Town-Crier Newspaper September 7, 2007

Engineer Heads West

Gary

TOWN-CRIER

Wellington’s Hometown Newspaper

Volume 28, Number 36

Serving Palms West Since 1980

W Wellington’ ellington’s Money For sMoneyFor Schools On SchoolsOn The Chopping Block TheChoppingBlock

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

Wellington’s Education Advisory Committee voiced support Tuesday for cutting student enrichment funds to elementary schools in the village.

The village currently provides each public school within its boundaries $5 per student annually, known as enrichment funding, and gives each elementary school $25,000 to fund reading programs. The reading grants were originally intended to be matched by Palm Beach County School District funds, but the district declined. Nevertheless, the Education Committee and Wellington Village Council still refer to the reading grant program as “challenge grants.”

The village is lining up a se-

ries of budget cuts in anticipation of falling revenues. Vice Chair Dawn Ramos told the committee that the principals of Wellington’s elementary schools had told the council they would prefer to lose the $5 per student than the reading grants, if they had to choose.

Ramos said the council discussed the situation at a recent budget workshop, and expressed a desire to distribute the reading grant money more equitably, perhaps extending it to middle and high schools.

Committee Member Theresa Ventriglio said she wanted to create a more equitable system, but noted that schools in the community vary in terms of proficiency and student needs. She suggested that while reading grants should be extended to middle and high schools, pro-

viding such grants should be based on individual need.

“It seems to me we should be looking at equalizing it, meaning there are some schools that may need the whole $25,000 of that reading challenge grant, and there are some schools that don’t need as much money,” Ventriglio said. “We have some schools that service 13 students and some that service 40 students with the $25,000. From my perspective, we need to be a bit more fair and equitable across the board.”

Committee Member Murray Rosen said he was curious as to why the number of students benefiting from the grants varies from school to school, although the grant amount is the same. “I am not disagreeing with what you are saying,” Rosen said. “It doesn’t seem right

that it takes the same amount of money to service eight versus 40. What is the criteria on that? The criteria is what we need to determine first.”

Ramos said some elementary schools have held off on hiring reading teachers pending the final council decision on the budget. She said that taking away or reducing the grants based on the number of students that benefit would appear like punishing the schools for a situation they cannot control.

“For us to arbitrarily come in and say we are now taking it away, and say there are not as many kids in need of those services or as many children utilizing those funds, is not right,” she said.

Ramos also noted that the annual $25,000 grants pay for school reading programs in

stages, from setting up a reading room to acquiring materials to hiring a reading coach.

“The eventual goal was to have a reading resource room and materials and the teacher in place,” she said. “It’s not just for a teacher.”

Ramos said middle and high schools would be glad to be able to participate in the $25,000 reading grant process and take advantage of the program even if it meant losing the $5-per-student funding. She said it would be better to get children reading at the lower grades, and then continue the process through middle and high school.

Committee Member Matthew Kurit concurred and said reading grants could help raising the grade levels of the schools. “The $25,000 is an investment,” he

See ED MONEY, page 42A

RPB Council Seat RPBCouncilSeat W Will ill S Sttay V ayVacant Until 2008 acantUntil2008

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach Village Council moved closer to resolving two issues for the price of one Thursday, directing village staff to craft an ordinance moving the municipal election from March 2008 to January 2008.

The council also agreed by consensus not to appoint a person to fill an unoccupied seat on the council but wait until the January election to once again become a council of five.

“Let the public fill that seat in January,” Mayor David Lodwick said.

The village and other Florida municipalities have the option of moving their elections scheduled for March 2008 to Jan. 29 to coincide with the new date for the presidential primary and property tax reform referendum.

If the council’s newest member is elected in January, he or she won’t officially take office until March 20. The seat has been vacant since the resignation of Barbara Isenberg in July.

At least one person has surfaced as a potential candidate.

Community activist Martha Webster expressed interest in the seat in a Sept. 4 letter to the council. Webster unsuccessfully challenged David Swift, currently the village’s vice mayor, in the March 2006 municipal election.

Swift, Lodwick and Councilman Matty Mattioli are each up for re-election in the 2008 municipal election cycle.

Lodwick is on record as say-

ing he supports moving up the election date for two reasons: because the Jan. 29 date will bring out more voters and because it will save the village the cost of holding a stand-alone election.

If the council approves the move, it will share the cost of the election with Palm Beach County. A March 11 election, on the other hand, would be paid for entirely by the village.

“It’s a lot more fair to ask voters to come out once and not twice,” Lodwick said. “And it saves us about $12,000. So from my perspective, it makes a whole lot of sense to do this and to move forward with having our municipal election on Jan. 29.”

Mattioli called the decision to consider switching the election date “an excellent idea.”

“I have no problem with it,” Mattioli said. “We’re only changing the date of the election. Our election rules won’t change.”

A first reading of the proposed ordinance is scheduled for the council’s Sept. 18 meeting.

In other business, the council approved a first reading of a proposal to amend a village ordinance dealing with offenses and miscellaneous provisions. The amendment would add a village alarm code concerning the permitting and technical requirements of alarm systems, both business and residential, including provisions for false alarms and associated fines.

The primary reason for proposal, Village Manager David

The Wellington Library featured “Talk Like a Pirate Day” on Tuesday, Sept. 4 for ages six and up. Host Annmarie Campbell read interactive books to the kids, showed them how to make pirate hats and presented a pirate-themed DVD. Shown here, Amir and Alley Amwarti display their maps to pirate treasure.

PHOTOS, PAGE 40A

PHOTO BY DENISE

After A Decade With Wellington, Gary Clough Heads West

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

After seeing Wellington through three hurricanes and several large capital projects, Environmental & Engineering Services Director Gary Clough announced this week he is leaving for a similar job in Casper, Wyoming.

Clough started as village engineer just a year after Wellington incorporated in the mid1990s and many credit him for playing an instrumental role in developing the village’s infrastructure.

“He’s the guy who built the city,” Financial Services Director Francine Ramaglia told the Town-Crier, adding that she and many staff members were surprised at his departure and that they regretted to see him go.

“Gary is a very good engineer, one of the best that I have ever worked with,” Community Services Director Paul Schofield said. “We’re going to miss him. He took us through several hurricanes and significant capital projects. I just hope he has warm clothes. Casper, Wyoming is a cold place. It has always been a goal of his to get out west. It’s an opportunity for him to do something that he’s wanted for years.”

In his resignation letter to Village Manager Charlie Lynn, Clough said he would remain with the village until Nov. 3. “This time will allow me to serve you through the peak of the hurricane season and allow me to complete items and coordinate my staff so there is a

smooth transition for you,”

Clough wrote.

“It has been my great pleasure to serve you and the village for the past 10 years,” he continued. “The knowledge and opportunities that you provided me have been invaluable to me. This is, however, a great opportunity for me and my wife as we enter the next phase of our lives together, and I don’t feel I can pass it by.”

Schofield said he wasn’t sure how the village will replace Clough. “He’s going to be a hard person to replace,” he said. “I will leave that to Mr. Lynn. Right now, the news is kind of new to all of us. It’s certainly something I was not expecting. I wish him well. He’s going to be missed.”

Schofield said he is grateful that Clough, who leads the village’s emergency management team, will stay through the most intense stretch of the hurricane season. “It’s a good thing he decided to stay until November,” he said. “It shows a degree of professionalism you expect from him.”

Engineer Gene Schriner, a former member of Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board, told the Town-Crier Clough will be missed. “I feel bad about it. I liked him. He’s a good guy,” he said. “I understand where he’s going. He’s going to a nice place with a different lifestyle. It’s beautiful there.”

Schriner said he holds Clough’s work and professional ethic in high regard. “He gets down to business,” he said.

“There’s a lot on his plate. He definitely will be missed.”

“He’s the best — that says it all,” Ramaglia said. “If there could be no greater fan of Gary Clough, it’s me. He’ll be my dear friend for all of my life.”

Ramaglia said Clough represents to her a complete professional. “He was always quietly making all the right things happen. He never sought particular credit, he just wanted it to be right and he wanted it to be the best,” she said. “I couldn’t pick a better partner to work with than Gary Clough. I think everybody has a deep respect and abiding affection for him.”

Mayor Tom Wenham said Clough has taken the village through important stages of its

development.

“I hate to see Gary leave. He brought a lot of professionalism to the Village of Wellington. Being the true professional that he is, he is staying with us through the hurricane season. That speaks volumes,” Wenham said. “He’s done a tremendous amount of good things for the village. He handled many projects, our drainage projects, the road projects, and just being there during the hurricanes that we had in ’04 and ’05. He’s a very strong person, and he demon-

Gary Clough

strated it as we went through the hurricanes. This village owes him a great debt of gratitude.”

Lynn told the Town-Crier Clough supervised the construction of most of the village’s infrastructure, managed compliance with the Everglades Forever Act and a variety of other activities. “I will be very sorry to see Gary leave us,” he said. “He has been an integral part of the team. Wellington will be losing a critical member of our management.”

Renovated Greens Open At Village Golf Club

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

The Village Golf Club in Royal Palm Beach has opened its four renovated greens while construction continues on the facility’s new 7,000-square-foot clubhouse that general manager Dan Peasant said is scheduled to open in four months.

Each of the new greens now feature JonesDwarf grass, a relatively new strain of Bermuda grass that thrives in the Florida heat. The renovation was done by the design company of Coore & Crenshaw, which has designed such highly acclaimed courses as the Plantation Course on Kapalua and Sandhills Golf Club in Mullen, Neb.

“People are happy with the

greens. They like them,” Peasant said. “The course is in good shape. We just hope we can convince some people that we’re serious. The summer has been slow because of the temporary greens.”

The clubhouse, Peasant said, will be a Key West design that will feature an overhang roof, porch, bar and lounge area, as well as men’s and women’s locker facilities and course of-

fices. “It will be quite practical and quaint,” Peasant said. “Think of it like a house with a big living room. It will be nice setting at night to sit on the porch.”

In addition to the four greens, the Coore & Crenshaw team reshaped the bunkering on the 11th, 12th and 13th holes.

The Village Golf Club is located on Royal Palm Beach Blvd. north of Okeechobee Blvd.

The beginnings of the new clubhouse at the Village Golf Club.

Our Opinion State Insurance Reform Far From Adequate... Think National

Not too long after the start of his term, Gov. Charlie Crist spoke loudly about property insurance reform. He made no bones about verbally sparring with insurance companies, whose skyrocketing premiums have added to the financial woes of Florida homeowners. No more, Crist promised — the companies would reduce rates. He even gave them a deadline. But the deadline has since passed, and not only have the bulk of the reductions failed to take effect, thousands of policy holders are being dropped altogether.

Even before he took office, Crist called the State Legislature into session to discuss property insurance reform. Upon signing the bill that emerged from the session, Crist called it “comprehensive insurance reform, including broad-based, meaningful reductions in property insurance rates.” The stated goals of the legislation included lowering rates for everyone, freezing rates, repealing 2007 increases, preventing companies from raising rates without state approval, and preventing companies from dropping policyholders during hurricane season. “Today, we have a message for the people of Florida: help is on the way!” Crist said at the time.

Help arrived, but it was not enough. Not surprisingly, insurance companies say their hands are tied; despite the $12 billion in state money they received for reinsurance, it’s still not enough to provide a real safety net. Meanwhile, uninsured Floridians scramble to make do as the storm season rolls on, shopping for new insurance carriers while praying the next Category 5 hurricane misses us.

Bellissimo Deal Good News For Wellington

The news of Mark Bellissimo and his impressive group of partners purchasing not only the established show grounds but the polo stadium property as well is music to my ears. Does this mean we will have unity, peace and security at last?

Community members of all

Insurance companies like to paint themselves as the victims, arguing that by forcing them to dramatically cut rates, Florida runs the risk of losing them to other states. Lost in that discussion is the fact that homeowners are in the same boat, the only alternative being the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the insurer of last resort — a rock and a hard place, indeed.

However, the state wouldn’t be in such dire straits were this a federal issue. And legislation to create a national catastrophe program — proposed by local congressmen Tim Mahoney and Ron Klein, both of whom sit on the House Financial Services Committee — would do just that. By spreading the insurance risk across all 50 states, much of the burden is lifted from individual homeowners. The challenge is gaining widespread support from congressmen and senators in states that don’t face the same environmental hazards as Florida. While Palm Beach County is more likely to suffer a hurricane, many other areas of the country suffer natural disasters of their own: snow in the Northeast, flood and tornados in the Midwest and wildfires and earthquakes in the West.

The state’s attempt at property insurance reform, while valiant, was not enough. Legislators must readdress the issue soon, perhaps at a possible fall special session. But anything coming out of Tallahassee is likely to be small in scope. While it is true Florida can stand to be far more aggressive with insurance companies, a national plan is Florida’s best hope for comprehensive property insurance reform. Otherwise, the state’s homeowners really will be living on a prayer.

Letters To The Editor

ages and interests will perhaps take notice of what makes the equestrian world tick — it is passion, hard work, a love of the outdoors, a love of our animals (usually more than just equine) and, significantly, a love of our community. Wellington, our town! Is this all possible? I surely trust it can and will be. Everyone must join together to work toward enhancing and improving this

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one-of-a-kind village — a village with such special advantages for each and every one of us. It is not necessary that everyone be a horse lover, but it is necessary that we all love and respect each other — the seniors, the corporate families, the hard-working singles and especially, our teenagers and our younger school children. It is a truly confusing world in which we live. Perhaps as life in Wellington becomes more solidified, we will attain more stability for our families and be able to search for more projects in which everyone can participate and enjoy.

May a renewed era begin at once. An era of thankfulness and appreciation of each other, and especially of the many participants who brought an end to the unrest among us all.

Jeri Freels-Brower Wellington

Equestrian Voice

that night and have some personal opinions I’d like to share. My speech would have gone something like this, had I spoken that evening: I am speaking to you as a Wellington citizen, a horseman, an exhibitor, a recognized horse show judge, and a member of the USEF Show Jumping High Performance Committee.

I am very disappointed in our village council. We have all made a huge effort to come to this meeting for a decision. This is obviously a time-sensitive issue that needs to be moved ahead quickly. I find it hard to believe that you would all sit behind the bench and look into the faces of the people who voted for you and dismiss us so easily. The biggest concern seemed to be if the ladies on the council would be able to make the next meeting at four o’clock or five.

in our country. This is an honor we cannot afford to lose.

Our industry, over the past few years, has exploded, and we have outgrown our current venue. It is now time to take the next step and build a worldclass facility that all of us can be proud of. We need our own Spruce Meadows, we need our own Aachen.

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

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The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising.

I am writing this letter on behalf of many other concerned equestrians, and myself. On Aug. 28, a group of horsemen went to the meeting of the Wellington Village Council to show support for Gene Mische and Stadium Jumping. If you were at the meeting, you would have seen the large number of people who put forth a great amount of effort to attend.

After a brief discussion, we were informed that there would be no discussion or decision that night concerning the approval of Stadium Jumping’s move.

I had been at a previous meeting and spoke to show my support for the new show grounds in Wellington. The members of the council did say that if anyone who wished to speak that could not come to the September meeting could have their three minutes. I chose not to speak thinking I would attend yet another meeting. After checking my schedule, I realized that I had a commitment on that date that I would not be able to break.

I have since been thinking of

I know that I have learned something about the way Wellington is being run during these meetings, and I certainly won’t take the next election in this community for granted. I will work hard to try and find a horseman to support, a horseman who can sit on the council and protect our points of view. I know many people now feel this way.

As much as I support the new show grounds being in Wellington, at this point I would not blame Stadium Jumping for moving elsewhere. How many more hoops do they need to jump through? The people who have supported Stadium Jumping and Gene Mische for many years are a very resilient group. We have followed him to many venues over the last 40 years or so. The reasons are obvious. Stadium Jumping has evolved over the years and has brought show jumping to a new level in this country.

For years, in order to compete at the international level, we needed to travel to Europe. We still need to go to Europe for events, but now, because of the efforts of Stadium Jumping, Europe is starting to need to come to us. Wellington now hosts the only Nations Cup

I spent part of this summer in Kentucky at the Kentucky Horse Park. This is to be the site of the World Equestrian Games in 2010. I was so impressed by the horsemen in Kentucky — they hosted a party and proudly showed us what they were creating. Not only did they show us what they were doing, but the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation pledged to raise almost $35 million in private funds, leaving no doubt that the venue will be first class. Wouldn’t it be impressive if our Wellington Village Council would encourage people to support and help raise funds instead of seeing how difficult they can make it for this new venture? How fortunate we are to have a few people in our camp who are going out on a limb for us.

I do not believe the Wellington council understands how many other people they are affecting with these delays. Real estate, from home and farm sales to seasonal rentals, is almost at a standstill. Many equestrians have not even made the commitment to come to Wellington this year for fear of the on-going turmoil continuing. I go to many shows, and I hear this first hand. With these delays you might as well just turn over this season’s revenue to other show locations.

I was pleased to hear of the purchase of the old show grounds by Mr. [Mark] Bellissimo. Hopefully everyone can now work together so that we might have two venues in this town. There is room for everyone, and with the right structure and timing, we could find ourselves with little reason to leave Wellington for long periods of time. I myself have been able to figure out how to

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.

Think Outside The No-Fault Box On Personal Injury Protection

As the Oct. 1 expiration date approaches for Florida’s no-fault insurance law — known as Personal Injury Protection or “PIP” — it has been widely reported that the only three options are to extend it, mend it or end it.

The first option is a non-starter in the Florida House of Representatives, as its leaders reason that an unreformed PIP would invite additional fraud and abuse. House leadership has instead chosen to mend PIP by pushing a number of con-

troversial proposals that include less coverage for doctor visits and more time for insurers to pay claims. The third option — ending mandatory personal injury insurance — would transform Florida into a haven for uninsured motorists and limitless auto litigation.

Fortunately, there is a better alternative if you think outside the no-fault box: replace mandatory no-fault PIP with mandatory bodily injury (BI) insurance, where the person at fault is financially

Connecting The Dots On Earmarks

So why did an Alaskan congressman try to give (“earmark”) $10 million to a Florida county for a highway interchange they didn’t want? Perhaps we should ask a Michigan real estate developer who shortly before helped raise $40,000 for the Alaskan congressman at a fundraiser in the Florida county.

Footloose and...

By Jules W. Rabin

The “earmark” (grant) was steered through Congress “at the last second” on the tail of a transportation bill Congress had previously approved and was “cleaning it up” before sending to the White House for presidential signature. Officials in Lee County considered the $10 million project “low priority.” It was opposed by environmental groups, and the congressman from the district never asked for it! However, Daniel Aronoff, the Michigan man with the fundraising touch, was discovered to have property adjacent to the proposed I-75 interchange at Coconut Road, and surely this inter-

change would make that property considerably more valuable. Have we connected the dots?

Well, the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization thought so. This august group voted overwhelmingly to return the money. And, after a researcher hired by the planning group discovered the last minute “shenanigans” surrounding the earmark, Carla Johnson, the organization’s chairwoman, publicly commented, “people were really highly outraged at the process. It was a classic end run.”

So how many tax dollars have been gifted in congressional “earmarks”? The numbers are astounding. Suffice it to say the recently passed energy and water spending legislation alone had $3.2 billion in congressional earmarks tucked away in it. Is it any wonder that Congress has such low ratings in every public poll?

Royal Palm Council OKs Budget With Tax Rate Cut

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach Village Council unanimously approved its Fiscal Year 2007-08 budget in the first of two public hearings Tuesday.

Finance Director Stan Hochman outlined the basic details of the $62.97 million budget, which includes a cut in the millage rate from 2.1635 to 2.0058 and marks the 13th consecutive year the city has reduced its tax rate.

Hochman told the council the millage rate would result in a savings of $31.54 for a homeowner with a homesteaded property assessed at $225,000.

Whether or not the village can make it 14 years in a row is up in the air. Village Manager David Farber and Mayor David Lodwick warned that the twopronged property tax reform bill the Florida Legislature passed in June jeop-

ardizes further tax rate reductions for village residents in 2009. In particular, Farber said, the Jan. 29 voter referendum that may give Floridians the ability to trade the existing homestead exemption for what has been called a “super exemption” puts any further village rate cuts at risk.

