Town-Crier Newspaper September 10, 2010

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Serving Palms West Since 1980 INSIDE

Lox Council Offers

Input On FDOT Plans For Southern Blvd.

Florida Department of Transportation representatives gave an update on improvement plans for Southern Blvd. at the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 7. Also at the meeting, council members offered suggestions for what they would like to see in the plan. Page 3

Wellington Steppers

Now Palm Beach Matrix

The Palm Beach Matrix, formerly the Wellington Steppers, is back with a new name, new members and new routines. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputy Malora Duplantis formed the dance troupe last year in conjunction with Wellington’s Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Page 7

Royal Palm Rotary Club

Provides Relief For Haiti

The Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club recently provided relief to the earthquake victims of Haiti.

Rotarian Tony Armour visited the village of Don Don, located approximately 60 miles from Cap Haitien, and delivered a 700-kilowatt generator to the residents. Page 9

Wellington Carriage Classic Set For Sept. 18

The Wellington Carriage Classic & Jackpot Obstacle Challenge will take place Saturday, Sept. 18 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. It is an event that will recognize the important role that the horsedrawn carriage played in American history and the importance of carrying on those traditions. Page 18

Opinion

Hurricane Season Is

Reaching Its Height... Are You Prepared?

Recent Atlantic hurricanes may have avoided making landfall in South Florida. But the damage any of those storms could have wrought on our area should be reason enough for Palm Beach County residents to not be complacent when it comes to hurricane preparedness. Page 4

RIDE BENEFITS SOLDIERS OUTREACH

Runway Paving Proposal Has Wellington’s Aero Club Divided

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

A plan to pave a portion of the runway inside Wellington’s Aero Club neighborhood has residents divided over money, safety and the right to vote on the plan.

The Aero Club is a western Wellington community of about 250 homes centered around a 3,900-foot grass runway. It was built 30 years ago with a 75-footwide grass runway, and currently has a 105-foot-wide grass runway.

On Aug. 27, the Aero Club Board of Directors sent residents a survey notifying them that the board had directed its Runway & Taxiways Committee to study paving a 55-foot-wide strip of the runway.

“The runway has always been grass,” Aero Club Homeowners’ Association President Larry Smith told the Town-Crier. “But it is very expensive to maintain.”

Six years ago, the community paid approximately $500,000 to resurface the grass runway, Smith said. It must be repeated every 10 to 12 years.

He said that cost, along with safety, prompted the board to look into paving the runway instead. The paved runway would be paid for with a $400,000 loan and cost less to maintain, Smith said.

Along with being safer for pilots to land on, Smith said that a paved runway would result in a reduction on dues by about $100 each quarter. But the move has caused an outcry in the community and revived an old dispute

between neighbors: to pave the runway, or to keep it grass.

“There are very vocal people on both sides,” Smith said. “Some of the residents like the grass; they think it looks pretty and they want to keep it that way.”

Smith added that some opponents worry that paving the runway is the first step in allowing larger planes in the community, which he said is not the case.

“Whether it’s grass or paved, our bylaws limit all planes that land in the Aero Club to 12,500 pounds,” he said.

An informational workshop Tuesday drew a standing-roomonly crowd to the community’s Pilot House. Residents on both sides of the issue attended to learn about the plan and voice their opinions.

John Herring, chairman of the Runway & Taxiways Committee, told residents that the paving plan coincided with a plan for drainage that would help alleviate some of the community’s flooding problems on its taxiways.

The board proposed a split plan with a 50-foot-wide grass runway and a 55-foot-wide paved runway with 13-foot drainage swales on each side to hold water rundown. The plan would cost approximately $482,000, Herring said.

It costs $100,000 a year to maintain the grass, Smith told residents. On top of that, the runway must be resurfaced every 10 to 12 years. Over 20 years, the community could spend close to $3.6 million if it kept the grass runway.

Several residents questioned whether paving the runway would be integral in fixing drainage problems, which Herring said it was not. The community could pay to fix drainage problems while leaving the grass runway as is.

However, a permit obtained by the community from the South Florida Water Management District in 2003 to pave the runway is set to expire in November. The permit cannot be extended.

For many residents, the issue was not about drainage or paving the runway, but rather about not having a voice in the matter. Several residents noted that past boards have put the paving issue to a vote, and it had been struck down each time.

“It’s not about the drainage,” resident Vickie Brint said. “It’s about what is right in this community. There are 250 homeowners in here who pay dues and pay taxes, and I should have a vote just like the members on the board.”

Smith said there is nothing in the community’s bylaws to require a vote nor dictate what sort of vote should be taken — be it twothirds, a majority or another denomination.

“There is nothing in our documents that requires a vote to change the complexion of the community,” he said. “And a lot of the decisions that the board makes for hundreds of thousands of dollars, nobody shows up to discuss.”

He said that if the board did

Removing Trees Without Permit May Lead To Big Fines In Groves

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

Loxahatchee Groves property owners who remove trees without a permit could face up to a $5,000 fine — perhaps as high as $10,000 — for illegally removing a “champion tree,” one considered the oldest or most select of its species. Fines, set by the town magistrate, would start at $250 per day. Subsequent violations could face a $500-per-day fine under unified land development code (ULDC) regulations given preliminary approval by the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council on Tuesday. The fines are based on state regulations, although the town’s draft of ULDC regulations did not list the fines specifically. Sitting as the Land Planning Agency before Tuesday’s regular meeting, council members discussed whether the

amounts should be listed so residents would be aware of them.

The $5,000 fine is the maximum allowed under Florida law. The fine could be levied if the town magistrate deems that irreparable damage has been done, Town Attorney Mike Cirullo explained. “The larger counties can fine up to $5,000 a day,” he said.

Mayor Dave Browning said he did not object to the amount of the fine, but he was concerned that a property owner might clear land and then say he was unaware of the stiff penalty.

“My thought is if you have something in our documents, then they’ve got something to look at,” Browning said. “I want a person to know by our documents what it could cost him if he does it.”

Cirullo said he could insert the daily fine schedule in the code.

Councilman Jim Rockett asked if the council could include the $5,000, and Cirullo said that would be the equivalent of a 20day violation.

Councilman Ryan Liang said he wants to be sure the fines are sufficient to preclude property owners from removing trees and just paying the fine.

“A lot of folks find it easier to go ahead and clear, then pay the fine instead of following the rules,” Liang said. “I’d rather have someone look at it and say, ‘Oh, these rules are really hard. I’d rather follow the rules; otherwise, it’s going to cost me way too much money.’ I know a lot of people who have done that because they know that it’s cheaper to go ahead and pay the fine and get it done.”

Vice Mayor Dennis Lipp sug-

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Indian Trail Improvement District heard a presentation by GL Homes on Wednesday about its plans for the 4,934-acre Indian Trail Groves site west of The Acreage. The plan includes a possible land swap that could result in a 2,700-acre flow way providing additional drainage for ITID.

Kevin Ratterree, vice president of land management for GL Homes, said his goal was to update residents on the company’s plans and “dispel misinformation” about a possible land swap.

“A while back, we began discussion with county officials and representatives of The Acreage and representatives of the ag reserve about a possible land swap,” Ratterree said. “Let me be clear. There is absolutely nothing that has been requested by Palm Beach County. We have not submitted an application to Palm Beach County. The whole purpose was to get an idea and a concept out so that the public could discuss it and debate the merits of it. If there were enough people who thought it was a good idea, we would bring it forward.”

Ratterree said some of the feedback was based on inaccurate information. “That is why I’m here,” he said. “I want to make everybody understand what’s out there.”

GL Homes purchased the property in 2005 with the intention to develop it with whatever density would be allowed. The current density is one unit per 10 acres, he said, although there have been several land-use changes on property surrounding the site, such as the Lion Country Safari property, which was recently granted a change from one unit per 10 acres to one per 2.5 acres.

“We have converted this property from a prior citrus operation where the trees were in a state of disrepair into a farming operation,” Ratterree said. He referred to the now defunct Central Western Communities

Sector Plan, which called for land use of one unit per 2.5 acres on the property. Using that as a basis, the property as it stands could be developed as anything from 493 homes (current zoning) to 1,973 homes (at one-per-2.5-acre zoning).

“One of the things we heard through that process was that several agencies were eyeing this particular piece of property for many years for potential public benefits for something other than development,” he said.

GL Homes has received confirmation that the South Florida Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers desire to have about 2,700 acres of the property as part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program, Ratterree said. The property is unusual in that it is a large piece of property under single ownership contiguous to three major canals that are the water supplies for Lake Okeechobee, West Palm Beach and potentially for the Loxahatchee River.

“The M Canal on the south side is the water supply to Grassy Waters, which is the water supply for the City of West Palm Beach, and the M-O Canal is the canal that hooks up to the Loxahatchee River, and that is the subject of what is commonly referred to as Flow Way No. 2,” he said. Meanwhile, the ITID impoundment area that collects district storm water runoff is at the northwest side of the GL property. Ratterree said that one of the suggestions for using the property for public purpose is that the impoundment area could be incorporated into the GL property, and the discharge from the district could then go to the southwest of the property and potentially increase ITID’s storm water discharge allotment — a long-standing goal of ITID officials.

Removing the current discharge canal from the district to the impoundment would allow the connection of two natural areas, the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Manage-

from our Veterans’ Memorial. This is going to help our children and future generations remember what happened.”

Lox Council Offers Input On FDOT Plans For Southern Blvd.

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

Florida Department of Transportation representatives gave an update on improvement plans for Southern Blvd. at the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council meeting Tuesday, Sept. 7.

Consulting Project Manager Silvia Beltre of C3TS engineers made a presentation on the Project Development & Environmental (PD&E) study for Southern Blvd./ State Road 80 from County Road 880 to Forest Hill Blvd.

According to the traffic portion of the PD&E study, that portion of Southern is reaching capacity as a four-lane roadway as it exists from County Road 880 to B Road, Beltre said. The study team will be developing road improvement alternatives.

“Once we develop the alternatives, we begin the analysis of the environmental impact,” Beltre said, explaining that the PD&E study is a process followed by the FDOT to evaluate social, cultural and environmental impacts associated with plans for improvement projects. “This is required whenever federal funds are being used or planned to be used in subsequent phases.”

The study will provide additional capacity to meet future traffic demands. The improvements also will improve emergency evacuation routes, which is part of the strategic intermodal component of the state highway system. “This is a system of transportation facilities that are regionally significant to the state,” Beltre said.

SR 80 is one of the two main east-west roadways in the county, the other being State Road 710, better known as the Beeline Highway. SR 80 is a principal arterial emergency evacuation route to the major north-south regional evacuation routes such as Florida’s Turnpike and Interstate 95. It also provides a link to the economically distressed Lake Okeechobee region, including Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay, and as such is important in aiding with its recovery by improving mobility, Beltre said.

“We hope to continue their efforts to develop economically,” she said.

The FDOT wants to hear the concerns and desires of local communities such as Loxahatchee

Groves. “What may be interesting to you, what you might need are equestrian needs or bicycle/pedestrian needs,” Beltre said. “During the study, we will look for opportunities to incorporate some of those needs.”

That portion of SR 80 is currently considered to have low potential for environmental impact, she said.

Two more public hearings are planned in the spring and fall of 2011, with more public input planned for the spring meeting where FDOT staff will try to incorporate the input into the plans for presentation in the fall and completion in the summer of 2012.

“It is important to note that the design and construction are currently unfunded,” Beltre said.

Councilman Ron Jarriel said the road is important for hurricane evacuation.

“That might influence the state if funds became available as far as priority,” Jarriel said.

Beltre said the priority is actually set by the county. “They participate in that long-range transportation plan, so they would make their voices known,” she said.

Jarriel said that residents were upset during an improvement project several years ago before Loxahatchee Groves was incorporated when access for one road was blocked off for left turns.

Beltre replied that access is controlled for intermodal roads such as SR 80, but she invited the town to participate in future hearings.

“Limited access is a high priority, second only to expressways,” she said. “When they review these projects, that’s one of the things they take a look at. As part of this study, we’re going to be relooking at access management and what can be done.”

Councilman Ryan Liang said one of the town’s major concerns is reducing traffic on Okeechobee Blvd. He suggested that intersection improvements at SR 80 and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road might help with that objective.

The complete study is online at www.sr80study.com. That page also includes an e-mail input form where residents can send their ideas. There also is a box that people can check to receive updates on plans.

PBSO Will Provide Clubs At VIN Etching Event Oct. 16 In RPB

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Palm Beach County Sher-

iff’s Office District 9 substation recently received permission from the Royal Palm Beach Village Council to purchase 100 Club anti-theft devices to be given away at a vehicle identification number (VIN) etching event on Saturday, Oct. 16.

The 100 Club Twin Hooks will be purchased for $1,258.88 from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund.

Community Outreach Coordinator Diane Smith said VIN etching, in which a vehicle’s identification number is etched into a window, is a way to deter vehicle thefts.

District 9 Capt. Eric Coleman submitted the request to the village for approval of trust fund money to purchase the Clubs.

“They are adjustable; they can be

Memorial Dedication

Next Year

continued from page 1 and New Jersey to receive the steel beam. Although he had hoped to bring the beam home in time for a 9/11 memorial event this year, Willhite said the Port Authority has not yet released the artifact to the village. The memorial was at first estimated to cost $70,000 to $80,000, but Willhite said he estimated cost had risen to $200,000. Private funding has already raised $100,000. “We’re about halfway there,” he said. “But we’ve still got a year to go. We only started fundraising about five months ago.” Funds are being raised as a public-private partnership through the Wellington Community Foundation, the village’s nonprofit organization, and there are several sponsorship opportunities available, Willhite said. Residents may purchase a personalized brick to commemorate or celebrate a loved one for $50

utilized on trucks and automobiles,” Smith explained. Smith said she was not aware of an increase in vehicle thefts, but there had been an increase in the number of inquiries about the Clubs. “That’s what prompted this,” she said. “Not a lot of thefts have prompted it.”

Smith added that the National Night Out Against Crime will be held Oct. 1 at the Super Target on Okeechobee Blvd.

“That’s going to be huge for the community,” Smith said. “I’m going to be passing out fliers at all the elementary schools. Target is the national sponsor for National Night Out. We’re fortunate enough to have an event in our community.”

For more information about the Oct. 16 VIN etching event or the Oct. 1 National Night Out Against Crime, call the District 9 substation at (561) 790-5180.

or $100, or they may elect to sponsor another piece of equipment such as flowerbed markers for $200, the flagpole base for $3,500 or one of several other items. Opportunities are available from $50 to $50,000. Willhite said many members of the community who have ties to the attacks have come forward with their support, and he hopes that more residents will want to be involved. “As the memorial kicks off and people see it come to fruition, I think people will want to be a part of it,” he said. “They’ll see it’s more than a sign saying what we’re going to do. They’ll see that it’s happening.” For Willhite, this is a chance not only to recognize those lost in the attacks, but also to recognize the members of the community who have connections to those who were lost. “You don’t always think about it,” he said, “but there are still a lot of people in our community who have ties to that day.” For more information, or to donate, call project manager Nicole Evangelista at (561) 791-4733.

One Day Our Hurricane Luck Will Run Out... Are Your

When the meteorological nuisance known as Earl reached hurricane status late last month, Florida residents were assured that the still-strengthening storm would take a northerly turn and steer clear of the state. Sure enough, forecasts were spot-on, and Earl began a northern trajectory before Florida had a chance to enter panic mode. But just as Earl came in on the heels of the farther-out Hurricane Danielle, Earl was soon followed by Fiona and Gaston. Thankfully, Fiona never came near us, and Gaston quickly gained strength before petering out into nothing.

