Town-Crier Newspaper October 19, 2007

NIGHTS?

Fright Nights have returned to the South Florida Fairgrounds through Oct. 31. This year’s attraction features three new haunts: “Dead End,” “Scourge” and “Rats.” “The Smiths” and “Country Bill’s Meat Market” have returned as well. Pictured here are Joey Ortega with an albino python and Michael Ruiz with a Columbian red-tailed boa constrictor and baby American alligator. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 37A

PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Passport Out, Park Player Pass In PassportOut,ParkPlayerPassIn

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

Following widespread complaints about Wellington’s proposed recreational “passport” to generate revenue, village recreational staff presented a new proposal this week that they and sports leaders say has been more warmly received.

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Palm Beach County Commission had good road development news for the western communities at their meeting Tuesday.

During a preliminary review of annual amendments to the county’s five-year road plan, commissioners supported flexibility in funding that would ensure connections to the State Road 7 extension in case the state does not fund the extension to Northlake Blvd. The commissioners also expressed a desire to see the long-delayed extension of Roebuck Road from Jog Road to SR 7.

Indian Trail Improvement District Vice President Mike Erickson attended the meeting to lobby on behalf of ITID for the funding flexibility regarding connections to the SR 7 extension.

Erickson also urged the county to reserve funds for at least a two-lane extension of SR 7 to Northlake Blvd. in case the state

decides not to extend SR 7 farther north than the current county project to Persimmon Blvd.

He urged the commissioners to reserve the option to shift funding according to the state’s plans.

“What concerns me is if in two years the state says ‘no build,’ I would like to see a commitment from the local government that we get at least a twolane reliever road built to Northlake,” Erickson said. “It’s crucial to relief on Royal Palm Beach, Coconut and Orange [boulevards], and it takes all of the traffic that’s trying to bypass the community and it gives them a direct route to Northlake. This takes all traffic directly to Northlake Blvd., rather than dumping it in The Acreage.”

County Engineer George Webb said funding for 60th Street between 110th and Royal Palm Beach Blvd. had been allocated for right of way, design and mitigation, and another $2.5 million was added to the

page 42A

“We will include input received today” in the staff presentation to the council, Leisure Services Director Jim Barnes said. “Generally, I think [the proposal] will remain the same. There have been good, constructive comments.”

The new proposal involves less-expensive annual fees than the passport but offers fewer benefits, and also includes higher program fees and requires sports providers to pay facility maintenance fees.

The village held two workshops and roundtable discussions Thursday to present the provisions of the proposed “Park Player Pass” with community and sports leaders. The new proposal is scheduled to go before the Wellington Village Council on Oct. 23 and would go into effect Nov. 1.

Rather than charge each household $100 or $200 as proposed under the passport, the new Park Player Pass would charge residents $25 per household, $15 for seniors, for an unrestricted number of activities and participants. Non-resident households would pay $60 for the pass, or $30 for seniors. The pass would allow an unlimited number of program registrations for the normal fee. The village would still charge daily fees for pool use and tennis, with annual or seasonal passes available. Village staff estimates

See PARK PASS, page 42A

Golf Expert Questions RPB Course GolfExpertQuestionsRPBCourse

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach Village Council heard a rare dissenting voice Thursday regarding construction of the new Village Commons Park on the site of the former Tradition Golf Club.

The club’s former general manager Ritt Denham called plans to include a nine-hole golf course as one of the proposed 160-acre park’s amenities “a joke” and grilled the council on how it plans to successfully operate the course.

“I’ve been in the golf business for 20 years,” Denham said. “Building a nine-hole golf course is a joke. It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money. It will favor certain residents who will get a golf course view. How much money will it cost to build the golf course? How much money are you going to lose every year maintaining this golf course?”

The golf course is envisioned as the centerpiece of Village Commons Park, which comes with a price tag of approximately $20 million, making it one of the more ambitious park

projects undertaken by a South Florida municipality in recent years.

Denham warned the council that golfers will not flock to play a nine-hole golf course. “I guarantee you nobody is going to play it,” he said. “They might play it once, just to say they’ve played nine holes on a new golf course.”

Mayor David Lodwick replied that the Jupiter-based National Golf Foundation, which acted as a consultant for the village, is confident that a nine-hole executive course, including a

See TRADITION, page 5A

The Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) held its Annual Friendship Ball last Saturday, Oct. 13 at the Kravis Center.

and

Shown here, Lisa

Jacob Rose dance the night away. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 17A

Agreement Paves Way For National Horse Show In December

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

After threatening to move the 124th National Horse Show & Family Festival to Jacksonville two weeks ago, organizers announced Wednesday that the show would go on as planned at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington.

A dispute between landlord Mark Bellissimo and show producer Stadium Jumping over a special-use permit to allow tents at the show grounds prompted Stadium Jumping to announce that it would move the show to Jacksonville if the issues were not resolved.

The permit would allow Stadium Jumping to set up tents for exhibitors and temporary

stables for the December event, as well as the Winter Equestrian Festival scheduled for early next year.

Village regulations require the property owner to sign the request for the permit, but Stadium Jumping representatives said their new landlord Mark Bellissimo of Wellington Equestrian Partners refused to sign the request without imposing “unreasonable conditions.”

Bellissimo, who has been involved in a long-running dispute with Stadium Jumping, bought the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club show grounds in August.

National Horse Show Chairman Mason Phelps Jr. confirmed Thursday that the show will go on as scheduled in Well-

ington Dec. 5-9.

“We’re thrilled,” Phelps told the Town-Crier. “It was give and take, but we came to an agreement where we can hold the horse show. It’s good for the exhibitors and retailers and everyone concerned that we are able to move forward and know we’re going to have a horse show starting Dec. 5.”

The permit expires after the National Horse Show closes, and the ability of Stadium Jumping to obtain a tenting permit for the Winter Equestrian Festival, which features a month and a half of competition in Wellington in early 2008, is still in question.

Bellissimo said the two sides reached an agreement after he sent a letter last week that re-

moved restrictions on the permit for the National Horse Show.

“Everything is ready to go,” Bellissimo told the Town-Crier “The National Horse Show is here and, hopefully, it will be exciting.”

An announcement from Phelps credited National Horse Show President and Stadium Jumping CEO Eugene R. Mische with helping the National Horse Show remain in Wellington, its home for the past six years.

“It has been difficult for all equestrians that either compete or are otherwise involved in the Village of Wellington,” Mische said. “I’m happy we were finally able to work out the details and that the National Horse

Show Board of Directors has voted to go ahead with the National Horse Show in 2007. It would have been tragic for this long-running and historical competition to be cancelled. We are looking forward to welcoming our exhibitors to Florida for one of the best shows ever.” Featured competitions this year at the National Horse Show include the Rolex/USEF National Show Jumping Championship, the National Horse Show Hunter Championship and Dressage at the National. The event also features the “Jumping Under the Stars” black-tie gala on Friday, Dec. 7, a two-day children’s fair over the weekend and a business expo hosted by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

Year One: Santamaria Sees Progress With Much More To Be Done

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

Nearing completion of his first year in public office, County Commissioner Jess Santamaria told the Town-Crier his negative perception of the “celebrity treatment” elected officials receive has only sharpened.

“When somebody gets elected mayor or commissioner or councilman, he gets VIP treatment most everywhere he goes,” Santamaria said. “I think that’s what has been causing the inflated egos. I personally feel uncomfortable with it because I feel an elected official is a public servant. It’s his duty, his

sworn duty to serve the public.”

Santamaria, a western communities businessman and former developer, won the District 6 seat on the Palm Beach County Commission handily last year after his predecessor Tony Masilotti resigned in disgrace after becoming embroiled in a corruption scandal.

“I could see it as a private citizen in the past,” Santamaria said of the VIP treatment. “But it has become more clear to me as an elected official in the past 11 months or so. There is this kind of celebrity status of elected officials that is not necessary and probably does more harm than good. I wish people would

realize that an elected official is a public servant, and part of his job is to serve the public. He does not require any special treatment.”

Santamaria, who campaigned on promises of honesty in government, said his biggest challenge since taking office has been dealing with lobbyists.

“That’s an area that has made me concerned about our system,” he said. “There is no end

See JESS, page 10A

(Right) County Commissioner Jess Santamaria at his October “community forum.” He has held them monthly since taking office.

Our Opinion County’s Growth Blueprint Heads Back To The Drawing Board

After a decade of spinning its wheels over the Central Western Communities Sector Plan, the Palm Beach County Commission took a step back Tuesday. Engaged in a legal dispute with the state — after receiving a thumbs-down from the Department of Community Affairs for the Sector Plan’s failure to address key issues — the county voted to repeal the plan. Now it has a clean slate to draw up a new plan, which the bureaucrats say can be ready within the next year. But even if the county succeeds, that still leaves it operating without a development blueprint well into the future. In the meantime, developers such as Callery-Judge Grove and GL Homes continue to push forward with plans for large residential developments in the unincorporated west, making the goals of the Sector Plan moot.

The purpose of the Sector Plan is to regulate development in the largely rural and unincorporated western areas. Ideally, the plan would rein in piecemeal development and unrestrained sprawl — something increasingly important in an area faced with mounting water supply issues and traffic problems. But after years of debate involving county commissioners, paid consultants, municipalities, developers, residents and various interest groups, the plan grew to the point where it all but collapsed under its own weight. The most recent revisions made to the Sector Plan called for substantial increases in homes and commercial space. What started as a good idea

Show Support For RPBHS Debaters

Teenagers killing each other... themselves... getting pregnant. Seems like every day there’s something negative being reported about the youth of today. Well, I’d like to take this opportunity to report something positive.

Did you know that not ev-

became smothered by its overreaching scope and tainted by changing standards and limits that increasingly favored the development it was originally proposed to restrain. There was literally so much involved in the plan that no one was happy with it anymore.

But none of that matters now. What’s important is that the county moves forward and creates a plan that will pass state muster. The goal should be a plan that does what it was intended to do: avoid creation of the sprawl that would make living here a nightmare in terms of both lifestyle and environment. And the work must be done with simplicity and speed, and get not bogged down in details that require lengthy studies and create confusion. Fortunately, the county doesn’t have to start from scratch. There certainly were flaws in old versions of plan — such as the notorious definition of “open space” that shamelessly pandered to developers — and it’s doubtful that whatever emerges as the new plan will satisfy everyone. But the longer it takes the county to draft the Sector Plan, the likelier it will be that developers push projects through that the plan, once approved, might not allow. The county has one more chance to make this work. We hope the opportunity is not wasted through foot-dragging or corrupted by concessions to special interests, because we doubt the future will offer another chance.

Letters To The Editor

ery teenager spends their weekends getting into mischief or milling around aimlessly without any direction in life? Did you know that the Royal Palm Beach High School Debate Team members, consisting of approximately 70 students, spend a great deal of time researching and writing speeches in preparation for the various debate

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tournaments they participate in on the weekends?

Dressed in suits and skirts, these young people represent a large population of our community — our sons and daughters! They are shining examples of what tomorrow will look like: hard-working young adults taking weekend time to join fellow debaters from neighboring schools in a meeting of the minds. They’re not running around vandalizing homes and vehicles, plotting to overthrow the school board or commit some horrific crime. They are actually using their intelligence in a much more constructive manner. And their debate coach Mr. Dario Camara is there to assist them on their journey to success.

Irked By ‘Slush Fund’

Editor’s note: The following letter is addressed to Palm Beach County Commissioner Burt Aaronson in reference to a letter published in the TownCrier on Oct. 5.

Dear Commissioner:

In response to your letter published in the Oct. 5 TownCrier, could you please explain to me why, during the Sept. 6 county commission meeting, when [Palm Beach County Republican Party Chair] Sid Dinerstein, during the public portion, suggested that the county commissioners return their slush/discretionary funds, and refuse them in future years, you had chastised him for questioning your integrity/ethics, when he did not do so even in the slightest. Was your reaction that of a knee-jerk guilt type reaction?

politician and speak out of both sides of your mouth, especially when caught doing something very questionable. And I do believe you, when you say that you have every intention to continue doing everything exactly the same — very disheartening, disturbing, disappointing and scary. By your actions and explanations of the past, I do not believe that you are a man who acts with honor, dignity and integrity. But I do believe that you are doing everything to the best of your ability to help the developers.

BARRY S. MANNING Publisher JOSHUA I. MANNING Executive Editor RON BUKLEY Managing Editor

JASON BUDJINSKI Community Editor MARK LIOI News Editor

WRITERS/ Denise Fleischman • Paul Gaba • Lisa Keeney Steve Pike • Carol Porter • Leonard Wechsler

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ADVERTISING/ Evie Edwards • Wanda Glockson STAFF/ Betty Buglio • Shanta Daibee • Geri O’Neil

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As a mom and debate judge for Royal Palm Beach High School, I can attest that the level of young professionalism and energy displayed at the tournaments is awesome! The students are really into the spirit of their events and strive very hard to be successful. I’d like to personally invite anyone who has a child on the debate team to come out and support the group. It is a rewarding experience, and it’s not hard!

For any of the businesses in the area who would like to support the team in any way — donations of food and drink for tournaments or donations of money — please contact me.

The team will be having a dessert theater in November at Royal Palm Beach High School and would like to invite you to take an evening to see the shining stars of tomorrow in action on stage, demonstrating the various debate forums where a variety of desserts will be served for your tasting pleasure — the date will be forthcoming. The team will also host the Palm Beach County Forensics League tournament at Royal Palm Beach High School next March. Any and all support would be appreciated.

Supporting our children, ensuring their success — isn’t that what it’s all about?

Teresa Duerr

The Acreage

And why, when you made the following quote at that time that your slush funds go to “help children, schools, very, very good things, and summer camps, schools, and many other things,” did you not mention your $2 million slush-fund contribution for the Lyons Road extension — an extension that the county engineer told you would not be justified for at least five years? Your $2 million slushfund contribution equaled 100 percent of two years of your slush funds. Therefore, you did not use any of your slush money for two full years for children or the needy. But one could say that you spent the $2 million to help your developer friends. I guess you consider them needy. Very shameful!

Now I find it very odd, very strange and funny, that you have not mentioned your quote, “to help children, schools, very, very good things, and summer camps, schools, and many other things,” in any of your statements to support your position to use $2 million of your slush funds to extend Lyons Road. You seem to be a true

You say that you represent all districts of the county. Your assertion is reprehensible. You have voted and supported, and continue to support developers and the proposed dense and intense development of The Acreage, totally in opposition to the wishes of 90 percent of the 45,000 residents of The Acreage. Your rationale is that you are concerned for the many “out of state” residents who may wish to move to South Florida in the future. Who are these faceless unknown people that you are so concerned about, that do not exist?

Please come to The Acreage and see the faces of the tens of thousands of men, women and children, who have moved to The Acreage to enjoy its rural/rustic characteristics. We are all committed to protecting and preserving those rural/rustic characteristics for many, many generations to come. Along with protecting and pursuing our rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Edward Zakrzewski

The Acreage

Photo Clarification

The coverage of the protest of the SCHIP veto (Oct. 12) on page 42A incorrectly identified the lower photo of a mother and child as Frank and Harlene Shrek. The photo is actually Shari and Jerry DeBlois of Royal Palm Beach.

Gwynne Chesher Wellington

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A Decade In The Making, The County’s Sector Plan Crashes

Sector Plan, growth plan. For some ten years now we have been in a perpetual discussion about these terms and what they mean to us residents of the western communities. Usually those discussions have been met with catcalls, cheers, tears, angst and dissatisfaction from just about everyone involved in the process.

Am I the only one who thinks the Sector Plan is a big joke perpetuated on all of us by the bureaucrats of Palm Beach County? After more than ten years and big bucks from the county,

property owners and opponents, and various lawsuits by everyone, the county has thrown in the towel and wants us to start all over on a plan so broad that it — like the original county plan — will likely never work.

The Florida Department of Community Affairs axed the Sector Plan two years ago, and Assistant County Attorney Denise Nieman offered this week that the state’s administrative law judge has refused to allow this mess to be continued any longer.

Here’s some more of Ms. Nieman’s

Serious Disease Control Ignored

advice to the members of the Palm Beach County Commission: “Accordingly, I recommend that we repeal the 2005 version [actually version 2.0] of the Sector Plan. Repeal of the 2005 plan would moot the current litigation, and allow the county further time to negotiate with the Department of Community Affairs on unresolved issues, and to take into account new developments in the central western communities that may impact the centralized planning effort. Adoption of a new Sector Plan could occur during one of the 2008 round amendments either in August or November.”

By Don Brown

So what is next in the Sector Plan fiasco? Here are some points you can be sure of:

• “Mean Green” people will be opposed to every single aspect of anything more dense than a home on one and a half acres — even if it is on your own property.

Footloose and...

By Jules W. Rabin

Anthrax, ebola, smallpox, hemorrhagic fevers... the very names strike fear in our hearts. Thus after the federal government dumped billions of dollars into new research laboratories to investigate these deadly agents, it should have evoked hopes of happy days ahead. Not so.

What has transpired is an expansion of bio-security labs that handle these highly contagious and highly dangerous agents from five to 15 (with one in the planning stage) without very much oversight by anyone! There has also been an increase in second-tier labs, which handle other highly dangerous substances like avian flu and West Nile virus — again with little or poor monitoring. Thus, for example, when a 2006 incident at Texas A&M University took place where a lab worker was infected by brucellosis, an animal disease, it was never reported to authorities. Whoops... what could have become a lethal problem was swept under the table.

At a recent congressional hearing the

Tradition Will Anyone Play Course?

continued from page 1A practice facility, can succeed at the park.

“Will it make money? No it won’t,” Lodwick said. “But no matter what would be built there, it would cost money to maintain and operate anyway.”

Lodwick added that the village talked to the NGF about a number of scenarios, from building no course to building an 18-hole course.

“What you’re going to find after [course architect] Gene Bates has looked at it is that he’s taken more land for golf than what was there. Probably 80 percent of the people there will have a golf view. The rest will have a view of a wooded, bermed area. There’s not go-

lack of oversight, control and care of unknown dozens or hundreds of other such incidents were highlighted publicly for the first time in a bipartisan way. Panel chairman Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) commented, “no one is in charge here.” Added Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), “we don’t even know where they [labs] are, what we got or what we are doing.” Well gentlemen, less talk and more action... please. Currently no single agency has the authority or resources to oversee the growing mess, yet these labs themselves might become outlets for terrorism. Dr. Richard Besser of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention firmly agrees that federal checks and review are a must. “There is a lot we can do to improve our oversight,” he intoned.

Perhaps he could start by undertaking an immediate inventory of the labs, where they are, what programs they are working on and who will control them. Now that’s a novel thought for a bureaucrat.

Does anyone understand what that means? I’ll give it a layman’s try. Let’s give up our ludicrous attempt to approve a Sector Plan that will never be approved by the DCA anyway. If we do that, we won’t have to fall all over ourselves trying to defend it. That way, we can negotiate with the DCA on unresolved issues and take into account all the growth that has happened while we got nothing done. Just trust us. After all of this — perhaps in another ten years…

Oh, and by the way, let’s tell every landowner from the turnpike to Lake Okeechobeee what they can or cannot do with their property and silence them from any public input because what they do with their property can’t possibly be as important as what we want them to do.

While Ms. Nieman didn’t mention the specifics, the county failed on such issues as increased population in the western communities — after ten years we’ve grown to nearly 300,000, much more than the original estimate of 100,000. Since that time developers have pledged such improvements as environmental preservation, drainage, roads, water and wastewater, financing and much more — all of which the county doesn’t want to pay for.

• The property owners are sick and tired of everyone telling them what they can build on their property.

• Folks from outlying areas such as The Acreage and Loxahatchee Groves want their properties to go up in value just like every one else regardless of their own decisions.

• So do the folks who go east to buy all those affordable houses promised for so long by the Palm Beach County Commission but never delivered.

I think all those people who own land they are prohibited from developing should hire an attorney to sue either the county or a municipality under the Bert Harris Act that allows property owners to sue the government “that unduly burdened its property with changing regulations.” The state law is intended to protect private property interests against inordinately burdensome government regulations.

I would say that a Sector Plan, as political as it is in its third degree, would be thrown out entirely. Especially since it was adopted by the county commission that invented the plan. Good luck and good riddance.

ing to be a lot of development. I’d like to see a senior center we’ve talked about and there might be a teen center. The American Legion is going to have a home, but that’s about it for buildings.”

Lodwick said the village hopes to issue requests for bids on the park’s construction by April or May of next year. “It will take about 12 months from there, so you’re looking at about two years before the park will be open,” he said.

“No trespassing” signs are currently posted at the park site. “Right now it’s just not in condition to have the public wandering around,” Lodwick said.

“We’re maintaining it, keeping it clean and getting it ready.”

Also Thursday, Lodwick, Vice Mayor David Swift and Councilman Matty Mattioli each told the Town-Crier they plan to file for re-election on Oct. 26, the first day candidates can file for a seat on the five-member council. A fourth council seat, vacated by the July resignation of former councilwoman Barbara Isenberg, also is up for grabs in the Jan. 29 election.

Candidates have from noon on Oct. 26 until noon on Nov. 9 to submit their applications to the village clerk’s office at 1050 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.

‘Will it make money? No it won’t. But no matter what would be built there, it would cost money to maintain and operate anyway.’

