Town-Crier Newspaper September 2, 2011

TRASH COLLECTION FEES QUESTIONED SEE STORY, PAGE 3

LGLA EXPLORES FLORIDA’S SHIPWRECKS SEE STORY, PAGE 7

THE

TOWN - CR IER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

Your Community Newspaper

INSIDE Wellington Inks New Five-Year Contract With Sheriff’s Office

Volume 32, Number 35 September 2 - September 8, 2011

FAIRGROUNDS FAMILY FUN FEST

The Wellington Village Council has approved a new five-year contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Of fice for lawenforcement services. For the 2012 fiscal year, Wellington will pay the PBSO just under $7.6 million, with options to renew through 2016 at the same cost.

The contract was approved at the council’s Aug. 23 meeting.

Page 3

Bronco Band A Finalist For Pepsi Refresh Grant

Palm Beach Central High School’s Bronco Band has been chosen as one of the finalists in the Pepsi Refresh Project and has the opportunity to win $25,000. The voting runs now through Sept. 30, and the band is hoping the community will suppor t it by helping it get the most votes. Page 5

Experts: Run HOAs Like A Business

Neighborhood association leaders, a community association attorney, a licensed property manager and Palm Beach County’s collections coordinator addressed the problems caused by the foreclosure crisis during the second part of a recent public forum hosted by the Florida League of Neighborhood Associations. Page 7

Wellington Swimmers Win At Swim Meet

The Wellington Aquatics Complex held a short-course swim meet Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 27 and 28. The Wahoos of Wellington were victorious, competing against four other teams and taking top honors.

Page 9

OPINION Honor Spirit Of Labor Day

Labor Day is a holiday that honors the many important people whose labor serves as the backbone of our nation. Without them, there would be no success for anyone. So as you enjoy the Labor Day holiday and take some much-deserved time to relax with family and friends, appreciate the power and importance of the American worker. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS ............................. 2 - 11 OPINION ................................ 4 CRIME NEWS ........................ 6 NEWS BRIEFS .....................10 SCHOOLS .....................12 - 13 PEOPLE........................ 14 - 15 COLUMNS .................... 21 - 22 ENTERTAINMENT ................ 24 BUSINESS ...................27 - 29 SPORTS .......................33 - 35 CALENDAR...................36 - 37 CLASSIFIEDS ...............38 - 43 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

The ninth annual Our Kids World Family Fun Fest held was held Aug. 27 and 28 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. This year’s event included pony rides, bounce houses, an animal petting zoo, popular children’s characters, and a varie ty of live performances from kid-friendly exhibitors such as Gator Land in Orlando. Pictured here, Payton and Alyssa Young feed a goat.

MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington Seeks Public Input Into Community Center Rebuild

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington is seeking input from residents as it prepares to tear down and rebuild the Wellington Community Center. To hear ideas, officials will host a public input meeting Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex.

Prior to the public input meeting, a workshop with members of the Wellington Village Council will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. to discuss space planning in the new building, as well as design considerations and future uses for the center. “We are currently doing our preliminary space planning for the new building,” Deputy Village

Manager John Bonde said. “We are meeting not only with groups who use the building now, but also with members of council, staff and now we want to hear from residents.”

In May, the council directed Wellington staff to knock down and rebuild the community center rather than renovate the building.

The $5.1 million project will be paid for with capital improvement funds consisting mostly of impact and park fees.

The Wellington Community Center is more than 30 years old and was originally the Wellington Club East, a private country club facility. Although the building has been retrofitted to meet the com-

munity’s needs since the village purchased it in October 1998, it was never designed to be a community center.

Though the building could have been renovated again, simply renovating it would not fix many of its design flaws and would have given the building only another 10 years of usable life. The most critical flaw in the current building is a steep hill at the entrance of the center, which poses a problem for elderly residents.

Because the building was built before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was in effect, better access wasn’t required.

“The council made it clear that See REBUILD, page 4

Task Force Urges Supporters To Keep Pressure Up On SR 7

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report The western communities got a break this summer in the fight to extend State Road 7 north to Northlake Blvd., but members of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Task Force were cautioned that the fight is not over.

In a 9-3 decision in July, the Metropolitan Planning Organization voted to keep financing for the project, which is being strongly opposed by West Palm Beach and residents of its Ibis neighborhood.

Royal Palm Beach Councilwoman Martha Webster said at a task force meeting Thursday, Aug. 25 in Greenacres that the success at the MPO meeting was largely due to the cohesive front put forward by the western communities.

“With this group working together, we have the support of every municipality in the western communities and the chamber,” she said. “I think, because of that, we actually saw a turning point. It would not have happened if we didn’t all come together and work hard.”

But funding from the MPO,

something that will be an issue every year until the road is built, is one of many hurdles that will have to be overcome. The next focus, Webster said, is on the Tuesday, Sept. 27 workshop with County Commissioner Karen Marcus and other municipalities.

The meeting, which starts at 1 p.m., will put representatives from Royal Palm Beach and the Indian Trail Improvement District face to face with representatives from West Palm Beach.

“We should encourage our supporters to stay in contact with our county commissioners and let them know how critical this road is for our economic development, safety and the well-being of residents in our communities,” Webster said.

ITID President Michelle Damone said it would be important to have support from the entire community at the meeting.

“The meeting will be well stacked by [West Palm Beach],” she said. “We need representation not only on the panel, but by everyone here in the audience. Having a unified western communities front made a difference at the MPO meeting, and we need to

continue that to the next meeting.”

Damone noted that West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio is an Ibis resident and has been vehemently opposed to the connection.

“Her strategy has been using the terminology that the road will be going through the water catchment area,” Damone said. “But the decision was made to go around the water catchment area.”

Damone said that supporters need to be sure to stress that the road would be going around the catchment area and would not affect the natural water supply.

She said that the best strategy would be to have supporters reach out to elected officials individually, as well as show up en masse at important meetings.

To help prevent the spread of misinformation and make it easy for supporters to voice their concerns, the Palms West Chamber has packed necessary information into a web site. Supporters of the road extension can visit www. connectsr7.com for updated information, and for an easy one-click way to send letters of support to elected leaders.

“If you have a group of people See TASK FORCE, page 16

Serving Palms West Since 1980

County Approves Plan For Acreage Park Expansion

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach County Commission approved a revised plan for the Indian Trail Improvement District’s 27.77-acre Acreage Community Park southern expansion project Monday after assuring residents that the plans would not disturb the adjoining natural area.

The revisions called for the deletion of about 1.2 acres to reconfigure the site, while adding two additional access points, more square footage for a planned community center and increasing the number of signs from one to two.

Access to the site will remain from 140th Avenue North.

The Palm Beach County Zoning Commission had approved the changes on Aug. 4.

The county commission approved a rezoning on the land in 2002 from agricultural residential to public ownership to allow for the development of a public park for the benefit of Acreage residents.

Plans call for a 45,000-squarefoot community center, with 465 parking spaces distributed across the park from north to south so

there is adequate parking provided all around. Other planned amenities include an amphitheater, playground, splash park and walking trail.

An interlocal agreement with the county provides for connections of walking, hiking and equestrian trails to the county’s trails being constructed in the adjacent natural area to the west.

In the middle of the park is a quarter-mile running and walking trail that encircles a multipurpose soccer and football field. To the west of that are four tennis courts as well as a restroom, storage pavilion and picnic area. Much of the existing vegetation would remain.

Farther south are basketball courts that are staggered in order to preserve existing trees.

Farther to the south is another multipurpose field that will serve as open green area for unstructured activities such as Frisbee or listening to music at the music pavilion. At the south end is a skate park and equestrian parking area that connects to the trail system.

Planner Collene Walter with Urban Design Kilday Studios told See PARK, page 16

RODEO MIXER IN RPB

A mixer to support the West Palm Beach Rodeo was held Wednesday, Aug. 24 at the Madison Green Golf Club. The third annual West Palm Beach Rodeo is set to take place Nov. 18-20 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Pictured here are Trevor and Rick Steed. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 2 PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Northlake Shopping Plaza Gets PBC OK

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Despite opposition from neighbors in The Acreage, the Palm Beach County Commission approved a new shopping center Monday at the southwest corner of Northlake and Coconut boulevards.

However, landscaping was increased for the Shops at Indian Trails, and an equestrian trail was eliminated along the south side of the 30.7-acre shopping center where it would be close to homes on Hamlin Blvd.

An entrance on Hamlin Blvd. that residents wanted eliminated was left in at the recommendation of traffic engineers, who said it would reduce congestion on Northlake Blvd. and increase safety by allowing local residents access without going onto Northlake.

The shopping center will include a grocery store, general re-

tail, a fast-food restaurant, two banks, a medical office building and a convenience store with gasoline pumps and a carwash. The preliminary plan calls for a total of 107,000 square feet of commercial uses.

The item was on the commission’s July agenda but was postponed after some residents near the site said the project is neither needed nor wanted in their largely rural neighborhood.

After meeting with the residents, staff recommended increasing the buffering on the south side and eliminating the equestrian trail. Site Planner Joyce Lawrence said county staff had met with the residents and the applicant to address homeowners’ concerns.

Lawrence said that most residents, as well as Commissioner Jess Santamaria, favored eliminating the egress on Hamlin, but the applicant and staff preferred inSee SHOPPING, page 16

RPB Keeping Foreclosure Tracking In House... For Now

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The tracking procedure for abandoned foreclosed homes approved recently by the Royal Palm Beach Village Council is proceeding in an orderly fashion, so far without the help of an outside agency to track down the homes, according to Community Development Director Rob Hill.

The council approved an ordinance in April to track abandoned foreclosed homes in order to reduce the number of code violations from homes falling into disrepair.

At the council’s Aug. 18 meeting, Councilwoman Martha Webster asked Hill about the progress of enforcement without the assistance of a third party.

“I know that when that ordinance passed, it was the idea that we would consider a third-party registration [vendor], so I am interested to know if we would like to consider that,” Webster said.

She pointed out that the county has also enacted a foreclosuretracking ordinance and opted to contract an outside firm to handle the tracking.

Hill said that code enforcement

has served notice to about 300 properties. “They have responded, and some payments and registrations are coming in,” Hill said.

“They are establishing which are vacant and which are not.”

Village Attorney Brad Biggs said the ordinance had been rewritten to require only that vacant, abandoned homes be registered and the owners pay a $200 fee.

Hill said he is in the process of measuring the amount of resources his department had allocated to maintain the list.

“We would suggest running that for a couple of months so that we

can come to you with a more accurate recommendation whether or not we think it’s a service that we can provide in-house and reach our targets successfully,” he said.

“If, in fact, we are missing many of our targets, we would bring a suggestion forward to look into that third-party situation.”

Webster said concerns had been raised over the time involved and the software that might be necessary to follow through on the ordinance in-house. “I didn’t know that we were confident that was something we wanted to do inhouse,” she said.

Hill said he had also been interested in seeing how burdensome it would be on staff to scour public records for foreclosed properties.

“In speaking with the manager, we thought it would be a more responsible way to go to measure that first to see just how much workload we’re actually speaking of before we just go right away and turn that over,” Hill said. “We are finding that to be able to look through the records and at least find the notices of default that are coming through the county is a See FORECLOSE, page 16

Page 2

September 2 - September 8, 2011

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier

NEWS

WEST PALM BEACH RODEO HOSTS MIXER AT MADISON GREEN’S MARBAR GRILLE The West P alm Beach Rodeo held a mixer W ednesday, Aug. 24 at the Madison Green Golf Club’s MarBar Grille. People looking to participat e in or sponsor the third annual West Palm Beach Rodeo enjoyed food and drinks while discussing the upcoming event, set to take place Nov. 18-20 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. For more info., visit www.westpalmbeachrodeo.com.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Jen Brown and Xiomi Murray.

Sarah Brown of Equestrians First Place with her mother Alpha Trinkwald of West Palm Beach Rodeo.

Phoebe Reckseit with Alexis and Jennifer Morales.

Madison Green owner Todd Schoenwetter, Sarah Br own, server Ashley Bratcher and General Manager Ron Miranda.

Tom and Suzanne DiRocco.

Blanca and Alan Greenstein.

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 3

NEWS

Wellington Inks New Five-Year Contract With Sheriff’s Office

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council has approved a new five-year contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for lawenforcement services.

For the 2012 fiscal year, Wellington will pay the PBSO just under $7.6 million, with options to renew through 2016 at the same cost. The contract was approved at the council’s Aug. 23 meeting.

Deputy Village Manager John Bonde told the council that the PBSO agreed to keep the amount of staff and price of the contract the same as Wellington is currently paying for, and also agreed to cut down on extra-duty costs.

“There were some times when we were paying for [officers] to be at this meeting and other official meetings that we didn’t think we should have to pay for,” he said, “and that was agreed to by the sheriff’s department.”

The contract includes money for a captain, a lieutenant, a detective, six road patrol sergeants, 45 deputies, two motor units, a criminal justice planner as well as

administrative staff and 63 crossing guards.

Councilman Howard Coates commended the PBSO for doing a great job in the community. “I really think we’re getting significant value in what has been done under the contract,” he said.

Coates pointed out that the contract gives Wellington additional services not included under normal county taxes.

Bonde agreed, noting that all municipalities pay the same amount to the sheriff’s office for a default service, but municipalities looking for a higher level of service can contract with the office.

“Wellington does have the highest [crime] solvability rate in Palm Beach County,” he said. “We also enjoy a very low crime rate. That’s what you’re paying for under this contract.”

Village Manager Paul Schofield noted that if Wellington did not contract services, there would still be deputies in Wellington, but it wouldn’t be the same.

“They would not be going out in a shift that has eight deputies in

it,” he said. “We’d be in a zone that would be assigned to two or three deputies. We get that additional staff and support services.

Should we need their aerial services, they come as part of the contract. We aren’t charged extra fees.”

Bonde pointed out that Wellington provides offices for the PBSO, which are currently leased but soon will be relocated to the old municipal complex on Greenbriar Blvd., bringing additional savings.

Vice Mayor Matt Willhite said that Wellington is getting a good deal with the contract, which gives the village its own police station and employees but none of the overhead costs.

“If you add up benefits and everything,” he said, “we’re getting a good deal. We have our own police force for $7.6 million.”

The council voted 4-0 to approve the contract with Councilwoman Anne Gerwig not voting due to her business relationship with Palm Beach County.

In other business: • The council directed Village

Attorney Jeff Kurtz to seek an opinion from the Palm Beach County Commission on Ethics regarding the Wellington Community Foundation.

During attorney comments, Kurtz expressed concern that recent opinions from the commission regarding elected officials’ relationships with nonprofit organizations could mean trouble for the foundation.

“You all are in the rather unique position,” he said, “in that we have created the Wellington Community Foundation, of which you are trustees.”

Since the council must vote on issues regarding the foundation, it could pose a dilemma, Kurtz said.

“If you were to take literally the implied position of the Commission on Ethics, we would be in a position where it would be difficult to function,” he said. “Whenever there was an issue that had to be dealt with, you as a council would not be able to vote because you also sit on the board.”

Kurtz said that the council was established as the board of trustees in order to comply with Inter-

nal Revenue Service regulations.

He pointed out that because the ultimate beneficiary of the foundation is Wellington itself, it is more of an alter ego.

Recent opinions by the Commission on Ethics have addressed elected officials and independent nonprofit organizations but nothing similar to Wellington’s situation. Kurtz requested that the council seek an opinion from the commission in order to clear the matter up.

“To avoid any question about your ethical obligations when these issues come up to vote,” he said, “I suggest requesting an opinion from the Commission on Ethics, because this situation is somewhat different. If they determine it is not different, then you can take appropriate action.”

He also pointed out that a charitable organization is not supposed to use municipal staff; however, Wellington staff members run the foundation’s activities.

Kurtz said he would wait until the commission’s newest opinions are released in September, to see if any of them better address the

issue. “I believe that because it’s an alter ego, they will say it’s fine to operate,” he said.

• The council voted to purchase a vacant lot on Goldenrod Road for $120,000 to be used as a park.

When the council directed staff this summer to close Goldenrod Road as it turns into Azure Ave., plans included building a community park on a vacant lot between Hyacinth Place and Exotica Lane.

At the time, the council agreed to offer $120,000 for the property, which is owned by the Charles J. Trick Trust, with the understanding that if a sale agreement could not be reached, it would consider acquiring the property through eminent domain.

“We made the offer,” Schofield said, “and the trust made a counter offer requesting that we pay for closing costs and release the outstanding code enforcement liens.”

With closing costs of about $2,765 and the liens totaling about $3,000, Schofield said that staff recommended accepting the offer.

The council voted unanimously to purchase the property.

Acreage Residents Decry Wide Variation In Trash Collection Fees

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report During a Solid Waste Authority budget discussion for the 201112 fiscal year on Wednesday, Aug. 24, Acreage resident Alex Larson asked why her district has a higher assessment than other districts.

Larson also noted that the SWA District 7 assessment in western Delray Beach is going down. “Everybody else’s assessment is going up, and District 7 is going down,” she said.

District 7 is going from $183 to $154 a year, Larson said, while District 8’s assessment, where she lives, is going from $365 to $376.

She also pointed out that District 3 and District 8 have almost an equal number of container pickups, about 19,000, yet District 3 residents pay one of the lowest rates proposed, $175, while District 8 and District 9 residents pay the most.

Meanwhile, Larson pointed out, District 6 covering unincorporated Boca Raton is proposed to pay $109 next year, up from $106 this year.

“I’m just wondering why this is happening,” Larson said. “In

certain counties throughout Florida, everybody pays the same.”

Larson said she felt that her district should pay less because it is closest to the landfill. “You say it’s because I live on a dirt road; well, that’s not true because everybody in The Acreage lives within a halfmile of pavement.”

Larson said the trash assessment is one of the biggest lines on her tax bill. “It shouldn’t be that way,” Larson said. “There shouldn’t be somebody paying $106 and me paying $365, and the people in Belle Glade are paying $400.”

Larson suggested dividing the total evenly between the 11 districts. “We should not be subsidizing anyone,” she said. “We’ve been told everybody is subsidizing us, and that’s kind of funny to hear when they’re only paying $106 and I’m paying $365. Who’s subsidizing who?”

Staff members said District 7 had a rate reduction effective July 1 because of the addition of a new transfer station in western Delray Beach. “That was why District 7 went down when all the other districts went up,” SWA Chief Financial Officer Charles Maccarrone

said. “As far as the difference in rates, all the rates are based on a bid. Each district is bid separately.”

Maccarrone said the SWA has received legal opinions after officials asked if it was possible to level off the rates. “We are continually told there is a factual basis for those rates because of the bid,” he said. “It would be great for the people that are hit hard like the Glades to be able to reduce their rates, but there is no justification to charge the people who got a lower bid a higher rate to subsidize them.”

Maccarrone added that the notion that anyone is subsidized is false, while equalizing the rates would create a situation where some areas are subsidizing others.

He added that SWA legal staff felt that equalizing the rates for everyone would give customers in districts where the bid price is lower justification to bring action.

County Commissioner Priscilla Taylor asked if there could be some way to find parity, especially with the people in the western districts paying that much more.

“To me that is just unfair and just

raises questions,” Taylor said.

Maccarrone agreed that it is a problem, and with the new bids there might be potential haulers that offer lower bids. District 8 in The Acreage is served by Waste Pro. “We’re looking at ways to do that if we can’t do this levelized rate thing,” Maccarrone said. “The crime of it is in the western communities, there are so few customers... that if we were to spread their cost to the rest of the county, it would be almost imperceptible to

everyone else, but nevertheless, it would still be an issue.”

County Commissioner Paulette Burdick said she hoped there could be a workshop before bids go out again so they can look at the options and understand what the legal ramifications are of creating a fairer rate schedule.

Maccarrone said discussion of bids will begin early next year, explaining that the SWA is in the fourth year of five-year contracts.

Commissioner Burt Aaronson said he thought that the only way

to get one rate for everybody would be to have one hauler.

“I don’t think it benefits us by having one hauler,” Aaronson said. “Multiple haulers give us a better bargaining chip when we have to put out bids.”

He pointed out that getting multiple bids for the districts saved the taxpayers more than $76 million over a five-year period. “I think maybe when we go out again, we can try to reinstitute that and get the best prices we can for every district,” Aaronson said.

Royal Palm Strikes Gun Rules To Comply With New State Law

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report To comply with a new state statute restricting local governments from regulating firearms, the Royal Palm Beach Village Council gave preliminary approval last month to three ordinances deleting references to firearms.

At its Aug. 18 meeting, the council deleted references to fire-

arms found in the village’s ordinances in accordance with House Bill 45, recently adopted by the state legislature, which gives the state the sole right to regulate firearms and ammunition.

Senior Planner Bradford O’Brien said the new law provides specific penalties to local municipalities for disobeying.

