Town-Crier Newspaper December 13, 2024

OR NOT TO PAVE?

HOLIDAY PARADE ROCKS THE BLOCK

Thousands were on hand as the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County and the Village of Wellington held the 40th annual Wellington Holiday Parade on Sunday, Dec. 8. Sporting the musical theme of “Rockin’ in the Holidays,” marching bands, floats, decorated vehicles and more followed the time-honored route up Forest Hill Blvd. (Above) Best in Show was awarded to Priority Towing with its caged Grinch. (Inset) The Wellington Golf Cart Club won in the Decorated Vehicle category. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5

Lox Council Approves School Zone Enforcement Cameras

By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report

Drivers on Okeechobee Blvd. will soon need to keep a close eye on how fast they are driving in school zones now that the Town of Loxahatchee Groves has joined a growing list of communities across the state to approve the use of cameras to catch speeders near schools using a vendor called RedSpeed. Meeting Tuesday, Dec. 3, the council unanimously approved two items regarding the RedSpeed program. The first was the second and final reading of a town ordinance allowing a “School Zone Speed Enforcement Program.” The second was for a contract with RedSpeed to operate the system. The contract designates specific

county-approved school zones in the area of Okeechobee Blvd. and Folsom Road at the east end of the town near Royal Palm Beach Elementary School, and near North 162nd Drive at the west end of the town near Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School.

Town Manager Francine Ramaglia said that the focus will be on the east-west traffic.

Resident Paul Coleman noted that the town pays $750,000 to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office annually for law enforcement services and asked why the PBSO isn’t doing this, and why an outside vendor is needed.

Mayor Anita Kane noted that the town does not get revenue from the PBSO’s speed enforcement

activities, and they are limited, since there are only so many road patrol deputies.

“With RedSpeed, the $100 citation gets transmitted entirely to us,” Kane said. “We then keep $39 of it.”

David De La Espriella, vice president of client relations for RedSpeed USA, itemized the breakdown: $20 goes to the state’s general fund, $5 goes to school crossing guards, $3 goes to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement training fund, $12 goes to the Palm Beach County School District and the remaining $60 goes to the town, which then gives $21 to RedSpeed. The cost to install and oper-

Westlake Council Gets Earful About A Possible Walmart

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

Some Westlake residents and their Acreage/Loxahatchee neighbors are unhappy that Walmart may be coming to town. They’ve been venting on social media, and several attended the Westlake City Council’s meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10 to voice their displeasure.

“It’s an abomination,” Westlake resident Iris Lopez said. “It will bring a lot of negative attention to the city.” Lopez, a resident of Liberty Lane, said that she is in the process of collecting petition signatures against the proposal.

“I will do whatever is within my power to stop it… [including] stand with a picket sign,” she said. “When I bought my house

By Charles Elmore Town-Crier Staff Report

The United States Supreme Court this week declined to take up a review of a long-running dispute between Palm Beach Polo Inc. and the Village of Wellington, clearing the path for Wellington to collect more than $9 million.

“That means, essentially, this case is over,” Village Attorney Laurie Cohen told the Wellington Village Council at their meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

“That’s excellent,” Mayor Michael Napoleone replied. The case involves the developer’s disputed handling of a preserve area dating back many years.

Cohen said there could be a move for a rehearing, but she described those prospects as unlikely and expected the matter to be resolved within 60 days. Attempts to reach attorneys for

here and invested so much into it, the last thing I expected to see was a Walmart in close proximity. A lot of people are very, very concerned.”

William Derks, who lives in the rural Loxahatchee enclave of Santa Rosa Groves, expressed concern about the impact a Walmart would have on traffic on already-congested Seminole Pratt Whitney Road.

“There currently isn’t the infrastructure to support these big box stores,” Derks said. “Don’t put the cart before the horse. Invest in the infrastructure ahead of these [stores].”

Westlake Vice Mayor Greg Langowski said Wednesday that he was not surprised by the negative remarks during the session’s public comment segment. Unhappiness with the prospect of a

Walmart in the community has bubbled up on social media over the last couple of weeks.

Westlake City Manager Kenneth Cassel announced in midNovember that a Walmart and a Lowe’s Home Improvement store are eyeing side-by-side locations at the community’s north end, on the west side of Seminole Pratt, across from the Minto Communities sales center. Minto owns the land and is the city’s primary developer.

Langowski emphasized that nothing related to either store has been brought before the council, but that if Minto sells the property, which is already zoned commercial, and Walmart wants to locate in Westlake, there is little, if anything, the council can do about it.

“People see Lowe’s differently,”

See WALMART, page 7

ITID, Westlake See No Easy Solution For The Rising Traffic Tsunami

Planes, Trains And Automobiles

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

order to keep the state’s developmentdriven economy moving. And that certainly is true here in Palm Beach County. In the western communities, especially those situated between Southern Blvd. and the Beeline Highway, that means dealing with intense traffic congestion on the only three major roads that connect west to east — Northlake, Okeechobee and Southern boulevards.

“You can’t have just three ways in an out of the western communities,” Indian Trail Improvement Executive Director Burgess Hanson said this week. “The development is here, and it exceeds the capacity of most of the roads. Something’s got to give.”

At the same time, State Road 7, Royal Palm Beach Blvd. and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road are the only major arteries west of Florida’s Turnpike moving traffic north and south. In the case of the fast-growing City of Westlake, its only entry and egress is via Seminole Pratt. Additional east-to-west road access is “imperative,” Westlake Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor said this week. “Not just for Westlake, but for whole region… Transportation is one of the biggest issues, if not the biggest issue facing the county.”

On Tuesday, Dec. 17, Palm Beach County Commissioner Sara Baxter will be hosting a town hall

meeting, ostensibly focused on the possible extension of Okeechobee Blvd. from just west of Seminole Pratt to near 20-Mile Bend. The extension would give residents of Arden and other developments along Southern a second way in and out of their communities.

An Okeechobee extension is not currently part of the county’s five-year plan.

Baxter, whose District 6 includes most of the western communities, said this week she expects a number of road-related issues will be touched on at the 6:30 p.m. session at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center.

A survey conducted by her office found that 68 percent of respondents favored the extension, Baxter said. However, many residents of the area fear that extending Okeechobee all the way to 20-Mile Bend to connect with Southern Blvd. (State Road 80) would create massive traffic increases on what is now a twolane road, she said.

“I feel for the residents who don’t want a road in their backyard,” ITID President Elizabeth Accomando said of the proposed Okeechobee extension. “But the people living in Arden were promised that road.”

At a meeting Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council reiterated its longstanding objection to the extension and plans to send a letter to the county on the subject. The problem of road congestion and the need for better access was tragically highlighted Nov. 21 when three Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office motorcycle deputies were struck and killed while parked on the shoulder of Southern Blvd. between Seminole Pratt and the entrance to Arden.

The resulting emergency response and investigation effectively cut off those communities See ROADS, page 4

Palm Beach Polo were not immediately successful.

Online records show the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case Dec. 9. This was after a circuit court case ruled against the developer, in favor of the village, which was then upheld by the Fourth District Court of Appeal.

The Florida Supreme Court then refused to take up the case.

Developers raised “due process” concerns about the village’s approach to the case, records show.

Wellington plans to pursue the release of funds in escrow that currently exceed $9.1 million, Cohen said at an agenda review meeting on Monday, Dec. 9. The dispute involves the Big Blue Preserve in Wellington, located within the Palm Beach Polo Golf & Country Club community. The 92-acre preserve has been

See CAMERAS, page 7

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Flying Cow Road: To Pave Or Not To Pave?

By Charles Elmore Town-Crier Staff Report

The dust has not quite settled on the issue of what Wellington should do with the unpaved southern portion of Flying Cow Ranch Road. The section was closed earlier this year and recently reopened, and options for a permanent solution could reach the Wellington Village Council in 2025.

“Why don’t we pave it?” asked Sarah Goos, a member of Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee, during a meeting Wednesday, Dec. 4.

“Certainly, paving is an option,” Village Manager Jim Barnes replied.

However, he also cautioned, “If it’s a smooth ride, you’re going to have a lot more people using it.”

Feedback from residents, including equestrians, has only intensified in recent years, particularly about the haphazard, bumpy condition of the road, and the dust clouds it generates that waft toward the lungs of horses and people, Barnes said. At the same time, worries persist that paving only invites more

vehicles seeking a traffic bypass along the village’s southwestern edge.

Options are likely coming before the advisory equestrian committee, and ultimately the council, but that will not be until the spring, after the winter horse season, Barnes said. The committee did not vote on any related issues at the December meeting.

A few broad-brush outlines for major alternatives emerged after questioning. Paving the rest of Flying Cow Ranch Road could cost $4 million to $6 million,

Village Engineer Jonathan Reinsvold estimated. Laying down other materials short of traditional pavement, advertised as dampening dust, have been the subject of limited experimentation and could cost up to $1 million initially, but require frequent filling of potholes and reapplications, he said. Doing nothing, or just leaving the status quo that already involves plenty of attempted roadsmoothing and upkeep, seems to be shrinking in popularity, Barnes said. “I know there are a lot of

See FLYING COW, page 14

OUR COMMUNITY CARES HOLDS ANNUAL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION LUNCH

On Friday, Dec. 6, Our Community Cares, previously known as Wellington Cares, held its 13th annual meeting and volunteer appreciation luncheon at Los Agaves in Royal Palm Beach. The event began with a welcome to guests and a moment of silence for the fallen PBSO officers. Guests were treated to lunch and heard about the accomplishments that the organization has had over the last year, including 53 dedicated volunteers giving 3,241 hours of service to 143 participants. This included 638 medical trips, 19,982 miles driven and an estimated value of free services of $147,260. The afternoon concluded with certificates being presented to volunteers who donated between 50 and 100 hours over the past year, and those who donated more than 100. After lunch, volunteers delivered poinsettias that were donated by the Wellington Community Foundation to participants. To learn more about Our Community Cares, visit www.ourcommunitycaresfl.org.

Providing comprehensive care for women and infants in a familyfocused environment

The dedicated physicians, neonatologists, nurses and other staff members at the Center employ a team approach that helps ensure every mother and baby gets the individualized care they need. Our resources include:

• 18 labor and delivery rooms

• Obstetrics Emergency Department

• 27-room postpartum unit

• Private luxury suites with queen size beds

• 25-bed Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with private family waiting areas

• Dedicated lactation consultant

• Free birthing classes

Our goal is to remain patient-focused while providing the most supportive, nurturing environment possible.

Board members Shelley Swartz and Marion Frank, Director of Operations Diane Gutman, volunteers Pat Lavel and Sharyn Vowles with poinsettias donated by the Wellington Community Foundation.

(Above) Volunteers Linda Macken, Sean Griner, Carol Versack and Carlos Latour. (Below) PBSO deputies Casey Lussier and Bradley Shouse with Wellington Village Manager Jim Barnes.

Volunteers who gave more than 100 hours: Shannon Prudden, Board Member Shelley Swartz, Sharyn Vowles, Michele Fox, Stacy Fluegge and Director of Operations Diane Gutman.

Board Member Shelley Swartz with volunteers Emily Orletti and Janice Downs.

Wellington Councilwoman Maria Antuña and Vice Mayor John McGovern.

Volunteers who gave up to 100 hours: Board Member Shelley Swartz, Carol Versak, Rhonda Russell, Emily Orletti and Director of Operations Diane Gutman.

The village closed the unpaved portion of Flying Cow Ranch Road earlier this year, but it has since reopened. PHOTO BY CHARLES ELMORE/TOWN-CRIER

Meeting Celebrates Success At Royal Palm Beach Elementary

By Denis Eirikis Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach Educational Advisory Board heard from students and staff of Royal Palm Beach Elementary School at the board’s meeting on Monday, Dec. 9. Principal Tracy Ghettie, Assistant Principal Cristina Fong and nine student leaders from the school made presentations at the meeting.

Ghettie said that the Royal Palm Beach Elementary School community thinks of itself as the happiest place on earth, and it is very easy to see why. The school has maintained its A grade since

Roads

A Traffic Tsunami

continued from page 1 from businesses, schools, doctors’ offices, hospitals and government services east of the crash site for hours. More concerning, Arden residents said, was that it also could have slowed or precluded response from emergency services.

“People being trapped in their neighborhoods is a significant thing,” Baxter said.

Peak traffic volumes between 2018 and 2023 showed an increase of 12,861 (38,408 versus 51,269) trips on Southern between Binks Forest Drive/B Road and Seminole Pratt, according to a sixyear traffic study on the county’s Transportation Planning Agency web site.

On Seminole Pratt between Okeechobee and Southern, volume increased by 12,631 trips (16,737 versus 29,368).

Along Northlake, volume increased by 1,944 (11,902 versus 13,868) trips between 140th Avenue North and Seminole Pratt, and by 3,317 (19,781 versus 23,098) between 140th and Coconut Blvd.

The study concluded in early 2023, when the 4,700-acre, 4,000home Avenir development was in its initial stages on the north side of Northlake across from the 110 square miles of ITID and The Acreage, a semi-rural community of some 50,000 residents on 17,000 lots.

