ZONERS OK BINKS TOWNHOME CHANGES HASTINGS AND DEUTCH FACE PRIMARIES SEE STORY, PAGE 3 SEE STORY, PAGE 7 THE
TOWN-CRIER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE
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Wellington Approves Isla Verde Increase With Neighbors’ OK
Volume 35, Number 33 August 15 - August 21, 2014
Serving Palms West Since 1980
FOOLS HOST FUNDRAISER FOR NURSE
The Wellington Village Council on Tuesday approved a comprehensive plan amendment to increase the number of homes at the 54-acre Isla Verde mixeduse development on State Road 7 after hearing comments of support from leaders in surrounding communities. Page 3
ITID Easement Moves Corbett Project Forward
The South Florida Water Management District is one step closer to developing its longplanned levee in between the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area and The Acreage. The Indian Trail Improvement District gave the green light to a quadrant agreement and temporary construction easement for the project Aug. 6. Page 7
The Palm Beach County Fraternal Order of Leatherheads Society (FOOLS) hosted a fundraiser Saturday, Aug. 9 at JoJo’s Raw Bar in Wellington to raise money for Tori Williams, an emergency room nurse at Palms West Hospital since 2008. The 38-year-old Williams has been diagnosed with stage 4 collecting duct carcinoma, a rare type of kidney cancer. Shown here event organizers with Tori Williams (front row, third from left). MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 12 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
PALM BEACH COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 6, DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
Okeeheelee Campers Stop By McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary
Okeeheelee Nature Center campers took a field trip on Tuesday, Aug. 5 to McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary in The Acreage. Kids got to pet birds, geckos, salamanders, lizards, a snake and a kinkajou. Page 9
Boys & Girls Club Summer Showcase
The Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club in Wellington presented a Summer Showcase on Friday, Aug. 8. The show featured vocal and dance performances by members of the Boys & Girls Club and Palm Beach Matrix Dance Program. Page 19
OPINION
Primary Election Endorsements, Part 1
This week, we begin our primary election endorsements with thoughts on local judicial races. The primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 26 features two countywide, nonpartisan races for seats on the 15th Judicial Circuit bench in Palm Beach County: a three-way race for the Group 30 seat and a two-way race for the Group 14 seat. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 12 OPINION.................................. 4 CRIME NEWS.......................... 6 PEOPLE................................. 13 SCHOOLS.............................. 14 COLUMNS...................... 16, 23 NEWS BRIEFS....................... 17 BUSINESS......................24 - 25 SPORTS..........................29 - 31 CALENDAR............................ 32 CLASSIFIEDS.................33 - 37 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
Wellington Refuses To Take A Stand On Minto West Project
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report A divided Wellington Village Council split 3-2 on Tuesday, deciding to neither endorse nor oppose the controversial Minto West development proposed on the 3,788-acre former Callery-Judge Grove property surrounded by The Acreage and Loxahatchee Groves. Minto West developers presented information at the council’s request about the project, which they believe will have a positive impact on neighboring communities. The project has garnered strong opposition in the Acreage/ Loxahatchee area. The request, the first part of which heads to the Palm Beach County Commission on Wednesday, Aug. 27, would increase the approved density from 2,996
homes and up to 235,000 square feet of non-residential use, to 4,549 homes and up to 2.1 million square feet of non-residential use. Minto has argued that its application will help correct shortcomings in the development patterns in the area, including insufficiently developed roads and drainage, and inadequate work centers for the population. Donaldson Hearing of the planning firm Cotleur & Hearing said Minto is looking for opportunities to collaborate with neighboring communities on ways to find mutual solutions to regional problems. Hearing described the Minto West site as the “hole in the doughnut,” surrounded by about 33 square miles and roughly 18,000 See MINTO WEST, page 18
LOOMIS BROS. CIRCUS
Melissa McKinlay Puts Focus On Diverse Government Experience
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Melissa McKinlay puts the focus on her diverse range of governmental experience as she faces former Wellington Mayor Kathy Foster in the Aug. 26 Democratic primary for the District 6 seat on the Palm Beach County Commission. The winner of the primary will face Republican Andrew Schaller and independent candidate Michelle Santamaria in November. The seat is currently held by term-limited Commissioner Jess Santamaria, Michelle Santamaria’s father. McKinlay was born in New York and moved to Florida in 1977 at age 6. “I went through our public school system all the way,” McKinlay, noting that she graduated from Florida State University. McKinlay has a degree in po-
litical science and sociology, with dual minors in mathematics and economics. She started her public service career in college as an intern in the Florida House of Representatives. She worked on Bob Graham’s campaign in college, and moved to Wellington in 2004 because of the area’s high-quality schools. McKinlay lived in Wellington for seven years, moved to Lake Worth for two years following a divorce and moved to Royal Palm Beach last November. She has worked for the U.S. House of Representatives, the Sarasota Budget Department and the Florida Department of Community Affairs. “In Sarasota County, I ran a very successful infrastructure surtax campaign that was passed overwhelmingly by the voters there and provided, in the last 20 years, almost $1.2 billion for
Melissa McKinlay infrastructure projects,” McKinlay said. She took almost nine years off from working to be a stay-at-home See McKINLAY, page 7
Kathy Foster Cites Leadership, Longtime Ties To Community
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Former Wellington Mayor Kathy Foster is emphasizing her experience and longtime community activism as she faces Melissa McKinlay in the Aug. 26 Democratic primary for the District 6 seat on the Palm Beach County Commission. The winner of the primary will face Republican Andrew Schaller and independent candidate Michelle Santamaria in November. The seat is currently held by term-limited Commissioner Jess Santamaria, Michelle Santamaria’s father. Foster moved to Wellington in 1979 from New York, where she worked as a teacher. She arrived in the community as a young wife and mother. “I fell in love with Wellington and was here sitting at the pool and realized that we didn’t have
any schools,” she said. “I couldn’t believe they were telling me that my children were going to school in Greenacres.” She organized the other Wellington mothers, and they attended a school board meeting in August 1979. “By the November meeting, we had T-shirts made and we were jumping up and down,” she recalled. “We knew what we were talking about, and the first portables were delivered that summer. They had nine portables, and they brought them to Big Blue and La Mirada [Circle], and Wellington Elementary School was born. That was my first involvement in having a voice.” Life was good until tragedy rocked her world one morning when she went to wake her 5-yearold son, Christian, for school. “He didn’t wake up, and he died 10 days later of spinal meningitis,” Foster said. “My world spiraled
Kathy Foster out of control, and I had to try to put the pieces back together. Jerry was 8 at the time, Chris was 5 when he passed away. In the haze See FOSTER, page 8
Hundreds headed to the South Florida Fairgrounds last week for the 2014 edition of the Loomis Bros. Circus, now in its 17th year. Children enjoyed elephant rides and face painting. During the show, they saw ringmaster Justin Loomis, Kasha the Clown, poodles, amazing feats of flexibility, a magic show, aerial trapeze with silks (shown here) and more. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER
Questions Hold Up Temporary Horse Tent Ordinance
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington Village Council on Tuesday postponed the final reading of an ordinance that would permanently replace an emergency measure passed after Hurricane Wilma that permitted horse owners to board their animals temporarily in tents if their stalls are damaged during a natural disaster. Councilwoman Anne Gerwig asked whether there is a definition of natural disasters in the village’s code, and Planning & Development Services Director Tim Stillings said there is not. “It would be based on the governor’s declaration,” Stillings said. “It would give the council some latitude in determining when you want to exercise this provision.” The original emergency ordinance was effective only for a year and property owners had to remove the shelters by May 2006. The ordinance under discussion to replace it would allow a temporary
suspension on the prohibition of tents in equestrian areas after a natural disaster without the need for a special ordinance. A building official must determine that the structure has substantial damage and cannot be occupied due to the disaster. A property owner must apply for a permit, and the tent must be removed within 24 months, with potential for a one-time, six-month extension, or within two weeks of receiving a certificate of occupancy. Councilman Matt Willhite said the provisions of the ordinance seemed vague. “It just seems like an oxymoron to have a temporary suspension of a prohibition. Are you bringing back the prohibition? How long is temporary?” he asked. Stillings said the length of time would be determined by the council based on the extent of the damage. Village Manager Paul Schofield See TENTS, page 8
New Arts-Themed Charter School Prepares To Open
By Julie Unger Town-Crier Staff Report The former Wellington Christian School campus will have a new name and a new mission this month when the Eagle Arts Academy Charter School opens at the site along Wellington Trace. “It was my very first dream to have a school that marries education with the arts,” said Nykowanna “Nikki” Sloan, principal of Eagle Arts Academy. “I’ve always wanted one. I’ve always, as a teacher of theater, been interested in it… Because the arts have always been marginalized, and it gets smaller and smaller every year.” When Eagle Arts administrators needed a principal, they called Sloan, who was working in the Orlando area. “To have a school that’s actually
going to bring arts to the forefront and marry it with education, was perfect,” Sloan said. “I got down here and just fell in love with it. The vision is just perfect.” A theater teacher for 10 years at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, before overlapping into administration as a Students and Family Empowerment (SAFE) coordinator, Sloan was an administrative dean for three years before moving to Wekiva High School for her fourth year as an administrative dean. Then she became the school’s assistant principal for four years. After that, she moved to Maynard Evans High School as an assistant principal. Sloan is in the process of moving her two middle-school-age children and husband from Orlando to this area. Running back and forth to the Orlando area until
the move is complete isn’t easy, but, Sloan said, “it’s so worth it to have the job of your dreams.” Helping to fulfill the dreams of others who adore the arts, Sloan is looking for a few more teachers. As of Tuesday, she had 37 teachers on board to teach the 828 students who were already enrolled, which is close to the projected enrollment of 948. With 48 classrooms, six at every grade level up to sixth grade, and several special classrooms, Sloan is excited to fill the school with laughing, smiling children and teachers. “We’re still looking for some highly qualified candidates,” she said. Sloan needs teachers who are certified in core subjects, and although not a requirement, a “wish list” skill is the ability to bring See EAGLE ARTS, page 18
Eagle Arts Academy Principal Nykowanna “Nikki” Sloan.
PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER