Town-Crier Newspaper January 24, 2025

HONORING THE LEGACY OF DR. KING

O’Connor:

Westlake Mayor John Paul

O’Connor said

AAL Pushes To Retain Special Sports Status With Indian Trail

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

Where will little Johnny play? And how long will he or she be able to play there?

Those were two of the critical questions being asked of Indian Trail Improvement District supervisors when they held a Monday, Jan. 13 workshop on the future of youth athletics in the Acreage/ Loxahatchee area.

“We can’t go season to season,” said Andi Schloesser, director of marketing and social media for the Acreage Athletic League (AAL).

“We want to know that two, three years from now… little Johnny

[who is] playing on the peewee team is still going to be here playing on varsity.”

The all-volunteer AAL has been the provider of youth sports at ITID parks for some 30 years. The organization currently provides leagues for baseball, basketball, co-ed and girls flag football, soccer, softball and tackle football.

The AAL has long operated under a service provider agreement (SPA) with the district that has given it exclusive use of many ITID parks and recreation facilities. After several years of complaints to ITID officials about how the organization was being

run by its executive board, supervisors allowed the SPA to expire in November.

ITID President Elizabeth Accomando said this week she had hoped the workshop would be a “think tank” about a range of ideas for youth sports and the use of the district’s 11 parks.

However, the workshop and the Wednesday, Jan. 15 regular monthly board session quickly boiled down to whether the AAL would continue to hold a special position in the district, or if the district would shift to a permitting system for field time — especially

See WORKSHOP, page 4

Zoning Board Questions Delay Vote On Isla Carroll Proposal

By Charles Elmore Town-Crier Staff Report

A plan to put 40 homes on 79 acres in Wellington’s equestrian area, 35 of them clustered on as little as a third of an acre each, ran into enough pointed questions from members of Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board last week that it prompted the developers to ask to postpone the board’s vote for roughly a month.

Meeting Wednesday, Jan. 15, the board agreed by a 5-2 vote to delay consideration of the Isla Carroll project, with PZA Board Chair John Bowers and Vice Chair Michael Drahos dissenting.

“I think the project looks beautiful,” Bowers said. “I have concerns related to the site, because of it being in such a sensitive area.”

The board’s next scheduled meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 19. The postponement followed a 7-0 vote opposing the project from the village’s Equestrian Preserve Committee a week earlier. Regardless of advisory board votes, the Wellington Village Council will have the final say. The project is turning into the latest flashpoint over what de-

velopment should be allowed in Wellington’s economically vital horse country. It follows council approval of the Wellington Lifestyle Partners development plan last year that removed 96 acres of land from the Equestrian Preserve Area for the first time in village history to build a luxury golf community. Developers said it was justified by a consolidated and expanded showgrounds area, part of a larger strategy to build 203 luxury residences and a commercial main street with a hotel, shops, offices and restaurants.

With Isla Carroll, the idea is an equestrian-themed club community, but most lots won’t be big enough to stable horses at the site off 120th Avenue South, about 1,350 feet south of its intersection with Pierson Road, and just north of the National Polo Center. Five lots will be at least 1.5 acres, big enough for a stable but short of the traditional two-acre standard. Residents and up to a total of 300 club members would have access to a community barn, 24 stalls, riding rings and other amenities, officials said.

Board members grappled with questions such as whether al -

lowing clustered homes on as small as a third of an acre each effectively removes them forever from the conventional equestrianarea model of multi-acre lots. In contrast, having 40 two-acre lots does not guarantee they are all put to equestrian use, but preserves that possibility for future buyers.

“We remove usable equestrian acreage to be able to make an equestrian-themed development work, but I think that does sacrifice a lot,” Bowers said.

Developers said it creates an incubator for prosperous families who can introduce their members to the equestrian world. Most probably would not be full-time residents.

“If you look across our projects, they are largely second and third homes for the homeowner,” said Ed Divita, a partner with Discovery Land Co., part of the development team that operates dozens of communities worldwide focused on outdoor recreation from skiing to golf to seafaring. “It would be wrong not to recognize the seasonality of Wellington as it is.”

The club would operate yearround but adjust staffing and See ISLA CARROLL, page 4

By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach Village Council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 16 began on a somber note with a proclamation honoring the memory of Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ralph “Butch” Waller Jr. Waller, a longtime Royal Palm Beach resident, died following a tragic accident on Southern Blvd. on Thursday, Nov. 21. Two other PBSO officers, Corporal Luis Paez and Deputy Ignacio “Dan” Diaz, also died as a result of the accident, when they were fatally struck by a driver traveling eastbound as they were conducting traffic enforcement. The proclamation named Jan. 16, 2025, as Deputy Sheriff Ralph

Wellington Council Signs Off On Deal To Sell K-Park Land

By Charles Elmore Town-Crier Staff Report

Meeting Tuesday, Jan. 14, the Wellington Village Council unanimously approved a $47 million deal to sell the village-owned K-Park property to developer Related Ross and an educational partner, setting the table for restaurants, stores, a hotel, hundreds of rental residences and a high-end private school on a prized parcel southwest of State Road 7 and Stribling Way.

The contract approved at the meeting remains contingent on Wellington’s final approval of specific development plans in a process that could take 18 months to two years to play out. It includes what Village Attorney Laurie Cohen called “off-ramps” for the parties to bail out, losing parts of deposits in some cases, if things don’t go as planned.

“This is the best package with the best people behind it,” Mayor Michael Napoleone said.

However, that does not mean everything is quite settled. “We know we have to solve the traffic issue,” he said.

In a statement after the vote, Related Ross President Kenneth A. Himmel said, “We thank the Wellington Village Council and all Wellington residents who supported this transformative vision.

The project will create a vibrant retail and dining-focused community gathering place, enhance green spaces, provide new residences and establish a world-class, not-for-profit private school at the heart of Wellington.”

Discussions going forward are likely to focus on density, traffic and accommodating neighbors.

Builders have mentioned about 400 to 550 residences over time, from townhomes to apartments, though one person said the top number is more like 500 at this point. A hotel could feature 150 to 180 rooms, Himmel said at the meeting.

Future public hearings will deal with the details of traffic and perhaps include walls, barriers or landscaping to shield nearby communities, Napoleone said.

The mayor said provisions in the contract are designed to make sure that the builders proceed with 50 percent of commercial buildings before starting to build residences.

Napoleone downplayed the notion that the village had somehow hurried down this path with K-Park.

“This is not a rushed project,” he said. “We’ve been talking for 10 years about this site.”

Councilwoman Maria Antuña said it is just the start of a long process.

“This is not going to happen overnight,” she said. “The one thing I’m very excited about is I will have the opportunity to, and I’ll use the word, to hammer Related if I have to, to get what we need for Wellington and what should happen.”

Public comments ranged from support for new eating, shopping, housing and school options, backed by a developer with an established track record in West Palm Beach and around the country, to worries about traffic along the already congested State Road 7 corridor where it connects with two-lane Stribling Way.

Mary Lou Bedford, CEO of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce, said her organization supports the project.

“The proposed development offers important opportunities for businesses to grow in our region,” she said.

Resident Ava Parker said she respects the village’s highly rated public schools but thinks options are welcome for families like hers who send their children to private schools outside the village, often with long commutes. “I think it’s important if we are going to serve our residents, we See K-PARK, page 14

“Butch” Waller Jr. Day in recognition of his ultimate sacrifice. A large group of deputies and officers were in attendance from the PBSO. Mayor Jeff Hmara presented the proclamation to Waller’s widow, Denise Waller.

“He was a man who dedicated his life to protecting and serving others with unwavering courage and commitment,” Hmara said. “We want to express our deepest gratitude and heartfelt condolences. Your loss is profound, and we know that words alone cannot ease your pain. Please know that the Village of Royal Palm Beach stands with you, not only on this special day, but well beyond it.”

The key action item on the council’s agenda was the approval of a final plat for the 12.28-acre

CAFCI and the Village of Royal Palm Beach presented their 23rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration on Monday, Jan. 20 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. The theme was “Unity in the Arts: Bridging Divides with Creativity.” Shown here, Jannette Sharpe-Paul and Dennis Wright thank keynote speaker Dr. Idell McLaughlin. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 16

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County held the 37th annual Wellington Dinner Dance on Saturday, Jan. 11 at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club. The Bridgerton-inspired masquerade ball was a benefit for the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club in Wellington. Shown above are Marybel Coleman, Tamika Payne, Julie Kime, Dorothy Bradshaw, Sheila Prieschl and Darlene Allen in their ball attire.

PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Mayor Jeff Hmara looks over the proclamation with Denise Waller, widow of Deputy Ralph

O’Connor: Residents Of Westlake Deserve Seat At SID Table

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

Westlake Mayor John Paul

O’Connor said this week that it is time for residents to have a seat on the Seminole Improvement District’s three-member board of supervisors.

“The people of Westlake deserve representation on the SID board to ensure their priorities and concerns are heard and addressed,” O’Connor said.

SID provides most of the infrastructure for Westlake, including roads, drainage, parks and swales. Two of the three board members — Leolani Gevers and Zane Beard — are employees of Minto Communities USA, the city’s primary developer and by far its largest landowner. None of the board members are Westlake residents. Under SID rules, a landowner gets one vote per acre, and each homeowner gets one vote no matter the size of his or her lot.

“I believe it’s only fair that the SID board reflects the voices of the people who live here, not just the interests of the developer,” O’Connor said. “It’s concerning to me that so much power resides

in the hands of one entity… I strongly advocate for one of those seats to be filled by a resident of Westlake.”

Seat 2, currently held by SID President Scott Massey, expires in June, according to SID Manager Kenneth Cassel. Cassel, who also is Westlake’s city manager, said nominations for the seat would be accepted at the district’s annual landowners meeting. The date for the landowners’ meeting has not been set.

Any Westlake property owner attending the landowners meeting can nominate a candidate for the seat, Cassel said.

O’Connor’s comments came a week after Westlake resident Ted Sarandis told the Westlake City Council that they should be doing more to reshape the 8-year-old municipality’s founding documents and to reimagine its future, now that it has grown from five residents in 2016 to some 7,000 today.

At their Jan. 7 meeting, Sarandis urged the council to hold public hearings on the city’s relationship with SID.

“This agreement does not benefit residents and must be changed now,” he said, reading from a

prepared statement. “It is common sense for the City of Westlake to control roads and traffic signs.”

Sarandis also said “it would greatly benefit the citizens of Westlake” for the council to establish charter review and comprehensive plan review committees to hold public hearings and make recommendations to the council.

“I’m open to discussing it,”

O’Connor said this week. “I can see that there might be value in it.”

Sarandis, who moved to his home in the Cresswind Neighborhood in November 2023, ran unsuccessfully in 2024 for a seat on the Port of Palm Beach Commission.

The council voted at their Jan. 7 meeting to engage in a professionally led, two-day strategic planning session this spring in an effort to chart the municipality’s course for the next two to five years.

While open to discussing Sarandis’ suggestions, O’Connor said he does not favor delaying the strategic planning session because “by the time those committees got set up, members selected and they do their work, it could be six months to a year.”

The strategic planning sessions

are something the city can do now, he explained.

“Through clear priority setting, we can create a roadmap that addresses our immediate needs while positioning us for future growth,” O’Connor said. “By dedicating an entire day to community engagement, we can ensure our decisions are impactful and focused on elevating the quality of life for every Westlake resident.”

Residents will be able to sit in on the entire two-day session but only will be allowed to participate during day two.

“I’m hoping this strategic planning exercise brings our council closer together, fosters transparency and strengthens collaboration,” O’Connor said.

Cassel, who has been with SID since 2013 and the city since its inception, said this week he believes much of the frustration with the district-city relationship is based on a lack of understanding of why and how the connection was formed and how it works today.

To help the public better understand, Cassel wrote, and this week published on the city’s web site (www.westlakegov.com) a 2,000word “History of Westlake.”

Cassel noted that most of the residents of Westlake are new to the area, some very new.

“I realized that there was no history easily available to our residents about how we got started,” he said. “I felt like it needed to be out there.”

Cassel said the main thing he hoped readers would get from the history is an appreciation for the founders’ “vision of predictability... of cutting out as much red tape as possible” that has allowed Westlake to become for years the fastest growing municipality in Palm Beach County and one of the fastest growing in the state.

How development and business applications “are processed and the predictability or unpredictability all impact the interest of the business community and their willingness to locate within Westlake,” he wrote, warning that, “Changes in the current process will have a significant chilling effect on potential development and slow the overall development of the city.”

At the same time, Cassel’s ability to objectively serve both SID and the city has been questioned by some residents.

Cassel said the arrangement was born out of necessity because the mostly uninhabited district and the brand-new city could not afford separate managers. When the city was officially incorporated in 2016, it made sense for him to hold both jobs because so much of the work overlapped.

Later, a Florida Inspector General’s review found “no conflict of interest with me holding both positions,” Cassel said. However, this week Cassel said he expects to hang up one of those hats within the next couple of years — “as soon as it’s financially feasible for the city and the district to have separate managers.” In other news: •

Town-Crier To Host RPB Candidate Forum On Monday, Jan. 27

The Town-Crier newspaper will host a televised Royal Palm Beach candidate forum on Monday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. in the Royal Palm Beach Village Council chambers.

The six candidates running in this year’s municipal election — three seeking the Mayor’s Seat and three seeking the Group 3 Seat on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council — have been invited to participate in the forum.

In the race for mayor, Jeff Hmara, who was appointed mayor in October to fill the vacancy created by the unexpected death of Mayor Fred Pinto, is running to keep the top job, challenged by Vice Mayor Selena Samios, as well as political newcomer Justin Plaza. The race for Group 3 includes Steve Avila, who challenged Pinto for mayor last year, along with Pinto’s widow Donielle Pinto, and Sylvia Sharps.

The election will be held on Tuesday, March 11.

The Jan. 27 forum will last approximately two hours and will be moderated by retired WPTV news

anchor Jim Sackett with questions posed by a panel assembled by the Town-Crier, as well as those submitted by the community.