The fact that Avenir is lining up one its entrances/exits with 140th Avenue North — a residential ITID road — is among the concerns expressed by ITID Supervisor Betty Argue in a Nov. 17 letter to county commissioners.

“This design risks funneling thousands of vehicles daily into our community,” Argue wrote.

Already, she continued, gridlock on Northlake “has caused fatalities, serious injuries and reckless cut-through driving on ITID residential roads. This not only endangers our families but also deteriorates the quality of life in our community.”

There may be a lot more to come on property that remains technically in ITID territory although it has already been annexed into the City of Palm Beach Gardens, which controls most of the zoning and development authority in the area.

Plans for the Vintage Oaks development on 18 acres approx-

Council K-Park May Be Back In January

continued from page 1 described as the largest remaining cypress hammock in Florida and one of the oldest in the state. In other business:

opening in 2002. The teaching staff is among the most loyal in the school district, with only a two percent turnover rate. It’s a Green School of Excellence, and U.S. News and World Report ranks it in the top tenth of all elementary schools in Florida. Ghettie exuded pride as she spoke of her staff. “Four out of five members of our instructional staff have more than seven years of teaching experience,” she noted, pointing out how deep the school’s roots are in the Royal Palm Beach community. “An incredible 88 percent of the school’s faculty and staff either

have their children enrolled at RPBES, or their children have already graduated.”

There are currently 675 Bobcats. The student body is quite diverse at 29 percent Black, 34 percent Hispanic, 28 percent White and 9 percent other. About 39 percent qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Parents seem to appreciate the school and turned out in large numbers to the council chambers for the meeting.

“Our family is in love with the teachers. They provide a wonderful and fostering environment,” parent

Freddy Lazo said. “It feels like we are leaving them with family.”

imately a mile east of Coconut Blvd. would add 111 townhomes; the proposed Coconut Palm Plaza project at the southeast corner of Coconut and Northlake would be a sprawling, four-story apartment/ condo complex with 176 units and parking for 269 vehicles; and another large townhome complex is eying the southeast corner of Northlake and 140th, ITID Engineer Jay Foy told the district’s board at their November meeting. Coconut Palm Plaza and the unnamed project at Northlake and 140th, plus their commercial retail components, would cover the parcels between Northlake and Hamlin Blvd. to the south. While neither project anticipates a connection to Hamlin, it would leave residents on that street with a view of large, multi-unit developments rather than the trees, scrubs and wildlife they’re used to seeing.

The undeveloped property also has acted as a buffer against noisy Northlake traffic.

The unnamed development does anticipate an entrance/exit onto 140th.

Officials in the Palm Beach Gardens City Manager’s Office could not be reached for comment.

“This is absurd,” ITID Supervisor Keith Jordano said. “I feel sorry for the people who live on Hamlin.”

Accomando said that concerns about large-scale apartment/townhome developments on Northlake are “extremely premature,” but acknowledged that development pressure around ITID’s boundaries are only going to increase, as is traffic.

One major proposal is for Westlake’s primary developer, Minto Communities USA, to construct the two miles of roadway needed to connect 60th Street North from 140th Avenue North to Seminole Pratt, two miles west. The connection would give Westlake residents the much-needed east-west thoroughfare they were promised all the way to State Road 7 and create some traffic relief on Northlake and Seminole Pratt.

Argue, who will start her third term on the ITID board next week, is dubious. In her November letter she predicted that traffic would worsen significantly once 60th Street is connected to 140th.

“No one wants to sit in traffic, but no one wants to open up the roads,” Accomando said. “That’s the challenge.”

Westlake City Manager Kenneth Cassel said representatives

• The possible sale of village-owned land known as K-Park to developer Related Ross and an educational partner appears on track to come before the council during a meeting Tuesday, Jan. 14, Village Manager Jim Barnes said. The sale, reaching the later stages of negotiation, would be contingent on village approval of hundreds of rental residences, restaurants, shops and a private school on about 69 acres southwest of State Road 7 and Stribling Way. That meeting could begin at 6:30 p.m., officials said.

His son Joshua, a member of the school’s Student Voice, was one of the student presenters. “I love this school,” he said, adding that he wants to be a pro football player when he grows up.

Student Council President McKayla Zucchini ran on a platform of kindness.

When asked what she hoped to accomplish during her tenure, she thought for a moment, and replied, “I want to work hard and just do everything I can, not only for the safety of students, but for their emotional and mental welfare as well.”

When not at school, McKayla enjoys ice skating.

While sometimes schools presenting at the Education Advisory Board provide musical entertainment, this meeting featured nine students standing up at the podium and presenting to the board. Each student briefly described a facet of life at the school. The presentations were warmly received by the board and the public.

The following members of Student Council made presentations: McKayla Zucchini, Ziya Mohamed, Graham Miller, Serhan Alam and Samantha Alverado.

The following members of Student Voice made presentations: Joshua Lazo, Piper Cambarare, Robert Henry and Bennet Ferry.

The nine student presenters with Principal Tracy Ghettie and school staff members. PHOTOS BY DENIS EIRIKIS/TOWN-CRIER

A third grader and member of Student Voice, Robert Henry is a force of nature. He boldly presented at the podium in a way that belied his years. He said before the meeting, “When I grow up, I want to be a member of SWAT. I want to make the world a better place. A happy place.”

Palm Beach County School Board Vice Chair Marcia Andrews was impressed by the student speakers.

“Wise words coming from such young members of the Bobcat community,” she said, applauding the young presenters and pointed to the leadership of Ghettie and Fong. “What a track record. Straight As since the beginning. I’m proud of this school, its leadership and of the wonderful job these students did tonight.” The next meeting of the Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 10 and will feature Western Academy Charter School.

from the Palm Beach County City Management Association and the county finally seem to be working together to seek longterm solutions to mobility issues after decades of county planners running roughshod over municipal interests.

Cassel is one of 15 municipal managers on a committee creating a document that will offer input to the county commissioners as they craft a proposal for a 2026 transportation surtax referendum.

“If we work together, it will help everybody,” Cassel said. “We need to think more countywide regarding regional transportation issues.”

And Cassel said that alternative methods of moving people from east to west and vice versa in the county’s 1,970 square miles of land should be considered, from busways to light rail to even airborne.

Indeed, UrbanLink Air Mobility of South Florida is partnering with Ferrovial Vertiports to develop sites for the takeoff, landing and charging of electric aerial vehicles, according to IOT World Today, which covers the industry.

IOT’s June report also noted that UrbanLink has agreed to purchase 20 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles for use as air taxis in South Florida beginning in 2026.

Westlake’s O’Connor has been pushing for the addition of a “vertiport” charging station as part of the 50-acre regional park now under construction on the west side of Seminole Pratt near Sycamore Drive.

“Today’s science fiction is tomorrow’s science fact,” Cassel said.

A more down-to-earth solution to many of the area’s traffic woes would be for the Florida Department of Transportation to finally build the long-planned, much-awaited two miles of State Road 7 from 60th Street North in The Acreage to Northlake Blvd., said ITID Supervisor-Elect Richard Vassalotti II, who is scheduled to be sworn in on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

The project, which was slated to cost approximately $42 million in 2015 and was at one point FDOT’s top priority, has been held up for many years by City of West Palm Beach lawsuits alleging, among other things, that runoff from the road could endanger the city’s drinking water.

Vassalotti, a retired Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue captain who

• Wellington’s focus in the upcoming Florida legislative session will likely include a request for $1.5 million in state funding for a new Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office substation, consultants briefing the council by online connection said. State Rep. Anne Gerwig (R-District 93), the former Wellington mayor who flipped the legislative seat to Republican last month, could be a factor in avoiding obstacles, such as the governor’s veto of budgeted

mostly served in The Acreage, said he blames many of the serious-injury accidents and fatalities he saw on the traffic congestion caused by the failure to complete SR 7. Everyone is in a hurry to get to Northlake, he said, “and many of them are driving way too fast and blowing through stop signs.”

Vassalotti made the creation of more four-way stops in The Acreage a plank on his recent run for the ITID board, but he said this week, “There’s no stopping this traffic congestion. But we need to find ways to make it safer.”

Westlake Councilman Gary Werner, a semi-retired city planner, was more blunt, saying the nearly unsayable in Florida. “We need the road capacity to handle the traffic, or we need restrictions on growth,” he said.

However, in 2011, the Florida Legislature and then-Gov. Rick Scott, changed the state develop-

funding for such a project this year, officials said.

• On final reading, the council unanimously passed revisions to its vacation rentals code, including a $300 fine for operating without a permit. This applies to home rentals, often through online platforms, to lease homes for 30 days or fewer.

• The council unanimously approved a new 30-year operating agreement with Florida Power & Light to provide electric service, which provides for a 6 percent

ment laws stripping local governments of much of the power they had to reject a project based solely on traffic impacts.

Baxter, an Acreage resident, said she is doing all she can to add needed pavement and restrict growth in a reasonable way. She supports the extension of 60th Street from Seminole Pratt to 140th Avenue North, but only if 60th can be paved all the way to SR 7 and widened to four or five lanes. She also pointed to efforts to curtail the size of developments without unfairly taking away the landowner’s right to build on his or her property.

An example of her strategy, she said, was a development planned for Southern near Arden. “I was able to get that reduced from 900 units to 490,” Baxter said. “That’s a big difference.” Whatever the answers are, “there’s never going to be a quick

franchise fee to the village, ultimately collected from utility ratepayers.

• The council approved steps to accept a clock donated by the Rotary Club of Wellington. It would be placed near the boardwalk at Wellington’s Town Center housing village offices on Forest Hill Blvd., with the Rotary paying for the maintenance of the clock itself, and the village handling adjacent landscaping. The vote to accept the clock was 4-0 with Councilwoman

fix,” Argue said recently. “But there are things we can do, and we’re doing them.”

Argue pointed to the successful lawsuit that so far has blocked Minto from connecting Westlake streets to ITID roads. Minto has appealed the circuit court decision. Argue said the district must continue to push back on what many see as an attempt to destroy The Acreage’s semi-rural lifestyle.

“I don’t doubt that there are people who would be happy to bulldoze every bit of the district and commercialize and industrialize the whole area,” Vassalotti said.

“We don’t have to lay down for the county, but we need to work with the county,” Accomando added. “We’re in a rural tier, and we don’t want to lose that identity. We have a little jewel here, and the issue is, how do we protect it?”

Maria Antuña recusing herself due to her involvement with Rotary. In another move affecting that central civic area, the council voted unanimously to clarify that leashed dogs are allowed in the Town Center area, except where marked by signs, including the green space directly in front of the amphitheater. It replaced outdated code that didn’t necessarily allow dogs in certain village spaces. Service animals are allowed even in front of the amphitheater.

Student Council President McKayla Zucchini.

Student Joshua Lazo with his father Freddy.

The proposed Coconut Palm Plaza at the southeast corner of Coconut and Northlake would be a four-story apartment/condo complex with 176 units. It is just one of several planned projects.

THE 40TH ANNUAL WELLINGTON HOLIDAY PARADE ROCKS FOREST HILL

Grand Marshal Dennis Witkowski rides with his grandchildren.

Wellington Village Council members Maria Antuña, Vice Mayor John McGovern, Amanda Silvestri and Mayor Michael Napoleone.

RPB Vice Mayor Selena Samios, Victoria Rodusky, Councilwoman Jan Rodusky, and Mayor Jeff and Carolyn Hmara. Parade judges Jim Sackett, Brooke Silverang with Phillip and Aslynn Rivera-Tigera.

State Rep. Anne Gerwig waves to the crowd.

Kim and Village Manager Jim Barnes with PBSO Capt. Nichole Addazio and Lt. Robert Humphrey.

The Wellington Golf Cart Club won for best decorated vehicles.

Palm Beach Central High School was honored as best marching band.

Dance Theatre was honored as best performing group.

Wellington Regional Medical Center won for best adult float.

PBSO Mounted Unit Sgt. Jeff Israel on Duke and Deputy Audrey Miranda on Z.

The Wellington High School marching band. The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council rocked away on rocking chairs.

Girl Scout Troop 24245 marches in the parade.

Scout Pack 125’s float kept with the musical theme.

The parade’s best of show award went to Priority Towing with its Grinch in a cage. Skillets won for best marching group.

Lee Friedman, M.D.

Randy Katz, M.D.

Barry Schechter, M.D., F.A.A.O.

Jonathan Criss, M.D.

Megan Rowlands, M.D., M.P.H.

Steven Naids, M.D.

Jonathan Lam, M.D, M.B.A. James Walsh, O.D.

EYE CARE for the Entire Family

• General Eye Care

• Laser Cataract Surgery

• Laser Vision Correction/LASIK

• Medical & Surgical Retina (Macular Degeneration/Diabetic Retinopathy)

• Diabetic Eye Exams

• Corneal Transplantation, Tumors & Lesions of the External Eye

• Medical & Surgical Glaucoma

• Advanced Dry Eye Care & Treatment

• Pediatric Ophthalmology & Adult Strabismus

• Eye Allergy Treatments

Wycliffe Stiffs Welcome Start Of The 2024-25 Stickball Season

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

Tuesday, Dec. 3 marked opening day for the Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball League’s 2024-25 season. This is the 23rd season for the league. The league, which is conducted in cooperation with the Wellington Parks & Recreation Department, plays its games at Wellington’s Village Park in an area nicknamed “Stickball Blvd.” All the games are played on Tuesday afternoons.

