WELLINGTON MARKS 9/11 ANNIVERSARY COUNTY COVID-19 CASES TICKING DOWN SEE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 SEE STORY, PAGE 7 THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
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RPBHS Is Teaching Students How To Overcome Adversity
Volume 42, Number 21 September 24 - October 7, 2021
Serving Palms West Since 1980
A SPECIAL SURPRISE HOMECOMING
Royal Palm Beach High School Principal Dr. Jesús Armas reported to the Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board on Monday, Sept. 13 that his school is dedicated to helping students succeed. Page 3
Wellington Historical Society Reviews Photos At ‘Who’s Who Picnic’
The Wellington Historical Society hosted its ‘Who’s Who Picnic’ on Saturday, Sept. 18 at the Wellington Community Center. Many people came by to look over photos from old albums showing the early days of the community. As people came by to look, many began to recognize former residents. Page 8
Kids Cancer Foundation Marks Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
The Kids Cancer Foundation in Royal Palm Beach hosted its annual Childhood Cancer Awareness Month social on Saturday, Sept. 18. The event included crafts, a photo booth, goodie bags, music and t-shirts. There was a special tree with names of 300 pediatric cancer patients and survivors. Page 13
Seminole Ridge Hawks Blank Visiting Royal Palm Beach Wildcats
It didn’t take long for the Seminole Ridge High School football team to establish its dominance over local rival Royal Palm Beach High School when the Hawks hosted the Wildcats at Callery-Judge Stadium on Friday, Sept. 10. The visiting Wildcats had no answer for Seminole Ridge’s dynamic duo of running back Sebastien Christian and quarterback Will Rimes, as the Hawks prevailed 41-0. Page 21 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 18 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 SPORTS......................... 21 - 23 PEOPLE................................. 24 SCHOOLS.............................. 25 BUSINESS......................27 - 29 COLUMNS............................. 30 CLASSIFIEDS.................31 - 32 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
The entire staff at Neighborhood Kids Preschool in Wellington worked to surprise young student Bianca Nunes with the unexpected return home of her father, Navy Seabee Petty Officer 2nd Class Ricardo Nunes, on Friday, Sept. 17. Shown above is Ricardo Nunes with his wife Fabiula and daughters 10-year-old Yasmin, four-year-old Bianca and 12-year-old Juliana. STORY & MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 3
Lox Groves Council To Hold Special Meeting Sept. 28 On Okeechobee Blvd. Grants
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council agreed Tuesday, Sept. 21 to hold a special meeting regarding grants for improvements to Okeechobee Blvd. so it can get hard numbers on how much the town would have to pay. The grant money through the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency is for improvements that include construction of an equestrian trail along Okeechobee Blvd., horse crossings and a roundabout. Mary McNicholas with Geoffrey B. Sluggett & Associates, the council’s liaison with the TPA and Palm Beach County, said County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay has expressed her support for the town and for the projects. TPA Executive Director Nick Uhren
sent a letter that he wanted read into the record. Uhren wrote that the TPA would provide funding for two transportation infrastructure projects. “Specifically, the TPA is providing $0.9 million for the trail project and $1.2 million for the roundabout project, for a total of $2.1 million, [which is] 90 percent of the estimated $2.3 million construction costs,” Uhren wrote. “The TPA, at the request of the town, has also aligned the timing for these two projects together in fiscal year 2024 to enable the county to design and construct them as a single project on behalf of the town… I am urging you to approve the interlocal agreement with staff direction to finalize the necessary revisions with county staff so that these two critical transportation [projects] can proceed to
design and ultimate construction.” The letter stated that the projects would serve to actively manage the speed of motorized vehicles and provide separated facilities and safe crossings for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians. McNicholas said there have been numerous negotiations with high-level members of Palm Beach County government, including McKinlay, and that Florida Department of Transportation contingency costs would be available to be held in a surety bond or as a letter of credit, which would limit up front cash to about $420,000. “Palm Beach County now recognizes the seven-year useful lifespan of the project,” she said. “Language was added to include the town in all design phases from the beginning to the end… Before, See GRANTS, page 14
Wellington Expects Seamless Change In Waste Collection
By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report The Village of Wellington will be getting a new solid waste contractor at the start of 2022, and on Wednesday, Sept. 22, Wellington’s Public Safety Committee got an update on how the changeover is progressing. The new contract between the Village of Wellington and FCC Environmental Services Florida replaces the current agreement with Waste Management for solid waste and recyclable materials collection service in the community. Along with a small non-ad valorem assessment increase in fees, more promises were made of a seamless transition from the new Orlando-based vendor. Wellington initially had a fiveyear contract with previous vendor Waste Management for a flat fee. After the initial period, the contract could be renewed annually, but the price could increase. The contract passed its initial period, and the
village was looking at a substantial price increase. Wellington put the contract out to bid and received four responses with excellent references, experience and other rating scores. FCC, the lowest bidder, currently services 110,000 homes in unincorporated Palm Beach County. Committee Member John Archambo said that in his day job, he has seen the new firm in action, and that the village should be impressed. He pointed out that some people’s trash day will not change, but where the pickup is on the route might. “So, have your trash at curbside by 7 a.m. at first, until you know when they usually come,” he said. The village can terminate the new contract should it be dissatisfied with the service, which will begin with the new calendar year. There will be no change in requirements of service or the twice-a-week pickup schedule. Up See WASTE, page 14
ART SOCIETY ANNIVERSARY
