Town-Crier Newspaper September 18, 2009

ULTIMA’S FAMILY FITNESS FAIR

a Cause” last Sunday at the Wellington Community Center. The event was a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in October. Page 5

Royal Palm Beach Forum Puts Focus On Racial Profiling A community forum on racial profiling took place Monday evening at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center, prompted by the high-profile arrest of Harvard professor Henry Gates for unruly behavior last July after police went to his Cambridge, Mass. home in response to a report of a suspected burglary. Page 7

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Wolverines Suffer Narrow Defeat To Lake Worth Trojans Back in the mid-1990s, the fiercest varsity football battle in the area was between Wellington High School and rival Lake Worth. That rivalry was rekindled last Friday night when the Wellington team traveled to Lake Worth and lost to the Trojans, 39-31. Page 17

Ultima Fitness of Wellington held a Family Fitness Fair on Saturday, Sept. 12 to provide fitness education, screening and services for children and families. The fair began with a lecture on family fitness and nutrition with the first 50 attendants receiving a free goodie bag. There was also health screening in areas such as blood pressure, bone density, body fat and cholesterol. Shown here, Lara Brown and Sonja Friend-Uhl discuss metabolic testing. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 3

Commons Park, RPB Blvd. Dominate Capital Projects

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach Village Council gave final approval of its 2010 budget on Thursday, Sept. 17, adopting a tax rate of 1.93 mills, keeping with its tradition of annual rate reductions, now for the 15th consecutive year.

The 1.93 millage rate is .04 less than last year’s rate of 2.01. Mayor David Lodwick credits the millage reduction to a series of business decisions that have made the village less dependent on property taxes.

Several years ago, Royal Palm Beach sold its water and wastewater utilities to the county for $70 million, which is now generating a revenue stream for the village, instead of costing money to run, Lodwick said. Over the past decade, the village has also transferred its police and firerescue services to the coun-

ty, reduced its number of employees, reorganized some departments, outsourced some services and deferred some capital projects.

At about $15 million, the second phase of construction to Village Commons Park is the most significant capital outlay for 2010, Lodwick told the Town-Crier

“Residents can already see the first phase of that now,” he said. “Once the earthmoving is done, we’ll be bidding on the next phase. It will be out to bid in the next budget year. That’s going to be anywhere from $15 to $18 million for the next phase. We deferred a couple of capital projects because with the improvements along Royal Palm Beach Blvd. and the Village Commons Park, our staff’s hands were pretty much full already.”

Lodwick said the deferred projects probably wouldn’t

have happened in 2010 anyway.

“Every year we lay out a list of capital projects, and if we lay out 10, we may get eight of them done, and we push the rest into next year,” Lodwick said. “We’re getting better at identifying them. Projects the size of Commons Park and Royal Palm Beach Blvd. are going to dominate our staff’s time in the coming year. That’s principally what we’ll get done, along with improvements to Camellia Park.”

Lodwick said a bond issue will likely be done to pay for the Phase II improvements to Commons Park, but a portion of the debt will be paid with the revenue stream from the utility money.

Lodwick noted that the projects deferred from this year’s budget were minor in nature. “They are capital pro-

Commissioners Question FPL Plant Pipeline Project

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

Unanswered questions regarding a water pipe project for Florida Power & Light’s West County Energy Center led Palm Beach County commissioners to postpone approval Tuesday of construction easements and purchase orders for 30 days. The project includes the construction of a 27-milliongallon-per-day reclaimed water treatment facility at the East Central Regional Waste-

Dear Readers,

water Reclamation Facility at the northeast corner of Roebuck Road and Florida’s Turnpike, and a pipeline to deliver reclaimed water from the reclamation facility to the West County Energy Center at a cost of $12.3 million.

FPL competitively bid the project components and entered into a construction contract with Wharton-Smith Inc. for the construction of the reclaimed water treatment facility, and with Garney Companies Inc. and Felix

Associates LLC, all out-ofcounty companies, for laying the pipe.

Commissioner Karen Marcus had concerns about the amount being offered for eminent domain land purchases along Okeechobee Blvd. totaling $718,000, which she said is double the appraised amount.

Marcus added that she was curious whether the county would have had to use condemnation if the project had

See PIPELINE, page 4

As the Town-Crier approaches its 30th anniversary, it is time for next evolution of your community newspaper. We are constantly reviewing our business model to make sure we’re doing our best to safeguard the future of your community newspaper in an era of rapid change and economic challenges. This week, I am pleased to announce an approaching change that I believe will lead to a better newspaper for our readers, our advertisers and our communities.

Here at the Town-Crier, we work hard to bring you the best possible local newspaper, providing you valuable community information every week — all at no cost to you. We plan to continue delivering the newspaper to you free of charge, but only as long as we know that you want to receive it. In order to do that, we must change the way we distribute our newspaper. So this fall we are moving to a FREE SUBSCRIPTION distribution method. No longer will we be dropping the newspaper on all driveways in local neighborhoods; instead, we will deliver the Town-Crier directly to the mail-

Four-Day Work Schedule To Get Six-Month Trial

By Mark Lioi Town-Crier Staff Report

Members of the Wellington Village Council spent a considerable portion of their budget hearing Tuesday mulling over the possibility of abandoning a four-day work week for most village employees, an idea proposed as a cost-cutting measure.

Hit by declining revenues and tax reform legislation, the village is expecting a $82.9 million total budget that represents a decrease of about 19 percent from the $103 million budget of the current year.

The tax rate of 2.5 mills, up from the 2.34 mills approved a year ago, will generate $14.4 million in revenue for the village, Administrative & Financial Services Director Mireya McIlveen said, contrasted with the $16 million in property taxes collected in the current year.

In order to save money, the village has reduced its workforce by 16 people and plans to reduce medical and dental benefits, freeze salary increases, eliminate grants to schools, reduce the frequency of some maintenance operations such as mowing, and put most village workers and offices on a four-day work week of ten hours per day, Monday through Thursday. That change would result in an estimated $300,000 annual savings, with fewer employee mobilizations and reduced energy consumption

such as fuel and air conditioning.

At an agenda review meeting the previous day, some council members expressed reluctance to switch to a fourday week — a change slated to go into effect Sept. 28. Vice Mayor Dr. Carmine Priore questioned that sentiment at the council meeting Tuesday. “What I want to hear is why, at this point in time, we would want to alter an opportunity for us to save $300,000 by going to a fourday work week and not decreasing the opportunity for individuals to get service from the village,” he said. Priore said the information he had seen indicated that longer days tend to be more productive, and also noted that by calling off the schedule change, the council would need to find $300,000 somewhere else in the budget to cut.

Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto said the previous day’s discussion had swayed her opinion against the four-day week, but she would still be willing to try it.

“I think the ultimate determinant of whether it’s successful for us is whether it works for the residents, and it actually saves us money,” she said. “So saying that, I’d like to see a six-month time period where we can analyze what we were looking to

RPB Council: We Need Better Park Rental Protocols

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach Village Council last week postponed requests from two non-profit organizations to stage events at Veterans Park until the village can come up with a consistent policy to allow such uses of public parks.

At a meeting Sept. 10, council members raised questions about when it is appropriate for the village to cosponsor events. In a co-sponsorship, the organization commonly does not pay rent and the village picks up the tab for staff, shuttles and police. Further, renting it out precludes the park’s purpose as a passive gathering place for residents.

Council members said they want to develop clearer guidelines because they were uncomfortable about the precedent set by co-sponsoring events on public land, specifically Veterans Park, which was being sought that evening by two non-profits, the Wellington Art Society

and the Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club.

Adrianne Hetherington of the Wellington Art Society said she had been under the impression that Veterans Park is open to non-profits, but a society event in November had been rejected by village staff. “At this point, I’m really not sure what the status of Veterans Park is,” Hetherington said. “Is it open to nonprofits? Is it not?”

Dr. Ron Peterson, past president of the Rotary Club, which also wants to stage an event in November, noted that last year the village set a precedent by co-sponsoring an event with the Rotary to raise money for hurricane victims in Haiti and Texas.

“This was a very successful event, and at that time we were commended by this very council,” he recalled. Peterson said he was requesting use of the park again this year for another event on Nov. 29 to raise money for needy families. Last year, the club partnered with Pastor

box of anyone who requests it. We believe that in the long run, this will be a far more effective distribution method for both readers and advertisers. It eliminates a number of challenges caused by the weather, unoccupied homes and other distribution pitfalls. At the same time, it creates a system where our advertisers know that each and every newspaper is going into the hands of someone who wants to read it.

To make sure that you continue to receive the Town-Crier each week, please fill out the subscription card inserted into this week’s newspaper, stamp it and return it to us. We will then add you to our mailing list. If for some reason you cannot find the card delivered with your newspaper, a subscription form can be found on page 14 of this week’s issue. Remember, this is a complimentary subscription, and all it will cost you is a stamp. Thank you for your cooperation and your continued readership!

Barry S. Manning, Publisher The Town-Crier Newspaper

PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington Rotary To Honor Village At Peace Day Event

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Wellington Rotary Club will hold a United Nations World Peace Day celebration at the Wellington Rotary Peace Park near the Wellington library on Monday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m.

One of the highlights of the celebration will be a presentation of a Community Peace Award to the Village of Wellington. Through the award, the Rotary Club recognizes the village for its Safe Neighborhoods Initiative.

This will be the fourth year the Rotary has hosted a Peace Day observation.

“The first year was the Rotary Peace Pole dedication,” Wellington Rotary Peace Initiative Chair Dr. Wes Boughner said. “The second year was a peace ceremony. The third year was the Rotary Park dedication, and this is the World Peace dedication.”

On Tuesday, the Village of Wellington made a proclamation declaring United Peace Day in Wellington on Sept. 21. They also gave the Rotary a second proclamation declaring Wellington as a Rotary Peace Community. “It will be the eleventh in the nation,” Boughner said. “This movement only started in the past year, so we’re one of the first communities to follow up with that.”

The proclamation says that the village will adhere to various human rights policies, stress intercultural understanding with its employees in their relations with the community.

A color guard and bugler from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office will open the ceremony. Wellington Boy Scout Troop 120 will raise the flag, followed by the national anthem by Jessica Wittenbrink. Samantha Yorke will lead the recital of the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the reading of the United Nations Day of Peace proclamation and the Rotary Peace Com-

munity proclamation by Wellington Mayor Darell Bowen. Opening remarks will be from Boughner. Next in the ceremony will be the recitation of “May peace prevail on earth” in eight languages, as the phrase is represented on the eight faces of the Rotary Peace Pole. Boughner will then make a special peace presentation to former Rotary District 6930 governor Betsy Owen. Other activities include the presentation of the winners of the elementary peace poster contest, winners of the middle school peace poetry contest, the Elbridge Gale Elementary School Peace Pole Certificate of Planting and the high school peace essay contest winner. Winners will be awarded checks, Boughner said. For the highlight of the event, Community Peace Award co-chairs Mark McLean and Randy Pfeiffer will present the Wellington Rotary Community Peace Award to members of the Wellington Village Council and Village Manager Paul Schofield. After that, the Student Mediator Award for Resolution Tactics (SMART) will be presented to Wellington High School student Stacey Joseph, followed by the singing of “Let There Be Peace on Earth” by Stacey Joseph, a moment of silence, the release of 30 doves and closing remarks from Boughner. The Wellington Rotary peace initiative is intended to raise community awareness of the concept of conflict resolution, multiculturalism and world peace, Boughner said.

The Rotary Peace Park is at the corner of Royal Fern and Birkdale, just south of Elbridge Gale Elementary School.

For more information about the Wellington Rotary Club, visit www.wellington rotary.org or call Boughner at (561) 791-2060.

County Program Helps Residents Get Organized

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff

The focus was on “community” at Wednesday’s community forum hosted by County Commissioner Jess Santamaria as representatives from the Palm Beach County Office of Community Revitalization (OCR) talked to residents about how they can improve their neighborhoods.

Speaking to the audience gathered center court in the original Wellington Mall, OCR Director Houston Tate discussed the variety of programs his office provides to help residents organize to make improvements or solve problems.

Tate noted the Countywide Community Revitalization Team (CCRT), which meets at the Vista Center complex at 2300 North Jog Road, where community members are introduced to various county officials and staff to share issues that are occurring in their community.

