After a marathon six-hour special meeting, the Wellington Village Council approved two measures paving the way for horse show producer Stadium Jumping to build a new facility on 179 acres in extreme southern Wellington. The measures are scheduled to undergo a second vote for final approval later this month.
The meeting featured presentations from attorneys and other representatives both in support of the project and opposed to it. Critics of the proposal, aligned with developer Mark Bellissimo and his Wellington Equestrian Partners, argued that the council would set a bad precedent and perhaps break laws by allowing Stadium Jumping to skip the time-consuming comprehensive plan amendment process for large-scale developments, which requires state review.
Bellissimo and Stadium Jumping were once partners in a plan to create a massive equestrian-oriented mixed-use development on about 500 acres in Wellington, but the plan hit the skids late last year when Stadium Jumping’s Gene Mische announced that his company would seek a new home without Bellissimo. Stadium Jumping contends that its longtime facilities on 79 acres at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club are too small for its growing productions, the National Horse Show and the Winter Equestrian Festival.
Bellissimo, who purchased the equestrian club and surrounding properties last month, has launched a legal battle to compel Stadium Jumping to stay put. Meanwhile the developer says his own plans for a world-class equestrian show grounds are still on track.
Among the opponents of Stadium Jumping’s proposal is Lit-
tlewood Farms, a long-established producer of smaller-scale horse shows also planning new facilities in the village. Littlewood Farms founder David Burton Sr. is among those accusing the village of favoritism by allowing Stadium Jumping the fast track to approval, while his own project has been forced to undergo state review.
Village staff offered justification for the different approaches in the documentation for Stadium Jumping’s application Tuesday, noting that plans for a 60-vehicle camping area and two single-family dwellings on the Littlewood site prompted the requirement for a comp plan change. Also, village staff noted, Littlewood would enjoy a permitted use for a commercial equestrian arena as well as potential for a range of other uses, enhancing the value of the land. Stadium Jumping, meanwhile, would be allowed its arena as a conditional use, and the master plan amendment approved Tuesday lists 49 conditions for approval. Besides conditions relating to parking, lighting, drainage, manure disposal and improvements to nearby roads, one condition places the burden for all costs associated with legal challenges to the approval on the developer and property owner. Another condition requires the developer to secure a clearance letter from the Florida Department of Community Affairs, affirming the village’s contention that the project does not meet the threshold to be considered a Development of Regional Impact, which would again require state scrutiny.
Attorney Martin Perry, representing Stadium Jumping’s development entity Everglades Equestrian Partners, told the council Tuesday that his clients had received a letter from Mike McDaniel in the DCA’s Office of Comprehensive Planning, stating that he and his staff had
FISHING SHOW AT FAIRGROUNDS
The 11th Annual Florida Sportsman Fishing Show took place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 15-16 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Shown here, Diane Bosworth and Craig Savage buy his-and-hers rods and reels.
reviewed the documentation and determined that the proposed arena would be a singleperformance facility, below the DRI threshold, requiring no further DCA monitoring.
But Bellissimo attorney Dan Doorakian challenged Perry’s assertion and said the DRI issue had not been appropriately resolved, urging the council to hold off on a decision until all parties were satisfied. The head of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, he said, had recommended that a clearance letter or a binding letter of interpretation be issued, or the whole process would come to a halt.
“If the development review
process is tripped, the review process completely changes,” Doorakian said. “This council will have wasted a considerable amount of time and resources. Mr. Perry indicated that the DRI issue was resolved. He was telling you that there needed to be no further review, and they won’t be monitoring this any further. The property owner, not the applicant, must obtain a clearance letter or appropriate determination of the status of the DRI. The only issue resolved from the letter from Mr. McDaniel is about the singleperformance facility. However, to tell this council that is the only issue is disingenuous.”
Doorakian also said Stadium Jumping should undergo the comprehensive plan change process as outlined in the village’s rules and regulations. If approved, the project would not be consistent with the provisions outlined in the village’s comprehensive plan, he said.
As the property is located in the Orange Point PUD, planned as a residential area, Doorakian asserted that village rules specify that the project should benefit the residents and be of a limited nature.
“The intent is clear. Any commercial arenas need to be put on land that is designated com-
See STADIUM, page 42A
WILDCATS KEEP CLASSIC TROPHY
RPB A Awards $4.5 Million Bid For wards$4.5MillionBidFor
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
Plans call for a drainpipe to be constructed under the driveways of the homes on the east side of LaMancha Avenue, with a 10-foot bike path on the west side that will run from Robiner Park to the intersection of LaMancha Avenue and Bilbao Street.
The village also will construct traffic circles at the LaMancha Avenue intersections with Bilbao Street and Madrid Street. There is no connection from Madrid Street to the State Road
The Royal Palm Beach Village Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a $4.5 million bid by JW Cheatham LLC for the LaMancha Avenue Improvements Project. Cheatham bid a total of $4,530,625.98 for the right to improve the drainage and build a bicycle path and traffic circles for the neighborhood. The project, expected to take around 21 months from start to finish, has a goal of slowing down traffic, improving the landscaping and improving the drainage in LaMancha, one of the older village neighborhoods.
7 extension in the contract, and there is no connection directly through from LaMancha Avenue to Okeechobee Blvd. in the contract.
The project, Royal Palm Beach Mayor David Lodwick said, is one “I think will be the best for the residents on that roadway.”
In other business, the council approved the first reading of an ordinance amending its elections code to hold its municipal election to coincide with the Jan. 29, 2008 Presidential Preference Primary Election.
The municipal election had
been scheduled for March 11, 2008. A second reading and adoption is scheduled for Oct. 4. If approved, the change of date, Lodwick said, will save the village approximately $12,000 and get a higher voter turnout than a stand-alone March election.
If the change is finalized, candidate qualifying for one of the four available council seats up for election will begin at noon on Oct. 26 and will close at noon on Nov. 9. All documentation required by state law and village ordinance must be submitted to Village Clerk Diane
DiSanto between those dates. This will allow the village to get the information to the Supervisor of Elections by Nov. 16, the deadline for finalizing the Jan. 29 ballot. Lodwick, Vice Mayor David Swift and Councilman Matty Mattioli are up for re-election. The seat vacated by the resignation of Barbara Isenberg is also available.
Also Tuesday, the council also appointed Councilman Fred Pinto as its liaison officer to the Education Advisory Board and appointed Elaine Guelli, a teacher at Royal Palm Beach Elementary School, to the board.
The Royal Palm Beach High School football team defeated rival Wellington 35-7 at the annual Palms West Classic game, sponsored by the Town-Crier, Thursday night at Wellington High School. For Wellington, the loss wasn’t the only thing on players’ minds; WHS senior lineman Phil Marfisi suffered a neck injury in the third quarter. He was lifted from the field via Trauma Hawk. Shown here, the Wildcats celebrate their win with Wellington Mayor Tom Wenham and Town-Crier publisher Barry Manning. STORY & PHOTOS, PAGE 5A
PHOTO BY LISA KEENEY/TOWN-CRIER
Royal Palm Beach Finalizes $62.9 Million Budget For 2007-08
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The Royal Palm Beach Village Council officially blessed the $62.9 million budget for Fiscal Year 2007-08 on Tuesday night. The spending package includes a reduction of the operating millage rate to 1.99 mills, or $1.99 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Village homeowners will be assessed at a rate of 2.0058 mills, adjusted to include revenue reserved for debt service. At that rate, the homesteaded owner of a home assessed at $225,000 will pay $401.16 in taxes compared to $432.70 under the current rate of 2.14 mills.
The budget approval marks
the 13th consecutive year the village has reduced its tax rate.
The reduction of the millage rate goes beyond the state-mandated rollback rate of 2.0089, which Royal Palm Beach Mayor David Lodwick said means the village “will generate less tax dollars than we did in real dollars last year.”
The 2008 budget, Lodwick said, reflects the village’s ability to prioritize and complete the tasks that residents want done.
“As we talk about getting projects done, we’re getting them funded, we’re getting them bid and we’re getting them brought in and completed,” Lodwick said.
But Lodwick added that the Florida Legislature’s recent tax reform rules would pose further challenges. “When you’re looking at a state legislature that is saying you can only cap your increases one or two percent, the math doesn’t work after a certain point,” he said.
Vice Mayor David Swift and Councilman Fred Pinto joined Lodwick in praising Village Manager David Farber and Finance Director Stan Hochman for jobs well done in putting together the budget. They also echoed Lodwick’s concerns about future budget issues.
“It was a very tough budget year, and next year will probably be tougher,” Swift said.
Pinto added that although coming years could be tough, he is confident that Farber and the village staff will be able to weather the challenges without creating undue fear among residents.
“I think we’ll make smart choices and at the end of the day continue to maintain the level of safety and quality of life that our citizens are used to,” he said.
Councilman Matty Mattioli said he has responded to citizen concerns about the village’s financial future by saying “business as usual,” an expression Lodwick has used frequently in recent months.
“I told them that because our
staff has worked so hard and because I think we have the leanest budget of anybody, there isn’t anything else left to cut out unless you want to scrape the bones,” he said.
Farber said the budget process, as well as the budget, demonstrates how well the village operates.
“There’s been a lot of discipline by this council over many years,” Farber said. “It’s a difficult time to be in government. The good news is there just isn’t a lot of tax dollars coming out of the people’s pockets to the village. I hope they have a high level of confidence that we’re using their money appropriately.”
Commissioners To Residents: Extension Service Will Not Be Cut
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
The Palm Beach County Commission has no intention, nor has it ever had any intention to discontinue the Agricultural Extension Service or any of its ancillary services including the Mounts Botanical Garden or 4H programs, Commissioner Mary McCarty told a roomful of irate residents at its budget hearing Thursday.
Citizens had filled out comment cards that stacked up about an inch thick when pressed between the fingers of Commissioner Jeff Koons, just from people who wanted to protest the alleged demise of the Extension Service.
Residents responded largely
to e-mails and newspaper stories that claimed the county was considering eliminating the Agricultural Extension Service to make needed budget cuts.
“The e-mail that was sent around explaining what was going to happen tonight seems to me to have been deliberately intended to get people inflamed and get people here to talk about something that was not talked about at our last meeting,” McCarty said.
McCarty said that at their previous budget meeting, an individual had proposed about 35 ways to trim the budget, and McCarty had picked up on two that had to do with the Extension Service. One was a $700,000 program that provides reporting to agricultural busi-
nesses and the other was consumer sciences for family and financial management training of $700,000, which might have been used to bail out Operation Head Start, which lacks $1 million for similar programs, McCarty said.
“Never was Mounts mentioned. Never was 4H mentioned,” she said. “The people trying to manipulate you had to tell you 4H and Mounts was going to be cut. That was never on the table. I feel bad that people send out e-mails to up-
set and inflame you.”
McCarty said there would nevertheless be other painful cuts made before the commission is finished with a budget reduced nine percent to comply with a state mandate.
See COUNTY, page 42A
St. Peter’s Pumpkin Patch Returns Sept. 30
St. Peter’s United Methodist Church in Wellington is gearing up for the arrival of its Fall Pumpkin Patch. The first load of pumpkins will arrive at noon on Sunday, Sept. 30, the second on Oct. 14.
“The Pumpkins have been a tradition here for many years,”
St. Peter’s Director of Children’s Ministries John Sullivan said. “A lot of folks know us as the
‘pumpkin church,’ and that’s just great!”
St. Peter’s will also host special events during the month of October. There will be two outdoor movie nights scheduled for the pumpkin patch. The first is on Friday, Oct. 19 and the second is on Friday, Oct. 26 from 7 to 9 p.m.
The pumpkin patch will be open Sept. 30 through Oct. 31
from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 8 p.m. on Sundays. Proceeds from the patch will go toward sending youth to summer camp and on mission trips.
St. Peter’s United Methodist Church is located at 12200 W. Forest Hill Blvd. For more information, e-mail Sullivan at jsullivan@stpeters-umc.org or call (561) 793-5712, ext 29.
Our Opinion
Wellington’s ‘Passport’ Program: The Devil Is In The Details
The Wellington Village Council made the difficult decision last week to move forward with designs for a “leisure services passport” program. The program will charge an annual fee to households participating in village athletic, recreation and leisure programs. Wellington residents will pay $100; for non-residents, the fee is double. Not surprisingly, this has raised the ire of many current program users, residents and non-residents alike, some of whom argue that they would rather not participate than pay the fee. That does not bode well for the village, which decided on the fee as part of an effort to avoid major recreation program cuts in a year of falling property tax revenue.
Given some of the other ideas proposed — such as sharply raising program fees or cutting less popular programs altogether — the passport concept is the better option. The challenge now is hammering out the details, which have been confusing to say the least. While the passport program is scheduled to take effect in January, none of the proposals discussed thus far is set in stone.
According to Village Manager Charlie Lynn, the definitive vote will be cast at a meeting in October. Until then, council members ponder which programs should require a passport. We hope they carefully consider what is best for everyone, from Wellington Seniors Club members who wish to attend only luncheons to youths who sign up for the Western Communities Football League — and all the non-residents who would pay $200 to take part in any village
AYSO Boys Need Some Support
I am a member of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), which is a youth recreational soccer league founded in California in 1964. AYSO Region 345 began in the West Palm Beach area in 1981 and is based at Okeeheelee Park. AYSO is a nonprofit organization and has regions worldwide staffed entirely by volunteers.
program. Other issues to consider include senior discounts and whether independent sports providers should bear a portion of the costs, as Vice Mayor Bob Margolis suggested at last week’s council meeting.
Wellington has long prided itself on its recreation programs. The village spends more on recreation per capita than most Florida municipalities. Therefore, it is not surprising that Wellington finds itself in a difficult predicament now that the days of easy money are gone. While most other services paid for by taxpayer money are essential services, recreation is one of the few areas open to the chopping block. Cities across the state have trimmed such “luxury” programs to adhere to state-mandated cutbacks.
Wellington, instead, has given its residents another option. If put together properly, the passport program could begin to shift Wellington’s revenue stream off the backs of taxpaying property owners, placing a greater portion of the costs on those who benefit from a specific program. However, if the village is not careful with the details, it could turn away users and leave its prized recreation department in shambles.
Indeed, Wellington has a lot to consider. In a perfect world there would be an infinite amount of money, and Wellington could keep all its programs without having to charge for a passport. But the funding is just not there, and sacrifices have to be made. We only hope they don’t outweigh the benefits.
Letters To The Editor
Recently at the annual AYSO national meeting, regions were selected from a lottery to participate in the 2008 AYSO National Games to be held in Honolulu, Hawaii in July 2008. AYSO boys and girls teams from all over the United States, ages ranging from under-12 to under-19 divisions, will come together to vie for an AYSO National Championship in their respective divisions. The West Palm Beach Region 345 under19 boys (U-19B) team submit-
TOWN-CRIER
Your Community Newspaper
Serving The Palms West Communities For 27 Years Published Weekly By Newspaper Publishers, Inc.
12794 West Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31 The Original Wellington Mall Wellington, Florida 33414
JODY GORRAN Associate Publisher DAWN RIVERA General Manager
ted a bid to play in the AYSO 2008 National Games and was selected to participate. As in 2004, the AYSO Region 345 U19B team will again participate in an event of this magnitude — something that Palm Beach County can be proud of.
The Region 345 U-19B team took first place at the AYSO Section 14 Florida State Games held in Wellington in January, defeating teams from all over Florida. The 2008 National Games will bring much stiffer competition and much more intensity.
