Town-Crier Newspaper April 5, 2024

Amanda Silvestri And Maria Antuña Win Seats On The Wellington Village Council

By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report

More than 5,000 residents voted in the Village of Wellington’s runoff election for two council seats held Tuesday, April 2. When the votes were counted, Amanda Silvestri and Maria Antuña had

narrowly won election to the two open seats on the Wellington Village Council.

According to unofficial results from the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office, in the race for Seat 1, Amanda Silvestri took 2,583 votes (51.79 percent)

to the 2,404 votes (48.21 percent) garnered by former Mayor Bob Margolis.

In the race for Seat 2, Maria Antuña took 2,589 votes (51.75 percent) to the 2,414 votes (48.25 percent) garnered by Shelly Albright. Silvestri and Antuña will take their seats on the dais at the Tuesday, April 9 council meeting.

Antuña was thrilled by the results. She noted that she will now become the first Hispanic person to sit on the council in Wellington.

“Also, this is the first time that three women will be sitting on the council together,” Antuña added. She thanked everyone who supported her over the last several months.

“It was a hard race. We put a lot of hard work into it,” Antuña said. “We knocked on 1,100 homes in the span of the entire election. It was amazing. I got to know a lot of the residents of Wellington and their concerns, which for me was very important.”

In her campaign, Antuña was critical of the former council’s

See RUNOFF, page 14

Commissioner Mack Bernard said, “If we put it in the

a new commission can make changes… that could impact the residents. We can look at [traffic issues in the area] comprehensively without adding it to the TIM.” Several commissioners quickly agreed. They also expressed concerns about taking any action on the TIM while several lawsuits related to roads in the western communities still are being ligated. “If you put this on the TIM, then developers can rely on it,” Indian Trail Improvement District Supervisor Betty Argue told the commissioners. “This is about destroying our community for development and to save developers money.” ITID provides roads, drainage

By Charles Elmore Town-Crier Staff Report

A group of Wellington residents want to breathe fresh life into the idea of a botanical garden on 66 acres of village-owned land known as K-Park, hoping to catch the ear of a reshuffled Wellington Village Council featuring two new faces after recent elections.

nial role, replacing Councilwoman Laura Danowski, who has served in the position for the past year. Councilwoman Marge Herzog was chosen as vice mayor.

Kane returned to the dais after a five-year hiatus. She served briefly on the council in 2018-19 to fill a vacancy. She previously served as chair of the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District before it became dependent to the town. In more recent years, she has served as chair of the town’s Finance Advisory & Audit Committee.

At issue was a resolution approving the award of a contract to Atlantic Southern Paving and Sealcoating LLC for the town’s fiscal year 2024 road paving program for an amount of just under $1.7 million. The item was presented by Public Works Director Richard Gallant.

Atlantic Southern was the lowest responsible bidder among five companies that bid on the

After the organizational meeting, the council broke for cake and camaraderie, but when they returned to the dais, it wasn’t long before the divisive issue of roads — a major issue in the recent election — came up and threatened to derail the good feelings.

ling new rules and regulations for residents wanting to install artificial turf on residential properties, which has previously been against village code.

This first reading included details defining artificial turf and standards, including water permeability rates to avoid creating flood issues.

“Some residents have already come in for permitting. It’s a new product on the market that has become viable,” said Planning & Zoning Director Bradford O’Brien, whose staff developed the proposed changes. “It has got some pretty robust performance standards.”

The new rules eliminate the prohibition on artificial turf but enact narrow rules where such turf can be used. Artificial turf is limited to residential lots when located in the rear yard and side yard areas only, behind the front façade of the home or structure, and screened from public view.

Turf can also be used as part of a village-owned recreation or amenity area, or in multifamily residential or mixed-use developments as part of a recreation or amenity area.

There are also limitations on the type of turf to be used and a required permit process.

During public comment, Bill

They aspire to compete for attention with high-powered development offers, including one from the Related Companies, led by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, that the outgoing council instructed staff to pursue further.

Organizer Jim Mantrozos said the idea is to make a renewed appeal to village leaders not to proceed too fast with development on the parcel south of the Mall at Wellington Green, southwest of State Road 7 and Stribling Way.

“We don’t want you to sell it to make it concrete jungle,” Mantrozos said, describing the proposed pitch to the council at a roundtable meeting Tuesday, March 26 of

about 20 people at the Wellington branch library. “We want to make it green. We’re the green application.” What to do with K-Park has been a subject of debate for a long time, including village forums dating back nearly a decade. Participants March 26 urged steps such as forming a nonprofit group and coming up with what amounts to a business plan to compete with development offers.

“We need to move quickly on establishing an entity that will promote the botanical gardens,” said resident Sarah Palmer, who grew up near London’s Kew Gardens, after the meeting. “The nonprofit route is the right way to go. It would allow us to go for grants and raise funds. We need the people of Wellington to get involved and support this.”

One challenge involves how to pay for constructing and maintaining such a garden. Suggestions have involved partnerships with

The City of Westlake held its second annual SpringFest event on Sunday, March 24. The free, familyfriendly event included

Brooke’s Divertimentos & Dressage Fundraiser Brooke USA hosted its second annual Divertimentos & Dressage fundraiser Thursday, March 21 at the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. At the event, the Palm Beach Symphony, led by Conductor Kyle Elgarten, played an accompaniment of classical pieces, setting the tone for amazing dressage performances. Page

Amber’s Animal Outreach Presents Easter Pawty Amber’s Animal Outreach held its annual Easter Pawty on Sunday, March 24 at Community Animal Hospital in Royal Palm Beach. Attendees enjoyed photos with the Easter Bunny, raffles, vendors and more. Page

Rawlings Estates Plan Would Bring 58 New Homes To ITID Area

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

Almost 60 new homes will be coming to a parcel just west of The Acreage under a development plan for a 104-acre parcel known as Rawlings Estates, the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors heard at a meeting Wednesday, March 27.

Scott Backman of the Boca Raton real estate firm Dunay, Miskel and Backman LLP told supervisors that the plan was to divide most of the acreage along 180th Avenue North into 51 one-acre lots with a 10-acre drainage lake stretched down the middle. Access to the development would be at 180th Avenue and Prado Blvd.

Additionally, some seven estate homes would be built on larger lots on an adjacent parcel just north of West Alan Black Blvd. Those homes would be accessed via a loop road with two outlets to 180th Avenue.

ITID staff recommended approval of the activation request, which is one of the early steps necessary to move the project forward.

“We’ve really been trying to understand what makes sense, what fits… and to do it the right way from the beginning,” said Backman, assuring supervisors that plans were firm in terms of

Fast Turnaround: Council OKs Changes To Westlake Landings Commercial Plaza

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

Members of the Westlake City Council sent a loud and clear message Tuesday, April 2 that Palm Beach County’s fastest-growing municipality is eager to support business investment within its boundaries, according to Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor.

“We welcome with open arms any businesses that have the willingness and foresight to invest in our city,” O’Connor told council members and the public gathered for the regular monthly meeting at the Westlake Adventure Park lodge. “Westlake is open for business.” The remarks came after the council approved two items — a master plan amendment and a site plan modification — that will allow a building that was planned as a TD Bank with a drive-through to be converted to a restaurant with drive-through in the Westlake Landings commercial plaza on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.

“I don’t want to blindly approve master site plan amendments,” said Councilman Gary Werner,

who cast the only dissenting vote.

The requests passed 4-1 and 5-0. A Chipotle restaurant is currently planned for that spot, according to Westlake staff.

In a third instance, the applicant requested site plan modification approval in the same plaza for a proposed Taco Bell restaurant with a drive-through. That request also passed 5-0.

The votes came a month after developers suffered a rare setback when Werner, the council’s newest member, and Councilman Julian Martinez refused to go along with the site plan changes that were approved Tuesday.

With Councilwoman Charlotte Leonard absent, the earlier request failed on a 2-2 vote. The council later voted 4-0 to table until April the requests by the site’s developer Konover South and the city’s largest developer and landowner, Minto Communities USA.

Minto Senior Vice President John Carter, who is in charge of the Westlake project, warned of dire consequences if the March requests were not immediately approved.

“It will put a wet blanket on the development community’s interest to come to this community,” he said then.

Werner said that although he voted yes Tuesday night on two of the three change requests, he believes that developers have used excessive site plan changes to their advantage while often keeping council members in the dark as to prospective lessees.

“My mind hasn’t been changed,” said Werner, who is a retired city planner. “I feel like I have blindfolds on.”

In other business:

• The council unanimously chose Councilman Greg Langowski to continue serving as vice mayor. Langowski, who joined the council in 2022, was also recently recognized by the Florida League of Cities with a 2024 Home Rule Hero Award.

“Langowski worked tirelessly throughout [the 2024 legislative session] to promote local voices making local choices, protect the Home Rule powers of Florida’s

See WESTLAKE, page 7

the type of development planned. ITID President Elizabeth Accomando thanked Backman for his comments but said that area residents are always concerned about new developments.

“Our community has been through this before, and people are a little gun shy. Having the reassurance that this is… not going to turn into townhomes or some other high-density development is absolutely critical,” Accomando said.

“This fits our [area] as far as one-acre lots out here,” Supervisor Michael Johnson noted. Backman said he believes this is “the right development in the right place.”

The board voted 3-0 to begin the activation process, with supervisors Betty Argue and Keith Jordano absent.

In other business: • The supervisors approved spending $40,000 for emergency replacement of the pier ($18,000) at Coconut Park and replacement of the lake’s fountain ($22,000). The cost does not include an estimated $12,000 in work time by ITID employees. ITID Executive Director Burgess Hanson described soft spots in the planking and nails popping out. A video showed sections of the guard rail that are loose and separating.

Though the pier has been closed since last summer, people are still bypassing signs and using it, creating a dangerous situation.

“We’d hoped to hold off until the 2025 budget, but the deterio-

The Wellington Community Foundation invites the community to an unforgettable Derby Party celebration at the stunning Diamante Farms Dressage on Saturday, May 4. Immerse yourself in the spirit of the legendary race as you don your finest hats and dapper derby attire for an evening of elegance and excitement. This event is more than just a party; it’s a fundraiser for the Wellington Community Foundation. The proceeds will directly support foundation efforts to uplift and empower the local community, particularly benefiting Wellington’s seniors, children and veterans in need, striving to improve their quality of life.

ration makes it necessary to move forward,” Hanson said.

He expects that the pier replacement could be completed by ITID employees in 15 workdays, assuming there is no damage to the support pilings. The replacement of the fountain will be contracted out.

Money for the project will come from $75,000 previously allocated to upgrade the irrigation system at Acreage Community Park’s North Athletic Campus.

“We suggest postponing the irrigation project for the [fiscal year] 2025 budget cycle,” Hanson wrote in the agenda. “The current system is sufficiently functioning at a level to reach the next fiscal year.”

“This is an important issue,” Accomando said. “The pier is very dangerous.”

• The supervisors extended the district’s service provider agreement (SPA) with the Acreage Athletic League to Nov. 15 so as not to interfere with registration for fall leagues that is going on now. A joint workshop between the supervisors and the AAL leadership is set for July 15.

Tension between the supervisors and the AAL has simmered below the surface since 2022 when a new girls flag football league — Breakthru Athletics — split from the organization amid charges of favoritism and mismanagement. AAL officials denied the charges but have since replaced the league’s president.

• The supervisors supported a letter from Hanson to the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council

Doors will open and guests will be welcomed from 4 p.m. onward for pre-party mint juleps, setting the tone for an unforgettable evening.

Tickets are priced at $200 per person and can be purchased at www.wellingtoncommunityfoundation.org.

Highlights of the event include:

• Live Viewing: Catch all the action of the Kentucky Derby on a big screen.

• Mint Juleps: Sip on the traditional derby drink, crafted to perfection.

• Delectable Delights: Indulge in culinary delights prepared by Chef Gardo Vincken.

• Fun Photos: Capture memo-

TaKe Action to KeepYour Colon Healthy

Are you at risk?

If you have a history of colon polyps, colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or a family history of colon/rectal cancer, you may be at increased risk. Diets high in red meat or processed meats, low-fiber diets, lack of exercise, obesity, smoking and heavy alcohol use can also contribute to the chance of developing colon cancer.

Know the symptoms

Early colon cancer usually has no symptoms, which is why screening is very important. However, as the tumor grows, symptoms may include:

• Abdominal pain

• Change in bowel habits

• Weight loss

Who should be screened?

• Abdominal distention

• Nausea and vomiting

• Most patients should get their screening colonoscopy when they turn 45. However, because African Americans have a 20 percent higher incidence rate, initial screening is recommended at age 40.

• If you have a family history of colon cancer in first-degree relatives, it is recommended to start 10 years younger than the age of diagnosis or age 35, whichever is earlier.

• People who are in good health and with a life expectancy of more than 10 years should continue regular colorectal cancer screening through the age of 75.

• For people ages 76 through 85, the decision to be screened should be based on a person’s preferences, life expectancy, overall health and prior screening history.

and the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency reiterating the board’s continued commitment to the Districtwide Mobility Plan, including the installation of speed tables and other traffic-calming measures to control speed and cut-through traffic.

“People are flying down the streets,” Accomando said. “I’m certainly all for showing that we support the plan… As more houses and more commercial are going in, we need to put [the plan] in place for the protection of our residents.”

• The supervisors voted to spend $56,000 to purchase a Peterbilt dump truck because an International truck previously approved cannot be delivered in a timely manner, Hanson explained.

ries with a themed photo booth.

• Horse Race: Choose the winners and get a chance for your raffle to be chosen for one of the grand prizes.

Don’t miss out on the most talked-about Derby Party in Wellington! Reserve your spot now and be part of the “Run for the Roses” excitement while supporting the Wellington Community Foundation.

The event will be held Saturday, May 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. (doors open at 4 p.m.) at Diamante Farms Dressage, located at 11223 Acme Road in Wellington.

For additional information and ticket purchases, visit www.wellingtoncommunityfoundation.org.

According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the third-most-common cancer in both men and women in the United States, and the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It was expected to cause more than 52,000 deaths in 2023.

To schedule an appointment with a physician, visit doctors.wellingtonregional.com.