All residents are invited to attend the forum. For those who cannot make it in person, the forum will be broadcast on the village’s Channel 18 and streamed live on the village’s web site and YouTube channel. It will later be available on demand.

The forum will be broken up into two sessions with a 10-minute break in between. Each candidate will provide an opening statement before being asked a series of questions on local topics. Residents will be invited to submit questions during the first half of the forum. Moderator-chosen questions from those submitted will be asked during the second half of the forum. Each candidate will also be given time to make a closing statement.

“Being informed about local government is so important, and we are honored to once again be presenting the Royal Palm Beach

community with a candidate forum in advance of this important election in March,” Town-Crier

Publisher Barry Manning said.

“Our mission here at the newspaper is to keep residents informed, and crucial to that is helping voters get informed on election issues.”

The council chambers are inside Royal Palm Beach Village Hall, located at the southeast corner of Okeechobee and Royal Palm Beach boulevards.

Residents not attending the forum in person are invited to submit a question in advance.

Questions can be submitted in a sealed envelope marked “Confidential/Candidate Forum” and dropped off at the Village Clerk’s Office prior to 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 27.

The candidate forum is sponsored by the Town-Crier newspaper with support from the Village of Royal Palm Beach, the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County.

Mayoral candidates (L-R) Jeff Hmara, Justin Plaza and Selena Samios.

Group 3 candidates (L-R) Steve Avila, Donielle Pinto and Sylvia Sharps.

Three Candidates Remain In Race For Lox Council Seat 4

By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report

Three candidates will appear on the ballot in the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council election set for Tuesday, March 11. When filing closed in November, five candidates had completed the necessary paperwork to qualify for the ballot in the race for Seat 4 on the council. However, two of those candidates have since dropped out of the race — former Councilman Todd McLendon, who withdrew from the race on Jan. 2, and equestrian Paulo Santana, who withdrew from the race on Jan. 8. According to Loxahatchee

Groves Town Clerk Valerie Oakes, McLendon and Santana withdrew in time to have their names removed from the ballot. The three candidates still in the running for Seat 4 are Paul T. Coleman II, Steven Hoffman and Brian William Zdunowski. The winner of the election will replace Councilman Robert Shorr, who is not seeking re-election. Also joining the council after the March 11 vote will be former Councilwoman Lisa El-Ramey, who was unopposed for Seat 2. El-Ramey will replace Councilwoman Laura Danowski, who is also not seeking re-election. Coleman ran against Shorr for

Seat 4 in 2022, losing by just a handful of votes. He has lived in Loxahatchee Groves for nearly his entire life, moving to the community in 1976 as a child.

Hoffman is a quail farmer. He is a member of the Community Emergency Response Team, the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association and Palms West Presbyterian Church.

Zdunowski has a degree in network engineering and has lived in Loxahatchee Groves since 2013. He works as a senior product line manager for a software company specializing in medical software mostly for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

It’s Never Legal To Ride ATVs On Palm Beach County Roads

By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report

Those who ride all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off-highway vehicles (OHVs) need to know that Palm Beach County regulations for riders are more stringent than those of the state, Indian Trail Improvement District President Elizabeth Accomando said.

“We don’t want any bad information out there that people will see and act on, and then get stopped and find out they’re in violation of the [county] law,” she said.

Workshop AAL Wants To Keep Agreement

continued from page 1 at Acreage Community Park North and South — that would be open to any youth sports organization.

“It’s important that we have a home base. Acreage Community Park is our home base,” said Stacey Cichewicz-Marino, a member of the AAL’s executive board.

Though Supervisor Betty Argue suggested that the AAL should at least get priority as the district’s “legacy sports provider,” Schloesser said that’s not enough unless it’s in writing. “Us keeping the service provider agreement gives us the security we need.”

ITID Executive Director Burgess Hanson said that it may feel that way, but in reality, the board can cancel SPAs at any time.

The main benefit to the district of moving to a permitting system is that “it puts us at arm’s length from everything,” said Hanson, giving the district a different legal standing if it were sued over an injury or other incident related to youth sports.

“I’m against a service provider agreement because I believe it puts

Under state law, ATVs/OHVs may only be operated on unpaved roadways where the posted speed limit is less than 35 miles per hour and only during daylight hours, according to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles web site.

However, counties were given the ability to opt out of the state law, explained Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Craig Turner, who oversees the PBSO’s districts covering the Town of Loxahatchee Groves, the City of Westlake, as well

us in harm’s way,” said Supervisor Patricia Farrell, who has been an outspoken critic of the AAL. “I think we need to sever [the relationship].”

ITID Attorney Frank Palin said the AAL also would benefit from a shift to permitting because it would no longer be functioning “as a division of district government” and would not be subject to state records and disclosure laws, which if not handled properly, can result in civil or even criminal penalties. This week, however, Argue remained unconvinced that moving to a permit system would benefit either the district or the AAL.

“It will create chaos. It’s going to be a free-for-all,” she said Wednesday, suggesting the move would cost the district money because it would require the hiring of at least one more parks and recreation employee to handle permitting.

“Just from a logistical standpoint, this is very far away from how we’ve always functioned,” said Argue, who recently began her third four-year term on the board. “I don’t think [some board members] understand the impact this is going to have, or the magnitude of work this is going to add to the staff.”

Argue, whose children participated in several AAL sports, said

as the unincorporated Acreage/ Loxahatchee areas. In March 2007, the Palm Beach County Commission made it illegal for individuals to ride an ATV/OHV “any time of day or night on a paved or unpaved road,” Turner said.

For more information, visit YouTube and search “PBSO ATV Safety Video.” Editor’s note: This article updates information in the article “ATV, Motorcycle Deaths Trouble Local Officials,” published Jan. 10.

putting other sports organizations such as the Breakthru Athletic League on equal footing “defies the whole idea of a community league. It’s a slap in the face to the [AAL] volunteers.”

Breakthru was formed in 2022 as an alternative flag football league that has grown from an initial 279 players to 431 this past fall, Dawn Hollandsworth, a member of the league’s executive board, told the supervisors.

“There is a need for two leagues,” Hollandsworth said.

“But we are happy at Friedland Park. We have no desire to move to Acreage Community Park.”

Samuel Friedland Park is a Palm Beach County Park located on Hamlin Blvd. in the northwestern area of The Acreage. Some AAL sports also play games there.

At the subsequent regular board meeting, supervisors agreed to issue a special permit to allow the AAL to schedule its spring football league that begins March 1.

Accomando said she hopes the SPA permit issue will be decided at the board’s Wednesday, Feb. 19 meeting.

“We’ve spent so much time on this already. We have to put this thing to bed,” she said Wednesday, adding that the AAL leadership “deserves to know where they stand.”

OPINION

RPB Council Lakeside Landings Final Plat

continued from page 1 the developer. He noted that the project has been under discussion for more than five years. It included a number of changes requested by the village before the site plan was approved in 2023.

“Since that time, we have been going through the permitting process and the final engineering process,” Murray explained, noting that the site is currently under construction.

There were no comments from the public or the council before the item was approved unanimously.

In a somewhat related item, the council approved the second and final reading of a village ordinance that eliminates perimeter landscape setback requirements when certain conditions are met in villa and townhouse zoning districts.

With Lakeside Landings, the developer needed a waiver from the current setback requirements. The change eliminates the need for such a waiver, as long as the developer is providing enough yard space behind the townhouse or villa units.

In other business:

• Both Hmara and Vice Mayor

Selena Samios noted that they attended Sheriff Ric Bradshaw’s swearing-in ceremony at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park on Sunday, Jan. 12, adding that it was a great honor to have the event hosted in the village.

Hmara noted that he also attended new State Attorney Alexcia Cox’s swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at the Palm Beach County Courthouse. He added that she is from Royal Palm Beach, and her parents still live in the community.

• During public comment, Carl Silverman, a resident of Greenway Village South, asked the village to avoid allowing golf carts and other motorized vehicles, like scooters, on the pathways in Commons Park, which he feels should be for pedestrians and bicyclists. “There needs to be better enforcement of this,” he said.

• On its consent agenda, the council approved an agreement with the Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival in the amount of $20,000 for the production of four performances of William Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It in Commons Park from Thursday, Jan. 30 through Sunday, Feb. 2. A special event permit was also approved for the shows, which will include food trucks from 5 p.m., with the free Shakespeare play from 8 to 10 p.m.

• A special event permit was also

approved for the village to host its annual West Fest celebration at Commons Park from Friday, Feb. 28 through Sunday, March 2.

• After a presentation by Finance Director Sharon Almeida, the council approved changes to the limits on what department directors can approve without going through a more in-depth process. Department directors can now approve purchases up to $5,000, up from $3,500. Similar changes were made for field purchase orders and also to determine when verbal quotes and/or written quotes are required. These changes were mostly due to the increasing costs of goods and services over the past several years. The numbers were last updated in 2017.

• Finally, the council approved several appointments to boards and committees.

On the Planning & Zoning Commission, Andrew Alba, previously a commission alternate, was moved to a permanent seat, and Christopher Butler was appointed to fill the alternate vacancy.

Alfred DePaola was moved from an alternate seat to a regular seat to fill a vacancy on the Recreation Advisory Board, and then Mike Louramore was added to the board as an alternate. Sergio Herrera, previously an alternate, was appointed to a vacant seat on the Education Advisory Board.

Isla

PZA Vote

Postponed

continued from page 1 offerings such as dining in the off-season, he said. What is being called a “sports complex” would sit on almost 112,000 square feet, featuring a gym, retail and food services, a business center, pools, racquet sports and a kids’ club.

Homeowners on the five larger lots have room for their own stabling if they choose, and the other 35 property owners could request to stable a horse on site if there is space in the communal stalls, project officials said. Discovery Land Co. would own the club grounds and horses available there, and the site could also feature rescue work with older horses, representatives said.

Don’t Turn Wellington Into Coral Springs

I am not completely devastated by the news that the Wellington Village Council voted 5-0 to sell K-Park. Maintaining that property as a park was never really the plan. The recent decision to sell the K-Park property to Related/Ross (formerly the Related Group), developers of City Place, among other concrete makeovers, and a foreign private school operator (because Wellington needs multiple private schools) at a price of approximately $28,340,000 for the Related parcel, together with the sale of the private school parcel for approximately $16 million for a total of $44,340,000 with the possibility of picking up another $1 million if Related/Ross chooses to move the existing lake in the middle of the property. Is $45 million a terrible price for K-Park? No. Wellington paid

$8.5 million for it in 2003 from the Kahlert family, ergo K-Park. However, the Ward family offered $54 million, $10 million more. That offer was rejected in favor of the Related/Ross offer. Why? Certainly not because it made good business sense. It appears because they liked the Related/ Ross plan better. So, even though “contract zoning” is illegal, Acme, as the seller, will do all of the zoning work, and does anyone believe that all of the land use changes won’t be approved?

This, coupled with the horrendous decision to allow the Wellington Lifestyle Partners (WLP) residential development inside what was formerly known as the Equestrian Preserve, gives one pause. So does the recent “Wellington Sports Academy” decision.

The Town-Crier accepts opinion pieces on topics of

pieces brief (300 words suggested; no more

and telephone number (anonymous

The council has given away six acres of Village Park land south of Pierson off 120th Avenue for an elite athlete training facility. To bring this about, the council voted to guarantee a bond issue with the full faith and credit of the Village of Wellington for up to $34 million. Now the “sports academy” without a single sports field is no longer just a sports academy. According to developer Jon Bostic, it is now a full-blown private school, and as shown in its own advertisement, it includes a “120-acre campus.” That 120-acre campus is our Village Park. And who gets to spend the $34 million to build a building on village land? And in whose pocket does the rest of the money go?

The council has also decided to build a brand-new pool at Village

Park, next to the private school/ sports academy at a cost in excess of $30 million and rip out the perfectly good existing pool in the downtown area. And the Lake Wellington Professional Centre building that was purchased for $4 million was torn down last year to make way for… nothing, after building a “boardwalk” to enhance the beauty of the retention pond euphemistically referred to as Lake Wellington.

And did I mention that the council sold 10 acres behind the Hampton Inn that had been used as a soccer field to Brefrank Inc. for $11 million last year as well for residential development?

It appears that this council is on track to turn Wellington into Coral Springs, and it needs to stop. Alec Domb Wellington

“Our proposal respects the existing 40-home density at Isla Carroll while embracing a more visionary approach,” said Tom Lucid, senior vice president of development at McCourt Partners. “Rather than fragmenting the property into conventional two-acre lots, where no equestrian facilities are required to be built, and which offers no assurances of fostering connections within the equestrian community, we have envisioned a 30-acre equestrian club as the heart of our development.”

The McCourt firm was founded by Frank McCourt, former Los Angeles Dodgers owner, billionaire, Wellington property owner and equestrian aficionado.

Bridle trails running throughout the property and shared club amenities help tie the community together in a way that emphasizes the connection with horses, the builders explained.

The applicants volunteered to agree to conditions to guard against worries that houses will get built as amenities lag or never quite happen. One of these possibilities was to complete the entire equestrian center, in some cases restoring or renovating an existing barn and other structures on the site, before more than 10 homes can be granted certification of occupancy, said Seth Behn, a shareholder with Lewis Longman Walker, a law firm working with the applicants.

Behn later proposed a delay as questions from board members focused on what guarantees the applicants could provide that they would operate the club for an extended amount of time — say, 10 years or longer.

Discussion turned to cases in Wellington and elsewhere where a community barn or other promised attractions did not materialize or endure, or came under control of a homeowners’ association that did not always reach consensus on how to proceed.

The proposal does not formally take land out of the village’s Equestrian Preserve Area, but it risks achieving a similar effect, speakers during public comment said.

Equestrian Dr. Kristy Lund, a former member of the board, said that smaller lots are basically

removing that land from the traditional horse-farm universe going forward. “This is like taking land out of the equestrian preserve,” she said. Resident Jennifer Preletz spoke in support. She said she thinks the emphasis on experiences with families around horses is a good thing, and it’s overblown to say these residents will be cloistered at their club and not interact with other people and businesses in the village. “It’s a perfect fit for Wellington, in my opinion,” she said. Drahos, a former Wellington Village Council member, sought specific assurances that Discovery would operate the club for a given period of time. He said he did not hear that.

