted its grand opening last weekend in Wellington. On Saturday, April 27, the club held a VIP grand opening where donor s and club supporters got a tour of the facility, followed by lunch. Then, on Sunday, April 28, the club opened to the public with bounce houses, food, music, a petting zoo and more. Shown here are club namesake Neil Hirsch, Sara Gehrke, former Wellington Mayor Tom Wenham and Wellington Mayor Bob Margolis. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Serving Palms West Since 1980
Zoning Board OK For Day Care Center On State Road 7 By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report A daycare center proposed on the site of the planned Wellington Charter School got a nod of approval Wednesday from members of Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board. Despite concerns about traffic along State Road 7 near the intersection of Stribling Way, board members unanimously recommended approval of the ordinance after the site’s owners agreed to pay for a traffic light at Palomino Drive. If approved by the Wellington Village Council, the daycare center will house up to 228 children in a maximum 15,000 square feet, Wellington Planner Damian Newell said. It will be part of the Wellington Charter School, which received approval last year for up to 1,200 students on a site just north of Palomino Drive on the east side of SR 7. Jon Schmidt, agent for the applicant, said that the daycare facility would be operated by Bright
Horizons and would function independently of the school. “There is certainly a synergy between the two,” he said. “But they are independent operators.” Site owners initially proposed the school with daycare last year, but Wellington made the daycare center a conditional use while approving the charter school. “They felt we needed to work on traffic circulation to make sure we got all of the stacking on site,” Schmidt said. “We don’t want cars backed up onto [SR 7] or Palomino Drive.” Schmidt said that there would be two entrances to the school — one from SR 7 and another with access to Palomino Drive along the canal. Traffic could make a right or left turn into a driveway off SR 7, or turn in at Palomino. From there, cars would separate depending on if they were school or daycare traffic, and flow through the site and back out. “The daycare has traffic between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m.,” Schmidt said. “There’s not a big rush like See DAY CARE, page 7
Plentiful State Budget Provides CHAMBER INSTALLATION Money For Several Area Projects Sweet Corn Fiesta At S.F. Fairgrounds
The annual Sweet Corn Fiesta was held Sunday, April 28 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. There were amateur corn shucking and corn eating contests for all ages. The main event was the Major League Eating & International Federation of Competitive Eaters sweet corn eating contest, which was won by Bob “Notorious B.O.B.” Shoudt. Page 13
OPINION New Boys & Girls Club A Reason To Celebrate
Last weekend, the Wellington community put aside its differences and came together to celebrate the grand opening of a bigger and better facility for youth to learn, grow and play. The Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club will provide generations of children a safe place — and it is because of support from the entire community that the facility is standing today. Page 4
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By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Florida Legislature was poised Wednesday to give final approval to its $74.5 billion 201314 budget — including money for several key local projects. As the budget heads into the home stretch, it includes $6.5 million for Palm Beach State College to start work on a new campus in Loxahatchee Groves and $4 million to build a new levee on the south end of the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area. The financing to begin the Loxahatchee Groves campus was good news for PBSC President Dr. Dennis Gallon. However, money for the campus has made it into the budget twice before, only to be struck by the governor’s veto pen. “Our plan of action is to continue to move forward to develop the campus master plan,” Gallon told the Town-Crier in an e-mail on Wednesday. “If the governor approves the $6.5 million state allocation, we would have the funding we need to begin work on the infrastructure no later than the beginning of next year, and perhaps even later this year.” Gallon said the college has not
been discouraged by a group of Loxahatchee Groves dissidents trying to get an up-or-down referendum on the campus put before town voters. “Our enthusiasm for proceeding has not diminished at all, and I truly believe the majority of the people in the community do support our building that campus,” Gallon said. The legislature reduced money for the Corbett berm by about half from Gov. Rick Scott’s original $8.3 million request. South Florida Water Management District officials have not yet ascertained how that would affect the project since a cost analysis has not been completed. SFWMD representative Gabe Margasak told the Town-Crier Wednesday that it was too early to say one way or the other, since the budget had not received final approval. “The district will evaluate the options based on the final Florida budget,” he said. Indian Trail Improvement District Administrator Tanya Quickel said she was unsure what the impact of less money than originally anticipated would be. “We were aware based on the news this week that it appears that
the funding is in the $4 million range at this point,” Quickel told the Town-Crier on Wednesday. “We anticipate the funding to be finalized by the end of the week, within the next few days.” She said ITID is discussing the options with SFWMD officials. “We have another interagency meeting with them this Friday where we will be reviewing some of the options, considering the changes in the funding as well as updated limitations from the ongoing work analyses of the geotech and survey information,” Quickel said. State Rep. Pat Rooney (R-District 85) said he was pleased about the money apparently coming through for the college and the levee. “I know they both wanted more than that, but it’s a good start for both of them,” Rooney said Wednesday. “I hope both of them end up being good projects for the western communities.” State Rep. Mark Pafford (D-District 86) said that he, Rooney, State Sen. Joseph Abruzzo (D-District 25) and Palm Beach County Legislative Affairs Director Todd Bonlarron worked to get as much as they could for county projects. He See BUDGET, page 18
SFWMD, ITID Pondering Several Designs For New Corbett Berm By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report South Florida Water Management District officials conducted a public workshop Friday, April 26 regarding a planned levee to reinforce the berm separating the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area from The Acreage. SFWMD Bureau Chief of Engineering & Construction John Mitnik explained that the need to strengthen the levee became apparent last August when Tropical Storm Isaac dumped about 15 inches of rain on The Acreage, which brought flooding to the community and high water levels in the Corbett area that exerted increased pressure on the existing berm that separates Corbett from residents
in the northern reaches of The Acreage. “At that time, the South Florida Water Management District was called upon to come in and provide some temporary repairs to that existing berm, as well as construction of a temporary outlet through the construction of a weir that would allow some of those waters at those high stages to bleed off out of Corbett into the [adjacent] Mecca property and be directed back north to the C-18 Canal,” Mitnik said. After those temporary measures were put in place, Gov. Rick Scott directed the SFWMD and other agencies to come together and develop a plan to strengthen the integrity of the existing berm.
Since that time, water managers have been doing preliminary studies and conceptual designs, as well as some of the geotechnical work and topographical surveys that are required to support the design. The SFWMD has also done wetland mapping to see what designs would minimize the impact to the Corbett area. “Obviously, you want to minimize those impacts as much as possible,” Mitnik said. Mitnik presented several different conceptual designs for the levee, all of which leave the existing levee in place, with some taking varying amounts of land inside Corbett — an idea opposed by conservation organizations — See CORBETT, page 17
The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce held its installation gala “A Diamond Affair: 100 Years from Cane to Coral” on Frida y, April 26 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Attorney Frank Gonzalez was sworn in as the chamber’s chairman for the year 2013-14. Shown here, Gonzalez celebrates after receiving the gavel. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 12 PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER
Wellington Frowns On Plat Waiver Idea By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Members of the Wellington Village Council were divided last week on a measure that would allow multifamily units to be more easily divided and sold to individual homeowners. Though council members voted 3-2 on April 23 to approve an amendment to an existing ordinance, it was without key language that would have waived platting requirements for further division of existing multifamily units. Growth Management Director Bob Basehart explained that this amendment was an effort to push for more home ownership in Wellington’s transitional neighborhoods. “This is not an opportunity to create something in the code that they couldn’t do before,” he said. “It’s a process change.” Currently, Basehart said this is possible without the amendment by going through the platting process, which costs $20,000 on average. “What we’re doing is propos-
ing this amendment as a vehicle to allow properties that were already platted — that have already been through the platting process as multi-family lots — to be further subdivided,” he said. “Then the individual units on those lots could be sold, as opposed to requiring a multifamily unit to be all rental.” He noted that the proposal is part of an overall plan to help Wellington’s transitional neighborhoods through the Safe Neighborhoods program, which focuses on increased safety and code enforcement measures. “By adding this opportunity, it would encourage the potential for homeownership,” Basehart said. “Studies conducted by our own departments in multifamily neighborhoods found when ownership is available, property values increase and become more stable. The maintenance and appearance of properties is improved, and code enforcement violations are reduced.” But he noted that this would not See COUNCIL, page 18
Wellington Ballet Theater Seeks Venue To Call Home By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report In an effort to enhance culture in the western communities, Wellington Ballet Theatre is providing professional ballet hopefuls an opportunity to enrich their talents. Wrapping up its first operational year, the young nonprofit offers skilled training, performance opportunities and career advancement for ballet dancers. The group is the brainchild of Wellington’s Dance Arts Conser-
vatory owners Rocky and Dorie Duvall, who saw the need for a community ballet theater. “There’s a good, talented pool of dancers here in the western communities at several different dance studios,” Rocky Duvall said. “We wanted to offer performance opportunities to anybody who wanted to participate.” Even if a dancer is based at another dance studio, he or she can audition to be part of the performances that Wellington Ballet
Theatre puts together throughout the year at venues such as the Wellington Amphitheater, the International Polo Club Palm Beach and Palm Beach Central High School. “They can be from any dance studio and don’t have to sign up with Dance Arts Conservatory, which is a separate entity,” Duvall said. “They just have to participate in Wellington Ballet Theatre.” Instructions are held at Dance Arts Conservatory on Fortune
Way off Pierson Road, although the Duvalls hope to one day find Wellington Ballet Theatre its own performance space. Until then, the Duvalls have made it their mission to get Wellington Ballet Theatre off the ground and to become a staple in the community. “At first we started with very minimal funds from private donors and our families,” Duvall said. “We also received a lot of support from the Village of Wellington by let-
ting us use the amphitheater for performances.” Still in its infancy, the ballet company has a long way to go. “We are trying to build up our repertoire so that we can present to donors and say, ‘Here, look at what we have done,’” Duvall said. Over the past year, Wellington Ballet Theatre has put on three seasonal performances — fall, winter and spring showcases. Some notable performances inSee BALLET, page 17
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Royal Palm Ready To Start Crestwood Blvd. Improvement Project By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report After years of planning, the Royal Palm Beach Village Council was scheduled Thursday to approve the start of streetscape improvements on the northern portion of Crestwood Blvd. through the Saratoga community. Two items were on the consent agenda for approval: authorization for the village to enter into a professional services agreement with Michael Baker Jr. Inc. for Phase 1 of the streetscaping and authorization for the village to enter into an agreement with the Saratoga at Royal Palm Property Owners’Association (SPOA) to move the existing irrigation system as part of the walkway improvement project. The enhanced streetscape runs along Crestwood Blvd. from Saratoga Blvd. to Royal Palm Beach Blvd. Village Engineer Chris Marsh said that the project will include curbs, gutters and widening of the existing 4-foot walkways to 8 feet, which will encroach on the irrigation system owned and maintained
by Saratoga, although it is located legally in village right-of-way. The cost for the work has not been determined, but money for the work will be set up as a receivable due from SPOA and not a village expense, according to the staff report. The money would initially come from the village’s capital improvement fund reserves, to be repaid by SPOA. In a 3-2 decision April 4, the council authorized Village Manager Ray Liggins to pursue an arrangement with SPOA to rebuild the irrigation system, although there was an in-depth discussion as to whether it would put the village at risk by financing a private POA project, even though the village would eventually be paid back. Marsh said the village portion of the project is driven by grants totaling $500,000 that carry a deadline. Conditions of the grant require the project to be under construction by no later than May 6. Failure to meet the grant schedule could jeopardize funding. SPOA was notified of potential
irrigation conflicts in 2009, and then notified of the pending construction last May and again this March. Village Attorney Brad Biggs said SPOA had raised some of the money through assessments in 2012 and was in the process of raising the balance in assessments through 2014. Councilman Richard Valuntas opposed using village money to move the irrigation system even though SPOA had agreed to repay the cost, because he felt it would put the village in a position of risk, and Vice Mayor Jeff Hmara agreed. Councilman Dave Swift said he had talked to Saratoga homeowners, and they wanted the project completed in time to qualify for the grant, but they were concerned that in order to meet the deadlines they would have to increase assessments. Joseph Boyle, representing Saratoga, said he was taking steps to make sure the work can be financed. “We just need time to collect the money, but we can collect
it,” he said. “I don’t think there’s risk to the village.” Boyle said SPOA was willing to include measures in the agreement that would guarantee that the village is repaid and has already spent $8,000 for architectural and electrical designs for the system. Valuntas asked why SPOA had not been able to get the money together by the deadline, given more than three years’ notice. Boyle said he did not join the board of governors until 2010, and even at that time, SPOA did not have a full picture of its obligations. When they got into 2012, they realized initial estimates had been off. The organization expects to raise an additional $30,000 in 2013. “We are in the process of collect-
ing that money as we speak,” Boyle said. “I expect this thing would be no more than $30,000 more.” He anticipated they could raise the necessary money at the same rate they are currently collecting from homeowners. “I don’t think there’s going to be a burden on our community or a problem collecting it,” Boyle said. Liggins said although the final cost to relocate the irrigation had not been finalized, he did not see a special assessment exceeding $100 per homeowner, if a special assessment were required at all. Removal of the irrigation system until SPOA raises the money would result in the loss of landscaping and sodding in and
around the public right-of-way, according to the staff report, which also states that there is a public benefit to keep the landscaping and sodding healthy during the village project, and prevent the SPOA obligations from altering the village’s grant funding time schedule. Swift made the motion at the April 4 meeting for the manager to draft an agreement with Saratoga to move the irrigation system, taking into account all the council members’ comments to reduce risk to the village. The motion carried 3-2, with Valuntas and Hmara opposed. The streetscape improvements are tied to a $250,000 grant from the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization.
PARK-AND-RIDE SPOTS OPEN AT PWH
Wellington Offering B&G Club Summer Camp Scholarships By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report With summer fast approaching, Wellington is making sure some of its neediest kids have a safe place to stay while their parents work. To help families in need when school is out, the village is offering a scholarship program for children to attend summer camp at the new Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club. “Wellington is committed to youth outreach, and with summer around the corner, this is a great opportunity,” Wellington Community Services Director Nicole Evangelista said. “The Boys & Girls Club is now in the perfect location for our neighborhood children, and is able to provide a place for children to go this summer so they aren’t home alone.” The Recreation and Education Activities for Children (REACH) summer scholarship program is available to Wellington residents with children ages 6 through 18
who want to attend the Boys & Girls Club summer camp. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, May 22. Applications are available online at www.wellingtonfl.gov or by calling the Neighborhood Services Office at (561) 791-4796. Now in a new location, the Boys & Girls Club has a great facility to accommodate children of almost any age, including teenagers, Evangelista said. “It’s a really cool facility,” she said. “There will be a lot for them to do.” Eligibility for the scholarships is determined by income, she said. The application guidelines require that applicants make a maximum of $38,550 to $72,700 depending on the number of people in the home. “This scholarship in particular helps those children who don’t otherwise have the funds to be able to attend,” Evangelista said. “It’s to help make sure they have something to do during the summer.”
Wellington is using $9,320 of its Community Development Block Grant funds for the scholarships, meaning no taxpayer money is used, other than staff time. “Applicants are eligible to receive up to $1,000 per child,” Evangelista said. “The funds would at most go toward nine full rides, but some households may not require the full amount.” The scholarships will be paid directly to the Boys & Girls Club on behalf of the chosen applicants, she said. “We hope to promote community development, and this is one of the tools we can use,” Evangelista said. “We encourage families to apply so that their children have a safe, fun place to go this summer.” Applications will be randomly drawn on Thursday, May 23, and recipients will be notified shortly thereafter. For more information, visit www.wellingtonfl.gov or call (561) 791-4796.
Palms West Hospital, in conjunction with Palm Tran, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for 12 new Palm Tran park-and-ride spots Wednesday, April 24. Commissioner Jess Santamaria and Palms West Hospital Chairman Dr. Carmine Priore were an integral part in the development of the parking spots. The goal of the project is to enhance the quality of life by making it easier for commuters who travel to and from the western communities. Commuters will now be able to park their cars in these spots, which have been allocated for the new limited-stop service on the Route 40 bus that runs from downtown West Palm Beach to the Glades communities. Shown here, Palm Tran Executive Direct or Chuck Cohen (left) and Palms West Hospital Chief Operating Officer Madeline Nava (right) look on as Santamaria and Palms West Hospital CEO Eric Goldman cut the ribbon. PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER
Page 4 May 3 - May 9, 2013
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OUR OPINION
Wellington’s New Boys & Girls Club Is A Reason To Celebrate Last weekend, the Wellington community put aside its differences and came together to celebrate the grand opening of a bigger and better facility for our youth to learn, grow and play. The Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club will provide generations of children a safe place away from home, and it is because of support from the entire community that the facility is standing today. Funding came from Palm Beach County, from the Village of Wellington and from generous donors across the community, many who do not always see eye to eye on other issues in the village. But last weekend, it wasn’t about politics or processes; it was about supporting an organization that has shaped the community for 25 years. Amid the facility tours, cotton candy and touching performances from talented kids, it was easy to see how the Boys & Girls Club has and will continue to be a positive force in Wellington. Many of our own professionals, leaders and residents grew up in its halls and on its ball fields. In the village’s infancy, the organization even provided necessary recreational programs for our children, meaning many of today’s adult leaders were once Boys & Girls Club kids. Though Wellington has grown into its own, the club still takes under its wing children and teens who need a safe place to go when their guardians are away from home.