Members of the Region 345 U-19B team have been recognized by local newspapers for their outstanding athletic ability in the sport of soccer for their respective high schools. The Region 345 U-19B team members come from all areas of Palm Beach County and are representative of the diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds that have helped Palm Beach County become what it is today.
support, and please wish us success in July 2008. Nemesio Caraballo Jr. Wellington
Editor’s note: To contact the AYSO Region 345 office, call (561) 642-5449 or e-mail region345@aol.com. For more info., visit www.ayso345.com.
Water Deal Not Good For Acreage
have increased taxes or liens if they don’t want to hook up.
Dennis Hawkins
The Acreage
Lisa Seltzer: I Am Satisfied With AAL
BARRY S. MANNING Publisher JOSHUA I. MANNING Executive Editor RON BUKLEY Managing Editor
JASON BUDJINSKI Community Editor MARK LIOI News Editor
WRITERS/ Denise Fleischman • Paul Gaba • Lisa Keeney Steve Pike • Carol Porter • Leonard Wechsler
CONTRIBUTORS/ Don Brown • Jules Rabin • Deborah Welky • Ernie Zimmerman
Founded In 1980 By Bob Markey Sr. Copyright 2007, Newspaper Publishers Inc.
The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising.
Many of these young men have athletic abilities that will help them achieve their goals once they have graduated from high school. The AYSO 2008 National Games can be a stepping-stone to those goals. Many college coaches and professional scouts attend these games looking for the talent that their teams need to win championships at the adult level.
Citizens of Palm Beach County, these young men need your help in getting them to that next level. It takes a tremendous amount of planning, organization and funding for a soccer team from Palm Beach County to travel to Hawaii. These young men are seeking help for air travel, hotel rooms, meals, and ground transportation. There are 15 members on the team. In addition there will be coaches and chaperones that need to train and travel with these young men. Anything we can do to help these athletes achieve their goal would be greatly appreciated.
I want to take a moment to thank the citizens of Palm Beach County for your past
I think some of the people who negotiated the water contract with the county may want to rethink their position. On one hand they are saying that Acreage residents won’t be forced to hook up to their water pipes or pay the $2,649.68 connection fee. That’s a good thing. On the other hand, they are saying that all residents in serviced areas will be forced to pay $9,400 per acre to have the pipe laid across their frontage. That’s a bad thing. I assume that’s per-acre too, so someone with three acres of frontage would have to pay $28,200 to the county for nothing if they don’t want to hook up.
But no need to worry; the county will finance the water connection for only 6.5 percent and use your home as collateral. So if you are late with your water bill, the county gets your house.
But how about those people who want city water and can’t figure out how to call a plumber or water company and have them install a private chlorination system?
These people will pay both the connection fee and the frontage fee. That’s $12,049.68 for most homes. That’s enough money for a whole house [to have a] reverse osmosis water filtration unit (the best filter technology available and way beyond anything the county uses), a high-pressure pump and regulator and a backup generator with plenty of money left over to take the kids on a trip to Disney World.
So who exactly benefits from this water contract?
Certainly not the residents of The Acreage. The contract should be renegotiated so that nobody in The Acreage is forced to pay anything or
I am writing to clarify a few things that were written in last week’s Town-Crier concerning the Indian Trail Improvement District Recreation Advisory Committee meeting (“ITID Rec Committee Discusses Role Of Acreage Athletic League”). While I have the utmost respect for [Town-Crier reporter Leonard] Wechsler and his role in reporting the activities in the western communities, he does tend to occasionally take literary license. There were several inaccuracies in the article, with statements attributed to the wrong individuals. I’m rather new to being quoted in the newspaper, but I would like to think that when I am quoted, my own words will be used. I am also concerned that the wrong impression was given in regard to my opinion of the Acreage Athletic League. As I am the commissioner of American Youth Soccer Organization Region 1521, the soccer provider for AAL, my organization is part of the AAL and I am in no way dissatisfied with their role as the sole youth recreational provider. We are in our second season, and I have nothing but the highest regard for the current board under the direction of the President John Meredith.
By asking if ITID would allow other organizations to seek permits at Acreage parks, I was merely trying to educate myself on the position of ITID, in order to act as a responsible member of the Recreation Advisory Committee and better answer any future inquiries from fellow residents. I have never been approached by any “established groups” wishing to compete with AAL for field space, nor should I be as I have no say in the matter. I would leave that to the discretion of our elected officials.
Lisa Seltzer The Acreage
The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit letters, with contact name, address, and telephone number (anonymously sent letters will not be published), to The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to 793-6090; or you can e-mail them to letters@goTownCrier.com.
Wildcats Defeat Wellington To Keep Palms West Classic Trophy
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The Royal Palm Beach High School varsity football team scored a 35-7 victory over host Wellington High School on Thursday to retain the trophy in the Eighth Annual Palms West Classic game.
The Wildcats (2-1) owe their win partly to the performance of running back Ernest Ferguson, who scored two rushing touchdowns, including a oneyard run that broke a tie at 7 in the first quarter.
The Wolverines’ record fell to 0-4 but they left the field thinking more about their senior lineman Phil Marfisi. With seven minutes and seven seconds remaining in the third quarter, Marfisi went down after tackling Royal Palm Beach running back Melquan O’Neal on the Wildcats’ 29 yard line.
By all accounts Marfisi was conscious but laid motionless on his stomach for 30 minutes
while tended by medics. Members of each team huddled in prayer on their respective sidelines. At 9:02 p.m. the Trauma Hawk helicopter lifted off from the 15 yard line, transporting Marfisi to the Delray Medical Center as a precautionary measure.
Marfisi’s condition was not known at press time, but preliminary reports suggested Marfisi might have suffered a “stinger” in his neck. A stinger, or “burner,” is a nerve pinch injury that produces painful electrical sensations, often in the arms.
Marfisi’s injury recalled Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett for many of those gathered in the stadium and on the field. Everett suffered a spinal cord injury in a game earlier this month against the Denver Broncos.
WHS coach Chris Romano said Marfisi’s injury understandably shook his team. “Phil is a senior and this is a senior-laden
team,” said Romano, in his first season leading the Wolverines.
“Our prayers are with him. We hope he’s OK,” Wildcats coach Eric Patterson said.
For Ferguson, Marfisi’s injury was déjà vu all over again. Two seasons ago he watched his brother George carried off the same field after suffering a neck injury. “I understand how it is,” said Ferguson, who will play next season at West Virginia University. “I got scared when he got hurt. And I know Phil. We lift weights together.”
George Ferguson, by the way, recovered and currently plays for Rock Valley College in Rockford, Ill.
After his touchdown and an extra point by Corey Inman that gave Royal Palm Beach its 14-7 lead, Ferguson came back two possessions later to score on a 69-yard run up the middle with 2:21 remaining the second half. Inman’s extra point made it 217. “I think I knocked over a couple of my own guys,” Fergu-
son said of the run.
When play resumed following Marfisi’s injury, O’Neal put the game out of reach with a 50-yard touchdown run. Inman’s extra point made it 28-7 with 3:32 left in the third quarter. Javonti Greene ended the scoring for Royal Palm Beach with a 42-yard run with 11:30 remaining in the game.
“It took us a little longer to get going than we wanted it to,” Patterson said. “When we got up we kind of flattened out a bit and then we picked it up again.”
For Romano and the Wolverines, it was another valiant effort closer than the score might indicate.
“We battled all the way to the end. That’s all I can ask, that they just keep trying,” Romano said. “I think we’re making progress. The kids are really trying hard. They’re feeling a little more confident. We’ve just got to get some breaks our way.”
Next up, the Wolverines play host to Jupiter on Thursday, Sept. 27. The Wildcats host West Boca on Friday, Sept. 28.
PHOTOS BY LISA KEENEY/TOWN-CRIER
The Wildcats celebrate their victory after the game.
The mother of injured defensive lineman Phil Marfisi rushes to his side on the field.
Wildcat Ernest Ferguson breaks free for a touchdown.Wolverine quarterback Chad Endres scrambles in the backfield.
Wellington’s Greg Nowak is tackled by a pair of Wildcats.
Defensive lineman Phil Marfisi (#5) was injured on this tackle of RPBHS senior Melquan O’Neal.
Injured defensive lineman Phil Marfisi is transported to the hospital by Trauma Hawk.
Pair Arrested After Videotaping Sex With A 16-Year-Old Boy
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
SEPT. 19 — A Wellington woman and a Royal Palm Beach man were arrested Wednesday for their involvement in a videotape depicting sexual activity with a minor. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, the male arrestee, 18-year-old German Armentano, contacted a deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington on Aug. 30, informing him that he possessed a videotape of the deputy’s wife, 22-year-
CRIME NEWS CRIME NEWS
old Jessica Wink, having sex with a 16-year-old male. Both Wink and Armentano were identified in the video, although Armentano did not engage in any sex acts. Armentano told deputies he submitted the tape because of his ongoing feud with Wink, according to the report. Both were charged with promoting sexual performance by a child. •
SEPT. 13 — A Jupiter man
Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives:
• Virgilio Chavez, a.k.a. “JJ,” is a white male, 6’1” tall and weighing 190 lbs. with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 11/03/83. He has scars on his right eye and chin. Chavez is wanted for failure to appear in court on the charges of burglary of a dwelling and grand theft. His occupation is tile setter. His last known address was Jennings Avenue in Greenacres. Chavez is wanted as of 09/20/07.
• Kelly Murray is a white female, 5’10” tall and weighing 160 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes. Her date of birth is 06/13/66. Murray is wanted on the charges of forgery and grand theft. Her occupation is unknown. Her last known address was Olive Tree Circle in Greenacres. Murray is wanted as of 09/20/07. Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crime stopperspbc.com.
THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, WHICH IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT.
was arrested on drug charges on Crestwood Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach last Thursday. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 9:28 p.m., a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation observed 32-year-old Easton Dalessio driving his pickup truck north on Crestwood at a high rate of speed. Upon contact, according to the report, the deputy noticed that Dalessio’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot, and the deputy reported the smelling the odor of alcohol on Dalessio. Dalessio was given a series of roadside
sobriety tests, which he failed, according to the report. A search of Dalessio’s vehicle revealed a plastic bag of marijuana hidden under the seat. The deputy also found open beer bottles in the vehicle, two of which were still cold to the touch. Dalessio was arrested for DUI and possession of marijuana, and transported to the Palm Beach County Jail.
SEPT. 15 — A tip from a passerby led to the arrest of a Stuart man on DUI charges last Saturday. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 8:18 a.m., a citizen advised a deputy from the Wellington substation that a man was slumped over the wheel of his car at the intersection of State Road 7 and Forest Hill Blvd. The deputy found 30-year-old Carlos Escobar still slumped over. After making contact with Escobar, according to the report, the deputy smelled alcohol on Escobar’s breath and conducted a roadside sobriety test. Escobar, according to the report, blew a .185 blood alcohol level and was arrested for DUI.
SEPT. 15 — A West Palm
Beach woman was arrested and charged with driving on a suspended license last Saturday at the intersection of Okeechobee Blvd. and Lakeview in Royal Palm Beach. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 10:10 p.m., a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation conducted a routine traffic stop on 40-year-old Laurie J. Herrick. Upon making contact with Herrick, the deputy discovered she had been driving with a suspended license and that she was a habitual traffic offender, according to the report. Herrick was arrested and transported to the county jail. A relative arrived and took possession of Herrick’s vehicle.
SEPT. 16 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach responded to a backup call regarding a drunk driver near Okeechobee Blvd. and State Road 7 last Sunday. According to a PBSO report, 31-year-old Jose Ramirez-Salgado was pulled over at approximately 10:18 p.m. for driving erratically while traveling east-
Acreage Man Dies Following Sept. 6 Motorcycle Accident
SEPT. 15 — An Acreage man succumbed to injuries following a Sept. 6 traffic collision in Wellington last Saturday. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, 24-yearold Richard Toole Jr. was traveling northbound on Big Blue Trace, approaching Southern Blvd. when he failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway and was ejected from his motorcycle. Toole was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital where he died at approximately 10:35 p.m. last Saturday. According to the report, Toole was not wearing a helmet, and alcohol was believed to be a factor in the crash.
Kelly Murray
Virgilio Chavez
Congressional Candidate Tom Rooney Makes His Case To Republican Club
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
Congressional candidate Tom Rooney took aim at U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney as the keynote speaker at Wednesday’s Palms West Republican Club meeting.
Rooney hopes to unseat Mahoney, a Democrat who was elected last year to represent Florida’s Republican leaning 16th Congressional District after former congressman Mark Foley resigned in disgrace.
The 16th Congressional District includes portions of Martin, St. Lucie and Palm Beach counties, including much of the western communities, as well as Okeechobee, Hendry, Glades and Charlotte counties to the west.
Rooney, who earned his law degree at the University of Miami Law School, served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps from 2000 to 2004, and was also a former special assistant U.S. attorney. Rooney taught law at West Point and also served as a state prosecutor during Gov. Charlie Crist’s tenure as attorney general.
Rooney told club members gathered at the Players Club in Wellington that while incumbent Mahoney bills himself as a member of the “Blue Dog Coalition” of conservative Democrats, he really has a liberal agenda. Rooney also charged the Democrats with holding Iraq war funding hostage to secure legislation for a higher minimum wage.
“A reporter asked me once what was the biggest thing that bothered me the most about Tim Mahoney,” Rooney said. “The biggest thing for politicians is when they say one thing and do something completely different. Mahoney says he’s a Blue Dog, but he votes with [Speaker of the House] Nancy Pelosi. That’s disingenuous. I don’t like it. The biggest issue, however, is using the funding of the Iraq war as a political measure to get the minimum wage passed. Whether you agree with what’s going on in Iraq or not, if you are going to take away their ammunition, flak jackets or whatever support they need, to me that is abhorrent. If that was my motivating factor for me to run for Congress, that was it.”
Rooney also said there should be more members of Congress with experience serving in the armed forces, who could better understand how to conduct the “War on Terror.” The enemy no longer plays by the rules, wearing no uniforms, using
Blotter
continued from page 6A bound on Okeechobee Blvd. Ramirez-Salgado produced a Mexican identification card and makeshift Mexican driver’s license. After admitting that he had been drinking, Ramirez-Salgado agreed to take a sobriety test, which he failed. He was arrested for driving under the influence and driving without a license and transported to the Palm Beach County Jail.
SEPT. 18 — A Royal Palm Beach woman was arrested on retail theft charges at the Abercrombie & Fitch clothing store in the Mall at Wellington Green on Tuesday. According to a PBSO report, a store security
women and children on the front line and using suicide bombers, he said. “We need to uncuff our troops,” Rooney said. “We need to figure out how to evolve beyond modern conventional warfare. We can do it because we are the United States of America. If they can do it, we can do it.”
Rooney also said that as a member of Congress, he would strive to encourage cooperation between different agencies when dealing with illegal immigrants who commit crimes. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is not always notified when an illegal immigrant commits a crime, he said. “There is nothing that mandates that local law enforcement or state enforcement notify ICE when an illegal immigrant commits a crime,” Rooney said. “Some jurisdictions do. Some do because the crime might be especially egregious, but there is nothing there that mandates it. There is nothing there that demands the federal government track those immigrants who commit subsequent crimes.”