A site map showing the location of the Rawlings Estates project.

The board approved money for the emergency replacement of the pier at Coconut Park, which was found to be dangerous.

Wellington Zoners OK Medical Office For Former Restaurant Site

By Charles Elmore Town-Crier Staff Report

The owners of a property that until recently hosted the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen restaurant on State Road 7 in Wellington now want the village to allow medical offices there.

Applicant Ancoal Investments LLC asked Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board on Thursday, March 28 to allow conversion of the existing restaurant building of 8,800 square feet into medical offices.

The medical use will require changes to interior spaces of the building, which fronts SR 7, but “no anticipated exterior modifications except for proposed signage and landscaping,” according to a summary by village staff. Board members discussed whether residents wanted to lose a restaurant in favor of medical offices, though some said it has been difficult for some larger chain restaurants to fill up big sit-down spaces in Wellington. Newer eateries, some tied to entertainment and attractions in approved projects from nearby

Lotis Wellington to equestrian areas, are set to get their chance in coming years.

“I’m OK with that change, since it’s actually more appropriate for that area,” Board Member Satesh Raju said. The board voted 5-0 to recommend that the Wellington Village Council approve the plan, with several board members absent.

In 2023, the council approved a land-use change to allow 20,000 undeveloped square feet behind Cheddar’s to become a self-storage facility. Late in the year,

Cheddar’s closed at the site on the west side of SR 7, north of Forest Hill Blvd.

Previous village approvals for the site north of Wellington Regional Medical Center had allowed medical office space, before the self-storage plan revised that.

The new occupants could be LA Medical Associates, said Troy Holloway, an agent representing the project with 2GHO Inc. The medical group specializes in primary care, podiatric medicine, surgery and “medspa”

services. They would relocate from an existing site in Wellington, he said.

A representative for the planned storage facility said he supported the move, saying it would not be ideal to launch their operations behind a restaurant that had gone dark.

In other business:

• The board postponed until April 17 consideration of possible land-use changes for the Islepointe project, located in the Orange Point Planned Unit Development near 50th Street South

and 120th Avenue South. Applicants said they wanted more time to discuss plans with neighbors to change some land use from commercial to residential.

• The board also approved a recommendation that the council approve updates to village codes regarding hedges and fences. Staff members said the changes were designed to allay concerns from residents that they could face large costs to move fences or change plants once considered in compliance, emphasizing they could apply for waivers.

RPB Board Approves Site Plan For Jabrewski’s Pizza Co. Location

By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report

Since the Dunkin’ Donuts moved north from 1301 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., and the old building demolished, a vacant lot has stood waiting for a new life — and that could come in the form of a Royal Palm Beach outlet of a popular Acreage-area restaurant. A proposal in front of the Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday, March 26 introduced a new 4,000-squarefoot restaurant for Jabrewski’s Pizza Co., restructuring the par-

Roads County Commission Drops Plan

continued from page 1 Baxter, who lives just off 40th Street North, said she requested the changes to the TIM so that traffic flows in the area could be studied by county staff. Additionally, removing Persimmon from the TIM would ensure that the county could not use the 80-foot right-of-way it already holds there to create a five-lane thoroughfare through the heart of The Acreage, she said.

cel’s previously approved site plan after the approval of the adjacent Lakeside Landings residential development.

George Missimer with the architectural firm Cotleur & Hearing provided a quick comparison from the new site plan and its predecessor.

“We’re substantially reducing the building square footage, increasing green space and the surrounding buffers, as well as enhancing the landscape. Overall, a large improvement to this site as it exists,” Missimer said.

The plan reduces pavement widths while still using existing access points. The goal is to preserve established trees and add more trees to the site.

The modified site plan was approved, along with a landscape waiver request presented immediately after. Staff agreed with the applicant’s justification for the requests that none of the parcel is residential property, and both applications were approved unanimously.

As the final request was approved, Commission Chair Adam

Miller added, “I want to thank you for keeping the trees that are already there.” In other business:

• During the Local Planning Agency meeting, the Primrose School continued moving toward completion of its commitment to the village after purchasing property at 6846 Seminole Palms Drive. Just under a quarter of an acre of land is set to be rezoned from public ownership (PO) to industrial general (IG), so the facility can add parking spaces. The request was approved unanimously.

• With full support from both the committee and staff, Paint Lux, an auto repair shop, plans to update the monument signage at 500 Royal Plaza Road. The word “collision” will be added to the sign.

• Both the master plan and site plan for a school coming to the Tuttle Royale project located on the south side of Southern Blvd. west of State Road 7 required a slight modification. The description of the educational facility was listed as “charter school” in the plans, but that designation is not technically in the code. It will instead be listed as a “public and private academic institution.”

“This is a simple change to take out the word ‘charter’ because that’s not in the code. We are going straight to the code language because this was on the resolution and the master plan. Same with the site plan,” explained Gunster attorney Brian Seymour on behalf of the applicant. The commissioners had no issues and approved the text changes.

Baxter and ITID officials agree on one thing — the best option for relieving some congestion on local roads and giving Westlake residents a long-promised east-west outlet is 60th Street North. The road, which is paved in some areas and dirt in others, belongs to Palm Beach County and runs beside the M Canal from 140th to State Road 7 and could accommodate five paved lanes.

Minto is negotiating with the county to build a two-mile extension to 60th Street from 140th west to Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. The extension would run along the northern edge of Westlake, but it is not without opposition within the Westlake community.

In the end, however, Baxter made a motion that 140th and 40th be taken out of consideration and that Persimmon be removed from the TIM. The motion died for lack of a second, leaving the current TIM unchanged.

Lox Meeting Workshop

Planned

continued from page 1 work, which specified 13 specific road segments worked out by the previous council and the previous public works director.

“A couple of months ago, the Public Works Department initiated an invitation to bid to review paving 13 segments in the Town of Loxahatchee Groves that had previously been identified in the Capital Improvement Plan approved in October of 2023,”

Gallant explained.

The roads, as listed in the agenda, are: Gruber Road from C Road to D Road, East Citrus Drive from E Road to F Road, 161st Terrace North from A Road to the end, Global Trail from North Road to the end, West C Road from Forest Lane to Robert Way, Kerry Lane south of Okeechobee and west of F Road, 24th Court North north of Okeechobee and west of F Road, 24th Court North north of Okeechobee and east of F Road, 147th Avenue North, West D Road north of Southern Blvd. and west of D Road, Casey Road east of F Road and west of Folsom Road, B

Road from the existing pavement to North Road, and North Road from B Road to C Road.

However, Gallant noted that order the roads appear in the agenda is not the order in which they will be done. His plan would be to start with 161st Terrace North, followed by Casey Road, moving on from there depending on the road preparations completed by the Public Works Department.

West D Road, Gruber Road and Global Trail will likely be the last roads to be done due to known issues with those streets, he said.

Kane said she wanted some changes. “I met a lot of people over the last couple of months and have done a lot of driving around the town,” Kane said. “I would like to propose that we change the paving schedule before we accept this resolution.”

Among the changes

Kane wanted was removing Gruber Road, West D Road and Global Trail from the list — “or at least move them to the back of the list until changes can be considered,” she said.

She also wanted to move A Road, which is not slated for the current year, onto the list. “That is one of our Level 1 main roads and it is not being done,

“We need traffic relief,” Baxter said this week. “I was trying to provide a solution that would not have a large amount of traffic driving through the middle of our community [on Persimmon].”

However, J. Michael Burman, road attorney for ITID, called the proposed TIM changes an attempt by Minto to gain a secondary eastwest road connection aside from 60th Street.

Opposition to the plan was vocal and sometimes emotional.

During public comments, Acreage resident Veronica Meeks fought tears while asking the commissioners to protect her way of life.

“It’s easy for people in Westlake to demand we open our roads for their comfort… and that we lose our way of life so they can get

even though promises were made to have all Level 1 roads done by the end of this year,” Kane said.

Town staff members noted that work will not begin until June and recommended awarding the bid and working on the order of the streets over the next two months.

The suggestion to eliminate Gruber Lane was supported by resident Rodrigo Godoy, who owns property at the corner of Gruber Lane and C Road and does not support the paving.

Equestrian Ann LeMaster, who lives on Gruber Lane, also requested dropping the street from the paving plan. “If you pave that road, the horses are much more likely to slip and fall,” she said.

Kane said that at least some changes need to be made to the list.

“We need to have a workshop to revisit the capital projects and have the council prioritize the roads anew,” she said. “Then I would have the opportunity to suggest my redesign idea for those roads that would accommodate both equestrians and the people who are walking their dogs or want to ride their bicycles.”

Councilman Robert Shorr warned against making too many changes to the road list, which might lead to expensive change

east 15 minutes faster, while they sit at home behind closed gates on peaceful streets that will not be altered,” Meeks said. “Making our roads corridors for Westlake will destroy our way of life.”

Several Westlake residents were as firm in their belief that their community deserves more access to major streets than only Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, which runs north and south connecting Southern and Northlake boulevards.

Gayle Kesselman of Westlake told commissioners that Acreage residents have shown no willingness to compromise. “They didn’t want us here. They don’t want us his here, but we are here… and more people are going to be here,” she said. “[Westlake] is growing by leaps and bounds.”

orders with the contractor.

“I say we stick with what we have, and then put together another bid to roll right into Oct. 1,” Shorr said.

Town Manager Francine Ramaglia said that some changes can be made, but others would be a challenge.

“We can definitely change the order and design of the segments,” she said. “It is not in the town’s best interest to add a change order to this particular bid. Better that we do a separate bid, and we talk about that in a workshop.”

Maniglia said that Gallant should be allowed to prioritize the list regarding need. She made a motion to approve the bid award, giving Gallant the authority to change the road order as needed.

Town Attorney Glen Torcivia noted that the contract does not require all the roads listed to be done, and several are pending easements and other work.

Maniglia’s motion to award the bid was approved unanimously, with Kane asking for a road workshop over the next few weeks to give the current council input into prioritizing the order of the roads. Later in the meeting, the council agreed to hold that workshop on Tuesday, April 16 at 6 p.m.

“We need to have a workshop to revisit the capital projects and have the council prioritize the roads anew,” Anita Kane said. “Then I would have the opportunity to suggest my redesign idea for those roads.”

Garden K-Park Concept

continued from page 1 schools, agencies or ecological groups, capturing revenue from visits and tourism, and finding creative ways to make it happen.

There has even been talk of a performing arts center and restaurants near SR 7 with the botanical gardens behind them, though that’s still in the idea stage, Mantrozos said. A different group proposed an arts center on a separate parcel on the other side of the mall, though

council members raised concerns about the density of development in that plan with a heavy concentration of proposed apartments.

Later, the council approved a settlement agreement for the $11 million sale of 10 acres known as Wellington Green Park behind the Hampton Inn to original mall developer Brefrank Inc., carrying development rights for 220 residential units.

The task at the top of the to-do list now is getting on the radar with a new blend of council members.

Councilman Michael Drahos, whose term ended with the latest election, said at a Feb. 13 meeting that conditions have changed over

time with K-Park. He noted that the village is scheduled to acquire, under a recently approved equestrian development plan, a public park of 55 acres off Forest Hill Blvd., near the library. But that same equestrian deal, which involved removing 96 acres from the village’s equestrian preserve to build a golf community in exchange for improved horse showgrounds, stirred grassroots concerns in Wellington, attendees at the March 26 gathering said.

“I think Wellington residents are more activist now than they’ve been,” resident Leslie Hingorani said after the botanical group’s meeting.

On Feb. 13, the council heard a presentation from Related for possibly 500 residential units and up to 120,000 square feet of retail space, along with trails and park areas. About half of the K-Park acres could host a K-12 private prep school, company officials said at the time.

Developers W&W VIII LLC, led by the Ward family, offered $54 million to buy K-Park last year. In a 3-2 vote, the council instructed village staff to prioritize the Related offer for now. Incoming Mayor Michael Napoleone, then vice mayor, registered one of the no votes, saying he preferred to keep his options open.

Westlake Councilman Gary Werner, speaking as a private citizen, told the board, “Your [county] planner identified Westlake as a hub. If it is a hub, it needs spokes. The spokes would be the roadways.” In other road-related matters:

• Lawyers for ITID and Minto Communities/the Seminole Improvement District made final arguments Monday, April 1 before Circuit Judge Richard Oftedal in a suit filed by Minto/SID in 2020 seeking to connect a Westlake road to 140th Avenue North near Persimmon Blvd. Oftedal issued a preliminary judgment in October rejecting the request. Burman said he expects a swift ruling from Oftedal, perhaps as early as this week. Whatever the ruling, it is likely to be appealed.

• West Palm Beach attorney Christopher Mills said Tuesday that he expects to file a lawsuit next week on behalf of big-rig

RPB Council Artificial Turf Rules

continued from page 1 council decided to approve the first reading of the ordinance and have village staff conduct additional research and work with Ryan to update the regulations before the second reading.

“It will be coming back to this council, and we’ll evaluate what he’s telling us today,” Pinto said.

It was also clarified that regardless of the final outcome, homeowners’ associations will still have the ability to deny a property owner’s request to install artificial turf.

The first reading of the ordinance was approved 5-0.

In other business:

• The Primrose School properties at 300 and 400 Royal Commerce Road are looking to expand with a small college campus as part of the existing academic institution. The originally approved site plan included a condition allowing up to 356 students in preschool through eighth grade.

The new plan keeps the same total of students, but instead will allow 206 preschool students and a maximum of 150 college students.

“The college does small class sizes [and] there are six cohorts — so each class is less than 25 students. All 150 won’t be on campus at one time,” said Andrea Keiser on behalf of Keiser Legal and Bar Education Inc. “There is only one cohort in the early morning or evening, and they’ll be limited to 25 students.”

Further, the preschool facility’s operating hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Despite lack of support from both village staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission, the council granted a variance for a single-story property located on Haldin Place to allow a 5.75foot rear setback where the code requires eight feet so the owners

owners now living in The Acreage and parking their trucks at their homes. On Feb. 22, the county commission rejected a proposal from Baxter to allow two semis on any residential lot in The Acreage. Trucker homeowners were given until July 1 to find parking elsewhere for their rigs or to file legal action.

