Town-Crier Newspaper September 21, 2012

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FIRST QUESTION FOR ITID CANDIDATES SEE STORY, PAGE 7

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TOWN - CR IER WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

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Volume 33, Number 38 September 21 - September 27, 2012

CANAL CLEANUP IN WELLINGTON

SFWMD Explains Drainage Intricacies At Chamber Lunch

Members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce learned more about Tropical Storm Isaac during a luncheon Wednesday. South Florida Water Management District Intergovernmental Representative Pam Mac’Kie explained not only the effects of the storm, but also how water is handled in Wellington and throughout the area. Page 3 Volunteers came together for the annual International Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Wellington Public Works facility. Groups of volunteers were assigned to canal banks throughout Wellington to clean up trash and debris from Tropical Storm Isaac. Shown here are volunteers Loren Estebanez, Taylor McNevin, André Williams and Shadey Antoine. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 12 PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Art Society Open House Welcomes New Season

The Wellington Art Society held an open house Wednesday, Sept. 12 at the Wellington Community Center. Society members learned about all the plans for the upcoming season. Page 9

Monthly Girls Night Out Helps Back To Basics

Girls Night Out to benefit Back to Basics was held Thursday, Sept. 13 at the Players Club in Wellington. There were vendors selling health and beauty items, ladies accessories, sandals, jewelry and more. The next Girls Night Out on Oct. 11 will benefit Your Bosom Buddies II. Page 13

OPINION Be Vigilant In Wake Of Health Dept. Warnings

Because of all the rain we’ve had lately, the mosquito population has flourished, making the outdoors a potential danger zone for people and animals. Last week the Palm Beach County Health Department warned of the dangers of West Nile virus. Take care to protect yourself. And while you’re at it, protect your animals (and yourself) from rabies. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS ............................. 3 - 13 OPINION .................................4 CRIME NEWS .........................6 NEWS BRIEFS........................ 8 SCHOOLS .....................14 - 15 PEOPLE ................................ 17 COLUMNS .................... 23 - 24 BUSINESS ..................... 25- 27 ENTERTAINMENT ................ 29 SPORTS ........................ 33 - 35 CALENDAR ................... 36 - 37 CLASSIFIEDS ................ 38 - 42 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM

Valuntas Sees An Expanded Mission For RPB’s Ed Board By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board could have an expanded role in the future. Councilman Richard Valuntas, the board’s council liaison, envisions a mission that is more interactive with educational facilities in the village. At the last Education Advisory Board meeting Sept. 10, Valuntas said principals from all the schools in Royal Palm Beach were there, in addition to School Board Member Marcia Andrews, as well as a representative from the planned Renaissance Charter School. “Listening to a lot of folks at the meeting, I envision the Education Advisory Board to be more active in education matters within the village, whether that be at the elementary, middle or high school level, or, one of the folks suggested, with charter schools,” Valuntas said. “It really does make sense to me.” While Valuntas does not envision someone who wants to start

a charter school making a formal application to the Education Advisory Board, he would like the board to offer an informational setting so that the volunteers, who all have experience with the educational system, can ask or answer important questions. Valuntas pointed out that Renaissance Charter School’s application went through planning and zoning approval but received no attention from the Education Advisory Board. “I think if that had happened last time around, things might have gone off a little better,” Valuntas said. “One of the things suggested that I said was, ‘Hey, we’ve got an Education Advisory Board.’ Bringing a charter school into our community is something education-related, so that might not be a bad thing to get their input on.” Valuntas said he feels it is not doing justice to the residents or to the applicants for charter schools to receive only zoning and council review. “Since we do have an Education Advisory Board with

that specialty, it would be good to have them listen to the folks who want to bring a new school to our community,” he said. “I would personally like to see more involvement, from the aspect of the Education Advisory Board letting the council know what’s going on in our schools.” He cited the example of Royal Palm Beach High School Principal Jesus Armas calling attention to a homecoming parade planned this year. “Community-building events like that are what we should be supporting, or at least brought to the Education Advisory Board to let us know this is what’s going on in our schools,” Valuntas said. “A big part of it is to get parents more engaged.” Valuntas said his wife recently attended parent-teacher night for his second-grade son, and three parents were there including her. “I noticed a similar thing last year,” he said. “I think there were four of us there last year when both Lori and I went to the first-grade one. I See ED BOARD, page 18

Acreage Residents Continue Search For Flooding Answers By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Though Tropical Storm Isaac has long since passed over the western communities, many residents of The Acreage are still searching for answers and seeking to prevent future flooding problems. More than 100 people stopped in Tuesday at Acreage Pines Elementary School for a chance to address their situation with experts from local organizations. But several residents expressed frustration with the responses they were receiving. Representatives from the Indian Trail Improvement District, the South Florida Water Management District, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Palm Beach County Health Department were on hand to answer questions and provide information.

“We’re hoping that residents can get a better understanding as to what happened, get a better understanding of the storm and how we reacted to it,” ITID Engineer Lisa Tropepe told the TownCrier. “And this is also an opportunity for the agencies to be able to listen to resident concerns and input. I think it’s great that each resident has an opportunity to voice their concerns to all the agencies that were involved in this tropical storm.” Resident Jacqui Davis said she is concerned that a similar disaster could occur again and that proper precautions are not in place. “I think they are focusing on what happened, but they are not explaining how they will make it better in the future,” she said. Davis said she watched for two days as the water level rose up to her doorstep, eventually flooding

her home on 56th Place North. When she called to find information about sandbags, she found no resources. “The county wasn’t providing them; there were no sandbags anywhere,” Davis said. “My husband had to go to a nursery and haul in piles of sand, and we made sandbags out of garbage bags.” But even with sandbags, Davis said the water continued to spill into her house as the rain came down on that Tuesday. “On Tuesday, the water was a foot higher [than on Monday] even though it hadn’t rained yet that day,” she said. “I contacted ITID, and they told me that they were waiting for the South Florida Water Management District to open the gates.” Davis said she believes the SFWMD should give emergency consideration to prevent such diSee ANSWERS, page 18

Serving Palms West Since 1980

County Learns From Tropical Storm Isaac By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report “Lessons from Isaac Flooding” was the topic at County Commissioner Jess Santamaria’s community forum meeting Wednesday at the original Wellington Mall. Speakers included Deputy County Administrator Brad Merriman, who said the county’s level of cooperation with municipalities and water management districts was unparalleled. Parts of Palm Beach County received more than 18 inches of rain during the storm, although Isaac’s eye was about 400 miles to the west. When the rain was over, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue officials did a rapid assessment by drawing a grid of the western communities where the flooding was worst. They immediately conducted a damage assessment and made reverse 911 calls to flooded areas, leaving messages for people to call the Emergency Operations Center if they had damage. The Red Cross and the Salva-

tion Army provided food and supplies to people, animals and pets, and Gov. Rick Scott visited the Wednesday after the storm, pledging help from the state. The county had mini-emergency operations centers set up at the Royal Palm Beach fire-rescue station and the Acreage library. Using more than 85 high-clearance vehicles with the assistance of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the county conducted a complete search covering 146 square miles in 36 hours. Water trucks were made available, and a contractor was hired to dispose of fish carcasses. Merriman said that the Emergency Operations Center received more than 4,000 calls. However, he was pleased that only 66 people had to be sheltered, which he said is a small number compared with how many seek shelter during hurricanes. Merriman said what he has See LESSONS, page 18

JAM IN THE ACREAGE

The Acreage Landowners’ Association and the Indian Trail Improvement District hosted their monthly Acreage Community Park Jam on Saturday, Sept. 15. The family -friendly event featured entertainers showcasing their talents on stage. Pictured above are Melanie Medina of the Sidekicks with Allie and Jennie Balducci of Cougars in Training. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5 PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Kids Tennis Day Of Play Set For Oct. 6 By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report The United States Tennis Association and the Wellington Tennis Center are calling all kids 10 and under to get up and active on Saturday, Oct. 6 as part of the USTA Free Tennis Play Days in celebration of Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play. From 1 to 4 p.m., children 10 or younger and their families can enjoy an afternoon at the Wellington Tennis Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.), playing tennis and enjoying food and other activities to celebrate the day. “Every year, Nickelodeon asks viewers to turn off the television and go outside and play,” 10 & Under Tennis Coordinator Debbie Ellsworth said. “The USTA is celebrating with a day of free tennis

and other activities for children and their families.” The Nickelodeon event began in 2005 and has gained traction worldwide to promote good health and physical activity. For three hours, Nickelodeon suspends programming on all its television stations, instead broadcasting a message encouraging families to play together. The Worldwide Day of Play is the culmination of the station’s “Let’s Just Play” campaign, which ends this month. “Nickelodeon asks kids to go outside instead of sitting in front of the television,” she said. “So we wanted to provide a great, fun activity for children to participate.” September is also National Childhood Obesity Awareness See TENNIS, page 4

Acreage Woman Finds Fulfillment As Children’s Author

Author Kimberling Galeti Kennedy at her home in The Acreage. PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report After years of working and raising her son and stepchildren, children’s author Kimberling Galeti Kennedy never forgot her passion for writing. Today she is the author of two books — her first, Why You Should Laugh Three Times a Day, and her recently completed second book, Hey, Don’t Forget the Sunscreen. Growing up in Cleveland, in a big family with 10 brothers and sisters, Kennedy found creative ways to keep herself busy. She would paint and write little stories to entertain her siblings. At the time it was just something fun to do. Now an empty-nester, Kennedy

lives in The Acreage with her husband, Joseph. After her son Joe left for college, Kennedy had more free time on her hands, and decided to fully focus on her passion for writing. “It’s just never too late to follow your passion,” Kennedy said. “Don’t let your inner child go away. Keep it alive, and it will keep you happy.” Kennedy’s Why You Should Laugh Three Times a Day is a fun book for children and even adults. “It’s one of those books that parents and grandparents will enjoy reading to their children,” she said. “It’s just a fun book with little stories about different life situations that anyone can relate to.” Kennedy’s second book, Hey,

Don’t Forget the Sunscreen, has been submitted to her publisher, Tate Publishing. The book educates children on the importance of sun protection. She came up with the idea after she and her husband underwent treatment for the two most common kinds of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma. “We had a little sun damage to our skin, and my husband and I had hundreds of stitches after taking out the cancer,” Kennedy said. Some of her inspiration for the book came from working as a cake baker in the bakery department at the Publix in the Shoppes at Andros Isle. When she had her bandages from stitches on at work, she See AUTHOR, page 18

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NEWS

SFWMD Official Explains Drainage Intricacies At Chamber Lunch By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce learned more about Tropical Storm Isaac, which flooded the community last month, during a luncheon Wednesday. South Florida Water Management District Intergovernmental Representative Pam Mac’Kie explained not only the effects of the storm, but also how water is handled in Wellington and throughout the area. “You’ll hear people say that this is a one-in-100-year storm,” she said. “That really means that there is a 1 percent chance in any year that this kind of storm will happen. It’s an unusual event, but don’t think that we’ve had our share for the next 99 years. There’s always a 1 percent chance that it could happen.” Mac’Kie said that the area saw about 18 to 20 inches of rain, and

noted that from Friday, Aug. 24 through Sunday, Sept. 5, the SFWMD pumped 88.1 billion gallons of water out of Palm Beach County. She explained that water drains through three systems, all controlled by different bodies. “The primary system is the canals we control,” she said. “The secondary systems are controlled by your government, and the tertiary systems are those ponds or lakes in your neighborhoods.” During the storm, the SFWMD used the C-51 Canal to send water east and west, and also used the Palm Beach Aggregates water reservoir, Lake Okeechobee and the water conservation area to store excess water. Still, she noted, some areas saw flooding. “Flooding is what to expect in a storm under these circumstances,” Mac’Kie said. “That’s the system that we have.” Mac’Kie said that local govern-

ments worked closely with the SFWMD to help solve the crises. She pointed to Royal Palm Beach, which offered to store water for Indian Trail. “Indian Trail was supposed to be discharging into the L-8 Canal, but it was full,” she said. “Royal Palm said, ‘Put some of your water in our canals. We’ll hold it there until it can get out.’ So that is an example of the real, on-the-ground coordination that happens during these events.” The district also put in emergency pumps throughout the area to help move water more quickly. “These are not pumps you put in the back of a truck and plug in,” she said. “Our guys were out there 24 hours a day building, constructing, connecting pipes and installing these pipes so water could move through the canals and off the properties.” Mac’Kie noted that each tier — from neighborhood waterways to

the major canals — is integral in moving water. “It’s like a highway system,” she said. “You’re on I-95 and you don’t understand why you’re having to stop, but you can’t go because all the traffic is backed up. And it’s backed up because somewhere on an off-ramp there’s an accident, something has clogged up the arteries. Backup on a small road causes backup on the larger roads and then on the interstate.” Mac’Kie said that residents have a responsibility to make sure that the drains, culverts, swales and other water discharge areas on their property are cleared. “If branches break off into the larger canals, think about what a dam that would create,” she said. “There are more simple things, like brush along the grates, which blocks 20 percent of water from getting in. That blocks traffic.” Mac’Kie said that although grass is good for treating water,

SFWMD Intergovernmental Representative Pam Mac’Kie with Wellington Chamber of Commerce President Alec Domb. PHOTO BY LAUREN MIRÓ/TOWN-CRIER

too much foliage could cause water to slow. “These areas have to be regularly mowed,” she said. Mac’Kie said that residents have a part to play. “This is a shared responsibility,” she said.

“We need to get our community associations, our cities and our special districts together. Each of us has a role to play. Your culvert under your driveway, your swale, that’s your responsibility.”