Rooney said he takes the congressional race for District 16 very seriously given Mahoney’s positions. He said he and many other Republicans feel the district should reflect the family values and conservatism of the voters residing in it. Mahoney and the Democrats are trying to push the largest tax increase in the history of the country, Rooney charged, saying it would cost each household in the district $3,100, which nobody could
officer observed 38-year-old Candace Kelly attempting to leave the store with a bottle of perfume at approximately 11:45 a.m. The value of the item is $29.50. In a separate report, Kelly was charged with stealing $270 worth of jewelry from Brighton Collectibles, also located at the mall. Kelly was transported to the county jail.
SEPT. 18 — An employee of the McDonald’s restaurant in Wellington called the PBSO regarding a suspicious vehicle Tuesday night. According to a PBSO report, a deputy made contact with the two occupants a 1992 Dodge van in the McDonald’s parking lot at approximately 9:30 p.m. A computer
Mische To Speak At Wellington Chamber Luncheon Sept. 26
Stadium Jumping founder and CEO Gene Mische will be the guest speaker at a Wellington Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at the Players Club restaurant and bar in Wellington. Stadium Jumping will celebrate its 35th anniversary in 2008 as America’s top horse show management company.
Mische is well regarded as a promoter of equestrian events. Over the past 35 years with Stadium Jumping, he has changed the face of horse sport in the United States. Mische has been instrumental in bringing international-caliber sport to the U.S. The luncheon will start at noon. The Players Club is located at 13410 South Shore Blvd. The cost for Wellington Chamber of Commerce members is $15; $25 for non-members. RSVPs are required to attend.
The luncheon sponsor will be Pre-Paid Legal Services, which has been providing its Life Events Legal Plan for more than 33 years and now serves more than 1.5 million families. Speaking on behalf of Pre-Paid Legal Services will be AnnMarie Masone and John Kilinski.
To RSVP for the luncheon, call (561) 792-6525 no later than Monday, Sept. 24. For more information, visit the chamber’s web site at www.wellingtonchamber.com.
Wellington Celebrates City Government Week Oct. 21-27
afford considering property taxes and other expenses.
Rooney also warned that Mahoney is working to reinstitute the marriage penalty and death tax, and that the child tax credits would go away. People should be rewarded for having families, Rooney said, not punished. Family values, he also said, are preferably shared between a man and a woman. Rooney also said Mahoney had made comments in the past that he didn’t like the job, so Rooney wanted to send him packing, and he said he would “carry his bags” for him.
“I take it very personally, the future of this district and this country,” Rooney said, “and that is why I am running for Congress. When the election in 2006 happened the way it did, and when Tim Mahoney began to vote fairly quickly with the Democratic leadership, it became apparent to me that despite referring to himself as a Blue Dog Democrat, that he was in fact voting with the most liberal aspects of the Democratic Party. It is not the way I was brought up under President Reagan, and it’s not the way that I want my kids to be brought up. If I can do something about this, they will grow up with someone who shares their values.”
Previously, the Palms West Republican Club hosted State Rep. Gayle Harrell, another Republican seeking the District 16 seat. At a meeting on Nov. 14, the club will feature Palm Beach Gardens City Councilman Hal Valeche, also a District 16 Republican candidate.
check revealed there was an outstanding arrest warrant for one of the occupants, 46-year-old Antonio Suarez of Lake Worth, on a parole violation for a DUI arrest. Suarez was transported to the county jail.
SEPT. 19 — A Lake Worth woman was arrested for shoplifting at the Macy’s department store in the Mall on Wellington Green on Wednesday. According to the PBSO report, at approximately 5:20 p.m. a deputy from the Wellington substation met with a store security officer who witnessed 58-year-old Elizabeth Amenhola attempt to steal $100 worth of merchandise. She was arrested and charged with retail theft.
The Village of Wellington, along with other cities throughout Florida, will be participating in Florida City Government Week from Oct. 21 through Oct. 27. The theme is “My City: I’m Part of It, I’m Proud of It.”
The Wellington Village Council will officially proclaim Florida City Government Week at the council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 9. Florida City Government Week is a time to recognize the important role played by city government and, most importantly, it is a time to spread the word to all Florida citizens that they are an integral part of the government.
Because city government is the government closest to most citizens and the one that has the most direct daily impact upon its residents, local officials feel they have a responsibility to pass along their understanding of public services and their benefits. Banners will be erected in various village office locations during City Government Week. Residents are encouraged to communicate with the village to find out about any services and programs they may be interested in or may not be aware of. For more information, visit www.ci.wellington.fl.us.
Evening Liturgy Of Salvation
St. David’s-in-the-Pines Episcopal Church Youth Group will offer an Evening Liturgy of Salvation at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30. St. David’s Praise Band will play contemporary praise music including songs by Casting Crowns, Superchick, Chris Daughtry and Jars of Clay. A potluck dinner wll follow in the Parish Hall. For more information, call (561) 793-1976. St. David’s is located at the corner of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace in Wellington.
Congressional candidate Tom Rooney (left) and Bill Diamond, a local representative for Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign, (right) address members of the Palms West Republican Club. PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER
DEMOCRATIC CLUB MEETING
The Mid-County Democratic Club held its monthly meeting Sept. 17 at Tree’s Wings & Ribs in Royal Palm Beach. The featured speaker was Dr. David Prensky, program chair for the Palm Beach County Democratic Club and contact person for Physicians With a Social Conscience. For more info., call President Allen Mergaman at (561) 255-0742. (Above) Jean Chase of the Royal Palm Beachbased Chase Financial Services. (Below left) Prensky discusses universal healthcare coverage. (Below right) State legislature candidate Rick Ford.
Wellington Art Society Opens Season
The Wellington Art Society began its new season hosting an open house for area artists, art enthusiasts and patrons on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at the First Baptist Church of Wellington.
Members and guests enjoyed an evening of art, food, fun and information. Wellington Art Society President Susan Rose announced the exciting programming plans for events and meetings for the upcoming year.
The Wellington Art Society’s third annual outdoor fine art and fine crafts exhibition and sale Fall Fling 2007 will take place Nov. 10-11 at the Wellington Community Center, a new location for this year’s event. The show will feature paintings, sculpture, photography, ceramics, glass art, music, and food vendors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
ArtWalk 2008, the society’s annual studio tour, is planned for Jan. 19-20. The
tour will feature the home studios of selected member artists in and around Wellington and Royal Palm Beach.
Breakers West Country Club will once again host the Art Society’s fundraiser Art in the Afternoon on March 16. The lunch event will be highlighted by a live art auction and a silent auction of art and non-art items.
The Spring Exhibition dates have not yet been finalized.
Beginning its 26th year serving Palm Beach County and the western communities, the Wellington Art Society is a nonprofit organization open to all artists and all mediums, from hobbyists to internationally published artists, as well as art enthusiasts and patrons. Membership includes painters, sculptors, graphic designers and artists who work in wood, metal and ceramics. For more information, contact Susan at (561) 795-1691 or visit www.wellingtonartsociety.org.
New Season — Wellington Art Society members and guests at last Tuesday’s open house.
PHOTOS BY CAROL
Commissioner Santamaria: Get Involved With Local Non-Profits
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
District 6 County Commissioner Jess Santamaria’s community forum on Wednesday focused on the successes of some of Palm Beach County’s charitable agencies.
Representatives from agencies such as the Boys & Girls Clubs, Cardidad Center, Seagull Industries, the Lord’s Place, My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper and the Sickle Cell Foundation of Palm Beach County each told feel-good stories and encouraged more public involvement in all aspects of charitable work in the county.
But with a looming Palm Beach County Commission vote on cutting Agricultural Extension Services programs, Santamaria took time during the forum to pledge that the programs would be spared the chopping block.
The county commission had considered cutting the county’s Extension Ser-
vice programs, including the 4-H program, to reduce expenses in its 2008 budget. The commission briefly discussed the matter at a Thursday public hearing on the budget, clarifying that the funding would not be removed.
“I don’t think there is a single person in this building who would support eliminating or cutting funding for any of the Extension Service programs,” Santamaria told the audience in the courtyard of the original Wellington Mall. “I have a stack of e-mails and letters opposing cutting the programs, so it ain’t going to happen.”
The bulk of the evening, however, belonged to directors and volunteers of charitable agencies who give their time and effort helping those less fortunate.
The meeting’s theme was “charitable organizations,” but Santamaria said the real title should have been “caring organizations.”
“Each and every one of us is blessed in different ways,” said Santamaria, who
founded My Brother’s/Sister’s Keeper. “Each and every one of us has something to offer. That doesn’t necessarily mean material things. It might just be a kind word.”
Mary O’Connor, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, gave an impassioned speech on the plight of today’s latchkey kids. She said the organization has 13 facilities in Palm Beach County and serves more than 7,500 children.
“When I was growing up, my brothers and sisters would be out and my mother had no idea where we were. All we had to do was be home by the time the street lights went on or we’d miss dinner,” O’Connor said. “But the roles have changed. You can’t just let your kids roam. That’s one of the reasons Boys & Girls Clubs has grown — because there is no one home for our children.”
Her organization fills a vital role in the community, O’Connor said. “You wonder why our kids get into trouble — because there is no one there at home for them,” she said. “The Boys & Girls Clubs and other organizations have been there to pick up the slack so the kids aren’t alone.”
The attendees also heard from Patrice Schroeder, community relations specialist for Palm Beach/Treasure Coast 211, a non-profit organization that provides information, referral, crisis intervention, suicide prevention, supportive counseling and community education 24 hours a day, seven days a week to those who contact the service by dialing 211. Programs and services are for individuals of all ages and each call is free and anonymous.
“We take the burden off the 911 system,” Schroeder said. “People call 911 for an emergency, but 911 can only help in the case of a medical emergency. We
have programs and services available for families, for teens and for seniors.”
In other words, Schroeder said, 211 eliminates the confusion about who to call or where someone can go when they need help. For example, she said, citizens should know 211 is available to help provide information and direct people to the right services before, during and after a hurricane.
“We’ve had elderly people call during storms who are alone and scared,” Schroeder said. “And we’ve helped families who have just moved here and never experienced a major storm. They don’t quite know what to do or how to prepare. We’re also there post-storm as we are one of the supporting agencies for the Emergency Operations Center for Palm Beach County.”
Audience members listen at Wednesday’s community forum.
PHOTOS
County Commissioner Jess Santamaria discusses local charitable organizations.
Royal Ascot Canal Crossings Back On ITID’s Front Burner
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
The Indian Trail Improvement District’s Planning Committee discussed a long-awaited plan to create canal bridges for residents of streets in the Royal Ascot Estates neighborhood Monday.
Faced with the prospect of a widened and divided Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, residents of ITID’s Development Unit 12 to the east of the roadway voiced support in 2005 for the installation of canal crossings on their streets to allow them access to 162nd Drive North. Most of the cross streets are presently bisected by a canal, creating dead ends that force residents to leave via Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.
Prestwich Drive resident Thomas Beasley said the necessity of using Seminole Pratt Whitney Road to head south poses serious risks. “We would have to make a right turn onto the road and go up to two blocks to a left turn lane,” he said. “Then we would have to make a U-turn into two lanes of fast, oncoming traffic.”
Beasley said creating the crossings is necessary, although he admitted that people living east of the canal would not be happy because it would increase traffic on their streets. “I understand that they would not like the extra traffic,” he said, “but we are concerned about safety.”
Beasley said Unit 12 residents have already been assessed to pay for building the crossings as well as for blocking access to the streets from Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. He also said residents just east of Seminole Pratt Whitney had no other choice but to use that road.
ITID Vice President Mike Erickson, who is the board’s liaison with the com-
mittee, agreed that it might be a tough choice. “A lot of people, particularly those on the east side of the culvert, will be unhappy,” he said. “They bought homes with limited traffic on them. But in the long run, we also have to be concerned about the safety of our residents.”
ITID Operations Director Terry Narrow said the drainage issue would not present much of an engineering challenge.
“It would not cost much, somewhere between $3,000 and $5,000 for each culvert crossing,” he estimated. “We would have to lay some pipe and then fill in some dirt. The real problem is that [District Engineer] Jay Foy thinks we would have to file a new water reclamation plan through the South Florida Water Management District.”
Committee Member Patricia Curry expressed concern that some residents might sue to stop the work because they fear increased traffic will hurt the value of their property. She also said the district should work with the county to encourage people to make their U-turns at traffic lights, although she noted that there would only be one signal between Okeechobee and Sycamore boulevards, at Alan Black Blvd. Erickson reminded committee members that they would have to face making unpopular decisions. “We can’t just work on the old ‘not in my back yard’ approach,” he said. “We need a network of safe roads.”
He suggested that the ITID Board of Supervisors invite residents of affected areas to a public hearing on the subject.
Curry also said she wanted to hear Foy’s views on the impact on drainage and traffic if the changes are made.
Narrow told the committee that the earlier plan for reducing traffic on the
side streets by blocking access to Seminole Pratt Whitney Road would create a large number of problems. “If we wanted to block off roads,” he said, “we would have to change the engineering plans of the county, and they would not be receptive. Also, we would have to take land so we could create turn-arounds at the ends of the streets because some people would discover too late that they could not enter Seminole Pratt Whitney. That would create problems.”
Committee Member David Snowden said there is currently no turning space
at the dead ends of most district streets. “Drive up to the end of my street,” he said, “and you have to work your way around in four-wheel drive to get out.”
Erickson also noted that the district would have to look at increased traffic demands on several roads because of the changes made. “We would have more traffic on Alan Black and Sycamore east of Seminole Pratt Whitney,” he said, “and both of those are dirt roads. You can’t have a real lot of traffic there with just our retrofits. It would be better to open up all the roads so the traffic is distributed evenly.”
Another Acreage Horse Trail Cleanup On Tap For Sept. 30
By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report
The Acreage Horseman’s Association is planning another cleanup of trails in the Indian Trail Improvement District, this time on Sunday, Sept. 30 concentrating on 61st Street North and along the M Canal.
This will be the second major trail cleanup by Acreage residents. A group of volunteers cleared brush and trash from Grapeview Blvd. and 130th Drive North on July 29.
“We want to have even more volunteers, Acreage Horseman’s Association President Celeste Hathhorn told the Town-Crier Tuesday. “We will have several people riding along the area and some, like me, will use a horse and buggy. We have already heard from several Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups that they might be there, and we have volunteers from Seminole Ridge High School who want to earn
volunteer hours. Also, Helmut Schmitt will bring along some people from the Mounted Citizens Observer Patrol. But we want as many people as possible to help. That makes the work more fun and much easier.”
Hathhorn credited the work done by volunteers and ITID operations staff for the rapid expansion of rideable trails in the district.
“At the beginning of the summer, we really had just about no real trail system,” she said. “All we had were a few roads that usually were not connected. Now we have the Eastern Trail, and we’re getting ready to have another one or two on line in the near future. Right now, our biggest problem is getting signs put up quickly enough. We’re getting wonderful cooperation.”
The cleanup is scheduled from 8:20 to 11 a.m. Volunteers should meet at ITID headquarters at Avocado Blvd. and 61st Street North. For more information, visit www.acreagehorseman.com.
Groves Will Get Separate Billing For Waste Pickup This Year
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
Residents of Loxahatchee Groves should prepare to see a one-time bill in their mailboxes this November for about $320 to cover a year’s worth of waste collection.
The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council approved the separate assessment Tuesday.
Negotiations on a waste collection contract were not concluded in time for the town to provide figures to the Palm Beach County Tax Collector for this year’s assessment. The assessment will be included in next year’s assessment statements.