“It’s an opportunity for them to meet with other community members and talk about successes that they are making,” Tate said.

Tate said the OCR’s mission is to strengthen and improve communities by helping residents implement sustainable neighborhood improvements by showing them how to get governmental response. It provides education, technical and financial assistance to help

residents plan and implement these neighborhood improvements.

During his presentation, Tate credited Wellington Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto with being a major influence as a speaker helping groups that train with the organization.

Benacquisto told the TownCrier that she has spoken at several OCR-sponsored meetings, where she shared her personal accounts of successful neighborhood involvement.

“I got involved with the Office of Community Revitalization through Houston Tate,” she said. “He knows of my natural inclination to be involved in community stuff. He asked me if I would come and speak to his participants on how to get involved in the

United Peace Day — Members of the Wellington Rotary Club accept the Village of Wellington’s United Peace Day proclamation Tuesday.

PHOTO BY MARK LIOI/TOWN-CRIER

OCR Director Houston Tate

A HEALTHY GOOD TIME FOR ALL AT ULTIMA’S FAMILY FITNESS

Ultima Fitness/Xtreme Tae Kwon Do of Wellington held a Family Fitness Fair on Saturday, Sept. 12 to provide fitness education, screening and services for children and families. The fair began with a lecture on family fitness and nutrition with the first 50 attendants receiving a free goodie bag. There was also a lecture on the dangers of strangers as well as free mini-chair massages, fingerprint kits and screening for health in areas such as blood pressure, bone density, body fat and cholesterol. Kids enjoyed a free tae kwon do class and had their faces painted. For more info., call (561) 795-2823 or visit www.ultimafitness.com.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Arlene Ortner exercises her abdominal muscles.

Jake Miller, John Stechschulte, Lauren Duran and Mike Stechschulte learn CPR from Jennifer Carder.

Christine Armstrong, Fitness Director Lynette Laufenberg and Spence Kuvin do a T-stand exercise.

Andres Arrango and Master Gustavo Pope lead the tae kwon do class.

Karen Weeks exercises using a big ball.

Fitness fair attendees get a cardio workout.

OUR OPINION

Help The Town-Crier Evolve: Fill Out Your Subscription Card

On the front cover of this week’s newspaper, we announce a major change here at the Town-Crier newspaper. Starting this fall, our Wellington and Royal Palm Beach readers will be able to reap the benefits of free mailed subscription distribution enjoyed by our Acreage/Loxahatchee readers since 2002.

Up until now, it has always made more sense to continue blanket neighborhood distribution through a network of independent carriers. However, rising paper costs and a glut of unoccupied houses, coupled with new technologies and advertisers eager to make every dollar count, have changed the equation. As we have done many times over the past 30 years, it is time for the Town-Crier to evolve.

Your job is simple. There’s a subscription card inserted into this week’s newspaper. Fill it out and return it to us. Mailing the card will cost a stamp, but the subscription itself is free.

Like many industries today, the newspaper business has felt the brunt of a slumping economy. As the real estate, service and retail sectors continue to struggle, companies have made do by scaling back on their advertising

Chamber Opposes SR 80 Site

Editor’s note: The following letter by Wellington Chamber of Commerce President Diana Tashman was addressed to County Commission Chairman Jeff Koons and the Solid Waste Authority Governing Board. It was written on behalf of the chamber’s board of directors. Dear Chairman Koons and board members: The Wellington Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors wishes to join the municipalities, organizations and individuals who have expressed opposition to a landfill being located along the State Road 80 corridor.

We urge you to include in your measurable criteria for site selection, the visual and economic impacts on the western and Glades communities.

The economic linkage between the western communities and the Glades must be expanded in the future so that the economies of both areas can grow. The linkage between the western communities and the Glades communities will become paramount for the economic survival of the Glades should the sugar industry be reduced as part of Everglades restoration. Tourism, an inland port, housing and other economic links offer opportunities for the Glades communities. A landfill located along our gateway can only impede these eco-

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budgets, creating unfavorable circumstances for newspapers across the nation. Some newspaper companies have collapsed; others have responded with massive cuts. We’ve worked hard to avoid these two common fates, and this distribution change — which will allow us to maximize readership and give better value to our advertisers — is part of our solution. Other changes will become evident in upcoming months as we unveil further efforts to increase the Town-Crier’s digital presence through a host of new media outlets, such as Facebook, Twitter and a revamped web site with more offerings for both advertisers and readers.

The Town-Crier is not new to this “new media.” Way back in the mid1990s, the Town-Crier was among the first wave of newspapers to offer news online. It is a heritage we cherish, but resting on past successes is not a successful business model. We will keep updating our business plan to make it more effective for our advertisers and better for our readers — with the goal of putting us in a position to take the most advantage of the coming economic recovery. Help us on this path. Fill out the card to guarantee your free subscription and continued readership.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

nomic links and economic development efforts.

Diana Tashman, President Wellington Chamber of Commerce

Player Supports His Coach

Editor’s note: The following letter was written by local Boy Scout Nick Keller in order to obtain a Communication Merit Badge.

I would just like to say something about my team, the Acreage South Carolina Gamecocks, and my coach, Bob La Peter. For the last three years, the Acreage South Carolina Gamecocks’ football team has been coached by La Peter and as-

sistant coaches Tashish Pierre-Louis, Jeff Nasice and Louis Lee, who are varsity starters for the Seminole Ridge High School football team.

These coaches have led this team to not only be the first team in Acreage history to go undefeated the whole pre-season and season last year, but to be the first to go undefeated for the 21 games, having won the Super Bowl for the past two years, all thanks to these incredible coaches and their dedication to this team.

In my opinion, Coach La Peter is the best coach out here, and he’s my favorite coach for football. A few things about Coach La Peter: he is not only a football coach, but a wrestling coach,

OPINION

and thanks to him pushing me, I made the Florida state freestyle team and was lucky enough to wrestle in a national tournament for the State of Florida in Indiana this summer. He has two kids, Robert and Liam La Peter, who also have helped make this team what it is.

The La Peter family has a very open-door policy; everyone’s allowed over, thanks to Mrs. La Peter, our team mom. She is like my second mom and is not only a teach-

er, but the head of the third grade at Frontier Elementary School. She is also is very helpful for tutoring and has taken care of us as our own moms would.

I am feeling very good about this season with Coach La Peter, his coaching staff and this year’s Pro Carolina Gamecocks.

Thank you, coach, from your past and present Gamecocks players.

The Fountain Of Youth? Try The Island Of Ikaria

Footloose and...

By Jules W. Rabin

OK, up until a few days ago neither you nor I had ever heard of the Greek island of Ikaria. Now that a recent AARP magazine article has made it famous for ultrahealthy living, maybe we should investigate. In Ikaria, the rate of heart attacks is one-half the American rate, and its diabetes rate is one-ninth of ours. Ikarians suffer 30 percent fewer cases of cancer. And in Ikarians who are over 90, there is virtually no Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. In the United States, more than 40 percent of people over 90 suffer various forms of this malicious malady. According to most records, the residents of this 90square-mile island paradise are considerably healthier

than anyone else in the world. Among the dozen or so contributing factors here are a few to ponder. The very liberal use of extra virgin olive oil and the heavy use of 150 varieties of wild greens grown on the island are near the top. Additionally, experts factor in the Ikarian villagers’ pro-

NEWS

pensity to sip herbal tea regularly, their ability to maintain a Mediterranean diet high in whole grains, fruits, vegetable and fish, and the ongoing enjoyment of Greek honey, which contains antibacterial, anti-carcinogens and anti-inflammatory properties. What else do these special Ikarians do? They drink

goat’s milk, they walk wherever they go, and they bake and eat bread high in complex carbohydrates to improve glucose metabolism, which staves off diabetes. And yes, they make it a practice to take a nap every day. Now that we know the formula, let’s make a date to meet on our 100th birthdays!

PBSO Acreage/Loxahatchee District To Operate Out Of RPB

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

The new Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office district serving The Acreage/ Loxahatchee area will establish its temporary headquarters in the county’s Midwestern Communities Service Center in Royal Palm Beach, the district’s commander told members of the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association last month.

PBSO Lt. Jay Hart, commander of the recently designated District 15, offered an update on the new district’s

Pipeline Local Jobs?

continued from page 1 taken a route along Southern Blvd., and why contracts had not been awarded to local companies. Several commissioners asked whether FPL is adhering to its requirement to hire local contractors.

Palm Beach County Water Utilities Director Bevin Beaudet said no eminent domain would have been necessary on Southern Blvd., but it would be about $3 million more expensive to construct because the line would be longer. “The capital cost and the long-term operating costs would increase significantly,”

operations at the LGLA’s Aug. 27 meeting. The Midwestern Communities Service Center, located at 200 Civic Center Way near the corner of Okeechobee and Royal Palm Beach boulevards, houses several government offices, but the satellite offices for the Palm Beach County Clerk and the county’s Planning & Zoning Department have closed recently, making space available in the building. Hart said the new PBSO district will be completely operational by Oct. 1.

Beaudet said. “That’s why we chose the other route.”

The commission has been strongly criticized for paying too much for land, noted Commissioner Burt Aaronson. “I think wanting to get more information on this is very valid,” he said. Marcus said she does not accept the reasoning that paying a larger amount is OK because FPL is paying for the condemnation. “You say that they are paying for it; the customers are paying for it,” Marcus said. “Just because it’s not coming out of my county budget doesn’t mean the residents aren’t still paying, and that’s my concern.”

Assistant County Administrator Shannon LaRocque explained that the county

‘You say that they are paying for it; the customers are paying for it. Just because it’s not coming out of my county budget doesn’t mean the residents aren’t still paying.’

— County Commissioner Karen Marcus

“I have all the players. I have five sergeants now. I have 17 deputies. I have one detective. That will be the complement of people who will service the Loxahatchee/ Acreage district,” he said. “The only change is that they were answering to [PBSO District 3 commander] Capt. [Chris] Calloway, and now they will be answering to me. They will have a sergeant on every shift. As for that sergeant, his whole life will be to keep track of what the deputies are doing and monitor their activity.”

makes the offers under eminent domain and that FPL reimburses the county. FPL had requested that the county make the offers out of urgency to get the generating units online in time. One of the three units is online already, getting its cooling water from wells drilled into the Floridan aquifer under a consumptive use permit.

“If you’re weighing an additional cost of $3 million against an additional cost of $700,000 and potential delay costs, it makes more sense for them to offer double the appraised value,” LaRocque told the Town-Crier on Thursday.

FPL Project Development Manager John Gnecco said the company currently has permits in hand to construct the pipe along Okeechobee Blvd. Aaronson asked if delaying approval for 30 days would harm any plans. Gnecco said it would not. Marcus made a motion to postpone approval 30 days, which was seconded by Commissioner

Hart said the PBSO is in the process of testing an online crime activity map accessible by the public. “We are on a trial basis with this,” he said. “You will actually go onto this map and look at it in real time. If there is a burglary on D Road three hours ago, you will get everything we get. It’s a great tool. Every call that comes in will get mapped, and we will see what’s going on in real time.”

The District 15 personnel are adopting a “community policing” approach to law enforcement, Hart said,

Priscilla Taylor and passed unanimously. Marcus said she was also concerned that FPL is not using local contractors. “It was said to me that they would probably hire locally, but I reached out to some local piping companies, one that I was familiar with and a couple of others, and they said basically if the job had been sized differently, they could have bid on different components of it,” she said.

Gnecco said under the agreement, FPL needs to demonstrate a preference for local contractors, and it did so by pre-qualifying bidders and giving them the criteria of the local component. “When we went back and interviewed successful bidders. We asked them to provide us with counts of local construction jobs,” Gnecco said. “It’s a total of about 380 construction jobs, and out of those 380, about 180 are Palm Beach County residents, which represents 47 percent. Going to neighboring coun-

which will be evident to residents who request police assistance. “After a deputy comes to the house and leaves, you will get a followup from that deputy,” he said.

“He will call you the next day. He will call you three days down the road to see if there is any other information that you might have. You might get a call back from one of the volunteers. It’s going to be a little more hands-on — and that’s the whole goal of starting a new district.”

Although the district will initially operate from a post

ties, the count is 250.”