“The problem with that is, presuming what the legislature passed has been implemented in the budget cycle, is that it’s correcting what is perceived to be the ills of big spenders, which we are not,” Farber said. “This is actually creating a harmful circumstance to working class communities.”

Voter approval of the super exemption could put the village in a difficult situation facing a potential 14.8-percent reduction in its property tax revenues.

The 2008 budget, Farber said, is the village’s opportunity to serve notice to

See RPB BUDGET, page 9A

responsible for the accident.

BI insurance is not new to Florida, the vast majority of us already pay for this coverage. Florida, however, is one of only three states where BI insurance is not required. As a result, Florida drivers pay higher insurance premiums for “uninsured motorist” (UM) insurance, which covers injuries caused by drivers with insufficient or no BI insurance. An actuarial study shows that replacing mandatory PIP with mandatory BI insurance would save drivers an average of 30 percent per vehicle on their uninsured motorist insurance.

By requiring a minimal amount of BI protection ($25,000 per person/$50,000 per incident), we would also save taxpayers and trauma centers millions of dollars in uncompensated medical care stemming from auto accidents.

A fault-based system would also promote personal responsibility by shifting more of the financial burden of auto accidents onto the drivers who cause them, and away from innocent victims and taxpayers. An additional long-term benefit could be fewer auto accidents, as careless drivers are forced to shoulder the burdens of their bad decisions.

In the past legislative session, I introduced this mandatory BI alternative to PIP but several of my fellow senators

Letters

continued from page 4A be gone for only about six weeks in the summer.

I look forward to the day that we not only host a Nations Cup, but perhaps a World Cup Final. I hope that event will happen in Wellington, and not somewhere else.

The next meeting of the Wellington Village Council comes at a very unfortunate time, and a number of important and concerned horsemen will be unable to attend. The American Gold Cup is that week, the Middleburg Classic, and many equestrians are heading north to get ready for the fall circuit.

I know that Stadium Jumping, Gene Mische and all the other people who have worked so hard on this project would appreciate you sending notes or letters of support if you cannot attend this next meeting.

Let’s also hope the Wellington Village Council lives up to their promise of serving the community, and gives us a decision so that we can finally move ahead. Ronnie Beard Wellington

Louda To County: Deny Request For Landfill

Editor’s note: The following letter by Loxahatchee Groves Councilman Dr. Bill Louda is addressed to the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners. Dr. Louda is a professor of environmental chemistry at Florida Atlantic University.

Point of View...

By State Sen. Dave Aronberg (District 27)

chose a strategy of “PIP or bust” brinkmanship. Now, with the Oct. 1 deadline approaching, such obstinance will lead us to the worst-case scenario, which is the elimination of PIP with nothing to take its place.

Legislators may feel boxed in on this issue, but there is a way out. If a special legislative session on auto insurance is called this fall, I will again introduce the mandatory BI bill in the Senate. It is time that our colleagues and the press give our proposal a closer look. With 47 other states now requiring mandatory BI coverage, the solution to this looming crisis is not so much innovative as obvious.

State Senator Dave Aronberg (DGreenacres) represents District 27, which includes parts of Palm Beach, Lee, Glades, Charlotte and Hendry counties.

Dear Commissioners:

Take just a few minutes to ponder the power that you have. It is in your power to help the Everglades, specifically the Arthur R. Marshall Loxhatchee National Wildlife Refuge.

Once you truly consider the worldwide attention on the greatest rejuvenation of a highly impacted ecosytem ever attempted and the billions of dollars that the State of Florida and every United States taxpayer is putting into this effort, you have no alternative but to deny the ill-conceived placement of a landfill and a chemical storage facility within a stone’s throw of these precious, precarious waters.

Please do what you know in your heart to be the right thing and redirect the placement of both of these absolute — not potential, but absolute — sources of pollution to the groundwaters and birds of the Everglades.

As always, I appreciate your time and consideration.

Dr. Bill Louda Loxahatchee Groves

For The Record

In the article “Groves Begins Task Of Drawing Up Codes” published last week, the name of the Loxahatchee Groves bird breeder in conflict with his neighbor was misidentified. The breeder’s name is Todd McLendon. The Town-Crier regrets any confusion this might have caused.

Shoplifters Caught Stealing More Than $6,000 In Merchandise

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

AUG. 30 — Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies from the Royal Palm Beach substation arrested two men and two women for attempting to take more than $6,000 in merchandise from the Wal-Mart Supercenter last Thursday. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 1:30 p.m. store security guards observed 29year-old Martasha Ward and 26year-old Kurtina Butler, each of Fort Lauderdale, acting as look-

CRIME NEWS CRIME NEWS

outs for 42-year-old Linder Ward and 25-year-old Henry Lewis, also of Fort Lauderdale, as the two men used a key they were unauthorized to have to open several glass cabinets. According to the report, store security guards observed Lewis and Ward place DVD movies and electronic games into a large car seat box. All four were arrested and transported to the Palm Beach County Jail.

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

• Jason Mittler is a white male, 6’2” tall and weighing 170 lbs. with brown hair and blue eyes. His date of birth is 08/14/72. He has tattoos on his back and right shoulder. Mittler is wanted on the charges of battery on an emergency medical care worker and assault on a police officer, as well as failure to appear in court on several traffic violations. His occupation is tile installation. His last known address was Seaside Drive in Greenacres. Mittler is wanted as of 09/06/07.

• Jermaine Paige, a.k.a. “J Dog,” is a black male, 6’ tall and weighing 300 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 08/23/80. He has tattoos on his chest, abdomen and both arms, and a pierced tongue. Paige is wanted for violation of probation on convictions for possession of marijuana and cocaine. His occupation is food preparation. His last known address was Sandpiper Avenue in Royal Palm Beach. Paige is wanted as of 09/06/07. 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.

AUG. 28 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington arrested a man on State Road 7 for drug possession last Tuesday. According to a PBSO report, the deputy made contact with 31-year-old Paul Costa of Wellington at approximately 8:35 p.m. and discovered he possessed cocaine. Costa’s vehicle was confiscated, and he was taken to the county jail.

AUG. 28 — A traffic stop in Wellington led to the arrest of a West Palm Beach man on a sex offender related charge last Tuesday. According to a PBSO

report, a deputy from the Wellington substation stopped 47year-old Daniel Bosca at Forest Hill Blvd. and Block Island for several traffic violations at approximately 2:20 a.m. Bosca failed a sobriety test, and during a records check, it was revealed that Bosca was a registered sex offender. However, his Florida identification listed a different address than his Florida driver’s license, according to the report. Further investigation showed that Bosca was obligated to update the address on his Florida ID card, which he had not. Bosca was arrested for DUI and failure to register as a sex offender.

AUG. 28 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington arrested a man last Tuesday night on Forest Hill Blvd. for drug possession. According to a PBSO report, 26-year-old Andrew Lamy of West Palm Beach was arrested after a deputy discovered he was in possession of 25 grams of marijuana. Lamy was taken to the county jail.

AUG. 29 — A routine traffic stop in Royal Palm Beach resulted in the arrest of an Acreage man on multiple charges last Wednesday. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the RPB substation stopped 19year-old Sergio Perez for speeding on LaMancha Avenue at approximately 5 p.m. The deputy discovered Perez was in possession of marijuana, as well as a digital scale, several plastic bags and pair of brass knuckles. Perez was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent

to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia and carrying a concealed weapon. He was transported to the county jail.

AUG. 31 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched to the Macy’s department store at the Mall at Wellington Green last Friday regarding a shoplifter. According to a PBSO report, 23-yearold Jessica Croom of Riviera Beach was taken into custody at approximately 8 p.m. and charged with retail theft. Croom was taken to the county jail.

AUG. 31 — A West Palm Beach woman was arrested and charged with retail theft after being caught shoplifting at the Macy’s store at the Mall at Wellington Green last Friday. According to a PBSO report, 23year-old Marsheka Velasquez was apprehended at approximately 8:55 p.m. after attempting to leave the store with $392 worth of clothing concealed under her dress. Velasquez was transported to the county jail.

SEPT. 4 — A routine traffic stop on State Road 7 in Wellington led to the arrest of a Boynton Beach man Tuesday afternoon. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation stopped 25year-old Jarred Stine for speeding at approximately 12:15 p.m. The deputy ran a records check, which revealed Stine’s driver’s license was suspended. While searching the vehicle, the deputy discovered marijuana. Stine was charged with possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license. He was transported to the county jail.

Jermaine Paige

Jason Mittler

Yes To ‘Passports,’ But Fee Hikes Concern Wellington Council

By Carol Porter Town-Crier Staff Report

The Wellington Village Council pondered the effects of increased fees and a passport system on village programs during their Aug. 30 budget workshop.

In order to increase revenue in the face of state-mandated property tax cutbacks, village staff have proposed sales of yearly “passports” for residents participating in village sports, recreation and leisure programs and activities, as well as increases in user fees, particularly for non-residents.

But Councilman Dr. Carmine Priore said he was worried about how to handle fee increases given the fact that some village facilities, such as the pool, were funded with county money.

“That puts us in a dilemma,” Priore said. “Can we do that because some of our properties are funded with county money?”

Village staffers have also proposed offsetting some funding shortfalls by using money in the village’s $2 million rate stabilization fund. In light of that proposal, Councilwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto said she could support the passport program but not in tandem with increased fees.

“I am supportive of the passport program for people to opt in and out,” Benacquisto said, “but I don’t want to increase program fees at the same time. I like the fact that we give people that option. I don’t want to overburden them.”

Benacquisto requested several variations of the program to consider.

“I asked to see some scenarios for the passport fee for various incarnations dollarwise,” she said. “Would more of the burden be borne by residents? I think we can do it

without increasing the program fees. We can utilize the money from the rate stabilization fund. Maybe there are some ways within the department to offset the costs.”

Priore and Benacquisto both cautioned that too steep an increase in fees might result in non-residents avoiding village programs altogether.

“We might need to consider what would happen with the exit of non-residents and too many kids dropped out,” Benacquisto said. “We might have all these facilities not being used. Is there a point where it can become a reality? The truth is we’re all in transition here. The following year, we need to do an analysis on that.”

Community Services Director Paul Schofield agreed that if the village raises the fees too high, non-residents might stop using the programs. However, he said, the sports providers suggested the possibility of a passport program and higher fees during the recent public budget forums.

“They would like the nonresident fees to be higher,” he said. “There were several ways that particular group offered to help. We had a discussion with the providers. The sports providers are not opposed to it. During the public meeting, the concept of the passport fee came from that particular group.”

Priore said it was his impression that the people participating in the programs would be willing to subsidize them. It didn’t matter whether they came from outside of the area; they still wanted to use the village’s top-notch services and fields. “The people in the provider programs said they would subsidize the programs,” he said. “They want their kids to play.”

Councilman Bob Margolis said he supported the passport

program, but did not think any particular group should be exempt, not even seniors. But because budget cuts affect seniors more severely because of their limited incomes, they might deserve a discount.

“If we charge a passport fee, we have to charge every resident no matter what age,” Margolis said. “We could give a discount to the seniors. There are people out there screaming, ‘if you have to do it for us, you have to do it for them.’”

Margolis also said it is well understood that the village is facing constraints and tough choices because of action at the state level. The sports providers might have to assume some of the costs themselves and pass them on to people using the programs, he said.

“Maybe the sports provider should be paying $5 or $10 per child,” Margolis said, “maybe after increasing the fees. This is mandated by the state. We’re under limitations from what the state is doing. It’s not the village or us mandating to pay more. We are trying to keep our level of service. They need to pay a little more.”

Benacquisto noted that the village sees very little of the fees collected by providers, but Priore said the sports providers basically count on that money to run their programs. Priore also said he thought non-resident seniors should pay a fee.

“There are seniors outside of the village that are non-residents who use the programs,” Priore said. “I think the nonresident seniors should pay a non-resident fee.”

Margolis asked how much the village benefits from the tennis program. Schofield said Wellington doesn’t see much from the tennis program unless people buy an annual pass. He also said the tennis pro-

Loxatachee Groves CERT Team Recruiting

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

The Loxahatchee Groves Community Emergency Response Team is still looking for a few good men and women.

Team organizer Ken Johnson spoke at the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council meeting Tuesday, encouraging residents to take part in the training.

“We have 23 people almost done with the program, and we need more people to volunteer,” he said. “If we have an emergency, we only get called if the first-responders get stretched too thin.”

Johnson also called for volunteers to play victims in a Sept. 10 training exercise at Palms West Presbyterian

Church on Okeechobee Blvd.

“We could use double and triple the number of people for a community of this size,” Johnson said. “This is all about

neighbors and helping neighbors and that’s the kind of community we have.”

For more information, call Johnson at (561) 793-0188.

Ukraine Organ Project At Wellington Presbyterian

Wellington Presbyterian Church, located at 1000 Wellington Trace, will hold a Ukraine Organ Project Fundraising Concert on Sunday, Sept. 16 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Featured musicians will include Marie Ashley, soprano soloist and Rev. Larry Roff, organist of Lake Osborne Presbyterian Church.

The Presbyterian Church in

America has had a team of missionaries working in the Ukraine since 1992, where they have created numerous churches. By playing concerts, Larry Roff has raised funds to purchase and install organs in several of these churches.

The Wellington concert will include a brief video of the gospel ministry in Belgorod-Dnistrovsky, narrated by the wife of

gram also costs a lot less to run because administration of many expenses was shifted to the tennis pro in charge of the program.

the Ukrainian pastor. There will be a special offering with all proceeds going toward the organ fund. Make checks payable to Lake Osborne Presbyterian Church, designated for the Ukraine Organ Project.

For more information, call Steve Hammaker at (561) 7931007 or email William DeWitt at bdewitt@wpcfl.com.

“We shifted a lot of the costs to Tommy Cheatham,” Schofield said. “The only thing we didn’t shift was the capital maintenance and some of the other things we do for every facility.”

Village staff will give the council an update on various funding options at their Sept. 11 meeting.

PBSO Seeks Suspects In Grand Theft Case

AUG. 8 — The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating two suspects in connection with a grand theft that took place Aug. 8.

According to a PBSO report, the suspects (shown above) broke into a vehicle parked in parking lot at the corner of Southern Blvd. and State Road 7, stealing the victim’s purse. Shortly after the purse was stolen the suspects — described as a white female and white male — used the victim’s credit card to purchase a Rolex watch at Mayors Jewelers in the Town Center Mall in Boca Raton. After the suspects left the mall they purchased several items with the credit card at the Wal-Mart and Best Buy stores on the corner of Glades Road and SR 7.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Detective Mitch McCranels at (561) 904-8273 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS.

Preparing For An Emergency — Ken Johnson and Dennis Lipp at a recent CERT training session.

A

NEW

SEASON

BEGINS FOR THE WELLINGTON WOMEN’S CLUB

The Wellington Women’s Club held its first meeting of the season Wednesday, Sept. 5 at the Wellington Community Center. (Clockwise from below) Terri Priore, Denise Friedlander, Marie Priore and Erin Downey; Carolyn Hellmann and Faye Ford check in people at the event; Allyson Samilijan and Maureen Gross talk about the upcoming Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in October.

Alarms

Village Code

continued from page 1A Farber told the council, is to keep District 9 Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies from having to deal with false alarms.

“To maximize resources, you certainly don’t want to divert deputies off the street for things that are not useful,” Farber said.

The proposed new amendment, Farber said, also could generate a nice revenue stream for the village. The proposal calls for fines ranging in scale from $50 and $500 for businesses and citizens that continually violate the code.

Farber said the village currently has no standardization code that deals with

illegal entry alarms.

Council members gasped when PBSO Lt. Eric Coleman reported that District 9 deputies had responded to 1,800 false alarm calls at businesses and residences since Jan. 1.

“Those are usually two-car responses,” said Coleman, the District 9 executive officer. “You basically figure one hour for each alarm.”

“The number shocks me,” Lodwick said. “That’s a lot of man hours.”

The majority of false alarms, Coleman told the council, come from the village’s “big box” retail stores and generally are triggered by cleaning crews or employees unfamiliar with a store’s security system.

Indian Trail Supervisors Adopt District Budget For 2007-08

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors adopted the district’s budget for Fiscal Year 200708 on Wednesday, with an average property assessment increase of less than one percent.

The ITID assesses property owners based on the services they receive in the district’s various development units, which vary from unit to unit. ITID Finance Director Margie Perez told the board the units would experience an average increase of 0.94 percent. There will be no increase at all for active units.

The only major change in assessments came in improvement unit M-1S, Bayhill Estates, which is not an active unit but contracts with ITID for drainage services.

“They had not been billed for some work in previous years and it had been added on to their assessments,” said Perez, who is also serving as the district’s interim administrator.

“But when I went over the books, I discovered we had enough money in their reserves to pay for it. As a result we were able to lower their assessment per acre from $225.56 to $185.70. I am certain residents there will be pleased.”

The budget for fiscal year 2008 totals about $12.4 million and includes about $9.7 million in operating expenses and more than $2.6 million in

debt service. Noteworthy increases include the creation of the position of a district planner and the assumption of grading work by the district’s maintenance department previously contracted to private companies.

The district budgeted about $60,000 for a planner to reduce the staff workload on projects such as the creation of a comprehensive traffic plan and the restoration of the district’s trail network. The road grading work involves the purchase of two dump trucks at $56,000 each, three new operator positions and an additional “floater” operator to ensure the equipment stays running in the event of an employee absence.

Perez said the district will spend $265,600 to fund the grading work, but would have spent $290,000 contracting the work to a private company, saving more than $25,000 in the first year and more each subsequent year.

More than $200,000 in the parks budget will fund the construction of an equestrian ring in Hamlin Park, the restoration of the district’s eastern network of multi-use trails and the hiring of off-duty Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies to provide park security.

In other business:

• The supervisors approved an interlocal agreement with Palm Beach County, contingent on some minor changes, which will have the county funding up to $200,000 for sidewalks on

140th Avenue, 162nd Drive and 180th Avenue. The board has been discussing the lack of sidewalks near schools for several months. Supervisor Sandra Love Semande, who took the lead on the issue, said she would to keep working to get sidewalks built along Seminole Pratt Whitney Road near Seminole Ridge High School.

• The supervisors voted to change the district’s health insurance provider from Aetna to Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The district’s insurance broker, Steven Olsen of Wells Fargo, said Aetna is proposing an increase to $424 per employee per month from its current $394, while a Blue Cross/Blue Shield dual option plan would cost $374 per employee each month. The savings of $50 per employee each month would amount to $39,000 in annual savings for the district. Even better, he said employees would pay $439 per month for family coverage versus approximately $750 per month now.

Because one of the options in the plan includes a large deductible, Olsen recommended the supervisors renew the Aetna policy until the end of the year to avoid problems for workers who might be hurt by very high deductibles in a three-month period. The new health insurance will begin on Jan. 1. Semande made a motion to accept the changes, seconded by Supervisor Carol Jacobs. The board voted 4-0 to accept Olsen’s recommendations, with Vice President Mike Erickson not voting because a Wells Far-

go representative present was one his business clients.

• The district will also save approximately $15,000 per year by switching from Lincoln Financial to Guardian Life Insurance Company for dental, life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. The supervisors approved the new policy unanimously.

• The supervisors voted to advertise for a new district administrator to replace Bob Mearns, who resigned last month. ITID President Michelle Damone said she had e-mailed fellow supervisors asking them to submit a list of characteristics they wanted in the next administrator. Semande said she

RPB Budget Concerns For The Future

continued from page 5A state lawmakers and voters “that we’ve worked very hard the past decade or more to try and provide the highest quality of services to the greatest number of people at the lowest cost.”

Lodwick reiterated his “business as usual” approach in regard to the proposed budget, but urged fellow council members to reach out to as many village residents as possible and tell them that now is the time to determine to what kind of town they want. Each citizen’s vote in the Jan. 29 election, Lodwick said, could have widespread financial impact on the community.

would prefer someone who lives in the district, to ensure the person would really understand the community.