“When we’re being asked to take this remarkable step, there should be remarkable evidence to assure what we are doing is worth the sacrifice,” Drahos said. “I think you all fell short of that tonight.” Fellow PZA Board Member Tatiana Yaques raised similar concerns. The concept that Wellington’s equestrian area “needs a community barn to incubate equestrian sports and a passion for equestrian, I think that’s a fallacy,” she said, adding that Wellington already serves as its own incubator in this respect.

PZA Board Member Elizabeth Mariaca wondered if conditions could be considered instead of proceeding to an immediate vote.

“I don’t think we should throw this away and say this can’t go forward,” she said.

Behn said, “Thank you for your efforts and focus on this application. We’ll look forward to bringing something back to you.” In other action, the board unanimously approved zoning and master-plan amendments that make possible 220 multi-family residential units on 10 acres near the Mall at Wellington Green that were the subject of a settlement between the village and the original mall developers last year.

The Axis 2 project sits south of Forest Hill Blvd. near the Hampton Inn hotel, northwest of the core mall area. Applicants said the plan will include four six-story apartment buildings, a clubhouse, dog park, pool, grilling and other recreational areas.

Denise Waller, widow of Deputy Ralph “Butch” Waller Jr., surrounded by the large group of deputies and officers in attendance from the PBSO. PHOTO COURTESY THE VILLAGE OF ROYAL PALM BEACH

Carroll

Capt. Emory Payne, Col. John Prieschl, Col. Robert Allen, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Vice Mayor John McGovern, Major Eric Coleman and Councilwoman Maria Antuña.

Dr. Juan Ortega and Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County CEO Jaene Miranda.

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

Wendy and Cliff Powell. Mary and Tim O’Connor.

Alan and State Rep. Anne Gerwig get a curtsy greeting from club kids at the door.

Event co-chairs Jason and Cari Kimbrell and Julie and John Kime.

Wellington Club Director LaTricia Jenkins, Advisory Board Chair Marcella Montesinos, 2025 Youth of the Year finalist Phildensy Jean, HCA Florida Palms West Hospital CEO Jason Kimbrell and Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County CEO Jaene Miranda.

Honorary chairs Jenell and Scott Harris with Brett and Ryan Seick, and Jen and Brian Schnipper.

Dr. Carolyn Davis, Dr. Kyle Eldredge, Pam Tahan, Jeremy Ring and Juan Antuña.

Karen Hainline, Dr. Martin and Heidi Harland, Mac and Kathy Moss, David MacDonald and Dr. Katherine Brazzale.

Sonali Mendiratta, Marcella Montesinos and Nataliya Stepanets.

Mattie Binford, Kathleen Gannon and Julie Khanna.

Vice Mayor John and Michelle McGovern with Palm Beach State College President Ava Parker and Joe Gibbons.

Fred Astaire dancers Yanis Kukainis and Doreen Scheinpflug perform.

Sheriff Ric and Dorothy Bradshaw arrive.

Marybel and Major Eric Coleman.

World-Class Gem And Mineral Showcase Based In The Acreage

By Denis Eirikis Town-Crier Staff Report

Thanks to his expeditions and discoveries in places like remote Tanzania, Jonathan Bartky is a minor celebrity within gem and mineral circles. He is regarded as the discoverer of new types of green and red quartz, called Tanzurine.

In pursuit of his passion, Bartky has traveled the world. In 2016, he formed Ariel Treasures, and the results of his various global explorations are now showcased in his wholesale/retail warehouse in The Acreage. On display and for sale are thousands of items, ranging from small, rough specimens sold for a few dollars per gram, to an artistically mounted $10,000 massive butterfly amethyst.

A self-described “rockhound,” Bartky has been totally absorbed by gems, rocks and minerals for as long as he can remember. The first to discover Tanzurine, he was featured in Rock & Gem Magazine for this awesome find, as well as in other trade publications. This new variety of quartz is unusual with its deep reds and vibrant greens. Tanzurine quartz is, he noted, totally natural, as opposed to some cherry quartz, which may be treated with dye.

“We came across Tanzanite in Maasai tribal land, deep in the bush of northern Tanzania, near the Kenyan border, not far from the Serengeti Wildlife Preserve,” Bartky recalled.

He described navigating rugged roads and deep bush. “I love quartz, but had never seen natural and untreated cherry quartz,” he explained. “It was not known to exist.”

The finding has made Bartky a frequent public speaker within the gem and mineral community.

Bartky recently relocated from New Jersey to The Acreage, where every room in his home, except for the kitchen and a bedroom, is filled with a myriad of beautifully displayed products.

The showcases are museum quality, well organized and expansive. The lighting is specially designed for personalized video shopping.

While he has earned a nursing degree and worked as a healer along the way, Bartky said that rocks have always played a part in his life.

“I’ve been at this professionally since my college days at Rutgers, where you could find me in the library trying to locate mining opportunities on microfilm,” he

recalled. “My first expedition was to Minas Gerais in Brazil. Like most trips, I’d describe it as both fun and dangerous.”

After forming Bartky Minerals with his parents, a great success, he decided to go out on his own, and in 2016 he formed Ariel Treasures. The company provides crystals to retailers around the country and offers high-end pieces as accessories to upscale interior designers. The showroom is only open by appointment, and many appointments are by video, where buyers can peruse, negotiate and buy in real time. In-person visits by serious prospective clients, wholesale or retail, can be scheduled. Local clients include Pura Vida Wellness in Lake Worth. Owner Duane Denton described Bartky as “both passionate and sincere.”

According to the Cape Cod Crystals web blog, “As far as being a reputable source for minerals, Bartky is the real deal. He and his team work with local mining villages and families in East Africa, specifically Tanzania, to uncover the gorgeous rarities that are native to that land.”

Bartky has led an interesting life. While he has been involved with gems and minerals since

childhood, along the way he has earned certification as a registered nurse, which he worked at full time for 10 years.

Bartky has also worked as a licensed massage therapist and as a hands-on healer.

The majority of his clients are retail stores, where many of his products are sold as healing crystals. Grounded in the sciences as a nurse, he was asked about the healing power of crystals. “Millions of people feel benefits. I, personally, believe in God, who has provided us with beneficial herbs and plants. So, maybe there are beneficial minerals and crystals. Their measurable electrical, vibrational and other properties make me open-minded,” Bartky explained.

He then went on to point out the deeply satisfying feeling people often experience with the right crystal folded into the palm of their hand.

Ariel Treasures specializes in amethyst clusters, bookends, candle holders, crystal points, geodes, high-end jewelry, kyanite, quartz clusters, rose quartz, rough gemstones, slabs/coasters, smoky quartz, spheres and Tanzurine.

For more information, visit https://arieltreasures.com.

Wellington’s First Galbani Festa Italiana To Be Held March 29-30 At Amphitheater

The inaugural Galbani Festa Italiana of Wellington will be held at the Wellington Amphitheater on Saturday, March 29 and Sun-

national Italian American entertainers, authentic food, festival rides and games, complimentary wine and cooking demonstrations, and more. The inaugural Galbani Festa Italiana of Wellington will create an experience rich in Italian culture through food, music, art and tradition. Festival organizers said that they are dedicated to encouraging the importance of family and community and hope to stay mindful of their ancestors’ hardships when migrating to the United States. Admission will be $5, and children 12 and under are free with an adult. Sponsorships and special

VIP seating will be available on Eventbrite.com.

The festival will benefit the Little Smiles charity, a nonprofit organization that works tirelessly to bring smiles to children’s faces by allowing them to be kids during difficult times. Learn more www.facebook. com/GalbaniWellingtonItaliana.

Meet Galbani’s mascot Stringster. Enjoy authentic Italian treats.

Cruizin’ For Crime Stoppers Motorcycle Ride

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County will hold its 14th annual Cruizin’ for Crime Stoppers Motorcycle Ride on Sunday, Feb. 2.

This is the largest escorted ride in South Florida. The riders will be safely escorted by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Motors Unit. The ride will start and end at Acreage Community Park, located at 6701 140th Avenue North. Registration begins at 9 a.m., and kickstands are up at 10:30 a.m.

This is a 100-mile ride with a rest stop at the Pahokee Marina. Breakfast items and refreshments will be available. There will be a variety of food trucks for lunch. There will also be vendors, raffles and a live band, with the Gator and the Flame radio also attending. At the event, Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County will honor the three fallen deputies from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, who used to participate in this event to keep riders safe during the ride. The cost is $30 per bike for pre-registration with $10 for addi-

NEWS BRIEFS

tional passengers. Pre-registration ends on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at noon. Walk-up riders pay $35 on the day of the event. The rain date is Sunday, Feb. 16. Registration is available at www.cruizinforcrimestoppers. info. For more information, or sponsorship opportunities, contact Angela Barnard at (561) 3299664.

Aquatics Complex Alters Schedule For Special Events

The Wellington Aquatics Complex (12072 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will be closed on Saturday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 2 to accommodate the South Florida Garlic Fest at the Wellington Amphitheater. The complex will remain closed on Monday, Feb. 3, according to its regular hours of operation, and will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 4. The complex will also be closed on Saturday, Feb. 8 to accommodate the Wellington Classic Brew Fest taking place on the Town Center Promenade and will reopen for regular hours on Sunday, Feb. 9. Regular hours for the Welling-

ton Aquatics Complex are Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, from noon to 6 p.m.

Daily admission is free for children ages 2 and under, $3 for children ages 3 to 17, $5 for adults ages 18 to 54, and $2 for seniors ages 55 and older. Wellington also offers discounted Splash Passes, Annual Passes and Water Aerobics Passes.

For more information, contact the Wellington Aquatics Complex at (561) 791-4770 or visit www. wellingtonfl.gov/aquatics.

For more information about the South Florida Garlic Fest, visit www.garlicfestfl.com.

Learn more about the Wellington Classic Brew Fest at www. wellingtonclassicbrewfest.com.

Royal Palm Beach To Host Shakespeare Festival Shows

Jan. 30 To Feb. 2

The Village of Royal Palm Beach and the Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival will present the fifth annual Shakespeare by the Palms production of William

Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It from Thursday, Jan. 30 through Sunday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. at the Commons Park amphitheater, located at 11600 Poinciana Blvd. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $5 per person.

The Shakespeare Festival will be presenting Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, As You Like It Banished from her kingdom, the resourceful Rosalind and her friends escape to the forest where they are free to explore new identities, friendships and love in this delightful romantic comedy. Bring a beach chair or blanket and a picnic basket, or enjoy on-site concessions, as you take in a professional Shakespearean play under the stars. This event is presented by the Village of Royal Palm Beach and sponsored by Gary and Katherine Parr.

The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival is a nonprofit professional theater company dedicated to enhancing the accessibility and appreciation for Shakespearean, classic and contemporary theater for all ages and socioeconomic levels. For more information about the festival, its history or its season, visit www.pbshakespeare.org.

The City of Westlake will host its second annual 5K Run/Walk & Carnival Games on Saturday, Jan. 25, a much-anticipated event bringing the community together for fitness, fun and family-friendly activities while supporting local schools. To ensure the safety of participants

Jonathan Bartky with an agate geode. PHOTOS BY DENIS EIRIKIS/TOWN-CRIER

(Above) The Ariel Treasures showroom in The Acreage. (Inset) A mounted amethyst “butterfly.”

Jonathan Bartky with raw cherry and green Tanzurine.

Dream amethyst, rhodonite, ruby zoisite and sodalite spheres.

WELLINGTON GARDEN CLUB CELEBRATES ARBOR DAY

VILLAGE OF ROYAL PALM BEACH PRESS RELEASE

The public is invited to attend the Royal Palm Beach Municipal Election Candidates Forum moderated by the Town-Crier at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, January 27, 2025 in the Village Council Chambers. Candidates participating have qualified for the March 11, 2025 election. Question(s) may be submitted that evening or in a sealed envelope marked “Confidential/Candidate Forum” and dropped off at the Village Clerk’s office prior to 5:00 p.m. on January 27, 2024.

Lisa Ferrano, Maria Wolfe, Will Gurney and Annette Lubsen help plant the tree.

Sandy Sklar, Twig Morris, Lisa Ferrano, John Siena, Kathy Siena, Katherine Wagner-Reiss, Annette Lubsen and Maria Wolfe at the tree planting.

Guest speaker Jackie Reiter, Martha Intoci, Linda Rosbrough, Joan Imperatore and Kristi Knight-Sandner.

The Women of the Western Communities gathered for dinner on Thursday, Jan. 9 at the Wellington National Golf Club. The guest speaker was Jackie Reiter, who spoke about having a vegetable garden in your yard. Dress for Success accepted donations from the members. PHOTOS BY DENSIE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Wildflower Meadow Chair Lisa Ferrano looks over the flowers.

Raffle prize winners Mair Armand, Maggie Zeller and Magdalena Maxwell with Michelle Haines.

Lynda Chicano and Jackie Reiter.

Deputies Casey Lussier and Brad Shouse with Sandy Sklar and Todd Siena.

(Seated) Cheryl Baylor and Katherine Wagner-Reiss; and (standing) Kathy Siena, Annette Lubsen, Justin Ramich, Will Gurney, Sandy Sklar, Maria Wolfe and Twig Morris.

Lisa Ferrano, Maria Wolfe, Annette Lubsen, Justin Ramich and Will Gurney.

Annette Lubsen and Katherine Wagner-Reiss thank scout Justin Ramich for his contribution.

Allyson Samilijan, Maureen Gross, Teresa Harrington and Donna Banno.

BARIATRIC & METABOLIC INSTITUTE

Weight-loss surgery is safe and effective

Having obesity is more than a number on a scale or a measurement of your body mass index (BMI). It’s a complex metabolic disease.

When you’re living with obesity, your metabolism slows. That means, even with big changes in your diet or exercise habits, your body may not react. And your weight may not reflect the efforts you’re making. Bariatric surgery, or what some people may call weight loss surgery, can counteract that metabolic change if you have obesity.