Commissioner Shelley Vana said she was satisfied with FPL’s effort with local hiring and favored moving ahead with the purchase orders. “I would like to see this go forward. It looks like they made a decent effort to get local hires,” she said.

Commissioner Jess Santamaria asked how FPL can help train people in the Glades for jobs that will be provided. “I’d like to see you give us some ideas of how to get the people in the Glades trained for these jobs,” he said.

in Royal Palm Beach, Hart said he is looking forward to a permanent facility on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road planned to also house a Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue station.

“We have been talking and meeting, trying to get the design down,” he said. “[County] Commissioner Jess Santamaria is 100 percent behind it. Everyone is 100 percent behind it. Fire-rescue and police will be in the same building. The residents of the area will know where we are.”

FPL representative John Kiselewski said FPL has spent money in cooperation with Palm Beach Community College to train staff at the facility. “We continue to expend resources on that program in the future, and that’s particularly for power generation jobs in our plants,” he said. “We are not going to give people just jobs in construction, but jobs where they’re going to grow within our corporation.”

Kiselewski said FPL has committed about $60,000 to PBCC and has another $30,000 on the table.

Taylor said her big concern is people from all over the country who flood to areas where they hear there are jobs available. “These people who apply are not just from Palm Beach County, and when you hire them, you are trying to get someone to do the job,” she said. “We are asking for someone to be here to support the economy in Palm Beach County.”

Marcus said she is hoping in the next 30 days they can sit down with some of the contractors and prevail on them to hire more local subcontractors. She made a motion to postpone a decision 30 days on the award to contractors to lay the pipe until the hiring feasibility is discussed. That motion also passed unanimously. Commission Chair Jeff Koons said the items will return for discussion on Oct. 6.

Nick Keller

Loxahatchee

CVO

HOSTS ‘SCRAPS FOR A CAUSE’ TO BENEFIT CANCER SOCIETY

The Village of Wellington’s Citizens Volunteer Organization hosted “Scraps for a Cause” last Sunday at the Wellington Community Center. The event was a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in October. For more information about future events, call Stacy Somers at (561) 792-4630 or e-mail her at cvo.somers@gmail.com. The Citizen’s Volunteer Organization will have a team at the walk. For more information, or to get involved, visit www.main.acsevents.org/goto/cvo.

MEETS

WELLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

State Rep. Joe Abruzzo (D-District 85) spoke to Wellington High School students on

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Staci Martin and her daughter Olivia.

Monica Nichols and Kim Davies.

Laura Cattelane gets ready to scrapbook.Linda Fereshetian keeps organized.

Stacy Somers works hard on a scrapbook. Some of the scrapbook items available.

BY

Wednesday during

PBSO Investigating Armed Robbery At 7-Eleven

SEPT. 17 — The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is working an armed robbery that occurred in Royal Palm Beach early Thursday morning. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 3 a.m. four black males armed with black semi-automatic weapons and wearing bandannas entered the 7-Eleven store at 650 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. to commit an armed robbery. Three of the four suspects forced the clerk behind the counter to open the cash register and took an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspects also attempted to force the clerk to open the safe. When the clerk explained that she did not have access, one suspect struck her with his weapon, causing minor injuries. A second clerk was in the back cooler while the robbery was occurring; the fourth suspect surprised and assaulted the clerk, causing him injury. Both clerks were taken to Palms West Hospital, where they were treated for their injuries and later released. All four suspects left the store in an unidentified vehicle. There was no video footage available at the time of the report. Anyone with information about the armed robbery is urged to call Detective Jeff Weissman at (561) 644-7263 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS.

Wellington Man Defrauded By eBay Scammer

By Lauren Miro Town-Crier Staff Report

SEPT. 11 — A Wellington resident called the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office last Friday regarding an Internet fraud case. According to a PBSO report, the victim had been contacted by an unknown person through email on Sept. 2 in reference to purchasing a vehicle listed on eBay. After several emails, the victim came to an agreement with the seller to buy the vehicle for $15,000 and wired the money to the seller’s bank. After he didn’t receive the vehicle, the victim discovered that the person had no affiliation or accounts with eBay. The victim contacted his bank to report the incident and attempt to stop payment on the wire transfer. There were no suspects at the time of the report.

• • • SEPT. 10 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach responded to the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Belvedere Road last Thursday evening regarding a retail theft. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 8 p.m. 18-year-old John Filardi of Miami was detained by a loss prevention officer after he was observed changing the bar code stickers on a set of Pioneer car stereo speakers to make them cheaper. According to the report, Filardi admitted to the crime and that he’d let his father unknowingly pay for the item. The stolen merchandise was valued at approximately $103.62. Filardi was taken to the Palm Beach County Jail and charged with retail theft.

SEPT. 10 — A Starbucks employee contacted the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach last Thursday regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, between Sept. 6 and Sept. 9 an unknown person came into the store on Southern Blvd. and Lamstein Lane in Royal Palm Beach on multiple occasions and stole money from the tip jar. The suspect is a white

male between 5’6” and 5’10” with a shaved head and stocky build. The total value stolen was approximately $50 in cash. There is video surveillance of one incident, but it had not been received from the corporate office at the time of the report.

SEPT. 11 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched to a home last Friday in response to a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 9 p.m. Thursday and 6:30 a.m. the following morning, someone entered an unlocked Chevy Silverado parked on Sunward Street and stole a Magellan GPS valued at approximately $250. DNA evidence was taken at the scene, but there were no suspects at the time of the report.

SEPT. 11 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach responded to the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Belvedere Road last Friday afternoon regarding a retail theft. According to a PBSO report, between 1:40 and 2:04 p.m. a loss prevention officer observed 51-yearold Jannett Thompson and 52-year-old James Thompson of Lake Worth enter the domestics department. James Thompson then proceeded to the front of the store where he sat near the restrooms. Jannett Thompson went to the pet, toy and automotive departments where she selected items from each area and placed them into her shopping cart. According to the report, she then placed two cardboard boxes on each side of the shopping cart, which concealed the items from the sides, then proceeded to the front of the store, passing the registers and making no attempt to pay for the items. She met with James Thompson and they both walked out the west exit doors of the store, making no attempt to pay for the merchandise. They were then confronted by a loss prevention officer who recovered the items from

occupation is unknown. His last known address was 51st Court North in The Acreage. Smith is wanted as of 09/17/09. Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800)

Christine Dewsnap

Darrell Smith

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE NETWORK AT HOFFMAN’S CHOCOLATES

The Palms West and Greater Lake Worth chambers of commerce held a joint networking mixer on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at Hoffman’s Chocolates in Greenacres. Members of both chambers got to sample some of the chocolates and go on a tour of the facility. For more information about the Palms West Chamber of Commerce, call (561) 790-6200 or visit www.palmswest.com.

Royal Palm Beach Forum Puts Focus On Racial Profiling

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

A community forum on racial profiling took place Monday evening at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. The forum was titled “Racial Profiling: Has Anything Really Changed?” and was prompted by the high-profile arrest of Harvard professor Henry Gates for unruly behavior last July after police went to his Cambridge, Mass. home in response to a report of a suspected burglary.

Speakers at the forum included County Circuit Court Judge Barry Cohen, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Col. Mike Gauger, freelance writer C.B. Hanif, Palm Beach County Public Defender Carey Haughwout, Jupiter Police Chief Frank Kitzerow, American Civil Liberties Union attorney Muslima Lewis and Palm Beach County State Attorney Michael McAuliffe. The panel was moderated by Victor Gent, who teaches speech and communication at Palm Beach Community College, and organized by Toward a More Perfect Union, a local nonprofit organization working to promote racial and ethnic harmony in Palm Beach County.

Racial profiling, Muslima Lewis said, occurs when authorities target someone for stops, interrogations, detentions or searches based on an individual’s race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, perceived religion or perceived immigration status. She asked how many people in the audience felt they had been so targeted. A large number of people in the room stood up.

“Many people are impacted by it,” Lewis said. “It’s very clear that there is almost no one in this country who does not believe that racial

profiling does not violate some very fundamental and deep-rooted values that this country was founded upon, values of fairness and justice.”

Circuit Court Judge Barry Cohen said a typical example of profiling was described in his courtroom just that morning. The defendant was a young African-American man who had been stopped for a defective taillight in Lake Worth. Following the usual questions involved in a stop, he was asked if he had been arrested before, and then the officer searched the entire car.

“I have been pulled over,” said Cohen, who is white.

“Nobody has asked me if I have been arrested before.”

Gent, who is black, said he had a similar experience when he and another faculty member returned to PBCC in the wake of a recent hurricane. Dressed in casual clothes, the two were stopped and questioned at the entrance to the campus, and Gent said he thought he had been cleared to drive through. But when he parked, the officer handcuffed him and threw him against his own car. The situation was defused after a college employee came out and vouched for the two men.

“Don’t think you have to be on Rosemary or in Lake Worth for it to happen,” Gent said.

Jupiter Police Chief Frank Kitzerow said he had debated whether or not to wear his

uniform to the forum. “I chose to wear this uniform this evening because it represents who I am in this community,” he said. “I’m sure that some folks made assumptions about me based on the uniform I am wearing. I knew this was going to be a very difficult subject for us.”

Kitzerow said he has worked very hard as a police officer to build a sense of trust in his community. “When your child is missing, lost or your child is in danger, what do you teach them to do? You teach them to go to the police,” he said. “There is a certain amount of trust there. I agree racial profiling is wrong. It is inexcusable.”

Community Of Hope To Host Car Wash On Sept. 26

Community of Hope Church in Loxahatchee Groves is offering a $1 car wash to the community on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the parking lot of the 7-Eleven convenience store located across from the Super Target in Royal Palm Beach (10274 Okeechobee Blvd.). For more information, call (561) 793-8484.

Kitzerow said members of the Jupiter Police Department meet every month with a citizens’ advisory group, and he encouraged people to either attend that meeting, or similar meetings in their own communities. “We invite people from all over the community to come meet with us,” he said. “I take the time to go. We talk about issues affecting our own community.” State Attorney Michael McAuliffe said he was probably the only person in the room who had prosecuted a law enforcement officer for using excessive force and violating someone’s civil rights. While racial profiling is neither effective nor smart law enforcement, McAuliffe said he had seen some positive changes since the 1980s. “We have a long way to go, but we have come a long way,” he said. Public Defender Cary

Blotter continued from page 6 the shopping cart. The stolen merchandise was valued at approximately $423.13. Jannett Thompson was also found to have an active traffic warrant issued December 2003 for failure to appear for sentencing. They were both taken to the county jail and charged with retail theft.

SEPT. 12 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington responded to a home last Saturday morning regarding a stolen vehicle. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 11 p.m. Friday and 6:50 a.m. Saturday someone stole a Ford F250 from a home on Goldenwood Way. The victim was house-sitting at the time and

backed the truck onto the driveway and locked it on Friday night. When she woke Saturday morning, it was gone. According to the report, the victim said she was not behind on payments for the vehicle, it was not found in any tow logs, and there was no glass found in the driveway. There were no suspects at the time of the report.

SEPT. 11 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington responded to a home on Whitby Street last Friday evening regarding a residential burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. someone unlawfully entered the home through a broken bathroom window and stole various items. The victim said he came home to find

See PROFILING, page 19

that his dog had been moved from the living room to the bathroom and that his flatscreen TV, jewelry, desktop computer and laptop were missing. The stolen merchandise was valued at $13,950. SEPT. 15 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington responded to a home Tuesday in response to a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 2 p.m. Monday and noon Friday someone unlawfully entered an unlocked vehicle parked on Cypress Green Circle and stole a pocketbook with the victim’s ID, bank cards, vehicle registration, eyeglasses, cash and wallet inside. The items were valued at approximately $90. There were no suspects at the time of the report.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Susan Odell, Barbara Chaiker, Lurena Cobb and Marcia Berwick.

Ken Gamelin and Scott Armand.Minna Tervola and Steven Figiel.

Mark Agnelli and Marc Kleiman of Edward James.

Jaene Miranda and Catherine Engel of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce present Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce President Tom Ramiccio with a plaque.

Jaene Miranda presents Hoffman’s Chocolates owner Sandra Hoffman with a plaque.

(Above) Panelists included Jupiter Police Chief Frank Kitzerow and American Civil Liberties Union attorney Muslima Lewis. (Left) The moderator was Victor Gent, a professor at Palm Beach Community College. PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

after last Saturday’s tournament.

