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Palms West Monthly • September 2020 • Page 1
Palms West
Monthly
WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • WEST PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE GROVES • THE ACREAGE Volume 10, Number 8
PalmsWestMonthly.com
‘FOOD TRUCKS IN THE PARKS’ COMING TO WELLINGTON Check out which food trucks are coming to a park near you! PAGE 4
FREE • September 2020
NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH
Countdown 2 Zero Adoption Event goes virtual Search from among hundreds of cats, dogs, puppies, kittens (and even chickens and pigs!) when the eight-day pet adoption event is held online from Sept. 26 through Oct. 3.
“West Palm Beach changed – and saved – my life,” says Kāmi Kréaps, manager of the Visitor Information Center at West Palm’s Waterfront.
PAGE 8
Armory Art Center hosts art classes online, on-campus
The Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach will host art courses in September designed for budding artists to experts of all ages, both on campus and online.
PAGE 10
Canine parade brightens Quantum House families Wagging tails and wet noses hung out of car windows for a drive-by pet therapy parade at Quantum House in West Palm Beach, encouraging families to stay “paw-sitive.”
PAGE 6
Photo by Robert Harris/Palms West Monthly
Kami Kréaps, manager of the West Palm Beach Waterfront Visitor Information Center, sits on the iconic “WPB Big Chair” as she celebrates her love of West Palm Beach
and her journey to recover from her decade-long substance use disorder. The chair attracts tourists throughout the year looking for the perfect photo op.
Finding her
True Self
By RON HAYES Palms West Monthly
WEST PALM BEACH — Every year, close to 25,000 tourists stop by the city’s Visitor Information Center on Centennial Square. “What’s there to do in West Palm Beach?” they wonder. “Do you have a map?” they ask. And then comes that one, inevitable question that always makes Kāmi Kréaps smile. “Where’s the beach?” As the center’s manager, one of her jobs is informing puzzled visitors that – well, actually – there is no beach in West Palm Beach. “A lot of visitors don’t recognize that Palm Beach island is separated by water from West Palm Beach,” she says. “And I have to tell them.” Five years ago, Kréaps, 37, arrived in town expecting to find a beach, too. But what she found instead was far more beautiful. Her name, by the way, is pronounced KAY-mee Kreps, and she grew up in the Dallas suburb of Carrollton, Texas. She took some classes at Eastfield Community College in Mesquite, worked as a waitress, and then as a counselor’s assistant at area drug treatment centers. By January 2015, she was working as a marketing director for a law firm in Arlington, Texas, when her boss intervened. “You need help,” he told her. She had been hallucinating at work. “I was hooked on opiates,” she says. “I have a neurological muscle disorder called
NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH:
WHAT: Every September, the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration sponsors National Recovery Month. Its purpose is to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with mental and substance use disorders to live healthy and rewarding lives.
MORE INFO: If you or someone you know
can benefit from treatment, call the SAMHSA’s national helpline at (800) 662-4357.
spasmodic tortillosis and was given a prescription in 2012.” But Kréaps admits her dependencies began years earlier. “My first alcoholic drink was at the age of 15, and over the years substance abuse slowly became the priority,” she says. “It eventually became my entire life. I was officially diagnosed with substance use disorder when I was 23, and continued to live in denial until my life began to spin out of control nearly 10 years later.” After the opiates came benzodiazepines. Three years later, she was addicted to methamphetamines. “And my life drastically took a turn,” she remembers. “I was losing my hair. I weighed 100 pounds, suffered muscle cramping from dehydration and lack of food and nutrients. I had loss of vision and mental focus.
“Somehow, I managed to keep an apartment and a car, until it all just collapsed.” The last treatment center she’d worked at as a counselor’s assistant was the Caron Center in Princeton, Texas. Five years later, on Jan. 10, 2015, she returned as a patient. “Instead of becoming a substance abuse counselor,” she says, “I became an addict.” She stayed at the rehab center for seven weeks. Then, a suggestion by the facility’s director changed her life. “I think you should make a geographical change and immerse yourself in a strong recovery community,” advised the director, who had previously worked at the Hanley Center. “How about West Palm Beach?” “And I agreed,” Kréaps says, “because I thought it had a beach.” Two days after leaving rehab, she moved here. She found no beach, but she did find the Willow Place For Women, an outpatient treatment center where she spent her days, and The Lilly Pad, a halfway house where she spent her nights. She had 12-step meetings daily, drug tests and curfews. “I lived in some form of sober house living for two years,” she recalls. But she also needed what the counselors call a recovery job – something outside the corporate world where recovery could KĀMI KRÉAPS / PAGE 10
Page 2 • Palms West Monthly • September 2020
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Page 4 • Palms West Monthly • September 2020
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Local Happenings Mandel Public Library to host free virtual painting classes
If you’ve been getting the itch to expres yourself artistically, make plans to join awardwinning Palm Beach and New York portrait artist Renée Plevy online and learn how to paint using watercolors and pastels. Plevy will teach two virtual classes in September, hosted by the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach. On Tuesday, Sept. 1, Renée will teach students how to paint with pastels. Then, on Tuesday, Sept. 22, she will show students how to work with acrylics. Both classes are free. Interested students can pick up a Grab & Go activity kit at
To promote your event in Local Happenings, please send an e-mail to newsdesk@PalmsWestMonthly.com. Photos are welcome. Deadline for submission is the 12th of every month.
the library which will include all of the materials needed or use their own supplies at home. For more information or to reserve an activity kit, go online to wpbcitylibrary.org or call (561) 868-7701.
Wellington’s parks to welcome food trucks every Thursday If you love food trucks, you’re in luck – and you’re not alone. Wellington Parks and Recreation is launching a new series of events called “Food Trucks in the Parks” featuring a rotation of popular food trucks at various park locations throughout Wellington. Select locations will feature either one or two food trucks
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each week on Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. beginning Thursday, Sept. 3. All food truck guests are expected to follow CDC guidelines and recommendations, including wearing a mask. To find a park near you and see how many trucks will be on site each week, plus the weekly listing of trucks, go online to wellingtonfl.gov/Events.
