ALA HOSTING HOLIDAY LIGHT CONTEST SEE STORY, PAGE 3
VILLAGE HONORS THE LATE KEN ADAMS SEE PHOTOS, PAGE 8
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Royal Palm Plans A Socially Distanced Holiday Tree Lighting
Volume 41, Number 28 December 4 - December 17, 2020
Serving Palms West Since 1980
SANTA VISITS THE FAIRGROUNDS
Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation Director Lou Recchio reported on the limited programs available to the public and precautions being taken due to COVID-19 at the Tuesday, Nov. 24 meeting of the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Advisory Board. Programming will include a socially distanced holiday tree lighting celebration on Friday, Dec. 11. Page 3
Colorectal Specialist: Don’t Delay Screenings Due To The Pandemic
Colorectal specialist and surgeon Dr. Tara Domash Martinez is now treating patients at Palms West Hospital. After practicing on New York’s Long Island for eight years, Martinez recently relocated to be closer to her family in Wellington. Page 7
Annual Thanksgiving Sale Brings Equestrian Community To Tackeria
The Tackeria, Wellington’s iconic equestrian emporium, held its 27th annual Thanksgiving Sale on Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28 with savings throughout the store. The sale regularly brings in horse lovers from all over, looking for unique equestrian items. Page 18
Seminole Ridge Basketball Girls Kick Off Season With A Win
This year’s season is off to a strong start for the girls varsity basketball team at Seminole Ridge High School. The Hawks opened up the season with a big win at home, defeating West Boca Raton High School 69-27 on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Page 21 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 18 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 SPORTS................................. 21 PEOPLE..........................24 - 25 BUSINESS............................. 27 COLUMNS............................. 28 CLASSIFIEDS................ 29 - 30 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
The 46th annual Harvest Festival was held on Saturday, Nov. 21 and Sunday, Nov. 22 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. The event included a craft show, car show, pony rides, petting zoo, climbing wall, bungee jump, food, music and more. Santa was there to hear Christmas wishes and pose for photos. Shown above, Santa and Mrs. Claus visit with Elianna Restivo. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 23 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Westlake Council OKs Site Plan For New Publix Plaza
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Westlake City Council on Monday, Nov. 30 approved a master site plan for a Publix grocery store and other retail services at the northwest corner of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road and Persimmon Blvd. West. Publix at Westlake Plaza will be composed of five parcels on about 20 acres that will be constructed in phases, beginning with the 48,367-square-foot grocery store with a drive-through pharmacy and a 1,400 square-foot-liquor store, along with 9,600 square feet of inline retail, office and medical uses. City Planner Nilsa Zacarias said that future phases of the shopping plaza, which will come
back before the council, would include a 4,000-square-foot fast food restaurant with a drivethrough, a 5,500-square-foot bank, a 5,750-square-foot sit-down restaurant and 65,363 square feet of yet-to-be-determined retail space. The west side of the Publix will have a six-foot buffer wall separating it from open space to the west, with landscape buffers to the north, south and west. Several access points will be to Persimmon Blvd. and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. Interior streets and sidewalks will be concrete, Zacarias said, pointing out that other Publix plazas were constructed with pavers or tile. She said she had requested that similar materials be used for the Westlake grocery store, but See WESTLAKE, page 4
BRING IT FOR BINA
Committee Reviews Comp Plan With An Eye On Impact For The Equestrian Industry
By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report On Wednesday, Dec. 2, Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee extensively discussed the elements of the village’s comprehensive plan that relate to the Equestrian Preserve Area (EPA). Assistant Planning, Zoning & Building Director Michael O’Dell provided a recap of the plan that was covered at the previous meeting, detailed the changes that had been made at the suggestion of the committee and collected additional input from the discussion. “The comprehensive plan is the 30,000-foot view,” O’Dell explained. “It says what we’re going to do over the next 10 to 20 years.” He said that it is meant to be aspirational, rather that detailing specifically how things will be done. “We don’t want to get into the
weeds discussing details,” O’Dell suggested. But committee members had other plans, focusing on a number of “what if” hypothetical questions and topics beyond the scope of the agenda as laid out by O’Dell. O’Dell’s goal for the evening was to talk about and get approval of a portion of the comp plan. He explained that the goals of the elements under consideration are to preserve the equestrian lifestyle, maintain a multi-modal transportation network in the EPA and to support Wellington‘s equestrian competition industry. To do this, the plan includes a macro-view of the emergency evacuation plan, an objective of maintaining the overall density of the EPA, continuing to investigate alternatives for horse waste disposal, providing regular review of the equestrian trail circulation plan,
planning to widen Lake Worth Road and South Shore Blvd., and adopting regulations that provide for the operation of golf carts. Another objective is to assist in development of educational programs supporting the equestrian industry for area schools, such as one that may someday be built on property owned by the school district in the EPA. The third element is water quality and quantity education, with the objective of educating homeowners and builders on subjects like water quality through Wellington public service announcements, the village’s web site and through the distribution of existing documents, as well as encouraging best management practices on equestrian properties to stop water leeching from the land. The next item was the objective See COMP PLAN, page 4
Jess Santamaria Provides Families With Holiday Cheer To Honor Friend Ken Adams
By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report Former Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria has donated 60 tickets to Winterfest 2020 for families of critically and chronically ill children in the name of his longtime friend Ken Adams, a Wellington pioneer who died last month. “We’d like to generate some awareness of this wonderful gesture by Jess Santamaria to help families through Little Smiles, the Kids Cancer Foundation and the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital,” said Michela Green, executive director of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, which is producing a drive-in version of Winterfest this year on Saturday, Dec. 5. A limited number of tickets to
the event are available at $20 per car. But the cost will not be a barrier for the 60 families chosen for the tickets donated by Santamaria. Green noted Santamaria’s many years of charitable and philanthropic work in the community. “He has an extensive history of charitable work on his own, and it was so nice to make the donation in Ken Adams’ name,” she said. “These children and their families will enjoy a fun evening of music and holiday cheer at Winterfest 2020.” This year’s Winterfest will feature live music from Vanilla Ice, Alex Shaw and School of Rock, and tunes by DJ Johnny Quest, to help welcome in the holiday season. Each ticket gets a family carload into the event. Tickets are expected
to sell out, and the location is not being publicized to make sure that people do not need to be turned away. Santamaria donated the tickets quietly, but Green and the chamber felt he should be acknowledged for the selfless donation. “Oh, it is the least I could do,” Santamaria said. “It is miniscule for all that Ken Adams did for the community. We were friends for 40 years. This is nothing. He gave a lot to this community.” With his name on Ken Adams Way and the Wellington Founder’s Plaque, Adams, who passed away Nov. 11, was a former chairman of the Palm Beach County Commission, chairman of the South Florida Water Management District and an untiring leader in See DONATION, page 14
The Wellington Runners Club recently held a virtual run and inspirational parade in support of Sabrina Emery Barres, a local woman battling a rare form of cancer. “Bring it for Bina” concluded on Sunday, Nov. 22 with the parade from the Wellington Marketplace to Sabrina’s nearby home. Shown above, Sabrina Barres was thankful for the support. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Lox Groves Council Allows Temporary Agreement With ITID On Road Closure
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council supported a temporary agreement on Tuesday, Dec. 1 for residents of 43rd Road North to have temporary access to 140th Avenue North, a road controlled by the Indian Trail Improvement District, until a more lasting arrangement can be worked out. A recent road closure left the nine residents of 43rd Road North in Little Turtle Creek without access directly to Loxahatchee Groves, since ITID recently put up a gate at the cut-through from 140th Avenue North, and the western portion of the road is gated by the property owner. Town Manager Jamie Titcomb
said his staff has been working with ITID on a solution to the issue to avoid creating another cutthrough in the process. The issue has been compounded by ITID’s recent notice of its intention to gate 43rd Road as well. An earlier attempt by staff to reach an interlocal agreement with ITID was rejected by the council. “As you know, the cut-through has been permanently gated off. It had several misstarts with vandalism and aggression on that infrastructure, but it’s pretty much holding in place now,” Titcomb said. He added that traffic in the northern part of town has decreased more than 90 percent. “The protocol for emergency See LOX ROAD, page 14
County Commissioners Support Equine Waste Plant
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach County Commission voted 5-2 during a zoning hearing on Monday, Nov. 23 to approve an equine waste management facility in an industrial area on land owned by the Solid Waste Authority. The 5.25-acre site south of Belvedere Road between Benoist Farms Road and Pike Road is in an industrial area, where the plant would separate manure from equine bedding to create fresh bedding. The one-story, 48,000-squarefoot building would have 15 parking spaces and three loading
spaces. No outdoor storage of equestrian waste, including overnight parking of loading trucks and trailers, would be allowed. Access will be from Pike Road to the east. Existing access to the site from Benoist Farms Road to the west will be limited to emergency access only, said Ryan Vandenburg with the Palm Beach County Zoning Division. The county received 133 letters and e-mails in response to courtesy notices from residents and others in the notification area objecting to the location of the site, including Breakers West, which complained about possible increased traffic and odors, proximity to residential
communities, schools and daycare facilities, and environmental concerns. The City of West Palm Beach passed a resolution objecting to the location. “The bridge to Benoist Road cannot be used for service,” Vandenburg said. “It’s going to be gated and locked. The subject site is a leased parcel for the SWA lands, so the traffic is going to be through the SWA lands there and over to Pike Road.” The Palm Beach County Zoning Commission recommended approval in a 7-0 vote, and county staff recommended approval subject to a list of conditions. Vandenburg pointed out that
equine waste treatment facilities are permitted in a limited number of areas in the county, and not permitted in the Everglades Agricultural Area. “This is the largest area in Palm Beach County where this use could be put in,” he said. Commissioner Greg Weiss said the facility is experimental and asked for an explanation of conditions that would protect neighbors. Vandenberg said there were a number of concerns from a nursery owner to the west, and the property owner and applicant worked out a number of conditions, including a generator, a holding capacity of three days, and that water for
processing be held in special tanks resistant to leakage. “I think we’ve provided sufficient conditions of approval to protect the area residents should anything happen for this facility itself,” Vandenburg said, adding that one of the conditions requires a first-year report by a third party on the operation of the plant. Senior Site Planner Bill Cross added that code enforcement would have authority to address any issues that might be reported. Commissioner Robert Weinroth asked about increased truck traffic, and representative Kevin McGinley, agent for applicant Horizon See MANURE, page 14
Page 2
December 4 - December 17, 2020
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NEWS
Royal Palm Plans A Socially Distanced Holiday Tree Lighting
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation Director Lou Recchio reported on the limited programs available to the public and precautions being taken due to COVID-19 at the Tuesday, Nov. 24 meeting of the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Advisory Board. Programming will include a socially distanced holiday tree lighting celebration on Friday, Dec. 11. “As you know, because of this pandemic, we’re pretty limited on what we’re able to do,” Recchio said. “As we try to put together
as many programs as we can, we have to stay within the parameters of CDC guidelines, so when we have a class, we can have no more than 10 people in a group, which limits us. We do have dance classes. We do have yoga, and a lot of the yoga is actually outside, so it’s even better for them.” Recchio gave committee members a list of planned entertainment events to be held at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park. “It’s entertainment to try to get the public out of their houses,” he said. “We’re fortunate that we have a park that’s large enough
that social distancing is not an issue, so what we’ve done is we’ve put some programs together pretty much every Friday night, either a concert or a movie.” Recchio said the village has purchased its own movie screen and film projector. “The attendance is growing,” he said. “I think at our last concert, we had about a hundred people. A couple of weeks ago, we had a couple hundred people at a concert. The movies are growing, and we’re going to continue this going through the spring of next year.” Recchio noted that a holiday
ALA Hosting Holiday Light Contest For The Acreage By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Acreage Landowners’ Association is hosting its second annual Holiday Light Contest, with entries to be submitted by Sunday, Dec. 20. “We still haven’t determined what the prize is going to be,” ALA Board Member Bob Morgan said. He explained that ALA board members will be the judges, and Indian Trail Improvement District officials may be invited to judge as well. Judging will take place during the week of Dec. 20, and the winner will be chosen on Dec. 26. Morgan encouraged anyone with holiday lights to enter their names, whether they want to be in the contest or not, so they can be included on a map. “It’s only for residents of the Indian Trail Improvement District, but others can post their addresses there. However, if they’re not in the ITID area, they won’t be considered for the contest.” Residents who want to enter can go to the ALA’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/acreagelandowners to find the registration form. “There’s also a link to last year’s winner as well,” Morgan said. “We’re also looking for commercial sponsors. Anyone who wants to donate to the prize winnings, we’re looking for that also. If they want to send us a business card, we’d be glad to advertise it on the ALA page. There’s a link for dona-
movie had been added for Friday, Dec. 11, which corresponds to the village’s annual holiday tree lighting. “The holiday lighting usually brings in about 10,000 people, and that’s not what we’re looking to do,” he said. “Basically, what we will do is we will have food trucks there like we normally do.” Food trucks will arrive at 5 p.m., and the tree lighting will be at 6:30 p.m. “It’s not going to be a big celebration, but we do want to let people know that we are lighting the Christmas tree like we do every year,” he said. The tree lighting will be followed by a showing of The Santa Claus starring Tim Allen. “While we’re lighting the tree, and prior to lighting the tree, we will have holiday music playing,” Recchio said. “We invite families to come out, but we ex-
Lou Recchio at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park.
TOWN CRIER FILE PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN
pect everybody to practice social distancing.” He added that village staff is at all public events and will supply masks to anyone without one. Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the park. “If people are wandering around, we want to make sure they have their masks on,” Recchio said. “If they’re in their own
group, groups of 10, that’s fine, but if they’re within six feet, we want them to have their masks on. If they’re going to the food truck, they have to have their mask on. We are doing everything we possibly can to practice these CDC guidelines.” Learn more about upcoming events at www.royalpalmbeach. com/calendar.