Bariatric surgery is an important and effective treatment for people living with obesity to manage their health. The body responds to weight-loss surgery in many ways that help people with obesity to manage their conditions and live full lives.

Bariatric surgery is a safe, evidence-based treatment that does more for your body than shed pounds. It’s the most effective way to treat obesity and obesity-related illnesses – better than any diet or exercise program.

What is bariatric surgery?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 42% of people in the U.S. have obesity. But only about 1% of people who are eligible actually get bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery has been shown to:

• Lower the risk of developing obesity-related cancers

• Decrease the risk of progression of fatty liver disease to cirrhosis

• Provide significant protective effects for future heart attacks or stroke

• Lessen the severity of COVID-19 infection

• Lead to long-term remission of Type 2 diabetes

In the past, bariatric surgery was a more invasive procedure. Following surgery, people would stay in the hospital for up to a week and recovery would take several months.

These days, most bariatric surgeries are minimally invasive surgeries that use a thin, telescopic rod with a camera at the end to see inside your body. That means quicker recoveries and fewer complications.

Surgery is performed through five or six small incisions. People go home the same day or the next day, and they recover after two or three days. Today’s procedures are much safer and produce better effects to help people lose weight and lower their risk for obesity-related illnesses.

LEARN MORE

Who is a candidate for bariatric surgery?

There are two leading authorities on bariatric surgery: The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO). The two organizations published their latest guidelines in 2022. They recommend bariatric surgery be considered for:

• Adults who have a BMI of 35 or higher (class II obesity)

• Adults with a BMI of 30 to 35 (class I obesity) who also have Type 2 diabetes

• Adults with a BMI of 30 to 35 who haven’t been able to achieve “substantial or durable weight loss or obesity disease-related improvement” by other means

• Children and adolescents who are living with a BMI of 40 or higher (class III obesity)

• Children and adolescents with class II obesity and a major obesity-related condition

This is an expansion of previous guidelines that suggested bariatric surgery be reserved for people with more severe forms of obesity.

Is bariatric surgery safe?

Research shows bariatric surgery is as safe or safer than many other routine surgeries, like gallbladder removals, appendix removals and knee replacements. It’s been around decades now, since the 1970s, and the latest techniques have proven to have few complications. When you consider the long-term risks of living with obesity, any risk of bariatric surgery is very minimal.

call 877.463.2010

Homes For Our Troops Kicks Off Project For Injured Vet Edward Bonfiglio

The national nonprofit Homes For Our Troops (HFOT) kicked off the building of a specially adapted home for U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman Third Class Edward Bonfiglio on Saturday, Jan. 18. The event took place at Osceola Creek Middle School, and Bonfiglio’s new home will be in the Acreage/Loxahatchee area. The community kickoff event signified the start of the building process and served to introduce Bonfiglio to the community. Bonfiglio and his wife Amanda both spoke at the ceremony. Bonfiglio was injured in 2009 while serving in Afghanistan. He later lost his left leg below the knee. HFOT has built more than 400 homes for injured veterans since the organization’s inception in 2004. Learn more at www. hfotusa.org.

PHOTOS BY FRANK KOESTER/TOWN-CRIER

CHAMBERS HOST AN EQUESTRIAN MIXER AT SHOWGROUNDS IN WELLINGTON

The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County hosted an Equestrian Social Event at the Wellington International showgrounds on Saturday, Jan. 18. About 100 chamber members and local officials were on hand to enjoy the evening’s Saturday Night Lights featured Grand Prix class. The event was sponsored by the law firm Lewis, Longman & Walker.

Wellington International CEO Murray Kessler addresses the gathering. About 100 people attended the chamber’s event.

RPB Councilwoman Jan Rodusky, Chamber CEO Marylou Bedford, Wellington Village Council members Amanda Silvestri, Tanya Siskind, Maria Antuña and Vice Mayor John McGovern, State Rep. Anne Gerwig, Greenacres Councilman John Tharp and RPB Vice Mayor Selena Samios.

National Pediatric Cancer Foundation ‘Fashion Funds The Cure’ Jan. 27 At NPC

The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (NPCF) will hold its “Fashion Funds the Cure” event at the National Polo Center in Wellington on Monday, Jan. 27. This high-fashion event will showcase local pediatric cancer warriors and professional models in the season’s latest styles. For the show’s finale, the featured pediatric cancer warriors will

WHS

return to the stage for the iconic “Dream Walk,” which offers a glimpse into the unique aspirations of each child as they walk the runway dressed as what they want to be when they grow up, escorted by a local role model who works in their dream profession. Mateo is a featured pediatric cancer warrior who is currently battling Rhabdomyosarcoma and

IN

Wellington High School’s Latinos in Action (LIA) group hosted “Talent Beyond the Stars” on Friday, Jan. 17. The event was filled with Latino singers, dancers and musical performances. Talent Beyond the Stars featured approximately 25 acts highlighting the diverse abilities of students from Latinos in Action chapters from across the region. PHOTOS BY FRANK KOESTER/TOWN-CRIER

Arcila sings.

dreams of being a cowboy when he grows up. He will be escorted down the runway by Ty Harris, a bull and bronco rider for the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo Association. Hosted by Emmy award-winning journalist from Miami’s 7News Vanessa Medina, Olympic gold medal winner Will Simpson, and cancer warrior and polo player

Brandon Phillips, this event will raise critical funds and awareness for pediatric cancer research conducted by the NPCF. Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception, delicious dinner, and an upscale silent and live auction.

The National Polo Center is located at 3667 120th Avenue South in Wellington. The cocktail reception begins at 5:30 p.m., and the fashion show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through www.nationalpcf.org/wellington. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Dawn Zachman via e-mail at dzachman@nationalpcf.org.

The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to funding research and clinical trials to find less toxic, more effective treatments for childhood cancer. Its purpose is to reduce the side effects of current treatments, improve survival rates and eliminate childhood cancer. Its collaborative research model includes more than 35 hospital partners and leading scientists. Since its inception, the NPCF has donated more than $37 million to research and has funded more than 28 project initiatives.

Patriot Guard Riders attend the ceremony.

Community members and veterans wait to welcome Edward Bonfiglio to the Homes For Our Troops kickoff event.

The Bonfiglios with Homes For Our Troops staff members, joined by past and future home recipients.

Previous HFOT recipient U.S. Army Sgt. Justin Callahan. HFOT Director of Development Chris Mitchell.

Edward Bonfiglio thanks Homes For Our Troops.

Krystina Goroshko opens the ceremony.

Bella Nazzaro sings the national anthem.

Angel Robertson and Christian Marginean from U.S. Rep. Brian Mast’s office, present Edward Bonfiglio with an American flag.

Amanda Bonfiglio, Edward Bonfiglio and Homes For Our Troops Director of Development Chris Mitchell arrive at the ceremony.

Wellington High School’s LIA dancers.

The LIA dance team from Spanish River High School.

The Wellington Royals Dance Team performs.

Yoali Hernandez performs a solo dance.

Singer Pedro Julio Hernandez on stage.

Latinos in Action student board members Angelina Orlotti, Sophia Orlotti, Lucas Saenz, Kanda Dalh, Anthony Valladeres, WHS teacher sponsor Christian Carrera, Andres Gutierrez, Diego Calderon, Khloe Dalh and Andres Sepulveda.

Palm Beach Central’s Jeronimo

Victoria Rubino Zapata performs a dance solo.

The LIA dance team from Dr. Joaquín García High School.

The LIA dancers from Okeeheelee Middle School.

Wellington International President Michael Stone, Central Palm Beach County Chamber CEO Marylou Bedford, Seth Behn of sponsor Lewis, Longman & Walker and Hispanic Chamber CEO Maria Antuña.

Fun February Programs At The Mall At Wellington Green

Love is in the air at the Mall at Wellington Green. This February, the mall will host a treasure trove of Valentine’s Day festivities, complimentary Kids Club events, workout classes and more.

Valentine’s Photo Booth, Feb. 1-13 — Free at the Grand Court.

Snap a picture at the Valentine’s photo booth for a chance to win

big. To enter, post your Valentine’s Day photo to your Instagram feed and tag @wellingtongreen, and make sure you are following the mall. The winner will be selected on Monday, Feb. 17 and will win a $250 shopping spree.

Kids Club Action Arena, Saturday, Feb. 8 — Free from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the District. The Mall at Wellington Green is thrilled to partner with Hado USA for Kids Club Action Arena. The inaugural event will feature innovative and virtual reality dodgeball games, indoor bounce houses and more family-friendly activities.

person. Girls just want to have fun getting crafty! Guests will enjoy a performance from a live guitarist, light bites, champagne and get to take home swag. Registration is required. For more information, visit www.shopwellingtongreen.com.

Galentine’s Day Sip & Paint, Thursday, Feb. 13 — From 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the District for $20 per

Garden Club Meeting To Feature Talk On ‘Making Orchids Simple’ Feb. 3

Wellington Garden Club will meet on Monday, Feb. 3 at the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The meeting will feature a presentation at 10 a.m. by Jason Mackey, owner of Barefoot Orchids. His talk will focus on orchids and how simple it is to care for them.

Mackey’s fascination with orchids traces back to his childhood days spent alongside his great-grandmother tending to her extensive collection. What began as a youthful curiosity blossomed

into a serious passion. Despite the ups and downs inherent in cultivating these exquisite plants, Mackey’s devotion to orchids only deepened over the years. Inspired by his familial ties and Florida heritage, Mackey decided to establish Barefoot Orchids, a name that reflects his roots and honors his great-grandmother.

Since 2020, Mackey has been an integral part of the Orchid Society of the Palm Beaches, where his knowledge and enthusiasm have found a home among fellow

orchid lovers. His commitment to excellence and community within the orchid world continues to inspire both seasoned collectors and newcomers alike.

The community is invited to join the club for coffee and a plant raffle beginning at 9:30 a.m. Visitors are asked to check in at the guest table. To reserve a spot, contact Carol Ralph at caroltaylorralph@ gmail.com.

For more information about the Wellington Garden Club, www. wellingtongardenclub.org.

VILLAGE OF ROYAL PALM BEACH

PUBLIC NOTICE

Voter Registration Book Closing for the March 11, 2025, municipal election is 5:00 p.m., February 10, 2025. Voter registration forms are available in the Village Clerk’s office or online at www.votepalmbeach.gov.

If you think you may have been removed from the active voters list for any reason whatsoever, contact the Supervisor of Elections office at 561-656-6200 for confirmation of your voting status in Palm Beach County.

Noticed by Diane DiSanto, MMC, Village Clerk

AVISO PUBLICO

El cierre del Libro de Registración de Votantes para la Elección Municipal del 11 de Marzo, 2025 será el 10 de Febrero, 2025, a las 5:00 p.m. Los formularios para registro de votantes están disponibles en la Oficina de la Secretaria Municipal o en el sitio web” www.votepalmbeach.gov.

Si usted piensa que usted pudo haber sido removido de la lista de votantes activos por alguna razón, contactar a la oficina de Supervisor de Elecciones al 561-6566200 para confirmar su estatus de votante en el Condado de Palm Beach Aviso dado por Diane DiSanto, MMC, Village Clerk

Hearts & Soul Weekend, Feb. 13-16 — Free at the District. All weekend, the mall will collaborate with the Wellington Art Society to hold a pop-up art exhibit, featuring beautiful artworks made by members of the local community. Plus, on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 5 to 8 p.m., there will be a reception with a live art demonstration and artwork for purchase. The reception is free to attend.

Couple’s Sip & Paint, Friday, Feb. 14 — From 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the District for $20 per person. Grab your favorite plus one and unleash your inner art-

Council

OKs Sale

continued from page 1 are going to offer them choices,” she said.

Others argued for a pause on new building.

Jill Townsend, a Wellington resident for 40 years, asked, “Is it incompetence or undue influence that has the village manipulated, always in the favor of developers?”

Arlene Berrie warned about a short-sighted view where individual projects seem justified at the time, but the village loses sight of the cumulative effect.

“Certainly, it’s worth looking at the total picture, instead of develop, develop,” she said. “We already have 15 developments underway in Wellington, and we don’t see any more of the beautiful trees that made this such a great community 30 years ago.”

The five-member council approved the land deal in two parts. That includes $31 million for the commercial and residential development portion with Related Ross, led by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross. Another $16 million would come from a school backed by the founders of the international school group Education in Motion, who said they will operate this one independently as a U.S.-based, not-for-profit venture.

School officials say they are investing $350 million to serve

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ist at the Couple’s Sip & Paint class, co-hosted by the mall and Wellington Art Society. The romance-filled evening of painting will feature a live guitarist, light bites, champagne and swag for guests to take home. Registration is required. For more info., visit www.shopwellingtongreen.com.

Mommy & Me Valentine’s Day, Wednesday, Feb. 19 — Free from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Grand Court. Parents and children under five are invited to celebrate Valentine’s Day at the mall. The morning will feature a Zumbini class taught by Regina Rossi, a Valentine’s Day craft party, tasty treats and more.

“Love Is In the Air” Zumba Dance Party with Jaime, Saturday, Feb. 15 — Free from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the District. Enjoy the Mall at Wellington Green’s Zumba dance party program that combines high- and low-intensity Latin dance moves designed to burn calories and boost cardio endurance. All ages and levels are welcome. The Mall at Wellington Green is located at 10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington. For more info., call (561) 227-6900 or visit www.shopwellingtongreen.com.

about 1,675 students from pre-K through 12th grade, when fully built out over two phases.

The final land price could vary somewhat based on factors including a final survey on the property, where appraisals so far have reckoned it covers about 69 acres.

Developers led by the Ward family, builders of the Trader Joe’s plaza across the street from K-Park, had offered $54 million for the property. Village officials said the presence of a nonprofit school affected the land’s sale price compared to a fully commercial venture, though the school’s land price could go up per established contract provisions if Related Ross somehow dropped out.