O’Brien said that since the pos-

sible penalties are “personal liability, possible termination or removal from their job or office, or financial rewards against the village, it is in the best interest of the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the village that the village code be amended in accordance with the state preemption and also to remove any expressed See GUNS, page 16

Page 4 September 2 - September 8, 2011

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

OUR OPINION

As You Celebrate, Take Time To Appreciate The American Worker It’s a sad comment on American society when the first thing most people think of regarding Labor Day is that it’s time for a backyard barbecue to salute the end of the summer. The actual meaning of the holiday seems to have faded over the years, and for many Americans, it’s little more than a day off from work or school. While children can’t really be faulted for this, it would be nice if more adults — working adults — thought more about the significance of Labor Day, especially in this economy and with the unemployment rate well above normal. You can be sure the meaning of Labor Day isn’t lost on the millions of people looking for work right now.

When Labor Day was first observed in the late 19th century, the political aspects of it were not only more pronounced, they were the main focus. Originally a holiday celebrated by the Central Labor Union in New York City in 1882, it grew along with the popularity of labor unions, gradually gaining recognition from numerous state legislatures until becoming a federal holiday in 1894.

Initially, Labor Day involved two elements: a street parade that showed everyone the “strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations,” and a festival to make the event fun for workers and their families. Today, the former is mostly relegated to union-sponsored events as the latter has become the only part of the holiday most people observe. Perhaps this dispar-

ity makes sense, given the nation’s conflicting attitudes regarding matters of economics.

A growing number of people are outraged by corporate greed and irresponsibility, but because of their distrust of the government, they oppose taking any steps to further regulate or tax big business. They may disapprove of CEOs giving themselves bonuses while their lowerlevel employees languish along with company stock prices, but they shy away from any outside attempt at fixing the problem. However, much of the progress in workers’ rights — and civil rights — happened because of either government or union involvement. Perhaps the best example of this is the outlawing of workplace discrimination. Without the government stepping in to end that unjust practice, it would very likely be going on today. In fact, it does still happen today, despite the legal consequences.

Some holidays are held in honor of an important historical figure. Labor Day is one holiday that honors the many important people whose labor serves as the backbone of our nation. Their unsung efforts may not equal the great American success story, but without them, there would be no success for anyone. So as you enjoy the Labor Day holiday and take some muchdeserved time to relax with family and friends, appreciate the importance of the American worker.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Corporations Need Some Regulations

Swift Served Royal Palm Beach Well

Stop Corporate Welfare... Collect Needed Taxes!

I’m responding to Frank Morelli’s letter last week, “Stop Blaming Corporations.” I’ll start by quoting his opening paragraph: “Corporate executives are supposed to make money for investors. Creating jobs is a byproduct of being able to create a product that can compete in a global economy.”

Truer words have never been spoken, and I thank Mr. Morelli for this. What it means is that corporations have no interest in doing what’s in the best interest of Americans if we are not investors.

If we thrive or if we starve, it’s of no consequence to them, as long as our poverty isn’t impacting their ability to sell their product. They will never look out for Americans.

They will move our jobs overseas, fight our rights as Americans to organize, corrupt both political parties with enormous influxes of cash, pollute our environment and more, if that’s what is necessary to maintain profits. Government regulation exists precisely because corporations historically do not adequately govern themselves, at least in terms of how their actions impact America. Exhibit A: The recent meltdown of the banking industry.

Mr. Morelli sees it otherwise, with the corporations largely as the victims. He wrote, “Corporations have two formidable adversaries — unions and government.”

Translate that, and it comes out like this: Corporations have two formidable adversaries, representatives of working Americans and representatives of all Americans.

Doesn’t inspire much sympathy that way, does it? And still, nowhere in that statement do you get the sense of the absolute domination of unions that has been taking place for the last 30-plus years, or the tremendous amount of influence that corporations have within the government.

Having said all of this, no one wants to make corporations go away. In fact, it’s the opposite.

American workers certainly don’t want to put their employers out of business, but they do want to get paid a decent wage, whether that’s best for corporate profits or not.

Americans also believe in everyone paying their fair share of taxes. The debate will always rage over what that is, but most would agree that those corporations that pay zero or next to that need to chip in more.

I could say a lot more, but I want to save space for the growing number of letters against the building of a 30-acre shopping center in The Acreage. I’ll admit that I’m not that knowledgeable about that, but it appears to be a local example of corporations getting what they want at the expense of regular people who oppose them.

David Eisenberg Royal Palm Beach

The names Sam Lamstein, Nat Crandall, Barney Ditkoff, Marge Mason and Kathy Romani probably don’t hold much meaning for village residents who have lived in Royal Palm Beach for less than 25 years. However, chances are, you know or know of David Swift.

He and his former council predecessors and colleagues were among the true “founding fathers” of the community, and while David is the only surviving member of those councils of the 1980s, he has been a sane and steady leader who helped guide Royal Palm Beach through more than two decades of explosive growth and the challenging and controversial issues that resulted from it.

With a studied and logical approach borne of his training as a scientist, David possesses a keen ability to methodically look at a situation, assess it and plot a course of action. He applied the best of scientific methods melded to a desire and ability to serve the community. David has embodied the truest meaning of “public servant.”

That such a remarkable and distinguished tenure on council should abruptly come to an end because to stay would have jeopardized his pension from the South Florida Water Management District — which cut his position as lead environmental scientist — is simply a shame, and a tremendous loss to the village. David served as councilman longer than anyone in the village’s history, and he did so most ably.

During the heydays of the 1980s, I worked for this publication as a reporter covering the Royal Palm Beach Village Council.

It was then that I met David, who not only impressed me with his intelligence, but who also provided the most memorable quotes of my journalistic career. David has a long fuse, but once riled, he can most expressively voice his distaste.

His accomplishments as a councilman are legion. For more than 20 years he has worked tirelessly on behalf of village residents and was instrumental in leading the fight to get a high school built in our community. I was proud to serve for a time with David on the council I once wrote about.

I know I join countless others in thanking him for his many years of public service and the wisdom with which he rendered his decisions. Royal Palm Beach is a better place because he cared and served. I wish him well in his future endeavors.

Barbara Yoresh Vero Beach Editor’s note: Barbara (Isenberg) Yoresh covered Royal Palm Beach for the Town-Crier in the 1980s and 1990s, and in more recent years served on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council.

Editor’s note: The following letter is also in response to Frank Morelli’s letter last week titled “Stop Blaming Corporations.”

It is striking how to people can look at a bridge and describe it so differently. Never mind that the deregulation of Wall Street led to the “corporate welfare” bailout to the tune of a trillion dollars by presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and never mind that none of the bankers went to jail but were rewarded with billions of dollars in taxpayer money. Let’s just discuss some points made by the author of the article.

The often used but obsolete succession of “what’s good for business is good for the country,” and the old suggestion that deregulation and the lowering of corporate taxes is justified if you want to create jobs and move the country forward, is a myth unsubstantiated by facts. The fact is that corporate taxes are the same as they were 30 years ago, and they have not created jobs. In study after study, the federal government has created three times as many jobs, which is not saying much considering the unemployment rate.

The inconvenient truth in this case is that when corporate America found that it could at last find a way around American organized labor with the passage of agreements like NAFTA, it could at last access cheap foreign labor. How cheap? Well, there are 39 countries in the Third World that have wages of $2 per day. Under the agreements, they quickly became “favored nations,” which meant it was cheaper to move operations overseas and ship it back to be sold on the American market at huge profits, while getting tax credits by our government for doing so.

Given these circumstances, it is unlikely that any of these jobs will ever return, making these unemployed permanently unemployed.

The argument posed by corporate America that it cannot hire American workers until demand increases suggests it doesn’t recognize the impact of the jobs created in the 39 countries. It is another myth, one that businesses rely on to perpetuate that since the burden of the unemployed belongs to the taxpayer, they need not address it.

The search goes on to open new markets and, together with the profits realized using cheap foreign labor, has increased profits to the point that it is estimated that 2 percent controls 70 percent of the wealth.

Far from the claims of the far right that this president is adopting policies that are socialistic, I would point out that all of the television channels you watch are controlled by only six people who rely on corporate sponsorship and advertisers. I believe Warren Buffett stated it correctly, that million-

aires and billionaires should no longer be “coddled” by Congress and pay their fair share. Mr. Buffett stated his tax rate is 17 percent, and he is one of the richest men in the United States... I believe you can blame big corporations, along with their government stooges, for their greed and reluctance to meet their responsibilities and pay their fair share of taxes.

Richard Nielsen Royal Palm Beach

‘Trickle-Down’ Doesn’t Work Frank Morelli, writer of the letter “Stop Blaming Corporations,” apparently believes that if you understand the difference between “we the people” and “we the corporations,” you are a liberal.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt said: “The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it comes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism — ownership of government by an individual, by a group or any controlling private power.”

Mr. Morelli’s principles are as close to fascism as I hope we ever get in this country, but I realize that there are many more with the same ideology, and they are the people who voted in the mid-term elections in 2010, which gave us militant, far-right congressmen like Allen West and a governor like Rick Scott.

Corporations do not move their businesses to China or Vietnam because their taxes are too high.

In fact, many of America’s largest corporations don’t even pay taxes. They take their companies to countries where they can pay workers barely enough to live on, then send the goods back to the U.S. (since Republicans have done away with our tariffs, this is a cheap fix) and sell them here for enormous profits. Here are a few corporations that do not pay taxes: 1) Exxon Mobil made $19 billion in profits in 2009. Exxon not only paid no income taxes, it actually received a $156 million rebate from the IRS, according to its SEC filings.

2) Bank of America received a $1.9 billion tax refund from the IRS, although it made a $4.4 billion in profits and received a bailout from the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department of nearly $1 trillion.

3) Over the past five years, while General Electric made $26 billion in profits in the United States, it received a $4.1 billion refund.

4) Chevron received a $19 million refund from the IRS last year after it made $10 billion in profits.

5) Goldman Sachs in 2008, only paid 1.1 percent of its income in taxes even though it earned a profit of $2.3 billion and received an almost $800 billion from the Federal Reserve and U.S. Treasury.

6) Citigroup last year made more than $4 billion in profits but paid no federal income taxes. It received a $2.5 trillion bailout from the Fed-

eral Reserve and U.S. Treasury.

The list goes on and on. Tax time? Not for big corporations.

Mr. Morelli’s right-wing talking point that the national media is progressive, ignores the fact that NBC and MSNBC are both owned

by GE, a giant corporation that doesn’t like to pay taxes. ABC is owned by Disney, a very rightwing giant corporation, and CBS is owned by Viacom, another huge corporation that tends to be more right than left. And of course, Fox News is owned by the far right, sleazy (and getting sleazier by the day), NewsCorp.

As for government regulations that big business doesn’t like, remember that the reason we fell into this long recession was because the Bush Administration and the Republican congress de-regulated the banking industry while starting two off-the-books wars, giving millionaires and billionaires big tax breaks and passing Medicare Part D without funding it. The government regulates industry so that greedy corporate tax dodgers can’t screw all of us (or poison our water, food, land and air) without, at least, a fine. Not that all corporations are evil or reckless, but the ones that are can make lives miserable (BP), deplete your savings account (Wall Street mortgage lenders) or even kill you (tainted meat, anyone?).

Mr. Morelli wants you to vote for a candidate that understands “supply-side” economics (also known as trickle-down economics, voodoo economics or reverse Robin Hood). We’d all be a lot better off if our leaders understood that it is working class demand for goods and products that is the engine of our economy (demandside economics). Mr. Morelli is wasting his energy standing up for giant, multi-national corporations.

They really don’t need him. They have the Supreme Court in their pockets.

Gwynne Chesher Wellington

Keep Feds Out Of Our Pockets Editor’s note: The following letter is in response to David Eisenberg’s Aug. 19 letter “Championing A Mixed Economy.”

Mr. Eisenberg calls my letter

trash and that I’m attacking him.

Well, I have a very different take on things — the right one.

As far as attacking him, he did the same to Mr. Morelli in his first letter, along with conservatives and the Republican Party. Let’s make a few comparisons. For three years, we’ve been hearing Obama blame Bush for everything wrong, even though when Bush left office gas was $2 a gallon, unemployment was 7 percent and the debt was half what it is today.

Now, I’d like to point out when Reagan took office after that disaster Carter left (18 percent interest rates, runaway inflation with prices going up every week, the hostage situation and a decimated military) and not once, Mr. Eisenberg, did he mention the previous administration or Carter’s name. He took on the job like a man and by the third year was turning everything around.

Now, since you brought up New York, let’s talk about it. Have you driven through The Bronx or Queens lately? No? Well, the middle class is almost non-existent.

And a part of it is because of those social programs you rave about: subsidized housing, food stamps, welfare — all those things the middle class didn’t qualify for. And who took New York from nearbankruptcy, got rid of about 85 percent of the crime, cleaned it up and brought businesses back? It wasn’t a Democrat. It was Rudolph Giuliani, a Republican. And he did it by cutting taxes 35 times.

Who was mayor before him? Another Democratic disaster, David Dinkins. And again, the new mayor (Giuliani) never mentioned his name or whined about the mess he took over. He fixed it, like a man.

And what is your obsession with millionaires? Are you envious? All you liberals have a problem with people who are successful and have money.

I had a friend who made $38,000 a year. He saved and opened a deli across from Macy’s on Seventh in the ’70s (it’s still there). He worked 14 hours a day, six days a week. In less than 10 years, he bought the two-story building that housed the deli. He became a millionaire. He did this with no help from any bank and definitely no help from the government. Now, See LETTERS, page 16

SEND IN YOUR LETTERS The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words).

Submit letters, with contact name, address, and telephone number (anonymous letters will not be published), to The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to (561) 7936090; or you can e-mail letters@goTown Crier.com.

NEWS Rebuild

Community Center Meeting

continued from page 1 they wanted to move ahead with a better-designed building,” Bonde said. “There are a lot of elements

of the old building that were not designed to be used how they are used today.”

Bonde said that Wellington has hired a professional space planner to aid in the process, which includes determining how the new building can best be used.

“We are going to discuss what to do with the space first,” he said.

“The space planner will help de-

THE

TOWN-CRIER Your Community Newspaper

Serving The Palms West Communities For 31 Years Published Weekly By Newspaper Publishers, Inc.

12794 West Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31 The Original Wellington Mall

Wellington, Florida 33414 Phone: (561) 793-7606 Classified Ads: (561) 793-3576 • Fax: (561) 793-6090 World Wide Web: http://www.goTownCrier.com E-Mail Address: news@goTownCrier.com

termine the allocation of space, how rooms will be used, the square footage of each room and other issues that come up when designing a building, and then it will be sent to the architect who will render a drawing.”

Bonde said that the planner, who is an independent contractor, has met with council members individually, as well as with senior staff

and other groups that use the community center often.

During the public meeting, residents will be able to hear some of the ideas already discussed and give input, as well as offer their own suggestions.

“They are prepared to present a draft of ideas,” he said. “That way they can start with something and say, ‘Here’s what we have so far,’

BARRY S. MANNING Publisher

JOSHUA I. MANNING Executive Editor

JODY GORRAN Associate Publisher

DAWN RIVERA General Manager

JASON BUD JINSKI Community Editor

RON BUKLEY Managing Editor

EDITORIAL STAFF/ Chris Felker • Denise Fleischman Jessica Gregoire • Lauren Miró

and then get public input.”

The planner will be discussing uses of the space, rather than what the building will look like, Bonde said.

“I think initially people want to know what it will look like,” he said.

“But the question that needs to be asked is what do you want to do with what is inside the building. It has to be functional, and it

has to meet the community’s needs.”

By addressing the needs for the space first, Bonde said, Wellington hopes to build a community center that will benefit residents for many years to come.

“I think we’ve got the horse and the cart in the right direction,” he said. “I hope people come out and share with us their ideas.”

POSTAL STATEMENT The Town-Crier (USPS #021547) is published weekly by Newspaper Publishers Inc., 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414-7458.

Periodicals Postage Paid at West Palm Beach, FL. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The TownCrier, c/o Newspaper Publishers Inc., 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 334147458.

CONTRIBUTORS/ Jules Rabin • Ellen Rosenberg • Leonard Wechsler • Deborah W elky ART & PRODUCTION MANAGER/ Stephanie Rodriguez

Founded In 1980 By Bob Markey Sr.

ADVERTISING/ Betty Buglio • Evie Edwards • Wanda Glockson

Copyright 2011, Newspaper Publishers Inc. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising.

STAFF/ Shanta Daibee • Carol Lieberman • Geri O’Neil

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 5

NEWS

OUR KIDS WORLD FAMILY FUN FEST RETURNS TO SOUTH FLORIDA FAIRGROUNDS The ninth annual Our Kids World Family Fun Fest held was held Aug. 27 and 28 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. This year’s event included pony rides, bounce houses, an animal petting zoo, popular children’s characters, and a varie ty of live performances from kid-friendly exhibitors such as Gator Land in Orlando. For more info., visit www.adayforkids.com.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Cheryl Fish with her grandson Paul Allen.

Arsalan Siddiqui enjoys a pon y ride.

Aubre y Brown poses with a Star Wars stormtrooper.

Alejandro, Claudia, Vanessa and Victoria Palenzuela.

Alainna Montalvo digs for bugs at the South Florida Science Museum booth.

Chris Sears of Orlando’s Gator Land holds an alligator’s mouth shut, while Kenny Danberry talks to the mesmerized children.

Palm Beach Central Band A Finalist For Pepsi Refresh Project

By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report Palm Beach Central High School’s Bronco Band has been chosen as one of the finalists in the Pepsi Refresh Project. Band Director James Yaques had been anxiously awaiting the news before sharing it with band boosters and band members.

Yaques heard about the grant opportunity and thought it would be a great way to get band members, parents, school classmates and the community together to support the Bronco Band’s fundraising efforts.

After some research about the contest, Yaques submitted an application. He was then notified that the application process had been completed and just had to wait for the news once it was reviewed

during the moderation stage.

Jeff Lisenbey, president of the band boosters, announced at the first band parent meeting that the Bronco Band meets all the qualifications and had been given the opportunity to win $25,000.

The band is hoping that together with the community, the Bronco Band will win the much-needed grant money to purchase uniform pants as well as musical equipment.

The Pepsi Refresh project is a program run by Pepsi Co. that provides grant money for organizations doing exceptional things in their communities.

Palm Beach Central’s Bronco Band has won many marching band competitions; it was a semifinalist at the Florida Marching Band Competition in Tampa.

The band will be featured in the category of Arts & Music, and in order to win the money, the band must receive the highest number of votes on the Pepsi Refresh web site.

The voting runs now through Sept. 30, and the band is hoping the community will support it by helping it get the most votes to win the contest. The winner will be announced in October.

All members of the community can step up to help the band earn the grant by simply logging on to the Pepsi Refresh web site at www.refresheverything.com, searching for Bronco Band entry, and voting for it.

(Right) The Bronco Band needs the community’s support to win a Pepsi Refresh Project grant.

Page 6

September 2 - September 8, 2011

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

CRIME NEWS

Armed Robbery In Royal Palm Beach

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report AUG. 29 — Two Royal Palm Beach juveniles were the victims of an armed robbery Monday afternoon in the Willows II neighborhood. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was dispatched to the community after unknown assailants attacked the victims and stole their cell phones and money. According to the report, the victims were walking along Sparrow Drive at approximately 3:20 p.m. when a white SUV pulled into a driveway ahead of them. The victims said that a black male passenger sitting behind the driver got out of the vehicle and pointed a gun at them.

According to the report, another black male exited the SUV from the rear passenger door and demanded that the victims give him their stuff. A third black male exited the vehicle and took a backpack, phone and iPod from one of the victims, and then punched him in the face and told him not to tell anyone. The perpetrators got into the SUV and drove westbound on Sparrow Drive. The perpetrators were described as black males, about 6 feet tall with thin builds.

One had dreadlocks and the others had short hair. DNA evidence was taken from the victim’s backpack, but there were no suspects at the time of the report.

••• AUG. 20 — An employee of the Wells Fargo bank on State Road 7 called the PBSO substation in Wellington on Saturday, Aug. 20 to report an act of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19 and 8 a.m. the following morning, someone used a metal trashcan to smash an ATM machine outside the bank, causing approximately $1,000 in damage.

There was no forced entry to the machine and no other damage done to the bank. Surveillance video footage was taken at the time and was being reviewed for suspect information at the time of the report.