Royal Palm Beach Prepares To Launch New Stormwater Utility By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Royal Palm Beach has developed a policy and procedures manual to help implement its new stormwater utility, approved earlier this year. The Royal Palm Beach Village Council was scheduled to approve the manual Thursday. The new policies implement an ordinance approved in April creating the stormwater utility and collecting an assessment on property owners to maintain the village’s drainage system. The stormwater utility manual describes the policies set forth by the village concerning stormwater management fees, credits and adjustments, and describes the billing and collections procedure and appeals process for customers. “We have four different providers of drainage services in Royal Palm Beach,” Village Manager Ray Liggins told the Town-Crier on Wednesday. “We have the Indian Trail Improvement District, we have the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District, the Lake Worth Drainage District and then ourselves, which is 80 to 85 percent of our land mass.” Liggins noted that the village has been paying for maintenance of its drainage system and all the

capital improvements through its ad valorem tax base. “What this will do is pay for all the drainage, maintenance and any future capital improvements as needed or desired, and it will give a secured funding source,” Liggins said. “Doing it with a stormwater utility is a reliable source. All funds collected have to go to drainage, so it gives that assurance to residents. If rules and regulations change in the future, it gives us the ability to be flexible with funding without affecting the tax rate, and if a changed level of service is desired by the residents, it would give them the ability to fund it.” At first, the utility will be funded with about $665,000, solely to maintain the system as it now exists. The cost for a typical residential unit will be about $4 a month, going into effect in the 2012-13 fiscal year. Although the village practiced stormwater management before the ordinance was approved, the process was under the general category of public utilities. The council found the creation of a stormwater utility viable after a presentation by consultant Scott McClelland of CDM Smith, who explained that development covers the land with impervious areas that allow less stormwater to infil-

trate, which the village is left to drain off through its stormwater system. Increased impervious cover leads to larger volumes and higher rates of stormwater runoff, which poses a threat to the public health, safety and welfare. Stormwater management helps avoid problems with water quantity and quality, according to the manual. By mapping, planning, constructing, operating, cleaning, regulating and maintaining natural and constructed stormwater management control measures, the village will reduce the adverse effects of stormwater and improve the quality of canals, streams, rivers and lakes in and around the village. The stormwater management fee is proportional to the demand for services as measured by the amount of impervious area on a property. Under the stormwater utility ordinance, the village has established opportunities for customers to receive credits and adjustments if they construct or maintain privately owned stormwater control measures that are beyond the minimum standards required by the village code or the South Florida Water Management District. Customers may qualify for credit when they can demonstrate that their existing or new storm-

water control measure provides cost savings the village would otherwise incur. Residential and non-residential developed lands are eligible for credits. Single-family residential developed lands are only eligible for credits if the stormwater control measure subject to the credit is wholly owned and operated by one entity, such as the owner of a single-family residence or a neighborhood association or other legally recognized organization; and if it can be demonstrated that the activity reduces the stormwater

management burden caused by each customer. The village has also established a process that allows all customers to appeal for adjustment if they feel their fee is in error. The village may also make an adjustment if it discovers an oversight in determining the fee for a customer. Liggins said that having a stormwater utility is a more equitable way to assess property owners for the service. Having a stormwater utility on the books also gave village staff the ability to draft this year’s budget and reduce pressure

on the general fund. It also ends what amounted to the village charging some residents twice for stormwater management — specifically those living within the boundaries of special districts such as the Indian Trail Improvement District and the Lake Worth Drainage District. During workshops, McClelland said the RPB canal system handles the stormwater runoff relatively well, but no significant improvements have been made in 50 years. Over time, siltation in the canals would reduce effectiveness.

Committee Reviews Equestrian Data By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report Members of the Wellington Equestrian Preserve Committee had a chance last week to review the preliminary draft of a report giving an overview of Wellington’s equestrian community. The report encompasses all the information on the equestrian community gathered as part of the village’s partnership with Florida Atlantic University. The data was collected during last year’s equestrian season and breaks down everything from the number of stalls and horses in the village to the dis-

ciplines of farms throughout Wellington. “The data has given us a bunch of information,” Equestrian Master Plan Project Director Mike O’Dell said at the Sept. 12 meeting. “We’ve broken it down by area because that’s how we attack the information.” O’Dell noted that the reports, including results of the FAU surveys taken at equestrian events, are available at www.wellingtonfl. gov. “In this report, we’ve highlighted the things we learned through the FAU study,” he said. “The

survey is another tool of what we’ve learned. It’s nothing more than an idea of what’s out there.” According to the report, Wellington sees an estimated 11,000 to 12,000 horses during the peak season from December to February. That number dwindles to about 2,600 in the summer but begins to rise again from September to November. Of the farms in Wellington, 45 percent were identified as hunter jumper, 13 percent were dressage and 14 percent were polo. Only 8 percent were a combination of disSee HORSES, page 18

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OUR OPINION

West Nile Virus, Rabies: Be Vigilant In Wake Of Recent Warnings If flooding from Tropical Storm Isaac wasn’t bad enough, the rainy season has brought another problem to our area — mosquitos carrying West Nile virus. A case of West Nile virus was confirmed earlier this month. According to the Palm Beach County Health Department, a horse was euthanized after it was determined to have contracted the virus, marking the second case statewide and the first in our region. Because of all the rain we’ve had lately, the mosquito population has flourished, making the outdoors a potential danger zone for people and animals. Fortunately, there have been only a handful of West Nile virus cases in Palm Beach County since 2001. This is due to people taking the necessary precautions as well as increased aerial spraying for mosquitoes. Still, the health department urges vigilance and suggests the following ways residents can make their properties less attractive to mosquitoes: drain any standing water; cover doors and window with screens (and fix any holes or tears); and cover yourself with clothing and use insect repellents containing DEET, Picaridi or IR3535 (and netting for babies under 2 months). For more information, visit www.pbcgov.com/erm/mosquito. And mosquito-borne illness is not the only cause for concern. The health department report-

ed that last week saw two cases of rabies in areas just outside of the western communities. The first happened last Thursday, when a raccoon attacked a dog on Caloosa Blvd. near the Bee Line Highway. Then, last Saturday, a Yorkie was attacked by a raccoon in a neighborhood east of Jog Road between Belvedere Road and Southern Blvd. According to the health department, with rabies being present in the wild animal population, domestic animals (and humans) are at risk if not vaccinated. In addition to up-to-date vaccinations, the health department recommends owners keep their pets under direct supervision to avoid contact with wild animals; call Animal Care & Control to remove any stray animals; spay or neuter pets; avoid handling, feeding or unintentionally attracting wild animals with open garbage cans or litter; never adopt wild animals or bring them into the home; teach children to never handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic; and prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces. To report a possible case of rabies, call Animal Care & Control at (561) 233-1200. Watching the end of Old Yeller is a painful experience for dog lovers. Having to live through something like that is another thing entirely, and it’s not something any dog owner should have to deal with.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Beware The Council Majority It seems that the Wellington Village Council “majority of three” are again being true to their financial contributors. Our council approved in August the Grille restaurant to be able operate with extended nighttime hours of operation and adhere to state and village liquor laws that put them on equal footing with the nearby Players Club, also on South Shore Blvd. However, since that approval, which the Grille restaurant rightly petitioned for, it appears that Councilman John Greene — an admitted close friend of over 30 years of Neil Hirsch, owner of the Players Club — decided the Grille approval was not proper and asked the council to reconsider. During deliberations held on Sept. 11, the council voted 3-2, with Mayor Bob Margolis and councilmen Matt Willhite and Greene now amending their earlier motion revoking the Grille’s ability to stay open late and serve alcohol in the same manner as the Players Club. Now the owners of the Grille are prohibited from operating as Neil Hirsch’s Players Club, giving him a distinct advantage in what would have been a competitive environment. Mr. Hirsch is a member of the Jacobs Family Board and key player in helping Green, Margolis and Willhite get elected. He will continue to be able to operate latenight hours not afforded his competition. Vice Mayor Howard Coates called this new amendment “disingenuous” and voted against it, along with Councilwoman Anne Gerwig. Residents, please tell me that is proper and in good taste for your village council as they treat their favorite business and others in not the same fair and reasonable manner. We saw it with the Wellington Equestrian Partners petitions for the 2018 World Equestrian Games as well as the Equestrian Village project... So once again it appears that under the guise of “Preserve Wellington,” our majority of three are showing their true colors — allegiance to Mr. Jacobs. Mr. Greene, I would call upon you to live up to your oath and recuse yourself from such close relations when you make an important vote and do the right thing. Al Paglia Wellington

Greed Behind Woman’s Loss Editor’s note: The following letter is in response to last week’s crime news item “Woman Scammed Out Of $1,000 Cash.” She was scammed because she was greedy. She should have ignored them. I had something similar happen to me at the Gardens Mall years ago. While resting on a bench, a welldressed man sat down beside me. After a few minutes he looked into

one of that planters and miraculously found a paper bag. He looked in and said, “Wow! I don’t believe this; there’s lots of money in here! Is this yours?” I said, “Yes, it is!” I can’t tell you how quickly he ran. Never got to meet the third party, his partner. It’s called the “pigeon drop,” and they rely on the greed of the victim. Gemma Maguire Koder Loxahatchee Groves

Reader Responds To Piretti Letter Freedom of speech lets us write virtually anything we like in a letter to the editor, but the assertion in Ronald Piretti’s Sept. 14 letter (“President Is Killing The Job Market”) that President Obama is “killing the job market on purpose” to lead us to a dependency state where “we will all be socialists and on our way to communism” is so bizarre as to demand rebuttal. Aside from the rantings of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, where is there any evidence of this charge? President Obama has gone out of his way to preserve the American system. Case in point: Obamacare. Rather than establish a government-run system, the program delivers some 30 million new customers direct to the doorstep of private insurance companies. Do we have some social programs? Yes, we have Social Security and Medicare, both decades old. But they merely seek to provide a safety net so that seniors have some protections after a lifetime of giving to the nation. They do not impinge in any way on private enterprise. You’re right, Mr. Piretti, that current job creation is anemic, which the president readily admits. But the fact is that we were in such a deep economic hole, as former President Clinton pointed out, that “no president, including me, could rebuild the economy in just four years.” The evidence that does exist shows steady progress toward recovery. Some months it’s faster, others slower, as that is the nature of recovery. But the real question is, do we want to jettison the president who dug us out of the ditch and now has us moving back to prosperity? The polls show more and more Americans staying with Obama. I agree with them. What about you? Jay Schleifer Wellington

Support For Mitt Romney It’s a lethal combination: politicians who know but don’t care and voters who don’t care to know. There are exceptions. Marge Fitzgerald enlightened us with her research and cogent remarks (last week’s letter “President Obama Tried, But Failed”). Voters like her encourage us to believe that there are intelligent women who are ask-

ing more from our government officials than free contraception. What they want from government is a little common sense, and most of all, they want the truth. I believe that we can elect a president with the courage of his convictions like that of Rep. Allen West. I believe we will elect a man who understands how to run a country and not run it into the ground. That man is Gov. Mitt Romney, and at his side will stand a brilliant advisor — Paul Ryan, and not Joe Biden. The truth is that Mr. Obama will win if enough people vote who: • Are not eligible to vote. (Republicans are trying to limit the vote to citizens.) • Reject God and reject Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (Republicans believe in both.) • Want to redefine marriage in their own terms. (Republicans believe in preserving the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.) • Are the 47 percent who depend upon government handouts to survive. (Republicans want to put them to work in high-paying jobs.) • Are graduates of liberal universities who blame President Bush because they cannot find jobs and are still living with their parents. (If you don’t believe these universities are staffed with KoolAid-drinking progressives, then you either did not have the college education I had or are living in a fantasy world.) • Are jobless. (Republicans want to recreate jobs in American industries like drilling for oil, mining for coal and manufacturing steel that once were the backbone of American wealth production.) • Are convinced that CO2 is causing the oceans to rise. (Republicans want reasonable regulations that will not continue to deindustrialize America.) • Believe that Iran does not plan to destroy Israel. (Republicans stand with Israel and against Muslim terrorism, and are not afraid to say so.) • Believe that Iran, an oil-rich country, is developing nuclear power. (Republicans use common sense that informs their beliefs.) • Approve of a president who does not show up every day on the job, slept through the U.S. Consulate attack, and has played more golf rounds while in office than Tiger Woods has for the same period. • Are voters who have not built a business nor did the government build one for them. (Republicans protect small businessman who built it despite government overregulation of industry.) • Believe that a little-known YouTube video started the coordinated attacks that killed an ambassador and two Navy Seals. (Libyan President el-Megarif states that it was an Al Qaeda preplanned attack against the United States, and that there was advanced warning that was not heeded.) Regarding mindless Democratcontrolled media talking points:

It is preposterous to talk about Romney’s wealth, when we should be talking about a poorer America. The Fed is pumping $40 billion of funny money into the economy, depreciating the dollar and causing inflation. It is twisted to talk about Romney’s outsourcing jobs when, according to Diane Sawyer, Obama is building a $5 billion bridge with taxpayer money and has hired a Chinese company to do the construction. It is nonsensical to talk about Romney moving manufacturing to foreign shores when with $80 billion tax dollars CEO Dan Akerson, is building seven out of 10 General Motor vehicles outside the United States, and he has 11 assembly plants in China. It takes chutzpa to say that Romney fired people when Obama’s record of real unemployment in 2008 was about 5 percent and now it is about 15 percent. We can’t say that Obama ever fired an employee because he never ran a business, but he did have to let his czar Van Jones go when it was publicized that Jones is a 9/11 “truther” and an admitted Communist. Anyone who wants to challenge anything in this letter can post their answer online at www. gotowncrier.com (find “Letters” under “Opinion” on the drop down menu). I will be pleased to reply. Frank J. Morelli Wellington

GOP, Not Obama, Is Killing Jobs Editor’s note: The following letter is in response to Ronald Piretti’s Sept. 14 letter “President Is Killing The Job Market.” Ronald Piretti, your moronic statements regarding President Obama reflect the ignorance which the new, repugnant Republican Party has counted on in order to enact their agenda of further destroying the fabric of this country. In response to your ridiculous statement, “Obama is killing the job market on purpose to make Americans more dependent on the government,” I suggest you read Robert Draper’s book Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives. On the night of President Obama’s inauguration, the following Republicans met for a dinner party in the Caucus Room, a highend establishment in Washington, D.C.: Eric Cantor (Virginia), Kevin McCarthy (California), Paul Ryan (Wisconsin), Pete Sessions (Texas), Jeb Hensarling (Texas), Pete Hoekstra (Michigan), Dan Lungren (California), Jim DeMint (South Carolina), Jon Kyl (Arizona), Tom Coburn (Oklahoma), John Ensign (Nevada), Bob Corker (Tennessee) and Newt Gingrich. At that meeting, they made the conscious decision to undermine the economic recovery of the United States for the sole purpose of political advancement. This happened before President Obama set foot in the White House.

