Town-Crier Newspaper August 12, 2022 by Wellington The Magazine LLC

For the first time since his ap pointment in 2001, Palm Beach County Court Judge Paul Damico finds himself challenged for his Group 9 seat, running a race against attorney Karen Velez. Vot ers will have the final say Tuesday, Aug. 23 in this rare case of a sitting judge facing an election challenge. “I’ve been a judge for 21 years. It is an honor and a privilege. I was one of 52 people up for the appointment, and I was up for reelection in 2004, only two years later. Not a member of the bar opted to put in against me,” said Damico, who repeated this process in 2010 and 2016. “But I have never believed in these 20 years that I have been entitled to have this seat. I serve at the pleasure of theDamicopeople.”comes into the race with a wide array of endorsements from organizations such as the IAFF, the Human Rights Council, Judge Damico Faces Attorney Velez In County Court Race

If you are a cigar lover, then you should certainly plan a visit to the newest cigar lounge serving central Palm Beach County. It’s called the Stogies Cigar Lounge, and it is located at 8480 Okeechobee Blvd. Sto gies is more than just a venue to go to smoke a cigar. It pro vides a place to relax, mingle with fellow clients, enjoy a meal, and listen to jazz and blues music. Four months ago, owner Rafael Morera, a longtime cigar smoker and aficionado, opened Stogies Cigar Lounge for busi ness. Page 13 Westlake City Council Talks Education And Law Enforcement

READY TO

Karen Velez tional Organization for Women. A member of their panel came to my courtroom on a Friday, watching me preside over a do mestic violence case. Saturday, I received their endorsement. I was

By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

Volume 43, Number 16 August 12 - August 25, 2022Your Community Newspaper Serving Palms West Since 1980 TOWN-CRIER THE WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACRE AGE INSIDE DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS 3 - 18 NEWS BRIEFS 7 SPORTS 21 - 23 SCHOOLS 24 PEOPLE 25 BUSINESS 27 COLUMNS 28 CLASSIFIEDS 29 - 30 Visit Us On The Web WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COMAt

The ‘Wellington 3.0’ initiative would greatly expand the size of existing showgrounds.

Mark Bellissimo, managing partner of Wellington Eques trian Partners LLC (WEP), has announced an initiative dubbed “Wellington 3.0” that aims to transform Wellington into the “Equestrian Capital of the World” for sport, commerce and lifestyle. The initiative aims to transform Wellington from the “Winter Equestrian Capital of the World” to a year-round equestrian desti nation.Bellissimo noted that 2022 was a record year for show jumping, dressage and polo in Wellington. The events attracted more than 5,000 families from 50 states and 43 countries, and contributed an estimated $200 million of annual economic impact to Palm Beach County. With this success, he said, come challenges and a need for reinven tion driven by the growth of the events, new market demands, new competitors and the significant migration of full-time residents to SouthAccordingFlorida. to Bellissimo, the jumping and dressage events are rapidly outgrowing their venues and require significant improve ments to support demand and to elevate quality standards. If not addressed, competitors with newer, larger venues will chal lenge Wellington’s stature as the premier destination. “Our eques trian venues and the events are at the core of our success,” he said. Equestrian Village, the current home of dressage and specialty show jumping events, is not ide water through a temporary system until May 2020 when the fluori dation system was taken offline temporarily as part of a planned construction project to expand and modernize the village’s water treatment facility. The project was initially sched uled to be completed in September 2020. While the majority of the work was completed under the initial contract, as a result of con tractor delays, several aspects of the project fell behind schedule, including the installation of a new, permanent fluoridation system, Village Manager Jim Barnes explained. While the fluoride interruption was originally expected to last 90

By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report

PHOTO BY ERIN DAVISSON/TOWN-CRIER

Royal Palm Beach Football Team Preps For A New Beginning

Page 4

Mark Bellissimo Announces ‘Wellington 3.0’ Initiative See COURT, page 7

Groves ContractorWasteDiscussesCouncilSolidIssuesWithCoastal See COASTAL, page 4

Page

See FLUORIDE, page 14

PHOTO BY CALLIE SHARKEY/TOWN-CRIER

On Friday, Aug. 5, the Village of Wellington held an end-ofsummer party at Tiger Shark Cove Park in cooperation with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. Kids were treated to bounce houses, face painting, music, horses and Kona Ice while visiting with PBSO deputies and touring fire-rescue vehicles. Shown above are Mounted Unit deputies Brian Daly and Michael Valenti.

MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 18

Water-loving Wellington High School graduate Dr. Jennifer Galindo once had dreams of liv ing on a boat and studying sharks. Now amid the stables, equine es tates and sprawling green practice fields along Lake Worth Road, she’s making plans for maintaining and improving one of Palm Beach County’s top schools — Polo Park Middle School — as its new principal.Galindo was named to the post in July after eight years as princi pal at Grassy Waters Elementary School.“I’mvery excited to come back to Wellington. I remember when Polo Park was being built. It was state of the art… and I think it still is. It’s exciting to be part of that,” sheWhensaid. Palm Beach County’s public schools opened Wednesday, Aug. 10 for the 2022-23 school

Wellington Council Attempts To Settle Differences Between Staff And Equestrians The Wellington Village Council acted as a mediator Tuesday, Aug. 9, attempting to settle years’ worth of differences that have simmered between village staff members and members of Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee. At issue were revisions to the Best Man agement Practices (BMPs) that Wellington requires equestrian properties to adhere to. Page 3 HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL

A construction issue that stopped the fluoridation of Wellington’s municipal water system over the past two years will be rectified soon, but Wellington Village Coun cil members are not happy with the fact that they and the general public were not informed of the change. “For me, the most important thing is being transparent with our residents,” Mayor Anne Ger wig said at a workshop session Monday, Aug. 8. “I’m incredibly embarrassed by this.” After a unanimous council vote in 2017, fluoride was re-added to Wellington’s water system, revers ing a vote by a previous council. The supplement was added to the Wellington Fluoride Glitch Raises Council

There’s a new head football coach roaming the sidelines at Royal Palm Beach High School this fall, and he expects dif ferent results in the win-loss column this season after a dif ficult campaign last year. The Wildcats’ new gridiron leader is Chuck Kenyon, and he is asking his players to trust his vision and give maximum effort. 21

The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council met with a representa tive of its solid waste contractor Coastal Waste & Recycling on Tuesday, Aug. 2 and approved an emergency fuel surcharge due to high diesel fuel prices. The council also discussed the future of its recycling program and ways to streamline its vegetation waste removalAttendingprocess.the meeting was John Casagrande, senior vice president of business develop ment for Coastal. While there was considerable discussion, the only action item was regarding the fuel surcharge.Anunexpected increase in diesel fuel costs is one of the contingencies listed in the town’s agreement with Coastal. “This year, as you know, fuel costs have escalated tremen dously,” Town Manager Francine Ramaglia said. “The solid waste contract includes a provision for an extraordinary rate increase for fuel. Mr. Casagrande, represent ing Coastal, sent us a notice of an increase.”Casagrande’s initial request was for an increase of $2.67 per unit, per month for the upcoming year. “After negotiations and other cost-saving measures, the increase was reduced to $1.53 per unit, per month,” Ramaglia said. That rate will stay in place until prices go down, and at the end of the year, actual fuel costs will be Dr. Jennifer Galindo Paul Damico Cigar Lovers Will Enjoy A Visit To The New Stogies Cigar Lounge

ally located, creating operational conflicts and inefficiencies of moving thousands of people and hundreds of horses across Pier son Road and South Shore Blvd. daily throughout the winter, he explained. This dynamic creates high levels of unnecessary traffic conflicts and inconveniences to both participants and residents who traverse those two busy roadways.Bellissimo added that there is a significant lack of integrated resi dential options. The vast majority of Wellington’s housing options were built before 2000, and Wel lington is almost at full build-out. There is high demand and limited inventory for a broad range of golfcart accessible residences, which

New Principal Brings TechSavvy Attitude To Polo Park year, Galindo got her first chance this week to see the halls filled with 79 teachers, 40-plus support staffers and almost 1,200 students. Born at Good Samaritan Medi cal Center, Galindo was raised in Royal Palm Beach, where she attended H.L. Johnson Elementary School and Crestwood Middle School.After graduating from WHS in 1997 and heading off to the Uni versity of Florida, she realized that neither marine biology nor public relations were for her. So, she re turned to what might be called “the family business” — education. Her mother, Barbara Terembes, was a longtime teacher, assistant principal and administrator with the School District of Palm Beach County.Sixweeks into her time in Gainesville, Galindo switched her major to elementary education with a focus on the intermediate grades, four through six. At UF, even first-year students go into schools, and that was all it took for Galindo to know that she had made the right choice. “I fell in love with the classroom and never looked back,” she said. “My time in [Alachua County schools] let me see students from See GALINDO

, page 4 See BELLISSIMO, page 14

By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report

WELLINGTON END-OF-SUMMERHOSTSPARTY

the Fraternal Order of Police and the PBA, the AFL-CIO and the Hispanic Political Action Com mittee.“My endorsements are over the broad spectrum of everyone,” he said. “For instance, the Na

HELP NAME THE NEW CARPATHIAN LYNX SEE STORY, PAGE 7 $1.1 MILLION CHECK ENDS ROAD ISSUE SEE STORY, PAGE 3

Concerns

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Committee member Dr. Kristy Lund thanked the council for send ing the item back to the committee to make sure that its recommenda tions were fully documented. “The EPC spent two more meetings and many hours to make sure we got our final language correct, and I’m glad you have it in front of you today,” she said. Lund argued against requiring horsehair interceptors. “The horsehair interceptor exists nowhere else in the world because it serves no function,” she said. “This is all a huge burden when you try to build on your property. You can’t fit it all in. If we want to attract and keep horse people here, we need to get rid of this.”

Committee Member Haakon Gangnes asked. “Also, how can you enforce these BMPs on agriculturally exempt property?”

See

The Village of Wellington celebrated its 2022 SWAG program graduates with a ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 2. The village’s SWAG, or Students Working to Achieve Greatness, program is a mentoring and internship program for students from Palm Beach Central and Wellington high schools. There were 20 SWAG students this year, and they interned at a number of work locations across the com munity this summer. The goal of the program is to prepare and empower at-risk and underserved high school students by providing personal and professional development opportunities. The year-round program helps these students overcome the social and eco nomic barriers that impact their quality of life. Shown above are the 2022 SWAG graduates with members of the Wellington Village Council at the Aug. 2 ceremony.

By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report

• Regarding the definition of a “livestock facility,” the council agreed with staff, not the some what looser definition preferred by the committee.

Staff’s position was that the requirements were necessary to adhere to the village’s permits approved by the South Florida Water Management District and other state agencies that oversee waterThequality.committee’s position was that some of the rules create huge hardships for equestrian property owners and do little to protect the environment.Formorethan two hours, going line-by-line through the differ ences, the council more often than not agreed with Wellington’s staff. However, they granted a huge win to equestrians by dramatically eas ing the strict provisions surround ing horse wash facilities. Currently, separate horse wash areas are required with their own drainage systems, along with ex pensive “horsehair interceptors” that the equestrians argued were of questionable use. Most of the wording regarding the horse wash areas was made discretionary by the council, including the horse hair interceptors. Village staff also wanted strict drainage regulations on horse wash areas, even those that do not connect to the village’s drainage or sewer system. The council agreed with the committee to strike that wording. In other areas, the changes were less dramatic:

PHOTO COURTESY THE VILLAGE OF WELLINGTON Million Check Ends

Paid by Michelle Oyola McGovern, Democrat, for County Commission BIZPAC of Palm Beach County Economic Council of Palm Beach County Our Friends and Neighbors are With Michelle, ALL THE WAY! f Lois Abrams-Ballen , Lake Worth f Aayush Agarwal , Lake Worth f Mary Alexander , South Bay f Reginald Allen , Lake Worth f Nisaury Amadortejeda Wellington f Ruby Anderson , Pahokee f Karen Anthony , Wellington f Ivan Aquinovaldez , Wellington f Yaranice Baltazar Pahokee f Melissa Barber , Loxahatchee f Thomas Barlow West Palm Beach f William Baxter , Wellington f Donna Baxter , Wellington f Marsha Baxter-Mehl , Lake Worth f Stacy Bellows , Wellington f Yvonne Bembenek , Wellington f John Bowers , Wellington f Mary Brandenburg West Palm Beach f Tanya Breton , Loxahatchee Groves f Jatava Brinson , Belle Glade f Charles Brown Royal Palm Beach f Michelle Brown Wellington f Neville Bruce Belle Glade f Bonaventura Bruno , West Palm Beach f Julia

Committee Chair Jane Cleve land said she that was shocked by how difficult it was to work with the village staff on this issue. “We spent four meetings on this, and they were the most difficult meetings I have ever run,” she said. “I had to put one of them in recess because it got so hot. We spend hours of our time to give you advice, and instead, we’re just struggling with the staff.” In the end, the council unani mously approved the ordinances as amended. The second and final reading of the changes is sched uled for October. CHECK, page 14

• Regarding manure bins, staff wanted strict requirements to keep manure bins water-tight, which will remain. Staff also wants permits for manure bin changes that reflect more than a 30 percent change; the committee wanted less-specific wording. The council agreed with staff. Manure bins must currently be inspected annually. Both staff and the com mittee agreed to change that to every other year but disagreed on the wording. The council chose wording to specify the extended timeframe.•Therewas also an issue regard ing large-scale manure composting facilities, which the committee did not want allowed in the Equestrian Preserve Area. The staff believes composting facilities could be a necessary part of solving the vil lage’s manure issues. The council favored allowing the facilities, but wants more specific wording worked out before the ordinance is finalized. The majority of the Equestrian Preserve Committee members were present at the meeting to advocate for their changes. “What does the inspection of a manure bin have anything to do with floodplain management? Do you have any data or science behind why this is necessary? Do you have the personnel required to do these inspections?”

RoadworkLongstandingIssueNearEquestrianVillage

Committee Member Carlos Arellano said the overly strict regulations have an effect on the equestrian industry. “The people think that if you come to Welling ton, it’s better to buy an existing barn than to go ahead and build a new barn,” he said. “We all want the best for Wellington, and that’s not the argument we want to hear.”

By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report

“Overall, McGovern is the most qualified candidate for this seat...she would be the first Latina on the commission...”JULY 21, 2022 ENDORSEMENT VOTE MICHELLE OYOLA M c GOVERN ON ELECTION DAY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 23RD! www.VoteMichelleMcGovern.com “Working in Nelson’s office for 18 years, in part as the liaison between the federal government and local governments… allowed her to “be a public servant without being in public office.”April 21, 2021

Committee Member Ben Myers thought the rules regarding horse washes were unnecessary. “I have raised two daughters, and my daughters definitely put more hair and shampoo down the drain than my horses do. All we’re talking about with horse washes is water and soap,” he said.

Wellington Council Attempts To Settle Differences Between Village Staff And Equestrian Preserve Committee On BMPs

The Town-Crier www gotowncrier com August 12 - August 25, 2022 Page 3 NEWS

WELLINGTON SWAG GRADUATION CEREMONY

$1.1

The Wellington Village Council acted as a mediator Tuesday, Aug. 9, attempting to settle years’ worth of differences that have simmered between village staff members and members of Wellington’s Eques trian Preserve Committee. At issue were revisions to the Best Management Practices (BMPs) that Wellington requires equestrian properties to adhere to. Over the past two years, Wel lington has been revising its entire code of ordinances, including the BMPs. Conflicts between staff’s wording and the committee’s preferred wording has led to sharp differences as the commit tee attempted to tackle the issues several times. In the end, the council was provided with two versions of the ordinance and had to figure out the final wording for itself.