This year’s league has five teams. They are the New York Egg Creams, the Brooklyn Bums, the Hoboken Zephyrs, the Bronx Clippers and the Atlantic Whalers. Most of the participants are residents of the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club. There were two games on opening day. The first game, which started at 1 p.m., featured Atlantic vs. Brooklyn. Brooklyn prevailed, 8-4. Prior to the opening game, league founder Marty Ross and Director of Operations Harry Klaff threw out the first pitch. Ross and Klaff are the only two players who have been playing in the league

Walmart Residents

Concerned

continued from page 1

Langowski said, “but a lot of people don’t want a Walmart in their backyard.”

Acreage resident Lisa Johnson said she was concerned about the impact a Walmart might have on small businesses already located in Westlake, and those that might be considering it.

Cassel said a Walmart would have a significant positive impact on the city’s commercial tax base

Cameras Coming To School Zones

continued from page 1 ate the system is handled by the vendor.

“The benefit of these cameras is that now the PBSO can utilize those officers who would be doing traffic enforcement in those school zones, they can be doing something else,” said De La Espriella, a retired law enforcement officer.

“It is a way to use resources in a better way for your town.”

During the 2023 session, the Florida Legislature passed HB 657, which allowed the use of speed detection systems in school zones, which became effective July 1, 2023. The new state law sets out a series of specifications for how such a system can be implemented,

Wellington Father Daughter Dance Tickets

Now On Sale

Fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers and all blends of families are invited to take part in Wellington’s annual Father Daughter Dance on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. It will be a night of delight for daughters ages 5 to 14.

This year’s theme is a “Daddy Daughter Prom.”

since its inception in 2002. Hoboken played Bronx in the second game. The two teams played to a 1-1 tie. The ceremonial first pitch of the second game was thrown by Wycliffe Golf & Country Club General Manager Rob Martin. The Hoboken Zephyrs are the defending league champions. Gerry Ranzal will be the official scorekeeper for all regular season and postseason games this season. On opening day, Steve Goldberg was the announcer. Another tradition of opening day was the availability of refreshments. “We always have egg creams and Oreo cookies on opening day, which is most nostalgic,” Ross said.

In addition to being the only two players who have participated in all 23 stickball seasons of the league, both Ross and Klaff were inducted into the Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball Hall of Fame in 2009. Over the past 22 seasons, Ross has 335 hits, of which 17 are home runs, and a career batting average of .408. Klaff has 342 career hits, of which 160 of them are doubles, and a

career batting average of .460.

Over the past 23 years, a number of teams have competed in the league, whose motto is, “Dedicated to keeping stickball a tradition, not just a game.” Some of those team names from prior years include the Coney Island Bull Dogs, the Broad Street Bullies, the SoHo Dawgs, the NY 2-Sewers, the Atlantic City Taffy Pullers, the Congressional Barons, the Boston Diehards, the Dukes of Flatbush, the Wycliffe Yankees, NY’s Finest, Boston Strong, the Harlem Knights, the Concourse City Slickers and the Manhattan Kings.

According to Ross, a total of 512 players have participated since 2002-03.

The game of stickball is a street version of baseball that originated on the streets of big cities, particularly New York and Philadelphia. Looking back, Ross reflected on the moment when he knew the idea of creating a stickball league would be well-received.

“When I showed the ball and the broom handle stick to some friends, their eyes lit up and they smiled,” Ross said. “That’s what

but agreed that “it’s a two-edged sword.”

“Like any major commercial business locating in an area, [a Walmart] may or may not have an impact on what’s already here,” he said.

Councilman Julian Martinez said he has concerns about potential problems with traffic, overcrowding and aesthetics with two “big box stores” located in close proximity to each other. He asked Cassel to look into whether it might be possible to change the city code to require more distance between such outlets. In other business, the council

should a jurisdiction decide to do so.

Before implementing the system, the town had to undertake a speed study, which was conducted by RedSpeed in August and determined that the areas around the two elementary schools “constitutes a heightened safety risk that warrants additional enforcement measures.”

State law requires additional signage that notes the speed zone camera enforcement, and there will be an education period with warnings before the $100 citations are issued.

The Village of Wellington is also considering a speed detection system in school zones using RedSpeed.

While the Wellington Village Council approved the enabling ordinance, it has not yet approved a contract with RedSpeed. Also at the Dec. 3 meeting, the council approved the first reading of a comprehensive plan text

motivated me to start the league. Over the years, we have kept tweaking the rules to make it better.”

According to League Director Arthur Spector, the overall goal is to have a good time.

“As kids back in New York, playing stickball was all about

unanimously approved a request to modify the site plan for the Grove Market shopping plaza to accommodate the departure of the 52,145-square-foot WinnDixie supermarket and liquor store and the arrival in 2025 of a 28,594-square-foot Aldi supermarket and two unspecified future retail tenants occupying the remainder of the space on either side of the grocery.

Aldi, the Germany-based international grocery giant, completed its purchase of the Winn-Dixie supermarket chain earlier this year.

On Nov. 19, Aldi announced that the Winn-Dixie at 5060 Seminole

amendment regarding the Groves Town Center project at the northeast corner of Southern Blvd. and B Road. The change brings the comp plan into agreement with the current specifications for the project, including eliminating the allocation for a 128-bed congregate living facility and instead including a hotel.

Other changes include establishing intensity and density measurement standards for the hotel use, establishing an allowance for a public park and exempting the site from a comp plan policy that restricts commercial uses to south of East Citrus Drive.

A PUD amendment/rezoning and a site plan for the hotel will come back to the council for consideration early next year.

Matthew Barnes spoke at the meeting on behalf of the property owner, Solar Sportsystems Inc.

He explained that the congregate living facility was approved as part of the original plan for

NEWS BRIEFS

Garden Club To Celebrate Florida Arbor

Day Jan. 17

Wanted For Crime Stoppers Event

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County will hold its 14th annual Cruizin’ for Crime Stoppers Motorcycle Ride on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. This is the largest motorcycle ride in South Florida. The ride is a safe, escorted ride, courtesy of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Motor Unit. The event begins at Acreage Community Park, located at 6701 140th Avenue North. There will be a live band and raffles. Crime Stoppers is looking for food trucks to feed the hundreds of riders at the event. If you would like to be a vendor or have your food truck participate in the event, contact Angela Barnard at info@ crimestopperspbc.com or (561) 329-9664. If you would like to be a rider in the event, register online at www. cruizinforcrimestoppers.info.

The Wellington Garden Club will celebrate Florida Arbor Day with a tree-planting ceremony at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, at Greenbriar Park/Wellington Dog Park (2975 Greenbriar Blvd.).

A native tree will be planted in the Wildflower Meadow section of the park. Following a short ceremony, a tour of the Wildflower Meadow will be led by Lisa Ferrano, a Wellington Garden Club member who has been actively involved with the site since it was planned and then initially planted in September 2023.

Florida was one of the first states to establish its own Arbor Day, choosing the third Friday in January as the holiday in 1886. It was not until 1970 that the National Arbor Day was established as the last Friday of April.

“Trees provide welcome shade in hot weather and reduce electric bills. They also provide food and shelter for wildlife and beautify our country,” Wellington Garden Club President Carol Ralph said.

Pratt Whitney Road would be among the stores converted to an Aldi.

The company emphasizes keeping prices low through smaller stores, plain décor, fewer name brands and more house brands. Aldi markets do not offer a deli, bakery or butcher counter.

An Aldi representative told the council, “We’re not looking to bring in something different [from other Aldi stores]. It’ll be the same concept. We offer lower-priced groceries by working really, really hard to cut out the fat… and the extra frills that people don’t necessarily want.”

the site in 2013, but since then, the town and the developer have agreed that a hotel would be a better idea there. Plans for the hotel are working their way through the approval process.

Councilwoman Laura Danowski noted that the town’s Planning & Zoning Board was not set to discuss the hotel change until a meeting on Dec. 11 and wanted to know why it was at the council beforehand.

Ramaglia explained that the text amendment must go to Tallahassee for approval, which will take extra time. This just moves the process forward, and the council can still make changes when it returns for its final reading.

The text amendment would have allowed 95 lodging units at the hotel, but the current plan calls for 81 units. The council and the developer agreed to make the change, lowering the count to 81 units before the item was approved.

Katherine Wagner-Reiss is the club’s Arbor Day coordinator.

“Planting a native tree in the Wildflower Meadow is a wonderful opportunity for the community to see and enjoy this space where native flowers and grasses provide a habitat for birds, butterflies, and other pollinators,” Wagner-Reiss said. Learn more about the Wellington Garden Club at www. wellingtongardenclub.org.

winning, and now it’s all about having a good time,” Spector said. “The re-creation of street fun from our childhood creates smiles.”

The Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball League has 13 regular-season playing dates, which will be held on Tuesday afternoons between early December and mid-March.

The annual all-star game will be contested April 8.

Winn-Dixie will close in January. The conversion to Aldi is expected to take several months.

An Aldi store is already located in Loxahatchee Groves at the northeast corner of the

Strathmore Gate West HOA Elects New Board

On Thursday, Dec. 5, the Strathmore Gate West homeowners’ association held its annual election, resulting in the election of a new board of directors. The newly elected board includes David Leal as president, Christine Young as vice president, Laurie Menard as secretary, John Duemig as treasurer and Nat Weisenstein as director. The election took place at the Strathmore Gate West Clubhouse. This highly sought-after, agerestricted community in the heart of Royal Palm Beach is home to nearly 280 active homeowners.

Founded in 1981, Strathmore Gate West continues to thrive, and under this new leadership will continue to improve. Duemig read from a letter constructed in part as a campaign resolution with the highest goal being more community member inclusion on all decisions moving forward, as well as transparency and communication being the focus. The new board is committed to enhancing the quality of life for residents, providing valuable services, advocating for the community’s needs, and ensuring the continued beauty and value of the neighborhood while trying to maintain a fiscally sound budget. The biggest takeaway of the night was that a “special assessment” and a $1 million loan that was being considered for repairs, put in front of the community by the outgoing board of directors, was tabled. The new board will regroup and in 2025 address the concerns shared by residents.

The United States Polo Association (USPA) is proud to welcome PoloGear as the Network Sponsor of the USPA Polo Network (USPAPN). PoloGear joins the growing portfolio of corporate sponsors reaching the international polo community through USPAPN livestreamed events.

The sponsorship will debut in December 2024, beginning with the U.S. Open Arena Polo Championship presented by U.S. Polo Assn., and will run throughout all 2025 livestreamed events available at www.uspolo.org and across select USPA social media platforms.

As the Network Sponsor, PoloGear’s branding and presence will be strategically featured on the USPAPN graphics package throughout livestreamed events in

conjunction with tournament information, live reads, lower thirds and a commercial each game. A PoloGear “Goal of the Match” will air during the sixth chukker of all games, along with an exclusive to the Gauntlet of Polo presented by TruBar, “Player of the Game” segment voted on by viewers, which will be highlighted during the finals of the C.V. Whitney Cup, the USPA Gold Cup and the U.S. Open Polo Championship. Recipients of the “Player of the Game” will also receive a gift from PoloGear. PoloGear has provided equipment and apparel for the sport of polo since 1993. Based in Wellington, PoloGear has been the supplier of

(L-R) Harry Klaff enjoys an egg cream; Arty Peskin of the Brooklyn Bums hits during batting practice; team captains Stan Baum of the Brooklyn Bums and Ross Ginsberg of the Atlantic Whalers; and Wellington’s Stickball Blvd. is a long way from Brooklyn. PHOTOS BY MIKE MAY/TOWN-CRIER

(Left) Marty Ross and Harry Klaff throw out the first balls on opening day. (Right) Wycliffe’s Rob Martin throws out the first pitch of the second game. PHOTOS BY ALLEN LEBOWITZ

The 2025 Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on March 4. The last regular season game will be played on March 18. The postseason playoffs begin on March 25. The league championship game is scheduled for April 1.

2024-25 Strathmore Gate West board members include (L-R) Vice President Christine Young, President David Leal, Secretary Laurie Menard, Treasurer John Duemig and Director Nat Weisenstein.

A native gumbo-limbo tree in Wildflower Meadow, where the Wellington Garden Club will be celebrating Arbor Day on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. PHOTO BY KATHERINE WAGNER-REISS

inter-

section of Southern Blvd. and B Road. There is also one on State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach, in front of an industrial complex that houses Aldi’s regional distribution warehouse.

Returning a service that was once offered at the old Royal Palm Beach Village Hall, the United States Postal Service opened a post office location at the new village hall building with a celebration on Monday, Dec. 2. Village officials and USPS representatives were on hand for the grand opening ceremony. Located at 1050 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., the new post office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Human-Animal Alliance Welcomes Donations This Giving Season

Amid the traditions of turkeys and tinsel, it is also the time of giving. The Human-Animal Alliance, a Wellington-based nonprofit, believes that connections

between humans and animals can be life-changing — especially for those navigating trauma.