“It was a timing issue this year,” Councilman Dennis Lipp told the Town-Crier
The tax collector will process the statements, but the billing will be through an independent billing firm, at a cost of $4,000 to the town.
Lipp made a motion to approve the measure, which was seconded by Councilman Dr. Bill Louda. The item passed unanimously.
The town’s total cost for waste collection is $388,914. Onyx is the current collector, and the company’s five-year contract expires in September 2008. Prior to incorporation, Palm Beach County billed Groves residents for the service.
Also Tuesday, the council tabled a proposal to send a request for proposals for waste hauling until it can incorporate language used in the current Village of Royal Palm Beach con-
tract, which council members agreed was better worded.
Royal Palm Beach recently signed a new contract including new rates with Republic Services. Vice Mayor Marge Herzog told the Town-Crier her fellow town council members felt those figures would be more realistic under the current market.
On Tuesday, Lipp told fellow council members provisions for commercial pickup should include a clause for commercial nurseries, which the current contract does not have. Another issue Lipp suggested for inclusion in the contract was coverage of possible damage to the roads by garbage trucks.
Councilman Dave Autrey said he didn’t see any provisions about illegal dumping. “It happens,” he said, “and how are we going to deal with it?”
Town Attorney David Tolces said illegal dumping is typically the responsibility of the property owner.
“That sounds unfair to me,” Louda said.
Mayor David Browning said the situation is unavoidable. “It comes down to being the landowner’s responsibility,” he said. “It’s not fair, but that’s how it is.”
Louda said some small lawn services have abused the service by leaving the debris they generate on the roadside.
To lower costs, Browning suggested looking at vegetative waste collection every other week and non-vegetative waste on alternate weeks, but Louda
noted that fewer vegetative waste collections will motivate people to burn more of it.
“The mayor likes burning, I don’t. The less vegetative waste we pick up the more we encourage burning,” Louda said.
Frank Schiola, a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee for District 8 of the Solid Waste Authority, recommended the town consider automated pickup, which is less expensive because it eliminates the need for two men on the back of the truck.
Schiola said cans used in an automated system typically hold 95 gallons, about twice the amount of cans sold retail. “It’s a cost savings to the town and to the residents,” he said.
As for illegal dumping, Schiola said a clause could be included in the contract that the contractor agrees to haul out 100 or 150 yards of illegal waste. He also suggested using dumpsters in certain instances to keep costs down.
Schiola said in his eight years experience he has seen haulers made to put rubber on their pads so they do not crack the pavement. “If the hauler does any damage out here, he is responsible,” Schiola said. “He is also responsible for spillage of hydraulic fluid.”
Tolces said the important thing is to have a hauler that is responsible to the town and the council. “You have the right to terminate services,” he said. “Under the contract, you have an avenue to complain. I’m try-
ing to keep it as simple as possible.”
Lippman added that the town has the right to fine the hauler if it is not performing to the requirements of the contract.
Tolces said it is important for residents to understand that if they have a complaint about the hauler, they should report it to the town, which will convey the complaint to the hauler.
Council members also discussed how such complaints should be resolved. Lippman said his employer New Community Strategies, the firm contracted to provide the town’s management services, does not have the expertise to resolve waste complaints, but he would field the complaints.
“I could take them and field them,” he said.
RESCUED RETRIEVERS
Members of Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue were on hand for a community forum on charitable organizations hosted by County Commissioner Jess Santamaria Wednesday at the original Wellington Mall (see related story, page 9A). Everglades Golden Retriever Rescue typically finds homes for nearly 100 abandoned or stray golden retrievers a year. Shown here are (L-R) Hermine Scolnick with Mollie, Kim Lopinar with Daisy, Barry and Paula Clark with Ginger, and Laura and Carver Johnson with Cuervo.
PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER
Experts: Statewide Solution Needed To Fight Rising Gang Activity
By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report
A symposium in Boca Raton on youth gangs Sept. 6 featured an array of speakers, including officials at both the state and local levels. Their common theme: there is still much to be done about the problem.
The gathering at Florida Atlantic University followed on a similar forum held in May. In her opening remarks, moderator State Rep. Maria Sachs (DDistrict 86) said she had shifted her thinking on how to approach the problem of youth gang violence.
“We need to do more,” Sachs said. “Today we meet again because our work is not finished, and the mission is not complete. There is a missing component. I thought we could arrest every one of these thugs, and I thought we could prosecute them. I thought we could incarcerate them and put them away, and I thought we would be done with the problem. There is a missing link called prevention and intervention.”
Sachs said New York City and Los Angeles are addressing the gang problem in different ways. Los Angeles is focusing on suppression, while New York City is working on the causes of gangs, such as unemployment and poverty. “We’re not New York, and we’re not Los Angeles,” she said. “We need to learn from them how to handle the problem.”
FAU President Frank Brogan, who leads a new statewide commission seeking to improve the
juvenile justice system, said gang violence affects both wealthy and poor communities, and knows no boundaries or demographics.
“This is a State of Florida issue,” Brogan said. “This is a national issue. Gangs and gang violence don’t know about geographic boundaries, and they don’t know about economic structure. You have to go after the issue on a statewide scale.”
Brogan thanked Gov. Charlie Crist and his new Juvenile Justice Secretary Walt McNeil for tackling the problem of juvenile crime head-on.
“This governor and this new secretary have sat down and had a discussion amongst themselves about how we can reach out and look at the issue of juvenile justice for years to come,” Brogan said. “I applaud Gov. Crist and Secretary McNeil for having the courage to work with the people in the state and stepping up to the plate to put together a 25-member commission… I am convinced that we can work together to lead our charge and provide for these gentlemen as early as November a set of recommendations that will rewrite the future of the juvenile justice system in the State of Florida.”
Brogan warned that creating and utilizing a new approach to gang violence would not be cheap. “It will require diverting existing money to new ideas to do what I believe this commission is headed for in the months to come,” he said. “The overarching issue is public safety. We’re talking about prevention,
intervention, diversion or aftercare. We must secure public safety. You cannot have young people terrorizing citizens in their communities.”
Brogan said many gang members have mental health and drug abuse problems, and also noted that a disproportionate number of African Americans are involved in gangs and processed by the juvenile justice system. “That is not just math, it’s bad math,” he said. “Unless we change this thing, that tragedy will continue as well.”
Palm Beach County Public Defender Carey Haughwout said the key to a solution is to treat the child and family together, not to separate them. Law enforcement personnel continually see the same faces, she said, first as problem youngsters and later as criminals.
“The child has not changed,” she said. “He has become a criminal. The gang problems can continue in the prisons. We are talking primarily about children. We need to keep the child and the family together rather than separate them.”
Michael Satz, state attorney for the 17th Judicial Circuit in Broward County, said getting results is simply a matter of funding programs already in place. “We can sit here and talk about the programs that work,” he said, “but until you have the programs and make sure they work, you will have more and more gang members. You don’t have to be a prosecutor or a public defender or a university educator to see that. We have to stop them from getting into
gangs. They come from other countries. They feel nobody cares for them. They are going to join something where they will be successful. If you don’t have the family unit to give you direction, the community has to do it. They say money is not the answer. Sure it is, when you have programs that are falling apart. We should not be having meetings. We should be doing something constructive.”
Palm Beach County Commissioner Jeff Koons said the juvenile justice system is broken and must be repaired, including strategies to reach kids who have fallen through the cracks.
“There are more gangs in Wellington than there are in some of our coastal neighborhoods,” Koons said. “I raised three kids. It would be tough to raise kids now. We have to talk differently on how to do this. We have kids at risk. We need to get to them
before they start so they won’t get caught at all.”
State Rep. Audrey Gibson of Jacksonville concurred and said gangs are a statewide problem requiring a statewide solution, adding it is incumbent upon anyone who cares to break the cycle of younths getting into gangs in the first place and offer something more glamorous than belonging to a gang. “We have to understand that gang activity is sexy,” Gibson said. “It’s sexy to be the ‘shorty’ of a thug. It’s glamorous to be considered a thug whether you really are or not. We have to set policy to discourage people from doing that. Pants below the butt is absolutely disgusting. I don’t want to see that. Why should I be subjected to that? We have to set policy. We have to be better involved with them.”
State Rep. Mitch Needleman
See GANGS, page 42A
Gang Symposium — Juvenile Justice Secretary Walt McNeil speaks as State Rep. Mitch Needleman, State Rep. Maria Sachs and FAU President Frank Brogan look on.
PHOTO BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER
Groves Council Inks $240,000 Annual Contract With PBSO
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report
The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council unanimously approved a contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday with only minor complaints and questions.
The town’s contract with the PBSO calls for maintaining the current level of police coverage at $240,000 annually, without the guarantee of a deputy assigned to the town 24 hours a day. The council deliberated over the summer on whether to choose the higher level of service, which would have doubled the town’s outlay for law enforcement.
Mayor Dave Browning said he would eventually like to see a log recording the amount of calls answered by the PBSO in the town. He added that he had been told by the PBSO he would see no difference in the $240,000 annual plan for on-call police and the $500,000 plan for full-time, round-the-clock protection.
Vice Mayor Marge Herzog said she would like to see the PBSO establish some kind of office in the town, but Town Clerk Matt Lippman noted that Loxahatchee Groves would have to cover the expense.
Councilman Dennis Lipp said he had seen chatter from residents asking why the council would settle for on-call services and not the more expensive 24-hour plan, but he did not see increased police protection as a mandate when the council was elected.
“We incorporated not to get better police protection, but to protect this rural fragile community,” he said.
Browning pointed out that a PBSO deputy attends Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association meetings to report on law enforcement activity in the community.
Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Supervisor John Ryan said that he had no qualms about existing police coverage. A little over a week ago his home and business had
been burglarized, and a computer and cash stolen. “When we reported it, the sheriff responded quickly,” he said.
Resident Howard Goren said the current level of protection could prove better than having “Barney Fife” on duty because calls could be answered by any deputy in the area, whereas if one deputy was always on duty in the Groves, another might not be so inclined to respond.
Councilman Dr. Bill Louda made a motion to accept the $240,000 contract, which was seconded by Councilman Dave Autrey. It passed unanimously.
The agreement will take effect in October. The town will pay the sheriff in equal monthly installments of $20,000. The contract stipulates that PBSO deputies will not perform code enforcement duties.
In other business:
• Lippman gave an update on the progress of code enforcement activities in the town. In July, the council hired Calvin, Giordano & Associates to perform code enforcement functions in the town.
As outlined by the council, Lippman said, code enforcement is on a reactive basis, and the officer does not patrol on a proactive basis unless directed by the council. Violators are issued a courtesy correction notice with a set number of days to correct the violation. After that, a citation may be issued and the person given an additional number of days to correct the violation.
Should the property owner contest the citation or not correct the violation within the time prescribed, he or she must appear at a hearing of a special magistrate, who will render a decision and issue an order specifying a final compliance date and penalties, if any.
Lippman reported that the town’s code compliance officer has responded to seven complaints in two months. To file a complaint, residents can call the town office at (561) 793-2418.
• The council gave final approval to its 2007-08 budget and a millage rate of 1.5 mills. Both
measures passed on a 3-1 vote. Louda missed the first part of the 6:30 p.m. meeting, but said later he was glad the 1.5-mill rate passed. Autrey dissented, feeling the town’s reserve funds were set too high. “I would have proposed 1.4, but I didn’t think it would fly,” he said.
During public comment, resident Ruth Isaacs said she would have preferred 1.2 mills. She added that the town should buy land now while it’s inexpensive.
A budget resolution passed with the same vote. During discussion, Lipp said he was concerned about separate contingency and reserve funds, which the town’s budget does not have. Lipp said he found that some neighboring municipalities such as Wellington have separate contingency and reserve funds.
Wellington targets between 23 and 27 percent for its reserve, he said, adding that a healthy reserve fund demonstrates fiscal well being.
Wellington’s contingency fund is five percent of its total budget, he said, while Lantana’s is 2.5 percent.
“Our situation is we have no reserve, and we need it so that lands can be purchased,” said Lipp, who recommended the town create a separate reserve fund in the future.
Autrey said a contingency fund is not needed now. “We don’t have an infrastructure. We have nothing to fix,” he said. “I don’t care to keep money when it should be in the pockets of the citizens.”
Browning said he would rather have a little cushion. “I personally like to keep some money in savings,” he said.
• Lippman said he had advertised for a public hearing on a land-use change that would allow one unit per five acres instead of the present one unit in ten. He said he is working with planner Shelley Eichner, vice president of Calvin, Giordano & Associates, to prepare the necessary documents. Palm Beach County has also been extremely
Unit Officers — The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 367 of Royal Palm Beach held its installation of officers on Monday, Sept. 10, officiated by District 11 President Pat Kurtz. The unit also received 100-percent membership awards for the 2006-07 year. Pictured above, Kurtz (right) presents Unit President Marge Herzog and Membership Chair Joan Shewmake with their awards. Pictured below are unit officers during the installation (L-R): Sergeant at Arms Shewmake, Treasurer Lois Coates, Historian Selina Boles and President
Elite Dance Academy Now Open
Lavor Doytchinov, a 17-year professional dancer and member of the Ballet Florida dance company, recently announced the opening of his dance studio, the Elite Dance Academy.
The studio, located next to the Red Barn in Loxahatchee Groves, was formerly Toni Lynn’s Baton & Dance Studio. After teaching there for five years, Doytchinov bought the studio earlier this year.
Owning the studio is the achievement of a lifelong dream for Doytchinov, who began his dance training as a child in Bulgaria where his father was artistic director of the Sofia Opera House.
Doytchinov’s formative years at the opera house led to scholarships and tours with several European dance companies, and eventually brought him to Palm Beach County.
He and his wife Laetitia dedicated their summer to renovating the studio. His priority was to install “basket weave” sprung floors in all three studios. This special type of floor usually is found only at the top professional dance companies,
but Doytchinov was determined to bring the technology to his studio in order to give Elite students the best dancing conditions possible. The Doytchinovs also renovated the studios to enlarge the dance space and ensure that parents can always view their children through the observation windows.
Doytchinov has lined up an impressive list of professional instructors in all styles of dance, including master classes, which are open to everyone in the community.
Doytchinov has also enhanced his early childhood dance curriculum by adding different techniques specific to younger students. He feels very strongly about teaching the proper method and placement to students early in their dance education, to prevent injury in the future.
Elite Dance Academy is now accepting students ages two through adult for classes in ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, clogging, hip-hop, lyrical, salsa and baton.
For more information, call (561) 7905443 or visit www.theelitedance.com.
National Public Lands Day Sept. 29
The public is invited to celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 7:30 a.m. to noon at Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
Local volunteers will roll up their sleeves and devote their morning to staining a new observation deck, pulling weed and mulching. Volunteers will also clean and paint interpretive signs within the refuge. Food will be provided after the event.
In conjunction with National Public Lands Day, the refuge will offer free admission. “A fee-free day is our way of thanking visitors for their support and
encouraging others to visit the refuge if they have not been here in the past,” Acting Project Leader Rolf Olson said.
The refuge is located at 10216 Lee Road, off State Road 7, two miles south of Boynton Beach Blvd. The refuge is currently open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. The visitor contact station is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Wednesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
For more information, or to volunteer, call David Underwood at (561) 735-6030 or visit www.loxahatchee.fws.gov.