PHOTO BY DARYL HALL

Area Students Shine At Debate Tournament

Several area high school debate students earned recognition the first weekend of the 2009-10 debate season.

At the Palm Beach Catholic Forensic League’s AllCongress tournament on Saturday, Sept. 12, debaters from Wellington, Palm Beach Central and Seminole Ridge high schools were among more than 400 Palm Beach County and Martin County students who graced the campus of Suncoast High School for more than five hours of roleplaying federal legislators in a mock congress setting.

Two first-year Palm Beach Central debaters, Brian Muldern and Ford Filer, each took second place in their respective chambers.

Ten Wellington debate students, nine of them attending their first tournament, took home honors. Both Kevin Liang and Michael Reynolds

Wellington Planning Veterans Day

parking lot and pavilion.

placed third in their respective novice congress chambers, while two first-year Wolverines took fourth-place honors: Shivan Kanagaraja and Nick Thibault.

Placing fifth from Wellington were novices Darby Guyn and Juliana Pache, while sixth-place recognition went to first-timers Ryan Kennedy, Rachel Ganon and Caroline Perez. Thibault, Guyn and Kennedy were all in the same congress chamber. Varsity debater Lee Parker took home “Chamber’s Choice” Presiding Officer honors for his role. Varsity debater Jon Lucien surpassed the 75-point NFL plateau, earning his Degree of Honor. He will receive his varsity debate letter at the spring banquet. The next tournament will be at Royal Palm Beach High School on Saturday, Oct. 10.

The Village of Wellington will be honoring all veterans at the Veterans Day Ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The Veterans Day Parade will begin at 8:45 a.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) and end at the Veterans Memorial located on the corner of Forest Hill and South Shore boulevards. The ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. If you would like to honor a veteran by having his or her name and service branch listed in the village’s Veterans Day program, added to the pre-recorded roll call and listed on Channel 18, call (561) 791-4733 during business hours or e-mail nicolee@ ci.wellington.fl.us. To ensure veterans’ names are included in the pre-recorded roll call, names must be submitted by Oct. 30.

Active-duty military members or veterans attending the ceremony will have an opportunity to register the morning of the event at the Village of Wellington tent. They will be recognized during the ceremony.

St. Rita To Host ‘White Elephant Sale’

The St. Rita Council of Catholic Women will hold a white elephant sale on Saturday, Oct. 24 in the church

The sale will run from 8 a.m. to noon and will benefit the parish. Additionally, the council is renting parking spaces for $20 to anyone who would like to set up a table and sell items. Sellers must bring their own table and may sell only non-food and nonclothing items.

St. Rita Catholic Church is located at 13645 Paddock Drive in Wellington. For more information, call Ann at (561) 798-5153 or Caroline at (561) 798-2853.

Software Upgrade In Wellington

In order to provide the best possible service to Wellington residents, customers and business partners, the village will conduct a software upgrade from Wednesday, Oct. 7 through Sunday, Oct. 11. During this time, the following services will be temporarily unavailable: accepting application for building permits (emergency only), planning and engineering services, business licenses, utility payments, parking ticket payments and any other transaction that requires processing money.

The village will offer limited in-person services at its offices for general village business and will accept recreation registration, previously scheduled building inspections and appointments. On Friday, Oct. 9, the Safe Neighborhoods Office (1100

Wellington Trace) will be open should you have a question or need assistance.

Wellington Seniors Club Showcase

The Wellington Seniors Club will feature “Showtime 2009,” a comedy show/dinner/dance, on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.).

The evening’s entertainment will include comedian Todd Charles, who has appeared on numerous TV shows such as Comedy Tonight , America’s Funniest People and more. Music will be provided by DJ Bob Flaster, and dinner will be catered by Park Avenue BBQ Grille.

For more information, or to make reservations, call Joan Kahler at (561) 798-9052.

Mid-County Dems To Meet Sept. 21

The Mid-County Democratic Club will hold its next meeting on Monday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. at Tree’s Wings & Ribs in Royal Palm Beach.

This month’s speaker will be Palm Beach County Health Department spokesman Tim O’Conner, who will update attendees on issues of both national and local concern, including the H1N1 virus and what we can do to prevent its spread in Palm

Beach County, as well as the possible “cancer cluster” in The Acreage. Guests are welcome. For more information, call (561) 255-0724.

Nominees

Sought For MLK Awards

Palm Beach Community College is seeking nominations for the 2010 Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Awards.

The annual awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions toward improving the lives of others, particularly the underserved, in such areas as education, diversity, race relations, health services, social justice and economic empowerment. There are four award categories: Individual, Organization, PBCC Student and PBCC Alum. The deadline for nominations is Friday, Oct. 30. The awards will be presented at PBCC’s 11th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Breakfast scheduled for Jan. 14, 2010 at the Lake Worth campus. Since establishing the awards in 2001, PBCC has honored 38 individuals and organizations. Details about the awards and nomination forms are available at www. pbcc.edu/mlk.xml. For more information, call Nicole Banks at (561) 8624311.

Members of the Palm Beach Central High School debate team

FISHING & BOAT SHOW AT THE FAIRGROUNDS

Riggin’ It Right Academy Team Leader Capt. Rick Ryals with Robert Lopez Sr. and his son Robert Jr.

Lissette Rodriguez and her sister Christy Morrow, owner of Country Sweet Outdoors in Loxahatchee.

Tyler and Zachary Meldrim get casting instruction from Bob Moran of booth sponsor B&C Auto Lockout.

West Palm Beach Fishing Club Capt. Barry Brimacomb, Capt. Danny Barrow and Susan Cecilia.

Vanessa Kraft tries for a prize at the Snook Foundation booth.

Luis Chao demonstrates how to cast a fishing net.

Bill Poje with a media display promoting his book.

(Above and below) Poje talks with fans.

Edwin Rojas Launches RPB Talent Agency RIBBON CUTTING FOR A WORLD REALTY

Located at 12773 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 107 in the Wellington Plaza, A World Realty Company is a familyoriented real estate company comprising professionals dedicated to meeting your needs. Buying or selling a home shouldn’t be a hassle, and A World Realty Company aims to make your experience is a pleasurable one. Its agents work with clients one-on-one to ensure they receive the best service. For more info., call Patti Heyner at (561) 790-1722 or visit www.aworldrealty.com. Pictured above are A World Realty Company agents with Wellington Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.

ABWA Chapter Monthly Dinner Meeting Oct. 14

The Northern Palm Beach Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association will host its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at the PGA Doubletree Hotel in Palm Beach Gardens.

Networking will take place from 6 to 6:30 p.m. with the dinner and program beginning at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $35, and guests are welcome.

The speaker will be Mary Jean Houlahan, patient navigator program manager for the Cancer Institute at Good Samaritan Medical Center. The program topic will be “Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”

The mission of the American Business Women’s As-

sociation is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking, support and national recognition. To make reservations or for more information, call Dee Weber at (561) 6262027. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 4431 PGA Blvd. For directions to the hotel, call the Doubletree at (561) 6222260. For more information on the American Business Women’s Association, call Chapter President Carol O’Neil at (561) 389-1227.

The Royal Palm Beachbased Rojas Talent Group Inc. aims to pair artists and entertainers with corporations, casinos and the cruise industry.

The agency was created by Edwin Rojas to supply artists to corporations for entertainment at hospitality events, trade shows, meetings and conventions, casinos and cruise lines as well.

“As the economy is winding back up, companies have to deal with the low morale issue that they all face,” he said. “Sooner or later they have to invest again in entertainment. It makes people happy, and that is the business we are

in — making people happy.”

Rojas has a lot of experience making people happy in the entertainment industry. He graduated from Florida International University with a degree in marketing and in 1981 started working as a guest entertainer on the Norwegian cruise line. Rojas spent the 1990s as a cruise director for Holland America before joining Celebrity Cruises in 2001, eventually working in the corporate office and booking talent for the ship. In 2008 he became entertainment director of Barry Ball Arts/Spotlight Entertainment Productions, the largest talent-booking agency for the

cruise industry. But Rojas felt he needed a change from commuting daily to Miami from his home in Royal Palm Beach and in August created Rojas Talent Group to serve Palm Beach County. Besides booking entertainers, he is consulting with Chicago-based Coast to Coast Casino Promotions and Bob Eubanks to launch the concept of their show The $250,000 Game Show Spectacular, which is currently being performed around the nation at Native American casinos.

For more information, call Rojas at (888) 898-0908 or e-mail edwin@rojastalent group.com.

Ultra Cleaners Partners With P.W. Hospital

Ultra Cleaners has an-

nounced its partnership with Palms West Hospital to provide valet dry cleaning and laundry services to employees and various departments within the hospital.

“We are pleased to partner with Ultra Cleaners to provide dry cleaning and laundry service on campus for our employees,” Palms West Hospital CEO Bland Eng

said. “This service allows time saving convenience, which is truly appreciated by the staff.”

The service was brought to the hospital in part by the Employee Advisory Group, which acts as a voice for hospital employees.

“The Employee Advisory Group at Palms West Hospital is glad to have been involved in bringing this use-

ful service to the hospital,” Employee Advisory Group Chair Kimberly Bass said.

“By doing this, we provide an extra benefit to the employees.”

The hospital is one of many businesses and gated communities in Palm Beach County that use the valet service offered by Ultra Cleaners.

“We are very excited about our partnership with Palms West Hospital,” Ultra Cleaners President Bob Salerno said. “We have been working very hard in expanding our business by providing valet service directly to businesses in Palm Beach County.” For more information, call Ultra Cleaners at (800)

Wellington-Based MSI Signs Distribution Deal

Macada Holding Inc. has signed an exclusive territory agreement with Medical Support International to be MSI’s sole source for government, military and state agencies distribution to resell its complete medical product lines.

Based in Wellington, Medical Support International is a distributor and supplier for all worldwide U.S. govern-

ment military bases that distribute Lyfetecs medical products. In addition, Medical Support International has also taken the rights to market the pet supplies and emergency response units and any other companies Lyfetec may acquire.

Medical Support International was founded by President and CEO Edgar Rivera, a former Army medical offic-

er. The company specializes in distributing the best quality in medical supplies and equipment, and company searches for the best manufacturers of hospital equipment, surgical, veterinary and dental supplies, and consumables.

With leaders in medical manufacturing on staff and Rivera’s dedication toward excellence, MSI guarantees

its clients will receive quality supplies and equipment. Medical Support International is a privately held corporation. Rivera merges experience and technology into outcomes that are both informative and solution-based. For more information about Medical Support International, call (561) 337-4866 or visit www.medsupport intl.com.

Bowen To Speak At Wellington Chamber Lunch

In honor and recognition of local businesses, the Village of Wellington will host a Wellington Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.).

Mayor Darell Bowen will update chamber members and guests on the state of the village. He will discuss many of the accomplishments of the past year as well as the challenges that have been faced. In addition to Bowen, oth-

er members of the Wellington Village Council will be present along with village staff to answer audience questions. Admission is $20 for Wellington Chamber of Commerce members in advance, $25 for chamber members at the door and $30 for nonmembers. A VIP table for 10 costs $250. Call the chamber office at (561) 792-6525 to make reservations. For additional information, visit the chamber’s web site at www. wellingtonchamber.com.

Edwin Rojas

BINKS FOREST STUDENTS HONOR THE TROOPS DURING PATRIOT DAY

Binks Forest Elementary School recently celebrated Patriot Day. Throughout the year, students participate in various projects that involve sending letters and goods to the military as a way to show gratitude and honor those who serve the county.

SRHS Students Participate In A Live Art Exhibition

On Aug. 28, the Eg2 Art Gallery in CityPlace hosted students from schools all around Palm Beach County for “Build! Make! Do!” In the midst of the crowd, for everyone to see, students drew, painted and created works of art that displayed their talents.

Seminole Ridge High School students Natanya Robinson and Nicole Serrano participated in the event, representing the Hawks. Robinson drew a unique picture with soft pastels — a robot scarecrow in a cornfield. “This wasn’t a contest,” Robinson said.

Instead, it was just a group of talented students showing off the talent they’ve got, and having a good time doing it. In other Hawk news, the SRHS DATA program (Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse), along with the Palm Beach Substance Abuse Coalition, will sponsor a meeting for parents to educate them on solutions to the problems of underage drinking and drug abuse. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the SRHS auditorium. All parents are invited to attend.