— RPB Mayor David Lodwick

Councilman Matty Mattioli

Prescription Drug Arrests In Royal Palm Beach, Wellington

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

OCT. 12 — A deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office substation in Royal Palm Beach arrested a Greenacres man on Okeechobee Blvd. last Friday on drug charges. According to a PBSO report, the deputy observed a vehicle driven by 53-year-old Harold Marsh traveling at a high rate of speed on Royal Palm Beach Blvd. at approximately 11:59 p.m. After following Marsh for

CRIME NEWS CRIME NEWS

several miles, the deputy made contact with him and smelled alcohol coming from inside the vehicle. Marsh admitted drinking several beers and was on his way home. While speaking with Marsh, the deputy observed a black bag on the passenger seat that appeared to contain a magazine for a handgun, according to the report. The deputy also noticed a blue and silver pipe, as well as what appeared to be

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives:

• Melissa Rockower, a.k.a. Melissa Landi, Melissa Merced or Melissa Spencer, is a white female, 5’4” tall and weighing 145 lbs. with blonde hair and blue eyes. Her date of birth is 09/22/71. Rockower is wanted for violation of supervised own recognizance on the charge of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Her occupation is waitress. Her last known address was Wellington Drive in Wellington. Rockower is wanted as of 10/18/07.

• Ron Wilson is a black male, 6’1” tall and weighing 180 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 02/27/78. Wilson is wanted on the charge of grand theft of a motor vehicle. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was 66th Street North in The Acreage. Wilson is wanted as of 10/18/07. Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crime stopperspbc.com.

THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, WHICH IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.

a rifle on the back floorboard. When placed into custody, Marsh became uncooperative and combative with the deputy. After the arrest, according to the report, the deputy found a camera film case underneath the black bag that contained .9 grams of marijuana, along with a .25 caliber pistol and 12-gauge shotgun. Also on the floorboard, according to the report, the deputy found an open cold beer container with several ounces left and another pipe with marijuana residue. Marsh was

charged with possession of marijuana under 20 grams and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Palm Beach County Jail.

OCT. 12 — A Royal Palm Beach man was arrested for possession of drugs without a prescription last Friday on Belvedere Road. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach observed a pickup truck driven by 22-year-old William Baskin traveling west on Belvedere at a high rate of speed at approximately 7:56 p.m. The deputy also observed Baskin pass and collide with other vehicles traveling westbound on Belvedere Road. The deputy clocked Baskin traveling 67 mph in a posted 50 mph zone, according to the report. The deputy noted that Baskin’s truck had extremely dark tinted windows and no passenger-side mirror. The deputy initiated a traffic stop in the area of the Breakers West community entrance on Belvedere and made contact with Baskin. Baskin seemed nervous, and the deputy smelled an odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. The deputy, according to the report, observed several clear plastic baggies on the seat as well as marijuana stems and seeds on the truck floor. The report said Baskin surrendered a pipe that contained marijuana residue. A further search of Baskin’s truck turned up a plastic baggie that contained 20 pills that were discovered to be oxycodone. A yellow pill, discov-

ered to be Percocet, also was found in the truck. Baskin, according to the report, admitted to not having a prescription for the pills. He was transported to the county jail.

OCT. 13 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach arrested a Lake Worth man on a petty theft charge last Saturday at the WalMart Supercenter on Belvedere Road. According to a PBSO report, the deputy made contact with a witness who said at approximately 2:30 p.m. he observed 26-year-old Derrick Starnes put on a pair of new sandals and put his old shoes in the box and place the box back on a shelf. The witness observed Starnes walk through the tire, lube and express sections of the store. As the witness approached, Starnes began to run but was apprehended, according to the report. The total value of the stolen property was $15.54. Starnes was transported to the county jail.

OCT. 13 — A Greenacres man was arrested for drug possession last Saturday after a traffic stop at State Road 7 and Fairgrounds Road. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 1:53 a.m., a deputy from the substation in Royal Palm Beach stopped a vehicle driven by 44-year-old David Carlino. A background check revealed that Carlino was driving with a suspended license. The deputy searched Carlino and found three grams of marijuana in his back pocket, according to the report.

Ron Wilson

Melissa Rockower

See BLOTTER,

Weisman: Palm Beach County Guards Taxpayer Money Well

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

County Administrator Bob Weisman was the featured speaker at the monthly meeting of the Palm Beach County Democratic Executive Committee on Monday at Temple Torah in Boynton Beach.

Weisman told county Democrats that in the 16 or 17 years he has served as county administrator, the county has kept the millage rate at 4.06 mills per $1,000 of assessed value or lower, which has kept the county’s bond rating one of the best in the nation.

“When things were a little better in the last couple of years, we actually dropped the millage,” Weisman said. “Our general attitude was that you were protected by the homestead exemption, and we were not going to raise the taxes. We were trying to follow that. What happened over the last two years, mainly due the homestead exemption, was that homestead properties were kept low, and non-homestead property valuations ballooned. That generated excess revenue for the county. We used that on the public’s behalf. We are the only tripleA-rated county in Florida, and one of 30 or so in the United States.”

Weisman also noted that the county has $125 million in reserves for hurricanes and natural disasters, and questioned the criticism aimed at the county for stockpiling those funds, particularly by members of the business community.

“Back in 2004, 2005 and 2006, we were able to move that money to spend on your behalf, and we are ready to do that in the future in case another storm hits,” Weisman said.

One of the mandates that came out of the last legislative session, Weisman said, was that the county and other municipalities had to cap their millage. In response, the county took out its paring knife and cut back, but there are still some things that should not be cut due to health, welfare and safety. One of these is the Sheriff’s budget, which makes up 40 percent of the county’s budget.

“That percentage of the budget keeps going higher and higher,” Weisman said. “Nobody wants to cut the sheriff’s budget.”

Weisman also said the county strongly opposes proposals to do away with the current Save Our Homes tax caps in favor of a “super exemption.” He said he and members of the Palm Beach County Commission are glad to see the removal of the originally proposed con-

Blotter

continued from page 6A Carlino was transported to the county jail.

OCT. 16 — Two men were arrested on charges of marijuana possession Tuesday after being pulled over on Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington According to a PBSO report, at approximately 11:30 a.m., a PBSO deputy from the Wellington substation stopped a suspicious vehicle occupied by 21-year-old Timothy Warren and 20-yearold Randy Walker, both of Well-

stitutional amendment from the Jan. 29, 2008 ballot.

“We actually look forward to the Democratic legislators having a balancing effect on the Republican legislature to produce a beneficial result to the taxpayers, and one that does not hurt the local governments too much,” Weisman said. “The local governments here will have serious problems in functioning with that language under that constitutional amendment. Belle Glade and Riviera Beach could not function under that kind of statutory change. We are pretty financially strong, but if you have cuts like that, it will hurt. We are at a crunch right now. Something is going to change. Either we get the money to function the way we have been functioning or we are going to be forced to change the way we do things.”

Weisman said that due to budget cuts mandated by the legislature, the county has already had to halt construction on two libraries and two fire stations, and has also held off on providing new units to some existing fire stations. If the shrinkingrevenue trend continues, he said, fire stations might experience staffing cuts, which is not something the county wants to do.

“It’s one thing to balance the budget,” Weisman said. “It’s another thing to go too far and make cuts like that. It’s a balancing act.”

Weisman also defended the discretionary funds provided to

ington. According to the report, the deputy approached the car and smelled marijuana. A search of the vehicle uncovered a bag in the center console that contained 14 grams of marijuana, as well as seeds and leaves on the driver’s-side floor and seat. Walker and Warren were both arrested and transported to the county jail.

OCT. 17 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington arrested a man for narcotics possession Wednesday night while on foot patrol on White

Children’s Halloween Events At Grassy Waters Preserve

Grassy Waters Preserve, located at 8264 Northlake Blvd. just east of Ibis, will host its annual “Monsters in the Marsh” with two events: the Grassworts School of Environmental Wizardry on Wednesday, Oct. 24 and a moonlight paddle and evening hike Friday, Oct. 26.

Anything can happen at the magical Grassworts School. From 6 to 9 p.m., come trick-or-treat on the boardwalk and discover the magic within each living thing. Professor Dumbelmarsh, Hogrid and sinister Professor Snipe will be among those guiding you through the forbidden swamp. Parking is available on the north side only with free shuttle service to the south side. The cost is $3 for adults, $1 for adults in costume and $1 for children. No reservations will be taken and the last ticket will be sold at 8:45 p.m.

The evening hike and moonlight paddle will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Charles W. Bingham Wilderness Pavilion on the south side. Ages ten and up are welcome to experience the sunset over the freshwater marsh, watch wild birds fly home to roost and then glide back in canoes under the moon’s glow. The cost is $15 for adults and $5 for children. RSVP 24 hours in advance to (561) 804-4985.

Mid County Dems To Meet Oct. 22

The Mid County Democratic Club will meet on Monday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Tree’s Wings & Ribs at the corner of Southern Blvd. and Royal Palm Beach Blvd. For more information, call Gwynne Chesher at (561) 784-9973 or e-mail gwynneac@comcast.net.

Valeche To Speak At GOP Club

county commissioners, a practice new Palm Beach County Commissioner Bob Kanjian has criticized. Weisman explained that the $200,000 each commissioner can disburse annually is derived from gas tax revenues and often goes to road improvements and recreational assistance.

“Commissioners have used the money on roads, street signs, traffic calming and other areas,” Weisman said. “The commissioners have used that money to respond to requests from constituents that might not have been funded by the general funding in the budget.”

Weisman said one of the major issues the county must grapple with in the future is the fate of the Everglades Agricultural Area, with most land east of the turnpike already under development.

“People will be fighting over the future of that area and whether it should be housing or whether it should remain environmentally sensitive land,” Weisman said.

Weisman also noted that the county would be seeking public feedback on its budget beginning in January.

“In January we will go out to the public and try to get citizen input to see what you think about our budget,” he said. “If you don’t come to the meetings, we have web access and surveys. We want your opinion so we can bring that message back to the Board of County Commissioners.”

Pine Drive. According to a PBSO report, the deputy approached 19-year-old Derek Snell at approximately 9 p.m., who became nervous upon contact and was nearly unable to communicate. Snell admitted to possessing marijuana, which was contained in a plastic baggy stuffed in the back of his pants. A subsequent search uncovered one half of a blue pill in the bill of Snell’s baseball cap. The deputy identified the pill as oxycodone. Snell was transported to the county jail.

The Palms West Republican Club will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at the Players Club restaurant in Wellington. The featured speaker will be Palm Beach Gardens Councilman Hal Valeche, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Florida’s 16th District. A meet and greet at 6 p.m. will be followed by the main meeting at 7 p.m. For more info., call Charlie Fetscher at (561) 753-0084 or e-mail fetschers@bellsouth.net.

Wee Play At Wellington JCC

Bring your children to the next open drop-in play session at the Jewish Community Center’s Wellington branch on Wedneday, Oct. 24 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Come when you can to play with old friends or make new ones. There is no charge for the activity. Wee Play meets every Wednesday. The JCC’s Wellington branch is located in the Wellington Marketplace shopping plaza at the corner of Greenview Shores Blvd. and Wellington Trace. For more info., call Sharon Lowenstein at (561) 253-6030 or e-mail sharonl@ jcconline.com.

State Of The County — County Administrator Bob Weisman speaks at the monthly meeting of the Palm Beach County Democratic Executive Committee on Monday.

PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Loxahatchee Groves Garden Club Discovers Herbal Medicine

The Loxahatchee Groves Garden Club celebrated Herb Day on Saturday, Oct. 13 by hosting a lecture by Dr. Bill Skinner, who spoke to club members about herbs and herbal medicines.

Growing medicinal herbs has been an interest Skinner has explored for many years. He found there were many ways to learn more about the subject of herbal medicines.

Skinner told the club members that herbs are more difficult to grow in Florida than in other states, but they are available for purchase in many forms.

The herbs that Skinner has been able to grow in Florida are bay leaves, chives, thyme, dill, fennell, chamomile, basil, skullcap, parsley, aloe, hot peppers and ginger.

Skinner is a pharmacist and an attorney, so legalities are his special interest. He publishes the newsletter Natural Medicine Law six times a year to inform readers about what is currently happening in the medical field related to drugs and especially to natural plants that are being promoted for healing and other health issues.

The Loxahatchee Groves Garden Club meets the third Saturday of the month from September through May.

Activities include gardening specialists discussions, garden tours, beautification projects and creating flower arrangements.

For more information about the Loxahatchee Groves Garden Club, call Marge Herzog at (561) 791-9875.

‘Green Design’ To Be Discussed At Next LGLA Meeting Oct. 25

The Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association will hold its monthly meeting Thursday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. inside Classroom I at Palms West Hospital.

The guest speaker will be Healthy Living Foundation President Denise Robinette, who will discuss green design in a residential home.

Many examples of green principles that can be applied to existing or new homes will be featured. Special focus will be on indoor air quality and green choices to make a home as healthy as possible.

Why should one worry about green design in a residential home? Robinette said having children with asthma started her journey of creating a personal home interior that is beautiful and healthy as well. According to Robinette, indoor air is up to 100 times

more polluted than outside air; with proper design selections, pro-active choices and lifestyle changes, our indoor environment can be the safe haven it should be.

According to Robinette, there are several green design elements that can improve the health of the occupants and their energy consumption: natural lighting and window placement, acoustical control, green “healthy” building products, finishes and end-use maintenance of the space is essential to an interior that is not only green and healthy but beautiful as well.

More information about green design can be found at the Healthy Living Foundation’s web site at www.healthy livingfoundation.org.

For more information about the LGLA, call Marge Herzog at (561) 7919875.

‘Phil-Ant-Trophy’

Program Begins Oct. 24 At Bruster’s

The Cultural Trust of the Palm Beaches and Bruster’s Real Ice Cream will kick off the “Phil-Ant-Trophy” program partnership event on Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. at Bruster’s Wellington location (10680 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington Green Square). Free ice cream will be given to participating children under 12 years of age. Phil-Ant-Trophy is a children’s based initiative where students will be introduced to the concept of giving back to one’s community.

The project is presented by Phil the new mascot, an artsy ant who lives on the Cultural Campus site. Phil decides to build an ant theater as his contribution to the community and gets all of the other ants involved in the process.

Through this program children will be taught the importance of giving their

time and making contributions to the community. At the same time, children will be encouraged to express themselves through the arts.

Brusters Ice Cream, locally owned by Joan Smith, will be hosting monthly competitions where students will express their love for ice cream with dance, music, theater and the visual arts.

These students will compete for the chance to win one month of complimentary ice cream and at the end of the year their works will be compiled by the Cultural Trust in what will be published as the annual Anthology.

To RSVP for the Oct. 24 event, email Janixx Parisi at JanixxParisi@ aol.com. For more information about the Cultural Trust of the Palm Beaches, call (561) 333-4948 or visit its web site at www.culturaltrustpb.org.

Dr. Bill Skinner

Binks’ First Owner Eagerly Awaiting Golf Course’s Rebirth

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

When the Binks Forest Golf Club in Wellington opens its first nine holes to the public on Monday, one of the happiest people in Wellington will likely be a former Connecticut schoolteacher who first saw the tall-timbered land some 20 years ago. Mary La Medica and her late husband Mike were the driving force behind the development of Binks Preserve that became the Binks Forest Golf Club.

La Medica said she and her husband bought the land that is now the golf course from early Wellington developer Corepoint.

“We got the property from Corepoint for a nominal amount of money because they wanted to build homes around the golf course,” she said.

The La Medicas, who had founded the Johnny Miller Invitational at the Bonaventure Country Club in Broward County in 1979, brought in Miller, a former U.S. Open champion, to work with golf course architect Gene Bates to build the Binks golf course in the late 1980s. The PGA Tour came to Binks Forest in December 1990 in the form of the Sazale Classic, a best-ball team event won by an up-and-coming player named Fred Couples and his partner Mike Donald.

La Medica and the club’s new owner Aquila Property Company each guard what are believed to be the only two remaining souvenir programs from the 1990 Sazale Classic almost as closely as the U.S. government guards its original copy of the Constitution.

In a way, the programs are the Binks Forest Golf Club’s constitution — a link to the club’s halcyon days when the likes of Miller, Couples, Jack Nicklaus and Fuzzy Zoeller roamed its fairways — and a beacon for what it can become again

under the control of Aquila and KemperSports Management.

Mary La Medica will be among the dignitaries on hand at 7:30 a.m. Monday to celebrate the reopening of Binks Forest, which had been closed and overgrown for the past five years. Aquila closed on a deal to acquire Binks Forest last May and has been working feverishly with KemperSports to get the 7,150yard course ready for play.

La Medica has been a frequent visitor to the grounds, sometimes offering advice and other times simply telling stories of the days when the course was ranked by Golf Digest as one of the nation’s top 75 public golf courses.

“Aquila sponsored me for a membership — and my dog, too,” La Medica said as she sat on a couch inside the Binks Forest clubhouse, which is undergoing renovations. “They didn’t ask for anything in return. They’re doing a great job here.”

La Medica, now a Realtor in Wellington, is giving Aquila some of her memorabilia to display in the clubhouse, mostly pictures from Binks Forest’s early days. “It seems more than appropriate,” she said.

As does Aquila’s gesture to once again get La Medica involved in the golf club.

“A lot of people who have moved to Wellington in the past few years don’t have an appreciation or understanding for what this course once was,” Aquila Property CEO Jordan Paul said. “It was a remarkable achievement — a pine forest golf course in South Florida. I think it’s important to recognize Mary and that history.”

In 1993, the La Medicas sold their shares in Binks Forest to a partnership group but never lost their love of the course they built. When Mike La Medica, a lifelong golf professional, lost his battle with cancer in June 1999, the

PHOTO BY STEVE PIKE/TOWN-CRIER

hearse carrying his casket made one final drive past Binks Forest.

After the La Medicas, Binks Forest went through several different owners — each one seemingly worse than the one before.

“It was very distressing,” La Medica said. “But that’s all past history. It’s over. People are happy with what Aquila is doing. Let’s get on with the show.”

‘A lot of people who have moved to Wellington in the past few years don’t have an appreciation or understanding for what this course once was.’ — Aquila Property CEO Jordan Paul

Original Owner — Mary La Medica, who along with her late husband Mike was the driving force behind the development of the original Binks Forest Golf Club, has been a frequent visitor to the greens. New owner Aquila Property Company will reopen nine holes of the course next week, with the rest reopening in November.

Jess One Year As Commissioner

continued from page 3A

to lobbyists knocking on your door asking for meetings. These are all high-powered people who are connected, in this case, important in Palm Beach County. You are just bombarded by lobbyists of special interests who are going to be presenting projects before the board of county commissioners.”

Santamaria said he suspects the sycophancy warps the self-image of many public officials. “I have to say that many elected officials’ personal background is mediocre at best, when you meet with these well-known, influential, high-powered people, you are awed,” he said. “These influential people in the community are making you feel like a king, because of course, you are going to approve or disapprove their projects. This is constant, this is non-stop.”

Looking back on his first year in office, Santamaria said he is pleased that the county was able to lower taxes under the state mandate.

“We have done a pretty good job this year,” he said. “We were able to lower 2007 taxes compared to 2006 by nine percent. It’s really 12 percent because of inflation. It’s a good start, a lot remains to be done, but it will take time. It took four years to get in the hole we’re in. It will take at least four years for us to slowly cut those taxes.”

Santamaria characterized the failure of a proposal to develop a 10,000-home “new town” at Callery-Judge Grove to win commission approval in May as a victory for the citizens.

“Callery-Judge has proven to me the power of the people,” he said. “The people should realize that they can make a difference… With the support of the people, we were able to stop them from

these unreasonable 10,000 homes they wanted to build. It proved to everybody that showing up at the meetings, writing e-mails to the commissioners, signing petitions and letters to the newspapers, all those things combined helped convince the board that it was a bad idea.”

Santamaria said the results of such public efforts are helping to bolster voters’ flagging confidence in local government.

“I am happy to say that the winds of change and community involvement is now very evident in Palm Beach County government,” he said. “In the past, people were frustrated that special interests got their way and the people were ignored. That’s the biggest change that has happened in the last 12 months. The people speaking are now being listened to. That was one of my campaign objectives, to get the people involved. I’m going to keep on repeating over and over again, if people want change, they have to participate.”

With the commissioners mulling over possible reforms of the election process, Santamaria said he supports non-partisan races for commission seats and said each commissioner should receive votes countywide.

“What has been happening is if I get my project approved, then I’m going to help that commissioner get his project approved,” he said. “It’s not done officially, but subconsciously. I know that if I turn down Commissioner B’s project, he’s going to turn down my next project. So, I have to be nice to my fellow commissioners so when my turn comes they’ll support my projects. That really is detrimental to the entire county.”

Looking to the future, Santamaria said he will continue to foster the spirit of community involvement. “I really feel that we have gotten the momentum, and we have to continue that momentum of getting citizen participation in govern-

‘I am happy to say the winds of change and community involvement is now very evident in Palm Beach County government,’ Santamaria said. ‘In the past, people were frustrated that special interests got their way and the people were ignored. That’s the biggest change that has happened in the last 12 months. The people speaking are now being listened to.’

ment,” he said. “That’s what I hope to accomplish in the years to come, is to build up on that momentum of public involvement.”

Santamaria said he believes investing in biotechnology and related industries is best for the future of the county, but that the private companies that will benefit directly should also make large contributions.