Were we lucky? Yes and no. Our luck obviously lies in the fact that we avoided a string of possibly deadly storms. Even a single Category 1 hurricane can cause plenty of structural damage, flooding and power outages; had Earl and Fiona come at us back to back, there’s no telling how bad the damage would be. Where our luck runs short is in the bigger picture. If all these storms blew by us in the span of a single week — and hurricane season is just starting to peak, and is only halfway through — then our recent “victory” was Pyrrhic at best. And while it may not be just a matter of time before our luck runs out, it’s certainly better to err on the side of caution and be prepared

As we have for many years, the Town-Crier publishes an opinion piece in early June, at the start of hurricane season, in an effort to drive the point home that early preparation is the best course of action. Usually, we’ll follow it up three months later, during the peak of the season, as a final reminder to take preventive measures while there’s

Another View On The Acreage Focus Group

Ron Bukley’s article last week, “Clean Findings Could Spell The End For Acreage Focus Group,” failed to address a number of important issues regarding the Acreage Community Focus Group. I was a member of the focus group and also one of the families participating in the Acreage childhood cancer study. The article presented one side of what has transpired within the group and leaves out important information affecting the health and well-being of Acreage residents.

First, four members of the group resigned within hours of each other for reasons having nothing to do with the view featured in the article that the environmental investigation of The Acreage is complete and the work of the group finished, as suggested by the former members quoted in the article. I resigned because I learned information that showed that certain members of the group were not being transparent as to why they were members of the group, and an issue arose regarding the prior employment of a member. The lack of transparency was not all right with me because it made me question the fairness of the group’s proceedings. The member’s former undisclosed employer was a topic of conversation and investigation throughout the months of meetings. Another member who resigned from the group was asked to do so by another member because the member who resigned is currently running for a seat on the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors.

Second, I resigned because I believe that some in the group were unfairly dissecting the medical diagnoses of the children’s brain tumors and were challenging the Benign Brain Tumor Cancer Registries Amendment Act (Public Law 107-260). That federal law requires cancer registries such as Florida’s to collect data on benign and borderline tumors of the central nervous system. The members’ conduct suggested that a child’s non-malignant or borderline tumor is somehow not worthy of counting, or is somehow OK. That is not all right with me!

Third, two focus group members who did not resign are still awaiting a reply to questions pending to the state DEP and the county health department. Your focus group article only included the folks who are of one opinion and belittled anyone else

not of that opinion. The article did not include the fact that the state’s sampling revealed that almost one-third of the yards sampled in the community (11 of 35) had arsenic in the soil above the state’s cleanup standard for residential properties. In one of the yards, the arsenic concentration was more than three times the state’s standard. The article did not mention that beyond the arsenic, five of the 35 homes tested had benzo(a) pyrene, considered a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, above the state standard. In my yard, the concentration found was nearly 20 times the standard. The sampling has also shown that the well water is generally good only if you use a state-of-the-art filtration system and, oh, be sure to send a sample out for testing every three months to make sure the system is doing its job because what we did find in the water causes liver, lung and kidney cancer….

That’s what we know, but the state DEP and DOH now seem willing to stop the environmental investigation without sampling our air or the canals that riddle our community. Stopping the investigation now would be a shame.

I am still very proud to advocate for the children of The Acreage so that their rights for a safe environment are protected. It is sad that a few focus group members forgot the original issue that started the study. Please be sure to remember that in 2008 alone four children were diagnosed with brain tumors. I will continue to advocate for the children until I can tell the kids — including my own daughter — this is what the answer is or we’ve done everything we possibly can to find the answer.

Tracy Newfield The Acreage Nicole’s Closing A

Great Loss

We all know that these economic times have affected all of us, whether we are just spending less frequently or looking for employment so we can purchase things we need in our everyday lives. I have always been a promoter of supporting local businesses. Especially those who realize that the residents are those who keep them in business with their doors open. What I never thought of before were the landlords who have the control over our local business owners.

We are now facing another locally owned business that recently had to close its doors. A main-

still time. You might be tired of hearing about it, but if you’ve already taken steps to prepare, then you don’t have as much to worry about.

We may have been spared Earl and Fiona making landfall in South Florida. But the damage either one of those storms could have wrought on this state should be reason enough for all Floridians to not be complacent when it comes to hurricane preparedness. The continued luck we have experienced since the disastrous seasons of 2004 and 2005 can’t last forever. Either way, relying on chance is a fool’s errand, and it’s no substitution for the preparations residents can take to protect their own homes and lives.

Consider this season’s near misses a wakeup call — your last chance to make sure your home and your family are prepared for the inevitable day when Palm Beach County’s luck runs out.

So if you didn’t already come up with a plan back in June, now’s as good a time as any. If you need further motivation, just think of how peaceful and well-stocked supermarkets are right now, and remember how they were just before the last big storm. For those new to Florida, you’ll have to trust us on this; it’s not something you want to experience if you can avoid it. Some helpful resources can be found at the National Hurricane Center’s web site (www.nhc.noaa.gov) and on the home page of Palm Beach County’s www.pbcgov.com (click on the hurricane preparedness link on the right side of the page).

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

stay and almost a landmark of the Wellington area, Nicole’s Pasta & Grill unexpectedly closed its doors this past weekend. I know many of our local residents who thought of Nicole’s as their meeting place — a friendly place to spend leisure time with friends and family. Nicole’s, which has supported many community and nonprofit organizations’ events, was forced to close. Not only because of a slowdown in the spending habits of residents, but because their landlord thinks that he is more important than the quality his lessors bring to us, the local residents. It is my belief that if landlords would work with their lessors (even on a temporary basis), the frequency that businesses are disappearing might just decrease. As a business man, I understand that if you can’t pay me what I want, someone else will. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work out for the best. Look around. Have you noticed how many storefronts are empty?

Working with the merchants can help preserve our community, and I am sure in the long run the property owners will be better off, too.

I am saddened by the closing of Nicole’s. A mainstay in Wellington’s restaurant and social scene has bit the dust. I am sure we will end up meeting each other at another venue, but it just won’t be the same. If the facts on the reason Nicole’s had to close are accurate, then shame on the property owner.

Merchants, beware. Sometimes the landlord can have more to say about the success of your business than the location.

Peter Wein Wellington

If It Ain’t Broke...

Decision-makers are typically taught to ask, “To what problem is this a solution?” You don’t have to attend expensive management seminars, though, to learn this.

When I worked for Uncle Sam back in the ’70s, I was told, “Don’t fix it if it ain’t broken.” Why was the speed limit raised on Big Blue Trace? Do they really think people are driving over to Big Blue to “cut through Wellington?” How many accidents a month were being caused by the old speed limit? What problem are they hoping to fix?

Perhaps there is a problem and the decision makers just haven’t bothered to show us the data.

George Unger’s letter last week, however, suggests that this was not the case. It is a serious issue if we have council members spend-

ing resources to fix things that aren’t broken.

Dr. Randy Richards Wellington

Guardrails On SR 80 Needed Now

Florida’s Department of Transportation finally approved guardrails along the notoriously dangerous stretch of State Road 80 after County Commissioner Jess Santamaria and others persistently demanded a solution to ending the recent rash of fatalities (four in total). “It’s about time — it’s long overdue. We need to change our attitude about the value of human life,” Santamaria stated in a local report.

The report also mentioned that work on the guardrails would begin early 2011 or the middle of next year. We’re happy that they’re finally doing something, but why not start construction now? Our impatient commissioner asked and concluded by stating, “We will pester them until we break them down!”

Jess Santamaria once again proves that he is truly our caring and effective community leader.

Bill Hammond Loxahatchee

Groves

Keep Your Water Systems Running Properly

I read with satisfaction the fact that the Acreage Cancer Focus Group is declaring a wrap-up session. This group has served all of us in the central western communities (The Acreage, Loxahatchee, Loxahatchee Groves, et cetera) well. There was a perceived problem, and through political grassroots action they got the appropriate governmental agencies mobilized.

When I first heard of the “cluster” declaration, my gut response was, this is “heightened awareness.” I am still of that mindset, and now backed up by all of the data generated by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida Department of Health, as well as the hundreds of private tests performed within the last year or so.

Why did I first feel heightened awareness? In 2004 and before, I didn’t pay much attention to the number of cancer victims around me unless they were directly part of my life or my circle. In 2005, I went through Hodgkin’s lymphoma, chemo and radiation therapy, etc. From the diagnosis until the present day, I pay more attention — heightened awareness. I am

therefore, of course, sincerely sympathetic with those affected. Mathematically, chance increases in any phenomenon can and do occur. When chance enumeration crosses statistical lines, a false positive may exist. This could indeed be the situation here.

The only thing found in all of the tests were a few wells drilled less than 60 feet that have elevated radium-226 and thus elevated radon-222. These are known to be correlated with bone and lung caners, respectively. However, all post-water-treatment samples revealed that even this is gone. That is, gone if the water-treatment systems are actually maintained. This is in fact the point of this letter. All of our well water is great if you have a moderately decent water-treatment system (softener, activated carbon). If you want really good, better than any municipal water, add a small reverse osmosis system at your final use. We did in our kitchen. In fact, our well water with the under-sink RO system is so bloody pure that we added a mineral cartridge to add minerals back.

In real estate, they say, location, location, location. In well-water systems, let’s say, maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. Now let’s all get back to living, loving and laughing.

Dr. Bill Louda Loxahatchee Groves

In Defense Of Bob Lappin & The Palm Beach Pops

Here we go again, a no-talent newspaper “investigative reporter” is twisting facts in another failed effort to destroy one of Palm Beach County’s most-loved musical presentations. You might think with all this mudslinging that Bob Lappin was running for the

House, Senate or governor. It is the same garbage, and the only thing that stinks is the mudslinger!

Palm Beach County, thousands of our children and tens of thousands of their family members, have been introduced to the American Songbook through the Palm Beach Pops. We look forward each year to the Palm Beach Pops. Thankfully, we have taken our grandchildren over the past few years. Thank you, Bob, because your love of music and fostering our children into musical careers was highly contagious. Our 16year-old granddaughter plays and teaches piano, and my 11-year-old grandson plays the trumpet in his school band. We have the highest respect for Bob Lappin and the Palm Beach Pops. I dread to think of the cultural loss our community would suffer without this great organization. So when an “investigative reporter” can’t separate fact from fiction, then maybe it’s time to put down the pen and pick up a musical instrument!

Joe Nasuti and Kathryn Day Palm Beach Gardens

President Should Keep Promise To Senior Citzens

There has been a lot of news lately about the President’s plans to cut taxes on businesses, etc., etc., in order to stimulate the economy. We seniors can only wonder when, if ever, he plans to implement the promise he made to eliminate taxes on seniors making less than $50,000. This was a specific promise in these words: “Obama and Biden will eliminate all income taxation of seniors making less than $50,000 per year.” Phil Sexton Wellington

SEND IN YOUR LETTERS

The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit letters, with contact name, address, and telephone number (anonymous letters will not be published), to The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to (561) 7936090; or you can e-mail letters@goTown Crier.com

Robert Duvall’s Performance In ‘Get Low’ Was Truly Great Cinema

By Jules W. Rabin

I rarely do movie reviews, leaving that so-called specialty journalism to those who claim to be experts. But when I am floored by a truly special acting experience, I feel impelled to tell the world. Longtime actor Robert Duvall was magnificent in Get Low. If Duvall does not win an Oscar, I sure want to see whose performance does.

Duvall is center stage much of the time in this tale of an elderly recluse who decides to throw a funeral party for himself while he is still alive so he can finally unburden his secret shame of 40 years to the world. Fine performances by Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek serve to underscore the blockbusting

acting of Duvall. Go see the movie now!

While talking movies, did you realize that this past summer, May through Labor Day, had the lowest overall attendance in 10 years?

The period also featured the movie demise of Sex and the City. A partial list of other cine-

ma disappointments included Jonah Hex, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Tom Cruise in Knight and Day, and Charlie St. Cloud Ouch!

Parenthetically, the No. 1 movie during bathing-suit time was Toy Story 3 , which had a $495 million American box office and sales over $1 billion

worldwide. The No. 2 movie in the time period was Iron Man 2 ($622 million total). The Twilight Saga: Eclipse racked up $298 million in America for third place. Be that all as it may, my overwhelming recommendation is to see and enjoy Get Low before it becomes DVD history.

POSSE SEASON GETS UNDERWAY AT THE JIM BRANDON EQUESTRIAN CENTER

The Palm Beach County Mounted Posse hosted its first show of the season on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 4 and 5 at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. Dressage and jumper classes were held Saturday with pleasure and reining classes on Sunday.

Boat Stolen From Outside A Home In The Acreage

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

SEPT. 3 — A deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was dispatched to a home on 140th Ave. North last Friday morning regarding a vehicle theft. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 2 and 9:30 a.m., someone stole the victim’s 2006 22-foot McKee Craft 22 Freedom boat with a boat trailer from his yard. The victim said that the boat was parked in the yard when he arrived home at 10:30 p.m. the night before, and that his wife said it was there when she arrived home at 2 a.m. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

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SEPT. 2 — A West Palm Beach woman was arrested late last Thursday night on charges of drunken driving and drug possession following a traffic stop near the intersection of Southern Blvd. and Fairgrounds Road. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation observed 32-year-old Shannon Reed speeding, failing to maintain a single lane and driving a vehicle with an expired tag. The deputy initiated a traffic stop and noticed that Reed showed signs of impairment. A second deputy arrived on scene and administered roadside tasks, and Reed was arrested for driving under the influence. The deputy also discovered marijuana and a pipe in the vehicle. Reed was taken to the Palm Beach County Jail where breath tests revealed she had a .195 blood-alcohol level. She was charged with driving under the influence, possession of marijuana under 20 grams and driving with a suspended license.

SEPT. 3 — A resident of Palm Beach Little Ranches called the PBSO substation in Wellington last Friday to report a residential burglary. According to a PBSO report, the victim left her residence unlocked from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. while she was in the barn on the east side of the property. When she returned to the house at 2 p.m., she noticed two laptop computers missing from the kitchen table. She further noticed that someone had rummaged through the master bedroom and stolen several pieces of jewelry and credit cards. No other rooms were disturbed, and the front door was the only door unlocked. According to the report, the victim did not see anyone and her dog didn’t bark. DNA evidence was taken at the scene, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

SEPT. 3 — A resident of The Acreage called the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation last Friday to report a case of embezzlement/fraud. According to a PBSO report, some unknown person(s) used the victim’s debit account number in Georgia to purchase over $300 worth of items. The victim was made aware of the charges when a representative of her bank called to verify the charges. According to the report, the victim told the bank that the charges were fraudulent, and the representative told her that a purchase for $300 was made at a Walgreens

store and a second purchase was made for $1.94 at a Rite Aid store, both in Georgia. The victim said she had her card on her the entire time, but had heard that an employee of a restaurant where she ate was being investigated for credit card theft.