• On Saturday, April 6, there will be an informational meeting for truckers at the Acreage branch library (15801 Orange Blvd.), Natalia Melian, one of the leaders of the “Save Our Truckers” group, said Wednesday. A session in English will be held at 10:30 a.m., and one in Spanish will take place at 11:30 a.m. Melian said that she and a number of trucker homeowners have been meeting with representatives of the county’s Planning, Zoning & Building Department in hopes of working out a solution. “But it’s complicated,” she said.

can install a 10-foot-by-28-foot swimming pool in their backyard. Previous variances approved in the same community were smaller than this request, but the council considered it a unique situation.

“I’m not a big fan of variances, but looking at the picture, in your situation, particularly with it backing up to where it is — there’s no neighbors that I’m sure are going to be complaining about it,” said Councilman Richard Valuntas, noting that the property borders a canal.

Prior to approval, Indian Trail Improvement District Supervisor Keith Jordano requested confirmation that due to canal easement responsibilities, the request did not need to be approved by ITID as well. It was made clear that the variance does not cross into the district’s authorities.

• De-annexation for a 3.7-acre parcel of land connected to the South Florida Fairgrounds was approved unanimously. Liggins explained the difficulties of working with a site plan split into two jurisdictions, and the council understood and agreed with village staff’s recommendation.

• Hmara noted that there are 18 village scholarship candidates who will be interviewed on April 27, with awards to be presented on May 16.

• Branden Lopez, audit director with Marcum LLP, provided some highlights of the village’s fiscal year 2023 annual comprehensive financial report. He was pleased to share there were no issues or non-compliance concerns, and the audits yielded “an unmodified, clean opinion for the fiscal year’s end,” which is the best outcome.

• The council approved the second reading and adoption of an ordinance adding the term “integrated care center” to the village code. The change will allow Baptist Health South Florida to begin working on a site plan for an “integrated care center” to be located at 450 S. State Road 7.

BROOKE HOLDS DIVERTIMENTOS & DRESSAGE FUNDRAISER AT VINCEREMOS

Brooke USA hosted its second annual Divertimentos & Dressage fundraiser Thursday, March 21 at the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. The event raised money and awareness for Brooke USA’s mission to help working horses around the world. At the event, the Palm Beach Symphony, led by Conductor Kyle Elgarten, played an accompaniment of classical pieces, setting the tone for amazing dressage performances in the ring. Live and silent auctions also helped raise funds for Brooke USA’s cause. Learn more at www.brookeusa.org. PHOTOS BY FRANK KOESTER/TOWN-CRIER

Julie Khanna, Clarice Redding Louis and Lillian Khanna.

Pierre de La Sayette, Gianna Federico and Angela Brackett.

Equestrians Annie Peavy and Ava MacCoubrey.

Kerensa Muller aboard Memphis de Massa and Klendy Muller aboard Ricardo.

Katherine Kaneb, past board chair for Brooke USA, addresses the gathering. The Palm Beach Symphony performs as Kerensa Muller and Klendy Muller ride. Conductor Kyle Elgarten leads the Palm Beach Symphony. Susan Miller and Sue Bierer enjoy the entertainment. Attendees applaud as the event gets underway.

The Palm Beach Symphony warms up before the start of the performance.

Your health matters, and so does your time.

Our friendly medical team is here for anything from the flu to allergies to neck and back pain, or whatever ails you. Walk in or start your check-in online, and we’ll have you back to normal in no time.

Wellington Board Approves Larger Signs For The Lotis Project

By Charles Elmore Town-Crier Staff Report

Lotis Wellington builders want signs with nearly triple the square footage usually allowed on walls along a primary entrance, which elicited some questioning from a village review panel before it ultimately granted approval.

Village rules generally allow 32 square feet for such signs, according to a staff presentation to Wellington’s Architectural Review Board on Wednesday, March 27.

Developers asked for signs of 90.1 square feet in the multi-use project west of State Road 7 and a mile north of Forest Hill Blvd. The

Westlake April Meeting

continued from page 3 municipalities and advance the league’s legislative agenda,” noted the Florida League of Cities in a press release.

The FLC defines “Home Rule” as the ability for municipalities to address local problems with local solutions with minimal state interference.

• City Manager Kenneth Cassel said that the much-anticipated multi-model path through the Pines Phase II development should be completed by the Aug. 12 start of Palm Beach County schools for the 2024-25 school year. Located near the northeast corner of the community, the path

signs are located on opposite sides of an entrance from SR 7 into the northernmost part of the project known as Lotis 2. “I’ve seen these turn good and also seen them turn bad, just massive, giant entries,” Board Member Miguel Alonso said. “I just want to make sure this doesn’t turn very bad.” The idea is to feature “a little design and branding as you drive by,” softened by a descending wall area and trees and landscaping beside and behind it, explained Rich Kasser, director of entitlements at Lotis Group.

In the end, the board voted 5-0

will give Westlake parents secure golf cart, bicycle or foot access to Golden Grove Elementary School and Western Pines Middle School.

Presently, Westlake parents must drive miles out of their way to drop students off at those schools due to the lack of east-west road access.

• During public comments, some residents expressed concerns over excessive noise from a proposed two-mile extension of 60th Street North across the northern edge of Westlake from 140th Avenue North to Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.

Asked how much input the city will have in designing a berm or landscaping for what could be a two-, three- or five-lane road, City Attorney Donald Doody said the answer is very little.

While the city can make sug-

to approve the sign requests. Board members Luis Rodriguez and Maria Raspanti were absent.

One condition placed on the requested wall signs, which would feature a large vertical sign and a separate horizontal one, is that they refer to residential areas and not promote commercial businesses or other tenants.

Wellington’s code treats wall signs somewhat differently from what it calls monument signs, which are usually stand-alone structures visible from a nearby road, village staff explained. For example, monument signs must be 200 feet apart, but the two

gestions, he said, 60th Street is a county road. “The county will build what the county will build,” Doody said.

Minto currently is negotiating with the county concerning possible construction of the road by the developer to help mitigate the $18 million it may owe as part of a proportional share agreement regarding a promised east-west connection for Westlake.

Despite the challenges, Werner said that construction of 60th Street is “absolutely imperative. That would be a very important route.”

Werner said the current lack of an east-west connection for Westlake is one reason that more substantial retail development is not happening as quickly as expected.

Cassel encouraged residents eager to see more diverse restau-

proposed wall signs do not face such restrictions and stand 100 feet apart.

These signs, 20 feet tall at their highest points, are considered to be part of walls, though the walls in question do not enclose the property. The walls each extend about 41 feet away from the entrance, with stair-step drops in height and employing a mixture of stone and other facades before eventually phasing out behind landscaping features.

“It’s stepped, it uses different materials, it’s lit, it’s landscaped,” Kasser said.

Three other requested signs

rants and retail shopping in the area to organize letter-writing campaigns to attract businesses such as Costco to Westlake.

In 2020, in an effort to create an east-west link, Minto and the Seminole Improvement District, which provides most of the infrastructure for Westlake, filed suit against the neighboring Indian Trail Improvement District seeking to connect to its roads across a narrow canal. ITID countersued. Circuit Court Judge Richard Oftedal issued a preliminary judgment in October rejecting the Minto/SID request.

The final hearing was held Monday, April 1. A ruling is expected soon with the losing party likely to appeal. Currently, the only major access to Westlake is north-south via Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.

Groups Seek Support For Fallen Firefighter Statue

The Palm Beach County community is invited to support the current effort to place a Fallen Firefighter statue at Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Headquarters.

The Retired Firefighters of Palm Beach County and Local 2928 have been approved by Art in Public Places to donate a Fallen Firefighter statue to Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. Utilizing donated funds, the agencies have commissioned a bronze artist to design and install the Fallen Firefighter statue in the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park at Palm Beach County FireRescue Headquarters by the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025. The Retired Firefighters of Palm

Beach County and Local 2928 acknowledge the dangers of firefighting and the increasing rates that active and retired firefighters are passing away from occupational illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer.

The purchase of a Fallen Firefighter statue placed in the Memorial Park will serve as a centerpiece

Meeting On New Elementary School April 8

The community is invited to attend an informational meeting regarding the new “West Acreage Area Elementary School” on Monday, April 8 at 6 p.m. at the Binks Forest Elementary School cafeteria, located at 15101 Bent Creek Road in Wellington. The meeting will include a design presentation on this new school project with staff from the Palm Beach County School District, along with the architect and contractor.

Located in front of the Arden community off Southern Blvd., the new school is slated to begin construction this May, with plans to open in August 2025. The planned “West Acreage Area Elementary School” is a three-story building of 95,900 square feet with room for 971 students.

To learn more, contact Joyce Cai at joyce.cai@palmbeachschools. org or Joel Campbell at joel.campbell@palmbeachschools.org.

Art Society Announces New Exhibitions

The Wellington Art Society has announced its latest art exhibitions “Expressive,” currently on display until May 21, and “Visions,” shown until July 16, both located at Wellington Village Hall at 12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.

The exhibition features 70 original artworks by 19 artists, including paintings, sculpture, mixed media, photography and more. A meet the artists event and opening reception/sale will be held Tuesday, April 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Enjoy refreshments, door prizes and the People’s Choice Awards. Featured artists are: Halyna Albanese, Emily Bergstrom, Heather Bergstrom, Lisa Campbell, Ayesha DeLorenzo, Cynthia George, Jan Gmitter, Diane Hodges, Erica Kyle, Lou Ann LaBohn, Shahen Markarian, Ali Mendoza, Dinah Mirson, Susan Mosely, Susan Oakes, Leslie Pfeiffer, Marion Roberts, Raymonde Talleyrand and Andrea Vossen.

For more information about the Wellington Art Society, visit www. wellingtonartsociety.org or e-mail presidentofwas@gmail.com.

Earth Day Celebration At Okeeheelee

The Okeeheelee Nature Center at Okeeheelee Park will host a free Earth Day event Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Celebrate Earth Day at this special event with a variety of activities scheduled throughout the day. Activities will promote environmental awareness, conservation, recreation, and educate on health and wellness in the community.

Come on your own or bring the family to celebrate one of the most important milestones in conservation history with your local nature center.

Enjoy live animal encounters, eco-friendly crafts, environmental presentations, guided nature walks, meet and greets with mascot Oakly and the PBSO Mounted Unit, a rehabilitated animal release, raffles to benefit the Friends of the Okeeheelee Nature Center, food trucks, environmental exhibitors, vendors and much more.

Wellington Fair Housing Month Webinar April 17

April is National Fair Housing Month, and the Village of Wellington is committed to promoting fair housing practices and educating the community on their rights and responsibilities.

Wellington invites the community to take part in a Fair Housing Month Webinar, taking place on Wednesday, April 17 at noon through Zoom. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required to attend. Registration is now open at www. wellingtonfl.gov/fairhousing.

The webinar will feature a speaker from Palm Beach County’s Office of Equal Opportunity. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about programs and services offered through these

offices and gain a better understanding of the Fair Housing Laws in Florida.

“As we recognize National Fair Housing Month, Wellington remains steadfast in our commitment to fostering inclusive communities,” Village Manager Jim Barnes said. “This webinar presents a valuable opportunity for residents to engage with experts and deepen their understanding of fair housing principles.”

RPB To Host Cleanup Event

Attention scout groups, homeschoolers, 4-H groups, service organizations, residents and friends:

Anyone and everyone is invited to participate in the national Great American Cleanup helping to keep Royal Palm Beach beautiful. The Village of Royal Palm Beach will participate in the Great American Cleanup on Saturday, April 20. Registration will take place from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center, located at 100 Sweet Bay Lane, where participants will be equipped with bags and gloves for the cleanup. Refreshments and lunch for participants will follow the cleanup. Call Michael Cheatham at (561) 790-5199 for details.

Rambling Rose Garden Tour Set For April 13

The Greater Palm Beach Rose

Society will hold the 2024 Rambling Rose Garden Tour, featuring three rose garden homes, on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Wellington area. One of the homes boasts 400 rose bushes. In addition, roses will be available for purchase. Victor Lazzari, the author of 100 Roses for the South Florida Garden, will be selling his book at one of the homes. Tickets for this tour are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the event. Visit www.gpbrs.org to purchase tickets. All proceeds will support the club’s charitable contributions for high school and college scholarships. The Greater Palm Beach Rose

came in much closer to typical size limits, including Kids ‘R’ Kids daycare, Popstoke mini-golf and a residential community sign deeper in the development. Another sign requested in a road median was challenged by village staff and had been dropped from the application.

Some steps still require Wellington Village Council approval, but developers have successfully made a case so far for prominent roadside signage on both ends of one of the village’s biggest development projects in the last decade.

Counting its two parts as a whole, the 120-acre Lotis Wellington project won council approval in January for 372 residential units from single-family homes to onebedroom apartments. The project also has restaurants including Lazy Dog and Cooper’s Hawk, a daycare facility, mini-golf, offices and park areas.

The approval in January followed three years of delays in which original proposals emphasizing senior and assisted living stalled amid pandemic and financing hurdles, and what developers said were changes in market demand. Revised plans focused on market-rate housing, including smaller apartments as a big component of the mix.

Tangible progress can be seen

with mast arms and traffic signals on what will be entrances from SR 7 into the project, Kasser said.

Two of the commercial buildings started construction in recent weeks, he said. Under villageimposed conditions of the project, permits cannot be approved for residential construction until certain commercial construction benchmarks were reached by March 31.

“It’s going to be exciting,” Kasser said.

In other business:

• The board approved 5-0 a request to build a garage structure at a home on Saint Davids Way as long as it matches the main house in color and feel, even if the materials are not identical.

• The board approved a revised palette of exterior colors to be allowed as primary and accent shades on village homes. Exactly which colors are on the list can become a source of immediate consternation to any homeowners who might not realize a color they just chose for a completed repainting is deemed to be off the approved list.

The list, which includes more than 110 primary and secondary colors, plus dozens more for trim, doors and driveways, now goes before the council for approval.

Lefty Golf Classic April 20 At The Wanderers Club

The sixth annual Lefty Classic Golf Tournament, a four-person scramble, will be held Saturday, April 20 at the Wanderers Club in Wellington.

to the fallen firefighter families, fire service members and the community to recognize the dangers of firefighting, strive for health and wellness, prevention, and reinforce an oath to “never forget.” The Retired Firefighters of Palm Beach County is a nonprofit organization accepting donations for this project at www.ffmemorial.com.