FLORIDA SPORTSMAN FISHING SHOW AT THE FAIRGROUNDS
seminars, demonstrations and more than 100 exhibitors offering boats, fishing supplies, clothing and accessories. Seminars and demonstrations featured knot-tying, fish-filleting, lures, bait, flycasting and more. For more info., visit www.florida sportsman.com.
Florida Sportsman magazine founder and senior editor Vic Dunaway and southeast field editor Captain Eden White.
Justin Patora, 15 months old, gazes at fish at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission booth.
Pink Tuna owner Catherine Bartels with Tammy Hill.
Terrie Eilbeck of the Treasure Coast Wildlife Center points out to Hannah and Hunter Halsey a variety of bird feathers.
Treasure Coast Wildlife Center Director of Education Tim Brown with a bald eagle.
Paraplegic artist Tony Ryals of Art of Hope in Jacksonville paints with his mouth. Dana Lombard casts a net.
Florida Sportsman magazine artist Joe Suorviec signs a poster for Jaymi Scherer and Derrick Jaradi.
Rodeo Beach owner J.J. Hobbs models a Tilley hat.
Road Rage Serves As An Effective Stress-Relief Technique
The moment I got my first car, I realized it.
After years of being a “good girl” both at home and in school, I finally had somewhere to vent my frustrations — the interior of my automobile. It happened almost as soon as I was out of my driveway. I approached the first intersection and another car came barreling through the stop sign, inches from my front bumper.
Given, it could have been a startled sort of fear that made me open my mouth and yell, but I happily discovered that doing so made me feel better. Safe inside my cocoon of steel and glass, I hurled some insults after the driver. I felt great!
Over the years, it just got worse. It may have been increasing traffic on the highways, but I doubt it. Still, I thought I was in the minority of the
population with this problem... but soon there was a name for it — road rage Rage. Even that sounded cool. I’d never had “rage” before. Now, instead of trying to get a handle on it, I found myself using it as an excuse. My husband would say, “I passed you going down the street today and it looked as if you were yelling inside the car. Was anything wrong?”
“I have road rage,” I’d answer, as if that made everything all right. As if it were an allergy of some kind.
Yet I have noticed that most of us ragers never actually act on our impulses. The yelling inside the car is enough. If an adversary actually rolled down his window and asked, “were you speaking to me?” we’d probably shrivel up and die. “No,” we’d mutter and probably blush. “Sorry.”
Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that road rage is a useful and necessary tool in today’s hectic world. You don’t want to keep all that anger in until you get to work and then spout off at your boss, do you? Of course you don’t. And the therapeutic drive home makes it nice for your family.
“How was work today, Mommy?”
“It was a great day, Tony. I got a little frustrated on the ride back but — oh, who cares? How was your day, Snookums?”
Psychologists throughout the nation should be prescribing road rage instead of Valium.
“Take two trips around the block and call me in the morning.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Get in your car, drive it around the block twice, cuss out anybody who wrongs you and let me
know how you feel tomorrow. Just one thing — make sure you keep the windows rolled up. That’ll be $250.”
“Hand me my @#$% keys!”
“Save that language for the drive.”
Eventually, road rage will show up on the other side of the legal coin — as a defense rather than an offense.
“Any why did you kill your husband, Mrs. Smith?”
“My car was in the shop.”
“Case dismissed.”
Time To Mount An Assault Against Assault Weapon Users
All of us have been sobered by the deaths of several law enforcement officers recently at the hands of vicious criminals. The death of Broward Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Reyka of Wellington brought home to many people here that the battles of our cities are now part of Florida life and death.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw is doing something about it, however. PBSO units will begin carrying AR-15 assault rifles as soon as they arrive and deputies are trained. For those of us without military knowledge, the AR-15 is a civilian version of the M-16 carried by our troops in Iraq. They fire a lot of bullets very quickly.
At the start of the 21st Century, it seems horrific that the people whose job it is to protect us need to carry weapons of war as they cruise along Forest Hill Blvd.
But young criminals are carrying simi-
lar weapons these days. It is unfair that someone who can get his hands on a weapon of war can simply blast away at an officer of the law, firing dozens of bullets while the officer, representing all of us, has only a few shots available in a pistol to defend himself.
Of course, if the miscreant is caught, he (or she, although the use of weapons like these has been generally a male pursuit) will have a long line of defenders. As soon as his lawyer finishes telling us that the “bright young man” was simply in the area and must have found the assault rifle on the street, we will have a long line of his relatives on television talking about how the arrested was an excellent person with a bright future. Perhaps it is our own foolishness that accepts the question, “why should we ruin the future of this young person?” after he or she has ruined or completely taken away someone else’s future.
Yes, we will see the devastated family of a dead law enforcement officer or other victim, but, as the scenario goes, it was not the young man who killed, or attempted to kill the officer, it was the gun.
I know there are some among you who really believe that, although I have owned guns for quite a few years and have not shot anyone… yet.
Trying to change the Second Amendment is a waste of time. Many gun owners also sport bumper stickers on their cars that say “the right to bear arms is the right to be free” and “the only way you’ll take away my gun is from my cold, dead hands.” Politicians need their votes.
Taking away all guns is not necessarily a perfect answer, anyway. Britain did it and is facing a rising tide of gun violence. Terrorists get guns rather frequently there and so have a lot of
On My Mind...
By Leonard Wechsler
young regular criminals.
A more efficient way to fight gun crime is to punish those who commit crimes using guns. Using a pistol to commit a crime should bring a penalty of extra years in prison with no parole. Firing a pistol as part of the crime should increase the penalty, and hurting someone by firing the pistol should make it even larger. Someone using an assault weapon as part of a crime should receive a particularly long sentence with no probation for
See WECHSLER, page 42A
WELLINGTON CHAMBER’S MARGARITA MIXER AT PLAYERS CLUB
The Wellington Chamber of Commerce hosted its “Margarita Mix and Mingle Mixer” on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at the Players Club restaurant and bar in Wellington. Chamber members networked, hung out and enjoyed the evening while listening to the music of piano player Larry Brendler.
PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER
Gregg Orenstein with Wellington Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michela Perillo-Green.
Janixx Parisi with Frank Suess and Laura Jaffe.
Regina Smit-Sio and Scott Shulman.
Steve Vlahakis and Gary Kahn.
Roger Plevin and Laura Jaffe.
Darell Bowen, Annmarie Masone and John Kilinski.
Gilbert Lavelanet and Nan Martin.
FALL ADOPTION WEEKEND AT
PETSMART
IN ROYAL PALM BEACH
The PetsMart store in Royal Palm Beach hosted Fall Adoption Weekend Sept. 14-16. This three-day event called attention to the large number of cats and dogs that need homes. PetsMart joined with the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, which brought its mobile adoption bus. PetsMart is located at 531 N. State Road 7. For more info., call (561) 793-2858. The Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League is located at 3200 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach. Call (561) 686-3663 or visit www.hspb.org for more info.
Shawna McLaughlin with Zena, a two-year-old Siamese mix she adopted.
Peggy Adams volunteer Dan Jackman with Gucci.Lori Bronson and Niki Gottesman with sister cats Cloud and Sky.
Four-month-old Sparkles waits to be adopted. Peggy Adams volunteer Niki Gottesman with some kittens.
Royal Palm Beach High School’s offense found its legs, and its defense found a way to shut down Seminole Ridge High School last Friday night at Callery-Judge Stadium. Wildcat running backs Javonti Greene and Melquan O’Neal combined for 153 yards rushing, and quarterback Travis Payne scored on a pair of touchdown runs to lead Royal Palm Beach to a 28-6 victory over the previously unbeaten Hawks (2-1).
The Wildcats (1-1), who came off a two-week layoff following an opening 51-14 loss at Dwyer, proved to be more physical along the offensive line and quicker off the ball defensively than the Hawks, who went into the game having outscored their opponents 95-27.
The Wildcats took the air more than normal against Seminole Ridge. Payne was fourfor-14 for 49 yards but had at least four other passes dropped by wide open receivers.
“I like to pound the ball, but wherever the road takes us offensively is where we’ll go,” Royal Palm Beach coach Eric Patterson said.
The layoff, Patterson noted, helped refocus the Wildcats following a lackluster effort against Dwyer.
“We were able to get back to fundamentals a bit and focus on
FOOTBALL FOOTBALL
some things we hadn’t been doing very well, and it came together for us,” Patterson said.
“We just hadn’t had much of a chance to test ourselves.”
Defensively, things came together for the Wildcats well enough to hold Hawks running back William Jones to only 70 yards on 13 carries. Jones, who ran for a total of 200 yards in his two games this season, got many of those yards late in the fourth quarter when the game was already decided.
The Wildcats led only 7-6 at halftime, but scored on their first two possessions of the third quarter — each on short runs by Payne — to put the game out of reach. Royal Palm Beach controlled the ball for more than eight minutes in the quarter and for more than 15 minutes in the second half. The Wildcats’ final touchdown came on Greene’s 28-yard run with 1:39 to play in the game. That seemed only fitting because Greene also scored the Wildcats’ first touchdown.
Junior kicker Justin Faulk accounted for all the scoring for Seminole Ridge. Falk kicked field goals of 36 yards and 32 yards.
Seminole Ridge was scheduled to host Palm Beach Lakes (1-2) Friday, Sept. 21. Royal Palm Beach continued on the road for the third consecutive
week Thursday, Sept 20 at crosstown rival Wellington (02) for the annual Palms West Classic game. The game is the first District 8 match of the season for each team. The Wolverines lost 27-7 at Santaluces last Friday night.
Also last Friday night, Palm Beach Central High School dropped its second consecutive game, this time a 27-24 stunner at Inlet Grove. The Hurricanes jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the second quarter and held on for the victory. Bronco senior running back David Ahola rushed for 139 yards on 13 carries and scored one touchdown. PBCHS also scored on a one-yard run by Zed Joseph, a 25-yard touchdown reception by Tyree Engram, a 45-yard field goal from Patrick O’Donnell and a safety. It was Ahola’s first time over 100 yards this season. The senior also caught two passes for 43 yards. The Broncos get another test Thursday, Sept. 20 when they host Lake Worth (2-1).
The Trojans shocked West Boca 47-27 last Friday behind 132 yards rushing on 15 carries from senior running back Roosevelt Jackson and a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Star Jackson, who completed 10 of 21 passes for 135 yards. Jackson has made an oral commitment to play next season at the University of Alabama.
Running back Javonti Greene breaks free to score the Wildcats’ first touchdown of the game.
RPB junior Ernest Ferguson tackles Hawk senior Allen Lopez.
SRHS junior William Jones holds on to the ball as he gets tackled by the Wildcat defense.
A pass intended for Wildcat Kendon Harrell is tipped into the hands of Hawk Javian Wrisper.
Hawk quarterback Josh Jackson is brought down near the end zone by Ernest Ferguson.
The Seminole Ridge marching band performs during the halftime show at Callery-Judge Stadium.
Senior running back Curtis Griswold tries to escape being tackled by a host of Wildcat defenders.
A Minor Injury Slows RPBHS Golf Star... But Not For Long
By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report
The bandage hiding the nine stitches in Joseph Fleming’s right foot tells the story of what happened to him last Sunday and what he’ll be doing for the next couple of weeks. Fleming, Royal Palm Beach High School’s top golfer, stepped on some broken glass in his driveway, and instead of going to hit balls at the Links at Madison Green, found himself in a hospital emergency room.
When it didn’t appear the wound was healing properly, Fleming and his mother Linda returned to the doctor on Monday for a more thorough examination. The
second time around, Fleming received a set of crutches and antibiotics to stave off infection.
Ever tried teeing off on crutches? It’s not easy. Besides, the course superintendent wouldn’t appreciate the round holes the crutches would leave in his tees and greens.
Fleming, a six-handicap, has played four matches for the Wildcats this season and admits to getting off to a slow start. “I was striking the ball well and hitting it fine, but I struggled with my putting,” he said. “I was practicing a lot, I just wasn’t practicing on my short game.”
But things have improved for Fleming, a junior who has played in the number-one spot for three seasons at Royal Palm Beach High School. On Sept. 11, he shot a seasonlow 38 against Seminole Ridge High School at Madison Green.
When he plays again is yet to be determined, but Fleming aims to be back in time for next month’s district tournament.
“The stitches have to be in for two weeks, that’s for sure,” Fleming said. “I want to do well at districts and then get into regionals. Two years I ago I lost in a playoff in the district tournament for a chance to go regionals. I want to get there this year.”
As for last year’s district tournament, Fleming said, it was “probably the worst I’ve ever played. I just want to forget it.”
For the record, Fleming
shot 39 on the front side and 50 on the back side. Indeed, a round to forget, but also a round that has kept him motivated for this season and beyond. And when Fleming is motivated, it’s best just to get out of his way.
Golf is a great example. When he was 12, Fleming was just another kid who liked to ride his skateboard up and down the block. But one Saturday he spotted a set of MacGregor Ambassador golf clubs at a neighborhood garage sale and bought them for $20.
“I just thought it would be a little kick I’d be on for a couple of weeks, you know, hit some balls and be done with it,” he said. “But I fell in love with it.” Fleming began taking lessons from local professionals and competing in area junior tournaments. He’s currently taking lessons from renowned instructor Martin Hall at Ibis Golf & Country Club and has his sights set on attending a college that offers a professional golf management curriculum, and eventually certification by the Professional Golfers Association. “That’s my main goal in the long run — to become a PGA professional somewhere in the field,” Fleming said. “Golf is so big that there’s a million different things you can do.”
But the district tournament comes first.
Infant Swimming At Wellington Pool
The Wellington Aquatic Complex has partnered with Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) to offer infant survival swimming lessons. ISR is a nationally recognized system of aquatic survival instruction for infants and young children.
The lessons are designed specifically for ages six months through six years. The program focuses on educating parents and children on aquatic survival and safety issues. The mission of ISR and the Wellington Aquatic Complex is to prevent drowning and enrich the lives of children by teaching them to swim.
Children ages six to 12 months, designated as “floaters,” learn how to hold their breath under water, roll onto their back, float unassisted for a minimum of five minutes and perform it all fully clothed. Children ages one to six years old, designated as “swimmers,” learn to hold their breath underwater, swim headdown with eyes open, roll onto their backs to float and flip over to resume swimming, also fully clothed.
Classes will be held five days a week
for 10 minutes with individualized instruction. Floaters take about five weeks while swimmers finish in about seven weeks. Floater lessons are $425 and swimmer lessons are $595. Both are required to pay an additional $105 registration fee to ISR. The next class begins Monday, Oct. 1.
For more information, call Deby Dahlgren at (561) 310-8926 or the Wellington Aquatic Complex at (561) 753-2484, ext. 2836. The Wellington Aquatic Complex is located at 12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.
RPB Basketball Registration
Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation is accepting registration for the upcoming 2007-08 boys basketball league for grades K-12. Registration ends on Oct. 26. Space is limited and divisions may be filled prior to the deadline. Games begin on Dec. 1. Fees are $75 for RPB residents and $90 for non-residents. For more information, call (561) 790-5124.
RPBHS golfer Joseph Fleming
TIGER HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL BASKETBALL BENEFIT AT WHS
Together in God’s Eternal Recovery (TIGER) held its second annual basketball tournament/fundraiser at the Wellington High School gym on Saturday, Sept. 15. The money raised will benefit TIGER and establish a college scholarship fund in memory of its namesake, James “Tiger” Ryan Jr., who was killed in a driveby shooting in 2004. TIGER offers counseling and comfort to parents, and children can come for a variety of reasons including drugs, bereavement, alcohol and divorce. In addition to basketball games, a raffle was held offering prizes such as brunch at Breakers West, a golf foursome at Hammock Creek, and a pearl and silver bracelet from Polo Jewelers. TIGER is located at 2601 S. Military Trail, Suite 6, West Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 432-1663.