The club has been crucial to Wellington’s development, teaching life lessons, promoting safe and responsible decisions, and helping our children to become better citizens. It is clear why the organization has drawn support from across the political spectrum: everyone benefits when children in need are well cared for. And when the club grew beyond its former home on South Shore Blvd., the community heeded the call for help. As a result, we now have a stunning 27,000-square-foot facility with plenty of room to grow. From music and art to sports and science, the next generation of Boys & Girls Club kids will have more opportunities to learn and explore before becoming the leaders of tomorrow. Though it is easy to get caught up in the here and now, we must remember what is important. Political climates will change; council members will come and go. But our community will continue to thrive and work toward a better future for our children. When it feels like Wellington is divided, we must celebrate that which brings us together, and there is no better cause to come together for than helping our children. If you want to be a part of helping Wellington’s Boys & Girls Club, sponsorship opportunities are still available, and volunteers are always appreciated. For additional information, visit www. bgcpbc.org.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Gerwig On Code Fine Changes In regard to the vote last Tuesday by the Wellington Village Council, Ordinance #2013-09 (Special Magistrate Proceedings), I would like to explain why I voted against this overreaching ordinance and why I believe the council erred in their decision. According to state law, municipalities over 50,000 residents are able to set higher fines for code violations than Wellington currently has established. With approximately 57,000 residents, Wellington is able to increase the fines that we can levy. However, just because we can doesn’t mean we should. Under this ordinance, a homeowner could be fined up to $1,000 per day for the first violation, $5,000 per day for a repeat violation and $15,000 per day for “irreparable or irreversible violations.” When I asked staff what may constitute the “irreparable or irreversible violation,” which would qualify for the maximum fine, the example given was a resident that is watering their lawn during the wrong times. Staff further responded that it was important for us to realize that the special magistrate does not usually impose the maximum fine, but I am not comfortable with that even being a possibility. Our code enforcement fines are already more than sufficient. Staff reports that most residents comply with code requests at the “courtesy notice of violation” stage. I do not believe that putting every homeowner in the village in jeopardy of exorbitant fines is the proper response by the council to very isolated instances of property owners who choose to pay the fines instead of rectifying the violation. The few who resist bringing their properties into compliance usually have very unique situations, and this “uberfine” will not address those problem cases at all. The ordinance passed on first reading with the required supermajority 4-1 vote. I was the only dissenting vote. Fortunately, the ordinance must come before the council again, for a second reading, and requires another supermajority vote. I urge residents to make their voices heard. Anne Gerwig Wellington Councilwoman
Why Did RPB Ignore Its Task Force? Regarding last week’s TownCrier article on the old wastewater treatment plant property (“RPB Water Treatment Plant Site Gets A Residential Designation”), I was surprised to read of a task force recommendation. I did not know that former Royal Palm Beach Councilwoman Martha Webster
had put together such an effort and that the results were so good. As a resident of Royal Palm Beach, I was impressed with the broader plan of residential homes that also guaranteed a large portion of parks and open space. The schools could have been daycare or more private schooling for residents. The boat storage would have been a real plus to remove those tacky boats parked in everyone’s front yards. I never before lived in a town where that was allowed. A task force of residents working for many months gave the council a recommendation, so the question is, why did the council not take the recommendation of a group of residents? I frankly don’t understand the comments from the mayor and others on the council saying they are listening to the residents when it is clear that they passed on the citizen recommendations of this task force effort. As for the lone resident who claims to have single-handedly pushed for building all residential homes, she should have made more of an effort to work with her neighbors. I wish the council had made a better decision than just covering the land with more houses that will end up with many more cars on the road going out in the morning and coming back at night. All those homes will look like the rest of the north end of the village, twostory homes all packed together. It also means that my neighborhood — which is full of empty, foreclosed homes — will be waiting on the market even longer now that it will have to compete with a couple hundred new homes at the other end of the town. On my street we have been calling the village regularly to try to get a house cleaned up and sold, as it is dangerous and such an eye sore. I really do expect better, thoughtful decisions from elected leaders. Curtis Knight Royal Palm Beach
The Gloves Are Off In November 2009, 72 percent of the voters of Palm Beach County, along with the majority of voters in all 38 municipalities, approved a county charter amendment to include an Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and a Commission on Ethics (COE). Amending the county’s charter was a big accomplishment. The attacks coming from County Administrator Bob Weisman on the OIG should have every supporter of open and honest government up in arms. Is Weisman’s rant against Inspector General Sheryl Steckler an attack on her alleged “bad judgment,” or is it the opening salvo in doing away with an independent OIG and bringing it under the control of the Board of County Commissioners (BCC)? Weisman’s effort to limit the authority of the OIG is nothing new. The first draft of the IG ordi-
nance gave the BCC the power to hire and fire the IG. Weisman’s next attempt to control the OIG was with the assistance of County Attorney Denise Neiman. Initially, the county attorney agreed with the League of Cities’ attorney to place definitions on the terms “waste,” “fraud,” “abuse,” “misconduct” and “mismanagement.” These attempts to constrain the OIG failed. Weisman made another attempt to control the IG through its employee policy and procedures manual (PPM). The new PPMs were called “Procedures for Responding to Inquiries from the Inspector General.” Some of these procedures are laughable. For example, if an employee wants to meet with the IG, the employee is required to ask his/her boss to arrange an appointment with the IG. How would that conversation go? So why is Weisman demanding the immediate termination of the county’s inspector general? Weisman’s “For the Record,” memo of April 26 to the Board of County Commissioners outlines his reasons: 1) The IG does not have legal status to intervene in the cities vs. county funding dispute, and 2) the IG does not conduct her office in accordance with the principles of the Association of Inspectors General. Weisman’s contention of legal status: The IG ordinance, Article XII, Inspector General, Section 2423(6) gives the IG authority to investigate “any municipal or county-funded project, programs, contracts or transactions.” The funding of the OIG seems to fall under this section of the enabling legislation. Weisman also contends that the IG must use the county attorney for all legal actions. This is also incorrect; Section 2423(3) gives the IG the power to subpoena witnesses. The ordinance requires “72-hour notification need only be given to the state attorney and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District,” not the county attorney. Weisman’s contention of inappropriate conduct: On Feb. 23, 2012, Palm Beach County’s Office of the Inspector General became fully accredited by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation. As a matter of fact, the commission made the following comment in its report: “The diversity of the OIG staff education, training and certifications reflects the OIG’s ability to succeed at its accomplishing its mission of ‘enhancing public trust in government.’” Weisman contends that the IG does not accomplish her mission, and the State of Florida believes that she does. Weisman is welcome to his opinion; however, he is not welcome to his own facts. Most elected officials have nothing to hide and welcome the independent watchdog. Some power-hungry politicians and their allies in the bureaucracy have been working against the IG since day
one. The politically astute know to support the IG in their public comments. These politicians, with a condescending nod, say, “Of course I am for the IG… but we have to find the right way to fund the office,” or “I’m not against the office; I think the problem is with the current inspector.” Weisman has failed to limit the purview of the IG through legislative actions and his PPMs. His “On the Record” message to the BCC is rife with inaccuracies. “We the people” need to demonstrate our disapproval. If you have had enough, arrange your schedule in order to attend the BCC meeting on May 7. Agenda item “Matters by the Public” is at 2 p.m., time certain. Let’s not let the work we’ve done be washed away. Dennis Lipp Loxahatchee Groves Editor’s note: Mr. Lipp is a member of the Commission on Ethics Drafting Committee and former vice mayor of Loxahatchee Groves.
Horse Park Could Be A Win-Win At present we have an everthriving and growing equestrian community, which supports our economy and especially our local stores. Now we are visited upon by the possibility of growing out this community, but not just the current one-third of the year, but perhaps all year. I’m speaking of the recent proposal and discussions involving bringing a western horse facility to the K-Park site off State Road 7. Imagine the smiles on our children’s faces as they watch cowboys and cowgirls racing around barrels, reining, team penning, rodeos and perhaps a learning/ teaching center on horses. Some fields might be able to be used by Wellington community sports when available — a double incentive. This is a part of America’s past and present, it is part of every child’s imagination, and if the village could sell the K-Park site and make money in the process, it seems to be a winner. I would rather a possible hotel and equestrian stores be on SR 7 than in the middle of our equestrian community. There would be no traffic associated with widening South Shore Blvd. and Lake Worth Road (at the taxpayers’ expense, in the millions), and it wouldn’t be dividing our equestrian community by a four-lane road, hazardous to both horses/riders and traffic. This would appear to be an ideal and befitting circumstance for all Wellingtonians, especially our children. With careful planning this could complete the equestrian circle of all kinds of horses/riders and activities and be all year round. It would make a worldwide known equestrian community better and
all encompassing — the best equestrian village in the world. I would like to emphasize “careful planning.” George Unger Wellington
Steckler Vs. Weisman Inspector General Sheryl Steckler ’s approach since she first accepted the Office of the Inspector General has been arrogant. Her interpretation of the role of her office was offensive as she pushed to homogenize the methodology of delivery of services unique to each individual municipality. She was determined that her “job” was compliance of what she termed “efficiencies” — a much different concept from “corruption.” County Administrator Bob Weisman is correct in his position that as an employee of the county she has severely overreached in attempting to intervene in the municipal lawsuit. Her actions have been divisive as illustrated by the chaos that she has created since taking this position. The voters would be better served with a new and less strident individual at the helm. She has become the very government employee that the office was created to protect the public from; the inspector general has become the inquisitor general. Evan Knepley Royal Palm Beach
IG Has Wasted Taxpayer Money Fifteen municipalities filed a lawsuit to prohibit the county from increasing the taxes on their constituents. Inspector General Sheryl Steckler for the last ten months has been responsible for delaying the case, and creating thousands of billable hours for the 30 attorneys who are forced to challenge her motion to intervene. All these fees are payable by taxpayers of this county. Palm Beach County Administrator Robert Weisman had the guts to suggest that Steckler should be “terminated for bad judgment” for pursuing her futile case to intervene in the case, adding that her conduct constituted an “outrageous legal power play.” Bad judgment is not grounds for termination and unfortunately, considering that the commissioners have approved a 600 percent
increase in funding of the inspector general in one year, it is unlikely that they will take any meaningful action regarding wasteful spending. Steckler should have known that her motion to intervene had no hope of success when her motion to intervene was denied on Nov. 16, 2012 in a one-word opinion “denied.” When the law is abundantly clear there is no need for an elaborate opinion; nevertheless, the inspector general persisted by filing an appeal on Dec. 5. On March 28, the 4th District Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of the Circuit Court. Incredibly, on April 11, Steckler filed yet another motion for Rehearing En Banc. I contend that her case was so weak that the court denied it with one word “denied,” and the appellate court ultimately agreed with one word “affirmed,” which in lawyer speak means “denied a second time.” Here is the problem with an “independent” government official: If you put the fox in charge of watching the chickens, who is watching the fox? Frank Morelli Wellington
Beware Ag-Gag Laws “Despicable, unconstitutional, ridiculous, immature, idiotic and mendacious.” And that’s just how Tennessee newspapers characterized the state’s “aggag” bill now awaiting the governor’s signature. Ag-gag bills criminalize whistleblowing that exposes animal abuses, unsafe working conditions and environmental problems on factory farms. Instead of encouraging whistleblowing and preventing these violations, ag-gag laws ensure that consumers and regulatory authorities are kept in the dark. Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota and Utah have enacted ag-gag laws, but such bills were defeated in eight other states, thanks to a strong outcry from the public and newspaper editors. In 2013, new ag-gag bills were introduced in Arkansas, California, Indiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont and Wyoming. The language has been invariably drafted by the See LETTERS, page 18
SEND IN YOUR LETTERS The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit letters, with contact name, address and telephone number (anonymous letters will not be published), to The TownCrier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to (561) 793-6090; or you can e-mail letters@goTownCrier.com.
OPINION
Heavy Corporate Investment In Indonesia… Really? You Bet! There is little doubt that Indonesia is the most populous nation in southeast Asia, with some 251 million people. There is also not much doubt that the country has an ancient regulatory system, inadequately structured for conducting “big league” 21st-century business. The place is riddled by corruption. So why is much of the industrial world, including the United States, China and Europe,
Footloose and... By Jules W. Rabin thirsting to invest in new factories and more in Indonesia like never before? Just a short time back, the Indo-
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nesian government reported that investment jumped some 27 percent to a record 65.5 rupas or almost $7 billion. Part of the reason is that Indonesia was practically untouched by the 2008 financial crisis. Secondly, it is a nation of huge natural resources including mining, oil and natural gas. And the “kicker” goes back to the booming population now increasingly hungry for consumer goods.
Plus, the labor force is young and most eager to expand its financial horizons. The current “consumer boom” leads one statistical guru to predict that “affluent consumers” in Indonesia will double to 141 million by 2020. That number is more than the entire population of Thailand. Let’s face it: General Motors didn’t just invest $150 million into
BARRY S. MANNING Publisher
JOSHUA I. MANNING Executive Editor
JODY GORRAN Associate Publisher
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new projects in the country on a whim. And the Indonesian government is now pushing to modernize its processes of doing business. The Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board is cutting in half the number of documents that foreign countries need to apply for a business license. It is also now investing heavily in today’s most modern technology to keep shred-
ding red tape distractions. And if you listen to M. Chatib Basri, whose main job is attracting new foreign businesses, you might become a convert, too: “Indonesia is the least unattractive country in the world. Even though it has to deal with the problems of bureaucracy and infrastructure, the returns are higher than if you invest in Europe and the U.S. now.” Hmm…
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NEWS
ATHLETIC KIDS COMPETE TO WIN IN WELLINGTON’S ANNUAL KIDS TRIATHLON Wellington held its second annual Kids Triathlon on Sunday, April 28 at the Wellington Aquatics Complex. Children in various divisions competed in the athletic contest, which consisted of swimming, cycling and running. Overall winners in the super senior division were Kelly Secrest in first place, Jett Hollister in second and Roberto Antonio Guerrero in third. For more info., visit www.wellingtonfl.gov. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER
Veronica Ryan, Kelly McLaughlan, Kennedy Ramsarran and Carly Banister wait to begin the swimming portion.
Roberto, Roberto Antonio and Marlene Guerrero.
Kaitlyn Parrish and Kelly Secrest get ready to swim.
Tim and Jill Shutes with Carly Banister.
Jett Hollister crosses the finish line for second place.
Team Unleashed members Nikolas Darczuk, Hannah Moross, India Patel and Jackie Brown.
TEMPLE BETH TORAH BROTHERHOOD HOSTS 10TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT The Temple Beth Torah Brotherhood held its 10th annual Brotherhood Golf Tournament on Sunday, April 28 at Breaker s West. Sponsors and supporters competed in putting contests, played golf, won prizes and enjoyed a buffet dinner. For more info., visit www.tbtbrotherhood. com. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER
Event chairs Steven Miller and Eli Portnoy.
Vince Gerardi, Keith Epstein and Andrew Goldstein.
Sponsors Mike Cohn, Andy Schlein and Ross Cohen.
Page 6 May 3 - May 9, 2013
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CRIME NEWS
Man Arrested For Setting A Fire At Cemetery In RPB By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report APRIL 24 — A deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office substation in Royal Palm Beach was called to Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery early last Wednesday morning following a report of a fire. According to a PBSO report, the deputy arrived at the cemetery at approximately 12:30 a.m. to find 63-year-old Richard Lauta standing next to the fire and staring at it. According to the report, Lauta had been arrested previously for setting fires. Lauta was arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail where he was charged with malicious land burning and trespassing. ••• APRIL 26 — A Miami man was arrested last Friday afternoon on charges of embezzlement and fraud after he was caught trying to open a line of credit with a false identity. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to the Costco Wholesale store on Southern Blvd. after they got a tip that 48-year-old Carlos Orta was in the store attempting to open a line of credit under false pretenses. According to the report, the deputies made contact with Orta and found him to be in possession of a fraudulent driver’s license and a fake credit card. Further investigation found that
Orta was also in possession of numerous receipts from other stores where he had opened lines of credit using a false identity. Orta was arrested and taken to the county jail, where he was charged with several crimes, including grand theft, making false statements to obtain credit, and using a fake credit card and identification. APRIL 27 — A Loxahatchee Groves man was arrested early last Saturday morning on auto theft charges following a traffic stop on F Road. According to a PBSO report, a resident of Valencia Drive contacted the PBSO’s Acreage/ Loxahatchee substation last Friday night to report that her green 1997 Ford F-150 had been stolen from her home. At the time, the victim believed one of her acquaintances had taken the vehicle without permission. According to the report, a deputy was on patrol at approximately 12:22 a.m. Saturday morning when he observed the stolen vehicle drive by. The deputy followed the vehicle down F Road, and the driver pulled into a driveway. According to the report, the deputy initiated a traffic stop and attempted to make contact with the driver, 34-year-old Enrique Juan. According to the report, Juan exited the vehicle and attempted to walk away, while a passenger fled on foot. The deputy attemptSee BLOTTER, page 18
PBSO Wants Help Solving Wellington Cattle Caper The Palm Beach County Sher- tle were located in a field approxiiff’s Office is seeking the public’s mately half a mile down the road, help in identifying suspects want- but it was unknown how they got ed for removing cattle from a prop- there. Anyone who has any inforerty in Wellington on Monday, mation about the incident is urged April 22. According to a PBSO re- to contact Crime Stoppers at (800) port, at approximately 4 a.m. the 458-TIPS or text to tips@ victim received a call that one of cspbc.com. For more info., visit his calves was loose near 50th www.crimestopperspbc.com. Street South and 120th Avenue South. The victim had eight cattle in a field on the northeast corner of the intersection. According to the report, the victim arrived at the property to discover that someone had removed the gate from the fence and stole a bull, four cows and two calves. According to the report, at 9 a.m. the catCattle took a field trip.
PBSO Seeks Suspect In Credit Card Fraud Case The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in identifying suspects wanted for using stolen credit cards Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at the JCPenney department store in the Mall at Wellington Green.
According to a PBSO report, the suspects were captured by security cameras in the store at approximately 6:30 p.m. using the cards. One of the suspects was described as wearing a white top and purple leggings, and used the victim’s credit card to purchase more than $1,000 in merchandise. Anyone who has any information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS or text to tips@cspbc.com. For more information, visit www.crime Suspect wanted for using stolen credit cards. stopperspbc.com.
Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives: • Isiah Sterling, alias Zay, is a black male, 6’ tall and weighing 180 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of bir th is 09/15/87. He has multiple tattoos. Sterling is wanted for failure to appear on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon causing bodily harm. His last known address was Barcelona Lane in Royal Palm Beach. He is wanted as of 04/25/13. • Carlos Mata is a white male, 5’9” tall and weighing 130 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 03/26/1991. He has multiple tattoos. Mata is wanted for failure to appear on a charge for possession of cocaine. His last known addresses were Dell Avenue in Lake Worth and Sturbridge Lane in Wellington. He is wanted as of 04/25/ 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.
Isiah Sterling
Carlos Mata
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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NEWS
Environmental Expert: Keeping Canals Clean Not An Easy Task By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Palm Beach County Environmental Program Supervisor Brian Gentry explained how the state plans to clean up water bodies including the C-51 Basin during a presentation at the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association meeting Thursday, April 25. The C-51 Basin has been deemed impaired for excessive nutrients by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, but no action is expected for several years, until water managers figure out what the regional canal system should look like, Gentry said. “They are putting that on hold, and the reason isn’t too surprising,” he said, explaining that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has not developed sensible rules for the C-51 Basin. “They’re good with rivers and streams, and pretty good with estuaries when it comes to setting criteria. But when they come down here and look at our canals, they scratch their heads and don’t know what to do.” The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is developing a South Florida canal study spearheaded by the state with support from the South Florida Water Management District with the goal of developing good management guidelines. “Even though the C-51 West Basin is impaired, for the next two or three years I don’t see anything [happening] until this canal study is completed,” Gentry said.