SEPT. 4 A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington responded to a home in Sugar Pond Manor last Saturday regarding a residential burglary. According to a PBSO report, the victim left his home at approximately 10 a.m. and returned around 6:30 p.m. to find that his rear sliding glass window had been smashed. However, the victim did not think anything was missing. According to the report, a lawn care company had come to the house while the victim was out and lawn equipment could have thrown a rock into the glass accidentally. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

SEPT. 6 — A resident of Chatsworth Village called the PBSO’s Wellington substation Monday to report a theft. According to a PBSO report, sometime between noon and 3 p.m. last Friday, someone stole the victim’s Macbook, iPod Nano and iPod Mini. There were no signs of forced entry, and the victim said he did not suspect his cleaning lady or children had stolen the items. The stolen items were valued at approximately $1,300. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

SEPT. 6 — An Acreage man was arrested on charges of drunken driving early Monday morning following a traffic stop near the intersection of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. and 40th Street North. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation pulled over 44-year-old Douglas Armand, who showed signs of impairment. A second deputy arrived, and when he asked Armand to exit the vehicle, a prescription pill bottle fell to the ground. The deputy administered roadside tasks and observed that Armand was unsteady on his feet. Armand was arrested for driving under the influence. He was taken to the county jail, where he refused to provide a urine sample. A computer check also showed that Armand’s driver’s license was suspended. He was charged with driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license.

SEPT. 6 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington was dispatched to the Palm Beach Polo community Monday regarding an attempted burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 8 a.m. last Friday and 8 p.m. Monday, someone tried to gain access into the home through the garage door. The victim came home to find several pry marks along the top of the door, and the panels were bent inward approximately 8 inches. According to the report, it appeared that entry was not made and there were no items missing, however the suspect(s) caused approximately $500 in damage to the door. DNA evidence was taken at the scene, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

SEPT. 6 — A resident of Roy-

See BLOTTER, page 18

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives: • Raul Mendoza, a.k.a. Raul Velasquez and Raul Rangel, is a white male, 5’5” tall and weighing 170 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. He has multiple tattoos. His date of birth is 11/04/ 76. Mendoza is wanted for failure to appear on charges of fleeing/attempting to elude a marked police car and driving while license is suspended, canceled or revoked. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was Gladiator Circle in Greenacres. Mendoza is wanted as of 09/09/10. • Conroy Raymond is a black male, 5’11” tall and weighing 300 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 07/26/75. Raymond is wanted for burglary of an unoccupied dwelling with assault/battery and aggravated battery. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was 76th Road North in The Acreage. Raymond is wanted as of 09/09/10. Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestoppers pbc.com.

Wellington Extends Senior Rides Pilot Program Through Sept. 30

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

The Village of Wellington has extended its pilot program providing senior residents with transportation vouchers to take them where they need to go within the village. The Senior Transportation Voucher Pilot Program began July 1 and was set to run through Aug. 15. However, after the program’s success, the village extended the program through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

Seniors must be 60 or older and

have proof of Wellington residency to participate in the program. The service is good for travel anywhere within Wellington’s boundaries, along State Road 7 from Southern Blvd. to Lake Worth Road, and to Palms West Hospital. Under the program, seniors get a voucher card that includes an account number. Each voucher is good for 10 one-way rides, for which seniors must pay $2 each. Seniors share the account number with Wellington Cab and Wellington Towncar when they call for a

ride, and Wellington picks up $13 of each fare using $10,000 allotted for the program.

“It’s a pilot program,” Community Programs Director Ivy Fivey told the Town-Crier Wednesday. “The original thought was to determine what the actual need is amongst our senior residents for transportation within the village. So once the program ends, we’re really going to evaluate that.”

As of Tuesday, seniors enrolled in the program had used 213 oneway trips. In July, 18 seniors used

the service. In August, the number rose to 40 seniors. Initially, 158 residents signed up for the program, but some returned their vouchers, Fivey said.

“Several vouchers were returned to us by residents who said that they support the program but did not necessarily need a voucher at that time,” she said. “We were able to use the extra dollars to extend the program for those who need it.”

An alternative method of transportation was high among the priorities of the Senior Citizen Task

Force, a Wellington-appointed temporary committee that held meetings in 2006 to reach out to the senior population and address issues faced by that community.

The village also surveyed residents 55 years and older that year and found that transportation, affordable housing and a senior center were the top three priorities for those who responded.

“Seniors who have had a need for transportation were very thankful for the program,” Fivey said. “We have received several letters thanking the village. They

are really grateful to be able to get around.”

Once the program has ended, Fivey said it will likely be evaluated and could be continued into the next fiscal year.

“We’re really excited that Wellington Village Council approved the program,” she said. “It’s a really great program, and hopefully we will be able to continue it.”

For more information about the program, or to receive vouchers, call the Safe Neighborhoods Office at (561) 791-4796.

Despite FEMA Money, ITID Holds Off On Approving Road Projects

By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report

The Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors decided Wednesday to hold off on projects proposed by its engineering firm as additions to FEMAfunded drainage work underway at a number of locations across The Acreage.

The improvements qualify for a 75-25 matching grant, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency picking up the larger share.

ITID was awarded $3.08 million by FEMA for various drainage projects. The amount of contract work awarded to date is budgeted at $2.32 million.

Engenuity Inc., the district’s engineering firm, proposed additional projects of about $797,500 in order to take full advantage of the grant money. That is slightly more than the $766,786 difference between the full FEMA award and

the current project contract budget. If additional project work were authorized, ITID would be responsible for 25 percent, or $191,697.

The projects underway have primarily involved culvert improvements to improve drainage in problem areas, District Engineer Keith Jackson said. “A project this large, with three different contractors at several different locations around the district, I think it has been surprisingly uneventful,” Jackson said.

Jackson outlined a proposal for improvements to the 62nd Court and 62nd Lane corridor that would include realigning and paving about one-half mile of roads, which run along the north and south sides of a canal, straightening out a dogleg to the intersection where it connects to 120th Avenue North, centering up pipes where the roads cross Coconut, and converting rip-rap headwalls

to concrete. Another project would be improvements to a large culvert on the M1 Canal at 130th Avenue.

“All in all, it’s about a half mile of improvements with guardrail, a curb, asphalt, swales and driveways,” Jackson said. “We consider these enhancements to what’s already going on out there. In the name of access, safety and drainage, all these things FEMA projects are associated with, we seek approval to continue with the improvements.”

Jackson noted that adding the projects would allow ITID to use the 75-25 split with FEMA and get them done at a fraction of the cost.

Supervisor Mike Erickson asked if the project would be a unit cost or overall district cost, and Administrator Tanya Quickel said it would be a cost attributed the entire M-1 Basin.

Erickson and ITID President Michelle Damone objected to that

idea because it is a roadway, not drainage improvement.

“I’m not supporting this,” Damone said. “The only part I would support is when I see the misalignment of the road so abrupt. The reason I won’t be supporting it is because I don’t feel it should be funded by the M-1 Basin. That’s the only reason I’m not supporting it. We recognize there is a misalignment, so we have to fix that. We still have to find funding to fix the misalignment.”

Jackson suggested at least adjusting the intersection alignments and doing the paving later, which is the major portion of the cost, about $500,000.

Supervisor Carlos Enriquez was concerned about safety. “That is a heavily traveled road with no guardrails,” Enriquez said. “Do you have to do all these? I think the guardrail is more important than moving the canal back.”

Jackson said the project could

be done in pieces.

District Engineer Lisa Tropepe said an important consideration is the 75-25 split with FEMA, but Erickson said even at 25 percent, ITID would have to find the money somewhere.

“You said you could find it in the budget, but what are we eliminating?” Erickson asked, noting that it would have to either increase assessments, eliminate something that is already in the budget or take it from the fund balance. “We take it from reserves, and that means taking away from money we want to spend on the park.”

Erickson added that the project is across the M-1 Basin and really has nothing to do with drainage.

“While it’s nice to get a 75 percent match to roadwork, is it fair to our residents that people who aren’t going to increase their drainage are going to pay for these road increases? This is really a unit

New Name, More Kids: Wellington Steppers Now

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

The Palm Beach Matrix, formerly the Wellington Steppers, is back with a new name, new members and new routines.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputy Malora Duplantis formed the dance troupe last year in conjunction with Wellington’s Safe Neighborhoods Initiative because she felt there was a need for activities for young girls in Wellington’s transitional neighborhoods.

“I saw the need for it,” she said. “I was working with the Safe Neighborhoods Office, and we weren’t really reaching the girls. They had activities like basketball, but the girls did not attend.”

So Duplantis went throughout the neighborhoods asking young girls what activities would interest them. She said there was an overwhelming response for a dance group.

“I didn’t see any reason not to do it,” she said. “If there’s a need, I always try to come up with a solution.”

Duplantis, who has a background in drill team, started the Wellington Steppers as an all-girls dance troupe that performed at events throughout the village last year.

But this year she has expanded it to include boys and girls and changed the name to the Palm Beach Matrix.

“I wanted to make it more universal for the kids,” she said. “And a lot of people thought that ‘steppers’ meant we were doing step dance. I wanted to have a more generic name so that people didn’t think we were going to just do step.”

The troupe will focus on a variety of dance types instead of focusing on any one genre. The team’s 16 dancers are divided into two groups: ages 7-11 and 12-17.

And there is room for nine more dancers, Duplantis said. The program is meant to help build confidence, self-esteem and team-building skills.

“Not only does it give them something to do, but this program focuses on team building, how to work with one another and to work on respect,” Duplantis said. “We want to talk to the kids about building moral character and also build their self-esteem.”

To help boost self-esteem and good moral character, Duplantis encourages parents to get involved, come out to support their kids and bring the lessons taught at practice home.

“There’s a lot of interaction with the kids,” Duplantis said. “At practice [Tuesday], we went over the rules, and I let kids come up with their own rules. They really responded and came up with the same rules I planned to give them.”

She said that small things like letting them set their own rules would help them not only to follow the rules better, but also to build confidence.

“It’s a confidence builder,” she said. “They were so proud to talk about the rules they made and to come up with them on their own.”

project. It’s not an M-1 project.”

Supervisor Ralph Bair said he felt the money should come out of reserves, but not out of the park fund.

“120th Avenue is a heavily traveled road throughout the district, and I can see it coming out of the M-1 budget,” he said. “Redigging the canal and realigning it and bringing the size of the road up to standard and then putting the guardrails in, I can see where it might be an M-1 improvement. Realigning a canal is always a drainage improvement because you increase the canal’s ability to carry water out of the district.”

Supervisor Carol Jacobs said it makes sense to do the work while the project is underway, but she did not want to risk going over budget.

Quickel recommended deferring the item to the board’s October meeting so she could revamp the plan, and the board agreed.

The P.B. Matrix

The group practices Tuesdays and some Thursdays from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Village Park on Pierson Road. Duplantis provides transportation and picks children up in a bus and drives them home.

Practice began this week, and already Duplantis said she is confident it will be a great year. “I can

see that they’re a very good group,” she said. The team will make its debut performance at Wellington’s National Night Out Against Crime on Oct. 1. For more information about the Palm Beach Matrix, or to register a child, call Duplantis at (561) 688-5447.

Royal Palm Beach Rewriting Traffic Camera Rules To Fit New Law

By Ron Bukley

Town-Crier Staff Report

With a new state law in place authorizing the use of traffic light cameras, the Village of Royal Palm Beach may have its own ordinance to start enforcing camera traffic light violations later this month.

Village Manager Ray Liggins told the Town-Crier last week that his staff is rewriting the contract with its traffic camera provider to be consistent with the new state ordinance.

“I hope to have the rewritten contract on the council agenda in September,” Liggins said.

When that contract is approved,

the way will be clear for enforcement to begin, he added.

The Florida Legislature recently authorized the use of red light camera traffic enforcement to allow a municipality to issue traffic citations for failure to stop at a red light.

Royal Palm Beach installed traffic cameras several months ago, but glitches in the local ordinance, along with a general disfavor from residents, precluded the village from enforcing citations, although it has been running the cameras on a test basis.

One issue arose over enforcement of right turns and whether

drivers are required to come to a full stop or pull close enough to the intersection to see whether there is oncoming traffic.

“We are not going to enforce right-hand turns,” Liggins explained, pointing out that a deputy observing a driver making a right turn he deems dangerous still has authority to issue a violation.

The state statute does not allow for a violation to be issued for failure to stop at a red light if the driver is making a right-hand turn in a careful manner at an intersection where right-hand turns are permissible.

The statute also provides for an

appeals process and the penalties for infractions.

The Royal Palm Beach Village Council passed a preliminary version of the ordinance at its meeting Aug. 19. At that meeting, Liggins explained that the new ordinance would be enforceable under language adopted from the new state statute.

“We entered into the red-light camera monitoring business before there was a state law,” Liggins explained. “Now that there is a state law, this ordinance modifies our ordinance to make it consistent with the state law.”

Councilman Richard Valuntas said most of the comments he has

heard from residents have been negative, but he sees a positive side.

“I think it’s a good thing what we’re doing here, and I do like the fact that we’re copying state law,” he said.

Valuntas also congratulated Liggins and his staff for choosing not to issue violations immediately while state statute had the process in limbo.

“It was smart of you guys not to ramp up the program before the state did what it did,” Valuntas said.

Other Florida municipalities enforced red-light ordinances that are now contrary to state law and

could be facing retroactive problems.

Councilman David Swift agreed with Valuntas. “This can improve safety, and obviously the village can benefit,” he said, adding that ordinance enforcement must be balanced against “the good will of the people that you serve.”

Swift said the village must look into how many accidents are avoided by the existence of the ordinance, not just how much is collected in fines. “I think it is prudent to take a look at that so we can look our residents in the eye and say we’re doing this essentially for safety,” he said.

DAVID AHOLA NOW PLAYING WITH HOLMES COLLEGE BULLDOGS

Wellington Garden Club To Meet Sept. 13

The Wellington Garden Club will meet Monday, Sept. 13 at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The luncheon and business meeting will start at 11:30 a.m. with the program following at 1 p.m.

Bill Reeve will offer a presentation focused on landscape features many people include in their gardens that often lay the groundwork for the overall landscape design.

A landscape architect, Reeve will discuss the role that hardscape design and selection play in the overall plan of a residential project. He will review the most commonly used hardscape elements such as swimming pools, patios, walkways, water features, arbors/trellises and art in the landscape. Understanding the order of design and the impact of each hardscape design decision and its relationship with the landscape will be the main focus of the presentation.

Reeve is the president of Botanical Visions Inc. He has more than 26 years of experience in the design/horticulture trade in the South Florida region. He promoted the extension program and has served on various professional organization boards and communities. Reeve has worked closely with the Children Services Council on various aspects of the development of the Parenting Education Center. He is nationally certified in landscape design by the Associa-

tion of Professional Landscape Designers. His Botanical Visions Inc. received the Landscape Excellence Award for 2010 in Boca Raton. For additional information about Botanical Visions, call (561) 361-6677 or visit www.botanical visions.com.

The public is invited to the Sept. 13 meeting. A light lunch will be served. Seating is limited. RSVP to (561) 793-6013 or (561) 7989217.

RPB Seeks Help With Veterans Day Event

The Village of Royal Palm Beach is now seeking honor guard/color guard organizations or clubs for its annual Veterans Day event at Veterans Park.

The event will be held Thursday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. Interested participants should call the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center at (561) 790-5149 for more information. The deadline is Friday, Oct. 1.

Free College Planning Workshops

Jeffrey Schneider, the only enrolled agent and certified college planning specialist in the tri-county area, is hosting an important workshop, focusing on the roadmap to funding college without depleting your retirement, sacrificing your current lifestyle and financial security, regardless of your income.

Learn the little-known ways of getting tax scholarships, financial aid (no matter your income), how to increase your eligibility for free grant money, the secret to sending your child to a private university for less than a public school, and much more.

The workshop dates are Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 7:15 p.m. at Royal Palm Beach High School and Saturday, Sept. 18 at 10:15 a.m. at the Palm Beach Atlantic University campus in the Wellington Reserve.

Seating is free but limited to the size of the room, and nothing is being sold. To reserve your seat and sign up for a free newsletter, call (800) 524-0868 or visit www. sfscollegeplanningspecialists.com, and click on “Upcoming Events.”