In other business:

• By a 5-0 vote, the council approved the second and final reading of a franchise agreement for 30 years with Florida Power & Light to provide electric service in the community. It features a higher franchise fee to the village of 6 percent, up from 5 percent in the previous 30-year deal. That translates to revenue of about $900,000 to the village, officials said, ultimately coming from utility ratepayers.

• The council unanimously approved the second and final reading of changes to the village’s comprehensive plan that would, among other things, make clear that up to 22 residences per acre are allowed on certain large “mixed use” projects, such as a potential redevelopment venture at the Mall at Wellington Green. Staff members

said the changes corrected errors and omissions in existing rules. • On its consent agenda, the council voted to authorize $86,000 in emergency repairs at Olympia Park. The purchase order goes to Cerrito Electric. Another item approved a contract of about $169,000 with Dataprose

Westlake Jan. 25 Road

Closures

continued from page 3 to Ilex Way and the Groves at Westlake to Ilex Way. Event activities will take place near Kingfisher Blvd., across from the Lodge at Westlake Adventure Park at 5490 Kingfisher Blvd. The race will begin at 8 a.m. On-site registration opens at 6:45 a.m., with the carnival games starting at 8:15 for registered and bibbed participants.

• At its Jan. 7 meeting, the council selected Saturday, April 5 as the date for this year’s SpringFest event.

• The council’s monthly meeting has been moved from Tuesday, Feb. 4 to Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. Council meetings are held at the Lodge at Westlake Adventure Park at 5490 Kingfisher Blvd.

•

VILLAGE OF ROYAL PALM BEACH EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD SCHOLARSHIP PRESS RELEASE

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

K-Park

WEF And AGDF Set For Unprecedented Depth In Competition

By Sarah Eakin Special to The Town-Crier

Half of the world’s top 20 show jumping athletes will be in action at this year’s Winter Equestrian Festival at the Wellington International showgrounds — and there will be more prize money on the table than ever before.

Murray Kessler, recently appointed CEO of Wellington International, was among those to speak at the opening press conference for WEF and the neighboring Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

“It’s not just a horse show; it’s a destination,” Kessler said. “And our vision is to keep Wellington the premier horse sports destination in the world.

Not only that, but WEF’s impact on the local economy is substantial and exceeds those of other sporting events.

“I take a lot of pride in the fact that Wellington International is the anchor of this community,” Kessler said. “[In 2024,] there was $403.6 million of economic impact to Palm Beach County. We are the number one sport in Palm

Beach County by far, and a lot of people count on us. We want this to be the very best experience it can be. That starts with horse sport.”

The US Equestrian Open Jumping Final will feature the $750,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix, a Rolex Series event, as the inaugural edition of the final, featuring increased prize money

($750,000, up from $500,000), a custom commissioned trophy and major broadcast coverage. The final is part of the US Equestrian Open Series competed for in the three Olympic disciplines of equestrian sport, concluding with three major finals in three unique locations across the United States.

As part of the US Equestrian Open, both dressage and show jumping athletes will have the opportunity to compete on one of the biggest stages worldwide.

“Having a championship like the US Equestrian Open is perfect,” Kessler said. “We want this to feel like [golf’s] U.S. Open or Wimbledon. Major championships are an important part of the sport because it gives a much broader group of people the ability to work

their way into a championship.”

In addition, prize money for both the Lugano CSI5* Grand Prix on Feb. 22 and Bainbridge Companies CSI5* Grand Prix on March 8 have both been increased to $500,000.

“I think you’ll see us raising our game here this year,” Kessler continued. “We have a lot in store, but it all starts with the horses, and I’m happy to say we anticipate that eight of the top 10 ranked riders in the world will come this season, and 35 Olympic riders between the two venues.”

The dressage festival is also lining up an unprecedented depth of competition, featuring seven US Dressage Open Qualifiers, four CDI World Cup Qualifiers, the CDIO3* Nations Cup, a CDI5* event and 10 national shows. The schedule will also feature two CPEDI events — international shows for para dressage athletes — which began at Wellington International in 2016, right before the Rio Olympics.

“The sport of para in this country has grown so much,” said Thomas Baur, director of sport at

The World’s Top Show Jumper Debuts At WEF 2025 With A Win

By Sarah Eakin

Special to The Town-Crier

The world’s number one show jumper, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann, did not disappoint when he took the Derby Field at Equestrian Village to win with Glamour Girl at the $32,000 FEI 3* 1.45m.

“We couldn’t have a better start than today,” von Eckermann said

of their first appearance at the 2025 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington. “She always liked this field. She also won a class here four years back, also the first day, I think. In this type of ring, she’s phenomenal.”

Von Eckermann’s round epitomized the saying “save the best for last,” as they concluded the jump off in 64.4 seconds, faster than the

previously leading time of 64.8 set by Egypt’s Nayel Nassar and Linguini de la Pomme. Nasser also claimed the last spot on the podium aboard Dorado de Riverland with a time of 65.82 seconds.

Von Eckermann has a string of good horses to bring out at WEF this year, not least the world-renowned 15-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding King Edward, who has already landed in Florida. Youth triumphed over experience during Saturday Night Lights in WEF Week 2. From the time he was 11, Germany’s Tony Stormanns has been waiting in the wings, watching at WEF and hoping to compete one day in the International Arena.

The 17-year-old’s win in the $50,000 Grand Prix riding Donjon d’Asschaut ahead of one of the strongest national Grand Prix fields ever seen at Wellington International more than fulfilled his dream.

“This means a lot to me because I’ve spent nearly every winter here since I was 11 years old,” said Stormanns, who took

on top caliber riders, such as the Paris Olympics gold medalist Germany’s Christian Kukuk, local hero McLain Ward of the U.S. and Olympic team gold medalist Britain’s Harry Charles. “Now I’m here winning the classes I used to watch with my friends. It hasn’t quite set in yet, but it’s really special.”

Germany continued to dominate as WEF Week 2 concluded with a repeat victory for Richard Vogel and Cydello in the $140,000 FEI 3* Grand Prix.

“Cydello is an amazing horse,” said the German rider, currently ranked ninth in the world. “He had some great success in the past year since we had him. Actually, his first Grand Prix win we had together was on this field, this class, this Grand Prix, exactly one year ago. So, we thought, you know, let’s try to repeat it, and yeah, we’re thrilled and mega happy that we succeeded here.”

It is early days for WEF, with 10 more weeks of competition coming up as the stakes increase throughout, and the standard

only becomes more competitive. Britain’s Ben Maher, ranked third worldwide, finished seventh behind Vogel, aboard Dallas Vegas Batilly. Ireland’s Cian O’Connor and Bentley Du Sury were third in a time of 38.51, while Mimi Gochman of the U.S., who has found form this month, took the runners-up slot with Inclen BH in a jump off time of 38.10 seconds.

“I mean, even in this 3* Grand Prix, we saw some Olympic combinations, not just riders, but also horses,” said Vogel, whose time of 37.66 secured the win. “So that just shows you how tough the level here is. But that’s what we’re searching for. Only if you compete against the best of your competitors, you get

The press conference featured (L-R) AGDF Director of Sport Thomas Baur, Wellington International

President Michael Stone, Wellington International CEO Murray Kessler, U.S. show jumper Lillie Keenan and German dressage rider Felicitas Hendricks. PHOTO BY MADDY LIMA/WELLINGTON INTERNATIONAL

Read more by equestrian writer Sarah Eakin at www.paperhorsemedia.com.

Henrik von Heckermann did not disappoint in his 2025 WEF debut aboard Glamour Girl.

PHOTO BY SARAH EAKIN

Richard Vogel and Cydello experienced a déjà vu moment on the Derby Field at WEF.

PHOTO BY SARAH EAKIN

CAFCI AND RPB HONOR ENDURING LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER

CAFCI and the Village of Royal Palm Beach presented their 23rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration on Monday, Jan. 20 at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. The theme was “Unity in the Arts: Bridging Divides with Creativity.” The event included a continental breakfast followed by singing, dancing and musical performances.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

San Saba Defeats ConcordEquityGroup.Com To

Hosted by Port Mayaca Polo Club in Okeechobee, San Saba (Dawn Jones, Santiago Zubiaurre, Alfonso Pieres and Steve Krueger) went head-to-head against ConcordEquityGroup.com (Dana Barnes, Jeff Hall, Nicolas “Nico” Escobar and Lucas Escobar) in the Heritage Cup final on Sunday, Jan. 5 at the National Polo Center-Wellington (NPC) on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One. San Saba set the tone early in open play, as a balanced performance culminated in all four teammates reaching the scoreboard. Earning its reputation as a strong second half team, the Escobar brothers set their sights on delivering ConcordEquityGroup.com a comeback. San Saba managed to withstand the late pressure and reclaim the

podium’s top spot for the first time since 2023. Igniting San Saba’s hot start, a seemingly unstoppable Zubiaurre quickly put the white team in control 3-0. Following a goal from San Saba’s Krueger to open the second chukker, ConcordEquityGroup.com responded with back-to-back drives from Hall and Nico Escobar. Continuing to dominate play with confidence and synergy, Pieres and Krueger each found the posts to close out the second chukker 6-2 in favor of San Saba. Trading goals between Hall and Jones in the third period, San Saba entered the half doubled up with an 8-4 edge.

Regrouping during the break, Hall opened fourth chukker scoring, but Jones was back on the

attack to counter once more for San Saba.

Fresh off its overtime victory in the George Miller Memorial, ConcordEquityGroup.com mounted its second late game rally in two weeks. Led by the Escobar brothers, Lucas kick-started the rebound from the field, as older brother Nico made back-to-back conversions to bring the team within one, 8-7. Utilizing the momentum generated in the fifth chukker, Lucas Escobar sent one more goal through the posts early in the sixth period to tie the match 8-8. Unable score since the beginning of the second half, Pieres finally broke the stalemate and pulled San Saba ahead once more 9-8. Regaining the upper hand in the final minutes of the contest, a momentous goal

by Zubiaurre sealed San Saba’s 10-9 victory.

Leading San Saba in scoring with three field goals in the final, Zubiaurre was named Most Valuable Player.

Best Playing Pony was awarded to Jeff Hall’s 9-year-old mare Machitos Teca, played in the fifth chukker.

The season’s 16-goal action continued with the Joe Barry Memorial, the first qualifying event of the NPC 16-Goal Championship. Play began Wednesday, Jan. 8 and will conclude Sunday, Jan. 26 at NPC on U.S. Polo Assn. Field One.

Also underway is the 16-goal Ylvisaker Cup, which started Thursday, Jan. 23 and continues until Sunday, Feb. 16. Learn more at www.nationalpolocenter.com.

Copeland Davis plays the piano.

Rachel Ferguson sings “We Shall Overcome.”

Councilman Richard Valuntas, Councilwoman Jan Rodusky, Councilman Dr. Adam Miller and Mayor Jeff Hmara.

Event committee members Lauriston Simms, Jilon Rhoden, Audrey Smith, Elet Cyrus, Jannette Sharpe-Paul, Norma Smith-Hill, Micaela Ferguson, Robin Ferguson and Paul Baker.

Jannette Sharpe-Paul and Dennis Wright thank keynote speaker Dr. Idell McLaughlin.

Henworth Ferguson recites a poem.

Rhonda Ferrin-Davis, Mayor Jeff and Carolyn Hmara, and Dennis Wright.

Junior Stevens plays the steel pan.

The RPBHS Wildcat Dancers perform.

CAFCI board members Rhonda Ferrin-Davis, Dennis Wright, Norma Smith-Hill, Paul Baker and Carolyn Hmara.

Chunky Harrigan on the drums and Bernard Bain on the saxophone.

Heritage Cup Winner — San Saba’s Steve Krueger, Alfonso Pieres, Santiago Zubiaurre and Dawn Jones. PHOTO BY DAVID LOMINSKA

(Seated) Patty Klammer, Debbie Ullman, Nicole Tiffeau and Felicia Rodriguez; and (standing) Ken Klammer, Richard Domark and Juan Rodriguez.

The Wellington Seniors Club gathered for lunch on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at the Wellington International showgrounds. Seniors enjoyed

action. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Alina Silvacoll, Wanda Hill, Eileen Kuhnel and Alice Bloom.

PBSO Major Ronald Mattino offers opening remarks. Larry Johnson’s Essence of Motown performs on stage.

Steve Moss, Roxanne Stein, PBSO Community Outreach Coordinator Diane Smith with Lashena, Deputy Augustin, Mariah and Teyona Rios.

County Commissioner Sara Baxter and PBSO Major Eric Coleman.

Judge Paul Damico swears in Sheriff Ric Bradshaw as Dorothy Bradshaw holds the bible.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office -Pipes and Drums perform.

Eagle 1 Chief Pilot Sgt. Mike Musto, SWAT Sgt. Steve Burdelski, Dorothy Bradshaw, K9 Deputy Andrew Cano and Pilot Todd Romagnoli.

Pete Lofaso, Noah Lofaso, Kelly Lofaso, Amy Bradshaw Wallace, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Dorothy Bradshaw and Judge Paul Damico.

Carolyn Hmara, State Attorney Alexcia Cox and Mayor Jeff Hmara.

Former State Rep. Irv Slosberg and former State Attorney Dave Aronberg.

Mina Anafi, Tsippi Melman, and Ramona and Norbert Mizne.

Jasmine Wilson with “Lift Every Voice.”

Village Council members with representatives from Wellington Regional Medical Center.

Wellington Village Council members with members of Crowned Pearls of Wellington.

Ava Fraser presents “Do I Matter.”

Anisa Conde with “Breathe.”

The guest speaker was Judge Danielle Sherriff.

Zaria DaSilva presents “MLK We Remember.”

Nevaeh Baker with “Listen.”

Artistic Expression by Kameron George.

Rea Combs presents “Rise Up.”

SATURDAY | MAY 3 | 3:00 PM

Get ready to experience the excitement, style, and grace of the Derby Race Day like never before at Wellington’s Premier Derby Celebration returning again to the exquisite Diamante Farms! Immerse yourself in the splendor of horse racing culture and the charm of Southern sophistication at this unforgettable event.