The Couture for Cancer team: (front row, L-R) Jeff Dynan and Steve Kelly; (back row) Paige Cangialosi, Chris Cangialosi, Curt Walker and John Marquez.
Jay Rock of B106.3 FM.
James “Little Tiger” Ryan III and grandmother Gwendolyn Johnson-Lee with a photo of James “Tiger” Ryan Jr.
The Reprographic Solutions Hammers team: (front row, L-R) David Conley, Mauricio Gallego and Gino Marquez; (back row) David Romanelli, Miguel Salinas and Chris Andronis.
Hannah Walker enjoys a hotdog from the bleachers.
Dave Conley, referee David Ruderman and Jeff Dynan engage in some good-natured “trash talk” before the game.
PHOTOS BY DENISE
AYSO Opens Season — Hundreds of parents, players, coaches and team managers celebrated the American Youth Soccer Organization Region 345’s 26th anniversary at Okeeheelee Park Sept. 8. Teams paraded through the fields holding banners displaying names of the players and coaches along with the names of their sponsors. Registration for the spring season starts Nov. 3. For more info., visit www.ayso345.com or call (561) 642-5449. Shown above are the U-10 Victory Girlz (L-R): Adriana Rosero, Christina Fred, Sarah Moore, Gianna Duyos and Samantha Porath.
Giselle’s Instructors Attend Conference In NYC — Giselle’s Dance Studio co-owner and instructor Miss Andrea Oran and ballet and tap instructor Miss Nicole Marco recently attended the Dance Teacher Summer Conference 2007 in New York City where they participated in various workshops. Giselle’s offers classical ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop and drama classes to students ages three to adult. It is located at 298 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. Call (561) 753-9543 for more info. Shown here are Oran and Marco at the conference.
Horse Parade In The Groves
The Sunshine Paso Fino Horse Club will host a horse parade in Loxahatchee Groves on Saturday, Oct. 20 at noon. The parade will start at High Park and proceed along D Road, Gruber Lane, C Road and Collecting Canal, picking up more riders along the way. There will be a buckboard to carry Mayor David Browning and a truck with hay for non-riders and kids. This event is to celebrate horses and the Town of Loxahatchee Groves. Call Edgar Torres at (561) 601-1087 or Ruth Phillips at (561) 793-2209 for info.
Royal Gemz Offers Classes
The Royal Gemz all-star cheerleading program offers recreational cheerleading and tumbling classes. Cheer classes are open to boys and girls ages four to 12 of all levels. They will focus on the proper techniques of motions, jumps, stunt building, pyramid progressions, cheers and dance routines and will be held on Mondays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for ages eight through 12 and on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for ages four through seven.
There will also be a variety of tumbling classes available for ages six and up from beginner to advanced levels on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. All cheer and tumbling sessions will be offered in fiveto six-week or 10- to 12-week sessions. For more info., visit www.royalgemz.com or call (561) 315-5470.
Activities At Grassy Waters Preserve
The Grassy Waters Preserve, located on Northlake Blvd. east of Ibis, is nearly a foot and a half below normal water levels — especially pertinent given that the area is nearing the end of the wet season. But the preserve remains open to visitors and offers a wide range of special activities. Visit www.grassywaters preserve.com or call (561) 804-4985 for more information and reservations, which are required 24 hours in advance.
Mini-Canoeing — Those who don’t have much time or are new to canoeing can join a mini trip to try their hand at canoeing the marsh, Saturday, Sept. 22 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. This activity is for ages six and over. Fees are $5 for adults and $1 for children. The location will be the south side at the Charles W. Bingham Wilderness Pavilion.
Owa-hee Waterway Canoeing — Ages ten and over can paddle through the shallow waters of the marsh, then into the Owa-hee Waterway, where uplands and wetlands come together to form a diverse habitat on Sunday, Sept. 30 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Fees are $15 for adults, $5 for children. Location is at the Charles W. Bingham Wilderness Pavilion.
Nature Photography Workshop — Photographer Steve DuMond teaches techniques in photography, types of cameras and equipment, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6 and 7 from 9
a.m. to 1 p.m. Design images in nature and take pictures in the wetland. Participants can get their portfolio ready to enter the 2008 GWP nature photography contest. The activity is for ages eight and over. The fee for two days is $30 for adults and $6 per child; one day is $20 for adults and $5 for children. Location will be on the south side in the Charles W. Bingham Wilderness Pavilion.
Taking Care of Our Florida Home Series: Wildflowers and Butterflies Using the new Florida Yards & Neighborhoods (FYN) Demonstration Garden and the preserve’s natural landscape, learn how to enjoy native plants in your own yard while respecting, protecting and celebrating Florida’s water resources on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. This activity is for ages 16 and over. The fee is $5. Location is on the north side in the Everglades Pavilion.
Senior Softball At Okeeheelee
The Okeeheelee Senior Softball League is taking applications for seniors 55 and up. All skill levels are welcome. Games will be played at Okeeheelee Park on Tuesday and Thursday mornings starting Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 9 a.m. For more info., call (561) 795-2070 or (561) 753-7107.
Send sports news items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news @goTownCrier.com.
‘MAGIC SECRETS’ READING PROGRAM AT WELLINGTON LIBRARY
The Wellington Branch Library hosted the “Magic Secrets” reading program featuring magician and storyteller John Cesta on Monday, Sept. 17. Cesta uses clever tricks and interesting tales to get children excited about the library, reading and learning. For more information about Cesta’s program, call (561) 791-3013 or visit www.johncestaproductions.com.
with youngters.
John Cesta uses a visual aid to communicate
Dahlin Mesake performs magic tricks with help from Cesta.
John Cesta with Abigail Maldonado and Kyla Baal.Librarian Cindi Permenter shoots silly string at John Cesta.
John Cesta entertains the youngsters with a story.
Saturday, Sept. 22
• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) will continue Sesame Street Live’s “Elmo Makes Music” through Sunday, Sept. 23. The performance will feature singing, dancing, learning and fun when Elmo, the Count, Cookie Monster, Big Bird and Bert and Ernie take the stage to share the magical world of music. Tickets cost $5 to $29. For more info., call (561) 832-7469 or visit www.kravis.org.
• The Okeeheelee Nature Center (7715 Forest Hill Blvd. inside Okeeheelee Park) invites you to explore the shore of the nature center pond with net in hand to capture small fish, shrimp and aquatic insects on Saturday, Sept. 22. Participants are encouraged to wear closed-toed shoes. The event starts at 10 a.m. and is for ages nine and up. RSVP to (561) 233-1400.
• The South Florida Science Museum will feature the exhibit “Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats” beginning Saturday, Sept. 22. The South Florida Science Museum is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North, West Palm Beach. Admission is $9 for adults, $7.50 for seniors and $6 for children. For more info., call (561) 832-1988 or visit the museum’s web site at www. sfsm.org.
Sunday, Sept. 23
• The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office substation in Wellington will sponsor a Citizen’s Police Academy Wednesday, Sept. 26 through Wednesday, Dec. 5. The academy will meet once a week on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd). The course consists of ten sessions, including a course review and graduation ceremony, which completes the Sheriff’s Citizen Academy. For more info., contact Corporal Richard Sciarrino at (561) 688-5447 or at sciarrinor @pbso.org.
Thursday, Sept. 27
• The Women’s Impact Network (WIN) meets at noon the fourth Thursday of the month at the Madison Green Grill (2001 Crestwood Blvd. North, Royal Palm Beach). Call Connie Ingram at (561) 389-7862 for more info.
• Clematis by Night’s Concert Fountain Series takes place every Thursday at Centennial Square from 5:30 to 9 p.m. For more info., call (561) 822-1515.
from a Christian band. Horses and golf carts are welcomed. The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for kids, with all proceeds going to mission projects. For more info., call (561) 790-2968 or visit www. lbmission.com.
• The Players Club restaurant and bar (1340 South Shore Blvd., Wellington) will present an Evening with Larry Brendler, a cigar and martini rock ’n’ roll party with music from the ’50s through the ’90s on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. For more info., call (561) 7950800.
Monday, Oct. 1
• The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will present a program on outdoor Florida on Monday, Oct. 1, 7 p.m. at the Okeeheelee Nature Center (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.). Call Paul at (561) 963-9906 for more info.
Thursday, Oct. 4
• The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will provide an opportunity to visit the Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area on Sunday, Sept. 23. The group will meet at 7:30 a.m. at the entrance of the natural area. Go north from Southern Blvd., on Royal Palm Beach Blvd, and follow signs to the natural area.
• The Fabulons will perform on Sunday, Sept. 23 at the Meyer Amphithreatre in downtown West Palm Beach as part of the Sundays at the Meyer concert series. For more info., call (561) 822-1515 or visit www.wpb.org.
Tuesday, Sept. 25
• VITAS Innovative Hospice Care offers bereavement support groups to anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one. The group will convene every Tuesday through Oct. 9 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Wellington Regional Medical Center, Classroom 2 East (10101 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). For more info., call Bereavement Services Manager Chaplain Karen Modell at (561) 733-6326.
• Did you ever want to know what the Talmud is? Study Introductory-Level Talmud parlor style in a relaxed atmosphere at the Wellington Jewish Center every Tuesday at 8 p.m. Call Rabbi Mendy Muskal at (561) 333-4664 or e-mail rabbim@bellsouth.net for more info.
Wednesday, Sept. 26
• The Democratic Professionals Council will host Florida State Senate Minority Leader Steven Geller as its guest speaker on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at Columbia Restaurant in CityPlace. The event starts at noon with a networking reception followed by the luncheon at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $35 per person. For more info., call (561) 6500555 or visit www.democratic professionalscouncil.org.
• The Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition’s annual Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee will take place on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. at the Harriet Himmel Theater in CityPlace. All money raised will benefit the Palm Beach County Literacy Coalition. “Bee-watching” is encouraged and free to the general public in the upper level of the Harriet Theater. The cost for a team is $1,000 and includes a table for eight (three team members and five additional guests), one mulligan that may be used to redeem one incorrect spelling, and food and beverages. For more info., call (800) 2731030.
• Puerto Rican Organization for Cultural Enhancement and Reaffirmation (PROCER) will feature live music by Bohemia Jíbara with a special dance presentation by PROCER choreographers Joan Vanessa and Maggie, along with an Amateur Art Expo by students in the PROCER programs, starting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27 at the Centennial Square in downtown West Palm Beach. The event is hosted by the City of West Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 822-1515, or e-mail theprocergroup@aol.com.
Saturday, Sept. 29
• The Second Chance Garage Sale will take place Saturday, Sept. 29 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the South Florida Expo Center. Booths will be set up both in the west building and in the spacious adjoining east building. Booth space is available. Parking will be free. The South Florida Fairgrounds markets and advertises the show; vendors keep 100 percent of the proceeds. The fairgrounds are located at 9067 Southern Blvd. For more information about the Second Chance Garage Sale, call (561) 7930333 or visit www.southflorida fair.com.
• The Loxahatchee Baptist Mission Church will hold a barbecue on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 2 to 7 p.m. at the church, which is located at 13969 Orange Blvd. at the corner of Orange and 140th Ave. North. There will be games for kids and adults, a fresh market and live music
• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will hold a Power Networking session on Thursday, Oct. 4, 8 a.m. at the Greenacres Community Center (503 Swain Blvd., Greenacres). The cost is $5 for members and $30 for nonmembers. To pre-register, call (561) 790-6200.
• Wild 95.5 will present Samantha Jade at the Clematis by Night Fall Festival Thursday, Oct. 4 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach. Admission is free. The festival includes two stages of entertainment, kids’ games and activities, food and refreshments. Clematis by Night is produced by the City of West Palm Beach in partnership with the Downtown Development Authority. For more info., call (561) 822-1515 or visit www.clematisbynight.net.
Friday, Oct. 5
• The October meeting of the Wellington Garden Club will take place on Friday, Oct. 5 at the Wellington Community Center, 12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd. The meeting will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a light lunch supplied by the members, followed by a business meeting and a speaker. October’s speaker is Botanical Visions President William Reeve. For more information, call Deborah Russell at (561) 793-7360 or Linda Leemon at (561) 753-9999, ext. 215.
• The Alzheimer’s Community Care Golf Classic will take place on Friday, Oct. 5 at BallenIsles Country Club East Course in Palm Beach Gardens with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Fees are $250 per person or $1,000 per foursome. Sponsorships are available. Call (561) 683-2700 for more information.
• The fall edition of the Palm Beach County Home Show will take place Friday through Sunday, Oct. 5-7 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center (650 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach). The show will feature more than 100,000 square feet of displays. Visitors will browse hundreds of products including tile, stone and surfacing materials; window treatments and accessories; storm protection and home security systems. Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for children ages four to 12. For more info., visit www.pbchomeshow.com or call (800) 321-6164.
In Palm Beach County, and throughout the nation, high school students are expressing an intense interest in the events of the Holocaust. In fact, Florida law requires that schools teach the Holocaust, and many offer that teaching as an elective course.
Seminole Ridge High School teacher Mr. Stuart Sabin, like Holocaust teachers, realizes that Holocaust studies have the potential to change lives as well as recall history. The goal of his semester-long course is to have students examine and analyze the prejudice of the Holocaust so that they can make their world
a better place. In June, Sabin took part in a weeklong summer institute at Florida Atlantic University’s MacArthur campus in Jupiter. The institute, featuring nationally known Holocaust authorities and survivors, included lectures, resources and classroom applications for teaching the Holocaust and genocides past and present. In July, he and other Palm Beach County teachers traveled to Washington, D.C. under a grant funded by the League for Educational Awareness of the Holocaust (LEAH), a nonprofit group of local Floridians who provide not only
materials and field trip money for teachers but also travel expenses for guest speakers, primarily Holocaust survivors. The group met with South Florida congressmen Ron Klein and Robert Wexler, who were instrumental in the passage of Florida’s Holocaust studies law. Along with his colleagues, Sabin spent three days using the resources of the Holocaust Memorial Museum.
“The trip was extremely productive for my research,” Sabin said. “It gave me the chance to broaden my knowledge of child survivors of the Holocaust, a focus of my classes this year.”
SRHS Rocket POWER Program Receives A ‘Grand’ Award From Target
Seminole Ridge High School recently announced a partnership with Target in recognition of its Rocket POWER program. During Rocket POWER (Positive Outcomes While Enjoying Reading), students read about and discuss the talent and training necessary to become a rocket scientist. Those students are then challenged to master rocket science by designing, constructing, flying and recovering their own handmade, high-powered model rocket with two “egg-stronauts” on board.
This $1,000 grant is a part of ongoing efforts by Target to strengthen families and communities throughout the country. Target gives five percent of its income — $3 million every week — to organizations that support education, the arts and safe families and communities.
“At Target, we’re making a real difference every day through our grant-making program,” company representative Laysha Ward said. “We’re proud to partner with Seminole Ridge as part of our commitment to give back to the communities where our guests and team members live and work.”
Rocket POWER is sponsored by SRHS science teacher Mr. Erich Landstrom.
Hawk Swimmers Overpower Palm Beach Central — The SRHS boys and girls swim teams were victorious over Palm Beach Central last Wednesday evening with scores of 10871 (boys) and 114-71 (girls).