• Damone told the audience the board would hold a special workshop on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. to discuss water policy. Several residents expressed concern that residents would be assessed for having water piped in, even if it was against their wishes.

• Community activists Sharon Waite, Alex Larson and Patricia Curry demanded a full accounting of how ITID had given up control of the drainage in Palm Beach Aggregates. ITID Attorney Charlie Schoech promised to research the problem.

“I think people know we don’t take people’s money unless we need it for services,” Lodwick said. “To take that much money out of the budget — 14 or 15 percent of property tax dollars, that equates to five or six percent of our total budget — that’s not fat. You’re talking about programs going away. That’s just the reality. There’s only a certain number of dollars we can do certain things with.” Lodwick added he believes that if the officials and citizens of the more than 400 cities in Florida unite to oppose the proposed exemption, “I think the legislators will get a surprise in January.”

The village’s second and final budget hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m.

ELECTED OFFICIALS, LABOR LEADERS ATTEND AFL-CIO PICNIC

The annual Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic was held at Okeeheelee Park on Sunday, Sept. 2. A number of local and state officials attended, including congressmen Tim Mahoney and Ron Klein, as well as officials with the state and national branches of the AFL-CIO.

Richard Trumpka and Pat Emmert of the AFL-CIO.

Legislative hopeful Rick Ford, State Sen. Dave Aronberg and Royal Palm Beach residents Brian and Mary Anne Hanley.

Tony Fransetta, State Rep. Richard Machek and Congressman Tim Mahoney (D-District 16).

State legislative hopefuls Mark Pafford and Bryan Miller with Joe Irwin.

State Rep. Richard Machek, Wellington resident and senior advocate Tony Fransetta and Alison Landes.

State Attorney hopeful Mike McAuliffe with his daughters Madison and Sydney.

Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Dr. Arthur Anderson with wife Mildred.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Marjorie Perez Settles In To Interim Role Running ITID Office

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

As finance director and deputy manager of the Indian Trail Improvement District, Marjorie Perez not only keeps a close eye on ITID spending, but also has been filling in as the district’s chief administrative official since the resignation last month of former district manager Bob Mearns.

“This district is very important to me,” Perez told the Town-Crier Wednesday. “I not only work here, but I live here as well. I can walk to work in the morning, so I am personally interested in the welfare of the people here.”

Perez is a certified public accountant who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Florida Atlantic University. She spent ten years working in the non-profit sector as administrative services director for the Parent-Child Center of Palm Beach County,

then as vice president of finance and administration first for the Visiting Nurse Corporation of Florida, and subsequently for Hospice of Palm Beach County.

“Then I decided to go to work for myself and began to get clients,” she said. “I began to work on an hourly basis for ITID about three and a half years ago.”

Perez joined ITID full time two years ago, and said she enjoys her job. “This is an exciting time for ITID,” she said. “It’s a time of changes.”

Perez also said she loves working with district staff and supervisors. “The staff is wonderful. They pitch in and work and do whatever they can for you,” she said. “I like working with the board. They have done a great job in restoring financial stability to the district.”

Perez said that the audit for fiscal year 2006 is just now being completed. “The board brought our reserves up to about $2 million for the end of this year,” she said. “In 2005, the old board spent so

much they had driven the reserves down to about $760,000. Now we’re up where we should be, a bit over 20 percent of our operating budget.”

Perez said she is proud of her role in the budgeting work.

“We not only dealt with a budget that had been cut by a million dollars by the old board,” she said, “but we were able to buy property, built projects, complete the first phase of the Acreage Community Park expansion plan, and build and open a skate park.”

Perez, who said she has no interest in becoming the district’s permanent manager, said she hopes the one who takes the position will be a strong team leader.

“We have wonderful people here, and they all are willing to work together to make this district better,” she said. “This will be a great spot for a manager who works well as a team player as well as a leader.”

Administrative Services Manager A Rising Talent At Indian Trail

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

Indian

Trail Improvement

District Administrative Services

Manager Samantha Curry earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Florida Atlantic University Aug. 10.

Curry, who is 24, has worked for the district for two years, beginning as an assistant before being promoted to her current position. She also assumed human resources responsibilities for the district last February.

“She’s the lead person for operations for the new skate park,” Acting District Manager

Marjorie Perez said Wednesday. “She was the one who hired all the people who work there, arranged to get the waiver written and through legal in time, and has made certain that everything runs smoothly there.”

Perez said she has seen huge growth in Curry. “She began here as someone who was just an extremely efficient aide,” she said, “but over the past few years she has taken the lead on a lot of issues. She created ITID’s web site. She was the point person on just about all our information technology issues, particularly the new phone system and computer server.”

In July, then-district administrator Bob Mearns told the Town Crier Curry had become an invaluable member of the ITID management team. “She is so good at this work and so young,” he said. “I told her she should consider getting a master’s degree in public administration. She could be running a district in another ten years.”

Mearns said that Curry told him she was considering that, but was also thinking about going to law school. Curry said both options are still open.

“I’m thinking about getting a master’s degree in public administration,” she said, “but I’m also

very interested in the possibility of going to law school. Right now I’m waiting to see what scores I can get on the LSAT [Law School Admission Test].” Curry said she has learned much working for ITID. “I’ve always cared a lot about the people here,” she said. “My mother has always gotten involved in making things better, and I learned from that. But I’ve had a great chance to work with so many wonderful people. The staff here, the staff all over the district, is wonderful. They work so hard that I feel I have to do particularly well to match their performance.”

Marjorie Perez

Samantha Curry

Loxahatchee Groves Budgets $1.69 Million For Its First Complete Year

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council approved its $1.69 million budget Tuesday, along with a 1.5 millage rate. The rate translates to $375 in town taxes on a property with an assessed value of $250,000 after exemptions.

Interim Town Clerk Matthew Lippman said ad valorem property assessments would net the town $520,000 of its revenue. Additional money will come from a Florida Power & Light franchise tax ($135,000), a public utility tax ($100,000) and a communications tax ($168,000) — the town’s share of tax money spend by the county in previous years.

The town’s $70,000 share of gas tax revenues will go to the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District for road maintenance.

General governmental expenditures totaling $476,500 include $100,000 in office salaries and contracts, $50,000 for code enforcement, $130,000 for legal fees and $100,000 to be spent in preparing the town’s comprehensive plan.

Lippman told the council that negotiations with the Solid Waste Authority had not been completed before the deadline for tax collection notices, so the town would have to assess residents for garbage collection.

Lippman told the council his company, New Community Strategies, would be able to administer the one-time collection this year for no more than $12,000.

“Next year, this will all be handled like any non-ad valorem charge,” he said.

Councilman Dave Autrey took issue with the amount budgeted for the town’s reserve fund. Town staff recommended $223,500, which would be 13.5 percent of the budget.

Interim Town Manager Irv Rosenbaum explained that a sizeable fund has advantages.

“A rule of thumb is ten percent,” he said. “The money is

to go to help when facing disasters or to provide unforeseen opportunities. Right now, neighboring villages are returning matching grants, for example, because they are trimming their budgets. We might be able to get some funds that way. Right now our assets are very small; we might be able to pick up property we want.”

Councilman Dr. Bill Louda noted that although he always supports small budgets, a healthy contingency fund would be a good idea for the new town.

“A lot of people would like to see a full-time police officer on our streets, others would be happy with a half-time person,” he said. “We should have money available in case we do want to spend more.”

Councilman Dennis Lipp expressed concern over spending for solid waste, asking what the town could do about non-payers.

“If ten percent don’t pay,” he said, “that means 160 people are not paying their share. It’s $318 per home for the whole year. That adds up.”

Interim Town Attorney David Tolces suggested charging $335 per resident instead of $318.

“We will, of course, file liens against those who refuse to pay,” he said, “and the town will not suffer unduly. Next year, it will go directly through the regular system.”

Louda noted that any savings from law enforcement or garbage expenditures could translate into budget cuts next year. “And if we don’t have to dip into our reserves for this year, we probably cut that way back next year as well,” he said.

Louda made a motion to accept the 1.5 millage rate, seconded by Lipp. It was approved 3-1 with Vice Mayor Marge Herzog, Louda and Lipp in favor and Autrey opposed.

Mayor Dave Browning was absent. Louda then made a motion to accept the budget, which was also seconded by Lipp and passed 3-1 with Autrey opposed.

The town’s second and final public hearing on the budget and property tax rate is scheduled for Sept. 18.

In other business:

• FPL’s Western Communities Area Manager Donald Kiselewski gave the council a presentation on the utility’s Storm Secure program. Since the unprecedented hurricanes of 2004 and 2005, he said, FPL has worked hard to keep storm outages to a minimum.

“We have looked to make this a harder electrical network,” Kiselewski said. “We have encouraged underground distribution and enhanced our pole inspection and brush clearing programs to meet the National Electric Safety Code for even more intense hurricanes.”

Carmine Priore III, general manager of the planned West County Energy Center at 20 Mile Bend, said FPL conducted a series of research and development projects. “We create a ‘wall of wind’ which produces 120 mph winds to test products,” he said. “We are now installing composite poles which are as strong as concrete and as light as wood. And we have encouraged partner companies that allow power lines on their poles to do the same.”

Priore said inspection cycles have been shortened for all poles, particularly for those made of wood. FPL workers also check the excavation work around the poles to make them more secure. They are also increasing the cutting of vegetation close to power lines, moving towards a sixyear cutting cycle.

• Resident Rich Handwerg announced an amateur radio technician license class will begin on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. “This is the best way to communicate when the cell phones go out,” he said. “And you don’t need to know Morse Code any more. For more information, call Handwerg at (561) 791-9254 or e-mail rjhandwerg@comcast.net.

Yard Sale To Benefit Acreage Cheerleaders

The Acreage Xtreme Competition Cheerleading Squad will host a community yard sale on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 8 a.m. at Acreage Community Park on 140th Ave. North.

Clean out your closets and bring your items. The cost for vendors of resale items is $10 per booth. If you want to sell new items or advertise a business, the cost is $20 per booth. Don’t have time to set up and operate a booth? No problem! You can donate unwanted items by dropping them off with any Xtreme cheerleader Monday nights from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Hamlin Field or on Thursday nights from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Community Field. All money raised will benefit the Acreage Xtreme Competition Cheerleading Squad. For more information about purchasing booth space, call Karen at (561) 602-6540.

Barbecue At Church

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 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.

Tickets Available For C-PAL’s 2007-08 Season

The Crestwood Performing Arts League (C-PAL) has begun its preseason membership drive. Season tickets are being offered at the reduced rate of $65 for six shows from Oct. 21, 2007 to April 13, 2008.

The 2007-08 performance schedule is as follows:

Sunday, Oct. 21 — Legacy is the real deal when it comes to the music of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. It’s like hearing all the groups and songs you know and love, wrapped up into one. Legacy is a group of guys who as teenagers sang on the streetcorners of New York and played to those good old “basement bands.”

Sunday, Nov. 18 — Nunsense features songs with titles such as “Nunsense is Habit-Forming,” “Tackle That Temptation With a Time Step” and “I Could’ve Gone to Nashville.” It’s fun, feisty and faithful to religious life of days gone by when sisters made the best of community life in reverential sort of way.

Sunday, Jan. 20 — Pedro Roman’s Latin Review showcases the fire and excitement of Latin rhythms combined with numerous types of international music. Roman has taken all his talents and put them together for one amazing show, sure to please all audiences. Roman and his talented cast have performed on stages in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and London. The group’s dancers have been in music videos with artists such as Madonna and Shakira.

Sunday, Feb. 17 — Broadway Babes takes audiences on a musical journey from classic musicals to present-day sensations. The amazingly talented cast of 10 professional performers will sing and dance their way through some of the most high-energy dance numbers from Chicago, The Lion King, Cats, The Wiz and Kiss of the Spider Woman

Sunday, March 16 — A Tribute to West Side Story centers on the starcrossed romance of Tony and Maria, a native-born Polish boy and a Puerto Rican girl newly arrived in America. However, it is not your ordinary love story — it is one of racial strife between rival New York street gangs, juvenile delinquency and inner-city problems of the mid-20th century. Songs and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.

Sunday, April 13 — All American

Broadway and A Tribute to Irving Berlin promise beautiful voices, dazzling costumes, and an evening filled with show-stoppers from the great classic American musicals such as A Chorus Line, Gypsy, Guys and Dolls, Show Boat, Oklahoma , South Pacific and many more. Fully staged, costumed and choreographed, this dynamic cast celebrates the last 100 years of the best of American musical theater.

Concerts are subject to change without notice. As a season ticket holder, you will receive what amounts to one free concert. Tickets cost $13 during the season. Proceeds from paid memberships enable C-PAL to present grants to music departments in 18 schools.

C-PAL’s exciting 2007-08 calendar of events includes programs of varied interest. With patrons subscribing now, CPAL will be able to control the number of tickets the box office can sell prior to each concert. Over the past 26 years, C-PAL has managed to sell out most events.

For more information, call (561) 7980941, (561) 793-2308, (561) 793-2984 or (561) 793-3618.

Palms West Republican Club To Meet Sept. 19

The Palms West Republican Club will hold its next meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at the Players Club in Wellington. The featured speaker will be Tom Rooney, a Republican candidate for the District 16 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The seat is currently held by Democratic Congressman Tim Mahoney. In addition to Rooney, all candidates and current office-holders are welcome to speak. The event starts with a meet-andgreet from 6 to 7 p.m. with two-for-one drinks and snacks provided by the club. The meeting will take place upstairs starting at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in speaking at the meeting should call Charlie Fetscher at (561) 753-0084 or e-mail fetschers@bellsouth.net. The Players

Sesame Street Characters Headed To P.B. Zoo

On Saturday, Sept. 8, Palm Beach Zoo visitors will be able to enjoy Sesame Street activities, games and crafts and can pose with life-size Sesame Street character cut-outs. Learn about Big Bird’s feathered friends at the zoo where nearly 500 birds reside. Patrons can enter to win tickets to “Elmo Makes Music,” presented by Sesame Street Live at the Kravis Center Sept. 20-23. The Palm Beach Zoo is located at 1301 Summit Blvd., just east of I-95 between Southern and Forest Hill boulevards. Regular admission is $12.95, $9.95 for seniors 60 and over, $8.95 for children three to 12, and free for zoo members and children under three. The zoo is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org.

Club is located at 13410 South Shore Blvd.

Tom Rooney

Hope For Couples At P.B. Center For Reproductive Medicine

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

There are many families in Palm Beach County who call Dr. Scott Roseff a miracle worker. Roseff, a boardcertified specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility who practices in Wellington, leads a team at the Palm Beach Center for Reproductive Medicine that has brought joy to parents who had once despaired of ever having children.

“We work as a team here,” Roseff said. “I’m a specialist in female fertility, but we also have a doctor who specializes in male fertility, a nutritionist, a psychotherapist and an acupuncturist as part of the team. My two nurses are fabulous; both of them specialized in fertility cases for years before they came to work for me.”

Roseff said his team works hard to help patients understand their situation. “Most of the people who come to a specialist like me have already seen other doctors,” he said. “We spend a lot of time with our patients to educate them. I had one woman who came in and told me that she had learned more in our introductory interview than she had in three years with another doctor.”

The combined expertise of the team means Roseff’s practice can approach all facets of an infertility problem, he said. “If a man comes in and we find a problem with his sperm, I send him to our male fertility specialist who can go over possible causes and help overcome them if at all possible,” he said.

“And, of course, we check out diet as well.”

Roseff said his acupuncturist, an unusual specialist, has helped many patients.

“It certainly can’t hurt a woman, and with the right person it provides assistance,” he said. “There have been studies demonstrating that it improves chances of conception.”

Roseff, who set up his practice here a year ago after relocating from New Jersey, lives in Wellington with his wife and two sons. “People can call us anytime during working hours,” he said. “And we can have someone here any day of the year, even on holidays, if a specific procedure has to be done that day.”

Roseff said he is one of Palm Beach County’s few reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialists. He is also a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

“We have had a phenomenal success rate here,” Roseff said. “Most patients here have been able to successfully conceive. Last year, for example, 56 percent of couples using in vitro fertilization were successful, well above the national average.

To achieve such success, Roseff’s team provides individualized care. “This is not a cookie-cutter operation,” Roseff said. “Every woman is different. If a patient is 40, that does not mean she is in the same position as another 40year-old woman. So every treatment is different.”

Roseff noted that his practice is equipped to perform most diagnostics.

“We do most of our own testing right on premises,” he said. “We are a statecertified lab, so we can do sperm testing and blood hormone testing. We even do it for some people who are not our regular patients.”

Although Roseff is affiliated with both Wellington Regional Medical Center and Palms West Hospital, he is proud that almost all this work is done in his office. “We seldom have to leave in order to provide services,” he said. “I almost never have to take a patient to the hospital.”

Almost all of Roseff’s patients have been referred by their regular obstetrician/gynecologists. Post-conception, the office continues to monitor patients until the pregnancy is well underway. “We check to make sure that everything is in the right place, and we can even check a heartbeat with ultrasound,” he said. “Then they go back to their regular obstetrician. But we usually see them again when they bring their babies in after they’ve given birth. That’s what really gives all of us incredible feelings of joy.”

Roseff said the range of infertility treatments his practice provides is diverse. “We do every possible kind of treatment including simple artificial insemination through in vitro fertilization for both sperm and egg through surrogacy,” he said. “We work with samesex couples and with single women. We also can do family balancing through genetic choice for families. When I was in New Jersey, I worked with a woman from Montreal who had five daughters and wanted a son. We were successful.”

Roseff said he and his team plan to give a free symposium during National Infertility Awareness Week in November.

The Palm Beach Center for Reproductive Medicine is located on the campus of Wellington Regional Medical Center, north of the main hospital building at 10115 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 401A. Regular office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more info., call (561) 3338242 or visit www.reproendo.com.

Palm Beach Spine & Pain Institute Unveils New Web Portal

The Palm Beach Spine & Pain Institute and its founders Dr. Lawrence Gorfine and Dr. Douglas MacLear recently unveiled a new enhanced medical pain management web site located at www.helpain.com. The web site has been redesigned to provide fresh insight and current news in the field of pain.

The web portal features a host of features attractive to patients and consumers researching pain treatment and those industry professionals serving the community: medical professionals,

workers’ compensation providers and payers, case managers, nurse practitioners, insurance adjusters and insurance carriers.

Gorfine and MacLear, both board-certified in pain medicine and anesthesiology, treat pain by performing highly specific diagnosis and injection procedures.

The new web site contains seven primary channels: About PBSPI, Meet the Doctors, Procedures, Testimonials, Calendar, Media Center and Contact. The channels include features such

as video clips and interviews, articles, a calendar of events and appearances, testimonials and sharing applications. The site features a host of interactive and informational experiences including easy-to-understand consumer/patient-focused articles on a variety of pain management topics, unusual case studies and outcomes, pain management newsletters, and topical offerings by procedure and diagnosis. “Knowledge is critical, and we want our patients to be informed,” Gorfine said. “With

that in mind, we envisioned helpain.com as an evolving portal experience that allows present and potential patients and their families to tap into our vast resources, expertise and content. We also created a place where patients can share their concerns, read the testimonials of others or contribute their own, and where they can read about unusual and interesting case studies and outcomes.”

Gorfine said the web site is based on knowing what information and services are most

necessary. “We’ve researched what patients and providers need and have focused our practice on providing four key metrics of service and expertise: prompt diagnosis; comprehensive, cost effective treatment; enhanced patient compliance and satisfaction and rapid response communication,” he said.

The Palm Beach Spine & Pain Institute is located at 2290 10th Avenue North, Suite 600, Lake Worth. For more info., call (561) 649-8770.

Dr. Scott Roseff

PALMS WEST HOSPITAL HONORS

EMPLOYEES

OF THE

MONTH

A recognition ceremony and ice cream social was held Friday, Aug. 31 honoring the July employees of the month at Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee Groves. The nominees included Polly Samuel and Dana Carbo of rehabilitation, Maria Lindblom of patient account services and Colandra Drummer of cardio services. The winner for July was Jona McClain of the pediatric intensive care unit.