Enjoy a sunset tour of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
Isn’t it time you experienced the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum’s sunset tour of the landmark 1860 lighthouse? For just $25 per person, $20 for Lighthouse members, visitors can climb to the top and take in spectacular sunset views and witness the Jupiter Light turning on to illuminate the night sky. The tour takes approximately 60 minutes and guests are required to check in 15 minutes prior to tour and must wear a face covering and observe social distancing. Upcoming sunset tours are scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 6:45 p.m. Tickets must be purchased online at jupiterlighthouse.org/ calendar. The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum is at 500 Captain Armour’s Way in Jupiter.
Palm Beach Chamber to host breakfast meeting via Zoom
Join your friends and other businesses via Zoom for a virtual breakfast event hosted by the Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce Thursday, Sept. 10. The event’s topic is “The Election: 60 Days & Counting.” Rick Asnani, founder and president of Cornerstone Solutions, will share his insights on the upcoming general election and the “new normal” of the times. Those interested in attending must reserve a spot by visiting palmbeachchamber.com by Sept. 3. Cost for nonmembers is $20, free for members.
Science Center set to open ‘Real Bodies: The Exhibition’ The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium will open its newest exhibit, “Real Bodies: The Exhibition,” Monday, Sept. 28. The exhibit runs through April 11, 2021. Visitors will tour real, preserved human bodies, digging deeper into what it means to be alive. The exhibit is appropriate for all ages. The bodies have been preserved using a process known as polymer impregnation which creates a solid, durable anatomic specimen that leaves even the finest, most delicate
tissue structure virtually intact, making the process invaluable for medical study. The exhibit will also feature a Covid-19 component, encouraging visitors to learn more about the pandemic’s impact on the human body. Admission is $17.95 for adults, $13.95 for children ages 3-12 and $15.95 for seniors 60 and older. The South Florida Science Center is at 4801 Dreher Trail N. in West Palm Beach.
Tee off with PBSC’s 2020 Golf Classic
Golfers are invited to participate in Palm Beach State College’s 15th Annual Golf Classic Friday, Oct. 2 at the Champion Course at PGA National. Palm Beach State and PGA National will be ensuring strict health and safety guidelines, including sanitization of equipment and carts, social distancing and more. Before the tourney starts, golfers can grab lunch, then head out for the 12:30 p.m. shot gun start. Afterward, golfers will be treated to dinner while enjoying the awards ceremony that will celebrate the team that wins the 2020 Panther Cup. Proceeds raised from the event supports scholarships for PBSC students. Registration starts at $625 for an individual. To register, go online to palmbeachstate.edu/ foundation/golf/.
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Publisher/Managing Editor: Robert Harris Writers: Ron Hayes, Aaron Wormus, Mary Thurwachter, Robert Hagelstein Photographers: Gina Fontana, Bob Markey II, Robert Harris Advertising: Mariela Harris Office Manager: Mariela Harris Palms West Monthly is published the last Friday of every month and is distributed throughout the Western Communities and Greater West Palm Beach. Views and opinions that are expressed in articles and columns are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher. All rights reserved. Letters from readers are welcome. All letters must include the writer’s name, phone number and address to be considered for publication. Please limit letters to 200 words or less.
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Page 6 • Palms West Monthly • September 2020
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In Brief
Wellington accepting registration for fall Little League
Wellington’s Parks and Recreation Department is now accepting registration for fall Little League baseball. Participants ages 4 to 16 may register in person at Village Park, 11700 Pierson Rd., during hours of operation through Sept. 6. Registration fee is $125. A copy of a birth certificate is required along with two forms of residential identification, such as driver’s license and utility bill. For more information, call (561) 791-4005 or go online to wellingtonfl.gov/Athletics and select Athletic Leagues. Registration is limited and safety guidelines are in place.
Canine parade brings smiles to Quantum House families
Everyone loves a parade, but even better is a canine parade! That’s exactly what took place recently when wagging tails and wet noses hung out of car windows for a drive-by pet therapy parade at Quantum House in West Palm Beach. Sidewalks were lined with children, families and staff members waving back, taking photos and celebrating with chalk and bubbles. Canine assisted therapy teams, which typically visit Quantum House weekly, coor-
ment program provided by JFS, and grateful for the incredible support of generous people in our community who contributed to our J-Help campaign.” For more information or to apply to the program, contact Whitney Cherner at whitney. cherner@alpertjfs.org.
Hanley Foundation to host Recovery Month video campaign
Photos courtesy of Quantum House
Therapy Dog Maggie encourages children and their families at Quantum House in West Palm Beach to stay “paw-sitive” as she rides by during a recently-held canine parade at the pediatric facility.
dinated the parade to support the children and families as best they could from a safe distance until they are able to visit and properly cuddle once again. Quantum House is a 30-suite hospital hospitality house that provides lodging, meals and care to families whose children are receiving treatment in Palm Beach County for serious medical conditions.
New program aims to assist area job seekers and employers With rising layoffs and unprecedented economic
uncertainty due to the Covid-19 pandemic, local job seekers in Palm Beach County now have another resource to use. The program, called Jewish Community Career Services, will also serve as an employment resource for local businesses and nonprofits. Services for job seekers include career coaching; resume writing; workshops on personal brand; interview skills; classes on LinkedIn and financial literacy. It will also offer assistance in applying for unemployment benefits and mentorship matching with area professionals. Services for participating businesses include personal-
ized staffing support; access to a pre-screened job seeker pool and retention services. The program is part of Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service of Palm Beach County and is funded by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. “The search for a new job can be challenging and complicated, particularly as there have been considerable changes for many due to Covid-19, so our work each day has focused on solutions for the most urgent needs in our community,” said Michael Hoffman, president and CEO of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. “We are proud to support this employ-
Throughout the month of September, which is National Recovery Month, the Hanley Foundation will feature a Recovery Month video campaign to spread awareness in the rise of overdoses linked to the Covid-19 pandemic in Palm Beach County and throughout the nation. The foundation will publish one video every day featuring experts in various fields, local politicians, parents of loss and individuals who have successfully navigated recovery. During the month-long campaign, topics will include education, stigma reduction, prevention, reform and criminal justice. Speakers in these videos will also share their perspectives on improvements that can be made at the county level for individuals and communities that face substance use disorder issues. The videos can be viewed throughout September at facebook.com/hanleyfoundation.
