OFFICIAL REPORTS STRONG WEF GROWTH SEE STORY, PAGE 3
RPB COUNCIL DISCUSSES EDUCATION SEE STORY, PAGE 4
WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE • WESTLAKE Your Community Newspaper
INSIDE
Volume 46, Number 10 May 16 - May 29, 2025
Serving Palms West Since 1980
CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2025
Pages 23 thru 25
Werner Objects To Cheaper Crosswalks At Westlake Businesses
It’s not about pavers, it’s about a commitment to consistent quality, Councilman Gary Werner said at the Westlake City Council’s Tuesday, May 6 meeting while discussing an amendment to the municipal code to give developers leeway in the type of crosswalks they can install within commercial properties. Page 3
Royal Palm Beach High School and Wellington High School honored the Class of 2025 at graduation ceremonies held Wednesday, May 14 at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center. (Above) WHS graduates Mackenzie Hays, Kaitlyn Strathie and Morgan Hays after their ceremony. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 (Left) RPBHS graduates Sebastian Manjarres, Jeronimo Burgos and Jaden Cannarella celebrate their success. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 15
Greater West Palm Women’s Club Presents Tea Party Fashion Show
The Greater West Palm Beach Women’s Club presented “A Garden Tea Par ty Fashion Show” on Saturday, May 10 at the Fountains Country Club. Fashions were provided by Anthony’s Ladies Apparel. Page 16
PHOTOS BY FRANK KOESTER/TOWN-CRIER
Cultural Diversity Day Returns To Royal Palm Beach Veterans Park
On Saturday, May 10, CAFCI and the Village of Royal Palm Beach hosted the annual Cultural Diversity Day at Veterans Park. Attendees enjoyed delicious cultural foods from vendors, shopping and live entertainment representing a wide array of cultures. Page 18
Seminole Ridge Flag Football Team Captures The State Title
For the sixth time in school history, the Seminole Ridge High School girls varsity flag football team has won the state championship. On Saturday, May 10, the Hawks defeated Lawton Chiles High School from Tallahassee in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 3A state final, 26-2. Page 21 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS...............................3 - 18 NEWS BRIEFS......................... 7 SPORTS..........................21 - 24 PEOPLE................................. 25 SCHOOLS.............................. 26 BUSINESS............................. 27 COLUMNS............................. 28 CLASSIFIEDS................ 29 - 30 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM
Wellington Safety Operation Takes Aim At Golf Cart Drivers
By Charles Elmore Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington is considering speed signs on multi-modal pathways heavily traveled by golf carts after a law-enforcement sweep resulted in 66 written warnings and 15 citations, Wellington officials said this week. The point of “Operation Fairway” was to remind residents of the rules that Wellington put in place even as it has moved in recent years to accommodate such trendy transportation outside golf courses, Village Manager Jim Barnes said in an interview Tuesday, May 13. “We needed to make sure the community understood the rules and regulations we have in place, for their safety, given the increased popularity of golf carts throughout the community,” Barnes said. It seems clear enough that people do not always know what the rules are. In at least 35 cases during
Operation Fairway, golf cart drivers initiated encounters with Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office personnel to inquire, records show. The operation from April 21 to May 2 concentrated on areas including Greenview Shores Blvd., Binks Forest Drive, Bent Creek Road, Paddock Drive, Big Blue Trace, and shopping plazas such as the Wellington Marketplace and Courtyard Shops. Enforcement tended to focus on warnings, though 15 citations are mentioned in records. The most common reasons for deputies to make stops included failure to obey stop signs on multi-modal paths, exceeding 15 mph speed limits on multi-modal paths, or 25 mph on designated roads, operating on unauthorized roadways and operators not carrying identification. A possible next step is putting 15 mph speed signs on the wider multi-use paths carts are allowed
to use, Barnes said. These might go beneath small stop signs already in place to warn travelers they must stop at intersections with roads, he said. The speed limit for golf carts is 15 mph on multi-modal paths, and 25 mph on designated roads they can use, which are typically smaller roads within neighborhoods and not major thoroughfares with speed limits higher than 25 mph, according to village officials. Golf carts are allowed to move across some larger roads in approved crossing areas, with a few exceptions, such as State Road 7. Golf carts are allowed on multimodal paths, generally at least eight feet wide, but not on narrower sidewalks that might run within neighborhoods, or even along some major roads, such as portions of Forest Hill Blvd., officials noted. What about parking lots? Golf See GOLF CARTS, page 14
Judge’s Ruling Could Pave Way For Long-Delayed SR 7 Extension
By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report In the wake of a blowout 134page ruling by an administrative judge, the City of West Palm Beach seems to be running out of options to forestall the long-awaited extension of State Road 7 from 60th Street North to Northlake Blvd. Judge Francine Ffolkes ruled in favor of the Florida Department of Transportation on every issue related to West Palm Beach’s challenge of an environmental permit for the four-mile, four-lane stretch of road planned to run along the west side of the Grassy Waters Preserve, connecting to Northlake on the east side of the Ibis Golf & Country Club. “Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and the Conclusions of Law, it is recommended that [the] South Florida Water Management District enter a final order granting” FDOT’s 2023 application, wrote Ffolkes in her May 1 decision. The ruling could end a decadeslong battle over the roadway based on alleged damage it could cause to the Grassy Waters Preserve, from which West Palm Beach draws much of its drinking water. However, four lanes of Northlake have run through the preserve for years. Many SR 7 ad-
vocates say that West Palm Beach is merely kowtowing to a wealthy and well-connected enclave that does not want the traffic nearby. The Indian Trail Improvement District, which encompasses 110 square miles west of SR 7, would be most impacted by the extension or the continued lack thereof. Traffic stack-ups are an ongoing headache for the 50,000 residents of the semi-rural Acreage community, and those trying to pass through on its labyrinth of two-lane roads, some of which are dirt and gravel. “I’m ecstatic about the judge’s ruling,” ITID Supervisor Richard Vassalotti said this week. “I pray that it’s going to go through, but let’s just say I’m nervous and a bit skeptical… I’ll believe it when the last coat of asphalt is sealed.” Both parties have until Monday, May 19 to file an “exception” to the ruling with the SFWMD, Palm Beach County Commissioner Sara Baxter said Wednesday. Baxter lives in The Acreage, which is part of ITID. “I expect the city to appeal, but I would implore the city not to do so,” Baxter said. “It’s just more taxpayer dollars down the drain.” ITID President Elizabeth Accomando agreed. “I hope this puts an end to the lawsuits,” Accomando said. “The See SR 7 RULING, page 4
WELLINGTON DERBY PARTY A SUCCESS
Wellington came together Saturday, May 3 in the spirit of southern sophistication and heartfelt philanthropy during the annual Wellington Derby Party, hosted by the Wellington Community Foundation at Diamante Farms Dressage. The event delivered an unforgettable evening that brought together equestrian flair, gourmet dining and a shared commitment to support the local community. Shown above are Mia Liany, Sharon Zaidins, Dr. Jennifer Tucker, Paul Zaidins and Scott Smith dressed in their derby best. STORY & MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 PHOTO BY FRANK KOESTER/TOWN-CRIER
Lox Council Aims To Ban Personal Use Of Fireworks
By Joshua Manning Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council passed the first reading of an ordinance Tuesday, May 6 aimed at cracking down on the personal use of fireworks in the largely rural and equestrian community. However, there is some question as to whether the town can fully enforce the ordinance without also getting permission from the Florida Legislature.
The proposed ordinance prohibits the use of fireworks except for approved public displays, while allowing sparklers and other nonexplosive items defined by state law. It provides exemptions for emergency and agricultural use. “I am thrilled to see this,” Mayor Anita Kane said. While equestrians and other animal lovers in the town have been calling for restrictions on personal fireworks for years, Kane
noted that just last January, the town’s law firm had recommended against enacting an ordinance without first getting permission from the legislature. Wellington, for example, was granted permission from the legislature in 2020 to enact a personal fireworks ban, but only in that community’s Equestrian Preserve Area. Justification was based on the danger of fireworks to horses. “What changed in the past three
or four months?” Kane asked Town Attorney Glen Torcivia. “You are correct in that the opinion is that the state has preempted this, but the council seemed pretty adamant that you wanted to push forward, adopt this and basically challenge that law,” Torcivia said. One thing that has changed is that the area is in a severe drought, he noted. That was put into the reasons why the town decided to act now. Not only is there the danger
to horses, but there is now also a large danger to human health and safety in a very wooded community in a drought situation. “If you want to push the envelope, this is your opportunity to do so,” Torcivia said. “That was the direction I recall from the council in both March and April. You wanted to push this.” Kane noted that the new ordinance takes a stronger stand than See FIREWORKS, page 7
ITID Staff: Quarrying Own Rock Could Save Millions
By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report Saving money by the ton is the idea behind a plan to quarry road rock and more within Indian Trail Improvement District boundaries, according to ITID staff. “We’re always trying to see how to stretch dollars as much as possible,” said Rob Robinson, ITID’s associate executive director and chief construction officer, this month. However, Robinson said the recent sharp increase in the price of road rock purchased from Palm Beach Aggregates — from $12 per ton to $20 per ton — makes it almost a necessity for the district to find another source. The source could be the 120acre M-2 Impoundment Area off 180th Avenue North, on the far west side of the district, he said
during a March presentation to the ITID Board of Supervisors. Board members asked Robinson to come back with more details. He is expected to pitch the plan again at the supervisors’ Wednesday, May 21 meeting. In fiscal year 2025, ITID purchased 28,000 tons of road rock at a cost of $336,000 to maintain its 260 miles of dirt roads. That same tonnage in fiscal year 2026 is expected to cost $560,000 if purchased from Palm Beach Aggregates. While there are other less expensive suppliers, the distance from ITID would make transportation costs prohibitive, Robinson said. ITID employees have been excavating at the M-2 Impoundment for some 20 years, but there has never been sufficient equipment or manpower to quarry enough
rock to meet the district’s needs, said Robinson, who has been with ITID for nine years. Given the necessary equipment and an additional two or three employees, he said his team could excavate 55,000 tons of road rock per year over four years at a total cost of $9.60 per ton, saving the district $1.69 million. The team also would be quarrying and separating coarse aggregate (currently $38 per ton), fine aggregate ($32 per ton), No. 1 fill ($13 per ton), No. 2 fill ($6 per ton) and washout/stabilizer ($13 per ton) — all of which are used to maintain ITID canals, swales, rights-of-way and more, Robinson noted. Thus, the total saving would be $2.9 million over four years. “It appears we have a gold mine under our feet,” Supervisor See QUARRY, page 4
The Indian Trail Improvement District is looking into the idea of quarrying its own road rock, possibly from the 120-acre M-2 Impoundment Area off 180th Avenue North.