Loxahatchee Lost And Found Pets To Host Bazaar On Dec. 6
Bob Morgan with last year’s contest winners Pamela and Wayne Hammerle. tions on the same page.” Registrations must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 20. Entries will be judged on storyline or theme; visual appeal such as light, design and creative use of lights and/or decorations; music,
especially if it is coordinated with light movement; originality; and impact. In addition to a prize, the winner will receive the ALA Annual Traveling Trophy to be added to the resident’s display next year.
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Loxahatchee Lost and Found Pets will host a bazaar with about 30 vendors on Sunday, Dec. 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Publix shopping center at Orange Grove Blvd. and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. The event will be located between Burger King and PNC Bank. “We do a bazaar once a month,” said Gail Pennetta Bass, an administrator of the group founded in 2012. “We do it to get donations and funds for Loxahatchee Lost and Found Pets, and also to provide some support for our local vendors to help with the community.” Adoptable animals will be there to find a good home, although Bass cautions people about adopting during the holiday season due to distractions that might take away from having a new animal in their home. “Sometimes we have the different rescues like Barky Pines and Pet Haven,” she said. “We will have two cat rescues coming to this coming one.” The organization works closely with local shelters and rescues,
which include finding temporary homes until an animal’s real home is found. “If a dog is found and we can’t reunite it, we usually follow up and try to get it into a rescue, which we’ve been really successful in,” Bass said. Especially since the pandemic began, when many people are unemployed, the organization also supports people who cannot afford to purchase animal food. “We do provide medical for emergencies if they have gone through all their resources and need help,” Bass said, adding that they’ve set up GoFundMe programs for people in need. “Our members are just awesome. They are always there to help.” Loxahatchee Lost and Found Pets has grown to more than 40,000 followers on Facebook. “We’ve kind of branched out,” she said. “We have members from all over the country, and some of them are from out of the country just to enjoy the group.” She estimated the group reunites about 75 pets a month. It also has a donation pantry for people to drop off animal food, bedding and other items to give to pet owners in need. The organization often has cou-
pons available for reduced rates on spaying and microchipping. Bass added that four of the moderators in the group have scanners to detect microchips in animals that have them. “It has really been 80 percent happy endings,” she said. Loxahatchee Lost and Found Pets also works with residents to control feral animal populations by supplying traps to capture wild animals. “I just lent four out for some kitties to be trapped, so in addition to the lost and found, there are so many more things,” she said. “It’s good to help the community. That’s the best feeling you can have, and that they have somewhere to go to ask for help.” To learn more, search for Loxahatchee Lost and Found Pets on Facebook.
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Page 4
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NEWS
Garden Of Hope To Be Dedicated With Acreage Park On Dec. 5
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Garden of Hope, which is part of Acreage Community Park’s southern expansion, will be dedicated as part of the park’s overall dedication ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 5, according to the garden’s founder, Tracy Newfield. The Garden of Hope is laid out in the form of a ribbon with paved bricks purchased by loved ones of those who have succumbed to cancer or other illnesses. The pathway is surrounded with lush landscaping, benches and trees dedicated by donors. “We are going to be handing out certificates to everybody who has sponsored a brick, tree or bench, and we will be handing out goody bags,” Newfield said. “We will also have refreshments, lemonade, iced tea, and some cake and cookies.”
The dedication will be preceded by a parade hosted by the Indian Trail Improvement District from Citrus Grove Park to Acreage Community Park, followed by a flag ceremony, the dedication of the new amphitheater and playground, and finally the Garden of Hope. Newfield, whose own daughter is a cancer survivor, said the development of the Garden of Hope has been 11 years in the making, which began as a drawing on a napkin. The nonprofit sustained its status by delivering care packages all over the United States, but mostly locally to cancer survivors. She said a lot of her own money goes into the Garden of Hope nonprofit, but she has received enough from the sale of bricks, benches and trees to support the project. “The people that I reach out to on our Facebook page are amazing,” Newfield said. “Whenever
I say I have someone specifically that I’m working on a care package for, I’ll get all kinds of items donated to me.” She especially credited former ITID Supervisor Mike Erickson with supplying plaques for the benches and trees. “About a month ago, his son passed away, and he has a brick in the Garden of Hope and a tree,” Newfield said. ITID President Betty Argue said the park dedication will begin with the parade from Citrus Grove Park, with lineups to begin at 2 p.m. “We will be going west on Citrus Grove Blvd. at 3:15 p.m. and then proceeding south down 140th Avenue North to Acreage Community Park,” Argue said. “Once the parade is complete, we’re going to have a flag ceremony, raising of the flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, and then we’re going to do the ribbon cutting for the amphithe-
ater site and then the children’s playground, and then after that, the Garden of Hope.” After the dedication events, Santa will be available for socially distanced photo ops, and there will be a kids’ zone with train rides around the new athletic track. Food trucks will be there, as well as the Hall & Oates tribute band H2O breaking in the new amphitheater stage. “Davis Clapp owns FM Entertainment, and he is going to be working with the Acreage Landowners’ Association to start bringing live concerts,” Argue said, adding that Clapp and the ALA will bring a proposal to the December ITID meeting for a series of concerts at the park. The ALA, the Acreage Athletic League and Helping Hearts will also have booths at the event. “People can bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Helping
A look at the Garden of Hope from back when it was under construction last year. Hearts for local families,” Argue said.
Learn more about the Garden of Hope at www.gardenofhope.net.
Westlake Attempts To Resolve Conflict With Seminole District
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report In a 3-2 vote on Monday, Nov. 30, the Westlake City Council agreed that the Seminole Improvement District (SID) be the responsible stormwater utility once a development application has been signed off on by the town. The council spent two hours, after a joint meeting several months ago with the SID board, discussing who the responsible party would be if an error were found after a land development application was approved by the city. The SID board and developer Minto have contended that SID should be responsible for storm-
water approvals to the extent of refusing to share information with city staff, including the city’s attorney and engineer. City Attorney Pam Booker said she and the city engineer recently raised a question on the legality of approval for a stormwater retention area that was to receive drainage from another property owner, and SID Attorney Michael Diffenderfer responded that the city should not comment on the issue. “Why not?” Booker asked. “That’s our role. Before these applications are brought forward to the city council to make a judgement or decision, you have your staff to review it. A prob-
lem about flooding in the future falls on the taxpaying residents through SID.” Booker said the city’s responsibility is part of a system of checks and balances for the public so that unforeseen problems don’t become a cost burden to correct in the future. She added that it has been discussed that SID will become the city’s water utility in the future, but she is concerned about what happens now. “What we’re dealing with right now is whose responsibility it is to put it in the ground and do it correctly,” she said. “That’s the city’s responsibility. What is SID’s? Yes, they review it. Yes, they give us a letter saying we have the capacity.
We can serve this project once it’s built and complete, but that’s the city’s responsibility to issue that land development permit. That is not SID’s responsibility or authority.” SID Attorney Seth Behn said that the City of Westlake was created to be an efficient form of government free of obstacles such as a duplication of services that could slow down development. “SID is the one that has the water management permit, and SID has a water control plan,” Behn said, adding that he felt that the purpose of the evening’s meeting was to better define the relationship between SID and the city. “Everyone is getting an
understanding of how the law and how your charter was set up, how those roles are applied and how everybody will work together to make things happen.” Behn asserted that SID is responsible for stormwater permitting in the city. “Once we determine that their plans meet regulations, we give them a permit, then they construct that system,” he said. “We review that construction. When they are done, we go out and make sure it is built to the plans they submitted to us.” It was his opinion that the city should not re-review stormwater permits. “They cannot require a separate
permit, and they cannot tell SID how to operate a stormwater system,” Behn said. Booker disagreed, explaining that the city has authority provided by its charter to regulate land development, and that SID has no authority over land development under its enabling act from the state legislature. After more discussion, Vice Mayor Katrina Long-Robinson made a motion that the Seminole Improvement District be the responsible stormwater utility once an application has been approved by the town, which carried 3-2 with Mayor Roger Manning and Councilman JohnPaul O’Connor opposed.
Lox Groves Council Keeps Sluggett & Associates As Lobbyist
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council renewed its contract with its lobbying firm Geoffrey B. Sluggett & Associates on Tuesday, Dec. 1 in a 3-2 decision after a discussion regarding whether the town would be better off paying an hourly rate over a flat monthly fee. Sluggett & Associates has been the town’s lobbyist for several years and has been successful in bringing several grants worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to the town. It has also organized
Comp Plan
Equestrian Committee
continued from page 1 of maintaining competitive components regarding equestrian venues to maintain Wellington‘s world class status by adapting to and accommodating venue modifications that arise from market conditions or which contribute to an increase in numbers of participants. Committee Member Haakon Gangnes thought the village should be ponying up for the venues. “If they aren’t going to pay for any of the [infrastructure], then what kind of support are they providing?” he asked, adding that he was looking through the plan for areas where the village would provide funding. Committee Member Annabelle
Westlake
Publix Plaza
continued from page 1 Publix refused, citing liability issues. “As part of our review, city staff asked the applicant to propose aesthetic materials similar to others… to interior sidewalks, not concrete, as are other Publix plazas throughout Florida. However, the applicant has proposed that the interior plazas have concrete,” she said, pointing out that this Publix will anchor the first shopping plaza in Westlake and will set the standards for future commercial development. “Since the City of Westlake is positioned to become the dy-
trips to Tallahassee to speak with members of the state legislature on items of importance to the town. Councilwoman Laura Danowski pulled the item from the consent agenda to ask if the town would be better off paying an hourly rate rather than a flat $5,000 a month for the service. “I would like to request that the billing for the contract be modified in this time of austerity… and make each vendor at least have some accountability of what they do for what they get paid,” Danowski said. “I’m not saying
that Sluggett [& Associates] is not a valuable resource.” She pointed out that the town’s attorney and engineer measure out their time to report to the council. Councilwoman Phillis Maniglia said she believes that Sluggett & Associates does far more work for the town than what it charges. “I’m really blown away because all you guys know how hard these people work for us,” Maniglia said. “These people are literally turning things around for us. We’re actually starting to get grants, we’re able to talk to Tal-
lahassee and Palm Beach County. It’s an asset we have in Sluggett & Associates, and the only reason that we have them is because they live here.” She pointed out that Sluggett and his wife Mary McNicholas rarely miss a meeting and accompany council members to meetings in Tallahassee. “She had to reorganize our trips, because our past trips were a mess,” Maniglia said. “We didn’t get charged for that. She reorganized us so we could meet the right people.”
Vice Mayor Marge Herzog suggested that Sluggett create a monthly list of what it does for the town. “I’m sure the Sluggetts would not object to [that],” Herzog said. “They don’t have to go into great detail.” Councilman Robert Shorr said confusion has arisen from Sluggett and McNicholas’ presence at numerous events helping with volunteer work, such as setting up. “They’re great volunteers, but that’s where I think it gets muddy,” Shorr said. “I think an hourly con-
tract, like we used to have, would be clearer, and the scope of work would be more defined.” Mayor Lisa El-Ramey pointed out that the hourly fee used the year before cost the town far more than the flat fee. “They are on speed dial 24/7, and I see them as an extension of staff,” El-Ramey said. Herzog made a motion to accept the contract as written for two years, and to include a general listing of work done, which carried 3-2 with Danowski and Shorr opposed.
Garrett commented that the village needs to recognize that the area was an equestrian community that Wellington grew up around. “None of us would be here if it were not for the equestrian competitions,” she said. O’Dell explained that the village can provide and maintain the roadways, the bridle paths and the canals, but the rest of the EPA is privately owned, and the owners are responsible for their own impacts and infrastructure. Some committee members, however, thought that Wellington can and should have more responsibilities in the area, listing other analogous situations where they thought more direct funding had occurred. There was also an in-depth discussion on whether or not horses are responsible for high levels of phosphorus in the area’s water discharge, an ongoing argument
that dates back decades. Committee Chair Jane Cleveland was worried about the necessity of meeting state limits in the release of phosphorus that are coming soon. “I am worried that trying to clean up water quality would be a threat to the equestrian industry,” she said. Gangnes wanted to discuss where the phosphorus is coming from. “As an engineer, I know you can’t solve a problem unless you know where it is coming from,” he said. He wanted language in the comp plan saying that studies would be done to determine what percentage of the pollution is attributable to horse manure. Michael Stone, president of Equestrian Sport Productions, was invited to the meeting to give input on the comp plan after sending the committee a letter last month complaining that his organization
had not been involved enough in the development of the plan. Stone said that the venues don’t expect the village to pay for their infrastructure. But he reminded everyone that those venues are crucial to Wellington as an equestrian area. “Without the equestrian competitions, you don’t have an equestrian lifestyle. You just have a few horses knocking around,” he said. “We work with the village because we want to have the proper standards even though a lot of our property is agriculture.” Stone thanked the committee for inviting him to the meeting. “Including the venues as a major part of the development of the plan was one of the major issues that we had,” he said. Stone also thought that the plan should specifically say the village is going to work on identifying the causes of the phosphorus issue. There was also, by his descrip-
tion, several small wording issues that were all noted by staff. He was less concerned about peak time traffic issues. “You go to any major sporting venue, and there’s traffic,” he said. Stone said that his biggest concern is that land in Ocala is cheaper, and the trend may be toward people having a farm in Ocala, staying up there and then only coming to Wellington for a few weeks each year. “That will never happen,” Garrett interrupted. “Wellington has Palm Beach with all its restaurants and the airport, while Ocala has nothing but the horse show.” Stone thanked the committee for hearing from him, and the discussion returned to more hypothetical situations. The committee didn’t want the traffic that a potential new school could generate; why particular roads were paved and who paid for it; and if the community
outgrew the venue, why shouldn’t it pay for additional infrastructure. “Again, I think you’re going down a rabbit hole that’s not going to get us anywhere when we’re trying to do the 30,000-foot view,” O’Dell said. Committee Member Glen Fleischer had a different view of what the comp plan should include. “I think the document should be living and breathing — encouraging us to keep our ear to the ground to changes that occur over time,” he said. O’Dell said that the many changes, including the deleting and rewording every place that the word “exurban” was used, were significant enough that it will need to come back for further review. He said that village staff will review the tape of the meeting to ensure they have the language changes just as the committee wanted it.
namic center of the surrounding western communities, it is critical that the proposed Publix plaza be consistent with the city’s vision and guiding principles,” she said, citing the comprehensive plan, which states, “build city character and identity.” Applicant representative Donaldson Hearing said Publix had been adamant about avoiding pavers or tile, pointing out liability for trip and falls, also pointing out that tiles and pavers are difficult to roll shopping carts over. Mayor Roger Manning suggested colored concrete to the applicant, and Hearing said he would ask. Zacarias added that Publix will be asking for six waivers, including sign waivers, which will come before the council in December.