PBSC To Host Veterans Open House Sept. 22

Palm Beach State College will host an open house for veterans Wednesday, Sept. 22 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Education and Training Center at the Lake Worth campus (4200 Congress Ave.).

Recently discharged veterans who served in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), and other veterans, are encouraged to attend the open house to learn about degrees and programs offered at Palm Beach State.

College representatives from several departments that specifically support veterans will be at the open house to explain the pro-

cesses of enrolling at the school. They include the Veterans Center, a veterans financial aid representative, and the Veterans’ Student Union. Other Palm Beach State College departments that will be there include Admissions, Financial Aid, Disability Support Services, the Counseling Center, the Career Center and the Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management degree program representatives. For more information on this free event, contact Diane Hess at (561) 868-3805 or hessd@palm beachstate.edu.

To learn about education benefits at Palm Beach State College, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/ veterans.xml.

Community

Yizkor Service At

Temple Beth Zion

Temple Beth Zion in Royal Palm Beach, a synagogue serving the western communities since 1980, invites all unaffiliated Jews in the area to a community Yizkor service on Yom Kippur afternoon, Saturday, Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. Donations will be appreciated but are not required. Temple members just want guests to be with them as they all honor their departed loved ones. Temple Beth Zion is located at 129 Sparrow Drive in Royal Palm Beach. For more information about the Sept. 18 service, call the temple at (561) 798-8888 or visit its web site at www.templebeth zion.net.

RIDE BENEFITS FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS OUTREACH

on Tuesday, Sept. 7. Children celebrated grandparents with stories, songs and crafts. For more information about upcoming programs at the Royal Palm Beach library, call (561) 790-6030.

helps Alexandria Abiola decorate

Royal Palm Beach Rotary Provides Relief For Haiti

of Don Don, located approximately 60 miles from Cap Haitien. While in Don Don, Armour delivered a 700-kilowatt generator to the residents. This generator will service the 900-plus residents of the village, including a school and church. The club was contacted by Jesse Nelms of Grace Fellowship Church to tell the club of the large need of this donated generator. This need was identified when the village’s only generator providing electricity was unable to be used for about three months. The Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club continues to monitor the progress of the village of Don Don through its sister club in St. Michel, Haiti.

The Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club purchased the generator in Florida at Home Depot in West Palm Beach. It was then flown to Cap Haitien via Missionary Flights on behalf of the club. It is currently being used today by the residents of Don Don. To track the progress of the Rotarians’ efforts in Haiti, visit the Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club’s web site at www.rpb rotary.org. The Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club has been in the community for more than 20 years, providing support to the area through its annual food drive, toys to needy families during the holidays, providing support to feeding the homeless, scholarships to local high school seniors, literacy projects both in the community and internationally, and hands-on service projects throughout the community.

LOCAL AFL-CIO CHAPTER HOSTS ANNUAL LABOR DAY

Sixth-grade safety patrol members Daquion Johnson of

and Bryson McMahon of WPB.

Poinciana Safety Patrols Help Ensure A Safe, Orderly Campus

Members of the Poinciana Day School safety patrol have been on duty keeping everyone safe at arrival and dismissal time. Their duties include escorting students to and from their cars, accompanying students to classes at the beginning of the day, and raising and lowering the flag. The safety patrol members are also responsible for the recycling program at Poinciana, making sure that all classroom, office and playground recycling bins are emptied on a regular basis. The safety patrol members are leaders of their fellow students and

take their jobs seriously. They must not only follow the school rules, but help enforce the rules to keep their classmates safe. Being a member of the safety patrol is one of the ways students learn about responsibility and leadership at Poinciana Day School.

“The students take their jobs seriously and learn that it is important to be prompt for your job and to be conscientious about your duties,” safety patrol advisor Cheryl Scott said. Head of School Ann Simone shares Scott’s enthusiasm. “I am so proud of our students,” she said.

“These students received training at the end of last year and jumped right in on the first day of school. I am pleased with the responsibility and dependability that they have shown.”

Located at 1340 Kenwood Road in West Palm Beach, Poinciana Day School is an independent private school for students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.

For additional information about Poinciana Day School, call the main office at (561) 655-7323 or visit the school’s web site at www.poincianadayschool.org.

Florida Atlantic University Libraries has used the tens of thousands of rare and historic recordings it received recently from the estate of a Cleveland music collector to create a recorded sound archive, and it plans to further distinguish itself among the nation’s top libraries by digitizing the recordings and putting them online.

Among the treasures the FAU Libraries’ staff and volunteers have inventoried are 50,000 vintage 78 rpm recordings, including a collection of visually stunning picture records, historic radio transcriptions, including President Roosevelt’s speech to the U.S. Congress following Pearl Harbor; and hundreds of original recordings by Italian tenor Enrico Caruso.

The vintage 78 recordings donated by the family of Jack Saul, who died in 2009 at 86, along with FAU Libraries’ extensive holdings of jazz recordings and Judaic music, inspired the rapidly growing Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries, which now has more than 150,000 phonograph records and other sound recordings.

“The Recorded Sound Archives makes us one of the top 20 libraries in the nation for sound recordings,” Dean of Libraries Dr. William Miller said. “The word is out among collectors, individuals and educational institutions that we are interested in preserving and digitizing rare and historic recordings.”

Vintage records, also called 78 RPMs because of their playing

speed of 78 revolutions per minute, were produced between 1901 and the mid-1950s. Music, speeches, radio transcriptions and even movie soundtracks were recorded in this format. The recordings were created with technology that is no longer used, so the 78s are considered artifacts in the recording industry.

“The Jack Saul collection was perhaps one of the largest such collections in the country not already owned by a library,” Miller said. “His vintage records greatly expand the panoply of recorded material we have that will be useful in instruction and research.”

Saul’s family also donated some of his enormous collection to the Library of Congress and the Cleveland Orchestra. Unpacking Saul’s collection at the Boca Raton-based library has been daunting, but staff and volunteers at the Recorded Sound Archives are digitizing the materials, and the records eventually will be online.

“Our plan is to create digitized collections of recordings by some legendary performers, like Enrico Caruso, Al Jolson or Jascha Heifetz, and then make it available to listeners through the FAU Libraries web site,” said Dr. Maxine Schackman, administrative director of the Recorded Sound Archives.

Part of this rich collection of vintage recordings are 32 of the known 67 titles produced as Vogue Picture Records between May 1946 and April 1947 by Sav-

Way Industries. The 10-inch picture records feature lesser-known big band, popular and country artists, and because of their colorful and risqué pictures were standouts among the drab black shellac records that dominated the market at the time. Illustrations of musicians, western scenes, themes and images of love and courtship are embedded in transparent vinyl on both sides of the record, creating a recording almost too pretty to spin on a phonograph player. The Recorded Sound Archives is also creating an inventory of the more than 20,000 jazz recordings donated by Dr. Henry Ivey in 2006 and recently transferred to the library from FAU’s department of music. Volunteers are entering information about the recordings into a database so that musicians and others will be able to perform a search.

The Judaica Sound Archives (JSA), created in 2005, established FAU Libraries as an international leader in the collection and digitization of early phonograph recordings. It now boasts a collection of more than 15,000 non-duplicated recordings. Its web site (www.fau.edu/jsa) offers listeners more than 11,000 songs in English, Hebrew and Yiddish. For more information on the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries, or to volunteer, contact Schackman at (561) 297-3765 or mschackm@fau.edu or Nathan Tinanoff at (561) 297-2207 or tinanoff@fau.edu. For more info., visit www.library.fau.edu/rsa.

King’s Academy To Host College Fair Sept. 14

The King’s Academy will host its fall 2010 Christian College Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 14 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at its West Palm Beach campus (8401 Belvedere Road).

The event is open to the public. Approximately 40 Christian universities and colleges from around the country are scheduled to attend, including the following: Cedarville University, GardnerWebb University, Liberty University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Regent University, Southeastern University, Taylor University and Warner University. College representatives will be available to provide information about their respective institutions and to answer questions about applying for financial assistance.

For more than 40 years, the King’s Academy has prepared student leaders to succeed in higher education. Led by Heather Najma-

UF Rep To Visit Seminole Ridge

An admissions representative from the University of Florida will be at the Seminole Ridge High School campus Tuesday, Sept. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the media center.

Seniors who wish to meet with the UF representative that day must sign up in advance through the guidance office.

In other Hawk news, SRHS

seeks new staff members for Mirage, the school’s award-winning, nationally recognized literary magazine. Students who like to draw, write, take photos or paint are invited to be part of the Mirage team. The Lit Mag Club, sponsored by English teacher Carly Gates, meets after school in Room 7-118 on the first and third Thursdays of each month.

School District Web Site Offers Updates

New schools and facilities, how to find the school bus routes, changes in key personnel, consolidation of departments due to budget cuts, new principals — it’s all online at the Palm Beach County School District web site for interested parents, community members, employees, volunteers and the media. Visit the district web site at www.palmbeachschools.org and

click on the “Community” tab. See “What’s New…” and the “20102011 Back to School” tabs at the top of the page. The “What’s New…” document will be updated through September as new information becomes available throughout the final budget approval process. Keep checking www.palmbeach schools.org for updates on district progress.

Send school news items to: The Town-Crier Newspaper, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: news@goTownCrier.com.

badi, King’s College Counseling Department assists TKA parents and students in applying to institutions of higher learning and securing financial aid. The King’s Academy’s Class of 2010 boasted a 99-percent acceptance rate into some of America’s finest institutions of higher learning including: Auburn University, Clemson University, Duke University, Florida State University, New York University, Ohio State University, Oklahoma State University, Tulane University, the University of Alabama, the University of Florida, the University of Georgia, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of South Carolina, the University of Virginia, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Rice University, Vanderbilt University

and Wake Forest University. The class also received more than $8.2 million in scholarships and had an impressive average scholarship award of $68,000 per graduate.

The King’s Academy is a nationally recognized private Christian school serving approximately 1,200 students from preschool through 12th grade and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Association of Christian Schools International, and the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools.

The King’s Academy serves students and their families across Palm Beach and Hendry counties at its main campus at Belvedere Road and Sansbury’s Way in West Palm Beach. For more information about the King’s Academy, visit the school’s web site at www.tka.net.

NEW HORIZONS ELEMENTARY HOSTS CURRICULUM NIGHT

New Horizons Elementary School in Wellington recently hosted Curriculum Night for parents of students enrolled in kindergarten through the fifth grade. Parents enjoyed spending time with their children’s teachers, who explained expectations, routines and how to help at home. Students decorated their classrooms and created packets for their parents to take home. Shown above are (front) Victoria Watson and her grandmother Margaret Watson, and Selina Lin and her dad Qing Qun Lin; (back) parent Shawna Porregrosa; student Alexa Alvarez and parent Shawna Porregrosa; parents Angid Alvarez, David and Heidi Sayago, Monica Neira and Lina Duke.

teachers honored for 10

Ideal School In RPB Honors Teachers With Dedication Award

The Ideal School in Royal Palm Beach recently honored 12 of its outstanding teachers with the school’s Dedication Award.

At a recent teacher development workshop, principals Wendy Soderman and Dr. Kris Soderman recognized Spanish teacher Laura Ferreira, preschool teacher Nancy Kordick, preschool teacher Catalina Uribe, art teacher Eileen Kozyra, preschool teacher Dina Huddleston, fourth-grade teacher Sophie De La Paz, first-grade teacher Beatriz Payot and violin teacher Renata Guitart with the school’s inaugural Dedication Awards for five years of service.

Teachers honored for 10 years of dedication were second-grade teacher Lisa Toth, kindergarten teacher Stacy Martin, Vice Principal Annmarie Mitchell and preschool teacher Heather Flores.

Each of these teachers received a decorative crystal award to commemorate their commitment to educational excellence and their support of the Ideal School.

“The Dedication Awards will be given out annually each August,” Wendy Soderman said. “The Ideal School started out as a small preschool back in 1993, and because of our wonderful teaching team, we have blossomed into a preschool, elementary school and middle school all on one campus. Without them, none of this would have been possible, and we want to acknowledge them with a symbol of our appreciation and gratitude.”

Teachers at the Ideal School are eligible for the Dedication Award after five and 10 years of service and demonstrating a commitment to educational excellence.

The Ideal School is a pioneer in the use of Multiple Intelligence Theory in the classroom. Its expertise in innovative education draws students from preschool through the eighth grade throughout Palm Beach County. For more information, visit www.idealschoolflorida.com.

Loxahatchee Man Among Vets To Graduate Employment Program

Khye Hatfill of Loxahatchee served two tours of duty in Iraq and returned home in May 2009 to a challenging job market. Hatfill had difficulty finding a job, but his luck changed when he enrolled in BE&K’s month-long Quick Train employment program. Hatfill was one of 10 veterans to graduate from the program last week.

“The Quick Train program has been a lifesaver for me and for my family,” said Hatfill, a veteran of both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. “I look forward to learning everything about the construction industry.”

The graduates are expected to begin construction jobs on the Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority (SWA) Refurbishment Project.

That includes David Hammond of West Palm Beach, who also served overseas, owned several businesses, and attended culinary school, but was unable to find work for more than a year due to the economy.

“I was particularly impressed with the emphasis placed on safe-

ty in the program,” said Hammond, veteran of the U.S. Army. “I hope to further my training so I can grow with the company.”

Deidra Durden of Lake Worth also shares a similar story.

“I’m trying to improve my life by gaining better skills, which will allow me to be part of the workforce again,” said Durden, veteran of the U.S. Army. “This training will open doors for me, and for other women like me.”

Now, as a result of graduating from the Quick Train program, the veterans have positions waiting for them.

BE&K, a subsidiary of Houston-based KBR, teamed up with FHLC Inc. to provide its members, most of whom are veterans, with training to find quality jobs.

BE&K is based in Birmingham and is currently refurbishing and replacing equipment and infrastructure at the SWA waste incineration plant.

“Recruiting locally continues to be our top priority on the SWA Refurbishment Project,” said Steve Johnson, vice president of opera-

tions at BE&K. “Involvement by FHLC and other local groups is the cornerstone of these training programs. We are happy to share in the achievements of our graduates, and we are confident they will contribute significantly to the project.”

Quick Train is a skilled construction trade program which recruits persons who are unemployed or seeking better-paying jobs. Participants can complete a variety of certifications, qualifying them for jobs with higher wages and access to better careers. Graduates are mentored through their first year of employment while they participate in BE&K’s Career Progression Training Program.

“BE&K’s Quick Train program has been a positive changing force for these veterans, since many have been seeking permanent jobs for a long time,” said Roy Foster, founder and executive director of FHLC. “Now, our members can look forward to good jobs on the SWA Refurbishment Project, and a rewarding career in the construc-

Graduates of BE&K’s Quick Train employment program.

tion industry.”

KBR is a global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, hydrocarbon, government services, minerals, civil infrastructure, power and industrial markets. For more information, visit www.kbr. com.

FHLC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting veterans, active-duty service members and their families in various ways, including through supportive services, financial assistance, housing, life skills, education, community outreach and mental health services for combat and non-com-

bat

issues through

Dreyfoos Grad Shayne Leighton Gets Theatrical Release For Film

During her senior year at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Shayne Leighton wrote a screenplay she never dreamed would receive a theatrical release. The Incubus, a dark romance shot throughout South Florida, is set to open Sept. 10 at more than 15 theaters from Miami to West Palm Beach.

The multi-talented Leighton, who also stars in the movie, collaborated on the lyrics and performs vocals for the original poprock songs featured on the motionpicture soundtrack, along with classmate and actress Alexandra Santanna (who co-stars in the film).