Florida adopted water quality standards in 1979 and has been adapting and amending them ever since. “If you have certain water bodies that aren’t meeting standards, something has to be done about it,” he said. “Around 2001, the state adopted the Impaired Waters Rule. It lays out how many times a water body can fail to meet a standard. If it fails to meet a standard a certain percentage of the time, it’s put on a planning list.” Data gathering has improved over the last 10 years and it is continuing to improve, Gentry said. When a water body fails to meet the standards, it goes through additional review before being verified as being impaired by the secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The next step is the development of a total maximum daily load (TMDL) to place limits on how much pollution — in the case of the C-51 Basin, the amount of nutrients — would be allowed in order to meet the standards, and the state has had difficulty knowing how to address canals. The criterion used to measure the impairment of the C-51 Canal and the water bodies that drain into it is the amount of chlorophyll A in the water. Chlorophyll A is the green pigment found in algae and other green plants that allows plants to use sunlight to convert nutrients into organic compounds. “Chlorophyll A is actually a surrogate for nutrients because they didn’t have standards for nutri-
ents,” Gentry said. “Unfortunately, this is the same criteria used for rivers and streams, and canal managers have long said you can’t view our canals under the same criteria as you do natural rivers and streams. It’s not fair; we’re going to fail.” Canal managers chafe at being held to the same standard as regulators in charge of rivers and streams. “Canal managers, when it comes to this kind of criterion standards, have a bit of a chip on their shoulder, and I agree with them,” Gentry said. “They have a valid point: it’s not fair.” Standards are set for rivers and streams by looking at the biology of a creek and knowing what a healthy creek looks like. Gentry said water chemistry changes from day to day, from hour to hour, but the chemistry will dictate what kind of biology and what kinds of insects, plants and animals exist and whether they will be representative of a healthy water body or one that’s impaired by excessive nutrients. “That’s how they set their target,” he said. “This is how much nitrogen, this is how much phosphorus this creek or stream should have in order to maintain a healthy biology. That’s the approach they take; good common sense. But they come down to the canals and scratch their heads. What kind of biology do they have?” One way to determine a healthy canal might be the fish population. “If you’ve got bass and bream, they need a lot of dissolved oxygen. If you have Florida native
catfish and gar, they can handle almost no dissolved oxygen,” Gentry said. Fish kills are usually from oxygen depletion. “Generally when people see fish kills, they think the water ’s toxic. No, the fish just suffocated. Canals often have a lack of dissolved oxygen,” he said. Groundwater that seeps into the canals is very low in dissolved oxygen, but often oxygen depletion arises from excessive nutrients that algae consume then die, creating a demand for oxygen-consuming bacteria that feed on the algae. “It’s food for bacteria, and these are anaerobic bacteria, and they suck all the oxygen out, and the fish die when it gets below three parts per million,” he said. The state and the SFWMD will try to use the canal study to find some sort of biological reference point to set a target for nutrient levels, he said, reiterating that the study will not be done for several years. The county has acquired a permit for its storm sewers, Gentry said. “The county has Folsom Road, they own Okeechobee Road, therefore the county is responsible for what comes out of those storm sewers,” he said. “We are on the hook for the water quality.” Most of the nutrient discharge is from sources currently unregulated, such as some residential areas and farms referred to as “nonpoint sources,” he said. Existing issues notwithstanding, Florida is actually ahead of
Palm Beach County Environmental Program Supervisor Brian Gentry speaking at last week’s Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association meeting. PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER much of the rest of the nation for water quality protection. Gentry explained that the DEP is developing a Basin Management Action Plan for all water bodies in the state. “Not only do you have the individuals who have a permit that are on the hook for reductions, under the Florida Statutes they can require other stakeholders to come to the table to see how we’re going to work together to reduce the amount of pollutants to meet this level. They require agricultural interests to come in,” Gentry said. The Florida Department of Ag-
riculture & Consumer Services also oversees best management practices (BMPs), which are largely voluntary but are being employed by stakeholders to reduce the amount of pollutant discharge without having to build expensive stormwater treatment or holding ponds, he said. “They’ve proven in the Everglades Agricultural Area that phosphorus [discharge] has gone down tremendously in the EAA through the ’90s and into the 2000s just because they changed their practices,” Gentry said.
June 7 Opening Day Nears For Science Museum’s Expansion When the public is invited for a free community day Friday, June 7 at the South Florida Science Museum, they will be walking into a newly expanded space under a different sign. Leadership for the more than 50-year-old institution announced its name change at a recent gala event for supporters and unveiled exciting plans for the new South Florida Science Center & Aquarium. “We are a high touch, interac-
tive center, and we wanted a name to reflect that,” CEO Lew Crampton said. “And by tripling the size of the former aquarium space, we knew that popular attraction had to be spotlighted in our name. The new South Florida Science Center & Aquarium name will be official on June 7, when we host our community day to thank the public for their role in bringing exciting change to this beloved institution.”
A rendering of the expanded museum’s front entrance.
Day Care
New Facility On SR 7
continued from page 1 at schools. We wanted separate, designated drive lanes.” Additionally, staff would be outside to direct traffic during the school rush. “There are ways of disciplining so that this is done in an orderly fashion,” he said. “It’s not like public schools; kids get three strikes and they are out. The parents can’t be there for a half an hour chatting.” Central to the daycare’s approval is a traffic light at Palomino Drive, which Wellington officials have pressed for heavily. “When we went before the council, we agreed to pay our fair share of approximately $140,000 to move the project forward and fund the light,” Schmidt said.
But because it requires payment from several other property owners before it can be moved through the system, Schmidt said that the applicant was concerned about having the traffic signal operating in time for school. “We don’t know when other contributors will come online,” he said. “It could be held up for five years until Wellington accumulates the money. So we said, ‘What if we go ahead and pay the full amount?’” Schmidt said that the applicant would pay the more than $312,000 to finance the traffic signal. “We want to move forward,” he said. Until the traffic signal is in place, Schmidt said that the number of students allowed on site would be limited. “We’re working on the numbers and what the limitations might be,” he said. PZA Board Member Carol Coleman asked for clarification. “Would the school be active be-
In addition, a $900,000 grant from the Quantum Foundation will bring blockbuster exhibits to the expanded venue over the next three years. “Quantum sees us as the anchor for informal science education in Palm Beach County,” Chairman Matt Lorentzen said. “We want to be a convener for organizations, educators and corporations interested in educating our next generation’s workforce in science, technology and math. We are grateful and excited about this partnership.” The Quantum Foundation grant will allow the museum to explore booking exhibits such as “Mythbusters” and “Titanic,” among others, in hopes of drawing new audiences and engaging all ages in the new mission of “opening every mind to science.” The Quantum Foundation also provided underwriting in late 2012 for the museum’s newest permanent exhibit, Science on a Sphere,
a room-sized global display system that uses computers and video projectors to display planetary data onto a six-foot-diameter sphere, which looks like a giant animated globe. The museum spent the past year and $5 million in capital campaign funds on increasing its exhibit space, aquarium and adding new permanent exhibits to the West Palm Beach venue. The museum will grow from 20,000 to 30,000 square feet, and visitors will see changes from the moment they park. “We’re truly grateful to the community, funders and our own board leadership for paving the way for these exciting milestones,” Crampton said. “Now it’s time for us to step purposefully into our second 50 years by serving the public and educating our children to become the scientists and engineers of tomorrow. It’s time for us to grow from a good museum into the great venue this
county and our children and families deserve.” In addition to a free chance to view the exciting expanded facilities, guests at the community opening event will be treated to the museum’s first blockbuster exhibit to open in the newly expanded space, “Savage Ancient Seas: The Ancient Aquatic Deep.” When “Savage Ancient Seas” makes its big splash Friday, May 17, guests of all ages will feel like they have taken a dive into time with the mystifying “dinos of the deep.” And divers, beware: the exhibit will educate visitors about how these ancient aquatic creatures lived and died, and which among them survived until today. The exhibit will be on display until mid-September. Exploring the water world of the late Cretaceous period, which existed over 70 million years ago, “Savage Ancient Seas” will be filled with huge carnivorous marine reptiles, with double-hinged
jaws and teeth; gigantic flesh-eating fish, big enough to swallow an adult human being whole; flying reptiles with three-foot skulls; and the biggest sea turtles to have ever lived. The waters of the earth during that time were teeming with beasts just as ferocious as their better-known counterparts on land. Arriving at the museum just in time for beach season, the popular exhibit is expected to cause more than a few Florida swimmers some curiosity about what really just brushed up against them. The museum is currently open during expansion construction. The South Florida Science Museum is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North in West Palm Beach. Museum admission through June 6 is $11.95 for adults, $10.50 for seniors 62 and older, $8.95 for children ages 3-12, and free for children under 3 and museum members. For more information, call (561) 832-1988 or visit www.sfsm.org.
fore the light is in place?” she asked. Schmidt said that though the school would prefer to see the signal operating, the applicant hoped to be able to open with a lesser number of students. “There’s a number of students we’d like to see allowed if the signal is not done,” Schmidt said. “We’re trying to open in August 2014. If the signal is not done by then, we’d look to see if we could open with maybe 400 or 600 students in the first year. We wouldn’t start with 1,200 right away.” Board members asked why he believed the signal would not be complete, and Schmidt noted that there were three agencies that needed to approve it before it could be constructed. “Wellington has to get the money and go to the county,” he said. “Then the county has to go out for bid and get permits through [the Florida Department of Trans-
portation]. Then the county has to build it. There’s a lot of lag time.” But Schmidt agreed that having the signal in place was preferred. “I think everyone is on the same page,” he said. “The light needs to be done.” PZA Board Member Mike Drahos asked whether vehicles would be crossing SR 7 without a signal. Wellington Traffic Consultant Andrea Troutman said that they would. “They could make a left turn at the driveway,” she said. “Or they can go down to Palomino [Drive] and make a U-turn.” Troutman noted that the signal is important to allow vehicles time to make those left turns. “The signal will provide gaps for the driveway that they would not have had,” she said. “When northbound traffic is stopped at the signal, there will be gaps for people turning left into the site.” There will also be access from
Palomino Drive north to the property, Troutman added. “They are required to provide access down to Palomino,” she said. “So vehicles could make a U-turn at the light, or turn left onto Palomino and then use that access.” Coleman noted that there are several properties surrounding the area that will be developed. “I think there will be much more traffic on SR 7 than what exists now,” she said. “I don’t care what delay you will have from the signal, I still think there’s going to be too much traffic.” Troutman said that the traffic study done by the applicant took into account developments approved through 2016. “They looked at all the approved projects in the area and added the proposed traffic into their analysis,” Troutman said. “There are things that have not been approved yet. There was
nothing specifically included for K-Park.” But Coleman said she still thought it would be a dangerous situation. PZA Board Chair Craig Bachove asked what would happen if the signal was delayed and traffic backed up. Troutman said drivers should go to the next available turn lane and make a U-turn. Schmidt noted that the applicant considered putting an interim signal right at the school site, but found it would be more beneficial to have the signal at Palomino Drive. “We decided we would contribute those dollars to do that,” he said. “We felt it was a much better solution.” PZA Board Member Paul Adams made a motion to approve the resolution, which passed unanimously. It is tentatively set to go before the council in June.
Page 8 May 3 - May 9, 2013
RPB To Award Scholarships The Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board Scholarship Committee has announced its selection of the six resident graduating seniors to receive the 2012-13 Village of Royal Palm Beach college scholarships. The scholarship recipients are as follows: Mitchell Vasquez (Seminole Ridge High School), Nicole Anzalone (Royal Palm Beach High School), Jacquelynne Dauk (RPBHS), Christina Lam (RPBHS), Alejandra Duenas (Suncoast High School) and Hannah Locop (RPBHS). The Royal Palm Beach Village Council will present a $1,000 scholarship award to each of these six graduating seniors at its meeting Thursday, May 16.
May 18 Women For Women Run Registration is now open for the third annual Women for Women 5K/10K Run, which will take place Saturday, May 18 at Lake Worth Beach. The race begins at 7 a.m. Bring your grandmother, mother, aunt,
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NEWS BRIEFS sister, daughter and girlfriends — all women are welcome. The race provides finisher medals and “girlie-style� T-shirts with interesting water stops and firefighters at the finish line. Proceeds benefit the Palms West Community Foundation and the Girls on the Run. For more information, call the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce at (561) 790-6200 or visit www.womenforwomenrun. com.
Cultural Diversity Day May 25 The community is invited to join the Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) on Saturday, May 25 at Royal Palm Beach Veterans Park for the annual Cultural Diversity Day. The event will take place from 3 p.m. until sundown. It will be a day of cultural celebration of all our cultures that promises to increase knowledge of others and to share diverse heritages. Enjoy food, fashion, history, arts, entertainment and cultural programs. The event is free. Veterans Park is on Royal Palm Beach Blvd., just
south of Okeechobee Blvd. For additional information, call the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center at (561) 790-5149. Interested vendors or participants should call Elet at (561) 791-9087.
the day of the jam are also welcome.
Acreage Jam Set For May 18
Celebrating its fifth year, the annual Florida Green, Energy & Climate Conference/100 Cities Summit is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, May 22 and 23 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The conference is coordinated by the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Palm Beach County and the United States Green Building Council. Attended by municipal, county and school district sustainability leaders from throughout the state, attendees enjoy two days of intensive general sessions and panel discussions by experts in the field of sustainability. This year’s keynote speaker will be Patrick J. Sheehan, director of Florida’s Office of Energy, discussing ways Florida is moving forward in its collective efforts to develop a meaningful energy policy for the state. He will be accompanied by a legislative panel, including State Sen. Joseph Abruz-
The next Acreage Community Park Jam will take place Saturday, May 18 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 entertaining the crowd. Additionally, food trucks and vendors will be on site, and there will be a 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. Signups or walk-on entertainment
Green Conference May 22-23 In WPB
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zo, State Sen. Jeff Clemens and State Rep. Lori Berman, who will provide an update on the 2013 legislative session in Tallahassee. Among the many subjects featured this year at the conference is Balanced Energy Florida. This presentation will highlight a portfolio of fuels that collectively promote fuel diversity and provide price stability for Florida families and business in an environmentally sensible manner. The challenges of Florida’s regulatory environment will be discussed and alternatives to conventional practices explored by a panel of industry experts. Florida cities, including Wellington, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Fellsmere and Brooksville, will discuss their successful public/private partnerships. The importance of promoting Florida’s assets and attracting investors to the state is also be on the agenda. Robin Safley, director of the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Division of Food, Nutrition & Wellness, will lead a panel of experts from the health industry, farming, schools and government on raising a healthy generation of students. The economic impact of climate change will also be discussed.
A complete lineup of the 2013 program and speakers can be seen at www.floridagreenconference. com. All-access passes can be purchased online. Exhibitor spaces are still available. The conference expo is free to the public.
Toastmasters Symposium In Wellington The RiverWalk Toastmasters Club will present its Spring Public Speaking Symposium 2013 on Saturday, June 8 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Binks Forest Golf Club in in Wellington. The event will be a great opportunity for learning, fun and networking. The speakers will be David Brooks (1990 World Champion of Public Speaking), Kristin Binkley (2012 Division D Evaluation Speech Champion) and Terry Spencer (2012 District 47 Humorous Speech Champion). Registration is $35 per person. Register at http://bit.ly/15D6PMG through May 31. E-mail cindyebeckles@yahoo. com or call (561) 795-6713 for more info.
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NEW NEIL S. HIRSCH FAMILY BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OPENS WITH BIG CELEBRATION The Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club hosted its grand opening last weekend, honoring those who helped the club become a reality and also inviting the community to celebrate. On Saturday, April 27, the club held a VIP Grand Opening Celebration & Luncheon where donors and club supporters got a tour of the facility, followed by lunch and a celebration honoring them. Then, on Sunday, April 28, the club opened to the public with bounce houses, food, music, a petting zoo and activities in the club. For more information, call (561) 790-0343. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN AND LAUREN MIRÓ/TOWN-CRIER
Stacey and Jamiera Harris play dress up.
Mohan Pillai with Neal, Mira, Ranjita and Dr. Shekhar Sharma and Boys & Girls Clubs President and CEO Mary O’Connor.
Board member Reed Kellner with Terry Akins, Earnest Habershan and Kinnady Godbolt.
John Kime, Maureen Budjinski and Julie Kime.
Kimmoy Morris rocks out on the drums in the music room.
Dr. Ramya, Nirmala, Dr. Krishna and Benakat Tripuraneni.
Kae Jonsons, Ed Portman and Mary O’Connor at the open house.
Computer Lab Program Assistant Shani’que Patterson (back) with Damien Powers, Ahmad Orange, Thomas Cullen and Logan Hinton.
Science lab sponsors Kirk and Evan Alexander and Dr. Veronica Pedro with B&G Club Unit Board Chairman Tony Nelson.
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NEWS
FRANK GONZALEZ SWORN IN AS CHAIRMAN OF CPBC CHAMBER AT IPC GALA
The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce held its installation gala “A Diamond Affair: 100 Years from Cane to Coral” on Friday, April 26 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Attorney Frank Gonzalez was sworn in as the chamber’s chairman for the year 2013-14. The event also included a dinner, live entertainment and a special surprise video honoring outgoing chairman Dr. Jef frey Bishop. For more info., visit www.cpbchamber.com. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER
Commissioner Jess Santamaria with the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce 2013-14 board of directors.
Juanita and Ben Shenkman with new Chamber Chairman Frank Gonzalez and his wife Christina.
Dr. Juan Ortega with CPBC Chamber CEO Jaene Miranda.
Carol O’Neil and Peter Wein.
Toy and John Wash with Regis Wenham.
Dr. Jeffrey Bishop and wife Charlene watch a video honoring his service to the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce.
Frank Gonzalez is sworn in by his law partner, Ben Shenkman.
MONTHLY FOOD TRUCK INVASION ARRIVES AT ROYAL PALM COMMONS PARK Royal P alm Beach Commons Park was the scene of a Food Truck Invasion on Frida y, April 26. There was a large assortment of menu items to choose from such as gourmet fries, Philly cheese steaks, burgers and more. Aside from the food, families came to enjoy the park setting while kids had fun at the playground. The Food Truck Invasion will be held at the par k on the last Frida y of each month. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Brie, Lily and Mike Wolters with Jaime, Justin and Preston Figueroa.
Brooke, Brielle and Samantha Fink take a sno cone break.
Marc and Ashely Goldberg with Milo.