Sweet Surprise For Poinciana Students

The Poinciana Day School kindergarten class had a sweet surprise this year when a pineapple top planted six years ago finished growing just in time for their class to eat.

Six years ago a student brought in a pineapple top for the class to plant, and each year a new class cared for it under the direction of teacher Linda Martin. The classes learned that the plant might take six or seven years to produce any fruit.

This year, as she was preparing for her new class to arrive, Martin found a fullgrown pineapple, which she shared with her students as they started a unit on plants this year.

The students found the pineapple delicious and started discussing what their class could plant for future classes. Kindergartner Bridget McManus of Lake Clarke Shores was particularly proud of the pineapple because her older sister Rowan was in the class that six years ago planted the pineapple.

For Head of School Ann Simone, this is an example of the hands-on learning encouraged at the school. “At Poinciana Day School, we encourage all our teachers to use hands-on learning opportunities with their classes,” she said. “We want our students to be fully immersed in learning, utilizing all their senses.”

NeuroActive Bike Comes To Panther Run

Panther Run Elementary School is trying out the new NeuroActive Bike, also known as the “brain bike,” that combines a cardio workout with brain-stimulating exercises.

“It’s like getting a morning coffee,” Brain Center America President Stephane Bergeron said. “You hop on the bike for a few minutes and you train your cardio, train your brain and it makes you more in the mood for

learning new skills.”

Doctors with the group first developed the brain exercise software, then added it to a stationary bicycle. It made its way to Panther Run through PE teacher Christopher Cain and PE4life Director of Outreach and Training Phil Lawler. Panther Run students tested the new equipment, pedaling away on a stationary bike while solving math problems, matching patterns and testing their

memory of names and faces all on a computer screen attached to the bike. The program can help with 16 cognitive functions such as focus, memory, word skills, processing speed and arithmetic and can be adjusted to help riders of almost any age. Among other possibilities, developers say the brain exercises can help business people stay on top of their game and riders of any age combat the onset of Alzhe-

imer’s disease. As the biker gets more answers correct, the questions get progressively harder.

“What studies have shown in medicine is your brain behaves like a muscle,” Bergeron said. “The more you flex your brain, the more you exercise it, the bigger it gets, the stronger it grows and it really changes physiologically.” For more on the NeuroActive Bike, visit www.neuro activeprogram.com.

Media Clerk Shirley Houlihan and parent Sylvia Prochilo.

Fourth graders in Brenda Collier’s class (above left) and Kathy Zangen’s class (above right) show the letters they wrote to U.S. troops thanking them for their service and dedication to America.

Natanya Robinson works on her piece.

The Fruits Of Education — Poinciana Day School fourth grader Rowan McManus, holding the pineapple she helped plant six years ago, with teacher Linda Martin and Rowan’s sister Bridget.

Brazzale Completes Hospice Fellowship

Hospice of Palm Beach County recently announced that Dr. Kate Brazzale of The Acreage has completed her fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine.

Brazzale, the first to go through Hospice of Palm Beach County’s new fellowship program, completed the course in July and began working as part of the Hospice of Palm Beach County staff in August.

“Dr. Brazzale has made invaluable contributions to our team,” Hospice of Palm Beach County President and CEO Dave Fielding said. “We are proud to have her permanently join us and know our patients and families will truly benefit from the outstanding care she provides.”

Brazzale attended medical school at University College London and worked in London before getting married and moving to the United States. She did her residency at Shands University of Florida and was chief resident in her last year there. In July 2008, she moved to Palm Beach County and started the fellowship program. Always the multi-tasker, Brazzale got her family medicine board certification during her fellowship and had a baby in November 2008. The palliative medicine fellowship at Hospice of Palm Beach County prepares selected physicians for board certification in hospice and palliative medicine. Each year, a committee selects one

fellow for participation in the one-year program.

For more information about the fellowship or to learn about the services Hospice of Palm Beach County provides, call (561) 8485200.

Hospice of Palm Beach County is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to meeting every need of patients and families faced with advanced illness.

The organization offers a comprehensive range of programs and services, from nationally recognized hospice care to music therapy, massage and loss-specific healing services. Full bereavement support is offered to hospice families and to anyone in the community in need.

St. Michael Church Readies For Pet Blessing

St. Michael Lutheran Church in Wellington will hold “Paws for a Blessing,” a blessing of the animals, on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. Bring your pet to be blessed either leashed or confined in a carrier. Everyone is welcome to attend. The event will be sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

“Paws for a Blessing” is also a fundraiser for the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, which will be there with the Petmobile for those who may wish to adopt a pet. The church asks that everyone bring canned pet food for a donation to Peggy Adams. If you cannot attend but would like to donate, your donation can be dropped off at the church, located at 1925 Birkdale Drive, at the corner of Forest Hill Blvd., Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information about the pet blessing, call the church (561) 793-4999 or Donna Tagg at (561) 7623185.

Jack Scarola Appointed Lord’s Place Chair

Attorney Jack Scarola, noted both for his success in the courtroom and for his passionate dedication to helping those less fortunate, has been appointed chairman of the board of directors of the Lord’s Place.

Scarola was one of the community leaders who assisted when the Lord’s Place was founded in 1979. He has served on its board since the organization’s inception and has been a leader in establishing the Lord’s Place as a leading advocate for changing the lives of the homeless by providing innovative, compassionate and effective servic-

es to men, women and children in the community.

What began as a simple soup kitchen has evolved, under the leadership of Scarola and other dedicated board members, into an institution offering a wide array of programs and services at its main administrative offices in West Palm Beach, at its Family Campus in suburban West Palm Beach and Men’s Campus in Boynton Beach.

Scarola’s service to the Lord’s Place and other local charities led him to become a recipient of the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award and the Legal Aid So-

ciety’s Community Service Award. He is a senior partner in the law firm of Searcy, Denney, Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley, P.A.

In accepting the position of chairman, Scarola said his vision for the Lord’s Place includes “promoting an increased awareness of how much the quality of life for each of us depends on the quantity of our compassion for the less fortunate members of our community.”

For more information, call the Lord’s Place at (561) 4940125, ext. 1126 or visit its web site at www.thelords place.org.

ROEBKE,

During a breakfast meeting on Thursday, Sept. 10, the Rotary Club of Royal Palm Beach featured Serette Cherestal and Mark Jenkins as representatives from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office District 9 substation presented funds raised through the PBSO in the name of Cherestal’s four-year-old son Jordan, who drowned on Aug. 23 in Madison Green. Drowning is usually a silent death, and it takes only three to five minutes for

young children to drown in water. The Village of Royal Palm Beach would like to raise awareness of this issue and is partnering with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and the Drowning Prevention Coalition to offer more swimming classes in the community. Village Manager David Farber, PBCFR Battalion Chief Nigel Baker, Parks & Recreation Director Lou Recchio and PBSO representatives are working on this project.

For information about Hospice of Palm Beach County, visit www.hpbc. com.

Dr. Kate Brazzale

Adam Justin “A.J.” Roebke and Meghan Elizabeth O’Reilly are engaged to wed on Oct. 15. The ceremony and reception will take place at Walt Disney World in Orlando, where both are employed. Roebke is the son of Donn and Sandy Roebke of Wellington. O’Reilly is the daughter of Michael and Karen O’Reilly of Easton, Penn.

Pastor Marjorie Weiss with a German shepherd.

(L-R) Sgt. Neil Wilson, Sgt. Mack Coleman, Candi Price, Mark Jenkins, Serette Cherestal and Capt. Eric Coleman.

Jack Scarola

Saturday, Sept. 19

• The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will hold a onehour walk on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Okeeheelee Park (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.). Walkers will meet at the western entrance at 7:30 a.m. For more info., call Daisy at (561) 439-5780.

• John D. MacArthur Beach State Park in North Palm Beach will participate in the International Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 8 a.m. to noon. The event is the world’s largest one-day volunteer effort to clean up the marine environment. Bottled water, gloves and trash bags will be provided for all volunteers, as well as event T-shirts. For more info., visit www.keeppbcbeautiful.org. To sign up, call Art at (561) 624-6970.

• A Reptile & Alternative Pet Show & Sale will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Calloway National Guard Armory (3193 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach). The show will feature 90 vendor tables with a wide selection of unique animals. Admission is $7 for adults and $4 for kids. For more info., visit www.apshows.com or call Lauren at (561) 358-5984. For vendor info., call Jerry at (561) 699-4197.

• Epiphany Lutheran Church will hold a Golf Tournament to benefit mission outreach projects on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Sherbrooke Golf & Country Club in Lake Worth. There will be a 50/ 50 raffle, silent auction, giveaways and prizes for special contests. Lunch, dinner and an awards ceremony are included. Sign-in is at 11:30 a.m. The tournament will begin at 1 p.m. For more info., call Pat or Sarah Green at (561) 422-8056 or (561) 968-3627.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host a Chess Club meeting on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 2:30 p.m. for ages eight and up. Chess fans will practice strategy skills with other players. Basic game knowledge is required. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The St. Rita Council of Catholic Women and the Knights of Columbus Council 8149 will hold a Hawaiian Luau on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 6 to 11 p.m. at the parish center (13645 Paddock Drive, Wellington). Admission is $24 per person, which includes entry, a tropical buffet, music and dancing. For tickets or more info., call the parish office at (561) 793-8544 or Cindy Ozog at (313) 319-8757.

• The Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) will host its Annual Friendship Ball on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). Tickets cost $70 per person and include musical entertainment, open bar, door prizes and a silent auction. Dinner will be served at 8 p.m. For tickets, call Alvin Nembhard at (561) 333-8891, Millie Hampton at (561) 7901751, Lawrence Logan at (561) 791-0162, Ernie Garvey at (561) 422-3359, O.G. Smith at (561) 7989444 or Lascelles Harris at (561) 798-3634.

Monday, Sept. 21

• The Rotary Club of Wellington invites everyone to the United Nations World Peace Day Celebration on Monday, Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Wellington Rotary Peace Park at the corner of Royal Fern Drive and Birkdale Drive near the Wellington library. For more info., call Dr. Wes Boughner at (561) 791-2060 or visit www.wellingtonrotary.org.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Introduction to Irish Dancing” on Monday, Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m. for adults. Marie Marzi, a certified instructor from the Drake School of Irish Dance, will guide participants through beginner steps. Wear comfortable clothes and sneakers. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

Wednesday, Sept. 23

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Magic School Bus Adventures” on Wednesdays, Sept. 23 and 30 at 6:30 p.m. for ages five and up. Explore concepts in nature and science with Ms. Frizzle and the Magic School Bus gang. Themes include “Explore the Senses,” “In

the Time of Dinosaurs,” “Baked in a Cake” and “Inside the Human Body.” Call (561) 790-6070 to RSVP.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature its Poetry Discussion Series on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m. for adults. Engage in a provocative discussion of several published poems written by various poets. Copies are available at the information desk. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• A Free Workshop for the parents of college-bound high school students will be offered on Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Center Way) and Saturday, Sept. 26 from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m. at the Palm Beach Atlantic University campus in the Wellington Reserve. The workshop will be taught by college planning specialist Jeffrey Schneider. Seating is limited. To reserve a seat, call (800) 524-0868.

Thursday, Sept. 24

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will hold a Leaf Art Class on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 3 p.m. for ages nine and up. Be inspired by the book Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert to create a work of art with colorful leaves. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• AmTrust Bank and the Wellington Art Society will host a Reception and Art Expo on Thursday, Sept. 24 at AmTrust Bank (2625 State Road. 7, Wellington) from 5 to 8 p.m. Artwork by members of the Wellington Art Society will be on display, including paintings, jewelry, photography, sculpture and more, which will all be available for sale. Enjoy demonstrations from local artists, live music and light refreshments. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. RSVP to branch sales manager Larry Diljohn at ldiljohn@amtrust.com or (561) 795-3240.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Teen Game Night” on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. for ages 12 to 17. Join other teens for Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero and board games. Call (561) 790-6070 to RSVP. Friday, Sept. 25

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Advances in Pain Management” on Friday, Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. for adults. Dr. Stuart Rubin, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, will discuss diagnosing and relieving pain. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Science Club: Butterflies and Other Insects” on Fridays, Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 at 3 p.m. for ages eight and up. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The free workshop “Home-Schooling With Excellence” will be held on Friday, Sept. 25 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). Take advantage of the opportunity to ask questions and learn how to home-school your child from kindergarten through 12th grade. Meetings are held on the last Friday of every month. Visit www.familytreeprivate school.com or call (561) 721-3683 for more info. • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will hold a “Wine Lovers Tasting!” on Friday, Sept. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. For a $10 donation, participants can taste over 18 wines while enjoying live jazz music and sampling artesian cheeses in the specialty department. To preregister, call (561) 9044000.