For the last four years, every jobs bill introduced to the House has either been denied, or not even so much as brought up for a vote, up to and including the American Jobs Act, which by all accounts would have produced over 1 million new jobs. Every one of the people at that dinner party should be brought up on charges of treason, sabotage and domestic terrorism against the United States. J.R. Pisani West Palm Beach

Council Shuts Restaurants At 11 p.m. I am writing to bring light upon the recent actions of the Wellington Village Council. An application was submitted to Wellington to extend the hours of operation of the Grille. A second part of the application was to allow us to operate under the proper liquor license, known as a 4COP license. The underlying purpose of the application was allow the Grille to operate under the same hours and conditions enjoyed by the Players Club, Jo-Jo’s, Graffito, the Gallery and other businesses operating in Wellington after 11 p.m. while located in the Wellington PUD. We simply sought the same treatment as everyone else. The application came before the council on Aug. 28, and they refused to grant us the same hours enjoyed by our direct competition, which includes the Players Club. During the discussion and vote of this matter, Councilman John Greene, who had previously recused himself from other Neil Hirsch-related business before the council, failed to recuse himself despite his admitted ties to Mr. Hirsch, owner of the Players Club. The council voted for partial hours and granted the Grille permission to operate under the 4COP license. We were also given the right to reapply before the council at anytime. The next week, the village attorney was told that Mr. Greene did not mean to vote in favor of an expanded 4COP license and therefore wanted to reopen discussion, after the vote, to deny the 4COP approval. At the Sept. 11 village council hearing, despite a demand by our lawyer, Avery Chapman, Mr. Greene refused to recuse himself. One cannot begin to unravel the ethics violations involved in that action by Mr. Greene. Then, the council voted 3-2 to change the previous village resolution and now deny the Grille its 4COP license. We were also stripped of our right to reapply to the council earlier than one year in the future. Reopening the discus-

sions was a highly irregular action, one almost never heard of. During our Sept. 11 hearing, the council stated that it would now be reviewing the operating hours of all businesses and restaurants in Wellington for violation of the 11 p.m. closing time. The council stated that if a business or restaurant did not have either an exception to the 11 p.m. closing time because of its location and/or a 4COP license, or did not have a conditional use previously approved by the council, then that business or restaurant must close at 11 p.m., regardless of the prior and established business practices and regardless of the prior waiver of enforcement by Wellington. What this means to all businesses and restaurants in Wellington is that they now must close by 11 p.m. every day of the week unless exempt or previously granted permission to do otherwise. This action by the council is extremely hostile to the business community in Wellington and serves only to unreasonably restrict the ability of those same businesses to derive some profit from operations during the short winter season, when residents, fulltime and part-time, flock to the businesses for evening dining and entertainment. By enforcing the 11 p.m. closing time, Wellington will force residents to drive to other towns, such as Delray, Boca and West Palm, rather than safely spending their time and money in Wellington. Likewise, people from out of Wellington will not travel to Wellington to spend money in Wellington businesses. The council clearly is out of touch with the businesses and residents. The Grille presented over 165 petition letters and at least six people spoke in support of our application. Nevertheless, the council saw fit to not only refuse the Grille permission to operate on a level playing field with its direct competition, but then the council declared that all non-exempt and non-authorized businesses and restaurants must close by 11 p.m. So now our council has shown its true colors. The majority members [Mayor Bob] Margolis, [Councilman Matt] Willhite and Greene are hostile to businesses here. Only [Vice Mayor Howard] Coates and [Councilwoman Anne] Gerwig were brave enough to stand up to them. The council will be subject to yet another lawsuit by a business owner, caused by the unfair, arbitrary and needless actions of our present council. I therefore urge all business owners in Wellington to immediately address their concerns to the council in written form. Juan Gando, Owner The Grille Fashion Cuisine Wellington

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) 793-6090; or you can e-mail letters@goTownCrier.com.

NEWS Tennis

Kids Day Of Play

continued from page 1 Month, Ellsworth pointed out. “Tennis is the perfect sport to get kids active,” she said. “Our program is geared toward children 10 and under, so they can learn to play in a fun, age-appropriate way. It’s similar to tee-ball. The rackets

are smaller, the nets are lower, and the balls don’t bounce as high.” Ellsworth said that tennis is a sport that will foster a lifelong love of the game, leading to greater physical activity, even if the child never wants to be competitive. “It’s a sport where children can be successful very quickly,” she said. “As we know, tennis is a lifetime sport. It’s fun and full of fitness. We believe it should be a fun game before it becomes a com-

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petition. We hope that this can be a pathway for children to learn about tennis and hopefully continue to play and be active.” In addition to several tennis-related activities on the facility’s courts, there will be an inflatable obstacle course, arts and crafts provided by Abrakadoodle, face painting and a DJ, as well as raffle prizes. The Sports Authority will be on hand providing fun games for chil-

dren to play, and the Wellington Youfit Health Club will have fun warm-up exercises to get children ready to play. There will also be free food and refreshments from local sponsors. “The Wellington Whole Foods Market will be providing snacks along with a ‘slime smoothie.’ Nickelodeon likes to slime people,” Ellsworth said. “Tijuana Flats will provide chips and salsa, the Wellington TCBY will be handing out

BARRY S. MANNING Publisher

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yogurt, and Lowe’s and Publix are providing water and Gatorade.” And to keep kids safe from sun, Ellsworth said SolaRX will provide sunscreen for everyone. Not only can kids get a taste of tennis in the 10 & Under format, but if they enjoy the sport, they can register for one of several 10 & Under clinics at local Wellington facilities. They can also sign up for a free USTA 10 & Under membership.

Ellsworth encouraged families to participate in the event and spend an afternoon being active together. “We hope they’ll come out and enjoy a day of fun and fitness, participate in the great sport of tennis and have some family fun,” she said. For more information about the event, or 10 & Under Tennis, contact Ellsworth at ellsworth@florida. usta.com.

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NEWS

LOTS OF ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMILY FUN AT ACREAGE COMMUNITY PARK JAM The Acreage Landowners’ Association and the Indian Trail Improvement District hosted their monthly Acreage Community Park Jam on Saturday, Sept. 15. The family -friendly event featured local entertainers showcasing their talents on stage. For more info., visit www. acreagelandowners.org or call Bob Renna (561) 602-0676. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Rapper K-Reezy performs on stage.

Cassie Cutts and Kristina Thompson watch the performances.

Arlene Pollock, Selania Deroy and Tammie Sparks.

Jordan and Rachel Akin, Hunter Craig and Candice Lovewell.

Acreage Community Jam organizers Bob and Linda Renna.

Amy and Desmond Gonzalez.

LONG RUN PERFORMS EAGLES TRIBUTE SHOW AT WELLINGTON AMPHITHEATER

Wellington hosted an Eagles tribute concert featuring the band Long Run on Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Wellington Amphitheater. Attendees brought their own seating and relaxed while listening to Eagles classics. For more on upcoming events at the amphitheater, visit www.wellingtonfl.gov. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Christian, Gratiana, Andy and Jessica Costan.

You Deserve Quality CARE

SERVING OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS

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Eagles cover band Long Run performs.

Wayne and Lori Franklin, Angela Ross and Corinne Grier.

Page 6 September 21 - September 27, 2012

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CRIME NEWS

$13,000 In Cash, Goods Stolen From RPB Home By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report SEPT. 14 — A deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to a home on Kensington Way last Friday morning regarding a delayed burglary. According to a PBSO report, the victim left his home on Friday, Sept. 7 and returned a week later to discover that someone had broken into his home and stolen cash and several items. According to the report, the perpetrator(s) may have entered through an unlocked window in the victim’s office. The victim said he was missing between $3,000 and $5,000 cash from a small box located in the desk drawer. The perpetrator(s) also removed $2,000 worth of coins from a chest, as well as a laptop computer and several pieces of jewelry. According to the report, the deputy located the laptop computer outside behind some bushes and was able to get fingerprints from it. The stolen items were valued at approximately $13,000. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. ••• SEPT. 13 — AWest Palm Beach man was arrested last Thursday evening on drug charges at Todd Robiner Park in Royal Palm Beach. According to a PBSO report, a deputy was patrolling the area at approximately 10:22 p.m. and observed a man sitting in a vehicle near the park. The deputy made contact with the driver, 19-year-old Oshiky Irving. According to the report, the deputy smelled marijuana coming from the car. A search of the vehicle revealed a small amount of marijuana, as well as a 9mm Glock pistol under the driver’s side floor mat. Irving was arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail, where he was charged with possession of marijuana under 20 grams and carrying a concealed weapon. SEPT. 15 — Two men were arrested on drug charges last Saturday afternoon following a chase through the Shoma Homes community. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Royal Palm Beach substation was patrolling on State Road 7 when he observed a green 2001 Mercury being driven by 30-year-old Nedrick Boldin with no rear tire tread, violating state statutes. The deputy initiated a traffic stop, and Boldin accelerated, continuing north. The vehicle then turned into the Steak ’n Shake parking lot, ran a stop sign and pulled into a parking space. According to the report, the deputy observed Boldin and his passenger, 27-year-old Albert Bouie Jr., aggressively shove an unknown item under the front bench seat of the vehicle. According to the report, Boldin then exited the vehicle without being told, and fled toward the Shoma Homes community. The deputy said Boldin was holding in his arms a rolled-up white T-shirt with red print. According to the report, the deputy told Bouie to remain in the car and chased Boldin through a gap in the fence separating the community. The deputy observed Boldin trip and drop a red plastic baggie containing 1.1 grams of marijuana, before continuing to run through the buildings. According to the report, the deputy caught up with Boldin in the breezeway of one of the buildings and detained him until backup arrived. However, Boldin was not in possession of the shirt. The deputy

later discovered 108.4 grams of marijuana in individual baggies, along with $405 cash in a plumbing access panel. According to the report, the deputy returned to the car and discovered that Bouie had fled the area, but he later returned and was detained. Both men were arrested and taken to the county jail. Boldin was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, drug equipment possession, tampering with evidence and resisting an officer. Bouie was charged with resisting an officer. SEPT. 16 —ARoyal Palm Beach man was arrested early last Sunday morning on drug charges following an incident in the Shoma Homes community. According to a PBSO report, the deputy was on foot patrol in the area at approximately 12:21 a.m. when he observed two black males sitting in a silver, four-door Mazda. According to the report, the deputy approached the vehicle, which had its windows down, and could smell marijuana coming from the vehicle. The deputy made contact with 23-year-old Conway Samuels, and ordered both men out of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a black semi-automatic pistol and ecstasy in pill form. Samuels was arrested and taken to the county jail, where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of a weapon during a felony. SEPT. 16 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was dispatched to a funeral home on Memorial Park Road last Sunday afternoon regarding a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, the victim left the vehicle door unlocked and her Coach purse in the glove box. Sometime between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., someone entered the vehicle and removed the bag, valued at approximately $275. There were no suspects or witnesses available at the time of the report. SEPT. 17 — A resident of Key Lime Blvd. contacted the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation on Monday morning regarding an act of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, sometime between midnight and 9:27 a.m., someone removed the victim’s electric meter from its box and cut all of the exterior wires going to the house. The victim was not home at the time, but it cut all power to the house. The stolen meter was valued at approximately $1,000. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. SEPT. 18 — A deputy from the PBSO’s Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was dispatched Tuesday morning to a home on Grapeview Blvd. regarding an act of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 9 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m. the following morning, someone vandalized the victim’s two vehicles, located in his driveway. Someone poured garbage over both vehicles and shoved wine bottles into the exhaust pipe of the victim’s truck. The perpetrator(s) also set an unknown material on the trunk of the victim’s car and set it on fire, causing approximately $1,000 in damage. SEPT. 18 — A resident of Inverness Circle contacted the PBSO substation in Wellington Tuesday afternoon to report a case of fraud. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 4 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m. Tuesday, someone gained access to her bankcard and See BLOTTER, page 18

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public’s help in finding these wanted fugitives: • Craig Bohl is a white male, 5’8” tall and weighing 180 lbs., with brown hair and green eyes. His last name is tattooed on his left shoulder. His date of birth is 06/10/87. Bohl is wanted for violation of probation on charges of burglary of a structure, dealing in stolen property and false verification of ownership. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was NE 12th Street in Delray Beach. Bohl is wanted as of 09/13/12. • Richard Colon is a white male, 6’0” tall and weighing 185 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 04/20/93. Colon is wanted for failure to appear on charges of burglary of a dwelling and grand theft. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was Pine Circle in Greenacres. Colon is wanted as of 09/13/12. 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.crimestopperspbc. com.

Craig Bohl

Richard Colon

THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY. CRIMESTOPPERS IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT SHOWN HERE.

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NEWS

Sign Code Relaxed? RPB Council Grants Village Royale Appeal By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council approved an appeal last week by Pet Supermarket and the Village Royale Shopping Plaza, overturning the Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission’s denial in June and allowing national trademark colors on wall and monument signs. The Sept. 11 decision could lead to a relaxation of the village’s code regulating color themes for applicants with national trademarks and colors by allowing them to apply directly to planning staff, bypassing commission review. Pet Supermarket and the shopping center sought architectural approval to modify the existing master sign plan for the Village Royale Shopping Plaza to allow for trademark colors and logos on both monument signs and wall signs. The shopping center ’s current master sign plan was reviewed and approved in March 2006. It required all wall signs to be red

Helvetica channel letters and the monument panels to have red letters on a white background. In June, the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended denial of the application for the national trademark and colors. “They expressed concerns of creating a blanket approval and wanted to maintain the ability to have dialogue in the future with applicants regarding signage that would deviate from the master sign plan in order to create a harmonious signage throughout the village,” Planning & Zoning Director Bradford O’Brien said at last week’s meeting. He pointed out that the council at its previous meeting had overturned another commission decision denying the Pet Supermarket colors for the shopping center’s monument sign, with red Helvetica channel letters on a yellow background rather than white. “Several outparcels in the Village Royale Shopping Plaza have obtained approvals individually to permit signs which deviate from

the master sign plan,” O’Brien said. “These approvals permitted Wells Fargo, Burger King and Bud’s Chicken to incorporate trademarks or logos within their signage,” O’Brien said. “There have been other wall signs that have received approval for this deviation.” O’Brien also showed other national trademark signs in the village and surrounding communities that have received approval, including in the Crossroads Shopping Center immediately east of Village Royale, where some of the tenants have utilized their trademark colors and logo. “Signage for outparcels typically in Royal Palm Beach have been given their trademark colors and logos for their monument-style signs,” O’Brien said. Dunkin’ Donuts in Waterway Plaza immediately north of Village Royale received approval to use its trademark colors and logo, and national tenants in the shopping center on the northeast corner of State Road 7 and Okeechobee Blvd. are also among

those using national colors and trademarks. Tenants at Southern Palm Crossing on Southern Blvd. are allowed to have trademark colors and logos on the wall signs as well as outparcel monument signs, O’Brien said. He also pointed out that staff recommended approval of the Village Royale application to change the sign criteria to allow for trademark colors and logos on the monument sign as well as the wall signs. Mayor Matty Mattioli asked whether the village would be under any obligation to change the sign, and O’Brien said the burden is entirely on the shopping center and tenants. “The application is to allow the panels — whenever a new tenant comes in, they will change out the panel and that new tenant will get their registered trademark colors and logos,” O’Brien said. “There is nothing scheduled to replace the sign altogether.” Vice Mayor Fred Pinto asked whether allowing national trade-

marks and logos would require a reconfiguration of the monument sign in order to make it attractive aesthetically, and O’Brien said there is no reconfiguring planned for the monument sign. “The foundation of the monument sign will stay the same,” O’Brien said. “Within that monument sign there are panels, and they allocate panels based on square footage and things of that nature.” O’Brien said the village code does not regulate the size of the panels, but rather the size of the monument sign itself. If the council approved the appeal before them to allow the national trademark and logo on the monument and wall signs at Village Royale, whenever a permit application came in, they would be required to provide documentation that they have a national trademark and logo, and that the color and logo matches the sign application that they have submitted, O’Brien explained. Village Attorney Brad Biggs ex-

plained that the application is for a planned commercial development with a master signage approval, where the only thing they have to do is come to staff, and they do not have to go to the Planning & Zoning Commission. “You won’t be getting every single one of these coming in again to look at,” Biggs said. O’Brien said that any requests for changes to the size of the signage on the monument or wall sign would have to go before the Planning & Zoning Commission and the council, if necessary. Councilwoman Martha Webster said she wanted to see that the rules are more consistent for businesses. “If one puts it up, they can all put it up,” Webster said. “Right now, we seem to have a mixture of that. I also believe that looking at the signs with the logos on it seems to be much more attractive and more appealing.” Webster made a motion to approve the appeal, which carried 50.