Besides a commitment from the Scripps Research Institute, German science and technology research organization the Max Planck Society is exploring the possibility of establishing an institute in Palm Beach County. The county has offered $87 million worth of incentives to come here, Santamaria said, which combined with potential incentives from the state and others amounts to a total package of almost $200 million.

“Can we afford it? We have to afford it by having private industry contribute,” Santamaria said. “Private industry is going to benefit from Scripps and Max Planck. These people are going to enhance the business community. The business community should contribute to-

ward the funds required to bring them in and they should contribute over the table.”

New District 3 County Commissioner Robert Kanjian recently attacked Santamaria on the dais when Santamaria refuted a woman’s complaint that high county taxes were reducing the value of her home.

Santamaria told the woman a familiar story, that the culprit is inflated home prices rather than high taxes. “The lowering of values was not caused by taxes. The lowering of values was that they should never have been that high to begin with,” Santamaria said. “Kanjian came in and defended her. He agreed that it was the taxes.”

Santamaria said he avoided a verbal altercation with Kanjian, instead following up with a two-page letter to him. “I explained that real estate has been my business for 30 years and you’re going to tell me I don’t know my real estate,” he said. “I summarized my logic and then said, ‘you have to stop elevating yourself by criticizing your fellow commissioners.’”

Palms West Chamber Speaker: Great Customer Service Is Key

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

Entrepreneur and consultant

John DiJulius showed members of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce on Monday what makes him such a requested motivational speaker.

DiJulius found success by establishing John Robert’s Hair Studio & Spa in the Cleveland, Ohio area and building the company’s reputation for superior customer service.

Speaking at a special chamber luncheon at the Wellington Community Center, DiJulius put great emphasis on motivating employees, giving them a sense of purpose and belonging, and rewarding them for their hard work with occasional special treatment.

“We have people who live over an hour away,” he said of his own staff. “We have a limo that brings them in. We wash their cars. We do their dry cleaning and pickup. We have an oil change once a quarter. The car dealership comes over and changes the oil so it’s one less thing you have to worry about. We have 80 employees that have John Robert’s license plates. The biggest compliment I get is ‘the place is a cult.’”

By motivating employees, DiJulius said, a business owner can count on them to go the extra mile to please and most importantly, retain customers. He stressed that despite the Great Lakes location of his three salons, they command top prices because they deliver a

level of service that makes price seem immaterial.

“We are in Cleveland,” he said. “It’s not New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. Our cheapest price is $50 for a woman’s haircut. We have made price a lot less relevant in our sandbox. If it can work in Cleveland, it can work anywhere. Based on the experience they see, customers feel they have an incredible value.”

DiJulius said he has sent salon employees home because they did not smile. A smile beats a frown any day of the week, and people will come back if they see an employee smiling, he said. They also will remember an employee who went the extra mile for them. Some of the employees who have worked for John Robert’s have gone so far out of their way as to pick people up and bring them to their appointments if they felt it would bring the customer back.

DiJulius discussed some common mistakes made in customer service, recalling a stay at a prominent hotel where the receptionist refused his request for fruit on his dinner plate, even though it would have been an easy way to win him over.

“Never say the word no,” DiJulius said. “Also, never blindtransfer someone. We should have to wait for someone to pick up. Never show frustration publicly. Don’t gossip. Don’t criticize other team members. Never say ‘I don’t know.’

Never have a conversation unrelated to the guest when he is standing there. Never make him

wrong. Also, smile and greet them. A smile is part of your uniform. A smile has teeth to it.”

DiJulius emphasized the importance of personalizing a customer’s experience. At his salons, he said, the policy when someone calls to make an appointment is to ask them what occasion they are looking forward to, perhaps an anniversary or birthday party.

“You have to remember stuff about them, and you have to know stuff about them,” he said. “If you don’t think it works, it does. Lexus is world class for a couple of reasons. I used to make fun of world class. But you have to experience it in order to miss it.”

In today’s impersonal era of technology and limited personal service, people crave moments of interaction, DiJulius noted. Customers don’t mind the prices they pay if they enjoy the experience. And people often worry so much about making a good first impression that they forget the power of last impressions. Sometimes that last impression might cancel out a customer’s bad initial experience, and ensure they come back again.

DiJulius noted that a company’s lower-paid employees are also often on the front line dealing with customers, and said that while it is hard to motivate low-paid employees, that’s what businesses must do or they will lose customers. Managers and bosses must offer better incentives to their employees so they will willingly go above and

beyond for customers, and create a workplace atmosphere where employees feel like the company belongs to them.

Perks like company-sponsored recognition ceremonies and vacations for customerdriven employees are a plus for businesses and will ultimately benefit the customers.

“In most cases, our most recently hired and least-trained and lowest-paid employees deal with the customers the most,” he said. “Frontline employees make between $6 and $16 an hour. You don’t see a lot of them driving Mercedes or flying first class. We as leaders expect them to give us that kind of experience. It’s unrealistic.”

Referring to his book Secret Service, on fostering effective customer-service strategies, DiJulius stressed the importance of finding ways of engaging the customer during his or her ex-

perience. “It’s a lot more likely to be world-class if you are leading the customer to ask how do you do this and how do you do that,” DiJulius said. “It’s a system of silent cues in which you engage them and personalize their preference. You are delivering on their unexpressed needs. It’s the atmosphere you create every day. It’s the ease of doing business with you.” For more information about DiJulius and his seminars, call (213) 839-1430 or visit www. thedijuliusgroup.com.

The Palms West Chamber of Commerce’s newest special event is SalsaFest, featuring Hispanic music, food and dance. It will take place Saturday, Nov. 3 at Greenacres Community Park (corner of Jog Road and Constitution Way). For more information, call the chamber at (561) 790-6200 or visit its web site at www.palmswest.com.

Chamber Luncheon — (L-R) Palms West Chamber Executive Director Jaene Miranda, luncheon sponsor Tim Sparks of Panera Bread, motivational speaker John DiJulius and Chamber President Joanna Boynton.

Automated Trash Containers Could Be A Challenge In Groves

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

As the new town prepares to contract its own waste collection services for the first time, the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council weighed the pros and cons of automated collection in the rural area.

Loxahatchee Groves resident and Solid Waste Authority board member Frank Schiola gave the council a presentation on automated collection services, including a brief video prepared for the Village of Wellington’s conversion to the service in 2003.

Schiola even brought a sample container for automated collection, borrowed from Wellington. The wheeled containers have hinged lids and are grasped and emptied by an armature mounted on the collection truck.

Schiola told the council the automated containers would allow residents to take only one can to the street rather than multiple cans. The large containers are also more durable and stable than commercially sold garbage cans, he said.

“The Home Depot cans tend to flip over,” Schiola said. “These are more user-friendly

than anything else out there. If it breaks or someone else runs it over, it’s the hauler’s cost to come out and repair it. It’s a money savings all around.”

Schiola said he was aware some areas of Loxahatchee Groves lack Wellington’s urban standards, but said automated collection is the trend of the future and will ultimately cost residents less.

“I know some areas are not like Wellington,” Schiola said, “but what we’re trying to do is save the residents some money. This is one way you can say, ‘we are doing the job you have elected us to do.’ You may ask

each hauler to submit two requests for proposal, one for traditional waste service and the other for automated. This is the way we give money back to the residents. Traditional pickup is falling by the wayside almost everywhere. I think in The Acreage and the county, you see people going to automated. It’s easier for residents, and it saves money.”

Councilman Dr. Bill Louda asked for details about the switch from traditional to automated collection, and Schiola said residents would be notified by mail about the changeover and what to expect. “There

would be a little confusion like there was in Wellington and in Royal Palm Beach, but within two pickups, everyone will be on the same page,” he said.

Councilman Dennis Lipp said some residents take their trash out to the “alphabet” roads, and roads along the canals might present other problems for the containers. Residents who move their garbage by pickup truck might have a problem lifting the heavier automated containers, he noted.

“My mindset is that if it happens, it has to be something that works for everyone,” Lipp

See TRASH, page 42A

Resource Depot: Turn Your Trash Into Someone’s Treasure

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

A representative of a local organization showed Acreage Landowners’Association members Tuesday how it turns potential trash into useful educational and creative materials.

Resource Depot collects business discards, samples and scraps that ordinarily go to landfills. These materials, such as foam, plastic, wood and fabric, are offered to educators, parents, children, seniors and other nonprofit agencies at no cost.

Connie Christman, the education and volunteer coordinator for the Riviera Beach-based nonprofit organization, told ALA members Resource Depot’s activities lower the amount of garbage headed for the landfill. “You can help the environment

while helping kids learn,” she said.

Not only does Resource Depot find uses for discarded materials, it often gets more than one use out of them, Christman said. “A lot of what we use would normally have been scrapped as valueless,” she said, “but we not only use it once, the materials are often used several times.”

Christman presented several materials used for a variety of school projects. “I have Styrofoam projects,” she said. “That stuff is not biodegradable, so if it was thrown out, it would just stay in the earth somewhere. We’ve used some of that stuff two and three times. One of the best things about the projects is that teachers come in and get materials, and then they come back later once it’s all done and

we can reuse everything.”

Resource Depot gets its materials mostly by donation. “We do get some grants,” Christman said, “but companies give us leftovers. We have a huge amount of materials an upholstery company just gave us. And we go out and get whatever we can. We always are happy to take donations. If it’s enough, we even send our truck out.”

Resource Depot won a lot of friends at the ALA’s Huck Finn Family Day last March by entertaining young people. Christman volunteered the organization for next year’s event.

Resource Depot also works with schools and daycare centers, Christman said. “We like to go in and help children,” she said, “and we also have sessions where teachers bring their students up to us and go through

all the things we have.”

Resource Depot also runs professional workshops for teachers and childcare workers. “We do a lot of Earth Day,” Christman said, “and we’re always looking for volunteers to help.”

ALA Board Member Maria Enriquez vouched for the good work of the organization. “We got materials there for a float for the Girl Scouts for a parade. And we brought back the materials. They are wonderful,” she said.

Resource Depot is located at 3560 Investment Lane in Riviera Beach. “Shopping days” are Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. except the first Saturday of each month.

For more information about Resource Depot, call (561) 8820090 or visit www.resource depot.net.

Connie Christman

Three Men Take On ‘Four Deserts’ Race As Cancer Fundraiser

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

Three South Florida residents are entering an epic race to help the son of a friend who was diagnosed with pediatric low-grade astrocytoma or PLGA, a brain tumor that occurs in children.

The three men — Lake Worth resident Matt Nelson, Loxahatchee resident Jim Molaschi and Fort Myers resident Brad Howe — formed the nonprofit Endurance Trust to take part in races around the world to raise funds for the Fight PLGA Foundation, an organization that provides financial support to children afflicted with PLGA.

“Our goal is to promote awareness and raise money for the PLGA foundation,” Nelson explained. “If we can help them raise a few dollars maybe we can make all the difference.”

The three friends have trained for marathons, ultramarathons and other long-distance races, but their latest challenge is the Four Deserts, a series of seven-day, 250-kilometer footraces across the world’s most forbidding deserts that begins later this month.

The Four Deserts races cross the Gobi Desert, the Atacama Crossing in Chile, the Sahara Desert and Antarctica. The Sahara race begins Oct. 28, the Antarctica race on Nov. 20, with the Atacama Crossing in March 2008, followed by the Gobi in June 2008.

Nelson said that once he and his partners set out on the races, they must be pretty much self-sufficient.

“The way the races are set up, is they provide the water you need, and checkpoints along the way of the races,” Nelson said. “They provide a tent for you in the evening. Other than that, you have to be self-sufficient. We have 30 pounds of gear, a sleeping bag, any clothing, any toiletries, and all the stuff you have to carry with you. Water is heavy. A gallon of water weighs eight pounds. By the time you put everything on your back, you have 20 to 30 pounds you are carrying. When it is a typical race, the average day can be a 20-mile day, and it can go to 40 to 50 miles a day.”

Nelson said it is difficult to arrange enough practice time for such difficult endurance contests.

“We squeeze it during our work schedules,” he said. “We try to train together. If you are driving down the dirt roads in the polo areas of Wellington, you might see us. You might see a couple of guys running down these dirt roads, and wonder what they are doing.”

Nelson said he and his partners are willing to brave these challenges because the treatment kids with PLGA endure is even more punishing.

“In day five, you have a hundred miles under your belt, and your stomach is upset and your muscles are aching,” Nelson said. “We know in two days, it will be over. It will be

over, and we will feel good. Every morning, they wake up. They are nauseous from the chemotherapy and the pain from the surgery. They have to wake up and keep going. It will be like that every day. We have moms and dads that have to watch it happen to them. There might not be a light at the end of the tunnel. We are trying to give them a light at the end of the tunnel.”

For more information about the Endurance Trust, or to donate to their cause, visit www. endurancetrust.org.

INDIAN TRAIL OFFICE GETS ‘FLOCKED’

Jim Molaschi, Brad Howe and Matt Nelson

The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors was “flocked” this week by Seminole Ridge High School’s Project Graduation Committee. It’s all part of a fundraising project for Seminole Ridge parents to provide a safe graduation party for the Class of 2008. (L-R) Sandra Love Semande, Mike Erickson, Ralph Bair, Michelle Damone, Carol Jacobs and Margie Perez.

Indian Trail Seeking Committee Members

The Indian Trail Improvement District is currently accepting applications from residents interested in serving on committees that provide recommendations to the ITID Board of Supervisors on various matters. Committees seeking members include the Planning Advisory Committee, Recreation Advisory Committee and the Trailways Advisory Committee. Anyone interested in being considered for one of these committees should complete a committee application form. Forms are available online at www. indiantrail.com or at the district office, 13676 61st Street North in The Acreage. All forms must be received by Oct. 30. For more information, call the district office at (561) 793-0874.

Acreage Flag Football

Tourney Jan. 11-13

Acreage Girls Flag Football will host its inaugural Susan G. Komen Flag Football Tournament Jan. 11-13, 2008 at Okeeheelee Park. It will be open to participants from all over the world.

The Acreage Girls Flag Football League is a nonprofit recreational league composed of about 400 girls between the ages of six and 17 who are committed to creating a safe and fun environment in which girls can participate in a sport they love. By hosting the tournament, the league wants to give girls a chance to contribute to finding a cure for a disease that may affect their lives.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation has been committed to finding a cure for breast cancer for the past 25 years. It has raised money for research to find causes and cures of breast cancer. It has ensured quality care by providing grants for breast health treatments. And it has engaged millions in fundraising events like the Race for the Cure, Komen on

the Go, Passionately Pink for the Cure, Annual Mission Conference and the Komen Community Challenge.

Together with the community’s support, the league hopes to make progress toward the eradication of breast cancer as a life-threatening disease through research, education, screening and treatment. Donations are needed to help fund research. To make a tax-deductible donation, call tournament director Chris Matthews at (561) 452-8298 or fundraising chair Tina Malsbury at (561) 346-5366.

Cub Scouts To Host Community Yard Sale

Cub Scout Pack 147 from Loxahatchee will host a community yard sale Saturday, Oct. 20 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Temple Park (Temple Blvd., west of Banyan Blvd. in The Acreage). The pack will also be selling baked goods, hot dogs and beverages.

Good Earth Farm News

Good Earth Farm is hosting a teen 4H club for ages 12 through 16. Anyone interested in working with llamas, horses, dogs and other farm animals should call Nancy at (561) 792-2666. Meetings are Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m.

The dog project is now open to all kids from seven to 17 who want to learn dog handling and obedience. This is geared for the South Florida Fair Dog Show. Every Wednesday at 4 p.m. a national dog judge teaches kids at the Good Earth Farm. The cost is $135 for 12 weeks. All kids and their dogs are welcome.

Trail Ride In The Groves

The Sunshine Paso Fino Horse Club will host a horse trail ride in Loxahatchee Groves on Saturday, Oct. 20 at noon. The parade will start at Ruth Phillips’ house (852 Hyde Park Road). Club mem-

bers will go from hacienda to hacienda on this pleasure ride through the Groves. However, it is not a blanket call for all horse persons to attend; it is not a parade. There will be no spectator area as riders roam the trails around Collecting Canal, D, C and other roads. Riders plan to go through Loxahatchee Groves Park on Southern Blvd. Call Edgar Torres at (561) 601-1087 or Ruth Phillips at (561) 793-2209 for more info.

Harlem Wizards At SRHS

The Harlem Wizards will travel to Seminole Ridge High School on Sunday, Oct. 21 to play against the Hawks inside the school’s gymnasium. The game begins at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $10 per person and will be sold during lunch. There are 1,000 tickets available. All proceeds will benefit Project Graduation. For more information, contact Cindi Walker at (561) 422-2729 or 3861vips@palmbeach. k12.fl.us.

Halloween Party At Palms West Presbyterian

On Saturday, Oct. 27, Palms West Presbyterian Church will sponsor a community-wide Halloween party from 3 to 6 p.m. All children up to fifth grade are invited to attend. Children in sixth grade and up are encouraged to come and help. Be sure to come in costume and join in the games, crafts and snacks. Palms West Presbyterian Church is located at 13689 Okeechobee Blvd. between E and F roads in Loxahatchee.

Raising Money For Bibles

Members of the United States Armed Forces face loneliness and immense struggles as they serve in Iraq and other areas of the world. During their times of need, military chaplains offer prayers and address pastoral concerns to all, no matter what their faith. The outcry from

these chaplains is that they need copies of the Bible to hand out.

“Whether one supports the war in Iraq or not, the fact remains that our soldiers are serving in situations that are both dangerous and draining physically, emotionally... and spiritually,” said Church @ the Grove Pastor Holly Ostlund.

As a result of this concern for the men and women of the military, Church @ the Grove is raising money to put special desert camouflage Bibles into the hands of military chaplains who will distribute them, as appropriate, to the troops under their care. Because the intention is to send the Bibles in large quantity, one Bible that might be a blessing to a soldier will only cost $3.50.

Donations can be made for one Bible ($3.50) or for quantities such as a case of 24 bibles ($84). Every cent donated will go toward the purchase of these special bibles.

If you would like to contribute to the purchase of Bibles, call the Church @ the Grove at (561) 333-2020 or e-mail churchatthegrove@bellsouth.net.

Vinceremos Benefit Sale

At 346 Brooks Brothers

The 346 Brooks Brothers store in the Mall at Wellington Green has chosen the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center as the beneficiary for its first anniversary celebration.

Everyone is invited for refreshments and a special shopping evening benefiting Vinceremos on Thursday, Oct. 25 from 5 to 9 p.m. Attendees will be able to shop Brooks Brothers’ new fall collections for men and women and preview the new Suiting Essentials line for men. Shoppers will save ten percent on purchases and an additional ten percent of sales will be donated to Vinceremos. Call 346 Brooks Brothers to RSVP at (561) 795-0989. For more information, call Vinceremos at (561) 792-9900.

CAFCI HOSTS ANNUAL FRIENDSHIP BALL AT THE KRAVIS CENTER

The Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) held its Annual Friendship Ball on Saturday, Oct. 13 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. The evening featured live musical entertainment by Sweet Justice Band and DJ Dennis Elliot. A silent auction was held with donated items ranging from jewelry and liquor to artwork and trips. For more information about CAFCI, call (561) 790-4002 or visit www.cafci.net.

Amanayea Abraham, Sandra Ruffin and Vera Barker.

Royal Palm Beach Councilman Fred Pinto (left) and Mayor David Lodwick (right) present Elet Cyris (cneter) with CAFCI’s Citizen of the Year award.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Ann Marie Sorrell and Sophia Nelson look at photos from last year’s friendship ball.

Norma Morris, Daphne Reynolds and Gervin Collins.

Rhonda Ferrin-Davis accepts a proclamation from Chris Santamaria, son of County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, declaring Oct 13, 2007 CAFCI Day in Palm Beach County.

Hyacinth Wilson and Monica Grant look over the silent auction items.

Lisa and Jacob Rose dance the night away.

Royal Palm Beach Councilman David Swift presents Rhonda Ferrin-Davis with a proclamation declaring Oct. 13, 2007 CAFCI Day in the village.

I’m Relieved To Finally Confess A Heinous Sin From My Youth

I’ve decided to do some emotional housecleaning this month and get rid of any long-held burdens cluttering up my otherwise happy life — thoughts and feelings that are out of date but still come back to haunt me in the middle of the night. For some reason, I’ve chosen October 2007 to forgive myself and move on. This exercise is supposed to make me a more secure person, better able to help others. We’ll see.

Now, I know you don’t care what skeletons I have rattling around in my closet, but they say confession is good for the soul, so I’m going to confess: it was me. Yup, that time back in high school… It was me.

Even if you didn’t attend Custer High, a school so screwed up that they named their football team the Indians, you may be able to relate. After all, didn’t everybody have one teacher who made everyone stay after class until she figured out who the Perpetrator of the Day was?

In this scenario, the teacher would release into the wild only those students whom she had somehow ascertained to be blameless. Using an unfair and highly subjective process, she would excuse, one by one, those who (she felt) had not pulled the fire alarm, brought the knife to school or set off the stink bomb. So the “innocent” wasted only some of their free time while those who were profiled as possible suspects wasted more. I never found out what she did when it was down to just her and three or four “likely suspects.” I guess her plan was to use peer pressure to get them to turn each other in... but they also could have rushed her, locked her in the coat closet and gone home. I didn’t know and I didn’t care. But I did understand the system well enough to use it to my advantage when the time came.

Oh, yeah.

