FRANKEL FACING TWO CHALLENGERS SEE STORY, PAGE 3
8 SEEK SOIL & WATER DISTRICT SEATS SEE STORY, PAGE 7
THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
Your Community Newspaper
INSIDE
Volume 37, Number 41 October 28 - November 3, 2016
Serving Palms West Since 1980
LEGO DONATION AT PALMS WEST
New Store Offers Both Pool Products And Well/Pump Services
What happens when you combine a pool supply store with a wells and pumps store? You get AMERiCANBlue Pool Supplies — the sign above the door says Pools & H20 — located at 15679 Southern Blvd., Suite 110, in the new Loxahatchee Groves Commons shopping center. Page 7
Sock Hop Features 1950s-Style Fun At St. Rita Church
Council 8419 of the Knights of Columbus held a sock hop at the St. Rita Catholic Church Parish Center on Saturday, Oct. 15 with dancing, food, fun and plenty of reminiscing. Vintage cars were displayed outside, and many people dug out 1950s and 1960s clothing to join in and dance the night away. Page 8
Opening Day Brings Crowd To The Green Market At Wellington
The Green Market at Wellington re-opened for the season on Saturday, Oct. 22 next to the Wellington Amphitheater. There was a large turnout, with families flocking to the event to take part in the activities, enjoy the music, and take home a new plant, painting or produce. Page 9
OPINION Town-Crier Endorsement For District 86 State Rep
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, voters will decide who will replace State Rep. Mark Pafford and represent District 86 — which covers all of Loxahatchee Groves, Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, along with several eastern communities — in Tallahassee. Pafford, currently minority leader of the Florida House of Representatives, is leaving his work on behalf of voters here in the western communities due to term limits. Vying to replace Pafford are Republican Laurel Bennett of Royal Palm Beach and Democrat Matt Willhite of Wellington. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS................................. 3 - 9 OPINION.................................. 4 PEOPLE................................. 13 SCHOOLS.......................14 - 15 COLUMNS...................... 16, 23 NEWS BRIEFS....................... 18 BUSINESS......................24 - 25 SPORTS..........................29 - 31 CALENDAR............................ 32 CLASSIFIEDS................ 33 - 36 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
Wellington High School student Daniel Clein of Bricks Busting Boredom presented Palms West Hospital with 50 new boxes of Lego bricks and 230 pounds of recycled Lego bricks Wednesday, Oct. 19 for young patients to enjoy. Shown above are Director of Pediatric Services Caren Bock, Chief Operating Officer Lorna Kernizan, CEO Eric Goldman, Daniel Clein, Chief Nursing Officer Silvia Stradi and Chief Financial Officer Steven Burroughs holding boxes of Legos. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
Powell, Berman Spar In Race For Senate District 30 Seat
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Democratic State Rep. Bobby Powell (D-District 88) faces Republican attorney and businessman Ron Berman in the race for the State Senate District 30 seat on Nov. 8. Powell defeated well-known attorney Michael Steinger in the Aug. 30 primary election to secure the Democratic nomination. The newly redrawn and renumbered District 30 covers Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee Groves, eastern portions of The Acreage, the northeastern corner of Wellington and extends to the coast to include Jupiter to the north and Cloud Lake to the south. A West Palm Beach resident, Powell is an urban and regional planner. He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2012 and re-elected in 2014. He is the Democratic ranking member on the Transportation & Ports Sub-
Bobby Powell committee, and a member of the Agriculture & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, the Economic Affairs Committee and the Economic Development & Tourism Subcommittee. Although out-financed by his opponent, Powell handily defeated Steinger by a two-to-one margin.
Ron Berman “We got through the preliminary battle, and now I’m running hard, strong and fast in the general election,” he said. “I’m working with other Democratic candidates because this race is no longer Democrat versus Democrat. It’s now Republican versus Democrat, See STATE SENATE, page 17
Wellington Foundation Will Salute Vets At Nov. 11 Party
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Community Foundation is staging a special event on Friday, Nov. 11. In honor of Veterans Day, the foundation will host Red White & Blue Jeans: A Nostalgic Salute to Our Veterans at the Wanderers Club in Wellington. A benefit for the foundation’s “Neighbor Helping Neighbor” efforts, the event will begin with a cocktail hour starting at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and dancing until 10 p.m. “We’re expecting a good turnout for veterans,” said Tom Wenham, chair of the foundation. “It’s a salute to our veterans and will have a veterans theme to it.” The foundation’s board of directors — Wenham, Robbin Lee, Mickey Smith, Maria Becker, Ken Adams, Karen Cavanagh, Barry Manning, Jim Sackett and Maggie Zeller — is working together on the event. Wenham, a Korean War veteran, stresses the importance of events
such as Red White & Blue Jeans. “I think it’s important to the veterans that are in the community, and to the community itself,” he said. “It speaks a lot about the community and that the veterans who live here are part of the community. I think it is a great event. I certainly look forward to it, and I think there will be a good turnout, and a good turnout of veterans.” Veterans will be honored at the event, as well as veterans who are not there, specifically those designated as prisoners of war or missing in action. The event couldn’t come at a better time, Smith said. “We’re honoring veterans on Veterans Day,” he said. “It comes at a time right after a very hotly contested election. It’s time to come together as Americans, and put the election behind us and honor the veterans who have made our country special. I think it’s a special event because it’s really a hometown thing put on by the foundation, which is dedicated to Wellington.”
He expects Red White & Blue Jeans to be a fun and lively event. “Even the name itself gives away the fact that this is going to be a fun event,” Smith said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun for a very good cause.” Wenham suggests that attendees dress casually, in patriotic attire. However, long pants, rather than shorts, are requested. Tickets are $85 per person, with two levels of sponsorship available. The “Pay It Forward” sponsorship is $500 and includes four tickets, while a table sponsorship is $1,000 and includes eight tickets. Advanced ticket purchases are preferable, but tickets will be available at the door. For more information, call (561) 333-9843. Tickets can be purchased at 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 33, in the original Wellington Mall, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. To learn more about the organization, visit www.wellington communityfoundation.org.
RPB To Develop New Policy For Traffic Calming
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council last week authorized Village Manager Ray Liggins to enter into contracts with the engineering firm Simmons & White to provide consulting services to develop a new traffic-calming policy. Residents on Sandpiper Avenue recently complained about speeders in their neighborhood, which led the council to put out a request for proposals on a traffic-calming study. Councilman David Swift added that there are also issues on La Mancha Avenue and other streets in the village. At the Oct. 20 meeting, Liggins said that the agreement is in two parts, a professional services agreement for $15,000 and consulting services for $35,000. Four bids were submitted.
The consulting work will include the development of a traffic calming-policy to be applied villagewide. Village Engineer Chris Marsh said that part of the process was ironing out the scope of the first phase of traffic calming. “The first thing we’re going to do is review traffic calming best practices,” Marsh said. “After that, they’re going to prepare a draft of a villagewide traffic-calming policy.” The policy will take into account traffic volumes, 85th percentile speed, posted speed limits, proximity to intersections, traffic control devices, cut-through percentage, classification of roadways, safety and neighborhood support, Marsh said. The consultants will coordinate See TRAFFIC, page 4
WELLINGTON FALL FEST
The Village of Wellington held its annual Fall Festival at Village Park on Saturday, Oct. 22. The Halloween-themed event featured bounce houses, face painting, haunted hallways, food trucks, costume contests, pie-eating contests, hay and pony rides, a petting zoo, trick-or-treating, music and dance performances and more. Shown here are Lauren Bends, Kayleigh Schillace and Madison Root. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 19 PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
Loxahatchee Groves Ready To Celebrate 10th Anniversary
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Town of Loxahatchee Groves will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its incorporation next week with a founders’ reception on Tuesday, Nov. 1 before the next Loxahatchee Groves Town Council meeting and an old-fashioned carnival on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Loxahatchee Groves County Park on Southern Blvd. Finance Director Perla Underwood has been making the arrangements. She has been surprised at the offers to participate in the celebration. On Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., before the meeting, there will be a dedication of the town hall’s new flagpole, followed by a reception. “We finally had our flagpole put in, and it has taken us six months to get the lighting in place the way it is supposed to be,” Underwood said. “I wouldn’t let them put up
the flag, so on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., they’re going to go out there and raise the flag. There will be a small reception in the lobby before the meeting at 7 p.m.” Underwood has invited the original town council, the incorporation committee, attorney Sam Goren with Goren, Cherof, Doody & Ezrol P.A., who drafted the incorporation legislation and the town’s charter, and Atlantis City Clerk Mo Thornton, who served as interim clerk for the town’s first meeting. “I’m hoping to get a lot more people to come in, but it’s more the incorporation committee and the first council, and those individuals who were present and responsible for the town’s incorporation,” she said. Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association President Marge Herzog, a former council member, has put together a movie depicting See ANNIVERSARY, page 4
Polo Players Visit B&G Club To Promote Golf Tourney
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report When Wellington’s world-famous polo players aren’t racing up the field on horseback, many are hitting the field to play catch or soccer with kids at the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington. And come Sunday, Nov. 13, they’ll be playing golf to benefit the club. Polo star Nic Roldan is chairing the club’s 35th annual Wellington Golf Tournament at the Wanderers Club, rescheduled for Nov. 13 from Oct. 8 due to Hurricane Matthew. To get the kids excited about the event, Roldan visited the club on Tuesday, Oct. 25, joined by some of his polo-playing
friends — Carlos Gracida Jr., Jason Crowder, Jesse Bray, Roddy Matthews and Jared Sheldon, along with other friends from the Grand Champions Polo Club. They came bearing hats for all the club members, courtesy of Grand Champions owners Marc and Melissa Ganzi. Roldan has been visiting the children at the club for several years now and has noticed their interactions changing. “Every year it gets more and more fun. The kids start to know you, and you start to feel more at home. Every year it gets better and better,” Roldan said. “They start to remember you, and remember you by your first name.” He plays sports, dances and
explores the club with them. “It’s always a great experience,” Roldan said. For Jaene Miranda, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, the commitment from the polo community, and especially Roldan, is special. “It’s not a fly-by-night commitment. Since the first minute that he walked in through these doors, you could tell that there was a love for coming here and supporting these children,” Miranda said. “That’s all we can do, introduce people to the club, show them what the need is in the community, and hope that they support and spread the message. That’s how we got to where See B&G CLUB, page 17
Nic Roldan and the other polo players kid around with the Boys & Girls Club children.
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER