WELLINGTON HOA SYMPOSIUM JUNE 5 SEE STORY, PAGE 3
CHAMBER ON HEALTHCARE REFORM SEE STORY, PAGE 7
THE
TOWN - CR IER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE Volume 34, Number 21 May 24 - May 30, 2013
Your Community Newspaper
INSIDE RPB Council Agrees To Swap Bank For Retail
Serving Palms West Since 1980
A VISIT TO WELLINGTON’S WILD WEST
The Royal Palm Beach Village Council approved a site plan modification last week for the Royal Office Park and Toys ‘R’ Us planned commercial development on State Road 7. The change replaces a 2,925square-foot bank parcel with a 6,336-square-foot retail office building. Page 3
Fundraiser Supports Local Cancer Patient
Swip Swap Loxahatchee members held a fundraiser for breast cancer patient Sharon Vomero on Saturday, May 18 at Kidscape Park in The Acreage. Friends, family and other community members gathered for an afternoon of fun to raise money for Vomero’s medical and travel expenses. Page 5
PBSO: Grow Houses A Growing Problem
The western communities make good places for marijuana grow houses. That’s the conclusion of area law enforcement officials and why they want to arm the public with information about how to spot and report them. Page 7
Western Pines Event Shows Student Talent
Western Pines Middle School held a fine arts festival to showcase student work Tuesday, May 14 in the school cafeteria. Family and friends were able to view the work of 130 students. Page 17
OPINION Hopefully A Settlement Brings Needed Healing
A “Murder in the Wild West” murder mystery dinner theater was held Saturday, May 18 in the Wellington Village Park gym with food, a fully-stocked saloon, costume contests and a night of mystery. Sho wn here are Jason and Laura Hanchuk, Shannon Fox-Levine and Julie Mahoney with Eric Levine and Mike Mahoney in the lock-up. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Lawsuit Settlement Discussion On Wellington Council Agenda By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report The battle over the use of the Equestrian Village property could be settled next week with the Wellington Village Council expected to discuss a settlement offer to curb its legal woes. A discussion of the issue is on the agenda for the council’s Tuesday, May 28 meeting, Village Attorney Laurie Cohen told the Town-Crier this week. The settlement offer could halt two lawsuits filed last year by Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP), who run the Global Dressage Festival held at Equestrian Village during the winter show season.
“What’s going to be discussed [at the meeting] is a way to resolve these matters,” Cohen said. At the site of the old Palm Beach Polo stadium at the corner of South Shore Blvd. and Pierson Road, the Equestrian Village site was originally envisioned to have commercial elements and a hotel. However, the only portion of the site that has been constructed is the existing dressage facility. In May of last year, a newly seated council majority voted to revoke two measures that were approved by the former council: the property’s master plan and conditional use approvals. WEP Managing Partner Mark Bellissimo filed the lawsuits after
WWII Veteran Recalls Fallen Soldiers On Memorial Day
When members of the Wellington Village Council meet next week with representatives of Wellington Equestrian Partners, both sides have an opportunity to come together and let the community heal. Let’s hope that is what happens. Page 4
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the revocations of the existing permits, which had allowed a show facility on the property and yearround use. An attempt was made last year by Bellissimo to settle the issue, but council members ultimately rejected his proposal and the issue moved forward in court. The decision caused concern for the 2013 dressage season in Wellington, even launching an advocacy group to urge the council to approve use of the facility for the season. Ultimately, council members and WEP came to an agreement to allow activity on the site for a certain number of show dates. “They were allowed to use the See LAWSUIT, page 18
World War II veteran Angelo Cona at his home in suburban Lake Worth. PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA ANTONOPOULOS/TOWN-CRIER
By AlexandraAntonopoulos Town-Crier Staff Report Monday, May 27 is Memorial Day, and as America pauses to honor the memory of its fallen soldiers, World War II veteran Angelo Cona will remember the bravery of the men with whom he served in the United States Marine Corps more than 65 years ago. Cona, an 86-year-old veteran who lives in suburban Lake Worth, can hardly express the emotions that flood his mind while he reflects on his time in the service. “Memorial Day, to me, means a lot,” he said. When Cona was drafted in 1945, he was only 18 years old. Like many of his contemporaries who would also serve in the U.S. military, Cona was both excited and nervous about the journey that he was about to embark upon. “I didn’t know anything then. What do you know when you’re 18?” Cona said of his entrance into the service. After training, Cona was sent overseas almost immediately. He received orders to leave the United States on Dec. 7, 1945, and spent 30 days at sea, making several stops — one at the Panama Canal and a second in Pearl Harbor, where the troops spent one week before reaching their final destination. Cona was stationed in northern China and charged with See MEMORIAL DAY, page 18
County Commission Votes To Sell Mecca Farms To SFWMD By Anne Checkosky Special to the Town-Crier In a unanimous vote with little discussion, the Palm Beach County Commission took a giant step Tuesday in settling an issue that has plagued the county since 2004. The commissioners voted to sell the Mecca Farms property north of The Acreage to the South Florida Water Management District. They also voted unanimously to move forward with plans to build a shooting range on the northwest corner of the Mecca land and an all-terrain vehicle park on countyowned land near 20-Mile Bend. After an overwhelming show of public support for the three measures from scores of supporters ranging from residents to National Rifle Association officials to environmental group representatives — all of whom showed up to speak at the meeting, Palm Beach County Mayor Steve Abrams asked his fellow commissioners if they had any comment. “I wish this would have occurred in 2006,” said District 6 Commissioner Jess Santamaria to applause from the audience. “We need to get this monkey off our backs,” District 5 Commissioner Mary Lou Berger agreed. The deal now goes back to the SFWMD Board of Governors for approval. Commissioners anticipate a final vote in September. The county will sell the 1,920 acres situated between the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area and The Acreage community to the SFWMD for $26 million.
That’s far less than the $60 million the county paid for it in 2004 when it hoped to turn it into a home for the Scripps Research Institute. Legal and environmental challenges to developing the land derailed that plan, and after Scripps ultimately decided to build its facility in Jupiter, the county was stuck with the land. Supporting documents show it costs the county $250,000 a year to maintain the property. Last May, SFWMD officials approached the county about buying the land. But the county and district couldn’t agree on a sale price at that time because of differing appraisals. Eventually, county staff rejected their initial goal of holding out for property values to rebound. They also rejected the idea of shopping the property for development, as this would require a lengthy and costly process and would put them at risk of legal challenges, coupled with a lack of community support. The district will use the property for two main purposes: to restore water flow to the Loxahatchee River and to enhance flood control for The Acreage. It became clear after Tropical Storm Isaac last August that the SFWMD needed an enhanced flood plan for The Acreage. Acquiring the property will allow the SFWMD to better manage its resources to deal with floodwaters. The only disagreement among those who commented publicly on the sale was whether the county should reserve land to eventually See MECCA, page 18
Inspector General Funding, Lawsuit Defense Unchanged By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach County Commission approved its staff recommendation Tuesday to continue its present method of financing the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and also pursue its defense of a lawsuit by 14 cities protesting the method of funding. The county employs the widely used Local Government Electronic Reporting (LOGER) program to calculate the amount allocated the OIG, which is the subject of the lawsuit. The cities assert that the county cannot bill them for the service, although they would be willing to collect the fees and deliver them to the county. County Administrator Bob Weisman said county staff recommended continuing to use the LOGER system, at least until the end of the lawsuit. “There’s a history of why we use LOGER,” Weisman said. He explained that the Inspector General Drafting Committee had created a subcommittee with representatives from the county, the OIG, municipalities and the public to identify a method to retain the original 0.25 percent financing in the ordinance that created the office, which was to be collected
from the county and the cities. Other goals were to reduce the administrative effort and cost of monitoring the collection of revenue and to recognize the intent of the cost-share proportion between the cities and the county. “The subcommittee ended up recommending and the full committee accepted the use of the LOGER system,” Weisman said, adding that the LOGER system is recognized in the Florida Statutes as a financing record that keeps track of all city and county spending at the state level. “It meets all audit requirements, so we’re always sure that those numbers are good. It’s a uniform and consistent method to record actual expenditures and revenue activities, and it can therefore be used to proportionally allocate inspector general costs between the counties and the municipalities.” Weisman said it was recognized that the 0.25 percent fee that was to be assessed on contracts does not generate sufficient revenue to cover the annual expenses of the Office of Inspector General and said there was much dispute about which contracts should be exempted. “For example, contracts that See OIG, page 4
Wellington High School Salutes The Class Of 2013 By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington High School sent 569 graduates into the world Tuesday during its commencement exercises at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center. “Over the next several days in Palm Beach County, over 11,300 graduates will walk across this stage and receive their diplomas,” School District of Palm Beach County Superintendent E. Wayne Gent said. “They will have earned over $90 million and counting in scholarships.” Gent told graduates that they will be starting a new way of life in which they will have to make decisions, solve problems and do things as an adult. “The decisions you make the next few years, you will spend the rest of your life managing those decisions,” he said. Student Government Association Presi-
dent Terah Kalk encouraged class members to go outside their comfort zone. “Make as many mistakes as you can,” Kalk said. “Learn something from every person you meet. Listen to others, but don’t ever lose your own voice, and take into consideration that time only moves in one direction, and nothing is permanent.” Quoting the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, Kalk said: “Here’s to the crazies, the misfits, the rebels, the drum beaters. You can glorify or vilify them, but the one thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” Salutatorian Marc Nebb said he disagreed with author Kurt Vonnegut, who said, “True terror is to wake up one morning and disSee WHS GRAD, page 12
LOOK FOR GRADUATION STORIES & PHOTOS FROM OTHER AREA HIGH SCHOOLS IN NEXT WEEK’S TOWN-CRIER
Jason Gauthier, Jonathan Riotta, Josh Gauthier, Logan Jara and Kris Justs celebrate their graduation outside the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center. PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER
Page 2 May 24 - May 30, 2013
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NEWS
RPB Council Agrees To Swap Bank For Retail On State Road 7 By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council approved a site plan modification last week for the Royal Office Park and Toys ‘R’ Us planned commercial development on State Road 7. The change replaces a 2,925-square-foot bank parcel with a 6,336-square-foot retail office building. The 12.65-acre development is on the east side of State Road 7 about eight-tenths of a mile south of Southern Blvd. Planning & Zoning Director Bradford O’Brien said the proposed bank is being abandoned in favor of the retail building, which is expected to house two tenants. In reviewing the petition, village staff found that the project meets requirements for a general commercial zoning district and for planned commercial developments as well as large-scale commercial and industrial projects 20,000 square feet and larger.
The proposed modification meets the requirements of village code and conforms to traffic patterns for the overall site. The applicant also sought architectural approval for a style O’Brien said meets village code and generally reflects the style of the existing Toys ‘R’ Us building. The applicant also sought approval to delete a proposed arbor, which was found to be in conflict with underground utilities, O’Brien added. The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval of the modification by a vote of 5-0 at its April 24 meeting. Staff also recommended approval of the application. The existing commercial space for Royal Office Park is 29,438 square feet. Toys ‘R’ Us is 58,341 square feet, with an additional 16,030 square feet of office space planned to the north, as well as the 6,336-square-foot retail outparcel proposed to replace the bank.
“It’s kind of nice,” said agent Don Hearing with the architectural firm Cotleur & Hearing on behalf of property owner Pebb Enterprises. “Now you’re not going to see the drive-through, and it will provide a little bit more architecture on the street. It fits very well into the overall circulation of the traffic for the site. This has been designed to tie in nicely with the Toys ‘R’ Us building, with some large tower elements and projecting planes, the use of overhangs and recesses.” Hearing added that great thought has also been put into the site’s signage. “Signage has been contemplated as part of our overall design so that there is ample room to have signage where it is not constrained on the elevation,” he said. “It really becomes a part of the overall composition.” The entrances have projecting horizontal planes, which is in keeping with the Toys ‘R’ Us design
Wellington To Present June 5 Symposium For HOA Leaders By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington will host a symposium Wednesday, June 5 to provide local homeowners’ association and condominium boards with much-needed tools to manage and enhance their organizations. The free event will be at 6:30 p.m. in the Wellington Community Center, featuring experts who will share information about the legal, managerial and financial aspects of dealing with an HOA or condo association. “We have a panel of experts who specialize in HOAs and foreclosures,” Neighborhood Advocate Meridith Tuckwood said. “The goal is to provide educational tools that HOAs can use.” The panel will be led by attorneys from Korte & Wortman and include representatives from A&G Management, RV Johnson Insurance and Hafer & Co. Certified Public Accountants, as well as the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Wellington’s code compliance staff. “With foreclosures and a changing market, this HOA symposium will be geared toward the increase in rental units,” Tuckwood said.
“We see all sorts of issues with [rental properties], and it’s important for HOAs to know how to protect themselves.” Though the symposium is geared toward HOA board members, anyone interested is welcome to attend. Topics will include how to find the right property management company, how to effectively collect dues from residents, how to manage elections, what to do about nuisance problems and how to update HOA documents to reflect changing times, Tuckwood said. “A lot of communities don’t have a way of regulating issues because it’s not in their bylaws,” she said. “We want to educate them, let them know what their rights are and what they can and can’t do.” Another important topic will be dealing with foreclosures and initiating association lien foreclosures, she said. Tuckwood noted that the Florida Supreme Court recently handed down a ruling regarding soliciting and HOAs, which will be discussed as well. With hurricane season starting next week, HOA members will also
get information on what type of coverage they need to protect themselves. And representatives from the PBSO will share tips on how to deter crime in the neighborhoods. “People think that because they live in a gated community, they’re protected,” Tuckwood said. Each panelist will cover his or her area of expertise, answering common questions, giving solutions to common issues and sharing advice. Then, attendees will have a chance to ask questions. “Each attendee will get a packet of information so they can follow along, with room to write notes,” Tuckwood said. “It will be similar to our Foreclosure 911 seminars. We want to be sure we’re providing these groups with every opportunity to be successful.” Attendees must register with Tuckwood by Friday, May 31. To register, call (561) 753-2476 or email mtuckwood@wellingtonfl. gov. “We are extremely excited about this opportunity for HOAs and encourage their participation in this extraordinary educational opportunity,” Tuckwood said.
and will also incorporate stack stone that will tie in with the design. “We anticipate having two tenants within this building,” Hearing said. “The building will actually block some of the parking that is there. It will fit very nicely from a composition standpoint into the overall scheme out there on State Road 7.” The plan continues to have cross-connectivity and cross parking across the site. “We have more than ample parking,” Hearing said. “The requirement is 505 for the site. We actually have 515 when we look at the easement we have across the site onto the Isla Verde property.” Hearing added that the project has been very successful so far. As part of the development approval, the project has donated $5,000 toward a bus shelter, $38,413 toward wetland mitigation and $13,902 toward median landscaping. Hearing added that the developer plans to move immediately into permitting and hopes to have it completed by the end of the year. Councilman Richard Valuntas made a motion to approve the application, which carried 5-0. The council also approved a variance request for reduced parking on the site, which had been previously granted variances.
O’Brien said the required number of parking spaces had been reduced from 505 to 392, but the variance before the council was actually for an additional five spaces for Toys ‘R’Us, which was requesting four spaces for cart corrals and a handicapped parking space. The applicant is providing an additional 41 parking spaces outside the village boundary in Wellington behind the Toys ‘R’ Us, and is providing connectivity to Isla Verde to the south, also owned by the applicant, which has a surplus of parking spaces. “The applicant has prepared a perpetual parking and access easement over these spaces to assure they will be available for the patrons of the shopping center,” O’Brien said, adding that the applicant has conducted a shared parking study. “The study indicates that 393 spaces are sufficient for this shopping center. Between the parking spaces provided onsite, on the site directly behind the Toys ‘R’ Us, there are 433 parking spaces dedicated to the shopping center.” The applicant has agreed to require employees to park in the lot behind the Toys ‘R’ Us, O’Brien said. In addition, the applicant has proposed cross-access with Isla Verde, which has a surplus of 82 parking spaces. The Planning & Zoning Commission recommend-
ed approval in a 5-0 vote last month. “Based on the study and the amount of parking provided onsite and off-site, staff is recommending approval of this variance,” O’Brien said. Hearing said the Toys ‘R’ Us opened during the height of the Christmas shopping season and had no issues with parking. “Even on Christmas Eve, there was more than ample parking on the site,” Hearing said. Councilman Fred Pinto pointed out that the overall parking variance had been approved previously. “All they’re asking for is an additional five spaces to accommodate a cart storage capability,” Pinto said. Pinto made a motion to approve the variance, which carried 5-0. In other business, Councilman David Swift recommended the appointment of Felicia Matula as an alternate to the Planning & Zoning Commission. Matula, who ran for mayor against Matty Mattioli in 2012, is currently a member of the Recreation Advisory Board. “My only comment is you’ll be lucky to have her,” Councilman Richard Valuntas said. “She is being stolen from my board, so I think if this goes through, then we should also advertise that we’re going to have a vacancy on the Recreation Advisory Board.” Swift’s nomination carried 5-0.
CAFCI To Host Diversity Day Celebration In Royal Palm By Alexandra Antonopoulos Town-Crier Staff Report Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) in partnership with Royal Palm Beach will host a Cultural Diversity Day celebration at Veterans Park on Saturday, May 25 starting at 1 p.m. The event is free to the public. Cultural Diversity Day is a celebration of all heritages and will provide the community with an exciting and entertaining way to explore the cultures of the western communities and to experience food, artwork, music, sports and dancing from around the world. “What we want to bring to the area is all different types of cultural things: music, food, arts and crafts,” explained event coordina-
tor Ernie Garvey. “It’s going to be like a melting pot in the western communities now, and we want to celebrate that.” Cultural Diversity Day kicks off at 1 p.m. and continues until sundown, but the real action will begin at 3 p.m. when guests will enjoy live performances by local and international artists. “There will be a lot of entertainment as well as delicious food and arts and crafts vendors with different ethnic offerings throughout the day,” Garvey said. Some of the entertainers include Anize Hanif, who will perform African dancing, steel drums from Trinidad by Pan Man Eddie and a performance by 10-year-old superstar singer Soleil Rowe of northern Miami Beach.
CAFCI’s Cultural Diversity Day celebration promises to be a unique way to learn about the history of the area’s various ethnicities. Vendors will showcase their wares from individual booths and visitors are encouraged to bring chairs, tents, blankets and be prepared to make it an all-day family event. CAFCI, a nonprofit organization, is focused on promoting multicultural awareness and fostering community involvement within the western communities. The celebration will take place at Veterans Park, located at 1036 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. For more information, call event chair Elet Cyris at (561) 791-9087, Ernie Garvey at (561) 676-5664 or visit www.cafcipbc.org.