A longstanding issue regarding road construction at the corner of Pierson Road and South Shore Blvd. ended at the Tuesday, Aug. 9 meeting of the Wellington Vil lage Council with the acceptance of a check from the owners of the Equestrian Village site, current home of the Global Dressage Festival. The area was formally desig nated as a commercial equestrian arena in 2013, along with a whole series of conditions to be met be fore owner Mark Bellissimo and Wellington Equestrian Partners could fully use the designation. One condition, a series of improve ments made to the connecting road ways, has remained unfinished. Since that condition was never met, every year, the council has had to review and approve a spe cial use permit to allow the Global Dressage Festival, which would not be necessary once the commer cial equestrian arena designation was in full force. Council members have be come increasingly annoyed by the roadway delays, especially since the village has wanted to make improvements in that area as well, and could not until the Equestrian Village work was done. But last month, the owners of Equestrian Village submitted a check for $1,145,931.88 to be put toward the road construction, which will now be done by the vil lage along with the other necessary roadwork.Submitting a check for the work was an option put on the table several years ago, and the amount was based on the 2016 estimate for the“Whyimprovements.arewecomfortable using a 2016 cost estimate?” Council man Michael Napoleone asked. Village Manager Jim Barnes ex plained that there was no one cur rently able to provide an updated Burns , Loxahatchee f Peggy Butler , West Palm Beach f Steven Cagnet Wellington f Hugh Campbell , Royal Palm Beach f Bradley Cassel Lake Worth f Jaime Castellanos Wellington f Debra Chandler , Lake Worth f Barbara Cheives West Palm Beach f Thania Chivichon , Royal Palm Beach f Tracy Ciucci , Wellington 100’s of local residents across District 6 are on Team Michelle: f Marc Coleman Wellington f Starla Davis , Royal Palm Beach f Alexander Domb , Wellington f Claire Dunkel , Wellington f Derrie Durrant , Wellington f Vula Ellis Lake Worth f Brenda Estrella Wellington f Marjorie Etienne , Royal Palm Beach f Christopher Farren , Lake Worth f Raluca Florea Royal Palm Beach f Beverly Francis , West Palm Beach f Edgar Francis South Bay f Marie Francois , West Palm Beach f Ashley Furlano , Royal Palm Beach f Larry Galina Lake Worth f Jeanluc Garcon Loxahatchee f JoAnn Garzione , Wellington f Carlos Gazabon Royal Palm Beach f Worn Gibson , Belle Glade f Henry Givens Belle Glade f Jaqueline Glucksman , West Palm Beach f Adriana Gonzalez , Lake Worth f Neslie Guerrier-Lafortune Royal Palm Beach f Shane Gutierrez Loxahatchee Groves f Alma Gutierrez , Wellington f Patti Hammond Loxahatchee f Josh Hanson , Loxahatchee f Sarah Hanson Loxahatchee f Molly Harding , Loxahatchee f Annemarie Hardy , Wellington f Frank Hayden Wellington f Marcia Hayden , Wellington f Bruce Helander Wellington f Tangenica Henry Royal Palm Beach f Justin Hernandez Royal Palm Beach f Ruth Hoffman Loxahatchee f Timothy Hullender West Palm Beach f John Ingraham Lake Worth f Rizwan Ismail Wellington f Harriet Jeweler , West Palm Beach f Dakota Jones , Royal Palm Beach f Andrew Kahn , Lake Worth f Ehsanul Karim West Palm Beach f Elaine Karon , West Palm Beach f Henry Kelly , Belle Glade f Patty Klammer , Wellington f David Klein , Lake Worth f Leon Kleinman , Wellington f Timothy Koubek Loxahatchee f Sharon Larsen , Wellington f Ron Larsen , Wellington f Patricia Lebrun Royal Palm Beach f Steven Licari , Royal Palm Beach f Samuel Litt Royal Palm Beach f Lisa Luke Wellington f Jin Ma , Wellington f Alfred Malefatto Wellington f Harriet Marcus Lake Worth f Amanda Marez , Lake Worth f Bob Margolis , Wellington f Sergio Mariaca , Wellington f Susana Martinez Loxahatchee f Ezzard Matute , Loxahatchee f Eva Mcintosh , Belle Glade f Sharel Melillo Lake Worth f Barbara Mendez Loxahatchee f Joann Miller Loxahatchee f Tara Mitchell , Royal Palm Beach f Katie Molzer , West Palm Beach f Mireille Mondesir , Wellington f Edith Monero , Loxahatchee f Brenda Monse Royal Palm Beach f Claritza Morelderodriguez , Royal Palm Beach f Timothy Murphy , West Palm Beach f Michael Napoleone , Wellington f Nancy Nicholas , Wellington f Dorothy Nixon Pahokee f Meredith Ockman , Wellington f Paulina Oportocespedes , Wellington f Char Parrado West Palm Beach f Stephanie Paul , Wellington f Mark Pecaut Lake Worth f Jordan Perona Loxahatchee f Quesona Peterson Belle Glade f Marlene Phillips Royal Palm Beach f Michael Pitter Wellington f Kellie Pleu , West Palm Beach f Johanna Prince , Lake Worth f Mrnalini Raghavan , Loxahatchee f Josette Rey , Royal Palm Beach f J Freddy Rhoads West Palm Beach f Maria Richardson , Wellington f Bertram Robbins Royal Palm Beach f Audrey Robinson , Belle Glade f Ellen Rubinstein , Lake Worth f Mariadelpilar Saa Wellington f Sandra Salgueiro , Wellington f Janet Samuel , Wellington f Samuel Scales Wellington * Partial List f Gaye Scarpa , Wellington f Melissa Schwartz , Wellington f Deborah Siegel , Lake Worth f Ellen Silverstein , Lake Worth f Mickey Smith Wellington f Lizz Smith Wellington f David Smith , Lake Worth f Lanni Smith Pahokee f Elizabeth Smith , Wellington f Michael Smith , Wellington f Lucinda Soltesz , Royal Palm Beach f Ellen Sotoloff , Lake Worth f Madhaven Sreekumar Wellington f Marie Stfleur , Belle Glade f Isabella Suarez , Wellington f Gary Sullivan , West Palm Beach f Sandy Valerin Lake Worth f Cheri Vaniglia Royal Palm Beach f Benjamin Vega Royal Palm Beach f Jospeh Verdone West Palm Beach f Robert Vickers Belle Glade f Meghan Watson , Wellington f Eleanor Weiss Royal Palm Beach f Helane Weiss-Ferraro , Lake Worth f Edward Westfield Wellington f Audrania Williams , West Palm Beach f Marilyn Williams , Wellington f Jene Williams-Rhoads , West Palm Beach f Frank Zeccola West Palm Beach f Dana Zorovich-Godek , Wellington f Nohelia Zuniga , Wellington

The Wellington Chamber of Commerce

This year’s five Lakeside family medicine graduates.

between veteran teachers and younger teachers. New partner ships. It bonded people.” Though Galindo continues to make her home in Royal Palm Beach, because of the years spent in Wellington as a student and later an educator, she feels very aware of the needs of the community.“Teachers feel the tremendous level of support from parents here… [but] there certainly is a level of expectation of excel lence,” she said. “It’s not a com munity that settles for mediocrity. I know I’m expected to maintain that level of excellence.” That’s a lot of pressure, and it can be daunting. Galindo said that the ocean is still her escape — usually along Florida’s west coast with her husband Herby, son Logan (12) and daughter Allison (16), who wants to follow in the footsteps of her grandmother and mother and go into teaching. Galindo still hopes someday to swim with sharks, but for now, running with Stallions is challenge enough.

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

Page 4 August 12 - August 25, 2022 www gotowncrier com The Town-Crier NEWS Your Community Newspaper Serving The Palms West Communities For 42 Years 12794 West Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 33 The Original Wellington Mall Wellington, Florida 33414 Phone: (561) 793-7606 Classified Ads: (561) 793-3576 Web: http://www.goTownCrier.com E-Mail: news@goTownCrier.com

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The topic then shifted to the future of the town’s recycling program.Maniglia noted that there is no longer a functioning market for most recycled plastics, and that it is all getting incinerated at the Solid Waste Authority’s waste-to-energy plant.“Iget they are burning every thing now,” she said. “What is go ing to happen with the recycling?” Casagrande said that there have been discussions on the topic, and a change to recycling could save the town money. “We have discussed ways to save money, and recycling is a way to go,” he said. “Florida statutes recognize that if you burn it for electricity, it’s a form of recycling. Cities around Florida that have the ability burn it, have eliminated their separate recycling collection to save money.” He suggested that Loxahatchee Groves consider that change as well.“This will eliminate two trucks coming down your roads, and the town will save $4.28 per month, per home, just by eliminating the recycling collection and recycling it through the waste-to-energy plant,” Casagrande said. “You’re not eliminating recycling; you’re changing the way you’re doing it.” Shorr liked the way that could impact the community’s fragile road system. “If we can eliminate two trucks per week on our roads, that’s a big impact,” he said. However, he was concerned that stopping the separate recycling could lead to another problem with bins being too small. “I per sonally fill up two plastic bins and one paper bin each week,” Shorr said. “Do I have the capacity to put that in my one bin? That’s a concern that I have heard raised byResidentresidents.”Nina Corning opposed the burning of plastics, since it is not good for the environment. “It should be properly recycled. It’s not just plastics. There’s glass and metals in there,” she said. “Now we’re just going to throw it in and burn it at a non-molecular level? I’m just flabbergasted by this.”Maniglia said that the best way to help the environment is for the people to stop buying single-use plastic bottles. “We all need to re evaluate recycling in this country,” she said. Casagrande noted that 92 per cent of the current recycling is burned for electricity, and the ash goes into a lined landfill. The county’s plant it overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency and faces strict federal regulations, he added. Meanwhile, there are also magnets that take the metals out before it is burned. Those items do have a market for recycling. Ramaglia said that the net sav ings would be about $50,000 per year, and a centralized drop-off point could be set up for recycling materials for those who want to use it. “I hear a consensus to come back with changes to the contract and any changes to our ordinanc es,” she Ramagliasaid.added that residents should look for information being sent out regarding the town’s prestorm hurricane sweep set for Aug. 20 and Aug. 27. There is no limit on vegetation pile sizes during the sweep. Learn more at www. loxahatcheegrovesfl.gov.

Willhite For District 6 Seat

BARRY S. MANNING Publisher DAWN RIVERA General Manager JOSHUA I. MANNING Executive Editor

Westlake City Council Talks Education And Law Enforcement

OPINION Matt Willhite: Vote No On Wellington Charter Changes

• The council approved a threeyear extension to the city’s en gineering contract with Chen Moore & Associates to Sept. 18, 2025. The original contract was approved Sept. 19, 2016, under a competitive selection process.

continued from page 1 identified, and the town would be reimbursed if the fuel costs were lower than expected, as tracked by the Lower Atlantic Diesel Retail Prices Index. The fuel surcharge will be in place from Oct. 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2023. Before the fuel surcharge was approved unanimously, Mayor Robert Shorr, who was attending the meeting remotely, asked for additional details on how the reim bursement would work should fuel costs continue to trend downward, as they have over the past two months. “I want to be clear the basis for this increase,” he said. While Casagrande was there, Councilwoman Phillis Maniglia brought up longstanding issues with the collection of vegetative waste.Maniglia handed over an e-mail regarding a list of issues for Casa grande to resolve, explaining that the town’s most common com plaint with Coastal is regarding vegetation pickup. She raised questions about how and when vegetation piles are tagged as too large.For example, her own property has been tagged, even though the pile represents more than one property and is, therefore, entitled to be larger. Also, people have complained about vegetation not being picked up in a timely man ner, and then getting tagged when it grows too big. “The complaint I get is the lack of communication within Coast al,” Maniglia said. “I know some of our residents can be very vocal, but then there’s stuff like this, which is completely unnecessary.” Casagrande said that issues al ways arise when new drivers take over a “It’sroute.education,” he said. “I understand it was a new driver on the vegetation route.” Another issue, Casagrande said, is that the grappler truck that picks up large piles is run by a subcontractor, which might be part of the communication issues. He promised to look into it. Vice Mayor Laura Danowski has also had her pile tagged. She said she calls Coastal, and it gets taken care of. “I agree there is education that goes into new drivers,” she said. “Perhaps another route review with your subcontractor? It’s more about communication with man agement and stuff we will have to forever keep after.”

EDITORIAL STAFF/ Erin Davisson • Denise Fleischman Melanie Kopacz • Mike May • Louis Hillary Park • Callie Sharkey CONTRIBUTORS/ Leonard Wechsler • Deborah Welky ADVERTISING/ Betty Buglio • Evie Edwards • Joetta Palumbo STAFF/ Yolanda Cernicky • Shanta Daibee • Jill Kaskel • Carol Lieberman POSTAL STATEMENT The Town-Crier (USPS #021547) is currently published every other week on Fridays by Newspaper Publishers Inc., 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 33, Wellington, FL 334144758. Periodicals Postage Paid at West Palm Beach, FL.

As the need for new doctors grows nationally, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County’s teaching hospital, Lakeside Med ical Center, recently graduated five newThephysicians.hospital’s 10th class of fam ily medicine residents completed three years of intense training during the pandemic in the under served, rural Glades communities that were considered a hotspot for COVID-19.“Iapplaud these graduates for their dedication to our hospital’s patients and the health of Glades’ residents during an unprecedented time in medicine,” said Darcy J. Davis, CEO of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County. “Their quality care and commit ment have helped improve the health of the Glades region.” Dr. Benjamin Kosubevsky, Dr. Thy Hoang Bui, Dr. Janaki Saoji

Recently, the Village of Welling ton decided to bring forward two potential charter amendments for the electorate to vote on. These two charter amendments will appear on your August primary election ballot, and more specifically, on page two of your ballot. The ballot questions are related to term limits of the mayor/council members and the village’s elections canvassing board. Although both of these ballot questions may seem insig nificant at first glance, it’s the way they got here, who’s pushing for them and why on a primary ballot that are of concern. I have to say, historically I am a strong supporter of term limits. Yes, elections are term limits, but a more defined maximum number of years served in office is the absolute definer. But I must tell you, the process by which these charter amend ments are coming forward for your consideration leaves me very skeptical of our elected leaders in Wellington. Historically, every few years the village council asked for volunteers and appointed a citizens-driven charter review committee. The committee would convene, review the charter, hold public meetings, gather input from the community and present to the council potential ideas for updating the charter. This process was not done for these two charter amendments. It appears this time some staff or council members drafted their own charter amend ments and placed them on an agen da as a regular agenda item. After a short amount of deliberation and very little public input, the council voted 4-1 to place these two po tential charter amendments on the ballot. However, unlike in the past, they are not on the general election ballot, they chose to put them on a primary ballot in August. Finally, the amendments only limit the number of years the may or can serve. With these amend ments, any of the council members can run for mayor after their eight years on the council. However, the same does not apply for the mayor. The mayor cannot run for another position after the same eight-year term. I see some personal gain or personality conflicts in these pro posed changes. As soon the current mayor talked about running for a council seat once her term as may or ended, these proposed changes came forward. If the language was clear that no council member could run for mayor as well as no mayor could run for a council seat, maybe I would be a little more open to the proposed change. But it seems this is being driven for only one reason, to keep Anne Gerwig from being re-elected in Wellington any time soon. For these reasons, I believe the residents of Wellington should vote no on these rushed, unneeded changes to what has been working for almost 30 years. Please join me and many folks I have spoken to in questioning this process and vote no on the Village of Wellington’s charter changes. MattWellingtonWillhite Editor’s note: Mr. Willhite is the current state representative for District 86 and is a former member of the Wellington Village Council.

four license-plate reader cameras soon will be installed on Seminole Pratt Whitney Road at the north and south entrances to Westlake. The city had demurred when the cost of the four cameras was $150,000, but when the PBSO discovered it had an excess of the cameras, they were offered to Westlake for a total of $27,000, Cassel said, making their imple mentation feasible. “Every license plate coming in or out of Westlake will be picked up,” he said, adding that when more roads, such as 60th Street North, connect to the community, plans are to have cameras there as •well.The council voiced support for a Thanksgiving Day 5K run proposed by Councilman Julian Martinez.