Slip into your most elegant attire, crown the day with your fanciest hat, and prepare to root for your top pick in an atmosphere buzzing with anticipation and festivity. This is more than an event; it’s an opportunity to make a difference. Proceeds will benefit the Wellington Community Foundation, supporting vital initiatives close to home.

Treat your palate to an exquisite culinary adventure crafted by the talented Executive Chefs. Savor delectable dishes while sipping signature beverages,including the quintessential mint juleps, as the excitement builds.

Whether you’re a racing aficionado or simply looking for a lively evening filled with good company and great entertainment, this celebration will leave you inspired and uplifted.

Mark your calendars, saddle up, and join us for an evening of elegance, gastronomy, and philanthropy. Together, let’s make this Derby Party another resounding success and continue to support the heart of our community.

Get ready for an unforgettable night of racing, revelry, and giving back—where every moment is a winner.

High School Soccer Programs Now Playing Postseason Games

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

Boys and girls high school varsity soccer teams in Florida are currently in the early stages of their Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) postseason journeys. The first round of the district soccer tournaments started on Wednesday, Jan. 22. Many of the high school programs in the western communities, both boys and girls, have strong regular season records and are expecting to have deep postseason runs.

The Wellington High School boys and girls varsity teams had impressive regular- season campaigns. Both teams earned firstround byes and are expected to advance beyond their respective District 13 tournaments into the FHSAA Class 7A state playoffs.

The WHS boys soccer team (11-2-3) is focused on playing for the district championship on Wednesday, Jan. 29. The opponent will, most likely, be John I. Leonard High School. Win or lose in the district tournament,

chances are strong that the WHS boys team will receive a bid into the state soccer tournament based on its strong ranking. The WHS girls soccer team (102) entered the postseason with a lofty ranking — fourth-best Class 7A team in Florida. They are the clear favorite to win their district tournament. Expect the Wellington girls to host the district tournament final on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. Their opponent will probably be Park Vista High School, which Wellington defeated, 4-0, on Dec. 4. Of Wellington’s 10 regular season wins, seven were shutouts. According to WHS head coach Ashley Adby, her team’s strength has been its defense.

“Our defense has been our backbone this year. They are a very strong set of defenders who work together, led by our junior centerback, Emilie Bach,” Adby said. “They are very hungry to keep the ball out of the net. They have been our team’s protectors all year. Behind them, goalkeeper Emma Segfeldt has been our final wall, ensuring nothing goes in the net. She plays with a lot of confidence and pride for this team.”

The boys and girls soccer teams from Palm Beach Central High School are in the same District 13 tournaments. Palm Beach Central’s boys team (5-10-3) must win three district tournament games on Jan. 22, 24 and 29 in order to advance to the Class 7A state tournament. Palm Beach Central’s girls team (6-9) must follow a similar path in order to advance, as they must also win all three district tournament games. That would require an upset win against Wellington.

At Royal Palm Beach High School, the boys soccer team (14-

4-5) had a strong beginning to the regular season by starting 10-0-2. Coach Mal Hasan’s squad didn’t lose a regular-season game until falling 3-2 to the King’s Academy on Dec. 5.

Unfortunately, the Wildcats have stumbled down the stretch by going 2-3-3 since Dec. 11. Royal Palm Beach is the fourth seed in its respective Class 6A, District 13 tournament. The Wildcats hosted fifth-seeded Seminole Ridge High School (8-8-3) on Thursday, Jan. 23 in the district quarterfinals. The result was not available at press time. That was the third game between both teams this season. Back on Dec. 13, they played to a 2-2 tie, and on Jan. 10, Seminole Ridge blanked Royal Palm Beach, 2-0.

The winner of the Royal Palm Beach-Seminole Ridge district game will play at top-seeded Olympic Heights High School in the District 13 semifinals on Monday, Jan. 27 in Boca Raton. The district final will be Wednesday, Jan. 29. For Royal Palm Beach or Seminole Ridge to advance to the state tournament, both teams will probably have to win the district tournament.

The girls soccer team from Seminole Ridge High School (11-4-2) is the second seed in its district. In the quarterfinal match on Thursday, Jan. 23, Seminole Ridge hosted Royal Palm Beach High School (3-14-1). The winner of that game advances to the semifinals against either West Boca Raton High School or Forest Hill High School on Monday, Jan. 27. Seminole Ridge is hoping to reach its district final on Wednesday, Jan. 29. The most likely opponent would be top-seeded William T. Dwyer High School. In the cur-

Seminole Ridge Girls Varsity Basketball Team Is Soaring

By Mike May

Town-Crier Staff Report

The Seminole Ridge High School girls varsity basketball team is having a tremendous season. Under the leadership of Maria Hudson, now in her eighth year as the head coach, the Hawks were 14-1 prior to their game Thursday, Jan. 23 at Santaluces High School. Going into that game, Seminole Ridge was riding a 13-game winning streak. The result was not available at press time.

The on-court productivity and leadership by a trio of seniors —

rent Class 6A rankings for girls

soccer, Seminole Ridge is ranked 24th while Dwyer is ranked 22nd.

The King’s Academy girls soccer team (12-2-4) had a phenomenal regular season. Of the team’s 12 wins, six were shutouts, and in five of the wins, the defense only allowed one goal in each game.

TKA is the top seed in its Class 2A, District 8 tournament. The squad doesn’t play a district game until the semifinals on Monday, Jan. 27 against either Oxbridge Academy or Pahokee High School. Assuming TKA wins on Jan. 27, they will host the District 8 final on Wednesday, Jan. 29 against either Cardinal Newman High School or the Benjamin School. As the second-ranked Class 2A team in Florida, TKA is the favorite to win its district tournament and make a deep run in the upcoming Class 2A state tournament. The TKA girls are in a strong position to advance to the state finals, which will be held in DeLand in late February.

The TKA boys varsity soccer team (9-3-2) is the second-seeded squad in its Class 2A, District 8 tournament. The Lions will host Oxbridge Academy in its district semifinal game on Tuesday, Jan. 28. A victory will propel TKA into its district final on Thursday, Jan. 30. The most likely opponent in the final will be top-seeded Cardinal Newman High School.

At Berean Christian School, both the boys (12-4-1) and girls (12-4-2) soccer teams are the top seed in their respective Class 1A, District 13 tournaments. Both programs are strong favorites to repeat as district champions. The boys will play their first district

94-Year-Old Gil Seidman Knows The Keys To Living A Long Life

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

Gil Seidman is truly living his life one day at a time and enjoying every minute of it. For Seidman, physical activity is the key to his existence, longevity and happiness.

“I play tennis every morning and then go for an hour’s walk in the afternoon,” said Seidman, now 94 and getting ready to turn 95 in May.

On Tuesday afternoons during the winter, he plays stickball with the Brooklyn Bums of the Wycliffe Stiffs Stickball League.

“Daily exercise is how I stay alive,” added Seidman, who has been playing tennis for 40 years and stickball for 10 years.

On the tennis court, Seidman is a tenacious opponent.

“If I can reach it, I can hit it back,” said the left-handed Seidman, who prefers doubles over singles.

According to Seidman, the other

key to his longevity is a smart, sensible diet.

“I try to eat healthy, and I don’t overeat. It’s not good for you. I have a low-fat diet with vegetables. I don’t eat meats like beef or pork. I eat lots of chicken and fish, mainly salmon, and a glass of red wine with dinner every night,” he said. “That’s how I stay alive.”

Seidman is a crafty tennis player who wields a Head racquet. As a tennis spectator, he always enjoyed watching the great Roger Federer play tennis, but he never saw the Swiss sensation play tennis in person. While living in New York for many years, on only one occasion did he take the time to attend the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

“I only went to the U.S. Open once, when it was held at Forest Hills in New York, many years ago,” Seidman said.

Seidman and his wife live at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club during the late fall, throughout the winter and into the early spring.

Then, they head north to Long Island, New York, for the late spring, summer and into the early fall. Up in New York, he follows the same daily routine — tennis in the morning, walking in the afternoon and a light dinner along with a glass of red wine. That regime allows him to keep his weight around 150 pounds. When he was gainfully employed, Seidman spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy, where he served at one point on the USS Joseph P. Kennedy. Seidman retired as a lieutenant commander. He then went to work in public education, eventually retiring from the New York school system as an assistant principal. Looking back, he enjoyed his time defending America’s freedom followed by helping to educate future generations of Americans. In those two professions, he truly lived life one day at a time and enjoyed every minute of it, as he still does today.

Royal Palm Beach’s Vilson Jewood attempts to control the ball along the sidelines. PHOTO BY DANIELA HOYOS

The Wellington High School girls varsity soccer team.

Berean’s Silas Tiscione in blue on the attack from midfield.

PHOTO BY JENNY SCHARTNER tournament game at home on Monday, Jan. 27 against either Glades Day School or SLAM. Their district final will be Thursday, Jan. 30. The girls from Berean will open district tournament play on Friday, Jan. 24, when they

Atlantic Christian Academy, hoping to advance to their district tournament final on Tuesday, Jan. 28. By winning their respective district tournaments, both Berean teams will advance to their Class 1A state tournaments.

Wellington’s Mia Ciezak controls the ball. PHOTO BY ASHLEY QUINTERO

Underdog Berean Basketball Team Prevails At SSAC Tourney

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

The Berean Christian School boys varsity basketball team, under the direction of head coach John Lantz, has struggled at times this season. After the team’s first 16 games, the squad had compiled a 6-10 record. That included a rough stretch in mid-December where Berean lost five of their nine games. But Lantz never gave up on his 11-player squad. He recalled a quote from longtime NBA coach and current Miami Heat President Pat Riley.

“Coach Riley once said, ‘Hard work does not guarantee success, but without it, success is virtually impossible.’ So, our team continued to work hard in practice and in games,” said Lantz, now in his 17th year as the head boys basketball coach at Berean.

The Bulldogs opened 2025 by splitting their first four games. Then, Lantz and his team packed their bags for a two-day, two-game trip to the AdventHealth Field-

Basketball SRHS Girls

Soaring

continued from page 21 per game, free-throw shooting percentage, steals and total rebounds. Midget is second in five of those categories — points per game, total points, free-throw shooting percentage, steals and total steals. Custodio is contributing to the team’s overall success with a number of timely shots, steals, assists, blocks and rebounds.

According to Hudson, the three seniors are leading by example in practice, in games, in the classroom and in the locker room.

“This season, Janiah has stepped up into a leadership role. She is

house in Winter Haven to compete in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference (SSAC) annual tournament. In its four-team bracket, Berean was the fourth seed. On paper, the young Bulldogs were expected to lose both games.

“Basketball games are not played on paper, and we were committed to teamwork and excellence on the court,” Lantz said.

On Friday, Jan. 17, Berean played the top-seeded Warriors from Seven Rivers Christian School in Lecanto, Florida. As Lantz expected, his team responded with its best game of the season. Going into the fourth quarter, Berean led 56-36, outscoring Seven Rivers by five points in the first quarter, nine points in the second quarter and six points in the third quarter. Even though the Warriors outscored the Bulldogs by 11 points in the fourth quarter, Berean held on and won, 67-58.

That win propelled the Bulldogs into the championship bracket to face the Trailblazers from Punta Gorda’s Babcock High School on

averaging nearly 20 points a game. She shows up to play every day in practice and in games,” Hudson said. “Jayla’s commitment to compete is impressive. She works hard every day on the court. Breanna has grown up so much in the last four years. Just recently, she fought hard to come back from an injury suffered in the travel basketball season.”

The only blemish on Seminole Ridge’s record is a 51-46 loss to Martin County High School back on Nov. 19. Seminole Ridge hasn’t lost since that game. However, Martin County and Seminole Ridge are in the same district (Class 6A, District 13), which means there’s a strong chance that both teams will meet one another in the district tournament final,

Saturday, Jan. 18. For Berean, the biggest hurdle to overcome was the presence of the Trailblazers’ Jameson Habing, who is 6-foot-9 and weighs 280 pounds. Berean’s tallest player is 6-foot-3.

“It was a David-versus-Goliath matchup, and we were David,” Lantz recalled.

To win, Berean needed to play exceptional defense. It was a lowscoring, back-and-forth game. Berean was outscored by Babcock in the first quarter, 9-4. But by halftime, Berean had cut into the deficit and only trailed by three points, 16-13.

In the third quarter, the Bulldogs continued to improve and outscored the Trailblazers by five to take a two-point lead, 25-23, going into the fourth quarter. In the final quarter, Berean scored just eight points, but the Bulldogs held the Trailblazers to seven points. In the end, Berean prevailed, 33-30, to improve its record to 8-10.

“We put together a game plan of really trying to be patient in our offensive sets and by limiting

which is set for Friday, Feb. 7.

Regardless of how both teams fare in the District 13 tournament finale, both Seminole Ridge and Martin County will earn a bid into the FHSAA’s Class 6A state tournament, since both are ranked among the top ten teams in the statewide rankings. That means they could possibly meet for a third time this season in one of the three regional games on Feb. 7, Feb. 18 or Feb. 21.

For the Seminole Ridge squad, the overall goal is to finish the season by playing in the FHSAA’s Class 6A state finals, which will be contested in early March at Lakeland’s RP Funding Center. That would truly be a fitting conclusion to what has been a tremendous season, to date.

Berean Christian School boys basketball team

their possessions,” Lantz said. “On defense, we scrambled and double-teamed Habing every time he touched the ball. Even though Derek Vasquez is 6-foot-3, we put

Oxbridge Academy Names Jason McCleod New Head Football Coach

The Oxbridge Academy has selected Jason McCleod as its next head football coach. McCleod is a 2018 graduate of Oxbridge and a current faculty member who has taught humanities and essential skills to middle school students for the past two years. He has also served as an assistant football coach for the ThunderWolves.

“I am pleased to announce an exciting new chapter for our football program. After a thorough and thoughtful search, we are thrilled to welcome Jason McCleod as our new head coach,” Oxbridge Athletic Director Stan Ross said. “Coach McCleod brings experience, a passion for developing athletes on and off the field, and a commitment to fostering a culture of excellence, integrity and teamwork. I am confident we will achieve great things under his leadership.”