Eight first-place finishes were recorded for each team.
For the girls, first-place finishes include:
• 200-yard medley relay, Ashley Jones, April Goodman,
Nicole Infinger and Natalia Pieschacon;
• 50- and 500-yard freestyles, Natalia Pieschacon;
• 100-yard butterfly, Nicole Infinger;
• 100-yard freestyle, Ashley Jones;
• 100-yard backstroke, Jaymie Davis;
• 100-yard breaststroke, MajLis Lindblom;
• 400-yard freestyle relay, Natalia Pieschacon, Stephanie Rodgerson, Ashley Jones and Nicole Infinger. For the boys, first-place finishes went to:
• Both the 200-yard medley and the 400-yard freestyle relays, Rory Padgett, Tommy Counihan, Patrick Costan and John Menor;
• 50-yard freestyle, Michael Tigeleiro;
• Diving, Devin Collum;
• 100-yard butterfly and 500-yard freestyle, Patrick Costan;
• 100-yard freestyle, John Menor;
• 100-yard backstroke, Rory Padgett;
• 100-yard breastroke, Derek Smith.
Coach Mrs. Marie Pelfrey invites all Hawks to come out to Calypso Bay and support their swim team.
Marching Band Serves It Up Sept. 28 — The SRHS marching Hawks announce their first spaghetti dinner, planned to be an annual event. Join the band Friday, Sept. 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. (dinner served until 7:30) in the cafeteria. One ticket buys homemade spaghetti, dinner roll, salad, beverage and dessert. Band students are selling tickets $6 presale or $7 at the door. The band greatly appreciates every-
one’s support of their efforts to attend the 2008 Gator Bowl Classic on New Year’s Day! New Club Seeks Interested Students — A new club on the SRHS campus, Project Respect, is actively seeking student members. Sponsored by Hawk social studies teacher Ms. Amanda Robbins, the club plans to meet one Friday each month from 3 to 4:45 p.m. beginning Sept. 21. Students can take the 5 p.m. activity bus home. According to the club’s flier, Project Respect will share tips about respecting oneself, health, beauty, fashion, nutrition and etiquette. The Friday meetings will each have a theme for members to discuss and to learn from each other. For more information about joining Project Respect, see Ms. Robbins in Room 3-213.
Learning Trip — Seminole Ridge High School teacher Stuart Sabin joins other Palm Beach County teachers at Congressman Ron Klein's office in Washington, DC.
ArtStart Scholarship Deadline Approaching
The deadline for submitting applications for the 2007 ArtStart Youth Art Scholarship is Wednesday, Oct. 31.
The scholarship is available to fifthgrade students who are applying for acceptance to Bak Middle School of the Arts. Up to four scholarships will awarded this year.
The $250 scholarship is intended to help defray the cost of attending the Armory Art Center’s “Audition Crunch Time,” a course covering the audition process from start to finish, and may also pay for items such as art supplies and other materials needed to create a winning portfolio and increase the chances for a successful audition.
Scholarship winners will be selected from a pool of applicants from across Palm Beach County for classes in December.
To qualify, a student must meet eligibility requirements for audition in 2007 to Bak Middle School of the Arts for the 2008-09 school year. Scholarships will be awarded based on need and ability. For more information, contact ArtStart by phone at (561) 7912861 or via e-mail at info@artstartinc. org. Applications are also available online at www.artstartinc.org.
Open House At Polo Park A Huge Success
Sept. 11 was “Back to School Night” for the parents of Polo Park Middle School students. At 6 p.m. the parents reported to their child’s first-period teacher.
They were greeted by the principal via the intercom system, recited the Pledge of Allegiance and then went on to hear from the teacher all the innovative things going on in the classrooms daily. As the parents moved
from period to period they were given information on the curriculum and class activities in each classroom.
If parents needed information on other school occurrences such as FCAT Initiatives, the before- and after-school program, Edline, Grade Quick, sports, PTSA or SAC, they were invited to the cafeteria where an “information center” was set up to help the parents find out what they needed. At 8 p.m. everyone went home filled with news and information about Polo Park Middle School.
Cypress Trails Students Form Marathon Club
A group of students from Cypress Trails Elementary School in Royal Palm Beach meets every Wednesday after school to jog at least one mile together.
The group calls itself the Marathon Club because they will be jogging 25 miles together, one mile at a time, and then completing a marathon by jogging the last 1.2 miles of the marathon on Saturday, Dec. 1. The event will include children from throughout the county who will be doing the same thing at their school. The club has about 70 students participating in the club.
The club is the brainchild of the Marathon of the Palm Beaches, which created a partnership with local schools in an effort to get more children interested in the sport of jogging. This is the third year of the “Marathon Mile,” and Cypress Trails has participated all three years. When the students go downtown to run on Flagler Drive, they will receive a medal at the end of the race.
The group meets every Wednesday from 2 to 3 p.m. and jogs next door at Katz Soccer Field. It is under the supervision of physical education teacher Linda Zaskey. For more information, visit www.marathonofthepalm beaches.com.
NATIONAL ANTHEM DAY AT LGES
Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School celebrated National Anthem Day on Sept. 14. The entire student population and staff walked outside and sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” together at 9 a.m. Pictured here is Daniel Armas singing the national anthem while standing next to the school’s flag.
Wellington High School Debaters Start New Season Strong
The Wellington High School Debate and Forensic Team’s 2007-08 season had a successful opening at the 2007 Winter Springs Invitational Sept. 8-9.
Three students advanced to the final round in their events. In International Extemporaneous Speaking, senior Sloan Shaffer took fifth place overall. Both junior Amanda DeStefano and sophomore Michael Stechschulte represented Wellington in the tournament’s Super Congress.
In Public Forum Debate, the team of seniors Chelsea Fitzgerald and Raquel Kraushar went 4-1 and were the number-five seed following preliminary rounds. They advanced to the semifinal round, finishing with
a record of 6-2. In addition, the PFD team of seniors Hayley Kolich and Kassie Shearouse advanced to the quarterfinal round, giving Wellington two of the top eight teams at Winter Springs.
Lincoln Douglas sophomore debater Alex Hernicz went 3-2 in prelims and also advanced to his quarterfinal round, making him one of the top eight LD students. LD junior Derek Rubin was recognized as tenth best overall speaker in the event.
First-year debater Christine Simmons advanced to the semifinal round in Oral Interpretation, an event that involves presentations of poetry and prose selections. Simmons was one of only two novices to advance past preliminary rounds.
At the Saturday, Sept. 15 Palm Beach Catholic Forensic League “All-Congress” at Martin County High School, six Wellington debaters were recognized for their success. Senior Kevin Sopczak placed first overall in his varsity Senate chamber, while Kolich was second in her varsity Senate. Sopczak, Kolich and DeStefano also earned “Chamber’s Choice” gavels as best presiding officers in their respective legislative houses. In addition, freshman Jeffrey Sall was third in his novice House, junior William Fetzko was fourth in his varsity Senate and freshman Alex Small placed sixth in his novice chamber.
Wellington’s next tournament is Sept. 28-30 at Florida State University.
Wellington High School Open House In Two Sessions This Year
The Wellington High School open house is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 26 and Thursday, Oct. 4. Due to the new theater construction project currently underway in the student parking lot and the reconstruction of Greenview Shores Blvd. in front of the campus, this is a change to the usual format and schedule. Both construction projects have significantly reduced parking on and adjacent to the campus. This has prompted the necessity to alter current open house plans and create a split schedule.
Freshman and Sophomore Open House — Freshman and sophomore open house will take
place Wednesday, Sept. 26 from 7 to 9 p.m. Entertainment in the courtyard will start at 6:30 p.m.
Parents will be attending 10minute classes with five minutes between classes. On Tuesday, Sept. 25, forms will be given to freshmen and sophomores to take home to parents.
Junior and Senior Open House — Junior and senior open house will take place Thursday, Oct. 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. A class schedule will not be available to follow; however, teachers will be available in their assigned rooms to meet and greet parents. Upon request, individual GradeQuick printouts can be provided and informa-
tion about the course objectives and syllabus can be provided.
From 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the cafeteria, the guidance staff will host a college information program for parents, which includes the structure of higher education, college selection process, college application process, college testing (PSAT, SAT-I, SAT-II, ACT, CPT, CLEP) and college financial aid and scholarships including the Bright Futures Scholarship program. All parents and students are invited to attend. For questions regarding these changes, call the office at (561) 795-4901.
National Merit Scholarships — Four WHS seniors have
earned semifinalist status in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program: Patrick Brown, Marcus DiLallo, Hillary Russell and Tawnee Sparling.
The names of about 16,000 semifinalists in the 53rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program were announced by officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation. These seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards worth $34 million that will be offered next spring.
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must advance to the finalist level of the competition by fulfilling
several requirements.
More than 1.4 million juniors in nearly 21,000 high schools earned the 2008 National Merit Program by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship qualifying test (PSAT/NMST), which served as an initial screen of program entrants.
The nationwide pool of semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.
WHS Debaters — (L-R) Michael Stechschulte, Raquel Kraushar, Evan Baumel, Sloan Shaffer, Kassie Shearouse, Kevin Sopczak, Chelsea Fitzgerald (with Traci Lowe “de-beta” fish), Hayley Kolich, Alex Hernicz, Christine Simmons, Amanda DeStefano, Coach Paul Gaba and Derek Rubin.
Cultural Trust’s 2008 Season Brings New Acts, Lower Prices
The Cultural Trust of the Palm Beaches this week announced its third season of programming and the beginning of operations on the ten-acre campus site near the Mall at Wellington Green. With the start of construction growing nearer, the Cultural Trust offered a glimpse at its lineup promised for the upcoming season.
The 2008 season will feature five months of performances with superstars from throughout the United States making a stop in Wellington. “In the last two seasons, we have established a solid track record of performances,” Cultural Trust
Chief Artistic Officer Manuel Bornia said. “We have tested programs, and we have seen what has worked and what has not.”
The most exciting news is the addition of an 8,000-square-foot pavilion that will be going up on the campus site in early December while construction goes on in the background. The Grand Marquee at the Cultural Campus is a pavilion that will host all of the Cultural Trust activities, concerts and exhibitions for the season. The pavilion will also be available as a space for special events and fundraisers throughout the season. This facility will be the first semi-permanent facility on the campus site and will serve as the home for the organization.
Capacity for theater-style events will be 750 people and cabaret-style for 500; both will be used throughout the season. As for programming, the events begin in January with a parade of stars that shines brighter than years past. Programs have been designed to appeal to the younger audience that has been purchasing Cultural Trust tickets. In a recent demographic study, of more than 5,000 ticket buyers polled, 72 percent were between the ages of 45 and 54. “When asked what they wanted, we had a huge response to provide more contemporary material,”
Bornia said. “This created a demand for edgier, more current and quality events.”
New programs include the Cabaret Series, which showcases current Broadway stars, featuring Tony Award-winning actors such as Christian Hoff (Jan. 19), a very special Valentine’s Day performance by Grey Gardens star Christine Ebersole (Feb. 14), the humorous Jason Graae (March 8) and the multitalented star of Avenue Q, John Tartaglia (April 19), who will be performing his club act as well as a kids show from his hit Disney Channel show Johnny and the Sprites Cabaret is a new series at the Cultural Trust and guests will be able to enjoy gourmet dinners pre-performance in the new Grand Marquee. “This was an important step for the trust as we begin to focus on Broadway as a part of our programs,” Bornia said.
Comedy has had a successful run at
the Cultural Trust and 2008 will not disappoint. The season kicks off a new series featuring comedians from the New York comedy scene. The series features Chris McDevitt, Mike Morris and Vinnie Brand (Jan. 24), Tom Cotter, Geno Bisconte and the Rev. Bob Levy (Feb. 28) and Artie Lange with pals Greg Fitzsimmons and Eddie Brill (March 22). This series will also feature food and beverage service, providing a great atmosphere for all the shows. The Second City is back with their election year show One Nation Under Blog (Feb. 13) and a new theatrical comedy has been added by former Seinfeld writer Pat Hazell, The Wonder Bread Years (March 14-16), a show about the days of milk money, sugar highs and show-and-tell. The season also features a new program produced in conjunction with the American Place Theater in New York and an emphasis on literature. The Literature to Life series will introduce Wellington Reads Month in January. This season the Cultural Trust will produce Sue Monk Kid’s The Secret Life of Bees
“This program is the most exciting of the entire season for me,” Bornia said of the program, which encourages an entire community to embrace a book, and once the reading campaign is over, it is brought to life. Performances of the book are produced by the renowned American Place Theater and will be held in area high schools and at the Cultural Campus Grand Marquee Feb. 6-8. “This show is simply breathtaking; people will be moved by it,” Bornia said.
The Palm Beach Jazz Festival will expand to three days April 11-13 with a preview night to be held on Friday. The event will feature national headliners that will be announced in October. Already, international jazz superstars are lining up and will be participating. The event will
take place on the campus site.
The 2008 season also brings back the Palm Beach International Sculpture Biennale. In its first year, the biennale attracted over 47,000 people to the campus site. The 2008 installation will follow suit with a larger-than-life collection of contemporary art by artists from around the world. The exhibition will open on March 27 at the campus site with both indoor and outdoor exhibits. The collection will be featured in a garden and landscaped environment, which will allow patrons to wander the site with surprises around every corner. The international call to artists opens Oct. 5 and is sure to draw them from across the globe. A series of lectures and smaller exhibitions is planned leading up to the large exhibition.
The Cultural Trust is committed to continue building on its successes and expanding its audience. In an effort to bring mass community appeal, the Cultural Trust aims to keep tickets affordable this year with an average price of $29.50, a dramatic change from previous seasons. “We feel that it is important to ensure that our programs are not only great quality, but also accessible to the general population,” Bornia said.
Tickets and the entire season schedule will be officially unveiled on Oct. 1 on the Cultural Trust’s web site. A large public ticket sale and event is planned for Oct. 20 to launch the season at the Mall at Wellington Green. Doors will open one hour prior to regular mall hours to offer a 15-percent discount to all patrons interested in getting the best seats in the house.
For more information about the Cultural Trust’s 2008 season, contact Bornia at (561) 333-4948 or e-mail mbornia@ culturaltrustpb.org, or visit www.cultural trustpb.org.
Pat Hazell in The Wonder Bread Years, which runs March 14-16.
Maguire Will Use Mrs. Florida Title To Aid Diabetes Research
Wellington resident Ashley Maguire was crowned Mrs. Florida International 2008 on Sunday, Sept. 16 in Miami after two days of pageant competition.
The Mrs. International Pageant celebrates the institution of marriage and the accomplishments of married women. The pageant is the premier competition for married women in the world, giving Mrs. International winners a chance to open doors and act as positive role models for their families and communities.
Each contestant competes in three portions of the pageant: Interview Competition (50 percent of the overall score), Evening Gown (25 percent) and Fitness Wear (25 percent).
Husbands are a direct part of the show, escorting their wives in the Evening Gown competition. Winners are crowned as such by their husbands. Each contestant has the opportunity to select a platform of her choice that she spends the year promoting. Maguire’s platform is finding a cure for diabetes, which goes
hand in hand with the diabetes fundraiser she and her husband Joe chair in Wellington.
“I wanted to do this because I know this will help spread awareness about the need to find a cure for diabetes,” Maguire explained. “It was a great experience, and I would tell anyone to do it if they ever had the chance. It brought together a lot of aspects of my life, and we had a great time doing it. Whether or not I won, it was a life-changing experience for me, and I hope that I can help change lives for others, especially those affected by diabetes.”