AUG. 20 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched to Wellington Green Commons on Saturday, Aug. 20 regarding an act of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m., someone used a ceramic flowerpot to smash the windshield of the victim’s car. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

AUG. 24 — A resident of the Victoria Groves neighborhood called the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach last Wednesday to report a burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., someone entered the victim’s home through an unlocked window and stole several items including an Acer laptop computer, two televisions, a digital camera and several pieces of jewelry. The stolen items were valued at approximately $36,969. DNA evidence was taken at the scene, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

AUG. 26 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington responded to a home on Cabot Lane last Friday in response to a residential burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between

noon on Wednesday, Aug. 10 and 8 p.m. last Thursday, someone entered the victim’s rear patio and stole 16 aluminum hurricane shutters. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

AUG. 26 — A man called the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach last Friday afternoon to report an assault. According to a PBSO report, the victim was driving on State Road 7 near Process Drive at approximately 1 p.m. when another driver pointed a firearm at him. The victim was able to give deputies the license plate number of the car, which belonged to a Royal Palm Beach resident.

According to the report, the deputy made contact with the suspect, who said that he had a firearm but did not display it to the victim.

AUG. 27 — An Acreage man was arrested last Saturday night on charges of drunken driving while driving an all-terrain vehicle on the sidewalk of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. near La Mancha Avenue.

According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was on patrol when he observed 44-year-old Randy Halstead driving an ATV eastbound on Crestwood Blvd.

The ATV made a left onto Royal Palm Beach Blvd. and, according to the report, was traveling at approximately 31 miles per hour.

According to the report, the deputy initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of La Mancha Avenue, and Halstead nearly collided with the deputy’s marked patrol vehicle. The deputy made contact with Halstead, and after a series of roadside tasks, he was arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail. Breath tests revealed he had a blood-alcohol level of .146. Halstead was charged with driving under the influence.

AUG. 28 — A resident of White Pine Drive called the PBSO substation in Wellington early last Sunday morning to report a burglary. According to a PBSO report, the victim left her home last Saturday night at approximately 6 p.m. and returned just after midnight to discover that someone had smashed her rear sliding glass door and entered her home. The perpetrator(s) entered her master bedroom and stole $300 cash, along with a jewelry box containing approximately $2,000 in jewelry, coins and other items. DNA evidence was taken at the scene, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

AUG. 28 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched to a home in Sugar Pond Manor last Sunday morning regarding a burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 8:50 a.m. last Saturday and 10 a.m. the following morning, someone attempted to enter the victim’s home through an unlocked back window. According to the report, the victim activated his alarm before leaving, but left the window unlocked due to a broken latch. The perpetrator(s) entered the home through the window but set off the alarm and fled the scene. The victim said that nothing seemed to be taken or disturbed. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

AUG. 29 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched Monday to the BJ’s Wholesale Club store on State Road 7 regarding an employSee BLOTTER, page 16

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives: • Mary Benevento is a white female, 5’3” tall and weighing 1 80 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. Her date of birth is 04/14/52. Benevento is wanted for obtaining proper ty in return for a worthless check, draft or debit card. Her occupation is unknown. Her last known address was Draft Hor se Lane in Wellington. Benevento is wanted as of 09/01/1 1.

• Clifton Bennett, a.k.a. Carl Beckford and Calvin Roberts, is a black male, 5’10” tall and weighing 190 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. He has a scar on his left cheek. His date of birth is 11/ 16/84. Bennett is wanted for fraudulent use of personal identification information. His occupation is laborer. His last known address was Parkside Drive in Greenacres. Bennett is wanted as of 09/ 01/11.

Remain anonymous and you ma y be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stopper s at (800) 458- TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestopperspbc. com.

Mary Benevento

Clifton Bennett

THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY. CRIMESTOPPERS IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT SHOWN HERE.

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 7

NEWS

Experts Urge Community Leaders To Run HOAs Like A Business

By Chris Felker Town-Crier Staff Report Neighborhood association leaders, a community association attorney, a licensed property manager and Palm Beach County’s collections coordinator addressed problems caused by the foreclosure crisis during the second part of a recent public forum hosted by the Florida League of Neighborhood Associations.

The FLNA is a group dedicated to ensuring the viability of property and homeowner associations, neighborhood and condominium associations through education, communication and community dialogue.

The panel discussion was held Monday, Aug. 22 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center.

Panelists included Ted Brown, president of Florida Community Management Services and a licensed property manager; Michael Ecker, president of the Island at River Bridge Homeowners’Association and a specialist in insurance and financial services; Glenn Meeder Jr., collections coordinator for Palm Beach County, who collects past due code and nuisance abatement liens; attorney Randall K. Roger, senior partner at Randall K. Roger & Associates; and FLNA President Joe Boyle, who is also president of the Saratoga at Royal Palm Beach Property Owners’ Association and the Saratoga Pines Homeowners’Association.

Different approaches to the foreclosure epidemic became apparent in the panel members’ discussions.

Ecker started off by describing his HOA’s situation, “with one of our owners who thinks he can live scot-free for the next 10, 20, 30 years in his location because the bank is absent.”

Ecker said the association has tried to work with the man, making special arrangements for him to pay his association dues, to no avail. “We’re in hard times, all of us, and we’re not looking to jump down anybody’s throat… but the

association dues have to be paid.

We must maintain the association at all costs,” Ecker said.

He added that the situation “has forced us to now handle everything as a business. If somebody falls behind, we have to take legal steps.”

Ecker said communities should not be “sitting with anybody who hasn’t paid the HOA for a matter of a year or two or three… we’ll be taking over the property so we can actually rent it out because the bank doesn’t care.”

“And what that means,” he continued, “is we’re going to have to invest a few thousand dollars in the house, get it fixed up and get it rented, and be able to get our association dues out of that.”

Ecker said it was either that or perhaps be forced to go into reserve funds while watching property values decline as the homeowner “takes advantage of the community” by not paying dues and not maintaining the property.

“There’s nothing you can do with people like that. But you have to protect your community,” he said. “You have to stop being nice when somebody doesn’t pay their association assessments within a period of three to six months; you must take action immediately.”

The difficult part is finding the proper point to stop trying to be nice, said Brown, the property manager. “If you deal with it from the heart, you’ve lost it; you’ve got to deal with it from the head,” he said. “And it’s hard for homeowners to do that, simply because they are the people living next door; then they’re the bad guys.”

Brown advised letting an association manager, if the association has one, “do that for you. That’s where they help you a lot.”

He said he is referred by many different parties to communities that are struggling with high delinquency rates and foreclosures — “attorneys, insurance companies, banks, especially banks, because their money is at stake.”

Sometimes, Brown said, “there’s up to a 70 to 75 percent delinquen-

cy rate and within a few years, we have it right back down to a 4, 6, 8 or 20 percent, as a maximum delinquency rate. This is hard to do, but again, it starts right here: It’s a business; there’s nothing else you can do about it.”

And, Brown added, “don’t feel bad about something you have to do.” In choosing units to foreclose on, an association must “pick them carefully, because you want to know you can rent them; otherwise, you’re wasting your time.”

He said one option when banks are dragging their feet on foreclosing is to have the association attorney send a letter to the banks asserting that the association will file a motion to compel the banks to foreclose. “Nine out of ten times it does work,” he said.

Meeder said that his job as the county’s lien collector is hard enough as it is, but that in the foreclosure crisis, it has become even more difficult. He said that even though banks are ahead of code enforcers to collect when a home is foreclosed on and sold, “we can usually bring them into compliance quickly, once they take the property, in collecting on the liens and fines.”

He also noted that when county code enforcers must go in and secure a property and perform upkeep to keep it from becoming a nuisance, under Palm Beach County’s new ordinances, “we can place those fees and charges on the tax bill, and the tax bill has to be paid each and every year.”

Boyle said that he comes from a different point of view. “As president of a homeowners’ association, I realize that I have many neighbors, and I have to look out for all of them,” he said. “When we have problems, we need to find an acceptable alternative, that’s acceptable to the community, on how to deal with these issues.”

He said that when homeowners fall behind on maintenance fees or assessments or dues, “they’re still your neighbors, and you have to figure out a way to work with them. I hate to see an association,

Panelis ts — (L-R) FLNA President Joe Boyle, Palm Beach County Collections Coordinator Glenn Meeder Jr., the Island at River Bridge HOA President Michael Ecker, Florida Community Management Services President Ted Brown and attorney Randall Roger.

PHOTO BY JIM BONGIOVANNI when it comes to collections, turn into condo commandos. There has to be a way to work and still manage and do your fiduciary duties.”

Boyle said that in the Saratoga associations he is part of, “we look at three categories of collection problems. The worst is where the house is either in foreclosure, the guy’s bankrupt, maybe somebody died, we don’t know who to contact or whatever, maybe it’s vacant — these are situations that are critical.” In those cases, he said, associations must seek help, “turn it over to somebody who knows all the steps and can get it done, get it resolved, follow the process, and don’t manage it anymore.”

He said people who have occasional problems keeping up with payments require a different approach. “These are people who missed a payment, forgot the payment, their dog died this month, they had problems at home with the family, they just lost their job, they’re looking for a way,” Boyle said. “I would hope that if I was in that situation, someone would at least give me some kind of an opportunity to make it right.”

Boyle said his associations seek to develop payment plans before handing them over to collections.

“We try to work with these people because I don’t want to kick somebody out of their house,” he

said. “I think the three- to sixmonth rule is a very good idea of where you throw your hands up and then get moving… You have to tailor your collection process to the circumstance.”

Roger, the association attorney, closed the panel discussion by acknowledging the dilemma faced by so many associations and applauded county and municipal officials for being responsive to community associations’ problems. “Associations do not have a large arsenal of opportunities,” Roger said.

But, he said, pursuing liens for unpaid dues or maintenance fees is necessary, and sometimes it comes to foreclosure by the association, a path that he cautioned has many pitfalls. “I don’t want to leave you with the impression that that’s a sure-fire means of success,” Roger said. “The association should be smart and strategic in determining which units to foreclose on. When you have a number of delinquencies in your community and can’t afford to pursue all of them, you should identify those units from a business perspective that are most marketable.

Again, it’s a business.”

He also said that an association foreclosing sends a signal to other delinquent owners that they might be next.

Roger noted that other opportunities to recoup lost money are to try for short sales, file for a “motion to compel” demanding that a bank expedite foreclosure, and suspension of the residents’ voting rights and/or entitlements.

Roger put much blame for the situation on the state government, which he said has been slow to act to try to help foundering community associations with favorable legislation.

“Legislation we have now should have been put in play two or three years ago,” he said.

“These mealy-mouthed legislative changes, which don’t really go the distance, should have been available before.”

As for short sales, Brown noted that “some banks are getting cute now — they want fees waived to allow short sales. Don’t give up on your HOA money to get a short sale through,” he said.

“If it’s going to go through, you shouldn’t be penalized at the HOA. Don’t give in to the banks on this.”

To which attorney Roger, once a banker, said: “Many banks are being irresponsible, but as a former banker, I feel they’re largely responsible for many of the problems we’re seeing.”

For more information, visit www.flna.org.

Archaeologist Introduces LGLA Members To Underwater Exploration

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association learned about shipwrecks off the Florida coast from guest speaker Dr. Michele Williams on Thursday, Aug. 25.

Williams is an archaeologist at Florida Atlantic University’s campus in Fort Lauderdale. She explained that the Florida Department of State’s Bureau of Archaeological Research has developed fliers and web sites for 11 of the thousands of shipwrecks off the Florida coast.

“They have an elaborate history of the vessel. They have a map of where to find it... so you can go and dive on it,” she said.

The shipwreck map is provided so

divers can understand what they are seeing. “Even when you’re on a shipwreck, it’s not always obvious what you’re looking at,” she said. “This is a program run by the State of Florida in an effort to recognize the archaeological resources underwater as well as above.”

Williams said the bureau conducts training programs for dive groups and invites anyone interested to visit the Florida Public Archaeology Network web site at www.museumsinthesea.com.

“We are a not-for-profit organization, and our job is to preserve the past of Florida through education and action,” she said. “These dive programs are a great combination of that, where we spend two days in the classroom, one day in the pool

Dr. Michelle Williams speaks to LGLA members about coastal shipwrecks.

PHOTO BY R ON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER

and one day on an underwater archaeology site, so participants have the background that they need to understand what they are seeing.”

Williams said shipwrecks are innately interesting, as opposed to sites on land that are often just “a hump in the ground or a hole in the ground… and so underwater archaeology is quite popular for that reason.”

The 11 featured Florida shipwrecks can be viewed at www.museumsinthesea. com. “This is a nice resource for people who can’t dive, or for kids,” Williams said. “Obviously, these are not all the shipwrecks of Florida. We have everything from the USS Massachusetts to shipwrecks like the Urca de Lima. We even have ships that were used during the Civil War.” Shipwreck experts believe there are several thousand ruins in the seas around the Florida Keys alone.

“The reason there are so many here is that people would try and use the Gulf Stream to get back to Europe,” Williams said. “Many of these shipwrecks are actually hurricane victims.”

After a shipwreck is nominated by the public, underwater archaeologists examine the wreck for its integrity and level of interest. “The state and the local people do a huge amount of historic documentation,” she said.

After the wreck is approved, the state pays to make information available to tourists and local historical societies and museums. They are marked by plaques either underwater or on the shore, and GPS coordinates are now online so people can find them.

Williams presented information on five wrecks in particular.

The Urca de Lima was part of a Spanish treasure fleet that sank off Fort Pierce in a 1715 hurricane. “The fleet was scattered between Fort Pierce and Sebastian,” she said, explaining that survivors were able to get word to Cuba, and divers came up to salvage much of the treasure.

The Urca de Lima can be reached as a shore dive off the Pepper Park public beach in Fort Pierce. It is in 10 to 15 feet of water about 200 yards offshore. “This is one of the sites that is why the Treasure Coast has its name,” Williams said.

“There was lots of gold, silver and jewels.”

Anything found in state waters now is state property. Salvage operations have contracts with the state to recover treasure. The state restricted salvage rights in the 1970s when methods improved and more and more valuable items were found, Williams said. “Basically, people figured out how to SCUBA dive and could get to wrecks that had previously been unexplored,” she said. “Now, we’re able to use remote vessels to go down.”

The Georges Valentine is an iron-hulled sailing steamer that sank 100 yards offshore from Stuart. Built in 1869 in England, it was hauling lumber when it sank off the United States in the 1900s. “If you’re ever at the House of Refuge in Stuart, you can see part of this ship in the surf,” Williams said. “There are a number of homes in Stuart that have beautiful mahogany floors as a result of this guy sinking.”

The Loftus was an iron-hulled sailing ship built in England in 1868. It was also hauling lumber and ran aground about three-quarters of a mile north of the Boynton Beach Inlet. The hull was dynamited for easier access to the cargo and to re-

duce the threat to other ship traffic. At its site, visibility “fluctuates greatly with sand movement,” Williams said. “It’s good to have the maps so you can understand what you’re looking at.”

The Loftus is in 15 to 20 feet of water and must be accessed by boat.

The wreck of the SS Copenhagen is in 15 to 30 feet of water off Pompano Beach.

The coal-powered steamer was built in England and launched in 1898. Her last voyage was from Philadelphia to Cuba with a cargo of coal and ended on a reef about three-quarters of a mile off Pompano Beach.

“If you ever go down to Pompano to the Sea Watch restaurant, look out the picture windows and you are looking out onto the Copenhagen. You’ll need a boat, but there is a lot to see there,” Williams said. “There is a lot of superstructure, and it’s a fun dive.”

The Half Moon was a two-masted racing yacht built in 1908 that was badly damaged in a 1922 storm off Virginia. The hull was later sold for scrap and towed to Miami, where it was used as a floating restaurant and dance pavilion in the Miami River, and later moored to an offshore reef. In 1930, it broke from its mooring and ran aground on a shoal off Key Biscayne. “The Biscayne Bay National Park at various times has boat tours that they take out there so you can snorkel it,” Williams said. “It’s a pretty dive if you can get out there.”

She added that it’s ironic that the more popular dive spots get “picked apart” and become mostly sand, but the less wellknown wrecks become active with reef life. Williams encouraged people who dive the wrecks to take only pictures and leave only bubbles.

Page 8

September 2 - September 8, 2011

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier

NEWS

Villari’s Of Wellington Hosts Special Martial Arts Teaching Seminar

By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report Villari’s of Wellington held its quarterly special teaching seminar with martial-arts master Robert Bombalier from Lake Forest, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 20.

The seminar had 25 participants from three different locations eager to learn the application of weapons, traditional martial arts techniques and shaolin kung fu techniques.

David Wilson, owner of Villari’s of Wellington, offers the

quarterly classes to expose students to other teaching techniques not offered at his school. “We are an organization of nearly 200 schools, and there is wealth of knowledge out there,” Wilson said. “We do this to show them a different flavor with people they generally don’t see to teach them other techniques.”

The techniques taught were to show participants how to defend themselves from weapons. “We tried to teach the idea of deepening the understanding of the tools

that people use to harm people,” Wilson said. “It’s about knowing how to place and use the weapon, and expanding your idea on how to use the weapon once you’ve got it in your hand.”

The seminar focused on teaching participants how to use weapons effectively when they are in dangerous situations. “It’s about how to use the weapon on different parts of the body,” Wilson said.

Bombalier taught the participants how to defend themselves against deadly weapons using var-

ious martial arts techniques. “Most people don’t fight fair,” Wilson said. “They usually have some type of weapon, so we wanted to teach the class how to defend themselves from different types of weapons using the shaolin and traditional martial arts techniques.”

Villari’s of Wellington is located in the original Wellington Mall at 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 7, Wellington. For more information, visit www.villarisof wellington.com or call (561) 7921100.

Master Robert Bombalier and David Wilson demonstrate how to use a weapon effectively.

Villari’s of Wellington owner David Wilson with master Ben Bellucci and master Robert Bombalier.

David Wilson and master Robert Bombalier show par ticipant Barry Rivera how to defend against someone with a weapon.

Seminar participant Barry Rivera, master Robert Bombalier and Justin Rivera.

GISELLE’S DANCE STUDIO IN RPB HOLDING AUDITIONS FOR ‘THE NUTCRACKER’ Giselle’s Dance Studio in Royal Palm Beach held auditions for The Nutcracker Sunday, Aug. 28. The next set of auditions will be held Saturday, Sept. 3 at 2:30 p.m. Auditions are open to everyone age 4 and older. The performance will take place Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. For more info., visit www.gisellesdancestudio.com.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/T OWN-CRIER

Lindsay Eisenstark, Nicole Schriefer and Rebecca Roy.

Arianna Leon, Chloe Calong, Julia Schriefer and Sarah Long.

Dance instructor Melissa Waters teaches K’La Clark, Sophia Garramone and Madeline Epstein the courtsey.

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 9

NEWS

SOUTH FLORIDA FAIR HOSTS SCHOLARSHIP GOLF CLASSIC AT BREAKERS WEST The South Florida Fair presented its 31st Scholarship Golf Classic on Saturday, Aug. 27 at Breakers West Country Club. Prizes were awarded at a barbecue luncheon, which also featured raffles. Proceeds benefit the fair’s college scholarships to be awarded at the South Florida Fair next January.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/T OWN-CRIER

Ladies longest-drive winner State Sen. Nancy Detert (R-District 23) and closest-to-the-pin winner Sharon Merchant.

Tournament Chair John Severson and Breakers Director of Golf Dan St. Louis.

Golf winners Justin Thompson, Wade Byrd, John Wash and Roger Worrell.

Bob Brandon, Keith Jackson, Brian Keller and Mik e Hanseter.

Fair COO Vicki Chouris and CEO Rick Vymlatil with John Foster and Lance Fuchs.

South Florida Ford’s Allan Young, Mike Sno wden, Roger Young and Greg Snowden.

WELLINGTON SWIMMERS POST BIG VICTORIES AT SHORT-COURSE SWIM MEET

The Wellington Aquatics Complex held a short-course swim meet Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 27 and 28. The Wahoos of Wellington were victorious, competing against four other t eams and taking top honor s for team and individual points. The aquatics complex will host District 8 swimming and diving championship and more swim meets in the future.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/T OWN-CRIER

(Front row, L-R) Chis Dwyer, K amil Baska, Cash Hollister and Cody Cline; (back row) head swim coach Richard Whalen and assistant coach Paul Vowels.

Sydney Metschler, Dominique Tyson, Simone Pierce, Emily Deem and Lacy Phillips with coaches Richard Whalen and Paul Vowels.

Wahoos of Wellington swim team members and coaches.

Page 10

September 2 - September 8, 2011

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

NEWS BRIEFS

MOVEMENT ARTS DANCE ACADEMY OPEN HOUSE

Kevin Perkins Back-To-School Golf Clinic Sept. 3

Movement Arts Dance Academy hosted an open house and grand reopening Saturday, Aug. 27 to celebrate its recent expansion and the start of its fifth year of dance instruction in the western communities. Guests were able to win door prizes, take tours of the expanded studio, and participate in free classes. For more info., visit www.movementartsdanceacademy.com or call (561) 792-9757. (Above) Instructors Charbel Khadij, Stacey Todd, Kelly Grandusky and Kara Krupa. (Below) Khadij leads a class through a hip-hop routine.