McCleod is already setting high expectations and articulating a vision for the team that extends beyond the game. “I’m thrilled to lead the team and encourage a winning environment built on respect and integrity — respect for staff, teachers, referees and an ap-

preciation for the opportunities our players have here at Oxbridge,” he said. “My goal for each player is for them to develop a strong sense of identity and purpose that transcends the football field. I aim to strengthen the bonds between teammates on and off the field and inspire them to embrace their purpose and responsibility as student-athletes.”

McCleod’s deep connection to Oxbridge and his stellar credentials as a student-athlete further highlight his qualifications. As a ThunderWolves defensive back during his junior year, he earned first-team All-County and secondteam All-State honors and recognition as a scholar-athlete. His coach at the time described him as one of the most intelligent and prepared players he had ever coached. In addition to his athletic achievements, McCleod served as class vice president during his senior year.

After graduating from Oxbridge, McCleod earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a concentration in international relations and a minor in music from the University of Pennsylvania. He also earned a master’s degree in communications from Sacred Heart University. A defensive back on the UPenn football team, he earned All-Ivy League Second Team honors as a senior in 2021. Reflecting on his return to Oxbridge as a teacher, McCleod described it as “an amazing experience,” adding, “I enjoy teaching, connecting with and learning from each of the students. As a secondyear teacher, I feel so supported by my colleagues, especially those who played roles in my academic journey.”

The

following their SSAC championship win.

Alyk Smith, who is 6-foot-1, on Habing. Alyk is stocky and was stronger on Habing.” Lantz is expecting his team to showcase that same energy and

commitment to excellence for the balance of the season and into the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 1A postseason, which starts in early February.

Jason McCleod

The Seminole Ridge High School girls varsity basketball team. PHOTO BY JAY MIDGET

Angee Lohmann Again Earns ‘Goofy’ Status At Disney Marathon

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

On Jan. 11-12, longtime Wellington resident Angee Lohmann was in the Orlando area to participate in the 32nd Disney Marathon race weekend with one main goal: finish each race. For the 20th consecutive year, Lohmann ran, jogged and walked the half-marathon (13.1 miles) on Saturday and the full marathon

(26.2 miles) on Sunday. For the first 19 years, she accomplished her goal of running the 39.3 miles in two days and earned a medal for completing the “Goofy’s Race and a Half Challenge.” This year, it wasn’t going to be easy for her. Lohmann’s biggest obstacle was recovering from knee surgery in late November, which has been hampering her preparation and training.

On Tuesday, Nov. 26, Lohmann had surgery on her right knee for a displaced meniscus. Her surgeon told her that her recovery would take four to six weeks, and she told the surgeon that she was focused on participating in the Disney Marathon weekend in mid-January.

“The surgeon said it was doable if I did my therapy and the healing went well,” recalled Lohmann, 59, who works as a teacher at Glades Day School in Belle Glade.

Well, Lohmann was able to achieve her goal of completing both races. At the beginning of the weekend, only 52 contestants were trying to earn the Goofy title for the 20th consecutive year. She is not sure how many of them achieved that goal, but she did.

On Saturday, Jan. 11, Lohmann and her youngest daughter Hana, 19, began the half-marathon race in cold and rainy conditions. The race began in waves.

Angee started at 5:33:30 a.m. Her mile-per-minute pace was 14:45. At 8:46:47, she crossed the finish line, completing the race in just more than three hours (3:13:17, to be precise).

At 5:46:44 a.m., Hana began the 11.1-mile trek. At 8:39:37 a.m., Hana finished in 2:52:54.

Her mile-per-minute pace was 13:12.

After resting for the balance of Saturday, Angee and her oldest daughter Brianna, 31, began focusing on final preparations for the big Disney Marathon on Sunday, where they were joined by more than 30,000 other participants. It was Brianna’s first-ever marathon.

Just like the day before, their starting times were very early. It was pre-dawn and dark at the start of the marathon.

Both met their goals of finishing the race. Angee’s time was 6:32:26, while Brianna was faster, finishing in 4:44:45. Overall, Brianna was the 745th fastest female, while Angee was the 4,334th fastest female. In their respective age brackets, Brianna was 121st while Angee was 176th.

Looking back, Angee agrees that her goal was a lofty one, but she realized that she had to scale back on her actual running in order to finish each race.

“It was great running weather, but I had to walk most of the races both days,” Angee said. “After the half, I seriously doubted I could do it, but I was able to keep it under the required 16 minute-per-mile pace.”

Time will tell if Angee decides

Area Schools Represented In Local High School All-Star Football Game

On Saturday, Jan. 11, the top se-

football players from Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast met on the gridiron to play in the fourth annual

Palm Beach-Treasure Coast High School All-Star Football Game, also known as “The Battle at the Beach.”

The game was played at Jupiter High School, and the western communities had strong representation on the Palm Beach All-Star team. The Palm Beach All-Stars defeated the Treasure Coast AllStars, 48-21.

According to game director Brian Coe, the head coach for the Palm Beach team was Chuck Kenyon, the coach at Royal Palm Beach High School. One of Kenyon’s assistant coaches in the game was Brandon Huggins, also from RPBHS. Kenyon was also the head coach of the Palm Beach All-Stars last year.

Kenyon’s roster featured four players from the western communities. They were Matis Gibson

(tight end) from Palm Beach Central High School, Jahari TreasureWalker (wide receiver) from Royal Palm Beach High School, and Preston Swope (defensive end) and Willie Young III (running back) from Seminole Ridge High School.

Kenyon was particularly proud of the effort by Treasure-Walker, who played for Kenyon at RPBHS this past fall.

“Jahari played wide receiver on offense, defensive back on defense, kick returner on special teams and scored a touchdown in the game,” Kenyon said.

At the end of the game, Swope was named the game’s defensive MVP. For his effort, he was rewarded with a $250 college scholarship.

The main sponsor of the game was the law firm Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather.

Angee Lohmann and Brianna Lohmann after finishing the Disney Marathon.

Hana Lohmann and Angee Lohmann showcasing their half marathon medals.

Until then, Angee has earned the right to be called “Goofy” yet again. It’s

The Solid Gold Twirlers were thrilled to perform recently at the Orange Bowl basketball game with their friends, the Anchorettes. The baton twirlers are part of the Royal Palm Beach High School Community Education Program. New

Game organizer Brian Coe with defensive MVP Preston Swope and Michael Kranz of sponsor Smith, Ball, Báez & Prather.

By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report

The 2024-25 high school football season for Palm Beach County is finally in the record books.

ROSA BERECHE CELEBRATES HER 100TH BIRTHDAY

On Jan. 1, Wellington resident Rosa Bereche celebrated her 100th birthday. She was born in Chiclayo, Peru, and moved to Palm Beach County in December 2008. The celebration included Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue officers visiting in their fire trucks. Bereche felt very happy, loved and honored to receive such an homage on her special day. She then spent the rest of the day celebrating with her friends and family. “It was exciting for my mom that Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue was able to be part of the festivities. It was such a nice experience, and we’re so grateful for my mom and all of her family and friends,” said Bereche’s daughter, Pilar Liza-Caprio.

members.

Discussion Seeks To Reshape Philanthropy

Lisa LaFrance, in partnership with Extraordinary Charities and Nonprofits First, hosted a thought-provoking discussion with author and TED Talk speaker Dan Pallotta at the Kravis Center’s Rinker Playhouse on Monday, Jan. 13. The house was packed with nonprofit organizations, funders and community changemakers who challenged some of the outdated thinking that inhibits community improvement. Christine Raymond, executive director of Extraordinary Charities, interviewed Pallotta via video.

“Dan imparted some powerful wisdom, encouraging nonprofits to dream big and act boldly,” Raymond said.

“This is just the beginning of this discussion,” LaFrance added.

“The TED Talk has been around since 2013, so clearly Dan was a pioneer in his thinking. The time to finally address these challenges is now, and the Palm Beach County community is ready.”

Event support was provided by Colette Beland and Palm Beach Special Events.

“Ongoing programming is essential, as is a long-term perspective and commitment,” LaFrance said.

One of the next discussions in this effort is a funders’ panel hosted by Nonprofits First, which will take place on March 18 at Keiser University. For more information, or to register, visit www.nonprofitsfirst.org.

$100,000 Kristen Baran Charity Hunter Class Benefits Boys

The National Polo Center was the site of a recent luncheon and pop-up shopping event hosted by the iconic Bal Harbour Shops to officially launch the $100,000 Kristen Baran Charity Hunter Class. This year’s competition to benefit the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club of Wellington will take place on Friday, Feb. 7 at Wellington International, drawing top riders and horses from across the country.

The event brought together equestrian enthusiasts, philanthro-

pists and fashion aficionados. The kickoff event highlighted the generous support of the Bal Harbour Shops and an impressive lineup of luxury vendors, including Dolce & Gabbana, Golden Goose, Lanvin, Elisabetta Franchi, Etro, Balmain Paris, Monnalisa, Assouline, Addict and Santa Maria Novella.

“Last year, the inaugural Baran Hunt Ball was an incredible success and so well supported by the equestrian community. The amazing thing is that this event is shaping up to be even better,

& Girls Club Feb. 7

thanks to the impressive turnout at this luncheon. A huge thank you to Kristen Baran and her team for creating this much-anticipated event to again benefit our Wellington club,” said Jaene Miranda, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. For more information about the $100,000 Kristen Baran Charity Hunter Class and how you can support the initiative, contact Director of Development Mary Coleman at mary.coleman@bgcpbc.org or (561) 706-3357.

SELENA SAMIOS KICKS OFF MAYORAL CAMPAIGN

On Tuesday, Jan. 14, Royal Palm Beach Vice Mayor Selena Samios officially launched her campaign for mayor with a kickoff event at the Village Golf Club. More than 60 community leaders, residents, elected officials and stakeholders came together to hear her vision for the future of Royal Palm Beach. “This campaign is about all of us working together to ensure that Royal Palm Beach remains a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family,” Samios said. The election will be held on Tuesday, March 11. Learn more about Samios at www.selenaformayor.com.

‘Art

Of Florida’s Highwaymen’ Returns To Wellington

Wellington invites the community to view and learn about the celebrated work of Florida’s Highwaymen with a free public art exhibit “The Art of Florida’s Highwaymen” at the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The exhibit will be available for viewing on Saturday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and features live presentations with art historian Roger Lightle at 2 p.m. each day. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet and greet with Highwaymen artist Roy McLendon Jr., who began his painting

career with the Highwaymen in the early 1970s. Who are the Highwaymen? In the late 1950s, during the Jim Crow era in the South, a small group of African American artists from the Fort Pierce and Vero Beach area started a business venture during a time when employment opportunities available to them were most likely low-paying jobs. Eventually, the group numbered 26 artists. Unable to display and sell their work through traditional channels such as galleries and art agents, they traveled the roads selling their paintings to business

owners, real estate brokers, lawyer’s offices, banks and others along the way. This unconventional sales method earned them the name “The Highwaymen” sometime in the mid-1990s. For more than 60 years, the group captured Florida’s natural beauty in an estimated 200,000 paintings, depicting striking views of backwoods scenes, breaking waves, palm-lined beaches and rivers, to name a few.

The Highwaymen have been featured in The New York Times and on National Public Radio, and were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2004. Their

work is on display in the White House and the Florida Governor’s mansion, in addition to countless homes and offices across the country. Available parking may be limited due to the South Florida Garlic Fest taking place in Wellington’s Town Center that weekend. On Saturday, Feb. 1, a shuttle will be available from the Palm Tran bus stop at the Mall at Wellington Green, located on Ring Road near Macy’s, from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. For more information, call the Wellington Community Center at (561) 753-2484, or visit www. wellingtonfl.gov/highwaymen.

JEFF HMARA HOLDS RPB ELECTION FUNDRAISER

Royal Palm Beach Mayor Jeff Hmara held his campaign kickoff event and fundraiser at the Royal Palm Beach Brewing Company on Wednesday, Jan. 8 with more than 100 people in attendance. Speakers included School Board Member Marcia Andrews and former County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay. Hmara was also presented with an endorsement by HISPAC, the Hispanic Political Action Committee. Guests included Royal Palm Beach Councilman Richard Valuntas, former County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, Wellington Vice Mayor John McGovern and Councilwoman Tanya Siskind, Boca Councilwoman Yvonne Drucker and Lake Park Vice Mayor Kim Glas-Castro. The election will be held March 11.

Former County Commissioner Jess Santamaria with Carolyn and Jeff Hmara at the fundraiser.

Christine Raymond, Colette Beland and Trudy Crowetz. PHOTOS BY GAIL HAINES

Lorna Johnson, Selena Samios and Joey Johnson.

Jon Carter and County Commissioner Sara Baxter with Elizabeth and Steve Accomando.

Marybel Coleman, Reisha Allen and Rosa White.

Alyssa Freeman and Julie Highsmith.

Rosa Bereche with family

Rosa Bereche with the visiting officers from Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue.

Nathan Olver, Claudia Mariaca, Callie Sharkey, Trudy Crowetz and Hannah Hopkins of Nonprofits First.

Diana Davis and Lisa LaFrance.

Marcello Montesinos, Marcella Montesinos, Shelly Albright and Sonali Mendiratta. Suebelle Robbins, Melinda Rockwell and Holly Caracappa.

Anne Speiser and Kristen Baran. PHOTOS BY TRACEY BENSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Winston Davis, Rhonda Ferrin-Davis and Darrell Lange.

School Board Member Marcia Andrews and Wellington Councilwoman Tanya Siskind.

Former County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay was one of the speakers.

WHS Debate Success At West Boca Event

fifth, and both Gilberto Quintanilla Chapa and Colten Pride placed sixth. In Program of Oral Interpretation, Madison Neltner finished third. In Duo Interpretation, Neltner and Olivia Winton finished fourth. Melody Pratz placed fourth in Extemporaneous Speaking, and Genesis Cabrera finished fifth in Oral Interpretation of Literature. Wellington students earned five National Speech & Debate Association honor society degrees. Madison Neltner earned her Degree of Special Distinction, surpassing 500 points. Three students — Genesis Cabrera, Quinn Mawhinney and Anthony Morgan — earned their Degree of Honor, and will receive their varsity letter at the spring banquet in April. Joshua Lemy earned his Degree of Merit and membership in the NSDA.