Society is a nonprofit organization. For more information, call Maria Wolfe (561) 386-4903. Learn more at www.gpbrs.org/ rose-garden-tour.

Wellington El Kindergarten Round-Up

Wellington Elementary School will host its Kindergarten RoundUp on Friday, April 12 at 8:30 a.m. at the school, located at 13000 Paddock Drive. The event will include a campus tour and student fashion show. Attendees can also meet the kindergarten teachers and school administrators. Pre-register at https://wes-roundup.cheddarup. com and be sure to bring ID. Call the school at (561) 651-0600 to learn more.

Genealogical Society Meeting

On April 20

The Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County will present Daniel Horowitz of MyHeritage on Saturday, April 20 at 1:30 p.m. at the Palm Beach County Main Library on Summit Blvd. Horowitz will take attendees on an exciting scavenger hunt for historic records that may help you find that intriguing ancestor. Everyone is welcome; the event is free to all. To learn more, visit www.gensocofpbc.org.

YMCA Healthy Kids Day April 20

Healthy Kids Day will be held Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to noon at the YMCA at Palm Beach State College (4200 S. Congress Ave., Lake Worth).

Healthy Kids Day is one of the YMCA’s most anticipated annual events. The free event is open to the public and encourages children of all ages to come out to enjoy a morning full of healthy and fun activities. The morning will include sports, games, music, arts & crafts, vendors and prizes for participants. For more info., call (561) 968-9622 or visit www. ymcapalmbeaches.org.

The Lefty Classic, honoring the late Steve Silverstein, will once again partner with the Kids Cancer Foundation of South Florida. All proceeds will fund the organization’s mission of providing hope and support to local children and families battling childhood cancer.

Registration begins at 11 a.m., with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. The $300 entry fee per golfer includes 18 holes of golf, on-course beverages and lunch, followed by an awards presentation/silent auction with food and drinks. Register today at www.leftyclassic.com, and if you can’t attend, consider donating to the Kids Cancer Foundation. For more information, call Dan Silverstein at (720) 220-5381.

Wellington To Mark Earth Day & Arbor Day April 20

The Village of Wellington is hosting multiple events on Saturday, April 20 in recognition of Earth Day and Arbor Day.

Great American Cleanup —

Each year, the Great American Cleanup, an initiative of Keep America Beautiful, inspires thousands of volunteers of all ages across America to take part in efforts to clean up and improve their local communities.

This year, the Village of Wellington is participating by organizing cleanup activities throughout the village from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Volunteers are asked to checkin at Olympia Park (9830 Stribling Way) at 9 a.m.

If you are interested in participating, register by contacting the Community Services Department at (561) 791-4796.

The Great American Cleanup in the Village of Wellington is coordinated in partnership with Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful Inc. and the Solid Waste Authority.

Garden Club Plant Sale The Wellington Garden Club will be hosting a plant sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) in combination with the Earth Day & Arbor Day Celebration. Proceeds benefit the Wellington Garden Club’s youth programs, scholarships, civic beautification and environmental

efforts. Offerings include plants from local nurseries and vendors, and plants grown by Wellington Garden Club members. To learn more about the club, visit www. wellingtongardenclub.org.

Earth Day & Arbor Day Celebration — Following the Great American Cleanup, the community is invited to enjoy a free day of fun and learning at Wellington’s Earth Day & Arbor Day Celebration located at the Wellington Amphitheater from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join the Wellington Village Council at the start of the event for the planting of a red maple tree in honor of Arbor Day. The day will include Earthfriendly products and demonstrations, free glitter tattoos, free native seedlings, a free raffle for a red maple tree in a seven-gallon container, giveaways, local vendors and community partners, proper tree pruning demonstration and a visit with Smokey Bear. The event will also feature the FLOWER (Fabulous Landscapes of Wellington Earning Recognition) Awards Ceremony, and visitors can stop by booths highlighting the Wellington Garden Club, the Wellington Art Society and the Wellington Tree Board.

Learn more about Wellington’s Earth Day and Arbor Day activities at www.wellingtonfl.gov/ earthday.

Rachel Shanker, the conservation and education manager at Manatee Lagoon, will be the guest speaker at the Palm Beach Pack & Paddle Club’s meeting at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 at the Okeeheelee Nature Center at Okeeheelee Park (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.). Attendees are encouraged to arrive early for socializing starting at 1:30 p.m.

As the official Florida state marine mammal, manatees are one of the most charismatic species found throughout the state’s waterways.

In her talk, Shanker

Rachel Shanker

Renderings of the planned Fallen Firefighter statue in the Fallen Firefighter Memorial Park at PBCFR Headquarters.

2 LITTLE CHICKS COOP, PREMIER EVENTS HOLD EGG HUNT AT ACREAGE FARM

On Friday, March 29, 2 Little Chicks Coop in The Acreage, together with Premier Events, held an Easter Egg Hunt. April Caraballo of Premier

Castro.

Junior Handlers Open Intermediate Class winner Blaine Crowder with Johnny, Trinity Lonsdale with Derry and Kadence Lancaster with Levi.

Chatham Napoli with second

Sporting Dog

Swagger, a German wirehaired pointer. Judge Linda Whitney with Best Junior Handler winner Blaine Crowder and Johnny.

Veterinary ophthalmic nurse Jerry Woolward holds Sage for an eye exam by

Pamela Widerman with grand champion standard poodle Tootsie.

Deborah Burggraaf with some of her dog-themed books. Belgium Tervuren Khan does tricks for owner Michelle De Santi. Gianna Di Santi and papillon Kisa.

Artificial Intelligence In Agriculture: Helpful Or Harmful For Floridian Farmers?

By Niles Sood

Palm Beach County is the largest agricultural district in Florida, leading the nation in the production of bell peppers, sugarcane and sweet corn. It also leads the state in various commodities, like lettuce, celery and rice, generating more than $1 billion in revenue.

As communities across Palm Beach County grapple with the pressures of modernization, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the area’s farming communities.

Across the nation, the rise of AI technology has created ripples of apprehension in various fields. However, the agricultural industry remains resilient in the face of change and may stand to gain from the development of AI. However, is it a viable tool for sustaining and enhancing the practices that underpin agricultural communities?

Manish Sood, co-owner of the 24 Karat Ranch in Loxahatchee Groves and an engineering alum-

Runoff

Silvestri & Antuña Win

continued from page 1 decision to support the Wellington Lifestyle Partners project. Now that she will be taking a seat on the council, Antuña said her top priority will be to ensure that the requirements placed on that project are fully met.

nus of the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey, believes so. “AI should be approached as a tool to augment existing agricultural activities,” Sood said, adding that he has utilized the PictureThis app to identify weeds and invasive species of plants on the farm.

Indeed, invasive plants plague farms across Florida, reducing crop yields and harming the economy. A Florida Department of Agriculture publication reports that, “An established example is kudzu, which infests an estimated 7 million acres in the southeast and costs approximately $500 million in lost farm and timber production annually.” Because of Florida’s tropical climate and constantly transitional population, invasive species thrive in the state, resulting in state government expenditures of “$30 million… annually on invasive plant management on natural areas and waterways.”

Therefore, farmers here in Palm Beach County must take advan-

Other top priorities are “to continue to support our public safety, our police and firefighters, to keep our neighborhoods safe, and to ensure that we are going to protect the equestrian lifestyle, including the land.”

She also wants to work within the village and regionally to fight traffic and find solutions to gridlock.

tage of AI plant identification software to prevent the manifestation of invasive species on their properties and preserve their livelihoods. Another agricultural problem that AI has the potential to address is plant disease. The USDA reports that, “Each year, plant diseases cost the global economy around $220 billion.” In Florida, citrus greening and citrus canker have resulted in the loss of thousands of citrus groves. This is because Florida law mandates chopping down any tree within 1,900 feet of a canker-infected plant, leading to the loss of otherwise healthy citrus trees.

Agrio, a plant health app available for smartphones, is a new AI software that offers hope in solving this problem. Agrio “identifies plant diseases and diagnoses plant problems.” Citrus farmers may be able to use this software to identify diseases before they spread and save their groves. Additionally, it is free to use, helping to reduce economic disparities between farmers

with resources and those without.

However, the “digital divide” — the gap between those with access to technology and those without — is a broader problem that introduces an obstacle to the implementation of AI in agriculture. This is especially true in Palm Beach County, where many farmers lack access to broadband internet, digital literacy skills and the hardware to take advantage of the developments that have taken place in the AI field. This means that farmers with access to technology will likely outperform those without, which could exacerbate existing socioeconomic gaps.

As the world navigates this landscape of opportunity and obstacles, the future of AI in agriculture remains uncertain. However, inclusive solutions are needed to ensure that all farmers can benefit from technological advancements. In this journey, the road ahead may be complex, but within it lies the potential to reshape the agricultural landscape for the better.

Keeping with her campaign theme to curb overdevelopment, Antuña said that she has particular concerns with development proposals on the K-Park property owned by Wellington in the State Road 7 area.

“I believe that is something that we need to take a slow pace and continue discussion on what we could do with that property,” she said.

While she has thoughts on a wide array of issues, Antuña said she plans to meet with people to learn more about things before taking action.

“Since I was just elected last night, I want the opportunity to have discussions so that I am pre-

pared,” Antuña said on Wednesday.

For example, she needs to look into the village’s recent rule changes regarding vacation rental properties.

“During my door-to-door knocking, I did ask residents their concerns, and the Airbnb issue was a frequent concern,” Antuña said, adding that she wants to make sure there isn’t more that the village can do to crack down on problematic short-term rental properties.

Silvestri is also eager to get to work on behalf of Wellington residents.

“I am so thankful to the people

The Economic Council of Palm Beach County Foundation this week unveiled 28 finalists for the William T. Dwyer Awards for Excellence in Education, presented by the Hanley Foundation. The finalists will celebrate with a picturesque waterside reception at M/Y Café at Rybovich Marina on April 23, hosted by Huizenga Holdings. The award recipients will be announced and honored along with all finalists, nominees and past recipients at the Dwyer Awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 14 in Dreyfoos Hall at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.

“As we mark four decades of the William T. Dwyer Awards, we celebrate the dedication and impact of educators who shape our community’s future,” said Michele Jacobs, president and CEO of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County. “The event highlights the tireless dedication of educators who go above and beyond to ensure that every student thrives.”

Several educators from the western communities were named among the finalists, including Cathy Eckstein of Wellington Elementary School in the Grow Up Great: Early Elementary Education category; Brandie Soto of Binks Forest Elementary School in the Elementary Education category; Molly Harding of Frontier Elementary School in the STEM Education category; and Mary Leatherman of Emerald Cove Middle School in the Student Support & Advancement category.

“The Hanley Foundation is proud to celebrate the 40-year anniversary of the Dwyer Awards,” said Dr. Rachel Docekal, CEO of Hanley Foundation. “This year marks Hanley’s ninth year as presenting sponsor of this important community event that recognizes dedicated teachers and talented students across the county. We are honored to partner alongside these amazing individuals every day in our mission to eliminate addiction through prevention education programming and beyond.” The Dwyer Awards, an annual program developed in 1984 and supported by the Economic Council of Palm Beach County, honors outstanding educators from public and private schools in Palm Beach County with a reception, ceremony and financial recognition. The

of Wellington for choosing me and trusting me to work for them,” she said. “I am excited to be sworn in on April 9 and get to work. My main goal is to serve Wellington with transparency and ensure that when I make my decisions, the well-being of our residents and the village as a whole are front and center.” Silvestri also opposed the WLP project and promised to keep her eye on it as it progresses.

“I was not in favor of the recent rezoning and removal of the land from the equestrian preserve,” she said. “I look forward to working closely with everyone involved

to ensure that this project is done properly, and all conditions are met.” Silvestri is also concerned about what that project will bring to that entire part of the village.

“I have concerns about too many things being developed on South Shore Blvd.,” she said. “This area gets very backed up with traffic, and adding a strip mall, hotel and condominiums will not help matters.”

Her other goals are to “support world-class public safety, keep taxes low, support local businesses and preserve our parks and green space.”

program seeks to increase awareness of the exemplary teaching in the community and promote high standards of excellence in education.

The Economic Council, comprised of business leaders deeply committed to fostering educational excellence, received nearly 450 nominations for the 2024 Dwyer Awards. Each nominee underwent a rigorous evaluation process by almost 100 prominent business leaders from Palm Beach County. This meticulous judging procedure culminated in selecting the 28 finalists across seven distinct categories, eventually recognizing seven winners, one from each category. The seven categories for the 2024 Dwyer Awards include:

Grow Up Great: Early Learning Education, Elementary Education, Middle School Education, Senior High School Education, STEM Education, Exceptional Education, and Student Support & Advancement.

Felicia Rodriguez, anchor at WPBF 25, will serve as emcee.

Tickets to attend the 40th Annual William T. Dwyer Awards for Excellence in Education are $45 each. Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Learn more at www.economiccouncilpbc.org.

2024 FINALISTS

Grow Up Great: Early Elementary Education — Cathy Eckstein, Wellington Elementary School; Cindy Fakhoury, Lake Worth High School-Little Trojans Preschool; Heather Orloski, Citrus Cove Elementary School; and Nathalee English, Liberty Park Elementary. Elementary Education — Megan Betancourt, Sandpiper Shores Elementary; Brandie Soto, Binks Forest Elementary; Lois Gray, Seminole Trails Elementary; and David Allen-LoCaputo, Liberty Park Elementary. Middle School Education — Shakendra Moorer, Bak Middle School; Kristen Karvonen, Palm Springs Middle School; Amy Finneran, Boca Raton Middle School; and Shannon Solis, Village Academy. Senior High Education — Nayyat Bogosyan, Spanish River High School; Kimberly Coyle, Olympic Heights High School; Stacy Stephens-Miller, Atlantic High School; and Wendy Dublin, Park Vista High School. Stem Education — Cheryl Huey, Jupiter Middle School; William Colman, Howell L. Watkins Middle School; Claudia Chavarria, Pioneer Park Elementary; and Molly Harding, Frontier Elementary.

