MEET THE VALEDICTORIANS AND SALUTATORIANS FROM ROYAL PALM BEACH HIGH SCHOOL AND SEMINOLE RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL – SEE STORIES, PAGE 3
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INSIDE
Volume 47, Number 9 May 1 - May 14, 2026
Serving Palms West Since 1980
FUN TIME AT THE GPL TOURNAMENT
ITID Officials Vow To Continue The Fight For Four-Way Stops
Indian Trail Improvement District Supervisor Richard Vassalotti has seen firsthand the awful and mangled results of T-bone crashes on the district’s long, straight roads. That’s why the retired Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue captain said this week that he’s going to keep fighting for more four-way stops at Acreage-area intersections. Page 4
The 16th annual Cherry Knoll Farm International Gay Polo Tournament was held at the Patagones Polo Club in Wellington on Saturday, April 25. Guests enjoyed fun music, exciting polo matches and amazing tailgate parties. Shown here, Joshua Kolkana and Peter Colussy enjoy a glass of PHOTO BY FRANK KOESTER/TOWN-CRIER champagne. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 15
WWC Holds ‘Boots & Boogie’ Fundraiser
The Women of the Western Communities (WWC) turned Wellington National Golf Club into a high-energy celebration of community, compassion and a little country flair at the “Boots & Boogie” fundraiser on Saturday, April 18. Page 5
Art Studio Highlighted For Work With Step Up For Students Nonprofit
Wood.Paper.Glass art studio in Wellington was recently highlighted for their part in the Step Up for Students organization when founders Kris Barnett and Terri White stepped in front of the camera for WPEC CBS12. Page 16
Justin Hicks Fares Well At The Senior PGA Championship
From April 16 to April 19 at the Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, longtime Wellington resident Justin Hicks made his debut in the Senior PGA Championship, which is golf’s most storied major championship for seniors over age 50. While Hicks didn’t win, he finished in a tie for 17th place. 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
Westlake Mayor: New Manager Makes For A Happy Anniversary By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report With the 10th anniversary of Westlake’s incorporation only weeks away, members of the Westlake City Council said this week that the community has taken a big step toward maturity with the hiring of its first manager fully focused on the municipality’s needs. “There’s something symbolic in that,” Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor said Wednesday, April 29, minutes after the council unanimously approved the contract for Howard Brown Jr. “I love it that we now have a manager beholden only to the City of Westlake.” He added that it is a chapter for the city that has been a long time in coming. “I feel very confident about the way Mr. Brown is going to run and lead our city,” O’Connor said. Brown was scheduled to start on Friday, May 1. “I’m excited about the opportunity,” said Brown, a Palm Beach Gardens resident. “Westlake is a great city with a great reputation. I think it’s going to be a great place to work.” Brown said his first goal will be
to “simply talk to as many people as possible, and not just the voices that are always heard.” Brown has held interim municipal manager jobs in East Point, Georgia, and Century and Fort Meade, Florida. Previously, he was manager of the Village of Indiantown in Martin County (2019-23), as well as Bell, California (2016-18) and Muskogee, Oklahoma (2014-16). “I’m very pleased,” Councilman Gary Werner said after the vote. “I think he’s going to do very well. He has that kind of experience that Westlake needs.” The council voted March 3 to begin negotiations with Brown, who has specialized in interim city manager positions — a fact that council members deemed important because Westlake is retaining most of its Inframark-supplied staff. Inframark is a national firm that provides staff to many municipalities. Under Westlake’s charter, the city cannot hire employees directly. Kenneth Cassel, who had been Westlake’s first and only manager until last September, was an Inframark employee. He also
was manager of the Seminole Improvement District (SID), which became controversial during the latter stages of his tenure. SID is an independent entity that supplies most of Westlake’s infrastructure, such as roads and drainage. “I was impressed with [Brown’s] background, certifications and that he’d gone into cities and worked effectively with staffs that he did not hire,” Councilman Erik Gleason said. “He was very calm [during the interview process]. He expressed himself well, and he spoke honestly and confidently.” “It’s going to be exciting,” Councilwoman Charlotte Leonard added. “I think he’s going to add a lot of value to the city.” Vice Mayor Greg Langowski said the $265,000 annual contract was only slightly higher than the deal that Westlake had with Cassel ($258,000) through Inframark. Brown’s base salary is $190,000. The remainder is to cover such items as payroll taxes, professional memberships and meetings, vehicle reimbursement, and health, life and disability insurance. “That was my target — to get See MANAGER, page 14
Developers File Lawsuit Against Wellington Over Isla Carroll Denial
By Patrick Sherry Town-Crier Staff Report The developers behind the Isla Carroll project in southern Wellington are not backing down without a fight. In a lawsuit filed in late March, the plaintiff behind the project is suing the village over the Wellington Village Council’s decision not to approve a rezoning request for the property. For more than two years, McCourt Partners and Discovery Land Company have been working to convert the property off 120th Avenue South near the National Polo Center into a luxury community development. The site sits in Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Area (EPA), an over 9,000-acre area designed
to protect Wellington’s rural and equine-based character that the village is known for. Despite the name, the preserve allows for development under certain conditions, which has been the subject of contentious debate in the community. In February, Wellington’s council denied a rezoning request and master plan for the project. Developers applied to have the property changed to a planned unit development (PUD) to build 27 residential units and a clubhouse, and preserve the property’s eastern polo field for equestrian usage. The United States Polo Association also tentatively entered into a 45-year agreement, with unlimited See LAWSUIT, page 14