Lox Council OKs Code Change Allowing PUDs On Southern Blvd. By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to an ordinance amending the town’s Unified Land Development Code to allow planned unit developments (PUDs) on two large parcels of land along Southern Blvd. The need for a PUD ordinance arose because a multiple land use category was created for the two parcels, which needed design flexibility in order to implement the town’s planning directives and conditions of approval, according to planning consultant Jim Fleischmann. The proposed PUD is a special type of floating overlay district that will not appear on the town’s zoning map until the designation is

approved by the council. Properties assigned a multiple land use designation can apply for PUD approval. In addition, certain properties with a commercial land use designation located along Southern Blvd. would also be eligible to apply. Changes to the ULDC require a 4-1 council super-majority for approval. The ordinance was up for its third preliminary approval after council members recommended several substantive changes in previous reviews. Fleischmann said a major change was to make it clear that the amendment would only apply to properties along Southern Blvd. Another change clarifies screening and buffers of PUDs from adjacent properties. The width of

property fronting Southern Blvd. was also increased from 400 feet to 600 feet, and the minimum depth of the property would be increased to 750 feet. “This would give the opportunity for property owners behind the frontage to participate in development or decisions of properties fronting Southern Blvd.,” Fleischmann said, adding that the additional depth would encompass extensions of Citrus and Tangerine drives if the council should decide it wants that in the future. “If you multiply 600 feet by 750 feet, the minimum parcel size would be just around 10 acres.” The amended ordinance also clarifies that native vegetation will be preserved and exotics will be removed. Fleischmann said the PUD des-

ignation will benefit both the town and the property owners in that it will require discussion and resolution of issues earlier in the process. “Normally the land use is relatively general application of the broad category,” Fleischmann said. “This zoning district is a little bit more specific. The PUD brings in a lot of the elements of the site plan approval into the zoning process.” Details and issues can be taken care of in the zoning phase rather than pushing them off to the site plan phase, Fleischman said, explaining that the PUD process is a benefit to the town in that officials will have an early chance to address and resolve issues of concern. “It’s a benefit to the property

owner in that the site plan process is very extensive, and by bringing some of the site plan requirements into the PUD process without having to do a lot of the extensive requirements of the site plan process, both parties can sit down and talk about major issues and resolve them in the zoning process,” Fleischmann said. “That, in my mind, is the biggest benefit to both parties.” The PUD also gives a better opportunity for multiple landowners to get together and plan a land development concept for their properties, Fleischmann said. “It’s possible under the PUD, for example, for all the property owners east of C [Road] and west of D [Road] from Southern to Collecting Canal [Road] to get together and essentially come up with a

master plan of how they would like that entire neighborhood developed,” Fleischmann said. The master plan could incorporate a minimum of three land use categories, including commercial, institutional and residential, conservational and recreational space. “I think that would be an ideal tool to address some of the neighborhood problems in that area, but it would require the cooperation of all of the property owners to make that happen,” Fleischmann explained. Another benefit to the town is that it can require conditions of approval to ensure compliance with the comprehensive plan, such as the Rural Vista guidelines or the amount of pervious area. The PUD process also requires See LOX GROVES, page 18

ITID Candidate Question 1: What Makes You Qualified To Serve? From now until the election, the Town-Crier will ask questions each week to the four Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors Seat 2 and Seat 4 candidates. This week’s question: Tell us a little bit about your background. What makes you the most qualified candidate to sit on the Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors? SEAT 4 CANDIDATES Michelle Damone I believe I am the most qualified candidate due to my experience among the variety of issues The Acreage has seen over the past two decades. I first became involved as a volunteer “parks advocate” before The Acreage had the variety of parks that make up our community today. During the mid-2000s, it was our goal to bring fiscal responsibility back to ITID. We reduced assessments by over 20 percent and increased the level of service. In 2012, ITID received its first “unqualified audit” with no management letter comments. In other words, Indian Trail got its financial house in order. I believe I am the only candidate with the most historical knowledge that has proven valuable even over the current discussions of the flooding caused by Tropical Storm Isaac. Historical knowledge can save the district thousands of dollars when making decisions. The most important thing that comes from experience

is the consensus building that every elected official needs to be effective and truly serve their constituents. With experience comes valuable relationships. Issues know no boundaries, but you must have the relationships and experience to solve problems that affect our borders. It is also my experience that allows me to represent our community when appearing before our county commission. I have earned the respect of the county commission by tackling tough issues in a respectable manner. I have fought the good fight on behalf of our community, and I still have the same passion I possessed as a young “parks advocate” many years ago. I live here, I raised my children here, and I want to continue to represent this community into the future. Ken Hendrick I have been a Florida resident since 1988 and had a business called Star Window Cleaning. I employed 27 people and had the contract to do the window cleaning at all the homes in Breakers West. In 1993, I started up a sign business, and it was at that time called Graphic Signs. We later changed the name to Hendrick Services. It is a family owned and operated business. I also own Loxahatchee radio.com. I am very familiar with running a business with many employees and how to work well with others. I also am a member of the Acre-

Michelle Damone

Ken Hendrick

Gary Dunkley

Carlos Enriquez

age/Loxahatchee Rotary Club and past president of the Acreage Network Referral Group. I am on the IT board at Seminole Ridge High School. I have studied at great length how our water system operates and learned a great deal about our canals. When I am elected, I will do my best to make sure the work that is carried out is performed by our employees, and if there is a need to outsource, that it be done by businesses in the Acreage/Loxahatchee area.

members who will set policies that will be a guide for the future of what ITID citizens want for the community. To be a good leader, you need the input of all citizens. The people of the western communities need true information. Years ago, there were newsletters that gave a summary of ongoing issues. This needs to be utilized again so all residents are informed and can give opinions and input on issues facing our community now and in the future. As a board member, I will demand that all big-ticket items be addressed by all, not just a small group with agendas contrary to the needs of all residents of ITID.

serve them as ITID Seat 2 supervisor for the past four years. I feel I am the most qualified because of my past four years of experience on the board and my past experience as the Acreage Landowners’ Association president and on the H.L. Johnson Elementary School SAC Committee. During my four years on the board, I have put forth several initiatives that have enhanced ITID’s ability to provide services to its taxpayers. Telemetry and overall enhancement of our three pump stations was one of several items I pushed for. Our current ability to historically analyze and decipher are key in pinpointing and correcting any shortcomings the district had during Tropical Storm Isaac. Also, during my tenure, taxes have been lowered an average of 20 percent. Several other improvement

projects have been completed. Our agreement with Palm Beach County has brought a much-needed library to The Acreage. Also, the transformation of Kidscape Park into the crown jewel of ITID parks has enriched our community... These are examples of projects that have improved our community. I have been a resident of The Acreage since 2003. I have three wonderful daughters: Alyza, Bethany and Hannah. My oldest, Alyza, attends college in Brooklyn, N.Y., at Pratt Institute. Bethany attends Seminole Ridge High School (go Hawks!), and my youngest, Hannah, goes to Western Pines Middle School (go Tigers!). Hard work and determination is what drives me to work for the current and future residents of The Acreage.

SEAT 2 CANDIDATES Gary Dunkley I am qualified as a candidate because of my knowledge running my own businesses for the last 25 years. ITID needs strong leadership and informed board

Carlos Enriquez I would like to thank the Acreage community for allowing me to

Page 8 September 21 - September 27, 2012

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NEWS BRIEFS Children’s Theatre Holding Auditions Wellington has a new theater company just for kids. The Wellington Children’s Theatre is currently holding placement auditions for its inaugural season of classes and performances. The musical theater workshop, for children in grades three through nine, will be rehearsing for the off-Broadway hit Dear Edwina Junior, which will be performed in mid-December. For younger children, in kindergarten through the second grade, the musical and drama workshop “Acting Out!” is a perfect introduction to the stage. The company’s cabaret troupe, a glee club for middle and high school singers who are able to sing in harmony, is also currently auditioning. The troupe will be performing staged, choreographed show and pop tunes. Wellington Children’s Theatre will offer an advanced acting class for students 15 to 19 years of age, taught by Beverly Blanchette, former dean of the Dreyfoos School of the Arts Theatre Department. Blanchette will teach an in-

tensive, three-hour audition workshop in January. This class will be open to all students. Karen Braunstein, the director and producer of the Wellington Children’s Theatre, said that creating this company has been her dream for years. “The western communities are sorely in need of a theatre company serving children who want to hone their performing skills,” Braunstein said. “I hope that the WCT will draw children who are being home-schooled as well. Unfortunately, the public schools, with the exception of the high schools, no longer offer a drama program for kids. There is nothing like being on stage and acting and singing your heart out, to build self-esteem and confidence. I believe that it’s vital to expose children to the performing arts and the richness of music, and give them the opportunity to express themselves through theater.” Wellington Children’s Theatre is casting children in grades K-12 for its fall productions, including the musical Dear Edwina, Casting continues on Sept. 22, 28 and 29. Classes and workshops meet at the #1 Education Place, in the original Wellington Mall.

For more information on classes, tuition and schedules, or to set up and audition, call (561) 2231928, e-mail karen@wellington childrenstheatre.com or visit www.wellingtonchildrenstheatre. com.

Free Breast Exams At Wellington Health Center Planned Parenthood of South Florida and the Treasure Coast is offering free clinical breast exams to kick off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In an effort to raise awareness and detection of breast cancer, the free exams will be available Friday, Sept. 28 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Wellington Health Center (10111 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 340). “The success rate for curing breast cancer is much higher when it’s detected early,” Planned Parenthood of South Florida and the Treasure Coast CEO/President Lillian Tamayo said. “Planned Parenthood’s Free Breast Exam Day in Wellington offers women the opportunity to access lifesaving can-

cer screening regardless of income or access to health insurance.” The free clinical exams are available by appointment. To schedule an exam, call (800) 551-4060. Appointments are limited, so they should be scheduled as soon as possible. For more information, visit www.ppsoflo.org.

Wellington Conducting Business Survey The Florida Atlantic University/ Village of Wellington “Living Lab” began the third of five major projects consisting of an in-depth business analysis of Wellington. FAU, through a graduate-level course, will focus on Wellington’s business community and examine trends and characteristics with emphasis on the local economy. Additionally, the study will analyze current economic conditions, conduct competitive comparisons with other local governments and research seasonal business patterns. The first component of the business analysis will be an online survey intended for local business owners. The survey consists of 30

questions and takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to fill out. It is available now through Nov. 2. The results of the survey will be incorporated into the business analysis in a final draft report anticipated to be complete in December. The report, along with other related information, will be posted at www. wellingtonfl.gov.

Halloween Fun At The Palm Beach Zoo The Palm Beach Zoo has announced plans for special Halloween events in October. Boo at the Zoo, a South Florida family favorite will be held on Friday through Sunday, October 19-21 and Oct. 2628 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Friday evenings, Oct. 19 and 26 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. The zoo will also offer a special family overnight program called Spooky Snooze on Oct. 6, 20 and 27. Boo at the Zoo was founded over 15 years ago to provide the community with a safe and educational venue for trick-or-treating. Since that time, Boo at the Zoo has become Palm Beach County’s No. 1 family event during the Hallow-

een season. In 2011, nearly 10,000 guests attended during the six days of celebration. Festivities include trick-or-treating, provided by local vendors, and children’s entertainment including games, crafts, hay-stack hunt, decorateyour-own pumpkin patch, bounce house, face painting, photo opportunities throughout the zoo, Monster mash dance parties in the Fountain Plaza, Halloween-themed treats in the Tropics Café, special Halloween treats for the animals, roving animal encounters and costume contests. Spooky Snooze Overnights at the Zoo will be held Oct. 6-7, 20-21 and 27-28. The program begins on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. and runs through Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Evening activities include pumpkin painting, crafts, night time tours, an evening pizza snack and continental breakfast. Activities are designed for family members ages six through adult. “Mummies” and/or daddies must attend with their children. For more on these programs, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org. For additional information on the Spooky Snooze program, e-mail education@palmbeachzoo.org, or call (561) 533-0887, ext. 229.

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NEWS

ART SOCIETY WELCOMES SEASON WITH OPEN HOUSE AT COMMUNITY CENTER

The Wellington Art Society held an open house Wednesday, Sept. 12 at the Wellington Community Center. Ten children were issued a certif icate and letter from Congressman Ted Deutch for their artwork, which is on display in the Wellington Community Center for three months. Art society members have been asked to provide artwork for the new wing of the Children’s Hospital at Palms West. Jerry’s Artarama donated blank canvases for this project. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Students show off their artwork.

Jerry’s Artarama Store Manager Margot Weissman with Children’s Hospital at Palms West art project chairs Linda Rovolis, A drianne Hetherington and Leslie Pfeiffer.

Leslie Pfeiffer and her oil painting Captivating Cattleya.

Laura Willems with her artwork Full Bloom and Primary Colors.

Jerry’s Artarama’s Margot Weissman and Craig McInnis.

Ilene Adams shows her artwork to Ardith Rubnitz.

SCRAPBOOK ENTHUSIASTS GATHER AT FAIRGROUNDS FOR SCRAPBOOK EXPO The Scrapbook Expo was held Friday and Saturday, Sept. 14 and 15 at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center. Vendor s sold a wide varie ty of scrapbooking materials such as paper, stamps, trims, mar kers, ink and more. There were also workshops on paper crafting and stamping. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Christine Villalpando and Cynthia Cruz write Christmas cards to U.S. troops at the Michaels craft store table.

Michelle Ogdahl of Avocado Arts advises Isabelle Coto and Marta Delgado about ink.

Scrapbook Expo organizer Dave Gordon with raffle prize winners C.J. Frye, Robyn Yee-Tarjamo and Michelle Guttveg.

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September 21 - September 27, 2012 Page 11

Page 12 September 21 - September 27, 2012

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NEWS

WELLINGTON VOLUNTEERS TAKE PART IN THE INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP Volunteers came together for the annual International Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Wellington Public Works facility. Groups of volunteers were assigned to canal banks throughout Wellington to clean up trash and debris from Tropical Storm Isaac. Wellington and Keep Palm Beach Beautiful provided T-shirts, trash bags, gloves and bottled water. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Coastal Cleanup volunteers gather at the Public Works facility.

Mellissa McNally picks up trash near the water.

Nicole Evangelista, Hank O’Dell, Kim Henghold and Chris Degler.

Jill Herring and Cory Goodman clean up along a roadside.

Xander and James Locklair do their part to clean up.

Terry and Donovan Cromer and Brian Trowbridge work to keep Wellington clean.