One day I was sitting in class, bored out of my mind (as usual), and I yawned

this big fat yawn. That would’ve been rude enough but, unfortunately, opening my mouth that wide also caused a rubber band to slip off my braces and catapult through the air, hitting the teacher in a very sensitive area.

She was quite livid and demanded that whoever did it come forward. You could’ve heard a pin drop. Even the “bad boys” in the back were quiet, perplexed as they were. Time dragged on and I did not come forward because a) it seemed like an honest mistake and b) I was petrified. I didn’t want to have to explain why my mouth contained rubber bands or, worse yet, show anybody. The teacher shouted that now we’d all be staying after school.

Big surprise. So we sat there and sat there and nobody admitted to the crime, and then she started releasing students one by one. I think I was the fifth to be pardoned. When she called my name, I innocently gathered up my books and

left the room, justifying this behavior by mentally tallying up all the time I’d spent sitting there when it really wasn’t my fault. The guilt came over me later. So even though that incident took place over three decades ago, it’s something that I’d like to confess — and apologize for. Rocky? Spike? Bubba? I’m sorry you had to stay after school for the rubber-band incident. I knew it wasn’t your fault and I let you fry for it. But think of how someday we’ll all look back on this and laugh. We will. OK, I will. Some day.

Peace And Prosperity Start With Gadgets, Not Governments

Inventors are more likely to solve many of our problems than righteous politicians. This was amply demonstrated at the Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Awards for 2007, which not only highlighted some really cool new devices from our premier hightech companies, but also showed some very low-tech items that can do more to help the world than a dozen major government programs that will almost certainly fail.

A couple of very low-tech items were designed for developing countries that might have some benefit even here. For example, we’ve been reading a lot about the advantages of wind power, particularly since, while it does not use up resources or dump a lot of garbage in the atmosphere, seems to annoy the very rich and powerful when it blocks off

their view. And if anyone thinks that the rich and powerful do not have a larger voice than the vast majority of the middle-class, take a look at Palm Beach County politics. However, imagine a device which is far smaller, does not wipe out birds flying by (a major reason given for opposition to the big turbines), and actually does not use a turbine at all. But it works with small amounts of wind. The device shown can keep a light bulb lit or run a radio. The cost? According to the inventor, between two and five dollars to build and after that, nothing at all. That would be a great small source of energy in developing countries. For us, it might be an interesting device for help after a hurricane knocks out electricity. Imagine being able to run your refrigerator and perhaps a light or two with it. That would certainly ease things,

and it might be possible within a year or two. How much longer before we could just store electricity over longer periods of time and even keep the air conditioning going for a few days? Who knows?

Another exciting breakthrough was a special cooking device developed for people in places like Darfur where there is almost no fuel. It is extraordinarily efficient, can be used easily, and runs at the cultural level of many of the people there. Someone else designed a greenhouse that can be made from the plastic from old PVC pipes and soda containers. Instead of being a disposal problem, they can help feed us.

There are other devices, some of them really nifty, made for people at a higher level of development. Students at Cornell University have created a computer that actually makes things. Put in a three

On My Mind...

By Leonard Wechsler

dimensional design to build something that is made of any material that can be kept in both liquid and solid form (like plastic) and it will use a robotic arm to gradually build what has been designed, essentially molecule by molecule, no matter how complex. Eventually it will probably be used to build computer chips as well as dozens of other projects. Who knows? Perhaps it might be able to build

See WECHSLER, page 42A

F.O.P. LODGE HOSTS RETIREMENT PARTY FOR MAJOR BOB FERRELL

A retirement party was held for Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Major Bob Ferrell at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #50 on Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach last Thursday. A number of speakers were in attendance, including current Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, past sheriffs, fellow officers, friends and family. Ferrell’s law enforcement career dates back to 1972. He was most recently commander of countywide operations for the PBSO.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Tom Neighbors, Jose Gonzalez and Carl Durr.

Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and District 8 Captain Greg Richter.

District 9 Captain Tony Araujo and Lt. Michael Kirchner.

Major Bob Ferrell with Ed Jablonski.

Major Bob Ferrell and Colonel Mike Gauger engage in some boxing.

Halloween Costume Party At Nicole’s

Nicole’s Village Tavern is excited to host its annual Halloween Costume Party for adults on Saturday, Oct. 27. The night will include “spooktacular” dinner specialties, thirst-quenching “spirits,” costume contests, and dancing.

“We are so excited to host our annual Halloween Costume Party at Nicole’s. It has become a tradition for our restaurant,” co-owner Jaene Miranda said. “We are now in our sixth year, and it continues to get better each year. Local area residents really enjoy our prizes for the best costumes — it truly is a night when the young-at-heart have a chance to celebrate this fun event with their neighbors.”

In addition to the regular menu, Nicole’s will feature Halloween-themed dishes, desserts and drinks. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded in the best costume contest. A DJ will provide music for dancing at 10:30 p.m. Free appetizers will be served after midnight.

For more information on the Nicole’s

Village Tavern Halloween costume party, call owner Ron Miranda at (561) 6440710 or call the restaurant at (561) 7933456.

Nicole’s Village Tavern is an upscalecasual restaurant known for its extensive menu, live music and a large selection of martinis. Nestled in the heart of Wellington, Nicole’s offers a cosmopolitan dining experience separating it from the many casual chain restaurants in town. For guests that prefer the outdoors, Nicole’s offers sit-down bar and complete dining service. The eclectic menu includes an impressive selection of appetizers, salads, pastas, pizzas, seafood, premium steaks, ribs and chops. Late night dining is available, and the restaurant can accommodate groups for large parties. Nicole’s Village Tavern offers live music Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Nicole’s Village Tavern is located at 12300 South Shore Blvd. in Wellington’s Mizner shopping plaza. For more information, visit www.nicolesvillagetavern.com.

Costume Party — Steve Roberts, Amy Roberts, Debbie Astern, Richard Astern, Ellen Onofrietto, Rocky Onofrietto at last year’s Halloween party at Nicole’s.

For Acreage Artist Aileen Siracusa, There’s No Place Like Home

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

The home of Acreage artist Aileen Siracusa is a showcase of her wideranging talents.

The house she shares with her husband Frank is also home to her Artitude Studio & Gallery, and contains innumerable examples of her work in silk flower arranging, shadow boxes, sculpture, faux painting, stenciling and designing accessories for the home and office.

Her metal sculptures can be found in the yard while inside, her stenciled decorations and other brushwork can be found on walls, furniture, even an air-conditioning vent. Shadowboxes and tableaux populated by dolls and plush animals sit alongside arrangements of silk flowers and found objects, gleaned from sources as wideranging as local big-box stores and rummage sales.

Although art is a lifelong love for Siracusa, she did not embrace it fully until later in life. A native New Yorker, Siracusa grew up in Manhattan and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at New York University and a master’s degree in the same field at Columbia University.

Although other members of her family were medical professionals, Siracusa said she found the study of medicine did not suit her. “I started off as a premed student,” Siracusa said. “My father was a dentist, and my uncles were doctors, and I thought you should do what the family does, but I could not stand the sight of blood. I could not take it. I would get sick looking at it. I switched over to psychology. I had a crush on a boy who was in psychology, so that helped.”

She married her first husband and had children, and Siracusa began work-

ing with families who had retarded or autistic children but little access to social services. “They could be any age,” Siracusa said of the children she worked with. “They could be anyone from newborn to 16 or 17. They lived at home, and there were no services for them. I would try to provide services for them, either homemaker services or school settings. I did that for a long, long time, and I loved it.”

During this time Siracusa also studied at the New York School of Interior Design and the Pratt Institute. But she discovered her love for metalwork quite by chance when her children’s swing set broke. They brought the swing set to a mechanic whose back yard con-

tained a scattering of metal pieces and parts she found intriguing.

“I was wandering around the yard and I said I liked this piece, and he said take it away,” Siracusa recalled.

“I found another, and he said take that too. He said, ‘just take it. I don’t mind you cleaning up my yard.’”

After a divorce Siracusa met her second husband Frank, a music teacher, and the couple moved to Long Island, then to Loxahatchee and then to The Acreage where the couple has lived for seven years.

She said they never expected to move to the western communities but fell in love with the rural atmosphere while visiting her sister. “We were going to

move to Jupiter at first,” Siracusa said, “but my sister happened to be with us. She lives in Boynton Beach. She took a little ride with us. They didn’t know the area either, and it was practically nothing at the time.”

Despite her natural talents and experience, Siracusa said she would like to take more formal art classes. “I would like to take a class and learn more,” she said. “I think formal training is important. I believe in free expression of art but you need discipline and structure. People sometimes say anything goes, but you have to work within some kind of structure.”

For more information on Siracusa or her work, call (561) 753-5594.

Artist In Residence — Aileen Siracusa shows off some of the many creations displayed at Artitude Studio and Gallery, based at her home in The Acreage.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Wolverines Still Without A Win After Being Shut Out By Gardens

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

Three area high school football teams found their offense last week, while one continued to struggle.

Last Thursday, Royal Palm Beach High School junior quarterback Marvin Payne continued his breakout year in the air, completing six of seven passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 41-13 victory over Boynton Beach.

Palm Beach Central High School, in a need of a victory after four consecutive losses, defeated John I. Leonard 51-33 last Friday behind a school-record 340 yards rushing by senior David Ahola, while Seminole Ridge High School running backs Allan Lopez and Will Jones combined for 170 yards in the Hawks’ 38-7 homecoming victory over Suncoast.

Wellington High School, meanwhile, was shut out 28-0 by Palm Beach Gardens last Friday, the third time the Wolverines (0-7) were blanked this year.

FOOTBALL

Ahola’s performance against John I.

Leonard was the second time in four weeks he set the school rushing record.

Ahola ran for 230 yards in the Broncos’ 35-23 loss to Lake Worth on Sept. 20.

Last week, Ahola scored on runs of 4, 40, 3, 48, 33 and 66 yards and averaged nearly 14 yards per carry.

“I had no clue how many yards I was getting,” Ahola said. “I just did what they told me to do. But I knew how many touchdowns I had. Those were easier to keep track of.”

For the season, Ahola has gained 850 yards and goes into this week’s Seminole Ridge game averaging more than 7.6 yards per carry. Those numbers are nice, and likely will improve in the Broncos’ final four games, but Ahola said he’d trade all the big numbers for a few more victories in what has been a rollercoaster season.

“There have been a lot of ups and downs, but that’s football,” Ahola said.

“Hopefully we can get a few more wins, and if God’s on our side, make the playoffs.”

The Broncos (2-4) spent this week gearing up for Friday’s homecoming game against the Hawks (3-3).

“They’re one of the better coached teams that we play,” PBCHS coach John Timmins said of the Hawks Monday. “They get a lot of out of their players. We just need to keep doing things the right way.”

Against Suncoast (1-6), the Hawks certainly did things the right way. Seminole Ridge jumped out a 24-0 first-half lead and never looked back. The Hawks amassed 348 yards total offense. Lopez finished with 89 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns. Jones ran for 81 yards and one touchdown. Hawks quarterback Josh Jackson threw only five times but completed four for 89 yards and a touchdown to Javian Wrisper.

RPBHS also got off to a quick start against Boynton Beach, something coach Eric Patterson has been looking

for all season. The Wildcats got a pair of first-quarter touchdowns from sophomore Schnyder Louis and another on a 30-yard interception return by safety Ricky Houser to gain a 21-0 lead with two minutes left in the first quarter. Louis’ touchdowns in the quarter couldn’t have been more contrasting. He scored his first touchdown after taking a short pass from Payne and running 69 yards on the Wildcats’ second play of the game. After Houser’s interception return made it 14-0, Royal Palm Beach blocked a Tigers punt that Louis recovered in the end zone to make it 21-0. Payne also threw touchdown passes to Javonti Greene (38 yards) and Perry McIntyre (44 yards). For the season, Payne has completed 57 of 119 passes for 858 yards and eight touchdowns.

Aside from the Palm Beach CentralSeminole Ridge game, the Wolverines were set to host unbeaten Park Vista (60) in their homecoming game, while Royal Palm Beach (4-2) headed to Lake Worth (5-2).

This Wellington High School touchdown run was recalled because senior Chad Endres stepped out of bounds.WHS junior DJ Law tries in vain to slow a Gardens ball carrier.

Wellington sophomore Michael Garifine hangs onto the ball as he is tackled during last week’s game against Palm Beach Gardens. This pass to WHS senior Greg Nowak was broken up by a Gardens defender.

Wellington junior Brendan Carroll tries to plow forward with the ball.

Gearing Up For Golf — The 26th Annual Wellington Boys & Girls Club Golf Classic, presented by Builtx Land Development, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 17 at the Binks Forest Golf Club. Proceeds will go directly to provide programming for more than 750 children served at the Boys & Girls Club of Wellington located on South Shore Blvd. For more information, call Sara Mariani at (561) 683-3287. (L-R) Wheeler Stewart, Jordan Paul, Ed Portman, Pat Evans, Jim Reid, Gary Thomas, Terry Strongin, Tim Haines and Paul Makris.

Young Angler — Five-yearold Jake Roberts of Wellington caught an 18.5-inch, fourpound bass in a lake near his home in the Isles at Wellington on Oct. 14. Using a Zebco reel and brown plastic worm rigged Texas style (that’s with the barb inserted lightly into the plastic worm so it won’t catch weeds), Jake cast out to to the middle of the lake. He then slowly bumped his worm along the bottom until the fish grabbed on. He set the hook and started to reel in the fish. Given the size of his fishing outfit and the size of the fish, he started walking backward up the hill to land the fish, receiving no assistance other than to remove the hook, according to his mother Amy Roberts.

WHS Golfers Place High At District Tourney

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report GOLF GOLF

Whoever believes golf is solely an individual sport should take a look at the Wellington High School boys golf team. The Wolverines placed three players in the top five at the District 18-2A tournament on Monday at Lacuna Golf Club in Lake Worth en route to posting a four-man team score of 311 to win their

third consecutive district championship.

Palm Beach Central and Palm Beach Gardens tied for second at 328.

The Wolverines’ Aaron Taylor won medalist honors with a four-over-par 75 followed by teammate Mike Ferranolo’s 76.

Wellington’s John Welch carded a 79 to finish fifth, and

Soccer Champs — The Wellington Wave U-11 girls soccer team came into their recent championship game with two wins and one tie; the Boynton Knights were undefeated. But a strong Wave defense held the Knights scoreless throughout the game, and the Wellington girls won 3-0. This is their second championship win in as many tournaments. Coach William Acevedo is a very happy coach. Shown here are goalie Casey Williams; defense players Nicole Dorminey, Kassidy Roberts and Alison Bowlby; and offense players Danielle Andersen, Nadira Davis, Alana Grnja, Jubilee Zevenbergen, Christin Costa, Emily Stamper, Makaylan Clark and Victoria Cruz.

the Wolverines’ Steve Furness shot 81. Chris Crawford and Tommy Brooks each shot 81 for Palm Beach Central.

“It really helped having three rounds in the 70s,” Wellington coach Kent Mauney said. “And Steve Furness is only a sophomore. His 81 was a big boost for us, too.”

Wellington, Palm Beach Central and Palm Beach Gardens each advance to a regional tournament Oct. 23 at Majors Golf Club at Bayside Lakes in Palm Bay.

Taylor, Ferranolo and Welch each have been on Wolverines district championship teams the past three years.

“We’ve kind of been up and down this season,” Mauney said. “John Welch has really been coming on. Our weakness was in our number 3, 4 and 5 players. We were pretty set with out top two [seniors Taylor and Ferranolo]. They pretty much shot the same scores all season so this wasn’t a surprise for them. Steve and John have showed signs of breaking through but really hadn’t shot anything really good like I thought they were capable of shooting.”

Welch’s 79, Mauney said, was his first score in the 70s during a competitive round.

“He did it at the right time,” Mauney said. “And this was Steve’s first time playing in the district tournament. So we finally had four kids shooting what they’re capable of shooting at the same time. I was very pleased.”

LADY WILDCATS DEFEAT JUPITER TO CAP THEIR REGULAR SEASON

The Royal Palm Beach High School girls varsity volleyball team outlasted the visiting Jupiter Warriors in five games on Tuesday night in the final game of their regular season. The scores were 25-20, 14-25, 26-24, 23-25, 17-15.

Jessica Morrison serves.

Shaina Abdell scored the final point for the Wildcats in the tie-breaking fifth game.

Wildcat Latoya Harvin tries to block a Jupiter ball.

Taylor Johnson and Latoya Harvin get a hand on the ball.

Kelly Donovan hits the ball over the net for Royal Palm.

Cassady Cook reacts as a Jupiter player tries to tip the ball over the net.

International Polo

Some of the top croquet players in the world will be competing for $2,000 in prize money on Oct. 19-22 at the newly installed croquet courts at International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington.

John Osborne, the lowest handicapped American Rules player at -2.5, will be competing as well as acting as tournament director for this event. In addition, Osborne is the teaching professional at IPC and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach.

Other area professionals scheduled to play are David Bent (-1.0) from St. Andrews Club in Delray Beach; Tim

CHARGERS

Club To Host Croquet Tourney Oct. 19-22

Bitting (-1.0) of West Palm Beach; Dick Brackett (-1.0) of Wellington; Ron Lloyd (-1.5) of Pinehurst Country Club, in North Carolina; Leo McBride (-2.0) of Barrie in Ontario, Canada; Johnny Mitchell Jr. (-1.5) of Houston, Texas; and Mike Zurn (1.0) of Chicago, Illinois.

The laser-leveled croquet courts near the clubhouse at IPC overlook the beautifully manicured polo fields. With polo silent during October this croquet tournament brings a new level of professional sport to the club.

DEFEAT BILLS

The Western Communities Football League Prep Chargers recently defeated the Prep Bills 22-0 in a game well played by both teams. The Chargers’ stingy defense was led by the Smith boys, Jack and Deandre. Javier Carrasquilla had a key fumble recovery, and Chance Rocket, Zach Sundook, Matthew Careccia and Cody Conley had several tackles each. The Chargers offensive line was led by left tackle Sean Gallegher who had an outstanding game. Grant Pignato, Casey Ohman, Jake Rosenhaus, Justin Tibbets and Harrison Paul all contributed major blocks leading to touchdowns by running back Brendan Fonts, fullback Keenan Duggan and quarterback Ben Sundook. Ryan Charles barreled his way for a twopoint conversion. The Bills offense was led by quarterback Jordan Gantwarg, Kirkland Lehto and Justyn Mateika. On defense, the Bills received outstanding play from linebacker Gregory Begnoche, Joseph DiGiacomo, Charlie O’Neil and Brandon Guyn. Pictured here, Chargers quarterback Ben Sundook goes all the way for a touchdown.

22-0

The weekend event begins with a reception on Friday, Oct. 19, with singles-only match play beginning Saturday, Oct. 20 in a double-banked format (two matches played simultaneously on the court in opposite directions). The championship trophy will be awarded following the playoffs on Oct. 22.

“We’re very proud to be sponsoring this inaugural event,” International Polo Club General Manager John Wash said. “This professional level of croquet is very exciting and we will be doing what

we can to assure its success.”

American Rules croquet is growing in popularity and differs substantially from nine-wicket or “backyard” croquet. The American game is played through six-wickets and requires planning similar to chess, knowledge and physical interaction similar to billiards, as well as keen hand-eye coordination. For more information about the tournament, call the International Polo Club Palm Beach at (561) 204-5687, or visit www.croquetamerica.com or www. internationalpoloclub.com.

Nick Israel Sets Record In Weightlifting Competition

Wellington resident Nick Israel competed last weekend at the 2007 AAU World Powerlifting Championships at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex. Israel competed as a teen (18-19) in the 181 lb. division. He lifted in the full-power competition which consists of the squat, bench and deadlift as well as the single bench.

Israel won both world championships and set an AAU American record for his bench in the full power. He also set world records for his bench and deadlift in the full power. Israel’s bench was 363.8 lbs. and his deadlift was 492.7 lbs. This was an amazing feat considering Israel is still in rehabilitation for a knee injury and may not still be at full capacity.

Israel is a sophomore at the University of Florida and is the captain and president of the UF Powerlifting Club. Israel and the team will compete at the State Collegiate Championships in Miami next month. They hope to repeat as Florida collegiate champions; it was

at last year’s Florida collegiate meet that Israel, a freshman at the time, set all four state collegiate records in his weight class (squat, bench, deadlift and total for the three lifts).

Israel hopes several members of the team will qualify for the National Collegiate Championships, which will be held next April in Denver, Colorado.

FUDDRUCKERS DONATES SALES TO BREAST CANCER RESEARCH

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Fuddruckers restaurant near the Mall at Wellington Green held a benefit for the breast cancer support group Your Bosom Buddies II on Oct. 15. Twenty percent of sales between 5 and 9 p.m. were donated to the group. Bosom Buddies also sold pink-ribbon items (bracelets, pins, bears, necklaces, etc.) and accepted donations. For more information about Your Bosom Buddies II, call Shari Zipp at (561) 596-4272 or e-mail sharjef@bellsouth.net, or visit www.bosombuddies.cjb.net.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Michelle Steiber, Shari Zipp, Suzie Donovan and Fran Courtney.

Maureen Gross, Julie Tannehill and mom Judy.

Shari Zipp (center) with mother-inlaw Rose Freed and son Andrew.Shari Zipp, Shanti Zittere and Sally Donovan at the pink-ribbon items table.

(Front row, L-R) Marie Phillips, Michelle Steiber, Susie Donovan and Fran Courtney; (back row) Shari Zipp and Fuddruckers Manager Franz Forges.

Saturday, Oct. 20

• The West Palm Beach Home & Garden Show will continue Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 20 and 21 at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center. Ticket prices are $9 for adults, $4.50 for children 6-12, and free for ages five and younger. On Friday only, seniors 65 and older get a special discounted rate of $7. Parking is free. For info., visit www. floridahomeshows.com or call (888) 254-0882.

the Hanley Center. To register, call Amanda Guelzow at (561) 841-1115, e-mail aguelzow@ hanleycenter.org or visit www. hanleycenter.orgwalk/run.

• Dr. Alec Pridgeon of Wellington will give the keynote address at the American Orchid Society’s (AOS) biannual conference, which continues Oct.20 and 21 at the American Orchid Society Visitors Center & Botanical Gardens in Delray Beach and Embassy Suites in Boca Raton. Pridgeon is a past editor of the American Orchid Society Bulletin and founding editor of the scientific orchid journal Lindleyana. To register or for more info., visit www. aosfall2007.com or call (561) 404-2052.

• The American German Club of the Palm Beaches (5111 Lantana Road, Lake Worth) will host its annual Oktoberfest through Oct. 21. Call (561) 2791380 for more info.

• Epiphany Lutheran Church (4660 Lyons Road, Lake Worth) will continue its Pumpkin Patch Fundraiser through Oct. 30 from noon to 8 p.m. Pumpkins will be for sale the entire time and there will be face painting, hayrides and games on weekends. For more info., call Teri Bernhardt at (561) 9683627.

• Fright Nights at the South Florida Fairgrounds will continue through Wednesday, Oct. 31 starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, concluding on Halloween night. Tickets cost $10 general admission in advance ($15 at the gate) and $20 for unlimited access ($25 at the gate). For more info., call (561) 793-0333 or visit www.southfloridafair. com.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother in the Rinker Playhouse through Sunday, Nov. 4. Describing her experiences both as a gay mother of two sons and as the daughter of a quintessential Jewish mother, Emmy Award-winning stand-up comedian Judy Gold mixes autobiographical commentary with snippets based on more than 50 interviews with Jewish women across the U.S. Tickets are $28. For more info., call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org.

• Enjoy a walk sponsored by the Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association in Okeeheelee Park on Forest Hill Blvd. on Saturday, Oct. 20. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the parking lot near the western entrance of the park. Call Daisy (561) 439-5780 for more info.

• “One Step at a Time: A 5K walk/Run for Recovery” will take place Saturday, Oct. 20 Okeeheelee Park’s Micanopy Pavilion (7500 Forest Hill Blvd.). Registration is at 7:30 a.m.; the race begins at 8:30. The cost is $15 in advance and $25 the day of the race (includes a T-shirt). The event will benefit

• Art in the Gardens will be presented at the newly opened Midtown on PGA Blvd. Saturday, Oct. 20 and Sunday, Oct. 21. The free event will showcase more than 75 regional artists. There will also be local musical entertainment, children’s activities and food from newly opened restaurants in Midtown. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days. Premium parking will be available for $5 with free offsite parking and shuttle service. For more information on Art in the Gardens, visit www.artigras.org or call the North Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce at (561) 694-2300.

• The Wellington High School Soccer Boosters will hold a golf tournament fundraiser at the Links at Madison Green in Royal Palm Beach on Saturday, Oct. 20. The event will feature a four-player scramble format, followed by a buffet dinner and awards presentations. Raffle prizes will be available. The cost per golfer is $100. Foursomes are encouraged, but individual players are also welcome. Proceeds from the tournament will support the WHS boys soccer program. To register, or for more information, call Michael Bach at (561) 3793589 or Jo-Ann DiLallo at (561) 791-7742.

Thursday, Oct. 25

• The Women’s Impact Network (WIN) meets at noon the fourth Thursday of the month at the Madison Green Grill (2001 Crestwood Blvd. North, Royal Palm Beach). Call Connie Ingram at (561) 389-7862 for more information.

Friday, Oct. 26

• Hearts and Hope will hold its Eighth Annual Ball in the Fall on Friday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Palm Beach Zoo (1301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach). This year’s theme will be “A Night in the Wild.” The ball will include a silent auction, live auction, dinner and dancing. Tickets are $150. Proceeds will benefit Hearts and Hope, a not-for-profit organization devoted to providing support for children and their families who have experienced the death of a loved one. For more information, call Susie MacDonald or Melissa Mulvihill at (561) 832-1913.

• Lake Worth Hugs Not Drugs will sponsor its fifth annual haunted house Haunted Walls of Horror Oct. 26-28 at the YMCA (2085 South Congress Avenue, Palm Springs). Doors open at 6 p.m. each evening. Tickets cost $10; $2 discounts are available at www.haunted hallsofhorror.com.

Saturday, Oct. 27

• The St. Rita Council of Catholic Women will hold a White Elephant Sale on Saturday, Oct 27 under the pavilion in the St. Rita Parish parking lot. Participants may rent a parking space for $20 (bring your own table). The CCW will operate a snack bar. For more info., call (561) 798-2853.

• Volunteers and team leaders are sought for the annual Cypress Harvest & Student Photography Project on Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Arthur R.

Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge west of Boynton Beach. Team leaders should be at least 14 years old and will supervise groups of 15-20 volunteers as they collect cypress seeds from native trees at the refuge. RSVP to (561) 805-8733 or plantcypress @aol.com. To find out more about being a team leader email susanna.laurenti@art marshall.com.

• The Wellington Fall Festival will take place on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Village Park Gymnasium (11700 Pierson Road). The howling fun begins at 5 p.m. with the Old Gym Haunted Hallways, a hauntingly happy hour until 6 p.m. for children ages eight and under. The evening continues with a parade of costumes. Festivities will continue throughout the evening. All activities require the purchase of coupon tickets (prices vary per activity) or the purchase of an all-access bracelet for $15. For more information, call (561) 753-2484.

• Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairgrounds will host Spookyville Oct. 27, 28 and 31. A Halloween costume parade along with children’s games and activities will be available all three days. Admission is $5 per person. Children ages two and under are admitted free. Parking is free. For more info., visit www.south floridafair.com or call (561) 7930333.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will present the Gregorian Masters of Chant in Dreyfoos Hall on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. Dressed in robes and backed by musicians and guest vocalist Amelia Brightman, the choir’s chants bring an agesold sound into the modern musical landscape. Tickets are available by calling (561) 8327469 or visiting www.kravis.org. Sunday, Oct. 28

• The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will provide an opportunity to walk of part of the Ocean to Lake Hiking Trail on Sunday, Oct. 28. Walkers will meet at the entrance to the North County Airport on Beeline Highway at 7:30 a.m. Call Alan (561) 586-0486 for more info.

• First Baptist Church of Royal Palm Beach (10701 Okeechobee Blvd.) will hold “Trunk or Treat” on Sunday, Oct. 28 with free food, games, bounce houses, loads of candy and a petting zoo. Fire-rescue trucks will be on hand from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Plenty of parking will be available. For more info., call Dan Long at (561) 793-2475 or visit www.trunkortreat.tv.

• The Grammy Award-winning reggae group Inner Circle will perform a free concert Sunday, Oct. 28 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Meyer Amphitheater in West Palm Beach. Guests are welcome to bring their own blankets, lawn chairs and coolers. For more info., call (561) 822-1515 or visit www.wpb.org.

• Okeeheelee Park Nature Center (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.) will hold “Dipnetting Daze” for ages seven and older on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m. The cost is $3 per person. RSVP to (561) 233-1400.

Send calendar items to: Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@gotowncrier. com.

What is Organizational Management?

Organizational Management (ORM) is a broad-based program that emphasizes

You will enhance your career opportunities while you develop the knowledge and skills to compete with other college graduates. Learn how to lead effectively and apply sound business and management principles as you enhance your understanding of human behavior and its relationship to today’s global work

The ORM program is flexible in applying previously earned college credit to your degree. Professional Education Credit may also be awarded for professional licenses and certificates. If you have earned an Associate of Arts degree or the equivalent, you should be able to complete your degree in 1½ to 2 years.

Classes are accelerated and meet in the evening from 6 - 10 p.m. Attending two

How much will it cost?

Earning an evening college degree is an investment that will pay off. Your total cost and your cost per semester will depend on several factors: full-time or parttime student status, the number of credit hours you transfer to PBA, the type of financial aid you qualify for, Florida residency, and tuition assistance from your employer. Full-time students who are Florida residents receive a $1500 Florida Resident Access Grant (FRAG) each fall and spring semester.

Seminole Ridge Staff Members To Challenge The Harlem Wizards

Seminole Ridge High School students can see their teachers in another light when staff members — dubbed the Hawk Heroes — challenge the Harlem Wizards in an exhibition basketball game Sunday, Oct. 21 from 3 to 5 p.m. Tickets will be $15 at the door.

Chorus Gets Candlelight Congratulations to the choral department for being accepted to the 2007 Walt Disney World Candlelight Processional on the American Gardens Stage at

EPCOT. This annual Disney World event showcases thousands of high school choirs nationwide, each one of which auditions annually. The SRHS chorus will sing with 300 other high school students, accompanied by the Walt Disney World Orchestra, a celebrity guest narrator, the Voices of Liberty and a 70-member Disney cast choir. The Seminole Ridge singers will perform at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9.

Band Qualifies for State

The band students had a great performance last weekend. They traveled to Charles W. Flanagan High School to compete against bands from throughout South Florida. The Hawks placed third in their class and seventh overall, receiving the awards of Superior Drum Majors with Distinction, Superior General Effect and Superior Visual. Their score qualified them for state competition Nov. 17 in Tampa.

Freshman Football Makes

Waves at P.B. Lakes — The freshman football team continued its winning ways, traveling to Palm Beach Lakes to whip the Rams 29-16.

Ricky Simon scored a touchdown on a sweep around the right end, while fullback Ethan Howell scored two touchdowns and added a two-point conversion. Jarryd Klaffka had more than 100 yards rushing and added a two-point conversion as well.

Steven McPherson inter-

cepted a Lakes pass attempt, taking it to the house for the Hawks’ second touchdown just before the half to give the Loxahatchee lads a 14-8 halftime lead.

Defense scored on an interception and caused the Rams to fumble four times. Chris Betta and Domenic Servidio each recovered two fumbles, while Steven McPherson, Pierson Masillion, Fred Grunwald and Eric Strickland each forced a fumble.

Osceola Creek Middle School Recognizes Two Scholar-Athletes

Osceola Creek Middle School recently announced the recipients of the Scholar-Athlete Award for September. The award is sponsored by the School Police and honors varsity athletes who also excel in academics, effort, behavior and school spirit, and serve as role models for others.

This month’s two honorees, both eighth graders, carry high grade point averages and play varsity sports.

Softball honored Amanda Trainor. Coach Debbie Galavan said that Amanda epitomizes the word “scholar.” She is an excellent student, even though she devotes a lot of time to playing softball. Amanda is a leader in the classroom as well as on the field. She demonstrates self control, responsibility and all-around good citizenship. She is one of the captains on Osceola Creek’s softball team. She is able to delegate responsibilities to team members, while maintaining a

healthy and friendly relationship with them. In the classroom, Amanda appears to be shy, but on the field she knows how to get inside the batters’ heads. She is an awesome catcher who loves the challenge of a runner trying to steal. She has cut down runners trying to steal second base while throwing from her knees. After a home plate collision, Amanda gets up, wipes herself off and continues. “She exemplifies a true sportsmanslike attitude. She plays hard and always gives 100 percent. Amanda is a terrific student, stupendious athlete, lovely young lady and a pleasure to have on the team,” Galavan said. Amanda is a straight A student who is carrying a 4.50 grade point average due to her advanced placement and honors classes. A member of the honor society, she is undecided on a college, but said she wants to be an education major. Amanda received the Citizenship Award as a sixth-

grader and volunteers her time at fundraisers at neighborhood elementary schools.

Baseball honored Trent Bellamy, who is carrying a 3.7 GPA and has perfect attendance.

Coach Derek Kervi said that Trent has earned this year’s Baseball Team Scholar Athlete Award. He is in his final year here at Osceola Creek and also his third and final year on the team. He has helped the baseball team with his defense, hitting and pitching. Most recently, Trent was called on to pitch and earned a clutch save against Polo Park Middle School, preserving a 3-1 lead. Throughout his years as a player, Trent has shown leadership both on the field and in the classroom. All players and students look to him as an example of how to show and earn the respect of teachers and coaches.

Supporting the program are Moroso Motorsports, which donated free passes to the hon-

orees, Subway and Burger King (located at Seminole-Pratt Whitney Road and Orange Blvd.) and Dairy Queen (Royal Palm Beach and Okeechobee boulevards), which donated free food coupons.

Send school 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.

Osceola Creek Principal Dave Alfonso with students Amanda Trainor and Trent Bellamy, and Police Officer Sandy Molenda.

Wellington Debaters Take Eight Firsts At Forensic League Tourney

The Wellington High School Debate Team dominated the competition at Jupiter High School Saturday, Oct. 13 during the first multiple-event Palm Beach Catholic Forensic League Tournament.

Eight Wolverine debaters scored first-place finishes at the competition. Sophomore Alex Hernicz went 4-0, taking top honors in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, where students presented philosophical arguments on the justice of capital punishment.

In Public Forum Debate, where the topic centered on endorsement of a soft partition of Iraq, the team of senior Hayley Kolich and Michael Stechschulte also went 4-0, placing first overall.

In Novice Duo Interpretation, the freshman pair of Samantha Gumas and Christine Simmons not only took first place in presenting an 10minute-long excerpt of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple (For

Women), but ranked first overall in each of their four rounds. Two Student Congress legislators placed first in their respective chambers: freshman Benjamin Aqua (Novice Congress) and Amanda DeStefano (Varsity Congress). And junior Michael Leon placed first overall in Novice Extemporaneous Speaking, narrowly edging teammate Nicole Hoskens,

who placed second in the event.

In Public Forum Debate, the team of seniors Chelsea Fitzgerald and Raquel Kraushar placed fourth overall, also finishing with an unblemished 4-0 record. In Novice Student Congress, Andrew Mittleman placed second in his house, while Michael McCarthy was fifth in his chamber.

In Varsity Congress, William Fetzko and Kevin Sopczak placed fourth and fifth respectively and Kodie-Ann Walcott took home a gavel as her chamber’s choice presiding officer.

In Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking, senior Sloan Shaffer placed fourth, while sophomore Charlie Burke was sixth.

Other highlights include impressive performances by junior novice Linda Valentin in Oral Interpretation, sophomore Angela Whitehead in Dramatic Performance and junior Derek Rubin in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. In addition, novice Lincoln-

Douglas Debater junior Alexa Boulanger and the novice Public Forum team of freshmen Jeffrey Sall and Jack Townsend each went 2-2 in their first foray in their respective events.

Wellington earned seven new National Forensic League degrees of achievement as a result of the tournament. Sophomore Lee-Ann Jahore passed the 250-point plateau, earning her Degree of Distinction. Angela Whitehead surpassed the 150-point mark, receiving her Degree of Excellence.

Kodie-Ann Walcott earned her Degree of Honor and her varsi-

ty debate letter by reaching 75 NFL points. And by reaching 25 points, four novice debaters earned their degrees of merit: Benjamin Aqua, Kurt Burnett, Michael Leon and Jeffrey Sall. Wellington now has 170 NFL degrees on record and is in excellent shape to achieve the NFL’s “200 Club” for the ninth time in 10 years, and the sixth time in Coach Paul L. Gaba’s six years with the program.

Wellington’s next tournament is the Florida Blue Key in Gainesville Oct. 26-28. For more information, visit www. wellingtondebate.com.

Summit Christian Interactive Dessert Theatre

The Summit Christian School Theatrical Department is holding an Interactive Dessert Theatre presentation of Cinderella, Cinderella Thursday, Oct. 25 through Saturday, Oct. 27.

Show times are 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Tickets are $5 in advance, $6 at the door. Summit Christian School is located at 4900 Summit Blvd. in West Palm Beach.

For more information about the production, visit its web page at www.summitchristian.com/ drama.htm.

Benjamin Aqua Amanda DeStefano

Alex HerniczAndrew Mittleman

Nicole Hoskens and Michael Leon

Michael Stechschulte and Hayley Kolich

‘Our Town’ Debuts Oct. 25 At Dreyfoos

Thornton Wilder’s heartwarming play

Our Town will open Thursday, Oct. 25 at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach for a fourday run.

Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play revolves around life in the small town of Grover’s Corners, N.H., but also explores the larger theme of human significance. One of its famous characters is the stage manager, who was portrayed by Paul Newman in a recent revival.

At Dreyfoos, this classic play is being directed by Dennis Sims. The technical assistance of lighting designer Zach Phillips of the Cuillo Centre and professional sound designer Kevin McKenzie was also made possible by a grant provided by the Randolph Hearst Foundation.

The ensemble cast includes Jeremy Michaels, Jimmy Warren, Jackie Romano, Doug Widdick, Lori Barkin, Abby Botnick, Daniel Kopystanski, Aubrie Sheffer and Tyler Leonhart.

Opening-night performance starts at 7 p.m. Shows on Friday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Oct. 27, have curtain times of 8 p.m. A matinee performance concludes the run at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28. General admission is $15, with a special group sale price of $10. To reserve tickets, please call the box office at (561) 802-6052. The school’s Meyer Hall is located just north of the Kravis Center on Tamarind Ave. and Okeechobee Blvd.

Polo Park Accreditation

Polo Park Middle School in Wellington has received its accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). As a newly accredited school, Polo Park is now a part of the Palm Beach County School District Accreditation program and will be entitled to work on SACS CASI activities district-wide.

Crestwood Teacher Awarded Grant

Eighth-grade Crestwood Middle School reading teacher Marque Drummond and Principal Stephanie Nance attended the annual Citi Success Fund Grant Awards Dinner Sept. 25. Drummond was one of four middle school teachers to receive a monetary award for his innovative program titled “Oh Brother, Oh Man, Oh Boy.” The purpose of his grant is to put genderspecific books into the hands of boys on Crestwood’s single-gender teams. His premise is that male students in the process of becoming lifelong readers often stumble or stop if they cannot find a book that interests them. The Crestwood family is proud of its forward-thinking teacher Marque Drummond.

Royal Palm Beach Elementary Family Math Night At Publix

Royal Palm Beach Elementary School students in grades 3 through 5 had a fabulous time calculating real-world math problems with their families at the Crestwood Square Publix in Royal Palm Beach. Students ventured through the store figuring out various problems as they weighed produce, compared prices, identified geometric shapes, analyzed products for cost effectiveness and finetuned their basic operation skills. Mrs. Vicki Mauney, Mrs. Ann Gormley and many more teachers and parents could be seen offering support and helping children become better mathematicians as well as frugal shoppers. The evening’s festivities provided the children a clear connection between what they learn in school and what they need to know as consumers in the real world.

The Publix employees graciously sent each child home with a cookie, pencil and sticker to help commemorate this exciting event.

Mary Roberts, Stephanie Madonia, Ann Gormley and Vicki Mauney.

The Muscat clan: Michael, Kathryn, Michelle, Jessica, Megan & Jennifer

Marque Drummond

FRIGHT NIGHTS TURN THE FAIRGROUNDS INTO ‘SCAREGROUNDS’

Fright Nights have returned to the South Florida Fairgrounds through Oct. 31. This year’s attraction features three new haunts: “Dead End,” “Scourge” and “Rats.” “The Smiths” and “Country Bill’s Meat Market” have returned as well. Fright Nights is for teens and adults, but not for the faint of heart (or small children). For more info., visit www.frightnights.net.

A chainsaw-wielding Kenneth Bonea scares Kelvin Inman and Chasity Cheatham. Joe Borelli is lost in the “Rats” maze.

Catherine Wilkins, Scott Dorsey, Jeff Wilkins, Erwin Bruner, Richard Nelson and Sean Phillips try to escape the “Scourge.”

“Go Go Amy” of the Bros. Grim Sideshow with her dog Mr. Buggles.

Sideshow performer William Darke gets creative with an electric drill.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

The Phantoms Review ‘Food Fight’ At

Maltz Jupiter Theatre Through Oct. 28

Food Fight is pure theater, a world premiere now through Oct. 28. Don’t miss this opportunity to see what theater, in its purest form, is all about. Ask yourself: “how many live stage world premiere shows have I’ve seen in my life?” This can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most or a regular occasion for some. Regardless, don’t miss Food Fight. Theater at its best is when someone’s creative dream becomes reality live on center stage at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre.

their harmony; it was perfect!

A Main Stage Productions musical comedy written and produced by Alan Jacobson, Food Fight is a clever parody of familiar songs. The melodies are the same, but the words tell a different story. The setting is Butt’s Women’s Gym, the cast is four middleaged women including one pushy personal trainer and her three students trying to get in shape. All four have a personal battle (food fight) to avoid putting on what they just worked off.

Food Fight’s all-girl cast is reminiscent of Respect and Menopause, the Musical. These fun-filled shows tell their stories through the eyes and emotions of the fairer sex with songs and humor that is very enjoyable for both men and woman alike.