Westlake staff also asked for a condition that the applicant be required to maintain the remaining parcels until they are developed, by mowing and watering when needed. Councilman Patric Paul asked if there were any provisions for golf carts, since the council had recently approved an ordinance permitting residents to use them. “Since this is a golf cart friendly city, are there any provisions for golf carts?” Paul asked. Hearing said that the multimodal access points to the plaza would accommodate golf carts, but no specific area had been created for parking golf carts. “There’s more than ample opportunity in the event that there’s substantial golf cart traffic that starts to accumulate,” he said. “We
exceed the city code as it relates to parking.” It was pointed out that golf cart drivers could use regular vehicle parking. Hearing, however, cautioned council members about encouraging golf cart drivers to cross Seminole Pratt Whitney Road. “There’s no residential to the west [of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road] at this time,” he said. After more discussion Councilman JohnPaul O’Connor made a motion to approve the Publix site plan, which carried 5-0. Vice Mayor Katrina Long Robinson made a motion to approve the master plan for the entire site, which also carried 5-0.
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(Right) The site plan for the Publix at Westlake Plaza.
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NEWS
WELLINGTON RUNNERS CLUB PARADE SUPPORTS LOCAL CANCER PATIENT
The Wellington Runners Club recently held a virtual run and inspirational parade in support of Sabrina Emery Barres, a local woman battling a rare form of cancer. “Bring it for Bina” concluded on Sunday, Nov. 22 with the parade from the Wellington Marketplace to Sabrina’s nearby home. To show your support, visit www.wellingtonrunners.org/bring-it-for-bina. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Walkers arrive at Sabrina’s home.
Bill Emery, Emmett Barres, Kerry Emery, Sabrina Barres, Tiffany Emery, Corey Gawlas and Belle with the parade participants.
Tiffany Emery, Corey Gawlas, Belle, Sabrina Barres and Emmett Barres, Bill Emery and Kerry Emery await the parade.
The Wellington Runners Club and supporters arrive for the parade.
Event committee members Erin Dupree, Sarah Dehart, Sheri Kleinman, Marlene Clarke, Loree Reilly, Janet Sigman and Margaret Brannock.
Walkers made signs to cheer for Sabrina and left them for her.
Wellington Art Society Will Feature The Work Of Bobbin Salisbury
The Wellington Art Society will feature a demonstration by professional artist and teacher Bobbin Salisbury at the group’s Wednesday, Dec 9 meeting. The meeting demonstration will take place through the Wellington Art Society’s Zoom virtual link, which is distributed by e-mail to all members. A meet-and-greet will begin at 7 p.m., followed by the member spotlight and a brief meeting. The event will conclude with Salisbury’s demonstration. The public is invited. RSVP by e-mail to presidentofwas@gmail. com. Salisbury is a self-taught artist and art teacher in Palm Beach County. She began painting and creating art in her childhood but left the art world to work and
raise a family. Throughout those busy years, Salisbury sporadically painted and eventually participated in art workshops and classes taught by nationally recognized artists. “At that point, I discovered I still had my artistic talent and I started painting again,” she said. “I now paint every day in my home studio, in addition to teaching watercolor classes.” Salisbury widely exhibits her work and has won numerous distinguished awards. Her work is in collections throughout the country. For more information, visit www. bobbinsartwork.com. Teaching the arts, according to Bobbin, provides a great deal of personal and professional satisfaction. She eventually went on to
open an online watercolor school, Recolor Your World (www.recoloryourworld.com) where she teaches beginning, intermediate and advanced classes to aspiring artists. Presently, Salisbury is working on writing and illustrating children’s books with the help and inspiration from her grandchildren. The Wellington Art Society is a nonprofit charitable organization in its 39th year. It is open to artists of all mediums and patrons of the arts, allowing both local and regional artists to display their art work in local galleries, interact with other artists and serve the community through their art. For more information about the Wellington Art Society, visit www. wellingtonartsociety.org.
Bobbin Salisbury will offer a demonstration of her artwork (above) at the Dec. 9 meeting.
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December 4 - December 17, 2020
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Multiple Sclerosis: Importance of Correct Diagnosis The cause of
It’s not uncommon for there to be periods of time when things are relatively
frequency and severity of exacerbations and prevent long term disability. There are also
multiple sclerosis
stable, followed by a stint when new symptoms occur or old symptoms worsen.
other medications and strategies to manage symptoms.
(MS) remains
This relatively rapid worsening is referred to as an exacerbation, and typically lasts at
Avoiding misdiagnosis is also critical,
unknown, even
least 24 hours, but may stretch out for days or weeks.
as this can lead to the wrong treatment which may actually be harmful. By getting
“MS is a complex disease, and can be
a second opinion you can not only confirm the correct diagnosis, you can also become
though there has been extensive
Buse Sengul, MD Multiple Sclerosis Specialist Cleveland Clinic Florida
extremely unpredictable,” said Dr. Sengul. The same symptoms can also be present in
informed about your treatment options.
research over the years. We do know that it’s an inflammatory disorder of the central
other disorders. And, other conditions may mimic MS by showing areas of abnormality, just like MS, in results from magnetic
Dr. Sengul encourages people who suspect they may have MS to seek care by a specialist. And, if you’ve already been
nervous system (CNS), which acts as the
resonance imaging (MRI) tests.
diagnosed but aren’t improving, then it may
body’s messenger system. Myelin, the protective covering of the nerves, helps in the transmission of impulses (messages) between the brain and other parts of the body. MS causes damage to the myelin, interfering with normal nerve function.
be time to seek a second opinion. “Brain tumors, Lyme disease, Lupus and other autoimmune conditions can imitate MS, so it’s critical to rule out other diseases prior to confirming the diagnosis of MS,” said Dr. Sengul. There is no single, definitive test that can be used. Over time, experts
There is no ‘standard’ set of symptoms, since MS affects everyone differently.
have developed a set of diagnosis criteria including MRI, as well as a series of other
However, common symptoms include numbness or tingling in various parts of the
tests.
body, weakness of one or more parts of the body, walking difficulties, dizziness, fatigue, visual blurring, and occasionally double vision. Severity of symptoms may also vary.
Cleveland Clinic Florida neurologists are helping educate both physicians and patients about the disease. Dr. Sengul continued, “Careful consideration, knowledge of the most recent research, and retesting are part of our process to confirm a diagnosis of MS.”
“For some, symptoms are minor and have been ignored, but for others they are extreme,” said Buse Sengul, MD, a Cleveland Clinic Florida MS specialist who see patients at Cleveland Clinic Florida’s West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens locations. It’s really a spectrum that ranges from mild to severe.
“At Cleveland Clinic Florida, a multidisciplinary approach it taken, including specialists in diagnosis, prevention and longterm recovery,” said Dr. Sengul. The goal is to reduce disease progression, manage symptoms and maintain your quality of life.
To schedule an in-person or virtual visit with Dr. Sengul or another specialist within Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Neurosciences Institute, call 877.463.2010 or visit ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/Neuro.
Early diagnosis is important, as permanent neurologic damage can occur even in the earliest stages. While there is no cure for MS, treatment includes “diseasemodifying” drugs that help decrease
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NEWS
Local Colorectal Specialist: Don’t Delay Your Screenings Due To The Pandemic
By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report Colorectal specialist and surgeon Dr. Tara Domash Martinez is now treating patients at Palms West Hospital. After practicing on New York’s Long Island for eight years, Martinez recently relocated to be closer to her family in Wellington. One of those family members is Jason Feuer of the Florida Eye Microsurgical Institute, who is a cousin of Martinez and grew up in the Wellington area. She is among the first colorectal surgeons in the area and is a specialist in the male-dominated field. “This is a really big deal for our community,” Feuer said. Martinez explained how she came to move to the western communities. “I was considering different options in Florida, and I met with the CEO at Palms West Hospital, and we hit it off,” Martinez recalled. “I was considering Florida because Wellington is where the majority of my family lives, so the location was a definite plus.” Making such a change to her medical practice was made more challenging due to the COVID-19
pandemic. “I started in May at Palms West Hospital, moving down here with my husband, sixmonth-old baby and three dogs,” Martinez recalled. “It was overwhelming. We had to quarantine when we came down here. The pandemic wasn’t as bad here then as in New York, but it got much worse.” Now that she has settled in, Martinez is glad to be offering local residents a much-needed medical service. “As a colorectal surgeon, I do minimally invasive surgery,” said Martinez, who explained that there was no one providing that service at Palms West Hospital. “It’s a new service line for the area.” Martinez said that she loves her new home and practice. “It is a great location. I love the demographic of the area and, obviously, the weather is great. I love this time of year. It is so beautiful. It’s just gorgeous every day,” she said. Martinez is concerned that patients might be delaying their necessary screenings because of the pandemic. “Some people are scared to go to a physician for these services
and treatment,” said Martinez, who added that telemedicine doesn’t really address colorectal services. “The patient needs an examination.” She warned people to keep an eye out for symptoms of a colorectal problem and get screened as necessary. “I’m hoping that people aren’t ignoring their symptoms and delaying care,” Martinez said. “Dismissing symptoms for rectal or anal cancer is very serious.” If caught early, these types of cancers can be treated with good results. Unfortunately, it is not always caught right away. “Many symptoms can mimic everyday benign conditions, and now it has been almost a year during the pandemic,” Martinez said. “Cancers can be growing and growing and can spread. Something that could be a simple treatment could develop into something much more serious within a year — something that might not be curable.” Martinez said that the American Cancer Society encourages anyone over age 45 to be screened, and anyone who has a first-degree relative that was
affected by the disease to begin screenings earlier. Patients can contact her office directly, as many insurance programs do not require a referral from a primary care physician. Martinez is one of a growing number of female surgeons in the field in recent years. “Surgery in general has changed over time. It used to be predominantly men as surgeons, but over the years, there are a lot more females in the field. There’s even some studies that have come out showing there are better outcomes for female surgeons,” Martinez explained. “Colorectal specialty is even more of a male-dominated field.” However, she is used to it, since even in New York, there were not that many women in the field. “The most important thing for people to know is how important it is not to delay getting screened for colorectal cancer,” said Martinez, adding that patients can come to her for everything from hemorrhoids to cancer screenings and colonoscopy screenings. To contact Dr. Tara Domash Martinez’s office, call (561) 7955130.
Dr. Tara Domash Martinez
RPB Council OKs Two More Fuel Pumps At RaceTrac Station
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council last week approved a request by RaceTrac to add two more fuel pumps and extend the canopy at its gas station located at the northwest corner of Southern and Royal Palm Beach boulevards. The existing RaceTrac location has eight fueling stations. Village staff recommended approval of the additional fuel pumps, and the Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission sup-
ported the change in a 5-0 vote on Oct. 27. Brian Terry, representing the applicant at the Thursday, Nov. 19 meeting, said the original plans called for 10 fueling stations, but two were removed in the final approval meeting following a contentious series of highly attended public meetings. “There was a lot of consideration and concern at that point in time about how the site would function,” Terry said. “I believe now that we have opened, it has been very successful… from the
standpoint of servicing the community.” He pointed out that the site had been built according to the original plans, except for the aboveground portion of the two fuel pumps, and the addition could be achieved with minimal construction modifications. “We think the modification would make the site work more efficiently and make it more convenient for the customers,” he said. Councilwoman Jan Rodusky asked what the current traffic flow
is through the station and how adding the pumps would affect it. Terry said he did not have a technical study of traffic flow on that specific site, but he pointed out that all RaceTrac stations are designed with traffic flow in mind. Village Manager Ray Liggins said the original plan with 10 pumps met all traffic criteria. There was no public comment at the meeting. Mayor Fred Pinto said he had only heard positive feedback about the station. “None of the negative things
about what we thought could happen from a traffic standpoint, and otherwise, have occurred,” Pinto said. “I think it is really providing a great service for our citizens of this village.” Councilman Richard Valuntas agreed that the station is a good service for residents and felt adding the fueling stations would improve traffic flow, which sometimes stacks up during rush hours. “At busy times, it happens, so hopefully this will improve flow through the site,” Valuntas said. Vice Mayor Jeff Hmara shared
similar positive experiences at the gas station and convenience store. “The quality of the provisions in the convenience store has been outstanding,” he said. “I have had the experience of having to wait in line, and while that’s not a very scientific assessment — numbers probably would have been a little bit better — but the bottom line is I have had that real world experience.” Valuntas made a motion to approve the additional fuel pumps, which carried 5-0.
Wellington Zoning Board Discusses Comp Plan Elements But Postpones Golf Course Redevelopment Discussion
By M. Dennis Taylor Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board heard a presentation from village staff Tuesday, Nov. 17 on three elements of Wellington’s comprehensive plan and approved all three after deleting the mention of golf course redevelopment. This will be addressed at another meeting. Planning, Zoning & Building Director Tim Stillings explained that his staff will be bringing two or three of the 10 elements of the comp plan at a time so as not to overwhelm the board. The three reviewed at the November meeting were Community Partnerships, Land Use &
Community Design and Capital Improvements. Stillings said that the Wellington Village Council is planning to update the comp plan while retaining its structure and framework. “It is being freshened up by making some changes that will take us into the next 10 to 20 years,” he said. “The comp plan sets out the goals, objectives and policies, and the land development regulations (LDRs) are how we get there. The comp plan is the aspirational foundation.” The first and last elements were recommended for approval with little comment or questioning. The Land Use & Community Design element, however, elicited
a discussion that took up the bulk of the two-hour meeting. “This section is designed to protect existing neighborhoods and guide future development,” Stillings said. He continued that village staff has tried to simplify the language and make it briefer and more user-friendly, with subheads, so it is easier to find the information one is looking for without having to read everything. “We made some changes to the names of categories and combined some,” Stillings said. He explained that an incentive point system, that has not been determined yet, will establish benefits based upon amenities, such as
open spaces and childcare, that the community might need or want. PZA Board Chair Elizabeth Mariaca suggested that open space and increasing the tree canopy might be a requirement on all projects to receive an incentive. Village Attorney Laurie Cohen warned that these issues must take property rights into consideration. “If the surrounding area has changed, and the property owner is not permitted to make a change, that could be actionable as a taking of property rights,” she said. The board made several minor changes and rewording of some sentences, but the focus seemed to be on what to say about golf courses that may need redevelop-
ment — a highly controversial issue in Wellington. Board Member Maureen Martinez asked a number of questions about golf courses. “I don’t mean to be so focused on golf courses, but I don’t believe plans of what to do with them belong here,” she said, asking if the topic could go somewhere else in the comp plan or perhaps in the LDRs. Stillings said that the village had seven golf courses, and three of them have closed. The village studied whether or not it was viable to make any of them municipal facilities and it had determined that it was not viable. “Over the next 20 years, the
trend is that we will have others closing,” said Stillings, who explained that it was for this reason that staff felt it was appropriate to address the issue in the comp plan. As the discussion brought up more questions than it answered, Stilling suggested removing the page that mentioned golf courses from consideration at the present time so the board could recommend the bulk of the three elements forward to the council. The board could hold a separate discussion about golf course redevelopment at another meeting. The next Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 9.
RPB Planners Approve Painting Request And Sign Renovations
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission approved several sign applications and building façade renovations on Tuesday, Nov. 24. The commissioners recommended architectural approval of an application by JBL Village Shoppes to renovate the existing building façades at the Village Shoppes shopping center located at the northwest corner of State
Road 7 and Southern Blvd. to be conducted in three phases. The applicant is proposing to use high reflective white for the body of the building, the color “morning fog” for accent colors, with stone and gray for banding, and slatted wood screen architectural features, said Planning & Zoning Director Bradford O’Brien, who added that staff recommended approval. Commissioner Ray Nazareth made a motion to approve the ap-
plication, which carried 5-0. The commission also recommended approval of a request to renovate the existing monument sign at the Village Shoppes. “The applicant is proposing to use a black background and soft orange on the body of the sign, and white for the trim,” O’Brien said, adding that staff recommended approval. Commissioner Philip Marquis made a motion to recommend approval, which carried 4-0 with
Commissioner David Leland not present for the vote. The agenda also included two sign approvals. The commissioners recommended approval of a request for new wall signage at Domino’s Pizza, located at 171 S. State Road 7, Suite 100-B. O’Brien said the applicant is requesting approval of wall signage with similar design as other Domino’s Pizza locations. Marquis made a motion to recommend approval, which carried 5-0.
Finally, the commissioners recommended approval of new signage at the Village Center, located at the southwest corner of Okeechobee and Royal Palm Beach boulevards. O’Brien said the applicant is requesting approval to renovate the existing monument and directional signs to indicate the Royal Palm Medical Plaza, now located at the long vacant office building west of Village Hall. Staff recommended approval of the application.
Leland said it was nice to finally get a tenant in the building. O’Brien said getting the longpresent clock tower operating at the high-traffic corner was one of the conditions of approval. Applicant representative Shanna Brogan said the owners have considerable work to do to get the long-empty building fully operational. Marquis made a motion to recommend approval, which carried 5-0.
LPBC invites all members of the community to join them in celebrating the season and supporting the four children’s charities by attending the Drive-Through Holiday Breakfast. To purchase tickets or sponsorships, visit http:// tinyurl.com/LPBCholiday.
Extension Horticulture” and click on the “Native Canopy Program” tab. You will then watch the short educational video and complete the application form. A voucher and supporting materials will be e-mailed to qualified applicants. You must be a county resident to qualify for a voucher, and there is a limit of one voucher per household per 12-month period.
NEWS BRIEFS Willhite Offers Bill Slot To High School Students
This year, the Florida House of Representatives agreed to a rule change that expands the number of bills that a state representative is permitted to file from six to seven. With this extra bill slot, State Rep. Matt Willhite (D-District 86) hopes to give high school students the opportunity to turn their ideas into law. High school students in District 86 are invited to submit their idea, along with why they think their idea will make a great law, to Willhite for consideration. “I recognize that young people are the future of our state and country. As such, I understand that we need to engage with young adults. In hosting this contest, I want to help start building this bridge to our next generation of leaders. I am offering my seventh bill slot to students and hope this will encourage them to follow the bill along through the legislative process, increasing their understanding of how government works in a
meaningful and interactive way,” Willhite said. In their submissions, students need to answer four questions: What problem does your law address and how does it work to address it? If your idea becomes law, whom will it affect? What type of fiscal impact might your law have on state or local governments? Why will your law make Florida a better place to live, work or play? High school students in District 86 are encouraged to answer these questions and submit a short presentation to matt.willhite@ myfloridahouse.gov before Friday, Dec. 18.
Wellington Financial Report Wins Award
The Government Finance Officers Association recently announced that the Village of Wellington has received GFOA’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting. In order to be eligible for this award, Wellington submitted its
comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) to GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program and received the CAFR award for the current fiscal year. Each eligible report is reviewed by judges who evaluate the report based on the following categories: reader appeal, understandability, distribution methods, creativity and other elements. Wellington has received this award for the last seven consecutive years.
Leadership PBC Adapts Holiday Breakfast
Leadership Palm Beach County and its vast alumni base were not going to let a pandemic keep them from holding their annual Holiday Breakfast, an event that gives LPBC alumni and other community members an opportunity to reunite and celebrate the season together. In order to keep the attendees safe and adhere to social distancing guidelines, the LPBC Holiday Breakfast Committee decided to
hold a Drive-Through Holiday Breakfast. At this Drive-Through Holiday Breakfast, scheduled to take place at Lot 2 of the South Florida Fairgrounds on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 17, guests will have the option to either remain in their cars for the whole morning or participate in outdoor, masked, socially-distant mingling. All guests will follow a driving path to grab their coffee, donated by local Floridian Coffee Roasters, and breakfast, provided by Johan’s Joe, and drop off their toy drive donations, which will be donated to four children’s charities: AdoptA-Family of the Palm Beaches, the Pace Center for Girls, the Center for Child Counseling and Families First of Palm Beach County. After they go through the stations, attendees will be directed to their parking spots, where they can either stay in their cars or get out and enjoy a socially-distanced, tailgate-style breakfast. In addition to the breakfast and toy drive, the morning will feature a fun holiday program, group and individual costume contests, a car decorating contest and a virtual auction.
Free Vouchers For Trees Or Shrubs
The Native Canopy Education Program is offering Palm Beach County residents another opportunity for an online voucher for two free native trees or shrubs in three-gallon containers. You can redeem your voucher at any of six participating nurseries and choose from any of 23 native plant species. The final voucher giveaway for 2020 will be held on Saturday, Dec. 5. Vouchers will be available online starting at noon until quantities are exhausted. Palm Beach County residents can go to: https://discover.pbcgov.org/coextension/horticulture/ Pages/Native-Canopy.aspx or search for “PBC Cooperative
Candy Cane Fun Run For A Cause
Students at American Heritage School are hosting a Candy Cane Fun Run virtual race from Dec. 20 through Dec. 26 to help raise money for a prosthetic running leg. They are working through an organization called Amputee Blade Runners, which helps provide free running blades for kids who want to continue living an active lifestyle. Register for the run at http://runforabr.wixsite.com/ candycanebladerun. You can also support the cause through Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite. com/e/candy-cane-run-for-bladestickets-122328364431 or find them on Instagram @runforblades.
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NEWS
WELLINGTON HONORS LONGTIME LEADER, COMMUNITY PIONEER KEN ADAMS Wellington honored former County Commissioner Ken Adams, a community pioneer, with a closed-casket viewing on Saturday, Nov. 21. The public was invited to pay their respects at the Wellington Community Center at a day-long event that followed CDC social distancing guidelines. Adams passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at the age of 90. PHOTOS COURTESY THE VILLAGE OF WELLINGTON
A fire truck raises a large American flag in honor of Ken Adams, who served in the U.S. Air Force. An honor guard stands at attention as Adams’ casket arrives.
Residents were invited to pay their respects throughout the day.
Residents got a chance to pay their respects, keeping with social distancing protocols.
The public viewing was held at the Wellington Community Center.
The coffin as seen from the second floor of the Wellington Community Center.
FERRIN SCHOLARSHIP FUND RAISES MONEY THROUGH YARD SALE IN RPB
The Vivian and Adrienne Ferrin Memorial Scholarship Fund raised money at a yard sale in Royal Palm Beach on Saturday, Nov. 28. The sale featured collectible plates, books, kitchen ware, clothes and more at bargain prices. Learn more about the scholarship fund at www.cafcipbc.org/vafmsf. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Patricia Forde, Shirley Palmer, Rhonda Ferrin Davis and Genieve White.
Titian Strickland and Sandi Rogers found a few bargains.
Shirley Palmer helps customer Forrest Dykes with some books.
Primrose Graham looks over some dolls.
We offer coverage for: Homes, Rental Homes, Farms, Barns, Equine Liability, Commercial, Flood and Auto. Does your agent discuss coverage options or just tell you what a great rate you have? Let’s discuss your options before it’s too late. Quality of service of matters. Contact me to insure your peace of mind.
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Il Pomodoro PIZZA AND RESTAURANT
Located in Loxahatchee Florida, Il Pomodoro serves New York style pizza TUESDASYPECIAL and delicious interpretations of classic Italian dishes. CARRY-OUT e rg La Delivery Available Starting at 11 a.m. on orders $25 or more Cheese Pizza
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BECAUSE OF COVID-19, we were forced to shut down the dining-in portion with everything opening back up, we would like to welcome everyone in with a new GRAND,GRAND, Opening! We will be offering all of our Entree’s on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020 for $14.95. Thank you and Welcome Back!
OFF
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Not to be combined with any other offer. Must Present Coupon Expires December 31, 2020
*EXCLUDES VEAL AND SEAFOOD. DINE-IN ONLY. VALID THURSDAY, DEC. 17 2020.
LARGE 1-TOPPING PIZZA WITH 10 CHICKEN WINGS
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Not to be combined with any other offer. Must Present Coupon Expires December 31, 2020
Not to be combined with any other offer. Must Present Coupon Expires December 31, 2020
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Hours: Tue.Wed.Thurs. Sun 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. • Fri. Sat. 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. • Closed Mondays
5030 Seminole Pratt Whitney Rd., Unit 8, Westlake, FL 33470 | www.il-pomodoro.letseat.at
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“We made a perfect decision by placing her at WCA�
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ROYAL ROYA L PLAZA
Page 10 December 4 - December 17, 2020
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December 4 - December 17, 2020 Page 11
Located On North East Corner Of Royal Palm Beach Boulevard & Southern Boulevard
Western Academy Charter School F.D.O.E. SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
Hilary’s Restaurant
Suite 300-A • (561) 792-4123
Suite 630-2 • (561) 790-7301
The Learning Foundation
Al Pan Pan Restaurant & Bakery
Suite 507 • (561) 795-6886
United Special Patrol
Suite 535 • (561) 848-2600
For Leasing Information Call Chris Santamaria (561) 793-4500
Suite 603 • (561) 791-1535
India Grill & Bar Restaurant
Suite 650-1 • (561) 249-7168
NRI Institute Of Health Sciences
Food Mart
Rochet Family Chiropractic
Tree’s Wings & Ribs
Suite 500 • (561) 688-5112
Dr. Friedensohn R. DMD
Suite 650-16 • (561) 793-2424
Royal Palm Veterinary Center
Kabayan Restaurant/Mart
Burrowes Insurance
Chartered Law Firm of AUBIN WADE ROBINSON
Suite 601 • (561) 530-3700
Suite 630-1 • (561) 422-0052
Suite 650-7 • (561) 795-3156
Suite 251 • (561) 904 - 6286
Suite 202 • (561) 798-5064
Star Cuts Beauty Salon
Kids Cancer Foundation
Wellington Delivery Dudes
Madison Valgari Nail Salon
Master’s Barber Shop
Suite 650-6 • (561) 784-9994
Suite 246 • (561) 371-1298
Iglesia Cristiana Restaurando Las Almas
House of Hope Church
Suite 230 • (561) 779-7706
Suite 298 www.houseofhopechurch.org
Suite 504 • (561) 800-4979
Reef Lovers Aquariums
Suite 650-8 • (561) 798-1511
Suite 610 • (561) 793-7000
Suite 507 • (561) 333-8755
Look Twice Styles & Cuts
Suite 650-5 • (561) 425-5508
Suite 260 • (561) 798-2622
Suite 606 • (561) 333-2838
Buchanan’s Accounting & Tax Service
JDM Property Managers Suite 242 • (561) 249-1477
PaintLux Auto Body & Paint
Suite 537 • (561) 784-1526
500-D Royal Plaza Rd. (561) 795-1127
ROYAL ROYA L PLAZA
Page 10 December 4 - December 17, 2020
The Town-Crier
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December 4 - December 17, 2020 Page 11
Located On North East Corner Of Royal Palm Beach Boulevard & Southern Boulevard
Western Academy Charter School F.D.O.E. SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
Hilary’s Restaurant
Suite 300-A • (561) 792-4123
Suite 630-2 • (561) 790-7301
The Learning Foundation
Al Pan Pan Restaurant & Bakery
Suite 507 • (561) 795-6886
United Special Patrol
Suite 535 • (561) 848-2600
For Leasing Information Call Chris Santamaria (561) 793-4500
Suite 603 • (561) 791-1535
India Grill & Bar Restaurant
Suite 650-1 • (561) 249-7168
NRI Institute Of Health Sciences
Food Mart
Rochet Family Chiropractic
Tree’s Wings & Ribs
Suite 500 • (561) 688-5112
Dr. Friedensohn R. DMD
Suite 650-16 • (561) 793-2424
Royal Palm Veterinary Center
Kabayan Restaurant/Mart
Burrowes Insurance
Chartered Law Firm of AUBIN WADE ROBINSON
Suite 601 • (561) 530-3700
Suite 630-1 • (561) 422-0052
Suite 650-7 • (561) 795-3156
Suite 251 • (561) 904 - 6286
Suite 202 • (561) 798-5064
Star Cuts Beauty Salon
Kids Cancer Foundation
Wellington Delivery Dudes
Madison Valgari Nail Salon
Master’s Barber Shop
Suite 650-6 • (561) 784-9994
Suite 246 • (561) 371-1298
Iglesia Cristiana Restaurando Las Almas
House of Hope Church
Suite 230 • (561) 779-7706
Suite 298 www.houseofhopechurch.org
Suite 504 • (561) 800-4979
Reef Lovers Aquariums
Suite 650-8 • (561) 798-1511
Suite 610 • (561) 793-7000
Suite 507 • (561) 333-8755
Look Twice Styles & Cuts
Suite 650-5 • (561) 425-5508
Suite 260 • (561) 798-2622
Suite 606 • (561) 333-2838
Buchanan’s Accounting & Tax Service
JDM Property Managers Suite 242 • (561) 249-1477
PaintLux Auto Body & Paint
Suite 537 • (561) 784-1526
500-D Royal Plaza Rd. (561) 795-1127
Page 12
December 4 - December 17, 2020
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NEWS
RPB Honored For Winning The County’s Census Competition
By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report West Palm Beach Commissioner Christina Lambert and Wellington Councilman John McGovern congratulated the Village of Royal Palm Beach last week for winning the recent Census League 2020 competition where 10 of the county’s 38 municipalities participated in a friendly rivalry. Lambert and McGovern visited the Thursday, Nov. 19 meeting of the Royal Palm Beach Village Council to make the announcement. “We’re here to celebrate the culmination of nearly five months and 10 municipalities across
Palm Beach County who came together to encourage residents to complete the 2020 Census,” Lambert said. “We wanted to have a complete count because we know how important it is to our communities.” The census determines how hundreds of billions of dollars will be allocated over the next decade for schools, roads and other services, as well as congressional representation and redistricting, she said. Royal Palm Beach saw the highest increase of 6.4 percent for a 76.5 percent response rate in the competition. “I would specifically like to
thank Vice Mayor Jeff Hmara for your leadership,” Lambert said. “It was a truly great example of collaboration among community leaders. I would like to thank… all the students who participated in the 2020 Census League competition and for those of you who worked so hard to be counted.” The county saw an overall 6 percent increase in the self-response rate, which she said was incredible, in light of challenges presented by COVID-19. “It was an incredibly close count,” she said. Royal Palm Beach edged out Wellington in the competition by 0.2 percent.
McGovern, who had pledged that he would personally congratulate the winner, credited Royal Palm Beach for setting the bar in the competition. “You did beat us out fairly. Most importantly, though, the Village of Royal Palm Beach led from start to finish,” he said. “Royal Palm Beach was light years ahead of some [areas of] Palm Beach County, and you set the way from the very beginning. So, we’re here to say congratulations and to say thank you. While this was a friendly rivalry, the fact is so many of these dollars that we’re talking about, Palm Beach County rises and falls together.”
He credited Royal Palm Beach with freely sharing its successes in getting residents to participate, thereby raising up all municipalities to the challenge. Village Manager Ray Liggins gave credit to Palm Beach Atlantic University intern and Royal Palm Beach resident Maria Landron with the village’s success rate. “The council had budgeted for this position, and we got Maria on early,” Liggins said. “She had some experience with trying to get people excited about something, and she got involved with the schools, with every organization out there, the e-mails, She’s the one who took this program from
beginning to end, and she did an awesome job.” Liggins also credited U.S. Census representative Sandy Goodman for his work with the entire county. “He met with us six months before everything started, and he helped us get started and where we needed to focus,” Liggins said. Goodman advised council members to retain everything they had learned in preparation for the 2030 Census. “Start planning for 2030 now,” he said. “The skills that you learned in 2020 should be put in place around 2028.
Quantum Foundation Awards $1 Million To Grassroots Nonprofits
The Quantum Foundation, Palm Beach County’s largest health funder, is celebrating a major milestone with its 10th annual Quantum in the Community (QIC) initiative, funding grassroots organizations in Palm Beach County. Recently, 112 nonprofits received a portion of $1 million in unrestricted funding to go toward such essentials as meals, hygiene products, rent/utility assistance, clothing, transportation and more. “The COVID-19 pandemic brought forward longstanding health inequities in disinvested communities, exposing the impacts of the social determinants of health,” said Eric Kelly, president of the Quantum Foundation. “Health equity is our way forward, and these vulnerable communities need their basic needs met, now more than ever. Quantum in the Community funding has helped many of these organizations survive this current crisis.” In 2011, the foundation’s board of directors made a commitment to this annual program when surveys showed local nonprofits were struggling to keep their doors open in the troubled economy. Since then, the foundation has awarded a total of $7.5 million through this initiative. The Quantum Foundation’s mission is to fund initiatives that improve the health of Palm Beach County residents. In 1998, the foundation marked its rookie year as one of Palm Beach County’s newest and largest philanthropic organizations with an impressive $7.6 million granted to more than
40 Palm Beach County projects. 2020 Quantum in the Community grantees in the Wellington, Greenacres and Royal Palm Beach area include: Angels for Friends Corp.; Back to Basics Inc.; Bi-Wi “Because I’m Worth It” International; the Dezman Fleury Foundation; Family First Community Outreach Services; Hope 4 Mobility Inc.; the Kids Cancer Foundation; the National Council of Jewish Women, Palm Beach; the Talented Teen Club; Wellington Cares; and the Wellington Community Foundation. Three of this year’s QIC recipients explain what the grants do to help the community: From a warm coat to a hot lunch or even a sofa for a single mom, Church of the Harvest serves the people of the Glades area. The pantry provides free food, clothing, furniture, household goods, diapers, ice and water and anything else clients might need. Barbara Iderosa and her husband, Pastor Rich Iderosa, started the nonprofit almost 20 years ago. Before the pandemic, Church of the Harvest was serving close to 400 people a week. That number has skyrocketed to nearly 2,000 people a month. An anonymous donor helps with most utilities, fuel and insurance, but the QIC grant bridges the gaps that are needed to help keep the operation going. “We would have a difficult time without being in partnership with the Quantum Foundation,” Iderosa said. “It is an especially important grant for us, and we are so grateful
for it. There was no centralized pantry in the Glades area when we started back in 2000.” To donate, volunteer or learn more, visit www.churchoftheharvestpahokee.com or call (561) 924-7776. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s mission is to support and help the poor, restore dignity and spread the love of Christ to everyone. Kate Devine, president of the SVDP District of Palm Beach County, said that volunteers meet with clients, prioritize their needs and connect them to other services if they cannot help directly. All funds remain in Palm Beach County, so neighbors are helping neighbors. The Quantum Foundation grant helps financially support clients who come to SVDP needing assistance with rent, utilities or other bills. SVDP’s largest need is funding, but volunteer opportunities are also available. To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit www. svdp-palmbeach.org or call (561) 401-9585. Renette Verhaeghe was watching the news one night and learned that many Palm Beach County veterans were homeless, living in their cars or on the beach, and she felt that was unacceptable. That was three years ago when Operation120 started, and the organization has exponentially grown since then. “We help clients with resumés, job placement, budgeting, credit repair and debt consolidation. We teach job and life skills, offer mediation, trauma counseling and
brain mapping — all for free,” Verhaeghe said. The agency has a 3,000-squarefoot home in Lake Worth Beach, operational since January, and QIC
funding is a big part of keeping that building running. To learn more or to get involved, visit www. operation120.org or call (561) 463-VETS.
For more information about Quantum Foundation, or to learn about applying for grants, visit www.quantumfnd.org or call (561) 832-7497.
SFWMD Takes Another Step Forward To Finish Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir
The South Florida Water Management District is taking another step forward to expedite and complete the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Reservoir Project at the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis. With full funding in place, the SFWMD is now advertising the final contract for the Stormwater Treatment Area component of the EAA Reservoir Project that moves clean water from Lake Okeechobee south to the Everglades. Bids are anticipated to be opened in January 2021. The request for bids includes three pump stations, multiple water control structures, inflow and outflow canals, levees and earthwork necessary to make the natural water cleaning function properly. Additional details for potential bidders can be found at www.sfwmd.gov/procurement. DeSantis made expediting the completion of the EAA Reservoir Project a key priority with one of his first executive orders. The project significantly improves
SFWMD Executive Director Drew Bartlett, Chairman Chauncey Goss and Construction Manager Tim Harper break ground on the STA component of the EAA Reservoir Project. the flow of clean water south to Florida’s Everglades and reduces damaging discharges to the northern estuaries. The EAA Reservoir Project is a joint Everglades restoration project between the SFWMD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The 6,500-acre STA, which is being built by the SFWMD, will clean the water to meet stringent state water quality standards before it is sent south. The reservoir, which is being built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will hold 240,000 acre-feet of water.
HAPPY CHANUKAH TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY Chanukah Services 2020 / 5781 Thursday, December 10 at 6:30 p.m. Lighting of the First Candle Saturday, December 12 at 6:45 p.m. Havdalah Candle Lighting Services held via Zoom or in-person with RESERVATION ONLY. RESE
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Honors the memory of
Welcome to Starr Family Dentistry in Wellington
Deputy Sheriff Richard W. Oetinger While performing his official duties he sustained a serious physical injury. On December 6, 2000 Deputy Oetinger passed away due to medical complications related to this previous injury
Deputy Richard W. Oetinger will always be Remembered by his PBSO Family
AND Deputy Sheriff Garry E. Hobbs Who died on December 9, 2000 after a long illness caused from being sprayed with a lethal level of a herbicide on June 7th, 1991 while proudly serving the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Palm Beach County
Deputy Sheriff Garry E. Hobbs will always be Remembered by his PBSO Family
TO SERVE AND PROTECT WAS THEIR OATH TO HONOR THEM IS OUR DUTY
A dental office designed specifically for serving the needs of the family. Established in 1983 Wellington’s first full-time, full service dental practice.
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Page 14
December 4 - December 17, 2020
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NEWS
Willhite Refiles Legislation Aimed At Guaranteeing Patient’s Continued Care Upon Hospital Discharge
This week, State Rep. Matt Willhite (D-District 86) filed HB 29, a bill to ensure the continuation of treatment to a patient discharged from the hospital. If signed into law, this legislation authorizes a hospital to offer their patients medication for up to 48 hours or through the end of the next business day after they have been discharged. This will provide individuals with essen-
tial medication when they need it most. “Imagine leaving a hospital at 2 a.m., and there isn’t a pharmacy open to fill your prescription. Perhaps you are discharged on a holiday weekend and again, there is not an open pharmacy nearby. My bill will ensure that patients won’t have to face this problem,” Willhite said. “About 1,000 people move to the State
of Florida every day, and as our state continues to grow, we must come up with innovative solutions that expand health care to all Floridians.” Willhite filed this legislation during the 2020 legislative session. It was unanimously approved by three committees but failed to come to a vote by the full House of Representatives due to time constraints.
Temporary Agreement
sider a temporary agreement with ITID in order to keep 43rd Road open to 140th Avenue until a more lasting solution could be found. The owner of the property on the west side of 43rd Road with the gates had his easement taken off the gas tax map, declaring his road to be private, thereby blocking possible access by other residents to 145th Avenue North, the other possible access point. Councilman Robert Shorr said he would support a temporary agreement under the circumstances. “I don’t want to open the door to any kind of long-term interlocal agreement, but if we have to do this in order to alleviate the situation and insure those people get proper services, I would support a temporary [agreement],” Shorr said.
Vice Mayor Marge Herzog said she felt the nine property owners should have rights of access within their titles. “I believe that the gate and the legislation that allowed that gate were brought forward with inaccurate or false information about the existing situation that is there,” Herzog said. Councilwoman Laura Danowski said she would have to see exactly what a temporary agreement said. “Temporary, I’m thinking three months,” Danowski said. “Get it done. Indian Trail has caused the issue… indirectly, Westlake. It’s not the town’s choice to close these two avenues.” By consensus, the council agreed to direct staff to proceed with a temporary interlocal agreement with ITID until a lasting solution could be worked out.
whether or not the plant is built. Commissioner Melissa McKinlay said she had been working on equine waste issues since the day she was elected. “This project was originally proposed out in the Everglades Agricultural Area,” McKinlay said, pointing out that growers in that area, backed by the Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau,
objected to such a facility near one of the largest leafy vegetable growers in the country. “Every use around this site is industrial, and it is located on a site that was a landfill,” she said. McKinlay made a motion to approve the facility, which carried 5-2 with Weiss and Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner opposed.
over the next four decades. “Ken was a great man who did a lot for the community,” said Santamaria, who explained that the whole area benefited from his contributions. “The community should recognize him. A good man has left us, and he will be missed by the entire community.” To echo Santamaria’s donation during this time of year, you can also support one of the chosen local organizations: Little Smiles has served local children during times of illness, homelessness and tragedy for more than 21 years. Learn more
at www.littlesmilesfl.org. The Kids Cancer Foundation provides hope and support for young patients and their families. Learn more at www.kidscancersf. org. The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Health Specialty Center in Wellington provides medical services to a wide array of juvenile patients. Learn more at www. jdch.com. Winterfest tickets are expected to sell out. Find out more about the event at www.wellingtonchamber.com/events/event/winterfest2020-live-from-your-ride.