Satursday, Sept. 26 • ArtStart is offering portfolio development classes for fifth-grade students who have applied for the visual arts program at the Bak Middle School of the Arts. The classes begin Saturday, Sept. 26 and will help students create the various works of art needed to complete their portfolio ahead of the interview process. For more information, call ArtStart at (561) 635-2037, or visit www.artstartinc.org.

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

Wolverines Suffer Narrow 39-31 Defeat To Lake Worth

There was a time when there was no such thing as Palm Beach Central — or even Royal Palm Beach — high schools. Back in the mid-1990s, the fiercest varsity football battle in the area was between Wellington High School and rival Lake Worth.

With Wellington now a Class 5A school, the Trojans and Wolverines have started to resurrect their past rivalry. Last Friday night, the Wellington team traveled to Lake Worth and were defeated by the Trojans, 39-31. Driving into Lake Worth, where the school’s courtyard actually wraps itself behind the west end zone, I knew it would be a tough night. But the Wolverines battled, once again, behind a brilliant performance by the defense. Senior Brian Pupo had a sensational night himself in all aspects of the game — offense, defense and special teams.

The Trojans struck early in the first quarter on a three-yard touchdown run. On the ensuing drive, the Wolverines responded, scoring on a run by senior Ken Konn. During the next possession, the Wellington-Lake Worth fire started to ignite. The Wolverine defense pressured Trojan quarterback Evan Moore, with a few after-the-whistle pushes from both teams. But that was the extent of the “extracurriculars” for the night.

Lake Worth scored on its next series, after a fumble by the Wolverines positioned the Trojans with a short distance to travel. However, the extra point attempt was wide, which made the score 13-7 Lake Worth. That’s how the score stood at the end of the first quarter.

Wellington got right back in the game with a touchdown drive. Quarterback Brett Alfred-

Wolverine Watch

By Josh Hyber

son found sophomore Tyler Vanacore for a deep connection, bringing the ball into Trojan territory. A 15-yard facemask penalty on a Grant Smallridge run continued the team’s drive. The possession was completed on a delayed handoff to senior Mike Garafine, who ran the ball into the end zone.

A risky onside kick call by Wellington Head Coach Chris Romano almost paid off, but the Trojans recovered. Lake Worth scored a touchdown, but once again the kick was no good. WHS responded yet again, this time on a Brian Pupo 30-yard touchdown run. This gave the Wolverines a 21-19 lead.

The defensive play of the game for Wellington was made by senior Nick Young, who intercepted a pass with 38 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Garafine had a nice run on the next Wolverine play, but when Romano called time out, only one second remained on the clock. Romano opted to throw a Hail Mary pass instead of attempting a 50yard field goal. The throw from Alfredson to senior Winter Cullen bounced off Cullen’s fingertips.

“I would have let [kicker Nick Brewer] kick from 50,” Romano said honestly. “But I

thought from where I was standing the ball was going to be placed further back, and also the wind was blowing against the kick.”

As the team walked off the field for halftime, I yelled to Brewer, a friend of mine, “I wanted to see a 50-yarder, Brewer!” He responded by looking up and saying, “me too.” More of this to come.

The Trojans struck first in the second half on a screen pass from 46 yards. The score was 32-21, and Lake Worth started to pull away. But like Emril says, “bam!” Pupo finally broke one, taking a kick return “to the house” down the left sideline. Wellington was back in the game, 32-28.

The momentum once again shifted suddenly, on another long touchdown from Lake Worth. The Wolverines now trailed by 11, with the score 39-28. Bad became worse when Alfredson was sacked and came up a few minutes later with noticeable neck pain. Vanacore came in at quarterback and was sacked the next play, which forced the Wolverines to punt.

The blue and white got the ball back to start the fourth quarter, and the pounding kept coming. Vanacore was driven hard to the ground and was taken out. Third-string quarterback? No. Alfredson came back in. “It hurt pretty bad and felt like it kept getting worse, but I knew we had a better chance if I kept playing,” he said.

The drive was a success. Brewer got the 45-yard field goal chance he wanted and made it count. The junior snuck the ball just over the crossbar. “I was pretty pumped,” Brewer said. “I knew I could hit it that far, but I hoped

it would be straight enough. And it brought us in closer in the game.”

Just like that it was a one-possession game, Lake Worth, 39 and Wellington, 31.

To highlight an already great night for Brewer — with four successful extra points and a 45-yard field goal — he laid down a perfect onside kick, which the Wolverines recovered. “He had an outstanding game. He’s worked hard all summer, and it’s finally paying off,” Romano said. After carries by Garafine and Pupo, the Wolverines had the ball with just over three minutes to go inside the 25 yard line. But the worst scenario possible happened. Alfredson fumbled the ball while colliding with a running back. The ball was recovered by Lake Worth.

“The play was designed to be a slant to Winter [Cullen], and I was watching Winter the whole time,” Romano said. “I thought he was open, and when I looked to see where the ball was, I realized what happened.”

The Trojans ran the remaining time off the clock to seal a 39-31 victory.

Last season, the Wolverines won their only game against the Trojans, but the toughness of a “rivalry game” wasn’t there. But now that Palm Beach Central and Royal Palm Beach are off the Wolverine radar, Lake Worth is more of a circled date on the team calendar.

Wellington played an away game at Santaluces High School on Thursday, Sept. 17, but the score was not available at press time. The Wolverines will head to Archbishop McCarthy High School on Friday, Sept. 25.

Seminole Ridge Dominates Santaluces With 48-0 Win

By Lauren Miro

Town-Crier Staff Report

The Seminole Ridge High School varsity football team won their second game in a row last Friday night, shutting out of the Santaluces High School Chiefs 48-0. Less than two minutes into the game, Santaluces made the first of many mistakes that the Hawks managed to capitalize on. A punt return was blocked by Jeffrey Nasice and recovered by Woodley Cadet in the Hawks’ end zone for a touchdown.

A fumble by Santaluces minutes later was recovered by Eric Poppert, which put the Hawks on the 20-yard line in Chiefs territory. Javi-

an Wrisper ran the ball in for another touchdown, and a successful kick by Matt Johnson brought the score to 14-0 for the Hawks. Not a minute later, the Hawks gained possession again when another Chiefs fumble resulted in a turnover for Seminole Ridge. Gary Holmes ran 10 yards for a touchdown, and another kick by Johnson gave Seminole Ridge a 21-0 advantage with 5:34 left in the first quarter. The Chiefs made it into Hawk territory for the first time in the second quarter, but then on a third first-down attempt, they netted 28 yards in penalties, which gave them 38 yards total to run a first

down. Unable to make it, the ball went back to Seminole Ridge. With 4:33 left in the half, Wrisper ran 17 yards for a touchdown and brought the score to 27-0. Minutes later, the Chiefs were again unsuccessful in a first-down attempt, returning the ball to Hawks control. Holmes carried the ball up the middle to put the Hawks on their own 10 yard line.

Another touchdown by Wrisper and extra point by Johnson meant the Hawks finished the half at 34-0.

The first big play for Santaluces came early in the second half when Jarrod Lacy intercepted a ball intended for Wrisper, but the Chiefs were

unable to gain ground.

With 5:47 remaining in the third quarter, Jeacky Charles caught a pass from quarterback Hayden Collier and ran 64 yards for a touchdown. The kick by Johnson brought the score to 41-0.

Aaron Arndt scored the final touchdown for the Hawks in the fourth quarter on a 16yard run, and a kick by second-string kicker Matt Fioramonti finished the game’s scoring at 48-0.

Seminole Ridge traveled to Jupiter on Thursday, but the score was not available at press time. The Hawks will host Boca Raton High School on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Local Girls Compete In 121st Shetland Pony Congress Show

Pan’s Atomic Particle, an American Shetland pony, went from dressage pony to biker pony at the 121st Shetland Pony Congress Show in Cloverdale, Ind. The pony’s his new tough look helped him capture the national championship in the Costume Class. Pan’s Atomic Particle and his entourage all dressed as members of a motorcycle gang to capture the championship, proving that trading in their top hats for leather jackets was a winning combination.

“All of the ‘people’ in the gang were showing with Yeager Equine Services, and we

RPBHS Basketball Clinic Sept. 28

Royal Palm Beach High School will hold a boys and girls offensive skills basketball clinic on Monday, Sept. 28 in the school gym. Session I will take place from 9 to 11:30 a.m., and Session II will run from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

The gym will open at 8:30 a.m. close at 3:30 p.m.

The clinic will be led by Head Varsity Coach Drew Quinn, Junior Varsity Coach Dan Cuetara and Ninth Grade Coach Dionte Perry. The cost is $20 per camper or $30 for both sessions. Each participant is asked to bring his or her own basketball. The first hour is an individual skills camp, and the drills will be set up to get each camper as many reps as possible. The clinic is open to all players interested in improv-

invited our friend Belinda Bagby from Cross Country Shetlands to join in the fun,” said Johnny Robb, owner of Pan’s Atomic Particle and director of marketing for the American Shetland Pony Club (ASPC). “It was really fun because every single person from age four and up helped build the costume, it was a real team effort.” Robb said the “gang” spent the night before the class cutting, taping and building the motorcycle for Pan to wear. “I heard the song ‘Low Rider’ on the radio and got the idea for a motorcycle and knew we could include a lot

ing their offensive basketball skills. The rest of the time will be devoted to incorporating lessons on how to better play one-on-one, three-on-three and five-on-five. For more information, call Quinn at (561) 398-8341 or e-mail quinna@palmbeach. k12.fl.us.

Basketball Registration

At RPB Rec Boys and girls in kindergarten through the eighth grade and volunteer coaches can soon register for recreational basketball leagues sponsored by the Village of Royal Palm Beach. Registration for residents begins Sept. 28 and costs $85 per player. Registration for non-residents starts Oct. 5 and costs $105 per player. The deadline to register is Oct. 22. Visit www.royal

of adults and kids in the fun,” Robb said.

The costume class featured seven elaborate entries, but it was the biker pack that stole the show. Six-year-old Kayden Muller-Jassen of Wellington “drove” Pan into the ring, followed by her crew of biker chicks and motorcycle dudes.

During the show, MullerJassen and Pan proved they were able to switch gears, leaving behind their biker gear to put on regular riding attire and win two national championships. Two other junior biker members also competed Pan’s Atomic Par-

palmbeach.com once assigned a password or register in person at the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center (151 Sweet Bay Lane). For more information, call (561) 790-5124.

Golf Benefit For WHS

Basketball

The second annual Wellington High School Boys Basketball Golf Tournament will take place on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Palm Beach Polo Golf Club in Wellington. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the men’s basketball program. The men’s basketball team is a non-profit charitable organization. Funds raised by the tournament will provide the program with the money needed to function during these tough economic times. The 18-hole tournament

ticle during the show, bringing home more ribbons and championships. Fourteenyear-old Jodie Alvarez of Loxahatchee and Pan took home the Reserve National Championship in National Show Pony Driving. Alvarez, Muller-Jassen and her older sister Klendy Muller were also on the High Point Youth Team.

“The costume class at the Shetland Pony Congress Show is always fun and everyone goes all out,” Robb said.

For more information, visit www.shetlandminiature. com.

begins at 7:30 a.m. with a complimentary continental breakfast, followed by a putting contest and a 9 a.m. shotgun start. There will be complimentary beverages provided during the tournament.