YOUNG GOLFERS COMPETE IN SOUTH FLORIDA PGA JUNIOR TOUR AT WYCLIFFE

The South Florida PGA Junior Tour presented by the Honda Classic was held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 15 and 16 at the Wycliffe Golf & Country Club. More than 100 junior golfers ages 12-18 competed in the 36-hole stroke play event. For more info., visit www.sfpgagolf. com. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Players Brian Becker, Devon Lojewski and Joshua Brookins.

Caitlin Huiting putts in the ball.

Tim Graham takes a swing.

Wycliffe Head Golf Pro Ray Nalbandian and Director of Golf Lynn Stebbins.

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September 21 - September 27, 2012 Page 13

NEWS

As Porath Retires, Barbuto Takes The Helm At Wellington Law Firm By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report The first general attorney to practice full time in Wellington, Ann Porath has officially retired from her firm Porath & Barbuto, after 28 years serving the community. Partner Anthony Barbuto has taken over the reins, changing the firm’s name to Barbuto Law but keeping the same focus on client service. “Ann was kind of like the local attorney for many years,” Barbuto said. “People came to her for everything, and I’ve adopted that same dynamic.” A 2004 graduate of Oklahoma City University School of Law, Barbuto began practicing in Wellington in September 2008, when he joined Porath at the firm.

“Since then, to pretty recently, she has been on board working part time,” Barbuto said. “Now she has retired.” Barbuto still maintains a license for Porath, and she still holds “of counsel” status, in case she needs to assist longtime clients. “She wanted to slowly transition out and retire gracefully,” Barbuto said. Porath now lives in Camden, S.C., and is finally experiencing her well-deserved retirement. She started her firm in 1984 as a general practice. “Since she was the only lawyer out here when she began, people would go to her for everything,” Barbuto said. Before becoming a lawyer, Porath was a registered nurse. After raising five children, she decided to attend Nova Southeast-

ern University, where she earned her law degree. Porath is looking forward to enjoying her retirement along with her husband, Peter. “It’s good to start a new phase in your life, and that’s what we are doing now during our retirement,” she said. “We are just enjoying our friends and family because that’s what life is all about. It was time to stop going into the office every day.” Porath will be taking it easy during her retirement due to a heart condition. Now 75, she is glad Barbuto was on hand to take over the firm. “He has been there five years with me,” she said. “He is an extremely good lawyer, and I think he will do very well because he is very active in the community, and he’s very well liked.”

Porath is enjoying her time in South Carolina. “It’s very beautiful over here,” she said. “It’s the oldest inland town in South Carolina and is a very historic town.” Though several states away, Porath still has close ties to Wellington. “We raised all of our children in Wellington, and I have grandchildren who go to Wellington High School,” she said. The firm continues to offer all the same services it did before — family law, wills and trusts, probate, litigation, equine law and personal injury. Barbuto handles a bit of every type of law. “I handle family law cases, a lot of estate planning for elderly clients like wills and trusts, probate and a lot of equestrian cases,” he said. Barbuto handles various equesSee BARBUTO, page 18

Attorney Anthony Barbuto (left) with associate Craig Pohlmann. PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

MONTHLY GIRLS NIGHT OUT EVENT AT PLAYERS CLUB BENEFITS BACK TO BASICS Girls Night Out to benefit Back to Basics was held Thursday, Sept. 13 at the Players Club in Wellington. There were vendors selling health and beauty items, ladies accessories, sandals, jewelry and more. The next Girls Night Out is set for Oct. 1 1 and will benefit Your Bosom Buddies II. For more info., contact Maureen Gross at mbg@phelpsmediagroup.com. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Event Organizer Maureen Gross, Beverly Perham of Back to Basics, Players Club Catering Manager Dolores Schlick and Players Club Manager Matthew Barger.

Michaela and Samantha Ryan won a scarf made by Louise Connolly.

Tess Giragos and Mary Fleming fill out raffle tickets sold by Stacey Oak.

Pat Evans looks at a bracelet for sale by Debbie Pincus of Accessorize with Debbie.

Maria D’Angelo applies colorful hair extensions to Deb Green.

Patrice Curry of Mosaicsbyme.

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ST. PETER’S CEC HOSTS POTLUCK DINNER

More than 300 Wellington parents, students and staff attended St. Peter’s Child Enrichment Center’s (CEC) Parent Staff Fellowship (PSF) potluck dinner Tuesday, Sept. 11 for plenty of fun, food and fellowship. The CEC is an accredited, nonprofit Christ-centered preschool for children ages 2-5. Its mission is to provide the highest-quality learning to children of any race, religion or creed. The PSF was created to enhance the relationship between the parents and the staff. For more on the school’s classes and programs, visit www.stpeterscec.com. (Above) VPK teacher Anne Riepma (second from left) with the Rundels and Rivera families. (Below) Event Chair Jen Metz and co-chair Jen Szukala get ready to serve more than 300 parents, students and staff.

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SCHOOL NEWS

Berean Students Go On Retreat To Lake Hudson The secondary school campus at Berean Christian School was quiet Aug. 29-31 and again Sept. 5-7 as high school and junior high school students attended the 16th annual retreat at the Word of Life Retreat Center in Hudson, Fla., and at Lake Placid. Students always look forward to this retreat, traditionally held on the third or fourth week of school. Students spent three days worshipping, zip-lining, playing sports, swimming and bonding together. Luke Schartner was featured as the retreat speaker for both retreats this year. He gave students a lot to think about when it comes to choices they are faced with on a daily basis. He also told students that everyone is unique and that God cares about them. Team build-

ing activities that were led by the student council also provided opportunities to work together and bond as a group while at the same time having fun. “It was nice to build relationships with other students as well as see the ‘inner kids’ come out in the teachers,” said student Daniel Downey, who attended his second retreat with BCS. New student Cemeantha Negron had a good time as well. “In worship time, everything that they talked about related to my life,” Negron said. Secondary retreats at Berean Christian School help set the tone for the rest of the year. They also help create memories that will last for years. For more information about Berean Christian School, visit www.bcsbulldogs.org.

Some Berean boys relax during lunch.

A table of Berean girls enjoy lunch during the retreat.

Berean students get ready for a presentation.

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September 21 - September 27, 2012 Page 15

SCHOOL NEWS

Seminole Ridge JROTC Hawk Battalion Attends Leadership Camps Nearly two dozen cadets from the Seminole Ridge High School Army JROTC Hawk Battalion attended cadet leadership camps at Camp Elmore in Davie and Camp Sawyer on Scout Key. In Davie, the Hawks took part in swimming and canoeing, survival training, high and low challenging outdoor personal experience (COPE), rappelling and land navigation. These activities tested cadets mentally and physically as they applied their leadership skills. Those who went to Camp Sawyer also had to put to the test what they’d learned, but this camp was more challenging. Most of the activities were conducted in the water, from a mile

swim in the ocean to water survival training, kayaking, snorkeling and an eight-station ocean obstacle course. Cadet Capt. Justin Kaufman and Cadet Staff Sgt. Charlie Green were awarded the camp’s outstanding leadership medals for their outstanding performance. Cadet Capt. Jaime Marchand received the camp marksmanship award as one of the top shooters out of 180 cadets. Cadet Command Sgt. Major Joey Evens was awarded the 6th Brigade U.S. Army Cadet Command Coin for his outstanding performance. “It was another great year for our cadets at camp,” JROTC in-

structor Hans Hunt said. “They showed great leadership and learned a lot about teamwork while making new friends.” In other Seminole Ridge news, the Palm Beach County Art Teachers Association Members’ Exhibition at the Armory Art Center features original art works by the county’s art teachers and community members. Running now through Saturday, Oct. 13, the exhibition displays the individual talent and creativity of area teachers and community members. Among the featured artists is Seminole Ridge 2-D art teacher Gwenn Seuling. For more information, call (561) 832-1776 or visit www.armoryart.org.

Leadership Camp — (Front row, L-R) Shelby Shackleford, Andrew Harre, Devon Breen, Cody Papula, Armando Pina, Nathan Core, Jose Ruiz, Evan Herzberg, Desiree Galavan, Heather Riley, Vincent Sileo and Timothy Ruback; (back) retired Lt. Col. Hans Hunt, Brogan Zelinka, Charlie Green, Jimmy Marchand, John Christian, Geoffrey Christian, James Bukowski, Jason Bagnall, David Evens, Sergio Burgos, Justin Kaufman, Joey Evens and retired First Sgt. Tony Lewis.

PANTHER RUN DONATES NEW HORIZONS STUDENT BACK-TO-SCHOOL STREET UNIFORMS, SUPPLIES WINS POSTER CONTEST JAM AT IDEAL & DREAM TO PIONEER PARK SCHOOLS IN ROYAL PALM

Through the generosity of Panther Run Elementary School families, donations of uniforms and school supplies were delivered to Pioneer Park Elementary School in Belle Glade. In an ongoing effort to support its sister school, Panther Run holds an annual drive to collect these much-needed materials. In addition, the Panther Run PTA was also able to donate $1,000 for Pioneer Park to purchase additional books. Upcoming sister school events include the delivery of Thanksgiving baskets and a holiday toy drive. Shown above are Panther Run students and fifth-grade safety patrol members with Panther Run PTA co-chairs Lynn Cooney and Susan Pankey, guidance counselor Gary Harmon and Assistant Principal Denise Hall.

Each year, New Horizons Elementary School fourth-graders participate in the Wellington Rotary Club’s International Day of Peace Poster Contest. Students create posters depicting their interpretation of peace. This year, Karissa Neal was the overall winner. Pictured here is Neal with four th-grade teacher Jude Valdov.

Everyone was shaking their tail feathers at the Ideal School and Dream Middle School in Royal Palm Beach as the school parking lot was transformed into a Blues Brothers-style street jam. The event was held to welcome students and families back on campus to meet their teachers and celebrate the 2012-13 school year. It was highlight ed by the arrival of the school’s Cardinal mascot (per formed by school owner Dr. Kris Soderman) and Blues Brothers look-alikes performed by the school’s science teacher Randy Teal and language arts teacher Tom Dyde. Shown above are Teal, Dyde and Soderman riding in on Palm Beach County’s Ladder Truck No. 1.

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September 21 - Sept ember 27, 2012 Page 17

PALMS WEST PEOPLE

Wellington’s Houston Lillo Awarded Posthumous Northwood Degree Northwood University Florida President Dr. Tom Duncan recently hosted a ceremony in which Houston Lillo, a well-loved student and athlete from Wellington, was awarded a posthumous degree. The academic honor, which followed a moving memorial and tribute to Lillo this past spring, provided the opportunity for Northwood Florida faculty, staff, students and alumni to celebrate Lillo’s academic accomplishments. In moving tributes, Professor Justin Harmon, head soccer coach Ty Brewer and former teammate and alumnus Alvaro Romo all shared memories of the Northwood senior and how he managed

to successfully juggle academic and athletic responsibilities while caring for family and friends. “When one of our members is no longer with us, that impact reverberates through us all,” said Harmon, an entertainment, sport and promotion management (ESPM) professor, while reminding the crowd that Northwood is a small community. “Houston was a student that I never had to worry about. As a focused, driven, capable and charismatic leader, he was someone with a clear vision of what he wanted to do in the future. That’s why I think we all took his passing so hard. We know that he was going to succeed, and he never really got that chance to do

the things that we knew he was capable of doing.” While reminding the audience that the posthumous degree ceremony was “not about Houston the athlete but about Houston the scholar,” coach Ty Brewer said that Houston understood the balance needed between athletics and academics, sharing that the Florida Seahawk soccer teams, donned with Lillo’s number 11 on their sleeves, have dedicated the season to him and created the Houston Lillo Award, which will forever acknowledge soccer players who demonstrate themselves as most improved players. “We think of him every day,” he said. Brewer’s remarks were followed

by a prayer of remembrance from Carol Wagmeister, EXCEL program coordinator and assistant to the dean of students. Duncan and Interim Academic Dean Linda Mohr then invited all Seahawk soccer team members to the stage and presented the degree to Houston’s father. When reflecting on the campus ceremony, Duncan noted the deep affection that Northwood faculty, staff and students felt for Lillo. “Today was both a celebration of Houston’s academic accomplishments, and a memorial tribute to Houston as a person, a friend and a member of the Seahawk community,” Duncan said. “Houston’s family will never doubt the love

HANLEY, HAMZE ATTEND DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION IN N.C.

Chad Endres

Lucas Riebe

WHS Grads Playing Football At Catawba A pair of Wellington High School graduates, Chad Endres and Lucas Riebe, have helped the Catawba College football team to a 2-0 start to the season. Endres is a senior safety, while Riebe is a red-shirt freshman linebacker. Endres had an interception and two pass break-ups in an opening 24-3 win at West Liberty. Riebe also had an interception in that opening win and added a team-

high nine tackles in a 49-17 win over Livingstone. Catawba College, located in Salisbury, N.C., is a private, NCAA II institution that competes in the South Atlantic Conference. The athletic web site at www. gocatawbaindians.com provides updated results, game stories, statistics and video features. For more information about the college, visit www.catawba.edu.

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

Palm Beach County Democratic Executive Committee members Brian Hanley of Royal Palm Beach and Michael Hamze of Wellington were recently part of the Florida delegation at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. Shown above are Hanley (left) and Hamze (right) during the convention.

Misiano Graduates Basic Army Training Army Pvt. Tiffany Misiano has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. During the nine weeks of training, Misiano studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayo-

net training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, the military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field-training exercises. Misiano is the daughter of Tricia Misiano. She is a 2011 graduate of Seminole Ridge High School.

and friendship that the Northwood family had for Houston Lillo. We will continue to honor his memory annually with the Houston Lillo Award for ‘most improved’ soccer player. Houston leaves a strong legacy of accomplishment in both academics and athletics.” Northwood University is committed to the most personal attention to prepare students for success in their careers and in their communities; it promotes criticalthinking skills, personal effectiveness and the importance of ethics, individual freedom and responsibility. For more information, visit www. northwood.edu/fl.

Houston Lillo

BRIFT Teacher Publishes Book On Screen Writing Shawn Fornari, who teaches two scriptwriting courses at the Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theatre (BRIFT), recently published a book based on the workshop approach he developed at BRIFT. Titled Writing Your Stor y for the Big Screen, Fornari’s offering is a step by step guide for those wishing to learn the art of writing for feature films. During the past six months, Fornari developed his technique with students in his course “Writing the Feature Screenplay: From Conception to Completion.” What makes this class unique is the active participation of each student-writer in a round table discussion atmosphere. Every week the studentswriters bring 10 new pages from their script to class. These pages are then presented as a staged reading. Rather than a strict teacher-student relationship, everyone in the class has an opportunity to express ideas and concepts about their own story and those of other students. Critiques — both positive and negative — are a part of the process, and when interviewed, all the students agreed that the negative comments were the most beneficial. Fornari’s beginning writer’s class is held on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. His advanced class is held on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. Both classes cost $20 per week,

Shawn Fornari and students are welcome to stay as long as they feel necessary to hone their skills. Registration can be made by calling Donna Carbone at (561) 385-1584. The classes are limited in size to allow each student an opportunity to present his or her work on a weekly basis. The Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theatre is located at 304 Tequesta Drive in Tequesta. Writing Your Story for the Big Screen is meant to encourage and direct both fledgling and experienced writers to develop their craft in a way that allows agents and producers to “see” the film within the screenplay from the very first word. It is available online at www. amazon.com/dp/b0094zj60m.