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Palms West Monthly • September 2020 • Page 7
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Community Education Classes
ESOL & GED Classes
Start Sept. 14th! Start Aug. 31st! ROYAL PALM BEACH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL Dr. Jesus Armas, Principal • Alexandra Vetter, Assistant Principal
10600 Okeechobee Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 • (561) 753-4070 • Email: RPBHighACEGrp@palmbeachschools.org
Community Education Program
Register online at: rpbh.palmbeachschools.org Classes include a $15 NON-REFUNDABLE registration fee and require a minimum enrollment. Refunds only apply if the class is cancelled by the school and will NOT be given after the first class begins. Program Title
MONDAY
Virtual Gentle Yoga with Sarah Virtual Italian Beginning Virtual Beginners Yoga with Sarah
Dates
Time
Weeks
Fees
9/14 - 11/16 6:30-7:30PM 8 $65 9/14 - 11/16 6:30-8:30PM 8 $85 9/14 - 11/16 7:30-8:30PM 8 $65
TUESDAY
NEW! Virtual Barre with Sarah 9/15 - 11/3 6:30-7:30PM 8 $65 Virtual Italian Beginning 2 - Intermediate 9/15 - 11/3 6:30-8:30PM 8 $85 CAME BACK! Virtual Pilates with Sarah 9/15 - 11/3 7:30-8:30PM 8 $65
WEDNESDAY
Virtual Gentle Yoga with Sarah Virtual Beginners Yoga with Sarah
THURSDAY
NEW! Virtual Barre with Sarah NEW! Virtual Yin Yoga with Sarah
9/16 - 11/4 6:30-7:30PM 8 $65 9/16 - 11/4 7:30-8:30PM 8 $65 9/17 - 11/5 6:30-7:30PM 8 $65 9/17 - 11/5 7:30-8:30PM 8 $65
Adult Education Program
Register online at: rpbh.palmbeachschools.org Classes include a $2.18 processing fee. NO REFUNDS for these classes. Program Title
MONDAY - THURSDAY
Virtual ESOL (English Classes) Virtual GED Classes
Dates
Time
Weeks
Fees
8/31 - 12/10 5:30-8:30PM 14 $32.18 8/31 - 12/10 5:30-8:30PM 14 $32.18
We will be functioning fully online, bringing to you the same quality of education you would receive inside the classroom – and we are excited to start this process with you! All classes will be conducted via Google Meets platform.
Page 8 • Palms West Monthly • September 2020
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FACES & PLACES
Countdown 2 Zero Adoption Event to go virtual this year The eight-day pet adoption event will be held online from Sept. 26 through Oct. 3. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever to save the lives of hundreds of animals in Palm Beach county shelters. That’s why organizers of Palm Beach County’s largest annual one-day adoption event say the show must go on. The 7th Annual Countdown 2 Zero Adoption Event – in recent years held at the South Florida Fairgrounds – will be held entirely online Sept. 26 to Oct. 3. To access the event, visit countdown2zero.org. Organized by Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League and Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, the eight-day adoption event virtually kicks off Saturday, Sept. 26. Live and pre-filmed videos will be posted on facebook.com/Countdown2Zero. There will also be a “Virtual Vendor Village” online between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. that allows attendees to connect with participating partner groups and sponsors from the comfort of their own homes. The live video chatrooms will enable people to ask rescue groups questions as well as schedule an adoption appointment prior to making the drive to a shelter location.
For the rest of the week, adoptable pets and rescues will be spotlighted online and the Virtual Adoption Fair will remain open. However, the live video chat will only be active on Sept. 26. More than 20 area rescues participate each year, which means there’s always a great variety of cats, dogs, puppies, kittens – and yes – even chickens, pigs, rabbits and rats! During the past six years, C2Z adoption events have found more than 1,500 area animals their forever homes. Many rescue organizations offer special adoption rates and discounts during the event, and all new-pet parents will receive a virtual goody bag featuring discounts and deals from some of the event’s sponsors. In addition, rabies license tags will be complimentary for each adopted pet that will reside in Palm Beach County. This year, however, due to the pandemic, many of the partnering animal rescue organizations are operating by appointment only. By going online to Countdown2Zero.org, attendees will be able to see the various rescue organizations
Photo courtesy of Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League
A kitten looking for a forever home gets a cuddle from a young girl at the 2019 C2Z Adoption Event at South Florida Fairgrounds.
and link to their websites to view their up-to-date adoptable list and schedule adoption appointments. Adoption fees, policies and COVID-19 protocols vary by organization. “For 2020, C2Z will have a different feel – however, the mission is still the same – saving the lives of animals in Palm Beach County,” said Rich Anderson, executive director/
Register online today! Fall term begins September 7th.
DAYS
ABE/GED High School M/T/W/TH ESOL (English Classes) M/T/W/TH NEW Burlap Crafts Tues. Tai Chi Tues. Zumba with Claudette Tues. Spanish Beginning Tues. NEW! Burlap Crafts Tues. Tai Chi Tues. NEW! Cake Pops Basics Weds. Zumba with Claudette Weds. NEW! Cookie Decorating Weds. NEW! Investments & Taxes for Retirees Weds. NEW! Preparing for Retirement: Investments/Taxes Weds. NEW! Cake Decorating: Buttercream Basics Thurs. NEW! Chi Kung Thurs. French Beginning Thurs. Zumba with Claudette Thurs. NEW! Chi Kung Thurs. NEW! Cake Decorating: Fondant Basics Thurs. NEW! Macrame Fri. NEW! Macrame Fri. Tai Chi Sat. NEW! Flowers Crafts Sat. French Beginning Sat.
TIME
5-8pm 6-8:30pm 9-10:30am 9-10am 10-11am 6-8pm 6:30-8pm 7-8pm 6-8pm 6-7pm 6-8pm 2-3pm 7-8pm 6-8pm 9-10am 6-8pm 6-7pm 7-8pm 6-8pm 9-10:30am 6:30-8pm 9-10am 9:30-11am 2-4pm
WEEKS
9/7-12/17 9/14-12/24 9/8-11/10 9/8-11/10 9/8-11/10 9/8-11/10 9/8-11/10 9/8-11/10 9/9-9/23 9/9-11/11 9/30-11/4 10/7-10/28 10/7-10/28 9/10-10/15 9/10-11/12 9/10-11/12 9/10-11/12 9/10-11/12 10/22-12/3 9/11-11/13 9/11-11/13 9/12-11/14 9/12-11/14 9/12-11/14
pating in this year’s adoption event include Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, Adopt A Cat Foundation, Ali Cat Rescue, Barky Pines Animal Rescue, Big Dog Ranch Rescue, Boston Terrier Rescue of Florida and Palm Beach Parrot Rescue To learn more, go online to countdown2zero.org or email info@countdown2zero.org.