PHOTOS BY LAUREN MIRÓ/T OWN-CRIER

The Kevin Perkins Golf Academy will host a free back-toschool junior golf clinic camp Saturday, Sept. 3 from 11 a.m. to noon at Palm Beach Polo Golf & Country Club in Wellington.

The free junior clinics are open to boys and girls ages 7-17. Golf clubs will be provided if needed.

Anyone in this age group who would like to attend the clinic may register by e-mail at dkperkins4@ cs.com or by calling (561) 3013783.

The Kevin Perkins Golf Academy provides world-class instructional programs for players of all ages and abilities.

For additional information about the free back-to-school junior golf clinic and other programs provided by the Kevin Perkins Golf Academy, visit www.kevin perkinsgolfacademy.com or call (561) 301-3783.

One-Stroke Painting Classes In Wellington Local artist Lori Shankman, a member of the Wellington Art Society and an imaginative painter driven by a passion for self-expression through her art, will be giving “One-Stroke Painting” classes during the next several months at the Wellington Community Center.

Shankman’s artworks, featuring vibrant colors and strong lines,

have been featured in exhibits across the country. She is adept at communicating her vision through her art and in teaching that vision to her students, making her a sought-after instructor.

Classes will be given in three sessions of four classes, all from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Mondays, starting Sept. 12, Oct. 17 and Nov. 14. The cost is $75 for Wellington residents or $93.75 for nonresidents.

People who are new to classes given through the Wellington Community Center must register there in person (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Returning registrants may sign up online at www. wellingtonfl.gov/departments/ parks-a-recreation.

For additional information about the classes and art supplies that will be required for participants, call Shankman at (561) 793-4768.

Wellington Garden Club To Meet Sept. 12 The Wellington Garden Club will meet Monday, Sept. 12 at the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The event will start with a business meeting at 10:30 a.m., followed by a light lunch at 11:30 a.m. and a program presented by Gene Joyner at 12:15 p.m.

Joyner has been described as the “Dear Abby” of the plant world.

If anyone has a question about South Florida plants, he knows the answer. Since 1970, Joyner has given tours of his backyard botan-

ical garden, a 2.5-acre rainforest that he created by hand from his family’s farm land. For 35 years, he worked as an urban horticulturalist for the Palm Beach County Extension Service. Joyner’s topic is “What’s a Jabotacaba…

Is it like a Sapodilla?” He will be sharing his vast knowledge about rare and tropical fruits. It will be an informative program, and perhaps your fruit salads will never be the same again.

Guests are welcome and there is no admission fee. If you wish to attend as a guest, RSVP to Jayne at (561) 791-0273.

P.W. Community Foundation Golf Tourney Sept. 23 The Palms West Community Foundation Golf Classic Tournament 2011 will be held Friday, Sept. 23 at Mayacoo Lakes Country Club beginning with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.

After the morning play, the participants and their guests will enjoy an awards reception and barbecue lunch in the clubhouse’s main dining room.

The entry fee is $600 for foursomes and $150 for single players. The cost includes golf, the awards reception and a barbecue lunch.

Mayacoo Lake’s course was the first golf course ever designed by famed golfer Jack Nickolas, and many believe that it is his best design. The foundation is pleased to offer the opportunity for its tournament participants to play at this prestigious club.

The Palms West Community Foundation is the nonprofit arm of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce. The mission of the foundation is to enhance the quality of life in western Palm Beach County through outreach programs and by establishing a community center for the region, the new Palms West Chamber of Commerce building.

The aim of the Palms West Community Foundation Golf Classic Tournament is to bring together chamber members and their guests in an effort to raise the money needed to meet the mission and annual goals of the foundation and in the process to enjoy an afternoon of relaxed networking and exceptional golf.

Sponsorship opportunities for this event are still available. For additional information, call Maureen Gross at (561) 790-6200 or e-mail her at maureen@palms west.com.

To sign up your foursome, or for more information about the chamber, visit www.palmswest. com.

Vendors Sought For St. Rita Church Festival St. Rita Catholic Church is seeking vendors for a church festival to be held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 1 and 2 at the parish center (13645 Paddock Drive, Wellington). There is space available for people selling new items and crafts. For more information, call Caroline at (561) 798-2853.

… it s about your complete life It’s not simply about portfolio holdings and account balances.

It’s about your complete life.

You should have a wealth management partner who understands that. Who cares about your personal goals for your family, your business, your future. Who can give you comfort in making decisions that not only support your financial objectives, but that help ensure you have time to do the things you enjoy with those you love.

A N

I N D E P E N D E N T

F I R M

BENJAMIN G. BOYNTON, CFP & JOANNA J. BOYNTON, CFP 12400-B South Shore Blvd. Wellington, FL 33414 561.795.9156 Toll-Free 888.795.9156 Fax 561.795.6812 Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC.

Securities and investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIP

The Town-Crier

WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

NEWS

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 11

New Web Site Makes Registering Gifts Easier, More Customized

By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report After more than eight months of preparation and planning, the founders of Gift-IDonline.com, sisters Giselle Winer and Ana Paula Dumont, held a launch party for the new web site on Saturday, Aug. 20 at the Marriott in downtown West Palm Beach.

The launch party was an opportunity for the sisters to showcase the web site to close friends and family.

“We want to celebrate with our

friends and family because it’s such an important time in our lives,” Winer said.

They came up with the idea after many years of secret Santas at work and co-workers not being able to decide what to get each other.

Dumont told Winer about the problem, and the women decided to come up with a way to eliminate that problem, while avoiding hours of searching for the best gift.

They wanted to make it easier for friends and family to register gift

ideas for occasions from birthdays to weddings. “We wanted to create a registry that allowed people to get what they want,” Winer said. “Sometimes people spend hours looking for a gift, and when they give it to someone, that person does not even like it.”

The registry is customizable and allows for any type of gift option, from kitchen appliances to charity donations.

To create a gift registry with Gift-IDonline.com, a person must first become a member by sign-

ing up. Then he or she receives a personal access ID, which directs family and friends to the person’s gift registry.

Gift-IDonline.com is great for people who want a particular gift or who want to please family and friends with their desired gift, Winer said. “It’s all about giving people what they really want,” she said.

For additional information about the web site, or to create a registry, visit www.gift-idonline. com.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Florencia Clement de Grandprey with Mingo Orlando of CVB Productions, videographer and producer of the web site’s video.

Gift-IDonline.com web site developers Michelle Sternbauer and Bill Teubner of That Agency.

Gift-IDonline.com founders and sisters Giselle Winer and Ana Paula Dumont.

Launch party planner Claudia Fehribach of Wellington Party Planners with her husband Michael Fehribach.

Wellington’s Generations Focuses On Great Customer Experience

By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report With three generations of experience, the family-owned and operated Generations: A Hair Salon focuses on making its clients’ salon experience exceptional. With quality service, Generations is ready to make the 2012 season a memorable one.

Located at 10240 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in the Pointe at Wellington Green, the salon has made it its mission to focus on creating an inclusive vs. exclusive experience for its clients.

“Many salons attempt exclusivity, instead of focusing on the entire or inclusive salon experience, which usually makes them come up short,” owner Monica Hoffman explained.

The salon’s priority is to focus on the inclusivity, which Hoffman believes is unique to Generations.

“It’s not only possible, but Generations does it better than anyone else,” Hoffman said.

The salon’s exceptional customer service begins as soon as the clients walk through the front door. With friendly greetings by one of the owners at the door and a complimentary cappuccino, mimosa, white or red wine, sangria, hot tea, iced tea, soda or water, you will never be charged extra for a beverage.

The salon also provides appointments and confirmation calls the day before a client’s appointment.

Generations has a fashionable yet comfortable décor, with nine experienced stylists who are trained as certified colorists or hair extension experts.

“Customer satisfaction and repeat business is at an all-time high at Generations, and how you look

BRING IN THIS FOR A BRINGAD IN THIS AD FOR

MANAGER'S DISCOUNT SUPER BARGAINS! Design a Fan to Fit Your Decor PROMOTIONAL FANS NOT INCLUDED. NOT COMBINED WITH OTHER OFFERS. PRIOR SALES EXCLUDED. SEE STORE FOR DETAILS.

& a Deal to Fit Your Purchase

LARGEST SELECTION OF INDOOR & OUTDOOR FANS ANYWHERE!

20%

SAVE UP TO OFF OF YOUR COOLING COSTS FOR ONLY PENNIES A DAY!

EQUESTRIANS OUTDOOR FANS FOR BARNS & STABLES NEW POLY-RESIN & SYNTHETIC HOUSINGS

LEARN HOW FROM THE FAN EXPERTS

PARTS & SERVICES AVAILABLE 45 STORES NATIONWIDE

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

Fan Experts For Over 30 Years Locally Owned and Operated

DAN'S WEST FAN CITY PALM BEACH

BOCA/DELRAY 14466 S Military Tr

4833 Okeechobee Blvd

495-2715

684-3882

(1/4 Mi N of Atlantic Ave)

(1/4 Mi W of Military Tr)

Generations co-owners Anthony Gutilla and Monica Hoffman. and feel when you leave is our highest compliment,” Hoffman said.

Even with the affordable pric-

es, clients receive an upscale salon experience. “Our motto is, ‘In fashion, your hair is your number one accessory,’” Hoffman said.

The staff at Generations: A Salon.

Generations also offers complimentary wireless Internet and world fashion tour shows from Milan, London and Paris.

For more information about Generations, visit its web site at www.generationsahairsalon.com or call (561) 753-2232.

Page 12

September 2 - September 8, 2011

SRHS CHOIR PERFORMS AT DOLPHINS GAME

The Seminole Ridge High School chamber choir Musagetes performed the national anthem at the Miami Dolphins’ pre-season game against the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 19 at Sun Life Stadium. The Seminole Ridge chamber choir is the only school choir at this time that per forms for the Dolphins or other pro teams in Florida. The group has been making the trip down to Miami since 2007. Shown above are the choir member s on the field.

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

SCHOOL NEWS

South University Establishes SVA Chapter South University students have chartered a chapter of the national group Student Veterans of America (SVA), which aids veterans in their transition from the military to higher education and beyond. South University — which has a campus in West Palm Beach — fully supports the SVA’s mission to provide military veterans with the resources, support and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation.

“An increasing number of veterans are coming home from serving around the globe and looking to begin or complete college degrees, and we recognize that many veterans face unique challenges,” said Maria Lorena Santos, South University dean of student affairs.

“Supporting a student-led SVA chapter is one way we can help veterans, but it will also help oth-

er students, faculty and staff understand more about what it means to have served our country.”

While South University supports the SVA chapter, it is chartered and led by students such as SVA Chapter President Tobiah Steinmetz.

“Making the jump from armed service to school can be tough,” Steinmetz said. “Having a place to come together is important, and the SVA has some great resources to help us, too.”

Steinmetz served in the Marine Corps for five years before coming to South University to study criminal justice. Chapter membership is open to all current South University student veterans, whether they take classes on campus or online. Along with providing a peer-networking opportunity, SVA assists vets with finding internships and also awards com-

petitive merit- and need-based scholarship grants.

South University is committed to helping service members and veterans fulfill their academic goals. South University is a member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges and participates in the Yellow Ribbon program.

Founded in 2008, Student Veterans of America is a coalition of student veterans groups on college campuses across the United States.

SVA member chapters are student groups that have formed on college and university campuses to provide peer-to-peer networks for veterans attending those schools.

These groups coordinate campus activities, provide pre-professional networking, and generally provide a touchstone for student veterans in higher education. Each local group plays a critical role in ensuring that veterans are success-

ful after their service. For info., visit www.studentveterans.org.

Established in 1899, South University is a private academic institution dedicated to providing educational opportunities for the intellectual, social and professional development of a diverse student population. South University offers educational programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate levels with campuses located in Columbia, S.C.; Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Montgomery, Ala.; Novi, Mich.; Richmond and Virginia Beach, Va.; Savannah, Ga.; and Tampa and West Palm Beach, Fla. See www. suprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees and other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success and other important information.

For more information, visit www.southuniversity.edu.

Wellington Christian School Welcomes New Families For The New Year Wellington Christian School welcomed more than 100 new families to its campus as the new school year got underway on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

The WCS Parent Teacher Fellowship organization welcomed these new families to the school with the annual New Family Coffee event held Wednesday, Aug. 24. New families were treated to a continental breakfast and coffee

donated by Starbucks, and they received welcome gift baskets to help them get acquainted with the campus and all that WCS offers to its students and their families.

The New Family Coffee serves as an initial introduction to key faculty, staff and parent leadership on campus. It allows both students and families to quickly assimilate and get their children’s education and experience at the school off

to a great beginning. “The New Family Coffee is just the start to developing lasting relationships for new families on our campus,” said Cathy Connolly, New Family board sponsor and WCS PTF outreach coordinator. “The fellowship between parents, teachers, administration and students is just one of the great things about our school.”

Headmaster Dr. Tim Sansbury

welcomed these new families and shared the continued enhancements the school is making to ensure the best education for its students. This includes “smart technology” in every classroom to prepare students for their future. He emphasized the unique characteristics that students and families will find on the WCS campus.

“Wellington Christian School’s academics are unsurpassed,”

Sansbury said. “When students leave WCS, they are prepared to be knowledgeable thinkers and lifelong learners ready to meet the challenges of their future vocation in service to God, His world and their fellow human beings.”

Sansbury also discussed academics and student leadership opportunities. “WCS is a community,” he told the parents. “This education occurs within a network

of Christian parents, teachers and employees surrounding our students and their families helping them to face the challenges of today’s society.”

Located at 1000 Wellington Trace, Wellington Christian School is an accredited K-12 Christian school. The school offers regular tours of the campus for interested families. For more information, call (561) 793-1017.

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

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 13

SCHOOL NEWS

Back-To-School BBQ At Ideal, Dream Schools

Ideal kindergartener Logan Walters gets his face painted at the back-to-school barbecue.

Ideal Elementary and Dream Middle School teachers and administration recently hosted a meet-the-teacher barbecue to welcome their students back to school.

The lively event included face painting, a bounce house and craft-making tent. The most popular activity was the dunk tank, where students lined up to dunk their favorite teachers such as middle school math teacher Dave Van Popering, as well as school administrator Dr. Kris Soderman.

Teachers even entertained the crowd with an impromptu “flash mob” in which they sang and danced to the camp song “Peel the Banana.”

“Rather than having the traditional meet-the-teacher day, we decided to have something more fun and interactive for both the parents and the students to kick off the new school year,” Principal Wendy Soderman said. “The children had a great time and felt quite

at ease meeting their new teachers for the first time. It was a great ice-breaker for everyone involved.”

The school provided a free barbecue lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs and water. Rita’s Water Ice donated root beer and cherry-flavored Italian ice for dessert.

The teachers sold tickets for the bounce house and other activities, with the proceeds going toward Dream Middle School students’ community service trip to Costa Rica this coming spring. The school raised about $800 from ticket sales. “The barbecue was such a hit we’re planning to do this again next year,” Soderman said.

Ideal Elementary School and Dream Middle School are pioneers in the use of Multiple Intelligence Theory in the classroom.

Their expertise in innovative education draws students from preschool through eighth grade. For more info., visit www.dreamideal. com or call (561) 791-2881.

Sem Ridge Academy Seeks Practice Vehicles The automotive academy at Seminole Ridge High School is looking for donated vehicles to use in training students as future mechanics.

“Last year we had to dispose of our donated cars,” academy instructor Ray Craig said. “They’d reached the point of no return, and now we need donated cars to provide hands-on automotive maintenance and repair experience.”

Contact academy coordinator John Walker at (561) 422-2600 for more information or to discuss a vehicle donation.

• Police Athletic League Offers Homework Assistance — The Palm Beach County Police Athletic League is seeking student volunteers as tutors for its homework assistance program at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office substation in Royal Palm

Beach. Any high school student may volunteer to earn community service hours. For more information, contact Officer Sean Wensyel at (561) 753-7015 or (561) 246-7683.

• Hawk Art Classes Want Your ‘Trash’ — The SRHS 2-D art classes are collecting “trash” for use in classroom art projects.

“We’re always looking for plastic and styrofoam egg cartons, old

picture frames, newspaper, plastic containers, flat cardboard — the bigger the better — and used wooden spoons,” instructor Gwenn Seuling said. “This year we’re also looking for bottle caps — plastic, metal, small or large — and corks. And we need plastic bags (especially colorful printed ones), old broken jewelry, halfgallon juice (not milk) containers, old T-shirts and old books.”

Parent/artist Mike Plunkett and teacher Risa Suarez.

New Reading Resource Room At Pierce Hammock Pierce Hammock Elementary School recently completed a Reading Resource room. This room is a professional development resource for teachers to visit and borrow both student and professional books. The materials provide teachers with additional teaching resources to meet each child’s individual reading needs and will support the teachers’ guided reading groups. The resource room has many genres, including fiction, non-fiction, science, social studies and multicultural materials to be checked out.

Mike Plunkett, a parent and artist from Loxahatchee, donated his time and materials to paint a beautiful and tranquil beach scene for the new room. Pierce Hammock thanks Plunkett for his generous contribution.

Teachers Risa Suarez and Lisa Johnson also put many long hours into creating and preparing this resource room for their peers.

Anyone who is interested in purchasing artwork from Plunkett can contact him at (561) 2483611.

OPEN HOUSE AT NEW HORIZONS

TKA Expanding Dual Enrollment With PBAU The King’sAcademy’s dual enrollment partnership with Palm Beach Atlantic University has been strengthened with the addition of three teachers who have become accredited through PBAU to teach college-level courses on TKA’s campus. These new classes include dual enrollment public speaking, introduction to business, ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance, bringing the total credit hours offered to 33.

Through this partnership, TKA students are able to take courses free of charge, gain access to PBAU’s library and its database, and receive an official college transcript from the university. Currently courses are offered in the

areas of Bible, science, fine arts and business. Students graduating from TKA may enter college with a year completed, and then are able to focus on studies within their major. Taking dual enrollment classes creates a strength of schedule, proves the academic stamina of the student and predicts the success that a student will have in his or her pursuit of higher education.

A 2007 study from the Community College Research Center concluded that “dual enrollment programs have a positive effect on high school graduation rates, college enrollment rates, college grades, and progress toward obtaining a college degree.”

Teachers involved in the dual enrollment program receive continual training from the university professors in their subject areas. This wealth of expertise is advancing both the teachers involved and the students in their classes. TKA is excited about the continuation of this partnership and the many benefits it affords both students and teachers.

Palm Beach Atlantic University is an interdenominational Christian university founded in 1968 providing 52 undergraduate majors. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees,

and a doctor of pharmacy degree.

Palm Beach Atlantic achieved the status of 43rd in the Tier One Top 60 category of “Universities-Master’s (South)” by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review ranked PBAU “One of the Best Southeast Colleges in 2008.”

The King’s Academy serves students and their families across Palm Beach and Hendry counties at its main campus at Belvedere Road and Sansbury’s Way in West Palm Beach, its Clewiston campus on Caribbean Avenue, and its satellite preschool campuses in Greenacres, Palm Beach Gardens and Royal Palm Beach. For more information about the King’s Academy, visit www.tka.net.

New Horizons Elementar y School recently welcomed the bright shining faces of students and parents at its annual open house.

Students anxiously greeted their teachers with great expectancy for a school year filled with lots of learning. Pictured here are families arriving for open house: the Blechers (student Jessie, brother Rafael and mom Michelle), parent Alma Cano, the Rovnyaks (student Renae and mom Valerie), the Sernos (student David and mom Victoria) and the Bests (students Katelynn, Megan, Sam and mom Elisa).

Page 14

September 2 - September 8, 2011

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

PALMS WEST PEOPLE

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Planning Wellington’s Finest Gala 2012 The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has announced plans for the 2012 Wellington’s Finest Gala. The Breath of Fresh Air Affair will be a tropical-themed dinner dance, with live and silent auctions, to be held on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012 at the Lodge at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington.

The 2012 gala is expected to raise more than $50,000 to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic disease affecting the lungs and digestive system, is commonly diagnosed in infancy.

When the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was founded more than 55 years ago, few children lived past elementary school age. Today, thanks to advances in drug therapies made possible by the support of the foundation, the average life expectancy has risen to 38 years.

The Breath of Fresh Air Affair will be the celebration and culmination of fundraising campaigns run by a number of honorees selected by committee from among prominent residents and business people in the community. The

honorees will be announced at an Oct. 5 kickoff party at Beef Wellington Steakhouse & Social Club.

It is hoped that their fundraising efforts will heighten awareness of the mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to support research to develop a cure for the disease.