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NEWS Answers

Gathering In The Acreage

continued from page 1 sasters. “They should be able to call and tell them it’s an emergency,” she said. But Susan Sylvester, chief of water control and operations management at the SFWMD, told residents who stopped by that ITID had unrestricted access to the L-8 Canal to the west. “No one restricted them,” she said. “They had 100 percent capacity to go to the L-8 canal.” Sylvester noted, however, that the district was restricted on what it could drain into the C-51 Canal to the south because it is used by other municipalities as well. “It would be like trying to add more cars to a six-lane highway during a traffic jam,” she said. “These measures are in place to protect everyone.” Resident Chad Herzog, who lives west of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road near Orange Blvd., said he thought it was ITID’s responsibility to fight for more drainage rights. “That’s what ITID is responsible for — roads and drainage,” Herzog said. “They are supposed to work for us as residents to protect us.” Herzog said he was in one of the last areas to drain, confining him to his home all week. Although he felt the representatives were informative, Herzog didn’t think

Lessons

Learning From Isaac

continued from page 1 learned is that major rain events need the same type of planning as a hurricane. “Have a plan, build a kit, be informed,” he said. “We don’t often think about flooding; we think about the wind.” According to Merriman, Isaac demonstrates the idiosyncrasy of each storm. “We got more water from Isaac than any of the single hurricanes in 2004 or 2005,” he said. He said good communication is critical, including interagency communication and enhanced communication with the public. “We also learned not to trust the weather forecasts,” Merriman added, pointing out that meteorologists predicted 4 to 8 inches of rain. “Another thing, we never expected fish kills.” A comprehensive meeting is being planned in October for a

Horses

Wellington Committee

continued from page 3 ciplines, while the remaining 20 percent were classified as recreational. Committee Member Lisa Elie asked for a definition of “recreational facility.” O’Dell said that farms with no indication of a specific discipline were labeled recreational. “We knew that there was a barn on the property,” he said. “We knew that there were horses in some form. But we couldn’t identify any equipment — like a jump or a specific ring — that told us what they were doing.” Wellington has more than 3.2 million square feet of barns and 8,872 permanent stalls, according to the report. Committee Chair Cynthia Gardner noted that temporary stalls make up a large portion of Wellington’s barns during the season. “When people get temporary tents, they have to get a permit,” she noted. “We should know where those tents are and how many stalls they have.” O’Dell said that the survey estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 temporary stalls for last season but noted that the information could be updated based on permits. Elie said that in her time studying Rustic Ranches, which has

Barbuto

Wellington Law Firm

continued from page 13 trian-related matters, from purchase sale agreements to horse litigation, as well as non-equestrian-related matters for equestrians, he said. Though Barbuto handles all areas of law, it was his strong interest in family law that initially made him want to become a lawyer. Growing up as a child of divorce, Barbuto understands how it feels to go through the court system. “When I’m representing these clients, it’s what my parents were doing for 15 years in the courts,” Barbuto said. “When we are fight-

residents were getting the help they need. “I don’t think it has been really helpful,” he said. “I think it goes back to the [board]. I think we have to get together as a community and demand action from our elected officials.” ITID President Michelle Damone told the Town-Crier that the board will be taking action, but she encouraged residents to continue to be vocal. “We will be demanding more than the quarter-inch [of drainage] that we are allowed,” she said. “We will be demanding some protection at the Corbett berm. We will be asking Palm Beach County for Indian Trail to be at the table for discussion of the Mecca Farms property, so either we or Corbett can get some additional discharge. We need residents to help us accomplish that.” But several residents said they thought ITID could make its own improvements, including instituting measures to help stranded residents. “What are we paying them taxes for?” asked Angela Harper, who was stranded in her home for several days. “I tried to go in to work,” she said. “My car was floating, and the water began to carry it away. I was very scared. I couldn’t get out of my property until Thursday.” Harper said that though she heard emergency services were in the area, she didn’t see any relief near her home, close to Orange and Hall boulevards. “They told me there were fire-

rescue trucks in the area,” she said. “I didn’t see any fire trucks. They said that Red Cross was handing out supplies, but I couldn’t get to them because of the water.” Resident Ventoria Mowatt, who lives in the same area, said that she had tried to contact Indian Trail to cut her swale in the event of a storm. “They told me it would take four to six months,” she said. “I had to go out there and do it myself. I’m paying them taxes so these things don’t happen.” ITID Supervisor Carlos Enriquez said that in addition to working with the SFWMD, Indian Trail is looking at alternative ways to manage water. “We can look at water storage, or maybe an interlocal agreement with the city of West Palm Beach to pump into their M Canal,” he said. Additional ideas include another pump station at the L-8 Canal to the west, and bigger culverts and outflows. “This has happened two times before, and we’ve looked within our means,” Enriquez said. “Now we’re saying: ‘We’re not going to do this anymore. We’re not going to live with this quarter-inch outfall.’ Something is going to get done; we just want to take the time and do it right.” But some residents, concerned about being in the peak of the hurricane season, worried that there wasn’t time. “I hope to God this never happens again,” Harper said. “I don’t think the area could handle it.”

more thorough review of what can be done better, and on Oct. 30, county staff will give a presentation to the Palm Beach County Commission, which will be aired on Channel 20. Pam Mac’Kie of the South Florida Water Management District said there has been a lot of discussion about what could have been done. “I’m going to focus on the lessons learned and try to make it work better in the future,” she said. She described the regional drainage system as a three-tier system, with the primary tier run by the SFWMD. The second tier is made up of the canals and water catchment areas maintained by local government and special districts. “The tertiary system is your neighborhood — the culvert under your driveway and the swale in your front yard,” she said. “All three of these have to be working well. Ours is a very big and complicated system.” People should understand what

to expect from the flood control system, Mac’Kie said. Based on engineering design, if there is 4 to 6 inches of rain in a 24-hour period, people should expect roads to remain passable but with some ponding. With 7 to 10 inches in 72 hours, the roads will not be flooded but the swales and ditches will be full. “With 10 to 20 inches of rain in 72 hours, you can anticipate water in some buildings,” Mac’Kie said. “You got 18 in 72 hours, but it was more like 18 or 24 hours. To the extent that we did not have a lot of water in buildings, we fared better than expected.” She pointed out that Hurricane Irene in 1999 dumped almost 10 inches in the area. Isaac dropped an average of 12 inches, but Irene had more flooding than Isaac. This is due to an improved drainage system, she said, adding that different agencies were working together, lending other agencies what they had left of their drainage capacity if they could.

several polo facilities, she noticed that polo ponies are often turned out in herds. “There can be anywhere from two to 10 horses in a field,” she said. “How do we account for that?” Committee Member Carlos Arellano, a well-known polo player, said that most of those horses would be in stalls during season. “Turn out is mostly used in summer time,” he said. “Horses go into stalls in the winter, so I still think it would be one horse, one stall.” One of the major issues O’Dell said he wanted the committee to address was connectivity within the equestrian preserve — both by expanding and improving bridle paths and coming up with a solution for golf cart traffic. “This has given us an idea where the hot points are, although we all already knew where most of them were,” he said. “We know that the areas around the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center are very heavily used by golf cart travelers and horses.” On the other hand, O’Dell said that there is less golf-cart travel in southern parts of Wellington. He suggested a “thoroughfare,” which would provide connectivity and separate horses, cars and golf carts. “It could help get more people into the northern portion of Wellington and the venues,” he said. “I want to talk about creating a backbone system for those particular rights-of-way.”

O’Dell cautioned that he wasn’t talking about a highway, but pointed to South Shore Blvd. south of Pierson Road as an example. “There is a bridle path on the west side,” he said. “Then you have vehicles in the middle, and a multipurpose path on the east side.” Gardner said that part of the discussion must center on how to get horses, golf carts and vehicles safely through intersections. She pointed to Lyons Road, where developers built a tunnel under the road. “They build a tunnel for people to cross from one side to the other,” she said. “The developer actually built that. It wasn’t cheap, but it wasn’t overwhelming. Something similar would make a huge difference to our bridle trail system. A lot of our trails don’t get used, and that could expand our system enormously.” O’Dell also noted that increased development and widening of roads often keeps equestrians from using the trail system. He pointed to Lake Worth Road. “Equestrians stay to the north side,” he said. “They don’t want to cross the road. That’s why we need to look at connectivity from the north, south, east and west.” Ultimately, he said he hoped that the committee could begin to form a vision for Wellington’s future. “Where do we see the community going at large?” O’Dell asked. “Those are the long-term impacts that we, as a committee, will be deciding.”

ing for the benefit of the children, it’s where I was as a child.” Barbuto’s associate, Craig Pohlmann, specializes in handling complex divorce cases. “He focuses strictly on the family law area, and he’s also a certified family law mediator, and a CPA, which helps him with the financial aspects of these cases,” Barbuto said. “He’s excellent at what he does, and an asset to the firm.” Before coming to the firm, Barbuto was practicing law at an insurance defense firm in Fort Lauderdale for two years. A native of New Jersey, Barbuto moved to Fort Lauderdale in 2006. He is licensed to practice law in New Jersey, California and Florida. Barbuto wants to continue the same quality service and great rep-

utation in the community that Porath developed. “The only thing I would like to do different is grow the firm to add more associates,” he said. Barbuto tries to be easily accessible to his clients, in case of legal emergencies. “Especially with family law cases, since they’re so emotional, a lot of times there are emergency situations at 11 o’clock at night and people need legal counsel for advice,” he said. Barbuto offers free initial consultations to find out what people need, regardless of whether he is able to assist them. Barbuto Law is located at 12773 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 101, Wellington. For more information, visit www.barbutolaw.com or call (561) 798-2907.

Next LGLA Meeting Sept. 27 The Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association will meet Thursday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. at Palms West Presbyterian Church (13689 Okeechobee Blvd., Loxahatchee Groves). This is an open meeting during which residents will get a chance to discuss issues of concern they may have related to

Ed Board

Expanded Mission

continued from page 1 realize it’s on a weeknight, a lot of parents work, you’ve got all kinds of activities going on, but in my mind, education is a priority.” Valuntas said the student activities committees and parent-teacher organizations could serve as interfaces with the Education Advisory Board to share information. “Other than invitations that I might get as a council member, I don’t have much of an idea what’s going on out at Royal Palm Beach Elementary or H.L. Johnson, a little more at Crestwood and the high school because of issues that we’ve had in the past,” he said. Valuntas said it is troublesome that the Education Advisory Board was silent when the school district changed boundaries at Royal

things going on in the town. The meeting is open to the public, but only LGLA members with 2012 paid dues can make motions and vote on them. The guest speakers for this meeting will include a representative from the South Florida Water Management District, who will discuss what the district does and the

flood water management system that is used in Palm Beach County, as well as a representative from Aqua Soft, who will discuss water systems available for use with a well. For more information, contact LGLA President Marge Herzog at (561) 818-9114 or marge@herzog. ms.

Palm Beach High School several years ago, allowing in many students from outside the village. “Nobody knew or nobody paid attention enough to know, and the bottom line is if these things are important to you, you make it your business to know,” he said. “That’s something that the Education Advisory Board should have known and should have been passed along to the council.” The council reorganized the Education Advisory Board with new membership, but with oneyear terms rather than two years as in the past, which does not please Valuntas because he thinks it reduces continuity on the board. He pointed out that if a member is not doing his or her job on any board, the council can dismiss them, no matter what their term. “You’re not entitled to these seats, so I would rather see something where you get a two-year term probably staggered and in-

creasing the size again,” Valuntas said. He added that the board’s current role is to screen and nominate scholarships, which he feels is an important function, but it’s all that they do currently. “I don’t know if [nominating scholarship recipients] is necessarily the best use of our dedicated volunteer time,” Valuntas said. “I’m very impressed by the people we have on our Education Advisory Board, and it’s no easy task getting all the [scholarship] applications, and reviewing them is important, but so is letting us know about boundary changes or what’s coming up.” Valuntas said he is enthused by the apparent eagerness of the principals and Andrews to work with community leaders to form partnerships. “Marcia Andrews is extremely involved and helpful with the village whenever she can be,” he said.

‘I would like to see more involvement, from the aspect of the Education Advisory Board letting the council know what’s going on in our schools.’ Councilman Richard Valuntas The SFWMD also took some measures that are not normally allowed, such as opening up discharge to the C-51 Canal, discharging both to tide and to Lake Okeechobee, and using the western rock pits. A total of 88.1 billion gallons of water went through the system in the county, she said. So much water was discharged into Lake Okeechobee that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers became concerned about the levee and started discharging water from the lake to tide east and west. The SFWMD also installed emergency pumps to speed up the drainage. “Temporary pumps are complicated setups,” she said. “Men worked through the night to discharge water and get it out of the communities.” She said individuals can help by looking at how their neighborhood can improve drainage and asking their local associations what obstructions may be impeding the flow of stormwater. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist Linda King, who works at the 60,000acre J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area, said she was impressed with how well people were working together.

Author

Kimberling Kennedy

continued from page 1 would hear all kinds of skin cancer stories from customers. “I’ve heard so many horror stories from people,” she said. “Before that, I didn’t know our form of skin cancer was so common.” The book would be her opportunity to inform others of the dangers of unprotected skin. “I wanted to get the word out to children at a young age,” she said. “I thought about all the young mothers who would read this to their children and might still be using the tanning beds like I used to.”

Lox Groves

PUDs Allowed

continued from page 7 a market feasibility study to determine that there is a market for the proposed use, as well as details of preserved vegetation and buffers from adjacent property. Vice Mayor Jim Rockett pointed out that the PUD is limited to what is already commercial or already has a multiple land use designation. “If anybody else wants to get on the bandwagon, they have to start with the process of the MLU and/or commercial designation to get in line to use the PUD,” Rockett said. “We’re not adding any more development or any more commercialization to that area than we already have.” Councilman Tom Goltzené made a motion to approve the preliminary reading of the ordinance, which carried 5-0. In other business: • The council finalized its tax rate for the new fiscal year at 1.2 mills. That rate equates to $1.20 per $1,000 of assessed value after exemptions. The rate will generate an estimated revenue of $1,552,171. Vice Mayor Jim Rockett made a motion to approve the

She said Corbett has a lot of swamp buggies and was outfitted to patrol the area despite the high waters. On Monday, when the rain started coming down, they started monitoring the internal roads, which were washing out, and they put down more rock to fill them back in. She said most of the water in Corbett goes west, but there is one southeast corner abutting The Acreage where they were most concerned because of the proximity to people’s homes. One of the most significant things they accomplished during the storm was to construct a weir to allow stormwater to flow across Seminole Pratt Whitney Road onto the Mecca Farms property with cooperation from the county, King said. “The water tells you where it is going to flow,” she said. “We learned how to push the water more to the west than the southeast. We also worked to create more flow ways to alleviate pressure building on the southeast corner.” King said they are also working on permits to reinforce the berm on the southeast side. “It did not break, but it needs to be strengthened,” she said.