Exceptional Education Chelsey Carr, Lake Worth Middle School; Rita Wicks, Lantana Elementary School; Julie Bee, All-

24 Karat Ranch in Loxahatchee Groves is one agricultural business using AI programming to solve problems on the farm.

Winning candidates Amanda Silvestri (left) and Maria Antuña (right) celebrate with friends and family at Bonefish Mac’s. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLESICHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Lynn Redmond, Maria Antuña and Amanda Silvestri.

Foundation Steps Up As Diamond Sponsor For Annual Autism Event

The Wellington Community Foundation (WCF) recently announced its continued support for “A Day for Autism: Building Bridges with Law Enforcement Picnic” as the $2,500 Diamond Sponsor.

Collaborating with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, WCF’s board of directors unanimously agreed to back this event for another year, highlighting their commitment to raising awareness about autism.

The event, held on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Wellington’s Village Park, offered a day of celebration for the local autism community.

A Day for Autism featured many engaging activities, such as exploring police vehicles, bounce houses, games, a trackless train, a petting zoo, and a relaxation zone

for parents and caregivers.

Deputies and first responders from the local community were present, providing an opportunity for attendees to interact, ask questions, meet therapy dogs, and foster understanding and solidarity between law enforcement and individuals with autism. Guests also savored delicious food from Bolay and Kona Ice, adding to the festive atmosphere of the day.

PBSO Investigator Scott Poritz, who founded A Day for Autism in 2018 in collaboration with the Florida Atlantic University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (FAU CARD), has dedicated years to helping the local autism community.

This marks the fifth year that the Wellington Community Foundation has partnered with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to sponsor A Day for Autism. The foundation looks forward to continuing its efforts to raise awareness and enhance the well-being of the Wellington community.

WCF Chair Barry Manning presented Poritz with the sponsorship check, symbolizing the foundation’s ongoing commitment to supporting initiatives that benefit Wellington’s seniors, children and veterans in need, ultimately striving to “Build A Stronger Community.” For more information about the Wellington Community Foundation, visit www.wellingtoncommunityfoundation.org.

The event aims to strengthen ties between law enforcement and civilians, fostering trust and mutual respect.

AMBER’S ANIMAL OUTREACH PRESENTS EASTER PAWTY AT ANIMAL HOSPITAL

Amber’s Animal Outreach held its annual Easter Pawty on Sunday, March 24 at Community Animal Hospital in Royal Palm Beach. Attendees enjoyed photos with the Easter Bunny, raffles, vendors and more. Learn more about Amber’s Animal Outreach at www. aaodog.org. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Vicki Giordano with Max, Amber Nelson with Chino and Kathy Nelson, joined by the Easter Bunny.

Amber Nelson and sponsor Tammy Dugal from Community Animal Hospital with the Easter Bunny.

Grand prize winner Mary Sergalis with Skye and Tammy Dugal of Community Animal Hospital in RPB. Daniel Rodriguez and Danielle Ring of Cookies for Kel. Jacqui Dugal with her mother Tammy Dugal. Puppy basket winner Eden Martinez with Amber Nelson. Vicki Giordano from Jake’s Bath House with Max.

Goodie bag winners Billy Wood, Mariana Tascon and Valeria Tascon. Amber’s Animal Outreach volunteers with the Easter Bunny. Costume contest winners Gina DiPace with Millicent (first), sponsor Tammy Dugal, Maria McManus with Marshmellow and Sandy (second) and John McManus with Foxy Roxy (third).

Wellington Community Foundation Chair Barry Manning presents the foundation’s sponsorship to PBSO Investigator Scott Poritz, founder of A Day for Autism.

DELMAR FARM HOSTS EASTER EVENT WITH ‘ALICE IN WONDERLAND’ THEME

On Saturday, March 30, Delmar Farm in Loxahatchee held an Easter fundraiser with an “Alice in Wonderland” theme. Delmar

rescue farm dedicated to helping children learn more about a working farm environment. The fundraiser was meant to bring families together for some holiday fun and included story times with Snow White, photo ops with the Easter Bunny, pony rides, hayrides, and a Wonderland experience with Alice and her friends. The highlight of the day was

Enjoy Tour Of Million Dollar Stables And Grounds

An exclusive tour of five of Wellington’s million-dollar private stables and equestrian properties is being offered by Wellington Garden Club on Saturday, April 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The self-guided tour allows ticket holders to explore each location at their leisure and learn from stable owners and staff about the care and training of the champion horses that live there, as well as details that make each property unique. The properties included on the tour are Eagle Tree Farm (dressage), Helgstrand Dressage USA (dressage and show jumping), Mida Farms (Clydesdales), River Run Farm (hunters), and Santa Rita Polo Farm (polo). All are working farms where lucky visitors may see riders exercising their horses outdoors or in the covered arenas. Visitors also may find a polo match in progress.

“We are thrilled that these five property owners have agreed to be part of our tour of stables and grounds on these magnificent estates,” said Carol Coleman, chair of the tour and former Wellington Garden Club president and FFGC District X director. “This is an opportunity to get an insider’s look at how these farms operate and to appreciate the athleticism of the horses, the beauty and grandeur of the stables and grounds where they live, as well as the dedication of the owners and staff who care for them.”

Wellington Garden Club President Carol Ralph agreed. “We are especially delighted to include a unique raffle item for a carriage ride with the champion Clydesdale horses at Mida Farm,” she said. “The winning ticket holder can arrange a private carriage ride around the grounds of this incred-

ible 26-acre estate at a later date with owner Victoria McCullough. We are extremely grateful to her for her generosity.” Additional raffle items will be available at each property, along with vendors and refreshments. Advance tickets are $75 per person at www.wellingtongardenclub.org.

Day-of-tour tickets are $90 at the tour tent in front of Wellington Village Hall at 12300 W. Forest Hill Blvd. Proceeds will support the club’s college scholarships and youth summer environmental camps, civic beautification, youth garden clubs and community projects.

WGC members admire one of the Clydesdales at Mida Farm.

The Wellington Art Society will host Scott Jeffries as featured artist and speaker at the group’s next meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10 at the Wellington Community Center. For info., contact presidentofwas@gmail.com.

If you wonder how he creates his spectacular paintings, Jeffries, who has been doodling since childhood and still has his grandmother’s paintbox and brushes, will tell you, “Don’t be afraid to paint outside the lines.” That describes not just his art but his life. Jeffries has reinvented himself as a professional artist after a series of yet-unbroken high school swimming records, being an AllStar Division 1 athlete, having a successful legal career as a public defender and more.

Jeffries’ art begins with a total

absence of sketching or planning, as it blossoms spontaneously into a beautiful melody of faces and shapes that create symphonies of color, sometimes spilling over and off the canvas. He will tell you his lack of a formal art education has allowed him freedom of artistic creativity, unencumbered by established norms.

To browse his paintings and learn more about Scott Jeffries, visit www.scottyjart.com or find him on Instagram @scottart.

The Wellington Art Society is open to artists of all mediums and patrons of the arts, allowing both local and regional artists to display their artwork in local galleries, interact with other artists and serve the community through their art. For more information, visit www. wellingtonartsociety.org.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Honors the memory of Detective Clarence G. “Bud” Backherms

Who died in the line of duty on April 7, 2019 after a long illness caused from being shot in the line of duty on February 28, 1990 while proudly serving the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Palm Beach County

He will always be remembered

TO SERVE AND PROTECT WAS THEIR OATH TO HONOR THEM IS OUR DUTY

The Village of Royal Palm Beach will participate in the Great American Cleanup on Saturday, April 20, 2024. Registration will take place from 7 a.m. - 8 a.m. at the Recreation Center located at 100 Sweet Bay Lane where participants will be equipped with bags and gloves for the cleanup. Refreshments and lunch for participants will follow the cleanup! Contact Michael Cheatham at 561-790-5199 for details.

is a

an Easter egg hunt. For more information, visit www.delmarfarm.org. PHOTOS BY ERIN DAVISSON/TOWN-CRIER

Mary Marder and Cathy Goodman with Peter Rabbit.

Claudia Campbell of Delmar Farm with the Wonderland crew.

The Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter invite guests to a tea party. Families enjoy a fun hayride experience. Kids enjoy field games. Kids of all ages participate in the egg hunt.

Story time with Snow White was a popular activity.

Mac Saures and Janneva Jean-Gilles as card guards.

Emilia and Victoria McGovern, Councilman John McGovern, Mayor Anne Gerwig, Luca Napoleone, Mayor-Elect Michael Napoleone and Councilman Michael Drahos with the Easter Bunny.

Mia Willingham dons matching bunny ears to go with her bunny basket. Brandon, Gabriela and Brandon Sharp with the Easter Bunny. Ariana Dong and Silver Cheng play with bubbles.

show off their egg hunt collections. Mimi Le opens the eggs she found. Fatima Lezano, Silvia Frago and Jose Frago. Celeste Jaramillo collects eggs.

Autumn Mastrapa collects eggs in her basket.

Josh Warning with Lilah Warning, who found a winning ticket.

WHS Flag Football Team Looking To Repeat As District Champs

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

The Wellington High School girls flag football team is motivated by the sweet and bittersweet experience of last season.

Last spring, Wellington won its first district tournament title when it defeated Seminole Ridge High School, but then seven days later, both teams met again in the first

round of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 2A state tournament, where Seminole Ridge turned the tables and won, 13-6.

Wellington has been motivated this season by last year’s seasonending loss to Seminole Ridge. While the Wolverines are looking to repeat as district champions this spring, the 16 players who have returned from last year’s squad are committed to a deeper postseason run.

Under the leadership of head coach Robert Callovi, Wellington has had a strong regular season.

After 11 games, Wellington is 9-2.

The only setbacks were a pair of home defeats — a 7-6 loss to Martin County High School on March 27 and a 28-0 loss to Davie’s Western High School on April 2.

With the exception of those losses, Wellington’s offense has been prolific this season, scoring an average of 34.1 points per game in each of its wins, while the defense has been stingy, allowing

only 39 points for an average of 4.3 points per game in their nine victories.

For many flag football teams, success often revolves around the play of its quarterback. Fortunately, Wellington has a strong and talented signal-caller in senior Keelin Coleman, who is committed to continuing her flag football career next year at Thomas University in Thomasville, Georgia.

“Keelin has all the tools that you would want in a quarterback. She is also incredibly hardworking and driven to be as successful as possible,” Callovi said.

After 11 games, Coleman has thrown for more than 2,100 yards and 35 touchdowns. She has also rushed for a pair of touchdowns. It’s also vital to have an athletic group of receivers who can run crisp routes, catch the football and run with it.

“We are blessed to have a strong receiving corps made up of Avery Schroeder, Angelia Bistrong, Jordan Fernandez and Samantha El-

lis, as well our center Emma Segfeldt and running back Kennady Seider, who both play big roles in our passing game,” Callovi said. Fernandez has the most touchdown catches with 11, while Schroeder has 10.

While Wellington has a prolific offensive attack, its defense has been stifling, too. “Our rusher, Sydney Lopez, is one of the best in the state,” Callovi said. “She is extremely fast, but she is also relentless in her pursuit. Linebacker Mia Brown has one of the biggest motors on the team and is all over the field.” Lopez has recorded 17 sacks this season, so far.

While Wellington has many returning players from last year’s squad, the team has received a boost from a newcomer.

“One of our key backups is a freshman, Madison Rice,” Callovi said. “She has helped push the starters to stay at their best.”

While Callovi is delighted with his team’s strong start to the

regular season, there is room for improvement.

“We are pleased with the start, but we continue to look for areas that we can improve and grow as the season continues,” he said. “In the game against Western, they took advantage of their scoring opportunities, and we didn’t. We should have had three scores in the first half of that game.”

Callovi knows that it will take a total team effort for his squad to make a deep postseason run.

“We are not settling for our current success, but continuing to find ways to be a better team, and we know our toughest test is always what is in front of us that day,” he said.

The Wolverines concluded their regular season on Thursday, April 4 with a home game against Cardinal Newman High School.

They will then begin their postseason by competing in the district tournament, which starts Monday, April 8.

How Wellington fares in the

Taylor Twins Are Fast-Tracked For Beach Volleyball Success

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

Sixteen-year-old twin sisters Britain and Brielle Taylor of Wellington are leading a competitive beach volleyball-centric life. They are enjoying the challenge of getting stronger, fitter, quicker and better by training together and playing together. The pair have a mutual goal of earning beach volleyball college scholarships, preferably at the same university, so they can continue to play on the same beach volleyball team. To date, several top NCAA Division I programs

have reached out to their local volleyball club, Sandstorm, about interest in the girls. As individuals, they are definitely not the tallest, as both of them stand 5-foot-6, but they are extremely fast and quick. They made the varsity track and field team at the King’s Academy when they were in the sixth grade. Their fundamental beach volleyball skills are strong and sound. “Our ball control is what sets us apart,” Britain said. “We know each other very well because we are so used to playing with each other,” Brielle added.

Both girls are natural athletes who have demonstrated the ability to also play soccer, lacrosse, gymnastics, basketball and dance.

“A few years ago, I thought my girls were going to be college soccer players, but now they are passionate and serious about playing beach volleyball,” said their mother, Christy Taylor, who played college volleyball for Palm Beach Atlantic University in the late 1990s. “The girls are blessed with God-given athletic talents.”

Their father, Patrick, is a 6-foot4 former basketball player who also played at Palm Beach Atlantic University, so both girls inherited athletic genes from their parents.

To help turn the collegiate beach volleyball dream into a reality, the decision was made last summer to withdraw the girls from TKA and register them as homeschoolers.

“The girls are enrolled in FLVS and are also taking classes through Southeastern University,” said Christy, who used to coach the girls and boys indoor volleyball teams at TKA.

By being homeschooled, it gives the Taylor family the chance to travel around the U.S. to participate in tournaments, camps and clinics. In the last year, they have traveled to play in tournaments from Florida to California.

Nowadays, they are on the road competing roughly 20 weekends a year.

“They are living the lives of college students by taking their books with them on the road,” Christy said.

In order to legally maintain contact with college coaches, both girls post videos and pictures of their tournament performances on Instagram.

“Many college coaches are liking their posts,” Christy noted. “College coaches are definitely aware of what they are doing at tournaments. They can’t communicate with the girls until June 15, so it’s nice for them to be kind enough to encourage them this way.”

When the girls are not training, studying, sleeping, eating or competing, they are traveling to watch their older brother Logan compete for the men’s indoor volleyball team at North Greenville University in South Carolina. Logan, who was a standout performer for the boys indoor volleyball team at TKA, is a freshman setter on the team, and he’s thriving as a college volleyball player.

“He was actually named National Setter of the Week one week which was, as you can imagine, crazy exciting,” Christy said.

Both Christy and Patrick, and their three children, are enjoying their competitive beach and indoor volleyball experiences.

“We’re all enjoying this volleyball ride,” Christy said. “God has blessed them all with athletic talent. Now, it’s up to them to take it from there.”

Britain, Brielle and Logan are doing just that, and then some.

Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball League Crowns 2024 League Champs

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

The Hoboken Zephyrs are champions of the Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball League for the 2023-24 season. In the championship final, which was played Tuesday, April

2 at Village Park in Wellington, the Zephyrs defeated the Bronx Clippers, 10-4. It was a come-from-behind victory for the Zephyrs, who had to overcome a two-run deficit with an eight-run rally in the bottom of the

eighth inning in order to take the lead and secure the win. The Clippers were led by Jay Schlesinger, who hit a solo home run, and by Andy Cohen, who stroked a single, double and a triple in a losing cause. In the Zephyrs’

eight-run eighth inning, Al Leon singled to begin that inning. During the inning, run-scoring doubles were slugged by Phil Strassler, Steve Gralnick, Doug Lipman and Ira Hirschbach. Steve Klein had three RBIs for the Zephyrs.

“The victory by the Zephyrs was their first in the history of the league, which has been in existence for 22 years and has always been played at Village Park in Wellington,” said Marty Ross, longtime league commissioner. “We refer to Village Park as Stickball Blvd. South, as it reminds us of our original stickball home back in Brooklyn, New York, which is 1,221 miles away from Wellington.”

The Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball League will conclude its season on Tuesday, April 9 with its annual all-star game, also at Village Park. The game will start at 1:30 p.m. Plans are already underway for the 2024-25 season, which will begin in early December.

The Taylor sisters on the beach volleyball court. PHOTOS BY CHRISTY TAYLOR

Stan Ginsberg, captain of the Zephyrs, accepts the trophy from Art Spector. PHOTOS BY HARRY KLAFF

Brielle Taylor goes for the kill on a grass volleyball court.

The 2024 Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball League champion Hoboken Zephyrs.

Britain Taylor going for the kill while sister Brielle observes.

district tournament will determine its seeding in the FHSAA’s Class 2A state tournament, which begins with the first of three regional playoff games and concludes in Tampa on May 10-11.

Seminole Ridge Wins

Seminole Ridge Flag Football Grads Playing Strong At Keiser

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

Thanks to the contributions of five Seminole Ridge High School graduates, the women’s flag football team at Keiser University in West Palm Beach is one of the top collegiate flag football teams in the nation. Those five players are senior Emma Wagenman, senior Marisa Rubino, sophomore Sophia Caprio, junior Chloe Griffin and junior Haylie Young. They are led by current interim head coach Samantha Harris, who is a former flag football coach at Seminole Ridge. So far, Keiser’s record is an

impressive 7-1 this season. The only blemish was a 20-14 loss on March 15 to Florida Gateway College in a game that was part of the Reinhardt Invitational in Waleska, Georgia.

Harris expects all her players, especially the Seminole Ridge graduates, to be as focused and dedicated to excellence off the football field as they are on the football field, whether it’s homework, an exam, a practice, a scrimmage or an actual game.

“Among my athletes, I anticipate a positive attitude at every practice and game. Other key expectations I have for my athletes are accountability, responsibility,

Girls Flag Big Win For SRHS

continued from page 21

School flag football team, which hosted western communities rival Palm Beach Central High School (6-8). The Hawks prevailed, 13-0. “It was a pretty sloppy game by us with a lot of dropped balls and penalties, unfortunately,” Seminole Ridge head coach Scott O’Hara said.

In the win against Palm Beach Central, quarterback Aubrey Fogel completed 20 of 34 pass attempts and receiver Lola Agosto caught two touchdown passes. On defense, Gisella Negron, Dakota Parks and Sydney Pena had interceptions. Pena also had six flag pulls/tackles.

With the victory, Seminole Ridge improved its regular season record to 10-2.

Seminole Ridge concluded its regular season on Thursday, April 4 when the Hawks hosted Central High School from Miami.

As with Wellington, how Semi-

and effective communication with both coaches and teammates,” Harris said. “I’ve had the privilege of coaching some of these players during my 10-year tenure at Seminole Ridge High School. These players all bring something unique to our Keiser Seahawks family. I am grateful for this chance to coach them at this level and to share in their journey, from being a [Seminole Ridge] Hawk to becoming a [Keiser University] Seahawk.”

According to Harris, each of the five former Seminole Ridge players is making a major contribution to the team’s overall success. Wagenman loves to play flag football. She is physically fit and mentally strong, Harris said.

“The drive, passion and fire that I see in her at practices and games is something I love about her as an athlete,” Harris said of Wagenman. “She’s a smart player and one of the best rushers in the game. I’m looking forward to watching her work at beating her record in sacks.”

This season, Wagenman has had nine tackles, six of which have been sacks. She has also caught five passes, one of which was for a touchdown. Rubino has a very determined

Seminole Ridge

night game against Palm Beach Central High School.

nole Ridge fares in the same local district tournament during the week of April 8 will determine its seeding in the FHSAA’s Class 2A state tournament, leading to

Citizen Advisory Committees Volunteers Needed

The Village of Wellington is currently accepting applications from residents who would like to be considered for appointment to a Wellington board or committee. Village Boards and Committees are Architectural Review Board, Construction Board of Adjustment and Appeals, Education Committee, Equestrian Preserve Committee, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Planning, Zoning and Adjustment Board, Public Safety Committee, Senior Advisory Committee and the Tree Board. Volunteers wishing to serve can obtain an application at www.wellingtonfl.gov. The application

mindset when she plays flag football.

“Her passion for the game shines through every time she’s on the field,” Harris said. “She is consistently making every opportunity count. She’s a huge asset to this team, and I love watching her play the game at this level.”

This season, Rubino has caught six passes, one of which was for a touchdown. She has also caught two extra point passes. Caprio thrives in the team environment.

“She has a fierce competitive spirit. Her self-imposed standards and dedication both on and off the field are apparent,” Harris said. “She puts in the effort benefiting not only herself but the entire team. I’m looking forward to

watching her grow and compete at this level.”

This season, Caprio has caught five passes, one of which was for a touchdown. Defensively, she has had 11 tackles. Griffin leads by example on the football field.

“I admire Chloe’s leadership style. She motivates her teammates through her actions, work ethic and on-the-field plays,” Harris said.

“She has a smile that is infectious, and her quiet determination drives everyone around her to strive to be better. Her impact on the game is powerful.”

This season, Griffin has had seven receptions, four of which have been for touchdowns. Defensively, she has had six tackles.

As a quarterback, Young main-

the state final four in Tampa on May 10-11. Last year’s team from Seminole Ridge reached the FHSAA’s Class 2A state tournament, falling in the semifinals.

tains her composure while evading any oncoming rusher in the backfield.

“Her ability to remain calm in the backfield, as well as her ability to read the field, is impressive,” Harris said. “In high-stress situations, Haylie can bring this team back into a state of focus. Her passing game is strong. I am looking forward to watching her grow more this season and become an even stronger quarterback.” This season, Young has thrown for 374 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Seahawks will look to continue their winning ways when they play in Miami Gardens against longtime Sun Conference rival St. Thomas University (9-2) on Saturday, April 6. The game will start at 1 p.m.

Wellington Expands Village Park Pickleball Open Play

Wellington Parks & Recreation has expanded the hours of availability for Open Play Pickleball at the Village Park Athletics Complex (11700 Pierson Road). Pickleball is a popular paddle sport that combines the elements of tennis, badminton and pingpong into a lively, competitive

game for all ages and abilities.

As of Monday, April 1, indoor pickleball is now available in the Village Park gymnasium Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon. Players can participate on a first-come, first-served basis; are required to bring their own paddles and balls; and must check-in at the front desk before participating. A valid ID will be required. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Non-residents are required to pay a $5 entry fee. For additional details, visit www.wellingtonfl.gov/openplay or contact the Village Park front desk at (561) 791-4005.

Emma Wagenman in action for the Keiser University Seahawks.

Junior Chloe Griffin runs with the ball.

Quarterback Haylie Young looks to pass the ball.

quarterback Aubrey Fogel during the senior

PHOTO BY RICHARD AREYZAGA JR.

Senior Marisa

Christian Kukuk Scores Rolex Grand Prix Win With Checker 47

Germany’s Christian Kukuk and Checker 47 clinched a win in the $500,000 Rolex CSI5* Grand Prix during the final Saturday Night Lights of the Winter Equestrian Festival’s 2024 season on Saturday, March 30.

From final draw, Kukuk made his Wellington debut a winning one in the last of a 12-week run of FEI competitions in front of a sold-out crowd at Wellington International.

“I had goosebumps after that last fence,” Kukuk said. “It’s an incredible feeling. I had only heard about Wellington and the Rolex week before this. I brought my two best horses, and everything went exactly how I wanted.”

After finishing the runner-up in the qualifier earlier in the week on Mumbai, Kukuk piloted 14-yearold Westphalian gelding Checker 47, owned by M.H. & Partner GBR, to top call in his first-ever

Celebrating 50 years of competition in the USPA Gold Cup, a rematch between Valiente (Bob Jornayvaz, Mariano “Peke” Gonzalez Jr., Paco de Narvaez Jr. and Adolfo Cambiaso) and La Dolfina (Jeff Hildebrand, Rufino Merlos, Poroto Cambiaso and Tomas Panelo) featured the two Gauntlet of Polo heavyweights meeting for a second consecutive finale Sunday, March 24 at the National Polo Center-Wellington. Defending USPA Gold Cup champions Poroto Cambiaso and

Rolex Grand Prix win. “These [Rolex classes] are the best Grand Prix events in the year. We all know that, and we all work for them in the end,” Kukuk said. “This crowd and this stadium are special. To be last to go and win is an incredible feeling.”

The evening’s courses were designed by Guilherme Jorge, who has been named as the jumping technical delegate for the Paris Olympics this summer. Kukuk tackled the jump-off track with the foot speed of Checker 47, his winning mount from the 2023 FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona, to unseat current leader and local crowd favorite McLain Ward.

“The pressure was a bit on, and I could feel it in the warm-up, but I need that, to be honest,” said Kukuk, who posted a time of 35.82 seconds over Ward’s 36.24 seconds. “I knew I could not do the same strides [as Ward], but I could

Panelo led La Dolfina alongside team sponsor Hildebrand and 16-year-old Merlos. Confident and assertive from the first throw-in, La Dolfina established a lead and did not relinquish it. Their impressive display of determination clinched the renowned organization’s first title on American soil and $50,000 in prize money.

Each entered the semifinals carrying a 3-1 record. Valiente and La Dolfina swapped C.V. Whitney Cup semifinal opponents, with Valiente defeating Coca-Cola and

try to turn a bit tighter after the double, and that worked very well. When I landed, I knew I could be close, so I tried everything I could and left one out to the last.”

Ward introduced a new mount, Ilex, to the bright lights of Wellington International. The 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding that Ward owns together with Bonne Chance Farm is the former mount of Brazil’s Fabio Leivas da Costa.

“I didn’t leave much on the table,” said Ward, a two-time U.S. Olympic team gold medalist. “I started riding this horse seven weeks ago, and tonight I had a good feeling of putting the pieces together. I haven’t jumped him off before, but I knew we had a big stride, and he’s very honest. He bucked a little after the double, and I think I lost a touch of time there.”

Ward enjoys jumping in front of the crowd at Saturday Night Lights.

La Dolfina earning the victory over Park Place. “We lost the first game of the Gold Cup against Tamera, and that made us wake up and put pressure on ourselves,” Panelo said.

Aware of the deep rosters vying for a spot in the finale, Panelo added, “The truth is, we had five finals before this one because we needed to win every game. I think that was a good thing for us. We knew we didn’t have another chance of winning.”

Following a stinging loss to Valiente in the C.V. Whitney Cup final, Panelo and his teammates were hungry for redemption. “Today we had much more pressure than the final before because they already beat us once,” Panelo said. “We couldn’t lose twice in a row — it would’ve been terrible.”

Setting the tone for a close match with plenty of end-to-end plays, both teams had ample opportunities in the early stages of the contest. Establishing Valiente on the scoreboard first, a Penalty 2 from de Narvaez was answered by Panelo from the field, followed by a Penalty 4 off the mallet of Poroto Cambiaso to give La Dolfina a 2-1 edge. Panelo scored the lone goal from either side in the second chukker.

Following Poroto Cambiaso’s first field goal of the day, Valiente responded and settled into an

“Show jumping is a real passion here, and there’s a great following,” he said. “These Rolex Grand Prix events are a notch above everything else in the world and are events that all the top riders aim for. It was great sport for great sporting fans.”

Karl Cook capped the podium aboard Kalinka van’t Zorgvliet, a 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare owned by Helen Signe Ostby. Cook’s early clear set a pace of 36.62 seconds, which ultimately landed him third.

“She has been energetic since day one, and I think there’s something about her where she knows what the event is,” said Cook of Kalinka rising to the five-star occasion. “You can feel her energy when she’s in classes like this with the crowd and atmosphere; she gets better in it. I’ve shown up here the second half [of the season], and it has worked. Last

offensive rhythm. Finding the posts and working through traffic, Adolfo Cambiaso struck twice, with Valiente tying the match 4-4. Breaking the brief stalemate, Merlos took advantage of a broken play in the final moments of the half to lift La Dolfina back on top 5-4 at the horn.