Event chairs for the gala are Alan Gerwig and his wife, Wellington Councilwoman Anne Gerwig. They are the owners of Alan Gerwig & Associates, a prominent Wellington engineering firm. The Gerwig family has a very good friend with cystic fibrosis who has undergone a double lung transplant, so they understand the importance of supporting the foundation which has had such a huge impact on CF families.

Honorary chairs of the event include Wellington Regional Medical Center CEO Jerel Humphrey and his wife Linda.

“We’re delighted to have been invited to serve as honorary chairs for this worthy fundraising gala,” Jerel Humphrey said. “We are hopeful that a cure for CF will become a reality in the not-too-distant future.”

COURTESY LOIS SPATZ PHOTOGRAPHY

COURTESY MOYA PHOTOGRAPHY

Wellington Councilwoman Anne Gerwig and her husband Alan (left) will serve as event chairs, while Linda and Wellington Regional Medical Center CEO Jerel Humphrey (right) will be honorary chairs of the 2012 Wellington’s Finest Gala.

Members of the 2012 Wellington’s Finest Planning Committee include Susanne Bennett, Leigh D’Avanzo, Jeff and Jodi Earle, Ann Fahmy, Brad Goldstein, Jeff and Stacey Greer, Ron and Shau-

na Hostetler, Cherie Kennen, Joe and Ashley Maguire, Marc and Sharon Melnick, Francine Nelson, Susan Rispoli, Tim and Lisa Shields, and Lauren Sterlacci.

The committee is currently

working on getting sponsors and auction items for the event, as well planning the entertainment, décor and menu.

Sponsorships are available at many different levels, and individ-

ual tickets will be available at a cost of $175 per person. For more information, call Beth Goldstein at (561) 683-9965 or visit the chapter’s web site www.cff.org/ chapters/palmbeach.

Dorothy Bradshaw To Lead The AHA’s Annual Heart Walk Campaign Known for her volunteer leadership and commitment to community, Dorothy Bradshaw, deputy director of procurement at the South Florida Water Management District, has taken on an executive role with the American Heart Association. The organization has named Bradshaw as chair of the annual Heart Walk and 5K Run of the Palm Beaches, set to take place Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Meyer Amphitheatre in downtown West Palm Beach.

Under Bradshaw’s leadership, the signature community-wide event is expected to draw more than 12,000 people walking for

heart health and overall well being while simultaneously raising critical funds for lifesaving heart and stroke research. Bradshaw has been actively engaged with numerous community organizations over the years, serving on a variety of committees, acting as a board member and serving in other leadership roles. She also is the recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award from Northwood University.

“We are fortunate across the Palm Beaches to live in a community committed to philanthropy,” Bradshaw said. “With so many community-wide events geared

toward the well-being of our loved ones, friends and colleagues, I am extremely proud to be associated with the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association.”

The 5K (3.1-mile) Heart Walk is now in its 20th year. The signature walking event is the American Heart Association’s “mission in action” and is designed to create a stronger community among participants, instill passion for reducing disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke, and generate excitement for a new or renewed commitment to heart-healthy living through walking and eating well. It will

Steiber Completes Navy Basic Training Navy Seaman Recruit Michael Steiber, son of Michelle Steiber and Harry Steiber of Royal Palm Beach, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. During the eight-week program, Steiber completed a variety of training which included classroom study and practical instruc-

tion on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.

The capstone event of boot camp is “Battle Stations.” This exercise gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the fleet. Battle Stations is designed to galvanize the basic

warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical application of basic navy skills and the core values of honor, courage and commitment. Its distinctly “Navy” flavor was designed to take into account what it means to be a sailor.

Steiber is a 2007 graduate of Royal Palm Beach High School.

feature a kids zone, health screenings presented by local presenting sponsor Boca Raton Regional Hospital, a Zumba warm-up session and a 5K run presented by Lawyers Have Heart to take place before the walk for anyone interested in participating. Chairing the 5K run is Al LaSorte, partner with Shutts & Bowen LLP. Natalie Morales, anchor of NBC’s Today Show, will serve as the grand marshal of the walk and run.

The Heart Walk is composed of corporate walk teams, community teams chaired by Wellington resident Ralph Pondiscio, individual walkers, survivors and “lifestyle heroes” who have made positive changes to reduce heart disease and stroke risk factors.

The event is open to the public with no registration fee. Visit www.palmbeachheartwalk.org and click on “Event Info” for further details on the Heart Walk as well as registration fee information for the 5K Run. “The American Heart Association works each and every day to make a difference here at home and across the entire United States,” Bradshaw said. “The suc-

cess of the Heart Walk ultimately determines the extent to which we can develop further lifesaving research that will enhance the quality of and lengthen the longevity of our lives and the lives of those we love.”

Heart disease and stroke remain the No. 1 and No. 3 leading killers, respectively, ofAmerican men and women. While largely perceived as a “man’s disease,” heart disease claims the life of one in every three women each year.

Every 45 seconds, someone dies of a stroke. According to the American Heart Association, regular exercise combined with a healthy diet is the key to reducing risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. In fact, for every hour of regular vigorous exercise activities, such as walking, individuals can live two hours longer. Each year the Heart Walk is designed to celebrate the success of those individuals who have made healthful lifestyle changes and inspire others to do the same.

The event is presented nationally by Subway and locally by Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

Media sponsors include WPTV

Dorothy Bradshaw NewsChannel 5, The Palm Beach Post, CBS Outdoor and radio stations Sunny 104.3 FM, “the Buzz” 103.1 FM, the New X 102.3 FM, 107.9 FM WIRK and B 106.3 FM. Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke.

For additional information, call (800) AHA-USA1 or visit www. americanheart.org.

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 15

PALMS WEST PEOPLE

GCDSO Members To Be In Times Square Video Four members of the Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization will be featured in a video to be screened Sept. 24 at Times Square in New York City.

Photos of Zachary Hubers (age 12 of West Palm Beach), Ali Kysia (age 21 of Lantana), Stalacy Marcelle (age 10 of Boca Raton) and Frank Harmon (age 24 of Boca Raton) were selected from more than 1,200 entries submitted nationally to appear in a video produced by the National Down Syndrome Society. The video presentation will be shown on the lar ger-than-life MTV plasma screen located in the heart of Times Square. The Times Square video presentation kicks off Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October.

To recognize Down Syndrome Awareness Month, the Gold Coast

Down Syndrome Organization will be holding the 17th Annual Buddy Walk on Sunday, Oct. 16 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at John Prince Park in Lake Worth.

The event will feature a fun walk followed by a variety of children’s activities, including a petting zoo, rock wall, bounce house, pony rides and much more, as well as a silent auction and raffle for adults. Everyone is welcome to come enjoy a great morning. To register for the event, visit www. goldcoastdownsyndrome.org and click on the Buddy Walk logo, or contact Anne via e-mail at ad.gcdso@bellsouth.net or by calling (561) 912-1231.

The Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization is a local, nonprofit group that has been serving families of children with Down syndrome in Palm Beach

County since 1980. No other group dedicated to advocating specifically for persons with Down syndrome exists in Palm Beach County. The Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization is a health, educational resource, support and advocacy organization with a goal of empowering individuals with Down syndrome and their families.

The organization supports the inclusion of persons who have Down syndrome in all areas of life as contributing and valued members of society. It provides current and positive information about Down syndrome to new parents, sponsors social opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome of all ages, provides parent training and educational advocacy and strives to ensure that individuals with Down syndrome can grow up

Navy Gives Courtney Burnett Early Promotion

tical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.

The capstone event of boot camp is “Battle Stations.” This exercise gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the fleet. Battle Stations is designed to galvanize the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical application of basic navy skills and the core values of honor, courage and commitment.

Burnett is a 2011 graduate of Wellington High School.

Allison Finishes Coast Guard Basic Training

Navy Seaman Apprentice Courtney Burnett, daughter of Jenelle Burnett of Lake Worth and Clinton Burnett of West Palm Beach, was recently promoted to her current rank upon graduation from recruit training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. Burnett received the early promotion for outstanding performance during all phases of the training cycle. Training which included classroom study and prac-

Coast Guard Seaman Cara Allison, daughter of Barbara and Gordon Allison of Wellington, recently graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Training Center in Cape May, N.J. During the eight-week training program, Allison completed a vigorous training curriculum consisting of academics and practical instruction on water safety and survival, military customs and courtesies, seamanship skills, physical fitness, health and wellness, first

Zachary Hubers to live, learn, work and play in their community. In 2010, the organization received the National Down Syndrome Congress’ prestigious National Parent Group Award. aid, fire fighting and marksmanship. Men and women train together from the first day in the Coast Guard just as they will work together aboard ships and shore units throughout the world.

To reinforce the team concept, all recruits are trained in preventing sexual harassment, drug and alcohol awareness, civil rights training, and the basics of the work-life balance. Allison and other recruits also received instruction on the Coast Guard’s core values and how to apply them in their military performance and personal conduct.

Allison is a 2005 graduate of Wellington High School.

Navy Lt. Kristen Ullman with the MH-60S helicopter she pilots.

Navy Lt. Ullman Performing Search And Rescue Missions Lt. Kristen Ullman, a U.S. Navy helicopter pilot based in Guam, is currently deployed with the USS Essex battle group as it operates in the Pacific Theater performing search and rescue, and air support missions.

Ullman is the daughter of Keith and Debbie Ullman of Wellington, a 2003 graduate of the Suncoast High School Math, Science and Engineering Program, and a 2007 aeronautical engineering graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. After graduating from the Naval Academy, Ullman reported

to Pensacola to begin flight training, which continued in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Milton, Fla. In January 2010, Ullman received her aviator’s wings and her certification as a helicopter pilot. She then reported to San Diego, Calif., as part of the fleet replenishment squadron before being transferred to Guam as part of the only forward deployed helicopter squadron HSC-25, which provides search and rescue, vertical replenishment, and air support for Navy Seals and deployed ships.

Page 16

September 2 - September 8, 2011

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

NEWS

Pet Owners Can Save With My Whole Pet Market Rewards Program

By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report My Whole Pet Market is launching a new rewards program to make things more affordable for pet owners.

Customers are able to sign up for a rewards card at the pet store, grooming salon or veterinary hospital, and can accumulate points from purchases throughout the entire center.

“I really don’t think any all-inclusive pet center offers anything like this rewards program,” coowner Jill Scott said. “We are different because our customers have the opportunity to earn points in all departments.”

The rewards program was designed to make it easier for pet owners to take care of their pets.

“Especially in this economy, people are not getting their pets taken care of as often as they should,” Scott said. “Our customers consider it a luxury to groom their pets.”

Customers are able to receive

Shopping

Plaza Gets County OK

continued from page 1 gress and egress on Hamlin for safety and efficient traffic flow.

Another concern was over commercial vehicles on Hamlin, and the applicant agreed to a condition prohibiting them on that street.

Santamaria suggested that the entire buffer along the south side of the property line be increased to 35 feet, and the applicant agreed.

Residents also requested that the square footage of the project be reduced, but the applicant said the 106,566 square feet allowed is limited by conditions of approval.

Residents also requested restricted hours of operation, but staff said the Uniform Land Development Code already has restrictions on operating hours of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. for commercial operations within 250 feet of a residence, which would affect the grocery store and fast-food restaurant on the southern portion of the development. The other shops could remain open 24 hours.

Agent Bob Bentz with Land Design South said the project is consistent with the Northlake Corridor Study and that the Palm Beach County Zoning Commission recommended approval, as well as the Acreage Landowners’ Association and Indian Trail Im-

Park

County Approval

continued from page 1 commissioners that ITID has done several workshops with residents to see what they want at the park and was back before them with a revised development program for the park as a result of those workshops.

Resident Alex Larson said the two additional access points concerned her because of their proximity to the natural area south of the park. She said she was also concerned about the increased traffic anticipated for the community center.

“The natural area throughout the years has been compromised by horses, ATVs, different things, and we do fight for the natural areas as much as possible,” she said.

“You do as much as you can to set them aside, and when you are

Foreclose

Works Stays In-House

continued from page 1 workable function at this time.”

Hill added, though, that finding notices of default is just the beginning of the process. “The notices and billing and collection is another, so, that’s where we’re at,” he said. “Actually, we’ve been quite successful at it.”

Hill said he has been pleased by the percentage of properties complying. “If they don’t respond accordingly, it will move to the code

Task Force

State Road 7 Extension

continued from page 1 who need to know a quick way to contact their legislators, direct them to the web site,” Webster said.

Damone said that the letters should be sent not only to local elected leaders but also to state leaders, including Gov. Rick Scott, Florida Department of Transportation leaders both locally and on the state level, and members of the MPO.

up to 10 percent off their purchases through the rewards program.

For every dollar spent at the pet store, My Whole Pet Market, the customer receives one reward point, and for every $2 spent at the grooming salon, Details Grooming Salon, and the veterinary hospital, All My Pets, the customer receives one reward point toward their next purchase.

Customers can begin to redeem their reward points when they’ve reached at least 200 points, which is equivalent to $20.

“We are really trying to make it more affordable for our customers,” Scott said.

Program members receive a free reward points card with a personalized number. Each customer number is entered into the store’s computer database, which stores all information pertaining to the customers’ pet needs.

This system allows the store to send its customers information about anything pet-related, from discounted pet supplies to veteri-

nary care. “This is also a way for us to keep in touch with our customers and keep up with their pet needs,” Scott said.

Since its launch Aug. 15, the

rewards program has received a favorable response from customers, co-owner Pablo Sanchez said.

“We have a bunch of people who already signed up,” he said.

“At least 20 people a day sign up, and we have entered many people into the computer already.”

My Whole Pet Market is locat-

ed at 10323 Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. For more information, visit www.mywhole petmarket.com or call (561) 7906612.

provement District. “Some of the neighbors still aren’t happy,” Bentz said. “We had hoped that they would all be happy.”

He referred to a letter that had been circulated by residents.

“They called it ‘massive,’ which it is not, and they called it a ‘strip mall,’ which it is not,” Bentz said.

Some residents were opposing the commercial designation, but Bentz pointed out that the commission had approved a commercial designation in December 2008. “We have to, in order to be consistent with the comp plan, rezone it to the request we are asking you for today,” Bentz said.

He also pointed out that he had participated in 18 public meetings the past five years regarding the plan. “We have more than vetted this project out to the public,” he said. “This will be the sixth time it has been before the county commission.”

Bentz added that The Acreage is underserved for commercial uses, and the site in question is the only land with sufficient area to support such a project. He added that much of the project is devoted to wetland areas that will serve as buffers between the project and residents to the south, in addition to the 35-foot buffer.

The Hamlin Blvd. entrance is important for the convenience of local residents as well as for safety, Bentz said, emphasizing that county engineers and ITID board supported the Hamlin entrance.

Coconut will have a right turn

in, right turn out access because it is too close to Northlake to make left turns there safely, according to Traffic Engineer Nick Uhren, but the three main entrances and exits will be on Northlake.

Resident Anne Kuhl asked the commissioners to correct what she said was a mistake made in 2008 when it voted for the land use amendment against staff recommendations.

“The reason we’re opposed to this is it is not consistent with our rural lifestyle,” Kuhl said. “It is a huge project. The biggest concern is traffic in the area.”

Kuhl added that she felt the notification sent out to the public wasn’t enough. “Just the people across the street are not all the people affected,” she said, explaining that everyone who travels in the northern portion of The Acreage uses Northlake Blvd. to travel east, and if there is an accident at Coconut and Northlake, motorists must detour south to Okeechobee Blvd.

Acreage resident Larry Marcum said traffic is already congested at Coconut and Northlake.

“There are accidents there all the time,” Marcum said. “I drive a very large vehicle, and I have trouble getting out in this area.”

He also said that if the project is approved, he would prefer no access on Hamlin.

Commission Chair Karen Marcus said she was concerned that the county’s notification process might not be sufficient. “Now I’m

thinking about those signs they put up when they’re rerouting traffic,” Marcus said. “Maybe with landuse changes we need to start doing that so people actually see it.”

The county now sends registered letters to residents within 300 feet of a planned development, and publishes legal notices of public meetings where residents can voice their opinion, in addition to notices posted on the property.

Marcus also pointed that that the planned development had been part of the Northlake Corridor Task Force review process.

Santamaria said notifications seem to be an ongoing problem not just with the county but municipalities as well. “I think we realize the problem. Now let’s do something about it,” he said.

He added that he felt that the Shops at Indian Trails would be a small development compared with requests such as that by CalleryJudge Grove for several million square feet of commercial development four years ago, in addition to 10,000 residences.

“As much as I respect and have listened to those of you who have opposed it, it’s my opinion that there are those, at least as many, who would like additional neighborhood-type centers,” Santamaria said.

He added that he would favor eliminating the equestrian trail on the south side of the development and replacing it with additional landscaping, which the applicant had agreed to, and make the Ham-

lin entrance ingress only. “That would solve most of the problems on Hamlin that our traffic engineers have brought up,” Santamaria said.

He asked Bentz if the developer would agree to ingress only on Hamlin, and Bentz said he would be concerned about overall traffic

flow in the development if the Hamlin entrance were ingress only.

Commissioner Priscilla Taylor made a motion to approve the zoning amendment keeping the ingress and egress on Hamlin Blvd., and the motion passed unanimously.

looking at access, hopefully, you’ll make sure that they are as far away as possible from the natural area south of the park because they are interconnected.”

Larson asserted that due to budget constraints, ITID does not have the resources it once did to monitor activity in its parks.

Resident Patricia Curry said she participated in some of the workshops.

“I’m not actually opposed to the expansion,” Curry said. “There are some elements that might be too intense, including the community center. I want to make sure the natural areas are protected and that there is sufficient buffering for the residents who live along that park.

That is a long stretch of road. I’m not sure that the community center needs to be as intense as what the site plan is providing. I’m not even sure if we need a community center, but that’s something that we’ll work out with Indian Trail.”

ITID President Michelle Da-

mone said the additional access points under discussion have nothing to do with the natural area.

“The natural area is up to the county to protect, and we protect it, too,” she said. “The two access points that we need signage for are in the main park, and there are two parts. There is a north park that is in existence now. All we’re asking is for appropriate signage for those residents who attend there to know exactly the amenities of each portion of the park.”

Damone said the natural area will be well protected, including a footbridge that will connect the north and south ends of the park through the natural area.

An equestrian trail that accesses part of the natural area has been reviewed by the county’s Department of Environmental Resources Management, she said.

“Nothing that is being presented today has anything to do with the natural area,” she said. “The Indian Trail Board of Supervi-

sors is in full support of this project and will do whatever we need to do to protect the natural area.”

ERM Senior Site Planner Bob Kraus said his staff has had many meetings with Walter regarding the natural area.

“They are pretty comfortable about the interface between the natural areas and the park,” Kraus said. “There is going to be a trailhead to the natural area that comes from the site at the park. That was the primary point of interest to make sure that there was minimal impact to the area at that point.”

Walter stressed that there will be no vehicular access to the natural area, only equestrian and pedestrian.

Commissioner Burt Aaronson made a motion to approve the development order amendment and to add the two access points on 140th Avenue North. The motion carried unanimously.

enforcement arena,” he said. “It may very well be the case that we recognize that that starts to overload our resources.”

Webster asked whether village staff had a time frame to measure the success of the program, and Village Manager Ray Liggins said it would depend on Hill’s confidence that his department was in control without outside help.

“Right now, they have the confidence they can deal with it,” Liggins said, explaining that there are not many outside vendors that track foreclosures. “It’s almost a sole source, so it’s not something we could bid out.”

Councilman Fred Pinto said he thought a third-party contractor was something the council should seriously consider.

“I think you need to look more deeply for the vendors in the marketplace,” Pinto said. “I’d like to call someone at the county and find out who they are using.”

Pinto said he did not want to put an additional burden on staff. “If they’ve got the capacity to do that, then they’re overstaffed right now, so they shouldn’t have the capacity to do this. I’m not comfortable with the level of expertise that needs to be applied to this, so we need to think about this.”

Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas agreed with Pinto about the level of expertise, but would like to see if it is something staff can manage in-house. “If we can handle it with staff, that seems like a good idea to me,” Valuntas said.

Hill said that he felt 60 days would be sufficient time to measure an in-house approach.

“Those who are recalcitrant and reacting to it, we’ll certainly know at that point, and our direction is clear that we don’t want to add more staff,” he said. “If it’s not a sustainable amount of effort, then we will bring that recommendation directly to you.”

“The mayor [of West Palm Beach] has done a great campaign of getting all the way up to the governor’s office and getting his attention on this,” Damone said. “Every time we get a new elected official… we start all over again.”

Webster also urged members to consider ways to be proactive about the issue. She suggested trying to get additional western communities seats on the MPO board in case the issue returns next year.

She pointed out that Wellington has a permanent seat, but that Greenacres and Royal Palm

Beach must alternate a position.