The cost per golfer is $125 and includes green fees, a golf cart, continental breakfast, buffet lunch and all oncourse refreshments. There will be contests for putting, closest to the pin and longest drive, and prizes for first, second and third place, a golfer goodie bag, silent auction and raffle. The Wellington High School Boys Basketball Golf Classic is an opportunity for residents and friends of the western communities to enjoy a morning of golf followed by a great meal while supporting a great basketball program. The Wellington Wolverines were conference champions last season and were district runners-up,

making the playoffs. Participants in the tournament will enjoy great networking opportunities while simultaneously helping an important Wellington High School program. For more information on the golf tournament, call WHS Head Basketball Coach Matt Colin at (803) 439-5348 or e-mail matthew. colin@palmbeach.k12.fl.us.

Mitey Mites Silver Making Improvements

The Mitey Mites silver team includes Gray, Dean, Kramer, Higgins, Richardson, Shackelford, Tyler

leter,

The Royal Palm Beach Wildcats Pop Warner Mitey Mites blue team defeated the silver team 18-0 last Saturday. The silver team is showing improvement each game. All of the kids played hard and maintained a positive team spirit throughout the day. Ethan Kramer registered a sack and another tackle for a loss. Giovanni Richardson completed a pass to Jack Higgins for 15 yards. A.J. Gray had two runs of more than15 yards. Harrison Dean made the best tackle of his career so far, foiling an extra-point attempt. The silver team would like to wish Jonathon Monteagudo and Joshua Shackelford a speedy recovery from their illnesses so they can get back out there and help out in the next game.

Biker Pony — Pan’s Atomic Particle with members of Yeager Equine Services and Belinda Bagby at the 121st Shetland Pony Congress Show in Indiana.

PHOTO BY WASHBURN PHOTOGRAPHY

Bol-

Brennen Brewster, John Carmichael, Dylan Connley, Jacob Connley, Matthew Coon, Ethan DiBerardino, Casey Fitzpatrick, Nick Hoffman, Austin Houck, Nick Kauper, Vincent Lavigna, Johnathon Monteagudo, T.J. Moore, Tyler Retzler, Toby Seevers and Christopher Valle.

PHOTOS BY LAUREN MIRO/TOWN-CRIER

Seminole Ridge’s Matt Johnson kicks off the game.Coach Matt Dickmann and the Hawks take the field.

Hawk Javian Wrisper runs around the Chiefs’ defense as teammate Jeacky Charles looks on.

Jeacky Charles runs a pass from Hayden Collier.

Since Things Are Pokey, I’m Checking In To The Big House

Well, I got my second speeding ticket. I got the first one years ago, returning home from the hospital with my son following his first round of chemotherapy and I was just too sad to argue about it, so I guess now I’ve been labeled a “habitual offender.”

This time I was going 49 miles per hour in a 50 mph zone that had just turned into a 35 mph zone because I was approaching a traffic light. I was slowing down, but there was a guy going 65 mph on my tail, so I guess I didn’t slow down fast enough. Some might call this a speed trap, but hey, it’s a recession. State budgets have been cut. The doughnut money has to come from somewhere.

I just find it interesting that at 49 mph, I had been passed by every car, truck and motorcycle en route (including two police cars) and I’m the one to get stopped. Oh, I take that back. There was one vehicle to my right that got stopped also. It was a guy on the sidewalk in one of those motorized wheelchairs.

Deborah Welky is The Sonic BOOMER

Evidently he was speeding, too.

The officer said I could fight the ticket, pay the $130 or go to traffic school. He didn’t mention the fourth option of “doing nothing.”

The do-nothing option is one I’m seriously considering. I wouldn’t mind going to jail for a while. I mean, the recession is no fun for me either, and without the option of imposing fines on other people, I don’t have any doughnut money coming in.

If I went to the big house, I’d get three squares a day and plenty of time to finish my

novel. And think of the money I’d save on housing, electricity, telephone and transportation, not to mention being able to gracefully ease out of so many commitments.

“I’m sorry,” I’d say. “I’d love to be the secretary for your organization, but I’m finally going to jail.”

Once in, I’d try my hardest not to be released for good behavior. I’ve heard you can pick up some “poor behavior” tips from other inmates, so I’d just listen and learn.

And, yes, I’ve heard the rumors that your cellmate (or the warden) might try to get amorous. Maybe this comes under the category of “don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.” I’d have to weigh the negative aspects of unwanted sex against the cost savings. If the savings are high enough, I may just chalk it up to “legalized prostitution.”

Actually, if people keep losing their jobs and homes, more of us will get sent to prison for one thing or another. Pretty soon all our

friends will be there. We’ll have time to reconnect in the exercise yard instead of barely waving “hi” from the confinement of our present office cubicles. With nothing to do, no place to go and the sex thing, our time in the pen will share a lot of similarities with Woodstock . Excited by the possibilities, I told my husband of my plan. He tried to dash my hopes.

“They are not sending you to jail for unpaid speeding tickets,” he scoffed. “The worst that will happen is you’ll lose your driver’s license.”

“What if I start carrying a gun?” I asked hopefully. “A concealed weapon — would that do it?”

“Maybe. But you don’t own a gun and there’s a three-day cooling-off period before you can get one, for this very reason.”

So now I’m pouting. But only for the next three days. The gun sellers say I should be fine by then.

Huge Senior Audience, But No Network TV Shows For Us?

I read an article in Variety last week claiming that last year, for the first time ever, the median viewer age for the five major broadcast networks was over 50. That means that half the audience was over 50. And you would never know it from the wave of kiddy-focused shows the networks all put on. CBS has the oldest median audience at 54, ABC at 50, NBC at 49, with Fox at 44 and CW at 34. CBS, with the oldest audience, had more viewers than any other. There are a lot of us old codgers out in TV land, and generally we’re just ignored. The “key demographic,” meaning the viewer the networks really want, is no older than 49 (everyone worships viewers between 18 and 49), so older folk are essentially ignored. When was the last time you saw a network show in which the main characters were past 40? The last one I remember was The Gold-

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler

en Girls, which is still in reruns on several channels and is still funnier than anything currently produced. Would any network dare to do a show like that today? Forget it.

I looked up TV columns from a variety of newspapers around the country forecasting the coming season. Amazing how many of the critics were raving about Gossip Girl, the story of over-privileged, over-sexed, overglammed teens. American Idol generally gets

more than 20 million viewers, Gossip Girl perhaps two. And guess which gets more stories? Based on the gushiness, not to mention all the cutesy stories on the entertainment magazine shows, you would think we were being offered the equivalent of Shakespeare.

The television audience is shrinking and network execs and advertising gurus can’t understand why. I suggest they start thinking about creating good shows that intelligent people might like to watch.

Years ago, main characters on many series were older. They served as mentors to the somewhat younger second leads. Marcus Welby would have been close to Social Security if he had been real. Now the main leads all look like they stepped out of the pages of fancy ads for college and their mentors tend to be very well preserved folk not quite at middle age.

That does not mean good shows require seniors. I tend to like seeing people my own age as being more than occasional victims or villains. But the powers that be are more interested in selling to young people based on the ridiculous notion that people who start buying a product when young will continue doing so for the rest of their lives. They still teach that in communications and business classes at our universities.

With that kind of wisdom, it is likely the TV networks will be asking for federal help in a few years, complaining that the economy is causing their problems. And why not? It worked for car manufacturers who spent the last 50 years making gas-guzzlers no one wants. Wake up, network people! Give us TV for people past puberty or lose us and watch the marches if we have to pay for TV networks.

Obama’s Speech Was Harmless, The Uproar Very Curious

Last week, President Obama gave a speech to the schoolchildren of this country. It sounded harmless enough to me. But some parents feared it wouldn’t be a harmless speech. Weeks before the speech was to be delivered, folks started coming out of the woodwork saying they didn’t want their kids to hear it.

Most schools that aired the speech allowed parents to remove their kids from the area where the speech was to be presented.

Some school districts refused to allow the speech to be shown in their schools. Indian River County did not allow its students to view the speech the day the president delivered it. After protests from parents, the district allowed their students to view the speech on tape the next day. Other districts across the country never let their students watch it.

Because of the uproar that this speech (pep talk) created, the White House decided to re-

Wondering & Wandering

By Ernie Zimmerman

lease the text the day before the president delivered it.

Still the uproar against the speech continued. I read the speech and I watched the president deliver it. In my opinion, it was a very good speech for students to hear. The main message was for the kids to stay in school and to keep trying to do their best. It was a dropout-prevention speech. It was not political at all. During the speech, President Obama

admitted he had flaws growing up. He said he was not always good student. (Who was?)

George Bush No. 1 gave a speech to school kids in 1991. In that speech he asked the kids to write to him. There were some protests against that speech, but not like the uproar against Obama’s speech. Even former first lady Laura Bush supported Obama’s speech. (I wonder if she has ever said a harsh word about anything or anyone in her life.)

Obama will be our president for at least the next three and a half years. Of course not all of us voted for him. But he won the election fair and square. Even if folks don’t like Obama and his ideas, the office of the president should be respected.

I will admit, Obama was not my choice for president. But the fact of the matter is that he is my president. If you want to blame anyone for Obama

being our president, I think you can look at the Republican Party and the candidates they put on their slate in the last election. I thought McCain was a decent choice (but I was in the minority). The person McCain selected as his running mate was not the best choice, according to the voters of America. Maybe if McCain selected the senator from the great state of Massachusetts as his running mate, we would now be calling him President McCain. Maybe the time has come for the formation of a very strong third political party. I know this was tried a few years ago, but it didn’t work. Maybe the time is right for it to work now. Maybe it is time for folks to take a good look at this country. This is still the best place in the world to live. If you don’t believe me, just ask the folks that are still coming over our borders every day (legally and illegally) to call the good ol’ USA home.

New Equine Business Referral Service Launched In Wellington Tales

Grand Prix champion James Lala has started up a new company called Equine Staffing Solutions, a Wellington-based referral service matching barns and other equine businesses with competent and experienced workers.

(“No job is too small,” Lala laughed.) In his spare time he also runs Wellington Horse Transportation.

But for many years prior to his current ventures, Lala was a successful and well-known trainer on the hunter circuit. He still conducts clinics and has a few select students, but for the most part he gave up training because a lot of his students “were just plain crazy, and they were driving me crazier.”

He also lost a couple of close friends to cancer and realized that training was too timeconsuming and didn’t give him enough time to do other, important things.

However, Lala does have some ideas on improving horse shows in general that he would implement if he were the supreme ruler of the equestrian universe.

First, he would mandate no horse shows in December, one month in the spring, and two weeks at the end of summer. Just no shows during those times, period.

“This would protect the horses and people from overworking themselves,” Lala said. “All some people do is move from circuit to circuit, outdoors to indoors then back to outdoors again, chasing points. It’s all go-go-go. People need to get a life outside of the show circuit.”

Not that long ago, horses routinely had time off to relax and just be horses. Their shoes would be pulled off, and they’d have time to schmooze around the pastures from November through May. Now showing is done year-

OCR County Office

continued from page 2 process and meet with governmental officials.”

Participants learn how to make a presentation to receive a grant from various county agencies.

“They had to make that pitch and say why their community program should be selected,” Benacquisto recalled. “It was as diverse as feeding folks meals, getting robes for a church choir or putting down landscaping to make their neighborhood look better. It was really neat

From The Trails

By Ellen Rosenberg

round.

Next, he would change the rules and make it illegal to have riders in short stirrups or novice classes canter together as a whole.

“A lot of these kids simply don’t ride that well yet, and having all those horses running around like that is just plain dangerous,” he said. “I’d have them wait on the rail in a group, and then canter one at a time, the way they do it for jumping the cross rails in a hunter hack class. Watching kids go flying off in a situation like that is too scary.”

Another rule change Lala would institute would be to not split adult or amateur hunter classes by the horse’s age, but by how much experience the rider has. He said that just makes a lot more sense, and credits his friend Irv Goldman with this idea.

Lala would change the courses in the children’s jumper and adult/amateur jumper divisions to make them easier for the horses to navigate.

“These classes are really tough on the horses right now,” he said. “I would make sure each jump had a ground line, so the horse could more easily measure his takeoff spot.

I’d also eliminate any tight turns or triple [three fences in a row] combinations. The kids and some of the adults who ride in these class-

to see folks go from the classroom experience to where they were presenting and getting the dollars to implement the program.”

Tate said OCR’s goal is to connect residents and community groups to government agencies. The department also teaches community members how to become informed.

“You need to be informed and you need to know the facts,” Tate said, explaining that many people do not understand the complexities of government. “Our office can sit down with you and make certain that you go to the appropriate department.”

