Town-Crier Newspaper February 25, 2022 by Wellington The Magazine LLC

KINDNESS PROJECT AT BINKS FOREST SEE STORY, PAGE 3

APPLY FOR A WESTLAKE COUNCIL SEAT SEE STORY, PAGE 4

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TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

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ITID Will Use Staff To Pave Carol Street Near Santa Rosa Groves

Volume 43, Number 4 February 25 - March 10, 2022

Serving Palms West Since 1980

DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE IN RPB

The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors held a public meeting Wednesday, Feb. 16 to consider whether it is in the public’s best interest for ITID staff to construct a one-mile segment of Carol Street adjacent to the Santa Rosa Groves neighborhood, or rely on a private contractor selected through a competitive bid. Page 3

Royal Palm’s Youth Baseball League Opens Season At Willows Park

The Youth Baseball Association of Royal Palm Beach held opening ceremonies for its new season on Friday, Feb. 18 at Willows Park. The league this year is fielding 25 baseball teams and seven softball teams. A special guest at the event was Triston McKenzie, a former star baseball player on the Royal Palm Beach High School baseball team who is currently playing in the Major Leagues. Page 8

South Florida Garlic Fest Held In Wellington

On Saturday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, Feb. 13, the 23rd annual South Florida Garlic Fest was held at Wellington’s Village Park. The event included music, a kid zone with bounce houses, plenty of vendors, and, of course, rows of stands selling garlic-themed foods. Page 15

Regional Title Caps Historic Season For PBCHS Boys Soccer

Big-time players make big-time shots to win big-time games. That’s what happened to Palm Beach Central High School’s Luis Dominguez when he stepped up to take a penalty kick in his team’s Class 7A regional boys soccer final when Palm Beach Central hosted Lake Nona High School on Wednesday, Feb. 16. Page 25 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 20 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 SPORTS......................... 25 - 28 PEOPLE......................... 28 - 29 SCHOOLS.............................. 30 BUSINESS............................. 35 CLASSIFIEDS........................ 36 COLUMNS............................. 37 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

The Village of Royal Palm Beach held its annual Daddy Daughter Dance on Friday, Feb. 11 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. It was a fun-filled night featuring dinner, desserts and dancing with a Valentine’s Day theme. Shown above are James and Schaffer Hornsby with Riley, Macy and James Sherman. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington Council Seat 3: Incumbent John McGovern Vs. Challenger Johnny Meier

By Callie Sharkey Town-Crier Staff Report After serving seven years on the Wellington Village Council, incumbent Vice Mayor John McGovern is seeking re-election to the council’s Seat 3. He faces a challenge from local businessman Johnny Meier. Seat 3 is one of two seats up for election on Tuesday, March 8. The other is the Seat 2 race between incumbent Councilwoman Tanya Siskind and challengers Tony Nelson and Karen Morris-Clarke. The winners will serve four-year terms on the council. JOHN MCGOVERN McGovern was appointed to the council in February 2015 to fill the vacancy created by former Councilman Howard Coates’ appointment to the circuit court bench. He was elected without opposition in 2016 and won re-election to a full, four-year term in 2018. An attorney, McGovern said he loves living in and being active in the Wellington community, where he grew up. “I love Wellington and our sense of community. There is no better place to raise a family than our village. Wellington is my hometown. After college and early married life, my wife Michelle and I returned to Wellington to raise our two girls and give them the same opportunities I had to attend Wellington public schools and participate in our second-to-none parks and recreation programming,” McGovern said. “I am running for

John McGovern

Johnny Meier

re-election to continue my service to our community so we can keep Wellington moving forward. I know our village, understand our issues and have the experience to get the job done for our families, businesses and all residents.” McGovern has been on the council through some challenging years, including hurricanes Matthew and Irma, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though the village continues working through large-scale capital projects, such as the completion of the state-of-the-art water utilities system, McGovern knows the work is far from over. “My top focus has been maintaining our village’s fiscal stewardship, keeping all our public schools A-rated and continuing to keep our community a safe place to raise a

family and for seniors to thrive. In keeping with these priorities, in the last four years, I have consistently voted to keep our property taxes low, pushed for increased annual funding of the Keely Spinelli [school] grants to $400,000, and voted to invest in new technology and infrastructure for our first responders, resulting in total crime being reduced significantly, and Wellington being considered one of Palm Beach County’s and Florida’s safest places to live, work and play,” he said. Since his appointment, McGovern said he has found himself driven to keep first-class amenities available to residents while keeping the millage rate as low as possible. He explained that the breakdown of property taxes See SEAT 3 RACE, page 7

Five Wellington Candidates Face Off At Chamber

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Chamber of Commerce held a luncheon Wednesday, Feb. 23 featuring a question-and-answer session with the five candidates seeking two seats on the Wellington Village Council in the Tuesday, March 8 election. Attending the event at the Wellington National Golf Club were Seat 2 candidates incumbent Councilwoman Tanya Siskind and challengers Tony Nelson and Karen Morris-Clarke, as well as Seat 3 incumbent Vice Mayor John McGovern and challenger Johnny Meier. The candidates began by introducing themselves. Morris-Clarke, a 22-year resident, is married to Patrick Clarke and has worked extensively in both the fields of real estate and travel. “My vision for Wellington is to work on improving our already beautiful community,” she said. “I’m Jamaican by birth and a proud American by choice.” After losing her son in a traffic accident in 2016, she said she took stock of her life and received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida Atlantic University, becoming a Realtor and investor. Morris-Clarke said she is ready to be a voice and liaison for families, individuals and small businesses that are often not represented in council matters. She wants to expand the safety of local and neighboring roadways and advocate for small businesses. She also wants to protect the equestrian and aeronautical communities, green space, safety and family friendliness of the village. Nelson, a 36-year resident, came to Wellington from Boca Raton when he was asked to open an Allstate regional office. He was eventually asked to join the American Bankers Insurance Group. “At the time, it was 499 in the Fortune 500,” he said. After American Bankers, he joined The Breakers where he worked for 12 years. He is currently president of Premier Family Health, which set up the first COVID-19 testing site in the western communities. Nelson said that the Village of Wellington consid-

ers its response to the COVID-19 pandemic as an accomplishment and that he has played a significant part in that work. Siskind said she and her husband Jeffrey have lived in Wellington for 21 years. They have three children. She was appointed to the council in 2016 and was elected in 2018. She served as vice mayor in 2020. Siskind also serves on the board of the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County and is on the Government Affairs Committee of the Realtors Association for Broward, Palm Beach and St. Lucie Counties. She is a Realtor with Keller Williams Wellington. Before her council service, she was active with the Binks Forest Elementary School PTA, serving six years as president. “I want to run for re-election to keep Wellington going in the right direction,” she said. “I think we have a lot of great things going here, and I think you agree this community is lovely. We have low crime, low taxes and excellent schools. I’ve been a part of that, being on the council the last six years.” McGovern, who is married to Michelle McGovern, a candidate for Palm Beach County Commission, said he has been asked recently why he is running for re-election. “I’m running for reelection because Wellington is personal to me,” he said. “I grew up here; it shaped who I am as a person. I’ve come back here to raise my children, and I’m running for re-election because I will do whatever it takes to keep Wellington our great hometown. My experience, judgment and leadership make me the most prepared and qualified choice to ensure that our village stays great and continues to improve.” McGovern said he has seen Wellington evolve over the last 40 years into one of the safest, happiest, most fiscally responsible communities in the state. “We need to work together, we need to make strong decisions, make the right choices this election and keep our community moving forward,” he said. Meier, the owner of My ComSee CHAMBER, page 18

FEEDING THE HUNGRY HOSTS CASINO NIGHT

Wellington Drops Palm Beach Point Multimodal Bridge Plan

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Heeding concerns raised by residents in the Palm Beach Point neighborhood about safety in the gated community, the Wellington Village Council removed a planned bridge connecting a multimodal pathway loop from the village’s comprehensive plan on Tuesday, Feb. 22. At issue was a proposed bridge across the C-24 Canal through

Palm Beach Point that would complete a multimodal loop and connect Rustic Ranches to the Winter Equestrian Festival show grounds. Eileen Yarbrough of Palm Beach Point said she lives at the front of the neighborhood not far from a multimodal pathway in the area near the Wellington Dog Park but avoids that trail to ride her horses. “I’m very close to that park,”

Yarbrough said. “We very rarely hack there. One of the reasons we very rarely go there is because of that pathway and the shared use. We ride that block daily, people from my barn. We encounter many more motorbikes than we do other horses that are coming from Rustic Ranches.” When coming from Palm Beach Point, she said she often encounters street legal motorcycles on See BRIDGE, page 18

Feeding the Hungry Inc. held its Viva Las Vegas Casino Extravaganza at the Wellington National Golf Club on Saturday, Feb. 19. The evening included great food, an open bar, a silent auction, a live auction, raffles and casino games. The evening raised money for the nonprofit’s mission of distributing food to more than 2,500 families each month. Shown above are Steve Lavine, Chris and Sabrina Zeller, and Jasmine Velez with Kayla Strelec and Kyle D’Andrea of Wellington National. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 20 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

RPB Candidates Highsmith And Hmara Spar At Forum

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The two candidates vying for the Group 1 seat on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council sparred at a candidate forum held Tuesday, Feb. 22 at the Village Meeting Hall. The forum, hosted by the TownCrier newspaper, featured incumbent Councilman Jeff Hmara and challenger Julie Highsmith. The Group 1 election is the only item on the Tuesday, March 8 Royal Palm Beach municipal ballot. The two candidates gave their opinions on a wide variety of local issues. They started by introducing themselves during opening statements.

Highsmith, 41, has lived in Royal Palm Beach since she was five years old and has been married to her husband Bill for 14 years. They have three daughters. “I love living here,” she said. “That’s why I decided to raise my family here with my husband.” She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Florida Atlantic University, where she double majored in marketing and management. “I ran a home healthcare business for 16 years in Wellington,” Highsmith said. “I decided to change careers recently and became a teacher. I am a teacher at H.L. Johnson Elementary School here in Royal Palm Beach.”

She said, if elected, she will strive to always make decisions in the best interest of residents. Hmara, 77, said he and his wife Carolyn have lived in the village for about 20 years. “We love this piece of paradise, as we refer to it,” he said. Hmara was elected to the council in 2012 and is wrapping up his fifth two-year term. He said he prides himself in being readily accessible and takes calls from residents on traffic, canal and water, as well as school issues or if a trash pickup was missed. For the past year, he has been actively involved in the Feeding South Florida program at Royal See RPB FORUM, page 4

Challenger Julie Highsmith and incumbent Councilman Jeff Hmara before Tuesday’s forum. PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Page 2

February 25 - March 10, 2022

The Town-Crier

www.gotowncrier.com

Great things are happening in Royal Palm Beach with Jeff Hmara’s leadership “As your Councilman, I’ve always been willing to go, wherever necessary, to see exactly what someone is concerned about rather than just reading about it in an e-mail or listening to a voice mail, but actually go and stand where they are standing and look at what they are looking at, to ensure their concerns are properly addressed. With your support, I hope to continue to be the responsive Councilperson you deserve.”

VOTE MARCH 8

Jeff

Some of our recent accomplishments include: ✔• Beginning construction of the new Village Hall ✔• Two new assisted living facilities in the village so our residents can

age in place ✔• Ranked one of the top 15 safest cities in Florida in 2022 for a medium-sized city ✔• The recently renovated Cultural Center ✔• Developing plans to expand the Recreation Center ✔• A new CityPlace type development behind Lowe’s on 441 that will include new shops, restaurants and entertainment venues ✔• More exciting community events at Commons Park

All with no increase in property taxes since Jeff’s been on the council, and we are now debt free.

ENDORSED BY: Broward, Palm Beaches and St. Lucie Realtors

Professional Firefighters Palm Beach County Police Benevolent and Paramedics Association of Palm Beach County

WWW.HISPAC.NET

Public Service ✔ Village of Royal Palm Beach, Councilman, 2012-Present; Vice Mayor, 2013, 2016 and 2020; Education Advisory Board, Council Liaison, 2012-Present

Professional Experience ✔ Palm Beach Atlantic University, Adjunct Professor, Management & Ethics, 2007-2012 ✔ Transportation Security Administration, Administrative Officer, 20022007 ✔ Federal Aviation Administration, Senior Executive & Program Manager, 1994-2002

✔ National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Director, Systems Engineering, 1992-1994 ✔ United States Army, Retired Colonel, 1966-1992 ✔ Ranger Airborne Qualified

Education ✔ Master of Science (M.S.), Acquisitions & Contracts Management, Florida Institute of Technology ✔ Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Electrical Engineering, The Citadel

✔ Army War College, Command & General Staff College & Defense Management College

Current and Former Community Involvement ✔ Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, Chairman; Member, 2013-Present ✔ Florida League of Cities, Board of Directors, 2014-Present; Transportation Legislative Policy Committee, Vice Chairman ✔ Palm Beach County League of Cities, Immediate Past President; Board of Directors/Member, 2012-Present ✔ Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency, Board Member, 2015-Present ✔ Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce, Member, 2015-Present ✔ U.S. Naval Academy, Nomination Panel Member, 2019 and 2021 ✔ Palm Beach County Water Resources Task Force, Former Member ✔ Royal Palm Beach Rotary, Past President; Youth Services Council, Past Chairman; Member, 2015-Present

✔ Caribbean American for Community Involvement (CAFCI), Member, 2012-Present ✔ United Way, Mission United, Chairman, Advisory Council ✔ Unified Dream, Board Member (Veterans support) ✔ Palm Beach County Veterans Network, Member ✔ American Cancer Society, Relay for Life, Planning Committee, Former Member ✔ Village of Royal Palm Beach, Crestwood Redevelopment Task Force, Former Member ✔ Madison Green Master Homeowners Association, Former President and Vice President ✔ Walden Village HOA, Former President and Treasurer ✔ Royal Palm Beach High School, STEM and Medical Advisory Councils, Former Member

Personal ✔ Married to Carolyn; Two adult children and 4 grandchildren

✔ St. Peter’s United Methodist Church, Laity Leader; Former Finance Chair

To make a contribution, please make checks payable to

Jeff Hmara Campaign Account 2220 Ridgewood Circle, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 or make a secure online contribution at www.ReelectJeffHmara.com 561-371-3581 • jeff@reelectjeffhmara.com Jeff Hmara for Royal Palm Beach Village Council Seat 1 Political advertisement paid for and approved by Jeff Hmara for Royal Palm Beach Village Council, Seat 1.

2220033 Hmara ad.indd 1

2/18/22 4:22 PM

The Town-Crier

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February 25 - March 10, 2022

Page 3

NEWS

ITID Will Use Staff To Pave Carol Street Near Santa Rosa Groves

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors held a public meeting Wednesday, Feb. 16 to consider whether it is in the public’s best interest for ITID staff to construct a one-mile segment of Carol Street adjacent to the Santa Rosa Groves neighborhood, or rely on a private

contractor selected through a competitive bid. ITID Attorney Frank Palin said the meeting was to gather public comment and establish a record in accordance with Florida Statutes on whether it is appropriate for the district to use its own labor and materials for the construction project. “District staff is recommend-

Wellington Board Supports Lotis Residential Plan

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington’s Architectural Review Board recommended approval Wednesday, Feb. 16 of residential buildings and site amenities for the 64-acre Lotis Wellington project on the west side of State Road 7 about a half mile north of Forest Hill Blvd. The approval recommendation was for multifamily buildings, a clubhouse and amenities on the site. In December, the board had previously recommended approval of commercial buildings in the pod east of the residential buildings, which include retail, office, restaurant buildings and a parking garage, as well as ground signs and a greenway amenity. The Architectural Review Board only reviews the style and layout of the site. The master plan for the new mixed-use project was approved by the Wellington Village Council in 2020. The residential portion has a total of 191 dwelling units with a four-story, 56-foot-high, 44-unit building; three four-story, 56-foothigh buildings with 36 units each; a two-story, 30-foot-high building with 16 units; three two-story, 30-foot-high buildings with six units each; a two-story, 30-foothigh building with five units; and a two-story clubhouse. Staff recommended approval with a list of 13 conditions. Brian Terry with Insite Studios said the retail amenities will tie in with commercial uses into the residential area, with cabana features, planter boxes, garden spaces, and turf in the dog park, playground and pool house areas.

“There will be pavers utilized in the driveways leading into each of the individual units and townhomes, as well as the multifamily,” Terry said. “We are using some turf in the back amenity space in the cluster of the three multifamily buildings as an active lawn, as well as the grilling and seating areas.” Board Chair Roger Grave de Peralta asked for more information about the landscaping and greenway area, and Senior Planner Damian Newell said the developer has landscaping approval with plantings and trees with heights appropriate to the height of the buildings. “The greenway is open to the public,” Newell said. “They have fitness stations around the greenway, and there is public access from a dog park that’s south of the residential pod.” The three-quarter-mile fitness trail encompasses a 27-acre lake on the property. “You can go around the entire lake,” he said, adding that the multipurpose path is suitable for bicycles and pedestrians. Board Member Tom Wenham asked about the use of artificial turf, and Newell said the developer has asked for artificial turf in certain areas but will receive final approval only after the council approves a pending ordinance to allow use of turf in the village for certain residential purposes. Wenham made a motion to recommend approval based on staff’s recommendation and conditions, which carried 5-0 with board members Dayna Bertola and Stacy Somers absent.

ing that a one-mile segment of Carol Street be paved,” Palin said, explaining that the paving would take place between 60th Street North and Louise Street. “Carol Street is currently an unimproved public roadway. It is owned by the district and is currently used by the public.” He said the cost estimate of about $526,490 is based on a formula established by state statutes. “State law generally requires that any new construction project in excess of $440,000 be performed by a private contractor competitively selected. However, if the board finds that it is in the public’s best interest to do so, the district may use its own labor and materials, and not bid the project,” he said.

The project includes installation and compaction of millings and asphalt surfacing of the road. ITID Assistant Executive Director Rob Robinson said the timeframe for a competitive bid is nine to 12 months, and Santa Rosa Groves has been plagued with flooding issues in the past. He pointed out that the residents of Santa Rosa Groves had come to ITID almost four years ago asking to have the road paved. “We’re looking at this as a timesensitive issue,” Robinson said, pointing out that ITID Engineer Jay Foy had estimated a public bid would be more than $1.5 million. Robinson said that major contractors come to the district for advice in paving roads such as Carol Street.

“The reason we’re pushing for this is to get this done in a timely manner and in the best public interest,” he said. “Time is of the essence in this process.” During public comment, Santa Rosa Groves resident Elizabeth Accomando, speaking for the residents, thanked the board for considering the improvements. “This is something we have been waiting for a really long time for,” Accomando said. “None of the other boards before you really cared to talk to us, nor did our developer, who sold off his lots.” Accomando said the residents of Santa Rosa Groves cannot go through another rainy season with Carol Street in the condition it is. The area is inaccessible not only for residents, but emergency

vehicles, postal delivery, garbage pickup and other services, she said. “If there’s a fire ,they can’t get to us,” she said, recalling an incident where a resident thought he was having a heart attack during a flood. A helicopter was dispatched to pick him up, and the bill was almost $10,000. “If we have to go through another rainy season, it’s going to be a major issue,” she said. “We can’t wait another year for a road.” ITID Supervisor Jennifer Hager made a motion to determine that it is in the public’s best interest to use district services, employees and equipment to construct Carol Street rather than use a competitively selected private contractor, which carried 5-0.