Nearly three years ago, Wellington amateur dressage and jumper rider Jackie Ducci founded the Human-Animal Alliance, inspired by her childhood experiences. “Animals have been a source of life-changing connection for me from the time I was very young,” Ducci said. “When I struggled as a child with self-esteem issues, the horses taught me that I had value as a human being. They helped me in ways that people couldn’t.”

To date, the Human-Animal Alliance has made a significant impact supporting human-animal connection, providing substantial grants to deserving organizations nationwide. Examples include funding animal-assisted thera-

py programs for children and survivors of human trafficking, sponsoring a crisis response facility dog for a fire department, covering medical expenses for pets in need whose owners could not afford their care, providing financial assistance to survivors of domestic violence and their animals, helping pets and owners in the wake of hurricanes Ian and Helene, and more.

The Human-Animal Alliance hosted two unique, exciting fundraising events earlier this year, including “Paint Your Pet” in Wellington during the 2024 equestrian season, and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” held in Wilmington, N.C. Collectively, these events raised upward of $80,000 toward the organization’s 2024 initiatives. All donations to the Human-An-

VILLAGE OF ROYAL PALM BEACH EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD SCHOLARSHIP PRESS RELEASE

The Village Council of the Village of Royal Palm Beach is proud to announce they are awarding ten (10) $1,000.00 scholarships to high school seniors residing in the Village of Royal Palm Beach. Graduating seniors (Class of 2025) can download the application from the Village website at www.royalpalmbeachfl.gov. The completed application must be postmarked or emailed no later than Friday, February 21, 2025 or may be hand-delivered to the Clerk’s Office at Village Hall located at 1050 Royal Palm Beach Boulevard in Royal Palm Beach by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2025. Finalists must be available for interviews on Saturday, April 19, 2025. The scholarship committee of the Education Advisory Board will make the final determination. Winners will be announced in May and the scholarships will be awarded at the Village Council meeting on Thursday, May 15, 2025. If you have questions, please call 790-5101.

imal Alliance during the month of December will be used to keep military personnel and their pets united throughout the challenges of deployment and post-deployment, and help children excel in school through animal-assisted learning opportunities.

“Wellington is so special because everyone here just ‘gets it’ — we all understand the value of human-animal connection from personal experience, and that unites us,” said Ducci, who covers all of the charity’s overhead costs personally to ensure that every dollar raised from the public goes straight to helping people and animals. “We hope members of the community will consider a gift to the Human-Animal Alliance in their year-end giving plans. Contributions of all sizes are appreciated.

Michelle Inman, Kristopher Novy, Postmaster Orlando De La Osa, David Guiney and Edwin Vivas.

Royal Palm Beach Village Manager Ray Liggins, West Palm Beach Postmaster Orlando De La Osa and Royal Palm Beach Mayor Jeff Hmara.

RPB Mayor Jeff Hmara and West Palm Beach Postmaster Orlando De La Osa perform a ribbon cutting to open the new post office.

The first customer at the new post office was Cathy Eiseman.

RPB Vice Mayor Selena Samios, West Palm Beach Postmaster Orlando De La Osa, RPB Mayor Jeff Hmara and RPB Councilwoman Jan Rodusky.

The new post office serves its first customer.

West Palm Beach Postmaster Orlando De La Osa introduces the new post office.

Founder Jackie Ducci and Executive Director Alexis Pullium at “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?” PHOTO BY VIRGINIA GATES PHOTOGRAPHY

“Paint Your Pet,” the Wellington winter fundraiser in 2024, was a community favorite. PHOTO BY NICOLE LE BRIS

Mourad Abouelleil, MD Urologist

Joshua S. Jue, MD Urologist

Rose Lewis, Beryl Harrison and Lorna Mills.

Decorating Committee members Carolyn Hmara, Dolly Hughes, Pamela Williams, and Steve and Mary Kaminski. Lorna Dubinsky, Moreen Fand and Kathy Compagnone.

Briab Gil, Ruben Cabon and Karina Constantine of the Gypsy Lane Band bring out the holiday spirit.

Gypsy Lane Band members Alfonso Carey, Briab Gil, Ruben Cabon, Andrew Carey, Sylvia Brasil, Karina Constantine, Gary King and Larry Davis.

Marcia Elliott, Donna Dale, Primrose Graham and Delores Johnson.

Young at Heart President Francine Bryant, Elly Rosenshein, Hilary Varlack, Barbara Patterson, Lorna Pearson and Vinette Tracy of the Hospitality Committee.

Sharon and William Poyner.

Senior Programs Supervisor Shakeera Thomas with Agentina Batista, who made the fascinators.

Jennie Lopez, Pat LaValley, Patty McFarland and Monique Lananna.

Peg Richardson (left) the event’s marketing manager alongside Rafael Siqueira (center) and other guests,

Ruben Arriaga at his food truck, Gimme Grillin.

Kobsch sells freshly made ice cream rolls.

David Hu, owners Priti, Amit and Akash Patel, and Joshua Manning.

Owners Amit and Priti Patel with Barry Manning.

Jessica Meder and Caitlyn Klimek with Tropical Storm Libations.

Attendees got a chance to try out the mechanical bull.

Christy Davis with Steel Tie Spirits.

Michael Shochat, Noreen Brady, Elena Kononenko and Barry Manning with Wesley and James from Southern Glazer’s.

The new Star Liquors store is located in Wellington Green Square.

St Michael Lutheran Church in Wellington is proud to be a longtime participant in the Back to Basics program.

Beverly Perham, founder of the organization, recently came to speak to the congregation, explaining how and why she started this program. Many organizations assist with the collection.

At St. Michael, more than 60 members partnered to provide the basics to Palm Beach County children in need. This allows students to attend school with dignity and to help them prepare to learn.

Through this program, church members provide new sneakers, socks, underwear, a toy and a small stocking stuffer for the children. When each bag is dropped off at the church, an angel gets added to the Christmas tree at St Michael Lutheran Church.

Back to Basics has been providing hope to struggling families in Palm Beach County for 40 years

NBA LEGEND DENNIS RODMAN VISITS

THE MALL AT WELLINGTON GREEN

Hundreds of fans came out to Palm Beach Autographs at the Mall at Wellington Green on Friday, Dec. 6, for a signing event with NBA legend Dennis Rodman. Fans were able to meet Rodman, pose for photo ops and get memorabilia signed. For information on upcoming events at Palm Beach Autographs, visit www.palmbeachautographs.com/pages/signings.

Flying Cow To Pave Or Not To Pave?

continued from page 3 different stories floating around,” Barnes said.

He cited the occasional “conspiracy theory” on social media that the road’s closing was somehow “payback” to various local residents related to past dealings or issues with the village. He rejected that notion and said lines of communication remain as clear and open as they have ever been.

The question behind all this is what to do with the unpaved portion of Flying Cow Ranch Road, which starts four miles south of Southern Blvd. Continuing south, it takes a big left turn and connects with the southern end of the village through Indian Mound Road and 50th Street South.

Committee members wondered aloud about the seemingly sparse publicity ahead of the June closure of the southern stretch of the road, marked with road barriers and signs.

By November, officials acknowledged it had reopened, but with a 16,000-pound weight limit for trucks.

Then again, that also touches on tricky issues. The Palm Beach

County Sheriff’s Office can enforce rules on truck weights or speed, but it does not have the resources to be there all the time, Barnes said.

Speeding along the upper, paved straightaway portion of Flying Cow Ranch Road has generated complaints for years, accompanied by uneasiness that trucks or other vehicles were exiting Southern Blvd. and taking Flying Cow as an informal bypass, or doing the same thing in the opposite direction.

Every proposed remedy seems to come with questions. Committee members said they were not sure if the truck weight limit actually blocked some of the equestrian industry’s own larger transport and feed vehicles, and follow-up discussion appeared to offer few definitive answers.

In the misty depths of village history, the unpaved portion of the road has been used as access to a water-pumping station and a facility that collects horse manure, but growth and traffic have put pressure on Wellington’s efforts to figure out what to do with it.

Barnes acknowledged that the village has paved some roads that were once unpaved in and around the equestrian area, such as 120th Avenue South and 50th Street South.

Committee Member Kirsten Kopp said, “My suggestion to the

committee and to you is you pave it, but you put extreme measures to reduce speed.”

She mentioned steps used in places outside the village, such as limiting the whole road to one lane in some rural places. But village officials said these ideas can come with their own drawbacks, such as stalling traffic, creating confusion or abrupt braking situations. During public comment, equestrians grappled with the pros and cons of paving.

Sloane Coles said one argument for paving the rest of Flying Cow Ranch Road, along with whatever safety measures make sense, is that it provides some option for horse trailers and other traffic from the vicinity not to have to drive by schools in the core village, for example. “It’s not ideal,” she said.

Paving did not sound so great to Maureen Brennan. “If this were to get paved, they’d just fly down 50th, through the [equestrian] preserve, fly down there, really fly up Flying Cow,” she said. In other action, the committee discussed priorities for about $3 million in capital improvements for the village’s bridle trail system over multiple years. Advocacy for fencing along some trails, to separate horses from vehicles or canals, came up. An updated list could come before the committee in February.

Mason Telanza, Kathryn Boswell, Carolyn Boswell, Melissa Peters, Otto Adam and Alice Adam at the St. Michael angel tree.

Back to Basics founder Beverly Perham visits St. Michael.

wrapped and ready to go to the warehouse.

Early detection of ovarian cancer leads to better outcomes

As a gynecologic oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital, Adria Suarez Mora, MD, has vast experience treating women with gynecological cancers. Ovarian cancer is among the more complex cancers Dr. Mora treats. One reason is that it is difficult to diagnose in its early stages.

“Despite years of research, we haven’t yet developed a good screening tool for ovarian cancer,” says Dr. Mora. “Fortunately, there are many new targeted treatments available to both treat and prevent the cancer from coming back.”

Screening patients for risk factors is one way physicians help prevent ovarian cancer. Family history of ovarian cancer, personal history of cancer, reproductive history, obesity and endometriosis can place an individual at greater risk.

“Patients who are determined to be at high risk for ovarian cancer may choose a low-risk intervention to decrease their risk,” says Dr. Mora. “These include oral contraceptive use, removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes or tubal ligation. For young mothers, pregnancy and breastfeeding also reduces risk.”

experience any of these changes which are persistent and not improving: abdominal bloating or swelling; fatigue; weight loss; frequent need to urinate; changes in bowel habits; or discomfort in the pelvic area.

As with most cancers, catching ovarian cancer early produces better outcomes.

“Fortunately, there are many new targeted treatments available to both treat and prevent the cancer from coming back.”

– Adria Suarez Mora, MD

“Since ovarian cancer is very aggressive and spreads quickly, we want to be able to diagnose and treat it before it moves from the ovary into other areas in the pelvis or abdomen,” says Dr. Mora. “With an early diagnosis, the chances for successful treatment rise substantially.”

While symptoms of ovarian cancer are not always apparent, Dr. Mora advises women to see their physician if they

TALK WITH AN EXPERT

“If we suspect a patient has ovarian cancer, we will identify the presenting symptoms, perform a pelvic exam and order other indicated testing such as labs or imaging tests,” says Dr. Mora. “Once a patient has been evaluated, the definitive way to confirm an ovarian cancer diagnosis is through tissue biopsy or surgery.”

Ovarian cancer is typically treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and targeted therapies. Cleveland Clinic is consistently engaged in clinical trials to discover the newest targeted therapies and research the best ways to tailor these treatments for patients.

“Each ovarian cancer journey is unique,” says Dr. Mora. “Working together, our team of gynecologic cancer specialists develop a personalized treatment plan for each individual patient.”

Complete cancer care is close to home. To make an appointment with Dr. Mora or another cancer specialist at Cleveland Clinic in Florida, call 877.463.2010 or visit ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/Cancer to learn more.

877.463.2010 ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/Cancer

Adria Suarez Mora, MD

ROYAL PALM BEACH WINTER FEST BRINGS HOLIDAY FUN

Kristy Michel with cats Frasier and Niles.

Jayce and Marina Halle with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Eric and Margie Sturz with Annette Watson at the Seafin Creations tent.

Eric, Allee, Jayce and Avree Carter with Milo.

Jennifer Porta with Rudy and Cooper, and Diana Mensah and Frederick Mensah with Oreo.

Students from the Western Academy Charter School on stage.

Andrea and Tracy Schiola look over earrings at the Frutilla Jewelry tent.

Santa joins the Royal Palm Beach Village Council on stage to light the Christmas tree.

Ray and Cindy Nazareth, Councilman Adam Miller, Councilwoman Jan Rodusky, Councilwoman Richard Valuntas, and Mayor Jeff and Carolyn Hmara.

Mom Sabrina Godfrey helps Cecilia at the ice-skating area.

Linda Morris, Penny Orsini, Bill Cipriano with Tia Marie, Margie Allen and Diane Edwards.

Jackie Rojas gets her face painted by Iryna.

Little Camila Munoz spends some time with Santa.

Students from Dazzle Dance Studio in their holiday costumes. Violet Rolle with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The Victorian Voices of South Florida on stage.