PHOTOS BY CAROL PORTER/TOWN-CRIER

Kishani Narendra and Marjalissa Baugh take part in the raffle.

Some of the raffle prizes available.

Palms West Hospital CEO Ron Lavater serves ice cream.

Palms West Hospital CEO Ron Lavater with nominees Maria Lindblom, Dana Carbo and Polly Samuel.

Employee of the Month winner Jona McClain of the PICU with Interim Director of Pediatric Services Cindy Parker (left) and Human Resources Coordinator Jane Lewis (right).

Jane Lewis says a few words.

Wellington Dentist Receives Prestigious Fellowship From AGD

Dr. Laurence Grayhills of Wellington has received the Fellowship Award from the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) during a commencement celebration held at the AGD’s annual meeting and exhibits recently in San Diego.

Dr. Grayhills accepted the award along with more than 350 other recipients.

The Fellowship Award is presented to dentists looking to remain current in their profession. In order to receive the award, Dr. Grayhills completed 500 hours of continuing dental education, passed a comprehensive

written exam and fulfilled three years of continuing membership with the AGD.

“This is an outstanding accomplishment for Dr. Grayhills,” AGD President Dr. Vincent Mayher said. “By completing the rigorous requirements to become a fellow, Dr. Grayhills goes above and beyond basic licensure requirements in his state to keep his practice on the cutting edge. He takes extra dental education to provide his patients with the very best in dental care. This award truly distinguishes Dr. Grayhills from others in the dental community.”

Dr. Grayhills graduated from the University of Florida in 1985 and currently practices dentistry in Wellington. In addition to the AGD, Dr. Grayhills is a member of the American Dental Association, Florida Dental Association, Academy of Computerized Dentistry and the Academy of Laser Dentistry. He is married to Deborah, who accompanied him to the San Diego graduation.

Dr. Grayhills practices at Grayhills & Mohip Dental of Wellington. For more info., call (561) 798-1600 or visit www. grayhillsmohipdental.com.

The AGD is a professional association of more than 35,000 general dentists dedicated to staying up to date in the profession through continuing education. It is the only association that exclusively represents the needs and interests of general dentists. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management and overall coordination of services related to patients’ oral health needs.

The fellowship and mastership designations are two of the most rigorous continuing dental education programs today. A general dentist who is a fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry has been recognized by other general dentists as a leader and example to other dentists of the importance of quality continuing dental education to patient care. A general dentist who

has earned the designation Master of the Academy of General Dentistry has completed a structured and demanding set of requirements involving all the dental disciplines. To attain mastership, members must first be fellows in the AGD. Then dentists must earn an additional 600 approved continuing-education credits, meeting minimum requirements in certain dental disciplines, of which 400 hours are hands-on courses. Thus, a master of the AGD has taken a total of 1,100 hours of continuing education. A master has studied 16 disciplines in dentistry, including periodontics, orthodontics and implants.

Fellowship and mastership awards symbolize the professional responsibility of general dentists to remain current in their profession and reminds each member of the dental profession to continue to learn new techniques for their dental practice. To date, more than 14,000 members of the AGD have become fellows and over 2,200 have gone on to receive mastership. Members must take at least 75 hours of continuing dental education every three years.

For more information about the Academy of General Dentistry, visit its web site at www.agd.org.

Are You Ready For Flu Season?

Flu season is right around the corner, and pharmaceutical companies have already begun to release influenza vaccines to select providers. As one of the leaders in the administration of both flu shots and flu treatments in Palm Beach County, MD Now Urgent Care Centers is among the first in the area to receive flu shots for the 200708 flu season.

Influenza outbreaks and epidemics pose ongoing risks to global human public health. Recently, human infections with A/ H5N1 avian influenza viruses have heightened the potential for the emergence of an influenza A virus with pandemic potential and have increased public awareness regarding the changing

nature and severity of existing human strains.

Known as the “flu,” influenza is an extremely contagious respiratory infection. Flu symptoms are more severe than those of colds, come on more abruptly, and often include high fever, cough and full body aches. It can cause severe complications, such as pneumonia and even death — particularly in the elderly and other vulnerable groups. Due to the severity of the disease and its threat to public health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Center for Disease Control in Atlanta now recommends that all persons, including schoolaged children, who want to re-

See FLU, page 42A

AGD Fellow — Dr. Laurence Grayhills during a commencement celebration held at the Academy of General Dentistry’s annual meeting, where he received the Fellowship Award.

A JUMPIN’ GOOD TIME AT MOUNTED POSSE’S BARREL FUN SHOW

The Palm Beach County Mounted Posse held a barrel fun show Saturday, Sept. 1 at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. Barrel shows are held the first and second Saturday of each month. The Mounted Posse will host pleasure shows at Jim Brandon Equestrian Center the fourth Sunday of each month starting Sept. 23. For info., visit www.pbcposse.com.

•

Junior winners (L-R) first place, Samantha Klosterman and Jessie; second place, Krystal Felt and Spider; third place, Nikki Silva and Cloud; fourth place, Gina Gallo and Cracker; fifth place, Kayla Lewis and Sassy.

Nikki Silva, 15, and Cloud won the $50 jackpot race.

First-place Super Senior winner Patty Waters on Surprise, a nine-year-old chestnut quarterhorse.

Krystal Felt, aboard Spider, leaps for the third barrel.

Twelve and under winners: (L-R) first place, Jessica Riviera and Chico; second place, Tyler Waters and Cracker; third place, Tierney Gonzalez and Rosey; fourth place, Taylor Bell and Spirit; fifth place, Emily Bauman and Serendipity; sixth place, Adam Klosterman and Tommy.

PHOTOS BY DENISE

Pass The Tissues! Three Decades Of Smiles Bring Me To Tears

It’s two weeks until my only daughter’s wedding and I am fully in Meltdown Mode. I’m losing my little girl!

Oh, sure, she’s 29 years old, but that doesn’t matter. And, yes, she’s been living on her own since she was 18 — running forward and never looking back as her life and career took her from city to city — but still. I chased her around the world to visit as often as I could and, all of a sudden, I realize it wasn’t enough! How can a mom go from seeing their child every day to seeing her two or three times a year to seeing her always accompanied by someone else who is (and this is the tragic part) not me?

Now, truth be told, moms worry if their kids don’t date and don’t find True Love and don’t throw themselves into a career, but this wedding ceremony thing just seems so, well, final!

To make matters worse, Jenny needed 100 photos of herself growing up for the video montage the groom’s parents are putting together for the reception. This

meant I had to go through my 32 photo albums and relive all the joy, which only exacerbated my sense of loss and made me miserable.

Because I always carried a camera in those days, I have photos of quiet, mundane moments as well as our trips to Disney World. Here’s what I learned by reviewing those pics — we spent a lot of time in costume. The earliest of Jen’s costumes is a dress made out of balloons. Then there’s Halloween Jen with her brother Charlie — if she’s a scarecrow, he’s a crow; if she’s a computer, he’s a printer; if she’s a vamp, he’s a vampire. Then there’s Jenny in a leaf hat, in a shower cap and with birds perched all over her head. In one photo, she’s got a live snake wrapped around her waist like a thick belt. In another, she’s wearing a grocery bag. Then there are the requisite mouse ears, Brownie’s beanie and birthday bows-n-ribbons ensemble.

On Huck Finn Day, she wouldn’t dress as Becky Thatcher but went as

Huck — complete with pipe. Her sports gear shots include a scuba outfit as well as both roller hockey and rock-climbing gear. In one shocking photograph, she’s actually wearing a dress! But eventually, she’s tossing her mortarboard. So this is where the years went!

Sad as they make me, the best thing about the photos are the smiles. Jen sure was a happy kid! And they weren’t all “Shamu splashed me” smiles, either. Some were quiet smiles of simple contentment, some of happy surprise, some reflecting the pride of accomplishment.

Looking back now, I think I did a pretty good job as a mom. It’s too bad all that will change when I ruin her wedding. It won’t be intentional but, because I went through two and a half boxes of Kleenex just sorting through smiles, I’m pretty sure I’m going to cry through the wedding ceremony. I hope the groom won’t take it personally. I’d probably be a blubbering mess no matter whom she married... but it doesn’t set the right tone,

you see. Guests may wonder exactly what is upsetting me so. They’ll be asking themselves what I know that they don’t know. If I hyperventilate and faint, the resounding thud might draw attention away from the nuptializing couple. That’s just so selfish. And if I have to be carried out, that’d be really bad.

But I’m not going to think about it now. I’m going to go into this thing as if nothing is going to happen — as if I am a normal human being with a modicum of self-control — and hope for the best. Las Vegas will allow you to place your bets now.

Attitudes On Primary Dates More Interesting Than Primaries

Those Floridians who read newspapers or watch TV news now have to deal with the fact that we may be “disfranchised” from the primary system for both parties because the state is holding its primary early.

Both parties have said they would not recognize delegates elected by the people. Of course, the Democratic and Republican parties both accept the idea of voting for delegates, but they intend to make certain we understand that party discipline is far more important than getting candidates that Floridians really like.

Does anyone remember voting in a presidential primary that had any meaning? There was no Republican primary in 2004 and by the time Florida had a

chance to decide, the Democrats had pretty well chosen John Kerry. There had been six candidates in January, but the important voters of typical states like Iowa and New Hampshire disposed of most of them.

The last time there was a really contested party convention was in 1976. So we get only one real chance to choose and, frankly, neither party seems to have thought things out well.

Senator Dave Aronberg made that point in television interviews last weekend as news came down that the Democratic Party had disenfranchised Florida voters by deciding not to seat any Florida delegates.

The first event is the Iowa caucuses. Note that this is not an election. All the

people who really care about the election, the “true believers” of each party, come in. They just ran a “straw poll” for Republicans and there were fewer voters coming out than we had for the student government elections at my old high school. Yet, the person who wins the hearts of the most fanatics will be pushed as the “new favorite” in the news magazines and network shows, while other, perhaps better qualified, candidates are forced to leave the field.

New Hampshire was recently called the state with the fewest minorities in the country, and it demands that candidates spend a lot of time shaking hands and making promises that everyone knows will never be kept. It probably has more minorities now, but

On My Mind...

By Leonard Wechsler

that hardly changes anything. Because of its small size, it is prime pickings for more extreme candidates.

This year, the Democratic Party has seen fit to add two more state to their “sanctioned” early primaries. Nevada, of course, is truly representative of America, while South Carolina for years

See WECHSLER, page 42A

ANNUAL TEXAS HOLD ’EM TOURNEY TO BENEFIT LITTLE SMILES

The Players Club in Wellington hosted the Third Annual Little Smiles Texas Hold ’Em Charity Tournament on Thursday, Aug. 30. Approximately 75 people signed up to play. A $100 donation was good for $5,000 in poker chips. The grand prize — won by Ross Chambers — was a three-day, two-night stay at the Cable Beach Resort & Crystal Palace Casino in the Bahamas. Little Smiles responds to the needs of children in local hospitals, hospices and shelters by providing them with unique goods and services such as toys, games, videos, special events, limousine transportation and sporting event/concert tickets. For more info., call (561) 383-7274 or visit www.littlesmiles.org.

Sisters Mary Faron and Erin Downey play their own game.

Eric Stenson checks the new deck.

The Kids’ Cancer Foundation’s Sandy Erb & Michelle O’Boyle.

Front row (L-R): Mike Sexton and Dale Grimm; back row: Mark Bozicevic, Little Smiles Secretary Bill Tavernise and Gregg Orenstein of Riverside Bank.

Mike Underhill shows his winning cards, to the dismay of Eric Stenson.

The final nine players: Ross Chambers, P.J. Raver, Andrew Margulies, Gregg Orenstein, Sam Thomas, Bill Helmuth, Phil Ivie, Glenn Steuerman and Harry Hearns.

2005 grand prize winner Mike Sumner.

Tony Viola rakes in the chips.

Gregg Orenstein takes a peek at his cards.

P.J. Raver grabs the pot after winning with a full house.

Wolverines Fall To Seminole Ridge In Football Season Opener

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

Seminole Ridge High School accomplished exactly what it wanted in its football home opener last Friday against rival Wellington. It just took the Hawks longer than head coach Matt Dickmann would have liked. Seminole Ridge, coming off its first-ever playoff appearance in 2006, got off to a sluggish start and found itself tied 7-7 in the first half with the young Wolverines.

The Hawks, however, woke up and scored 33 unanswered points to win 40-7.

Seminole Ridge played Spanish River on Sept. 7 with a good chance to come away with a 20 record. Last Friday, Spanish River was pounded by county power West Boca 53-0. Ironically, Wellington played at West Boca on Sept. 7. Results of both games were not available at presstime.

The Hawks, who survived three fumbles and several early penalties, amassed 419 yards total offense against Wellington,

FOOTBALL FOOTBALL

including 326 yards on the ground. Josh McCollum led the Hawks with 106 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns.

William Jones gained 87 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries, Jordan Schumacher gained 64 yards and one touchdown on only three carries, and Curtis Griswold gained 62 yards on nine carries.

“We talked at halftime about execution,” Dickmann said.

“We didn’t need to change the game plan, we just need to execute it, and that’s what we did.

After that we pretty much got on a roll. The kids didn’t panic. They just went out and did a better job. And we were fortunate that were able to get a lot of young kids into the game.”

And a little fortunate that Wellington, under first-year head coach Chris Romano, is rebuilding, as is Spanish River.

“If we go out and execute and do what we’re supposed to do, I think we’ll be OK,” Dickmann said. “Talking to the coaches at

Spanish River and watching on film, they’re definitely rebuilding. I understand how that is. I started a new program two years ago. I know what it’s like to build and rebuild.”

Junior running back D.J. Law led the Wolverines with 44 yards rushing on 12 carries.

Palm Beach Central also opened its season with a home victory last Friday. The Broncos, sparked by a 64-yard touchdown pass from fullback Jon Bostic, defeated Cardinal Newman 21-6. Bostic’s touchdown pass to Zedrick Joseph came on a fake punt as the ball was snapped to Bostic instead of punter Patrick O’ Donnell. Joseph’s touchdown gave the Broncos a 7-0 first quarter lead.

PBCHS made it 14-0 on its next possession when Emmanuel Mathis returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown. Bostic scored the Broncos’ final touchdown on a 50-yard run late in the second quarter.

Palm Beach Central hosted Glades Central on Sept. 7.

Royal Palm Beach, coming off a 9-2 season in 2006, got

off to a bumpy start on Aug. 30. The Wildcats lost 51-14 to William T. Dwyer in the first of three road games to open the season. Royal Palm Beach plays at Seminole Ridge Sept. 14. Dwyer built a 38-0 halftime lead behind the passing and running of quarterback Bradley Wallace and never looked back.

The Wildcats managed only

13 yards rushing against the Dwyer defense, with Melquan O’Neal gaining 10 yards on four carries. Wildcats quarterback Marvin Payne threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns — one each to Chris Dunkley and D’Anthony Joboam. Dunkley finished with three catches for 86 yards, and Joboam made five receptions for 56 yards.

Captains of both teams gather for the coin toss.

The Hawks’ Allen Lopez returns the opening kickoff.

The Wolverines’ D.J. Law prepares to sack Hawk quarterback Josh Jackson.

PHOTOS BY PAUL

Wellington quarterback Chad Endres goes back for a pass.

Wellington’s Greg Nowak gains some yards before being tackled by Seminole Ridge’s Allen Lopez.

Mitey Mites Win Season Opener

The inaugural season for the Royal Palm Beach Wildcats Pop Warner Mitey Mites, seven to nine years old and 45 to 90 pounds, started at the Palm Beach Lakes High School Stadium last Saturday with a 27-6 victory over the West Palm Beach Patriots.

Quarterback Will McCullough connected with tight end Spencer Longley for a 45-yard touchdown. McCullough also ran in for six points. On the defensive side, Evan Garcia picked up a fumble and ran it to the 12-yard line.

Defense saw great play from Logan Wakefield, Dalton Trimble, Austin Brown, Harley Coffman, Matt Smith, Daniel Joyner and Michael Shakes. The

defensive line led by Evan Garcia, Brock Chase, Ryder Roscigno, Ricky Durr, C.J. Sothen and Kaden Knott held the Patriots to two first downs and six points.

Late in the fourth quarter, tight end Michael Shakes caught a pass for 25 yards and fullback Logan Wakefield finished the drive with a touchdown run. Fullback Sean Houck made several hard runs, and Dalton Trimble had a touchdown run, kicking his first extra point. Solid efforts were also made by Kobe Rodriguez, David Rodberg, Drew Matias and Brandon Cordero.

The Wildcats will play at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 at Royal Palm Beach High School against the Jupiter Mustangs.

Wave U-15 Opens Season — The Wellington Wave U-15 girls team started their season with a 2-0 loss to the Cobras in Cooper City. The Wave will play at home this weekend with a game against Plantation on Saturday at noon and Sunday against Sunrise at 4 p.m. Shown here, Nathalie Carrasquilla takes a corner kick against the Cooper City defense.

Wave U-11 Girls Win Championship — The Wellington Wave U-11 girls won the Melbourne Labor Day Challenge, defeating West Pines 3-1 in the final. The team had a 3-1 record in pool play to reach the championship. Christin Costa stepped up as goalie and produced two shutouts after goalie Danielle Andersen broke her arm in practice four days before the tournament. Other players include Nadira Davis, Alana Grnja, Nicole Dorminey, Jubilee Zevenbergen, Victoria Cruz, Emily Stamper, Makaylan Clark, Nicole Dorminey, Kassidy Roberts and Alison Bowlby. The team is coached by William Acevedo.

Wave U-10 Boys Win In Tampa — The Wellington Wave U-10 boys A team won the Black Watch Soccer Tournament held Labor Day weekend in Tampa. After five spectacular games, they defeated the East Pasco Pirates 8-2 in the final game to bring home the championship. Wave coaches are Efraim Silva and Jonathan Riveros. The players are Philippe Urreiztieta, Emanuel Perez, Alston Moore, Daniel Abrahams, Adler Chase, Kevin Hopkins, Esteban Lestido and Remy Suarez.

High School Golfers Look To Gain Experience This Season

By Steve Pike Town-Crier Staff Report

Stephen McPoyle is the perfect representative of high school golf in the western communities this season — young. The Palm Beach Central High School freshman fired a five-over 41 Wednesday at the Okeeheelee Park Golf Course to lead the Broncos to a 169-189 victory over Royal Palm Beach High School. How young are we talking? Consider that between the two teams on Wednesday, there was only one senior — Palm Beach Central’s Chris Crawford.

Of the four western communities high schools, two-time defending district champion Wellington has the oldest team, with seniors Michael Ferranolo and Aaron Taylor. But other than those two Wolverines, youth is being served —

GOLF

GOLF

make that teed up — in a big way.

Wellington and Seminole Ridge played Tuesday at the Village Golf Club in Royal Palm Beach in a match that was abbreviated because of lightning.

The Hawks — led by sophomores Erik Branstrom and John Love, and freshman Matt Gray — have yet to play a complete nine-hole match this season because of weather or cancellation by an opposing team.

Seminole Ridge’s first scheduled match of the season, for example, was canceled because they Dreyfoos School of the Arts could not field a team.

“Those things happen early in the year,” Hawks coach John Walker said. “But it will all work itself out. We just started

playing, too, the first week of school. I know some other teams started sooner.”

For his part, Wellington coach Kent Mauney probably couldn’t wait to get started. “We’ve got a good team this year — a good group of kids,” Mauney said of his 11-man team. “Michael and Aaron are my horses, so out of those other four guys, we’re hoping two of them have a good day. They’re all pretty even. They’re going to shoot 40 or 41.”

Ferranolo and Taylor were each one over par through five holes when the match against Seminole Ridge was halted.

“They generally shoot in the high 30s, which is pretty good for us,” Mauney said.