Binks Forest Elementary Project Spreads Kindness Throughout The Community

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report Did you feel them? The ripples of kindness spreading out from Binks Forest Elementary School in Wellington during the month of January. That’s the hope of third grade teachers Emily MacMillan and Heather Knapp, who led their students in a variation of the Kindness Project, which began in Ireland in 2016. There, teachers at one school ditched homework assignments for a month and instead encouraged students commit acts of kindness. At Binks Forest, MacMillan and Knapp cut back on after school work and helped students find ways they could show kindness to fellow students, family members, neighbors and total strangers. “I loved the idea. I thought it was awesome,” said Knapp, a first-year teacher, encouraged by MacMillan, an 11-year veteran. “I want my students to know the importance of spreading kindness, of being kind, especially with today’s social media environment.” Together, teachers and students created a “kindness board” covered with suggestions about small acts students could perform to show kindness. “We want to find things they

could do no matter how busy they are with outside activities,” MacMillan said Those acts included everything from making signs thanking firefighters for all they do and taking them to the firehouse, to chalking encouraging messages on sidewalks. Other students created crafts and sold them for money to donate to Big Dog Ranch Rescue or left sticky notes in stores to thank workers and give a smile to other shoppers. Still others painted “kindness rocks” and placed them in parks or other locations for people to find. Simpler kindness activities included doing something helpful for a neighbor, doing an extra chore around the house without being asked, writing kindness notes to classmates and leaving them on their desk, and simply committing to smile and be cheerful all day. And there were many more. “We really wanted them to get out in the community and see the ripple effect of what they were doing... putting kindness into the world,” MacMillan said. All together, 118 students participated in this, the third such Kindness Project at Binks Forest. The project ran through January, during which students kept digital journals. This month, they

(Above) Emma Hoffson, Gianna Priore and Chloe Sabha leave kindness notes around the community. (Right inset) Chloe Sabha holds up some kindness rocks she made. shared those journals in class in the form of slideshows and talked about the impact the project had on them.

Most were excited to share, Knapp said. “Even the shy ones stood up,” she said. “We got great feedback from parents.”

Wellington Residents are ALL IN “He is smart and has the judgment and experience we need on the Village Council. I know he will always be there to step up when we need him.” - Bobby Ewing, Wellington Resident

Vice Mayor McGovern has been a consistent and responsive voice for Wellington residents. He has taken time to address resident concerns and to represent our local interests.” - Pat Bachi, Wellington Resident

“Top notch services for seniors and families, lower taxes and decreasing the crime rate are just a few of the things Vice Mayor John McGovern has done.” – Ceaser C., Wellington Resident

“We put families first, and want A-rated public schools and rising property values. These are, and always have been, Vice Mayor McGovern’s priorities too.” – Tracy Ciucci, Wellington Resident

“John McGovern is Mr. Wellingt on. He knows everyone, attends everything, promotes the interests of and its residents at every even the Village t. - Michael Mishkin, Wellington Re ” sident

local teachers Endorsed by our first responders and

Vote March 8 to KEEP McGOVERN working for us! Paid by John McGovern for Village Council

Page 4

February 25 - March 10, 2022

The Town-Crier

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NEWS

City Of Westlake Plans To Take Applications For Council Seat 3

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report Due to a lack of opposition among candidates for the Westlake City Council, there will be no municipal election in the fast-growing community on Tuesday, March 8. However, if you are a Westlake resident and would like to be a member of the council, step right up. You’ve still got a chance. The City of Westlake will be accepting applications and résumés from March 15 until March 30, after Vice Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor vacates Seat 3 on March 14 to become mayor. Also taking their place on the dais on March 14 will be Bottle-

brush Drive resident Julian Martinez, 33, a Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue driver, in Seat 2; and Greg Langowski, 43, a resident of Goldfinch Circle and a longtime aide to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, in Seat 4. In December, Pilar Valle Ron, was chosen to fill Seat 1 following the November resignation of former Councilman Patric Paul. An April 4 workshop will be held to allow O’Connor and the remaining three council members to meet applicants, who must be Westlake residents, interview them and generate a list of finalists. At the April 11 regularly scheduled council meeting, the newest

and final member of the reshuffled group will be selected, leaving O’Connor as the only holdover in the council chambers with more than a few months of tenure. Also, on a 5-0 vote, the existing council codified through ordinance the recent procedure used to fill vacancies on the council and to deem elected those candidates running unopposed. In other business, the council unanimously approved the final plat for Cresswind Palm Beach Phase 5, which will contain 199 residences on 65 acres. The plat is for the central portion of the overall development, which is located east of Seminole Pratt Whitney

Road, south of Town Center Parkway and north of Persimmon Blvd. Donaldson Hearing, who was on hand to represent the property owner KH Westlake LCC and Kolter Homes, pointed out that there would be three sizes of lots in this section — 40, 50 and 60 feet — with the majority (115) being 50 feet. There will be 66 of the larger size. “We’ve been trending toward selling the larger lots and the larger houses,” said Hearing, of the Cotleur & Hearing landscape architecture firm, which represents several interests in Westlake. “That’s been somewhat of a theme in Cresswind.”

Hearing told councilmembers that 800 homes are planned at build-out for the age-restricted, active adult community. “Most of the homes are amenitized, being on a lake or some open space. So [the homes] will be very nice,” he said. “Consistent with what we’ve been doing in Cresswind.” Meanwhile, Hearing said trees are going in on Cresswind’s 10acre clubhouse property, which could be open this spring. Council members also unanimously approved the plat for Town Center Parkway Phase III and Riverbend. Once completed, the road, which will be more than a

mile long, will serve as a collector artery connecting, among other areas, internal residential pods and 60th Street North. “That’s a lot of roadway,” pointed out Hearing, at this point representing master developer Minto. O’Connor agreed and noted that “it’s a long road... from today to getting it done. What are we talking about? A year?” “Probably less than a year,” Hearing said. “There’s probably two or three months before construction starts, and six or seven months of construction... Before you know it, you’ll blink your eye, and it will be there.”

Lox Groves Underground Powerline Project Raises Other Issues

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council received an update on the installation of underground powerlines from representatives of Florida Power & Light on Feb. 15, but the discussion raised the long-existing specter of power poles installed too close to the roads due to narrow easements in some places. Ray Lozano, manager of the FPL storm security program, said the underground lines are part of a storm resiliency plan approved by the state legislature in 2019 to control the power grid during extreme weather. “As part of this storm protection plan, we commit through the Public Service Commission every year to do a certain number of laterals [underground power lines],” Lozano said. “This year, we are prepared to schedule 602 laterals underground. These are

RPB Forum

Highsmith Vs. Hmara

continued from page 1 Palm Beach Commons Park. “I believe the best way to do my job as councilman is on the ground,” he said. “I learned that from my military experience. I am a retired U.S. Army colonel having served in Vietnam, Korea and Germany.” Hmara is also a former U.S. federal government agency executive and has taught management and ethics at Palm Beach Atlantic University. He has served as president of the Palm Beach County League of Cities, has been chair of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, president of the Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club and president of the Madison Green Master Association. “I know this community, I love this community, and during my time in office, I know I have made

neighborhood power lines, not the main feeder lines.” He said the schedule allows more than 300 miles of overhead cable to be removed and placed underground. About 80 miles and 142 laterals are planned for Palm Beach County. “About 80 percent of our mileage in laterals in Palm Beach County are in Loxahatchee,” he said. “The majority of our work in Palm Beach County is going to be in Loxahatchee.” He said the work will speed up restoration efforts after a storm. “Transformers will no longer be in people’s back yards,” he said. “Padlocked transformers will be in the easement or right of way where you can access it and restore power much faster if there was an outage.” Lozano said power line replacement is established by the Public Safety Commission, based on past power outages from major storms,

as well as outages attributed to vegetation overgrowth and dayto-day operations. “Loxahatchee is at the top of our list in Palm Beach County,” he said, adding that FPL has begun initial construction of the project. Leslie Cleaver, FPL project manager for Palm Beach County, said Loxahatchee Groves represents 64.4 miles of the overall project in Palm Beach County. “That’s a lot of miles that we’re moving from overhead to underground,” Cleaver said. “That represents about 1,200 customers. We have broken your area into 16 different projects, 14 of which we are going to do this year.” Some of the projects still require town permits. FPL External Affairs Manager Stephanie Mitrione explained that company representatives had met with town staff recently to discuss the project, and the topic came up of moving back some of the feeder lines that are

close to roadways, particularly on C Road and other roads. “We are on the outside edge of the right of way currently, so there are issues that need to be addressed for us to ever move those poles, but those are projects that we are happy to continue conversations on if that’s something you would like to explore, but we’d like to keep it separate from this underground project,” Mitrione said. Councilwoman Phillis Maniglia said she was concerned that the transformers to be installed on the ground might interfere with passage on horse trails, and Cleaver said all the transformers would be installed on private property. Town Manager Jamie Titcomb said that FPL had gained permission from private property owners to get the 10-foot-by-10-foot easements to install transformers. Councilwoman Marianne Miles was concerned that the project dwelled on lines going to homes

but not with major power lines running north and south. Mitrione said the feeder lines had been hardened to be wind resistant in 2019. “Those feeder lines going north-south should be in much better condition than they were before,” she said. Cleaver said that in 2019, the feeder line poles were installed as part of the company’s overhead hardening program. “That overhead hardening program is much the same as the underground lateral hardening program,” he said. “It is designed to make that feeder line resilient to be able to withstand hurricane-force winds.” Several council members raised concern about the presence of old power poles that remained standing in town easements that still contained telephone lines that had not yet been moved. Many of the old poles are close to the road, presenting a hazard to traffic. FPL officials said they are in regular

contact with the phone companies, but FPL has no authority to move those lines themselves. Some council members also raised concerns about new poles that had been placed near the road, and FPL officials said some of the easements were not wide enough to locate the pole farther from the road unless they obtained more easement. Mitrione said FPL has obtained the easements for the individual transformers, but the poles are placed at the edge of the easement as far from the road as possible. “We have nowhere to go with these feeder lines,” she said. “We are at the very edge of the right of way. We have no right, as it stands today, to move this line any farther back. We’re not talking about little 10-by-10 squares. We need a continuous easement for that whole lane.” Mitrione added that moving See POWERLINES, page 18

positive impacts on the Village of Royal Palm Beach,” he said. Asked what their top three goals would be should they be elected, Highsmith said she would improve partnerships with the schools, make sure the area in Commons Park designated for a community garden happens and try to improve community engagement. “There are so many amazing things going on in our village and at Commons Park and right out here every Saturday,” Highsmith said. “I would like to improve on getting the word out about these things.” Hmara said he would focus on smart and balanced growth, adding that he was sure the growth going on around the village would affect it, including traffic and schools. “We’re on a really good place right now,” he said. “We’ve got three studies going on to try and help us figure out what we can do here in Royal Palm Beach that will help us deal with the impact of all the growth going on around us.”

Hmara noted that two new parks will soon be added to the 41 existing parks in the village. Asked how they thought the village handled the COVID-19 pandemic, Hmara said he felt the village did an excellent job dealing with the pandemic, although it relied heavily on Palm Beach County for guidance and direction. “At the same time, we recognized that it was an opportunity to bring vaccinations and testing to our community,” he said. “We still have testing going on at Commons Park.” Hmara said the village also took a look at staff and council interactions, requesting masks to be worn, and if they chose not to mask, to be tested on a regular basis. The village also incentivized vaccinations. “I think we were very proactive, but at the same time, I think we recognized the need to get back to some form of normalcy,” he said. Highsmith said she felt the village’s response to the pandemic

was great. “The only thing I see where improvement would be needed would be better communication to the residents about what was going on,” she said. “We just need better ways to get the word out to people.” Asked if they support the village’s policy not to connect Madrid Street in La Mancha to the State Road 7 extension, Highsmith said she supports the current policy. “That’s right near where I live and where my kids bike to the park,” she said. “It would create added traffic at an entrance we don’t need, so I definitely support not creating that connection there.” Hmara said a recent traffic study predicted connecting Madrid would create 5,000 trips per day. “We know what would happen to that neighborhood,” he said. “It’s a residential neighborhood. We don’t want to make it into a throughfare.” He added that there is a plan to connect La Mancha Blvd. to Okeechobee Blvd., which would

relieve some local traffic pressure in the area. Asked what they would do to improve relationships with local schools, Hmara said he committed himself to improve relations with schools after he taught at Palm Beach Atlantic University. He said students who came to his classes were not well prepared. “It was very difficult for them to perform their work as they tried to get degrees,” he said. “I promised myself if I ever got the chance to improve local schools, I would do that.” When he was elected to the council, he volunteered as liaison to the Education Advisory Board, where he has been ever since. “I think the Education Advisory Board has been recognized as one of the models here in Palm Beach County as a good approach to connecting with our school district,” Hmara said. Highsmith, who served on the Education Advisory Board, said she felt the board does a good job. “I loved doing that. Unfortu-

nately, I no longer qualify for that because I’m now a teacher,” she said. “After my first year on that board, I really found my future was learning and seeing what it was all about. I wish I could do more. I would love to see that board have more impact, and I know that we don’t have direct control over our schools. But the schools are showing up every month. They’re telling us all the great things that they do. What I would like for us to do in return is find out from them what we could do. I don’t see that part happening, and that would be my goal if I were liaison to that board.” In all, the candidates answered more than 20 questions. To watch the entire forum, the video can be found in the village’s YouTube site and reached directly at https:// youtu.be/4Gi8X6TAd28. Visit www.reelectjeffhmara. com to learn more about Hmara’s campaign. Visit Highsmith’s campaign web site at www.highsmithforvillagecouncil.com.

opinions come from a wealth of knowledge. Not only has Todd served on the council in the past, but he has dedicated countless hours serving on several committees in this town. He will bring back transparency and honesty to the dais. Because of his knowledge regarding the town, it’s policies and procedures, and his dauntless research, and his willingness to listen to and work with the public, his fellow council members and town staff, Todd will be the voice of reason and responsibility when poo hits the fan! Phillis Maniglia Loxahatchee Groves

Todd McLendon has a questionable record as a landowner, neighbor and former town council member. To increase the usable area of his property, McLendon filled in a wetland and has yet to comply with a South Florida Water Management District judgment to restore the wetland. McLendon’s relationship with a previous town manager (Underwood) enabled him to avoid a magistrate’s decision that required him to cease a proven serious daily nuisance for a neighbor and operate his commercial aviary within the town’s noise code. McLendon developed and actively solicited signatures on a petition to oppose the location of Palm Beach State College in Loxahatchee Groves. After being elected to the town council in 2016, McLendon supported inappropriate contract compensation provisions for Underwood — one of which resulted in a $100,000 settlement penalty paid by the town as part of Underwood’s termination. Also, during his time on the town council, McLendon strongly criticized continuation of the PBSO contract with no viable replacement for required town police services. Many of these judgment failures involved litigation costs for the town. None suggest reasons for McLendon’s re-election. John Ryan Loxahatchee Groves

OPINION Paglia Supports McGovern And Nelson

As a longtime resident since moving to Wellington in 1978 and elected to our council in 1998, I have been aware of all village activities and worked hard to create a home in our western communities. Our council election on March 8 is only two weeks away. I urge our residents to support John McGovern and Tony Nelson. John’s endorsements include the Fraternal Order of Police, the firefighters and paramedics, the Classroom Teachers Association and many more. John and Tony have impeccable records in their businesses and community service. John has helped our village stay focused on education, lower taxes and controlled growth. I have known Tony Nelson for 35 years when we both found our town as a wonderful place to raise our children and served on

our local Boys & Girls Club. Mr. Nelson was our longest-serving president of our local Boys & Girls Club, father of wonderful children who were athletes and went on to colleges to continue their dreams in football programs. He supports veterans as a certified Veterans Administration community care network provider and has mentored men in prison through the Kyrex Prison Ministry. Tony is a respected businessman who has the Breakers CEO Paul Leone’s endorsement, as well as Dr. Vincent Apicella, founder of Premier Family Health, which is one of our largest healthcare facilities with Tony as his president. Tony is committed to improving medical services for all residents, especially our seniors, make improvements in our marginal housing and neighborhoods of our town. He is committed to maximizing continuing initiatives for our veterans. Let’s keep our Vice Mayor John McGovern on the council

For The Record

In the article “Divided County Commission OKs Transmittal of GL Homes Land Swap” published Feb. 11, it should have more clearly specified that the commissioners voted to initiate the transmittal process for the land swap proposal, which will allow the developer to present a formal proposal on the privately initiated amendment. The board would then vote whether or not to approve the formal transmittal. The Town-Crier regrets whatever confusion this might have caused.

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with his experience to keep us moving forward for all. Let’s get Tony Nelson on our council to bring diversity and excellence to his goals, which strongly include children, young families, veterans and seniors. His keen business experience will assist our council with good decisions to keep us moving forward with no conflicts and managed growth. He was instrumental in bringing the first COVID-19 testing site for all the western communities. He will hit the ground running with his outstanding track record. Tony will make a great addition to our council. Al Paglia Wellington

Maniglia Supports Coleman And McLendon

It’s election time again in Loxahatchee Groves, and while I’m fairly confident that those of you who know me or attend our town meetings, it’s no secret as to my robust doubts regarding the intentions and agendas of the two incumbents. None of the roads recently paved have been built to the same standards as South B Road. The incumbents dropped that ball. They needed to punt before this election

cycle… get the roads paved at any cost, including your safety! Paul Coleman has seen firsthand the changes both good and bad happening here. I know that he will bring a logical and pragmatic point of view to the dais. Being able to draw from his experience working with Palm Beach County will certainly provide the council a welcome and educated insight that this town deserves when tackling the big issues that are overwhelming us. And I know he won’t get tangled up in the politics or divisiveness, because his main concern is to preserve this town for his daughter (and her children) as close as it was when he grew up here. Paul will bring to the council a unique perspective because of his 30-plus years living in this town. He is thorough, and he is willing to listen to opposing points of view. The decision(s) he will make on the dais will have the town and its residents’ best interests at its core and not be one of questionable or self-serving motives. Todd McLendon is one of the smartest and most tenacious people I know. Most people who have served on council and not been re-elected, or those who have run and not been elected seem to simply disappear, but not Todd! Todd isn’t going away because our town’s problems and challenges haven’t gone away. I admire his resoluteness, and so should any voter in this town. I know his

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Ryan Supports Shorr And Danowski

Currently, Loxahatchee Groves has a majority of town council members who have provided responsible oversight of town management and obtained major benefits for residents and landowners — especially road and related drainage improvements. This is no time to make changes — Robert Shorr and Laura Danowski are knowledgeable, positive, constructive and should be re-elected. Their recent mailers are instructive. Paul Coleman appears to be a good candidate, but to strengthen an already effective town council, he should run next year.

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February 25 - March 10, 2022

NEWS

Page 5

ROYAL PALM BEACH HOSTS DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE AT CULTURAL CENTER

Addison, Steve and Faith Poyner. Mayor Fred Pinto and Anayla Pinto.

Catalina, Cesar and Mariana Duque.

Anaya and David Rossi.

Bella and Juan Carlos Bustamente.

James and Schaffer Hornsby with Riley, Macy and James Sherman. Giada and Stephen Gazzillo.

Jillian and Brandon Lozier.

Sarah and Tim Hicks.

Chris and Madison Sloan.

Justin and Alice Valderrama.

Alexandra and Kenneth Tyson.

Krista and Kolton Galimba.

Abigail and Frenell Theosmy.

Andrew and Kirra Pugliese.

Violeta and Carlos Saenz.

Alma and Pablo Ramallo.

Zoe and Chris Griffiths.

Page 6

February 25 - March 10, 2022

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Tanya Siskind knows our community because she has been actively involved for the past 21 years! Tanya Siskind has been a strong voice on our village council. A few of Tanya’s accomplishments include: »

FIGHTING hard against COVID, providing easily accessible ongoing

testing

PARTNERING with Feeding South Florida, during the pandemic, to

OUR ongoing partnership with our public schools to keep them “A”

make sure ALL our families had food on their tables

rated and to ensure EVERY child gets the best education possible

ADDING new state-of-the-art public sports facilities and

expanding sports programs

KEEPING our taxes some of the lowest in Palm Beach County

FUNDING capital improvement projects to upgrade our

infrastructure and ensure our residents are safe, including a new water plant to ensure our water is the best quality possible

WORKING closely with our police and fire

departments lowering the crime rate for the 4th straight year, making Wellington one of the safest communities in Florida

Councilwoman Tanya Siskind knows Wellington...

Endorsed by:

Re-elect

Palm Beach County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics

Palm Beach County Human Rights Council

Wellington Village Council Seat 2

Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association

The Hispanic Vote

Palm Beach County Fraternal Order of Police

Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association

Palm BeachTreasure Coast AFL-CIO

Broward, Palm Beaches and St. Lucie Realtors

State Attorney Dave Aronberg • State Senator Lori Berman • County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay Wellington Vice Mayor John McGovern • Wellington Councilmen Michael Drahos and Michael Napoleone • Former Wellington Mayors Tom Wenham and Kathy Foster • Westlake Councilwoman Katrina Long Robinson

Vote Tanya Siskind on Tuesday, March 8 561.351.0882 • TanyaforVillageCouncil@gmail.com •

Tanya Siskind for Wellington Village Council Political advertisement paid for and approved by Tanya Siskind for Wellington Village Council, Seat 2.

2220036 Siskind Towncrier.indd 1

2/18/22 2:27 PM

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NEWS

RPB Council Gives Pergola Builder Variance For Reduced Setback

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council on Thursday, Feb. 17 granted a variance to Herbert Danowit of Ponderosa Court to allow a reduced side setback of 8.5 feet for an existing pergola where village code requires 15 feet. Planning & Zoning Director Bradford O’Brien said the applicant is requesting the placement of an existing 12-foot-by-24-foot pergola. He said a required notice was sent to 12 residents within a

300-foot radius. “The village has not received any responses either supporting or objecting to the application,” O’Brien said. “The applicant asserts, ‘That is the only space in my yard where I could have built the pergola to enjoy my backyard with family members.’” The pergola is not considered injurious to neighborhood or public welfare, O’Brien said, adding that village code allows the village to grant variances to the code when circumstances exist that do not result from the actions of the

applicant, confer any special privileges to the applicant or deprive any rights commonly enjoyed by other properties. The application was considered by the Planning & Zoning Commission on Jan. 5, which recommended approval by a vote of 4-1. O’Brien said village staff does not recommend approval of the variance because staff does not believe any special circumstances exist, and the conditions are the direct result of the actions of the applicant. However, he noted that

the property is on a corner lot and the pergola is adjacent to a roadway and not a neighbor. Mayor Fred Pinto asked who built the pergola, and Danowit said he built it himself. Councilwoman Selena Samios asked if the structure passed code, and Village Attorney Amity Barnard said Danowit was cited by code enforcement for the pergola being there without a permit. “A permit has not been granted because a variance has not been granted because of the location in

the setback,” Barnard said. Pinto said the setback is against the street, which he felt explains why the village did not receive any input from neighbors. Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas made a motion to approve the variance, which carried 5-0. In other business, the council postponed a discussion with Evans Land Consulting, representing the developer of Tuttle Royale, to the March 17 council meeting. The proposal is for an application for final approval of a 156-

acre parcel of land on the south side of Southern Blvd. about a quarter mile west of State Road 7. The land being platted lies within zoning districts that allow multifamily, single-family, commercial and public park uses. Village Manager Ray Liggins said the proposal did not get certification at a Feb. 3 technical staff review meeting, and village staff sought the postponement. Samios made a motion to postpone the item to the March 17 council meeting, which carried 5-0.

Lox Council Delays Vote On Stop Signs On E Road At 23rd Court

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council delayed a decision Tuesday, Feb. 15 on whether to install three-way stop signs at E Road and 23rd Court North until it can get a traffic study to determine whether stop signs are warranted there. Public Works Director Larry Peters said the location has been mentioned in the past and recommended that any time someone requests alteration to intersections, such as a three-way stop sign, a traffic engineer should do a study. “This type of study is what we call a warrant,” Peters said. “They investigate to see how many accidents were there and the number of people on that third lane, and they do a proper traffic study. What I’m

asking is in the future, we agree that if anyone were to come up with this, we do a traffic study to justify a three-way stop.” He said there are multiple threeway stops in the community that have been put up without warrants. “We should have a traffic study each time one comes up,” Peters said. Joannie Hopkins, who resides on 23rd Court North, said she was one of the residents who requested the three-way stop. “Like you said, there are several in this town that are at other intersections,” Hopkins said, adding that one of the biggest issues is the line of sight when entering the intersection. “Yes, this is a side road, but people are racing down the road now because it is paved.

Even with the two little mirrors there, it is really hard to see.” Councilwoman Phillis Maniglia said she felt if a neighborhood requests a three-way stop, they should be able to come to the council to request a review by staff. “I don’t see the reason to spend the money on the engineering and the traffic,” Maniglia said. She asked if a stop sign could cause an accident, and Peters said not having a warrant for a sign could open the town to a lawsuit. Vice Mayor Laura Danowski said she uses the intersection frequently and has problems with the line of sight when trying to enter E Road. “I’m not overly enthused about a study, but if it provides us some sort of working platform, I’ll ponder it,” she said.

Councilwoman Marianne Miles said there are many areas in town that have line-of-sight issues. “I’ve been saying that since before I sat on the council,” Miles said. “I would come out of different roads in Loxahatchee Groves, and you can’t see north and south coming out on the main roads.” She was also concerned about drivers on a main road coming to a stop sign with a driver behind them who does not see the stop sign yet, and rear-ends the driver in front, pushing them into the canal. “I hate to use the word thoroughfare, but that’s what our roads are,” Miles said, adding that she felt one of the big problems was landowners staking their property to the edge of the intersection so that a line of sight could not be

established. “I would really like to address the bigger picture of that, doing a study, than sticking threeway stops all over Loxahatchee Groves, because if we do it for one or two, we’re going to have a lot of them, and it’s not going to solve the issue that I feel we have.” Councilwoman Marge Herzog was concerned about liability to the town if unwarranted signs are put up. Peters said he did not have data to show how many signs had been put in the community without a warrant. Mayor Robert Shorr said that the town should get a traffic engineer for a basic understanding on stop signs. “If they can come present at our meeting of what does warrant it,” Shorr said. “There are situations

where there’s a telephone pole there, and we’re not going to be able to move it, or maybe there is a big tree, and we want to save our large trees. I think it’s key that we understand from a traffic engineer what does warrant a stop sign.” Maniglia asked if the council could ask the town’s traffic engineer, Simmons & White, if it has done traffic studies for the town. “They have been our engineers for a really long time,” she said. “They have done many road studies. I would suggest asking them if they have already done the work.” The council agreed by consensus to delay erecting stop signs at E Road and 23rd Court North until it hears a report from the traffic engineer and a report on liability questions.

Crestwood’s Nance Reports On School’s Progress To RPB Ed Board

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Crestwood Middle School Principal Dr. Stephanie Nance gave a presentation on progress the school is making to the Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board on Monday, Feb. 14. “Crestwood Middle School is very fortunate to have a cadre of

Seat 3 Race

McGovern Versus Meier

continued from page 1 that go directly to Wellington is only approximately 12 cents on the dollar. “We are always looking for ways to be more fiscally responsible. Wellington is the fifth-largest municipality in Palm Beach County, with hundreds of employees and a total budget in excess of $100,000,000,” McGovern said. “Wellington is not a small business, but a major municipality whose leaders must be experienced, serious, steady, strong and, most of all, free of naiveté and political platitudes. We want transparency and to let [residents] know they are getting an amazing value from the management of this village.” McGovern also noted that he has intentionally spent time mak-

dedicated and accomplished educators,” Nance said. “We are very excited, proud and humbled to have a veteran staff at Crestwood. Our average tenure at the school is eight years, however, we have at least 42 percent of our teachers who have been at Crestwood 20plus years.” In fact, Nance added, several

teachers recently retired who were there when Crestwood opened back in August 1982. “We are vested, we believe in our children, you stick it out, you stick it through because that is how you build resiliency, and that is how you build empowerment for children,” Nance said. She noted that last year, Crest-

wood’s Lisa Hutchins was awarded middle school counselor of the year by the School District of Palm Beach County. “She is still on staff at Crestwood Middle School,” Nance said, adding that other teachers have been recognized recently with awards, including a William T. Dwyer Award finalist, along with

three published authors, a middle school reading teacher of the year and the Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club’s teacher of the year. “None of this work can be done in isolation,” Nance said. “Success is measured based on the work and effort that is put forth. We are a welcoming and inclusive school.” The school currently has 737

students, 23 percent of whom are White, 30 percent Hispanic, 39 percent Black and 9 percent multiracial. At the school, 72 percent are eligible for free or reducedprice lunches, and more than 27 languages are spoken. She said the school is enroute to receiving an A from the state, See CRESTWOOD, page 18

ing sure that diversity, equity and inclusion are front and center for the community. “For example, I have more diverse committee appointments than any other member of the council. Almost half of my committee appointees are minorities because that is important to me,” he said. “I think that people should know that when they vote for John McGovern, they are voting for continued fiscal responsibility and financial transparency; they are voting for a strong partnership with the PBSO that results in very low crime. They are voting for a commitment to our schools because it provides better citizens and greater property values. They are voting for someone who is committed to making sure that diversity, equity and inclusion are top priorities, in addition to green space preservation and expansion.” For more information about McGovern’s campaign, visit www. mcgovernforwellington.com or email jtmwellington@gmail.com.

JOHNNY MEIER McGovern’s opponent is local business owner Johnny Meier, who is a former president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and a member of American Legion Post 360. “I own multiple businesses within the Village of Wellington. I have interacted with our residents on a daily basis since 2009 and listened to their concerns. I have a real sense of the pulse of the community. I know the issues that trouble our residents as well as businesses,” Meier said. “If elected, I intend on addressing them. I will be their voice and not the voice of special interests.” Meier and his wife moved to Florida in 2006 and founded My Community Pharmacy two years later. He previously ran a successful Cingular Wireless store for 10 years before relocating. He wants to take his experiences as a business owner and apply it to government. “I have to scrutinize the bottom line every day. If my business

cannot afford something, I do not purchase it. You need to do more with less and learn to say no when no needs to be said,” he explained. “If elected, I will take this same approach to government by being creative, thinking out of the box and will place the interest of the taxpayers first. I will use the three core values that were engrained in me in the Air Force: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do.” Meier bills himself as “the cando candidate” and has set specific goals for his platform. “My goals will be to stop wasteful spending by the current leadership and cut the budget back while still providing the desired amenities by having a business-minded councilman reviewing contracts and projects,” Meier said. “Due to home values increasing, we should discuss lowering the millage rate to lessen the impact on peoples’ pocketbooks. This also will help keep our seniors here in Wellington, most of whom are on fixed incomes.”

Other goals he has include public safety, attending Palm Beach County School Board meetings to stay current on what children are taught and how they are treated, while lobbying to have better infrastructure, weighing in on the future of the Mall at Wellington Green and preserving green space. Meier supports turning the KPark parcel on State Road 7 into something useful for residents. “Many have proposed a botanical garden with walking trails,” he said. “I’m in favor of a project like this, or at least the public’s interest in such an idea.” He was inspired to run for the council to help his neighbors and fellow business owners, with a focus on keeping small businesses in Wellington a priority. “I would not allow the destruction of the Wellington Lake Professional Centre, permanently displacing approximately 150 small businesses in our village,” Meier said. Concern over village deals with the school board, such as new

fields built on the Wellington High School campus and the potential addition of a pool at that location, has Meier questioning plans. “I’m all for building more fields in our community, but… to put them on a high school campus with very limited access to the public is beyond me. If they were built on public land, the public who paid for them would have unfettered access, instead of only after 6 p.m. and on the weekends, if and only if the high school isn’t utilizing them for something since the high school gets priority,” Meier said. “In addition, the taxpayers are responsible for all the upkeep for the next 10 years while the public is allowed to use the fields. Then the public is no longer allowed access, and it is turned over to Wellington High School.” That situation is an example of what pushed Meier to pursue a seat on the council. For more information about Meier’s campaign, visit www. johnnymeier.vote or e-mail johnny. meier@yahoo.com.

the county’s early voting locations during early voting hours, and the secure official drop box located outside each of the Main Elections Office, South County and North County elections offices, or inside the West County Elections Office. For a list of drop box locations and hours, visit www.votepalmbeach. gov. Vote-by-mail ballots must be received by the main office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, March 8. More information about voting in the March 8 elections can be found at www.votepalmbeach. gov or by calling (561) 656-6200.

to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support and national recognition. For more info., contact Chapter President Latoria L. Hillard at abwa.npb@gmail.com or visit https://northernpalmbeach. abwa.org.

Shack, as well as BMW, 2Ton, Craft Construction, Makarian Law Firm and First Rehab. For more information, including sponsorship opportunities and to purchase tickets, visit www. suitsforseniors.org. Founded in 2015, Suits for Seniors is the preeminent leadership development program for at-risk high school seniors in Palm Beach County. Thanks to tremendous financial and volunteer support, Suits for Seniors boasts more than 1,400 graduates.

ABWA To Meet On March 9

Suits for Seniors will host its third annual Golf & Give charity game and event on Wednesday, March 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Drive Shack in West Palm Beach. Presented by Comcast, the lively evening will provide guests an opportunity to practice their swing, connect with other Suits for Seniors supporters and raise funds to fuel the nonprofit’s mission of helping local at-risk high school seniors succeed in life. Chair of Golf & Give 2022 is Jeff Johnson, and the committee includes Peter Cruise, Steven Grant and Michael Nichols. Tickets, which sold out in 2021, are $100 per person and include a fun night of golf at Drive Shack, dinner and cocktails. The event will also feature a live auction. Funds raised are used to provide at-risk youth access to Suits for Seniors’ free, eight-week program that provides education and mentoring, along with life and leadership skills, financial literacy and more, suiting them up for lifelong success. Upon graduation, each student also receives a custom-tailored suit. Sponsors include Drive

NEWS BRIEFS Garden Club To Feature Orchid Talk By Pirjo Amato

The Wellington Garden Club will meet on Monday, March 7 at 9:30 a.m. at the Wellington Community Center, located at 12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd. The speaker will be Pirjo Amato, a designer, grower and cultivator of orchids, succulents and other rare plants. The former owner of PRA Orchids, Amato and her husband, George, have created orchid designs for some of the wealthiest residents of Palm Beach for more than 30 years. In addition to her design talents, she is a grower and cultivator of orchids, succulents and rare plants. PRA Orchids also created living art sculptures and participated in fundraisers at Mar-a-Lago as well as other country clubs. Amato will demonstrate the art of creating beautiful designs using orchids. In addition, she will share her photos of the floral designs and installations she created for mansions on Palm Beach and summer homes in the Hamptons. The community is invited to join the club for coffee and a plant raffle beginning at 9:30 a.m., followed by the presentation at 10 a.m. Visitors are asked to check in at the guest table. To reserve a spot, contact Maria Wolfe at tcacad_registrar@yahoo.com. For more information, visit www. wellingtongardenclub.org.

Green Market Fundraiser

A community fundraiser green

market will be held Saturday, Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Good Earth Farm, located at 2141 B Road in Loxahatchee Groves featuring the Community of Hope gardeners. All vendor tables are $25 and proceeds will go to the garden. Vendors are wanted. For info., text (561) 584-3438 or call (561) 792-2666.

Art Show At Pferdekamper Studio March 6

Gisela Pferdekamper Art Studio & Gallery will celebrate a new spring and new beginnings with a Fine Art Exhibition & Party on Sunday, March 6 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the studio, located at 14281 Collecting Canal Road in Loxahatchee Groves. Live entertainment will be provided by Jonnell and the G Man. Featured artwork will be works by Pferdekamper, Haydee Ullfig, Mindy Colton, Diane Hodges, Joel Cohen, Patricia Ruppert and Yofra Art. To RSVP, or for a private showing, call (561) 315-0639.

Elections Chief Encourages Voters To Return Mail Ballots

Tuesday, March 8 is election day for the special general election for Florida House District 88 and for elections in 19 municipalities across Palm Beach County. As of Feb. 15, the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office has mailed more than 120,000 mail ballots to voters who requested to vote by mail,

and more than 18,000 have been returned. The Supervisor of Elections is encouraging all voters who still have mail ballots at home to return their ballots this week to ensure those ballots arrive on time. “Voting by mail in Palm Beach County is convenient, secure and reliable,” Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Sartory Link said. “Our office provides several safe and easy ways to request and return your mail ballot. We are encouraging mail ballot voters to return their ballot right away to ensure their vote counts. Postage is pre-paid, or you can return your mail ballot to any of our offices or secure drop boxes.” Palm Beach County voters registered to vote in House District 88 or the 19 municipalities may request a vote-by-mail ballot online at www.votepalmbeach. gov, by e-mailing votebymail@ votepalmbeach.gov or by calling (561) 656-6208. Voters must provide their Florida driver’s license or Florida ID, or the last four digits of their Social Security Number, whichever may be verified in your record, when making a request. The deadline to request that a ballot be mailed to you is 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26. The Main Elections Office will be open Saturday to serve you. If you miss the deadline, you may pick up a voteby-mail ballot in person at one of the four Supervisor of Elections offices through 5 p.m. on March 7. Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail using the prepaid postage return envelope or in person at any of the four offices during office hours. Secure drop boxes will be available from Feb. 26 through March 6 at designated drop off locations across the county, including all four of

The Northern Palm Beach Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association will meet Wednesday, March 9 at 6 p.m. To make reservations, or for more information, contact Professional Development Chair Loretta Remy at (561) 317-3227 or loretta. spalady@gmail.com. The meeting typically takes place at the Embassy Suites Hotel at 4350 PGA Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens with networking from 6 to 6:30 p.m. The cost is typically $28 through Sunday, March 6 and $33 after Sunday and at the door. If the meeting occurs at the hotel, you can utilize this link to pay: paypal.me/abwanorthernpalmbch or pay at the door. Due to the pandemic, the meeting may take place via Zoom. If so, upon registration, login details will be shared, and there will be no cost to participate. The March speaker is Loretta Remy on “Having a Successful Fundraising Event.” The mission of the American Business Women’s Association is

Suits For Seniors Golf & Give Event March 9

Pam Tillis Trio Coming To Dolly Hand March 4

Pam Tillis, daughter of country music legend Mel Tillis, writes songs that speak from the soul. Her acoustic trio is warm-hearted and intimate — perfect for the Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center in Belle Glade. The Pam Tillis Trio will be at Dolly Hand on Friday, March 4 at 7 p.m. With six No. 1 hits, 14 Top Ten singles, and multiple CMAs and Grammys, Tillis knows all about breaking the platinum barrier. She found her own way as a singer and songwriter, and her star continues to shine brightly in the third decade of her career. Her biggest hits include “All The Good Ones Are Gone,” “Maybe It Was Memphis,” “Don’t Tell Me What To Do” and “Shake the Sugar Tree.” Tickets can be purchased online at www.dollyhand.org or by calling the box office at (561) 993-1160. All seats are $35. The Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center is located on the Belle Glade campus of Palm Beach State College at 1977 SW College Drive.

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February 25 - March 10, 2022

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NEWS

ROYAL PALM’S YOUTH BASEBALL LEAGUE OPENS SEASON AT WILLOWS PARK

Mayor Fred Pinto with Riley Rodriguez.

Assistant Parks & Recreation Director Mike Mikolaichik, Councilwoman Selena Samios, Mayor Fred Pinto, Councilwoman Jan Rodusky, Councilman Jeff Hmara, Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas and Program Supervisor Brandon Pendergrass.

Councilwoman Selena Samios with Victoria Wessman.

MLB player Triston McKenzie with Mayor Fred Pinto.

Councilman Jeff and Carolyn Hmara, MLB player Triston McKenzie, Mayor Fred Pinto, Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas, Councilwoman Jan and Andrew Rodusky, and Councilwoman Selena Samios.

This season’s teams were at the ceremony with their banners, such as the 8U Angels.

The 10U Gators during the opening ceremonies. Dr. Tim McQueeney gave the opening prayer and Kiannely Hildago sang the national anthem.

League board members Skye Bloemke, David Mancuso, Dustin Lockhart, Commissioner Tony Candales, President Glenn King, Secretary Lexi King, Treasurer Jeff Starkey and Softball Commissioner Mark McKenna.

Savannah Shirley tries to dunk Youth Baseball Association President Glenn King.

Riley Rodriguez with MLB player Triston McKenzie.

Concession Manager Karen Hidalgo, Secretary Lexi King and Dr. Tim McQueeney.

Having your taxes prepared should not be a painful experience

Boleta Oficial Elección Municipal 8 de marzo de 2022 Pueblo de Royal Palm Beach Condado de Palm Beach, Florida

PCT. 6098 • Instructions: To vote, fill in the oval completely next to your choice. Use only black ballpoint pen. If you make a mistake, ask for a new ballot. Do not cross out or your vote may not count. • Instrucciones: Para votar, llene completamente el óvalo junto a su selección. Use sólo bolígrafo negro. Si comete un error, solicite una nueva boleta. No borre o realice otras marcas, o su voto puede no ser contado.

Village of Royal Palm Beach Pueblo de Royal Palm Beach Group #1 (Vote for One) Grupo #1 (Vote por Uno) Julie Highsmith Jeff Hmara

(Vote Gwoup pou Youn) #1

Arthur M. Lichtman, P.A. CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT

*6098G1*

Official Municipal Election Ballot March 8, 2022 Village of Royal Palm Beach Palm Beach County, Florida

With all the new confusing tax laws, have your taxes prepared by an experienced professional who will take the time to answer all your questions and concerns.

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Bill Thomas Agency Owner, Wellington Resident 561-331-6652 BrightwayBillThomas.com

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Welcome to Starr Family Dentistry in Wellington

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

(561) 798-0100 VISIT OUR WEBSITE:

www.Drstarrdental.com

Dr. Michael Starr Wellington’s Premier Center for Dental Health. Become part of the family!

OPEN FOR

BREAKFAST & LUNCH DINE-IN & TAKE-OUT

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Serving Gourmet Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner & Overstuffed Deli Sandwiches

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Conveniently located in the heart of Wellington

1200 Corporate Center Way, Suite 103 | Wellington, Florida 33414

We Practice CDC Safety Guidelines and Sanitation Procedures.

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VACCINATION CLINIC COUNTY LICENSE & TAG AVAILABLE ON SITE.

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Cat Pack 1 Rabies 4 in 1 Leukemia FeLV test

Cat Pack 2 Rabies 4 in 1 Leukemia

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Accounting and Tax Slashers Guru, Inc. Nexus at Wellington 8401 Lake Worth Road, Suite 207 Lake Worth, Florida 33467

(561) 501-9391 www.taxslashersguru.com

Don’t blame yourself! It’s obvious with all the changes that took place during the years of 2019 through 2021. Covid-19 has transformed the whole world, and it forces most of us to abide by new rules and regulations; therefore, preparing your tax returns requires the attention of tax experts. According to IR-2021-217, Nov. 8, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service encourages taxpayers, including those who received stimulus payments or advance Child Tax Credit payments, to take important steps now to help themselves file their federal tax returns in 2022. Gather and organize your tax records, Check your Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) for possible expiration date, Consider adjusting your withholding if you owed taxes or received a large refund last year, Reconcile advance Child Tax Credit payments, and Claiming Recovery Rebate Credit seem to constitute the core of information for speed tax refunds. Oh yes, receiving your tax refunds just like “Cashin-a-Flash” is your best interest, and this is what we do best! Our services are comprehensive: Individual tax returns preparation, Business tax preparation, Corporations, 1099-NEC, 1099-Misc, 1099K etc., are all welcome. No matter what tax situation you may have, we are Enrolled Agents federally licensed not only to help you avoid getting in any problem with IRS, but especially to take your case and defend it to the best of our ability. Most of the time, we win to our client’s satisfaction. Contact us today at (561) 501-9391, (321) 682-8411 or Visit us at www.taxslashersguru.com for more information. It’s free!

Page 10

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NEWS

Dancing Horses And Family Fun At Challenge Of The Americas

Experience a family-friendly equestrian extravaganza as horses and riders from around the world dance to the music to fight breast cancer. The Challenge of the Americas (COTA), is a spectacular evening of horses and fun, all to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Founda-

tion (BCRF) through its partner, Play for P.I.N.K. General admission gates open at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 11 at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival showgrounds at the corner of South Shore Blvd. and Pierson Road in Wellington. Grab some food and beverages

Talented horses and riders in colorful costumes entertain the crowds to help slay breast cancer at the Challenge of the Americas.

available for purchase and enjoy pre-show entertainment by local singer Michael Boone. General admission ticket holders will have an ideal vantage point in the grandstands to see horse and rider pas de deux set to music, and top show jumpers and their mounts performing choreographed jumping starting at 6:30 p.m. Then, the headline event will feature five teams of six dancing horses and their skilled riders competing in the musical Grand Prix Quadrille Team Challenge. The one-of-a-kind Challenge of the Americas showcases the Olympic sports of dressage and show jumping, and features some of the top international competitors from the United States, Canada and Europe as they maneuver their horses in precise patterns set to a musical theme. Competitors pull out the stops with intricate choreography and colorful costumes to delight the crowds while raising funds for breast cancer research. COTA has evolved since its origins in 2002. Created by Mary Ross to honor her mother, who died of breast cancer, the event grew from an afternoon luncheon featuring three horse-and-rider combinations to an international event with 38 riders and their mounts. Its success and continued growth is due not only to its partnership with the top-rated breast cancer organization in the U.S., but also to its uniquely entertaining format. The beneficiary of the event, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) though its partner Play for P.I.N.K., is the largest private funder of breast cancer research — and the largest private funder of metastatic research — in

The 2022 Challenge of the Americas is back and ready to help find a cure for breast cancer.

PHOTOS BY SUSAN J. STICKLE

Join COTA for dancing horses in choregraphed quadrilles March 11 at the AGDF showgrounds. the United States. Play for P.I.N.K. help fuel the research of tomorrow the bonus of enjoying the elegantly is a grassroots organization com- needed to save lives today. festive Challenge Gala featuring mitted to raising funds for breast General admission tickets for dinner and dancing under the tents cancer research through sporting the Challenge of the Americas are at the showgrounds. and lifestyle events. Since 1996, available at the door for $20, and Help the Challenge of the AmerPFP has raised nearly $70 million children 12 and under are free. VIP icas #ChallengeBreastCancer and for breast cancer research and is tickets, available at www.challen- join in for an exciting evening of currently supporting 19 research geoftheamericas.com, provide the dancing horses and family fun to projects. Through COTA, you can same top-notch entertainment with help find a the cure.

Party For A Cause This St. Patrick’s Day As Brooke USA’s White Party Goes Green

Brooke USA Foundation’s annual signature event will be held Thursday, March 17 from 6 to 11 p.m. at the Wellington National Golf Club. The coveted event is a special edition of the annual Brooke USA’s Sunset Polo & White Party series, returning in 2022 with a twist, as Brooke USA’s White Party Goes Green in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. The event boasts a Las Vegas-style casino under the stars, where guests will enjoy an evening of fun while raising funds for working horses, donkeys and mules, and the people who depend on them for survival worldwide.

Brooke USA’s White Party Goes Green is planned to be a spectacular affair as guests fittingly test their luck. Wellington National will transform into a Celtic-themed extravaganza, including décor, food, drinks and entertainment. Upon arrival, partiers will be greeted by Irish River Dancers from the Kelly Irish Academy of Dance. Guests will also be able to meet miniature horses and donkeys brought to the party by Millar Brooke South. Upon entering, guests will secure their play chips and arrive at the grand patio, where they will experience the sights and sounds

of a real casino as players roar with every roll of the dice at the craps table or try a hand at outhustling the blackjack dealer while sipping on the signature drink, sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka. When taking a break between bets, guests are encouraged to take part in the silent and live auctions, as well as the luxury travel auction provided by AmFund. Music will fill the air as guests move to the rhythm of acclaimed DJ Adam Lipson, who has played some of the most prestigious parties and events in South Florida and is brought to the event by entertainment sponsor, Celebrity Cruises,

Hotels at Sea and the International Polo Tour. This event is yet another milestone in Brooke USA’s remarkable journey, raising more than $2 million to date from the annual signature event series. What began as a humble nonprofit just six years ago has turned into an inspiring tale of what board members, donors and volunteers can do for those who are less fortunate, human and equine alike. General admission tickets are $100 per person, while children’s tickets are $50. The price of tickets increases March 1. Each ticket includes an Irish-themed buffet

dinner, a welcome drink for those over 21 (soft drinks and water for children), as well as admission to the party; casino chips need to be purchased separately. VIP Poolside Lounges and VIP Tables are also available, taking the experience up a notch, with 2,500 gaming chips for each guest to kick off casino play. Guests must be 18 years or older to play. Do not miss the opportunity to purchase your tickets to the soiree of the season and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day for a great cause. For more information about Brooke USA’s White Party Goes Green, visit www.brookeusaevents.org.

Music will be provided by acclaimed DJ Adam Lipson.

PUBLIC NOTICE Village of Royal Palm Beach GENERAL ELECTION TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022 POLLING PLACES OPEN FROM 7:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. Election for Council Group Seat 1 Precincts and Polling Places Precincts 6102,6106

Polling Places RPB Recreation Center 100 Sweet Bay Lane 6098,6116 H. L. Johnson Elementary School 1000 Crestwood Blvd. North 6122,6124 Cultural Center 151 Civic Center Way 6120,6128,6132,6138 Royal Palm Beach High School 10600 Okeechobee Blvd. Royal Palm Beach High School *6114 10600 Okeechobee Blvd. 6134,6142,6144 Christ Fellowship Church 6148,6172,6176 9905 Southern Blvd. 6126, 6136 Calypso Bay Waterpark 151 Lamstein Lane 6104,6112 Crestwood Middle School 64 Sparrow Drive 6118 RPB Library 500 Civic Center Way *6100 Madison Green Country Club 2001 Crestwood Blvd. North *Denoteschange change Precinct Location *Denotes in in Precinct Location

_____________________________ Diane DiSanto, MMC Filing Officer/Village Clerk

NOTICE OF PRECINCT LOCATION CHANGES FOR THE VILLAGE OF ROYAL PALM BEACH MUNICIPAL ELECTION ON MARCH 8, 2022 This notice applies to electors of Precinct 6100 and Precinct 6114 residing within the Village of Royal Palm Beach boundaries who are voting in its municipal election on March 8, 2022. For this municipal election only, Precinct 6100 has been moved to: Madison Green Country Club 2001 Crestwood Boulevard North Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33411 For this municipal election only, Precinct 6114 has been moved to: Royal Palm Beach High School 10600 Okeechobee Boulevard Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33411 Thank you for your cooperation. By: Diane DiSanto, Village Clerk (561) 790-5101

AVISO PÚBLICO AVISO PÚBLICO Village of Royal Palm Beach

Village of Royal Palm Beach ELECCIÒN GENERAL ELECCIÒN GENERAL MARTES, 8 DE MARZO, 2022 MARTES, 8 DE MARZO, 2022 LOS LUGARES DE VOTACTIÒN ABIERTAS DESDE LOS LUGARES VOTACTIÒN ABIERTAS DESDE las 7:00DE A.M. hasta las 7:00 P.M.

las 7:00 A.M. hasta las 7:00 P.M.

Elecciones para Escaños del Consejo 1 Elecciones para Escaños del Consejo 1 Distritos electorales y Lugares de votación

Distritos electorales y Lugares de votación

Distritos electorales

6102,6106 6098, 6116 6122,6124

6120,6128,6132,6138

*6114 6134,6142,6144

6148,6172,6176 6126, 6136 6104,6112 6118 *6100

Lugares de Votación RPB Recreation Center 100 Sweet Bay Lane H. L. Johnson Elementary School 1000 Crestwood Blvd. North Cultural Center 151 Civic Center Way Royal Palm Beach High School 10600 Okeechobee Blvd. Royal Palm Beach High School 10600 Okeechobee Blvd. Christ Fellowship Church 9905 Southern Blvd. Calypso Bay Waterpark 151 Lamstein Lane Crestwood Middle School 64 Sparrow Drive RPB Library 500 Civic Center Way Madison Green Country Club 2001 Crestwood Blvd. North

*Denota cambio en la ubicación del recinto

Diane DiSanto, MMC, Secretaria de La Villa

Oficial que declara / Secretaria Municipal

AVISO DE CAMBIOS DE LUGAR DE DISTRITOS ELECTORALES EN EL MUNICIPIO DE ROYAL PALM BEACH PARA LAS ELECCIONES EL 8 DE MARZO DEL 2022 Este aviso se aplica a los electores del Distrito 6100 y del Distrito 6114 residentes dentro de los límites del Municipio de Royal Palm Beach que estarán votando en sus elecciones municipales del 8 de marzo del 2022. Para estas elecciones municipales únicamente, el Distrito 6100 ha sido mudado a: Madison Green Country Club 2001 Crestwood Boulevard North Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 Para estas elecciones municipales únicamente, el Distrito 6114 ha sido mudado a: Royal Palm Beach High School 10600 Okeechobee Boulevard Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 Gracias por su cooperación.

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Page 11

The Premier Med Spa, Rejuvenation & 360° Degree Wellness Center #1 IN NON-SURGICAL AESTHETIC MEDICINE

At Calla Genics, we understand the importance of “Living Your Best Life” through intentional action. Our physicians and staff are highly trained to help you look and feel like a younger version of yourself. With the latest in technology and non-surgical treatments, Calla Genics provides the most powerful and proven procedures that eliminate the common signs of aging and lack of self-confidence.

Aesthetic Medical Procedures • Vampire Facials • Face Lifts • Breast Lifts • Acne Minimizing • Scar Minimizing • Opus Plasma Skin Resurfacing

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Aerolase Laser Skin Rejuvenation Designed for tightening, hair reduction, acne, rosacea, spider veins, nail fungus, & more. Great for fair, tan and dark skin.

12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 9-10, Wellington, FL 33414 | (561) 252-5398

www.callagenics.com

Page 12 February 25 - March 10, 2022

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Conveniently Located at the Corner of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace.

Arturo Fashion Cuts Professional Styling for the modern gentleman

• Customized Designs • Cuts and Fades • Straight Razor Shaves • Beard and Mustache Trims & Styles • Eyebrow Styling, Trimming, Waxing

Hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs., 10AM - 7PM Sat. 10AM - 6PM | Sun. 10AM - 6PM closed mondays

12794 Forest Hill Blvd # 11B, Wellington, FL 33414 Phone: (561) 328-7176

OVER 40 YEARS IN WELLINGTON

aja Indian Cuisine

Patio Bar & Lounge

“Your New Wellington Hang Out Spot!”

LUNCH 11:00 am - 2:00 pm • DINNER 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Weekend Buffet The Best Menu For Your Taste

12pm - 3pm

COME JOIN THE TEAM

2 Salads 1 Appetizer 1 Rice 3 Vegetables 2 Non-Vegetables Bread on Table Soft Drinks 2 Desserts

• Group classes in person, and distance learning. • Group Classes for 4 years old and up. • Free trial classes available • Law enforcement and first responder discount.

•Custom programs designed for your lifestyle.

25 YEARS IN SAME LOCATION! David Wilson Master Instructor Studio Director

12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd. Suite 7 • Wellington, FL 33414 561-792-1100 In The Wellington Mall (Corner of Forest Hill Blvd. & Wellington Trace)

DINNER Á LA CARTE EVERYDAY BAR MENU • KIDS MENU • PUPPY MENU (Bring Your Pooch)

“RAMP AT THE END OF THE PARKING LOT” OR “LOOK FOR THE GOLDEN R”

+ TAX

Take-Out Available

5pm to 9pm Special dinner buffet $25 per head SUNDAY

Order Online for Convenient Pickup

“Mention This Ad And Receive 10% OFF Your Check”

12794 Forest Hill Blvd. | Suite 20 | Wellington, FL 33414 | 561-855-2765 | www.rajawellington.com

Page 12 February 25 - March 10, 2022

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February 25 - March 10, 2022 Page 13

Conveniently Located at the Corner of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace.

Arturo Fashion Cuts Professional Styling for the modern gentleman

• Customized Designs • Cuts and Fades • Straight Razor Shaves • Beard and Mustache Trims & Styles • Eyebrow Styling, Trimming, Waxing

Hours: Tues., Wed., Thurs., 10AM - 7PM Sat. 10AM - 6PM | Sun. 10AM - 6PM closed mondays

12794 Forest Hill Blvd # 11B, Wellington, FL 33414 Phone: (561) 328-7176

OVER 40 YEARS IN WELLINGTON

aja Indian Cuisine

Patio Bar & Lounge

“Your New Wellington Hang Out Spot!”

LUNCH 11:00 am - 2:00 pm • DINNER 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Weekend Buffet The Best Menu For Your Taste

12pm - 3pm

COME JOIN THE TEAM

2 Salads 1 Appetizer 1 Rice 3 Vegetables 2 Non-Vegetables Bread on Table Soft Drinks 2 Desserts

• Group classes in person, and distance learning. • Group Classes for 4 years old and up. • Free trial classes available • Law enforcement and first responder discount.

•Custom programs designed for your lifestyle.

25 YEARS IN SAME LOCATION! David Wilson Master Instructor Studio Director

12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd. Suite 7 • Wellington, FL 33414 561-792-1100 In The Wellington Mall (Corner of Forest Hill Blvd. & Wellington Trace)

DINNER Á LA CARTE EVERYDAY BAR MENU • KIDS MENU • PUPPY MENU (Bring Your Pooch)

“RAMP AT THE END OF THE PARKING LOT” OR “LOOK FOR THE GOLDEN R”

+ TAX

Take-Out Available

5pm to 9pm Special dinner buffet $25 per head SUNDAY

Order Online for Convenient Pickup

“Mention This Ad And Receive 10% OFF Your Check”

12794 Forest Hill Blvd. | Suite 20 | Wellington, FL 33414 | 561-855-2765 | www.rajawellington.com

Page 14

February 25 - March 10, 2022

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The Challenge of the Americas presented by THE PINK HATS calls on you to

CHALLENGE CANCER AND

Photo by SusanJStickle.com

Experience this amazing under-the-lights equestrian extravaganza as over 40 horses and riders from around the world dance together to fight breast cancer.

FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022

Global Dressage Festival Showgrounds • Corner of Southshore & Pierson, Wellington

PURCHASE COTA VIP GALA SEATING (WITH DINNER AND DANCING) ONLINE AT

ChallengeoftheAmericas.com

GENERAL ADMISSION The Pink Hats

Margaret H. Duprey | Cherry Knoll Farm A. Ronald Johnson & Elizabeth Stauber-Johnson, Ph.D. Mr. & Mrs. Steffen Wolff

TICKETS AT THE GATE $20 PER ADULT CHILDREN 12 & UNDER FREE Pre-Show Entertainment with Live Music Gates Open 5:30 PM

Thank you to our great supporters as they partner-up in the fight against breast cancer.

EQUINE INSURANCE

Laura King

At time of printing.

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NEWS

ANNUAL SOUTH FLORIDA GARLIC FEST HELD AT WELLINGTON’S VILLAGE PARK On Saturday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, Feb. 13, the 23rd annual South Florida Garlic Fest was held at Wellington’s Village Park. The event first started in Delray Beach 23 years ago before eventually moving to Wellington. This year, Garlic Fest featured music from headliners such as the Red Not Chili Peppers and Better Than Ezra. Other musicians, such as Bradley Brown, joined in to get the party started. The event included a kid zone with bounce houses, plenty of vendors, and, of course, rows of stands selling garlic-themed foods, including garlic pizza, chicken, burgers and other delicious treats. Learn more at www.garlicfestfl.com. PHOTOS BY ERIN DAVISSON/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington Village Council members Vice Mayor John McGovern, Mayor Anne Gerwig, Councilwoman Tanya Siskind and Councilman Michael Napoleone at the festival.

Stands sold a wide variety of garlic-themed foods.

South Florida Garlic Fest Executive Director Nancy Stewart-Franczak.

Musician Bradley Brown performs on stage.

Mr. Garlic Junior rolls through the festival grounds.

The garlic chicken dippers were a popular treat.

Volunteers Michelle Reed and Malik Evans.

Popular Buck Off Challenge To Benefit Southeast Florida Honor Flight March 18

Southeast Florida Honor Flight is ready to fly again. Helping the nonprofit group get back into the air is the popular AmberWay Equine Buck Off Challenge, a family-friendly, mechanical bull-riding competition set for Friday, March 18 on the boardwalk at the Wellington Community Center. Four-person teams compete in the AmberWay Equine Buck Off Challenge, where individual rides are scored by a panel of celebrity judges and totaled to determine the winning team. Riders are scored on their ability to stay on the bull while keeping one hand in the air at all times, as well as the style of the ride. Higher scores may be achieved for character, “team spirit” and costumes. Prizes are awarded to the top three teams. The entry fee is $100 per team. A limited number of individual VIP reserved seats are available for $75 per person or $750 per table. VIP tickets includes dinner and a cash bar. General admission/unreserved seating tickets are $15 each. To register a team or purchase tickets, visit www.honorflightsefl. org/events.

The AmberWay Equine Buck Off Challenge benefits the Stuart-based Southeast Florida Honor Flight, an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that flies World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans from Palm Beach International Airport to Washington, D.C., four times a year free of charge to visit the memorials built to honor their service and sacrifices. Each flight costs about $120,000, according to chairman Janet Hoose. The next flights are scheduled for April 9 and May 21. The AmberWay Equine Buck Off Challenge is being co-sponsored by the Village of Wellington. Other major sponsors include philanthropists Sanjiv Sharma and Nadine Allen of Highland Beach, Madison Sport Horses, Peninsula Trucking, Vitas Healthcare, IDA Development, Bolay, IDA Farm, Carl Schachter with Northwestern Mutual and Professional Bank. “Wellington is honored to co-sponsor the 2022 Buck Off Challenge,” Wellington Assistant Village Manager Ed De La Vega said. “Wellington supports community-based programs and events that enrich the lives of youth,

adults and seniors. This unique event, in particular, is a great way to bring the community together to bring awareness of the Honor Flight of Southeast Florida and all they do for our veterans.” The Southeast Florida Honor Flight is a day devoted to honoring the local men and women who served the country in conflicts around the globe. For the veterans, it is a day to reflect on those heroes that never came home, on connecting with fellow military compatriots, on the fact that America has not forgotten them. For everyone else, it is a day focused on thanking these courageous men and women for serving the nation, for stepping up when the world needed them most and for helping to preserve America’s freedom and way of life. AmberWay Equine is a well-respected and full-service equestrian business that supplies top-quality products, construction management and owner’s representation for private facilities, show barns and competition venues throughout the United States. A key component to the company’s success is its superior customer service

and ability to provide clients with assistance from conception to installation. The Buck Off Challenge is a fundraising event started by Wellington’s Bobbi Rottman of Eques Solutions, which primarily specializes in bringing the equestrian community and businesses together. Rottman and her team started the event almost 10 years ago, and for the last four years, Southeast Florida Honor Flight has been the beneficiary. They spend months going over every detail to make sure Southeast Florida Honor Flight receives enormous support from the community. “This is one of my favorite events because it combines a fun atmosphere with such an important cause,” Rottman said. “The support from the community continues to grow, and the veterans who attend are treated like the heroes they are.” For more information about Southeast Florida Honor Flight, visit www.honorflightsefl.org or www.facebook.com/honorflight or call (855) FLYAVET (855359-2838).

From youngsters to adults, the Buck Off Challenge is a fun and family-friendly competition.

PHOTO BY ALEX STARK/EQUES SOLUTIONS

Wellington Art Society Will Great Futures Golf Classic Feature Joyce Brown March 9 Supports Glades-Area Children

The Wellington Art Society will feature a presentation by sculptor and activist Joyce Brown on Wednesday, March 9. The meeting and presentation will take place at the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington). The meeting will open with a meet-and-greet at 5:30 p.m., followed by the member spotlight and a brief meeting. The event

will conclude with a presentation by Joyce Brown. The public is invited. COVID-19 protocols will be observed. For more information, contact Laura Jaffe at presidentofwas@gmail.com. Brown is the director of Flamingo Clay Studio – Clay, Glass, Metal and Stone Gallery in Lake Worth. Her earliest childhood memories include drawing on the walls, the floor and even her own

Sculptor and social activist Joyce Brown.

body at every opportunity. She felt compelled to decorate whatever was at hand. Her father gave her a set of oil paints, which she used to create copies of the artworks that were hung in her home. She painted copies of Covarrubias, Picasso, Renoir and Degas. Her interest in art continued to grow, and she earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Temple University’s Tyler School of Fine Arts. Brown shared her love for fine arts through her many years of teaching students of all ages and abilities, holding certifications for teacher of K-12 art and teacher of neurologically impaired and brain-injured children. She also was a member of the Germantown Pottery Guild for more than 35 years, where she developed a heart for social conscience. She sees artistic expression in all of life, and uses her creativity and experience to create businesses and organizations which use art to support peace and social justice issues. Some of her pet projects over the years include Swords into Plowshares, the Blushing Zebra (a nonprofit coffee house), the Germantown Women’s Y and WISDOM/Education of Women with HIV/AIDS. To learn more about Joyce Brown and her work, visit http:// cgms.flamingoclaystudio.org/ artists-1/joyce-brown. The Wellington Art Society is a nonprofit charitable organization in its 41st year. It is open to artists of all mediums and patrons of the arts, allowing both local and regional artists to display their artwork in local galleries, interact with other artists and serve the community through their art. For more information, visit www. wellingtonartsociety.org.

On Friday, Jan. 14, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County hosted its inaugural Great Futures Golf Classic at the Wellington National Golf Club. Fifteen teams gathered to compete under ideal weather conditions to raise money and awareness for seven Boys & Girls Clubs located in the Glades area. “We appreciate our local sponsors and all who helped make the golf tournament for Boys & Girls Clubs in Belle Glade and the surrounding area a tremendous success,” said Boys & Girls Club Board Member Brannan Thomas, community relations manager for U.S. Sugar. “With this additional support, we can help change lives and empower even more children living in the Glades communities.” Between registration fees and donations, $51,000 was raised for the seven clubs located in Belle Glade, Canal Point and South Bay. Leading the charge were committee members PBSO Capt. Emory

Steve Cornette.

Payne, Caroline Larris, James Spafford and Michael Sharf. The event was a success with the support of sponsors such as the City of Belle Glade, the City of South Bay, Everglades Equipment, Finfrock, Life Safety Management, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Toyota and U. S. Sugar. “This is a remarkable beginning for this event, and we’re excited to see it grow in the years to come,” Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County President & CEO Jaene Miranda said. “We are very appreciative to everyone who came out to support our tournament and most importantly the children we serve in the Glades.” Clubs that will receive funding from the event are the Belle Glade Elementary Boys & Girls Club, the Canal Point Elementary Boys & Girls Club, the Glade View Elementary Boys & Girls Club, the Gove Elementary Boys & Girls Club, the Pioneer Park Elementary Boys & Girls Club, the South Bay

Boys & Girls Club and the Smith & Moore Family Teen Center. For more information about the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, visit www.bgcpbc.org or call (561) 683-3287.

PBSO Capt. Emory Payne.

Jerry Curless, Spencer Davis, Tyler Baker and Bryant Layson.

Page 16

February 25 - March 10, 2022

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Page 17

Final Match Of C.V. Whitney Cup Set For This Weekend At IPC

Elimination games continued in the quarterfinals of the C.V. Whitney Cup at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington on Sunday, Feb. 20. The tripleheader kicked off with Scone handily defeating Coca-Cola 15-6 on Isla Carroll East, followed by Pilot delivering La Fe their third consecutive loss of the tournament with a 13-11 victory on Field 5. The feature matchup of the day on U.S. Polo Assn. Field 1 showcased an energized Dutta Corp/Show+ as the final team to advance into the semifinals in a convincing 13-8 win over SD Farms. Awarded one goal on handicap, Coca-Cola began the first matchup of the day with an early lead from Rufino Bensadon converting his first penalty goal from the 60-yard line. Mounting a quick response, Adolfo Cambiaso made his presence known in the opening chukker on two back-to-back goals. Leading Scone with 13 goals, including nine from the line, Keko Magrini stepped up for his first penalty conversion of the day, followed in quick succession by another from the field. Taking an early 5-4 lead in the second chukker, Scone broke through in the third with a run of four straight to take a commanding 9-4 lead into the break. Continuing their dominance to open the second half, Scone’s Magrini hit his second from the line, as Poroto Cambiaso sank

his second from the field. Finally mounting an answer, Bensadon got Coca-Cola back on the board for the first time since the second chukker, however 15 missed shot opportunities from the field proved costly for Coca-Cola, as Scone kept the pressure on, scoring another four goals, with two coming off the mallet of Magrini. Receiving his second yellow card of the match, Nico Escobar was sent to the penalty box for two minutes, leaving a struggling Coca-Cola team shorthanded. Facing a staggering 10-goal deficit, Coca-Cola was able to reposition their remaining defenders to stave off another Scone attack and successfully kill the penalty on Escobar. One final goal from Julian de Lusarreta in the final minutes of regulation was simply not enough for Coca-Cola to overcome Scone, as they secured the 15-6 victory to remain undefeated entering the semifinals. In the second contest of the day, 20-goal La Fe began the match with two goals awarded on handicap. Filling in for an injured Francisco Elizalde, fellow 9-goaler Camilo Castagnola immediately made an impact, scoring from the field for a 3-0 La Fe lead. Shining throughout the first half, Pilot’s leading scorer Facundo Pieres contributed five goals in the first three chukkers of play, while teammate Matias Torres Zavaleta added a goal of his own from the field. Robi Bilbao found the scoreboard

for La Fe in the late stages of the third chukker, but Pilot took a 7-5 lead into the break. When play resumed, Pieres continued to find space in the field on two consecutive goals for Pilot. Receiving his second yellow card of the day, Lucas Diaz Alberdi was sent to the penalty box, leaving La Fe shorthanded. Trailing by four, La Fe managed to tighten defensive play, with Castagnola converting his first penalty goal from the 60-yard line. With Diaz Alberdi back in play, a Penalty 1 awarded to Pilot was answered with Castagnola hitting the goal once more on a Penalty 2. Attempting to keep the pressure on Pilot, La Fe ran into foul trouble, sending Pieres to the line with back-to-back attempts following his fifth goal of the day in open play. Making one final push for the comeback, La Fe found success from solid team play where goals from Bilbao, Louis Devaleix and Castagnola’s team-leading fifth of the match brought La Fe to within two goals, but as time expired, Pilot held on to remain undefeated in the tournament for the 13-11 victory. The final matchup in the tripleheader saw Dutta Corp/Show+ jump out to an early lead on consecutive goals from Inaki Laprida and Tomas Garcia del Rio. Pelon Stirling and Lucas Escobar immediately responded for SD Farms with back-to-back goals of their own. After sending a dangerous

Garcia del Rio to the line once more for Dutta Corp/Show+, Sayyu Dantata found the posts to keep the game even. A quick pace of play and open style of polo allowed Dutta Corp/Show+ to finally gain the upper hand with goals from Timmy Dutta and Garcia del Rio to give the team a 7-3 lead at the end of the first half. Facing a four-goal deficit, an injury to Stirling left him unable to continue, with Adolfo Cambiaso stepping in as a substitute for his second match of the day. Another goal straight off a knock-in from Laprida increased Dutta Corp/ Show+’s lead 8-3, but the experience and accuracy of Cambiaso allowed him to make an impact for SD Farms on a successful Penalty 4 conversion. With Cambiaso working in stride with Escobar, the young Escobar was able to receive the ball from Cambiaso with space to successfully find the goal on back-to-back attempts. In a tough back-and-forth contest, Garcia del Rio and Laprida each scored for Dutta Corp/Show+ to end the fifth chukker, but Cambiaso and Peco Polledo were quick to respond to open the sixth. Despite the addition of Cambiaso, SD Farms were simply unable to overcome the first half deficit and the horsepower of Laprida and Garcia del Rio, who combined for 10 goals. To cap off their strong team performance, Timmy Dutta sent the ball through the posts one last time for Dutta Corp/Show+ and reserved their

Joaquin Avendano of Dutta Corp/Show+ takes aim at the ball. spot in the semifinals with a comfortable 13-8 win. Semifinal matches were held Wednesday, Feb. 23 with Park Place taking on Pilot and Scone against Dutta Corp/Show+. The

PHOTO BY ALEX PACHECO

winners will face off during the Sunday, Feb. 27 final. Then the season continues with the USPA Gold Cup, the second leg of the Gauntlet of Polo. Learn more at www.internationalpoloclub.com.

Geoffrey Hesslink Claims Victory In Hunter Spectacular At WEF

The pinnacle event of World Championship Hunter Rider week, sponsored by IDA Development, at the 2022 Winter Equestrian Festival was held Saturday, Feb. 19. The country’s best hunter combinations battled to win the $100,000 USHJA/WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular. Young professional Geoffrey Hesslink made his mark as he scored a career-high victory aboard Mon Tresor, owned by Little Brook LLC. Andy Christiansen Jr. designed the flowing track that offered riders several areas to show off their mounts. The panel one judges consisted of Chris Wynne and Shane George, panel two was Mary Lisa Leffler and Tom Brennan, and panel three held Wendy Peralta and Mark Jungherr. Entries qualified

by winning the champion title in their respective divisions at the 3’6” height or above. Hesslink and Mon Tresor took the class’s early lead with a firstround score of 90.66. Amanda Steege and the legendary Lafitte De Muze earned the second-highest score of the round with a 90. Liza Towell Boyd and Cascartini rounded out the top three of 12 moving on to the handy round after producing a score of 89.91. Michael Britt-Leon was the first to return and blazed the trail around Christiansen’s handy track to an average score of 88.66, but with plenty more challengers still to go. If the pressure of having the best first round score and being the last to return weighed on Hesslink, it didn’t show. The 25-year-old

piloted the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding confidently over each obstacle on the course and managed to nearly replicate his first-round score, as he finished with 90.5 points in the handy. The two-round total of 181.16 was just good enough to bump Mimi Gochman from the lead and secure the top honors. “I don’t know my horse that well, but he does give me a lot of confidence,” Hesslink said. “He is a new partnership for me that I have competed less than 10 times, but he has been champion every one of those times. I am told he has a background in three-day eventing, which I think definitely played as a strength in this class in particular. He is extremely brave and has never spooked at a jump, but yet is quite sharp and athletic

and covers a lot of ground.” While this is Hesslink’s first victory in the Hunter Spectacular, he placed eighth in his first outing in 2020 and was third last year. “This has to be one of the most prestigious wins I’ve ever had,” Hesslink said. “I’ve grown up watching this class, and it always held a very special place in my heart. I think it has so much history and prestige that I’ve been fortunate enough just to compete in it, but to win it is really indescribable.” Gochman and the Gochman Sport Horses LLC’s Catch Me (Casiro I) totaled a score just two points below Hesslink’s to land in second place. The 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding is no stranger to the victory gallop of the class, See WEF, page 18

Geoffrey Hesslink and Mon Tresor jump to the win.

PHOTO BY SPORTFOT

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The Village of Royal Palm Beach will have several volunteer board/commission terms expiring in March. If you are a resident of the Village and would like to be considered by the Village Council to serve on either board/commission, please stop by the Village Clerk’s office to pick up an application or download it from our web site www.royalpalmbeach.com. Under Departments go to the Village Clerk section and then click on downloadable forms to Board and Commission Application Form. Return completed application to the Village Clerk’s office no later than March 30, 2022 for Council consideration at its April 7th meeting. It is important to note the particular day of the week the board/commission meets to ensure that your schedule will be such that you are available on that particular day. Seats available are: (3) on Education Advisory Board meets on the 2nd Monday of the month (3) on Planning and Zoning Commission meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month (3) on Recreation Advisory Board meets on the 4th Monday of the month

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Page 18

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NEWS

Crestwood

RPB Ed Board

continued from page 7 based on a comparison of 2021 scores and 2022 target scores. “Our students, our teachers, our staff, we are up for the task of regaining our A because we know that an A is within our reach,” Nance said. Nance believes in cultivating a culture where positive relationships with students are fostered

Bridge

At Palm Beach Point

continued from page 1 the trail getting onto Palm Beach Point Blvd. to go somewhere else in the village. “There is a safety issue when you mix the motorized vehicle and the horse, and that path is quite narrow,” Yarbrough said. “I think if you study how it was being used, you would see that it is not necessary to have another one, at least for the equestrians. I don’t know any equestrians in Palm Beach Point who feel they are losing out that they can’t access that park.” Wellington Mayor Anne Gerwig said the multimodal question about the pathway is part of the discussion. Vice Mayor John McGovern asked if the council had not made an amendment taking the multimodal part out of the plan, and Village Manager Jim Barnes said

Chamber

Wellington Candidates

continued from page 1 munity Pharmacy, noted that he is an active member of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, including a past president and treasurer. He said that he is a first-generation American whose mother was a Vietnamese refugee with no money who did not speak English when she arrived in America. “Not only do I have a pharmacy, I have two other businesses here in the Village of Wellington,” he said. Meier said that his mother, who raised him and his sister, had a strong work ethic. “I want to bring that same work

in a safe and nurturing learning environment, where students can develop their own voice and acquire skills in taking ownership of their learning, she said, setting high academic standards and providing rigorous and individualized instruction to meet the needs of all students, and ensuring that all students are prepared to succeed in high school and post-secondary endeavors. “We are committed to empowering each student and ensuring that all students know that they have a voice,” Nance said. “We believe in the growth

and development of all children. We feel we play a very important role in helping to produce the next generation of productive citizens.” She said that her goals for this year are to “refresh, restart and soar.” “It is so important that we continue to understand those wonderful experiences that we are bringing in the door, but how do we create that cultural environment that is going to prepare our students for high school?” she asked. Some of the main target areas

for this school year are to increase student proficiency on the Florida Statewide Assessments in all tested areas, increase student learning gains in English and math, to continue to actively engage teachers and all support staff in efficient learning communities, and foster positive relationships with all stakeholders. Crestwood offers several high school courses to its students, Nance noted. “We offer web design, which also allows our students to earn industry certification,” she said. “We

the amendment had not yet been approved, but based on e-mails that he and Strategic Planning Director Mike O’Dell had received from residents, they had discussed the possibility. “We would still recommend as a fallback alternative to try and have at least some of the integrity of the original plan that was in place from 2016 and an overall goal for the Village of Wellington network,” Barnes said, adding that from comments by the public received that evening, he felt the plan accommodated some concerns about the compatibility of a multimodal pathway, as opposed to a strictly equestrian pathway. Gerwig said she felt compatibility was not the whole issue. “It feels like the equestrians, at least that we have access to, don’t even want horses crossing there, and I think the security issue is what’s forefront,” she said. Gerwig said that the council could remove that particular crossing and not significantly affect the overall plan.

“You’re still going to have circulation,” she said. “You’re still going to have that one dead end. I think that is what Mr. O’Dell is trying to avoid.” Councilman Michael Napoleone said he appreciated O’Dell’s desire to create a loop, but he also had concerns. “As far as that crossing, I bike down Flying Cow frequently, so I know what you’re talking about with the speed,” he said. Napoleone added that he hadn’t seen a demand or a need for an additional canal crossing. “I think the C-22 [Canal] connection is just a mile up the road. I use that crossing if I’m biking up there. I think that’s perfectly acceptable for anyone who wants to get across there,” he said. “I appreciate the desire to create a loop there, so people don’t dead end, but I don’t see a need for people to have a crossing there, and I’d be in favor of deleting that crossing that we’re talking about tonight.” Councilman Michael Drahos agreed.

“The way this system is set up, we have preserved all gated communities within Wellington,” Drahos said. “Once we start talking, if even aspirational, about breaching a gated community’s security, there has to be a considerable, compelling reason for me to even think about something like that. We have obviously come far short of that tonight. I don’t think that because it was on there in 2016, we shouldn’t fix that.” Napoleone made a motion to remove the planned crossing over the C-24 Canal into Palm Beach Point from the comprehensive plan, which carried 5-0. McGovern said the decision was important to the future of the village in regard to connectivity, pathway systems, recreation and safety. He also thanked O’Dell for his efforts in implementing the overall plan. “I just want to make sure that we as a council said thank you to you and your team,” McGovern told O’Dell.

ethic to the Village of Wellington,” he said, adding that in his work at his pharmacy, he is in contact with his customers, who share their concerns with him. “I work with the community on a daily basis. I feel like I have a really good pulse on the Village of Wellington. There’s a whole bunch of issues that I want to tackle.” Among a variety of questions, the candidates were asked what they would do to support the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Morris-Clarke said as a member of the Wellington Chamber, she is told by many businesspeople that they cannot afford to become members. She would like to see a way that all small businesses could be members of the chamber. “I commend the work that they do,” she said.

Nelson said he has been a supporter of both chambers of commerce in Wellington for many years. “The first thing that I would do is bring the chamber to the table,” he said. “I think it’s important that it’s not just the council making all the decisions. I think you need to be involved in making the decisions.” One of the first things he would do if elected is organize a quarterly forum of all small businesses and business leaders. “We need to be at the table,” he said, adding that the Wellington Chamber serves more than just Wellington. “I think the Wellington Chamber serves the entire western communities.” Siskind said the council does not make decisions for the chamber,

but it does work with the chamber very well. “We have a long history of attending events and doing events together, partnerships, and I think the chamber does an excellent job of running itself,” she said. “They are really good at event planning, and I think they do a really great job. I just think that to continue that relationship would be very important. We could certainly partner even more than we do, but we do a lot together.” McGovern said that he has attended chamber events for the entire time he has been on the council. “I take a little bit of a different view, I think, that, as Mr. Nelson pointed out, we are well-served in the western communities by two chambers of commerce, the

“I Wish Mommy & Daddy Could Buy A NEW HOME With A BIG BACKYARD, So I Could Go Out And Play All Day”

Pets Are Family, Too! By Randall S. Dugal, D.V.M.

OLDER CATS AND THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS Aging is a natural process for animals and humans, and both people and pets experience aging in unique ways. Many cats begin encountering age-related physical changes between seven and ten years of age. The keys to making sure your senior cat has the highest quality of life are these: recognizing and reducing possible health risk factors, detecting disease, and correcting or delaying disease progression. As a cat owner, you can conduct basic physical examinations at home. Ask your veterinarian to show you how and what to look for. One way to do so without scaring your furry friend is to try conditioning your feline by making the analysis an extension of your everyday interaction. As your pet’s aging accelerates, it is important to identify any developing problems at the earliest possible stage to help ensure appropriate and timely treatment. Help your cat enjoy its golden years. Regular wellness exams and lab work will guide us in recommending senior health protocols for your pet. At COMMUNITY ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF ROYAL PALM BEACH, we provide medical care and treatment for your dog, cat, or exotic pet. We are conveniently located 1/4 mile east of Royal Palm Beach Blvd., at 11462 Okeechobee Blvd. Please call 798-5508 for appointments or emergencies. OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK

P.S. Dental disease is common in older cats.

also offer a high school emerging technology business class. We offer algebra 1 honors, geometry honors and physical science honors. We offer a high school virtual lab at Crestwood that offers more than 15 high school courses. Our students are walking out of Crestwood Middle School with high school credits already.” The school is part of the Village of Royal Palm Beach K-12 contin-

Powerlines

Pole Woes

continued from page 4 one pole is not sufficient because the line would not be straight, and FPL has no right to move the line any farther back. “If you want to move these poles, then we need an extended right of way or easement,” she said, adding that she felt the underground lines had nothing to do with moving the power poles. “These poles are existing. The only way we’re touching them is

WEF

uum, which offers a coordinated program of learning from elementary school through high school. “When our students are matriculating from middle to high school, they continue to strengthen their focus on whatever specialty area they have chosen,” Nance said. “Ultimately, our goal is that our students have equity, access, but also to sustain enrollment in these programs.” to install a riser on some poles.” After additional discussion, Danowski made a motion provided by the town’s legal counsel stating that the town supports FPL’s current underground project, provided that the utility poles be relocated out of the right of way within a reasonable time and directing staff and the town attorney time to prepare a resolution for consideration at the next council meeting to provide FPL written notice, in accordance with Florida Statutes, regarding such relocation. The motion passed unanimously.

Hunter Week

continued from page 17 having won the event in 2016 and 2017 with Scott Stewart. “Peter [Pletcher], Scott [Stewart] and I tried to make a solid plan that I could follow,” said Gochman of her handy round that scored 89.5. “I wanted to be super smooth and not make too many big moves because there were a few tight turns, and the in-and-out was a bit skeptical with the bend,

so I just wanted to keep it smooth and tell him where I was going.” Third place went to last year’s winners Amanda Steege and Lafitte De Muze, who produced an overall score of 177.66. Steege and Cheryl Olsten’s 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding have traveled down from their home base of Ocala for four consecutive years for the event, and the pair has placed in the top multiple times. “Riding that horse every day never gets old, and certainly showing him and being competitive with such a competitive group of horses never gets old,” Steege said.

Wellington Chamber of Commerce and the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce,” he said. “The Central Palm Beach County Chamber has a larger, more regional focus. What distinguishes the Wellington Chamber, in my opinion, is its direct focus on Wellington.” He said he would challenge the Wellington Chamber to come back to that specific mission, to focus on Wellington and Wellington business. “I would love for them to be a liaison to me in that particular regard,” McGovern said. He added that the new driving force of small business in Wellington is home business. “I hope that the chamber would reach out more and more in coming years to home businesses because that is a core economic driver here in

our community,” McGovern said. Meier said he disagreed with McGovern’s statements regarding the Wellington chamber’s exclusivity to Wellington. “I believe that the inclusivity that the chamber offers is what makes us a great chamber,” he said. “In my opinion, I think there are more businesses that need to be included into the chamber, and we need to get more bodies in and do some more things with sponsorships. It seems like there’s the same sponsors and sponsored events over and over and over, so I think we could do a better job as far as getting more businesses active and doing more events.” Meier added that he felt the village has done a good job partnering with the chamber, but there needs to be more cohesion.

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NEWS

FEEDING THE HUNGRY HOSTS CASINO NIGHT EVENT AT WELLINGTON NATIONAL

Feeding the Hungry Inc. held its Viva Las Vegas Casino Extravaganza at the Wellington National Golf Club on Saturday, Feb. 19. The evening included great food, an open bar, a silent auction, a live auction, raffles and casino games. The evening raised money for the nonprofit’s mission of distributing food to more than 2,500 families each month. Learn more at www.feedingthehungryinc.org. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Steve Lavine, Chris and Sabrina Zeller, and Jasmine Velez with Kayla Strelec and Kyle D’Andrea of Wellington National. Event committee members Harry Snyder, Lora Marsch, Committee Chair Kathy Portocarrero, Feeding the Hungry Executive Director Omar Portocarrero and Cindy Dorn.

Marilyn Monroe (Camille Terry), Billy Silas, Whitney Carroll, Elvis (Leon Wasiak), Chelsea Flerlage and Brian Silas.

Bob Schweitzer, Johnny Meier and Ryan Anschuetz visit with Elvis and Marilyn Monroe. Southern Truss Companies’ Rick and Melanie Weit with Mary Bryant McCourt.

Raffle winner Casandra Orpen, Frake Van der Meer and Feed the Hungry Executive Director Omar Portocarrero.

Carol and Scott Newmark.

Ed Purcell and Joyce Kovak try the slot machines.

Djinnee Gunning, Sponsorship Director Susan Shelly and Joan Winter.

Ann Michele Worrall and Gardial Monteverde with Elvis and Marilyn Monroe.

Jasmine Velez and Steve Lavine play blackjack.

Ed Purcell rakes in the chips.

Kevin Farnsworth performs.

GEO Group Foundation Director Todd and Stephanie Nadrich with Marilyn Monroe and Elvis.

Kristy Lund and Dr. Scott Lund of Lund Animal Hospital.

Kim Burns won two purses in the raffle.

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CARDIOLOGY

What’s New in Go-To Treatments for Atrial Fibrillation? Millions of people in the United States suffer from atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common type of heart arrhythmia, including about 9% of people age 65 or older. This progressive condition is the result of a malfunction in the heart’s electrical system that causes the upper chambers of the heart to race and beat irregularly for minutes, hours or days. “Atrial fibrillation significantly raises your risk for stroke, dementia, suffering a heart attack or developing heart failure,” explains John Bibawy, MD, an electrophysiologist and cardiovascular specialist at Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Tomsich Department of Cardiology. “Though we do not often think of AFib as something we can fully cure, there are many treatment options that can reduce arrhythmia burden, improve quality of life, and prevent these complications from occurring.”

New medications and minimally invasive cardiac procedures are designed to regain normal heart rhythm and prevent stroke. Innovations proven effective Dr. Bibawy points to the regularly updated treatment guidelines from the American Heart Association that identifies newer medications and minimally invasive cardiac procedures to regain normal heart rhythm and prevent stroke. “Today we can restore a patient’s normal heart rhythm by creating small, precise scars in the heart to disrupt the faulty electrical signals,” says Dr. Bibawy, noting the catheter ablation procedure can now be performed in under an hour – thanks to advanced imaging technology, new mapping techniques of the heart’s electrical impulses, and more sophisticated ablation devices. “Studies have shown this procedure is more effective than medications for patients with AFib.” Another catheter-based treatment, called the Watchman™ procedure, also has advanced strokeprevention care for AFib patients. It entails implanting a small device to seal off a little, ear-shaped sac in the

muscle wall of the left atrium (left atrial appendage) where clots can form. “Patients with AFib who undergo this procedure are able to stop anticoagulant therapy altogether,” adds Dr. Bibawy.

Early treatment is better AFib may occur in brief episodes, with or without symptoms, and it will eventually become a permanent condition. Common symptoms include a feeling that your heart is pounding or about to leap out of your chest, as well as fatigue and shortness of breath. “Over time AFib weakens the heart muscle, and the longer it is left untreated, the harder it is to control,” cautions Dr. Bibawy, who sees patients in Weston and Coral Springs. “The sooner we begin treating individuals after an AFib diagnosis, the better longterm results can be achieved.”

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SPORTS, PAGES 25-28 • PEOPLE, PAGES 28-29 • SCHOOLS, PAGE 30 • BUSINESS, PAGE 35 • COLUMNS, PAGE 37 • CLASSIFIEDS, PAGES 29 & 36

SPORTS & RECREATION

Regional Title Caps Historic Season For PBCHS Boys Soccer

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report Big-time players make bigtime shots to win big-time games. That’s what happened to Palm Beach Central High School’s Luis Dominguez when he stepped up to take a penalty kick in his team’s Class 7A regional boys soccer final when Palm Beach Central hosted Lake Nona High School on Wednesday, Feb. 16. The game was scoreless for the first 78 minutes of the match. It looked quite likely that Palm Beach Central and Lake Nona were headed for 20 minutes of extra time. Then the center referee blew his whistle and the game stopped. The Broncos were awarded a penalty kick because of a “grab and release” call against the visiting Lions. Dominquez stepped forward, picked up the soccer ball and placed it on the spot, 12 yards in front of the goal. After waiting for the referee to blow his whistle, Dominguez took a few steps, struck the ball with his right foot and then watched it barely elude the grasp of Lake Nona goalkeeper Raul Hernandez,

who dove to his right but was unable to stop the ball from crossing the goal line and tickling the back of the net. It was the eighth time that Dominguez had made a penalty kick for his team this season, but there was something different about this penalty kick. “I take all the team’s penalty kicks, and I always kick to the right, but tonight, at the last minute, I decided to kick the ball to the left,” Dominguez said. “I don’t know why I went left. I’m glad it went in the net.” Palm Beach Central coach Tom Dawkins didn’t watch the penalty kick. But he never does. He just looks the other way and waits for the roar of the crowd. Dawkins heard the roar and knew that his squad had taken the lead, just moments before the end of regulation play. In the waning moments of the game, Lake Nona did have a direct free kick just outside Palm Beach Central’s penalty area, but the attempt to tie the game was unsuccessful. Seconds later, the game was over. With that final whistle, the

Palm Beach Central team had just recorded a historic win, clinching the first regional championship in school history for boys soccer. “You’re headed to the final four,” screamed Dawkins to the team after the game. His players responded with an even bigger roar of approval. Even though Palm Beach Central had the home-field advantage, the Broncos had their proverbial hands full with the visitors from Orlando. Dawkins said it was a tough night to play soccer because of Lake Nona’s height and the swirling winds. “Their height gave us problems, and the wind made it difficult to control the ball,” Dawkins said. “We like to play the ball on the ground.” Besides the penalty kick, the best goal scoring opportunity of the game took place in the 58th minute. Lake Nona’s Carlos Rojas had a point-blank shot at the goal from 15 yards, but his soundly struck kick was caught by Palm Beach Central’s goalkeeper Sheamus Semco.

Dawkins was not surprised at Semco’s save. “Sheamus is our captain and the heart and soul of the team,” Dawkins said. That win capped a great stretch of post-season success for Palm Beach Central, which also won its district tournament on Feb. 3 with a 3-2 win over local rival Wellington High School. Palm Beach Central’s regional championship win against Lake Nona was by the narrowest of margins, 1-0. So were its two prior regional victories — a quarterfinal triumph over Spanish River High School on Feb. 9 and a semifinal win at Boca Raton High School on Feb. 12 — all by identical 1-0 scores. With that regional championship win, the Broncos advanced to a state final four showdown on the evening of Saturday, Feb. 19 against the Cypress Bay High School Lightning. The game was played in Weston on the Lightning’s home field. Unfortunately, Palm Beach Central came away with a 3-0 loss. The Broncos finished the year with an impressive 14-2-1 record.

The PBCHS boys soccer team celebrates after its win in the Class 7A regional final against Lake Nona High School. “We had a couple of nice looks niors last year, nobody thought we at goal early in the match at Cy- would reach the state semifinals. press Bay, but their goalkeeper The intestinal fortitude of my kids made some great saves,” Dawkins is amazing.” said. Had Palm Beach Central deLooking back, there’s no high feated Cypress Bay, they would school soccer coach who is more have played in the FHSAA’s Class proud of his team than Dawkins is 7A state championship at Spec of his Broncos. Martin Stadium in Deland next “My team never quit playing all week. As they say in sports, there’s season long,” he said. “My kids always next year. And the returnworked hard, and they never gave ing members of the Bronco boys up. After graduating so many se- soccer team will be ready.

Remarkable Seasons For Seminole Ridge, Berean Girls Basketball Teams

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report The girls varsity basketball teams from Seminole Ridge High School and Berean Christian School may not have won championships in their respective classifications, but they have earned the title of champions. On Friday, Feb. 18, both squads reached their regional final — Class 7A for Seminole Ridge and Class 2A for Berean. Along the way, both squads also won their district tournaments. On Feb. 18, the Seminole Ridge Hawks traveled to Fort Lauderdale to play St. Thomas Aquinas, falling to the Raiders 79-25. The loss capped the most successful season ever for coach Maria Hudson’s team, who finished with a record of 16-2. No other Seminole Ridge girls basketball team had ever reached a regional final. On that same evening, the Berean Bulldogs traveled south to play Miami Christian and were outscored 67-29. That loss concluded the team’s season with a record of 22-5 for coach Kevin Green and his squad. While the local teams were just one win away from reaching the state final four in Lakeland, both had an exemplary post-season stretch of wins. In early February, the Hawks began their post-season with the Class 7A district tournament. On Feb. 1, Seminole Ridge defeated

South Fork 59-19 in the district semifinal. Two days later, on Feb. 3, Seminole Ridge outscored William T. Dwyer 43-36 to earn the district title. That victory propelled Seminole Ridge into the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) Class 7A state tournament, which featured the top 32 teams in Florida at the Class 7A level. In their opening game of the regional tournament on Feb. 10, Seminole Ridge doubled up Martin County, 73-35. That victory advanced them to a regional semifinal match against Everglades High School on Feb. 15. Seminole Ridge won again, 61-57. That victory then pitted Seminole Ridge against St. Thomas Aquinas, with its deep and talented roster. “They had 13 players, and we traveled with seven players,” Hudson said. “That was the best team that I have ever coached against.” Hudson was proud of her squad’s effort, which played without the services of senior Aspen Johnson, a Mercer University commit, who had been out of action due to an injury since late December. In the season finale, senior Ashley Thornton led the Hawks in scoring with 12 points. “We played as hard as we could,” Hudson said. “I’m proud of how my team competed in that game.” As for Berean, they also had a banner post-season string of

The Seminole Ridge High School girls varsity basketball team.

victories before falling to Miami Christian. On Feb. 3, Berean played Morningside Academy from Port St. Lucie in the district tournament semifinal. The Bulldogs prevailed 35-23. The next night, Feb. 4, Berean played the Saint Edward’s Pirates from Vero Beach. The Bulldogs overcame an early double-digit deficit and rallied to defeat the Pirates 40-34 to claim the district title. That victory advanced Berean into the FHSAA’s Class 2A regional tournament as one of 32 teams in

the statewide field. In their opening regional quarterfinal on Feb. 10, Berean faced Saint Edward’s again, as the Pirates had received an at-large bid into the tournament. The Bulldogs sprinted past Saint Edward’s 56-20. On Feb. 15, Berean hosted Dade Christian in the regional semifinal and came away with a decisive victory, 55-37. That win matched the Bulldogs against Miami Christian. The Berean squad fell behind early and could not recover. Fortunately, Berean’s immediSee BASKETBALL, page 28

Berean Christian School’s girls varsity basketball team celebrates after its SSAC victory.

Willie Richardson Announced As The New Girls Basketball Coach At RPBHS

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report Royal Palm Beach High School has made a coaching change in its girls basketball program. According to RPBHS Athletic Director Eric Patterson, Willie Richardson will be replacing Ivana Soberal as the head coach of the girls varsity basketball team. “We look forward to coach Richardson growing our girls basketball program and building on the progress and success the girls team has achieved this past season,” Patterson said. Richardson has been an assistant coach with the team for the past three years, and he has previously coached as an assistant coach for varsity girls basketball at John I. Leonard High School in Greenacres. “Coach Richardson has built a great relationship with our players on the team, and we look forward to him continuing to build those relationships as he builds the Wildcats into a competitive program in Palm Beach County,” Patterson added. This past season’s girls basketball team at RPBHS did the best they could with limited numbers. “This past season, we definitely exceeded our own expectations, playing all season with only seven girls,” Patterson said. “This up-

coming season, we will have four girls returning.” Patterson is curious to find out how many incoming freshmen will walk-on the team for the 2022-23 season. “I’ve already reached out to our local middle schools to see what we have coming in next season,” Richardson said. “There is a lot of groundwork needing to be done, and it may take some time, but with our two seniors — Mariya Mathieu and Briana Civil — they will take us as far as we will go this [next] season.” Richardson is already thinking about what roles each returning player will assume next year. “All of our girls know which role they play for our team already,” he said. “Each one will come in working on their craft — whether it’s rebounding, shooting or communicating with their teammates. They know where they fit on the team.” Richardson will take advantage of the summer break to get his team in physical shape to play a full varsity schedule. “I will, of course, have summer workouts — both team and individual skill development workouts,” Richardson said. “I also plan to have the girls play in a few summer tournaments to prepare us for the season.”

Willie Richardson is the new basketball coach at Royal Palm Beach High School.

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SPORTS & RECREATION

WHS Girls Basketball Team Showed Strong Progress This Season

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington High School’s varsity girls basketball team is back as a force to be reckoned with in South Florida basketball circles. Head coach Rodolfo Toledo was pleased with the overall performance of his squad, especially when you consider the progress that the team has made in recent years. “It was disappointing to lose in the first round of regionals, but we are super proud of what our girls were able to accomplish this season,” Toledo said. “Just three seasons ago, this team was 4-19. During the COVID-19 year, we were 8-7. And, this year, we just missed a 20-win season by going 19-6, and we made it to the regional tournament.” According to Toledo, his team

had a great year, but it could have been better. “We were a couple of plays away from winning our district tournament and our regional playoff game,” Toledo said. “So, it was a great season for us.” As with most successful high school basketball teams, the key to the squad’s success has been its senior leadership. “The seniors were a special group,” Toledo said. “They were a part of the 4-19 group from three seasons ago.” Those five seniors are Jovenah Justabe, Michelle Puerta, Nicole Gumula, Karina Balcarcel and Leylani Sime. Justabe has multiple talents, which she displays on both sides of the court. “Jovenah Justabe was an allaround guard for us this season,”

Toledo said. “She was our top defender and a leading rebounder and was able to score for us as well.” Puerta brought great leadership to the team. “Michelle Puerta was our forward, she was our captain, and was also a great rebounder and defender,” Toledo said. Gumula was a reliable scorer and defender. “Nicole Gumula was a solid guard,” Toledo said. “She was able to score from all three levels, and she was a great defender.” Balcarcel was a reliable “sixth man” for the team. “Karina Balcarcel was a pest on defense,” Toledo said. “She was also our spark plug off the bench. She was able to knock down shots consistently from the outside for us all season.” Sime could be relied upon to help the team grab key rebounds

and play strong defense at significant times in big games. “Leylani Sime started a few games for us,” Toledo said. “She was a dominant rebounder, great defender and a great leader.” Looking forward, the future is promising for the Wellington High School girls basketball team. “Gabriella Toledo and Tatyana Crafton will be two guards to watch out for next year,” coach Toledo said. “Gabriella is a dynamic scorer who is capable of scoring from all levels. She is also a solid defender, and she was a captain on this year’s team. Tatyana led the team in a lot of statistical categories. She had a few triple doubles for us this season. She is also a dynamic guard who can score and get her teammates involved. She is also a great defender. We look forward to our future next year

The Wellington High School girls varsity basketball team. with these two leading the way.” Both girls were this team’s statistical leaders. Toledo led the team in scoring with 12.3 points per

game, while Crafton led the team in rebounds (5.4 per game), assists (3.3 per game), steals (4.3 per game) and blocks (.5 per game).

Wellington Roller Hockey League Highlights WHS WRESTLERS SHINE

The Wellington Roller Hockey Association is continuing its season at Village Park. Shown below are capsule summaries from WRHA Week 14 games. Prep Skills Competition — The WRHA held its annual prep skills competition on Feb. 16. Trophies were awarded to the champions of each individual event. The winners were: Logan Stepp (fastest B-line skater), Felipe Deguzman (shootout champion and fastest A-line skater), Ava Taylor (top shootout goalie), Andres Suarez Paz (sharpshooter A-line), Amanda Warszycki (sharpshooter B-line) and Lauren Deguzman (shootout champion B-line). Prep Rangers 5, Prep Panthers 4 — The Prep Rangers and Panthers had to go to overtime this week to settle a seesaw battle. After the Panthers stormed back from a 4-2 deficit to tie the game in regulation, Chase Park’s OT goal won the contest for the Rangers. Additional Rangers scoring came from Jordan Candela (one goal), Carson Miller (one goal), Matthew Taylor (one goal), Amanda Warszycki (one goal), Tomas Uribe (one assist) and Nathan Mosquera (one assist). The Panthers were led by Jameson Quintus (two goals), Lauren Deguzman (one goal), Logan Stepp (one goal) and Tucker Holcombe (one assist). Goalie Ava Taylor (16 saves) had a strong showing and got the vic-

tory for the Rangers, while Justin Spina (11 saves) was solid for the Panthers, denying several Rangers chances on the doorstep. Junior Panthers 6, Junior Bruins 5 — On the Juniors circuit, the Bruins and Panthers once again went extra time in a tight game that was settled in a shootout. Luc Hanchuk scored the only goal in a six-round shootout for the Panthers’ 6-5 victory. The Panthers led 1-0 after the first period, and the game was knotted at 3-3 after two periods. Tucker Allen of the Panthers scored the game-tying goal with 1.6 seconds left to send the game into overtime. Panthers scoring came from Tucker Allen (two goals), Luc Hanchuk (two goals, one assist) and Gelo Gonzalez (one goal). The Bruins scoring came

from Ben Schwartz (two goals), Levi Sandholzer (three goals, one assist) and James Warszycki (one assist). Jason Hanchuk was stellar in net, making 22 of 28 saves,

while his counterpart Blu Wahl stopped 22 of 26 shots. Learn more about the league at www.wellingtonrollerhockey. com.

The winners of the 2022 WRHA Prep Skills Competition.

The Wellington High School wrestling team had a great weekend. The boys team captured their ninth-consecutive district title, the most consecutive wins for any sports team in WHS history, and qualified all 14 wrestlers to advance to the regional tournament. The girls team competed in the inaugural regional tournament and qualified four wrestlers for the state tournament while placing sixth as a team. Girls state qualifiers were Brooke Rhodes, Jameson Hannigan, Aurora Guadiana and Sofia Bentz.

Gelo Gonzalez of the Junior Panthers faces off against goalie Jason Hanchuk during the shootout.

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SPORTS & RECREATION

Bacon And Bourbon Fest Will Return To Wellington Promenade March 26-27

The Wellington Bacon and Bourbon Fest will return on Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27. Held on the grounds surrounding the Wellington Promenade, the free admission event offers attendees the opportunity to taste from a selection of bourbons and celebrates one of the most loved foods in the universe — bacon! The two-day event features artists and crafters, an eclectic menu of bacon-infused culinary delights, and a collection of rare bourbons and whiskeys. The Bourbon Bar will showcase three specialty bourbons comprised of Garrison Brothers, Luxco-Yellowstone, Blue Ridge Spirits-

Joseph Magnus and Copper Craft. Attendees will be able to order a mix of bourbon cocktails and varieties of bourbon flights offering patrons the opportunity to taste different brands. The menu of bacon and pork-related dishes will include Catering CC’s bacon garlic cheese fries and famous jerk in a cup to the insane bacon bar and desserts. Menu items developed by local chefs explore the boundaries of New American cuisine and the Farm to Table movement to good old-fashioned comfort foods. At the heart of Bacon and Bourbon Fest is a commitment to create fun-filled food lover community events featuring unique

WRESTLING CLUB BRINGS HOME AWARDS

food and beverages. The event’s strong commitment to the community is that they are designed as a fundraising opportunity for

nonprofit organizations that staff the event. Indulge in the sweet smell of bacon and guzzle down the

smooth taste of bourbon at the Wellington Bacon and Bourbon Festival. During the two-day event, if

you would like to receive special updates, exclusive specials and safety alerts, text the word “bacon” to (833) 222-1965.

Dog Shows Will Return To The Fairgrounds March 9-13 The Boca Raton Dog Club and the Palm Beach County Dog Fancier’s Association have joined forces to bring dog lovers the South Florida Classic Spring Cluster Dog Show. Thousands of dogs and their owners will get the chance to strut their stuff in the show ring Wednesday, March 9 through Sunday, March 13 at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center. “We are delighted to welcome spectators back to the annual South Florida Classic Spring Cluster,” said Deborah Roberts, president of the Boca Raton Dog Club. “Not only is this a fun activity for families, but it is the perfect place to talk to breed experts about topics

such as training, grooming and the right breed for your lifestyle. An AKC dog show is also a great place to start your search for a responsible breeder.” Spectators can meet and greet a variety of different dog breeds. Visitors can learn about responsible dog ownership and speak with breeders, owners and handlers. Attendees can also watch dogs test their extreme water skills in exciting dock diving competitions; watch the judging of various breeds in conformation and cheer for your favorite; see young owner-handlers compete against their peers in the Junior Showmanship competition; watch

owner-handlers compete in a special event called the National Owner-Handled Series; and see puppies getting started in the sport in an AKC-sanctioned puppy competition. There is also canine good citizen testing and trick dog testing. The North America Diving Dogs will be attending the cluster again this year. Diving dogs is a canine sport in which dogs are enticed to run the length of a dock and leap as far out into the water as possible to compete for height or distance. They’re motivated to fly with a prized toy, which is thrown just out of reach. Spectators can watch dogs test their extreme water skills in this exciting event.

All judging will be indoors under air conditioning with food and merchandise vendors available. Events will be taking place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, Wednesday, March 9 through Sunday, March 13 at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center. Spectator entry for this fun-filled event is $5 per person with a $5 parking fee per vehicle. Children under 12 are free. Dogs not entered in the event are not allowed on the show grounds except for service dogs. For more information on this event or the hosting clubs, visit www.bocaratondogclub.org or www.foytrentdogshows.com.

Kravis Center Names Lebow Award Winners

The Wellington Wrestling Club recently competed in the AAU I Own Florida Championships and finished with two state champions. Seventh grader Nikolas Gray (12U, 120 pounds) and eighth grader Mac Andrews (14U, 160 pounds) both brought home titles. Also placing for Wellington were Dante Rossi (second), James Kosza (fourth) and Nico Rossi (sixth).

Basketball

Berean’s Future Is Strong

continued from page 25 ate future is strong. Green’s team only graduates two seniors, Paige Hazera and Samantha Mais. The bulk of his scoring comes from his sixth-grade point guard (and daughter) Aliyah Harris-Green and sophomore Ashley Hendricks, who averaged nearly 18 points and

Celebrating its 12th year of honoring local Title 1 high schoolers for their excellence in Shakespearean performances, the Lebow Awards were presented on Jan. 22, where participating students and teachers also attended the evening’s performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Cash prizes totaling $5,000 were bestowed on six Palm Beach County students from two area high schools following an adjudication process. “This award at the Kravis Center is a fitting tribute to Alan Lebow, a man whose passion in life involved theater, film, art

more than 14 rebounds a game. When you consider other returning players, such as shot blocker Claudya Glemaud, rebounding sensation Dylande “Dee Dee” Innocent and scorer Yemeli Tavarez, Berean will be strong next season. Despite the loss to Miami Christian, Green was proud of his team’s post-season play. “We won many games by sticking to the game plan and bringing lots of defensive energy to the game,” Green said. “We grew a great deal as a team this year. I’m very proud of their effort.”

and literature,” said Tracy Butler, director of education at the Kravis Center. “We are pleased to honor the accomplishments of the 2022 Lebow Award recipients, as well as the commitment of their teachers. The students all gave outstanding performances, and this program would not be possible without the support of the Lebow family’s Kids’ Dreams Inc. foundation.” Sponsored by Kids’ Dreams Inc., in memory of its co-founder Alan Lebow, the Kravis Center award program engages students from Title I high schools and provides the opportunity for them to

Royal Palm Beach High School junior Sophia Madden.

PHOTOS COURTESY MARY STUCCHI

perform short selections from William Shakespeare’s works before a panel of distinguished judges. In 2015, Kids’ Dreams made a gift to the Kravis Center to permanently endow the Lebow Award. The student adjudication took place on Dec. 11, where the participants performed their selected works and were evaluated and scored by three judges in five categories of performance: concentration, emotional commitment, energy, evidence of understanding and overall performance. The Lebow Award judges included Desmond Gallant, Court-

ney Poston and Karen Stephens. The two top winners were seniors from Forest Hill High School, Madison McCalla, a Kravis Center DeGeorge Academy alumna, and Curran Stinchcomb. Each won a prize of $1,000. Diani Galarza-Alvarez, and Katelyn Daunais both seniors at Forest Hill High School; Sophia Madden, a junior at Royal Palm Beach High School; and Anne-Marie Gousse, a junior at Forest Hill High School were awarded $750 as honorable mentions. For more information on the Kravis Center’s education programs, visit www.kravis.org.

Diani Galarza-Alvarez, Katelyn Daunais, Madison McCalla and Anne-Marie Gousse of Forest Hill High School.

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PALMS WEST PEOPLE

Military Unit Shows Appreciation For Wellington’s American Legion Post 390

At Wellington’s American Legion Post 390 meeting in January, Past Post Commander Jim Napuli asked members for a special request. His son, Major Jason Napuli, was serving in the Middle East on aeromedical evacuation missions. Jim asked the members of the post to send a card or letter of appreciation to his son during the end of the holiday season.

Letters, cards and personal items/ goodies were sent as requested, and Jason was overwhelmed by the responses. Toward the end of February’s Post 390 meeting, Jim presented Post 390 with an American flag that was flown on a combat mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and Enduring Sentinel aboard a C-17 aircraft. It was flown through Kuwait

and Iraq and through the Arabian Gulf, delivering injured and ill Americans to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for additional care. A Certificate of Authenticity was also presented to Post 390 in appreciation of the caring responses from post members. Major Jason Napuli recently returned safely to the United States.

(Above) Major Jason Napuli aboard a C-17 aircraft with the mission flag. (Left) Assisting Past Post Commander Jim Napuli (center) with the flag are Post Chaplain Al Ziker and Post Commander Jay Froehlich.

Zamir Baksh Named To Letourneau University’s Dean’s List Zamir Baksh of Greenacres was named to the fall 2021 Dean’s List at LeTourneau University. The Dean’s List recognizes students who have achieved a grade point average between 3.50 and 3.99 for the semester. Baksh is majoring in aviation management. Last spring, he was

named to the President’s List, achieving a perfect grade point average of 4.0. LeTourneau University President Dr. Steven D. Mason said being named to the Dean’s List is a significant academic achievement and honor. “As the comprehensive Chris-

tian polytechnic institution in the country, LeTourneau University attracts students who are among our nation’s best,” Mason said. “I’m especially impressed with these honor roll students, and I expect them to have a significant impact on our future.” LeTourneau University is the

Christian polytechnic university where educators engage students to nurture Christian virtue, develop competency and ingenuity in their professional fields, integrate faith and work, and serve the local and global community. For additional information, visit www.letu.edu.

Page 29

Local Author Jillian Rodriguez Announces New ‘I’ll Meet You’ Book

Jillian Rodriguez, a local children’s book author, recently announced her third book, I’ll Meet You on a Shooting Star. Do you know a child who loves planets, stars and outer space? Or maybe you want to help them learn a little bit about the solar system in a fun and imaginative way. Get ready to blast off as the third book in the award-winning “I’ll Meet You” series prepares to launch. I’ll Meet You on a Shooting Star follows two characters through outer space, as they learn little fun facts about the solar system and its many planets. With its fun rhythmic text and captivating illustrations, your little astronaut won’t want to put this book down. It is an out of this world, inclusive series for children, parents and teachers alike. “We have been so honored with the enthusiasm from the community,” Rodriguez said. “It is because of you and your support that we have been able to bring these books to life. We have been so active in the community between author meets, school visits and book readings and have been so fulfilled making an impact on the children in the community.” I’ll Meet You on a Shooting Star is in the preorder stage. Rodriguez is running a campaign in order to fund the printing of this newest book, which is currently 90 percent funded with a campaign end date of March 9. “We hope to get these books printed so we can offer them in the

Author Jillian Rodriguez with her third book, I’ll Meet You on a Shooting Star. schools and other organizations, and to continue to foster the love of reading in children everywhere,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez, a Loxahatchee resident, worked as a preschool teacher for eight years before becoming an author. She first began studying early childhood education in high school, where she received some of her credentials and was president of the Florida Future Educators of America club. She then went on to get her associate’s degree and continued studying early childhood education at FAU. If you would like to order a copy of the new book for yourself or to help a local school, join the pre-order Kickstarter campaign at www.onashootingstar.com.

Wellington And Royal Palm Beach Teens Among Philanthropy Tank Class Of 2022

Philanthropy Tank has announced the finalists for its 2022 program. The nonprofit challenges, empowers and equips the next generation of “changemakers” to develop and execute sustainable initiatives and solutions to solve problems in their communities. The nonprofit received hundreds of applications from students between eighth and 12th grade from across Palm Beach County. The application requires students to submit a philanthropic idea that directly addresses issues in their community. The students will present their ideas to a group of philanthropist investors, who can

award each project up to $15,000 in funding to launch and implement the program. This year’s philanthropist investors are Aisha Ali, Caroline Cummings Rafferty, Frances Fisher and Tom Vining. The students will also receive one-to-one mentoring and support. Three Wellington teens and two Royal Palm Beach teens are among 15 students chosen as finalists across six projects: • Drop the Vape — Tessie Gordon from Wellington High School is behind Drop the Vape, a program that aims to decrease the number of teen vape users in Palm Beach County by establish-

ing a new educational course for students caught with vape devices at school, offering a text-to-quit program for students hoping to stop vaping, and advocating for an increase in the proximity between vape shops and schools. • Traveling Comforts — Karimah Khoram of Royal Palm Beach from the PACE Center for Girls proposed this project. At any given time in Palm Beach County, there are approximately 1,000 kids in foster care. Typically, when a child is removed from his or her home, they leave with the clothes on their backs and nothing else. Traveling Comforts is a program that aims to

provide foster kids with a personal travel/duffle bag, a cozy throw blanket, a toiletry bag and a stationery kit to comfort them through transitional situations. • Sharing the Arts — Shreya Srinivasan (Wellington), Alyssa Jean Louis (Royal Palm Beach), Ave Goorbarry (Lake Worth) and Nathan Goldin (Jupiter) from the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts proposed Sharing the Arts, a program that aims to support low-income middle school students exploring their interest in the arts by offering workshops, supplies and mentorship. • Bridging the Gap — Sahil

Bhandary (Wellington), Duaa Ali (Palm Beach Gardens), Jayantha Kantamneni (Jupiter) and Cooper Weisman (West Palm Beach) from the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts proposed Bridging the Gap, which plans to work with elementary and middle schools in Palm Beach County to provide school supplies to underprivileged schools. Other finalists include Growing Native Oases Made for Engagement (GNOME) by Mallory Thomas (Boca Raton), Anna Jarvis (Boca Raton), Elise Sigel (Highland Beach) and Alyssa Jiggetts (Coconut Creek) from FAU High

School, and Green Garments by Amelia Williams (Delray Beach) from the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts. The finalists will make their presentations in a live recorded event that will be posted on Philanthropy Tank’s web site as well as its Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn pages on April 11. This is Philanthropy Tank’s seventh year operating this unique program in Palm Beach County. To date, Philanthropy Tank student-led programs in Palm Beach County and Baltimore have impacted more than 300,000 lives. Visit www.philanthropytank.org to learn more.

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VALENTINE’S DAY AT GOLDEN GROVE

Golden Grove Elementary School has been very busy celebrating Valentine’s Day. On Friday, Feb. 11, the school hosted its Daddy Daughter Dance for students and their fathers. They all enjoyed a special evening of dancing and dining. On Monday, Feb. 14, the entire school celebrated their love for their community by participating in the Kids Heart Challenge, formerly known as Jump Rope for Heart, to raise funds for the American Heart Association. Golden Grove has participated in this activity for the past 20 years and is approaching its goal of raising $21,000.

RPBHS DANCERS VISIT CAPSTONE

SCHOOL NEWS

American Heritage Schools Celebrates Seniors’ Early College Acceptances

American Heritage Schools, a leading college preparatory school with the highest number of National Merit Scholars and highest U.S. Presidential Scholars of all high schools in Florida, recently announced that many of its 2022 graduates have received early acceptances to the nation’s top colleges and universities. At American Heritage Schools, preparing for college begins as early as elementary school, and often by the time a student is a senior, he or she has selected a dream school. Many students choose to apply to their first-choice college through the early decision process and, again this year, many of these students received early acceptances to their first-choice schools. The American Heritage Schools Pre-Professional Programs, Science Research Institute and 75 offerings in the arts inspire students to choose their college majors and career aspirations. The rigorous curriculum and access to high-level resources continue to prove successful year after year. Many in this year’s graduating class chose to apply to elite colleges and universities, including Harvard University, Stanford University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University, to name a few. American Heritage students enjoyed some of the highest acceptance rates to elite universities in the entire nation. “I plan to double major in political economy and finance at Georgetown University, and the

Early acceptance students from the American Heritage Schools Palm Beach campus. pre-law program at American creating a better world and putting in high school was an amazing Heritage Schools motivated me to their academic, artistic and altruis- experience.” participate in mock trial and moot tic endeavors to good use. American Heritage Schools is court competitions and serve as the “My future plan is for a career the No. 1 private school in Florida president of the Heritage Chapter in the tech industry. The pre-en- for nationally recognized scholars, of the Florida Law Honor Soci- gineering program at American in math competition, science fair, ety,” said Alexis Nguyen, a senior Heritage allowed me to explore mock trial, moot court, and speech who will be attending Georgetown my interest and passion for en- and debate. “We are proud to have in fall. “Those experiences helped gineering and design to a higher our students gain early acceptancwith both my social capacity and level,” said Nigel Alexis, a senior es to their dream schools,” said Dr. academic ability to work hard and who will be attending Columbia Doug Laurie, president of Amersucceed. To have had instructors University with plans to major ican Heritage Schools. “Each in high school that were attorneys in computer and electrical engi- student demonstrates strength and judges gave me the extra neering. “It was a one-of-a-kind of character and the motivation edge.” opportunity that led me to choose to excel, and their futures are as American Heritage Schools’ the major which I intend to pursue equally bright as they are.” students are dedicated, high at Columbia University. To be For more information, visit achieving and passionate about taught only by expert engineers www.ahschool.com.

Polo Park Middle School Science Students Win Awards

The Wildcat Dancers Dance Team from Royal Palm Beach High School, under the direction of master choreographer and teacher Michele Blecher, brought their traveling show to Capstone Senior Living in Royal Palm Beach on Thursday, Feb. 17. The dancers performed 12 dance routines during their traveling show, “Dance with Me.” The show’s dance routines were performed masterfully by the dancers in the dance styles of jazz, musical theater, contemporary and lyrical. The musicality of the show ranged from soft rock, country, pop, Broadway and classic rhythm & blues. Shown above are dancers (L-R) Leah Milfort, captain Gshaline Rampersad, first dancer Aracely Prado, Kimora Miller, co-captain Jasmine Ramirez, Gianna Nembhard, co-captain Kylie Nguyen and Darynn St. Jules.

Polo Park Middle School recently had 14 students participate in the Palm Beach County Science and Engineering Fair. From those 14 students, six were selected to be recognized with awards. Lucas Demattos was recognized by the Navy League of the U.S., Palm Beach Council with the “Outstanding Spirit and Achievement” award. Evan Seith earned a fourth-place award for his project. Michael Niemczyk, Emily Ramirez and Laksshita Vishnuvardhan achieved thirdplace awards for their work.

For the sixth time in Polo Park’s history, a student earned first-place standing and received advancement to the state science fair. Alejandro Rincon’s project in the category of Environmental Engineering earned the top award, as well as four special recognition awards from the following organizations: the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Pollution Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County, the Ricoh Sustainable Development Award and the South Florida Water Management District. Rincon will have the honor of

Polo Park students at the Palm Beach County Science Fair. representing Polo Park Middle Science and Engineering Fair at School at the 67th annual State the end of March.

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Bombay Sapphire Gin $35.99

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Partida Blanco Tequila

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February 25 - March 10, 2022

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Page 35

BUSINESS NEWS

Westlake Led Palm Beach County In Single-Family Building Activity In 2021 When it comes to building new homes in Palm Beach County, the City of Westlake led the way in 2021. According to an annual report by the county’s planning department, Westlake was issued 829 single-family home permits, which far outpaced any of the 38 other municipalities. The next closest city was Palm Beach Gardens with 313 permits. Westlake represented well more than a third of all permits issued by municipalities, which totaled 2,148. The

remaining permits were issued in unincorporated Palm Beach County. In total, 4,674 permits for single-family homes were pulled countywide in 2021. “I think the data speaks for itself,” said Mike Belmont, president of Minto Communities USA, the master developer and primary homebuilder in Westlake. “The real estate market is very hot right now, and people are gravitating to the quality of homes and lifestyle that we offer at Westlake. They

Tax Collector’s Office Completes Demolition Of PGA Service Center

Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne M. Gannon recently announced that demolition has been completed on the former DMV building on PGA Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens. “With the demolition of the old building, I am excited to begin construction on our new state-ofthe-art service center,” Gannon said. “As the North County grows, we must also grow to accommodate the needs of the community.” Operated by the State Division of Driver Licenses before the Tax Collector’s Office inherited the building in 2010, this location has served generations of Palm Beach County drivers but was unable to meet the demands of the growing population. The population of Palm Beach County is projected to increase 16 percent by 2030, and for every new home built in the county, an additional 2.3 people will require the services of the Tax Collector’s Office.

“When I was elected in 2006, our county was home to 700,000 people. We have now grown to more than 1.6 million people,” Gannon said. “This new service center will give us the ability to serve clients more efficiently now and in the future. We are very fortunate to be working with the City of Palm Beach Gardens to bring this facility to the residents of their city and the surrounding communities.” The new, state-of-the-art facility will offer 74 percent more client service stations, ample parking, expanded road test capabilities, and a bright and spacious interior designed with LEED green-building principles. When construction is complete, by late 2023, the Tax Collector’s Service Center in the North County Governmental Center will close. The new service center will be the third facility built by the agency to meet demand spurred by Palm Beach County growth.

The demolition of the old DMV building on PGA Blvd.

also want to be part of this exciting new city as it grows and evolves.” Westlake was incorporated as Palm Beach County’s 39th municipality in June 2016. Minto started home sales about a year-and-ahalf later in October 2017. Since opening, Minto has sold more than 1,242 homes in Westlake. Minto sold nearly 300 homes in 2021, while two other homebuilders sold 187 and 120 homes, for a total of 607 new home sales in Westlake for 2021. In January 2022, Minto announced plans to introduce the first townhome neighborhood within the 3,800-acre community. Four model homes are currently under construction in the Crossings of Westlake. Sales will begin when the new models open. Minto plans to build 130 luxury townhome residences from the newly created Bay Collection. Three distinct floorplans — Aventura, Brickell and Biscayne — will feature either three bedrooms with 2.5 bathrooms or four bed-

rooms with 3.5 bathrooms. The Crossings is the sixth Minto neighborhood to be developed in Westlake. Last summer, the company opened the Orchards with 358 single-family homes in phase one starting in the $400s, and the Estates, an enclave of 76 luxury homes on 75-foot homesites starting in the $500s. Altogether, Westlake is approved for 4,500 homes and more than two million square feet of non-residential space. Phase two construction of the Westlake Adventure Park is also underway. Commercial development continues to boom as well. The Westlake City Council recently approved site plans for a new shopping center and cluster of restaurants known as the Shoppes of Westlake Landings, as well as a new family entertainment center known as Adrenaline World. Construction on both projects is expected to start in 2022. A self-storage facility is also being planned for the 50-acre Westlake

An aerial view of the fast-growing Westlake community. Landings business park. new regional service center, which Meanwhile, Publix recently is set to open to the public soon. broke ground on a multi-tenant Westlake is located at 16610 retail center that will be anchored Town Center Parkway North in by a 50,000-square-foot gro- the City of Westlake, on Semicery store, and Christ Fellowship nole Pratt Whitney Road between Church has broken ground on an Southern Blvd. and Northlake 800-seat worship center. The Palm Blvd. For more information, call Beach County Tax Collector’s Of- (888) 299-3628 or visit www. fice has finished construction on a westlakefl.com.

Palm Beach County Food Bank Receives $50,000 Through Bank Of America Initiative

Bank of America recently announced a $50,000 donation worth 250,000 meals to the Palm Beach County Food Bank to address food insecurity in the region. As the pandemic continues, hunger relief organizations in Palm Beach County and across the country are facing ongoing challenges, such as increased demand for their services and rising food prices. Bank of America is supporting its employees’ health and safety while addressing one of the local communities’ most critical needs. Earlier this year, the company announced it would contribute funds to local hunger relief organizations and food banks for each employee who received a COVID-19 booster shot or vaccine and notified the bank before the end of January. Since the onset of the pandemic, Bank of America has provided $175,000 in funding to the Palm Beach County Food Bank in support of local hunger relief efforts. This year, the Palm Beach County Food Bank is celebrating 10 years of working toward alleviating hunger in the county. Currently, the food bank partners with more than 200 local schools,

shelters, food pantries and soup kitchens to help distribute more than 14.5 million meals in Palm Beach County. The organization reaches nearly 100,000 individuals experiencing food insecurity each month. “We are so thankful for Bank of America being a great partner over the years,” said Jamie Kendall, CEO of the Palm Beach County Food Bank. “Their continued support is instrumental to our efforts toward aiding our neighbors experiencing food insecurity in Palm Beach County.” Nationally, the bank has committed $10.6 million to food banks and hunger relief organizations through this effort. Since 2015, Bank of America has donated nearly $150 million toward hunger relief efforts. “As the pandemic continues to impact Palm Beach County, food banks and hunger relief organizations are experiencing increased demand and higher costs to meet the needs of individuals and families,” said Fabiola Brumley, president of Bank of America Palm Beach County. “Our commitment to help strengthen the communities we live in and serve is unwavering,

Food bank officials accept the Bank of America donation. which is why we are investing in the health, safety and wellbeing of our teammates while also providing funds to help local organizations support our neighbors and fight food insecurity.” The company has encouraged its staff to get COVID-19 vaccinations since summer 2021 and has offered incentives such as

paid time off and $500 credits toward health benefit premiums. In partnership with local nonprofits, Bank of America has also distributed more than 38 million masks, 41,000 cases of hand sanitizer and 11 million gloves in local communities as part of its ongoing efforts to address health-related disparities accelerated by the pandemic.

Page 36 February 25 - March 10, 2022

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Page 37

FEATURES

I’m Not Sure About Reincarnation, But Maybe I Was An Iguana

I had some time to think, and that is not always a good thing. My mind rambles along until it stumbles upon some random topic, and then I’m off and running. So, I was thinking about iguanas. And how they fall out of trees when it gets too cold for them. They’re not dead; they’re just sort of temporarily paralyzed. And I began to envy the lowly iguana. The weather turns cold; the iguana doesn’t like it; he opts out. Seeya. Then — one thought leading to another — I wondered if I could request to come back as an iguana. You know, if reincarnation is a thing. And then — one thought leading to another — I wondered if an iguana could request to come back as me.

Deborah Welky is

The Sonic BOOMER Which led me to ask my husband, “Do you think I was once an iguana?” To which he replied, “That’s it. I’m having you tested.” “No, no, just hear me out,” I said. “I have a lot in common with an iguana.” “Such as?” “I live in Florida.”

“OK...” “My eyes turn red when I’m agitated.” “I’ve seen that.” “I’m starting to get saggy skin on my throat.” “I am going to pretend to know nothing about that.” “And I’d just love to temporarily opt out of life when things get uncomfortable.” “Wouldn’t we all. But iguanas live mostly on vegetation. Without hamburgers, you’d starve to death in a week.” I pondered this. It was true. I had probably been a carnivore. “Wolverine!” I shouted. “You’ve lost me.” “Maybe I was a wolverine. Wolverines l-o-v-e meat, hate crowds. Ooh, ooh! I

know! A jaguar!” I started Googling. “A puma! It says here that pumas like to live near larger carnivores so they can use them as a shield. That’s you!” “A shield? That’s the only reason you married me? To protect you from predators?” I thought about this for a moment, then smiled. “No,” I said. “That’s why you married me.” Mark did not think this was funny. I continued scrolling. “Bush dog!” “What’s a bush dog?” “I don’t know, but he’s evidently, ‘Mysterious and difficult to spot, with webbed feet.’ Maybe I was a bush dog?” “You still rely pretty heavily on the dog paddle.”

“Wait a minute. Here it is — recluse spider.” “Yes, that’s it,” Mark agreed. “And I’d much rather be married to a former recluse spider than a former iguana.” “There’s no need to get sarcastic. You don’t believe in reincarnation, do you?” “I don’t, especially not for animals.” “You need to open your mind.” “You need to keep at least one foot on Planet Earth.” But I didn’t hear him. I was busy Googling “characteristics of the recluse spider.” Mark left to clean the battery terminals on the car. To each his own. Although I suppose that’s why we’re still driving — and married. At least one of us lives on Planet Earth.

‘Death On The Nile’ Is OK, But Not The Best Of Agatha Christie The new movie version of Death on the Nile is OK. Unfortunately, it is not all that interesting, but it does present a reasonably decent time at the movies. Of course, there are a lot of films on streaming services now that are easily as good. How could a classic Agatha Christie mystery go wrong? There are several reasons. The plot is rather creaky. Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) sitting in a jazz club, admiring singer Salome (Sophie Okonedo), when he sees a loving couple, Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer) and Jackie DeBellefort (Emma Mackey) entwined in a dance. A few minutes later, heiress and Jackie’s good friend Linnet (Gal Gadot) enters and is introduced to Simon. The plot jumps ahead six months, and Linnet has just married Simon. They and a group of motley friends, along with Poirot, are at a hotel in Egypt as part of a honeymoon party. Jackie suddenly appears, threatening.

‘I’ On CULTURE By Leonard Wechsler Everyone winds up on a boat sailing the Nile, and we find that just about everyone has some reason to dislike Linnet. There is an attempted murder, and then a series of murders, and, in similar fashion to the far better Murder on the Orient Express, everyone on the boat seems to have a motive for killing. And, not surprisingly, Poirot figures out the answers. The film is stylish, sort of quasi-British of the 1930s, although the characters have been updated to allow more diversity. The

problem is that the only person the camera seems to linger on is Branagh, who is also the director. But most of the characters are rather boring — not the fault of the actors. Okonedo stands out, both for her singing and her personality, but she is not even one of the more vital cast members. Quite a few were well-known celebrities at some point, often years ago. But they were mostly cyphers here. And that creates a major plot problem. A barely noticed or developed character is seldom that vital to good plotting. When you know virtually nothing about a character, and the actor is not particularly striking, they are less likely to be a key plot point. Another problem is probability. I will not go into details, because that would spoil the film if you see it, but it is not all that difficult to figure out the ending. In the Orient Express film, we had that incredible plot twist (if you haven’t seen

the 1974 version of that movie, make sure you do even if just for the incredible cast) that really saves the day. One of the top elements was that there were so many stars who were possible killers… Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Jacqueline Bisset, etc., were all possibilities. A few years later, a version of the Death on the Nile story was done and was not as good. I saw it, but forgot the plot. As a result, this time it actually took about 15 minutes to figure it out. Added to that, the focus on Poirot became more important than in pretty much any of the stories. We find out that he wore the mustaches that dominate Branagh’s face to cover up a nasty facial wound he got in World War I. At the end, he is looking for the woman who has become at least somewhat of a love interest, and the mustaches are gone, showing the wound.

In a certain sense, this demonstrates a key weakness in his direction. There are constant distractions from the plot. In Murder on the Orient Express, it was views of the snow preventing the train’s getting through. Here there are constant shots of the Nile with no apparent point, as well as a far stronger focus on Poirot’s personality and problems. I would guess this is to make up the creakiness of the plot. Yet the film itself does move along and at least some of the people have a sense of style. The pyramids and the Sphinx are also impressive. And if you don’t know the plot, you might enjoy the twists and turns that Christie is famous for. So, my thumb is neither up nor down. It is OK, and better than some other films, but Dame Agatha does deserve better And, if you haven’t, see the two great movies based on her work, the 1974 Murder on the Orient Express and the 1957 Witness for the Prosecution.

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