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NEWS
ANNUAL SWEET CORN FIESTA AT FAIRGROUNDS CELEBRATES KEY COUNTY CROP
The 13th annual Sweet Corn Fiesta was held Sunday, April 28 in Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairgrounds. There were amateur corn shucking and corn eating contests for all ages. The main event was the Major League Eating & International Federation of Competitive Eaters sweet corn eating contest. Bob “Notorious B.O.B.” Shoudt won by one ear over last year’s winner Crazy Legs Conti, eating 35 ears of corn in 12 minutes. There was music, rides for the kids and plenty of sweet corn for eating and taking home.
PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Stephen Nedoorscik, Dalton Forman, Will Corbitt and Hunter Abowd put corn on a stick.
Chairman of Major League Eating George Shea with National Corn Eating Contest winner Bob “Notorious B.O.B.” Shoudt.
Buddy McKinstry of JEM Farm and Tommy and Ann Holt of Twin H Farm in Belle Glade with what’s left of 1,500 crates of sweet corn.
Stasi Kobussen and MacKenzie DiGiacomo shuck corn.
Connor and Justin Borghi race their homemade vegetable racers with scorekeeper Daniel Dufresne (center).
The McAllister family won several corn shucking contests.
FAMILY FUN DAY AT OKEEHEELEE PARK BMX TRACK BENEFITS PEDRO SANCHEZ A special event to benefit the family of Pedro Sanchez was held Saturday, April 27 at the Okeeheelee Park BMX bike track. Family and friends (Team Pedro) raised money for Sanchez, who suffered a traumatic brain injury last year and is now in rehab. There was a silent auction and raffles as well as bounce houses, face painting, food, music and more. Kids also enjoyed showing their skills on the BMX track. For more information, visit www.teampedro.myevent.com. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Members of the Sanchez, Browning and Springer families.
Lonnie and Joey Lahman cool off with shaved ice.
Charisma Hunter, Emma Litton and Harmony Hunter with McGruff the Crime Dog.
Flag bearer Kaleb Costain leads the pack down the BMX track.
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RPBHS SADD STUDENTS CELEBRATE ARBOR DAY
This past Arbor Day, Royal Palm Beach High School’s SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) group planted a tree to give back to the Earth. The group received $200 from the Village of Royal Palm Beach to purchase the tree, and with the help of Tyler Badgley, an 18-year-old landscaper and owner of the Badgley Landscape Company, SADD successfully planted a tree in the school’s courtyard to show respect. Shown above are Badgley, SADD members, Principal Jesus Armas, SADD coordinator Maureen Witkowski and Assistant Principal Tracy Shealy. Below, students plant the tree.
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SCHOOL NEWS
Huntington Marks National Teacher Day The Huntington Learning Center of Wellington will join communities, educators, families and many others on May 7 to celebrate National Teacher Day, which honors teachers and the critical role they play to ensure students receive a quality education. “Here at Huntington, we honor not only our own teachers, who make a difference in the lives of our students and their families, but all teachers in our city, community, state and country,” said Mary Fisher of the Wellington Huntington Learning Center. “Educators stand out as some of the most influential people in children’s lives, and on National Teacher Day we celebrate the work that they do to
help our children reach their potential and achieve their dreams.” How can community members, parents, students and others show their appreciation for the teachers in their lives? Fisher offers several ideas and activities, some of which come from the National Education Association (NEA), which sponsors the annual celebration: • Upload a video thanking a teacher who made a difference in your life. NEA and Parenting magazine teamed up at www.parenting. com/my-amazing-teacher to encourage people to upload their video stories. • Send a thank-you letter or card to the NEA’s Teacher Thank-You Project, c/o NEA Public Relations,
P.O. Box 66458, Washington, DC 20035. Learn more at www.member thanks.com. • Post an appreciation message on Twitter or Facebook, using the hash tag #thankateacher. • Host an event honoring teachers in your community or at your school. Try something simple such as an ice cream social, luncheon or coffee and donut table outside your place of business. • Nominate a teacher at www. classroomsuperheros.com. • Write a letter or note to a teacher who had an impact on your life. • If you own a retail or restaurant business, give teachers a discount on their purchases on National Teacher Day.
• Hang congratulatory signs in your business or school recognizing teachers and their important work in your community. National Teacher Day originated around 1944 when Arkansas teacher Mattye Whyte Woodridge reached out to political and education leaders about the need for a national day to honor teachers. Woodridge wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt, who persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim a National Teacher Day beginning in 1953. For more information about Huntington Learning Center of Wellington and tips to help your child in school, contact Mary Fisher at (561) 594-1900 or FisherM@ hlcmail.com.
‘Off To The Races’ At Benjamin School BASH Gala The 29th annual BASH Gala was a huge success with more than 400 supporters of the Benjamin School “Off to the Races” at the Kentucky Derby–themed fundraiser. BASH, an acronym for Building A Scholastic Heritage, is the school’s largest fundraising event. Proceeds from BASH support school programs. Shannon and Scott Smith, and Willa and Richard Cohen co-chaired the event, with Charles and Susan Barker serving as honorary chairs. The PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens was transformed into Churchill Downs on the evening of April 20 with authentic jockey silks, life-size
horse statutes, red roses, and heralds with trumpets leading guests into the Grand Ballroom. Elegant ladies in beautiful hats and dapper gents in colorful jackets enjoyed a spectacular evening of fabulous food, live entertainment, and live and silent auctions with master of ceremonies Dale McLean, the voice of the Miami Heat. The Benjamin School, founded in 1960, is a PK3 through grade 12 college preparatory independent school located in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens. More information about the Benjamin School can be found on the school’s web site at www.the benjaminschool.org.
Benjamin School Fundraiser — BASH co-chairs Scott Smith, Shannon Smith, Willa Cohen and Richard Cohen. PHOTO COURTESY MICHAEL PRICE
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SCHOOL NEWS
Drucker To Retire After 30 Years At CMS After more than 30 years teaching at Crestwood Middle School, math teacher Havela Drucker will retire this year. The Crestwood community invites former students, friends and colleagues to join them on Friday, May 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Crestwood media center as they
bid Drucker a fond farewell. Drucker, known affectionately as “Mother D” to students, has been a pillar of the Crestwood and Royal Palm Beach communities since she and her family arrived in 1979. Drucker began teaching in 1983 and has touched the lives of
Crestwood Middle School math teacher Havela Drucker, shown here with students, will retire af ter this school year.
countless students, teaching them math and important life lessons. She has even taught the children of her former students. In 1989, Drucker was awarded the William T. Dwyer Award for teaching excellence. After graduating from the University of Buffalo in 1968 with a degree in “pure math,” and no real intention to teach, Drucker thought she might become an actuary or join the Peace Corps. She soon discovered two life-altering themes: accounting bored her, and the love of her life, husband Joel Drucker, wanted to marry her. They married, and in 1969 moved to Connecticut, where Drucker went into the Teacher Corps making $50 a week, with the promise of a master’s degree in urban education. In 1970, she earned her master’s and was teaching children with “domestic issues.” Drucker was known for her dedication to students, taking under her wing teens who no one else wanted. They were the soul of her
life. To this day, she maintains a strong bond to Donna, one such student. In 1979, after the birth of their children, the Drucker family came to Florida in hopes of finding suitable education for their son, Matthew, who is disabled. Their daughter, Mierka, grew up in the Palm Beach County School System and is now an English teacher at Seminole Ridge High School. Drucker lives and teaches by several important principles. The first is to love what you do. This makes going to work easy, even when it isn’t. She shares her love of this job with her students. Crestwood is truly her home away from home. Second, she employs the wisdom of her grandmother who told her to “make the worst kid in the class your monitor and everyone else will fall in line.” For more information about the May 24 gathering, call (561) 7535000.
Sem Ridge Hawk Battalion Honors Cadets The Seminole Ridge High School Hawk Battalion celebrated the promotion of several of its cadets Tuesday, April 16 in the school auditorium. To be promoted, the cadets had to sit before a promotion board for an interview. The board then decided to promote them to a higher rank for the coming school year. The promotions are as follows: John Christian, colonel; Jamie Marchand, lieutenant colonel and battalion commander; Timothy Ruback, lieutenant colonel; Desiree Galavan and Christopher Mitton, major; Charlie Green, captain and executive officer; and David Evans, sergeant major and command position. Leadership staff are as follows: Jose Ruiz, second lieutenant; Michael Garrity, second lieutenant; Brogan Zelinka, captain; Cody Papula, sergeant first class; Heather Riley, captain; Elania Reyes, sergeant first class; Brooke Gaster, second lieutenant; and Devon Breen, second lieutenant. Team Commanders are as follows: • Color Guard — Morgan Wilson, second lieutenant; • Drill Team — Hunter Grabbe, captain; • Marksman Team — James Aspenwall, master sergeant;
• Raider Team — Andrew Harre, first lieutenant. JROTC Military Ball — The fourth annual SRHS Army JROTC Military Ball for the Hawk Battalion was held Saturday, April 20 at the Binks Forest Golf Club. More than 150 cadets and guests, and hundreds of years of military tradition, gathered in one room. The ball, a celebration for all JROTC members of the accomplishments done throughout the year, is the big event to close out the school year. The theme of this year’s ball was “The Founding of Our Great Nation,” with 13 tables to represent the 13 American colonies. Cadets and their dates took their seats as the honor guard, dressed as Revolutionary War soldiers posted the colors. The saber guard formed an archway for the seniors, who walked through it to receive a certificate from program instructor Lt. Colonel Hans Hunt. Next came the grog bowl ceremony. Many years of tradition have gone into the grog bowl — mostly alcoholic traditions. But, because the cadets are minors, they improvised, filling the punch bowl with liquids ranging from jalapeño juice to vinegar, stirred with Hunt’s riot baton for the battalion’s seniors to drink.
Each item put into the bowl has some type of symbolism to the members present — it can represent the hardships they went through or a special experience they had while serving. Cadets proposed toasts, and some — with teary eyes and shaky voices — offered one to America’s fallen comrades throughout all conflicts. After dinner, guest speaker David Mitchell shared his extensive knowledge of the Revolution-
ary War, followed by Brigadier General (Ret.) Alban Irzyk, who shared his experiences from a halfcentury of military balls. The final event of the night saw the dance floor erupt with cadets having a great time. Many rated this ball their most successful so far. “It was a great experience, to learn more about JROTC and to see how they’re honored,” guest Cara Engh said.
Hawk Battalion — Shown here, cadets are promoted during a ceremony held Tuesday, April 16.
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NEW HORIZONS HONORS STUDENT CITIZENSHIP
During guidance lessons, New Horizons Elementary School students focused on how they show “citizenship” by working together to make their community a better place to live. Several fifth-grade students were honored in an assembly for showing citizenship. The student honorees included: Andrea Cano, Alexis Margiotta, Isaac Girgis, Giana Cherico, Desirae Hernandez, Karalissa Ramsey, Jenna Ratledge, Juan Rodos, Jesse Blecher and Caitlin Ocasio. Shown here are fifth-grade “Character Counts” recipients, family members, Mayor Bob Margolis and his wife Linda, Debbie Evans, and Guidance Counselor Lynne Bray.
BEREAN HOSTS NINTH ANNUAL ‘FLOETRY NIGHT’
Students, parents and faculty gathered together at Berean Christian School on Thursday, March 28 for the ninth annual Floetry Night. Included in the performances are original poems, songs, dance and studentcreated video productions. Original artwork by the art students was also on display for all to enjoy. Under the leadership of Adrianna Paneque, English teacher at BCS, this year’s theme was “Floetry in the Park.” For more information about this event or any other program at Berean Christian School, visit www.bcsbulldogs.org. (Above) Student participants gather on stage. (Right) Table settings.
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PALMS WEST PEOPLE
Area Students Selected As Ambassadors To National Campaign To Stop Violence
Amanda Ng with a Build-A-Bear heart.
Amanda Ng To Help Kids With Cancer Amanda Ng of Royal Palm Beach will compete at the National Jr. Ambassador Pageant as Florida’s pre-teen, a competition that encourages girls to help their community and to encourage others to join in. Ng will hold a “Share a Care” event Friday, May 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Build-A-Bear Workshop in the Mall at Wellington Green. Ng is looking to raise 100 bears for the Children’s Cancer Center in Tampa. The center has new pa-
tients daily, and she wants give these kids the strength to fight. Bears start at just $10. Build-A-Bear allows the bear maker to make a wish with a heart that is put into each bear made. Ng is hoping for the wish to help a patient beat cancer. Your child will have his/her photo taken with the bear and put on a special postcard that will go with the bears to their new owners. For more information, e-mail Amanda’s mother Sandi Ng at sanding112@aol.com.
Robert Cook Graduates Air Force Basic Training Air Force Airman Robert Cook recently graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas. Cook completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Cook is the son of Stephanie Lewkutz and Robert Cook, both of The Acreage. He is a 2011 graduate of Seminole Ridge High School.
Airman Robert Cook
Della Gaylor, a seventh-grader from Greenacres, and Brandon Schloss, a seventh-grader from Wellington, have been selected by the Palm Beach County Steering Committee of the National Campaign to Stop Violence as the first place “Ambassadors” for their efforts to stop youth violence in the Do the Write Thing Challenge (DTWT). Both students attend Okeeheelee Middle School. Gaynor and Schloss will be recognized with the other finalists on Monday, May 13 at a luncheon at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. Gaylor and Schloss will receive an allexpenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. in July, where they and other ambassadors from around the country will be honored in a national ceremony. Ranked second among young women was Desiree Merritt, a seventh-grader from Loxahatchee who attends Western Pines Middle School, and third was Joy Sohn, a seventh-grader from Wellington who attends the Bak Middle School of the Arts. From more than 24,000 Palm Beach County middle school students who participated in the Do the Write Thing Challenge, 282 were selected as finalists, who, with their parents, teachers and principals will attend the May 13 luncheon. At the luncheon, a video will present the experiences of the top six recipients and ways they are stopping bullying and teen violence. State Attorney Dave Aronberg, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and Superintendent of Schools E.
Wayne Gent will address the audience. Players from the iconic Harlem Globetrotters will perform and relay the message of their recently designed community outreach program in coordination with the National Campaign to Stop Violence (NCSV) called “The ABCs of Bullying Prevention.” For the sixth consecutive year, the luncheon has been underwritten by Florida Crystals Corporation. More than 850 guests are expected at the Kravis event. The William H. Pitt Foundation will provide $500 grants to the school principals who had the highest participation in the program. The law firm of Larmoyeux & Bone P.L. is providing administrative support for organizing and directing the efforts of the steering committee. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has underwritten the entire cost of publishing all of the writings of the 282 students from the 28 traditional schools that fully participated in the program and two alternative schools who selected one of their best submissions. The program gives Palm Beach County sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students an opportunity to examine the impact of violence on their lives through written essays or poems reflecting on what they can do as individuals to reduce youth violence. “The goal of the program is to reduce youth violence in schools, at home and in neighborhoods,” explained West Palm Beach trial lawyer Bill Bone, chairman of the local steering committee of the Do
Students Brandon Schloss (left) and Della Gaynor (right). the Write Thing Challenge. Barbara Cheives; Congressman “Many young teens have been Ted Deutch; Florida Crystals Exbullied or stigmatized by the way ecutive Vice President Pepe Fanthey look or talk or act, and that jul Jr.; Palm Beach County Schools can be very traumatic sometimes Superintendent E. Wayne Gent; resulting in enormous pain and Palm Beach County Public Defendeven suicide.” er Carey Haughwout; Palm Springs All of the entries were read by Middle School Principal Sandra multiple panels of volunteer judg- Jinks; PBSO Capt. Jeffery Lindskes representing a cross-section of oog; West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Palm Beach County educators, law Muoio; Palm Beach County enforcement and judicial leaders. Schools Director of Curriculum Liz Submissions were evaluated sole- Perlman; State Attorney’s Office ly for their content, not for gram- Juvenile Division Chief Lynn Powmar, spelling or structure. ell; Department of Safe Schools The Palm Beach County Steer- Student Intervention Services ing Committee for the 2013 Do the Assistant Director Kim Williams; Write Thing Challenge includes and assistant to campaign chair Attorney Bill Bone, campaign and program coordinator for Larchairman; Circuit Court Judge moyeux & Bone, Nicole HowardRonald Alvarez ; State Attorney Rice. Dave Aronberg; Sheriff Ric BradFor more information about the shaw; County Commissioner Pau- Do the Write Thing Challenge or lette Burdick; Don Carson, a re- the Kravis Center event, call Bill tired executive vice president with Bone at (561) 832-0623. The recFlorida Crystals Corp.; former ognition luncheon is by invitation Criminal Justice Commission Chair only.
Four PBSC Students On All-Florida Academic Team Four Palm Beach State College students have been named to the 2013 All-Florida Academic Team, an honor that also helped two of them garner a scholarship from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. Stephanie Kupiec of Jupiter, Kim Stingo of Wellington, Johanna Poblano of Lake Worth and Laura Stevens of West Palm Beach were among 122 students from the Florida College System and three from institutions affiliated with the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida named to the team. Kupiec and Stingo made the
first team; Poblano and Stevens, Palm Beach State’s student trustee for 2012-13, made the second team. They are all members of Phi Theta Kappa honor society and the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College. The All-FloridaAcademic Team is composed of students who were nominated by their respective colleges to the All-USA Academic Team competition sponsored by USA Today and the Phi Theta Kappa international honor society. Students are selected based on their academic achievement, lead-
ership and service to the community. In conjunction with PTK, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation each year also sponsors the CocaCola Community College Academic Team. Ten-students from the AllFlorida Academic Team received scholarships from Coca-Cola of $1,500 for Coca-Cola Gold Scholars, $1,250 for Coca-Cola Silver Scholars or $1,000 for Coca-Cola Bronze Scholars. Kupiec and Stingo were among the scholarship recipients, each winning a $1,500 Coca-Cola Gold Scholarship. Ku-
piec also has received a scholarship to Smith College and will begin her studies there in the fall. Serving 49,000 students annually, Palm Beach State College is the largest institution of higher education in Palm Beach County, providing bachelor ’s degrees, associate degrees, professional certificates, career training and lifelong learning. Established in 1933 as Florida’s first public community college, it offers more than 100 programs of study at locations in Lake Worth, Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens and Belle Glade.