Palm Beach Central coach Tom Cherry returns the bulk of a team that lost only two dual matches in 2006, both to

Wellington. Despite the Broncos’ youth, Cherry also is optimistic about his team’s chances this season.

“They’ve all worked hard and listened to my speeches,” Cherry said with a smile. “I’ve tried to make them understand the team concept in golf. Even though you get down on yourself, you have to pick up your teammates. I think they’re starting to get the hang of that.”

Royal Palm Beach coach Frank Kunf returns one of the area’s more experienced players in Joseph Fleming. A junior, Fleming, shot 42 on Wednesday and has played in the Wildcats’ number-one spot for three consecutive years.

“Joe’s a very consistent player,” Kunf said. “Right now we lack some consistency as a team but that will come along. It’s all about being able to hit that little white ball.”

The Palm Beach Central High School boys golf team.The Royal Palm Beach High School boys golf team.

Allwyn Court’s Katherine Newman Wins At Hampton Horse Show

Katherine Newman had a very successful run at last weekend’s Hampton Classic Horse Show. Newman, daughter of Gerry and Kathy Newman of Wellington’s Allwyn Court, won the High Junior Jumper championship on her stallion Costa Sur.

Coming off of her individual gold medal performance last month at the North American Junior Young Rider Championships, Newman was ready to be one of the top junior riders. She and Costa Sur finished seventh in the $5,000 High Junior Jumper class. They were second in the $15,000 WGHR Farm Junior/ Amateur Jumper Classic and took home the division championship and cooler.

Newman also piloted Titleist for owner Manhattan Mortgage to consistent ribbons in the Small Junior 16-17 Hunters.

Todd Minikus, one of the top show jumpers in the country, has competed abroad this summer for the U.S. show jumping team in the Samsung Super League. Upon returning to see his stu-

dent ride at the Hamptons, he was very pleased to see Newman riding consistently well.

Minikus rode Tracey Topping’s Eltonn to victory in the 1.35-m Jumpers on Tuesday, Aug. 28. Eltonn is also trained by Kathy Newman. Topping competed in the Adult Amateur 46 & Over Hunter division and took home top ribbons on Best Seller and Espoir du Feif III.

In the same division, part-time Wellington resident Melissa Cohn of Manhattan Mortgage rode Bulgari to third place in the over fences class and won ribbons on Corvet Z. Mimi Abel-Smith competed in the Amateur-Owner Over 36 Hunters, one of the most competitive divisions at the show, and picked up good ribbons on her horse Almelo.

Newman will travel this week to the Region 2 ASPCA Maclay Qualifier at Old Salem Farm on Sunday, Sept. 9. Allwyn Court will show next at the Capital Challenge Horse Show starting Sept. 29.

Jennifer Reid And Sweet Emotion Win Championship In Syracuse

Jennifer Reid of Wellington took home the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter championship on her mount Sweet Emotion at the recent New York State Fair Horse Show in Syracuse, NY.

Reid and the talented black mare won three out of five classes in the division. They were third and fourth in the remaining two classes. Sweet Emotion won the under saddle class in the Adult Hunter division as well as the $500 Open Hunter under saddle class.

Reid also piloted Playtime to the reserve championship in the division. Playtime, a nine-year-old Warmblood gelding, received a first place, two second places, sixth place over fences and was second in the under saddle behind Sweet Emotion. The Adult Amateur 18-35

Hunter division had more than 25 entries.

Reid was the 2007 Winter Equestrian Festival Reserve Circuit Champion in the Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunters on Playtime. After a hard winter of showing, Reid took most of the summer months off from showing.

“It’s really nice to come back after taking the summer off and still have great trips on my horses without any difficulty,” Reid said. “They were both wonderful to ride, and I think they really stood out among the rest of the competition. I was very proud of them both.”

Reid rides at Richard Schechter’s Bainbridge Farm in Wellington and trains with Garry Duffy of Little Brook Farm in Ithaca, NY. “I really couldn’t do any of

this without Gary,” Reid said. “I left my horses with him for the entire summer and never had to worry. I knew that he’d take great care of them and that they would be there, ready and waiting to show when I came back. I guess the results really speak for themselves.”

Reid will try to repeat her championship performance with Sweet Emotion from last year when she competes next in the Autumn in New York Horse Show at the New York State Fairgrounds Coliseum in Syracuse starting Sept. 19.

Costa Sur and Katherine Newman

(Right) Jennifer Reid and Sweet Emotion, Adult Amateur 18-35 Hunter champions at the New York State Fair Horse Show.

Saturday, Sept. 8

• The Maltz Jupiter Theatre (1001 E. Indiantown Road, Jupiter) will continue The Kid From Brooklyn through Sunday, Sept. 9. The smash musical is based on the life of New Yorker Danny Kaye. Tickets are $30 for matinee and $35 for all evening performances. Group tickets are available for 20 or more. Visit www.jupitertheatre. org or call (561) 575-2223 for tickets.

• The Wellington Library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present Saturday Morning Drop-Ins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8 for ages two and up. Had a busy week? Drop in and spend some time listening to stories. For more info., call (561) 7906070.

• The Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach will feature the origami program “Fold a Crane for Peace” on Saturday, Sept. 8 for all ages. Instructors help guide guests as they learn origami, the art of paper folding. The program takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the museum lobby and is free with paid admission. For more info., call (561) 495-0233 or visit www.morikami.org.

• CityPlace Saturday Nights will present Brass Machine performing rock ’n’ roll music on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 7 to 11 p.m. on the plaza stage at CityPlace in West Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 366-1000, ext. 7 or visit www.cityplace.com.

• The Studio Theatre of Wellington will continue Lee Blessing’s play Eleemosynary through Saturday, Sept. 15. Eleemosynary examines the delicate relationship of three women. Show times are 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7; Saturday, Sept. 8; Friday, Sept. 14; and Saturday, Sept. 15. The Studio Theatre is located at 11320 Fortune Circle, G-7. Tickets are $15. For more info., call (561) 204-4100.

• The Cuillo Centre for the Arts in West Palm Beach will present Loquacious and Bodacious: The Life and Times of Zora Neale Hurston Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 8 and 9. Saturday’s performance will take place at 8 p.m. Sunday performances will take place at 2 and 7 p.m. Performances will continue until Sept. 30. For tickets and additional show times, call the Cuillo Centre box office at (561) 835-9226.

• The South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.) will host a Gun Show on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 8 and 9, featuring a wide collection of guns, ammo, knives, hunting supplies and accessories. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $7 for adults and free for 12 and under. For more info., call (561) 793-0333.

Monday, Sept. 10

• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly luncheon on Monday, Sept. 10 at Carrabba’s Italian Grill (11141 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach). The event will feature a presentation by Palm Beach County School District Superintendent Dr. Art Johnson. Lunch will begin at 11:45 a.m. Tickets are $15 for members with reservations, $20 for members at the door and $25 for non-members. RSVP to (561) 790-6200.

• The Sons of Italy in America-Italian Fellowship Lodge

#2713 will hold a membership drive on Monday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. A pizza dinner will be served. For more info., call Janice at (561) 798-0950 or Caroline at (561) 798-2853 evenings.

Tuesday, Sept. 11

• The Acreage/Loxahatchee Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at 7:29 a.m. at Sneaky Pete’s Restaurant in the Grove (Winn-Dixie) Plaza on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. For more information, call President Richard Helton at (561) 792-5379.

• 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.

• The Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast invites the public to share their thoughts regarding senior issues from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 11 in the Wellington Community Center’s Grand Cypress Room (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). A light lunch will be served. For more info., call Patricia Ernst at (561) 684-5885, e-mail ernstp@elderaffairs.org or visit www.agencyonagingpbtc.org.

• The Wellington Library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen” at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 11 for adults. Based on the parenting guidance groups of child psychologist Dr. Haim Ginott, the workshop teaches parents how to communicate more effectively with their children through audiotapes, role playing and exercises. For more info., call (561) 790-6070.

• The Wellington Village Council will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). A public forum will follow the meeting. For more info., call (561) 791-4000.

• The Wellington Art Society will hold an open house on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Wellington (12700 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The event is for all area artists, art enthusiasts and patrons to learn more about the society’s plans for the new season. For more info., call Susan at (561) 795-1691 or visit www. wellingtonartsociety.org.

Wednesday, Sept. 12

• The Northern Palm Beach Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 12 at the DoubleTree Hotel (4431 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens). Networking will take place from 6 to 6:30 p.m. with the dinner and program starting at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $30 for members and non-members. Guests are welcome. RSVP by calling Helen Lasko at (561) 622-8683.

Thursday, Sept. 13

• 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.

• In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Jan and Gary Dario Gallery and PROCER (the Puerto Rican Organization for Cultural Enhance-

ment and Reaffirmation) will present Brushstrokes of Hispanic Heritage: An Exhibition of Paintings. The opening reception is Thursday, Sept. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. Artists represented include Ana Noble, Elizabeth Erazo-Baez, Michelle Irizarry and Carlos Rivera. The exhibit will run Sept. 13 through Oct. 18. The gallery is located at Palm Beach Community College in Lake Worth, 4200 Congress Ave., inside the humanities building. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (561) 868-3914.

• The Wellington Library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will present “ How to Draw Manga” on Thursday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. Whether you’re a drawing master or a mere scribbler, you’ll learn how to create mangastyle comics. The program is for ages 12 to 18. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register.

Friday, Sept. 14

• The first in a series of networking luncheons to serve the western communities will be held Friday, Sept. 14 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Earl of Sandwich restaurant in the Mall at Wellington Green. Attendees will be afforded an opportunity to promote their business or service while being introduced to others in the community. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door and include lunch, materials and promotional items. Reservations are required and seating is limited. For more info., call Alice Guy Azzaro of Coyote Accounting at (561) 779-2218.

Saturday, Sept. 15

• The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will host a walk at Okeeheelee Park (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.) on Saturday, Sept. 15. Participants will meet at 7:30 a.m. at the parking lot near the western entrance of the park. For more info., call Daisy at (561) 439-5780.

• The Florida Sportsman Fishing Show will take place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 15-16 at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.). Now in its 11th year, the event billed as the “Family Fishing Festival” includes a giant indoor tackle sale and fishing boat show, seminars, demonstrations and sportfishing events. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10. a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The cost is $7 for adults and free for children 12 and under. For more info., visit www.floridasportsman.com.

• Gospel Fest: A Celebration of Worship and Praise will take place on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. at Palm Beach Community College Eissey Campus Theatre in Palm Beach Gardens. The event will feature Sharon Chestnut Thompson with Sevan Campbell, Ingrid Tracy and more. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. For more info., call (561) 207-5900.

Wednesday, Sept. 19

• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host a Business After Hours Mixer at Maroone Chevrolet in Greenacres (5757 Lake Worth Road) on Wednesday, Sept. 19 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. RSVP to (561) 790-6200.

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

SEN. ARONBERG ON THE ROAD

State Sen. Dave Aronberg and his staff began his mobile tour of the western communities on Monday. Aronberg (D-District 27) began with a visit to Canal Point and Belle Glade. The trip included a visit to a post office in Canal Point, where Aronberg met with folks from the area to listen to their concerns. Afterward, Aronberg met staff from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office districts 13, 11 and 5, including District 13 Captain Simon Barnes, a Royal Palm Beach resident. (Above) Aronberg and staff outside of the post office at Canal Point. (Below) Aronberg with Captain Barnes and Fred Mascaro.

Poinciana Students Get Hands-On History Lessons During Trip

Sixth-grade students at Poinciana Day School recently spent several days immersed in Florida history as they visited St. Augustine and the Kennedy Space Center, to learn about the earliest Florida settlement and to experience what space exploration is all about, respectively.

In St. Augustine, students toured sites including the oldest house, oldest schoolhouse and oldest jail to see many of the first European steps in Florida’s civilization. Students also had the opportunity to experience what life was like in a Native American settlement and an early Spanish settlement. The group also went to see where Ponce

Elbridge Gale Fall Book Drive

Elbridge Gale Elementary School is now holding a fall book drive to collect gently used children’s books. The books will be used to build independent reading collections in the classroom libraries of teachers new to the school.

Additionally, many of the books donated will be directed to Elbridge Gale’s sister school, Grove Park Elementary in Palm Beach Gardens.

“This partnership with Grove Park Elementary will promote civic awareness within our students,” reading coach Jennifer Jones said. “At Elbridge Gale, we are so fortunate to have the support of our parents and community. This project is a small way that we can help the students

de Leon landed in “La Florida” and have a taste of water from the Fountain of Youth.

At the Kennedy Space Center, students started their visit with a tour of the facility, including the Apollo Center. They learned about early space flight and the Apollo program, which culminated with landing man on the moon. Students also saw a Saturn V rocket close up, the largest rocket ever made, which took man to the moon.

Students had the opportunity to walk through a space shuttle and see what life is like for current astronauts as they work in space. The highlight was touring the Astronaut Hall of Fame

and teachers of a needy school. They are very grateful for our efforts.”

Elbridge Gale Elementary School’s fall book drive will run through Sept. 14. Anyone who wishes to donate childrens’ books may drop them off to the main office at 1915 Royal Fern Drive in Wellington.

Library Card Signup Month

September is Library Card Signup Month, and the Palm Beach County Library System wants to make sure local children are among the two-thirds of Americans that carry the smartest card of all — a library card.

Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more

and trying out simulators of various space training devices for astronauts.

A tired but happy group returned to West Palm Beach with a much better understanding of how important Florida has been throughout U.S. history. The group was accompanied by teachers Darcie Mulay and Tricia Couch.

Located in West Palm Beach, Poinciana Day School is an independent private school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade with class sizes of less than 15 students. For more information, call (561) 6557323 or visit www.poinciana dayschool.org.

likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning.

A library card may be the most important school supply of all. Kids can come in to the library to get homework help, check out books, DVDs or CDs and use the Internet to make after-school life a little more fun.

A recent study by the American Library Association also showed that families use libraries to spend time together.

Library Card Signup month activities at Palm Beach County Library System locations will include:

• “Read for the Record,” in which children from around the country will all read The Story of Ferdinand on the same day Sept. 20.

• The “Magic Secrets” reading program presented by ma-

Bill T yson’s

gician and storyteller John Cesta, who will tell the story of a young boy and his quest to learn real magic secrets.

• “Ronald McDonald Fun,” with Ronald’s special brand of magic, juggling and storytelling (with lots of audience participation) to stress the importance of reading.

• All children who visit the library and sign up for, or show, a library card will receive coupons for free food at McDonald’s and a Reading Challenge Visit Card to mail in to enter a prize drawing.

For more information, visit www.pbclibrary.org.

WHS Debate Benefit Night

On Monday, Sept. 10, the Wellington Debate and Forensic Team invites everyone to

its first Fuddruckers Benefit Night of the school year. From 5 to 10 p.m. the new Fuddruckers restaurant near the Mall at Wellington Green will be assisting Wellington Debate by donating a portion of the proceeds from sales.

To help out, all people need to do is show up, order a meal and tell the cashier, “I support Wellington Debate!” There’s no extra cost, participants enjoy a great dinner and help one of the nation’s top debate programs send students to national championship competitions.

For more information about the benefit night, call Wellington Debate Coach Paul Gaba at (561) 795-4911 or e-mail gaba@wellingtondebate.com. More information about the WHS debate program is available at www.wellingtondebate. com.

Living History — Gabe Klein, Robert Costa of Wellington, Kaylee Crenshaw, Melissa Agnolucci, Sarah Templin and Alicia Hebron of Royal Palm Beach practice native skills in St. Augustine.

Seminole Ridge’s

Seminole Ridge High School English teacher and literary magazine advisor Ms. Carly Gates is a statewide finalist to receive the “Beginning Teacher of the Year” award from the Florida Council of Teachers of English (FCTE). Gates travels to the FCTE’s October conference in Altamonte Springs as the next step toward this recognition.

Macsuga Reads for AP History SRHS social studies teacher Mrs. Kara Macsuga attended the 2007 AP World History reading in Fort Collins, Colo. during the first week in June.

Along with almost 600 readers from across the U.S., Canada and overseas, she was responsible for reading and rating student essays from the 2007 AP exam. Readers’ evaluations make up an essential component each year in determining AP students’ exam scores.

“Scoring the exams and learning best practices from colleagues around the world was an invaluable experience,” Macsuga said. “I can’t wait to do it again next year!”

SRHS Begins Annual Blood Drives — Seminole Ridge High School will hold its first community blood drive of the year Wednesday, Sept. 5. Any student 16 or older may donate with parent consent. Students must return the consent form to sponsor Mrs. Shawna Ahmad, who will issue a pass with a scheduled time on it to donate. Students will come to the bloodmobiles at the north end of the football field from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Drives are also scheduled for Oct. 31, Jan. 30, April 2 and May 29.

FACE Club — The Seminole Ridge FACE Club is excited to start its second year after a productive and meaningful inaugural in 2007. The club’s mission remains: “to educate the community about facial anomalies and to support affected children and their families.”

Last year the club was able to support three families whose babies were born

Gates A Finalist For FCTE Teacher Of The Year

with cleft lips and palates. It also sent $900 to Operation Smile, thanks to the generosity of school faculty. That donation translated into three cleft lip surgical repairs for children or adults in other countries.

This year the club is gearing up for its second annual Craniofacial Beach Party in Jupiter on Sunday, Oct. 28. The Seminole Ridge FACE club, along with other organizations, will host this exciting event for children and their families who are affected with facial anomalies. The party is open to any craniofacial family in the area. Call club sponsor Mrs. Peggy Larson at (561) 422-2708 for info.

The club’s first meeting of the year will be Thursday, Sept. 20. Look for posters, and listen to announcements for

SRHS Chorus Planning

Several Fundraisers

The Seminole Ridge High School chorus invites everyone to its Barnes & Noble Book Fair on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the store’s location near the Mall at Wellington Green on Forest Hill Blvd. A percentage of purchases will benefit the school. Choose from bestsellers, children’s books and toys, games, gift items, home and office products, Godiva chocolates, packaged Starbucks coffee, CDs and DVDs.

On Sunday, Sept. 9, the chorus will be selling hot dogs and soda for $2 (together) from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Grove (Winn-Dixie) Marketplace on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. WinnDixie Manager Tim Bevins said he is happy to be able to help the chorus group raise money for its June 2008 trip to New York to perform in the Manhattan Concert Productions Octavo Series at Carnegie Hall. The group will also be selling Seminole Ridge “spirit items” such as stadium blankets, LED flashing

the meeting time and place. Membership and participation in the FACE Club qualifies members for community service hours as well as scholarships.

Band Invites Everyone to Breakfast — The SRHS marching band presents its second annual Emergency Preparedness Day Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, Sept. 8 from 8 a.m. to noon in the cafeteria. Breakfast will be served until 11 a.m. The day’s activities will include local vendors, a silent auction, fire-rescue exhibits, kids’ corner and a motorcycle fun run with a $25 registration fee.

Principal Announces NCLB Report Availability The information in the 2006-07 No Child Left Behind School Public Accountability Report (NCLB SPAR) provides data collected on Sem-

luggage tags, UV protection golf umbrellas and hawk necklaces.

The chorus will also hold a car wash on Saturday, Sept. 15 in the Burger King parking lot located at 7040 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The car wash is free, but donations will be taken. Seminole Ridge “spirit items” will also be on sale at the car wash.

For more information, or to make a contribution toward the New York trip, call Deanna Tassi at (561) 784-8881.

Cub Scouts Recruiting

At Frontier Elementary

Boys ages six to 11 who like to camp, play sports, go fishing, go hiking and make new friends are invited to Frontier Elementary School Pack 147’s first meeting of the year on Friday, Sept. 14. Boys who missed new scout rallies can call the Boy Scouts of America Gulfstream Council at (561) 694-8585 for information in their area. Home-schoolers and private school students are also welcome.

inole Ridge High School. This report has been developed in collaboration with the Florida Department of Education. The report is available for viewing at the school upon request and is also available at the school district’s Office of Public Affairs, Suite B-102, 3336 Forest Hill Blvd., West Palm Beach. In almost every area of measured objectives, SRHS students made strong learning gains, and the school grade moved from a C to a B in 2006-07, SRHS Principal Dr. Lynne McGee noted. SRHS was a single point away from earning an A (525 points). “On behalf of the Seminole Ridge students and staff, I sincerely thank our Seminole Ridge parents and our community members for the part they played in our 2006-07 success,” McGee said.