Seminole Ridge Community High School
2020 FALL VIRTUAL CL ASSES
Class schedule presented by Seminole Ridge Community High School CLASS
CEO of Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League. “All of the rescues involved are committed to making sure that those in our community still have the opportunity to participate in the largest pet adoption event in Palm Beach County … and in light of our current circumstances we have the opportunity to create a fun, virtual event,” Anderson added. Rescue organizations partici-
TUITION $32.18 $32.18 $63 $45 $45 $81 $63 $45 $36 $45 $54 $15 $15 $54 $45 $81 $45 $45 $54 $63 $63 $45 $63 $81
To register visit
SMRH.PALMBEACHSCHOOLS.ORG (Click on “Adult & Community Education” red tile)
Palm Beach County Adult Vocational & Community Education Program Dr. James Campbell, Principal • Dr. John B. Hay II, Asst. Principal 4601 Seminole Pratt Whitney Rd., Westlake, FL 33470 • (561) 422-2673
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Palms West Monthly • September 2020 • Page 9
SCENE FROM WEST PALM by Aaron Wormus | awormus@palmswestmonthly.com
Locally-owned coffeehouses sprouting up downtown Since most everybody has been stuck at home the past few months, I thought I’d treat our readers to a trip around the world. We’ll be making stops in Jamaica, Ethiopia, Colombia, Sweden, France and Cuba. People are coming back to work downtown, and the thing that everybody needs is a good cup of coffee. Thankfully, Clematis Street has not given up its strong coffee game. Let’s start at Blue Mountain Coffee House, located at 540 Clematis St., where proprietor Allison Boettcher takes great pride in the coffee she serves to her customers. “I serve exclusively 100 percent Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee” Allison said, “I don’t do blends. This is coming directly from Jamaica, partially from my grandmother’s estate in the mountains.” Allison left corporate America to open a coffee shop and fell in love with the 800-square-foot space that’s technically on the 500 block of Clematis Street but faces Rosemary Avenue. Blue Mountain Coffee House opened its doors this past December, just months before the pandemic struck. “I’m doing something for myself and for the enjoyment of others,” she said. “Just looking at them and knowing that they’re drinking from my estate and knowing that they are enjoying it, it gives me a very great feeling.” As we leave Blue Mountain Coffee House, we turn onto the beautifully-renovated Clematis Street. It looks amazing! The city took advantage of the shutdown to speed up work, and by the time the holidays arrive, the 400 and 500 block streetscape project will be completed. Now, beautiful pavers cover the street, with spacious sidewalks on both sides. Visitors can stroll up to Subculture Coffee, 509 Clematis St., and sit at one of the many outdoor tables and enjoy a cup of coffee in the shade of the new but mature
Photo by Aaron Wormus/Palms West Monthly
Allison Boettcher is the owner of Blue Mountain Coffee House, located at the corner of Clematis Street and Rosemary Avenue. The coffeehouse opened last December and serves coffee that’s harvested, roasted and transported from Jamaica’s Blue Mountain, along with a selection of organic pancakes, waffles and crepes as well as baked breads and pastries.
oak trees. As we head north for a few blocks we find a new coffee shop tucked under the parking garage at 444 W. Railroad Ave. It’s the tiny but authentic Cortadito Cuban Cafe. If you love strong Cuban coffee, you’ll wonder why you didn’t learn about this hidden treasure sooner. This is the ideal spot to order a café con leche and enjoy your favorite Cuban pastries or have a classic Cuban sandwich for lunch. It’s time to head south of Clematis Street on Dixie Highway to another new favorite coffee spot: Salento Coffee Shop at 120 S. Dixie Hwy. Along with its delicious Colombian coffees, owners Jaime and Johann serve breakfast and lunch. Many evenings you can even order a beer and wine while Jamie and his friends play music from their native Colombia. It’s always a party! Would you like coffee for your fika? If so, you’re probably Swedish and enjoy hanging out at Johan’s Joe Swedish Coffee House at 401 S.Dixie Hwy. This beautifully-designed coffee shop is a great place for breakfast, lunch, business meeting or just enjoying that cup of Joe.
We’re almost ready to make our way back to Clematis Street, but first let’s take a quick trip to France by way of Loic Bakery Cafe Bar, 480 Hibiscus St., where you’ll be transported into a street café in Paris. This unique bakery has a gorgeous outside patio area. In the evening, strings of café lights bathe patrons in their glow. Loic Bakery is said to be the home of the best croissant in South Florida. Patria Café is another impressive entry into the Clematis Street café scene. Located within
the historic Comeau Building at 319 Clematis St., it serves coffee, sandwiches and paninis, salads and soups “blending the fresh, locally sourced ingredients presented in European style.” One of my co-workers got me hooked on Patria’s popular Border Patrol Wrap, a breakfast sandwich consisting of a tasty mix of egg, cheese, avocado and chorizo served with a good amount of spicy sauce for $5.25. It truly is spectacular. Finally, we reach Paneterie, the European-style Bakery Cafe at 205 Clematis St. There is no
better place on Clematis Street to sit with a great cup of coffee and a fresh macaron or two while watching children play in the completely renovated Clematis Street fountain. Although the hustle and bustle of downtown is slowly getting back to normal and regulars in masks are once again visiting their favorite coffee shops, things are still far from normal. “I miss seeing my older customers,” said Allison from Blue Mountain Coffee House. “I text them, we talk, but it is not the same. Every day I worry about them. The most important thing, when this is over, is knowing that all my customers made it. That they are OK.” So next time you’re sipping your coffee, remember that your friends on and near Clematis Street are thinking of you and can’t wait to see you safe and enjoying Clematis again. Aaron Wormus, the “guy” behind West Palm Beach’s popular aGuyonClematis Twitter account and blog, reports on news and happenings in and around West Palm Beach. Follow Aaron on Twitter for up-to-theminute news throughout the month.