Maguire will compete next in the Mrs. International Pageant in Chicago, which will take place July 18-19, 2008. In the meantime, she will travel around the state and the country, raising awareness for the cause of diabetes research.
Ashley and Joe Maguire are the chairs of the 2008 “Jungle Safari” event, which is a fundraiser for the Diabetes Research Institute. The event will be held on March
1, 2008, at the International Polo Club Palm Beach, featuring silent and live auctions, dinner, dancing and exotic jungle surprises.
The Diabetes Research Institute, a center of excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is a recognized world leader in cure-focused research.
Since its inception in the early 1970s, the DRI has made significant contributions to the field of diabetes research, pioneering many of the techniques used in islet transplantation. From innovations in islet isolation and transplant procedures to advances in cell biology and immunology, the DRI is now harnessing the power of emerging technologies to develop new cell-based therapies to restore insulin production.
For more information about Mrs. Florida International 2008, visit www.mrsinternational.com. To learn more about the Diabetes Research Institute, visit www.diabetesresearch.org.
Montijos To Chair Dec. 1 Wellington B&G Club Dinner Dance
Everyone is invited to “cruise through the Caribbean” with the Boys & Girls Club of Wellington at the 20th Annual Wellington Dinner Dance & Auction. The gala will take place Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club. Chairing this year’s event are Dr. and Mrs. Harvey Montijo, who aim to make it the talk of the town. This exciting Caribbean-themed event will kick off with a cocktail reception featuring live music and a silent auction. The evening will continue with fine dining and dancing, highlighted by a live auction.
Dr. Harvey Montijo is the founding partner and CEO at the Center for Bone & Joint Surgery of the Palm Beaches, an orthopedic surgery practice serving
the western communities. He is the CEO of Palms Wellington Outpatient Surgical Center, also serving western Palm Beach County. Dr. Montijo is also the medical director of the Joint Center at Wellington Regional Medical Center.
The Montijos moved from Panama in 1992 where Dr. Montijo was stationed in the U.S. Medical Military Corps as chief of surgery for four years. Mrs. Zulma Montijo is an avid tennis player, a
football fanatic and a great supporter of the medical practice. The Montijos have three children: Luschka, 27, who is a CPA and graduate of Florida Atlantic University; Harvey Jr., 25, who is in his third year of medical school at Duke University; and Zulmarie, 18, who is a freshman at Savannah College of Art & Design.
An all-volunteer team supports the gala. The team includes Joyce Aab, Kirk Alexander, Ronda Ayala, Maria Becker,
Maryann Cheatham, Ed Desser, Mariam Glisson, Heidi Harland, Steven Kent, Julie Kime, David Klebonis, Jeffrey and Rose Marie Lamphere, Darlene Lawson, Kathy Lorello, Liz Ligeti, Luschka Montijo, Evelyn and Tony Nelson, Heath Nichols, Wendy Paolucci, Zulma Bauzo-Sola, Juan Carlos Sola, Jana Sturgeon, Julie Villar, Frances Umpierre, Gisselle Umpierre, Karen Umpierre, Monica Wackes, Elizabeth York, Cheryl Valentine and Janna Zaidspiner.
Tickets are $200 per person and seating is limited. Sponsorship and journal advertising opportunities are available, and auction donations are being accepted. For more info., call Sara Mariani at (561) 683-3287 or visit www.bgcpbc.org.
Ashley Maguire
Zulma and Dr. Harvey Montijo
Teams Needed For Arthritis Walk
The Arthritis Foundation Walk Committee is looking for teams to walk in its annual 5K “Walk For Those Who Can’t and ARFF-Ritis Dog Walk,” which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Nov. 10 at John Prince Park in Lake Worth.
Arthritis is the nation’s number one cause of disability, affecting nearly five million children and adults in Florida alone each year. Arthritis also affects one in every five adult dogs in the United States and is one of the most common sources of chronic pain that veterinarians treat.
Companies, family members, pet stores and veterinarians are encouraged to form teams for the Arthritis Walk by signing up online at www.pbcarthritis walk07.kintera.org or on site the day of the event. Registration that day begins at 8 a.m., followed by opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. Walkers who raise more than $1,000 will receive a free T-shirt, while all participat-
ing dogs will receive their own special goody bags.
Committee members include co-chairwomen Gina Sabean and Natalie Alvarez, along with Rosalie Candelario, Belinda Fleischer, Suzanne Holmes, Jeanette Jones, Margo Richards and Marta Suarez-Murias.
For more information, call Susie Rhodes at (561) 833-1133 or Brenda Burnette at (561) 3514314.
Carpenter, Fleming To Wed In November
Mr. and Mrs. Buford Clark Carpenter Jr. of Talladega, Ala., recently announced the engagement of their daughter Kelli Marlene Carpenter to William Mellor Bains Fleming III, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Mellor Bains Fleming Jr. of West Palm Beach.
Carpenter is the granddaughter of Mr. Buford Clark Carpenter and the late Lorene Weir Carpenter of Talladega and Mr. and Mrs. James Leroy Hanks of West Lafayette, Ind. She is a 2003 graduate of Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA where she received a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Carpenter received her juris doctor degree from the University of Alabama Law School. She is currently practicing law with Burr & Forman LLP in Birmingham, Ala.
Fleming is the grandson of Mrs. Constance Spink Fleming and the late Mr. William Mellor Bains Fleming of Kennett Square, Penn., and the late Mrs. Phyllis Torres Mayor of Tampa. He is a 2003 graduate of Washington & Lee University, where
he received a bachelor’s degree in politics. Fleming received his juris doctor degree from the Cumberland School of Law. He is currently practicing law with Norman, Wood, Kendrick and Turner in Birmingham.
The wedding is planned for Nov. 17 at First Baptist Church in Talladega.
4-H PLANS OPEN HOUSE
On Sept. 12, Palm Beach County 4-H held a planning meeting with its youth executive board members. During the meeting, board members discussed scheduling an open house for Oct. 6. The board also brainstormed theme ideas for their annual poster contest. For more information on 4-H, visit www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/coopext/4H or call (561) 2331731. Pictured above, 4-H members fuel their brain power with a healthy snack at the meeting.
Sabastyan Navion Henriquez — son of Felicia Gloria Cuevas and Mario Henriquez of Lake Worth was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 2.
Andrew Zachary Johnson — son of Jacqueline and David Johnson of Greenacres was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 4.
Erik Ben Ledis — son of Gabriella and Stuart Ledis of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital Sept. 5.
David Ricardo Pereira son of Milena Sosa Gil and Ricardo J. Pereira of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 7.
Jayden Robert Lambertt — son of Daylin and Jimmy Lambertt of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 8. Uesslyn Villeda — daughter of Adela and Jose Dolores Villeda of Loxahatchee was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 9.
Delany Brooke Shepard — daughter of Amy and Rickey Shepard of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 11.
Jaime Juan Flores — son of Cristina and Jaime Flores of Lake Worth was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 11.
Derrick William Lucas son of Jasmine Lucas and Dennis Wayne Thomas of Royal Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Sept. 12.
The Arthritis Foundation Arfritis Walk Committee
Kelli Marlene Carpenter
Stadium Council Approval
continued from page 1A
mercial recreation uses,” Doorakian said. “It is not contemplated in the comprehensive plan to be in a residential district. You cannot have a conditional use approval for this size arena and comply with these elements. You are locating the largest equestrian application in the United States in a residential area. What about the precedent that would be set? Assume you approve it, you will have every developer that wants to put commercial facilities on residential PUDs pointing immediately to this application.”
Attorney Dan Rosenbaum took issue with the condition requiring indemnification of the village in case of lawsuits. “This is not due process,” he said. “It is unfair. It is contract zoning, and it is illegal. I will urge you to deny the application or take other tasks to eliminate the condition.”
Bellissimo told the council the project should be required to undergo a comprehensive plan application at the very least. He also said the souring of his relations with Mische was regrettable.
“My relationship with Gene is a casualty of this process,” Bellissimo said. “We are here because of Gene Mische’s vision. Gene has done a wonderful job in developing this community. From my perspective, I hope we can work together. I am hopeful that you can embrace Mr. Doorakian’s position. The bottom line is that over the last ten years there had been four applications that have promoted the equestrian elements in Wellington. All four of them had to address the comprehensive plan amendment… These are not delay tactics. These are making sure there is a process in place
Wechsler Lock ’Em Away!
continued from page 20A the time and no possibility of parole. The prison time should be served consecutively with the sentence for the crime that the gun was used in. And for those using assault rifles, there should be no age limit. Using a weapon like that should put someone in jail for a very long time. Very long sentences will not bring back our law officers or help their bereaved families. But it will send a message, a clear message, that our society strongly disapproves the use of weapons of war against a peaceful people.
that respects the village and the community. Ninety percent of the people who live here are not equestrians. They should not subsidize this project.”
Palm Beach Polo consultant Mike Nelson offered objections because of the development’s impact on traffic, and because required road improvements would attract more cut-through traffic.
“You will connect Flying Cow Road to 50th Street,” Nelson said. “This plan calls for four traffic lights. It will turn [State Road 7] and Lake Worth Road into a CRALLS designation. I strongly believe this needs to go through a comprehensive plan amendment. This project is too big for a conditional use.”
David Burton Sr. of Littlewood Farms urged the council to be fair. “I’m not saying this project should not be approved, but there are flaws in it,” he said. “Be fair. Be consistent with your rules. It is fair to all concerned? Am I worried about Stadium Jumping? Stadium Jumping is a big business. Maybe Section 34 is the proper place for them. Is it fair for the citizens to not go through the comprehensive plan change, and to break the laws because they are in a time crunch? That’s not fair to all concerned.”
Stadium Jumping CEO Mische promised the council their approval would create “the Mecca of horse show jumping in the United States, if not the world.”
“What we have done today is we have delivered this and put it in your hands,” he said. “Can we stay in Wellington? That’s up to you. I have every bit of confidence in you all that have given so much time and effort to make sure the right outcome happens.”
Palm Beach Polo CEO Glenn Straub, until last month Stadium Jumping’s landlord, wrapped up a long list of public comments by telling the council he no longer had “a dog in the fight” and had heard both sides of the issue. He urged the council to selectively resolve the issues of greatest contention to avoid lawsuits. “There is a way to solve the problem,” Straub said. “You don’t have to go through the whole comprehensive plan process, but pick out the areas that you are concerned about. We were happy until seven months ago, and then everyone was throwing rocks at each other. If I come up and address you again, it will be in a litigation situation. Don’t make our job easier winning suits. Make it so both sides are happy.”
After the presentations and public comments, Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto urged the warring equestrian factions to cooperate.
“I have heard from both parties,” Benacquisto said. “There is a desire to work together. Everyone has to tone down the rhetoric. Come on — what is good for the community is consistency and continuity so people don’t take their horses elsewhere and hurt the sport in general. We respect what you all said. I’m sure it will be worked out. Stadium Jumping is a part of the foundation and fabric of this community. I don’t think anyone has even brought any objections about that. What we’ve heard is objections to the process. The fact is that the majority of people think that Stadium Jumping belongs here.”
Vice Mayor Bob Margolis noted that the council had issued a resolution saying it would do whatever it could to support the equestrian industry in Wellington, and said he had confidence in the village staff analysis. “If we don’t approve this project,” he said, “Stadium Jumping may in fact leave Wellington… You certainly have given more to this village than what we have asked for. I do agree with staff. I make a motion to approve this resolution.”
Benacquisto seconded the motion, but Councilwoman Laurie Cohen said she just could not support the application because of the issues raised by opponents. “I think this is a huge decision for this village,” Cohen said. “We are talking about shifting the hub of equestrian activity from its current location to an area in the village that we have sought to preserve and protect. We have done everything to keep traffic from this. We are shifting it there. I would like to see Stadium Jumping say here. I would like to see them pursue a comprehensive plan application and work this out. I think the comprehensive plan process is there for the protection of the residents, and for us to short-circuit is a disservice to our residents.”
Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore said he supported the proposal, but noted that Stadium Jumping and Bellissimo were even at odds on signing a request for a stabling permit for shows in the coming season, putting even that at risk.
“The request for the conditional-use permit without the signature of the owner, I will never support it or approve it with-
Gangs Statewide Programs
continued from page 13A of Melbourne, who chairs the state house’s Juvenile Justice Committee, said the various entities confronting the gang problem must work more closely with each other. “The services are out there,” he said. “We have lots of good services out there. We have to come to the conclusion that we need to be equal partners in intervention, prevention and enforcement. If you don’t build the foundation, you will be here over and over again. It’s not us against them. We have to work together to accomplish the same goal.”
out the signatures of everyone,” Priore said. “That tells me the parties can’t get together. Please do not come here and tell me you need to get a special-use permit. I think it’s time you sat down with Mark Bellissimo and worked this out.”
The motion to approve the development order and master plan amendments both passed 4-1 with Cohen opposed. Kurtz noted that some minor issues in the application would have to be resolved prior to the council’s final review and approval, scheduled for Sept. 25.
On Thursday, Doorakian wrote the council and Kurtz, saying a daily newspaper article published that day had misquoted him as characterizing the indemnification condition as a “bribe.” Doorakian assured village officials that he did not intend to tarnish their reputations or impair their relations with him.
“Whatever the communication gap was with the article’s author, which I do not believe was intentional, let me make it very clear that anything said was not intended to impugn the personal integrity of any Village of Wellington council member, or the village attorney,” Doorakian wrote in a letter obtained by the Town-Crier. “While my client steadfastly maintains that the village attorney is incorrect on some of his legal theories, including the validity of the indemnification condition, we believe your election to include it as a condition of approval was made in good faith and in reliance upon counsel from your staff and legal professionals.”
County Budget Cuts
continued from page 3A
“There’s never an easy cut,” she said. Commissioner Jeff Koons commented on the irony of a roomful of people complaining that they don’t want the budget cut, but said next year will be a lot tougher if voters approve a so-called “super exemption” through a referendum in January. “Folks, there’s no more free lunch,” he said.
To clear the air and subsequently the room, Commissioner Burt Aaronson made a motion to continue with the county Extension Service, which passed 7-0 to hearty applause.
Groves Council Meeting
Secretary McNeil recalled that as a law enforcement officer in Tallahassee, he took part in a cooperative effort to tackle a growing gang problem there in the 1980s.
“We sat down with everyone in the community,” McNeil said. “We started working with people who cared about the kids. We put people in an auditorium like this. We started talking about how we needed to do something. We turned them around. We eradicated gangs in the community. The community came together. It will take all of us. Our vision is for communities working together and nurturing our kids to become productive members of society. It will happen because the people of the great State of Florida say so.”
continued from page 14A cooperative in preparing the documents, he added.
• The council unanimously approved the second and final reading of a code of ethics to be included in the town charter. Louda made the motion, Autrey seconded and it passed unanimously.
• The council also approved a resolution asking the Board of County Commissioners to continue funding the Agricultural Extension Service. The county’s Budget Oversight Committee presented recommendations to the county commission recommending the elimination of the county Cooperative Extension Service and all its programs. At the county’s final budget meeting Thursday, Sept. 20, it was announced that the funds would not be cut.
Longtime Wellington equestrian Betty Jane Henry voices support for Stadium Jumping.
Dan Doorakian makes his case.
Stadium Jumping’s Gene Mische (center) listens at Tuesday’s meeting.