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OUR OPINION
Hopefully A Settlement Will Bring Needed Healing To Wellington When members of the Wellington Village Council meet next week with representatives of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP), both sides have an opportunity to come together and let the community heal, putting an end to some of the legal matters that have plagued the community for too long now. For more than a year, Wellington has been embroiled in legal battles that have cost the village’s taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars and divided our community. Further, the controversy has put the continued success of Wellington’s equestrian venues in doubt. Next week, council members will have a chance to talk with WEP Managing Partner Mark Bellissimo and his representatives in an attempt to resolve two lawsuits WEP brought against Wellington last year. The lawsuits arose when current council members chose to rescind approval of two measures that were passed by the former council to allow for the operation of the Equestrian Village site for horse shows. The popular Global Dressage Festival has proven to be a success, bringing a new level of dressage competition to Wellington. It is clear that dressage riders are willing to come to
Wellington if there is a competitive show season for them. All members of the council have expressed support for dressage in Wellington, even if they didn’t necessarily agree with the particulars of the Equestrian Village project. We hope that all involved can remember this going into the discussion next week. We believe everyone involved is trying to do what they believe is best for the community. It will take open minds and a willingness to compromise to resolve the questions at hand, and we hope that all sides are willing to have an honest dialogue and work toward a collective vision for Wellington’s equestrian future. It is time to set aside past transgressions and bruised egos and remember that we all benefit from the success of our equestrian community. Whether it’s polo, dressage, show jumping or casual riding, it’s the equestrian season that keeps our businesses full and property values high. The only way Wellington can walk away from this as a winner is if we walk away together, as a community once again intact and working toward a common goal. Let’s hope that is what happens.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Tennis Center Move A Hard Decision The recent decision by the Wellington Village Council to move the tennis center was a very hard one, it was almost a lose-lose, but I applaud Mayor Bob Margolis and councilmen John Greene and Matt Willhite on having the courage to make this decision. Keeping the tennis center at its current location was not an option, especially if the council was going to move forward on the new community center. All of the other sites that were considered had current recreation facilities in place, and would have required an extra six to nine months to move them and add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of the project. K-Park is now in play for a major player to enhance our equestrian industry and is not in play for a tennis site. For the first time in 20 years, I have to agree with my friend George Unger — the western equestrian concept would be a huge positive for the community and economy, and needs to be explored. Council members Howard Coates and Anne Gerwig are wrong on two counts: Leaving the center where it is currently does nothing but prolong the debate and delays Wellington moving forward on plans for a new community center and making the tennis program viable. In addition, Gerwig’s comment about the cost and so few participants is highly inaccurate. The village has spent
millions on the gym building and renovations, and the current recreation program and residents in the travel basketball program feature far fewer residents than the tennis program does currently. Gerwig’s lack of knowledge about recreation may be her undoing in the upcoming elections. Unfortunately, the Village Walk site will probably spell doom for the tennis program as many of the current members will choose not to make the additional 15 to 20 minutes of a drive, especially during school hours when the traffic is bumper-to-bumper with two schools within a mile of the proposed tennis center. I do agree with Coates and Gerwig that the cost is very high for this new center, so consider this: If the demand for the tennis center is so large, sell the property (Village Walk) to a qualified business or individual, with a contractual agreement to build a private 24-court club and clubhouse facility with their money, offer programs and leagues to the residents, in a return for a 99year lease at a very modest sum. We will see how quickly there is a need for tennis in Wellington, and the residents will be off the hook for the $5 million in costs. Steve Haughn Wellington
Moving Tennis Center Not Well Thought Out On May 14 there was a Wellington Village Council meeting to discuss moving the current tennis
center to a different location. Judging from the discussions, it is not clear that this decision is well thought out or cost efficient. Several alternative sites for the new relocation have been mentioned: 1) behind the Hampton Inn, 2) Stribling Road and Lyons Road, 3) Stribling west of State Road 7 and 4) where the old Boys & Girls Club is presently. The second site was finally selected. The first site was rejected due to the mayor’s desire to hold it in reserve for a future art center. The mayor also wanted to keep the third site in reserve for a “larger vision.” The fourth site was rejected because it would result in rescheduling and relocation of leagues. While it is evident that the current facility is in need of long-overdue repair, one must question the cost of building a completely new facility at a different location versus upgrading the current one. A price tag of $5 million was given at the meeting as a projected cost for a new tennis facility. Some council members questioned whether this reflects only the cost of the courts themselves. Other items may not be included. For example, does it include funds for the pro shop, parking, demolishing the current facility, etc? Other questions arise, such as whether this money comes out of the current budget or if new taxes have to be raised. No budget or cost analyses were presented, so at this point we are pretty much in “trust me” mode. A petition was collected and presented to the council, signed
by approximately 200 players, to remain at the present location and build the new community center on one of the other sites. Building close to the Hampton Inn would make a lot more sense due to its proximity to the mall, convenience of bus transportation and so on. For example, using the center for weddings within walking distance to a hotel would seem to be a significant advantage, not to mention the obvious synergistic advantages of having the community center and art center at a common location. We are disappointed that the mayor does not see this as a good option. We are also disappointed in his comment that the petition was not 100 percent Wellington residents and was mostly from women’s team tennis. Well, duh? Nonresidents have always been a part of our sporting venues. For tennis in particular, they pay a higher rate than residents to use the facilities, and we are certainly glad to have them join in. And yes, ladies almost always outnumber men in tennis leagues everywhere! We realize there are many factors and political concerns that go into these decisions, but the residents of Wellington deserve specifics on exactly how much the new community center, art center, tennis facility and other plans are going to cost us, where the funds will come from, and whether there is a better way. There will be more review of plans at the next council meeting on May 28. Oh, and current tennis players: you might want to ask how much the rates will go up due
to building a brand-spanking-new facility! Ron and Phyllis Field Wellington
How Did We Get Here? Rhonda Swann’s editorial in the Palm Beach Post on the fate of Wellington Mayor Bob Margolis as he faces the Ethics Commission has me asking a question or two about this whole process of legal funds for elected officials. Earlier I read that unlike campaign contributions, which have strict uses, these funds are on what was described as a “gray area.” Does that mean no accountability as to source and expense? The current investigation is on the Wellington mayor’s legal fund, but I have to ask if there have been any inquiries into the expenses of the other two legal funds — the funds set up for councilmen Matt Willhite and John Greene. They did not go to court over the election issue but simply had a recount of sorts under the eye of the supervisor of elections and the canvassing board. So here is the No. 1 question: How much money was donated to their funds and how was the money expended? And before signing off on this
editorial letter, I have another question regarding the Wellington municipal race: If the initial results were certified by the supervisor of elections office, how is it possible that they were changed to the current outcome when the “legal” results are the certified results? The certified results were not for Willhite and Greene. Is there an investigative team at the Town-Crier that can find the answers to these questions for us out-of-the loop voters? Please, how did we get to where we are now? Nell Hagen-Altman Wellington
Not In Support Of Tennis Move The Wellington Village Council has voted 3-2 to move our tennis courts to Village Walk, thus tearing the heart out of Wellington! The three council members — [Matt] Willhite, [John] Greene and [Bob] Margolis — can kiss their village seats goodbye come next election. Make some space, move the 9/11 monument to Veterans Park, where no one goes because of poor planning and no parking! I’m a resident since 1981. PeterG. Evans Wellington
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OPINION
PBSO Deputies Are Trained To Handle ‘Active Shooter’ Situations Confronting active shooters is one of law enforcement’s most challenging duties. Across our nation, most recently in communities like Newtown and Aurora, these individuals have killed or injured masses of people, often for no reason at all. These attackers typically had no pattern or method to the selection of victims, just firing unpredictably and indiscriminately into crowds stuck in confined or populated spaces. They struck in places considered “soft targets” with limited security measures or armed personnel to protect the public. But know this: if there’s an active shooting incident in Palm Beach County, my deputies are ready to respond.
POINT OF VIEW By PBC Sheriff Ric Bradshaw At the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, we have undergone considerable training in recent years to confront active shooters, protect victims and educate the public to report individuals who threaten to commit these crimes. All of my depu-
ties are trained to take bold, immediate and decisive measures in stopping such attacks in progress. We practice active shooting scenarios regularly at vacant schools, hospitals and other facilities across the county. All deputies and their supervisors are required to take part in trainings that deal with not only ending the shooting incident but also handling its impact on the surrounding community. Following each exercise, my staff examines what we did right and what we did wrong, and we often revise our policies and share our analysis with other police departments. As I’m sure you know, active shooting incidents in schools, offices, malls and
other public places are not a new phenomenon. School shootings, in particular, have taken place since the 1960s, and they have been on the rise during the past two decades. They impact every geographic region of our nation. Unfortunately, no city or town is immune. For us in law enforcement, the increased training has made us much better at responding to these attacks. Today, officers who arrive first on the scene act immediately, rather than waiting for backup by SWAT and other officers, as was the case during the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. My deputies know to go in right away and end the killing. They are skilled at shaving off
precious minutes in the time it takes for police to respond. My deputies are also trained to prevent attacks from happening. They are constantly on the lookout for individuals acting in a manner that could cause concern. But law enforcement can only do so much. We need family members, friends and neighbors to notify police if they suspect someone they know is planning an attack. With the public’s help, troubled individuals can be identified and helped before they become active shooters. The succession of high-profile shootings across our nation has made it clear that we all need to be involved in preventing more violence.
NEWS OIG
Funding System Unchanged
continued from page 1 were based on federal or state grant funding, you could not assess those contracts for the inspector general,” he said. “In the MiamiDade County experience, there is a considerable list of exemptions by going to this method that was eliminated.” The total proposed budget for the OIG in 2014 is $3.7 million, he said. An analysis shows that the 0.25 percent fee would cover only about two-thirds of the budget, he said. Also, while auditing might not have been actively talked about in setting up the OIG, those services were included for cities and counties as part of the ordi-
nance. “You cannot use a contract fee to pay for the services of the audit on general audit issues,” he said. “The contract fee can only be used for contracttype auditing.” Weisman said using the LOGER system makes the most sense. “From numerous perspectives, it makes sense to go with the LOGER fee method because it generously provides more funding to the IG,” he said. “It eliminated the issue of auditing and arguing and what they would pay for. It provided funding for audit services... and all the parties agreed to it.” Weisman said he was shocked when the cities sued because city staffers had been part of the approval process. “That was not raised as a question,” he said. “This has been going around for quite a bit of time. Staff has always defended the county’s position to the board and the public. We have
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defended the lawsuit, successfully so far.” In a recent meeting with attorneys for both sides, Weisman asked what would be necessary to settle the lawsuit and was told the cities object to LOGER and the auditing aspect. After that meeting, Weisman said he had been delivered a document from West Palm Beach’s attorney that was not intended as a proposed settlement, but rather as a set of talking points. “I concluded it did not provide any basis for a settlement agreement,” Weisman said, explaining that one of the points disavowed the need for auditing services. Weisman reiterated that the county is continuing to support the LOGER system of financing and to defend the lawsuit. Claudia McKenna, city attorney for West Palm Beach and counsel for the plaintiff cities, said she wanted to explore what she
thought would be common ground regarding the OIG’s financing. “Mr. Weisman gave you an accurate presentation with the exception of a few things that are really not fruitful for us to talk about,” she said. “I really just want to focus on the funding, the LOGER system. Under the LOGER system, you expect a contribution of about $1.5 million from the cities. Under the LOGER system, you send the cities a bill, and that’s what the lawsuit is about. The cities say it is not lawful to send us a bill.” McKenna said the cities want an alternative to get the county its $1.5 million. She said it would be to provide that all contracts in the county and the cities be subject to an inspector general fee of 0.25 percent. Each time a city makes a payment to a vendor, it would withhold that much. “Every quarter, we would send the county all of that money,” she said.
BARRY S. MANNING Publisher
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Although some say that would not generate sufficient revenue, McKenna countered: “We do not know that. We all know that there are hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the 38 municipalities.” Should it not raise enough money, McKenna said there is an easy fix. “If we put the quarter-percent charge on all contracts that are eligible, and it doesn’t generate the $1.5 million, you can amend the ordinance and say next year we have to charge 0.3 percent,” she said. “You are not locked into the quarter-percent. Secondly, if you think there are too many exemptions, you can delete them. You don’t have to make them exempt. The only required exemption is where the county or cities receive federal funding, because they don’t allow you to pass on the charge to the vendor.” Commissioner Jess Santamaria said he liked McKenna’s proposal. “What I heard Ms. McKenna
state seems to be pretty simple,” he said. “If what I understood is in fact what it meant, I actually see the solution. Let’s follow with where it began. It all began with the grand jury report. The grand jury report was very simple. It said collect one-fourth of a percent of the vendor contracts.” He added that the objective of the grand jury report was to not collect the fee directly from taxpayers. David Baker, representing the Palm Beach County Ethics Initiative, said he supported staff’s recommendation to continue litigation and to pursue a settlement. “I will support litigation with the understanding there can be discussions to make it work better,” Baker said. Commissioner Hal Valeche made a motion to follow staff’s recommendation to continue to defend the lawsuit, which carried 7-0.
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ROYAL PALM BEACH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PLEDGE NO TEXTING AND DRIVING Royal Palm Beach High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) members held a safety fair Monday, May 20 in the school cafeteria. Sponsored by the National Organization for Youth Safety, representatives from AT&T of P alm Beach Gardens and Allstate agency owner Robert Cavanagh donated their time and services for the event. Students took the “It Can Wait” pledge to stop texting while driving on computers provided on site. They received free gifts for their participation. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER
SADD Coordinator Maureen Witkowski (center) with members.
Royal Palm Beach Allstate agency representative Andrea Vallarella and owner Robert Cavanagh.
SADD Coordinator Maureen Witkowski places her thumbprint on the poster to signify taking the pledge.
SADD members Stefani Goodine, Maya Williams and Lacey Latour get students to take the online pledge.
Robert Lariviere places his thumbprint on the poster to signify taking the pledge.
Shanice Gillette and Brian Ulloa take the pledge.
FUNDRAISER IN THE ACREAGE SUPPORTS CANCER PATIENT SHARON VOMERO
Swip Swap Loxahatchee members held a fundraiser for breast cancer patient Sharon Vomero on Saturday, May 18 at Kidscape Park in The Acreage. Friends, family and other community members gathered for an afternoon of food, games, music and shopping to raise money for Vomero’s medical and travel expenses. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER
Sharon Vomero with husband Jeff and children Sophia and Nico.
Supporters Angel Nichols and Nancy Schneider serve food.
Sharon Vomero receives a Kalanchoe plant from supporters Rachel Wiseman and Viann Welsh.
Page 6 May 24 - May 30, 2013
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CRIME NEWS
Teen Robbed Walking Home From RPBHS
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By Lauren MirĂł Town-Crier Staff Report MAY 15 — A teenage girl was robbed in Royal Palm Beach last Wednesday evening while walking home from school. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report, the victim stayed at Royal Palm Beach High School late to assist a teacher and was walking along Raven Court at approximately 7 p.m. when she was approached from behind by three unknown men. According to the report, one of them struck her with his fist on the right side of her face, then forcibly removed her backpack from her back and cell phone from her pocket. According to the report, the victim fell to the ground and the other two men began kicking her. The suspects were described as three black males, one tall and thin with a fade haircut, wearing black jeans and a white tshirt. A second suspect was described as between 20 and 25 years old, husky build and wearing a black New York hoodie. According to the report, the suspects fled east on Raven Court. The stolen items were valued at approximately $160. There was no further information available at the time of the report. MAY 15 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to the Southern Palm Crossing shopping plaza last Wednesday evening regarding a vehicle theft. According to a PBSO report, the victim was eating at a restaurant between 7:30 and 9 p.m. when someone stole his black 2007 Ford F-350 pickup truck from the parking lot. The victim said he parked his vehicle and left the keys to the truck on the floorboard, using the electronic keypad to lock it. According to the report, when the victim returned to his vehicle, he discovered it missing. However, there were no signs of forced entry. According to the report, the truck has a fourinch lift kit, chrome rims and a chrome pipe bumper. It has a rear window sticker with fishhooks and the word “tease,â€? as well as a silver Harley-Davidson symbol. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. MAY 17 — A Riviera Beach woman was arrested last Friday on felony fraud charges after she was discovered stealing from the Walmart Supercenter on Belvedere Road. According to a PBSO report, a loss prevention officer discovered that there was a $200 shortage on one of the store registers on Saturday, May 11. During a review of video surveillance footage, the officer observed 19-year-old Natasha Davis, a Walmart employee, remove a gift card from under the register and ring it up for $200. According to the report, Davis concealed the gift card under her keyboard at the register and, at the end of her shift, removed it and left the store. According to the report, the gift card was used for $20 in gas at the Murphy’s Gas Station and $180 was spent at another Walmart store. Davis was arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail where she was charged with illegal use of a credit card. MAY 18 — An Acreage man was arrested last Saturday after he stole and sold his father’s car. The victim contacted the PBSO’sAcreage/Loxahatchee substation to report that his red 2004 Kia Sedona had been stolen from his driveway. According to the report, the victim said that his son, 24-yearold Ricardo T. Navamuel had stolen the car. The victim made contact with his son, who told him he
had stolen the car and gave him information about the sale. According to the report, the deputy later made contact with Navamuel, who said he had taken the car keys from his mother’s bedroom, drove the car to Broward County and sold it for $500. Navamuel said he did not know where the car was now. Navamuel was arrested and taken to the county jail where he was charged with grand theft auto. MAY 19 — A resident of the Victoria Grove community contacted the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach last Sunday morning to report a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 7 p.m. last Saturday and 10 a.m. the following morning, someone entered the victim’s unlocked car and stole an HP laptop computer from the rear seat of the vehicle. The victim discovered his car had been burglarized when he noticed both rear doors were left ajar. The stolen item was valued at approximately $800. DNA evidence was taken from the door handles, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. MAY 19 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched to a home on Sugar Pine Trail last Sunday morning regarding a residential burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 8:15 p.m. last Saturday and 9 a.m. the following morning, someone stole a white Redline bicycle from the victim’s front porch. According to the report, the victim left the screen door unlocked. The stolen bike was valued at approximately $100, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. MAY 19 — An employee of a gas station on Greenview Shores Blvd. called the PBSO substation in Wellington last Sunday to report a theft. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 8 p.m. last Friday and 11 a.m. the following morning, someone used an unknown instrument to cut the lock on the car wash vending machine. Once inside, the perpetrator(s) stole an undisclosed amount of money. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. MAY 19 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington responded to a restaurant on State Road 7 last Sunday afternoon regarding a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, the victim parked her vehicle in the parking lot and was inside the restaurant eating between 3 and 4 p.m. According to the report, someone smashed the front passenger window and stole the victim’s purse from under her front passenger seat. The victim said the purse contained her driver’s license, bank cards and iPhone. The stolen items were valued at approximately $200. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. MAY 20 — A resident of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. called the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation Monday to report a case of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, the victim said that she and her husband left home at approximately 8 a.m. Monday morning. When the victim returned at approximately 3:30 p.m., she discovered that she had no water pressure. According to the report, when the victims checked their water system, they discovered that someone drilled a hole into the side of the retention tank and See BLOTTER, page 18
Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives: • Julian Escalante, alias Francis Escalante, is a white male, 5’4� tall and weighing 146 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 03/ 22/88. Escalante is wanted for violation of probation for possession of cocaine and felony DUI. His last known address is listed as at large. He is wanted as of 05/16/13. • Lauralyn Salito, alias Lauralyn Oslon-Salito, is a white female, 5’7� tall and weighing 155 lbs., with blond hair and green eyes. Her date of birth is 05/25/1970. Salito is wanted for grand theft and attempted dealing in stolen pr operty. Her last known address was Hawthorne Place in Wellington. She is wanted as of 05/16/ 13. Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestopper s pbc.com.
Julian Escalante
Lauralyn Salito
THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY. CRIMESTOPPERS IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT SHOWN HERE.
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Central Chamber Discusses Many Facets Of Healthcare Reform By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Healthcare reform was the topic at the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce luncheon Monday at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club. A panel of doctors and other healthcare providers gave their take on what effect the Patient Protection & Affordable Healthcare Act, often referred to as “Obamacare,” will have. Moderator Dr. David Soria said the changes in healthcare are confusing and anxiety-provoking because people do not know what to expect. “It’s hard to decipher, and whoever you talk to can give you a different story, and that doesn’t go just for you all, it goes for most of us health professionals,” he said. Dr. Alan Pillersdorf asserted that hospitals are likely to take the biggest hit under the new healthcare law. In Florida, most of the legislative issues center on healthcare, he said. Most recently, the state’s healthcare discussions have centered on what he called the “flip-flop” of Gov. Rick Scott in taking Medicaid money from the federal government. “Why didn’t he want to take the money? The reason is very simple. The Florida budget by law has to be balanced every year, $74.3 billion, and of that $23 billion is Medicaid,” Pillersdorf said. “If you add 1.2 million lives conservatively to the Medicaid rolls of this state, we are going to have to pay another $19 billion, so where is that going to come from? You have to balance the budget. How can
they figure out a problem that is completely dominated by Washington?” He said other states that have taken Medicaid money, such as Arizona and Maine, now regret it. “They realize that they have caused themselves probably to become quickly bankrupt,” he said. “This law basically is an unfunded mandate.” Palms West Hospital CEO Eric Goldman said the Affordable Healthcare Act is probably the most difficult topic facing everyone in the industry. Goldman said his employer, HCA, does not have a position on the law because there are still too many questions to be answered. “There is still a looming, looming question about how do we pay for all this and how do we make it work in the end,” Goldman said. “The reality of it is at the core beliefs of where we’re at, should people have access to healthcare, regardless of whose responsibility it is to pay for it?” Goldman said that upon trying to review the 2,100-page document, he thought stopping healthcare fraud was a major initiative of the plan. “There’s billions in healthcare fraud occurring across the country annually,” he noted. The act also covers early retirees between 55 and 65 years old. “That happens to be a challenge for a lot of people who exit the work force prior to Medicare age,” he said. “There’s elimination of pre-existing conditions, coverage of children until they reach the age of 26.” Mammography and colonosco-
py screenings will be available without co-payments or deductibles. Insurance companies will no longer be able to rescind coverage if a client is diagnosed with a serious disease. “There would not be an opportunity for an insurance company to go back and look for a technicality in a patient’s application and retroactively deny coverage,” Goldman said. Dr. Jack Zeltzer said that describing the Affordable Healthcare Act as “Obamacare” does it a disservice. He said few people have actually read the Affordable Healthcare Act. “We get bits and pieces, sound bites and snippets, and we really don’t have a collated perspective of what’s going on,” Zeltzer said. “When 2,100 pages go up to Congress and the person trying to push the bill through says, ‘Sign it, pass it, we’ll worry about it later,’ it really doesn’t seem to make much sense, but that’s the way the thing came through. That being said, there are many things about it that are probably very good and very advantageous.” Coming from Canada, he was among the first generation of physicians to practice under its national healthcare system. “For 12 years prior to coming down here, I never knew what it was like to send a patient a bill, and I never knew what it was like to operate under a private enterprise system, as far as medicine is concerned, and both of these systems have their pros and cons,” Zeltzer said. One of the biggest questions about the American healthcare system is whether patients are
Healthcare Ref orm Panelists — Dr. Alan Pillersdor f, Palms West Hospital CEO Eric Goldman, Dr. Jack Zeltzer and Florida Blue Community Educator Herman Koch. PHOTO BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER getting value for their dollar. “When we talk about what we’re spending and what are we getting for it, the answer is woefully ‘no,’ because we are way down at the bottom of the list in terms of interim care and all the other parameters in which some Third World countries exceed us,” Zeltzer said. “We spend more to deliver healthcare than any other nation in the world, and yet by standards, in many cases we achieve a lot less. The reason for that is we’re not very good businessmen when it comes to medicine.” The Institute of Medicine reported recently that the health system wastes $750 billion a year, he said. “That’s absolute waste that you could contract and tighten up on without adjusting any-
thing as far as medical costs go,” Zeltzer said. Herman Koch, community educator for Florida Blue, said the federal government had to do something because the healthcare system as it existed was about to implode, with 17 percent of the gross domestic product being spent on medical needs. “That affected everybody, and it’s going up,” he said. “This year, they’re saying it’s closer to 20 percent. They needed something to come in and intervene.” He noted that 46.6 million Americans are without health coverage and 4.3 million children are without insurance. “Basically, this is insurance law,” Koch said. “It’s telling insurance companies what they have to do going forward.”
He pointed out that Florida ranks No. 1 in the nation for uninsured people. “People say right away it’s because of the immigration problem,” Koch said. “It’s not. It’s because a lot of people are working two and three jobs and they still can’t afford insurance. Something had to be done.” Koch said that one of the issues with the Affordable Healthcare Act was that many legislators under the influence of insurance lobbies put clauses in the act that they thought would prevent it from passing. “Well, guess what? It passed,” he said. “If you want to look up exactly what’s in it, it’s on healthcare.gov. I read all of it. Does anyone have insomnia? That’s a good way to cure it.”
PBSO: Area Neighborhoods Attractive To Grow House Operators By Anne Checkosky Special to the Town-Crier The western communities make good places for marijuana grow houses. That’s the conclusion of area law enforcement officials and why they want to arm the public with information about how to spot and report them. “The size of the lots, the availability and privacy” make the western communities appealing to would-be growers, said Lt. David Combs, commander of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office District 15 substation covering The Acreage and Loxahatchee Groves. “It’s the perfect place to do it,” he said. Last month, Alexa Ray of the Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Coalition and Edward Hunter, a PBSO Narcotics Division agent, spoke to residents at the Acreage library about the dangers of grow houses and how to identify them. Last year, the PBSO took down 62 grow houses. Although many people think grow houses are victimless crimes, that’s not the case, especially if a homeowner is trying to sell a property and discovers that property values have dropped significantly because of a grow house in the neighborhood, Hunter said. And the opportunity to buy distressed properties increased after the housing market imploded in 2009, Combs added. Grow-house operators are usually siphoning electricity illegally, Hunter said. The houses use about 300-kilowatt hours per day, according to the Electrical Distributors Association, which is 10 times the average household electricity consumption, Police Chief magazine reported in its May issue. The large amounts of electricity used to power the lights needed to grow the plants can also cause power fluctuations, which can be problematic for neighbors. The
water and high-humidity environment needed in these operations can also often lead to deadly mold left behind in the house, compounding an owner’s ability to sell it or repair it, Hunter said. And operators are probably selling the marijuana to and in the community, Ray added. So what are some of the signs that there might be a grow house on the block? One or more of the following: strong, strange odors coming from the house; multiple air conditioning units; unusual PVC piping; a pool pump present when the house has no pool; lots of security; excess water in the yard; covered windows; the property is left unoccupied for long periods of time; no mail delivery; and trash is seldom placed by the roadside. Also, people coming and going at odd hours or for short time periods, Hunter said. But he urged caution in jumping to conclusions. Many homeowners in the western communities value their privacy, which is why they choose to live in a semirural area in the first place, Hunter said. And tradesmen, such as owners of lawn care companies, for example, want to make sure their machinery is secured using chains and padlocks. However, if residents suspect something’s wrong, they should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458TIPS (8477). “It’s about a neighborhood protecting itself,” Hunter said. Grow houses usually exist for about a year, and they can be remarkable in that they are often unremarkable, he said. Many of them are well maintained on the outside, and some may even have children living there. One way to prevent a grow house from springing up in a neighborhood is to tell property owners that if they’re planning to rent their property, include lan-
This electrical distribution panel was used to illegally provide electricity to a grow house in the Acreage.
PBSO Narcotics Division Agent Edward Hunter in the middle of a grow house in West Palm Beach. PHOTOS COURTESY AGENT EDWARD HUNTER AND THE PBSO
A busted grow house in the Acreage contained 41 marijuana plants. This one is tagged 34. guage in the lease that clarifies in- down in Florida according to a Florspections can and will be done on ida Youth Substance Abuse surthe property, Hunter said. And vey — 12.4 percent of students once the language is in place, it’s said they’d used in the last 30 days up to the property owner to en- in 2012 vs. 13.4 percent in 2011 — force it. the goal of Ray’s organization is Grow-house operators can and zero drug use. do take advantage of lax oversight Partnering with the PBSO helps from landlords, he said. them get the message out. “We And while drug use among mid- want to create a drug free Palm dle and high school students is Beach County,” she said.
Pafford To Hold District 86 Town Hall Meeting May 30 State Rep. Mark Pafford (D-District 86) will host a town hall meeting Thursday, May 30 to discuss the 2013 legislative session. The purpose of the meeting is to provide an opportunity to hear firsthand about critical issues facing Florida, and to offer the public a chance to provide feedback. The discussion will also include some information about how to be
a better advocate for the legislative session in 2014. A questionand-answer session will follow the presentation. The meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Keiser University, located at 2085 Vista Parkway in West Palm Beach. The town hall is open to the public and all are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Page 8 May 24 - May 30, 2013
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NEWS BRIEFS Makeover Contest Seeks Applicants Starting Tuesday, May 28 and continuing until Friday, June 14, Dr. G’s Medical Weight Loss & Wellness location in Wellington will be accepting applications and nominations for one deserving individual in the community to receive a complete makeover, made possible through Dr. G’s partnership with local health, beauty and wellness businesses. The winner will be chosen at a live event Thursday, June 20 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Dr. G’s Weight Loss & Wellness location in Wellington. The winner will receive a 3-month medical weight loss program from Dr. G’s, hair and makeup from Visions Salon and a dental treatment up to $6,000 in value from Perfect Smile Dentistry. The winner will also receive Lipo-Light Body Sculpting Therapy from Beach Body Contouring, $500 in fillers from Bafitis Plastic Surgery and a specialty facial at the Sanda Gané European Day Spa valued at $275. Also for the winner: a new wardrobe provided by She’s the One, a massage from
Massage Envy and a 1-year membership to the Zoo Health Club, complete with a once-per-month consultation by a personal trainer. Applications for the contest can be obtained from any of the participating business locations. Dr. G’s Weight Loss & Wellness is located at 2615 S. State Road 7, Suite B540. For more info., call Lisa Butcher at (561) 370-6484 or e-mail lbutcher@drgsweightloss.com.
Participants Sought For Cancer Study Residents of Palm Beach County have an opportunity to participate in a historic study that has the potential to change the face of cancer for future generations. Men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer are needed to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3). CPS-3 will enroll a diverse population of up to half a million people across the United States and Puerto Rico. The opportunity for local residents to enroll in CPS-3 is being made possible in partnership with JFK Med-
ical Center on June 11 and June 15. CPS-3 will help researchers better understand the lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer. Researchers will use the data from CPS-3 to build on evidence from a series of American Cancer Society studies that began in the 1950s that collectively have involved millions of volunteer participants. These studies have played a major role in understanding cancer prevention and risk, and have contributed significantly to the scientific basis and development of public health guidelines. Earlier studies confirmed the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, demonstrated the link between larger waist size and increased death rates from cancer and other causes, and showed the considerable impact of air pollution on heart and lung conditions. The voluntary, long-term commitment by participants is what will produce benefits for decades to come. “Taking an hour or so every few years to fill out a survey — and potentially save someone from being diagnosed with cancer in the future — is a commitment that thousands of volunteer par-
ticipants have already made. We’re looking for more like-minded individuals in [the western communities] to join this effort that we know will save lives and improve the outlook for future generations,” said Alpa V. Patel, Ph.D., principal investigator of CPS-3. For more information, or to learn how to become involved with CPS-3, call (888) 604-5888 or visit www.cancer.org/cps3.
Science Center Opening June 7 The expanded South Florida Science Museum is officially becoming the South Florida Science Center & Aquarium. On Friday, June 7, from 10 a.m to 5 p.m., the venue will host a free community day for the public to showcase the newly expanded center and celebrate the official name change. The beloved nonprofit spent the past year and $5 million in capital campaign funds on increasing its exhibit space, tripling the size of its aquarium and adding new permanent exhibits including Science on a Sphere. The museum has grown from 20,000 to 30,000 square feet, and visitors will see changes from the moment they park at the
new South Florida Science Center & Aquarium. In addition to experiencing the expanded facilities, guests at the community opening even will be treated to the expanded facility’s first blockbuster exhibit, Savage Ancient Seas: The Ancient Aquatic Deep, on display until mid-September 2013. The South Florida Science Center & Aquarium is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North in West Palm Beach. For more info., call (561) 832-1988 or visit www.sfsm.org.
Free Water Safety Event Summertime is pool time, but before jumping in, know how to stay safe. The Wellington Aquatics Complex will host a free water safety event on Saturday, June 1 from 9 a.m. to noon. The event, called Make a SPLASH (Safety and Prevention Leaves All Swimmers Happy), will include vendors such as Palms West Hospital and Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue discussing water safety. There will also be lifeguards demonstrating a near-drowning scenario. The Wellington Aquatics Complex is located at 12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd. For hours of operation
and rates, visit www.wellingtonfl. gov. For more information, call Aquatics Supervisor Eric Juckett at (561) 753-2497.
Student Artwork To Be On Display There’s an upcoming opportunity for young Wellington artists to see their creations on public display. The village is teaming up with the Wellington Art Society for the Student Art Program, which puts youth artwork on display at the Wellington Community Center. Elementary school students who either live in Wellington or attend a Wellington school are invited to deliver their original works of art to the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 100) on Wednesday, May 29 between 4 and 6 p.m. The exhibit will open Monday, June 3, and the artwork will be on display for a four-month rotation ending in September. Artwork must be framed. The Wellington Art Society will select the artwork for the exhibit. Information and entry forms with program dates and guidelines are available from the Wellington Art Society at (561) 791-2194 as well as school art teachers.
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NEWS
‘MURDER IN THE WILD WEST’ BRINGS COWBOYS & COWGIRLS TO VILLAGE PARK
A “Murder in the Wild West” murder mystery dinner theater was held Saturday, May 18 in the Wellington Village P ark gym. Guests enjoyed food from Big Lock Mobile Kitchen and a fully stocked saloon provided by Star Discount Wine & Liquors. There was also a costume contest with prizes for best men’s, women’s and couples’ costumes. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Costume contest first-place winners Rudy Fernandez, Virginia Guido and Debbie and Gregg Nuessly.
Wellington staffers Eric Juckett, Michelle Garvey, Bruce DeLaney, Debbie Liquori, Christine Jarriel, Ryan Hagopian and Jim Barnes.
Team Five solved the murder mystery by figuring out whodunit.
Standing Room Only Productions cast members, who led the popular murder mystery dinner.
John and Jill Murphy with miniature horse Rocky, and Robert and Fran Cassi with miniature horse Kalua.
Dayna Kempgens, Lauren DeLaney, Zachary Stone and Kathy DeLaney dressed for the theme.
MID-COUNTY DEMS GET LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM ABRUZZO AND PAFFORD The Mid-County Democratic Club met Monday, May 20 at Tree’s Wings & Ribs in Royal Palm Beach. State Sen. Joseph Abruzzo (DDistrict 25) and State Rep. Mark Pafford (D-District 86) updated the club on the state of affairs since the end of the 2013 legislative session. For more about the club, call Steven Licari at (561) 307-0876. PHOTOS BY ALEXANDRA ANTONOPOULOS/TOWN-CRIER
Phyllis Klarmann and Rachel Hartnett.
Mid-County Democratic Club members Muriel Rosenthal and Betty Schwerin prepare for the meeting.
Dave Schumacher, State Rep. Mark Pafford and Steven Licari greet club members.
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NEWS WHS Grad
The Class Of 2013
continued from page 1 cover your high school class is running the country.” “I can’t help but find myself blessed,” Nebb said. “We as a nation have such an eclectic group of talented individuals to change this world. Class of 2013, look back on high school as fondly as I do. Class of 2013, be the movers and shakers of this world I know all of you can be. Class of 2013, remember our motto, which will echo on through the years — We are the lean, mean Class of 2013.” Valedictorian Ali Sina Booeshaghi said that regardless of whether the graduating class members are going to college or entering the work force, he believed Wellington High School had prepared them well. “Next year, as we enter college, let’s all party hard, after study sessions, of course, and make new friends and meet new people, and overall enjoy life,” he said. “Let’s make sure to enjoy life to its fullest and every day enjoy the sun, hang out with friends, read a book. Fifty Shades of Grey was pretty good, but that’s what my aunt told me.” As the final chapter of their high school lives has ended, Booeshaghi said they as a whole will dictate their own futures. “We will determine whether the blank page that sits on our desk ready to be filled in will turn into the country’s next bestseller,” he said. “We must not settle for mediocrity or the path of triviality, for these paths have no end. They simply go in circles, never allowing us to achieve our goals, even if your goal is to lick your elbow. Yeah, I see you there in the back. Let me tell you it’s biologically impossible.” Booeshaghi said there are two ways to approach life, as a victim or gallant fighter. “We must decide whether to act or react, deal the cards or play with a stacked deck,” he said. “If we don’t decide which way to play life, in the end it always plays us. I know the Class of 2013 is the gallant fighter. I know the Class of 2013 is the dealer, and I know we will all be winners.” Class President Austin Sweeney said he was impressed with the diverse goals of Wellington High School’s Class of 2013, and likened
the class to its mascot the wolverine, which is known for its tenacity. “I know we’re all eager to be on our own and make something of ourselves, but I want you all to realize something,” he said. “Since day one of freshman year, school has told us to keep our eye on the prize, get good grades, graduate, get a job, go to college, whatever. It kept us focused on the destination.” But he said the destination is not the important part. “What makes us who we are is the journey to that destination,” Sweeney said. “Four years at Wellington High has definitely been a journey. I know that every one of us has a different dream, a different goal and a different path, but I’m confident that we will all find success in our own ways because we all started this journey as Wolverines, and none of us will ever give up.” Principal Mario Crocetti urged class members to reach outside the groups they identify with in order to enjoy life to its fullest and improve the world. Crocetti referred to social identity theory, which says that a person’s sense of who he or she is often is based on the group or groups the person belongs to. “It gives us a sense of identity and pride in the groups to which we belong,” Crocetti said. “Our self-esteem and self-image are often tied to these groups. This can lead us to believe that our group is better than any other group, which can lead us to that ‘us-versus-them’ mindset.” Once people believe that their group is better than any other group, it becomes very easy to denigrate those who are not part of their group, he said. “Our history books are filled with accounts of violent factions of country against country, class against class, and sects against sects,” Crocetti warned. He said people need only to turn on the news to hear about racism, sexism and other “isms” that prevent people from enjoying a better quality of life. “It doesn’t need to be this way,” he said. “Today, we are a perfect example of how thousands of people can come together, people who represent different religions, nationalities, races, genders, political parties, come together for a common cause. Today that common cause is to support, acknowledge and applaud our loved ones on this special day.”
SGA President Terah Kalk gives an inspirational message.
Graduating seniors, drum major Ryan Dargan and section leader Tyler Derose.
Graduates Taylor Heisner and Kenneth Hoff.
Senior Class President Austin Sweeney at the podium.
Salutatorian Marc Nebb addresses the Class of 2013.
Darlene and Christian Arevalo celebrate after the ceremony.
WHS Valedictorian Ali Sina Booeshaghi with his diploma.
Abbie Schlechter and Lauren Olevitch.
Newly minted WHS graduate Nicholas Arena with his family. PHOTOS BY RON BUKLEY/TOWN-CRIER
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NEWS
IBERIABANK HOSTS SHREDDING PARTY FUNDRAISER AT ROYAL PALM LOCATION
IberiaBank in Royal Palm Beach hosted a shredding party Saturday, May 18 in its parking lot. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue had a fire truck and an ambulance on site, while the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office had a SWAT truck. Guests enjoyed music from DJ Tony the Tiger, food samples from Chick-fil-A and kids crafts provided by Lowe’s. The event was a fundraiser benefiting Families First of Palm Beach County and the Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Alice Villard, Des Romm, Aris Cedes and Sebastian Osorio at the Lowe’s table.
Claudette Williams, Selena Smith, Joan Scherer, David Eisenson, Cristy Johnson and Julie Swindler.
Troop 222 Assistant Scoutmaster Evilio Borges, Matt Perry, Thomas Vogt, Shelly Akers and IberiaBank Manager Des Romm.
Paul Chamberlain and Monica Lewis from Total Shredding with several boxes of papers brought to be shredded.
DJ Tony Armour (Tony the Tiger) leads the conga line around the parking lot.
Royal Palm Beach Rotarians volunteered at the event.
LEGAL ADMINISTRATORS HOST GOLF TOURNAMENT TO SUPPORT VINCEREMOS
Palm Beach Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators hosted its second annual Community Connection Golf Tournament to benefit the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center on Friday, May 17 at the Madison Green Golf Club. Guests enjoyed lunch before tee off and dinner with an awards ceremony. There was also a silent auction, raffles and goodie bags. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Billie Hearrell and Bob Jackson with Bruce and Amy Testa.
First-place winners Brian Hall, Mike Hall and Jeremy Latimer with Golf Chair Laura Shaw. (Not pictured: Dennis Hall.)
Michelle Parcells, Gloria Hernandez, Golf Chair Laura Shaw, Patty McElvy, Karen Luther, Ruth Menor and Susan Guinan.
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SCHOOL NEWS
Students At Elbridge Wellington Students Win Science Awards Gale Support LLS It was another stellar fundraising year at Elbridge Gale Elementary School in Wellington. For the second year in a row, it was the top fundraising area school participating in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) School & Youth Programs. Out of 119 participating schools in the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast, Elbridge Gale Elementary School was awarded the first-place honor. The school will be given a banner at the School District of Palm Beach County board meeting Wednesday, June 19. The students had a fun time setting up lemonade stands, having
treasure hunts in their homes for spare change and donating their hard-earned allowance to achieve this top honor. Students collected $7,460 in donations. In the past 16 years, kids across the United States have raised more than $211 million that goes directly to funding blood cancer research and patient support — just by collecting change. LLS leads the way in blood cancer research and has funded cures and therapies that are changing the lives of patients. For more on School & Youth Programs, contact Stacy Hewitt at (561) 616-8682 or stacy.hewitt@lls.org.
Oxbridge Academy Recruits Renowned College Counselor A college counselor with worldclass experience is joining the Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches. Formerly at the Rift Valley Academy in Kenya, Steve Peifer has been hired to serve as associate director of college counseling. He’ll work with the school’s director of college counseling, David Prutow, and assist in educating the school community on the college admissions process. “What appealed to me the most about Oxbridge Academy is that the administration and faculty are determined to make a difference in students’ lives and provide them with every opportunity possible to succeed,” Peifer said. For the past decade, Peifer has
been the director of college guidance at Rift Valley Academy, an international boarding school in central Kenya that serves children of missionaries with an Americanbased curriculum. During his tenure, he saw the first students in the school’s 107-year history attend prestigious American universities. His work as a crusader for Kenyan children has earned him numerous awards, including the CNN Heroes Award for Championing Children in 2007. Peifer also authored a book titled Dream So Big, detailing the struggles of life for children in Kenya. For more information on Oxbridge Academy, call (561) 9729600 or visit www.oapb.org.
WES Award Winners — Emily Oswald, Hannah Dimaiwat, Jack Robertson and Matthew Robinson.