OCR has established dif-

‘It was really neat to see folks go from the classroom experience to where they were presenting and getting the dollars to implement the program.’

— Wellington Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto

Budget Four-Day Week?

continued from page 1 achieve and if we accomplished that.”

But Councilman Howard Coates said it was his impression that some Florida communities that had gone to a four-day week to save money were converting back to a regular schedule, because no savings had been realized. “I have some real questions as to whether we’ll really have the savings we think we’re going to have,” he said.

Coates also warned that residents and others doing business with the village would be inconvenienced by the shortened week, no matter how much the village publicizes the change.

ferent programs to help communities, such as the Resident Education to Action Program (REAP). That is the program Benacquisto was involved in, and it is probably the one most relevant to residents of the western communities.

REAP is a six-week, hands-on educational program intended to help residents improve their neighborhoods through community revitalization and civic engagement. “It supports the formation of neighborhood associations and empowers residents to seek a better quality of life,” Tate said.

Through the course, residents learn innovative ways to solve neighborhood issues. The goal is to increase residents’ knowledge and give them an appreciation for government through active participation. The course includes group activities, lecturers and speakers. “We’ve had various individuals who have come to our program, and some of whom decided to be very active in politics,

es have to go way too fast on tricky courses. They aren’t professionals, and shouldn’t have to ride as if they were. Some of the course designers simply ask way too much of them.”

And on the subject of course designing, Lala said every designer should have extensive experience in riding the types of courses they design. Novice hunter courses should be very forgiving, allowing the horse or rider to make mistakes and still be able to get around safely.

“These courses shouldn’t scare the hell out of them,” Lala said. “The striding should be adjusted a little shorter, the combinations should be easier, and nothing should be ‘trappy’ — technically difficult to get through. Also, give riders enough time to get around safely. You want a course that invites and teaches, not one that makes them never want to jump again.”

Lala said intelligent course designing should promote good, safe jumping and allow riders and horses time to learn the craft of riding.

Finally, a biggie: horse trainers should need some sort of government license. “Anyone can hang out a shingle and call himself a horse trainer,” Lala said. “I don’t understand why you need a license to cut hair, but you don’t need one to teach riding or train horses? This is a potentially lethal situation. People can die falling off horses. They can be paralyzed. Then you have trainers who are also trying to sell horses for clients, and this can be a dangerous conflict of interest, if they’re overmounting a rider, putting someone on too much horse, just to make a commission on a sale.

Lala said trainers should be required to

and some became commissioners in other cities,” Tate said.

The program now puts emphasis on how to find alternative grants.

“As you’ve all heard, the budgets have been cut,” Tate said. “My budget has been cut. I have no capital funding whatsoever, so how are you going to bring a vital service to your community? That’s

Rental Policy Needed

continued from page 1 Michael Rose of Royal Palm Covenant Church to provide Thanksgiving dinners to over 300 families, Peterson said. This year, with increased need, the club plans to raise money to provide dinners for more than 500 families.

Mayor David Lodwick voiced reservations about reserving public land for private use, even if it is for a good cause or purpose flattering to the village.

James Lala

complete a course and pass a written and practical test in order to be licensed. “Too many trainers care more about winning than about good horsemanship, which is wrong,” he said. “I’ve heard trainers tell their clients, ‘if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying hard enough.’ This is exactly the type of person we should be banning from show grounds. A really good trainer is going to tell you it’s OK to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them.” Lala laughs. “Yeah, when I run the world…”

Lala’s next clinic is scheduled for Sept. 26 and 27 at his show stable at 4101 120th Avenue South in Wellington. The cost is $200 for each horse/rider combination. For more information, call Lala at (561) 906-6668 or email james@jameslalastable.com.

going to be through grant funding.”

Tate said he has one staff member who works with other agencies to find grant sources and compile them so OCR has better information about grants. Once community members identify the grant they should seek, OCR will help them apply for the funding.

OCR has also teamed up

lic asset to village residents as well as to residents of the county and state, because the construction was partially funded by those entities.

“Whatever we do, it won’t be just for the citizens of Royal Palm Beach, so whatever precedent we decide to set or not, you have to treat all people who are similarly situated similarly,” he said.

with Neighborhood Link, which provides a free interactive neighborhood web site to every neighborhood association in the county. Its web site is located at www. neighborhoodlink.com. For more information about the Palm Beach County Office of Community Revitalization, call (561) 2335311 or visit www.pbcgov. com/ocr.

if there is a way to do this that the entire council can accept that would not put us into a bind,” he said.

“When they show up here on a Friday, looking for someone to be there, and they’re not there, we’re all going to get the e-mails, I can tell you,” he said. Village Manager Paul Schofield noted that one such city, Miramar, had tried the four-day week and switched back because it had not been able to reduce its overtime salary expenses, which has more to do with management than the week itself. “We clamped overtime controls on most of our staff months ago,” he said. Schofield also noted that the change would need to prove its effectiveness to be retained, and that the village would inevitably revert to a five-day week once the economic picture improves.

that people do want to come in and do business early in the morning,” he said.

Mayor Darell Bowen and Councilman Matt Willhite both voiced support for Benacquisto’s six-month trial.

An initial motion by Priore to approve the budget as proposed failed, with Benacquisto, Coates and Willhite opposed, but in the ensuing discussion, Willhite said he would change his position if the motion were amended to stipulate a six-month trial on the four-day week.

While most village offices are slated to be closed Friday, the Monday through Thursday schedule will be extended from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Priore, a retired dentist, said he set opening hours at his practice one summer at 7 a.m., and within a week those early appointments were booked for the whole summer. “So that just shows you Capital

Smaller Projects

Postponed

continued from page 1 jects we will try to do if we get matching funds,” he said.

“There were some improvements to some other fields.

We’re still doing the Camellia Park improvements. We’re not deferring anything significant. We’re not deferring road maintenance. We’re not deferring any levels of service.”

Aside from the park, the other significant capital project next year will be continued improvements northward on Royal Palm Beach Blvd. from Okeechobee Blvd. to the village limits.

“That’s about a $4.5 million project,” Lodwick said.

The millage reduction was in the face of a 20-percent reduction in property values, Lodwick said. “We are trying to make property taxes less and less of our budget any-

way, so that we’re not as reliant on taxing our residents and business property owners,” he said. “We have very conservatively invested the [utility sale] money, and we used that income stream to offset money that used to be paid in property taxes. We put a small amount of that stream into reinvesting so that stream will grow.”

One area that saw cuts is the village workforce. Positions deleted over the past year include one permit technician from community development, four general maintenance workers from public works, and five positions from parks and recreation, a department that also had four position reclassifications downward. There was also a lot of reorganization of positions, Lodwick said. “One thing that we identified is that the cultural center is not really utilized much during the day, so we reorganized a lot of that staff over the past year,” Lodwick said. “We had a couple of areas where we outsourced

Priore made another motion including that amendment, which passed 3-2 with opposition from Coates and Benacquisto, who wanted to keep the millage rate unchanged from the previous year.

The village is required by state law to hold two public hearings before the budget can be adopted. The second hearing is scheduled for Sept. 29. The new fiscal year starts Oct. 1.

some of our landscape maintenance to outside contractors so it’s a better value for our residents to do that.”

There has been no reduction in service level, Lodwick stressed, but rather a village working more efficiently.

Lodwick said the 2011 budget will probably be as challenging. “We will continue to find the least expensive way to provide the services that we think our residents need,” he said. “Some cities are using that as an excuse to raise taxes now, but our philosophy is we will take what we need from our residents, but we won’t take more than that.”

The total village budget for next year is $55 million. The general operating budget accounts for 34 percent of the money. In the $21 million general fund, 19 percent will come from property taxes and 23 percent will come from other taxes and fees, which is the lowest tax percentage the village has ever had, according to Finance Director Stanley Hochman.

“You get into issues with use of a public park,” Lodwick said. “We do not rent our park facilities; we have not rented out our park facilities. It’s not because you look at a certain cause and say it’s worthy or you look at another cause and say it’s not worthy. It’s for a couple of reasons. The first is if we say we’ll rent out the village outdoor park facility, you no longer have the right to tell any group ‘no.’” Lodwick added that if the village co-sponsors the event, it means that the organization pays no rent and the village supplies police for traffic control and other staff to run the park.

Village Manager David Farber said the park is a pub-

Profiling Forum In RPB

continued from page 7 Haughwout said that while being stopped and searched would be equally humiliating to blacks and whites, she put forward that it happens to minorities far more often than whites. She noted that after a horrific home invasion and gang rape in the Dunbar Village housing project in West Palm Beach in 2007, police collected DNA evidence from scores of young black males in the area because that was the description of the perpetrators. “Would this happen if there was a crime in Palm Beach and Jupiter Island?” she asked. “Would we do a massive collection of DNA on white males?”

But she also noted that racial profiling is not restricted to white officers. “I think that it’s important that people understand that racial profiling is not about white law enforcement officers targeting people of color,” Haughwout said. “I have seen law enforcement officers of color use it also.”

Freelance writer C.B. Hanif, formerly of the Palm Beach Post, said that while doing some work for the

Farber pointed out that the village rents some facilities, including gazebos at various parks in the village, but said it is a policy decision to allow a private entity to control a public asset to the exclusion of others. Farber said village staff had decided that granting co-sponsorships would be unfair to all the groups that do pay, because many can make an argument for why they should be allowed to do it for free.

“The reason we allowed what we did last year was we thought it was an extraordinary humanitarian event,” Farber said. “I asked the council’s indulgence in that hurricanes happen a lot of times… I can’t imagine this village turning its back on hurricane victims.”

Councilman David Swift said he understands the nonprofits’ motivation to have facility use donated to them because it means more they can give to their charities.

“I’d like to talk more about it

2010 census in a neighborhood near Dunbar Village, he met a “young brother” who was obviously dealing drugs.

“I explained what I was doing and what the census was all about,” Hanif said.

“The first thing he said to me was, ‘how do you get a job like that?’ That says to me he would rather be doing the job I was doing than the job he was doing. I’d rather he was doing the job I was doing as well. My point is that we have people who are feeling out of the loop in this whole arena, and they are reacting out of a sense of powerlessness, and feeling that the law enforcement folks are not going to respect them.”

PBSO Col. Mike Gauger recalled having worked as a young sergeant in the Dyson Circle housing project in West Palm Beach, and the children there ran away from him at first.

“None of them trusted me,” he said. “After time was spent in the community, I was invited into the homes of families. There is an opportunity to build positive interaction, but then there are some who don’t want it and will always point a finger.”

Gauger said law enforcement officers walk a fine line in the course of their work, and they need a partnership

Councilwoman Martha Webster said approving the events is a difficult decision for the council because of the precedent, but pointed out that the village has a very affordable non-profit scale for some facilities. “I have to agree that by opening the door to one entity, you have to open it to everyone,” Webster said. Farber said he has less of a problem opening the park to an art event available to all artists and open to the public, rather than one organization whose goal is to raise money for its particular organization and membership. “We’re not suggesting that the park will not be used for the purpose it was created, but how it will be managed,” he said.

Lodwick asked for consensus that the council members want more direct guidelines because they were uncomfortable about the precedent it would set, and council members agreed. “I think it is a matter of policy,” Lodwick said. “We don’t want to rent Veterans Park out. I think there is a possibility of cosponsorships, but it really has to be laid out extremely clearly that it is of benefit to all residents.”

of the public. “In the preamble to our constitution, it says ‘to form a more perfect union,’ and when President Obama gave his speech before taking office, he spoke about a more perfect union,” he said. “It is by us coming together and working on issues, like we did with El Sol in Jupiter, or like we are trying to do in Lake Worth with some of the undocumented workers who live there. The police cannot do it by themselves. It requires you to work with us.”

Cohen recognized that law enforcement officers put themselves in harm’s way every time they go out on the street, but he also noted that juries increasingly are taking the side of defendants in his courtroom. He noted that the son of his judicial assistant worked three jobs and had never been in trouble with the law, but when his car was pulled over, the police ransacked it.

“There is absolutely no reason why a kid, because he’s 19 years old, should be asked for permission to search his car when there is absolutely no indication that person is dealing drugs,” Cohen said. “If I lived in a community where that occurred on a daily basis, there would be no partnership.”