American Heritage Schools is hosting virtual spring open house events for prospective families who are interested in enrolling their children at its Broward or Palm Beach campuses. Each open house offers parents and children an opportunity to meet with the American Heritage Schools team, including the admissions directors, teachers, program directors and principals. The Palm Beach campus will host its open houses on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 9:30 a.m.

virtually and on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 10 a.m. virtually. The open house events will start with a brief introduction from school administrators, then participants will have the opportunity to hear about American Heritage Schools’ extensive curriculum from the educators. The school’s goal is to introduce guests to the campus, the curriculum, philosophy and culture so they can learn what makes American Heritage among the best college prepara-

tory schools in the nation. For more information, or to reserve a spot, visit www.ahschool. com/open-house. Spaces will be limited, so RSVP as soon as possible. If families are unable to attend one of these open houses and/or would prefer a one-on-one virtual tour, call the admissions office directly. American Heritage is a college

WHS debate students at West Boca Raton High School.

WPL Expands Partnership, Launches Residential Founder Program

Wellington Lifestyle Partners (WLP), the Wellington-based real estate development and hospitality company, has expanded its partnership as its portfolio grows to include the Wellington International equestrian showgrounds and operations, and The Wellington, its new private residential club community developed by Nexus Luxury Collection.

Entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist Jeff Skoll, a current WLP shareholder along with Mark Bellissimo, Marsha Dammerman, Lisa Lourie, Roger Smith and Nexus, has made another significant investment in the company.

Skoll was the first president of eBay and now has a portfolio of philanthropic and commercial enterprises. While he is a new resident of Palm Beach, Skoll has become an active horse owner in support of Olympic-caliber riders in Wellington.

WLP also welcomes longtime Wellington resident and equestrian Michael Smith as a new shareholder. Smith is a retired businessman, amateur rider and a prominent owner of several horses competing with McLain Ward at the highest levels of the sport. Previously, he ran Valley Proteins Inc., then the second largest independent ren-

dering operation in the U.S., and was the president of the Upperville Colt & Horse Show. He also serves as a trustee for the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation.

“We are thrilled to have the support of our existing and new shareholders as we invest broadly in the village, creating The Wellington club community with Nexus and expanding the showgrounds,” Bellissimo said. “Ensuring Wellington is the quality standard for equestrian living is our goal.”

The additional capital comes as the company launches its new 400-acre luxury residential club

community featuring 253 residences along with championship golf and an array of sporting and wellness amenities. The Wellington’s real estate offerings include five distinct types of residences: custom estate homes, equestrian villas, townhomes, luxury condominiums and four-acre equestrian farm estates.

The community’s golf course and golf amenities are being designed by renowned golf architect David McLay Kidd of DMK Golf Design, known for his work at Bandon Dunes, Mammoth Dunes and Fancourt, and the community’s master plan and core amenities

are being designed by noted architecture and design firm Workshop/ APD. The New York-based firm’s award-winning portfolio includes amenity-rich developments, hotels and restaurants, and luxury residences in destinations around the world.

WLP will be launching a founder’s program this month, inviting the first families interested in joining the club community and establishing a home in The Wellington, and will be staggering the release of its real estate offerings.

In addition to the new project, the company’s Wellington

portfolio includes the Wanderers Club, other land holdings, and now Wellington International, the showgrounds venue home to the Winter Equestrian Festival.

“Speaking for all the shareholders, we are committed to Wellington long-term and creating assets here of the highest quality,” Skoll said. “The Wellington will be a world-class lifestyle community within Palm Beach County and will enhance Wellington’s position as the premier horse sport community in the world.”

For more information about Wellington Lifestyle Partners, visit www.wlpfl.com.

Providers Partner To Offer At-Home Blood Test For Early Gender Reveal

We’ve come a long way from guessing a baby’s gender based on food cravings, the severity of morning sickness or whether mothers carry high or low. People expect things differently, and the maternal market is no exception.

365 Wellness, a mobile-direct primary care practice, recently partnered with Peekaboo, a locally trusted laboratory specializing in early-gender DNA testing for expecting families. This collaboration brings groundbreaking services to Palm Beach County, offering the ability to detect a ba-

by’s gender as early as six weeks of pregnancy with over 99 percent accuracy.

Led by Roshini Singh, a board-certified family nurse practitioner and CEO of 365 Wellness, the practice is dedicated to providing comprehensive care that addresses everyday health concerns and complex medical needs in Palm Beach County. Her clinical interests encompass a range of preventative healthcare options, allowing her to provide mobile medical services where she can take care of patients at a compre-

hensive and holistic level. Singh believes that healthcare should not be difficult to access, which is why she is passionate about offering services that make healthcare simpler and more efficient.

This belief resonates with the mission of Peekaboo, a laboratory founded by Dr. Richard Lee in 1995. Lee recognized that DNA testing was often tedious and expensive, prompting him to develop a more accessible and affordable solution. Like Lee, Singh is committed to ensuring that healthcare is affordable and accessible to

everyone, a mission she embraced when founding 365 Wellness.

“We are thrilled to now be offering gender DNA testing,” Singh said. “We hope to give expecting parents the opportunity to celebrate their journey through this partnership while ensuring their care is convenient, reliable and tailored to their needs.”

The shared commitment to accessibility and affordability has led to a unique collaboration between 365 Wellness and Peekaboo, resulting in a modern service for expecting families. The early

Global Equestrian Brand LeMieux Launches Pop-Up Store At Wellington International

LeMieux, known globally for its technical horse and rider wear, recently announced the grand opening of its new pop-up store at Wellington International.

The 1,500-square-foot store that opened on Jan. 1 brings a burst of color and style to the premier equestrian destination, providing a physical space for enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the brand’s offerings. Visitors can look forward to an exclusive shopping experience, with expert advice and personalized recommendations from the knowledgeable staff in collaboration with Tackeria.

The store showcases the very best of LeMieux for both horse and rider. Whether you’re a seasoned equestrian or new to the sport, the store offers a wide range of products to suit every need. Operating for three months only, it presents a unique opportunity for customers

to explore and indulge in the best of LeMieux during the Wellington season.

Dan Mahoney, managing director of LeMieux, expressed his excitement about the new pop-up store.

“With a focus on innovation and continuously pushing boundaries, LeMieux is excited to be partnering with Wellington International,” Mahoney said. “The facility’s progressive approach and exceptional competitor experience align perfectly with LeMieux’s values. The LeMieux pop-up store promises to be a destination for equestrian enthusiasts and professionals alike this season. We are delighted that our U.S. customers have another opportunity to experience first-hand the quality, style and expertise that LeMieux is renowned for.” Learn more about LeMieux at www.lemieux.com.

knowledge can help families feel more connected to their babies, prepare for their growing family and share the excitement with loved ones — all without having to leave their homes.

Here is how it works: an experienced phlebotomist will visit the patient to collect a blood sample, and the 365 Wellness team will review the results. Once the gender is determined, 365 Wellness will mail a box containing the gender reveal and a special gift directly to the expectant mother’s

PBC Clerk Offering Free Passport Photos For Vets And Service Members

Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller Joseph Abruzzo is proud to permanently offer free passport photos for veterans, active-duty military and reservists when they apply for a new passport or renew an expired passport and cannot renew by mail.

“Our service members give our nation so much, and their dedication to our country is unparalleled,” Abruzzo said. “Waiving this fee is one way our office and community can show our appreciation for their service.”

To be eligible for the free photo,

military personnel can present their DD-214, military identification or have a veteran designation on their driver’s license, and make an appointment at one of the Clerk’s Office locations below: North County Courthouse, 3188 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens. South County Courthouse, 200 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. West County Courthouse, 2950 State Road 15, Belle Glade. Appointments are available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays, and can be made by visiting www. mypalmbeachclerk.com/passport.

Roshini Singh

The new LeMieux pop-up store at Wellington International.

Recalling My Friend Cooky And The Tupperware Parties Of Yore

Remember Tupperware, those plastic storage containers that you “burped” to close, supposedly to lock in freshness? They never really left, but now even the old ones are back. Freshness-seeking shoppers are descending upon antiques stores, Etsy and eBay, trying to complete their collections of vintage Tupperware in every size, shape and color.

I have to admit that Tupperware was (and is) fun. It’s not just the burping. It’s the colorful array of pantry products that look a lot like toys once you get them all lined up. Of course, it’s a pain in the neck to come home from the grocery store and “decant” everything you’ve just bought into these specialized containers but, once that’s accomplished, your pantry does look

kind of cool. And I miss the Tupperware parties. Back in “the day,” people (mostly women) would invite their friends over for soda, snacks and a presentation by an independent contractor who was an expert in all things Tupp. This “Tupperware lady” (again, mostly women) would bring out the latest in boxes, bins and bowls created

by her parent organization and show us all the unique and interesting features of these things that were, in reality, merely boxes, bins and bowls. Those of us in the audience would ooh and ahh and be envious of whomever it was at the party who could afford to go hog wild with her checkbook. The hostess, for her efforts, would receive a particularly neat Tupperware item, usually in a color reserved only for hostesses. I still have my compartmentalized snack tray in the rare red color, although its lid and snap-on handle are long gone. I use it whenever the grandkids are over, parked like zombies in front of the TV, because then they eat veggies without even realizing what they’re putting in their mouths.

As hostesses go, however, my friend

Cooky was the queen. Cooky grew up in the hills of Tennessee, using her wits to survive in a family with eight brothers and, as a result, had mostly male friends. She simply knew how to talk to men.

Cooky hosted a Tupperware party about once a month, and they were the best. Every eligible bachelor in the area was there, not because of the Tupperware, but because of Cooky. You just liked her. She was real, and she knew how to cook, hence her nickname.

Cooky’s parties started about an hour before the Tupperware lady showed up. She’d have a barbecue out in the yard, complete with all the fixin’s, and then we’d all go inside for cake, punch and the presentation. The punch was key. Its main

ingredient was grain alcohol. I know this because she once sent me to the liquor store to get some when she ran out. I didn’t know anything about any alcohol, but the cashier did. “Someone’s trying to get somewhere in a hurry,” she mumbled. I think a quart cost $3. By the end of the night, men were virtually hurling cash at the Tupperware lady, ordering double sets of canisters and cake takers they would never use, buying things for their girlfriends, aunts and sisters, and complaining that they would have to wait a week for delivery. It was something to see. As for Cooky, she owned every specialty hostess item ever invented. I bet when she dies, the Tupperware company donates her coffin. She’ll go out with a burp.

ABC’s New Crime Drama ‘High Potential’ Makes For Good TV

I usually avoid most of the new television series, since they seem like poorly done sequels of old shows. But I started watching High Potential because I was not feeling well and staying mostly in bed when the first episode aired. And it hooked me. It is a police procedural, and I have seen far too many of them over the years. But it has some interesting twists and turns that make it really interesting and enjoyable.

‘I’ On

CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler

vides an interesting sub-plot. Her second ex-husband Ludo (Taran Killam), a driving instructor, is father of her genius son Elliot (Matthew Lamb) and a baby, and seems always available to babysit. Our heroine has a messy life but one that is interesting.

So far, after around a half dozen or so episodes, Morgan and Karadec has solved some really tricky cases, ones more complex than the usual ones on TV series, and they do it in style. In many ways, the show reminds me of an old procedural, Columbo, with the ability of its lead to analyze tricky clues. But Olson has better legs, which are generally visible, since her character is fond of short skirts. I appreciate that, but she’s also brilliant and not a pushover.

Morgan brings up a key part of her strange private life. Her first husband, Roman, father of her oldest child Ava (Amirah J), disappeared 15 years earlier. She asks for answers as to what happened to him and is promised help. That pro-

It begins with the Los Angeles Police Department struggling to prove that the wife of a murdered man, who had herself disappeared, was his killer. Janitor Morgan (Kaitlin Olson), working at night, rearranges the photos. Detective Karadec (Daniel Sunjata) is furious and demands answers. Morgan demonstrates her ideas, which eventually lead to solving a really complex case. It seems she is a “high potential intellect” with an IQ over 160 who seems to be able to create patterns. When it’s noted that is a great thing to have, Morgan answers that it’s terrible, and that she has trouble holding a job or having deep friendships. The leader of the LAPD’s Major Crime Division, Selena (Judy Reyes), spots her potential and gives her a job as consultant.

There are three major elements that make this series work. The first is a series of really good scripts. The stories are interesting. The show may be a procedural, but it’s also a really fun “who done it” kind of one. Morgan is a fount of information on an enormous number of topics and is able to use that information to redirect investigations. The second is that, instead of creating jealous villains within the police department, the cops around her appreciate what she’s doing and provide support. But the best thing is the complexities even of the less central characters. No one seems to be cardboard cutout. The young detective, Oz (Deniz Akdeniz), instead of being just a callow kid, has good instincts and a great work ethic. Even Lieutenant Melon (Garrett Dillahunt) who, at the start, seems to be a nemesis, accepts her and even gets her a desk in the office so she’s as official as everyone else. No one is exactly who they seem. Tom (JD Pardo), a janitor, is also studying to be a nurse, and is slowly turning into a possible love interest. But the pair at the top of the billing, Olson and Sunjata, are what really carry the show. They are both exceptional at avoiding stereotypes. He might come across as stoic and perhaps not accepting of the new consultant at first but soon clearly appreciates her. Her life is a mess: her teenage daughter is in semi-rebellion, her son is too smart to interact with others of his own age, and the baby is, well, a baby. The consultant job is clearly the best she has had in a long time, and she is intent on doing well.

WHITE GLOVES

St. Jude’s Novena

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. St.Jude, worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude, help of the hopeless, pray for us. Say this prayer 9 times a day by the 8th day, your prayer will be answered. It has never been known to fail. Publication must be promised. Thank you, St Jude for granting my petition.