The Family Medicine Res idency Program has a total of 15 residents and is funded by a grant from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. The program’s academic and commu nity partners include Nova South eastern University and the Florida Department of Health-Palm Beach County.

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On The County Commission

Councilwoman Marianne Miles asked if cameras on trucks could solve part of the problem. “The cameras would avoid sit uations of disagreements between residents and Coastal regarding whether a large pile is new or has been added to over time because it was not picked up,” she said. Casagrande explained that while regular trucks have cameras, the clamshell trucks, which are the issue, do not. “It comes back to managing the subcontractor,” he said. “We will look into that.”

Lakeside Medical Center Graduates Family Medicine Residents Juma, Dr. Jesse Carl Grieb and Dr. William Carson Draper completed rotations in emergency medicine, critical care, women’s health, psy chiatry, general surgery, inpatient, outpatient and community medi cine, sports medicine, cardiology, geriatrics and pediatrics. One of the program’s goals is to cultivate physicians to practice locally. To that end, Bui will join the Health Care District as a primary care provider with the C.L. Brumback Primary Care Clinics. Grieb, who along with Draper served as chief residents, will also practice in Palm Beach County. “I remember the first COVID-19 patient we treated at Lakeside, and the wave of COVID-19 as the patients came and went,” Grieb recalled. “I remember getting my first COVID-19 vaccine, and I was the second in line. We made 15 masks for all of the residents to protect us when we didn’t know what the situation was going to be like, researching how to wear and fit them. It was intense for sure. To me, that was the most impressive part, that we all came together and got through it. In terms of preparedness, I feel ready and more in command of my medical knowledge, understanding and clinicalFamilyreasoning.”medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehen sive health care for people of all ages. Over the course of their residency training, the physicians provide access to a range of quality services for their patients, many of whom have complex medical conditions and limited resources. “Years from now as you recall your experience here at Lakeside, it will be clear that COVID-19 left an indelible mark on you,” keynote speaker Dr. Bryan Dawkins said. “Each of you deserve enormous credit and respect for your extraor dinary adaptability, resilience and dedication to patient care.”

Maniglia also raised concerns of vegetation piles out in front of vacant land, where owners do not pay for the service. “I want your guys to be diligent about people who are getting their vegetation picked up from vacant land,” she said. “If you don’t have a house on your property, you’re not paying for garbage, and you’re not paying for vegetation. But somehow it is getting picked up.” Ramaglia said that may be an issue for code enforcement to look into. “I think our ordinance may require our contractor to pick up what is in front of vacant lots,” she said, adding that she will look intoDanowskiit. asked about how to report a sighting of a professional landscaping company dumping in front of a “That’slot.illegal,” Casagrande said. “That should be code en forcement and reported to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. If you get a license plate, that should be turned over right to the PBSO.”

I encourage our local voters in the western communities to support Matt Willhite for the Palm Beach County Commission. Rosemary and I became Wel lington residents back in 1978. I have known Matt for several years. He has served our community as a paramedic and fireman within the management levels in our Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue program for all of our county resi dents. He served on our Wellington Village Council, and then moved up to represent our local area as a state representative in Tallahassee. Matt has always served his positions with honor and good motions; and as a former Navy Corpsman/Marine to help us all. His reason for leaving his state representative position early is to work closer to home and help raise his two teenage sons. As a county commissioner, he will represent us in the western communities well. I urge you all to get him on the county commission. Al WellingtonPaglia Galindo Polo PrincipalPark continued from page 1 really poor backgrounds and those from very affluent backgrounds. I think it helped me to gain a good perspective on both.” Galindo spent the first 18 months of her teaching life at Village Academy in Delray Beach before working six years at Wel lington Elementary School, where she taught fourth and fifth grades. She took over as assistant princi pal at Grassy Waters in 2008 and became principal in 2014. Along the way, Galindo earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UF, an educational leadership degree from Nova Southeastern and a doctorate in education/organizational leader ship from the American College of “WhenEducation.Istarted, I thought I’d stay in the classroom forever. I loved seeing the growth in my students,” she remembered, but she realized that by moving into school administration, “I can im pact all the students and not just the ones I’m in front of. And all the teachers. The whole school.”

The major impact that Galindo hopes to have at Polo Park is to fur ther strengthen academically the already well-regarded school, es pecially in areas related to STEM — science, technology, engineer ing and mathematics — with particular emphasis on information technology and Pre-engineeringengineering.magnetcours es offered at Polo Park include environmental science, green construction and architecture, and exploring aerospace technology. For those interested in IT, the magnet courses include coding and computer fundamentals and exploring an IT career. Over the last several years, the Polo Park Cyber Stallions robotics teams have won or placed well in several state, national and even international competitions, Galin doDescribingnoted. herself as “very tech savvy,” she said that when the job at Polo Park came open, with the school’s focus on computing and IT, the fit seemed too good to pass up. So, she applied. Galindo also mentioned with pride that the Stallions baseball team won the county middle school baseball championship last year, and said she hopes to see that sort of success spread to the school’s other sports, such as basketball, soccer, softball, volley ball and track. Her role as principal, Galindo said, is to smooth the way to al low teachers and staff to do their jobs and to innovate with as little distraction as possible. “I want to go into the class rooms, see what’s working and take that into other classrooms,” sheAndexplained.whatclearly is working, Galindo said, is technology. The requirements for remote and hybrid learning during COVID-19 forced some teachers to jump into the 21st century. “It was hard for some of them. But they had to learn to be tech savvy,” she said. “It also created more collaboration Coastal SurchargeFuel

Ahead of this week’s opening of Palm Beach County public schools for the 2022-23 school year, West lake City Council members were focused on education when they met Tuesday, Aug. 2 for their regular monthly meeting. With the support of Vice May or Greg Langowski, the council named Santa Rosa Lane resident Dr. Anita S. Kaplan to the city’s Education & Youth Advisory Board. Kaplan was dean of Palm Beach State College’s bachelor’s degree programs from 2011 to 2020, when she retired. Kaplan joins Board Chair Lisa Liriano, Vice Chair Wesley Logs don and members Earle Wright, Jennifer Bermudez and Julie Ace vedo on the board. Langowski is the council’s liaison to the board. “Dr. Kaplan has been to every city council meeting. She’s always in the room,” Langowski said. “That shows me she wants to get involved.”Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor noted Kaplan’s “lifetime in edu cation” dating all the way back to 1974. “I think Dr. Kaplan would be an absolutely solid choice,” heKaplansaid. was appointed on a 4-0 vote, with support also from Coun cilwoman Charlotte Leonard, who was sitting in on the session online but was not included in the vote. Langowski, a former board chair of the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, said he was happy to take on the liaison job with the Westlake committee. He said he became passionate about children’s issues and education during his nine years with the Children’s Services Council.Meanwhile, the board’s current project — a back-to-school sup ply drive — continues through Wednesday, Aug. 17. Supplies, including pencils, glue sticks, composition books, index cards, wired earbuds, mesh or clear backpacks, pencil boxes and copy paper, can be dropped off at the Westlake Adventure Park, located at 16610 Town Center Parkway North. City Manager Kenneth Cassel also noted that in cooperation with the Daughters of the American Revolution, Westlake has provided 600 American history textbooks to Seminole Ridge High School. Students working with the DAR materials will be eligible to partic ipate in writing contests and possi bly win a trip to Washington, D.C. In other business: • The council voted 4-0 to re new its law enforcement service agreement with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office at a cost of $699,500. That represents a three percent — $20,985 — increase after three years of no increases, Cassel said. The agreement also provides for two more deputies serving Westlake, one starting Oct. 1 and another after Jan. 1, Cassel added. “I’m incredibly pleased with what we get from the sheriff’s office,” O’Connor said. “For what we pay, the amount of resources we get as a city is pretty much limitless.”•Thecouncil also heard that “I’ve always advocated for a healthy Westlake lifestyle,” Martinez explained. “I think this would be a good way to promote healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle.”Martinez said he envisions the event including timers, t-shirts, prizes and a shorter kids’ course. “I love the idea,” O’Connor said, and Cassel pledged to sup port the effort with whatever city resources are available. Plans were made to form an ad hoc committee led by Martinez to strategize about the event.

MEMBER OF The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce

ANNUAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL

Wellington Rotary Club were out in force to support the event. Representatives of the Aguirre foundation hand out shoes.

SWAG volunteers Mayline Jeudi and Kiecha Martinez. Dee Aubry with Tom and Regis Wenham.

Meeting special characters Spider-Man and Princess Belle was a highlight for Tobias Alezie. James Smith welcomes summer camper Haylee Halstead.

Wellington Community Services Director Paulette Edwards with volunteers Treasure Wimberly and Arlexia Previsnord of Palm Beach Central High School.

Scouts from Troop 125 show off some of the fun activities available as a scout. Martha and Antonella Diaz with Maggie Zeller.

NEWS

The Town-Crier www gotowncrier com August 12 - August 25, 2022 Page 5 PHOTOS

Student ambassadors Melany Cerrato of Wellington High School and Kayla Baptiste of Suncoast High School representing the Safety4Life Foundation.

The Village of Wellington held its annual Back-to-School Bash event on Saturday, July 30 at the Wel lington Community Center. Hundreds of children pre-selected by the village’s Community Services Department received backpacks filled with school essentials, a school uniform and a new pair of shoes. The village was supported in this effort by the Wellington Community Foundation, the Chris topher Aguirre Memorial Foundation, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, the Wellington Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club of Wellington, the Step by Step Foundation and SoFlo Church. Thanks to their dona tions, the village was able to host a fun-filled day of activities and help ensure that hundreds of local children were ready for the new school year. The community services team also delivered additional back-to-school items to local schools in advance of the school year.

Sarah, Ava and Owen Robbins pass out cold water bottles with Milan Aviles. BY CALLIE SHARKEY/TOWN-CRIER

The Bennett family trusted Wellington Regional’s level III NICU – three times Three babies, born years apart … what were the chances all three of the Bennett children would need the specialized care available at Wellington Regional’s level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit? Staffed 24/7 with neonatologists and specially trained nurses, the Kevin DiLallo NICU provides care for a wide range of newborn conditions, from the critically-ill babies to those born with the lowest birth weights or in need of just a few days of support. The NICU is here for babies like Asher, Preston and Neriah Bennett ... and yours. Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Wellington Regional Medical Center. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website. 22635902-1042901 8/22 10101 FOREST HILL BOULEVARD, WELLINGTON, FL 33414 561-798-8500 To learn more, visit wellingtonregional.com/nicu

BASH HELD AT WELLINGTON COMMUNITY CENTER

Rebecca Korda and Megan Livisay with the National Youth Advocate Program help recruit foster parents. Ramon Voils of the Christopher Aguirre Memorial Foundation and Kiwanis of Wellington’s Maribeth Lenz help hand out shoes.

Vice Mayor Michael Drahos, Mayor Anne Gerwig, Shelly Albright, Marcia Andrews, Councilman Michael Napoleone, Councilman John McGovern, Paulette Edwards and Michelle Garvey with Tom and Regis Wenham. RoseAnn Voils of the Christopher Aguirre Memorial Foundation (right) hands out new shoes to celebrate the new school year. PBSO’s deputies Rodriguez and Harper with Charlie, a therapy service dog.

Page 6 August 12 - August 25, 2022 www gotowncrier com The Town-Crier

Dave Aronberg Gets Award For Work AnimalFightingAbuse

continued from page 1 overwhelmed that the organization trusted me enough and looked at the qualifications and my experi ence and decided on me.” Despite there being no lawyers or judges in his family growing up, Damico always knew he wanted to be in the courtroom. He moved to Florida as a child in 1968 and lived in Palm Beach County, going through the public school system and earned his law degree from the Florida State University College of Law before returning to work in Palm Beach County. He worked locally as both a prosecutor and a public defender. Every two years, Florida law yers are able to anonymously rate their local judges. The rating categories include knowledge, preparedness, demeanor, control over the courtroom, impartiality, efficiency, degree of professional ism, timeliness and whether they use common sense. “The rules are you must have practiced in front of them, expe rienced them in the courtroom. I have been rated by the lawyers since 2001 all the way up to 2022. You can be rated one of three grades — unsatisfactory, satisfactory or excellent,” Damico explained. “Not some of the time, not most of the time, each time I have been rated as excellent in every category. These high ratings coming from the lawyers who have appeared in front of me tells us I’m doing something right. I’m very proud of those ratings, and they are important to me.” Damico has already decided that this upcoming term will be his last. A few years ago, the rules changed to allow judges to remain on the bench until the age of 75. He will be only 68 at the end of the upcoming term, but his resolve against the rule change is enough to keep him at his original plan to retire at the 2028 election. “I am experienced, I’m quali fied, and prior to being a judge, I was a prosecutor in Palm Beach County. I forced myself to leave prosecution and joined the public defender’s office in 1997, also in Palm Beach County, because I knew to be a better judge, I had to round myself out professionally,” he said. “It was a good decision that I believe makes me a better judge. My service has always been for Palm Beach County because I’m from here and that’s what’s in my heart.” For more information about Damico’s campaign, visit www. keepjudgedamico.com.ChallengerKarenVelez found herself inspired to run because she feels judges make important decisions that affect people’s lives, property and overall freedom. “Some might argue that county court judges have the most impact on the local community based on the fact that county court is where most people will appear if they ever have a legal issue,” Velez said. “The judiciary, our profes sion and our Palm Beach County community benefit and is best served when our leaders reflect the community they serve.”