The Wildcats of Wellington Elementary School had a lot to celebrate last week when the Palm Beach County School District wrapped up its annual science and math fair. Students and staff were honored to find that six of the school’s projects were selected for awards. Jack Robertson, Hannah Dimaiwat and Emily Oswald took first place in their respective grade levels, while Matthew Robinson received third place with an interesting project on popcorn kernels. In the primary division, Jennifer Disanti’s class won a first-place
ribbon, while Stacey Oswald’s and Marie Sinram’s classes each received an honorable mention. Wellington Elementary School had a total of 25 projects entered in the county science fair, which is held annually at the South Florida Fairgrounds. The projects selected to represent the school were judged by the school’s science committee and several teachers. These projects were evaluated and chosen out of several hundred projects. School officials are proud of all the participating students, including those with top honors.
TKA Announces Prefect Council Members The King’s Academy recently announced the selection of its 2013-14 Prefect Council. The council is made up of senior leaders who possess an uncompromising commitment to the school’s values and ideals. To be considered, students must submit a nomination form, go through an interview, and be selected by a team of administrators and teachers. The council helps to oversee all areas of student life and lead the student body with emphasis on service not privilege. Congratulations to these rising seniors: • Clark Aliapoulios — son of Mark Aliapoulios and Amy Clark of West Palm Beach, will serve as a Fine Arts Prefect. • Rachel Bassett — daughter of Ben and Rosa Bassett of West Palm Beach, will serve as an Academic Prefect.
• Abigail Cornelius — daughter of Reid and Marla Cornelius of Palm Beach Gardens, will serve as a Service Prefect. • Michela Diddle — daughter of Eric and Christin Diddle of Boynton Beach, will serve as a Spiritual Life Prefect. • Grace Evans — daughter of Craig and Helen Evans of Lake Worth, will serve as a Student Life Prefect. • Matthew Fritz — son of Dave and Karen Fritz of Wellington, will serve as an Academic Prefect. • Alexandra Gantt — daughter of Stuart and Phyllis Gantt of Wellington, will serve as a Service Prefect. • Garrett Larson — son of Richard and Rosario Larson of Lake Worth, will serve as a Spiritual Life Prefect. • Katelyn McCoy — daughter
of Bill and Connie Tuller of Wellington, will serve as a Unity Prefect. • Jonathan McGrath — son of Donald and LeAnn McGrath of West Palm Beach, will serve as a Fine Arts Prefect. • Christian Rodriguez — son of Miguel and Maria Rodriguez of West Palm Beach, will serve as a Student Life Prefect. • Casey Ryan — daughter of Michael and Barbara Ryan of Palm Beach Gardens, will serve as a Unity Prefect. • Jerry (Paul) Schumacher — son of Jerry and Annette Schumacher of North Palm Beach, will serve as an Athletic Prefect. • Rachel Spell — daughter of Rev. Scott and Anne Spell of West Palm Beach, will serve as an Athletic Prefect. • Ashley Stack — daughter of Bob and Nancy Stack of Palm
Springs, will serve as a Spiritual Life Prefect. • Sarah Vander Wagen — daughter of John and Terri Vander Wagen of Palm Beach Gardens, will serve as a Service Prefect. The King’s Academy is a nationally recognized private Christian school serving approximately 1,200 students from preschool through 12th grade. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Association of Christian Schools International and the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. TKA serves students and families across Palm Beach and Hendry counties at its main campus at Belvedere Road and Sansbury’s Way in West Palm Beach, its Clewiston campus on Caribbean Avenue and its satellite preschool campuses. For more information, visit www.tka.net.
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SCHOOL NEWS
Frontier Kids Win At Math & Science Fair
Frontier Elementary Student mathematics and science winners.
Seven Frontier Elementary School students earned awards at this year ’s Palm Beach County Mathematics and Science Fair held May 6 through 8 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Jackson Harding, a fourth-grader from Lisa Caprio’s science class, and fifth-grader Jacob Hargesheimer from Molly Harding’s science class, both won first place in the mathematics category. Dylan Justin, also in Harding’s fifth-grade science class, placed
second in math. Third place went to fourth-graders Kailee Matthews in math and R.J. Sorensen in science, both from Caprio’s science class, and fifth-grader, Brandon Domaceti from Harding’s science class. Fourth-grader McKinley Harding from Caprio’s class took home honorable mention in the math category. Frontier Elementary is proud of all the students who entered the mathematics and science fair.
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Page 15
COLONIAL DAY AT NEW HORIZONS ELEMENTARY
Western Pines Presents Fine Arts Festival Students and parents at Western Pines Middle School recently enjoyed a night of culture and elegance as they celebrated the school’s inaugural Fine Arts Festival. Students in the band, art and culinary departments displayed their talents as parents and community members gathered to recognize the students’ effort and hard work. Dining on a studentprepared menu of fresh caprese skewers, two kinds of savory meatballs, finger sandwiches and more, everyone in attendance was full of praise for the Culinary Arts students. As the culinary arts students
circulated through the event with trays full of goodies, parents, faculty and other guests browsed the hundreds of pieces of artwork on display. Many of the young artists proudly discussed their artwork with the crowd. For the final event of the evening, which also included a silent auction, the Western Pines band played to a standing-room-only crowd. Students from beginning, jazz, concert and symphonic bands treated the crowd to an outstanding show. Eighth-grader Sara Irvani, who had seven pieces on display, expressed it best. “Art is a stress reliever,” she said. “It’s fun, and you’re not limited.”
After studying colonial times, and researching and reporting on colonial trades, fifth-grade students at New Horizons Elementary School experienced Colonial Day. Students enjoyed taking on the role of colonials by dressing in costumes, churning butter, creating tinsmith designs, playing colonial games and square dancing. Pictured here is fifth-grade teacher Juan Ramos with students.
Mitil To Teach Vocals At Oxbridge Academy Seventh-grader Maryanna Poe circulates with a delectable treat, compliments of the Culinary Arts Department.
Osceola Creek Middle Honors Scholar-Athletes Osceola Creek Middle School recently announced its recipients of the Scholar-Athlete Award for April. The award honors varsity athletes who also excel in academics, effort, behavior and school spirit, and serve as role models. Boys volleyball honored seventh-grader Jonathan Fioramonti.
“Jonathan has been a key player this season,” coach Shayne Sanderford said. “His serving and hitting abilities have contributed to the team’s offense tremendously. He stays focused and doesn’t let anything get to him during the game. He’s a great role model on and off the court, and it has been a
Principal Dan Frank, Jonathan Fioramonti, Shane Sullivan, Samantha Steiner and Officer Sandy Molenda.
pleasure having him on the team the past two years.” Fioramonti has a 5.0 grade point average, and is also a member of Osceola Creek’s soccer team. He is undecided on a college, but is leaning toward either a medical or engineering career. Boys and girls track and field honored Samantha Steiner and Shane Sullivan, both eighth-graders. “It is with great pleasure that I nominate Samantha Steiner for Scholar Athlete of the Month,” said Judy DeCosta, athletic director and girls track coach. “As a member of the Osceola Creek Middle School girls track team, she has demonstrated hard work, leadership and determination. Ms. Steiner runs in the ladies 4x100 relay, the sprint relay, the 200m dash and throws the shot put. She will qualify for the regional track meet in each of these events. Most importantly, Ms. Steiner excels academically. She currently has a 4.95 GPA and is president of the National
Junior Honor Society.” Steiner, who is also a member of Osceola Creek’s volleyball team, is a student council representative, and was the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a seventh-grader. “Shane Sullivan has been a member of the boys track team each of his three years at Osceola Creek,” boys track coach Jay Mermelstein said. “He runs the 400 meters and is part of the 4x400 meter relay team. With his high grade point average (4.19) and performance on the field, Shane has earned the title of Scholar Athlete.” Sullivan, 13, is a member of the Fishing Club and desires a career as a marine biologist. Supporting the program are Subway, Domino’s Pizza and Burger King, located at Seminole Pratt Whitney Road and Orange Blvd., and Dairy Queen at Royal Palm Beach and Okeechobee boulevards, which donated free food coupons.
Oxbridge Academy recently hired Palm Beach Atlantic graduate and former Bak Middle School of the Arts teacher Catherine Mitil as its full-time vocal teacher. “We’re excited to add such an incredibly talented vocalist and educator to our staff, who will certainly help bring our growing music program to the next level,” Oxbridge Academy President & CEO Robert C. Parsons said. Mitil began her training at the Palm Beach Middle School of the Arts (now Bak), and continued her education at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts. She has studied private voice for more than 10 years with instruction from many internationally recognized teachers. She received her bachelor’s degree in music from Palm Beach Atlantic University and was named the “Most Outstanding Graduate” in the university’s School of Music & Fine Arts program. In addition to her teaching career, Mitil has presented four solo recitals and performed favored roles in several operas, including Gianni Schicchi and Die Fledermaus. She was also an artist in residence at Dreyfoos. She has received numerous accolades, including first place in the Federa-
Catherine Mitil, the new vocal teacher at Oxbridge Academy. tion Music Club of the Palm Beaches’ 2007 vocal competition and third place in the Artist Series of Sarasota vocal challenge in 2008. During the summer months, Mitil has worked with both the Julliard Jazz Summer Camp and the ARTS Music Camp. Mitil is a member of the Florida Vocal Association, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and the Florida Music Educators Association. She also serves as a choir director for Young Singers of the Palm Beaches. For more information on Oxbridge Academy, call (561) 9729600 or visit www.oapb.org.
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PALMS WEST PEOPLE
Kids Cancer Foundation Helps Area Kids Enjoy ‘Prom To Remember’ Kids undergoing cancer treatment often miss school and the milestone celebrations that fill the calendar and their adolescent memories. On May 10, hundreds of adolescent cancer patients had the chance to trade in their hospital gowns for prom dresses and tuxedos and attended the fourth annual “A Prom to Remember,” a gala red carpet evening designed in their honor. All of the festivities were provided free of charge, including hair and makeup, wardrobe and limousine service, food, music and dancing. Thanks to a donation from the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale, the kids were able to party in style.
The Kids Cancer Foundation, a local charity that provides hope and support to local children and families battling cancer, assisted in referring patients and coordinating hair and makeup for all Palms West Hospital patients who attended the event. On the day of prom, the girls from Palms West Hospital came to the Kids Cancer Center to be treated to a day of glamour in preparation for the evening festivities. Professional hairstylists volunteered their time to style the girls’ hair and/ or wigs, and LoriAnn Santarpia from Loriana Makeup volunteered her time to make up each girl for the special evening. All the pa-
tients and their dates met up at the Kids Cancer Center at 4 p.m. for photos before boarding the party bus at 4:45 p.m. “All the kids were so excited about the prom. It was something they could look forward to and helped take their mind off of their daily battle with cancer,” said Michelle O’Boyle, founder of the Kids Cancer Foundation. “They are already asking about next year’s prom!” To learn more about A Prom to Remember, visit www.apromto remember.org or call (877) FTLPROM. To learn more about the Kids Cancer Foundation, visit www.kidscancersf.org or call (561) 371-1298.
Local kids dressed up for “A Prom to Remember.”
Marines Graduate From Preservation Foundation Awards Scholarship On May 9, the Preservation nior at Wellington High School The scholarship is named in anything you want it to. PersonalParris Island Training Foundation of Palm Beach award- who will begin attending the Uni- honor of longtime foundation ly, I think this power of creation Marine Corps Pvt. Sebastian Cook II, Pvt. William Christian and Pvt. Angela Castro recently earned the title of United States Marine after graduating from recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C. For 13 weeks, they stayed committed during some of the world’s most demanding entry-level military training in order to be transformed from civilian to Marine instilled with pride, discipline and the core values of honor, courage and commitment. Training subjects included close-order drill, marksmanship with an M-16A4 rifle, physical fitness, martial arts, swimming, mili-
tary history, customs and courtesies. One week prior to graduation, they endured the Crucible, a 54hour final test of recruits’ minds and bodies. Upon completion, recruits are presented the Marine Corps emblem and called Marines for the first time. Cook is the son of Tamika and Sebastian Cook of Royal Palm Beach and is a 2012 graduate of Palm Beach Central High School. Christian, son of Angela and William Christian of Royal Palm Beach and a 2011 graduate of Seminole Ridge High School. Castro is the daughter of Lucero Valero and Ricardo Castro. She is a 2012 graduate of Seminole
Dvonte Washburn Finishes Air Force Basic Training Air Force Airman Dvonte Washburn recently graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas. Washburn completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate’s degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Washburn is the son of Patricia Lourmais and Scott Washburn, both of Loxahatchee Groves. He is a 2012 graduate of Palm Beach Gardens High School.
Airman Dvonte Washburn
ed the Deborah Snyder Scholarship to Francisco Sarmiento, a se-
versity of Florida this summer to study architectural design.
Scott Snyder and Francisco Sarmiento
trustee Scott Snyder’s sister who passed away in 2010. Open to high school seniors who wish to pursue a collegiate course of study in architectural design, interior design or landscape design, the scholarship provides a financial award of $5,000 to one recipient each year. “I want to create the future of living because from my viewpoint, buildings may not be fragile at the time, but erosion and degradation will take their toll,” Sarmiento said. “We have to fix that problem.” Originally from Columbia, Sarmiento has long had an interest in architecture. “What inspired me to study architectural design was my environment,” he said. “A building just like a statue can represent so many things such as strength, freedom, humanity —
and symbolism one achieves through creation of such an item is incredible, and this is what inspired me to pursue architectural design.” Sarmiento is ranked 14 out of 551 students in his class. He is strongly involved in community service projects, in particular volunteering at Palms West Hospital and the Kids Cancer Foundation. This is the third annual Snyder scholarship that has been awarded, and this year saw nearly four times as many applicants as before. In addition to the scholarship, Snyder gave Sarmiento several books, including Palm Beach: An Architectural Legacy and Landmark Architecture of Palm Beach, and offered him an internship at his Palm Beach office.
Arthritis Foundation Names 2013 Walk Chairs The Arthritis Foundation has named Eduardo Pantoja and Jeanne Mullin of the Center for Bone & Joint Surgery as the event co-chairs of the 2013 Arthritis Walk. As volunteers for the Arthritis Foundation for the past two years, Pantoja and Mullin were asked to chair the Palm Beach County Arthritis Walk because of their leadership skills and passion for helping people with arthritis. Pantoja, director of marketing at the Center for Bone & Joint Surgery and Comprehensive Pain Care, has been in healthcare management for more
than five years and was responsible for raising over $13,000 for last year’s walk. Mullin has been with the Center for Bone & Joint Surgery for 11 years, now serving as dispensing support manager and marketing assistant and assistant to the clinical manager. The Arthritis Walk is the Arthritis Foundation’s signature fundraising event that supports public awareness and raises funds needed to fight arthritis. For more information, call the Arthritis Foundation at (561) 833-1133 or visit www.arthritis.org.
Eduardo Pantoja and Jeanne Mullin
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NEWS
SPRING FINE ARTS FESTIVAL AT WESTERN PINES SHOWCASES STUDENT TALENT Western Pines Middle School held a fine arts festival to showcase student work Tuesday, May 14 in the school cafeteria. Family and friends were able to view the spring semester work of 130 students from the arts program. The pieces included portraits, watercolor paintings and mixed media art. Meanwhile, the school’s culinary class students provided refreshments. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER
Melanie Cilella with her sugar skull painting.
Wall of students’ paintings on display.
Culinary career teacher Robyn Anzalone with art teacher Jessica Prugh.
Event organizers Laura Beighley and Liz Jimenez.
Kelsie Heckman shows her parents, Sue and Will, her betta fish painting.
Culinary class students Jose Rosiles and Kadeen Rosan.
WELLINGTON CUB SCOUTS HOST PANCAKE BREAKFAST AT ST. PETER’S CHURCH
Cub Scout Pack 125 and the St. Peter’s United Methodist Men’s Group hosted a pancake breakfast Saturday, May 18 at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church in Wellington. Proceeds benefited the scouts and the men’s group, which sponsors Pack 125. Leaders Brad Stockwell and Gary Gouveia supervised as the crowd enjoyed a delicious breakfast spread. PHOTOS BY ALEXANDRA ANTONOPOULOS/TOWN-CRIER
James Nesbitt and Jack Abhau of the men’s group.
Leader Brad Stockwell with Daniel Ramos and George Greene.
Keith Jones, Nancy Jones, Marlene Walford and Ed Walford enjoy breakfast as they support Pack 125.
Cub Scouts Alex Gibbs, Chase Saxon and Allan Manuel greet customers at the door.
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NEWS
Lilly Ledbetter Address Highlights Executive Women’s WILA Event The Executive Women of the Palm Beaches held its 30th annual Women In Leadership Awards on Thursday, May 2 at the Kravis
Center for the Performing Arts to honor local women who have shown commitment to integrity and diversity.
The keynote speaker for the evening was Lilly Ledbetter, a champion for women’s rights. “We can do better,” Ledbetter
National women’s rights activist Lilly Ledbetter (second from left) with Women In Leadership Award (WILA) recipients Michelle Poole, Anne Gannon and Jane Kreusler-Walsh.
said. “Women make 78 cents for every dollar a man earns in this country, and that’s not good enough.” Accepting less pay means receiving less Social Security and less pension money accrued for many workers, which has a major impact on the economy. This often forces retirees to move out of their homes and in with their children, creating additional hardships and less money to spend. It is not good business. Ledbetter would know; she worked as a supervisor at a Goodyear tire plant in Gadsden, Ala., for 19 years. Toward the end of her career, Ledbetter began to suspect that she wasn’t getting paid as much as her male counterparts. The rest is history. In the battle for equality in the workplace, her name is now etched in the nation’s law books as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. The law established new standards to ensure equal pay for equal work. Today, she is working to pass the Pay Check Fairness Bill, which will offer more protection for women and minorities. For its 30th anniversary, the Executive Women of the Palm Beaches wanted someone who advocated for women’s rights in the work place, and Ledbetter fit the bill. The organization prides itself for being the first organization in Palm Beach County to honor professional women leaders in the community, and this year was no exception. The Women In Leadership Awards are presented to women in three community sectors — volunteer, public and private — recognizing their outstanding achievements, generosity of spir-
Memorial Day
Vet Angelo Cona Shares His Story
continued from page 1 guarding the military prisons, which held Japanese soldiers who had been caught and detained by the U.S. Cona recalled an incident that he chuckles at now, during a time very early into his service when he attempted to carry out orders with little success. “I had to give orders to a Japanese prisoner to help clean up the camp, but he didn’t understand me,” Cona said. The prisoner, whom Cona assumed to speak Japanese but not any English, only stared blankly at Cona when he asked him to clean. Finally, a frustrated Cona went to his superiors and explained the situation, hoping that they would have better luck communicating with the prisoner. “I listened to their conversation, and he spoke better English than me!” Cona said. “Apparently, he was a major in the Japanese army, which is a very high rank — comparable to our general — but I didn’t know that at the time.” After 10 months in China, Cona came home in October 1946 and returned to his native Long Island, N.Y., where he served as a volunteer firefighter, raised his family and got into the landscaping business. He now lives in suburban Lake Worth with his wife, Rosemary, and lives to honor the memory of those soldiers who lost their lives during WWII. One of those fallen soldiers is Cona’s own cousin, also named Angelo, who died in combat at Iwo Jima in 1945. “I think of my cousin a lot,” Cona said. As a Marine veteran and a member of the Chris Reyka Memorial Post 390 of the American Legion in Wellington, Cona was recom-
continued from page 1 expand Seminole Pratt Whitney Road north to the Beeline Highway. Several residents urged commissioners not to seal the deal without making a provision for that. “I pray that you save your easements and your right of way,” Indian Trail Improvement District Vice President Carol Jacobs said. County Administrator Robert Weisman promised to discuss the easements and future road with SFWMD officials as part of the negotiating process. Environmentalists, however, oppose the road. The county plans to use the proceeds from the sale of Mecca to balance its budget and pay down its debt, Weisman said. Commissioners also voted unanimously to reimburse Pope Farms $15,000. In 2011, county staff recommended Mecca Farms be used
Gannon served on the powerful House Health Care Appropriations Committee, where she secured funding for many health and safety programs for women and children. Her longstanding commitment to combating violence against women and children is evidenced in her fundraising and volunteer service to Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA), Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies, and both the Statewide Task Force on Human Trafficking and the Palm Beach Human Trafficking Coalition. Jane Kreusler-Walsh was honored in the private sector. Walsh and her firm, Kreusler-Walsh, Compiani & Vargas P.A., specialize in civil appeals and litigation support in state and federal courts. Kreusler-Walsh is a board-certified appellate lawyer by the Florida Bar and is AV-rated by MartindaleHubbell. She has practiced in West Palm Beach for more than 30 years. Her all-woman firm recently won the 2012 Athena Business Award given by the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, honoring the firm’s efforts in mentoring women. Kreusler-Walsh’s professional honors are many, including the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers Fellow since 2003, 2011 Appellate Lawyer of the Year for West Palm Beach and the 2013 South Florida Legal Guide’s Top Lawyers list. She has served on the Board of Trustees of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County since 2003 including serving as president for three years and vice president for two years during that time. Through its Women in Leadership Awards, Executive Women of the Palm Beaches strives to honor women in leadership and their significant accomplishments and to raise funds to empower women and to promote them to positions of leadership. Proceeds from the luncheon support the scholarship and grant programs administered through its charitable foundation, Executive Women Outreach. For information about Executive Women of the Palm Beaches, call (561) 684-9117 or visit www.ewpb. org.
Lox Groves To Offer Hurricane Season Prep Trash Pickup
World War II veteran Angelo Cona (seated left) with Jim Napuli of the American Legion Chris Reyka Memorial Post 390 during last month’s Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. mended for the Honor Flight, which he took part in last month, partly for the experience and also in memory of his cousin. The Honor Flight provided 84 WWII veterans with a day trip to Washington, D.C., where they toured the city and, most especially, remembered their fallen comrades at Arlington National Cemetery. “It was the greatest thing for me to go there. I wish I could go again,” Cona said of the Honor Flight. Cona said that in that crowd there were adults and children, and that he was surprised at how many children were part of the group that greeted them at Palm Beach International Airport. “The best thing about the trip is where the money comes from
— from children in school. They go out collecting… What a great experience,” he said. “When we got off the flight in Washington, I never expected to see so many people. There were close to a thousand waiting for us. And when we returned home, there were another thousand.” The Honor Flight is just one of the ways in which the memory of Cona’s cousin has inspired him. On this Memorial Day, he will observe the holiday in his cousin Angelo’s honor, and he hopes that others will continue to be inspired by all veterans, regardless of which war they fought in. Cona explained that he would like to know that the importance of Memorial Day will not be forgotten and that the gravity of the
holiday is instilled in children. He feels that if they are encouraged to discuss what Memorial Day means to them, the memory of those fallen soldiers will indeed be honored. Wellington will honor Memorial Day with a parade and ceremony Monday starting at 8:15 a.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex and continuing down Forest Hill Blvd. to the Wellington Veterans Memorial, where the ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. Royal Palm Beach will hold its Memorial Day observance Monday at 9 a.m. at the Veterans Park amphitheater on Royal Palm Beach Blvd. featuring a flag-raising ceremony, motivational presentations, free refreshments and a musical performance.
for agriculture purposes as a way to recoup some of its costs. In December of that year, a request for proposals was put out. In March 2012, Pope Farms was selected. But concerns about the terms of the proposed lease, and plans to burn sugar cane on the property, led to it being postponed. Pope Farms had requested $23,000 for reimbursement of its expenses. As part of the purchase agreement between the county and the SFWMD for Mecca, county staff recommended that the SFWMD provide 150 acres of land to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to build a public shooting range. This is to satisfy requests from the public for such a facility dating back to the 1970s. The public comment portion of the meeting showed passionate support for the project as speaker after speaker came forward to say how strongly they felt this was needed in Palm Beach County. They pointed out that no such facility exists here, and that they routinely travel to Okeechobee or Broward counties to participate in sport shooting activities. Speakers also pointed out the economic
boon the county is missing out on because of the lack of such a facility. The range would be built in four phases beginning in 2014 with a temporary clubhouse, range office, driveways and parking to be completed by 2015. Phase Two, building a 15-station sporting clays course, would be complete by 2016. Phase Three, building an international Olympic bunker trap, eight trap fields and four combination trap/skeet fields would be completed in 2018. And a clubhouse, pro shop and spectator stands would be completed by 2019. The price tag for the project stands at $5.1 million. The funds would come from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Division of Financial Aid, according to a county staff report. The FWC would oversee design, construction and operation of the shooting range. The county and the FWC have tried to bring such a project to fruition over the last 10 years without success. The last attempt came in 2007, when the FWC donated 95 acres for such a facility to be built near 20-Mile Bend, but it never happened. A few in the audience expressed
skepticism that the project will be completed, but most were grateful and thanked commissioners for not giving up on it. In an item not related to the Mecca sale, but affecting the western communities, the commissioners also unanimously voted to study building an ATV park near 20-Mile Bend. Staff recommended the study after it said the county’s parks department received numerous requests for such a park. An overwhelming majority of those who spoke during Tuesday’s public comment section favored such a move. County staff pointed out during its presentation that presently there is no safe place to ride an ATV in the county. The closest ATV park is in Collier County on the west coast. They pointed out the park would likely draw patrons from a 50-mile radius. They also pointed out the economic benefit the county would receive in job creation, fuel purchases, lodging and opportunities for motor sports events. The FWC submitted a letter in support of the project. The approval vote allows county staff to conduct a formal needs analysis, capital cost estimate and feasibility study.
Mecca
Public Shooting Range Included
it, and commitment to integrity and diversity. The 2013 WILA honorees are Anne Gannon, Michelle Poole and Jane Kreusler-Walsh. Also honored were Executive Women member Blain Aymond, who organized the first WILA luncheon 30 years ago and member Julie Kime, who has supported the WILA event every year for 30 years. Honored in the volunteer sector, Michele Poole is owner and CFO of North Ridge Electric Inc. She served her industry on a local, statewide and national basis for many years, including working with Secretary of Labor Elizabeth Dole in setting standards for women in jobs traditionally held by men. However, it is her remarkable accomplishments as a volunteer leader that truly sets Poole apart. When one of her twin granddaughters sustained a traumatic brain injury as a result of being shaken after birth, Poole went into action. Due to a number of circumstances, she and her husband adopted the twins and Poole began the journey of being a Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) family. She learned all she could about SBS and attended conferences. Armed with information, she created a presentation and contacted schools, daycare centers, drug rehab centers, women’s shelters and other agencies, giving them literature and requesting to speak at events. Poole continues to be an active volunteer leader and has been recognized many times for her efforts, including 2012 Advocate of the Year: National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. She took a tragic event in her life and turned it into a leadership opportunity helping many. Honored in the public sector, Anne Gannon serves as the Palm Beach County Tax Collector, the first woman to hold the position. She is responsible for collecting and distributing over $3 billion in tax revenue and the issuance of Real ID compliant driver licenses for Palm Beach County. The agency employs more than 290 people in the central office and eight service centers that collectively handle over 4,000 transactions daily.
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council decided Tuesday to schedule a pre-hurricane season vegetative trash pickup sometime over the next month. “We need some lead time to go ahead and do a postcard to let folks know that we’re going to have this event occurring on whatever days are determined,” Town Manager Mark Kutney said, pointing out that hurricane season starts June 1. Councilman Ron Jarriel said that during previous discussion, the council wanted to give residents two or three weeks notice so they would have time to cut back vegetation. “Three weeks would be the minimum, I would think,” he said. “I
Lawsuit
Settlement Discussion On Agenda
continued from page 1 property for certain dates,” Cohen said. “But that expired at the end of April.” The fate of the site’s permanent purpose and design is still being contested in court. If a settlement is reached next week, the property could be used year-round as originally intended. Bellissimo noted that the temporary permit granted by council members last year does not allow use of the venue for summer shows. “This economy is not able to make use of [the property] as a summer venue, using the largest covered riding surface in the state,” he said. “It could bring hundreds of horses from all over the
Blotter continued from page 6 also into a pipe leading to the ground well. The deputy said that the holes appeared to be the same size. According to the report, the victim did not believe she had issues with anyone who might have done this, but noted that she had a water system company out in January who the victim later decided not to hire. The damage was estimated at approximately $500. There was no further information available at the time of the report. MAY 20 — A deputy from the
would like to send out a notice as soon as possible.” Kutney said he would contact the town’s vegetation removal contractor, C&C Loader Service, to find dates that they can assist with the pickup, possibly the second or third Saturday in June. “I will try to determine a date, and I will start the postcard process,” Kutney said. “I can at least give you an update at our first meeting in June.” Mayor Dave Browning explained that the vegetative pickup is in coordination with its regular hauler Waste Pro, where residents are allowed to place larger piles than is normally allowed. The council agreed to begin the process and send out postcards as soon as possible with the collection date. state to this community for horse shows.” Bellissimo said he hopes to see the council’s decision reversed. “[We] believe that the council should restore the revocation of the venue’s approvals,” Bellissimo said. Cohen noted that a settlement offer was discussed in a closed session with council members, but could not provide details. “We’ve had some dialogue, and hopefully this can move in a positive direction,” she said. “It’s a discussion that needs to be had. Hopefully it will be a two-way conversation.” At the meeting, Bellissimo and his representatives will have a chance to talk to council members about resolving things. Bellissimo said he hopes to come to a consensus. “We believe it is in the best interest of all involved to stop the litigation and move forward as a community,” he said. PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched Monday afternoon to a home on Shoreline Drive following a report of a theft. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 2:30 p.m., the victim placed her iPhone 5 on a privacy wall in the community. The victim said she looked up and saw an unknown black male reach over the wall and grab her phone, then flee in a black BMW. The stolen phone was valued at approximately $600. There was no further information available at the time of the report.
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NEWS
Northlake Project Discussed At Acreage Public Input Meeting By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report About 30 Acreage residents attended a public input meeting Monday led by the Palm Beach County Planning & Zoning Division regarding a request for a land use amendment for an 11.25acre piece of property at the southeast corner of Coconut and Northlake boulevards. The applicant is asking for an amendment from agriculturalresidential land use to low-den-
sity commercial for the property. The parcel, which would be called Coconut Palm Plaza, would include a 2,300-square-foot convenience store and gas station with 12 pumps and 24 fueling positions, a 3,100-square-foot fastfood restaurant with a drivethrough, a 3,500-square-foot bank and a 15,000-square-foot pharmacy with a drive-through, as well as 13,000 square feet of other uses, for a total of 12 tenants with almost 38,000 square
feet of commercial use. The site had previously received approval for a post office. In April, the applicants gave a presentation to the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors, which strongly opposed the plan, and sent a letter to the county asking the Palm Beach County Commission not to approve the plan. The Acreage Landowners’ Association also sent a letter opposing the plan.
On Monday, Planning Director Lorenzo Aghemo had some of his staff give an overview of the land use amendment and planning process. Senior Planner Bryce Van Horn said the county comprehensive plan would allow for a little over 40,000 square feet of commercial use. The county also considers uses for the area in the Acreage Neighborhood Plan and the Northlake Corridor Plan. Although the applicants had
presented more specific plans to the ITID board and the ALA, no zoning application had been submitted to the county as of yet, Van Horn said. To the south of the property are residential lots ranging from 1.25 to 2.5 acres. To the north is the Vavrus Ranch property in Palm Beach Gardens. To the west is 30 acres previously amended from rural residential to commercial low. The developer of that parcel has submitted a zoning
application for the Shoppes at Indian Trails, which has approvals for up to 106,000 square feet of commercial use, including a gas station, restaurant, grocery store and bank. To the east is a conservation area. The next public hearing on the application is at the Palm Beach County Planning Commission meeting June 14. The Palm Beach County Commission is slated to hear it at a transmittal hearing July 24.
Taste 2013 Featuring The Chocolate Lovers Festival At The Fairgrounds June 6
Runners line up at the start of the race.
Women For Women Run A Success The third annual Women for Women 5K/10K was held Saturday, May 18 beginning at the new Lake Worth Casino. This women’sonly race has grown each year and
is currently the only all-women’s race in South Florida. This year it was 1,000 runners strong. The race started at the new Lake Worth Casino beachfront at
7 a.m. to the roar of cheering family and friends. The women ran over the Lake Worth bridge and around Lake Worth before coming back over the bridge and finishing back at the beachfront. The race benefits Girls on the Run, a mentoring program for girls ages 8 to 13 in Palm Beach County, and the Palms West Community Foundation. The race was started two years ago to give back to the community and was supported by the Lake Worth Chamber of Commerce. The new Central Palm Beach County Chamber has now taken on that role. Organizers thank all the volunteers, sponsors and runners who supported the successful event. (Left) These women from the western communities call themselves Moms Fit for Fun.
The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce will hold the 16th annual Taste 2013 featuring the Chocolate Lovers Festival, sponsored by the Royal Palm Auto Mall, on Thursday, June 6 at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center East (9067 Southern Blvd.). More than 2,000 food and chocolate lovers are expected to attend and enjoy tasty food, wine and craft beer samples offered by area restaurants and caterers. This annual event is guaranteed to please the palate and satisfy the appetite while attendees enjoy music and a business expo with more than 60 exhibitors.
Chocolate lovers will enjoy the many delectable chocolate samplings, and all attendees have the opportunity to vote on their favorite chocolate treat at the event. The winner will receive the coveted People’s Choice Trophy for the “Most Scrumptious Chocolate Dessert.” Produced by the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce and presented by Royal Palm Auto Mall, this highly popular food tasting and business expo is open to the public from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Admission costs $20 per person and is free for children 5 and under. Purchase advance tickets to-
day for $15 and save $5 per ticket. Additional sponsors include All Star Plumbing, Florida Public Utilities, Humana, Family Dentist of Palm Beach, DiSalvo’s Trattoria, Armand Professional Services, Two Men & A Truck, Above & Beyond Parties, Sam’s Club, and Due South Brewing Co. Community partners include the Palm Beach Post, Localdines.com, Around Wellington, the TownCrier Newspaper, WEI Network, 94.3 Real Radio, Kool 105.5, 1290 WJNO, WILD 95.5 and the South Florida Fair & Palm Beach County Expositions. For more information, call (561) 790-6200 or visit www. taste2013.net.
Whole Foods Hosting Special Memorial Day Weekend Event For the third consecutive year, Whole Foods Market stores in Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington will host a Memorial Day weekend fundraiser to commemorate the service and sacrifice of the men and women of the U.S. military. In partnership with Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, all three stores will host a Support Our Troops Cookout on Saturday, May 25 from noon to 3 p.m. During the cookout, customers can enjoy a hamburger, hotdog or vegetarian burger with their choice of side and a drink all for a donation of $5. All proceeds from the event will
be donated to Forgotten Soldiers Outreach. Customers are invited to write letters of encouragement to the troops or donate toiletries and other items to be included in care packages, which will then be sent to U.S. soldiers serving overseas. The three locations are as follows: 2635 State Road 7, Wellington (561-904-4000); 1400 Glades Road, Boca Raton (561-447-0000); and 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens, Palm Beach Gardens (561-6918550). “We’ve been proud to partner over the years with such a wonderful organization as Whole Foods Market,” said Lynelle
Chauncey Zelnar, founder and executive director of Forgotten Soldiers Outreach. “It’s truly a way to support our troops. Our sole mission is to reach out to those troops who receive little to no support from the home front, and many of them are from our own back yards.” Created in 2003, Forgotten Soldiers Outreach is a nonprofit organization that ships care packages filled with donated items and letters to the men and women of the U.S. military serving overseas. Since its inception, FSO has delivered care packages to more than 250,000 U.S. troops worldwide in all branches of the military.
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Claudia Campbell’s Pony Camp Great For Kids
Claudia Campbell hosts Pony Camp for children ages 4 through 12 at her comfortable farm in Loxahatchee. Campbell usually holds Pony Camp a couple of times a month on Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon year-round. Students are welcome to attend one or all sessions. Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 23
May 24 - May 30, 2013 Page 21
Broncos Keep Eyes On State Title Prize
Palm Beach Central High School’s varsity football team has increased its win total each of the last three seasons. Hoping to keep the momentum going, the team plays its annual spring game May 24, putting the Broncos on a path toward next year. Page 37
Shopping Spree A TOWN-CRIER PUBLICATION
INSIDE
Business Home-Like Assisted Living At A New Age Of Senior Care’s Wellington Facility
At A New Age of Senior Care, residents of the assisted-living facility are treated like part of the family. Located in Wellington, the nine-bedroom, six-bathroom, 4,500-square-foot facility recently increased its bed capacity from 6 to 14. The husband-and-wife team of Tony Borges and Diana Yanes opened A New Age of Senior Care in December 2010 to provide quality care to local seniors. Page 25
Sports Hawks Begin Spring Football Practice With New Coach
The Seminole Ridge High School varsity football team started spring practice this month, and the Hawks are preparing for their game Friday, May 24 against South Fork High School. The teams will use the game to assess where they need the most attention for the fall. Page 37
THIS WEEK’S INDEX COLUMNS & FEATURES ........................ 23-24 BUSINESS NEWS.................................. 25-27 DINING & ENTERTAINMENT ...................... 33 SPORTS & RECREATION........................ 37-39 COMMUNITY CALENDAR ......................42-43 CLASSIFIEDS ........................................46-49
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FEATURES
Claudia Campbell’s Pony Camp Great For Horse-Loving Kids The horse community is a small world. When I sat down with Claudia Campbell at her comfortable farm in Loxahatchee, we started talking about old times and stables far, far away. Turns out we both attended C.W. Post College, part of Long Island University, in Brookville, N.Y., and had ridden at many of the same stables. Campbell also taught riding at some of them before meeting and marrying a polo player who talked her into moving to Wellington in 1997. Campbell kept teaching riding, first for Helen Varble at Wellington Show Stables for seven years, and then from her home. Now a single mother of two young daughters, ages 7 and 9, Campbell hosts Pony Camp for children ages 4 through 12. “I know how it is to be a busy mom,” she said. “Time is an issue. If you have a horsecrazy kid, you don’t always have the time to bring them somewhere for riding lessons during the week. I started this program in 2004 for moms like me.” Campbell usually holds Pony Camp a couple of times a month on Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon year-round. Students are welcome to attend one or all sessions, and the cost is a very reasonable $55. Parents are welcome to stay and watch. She accepts up to 12 children at a time. Get updates all week long... follow Ellen Rosenberg on Twitter at twitter.com/ HorseTalkFL or stop by the Tales from the Trails page on Facebook and click “like.”
Tales From The Trails By Ellen Rosenberg “The children are divided into two groups, and each camper is assigned a horse or pony based on riding experience,” Campbell explained. “I make sure there are lots of counselors and lots of close supervision at all times. While one group grooms and rides, the other group works with the four miniature horses. They might give them a bubble bath, finger paint them, or play games with them. Then the two groups switch.” That generally takes the first two hours. Then it is snacktime. “All the kids bring along a snack or light lunch. Then we have a 20minute bareback ride, which usually involves a game like red light-green light. Again, it’s all closely supervised, and beginners are led around on a lead line. We also teach grooming and basic horsemanship,” Campbell said. “Safety always comes first. I’m fully insured. I own 15 horses and ponies, and use seven in the camp. They’re all quiet, kid-tested and mother-approved,” she laughed. “They’re not that fancy, but they’re perfect ponies. My kids grew up riding these ponies. We cater to each rider.”
Claudia Campbell with one of her horses, Rumor. Kristen Campagnuolo’s two daughters at- daughter has had some issues cantering her tend Pony Camp even though they own po- own pony, but she loves cantering Claudia’s.” nies of their own. Campagnuolo has known Campbell for “My 7-year-old has been going for two years. “I used to take lessons from Claudia years,” Campagnuolo said. “My 4-year-old when she worked at the Wellington stable,” has just started. They love it. It’s like all the she said. “Her farm’s a friendly environment. kids get together for a big pony play day. Clau- She teaches the kids a lot of horsemanship dia’s ponies are very safe, quiet and easy. My See ROSENBERG, page 24
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With Big Plans For My Winnings, Perhaps I’ll Buy A Ticket So somebody in Zephyrhills has won the Powerball lottery, and even though I own a home nearby, it wasn’t me. This is my second near-miss since the Powerball started. The first time, my friend Dottie sent me $2 to buy myself a ticket for my birthday. I had it in my pocket when I passed the lottery window at the Wellington Publix, but I had ice cream in my cart so I didn’t stop. The next day — my birthday — that very same Publix had a winner. Granted, it was not for $590.5 million like the single winner in Zephyrhills, but it was for millions of dollars nonetheless. The end result is that I never buy ice cream anymore. It’s just too costly. So, the third time being the charm, I am charting out my upcoming life as a multimillionaire. The first thing I will do is buy a Powerball ticket. The second thing I will do is go online to see how much I’ve won. Then I will call my accountant, whose fees, I betcha, will suddenly go up. Get your Sonic Boomer humor every day! Follow Deborah Welky on Twitter at twitter.com/TheSonicBoomer or stop by “The Sonic Boomer” page on Facebook.