LGES Celebrates National Anthem

Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School will be having a special event in celebration of the importance of music education and patriotic musical heritage. Sept. 14 is the anniversary of the “Star Spangled Banner.” It was on this date in the year 1814 that a lawyer named Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to the song after a battle at Fort McHenry in Maryland.

The U.S. Department of Education, in conjunction with the Music Educators National Conference and Honorary Chair First Lady Laura Bush, are encouraging the national celebration of the importance of music education and the nation’s patriotic musical heritage.

On Friday, Sept. 14 at 9 a.m., schools nationwide will sing the National Anthem. Students at Loxahatchee Groves will meet outside near the pavilion at 8:50 a.m. and begin singing the national anthem at 9 a.m. wearing the colors red, white and blue in celebration of the event.

Hanson Completes Air Force Traffic Control School

Air National Guard Airman

First Class Nathan Hanson has graduated from the air traffic control operations apprentice course at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss.

The course is designed to train students to control enroute and terminal air traffic by use of visual, radar and non-radar means at air traffic control facilities. Students learn aircraft identification and how to initiate and issue air traffic control clearances, instructions and adviso-

ries to ensure the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic operating under instrument and visual flight rule.

Hanson is the son of Lloyd and Maurette Hanson of Loxahatchee. He is a 2002 graduate of Wellington High School.

Brannon Receives Bachelor’s Degree

Benjamin Brannon of Wellington was awarded a bachelor’s of science degree in management from Kaplan University during a commencement ceremony in Davenport, Iowa on Aug. 4.

HIGH HOLIDAY HELPERS

Temple Beth Tikvah’s youth have taken over the job of polishing the silver for the high holidays. The Torah crowns, pointers and breastplates were polished by five boys and girls. Shown here are Matthew Epstein and Emily Tessenholtz. Also working on this project were Max and Sam Tessenholtz and Cayla Epstein. Temple Beth Tikvah is located at 4550 Jog Road in Greenacres. Call (561) 967-3600 for more info.

Dr. Peter Smith, former assistant director general for education with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Paris, France, was the commencement speaker. For more information about Kaplan University, visit www.kaplan.edu.

Local Artist Exhibiting Online

Artist Joanna Jorgensen of Jorgensen Studio in Loxahatchee is participating in an international online exhibit where she is featured with 33 other artists.

World Wide Women’s Artists Online is an international collective of women artists showing and selling their original art on the worldwide web.

Texas artist Sharon Shubert is the first WWAO member to

Erika Jaden Braswell daughter of Patricia and Steven Braswell of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Aug. 22.

Esteban Jose Barrios Castillo — son of Joaquina Castillo and Pablo Barrios of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Aug. 23.

Jayden Edward Cooper Miracola — son of Morgan and Calvin Miracola of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Aug. 24

Mya Angelina Fong Lee daughter of Lizbeth Cabrera and Richard Fong Lee of Welling-

host this new series of international group exhibits on her web site.

The artists represented are from Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The 34 exhibiting artists will be showcasing a variety of mediums and styles. The exhibit can be viewed through Sept. 30. All works are offered for sale. Contact information for each artist is available on Shubert’s web site at www. redladyart.com.

Capizola Goes To Washington

This fall, seventh-grader Taylor Capizola, the daughter of David and Janeen Capizola of Wellington, will take part in a leadership conference in Washington, D.C. themed

ton was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Aug. 24.

Benjamin Christian DeLoach — son of Sarah and Joseph Bradley DeLoach of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Aug. 25.

Andrew Caleb Mohammed — son of Rhonda and Andy Mohammed of Lake Worth was born at Palms West Hospital on Aug. 27.

Sydney Claire Bass daughter of Jennifer and Gary Warren Bass Jr. of Loxahatchee was born at Palms West Hospital on Aug. 28. Shyanne Alizabeth Gray

“Voices of Leadership: Reflecting on the Past to Create the Future.”

The Junior National Young Leaders Conference (JrNYLC) introduces young people to the rich tradition of leadership throughout American history, while helping them develop their own leadership skills. Ms. A. Carroll of American Heritage School nominated Capizola for JrNYLC.

During the six-day program, scholars take part in educational activities and presentations; scholars may also meet with elected officials and key congressional staff members on Capitol Hill.

CYLC is a nonpartisan educational organization. Since 1985, the council has inspired more than 200,000 young people to achieve their full leadership potential.

daughter of Elizabeth Kempf and Shaun Aaron Gray of Lake Worth was born at Palms West Hospital on Aug. 28.

Kiana Lei Esparza daughter of Marnie and Thomas Esparza of Royal Palm Beach was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Aug. 29. Gabriel Viera Jr. — son of Lisa Marie Harlan and Gabriel Viera of West Palm Beach was born at Palms West Hospital on Aug. 30.

Madelin Paige Farias daughter of Christine and Richard Farias of Wellington was born at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Aug. 30.

KIDS ENJOY ‘TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY’ AT WELLINGTON LIBRARY

The Wellington Library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) featured “Talk Like a Pirate Day” on Tuesday, Sept. 4 for ages six and up. Host Annmarie Campbell read interactive books to the kids, showed them how to make pirate hats and presented a pirate-themed DVD. For more information about children’s programs at the library, call (561) 790-6070.

Toby Graham, Kelly Hallenback with son Griffin, and Olivia Kohan.

Abe Wecker with his nephew Tate Rosenberg.

Annmarie Campbell tells a pirates tale to the kids.Campbell’s stories capture the kids’ imagination.

PHOTOS

Heide Graham glues and staples the kids’ pirate hats while son Toby looks on.

Anthony Sanchez, Maria Gallegos and Lauren Bennett help Annmarie Campbell act out a story.

The Phantoms Visit

Columbia Restaurant

651 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach (561) 820-9373

Celebrating 100 Years of Cuban Cuisine in America!

In 1905, Casimiro Hernandez Sr. immigrated from Cuba to Tampa’s Ybor City and opened Columbia Café to serve his fellow countrymen in the cigar capital of America. From these humble beginnings, the Ybor City restaurant now has 15 dining rooms seating 1,700 patrons. This family-owned business is an American dream come true for over four generations... and now there are seven locations throughout Florida, including West Palm Beach.

Obviously, they must be doing something right to survive in this industry. Their key to success is their pride in providing their guests with excellent food, Old World service and constant value at all of their restaurants. From a simple dish to a Spanish extravaganza, every meal is made to order in the tradition of Casimiro Hernandez’s original recipes.

We were introduced to Columbia Restaurant on a number of charity events in CityPlace where they generously donate their time, food and services, and most important everyone can sample their famous paella. Paella is the national dish of Spain and the house specialty of this Spanish eatery. Three versions are available: meat only, seafood only and the traditional combination paella pan with clams, mussels, scallops, calamari, chicken,and pork, baked with rice, olive oil, green peppers, Spanish onions, tomatoes and highlighted with garlic, spices, and white wine. At only $23.95 all we can say is olé!

The mojito is Cuba’s flagship drink to America, and the mojitos at Columbia are incredible and a great way to

start your dining experience. They also have the best white and red sangria prepared table side to add a classy touch. Also featured is an impressive wine list. At Columbia Restaurant, they believe that two aspects of elegant dining deserve specialized attention: the preparation and serving of the cuisine and the selection of the finest wines to accompany each meal. In keeping with that philosophy, they offer the most elegant Spanish dishes, and have the largest collection of Spanish wines in the United States. Columbia Restaurant cordially invites you to a Wine Dinner featuring the Chilean Wines of Mont Gras and their limited production of Antu wines from the Ninquén Mountain Estate in Chile. Dinner and wines are paired by the Gonzmart family of the Columbia Restaurant. Antu Chilean Wine Dinners will take place at each of their seven Columbia Restaurants, and one is scheduled for City Place on Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. for $75 per person (all-inclusive).

Columbia’s original 1905 Salad is legendary, tossed tableside. Crisp iceberg, julienne baked ham, Swiss cheese, tomato, olive, Romano cheese all tossed in the family recipe garlic dressing and only $8.95.

Tapas is the Spanish tradition to share a variety of tasty dishes including jumbo shrimp, colossal scallops, calamari, crab cakes, black bean cakes, spicy ground beef pastry turnovers or their tender lamb back ribs ($5.95-$9.50)

Red Snapper Alicante ($22.95) is one of the house specials: red snapper baked in a casserole highlighted with sweet onions and green peppers served in a rich gravy with sides of yellow rice, fried eggplant and shrimp. This is Spanish seafood heaven. Other noteworthy sea-

Columbia Restaurant’s elegant dining room (above) and cozy bar area (right) are a welcome addition to the restaurant scene in downtown West Palm Beach.

food selections include: Sea Bass “Bilbao” casserole, grilled mahi-mahi, stuffed pompano and crab-stuffed Key West shrimp.

From the meat lover’s selection you can choose from a good variety; from a center cut filet mignon with a rich sauce of bourbon, shallots and mushrooms flambéed at tableside to tenderloin tips, along with roast pork, sautéed shredded beef, and three classic but unique chicken entrees. Finally there is salteado ($18.95) Columbia’s traditional method of sauté, where China meets Cuba combining chicken, tenderloin tips or gulf shrimp in a hot skillet with sautéed onions, peppers, garlic, mushrooms, potatoes, chorizo and red wine. The flavor and taste will demand a repeat performance. We ended our evening with dessert: white chocolate bread pudding ($5.95) topped with Bacardi rum sauce with a cup of café con leche. Other offerings include guava cheesecake, Godiva chocolate cake, caramel flan and their

100th anniversary special, Brazo Gitano. This is spongecake, sherry, cream, strawberries all rolled and topped with meringue served tableside with strawberry sauce and flambéed for only $5.95!

Columbia Restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner as well as a great place to host a private party or special event. Call General Manager Nancy Taylor at (561) 820-9373 and tell her Joe & Kathryn, the Phantoms, recommended you call!

Joe & Kathryn, the Phantoms, are featured writers for the Town-Crier newspaper and Seabreeze Publications. Comments and recommendations are welcome at thephantomdiners@ aol.com or (561) 309-4406.

FUN WITH SHOFARS AT CHABAD HEBREW SCHOOL

Ed Money Keep Reading Grants

continued from page 1A said. “As far as the [enrichment funding], the intentions were good. If we had a choice between the two, I feel the $25,000 could help those students that may not do well now at performing better with the FCAT.”

Ventriglio suggested a uniform application process for the grant funding. “I am not saying we should do away with the money altogether,” she said. “I’m saying maybe we need to look at a sliding scale as to how much each school gets. Maybe we should set it up like a real grant and have the schools write proposals about how much money they should get and what they will do with it once they get it. I also want to go back to the middle and high schools. I feel their proficiency levels are lower than the elementary schools. I feel we are neglect-

Flu Get Early Vaccinations

continued from page 19A educe the risk of becoming ill with influenza or of transmitting influenza to others should be vaccinated.

GET VACCINATED EARLY

Flu viruses generally begin to circulate among the population as early as October and continue as late as May. But you shouldn’t wait until flu season begins to get your flu shot. It takes at least two weeks for the antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus infection to begin to develop in the body. There’s another good reason not to delay in getting your flu shot: each year, pharmaceutical companies manufacture their vaccines based on the best estimate of demand for their product. Given the meager number of influenza vaccine manu-

Chabad Lubavitch Hebrew School in Wellington held an open house/shofar factory on Sunday, Sept. 2. Classes were offered for children pre-K through bar/bat mitzvah. For more information about classes or temple memberships, contact the Wellington Jewish Center at (561) 333-4663. The center is located at 12785 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite C.

ing them based on their age. Just because they are sixth graders or tenth graders, we shouldn’t forget them.”

Committee Member Peter Inniss agreed that the committee should learn more about how the reading grants are being used, but suggested that the presence of a reading recovery teacher often benefits an entire classroom, and not just the few students targeted. He also urged the committee to push the school district for more funding, perhaps in concert with other municipalities.

“I believe that we somehow or another need to go after the school district and get some of the funds back,” Inniss said.

“The distribution of the money coming back to the students is not fair. The numbers don’t add up. There is a lot of money being held back. Where is the money? I think we need to be more forceful. Maybe we need the other villages and communities in Palm Beach County to challenge the school board. The taxpayers need to stand up and say we need to take our schools

facturing plants in the United States and the large number of doses required, only a limited amount is produced. Vaccines take six to nine months to develop, so once the stock has been exhausted, it cannot be replaced.

HOW THE VACCINE WORKS

Even after you get vaccinated, your immunity to the disease declines over time and may be too low to provide protection after one year. That’s why last year’s vaccine is no good against the newer mutations. Based on international surveillance and scientists’ estimations about which manner of viruses will circulate in a given year, each new season’s vaccine is manufactured accordingly.

ADVANCES IN TREATMENT

A rapid flu test now exists for definitive diagnosis of influenza. The test, recommended by the World Health Organization, is

back. You need to give the money back whether it’s an A school or not. We have one of the lowest percentages of graduating high school students in the country. Where is the money going?”

Committee Member Marianne Davidson also said she would like to see reading grants eventually distributed to middle and high schools. “This year, we can’t do too much,” she said, “but we should have it on the agenda for next year.”

Given the village’s anticipated budget shortfalls, Committee Member Murray Rosen said he supported expanding distribution of the reading grants, but made a motion to reduce student enrichment funding to 2006-07 levels.

“I have no objections to spending the $25,000,” Rosen said, “but we should at least stop the money going out. If you want to spread the reading challenge grant out, we should freeze the student enrichment funding to the 2006-2007 levels.”

Other committee members

offered at MD Now Urgent Care Centers. It is administered by a simple nasopharyngeal swab and is capable of screening for influenza A and B type viral infections. These types of infections were barely treatable in the past since viruses do not respond to antibiotics. But in recent years, pharmaceutical companies have released several prescription medications — known as antiviral drugs — that are effective and can significantly reduce the duration of suffering, such as Tamiflu and Relenza. Starting treatment with these medications within 48 hours after flu symptoms appear will reduce the length of the illness and the severity of symptoms by at least one day.

MD Now Urgent Care Centers has locations in Royal Palm Beach (11551 Southern Blvd., 561-798-9411) and Lake Worth (4570 Lantana Road, 561-9639881). For more information, visit www.mymdnow.com.

did not agree. Committee Member Ann Jacobs said the reduction would be like punishing schools because their student population increased. “I think you may be penalizing some students,” she said. “What if they had an extra 200 students? I think there are some high schools that are growing in large numbers.”

Rosen’s motion failed for a lack of a second. Ventriglio then

Wechsler Primary Schedule Politics

continued from page 22 has taken pride in being one of the most conservative states in the union.

Why ask people from Florida or Michigan or California or New York to have a voice? They just want our money and our votes for candidates we really have almost no voice in choosing.

Of course, the question of what really happens may arise. Will the leaders of the two parties hold fast to decisions to ignore Florida when it comes to choosing candidates? Since the chairman of the Republican National Committee is our own Senator Mel Martinez, will he make certain his fellow Florida Republicans are shamed? Is he setting aside the time in 2010 for a primary that will probably result?

Imagine the fun if the people currently leading in the polls, Senator Hillary Clinton and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, win the vote and are not allowed to have those delegates at the convention? Will they accept that or come to Florida and ask for money and support by promising to fight for us? And if they win, what happens to the parties? What happens if our votes are not counted and a different candidate wins because our votes have been disregarded? How would the Democratic

made a motion to restrict student enrichment funds to middle and high schools, which was seconded by Jacobs. It passed 4-1 with Rosen opposed. Committee members also agreed by consensus to support the continuance of $25,000 reading grants to the elementary schools, and to further discuss the evaluation process for the reading grants in next year’s budget cycle.

Party keep its name when it decides that the person with the most votes will not win? And how will they be able to campaign here next fall after telling us we are not important? The major Democrats have already agreed not to come here or any other state that breaks party discipline. And we can believe that as much as we like. The Republicans, as usual, are spending more time dodging the issue. And then we have the fun fact that Michigan also just decided to move its primary forward and it has been told its votes will not count. Florida has 25 electoral votes and Michigan has 18. That’s a combined 43 electoral votes; about one sixth of what is needed to win the presidency. Somehow, I would bet the parties will find a way to avoid offending us, but I also wonder whether they are smart enough to do so.

And, frankly, I would like to finally have a say in who gets picked, rather than choosing between two already-chosen alternatives. We need a way to select candidates that satisfies more than the just the voters of a handful of states. If we are disenfranchised, can we argue that we should have “no taxation without representation” and not have to pay taxes? You know the federal government will not go for that. But it’s a nice thought. And at this point, more interesting than most of the current candidates.

Rabbi Mendy Muskal talks about different types of horns.

Elliott Trzasko blows one of the shofars.

Rachel and Amanda Cohen examine the various horns.

Naama Scandarion with mom Lilach.

Rabbi Mendy Muskal with Robert Halfon. PHOTOS

A TOWN-CRIER Publication

Fresh Cof FreshCof FreshCoffee, Sandwiches fee,Sandwiches And More AndMore At Aroma In AromaIn W Wellington ellington

By Aaron Taslitz Town-Crier Staff Report

Sometimes the most ordinary encounters become life-changing events. Just ask Tracy Vega, who runs the Aroma coffee shop in the original Wellington Mall.

Vega, who was working as an office manager for a podiatrist, was visiting her oral surgeon’s office in the mall earlier this year. Walking through the mall after the appointment, she spotted the small walk-in shop with a “for sale” sign on the door.

Vega, who had been brushing up her resume to seek a new job, was struck with the inspiration to buy Aroma, and convinced her husband Rick to help her give it a shot.

“I had the same career for seven years, and I was looking for something else, and this just kind of fell in my lap,” she said. “I wasn’t out to buy a business.”

Vega, an Acreage resident, reopened Aroma in late May, serving up coffee, tea, sandwiches and salads, as well as a variety of other snacks and beverages.

The coffee is from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters of

Vermont, and besides regular and decaffeinated varieties, Aroma also serves specialty coffee drinks such as espresso, latte and cappuccino. For lovers of café Cubano, Vega uses Café Pilon.

Vega estimates that coffee accounts for 25 to 30 percent of her sales, while much of the rest is food items, such as her fresh-baked brownies and cookies, scones, turnovers and bagels. Aroma also serves tuna, turkey and ham sandwiches, and Vega will build a salad on a foundation of romaine lettuce, including whatever the customer desires. The daily special includes any sandwich, salad or wrap accompanied by a 12 oz. bowl of soup for $5.50.

But Vega said her single most popular item is a breakfast sandwich consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon and cheese on a croissant. Second to that in popularity is the same thing, on a bagel. “I sell more egg sandwiches than regular sandwiches,” she said.

Aroma has given the 32-yearold Vega the chance to apply everything she has learned in her working life, although not much of that has been spent in food service. “I was the assistant manager of a Long John Sil-

ver’s right out of high school, but that was ages ago,” she recalled.

Vega said the most salient thing she has learned in the first three months of her business venture is to emphasize quality, not quantity. “It’s more important to have a smaller variety and better quality,” she said. “The tuna is solid white albacore. The mayonnaise is Hellman’s. It’s all good stuff.”

And the experience she gained working for others, she said, is all applicable in her current situation. “You transfer all that over,” she said. “It’s organizational skills and people skills — I enjoy working with people.”

And because she has patronized small shops like Aroma in the working world, Vega said she knows where to set her standards. “I want this place to be the kind of place I would go to if I still worked in an office,” she said.

An important point, considering Vega estimates the bulk of her customers work in the professional and municipal offices located in the mall and its satellite buildings. “I’d say 90 percent of my business works here,” she said. “These are people I see every day. Even if they’re not buying every day, I

still see them every day.” Vega admits she was at first nervous about giving up the security of a good regular paycheck and taking on the responsibility of a small business, but she soon discovered her fears were unfounded. “This has been nothing compared to my older jobs,” she said with a smile. “I can’t tell you how much I really enjoy this.”

PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER

Aroma is located in the original Wellington Mall at 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd. and is open from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Vega can prepare anything on her menu in quantity for events with 24 hours advance notice. For more information, or to place an order, call (561) 4229020.

On The Menu — Aroma’s Tracy Vega with a sign advertising a popular item.

Acreage Network Referral Group Connects Area Businesses

By Leonard Wechsler Town-Crier Staff Report

The Acreage Network Referral Group is an association of western communities business people who meet weekly at Sneaky Pete’s restaurant on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road to promote their own businesses and those of other members.

Members represent a variety of businesses, many of them small and home-based operations. Members include skincare products distributor Donna Flynn of Arbonne International, Winston Crosbie of Strategic Real Estate, financial planner

Tom Carreras of Carreras Financial Services, mortgage broker Jeffrey Smith of ST Lending Group, accountant Archibald Turner of Do It All, Michelle Desjardins of Allstate Insurance, Nicole Vitale of First Choice Plumbing and Ken Bell of Bell Services, which prints business forms and provides other printing services.

The group also includes Sherri-Ann Lopez of National City banking services and Laura Pederson of RBSLynx, one of the largest payment processors in the country, specializing in Internet commerce.

At each ANRG meeting, one or more members share insights on the way they do business.

“This is a great way to meet people all through The Acreage, and it promotes a great sense of community,” Desjardins said.

At one of the group’s meetings last month, Ken Hendrick of Hendrick Services, the

group’s current president, demonstrated how many visual effects once considered science fiction are now part of his business’ standard repertoire.

“People are amazed when they hear that a small company in The Acreage has the national reach to handle major jobs for national corporations,” he said.

“We do all the employee access badges for Holiday Inns across the country and work with many national corporations. In today’s world, we are easily as likely to do a job for a company a thousand miles away as down the road.”

Hendrick said his company can provide a wide range of personalized products for businesses by using computer-driven technology. “It’s not just signs anymore,” he said. “We can do nametags that have ID pictures placed on special backgrounds. We can put all the elements in place using Corel Draw. We have a special dye sublimation printer that allows us to hold the colored dye in place so that it can be sealed into the tag. That means that it’s UV protected and won’t fade, and it’s also waterproof.”

Hendrick urged other members to establish an Internet presence if they have not so far.

“We have become a national company,” Hendrick said proudly. “Our biggest business now comes off the Internet.”

The meeting’s second speaker was public insurance adjuster Richard Saulsberry, who explained his work and offered suggestions on maximizing po-

tential insurance claims.

“Someone who has suffered damages covered by their insurance policy needs to file a claim, and that can mean things as different as damage to a house, a boat accident, theft from a business or damage from everyday items,” Saulsberry said. “A public adjuster protects your interest and uses his training and experience to level the playing field. If a company comes after you with an attorney, you need one. Why should it be

different when it comes to deciding the amount of money needed for damages?”

Saulsberry, a Loxahatchee resident, said he worked for insurance companies for years before deciding to establish his own business to protect consumers.

“People need to understand that an insurance policy is meant to put your property back the way it was before the event occurred,” he said. “But there are many hidden things in the law. For example, if

your roof was more than one quarter damaged, the insurance company should pay to replace the entire roof. Also, water damage can cause a lot of rot, but you have to know how to look for it. People should not cheat, but most are not trained in reading and interpreting their policies to make sure they know what they are getting.”

Saulsberry said experience is vital in dealing with damages. “It is your responsibility to point See ANRG, page 9B

Acreage Network Referral Group — ANRG members A.A. Turner, Ken Hendrick, Donna Flynn, Richard Saulsberry, Nicole Vitale, Michelle Desjardins, Sherri-Ann Lopez, Jeffrey Smith, Tom Carrreras, Ken Bell, Winston Crosbie and Laura Pederson.

Valley Doors: Custom-Made Wood Doors Sold And Installed

By Lisa Gartner Town-Crier Staff Report

You know the old saying, “when one door closes, another one opens,” and Fernando Gomez and Mario Cardovez are looking forward to opening the doors of their showroom near the South Florida Fairgrounds this month.

The pair aren’t just interested in opening doors, but selling them, as co-owners of the Palm Beach County location of Valley Doors.

“We’ve brought in the doors, we have everything in the back, we did the advertising, and we mailed postcards,” Gomez said.

“We should be open by midSeptember at the latest.”

Gomez has lived in West Palm Beach for seven years, while founder and president Cardovez presides over the company’s flagship Miami location. Valley Doors also has a location in Washington, D.C.

The company sells and installs finished custom-made doors, importing wood from Gomez and Cardovez’s native country Ecuador.

“We’re giving different, unique options to the customers, and at the same time we are helping the market in South America,” Gomez said. “We get the product to a more stable economy.” Additionally, Gomez and

Cardovez have close ties to the manufacturers in Ecuador. “We can get a better price for the customer,” Gomez said. “We get direct access to the product and direct access to the wood.”

If this inspires an image of rough-hewn pine swinging against your door frame, think again, because the products at Valley Doors are solid works of rich finished wood, complete with intricate customized designs that Cardovez and Gomez do themselves.

“We can customize anything,” Gomez said. “Just draw it on the paper, and as long as it meets [code] requirements, we can do it.”

has done some custom designs any western communities resident would recognize as a local favorite. “People want to put horses on the door, the wood, the glass,” he said.

Another local detail, the business has been selling doors to residents well aware of the power of a hurricane. Valley Doors sells both impact and non-impact doors.

“Impact doors are tested for physical impact; they’re hurricane doors,” Gomez said. “Non-impact is tested for wind and water penetration.”

Valley Doors also sells interior doors and repairs doors they have installed.

customers the best. “I will do whatever it takes to make sure the customer is completely satisfied when I finish,” he said.

“Other door companies only sell the product, and that’s it,” Cardovez said. “With us, we take care of everything: the measurements, doors, colors, finish and installation. You have everything with us.”

They import their glass from China and leading from Canada, and although Cardovez claims there are few door demands unique to the area, he

Gomez and Cardovez say they edge out the competition by doing everything they can — and doing it well.

Gomez says he is prepared to offer Palm Beach County

Valley Doors is located in Suite 303 of the Belvedere West Industrial Park at 999 Stinson Way, west of Florida’s Turnpike, and is projected to open in September with office hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with at-home consultations available on Saturdays as well.

For more information, call Valley Doors at (561) 2028533 or visit www.valley doors.com.

Door Designs — (Above) Valley Doors co-owners Fernando Gomez and Mario Cardovez stand by one of their recent creations. (Left) Some of the designs on display.

PHOTOS

Former FEI Secretary General Joins Wellington Equestrian Partners

Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP) announced last Saturday that former Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) secretary general Michael Stone has joined the group in developing the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) into a top international equestrian destination.

“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to work with WEP in creating a venue and a strategy for PBIEC that will unlock the enormous potential of equestrian sport in the United States,” said Stone, a ten-year veteran of FEI who began his equestrian career in his native Ireland with the Equestrian Federation of Ireland 20 years ago.

“Our partnership is absolutely honored and excited to have a man of Michael’s reputation and talents work with our team,” WEP Managing Partner Mark Bellissimo said. “His initial effort will be to develop the PBIEC Strategic Plan, which is to be delivered in the fall. After that, we are looking forward to developing a long-term relationship to execute the plan under Michael’s leadership. He is a tremendous asset to the development and maintenance of a vital equestrian

future for both Wellington and the whole world of equestrian sport.”

Stone and Bellissimo will immediately begin working on the strategic plan for PBIEC, which comprises 140 acres that include the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club, current home of the Winter Equestrian Festival and the National Horse Show, and the neighboring Palm Beach Polo stadium.

Stone’s expertise will influence many of the upcoming decisions and changes necessary to create a world-class international equestrian destination, including plans to:

• Create international-level grand prix jumping, dressage and other high-performance horse sports on the 57-acre polo stadium site, which has been unused in recent years;

• All aspects of the facility development process;

• Evaluating and executing worldwide media and sponsorship campaigns;

• Evaluating the addition of other Olympic disciplines (cross-country, driving, reining and vaulting) that do not currently have a home in Wellington, and

• Elevating the quality and attractiveness of events for owners, trainers, ex-

hibitors and spectators while keeping the costs reasonable.

“With the huge success of the recent Rolex FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, and the upcoming Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, the attention on equestrian sport will be at an all-time high, and the development of the PBIEC will not only benefit from these great events but will help to create a lasting high-performance legacy for the sport in the U.S. and indeed worldwide,” Stone said.

Stone’s appointment caps a series of developments in the future of Wellington’s equestrian assets, including WEP’s acquisition of the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club and the old polo stadium, as well as the strengthening of the WEP partnership to include some of Wellingtons most prominent equestrian families.

Born and raised in Ireland, the 50-yearold Stone is a former international jumping rider. He also rode eventing and dressage at a national level. He was secretary general of the Equestrian Federation of Ireland from 1987 to 1997. He was the team manager of the Irish team during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and the 1994 FEI World Equestrian

Games in The Hague. He acted in the same position for the Irish Junior and Young Riders teams from 1993 through 1996. Before he joined the FEI in 1997 in the position of development officer, he was the management director of his family’s horse feed business for five years. In 1998, he became FEI assistant secretary general, and in 2003 he was appointed to the position of FEI sports director, and appointed secretary general in August 2006.

UCF Economist Predicts Gradual Recovery For National Economy

The United States economy will take a few years to recover from the housing market woes, but it will recover. That was the message University of Central Florida economist Sean Snaith delivered in his recently released 2007 National Economic Forecast.

“The U.S. economy is still in for the soft landing, but the runway just got longer,” Snaith said in his report, which covers national economic projections through 2010.

Some economists are projecting that it could take up to a decade for the

economy to recover from the housing boom, but Snaith is more optimistic given the health of the other sectors of the economy.

Highlights from the report include:

• Rumors of the consumer’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. The U.S. consumer remains steadfast through home equity wells gone dry, hurricanes and elevated energy prices.

• Do not expect Federal Reserve rate cuts in response to the wailing and gnashing of teeth on Wall Street.

• There will be a decline in business

spending on structures by 2009.

• Overall business investment will be about half of what it was in 2006.

• Unemployment will peak at 4.8 percent in 2008 before falling back to 4.3 percent in 2010.

• Sub-prime mortgage woes are a double-edged sword, cutting housing two ways: more supply pushed back on the market due to foreclosures and curtailed demand as fewer buyers are qualified to get a mortgage.

• Payroll job growth will decelerate to 1.12 percent in 2008 before gaining

steam and averaging 1.44 percent during 2009-2010.

• Depreciation of the U.S. dollar will continue through 2009. U.S. international trade will reach nearly $5 trillion in 2010.

The mission of University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness is to expand public understanding of the economy by convening business leaders, scholars, policy makers, civic groups and media to discuss critical issues.

To view Snaith’s entire economic report, visit www.iec.ucf.edu.

Michael Stone

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

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

CHAMBER WELCOMES VINES TO WINES

Vines To Wines — The Palms West Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Vines to Wines, a micro-winery in the Shoppes at Chancellor on South Shore Blvd. just west of Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington. Proprietors Molly and Danny Pardo encourage people to come in and take part in creating a special wine they can love. Vines to Wines currently has an extensive range of wines available including several Chardonnays, Rieslings, Zinfandels, Merlots and more. With some of the more popular varieties, customers can specify how much of a production run they want. Vines to Wines is located at 12020 South Shore Blvd., Suite 400, and is open Monday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more info., call (561) 792-6922 or visit www. vinestowines.net. Pictured here are the Pardos with Palms West Chamber of Commerce ambassadors.

FAMB Members Meet With Congressman

Two members of the Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers (FAMB) Palm Beaches Chapter — President-Elect Scott Tennell and Immediate Past President Ryan Wuerthner — recently met with Congressman Tim Mahoney (D-District 16). They were joined by FAMB Past State President Steve Schneider and Joe Falk, past president of the Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers and the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB). The meeting was a joint initiative between FAMB and NAMB.

The group discussed proposed federal bills, including Federal Housing Administration reform to increase distribution of the federal home loan program, as well as reverse mortgages for veterans. Reverse

mortgages have become very popular in Florida, and offering this benefit to men and women who have served in the military will result in lower costs and increased benefits for them, according to mortgage industry officials.

The FAMB is proposing an opt-in (as opposed to an optout) to reduce the amount of harassment its clients are receiving due to unsolicited offers of credit. As the credit crisis continues to unfold, the FAMB is urging minimum standards and education for all loan originators throughout the country.

FAMB members are encouraging legislators to proceed with caution on any laws that are drafted. The FAMB will be active in the reviewing and lobbying efforts on these bills.

Also discussed was the Na-

tional Catastrophic Insurance bill, which is sponsored by Congressman Mahoney and Congressman Ron Klein (D-District 22). The group also had a conversation about the credit markets relative to how the credit crisis came about. Overall, the meeting lasted nearly two hours and went very well, according to FAMB members.

The Florida Association of Mortgage Brokers promotes education and government advocacy for its members. The Palm Beaches chapter of the FAMB represents licensed mortgage brokers that work and/or reside in Palm Beach County. Monthly meetings are held the first Thursday of each month. For information about meetings of the FAMB, call (561) 9652007 or e-mail Kelly Rogers at famb00@bellsouth.net.

Fashion Guru To Appear At Macy’s In The Gardens Mall

Tired of looking in the closet and not finding a thing to wear? Feeling frumpy in every outfit? Well it’s time to freshen up that fall wardrobe, and Macy’s in the Gardens Mall has just the man for the job — Clinton Kelly is coming to the rescue, co-host of the Learning Channel’s hit show What Not to Wear and author of Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That’s Right for Your Body

The fashion and television personality will host a fashion tutorial and runway show in the Petites Department of the Macy’s store at the Gardens Mall on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. Customers will be treated to a showcase of chic fall trends and wardrobe essentials for women sizes 2P to 14P.

Following the fashion presentation, one lucky guest will win a shopping spree, with Clinton serving as her personal stylist as she selects a $500 fall wardrobe from the Petites Department.

Macy’s Petites Department is the ultimate destination for petite women, boasting the latest fashions from stylish and exclusive brands including INC International Concepts, Alfani and Style&Co.

Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s Inc., delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at more than 800 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. Offering distinctive assortments including exclusive fashion and home brands, Macy’s stores are oper-

ANRG Group Meets Weekly

continued from page 3B out damage to the insurance company’s adjuster, but most people don’t know enough to pinpoint all the damage and to determine whether the peril was actually what caused it,” he said. “Remember that the adjuster works for the insurance company and protects its interests. Adjusters usually get a yearly bonus on money they save for the company. They are not out to cheat you, but if you don’t know enough, it is not their job to teach you.”

Saulsberry said his years of experience serve his clients well. “I know the pitfalls to avoid, where to find hidden damages, and most of all, I know the tricks of the trade that could gain a bigger settlement for you,” he said. “Using a public adjuster often times gets you double, triple, and quadruple what you would get for yourself.”

Saulsberry recalled a man whose air conditioner was ruined, and he had thrown it out. “There was no way to determine how old it was, how it was destroyed, or what it was worth,” he said. “But we did get him $6,000.”

Clinton Kelly

ated by seven regionally based retail divisions — Macy’s East, Macy’s Florida, Macy’s Midwest, Macy’s North, Macy’s Northwest, Macy’s South and Macy’s West — and an online store at macys.com.

Macy’s at the Gardens Mall is located at 3107 PGA Blvd. For more information, or to RSVP for the event, call (561) 775-2306.

Saulsberry said public adjusters get paid a percentage of the money their clients receive from insurance companies.

“This means that I want my clients to make as much as possible,” he said. “But if they get nothing, I get nothing.”

Saulsberry offered advice on how to avoid under-compensation.

• Secure your insurance policy in a safe, waterproof area.

• Photograph all damage.

• Do not throw out any damaged item unless authorized by your insurance company as part of the settlement.

• If something must be thrown out, photograph it to document damage, and keep a record of the serial number and model number. keep a sample if possible, such as a small piece of a ruined carpet.

• Call an experienced public adjuster. For more information, call Saulsberry at (561) 228-8822 or (954) 292-4426, or via e-mail at resaulsberry@gmail.com.

Acreage Network Referral Group meets every Wednesday morning at 8 a.m. at Sneaky Pete’s in Grove (WinnDixie) Marketplace on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. All business people in the community are invited to attend. For more information, call Donna Flynn at (561) 308-3075.

Dr. Johnson To Speak At P.W. Chamber Luncheon

The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly luncheon on Monday, Sept. 10 at 11:45 a.m. at Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Royal Palm Beach.

Sponsored by Cardinal Electric and Carrabba’s, the luncheon will feature a presentation by Palm Beach County School District Superintendent Dr. Art Johnson. The cost is $15 for members with reservations, $20 for members at the door without reservations and $25 for non-members.

Carrabba’s is located at 11141 Southern Blvd. RSVP to the chamber office at (561)790-6200. For more information about the Palms West Chamber of Commerce, visit www.palmswest.com.

McCollum Files Suit Against Area Company

Attorney General Bill McCollum recently announced that his office has served an online movie rental company with a lawsuit, alleging that the company’s past marketing and advertising claims were deceptive. Numerous consumer complaints against West Palm Beach-based Intelliflix Inc. cite problems with the company’s former refund policy and delayed deliveries, as well as the quantity of movies advertised, even though unavailable for rental. The company’s vice president of technology was served with the lawsuit, which was filed last week in Palm Beach County. Company owner Christopher Hickey is also a named party in the lawsuit.

“These allegations are disgraceful,” McCollum said. “Hundreds of frustrated consumers complained that they have been taken advantage of by these deceptive practices, and the Attorney General’s Office will fight for the rights of these consumers and any other affected customers.”

An investigation into the company’s practices was launched in January by the Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division. Investigators determined that the company continues to encourage consumers to sign up for annual prepaid plans by advertising a discounted payment rate for these plans. Many consumers claimed they chose to pre-pay annually because Intelliflix advertised that it has 60,000 titles available, ensures fast delivery and, most importantly, led consumers to believe they could “cancel anytime,” a policy advertised prominently on the company’s web site until recently. However, consumers who attempted to cancel their subscriptions were routinely informed that cancellations only became effective at the end of the year-long period, and therefore no refunds were due.

In addition to the problematic refund policy, consumers cited discrepancies with the company’s web site assurances that consumers can rent from more than 60,000 movies and games and that these movies and games could be “delivered free to their door in about one to three business days.” In reality, many consumers discovered that Intelliflix’s movie selection and delivery times were far worse than has been represented with a far smaller selection.

The Attorney General’s Office has gathered more than 285 complaints about the company, which advertises nationwide service on its web site. The lawsuit also cites Intelliflix’s failure to register with the Florida Secretary of State, even though the company has been headquartered in Florida since 2004.

CCCS Credit Advice For College Students

The car is packed, financial aid and scholarship paperwork is complete, and students are headed back to college. And while most students will finish college with a degree and promising career opportunities, many will struggle for years

to repay the credit card debt they incurred while in school.

“College is when many students start managing their finances for the first time,” said Jessica Cecere, president of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast (CCCS). “Resisting the temptation to overspend can be difficult and, as a result, many students find themselves dealing with financial problems right along with classes, exams and other activities.”

In a 2005 study by the Jump$tart Coalition, university administrators reported that they lost more students to credit card debt than to academic failure. Forty-five percent of college students are in credit card debt, and the average debt is more than $3,000. And young adults are the fastest-growing group of consumers filing bankruptcy. College students can avoid the financial pitfalls of credit cards. CCCS offers these tips:

Be wary of unsolicited credit card offers — College students are a prime audience for credit card companies, and the offers to open up accounts will roll in. Promotions such as low or zero introductory interest rates, no annual fees, rewards programs, and free cash advances can be appealing for students who are often living on a fixed budget. Many of these offers are short-lived, and cardholders end up paying much more than they would have with a carefully selected and researched account. Ideally, parents and students should work together before school starts to review the option and select the appropriate credit card. At www.creditcards.com, you can compare student credit card offers. You might also consider talking with your existing financial institution or credit card company about starting a student account.