Lox Road
continued from page 1 services has been fairly uneventful. However, there have been a lot of challenges with garbage delivery services and other service provisions to 43rd Road North, which is the next proposed closure, as has been noticed to us from Indian Trail,” he said. Titcomb and the town attorney had discussions with the property owner at Little Turtle Creek about possible solutions. “We continue to have some issues up there,” Titcomb said. “We’ve had discussions with the property owner, and we’ve had discussions with Indian Trail.” He asked that the council con-
Manure
Support For Plant
continued from page 1 880, HiPoint Agricultural Bedding and the Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority, said the site will provide less mileage for the trucks, which would be on the roads
Donation
In Honor Of Ken Adams
continued from page 1 Wellington’s incorporation efforts. Santamaria, who began his local career as a commercial and residential developer, has been a longtime booster of the western communities. He met Adams in 1980, when Adams was looking to rent commercial space. The two developed a lasting friendship, along with their wives, taking in dinners and social events
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December 12, 2020 12 p.m. - 2 p.m. Join
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December 4 - December 17, 2020
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Our resort-style community in Royal Palm Beach was designed to provide comfortable living and enjoyment every day. While Inspired Living will never be the home that was left behind, we hope that you or your loved one will find comfort, ease, and happiness in our community.
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Benefits may vary by region. WellCare Health Plans, Inc., is an HMO, PPO, PFFS plan with a Medicare contract. Our DSNP Plans have a contract with the State Medicaid program. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. Please contact your plan for details. WellCare Health Plans, Inc., complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATTENTION: If you speak a language other than English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-877-374-4056 (TTY: 711). ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-374-4056 (TTY: 711). 注 愠：如果您使用繠體中文，您堯以兠費砲得語言栴助朠務。請 致電 1-877-374-4056 (TTY: 711) 。 Y0070_WCM_39155E_FINAL13_M CMS Accepted 08102019
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NEWS
RPB ROTARY CLUB, PBSO WORK WITH SCHOOLS ON THANKSGIVING PROJECT
During the Thanksgiving holiday, Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club members delivered food to seven families from seven Royal Palm Beach schools. The club thanks its members for participating and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, particularly Officer Kenneth Torrence, for continuing its commitment to the local community. These organizations, with the help of the seven Royal Palm Beach schools, adopted families for Thanksgiving by providing them with a feast. The club provided all the fixings, and Torrence from the PBSO provided the turkeys. The schools that were involved were: the Palms West Charter School, Royal Palm Beach Elementary School, Royal Palm Beach High School, Cypress Trails Elementary School, H.L. Johnson Elementary School, Crestwood Middle School and the Western Academy Charter School.
Kenneth Torrence of the PBSO supplied turkeys for the project.
The food was arranged in baskets for delivery.
Palms West Charter School Principal Steven Epstein with Kenneth Torrence of the PBSO.
Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club members ready to deliver the food.
The project provided Thanksgiving meals with all the fixings.
Team USA Captures Ninth International Cup Over Argentina
Team USA defeated Argentina 7-4 in the International Cup last weekend, while Aspen Valley prevailed over Grand Champions 5-3 in the Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial. Team USA (Grant Ganzi, Jeff Hall, Nic Roldan and Juan Bollini) took on Argentina (Santiago Cernadas, Pablo Spinacci, Horacio Heguy and Michel Dorignac) in Saturday’s International Cup, the finale to the Grand Champions Polo Club’s fall season, at Santa Rita Polo Farm. Argentina faced a strong defense in the first chukker, with Team USA keeping them away from the posts. Roldan scored the first goal of the match for Team USA. The Americans kept up the momentum into the second chukker, with goals from Hall and Ganzi. Dorignac put Argentina on the board in the second chukker, which ended 3-1 in favor of the
U.S. Heguy added to Argentina’s total in the third chukker, but another shot by Ganzi ended the half with Team USA ahead 4-2. Dorignac started the second half by scoring for Argentina, but Roldan answered with two consecutive shots on goal to end the fourth chukker with the U.S. up 6-3. Dorignac came back to score again in the fifth chukker, with Roldan retaliating once again. The chukker ended 7-4. Both teams battled ferociously in a back-andforth final chukker, but neither team could penetrate the other’s defense. It was still 7-4 at the horn, with Team USA capturing the title. Roldan, the high scoring player of the match with four goals, was named MVP. Dorignac was responsible for three of Argentina’s four goals. Belle and Delila, both owned by Santa Rita Polo Farm, were named Best Playing Ponies. Saturday also saw Grand Cham-
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pions (Pablo Pulido, Brandon Phillips, Carlitos Gracida and Kris Kampsen) meet Aspen Valley (Michael Bickford, Sugar Erskine, Nano Gracida and Nick Manifold) in the Legends of Polo Carlos Gracida Memorial. The match honors the late Carlos Gracida, one of the most beloved players in the sport, who died tragically in February 2014 during a polo match at the Everglades Polo Club. Gracida hailed from a Mexican polo dynasty and first picked up a mallet at age 5. By the age of 25, he had achieved a 10-goal handicap. He won every major tournament in the sport, with nine U.S. Open victories and 10 British Open wins to his credit. He coached Prince William and Prince Harry in the sport. Gracida was also known as a consummate gentleman and beloved on and off the field. In a typical year, the entire
Gracida family would be in attendance at the match. While the pandemic has forced Grand Champions to close the club to spectators, Gracida’s sons, Carlitos and Nano, were still able to play in the four-chukker tournament. Manifold put the first goal on the board for Aspen Valley, with an answer by Grand Champions’ Phillips. Nano Gracido found the goal to end the first chukker 2-1 in favor of Aspen Valley. Nano Gracida showed that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in the second chukker, scoring another goal and successfully converting a penalty two to put Aspen Valley up 4-1. Pulido scored to end the half at 2-4 in favor of Aspen Valley. Both teams played a tough defense in the third chukker, and neither team was able to score. Bickford found the goal to score for Aspen Valley in the final chukker, while Carlitos Gracida
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Volunteers Needed! We are looking for volunteers in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach!
Please call 561-568-8818 or visit www.WellingtonCaresorg.com for more information Wellington Cares volunteers to help meet the needs of our growing senior residents. Volunteering is based on your schedule. Wellington Cares, is a 50 I ( c) 3 community based not-for-profit organization committed to coordinating volunteers of all ages serving in a time exchange format to enable persons age 65 or older who require assistance to remain in their home with the support of the Wellington community residents and local organizations.
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NEWS
ANNUAL THANKSGIVING SALE BRINGS EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY TO TACKERIA The Tackeria, Wellington’s iconic equestrian emporium, held its 27th annual Thanksgiving Sale on Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28 with savings throughout the store. The sale regularly brings in horse lovers from all over, looking for unique equestrian items. The Tackeria is located at 13501 South Shore Blvd. in Wellington. Visit www.tackeria.com for more info. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Tackeria General Manager Lou Cuthbertson with store owner Tony Coppola.
Laurraine Poat bought herself a new helmet.
Barbara Foose selects a gift for a friend.
Anna Niehaus, Kay Moss and Noreen O’Sullivan.
Tyler Smith with Bainbridge Farm selects equine health and wellness items.
Barbara Brady won a duffle bag.
Maeve Blodgett found some items for her horse Veti.
Dakota Zehler enjoys some shopping. Sales Associate Audrey Melvin with Matty O’Rourke, joined by dogs Argos and Buddy.
Melody Shapiro and Barbara Taggart with Brady.
Scarlett Siskind with her mother, Wellington Vice Mayor Tanya Siskind.
y r r e M tmas Chris Happyah Hanuk
Suzanne Debaugh helps Tyler Smith load up.
Sales Associate Suzanne Debaugh checks equine health and wellness items.
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SPORTS NEWS, PAGE 21 • PALMS WEST PEOPLE, PAGES 24-25 • BUSINESS NEWS, PAGE 27 • COLUMNS, PAGE 28 • CLASSIFIEDS, PAGES 29 & 30
FEATURES
Seminole Ridge Basketball Girls Kick Off Season With A Win
By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report This year’s season is off to a strong start for the girls varsity basketball team at Seminole Ridge High School. The Hawks opened up the season with a big win at home, defeating West Boca Raton High School 69-27 on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Because of COVID-19, the number of regular season games this year has been cut from 25 down to 15.
According to Seminole Ridge head coach Maria Hudson, the current varsity roster only has seven players, but that won’t detract from the team’s main goal of repeating as district champs this year. “Last season, again with only seven players, we won our first district title,” said Hudson, now entering her fourth year as the head coach. For the team to win the district title, Hudson needs contributions
Junior Ashley Thornton goes by the nickname “Micro.”
from each player in every game and in every practice. The Hawks are led by senior cocaptain Jahnae Midget, who plays on the wing. She is committed to attending Palm Beach Atlantic University next year to play basketball and to study toward her goals of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. After looking at Midget’s statistics after the season-opening win against West Boca, it’s clear that she is a complete player. She scored 22 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists and had two steals. Hudson loves Midget’s positive attitude and commitment to excellence. “She could have played for any of the area powerhouse schools, but she chose to attend Seminole Ridge because of our biotech program,” Hudson said. “She has stayed here all four years.” The team’s other co-captain is junior Aspen Johnson. Hudson knows that Johnson is a talented athlete who can score and will eventually play college basketball. Johnson missed her sophomore year due to an injury but is now 100 percent healthy. “Aspen is going places,” Hudson said. “She is a special player. We missed her last year. She has come back from her injury stronger and better than ever.” Johnson, who stands an even six feet, scored 30 points in the season opener against West Boca. Senior center/power forward
Lynzie Smikle is one of the more physical players on the Seminole Ridge team. “She is our primary rebounder,” Hudson said. “She takes all the bumps and bruises down low. She also plays on the football team here at Seminole Ridge.” Senior small forward Timyah Wrisper does many things in games that help the team win, yet her good deeds rarely appear in the box score. “Timyah hustles, dives for loose balls and defends very well,” Hudson said. The best word to describe sophomore small forward Kiori Butler is “passionate.” “Kiori gets after it in practice and in every game,” Hudson explained. “In our first game, she grabbed 10 rebounds, had six steals and seven assists.” Junior Ashley Thornton, who goes by the nickname “Micro,” is the team’s main point guard. Hudson said the team is blessed to have such a talented floor general. Why “Micro?” “Ashley is super small, as she only stands 5-foot-2, but she plays like she’s 6-foot-8,” Hudson said. “She has no fear of bigger and taller players.” The seventh player on the squad is sophomore power forward Emily McKenzie, who represents the future of the program. “Emily is new to the team, and she’s still getting used to playing varsity basketball,” Hudson said. “But she is getting better every day.”
Junior Aspen Johnson is a talented athlete on the team who will likely go on to play college basketball.
Senior co-captain Jahnae Midget is a leader on the team.
Joshua Zuchowski Helps Lead TKA Lions To Swimming Success
By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report When it comes to the swimming program at The King’s Academy, as junior swimmer Joshua Zuchowski goes, so goes the rest of the Lions’ squad. If there’s any athlete at any school on any team in any sport who can accurately be classified as a catalyst, it’s Zuchowski. His results in the swimming pool speak for themselves, and they clearly help energize and motivate his teammates. At the recently completed Flor-
ida High School Athletic Association’s Class 1A state swim meet at the Sailfish Splash Waterpark Aquatic Center in Stuart on Sunday, Nov. 15, Zuchowski won two individual events and was a member of two second-place relay teams. For the second-straight year, Zuchowski was the FHSAA Class 1A state champion in the 200-yard individual medley. And for the third year in a row, he was the FHSAA Class 1A state champion in the 100-yard backstroke. Meanwhile, by the end of this
year’s state meet, the boys swim team from TKA had achieved its best-ever result at this state meet — 222 points and a solid secondplace finish behind longtime state swimming powerhouse Jacksonville Bolles. The girls swim team from TKA also had a program-best finish at the meet — 125 points, good enough for fifth place. Jonathan Zuchowski, the head coach of the swimming program and Joshua’s father, was delighted with the performance of his squad. “I am very proud of the boys and the girls,” Coach Zuchowski said.
“They met all of our expectations, which were very high.” He praised his team in advance of the meet in Stuart because of their ever-present team-focused attitude. “I told both teams these are the best swimming teams in TKA history,” Coach Zuchowski recalled. “Let’s make the most of our opportunity. I was hoping for second place for the boys and top five for the girls. It was about the team this year more than other years, and not about any one individual.” Will the TKA boys dethrone
The King’s Academy junior swimmer Joshua Zuchowski took two individual titles and helped his team to a second place finish in the state championships.
Bolles next year in the team competition? Probably not. “Nobody beats Bolles,” Coach Zuchowski said. “They get swimmers from all around the world. My whole team is from Palm Beach County. Our girls are young, and their best days are ahead of them. Our boys will be competitive at states next year — a top-five team. We lose seven seniors on the boys team.” As for Joshua Zuchowski, his performances in Stuart were nothing short of brilliant and dominant. In the championship final of the 200-yard IM, his winning time was 1:46.85, which was nearly five seconds off his morning qualifying time and was nearly three seconds faster than his nearest competitor — Logan Ingerick, a junior from Berkeley Prep in Tampa. Zuchowski and Ingerick finished one-two in the 200-yard IM at last year’s state meet as well. Zuchowski’s time was fast enough for an automatic AllAmerican classification, and it was just off the FHSAA’s state record in this event. It’s not a question of if Zuchowski will break the 200-yard IM state mark next year, it’s a question of how low will he go. “Josh is good enough to go easy in the morning sessions. So, he went easy. It was not a surprise,” Coach Zuchowski said. “Actually, he was slower than we hoped in finals. With the meet being moved from Friday (Nov. 13) to Sunday (Nov. 15) hurt him a lot. But no excuses. He should have broken the 200 IM record this year. Next year, he will break it.” In the 100-yard backstroke, Zuchowski led from start to finish. At the halfway point, it was clearly Zuchowski’s race to win or lose. His 47.45 time — fast enough for another automatic All-American classification — was more than three seconds faster than the second-place finisher.
