MLK CELEBRATION MOVED TO RPBHS SEE STORY, PAGE 3
FAIR TO FEATURE ‘MAGICAL PARADES’ SEE STORY, PAGE 7
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TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
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Art Fest On The Green Will Return Jan. 27-28
Volume 39, Number 1 January 5 - January 11, 2018
Serving Palms West Since 1980
OPENING DAY AT THE POLO CLUB
The Wellington Art Society will present its 12th annual Art Fest on the Green at the Wellington Amphitheater on Saturday, Jan. 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Art Fest is a celebration of art, life, and bringing art and community together, explained co-chairs Leslie Pfeiffer and Toni Willey. The juried fine art and fine craft show will feature artists from around the country showing original artwork across multiple mediums. Page 3
LGLA Celebrates Holidays With Potluck
The Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association held a holiday potluck dinner on Thursday, Dec. 28 at Palms West Presbyterian Church. LGLA provided appetizers and beverages, while guests brought food to share. There was a gift exchange for those who participated. It was a good chance to meet and mingle with neighbors old and new. Page 5
Wellington’s Suri West Hosts New Year’s Eve Party To Welcome 2018
John and Bunny Pata, owners of Suri West in Wellington, hosted restaurant patrons, family members, friends and other guests for a huge New Year’s Eve gala last Sunday that lasted well into the morning hours after 2018 arrived. Page 7
OPINION Be Part Of The Action As The Equestrian Season Gets Underway
The winter equestrian season is underway in the Village of Wellington, launching last weekend with the start of the 2018 high-goal polo season at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. That will be quickly followed by the opening of the 39th annual Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center and the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 13 OPINION.................................. 4 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 6 PEOPLE................................. 14 SCHOOLS.............................. 15 COLUMNS...................... 16, 23 BUSINESS......................24 - 25 SPORTS..........................27 - 29 CALENDAR............................ 30 CLASSIFIEDS.................31 - 34 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
Opening day at the International Polo Club Palm Beach featured the 20-goal Herbie Pennell Cup Final on Sunday, Dec. 31. Tackeria lifted the cup to end the year and start the new season with a 12-11 victory over Coca-Cola. Shown above are Domingos and Ingrid Carlos with Jessica and Jason Williams enjoying the tailgate area. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 PHOTO BY JACK LOWENSTEIN/TOWN-CRIER
Wellington High School Mourns Three Teachers
By Jack Lowenstein Town-Crier Staff Report When students and faculty return to Wellington High School on Monday, the mood is likely to be somber given the recent deaths of one current teacher and two former teachers. Geoffrey Shank, Patrick Keenan and Bruce Kelly are being remembered by the school community as the new year begins. They were key components of the English and social studies departments during their respective times as teachers at the local high school. Shank, 59, a social studies teacher, died Saturday, Dec. 23, surrounded by loved ones at Palms West Hospital. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Shank was a graduate of Ohio State University. He began
teaching at WHS in the English department in 2001. Assistant Principal John Rejc remembered Shank as a good friend. “We were probably about a generation apart in terms of when we were coming up, but we hit it off right away,” Rejc recalled. “If he had grown up the same time I had grown up, we would have definitely been the same close friends through high school and college, as we were in the professional setting.” Rejc said there was almost no difference between Shank’s behavior in public and in the classroom. “It was seamless. It was the same guy in and out of the classroom,” Rejc said. “And his commitment to his students was not something that wavered at all. It
was unshakable. He always had that as the most important thing in regard to his days when he was at the school.” Principal Mario Crocetti remembered Shank as a well-liked and well-respected teacher among his students. “He kept it interesting in the classroom, good, thought-provoking discussions. He was a longtime sponsor of the Key Club, involved in community service projects. He truly enjoyed what he was doing,” Crocetti said. “He truly enjoyed working with students. The only thing I ever heard him talk about were his daughter and his students.” English Department Chair Flora Rigolo remembered Shank as a See TEACHERS, page 4
Acreage-Area Business Expo Planned For Park On Jan. 27
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report A community event is being organized by the Acreage Landowners’Association for local businesses and vendors to showcase their products and services. “It’s a business-to-business, business-to-consumer event that we’re having,” ALA President Tim Sayre told the Town-Crier on Tuesday. The event is set for Saturday, Jan. 27 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Acreage Community Park (6701 140th Avenue North). “We have more than 25 businesses signed up so far,” Sayre said. “Some of them will be selling stuff. One of them has produce, some have clothing, some have jewelry. Others are businesses like glass replacement, insurance and different stuff like that.” Any kind of business that’s local to The Acreage community is welcome to sign up, although exceptions will be made for outside vendors offering something
that no local business does. “I do have one that’s coming from outside… that offers something that nobody else offers,” Sayre said. “If it’s a business that offers something these people need, and no one else shows up, then let them provide it.” The event will be free to those attending, and there is no charge to vendors. “There is no charge to anybody for anything, other than if you buy something from a vendor,” he said. “We’ll have a food truck there, hopefully two.” A local DJ will be on hand to play music. “We’re hoping to have a really good turnout,” Sayre said. “We’re going to have a kids’ zone. So far, we have a bounce house. We’re going to try to have a train ride, and we’re asking permission to have a petting zoo and pony rides, but I haven’t got permission on that yet.” A sign-up form is available at www.acreagelandowners.com. Vendors who had signed up as of Tuesday include: Homestead
Essentials, Amber - Realtor & Just Finishin’ Painting, Restoration 1 Water Damage Experts, Sonja Ahrens - Mary Kay Independent Consultant, Lucy’s Crafts & Treasures, Home Loan Experts, BnBFarmsFL, Paradise Exteriors, Stay Gorgeous Boutique, Perfectly Posh, Clever Container, Roberts Tree Works, Barky Pines Animal Rescue Sanctuary, My Sci Fly Educational Services, Sunflower Dreams Photography, Joys Bounce N Party Bounce House, Lizard Lick Pressure Cleaning, My Amelia James Women’s Clothing, Harmon Events, S&L Rustic Signs & Home Décor, Herbalife Nutrition, Nicole’s $5 Bling, Horses That Help, Strings & Things Jewelry, Charming Chace Personalized Jewelry and Auto Glass Perfections. The next ALA meeting will be held Tuesday, Jan. 9 at the Indian Trail Improvement District offices. A meet-and-greet with refreshments is at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting begins at 7 p.m.