Mac’Kie estimated that it will take roughly $6 million to fortify the Corbett berm. Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Administrator Clete Saunier said he has been with the district for 15 years and it never ceases to amaze him how resilient Loxahatchee Groves residents are. “When our staff goes out to respond to a tree fallen in the road, they get there and it has been cut up into pieces and set at the side of the road by a resident,” he said. “This incident was no different.” An evaluation of the aftermath found that although the Groves’ drainage system is well-maintained, some properties had not been maintained. Drainage was particularly poor on vacant land and in foreclosed properties, he said. Saunier said that people who purchase property in a flood plain should have to sign an agreement of understanding. “I know when you close on a property in an airport corridor, you have to understand that noise will be a regular event,” he said. “By the same token, people should be made to sign a document indicating they are aware they are in a flood-prone area.”

Kennedy’s hope is to raise awareness about the harmful effects of the sun and tanning. “Maybe now the children might say, ‘Hey, Mom, let’s go back and put some sunscreen on me today,’” she said. The second book has a more serious tone than her first book, but it’s an important issue that Kennedy felt she had to address. “I even got a couple of doctors to endorse it, and they thought it was a great idea,” she said. Kennedy worked on her books for many years and never gave up the determination to have them published. “I made it happen, and that’s the example I want to set for children, to never give up on their dreams,” she said.

Living out in The Acreage provides Kennedy with many story ideas. “Just looking outside my window, I see things every day,” she said, “things like the little birds that fall on the ground. I even have a story about them now.” Kennedy is available for class readings, events and book fairs. “I have been out to a few schools,” she said. “I really would like to do more, as long as they’ll have me.” Why You Should Laugh Three Times a Day is now on sale and available in bookstores or on the Internet. Hey, Don’t Forget the Sunscreen will be available in January. For more info., visit www. kimberlinggaletikennedy.com or email kimberling358@aol.com.

rate, which carried 5-0. Accompanying that vote was a vote to approve the 2012-13 budget of $1,426,748, which is down from the 2011-12 budget of $2,147,763. The budget includes a $1.5 million capital improvement plan through fiscal year 2014 for development of town hall alternatives with $500,000 budgeted for 201213 — $150,000 for planning and design, and $350,000 for land acquisition. Rockett pointed out that he did not really see $500,000 being spent in 2012-13 on the town hall project. During public comment, former Councilman Dennis Lipp, a member of the town’s Planning & Zoning Committee, agreed with Rockett, adding that with many municipalities facing large debts, the Town of Loxahatchee Groves had set out on a stable course of contractual town management and renting office space. Rocket made the motion to approve the budget, which carried 5-0. • The council also renewed its contract with Tew & Taylor for code enforcement services, and renewed an independent contractor agreement with Frank Schiola for public works consulting services. The council also renewed an agreement with the Loxa-

hatchee Groves Water Control District for financing of construction, reconstruction and maintenance of public roads within the town. Council members also asked staff to prepare requests for proposals for contractors for grading and hedging that the district might not be able to perform due to time or equipment restrictions.

Blotter continued from page 6 made $197 in fraudulent charges to her account. The victim spoke with her bank but had the card in her possession. There were no suspects at the time of the report. SEPT. 19 — A resident of Westhampton Circle called the PBSO substation in Wellington early Wednesday morning to report a stolen vehicle. According to a PBSO report, the victim was out with friends drinking Tuesday night and gave his car keys to a designated driver. The victim said when he awoke the next morning, his white 1992 Nissan Maxima was missing from his home. According to the report, the victim contacted the suspect, who told him that he would bring back the vehicle, but still had not after several hours. There was no further information available at the time of the report.

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Isaac, Part 3: Officials Explain Jim Brandon Issues

For the third installment in a series about Tropical Storm Isaac’s impact on the local equestrian community, columnist Ellen Rosenberg speaks to county officials and learns why the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center isn’t included in the county’s storm plan. Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 23

September 21 - September 27, 2012 Page 21

Bronco Football Team Falls To P.B. Gardens 10-6

The Palm Beach Central High School boys varsity football team took on Palm Beach Gardens on Friday, Sept. 14 at the Broncos’ home in Wellington, falling short 10-6. In a game that saw only two touchdowns, it was the Gators’ third-quarter field goal that clinched the win for Palm Beach Gardens. Page 33

Shopping Spree A TOWN-CRIER PUBLICATION

INSIDE

Business Rainforest Clinic Offers Veterinary Care For Birds, Other Exotic Animals

Tropical parrots, penguins and tigers are some of the exotic animals that can be treated at the Rainforest Clinic for Birds & Exotics. Owner Dr. Susan Clubb is an internationally known board-certified veterinarian. In 1992, Clubb moved to Loxahatchee Groves and first started her practice, offering a mobile vet clinic for bird breeders. In 2002, she opened the Rainforest Clinic to focus more on the general public rather than only breeders. Page 25

Sports Wellington Football Squad Upsets John I. Leonard 15-7

The Wellington High School varsity football team hosted John I. Leonard on Friday, Sept. 14, defeating the fifthranked Lancers 15-7 and giving them their first loss of the season. Following their victory at last Friday’s game, the Wolverines remain unbeaten at 3-0. Page 33

THIS WEEK’S INDEX COLUMNS & FEATURES ........................ 23-24 BUSINESS NEWS.................................. 25-27 DINING & ENTERTAINMENT ...................... 29 SPORTS & RECREATION........................33-35 COMMUNITY CALENDAR ...................... 36-37 CLASSIFIEDS ........................................38-42

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FEATURES

Isaac, Part 3: County Officials Explain Jim Brandon Issues Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of columns by Ellen Rosenberg on Tropical Storm Isaac and the equestrian community. Horses and standing water are a bad mix. Hooves can rot, develop white line disease or thrush. Bacteria in the water can quickly turn a cut or wound septic. Legs get “stocked up,” filled with fluid, which is a painful condition and impedes blood flow. Biting mosquitoes abound, carrying West Nile and encephalitis. There can be submerged dangers, such as rusty implements, strands of barbed-wire fencing, boards with oxidized nails. A horse’s sensitive skin can develop a fungal condition known as rain rot. Floating fire ant nests are a biting nightmare waiting to happen, swarming up a horse’s legs. There are poisonous snakes and hungry alligators. And how do you explain to a horse that he shouldn’t drink any of this filthy, contaminated water that’s all around him? Kari Garber of Deer Run knows all about these dangers. Happily, her barn stayed high and dry during the flooding from Isaac; however, her training facility was badly flooded. “No one expected this,” she said. “We had more water than we ever got from any of the hurricanes. I woke up and discovered I was living in Water World. Although my family was OK, a lot of my neighbors needed help.” Get updates all week long... follow Ellen Rosenberg on Twitter at twitter.com/ HorseTalkFL or stop by the Tales from the Trails page on Facebook and click “like.”

Tales From The Trails By Ellen Rosenberg Garber is the emergency resource coordinator and chair of the Equestrian Committee for the Deer Run HOA. She helped coordinate with Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control and Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue, taking care of all the stranded people and animals. “We ran hay and feed back to them on airboats, and helped evacuate animals who needed drier places. Fire-Rescue was outstanding; they really helped with whatever we needed,” Garber said. “What impressed me most was the way a lot of people pulled together and helped each other. I love living here. There’s a strong sense of community, even when facing challenges. Thank God this didn’t happen during season when there would have been so many more horses.” Garber expects that the experience will lead to changes. “I’m sure once we’re through this, a lot of time will be spent evaluating the situation, figuring out how it occurred and how to prevent a repeat. We’ll put a process in place so we can be better prepared, just in case,” she said. “In a crises, you have to stay posi-

tive, have some kind of hope. I’ve lost the majority of my income. There’s nothing I can do about that. But I keep a positive mind-set, which makes facing life a lot easier. Helping others gives me the strength to get out of bed every morning. I used to watch Swamp People on TV. I never thought my life would be Swamp People, with huge gators walking down the middle of the street. Some people see the glass as half full or half empty. I say, ‘Yay! I’ve got a glass!’” John Herrick is director of special facilities with the Palm Beach County Department of Parks & Recreation, which includes the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center. “The county does have a good plan to assist stabling horses in storms such as hurricanes,” he said. “However, Jim Brandon was never included in that plan. It’s not constructed to handle high winds and, up to a year ago when we did some drainage work, was also subject to flooding. Because of the way this storm happened, it stayed in good shape. If the rain had fallen farther east rather than west, the barns would have flooded.” Herrick said that the other options were safer alternatives. “I definitely understand people’s frustration at not being allowed to use this center, but there were a number of other stabling options. Again, Jim Brandon was never part of the overall plan. We weren’t staffed to handle it; we were supporting the humanitarian needs of residents who had no food or water,” he said. “Moving forward, the center will still not

be available in a hurricane, but if it’s undamaged, it may be included in county emergency plans for temporarily housing horses who’ve been flooded out. We’d have to look into the logistics, which might include staging equipment and supplies, staffing, security and canceling scheduled events.” Herrick plans to work with local organizations to study the idea. “The Palm Beach County Mounted Posse horse club is currently our partner. I definitely plan to engage them with formulating these plans and using their volunteers,” he said. “I think we’ve learned a lot from this storm, which was so different from any others. Our goal is to help the community with humanitarian and animal issues.” Eric Call is director of Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation. He spent much of the time during and after Isaac at the Emergency Operations Center. He also accompanied fire-rescue units as they ran supplies out to stranded homeowners in Deer Run on Sept. 2 and 3. “A few people did speak to me, during and after the storm, about using Jim Brandon,” he said. “I was told there might be hundreds and hundreds of horses needing stalls, and Jim Brandon only has 128. Also, it was never part of any disaster program and wasn’t really set up to handle that kind of situation.” However, Call stressed, there were other options available. “Within a very short time, we had two large See ROSENBERG, page 24

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FEATURES

Maybe, Just Maybe, My Favorite Season Has Arrived! The other day I stepped outside and had my hair tousled by a bit of a breeze. “Hark!” I said to myself (“hark” being a word I use quite a bit in daily conversation). “Is this not a harbinger of fall?” (“Harbinger” — another staple of my vast vocabularic repertoire. “Vocabularic” — well, enough of this.) And it was true. Carried on the wings of September was the subtle nuance of a gust. I live all year for this. In fact, any meteorological disruption that promises air flow to Florida has me all atwitter. I like the state, don’t get me wrong. I just like it so much better when the air starts to move, and, as you know, that rules out May, June, July, August and most of September. Get your Sonic Boomer humor every day! Follow Deborah Welky on Twitter at twitter.com/TheSonicBoomer. On Facebook, stop by “The Sonic Boomer” page and click the “Like” button.

Deborah Welky is

The Sonic BOOMER One year it also ruled out October and I had nearly suffocated by the time November rolled around. Actually, I don’t understand it, because if you go down to the ocean, there’s always a breeze. I mean, something is pushing those waves around. The air just seems to die down by the time it gets to land. It’s Mother Nature’s way of thumbing her nose at us transplants. “You want air? Then go back from whence you came!” (Mother Nature and I evidently speak the same colloquial language.)

But, as I was saying, this week my hair got tousled, and I was immediately sent into a reverie of expectation. Fall! For the uninformed, here’s what’s good about fall — Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. For me, that’s it in a nutshell. The rest of the year, the Earth can go rotate itself. I live for the end-of-year holidays. Of course, the publishing industry plays right into my hands with this. No matter how bleak the rest of the year was (with articles about scaling back and making do), fall pages bring a bombardment of over-the-top costumes, more-is-more decorations, life-threateningly rich epicurean delights and gifts, gifts, gifts. And, no, I cannot afford to buy everything I see. But that does not mean I don’t want to see it. In my mind, it is perfectly reasonable to assume that I will be able to recreate everything I’ve seen in magazines and at the mall for my own family.

If my Halloween costume is made entirely from coffee filters, it’s not because I’m broke, it’s because Martha Stewart said I could. If I’m setting the Thanksgiving table using mismatched jelly jars instead of goblets, it’s not because crystal was out of my price range; it’s because I’ve chosen to go “kitsch” this year. If everyone’s Christmas gift had its roots in a Walmart bag, it’s not because I’ve had it on their layaway plan since June, it’s because Walmart has “something for everyone.” And I am blessed to be surrounded with people who think that coffee filters, jelly jars and battery-operated snowmen from Walmart are just fine for the holidays. Put them together with enough food for a small army and some chilled alcohol, and you’ve got a party whether the piñata is leaking cheap candy or not. So take a deep breath, let the wind blow through your hair and get ready — the holidays are on their way.

The Great Television Shows Tend To Get Stale Very Quickly As the networks prepare a new season of television for us, our home screens are filled with constant previews. Most of them get boring after the first few times; a few require a hundred views. If this season holds true to form, most of the shows will not last. Some won’t make it to Christmas; others will sort of wind themselves down. The problem for even the successful series is that in far too many cases, the series burn out really fast. CBS has done wonderfully well because it serves up so many police-style shows. It’s not hard to create fascinating crimes; just watch the news shows and make a couple of changes. All you have to do is have one interesting star and some supporting people to bounce off and you could run a show for years. Note Mark Harmon on NCIS, Simon Baker on The Mentalist and a half-dozen more. Since the stars essentially stay the same, supporting casts can adapt or even change and it makes little difference. Law & Order was the ideal form for this; it ran for 20 years with regular cast changes. I don’t think anyone on screen stayed throughout. That’s what a lot of other shows have to face. Many of them are forced to change, and

Rosenberg

Isaac, Part 3

continued from page 23 barns agreeing to take in a large number of horses: Palm Meadows and Sunshine Meadows. I thought that was a great solution, and I passed that information along. They were large enough to handle a lot of horses, and already staffed and equipped,” he said. “I didn’t quite understand why some people were upset that Jim Brandon wasn’t open. I was really puzzled. I felt like we’d bent over backward to help them, made these arrangements for their horses to stay someplace safe for free, and still they were bothered. I was more concerned helping the people who were stranded.” Call feels that the county did a good job helping arrange temporary stabling at Palm Meadows and Sunshine Meadows.