Deborah Welky is
The Sonic BOOMER Then I will call my lawyer and have him rewrite my will. The lucky people who were going to inherit my stainless steel cutlery set and my ceramic pig collection will now get $500,000 apiece instead. Well, OK, they can have the pigs, too. Then the real fun starts. My husband, Mark, who has been with me through thick and thin and has the wonderful gift of not being able to differentiate between the two, will finally get that live-aboard boat he’s been wanting. We will chart a path toward Greece, and I will put all thoughts of pirates and walking the plank behind me. I will focus instead upon eating fine cuisine, drinking fine wine and exploring 200-year-old shops.
Once that’s checked off the list, we will visit Austria and Paris and Prague... and Paducah, Ky. Why Paducah? I don’t know, but the town has been calling to me ever since I was a teenager. Now I have the time to go there and find out why. When I’m all tuckered out from traveling, I will buy a couple of houses — maybe 10. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to own several homes in several places, and this proved to me that I am not one of those people who likes to hunker down in one spot called “home.” I’d rather flit between different houses in different cities, sort of like snowbirds but with even less of an attention span. I’d keep my Florida house for winters, the Missouri house for summers, buy a “leaf peeper” house in Vermont for autumns and maybe something back in Wisconsin for springtime. I’d get one in California, one in Colorado, and then I’d look beyond the United States — perhaps in the Keys (that’s a joke). I’d decorate them all in different styles and ask each of my friends if they’d like to stay in one for free to keep an eye on the place while I’m gone. I’d also spend a great deal of time deciding how much money to give away. This seems to
be a big hassle for a lot of rich people. There are tax considerations, of course, and strangers who ask you for money just because they need it so badly. Oprah Winfrey once said on her show that she was starting to feel like “The First National Bank of Oprah.” I think I’d do a reality TV show. People would send in a form with their name, phone number and request, and I’d put them all into a big metal drum, turn the handle and pull out four names. Those four people would be flown in for the next show, in which we would air a video of their family and hometown and tell their story. Then there would be some kind of contest between them to see which three get $250,000 each and which one gets $500,000. Maybe let the viewing audience vote. One week we’d do Needs and the next week we’d do Wants. The fifth winner would be drawn from the studio audience, and that person would get $500,000 as well. But to get into that audience, you have to be invited. And to be invited, you had to have voted. It would be a terrific show. Yeah, I have big plans for when I win the Powerball. Now all I need is another $2 from Dottie.
Great Sci-Fi, Great Acting, Great Fun In New ‘Star Trek’ Film The new Star Trek: Into Darkness is a great fun ride of a movie. The action starts early; it opens with Kirk (Chris Pine) and Bones (Karl Urban) running through a wilderness chased by a primitive tribe, while Spock (Zachary Quinto) is dropped into an active volcano with a device to save the planet. The last of the action scenes ends about two minutes before the end. There is no time to stop and really think about holes in the plot, while the subtle salutes to previous Star Trek movies will make it a treat for old-time Trekkers (not Trekkies, please!). A character using the name James Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) begins the action through a couple of acts of terror and flees to an uninhabited part of Kronos, the home planet of the Klingons. The Enterprise is sent to kill him using new long-range photon torpedoes. Spock and several others object to not using a system of justice, but Fleet Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) is clear in his intent. Kirk decides to capture Harrison, which leads to a lot of action, not to mention high-level betrayal.
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Claudia Campbell’s Pony Camp
continued from page 23 skills. It’s not just riding the pony and walking away. I definitely, absolutely recommend her Pony Camp for any kids who have an interest in horses.” Shanan Maisano’s 6-year-old daughter also attends. “She loves it,” Maisano said. “It’s a lot of fun. She has been going for two years, and she has learned a lot. I’m quite comfortable with Claudia. She makes sure the kids are safe. I like how accommodating she is. You can attend once in a while
‘I’ On CULTURE By Leonard Wechsler Some of us, of course, will decide that there is no way a government would actually take secret actions that would harm others and find it a flaw. As always, however, Kirk is a moral man who makes his own (often slightly flawed but correct in the long run) decisions. There are, as mentioned earlier, great action scenes, including a close-in action against the Klingons, some brilliantly executed battle scenes as the Enterprise faces its doom, and twists and turns throughout. Harrison is not who he seems; as a matter of fact, he turns out to be someone that all Star Trek fans know well. or all the time, whatever works best for you.” Finnley Senese, 12, started going last year. “I heard about it from a friend who raved about it,” Senese said. “I’ve done a lot of riding, but Pony Camp is great. Claudia’s really friendly and she teaches us a lot of new things. I also like helping the younger kids learn to groom and ride. Kids definitely learn a lot there, even if they don’t know anything about horses. I like everything there.” Campbell invites all interested horse families to give it a try. “Pony Camp is a nice opportunity for kids to learn about horses, have fun, and stay safe,” she said. “It’s a great place for children who have a passion for horses, whether they’re rank beginners or experienced riders.” For more information, call Campbell at (561) 315-9516, or visit www.delmarfarm.net.
There are many of these past salutes to the great Star Trek past: Dr. Carol Marcus (a very beautiful Alice Eve) shows up in a pivotal role, and Leonard Nimoy as “old Spock” (you have to have seen the first of the new Star Trek reboots to understand that one) makes a brief appearance. There is also a lovely “mirror image” salute, a scene that does a switch on one of the most iconic of the great moments in Star Trek history, which moves us even as we recall its previous use. The cast is excellent. Chris Pine makes a feisty Kirk; in this movie he faces up to moral problems, dealing with many moral and political issues. Quinto is again really good as Spock; his confession of why he “chooses not to feel” is worthy of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the series. Zoe Saldana makes a fun Uhura. She is tough, funny and more vulnerable than is usually shown by the character. Simon Pegg is great fun as Scotty. Although he disappears for most of the central part of the film, he becomes pivotal at the end. John Cho as Sulu is appropriately solemn. Anton Yelchin as Chekhov provides an expert comic touch as he is assigned to replace Scotty. Cumberbatch and Weller, however, really steal the film. Playing the two sides of the battle, both absolutely ruthless, they are a counterpoint of different views of terrorism.
Neither man is exactly what he first seems. The script writers, doing an excellent job, provide a counterpoint. Marcus has secretly used all Starfleet resources to arm for a major war against the Klingons, and Harrison has his own agenda. Marcus, at first seems the kindly, although firmly moral, head of Starfleet. Harrison is something else again. But the two actors are both so strong as performers that they seem to take over the screen whenever they appear. And it works well within the script. I admit to being a longtime fan of the series. I loved it back in the 1960s; it was one of the first series I went out of my way to never miss. It was a very different type of show than the movies we now see. The visual effects were cheesy and there was seldom much action, but I, like many others, liked the philosophical insights. In the movies, most of the discussions have been cut short since we already know what motivates the Enterprise officers. But the quickie discussions, mixed in between great battle scenes ranging from ship battles to a wonderful fight between Spock and Harrison in San Francisco, add immeasurably to our pleasure. This is great summer blockbuster. If you like Star Trek, you’ll have a great time. And if you’re not that big a fan, it’s still a lot of fun.
Vitas Innovative Hospice Care Seeks Patient Care Volunteers All it takes is compassion and a little time to become a volunteer for Vitas Innovative Hospice Care of Palm Beach. Hospice volunteers give their time to terminally ill patients and their families during a critical time in life. Volunteers are trained in listening skills, family dynamics and the right words to say to terminally ill patients and their caregivers. A volunteer orientation session will take
place Friday, May 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Vitas office, 1901 South Congress Ave., Suite 420, in Boynton Beach. Training materials and meals are provided for free. To reserve your space, call Volunteer Services Manager Gayle Stevens at (561) 7336332 or e-mail gayle.stevens@vitas.com. For more information about Vitas, visit www.vitas.com.
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Tony Borges and Diana Yanes, owners of A New Age of Senior Care. PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER
Home-Like Assisted Living At A New Age Of Senior Care’s Wellington Facility By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report At A New Age of Senior Care, residents of the assisted-living facility are treated like part of the family. Located in Wellington, the nine-bedroom, six-bathroom, 4,500-square-foot facility recently increased its bed capacity from 6 to 14. The husband-and-wife team of Tony Borges and Diana Yanes opened A New Age of Senior Care in December 2010 to provide quality care to local seniors. Prior to opening the facility, both were working in different careers — Yanes for the Bone Marrow Foundation’s recruitment department and Borges as an accountant. The idea to open their own assisted-living facility developed when Yanes needed a place for her elderly parents and 98-year-old grandfather to live. “My mother, who was taking care of my grandpa, had a health issue,” Yanes recalled. “She was no longer able to take care of him along with my dad.” Yanes and Borges diligently looked for a facility for her parents and grandfather to live, but were unsuccessful in finding one that fit their needs. “We didn’t like what we saw,” Yanes said. “Either the place was way too big, where my grandpa would get lost, and the small places, we just didn’t like the quality of care.” Yanes and Borges believe that their facility’s quality of care and service is what sets them apart from others. “We try to make it like a home,” Yanes said. “So when residents leave their homes and come here, they don’t feel like they’re in a nursing home environment, but their own home.”
Friends who run assisted-living facilities encouraged Yanes and Borges in their mission. “One owner told us that they were turning people away because they did not have enough space to meet the demand,” Borges said. “There is a great need in this community for quality care, and we knew we could give it.” To create A New Age of Senior Care, they began by remodeling a rental property they owned. “We already owned this building, the economy wasn’t doing so good, and we just didn’t want to be landlords anymore,” Borges said. Everything from the décor to the meals is designed in a home-like atmosphere. “Everyone eats together at the dining room table like family,” Yanes said. “It’s really like a big family, and residents really enjoy that.” A New Age of Senior Care maintains residents’ health by bringing in doctors and nurses through their healthcare providers. The facility also has nine caregivers on staff, providing 24-hour supervision. “We have supplementary care such as labs and a dermatologist,” Borges said. “Everything that the client needs for their health comes to the facility.” Being of Cuban descent, for Yanes and Borges, respect and proper care for the elderly is part of their culture. They applied this custom to their business. “They’ve become part of the family,” Yanes said. “Even our caregivers become like family, and we have all the same ones from the beginning.” ANew Age of Senior Care is located at 1074 Hyacinth Place, Wellington. For more info., visit www.newageseniorcare.com or call (561) 847-4548.
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BUSINESS NEWS
Wellington Chamber Welcomes Wellington Design Center The Wellington Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Wellington Design Center (9312 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington), owned by Michael Gordon and Karen Paull. They offer a onestop shop for people looking to design or redesign their home. Gordon was born and raised in New York. He earned an associate’s degree from Nassau Community College, followed by a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Queens College and a master’s degree in counseling psychology in West Virginia. After school, he returned to
Queens and began his career as a therapist. Along the way, he taught special education, worked at a residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed boys, ran a group home and later opened a nursery school and day camp. In 1991, Gordon and his wife moved to Coral Springs and began selling art items at area flea markets. Liking his new direction, he opened an artwork and framing store in Stuart and then later in West Palm Beach. The Art Colony, as it was then called, was successful. In 2006, Gordon took over an existing framing store in Wellington while his daugh-
Wellington Design Center — (L-R) Carmine Marino, Audra Leech, Joseph Leech, Karen Paull, Michael Gordon, Mark “Boz” Bozicevic, Laura Jaffe and Denise Carpenter.
ter worked at the West Palm Beach store. When adjacent space became available, Gordon teamed up with Paull to create the Wellington Design Center, with one side being a flooring center and the other side being a design center. The flooring center is run by Joseph Leech of Wellington Wood Floors, who offers a variety of wood floors plus unique, hand-crafted flooring. The new business opened in January. Paull and her husband ran four showrooms/design centers in New Jersey. With her 32 years of experi-
ence in the industry, it seemed to be a good move for them to partner in the business. “We offer an array of different things for the customer and designer,” Paull said. “We do flooring, windows, design, we have designer fabrics, we do wallpaper, we have custom furniture, custom framing, custom rugs, anything for the home that the customer needs. We can take an empty house and design it from floor to ceiling. We have ASID designers on staff who work for us. We also have professional installers. Our pricing is excellent. Because we have
been in the business so long we have very good connections with the vendors and we get very good pricing.” The Wellington Design Center is involved in the community and helps out local schools by framing team jerseys. For more info., call (561) 223-3709, e-mail wellingtondesign center@comcast.net or visit www. wellingtoninteriordesigncenter.com. For more information about businesses in the Wellington area, call the Wellington Chamber of Commerce at (561) 792.6525 or visit www.wellingtonchamber.com.
Bock: Scammers Claiming To Be Clerk Employees Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller Sharon Bock is warning county residents of two scams in which people are impersonating clerk’s office employees to get personal information such as bank accounts and Social Security numbers. Timeshare Fraud Scam — In one scam, people claiming to be Palm Beach County clerks are calling citizens around the country to inform them of money from a timeshare fraud settlement. These fraudsters tell their targets that they must first wire money to claim a portion of the settlement. The callers identi-
fy themselves with a three-digit “clerk ID” number and call from phone numbers with a 561 area code. Clerk’s office employees do not have three-digit identification numbers, and would never call to request money in order to make a claim. Jury Duty Text Scam — The second scam involves text messages regarding jury duty. The texts come from a 704 area code and tell recipients that they missed jury duty and now must pay a $500 fine or face misdemeanor charges. While the penalty for missing jury duty is not $500, the consequences are serious.
Anyone who misses jury duty is subject to a $100 fine, ordered to appear in front of a judge and held in contempt of court. However, clerk employees do not call for money or personal information. If you receive one of these calls or texts, make sure to write down as much information as you can about the call and contact the clerk’s office as soon as possible. Anyone who sent money because of one of these scams also is urged to contact local law enforcement. For more info., visit www.mypalmbeachclerk. com or call (561) 355-2996.
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BUSINESS NEWS
Gannon: Pay Delinquent Taxes By May 31, Before The Certificate Auction Palm Beach County Tax Collector Anne Gannon urges all delinquent taxpayers to bring their accounts up to date before May 31. Effective April 2, all outstanding 2012 real estate property taxes became delinquent. Property owners with unpaid 2012 property taxes are urged to meet their property
tax obligation by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31. There are 28,931 properties that are delinquent due to non-payment of 2010, 2011 and 2012 taxes. Failure to pay real estate property taxes by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 31, results in the sale of tax certificates on these properties. Local tax col-
lectors are required by law to hold an annual tax certificate auction to replace uncollected revenues for local governments. Delinquent properties are being advertised on May 17, 22 and 29. Effective June 1, the total amount due on delinquent 2012 property taxes increases due to the addition
of advertising costs and interest rate charges. The auction is scheduled for June 1. Mailed payments for delinquent 2012 property taxes must be received in the tax collector’s office no later than 5 p.m. on May 31. Delinquent taxes must be paid by cash, money order, certified check, bank draft,
U.S. postal order, cashier ’s check or wire transfer. Web site payments are not accepted for delinquent real estate taxes. A postmark on a mailed payment is not proof of timely payment of delinquent taxes. For more information, call the tax collector’s office at (561) 355-2264 or visit www.pbctax.com.
WELLINGTON CHAMBER HOSTS RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONIES
The Wellington Chamber recently held a ribbon cutting for Intramural Media (12230 W. Forest Hill Blvd, Suite 110F1). Intramural Media offers complete creative support with a focus on the needs of internal communicators: human resources professionals, compliance officers, training specialists, sales managers, corporate secretaries and development directors. Owner Salvador De Azua specializes in making dense, challenging information easier to assimilate. They are experts in digital publishing for mobile devices and use interactive web technology. For more info., call (561) 227-1544 or visit www. intramuralmedia.com.
The Wellington Chamber recently held a ribbon cutting for We Insure Florida (12230 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 206). Ana Cusell was in the banking industry for over 20 years, most recently as vice president at a New York– based private wealth management firm where she ran the banking operations for the Florida Division. Cusell now looks forward to a new venture, joining her husband, who has been a licensed agent for 15 years, offering all lines of insurance from home owners, to auto and life and health as well as commercial products. For more info., call Ana and Robert Cusell at (561) 371-5132 or visit www.weinsurefl.com.
The Wellington Chamber recently held a ribbon cutting for Universal Living Sprouts (6238 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.). Owner Alberto Zizzi has a passion for a healthful lifestyle that began about 30 years ago when he started learning about good health. He attended nutritional health seminars, participated in workshops and he started growing his own organic greens. Universal Living Sprouts’ facility is one of the largest certified-organic green houses in the South Florida region. Universal Living Sprouts’ greens are harvested daily and can be delivered upon request. For more information, call (561) 795-2554 or visit www. ulsprouts.com.
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#1 Education Place — #1 Education Place is a small, private Montessori school for students grade one through 12. The school f eatures a year-round academic year, flexible scheduling, individualized instruction and an accredited curriculum. Many of the school’s students are now professional athletes or performers. #1 Education Place has been serving the western communities since 2001 and is conveniently located in the original Wellington Mall at 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 23. #1 Education Place is currently welcoming new students for the summer and fall terms. For more information, call (561) 753-6563. Acreage Montessori — The goal of Acreage Montessori Academy is to maximize the potential of toddlers and primary or elementary school children by providing hands-on materials, dedicated teachers, personalized curriculum and lifelong study skills to cultivate their intellectual, physical and social development in a safe and loving environment. The goal of Acreage Montessori is to provide children with a secure, loving and educational environment in which to happily grow and develop and to be a place where learning is fun. Acreage Montessori is a parent’s partner for the highest w ellbeing of the child. Free VPK 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. all year. The school accepts children ages six weeks to 12 years and has a loving, caring and professional staff. Acreage Montessori’s aftercare program has low student-supervisor ratios and structured program hours, which run Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Acreage Montessori is located at 5700 140th Avenue N. For additional information, call (561) 7840078. Cambridge School — A quality preschool lays the foundation for a child’s future academic success. At the Cambridge Schools, which have been serving South Florida for over 20 years, preschool is about much more than just learning ABCs and 123s. Cambridge strives to cultivate each child’s spirit, imagination and love of learning. This is achieved through the school’s carefully crafted, hands-on, academic curriculum. “Our dynamic program encourages children to explore their world in a safe and loving environment,” said Denise Goetz, director of the Cambridge Schools’ Wellington campus. “By offering different age-appropriate, hands-on, brains-on activities, our students gain an understanding of math, science, writing, art and literacy.” The Cambridge Preschool at Wellington serves children from 2 years through pre-kindergarten. School hours are 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., with early care and aftercare available. Flexible scheduling is offered. The school follows the Palm Beach County Public School schedule. Enrollment is ongoing. The school is located at 1920 Royal Fern Drive. For more information, call (561) 791-0013 or visit www.cambridgepreschools.com.
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Cardinal Newman High School — Established in 1961, Cardinal Newman High School is a coed college-prep Catholic high school attracting students of all faiths from Palm Beach and Martin counties. Students may choose to challenge themselves in the International Baccalaureate degree program, Advance Placement courses, honors classes and college-prep classes. Following the winning CNHS tradition, athletes participate in 15 sports and 22 organizations. Students are exposed to religious values and family life that guides their lives long after graduation. For more information, call (561) 683-6266 or visit www.cardinalnewman.com. Huntington Learning Center —Whether a student is looking for a better report card, help with a specific subject or a higher score on a college entrance exam, Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring solution. The center can help with academic skills, subject tutoring or exam prep for SAT, PSAT and ACT. The Huntington Learning Center is locat ed at 2655 State Road 7 in Wellington Green Commons. For more information, call 1 800-CAN-LEARN or visit www. huntingtonhelps.com. Ideal Elementary School and Dream Middle School — Ideal Elementary School and Dream Middle School are premier private schools for innovative and gifted students. Serving the areas of Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Palm Beach and Loxahatchee, Ideal Elementary School and Dream Middle School offer students an innovative learning environment beginning with preschool, continuing through elementary and now middle school. Well known in Palm Beach County, the schools have been producing critical thinkers and leaders since 1993, and this success is largely based on the incorporation of Har vard Professor Dr. Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence. As a private school, Ideal Elementary and Dream Middle schools consistently strive to change ordinary education into extraordinary learning for understanding and critical thinking. For more information, or to schedule a tour of the schools, call (561) 791-2881. The Learning Foundation — As a private school, the academic program of the Learning Foundation focuses on the diverse needs of students. The program for third through 12th graders helps to build a student’s self-esteem in order for them to achieve their academic goals. Elementary and middle school hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with aftercare from 2 to 4 p.m. High school hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. High school students are required to attend 5 hours each day. McKay and Step Up for Students scholarships are accepted during the school year. The Learning Foundation’s motto, “Teaching our Youth How to Learn,” is intergraded into every lesson. For more information, call Debra Thornby at (561) 795-6886.