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Corbett
Several Designs
continued from page 1 and other designs on the ITID side of the existing berm. Difficulty of construction and the overall cost are other factors that will need to be taken into consideration. Seepage is another factor that will have to be looked at closely, because a certain amount of seepage is necessary to maintain the water table in The Acreage, Mitnik said, adding that other ideas and concepts might be incorporated through the design process, which will continue through the spring and summer. Drew Martin on behalf of the Sierra Club said there are some questions that have not been answered. “I like the fact that you have not just settled on going into the Corbett area,” Martin said. “I like the fact that you’re looking now at doing something in the Indian Trail Improvement District that does not require going into Corbett, because overall the Sierra Club is opposed to taking land away. Palm Beach County has just a limited amount of wildlife habitat and recreational lands. Every time there is a problem, we don’t like the solution to be, ‘Let’s go take some land.’” Martin was also concerned that
Ballet
Nonprofit Seeks Its Own Home
continued from page 1 clude A Nutcracker Tea and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The organization caters to preprofessional ballet dancers, meaning they have to have a certain level of skill. If they are not on the appropriate level, the theater offers classes at four different skill levels to train them: trainees, apprentice, corps de ballet and company. “If you are in a trainee or apprentice level, you have to take the class that’s associated with the performance,” Duvall said. “The classes are part of our dance programming side, and dancers must pay for the instruction.” For performances, dancers don’t have to pay for costumes or rental fees. “We try to keep the
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NEWS
flooding in The Acreage was caused by excessive rain rather than water from Corbett. “Whether the berm is fixed or not isn’t going to change the fact that the property got an excessive amount of rainfall and there was not adequate drainage to protect those properties,” he said. “You can’t really solve that problem through building a berm.” Martin was also concerned about how the county continues to allow development on vacant land in the area, when they should be looking at the vacant land as a place to hold water. Mitnik said the existing berm showed signs of instability during the flooding, although it did not actually fail. He said the goal is not to change water control levels for Corbett, which is 22.5 feet, or ITID, which is 16.5 feet, but to see that the integrity of the levee is secure. SFWMD Director of Engineering Jeff Kivett said the ground level on both sides of the levee is about 20 feet but Corbett wants to keep the water level higher to improve the wildlife habitat. “It’s that difference in those elevations that we want to manage that so that we don’t interrupt each other’s operations in that general area,” Kivett said. Acreage resident Patricia Curry was concerned about the cost of a new levee, about the impact of seepage with some of the proprice and cost down as much as possible for our students and families by raising funds locally through corporate sponsorships and donations,” he said. As of now, the most important goal for Wellington Ballet Theatre is getting its own location. “We don’t have a location for it yet, and we want to get it out of the Dance Arts Conservatory so it can really be in the hands of the community,” Duvall said. It’s pricey for a new nonprofit, and even many of the established dance studios, to rent space at existing theaters. “Especially the high school auditoriums, which is where we typically perform,” he said, adding that they are prohibitively expensive. “They don’t cater to us at all, and the houses are 800 to 1,000 seats. It’s really hard to fill that.” With Wellington Ballet Theatre in its own venue, Duvall hopes to enrich culture in the western communities. “We are not here to just fly by
posed designs, and the impact to Corbett. “I don’t know why our existing berm cannot be shored up to make it much more stable and save everybody a heck of a lot of money,” Curry said. Martha Musgrove, representing the Florida Wildlife Federation, said she appreciated the purpose of the levee but did not want to give up any Corbett land. “We need the resolution of a problem that works on both sides,” she said. Musgrove also pointed out that the current conceptual plans for the levee would obliterate the temporary weir that was built during the flooding to allow excess stormwater to flow from Corbett into the Mecca property, which still has agricultural canals that can move water into the C-18 Canal. That would have a beneficial effect in getting runoff to the Loxahatchee River. Musgrove said she thought the SFWMD was on the right track and asked that they get some cost estimates and do it as simply as possible. “The Florida Wildlife Federation wants to protect the wetlands,” she said. “That’s one of our prime goals, to protect the Corbett area. We helped establish it, and we’re not giving it up.” Mitnik said the SFWMD will probably be able to come back sometime during the summer with plans that take into consideration input from last week’s meeting.
New Wellington Grant Supports Neighborhood Watch Programs
By Gabriel Sanchez Town-Crier Staff Report With funds allocated from Wellington’s Neighborhood Services Program, grants are now available to support active neighborhood watch groups in the village. The Neighbors of Wellington (NoW) grant offers $250 to groups for neighborhood events and other innovative neighborly get-togethers. It is one of two reimbursable grants designed to prevent crimes such as burglaries and auto thefts within neighborhoods. According to village staff, the active participation of citizens through programs such as a crime watch is among the most effective tools to fight crime. It’s not possible to stop criminal activity through the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office alone, noted Scott Campbell, a Wellington neighborhood advocate. “The PBSO needs eyes and ears,” Campbell said. To apply for a grant, there must be a group of eight to 10 people serving as an active neighborhood watch group working together for at least three months. They must have had at least one meeting assisted by the PBSO’s Crime Prevention Unit. The Crime Prevention Unit trains watch members in safety and reporting skills, and will
inform them of crime statistics and trends. This new grant program works in conjunction with the Defensive Measures grant program, which funds lighting, safety and landscaping improvements in certain Wellington neighborhoods. The grants serve as incentives for residents to take action, and to help engage citizens’ participation in keeping their surroundings safe. The lack of a neighborhood watch group could ultimately deter neighborhood safety, Campbell said. He noted that the value of these watch groups have been proven by statistics. For example, community activi-
ty has led to a sizable decrease in crime rates in the Northumberland neighborhood, which Campbell said is proof of the effectiveness of the grant concept. Using community events such as a fun run through the neighborhood, crime in Northumberland has fallen off dramatically from 10 incidents between August 2011 and February 2012, to zero incidents during the second half of 2012. “The Northumberland fun run was one of our most prominent and successful events,” Campbell said. “Northumberland has been largely free of crime.” For more information about the grant program, call (561) 791-4796.
Murder Mystery Dinner On May 18 Murder mystery dinner theater is returning to Wellington, so put on your spurs, grab your 10-gallon hat and head out to the Wild West–themed “Wellington Saloon and Corral” on Saturday, May 18 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Village Park (11700 Pierson Road). The evening begins with a social hour and dinner but quickly escalates into a battle of quick draws. Sit back as the posse of professional actors portrays a “murder in the Wild, Wild West.”
Audience members will then be asked to solve the crime. Tickets cost $45 per person and are on sale now at Village Park and the Wellington Community Center. A table of eight can also be reserved for a discounted price of $315. The ticket price includes dinner, beer and wine. Because this is an adult themed event, Wellington will provide free on-site child care for children ages 5 to 12. For more information, call Michelle Garvey at (561) 791-4082.
(Above) Wellington Ballet Theatre resident choreographer Melissa Waters with students. (Left) Wellington Ballet Theatre founders Rocky and Dorie Duvall. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER night,” Duvall said. “The money is going right back into the community. We are here to present the opportunity for kids and young adults to do what they love.”
The Wellington Ballet Theatre’s next performances will be its Spring Dance Concert featuring the music of George Winston on May 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Welling-
ton Amphitheater. Other planned performances are Ballet OffBroadway in September and The Nutcracker in December. The upcoming May perfor-
mances are free and open to the public, with VIP seating available for $10. For more information, visit www.wellingtonballettheatre.org or call (561) 296-1880.
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NEWS
Wellington’s British Swim School Teaches ‘Survival Of The Littlest’ Water overflowed from the giant jet tub, sending toys, soaps and washcloths onto the bathroom floor. “I dove in expecting to find my little boy Jack at the bottom,” said Wellington father Howie Berkowitz. “It was the longest, most terrifying moment of my life.” Parents Howie and Sarah Berkowitz realized in that instant — when they saw then 18-monthold Jack trapped but alive between the wall and the tub — swimming lessons could mean life or death. And that’s how Jack became one of thousands of children who graduated from water survival skills class at the British Swim School in Wellington. The program so impressed the couple that they became owners of the 11-year-old swim school. “We now have the confidence and peace of mind to know Jack can survive if he falls in the water,” Sarah said. The family was enjoying a typical gathering of parents and friends. The clamor of children running through the house filled the
air. “We were in the kitchen talking to the other parents when everyone realized it was a little too quiet,” Sarah said. “Right then, one of the other children came running in and said, ‘Jack in the water! Jack in the water!’” Hearts sank and two terrified parents ran for the bathroom. It was every parent’s nightmare. In the swelling panic of jumping into the tub, no one noticed that the boy had managed to perch himself on a ledge between a wall and the tub, trapped from escaping. When Jack spoke up, relief and tears flowed like water from the tub. “You hear about kids at the bottom of a swimming pool. This was a bathroom tub,” Howie said. “We just couldn’t believe something like this could happen to us.” May, which is National Drowning Prevention Month, is the perfect time to think about this important issue. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates. Additionally, young children can
drown in less than two inches of water. Like many of their friends, they had thought about swimming lessons for their child, but Jack didn’t really take to the backyard pool, and there just never seemed to be time. After Jack nearly drowned, now was the time. Water survival skills decrease the risk of drowning by 88 percent, according to the CDC. Children must know how to survive in the water long enough to be rescued or save themselves. Babies as young as 3 months can learn to roll over on their backs. “As instructors, we teach survival skills before swimming. We ensure our students are water safe,” said Stephanie Bachar, aquatic manager at the British Swim School in Wellington. “Teaching this way encourages confidence in the water and helps students develop into safe swimmers.” For more than 30 years, British Swim School instructors have refined the method of a gradual, gen-
tle and fun learning process. Repetition — and a few songs and games — is also key to this training. In a few months, Jack could jump in, roll on his back and float. “It was so amazing to see his progress,” Howie said. “Watching all the children learn how to save themselves had such a powerful impact on the both of us that we had to become part of it all.” After taking over the British Swim School’s Wellington location, tucked into an office park by the popular Village Park, the Berkowitzes put all their energy into spreading the word about the importance of water survival skills for children. Focusing on water survival, babies and toddlers are taught through a fun, structured program. This class introduces babies to the water and teaches them to float independently on their back for the first time. Once this critical skill is mastered, the school offers a host of classes to help with a child’s development.
British Swim School teaches children lifesaving skills through fun activities. The school also offers adult And for fun, the British Swim swim classes, along with private, School also offers birthday party semi-private and group lessons. packages. Apart from the safety aspect, swimBritish Swim School is located ming is also a great form of exer- at 3141 Fortune Way, Units 21-22, cise with overall heart healthy ben- in Wellington. For more info., call efits. The school also sends grad- (561) 855-7043 or visit www.british uates to the local swim team. swimschool.com.
Wellington Art Society To Meet May 8 At The Community Center The Wellington Art Society will meet Wednesday, May 8 at the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The meeting will feature a special presentation spotlighting this year’s scholarship recipients. This year, for the first time, the Wellington Art Society was able to expand the scholarship program and offer five $1,000 scholarships to local art students. The presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m. This year ’s recipients are Marisa Waddle, Taylor Goldenberg,
Council
No Plat Waiver
continued from page 1 necessarily discourage renting. “It would simply create a vehicle where the division of property can occur at a faster, more efficiently and in a less expensive way,” Basehart said. “Someone could still buy an individual unit and rent it.” Councilwoman Anne Gerwig said she felt the amendment would help boost home ownership. “It would significantly reduce the cost,” she said. “I think it would streamline home ownership and save $15,000 to $20,000.” But Vice Mayor Howard Coates was concerned that the process could cause title problems for homeowners. “I think we need to make sure we’re comfortable with this before we allow residents to engage in a process where they could have title issues,” he said. Coates also asked if staff had considered whether rental properties would pop up in the singlefamily neighborhoods.
Budget
Sizable Spending Increase
continued from page 1 especially credited Bonlarron for his work on local issues. The proposed budget of $74.5 billion is about $4 billion greater than last year’s and marks the first time since 2008-09 that the state has not had a budget gap to fill. “It’s a significant increase,” Bonlarron told the Town-Crier on Wednesday.
Kathia St. Hilaire and Cindy Perdomo of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts, and Lauren Escalada of Seminole Ridge High School. The monthly meeting will begin at 7 p.m. with an introduction of new members, who will have an opportunity to show their work, followed by the business meeting. There will be a raffle, open to all attendees, with items perfect for artists and art lovers. The meeting is open to the public with a guest fee of $5, which can be applied to an art society membership.
At 7:30 p.m., local photographer Cliff Finley of Finman Photography will discuss the importance of quality images of your artwork and how to photograph them for submission to shows, exhibitions and galleries. This will be followed with an artist development program discussing the business of marketing your art, including how to create an inventory, the benefits of a web site or blog, how to write an artist’s statement and options on how to sell your art.
Basehart said it wasn’t something that was easy to study. “I don’t think there is a way to quantify that,” he said. “My gut feeling is it won’t have an impact on it.” Coates was also concerned about some of Wellington’s apartment complexes, which are multifamily, being put through this process. But Basehart said it was aimed at duplexes, triplexes and quads, and noted that the properties would still be bound by building code. “What about apartments that want to condominiumize?” Coates asked. Village Manager Paul Schofield said that was its own process. “To have a waiver of plat, the unit must have a physical footprint on the ground,” he said. “You could not do it with a second- or third-story unit.” Schofield stressed that this was not a one-stop solution to solving issues in the transitional neighborhoods. “There is no expectation on our part that this will wholesale change those multifamily areas from rental to individually owned unit,” he said. “This is a tool that
will provide some relief, but no single tool can solve every issue.” Councilman Matt Willhite said he wasn’t in favor of the plat waiver. “We can’t assume that if we do this, the home ownership of one quadruplex in the middle of a transitional neighborhood will change the makeup of that entire neighborhood,” he said. “I don’t think taking the platting process away from one neighborhood will solve all of our problems.” He noted, too, that the renters who are causing problems in neighborhoods could become homeowners causing the same problems. “I don’t know why a landlord would sell the unit,” he said. “But now they would have the opportunity to take a single problem and quadruple it across the four units. They could sell to the same renter who is causing problems there now. I don’t see how this is beneficial.” He made a motion to approve the amendments — which cleaned up some other language in the code — without the plat waiver. The measure passed 3-2 with Gerwig and Coates opposed.
The recommended budget would reduce the state work force by 3.1 percent, from 117,930 to 114,283 positions, due to Scott’s call to implement efficiencies in state government. However, after years of austerity, many government employees will get raises this year. The recommended budget provides $148 million for discretionary raises of $5,000 for employees receiving an evaluation of outstanding and $2,500 for employees receiving an evaluation of commendable. The budget also provides $167 million for all state employees
with at least a satisfactory evaluation to receive a bonus of $1,200. The recommended budget includes $18.47 billion in total financing for K-12 education, an increase of $1.2 billion over the current year, which will result in perstudent funding of $6,799, an increase of $412 over the current year. The budget would also provide $480 million to fund $2,500 raises for K-12 teachers and other instructors teaching courses that earn students credit toward graduation, as well as career education teachers.
Founded in 1981, the Wellington 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
Blotter continued from page 6 ed to detain Juan but, according to the report, he struggled with the deputy and refused his verbal commands. The deputy was able to detain and arrest Juan, and later discovered he has no valid driver’s license and had two active warrants. Juan was arrested and taken to the county jail where he was charged with grand theft auto, resisting an officer and driving without a valid license. APRIL 27 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to the Super Target store on Okeechobee Blvd. last Saturday afternoon regarding a case of shoplifting. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 3:35 p.m. an employee observed an unknown white male put two televisions in a shopping cart and then exit the store. The employee noted that the man was on a cell phone the entire time he was loading up the televisions. According to the report, the suspect fled toward a green Jeep Cherokee that was waiting with the passenger-side door open. The suspect loaded one television and instructed the unknown female driver to drive away, and the vehicle fled northbound on State Road 7. The suspect was described as a white, bald, middle-aged male wearing glasses and two earrings in his left ear. The stolen television was valued at approximately $250. The
Letters continued from page 4 infamous anti-consumer American Legislative Exchange Council. Thirty newspapers and 60 national animal protection, workers’ rights, civil liberties, public health, food safety and environmental conservation organizations have recently gone on record as strongly opposing ag-gag bills. Our government must never restrict our right and obligation to know where our food comes from. For a recent update on the status of aggag bills, visit mfablog.org/2013/ 04/state-of-the-ag-gag-2013.html. Will Turmeric Wellington
Art Society is open to any resident in Palm Beach County. Membership forms will be available. A charitable organization, the society’s mission is to educate and encourage originality and productivity among members and youth through programs designed to fur-
ther the advancement of cultural endeavors in the western communities. For more information about the Wellington Art Society, visit www.wellingtonartsociety.org, wellingtonartsociety.blogspot.com or call President Leslie Pfeiffer at (561) 791-3676.
employee was able to get a license plate number, but there was no further information at the time of the report. APRIL 28 — A resident of the Isles at Wellington community called the PBSO substation in Wellington last Sunday morning to report a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between midnight and 8:30 a.m., someone entered the victim’s unlocked vehicle and removed $10 cash from the victim’s wallet along with two BMX bicycles valued at approximately $1,500 each. DNA evidence was taken at the scene, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. APRIL 28 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was called to a home in Grand Prix Farms last Sunday afternoon regarding a vehicle theft. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21 and noon last Sunday, someone stole the victim’s dark red 2008 EZ GO golf cart from the farm. The perpetrator(s) used an unknown tool to cut the cable lock, which was wrapped around the steering wheel and brake pad of the cart. The stolen cart was valued at approximately $8,000 and had gold striping and a basket. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. APRIL 29 — A resident of Peconic Court contacted the PBSO
substation in Wellington early Monday morning to report an attempted theft. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 4:10 a.m. the victim was in his kitchen when he heard the bottom of his front gate scraping across the cement. The victim said he looked out his sliding glass door and observed an unknown male running out of the gate. According to the report, the victim went outside and observed the male flee near his neighbor’s apartment. The victim discovered his golf clubs had been moved from where he normally stores them on his patio. According to the report, it was too dark for the victim to give any identifying information about the suspect. There was no further information at the time of the report. APRIL 30 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was called to a home on 86th Road North early Tuesday morning after reports of a fire. According to a PBSO report, the victim’s wife awoke at approximately 1:30 a.m. and saw an orange glow outside. The victim went outside to find that his Ford F-150 was on fire in his driveway, and the Chevy Camaro beside it also caught on fire. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue responded to the scene, but the truck was entirely burned, while the Camaro was half burned. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.