The talented cast is very familiar to South Florida stages, including the Maltz Jupiter Theatre: Pattie Gardner (Cheryl Corn), Maribeth Graham (Carla Cook), Missy McArdle (Connie Pizzarelli) and Vicky White (Cindy Berger). Their vocal talents as individuals were very strong, but we were even more impressed with

Two dozen old familiar songs with new, cleverly adapted verses are all entertaining, toe-tapping and very humorous. For example, our favorite of the show, “If I Was a Size 2,” is sung to the melody of “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Butt’s Women’s Gym” is sung to the tune of “YMCA.” Every song was lively and witty and delivered with a lot of emotion, because the entire cast knows they are doing something special: they are part of a new musical comedy, just like their predecessors. Wouldn’t you have enjoyed seeing the world premiere of Guys & Dolls, 42nd Street or Sweet Charity (we did at the Walnut Street theater in Philadelphia 1965, pre-Broadway)? You just don’t forget something like that! Food Fight is your chance to be part of theater history and gain a whole new perspective on Hershey bars. Come see and enjoy Food Fight... and one thing is for sure, you will burn off calories laughing at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. For tickets, call (561) 575-2223 and please tell them Joe & Kathryn, the Phantoms, recommended you call. Next show at the Maltz: Same Time Next Year (Nov. 6-18).

Much Was Learned At 4-H Club Open House

A young 4-H Club member learns how to lasso.

The Palm Beach County 4H Club’s annual open house on Oct. 6 was a chance for the public to learn about the club. The day began with a presentation on the club’s statewide events by 4-H County Council President Jordan Morrow.

This was followed by illustrated talks and demonstrations given by 4-H youth on a variety of topics. Next on the agenda was a barn owl presentation, the creation of “owl boxes” and owl pellet dissections.

The workshops were hosted by Dr. Richard Raid of the

University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. After the owl workshops, there was a sewing clinic hosted by Carol Stuyvesant where youth learned how to use sewing machines and practiced their skills on paper and cloth patterns.

The day concluded with a lassoing demonstration by 4H alumnus Bobby Lines.

For more information about the Palm Beach County 4-H Club, visit www.co.palmbeach.fl.us/coopext/4H/ index.htm or call (561) 2331731.

CEREMONY WELCOMES NEW BROWNIES

Girl Scout Brownie Troop 948 held their annual Investiture and Rededication Ceremony on Monday, Oct. 15 at the original Wellington Mall. The celebration began with a candle-lighting ceremony to represent the Girl Scout Promise and Girl Scout Law. Troop 948 welcomed new Brownie Girl Scouts into the troop through the Investiture Ceremony by presenting them with Girl Scout pins. New troop members were also presented with the world pin, which symbolizes their membership in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. The celebration ended with a birthday party for the founder of girl scouting Juliette Gordon Low. Shown here are the Brownies with troop leaders Nadean Anderson, Kathy Bourque and Lora Lane.

Super Tae Kwon Do — St. Peter’s United Methodist Church in Wellington hosted their annual Fall Harvest Fest earlier this month. One of the highlights was a demonstration by Wellington’s own Palm Beach Super Tae Kwon Do. Back by popular demand from last year’s event, Grand Master Ki Sop Yoon brought his Super Tae Kwon Do Demo Team for a onehour aerial explosion of tae kwon do techniques. Team members performed poomse, also known as kata, which are traditional weapon demonstrations and self-defense techniques. The eyecatcher for the crowd was the breaking demonstration, with team members flying through the air, smashing boards with pin-point accurate kicks and punches. The demonstration concluded with power-breaking by senior students, and Grand Master Yoon demolishing bricks and concrete blocks with kicks and punches. For more information, visit www.supertaekwondo.net.

Mortimer Completes Basic Training

Navy Seaman Recruit Owen Mortimer, son of Keith Mortimer of West Palm Beach, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill.

During the eight-week program, Mortimer completed a variety of training which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on

physical fitness. The capstone event of boot camp is “Battle Stations,” which gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the fleet. It is designed to galvanize the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical application of basic Navy skills and the core values of honor, courage and commitment.

Mortimer is a 2004 graduate of Royal Palm Beach High School.

Loxahatchee Man’s Photo To Be In Communities Trust Calendar

A photograph by Tom Billman of Loxahatchee will be featured in the 2008 calendar produced by the Florida Communities Trust program, according to an announcement by the Florida Department of Community Affairs.

Eleven photographers were selected to have their images of Florida parks in the 2008 calendar. A total of 13 photos were selected from almost 180 images taken at 45 parks around the state as part of the third annual photo contest for the trust’s calendar highlighting land acquisition projects funded through the Preservation 2000 and Florida Forever programs.

Billman’s “End of the Rainbow” was taken at Grassy Waters Preserve and also was a “Natural Florida” category winner.

Photographers were invited to submit photos depicting one of three categories at FCT-funded parks: natural Florida; improvements, recreational amenities or historical or cultural resources; and people enjoying the sites.

The winning entries were selected by a panel of three eminent photographers. The winners will each receive 10 copies of the 2008 FCT calendar once it is printed. In addition, the winning photographers in each of the three categories will receive framed posters of their photos.

One of the 13 winning entries will be selected for the cover of the calendar, while the others will be used to highlight each month.

Three photographers — Mac Stone, Michael Wray and Paul Krashefski — each had two

images selected for the 2008 calendar. One of Krashefski’s photos was also featured in the 2007 FCT calendar.

Other winners include:

• Clyde Butcher of Venice, “Bay Preserve at Osprey,” City of Osprey and Sarasota County

• Byron Chamberlin of Riverview, “Stand of Isolated Oaks at Sunrise,” Triple Creek Greenway Phase II, Hillsborough County

• Anne Cox of Jupiter, “Historic Bridge,” MacKay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve, City of Lake Alfred

• Jon Fletcher of Jacksonville, “Graces,” Walter Jones Historical Park, City of Jacksonville

• Larry Kohrnak of Gainesville, “Barr Hammock Sunset,”

Alexander Roy Alkire son of Heather and Andrew Alkire of Royal Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 21.

Kaleigh Ann Lloyd daughter of Kirby Cook and Jeremiah Lloyd of Wellington was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 22.

Daniel Hernandez-Sanchez — son of Nicoletta and Enrique Hernandez-Sanchez of Wellington was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 26.

Shyanne Rudi-Anna Nelson — daughter of Kimone and Michael Jairam Nelson Jr. of Wellington was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 27.

Sadye Elizabeth Neal

Alachua County

• Paul Krashefski of Fort Lauderdale, “Westgate 4 Grand Opening,” Westgate Neighborhood Park and “Sunrise Over Dune,” Hollywood North Beach Park Addition, Broward County

• John Sagert of Oldsmar, “Veterans Memorial Park,” City of Oldsmar (Historical/ Improvements Category winner)

• Mac Stone of Gainesville, “Barr Hammock Kayaker,” Barr Hammock, Alachua County (People Category winner) and “Barr Hammock Lilypads 2,” Barr Hammock, Alachua County

For more information regarding the DCA and the FCT, visit www.dca.state.fl.us. “End

daughter of Arlene and Bryan Timothy Neal of Greenacres was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 28.

Christopher Michael Reccio Jr. — son of Jonna and Christopher Reccio of Loxahatchee was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 28.

Aaron Michael Murray son of Darcy and Michael Murray of Loxahatchee Groves was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 1.

Meliza Morejon — daughter of Eraizy and Macel Morejon of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 2.

Savanna Anne Kauffman — daughter of Katherine Will-

iams and Michael Kauffman of Loxahatchee was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 6.

Leah Victoria Lerch daughter of Sheryl and Thomas Lerch of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 6.

Isabella Samayah Ortiz daughter of Aura and Orlando Ortiz of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 6.

Cesar Raul Glass — son of Marina and Brian Glass of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 7.

Aidan Michael Smith son of Heather and Douglas Smith of Lake Worth was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 9.

Evan Louis Aho — son of Heather and Eric Aho of Loxahatchee was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 9.

Angelo James Pellegrino – son of Tiffany and Anthony Pellegrino of Royal Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 9.

Tyler John Duranko son of Tasha Summers and Brian Duranko of Loxahatchee was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 9.

Jasper Robert Brophy son of Erin and Jeffrey Brophy of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Oct. 8.

of the Rainbow” by Loxahatchee resident Tom Billman.

Park Pass Replaces

‘Passport’

continued from page 1A the Park Player Pass would generate $239,000 in revenue.

Under the proposal, program rates would go up $15 for contracted programs and $25 for village-run programs. Non-residents would pay an additional 25 percent program premium. Summer camps would see an additional $55 weekly rate increase, $85 for non-residents. Staff estimates the higher user fees will generate $1.9 million in revenue in 2008.

In addition, sports providers would pay the village a $20 facility maintenance fee per participant, expected to bring in an additional $50,000.

Sam Falzone, president of the Wellington Wave traveling soccer club, said the plan is much more acceptable than the family “passport” originally proposed. “If anyone in the house wants to sign up, the house has to have the pass,” he said.

As an example, he said he has three children who play soccer and another

Roads Plans For Roebuck

continued from page 1A road plan for construction, as well as widening the bridge across the M Canal at Royal Palm Beach Blvd. and improvements of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. from 60th to Persimmon for a total of $9.83 million.

Webb said Erickson was suggesting the county create a reserve account to create some flexibility for the county to respond appropriately to whatever the state decides to do.

“I don’t think we have a problem as long as we continue with the earlier phases and leave the money in a reserve account,” Webb said.

Royal Palm Beach Village Engineer Ray Liggins was also on hand to urge the county to get started on the long-promised Roebuck Road extension, which would connect the SR 7 extension to Jog Road, thereby relieving the already overcrowded Okeechobee Blvd. corridor.

Royal Palm Beach, West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County agreed to facilitate the construction of the Roebuck Road extension during traffic concurrency review of the planned Riverwalk, Andros Isles and Baywinds residential

Trash Automated Containers

continued from page 12A said. “If as much as ten percent of the community cannot get it to the curb, it’s not going to work.”

Councilman Dave Autrey said he shared Lipp’s concerns, and said that in conversation a representative of current hauler Onyx did not sound too optimistic about automation in the community.

“He thought the roads and canals would be problematic,” Autrey said. “He said we would be fishing these things out of the canals. We need to make sure that they come out and look the lay of the land over and make sure they know what they are dealing with. You have done a lot of work for us, Frank, but I don’t think it’s practical. If the savings are significant, we should look at it.”

Schiola said the town would understandably have to work out any kinks in the process. When automated collection first became available, he said, a lot of people said it would not work, but they were proved wrong.

“There is no magic bullet,” Schiola said. “For people who are disabled, they can get backdoor service. When my wife was pregnant, they sent a supervisor out and I would bring the can in the morning. The do make smaller cans. We have

child who participates in another activity. They each still pay the registration fee, which will go up from $100 to $125, plus the $20 facility maintenance fee. His household would also pay the annual $25 Park Player Pass fee.

“A family of four can sign up for eight or ten programs and they still only pay the one-time $25 household fee,” he said.

In a year of state-mandated budget cuts, the village has been scrambling to find ways to continue funding the village’s well-respected recreational programs instead of cutting them, without raising fees to a degree that would diminish participation.

Falzone said league parents he spoke with seemed fairly satisfied with the plan. “Nobody wants to pay extra,” he said, “but most people feel the new system is very fair, and we will be able to handle the overall increases with minimal effect on our club. I think they’re on the right track to fix the problem. It will have a minimal effect on the clubs, and it will not chase away participants.”

Giving a presentation at the workshop, Barnes said the Leisure Services

developments, but residents of those developments, and West Palm Beach, have since opposed the plan. West Palm Beach has refused to yield the necessary rights of way because of the extension’s proximity to the city’s water catchment area.

But Liggins noted their agreement acknowledged the proximity of the extension to the catchment area and allowed a right of way of 120 feet and collection of impact fees of $200 per home during construction of the three communities. Since the agreement was executed, another $14 million in impact fees as well as another $40 million allocated for roadway construction was collected to build Roebuck Road, he said.

“For Roebuck Road, the time is now,” Liggins said. “Okeechobee in that corridor currently handles 70,000 cars a day. The need was identified and discussed and agreed to more than a decade ago. The funds have been collected; the corridor is failing. Now is the time to fund the identified and agreed-to solution. Royal Palm Beach feels strongly that this is the time to fund Roebuck Road.”

Liggins said that previously there were no roads to connect Roebuck, but Jog Road is now ready and the SR 7 extension is under construction.

Commissioner Burt Aaronson asked how long the Roebuck Road extension

to look at everything on a case-by-case basis. We will find problems, but we have to make it work for everyone… We will have pockets where we will have some problems. We have to find a way to deal with them so it’s beneficial to the customer.”

The council thanked Schiola, and Interim Town Attorney David Tolces said the issues raised would be further addressed during the current process of requesting hauler proposals.

In other business, Lipp told fellow council members he is trying to set up a meeting with County Engineer George Webb, Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Administrator Clete Saunier and a LGWCD supervisor to discuss changes to the county’s road plans, including removal of a proposed connection of E Road and 140th Avenue North.

“Since the county is going through the process of repealing the Sector Plan, we also need to start the local process of removing E and 140th,” Lipp said. “This meeting will be set for the week of Nov. 12 because of the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District meeting held that week. At the Nov. 12 meeting, they will authorize Clete to speak on their behalf of the district. Without that authorization, he can only sit and take notes.”

Tolces suggested that the meeting focus on Okeechobee Blvd. issues, and another meeting could be set up for the E and 140th connection proposal.

Department spent about $8 million in the 2007 fiscal year and took in about $2 million in revenue, meaning the village’s general fund subsidizes about 75 percent of department expenses.

While Leisure Services revenue in-

has been delayed, and Webb replied that the agreement is ten years old.

“Why haven’t we built Roebuck Road?” Aaronson asked.

Webb cited the objections of West Palm Beach and the three communities. “They continue to object,” he said.

“I remember a number of years ago we said Roebuck Road was something we had to do to relieve traffic,” Aaronson said.

“That would be my recommendation,” Webb said.

“We had people coming here who knew there was going to be a road there before they purchased there, correct?”

Aaronson asked.

“That road was planned before anybody moved in there,” Webb said.

Aaronson said the road was planned to relieve already-congested traffic in the corridor. “When are we going to fund Roebuck?” he asked.

Webb said that at an estimated cost of $30 million, the project is still under-funded, even with reserved money, adding that the largest amount of new money in the Roebuck Road fund was $8.5 million for mitigation costs.

Webb suggested that money could be collected by 2013 or the commission could look into using part of a waterway bridge bond scheduled for approval in two or three years, which might have enough remaining to fund the difference for Roebuck Road.

“Without bonding we will not find the

Wechsler

Credit The Inventors

continued from page 18A a house or maybe a nifty Corvette in a generation or so.

Microsoft was given an award for a tabletop computer table that allows a lot of people to work together on a project and which can also get input from other computers as well as phones and a host of devices. Watching a group of people working together on a building design, moving parts and places around on the screen, was great. There were also devices to replace hard drives completely, a fiberglass replacement that people can touch without hurting themselves, special devices to control a host of electronics inside cars while driving without risking everyone around them, a device to ensure safely backing up and storing data, new hybrid cars that have some real power, redesigned power tools that will put less of a strain on workers, a new HD DVD player that plays both competing formats, and, of course, the iPhone.

The most exciting breakthrough for me came from a high school student

creased about $100,000, or five percent, between 2003 and 2007, operating costs increased by 55 percent in the same period, to the tune of $2.2 million. At the same time, participation increased about 22 percent.

money,” Webb said.

Webb said county staff is meanwhile doing everything possible to move forward with the road, including design and permitting. If and when the project is set up, staff will proceed with mitigation for the right of way, which is going to be expensive.

Commissioner Karen Marcus asked for and received commission approval to have staff come back with a recommendation for funding for Roebuck Road. “I think we need to look at bonding for Roebuck Road,” she said.

Marcus made a motion to approve the preliminary reading of the five-year road plan and advertise for a public hearing on the plan scheduled for Nov. 20, with options included for SR 7 extension funding and a report on Roebuck Road. Commissioner Jeff Koons seconded the motion, which was approved 6-0 with Commissioner Jess Santamaria absent.

In other business, commissioners agreed to repeal the Central-Western Communities Sector Plan, with final action anticipated Nov. 26. The Sector Plan, adopted in 2005, was to help guide future development of unincorporated rural areas north and west of Royal Palm Beach. The Florida Department of Community Affairs never approved the plan and a state administrative law judge recently refused to grant more time to reach a settlement agreement.

who used borrowed equipment and worked in a trailer to develop a very lowcost way to remove a carcinogen from the water expelled by a nearby Teflon chemical plant. She hopes to expand the size of the equipment so that it can be used inside factories. She deserves all the awards she will get, as do her teachers. She should probably live in “Eureka.”

There are dozens of similar breakthroughs coming from our inventors. Go to the web and read about them at www. popularmechanics.com/breakthrough07.

The inventiveness of people is the best way to solve problems. Passing laws that will be evaded will not work. Most of the signatories to the Kyoto Treaty were not even as efficient in cutting back on greenhouse gases as the United States, which did not ratify the treaty.

Inventions that make it profitable to change will work far better. I would rather have a five-dollar device to keep my food fresh and my home lit with no environmental damage at all after a hurricane than buying an expensive generator that is not only loud, generally unused, potentially dangerous, and which will spew out fumes that stink up the planet.

Viva our inventors!

Roundtable Discussion — Wellington Assistant Leisure Services Director Ivy Rosenberg facilitates a roundtable discussion about recreation fees with village officials and Wellington Wave Soccer Club representatives.

PHOTO BY RON

SFWMD And Wellington Celebrate Project Milestone

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the Village of Wellington recently celebrated the completion of another milestone for Everglades restoration, cutting the ribbon on the S-7 pump station in central Palm Beach County.

The pump station is a component of the Acme Basin B Discharge Project, part of the state’s Acceler8 initiative and one of five water preserve area projects to improve water quality in the Everglades water conservation areas.

When complete, the project will divert urban stormwater runoff from the local drainage basin, known as Acme Basin B, away from the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, ending all direct discharges into the federally-managed lands.

“By diverting nutrient-laden stormwater away from the Wildlife Refuge, the natural hydrology of the area’s sensitive ecosystem can be restored, allowing the native flora and fauna to recover and flourish,” SFWMD Deputy Executive Director for Everglades Restoration Ken Ammon said. “The district’s partnership with Wellington demonstrates how governments can successfully work together with the community to achieve incremental restoration of the ecosystem.”

Operation of the S-7 pump station will move water from the C-1 Canal into the C-51 West Canal and subsequently to Stormwater Treatment Area 1 East for treatment prior to being discharged to the refuge, part of the Everglades Protection Area. The treatment wetland uses plants to naturally clean phosphorus from water flowing into the Everglades. Over the last decade, the state has constructed more than 36,000 acres of treatment wetlands, which are currently cleaning water to levels of phosphorus as low as 12 parts per billion.

The Acme Basin B Discharge Project includes improvements to nearly three miles of the C-1 Canal, which will offer increased conveyance capacity, and a new impoundment and second pump station to provide

temporary offline water storage of 1,028 acre-feet of water — the equivalent of more than 22,000 residential swimming pools. This will maintain flood protection in the basin and reduce nutrient loads flowing into the C-51 Canal and subsequently to the Everglades Protection Area. Future components of the project will provide recreational opportunities, such as walking trails, overlooks and equestrian trails.

Wellington Village Manager Charlie Lynn, the Wellington Village Council and SFWMD staff inaugurated the pump station at a ribbon-cutting ceremony recently at the intersection of Southern Blvd. and Flying Cow Road. The village has partnered with the SFWMD to expedite the various components of this project.

One of the SFWMD’s priority initiatives, Acceler8 is facilitating funding, design and construction of critical Everglades restoration projects. Together, the projects will restore 100,000 acres of sensitive wetlands, expand water treatment areas by close to 29,000 acres and provide 428,000 acre-feet of additional water storage for Everglades restoration a decade ahead of schedule.

In 2000, Florida forged a 5050 state-federal partnership to implement the massive Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. The state and SFWMD have invested close to $2 billion to improve the quality, timing and distribution of water in this unique ecosystem, including $312 million of work underway or completed as part of the Acceler8 initiative.

In addition to acquiring land and constructing projects as a part of the comprehensive plan, Florida has invested more than $1.8 billion to improve water quality in the Everglades. During Water Year 2006, the state’s stormwater treatment areas captured and treated nearly 1.5 million-acre feet or 488 billion gallons of water, reducing phosphorus loads to the famed “river of grass” by close to 70 percent.

For more information on Acceler8, visit www.everglades now.org.

Palms West Hospital will host a community “lunch and learn” lecture on Tuesday, Oct. 23 titled “Women’s Health Initiative: Early Recognition and Prevention of Heart Disease and Breast Cancer.”

The lecture will be given by Palms West Hospital physicians Dr. Timothy Carter, Dr. Samuel Margiotta and Dr. Fausta Nazaire. It will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Classroom 2. To RSVP your attendance, call to (561) 753-4247.

During the month of October, the hospital’s Breast Center is offering screening mammograms for a reduced price of $65.

The Breast Center at Palms West Hospital is working to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most curable stages.

Phase One: Breast Self Exam — The breast self-exam (BSE), when performed on a monthly basis, can be the first

step to saving lives. Women should examine their breasts at the same point in their menstrual cycle for bumps, lumps or other abnormalities. If an abnormality is noted, contact a physician immediately.

Phase Two: Mammogram — Every woman should begin undergoing yearly mammograms at the age of 40 or earlier if she has risk factors such as a family history of breast cancer.