Sadie Ryan, head keeper at the Panther Ridge Conservation Center, recently welcomed a new species of exotic feline to the Loxahatchee Groves sanctuary. Panther Ridge is pleased to announce that its newest cat is a female Carpathian lynx. The twomonth-old kitten is doing well in her new home, but she still needs a name — so the staff came up with a way to let the public get involved.Nowthrough to the end of August, donations can be made to cast votes for one of four names on the ballot: Zsa Zsa, Portia, Jara or Sage. Each dollar donated equals one vote, with the name garnering the most votes being the winner. All proceeds from the fundraiser go directly toward the care of the 23 resident felines at Panther Ridge. “The opportunity to help name the lynx kitten will close on Aug. 31. The winning name will be an nounced via our social media and a newsletter out to our mailing list,” RyanForsaid.details on the meaning of each name, and to participate in the naming process, visit go.rallyup.com/carpathianlynxkithttps://

Part of the mall’s Kids Club program, the free event took place in The District @ Wellington Green, and featured family-friendly fun like yoga and art classes, face painting, sweet treats from Cinna bon and the chance to dance with their favorite superheroes and Disney characters. Children also received a complimentary Kids Club lunch tote laden with nutritious treats as a take-home gift.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, Feed ing South Florida, the leading domestic hunger-relief organiza tion in South Florida, will host its annual Outrun Hunger 5K in Palm Beach County in celebration of Hunger Action Month. Returning in-person to Okeeheelee Park, hundreds of runners, families and community leaders of all ages will come together to take steps to raise money and awareness to end hunger in South Florida. Hunger Action Month, a nation wide initiative created by Feeding America, takes place throughout September and is designed to raise awareness about the issue of hunger in America and inspire others to take action toward ending it. Throughout the month, Feeding South Florida will offer a range of events and activities to encourage South Florida residents to “go orange” and engage in various hunger relief efforts. Currently, Feeding South Flori da is serving more than 1.1 million individuals through its network of partner agencies, Mobile FARMa cy, choice pantries, home delivery meal program and distributions across its service area. Registration for Outrun Hunger opens at 6:30 a.m., and the 5K will begin at 7:30 a.m. After the race, an award ceremony and a raffle will take place. The cost for registration is $20, and $35 with a t-shirt. Sign up to be a Hunger Hero for Participants$250. can join the event as an individual or a team. Med als will be given for the top three places in each age category and overall best times for males and females. Those not participating in the race can also support the or ganization by creating a personal ized fundraising page. To create a customized fundraising page, visit www.feedingsouthflorida.org/ peertopeer. Runners and walkers can also create a custom fundrais ing page during registration. For more information, and to register, participants can visit www.feedingsouthflorida.org/ outrunhungerpbc.Eventsponsorships and in-kind donations are available. For more information, contact Emily Brown at (954) 518-1818, ext. 1863, events@feedingsouthflorida.org.or For more information about Feeding South Florida’s partici pation in Hunger Action Month, and how to be a part of the effort to end hunger in South Florida, visit org/hunger-action-month.www.feedingsouthflorida.

END OF SUMMER BASH AT WELLINGTON GREEN Theatre Arts Productions (TAP) is trying something new for its upcoming production of Matilda The Musical, set for Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 20 at 1 and 7 p.m. at Wellington High School — the local nonprofit is not charging admission.

TAP actors rehearse for the upcoming production of Matilda The Musical

ten. Carpathian lynx are character ized by long legs, a bob tail and tall ears that have conspicuous black tufts. Their thick, soft fur is more densely spotted than other sub-species of Eurasian lynx. “In captivity, she will live to be in her late teens, early 20s. In the wild, she’d be lucky to live to reach 10 years,” Ryan explained. The natural habitat for this spe cies is the Carpathian Mountain range, which stretches across central and eastern Europe. Por tions of the mountains are found in Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Slova kia, Hungary, Czechia and Serbia. Poaching and fragmentation of habitat lands remain significant challenges for the lynx in the wild. “This Carpathian lynx kitten will be available for meet and greets in the future,” Ryan said. “We are planning on finding her a companion, so it’s a possibility that she will be part of a breeding program to help conserve her spe cies in future.” Also new to the sanctuary is the female African leopard cub Scar let. She arrived earlier this year. “Scarlet is doing fantastic! She loves going on daily walks around the property with her caretakers and jumping around her enclosure to show off for tour guests,” Ryan said. A nonprofit organization, Pan ther Ridge, located at 2143 D Road in Loxahatchee Groves, is open to all ages, and tours are available by reservation seven days a week. Call (561) 795-8914 or visit www.pantherridge.org for more information on programs, as well as volunteer or internship opportunities.

Feeding South Florida To Host Outrun Hunger 5K Sept. 24 OkeeheeleeAt

Help Name The New Carpathian Lynx Cub At Panther Ridge By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report

You can help name this new Carpathian Lynx cub. The cub is one of the 23 resident felines at Panther Ridge. decades,” she said. “I bring the life, work and legal experience needed in our local leaders.” To learn more about Velez, visit www.karenvelez4judge.com.EarlyvotingbeganAug.8, and the polls are open for the primary election from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23. Visit www. pbcelections.org for additional details on voting in Palm Beach County. Court vs.DamicoVelez

While serving on the bench would be a new path for Velez, her first career was not in the field of law. After graduating from Brook lyn College in New York, she spent more than six years in the private sector dealing with both personal and property claims. Her employer moved her to Florida to open a new claims office. In addition, Velez is a former educator, having taught at the high school level. “I started my legal career as an assistant public defender. For 12 years, I was in court daily, suc cessfully managing a large docket. I’ve represented thousands of clients and was a ‘Spanish floater,’ which meant that I was assigned cases throughout the courthouse for non-English-speaking clients,” said Velez, who later started her own law firm in Boca Raton. “In my private practice, I continue to represent everyday people on their family law matters, such as child custody, time sharing, paternity and equitable distribution, as well as on criminal matters.” Her work in the community has also garnered local support for the campaign.“I’mparticularly proud of my endorsement from the former mayor of West Palm Beach, Jeri Muoio. We met while serving on the board of directors of the Women’s Foundation of Florida together. We worked closely to gether on the board while co-chair ing Women on the Run, which is a non-partisan training program that teaches women how to run for of fice,” Velez said. “I’m also proud of the endorsement from United Latinas, as they are an organiza tion that brings Hispanic women from all walks of life together to provide support and mentorship to one another.” It was her experience as a child watching her mother deal with a housing issue that led her to be come an attorney. “My mother went to Legal Aid for assistance, and I witnessed first-hand what excellent legal rep resentation looks like. Law school was not preordained for me, as no one in my family had attended college or law school,” she said. “When I was in my mid-20s, I was already living in Florida. Then the 9/11 attack occurred. During that horrific event and the weeks after, I was in class helping high school students deal with the trauma and stress of the attack. It reminded me that life is short, and no one is promised tomorrow. It sounds cliché, but at the time, I took inventory of my life and decided to pursue my dream of being an attorney.”Sinceearning her law degree from Nova Southeastern Universi ty, Velez has been living that dream for 16 years. “A lot has changed in our community during the last two Cheryl Wild has joined HCA Florida Palms West Hospital as its Chief Nursing Officer and a member of the hospital’s executive leadership team. Wild comes to Palms West Hospital after serving as a CNO for more than six years, most recently for Broward Health. Her professional experiences also include roles in clinical care, med surge, open heart intensive care unit and clinical trials. She has authored several research publications and has authored a book on congenital heart defects in children. Wild started her care as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), and credits that work for keeping her grounded in her purpose and mission.Wild has been a Wellington resident for 16 years. “It’s no secret in our community that there is something special about Palms West, and now that I’m here, I see why people choose our hospital for quality, compas sionate care, and a great place to work,” Wild said. One of her goals in her new position is to help recruit nursing professionals to join the patient care team. Wild holds a bachelor’s of HCA Florida Palms West WelcomesHospitalNewCNO science in nursing (BSN) from Trenton State College and a mas ter’s of nursing (MSN) in health administration from Drexel Uni versity. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) from Drexel. Wild is a voting member of the Nurse Advisory Board and an ad junct professor at FAU’s Christine Lynn College of Nursing. Cheryl Wild

Dubbed Free-4-All Theatre, the goal is to expose live musical theater to those who may not have been able to afford the usual $25 to $30 ticket price. “Our ticket prices are very low compared to other theaters and theater companies,” Founding Ar tistic Director Jaycie Cohen said. “But we feel we are not reaching all segments of the community, so we are making admission free.” Donations will be accepted at the door and in advance. “If we can cover our expenses through sponsorships and dona tions, we will consider it a suc cess,” Cohen said. All tickets are reserved and can be ordered through the box office at (561) 340-9623 or tapstars. info@gmail.com.Donationscanalso be made at www.tapstars.org. Admission For TAP’s Upcoming ‘Matilda’ Show

Free

The Animal Law Section of the Florida Bar has presented its Dis tinguished Achievement Award to Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg. This award recog nizes the pursuit of prosecutions and convictions for crimes com mitted against animals. “Dave Aronberg has consis tently fought against animal abuse and made it a priority of his office,” said Matthew Dietz, a Miami civil attorney and immediate past chair of the Animal Law Section. Now serving his 10th year in office, Aronberg said that people who violate Florida’s animal cruel ty laws must be held accountable. He is the proud owner of Cookie, a rescue dog he nicknamed the “Hound of Justice.” “I am grateful to the Animal Law Section of the Florida Bar for this honor,” Aronberg said. “I am fortunate to have such an amazing team that protects the most vulner able in our community, including our four-legged friends.”

On Saturday, August 6, more than 200 children and their families attended the Mall at Wellington Green’s “End of Summer Bash.”

Royal Palm Beach Rotary Mixer Aug. 16 There will not be a morning meeting of the Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club on Tuesday, Aug. 16. Instead, members and guests are invited to join the club for its first Rotary Mixer at 6:30 p.m. that night at Duffy’s Sports Grill in Crestwood Square at 11935 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach. An open event, Rotarians are invited, along with spouses and guests. Interested members of the community are also invited. Learn more at www.facebook. com/rpbrotary.

The Town-Crier www gotowncrier com August 12 - August 25, 2022 Page 7 NEWS NEWS BRIEFS

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Arts For Smiles Holds Its Successful Back To School Supply Drive

Art for Smiles board members Erika Kyle and Carolina King, along with volunteer Lois Spatz (middle), delivered more than 100 backpacks directly to Belle Glade at Ella’s Closet and the Lighthouse Café.

Page 8 August 12 - August 25, 2022 www gotowncrier com The Town-Crier NEWS

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Now that this year’s back-toschool campaign is complete, Arts for Smiles will start preparing for Wellington’s Lakeside Market, where the organization will have a booth with art activities for kids, face painting, and sell art kits and receive donations for their mission most Fridays. Opening Day is Friday, Oct. 7. To learn more about Arts for Smiles and to see how you can be come a partner, sponsor or volun teer, visit www.artsforsmiles.org.

Are a Wellington resident 65 or older who

or visit

Francine and Sophie Nelson, along with Wellington Mayor Anne Gerwig, help to put together pencil cases that were included in the backpacks.

The Kids Cancer Foundation’s Back to School Kids Night was held Friday, Aug. 5 at the Kids Cancer Center in Royal Palm Beach. Families received a bag of school supplies for every child and a gift card to Target to purchase a backpack. Parents were also given their own back-to-school “survival kits” loaded with necessities for the transition out of summer break. School supplies were gen erously donated by The Acreage community supporters of the Kids Cancer Foundation and Journey Church of Lake Worth. To learn more about the Kids Cancer Foundation, visit www.kidscancersf.org or call (561) 371-1298. CANCER FOUNDATION HOSTS BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENT IN ROYAL PALM

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Honors the memory of Deputy Sheriff James R. Dickinson Who died in the line of duty on August 22, 1989 While proudly serving the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Palm Beach County Deputy James R. Dickinson will always be Remembered by his PBSO Family

A dental office designed specifically for serving the needs of the family. Established in 1983 Wellington’s first full-time, full service dental practice. forPremierWellington’sCenterDentalHealth.Becomepartofthefamily!

volunteers of all ages serving in a

The Kids Cancer Foundation’s Back to School Kids Night featured craft projects and other fun activities for patients, their siblings and parents.

Volunteers gather at BK Window Tinting in Wellington to put together the 300-plus backpacks for students.

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PHOTOS COURTESY LOIS SPATZ

Faye Probinsky Ford, Francine and Sophie Nelson, Erika Kyle and Carolina King gather to put together the school supplies.

KIDS

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residents and local organizations. We

A Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Wellington Cares, is a 501 (c) 3 community based not-for-profit committed to coordinating time to enable age 65 or older Wellington community serve Wellington and Royal Palm Beach Free. Call 561-568-8818 WellingtonCares.Org

TO SERVE AND PROTECT WAS THEIR OATH TO HONOR THEM IS OUR DUTY AND The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Honors the memory of Deputy Sheriff George C. Douglass Who died in the line of duty on August 27, 1921 (101th year) While proudly serving the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Palm Beach County Deputy George C. Douglass will always be Remembered by his PBSO Family Bill Thomas Agency WellingtonOwner,Resident 561-331-6652 BrightwayBillThomas.com help

Arts for Smiles Inc. celebrated the success of its Back to School Supply Drive on Aug. 1, as the lo cal nonprofit delivered more than 300 backpacks filled with school supplies to Palm Beach County families in need. The backpacks included notebooks, pencils, bind ers, crayons, markers, glue, rulers, folders and many other goodies for theThischildren.isthe second school year that Art for Smiles has held its “Back to School Supply Drive” summer campaign, with a tre mendous outpouring of support from many Wellington and Royal Palm Beach businesses and private donors. Many local area residents also contributed through organic outreach programs, such as collec tion boxes distributed throughout neighborhoods and businesses in the western communities. The Wellington-based nonprofit organization began as a grassroots effort with a mission to bring local artists and the community together to foster joy through art, culture and education directly to children facing adversity in Palm Beach County.“Weare so happy to be able to give the kids everything they will need for the year. It’s important that they feel prepared to learn and not have to worry about having the right tools to help them be success ful in class,” Founder & Executive Director Carolina King said. The backpacks were delivered to multiple groups, including Ella’s Closet and the Lighthouse Café in Belle Glade, Inner City Innovators in West Palm Beach, and teachers at North Grade Ele mentary School and Palm Springs Middle School.

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The Town-Crier www gotowncrier com August 12 - August 25, 2022 Page 11 of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Central Palm Beach County Chamber of 790-6200Commerce JEWELER Wellington798-6110Jewelry MARTIAL ARTS Villari’s Studios of Self Defense 792-1100 VETERINARIAN Animal Medical 798-2900Clinic BICYCLE SALES & REPAIR Wheels of 795-3038Wellington GENERAL DENTISTRY Dr. Steven Miller, DDS 798-8023 ENGINEERING SERVICES Alan Gerwig & Associates, Inc. 792-9000 NAIL SALON Glamorous Nail Spa 422-8882 NEWSPAPER & PUBLISHERSMAGAZINE Town-Crier Newspaper & Wellington The 793-7606Magazine CERTIFIEDACCOUNTANTSPUBLIC Spillane & Zahul, CPAs 790-1488 PRIVATE SCHOOL Wellington Collegiate Academy 701-3462 PSYCHOTHERAPIST Andrea Rusher, www.therapyofwellington.comLCSW444-7230 PEDIATRICIAN Dr. Rosa Fernandez, M.D. 793-3232 FINANCIAL CONSULTANT Dunamis Capital 313-0535Consulting TITLE INSURANCE South Shore Title, Inc. 798-9092 CHIROPRACTOR Taylor Chiropractic Center 793-5050 COMPONENTAEROSPACESALES AeroGear223-2590Telemetry Wellington Mall Center Court REAL ESTATE The Fabbri Group Concierge468-7653Properties MED SPA, REJUVENATION & SEXUAL WELLNESS CENTER Calla252-5398Genics Leasing Information Call Chris793-4500Santamaria

www.marciaandrewsforschoolboard.comHere’ssomegoodnewsabout

With Marcia Andrews steady leadership, our students receive an education that prepares them for a global economy.

Marcia Andrews knows public education. As a former teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal, HR Chief, and current School Board member, Marcia knows what it takes to improve student achievement and keep our kids safe. our schools: ! Palm Beach County is an “A” rated school district Our graduation rate is at an all-time high of 95.9%

Page 12 August 12 - August 25, 2022 www gotowncrier com The Town-Crier

ENDORSED

The

Palm Beach County students made gains this year on their Florida assessments in Math and English Language Arts We funded over 650 fine arts, choice and career academy positions We have a police officer in every school, many have more than one ! Our recent agreement with the PBC Sheriff’s Office, combined with our local municipalities, adds additional officers to the force We fortified all our schools after Parkland We have a nurse in every school We have a mental health professional in every school BY: Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association (CTA) Service InternationalEmployeesUnion(SEIU)

The Florida Department of Education just released their 2021-2022 school grades. Palm Beach County came out on top! Of the largest school districts in the state, only two received an “A” grade: Palm Beach County and Miami-Dade County.