Know the costs of credit — According to The Credit Card Monitor, the average interest rates for student credit cards is 16.64 percent. A student leaving

college with a $3,000 balance who makes minimum payments of just two percent of the balance will pay more than $6,000 in interest and take 31 years to pay off the balance. Paying three percent of the balance each month will take 15 years to pay off, and paying four percent will take just over eight years. Other costs include annual fees, the cost of cash advances or balance transfers, and late fees, which add up quickly and can spell financial disaster for unprepared students.

Use credit wisely and sparingly — Using credit cards and establishing a history of on-time payments and responsible spending will help build a good credit score for the future. The key is to always make payments on time and to only spend what you can afford to pay off at the end of each month. Carry only one card and only make planned purchases.

Know the danger signs — Going from being financially responsible to being in financial trouble can happen quickly. Some of the warning signs include using one credit card to pay another, using student loan funds to pay credit card balances, missing or making less than minimum payments, or reducing your course load to work more hours to cover rising debts. Avoid long-term financial crisis by recognizing these signs and taking steps to correct them.

“The implications of using credit wisely while in college are far reaching,” Cecere said. “Your credit history can impact your employment status, your ability to secure a loan, and even the rates you pay for insurance.”

Families can help prepare their collegebound students by discussing their credit options, helping them make the right choices, and guiding them in their financial decisions. CCCS provides confidential budget counseling, money management education, debt management programs and other services to help consumers. For more information, call (800) 330-CCCS or visit www.cccsinc.org.

‘MEGA FUNDRAISER’ AT FOP LODGE BENEFITS BRIAN LAWRENCE

A “mega fundraiser” dance was held Friday, Aug. 31 at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge (5876 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) to benefit Brian Lawrence, who has suffered from sickle-cell anemia for nearly two decades. The event featured DJs TopRanking Sound (OG), Sir Winston and the Ernitones. According to Lawrence’s doctors, his only hope for recovery is a bone-marrow transplant. A benevolent account (#421-1777937) has been set up for Lawrence at Washington Mutual Bank. His family encourages people to donate blood and register with the National Marrow Donor Program. For more info., call the Community Blood Centers of South Florida at (561) 540-6601 or visit the National Marrow Donor Program’s web site at www.marrow.org.

Carlo and Mimi Paul dance to Caribbean music.

Aston Small, Majorie Aiken, Audrey Gordon, Jennifer Loud, Winsom Martin, Norma Morris, Cynthia Ailey.

Brian Lawrence with friend Sid Tessenholtz.

Aunt Jennifer Loud, grandmother Winifred Small, Brian Lawrence, mom Yvonne Lawrence, grandfather Aston Small and aunt Cynthia Ailey.

Norman and Nora Holmes and daughter Jacqueline Williams enjoying the evening

Brian Lawrence thanks everyone for their donations.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Without A Cellular Phone, I’m Stranded In The 20th Century

Am I the only person in the world above the age of ten who doesn’t have a cell phone? I also suspect I am the only person above the age of four who doesn’t know how to use a cell phone. I came to this conclusion the other day when lightning put my home phone out of service. I had to lower myself and ask my wife Sharon if I could use her cell phone to call the phone company and tell them about my little problem.

She looked at me kind of strange, because I have never asked her to let me use her beloved cell phone. With a little smirk on her face she told me where her cell phone was, in the bottom of her very large pocketbook. Of course I had to empty her bag to get to the phone. Now I know why she never answers the few times I have tried to call her. It took me about ten minutes to empty her bag and get the phone.

Once I had her phone in hand, I discovered another problem. I didn’t have a clue as to how to turn it on.

I always thought you just dial the number you want, just like a “real” phone (landline). Wrong. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get it to work for me. And of course me being a very stubborn person, I refused to ask her to show me how to use it.

Wondering And Wandering

With Ernie Zimmerman

Luckily for me, one of my granddaughters was over. As a last resort I asked her if she knew how to work grandma’s phone. My granddaughter is all of four. With a big smile on her face she said, “yes, grandpa” and went about her business.

I then found myself asking a four-year-old to show me how to use the cell phone. And show me she did. She even dialed the number for me. (It isn’t that hard to dial 611.) I was impressed. (My granddaughter went on to say she also knows how to dial 911. She wanted to show me.) However, one problem remained: dialing 611 on the cell phone is not the same as dialing 611 on my home phone.

Once I found the 800 number for service in the very large phone book I had to ask my granddaughter once again to dial the number for me. (I am sorry to say I forgot everything she had showed me only five minutes prior!) And once again dial it she did. Of course we (she) had to dial the number three times (the first two times were wrong numbers).

Finally I got through. The phone company told me someone would be at my house to do the repairs in about two days. I reminded them this same thing had happened about two weeks earlier and I didn’t think it right that I had to go without phone service for two weekends in a month. She advised me to continue using my cell phone ’til the repairs were made. That was not the answer I wanted to hear. After all, I can’t take my granddaughter along with me wherever I go.

When this conversation ended, the cell phone started to ring. I found out I didn’t know how to answer the phone. My granddaughter came to my rescue. Then she handed me the phone, saying the call was for me. I must give in sooner or later. I have to get out of the 1960s and join the great year of 2007. And as my wife would say, the sooner the better.

Flowering Shrubs Can Add Color To Your Yard Year After Year

Almost everyone enjoys color in their landscape, and one of the easiest ways to add color is to use flowering shrubs. Bedding plants and perennials, especially annuals, have to be replaced regularly, which increases the cost factor, but flowering shrubs can be planted once, and then with good care and maintenance will provide beauty for years.

There is such a wide range of flower types and colors that you can find something to suit your individual color preferences. Some types of flowering shrubs produce flowers almost year round, while others are more seasonal in nature and will bloom for a few weeks to a few months.

Among the common flowering shrubs used in our area, the hibiscus is fast growing and will reach a height of 15 feet or more and provide individual

blooms from three to 10 inches in diameter in a wide variety of colors. Blooms last a single day, but the plant produces an abundance of buds throughout the year. Both single- and double-petaled varieties are available.

Another popular flowering shrub is the ixora. Often used as hedging, ixoras make great specimens or container plants, too, particularly the dwarf ixora. Individual flowers are small but occur in clusters several inches in diameter and the blooms can be red, pink, yellow, orange or white depending on the variety.

Oleander is another large flowering shrub that can grow to over 20 feet. This Mediterranean native has clusters of twoinch or larger pinwheel-shaped flowers in white, pink, red, or yellow depending on the variety. A dwarf type with a salmon-colored flower is also available. Most

oleanders bloom from late winter through late fall.

Many types of jasmine also produce white fragrant flowers over a long season and can flower at almost any time.

Jatropha is a red to dark pink flowering shrub that blooms 12 months of the year, and it’s a great nectar plant for butterflies. Blooms average one inch or larger in diameter and they are in clusters on the tips of every branch. Besides the dark pink, there’s also a light pink available.

Powder puff is another flowering shrub that is greatly appreciated for its nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds. It comes in red, dark pink, or white. The large-flowered form blooms from November to April, while the dwarf-flowering type blooms nearly all year.

Gardenia is another beautiful flowering shrub that is primarily a spring and

With

early summer bloomer with flowers two to five inches in diameter. Blooms last about a week and gardenias can grow into small trees 20 feet high or even larger. These make excellent container plants for a porch, pool area or screen room. If you want some ideas or suggestions on flowering shrubs for the landscape, contact the Palm Beach County Extension Service at (561) 2331750.

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

HELP WANTED/BOOKKEEPER EXPERIENCED; Familiar with QUICKBOOKS - Full-Time position. Pay commensurate with experience. Fax resume to A. Silver - 561-432-2825

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

RECEPTIONIST - For Lawyer and Accounting Office. Some bookkeeping. Fax resume to 561-333-2680.

PINCH PENNY - POOL STORE — Forest Hill & South Shore in Wellington Perm Position - FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE - No nights - M/B avail some weekends. 18 yrs. - Will train - Apply in person.

SMALL PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL — in Royal Palm Beach looking for energetic, multi-tasking, ESE Learning Strategist and experienced educator in the Sciences and Histories. Call 561-795-6886 for more information. Part time or full time positions available.

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

KEYBOARDIST OR GUITARIST

WANTED FOR SUNDAY P.M. WOR-

SHIP SERVICE — Christian contemporary music familiarity a plus but not required to apply email us at churchatthegrove@bellsouth.net

LOOKING FOR BABYSITTER/HOUSEKEEPER - very flexible hours to assist with driving child to school & back & babysitting. Not on a daily basis. Extra hours available for housekeeping must have clean driving record/background check. 561-573-2504

1 NANNY GOAT — FREE to good home.

2 Male Billies $175 each. Call after 5:00 561-651-0826

LOCAL CHRISTIAN WOMAN — seeks to be an asset to your company. If you need a dependable, honest, quick learner, self motivated, Multi-tasker with Sales/Secretarial experience Call Cristine 561-514-1173

POST OFFICE NOW HIRING — Avg. Pay $20/hour or $57K annually including Federal Benefits and OT. Paid Training, Vacations. PT/FT. 1-866-497-1015 USWA

WORK SMART, RETIRE RICH. ASK ME HOW. CALL 800-625-5653

GRANDVIEW AT CRESTWOOD - spacious 3/2/1 CG in security gated community. Includes water, cable and all amenities. Located near shopping and schools. No Pets. $1,300/mo. 561-3296078

GREENWAY CIRCLE - 1BD/1BA Condo. $850/Mo. and THE TRAILS - 2 BD/2BA Condo $1,250/Mo. 561-4222910

FURNISHED EFFICIENCY — Separate entrance. Close to Southern Blvd. Loxahatchee, Wellington. All utilities included. No Pets. $150/Wk. 1st & Last. 561-793-0235

132-B SPARROW DR. 3/2/2CG Duplex

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

WELLINGTON PLACE TOWNHOUSE — 3/2/1CG, screened patio, walk to New Horizon and High School. Available immediately. Call for details. $1,375/Mo 954-494-3020

ROOM FOR RENT: Fully furnished room available in 2 BD 2 BA condo in Wellington. Rent $650/month w/$650 deposit plus ½ utilities and $100 condo application fee. Includes pool access, basic cable. Available mid-August. 6 or 12 month lease available. Contact Paul at 352-0635.

ROOM FOR RENT IN CONDO — close to schools & shopping, community pool, gated community with gym. 561-5028378 $500/Mo includes utilities.

M/F 1 BD W/ PRIVATE BATH - quiet neighborhood full use of home. No pets. 561-602-2995.

LARGE 4/3 ON 2 1/2 ACRES — 5 Stalls, 3 paddocks. Owners would like to stay on as groundskeepers in the In-laws house. $595,000. 561-767-0731

WELLINGTON LAKES — 4/2 1/2/2CG cul-de-sac home on canal. Leading into Lake Wellington 2400 Sq. Ft. New tile on 1st Floor, all new appliance. Wrap around screened patio. Excellent Condition! Low HOA. FOR SALE BY OWNER. $349,900. Call 561-795-5154

FORD E150 1995 WORK VAN – Heavy duty, factory inst alled shelving, A/C, auto, available immediately. Call Bob 790-4434

FORD E150 1994 WORK VAN – Heavy duty, factory inst alled shelving, A/C, auto, available immediately. Call Bob 790-4434

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

MERCEDES BENZ 569 SL 1987 CLASSIC SPORTS CAR — with only 114,000 miles is in showroom condition white with navy top and interior and has a white hard top and stand. Asking $13,995/ obo call 309-4406

DOUBLE NICHE IN ROYAL PALM MEMORIAL GARDENS MAUSOLEUM — Includes 2 openings & closings. Current price $2,800 asking $1,995 OBO. 772219-8153

NORDIC TRAC TREADMILL & CORNER HOME GYM - Excellent condition. $350 each or $600 for both. 561-7587029

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

RANDY POULETTE AIR CONDITIONING, LLC — 561-790-3275 Personalized service for all your Air Conditioning needs. Residential/Commercial. 24 Hr. Emergency Service Available. We Service All Makes and Models. Service contracts available.

JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC. - Service & new installation FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. "We are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks" 561-798-3225. Family Owned & Operated since 1996.

COMPLETE AUTO SHOP LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF LOXAHATCHEE!!Services provided; Brakes, Steering and Suspension, Belts and Hoses, Complete Engine Repair, Oil and Filters, Motor Tune Ups, Custom Exhaust Systems, A/C Repair, And Much More!!! Pick-up/Deliver Mark Hamilton Auto Repair "ASE Certified" Office: 561-793-1010 o Cell: 954-605-8416 MV#62390 Visa/MC/Amex accepted.

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

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

MAURILIA - CLEANING SERVICE - 561985-4137 Houses, new & used. Also stalls cleaned. Dependable & Honest. References Available. NEED HELP CLEANING? — We clean your house your office etc. Call us for reliable, responsible and immediate service. Eddie 876-2120 HOUSE CLEANING — Honest reliable. Will do your house cleaning. No Job Too Small. Reasonable rates. Excellent references. Please call 502-3252 HOUSECLEANING — reliable and dependable. Call Julie 561-603-3697

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

COMPLETE IRRIGATION — PVC/PIPE supplies.Citrus ,Vegetables, Power units. Water Wheels, design services, Fairways Polo fields, Pumps/Engines mowing of all types. 1-863-675-6333.

FRANK’S

TNT LANDSCAPING & LAWN

561-644-8683 — Lic. & Ins. Landscape design, low maintenance gardens, professional plant installation, mulching, monthly property maintenance, sprinklers maintenance & repair, expert hedge & tree trimming.

HOMESCHOOLING? - Include music education! Piano lessons give your child the basics of music and a sense of accomplishment. Call Miss Sharon 7902906.

ARMENTO PAINTING & SONS, INC. ––

Painting, Interior, Exterior. Pressure cleaning. Custom painting, faux art. Lic. No. U14736. 798-8978. BD

JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. ––– Interior/Exterior, artistic faux finishing, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair, & roof painting/cleaning. Free est. Call 798-4964. Lic.#U18473

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

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

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COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Interior/ Exterior, residential painting, over 20 years exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free estimates - Insured. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident.

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

CLUTTER FREE CLOSETS — For all your organizing needs. Custom closets. NOW OFFERING THE AMAZING BOOKSHELF BI-FOLD CLOSET DOOR. Robert Powell/Owner. FREE ESTIMATES. 561-422-7999 Lic. & Ins.

D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-333-9433 or Cell 561-252-1186 Lic’d- Well. & Palm Beach MOBILE -TEC ON-SITE COMPUTER SERVICE — The computer experts that come to you! Hardware/Software setup, support & troubleshooting www.mobiletec.net 561-248-2611 $25 Off Labor Home & Office e-Masque Interactive - Has your computer gotten slow? Do you get unwanted Pop-Ups? Does your computer seem to have a mind of its own? Would you like to connect multiple computers to the internet? Spyware & Virus Removal•Repairs •Websites•Networking Upgrades•Programming•Security call: 561-795-0559 we do make house calls www.e-masque.com COMPUTER REPAIR - We come to you! After hours and weekends services available. Spyware/Adware/Virus Removal, Networking, Wireless, Backup Data, Upgrades. Call Anytime. 561-7135276

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MCA CUSTOM WOODWORKING, INC. — “Make your home standout from the rest” Call us for all your home improvement needs. Kitchen & bathroom remodeling, custom wall units, design your home office, cabinetry, tile & drywall repair. Lic. #U-19564. Bonded & Ins. 561723-5836 Home repair. Quality Work. Free estimates. Fast on time service. "For all your home improvement needs" Lic. & Ins. 561-685-5360 561-308-6677.

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

pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.Call Butch 561-309-6975 BD

ROCKANDRECORD.COM - A professional DJ and Videography Service. Disc Jockey • Music • Entertainment • Professional MC's • Weddings • Bar/ Bat Mitzvah • Sweet 16/Birthday Parties • Anniversaries • Private & Corporate Events • Holiday Parties 561-4224336 TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS CALL TODAY 793-3576

BOLD NEW FUTURE FOR STADIUM JUMPING

MORE THAN TWICE THE SPACE NEEDED AT THE NEW CONSOLIDATED SHOWGROUNDS

Artist’s conception of planned new home of Stadium Jumping, designed by internationally acclaimed equestrian designer Robert Jolicoeur, founder of International Equestrian Design of Canada.

Stadium Jumping Inc. Closer To Realizing Equestrian Vision

When horse show producer and innovator Gene Mische brought his first fledgling stadium jumping event to Wellington more than 30 years ago, he already had a vision of the village as a bright international star in the sport of hunter/jumper and dressage.

Over the years, the seasonal event grew steadily and its popularity among participants and spectators alike helped make Stadium Jumping Inc.’s Winter Equestrian Festival synonymous with the upscale village of Wellington’s part suburban, part equestrian estates ambiance.

Wellington has been the winter home of two generations of exhibitors, horse owners, equestrian businesses and even fans who call the village as their second home.

Now Stadium Jumping has reached a crossroads. It can no longer contain itself in the cramped showgrounds at the Wellington Equestrian Club if it is able to expand to Mr. Mische’s vision as a top international venue.

To solve that problem, Stadium Jumping is

“The Wellington Preserve site offers design and operational opportunities that are not achievable at the existing twopart location. Of particular importance is the ability for a safer internal circulation system that provides separation of horse and other traffic. There is room for more efficient parking and trailering. I’m excited about the opportunity to provide a world class experience for horses and riders, spectators, vendors and all others.”

–– Gene Mische, SJI Chairman

making plans to move to a new larger and consolidated site at the planned Wellington Equestrian Preserve in the southeastern part of the equestrian community. The International Federation of Equestrian Sports, the governing body for hunter/jumper and dressage competition, liked Stadium Jumping’s plans so much that it gave them a long-term contract – as long as Stadium Jumping moves to the new planned location.

Stadium Jumping put together a team of inter-

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Stadium Jumping’s New Site Facts At A Glance

• Stadium Jumping, part of a $524 million equestrian economy in Palm Beach County, contributes $66 million to the local economy during the Winter Equestrian Festival and National Horse Show.

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Stadium Jumping’s Winter Equestrian Festival is Palm Beach County’s largest annual sporting event and ranks in the top five county events in all categories.

13 rings and a warm-up area for each ring planned at new grounds.

New showgrounds will be consolidated into a single location with more than twice the space. State-of-the-art footing in all the rings plus a covered arena and championship ring in the future. Secure flow for patrons and participants with spectator parking for 2,000 cars and separation of pedestrian, horse and cart paths.

Plans for 2,900 stalls in the future. Cameras and water features will improve security.

national equestrian experts to plan the new showgrounds. Among them is renowned equestrian designer Robert Jolicoeur, founder of the Canadian company International Equestrian Design.

Many improvements are planned to provide better safety and comfort for horses, riders and spectators. Wellington Preserve Corp. (owners of Wellington Preserve)

“This new showgrounds will be at international caliber and will contribute to the development of the equestrian sport in the United States. I’m very priviledged to be a part of the design team that has the opportunity to create one of the best showgrounds in the world. The opportunity to have this nice piece of land allowed us to design the new showgrounds for the security and comfort of the horses, riders and spectators. The new location and the size of the grounds will attract additional shows of international caliber.”

–– Robert Jolicoeur, equestrian designer

and Everglades Equestrian Partners, have agreed to provide Stadium Jumping long-term use of 180 acres of the 610-acre property. Equestrian Preserve is planning to build estate homes on mostly fiveacre or larger lots, further enhancing the character of the Wellington equestrian presence established by the village.

Stadium Jumping Inc.

3380 Fairlane Farms Rd, Suite 1

Wellington, FL 33414

Office: 561-753-7296

Fax: 561-753-6428

www.stadiumjumping .com

Visit our website and give us your opinion about Stadium Jumping’s plans to build the world’s best equestrian facility right here in Wellington at: www.wellingtonshowgrounds.com