Phase Three: MRI — An advanced tool in the fight against breast cancer, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) breast exams are helpful when mammograms don’t provide the clear pictures needed for accurate diagnosis. Women who benefit from MRI breast exams include those with very dense breasts, breast implants or a past history of breast cancer. For more information or to schedule a mammogram, call (561) 784-3126.

PALMS WEST

Luna Bar & Grill: Casual Dining LunaBar&Grill:CasualDining And ‘Good And‘Good

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

At the bar of his newest restaurant venture, Charlie Aprile chuckled at the question of why he opened Luna Bar & Grill on the heels of his nearby Luna Blu Ristorante Italiano.

“I must have been crazy,” Aprile said.

Crazy like a fox. Aprile is a 35-year veteran of the restaurant industry in Florida and New Jersey who for years owned the popular Giuseppe’s in North Palm Beach, where he earned the nickname “Charlie Calamari.”

Earlier this year Aprile bought La Vecchia Lanterna restaurant in the Wellington Marketplace and reopened it as Luna Blu. Under the guidance of Aprile and head chef William Figueroa Jr., Luna Blu has established itself as one of the western communities’ top Italian restaurants.

Now Aprile has moved next door to open Luna Bar & Grill as a sister eatery. And to think that a year ago Aprile had never set foot in Wellington.

Luna Bar & Grill and located in the space that previously housed Josh’s Sports Bar. But whereas Luna Blu is known for its high-end Italian cuisine, Luna Bar & Grill is fashioned as a more laid-back neighborhood restaurant that serves what Aprile calls “good American food.”

“This is for a more relaxed clientele,” Aprile said. “Sort of like Cheers,

where everybody knows everybody else.”

Luna Bar & Grill’s menu reflects Aprile’s vision, with house specialties such as prime rib, barbecue baby back ribs and homemade meatloaf.

Sandwiches include a fish-of-theday offering, sirloin burger and chicken breast, while appetizers include jumbo shrimp cocktail, chicken wings, chargrilled filet mignon tips in Catalina sauce and Prince Edward mussels in garlic champagne sauce.

Each dish carries a bit of Luna Blu with it as Figueroa, who has been cooking for nearly 40 years, oversees Luna Blu and is in charge of the kitchen at Luna Bar & Grill. Each establishment, however, uses its own kitchen.

Adding to the neighborhood restaurant ambience, Aprile brings weekly entertainment, including a jazz band every Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m.

“We had a band in here a couple of weeks ago called Whitestone,” Aprile said. “The place was packed.”

Luna Bar & Grill also offers ladies’ night nightly and women get free drinks from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Luna Bar also features a weekend buffet on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights from 5 to 8 p.m. Buffet items include roast turkey, ham, roast beef, pasta, salads and vegetables. The price is $12.95 for adults and $6.95 for children.

The restaurant also has a deep wine list that features wines from California, Spain and Italy.

“Our bar does good business now,” Aprile said. “The dining room has taken a little more time, but I think it will. This is a good corner location and the season hasn’t kicked in yet. We just

“We think that’s a pretty good price.” Aprile said. “There aren’t any in the area that can meet it for the price or the food.”

started opening for lunch two weeks ago. Everybody said they wanted a lunch place, so we gave them one.”

Luna Bar & Grill is located in the Wellington Marketplace at 13889 Wellington Trace, Suite A18 and is open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Call (561) 795-7271 for more information.

PHOTO BY STEVE

Luna Part Two — Luna Bar & Grill owner Charlie Aprile (left) and lunch manager Michele Barbanente (right) behind the bar in their new restaurant in the Wellington Marketplace.

Medical Arts Pavilion III Now Open At Wellington Regional

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

Wellington Regional Medical Center staff and friends took part in a grand opening ceremony for the Wellington Medical Arts Pavilion III last week. The new four-story, 50,000-square-foot medical office facility is located on the WRMC campus at the intersection of State Road 7 and Forest Hill Blvd.

The Oct. 11 ceremony also included the dedication of Medical Park Blvd. on the WRMC campus in the name of the late Bruce Rendina, founder of the Rendina Companies. The Jupiter-based Rendina Companies, one of the nation’s leading medical real estate development companies, was also the developer of Wellington Medical Arts Pavilions I and II on the hospital campus over the last four years.

The new facility is currently 100-percent leased and will be occupied by over

40 physicians representing more than 10 medical specialties, including Palm Beach Surgical Associates, the Wellington Surgical Weight Reduction Center, Medical Specialists of the Palm Beaches, Complete Health Care for Women, Wellington Family Practice, Pain and Rehabilitation Physicians of Palm Beach and Florida Eye Microsurgical Institute.

Rendina Companies Chairman and CEO Richard M. Rendina said Wellington Medical Arts Pavilion III will serve the need for additional firstclass medical office space on the WRMC campus.

“Rendina Companies enjoys a tremendous working relationship with [WRMC parent company] Universal Health Services and Wellington Regional Medical Center,” he said. “This project and the Wellington Medical Arts Pavilion IV, which is currently being pre-sold, will be examples of the high-quality results produced by our development team.”

The dedication of Medical Park Blvd. in Bruce Rendina’s memory is based on the relationship the Rendina family has fostered with WRMC and the community of Wellington as a whole. Rendina’s passion for enhancing the lives of others through charitable giving lives on through the Rendina Family Foundation. Formed in 1997, the Rendina Family Foundation has contributed to numerous charitable organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the Boys & Girls Club, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, St. Rita Catholic Church and Cardinal Newman High School.

For more information on the Rendina Companies, call Senior Vice President for New Business Development Todd H. Varney at (866) 630-5055 or visit www. rendinacompanies.com.

For further information on available space, contact Rendina’s Vice President of Leasing Gamt Braley at (866) 6305055.

PHOTOS BY

Richard Rendina at the podium.

Dr. Kishore Dass, George Pastias, Webster Ellis and Kevin DiLallo.

Richard Rendina, Trish Rendina, Alan Miller, Marji Rendina and Marc Miller.

Lisa Sheriff: Experience Is Key To Surviving In Real Estate

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

In today’s difficult real estate market, “only the strong Realtors can survive,” said Acreagearea Realtor Lisa Sheriff.

A veteran of 18 years living and selling real estate in The Acreage, Sheriff said she has never seen the real estate market as challenging as it is now.

“Right now the biggest problem we have, not just in The Acreage but all over the county, is high taxes,” Sheriff said. “They are wiping us out. Combined with high rates for insurance, people are having trouble holding on to their homes.”

Sheriff predicts many real estate agents will fall by the wayside due to the market’s condition, which she said is a good reason to seek out who is established in the area.

“I have seen Realtors come and go, and sometimes clients have been left hanging because the person supposed to sell their home goes out of business,” she said. “My company, Re/Max, is very strong and people can be sure we’ll always be here.”

Sheriff said she teams with other real estate agents to provide exceptional service and make sure both buyers and sellers succeed. “Right now I’m working with Jackie Fraser, a multi-million-dollar producer, who is fantastic,” she said. “And we’ll probably take on a few more people soon.”

Sheriff is proud of her longtime residency in The Acreage and the advantages it offers cli-

ents. “I know who to go to for assistance,” she said. “I’ve known all the builders and they know I take good care of my customers. I’m willing to go the extra mile to make sure my clients are happy.”

The market’s current woes are being felt keenly in the western communities due to a convergence of local and national circumstances, Sheriff said.

“Palm Beach County raised its tax rates when they thought Scripps was coming down here,” she said. “Now they are having a smaller impact but the taxes are staying up. Another problem came from the fact that a lot of people got mortgages that should never have been given out. The regulations said it was OK, but they did not have a lot of cash. Some people took out a second mortgage and when things were not so great financially, they’ve taken out their equity quietly and moved somewhere else, leaving the mortgage hanging.”

Still, Sheriff said, current conditions offer advantages to those looking to buy. “If you buy at a lower price you will be paying lower taxes,” she said. “And insurance has come down. That makes homes more affordable.”

Sheriff said her team will work hard in these tough times to make sure sellers also are satisfied. “It takes longer to sell a house these days,” she said, “but it helps when you have a team of people who want you happy giving support.”

Sheriff said she loves living

in The Acreage. “I came here 18 years ago with a couple of babies,” she said. “My three children have been able to grow up in a wonderful environment. They’ve all been involved in sports out here. That’s one reason I’ve been able to know so many people here. And that’s good for business. I’ve sold homes to people here, and then to their children, and even sometimes to their grandchildren.”

Sheriff is based in the Re/ Max office at the Grove (WinnDixie) Shopping Center at 5046 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, open Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, call Sheriff at (561) 791-TEAM (8326).

Acreage Realtor — Lisa Sheriff said she teams with other real estate agents to provide exceptional service and make sure both buyers and sellers succeed.

Bellissimo To Speak At Chamber Luncheon

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly member luncheon Wednesday, Oct. 24 at the Players Club (13410 South Shore Blvd.) featuring guest speaker Mark Bellissimo of Wellington Equestrian Partners.

The WEP partnership has recently been expanded to include some of Wellington’s most prominent equestrian families. The partners are committed to bringing stability to the Wellington equestrian community, to keeping equestrian events in their current location, and helping to assure harmony between equestrian and non-equestrian interests within the village.

The new partners include Craig and Frances Lindner, Andy and Carlene Ziegler, Murray and Joanie Goodman, Tim and Nancy Hooker, Chas and Candace Phillips, Stuart and Susan Goldstein, Bruce Duchossois, Bill and Kelly Farish, Caroline Moran, and Frederic and Kimberly Boyer. The new partners will complement existing partners Mark and Katherine Bellissimo, Dennis and Marsha Dammerman, and Roger and Jennifer Smith.

Sponsoring the luncheon will be Wellington Equestrian Development. President and CEO Ken Aussiker is a state-certified general contractor with more

than 25 years of experience in the construction industry. Aussiker’s broad-based background and experiences range from the construction of a five-story commercial buildings to development of residential custom stables.

The cost to attend the luncheon is $15 for chamber members and $25 for nonmembers. RSVPs are required to attend.

For more information about this or future Wellington Chamber of Commerce luncheons, or for general information, call (561)792-6525 or visit the chamber’s web site at www. wellingtonchamber.com.

BY

PHOTO

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What a yard! 2.35 fenced acres, room for horses or all the toys. 300 ft concrete drive & 2 RV pads with power. You get a 4 bed 3.5 bath home with solar heated poolplus a garage that dreams are made of - room for 4- cars, work benchs on 2 sides. And a pond and fruit trees. asking $ 685,000 for more info call Scott McVey 561.436.2767

Land of Opportunity

Equestrian 4-BR 2- story pool home with 2 car garage on 5 acres of fenced property. Income potential, 2.5 acres set up as wholesale nursery, four-stall oversized barn with tack & feed room. Free standing 4-door garage with office & bathroom. Park your RV’sboat etc. Enjoy country living with in-town conveniences, mins to Park Vista H.S. asking $ 1,625,000 For moreinfo or private showing please call Shane O’Shea at 561.704.7277

Palm Beach Ranchettes

Enjoy this W.Lake Worth friendly equestrian neighborhood. Great place to raise your horses, run your business or both. In this custom 3 BR/3 Bath ranch with a new pool & custom grill, aTiki Hut, huge master bedroom, big walk-in closet, office/den, wood floors a fireplace in the family room, 2stables/barn, professionally landscaped, no HOA. Virtual Tour - http://www.visualtour.com/show.asp?T=1054307 asking $629,900 For more info call Karl Davis 561.596.3752

MR. FOOD HOSTS FUNDRAISER FOR OCT. 20 DIABETES WALK

Palms West Hospital partnered with Mr. Food No-Fuss Meals in Wellington last week to raise money for the upcoming walk for the American Diabetes Association, which will be held on Saturday, Oct. 20 at CityPlace in West Palm Beach. Mr. Food No-Fuss Meals is located 10160 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 110 in Pointe at Wellington Green. For more information, call (561) 3334044. Pictured here are Danielle Buonomo, Alex Iommelli, Suzanne Goldstein and Brenda Browning.

PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

JAFCO Fundraiser At Mr. Food Nov. 7

Mr. Food No-Fuss Meals will host a fundraiser to benefit the Wellington Chapter of Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options (JAFCO) on Wednesday, Nov. 7.

Two sessions will take place, the first from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the second from 5 to 8 p.m. Each meal feeds four to six people. The $18 ticket donation includes a menu tasting, wine tasting and meal assembly. Each fresh entrée is ready to take home and cook.

Sessions booked in the store at this event will result in a 30-percent donation directly to JAFCO; sessions booked af-

ter Nov. 7 through Dec. 31 will result in a 15-percent donation when using fundraising code “f-fl3-jafco.”

To purchase tickets, contact Beth Saifman at bethsaifman@aol.com or (561) 204-4181, Jamie Shapiro at jamiehshapiro@yahoo.com or (561) 434-0602, or Wendi Seelin at wendi64@ centuryfla.com or (561) 792-3111. All checks should be made payable to JAFCO.

Mr. Food No-Fuss Meals is located at 10160 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 110 in the Pointe at Wellington Green. For more information, call (561) 333-4044.

RETIREMENT LIVING

It’s resort-style living every day.

Discover a retirement lifestyle that’s just right for you.At Newport Place, you’ll enjoy resort-style amenities while experiencing a renewed social life in a comfortable atmosphere.You can rely on our friendly housekeeping services to keep your apartment home looking beautiful, leaving you plenty of time to take aerobics,play mah-jongg with friends or learn how to paint.

Located in warm and breezy Palm Beach County, Newport Place is close to world-renowned beaches and museums.You’ll be amazed at the wide range of cultural and recreation activities available daily. Whatever it is you’re looking for,you’ll find it at Newport Place

Lovely apartment homes are available,and no large buy-in fees are required.Call Newport Place today at (561) 586-6455.

Chili’s Campaign Benefits Little Smiles

An aggressive fundraising campaign by 30 South Florida Chili’s Grill & Bar restaurants resulted in the donation of the brand new Chili’s/Little Smiles Learning Center at Palms West Hospital’s pediatric unit.

The learning center consists of two laptops, two PCs and printers as well as a Starlight Starbright PC Pal. The learning center will be utilized by the pediatric unit’s young patients and their family members. 2007 was a benchmark year in Chili’s efforts to serve the children of South Florida. All proceeds from this event benefited Little Smiles, a non-profit organization that responds to the needs of children in local hospitals, hospices and shelters by providing them with unique goods and services including, but not limited to, toys, games, videos, special events, limousine transportation and sporting/concert event tickets.

“By supporting the Little Smiles mission, we have the opportunity to make

these kids feel special and unique,” Chili’s South Florida Area Director Tony Viola said. “We also want the families to know their kids are in the hearts and minds of so many great people in our community. This learning center will allow the kids to talk to their friends and family, complete schoolwork or just go on the Internet to play games and keep in touch with their interests.”

Wellington Chili’s Managing Partner Rob Green added, “the western communities are growing so rapidly with new families, and we are fortunate to have such an exceptional pediatric unit to serve our families. Donating the learning center to Palms West Hospital was a great way to show the kids that Chili’s is supporting them and is pleased to be able to assist during such a difficult time in their lives.”

For more information about Little Smiles, call (561) 383-7274 or visit www.littlesmiles.org.

New Learning Center — Chili’s South Florida Area Director Tony Viola presents a plaque to Palms West Hospital's second-floor pediatric unit.

WELLINGTON CHAMBER HOSTS RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONIES

Business Center — The Wellington Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting and member mixer at the Crexent Business Center. Located at 8461 Lake Worth Road just west of Florida’s Turnpike, the “A” class building is home to more than 90 suites ranging from 110 square feet to 2,000 square feet. For more information, call Nancy Rios at (561) 3401400. Shown here are Crexent staff members with chamber ambassadors.

For more

Crexent

Tantrums and Couture — An new upscale children’s boutique is now open in Wellington. Owned by January and Ron Turner, Tantrums and Couture is located at 10660 W. Forest Hill Blvd. near the Fresh Market in Wellington Green Square.

information, call (561) 2968808. Pictured here are Tantrums and Couture staff members with Wellington Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.

RIBBON CUTTING FOR NEW VAN DELL JEWELERS STORE

After building his reputation in Wellington for more than 25 years, Jack Van Dell of Van Dell Jewelers recently added a third store in Royal Palm Beach. Van Dell Jewelers restores, designs, creates and repairs any and all types of jewelry. The fully equipped workshop has craftsman available six days a week. The store is located at 11051 Southern Blvd., Suite 120, in the Southern Palm Crossing shopping plaza, located next to Stein Mart. Call (561) 7845220 for more info. Shown here are Alex Van Dell, Dwight Huntoon and Joyce Brito with Palms West Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.

Curves RPB Partners With GlobalFit To Offer Discounted Fitness Program

Curves of Royal Palm Beach, part of the world’s largest franchiser of fitness clubs, recently announced a new partnership with GlobalFit to offer Curves memberships through GlobalFit’s sponsored benefit program.

As obesity remains epidemic and healthcare costs continue to soar, U.S. companies are recognizing the benefits of providing proven fitness solutions to their employees. The partnership will make Curves’ results-oriented fitness and weight-loss programs even more affordable to the women of Royal Palm Beach who are eligible for the GlobalFit benefit through their employer or group affiliation.

“Curves of Royal Palm Beach is committed to helping the women in our community live healthier, stronger lives,” Curves Royal Palm Beach owner Carolyn Williams said. “GlobalFit shares our commitment to empower women to take charge of their health and achieve their fitness goals. By reaching out to the busy, working women in our community, our partnership with GlobalFit is a natural extension of that mission.”

GlobalFit is the nation’s leading provider of healthy living benefits. For more information, visit www.globalfit.com.

“We’re thrilled to have Curves join our family of providers,” GlobalFit President and CEO Frank Napolitano said. “Studies have shown the Curves program to be effective at helping women lose weight, improve aerobic capacity and increase bone density. This is exactly the sort of result-oriented healthy living program that corporations seek from GlobalFit.”

Curves offers a 30-minute workout that combines strength training and sustained cardiovascular activity through safe and effective hydraulic resistance. With more than 10,000 locations in 57 countries, Curves is the world’s largest fitness franchise and the ninth largest of all franchise companies in the world. Curves of Royal Palm Beach’s lowest rates will be available to the employees and members of GlobalFit’s sponsored benefit program.

Curves is located at 1169-A Royal Palm Beach Blvd. For more information, call (561) 383-5555 or visit the company’s corporate web site at www.curves.com.

Everglades Projects Will Improve Rural Economies

Boosting South Florida’s economic outlook is proving to be an added bonus of Everglades restoration as employment and business opportunities continue to expand with the South Florida Water Management District area.

The district recently strengthened its partnerships with workforce development organizations, community colleges and non-profits to train area workers and provide the goods and services needed to tackle $1.8 billion in Everglades restoration projects.

Two district initiatives, the Small Business Enterprise program and Workforce Training Initiative, are functioning in concert to boost contract prospects for local businesses in the Palm Beach, Hendry, Lee, Martin and St. Lucie county areas, while at the same time increasing the availability of skilled workers needed to operate bulldozers, drive dump trucks and pour concrete. These efforts are helping to expand contract prospects for minority businesses as well.

To date, more than $11 million has been spent throughout Florida on subcontractors and direct purchases for restoration projects — approximately 75 percent of the total service dollars — with more than $5 million spent within the district’s 16-county region. In the immediate Pahokee, South Bay, Belle Glade and Clewiston areas, approximately $2.2 million has been spent to date. One example is the purchase of vehicles needed to support work on the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir project near South Bay. More than 30 vehicles have been purchased from Belle Glade area dealerships.

“Everglades Restoration projects are bringing measurable improvement to local economies and the environment,” SFWMD Governing Board Member Patrick Rooney said. “It’s a winning combination.”

Workforce Training Initiative

To increase the availability of qualified local workers, the district contracted with the Education Center of Southwest Florida and with Palm Beach Community College to train and certify workers in heavy equipment operation and construction trades.

The SFWMD has invested more than $1.2 million in partnerships with these two institutions. To date, training programs have produced 131 construction craft graduates and 130 heavy equipment graduates. Depending on experience and certifications, construction graduates can earn $12 to $35 an hour; heavy equipment graduates can earn $12 to $22 an hour. To date, Southern Everglades restoration work has created more than 250 jobs and generated more than $5 million in payroll to area residents.

Small Business Enterprise

To expand its vendor lists, the district has certified more than 1,000 small businesses to work on Everglades restoration projects. Through this program, businesses are given additional consideration when the district solicits project bids and proposals. The list of certified businesses is also made directly available to large contractors seeking qualified subcontractors.

The Small Business Enterprise program is heavily promoted at the grassroots level through community resource groups, African-American and Hispanic builder and trade associations, ministerial alliances, local governments, chambers of commerce and workforce resource centers.

Southern Everglades restoration projects will provide more flood control and water supply options, along with the potential for public recreational opportunities. Current projects include three massive aboveground reservoirs designed to capture and store stormwater runoff. For more information about the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, visit www.evergladesplan.org.

Get Help With Rising Mortgage, Housing Costs

For many homeowners, an increase in monthly mortgage payments, growing property taxes or higher home insurance costs are making it more difficult to pay their housing bills.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Palm Beach County & the Treasure Coast (CCCS) is a member of the CredAbility Network, a family of nonprofit credit counseling agencies that serves consumers across the United States. Company research shows that CCCS clients under counseling to prevent foreclosure report an average monthly mortgage payment of $1,573, a 42-percent increase compared to the $1,110 monthly payment reported in 2006.