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Noah’s Ark Preschool —Noah’s Ark Preschool offers care for infants and preschool children as well as after school care, free VPK and low rates and special registration for the fall. Noah’s Ark is conveniently located at 14563 Okeechobee Blvd. Se habla Español. For more information, call (561) 753-6624. Rosarian Academy —Offering a superior education from 12 months to grade 8, Rosarian Academy is committed to educating the whole person for life. The school fosters each student’s unique spiritual, physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs at every developmental stage. Known for academic excellence and a welcoming f aith-centered community, Rosarian’s curriculum is enhanced with 21st century technology and excellent athletic and fine arts programs. Rosarian is the only independent, Catholic school in Palm Beach County. For more information, or to schedule a tour, call (561) 832-5131 or e-mail maryr@rosarian.org. Really Learning LLC —Really Learning serves high school students from all local high schools using Brigham Young University Independent Study for credit recovery or to get ahead in a class. Individual instruction is provided and students will love the ease and flexibility of working on a class at their own pace. Owner Pam Taplin has 25 years of experience in Palm Beach County schools. Really Learning LLC is located in Royal Palm Beach. For more information, call Mrs. Taplin at (561) 790-0508 or e-mail her at WVU1977@bellsouth.net. Sacred Heart School — Sacred Heart School in Lake Worth is now accepting applications for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade for the 2013-14 school year. State scholarships, VPK, McKay and Step Up for Students are accepted. The Cathleen McFarlane Ross Learning Lab, which teaches the Morning Star Program, opened in the fall of 2011 allowing children with learning differences to receive a quality Catholic education. These children may have ADHD or an autism spectrum disorder, to name a few. Sacred Heart believes that all of God’s children have a right to a Catholic education. The positive is accentuated to help the students recognize their potential. Building self-esteem and self-confidence is integrated into the curriculum of language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, computer, library, art and music, and Sacred Heart offers a technology-based curriculum. The school has Promethean boards in all classrooms and 25 iPads. All the desktop computers, laptops and iPads are loaded with the Rosetta Stone program, which gives students access 30 different foreign languages. For more information, call (561) 582-2242 or visit www.sacredheartschool lakeworth.com.
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St. Clare Catholic School — St. Clare Catholic School has been educating and enriching children’s lives for nearly 50 years. The school has a strong academic curriculum that prepares graduates to meet the rigors of a competitive college preparatory high school, learn a variety of skills, such as study habits, time management, organization, strong work ethic, active listening and independence. At St. Clare, students will also demonstrate growth and learning from the joy of success and frustration of failure. For more information, call (561) 622-7171 or visit www .stclareschool.com. Summit Christian School — Summit Christian School provides a distinctive quality Christian education founded on the Word of God. The school’s mission is to impact students by teaching them to think critically and Biblically and to act morally and responsibility while providing an environment that gives them security, significance and opportunity . Summit Christian is happy to announce that Pastor Mark Davis from Calvary Christian Academy and Headmaster Jim Rozendal from DeMotte Christian School, formerly Lake Worth Christian, will be joining the school’s leadership t eam as the new pastor and new headmaster, respectively. Together with Administrator Sheila Van Es, the team serves children through grade 12. It is located at 4900 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach. For more information, call (561) 686-8081, ext. 313. Temple Beth Torah Leonie Arguetty Preschool — Temple Be th Torah Leonie Arguetty Preschool has been in Wellington for over 20 years with a strong reputation for high-quality early childhood education. The school is the only area preschool with NAEYC accreditation, assuring parents that their program meets high national standards for quality and professionalism. Temple Beth Torah Leonie Arguetty Preschool offers a variety of learning experiences that prepare children for private and public elementary schools. The school provides caring teachers, warmth and sense of community to its students. Temple Be th Torah Leonie Arguetty Preschool is located at 900 Big Blue Trace in Wellingt on. For more information, call (561) 793-2649 or e-mail psdirector@templebethtorah.net Wellspring Academy — Wellspring Academy is a residential weight loss boarding school located in Reedley, Calif., near Fresno, and is the fir st of its kind. The premier program serves students ages 11 through 25 years old. While continuing their middle school, high school or college education, students reside on campus and learn to live a healthy lifestyle. The Wellspring Academy campus is open year-round and accepts rolling enrollments. The academy is a clinically proven weight loss treatment program that trains students to transform their bodies and change the way they think about diet and activity. The Wellspring Academy promotes a healthy lifestyle with simple, scientific and sustainable behavioral changes. For more information, call (866) 277-0221 or visit www.wellspringacademies.com.
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DINING & ENTERTAINMENT
Annual Culinary Creations Dinner June 3 At Kravis Center The American Culinary Federation Palm Beach County Chefs Association will present the 14th annual Culinary Creations dinner June 3 at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach. The popular culinary dinner, inspired by some of the region’s most talented chefs, will benefit Quantum House and the Palm Beach County Chefs in Distress Endowment Fund. Culinary Creations celebrates the (Left) Breakers Palm Beach Executive Chef of Banquets Jeff Simms with Quantum House President Julie Criser and Executive Director Robi Jurney.
extraordinary talents of some of the finest chefs in South Florida. Different from other food and wine events in Palm Beach County, guests can expect the total foodie experience beginning with a marvelous champagne reception featuring delectable hors d’oeuvres. Then the “foodie” themed evening flows into the silent auction. Guests can bid on private chef dinners, wine tastings and other items that speak to the luxurious side in all of us. The once-in-a-lifetime dinner also features four courses served round robin style. Guests have the opportunity to experience a dish from each of the 25 chefs such as Smoked
Duck Breast Salad, Lamb Osso Bucco Cannelloni and Crab-Crusted Local Yellowtail Snapper. Some of the participating clubs and restaurants include the Riverhouse, Boca Grove, the Breakers Palm Beach and Café L’Europe. Diners will leave with a full stomach and a full heart because 100 percent of the proceeds from the dinner will benefit deserving charities. “The chefs do an astounding job highlighting their talents, and Quantum House is thrilled to be part of this fantastic event,” said Robi Jurney, Quantum House executive director. “You’ll never have a chance to have all of these award-winning
chefs under one roof preparing such a gourmet feast.” Tickets are on sale now with just a handful left. General tickets cost $125 per person or $1,000 per table of 10. VIP tickets cost $175 per person or $1,500 and can be purchased at www.quantumhouse.org. Quantum House lessens the burden for families whose children are receiving treatment in Palm Beach County for a serious medical condition. The 10-suite hospital hospitality house provides lodging, meals, care and compassion to more than 500 family members each year. For additional information, visit www.quantumhouse.org.
P.B. Dramaworks Continues Musical Theatre Masters Series Following a sold-out engagement of Camelot in concert this past January, Palm Beach Dramaworks has announced the next two musicals in its new Musical Theatre Masters program. Man of La Mancha will kick off the summer series on Wednesday, July 10 and run through July 21, followed by CarouselAug. 7-18 at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre in downtown West Palm Beach (201 Clematis Street). Directed by Clive Cholerton, the legendary musicals will play two weeks of performances. “The response to Camelot exceeded our expectations,” Producing Artistic Director William Hayes
said. “We discovered that audiences are delighted by our format because they get to see full-length versions of classic shows in a new way. There’s very little staging, minimal design and limited instrumental accompaniment. We really concentrate on the book, the music and the lyrics, and when you’re dealing with timeless shows like Camelot, Man of La Mancha and Carousel, there are vast rewards to be had by presenting these pieces in such an intimate setting.” The Tony Award–winning Man of La Mancha is inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’s 17th-century masterpiece Don Quixote, about a madman
and self-appointed knight errant who sets out to perform heroic deeds. With a book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion, the show takes place in a Seville prison where Cervantes is awaiting trial, and is performed as a play within a play. Man of La Mancha opened in 1965, ran for 2,328 performances, and has become one of musical theater’s most enduring works, with four Broadway revivals and countless productions all over the world. The show’s most famous song, “The Impossible Dream,” beautifully captures the piece’s message of hope. Caryl Fantel will serve as musical director.
Carousel (1945), the second show by the team of Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (book and lyrics), was named the best musical of the 20th century by Time magazine. Based on Ferenc Molnár’s Liliom, a 1909 play about a ne’er-do-well carousel barker, Rodgers and Hammerstein changed the locale from Budapest to Maine and proceeded to write the most innovative and intricate show of their entire collaboration. The beautiful score includes standards such as “If I Loved You,” “June is Bustin’ Out All Over” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Musical director duties will be handled by Paul Reekie.
Performances are scheduled Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., with matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. All general admission tickets cost $35. Student tickets cost $10, and group rates for 20 or more are also available. The Don & Ann Brown Theatre is located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, at 201 Clematis Street. For ticket information, call the box office at (561) 514-4042, open Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit the Palm Beach Dramaworks’ web site at www.palm beachdramaworks.org.
The Phantom Recommends A Visit To Palm Beach Wax Studio Over the past 20-plus years, I have she is an expert at customizing the smoothly! OK, the third area was reviewed over 1,000 restaurants, 200 gentlest and most effective pain-free my… got you! Like the 40-Year-Old hotels, 100 museums and 20 cruise wax for each client. Sacco prides Virgin, I decided to wax my chest, ships locally, nationally and inter- herself in stating, “Waxing is all I resulting in no pain and no hair. My nationally, on four continents, and do,” and she does it well. Also, her skin is smooth and it looks great. for the first time I am reviewing a studio is the only studio in Palm My fiancée went along with me waxing studio. This turned out to Beach County — and one of three and had her legs waxed, as well as a be an “out-of-my-body hair-raising locations in Florida — to offer per- bikini wax. Wow — looking good! I experience.” manent hair removal via the enzyme- should also mention there is a firstWhen you think of body waxing, based Depilar System. class barber shop operated by Denyou think of this service for a womThe Depilar System requires suc- nis Sacco, DeeLisa’s husband, an’s eyebrows, legs, bikini line and cessive treatments over the course along with a terrific hair salon. We the Brazilian — you don’t necessar- of 12 to 24 months, depending on will be visiting Palm Beach Wax Stuily think of men’s waxing. However, the area. The Depilar System is ap- dio monthly, along with the barber now I do, and it was a very interest- plied at two- to six-week intervals, shop and the hair salon. I am also ing and pleasant experience. There depending on the body part. Sacco considering the permanent hair reare a multitude of waxing services noted that a decrease in hair growth moval for under my eyebrows and for men and women at the lovely will be noticeable after the fourth around my ears, via the Depilar SysPalm Beach Wax Studio. This su- treatment with this progressive sys- tem. perb studio is located on the ground tem. It is also important for me to tell DeeLisa Sacco works on a client at Palm Beach Wax Studio. floor of the Sun and Surf CondoRecently I had some cosmetic you that Sacco is fastidious about minium at 100 Sunrise Ave. on the surgery, and the pulling and tuck- cleanliness and uses sanitizers and Finally, I was very impressed to nent solution for unwanted hair, or island of Palm Beach. There is even ing moved my hair line under my autoclaves. Naturally, she wears learn that Sacco donates a percent- a great barber and a fabulous hair complimentary valet parking for cli- eyebrows and around my ears, fresh gloves for each client (and age of profits to the ALS Associa- stylist, call Sacco at (561) 833-9860 ents of the studio. where it was uncomfortable, so I changes them for each body part on tion. Her grandmother died from or visit www.palmbeachwax Owner and master wax aestheti- decided to enter the waxing world. each client), and she uses multiple ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s studio.com. Palm Beach Wax Studio cian DeeLisa Sacco has developed Sacco cleared up my problem and sterile tongue depressors on each disease), and Sacco feels strongly is open Tuesday through Saturday a “luxurious body waxing” tech- used three different premium waxes client — with no double-dipping — about giving back. by appointment. Please tell them that nique through her years of exten- for the different areas. It was a pain- to apply the wax in a sterile and effiSo if you are looking for wonder- the Phantom recommended their susive experience and research, and free treatment, and everything went cient fashion. ful, pain-free waxing and/or perma- perb services. Joe Nasuti, the Phantom, is a featured writer for the Town-Crier, Forever Young and www.yournews.com. Comments & recommendations are welcome at thephantomdiners@aol.com.
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SPORTS & RECREATION
Wildcat Football Squad Enters Spring Training By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach High School varsity football squad recently started their spring training in preparation for the coming fall season. Last season, the Wildcats made some noise, coming in as high as the No. 4 spot on Palm Beach County’s top 10 list. The Wildcats entered district play last season with one loss and six wins, but eventually were knocked from playoff contention and finished 6-4 on the season. RPBHS head coach Willie Bueno expects his squad to continue to be a force in District 13-7A. With district rivals Atlantic and Dwyer high schools waiting in the wings, it will make for an interesting fall season for the Wildcats. “We graduated five recruited seniors this year, but we have depth going into next year,” Bueno said. Running back Jimmy Moreland has moved into the starting quarterback position for the
fall, but will miss the Gardens game due to an injury. “Everything will be the same defensively, and offensively we’ll spread it out and run the ball,” Bueno said. “It all depends on how our offensive line comes together.” Bueno boasts a trio of running backs going into the fall: returning players Charles Perry and Demarcus Holloway, and Wellington transfer Shamar Jackson. Zeke Edmonds will be moved to split and be used more as a receiver. When asked about plans for the Palm Beach Gardens game, Bueno said he hopes to give the entire team time on the field. “We’ll play our older guys for the first quarter, and then we’re going to try and play everybody,” he said. Royal Palm Beach hosts Palm Beach Gardens on Friday, May 24 for a 7 p.m. game. (Right) RPBHS quarterback Trystan Drew stiff-arms a defender to avoid a tackle.
PHOTO BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER
Bronco Football Program Keeps Eye On State Title Prize
Palm Beach Central High School head coach Rod Harris looks on as players practice for this week’s spring game. PHOTO BY LAUREN ALSINA
By Josh Hyber Town-Crier Staff Report Palm Beach Central High School’s varsity football team has increased its win total each of the last three seasons. In April, for the first time, the team saw an alumnus selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. The Bronco program is as prominent as it has ever been. On Friday, May 24, the team will play its annual spring game, capping the brief spring season and putting the Broncos on a path toward next year. The Broncos will take on New Smyrna Beach High School at home at 7 p.m. Palm Beach Central head coach Rod Harris said spring practice and preparation for the game has been great. The team has been implement-
ing its system, teaching younger players the program’s expectations, and spending time in the weight room. “Trying to get stronger for our real season in August,” Harris said. Harris has been impressed by the team’s leaders, as well as players trying to make a name for themselves. Since May 1, the team has practiced outdoors Monday through Friday. The prominent attraction on the Palm Beach Central roster is left tackle Kc McDermott. The rising senior is one of the top linemen in the county and is signed to play at the University of Miami. Harris pointed to McDermott, as well as running backs Kamar Downer and Thomas McDonald, as offensive players who have stood out in spring practices. Harris also said
receiver Andrew Prince is having the best spring of anyone on the team. Defensively, strong safety/linebacker Jhnard Dorsett and Josh Gutierrez have made positive impressions. “We’ve seen some younger guys really stepping up, some guys who weren’t on varsity last year have done a tremendous job,” Harris said. The Broncos have mostly focused spring practice on their own game plan, rather than specific preparation for the New Smyrna game. But Harris did say the Broncos do know the success of the New Smyrna program and the skill set of quarterback Marcus Johnson and running back D’Cota Dixon. Before taking on such a talented See BRONCOS, page 45
Hawks Begin Spring Football Practice With New Coach By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report The Seminole Ridge High School varsity football team started spring practice this month, and the Hawks are preparing for their game Friday, May 24 against Treasure Coast powerhouse South Fork High School. Both teams will use the game to assess where they will need the most attention for the fall. The Bulldogs finished 9-1 last year, but were unable to lock in the district title. The Hawks have struggled over a few hurdles in the coaching department, with former head coach Matt Dickmann relocating to Georgia, and then the unexpected resignation of Steven Humphrey.
New head coach Scott Barnwell joined Dickmann and the Hawks in 2012 to work with the quarterbacks and junior varsity offense. Barnwell was the Hollywood Hills High School head coach for four years. During that time, the team made two regional playoff appearances and won a district title in 2010. The Hawks have had two appearances in the regional finals and three district titles. They finished last season with a 9-4 record. Barnwell noted that the team will miss the six Division I recruited seniors who graduate this year, but he is confident that Seminole Ridge will be a contender in the fall with many
returning players and new underclassman coming in. “We’ve got a great bunch of kids coming in, as well as the returning players,” he said. “We continue to have strong freshman and JV programs.” Barnwell added that the Hawks plan to spread the formations out and throw the ball more than they did last year, but will still maintain a lot of what was successful about the last season. “Zack Dacosta returns as the quarterback, but we have two other kids See HAWKS, page 45 (Right) A Hawk running back tries to avoid a tackle during practice.
PHOTO BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER
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WELLINGTON WRESTLING CLUB MEMBERS CLAIM MEDALS
The Wellington Wrestling Club competed at the Iron Sharpens Iron II Tournament on Saturday, May 18 at Western High School and came home with two medal winners. Wellington High School junior Briar Macfarlane placed first in the 138 Elite division and four-year-old Tyler Gray placed third in the Tot 50-pound division. The Wellington Wrestling Club will be star ting a summer session Tuesday, June 11. For more information on joining the club, e-mail wellingtonwrestling@gmail.com or call (561) 827-8595. Shown above are Tyler Gray and Briar Macfarlane.
A Busy Summer Ahead For RPBHS Volleyball Standout
Royal Palm Beach High School freshman girls volleyball player Bailey Williams has been selected for the 2013 USA Volleyball Select National A2 Invitational Team Program/ Alternate A1 National Team Training Team to train in Colorado Springs, Colo., this summer. The National A2 Invitational Team Program is designed to give the country’s top athletes the opportunity to work with national coaches at a competitive event. Players who participate in the program will train for four days as a group, training in all skills and focusing on position-specific area each day. On the fifth day, players will be split into 16 tiered eight-player teams in which they will train for a full day under international rules and team opponent scouting. The final days feature an international-style tournament culminating in a tournament championship on the final day. The Select A2 Invitational Team Program consists of a total of 128 athletes from the age group. They will train at the University of Colorado Springs for the sevenday program July 5-11. Williams has also been selected for the 2013 Florida High Performance Training Team (Girls Select Division), which she represented as the captain in 2012-13 and won the bronze medal. This year, she is competing again for the same position and will have tryouts June 1-2 in Orlando. Williams will find out if she makes
Bailey Williams the Florida team in June after she returns from attending the Girls Junior National Volleyball Championship in Dallas.
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SPORTS & RECREATION
WILDCAT DANCERS VISIT NEW HORIZONS Wellington’s Peavler To Play Basketball At Oglethorpe
Alex Peavler, a guard on the Wellington High School boys varsity basketball team, will continue his basketball career at the collegiate level, signing with NCAA Division III Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Ga. Peavler led Palm Beach County in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage, draining 60 treys for the season and shooting a hot 47 percent from behind the line. Peavler
captained WHS to a 20-win season and Sweet 16 finish in the FHSAA Class 8A playoffs. He also earned second team All-Conference honors and All-Area honorable mention. A member of the Southern Athletic Association, Oglethorpe competes in one of the more challenging conferences in NCAA Division III. Academically, it is considered one of the most selective and challenging institutions in the United States.
The Wildcat Dancers Dance Team and Dance Director Michele Blecher from Royal Palm Beach High School presented at New Horizons Elementary School’s recent Career Day. The dancers have been presenting “What is a dance instructor and a dance choreographer?” for the past ten years at the event. Along with Blecher’s talk about being a dance teacher and choreographer, the Wildcat Dancers Dance Team performed four dance routines: “Dearly Beloved” lyrical group routine, “Everything You Want” contemporary duet, “Tribute” hip-hop duet and “Hit the Floor” jazz group routine. Shown here is the Wildcat Dancers Dance Team with Pat Klammer’s fifth period class.
Boys And Girls Basketball Camps At SRHS Seminole Ridge High School is offering basketball camps for local boys and girls ages 6 through 14. Boys Basketball Camp — Session 1 takes place June 10-13 from 1 to 4 p.m.; Session 2 takes place July 8-11 from 9 a.m. to noon; and Ses-
sion 3 takes place Aug. 5-8 from 9 a.m. to noon. The cost is $65/session. All skill levels are welcome. For info., contact Kai Lee at (561) 3799841 or kai.lee@palmbeachschools. org. Girls Basketball Camp — Ses-
sion 1 takes place June 10-13 from 9 a.m. to noon and Session 2 takes place Aug. 5-8 from 1 to 4 p.m. The cost is $65/session. All skill levels are welcome. For info., contact Scott O’Hara at (561) 818-5733 or scott. ohara@palmbeachschools.org.
WHS basketball player Alex Peavler with his parents Flip and Lauren Peavler, and coach Matt Colin.
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Join the Summer Junior Golf Camp at Okeeheelee Golf Course, Park Ridge Golf Course and John Prince Golf Learning Center through the Junior Golf Foundation of America Golf Camp. New or seasoned golfers will de velop skills while having a blast doing so. The JGFA provides junior golfers with the tools to enjoy the game for a lifetime. Professional PGA/LPGA golf instructors, trained coaches and staff are carefully picked for their love of junior golf, teaching abilities and inspirational approach. The pr ogram emphasizes safety, fun, spor tsmanship and personal attention. Camps run June 10 through Aug. 16 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, with extended camp available until 3 p.m. at Okeeheelee. Written evaluation repor ts, prizes/trophies, of ficial JGFA items, a certificate of completion and a pizza party on the last day is included. Also available: camps for 3-5 year olds, camps for advance/tournament golfers, Junior Golf tournaments, weekly programs and leagues, walk-up clinics and more. Visit www.JGFA.org or call (561) 964-GOLF for more information. The Lab/High Touch High Tech brings science t o life with hands-on experiments provided by High Touch High Tech, the leader in science education for the last 18 years. Each day will be a new adventure, from interacting with real lab critters to launching rockets and panning for gems. Conveniently located off State Road 7 and Lantana Road, this unique facility offers affordable pricing, experiments with lots of cool take-homes, arts and crafts, physical activities and more. The Lab taps into children’s natural curiosity and provides them with safe and fun activities that help them learn about the world. Children can expect to have fun while they make slime, erupt volcanoes, make ice cream, make tie dye t-shirts and more. Call (561) 4443978 or visit www.thelabforkids.com for info. The Little Place Pre-School has served the western communities for over 35 years. They are now taking summer camp registration at their two convenient Wellington locations. The Little Place offers a pre-school program for children 2 to 5 years old, and a program for children ages 6 to 8. Various classes are offered as well as arts and & crafts and much more. The Little Place will make y our child’s summer fun! Contact them at 1040 Wellington Trace (561-793-5860) or 2995 Greenbriar Blvd. (561-790-0808). At Noah’s Ark Summer Camp, children will enjoy field trips and activities such as swimming, bowling, skating, South Florida Science Museum, movies and picnics. Tuition includes camera surveillance, creative curriculum, computers and all meals. Registration is now being accepted. Registration is free for new customers only. Noah’s Ark is located at 14563 Okeechobee Blvd. in Loxahatchee Groves. For more information, call (561) 753-6624 or visit www. smallworldpbc.com. Palm Beac h Super Tae Kwon Do is a family -oriented mar tial arts school serving the western communities for over 17 years. Headed by Grand Master Ki Sop Yoon (former K orean National Champion and World Tae Kwon Do Federation 8th Degree Black Belt), Palm Beach Super Tae Kwon Do offers programs in Olympic-Style Tae Kwon Do, self-defense (Hap Ki Do) and weapons. It fields an outstanding demonstration team. The programs teach self-confidence, discipline and respect in a safe and positive learning environment. Palm Beach Super Tae Kwon Do is located at 13860 Wellington Trace, Suites 24 and 25, in the Wellington Cour tyard Shops, near Publix. Visit today to observe or participate in a class today. For more info., visit www.supertaekwondo.net or call (561) 795-1199. The Scientastic Institute is taking hands-on science to a whole new level. Developed exclusively for students entering grades 6 through 8, its Scientist-In-Training summer camp takes advantage of the power of curiosity to turn everyday students into extraordinary scientists. Through a wide variety of activities — such as hands-on projects, edible experiments, creature features, DIY labs, scientist spotlights, dynamic demonstrations and much more — each week addresses an amazing new theme that relates to essential academic content. Students can have fun all summer and get a head start for the fall. The Scientastic Institute offers competitive rates, extended hours, organic lunch options and one amazing summer experience in the heart of Wellington. Visit www.scientasticinstitute.com or call (561) 459-1724 for more information. Are you looking for a convenient and fun place to send your kids this summer? Look no further than Camp Eagle at Wellington Christian School. They offer an exciting 9-week program for children ages 3-12, which includes VPK, local field trips for older campers, oncampus sports and group building activities, daily devotions, silly songs, crazy competitions and much more. You can choose one of the themed weeks or come all summer long. For more information, call (561) 793-1017. Wellington Children’s Theater Camp invites campers to join them for Summer Musical Theater Camp. Classes are offered in acting, voice, specialized dance, script writing, audition techniques, music theory, and much more. Campers will creat e their own props and backdrops. A revolving schedule has visiting guest artists leading special workshops daily. Campers will rehearse and perform a fully staged Broadway musical production at the conclusion of camp. The program is open to ages 7 to 16. Rehearsals and classes meet at #1 Education Place in the original Wellington Mall at Forest Hill Blvd. and W ellington Trace in the heart of Wellington. For info., call (561) 223-1928, e-mail karen@wellingtonchildrenstheatre.com or visit www.wellingtonchildrenstheatre.com.
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Saturday, May 25 • John McCoy Pottery (13746 58th Court North) will host a studio show and sale with guest artists Karla Walter and Nena Escobar on Saturday and Sunday, May 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Work will be on display in porcelain, stoneware, wood fire and sculptural clay. Visit www.johnmccoypottery. com for more info. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Equestrian Story Time Extravaganza” on Saturday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m. Bring the family to celebrate all things equestrian with stories and a craft. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will host a Support Our Troops Cookout on Saturday, May 25 from noon to 3 p.m. Enjoy a hamburger, hotdog or vegetarian burger along with a side and choice of drink for a $5 donation to Forgotten Soldiers Outreach. Visit www.forgotten soldiers.org or call (561) 904-4000 for info. • Wellington Counseling & Associates will sponsor a Family Celebration on Saturday, May 25 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the center court of the original Wellington Mall at the corner of Wellington Trace and Forest Hill Blvd. Activities include food, a teen girls band, free counseling in English and Spanish for families and single parents, anger management, substance abuse counseling and creating a learning environment in the home for students. For more info., call Pastor William McGowan at (561) 225-4208. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host a Chess Club meeting for ages 8 and up Saturday, May 25 at 2:30 p.m. Practice your strategy skills with other players. Basic game knowledge is required. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) will host Cultural Diversity Day on Saturday, May 25 from 3 p.m. until sundown at Veterans Park on Royal Palm Beach Blvd., just south of Okeechobee Blvd. Enjoy food, fashion, history, arts, entertainment and cultural programs of diverse communities. For more info., call the Cultural Center at (561) 790-5149. Monday, May 27 • Wellington’s Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony will take place Monday, May 27. The parade will begin at 8:15a.m., starting at the Wellington Municipal Complex and continuing down Forest Hill Blvd. to the Wellington Veterans Memorial. The ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. Call (561) 753-2484 or
visit www.wellingtonfl.gov for more information. • Royal Palm Beach will hold its Memorial Day Observance on Monday, May 27 at 9 a.m. at Veterans Park Amphitheater on Royal Palm Beach Blvd. A flag-raising ceremony will be followed by motivational presentations. Enjoy free refreshments and a live musical performance by the Royal Palm Beach Community Band following the ceremony. For more info., call (561) 790-5149. Tuesday, May 28 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Kids Create!” for ages 5 to 12 on Tuesday, May 28 at 3 p.m. Bring creativity and imagination and the library will provide the materials. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Club Pokémon for ages 6 to 12 on Tuesday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m. Bring your DS or Pokémon cards and get ready to battle, trade and make new friends. Call (561) 6814100 to pre-register. • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will feature a Healthy Eating Tasting Tour on Tuesday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m. Learn more about the Health Starts Here program and enjoy nutrient-dense samples. There is no charge. Call (561) 904-4000 to pre-register. • The Wellington Village Council will meet Tuesday, May 28 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex (12300 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). For more info., call (561) 791-4000 or visit www.wellingtonfl.gov. Wednesday, May 29 • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “Tween Game Day” for ages 8 to 12 on Wednesday, May 29 at 4 p.m. Challenge your friends to Wii and board games. Call (561) 681-4100 for more info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “Book Discussion: Eat, Pray, Love” for adults Wednesday, May 29 at 5:30 p.m. Discuss Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir which tells how she left her American success to find what she truly wanted from life in Italy, India and Bali. Call (561) 681-4100 to preregister. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Melissa Ganzi: Life as a Champion Polo Player” for adults Wednesday, May 29 at 6:30 p.m. Ganzi will discuss her professional life and share personal polo stories. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. See CALENDAR, page 43
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CALENDAR, continued from page 38 • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will feature It’s Salad for Dinner on Wednesday, May 29 at 6:30 p.m. A salad for dinner will be substantial enough for even the biggest appetite when it includes grilled shrimp and corn cakes paired with a warm and fruity granola for desser t. There is no charge. Call (561) 9044000 to pre-register. Thursday, May 30 • State Rep. Mark Pafford will host a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, May 30 at 6 p.m. at Keiser University (2085 Vista Parkway, West Palm Beach). Pafford will provide information about critical issues facing the state and offer a chance for the public to provide feedback on the 2013 legislative session. Call (561) 682-0157 for more info. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host Teen Game Night for ages 12 to 17 on Thursday, May 30 at 6 p.m. Play Nintendo Wii and board games. Food will be provided. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Teen Game Night for ages 12 to 17 on Thursday, May 30 at 6:30 p.m. Challenge your friends to Wii and board games. Snacks will be provided. Call (561) 681-4100 to preregister. • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will feature a GlutenFree Shopping Tour on Thursday, May 30 at 6:30 p.m. Tour the gluten-free products around the store and enjoy samples. There is no charge. Call (561) 904-4000 to preregister. Friday, May 31 • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will feature Mom’s Morning Escape on Friday, May 31 from 9 to 11 a.m. Moms will receive a free coffee or tea and muffin from the coffee bar. Call (561) 904-4000 to pre-register. • Whole Foods Market in Wellington (2635 State Road 7) will feature Kids’ Club: Harvest Breakfast on Friday, May 31 from at 3:30 p.m. Kids ages 6 to 12 will learn how to make a breakfast frittata and fruit tartlets. There is no charge. Call (561) 904-4000 to pre-register. • The Royal Palm Beach Food Truck Invasion takes Friday, May 31 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Commons Park (11600 Poinciana Blvd.). Call (561) 790-5149 or visit www.royalpalm beach.com for more info. Saturday, June 1 • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.)
will hold “Acoustic Java Jam” on Saturday, June 1 at 2 p.m. Experience a caffeinated collection of local talent or bring your acoustic instruments and jam out. Coffee will be provided. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. Monday, June 3 • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Crochet Club for ages 9 and up Mondays at 5 p.m. Learn basic stitches and socialize while you work on projects. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register. Tuesday, June 4 • The Palm Beach County Commission will meet Tuesday, June 4 at 9:30 a.m. in the government center’s Jane M. Thompson Memorial Chambers (301 N. Olive Ave., Sixth Floor, West Palm Beach). For more info., visit www.pbcgov.com. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Hoot Owls” for ages 5 to 11 on Tuesday, June 4 at 3 p.m. Make your own owl, inspired by Carl Hiaasen’s book Hoot. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “Hot Summer Collage” on Tuesday, June 4 at 5 p.m. Immerse yourself in fashion and nature magazines, collect fitting images, rummage through found objects, and transform it all into something unique. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. • The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council will meet Tuesday, June 4 at 7 p.m. at the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District office (101 West D Road). Call (561) 7932418 or visit www.loxahatcheegroves.org for more info. Wednesday, June 5 • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host “American Girl: Kirsten” for ages 6 to 12 on Wednesday, June 5 at 4 p.m. Celebrate Kirsten with games and crafts related to America’s pioneer days. Call (561) 6814100 to pre-register. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Hooked on Crochet” for adults Wednesdays, June 5 and 19 at 6:30 p.m. Learn beginning techniques or bring current projects to share and work on. Beginners can pick up a materials list when they pre-register. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090. Email: news@gotowncrier.com.
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SPORTS & RECREATION Kevin Perkins Summer Golf Camp Starts June 10 The Kevin Perkins Golf Academy will be starting its 19th annual Junior Summer Golf Camp on Monday, June 10 at the Binks Forest Golf Club in Wellington. The Junior Summer Golf Camp is open to boys and girls ages 7-17 and
Broncos
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continued from page 37 team, Harris said the Broncos still need to correct some offensive false starts and defensive tackling.
will take place weekly from June 10 through Aug. 16. Each weekly camp is conducted Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. The Binks Forest Golf Club is located at 400 Binks Forest Drive, just off Southern Blvd. in Wellington.
For more information about the Junior Summer Golf Camp and other programs provided by the Kevin Perkins GolfAcademy, visit them on the web at www.kevinperkins golfacademy.com or call (561) 3013783.
McDermott said he expects the team to play as hard as it can on Friday, and he definitely wants to win. The left tackle, who will join brother Shane as a Hurricanes offensive lineman and will be the third McDermott brother to play Division-
1 football, will be a major part of it. “He’s really self-motivated, hardworking and dedicated, not just to his craft, but to the program,” Harris said. “He’ll be the last McDermott to wear 52 in the program. We will not give that out again.” The increasing success of the Palm Beach Central program has McDermott thinking one thing before he heads off the Miami. He wants to win a state championship. He’ll put aside college distractions and pressure to achieve that goal. “To me it’s simple,” McDermott said. “I put my team first before any of that. I put that first before focusing on Miami or college in general.” Harris said that expectations are high. “But we have a long way to go ’til we get to the final product,” he said. “I’d like to make it four straight years where we have a better record and go a little further in the playoffs. The ultimate goal is to win a state championship. We’re a lot closer now than we were five years ago.”
Bronco players in action during spring football practice. PHOTO BY LAUREN ALSINA
Hawk JV players working with the varsity during spring practice. PHOTO BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER
Hawks
New Coach
continued from page 37 coming in who are pretty good, and that will be a pretty good battle,” Barnwell said. E.J. Eliene returns in the backfield to power the running game for the Hawks, and a new underclassman, Dustin Austin, is also one to watch. “We’re expecting a lot from [Aus-
tin] running the ball for us as well,” Barnwell said. With most of the linebackers and secondary returning for the defense, the Hawks may be very tough to beat defensively. District 9-8A remains the same with Seminole Ridge, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter and Wellington. The Hawks will host South Fork High School for their spring game Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m.
Page 46 May 24 - May 30, 2013
PART-TIME LEGAL SECRETARY — for legal/accounting office. Fax resume 333-2680. WANTED DRIVERS — Full-Time or Part-Time. Wellington Cab/ Wellington Town-Car. Retirees Welcome 561-333-0181 PART-TIME TEACHERS ASSISTANT NEEDED — for Pre-School. Mon.- Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Experienced preferred 561-7935860 WORK FROM HOME — Seeking local help. No Experience Required. All ages, Learn more at www.GetTogethers.com
LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS AGES 14 AND UP — to help out our non-profit animal sanctuary . 2 days a week for 4 hours a day. Get community hours and have fun. Call 561-792-2666
COME & HELP SUPPORT CATS GYMNASTIC TEAM!!! SATURDAY, JUNE 1st 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. CATS Gymnastics Multi Family Yard Sale 12779 Forest Hill Blvd. Wellington, FL 33414 (in The Wellington Plaza behind Dunkin Donuts) PARK PLACE COMMUNITY YARD SALE JUNE 1st 7 a.m. - Noon Corner of Forest Hill Blvd. & 12th Fairway
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4 A Better Education Located at: 1061 Summerwood Circle Wellington, FL 33414 County of Palm Beach, Florida and intends to register said name with the Division of Corporations State of Florida,forthwith
Karen S. Holme Publish :Town-Crier Newspapers Date: 05-24-13
ON FARM SINGLE STUDIO APT. — spanish tile & A/C $525/ mo.References required. 561-9668791 YOU ARE NOT DREAMING!— Beautifully furnished off season rental. 3/3 in exclusive gated Equestrian Club Estates, Wellington 3,500 a month, not including utilities, pet friendly CALL NOW, MOVE IN TOMORROW! Cheri Wellman Cell 561-371-3871 Office 561-472-1236 Keller Williams Realty Wellington
LARGE BRIGHT ROOM FOR RENT — with private bath & private entrance $450/mo or $125/weekly. Furnished 1 bedroom apartment for rent. Month to month rental large bright rooms with backyard, all utilities & cable included $700/month Interested call 561-333-2224 Renshenwpb@gmail.com
TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS CALL 561-793-7606 TODAY
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JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC.—Service & new installation FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. "We are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks" 561-798-3225. Family Owned & Operated since 1996. Credit Cards Accepted
WE CLEAN OFFICES & PRIVATE HOMES — Licensed & Insured. Call for an estimate and to schedule your apartment. Discount for Central Palm Beach County Chamber members and to all new clients for first cleaning. 561-385-8243 Lic. #2012-252779 ALL AMERICAN HOUSE CLEANERS — Residential , Commercial, Move-In/Move-Out, Organize. Call Elizabeth for all your cleaning need. 561-313-4086
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THE MASTER HANDYMAN — All Types of Home Repairs & Improvements. No job too big or small done right the first time every time 40 yrs of satisfied customers. See me on Angies List. Tom (561) 801-2010 or (954) 444-3178 Serving Palm Beach and Broward Counties. BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS INC. REMODEL & REPAIRS — Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair, door installation, minor drywall,kitchens/cabinets/ countertops, wood flooring. Bonded and Insured U#19699. Call 7919900 or 628-9215
ANMAR CO.—James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC 1327426 561-248-8528
D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561333-1923 Cell 561-252-1186 Lic’d Well. & Palm Beach. We accept major credit cards.
HURRICANE SHUTTERS P&M CONTRACTORS — ACCORDION SHUTTERS Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561791-9777
DRIVEWAYS — Free estimates A & M ASPHALT SEAL COATING commercial and residential. Patching potholes, striping, repair existing asphalt & save money all work guaranteed. Lic.& Ins. 100045062 561-667-7716
BOB CAVANAGH ALLSTATE INSURANCE — Auto • Home • Life• Renters • Motorcycle •RV • Golfcart • Boat Serving the Western Communities for 24 years Call for a quote 798-3056, or visit our website. www.allstateagencies.com/ rCavanagh
STOP SCRATCHING AND GNAWING — Promote healing & hair growth. Stamp out ITCHAMCALLITS! Shampoo with HAPPY JACK Itch No More, apply Skin balm add Tonekote to diet. Goldcoast Feed 793-4607 www.happyjackinc.com
RJA PAINTING & DECORATING, INC. — Interior Exterior, Faux Finish, Residential,Commercial.Lic. #U17536 Rocky Armento, Jr. 561793-5455 561-662-7102 J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975 or visit our website at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com
JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. — Interior/Exterior - Repaint specialist, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair & roof painting. Family owned/owner operator. Free Est. 798-4964 Lic. #U18473 COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Int./ Ext. residential painting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free est. Ins. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident
PLACE YOUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LISTING HERE
JEREMY JAMES PLUMBING — Licensed plumber, legitimate estimate. Water heaters, new construction. CFC1426242. Bonded Insured. CFC1426242. 561-6016458
J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch at 309-6975 or visit us at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com
MINOR ROOF REPAIRS DON HARTMANN ROOFING — Roof painting, Carpentry. Lic. #U13677 967-5580 ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING — Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,insured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763. ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC023773 RC-0067207
May 24 - May 30, 2013 Page 47
SECURITY — American owned local security company in business 30 plus years. Protection by officers drug tested. 40 hour course. Licensed & Insured. 561-848-2600
JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 call us 798-3132. www.poolscreenrepair.com
ACCORDION SHUTTERS — Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777
AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC — Complete repair of all types of systems. Owner Operated. Michael 561-964-6004Lic.#U17871 Bonded & Ins. Serving the Western Communities Since 1990
SPECIALIZING IN BATHROOM REMODELING — Free estimates serving South Florida since 1980. Quality you expect, service you deserve. Lic. bonded & Ins. U21006 561-662-9258
TOWN-CRIER COVERT SAND BLASTING — You bring it - I’ll blast it. Anything that needs rust or paint removed. Call James 561-985-3146 or email:jcovert90@hotmail.com
CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS CALL 61-793-7606 TODAY
TREES TRIMMED AND REMOVED — 561-798-0412 D.M. YOUNG TREE SERVICE. Family Owned & Operated Lic. & Insured 1992-12121 Visit our website at dmyoungtreeservice.com
TROPICAL WATER SYSTEMS — Whole House Reverse Osmosis, Sale & Repair of Water Systems, Well Drilling, pumps, and sprinkler installation repair. 561-795-6630 561-718-7260(Cell)
PAPERHANGING BY DEBI — Professional Installation,Removal. Repair of Paper. Neat, Clean & Reliable. Quality work with a woman's touch. 30 years experience. No Job too big or too small. Lic. & Ins. References available. 561-795-5263
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