New Organization Aims To Preserve Wellington History
By Jack Lowenstein Town-Crier Staff Report Three longtime Wellington residents have come together in order to “unite the community, young and old.” Laurie Cohen, Maureen Budjinski and Francine Ramaglia believe it’s time for Wellington to have its own historical society to preserve and document the history of the Village of Wellington. “To celebrate Wellington and its history,” Ramaglia explained. The Wellington Historical Society first came to mind for Cohen more than 10 years ago. “It just kind of sat in my mind for all that time because I was trying to raise children, be a councilwoman and work a full-time job,” she said. Cohen, who became the current village attorney after her time on the council, found help from former Councilman Howard Coates, who created a corporation and listed Cohen as its president. Moving forward in time, Cohen has now been joined by Budjinski,
a longtime community activist, and Ramaglia, a former assistant village manager, to help spearhead the Wellington Historical Society project. For those interested in becoming part of the effort, an informational and board meeting will be held at the Grille Fashion Cuisine, located at 12300 South Shore Blvd. in Wellington, at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11. “Wellington has a signature of a lot of people. They’ve left their signature. They’ve left their mark, but their names are not there,” Ramaglia said. “This is an opportunity to get those stories out and share them and build them.” In the spirit of uniting the young and the old in Wellington, Budjinski said it is now or never, because the oral history will disappear if not given a chance to be shared now. “Many of us won’t be here anymore in a few more years — people who are here for a long time See HISTORY, page 4
A CAFCI NEW YEAR
CAFCI held its 28th annual New Year’s Eve Gala on Sunday, Dec. 31 at the Madison Green Country Club in Royal Palm Beach. Guests rang in the New Year with a champagne toast, enjoyed a buffet dinner and danced the night away to the sounds of Micro DJ. Shown above, Yvonne Gray and Maureen Kennedy celebrate the new year. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 19 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
County Approves Mitigation Projects For SR 7 Extension
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach County Commission recently approved a joint participation agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation for a mitigation project within several protected areas in association with the extension of State Road 7, which is expected to begin this summer. The two-part project, which will be done in two simultaneous phases, will complete SR 7 from 60th Street North to Northlake Blvd. with four lanes, and expand the existing road from Okeechobee Blvd. to 60th Street from two lanes to four. The agreement approved at the commission’s Dec. 19 meeting authorizes Palm Beach County
Mayor Melissa McKinlay to request that FDOT convey surplus property to provide environmental mitigation for the Everglades snail kite resulting from impacts associated with the SR 7 extension. The memorandum of agreement requires the county to provide mitigation and maintenance services in return for the FDOT to provide not more than $5,385,788 to be made in three payments in about three years. The payments will reimburse the county for staff time, land acquisition and management costs for maintaining mitigation areas in the Loxahatchee Slough, Pond Cypress and Pine Glades natural areas, consistent with the management practices of the county’s See SR 7, page 4
Art Show Featured Work By RPB Library Patrons
By Ellen Rosenberg Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach branch library recently hosted an unusual event. On the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 13, the library’s large meeting room was transformed into an art gallery. Approximately 70 watercolors, charcoal sketches and pastels festooned the walls. There were still lifes, landscapes, human figures, a running horse and more. Artists and guests strolled about, stopping to admire and discuss. The central table offered sparkling grape juice, cheese, crackers, grapes and cheesecake bites. All of the works had been produced in the ongoing series of drawing classes offered at the Royal Palm Beach library. Every
Tuesday afternoon, from 2 to 4 p.m., participants gather at the library to learn new techniques and further their craft. “We started the program two years ago,” said Karl Zwarych, assistant branch manager and head of adult activities. “One of our librarians, Tania Villacres, is very knowledgeable and has a thorough background in art. She developed the curriculum. It’s one of our most popular offerings.” Zwarych was very impressed by the artwork on display. “It’s wonderful to celebrate all the students’ work, to see how much they’ve progressed and learned,” he said. Susan Weinstein, one of the artists, has been a member of the class since it began.
“Tania is a wonderful teacher. She really brought out what little talent I have,” Weinstein smiled. “The class is like day camp for me, a great experience. I enjoy the camaraderie with other adults. I’ve met some wonderful people here, and working on different projects is fun. My favorite medium, so far, is pastels. They’ve very forgiving. You can always change things.” Barbara Powell only attended three classes. “I travel a lot,” she noted. “I like working in clay, but drawing is fun, too. I really enjoyed the perspective class, and drawing human models. I’m incorporating what I’ve learned into my clay sculptures. This class is a fantastic outlet.” Bibi Benzaken has been attendSee LIBRARY ART, page 17
Librarian and art expert Tania Villacres with art show participant Diane Von Grote.
PHOTO BY ELLEN ROSENBERG/TOWN-CRIER