RPB’S DAVID SWIFT HAS DIED AT AGE 76 COVID CASES CONTINUE TO TREND DOWN SEE STORY, PAGE 3 SEE STORY, PAGE 4 THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
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Legislative Delegation Postpones Decision On Acreage Incorporation
Volume 42, Number 24 November 5 - November 18, 2021
Serving Palms West Since 1980
WICKED AT WELLINGTON NATIONAL
At its meeting on Thursday, Oct. 28, the Palm Beach County Legislative Delegation tabled consideration of a local bill allowing a referendum on Acreage incorporation until its next meeting on Dec. 8. Page 3
NRI Institute Of Health Sciences Graduates Class Of New Nurses
The NRI Institute of Health Sciences held its most recent commencement exercises on Friday, Oct. 22 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. A total of 20 new registered nurses graduated with associate of science in nursing degrees. Page 5
The Young Professionals of Wellington held its annual Wicked costume party on Saturday, Oct. 23 at the Wellington National Golf Club featuring wonderful costumes, casino games, a silent auction, music, dancing and refreshments. Shown above are Wellington Councilman Michael Drahos, Vice Mayor John McGovern, Councilman Michael Napoleone and Councilwoman Tanya Siskind who came dressed as the cast from “Star Trek.” MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 18 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
RPB Staff, Volunteers Continue To Power Weekly Food Giveaway
Park employees from the Village of Royal Palm Beach, along with a number of volunteers, have been distributing food to more than 600 families in need every Wednesday morning since April 22, 2020, at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park. Shown inside is the food giveaway in full swing on Wednesday, Oct. 20, taking care of vulnerable residents of western communities during these difficult times. Each week, cars start lining up at 5 a.m., awaiting a truck from Feeding South Florida. Page 16
Upcoming Westlake Election Will Bring Council Shake-Up
By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report Candidates for mayor and two open council seats in the City of Westlake have until Tuesday, Nov. 9 at noon to register to run in the Tuesday, March 8, 2022, election. However, it is possible all four council seats and the mayor’s seat could have fresh faces in the next several months, making for an entirely new elected government for Palm Beach County’s youngest municipality. The departing council members “have done what they set out to do,” City Manager Kenneth Cas-
sel said. “I think they are ready to transition off.” However, Cassel does expect a strong crop of candidates to file before the deadline. So far, one current Westlake councilman and one newcomer have registered to run. Vice Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor, who was elected to a four-year term in Seat 3 last year, has filed to run for mayor and will vacate Seat 3. Greg Langowski, a Westlake resident since March 2020, has filed for Seat 4. Meanwhile, Councilman Patric Paul, who was elected to Seat 1
in 2020, has resigned as of Nov. 1. Paul, a native of Germany who moved to Westlake from Texas, could not be reached for comment. The manner by which Paul’s seat is to be filled will be on the agenda at the Monday, Nov. 8 council meeting. Current Mayor Roger Manning, Seat 2 Councilwoman Kara Crump and Seat 4 Councilwoman Katrina Long-Robinson all were appointed to their posts when or shortly after Westlake was formed, and residency was not a requirement, as it is now. Since none of See WESTLAKE, page 14
Wellington Middle Schooler Is On A Mission To Give Back
Palm Beach Central Broncos Hang On To Defeat Wellington
This year’s battle for gridiron supremacy and possession of the Wellington Cup between Wellington High School and Palm Beach Central High School on Friday, Oct. 29 came down to one play. With Palm Beach Central clinging to a 17-14 lead and Wellington facing a fourth-andone at the Bronco five-yard line with just 1:45 left in the game, Wellington head coach Daniel Mendoza had a big decision to make. Page 21 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 18 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 SPORTS..........................21 - 24 PEOPLE..........................24 - 25 SCHOOLS.............................. 27 BUSINESS............................. 29 COLUMNS............................. 30 CLASSIFIEDS.................31 - 32 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report While every kid looks forward to summer vacation, there is always the potential for boredom to creep in. This happened to 12-year-old Aiden Edelsberg when he uttered the words “I’m bored” to his mother. Rossana DiFilippo and her son had no idea how that day would change their perspective and set young Aiden on a path to help others. Edelsberg thought his mother would come to the rescue with creative ways to keep him entertained. “Instead, she decided to hop on the internet and show me the most heartbreaking stories about kids who don’t have it quite as good as me. Amazing kids who do not have the privilege to live a healthy life,” he recalled. “Other kids have it much harder,” DiFilippo said. “So, I started to show him different kids who don’t have a moment during their challenges and illnesses to feel sorry for themselves. He started doing some research on ways that he could help, but many of the ways to help, he was too young to do.” But Edelsberg did not give up.
He was inspired to “That he wanted make a difference and to make a difference was going to figure didn’t surprise me beout just how to make cause he is the kindthat goal a reality. est soul, but he’s still “I am 12, how a kid at the end of could I possibly help? the day,” DiFilippo That’s when I came said. “What did suracross the Make-Aprise me is the susWish Southern Flortainability with the ida chapter,” Edelscommitment [to the berg said. “I wanted fundraiser]. I figured to help change a kid’s he would move on to life. I want to make the next thing, but he Aiden Edelsberg them smile. I want a just held on to it.” part of making their wish come A few weeks ago, the camtrue.” paign “Aiden Maxx Gives Back” Edelsberg is more than halfway launched on the Make-A-Wish to his fundraising goal of $5,000, Southern Florida site. He has with the amount being set by raised $3,000 so far but is workMake-A-Wish. ing hard to reach the $5,000 goal. “The average wish costs about He might even have a chance to $5,000,” DiFilippo explained. meet a child impacted directly “Some kids have wishes for a bike by his gift. or to see snow, but the majority To support the Aiden Maxx want to travel, and there are a lot Gives Back campaign, donations of wishes for Disney.” can be made online through the What struck the Polo Park sixth 2020-21 Wish Your Way Southern grader were the stories of children Florida web page, and also by mail around his age, not just babies and with details online. toddlers. Being able to relate to To reach out directly, or for inthese youngsters prompted Edels- formation on mailing a donation, berg to set his sights on making a e-mail aidenmaxxgivesback@ local child’s wish come true. gmail.com.