Zuchowski’s role on two of his team’s relay squads — 200-yard medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay — played a big part in their two strong second-place finishes. In the championship final of the 200-yard medley relay, Zuchowski was the only swimmer to break 23 seconds in the opening backstroke leg. His 22.17 time gave his team an early lead in that race. Other strong individual performances by other members of the Lions’ swim team were third by senior Pace Edwards in the boys 200-yard freestyle; sixth by freshman Logananne Zielinski in the girls 100-yard freestyle; seventh by Zielinski in the girls 50-yard freestyle; ninth by eighth-grader Kiersten Munna in the girls 500yard freestyle; ninth by freshman Noah Smith and 10th by junior Eric Kempisty in the boys 100yard backstroke; 10th by Munna in the girls 200-yard freestyle; 12th by sophomore Madison Sipowski in the girls 200-yard IM; 14th by junior Christian Proscia in the boys 100-yard butterfly; third by Pace and 10th by Proscia in boys 500-yard freestyle; and 12th by senior Rachel Clancy and 14th by Sipowski in the girls 100-yard breaststroke. TKA senior Noah Sipowski deserves special recognition for his second-place finish in the boys 50-yard freestyle. He was the runner-up by the slimmest of margins — one-hundredth of a second. In the all-important relays, where points for the team race are worth twice as much as individual performances, the King’s Academy boys finished second in the 200-yard medley relay, sixth in the 200-yard freestyle relay and second in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The girls finished 12th in the 200-yard medley relay, third in the 200-yard freestyle relay and fourth in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
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NEWS
SOUTH FLORIDA FAIRGROUNDS HOSTS THE 46TH ANNUAL HARVEST FESTIVAL
The 46th annual Harvest Festival was held on Saturday, Nov. 21 and Sunday, Nov. 22 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. The event included a craft show, car show, pony rides, petting zoo, climbing wall, bungee jump, food, music and more. Santa and Mrs. Claus were there to hear Christmas wishes and pose for photos. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER
Ilan Benari and mom Yael Edison with Alex Wilt and mom Lilah Berman.
Santa and Mrs. Claus visit with Elianna Restivo.
Auden Jones with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Dad Dave with Dominic Ventura on pony Jazzy led by Scott.
Mike Vondracek, Allan Kaye, Debra Armstrong and Neil Boyle of the Beach Boys tribute band Endless Summer.
Zemora and Jamal Bogues enjoy some corn.
Frances Kasselakis and her son Bobby Kasselakis of Greek Flame Foods.
Mielena and Miguel Guanche enjoy the day with dog Mia.
DJ Scott the Music Man from CruisinSouthFlorida.com. Barky Pines Animal Rescue’s Lori McHale, Kyle Carames, Debbie Shields and Brittany Carames.
Author Todd Zoellick sells and signs his books.
Art Rauch with a 1955 Chevy Sedan Delivery.
Arlissa of Island Resort Wear.
Patti Ingram looks at wood chimes.
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December 4 - December 17, 2020
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PALMS WEST PEOPLE
John Shwiner Of Wellington Receives President’s Volunteer Service Award
John Shwiner of Wellington was one of more than a dozen Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) Foundation volunteers who recently received the 2019 President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA), which honors those whose service positively impacts their communities and inspires those around them to do the same. This program allows certifying organizations, which are granted the authority to give out these awards, to recognize their extraordinary volunteers. The 2019 FCS Foundation volunteers completed a total of 5,149 hours at the Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) clinics and foundation office, earning each individual either a gold or silver award. Anne Byron (FCS Fort Myers Cancer Center), Sherry Lindgren
Audrey DellaVecchia with her illustrated poem.
Audrey DellaVecchia Among Illustrated Poem Contest Winners
Wellington Landings Middle School sixth-grade student Audrey DellaVecchia was recently named one of the winners of the South Florida illustrated poem contest for National Chemistry Week. She was the winner in the middle school category (grades six to eight) for all of South Florida. The competition is held annually by the American Chemical Society for National Chemistry Week. As part of NCW 2020, 800
students nationwide from grades K-12 shared their interpretation of the theme “Sticking with Chemistry” in the form of illustrated poems. South Florida received 160 entries, and DellaVecchia was selected as one of the four firstplace winners. She received an award certificate and a $25 gift card. Her poem was also entered into the national ACS competition. Her artwork and poem were sponsored by her teacher, Teresa Cameron.
iff’s Office Community Advisory Group as group lead and teaches high school seniors personal finance for Junior Achievement. He is also team captain for his local neighborhood watch group. Shwiner is a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Founded in 2003 by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, the PVSA recognizes the role of volunteers in America’s strength and identity. “We are thrilled to have so many dedicated and supportive volunteers,” FCS Foundation Board Chairman Dr. Michael Diaz said. “Whether assisting patients in the clinics or aiding applicants with processing grant applications by phone, they each have made an enormous positive impact for patients and their communities.”
With the goal of promoting lifelong learning opportunities for registered nurses, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Palm Beach State College to support Health Care District RNs in obtaining PBCSC’s bachelor of science in nursing degree. “This partnership with Palm Beach State College affords our dedicated Health Care District nurses an economical pathway to advance their educational and leadership skills by earning a bachelor of science in nursing degree that accommodates their work schedules,” said Steven Hurwitz, the Health Care District’s vice president and chief human resources and administrative officer. Palm Beach State College began its bachelor of science in nursing program in 2012. Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, this “RN to BSN” bridge program is offered 100 percent online and is open exclusively to licensed registered nurses who have earned an associate’s degree or diploma. The Health Care District nurses will add to the more than 400 RNs from throughout the state who
throughout the community. The Gulf Stream Council partnered with local beneficiaries, such as the Salvation Army of Indian River County, the Ecumenical Pantry, Mustard Seed Ministries, House of Hope, the Tree of Life Foundation and the Palm Beach County Food Bank to collect a record-breaking 67,687 pounds of food for those in need this holiday season. In 2019, scouts collected 49,156 pounds of food. This year, scouts collected 67,687 pounds of food. This was a 38 percent increase in food collected. The Gulf Stream Council thanks sponsor Tire Kingdom TBC Corporation for making this food drive possible. The Gulf Stream Council has been serving the youth of Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Henry, Glades and Okeechobee counties for more than 104 years. For more info., visit www.gulfstreamcouncil.org.
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have earned PBSC’s BSN degree to date. This degree is an asset for registered nurses across the Health Care District’s programs. These programs include the public healthcare system’s rural, acute-care teaching hospital, primary care clinics, skilled nursing home, trauma agency and its more than 200 registered nurses in nearly all of the public schools. To encourage participation, the Health Care District’s employee benefits plan offers a higher reimbursement rate toward tuition for the RN to BSN program than other college degree programs. The goal is for a cohort of the Health Care District’s registered nurses to attend Palm Beach State College’s classes together to help support each other. Earning a BSN is increasingly important for nurses due to changes in healthcare delivery, the complex medical challenges of an aging population and the growing preference of healthcare facilities to hire nurses with advanced education. “Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system, as exemplified by the Health Care District nurses, who take care of us in so
Lisa Einsteder is a school health nurse supervisor with the Health Care District of Palm Beach County and a recent graduate of Palm Beach State College’s bachelor of science in nursing program. many ways,” said Louise Aurelien, director of PBSC’s BSN program. “Our team of faculty and advisors look forward to providing these hard-working nurses the focused support, relevant engagement and academic rigor that will allow them to grow professionally and transition to leadership roles.” Earning the degree has already made a difference for Lisa Einsteder, a school health nurse supervisor
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FCS Foundation Executive Director Lynn Rasys agreed. “We are grateful for the commitment and hard work these individuals have provided to the FCS Foundation and cancer clinics,” Rasys said. “Congratulations to this special group of volunteers.”
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Local Scouts Collect Food To Fight Hunger Amid Pandemic
The Gulf Stream Council of the Boy Scouts of America once again partnered with residents to fight against hunger during the annual Scouting for Food initiative. Without COVID-19, food insecurity effects almost 40 million Americans, and approximately 6.8 million of them are children. This means these families were uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food to meet the needs of all their members. If you add in families who may be experiencing hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those statistics dramatically increase. To help alleviate hunger in the community, roughly 6,000 scouts canvassed area neighborhoods on Saturday, Nov. 7 to distribute food-collection bags and door hangers to homes. The following weekend, Saturday, Nov. 14, Scouts picked up the bags filled with non-perishable items and delivered them to local food pantries
(FCS Foundation office) and John Shwiner (FCS Wellington North) individually volunteered more than 500 hours of service during the year, earning them the gold award level. Shwiner has been a patient support volunteer (PSV) for the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation in Wellington for five years and also became the volunteer group lead, joining the board of the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation in 2018. He retired from Chevron as a retail business consultant after 43 years of employment and served as president of Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County for 20 years. Shwiner is a member of the American Legion Post in Wellington as public relations officer and adjutant. He is also a volunteer for the Palm Beach County Sher-
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PALMS WEST PEOPLE
Kids Cancer Foundation Holds Gobble Gobble Fall Festival At Wellington Green
The Kids Cancer Foundation hosted its annual Gobble Gobble Fall Festival on Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Live 360 Studio in the Mall at Wellington Green. The socially distanced event was held differently than in years past, but a success nonetheless. With all the hardship faced during 2020, families enjoyed this opportunity to come together. Every family received fall harvest bags of Thanksgiving meal fixings and Publix gift cards toward their Thanksgiving turkeys. Children were entertained by Clay Haus of Palm Beach Gardens, which brought clay ornaments to paint. The children’s creations will then be used in the shop’s
Christmas tree window display this year. Each child was also given Disney Trading Post lanyards, takehome crafts and blankets provided by Journey Church of Lake Worth. Through the support of The Acreage community, Ninkirk Ministries and the Asofsky Family Foundation, the KCF families left the event stocked and prepared for their Thanksgiving feasts. The Kids Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit charity founded in 2001 with a mission to provide hope and support to local children and families battling childhood cancer and/or blood disorders. For more information, visit www. kidscancersf.org.
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LITERACY LINKS GOLF TOURNAMENT
Supporters of the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County recently swung into action to raise nearly $35,000 for the nonprofit. Fifty players participated in the Literacy Links golf tournament held at the Palm Beach Par 3. The winning foursome, who have played together since the fundraising tournament started four years ago, was (shown above) Peter Bonutti, Glen and Harrison Calder, and Iain Calder. The annual tournament helps provide adults and children in need with links to literacy to succeed in school and life. Learn more about the Literacy Coalition at www.literacypbc.org.
Children enjoyed painting clay ornaments.
Wellington Honored By Safety Council Of PBC
Participating families received fall harvest bags at the event.
It was a fun way to get together in a socially distanced manner.
PBCHS Project Graduation 2021 Seeking Support From Community
As seniors embark on their last year of high school, no one can deny this year is a challenge for everyone. Senior year is supposed to be filled with special events like homecoming, club activities, sporting events and the fun of just hanging out with friends. For the Class of 2021, school has been watching each other on computer screens, no football homecoming, virtual clubs and no cheering your classmates in their sports. However, the parents at Palm
Beach Central High School are trying to bring as much happiness as possible to seniors and are moving forward with planning Project Graduation 2021 and need your help. Project Graduation is an allnight, lock-in celebration in a drugfree, alcohol-free environment that keeps seniors safe on their graduation night in June 2021. This is PBCHS Project Graduation’s 17th anniversary of hosting this event with the goal of
entertaining and feeding more than 450 graduates throughout the night. This annual tradition brings students, faculty, parents and community partners together to provide seniors a safe environment to celebrate their graduation. This event has proven to be very popular in providing wonderful memories to last a lifetime, while keeping graduates and the community safe. Local businesses are asked to partner Project Graduation 2021
The Safety Council of Palm Beach County recently honored the Village of Wellington with two safety awards. The village received the Merit Award for Worker Safety, which reaffirms staff’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all Wellington employees while always striving to keep safety at the forefront, with a focus on education and training to prevent accidents. One of the highlights of this year’s awards was the village’s “Be Safe, Be Seen” initiative that focused on incorporating high-visibility safety uniforms among operational and field staff. Village
at PBCHS. Any donation of goods, services or financial support is greatly appreciated. All donations will be acknowledged with a letter. Financial donations are tax deductible and forms are available upon request. To participate, e-mail pbchsprojectgrad@gmail.com for sponsorship information and benefits or to schedule a pick-up. For more info., contact Student Activities Director Donna Baxter at donna.baxter@ palmbeachschools.org.
employees are accountable to be seen and to be safe. The initiative increased safety awareness and reaffirms the village’s safety-first culture. Wellington also received the Merit Award for Vehicle Safety. This is the village’s third consecutive year earning this recognition of its vehicle program as one of the safest in Palm Beach County. The Safety Council of Palm Beach County recognizes water districts, municipalities, counties, construction, agriculture, transportation, hospitality, service and public safety organizations for demonstrating a commitment to safety.
Wellington Public Works Department employees in their reflective safety vests.
Pets Are Family, Too! By Randall S. Dugal, D.V.M.
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Both dogs and cats can intuitively sense when their routines are about to change. Suddenly they are under the bed, in a dark closet, behind the bureau, or nowhere to be found. Before taking your cat for a vet visit, bring the cat carrier into the home a few days in advance. Put their favorite blanket or towel inside, and add a small food treat. Both cats and dogs benefit from their humans staying calm and patient. Dogs may like to be restrained in the car to help them feel safe. Lots of praise, physical contact, and soft assurances can help as well. Lastly, calm music can mask road noise and help ease your anxiety. Consider bringing your cat or dog to your veterinarian’s office on a day when she’s feeling well. Let her sniff around the waiting room and scope out an exam room if it’s all right with the staff. Give her a treat or two and then return home. Next time, she’ll think the vet is a great place to visit. Please call COMMUNITY ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF ROYAL PALM BEACH at 798-5508 for appointments or emergencies pertaining to your pet’s health. We are conveniently located at 11462 Okeechobee Blvd., 1/4 mile east of Royal Palm Beach Blvd.