West Palm Beach and Boca Raton have two seats each.

“We need to be a part of the decision-making process,” she said. “It’s very heavily skewed toward the east and their concerns.

It seems like if we could effect some kind of change, we could get more representation for the heartland area.”

Wellington Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Carmine Priore recalled a very arduous process of getting Wellington on the board in 2002.

“I wrote to the governor,” he said, “and after a great deal of effort, we were able to get a seat.

We wanted one seat each for Wellington, Royal Palm Beach and Greenacres, but they were given an alternate seat.”

Priore said that now would be a good time to push for a seat for both municipalities on a permanent basis.

Webster noted that the governor has a say in the makeup of the board, but also said that census data plays a part.

“We can work through our commissioner and our governor to see if we can make some changes,” she said. “We are a growing community, and we should be better represented.”

Customer Dolores White gets her new reward points card from Christina Gengo.

Staff member Christina Gengo enters a customer’s information into the computer.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Darell Bowen Joins Board Of The Florida League Of Mayors Wellington Mayor Darell Bowen recently was appointed to serve on the board of directors of the Florida League of Mayors for a two-year term.

Established in 2005, the Florida League of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of mayors in Florida.

A comprehensive association for all mayors governed by a 21member board of directors, the primary goal of the organization is to serve as an incubator of ideas and a forum for mayors to share

Letters continued from page 4 Mr. Eisenberg, who does he owe anything to? You? The government? He paid his taxes. Should we charge him 60 percent? How about we make him pay double for haircuts and food, and triple for a car. After all, he’s rich; he can afford it.

Thanks for reminding me the Declaration of Independence made this country great, especially the part that part that says that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It doesn’t say from Obama or the government — our creator.

Now let’s see: [Treasury Secretary Timothy] Geithner didn’t pay his taxes for three years because, duh, he didn’t know. They waived

Guns

RPB Changes Rules

continued from page 3 or implied reference to state law.”

The first ordinance deletes a prohibition on the discharge of firearms in the village limits unless it is in defense of life or property and except by a law enforcement officer in the performance of duty.

The second ordinance cuts a reference making it unlawful for any person except duly authorized game wardens of the state to shoot, trap or in any manner kill or destroy birds within the village, or for any person to hunt within the village with any device propelling a projectile.

The third ordinance removes references to firearms in definitions of secondhand goods.

“This is basically allowing state statutes to prevail,” O’Brien said.

“We are taking ourselves completely out of the enforcement or regulation of firearms.”

Village Attorney Brad Biggs said the deletions also would let the village avoid paying for the prosecution of misdemeanors by indigents, which HB 45 would make the village responsible for if it chooses to prosecute under a local ordinance.

“This can come up, and it has come up for the village in the last year,” Biggs said. “We do have an agreement now with the public defender, but it is also something that is going to come up again.”

Local prosecution of any firearms offenses is now risky with the enactment of HB 45, Biggs said. “It’s very tempting, I would say, for some attorneys to go through various codes, find the

best practices for solving city problems.

“I am honored to have been selected for this position,” Bowen said. “I am excited about this opportunity to serve the citizens of both Wellington and Florida in another way.”

In addition, Bowen recently was named a Green Elected Official finalist in the U.S. Green Building Council South Florida chapter’s “GalaVerde: The 2011 LEEDership and Green Awards Program.” all penalties and put him in charge of the Treasury, which is in charge of the IRS. Then we have millionaire CEO Jeff Immelt of GE, whose company didn’t pay one dime of taxes last year. And then he moves his company to China at the cost of 10,000 jobs. What does Obama do? He makes him head of job creation. Good one — what hypocrisy.

And then you bring up liberal Warren Buffett. At 80 years old and $47 billion later, he decides he needs to pay more taxes. How absurd. Tell you what: when I hit 80, you can tax me more, fair enough. Stop all the whining and go out and invest in the market, or open a business and make your own million. You know there isn’t a lump sum.

Thomas Euell Wellington

term ‘firearms,’ click on it and try to bring some sort of suit because it’s actually very beneficial to them,” he said.

Biggs clarified that state law will always be available for firearms enforcement by local lawenforcement officials.

Councilman Fred Pinto asked Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Marcos Martinez, who was attending the meeting, about his impression of the new state law and subsequent repeal of local regulations. “Will repealing these statutes in our ordinances in any way, shape or form place a greater risk on the citizens of this village?” Pinto asked.

“You’re asking me for my opinion,” Martinez replied, “but we have state statutes that govern all these kinds of violations, and I think that is adequate protection for the public as well as our proactive patrol here in District 9.”

Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas said he did not want to leave the village in potential violation of the new state law and supported the ordinances. All three of the ordinance changes passed 4-0.

Blotter continued from page 6 ee theft. According to a PBSO report, the deputy met with the store’s asset protection officer and the suspected employee after the officer discovered the employee’s cash register was short $1,000 last Thursday. According to the report, the employee said that a friend had paid for items using a check and she gave her the cash. According to the report, the officer found that the same friend had made purchases with checks on other days, which had since come back due to a closed account. Due to an ongoing investigation, no arrest was made at the time of the report.

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 17

Page 18

September 2 - September 8, 2011

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

Bill Halpen’s Carvings Are A Trip Down Memory Lane

Originally from Connecticut, Bill Halpen has lived in the West Palm Beach area f or 35 years. When he was getting ready to retire, he decided to try something different. He began carving, and now does carousel horses and rocking horses.

Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 21

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 19

Wildcat Football Team Falls To King’s Academy

During the kickof f classic game Friday, Aug. 26, the King’s Academy varsity football team defeated visiting Royal Palm Beach High School 46-32. The teams racked up more than 12 penalties each in the first half. They settled down in the second half, incurring only two penalties between them. Page 33

Shopping Spree A TOWN-CRIER PUBLICATION

INSIDE

Business Williams-Sonoma In The Mall Plans To Host Bridal Registry Event Sept. 11

Williams-Sonoma in the Mall at Wellington Green will feature its second annual bridal registry event Sunday, Sept. 11. For the event, managers will set up stations throughout the store, ranging from a baker to an event planner, who will assist the bride and groom in their wedding planning needs. Williams-Sonoma, a national chain store, offers an eclectic blend of culinary products and cookware.

Page 27

Sports Palm Beach Central, Northeast Game Ends Early After Near Brawl

The Palm Beach Central High School varsity football team was trailing visiting Northeast High School (Fort Lauderdale) 22-14 during a preseason game Wednesday, Aug. 24 when the contest was called of f after flaring tempers nearly resulted in a brawl. Page 33

THIS WEEK’S INDEX COLUMNS & FEATURES .......................21-22 DINING & ENTERTAINMENT ..................... 24 BUSINESS NEWS .................................27-29 SPORTS & RECREATION ..................... 33-35 COMMUNITY CALENDAR .....................36-37 CLASSIFIEDS ....................................... 38-43

Page 20

September 2 - September 8, 2011

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

OPEN SUNDAYS 8a.m.

'03 #3&",'"45 -6/$) #36/$) Order From Our Expansive Breakfast & Lunch Menu BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE! LIMITED TIME OFFER Bring this coupon and a guest to the all-new MarBar Grille at Madison Green, and get

TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE! Order one entree and receive the second of equal or lesser value FREE. Tax & gratuity additional. Alcoholic beverages not included.

Dine in only. No takeout. Limit one per customer.

May not be combined with any other offer.

EXPIRES SEPTEMBER 18, 2011 t codeTC82411

$SFTUXPPE #MWE /PSUI Just north of Okeechobee

www.MadisonGreenGolf.com (3&"5 (0-' t (3&"5 '00% t (3&"5 4&37*$&

561-784-5225

ALWAYS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 21

FEATURES

Carving Work Of Bill Halpen Takes Me Back To My Youth I have always loved all sorts of horses.

When I was little, I had a diminutive white rocking horse named Harry the Hairless Horse, whom I rode daily. When taken to local amusement parks, I always headed straight for the merry-go-round. My all-time favorite ride was the fabulous steeplechase ride at Steeplechase Park in Coney Island — a cross between a carousel and a roller coaster. Six large horses, which each sat two people, raced over the huge building’s rooftop. Alas, we visited Steeplechase only once each summer, and the park closed for good in 1964.

Eventually, I got a real horse, the kind you have to feed, but I still love carousel horses.

Which is why, as I was strolling through the original Wellington Mall (the small original one, as we locals say), which has a nice collection of fiberglass reproductions, I spotted a real one — small, wooden, hand-carved — in the window of Cynthia’s Country Store. It was carved by Bill Halpen.

Originally from Connecticut, Halpen has lived in the West Palm Beach area for 35 years, first in Caloosa and now in River Walk.

“I never got involved with horses,” he said.

“I like to watch them. That way I can enjoy them without the work of having to care for them.”

He also likes to carve. For a while, Halpen Get updates all week long... follow Ellen Rosenberg on Twitter at twitter.com/ HorseTalkFL or stop by the Tales from the Trails page on Facebook and click “like.”

Tales From The Trails

By Ellen Rosenberg did carving demonstrations at Yesteryear Village. “When I was getting ready to retire, I thought I should try doing something different. I took up painting and drawing. Carving seemed like it would be neat, so I carved a duck — the ugliest duck you ever saw,” he recalled. “No pattern or anything, and any wood I could find, even a two-by-four. I finally retired in 1997, and in 1998 I spent a week at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, N.C. They offer all sorts of classes, including one on how to carve a full-size carousel horse head.”

When Halpen’s first grandson was born in 2000, Halpen carved a rocking horse for him, a tiny one suitable for an infant. “When he was 3, I carved him a bigger one, and finally a third larger one when he was 8,” he said.

“Then he got too old for rocking horses, so five years ago I did a carousel horse, a gift for my wife. I just wanted to try doing one. I used a pattern. I’ve done two carousel horses, so far, and now I’d like to try to branch out and do something original.”

Halpen has in mind a small figure of a horse

A quarter carousel horse carved by Bill Halpen. jumping over a fence. He looks at a lot of pictures in books and starts with a cardboard silhouette. But he’s been waylaid by other projects, including a rock collection cabinet for his grandson. Halpen said that carving the horse’s face is the most difficult part — get-

ting the right contours and getting it to look something like a horse. And painting the finished horse is the hardest part of all. “Painting makes or breaks the job,” he said.

He spray-paints his horses with a regular See ROSENBERG, page 22

Page 22 September 2 - September 8, 2011

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

FEATURES

Mark Claims He Is Going Deaf, But It Does Not Compute My husband, Mark, is trying to claim he is going deaf in his right ear, but I know it’s not true. He’s just saying that because that’s the ear I yammer into whenever he’s driving.

And I can certainly yammer.

Of course now, thanks to computers, I don’t call it yammering. I call it Downloading.

“Let me Download my day,” I tell him brightly.

Mark sighs heavily and mumbles something about going deaf, but it’s too late. I’m already “Loading … ” I say, “ … and then I had to go back because I’d forgotten to get a lottery ticket and the bagboy was rushing to bring the carts in and it had started raining, but do you think the beer truck would stop? Heck, no! Just flew right through the striped crosswalk … ” Get your Sonic Boomer humor every day!

Follow Deborah Welky on Twitter at twitter.com/TheSonicBoomer. On Facebook, stop by “The Sonic Boomer” page and click the “Like” button.

Deborah Welky is

The Sonic BOOMER Mark interrupts with, “Memory low.”

“What?”

“You’d better Save, because I’m running out of Memory.”

“Didn’t you Back Up?” “I did, but my Hard Drive is full.”

“I don’t even think that’s possible. Is it?”

The question was a fatal mistake. Mark then realized he had an advantage when it came to this little comparison. What I don’t know about computers could fill a Disk.

“Of course it’s possible.”

“You just don’t want to hear about my day,” I pout.

“Not true!” he protests (a bit too much, methinks). “It’s just that my combobberazor won’t let me. The schlittermajingle is flashing ‘Goobnut!’ and you know whenever that happens, it’s only a matter of time until the whole biddledybupper flaps shut.”

“I have never heard a single geek mention the ‘biddledybupper.’”

“Are you kidding? Office Depot offered a free course on it just last week. I knew I should’ve reserved you a seat.”

“Honestly, do you want to hear what happened at the grocery store or not?”

In monotone: “Of course I do. I am hanging on every word.”

“OK. So then I’m soaked, the bagboy’s soaked, and this beer truck appears out of nowhere! The driver knows darned well he’s supposed to go around back to the loading dock, but noooooo. So we’re all just waiting for this ten-ton beer truck to get out of our way, and who do you think shows up?”

“Santa Claus.”

“No, seriously. Sheila. Sheila! Do you be-

lieve it? She told me she couldn’t meet me for lunch today because she was baby-sitting her grandson who had green poop… ” “Too much information!” “… and there she is with her grandson, dressed to the nines and merrily marching into Publix!”

“Maybe she had to buy medicine.”

“Oh, yeah, right. That kid looked perfectly fine to me, even had a little hat on. I think she just … ” “Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.”

“Are you faking sleep? Are you pretending to have fallen asleep while I’m talking to you?

That is just so sophomoric. I wish you would simply let me finish, then you can tell me about your day. Mark? Mark? Do you hear me?”

Mark cuts me a hopeful glance.

“You are not deaf! Quit aspiring to deafness! Stop looking forward to old age as an easy out!”

Mark turns back to the wheel and softly offers just one word, “Hibernating… ” Oh, I give up.

‘Breaking Out’ By Local Author Bob Brink A Worthy Read We all have our “coming of age” stories. Of course, the classic one for my generation is Catcher in the Rye, despite the fact that it actually came out when I was 6. And stories like that carry the weight and change the history of young people growing up. Growing up in the 1950s was not the same for each of us.

Movies and television fictionalize it even more. I still remember visiting my older daughter ’s college and sitting in on a class taught about recent American history. The professor insisted I join her in a rendition of Happy Days as a way of remembering my early years. And I grew up in The Bronx! Our cute gang guys were the Fordham Baldies, and they weren’t nice like Fonzie.

But there were also horrific stories about growing up. Not everyone had supportive parents or good friends. Bob Brink, a local writer (he spent years at The Palm Beach Post), has written a new book that explores many of the larger problems some children faced as they battled through their teen years. While many of us, myself included, had loving parents and good guides through the torture of adolescence, his cen-

Rosenberg

Carousel Horses

continued from page 21 paint spray gun. The details are all hand-painted. “Carving’s just a hobby,” Halpen said. “I have a horse head sitting in a vise in my garage workshop. I work on it for a while, then put it down, then come back to it again when I feel like it. It’s a relaxing, fun thing to do.”

If you’re a fan of carousel horses, there are a few merry-go-rounds in our area. The Small Fry Carousel is located inside the Boynton Beach Mall. The Palm Beach Zoo’s carou-

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler tral character is alone and without resources.

In Breaking Out, a book he released only months ago, he presents Britt Rutgers, a young man facing all the problems of mental illness — except that, as he realizes later, perhaps the problems were not as serious as the cure. Brink, in excruciating detail, describes life as a teenager whose parents are focused primarily on another sibling, who provide no praise or love and who leave him to face his problems alone. Britt, we discover, is sexually ignorant while going through all the issues of puberty. He finds girls both attractive and scary. His parents’ religious restrictions prevent his understanding of his own feelings, which eventually leads to depression.

sel boasts 32 colorful figures, including a hummingbird, ostrich, sea dragon, white tiger, jaguar, zebra, ostrich and horses. Lion Country Safari’s carousel also has horses, plus zebras, rhinos, gorillas, giraffes, elephants and (of course) lions.

The carousel at Downtown at the Gardens is a one-of-a-kind custom design with a Florida wildlife theme.

The 27 figures include horses, sea horses, a blue heron, an alligator, a Florida panther and a roseate spoonbill.

The Rapids Water Park has a fully restored 1950 Herschell Carousel.

The park refurbished it by painting the 30 horses in its own unique style and installing a new motor. Some of

Even more to the point, Brink also writes of the background of Britt’s parents; and the ways that their religious beliefs, their own personal relations ability, their casual use of a sibling rivalry that was so one-sided as to leave Britt essentially alone, affected his problems.

Although most teens feel they are alone and have no one to depend on, that is usually inaccurate. In this case, however, it was all too true.

Britt’s struggle to survive, to learn coping skills in a world that is not always fully rational, is a traumatic one. The book is not necessarily an easy one to read, but it is a worthy story to understand. Too often, small problems that might be dealt with if someone actually listened are turned into major ones by outsiders who often have too little understanding and even less compassion. Britt, even after conquering many of his fears, is damaged by the treatments that the “experts” thought would be helpful.

In many ways, the book is about a triumph, the overcoming of an enormous problem. By the end, I was definitely rooting for Britt as he began to learn to cope and then to actually deal with real-life problems. We often see

the newly designed horses feature Renegade, the Florida State University mascot, as well as some horses painted in other Florida university themes. The rest of the horses have aquatic and fish designs. It’s the park’s first dry ride since 1981.

“I thought it would be something different for the park. We have a lot of big thrill rides, but not everybody can do big thrill rides, and we have a lot of small children who come to the park,” said Thomas Lumbra, president of Rapids Water Park.

Though the carousel was added for young adventurers, park staff will tell you that adults and older kids ride it, too. Yes, some of us adults still love carousel horses.

One of Bill Halpen’s hand-carved rocking horses.

books that demonstrate how people rise above their problems, but far too seldom do any of these books show how badly people can really be damaged. Britt was almost certainly more damaged by the treatments offered by wellmeaning people than from whatever it was that originally damaged him.

Life is often like that. We constantly hear stories of how yesterday’s science is today’s fraud. Notice that a few years ago, we heard the constant refrain that vaccines caused autism, etc. Now we know that the science behind that theory was fraudulent. We have also learned that many of our treatments for mental illness were flawed as well. Unfortunately, there is far too little research and information available for families being tested by the these issues.

Breaking Out focuses on these things. It is a tough read in the sense that Brink does not look away from the real traumas. But it is a worthwhile account, one I will remember for a long time.

The book was an Editor’s Choice of iUniverse, its publisher. You can buy it through Amazon.com. It’s a worthy read, and you’ll be supporting a local author.

The Town-Crier

WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 23

Page 24

September 2 - September 8, 2011

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Photo Salon Exhibit Opens Sept. 9 At Armory Art Center “Florida In and Out of View,” a juried group photography exhibition, opens Friday, Sept. 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach. It will remain at the Armory through Oct. 15.

“Florida In and Out of View” is a juried group exhibition of photographs by members of Photo Salon.

This is the second exhibition of this group, which is composed of professional and amateur photographers who meet regularly at the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach to show and review their work. The group’s previous exhibit, “Vanishing Florida,” was a traveling exhibition extended over a two-year period to include six venues throughout Palm Beach County.

The current theme, “Florida In and Out of View,” is filled with photographs of everyday scenes shown in unusual or unexpected ways. The theme was purposefully designed to be broad enough to allow for a variety of styles and personal interpretations.

Photographers could include digitally enhanced or manipulated images, composites and alternative processes, as long as the focus of the work was a photograph.

The juror for this exhibition is Holden Luntz, director of the Holden Luntz Gallery in Palm Beach.

Holden Luntz Gallery is widely respected as exhibiting “a broad range of vintage and contemporary American and European photographers who have left a definitive mark on the development of the medium.”

The mission of Photo Salon is to build a community of photographers who inspire, motivate and support each other, and to share their images and distinct perspectives with the larger South Florida community. It was founded by Marie Marzi, a photojournalist who has had work published extensively in the Washington Post, L.A. Times, USA Today and other national publications.

Grassy Waters in Focus by Lore Baer.

There are 20 photographers in the current exhibition, including Greg Allikas, Emalee Andre, Lore Baer, Joe Caggiano, Durga Garcia, Kurt Hammerstein, John Kearns, Benjamin Kenagen, Marie Marzi, Greg Matthews, Dori McKearn, David Mendelow, Melinda Moore, Raymond Neubert, Brian Rosen, Elle Schorr, Jackee Swinson, Robert Swinson, Ted Tribolati and Robert Vail, showing a total of 35 works.

The first opening of “Florida In and Out of View” was at the Kimbell Center at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound, from June 25 through Aug. 15.

The exhibition will continue to

move to various other venues throughout 2012. Venues will be announced on the Facebook page titled “Photo Salon at the Armory.”

The Armory Art Center is located at 1700 Parker Avenue in West Palm Beach.

The Armory Art Center’s mission is to provide high-quality visual art school and art gallery services that stimulate personal self-discovery and generate knowledge and awareness of art as part of life. For more information about the Armory Art Center, or to sign up for classes, visit the Armory’s web site at www. armoryart.org or call (561) 8321776.