Entering the second half under darkening skies, rain began to shower the competitors as play resumed. Undeterred by the sudden change in weather, La Dolfina utilized the fourth chukker to separate from their opponents. Leading the charge, Panelo contributed three goals, including two conversions, as Poroto Cambiaso found success from the field. Holding Valiente to just two goals, La Dolfina catapulted to a 10-6 lead. The rain subsiding, Valiente faced another collective challenge — a series of yellow cards sending Adolfo Cambiaso to the penalty box. Short-handed without their 10-goal leader for a crucial four minutes, Valiente dug their heels in defensively to successfully keep La Dolfina off the scoreboard. Cambiaso re-entered the match with a charge, as back-to-back goals from Valiente kept them in contention, trailing by just two.

Utilizing the combination of skill and grit displayed by La Dolfina throughout the match, Poroto Cambiaso and Panelo dug

year, I was fourth in this class, and this year, I’m third. I am happy with that, and it was an unbelievable class.” To close the evening, Checker

in to combine for an imperative two-goal run. Trailing by four in the final moments of the game, Adolfo Cambiaso attempted to ignite a final Valiente comeback, but La Dolfina ultimately went the distance to earn the 12-9 triumph.

Leading La Dolfina with six goals in the final, Tomas Panelo was named Most Valuable Player, presented by BTG Pactual. “I think today we played better, we defended really well,” Panelo said. “It was, of course, always a difficult game against Valiente.”

Elated and appreciative, Panelo added, “Let me thank all the grooms from the organizations, from their team, ours, we all work together at Valiente — it’s an amazing place. The horses, the veterinarian, the farrier, the managers, the trainers — they do an amazing job.”

Best Playing Pony presented by Palm Beach Equine was awarded to Antu Walung Rumba, a 10-yearold mare played by Paco de Narvaez Jr. in the fifth chukker.

In partnership with U.S. Polo Assn. Global Licensing, both finalists selected a charity of their choice to receive a $2,500 donation. La Dolfina contributed to Polo for Life, while Valiente selected the Work to Ride program.

Expressing his thoughts on besting his father, Poroto Cambiaso said, “I think he’ll be happy that I

won. He won the first one, so we’re happy that we both competed in the final. That’s the best part... The truth is that we had a very good match, and that’s why we are happy to have won the tournament.”

Prior to the main event, tournament newcomers Clearwater (Lucas Criado Jr., Raul “Gringo” Colombres, Jared Zenni and Chip Campbell) went head-to-head against Tamera (Alejandro Poma, Segundo Saravi, Matias Torres Zavaleta and Diego Cavanagh) to determine the victor of the inaugural USPA Gold Cup subsidiary, the Retama Cup. It was a back-and-forth affair with Criado Jr. and Colombres leading the offense for Clearwater, as Cavanagh countered for Tamera. Following a buzzer beater at the end of the fifth from Saravi, the two teams entered the final chukker deadlocked 9-9.

Working off the momentum Saravi provided, Tamara added five goals to the scoreboard to claim a decisive 14-10 victory.

All nine teams competing in the USPA Gold Cup have now shifted their focus toward capturing the most coveted title in American polo, the U.S. Open Polo Championship. With $100,000 on the line, the tournament got underway March 27 at NPC and continues until the final on Sunday, April 21. For tickets, or to learn more, visit www.nationalpolocenter.com.

Christian Kukuk and Checker 47, winners of the $500,000 Rolex CSI5* Grand Prix. PHOTO BY SPORTFOT 47’s caretaker Sofie Karlsson was honored with the $500 Grooms Award, presented by Double H Farm’s Quentin Judge and Cayce Harrison.

Gold

Girl Scouts Will Honor Outstanding Women At Emerald Awards April 12

The Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida will honor five extraordinary women from Palm Beach County at the 11th annual Emerald Awards on Friday, April 12 at 11 a.m. at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach.

These women exemplify strong leadership qualities in their respective fields, serve as significant role models for young women in the community, and embody the characteristics of today’s problem solvers, dreamers, changemakers and doers.

An Emerald Awards honoree is recognized as a woman who brings new ideas to life, demonstrates creative problem solving, and brings innovation to her field of expertise or community. She embodies the go-getter, innovator, risk-taker and leader characteristics of today’s Girl Scout and drives change in her community. The 2024 Emerald Award Palm Beach honorees are:

• Go-Getter Award: Tamra FitzGerald, president of the Venue Marketing Group.

• Innovator Award: Kirsten Dolan, CEO of One Parking.

• Risk Taker Award: Natalie Mackey, CEO and founder of Winky Lux.

• Leader Award: Penny Murphy, president of Pioneer Linens.

In addition, the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida will honor Julie Kime with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Philanthropy. The afternoon will feature a silent auction and cocktail reception for networking, leading to the awards ceremony with a keynote by Nancy Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Promise Fund of Florida. The Emerald Awards honorary event chairs are Geri Emmett, Donna Mulholland and Lois Pope. The event committee chair is Virginia Spencer, and joining her on the host committee are Kayla Campbell, Susan D. del Portal, Priya Deshmukh, Andrea Fogarty, Kathleen Hillman, Lynn Kirker, Robin Mason, Melissa Mulvaney, Ofelia Utset and Marcia Wolf. 2024 Emerald Award sponsors are FPL (Ruby Sponsor), HCA Florida Healthcare (Mental Wellness Advocate Sponsor), the Duffy’s Foundation, Donna

Kime

Mulholland, Lois Pope and Publix Super Market Charities (Emerald Sponsors), Fiserv and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (Sapphire Sponsors), and many more. Tickets to the Emerald Awards luncheon are $175. To register for the event, visit https://one.bidpal. net/eapalmbeach24/ticketing. For more info., contact the Advancement Team at advancement@ gssef.org.

More than any other community organization, the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida empowers girls ages 5 to 17 with vision and voice — girls who command their future, engage their communities and inspire others. The organization offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure and success. The Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida serve more than 6,900 girls in Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties. To explore opportunities to volunteer or partner with Girl Scouts, call (561) 427-0177 or visit www.gssef.org.

Local Author Dr. David Samore Publishes Amazon Bestseller

Dr. David Samore, a local entrepreneur and leadership consultant based in Wellington, recently published a No. 1 bestselling book on Amazon. True Leadership: The 10 Universal Laws hit No. 1 in

The cover of Dr. David Samore’s new book.

Bricks Busting Boredom Celebrates Lego Milestone

The Wellington-based nonprofit Bricks Busting Boredom marked its milestone 5,000th pound Lego donation by delivering 250 pounds of Lego bricks to the YWCA and the Project REACH emergency shelter programs in West Palm Beach in February.

In 2015, siblings Daniel, Sarah and Jonathan Clein observed a lack of color and creative outlets for children undergoing treatment in hospitals.

Recognizing the need for expression during extended hospital stays, they founded Bricks Busting Boredom, a nonprofit dedicated to supplying new and used Lego bricks to children’s hospitals.

While Daniel led the organization in high school, expanding donation sites to include homeless shelters and foster homes, his sister Sarah assumed leadership in 2017. Sarah initiated “Lego parties,” providing not only Lego bricks but also organizing events for children to create, play and take home new sets.

“We will host parties for children, bring the used Legos for them to play with, and leave new

Lego boxes for each child to take with them,” mother Deborah Clein said.

These Lego parties offer children a chance to express themselves, and parents a respite to watch their kids be kids.

“Bricks Busting Boredom has grown into a great family project,” Deborah said, highlighting the collaborative efforts of the Clein family.

Jonathan, the youngest Clein, now heads the organization. Under his leadership, Bricks Busting Boredom has organized events for various organizations and introduced a community outreach program, including a presence at the Village of Wellington’s Lakeside Market.

“Since 2015, we have collected and delivered more than 5,000 pounds of “upcycled” Legos and 2,000 new Lego sets,” Deborah said.

Those interested in contributing can contact Bricks Busting Boredom through www.bricksbustingboredom.org, e-mail bricksbustingboredom@gmail.com or call (954) 682-3816. Suncoast High

Jonathan Clein delivers 125 pounds of Lego bricks to the children at the YWCA shelter program.

Bricks Busting Boredom makes donating Lego bricks easy. They do not need to be in complete sets, and they come to you to pick up donations. Make a difference in children’s

Bradley Hurston Joins The Quantum Foundation Board

Samore

Business Ethics shortly after it was released in February. Samore, an award-winning leader in public and private enterprise, wrote True Leadership to help leaders from any industry capture the perennial realities that are fundamental to creating exceptional leadership. The book guides any experienced or aspiring leader through the essential tenets that create and nurture success in any workplace. Recognized as Florida Principal of the Year in 2015 and Florida Administrator of the Year in 2008, Spain’s King Felipe VI awarded Samore the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Isabel La Católica in 2020 for his extensive work bridging cultures between Spain and the United States. True Leadership is Samore’s second book, following his first effort, Ecstatic Doom: The Adult’s Guide to Middle Schoolers, which was met with critical acclaim. In response to the alarmingly high incidents of violence enacted by males in the U.S., Samore has committed to writing a third book, entitled Avoiding Titanic: What Schools Can Do to Save the Sinking American Male, expected to be available in early 2025.

The Quantum Foundation recently announced the appointment of Wellington resident Bradley Hurston to its board of directors. Hurston is a highly accomplished professional with a distinguished career in the finance industry and currently serves as the director of wealth management at Krusen Capital Management LLC.

Hurston has a rich background in managing investment portfolios, retail banking and trading in residential whole loan portfolios and is already proving to be a great asset to the foundation’s Audit and Finance & Investment committees. Hurston holds a bachelor’s degree in family financial management from the Ohio State University and completed his master’s degree at the University of Miami. Beyond his established career, he is an active community leader as a board member at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and serves on its Young Friends Committee.

In his personal life, Hurston finds joy in spending quality time with his wife and two young children. He is based in Wellington, where he volunteers his time to coach youth flag football and basketball.

“We are so pleased to have Bradley on our team of visionaries,” said Eric Kelly, president of the Quantum Foundation. “His expertise will continue to lead us on a path of intentional grant giving and identifying the greatest impact behind every dollar to improve the health of Palm Beach County.”

The Quantum Foundation’s mission is to inspire and fund initiatives that improve the health of Palm Beach County residents.

The health foundation was formed from $135 million in proceeds from the sale of JFK Medical Center. Now in its third decade of community investment, the foundation has assets of approximately $160 million. Since its inception,

the foundation has awarded $170 million to hundreds of Palm Beach County nonprofit grantees. Every dollar the foundation grants stays in the county to benefit local communities. For more information about the Quantum Foundation, visit www. quantumfnd.org.

Bradley Hurston

School junior

lives by donating Lego bricks today.

Dr. David

Julie

SCHOOL BUS POSTER DAY 2024

On

Palm Beach State College To Host STEAM Luncheon April 16 At Kravis

One of the leading global minds on innovation and technology, Gary Vaynerchuk or Gary Vee as he is known, will be the keynote speaker at Palm Beach State College’s Yvonne S. Boice STEAM Luncheon, presented by Bank of America, at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 16, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts’ Cohen Pavilion. The annual luncheon will honor the philanthropic legacy of the college’s late friend, STEAM chair and respected pillar in the community Yvonne S. Boice, who passed away last year. After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the signature event aims to increase scholarships, business partnerships and internship opportunities to support students pursuing science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics fields.

Vaynerchuk is a serial entrepreneur and the cair of VaynerX, the CEO of VaynerMedia, and the creator and CEO of VeeFriends. Through VaynerMedia, a full-service advertising agency, he helps brands leverage consumer attention.

VaynerMedia is part of the VaynerX holding company, including Eva Nosidam Productions, Vayner3, Gallery Media Group, the Sasha Group, VaynerSpeakers and VaynerCommerce. Vee is also the co-founder of VaynerSports, Resy and Empathy Wines. Vee was recently named to the Fortune list of the top 50 influential people in the NFT industry.

“Gary is a globally respected and admired leader and one of the most forward thinkers in business,” PBSC President Ava L. Parker said. “His participation in

American Heritage Schools, the top-ranked PK3 through 12 college preparatory schools, recently announced that its summer programs, including Day Camp and Summer Education, will be offered in-person or online during summer 2024. The summer programs will run for nine weeks starting June 10 through Aug. 9. The summer camp programs are designed for children ages 3 to 13. American Heritage provides day camp and specialty camps, including robotics, art, science, musical theater, video production and sports camps. Specialty camps vary by campus. Each camper will enjoy age-appropriate activities supervised by American Heritage Schools’ highly qualified staff. Cabins for ages 3 to 5 are co-ed, while ages 6 to 13 have separate cabins for boys and girls. All cabins, which are classrooms during the school year, are air conditioned and campers take pride in decorating them to reflect

the cabin’s theme. To expand the number of recreational activities available to campers ages 8 to 13, age-appropriate field trips are scheduled. The summer camps are directed by state-certified teachers and college or high school students who have been carefully screened by American Heritage Schools. American Heritage Schools’ Summer Education offers an extensive course catalog of more than 120 enrichment and reinforcement courses (three-week

our STEAM Luncheon will help amplify our initiatives to educate our students in critical STEAM fields and support the STEAM employers in our area.”

Vee also documents his life daily as a CEO through his social media channels, which have more than 44 million followers. “We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Vaynerchuk as his expertise with today’s cutting-edge technologies and passion for entrepreneurship complements Palm Beach State’s advancements in these areas,” said David Rutherford, vice president of Institutional Advancement and CEO of the Foundation for PBSC. “As the college has become a leader in innovation and educational technology, it is very fitting to have a pioneer of his magnitude to reignite Palm Beach State’s signature event.”

Gary Vaynerchuk Individual tickets are $300. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. To purchase tickets and learn more, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/foundation/steam.

sessions or weekly seminars), specifically designed with student interest and engagement in mind, to students from pre-K3 through 12th grade. Most of the classes are offered live online and/or in person at one of American Heritage Schools’ two 40-acre campuses, including the Palm Beach campus in Delray Beach. High school course offerings include advanced test prep, honors and AP level research work, as well as unique pre-professional

programs for those interested in future careers in medicine, law or business entrepreneurship. American Heritage Schools’ Summer Programs also offer a wide variety of enrichment and reinforcement programs for Junior High School (grades 6 to 8) and Lower School (PK3 to grade 5) students as well as one-on-one tutoring options for those looking to enhance their skills and build confidence heading into the new school year.

The programs also feature topnotch instructors, all of whom are degreed and certified professionals in their fields. Whether a student’s interest is in math, English, science, robotics or the fine arts, American Heritage Summer Programs has something to suit everyone’s needs. For more information, or to reserve a spot, visit https://ahsummerprograms.com, call (888) 490-7467 or e-mail summer@ ahschool.com.

Monday, March 25, National Junior Honor Society students from Crestwood Middle School in Royal Palm Beach volunteered at the School Bus Poster Day 2024, sponsored by the Palm Beach County Behavioral Health Coalition, at the Royal Palm Beach bus compound.

New Brightway Office Opens In Wellington

Brightway Insurance Agency

owner Gaby Cordero-Zucchini recently welcomed community leaders, customers, business partners, friends and family to a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the grand opening of the Gaby Cordero-Zucchini Agency, located at 11320 Fortune Circle, Building G3, in Wellington. “When it comes to opening an agency, having access to a variety of insurance brands is key to serving all types of clients,” Cordero-Zucchini said. “That’s why I chose Brightway Insurance. As an agency owner, I have access to a range of top insurance brands, giving me the ability to shop and re-shop policies for my clients. This helps ensure they have the

best options available in today’s market. I’m excited to see what the future holds with such an outstanding resource at my fingertips!”

Cordero-Zucchini brings nearly two decades of insurance industry experience to Brightway, having managed and led sales teams for insurance companies like Allstate, People’s Trust and State Farm. Cordero-Zucchini immigrated from Ecuador to Wellington at the age of nine. She was crowned Mrs. Ecuador USA in 2009, a role that exposed her to all types of experiences and people, from attending charity events to meeting the president of the United States and the president of Ecuador. “Earning this title holds a special place in my heart,” Corde-

Hanley Foundation Partners With The PBSO To Provide Suicide Prevention Training

Smith has been practicing law for more than 40 years and has been a shareholder at Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith PLLC, a local personal injury law firm, since 2004. He graduated with honors from Duke University School of Law and is currently active with the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington and the Rotary Club of Wellington. He also serves on the board of directors of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce and the chamber’s foundation.

“It is a huge honor to serve on the Board of Trustees for HCA Florida Palms West Hospital,” Smith said. “It is a true jewel of the western communities of Palm Beach County and has been providing worldclass healthcare in our community for nearly four decades.”

Loney is a head and neck surgeon who has treated patients at Palms West Hospital since 2010. She is a certified diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology. She received her medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine and completed her residency at the University of Iowa College of Medicine. Additionally, she has served in private

practice in Nevada, Maryland and Iowa. Loney has presented research findings at several national physician meetings and has been published in medical journals as well as written chapters for medical textbooks. “HCA Palms West Hospital is strategically located in a growing community where a variety of health services are crucial,” Loney said. “There is thus both immense need and immense potential. I have witnessed the steady growth and improvements over the last 14 years and consider it a privilege to be asked to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees.”

Smith and Loney will help further the role and purpose of the hospital by providing oversight and advice to the board of managers. Also serving on the Board of Trustees is CEO Jason L. Kimbrell, HCA East Florida Division President Charles Gressle, physician members Dr. Seth Herbst (board chair), Dr. Richard Giroux and Dr. Roger Duncan, and community members Tara Gallagher, Marcia Andrews, Joey Wölffer and Tanya Siskind. “This talented and committed group of professionals that make up our Board of Trustees is exactly what HCA Florida Palms West Hospital needs to continue to grow to meet the demands of our growing community,” Kimbrell said.

The Hanley Foundation and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office have created a partnership to train incoming deputies and staff on suicide prevention, as part of the Hanley Foundation’s Zero Suicide Initiative.

The program provides an indepth QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Gatekeeper Training geared toward first responders and law enforcement, teaching them how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis. Hanley works with community organizations to help train them in assessing people for suicidality and providing appropriate, patient-centered care to someone suffering with a mental health crisis.

“Just as the PBSO trains in CPR and other lifesaving skills, QPR training can help save lives by recognizing the warning signs of a suicide crisis, and taking appropriate action to help save

the individual who is suffering,” Hanley Foundation CEO Rachel Docekal said.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24, and rates have steadily increased since 2015. In 2022 in Palm Beach County, there were 236 deaths due to suicide; and 3,445 deaths due to suicide statewide.

“The QPR program is a very powerful tool for our deputies to help mitigate potential suicide attempts,” Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said. “We are grateful to have a partner like the Hanley Foundation to help us expand our suicide prevention communication and action skills.”

Additionally, members of the public are invited to take the QPR Training by visiting www.hanleyfoundation.org, e-mailing events@ hanleyfoundation.org or calling (561) 268-2355.

PBSO deputies receive training on suicide prevention.

ro-Zucchini said. “It reassured me that I could be accepted and loved in both cultures. It gave me the opportunity to celebrate my diversity and promote inclusivity in my community.”

In 2011, Cordero-Zucchini earned her bachelor’s degree in fashion design and marketing from American InterContinental University. She is trilingual in English, Spanish and conversational Portuguese. She and her husband of 10 years, Justin, have two daughters who attend the King’s Academy. “I am ready to give back to this beautiful community all the knowledge that I have gained over the years working in the insurance industry,” Cordero-Zucchini said. “I look forward to helping my

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County invites the community to ReDiscover the ReStores. Shopping at and donating to any of the five local ReStores is now better than ever.

Visit Habitat for Humanity’s ReStores to find fantastic deals and donate your new or gently used items. You can expect better prices across all five locations, with discounts of up to 60 percent off daily.

In addition, Habitat’s “Markdown Mondays” offer new discounts on most items every other Monday.

Plus, the nonprofit now also offers a membership program that provides additional savings and a program that rewards shoppers with points and coupons.

Donating to the ReStore just got easier with the new online donation pickup scheduling system. This self-service tool offers a better

and faster donation experience. Shopping at the ReStore is a great way to support Habitat’s mission of building safe and affordable homes in the community. Every purchase you make is a building block toward a better future for local families. Additionally, every item you donate is given a new life and helps build homes, communities and hope. This is a win for you, the environment and the community as a whole. ReDiscover the ReStores at all five locations: Delray Beach ReStore (1900 N. Federal Highway), Boca Raton ReStore (272 S. Dixie Highway), Riviera Beach ReStore (6831 N. Military Trail), Greenacres ReStore (4639 Lake Worth Road) and the Jupiter Thrift Store (1635 N. Old Dixie Highway). To learn more, visit www.habitatgreaterpbc.org/rediscovertherestores.

Mickey Smith Dr. Deborah Loney

Family and friends celebrate with agency owner Gaby Cordero-Zucchini at the grand opening of her new Brightway agency in Wellington.

So, My Big Culinary Adventure Did Not Go Exactly As Planned

I had the family over last weekend for dinner. They were shocked when I invited them because it is a well-known fact that I don’t like to cook. What I like to do is eat.

But I’d been watching a bunch of those cooking shows, and they make it look so quick and easy. And enjoyable. And impressive. And I thought to myself, “I want to be impressive.” So I invited them for 3 p.m. on Sunday. I also invited a couple of neighbors because I did want to be impressive, but only once. It’s not like I wanted to cook every weekend once the word got out about my fabulous culinary expertise.

Let me put it this way: I will not have to worry about that.

My menu was thus: deviled eggs and a vegetable tray for an appetizer; baked ham, corn-on-the-cob, rolls and twice-

baked potatoes for the main course; cheesecake for dessert. Nothing fancy, just good, wholesome food. Because I had to work Friday and Saturday, I decided to prepare as much as I could beforehand, on Thursday. I baked the cheesecake (understandably, desserts have never been a problem for me), boiled the eggs and once-baked the potatoes.

When Sunday arrived, I had four hours to put everything together, so much time that I spent the first hour watching TV. The second hour, I set the table with all kinds of cute decorations I also baked the rolls and put in the ham. The third hour, I completely panicked. I never should have waited this long with the potatoes! I cut them open, and they weren’t fully baked! I scooped out the insides to mash them up before dolloping them back into their crispy little skins, and raw potato was flying everywhere! Why hadn’t I just microwaved them in the first place? My mixer was covered with potato splatter as was the counter, the outgoing mail and an adorable decoration on the table across the room. I scooped the lumpy mess into the

crispy skins and grated cheese over the top. Cheese everywhere. The bacon! I hadn’t fried the bacon! I threw some into the pan just as the doorbell rang. One of my neighbors stood there with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from her garden. “I’m early,” she said. I grabbed the flowers and shut the door in her face. “I’ll call ya!” I yelled.

The bacon was burning. I took the few good strips and chopped them up, piled them into the potatoes and put the potatoes into the oven. Then I remembered butter. I hadn’t put butter in with the mashed part! I pulled them back out of the oven and cut a slice into each top, inserting a wedge of butter. This was not the look I’d been going for, but back in they went. I took out the ham while I was at it.

It was 2:45 p.m. The vegetables remained in their solid states in the fridge and the eggs were safe in their little eggshell ovoids. I began chopping veggies like a madman, all the exciting little knife tricks I had learned on TV a dim memory. I peeled the eggs and sliced them open. The insides were gray. I mixed the grayness with mayonnaise and got a scary-looking deviled egg, which I hid under way too much paprika. Cars were pulling into my driveway! I looked like H-E-double-hockey-sticks! I dashed into the bedroom and changed my top, combed the potato out of my hair, put on lipstick and answered the door with a faltering smile. My reputation was intact — just not the reputation I had hoped for.

Latest ‘Ghostbusters’ Movie Brings Back A Bit Of The Old Vibe

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler

I went to Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire with the hope that it would be a worthy sequel to the first movie, made 40 years ago. Alas, no. But it is better than the woeful third film. I had no problem with Kristen Wiig as a scientist. I like strong women, but the other leads all were off the wall, and the plot was almost the same as that of the first. And then the Afterlife movie came along and was not great. This new film brings the Spengler family, along with teacher Gary Grooberstein (Paul Rudd), to New York, and that helps. The film starts with Gary driving wildly through the streets chasing a ghost through the city with mama Callie (Carrie Coon) helping out as Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) assists and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) fires the proton pack. That leads Mayor Peck (William Atherton), you remember him as the jerk who forced the shutdown of the force field that led to the mess the first time around, to decide that Phoebe, at 15, is too young to join them, and he vows to shut them down. That sets things up so Phoebe will rebel, joined by Melody (Emily Alyn Lind), who actually is a ghost vassal primed to betray them. Gary is a sort of father figure without any real authority who still is not really in a romance with Callie, although that would seem to be the reason he sticks around. Callie just worries and Trevor does not get to do much. Phoebe is the center.

The thing that sets everything in motion is when Dr. Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) gets involved. He winds up buying an artifact called the Orb of Garakka from grifter Nadeem Razmaadi (Kumail Nanjiani). This magically holds the essence of a really evil god and, of course, we know that somehow it will get loose. Enter Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) as the financier of a high-tech enterprise dedicated to paranormal research. And, of course, Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) drops in for a few moments.

You can probably work out the plot the rest of the way. Phoebe messes up a bit thanks to Melody, and the scientific nerds wind up releasing Garakka, and the family plus the old guys and a couple of friends wind up fighting the big battle. And, of course, showing up the mayor.

The cast is pretty good. Rudd does his lines well. He’s funny at times but not

the key persona. Coons just worries, and Wolfhard goes along for the ride. Grace is the key character, and she does really well. If she hadn’t, the film might have fallen apart. Her scenes with Lind are touching, breathing a bit of extra life into things. Both young females are complex, wanting change but not knowing how to do it.

is charming, and Annie Potts actually gets to suit up and fight. Her New York accent, again, is fun and a reminder of past days.

Nanjiani works hard to steal the show.

He has some of the best lines, a man only wanting some cash and turning into a hero and not happy at all with any of it. Aykroyd is good. He brings back the nostalgia of the first film and his tortured explanations of theory really bring back good vibes.

Murray is barely in the film. He manages a scene where he does some testing, ending up throwing pens at his subject, a PG reminder of some of the sleaze in the first film. It looks like he spent only a few days doing the filming, although he does get some good lines. Hudson, as always,

In many ways, the film references the first one. Yes, it’s cute and fun. The real question is whether or not the movie is worth seeing. Frankly, it’s borderline. Yes, it moves quickly. And there are some funny lines. And it’s nice to see the old timers. The pace is relatively quick.

On the other hand, it is very predictable. It constantly works hard to reflect the first film, so you know there will be a big, bad god to beat and also know that the heroes win so there can be yet another sequel. And this time there’s no real fun, goofball ending. The Stay Puft man is not smashing things down, and the Statue of Liberty doesn’t walk. Just a nasty shadow god. But in an era when there are few normal films the whole family can enjoy, this one is OK. Not great, but fun.

* Applicants must possess the ability to troubleshoot and repair simple mechanical/electrical systems and keep accurate records of those tasks.

* Assemble, maintain, and repair portable tanks, pumps, motors, power generating, and hydraulic equipment.

* Assist maintenance mechanic with all duties, i.e., changing engine oil, fluids and repair of flat tires, etc.

* Hazmat endorsement is preferred.

* Able to safely operate multiple vehicles and most heavy mobile equipment.

* Physically able to climb ladders and lift heavy objects routinely.

* Willing to travel between the various branches and job sites throughout South Florida as needed.

* Detail-oriented, team player with strong communications skills.

* Motivated to lean and willing to work weekends as needed and flexible with schedule.

* An energetic, motivated, eager, positive-minded individual that desires to be part of a growing operations.

* Must be willing to complete a background and drug screening.

We offer a competitive compensation package:

* Paid holidays

* Vacation and Sick time

* Health, Dental, Vision, and a 401K for your retirement with a match.

* Paid orientation

* Paid renewal on Medical Cards - yearly

* Pay is according to experience

If you have these qualifications and are interested in joining out team, please submit your resume to vprescott@ssipetro.com or contact us at 863-508-1406.

ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE IN NURSING (RN)

OCCUPATIONAL ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY (ULTRASOUND)

LPN TO ASN TRACK MEDICAL ASSISTING DIPLOMA