Tanya Siskind, Wellington Village Councilwoman Richard Valuntas, Royal Palm Beach Village Councilman Mary Ross Wilkerson, Vice Mayor, Belle Glade John Wilson, South Bay City Commissioner Steve Wilson, Mayor of Belle Glade

Women’s Issues NOW Political advertisement paid for and approved by Marcia Andrews for School Board, District 6. 2220113 Andrews Crier 2nd ad.indd 1 8/9/22 8:00 AM

Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance Equality Florida Palm Beach – Treasure Coast AFL-CIO Palm Beach Post Sun Sentinel ELECTED OFFICIALS: Joaquin Almazan, Belle Glade City Commissioner Alexandra Ayala, School Board Member Keith Babb, Mayor of Pahokee Frank A. Barbieri, Jr., School Board Member Betty Barnard, South Bay City Commissioner Mack Bernard, Palm Beach County Commissioner Andrew L. Berry, Belle Glade City Commissioner Esther Berry, South Bay City Commissioner Allie Biggs, Former Pahokee City Commissioner Regina Bohlen, Former Pahokee City Commissioner Michael Drahos, Wellington Village Councilman Jervonte Edmonds, State Representative Jean Enright, Port of Palm Beach Commissioner Lawrence Gordon, Vice Mayor of Haverhill Jeff Hmara, Royal Palm Beach Village Councilman Keith James, Mayor of West Palm Beach Justin Katz, President, Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association (CTA) Joseph Kyles, Mayor of South Bay Charlotte Leonard, Westlake City Councilwoman Mike Martin, Belle Glade City Commissioner John McGovern, Wellington Village Councilman Taranza McKelvin, South Bay City Commissioner Melissa McKinlay, Palm Beach County Commissioner Clara Murvin, Pahokee City Commissioner Michael Napoleone, Wellington Village Councilman Clara Perez, Pahokee City Commissioner Fred Pinto, Mayor of Royal Palm Beach Bobby Powell, State Senator Wayne Richards, Port of Palm Beach Commissioner Katrina Long Robinson, Former Westlake City Councilwoman Jan Rodusky, Royal Palm Beach Village Councilwoman Jess Santamaria, Former Palm Beach County Commissioner Robert Shorr, Mayor of Loxahatchee Groves

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Cigar Lovers Will Enjoy A Visit To The New Stogies Cigar Lounge

Four months ago, owner Rafael Morera, a longtime cigar smoker and aficionado, opened Stogies Ci gar Lounge for business. Morera, who also runs a successful real es tate business, has a strong passion for cigars and has enjoyed meeting many local residents who share a similar mindset. “I have always loved smoking cigars,” said Morera, a retired law enforcement officer from New Jersey. “I just wanted to create and cultivate a great atmosphere for cigar Morera’slovers.”goal was to create a classy and comfortable haven for fellow cigar lovers. “Stogies Cigar Lounge pro vides you with the exclusivity of a private cigar club, with its impeccable attention to detail and chair-side services,” Morera said. “We are raising the bar in your cigar lounge experience.”

In addition to providing a ven ue to relax while enjoying your favorite cigar, Stogies has a wide selection of delicious food, which is prepared by Bambino’s Meat balls, but only for special events.

Right now, Stogies does not sell alcohol, but Morera is hoping that changes in the near future. “Right now, we are a BYOB establishment,” Morera said. “But I’m expecting my beer and wine license to get approved very soon.” According to Morera, a few of the nights each month have a theme. “Gentlemen’s Night is the first Tuesday of the month at Stogies Cigar Lounge,” he said. On those Tuesday nights, the hot dog bar is open with fixings such as street cart onions and kraut, plus Coney Island chili dogs. Chicago beef sandwiches and San Gena ro-style sausage and peppers are alsoOnserved.thesecond Sunday of every month, Stogies hosts a Cigars and Car Show Night. On the third Thursday night of every month, there’s a themed dinner for couples, and every Wednesday night, it’s Domino Night at Stogies. All the action starts at 6 p.m. “We provide the food, and you bring your own bottle,” Morera explained.Andwhen there’s a big prize fight on the sports calendar, Sto gies provides its own ringside perspective.“Wealways show all the UFC and boxing events on our bigscreen TVs,” Morera said. Looking forward, Morera plans to cater to fans of college football, pro football and World Cup soccer. “We will have a number of foot ball tailgate parties, especially on Sundays,” Morera said. “We’ll be hosting some viewing parties for World Cup soccer games this com ing November and December.”

According to Morera, cigar smokers also enjoy buying cigar accessories at Stogies. “We have everything from cutters, lighters, ashtrays, travel bags, wallets and so much more,” MoreraMorerasaid.makes it easy for cus tomers to visit Stogies, since it’s open seven days a week. “We are open from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thurs day,” Morera said. “We are open longer on Fridays and Saturdays. We don’t close on those nights until 11:30 p.m. or later, depending on whether there’s a big game on television.”StogiesCigar Lounge is located at 8480 Okeechobee Blvd., Suite 4, in West Palm Beach. For more information, call (561) 291-9866. To stay current with what’s up at Stogies, visit them online at www. stogieswestpalm.com or facebook.com/stogieswestpalm.www.Find cigar accessories in the retail store at Stogies Cigar Lounge.

While the general public is invited to visit Stogies, Morera also sells annual memberships — and there are benefits to being a member.“Every quarter, we have mem bers-only events,” Morera said. “Members also get discounts on merchandise, and they get a locker where they can keep their cigars. Those lockers are humified, which helps preserve the cigars.” While many people may as sociate cigar smoking with men, Morera said that at least 30 percent of his clients are women, including his wife. “My wife likes cigars, and she has plans for a ladies’ night soon here at Stogies,” he said. In addition to providing a venue for customers to relax while en joying a cigar, Morera has a retail business inside the lounge. As you would expect, cigars are always a big seller. They are stored in the walk-in humidor at Stogies. “We sell between 45 and 50 different brands of cigars, which come from the Dominican Re public, Honduras and Nicaragua. Those are the major tobacco-pro ducing countries,” Morera said. As you would expect, Morera has a preference when it comes to “Mycigars.favorite cigar is either the Padron 1926 or 1964,” Morera said. “It comes from Nicaragua.”

NEWS The Town-Crier www gotowncrier com August 12 - August 25, 2022 Page 13

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

(Above) There are approximately 50 brands of cigars on sale at Stogies Cigar Lounge. They are stored in a walk-in humidor. (Below) The interior of Stogies Cigar Lounge, where owner Rafael Morera has created a classy and comfortable haven for fellow cigar lovers.

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continued from page 1 would enhance event experiences, reduce traffic, and draw more participants and residents, he said. In addition, there are limited commercial lifestyle options, including restaurants, hotels, coshared office space and retail options that support the worldclass nature of the events. “To compete with other venues and communities, we need to enhance our offerings as quickly as possible to present the finest experience for our participants and to provide a platform to engage all Wellington residents,” Bellissimo said. While WEP has strategically sold more than 300 acres over the last year to equestrian-related entities Global Equestrian Group (GEG) and the United States Polo Association (USPA), it still owns more than 550 acres in Wellington. “Our goal is to lay out a compre hensive vision for our equestrian properties based on market needs and feedback from many constit uents,” Bellissimo commented. “The goal is to ensure that our venues are world-class and there is sufficient residential and com mercial infrastructure to support a successful equestrian industry for the next 50 years and beyond.”

Check SettlementRoadwork

continued from page 3 estimate. A new engineer would need to be hired and go through the entire process again, which would prolong the issue further. Vice Mayor Michael Drahos said the village should take the money and end the long-running saga.“Coupled with the fact that there is work at this intersection that we’ve been wanting to do for a long time that has been held up by this,” he said. “I want to get on with it already and get the work go ing. I see this as a bird in the hand situation. It gives us the money. It frees us up to do the work that we want to do, and we finally get to move on from this issue.”

Drahos made a motion to ap prove the acceptance of the pay ment, which passed 4-0 with Councilwoman Tanya Siskind not present for the vote.

continued from page 1 days, the system has since been offline for more than two years. Last year, the village evaluated the remaining project work items, including the fluoridation system improvements, and reassigned the remaining work to a different contractor.Thediscussion over the issue took place during the utilities por tion of the council’s annual Cap ital Improvement Plan workshop, where the council was getting an overview of just under $10 million of utility projects planned for fiscal year 2023, as presented by Senior Engineer Anjuli Panse. After Panse went through her presentation, Gerwig asked about when fluoride will be returned to the village’s water system. “When is the fluoridation pro cess going to be back in place?” she asked. “That has been a con cern throughout the community. When will it go back to what this council voted on five years ago?” Panse said that her department is targeting a September return to fluoridation. “That is at the latest,” she said. “We are hoping to come in a bit earlier than that. They are currently completing some of the controls forViceit.” Mayor Michael Drahos wanted to know why the council was not informed of the change. “We were prompted by an out sider that the fluoride was not in our water system,” he said. “Why did we not have some sort of fail safe in place to indicate whether or not it is in our water? How did we not know that it wasn’t working?” Barnes explained that person nel in the utilities department did know, since it was taken offline as part of the construction project. “We needed to take the existing fluoridation system offline to be able to complete the new con struction,” he said. “The existing system was not compatible with the plant expansion, and so it had to be However,redone.”while the original timeframe for the lack of fluorida tion was 60 to 120 days, it became a more serious problem once that stretched into years. “This was done at the depart mental level, and the council was not notified, and the senior staff was not notified,” said Barnes, who took over as village manager in early 2021. “So, this predates your time as manager?” Councilman John McGovern asked. “That’s right. It was taken of fline in May of 2020,” Barnes replied.Asfor the future, Barnes said that a new policy will be put in place.“We will create a policy, not just specific to fluoride,” he said. “If there is any council action that ends up becoming suspended, changed or modified, it would have us officially come to the council to advise you.” Barnes noted that a lack of water fluoridation has an impact no mat ter what side of the issue you’re on. Those who have been expecting to get supplemental fluoride through the water, that has not been hap pening since 2020. Conversely, some people who do not want fluoride in their water have been purchasing bottled water during that time unnecessarily. The issue is greatest for young children, since water fluoridation is considered most useful for kids whose teeth are first coming in. “The forming teeth inside the children is where it has to be ingested,” Gerwig said. “Topical fluoride does not work.” Barnes recommended that con cerned residents seek advice from their dental or medical profession al to see if there is any supplement that is needed in the short term, particularly for children.

Councilman John McGovern made it clear that the council was taking this opportunity to bring the long-awaited issue to a close by accepting satisfaction of the resolution by payment. Now Wel lington can finally move forward with the road improvements. “Had these improvements been done at the time, and then we came in and did the improve ments to the intersection, they would have torn it up again. We are doing major drainage work,” Mayor Anne Gerwig noted. “This is a trade-off, and I agree, it’s a bird in the hand, and we would like to go ahead and look at this intersection — particularly for the drainage and the traffic.”

Fluoride

“We can’t turn back time to rein troduce it for those who missed it,” he said. “And likewise, we can’t turn back time to let people know it wasn’t Barnesthere.”and several council members stressed that the fluoride issue did not mean there was any thing wrong with the water itself. “The water was always perfect ly safe to drink,” he said. “What happened did not affect the quality of the McGovernwater.” said that the flu oride issue should have been raised immediately. “This council unanimously voted to put the fluo ridation back in the water in accor dance with the expert guidelines,” he said. “The residents should have been informed of the change in fluoridation at the earliest possible time so that they could take any remedial measures that they might have chosen to take.” Aside from getting the fluoride back in the water as soon as possi ble, McGovern wanted assurances that something like this will never happen again without some kind of immediate notification. Gerwig was not satisfied with the excuse that the village’s man agement has changed since the issue first began. “The management team has not entirely changed,” she said. “There’s a different manager, but as far as the team, reporting should have been across all of senior management. It should not have been just one person was notified.” In addition to the $10 million in utility projects planned for next year, the council also got a look at details regarding $9.4 million in one-time capital projects and $4.5 million in ongoing projects, for a total of just under $24 million in capital projects scheduled for fiscal year 2023. One-time projects include: Olympia Park Improve ments ($600,000); Greenview Shores Bicycle Lanes ($250,000); Section 24 Preserve Expansion ($500,000); WCC Generator ($100,000); Public Safety Annex ($3,000,000); Aquatics Complex ($3,415,024); and South Shore Community Park ($1,500,000).

A master plan dubbed “Wel lington 3.0” has been submitted by WEP in cooperation with the Global Equestrian Group to the Village of Wellington outlining a series of initiatives to ensure Wellington’s long-term success andAncompetitiveness.agreementbetween WEP and GEG includes a proposed sale of 80 acres of land to GEG to support a showgrounds ex pansion, contingent on a zoning change for that land. GEG has already purchased part of the land identified for expanded dressage and jumping showgrounds from WEP-related entities. The plan, drawn from years of operating experience, feedback from festival participants, specta tors, residents and village/county leaders, as well as a 2021 survey from Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee, intends to accomplish the following: • Protect, expand and enhance Wellington equestrian venues by ensuring that each equestrian venue is world-class and secure for generations to come through a transition from personal venue ownership to long-term institu tional ownership. This application would effectively double the showgrounds’ footprint around the existing Wellington Interna tional showgrounds, expanding the footprint from 86 to 190 acres by converting 104 currently residen tially zoned acres into land zoned Commercial Equestrian. Some recent initiatives of the “Welling ton 3.0” strategy include the sale of Equestrian Sport Productions and the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (since renamed Wellington International) to GEG, and the recent sale of the Inter national Polo Club to the United States Polo Association. These efforts transfer the core venues into the hands of well-funded “stewards” with long-term global visions to enhance the venues and expand the sport. GEG’s de velopment plans include a single integrated showgrounds for dres sage and show jumping, as well as a new stadium, covered arena, a large grass competition arena, permanent structures for stabling and retail, and increased parking.

• Integrate and connect the broader community through an “equestrian downtown” that will be accessible to all Wellington res idents and event participants that includes restaurants, retail, office and hospitality. It will include cul tural events, demonstration areas and support pedestrian traffic. All of this commercial activity will be located north of the existing Saddle Shops Plaza and west of South Shore on existing land zoned commercial and owned by WEP that is not located in the EOZD. This marketplace will be an economic cluster in support of attracting global equestrian businesses and participants who require hospitality, agile/shared office space, and world-class restaurants and retail. “GEG is committed to the Village of Wellington and the equestrian community,” GEG CEO Andreas Helgstrand said. “The showgrounds expansion will require significant investment, which will ensure the finest eques trian facility and the highest-quali ty events in the world.” Bellissimo stressed the impor tance of this new initiative. “Wellington is one of the most unique equestrian destinations in the world,” he said. “As a full-time resident, my passion for this com munity is enduring. I am hopeful these 3.0 efforts will resonate with equestrians and non-equestrians alike as we work together to take the steps to make it a phenomenal year-round destination.”