The Wellington Art Society celebrated its 40th anniversary on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at the Wellington Community Center. Leslie Pfeiffer gave an overview of the group’s accomplishments over the four decades. Shown above are Pfeiffer and Laura Jaffe with a painting by Wellington Art Society founder Joanna Secor, donated by Barbara Yoresh. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 18 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
RPB Plans Big Halloween Fun Royal Palm Gives First OK To Budget At Commons Park Oct. 1-2 Of $67.2 Million
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Halloween season is coming a bit early to the Village of Royal Palm Beach, which will hold its Rock-N-Fall festival on Friday, Oct. 1 and Saturday, Oct. 2 with tribute bands, a haunted house, a pumpkin carving contest, a kids’ fun zone and much more at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park. The weekend starts off Friday, Oct. 1 with the Catskill Haunts haunted house beginning at 5 p.m., a Led Zeppelin tribute band at 6 p.m. and a Kiss tribute band at 8:30 p.m. While guests can enjoy the haunted house during the RockN-Fall festival, it will continue throughout the month until Halloween. “Our haunted house is going to
run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the entire month of October. That is starting on Oct. 1 as well,” Assistant Parks & Recreation Director Mike Mikolaichik said. He noted that the Rock-N-Fall Festival, usually held later in October, was not held last year due to the pandemic. It was moved up to Oct. 1 this year. “Friday night is our rock portion of the event,” Mikolaichik said. “We have a Led Zeppelin tribute and a Kiss tribute. We have more of a concert that night with food and alcoholic beverages.” Saturday Oct. 2 will be more family oriented, with a fun zone from 1 to 10 p.m., train rides, carnival games, a bounce house, a musical chair swing ride, a corn maze, a rock wall and bungee
bounce, a petting zoo, an arts and crafts area, a pumpkin carving contest at 3 p.m., a pet costume contest at 4 p.m. and a human costume contest at 5 p.m. Entertainment on Saturday, Oct. 2 will include the Erik Kris Band opening the show at 6 p.m., followed by a Michael Jackson “Thriller” tribute band show starting at 8:30 p.m. Not for the faint of heart, the Catskill Haunts Haunted House promises 3,000 square feet of horror for a $10 entry fee. There will be special effects, scary actors, strobe lights and sound effects. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Royal Palm Beach Commons Park is located at 11600 Poinciana Blvd. For more information, visit www.royalpalmbeach.com.
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council approved a budget of $67,268,349 for fiscal year 2021-22 at the first of two public hearings on Wednesday, Sept. 8. The planned tax rate is unchanged from the current year at 1.92 mills. That is 4.04 percent above the rollback rate of 1.85 mills. Finance Director Stanley Hochman called attention to changes that had been made at the direction of the council at its last budget workshop. “The changes that are listed here are in the budget document, and they are included in my presentation,” Hochman said.
Subsequent to the budget workshop, staff created a position for a public arts professional in the village manager’s budget and adjusted the budget to accommodate a 5.52 percent increase in valuation, rather than the 4.24 percent previously anticipated, and incorporated the amendments made at the Aug. 19 council meeting. The general operating budget represents 41 percent of the budget, with capital projects at 46 percent, reserves of 11 percent and stormwater treatment at 2 percent. The village’s total taxable property values, including new construction, increased by 5.5 percent See RPB BUDGET, page 7
Indian Trail Working With SFWMD And Others On Finding Money To Complete Corbett Levee
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Indian Trail Improvement District is working with several agencies in a cooperative effort to get funding this year to complete improvements to the half-finished levee that separates the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area from The Acreage. The levee breached after Tropical Storm Isaac dumped about 19 inches of rain over the community in 2012. Acreage-area streets were already flooded from the deluge. Although a few homes flooded, the higher water level in Corbett led to the partial breach of the levee,
which was the only thing protecting The Acreage from further flooding. The partial breach was brought under control due to a concerted effort by the South Florida Water Management District. In 2013, the SFWMD was able to appropriate $4 million of the $8 million needed at the time and completed half of the levee improvements. The J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area is managed by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, which controls water levels there. ITID President Betty Argue said lobbyist Mary McNicholas with Geoffrey B. Sluggett & Associates
has been contracted by ITID to work with the SFWMD, the FWC and other involved agencies to get the rest of the funding to complete the levee improvements, as well as M-O Canal outfall improvements, which together are estimated to cost $9.4 million. “They have been working diligently on M-O outfall and Corbett levee funding with the South Florida Water Management District, Florida Fish & Wildlife, the county and ITID — we’re all sort of in a working partnership,” Argue said. “We have a great team put together working on that.” She added ITID Supervisor Michael Johnson has also been
involved with getting the funding for the project. “It looks like the South Florida Water Management District has put in for funding for the Corbett levee,” Argue said. “We’re still trying to determine whether we’re going to need to put in an appropriation, and we have a meeting with State Rep. Rick Roth regarding that.” She said they are also looking for some funding from the county, which has some pots of money that they can use potentially to help fund the project. “This project is being packaged together now, the Corbett levee and the M-O outfall together, so
the cost of the project has now increased to $9.4 million,” Argue said. “Remember, when we first started out, the whole project was $8 million, and we only got half of it done, so we’re making great headway here. Kudos to the board for supporting a change in direction… We might just get this issue addressed this year.” McNicholas told the Town-Crier that Sluggett & Associates has been hired specifically to help get the project through the legislature. “It is a project that was promised back in 2013 by former Gov. Rick Scott,” she said. “They authorized $4 million, which was half of the See LEVEE, page 14