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The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Honors the memory of
Deputy Sheriff Donta J. Manuel The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office would like to take this opportunity to remember the dedication to service from Deputy Donta J. Manuel who was killed in the line of duty on November 28, 2007 while serving the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Palm Beach County.
AND Deputy Sheriff Jonathan D. Wallace The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office would like to take this opportunity to remember the dedication to service from Deputy Jonathan D. Wallace who was killed in the line of duty on November 28, 2007 while serving the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Palm Beach County
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December 4 - December 17, 2020
It’s not simply about portfolio holdings and account balances. It’s about your complete life. You should have a wealth management partner who understands that. Who cares about your personal goals for your family, your business, your future. Who can give you comfort in making decisions that not only support your financial objectives, but that help ensure you have time to do things you enjoy with those you love.
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WELLINGTON ART SOCIETY
Presents
Artscapes
Virtual Exhibit 1 Nov. 2020 - 4 Jan. 2021 Featuring 25 artists and 81 original artworks by WAS members Stained Glass | Photography | Painting Mixed Media | Drawing
All artwork is for sale - a portion of proceeds goes towards WAS Scholarship and Outreach Programs.
Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Boynton Financial Group, Inc. is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. CFP Board owns the CFP® marks in the United States. Investment Advisory Services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc.
View at: www.WellingtonartSociety.org The Wellington Art Society is a non-profit charitable organization In its 38th year. It is open to artists of all mediums and patrons of the arts, allowing both local and regional artists to display their art work in local galleries, interact with other artists and serve the community through their art.
For further information please visit www.wellingtonartsociety.org
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December 4 - December 17, 2020
Page 27
BUSINESS NEWS
Santa Breakfast Celebrates Holiday Season’s Arrival At Wellington Green
The Mall at Wellington Green hosted “A Very Merry Little Santa Breakfast” for the community on Saturday, Nov. 21. This sought-after holiday event allows children to look forward to the holidays and be part of Santa’s arrival. With the pandemic, the Mall at Wellington Green’s management team took careful consideration on how to move forward safely.
Everyone was required to pre-register to monitor number of attendees, with a maximum capacity of six family members per registration. Once they checked in, wearing masks, they were greeted by Chick-fil-A, which handed out pre-packaged breakfasts. All families were required to sit only one family per table, where they were met by volunteers from the
Wellington Volleyball Academy to seat them. Holiday music filled the food court, the tables were filled with holiday décor, crayons and holiday crowns were left on the tables for kids, and the Ice Princess, Polar Bear and Dancing Christmas Tree made their way around to greet each child. Once everyone was seated, groups of entertainment made
Santa stopped by each table individually.
their way around to each section to entertain the guests so they never had to get up from their table. Girl Scouts sang Christmas carols and ballerinas from the Acrobatic and Dance Academy danced ballet to holiday music. The premier guest, Santa Claus, masked up without accepting hugs or high fives, made his way to each and every table where he could complete each
Young ballerinas perform at the event.
Jacks Named President Of Statewide Group Palm Beach County Property Appraiser Dorothy Jacks was recently elected to serve as president of the Florida Association of Property Appraisers (FAPA). “I am honored to be chosen to lead this professional organization,” Jacks said. “FAPA members are committed to upholding the
highest professional standards in the real estate assessment industry. They have advocated for legislation that has real benefit for Florida taxpayers, including, most recently, Amendment 5.” Amendment 5 on the Nov. 3 ballot passed, increasing the period of time from two years to three years
during which accrued “Save Our Homes” benefits may be transferred from a prior homestead to a new homestead. “FAPA takes a leadership role in the field of constitutionally authorized property appraisers,” Jacks said. “And that will continue with my leadership role at FAPA.”
FAPA member counties represent more than 80 percent of the total taxable real estate value and population in the State of Florida. FAPA, in its professional meetings and seminars, provides continuing education and legislative updates to its members on a regular basis.
New Dental Office Opening In Acreage/Loxahatchee Area
Dr. Mariannina Savoca Astudillo will soon be offering dental services to the Acreage/Loxahatchee community at her new office, Loxahatchee Dental Care. The new full-service, state-of-theart family dental practice is set to open on Friday, Dec. 18. Loxahatchee Dental Care will be fully equipped with the latest products and equipment available in the dental industry, offering Astudillo and her dental team the
opportunity to provide the most up-to-date procedures and services to patients. From routine cleanings and fillings to more in-depth restorative and cosmetic services, patients can expect individualized care to help them keep their teeth for a lifetime. “We are excited to be joining the Loxahatchee community to offer high-quality dental services to families and individuals of all ages,” Astudillo said. “Our mission is to provide exceptional
experiences to each patient who walks through our doors.” Astudillo earned a doctorate of dental medicine degree from Nova Southeastern University’s College of Dental Medicine, as well as a doctorate of dental surgery from Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho University in Barcelona, Venezuela. She is an active member of the American Dental Association and the Florida Dental Association. “Dental health is vital to overall
health, so we want to help our patients make the best decisions for their care,” Astudillo said. “We plan to educate patients on the importance of dental care and encourage them to adopt an ongoing preventative care routine.” Loxahatchee Dental Care is located at 15800 Orange Blvd. The office is accepting new patients. Appointments can be made by calling (561) 440-5723 or visiting www.loxahatcheedentalcare.com.
Channon Delgado Moves Her Brightway Insurance Agency
While the country’s response to the pandemic has caused many business operations to pause, Brightway Insurance remains committed to customers. Customers of Brightway Royal Palm Beach can expect the same great local, expert counsel and the broadest possible choice in insurance brands at a new location, now
that the agency has moved to 2101 Vista Parkway, Suite 250, in the Vista Center business park. “We’re thrilled to deliver the same level of expert counsel that consumers have grown to expect from Brightway at our new location,” Agency Owner Channon Delgado said. “We continue to offer the broadest choice of in-
surance brands, so we can do the shopping for you. We’re available to assist customers in person at our new location, by telephone at (561) 798-5535 and by e-mailing channon.delgado@brightway.com.” Brightway Royal Palm Beach opened in 2010 and offers customized home, condo, renters, auto, flood, RV, motorcycle, boat,
umbrella and business insurance policies from numerous insurance brands. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday by appointment. To learn more about Brightway Royal Palm Beach, visit www. brightwayroyalpalmbeach.com or call (561) 798-5535.
child’s holiday wish list and stand nearby for a photo. With the help of the many volunteers and the eager and flexible community, Santa’s Very Merry Breakfast was a successful, safe and happy event at the Mall at Wellington Green. “A lot of thought went in to making sure this event was planned just right and safe for our community.
These children will never get these years back, and we were so happy to be able to provide them with this experience,” said Meghan Buser, Live 360 community liaison for the Mall at Wellington Green. Reservations are still available to visit Santa at the Mall at Wellington Green and can be made at www.shopwellingtongreen. com.
The Ice Princess and the Polar Bear were also on hand to celebrate the season.
Stock Custom Homes Welcomes New East Coast Director Of Operations
Stock Custom Homes has added Mark Richards as its new director of operations for its east coast division. Richards works handin-hand with both the president of Stock Custom Homes and his team to provide each customer with their dream home and a seamless, quality customer experience along the way. Richards is focused on the construction experience while also working on developing new business and providing new clients with an opportunity to build their dream home. Richards is a third-generation home builder and has more than 15 years of leadership experience in homebuilding operations, including custom luxury homes, new product design, accounting and finance, construction, purchasing and development. He worked his way up from project manager to director of construction in his previous position, managing a $300 million community with more than 2,000 new homes in the Palm Beach area. Richards is also an active member of the Florida Gold Coast Builder’s Association and the Florida Home Building Association. Stock Custom Homes continues its rapid expansion throughout
Mark Richards Florida as it brings the highest quality and customer experience it’s known for to the east coast. The award-winning division currently has multiple homes either available or under construction in the exclusive Palm Beach Polo Golf & Country Club in Wellington. An incredible 13,000-square-foot oceanfront estate with a private beach is also under construction in Palm Beach. For more information about Stock Custom Homes, visit www. stockcustomhomes.com or call (239) 249-6400.
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December 4 - December 17, 2020
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FEATURES
Christmas Time Is Here, And I’m More Than Ready To Celebrate
Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas! It’s OK to get excited about it now because it’s finally — finally — December. Usually, I’m somewhat apologetic about my obsession with the season, but not this year. This year, the mittens are off! It has been a horrible, bad, depressing, downright tragic year, and no matter what form the holiday must take, I’m going to celebrate it to the fullest. My shopping is done. Of course, I only do it early for two reasons: 1) to get the good stuff before it’s gone and 2) to get all these must-buys taken care of early so I can focus on impulse purchases alone. You know, the phrase “impulse pur-
Deborah Welky is
The Sonic BOOMER chase” has gotten a bad rap over the years. It suggests the buying of something you didn’t want, don’t need and maybe can’t even afford just because it was placed in an area near the check-out where you’d be sure to see it just as you take out your wallet.
An “impulse purchase” can be anything from a pair of socks to a pack of gum. The items are usually small, inexpensive and attractively displayed. And who goes into a store specifically to buy a pair of red-and-white striped candycane socks, anyway? Almost no one. So I get it and, this year especially, I am embracing it with all my heart. My loved ones are about to receive the electronic gadget of their choice — as well as a pair of candycane socks, some peppermint gum, lip balm, keychains, shoehorns, nail clippers, chocolate mints, photo frames, jinglebells, pocket mirrors, potato chip clips and a parrrrrr-tri-idge in a pear tree!
My front porch is decorated. The windowbox is overflowing with colorful (unbreakable!) ornaments, and the little live fir tree has settled into its urn. The tree is up. Now, that was an undertaking. I was surprised to see racks of Christmas trees at Costco where, for 40 bucks and a roll of the dice, you toss one into your mammoth, Costco-sized cart and don’t see what your tree looks like until you get home. I had never done this before, but with a full four years of alarming surprises behind me, I was feeling quite jaded. Imagine my delight when I cut the twine from a perfect Christmas tree! Things are definitely looking up!
I dragged out my four boxes of ornaments and got to work. (Now, when I say “four boxes,” I don’t mean those boxes that Target sells, each one containing 8 to 12 adorable little orbs nestled sweetly in individually molded compartments. No. I mean those boxes that 12 reams of copy paper come in. And my ornaments are crammed into those four boxes like sardines — no tissue paper, no love — it’s the survival of the fittest. May the best-spun glass angel win. Of course, I still have my cookies to bake, my family newsletters to write, my cards to address and my packages to mail — but hey, I had to save some of the fun until the last minute, didn’t I?
‘Queen’s Gambit’ On Netflix Is Perhaps The Year’s Best Drama
The new hit mini-series on Netflix The Queen’s Gambit is worth viewing. It is one of the best entries on that service this year. It is so well-done that it takes your breath away. Remember the old days when dramas were real, where characters actually had issues that had to be faced and sometimes could not overcome them? This short series does that and does it well. The name comes from a well-known chess opening move, one that allows the queen, the most powerful piece in chess, to move around the board. And it has meaning in this film, which focuses on a young woman’s rise in the almost all-male chess world of the 1960s. Based on Walter Tevis’s 1983 novel, the screenplay was written by Scott Frank who, along with Allan Scott, produced this for Netflix. The story, which is fictional, focuses on young Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), a chess prodigy, who struggles with drug and alcohol dependency, as well as emo-
‘I’ On CULTURE By Leonard Wechsler tional problems, many of which were caused by outside issues in her life. She (Isla Johnston plays nine-year-old Beth) is orphaned in Lexington, Kentucky, in the 1950s when her mother dies in a car crash, and Beth is sent to an orphanage. The place, filled with “well meaning” adults, dispenses tranquilizers daily to the kids (something that actually did happen) and turns nine-year-old Beth into an addict. However, the pills allow her to better visualize the chess board after she is taught to play by the place’s custodian,
Mr. Shaibel (Bill Camp). She wins some matches against local players, providing some satisfaction, but after overdosing on the tranquilizers is forbidden to play chess. Later she is adopted by Alma Wheatley (Marielle Heller) and her husband, a local couple who at first are unsure of what to do with her. But after Alma is deserted by her husband, Beth is able to provide income by winning tournaments. Yet she still depends heavily on drugs and is emotionally unstable. Her strongest attachment is to Jolene (Moses Ingram), a somewhat older orphan who provides a bit of stability. She had a variety of relationships with men, most of which are somewhat one-sided when she finds that she has trouble maintaining her emotional balance. Former Kentucky state chess champion Harry Beltik (Harry Melling) works at helping her, as does journalist D.L. Townes (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd). But those relationships
seem more a matter of their giving without getting much back. Benny Watts (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) provides more emotional balance as a competitor and later friend. In the end, the series becomes very much a sort of female Rocky as Jolene uses this support system to move forward in the chess world despite the open misogyny of the chess community. Taylor-Joy gives an amazing performance. She is wonderfully able to balance the very high highs as well as the shattering lows of Beth’s life. At a time when we seldom see real emotional extremes, or at least both from the same character, she takes over the story, dragging us along with her every inch of the way. That she is constantly being abused (her original addiction forced on her, her disassociation enhanced by her experiences at the orphanage, compounded by regular desertion from those she cares about) and finally able to find her place as those
she has mistrusted form a caring support group, only increases the drama. All of the performers are exceptional. I would particularly single out Ingram and Brodie-Sangster for their work in very tricky roles, ones that could have become stereotypes but instead were great character studies. The adults at the orphanage were super sweet and horribly scary. The damage they did was enormous. I should add that the orphanage scenes were shot with a drained out color, a salute to some of the horror films of that era. A whole group of chess experts, particularly female ones, have endorsed the “reality” of this series, meaning that the world of chess has not changed much from an almost entirely male dynamic. We need a really strong “Billy Jean King” for the whole sport. In the meantime, this is a really worthwhile series. At a time when stupidity often seems to reign on television, this is a fine series to view.
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