Ana Adler with Oliver.

got a chance to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

BIG CROWD AS ANNUAL HOLIDAY BOAT PARADE LIGHTS UP LAKE

VILLAGE OF ROYAL PALM BEACH PUBLIC NOTICE

The Village of Royal Palm Beach currently has a vacant Seat on the Education Advisory Board. The Education Advisory Board meets on the second Monday of the month eight months out of the year, with one special meeting in April of each year for scholarship interviews. All meetings are held in the Village Council Chambers. Board Members shall meet the following qualifications at the time of their

and

other similar organization

or sponsored by the school district or a public or charter school located within the Village; or be a parent/legal guardian of a child currently enrolled in a Village public or charter school. Those ineligible to serve on the Board are: employees of the Palm Beach County School District; employees of an organization funded by the

organization. If you would

IN LOVING MEMORY

Helen Marie Harvey

January 28, 1924 —November 29, 2024

Helen Marie Harvey, a cherished matriarch and devoted community member, passed away peacefully on November 29, 2024, in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. Born on January 28, 1924, in Staten Island, New York, Helen lived a life marked by faith, family, and love.

Helen was the beloved wife of the late Raymond V. Harvey, with whom she shared 73 years of marriage until his passing in 2017. Together, they raised three children: Helene Shannon, Carolee Paquin, and Raymond Harvey. Helen’s family was the cornerstone of her life, and she was a proud grandmother to six grandchildren: Therese Ann Deal, Lainie Guthrie, Carole Esposito, William Shannon, Kyle Harvey, and Ian Harvey. Her legacy continues through her 11 great-grandchildren, who brought her immense joy.

A devout Roman Catholic, Helen was a founding parishioner of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Ramsey, New Jersey. Her faith was a guiding force throughout her life, and she later became a dedicated 20-year parishioner of Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Church in Royal Palm Beach, Florida.

In 2002, Helen and Ray moved from Ramsey, New Jersey, to Royal Palm Beach, Florida, where they embraced retirement with enthusiasm. Helen enjoyed reading and politics, while Raymond golfed. They both cherished the time spent with their growing family.

Helen’s life was a testament to her unwavering devotion to her family and her faith. Her warmth, kindness, and steadfast spirit will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her memory will live on in the hearts of her family and friends, who will forever cherish the love and wisdom she imparted.

Helen Marie Harvey’s life was a blessing to her family and community, and her legacy will continue to inspire those who were fortunate enough to know her.

Mass services for Helen were held on December 6, 2024 at Our Lady Queen of the Apostles Church. Helen and Ray are interred together at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery, Gate of Heaven.

Eric Juckett, Markus Lockhart, Michelle Garvey and John Sprenger.

Village Manager Jim Barnes, Councilwoman Amanda Silvestri, Councilwoman Maria Antuña, Vice Mayor John McGovern, Roxanne Stein and Jim Sackett. PHOTO COURTESY THE VILLAGE OF WELLINGTON

Allyson Samiljan, Maureen Gross, Maggie Zeller and Joan Imperatore.

The Women of the Western Communities celebrated the holiday season with

National Golf Club. Members mingled while choosing which items to

their luck on winning. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Paula Castro drops a ticket in the bag.

Colorfully decorated boats glide across Lake Wellington.

Kristi Knight-Sandner, Melissa Lawler and Sheri McCandless.

Pam Scire and

Miguel Hernandez, Peter Diaz, Roberto Resende, Ray Perez and Carl Winters.

Hugo and Tulia Carrejo.

Mike and Jana Wood, owners of sponsor South Florida Marine.

Eliana Porras and Ty Brevard.

Cheryl Allen and Jana Wood.

The Yuletide Carolers sing holiday songs.

Donna Banno and Paula Castro had

SUPERSTAR VANILLA ICE ONCE AGAIN HEADLINES WELLINGTON

On

FRANK KOESTER/TOWN-CRIER

Kids enjoy a Florida “snowstorm.”

Christopher Bellorin, Arya Bellorin and Ben Castello meet Santa.

DJ Roberto gets the crowd going.

Amy and Erick Delgado enjoy Winterfest. Sara and Tobi Fried.

Isabella Cepin meets Elsa and Anna from Frozen

The Rift Band opens the festivities at Winterfest 2024.

DJ Newmark served as master

Pet rescue organizations were on hand in hopes of finding forever homes before the holiday.

The Wellington Amphitheater was packed for the Winterfest celebration. Vanilla Ice sings as bubbles fall.

Dancers from Starpoint DanceSport take to the stage.

Kids pack the stage at the

Crowd favorite Vanilla Ice arrives on stage.

Santa joins Vanilla Ice on stage.

Boots N Scoots Line Dancers Cricket Gaffney, Trish Panikowski, Ryan Watson, Amber Edenfield, Laticia Adams, Kristina Machan and Grissel Ramos.

Lillian, Dezmond and Katelin Hodge visit with the Grinch.

DJ Newmark served as master of ceremonies.

Kids get an up-close look at the entertainment.

Kids get a chance to dance with Vanilla Ice.

Lou Groza Award Dinner Honors Top High School Football Players And Coaches

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

The 33rd annual Lou Groza Award Celebration drew a strong crowd on the evening of Monday, Dec. 9. The event, held at the West Palm Beach Marriott, had several award nominees from the western communities.

The event was organized by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The keynote speaker was Dave Shula, the son of longtime Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula. Representing the Lou Groza family was Groza’s son, Judd Groza.

In addition to recognizing and honoring the three collegiate place-kickers who are the national finalists for this year’s Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, presented by the Orange Bowl, the purpose of the occasion was to recognize Palm Beach County’s top high school football team, player, head coach and kicker. There were three finalists in each high school category.

In the Team of the Year category, presented by ESPN West Palm, the three finalists were the Atlantic High School Eagles, the Cardinal Newman High School Crusaders and the West Boca Raton High School Bulls. The winner was the West Boca Bulls (14-0), who are playing in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 6A state championship final on Friday, Dec. 13 against Kissimmee’s Osceola High School at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium in Miami.

The three finalists for the Player of the Year award, presented by Darling & Company CPAs, were sophomore middle linebacker Levi Champion from the King’s Academy, junior running back/ linebacker Phoenix Donghia of the Benjamin School and senior wide receiver/cornerback Teddy Hoffmann of Atlantic High School. The winner was Hoffman. The three finalists for the Sam Budnyk Coach of the Year award, presented by a local private charity,

were Omar Haugabook of Glades Central High School, Chuck Kenyon of Royal Palm Beach High School and Kevin Thompson of Palm Beach Central High School. The winner was Haugabook.

The three finalists for the High School Place-Kicker of the Year award, presented by Baptist Health, were sophomore Cristian Clavijo of Santaluces High School, senior Ethan Dagostino of Palm Beach Central High School and senior Brogan Woeber of Jupiter High School. The winner was Woeber.

RPBHS Athletic Director Eric Patterson, who was honored as coach of the year in 2006, is proud of the work done by Kenyon to revive the school’s varsity football program.

“Royal Palm Beach High School is incredibly proud of coach Kenyon for being named a coach of the year nominee,” Patterson said. “This prestigious recognition is a testament to his unwavering dedication, resilience and leadership. Over the past three years, coach Kenyon has not only revitalized our football program, but has also been an inspiring example of perseverance, overcoming significant challenges with grace and determination. Under his guidance, our team has achieved remarkable growth, both on and off the field, and he has fostered a culture of excellence and unity that has transformed our community.”

PBCHS Athletic Director Travis Abel had similar sentiments about the work done by Thompson this past fall.

“This football season has been a huge success, and a big part of that success can be attributed to coach Thompson’s outstanding leadership. His dedication, vision and ability to inspire his players

have made all the difference for our team,” Abel said. “Coach Thompson has shown time and again that great leadership extends beyond the game itself. His impact reaches far beyond the Xs and Os, and it’s clear that his commitment to developing young athletes, both on and off the field, is shaping the future of our program. We look forward to what lies ahead with him at the helm, and we couldn’t be more proud of all he’s accomplished this season. Our team next year is already shaping up to be a top-notch group.”

As for TKA’s Champion, while he was not honored as player of the year, his statistical production was impressive. He was the No. 2 high school linebacker in Florida for tackles with 176. He also had 37 tackles for a loss, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and two quarterback sacks. Dagostino’s accomplishments as a kicker and as a punter are also impressive. This past season, Dagostino, a two-time team captain and a three-year letterman, converted 10 out of 12 field goal attempts from inside 50 yards. In his three-year varsity career, Dagostino made 81.3 percent of his field goal attempts — 26 out of 32. He was even more successful on field goal attempts inside 50 yards, going 26 out of 29 (89.6 percent) during his high school career.

As for point-after-touchdown kicks, Dagostino made 45 this past fall, 50 as a junior and 57 as a sophomore. As a punter this past season, Dagostino had 24 punts averaging 44 yards. His longest punt was 59 yards on two occasions, and 19 of his punts finished inside the opponent’s 20-yard-line. This was Dagostino’s second year as a finalist for the high school

The RPBHS Boys Varsity Soccer Team Enjoys Its Winning Ways

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach High School boys varsity soccer team is having another strong season. Just past the halfway point of the regular season, the Wildcats are 12-1-2. Their only loss was a hard-fought, 3-2 defeat at the King’s Academy on Thursday, Dec. 5. Mal Hasan, head coach for the Wildcats for the past 11 years, is leading a veteran team that has five returning starters from last year’s unit and an 18-player roster featuring 14 experienced players who are members of the Royal Palm Beach Strikers travel soccer club. Based on their level of play this season, this year’s deep and talented team is poised and prepared to win a third-straight Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) district title. This year’s team, which includes eight players from last year’s roster, is also motivated by last year’s team, which advanced to the Class 7A regional quarterfinals, only to lose to Boca Raton High School, 2-0. Last year’s team had an impressive 19-3-1 record.

When Hasan creates his game schedule every year, he books more regular season games than most teams, sometimes as many as four games in a week. This year’s team has 23 regular-season games on its slate. Hasan feels that having more competitive games gives his players the chance to improve their mental and physical soccer skills.

“Each game serves as a practice session where a specific topic, situation or area of concern is ad-

dressed and/or focused on,” said Hasan, whose career coaching record at RPBHS is 183-66-32.

“It teaches and strengthens each player’s ability to be mentally prepared to be up for every single game, while also enhancing the cardio and physical demands required to play.”

By being exposed to virtually every possible competitive and weather scenario during the regular season, Hasan said his players will be battle-tested for the postseason.

“Every game provides an opportunity for each player and the team to be exposed to a multitude of possible situations or adversities that they may encounter later in the season, so that they are better prepared to handle and/or address a particular scenario,” Hasan said.

“For example, how to play with a lead or a tied score; how to play while behind by a goal or by two goals; how to play after scoring or giving up an early goal or late goal; how to play if up or down a player; how to play under different weather conditions; how to play on various field types; and/or how to play with different types of officiating.”

To keep his players fresh and well-rested throughout the regular season, Hasan will add new players to his varsity roster throughout the year.

“Additionally, I add a few different junior varsity players to the roster each game to expose them to the varsity level so that they gain experience and are prepared to play with the varsity team, if

needed during the season or for the following year. This allows for mental and/or physical breaks for varsity players when needed,” Hasan explained.

In addition to a roster of experienced players, Hasan has four team captains who truly lead by example in practice and in games. They are senior forward Danni Rodriguez, senior defender Miguel Burgos, senior defender Sebastian Manjarres and junior midfielder Ramon Escalona.

“Danni is the top goal scorer in the area again. Miguel has great field knowledge and a strong work ethic. Sebastian is a dependable defensive leader, and Ramon is the most talented soccer player in Palm Beach County,” Hasan said.

One of the unexpected additions to this year’s roster is German exchange student Tony Bauer, who was the placekicker on the RPBHS varsity football team. Bauer is the first international exchange student to ever play soccer for the Wildcats.

“Tony is very talented and can play any position on the field,” Hasan said. “He has easily adapted to my style of play. He is a very likable person with a tremendous sense of humor who has immediately connected with other players, both on and off the field.”

Time will tell if the Wildcats can win a third-straight district title and make a deep postseason run in the playoffs. One thing is certain, though — Hasan’s squad is truly deep, talented, poised and prepared to succeed.

National finalists Ryan Fitzgerald of Florida State University, Kenneth Almendares of the University of Louisiana and Alex Raynor of the University of Kentucky. PHOTOS BY MIKE MAY/TOWN-CRIER

The Royal Palm Beach High School boys varsity soccer team. PHOTOS BY DANIELA HOYOS

(Left) Miguel Burgos prepares for the throw-in. (Right) Vilson Jewood attempts to control the ball.

RPBHS Athletic Director Eric Patterson and head football coach Chuck Kenyon.

See GROZA, page 23

Palm Beach Central’s Ethan Dagostino with master of ceremonies Theo Dorsey.

Three Seminole Ridge Lacrosse Players Set To Play In College

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

Three members of Seminole Ridge High School’s girls varsity lacrosse team will continue their competitive lacrosse-playing careers in college. Reagan Bresnahan, Georgia Garrison and Kendall Doran signed their collegiate letters of intent on Thursday, Nov. 21 during an on-campus signing ceremony.

Bresnahan is committed to playing lacrosse at Molloy University, an NCAA Division 2 program, which is located in Rockville Centre, on Long Island in New York. She is a goalie and will be studying communications/broadcasting.

Garrison will be attending Mars Hill University in Mars Hill, North Carolina. She has been playing lacrosse for nearly 10 years. On the field, she can play a variety of positions, including goalie. Her

favorite positions are attack and midfield.

Doran, a midfielder, will be attending the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky. There, she will major in communications.

Doran is well aware that there will be a big difference between high school lacrosse and the collegiate game.

“It will definitely be more physical, and the players are more aggressive,” Doran said.

Bresnahan began her lacrosse career as a defender, but she transitioned to goalie the summer after her freshman year. Her mother is very excited about this next step up the lacrosse ladder for the three girls.

“This is such an exciting time for these girls, especially since South Florida is not really considered a hotbed for lacrosse,”

said Helena Bresnahan, Reagan’s mother. “It is also an exciting time for women lacrosse players, as the WLL [Women’s Lacrosse League] is going to be starting, and lacrosse

TKA Girls Basketball Team Off To A Strong Start This Season

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

The King’s Academy girls varsity basketball team is talented, focused and driven to succeed. After the first eight games of the regular season, it’s a case of “so far so good.”

The most recent game for TKA was a 47-34 victory at home against Palm Beach Gardens High School on Tuesday, Dec. 10. That brought the team’s record to 8-0. Next on the schedule is a Tuesday, Dec. 17 contest at Somerset Prep.

While the most high-profile player on the team is senior guard Jade Jones, who is a University of Houston commit, there’s a supporting cast that makes the Lions a state championship contender. The Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 3A state title will be decided in mid-February in Lakeland.

In addition to the scoring, passing and rebounding by Jones, the team includes a number of players who can also run, pass, catch, defend, shoot, rebound and dive when the situation presents itself. According to head coach Chris Race, those key players include Sophia Kateris, Brielle George, Julia Vazquez, Sophia Vazquez, Sofia Rathbun and Madelyn Buccilli.

Kateris is smart, athletic and talented.

“Sophia is a versatile player who plays almost every position on our team during every game,” Race said. “She has a really high basketball IQ.” George, a Belmont Abbey College commit, is the epitome of what a true team player does in order to help the team succeed.

“Brielle has been working hard transitioning from strictly a post player to playing on the perimeter,” Race said. “She has a high motor and is a hard worker.”

Julia Vazquez is the team’s allimportant point guard. She is the team’s proverbial “floor general,” who helps execute Race’s game plan.

“Julia is a high-energy point guard who is the heartbeat of our team,” Race said. “She is super competitive and an aggressive point guard. She attacks the basket well and also sets her teammates up for easy shots.”

Sophia Vazquez has returned from an injury-riddled season last year. She is an energetic defender who can shoot very well.

“Sophia is returning this season from an ACL injury last year,” Race said. “She is a very versatile player for us. She plays all the pe-

Local Finalists

continued from page 21 place-kicker award. As for the future, Dagostino is being recruited by the U.S. Air Force Academy to attend college in Colorado Springs and play football for the Falcons. The three national finalists for this year’s Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award are Kenneth Almendares (University of Louisiana), Ryan Fitzgerald (Florida State University) and Alex Raynor (University of Kentucky). The national winner was announced on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 12, but was not available at press time. In other local college football news, National Signing Day was Wednesday, Dec. 4. On that day, many high school football players in Palm Beach County signed national letters of intent to attend college and play football. Some are from schools in the western communities. They include Seminole Ridge High School linebacker Ty Jackson, who signed with the University of Florida; fellow Seminole Ridge teammate

rimeter positions for us and is one of our better three-point shooters.”

Rathbun knows how to play defense with a desire to stop the opposition that is greater than any opponent’s ability to score.

“Sofia is our best defender,” Race said. “She has a high motor and almost always draws the opponent’s best player. She is a really good three-point shooter for us, as well.”

Buccilli’s key contribution is the ability to make long-distance shots.

“Madelyn is one of the top three-point shooters in the county,” Race noted.

The foundation for the team’s current success can be traced back to their off-season workouts.

“The girls worked with our strength and conditioning coaches over the summer and during school this fall with Taylor Smith and Jeremy Evans,” Race said.

Under the direction of Race, the girls basketball team has advanced to the FHSAA final four in two out of the last three years, only to come home without a championship trophy. With a group of players who are so talented, focused and driven, don’t be surprised if this year’s squad can emerge as the best in Class 3A.

will become an Olympic sport, as well.” Garrison will be majoring in zoology. She will also be completing her pilot’s license, as one of her

Two Wellington Cross-Country Runners Reach State Meet

By Mike May

Town-Crier Staff Report

Wellington High School had a pair of senior cross-country runners — Aubyn Gopie and Cameron Shelby — participate in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Class 4A state cross-country meet at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee on Saturday, Nov. 14.

In the boys race, Gopie finished 73rd with a time of 16:36.4. He was the fifth-fastest runner in that race from Palm Beach County, trailing four runners from Spanish River High School in Boca Raton. The winner of the boys race was senior Gino Palazzolo from Gainesville’s Buchholz High School. His winning time was 15:23.6. This was Gopie’s first time participating in the FHSAA state championships. His time of 16:36.4 was his second-best time in the race. His previous best time was 16:31.4 at the regional championship race the previous Saturday. This spring, he will be running track at WHS, specializing in the 800-meter and 1,600-meter races. He may also run in the 400-meter and 3,200-meter races.

In the girls Class 4A 3.1-mile race, Shelby was 22nd with a time of 18:54.7. The winner of the girls

Cross-country runners Aubyn Gopie and Cameron Shelby at the FHSAA Class 4A state meet.

Class 4A race was Mackenzie Roy from Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange. Her winning time was 17:19.5. Shelby was the fastest runner from Palm Beach County in the race. This trip to the FHSAA’s Class 4A state cross-country meet was Shelby’s second in as many years.

As a junior last year, her time was 19:49.0. Her fastest 3.1-mile cross-country time is 18:31.0. Shelby will continue to run for WHS this spring when she plans to be a member of the school’s track and field team. She plans to run in the 1,600-meter run and the 3,200-meter run.

VILLAGE OF ROYAL PALM BEACH PUBLIC NOTICE

The Village of Royal Palm Beach currently has a vacancy on the Recreation Advisory Board which meets on the third Monday of the month. All meetings are held in the Village Council Chambers. If you are a resident of Royal Palm Beach and would like to volunteer your service and expertise on this local government Board, go to the Village’s website www.royalpalmbeachfl.gov at COMMISSION/BOARD APPLICATION. Return the completed application to the Village Clerk’s office no later than January 6, 2025 for Council consideration at its January 16, 2025 meeting.

If further information is desired, please call the Village Clerk at 561-790-5102.

By: Diane DiSanto, MMC, Village Clerk

Rotary is looking to add a few good spokes to our Rotary Wheel.

Wellington Rotary Meets Thursdays - 12:15 p.m.

Make lasting friendships. Enjoy good fellowship. Join us at one of our weekly meetings

The Wanderer’s Club

For additional information call Chris Warren, 561-350-7247

Royal Palm Beach Rotary Meets Tuesdays - 7:30 a.m. Hilary’s For additional information call Chris Durham 561-971-9679

Reagan Bresnahan signs with Molloy University.

Kendall Doran (seated in the middle) signs with the University of the Cumberlands.

Georgia Garrison signs with Mars Hill University.

career goals is to become a commercial pilot. She has been playing lacrosse for nine years and played club lacrosse for Florida Select Navy this past summer.

All three girls are teammates on the Seminole Ridge varsity girls lacrosse team, which will open its season on Feb. 11 at West Boca Raton High School.

The King’s Academy girls varsity basketball team. PHOTOS BY DEREK CHIRCH

Jade Jones looks for her shot.

Sophia Vazquez in action for TKA.

Groza

Williams will be a Cardinal at the University of Louisville; and fellow Palm Beach Central

teammate Nedrick Boldin will be traveling to New England to play for the Boston College Eagles.

Judd Groza with Palm Beach County Sports Commission Executive Director George Linley.

Guy Harvey Foundation Recognizes Frontier Teacher At Annual Gala

The Guy Harvey Foundation (GHF) celebrated 16 years of transformational initiatives in marine science research, education and ocean conservation during the annual Love the Blue Gala at the Lauderdale Yacht Club. Supporters, donors and partners enjoyed a cocktail reception, dinner, award ceremony, live auction and live musical entertainment, all to raise awareness and funds for the GHF’s ocean research and education efforts.

Throughout the night, guests enjoyed a curated selection of videos showcasing the foundation’s groundbreaking initiatives in research, education, innovation and conservation. During the gala, world-renowned artist, conservationist, scientist and GHF Chair Emeritus Dr. Guy Harvey and GHF CEO Jessica Harvey presented the Guy Harvey Foundation Conservation Awards to outstanding organizations and individuals who excelled in research, education and conservation this year.

Among the 2024 award recipients was Jennifer Bakakos, who received the Education Award for Outstanding Individual for her dedication to teaching STEAM education.

Bakakos is the environmental animal and science academy teacher at Frontier Elementary School in The Acreage, where last year she implemented the Guy Harvey teacher resources for “Plastic Pollution, Plastic Solution,” which allows students to learn about ocean conservation while creating an unforgettable school-wide art masterpiece.

Other honorees included the School District of Manatee County, the Beyond Our Shores Foundation and marine conservation supporter Paolo Coen.

“Our honorees are true champions of conservation and education, working tirelessly to protect marine ecosystems and enrich our understanding of the ocean,” Jessica

teacher

recipient of this year’s Education Award for Outstanding Individual, with Jessica Harvey.

Harvey said. “Their dedication and our collective efforts underscore the importance of our mission. To all our partners and supporters, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for helping to facilitate our efforts both in and out of the water and in and out of the classrooms.”

Included among the highlights of the year for the GHF was the expansion of the foundation’s K-12 marine science curriculum (including the Spanish translation of “Plastic Pollution, Plastic Solution” K-12 lesson plans) and teacher training program throughout Florida, and the launch of the GHF Conservation Education Program. The GHF also celebrated its ongoing commitment to groundbreaking marine research and the addition of new partnerships for merchandise to further highlight GHF’s conservation message. For more information about the Guy Harvey Foundation’s educational, research and conservation initiatives, or to get involved, visit www.guyharveyfoundation.org.

CRESSWIND WOMEN’S CLUB PRESENTS AWARD TO HOMETOWN HERO

On Thursday, Nov. 21, the Cresswind Women’s Club of Westlake presented John Platt with the very first Hometown Hero Award issued by the CWC. This award recognizes his implementation of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office COP (Citizen Observer Patrol) volunteer program in Westlake. Platt serves as captain of Unit #117, which is made up of 17 volunteer members that live in Westlake and Arden. Not all members were able to attend the November CWC meeting, but several are shown here: (L-R) Capt. John Platt with his award, Gert Miliante, Sgt. Joe Andrews, Lt. Ark Streltsoff, Alex Starikov, Sheree Biafore (CWC chair), Nik Daunov, Mike Merritt, Steve Stiefeld and Steve Jamnik.

St. Michael Church Members Support CROS Ministries

HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS CREATE RECYCLED ART

High school students from the FLAME homeschool co-op group that meets at Connect Church in Royal Palm Beach recently participated in a recycled art project, where they had to create a unique piece of art using recycled items. The students showed great creativity in how they carried out the project, using a variety of items such as buttons, plants, straws, pencils, shells and more. Learn more about the FLAME group at www.homeschool-life.com/ fl/flamewescom

A group of foster children from Place of Hope, with campuses across Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, recently brought holiday cheer to the dogs at Big Dog Ranch Rescue in Loxahatchee Groves. The kids arrived with toys and treats, eager to spread joy to their four-legged friends.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue staff and volunteers were on hand to teach the children about caring for and interacting with dogs, creating an educational and heartwarming experience. The kids also gave the puppies festive Christmas baths, followed by plenty of cuddling and playtime. Through this visit, the Place of Hope children learned a valuable lesson in giving back, showing kindness to animals with whom they share a unique bond. It was a touching reminder that no one, human or animal, should be forgotten during the holidays.

Grandma’s Angels Holiday Luncheon A Success

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Grandma’s Place held its ninth annual Grandma’s Angels Holiday Luncheon at the Sailfish Club in Palm Beach. The 215 guests sipped on wine and champagne as they bid on more than 250 silent auction items.

Co-chairs Toni O’Brien and Joan O’Connell welcomed and thanked all of the committee members, including Susy Burrowes, Angelica Ciminella, Amy

Considine, Margaret Donnelley, Manda Galin, Hilda Gonzalez, Patti Hadden, Barbara Hollender, Ryan Hollihan, Jourdan Isasi, Eleanor Jones, Mary Lewis Moews, Elizabeth Nunez, Brendita Nunez, Madison O’Connell, Amy Quattlebaum, Michele Roth, Dina Rubio, Jodie Schmitz, Holly Tabernilla and Jaime Taylor.

Local CBS12 news anchor Liz Quirantes once again served as the celebrity emcee. Dr. Heidi

Schaeffer, the honorary chair, spoke passionately about the importance of saving children.

Olivia Knowles, the featured speaker and founder of Olivia’s Hot Cocoa Stand, emphasized that together, everyone can make a difference. Next, Neil Saffer auctioned off seven fabulous live auction items.

The proceeds benefit Royal Palm Beach-based Grandma’s Place, which provides shelter and loving care to children who have suffered abuse or neglect and have been removed from their homes, and also provides respite care for young children with disabilities while offering support to their parents/caregivers to maximize each child’s safety and success. For more information, contact Roxanne Jacobs at roxanne@ grandmasplacepb.org or (561) 376-0488, or visit them online at www.grandmasplacepb.org.

Talented Teen Club Hosts Awards Of Excellence Gala

Roth Farms, Bedner Growers, Mecca and Agrigator Farms. The church thanks these generous farms and CROS Ministries, which organizes and manages the gleaning program. The next scheduled St. Michael group gleaning is Saturday, Dec. 14. If you would like to join the St. Michael gleaners, call the church office at (561) 793-4999.

The Talented Teen Club (TTC) held its Awards of Excellence Talent Gala, an inspiring evening that showcased the remarkable accomplishments of its youth and honored community leaders, sponsors and alumni. The event, held Sunday, Dec. 1 at Seasons 52 in Palm Beach Gardens, featured dynamic performances, heartfelt speeches and the unveiling of an exciting vision for a state-of-the-art facility that will expand TTC’s mission of empowering at-risk youth. Mistresses of ceremony for the event were TTC alums Paola Hector and Renae Williams. The gala opened with stunning musical renditions by Marchella Pimentel and an electrifying dance routine by Yuki Vologodskaya, Jerico Rios and Abigail Shkop from Fred Astaire Dance Studios. Rising star Isabella Velasquez delivered a show-stopping performance. Keynote speaker Shericka Ward, a former collegiate track and field athlete turned legal

advocate, inspired attendees with her journey from sports to law and her ongoing dedication to serving underrepresented communities. Founder and CEO Shawn HoHing King announced plans for a new TTC facility in Palm Beach County, featuring classrooms, vocational labs, wellness areas, and creative spaces for arts and athletics. This project aims to empower even more youth in the years to come.

The evening honored exceptional individuals with awards, including Philanthropist of the Year to Kellen Coleman, Athlete of the Year to Braden Parris, Entrepreneur of the Year to Akiyah Stewart, Most Improved Student to Ja’Miya Walker, Mothers of the Year to Kerlande Polynice and Kerrilyn Daniel, and a Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Monique Barbour. The gala underscored the vital role of partnerships in TTC’s success, with support from sponsors

Reagan Clough, Caleb Heyman, Annalise Stella, Lillian Severson, Josiah Knorr, Mariam Andrews, Alanis Lopez, Joselyn Clough, Hannah Andrews and Joshua Sidney with their creations.

One of the foster children visits with a foster puppy.

Local

Jennifer Bakakos,

PHOTO BY MICHAEL MURPHY PHOTOGRAPHY

A number of exceptional individuals were

The St. Michael gleaning team of Deb Ullmann, Barb Shelly, Mara Haines, Vern Thornton, Bill Haines, Bob Elling and Jann Jordt.

(L-R) Co-chairs Joan O’Connell and Toni O’Brien; Liz Quirantes and Olivia Knowles; Patti Hadden and Dr. Heidi Schaeffer; and Roxanne Jacobs and Danielle McDonald. PHOTOS BY CAPEHART

like the Henry Nias Foundation, the Palm Beach Post, Siebert Williams Shank, Chocolate Bamboo, Truist Bank, Wellington Regional Medical Center, Salon Café and

(L-R) Alanis Lopez used nets, buttons, beads, Lego bricks and straws; Annalise Stella used straws, pearls and buttons; Caleb Heyman used straws, pencils, Lego bricks, tiles, dominoes, shells, glass and buttons; and Joselyn Clough used paint, tiles, shattered glass and flowers.

(L-R) Joshua Sidney used sunglass lenses and plant pieces; Lillian Severson used fabric, glue and cardboard; Mariam Andrews used broken toys, bottles, caps, Lego bricks, erasers and buttons; and Reagan Clough used paint, beads, lids and playing cards.

From Banking To Home Inspection, It’s About Details

Westlake residents Omar Garcia and Vanessa Choy-Montalvo recently announced their new venture as franchisees of Pillar To Post Home Inspectors, serving all of Palm Beach County and beyond. They bring a wealth of experience and skills to their new role, ensuring the highest standards in home inspection services. After spending several years in the banking industry, Garcia realized he was ready for a change. While he enjoyed the structured environment and trust-building aspects of his previous job, he sought greater independence and control over his career. The decision to transition to home inspection was not made lightly, but it was driven by a desire to leverage his skills in a new and impactful way.

Garcia and Choy-Montalvo’s decision to join the Pillar To Post Home Inspectors network marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in their professional lives. With their backgrounds in banking, they bring a unique skill set that is perfectly suited to the de-

mands of home inspections. Their commitment to detail, financial acumen and customer service will set them apart in the industry.

“In banking, attention to detail is paramount. Financial transactions, policies and compliance require meticulous scrutiny. This precision is equally crucial in home inspections, where the ability to spot minor issues before they escalate into major problems is essential. Our banking backgrounds equip us with a keen eye for detail, ensuring that nothing is overlooked during inspections,” Garcia said.

His experience in banking has also endowed him with a deep understanding of budgeting, cash flow management and financial planning. These skills are instrumental in maintaining the profitability and sustainability of their home inspection business.

In home inspection, Garcia found an opportunity to apply his analytical mindset to help homeowners and buyers make informed decisions. The ability to provide valuable insights and ensure the

integrity of a property aligns with his passion for meticulous work and customer service.

Pillar To Post offers the best of both worlds: the freedom for Garcia and Choy-Montalvo to run their business with the backing of a proven system, support and a trusted, well-established brand, while the franchise provides access to marketing tools and training that can accelerate growth and enhance client service.

The training program ensures that franchisees are well-prepared to deliver top-notch home inspection services from day one. This support system is invaluable for new business owners, providing a solid foundation for success.

Effective marketing is essential for business growth, and Pillar To Post equips its franchisees with a suite of marketing tools to promote their services. From online advertising to community outreach, Omar and Vanessa will have the resources they need to build a strong presence in Palm Beach County and beyond.

As immigrants, Garcia and Choy-Montalvo carry a deep commitment to success, driven by a desire to create a better future and legacy for their children. Their journey is characterized by hard work, dedication and a relentless pursuit of excellence. They are determined to build a thriving home inspection business that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of their clients.

For more info., visit https:// omargarciateam.pillartopost.com or call (561) 223-1222.

Local Farm Bureau Receives Statewide Recognition

The Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau has earned coveted awards for its achievements in the past year. The local organization received the President Award and the Apex Award at the 2024 Florida Farm Bureau annual meeting for Excellence in Agriculture Programs and for being the top county farm bureau in their size category. Farm Bureau members support families producing food and fiber in their communities. Agriculture and related enterprises in Palm Beach County provide an economic impact of $18 billion in gross regional product each year and support 194,490 jobs.

Farm Bureau members are also positive contributors to the community. They serve as volunteers in various civic and charitable projects, including food bank contributions, clothing, toy and book drives, scholarship funds, the Farm City Week luncheon, South Florida Fair agriculture programs, the Sweet Corn Fiesta, congressional and legislative farm tours, support for the Future Farmers of America and 4-H programs, and many other worthy causes and programs.

“Our volunteers create the strength of our organization, and they reflect its grassroots structure,” Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau President Keith

Wedgworth said. “I appreciate their service on behalf of our farm families as well as our larger community.”

Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau members will join their fellow volunteers across the state to lead various activities and programs in the next year with the theme “Ag Up.”

For more information about the Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau, contact Eva Webb at wpbcfarmbureau@gmail.com.

The Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau is affiliated with the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, the state’s largest general interest agricultural organization.

Wellington

The International Polo Tour (IPT), known for bringing the thrill and tradition of polo to audiences worldwide, kicked off its 2025 season on Friday, Nov. 22 with an exclusive private match at the Wanderers Club in Wellington.

This highly anticipated event attracted members of the Wanderers Club, the Circumnavigators Club and Hotels at Sea polo.

Led by Team Captain Tareq Salahi, IPT continues its mission of elevating the sport by showcasing world-class talent and expanding its reach to diverse communities. “I am incredibly excited about our upcoming season,” Salahi said.

“My team is always working to improve our capabilities — you will see us at our best throughout all of 2025 and beyond!”

In a significant move to enhance player performance and safety, the International Polo Tour recently announced a groundbreaking partnership with Sideline Surgeons, an elite medical platform providing athletes with access to top-tier orthopedic consultations. This collaboration allows IPT players to receive expert advice on injuries, preventative care and recovery from some of the nation’s most

distinguished orthopedic sports doctors.

Sideline Surgeons, known for its commitment to supporting elite athletes, offers a comprehensive range of services, including real-time consultations and personalized treatment plans. This partnership underscores IPT’s dedication to the health and well-being of its players, ensuring they remain in peak condition throughout the season. As the 2025 season unfolds, the International Polo Tour promises a series of exhilarating matches and community-driven events. With a combination of competitive play and innovative partnerships, IPT is set to redefine the polo experience for players and spectators alike. The International Polo Tour, founded by Captain Tareq Salahi, brings the love of polo to a wider audience, uniting international cultures in a celebration of both their common bonds and their diversity. From snow polo to beach polo to elephant polo, IPT provides support worldwide, including Argentina, Australia, Asia, England, South America, Italy, and throughout the United States. Learn more at www. internationalpolotour.com.

Former Ownership Group Completes Acquisition Of Wellington International

The former majority owners of the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center — Mark Bellissimo, Marsha Dammerman, Lisa Lourie and Roger Smith — have completed the purchase of Wellington International from Global Equestrian Group. The new company, WI FL Acquisition LLC, confirmed that Murray S. Kessler will lead the new Wellington International as chief executive officer.

“We are grateful to have Wel-

lington International back into a local and long-term ownership group, committed to ensuring that the showgrounds thrive for years to come. All disciplines will continue to have a home here in Wellington, including show jumping, hunters and dressage,” Bellissimo said. “These sports, along with polo, define this community and firmly establish Wellington as the premier equestrian destination in the world. We look forward to investing in the showgrounds and

working with Michael Stone and the leadership team going forward.

Special thanks to City National Bank CEO Jorge Gonzalez and Market Executive David Albright for stepping up in support of the transaction in such a short time frame and continuing our great partnership.”

Kessler said that he is excited about this new opportunity.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Wellington International President Michael

Stone and his team to capitalize on this remarkable growth opportunity for Wellington,” he said.

“While our investment plan is a multi-year journey, I’m pleased to share that we are already making some meaningful enhancements to improve the experience and infrastructure for the horses, athletes, partners and spectators for this coming season.”

Wellington International is home to the Winter Equestrian Festival, which is the largest

and longest-running equestrian competition series in the world, hosting 42 weeks of competition annually across the equestrian disciplines of show jumping, hunters, dressage and para-dressage, and welcoming more than 350,000 spectators, 15,000 horses and 7,500 competitors. In 2024, WEF contributed more than $400 million in economic impact to Palm Beach County.

“With the sale process complete, we can now turn to what we do

best — focusing on the shows, the horses, the riders and the equestrian season here in Wellington with a renewed purpose and committed ownership group,” Stone said. Kessler agreed. “Wellington International is the anchor of the Wellington community. When it is strong, our community is strong,” he said. “We are ready to turn our attention and resources to ensure that Wellington International remains the premier horse sports destination in the world.”

Polo Tour Kicks Off 2025 Season In

(L-R) Tareq Salahi (team captain), Nizar Zakka, Stacy Case of Sideline Surgeons, Marcos Bignoli and Whistle Uys.

Vanessa Choy-Montalvo and Omar Garcia

Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau President Keith Wedgworth accepts awards from Jeb Smith.

WES BALLOON PARADE A HIT ‘ART IN THE CAPITOL’

eighth-grade student at Crestwood Middle

won the “Art in the Capitol” competition with her

Holocaust Survivor Series At Emerald Cove

Emerald Cove Middle School will host its 16th annual Holocaust Survivor Series on Friday, Dec. 13. Students will participate in an event that is centered on the atrocities that occurred during World War II and the innocent slaughter of 11 million people.

A combination of child survivors and holocaust survivors will

speak to the students. Each will share their personal and painful story, and they will stress the importance of getting the word out to people about what really happened.

Emerald Cove students will be actively engaged and will come away with being able to say that they not only met a survivor, or

child survivor, but now are more educated about the Holocaust than they were before the program.

Events such as this annual lecture series at Emerald Cove bring to life the outrage and horror of this painful period in history.

Those who lived it share their most private experiences with students.