However, had it not been for a serendipitous encounter with Marcie Gorman, the director and executive producer of The Incubus, in all probability, the film may never have been made. Gorman, the former owner of Weight

Watchers of Palm Beach County, mentored Leighton through the process and co-directed The Incubus with Leighton. Gorman has a lifetime commitment to the dramatic arts and music since she attended New York City’s High School of Music and Art and later performed in live stage productions at South Broward High School.

Featuring an assembly of young, gifted local actors, The Incubus is a film that will resonate with a younger film audience.

“There is an honest, unpretentious feel to the film as if we are witnessing the small-time dramas that play out in every high school as the hallways fill between classes,” Gorman said.

The Incubus received a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America. It takes a page from the hugely popular Twilight series but adds its own twists and turns. The Incubus is the story of two females pitted against one another with very different motivations. The Incubus characters feed on humans to satisfy their hunger for emotions they’ve not felt for centuries... and by their

mere touch, sickness and death comes to the victim.

In the film, Leighton stars as Marnie Rose, an innocent girl from the small town of Spoon River, who finds herself inexplicably drawn to a mysterious new stranger, Rafael (Frantisek Mach). He’s unlike anyone she has known before. Santanna stars as the dark and worldly Bianca, the leader of the Incubus clan who is caught off guard by the attraction between Rafael and Marnie. Johnny (Michael C. Nouri), Marnie’s lifelong friend, is also upset by the interactions and weird happenings and feels a strange attraction to beautiful Olivia (Donna Lisa), another one of the Incubus clan.

The cast is rounded out by James Pace as the town pastor and Marnie’s abusive Uncle Walter, who is haunted by his own deadly secret; Amber Lynn Benson as Chris, Marnie’s close friend; Melvin Melina, the strong and silent member of the Incubus clan who stays by Olivia’s side; and a cameo appearance by the infamous Jimmy Star as “dead man running.” Brilliantly supported by original music the virtuoso score com-

posed by another impressive young talent, 21-year-old Anthony Espina, The Incubus is nothing short of a tour de force. The original pop/rock songs from The Incubus soundtrack were composed and produced by another talented local team, Steve Salem and Ginger-Ly of Guy and Lollipop Records. Leighton and Santanna perform the vocals for the songs, which are generating a lot of buzz on YouTube (15,000 views and great listener reviews). Two songs from the soundtrack, “Send Down the Angels” and “Hush,” have already been submitted for Grammy consideration. A third song, “Crashing,” performed by Santanna, will be produced as a music video in September.

Preliminary discussions with Los Angeles-based choreographer Marty Kudelka, whose clients include Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson, are currently underway. The Incubus is a S.M.ir.K. Entertainment LLC production. A trailer can be found online at www.incubustrailer.com, and the film’s official web site is www. incubusmovie.com.

Bronco football

Bronco Football Players Mentor

At Elbridge Gale

Palm Beach Central High School varsity football players have teamed up with students in grades three, four and five at Elbridge Gale Elementary School to begin a football mentoring program. Coaches and varsity players came to Elbridge Gale to talk with the students about what it takes to be a successful athlete, star student and team player. The varsity players and coaches discussed the importance of having integrity and character both on and off the field. The players talked about self-confidence, self-determination and

having a positive attitude — key traits to being successful. Their discussion with the students also included topics such as respecting yourself and others, responsibility, accountability and setting goals.

Palm Beach Central varsity football, together with Elbridge Gale and football players from the University of Florida, plan on having more mentoring collaborations this school year, such as football clinics, after-school clubs, helping students with homework and just being role models for the younger students.

List, Spender Take Charge Of Race For The Cure

The South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure has announced the 2011 Komen South Florida Race for the Cure co-chairs — two women personally inspired to lead the 20th Annual Susan G. Komen South Florida Race for the Cure on Jan. 29, 2011. Karen List and Sandra Spender are teaming up this year to chair the 2011 race. Last year, the two women served as race cochairs, helping race chair Patti Abramson on one of the best races to date.

Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists. The Komen South Florida Race for the Cure, set for Jan. 29, is the largest fundraiser for the South Florida Affiliate and has the distinction of being the first race of the calendar year among all affiliates. The affiliate is now accepting sponsorship applications, and race registration for participants will begin Oct. 1. The affiliate serves Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties.

List’s goal for this year’s event is to reach populations that they haven’t before. “Breast cancer affects everyone, not just the person who has been diagnosed,” she said. “This disease devastates spouses, partners, friends, parents and children of a person with breast cancer, leaving many of them feeling helpless.”

List, diagnosed with breast cancer ten years ago, has been involved with the race for eight years — starting as a volunteer

team contact and stepping up her role last year. Her mission is twofold: to raise the much-needed funds to continue to provide services and support in the community; and to help fund cutting-edge research for the larger national community in the hopes of one day seeing a world without breast cancer. List and her husband Marty live in West Palm Beach. They have two sons, Evan, 24, and Braden, 21.

Spender is also a 10-year breast cancer survivor diagnosed at the young age of 30. She met List as they were both undergoing cancer treatment and forged a lifelong friendship. Her first race was in 2000, two weeks after her first chemo treatment. She was so moved and inspired by the outpouring of support she received that she knew she’d be involved with Komen and the race forever.

Told by the doctors treating her cancer that she would never be able to have children, it is a true miracle that Spender has two children, nine-year-old twins, who were conceived during the end of her chemotherapy. Spender credits the support of her family and friends with helping her recover. She has battled through every challenge that has come her way, and her strength is a true inspiration to all who come in contact with her. One of Spender’s goals for the upcoming race is to raise more awareness among the younger members of the community, since breast cancer affects younger men and women as well.

Spender, an optometrist, lives in West Palm Beach. Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which is now the world’s largest breast cancer organization and the largest source of nonprofit funds

ed to the fight against breast

First Wellington Carriage Classic Planned For Sept. 18 At PBIEC

The tireless efforts of the members of the Carriage Association of America, the American Driving Society and the Florida Whips are helping to preserve and recognize the important role that the horse-drawn carriage has played in American history and the importance of carrying on those traditions. The Wellington Carriage Classic & Jackpot Obstacle Challenge will take place Saturday, Sept. 18 at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, located off Pierson Road in Wellington. Gates open at 10 a.m., with the timed cones and timed obstacle events to begin after lunch. Spectators are welcome; there is no admission fee. Equestrian Sport Productions, event sponsor Farm Credit and the Florida Whips are looking for a field of 20-plus exhibitors to show their stuff on Sept. 18.

GL Homes

2,700 Acres

Could Be A ‘Flow Way’

continued from page 1 ment Area and the Moss property, he said.

“Corbett is very wet and Moss is very dry because that canal is bifurcating those pieces of property and stopping the natural flow of water,” Ratterree said. Since the SFWMD wants 2,700 acres for the flow way, Ratterree said that GL Homes had proposed a land swap for land that the SFWMD holds in the ag reserve.

“That is a public policy decision for the Board of County Commissioners, whether they want to engage in that land swap or not,” he said. “That has to go through a vetting process and will take years

Blotter

continued from page 6 al Ascot Estates called the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation Monday morning to report an act of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, the victim found the door to his mailbox broken. He said that his wife heard a loud bang at approximately 2:30 a.m., but she couldn’t see anything in the darkness. Tracks leading from the area were lost in the grass. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

SEPT. 7 — A deputy from the PBSO substation in Wellington responded Tuesday to a business on Corporate Center Way regarding an act of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 4 p.m. Monday and 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, someone threw a rock through the second-story window, shattering it. The rock was found inside the office. The damage was estimated at approximately $1,000. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report.

The equestrian sport of carriage driving is becoming more popular in the U.S., and there are a host of different types of shows and competitions. For many years, the major force in driving competitions revolved around what are known as the pleasure driving shows. These shows feature traditional carriages, harness and clothing, as well as offer reinsmanship classes, turnout and unique classes such as the commercial class for old-style merchant wagons, breed classes and sometimes even a “dog aboard” class.

In 1975, the first combined driving event (CDE) was held in Massachusetts. Fashioned after a three-day event, this format offered carriage drivers a new, highenergy meet were participants test their skills in dressage, a timed cross-country course with obsta-

to do, but we had to get the concept out there to begin with to begin discussion, and that’s really why we’re here tonight.”

Supervisor Mike Erickson said he has seen the land swap proposal and followed the idea closely.

“From the standpoint of this community, this is huge and a very positive thing for us,” Erickson said. “I’m going to push it because this is where I live and this is the community that I represent.”

Erickson added that getting Flow Way No. 2 is critical for Indian Trail to receive additional outfall. He said it might also play a major role in maintaining water quality if a portion of the land is used as a filtration marsh to polish storm water outflow from the district.

Supervisor Carlos Enriquez said the 2,700 acres would eliminate a lot of the pumping that has to go on to control flooding in the district.

District Engineer Lisa Tropepe said she was glad to see the plan being discussed again for purposes of both water quantity and quality.

“Teaming with this huge picture will only be a benefit,” Tropepe said. “We need to stay players in the game as this progresses.”

Trees Groves Sets Hefty Fines

continued from page 1 gested a fine of up to $10,000 for effectively destroying a champion tree.

“At one of our meetings a resident said, ‘I don’t care what you do. I can put 10 inches of dirt around the bottom of that tree and it will be dead in a year,’” Lipp recalled. “We want to come up real quick with a fine schedule. If someone effectively destroys a tree, the fine is up to $5,000. If that tree that he or she destroys is a champion tree, because I have

cles known as hazards, and the cones course, which is likened to the stadium jumping portion of a three-day event.

With the World Equestrian Games coming to Kentucky this fall, carriage drivers from all around the country are competing in the FEI levels for a chance to represent the USA, and this CDE format for carriage driving will certainly be one of the highlights of the games.

The majority of Florida’s driving shows have typically been held up in the northern part of the state — the Live Oak CDE hosted by Chester Weber in Ocala, the Florida Carriage Museum events, to name just a few.

However, for the past two years, the Port Mayaca Polo Club has hosted three successful driving trials, and now, the management of Equestrian Sport Productions has

Santamaria

Community Forum Sept. 15

County Commissioner Jess Santamaria’s next community forum will be held Wednesday, Sept. 15 from 7 to 9 p.m., center court

Aero Club Pave The Runway?

continued from page 1 decide to let residents vote, it would need to be determined what sort of vote would be taken.

“Those who would like to keep the grass would like to see a twothirds vote to change it,” he said. “Those who want to see it paved would want a two-thirds vote to keep it grass.”

But resident Gary Kozan said that the board should hold a vote according to the rules of special assessments because it would be using reserve fees to pay for part of the project. He said that for the past few years, residents have paid reserve fees that they were told would pay to fix drainage problems.

one of those on my property, it’s 10 grand. I think that’s the start of the teeth.”

Lipp said he would favor including jail time for more egregious offenders such as an incident Browning referred to several decades ago in Broward County called the “New Year’s Day Massacre,” where a developer cut down about 1,000 trees on pristine property he had purchased and wanted to develop but was denied a permit. He was ultimately fined $1,000 per tree, Browning said.

Town Manager Frank Spence said enforcement of the ordinance would fall to administration, and he wanted to be sure that the cost

given the Florida Whips the green light to run its first ring show at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center.

“It would be wonderful to showcase carriage driving during the Winter Equestrian Festival,” said Bettina Scherer, the event secretary and a Florida Whips member. “In Europe, carriage driving speed derbies are often the halftime show during the Grand Prix and are very exciting to watch. Alternatively, the pleasure turnout type classes are a bit more subdued but give spectators an opportunity to see some fancy, old-fashioned carriages and some very sporty horses, ponies and drivers. We are taking it one step at a time, and are very grateful to ESP for giving this a try.”

More information can be found on the Florida Whips web site at www.flawhips.org.

in the original Wellington Mall, located at the southeast corner of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace.

The guest speaker will be newly appointed Inspector General Sheryl Steckler. Refreshments will be served. For additional information about

“This is a de facto special assessment,” Kozan said. “We’ve been paying extra money in reserves over the past couple of years, and we’re going to continue to pay money to pay off the bank loan. That is a de facto special assessment, and I think you need to follow the rules of a special assessment or capital improvement. It’s also a capital improvement. It’s the centerpiece of the community.”

Scott Ford, who was HOA president 15 years ago, agreed with Kozan. Ford said that the issue of paving the runway had come up under his term and lawyers said that it would be considered a capital improvement and would require a community vote.

“At that time we looked at paving the runway, putting in gates, adding fencing,” he said. “Lawyers at that time said that all of

of enforcement is added to the fine. “I would have to hire an arborist and certainly have to pay the code officer,” Spence said. “I want to make sure that within this wording is that the fine would be plus costs.”

He also wanted to have the ULDC specify that the costs come back to the town’s operating fund.

Liang asked that the code stipulate that the property owner must replace the trees that were destroyed. “They might think, ‘I paid the fine. I still got to clear my property,’” Liang said. “Could we stipulate that they have to replace it according to the mitigation sched-

the September community forum, call Santamaria’s office at (561) 355-6300.

RPBHS

Open House Sept. 14

Royal Palm Beach High School will hold its open house Tuesday,

those items are, without question, a capital improvement. The documents clearly state that any capital improvement requires a twothirds vote from all property owners.”

ule, but that it has to be on that property itself versus anywhere in Loxahatchee?”

Rockett said council members had discussed mitigation where an applicant had applied for a permit to remove a tree on a piece of property and asked to plant another one somewhere else.

“That was where we did approval of the request,” Rockett said. “This is without approval. They just went ahead and removed a tree. I think we still want to see trees planted on another site, but that would be something we would have to approve.”

Lipp asked if the county through geographic information services mapping has identified all

the wetlands in Loxahatchee Groves, and Spence said he would find out. Lipp noted that there are cypress trees on his property, but they are not on a wetland. Browning said that he has cypress in a pond that he had dug, but it is also not considered a wetland. Spence said there are wetlands in Loxahatchee Groves.

Sitting as the Land Planning Agency, Lipp made a motion to recommend adoption of the ULDC as amended, which was seconded by Liang and carried unanimously. It was also approved unanimously on first reading later that night at the council’s regular meeting.

Meeting Kim Belvin Is Like Visiting The Past

Kim Belvin has lived in Loxahatchee for 38 of his 59 years, having moved there from Griffin, Ga., where he grew up. Although Belvin has worked with horses his entire life, his real passion is mules. “They’re smarter and easier to train,” he said. Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 23

Enter Palm Beach PopStar Competition This Month

The search is on for a talented amateur singer to perform live on stage with Bob Lappin and the Palm Beach Pops for six concert nights. Now through Sept. 30, entries are being accepted for the 2010 Palm Beach PopStar vocal competition. There is no cost to enter. Page 28

A TOWN-CRIER PUBLICATION

SFS Can Help With Your Accounting, Tax And College Planning Services

SFS Tax, Accounting and College Planning Services is headed by Jeffrey A. Schneider, enrolled agent and certified college planning specialist. He has been working in the field for over 30 years, with clients nationwide. Schneider has been published in several magazines, and serves as president of the Palm Beach chapter of the Florida Society of Enrolled Agents and as a member of the Florida Society of Enrolled Agents Board of Directors. Page 31

Spor ts

Broncos Dominate With 41-6 Win Over Royal Palm Beach

The Palm Beach Central High School varsity football team dominated Royal Palm Beach High School 41-6 on Thursday, Sept. 2 at a game hosted by the Wildcats. The Broncos made few mistakes in the regular season opener. Page 37

Meeting Loxahatchee’s Kim Belvin Is Like Visiting The Past

A conversation with Kim Belvin is like traveling back in time 100 years, and that’s even before the part about the restored 1890s chuck wagon.