Lighthouse ArtCenter Will Debut Three New Exhibits Sept. 9

The artists have focused, painted and sculpted. They have worked on a large scale. And one artist has built an exhibition of small works. Big or small, art lovers can see them all starting Sept. 9, when three exhibitions open at the Lighthouse ArtCenter. The exhibits “Photo Now!,” “Le Petit Art Exhibition” by Ted Matz and “SoFlo Ceramics Invitational Exhibition” showcase an array of talents. Opening night, featuring an awards reception, will take place Thursday, Sept. 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

More than 200 images were submitted for “Photo Now!” and from those, 98 works by 67 artists were chosen for inclusion in the exhibition. And the show has distinguished ties, too.

“We are especially pleased to have Holden Luntz as judge of the exhibition,” said Katie Deits, executive director of the Lighthouse ArtCenter Museum & School of Art. Luntz is the director and principal of Holden Luntz Gallery in Palm Beach, and is considered to be one of the nation’s pre-eminent experts in photography. He has more than two decades of experience in the curating, exhibiting, purchasing and selling of vintage and contemporary photography.

“His knowledge of photography is second to none,” Deits said.

Many experts could say much the same about Ted Matz’s expertise in painting. The artist, also an instructor at the Lighthouse ArtCenter’s School of Art, has mounted an exhibition of small works for “Le Petit Art Exhibition.”

Works in the exhibition, which ranges from still lifes to landscapes, will be for sale with a majority of the proceeds being donated to the Lighthouse ArtCenter School of Art. “Ted is as generous as he is talented because he will donate a portion of the proceeds from works in

Robyn Eckersley’s Rogue Doll from “PhotoNow!” this show to the ArtCenter,” Deits said.

Another show that will help the ArtCenter advance its mission as a center of education is the “SoFlo Ceramics Invitational Exhibition.”

This showcase of 13 talented South Florida ceramics artists and educators includes works by Shannon Calhoun, Angi Curreri, Angel DiCosola, Sean Erwin, Matt Fiske, Rebeca Gilling, Brian Hiveley, Judy Berk King, Justin Lambert, Victoria Rose Martin, Helen Otterson, Chris Riccardo and Tess Stilwell.

Deits said she hopes the invitational will call attention to the ceramics program at the ArtCenter’s School of Art. “These three exhibitions really highlight the range of talent in our area. That’s the job of a local museum,” Deits said. “We are pleased to present these fine artists.”

The Lighthouse ArtCenter is located in Gallery Square North (373 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta). For more information, visit www.light housearts.org.

The Phantoms Recommend Flavor Palm Beach Sept. 1-30 Dine at more than 30 of the best restaurants for only $20 to $30... Wow! We love September in Palm Beach County. We love great food and service, and experiencing the best of local dining establishments.

The fourth annual Flavor Palm Beach showcases the culinary delights found throughout the county.

From burgers and fries to surf and turf, more than 30 restaurants invite

you to elegant dining. Enjoy a threecourse lunch for $20 or dinner for $30 (per person). It’s terrific for visiting couples, families, small groups or business travelers looking to stay under budget and wishing to taste the flavors of Palm Beach.

Enjoy special three-course, prixfixe meals at participating restaurants. Prices are per person and do not include beverage, tax or gratuity.

• Northern Palm Beach County — Jupiter: the Bistro; Palm Beach Gardens: III Forks, Café Chardonnay, Capital Grille, Ironwood Grille and Talay Thai; North Palm Beach: Ruth’s Chris Steak House and 3800 Ocean at the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa. • Central Palm Beach County — Palm Beach: Cafe Boulud, Charley’s Crab, Renato’s and the restaurant at the Four Seasons;

West Palm Beach: City Cellar, Morton’s the Steakhouse, Pistache French Bistro and Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

• Southern Palm Beach County — Boca Raton: III Forks, Capital Grille, Morton’s the Steakhouse, Rack’s Downtown Eatery & Tavern, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Table 42 and City Oyster in Delray Beach.

We have looked forward to Fla-

vor Palm Beach over the past three years, and this year is no exception.

One question we are always asked: Are the portions smaller? The answer is no!

We hope to see you at all of the above.

For additional information, visit the Flavor Palm Beach web site at www.flavorpalmbeach.com or contact the restaurants above. Reservations are recommended.

Joe & Kathryn, the Phantoms, are featured writers for the Town-Crier and www.yournews.com... Comments and recommendations are welcome at thephantomdiners@aol.com.

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 25

Page 26

September 2 - September 8, 2011

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

BUSINESS NEWS

Williams-Sonoma — Assistant Manager Be verly Buss, customer and interior designer Robert Donohoo and sales associate Nancy Melamed in front of the store in the Mall at Wellington Green.

PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Williams-Sonoma Bridal Registry Event Sept. 11

By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report Williams-Sonoma in the Mall at Wellington Green offers an eclectic blend of culinary products and cookware.

Assistant Manager Beverly Buss trains the associates to make the customers feel warm and welcome. “We greet every customer with a friendly greeting as they walk through the door,” she said. “It’s like welcoming them into our home.”

Williams-Sonoma is famous for its All-Clad cookware, which is made in the United States and consists of five layers of stainless steel and aluminum, with the outer layer being stainless steel and the interior being highly polished, with layers of aluminum in between.

“This makes it a very highly energy-efficient cookware, and it makes it very easy to clean,” Buss said.

The store also offers utensils, dinnerware, glassware and linens. “We carry all top-ofthe-line products,” Buss said.

Williams-Sonoma has a unique variety of products, from the popular Mauviel line, a French cooper cookware, to food items ranging from baked goods to pasta sauces. “We are also very well-known for our olive oils and all of our spices,” Buss said.

The store’s most popular food item is its pumpkin quick bread, a seasonal item only available during the holidays. “Everyone is waiting for our pumpkin bread and pumpkin butter,” Buss said.

Other popular items include seasonal foods, such as its hot chocolate and peppermint bark.

“Once the holidays are over, it’s gone,” Buss said. “It’s huge for us.”

If you’re looking to learn how to cook or just want to sharpen your cooking skills, the store offers weekly technique cooking classes on Sundays from 1 to 2 p.m. “Sometimes all of our foods are being used, but our tools and cookware are always being used,” Buss

explained. “We really want to show people how and when to use some of our specialty cookware and tools.”

With many different cooking essentials to choose from, the store provides one-on-one customer service. “Even if customers want to set up an appointment to come in and get help with putting a whole new kitchen together, we offer that,” Buss said.

For chefs, the store has culinary discounts available. “They can sign up and come in and purchase anything they want with their discount,” Buss said.

The store has a gift registry option available for any occasion, from birthdays to bridal showers. On Sept. 11, Williams-Sonoma will feature its second annual bridal registry event. The event will feature a chef making hors d’oeuvres, “just to teach the bride and groom how to make some simple hors d’oeuvres for when they’re entertaining,” Buss said. “And they get to taste them as well.”

For this event, managers will set up stations throughout the store, ranging from a baker to an event planner, who will assist the bride and groom in their wedding planning needs. “We will also have our representative there, as well as outside representatives,” Buss said. “We will also have raffle prizes.”

Williams-Sonoma has more than 250 locations throughout the United States. The store in the mall is one of four in Palm Beach County, and is located at 10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 223, in Wellington. The Wellington location has been open for 10 years. The general manager is Priscilla Frank. The store’s founder is Chuck Williams, who started the chain in 1956 with the purpose of providing French cookware in Sonoma, Calif.

For more information about WilliamsSonoma or to register for the upcoming bridal registry event, visit www.williamssonoma.com or call (561) 333-3149.

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 27

Page 28

September 2 - September 8, 2011

RIBBON CUTTING FOR MIND BODY SOLE BY FAMOUS FOOTWEAR

Store associates at Mind Body Sole by Famous Footwear joined Palms West Chamber of Commer ce ambassadors for a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the chain’s location in the Mall at Wellington Green.

Mind Body Sole by Famous Footwear features foo twear for running, walking, hiking and more from top brands including Nike, Reebok, Brooks, ASICS, Skechers, New Balance, Avia, Saucony, Adidas and K-Swiss. Store associates participate in their local fitness communities and can provide authentic expertise to customers on selecting the correct shoes for their activities. An easy-to-navigate store environment enables customers to have the experience they want, including treadmills for comparing running or walking shoes to find just the right pair. For more info., call (561) 793-2515. Shown above are store associates and chamber ambassadors.

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

BUSINESS NEWS

Parent-Child Center Receives $25,000 Award From Chase

The Parent Child Center recently accepted a generous cash award of $25,000 from Chase in a check presentation at the Riviera Beach headquarters of the Parent-Child Center.

The Parent-Child Center participated in the nationwide Chase Community Giving campaign, raising operating funds and creating awareness throughout the community about the significance of valuable community programs that serve more than 8,000 Palm Beach County children each year.

The Parent-Child Center won the $25,000 by sharing its good work and soliciting votes on Facebook.

“This contest led us to an amazing discovery about ourselves and our community,” said Renée Layman, vice president of clinical services for the organization. “We really learned about our own capacity for teamwork and collaboration among staff, supporters and even other agencies across the nation.

Our goal now is to harness all this energy into helping our larger community understand who we are and how important our programs are to Palm Beach County. We are the

Parent-Child Center staff members celebrate as they receive $25,000 in programming funds from JPMorgan Chase & Co. largest provider of hands-on help to the area’s most at-risk babies and children, dealing with trauma, abuse or critical illness.”

The Parent-Child Center, a member of the Community Partnership Group, submitted an innovative program helping infants and children up to the age 5 by mobilizing its social media networks to support the project mission and click in their votes.

The Parent-Child Center garnered enough votes in Round 1 to win $25,000, which pushed them into Round 2, where 100 agencies competed further for cash awards.

Working around the clock, staff canvassed their Facebook friends and set up public voting stations around town. They finished a strong 49th in the nation, earning new friends and supporters along the way.

Since 1979, the Parent-Child Center has partnered with communities to passionately promote the economic and social well-being of children and families.

To learn how to get involved, call (561) 841-3500 or e-mail rlayman @gocpg.org. For additional information about the Parent-Child Center’s programs, visit its web site at www.parent-childcenter.org.

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 29

BUSINESS NEWS

WPB GreenMarket Finance Course Begins Sept. 14 At St. Peter’s Methodist Church Accepting Applications Financial Peace University (FPU), the 13-week course taught

by Dave Ramsey on DVD, will be held beginning Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church (12200 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington).

FPU teaches families and individuals common-sense principles such as how to make a plan with their money so they are able to free themselves of debt and build lasting wealth.

Nearly one and a half million families have been able to positively change their financial situation through FPU. FPU is available for churches, military, nonprofit agencies and businesses.

Ramsey knows first-hand what it is like to be broke and hopeless.

Because of his experiences, he decided to help other people change the way they handle their money and began teaching FPU in 1994.

“Because of the lessons we learned in FPU, we have been able to pay off $36,000 in just 17 months.” said Christine Cohn, a former FPU participant. “Debt had caused us to stop dreaming because we couldn’t look into the future

without feeling stressed. Now we have a plan for our money and working together for our future.”

After each lesson there is a small group discussion that provides accountability and encouragement.

Topics include saving for emergencies, budgeting, relationships and money, and getting out debt.

“FPU is a fun and easy to understand program,” Ramsey said.

“Whether you are deeply in debt or financially secure, FPU will help you gain a new perspective on how to handle your money. These lessons are especially essential right now as people are trying to regain control of their finances.”

The current economy has people feeling more hopeless than ever when it comes to their money. In an effort to recover the economy from the ground up, Ramsey has begun a recovery that challenges individuals to take personal responsibility for their finances and leaders to educate others about finances through programs such as FPU. Each class participant needs a kit that includes a lifetime family membership to FPU, an FPU workbook, an FPU envelope system, 13 audio

Dave Ramsey lessons, bonus CD, budgeting forms, debit card holders and Ramsey’s best-selling book Financial Peace. Special rates are regularly available on www.daveramsey.com or by calling (888) 227-3223.

Contact Vince Stark at (561) 7935712 for more information or to register for the course.

For additional information on Ramsey or his books, visit www. daveramsey.com.

The West Palm Beach GreenMarket is currently seeking farmers who would like to be a vendor for the upcoming 2011-12 GreenMarket, held Saturdays from Oct. 15 to April 14, 2012 (excluding March 24 due to the boat show).

The West Palm Beach weekly GreenMarket is one of the most popular and well-attended in South Florida with 125 vendors at the new Waterfront Commons.

To qualify, produce farmers must produce fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts or herbs, and must own, rent, lease or sharecrop the land.

They must also practice the agricultural arts (meaning they must grow from seeds, transplants or cuttings).

Plant producers/nurserymen must produce ornamental plants from seeds, cuttings or plants must have purchased them as seedlings and have sole ownership.

Seedlings must be grown by the producer for at least three weeks and plants for three months on the grower’s own premises before they can be offered for sale at the GreenMarket.

Produce and plant growers must

be responsible for all production operations.

The number of vendors per category is limited to maximize diversity throughout the GreenMarket and to limit competition for the benefit of the vendors.

Other vendor categories at the GreenMarket include produce resellers; bakeries, beverages and confectionary; cafés and restaurants; dairy, meat, poultry and seafood; exotics, flowers, orchids, plants and trees; and gourmet and processed foods.

Applications are due by Sept. 6, and vendors can apply for 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 feet of booth frontage space at the GreenMarket, with prices starting at $700 per season or $150 per month for a farmer/grower and $1,350 per season or $280 a month for other vendors.

For more information about the GreenMarket and to access a vendor application, visit the GreenMarket’s web page at www.wpb.org/ greenmarket.

For more information about other waterfront events produced by the City of West Palm Beach, visit www.wpb.org/waterfront.

Page 30

September 2 - September 8, 2011

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

“Self Portrait” ~ ArtStart student Clinton Robinson

Is Your Child PREPARED? BAK Audition Prep Classes Visual Arts & Communications Call NOW!

561-635-2037 Also offering after-school & weekend art and creative writing classes in our Wellington studio.

www.ArtStartInc.org

Page 31

Page 32

September 2 - September 8, 2011

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 33

SPORTS & RECREATION

Wildcat Football Team Falls To The King’s Academy 46-32

By Bryan Gayoso Town-Crier Staff Report During the kickoff classic game Friday, Aug. 26, the King’s Academy varsity football team defeated visiting Royal Palm Beach High School 46-32.

Both teams racked up more than 12 penalties each in the first half alone. The slow pace made the end of the first half seem like the end of the game. The teams settled down in the second half, incurring only two penalties between them.

The Lions won the toss and deferred to receive in the second half.

RPBHS fumbled their first three possessions, recovering only one of them. This quickly gave the Lions an advantage by allowing them to score twice, making it 14-0 with 9:17 left in the first quarter. With 6:47 left in the first quarter, the Wildcats sprang into action with an 82-yard touchdown run, making the score 14-6. The 2-point conversion attempt failed. The teams traded possessions for the rest of the quarter, unable to make progress.

In the beginning of the second quarter, the Wildcats were forced to punt at fourth and 13 from their own

49 yard line. The Lions’ Chris Machiela tipped the bounce, and it fell into the end zone, allowing the Wildcats to recover it for a touchdown. The 2-point conversion was intercepted, denying the Wildcats a tie game.

The Wildcats began moving the ball again, but two penalties in a row held them from scoring. Lions star running back Brian Grove, with a 200-yard-plus performance on the night, quickly gave the Lions positive field position. At third and 20, TKA quarterback A.J. Pasquale fired a pass to Kevin Stypulkowski for a touchdown, making the score 21-12 after the extra point. Another Wildcat fumble set up the Lions’ fourth touchdown of the night, bringing the score to 27-12 at 8:55 left in the second quarter. The extra-point attempt was no good.

After a kickoff return for a touchdown was turned back by a penalty, the Wildcats watched TKA’s Garrett Larson run 67 yards to set up another Brian Grove rushing touchdown, bringing the Lions’ lead to 33-12 with 2:39 left in the second quarter. The Lions tried for two but failed. With the clock down to 40

seconds, the Wildcats answered with a 37-yard touchdown run. The conversion attempt came up short, making the score 33-18 at the half.

In the third quarter, the Wildcats and Lions traded touchdowns, bringing the score to 40-26 for the start of the fourth quarter. The Lions moved quickly with a touchdown run by Pasquale with 11:06 left in the game. The extra point failed, making the score 46-26. The Wildcats would not give up, and with 3:24 left in the game, a touchdown pass to Tremaine McCullough brought them closer. The Lions were able to retain possession the remainder of the game, securing the 46-32 win.

“Too many mistakes. We turned the ball over three times. Too many penalties. We have to improve,” RPBHS coach Willie Bueno said.

The next stop for Royal Palm Beach is an away game at Pahokee on Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m.

(Above right) RPB’s Tremaine McCullough regroups after a fumble. (Below right) The Lion defense causes a Wildcat fumble.

PHOTOS BY BRYAN GAYOSO/TOWN-CRIER

P.B. Central, Northeast Game Ends Early After Near Brawl

By Bryan Gayoso Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach Central High School varsity football team was trailing visiting Northeast High School (Fort Lauderdale) 22-14 during a pre-season game Wednesday, Aug. 24 when the contest was called off after flaring tempers nearly resulted in a brawl.

The Broncos took the kickoff and managed to run the clock down to 8:59 left before they were forced to punt. The Northeast Hurricanes moved quickly inside the Broncos’ 40 yard line. After a few plays that included a 17-yard run by the Northeast quarterback, the Hurricanes were inside the Broncos’ 15. The Hurricanes kept the pace, scoring a touchdown and 2-point conversion, making the score 8-0 with 4:34 left in the first quarter.

On the next kickoff, the Broncos returned the ball to their own 40 yard line but fumbled and turned it over to the Hurricanes. Northeast took advantage of the field position and quickly gained a first down on the Broncos’ 20 yard line.

Palm Beach Central sacked the Northeast quarterback, but the Hurricanes responded with another first down, followed by a touchdown run by the quarterback. The 2-point conversion was no good, bringing the score to 14-0 with seconds left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the trash-

Bronco Lloyd Howard tries to avoid the Hurricane defense. talking started and a fight broke out between two players, delaying the game. The Broncos were able to move the ball, and with a little help from a Hurricanes encroachment penalty, gained a first down with 10:51 left in the second quarter.

Bronco quarterback Brock Buckowski fired a pass to Ray Wilson in the end zone for their first score. The extra point was good, making it 147. The Hurricanes got the ball, and the teams traded penalties.

At fourth and 13, the Hurricanes were forced to punt. Palm Beach Central pounced on the opportunity, bringing it to first and goal. The

Broncos scored on the ensuing play and made the extra point, tying the game at 14-14. Northeast put a damper on Palm Beach Central’s surge with a 71-yard kick return to the 20 yard line. Northeast scored with a run and made the 2-point conversion, giving the Hurricanes the lead late in the second quarter.

With the score at 22-14, both teams continued to trade penalties.

The Broncos were on the move with the ball on their own 45 yard line when the ball was snapped and a flag flew, but play continued and an interception occurred. After a hard block and a late hit that caused a

Officials try to restore order before the game is called. rain of flags, both sides charged each other at mid-field. Officials struggled to regain order, avoiding an all out brawl. The game ended with 1:59 left in the second quarter after game officials conferred with school officials.

Broncos head coach Rod Harris declined to comment after the game.

At press time, the Florida High School Athletic Association was considering sanctions against both teams, but no decisions had been made. Next up for the Broncos is a home game against Seminole Ridge High School to open the regular season Friday, Sept. 2 at 7 p.m.

Bronco Jhavon Williams looks to stop a Hurricane run.

PHOTOS BY BRYAN GAYOSO/TOWN-CRIER

Page 34

September 2 - September 8, 2011

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

SPORTS & RECREATION

Wellington Wave U-16 Girls Start Early Season With Win

Forward Amanda Torres battles for the ball against a Naples defender.

Midfielder Sarah Maclean takes the ball from a Naples midfielder.

Midfielder Kaitlyn Smith looks to pass the ball up field.

Last Sunday, under a blistering hot sun at Wellington Village Park, the Wellington Wave U-16 girls soccer team opened their early season with a win against the Naples Sharks.

The Wave’s new coach, Hassan Jaddaoui, has been preparing his team for the early season with conditioning, tactical training and practice sessions on the beach. Jaddaoui was pleased with the team’s first recorded performance.

The Wave took an early lead in the 15th minute when midfielder Brianna LaBadie took a ball through the Naples defense hitting the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. Minutes later, the Wave was awarded a free kick in Naples territory. Defender Natalie Kelly struck a ball that bounced up and over the Naples keeper into the net for a 2-0 lead.

Just before the first half ended, Naples managed some offense, taking the ball up the right side and crossing it into the penalty area where a Naples forward punched in the score, cutting the Wave lead by one.

In the second half, Wellington opened up and provided themselves plenty of opportunities to score again, but had difficulty finishing.