Bellissimo 3.0WellingtonInitiative

• Develop high-quality residen tial options in proximity to the showgrounds. Despite economic challenges, interest in Wellington residences remains unabated. Demand is at an all-time high and inventory is at an all-time low. The plan incorporates existing residential density (199 units) within the Wellington Country Place PUD (172 acres of land abutting Wellington Internation al). Secondly, it would convert 96 acres of commercial equestrian into pure residential at Equestrian Village, matching the conversion of residential into commercial abutting the showgrounds. There would be no commercial ele ments at Equestrian Village, as all commercial elements would be across South Shore Blvd., which is outside of the current Eques trian Overlay Zoning District (EOZD). A 5.3-acre parcel at the corner of Lake Worth and South Shore boulevards, currently in the EOZD, would be converted from full commercial to residential. A pedestrian/golf cart bridge cross ing South Shore at Pierson would be accessible by all residents, and encourage the use of golf carts, bicycles and pedestrians to safely access a dedicated pedestrian walkway and golf cart path north of Pierson connecting the show grounds entrance, thereby reduc ing traffic and increasing safety for participants and spectators alike.

www.shellyalbright.com 2220112 Albright TC ad.indd 1 8/9/22 11:07 AM

✔ Wellington Education Committee, Vice Chair, 2017-Present; Board Member, 2016-Present ✔ Neil S. Hirsch Boys and Girls Club of Wellington, Advisory Board, 2021-Present ✔ Commission on the Status of Women, Palm Beach County, Board Member, 2018-2021

✔ Wellington Interfaith Committee, Chair 2016-2019, Programs in partnership with the Village of Wellington include: S.W.A.G. (Students Working to Achieve Greatness), Hometown Holiday Food Drive, Hometown Holiday Toy Drive; Member 2013-2020

The Town-Crier www gotowncrier MEET STEVEN NAIDS M.D. Trained at the world renowned Wills Eye Hospital and formerly practicing in Beverly Hills, Ca. (LA Top Doc) 2575 S. STATE ROAD 7. WELLINGTON, FL 33414 Located across from the Mall at Wellington Green, behind Whole Foods and TooJays. (561) 792-1205 BOCA RATON • BOYNTON BEACH Se Habla Español www.fleyedocs.com EYE CARE for the Entire Family Dr. Naids practices the newest modalities of cataract and refractive surgery as well as corneal transplantation. He also has a specialized interest in the management of dry eye disease. We are thrilled he’s joined our Florida Eye family, and since taking over Dr. Gorscak’s practice, we’re happy to say he fits right in! Thank you to our patients for making Dr. Naids feel welcome. We truly appreciate your support. Refractive Cataract Surgery Cornea and External Disease Comprehensive Ophthalmology silvestriforschoolboard.com Prioritize Children First Promote Parental Involvement Improve School Safety Retain Quality Teachers VOTE AUGUST 23RD Paid for and Approved by Amanda Silvestri for Palm Beach County School Board District 6 Shelly Albright knows our community because she has been actively involved for the past 18 years. ENDORSED BY: and several Wellington and Royal Palm Beach elected officials Political advertisement paid for and approved by Shelly Albright, Democrat for State Representative, District 93. LIFELONG DEMOCRAT • MOTHER OF 4 • EDUCATION ADVOCATE Shelly’s priorities will be: Fight for a women’s right to choose/ access to abortion Meaningful gun reform Increased funding for Mental Health treatment, resources and availability Transportation solutions to relieve traffic Improve safety measures at our schools, more resources for kids who learn differently, increase teacher salaries Shelly has worked side by side with many of our local leaders to get things done.

✔ EMPOWHER, Board of Directors, 2014-Present

• Executive Committee, Former Member Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, Former Chair Community Advisory Council, Former Chair Fundraising, Former Vice President (to name a few)

✔ Women’s Foundation of Florida, Board of Directors, 2013-Present

✔ Elbridge Gale Elementary School, PTO, 2005-2006, 2009-2012; President, 2010-2011

✔ Suncoast High School Foundation, Board of Directors, 2010-2011

✔ Citrus Cove Elementary School, PTA, 1998-2002; President, 19992001

✔ Junior League of the Palm Beaches, President, 2012-2013; Member, 2005-Present

✔ American Cancer Society, Cattle Baron’s Ball, Co-Chair, 2014-2016

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The Wellington Community Foundation once again this year joined with the Village of Wel lington and the Rotary Club of Wellington to help local students be ready for success in school. Hundreds of students attended Wellington’s annual Back-toSchool Block Party held at the Wellington Community Center on Saturday, July 30, and preparation for all the items took place during the weeks before. Thanks to the foundation’s annual sponsors, Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, Tom & Regis Wenham, Wellington Regional Medical Center and many generous donors, the foundation was able to purchase much-needed items to help Wellington students. On Tuesday, July 26, founda tion board members, along with Wellington The Magazine staff members, gathered to sort, prep and package school uniforms for all of the registered participants. On Thursday, July 28, foundation volunteers, Rotarians and Welling ton staffers jam-packed hundreds of backpacks with school supplies that were given away at the July 30 event, along with hundreds of new school uniforms also purchased by the foundation through funding from supporters, donors and grants received throughout the year. The Wellington Community Foundation continues to be an integral part of the Wellington community, helping seniors, chil dren and veterans, while “Building a Stronger Community.” “We want to thank everyone for their involvement,” WCF Chair Tom Wenham said. For information about becoming involved, donating or volunteering, call (561) 333-9843 or visit org.wellingtoncommunityfoundation.www.

The Wellington Rotary Club team stands shoulder to shoulder with the foundation again this year to support students. Shelly Albright, John McGovern, Anne Gerwig, Michael Napoleone, Michael Drahos and Marcia Andrews assist with backpack distribution. Jeffrey Goldman, Ian Williams, Tom Wenham, Mike Gauger, Jim Sackett, Michelle Garvey, Gus Ponce, Maggie Zeller, Terri Kane and Pam Tahan prepare for back-to-school event.

The Christoper Aguirre Memorial Foundation provided hundreds of brand-new sneakers for Wellington students. Volunteers included Robin Tenzel, Linda Starr, RoseAnn Voils, Kelli Schaming, Anthony Aguirre, Ramon Voils, Maribeth Lenz and Peter Remeny.

NEWS

Page 16 August 12 - August 25, 2022 www gotowncrier com The Town-Crier

Wellington Community Foundation members teamed up with the Rotary Club of Wellington to provide much-needed backpacks, school supplies and uniforms for Wellington students. Wellington staff members also helped stuff backpacks for the event.

Shanta Daibee, Yolanda Cernicky, Maggie Zeller, Michelle Garvey, Gus Ponce, Jill Kaskel, Tom Wenham, Terri Kane, Betty Buglio and Jim Sackett sort, prep and package school uniforms.

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Foundation Helps Hundreds Of Students Be School Ready

Hundreds of sneakers, backpacks with school supplies and uniforms were prepared for distribution. SoFlo Church were the proud sponsors of the Chick-fil-A distribution. Shown is Hope Sites with the Aviles family. Dozen of volunteers turned out to assist with stuffing backpacks for the event.

Mickey Smith of annual sponsor Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith with WCF Chair Tom Wenham. Michael Drahos, Anne Gerwig, Shelly Albright, Marcia Andrews, Michael Napoleone, John McGovern, Paulette Edwards and Michelle Garvey, along with WCF Chair Tom and Regis Wenham.

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PBSO deputies Bahruth and Gonzalez with therapy dog Charlie. Wellington’s Ed De La Vega, Natalie Stahl, Gloria Kelly, Christian Santa and Event Coordinator Nicole Coates. Michael Napoleone visits with the Myron family. Meredith Ockman-Tache. Unit deputies Brian Daly and Michael Valenti.

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Fire trucks were on site for guests to tour. Kids enjoyed playing the day away at the Tiger Shark Cove Park playground. banner celebrates the end of summer.

Attendees got to put their hands on a PBSO car.The bean bag game was popular.

Attendees enjoyed jumping around in the bounce house.

Councilman

Page 18 August 12 - August 25, 2022 www gotowncrier com The Town-Crier NEWS WELLINGTON HOSTS AN END-OF-SUMMER PARTY AT TIGER SHARK COVE PARK On Friday, Aug. 5, the Village of Wellington held an end-of-summer party at Tiger Shark Cove Park in cooperation with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue. Kids were treated to bounce houses, face painting, music, horses and Kona Ice while visiting with PBSO deputies and touring fire-rescue vehicles. PHOTOS BY ERIN DAVISSON/TOWN-CRIER

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Assistant coach Klay Smith (right) gives instruction to quarterback Andreas Jakusik during a practice session.

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report There’s a new head football coach roaming the sidelines at Royal Palm Beach High School this fall, and he expects different results in the win-loss column this season after a difficult campaign lastTheyear.Wildcats’ new gridiron leader is Chuck Kenyon, and he is asking his players to trust his vision and give maximum effort. “I am asking the players to be diligent and to work hard,” said Kenyon, who is starting his 13th year as a high school head football coach. “They are doing just that.” Kenyon most recently coached in Georgia, but he previously served as head football coach at Sebastian River High School and Martin County High School here in AtFlorida.theend of last year’s football season, there were less than 30 players on the varsity squad at RPBHS. To date, more than 70 players want to play football for the Wildcats this fall. “The first week of practice was a whirlwind,” Kenyon said. “The kids are buying in to what we are coaching. We have a structured program.” The first official day of football practice for this fall was on Mon day, Aug. 1. The players wore shorts, jerseys and helmets for the first two days of practice, as per the rules of the Florida High School Athletic Association. For the third, fourth and fifth days of practice, they started to wear shoulder pads as well, but no contact was allowed.Inaddition to speed and agility workouts, Kenyon and his coach ing staff have been busy installing new plays and calls for the offense, as well as a new defensive scheme. While the team does feature many players who started on last year’s team, Kenyon said starting spots must be earned every week in practice. “We have several talented players from last year’s team, but I have told them that we have 22 spots open for starters,” Kenyon said.Kenyon is giving every player on the team a chance to earn a

Royal Palm Beach Football Team Preps For A New Beginning

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

RPB Girls Softball Squad Enjoyed World Series Experience

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report From July 19 through July 27, 12 young, female, fast-pitch softball players from Royal Palm Beach were in pursuit of a World Series title at the Babe Ruth Soft ball World Series. This Royal Palm Beach-based 12U team — which won the Florida State Babe Ruth Softball Championship in Lake City back in June and is affiliated with the Youth Baseball Association of Royal Palm Beach — traveled to Pineapple Park in Jensen Beach to play in a 14-team tournament that featured squads from Puerto Rico, Alabama, Massachusetts, Dela ware, Kentucky, Florida, Louisi ana, Texas, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Virginia and North Carolina. Led by manager Ed Bianco, a resident of Royal Palm Beach, the team compiled a winning re cord (five wins and three losses) and concluded the competition in sixth place. The 12 players on the team were: Ella Bianco (the manager’s daughter), Ella Mae Lipp, Gabi De Los Reyes, Kylie Zimmerman, Gianna Rettas, Jamie McCarroll, Ella Orta, Emilie Fox, Olivia Sbei, Gianna Tarducci, Sara Spidalieri and Victoria Wessman, who was unable to play due to an injury. According to Bianco, several players offered key roles in the team’s overall success. Bianco’s daughter Ella led by example.“Ellawas our best all-around player,” Bianco said. “She can play any position, she can pitch, and she is fast on the base paths.” Gianna Rettas is a pitcher who shut down the opposition late in many“Giannagames.is our closer,” Bianco said. “On the mound, she has ice in her Biancoveins.”feels that Ella Mae Lipp was a strong hitter and equally talented on defense. “Ella Mae Lipp was our most improved player,” he said. “She was our starting shortstop and batted third in our lineup.” Gabi De Los Reyes was strong on the pitcher’s mound and in the batter’s“Gabibox.isa big-game pitcher and has a big-time bat,” Bianco said. Kylie Zimmerman was one of the team’s more vocal leaders, who could boost the team’s energy level.“Kylie was a team leader who had an energizing presence,” Bi ancoTheexplained.futureisstrong for softball at local high schools, as many of these players will migrate to the high school level soon, since all the girls on the Royal Palm Beach squad currently attend school and play softball at Crestwood Middle School in Royal Palm Beach or Wellington Landings Middle School in Wellington.

In addition to wrestling a num ber of matches, watching his weight and getting enough sleep, Jones was able to squeeze in a little sightseeing on the trip. “We were able to go by the Ru dis wrestling museum nearby, but most of the time I was watching my weight,” Jones said.

Kylie Zimmerman slides into home base.

Jordan Dise (left) on defense goes up against teammate Kimo Ibanez Jr. (right) on offense. PHOTOS COURTESY CHUCK KENYON

According to Kenyon, the strong level of participation this month can be traced to the num ber of players who showed up for strength and conditioning during the“Thissummer.summer, we met for con ditioning on Tuesdays, Wednes days and Thursdays,” he said. “We had good participation.”

In his performance against Laudenbach, Jones focused on the fundamentals of the sport to earn the win. “I stayed focused, and I didn’t get too confident,” Jones said. “I just made sure I wrestled solid and tried to continue to score points.” Gray was impressed by Jones’s many fine performances on the wrestling mat. “It was an incredible perfor mance, even more so considering that this was the first year that Patrick has ever competed in those two styles of wrestling and has only been in the sport of wrestling for three years,” Gray said. As Jones looks back on his visit to North Dakota for the Junior Na tional Championships, he walked away with a new appreciation for the sport of “Wrestlingwrestlingisnot a sport that anyone can get into,” Jones said. “It is for the individuals who really want to work hard.”

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SPORTS, PAGES 21-23 • SCHOOLS, PAGE 24 • PEOPLE, PAGE 25 • BUSINESS, PAGE 27 • COLUMNS, PAGE 28 • CLASSIFIEDS, PAGES 29-30

Softball players Ella Mae Lipp and Kylie Zimmerman.The Royal Palm Beach 12U team at the Babe Ruth World Series.

Wellington High School wres tler Patrick Jones — who com petes in the 120-pound weight class — has returned home follow ing a series of successful matches at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior National Championships in Fargo, NorthTheDakota.eventwas held July 1722 at the FargoDome, which is on the campus of North Dakota State University. At this national competition, Jones, now entering his senior year at WHS, performed so well that he became the first Wellington wrestler to earn AllAmerican honors at the prestigious event. He competed in both Olym pic styles of wrestling — Freestyle and Greco — over the week-long competition.Joneshad lots of competitive company on the wrestling mat. According to WHS head wrestling coach Travis Gray, the meet had

The Wildcats are getting ready for their kickoff classic game — a preseason practice match — against West Boca Raton High School on Friday, Aug. 19. That game will be played at Royal Palm Beach High School. The Wild cats’ regular season opener will be Friday, Aug. 26 at 6:30 p.m., when they will host Fort Pierce Westwood.

SPORTS

The Town-Crier www gotowncrier com August 12 - August 25, 2022 Page 21

Wellington Wrestler Patrick Jones Excels At National Event more than 100 competitors from around the country.

The week began with Freestyle competition, where Jones finished with a 5-2 record and fell two matches short of the All-American awards, which are given to the top eight finishers. Day four began with the Greco portion of the tournament, where Jones didn’t get off to a good start, losing his first-round match. As a result, Jones needed to win seven straight matches in order to make it to the awards stand — and that’s exactly what he did! In order to stay loose in between all those matches, Jones did a little bit of jogging, kept moving and stretching, and drank water. Along the way, he defeated many state champions, as well as the returning national champion — Austin Laudenbach from Min nesota — as he battled his way all the way back to a sixth-place finish. Wellington wrestler Patrick Jones with his award (left) and being declared the winner of one of his matches at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior National Championship (right). starting position. The players heard Kenyon’s message and they are responding.“Theyare adapting to my way of thinking,” added Kenyon, who was named the head coach in early June.