Belvin has lived in Loxahatchee for 38 of his 59 years. He grew up in Griffin, Ga., and found that area a bit too conservative.

“I’m a liberal,” he said. “I got a lot of grief, living there. They’re all wrapped up in religion, and since I don’t believe, I was an outcast. When I moved down here, I fit right in.”

It’s hard to picture Belvin fitting right in. He stands 6-foot-8, has a full Amish-style beard, and is most comfortable wearing wellworn bib overalls. He got his first horse, a 20-year-old bay mare named Judy, when he was six years old.

“I saved my pennies and nickels to buy her,” he recalled. “She came with some tack. My grandfather showed me how to saddle her, and I spent hours and hours riding all over and exploring. I was an only child, and Judy was my best friend.”

Other horses came and went — a Paint when Belvin was 13, a plowing mare when he was 19, and then there were the mules. He would borrow a neighbor’s pair of mules to haul logs from the swamp to the sawmill. “I loved those mules,” he said. “They were special.”

When Belvin moved here, his first job was helping care for inured race horses, getting them back into racing trim. Being mechanically inclined, he also had a series of jobs working with fire extinguishing equipment

Tales From The Trails

By Ellen Rosenberg

and well pumps. He met his wife Peggy at a horse show.

The Belvins became involved in driving mules when they rescued Spook, a white molly (female) mule, and taught her to pull a cart. They formed the South Florida Carriage Drivers, and later joined the South Florida Whips, a statewide group. Belvin still had his mind set on mules.

The idea of the chuck wagon came later.

“I was going through a change in life,” he said. “Our son had grown and moved out. Some friends got Harleys or fancy cars, but any pinhead can ride a motorcycle. I wanted a challenge, and I got to thinking about all those great old TV Westerns — Gunsmoke and Wagon Train.”

Belvin has also volunteered at the South Florida Fair in the poultry tent and in Yesteryear Village since in 1989. When no one knew how to run the smoke house, he took it on, since he grew up with one. He gave demonstrations on how to smoke and dry meat, and that, combined with the Wagon Train episodes, gave him the idea of the chuck wagon.

So, he started searching. In 1996, he found his vehicle in Gonzalez, Texas: an 1893 chuck wagon. It had no chuck box, so Belvin bought it and had it restored, using original plans from an old 1873 Sears & Roebuck catalog. “You can find anything online,” he smiled.

Belvin ordered new wooden wheels and

did all the steelwork himself. He used copper that he picked up at a flea market.

“We get the chuck wagon out for cowboy parties or special occasions,” he said. “We cook traditional meals of beef, salt pork, fried beans, potatoes, bread and some sort of dried

See BELVIN, page 24

After Six Weeks, I’m Ready To Take My Show On The Road

Things have been humming along smoothly since July, so it’s time for a mishap.

Faithful readers will remember that my editor, who is also the director of TCIN.TV, impetuously gave me a time slot for an Internet TV show, which I snapped up with all the enthusiasm typical of someone who has no idea what a TV show entails.

Since the theme of the show was antiques, the first thing I did was design a set. This meant dismantling an English oak card catalogue from some long-forgotten library, loading it into the car, unloading it at the studio and using at least one minute of my precious five minutes between shows to reassemble it behind my chair as a backdrop. Three weeks of this and people were hollering, “Can’t we just get a picture of this thing to use?” Grumbling, I put it onto a rolling cart and now leave it at the studio. Fine.

The next thing I did was write four weeks’

Deborah Welky is The Sonic BOOMER

worth of scripts.

OK, that’s a lie. I decided it would be a much better use of my time to research the guests and the items I would be featuring each week and simply talk “off the cuff”… for 59 minutes.

This sounds easy until you look around frantically halfway through the show and realize you have spoken about virtually every item on your table and the guest is looking to you for direction.

Speaking of direction, because those watching the show can “chat” online, the director will, every so often, hold up a card onto which he has scribbled some nondescript sentence, which, without my glasses, looks like, “Ask him if he eats chicken feed.” What?

Four weeks in, my director rather gruffly suggested I get over my vanity and wear my (swear word) glasses. I retaliated by suggesting he (swear word) write bigger. A truce was called when I refused to wear my glasses and he refused to write bigger. At least no one is swearing anymore.

Yet week after week, things got better and better and now — because I’m going on vacation — I suggested we “take our show on the road” and, to my astonishment, the idea was approved.

Oh, how I amuse myself! I have no idea how to take a show on the road.

I think you need something called a “web-

cam” and a couple of microphones and probably one of those things that hold lights. And some antiques to talk about. And a guest. And some really heavy-duty antiperspirant. Already in too deep, I now refuse to call my director and mumble something to him about “talking through my hat” or “bluffing” or even “ego got in the way,” all of which would be perfectly acceptable admissions of guilt. But no. I am plunging in with both feet. Therefore, on Sunday, Sept. 12, you either will or will not see me at 10 p.m. on www.tcin.tv. If you see me, I will be in a foreign land with unfamiliar equipment and no one holding up chat signs. I will be sweating bullets under poorly aimed lights and wondering if the mike is on.

If you don’t see me, we will claim “technical difficulties” even though everyone knows it’s all my fault, whatever it is. So tune in... could be fun!

CIA Center Stage In USA Network Drama ‘Covert Affairs’

Covert Affairs is another of those cable network series that seems to outdo the regular broadcast networks in terms of character development and general interest.

Another one of the seemingly unending series from USA Network, it focuses primarily on new CIA agent Annie Walker (Piper Perabo). A language scholar, her training is cut short as she is first sent on a mission as a handler for a Russian (obviously, it is virtually impossible for the CIA to actually have a few Russian speakers around), ostensibly because she could pass as a hooker.

However, the series, like so many others on USA, builds a more complex character out of the lead. She had gone from a disastrous relationship to a general determination not to get close to anyone. And somehow, her ex Ben (Eion Bailey), who took off with only a quick note left behind, is involved in the world of espionage. Or is it a coincidence that the CIA drafted her into its most sensitive branch so quickly? Can she trust Ben when he returns and talks about being betrayed? Should she decide on the grounds that he shot a bad guy who was killing her? Only time, well a

Belvin

‘I’ On CULTURE

By Leonard Wechsler

few seasons at least, will really tell.

One of the nicer elements of the series is that the CIA is not simply presented as the prime evil on the planet. Looking at movie alternatives for the weekend, we had George Clooney as an ex-CIA assassin and a Mexploitation film where all the whites were racist creeps. It seems Hollywood is being racked by oikophobia, a new term but one with a lot of resonance. Xenophobia is fear of the foreigner and hatred of those who are different. Oikophobia is fear and hatred of one’s own group. If we hate ourselves and foreigners hate us, who is left to care for us?

Well, in this series, the CIA does. Granted, there is more than a bit of soap opera intrigue

He did, and now has both nylon and leather harnesses. Belvin has brought his mules and chuck wagon to shows in Caloosa and also as a demonstration at the Winter Equestrian Festival.

as the head of the agency, Arthur Campbell (Peter Gallagher), and the head of the “domestic branch,” his wife Joan (Kari Matchett), have a spat going, with Joan convinced he is having an affair. Another interesting character is Auggie Anderson (Christopher Gorham), a blind techie analyst who is both open and friendly. He seems to be the only trustworthy person involved in the whole show. His senses and brain are so sharp that he seems almost superhuman, which is a nice disabilities bit within the show.

But the heart of the show is Annie. Perabo manages to make her brilliant, beautiful, haunted and likable all at once. Somehow without all the training that is often mentioned as being required, she somehow manages to maneuver people and win through. However, she is a trouble magnet. Of course, so are most characters on television series. She is not a great actress, but is charming enough to carry out the limited emotional demands of her part.

The show does reflect our living in dangerous times and seems to have fun doing it. There are all sorts of fun technical devices,

including the specialized computer equipment that Auggie uses. But the writers also manage to bring in car chases, some nice running and chasing followed by hand-to-hand combat, family squabbles and even commentaries on male-female relationships. The action moves swiftly, and the dialogue is good.

The twists and turns do get to be a bit much. Who is actually using whom? And is Annie a really sharp agent or a dupe? This is only the first year of the series, which USA has already announced will go on to a second season next year, so we are still being kept in the dark.

The show is enjoyable. I was not certain at first whether I would care for it. Generally speaking, the CIA is not considered a “fun” setting. When confronted by international crises and weapons of mass destruction, having a few games is out of place. But the writers, the directors and the actors all seem to meld the pieces in place so well that we are able to sit back and enjoy a good hour of action and snappy dialogue. And, well, we can relax knowing the world won’t end this week, at least on this show.

continued from page 23 fruit for dessert. The cooking’s done over an open fire cast-iron cookware and Dutch ovens.”

Belvin collects these old cooking implements, and they adorn his house. Oh, and there’s one more thing: the chuck wagon is pulled by a team of draft mules named Rum and Coke. Rum is seven years old, and Coke is eight. Belvin bought them as a team in 2004.

“They’d already been broke to harness,” he said. “I went to an auction in Perry, Ga., just to buy them. It’s a big auction, held twice a year, and they specialize in mules, donkeys, driving horses, carriages and wagons. I gave $1,500 for each, then I had to find harnesses big enough to fit them.”

“Mules are special,” he said. “They contain the best part of a horse and a donkey. I’ve worked with horses all my life, but mules… they’re smarter and easier to train. They have better memories. You can’t ever hit, punish or holler at a mule, not in any way, shape or form. You’ll lose them forever if you do. When I got Rum and Coke, it took me six months to establish a dialogue with them. After that, they’d learn any new task in about 10 minutes.”

A mule is a sterile horse/donkey cross. Belvin explained that mules stop and think before they move. They don’t bolt in fear like horses, and they’re not stubborn like donkeys; they just take time to reason things out and move carefully. “You can’t make a mule do something to hurt himself,” Belvin said. “You

can ride a horse to death. Mules won’t let you do that. If he can’t get you somewhere safely, a mule won’t go there. If your mule stops, you’d better go find out what’s wrong. Mules will trust you forever if you earn their trust. If something’s new and scary, give the mule time to examine it and figure it out. They are extremely smart, and they really don’t forget.”

Belvin wants people to know that mules make great family equines. People can ride and drive them, they don’t eat much and won’t eat themselves to death, which horses can do. They don’t colic and are easy keepers, not needing more expensive, higher-protein hay like horses.

Belvin’s life philosophy is simple and sound.

“I encourage everyone to do what you think is right,” he said. “Lead by example, and if what you’re doing is right, people will follow. Many want to cut corners and get something for nothing, but you can’t do that. If one man has done something, you can do it

too, if you watch him long enough and learn. Let yourself learn new things, and don’t worry about the people who may try to hold you back because they’re afraid or don’t understand. Be who you are, enjoy what you have. Base your life in truth.”

P.B. Dramaworks Presents Shaw’s ‘Candida’ Opening Oct. 8

Palm Beach Dramaworks, West Palm Beach’s only resident professional theater, will kick off its 11th season with Candida, the acclaimed play by the Nobel Prize-winning playwright George Bernard Shaw, opening Friday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. for a strictly limited engagement at the company’s intimate downtown theater (322 Banyan Blvd.). Specially priced preview performances are slated for Oct. 6 and 7 at 8 p.m. The production will continue through Nov. 21.

“We are very excited about our upcoming 2010-11 season,” Dramaworks Producing Artistic Director William Hayes said. “Starting with Candida, it represents another captivating season of productions that continue our mission to present ‘theater to think about,’ and showcases seldom-produced classic and

contemporary plays.”

In this brilliantly witty exploration of love and marriage, Candida, a beautiful Victorian woman, finds herself caught in a romantic triangle between her husband, Reverend James Mavor Morell and a young poet, Eugene Marchbanks, whom she meets on her way back from London. Infatuated with Candida, Marchbanks feels is it necessary to rescue her from her life of domesticity. Rev. Morell, who adores his wife, believes Candida needs his love and protection. Candida, in the end, must choose which gentleman needs her most. Candida is considered by some to be one of Shaw’s most captivating works.

Resident Director J. Barry Lewis will direct the production featuring Kim Cozort, John Leonard Thompson, Will Connolly, John Felix, Cliff

Burgess and Margery Lowe. The play will feature scenery designed by Michael Amico, costumes designed by Brian O’Keefe and lights designed by Ron Burns. George Bernard Shaw won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925. Beginning as a theater and music critic in London in the 1880s, Shaw soon decided to turn his attention from novel writing to play writing as a way to express his criticism of the British stage. His works include Plays Pleasant and Plays Unpleasant, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Caesar and Cleopatra, The Devil’s Discipline, Major Barbara and Pygmalion. Palm Beach Dramaworks’ season will continue with a distinguished roster of plays including the southeast premiere of Freud’s Last Session by Mark St. Germain (Dec. 17

through Feb. 6), Dinner with Friends by Donald Margulies (Feb. 25 through April 17) and The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh (May 6 through June 19).

The performance schedule is as follows: evening performances will take place at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Matinee performances will take place Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m., as well as 3 p.m. on select Wednesdays. Individual tickets cost $47 for all performances. Group rates for 20 or more and discounted season subscriptions are also available.

For ticket information, call the box office at (561) 514-4042, open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or visit the Palm Beach Dramaworks web site at www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.

FAU Features Unique Book Exhibition From Jaffe Collection

Florida Atlantic University’s University Galleries in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters will feature the exhibition “Out of the Book: Selections from the Arthur and Mata Jaffe Center for Book Arts” Friday, Sept. 17 through Saturday, Oct. 30.

The exhibition will run in the Schmidt Center Gallery and the Ritter Art Gallery, with an extension in the Ritter through Wednesday, Nov. 17. The galleries are located at FAU’s Boca Raton campus (777 Glades Road).

There will be an opening reception Thursday, Sept. 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Ritter Art Gallery. Uni-

versity Galleries exhibitions, programs and events are free and open to the public.

“Out of the Book” presents a thematic selection of more than 200 book art works featuring the finest and most innovative works from more than 6,000 objects held in the Jaffe Book Arts Center, a special collection in FAU’s Wimberly Library. Characterized by unique, limited-edition books that resemble sculpture as much as they do books, the collection features books that defy or expand notions of what a book is. The Jaffe Collection is one of the largest and most varied collections of its kind in the country,

consisting primarily of visual books acquired more for their artistic expression than for their informational content. The collection also includes the broader topics of letterpress printing, fine binding, hand papermaking and paper decoration. The exhibition “Out of the Book” represents a three-fold growth of the collection since it was first donated to FAU in 1998. The exhibition is co-curated by Linda Johnson, chair of FAU’s department of visual arts and art history, and Kate Schmitt, assistant professor in FAU’s department of English, in collaboration with Arthur Jaffe and John Cutrone of the Jaffe Center for Book Arts.

Art students enrolled in a course this past summer taught by Johnson and Galleries’ director Rod Faulds worked in the collection to organize and design the exhibition’s presentation.

In association with the exhibition, there will be a series of gallery tours on Saturday afternoons at 2 p.m. The first tour is on Oct. 2 and will be led by Cutrone, who functions as the collection’s curator and is also a book artist.

Then, on Saturday, Oct. 9 and Sunday, Oct. 10 at noon and 2:30 p.m., FAU art students will lead tours of the exhibition in association with “10x10,” a two-day festi-

val celebrating the visual arts at FAU. Johnson and Schmitt will lead the tours on Saturday, Oct. 16. Talks will begin at the Schmidt Center Gallery and conclude at the Ritter Art Gallery. Golf cart shuttles will be available for those who need assistance.

The University Galleries are open 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. School and group tours of 10 or more can be scheduled by appointment during these hours or at other times. For more information about FAU’s University Galleries, visit www.fau.edu/galleries or call (561) 297-2966.

The Phantoms Support Palm Beach PopStar Vocal Competition

The search is on for a talented amateur singer to perform live on stage with Bob Lappin and the Palm Beach Pops for six concert nights. Now through Sept. 30, entries are being accepted for the 2010 Palm Beach PopStar vocal competition. There is no cost to enter.

Now transitioning into an ambitious vocal competition, Palm Beach PopStar is building on a precedent of an overwhelmingly successful annual contest. Hundreds of entries are received each year from a diverse array of amateur talent and drawing the community into possible stardom. The 2010 Palm Beach PopStar competition kicked off on Sept. 1 when Lappin and the Pops began the search for a talented, amateur vocalist to appear live in concert with them during their 2010-11 concert season.

The Palm Beach PopStar competition will start with a round of videotaped auditions submitted by interested singers between now and Sept. 30. Those wishing to enter the contest may also choose to attend an open-call audition at John Bull English Pub (801 Vil-

lage Blvd, West Palm Beach) on Sept. 15 or 29 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Contestants should select one or two songs of his or her choice, no longer than five minutes each, with accompaniment. All entrants must be 18 years or older. Entry forms, rules and a suggested song list are available at www.palmbeachpops.org/popstar. Entries must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30.

There are several ways to submit an entry:

• Send or deliver the audition video on DVD to Palm Beach PopStar, 500 S. Australian Ave., Suite 100, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 (office hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday).

• E-mail the video to creative@palmbeach pops.org.

• Attend an open-call audition at John Bull English Pub in West Palm Beach on Sept. 15 and 29 from 7 to 9 p.m. where auditions will be taped for further review. To register for an open-call audition, e-mail creative@palm beachpops.org with the date you’d like to audition (limit one song per contestant).

Palm Beach Pops management will evaluate the auditions and choose up to 15 finalists to compete before a panel of celebrity judges, including Lappin, Palm Beach Post pop culture columnist Leslie Gray Streeter, SeaView 95.9FM/960AM radio personality Joe Raineri, and WXEL-FM Jazz Impressions’ host and radio personality Stu Grant. The final competition is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 16.

The winner of the 2010 Palm Beach PopStar receives the opportunity of a lifetime… to perform live on stage with Lappin and the Palm Beach Pops for a six-night concert series, as well as a cash prize of $500 and other gifts. For more information, call Palm Beach PopStar Coordinator Christine Stickney (561) 832-7677, ext. 234 or visit www.palmbeach pops.org/popstar.

The Palm Beach Pops is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to performing music of the American Songbook and making the arts a part of basic education for children. For information about the Palm Beach Pops Music & You Education Program, complimen-

tary tickets for children and families, volunteer opportunities and tax-deductible donations, call (561) 832-7677 or visit www.palm beachpops.org.

BUSINESS NEWS

SFS Can Help You With Your Tax, Accounting And College Planning Services

SFS Tax, Accounting and College Planning Services is headed by Jeffrey A. Schneider, enrolled agent and certified college planning specialist. He has been working in the field for over 30 years, with clients throughout the country.

Schneider has been published in Tax Pro Quarterly (the National Association of Tax Professionals), The Collaborator (the Florida Bar magazine) and the Treasure Coast Business Journal, as well as interviewed and quoted by the NAEA, NATP and by various other independent writers. He serves as president of the Palm Beach chapter of the Florida Society of Enrolled Agents and a member of the Florida Society of Enrolled Agents Board of Directors.

As an enrolled agent, Schneider is a federally authorized tax practitioner who has technical expertise in the field of taxation and who is empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before all administrative levels of the Internal Revenue Service for audits, collections and appeals. Schneider just successfully completed the National Tax Practice Institute (NTPI) program and was recognized as a fellow of NTPI. NTPI is the premier tax representation training program in the nation and is sponsored by the NAEA. The NTPI develops and enhances the knowledge and skills professionals need to effectively represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service.

There are fewer than 500 certified college planning specialists in the country and Schneider is one of them. A certified college planning specialist is a college planner who has met the rigorous certification requirements specified by the National Institute of Certified College Planners, and who has received extensive training and continuing education in college planning. A certified college planning specialist also possesses the

skills and experience necessary to coach clients in funding college and retirement.

With offices in Royal Palm Beach and Port St. Lucie, SFS offers such services as individual and business tax preparation (electronic filing and multi-state tax returns), preparation of estates, trusts, partnership and not-for-profits returns, taxpayer representation, payroll and sales tax (electronic filing), bookkeeping, outsourcing, business counseling and coaching, and cash flow and debt consolidation analysis.

SFS works closely with business owners to make certain they meet all their necessary tax requirements and are entitled to every available break legally allowed by the IRS.

SFS removes the frustration of paying for college, and the firm’s experience enables it to untangle the mess, focus on the issues pertinent to a client’s specific situation and help them to make wise financial decisions to achieve their education funding goals. SFS offers personal, one-on-one, in-office consultations to provide full-service coaching.

It is the job of SFS to help families with academic strategies, student resources, college admission issues, SAT/ACT prep, grants and scholarships, funding college and retirement simultaneously, Hope and Lifetime Learning tax credits, parent and child tax planning strategies, cash flow and debt consolidation analysis. There are thousands of academic and financial strategies that can help make college more affordable, and SFS works with clients to find the right one.

SFS Tax, Accounting and College Planning Services is located at 1402 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, and 10570 S. Federal Highway, Port St. Lucie. Schneider can be reached at (561) 868-1868 or (772) 3371040, or via e-mail at info@sfstaxacct.com. For more info., visit www.sfstaxacct.com or www.sfscollegeplanningspecialists.com.

WELLINGTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HOSTS RIBBON CUTTINGS

Cofftea — Cofftea offers the finest gourmet coffees, teas, pastries, lunch items and more in an eclectic environment. It is located at 13860 Wellington Trace. For more info., call (561) 798-4050 or visit the company’s web site at www.coffteacafe.net. Shown above are Cofftea staff members with Wellington Chamber ambassadors.

Ron Belle, Handyman — Ron Belle is a full-service handyman with decades of experience and excellent references. To schedule an appointment, call Belle at (561) 644-3519. Shown above is Belle with Wellington Chamber ambassadors.

Allstate Insurance, Craig Eaton — Allstate agent Craig Eaton has the knowledge to help you protect the things that are important and prepare a strategy to achieve financial goals. Eaton’s office is located at 13873 Wellington Trace, Suite B-13. For info., call (561) 7905906. Shown here is Eaton with chamber ambassadors.

Main Street Marketing — Main Street Marketing Group International is a specialized full-service public relations and marketing communications agency focused on professional businesses. For more info., call Ahmed Lakhani at (561) 972-8160 or visit www.msmgi.com. Shown above are Main Street Marketing staff members with Wellington Chamber ambassadors.

The Ice King of Wellington — The true flavors of real Italian ice made by the Benfaremo family are now available in Wellington. Stop by the Ice King of Wellington at 13860-40 Wellington Trace, call (561) 792-2900 or visit www.thelemoniceking.net. Shown above are Ice King staff members with Wellington Chamber ambassadors.

Area 42 Toastmasters — Toastmasters International is the world’s largest educational organization devoted to communication and leadership development. Gain expertise in confident and dynamic public speaking. Call Cynthia Beckles at (561) 795-6713 for more info. Shown above is Beckles with Wellington Chamber ambassadors.

PALMS WEST CHAMBER HOSTS RIBBON CUTTINGS

Budget Blinds — Owned and operated by Jim and Cindy Williams, the new Budget Blinds franchise serves Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee and The Acreage, providing in-home services on a wide array of window treatments from manufacturers such as Hunter Douglas, Norman, Springs and Lafayette, as well as its own private label blinds, shades and shutters. For info., call (561) 629-5444 or visit www.budgetblinds.com/royalpalmbeach. Shown here are Jim and Cindy Williams with Palms West Chamber ambassadors.

Conti’s Party Planning & Professional Concessions — Having recently opened a large catering hall at the South Florida Fairgrounds (9067 Southern Blvd.), Conti’s Party Planning & Professional Concessions offers basic food and beverage catering or an all-inclusive package. For more info., call Lori Conti at (561) 329-3640 or visit the company’s web site at www.contisparties.com. Pictured above are Conti’s Party Planning & Professional Concessions staff members with Palms West Chamber ambassadors.

CSG Systems Contracted To Print Wellington’s Utility Bills

Wellington recently contracted with CSG Systems to print and mail its utility bills.

Wellington chose CSG because of its competitive rates, excellent customer service and additional technical features that they can pro-

Total Health Care Month At Planco Veterinary Care

September is Total Health Care Month at Planco Veterinary Care in Wellington. That means it’s time to get baseline blood work for your dog or cat to ensure a healthier future.

According to Planco Veterinary Care owner Dr. Mark Planco, a little blood work goes a long way toward your pet’s good health, which is why Planco is offering blood work at a reduced rate for any dog or cat for the entire month. This will include a complete chemistry panel, CBC and a thyroid level at 40 percent off.

vide to Wellington staff members and customers.

The decision was made in an effort to provide residents with the most efficient and effective system for utility billing.

Wellington will have a greater degree of versatility with what information is displayed on the bill and how it is presented.

specific community information and special event messages.

Utility customers will receive more detailed information about their usage, charges, balance and meter activity, while still receiving

After testing the new billing system in July, it is scheduled to go into effect this month. For more information, call Tom Amburgey at (561) 752-2586.

Planco noted that this is a great opportunity for everyone to update the health status of their geriatric pets or pets currently on constant medications. It will also allow for the opportunity to create a baseline for future reference as your pet ages or if your pet should become ill. Any pets tested that use another veterinarian will be offered the same rate, and results will be sent to your regular veterinarian

To schedule an appointment, call (561) 795-9507. Planco Veterinary Care is located at 11924 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 9. For more info., visit www.plancovetcare.com.

Broncos Dominate With 41-6 Win Over Royal Palm Beach

By Bryan Gayoso Town-Crier Staff Report

The Palm Beach Central High School varsity football team dominated Royal Palm Beach High School 41-6 on Thursday, Sept. 2 at a game hosted by the Wildcats.

The game was covered by ESPN 760 radio as part of an agreement with the Palm Beach County School District to cover one high school football game a week.

The Broncos made few mistakes in their season opener. The first quarter started with a 49-yard gain on a reception by Palm Beach Central wide receiver Angelo Jean Louis. The gain produced a touchdown followed by a successful extra point attempt. The Broncos ended the quarter with a field goal. The Wild-

cats got on the board with a field goal with 3:58 left in the second quarter.

The Broncos continued their dominance in the third quarter scoring a touchdown, but failed on a two-point conversion. The Wildcats scored their second field goal with 6:25 left in the third quarter. Palm Beach Central quickly answered when running back Ray Wilson returned a kick for 95 yards with 5:54 left in the third quarter.

It was all Palm Beach Central in the fourth quarter when they again scored a touchdown and a successful extra point attempt.

The Broncos continued their roll with a late field goal and a touchdown with only 53 seconds left in the game.

Royal Palm Volleyball Girls Take Down Palm Beach Central

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report

The Royal Palm Beach High School girls varsity volleyball team swept host Palm Beach Central High School 25-23, 25-17, 26-24 on Thursday, Sept. 2.

The Wildcats dominated the first two games, but Palm Beach Central took an early lead in the third game.

“We just had a little letdown,” Wildcats coach Sal Ciano said. “It’s the third game of our first real season game. They won the first two — they won the second kind of nicely — and then lost that enthusiasm. But they picked it back up.”

Despite the momentum loss, the Wildcats rallied for the win.

“They needed to get back the momentum they had,” Ciano said. “They needed to stop running around and do what they do, instead of waiting for someone else to do it for them.”

Despite the win, Ciano said that the team still needs to tighten up its defense and place hits better.

“I’m happy for the first game,” he said.

Broncos coach Graham Elder attributed the loss to a breakdown in his team’s passing.

“It doesn’t matter how good your offense is if you can’t pass,” Elder said. “We have one of the best hitting teams, probably in the county, but if the ball doesn’t go up in front of the 10-foot line, it

doesn’t make any difference.”

Although Palm Beach Central came out strong in the third game, Elder said inconsistency hurt the team.

“They played more consistent than we did,” he said. “We scrambled all night.”

However, Elder noted that with a young team, many of the players lack confidence on the court.

“It’s a young team; it’s about just getting it together,” he said. “A lot of the girls just don’t have the confidence yet — they don’t know what it means to step up consistently throughout a match.”

But Elder is confident that by the end of the season, the Broncos will

Volleyball RPBHS vs. P.B. Central

continued from page 35 be a force in the district. “It’s the kind of team that’s going to start off where we are now,” he said, “and by the end of the season, hopefully we’ll be at the top.”

The Wildcats’ Jillian Tillman had 11 points service points, 13 digs and

SPORTS & RECREATION

four blocks. Brianne Cook contributed 10 service points and seven kills, and Gabby Marionakis added nine digs and eight service points.

Megan O’Donnell had five blocks, three kills and a dig for the Broncos, and Mariah-Cauhryn Smelser contributed five kills, a block and a dig.

The Broncos travel to Dwyer on Tuesday, Sept. 14 for a 7 p.m. game.

On Thursday, Sept. 16, the Wildcats play at Park Vista at 6 p.m.

BOWON MUAY THAI’S KEN TURNER WINS AMATEUR MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE

Bowon Muay Thai Academy celebrated another victory on Saturday, Aug. 28 when Bowon fighter Ken “The Tank” Turner won the Amateur Muay Thai Middleweight Championship Title with a unanimous decision at the Super4Brawl Muay Thai-MMA event in Deerfield Beach. Bowon Muay Thai Academy is an authentic Muay Thai training facility located at 3132 Fortune Way, Suite D7, in Wellington Commerce Park. For more information, call (561) 313-2419 or visit the academy’s web site at www.bowonmuaythai.com. Shown above, Turner is announced as the victor, accompanied by Kru Alan Bowonthamachakr (right).

Lustgarten Wins Wrestling Tourney

Wellington Wrestling Club member Brandon Lustgarten captured the championship medal at the Super 32 Qualifier Wrestling Tournament last weekend at Osceola High School. Lustgarten, a Wellington High School senior, competed in the 218-pound weight class.

The qualifying tournament featured more than 200 wrestlers from around the country all in hopes of placing in the top four to qualify for the Super 32 Challenge in October at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. On his way to the finals, Lustgarten defeated two 2009 FHSAA Florida state qualifi-

ers, and defeated his opponent in the finals by a 4-2 margin in a match that was won by a takedown in overtime. The Super 32 Challenge is the premier pre-season national wrestling tournament.

The Wellington Wrestling Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday for middle and high school students from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Wellington Village Park. The club will also be adding a kids league (kindergarten through eighth grade) this November.

For additional information, email wellingtonwrestling@gmail. com or call (561) 827-8595. Brandon Lustgarten

Seeking Travel Basketball Coaches

The Wellington Travel Basketball Association is currently accepting applications for basketball coaches for its boys and girls travel programs.

The program consists of thirdgrade through 11th-grade boys and girls travel teams. The teams compete in AAU and USSSA local, regional, state and national tournaments. There is a tryout process that will start the second week of November to select the teams.

Practices begin the first week of

December and run twice a week. Games begin the first weekend in January, and the season concludes at the end of July.