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Page 10 • Palms West Monthly • September 2020
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Armory Art Center hosts art classes online, on-campus The Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach will host art courses in September designed for budding artists to experts of all ages. The classes will take place on its campus, but the art center will also connect with students online on its interactive platform “ArmoryLive,” where the public can learn and create art at home. Registration is now open for upcoming classes and workshops, led by new and emerging artists, along with notable artists celebrated in their field of work. To check out the Armory’s full course schedule, and to register, go online to armoryart.org. “The Armory Art Center welcomes the community to experience first-hand all that this art school campus and programming offer,” said Tom Pearson, executive director of the Armory Art Center. “We are dedicated to expanding programming with new and exciting courses that embrace new technologies and art forms while continuing to teach the traditional art forms.” The Armory Art Center is following CDC guidelines regarding sanitation, temperature checks, masks and social distancing measures. Its galleries have been transformed into
classrooms to make space for social distancing. The Armory Art Center also plans to host art experiences throughout the year including exhibitions, pop-up workshops, visiting master artists workshops, art salons and lectures. Some of the virtual and oncampus pop-up workshops on the Armory’s fall schedule include: Sept. 11, 2:30-5:30 p.m. – Jewelry Sketching with Permanence, Part 1 with instructor Michel McNabb (on-campus); Sept. 12, 9:30-10:30 a.m. – Jewelry Weekend fun Pop Up: “Ringmaking Workshop for Teens” with instructor Alicia Boswell (on-campus); Sept. 18, 6-9 p.m. – Jewelry Design: “From Primitive Man to Modern Times” with instructor Marty Hyman (virtual); Oct. 23, 2:30-5:30 p.m. – Classical Intaglio Etching 2-day workshop. Create a small print or jewelry with instructor Michel McNabb (on-campus); Oct. 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Classical Intaglio Etching 2-day workshop. Create a small print or jewelry with instructor Michel McNabb (oncampus); For more information on the Armory Art Center, visit its website at armoryart.org or call (561) 832-1776.
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Armory Art Center instructor Pat Crowley, center, leads a drawing workshop at the Armory’s West Palm Beach campus. Classes in painting, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, photography and more are now offered live on-campus, and online.
Kréaps’ uses her perseverance to help others KĀMI KRÉAPS / FROM PAGE 1
remain her primary focus. Online, she saw that Visit Palm Beach wanted someone to rent beach chairs and umbrellas at the Marriott Ocean Pointe on Singer Island. She applied. The job was taken. She kept applying. Finally, the company’s marketing director Leigh Bennett called to say a job managing the Visitor Information Center had come open. Kréaps turned it down, but in June 2015, she agreed to work in the center part-time. Three months later, she became the full-time manager. The Visitor Information Center, at 100 N. Clematis St., is operated by Visit Palm Beach, a private company based in Lake Park that has 3-year contracts to run both the center and all the city’s watersports activities. “We promote anything West Palm Beach,” says Kréaps. “Food tours, the zoo, the science center and Norton Museum of Art – anywhere you can have a visitor experience.” Now, five years on, she manages as many as 15 employees during season and hosts pro-
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motional YouTube videos for Visit Palm Beach. Unfortunately, Covid-19 forced the closure of museums in March. Cultural events were canceled and the county’s 16,000 hotel rooms saw occupancy rates fall more than 50 percent – a drop so drastic the Visitor Information Center closed from mid-March until early June. “Normally, we’d be busy with families,” Kréaps says, “but we’re seeing folks coming for a short stay or a staycation. People want to have fun outside because it’s safer, so they’re doing bike tours, catamarran cruises, kayaking and paddle boarding.” When she’s not working, Kréaps serves on the board of the Concierge Association of the Palm Beaches. She’s also on the board of Family Promise NCPBC, which holds a special meaning for her. The nonprofit helps homeless families and children. “My father was homeless in Dallas,” she says. “He’d gotten laid off, then the house was foreclosed. He was 66 and living in his car for almost two years. He got pneumonia and died in his car.” She camps, she cooks, but she had to give up going to the movies when the pandemic hit.
She still attends 12-step fellowship meetings. “What I’d really enjoy doing outside my 9-5 gig is to become a motivational speaker, helping other women on their recovery journeys,” she says with a smile. “And I’d like to write a book and make more videos. I’ve done interviews with podcasts about addiction and finding my way back to my true self.” And yes, her boss at the Visitor Information Center knows her story, too. “Knowing some of Kāmi’s history makes her an even bigger inspiration,” Leigh Bennett says. “But she’s a superstar just based on her accomplishments in the time she’s worked for us. We’re proud to have her as our representative throughout the community.” For Kréaps, sharing her story candidly is simply another step in her recovery. “My purpose is to inspire and change people’s lives by living an authentic life,” she says, “and really, the only way to do that is to bring it to every aspect of my life.” In January 2015, Kāmi Kréaps came to West Palm Beach expecting to find a beach. Instead, she found a life.
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Palms West Monthly • September 2020 • Page 11
THE VILLAGE IDIOT by Jim Mullen
Paying for cat’s teeth cleaning helps more than just the cat I’m a little conflicted. No, a lot conflicted. I just spent $300 to have my cat’s teeth cleaned. I like this Millie – she’s a nice cat – but she is not my best, nor my only, friend. She’s a cat. I have real friends, human people, and if one of them had asked me for $300 to have their teeth cleaned, I would have to think about it long and hard. First, that’s $175 more than it cost me to have my own teeth cleaned, and second, there are so many other things that money could be used for. There are millions of people out there who could have used the $300 I spent on a cat. To someone with medical bills they can’t pay, or who just lost a job, or someone homeless from a hurricane, it seems sinful to spend that kind of money on a cat. It might have changed someone’s life. What if it had only been $50? Would it have been OK to have the cat’s teeth cleaned then? She’ll lose her teeth if I don’t take care of them. Certainly it can’t be OK to let the cat suffer. Or is it the large amount that bothers me so much? If it’s wrong to spend $300 on the cat, should I feel bad when I spend $300 on tickets to a Broadway musical? Or pay $150 a month for cable TV? Or spend thousands on a cruise? Couldn’t that money have helped some-
less fortunate. There’s an idea running around that CEOs create jobs, when it’s really just ordinary spending by ordinary people that makes the world go ‘round. People don’t buy millions of dollars’ worth of paper towels and toilet paper because the TP CEO is some kind of business genius. People just show up at the grocery store every day and buy paper towels. Those are the people who create jobs – the buyers, not the sellers. So by having my cat’s teeth cleaned, I’m doing my little part to make everyone’s life a little easier. I’m not saying spending money makes us all Mother Teresa. But if you think about it, every time you call a tech support number, you’re doing your part to provide a job for someone in a foreign country. one in need? Or is that even the right question? Is everything we spend on ourselves to be measured against people who have less? If that’s so, shouldn’t people who have more money than I do give me some of their money? After all, I am less “fortunate” than they are. If someone richer than me gave me $600, I could have the cat’s teeth cleaned and then give someone lower down the ladder $300, and I would break even. Problem solved.