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Aug. 20

(Above) Joshua Zuchowski in pool after winning the 200-meter backstroke at the 2022 Speedo Junior Championships. (Below) Zuchowski smiles from the medal stand. Joshua Zuchowski

The Wellington Tennis Center invites the community to attend a free “Junior Jamboree” Backto-School Open House event on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. Bring the entire family for a fun day of tennis, games and give-a-ways.Allagesare invited to partici pate in youth tennis clinic games, drills and demonstrations with Director of Tennis Chuck Gill and his team of United States Tennis Association (USTA) certified professionals.Afterworking up a sweat, players can cool down with free samples from Jamba Juice while supplies last. At the conclusion of the event, one lucky participant will win a youth tennis gift basket valued at more than $300 (must be present at the time of drawing to win). Guests should dress in ath letic attire and shoes appropriate for play. Sunscreen and additional hydration are also recommended. While the event is free to attend, registration is required. Registra tion can be completed through Eventbrite in advance and on the day of the event. Visit www.wel lingtonfl.gov/eventbrite to register. For more information, contact the Tennis Center Pro Shop at (561) 791-4775 or e-mail tennis@wel lingtonfl.gov. The Wellington Tennis Center is located at 3100 Lyons Road and offers year-round tennis programs, leagues and activities for youth and adults. The facility features 21 self-irrigated Har-Tru clay courts, a canvas-covered rooftop balcony and a pro-shop. Learn more at www.wellingtonfl.gov/tennis.

TKA Grad Zuchowski Continues Record-Setting Pace In The Pool

SPORTS

Continuing to expand the efforts of leading the amateur baseball industry, Perfect Game recently an nounced that Bradenton native Na than Handley-White, Loxahatchee native Abriel Torres, Orange Park native Tyson Brown and Winter Springs native Chance Baisden were selected for the Second An nual 11U Perfect Game Select Baseball Festival, which was held Sunday, Aug. 7 at East Cobb Base ball Complex in Marietta, Georgia. Far more than just a game, the event provided a once-in-alifetime opportunity for the players selected. While in Georgia, the players participated in a series of baseball-related activities. In the weeks leading up to the event, they had the opportunity to participate in a fundraising effort to help the Perfect Game Cares Foundation’s Grow the Game Fund, which seeks to provide opportunities for baseball and softball players from the many underserved and at-risk communities across America. “The Perfect Game Cares Foun dation is proud to partner with our 2022 11U Select players to raise important funds for children from America’s most underserved communities,” said Jennifer Ford, executive director of the Perfect Game Cares Foundation. “To gether, we can provide hope and opportunity for these beautiful children.”Formore information on the game, visit SelectBaseballFestival/11U/2022.www.perfectgame.org/ aspx. You can help by donating at https://igfn.us/vf/11USelect.

Lox Resident Selected For Perfect Game’s Second Annual 11U Select Baseball Festival

Wellington Tennis Center To Host Free ‘Junior Jamboree’ Open House

& RECREATION

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report Joshua Zuchowski, a 2022 grad uate of the King’s Academy who’s headed to Stanford University on a swimming scholarship, continues to set records in the pool. On Wednesday, Aug. 3, while competing in the 2022 Speedo Junior Championships at the Wil liam Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center in Irvine, California, Zuchowski set a new U.S. junior record in the 200-meter backstroke. His time in the final was 1:58.42, which broke the previous U.S. junior record time of 1:58.49 set by Ian Grum in 2019. Zuchowski, who now swims for the Palm Beach County-based Flood Aquatics Swim Team, said that he was pleased with his time in the 200 backstroke, but added that there is room for improve ment.“Ihad a great morning swim with little effort and went 1:59.81. My finals race was not the clean est, but my prior personal best in the 200-meter backstroke was indoors, and it’s much harder racing outside,” Zuchowski said. “I was far away from the wall in two of the three turns. I was a little sluggish in the last 25 meters. I will take it.” The world junior record time in the 200-meter backstroke is 1:55.14, which was set in 2017 by Russian Kliment Kolesnikov. At the meet, Zuchowski also swam in the 200-meter butterfly, 100-meter backstroke and the 200-meter individual medley. In the 200-meter butterfly, Zuchowski finished in seventh place with a time of 1:59.84. In the 100-meter backstroke, he recorded a third-place finish with a personalbest time of 55:18. “My 100-meter backstroke race was fine,” Zuchowski said. “I went out fast, and I felt great. I was just beaten by two faster swimmers.” In the 200-meter IM, Zuchows ki had the fastest time in the pre liminaries, with a time of 2:02.55. In the finals, he went even faster, recording a personal best time of 2:01.92, but he finished in third place. The winning time was 2:01.40 by Will Modglin from Indiana.ForZuchowski, who was lead ing the 200-meter IM at the half way mark, the entire race was too close to call until Modglin touched the wall first. “It was close the whole race,” he said. “I am very happy. I go into every race thinking I have a chance to win. During the race, I don’t think. I race.” After the California meet, Zuchowski’s next big competi tion will be in Hawaii, where he will swim for Team USA at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships from Aug. 24 to Aug. 27. At that meet, he will swim the 200-meter individual medley, 200-meter backstroke, 100-meter backstroke and another event that has yet to beAsdecided.hegets ready for Hawaii, he will continue to train and also work on small details. “I will focus on starts and turns underwaters,” Zuchowski said. While at TKA, Zuchowski was the most decorated athlete in school history. He won eight Florida state championship swim ming titles while enrolled at the school. In all, he was a four-time state champion in the 100-yard backstroke and a three-time state champion in the 200-yard individ ual medley. He was also a member of the school’s 200-yard medley relay team, which won a state title in 2019, when Zuchowski was a sophomore.

The Town-Crier www gotowncrier com August 12 - August 25, 2022 Page 23

One of the other videos being planned will feature Rachael Bon larron, PBSC’s executive director of community engagement and special assistant to the president, and Todd Bonlarron, assistant county administrator, who will discuss the various local, state and national races coming up, as well as state referendums. For more information on the ini tiative, visit https://isps.spcollege. edu/vote. Crestwood Middle School in Royal Palm Beach thanks unsung heroes Atwell Pride and Cathy Conlin for donating needed school supplies to the Crestwood Eagle community at the start of this school year.

Oneservice.”ofthose

Best InternationalBuddiesHonorsPBCHSChapter CRESTWOOD SCHOOL SUPPLY DONATION

The video is posted on the Insti tute for Strategic Policy Solutions’ YouTube channel and is being promoted on social media. “There is no more important part of doing the work that we do than engagement with students,” said Kimberly Jackson, execu tive director of the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions. “We are honored to partner not only with Palm Beach but many other partners in trying to teach students the importance of voting and in forming them about their power.”

Florida State Rep. Kelly Skid more, a graduate of Palm Beach State College, visited PSBC’s Lake Worth campus on Aug. 3 to present items collected from a clothing drive she conducted to benefit Panther’s Closet, a thrift store that provides affordable, gen tly used clothing and accessories to students and members of the PBSCSkidmorecommunity.brought more than 200 items that were dropped off at her office. The clothing drive was held from July 1 to 27. In addition to Skidmore’s office, hundreds of donations were collected at Panther’s Closet on PBSC’s Lake Worth, Palm Beach Gardens and Belle Glade campuses. Merchan dise can be purchased at the closets for $1 per Panther’sitem.Closet is run by PBSC student volunteers from the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College, as a community-based learning course that teaches them key entre preneurial skills in management, sales and team building. “We are so excited to have participated with PBSC on this venture to help students be pre pared for a job interview or their first day of work,” Skidmore said. “It also taught students how to run a business, take care of it and be passionate about it, which is a great students is Ashley Castillo, a Palm Springs resident who has served as the manager for the Lake Worth and Palm Beach Gardens closets this summer. Castillo, who was voted by her peers to serve in the role, said it has been an enjoyable experience that she will include on her résumé for future jobs. “I feel like you get to learn cus tomer service really well and how to be professional,” said Castillo, who is pursuing a career in respi ratoryAnothertherapy.student, Areema Sadik, enjoys working at the closet be cause of the impact it has on the PBSC community. “It is a lot of fun just seeing how happy customers are when they find something they want at such a great bargain,” said Sadik, who lives in West Palm Beach. “I feel like I’m privileged compared to a lot of people, so having a store like this for them is a great asset.” Skidmore also toured Panther’s Pantry, a free resource for PBSC students and staff that provides canned food, frozen meat, fresh produce, snacks and toiletries. “We are so grateful that Rep. Skidmore and her team partnered with us to help our PBSC Panther community,” said Marcella Mon tesinos, director of the Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College. “It’s partnerships such as these that help support student success.”

As the site for the “Decision 2022: Before You Vote” Florida gubernatorial and U.S. Senate general election debates being held in October, Palm Beach State College is spreading awareness among students and residents on how to vote and participate in the electionPBSC,process.inpartnership with the Institute for Strategic Policy Solu tions at St. Petersburg College, produced a voter education video that provides information on how to vote and participate in the elec tion process, including vote by mail and early voting sites. It is the first of several planned as part of the Voter Education Series, a platform consisting of video in terviews, programs and a web site to wrap voter education resources around the debate project for Flor ida College System students, as well as community members. In the video, Tarruck Wheeler, PBSC’s 2021-22 student trustee, interviews Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link to provide informa tion that every voter should know or “I’mlearn.pleased to see Palm Beach State College, as a leader in high er education, involved in this initiative to help educate voters, especially students and new voters who may not be familiar with the process or with the candidates running for office,’’ Link said. “My office is always looking for ways to engage as many people as we can, and I’m happy to participate in this interview with Tarruck.”

On Wednesday, July 13, the Best Buddies International Leadership Conference held its “I See You” Awards Celebration. At the event, Palm Beach Central High School’s chapter, called “The Bronco Bud dies,” was recognized as one of the top three out of more than 140 chapters in the State of Florida. The award was given for being a champion of inclusion and making the Best Buddies mission a reality in the Wellington community. Best Buddies’ mission is to create opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employ ment, leadership development and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmen talThedisabilities.schoolcongratulates former Chapter President Ida Alvarado, officers and members on their award.

Honors students Aliyah Blake and Ashley Castillo, Dr. Floyd F. Koch Honors College Director Marcella Montesinos, State Rep. Kelly Skidmore, Vice President of Student Services Dr. Peter Barbatis, and honors students Lorena Martin Reyes and Areema Sadik.

Page 24 August 12 - August 25, 2022 www gotowncrier com The Town-Crier SCHOOL NEWS

Palm Beach State College Partners With Institute For Strategic Policy Solutions On Voter Education Series PBSC And Skidmore Partnership Help Make Summer Clothing Drive A Success

Also in attendance at the event was Florida District 81 aide Khadeidra Willis and Dr. Peter Barbatis, vice president of student services and enrollment manage ment.For more information about the Panther’s Closet program, visit panthers-closet.www.palmbeachstate.edu/

This year’s Bernays Award winners. PHOTO COURTESY JACEK PHOTO

Darcy Dean-Murray, LGLA Scholarship Committee Member Anita Kane and LGLA President Marge Herzog. Geoff Sluggett, Nancy Sluggett and Mary McNicholas with Anita Kane and Marge Herzog of the LGLA.

Canine

Wellington-based nonprofit or ganization JustWorld International has appointed Eszter Kiss as its new executive director. Founded to mobilize equestrians to create positive change by supporting education, healthcare and nutri tion programs for some of the world’s most vulnerable children, JustWorld is thrilled to have an experienced equestrian and ac complished business professional take on this key leadership role. Eszter joins JustWorld with extensive experience in large corporate environments gained at Samsung and Vodafone, as well as proven entrepreneurial skills and a passion for top sport horses. “JustWorld is delighted to have Eszter as our new Executive Direc tor,” said Jessica Newman, found er and vice chair of JustWorld International. “The combination of Eszter’s personal and professional experience, alongside her lifelong involvement in the equestrian world, make her the perfect fit to

The board of directors of the Gold Coast PR Council recently announced the winners of the 17th annual Bernays Awards. GCPRC is South Florida’s largest independent association of public relations, communications and marketing professionals, and be stows its Bernays Awards to honor excellence in these fields. More than 70 communications and media professionals attended the awards ceremony held July 21. T.A. Walker, reporter for WPTV’s Today on 5, served as emcee. Honors were presented in 10 competitive categories, with ad ditional special awards selected by the nonprofit organization’s board. “This year’s honorees represent the high level of professionalism demonstrated by public relations, marketing and media professionals across South Florida,” said Melis sa Perlman, president of GCPRC and founder of BlueIvy Commu nications. “I’m so proud to see the evolution of our industry locally, and excited about our continued growth as we make our mark not only in South Florida, but across the country and around the world.” The ceremony also marked the debut of the Tim Byrd Award, named for the late, legendary radio personality. This year’s award, which was presented to T.A. Walk er, embodies the generous spirit of the award’s namesake, and honors a media professional who goes above-and-beyond in their work.

is challenging

The 10 competitive Ber nays Award winners are: Best PR Campaign by a Large Compa ny or Firm, Palm Tran/Paradise Pass; Best PR Campaign by a Small Company or Firm, Karen Galanaugh, Galanaugh & Com pany Marketing Public Relations/ Brandywine’s Zoo’s Madagascar Habitat Unveiling; Best Project by or on behalf of a Nonprofit Orga nization Large, the Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum/History Alive; Best Project by or on behalf of a Nonprofit Organization Small, the Buzz Agency/Symphonia at Home; Best Crisis Management, Food for the Poor Responds to Crisis in Haiti; Best Social Media Campaign For Profit, Boardroom Communications/Merrick Manor: Live, Love, Local; Best Social Media Campaign Nonprofit, Tax Collector Anne M. Gannon/2021 MV-Express Vehicle Registration Kiosk Social Media Marketing Campaign; Best Special Event, Kaye Communications/Moms & Pups Bark & Brunch; Best Market ing Material Print, Palm Tran/2021 Annual Report; and Best Market ing Material Video or Digital, City of Boynton Beach E-Newsletters. In addition to the Tim Byrd Award, other special award win ners included: the President’s Award to Rick Christie, executive editor of The Palm Beach Post; PR Star Award to Claudia Shea, director of communications for the School District of Palm Beach County; and the Founders Award to Anne Dichele, executive di rector of the Gold Coast Down Syndrome Organization. For more information, www.goldcoastprcouncil.com.visit

JustWorld Executive Director Eszter Kiss lead JustWorld through our next phase of development and growth. Her commitment and drive mean that we can take the vision for JustWorld to the next level and help build brighter futures for even more children.” Originally from Hungary, Eszter studied in Sweden and graduated as an economist in business and management from the Corvinus University of Budapest. In 2016, she decided to combine her busi ness and equestrian interests. “Six years ago, I took on a new challenge by leaving my corporate path in Hungary and begin a new journey in the United States. Now, by becoming JustWorld Interna tional’s executive director, I have an amazing opportunity to use my corporate experience and my equestrian background for a cause much bigger than myself — or any of us, really,” Eszter said. As JustWorld embarks on its third decade of humanitarian service in a changing global com munity, the board of directors rec ognizes how well Eszter’s unique vision crafted from her knowledge and background aligns with Just World’s“Comingmission.from a smaller and economically complex country, I understand firsthand what it means to have limited opportunities,” Eszter said. “However, I also benefited directly from the warm welcome of our international equestrian community. My goal — alongside JustWorld’s founder Jessica Newman, as well with our amazing board members, staff, endlessly generous donors and passionate ambassadors — is to continue to foster altruism in our industry. We are going to continue building a structured and sustain able organization, so that together we become the inspiration for many more children and an exam ple for the world.” Eszter will be based at Just World International’s headquarters in Wellington but plans to join JustWorld supporters at horse shows in North America and Eu rope in the coming months. In 2022, JustWorld is helping improve the lives of nearly 10,000 impoverished children around the globe. Learn more at www. justworldinternational.org.

Eszter Kiss Joins JustWorld As Executive Director

PALMS WEST PEOPLE The Town-Crier www gotowncrier com August 12 - August 25, 2022 Page 25

and can live in the environment for a

LGLA Presents Three Scholarship Awards

health. Highly contagious,

The Loxahatchee Groves Land owners’ Association recently presented several scholarships to community members. Aiden Murray and Nancy Sluggett have received $1,000 each to put toward their university educations. Sluggett is entering her senior year at the Notre Dame University Mendoza College of Business, ma joring in management consulting. “The scholarship will help with getting all my books and prepping me for my senior year, making sure I have all the necessary re sources to excel in my classes,” SluggettMurraysaid.will be entering his freshman year. “When I chose what college to go to, I chose to go to one that I thought would best educate me. This, however, meant giving up the cheaper option,” Sluggett said. “The LGLA schol arship will help me to fund the education that will be best for me. Additionally, I am looking to get at least a master’s degree. This will require additional years of school that the LGLA scholarship will help to make more affordable.” Murray was represented at the scholarship presentation by his mother, Darcy Dean-Murray. Allison Friedrich received $1,000 toward her hippotherapy at the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. “Allison is 26. She Randall S. Dugal, D.V.M. CANINE PARVOVIRUS parvovirus, or CPV, dangerous dog substantial threat canine the virus to kill long time. It is typically diagnosed puppies because they are the most susceptible. CPV is spread by direct contact with an infected dog, infected toys, bedding, contaminated food, and water dishes, or sniffing or eating infected feces. Symptoms of canine parvovirus include the rapid onset of vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Thankfully, a vaccine is available to better protect our furry family members, so getting them vaccinated is crucial. Your veterinarian will vaccinate your puppy and schedule any subsequent follow-up visits. Yearly vaccinations against dangerous diseases and regular visits to vet are both important factors in keeping your special companion healthy and happy. Conveniently located 1/4 mile east of Royal Palm Beach Blvd., at 11462 Okeechobee Blvd., we offer complete, state-of-the-art health care services for small pets of all kinds. Please call 798-5508 for appointments or emergencies. OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. P.S. Canine parvovirus occurs all over the world.

is one of the most

To Groves Residents

PR Council Presents Bernays Awards

Allison Friedrich and her parents with LGLA Scholarship Committee Member Anita Kane and President Marge Herzog.

is going to be using the scholarship for Vinceremos,” her mother, Susan Friedrich, said. “She does hippotherapy there. It is a 30-min ute ride, and they work on posture, upper body strengthening, stretch es and communication with the horse. She has learned some new words to have the horse go, stop and turn. They also work on horse maintenance, such as grooming. It’s a great program. She has been at it a few years, and she loves it.” The LGLA wishes these young students all the best in their future endeavors.

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Minto’s Westlake Named Among Top 50 Master-Planned Communities

Fireplace And Grill Celebrates Grand Opening In Royal Palm Beach Fireplace and Grill, formerly Grill & Patio, held its grand open ing celebration on Friday, July 29 at its new location in Royal Palm Beach, located at 1430 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and a tour of the brand-new, state-ofthe-art design center were part of theThecelebration.designcenter features Fire Magic grills, Blaze products, out door kitchen products, as well as realistic electric and gas fireplaces by Dimplex, Modern Flame and RealForFyre.20years, Grill & Patio has been a household name in Palm Beach County. With the addition of many fireplace products, the name change to Fireplace and Grill wasVisitneeded.the showroom Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (561)792-6030 or visit www. fireplaceandgrill.com. A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrates the opening of the new Fireplace and Grill showroom.

The Max Planck Florida Insti tute for Neuroscience will hold Brain Exploration Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27. The event is free and open to the public; advanced registration is required at www.mpfi.org/explore. Brain Exploration Day fea tures food trucks, tours, hands-on games and activities, and scientific demonstrations to give the public a behind-the-scenes look at how MPFI researchers study the brain. The event marks the 10th anni versary of the opening of MPFI’s state-of-the-art research facility in Jupiter that houses eight labs, high-tech microscopy facilities and a world-class mechanical engineering facility. MPFI scientists conduct funda mental research into the origins, development and function of the nervous system and its capacity

The Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience in Jupiter.

Minto Communities USA re cently announced that four of Minto’s five master-planned com munities have been named on the prestigious RCLCO Top 50 Master-Planned Communities list. The list ranks the 50 top-selling master-planned communities in the U.S. based on sales activity midway through 2022. The Minto communities includ ed on the list are Latitude Margar itaville Daytona Beach; Latitude Margaritaville Watersound near Panama City Beach; Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head in Hardeeville, South Carolina; and Westlake in Palm Beach County. The Latitude Margaritaville communities in Daytona Beach and Watersound tied for the 23rd spot on the list. Westlake ranked at number 31, and Latitude Mar garitaville Hilton Head ranked at numberLatitude39. Margaritaville com munities are being developed by master developer and homebuilder Minto Communities and global lifestyle brand Margaritaville. Inspired by the lyrics and life style of singer, songwriter and best-selling author Jimmy Buffett, this dynamic, all-new approach to active adult living has captured the imagination of today’s vibrant and active 55-plus home buyers. Minto is the master develop er and primary homebuilder of Westlake and is approved to build 4,500 homes and more than two million square feet of non-resi dential space in the 3,800-acre master-planned community.

Max Planck Florida To Celebrate 10th Anniversary With Open House Aug. 27

GL Homes Receives Boys & Girls Clubs’ Children’s Champion Award

and management consulting to real estate investors, developers, homebuilders, financial institu tions, public agencies and anchor institutions. Since 1994, RCLCO has conducted a national survey identifying the top-selling mas ter-planned communities through a rigorous search of high-perform ing communities in each state. For information on Minto, visit www.mintousa.com. to produce perception, thought, language, memory, emotion and movement. The nonprofit research organi zation was founded when thenGov. Jeb Bush worked with the Max Planck Society to bring the institute to the growing South Flor ida biotech cluster. The institute opened its doors in 2012 and has since published more than 190 pre viously unknown findings about brain development and function. In addition, MPFI has educated more than 300 scientific trainees through robust education programs and degree programs with neighboring Florida Atlantic University. MPFI holds events like Brain Explora tion Day to help raise awareness of the importance of brain research and science education. The Max Planck Florida Insti tute for Neuroscience, a not-forprofit research organization, is part of the world-renowned Max Planck Society, Germany's most successful research organization with 86 institutes worldwide. Since its establishment in 1948, 29 Nobel laureates have emerged from the ranks of its scientists. As its first U.S. institution, MPFI (Left) The company has been known for its selection of grills for 20 years. (Right) A wide array of fireplace products are now available. provides exceptional neuroscien tists from around the world with the resources and technology to an swer fundamental questions about brain development and function. MPFI researchers employ a curi osity-driven approach to science to develop new technologies. For more info., visit www.mpfi.org.

The Westlake Adventure Park is the community’s centerpiece.

For the past two years, GL Homes has led the charge as the title sponsor for Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County’s successful back to school and holiday gift drives, and has made significant contributions to the clubs’ critical hunger relief pro grams. Recently, GL Homes ex panded its support by sponsoring a graduation celebration dinner to recognize the accomplishments of over 50 minority senior graduates. “We want to thank GL Homes and Sarah Alsofrom for their gen erosity, philanthropy and passion to ensure that the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County can fulfill its mission of ensuring all young people reach their full po tential,” said Julie Kime, corporate board member for the nonprofit. With the continued partnership and philanthropy of GL Homes, children in Palm Beach County will continue to receive critical support for continued academic success, healthy lifestyles and bright futures.

The Westlake Adventure Park amenity includes a lagoon-style pool with waterslide, splash pad, poolside concessions, BMX pump park, playground, expansive lawn area with concert pavilion and food truck court for community events, plus bocce ball courts and a dog park. Phase two amenity construction is underway and in cludes an adult lap pool, multi-pur pose building and basketball courts. Minto offers townhomes, single-family homes and estate homes starting in the $400s in several neighborhoods within Westlake.According to Minto Communi ties USA President Mike Belmont, Minto has had a record-setting year in 2022 with 1,158 sales year to date in their communities locat ed in Florida and South Carolina, including 1,117 homes in the four communities recognized among the Top “Minto50. is honored to again have our communities recognized among the 50 master-planned communities in the U.S.,” Bel mont said. “We continually strive to build upon Minto’s long-stand ing reputation for quality, inno vation, value and customer satis faction. Our continuing success is in great part attributable to our team of dedicated and seasoned professionals who share Minto’s commitment to providing an outstanding customer experience while meeting and surpassing the expectations of our homebuyers.” RCLCO provides real estate economics, strategic planning

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County honored the generous support of GL Homes with a special award presentation on Friday, July 8 at the Florence De George Boys & Girls Club in West Palm Beach. Sarah Alsof rom, GL Homes’ senior director of community relations and key rep resentative of philanthropy, was in attendance to accept the “Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County Children’s Champion Award.”

“GL Homes is a proud support er of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County because the organization transforms the lives of thousands of children and teens in Palm Beach County,” Alsofrom said. “GL Homes is honored to be recognized for our philanthropic work and commitment to make a difference in our community.”

The Town-Crier www gotowncrier com August 12 - August 25, 2022 Page 27 BUSINESS NEWS

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‘Bullet Train’ Features Cartoonish Violence And A Confusing Plot ‘I’ CULTUREOn ByWechslerLeonard

New film Bullet Train reminds me of a old Road Runner cartoon. The star keeps running while his nemesis Wile E. Coyote and everything else blow up around him in a nihilistic frenzy. There is a lot of weird, cartoonish violence in this movie, but if you want character development, this is not where you want to go. Director David Leitch sets up a simple situation. A tired, worn-out agent codenamed Ladybug (Brad Pitt) is assigned by his handler Maria Beetle (Sandra Bullock, who only shows up for a few minutes at end of the film) to pick up a metal brief case on a bullet train going from Tokyo to Kyoto. Since the whole thing takes place in Japan, a Japanese agent would almost certainly do a better job, but, surprisingly, there are not many Japanese appearing in the Ladybugfilm. is about one step from getting out of the whole business. He spends most of the film quoting his therapist about the meaning of life. But the mission should be “easy-peasy.” Walk on the train, find the bag, and get off at the next stop. Of course, that doesn’t happen. It seems just about every secret agent on the planet is riding the train with him, and each seems to have their own agen da. The ones we see most often, besides our hero, are a British duo, twins coded as Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Lemon (Bryan Tyree Henry). And, yes, one is white and one is black, but they are twins. And they care about each other like brothers, even though they bicker constantly. While amusing, they are also expert, vicious killers who are escorting the son of a major crime lord. Another killer on the train is Wolf (Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny), who wants revenge for the murder of his wife and is certain that Ladybug is to blame. Also on the train is Hornet (Zazie Beetz), who actually did the killing. And we have the Father (Andrew Koji), who is a puppet controlled by someone who threw his young son off a roof and now controls the boy’s fate. His father, great Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada, makes an appearance halfway through so he can philosophize withThereLadybug.isalso someone in a weird mascot costume and a train conductor focused solely on whether or not Ladybug has a ticket. Meanwhile, one of the most poisonous snakes in the world manages to get out of its carrying case. Eventually, even White Death (Michael Shannon), the most feared crime boss, comes aboard, just before the train and story go wildly off the Womentracks.do not seem to play a major role at all. Beetz is on screen for not much more than a minute. Joey King, as the Prince, seems a scared young woman but is clearly not. She provides quite a lot of the plot, even while seeming one-note until the end. The violence is cartoonish, well-cho reographed and often unique. People are killed by metal valises, knives, poison and bottles of water. And there’s a very mod ern Japanese toilet that plays an important role. There are a few impossible stunts, but then again, this is a movie. Pitts is amusing and charismatic, exact ly what is required for the part. There is no real growth, no change, but he is the main constant, the eye of the hurricane. Henry and Taylor-Johnson are much more the heart of the film, but are just too cartoon ish for us to focus on. Koji might have become the moral center of the film, but he just does too little. He is a prototypical victim. Sanada provides at least some center as he explains a lot of the action and is a counterweight to Shannon, who provides the rest of the story. But we only find out what the whole movie is about minutes before the end. Still, despite an almost useless script by Zak Olkewicz, this is an amusing ride. Following what has become a common tradition, all sorts of horrible actions are followed by brief bits of humor, as a way of giving us a brief breathing spell. But the action keeps coming, even through the extra scene done through the final credits.Itisa fun ride if you want some mind less entertainment. Not a great movie, not really a truly good one. But it will keep you going for its full two hours.

Our Visit To Topeka Was Amusing, But We Didn’t Get The Subs

While in the Midwest, Mark and I de cided to explore new territory, namely, the capital city of Kansas. This little jaunt was initiated by Mark’s reading online that To peka was offering $10,000 to anyone who bought a home there. We wondered what the fuss was about, but didn’t actually put the pedal to the metal until we heard they had sweetened the pot by throwing in a year’s worth of submarine sandwiches. (What?)“Governor, no one is taking us up on our offer of $10,000.” “I suspected this might happen. I guess we’re going to have to add in the subs afterThisall.”is the type of innovative, yet quirky, problem-solving that endears me to the area of my origin. If $10,000 cash won’t do it, maybe free sandwiches will. Feeling the need to encourage this Midwestern style of governance, we got in the car and headed west. Being from Wisconsin, I didn’t know much about Kansas, except what I’d learned by watching The Wizard of Oz The state was hot and dry, but there were a lot more trees than I’d expected. Evidently, that tornado hadn’t sucked up everything. There was also a river, but it was brown, not blue. My years in Florida have spoiled me with sparkling blue water as far as the eye can see. Then there was the capitol dome itself — black with what looks like a bronze archer on top. A bit of Googling told me that the name of the statue is Ad Astra, who is supposed to a tribal warrior, aiming toward the North Star (which is a symbol of finding one’s way). The state’s motto is “Ad Astra per Aspera,” or “to the stars through difficulties.” And evidently they are currently finding their way to the stars through the use of hoagies, though no hoagies are depicted anywhere on the building. If the incentive works, howev er, I am sure a bronze sandwich can be strapped to Ad Astra’s belt later on. Mark and I drove straight to the historic downtown, where we had lunch at an old department store that is now a brewery. The food was great and there were huge, stainless-steel fermenters extending from the basement up through the first floor restaurant. Quite impressive. We continued our trip with a search for historic homes and charm, but either we were exploring the wrong places or there weren’t any. After a few hours of tooling around, I shrugged and said, “I just don’t see anything that would cause me to move here — or even to buy a vacation home.” “But the subs...” “No, Reluctantly,Mark.”he turned the car around. And then we saw it — rising from the plains as dramatically as the Emerald City itself — a building so huge, so majestic, so important to the culture of our country that I couldn’t believe we had stumbled upon it — the processing plant for Fri to-Lay snacks. “I could move here,” I said. “I’d work the night shift, cleaning up.” “I bet you would,” Mark said as he turned the car around. Dream crusher.

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