Who Is Behind K-Park Plan? There was a presentation given to the Wellington Village Council concerning a possible development of K-Park. On its face it seems to be a good idea — a new hotel, a stadium, equestrian activities of various kinds. It would be a boon to the economy of the village and Palm Beach County. But I have to wonder about some other proposals in the recent past. I recall an Equestrian Village plan that had similar features. That plan was decimated by newly elected council members backed
by the Wellington Equestrian Preservation Alliance. The new K-Park plan was presented by Jack Van Dell, “a spokesman for the group putting together the plan,” according to the media. Mr. Van Dell has been prominent in support of the alliance, whose board president is Louis M. Jacobs. Would anyone care to guess whether the K-Park proposal will be favorably viewed by Mayor Bob Margolis, Councilman John Greene and Councilman Matt Willhite? Phil Sexton Wellington
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Diane Gonzalez Has A True Passion For Pets
Pets are part of the family. So when we have to go away and leave them, it presents a real dilemma. Diane Gonzalez knows all about it. A licensed pet sitter, she owns and runs Passion for Pets. If it’s an animal and needs looking after, she’s ready and able to help. Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 23
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Wellington Volleyball Team Defeats RPBHS
The Wellington High School boys varsity volleyball team defeated Royal Palm Beach High School in three games Thursday, April 25. Playing in Wellington, the Wolverines went 25-6, 25-22 and 25-12 to take down the Wildcats. Page 35
Shopping Spree A TOWN-CRIER PUBLICATION
INSIDE
Business MONItech Security Services Offers Security Systems And More
With its wide range of state-of-the-art security systems, MONItech Security Services strives to keep clients safe and protected. Based in Wellington, owner Landy Peluso has another location in Panama City and is an exclusive dealer of monitored security systems from Monitronics International. Page 25
Sports SRHS Flag Team Defeats Pahokee To Win District
The Seminole Ridge High School girls flag football team won the District 22 title Wednesday, April 24 with a convincing 54-6 performance over the Pahokee High School Blue Devils. Playing before a home crowd, the Lady Hawks extended their unbeaten record to 140. Page 35
THIS WEEK’S INDEX COLUMNS & FEATURES ........................ 23-24 BUSINESS NEWS.................................. 25-27 DINING & ENTERTAINMENT ...................... 32 SPORTS & RECREATION........................ 35-37 COMMUNITY CALENDAR ......................38-39 CLASSIFIEDS ........................................40-43
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FEATURES
Diane Gonzalez Of The Acreage Has A Passion For Pets For some of us, our pets are not like family — they are family. So when vacations and other times arise when we have to go away and leave them, it can present a real dilemma: board them elsewhere, or leave them at home and hire a pet sitter? A variety of factors come into play, including cost, the animals’ preferences and your own peace of mind. Diane Gonzalez knows all about it. A licensed pet sitter, she owns and runs Passion for Pets. If it’s an animal and needs looking after, she’s ready and able to help. “I’ve been pet sitting for 13 years now,” Gonzalez said. “I did it for two years down in Broward County. Then I moved to The Acreage 11 years ago and just kept going.” Gonzalez has always loved animals. She grew up in Allentown, Pa., and always had pets. She and her family own a parakeet, a betta fish, nine dogs of assorted lineage and two miniature horses. “We had a regular-sized horse for a while, for my daughter, Dakota. But she fell off and got traumatized, so we decided to stick to the minis instead,” Gonzalez explained. Gonzalez decided to turn her passion for animals into a business because she really enjoys being with animals and knows how difficult it is to go away and leave part of your family in someone else’s care. Her full-time 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 job is as a loan processor for a mortgage company, which she describes as “stressful, very stressful.” “I’d love to be able to lose the day job and do pet sitting full-time,” she said. Maybe one day. In the meantime, Gonzalez manages to keep up with her clients before and after work. She never takes on too many jobs at the same time, plus her two daughters, Dakota, 16, and Athena, 21, are now old enough to help out with the family business. “We take care of all sorts of animals. The normal dogs and cats, of course, plus fish, birds, pocket pets like hamsters and gerbils, reptiles, sugar gliders, big land tortoises, horses and livestock. We do whatever the owners want,” she said. “Each stay averages a halfhour. We walk dogs, play catch with them, clean litter boxes, muck out stalls, change the feed and water, of course, plus whatever else needs doing, like bringing in the mail and watering the plants. We’re available on short notice, even if there’s something like an emergency meeting that’s going to keep someone
Diane Gonzalez with her two miniature horses. late at work, and are perfectly fine with ‘bully’ breeds like pit bulls and Rottweilers.” Gonzalez can visit once, twice or three times daily, if necessary, and the cost is nominal, starting at $15 per visit, more depending on mileage.
“I enjoy getting to know all the different animals,” Gonzalez said. “Plus I think that letting them stay home is a lot less stressful than boarding. I take each job seriously. My main goal is to make sure each and every animal See ROSENBERG, page 24
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FEATURES
I’m Trying Hard To Solve The ‘Staffing Issues’ At My Store I was at my store in North Florida this week for two reasons. 1) There was a family reunion at a nearby theme park, and 2) Thomas, my store manager, was out sick. My plan was to relieve my assistant manager, Jane, for a few days so she didn’t burn out before Thomas got back. The doctors figured his Bell’s palsy “face freeze” would go away in about three weeks, and I had my fingers crossed. Things started to unravel when Jane quit. She called me on Saturday to say she would stay as long as I needed her, and then again on Sunday to say that Saturday had been her last day. “But good news!” she chirped. “A real nice applicant came in, and I called Thomas and he hired her over the phone.” “No, he didn’t,” I said. “I’ll be right there.” I met Rhonda on Tuesday, and she was OK except for an extremely flighty, nervous deGet 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 meanor, mumbling conversation that went on even after I’d left to go into another room, and the fact that she had another part-time job so would not be able to work Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays or every other Wednesday, but she wasn’t sure which Wednesdays they were. Plus, she had a purse that barked. “It’s my ring tone,” she explained. “It tells me it’s time to feed my dog.” Bark, bark, bark! “Well, do you have to…” Bark, bark, bark! “Do you have to go…” Bark, bark, bark! “Doyouhavetogofeeditnow?”
Bark, bark, bark! “No, he’ll be fine. Should I rubber-stamp the back of these checks?” She saw no need to turn the phone off so I made her put it in the drawer, but now we were getting dirty looks from customers. <Bark, bark, bark!> By the end of the day, I had decided I would keep looking for a new clerk. But it wasn’t that easy. I had some yearold applications, but the people had either moved or gotten other jobs. Then Madge happened. “Excuse me,” she said. “I overheard your dilemma, and I would be just thrilled to work here.” I trained Madge on Thursday, and she was terrific. She was young, smart, energetic, polite and a heck of a salesgirl. At the end of the day, when she came out of the back room carrying a mop, I almost got heart palpitations. I told her to come in 15 minutes early on Friday so I could show her how to open up. On Friday, she called and said, “I regret to inform you…” I feared the worst.
“…that I have car trouble, and I’ll be half an hour late.” It was almost a relief. On Saturday, she asked if she could get her pay early because she had to bail her fiancé out of jail. On Sunday, I went to Thomas’ house to beg him to come in no matter how he looked. “But I can’t smile!” he protested. “I don’t care.” “I can’t blink!” “I don’t care.” “I drool on one side, and half my nose runs.” “I’ll buy you some tissues!” Of course, Thomas is not back at work. His medication makes him sleepy, surly and unable to drive. Rhonda and Madge are making a go of it, together with my sub — the one who worked on Wednesday even though, “I must be getting the flu because I was in the bathroom half the day, throwing up!” So if you’ve been reading the decorating magazines and have decided you’d like to own a charming little antiques shop, cut this out and put it on your refrigerator. Then think twice.
Wish I Could Dance Through Life Like The Stars Of ‘Priscilla’ We saw the musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and it provides a great, fun evening. The story of three drag queens traveling through the great Australian desert contains more than a few laughs, a few tough moments, a couple of poignant scenes and songs you can really dance to. Actually, by using the biggest hits of the disco era, all problems can disappear. Facing down a group of bigots in a small town is a lot easier when you get them to boogie with “I Love the Nightlife.” Amazing how disco calms the savage breast… even when it’s silicone. A minute after the triumph, however, the “girls” see their bus (Priscilla) defaced. But even that sadness leads to a repainting (to the song “True Colors”) with a chorus dressed as large paintbrushes. Comedies about drag queens go back in recent years to the film La Cage Aux Folles, a ’70s movie, later turned into a Broadway musical and then redone as The Bird Cage. A bow should also be given to To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, a strange movie that turned Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes, two of the biggest screen masculine heroes, into drag queens (John
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Diane Gonzalez Has A Passion For Pets
continued from page 23 remains happy and healthy while the owners are away.” Kathy Cottier of Royal Palm Beach has used Gonzalez to care for her two cats. “I met her through a friend,” Cottier said. “I’ve used her a couple of times when we’ve gone on vacation, and I’m thoroughly satisfied. It’s hard to find someone who embodies
Leguizamo was the third member of the trio). But those films all focused on the commonalities between the gay world, even its most extreme members, and “straight society.” The gay couple in Cage was shown as a typical old married couple facing issues that were not of their own causing. Priscilla presents things differently. Mitzi, Bernadette and Felicia push to be accepted on their own terms. Mitzi, whose real name is Tick, was married and is the father of a young son who wants to meet him. Felicia is a youngster who enjoys being outrageous, while Bernadette, who has been around for a while, wants to find a lover who can provide full acceptance. And, in our changing world, they eventually find pretty much what they want.
Of course, having the greatest fun hits of the recent past did not hurt. The score includes: “It’s Raining Men,” “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” “I Say a Little Prayer for You,” “Material Girl,” “Like a Virgin,” “Shake Your Groove Thing,” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” and, of course, “I Will Survive.” I was struck by the idea of how well disco can overcome explosive social issues. Most of our politicians debate issues that really affect very few of us. Taxes? Well, all of them go by the idea that they should promise that we will not be the ones that pay more, it will be someone else. And then our tax bills go up and their friends will somehow wind up with more money in their pockets. A hundred and fifty years ago, Lincoln’s first secretary of war, Simon Cameron, defined an honest politician as “one who stays bought.” So let’s ignore most of what they say. Most of the biggest arguments come over asymmetric issues, ones where a handful of people really care about something while the rest of us are not particularly affected. Instead of arguing over those things, why not do what they do in Priscilla? Let’s get up and boogie oogie oogie ’til we just can’t boogie no more.
It certainly beats listening to politicians who seem certain they know how we should live our lives. We have mayors who demand an end to sugar-filled sodas but create exceptions for coffee drinks that have more sugar and caffeine. Why? Because their friends like the coffee. And we have celebrities who surround themselves with armed bodyguards and demand more gun control for everyone else. And we should not forget the truly important who call for smaller cars and shorter airline flights for us while traveling in limos and private jets. When they start with their advice, get up and dance. They want to rule you; ignore them as long as possible and dance. They want you to hate someone; get up and dance with them. Will it solve any problems faster? Well, probably not. But, on the other hand, it’s likely that it won’t slow down the process, either. And you’ll be a lot happier (and probably slimmer). And, even better, the haters and the corrupt political class might even decide to allow us to be happy. The “girls” in Priscilla were a lot happier at the end. Perhaps we will be as well.
such a strong sense of professionalism plus great heart for the animals.” And Cottier speaks from experience. “I used to do kitty-sitting myself for 15 years back in New Jersey, so I know what to look for in a pet sitter,” she said. “When I met Diane, I knew I could trust her. My cats are very important. They’re my family, the children I never had. Diane sent me e-mails every couple of days, which gave me peace of mind. I’d highly recommend her. You can’t go wrong.” Colleen Hill also swears by Gonzalez. She has used her for the past two and a half years. “I can’t say enough wonderful things about her,” Hill said. “It’s my honor to give her a
recommendation. I sometimes hesitate to recommend someone to friends, in case they have a bad experience, but I never think twice about telling people about Diane. I tell everyone about her without the least bit of hesitation.” Hill has two dogs, including one, Dixie, with special needs. “She’s on all kinds of medications for anxiety,” Hill said. “She’s a wreck, anxious all the time and nervous about everything, so going away and leaving her is extra difficult and stressful for all of us. She’s basically an 80-pound mess, and a lot of other pet sitters refused to take on this job because of that. But Diane has this way about her. When she came to visit, within five minutes, Dixie was sitting calmly at her feet. I’d never seen
anything like that before. My husband was amazed.” That is why she is quick to recommend Gonzalez. “Diane is prompt and very professional. After all, when you go away and leave your home open to someone and have them care for your babies, you have to have a very high trust level. That’s what Diane gives us — great peace of mind,” Hill said. “Every time she visits, she texts us and sends us a picture. She’s caring, reliable, invaluable, trustworthy — I love her to death. I feel blessed that I found her.” For more information, visit www.passionfor petspb.com, or call Gonzalez at (561) 628-8971.
‘I’ On CULTURE By Leonard Wechsler
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BUSINESS NEWS
MONItech Security Services owner Landy Peluso. PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER
MONItech Services Offers Security Systems And More By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report With its wide range of state-of-the-art security systems, MONItech Security Services strives to keep clients safe and protected. Based in Wellington, owner Landy Peluso has another location in Panama City and is an exclusive dealer of monitored security systems from Monitronics International. Previously a manager for Brinks Security, Peluso decided it was time to start his own security business. He received his security license in 1999 and opened his first physical location in 2005. Through MONItech Security Services, Peluso is able to help people gain a sense of security. “I want people to feel safe and be able to protect their family and property,” he said. “People put millions of dollars into their homes and businesses, and they want to know that when they lock the door at night and someone tries to break in, the alarm is going to go off, the cameras are going to be recording, and the police are going to be sent.” MONItech Security Services offers eight security technicians, who are specialized in educating clients on the various products available. In order to provide clients with the best security services available, security technicians do an initial consultation at a client’s home. “99.9 percent of the clients have us come to their house because there is no reason for them to come into our offices,” Peluso said. “We have to look at their house in order to determine what they need.” MONItech offers installation, maintenance and repair of alarms, cameras, intercoms, networking and surround sound. “We are able to do everything that involves low voltage,” Peluso said. Whether a client lives locally or in another part of the world, MONItech is able to pro-
vide cutting-edge surveillance systems for clients’ added protection and security. “With all of our apps, you can see your house on your phone, computer, iPad, or any Android or Apple device,” Peluso said. Peluso considers MONItech Security Services a one-stop shop for all security needs. “Many other companies just do alarms or surveillance, but we do the full gamut — the TVs, music, sound, networking, cameras, data and alarm,” he said. Some of the most cutting-edge and innovative systems MONItech offers include an alarm system called the Lynx Touch. This system provides alerts on a client’s phone when someone enters the home. “They can punch in their specific code, and the camera takes a snapshot of them and sends it to your phone to show that your child is home,” Peluso said. “Say you have a housekeeper, she punches her code in, and it will send you an alert as to what time she came and what time she left.” This system gives clients greater control and additional security of their home, Peluso explained. “From anywhere in the world you can unlock your front door, adjust your thermostat and turn lights on — all from your smart phone,” he said. With all the latest technology in security systems, clients are able to combine it with complete home automation. “All they need is a computer or cell phone, and they can take control of their home,” Peluso said. If clients have an issue, they can dial technical support for help. “We help clients with whatever issues they have and make sure that they understand how to use the equipment properly,” Peluso said. MONItech Security Services is located at 12230 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 110-UU, in Wellington. For more info., visit www.monitech security.net or call (561) 383-6551.
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BUSINESS NEWS
Wellington Chamber Welcomes Muscle Works Supplements The Wellington Chamber of Commerce recently had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Muscle Works Supplements, located at 10220 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 130, in the Pointe at Wellington Green. The store is owned and operated by a father-and-son team passionate about fitness and health. Both have a wealth of knowledge and ex-
perience in supplementation that enhances people’s health in general plus provides peak performance for athletes. Ken Muller and his son Troy are the owners of Muscle Works Supplements. Ken was born and raised in Connecticut. After he graduated high school, he went to the University of Connecticut for two years and
Muscle Works Supplements — (L-R) Carmine Marino, Mark “Boz” Bozicevic, Ken Muller, Troy Muller and Denise Carpenter.
studied business. He then attended the University of South Florida in Tampa for two years where he earned his degree in business administration with a major in finance. After a brief stint at Louisiana State University, Ken returned to Florida and began brokering and developing real estate in Boca Raton. After 18 years in the real estate industry, he began looking into alternate businesses where he and his son could work together. The entire family has always had an interest in fitness and competitive sports, so Muscle Works Supplements was a perfect fit. The doors opened the first week of January. “Having played baseball, ran track in high school and then ultimately played baseball in college, I’d always been interested in fitness,” Ken said. “At that time, Arnold Schwarzenegger was a young pup and he was winning the Olympics and drawing a lot of attention to himself, and I started looking at supplementation back then. In the late ’70s, there really wasn’t much of anything going on in the world of supplementation. It was all very basic vitamins. For protein, you would eat a lot of eggs, a lot of steak and that sort of thing. I was big into drinking egg
yolks and that sort of stuff, which is extremely nasty and dangerous. But at the time, that was the only option.” As life evolved for Ken, his entire family grew into the fitness lifestyle and his children started playing sports. His kids began to do preparation weight training for competition and started using supplements. As a concerned father, Ken wanted to know more about the supplements the kids were taking. He began to look more closely at the ingredients and research what they were. Troy also began doing research since he was an athlete and was consuming the products. Their new business offers sportsrelated nutrition and supplementation, but it’s not just for athletes and sports. “A lot of the things that we carry here are geared toward young athletes, professional athletes in order to help them be as healthy as possible and maintain their performance,” Ken said. “But we also have a lot of mainstream products that are for anybody who wants to get healthy, whether it be losing weight, getting stronger at the gym or rehabbing from injury. Between my expertise and my son’s expertise, we can offer
a lot of common sense advice as to what might work for somebody and what direction they might go in.” Ken noted that aside from playing sports, he also spend a number of years as a high school coach in South Florida, coaching varsity and junior varsity baseball. “I’ve got the experience not only as a parent but as a player and as a coach dealing with young players and making sure they are doing things the right way health wise as far as their workouts and their supplementation,” he said. Muscle Works carries a full line of sports and fitness supplements at reasonable prices. “We always do our best to make sure that our pricing is below the national names you would recognize out there or the national retailers that provide these supplements,” he said. For more information about Muscle Works, call (561) 753-9225, e-mail muscleworkssupplements@gmail. com or visit www.muscleworks supplements.com. For more information about Wellington businesses, call the Wellington Chamber of Commerce at (561) 792-6525 or visit www.wellington chamber.com.
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BUSINESS NEWS
Horizon Pool & Patio Hosts Realtor Networking Event
Gifts for the Realtors.