County Begins Condemnation Proceedings For RPB Blvd. Project
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach County Commission voted 6-0 on Tuesday, Nov. 2 to initiate eminent domain proceedings to condemn properties along Royal Palm Beach Blvd. in order to widen the road from two lanes to five lanes without a median. The project will run from the M Canal to 68th Street North, south of Orange Blvd. A total of 66 parcels will be needed to complete the project, nine of which settled prior to a lawsuit and are not subject to eminent domain proceedings. The engineering department recommended a motion to adopt 45 resolutions to initiate eminent domain proceedings for the remaining 57 parcels, which have a total value of $1,004,430, needed for the widening project. Palm Beach County Engineer David Ricks said three whole parcels are needed for drainage, all of which settled pre-suit, and 45 swale drainage easements, three of which settled pre-suit, four right of way easements, one embankment easement and 13 temporary construction easements, three of which settled pre-suit. “Most of the acquisition is part of the frontage of that corridor,” Ricks said. “We did do some outreach in the design phase over two years ago. In terms of the overall corridor, this is a major transportation corridor.” He said future projects along the
corridor include work from 78th Place North to Northlake Blvd. from two to five lanes in fiscal year 2024, from north of Persimmon Blvd. to north of the M Canal from two and three lanes to five lanes in fiscal year 2025, and Royal Palm Beach Blvd. to Orange Blvd. from south of 68th Street North from two to five lanes, which is now under design with construction not yet funded. Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner asked if the owners had been notified of the commission meeting on Tuesday, and Ricks said they had been notified, but there were no speakers at the meeting. District 6 Commissioner Melissa McKinlay asked Ricks about the drainage easements along the corridor. “You’re going to fix the swales and make the swales appropriate in the front yards of these properties?” she asked. “You’re not tearing it out and putting pavement on there, are you?” Ricks said the condemnation was to install proper drainage for the road. “So, the aesthetics of the owners’ property won’t change drastically?” McKinlay continued. McKinlay made a motion to approve the proceeding, which carried 6-0 with Commissioner Maria Marino off the dais. The project is scheduled for construction in fiscal year 2022 at a budgeted amount of $6 million and is included in the five-year road program.
Filing Deadlines Near For Local Municipal Elections
By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report Due to recent changes in state law, Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link required all municipalities holding elections on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, to pull back their filing deadlines into November. The Village of Wellington, the Village of Royal Palm Beach and the Town of Loxahatchee Groves complied with the request. The qualifying period opened this week in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach and will open next week in Loxahatchee Groves, giving incumbents and potential challengers just a short period of time to finalize their election plans. Wellington — The Village of Wellington will hold an election Tuesday, March 8, 2022, with fouryear terms for two council seats up for grabs. These are Seat 2, currently held by Councilwoman Tanya Siskind, and Seat 3, currently held by Vice Mayor John McGovern. The qualifying period opened at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 2 and closes at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 16. As of now, both incumbents are planning to seek re-election, and there is one announced challenger for each seat.
In Seat 2, Siskind is being challenged by local businessman Tony Nelson, and in Seat 3, McGovern is being challenged by Johnny Meier, a former president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and the owner of My Community Pharmacy. As of Tuesday, Nov. 2, no other potential challengers had come forward. To qualify, potential candidates must contact the office of Village Clerk Chevelle Addie at (561) 791-4118 or via e-mail at caddie@ wellingtonfl.gov. Royal Palm Beach — Three seats on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council are up for election on March 8, 2022. Those include the Mayor’s Seat, currently held by Mayor Fred Pinto; the Group 1 Seat, currently held by Councilman Jeff Hmara; and the Group 3 Seat, currently held by Councilwoman Selena Samios. The qualifying period opened on Monday, Nov. 1 and closes on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m. According to Village Clerk Diane DiSanto, Pinto qualified for the ballot on Monday, Nov. 1, and both Hmara and Samios had contacted her to confirm their intention to seek re-election and qualify for the ballot before See ELECTIONS, page 7
Wellington Honors Its Top Cop And Top Firefighter
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council presented its 2021 Top Cop and Top Firefighter awards on Tuesday, Oct. 26 to Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Detective Jason Villiers and Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Lt. Jen Kleier. Presenting the awards were PBSO Capt. Rolando Silva of the District 8 substation in Wellington and PBFR District Chief Philip Olavarria. Silva said Villiers was assigned to District 8 as a canine deputy several years ago. “Eventually, his tour in the canine unit came to an end here in Wellington,” Silva said. “They brought him back to the canine division in the greater Palm Beach
Wellington’s 2021 Top Cop award is presented to Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Detective Jason Villiers. County Sheriff’s Office, and he de- for the work of Wellington’s street cided he wanted to leave the canine team, most of whom attended the unit and come back here and work meeting. for us as a street team member. “They are very, very good at Silva had a great deal of praise what they do, and it is the reason
Wellington’s 2021 Top Firefighter award is presented to PBCFR Lt. Jen Kleier. PHOTOS COURTESY THE VILLAGE OF WELLINGTON why in Wellington we’re not necVilliers has been with the PBSO essarily no crime, but we’re very for more than 23 years, working low crime,” he said. “There is a as a detective for the past seven reason for that, and Detective Vil- months, as a canine officer since liers is a big part of that equation.” See AWARDS, page 14