“Every day we see clients struggling to just to stay ahead of rising costs,” CCCS President Jessica Cecere said. “They fall behind on their payments and need to seek credit counseling to make certain they save their home.”

The best long-term solution homeowners can pursue is to secure a fixed-rate loan. For all homeowners, CCCS offers additional cost-saving tips:

• Reduce homeowners insurance costs — Consider increasing your deductible, which can reduce your premiums, but will require you to pay more out of pocket if you make a claim. If you have more than one policy with the same insurance carrier, such as home and auto, you can typically get a five- to 15-percent savings on your premium. You might also qualify for a discount if your home has smoke alarms, a monitored security system or hurricane shutters. Florida homeowners may also receive significant discounts in their insurance premiums by getting a wind mitigation report. For about $150, homeowners can have a certified inspector evaluate their home’s ability to withstand wind. In addition to receiving recommendations on how to better secure your home, you

may be eligible for savings of hundreds of dollars or more per year. Visit www.mysafefloridahome. com for more information.

• Look for savings inside and outside your home — Start by evaluating some of your monthly services and determine which are absolutely necessary. Do you really need 250 channels, or could you live with basic cable or without cable at all? If you use your cell phone as your primary phone, consider disconnecting your land line. If you can’t bear to part with your phone, cable and Internet access, shop around.

• Reduce your grocery bill — By planning your meals, making a list before you shop and avoiding shopping while hungry, you can save substantially on your grocery bill. Compare prices on your staple items, buy in bulk when it is more cost effective, and avoid making more than weekly trips to the store. Watching for specials, such as “buy one, get one free” offers and using coupons can also maximize savings. Consider bringing your lunch to work — you can save $5 to $15 per day.

• Plan trips wisely — Skyrocketing gas prices have taken a toll on everyone’s wallet. Planning your trips to minimize driving times, carpooling and using alternative modes of transportation when possible can all add up to savings at the pump.

If you are still struggling to keep up with your housing expenses, CCCS can help. Its certified counselors can help you review your current financial situation and work with you to create a budget and financial plan to get you back on track. Call CCCS at (800) 330-2227 or visit www.cccsinc.org for more info.

Send business 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.

WINESTYLES HOSTS A RECEPTION FOR HOSPICE SUPPORTERS

WineStyles in Wellington hosted a thank-you reception last Thursday evening for Hospice supporters and a celebration of Hospice of Palm Beach County’s 30 years of service to the community. There were wine tastings courtesy of Premier Beverage Company, Opici Wine Company, International Boutique Wines, Antares Inc. and Transatlantic Wine & Spirits, as well as food tastings provided by the Stonewood Grill. WineStyles is located at 10120 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 160, in the Pointe at Wellington Green. For more info., call (561) 8041190.

Wellington Mayor Tom Wenham with WineStyles owners Gary and Tanya Meade.

Phil Brown of Antares.

Sue Deakin, Kim Daughtry, Rocio Lopez and J.C. Stern of Hospice Palm Beach County.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Attendees taste some of the wines available.

Jim Barry and Kim Hillard-Workman.

Emilia Roca and Ida Robbins have a relaxing time.

A Better Ernie: Last Week I Got The Lecture Of A Lifetime

I know I am not the nicest person on Planet Earth. I found out last week I am not the most-liked person on Planet Earth either. I learned this very innocently while visiting my mother-in-law in her hospital room. She was being greeted by one well-wisher after another. The visitors ranged from friends and neighbors to her shampoo person. Even her bus driver came up for a visit. All these folks had one thing in common: they all loved her.

We (the family) heard story after story about what a nice person my mother-in-law was and how kind-hearted she was. No one had anything bad to say about her. When the visitors left the room for the day, only my wife, myself and number-one son Brian remained. We started talking about how so many people loved my mother-in-law. I said, “yeah, I am just the opposite... no one loves me.” Upon hearing this, with all of the strength she could muster, my mother-in-law raised her head and started talking to me in some very unflattering terms. I have known this woman for almost 40 years and never once have I heard this tone of voice or such words flow from her lips. But flow they did. She lit into me, telling me things I never dreamed would

Wondering And Wandering

With Ernie Zimmerman

come out of her mouth.

She brought up example after example of why she thought I am not a nice person (tell me something I don’t know). This lasted for over ten minutes (it felt like two hours). I was so stunned (believe it or not), no words came out of my mouth to answer her. I was speechless. For some strange reason my wife and son had very large grins on their faces during this entire encounter.

My mother-in-law ended her speech to me (always the nice person) by telling me that for the last five years I have turned myself around and become a very nice person. She was only upset with me for the first 35

years she knew me. My mother-in-law held back this well-deserved tongue-lashing for almost 40 years. When she was done with me, she turned to my wife and asked in her usual sweet voice if she had done anything wrong. Of course my wife, with a big smile on her face, assured her mother she had done the right thing.

At peace and with a very large smile on her face, my mother-in-law said she was tired and was going to sleep. What we thought was sleep turned out to be a coma. She never woke. She died two days after ripping me apart. She tried in her dying breath to make me a better person. I will not let her down. The world will now see a kinder and gentler Ernie. I know this will be a very hard thing for me to accomplish. It took me many years to create the “loveable” Ernie I am today. But I did make myself a promise that I would do my best to honor a dying woman’s request to become a nicer human being.

So the next time you see me “wandering” about the western communities, don’t be shy (I no longer bite). Come over and meet this kinder, gentler Ernie. You won’t be sorry.

With Fall Underway, Citrus Trees Give Fruit, Need Attention

Dooryard citrus is very popular, and this is the season it begins to mature. Some varieties of early citrus, such as navel oranges and some early grapefruit, are being picked commercially right now. If you have citrus, there are some things you need to do for your trees this month. The important thing is fall fertilization. Generally October is the month for feeding all fruit trees in the landscape with a good-quality fruit tree fertilizer. This will insure that the trees go into the winter season in good health and also make sure the quality of the fruit maturing right now doesn’t suffer. Lack of nutrients can result in poor quality fruit or partially dry sections with little if any juice. If you have overgrown trees, you can still prune them this time of year. As long as the branches you’re cutting off aren’t laden with fruit, it won’t affect the tree or your harvest.

If you want to add citrus trees to your landscape, local nurseries that have good inventories. It would be great to get them in now — they will be fully established and ready to bloom early next year to give you fruit for the next season. Since we’re now officially beginning our dry season, also watch irrigation practices but don’t be guilty of overwatering citrus. Usually most citrus can get by on irrigation once a week. If they have an especially heavy crop of fruit, you may wish to water a little more often than once a week, but too much water can promote conditions favorable for root disease.

If you’re harvesting fruit and you notice blemishes or discolored areas on the fruit, in most cases those don’t penetrate through the peel into the flesh of the fruit, so it can still be safely eaten. Depending on what the problem is, next

year in the spring when it flowers you can spray the tree with a copper fungicide to help eliminate diseases that affect the peel. Spraying has no effect once the disease is already in the fruit.

If you have some early maturing oranges like navel oranges, they should be ripe this time of year even though the skin may still be relatively green. Many early maturing fruits don’t have beautiful peel colors because of the absence of cool nights. It takes lows of about 55 degrees or lower before the attractive peel colors start to develop in citrus, and that doesn’t happen until after Thanksgiving. The trees shed some older leaves going into the cooler season too, so don’t get too excited if you see some coming off your tree.

If you want to test the maturity of the fruit, simply pick one regardless of the peel color and taste it. If it tastes

Gardening With Gene

Joyner

fine and it’s sweet, continue picking. If it’s not, leave the rest on the tree for another few weeks and do another taste test.

If you have questions about the care of citrus or other fruit trees, you can get some valuable advice free from the Palm Beach County Extension Service at (561) 233-1750. The extension service also has free publications on citrus and tropical fruits available at their offices during normal business hours.

$18-$25/HR — Teachers/Tutors P/T. All subjects PreK to Adult. Certification/Experience required. Palm Beach County Areas Fax 561-828-8128 or E-mail Tutorking@WPB3331980.COM

HELP WANTED/BOOKKEEPER EXPE-

RIENCED; Familiar with QUICKBOOKS - Full-Time position. Pay commensurate with experience. Fax resume to A. Silver - 561-432-2825

CLEANERS RESIDENTIAL FT — Car required, Pd. Training. North and West Palm Beach Cty. Up to $10/hr Start. 561-756-2282

OVER 62?? — Minimum $1,000 after 2 closings. Fund your own reverse mortgage and get paid to teach others. MadelynPage@BellSouth.Net 561-4222910

TUTORING CLUB — is expanding needs P.T. upper level Mathematics instructor. Please call 561-784-4434

PEST CONTROL TECH NEEDED — salary plus commission, paid holidays/ benefits/FT. Experience preferred/will train 561-791-0263 or apply in person at 11360 Fortune Circle. E-13, Wellington ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT — computer & telephone skills required. Flexible hours FT/PT 561-784-9613

$10/Hr PART TIME INSURANCE AS-

SISTANT — In Wellington Office. 15-20 hrs/week in AM. Office experience preferred but will train. Good computer skills a must. Fax resume to 561-790-0566.

MANAGEMENT LEVEL PERSON — for Dental Practice with customer service experience. Good Salary. Fax resume to 561-969-1668

HOUSEKEEPER NEEDED FOR WELLINGTON - Resident must be experienced, honest & dependable. Flexible hours; Non-smoker, must speak English. 561-790-4941

MATURE LADY NEEDED - For thorough weekly housecleaning. Mornings in single family home. Experienced and references required. 561-795-7552.

HOST A PAMPERED CHEF PARTY — Earn discounted or even free gifts. Cherie Reese Independent Consultant for Pampered Chef. 214-4509 THIS SATURDAY, OCT. 20th 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. — Clothes, household items, CD’S etc. 11902 Donlin Drive. Wellington (Off of Southshore & 12th Fairway (Park Place) MULTI-FAMILY GARAGE SALE THIS SATURDAY, OCT. Oct 20th 7 a.m.-11a.m 785 Cedar Cove Rd. Wellington (The Preserve) Off of Binks Forest. Something for everyone.

HOUSEKEEPER WITH REFERENCES seeks position cleaning, ironing, shopping, & driving. 561-683-1758

TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS CALL TODAY 793-3576

POST OFFICE NOW HIRING — Avg. Pay $20/hour or $57K annually including Federal Benefits and OT. Paid Training, Vacations. PT/FT. 1-866-497-1015 USWA A NEW WAIVE IN HEALTH HAS HIT THE SHORES — bringing the 5,000 year traditional Asian medicine practice to consumers, resulting in BIG MONEY. To find out how you can get paid to feel better than you have ever felt before call now. 1-888-283-0583.

I QUOTE BIZ — Develop/Marketing/ Consulting. Bringing your business to life. Mark Hannifin. 561-629-2429 IQUOTEBIZ.COM TIRED OF BUSINESSES THAT DON'T WORK — If you are financially motivated, driven and want to excel in life, Call 800-615-8179 or visit website Dreamscometrueinternational.com

132-B SPARROW DR. 3/2/2CG Duplex 1550 Sq. Ft. W/D, hurricane shutters, fenced yard on waterway, new paint & carpet, pest control & lawn care included. Kids OK/NO PETS Rent, $1,400/Mo Sec. Deposit $2,800 Total to Move In- $4,200. 561-790-4109

GREENWAY VILLAGE SOUTH 55+ COMMUNITY — 2/2 enclosed porch, tile, accordian shutters, ceiling fans, (water, cable & pest control included) $900/ mo. Call Maria 379-3685 or 310-2904

GREENWAY VILLAGE SOUTH — Over 55 Community. Large 1/1 newly renovated $850 unfurnished. Includes telephone service. 561-422-2910

FULLY FURNISHED SPACIOUS EFFICIENCY APT. - Kitchenette, heated pool, jacuzzi, gated community, $675/Mo. includes cable & water. 561-798-5410 or 561-281-0632

EFFICIENCY FOR RENT - Near corner 441 & Southern Equestrian Horsefarm efficiency. utilities paid, cable $600/Mo. Call Carol 714-5093

ROOM FOR RENT: Fully furnished room available in 2BD 2BA condo in Wellington. Rent $600/Month plus ½ utilities. Includes pool access and basic cable. Available immediately 6 or 12 month lease available. Contact Paul at 352-0635.

FURNISHED ROOM IN SINGLE FAMILY HOME — In gated community. Includes utilities, water, cable, use of W/ D & Kitchen. $850/Mo. plus security deposit. Female preferred. No Smoking/ No Pets. 561-685-8397

ARISSA PLACE — 2 bedrooms for rent in condo during Polo Season. Furnished/ Unfurnished. Use of amenities. Close to Polo Grounds & Shopping. 561-5028378. No Pets/No Smoking.

STUDIO/ 1 BEDROOM APT. NEEDED — December 1 – April 1 in Wellington for Wellington Equestrian Season. (203) 984-1238

DOUBLE NICHE IN ROYAL PALM ME-

MORIAL GARDENS MAUSOLEUM — Includes 2 openings & closings. Current price $2,800 asking $1,995 OBO. 772219-8153

POLYSTYRENE INSULLATION — 4 x 8 x 1 ¾” square edge, dow extruded. 27.5 Sheets RVALUE $15/Per Sheet. 561-7902663

BAR QUALITY FOOSEBALL TABLE

$175; Solid Pine Student Desk $150; 6'7" BIC surfboard $125. 561-798-2134

CHRYSLER SEABRING CONVERTIBLE — 2004 white with black top and charcoal interior.42,000 accident free miles, garage kept, auto, air, am/fm/cd/tape. Asking $13,995/obo call 309-4406

MERCEDES BENZ 560SL 1987 CLASSIC SPORTS CAR — with only 114,000 miles is in showroom condition white with navy top and interior and has a white hard top and stand. Asking $13,995/obo call 309-4406

SHIH TZU PUPPY’S — Vet. Cert. Reg. Pick Now – Take Home. 11/10 (561) 7932039 Parents on premises.

DACHSHUNDS — 1 M, 2F, 12 Wks. Rare, smooth, piebalds, beautiful markings $650 OBO 561-379-7970

MINI DACHSHUND PUPPIES - Red, creams, black & tan and 1 dapple long hair/short hair, males & females. AKC & CKC $600 and up. 561-281-3337. www.DawnZDoxies.com

D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-333-9433 or Cell 561252-1186 Lic’d- Well. & Palm Beach COMPUTER REPAIR - We come to you! After hours and weekends services available. Spyware/Adware/Virus Removal, Networking, Wireless, Backup Data, Upgrades. Call Anytime. 561-7135276

CONCRETE RESURFACING — Pools, decks, patios, & interior floors, spray deck, kook deck, stone design, Paver Repair & Resealing. 561-790-4588

ROCKANDRECORD.COM - A professional DJ and Videography Service. Disc Jockey • Music • Entertainment • Professional MC's • Weddings • Bar/Bat Mitzvah • Sweet 16/Birthday Parties • Anniversaries • Private & Corporate Events • Holiday Parties 561-422-4336

HOT WYRE ELECTRIC — For all your electrical needs. Panel upgrades, installations, repairs, lightening protection, troubleshooting. Licensed, Insured, Free Estimates. 561-313-0134

HIGH QUALITY LAMINATE FLOORING — at affordable prices. Hardwood floors. No deposit until delivery. Contractors welcome. Western Communities resident. Family owned and Operated. Licensed and Insured. Se Habla Español 561-568-6099

GUARDSMAN FURNITURE PRO — For all your furniture repair needs including finish repairs, structural repairs, upholstery services, chair regluing, antique repairs, kitchen cabinet refurbishing. 753-8689

HOME STANDBY GENERATORS — Complete packages including fueled system - Best Prices & reliable new Generator systems installed from 15 to 200KW “More Practical and much quieter” Maintenance & Service for all types of generators. Factory Authorized Dealer. 561-707-0575 Palm Beach. Tropical Power Systems, Inc.

LOWEST PRICES! — Nobody beats our Price! Free Est. Complete A/C units from $1,150. Repair Specialists. Lic./ins. 561-795-1130 toll free 888-981-9815

RANDY POULETTE AIR CONDITIONING, LLC — Quality workmanship, Reliable Service, Honest Results, A personal touch, all for exceptional prices. I service all makes and models. Lic. #CAC1815549 and Insured. 561-7903275.

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.

The only non-profit petting zoo in the area. - featuring parrots, mini horses, ponies, pony rides, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and Llamas and more and farm club. 561-792-2666

HOUSE CLEANING AVAILABLE — Over 13 yrs. experience. Great references. Very Dependable. Karen. 561-632-2271

LOW COST REPAIR OF GENERATOR SYSTEMS - 561-795-0916

NEED CROWNMOLDING? — Repairs? Remodeling? New construction? or Just about anything. SHORE COUNTRY CONSTRUCTION. Doug 254-6503 #CGC032864

CAN FIX IT — build it, move it, plant it, and more. Call Bruce, 793-2494. TFN

BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS, INC. — Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair, door installation, minor drywall, kitchens/cabinets/countertops, remodeling, wood flooring. Bonded/Insured U#19699. 561-791-9900

THE HANDYMAN CAN! — Craftsman with years of experience. Repairs, water damage, painting, wall/ceiling, texturing, moldings, flooring, organizers, plumbing, tile. Remodeling bath/kitchens. Big Savings on outdoor kitchen & bar using your grill or just hang a fan. Make your repair HONEY DO LIST. I show up & want your return business. References. Hourly/job. Call Greg 561531-3141

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 561248-8528

*TOP RATED* by www.AngieList.com Atlantic Shore Home Improvement. Call Anthony Palermo 561-756-0428

MCA CUSTOM WOODWORKING, INC. — “Make your home standout from the rest” Call us for all your home improvement needs. Kitchen & bathroom remodeling, custom wall units, design your home office, cabinetry, tile & drywall repair. Lic. #U-19564. Bonded & Ins. 561723-5836

PAINTING — HOME PAINTING Interior – Exterior. $1290 +tax up to 2500 sq. ft. (walls area) 561-674-HOME(4663) J&C’s Faux Painting Service, Inc. Lic./Ins. U14092

AT YOUR SERVICE PET CONCIERGE

- pet sitting, play dates, sleep overs, arrange pet grooming, vet visits, flea & tick products, Holistic/Natural pet foods. Come home to a well stocked fridge & your plants alive. Upscale services for all your beloved four legged friends. Bonded & insured. 561-791-2086

“You dealt with the rest now deal with the best” maintenance and repairs. Inquire about 1 months FREE service. 561-7915073 ELITE POOL CLEANING

J&B PRESSURE CLEANING — Established in 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.Call Butch 561-309-6975 BD

ing of all types. 1-863-675-6333. TNT LANDSCAPING & LAWN CARE 561-644-8683 — Lic. & Ins. Landscape design, low maintenance gardens, professional plant installation, mulching, monthly property maintenance, sprinklers maintenance & repair, expert hedge & tree trimming. Yard cleanup too! AFFORDABLE LANDSCAPING — Brick pavers/patio/driveway. Basic landscaping services. Offered 3D Landscape Design. Including water features, and outdoorkitchens. for more information : www.affordablelandscapingflorida.com Lic. & Ins. 561-459-6166

ARMENTO PAINTING & SONS, INC. ––Painting, Interior, Exterior. Pressure cleaning. Custom painting, faux art. Lic. No. U14736. 798-8978. BD JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. ––– Interior/Exterior, artistic faux finishing, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair, & roof painting/cleaning. Free est. Call 798-4964. Lic.#U18473

LARRY’S PAINTING & WALLPAPER — Licensed • Bonded • Insured. Interior/ Exterior painting. 561-309-2845. Wallpaper - Luanne 561-801-2018

Painting • Residential • Commercial • Historical Restoration • Faux Finishing • Stucco Repair • Roof Painting • and Pressure Cleaning • Sand Blasting • Mold Removal. FLEISCHER’S PAINTING • 561833-6661.

LET US AD A LITTLE COLOR TO YOUR LIFE — Residential/Commercial. Licensed • Bonded • Insured. Owner/Operator. Ask for Paul 561-309-8290. COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Interior/ Exterior, residential painting, over 20 years exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free estimates - Insured. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident. RJA PAINTING & DECORATING — interior, exterior, custom colors, faux artwork, all work guaranteed. Lic. Bonded & Insured. 561-616-2255

BOB NICHOLS PAINTING — Serving the Palm Beaches for 19 years. Quality interior & exterior finishes. 561-248-6070. Lic. #16555

PRIMROSE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, LLC — Full Service. Residential Home Care for full or part time residents. Weekly inspections, repairs, Monthly reports. Reasonable rates. 561-602-6857 or email: primrosepm123@aol.com

MINOR ROOF REPAIRS – Roof painting. Carpentry. License #U9 865. 9675580. BD SHAKE ROOF SPECIALISTS –– New roofs, repairs, preservation. License #CC025465. Shake Masters, Shake Chem. Members of Shake Bureau. 4396668 BD

ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING ––Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded, insured. Lic. #CCC-058317 790-0763. BD

ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC023773 RC-0067207 BD

JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! Lic.#9001390. 798-3132.

ROLL DOWN SHUTTERS — Accordion shutters, storm panels and rolling shutters...prices that can’t be beat. All shutters Systems, Inc. 863-0955 AFFORDABLE HURRICANE