Horizon Pool & Patio hosted the neighborhood Realtors at a recent event at their retail location in Wellington. Horizon has been a local small business in the community for 28 years and has seen the real estate market fluctuate up and down. This time, they wanted to find a way to help contribute to the market’s recovery. Realtors gathered for some exquisite wines along with imported cheeses. There was a continuous flow of professionals throughout the
evening, enjoying the opportunity to network with old friends and to meet new ones. Horizon unveiled a life-size, fully operational model of an entire pool and spa system to showcase the money-saving new technology available. Realtors learned how to highlight the values of those systems to their potential homebuyers. Many Realtors attended and enjoyed the great networking, but the networking was only the beginning. Each attendee left with a bag full of gifts, along with helpful information
to help with their listings and some great gifts for their new homeowners. Horizon held a drawing, and Wellington’s Pat Evans of Illustrated Properties was the lucky winner of a gift card to a local restaurant as well as a pool float. Horizon Pool & Patio will be keep-
ing the complete pool system model on display at their Wellington location for those interested in learning more about the inner workings of pool and spa systems. For more information, call (561) 790-0665 or visit Horizon at 12785A W. Forest Hill Blvd. in the Wellington Plaza.
RIBBON CUTTING FOR FRAGMENTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Real Estate Groups Form Partnership Two longtime South Florida real estate leaders have formed a partnership with a new vision for the future of the industry. The Pier Group has joined Re/Max Prestige Realty to become the fourth office in the expanding brokerage. As one entity, they will offer their customers the skills and expertise they need to navigate today’s housing market. “Both companies are known in their market as having professional agents who believe in top tier customer service,” said Adam Contos, vice president of the Re/Max Florida region. “This partnership is a join-
ing of two very strong companies into one great company.” The new firm will have 70 agents in four offices in West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Royal Palm Beach and Wellington. The Pier Group, established in 1999, is based in Lake Worth. “We have a great reputation in the community, and teaming up with Re/Max Prestige Realty was the next logical step to take us to a higher level,” said Robert D’Arinzo, broker/owner at the Pier Group. “The opportunity to be a part of a global brand with all the tools and technology is very exciting.”
This year, the market in South Florida has strengthened, with both home sales and home prices on the rise. “The new partnership puts us in a great position to leverage our experience to better serve buyers and sellers,” said Rose Faroni, broker/ owner of Re/Max Prestige Realty. Offices are located at 301 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; 9 North O St., Lake Worth; 1402 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., Royal Palm Beach; and 12789 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington. For more info., visit www.remax prestigerealty.com.
The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Fragments Photography of Greenacres. For info., call (561) 452-1385 or e-mail fragmentsphotography@ gmail.com.
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HEALTH & FITNESS SPOTLIGHT
Ultima Fitness To Celebrate ‘Get Active America’ Week By Tania Artiles Special To The Town-Crier Ultima Fitness is joining the International Health, Racquet & Sports Club Association’s 10th annual Get Active America initiative. With this program, we want to engage individuals in the community, encouraging everyone to pursue a more physically active and healthy lifestyle. Our club is the optimal environment to promote health and wellness, and we want you to be part of our Ultima family to greatly improve your health and your life. Our fitness center, located in Wellington, will have the doors open to the public May 6-12, where guests can enjoy all of our amenities, fitness programs, classes and complimentary child care. All of the above will be available at no charge, so no excuses are permitted! At a time when our nation is staggering from the effects of chronic disease, obesity, depression and inactivity, Ultima Fitness can help build healthier, happier and more prosperous communities. Along with this one-week Open House, we will be pursuing another goal: collecting fitness clothing and shoes for low-income families so that they can get active, too. People attending Get Active America Week at Ultima
Fitness will be encouraged to donate gently used clothing and shoes to those in need. We will also waive any enrollment fee to those who join our fitness center during the month of May, which coincides with National Physical Fitness & Sports Month. Instead of an enrollment fee, we will be accepting voluntary monetary donations as well as shoes and clothing for Place of Hope, a faith-based statelicensed child welfare organization. They take care of children in crisis within Palm Beach County by providing a stable, loving atmosphere that provides hope to hurting children. For more info., visit www.placeofhope.com. Get Active America presents a tremendous opportunity for the community to get to know Ultima Fitness as a vital, prevention-based resource. Get Active America Week offers everyone the first step to improve their health and the health of those around them. The goal of Ultima Fitness with Get Active America Week is to unite as many community members as possible in a campaign to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits in Americans. For more info., visit www. ultimafitness.com or call (561) 795-2823. Tania Artiles is sales and marketing manager at Ultima Fitness/Xtreme Tae Kwon Do.
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The Armory Art Center is excited to bring a series of theme-based sessions to elementary school through high school children for this year’s summer camp. Experienced instructors have developed projects relating to the themes of each week. Activities are age-appropriate and focus on a child’s artistic and creative development. Students age 4.5 to 7 years old will rotate among several studio areas daily in ceramic sculpture, dra wing, painting and other creativ e mediums. Teen workshops include wheel throwing, photography, drawing, sculpture, mixed-media, fashion illustration, printmaking, papermaking, glass fusing, collage and more. All art materials are included in the cost of tuition. The Armory Art Center is located at 1700 Parker Ave., West P alm Beach. For more info., visit www.armoryar t.org or call (561) 832-1776. 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. 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. Dance Theatre Summer Dance Camp is available for ages 4 to 7 and 8 to 11. Three sessions are offered June 10-28, July 1-19 and July 22 - Aug. 9. The camp offers ballet, jazz, tap, lyrical, flexibility, hip-hop, acro, musical theatre, drama, modeling, ballroom, arts & crafts and more! As well, Dance Theater offers intensive for intermediate and advanced dancers. A $100 deposit is required to hold space. Space is limited, so reserve today. The cost is $450 per session (3 weeks) from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with aftercare available until 6 p.m. for as little as $15 per day. Weekly rates and daily rates are available as well, as are multiple-child and multiple-session discounts. Dance Theater is located at 10620 W. Forest Hill Blvd, Suite 30 (between Pei Wei and Fresh Market). Call (561) 784-4401 for info. Join the Summer Junior Golf Camp at Okeeheelee Golf Course, Park Ridge Golf Course and John Prince Golf Learning Center through the Junior Golf Foundation of America Golf Camp . New or seasoned golfer s will develop skills while having a blast doing so. The JGFA provides junior golfers with the tools to enjoy the game for a lifetime. Professional PGA/LPGA golf instructors, trained coaches and staff are carefully picked for their love of junior golf, teaching abilities and inspirational approach. The program emphasizes safety, fun, sportsmanship and personal attention. Camps run June 10 through Aug. 16 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, with extended camp available until 3 p.m. at Okeeheelee. Written evaluation reports, prizes/trophies, official JGFA items, a certificate of completion and a pizza party on the last day is included. Also available: camps for 3-5 year olds, camps for advance/tournament golfers, Junior Golf tournaments, weekly programs and leagues, w alk-up clinics and more. Visit www.JGFA.org or call (561) 96 4-GOLF for more information. 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 dye t-shirts and more. Call (561) 444-3978 or visit www.thelabforkids.com for info. The Learning Foundation of Florida’s (TLFF) Academic Summer School/Camp 2013 has several options available to assist the diverse needs of community students. The program begins June 18
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runs through Aug. 8 and allows for attendance flexibility in scheduling. TLFF’s K-8 summer program focuses on individualized academic remediation using weekly themes and a variety of teaching strat egies. Middle school students can take FLVS courses for promo tion to the next grade le vel. There are two sessions available: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and/or 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. TLFF’s high school summer program allows students to accelerate and/or redo classes for higher grades. The session is open on Tuesdays thr ough Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information, call Debra Thornby at (561) 795-6866. Mo vement Ar ts Dance Academy is of fering a v ariety of cam ps this summer. Each w eekly dance camp has an exciting theme that is age-appropriate and fun. Dancers age 3 to 12 will participate in several dance classes a day including hip-hop, ballet, tap and more. Additional activities include arts & crafts, story time for younger campers, a pizza party and weekly dance showcase for the older campers. This summer, Movement Ar ts will also be offering an art camps. Artists will take classes in drawing and painting. The facility is locat ed at 1241 N. State Road 7, Suite 11. For more information, visit www.movementar tsdanceacademy.com or call (561) 792-9757. 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. Ravenwood Riding Academy has been located in Wellington for 23 years. Licensed and insured, with all safety equipment provided, they are located on a beautiful, safe and clean farm with plenty of shade. Ravenwood is now accepting 12 students per session, ages 6-14, for Camp Giddy-Up. Camp hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday. Campers learn safety, horse care and grooming, with riding lessons daily, as well as scheduled visits with a blacksmith, horse vet and equine dentist. Sibling discounts or multi-session discounts are available. Camp Giddy-Up has a full staff and a hands-on director. R egister today by calling (561) 793-4109 or visit www.ravenwood ridingacademy.com. Hurry, sessions fill up quickly! The School of Rock of the Palm Beaches offers private, individual lessons on guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, drums and horns combined with weekly group band rehearsals leading to live concert performances. Past venues have included the Lake Worth Playhouse and BB Kings. “Boy, I wish they had this when I was a kid,” exclaim visitors as they walk the halls. The School of Rock offers comprehensive summer camp experiences appealing to all ages and skill levels. At the end of the week, campers perform a live rock show for parents and friends. Reserve your spot today at one of two locations: North Palm Beach (11650 U.S. Hwy. 1) or South Palm Beach (7743 S. Militar y Trail). For more information, call Mary Mandel at (561) 420-5652. 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. 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. Zolet Arts Academy is in its 25th year offering professional fine arts classes in the original Wellington Mall, Suite 4. The summer camp program runs Monday through Thursday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., starting June 10. Campers ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 14 will enjoy drawing, painting, sculpture and crafts. No two days are alike. Rotating subjects and media include: acrylics, watercolors, tempera, finger paints, chalk and oil pastels, charcoal, pen and inks, block and mono printing, 3D collage, wood, clay, tile, paper mache, textiles and observational drawing/shading for audition preparation. The camp also offers individualized instruction for all skill levels, and campers will take home completed work daily. The cost is $190 per week, which includes all supplies. Call (561) 793-6489 for more information.
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DINING & ENTERTAINMENT
Norton Museum Presents Masterpiece Of The Month Series Beginning in May, the Norton Museum of Art is spotlighting major works by iconic artists in its Masterpiece of the Month series. Each exceptional work being showcased has been selected from a private collection by a Norton curator. These pieces have rarely been exhibited publicly. A series of curator-led gallery talks accompanies the monthly installations to explore the significance and context of each work. The Norton is extremely fortunate to have friends who are serious collectors and support the arts in South Florida, said Cheryl Brutvan, the Norton’s director of curatorial affairs and curator of contemporary art. This series would not be possible without their willingness to loan these masterpieces for public display. Masterpiece of the Month began May 2 with the display of Lucian Freud’s The Brigadier (2003-2004), a magnificent, life-sized portrait of Andrew Parker Bowles. Bowles, former husband of Camilla Parker Bowles, the current wife of Britain’s Prince Charles, was a friend of Freud for decades. This spectacular portrait of Bowles, the artist’s friend and riding companion, was painted over two years when Freud was 80 years old, Brutvan said. The love and mastery of paint, and vitality of the artist is everywhere evident in this ambitious composition. Masterpiece of the Month continues with the following artists and works: • June: Mary Cassatt, a quartet of works on paper, 1890-1908 — Mary Cassatt spent the bulk of her career in France, where she became the only American to exhibit with the French Impressionists. As a well-bred wom-
an, she could not explore the scenes of modern street life favored by male Impressionists such as her close friend Edgar Degas. Instead, she focused on the domestic realm in which middle- and upper-class women like her resided, depicting the quiet, everyday events of modern life. Her small-scale pastels and prints, such as the group on display, are particularly compelling portrayals of this intimate subject matter. This work goes on display Thursday, May 30 and Ellen E. Roberts, Harold and Anne Berkley Smith curator of American art, will discuss the work at 6:30 p.m. that day. • July: Dorothea Lange’Migrant Mother , 1936 — Very few images attain the iconic status of Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother. Taken in a desolate encampment of migrant pea-pickers, Lange’s image of a mother with her three children embodies the uncertainty, pathos and humanity that would define it as the embodiment of the Great Depression. Tim B. Wride, William and Sarah Ross Soter curator of photography, discusses this work at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 11. • August: Salvador Dalí’s Portrait of Marquis George de Cuevas, 1942 — Salvador Dali fled Paris with his wife, Gala, in 1940, and assumed a central role amid the society of European Surrealists that had coalesced in New York at the outbreak of World War II. His captivating depiction of the legendary Marquis George de Cuevas (1885-1961) is among his most accomplished and ambitious portraits, filled with classical allusions and surrealist symbolism. The Marquis de Cuevas was a Chilean-born ballet impresario and choreographer best known for founding the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas, also known as
the International Ballet, in New York in 1944. Curatorial associate Jerry Dobrick discusses this work at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1. • September: Court portrait of Yinli, Prince Guo, 1717 — This is the earliest known portrait of Prince Guo, the last in private hands, and the first time it has been publicly exhibited. Prince Guo was the 17th son of the Kangxi Emperor (reigned 1661-1722), halfbrother of the Yongzheng Emperor (reigned 1722-1735), and uncle of the Qianlong Emperor (reigned 1735-1796). Elegant and jewel-like, it captures the scholarly, introspective prince at leisure. Later portraits of the prince are treasured works at the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Nelson Atkins in Kansas City and the Freer-Sackler in Washington, D.C. Laurie Barnes, Elizabeth B. McGraw curator of Chinese art, will discuss the work at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19. The museum will be closed for gallery reinstallations from Sept. 3 through Sept. 16. Prince Guo will be on view Sept. 17 through Oct. 13. The Norton Museum of Art is a major cultural attraction in Florida, internationally known for its distinguished permanent collection featuring American art, Chinese art, contemporary art, European art and photography. The museum is located at 1451 S. Olive Ave. in West Palm Beach, and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed on Mondays and major holidays. General admission is $12 for adults, $5 for students with a valid ID, and free for members and children age 12 and under. Special
Lucian Freud’s The Brigadier, a life-sized portrait of Andrew Parker Bowles. group rates are available. Palm Beach County residents receive free admission the first Saturday of each month with proof of residency. For additional information about the Masterpiece of the Month series, call (561) 832-5196 or visit www.norton.org.
Local Band Making Faces Will Perform At SunFest May 5
Making Faces: (L-R) Matthew Shea, John DeMatteo, Matt Gaulin and Jesse Lopez.
Local band Making Faces will join the SunFest lineup this year when they open for the Barenaked Ladies on Sunday, May 5 on the main stage. Making Faces will also be performing at after-parties each SunFest night on Clematis Street: Thursday at Feelgood’s Rock Bar & Grill, Friday at World of Beer, Saturday at Bar Louie and Sunday at Tin Fish. Making Faces has been working hard. Hailing from West Palm Beach, they formed in 2011 and have performed more than 250 shows over the past two years. Members include John DeMatteo, Matt Shea, Jesse Lopez and Matt Gaulin. Making Faces’ full-length album Bright Roads Ahead was released in February 2012, and a second album is in the works. The band made a regional impact on the Southeast during their summer tour and are constantly performing and touring. With a groovy blend of genres, the members of Making Faces dub their sound as “rockin’ reggae funky punk,” calling it a mix of Sublime, 311, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Green Day. The band is known for its energetic and catchy songs, fun-
loving positive vibes, crowd interaction and stage antics. The band members believe a song can be used to open someone’s mind and penetrate their heart. They aim to put a smile on your face, with positive and inspirational lyrics. The band has headlined major festivals and events such as Light Up Ocala, Ignite the Night, the Delray Affair, the South Florida Fair, Hard Rock Live and are looking forward to Bright Roads Ahead. Check out Making Faces online at www.makingfacesmusic.com or www.facebook.com/makingfacesmusic. SunFest is the largest waterfront music and art festival in Florida, with more than 200,000 attendees. This year’s SunFest runs May 1-5 in downtown West Palm Beach. Other acts performing this year are Train, Smashing Pumpkins, the Offspring, Gavin DeGraw, the Black Crowes, Slightly Stoopid, Kendrick Lamar, Cheap Trick, Less Than Jake and many more. For additional information, visit www. sunfest.com.
Send entertainment news items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@goTownCrier.com.
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SPORTS & RECREATION
SRHS Flag Football Team Defeats Pahokee To Win District By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report The Seminole Ridge High School girls flag football team won the District 22 title Wednesday, April 24 with a convincing 54-6 performance over the Pahokee High School Blue Devils. The Hawks first had to face crosstown rival Royal Palm Beach High School on Monday, April 22 and bested the Wildcats 40-0 to make it to the championship game. Playing before a home crowd, the Hawks extended their unbeaten record to 14-0. The contest against Pahokee opened up in shocking fashion as the Hawks elected to defer to the second half, and found themselves behind 6-0 for the first time this season when the Blue Devils marched
down the field and drew first blood. The Pahokee lead was short-lived as the Hawks started business as usual and returned with a strike of their own. Hawk receiver Kaitlin O’Hara caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Morgan Lauer and converted the point after to take the lead 7-6. The Hawks would hold their lead and build on it throughout the game. The tough Hawk defense provided a fierce rush during the game, causing Pahokee to give five turnovers, two of which were returned for Hawk touchdowns. By the end of the first half, Seminole Ridge had mounted a 40-6 advantage. In the second half, Pahokee attempted a brief comeback, driving into the Hawk red zone twice, but turned the ball over on downs. Sem-
inole Ridge piled up three more scores to close out the game 54-6, giving them the District 22 title. Top performers were quarterback Morgan Lauer, who threw for 6 touchdowns, and Kaitlin O’Hara with 2 touchdown receptions and 2 interceptions returned for scores. Emily Coulter is credited with 3 touchdown receptions. Sydney Fusco had 2 interceptions, while Savanah Martinez had a touchdown. On Saturday, April 27, the Hawks faced Boynton Beach for the first round of regional play and defeated the Tigers 19-0, extending their undefeated record. They faced Palm Beach Gardens in the regional finals Tuesday, defeating the Gators 13-0. Seminole Ridge now heads to the state quarterfinals.
The Seminole Ridge High School girls flag football sq uad with their District 22 trophy.
Seminole Ridge receiver Kristy Rhemer runs for yardage and a Hawk first down.
Hawk receiver Michelle Valero dodges a Pahokee defender after making a catch.