In the 52nd minute, LaBadie would find the net again, increasing the

lead again. Wellington led most of the game 3-1, but Naples would not go down without a fight. The Sharks’ late rally mustered two goals to tie at 3-3 with only minutes to play. Wellington kicked off, and forward Amanda Torres drove down the right side, passing the ball to midfielder Kaitlyn Anders.

Anders launched a grounder from the outside that managed to get by the Naples keeper and find the back corner of the net to give the Wave the 4-3 victory. Wellington led in possession and shots on goal. Later in the season, Wellington will have to travel to Naples for a rematch.

Jaddaoui spent this week preparing the team for the Tampa Bay Labor Day Showcase Tournament. The Wave will resume early-season play after the tournament, hosting FC Florida Select at home Sept. 10 at noon. Wellington plays in the Florida United Girls Soccer Association Premier Division.

Wave members include Kaitlyn Anders, Christina Barbera, MaKayla Barrantes, Aubree Browder, Manuela Correa, Kourtney Denker, Natalie Kelly, Brianna LaBadie, Sarrah Maclean, Amanda Nardi, Claudia Petrizzi, Alyssa Randell, Kaitlyn Smith, Amanda Torres and Antoinette Walton.

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 35

SPORTS & RECREATION

Varsity Bucs Defeat The Chargers 12-8 In WCFL Action In a recent Western Communities Football League game, the Varsity Bucs defeated the Chargers 12-8.

Matt Mauck threw a 60yard touchdown pass to Cole Martin on the first play of the game and a 48-yard touchdown pass to John Smith in the fourth quarter.

Peter Sinoyiannis scored on a 3-yard run for the Chargers, who took the lead 8-6 in the third quarter. Tre Jackson intercepted a Charger pass on the last play of the game to secure the victory.

The Bucs offense included Tre Jackson, A.J. Mackrey, Michael Gaydos, Garrett Woolwine, Anthony Savoia, Zech Dragula, Dylan Skinner, Stefano Padron, Jackson Herrod, Jason Shore, as well a Mauck, Martin and Smith.

The defense was led by Jackson with seven tackles and Skinner with six tackles.

Also contributing were Isaiah Alvarado, Eli Balcarcel, Cameron Hennessey, Mackrey, Martin, Gaydos, Woolwine, Savoia, Herrod and Smith.

Pictured above (left and right), the WCFL Varsity Bucs’ offense works its way to a 12-8 victory over the Chargers.

WHS Lacrosse To Host Golf Tourney Oct. 22 AYSO Tryouts Sept. 16 The fastest game in high school sports gears up for another exciting season. The lacrosse program has taken off at Wellington High School and is now a fullfledged varsity sport. The program, run by coach Joe Calby, teaches not only good sportsmanship, but it also teaches values.

The team has adopted the “War Pigs,” a bomb-retrieval unit stationed in Afghani-

stan. Each player is responsible to a soldier and takes the time to develop a relationship through letter writing and the collection of supplies. Parents are thrilled that these young men get so much more and see the benefits with increased work ethic in school and on the field.

The program, still in its early development, is sponsoring a golf tournament Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. at Mayacoo Lakes

Country Club and will feature a “shamble” format. The shamble is where everyone plays the best drive of the foursome and then each golfer plays his or her own ball until holed out for an individual score. This format is sure to bring an element of competition to the usually predictable scramble format usually played.

The entry fee for each foursome is $600 and includes

golf and dinner at Mayacoo, contests and on-course beverages.

Sponsorship packages are available, including a veterans package for those who would like to sponsor a local soldier to play.

Proceeds from the tournament will help the WHS lacrosse program and the Make a Wish Foundation. For more information, call Tarra Olsen at (561) 718-4735.

American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) Region 1521, located in The Acreage, has announced more soccer opportunities for players 8 and up. In addition to the regular recreational play, this section is establishing section league play in which teams from other AYSO regions will travel to compete against each other.

Tryouts for these teams will be held Friday, Sept. 16

from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Samuel Friedland Park (18500 Hamlin Blvd.).

Players do not have to be currently registered for the fall season to try out, but they must play in either the fall or spring season to participate.

Limited openings are still available for the fall season.

For more information, visit www.ayso1521.net or call (561) 798-5467.

Page 36

September 2 - September 8, 2011

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Saturday, Sept. 3 • The West Palm Beach Antiques Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, Sept.

3 and 4 at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.). For more info., call (941) 697-7475, e-mail info@wpbaf.com or visit www.wpbaf.com.

• The Loxahatchee chapter of the Florida Trail Association will host a stroll through John Prince Park in Lake Worth on Saturday, Sept. 3. Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the entrance on Congress Avenue south of Sixth Avenue South. Afterward, participants will have breakfast at TooJay’s in Lake Worth.

Call Paul at (561) 963-9906 for more info.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host a Teen Advisory Posse meeting for ages 12 to 17 on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 2:30 p.m. Find out what’s coming and share your ideas for future teen programs. Snacks will be provided. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will feature “Anime Club” for ages 12 to 17 on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 3 p.m. Watch anime, eat Pocky and check out the library’s newest manga titles. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

Sunday, Sept. 4 • The Loxahatchee chapter of the Florida Trail Association will hike Jonathan Dickinson State Park on Sunday, Sept. 4. Meet at 8 a.m. at the entrance on U.S. 1, approximately one mile north of the Palm Beach County line in Martin County. Get together for lunch afterward at the Dune Dog Café.

Call Mary at (561) 391-7942 for more info.

Monday, Sept. 5 • The Loxahatchee chapter of the Florida Trail Association will hold its annual Ice Cream Social on Monday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Okeeheelee Nature Center (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.). In addition, the video A National Parks Odyssey will be shown. Call Paul at (561) 963-9906 for more info.

Tuesday, Sept. 6 • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Fall Story Times” beginning Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 10 a.m. for children under 5. Sessions continue through the end of October. Call (561) 7906030 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Fall Story Times” for age 5 and under beginning Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 10:15 a.m. Call (561) 790-6070 for days and times and to pre-register.

• The Loxahatchee Groves Town Coun-

cil will meet Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District office (101 West D Road). For more info., visit www.loxahatcheegroves.org or call (561) 793-2418.

Wednesday, Sept. 7 • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Reading Buddies” on Wednesdays, Sept. 7 through Dec. 21 at 4:30 p.m. for children grades K through five. Children can wor k with teens to read together and play literacy games. Call (561) 790-6030 for more info.

Thursday, Sept. 8 • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Grandparents’ Day Story Time” on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 3:30 p.m. for ages 6 to 9. Celebrate your grandparents with stories and a craft. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

• The Royal Palm Beach Village Council will host a budget hearing Thur sday, Sept.

8 at 7 p.m. at RPB Village Hall (1050 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.). A special mee ting will immediately follow. For more info., call (561) 790-5100 or visit www.royalpalmbeach. com.

Friday, Sept. 9 • The Palm Beach County Planning Commission will meet Friday, Sept. 9 at 9 a.m. at Vista Center (2300 N. Jog Road, West Palm Beach). For more info., visit www. pbcgov.com.

• The Wellington American Legion Chris Reyka Memorial Post 390 will host a golf tournament Friday, Sept. 9 at the Binks Forest Golf Club (400 Binks Forest Drive, Wellington). The tournament will kick off Wellington’s Patriot Day weekend commemoration. The tournament will have a 1 p.m. shotgun start followed by a barbecue dinner and awards, and a silent auction. The cost to enter the tournament is $100 per person or $35 for the barbecue dinner and awards festivities only. For more info., call John Isola at (561) 795-2721, Mike Pancia at (561) 304-5403 or Ed Portman at (561) 602-4409, or e-mail wellington legion390@ gmail.com.

• The Audubon Society of the Everglades will host a bird walk on Friday, Sept. 9 at 5:30 p.m. at Wakodahatchee Wetlands (13026 Jog Road, Delray Beach). Meet at the top of the boardwalk. The leader will be Valleri Brauer. For more info., call Linda Humphries at (561) 742-7791 or e-mail hlindaase@aol.com.

See CALENDAR, page 37

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

COMMUNITY CALENDAR CALENDAR, continued from page 36 • Wellington will present a free screening of World Trade Center (PG-13) on Friday, Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 753-2484 for more info.

Saturday, Sept. 10 • Wellington will host the Jeff Annas Memorial 5K Run on Saturday, Sept. 10 from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater and Patriot Memorial (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The entry fee is $25 for pre-registration and $30 the day of the event, which includes a barbecue lunch sponsored by Whole Foods Market. Call (561) 753-2484 for additional information.

• The Audubon Society of the Everglades will host a Bird Walk on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 8 a.m. at Frenchman’s Forest in Palm Beach Gardens on the west side of Prosperity Farms Road 1.5 miles north of PGA Blvd. The leader will be Chuck Weber. For more info., call Linda Humphries at (561) 742-7791 or e-mail hlindaase@aol.com.

• Mounts Botanical Garden (531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach) will host “Everything Orchids: A Shady Affair Plant Sale” on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

Admission is free for members and $5 for non-members. Call (561) 233-1757 or visit www.mounts.org for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear” for age 2 and up on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 10:15 a.m. Bring your favorit e bear to hear stories about some of their friends. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Palm Beach Makos Cheerleading Squad will hold tryouts Saturday, Sept. 10 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Downtown at the Gardens Center Stage. Training began in July 24, and preparation for tryouts will continue every Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. at Powerhouse Gym (6900 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach). The Palm Beach Makos is a semi-pro football team. For more info., visit www.palmbeachmakos.com or www.palm beachmakoscheerleaders.com.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will feature “Tween Creative Writing” for ages 10 to 15 on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 3 p.m. Par ticipants will use descriptive language in poetry and song lyrics. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

• Wellington will host a free concert with Brass Evolution on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100

W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Bring your own seating. Call (561) 753-2484 for more info.

Sunday, Sept. 11 • Wellington will host its Parade of Heroes and 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony to conclude Patriot Day weekend on Sunday, Sept. 11 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.), followed by the Patriot Memorial Dedication Ceremony from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Call (561) 791-4000 for more info.

• Royal Palm Beach will host a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on Sunday, Sept.

11 at 1 p.m. at the Veterans Park amphitheater on Royal Palm Beach Blvd. The event will begin with a flag-raising ceremony, followed by a motivational presentation.

Enjoy free refreshments and a live musical performance provided by Third Row Center after the ceremony. For info., call (561) 7905149 or visit www.royalpalmbeach.com.

Monday, Sept. 12 • The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly luncheon Monday, Sept. 12 at 11:30 a.m. at the Stonewood Grill & Tavern (10120 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington). Tickets are $15 for members and $25 for non-members. Call Mary Lou Bedford at (561) 790-6200 or e-mail mar ylou@palmswest.com for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Bilingual Story Time” for ages 3 to 6 on Mondays, Sept. 12, 19 and 26 at 1 p.m. Participants will read and sing in Spanish and English, and create a craft. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Start Your Engines” for ages 9 to 12 on Monday, Sept. 12 at 4 p.m.

Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host a Teen Advisory Group Meeting for ages 12 to 17 on Monday, Sept.

12 at 6 p.m. Call (561) 790-6070 for info.

• The Acreage Landowners’ Association will meet Monday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Indian Trail Improvement District office (13500 61st Street North). Visit www . acreagelandowners.org for more info.

• The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Super visors will meet Monday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the district office (101 West D Road). For more info., call (561) 793-0884 for more info.

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

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 37

Page 38 September 2 - September 8, 2011

HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER in Wellington needs CERTIFIED P/T TEACHERS new and experienced elementary & secondary teachers wanted to instruct K-12 in Reading, Math, SAT/ACT Exam Prep. No lesson plans or homework, paid training and flexible hours.

Please e-mail resume to marlenegiraud@hlcwellington.com or call 561-594-1920 leave msg.

VOLUNTEER NEEDED — 14 years and over for community service. Have fun with animals & kids 792-2666 WINDOW INSTALLERS W ANTED Lic. & ins. subcontractors only. Top Pay. No Brokers. Call Matt 561714-8490 CHRISTY’S BAKERY NEEDS — Counter help. Experienced only.

2 shifts 5:30am - 1:30 pm and 1:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Drop of resume.

The Pointe@Wellington Green.

10160 Forest Hilll Blvd.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE NEEDED — Available for flexible 20 hours Monday, Thursday, Friday work week. Proficient in Quickbooks, Excel, and Word. Please email resume with salary history and work references to SJOHNOH1@GMAIL.COM PART-TIME BOOKKEEPER/ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT — Needed with flexible weekday availability. Must be reliable and have dependable transportation. Skill requirements: must be highly proficient in all aspects of quickbooks, payroll, excel and word. Detail oriented and excellent organization and communiciation skills. Seeking Western Community resident only!

No agencies, please! Located in Acreage. Fax resume to 561-8282379 WELLINGTON CAB HIRING — part-time dispatcher. Dispatcher experience, computer literate, telephone etiquette. Pro-active self starter individual looking for career.

Some days - mostly nights & weekends. 561-333-0181 ENTRY LEVEL RECEPTIONIST — Computer literate. Heavy phones & filing. Fax resume 561333-2680 LAKE FOUNTAIN TECHNICIAN — Looking for motivated person to service and maintain water features, ie, lake fountains, waterfalls, aeration systems, etc. Must have clean and valid DL Will train but electric and plumbing knowledge is a plus Salary negotiable, Benefits Please send resume to fax 561790-7220 or email to lpalermo@pbaquatics.com Or call 561-756-1011 MATURE COUNTER PERSON & DRIVERS — looking for full-time & part-time. Apply in person Pizzano’s Pizza 601 RPB Blvd.

Royal Palm Beach (Southern & RPB Blvd) PART-TIME MEDICAL RECEPTIONIST NEEDED — for busy pediatric office. Medical Manager experience preferred. Bilingual is a plus. Please email your resume to: Isabelamina76@yahoo.com

IMMEDIATE OPENING — Customer service representative needed to handle telephone, clerical and data entry responsibilities Monday - Friday. Skill requirements: must be highly proficient in all aspects of excel, word and internet.

Detail oriented and excellent organization and communiciation skills.

Previous experience required.

Please e-mail resume including salary history and work references to halliy@aisolinc.com for consideration.

DRIVEWAYS — Free estimates.

A & M ASPHALT SEAL COATING commercial and residential. Patching potholes, striping, repair existing asphalt & save money all work guaranteed. Lic.& Ins. 100045062 561-667-7716

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. Credit Cards Accepted LARRY’S AIR CONDITIONING — Air purification and service. Air Purifier, RGF, REME Air purifier. Commercial & Residential service and i n s tallation. Servicing Western Communites and Palm Beach County. 24 Hour Emergency Service. CA CO49300. 561-996-5537

LET US DO THE TASKS — that keep you from other concerns.

Officework, bill pay, errands or barn chores. Heads-Up personnel are local residents and horsemen with great attitudes and excellent references. Admin. services available for businesses, short or long term.

561.889.2344

AUDIO PLUS ELECTRONICS —for all your electronic needs, home theater, stereo, plasma TV, satellite, security systems, computer systems. 561-471-1161

MOBILE-TEC ON-SITE COMPUTER SERVICE — The computer experts that come to you! Hardware/Software setup, support & troubleshooting w w w . m o b i l e t e c . n et .

561-248-2611 D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-3331923 Cell 561-252-1186 Lic’d Well. & Palm Beach. We accept major credit cards.

LANDSCAPE & DESIGN — Commercial & Residential. We meet your needs. Free Est. Tree Trimming, Landscape & Maintenance, Small & Large Gardens. 954-4718034

MOLD & MILDEW INSPECTIONS Air Quality Testing, leak detection.

US building inspectors, mention this ad for discount. 561-784-8811.

NOW HIRING HOUSE CLEANERS — Must have reliable transportation, pass a background check, and experience is required. $10 per hour.

Please call 561-596-6364 or email sterlingcls@aim.com

FURNITURE FOR SALE — Dining Room Pedestal Table; with 54” round glass top, 4 upholstered parsons chairs, Curio Cabinet; glass shelves & interior lighting, Coffee table ; cream colored base with square glass top, also (2) White Modern Counter Stools. Call 561523-0324

The Town-Crier

WWW.GOTOWNCRIER. COM

RJA PAINTING & DECORATING, INC. — Interior Exterior, Faux Finish, Residential,Commercial.Lic. #U17536 Rocky Armento, Jr. 561793-5455 561-662-7102 J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established in 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.

Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975 visit our website at THE MASTER HANDYMAN — All Types of Home Repairs & Improvements. No job too big or small done right the first time every time 40 yrs of satisfied customers. See me on Angies List. Tom (561) 801-2010 or (954) 444-3178 Serving Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS INC. REMODEL & REPAIRS — Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood rep air, door inst allation, minor drywall,kitchens/cabinets / countertop s, wood flooring.

Bonded and Insured U#19699. Call 791-9900 or 628-9215

ANMAR CO.—James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craf tman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back!

Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC 1327426 561-248-8528

HOME INSPECTIONS — Mold inpections, air quality testing, US Building Inspectors mention this ad $20.00 Off. 561-784-8811

HOUSECLEANING — 20 yrs experience. Excellent local references. Shopping available. 561572-1782 HOUSECLEANING AND MORE — affordable high quality work. Flexible, honest reliable, years of experience with excellent references.

For more info call 561-319-7884 HURRICANE SHUTTERS P&M CONTRACT ORS — ACCORDION SHUTTERS Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffit s, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777

BOB CAVANAGH ALLSTATE INSURANCE Auto • Home • Life • Renters • Motorcycle • R V • Golfcart • Boat Serving the Western Communities for 24 years Call for a quote 798-3056, or visit our website. www.allstateagencies.com/ rCavanagh

www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. — Interior/Exterior - Repaint specialist, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair & roof painting. Family owned/owner operator. Free Est. 798-4964 Lic. #U18473 COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Interior/Exterior, residential painting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free est. Ins. 561-383-8666.

Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident

JEREMY JAMES PLUMBING — Licensed plumber, legitimate estimate. Water heaters, new construction. CFC1426242. Bonded and Insured. CFC1426242. 561-601-6458

J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential.

Interior & Exterior painting.

Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch at 309-6975 or visit us at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

MINOR ROOF REPAIRS DON HARTMANN ROOFING — Roof painting, Carpentry. Lic. #U13677 967-5580 ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING — Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,insured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763.

ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable.

Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-3090134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC023773 RC-0067207 ROBERT CHERRY ROOFING INC Reroofing - Repair Waterproofing 561-791-2612 or 954-741-4580 State Lic.& Ins. #CCC-1326048

SECURITY — American owned local security company in business 30 plus years. Protection by officers drug tested. 40 hour course. Licensed & Insured. 561-848-2600

JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening.

Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed!

CRC1329708 call us 798-3132. www.poolscreenrepair.com ST AN’S SCREEN SERVICE — Pool and Patio since 1973. Call for a free estimate. 561-319-2838 Lic. & Ins. CLASSIFIEDS CALL 793-7606

ACCORDION SHUTTERS — Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, sof fits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985.

U-17189 561-791-9777

AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC — Complete repair of all types of systems. Owner Operated. Michael 561-964-6004Lic.#U17871 Bonded & Ins. Serving the Western Communities Since 1990 SPECIALIZING IN BATHROOM REMODELING — Free estimates serving South Florida since 1980.

Quality you expect, service you deserve. Lic. bonded & Ins. U21006 561-662-9258

PAPERHANGING BY DEBI — Professional Inst allation,Removal.

Repair of Paper. Neat, Clean & Reliable. Quality work with a woman's touch. 30 years experience. No Job too big or too small. Lic. & Ins. References available. 561-795-5263

APARTMENT WANTED: For single working person $600, a month or less. Non-smoker. References available. Please call 561-572-1782 HOME WANTED TO RENT: Executive Family seeking a minimum 1800 sq.ft. 3 bedroom 2 bath(or larger) pet-friendly house to rent with oversize lot in country atmosphere. Willing to sign 2 yr lease with reasonable rent. Send details & any pics to tjsailen@aol.com

WELLINGTON HOME FOR RENT — 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 car garage, Single Family home in pleasant neighborhood. Large screened in patio, fenced yard. Great schools!

561-790-4852 WELLINGTON 4/2 HOUSE RENTAL — large EIK/family room, LR/DR, laundry, 2 car garage, fully fenced $1,700/mo backyard. Pets OK. Short term (3-6 month) or month to month OK. Background screening required. 1st mo. rent & 1 mo. security to move in. 561-7198182

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011 Page 39

Page 40 September 2 - September 8, 2011

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011 Page 41

Page 42

September 2 - September 8, 2011

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011 Page 43

Page 44

September 2 - September 8, 2011

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

September 2 - September 8, 2011

Page 45

Page 46

September 2 - September 8, 2011

WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM

The Town-Crier