Well, not really. I would still feel that the cat’s teeth do not equal human suffering. Without my interference – feeding, housing, spaying, vaccinating and flea-proofing – the cat would have died a natural death long before her teeth ever needed cleaning. House cats live a long time. Feral cats do not. But then I remembered how the vet uses the money that I spend in her office: She buys medicine and supplies. She hires people and pays their
salaries. And her receptionist and assistants spend the money she pays them on groceries and automobiles and college tuition and houses – it doesn’t just sit under a mattress somewhere. And the people who work in the grocery store, and the people buying and selling automobiles, and the people who make the vet’s supplies, and the people who build new homes – they all buy things that keep other people working, and they all pay taxes, and a lot of that money goes to the
Jim Mullen is the author of “It Takes a Village Idiot: A Memoir of Life After the City,” a comic memoir about his move from New York City’s Greenwich Village to a former dairy farm in the Catskill Mountains. His freelance work has appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine and The Village Voice.
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ADULT EDUCATION: GED, ESOL, CLASES DE INGLÉS & CITIZENSHIP CLASSES Call 561.304.1046 today! Classes held Mondays-Wednesdays • Computer Lab held Thursdays 6-9 p.m. Enroll online at pbch.palmbeachschools.org.
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Page 12 • Palms West Monthly • September 2020
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Health Matters U.S. reports show racial disparities in kids with Covid-19
If you are a health professional who would like to submit an article to Health Matters, please send an e-mail to newsdesk@PalmsWestMonthly.com for details.
By MIKE STOBBE AP Medical Writer
NEW YORK — Racial disparities in the U.S. coronavirus epidemic extend to children, according to two sobering government reports released Friday, Aug. 7. One of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports looked at children with Covid-19 who needed hospitalization. Hispanic children were hospitalized at a rate eight times higher than white kids, and Black children were hospitalized at a rate five times higher, it found. The second report examined cases of a rare virusassociated syndrome in kids. It found that nearly three-quarters of the children with the syndrome were either Hispanic or Black, well above their representation in the general population. The coronavirus has exposed racial fractures in the U.S. health care system, as Black, Hispanic and Native Americans have been hospitalized and killed by Covid-19 at far higher rates than other groups. Meanwhile, the impact of the virus on children has become a political issue. President Donald Trump and some other administration officials have been pushing schools to re-open, a step that would allow more par-
Miami Herald via AP/David Santiago
In this July 23, 2020 photo, health care workers prepare a COVID-19 test sample before a person self-administered a test at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing center at Miami-Dade County Auditorium. Racial disparities in the U.S. coronavirus epidemic extend to children, according to two sobering government reports released Friday, Aug. 7. One of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports looked at hospitalizations of children with COVID-19. Hispanic children were hospitalized at a rate eight times higher than white kids, and Black children were hospitalized at a rate five times higher, it found.
ents to return to work and the economy to pick up. On Aug. 5, Facebook deleted a post by Trump for violating its policy against spreading misinformation about the coronavirus. The post featured a link to a Fox News video in which Trump says children are “virtually immune” to the virus. The vast majority of coronavirus cases and deaths have
been in adults, and kids are considered less likely to have serious symptoms when they’re infected. Of the nearly 5 million cases reported in the U.S. as of Aug. 5, about 265,000 were in children 17 and under – about five percent. Of the more than 156,000 deaths reported at that time, 77 were children – about 0.05 percent. But the CDC reports released
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on Aug. 7 are a “gut punch” reminder that some children are getting seriously ill and dying, said Carrie Henning-Smith, a University of Minnesota researcher who focuses on health disparities. “It’s clear from these studies, and from other emerging research, that kids are not immune,” she said. “Kids can pass along Covid, and they can also suffer the effects of it.” She said studies should give community leaders pause about opening schools. “We need to be really, really careful. We are potentially talking about putting children in unsafe situations,” HenningSmith said. Chantel Salas, a Hispanic girl from the farmworking town of Immokalee, Florida, spent more than 50 days hospitalized with Covid-19. The 17-year-old had fallen ill only days after taking a picture with her diploma for her high-school graduation. At one point, her 41-yearold mother, Erika Juarez, was told to say goodbye to her only daughter. “It was the scariest thing I have ever had to go through,” said Juarez, who works at a shipping warehouse. “She had no oxygen in her body. This thing affected all the organs in her body.” Juarez said Salas had no underlying health conditions and she still is not sure how she got infected because no one in her household got ill. The teen eventually was put on a machine that adds oxygen to blood before pumping it back into the body, a last resort effort to save her life. She was discharged about three weeks ago and is now recovering at home. “They keep saying she is a miracle,” she said. “She recovered fast because she was very motivated.” The first CDC report released on Aug. 7 was based on cases from 14 states. The researchers counted 576 hospitalizations of kids from March 1 through July 25. At least 12 were sick
enough to need a machine to help them breathe. One died. The hospitalization rate for Hispanic children was about 16.4 per 100,000. The rate for Black children was 10.5 per 100,000, and for white kids it was 2.1 per 100,000. As with adults, many of the hospitalized children had existing health problems, including obesity, chronic lung conditions and – in the case of infants – preterm birth. A number of possible factors could explain the disparities, said Dr. Cyrus Shahpar, who oversees epidemic prevention efforts for a not-for-profit data and advocacy organization called Vital Strategies. Larger percentages of Hispanic and Black kids may go to hospital emergency rooms when they’re sick, which could be driven by difficulty getting into – or paying for – doctor’s office visits. That lack of access to regular health-care could lead to more severe illness, he suggested. The second CDC report focused on 570 kids diagnosed with a rare condition, which CDC calls multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C. Ten of them died. Some children with the syndrome have symptoms resembling Kawasaki disease, another rare childhood condition that can cause swelling and heart problems. Other symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes or feeling extra tired. “The underlying problem that results in MIS-C seems to be a dysfunction of the immune system,” said Dr. Ermias Belay, who is leading the CDC team looking into MIS-C cases. The immune system kicks into overdrive when it sees the virus, releasing chemicals that can damage different organs, he added. In the study, many of the patients with the condition had severe complications, including inflammation of the heart, shock and kidney damage. Nearly two-thirds of the cases overall were admitted to intensive care units, and the average ICU stay was five days. The CDC report covered illnesses that began from midFebruary to mid-July. Forty states reported cases. The report found that 13 percent of kids with the condition were white, while more than 40 percent were Hispanic and 33 percent were Black. Overall, about half of U.S. children are white, around 25 percent Hispanic and about 14 percent are Black, according to population estimates. Scientists are still learning about the condition. Experts say genetics has nothing to do with why some racial and ethnic groups are more likely to be infected by the virus, get seriously sick from it or die from it. But it’s not yet clear if genetics play a role in the childhood inflammation condition, Shahpar and Belay said.