On Thursday, Nov. 21, the third-grade students at Wellington Elementary School marched in a balloon float parade. All of the students in the grade participated. Students and staff at the school lined the hallways, looking at each students’ amazing balloon creations as they marched by. The students each selected a character of their choice to create.

artwork.

winning piece of art, Thy Flower

Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School recently announced that the Groves Community Foundation has made a generous donation to support the school. These funds will go directly to help support student achievement. The donation reflects the group’s belief in the power of education and a desire to invest in the future of young people. The school extends its sincere thanks to the Groves Community Foundation and all who contribute to the success of Loxahatchee Groves Elementary School. Shown here are Assistant Principal Julie Bradley and Principal Richard Myerson with a banner from the foundation.

Cadets from the Royal Palm Beach High School NJROTC program visited the Naval Science Museum in Fort Pierce on Tuesday, Dec. 3. During their visit, they explored naval history and got an up-close look at exhibits like a massive patrol boat. It was an inspiring and educational trip, connecting the cadets with the U.S. Navy’s proud heritage.

The School District of Palm Beach County focuses on teaching the history of the Holocaust in a manner that leads to an investigation of human behavior; an understanding of the ramifications of prejudice, racism and stereotyping; and an examination of what it means to be responsible and respectful.

The Palm Beach Central High School Debate Team went up against 21 other local schools at William T. Dwyer High School recently. There were almost 500 students total who competed in 11 different events all day. Bronco winners were (L-R) Elliott Miller, second place, Two-Person Acting; Alexander Jean-Joseph, sixth place, Congressional Debate; Chase Evans, fourth place, Congressional Debate; Ilma Nahar, second place, Two-Person Acting and third place Dramatic Reading; Lester Ibarra, third place, Congressional Debate; Bianca Pierre, fifth place, Dramatic Reading; and Shane Henry, second place, Congressional Debate.

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Caitlyn Panse, an

School, recently

artwork Thy Flower. The school is immensely proud to have this piece of art represent Crestwood Middle School and the Palm Beach County School District. Her winning artwork will hang in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., for one year. The tunnel is the most highly traveled

(Above left) Caitlyn Panse with some of

(Above right) The

Community Partners Make Wellington Elementary Fun Run A Success

The Wellington Elementary School PTO recently held a hugely successful Fun Run, which wrapped up Oct. 18. The Fun Run was called “Candyland Dash” and was themed after the famous board game.

According to Business Partner Coordinator Kristy O’Brien, the PTO has been working on the event since last May. She credited much of the success to strong community support.

“I started working in May on getting donations to use as prizes,” said O’Brien, who reached out to local business, as well as those across the state and beyond. “I ended up contacting more than 350 businesses. I was able to get more than $20,000 in donated items, gift baskets, food items, sponsorships, attraction tickets, museum passes and restaurant gift cards, all to be used as prizes for our Wildcats.”

The purpose of the fundraiser was to buy a new digital marquee to replace the original marquee that the school has had since opening more than 40 years ago. “Our goal was $55,000, and we ended up making over $70,000,”

said.

She noted that all of the promoting, flyers, posters, banners and prizes were done in-house with help from a team of volunteers. The event started with a kickoff party and pep rally on Oct. 4. Then fundraising began, and students received prizes such as restaurant coupons, candy, small toys, larger toys, wireless earbuds, fitness trackers and more based on the amount they raised. Plus, they were entered into drawings for bonus prizes.

Crestwood Initiative Brings Hope And Joy To Local Families

In a heartwarming display of community spirit and generosity, Crestwood Middle School’s student council successfully delivered 38 baskets filled with essential items to local families in need during the Thanksgiving season. The effort, which aimed to provide comfort and support to those facing challenges, was met with gratitude and emotion.

“We are so thankful for the outpouring of support,” said Dr. Sheena Powell, co-advisor of the Crestwood student council. “Seeing the reactions of the families as they received the baskets was incredibly moving. Some were so touched that it almost brought me to tears. This is just the beginning, and I truly believe this can become an annual tradition for our community. We’re hopeful this initiative will continue to grow and inspire others to give back, creating a lasting impact on our community.”

The baskets were carefully prepared to ensure they included items that would be most helpful to the recipients, bringing much-needed relief during difficult times. From food and household

One of the 38 baskets delivered to families in need. essentials to personal care items, the baskets were designed to alleviate some of the burdens many families face. The delivery process itself was a meaningful experience for volunteers and families alike, with everyone involved feeling a deep sense of connection and shared purpose.

With the success of this delivery, the student council plans to make this an ongoing initiative and is already looking ahead to next year’s efforts, aiming to expand their outreach and provide even more support to families in need. To get involved, call Crestwood Middle School at (561) 753-5000.

The top 20 earners from the entire school were able to select from the top prizes, which included four tickets to Universal Orlando Resort, a family stay at Great Wolf Lodge Naples, four tickets to SeaWorld, a PS5, four tickets to Aquatica, a Nintendo Switch, Sunday Brunch at Maxwell’s Plum and more. There were five bonus drawings with more than 75 winners of individual prizes.

Meanwhile, the top five earners were invited to a “Candyland

Royalty” breakfast with Principal Dr. Maria Vaughan. The entire school received individual ice cream treats for making the school goal, sponsored by Aldi. The entire school also got to visit a bounce house obstacle course that was rented for two days of fun.

At the Fun Run on Oct. 18, every student received a banana and bottled water from Trader Joe’s, a wristband provided by i9 Sports, plus a coupon for a free kids’ meal at Raising Cane’s.

Dance Recital At RPBHS

The Wildcat Dancers and RPB Dancers performed their winter dance performance, “Never Not Gonna Dance,” on Thursday, Dec. 5 in the Royal Palm Beach High School auditorium to a sold-out crowd. The dancers performed not only for family and loved ones but many dignitaries, civic leaders and members of the community.

The dance routines, all choreographed by master choreographer MJ Blecher, included jazz, hip-hop, contemporary and tap. Highlights included “G-d Help the Outcast” performed by the Wildcat Dance Team, which was elegant, graceful and technically superior to rival any professional ballet company. Their kick line in “It’s Raining Men” rivaled the New

York City’s Rockettes, and their strong and thought-provoking “Good People” was danced with such passion and strength.

Period 2’s “Dancing With Your Ghost” was very theatrical. Their technically strong dance moves and powerful stage presence was in the forefront of the routine

“Powerful Woman.” Period 6’s “Execs” had many contagions that were performed as a waving roll of the ocean. Their hip-hop routine

“Turning It Up” was sharp and hit all the right moves.

The show featured four soloist dancers who proved on stage why they won national grand champion and overall awards this past summer at the National Dance Convention in Georgia.

Every few months, Briana McEntee and the other fifth-grade teachers at Wellington Elementary School transform their classrooms into “Starbooks” cafés and treat their students to a “book tasting.” Complete with green-apron-wearing baristas, cardboard-sleeved paper cups and green table decorations, students sip hot chocolate while spending a few minutes sampling a book. After a brief period, classmates swap books. By the time the café closes, each student has created a short list of books that have piqued their interest. “Starbooks” is now a tradition for the fifth graders. It is extremely effective at stimulating the students’ appetites for books. Shown here are McEntee’s students enjoying “Starbooks.”

O’Brien

The theme of the Fun Run was “Candyland Dash.”

Many students were awarded amazing prizes.

At the Fun Run, students received a banana and bottled water from Trader Joe’s.

The top five earners enjoyed breakfast with Principal Dr. Maria Vaughan.

’Twas The Night Before Christmas And Santa Was Worried...

’Twas the night before Christmas and Santa was worried.

He paced and he moaned, even while he was hurried.

“Get into the sleigh, man! It’s time to head out!”

the elves and the Mrs. all started to shout.

But Santa had heard of bad weather in Flor’da, And wasn’t so sure about crossing the borda, From Georgia or e’en coming in from the coast, It was Flor’da, this trip, that he feared the most.

Tornadoes were the things giving him pause,

“Can’t trust a twister,” he told Mrs. Claus.

(He’d seen pics of a car that was flipped on its hood, And questioned the safety of that neighborhood.)

“But the kids there were good... they deserve to get toys,” Santa mumbled aloud about those girls and boys.

“You’ve got to get going!” the elves looked at the clock.

“If you don’t leave right now, you will miss Little Rock!”

“I know it. I know,” Santa started to pray. And he put one big boot on the edge of the sleigh.

The elves gave a shove and the Big Man was on, The reindeer took off — Christmas Eve had begun.

Europe got toys and so did Sudan, Peru, Cuba, Iceland and bits of Iran.

Santa did Spain, including Granada, And tried not to think of a Flor’da tornada.

“’Twas just a weird fluke,” he told himself brightly.

“Unusual weather, not now and not nightly.”

He entered our state with his teeth tightly gritted, He’d faced storms before, and he’d never quit(ted).

Wellington loomed and Royal Palm Beach, too, Loxahatchee was next and The Acreage... Wooh!

“I can do this,” he said, with a brave little smile, “I can do this thing, typically, mile after mile.”

So he landed on rooftops (some had their tiles missing),

Told the reindeer to stand firm (No whining & hissing!)

He slid down the chimneys way out to Belle Glade.

His sleigh was now empty, and Christmas was saved!

To his team gave a whistle (they took to the air),

Headed back to the North Pole, with Mrs. Claus there.

“I’m so proud of you, honey,” she said with a grin,

“You faced all your fears and you headed right in.”

“What fears?” Santa blustered. “I was cool as a cuke!”

Mrs. Claus didn’t argue. She didn’t rebuke.

She just gave him Tums (for his tummy, you see.

You can’t gorge on cookies. It’s not meant to be.)

And the minute he felt good, he fell fast asleep.

And the reindeer did, too, with nary a peep.

They dreamed of tornadoes, deep snow and wild rain,

They all felt like heroes — they’d do it again!

Yes, for hundreds of years, Santa’s brought in the fun, Through all kinds of weather, he gets the job done. He solves ev’ry problem; surmounts all the barriers, He reminds me of someone — oh, yes! Letter carriers! Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from your friends here at the Town-Crier

Movie Adaption Of ‘Wicked’ Musical Is Amazing, But Also Long

The new movie adaption of Wicked a musical retelling of The Wizard of Oz, more or less from the point of view of the witch, is an enormous hit. And deservedly so. I was a bit dubious; a lot of Broadway musicals do not translate well to the screen. But this new movie does it smoothly. Yes, it is long. The original movie is an hour and 42 minutes. The stage version of Wicked was about two and a half hours. The film runs two hours and 42 minutes, and it is only the first half. The ending will be available in about a year.

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler

The movie, like the musical, is based on a book of the same name by Gregory Maguire, and while there is a very short view of Dorothy Gale and the other well-known characters, the film focuses through the lens of Glinda the Good’s (Ariana Grande) memory of her relationship with Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), who becomes the wicked witch. Or does she? They meet at Shiz University, where Elphaba is to support her paraplegic younger sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode). Elphaba is shunned, as she has been all her life, because she is green. But she unintentionally reveals her magical abilities and is anxious to study under the powerful Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) in hopes of meeting the Wizard of Oz, who might be able to change her skin color. But she is assigned to room with Galinda Upland (Grande), a girl who lives to be popular.

Things get a bit complicated when love, mostly in the form of a rebellious prince, Fiyero Tigelaar (Jonathan Bailey), creates a rift. And the talking wise animals who are at the school are losing their rights and their ability to speak. And Galinda, later calling herself Glinda, gives Elphaba a hat (the witch’s hat from The Wizard of Oz), which leads to ridicule. Glinda’s guilty feelings lead her to do a makeover of Elphaba, which gets them to the second most popular song from show, “Popular.”

As the animals are forced out, Elphaba is invited to meet the wizard (Jeff Goldblum). But things are not what they seem. I will leave the rest to either your imagination or seeing the film. And, yes, Erivo sings the showstopper, “Defying Gravity.”

One of the best things of the film is the cast. Erivo is marvelous in the lead role. Her acting is very good, and what she goes through is believable throughout, despite

being green. OK, I have to write it... it’s not easy being green. Her voice is rich and gorgeous. Grande is incredible. Not only does she have the vocal chops for the part, but she is a really good comic actress. Who knew? I would love to see her do more comedy but, of course, she makes much more singing. The rest of the cast is also good. Yeoh as Morrible is appropriately an ambiguous character. Bailey is charming as the prince; not only dashing, but a good singer and even better dancer. I liked Bode as Nessarose. She was absolutely charming. Peter Dinklage’s voice playing Dr. Dillamond, a talking goat, was good. And Goldblum did typical Goldblum really well. The movie does drag a bit. There is lots of extra plot. But overall, it kept my interest. Director John Chu knows how to do a musical right. Also, the sets and costumes were really good.

There are complaints from some corners that it is “woke.” The themes of discrimination and fascism are strong, as they were in the book written 30 years ago, and that may bother some people. This is not our parents’ view of Oz. And they had the better songs. The score here is good, but nothing can match “Over the Rainbow,” “If I Only Had a Brain” and, of course, “We’re Off to See the Wizard.” But comparisons aside, this is the best musical in theaters for quite a while, and in a year where really good movies are rare, this is a treat. Some have compared its simultaneous released with Gladiator II as “Glicked” in memory of “Barbenheimer,” but neither of these two films matches up with the ones from last year. So, if you like musicals or just interesting stories, this movie is your cup of tea. Just remember, though, it’s just the first half of the story.

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