CLEAR THE SHELTERS
The Women of the Greater Wellington Chamber (WOW) hosted their annual Pooches, Pearls & Prosecco fashion show event on Thursday, April 23 at the Mall at Wellington Green. The fundraiser’s goal was to help clear animal shelters of dogs in need of a forever home. About 15 adorable pups took to the runway to strut their stuff in the hopes of finding a loving family, joined by models wearing current fashions. WPTV’s Tania Rogers served as celebrity emcee. Shown here is Anna Falik with Finx. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 18 PHOTO BY FRANK KOESTER/TOWN-CRIER
Acreage/Loxahatchee Resident Lox Council Aims Eyes County Commission Seat To Avoid Long Legal Battle With PBSO
By Louis Hillary Park Town-Crier Staff Report If Acreage/Loxahatchee resident Rudolph “Rudy” Tinker was going to qualify for the Palm Beach County Commission’s District 6 race via petition, he knew he was going to have to get creative. Door knocking was getting him little more than sore knuckles. So, he got permission, he said, to find a spot outside the Palm Beach County Tax Collector’s Office in Westlake, where hundreds of local residents head every day to deal with licenses, registrations and other motor vehicle issues. And day after day, under a big hat, rain or shine, Tinker said he met people from all over the western communities. “You have to get out and talk to
people in their element,” Tinker said. “I told them if they would just give me a minute and thirty seconds of their time, they’d want to sign up. I ended up getting 50 to 75 signatures a day.” The days added up, and according to Tinker’s web site at www. rudolphtinker.com, so did the signatures. A photo at the top of the site depicts him holding a tally sheet that shows 1,908 petitions submitted, 1,391 qualified — with 1,385 the number needed to get on the Aug. 18 primary ballot. Tinker is running as a Democrat. The only other announced candidate for that primary is Mohammad Junaid Akther of Wellington. On the Republican side, incumbent Sara Baxter is facing See TINKER, page 14
Rudolph “Rudy” Tinker
By Patrick Sherry Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council is considering reinstating its contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) as it faces the continued threat of a legal battle over nonpayment. The council reviewed recent developments in the dispute with the county agency at a meeting on Tuesday, April 21. Council members had previously appointed Mayor Lisa El-Ramey to meet with PBSO officials to re-engage in negotiations. Since December, the town has reverted to only receiving services similar to those in unincor-
porated Palm Beach County after it stopped paying for its contract. Whether the council is willing to start paying $56,668.92 every month for enhanced law enforcement services again is unclear. Town Attorney Jeff Kurtz explained that agency officials would accept an offer to restart services if the council rescinds a previous resolution terminating the current contract and to pay for prorated enhanced law enforcement services. The town would then have to pay the existing contract until October 2027, and about $29,000 for services deputies provided for half the month of December. As part of this See LOX PBSO, page 14
St. David’s Celebrates 50 Years Serving Wellington
By Mike May Town-Crier Staff Report A special anniversary celebration this weekend will mark the 50th anniversary of the oldest church in Wellington, St. David’s in the Pines Episcopal Church. The church began in 1976 in Wellington, which then consisted of just a handful of homes. It grew rapidly, becoming a center of spiritual life and helping give birth to several other religious congregations. An array of anniversary celebrations are planned throughout this year, beginning with a picnic that was held after church services on Sunday, April 19. According to Linda McKeown, a member of the church’s vestry who is helping organize the observances, the next celebratory event will be on Sunday, May 3.
“Beverly Ramsey, the wife of our first priest, Rev. Michael Jones, will be speaking at our 10 a.m. service,” McKeown said. “That day, the parish hall will be decorated in black and gold. The church will have some flower arrangements and our pew torches, and there will be a special procession at the 10 a.m. service representing all the ministries of the parish.” Also at the service, the church will be honoring the five longestserving members of the church, and children will be presenting a musical production after the 10 a.m. service. One other aspect of the anniversary celebration on May 3 will be the public recognition of two other religious congregations in Wellington whose roots can be traced to St. David’s in the Pines, Temple Beth Torah and St. Peter’s United
Methodist Church. Both congregations met at St. David’s before they had buildings of their own. If you miss any of the early celebrations, there are a variety of special events on the calendar throughout the balance of this year, according to Laurie Cohen, a longtime member of the church and founder of the Wellington Historical Society. “The parish began as a mission congregation in 1976, but grew rapidly,” Cohen recalled. “The local Episcopal church applied for parish status in 1978 and was awarded parish status in May 1979.” The first services were held in the home of Wellington pioneers Frank and Rose Brass. Early Wellington developer Guerry Stribling led the effort in 1977 for the church to get a donation of
St. David’s in the Pines Episcopal Church got its start in 1976. Wellington’s oldest church, it is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. five acres of land at the corner of Wellington Trace and Forest Hill Blvd. Construction on the original building began that same year and was dedicated on Palm Sunday in 1978.
It didn’t take long for the church to get some star appeal, thanks to the sport of polo and the British royal family. “Prince Charles attended and See ST. DAVID’S, page 4