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Palms West Monthly • September 2020 • Page 13
Outside the Neighborhood
Holy Goat! Stray goat protects church in south Mississippi
MCCOMB, Miss. — A stray billy goat has made himself the guardian of a church in southwestern Mississippi. People in the McComb area are calling it the “Holy Goat.” The Enterprise-Journal reports that the animal has been hanging out on the steps of Rose Bower Missionary Baptist Church. Associate minister Larry Thomas says the congregation has not been meeting during the coronavirus pandemic, so the goat is not bothering anybody. A nearby resident, Anita Campbell, says the goat looks like “a regal king.” Her son, Greyson, said the “goat might be a Baaaptist.”
Rhode Island issues tax refunds signed by Walt Disney, Mickey Mouse
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island mistakenly sent more than 175 tax refund checks signed by Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse, rather than the state treasurer and controller. The Rhode Island Division of Taxation uses the signatures on test files, which were mistakenly printed on the real checks and sent out in July, a spokesperson told WPRI-TV.
“No other signature lines were printed besides the two,” said Jade Borgeson, chief of staff for the Rhode Island Department of Revenue, which includes the taxation division. The checks were tax refunds for corporate, sales and tax credits mostly to businesses, WJAR-TV reported. The tax division has voided the checks and will issue new checks signed by theGeneral Treasurer and State Controller, Borgeson said.
German nudist chases down boar who snatched his laptop
BERLIN — A German nudist had the last laugh after giving chase to a wild boar that had run off with a bag containing his laptop. Pictures posted on social media show the naked man running after a sow and her two piglets to the mirth of fellow bathers at Berlin’s Teufelssee, or Devil’s Lake. Adele Landauer says she took the pictures, wrote that the pigs first helped themselves to somebody’s pizza before grabbing the bag. When the owner realized what had happened, he “gave his all” and recovered it, she said. “When he came back with his yellow bag in the hand we all clapped and congratulated him for his success,” she added. Landauer said she later
showed the man the pictures she had taken and “he laughed loudly and authorized me to publish them.”
Kansas dog makes 50-mile trek to her old home in Missouri
LAWSON, Mo. — A dog named Cleo who disappeared from her home in Kansas earlier this month turned up a few days later at her old home in Missouri, about 50 miles away. Colton Michael told television station KMBC that the 4-year-old Labrador retriever-border collie mix showed up on the front porch of his family’s home in Lawson, which is about 30 miles northeast of Kansas City. At first, she wouldn’t let anyone get near her, said Michael, who has lived in the home for nearly two years. “She finds her way home, and there’s some strangers living in it. That would be scary for anybody,” he said. Eventually, he was able to gain Cleo’s trust and to get her checked for a microchip, which showed that she belonged to the former owners of his house. Cleo’s owners, who had moved to Olathe, Kansas, about 50 miles southwest of Lawson, couldn’t believe it when Michael called and said the dog had turned up at their old home. Neither family knows how Cleo made the trip, which would have required her to
cross at least one river.
Alabama man finds alligator swimming in his backyard pool
MOBILE, Ala. — An Alabama homeowner woke up to an unexpected visitor swimming in his backyard pool: an alligator. WALA-TV reports that Steven McCulland of Mobile recorded the unwanted guest on video and posted it on social media. In the video, McCulland shows the alligator and sounds stunned as he says: “How is there an alligator in my pool, swimming around in my pool? What in the blue blazes is this?” And he told those watching the video: “If you own an alligator and you’re missing one, he’s in my backyard in my pool. Come get him.” McCulland said he had no idea how the alligator got into his backyard, but he’ll doublecheck now before he enters the pool. The reptile eventually retreated to the fence line where a wildlife agent removed it.
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Minnesota man sells ‘57 pickup for $75 he paid 44 years ago MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota man sold the 1957 Chevy pickup he drove for 44 years for $75, the same price he paid decades ago. Bob Sportal of Prinsburg handed over the key last month to the grandson of the man he bought the truck from, KARE-TV reported. Sportal was in his early 20s when he bought the rusty pickup from a retiring farmer. He drove the truck to work every day at a local grain elevator until he retired five years ago. Sportal kept driving the truck but decided to sell it to Tom Leenstra, grandson of the late John VanDerVeen, who originally sold the truck to Sportal. “It’s like riding with my Grandpa again,” Leenstra said. The truck has taken on antique value, but Sportal decided to sell it for what he paid for it. “It’s going in the family, so that’s the most important thing,” Sportal said.
Page 14 • Palms West Monthly • September 2020
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JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT
This Month in History Sept. 12, 1609: English explorer Henry Hudson sailed into the river that now bears his name. Sept. 29, 1789: The U.S. War Department established a regular army with a strength of several hundred men. Sept. 30, 1846: Dentist William Morton used ether as an anesthetic for the first time on a patient in his Boston office. Sept. 18, 1851: The first edition of The New York Times was published. Sept. 25, 1904: A New York City police officer ordered a female passenger in an automobile on Fifth Avenue to stop smoking a cigarette. A male companion was arrested and later fined two dollars for “abusing” the officer. Sept. 4, 1957: Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus called out the National Guard to prevent nine black students from entering Central High School in Little Rock.