Program organizers are seeking fun, dynamic, responsible role models to provide instruction and coaching in basketball. Applicants should have a strong basketball background (travel experience is a plus) and must enjoy working with kids. Potential coaches should possess the ability to help players grow athletically and academically; employ dif-

ferent coaching and motivation strategies to meet the needs of all players; collaborate and work effectively as a member of a team (the goal is that each travel team have one head coach and two assistant coaches); and effectively relate to players, parents and fellow coaches.

Program organizers are looking to have coaches in place by Oct. 15. For info., call Wellington Travel Basketball Association President Chris Fratalia at (561) 252-9530.

COMMUNIT Y CALENDAR

Saturday, Sept. 11

• The Mounts Botanical Garden (531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach) will host “Everything Orchids: A Shady Affair Plant Sale” on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 11 and 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free for members and $5 for non-members. It will showcase a select number of top orchid and shade plant growers, artists and craftspeople. For more info., call (561) 2331757 or visit www.mounts.org.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Teens Start Smart Part III: Saturday Practice Test” for grades six and up on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. Bring a No. 2 pencil and calculator and take this full-length practice test. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will feature “Creative Writing for Teens” on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 3 p.m. Give and receive constructive criticism and do writing exercises to improve your skills. Bring a writing sample to share. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

• Western Executives will host its Monthly Charity Dinner on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. at the White Horse Tavern (3401 Equestrian Club Road, Wellington). This month’s event will benefit Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue in Loxahatchee. Musician/ visual artist Rick Seguso will provide entertainment; several pieces of his artwork will be on display as well. Call Troy or Ingrid Webster at (561) 793-5509 or visit www. westernexecutives.net for more info. Monday, Sept. 13

• American Legion Auxiliary Unit 367 will meet Monday, Sept. 13 at 11 a.m. at Palms West Presbyterian Church (13689 Okeechobee Blvd., Loxahatchee Groves). For more info., call Marge Herzog at (561) 791-9875.

• The Palms West Chamber of Commerce will host a membership luncheon Monday, Sept. 13 at 11:30 a.m. at the South Florida Fairgrounds. RSVP to Tracey Benson at (561) 790-6200.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Interviewing Techniques” for adults Monday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Learn how to prepare for your interview. The program is sponsored by Dress for Success. Call (561) 790-6070 to preregister.

• A Lupus Support Group meets the second Monday of each month September through June at St. Mary’s Medical Center

(901 45th St., West Palm Beach) at 6:30 p.m. The group provides a relaxed, supportive atmosphere where individuals may share their feelings, learn about lupus and other related syndromes, meet friendly people and hear informative professional speakers. For more info., call the Lupus Foundation at (800) 339-0586.

• The Wellington Village Council will meet Monday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Community Center (12165 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 791-4000 or visit www.wellingtonfl.gov for more info.

• The Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Supervisors will meet Monday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the district office (101 West D Road). Call (561) 793-0884 or visit www.lgwcd.org for more info.

Tuesday, Sept. 14

• The Board of County Commissioners will meet Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 9:30 a.m. at the Government Center (301 N Olive Ave., West Palm Beach). Visit www.pbcgov.com for more info.

• The Art Gallery at Palm Beach State College, Eissey Campus (3160 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens) will host the “Figuratively Speaking Invitational” featuring five artists who use the human figure to convey meanings in fresh, unexpected ways. The exhibition opens with a reception on Tuesday, Sept. 14 from 5 to 8 p.m., continuing through Thursday, Oct. 14. Call (561) 2075015 for more info.

• Wellington High School will host its Back-to-School Night Open House on Tuesday, Sept. 14. The pep band, dance team and cheerleaders will perform at 6:30 p.m. in the courtyard and an orientation will begin promptly at 7 p.m. in the Period 1 class. Time will not permit for individual conferences. If a one-to-one meeting is needed, a conference can be arranged through the guidance office at (561) 795-4915.

• The National Alliance on Mental Illness for Palm Beach County will meet Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hagen Ranch Road Branch Library (14350 Hagen Ranch Road, Delray Beach). Titled “In Our Own Voices,” the program will present people in recovery and family members who will share how they are successfully dealing with mental illness. For more info., call (561) 588-3477 or visit www.namipbc.org.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host a meeting of the Teen Advi-

COMMUNIT Y CALENDAR

CALENDAR, continued from page 42 sory Group on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m. Snacks will be provided. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Anime Grab Bag” for ages 12 to 17 on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. Pocky will be provided. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register.

• A “Girl Scout Round Up” will be held Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. in the lunch room at Binks Forest Elementary School (15101 Bent Creek Road, Wellington). For more info., e-mail sholmes@gssef.org or call (561) 427-6902.

Wednesday, Sept. 15

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will feature “Make a Hat Day” for ages 9 to 12 on Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 3:30 p.m. Make a newspaper Samurai hat and play hat games. Call (561) 7906030 to pre-register.

Thursday, Sept. 16

• The Norton Museum of Art (1451 South Olive Ave.) will present “Art After Dark: East Meets West” on Thursday, Sept. 16 from 5 to 9 p.m. Curator of Chinese Art Laurie Barnes will introduce the special exhibition “On the Silk Road and High Seas.” Try Tai Chi and see a Chinese brush painting demonstration. Call (561) 832-5196 or visit www. norton.org for more info.

• “Models of Success,” a charity fashion show to benefit the Southeast Florida Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America, will hit the runway Thursday, Sept. 16 at 5:30 p.m. at B.B. King’s Blues Club at CityPlace. For more info., call (561) 279-8606 or email info@lupusfl.org. Tickets start at $100.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Teens Start Smart Part IV: Saturday Practice Test Results FollowUp Session” for grades six and up on Thursday, Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Participants will receive a complete analysis of their performance. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Socrates Café” for adults Thursday, Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m. The Society for Philosophical Inquiry initiated the concept for this discussion led by Marji Chapman. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• A “Girl Scout Round Up” will be held Thursday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Royal Palm Beach Elementary School lunch room (11911 Okeechobee Blvd.). For additional

info., e-mail Susan Holmes at sholmes@ gssef.org or call (561) 427-6902.

• The Royal Palm Beach Village Council will meet Thursday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. at Village Hall (1050 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.). For more info., call (561) 790-5100 or visit www.royalpalmbeach.com.

Saturday, Sept. 18

• The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will feature “Okeeheelee Park Adventure,” a one-hour stroll, always on a new route, Saturday, Sept. 18 at 7:30 a.m. at Okeeheelee Park (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.). Participants will have breakfast afterward at Pete’s Restaurant. Call Daisy at (561) 439-5780 for more info.

• The Mounts Botanical Garden (531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach) will host “Farm Your Backyard: Vegetable Growing” on Saturday, Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $35 for members and $45 for non-members. Early registration is recommended. For more info., call (561) 2331757 or visit www.mounts.org.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will offer Drop-in Story Times for age 2 and up on Saturdays beginning Sept. 18 and continuing through Oct. 9 at 10:15 and 11:15 a.m. Call (561) 790-6070 for info.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will feature “TAP: Teen Advisory Posse” for ages 12 to 17 on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 2:30 p.m. Share your ideas for future teen programs. Snacks will be provided. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Anime Club” for ages 12 to 17 on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 3 p.m. Watch anime, eat Pocky and check out the newest Manga titles. Call (561) 7906030 to pre-register.

• Temple Beth Tikvah (4550 Jog Road, Greenacres) will host its annual “Community Yizkor” on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 3:30 p.m. Call (561) 967-3600 for more info.

• Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement in Florida Inc. (CAFCI) will host its annual Friendship Ball on Saturday, Sept. 18 from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way, Royal Palm Beach). Music will be provided by CRoy the Entertainer. Tickets cost $60 per person. Dinner will be served at 8 p.m. For info., visit www.cafcipbc.org. Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090. Email: news@gotowncrier.com.

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Every Thursday at 6 pm we are having an equestrian vaulting club... if you love music dance and acrobatics and horses, you will love this sport ages 6 to teen $120.00 per month at the good earth farm in Loxahatchee 561-792-2666 call for registration we need a Florida team!

1997 GREY SEBRING JXI CONVERTIBLE — new a/c, clean & well maintained. Engine & transmission in excellent condition and new top. Feel free to take it to a mechanic & check it out. Mint cond. $3,300 (561) 793-5569 (917) 494-3422

2006 LINCOLN MARK LTD PICKUUP TRUCK — Black with gray leather, black leer camper. Excellent condition. 60,000 miles $16,000 561-784-5022

1995 FORD F250 DIESEL — Black, New A/C, Tires, many other new items, long bed. 7.3 liter engine. $4,900 OBO 561-784-8382

TEACHERS/TUTORS P/T Flexible Hrs. Great Pay. MATH • STUDY SKILLS SAT/ACT Certification/Experience Required Fax: 828-8128

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DENTAL ASSISTANT - Wellington upscale dental office, 2 Saturdays per month a requirement, must have experience and expanded duties certificate, excellent pay and benefits. Please call 561 204 4494 and fax resume to 561 204 2840.

DENTAL OFFICE ASSISTANT

MANAGER — Minimum two years dental experience, two Saturdays per month required, must have knowledge of PPO dental insurance, breakdowns and verification. Excellent pay and benefits. Please call 561 204 4494 and fax resume to 561 204 2840.

The LITTLE PLACE — teacher needed for 3 year old class. Full time CDA required 561-793-5860

DRIVERS WANTED FT/PT — Retirees welcome 561-333-0181

8 ACRE MINI FARM IN COOL N. GEORGIA MOUNTAINS — Need a home for your animals? Welcome to the cool N. Georgia Mountains in Ellijay, GA. Your critters will love to run and play on this 8 acre mini farm with 4 barns to house them, two RV spots for guests to visit, all private and secure as entire property is fenced with two main entrance gates. There is also a 3 bedroom 3 bath home with rocking chair front porch for you to sit, relax and enjoy the good life on the farm. Offered for sale by Crye-Leike Realtors 770-720-4444 for only $378,000.

EAST COAST AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC. — Service • Sales • Repairs • Installation ALL MAKES & MODELS. Call us before you replace you’re A/C Unit! FREE 2nd Opinion. 561-4782662. Credit Cards Accepted.

J.C. TEETS & CO. — Concierge Accounting. discreet, confidential, individualized service to manage all of your personalized financial needs.Visit us at www.jcteets.com or call 561-632-0635

HOUSECLEANING — 20 yrs experience. Excellent local references. Shopping available. 561-572-1782

HOUSECLEANING —Reliable with long term clients. Over 12 yesr experience. Ref. available. Karen 561632-2271

ROOMMATE WANTED — Female seeking female roommate to share furnished single family waterfront home in nice Wellington neighborhood. All utilities included plus, directTV & Internet. $750 per month. References & stable employment required. For more information call 561-385-5199

HURRICANE SHUTTERS P&M CONTRACTORS — ACCORDION SHUTTERS Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777

BOB CAVANAGH ALLSTATE INSURANCE

Auto • Home • Life • Renters

• Motorcycle • RV • Golfcart • Boat Serving the Western Communities for 24 years Call for a quote 798-3056, or visit our website. www.allstateagencies.com/rCavanagh

GREENTEAM LANDSCAPING — We make your grass look greener than the other side Call now 561337-0658. www.greenteamllc.com

MOLD & MILDEW INSPECTIONS Air Quality Testing,

MINOR ROOF REPAIRS — Roof painting.Carpentry.Lic. #U13677.967-5580.

HORIZON ROOFING QUALITY WORK & SERVICE — Free estimates, No Deposits. Pay upon completion, res/comm.reroofing, repairs, credit cards accepted. 561-842-6120 or 561-784-8072 Lic.#CCC1328598

ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING — Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,insured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763. ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC-023773 RC0067207

8 YEAR OLD AQHA - Registered quarter horse. Standing 15.3 HH wonderful disposition, kid friendly, walks, trots, canters on que. Loves to jump and take long trail rides good home a must, $3,000 561-644-3114

EXOTIC PLANTS FOR SALE — Plumeria Frangipani, many sizes and colors, $2.00 and up Desert Rose, many sizes and colors, $4.00 and up. Call 561-236-5409

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE — Generator 6000 watts. Run less than 1 hour. NEW $800.00 will sell for $500 561-694-8078

TOWNHOME FOR RENT — 2/2 2 car garage. Lakefront seasonal or annual lease. No Pets 561-6442019

1 BEDROOM— includes utilities and Direct TV, $700 monthly, plus deposit $700.00. Call 561-9851349.

BEAUTIFUL APT FOR RENT —in Delray Beach 1 bedroom, 2 bath, condo near beach, shopping, all appliances w/d, asking $800 monthly. Call 516-935-3541 over 55 community.

MOBILE-TEC ON-SITE COMPUTER SERVICE — The computer experts that come to you! Hardware/ Software setup, support &troubleshooting www.mobiletec.net. 561-248-2611

D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-3339433 or Cell 561-252-1186 Lic’d Well. & Palm Beach We accept major credit cards.

24 POWER ON — Onsite service, night or day. Windows and Apple expert. Crash resolve, virus/ spyware removal, wireless/wired network, critical backup, software/ hardware upgrades. Call now (561) 713-5276

DRIVEWAYS — Free estimates. A & M ASPHALT SEAL COATING commercial and residential. Patching potholes, striping, repair existing asphalt & save money all work guaranteed. Lic.& Ins. 100045062 561-667-7716

THE MASTER HANDYMAN — All Types of Home Repairs & Improvements. No job too big or small done right the first time every time 40 yrs of satisfied customers. See me on Angies List. Tom (561) 801-2010 or (954) 444-3178 Serving Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

FILTERS FAST OF FLORIDA — Polys, MERV 8, MERV 11, MERV 13, Air Cleaners, Best Prices, customs fast – (561) 207-1314

JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC.—Service & new installation FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. "We are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks" 561-798-3225. Family Owned & Operated since 1996. Credit Cards Accepted

A/C SALES & SERVICE — New, used, scratch & dent. If you used anyone but Glover’s A/C, you probably paid too much! U10163. 7937388

BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS, INC. — REMODEL & REPAIRS Interior Trim, crown molding, rotttenwood repair, door installation, minor drywall,kitchens/cabinets/ countertops,wood flooring. Bonded Ins.U#19699 791-9900 628-9215

ANMAR CO .—James’ All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC 1327426 561-248-8528

HOME INSPECTIONS — Mold inpections, air quality testing, US Building Inspectors mention this ad $20.00 Off. 561-784-8811

RJA

— Interior, Exterior, Faux Finish, Residential,Commercial.Lic. #U17536 Rocky Armento, Jr. 561793-5455 561-662-7102

J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established in 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975

JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. — Interior/Exterior - Repaint specialist, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair & roof painting. Family owned/owner operator. Free Est. 798-4964 Lic. #U18473

COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Interior/Exterior, residential painting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free est. Ins. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident

SECURITY — American owned local security company in business 30 plus years. Protection by officers drug tested. 40 hour course. Licensed & Insured. 561-848-2600

JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 798-3132.

LUNDY’S LOW COST SCREEN ROOMS — This month special $125 Off Rescreening with this ad 561310-9466Lic. U-20539

ACCORDION SHUTTERS — Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777 AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC — Complete repair of all types of systems. Owner Operated. Michael 561-964-6004Lic.#U17871 Bonded & Ins. Serving the Western Communities Since 1990

IN BATHROOM REMODELING — Free estimates serving South Florida since 1980. Quality you expect, service you deserve. License, bonded and insured. U21006 561-662-9258

ELITE POOL SERVICE — You dealt with the rest now deal with the best.” All maintenance & repairs, salt chlorinators, heaters, leak detection. 561-791-5073