Seminole Ridge rusher Kelly Fraidenburg dives to make a flag pull on Pahokee’s Mahogany Johnson. PHOTOS BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER
Wellington Volleyball Squad Defeats RPBHS In Three Games By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington High School boys varsity volleyball team defeated Royal Palm Beach High School in three games Thursday, April 25. Playing in Wellington, the Wolverines went 25-6, 25-22 and 25-12 to take down the Wildcats. Though Royal Palm Beach fought back in the second match for a near win, the Wolverines pulled out the victory and kept up the momentum to claim the contest. Wellington got out to an early lead in the first match, blazing over the Wildcats, who only managed to get six points in. Spikes from Arthur Strapazzon broke through the Royal Palm Beach defense to aid the Wolverines to a quick win. But the second match saw the Wildcats rally to put some points on the board. Though Wellington took an early lead again, jumping
out by about 10 points, Royal Palm Beach banded together and managed to bring the score to 1310 on a streak of points. They kept the momentum up, but Wellington
managed to keep a one-point or two-point lead to take the match 25-22. In the third match, the Wildcats let the win slip away when Well-
Arthur Strappazzon races for a ball set by Alex Ng.
ington got a 10-point lead and ran with it. Royal Palm Beach put away 12 points in the match, but it wasn’t enough to keep up. Wellington faced crosstown ri-
val Palm Beach Central High School on Tuesday in the district tournament at Park Vista High School, falling to the Broncos in four matches.
Devin Wallace sends a spike at the Wolverine blockers. PHOTOS BY LAUREN MIRÓ/TOWN-CRIER
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SPORTS & RECREATION
FWC Hunter Safety Course Bassmasters Fish Out Of Okeetantie The Royal Palm Bassmasters held team of Rick Rickenbach (boater) The Royal Palm Bassmasters May 4-5 In The Corbett Area a fishing tournament Feb. 17 out of and Roxanne Rickenbach (co-an- meet the second Thursday of each The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will host a free hunter safety course Saturday and Sunday, May 4 and 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Except for those who have already successfully completed the online portion of the course, attendance on both days is required for certification. Students who have completed the online course only need to attend the second day (bring the final report). Students will learn about hunting laws, safe gun handling and hunter ethics/responsibility, among other topics, before taking the final test. The course also includes live-firing instruction on a shooting range. The class will be held at the Everglades Youth Camp in the J.W. Cor-
bett Wildlife Management Area, 12100 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. (GPS will not work for this location.) Participants can sign up at www. myfwc.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s South Region Office at (561) 625-5122. A link to the online part of the course and a statewide schedule of hunter safety classes are available at www.myfwc. com/HunterSafety. Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course before purchasing a Florida hunting license. Parents or legal guardians must accompany children under 16 years of age to all classes. To participate in live-fire exercises, children under 18 years old must present a parental release form.
Okeetantie/Scott Driver boat ramp on Lake Okeechobee. Everyone braved temperatures in the 30s and very lethargic bass until the 3 p.m. weigh-in. First place was awarded to the team of Larry Payne (boater), with three fish weighing 6 lbs., 2 oz. and partner Mike Addie (co-angler), with two fish weighing 4 lbs., 1 oz. for a team weight of 10 lbs., 3 oz. Second place was awarded to the
gler), with three fish for a team weight of 8 lbs., 13 oz. Third place was awarded to the team of Shannon Ghetti (boater), with one fish weighing 1 lb., 2 oz. and partner Herman Parker (co-angler), with three fish weighing 5 lbs., 10 oz. for a team weight of 6 lbs., 12 oz. The Big Fish of the tournament was caught by Rick Rickenbach, a bass weighing 5 lbs., 1 oz.
month at 7 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center, located at 100 Sweet Bay Lane. The club is now accepting applications for new boater and non-boater members. Come and check out the fun youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been missing. For more information about the Royal Palm Bassmasters e-mail rpbassmasters@gmail.com or visit www.royalpalmbassmasters.org.
Mike Addie
Rick Rickenbach
Herman Parker
AYSO Soccer Registration This Month Boys and girls ages 4 to 18 will have a chance to learn and play soccer with the American Youth Soccer League Region 1521 in The Acreage, which is holding registration Saturdays, May 4, 11 and 18 at Samuel Friedland Park (18500 Hamlin Blvd. in The Acreage). Registration will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. under the green
tents at the soccer fields. Registration costs $90 and includes a basic uniform (jersey/ shorts/socks), soccer accident insurance and an end-of-season trophy. A birth certificate must be shown for all new players. For more information about AYSO registration, call (561) 798-5467 or visit www.ayso1521.net.
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SPORTS & RECREATION
Wycliffe Men’s Tennis Team Wins At PBC Grand Slam The large trophy that sits in the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club’s Tennis Pro Shop is more than indicative of their competitive tennis nature in South Florida. Wycliffe’s men’s team has won first place in the 2013
French Open Division I of the Palm Beach County Grand Slam Tennis League. There are approximately 1,000 players in this league, which has existed for 15 years.
The Wycliffe Tennis Department is led by national champion Kam Kuchta. His most recent win was the 2012 National Clay Court Championship for the Men’s 35 singles.
“Wycliffe’s tennis teams have come close in the past few years, but this year was the year to become champs,” Kuchta said. Wycliffe has an energetic and fun tennis community and is very active in the competitive tennis arena in Palm Beach County. Besides the Palm Beach County Grand Slam League, the club’s members compete in the Palm Beach County Women’s Claymates League and the Palm Beach County Senior Men and Women’s Leagues.
The Wycliffe community congratulates the French Open Division 1 team members for bringing the championship home. The players are Neal Gottfried, Ron Halperin, Ivan Cohen, Howie Field, Mike Molack, Steve Seligman, Arthur Spector and Irwin Tarlow. For more about the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club, call Cheryl Loder or Carol Masters at (561) 964-9200 or visit www.wycliffecc.com. Contact Wycliffe’s preferred Realtor Risë Siegrist at (561) 889-6873.
Seminole Ridge High School Track And Field Competes At Districts Held In Jupiter
Wyclif fe French Open Division 1 team members celebrate their big victory.
The Seminole Ridge High School track and field athletes earned several honors in district competition April 18 at Jupiter High School. The first-place winners are as follows: Michelle Howell – 800-meter run (2:16.38); Alexandria Jackson – shot put (38’ 8”) and discus (109’); Ramiz Kirmani – 800-meter (2:01); Danielle Livingstone – long jump (17’ 5.25”) and 100-meter hurdles
(15.68 seconds); and Kiana Favors, Michelle Howell, Sabrina Kirmani and Anisa Kornegay – 4x800m relay (10:04 ). The second-place finishers were Kiana Favors, Michelle Howell, Anisa Kornegay and Danielle Livingstone – 4x400-meter relay (4:00.67). In fourth place was Jalen Young – long jump (21’ 10.5”).
Send sport news items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@goTownCrier.com.
Page 38 May 3 - May 9, 2013
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Saturday, May 4 • The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission will host a Free Hunter Safety Course on Saturday and Sunday, May 4 and 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Everglades Youth Camp in the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area (12100 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road). Students will learn about hunting laws, safe gun handling and hunter ethics/ responsibility. Par ticipants can sign up at www.myfwc.com/HunterSafety or call (561) 625-5122. • The Mounts Botanical Garden (531 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach) will host “Urban Farming: Vegetable Growing & Bees” on Saturday, May 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mounts horticulturalists will share valuable tips on growing summer vegetables. The Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association will also provide helpful information. The cost is $30 for members and $40 for nonmembers. To register, call (561) 233-1757. • Forgotten Soldiers Outreach will celebrate the opening of its “Support Our Troops” Thrift Store (3080 Jog Road, Greenacres) on Saturday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to noon. For more info., visit www.forgottensoldiers.org. • Palm Beach State College will hold its fifth annual Green Expo on Saturday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Education & Training Center on the Lake Worth campus. It is free and open to the public. For more info., call (561) 868-3541. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Clay Play” for ages 5 and up Saturday, May 4 at 10:30 a.m. The library will provide the clay, you provide the play! Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Palm Beach Central High School Bronco Band will hold its annual golf tournament Saturday, May 4 at 1 p.m. at the Binks Forest Golf Club (400 Binks Forest Drive, Wellington). Registration is $100 per golfer and $400 per foursome, and includes dinner, awards, gift bags, raffle prizes and a silent auction. For more info., contact James Yaques at (561) 304-1033 or james.yaques @palmbeachschools.org. • The Mounts Botanical Garden (531 N. Military Trail, WPB) will host “Mother’s & Father’s Day Gifts from the Garden” on Saturday, May 4 at 1:30 p.m. This fun-filled workshop for children will teach youngsters how to create handmade gifts from the garden. This event is free for members and children, $5 for nonmembers. Cost of materials is extra. Call (561) 233-1757 to pre-register. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.)
will host “Java Jam” for adults Saturday, May 4 at 2 p.m. Experience a caffeinated collection of local talent or bring your acoustic instruments and jam out. Coffee will be provided. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. • The Missoula Children’s Theatre and more than 50 local students will perform an original musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz on Saturday, May 4 at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center at Palm Beach State College in Belle Glade. Tickets are $6 and are available at the box office (561) 993-1160, at www.dollyhand. org and at the door. • The Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will host a free Orange Sunshine ’60s Tribute Concert on Saturday, May 4 at 8:30 p.m. Call (561) 753-2484 or visit www.wellingtonfl.gov for more info. • Play Group LLC will kick off its third season with Short Cuts, nine short original plays, Saturday, May 4 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 5 at 2 p.m. at the Lake Wor th Playhouse (713 Lake Ave.). Tickets are $15, available at the door or by calling (561) 586-6410. Sunday, May 5 • The Women of the Western Communities will host their annual spring fundraiser themed “Fun in the Sun: A Journey Through Florida” on Sunday, May 5 at 11 a.m. at the Wanderers Club (1900 Aero Club Drive, Wellington). The luncheon will feature a performance by the a cappella chorus Women of Note. The event is open to the public and includes food, a silent auction, a Chinese auction and a raffle. For more info., call (561) 635-0011 or e-mail carol.oneil@wwc-fl.com. Monday, May 6 • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Crochet Club for ages 9 and up Mondays, May 6, 13 and 20 at 5 p.m. Learn basic stitches and socialize while you work on projects. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register. Tuesday, May 7 • The Palm Beach County Commission will meet Tuesday, May 7 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 Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “Book-a-Librarian” for adults Tuesday, May 7 at 11 a.m. Do you need help with research or your e-reader? Call to reserve a 30-minute, hands-on session just for you. Call (561) 681-4100 for more info. See CALENDAR, page 39
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR CALENDAR, continued from page 38 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Star Wars” for ages 8 and up Tuesday, May 7 at 4:30 p.m. Join in the fun with games and crafts. Call (561) 7906070 for more info. • A selection committee meeting of the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors will take place Tuesday, May 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the district office (13476 61st Street North) to consider proposals for forensic audit services. Call (561) 793-0874 or visit www.indiantrail.com for more info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “Fabulous Spring Flowers from Felt” for adults Tuesday, May 7 at 6 p.m. Make no-sew flowers with fabric and felt. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. Wednesday, May 8 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host a Mother’s Day Celebration for ages 6 to 10 on Wednesday, May 8 at 3:30 p.m. Celebrate mom with stories and a bouquet craft. Call (561) 790-6070 for info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “American Girls: Marie-Grace & Cecile” for ages 6 to 12 on Wednesday, May 8 at 4 p.m. Celebrate American Girls with games and crafts related to New Orleans. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. • The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors will meet Wednesday, May 8 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. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Hooked on Crochet” for adults Wednesdays, May 8 and 22 at 6:30 p.m. Learn beginning techniques or bring current projects to share and work on. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Northern Palm Beach Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association will meet Wednesday, May 8 at the PGA Embassy Suites Hotel (4350 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens). Networking starts at 6 p.m. with the dinner/program starting at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $20, and guests are welcome. The May speaker will be Brenda Tuccim, who will discuss the “Women’s Instructional Network.” RSVP to Dottie Smith at (772) 5457145 or Sharon Maupin at (561) 329-4485. Thursday, May 9 • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “Mother’s Day” for ages 3 to 10 Thursday, May 9 at 3:30 p.m. Celebrate moms with stories and arts and crafts. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register.
• Wellington’s Food Truck Invasion will take place Thursday, May 9 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 Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “National Mental Health Month: Loving the Skin You’re In” for adults Thursday, May 9 at 6 p.m. Sharon Glynn from the Alliance for Eating Disorders will discuss the importance of self-esteem and a positive body image in the treatment of and recovery from an eating disorder. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “Anime Origins” for ages 12 to 17 on Thursday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a Japanese snack, check out the latest anime and discuss the culture that inspired it. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. • The Acreage Adult Softball League will hold signups Thursday, May 9 at the Acreage Community Park fields starting at 7 p.m. For more info., call Kim at (561) 644-0687. • The Wellington High School Band Program will present its annual Spring Concert Extravaganza “Surround Sound 3.0” on Thursday, May 9 at 7 p.m. in the Wellington High School theater. The concert will feature the WHS concert bands, jazz bands and other ensembles. Admission is free. For more info., e-mail mary.oser@palmbeachschools. org or visit www.whsband.com. Friday, May 10 • The Built Ford Tough Polo & Balloon Festival will take place Friday through Sunday, May 10-12 at the Gulfstream Polo Club (4550 Polo Road, Lake Worth). Enjoy hot air balloons, polo, balloon rides, Mother’s Day breakfast, and food and drink concessions. For balloon rides, or more info., call (803) 652-1181 or visit www.poloamerica.com. • ThinkPINKkids will host Dance Night for the Fight, a community-wide family fun dance party Friday, May 10 in the Wellington High School cafeteria (2101 Greenview Shores Blvd.). Registration and check-in is at 5 p.m., and the dance is from 6 to 10 p.m. The cost is $15 for students and $25 for adults. Proceeds support the Department of Cancer Biology at Scripps Florida and Your Bosom Buddies II, a breast cancer support group. For info., e-mail JanetARosenthal@ gmail.com or call (561) 685-6166. Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090. Email: news@gotowncrier.com.
May 3 - May 9, 2013 Page 39
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PART-TIME LEGAL SECRETARY — for legal/accounting office. Fax resume 333-2680.
ETHAN ALLEN CHINA CABINET — excellent conditon, $495,00 T readmill with health monitor $250.00. Call 561-798-730 5
TEACHERS/TUTORS - P/T SAT/ACT/FCAT All Subjects PreK - Adult Flexible Hrs. Great Pay. P.B. County Area. Experience required. Apply: ClubZ.com CAMP COUNSELORS/COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS — Needed to work with horses and children. 561-793-4109
TACK SALE SATURDAY, MAY 4TH 9 A.M. - 1 P.M. 13300 6th Court North Loxahatchee English & Western Tack, Riding Attire, Blankets, Saddles, Arena Drag, and Misc. Horse & Barn Equipment. For Info Call 561.792.9900
LEARN INTERNET MARKETING AND MAKE MONEY FROM ANYWHERE… Contact www.uplink1.net or call 561-427-4167
HELP WANTED! TREE’S WINGS and RIBS 603 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. Royal Palm Beach Servers Needed Inquire within 561-791-1535 PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD HERE CALL 793-3576 T ODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION.
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LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS AGES 14 AND UP — to help out our non-profit animal sanctuary . 2 days a week for 4 hours a day. Get community hours and have fun. Call 561-792-2666
All Proceeds Benefit VINCEREMOS THERAPEAUTIC RIDING CENTER
2 BEDROOM MOBILE HOME LOCATED IN FORT DRUM — Off of Cemetary Rd., NE 17 Terr. 917-8368628
ON FARM SINGLE STUDIO APT. — spanish tile & A/C $525/ mo.References required. 561-9668791 YOU ARE NOT DREAMING!— Beautifully furnished off season rental. 3/3 in exclusive gated Equestrian Club Est a t e s , Wellington 3,500 a month, not including utilities, pet friendly CALL NOW, MOVE IN T OMORROW! Cheri W ellman Cell 561-371-3871 Office 561-472-1236 Keller Williams Realty W ellington
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EXPERIENCED ACCOUNTANT —For Individuals and Small Businesses who need assistance with their books as well as their taxes. Hack Tax and Accounting Services LLC 561-214-6171
JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC.—Service & new installation FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. "We are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks" 561-798-3225. Family Owned & Operated since 1996. Credit Cards Accepted CLASSIFIEDS 793-7606
WE CLEAN OFFICES & PRIVATE HOMES — Licensed & Insured. Call for an estimate and to schedule your apartment. Discount for Central Palm Beach County Chamber members and to all new clients for first cleaning. 561-385-8243 Lic. #2012-252779 ALL AMERICAN HOUSE CLEANERS — Residential , Commercial, Move-In/Move-Out, Organize. Call Elizabeth for all your cleaning need. 561-313-4086
D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561333-1923 Cell 561-252-1186 Lic’d Well. & Palm Beach. We accept major credit cards.
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DRIVEW AYS — Free estimates A & M ASPHALT SEAL COATING commercial and residential. Patching potholes, striping, repair existing asphalt & save money all work guaranteed. Lic.& Ins. 100045062 561667-7716
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 inst allation, minor d r y w a l l , k i t c h e n s / c a b i n e ts / countertops, wood flooring. Bonded and Insured U#19699. Call 7919900 or 628-9215
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
HURRICANE SHUTTERS P&M CONTRACTORS — ACCORDION SHUTTERS Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, sof fit s, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561791-9777
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
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 www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com
JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. — Interior/Exterior - Repaint specialist, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair & roof painting. Family owned/owner operator. Free Est. 798-4964 Lic. #U18473 COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Int./ Ext. residential painting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free est. Ins. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident
PLACE YOUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LISTING HERE
JEREMY JAMES PLUMBING — Licensed plumber, legitimate estimate. Water heaters, new construction. CFC1426242. Bonded Insured. CFC1426242. 561-6016458
J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Est ablished 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch at 309-6975 or visit us at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com
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 561309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC023773 RC-0067207
SECURITY — American owned local security company in business 30 plus years. Protection by officers drug tested. 40 hour course. Licensed & Insured. 561-848-2600
May 3 - May 9, 2013 Page 41
JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 call us 798-3132. www.poolscreenrepair.com
CLUB Z! In-Home TUTORING All Subjects: PreK - Adult 561•333•1980 CLUBZ.COM America's Largest In-Home Tutoring Co.
ACCORDION SHUTTERS — Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777
TROPICAL WATER SYSTEMS — Whole House Reverse Osmosis, Sale & Repair of Water Systems, Well Drilling, pumps, and sprinkler installation repair . 561-795-6630 561-718-7260(Cell)
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
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 SER VICE. Family Owned & Operated Lic. & Insured 1992-12121 Visit our website at dmyoungtreeservice.com
TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS CALL 561-793-7606 TODAY
PAPERHANGING BY DEBI — Professional Inst allation,Removal. Repair of Paper. Neat, Clean & Reliable. Quality work with a woman's touch. 30 years experience. No Job too big or too small. Lic. & Ins. References available. 561-795-5263
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