Pet of the Month
Sept. 26, 1957: The musical “West Side Story” opened on Broadway. Sept. 5, 1975: President Ford escaped an attempt on his life by Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a disciple of Charles Manson, in Sacramento, Calif. Sept. 6, 1975: Czechoslovak tennis star Martina Navratilova, in New York for the U.S. Open, requested political asylum. Sept. 11, 1985: Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds cracked career hit number 4,192 off Eric Show of the San Diego Padres, eclipsing the record held by Ty Cobb. Sept. 13, 1985: The Air Force destroyed an obsolete satellite using an anti-satellite missile fired from a fighter plane in the first successful test of the weapon against a target in space.
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I’m Mya (A0384334) – a 5-year-old female mixed breed. I’m a goofy girl who likes to have a good time. From the top of my head all the way down to my nub of a tail, my whole body wiggles in excitement when it’s time for love and pets! I look forward to daily walks – getting the body moving while taking in some fresh air. So how about you and me see if we want to be BFFs? Interested in adopting this dog or another dog or cat? Visit Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, 3100 N. Military Tr. in West Palm Beach, or go online to PeggyAdams.org to see available pets currently in need of a forever home.
PET OF THE MONTH SPONSORED BY: DZFNX I K T X , —
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UNIVERSAL CROSSWORD Edited by Timothy E. Parker
“WELL-WORN” by Jim Page ACROSS 1 A step up 6 Certain data holder 10 Places to be pampered 14 Subject of a famous landing 15 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wiesel 16 Prefix for space 17 Bored with existence 19 Jan’s partner 20 New Deal org. 21 It may be flipped 22 Within reach 24 Kind of sale or door 25 Corn container 26 It can’t be switched on 32 Uses the blender, in a way 33 Word before Bouvier 34 Fruit basket selection 36 Fishy 37 Place to dream 38 ___ Boothe Luce 39 Time period 40 Yemana on “Barney
Miller” 41 Snowman of song 42 Winded 45 Word with steer or rap 46 Classic TV’s Fred 47 Not the main event, briefly 51 Common verb 52 It’s bagged in the supermarket, often 55 Chinese staple 56 Needing repair 60 Masseur’s target 61 The stuff of folk tales 62 Summoned for contempt 63 Hammer wielder 64 Baby blues 65 Nail board DOWN 1 Keeps folks in stitches? 2 Pueblo in New Mexico 3 Taj Mahal site 4 Not in the pink 5 Discriminates, in a way 6 Conveyed ownership
7 Stevedore’s grp. 8 “___ Duke” (Stevie Wonder tune) 9 Type of speaker 10 Actress Thompson 11 Jury member 12 Arafat, e.g. 13 Electronics brand 18 Sends a telegram 23 Flow back 24 Valley city in California 25 Signaled 26 Sounds made by things in the night? 27 Heep of fiction 28 Just ___ those things 29 Send to a mainframe, e.g. 30 Last but not ___ 31 “Giles Goat-Boy” author 32 Joad and Kettle, e.g. 35 Marina del ___ 37 Economic upswing 38 Belief 40 Trip 41 “___ Jacques” 43 Slugger’s stat
44 Truck stops? 47 Word before fall 48 Highly caloric 49 Yodeler’s feedback 50 Sidelong glance 52 Bag style 53 Water jug 54 Capp or Rooney 57 Clark or Rogers 58 Vein contents 59 Lacking brightness
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
Horoscope by Madame Hughes Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s assistance in finding Palm Beach County’s wanted fugitives. David Matos is a white male born 1-18-62. He is 6-feet 1-inch tall and weighs 190 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes and multiple tattoos. His last known address is Garand Lane in West Palm Beach. He works in landscaping. The suspect is wanted on a misdemeanor charge of Failure to Appear: Simple Assault. Melanie Vazquez is a white female born 1-23-95. She is 5-feet 4-inches tall and weighs 150 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes and multiple tattoos. Her last known address is 91st Place N. in Loxahatchee. The suspect is wanted on a felony charge of Grand Theft and a misdemeanor charge of Petit Theft.
David Matos
Warrants checked on 8-14-2020. Remain anonymous (don’t give your name) and you may be eligible for up to $3,000 reward.
Melanie Vazquez
Call CrimeStoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or you can log on to www.crimestopperspbc.com.
Aries (March 21 – April 20) You can pride yourself on your success but don’t assume this is the limit. It will also help you to remind yourself what comes before a fall. It’s OK to be proud of what you’ve created but stay humble about it. Taurus (April 21 – May 21) You made the choice to step out of the box. If your search for truth has anything to it you’ll have to face more than one demon and plow through your share of the wreckage before you get a peek at what’s next. Gemini (May 22 – June 21) What keeps you from breaking away has less to do with you than it does with your Karma. The minute you surrender to the way things are and name the fear that keeps making it wrong, you will open the way to freedom. Cancer (June 22 – July 23) You’re so stuck on one particular thing a thousand other possibilities are escaping your notice. Far be it from me to push you around but someone needs to tell you to break loose and reconnect with the beauty of life.
Leo (July 24 – Aug. 23) Being all things to all people has taught you a lot about who your real friends are. You have been so giving and cooperative let’s hope others are able to appreciate even half of what you’ve done for them. Virgo (Aug. 24 – Sept. 23) Anyone who knows you can tell that you’ve just about had it. Whether it’s your fill of a state of mind or your refusal to tolerate someone else’s behavior, you just aren’t willing to put up with this anymore. Libra (Sept. 24 – Oct. 23) You’ve been on edge about things that never bothered you before. There may be reason for anxiety. If there’s any chance that someone’s got a problem with you their thoughts could be messing up your sense of serenity. Scorpio (Oct. 24 – Nov. 22) You can see right through people. Their motives are so transparent it’s almost embarrassing. Do whatever you can to make yourself clear. Any sense of ambiguity will make it hard for you to keep things honest.
Sagittarius (Nov. 23 – Dec. 21) If this is the last thing you want people to know, what makes you think they can’t handle it? Everyone’s grown up enough to deal with the truth. You no longer have to feel responsible for protecting them from it. Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 20) Maybe you knew where this would go and you let it continue because you didn’t have the strength to say no. Regardless of how you handled the situation it’s time to step in and correct things before they get any worse. Aquarius (Jan. 21 – Feb. 19) You’re too caught up in this to unravel it. The twists and turns of other people’s fates have mingled with your own in ways that make it hard for you to see that you can’t be held responsible for their actions. Pisces (Feb. 20 – March 20) You may need to fall back on reserves of wealth that you never thought you’d have to access. If that is the case whatever you’re left with will show you that the bottom line is never the bottom line!
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