‘I’ On CULTURE By Leonard Wechsler often the changes don’t become them. The new season of Glee just began, and it looks very different from the original. During the first year, when the show became a cultural phenomenon, it was about a group of sweet losers from a small-town high school who just wanted to sing. It was the little show that could. Now, the single piano accompanist, possibly joined by one or two other instrumentalists, has given way to full orchestras. Although the lead “kids” (a couple of them look more than a bit mature, to say the least) sometimes dance alone, more often than not these days they’re joined by a group of obviously professional dancers. And more of the guests are clearly adult professionals. In the first episode of this year, Kate Hudson did a “Jim Brandon would not have been big enough, and we would have had to pull resources and staff away from helping people to run it instead,” he said. “In the future, I don’t really know if Jim Brandon would ever be available for housing horses in an emergency. I never thought about it at all. It wasn’t designed for that use. I’m sure we’ll have some discussions about that, and will welcome input from members of the horse community. This may be a question for Animal Care & Control, rather than Parks & Recreation. It’s more of a horse/livestock issue. We just happen to have jurisdiction over an equestrian facility. I can’t make that kind of decision.” “Palm Beach County is home to thousands of horses,” I pointed out. “Shouldn’t there be some sort of county horse emergency plan?” “There should definitely be some discussion about that,” Call agreed.

sizzling dance number with other adults, to impress her adult students in New York. Now the show has grown so large it’s not only in Lima, Ohio, but in New York. Reports say that many of the graduates will be shown in their new environments. The new cast members fill a variety of stereotypes. No one is allowed to be just a normal kid. Most of the things that I and a lot of others liked in the first year, particularly the unpretentiousness, are long gone. It is the anti-Glee and no longer appointment television. The soaps are the biggest victim of this. They have to keep moving at a feverish pace. A show like Grey’s Anatomy demonstrates this perfectly. After first making certain that most of the characters have slept with a minimum of two or three people, that path became boring. So they began to kill off cast members. First by cancer, then by a crazed killer, and finally, at the end of last season, in a plane crash that killed the most likable character on the series. After all, where’s the drama in someone deciding they’d rather work someplace else? It did happen once so they could do a spin-off. But there’s no place for the show to

go. What’s left? Having a doctor fall in love with a lab animal? Even on the police shows, the push for change is evident. One of my favorites, Castle, has featured sexual tension between the two leads for years. In the last minute of the past season, they finally, shall we say, “released that tension.” Will the show stay the same? That can get tricky. On Bones, once Brennan and Booth got together, episodes began focusing on her pregnancy and new baby almost as much as the crime-fighting part. I still like the show, but it is a different one. Of course, the real problem is that TV uses up shows very quickly. When you can’t bring up a new criminal each week, you have to look at the characters, and they can’t be more boring than the people on “reality” shows. It becomes difficult to catch up when the average characters change lovers more often than they change their underwear. But we tolerate it because it’s better than watching the Kardashians or the “Real Housewives” of wherever. Which defines the problem better than anything else.

Next Wellington Garden Club Meeting On Oct. 1 The Wellington Garden Club will meet Monday, Oct. 1 at the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.), with a business meeting at 10:30 a.m. followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m. and a “Gardening in South Florida” program presented by Clarence R. “Cash” Cashion at 12:30 p.m. Cashion is an expert on South Florida gardening and has been writing a column for the Palm Beach Post for more than 14 years and the newspaper The Jupiter Farmer since 1992. Cashion’s web site, www.theswamp gardenerchronicles.com, advocates growing green and offers suggestions for living green. In 2010, Cashion published the book Swamp Gardener Chronicles.

Cashion’s program will include information about backyard gardening of vegetables and how to integrate some landscaping ideas with edible plants. He will also share his thoughts on what government is doing to seeds via systemic insecticides that are detrimental to those who ingest the product. After Cashion’s talk, there will be an “ask the expert” session for gardening questions. Guests are welcome to attend, and while there is no admission fee, seating is limited. To reserve a seat, RSVP to Jayne at (561) 791-0273. For more information, visit www. wellingtongardenclub.org.

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BUSINESS NEWS

September 21 - September 27, 2012 Page 25

dining

DECISIONS in Wellington

EQ

UE S T R I ANS

Wellington Equestrian Business Group

WE

LCOME

The Wellington Equestrian Business Group highly recommends these exceptional restaurants for Great Food, Quality Service and Good Prices!

Rainforest Clinic owner Dr. Susan Clubb with a macaw. PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER

Rainforest Clinic Offers Veterinary Care For Birds And Other Exotic Animals By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report Tropical parrots, penguins and tigers are some of the exotic animals that can be treated at the Rainforest Clinic for Birds & Exotics. Dr. Susan Clubb, the owner, is an experienced and internationally known board-certified veterinarian. She is a 1978 graduate of Auburn University in Alabama. After graduation, Clubb moved to Miami, where she was offered a job at Pet Farm. “It was a company that imported birds, reptiles and all kinds of exotic animals from around the world,” she recalled. Clubb worked there for 11 years, until she got a job working for Jungle Island, formerly Pirate Island, and still works there once a week, 20 years later. In 1992, Clubb moved to Loxahatchee Groves and first started her practice, offering a mobile vet clinic for bird breeders. “The bird breeders have declined significantly in this area,” she said. This led Clubb to expand. In 2002, she opened the Rainforest Clinic for Birds & Exotics to focus more on the general public rather than only breeders. “We still work with local breeders as well, but we now do a lot with pets of all types,” she said. Clubb’s specialty is treating birds. “We have worked with all kinds of birds — anything from ostriches, which are the biggest birds, to all the way down to little tiny finches,” she said. Clients can come into the clinic, located at 3319 E Road in Loxahatchee Groves. “Clients who have big animals, we go to them,” Clubb said. “Although, we did do a C-section on a tiger in the surgery room last year.” Clubb has worked in zoos around the world, from Spain to Brazil, and enjoys working with

animals. “I can’t imagine doing anything else, and I like everything about working with animals,” she said. “For me, I have a lot of variety, and I think I would get bored if I had just a dog and cat practice.” Every day Clubb gets to experience something new and different. “I never know what to expect,” she said. “So far this week, we have had a pig and a penguin in the clinic from Jungle Island.” For Clubb, the more exotic, the more interesting and exciting. “We take care of chickens, turkeys and ducks,” she said. “We see basically a lot of the animals many of the other veterinarians don’t want to see, and that is what we thrive on.” Rainforest Clinic also has a bird aviary called the Bird Garden, which is very popular among clients and non-clients alike. The aviary is open to the general public, and features a variety of rescued birds, from macaws to blueheaded pionus. “These are birds that people wanted to give away for some reason. We take them in and adopt them out,” Clubb said. “People can sit with the birds and see if they hit it off first before they adopt them.” Clubb is also a bird breeder, published author and bird researcher. She is accessible to her clients in case of emergencies, and her cell phone is listed for after-hours emergencies. “You never know when an animal can get sick or injured,” she said. “And it seems to happen at all the least wanted times like holidays, and that’s why I make myself available to my clients at all times for emergencies.” For more information about the Rainforest Clinic for Birds & Exotics, visit www. susanclubb.com/rainforest.html or call (561) 795-4878.

Backstreets Neighborhood Sal’s Italian Ristorante Bar & Grill Strathmore Bagels & Deli Brooklyn Bagel TCBY Courtyard Shops Domino’s Pizza Trees Wings & Ribs Frannies Restaurant Tub Tim Thai Restaurant Gabriel’s Café & Grille Yano’s Italian Deli & Catering Kontiki Wine & Raw Bar Lutina’s Pizza Pizzano’s Pizza Rita’s Italian Ice Use your Preferred Courtesy Card and get even MORE BENEFITS! Don’t have a Courtesy Card? Visit www.wellingtonequestrianbusiness.com and request your FREE card today.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Wellington Chamber Welcomes Horse Tales Literacy Project The Wellington Chamber of Commerce has announced that Horse Tales Literacy Project has become a new member of the chamber. According to the nonprofit organization’s web site, it’s about “horses inspiring children to read and succeed.”

The project adheres to each state’s education laws, has partnerships with large corporations and organizations, and has received many prestigious awards. It is a U.S. and Canadian project that has inspired 600,000 (and counting) children to read.

Buybuy Baby Opens Store In Royal Palm Buybuy Baby recently opened its new 23,000-square-foot superstore at 550 N. State Road in Royal Palm Beach. The store features an exceptional selection of merchandise for newborns to toddlers including furniture, strollers, clothing and much more. The Royal Palm Beach store is the seventh store in the state. Buybuy Baby is also located in Coral Springs, Flagler, Brandon, Pembroke Pines, Jacksonville and Altamonte Springs. “We are excited to have opened our seventh store in Florida and look forward to sharing our long-standing traditions of exceptional customer service, great value and a broad assortment of merchandise with the

Royal Palm Beach community,” said Glen Cary, director of stores for Buybuy Baby. Buybuy Baby’s shopping environment offers customers a fun and exciting shopping experience. Its extensive selection includes an assortment of premier infant and toddler merchandise in categories including furniture, car seats, strollers, feeding, bedding, health and baby care, bath, safety, toys, learning and development products, clothing and a unique selection of seasonal and holiday products. For more information, visit the Buybuy Baby web site at www. buybuybaby.com. It carries a broad assortment of merchandise and features 24-hour customer service.

Tim Farley, son of the author Walter Farley, who wrote The Black Stallion book series, and Mark Miller, owner of the Arabian Nights Dinner Attraction in Orlando, created the project in 1999 due to a common desire to motivate children to learn to read. The project works with school-based and community programs targeted to children in the first and fourth grades. The project provides Farley’s books and other classic horse literature to children. Receiving and holding their own book is a first for many of these children. Then the kids listen to an adult read the book out loud. At the end of the story, friendly horses named after the characters in the books make an appearance. Shelly LeConte is the South Florida coordinator. She works from Indian River County to Miami-Dade County and runs the program with the help of her three daughters: Summer, 18, Stevanie, 14, and Skye, 12. “We are working hard to bring up the literacy rate because our kids need this to succeed,” LeConte said. “It’s our next generation, and these kids need to be able to read in order to learn.” Because Horse Tales Literacy

Ribbon Cutting — Horse Tales Literacy Project South Florida Coordinator Shelly LeConte (center) with daughters Skye and Stevanie and Wellington Chamber ambassadors Dale Grimm, Bob Salerno, Mark “Boz” Bozicevic and Christian Lopez. Project is a nonprofit organization, funding is an issue. “We always need volunteers and sponsorships,” LeConte said. “Schools don’t have the money or the time, so we need the money and time to make this work for the children.” LeConte’s next fundraiser is a golf tournament and dinner March 9, 2013 at the Binks Forest Golf Club, and

she encourages the public to attend and support the project. For more about Horse Tales Literacy Project, visit www.horsetales literacy.org. To contact the main office, call (407) 239-9223 or e-mail info@horsetalesliteracy.com. LeConte can be reached at (561) 357-8729 or at shelly.leconte@horse talesliteracy.org.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Fogel Speaks At September Small Business RoundTable It was an evening of motivation, information and laughter all tied into one session at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce Small Business RoundTable on Thursday, Sept. 13 at the Binks Forest Golf Club. Peter Fogel, a.k.a. “the Reinvention Guy,” discussed personal introspection, improving oneself on many different levels and strength-

ening teamwork at the workplace. Prior to entering corporate America and reinventing himself into a direct response copywriter, marketing consultant, corporate business speaker, radio host and best-selling author, Fogel was a standup comedian. For over 25 years, he was an improvisational performer who worked or appeared on many major

‘Peter’s Livingroom’ Earns Best Show Nomination Local Internet radio show Peter’s Livingroom has been nominated as Best Web Radio Show by Women in the Arts-Miami. For the past six-plus years, Peter’s Livingroom has been cited as a supporter of the arts, both local and nationally. With articles and interviews over the past years, Peter Wein has been honored as such a supporter. Broadcast from the WEI Network Studio in Royal Palm Beach Monday through Thursday at 7 p.m. and Monday through Thursday at 4 p.m., Wein’s guests have been artists, promoters, venues, nonprofits and other key individuals talking and performing for the listeners.

Peter’s Livingroom and the WEI Network can often be seen at community and fundraising events either broadcasting or promoting specific causes for the public’s awareness. The awards ceremony will be held Monday, Sept. 24 at Privet in Hollywood. “Being nominated is such an honor,” Wein said about the nomination. “It gives you a tingly feeling knowing that the hard work for good causes is getting recognized.” Peter’s Livingroom is always interested in organizations with an important message to broadcast over the Internet. For more information, visit www.weinetwork.com or call (561) 290-4597.

television shows. Fogel performed standup comedy in Las Vegas, working with big-name comedians. Fogel explained the meaning of reinvention as a complete makeover, bringing back into existence or use, recast something familiar and old into a different form. He applied this definition to people and discussed how they can utilize this principle in their lives to improve their situations. Fogel discussed his definition of the “golden handcuffs” to be “making a lot of money and having a good lifestyle, however, hating what you do.” To get out of these handcuffs, Fogel reviewed the four modes of learning, which were unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence and unconscious competence. Everything Fogel discussed was sprinkled with humor. There was also a funny, interactive group exercise with seven volunteer participants. The purpose was to demonstrate how teamwork starts and how it gets better over time. The people attending began getting involved with this exercise as well. They jumped in to help the volunteers so the whole room eventually got involved. This was the fifth session of the

Peter Fogel with Small Business RoundTable co-chairs Monica Kallas and Blanca Greenstein. Small Business RoundTable series. The sixth and final session will be in October; the information on that session will be provided shortly. For more information about the Wellington Chamber of Commerce Small Business RoundTable, call

Executive Director Michela PerilloGreen at (561) 792-6525 or e-mail smallbusinessroundtable@ wellingtonchamber.com. For more information about the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, visit www.wellingtonchamber.com.

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DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Faculty, Florida Craftsmen Shows At Lighthouse ArtCenter The eclectic style of Florida Craftsmen shares the spotlight with brand-new works from the Lighthouse ArtCenter faculty in two new exhibitions. The recent opening of the Florida Craftsmen’s annual member show, along with an exhibition of new works by ArtCenter faculty, attracted 140 guests who got their first look at the Florida Craftsmen

Julie Price’s ceramic sculpture Inner Conflict won first place.

exhibition award winners. Both exhibits can be seen through Oct. 10. This is the first time that Florida Craftsmen, a statewide nonprofit group based in St. Petersburg, has had its work displayed at Lighthouse ArtCenter. The mission of Florida Craftsmen is to empower the skilled craft artists of Florida and provide a forum to elevate fine craft work to art form status. Executive Director Diane Shelly spoke in detail about her group while guests chatted with the artists. “Each year we try and bring our exhibition to a different part of the state so that new people can discover the amazing quality of work being done around Florida,” Shelly said. “The state is divided into districts, so we’re able to make sure that all parts of Florida remain actively involved and are represented. This year, our experience with Lighthouse ArtCenter has been absolutely wonderful. The exhibition space and design of the show have far exceeded my expectations, and we thank them for hosting this event.” In addition to fine crafts, guests

were treated to a bold exhibit of new work by Lighthouse ArtCenter faculty. Faculty members mingled with guests, answering questions about techniques and materials and discussing their classes. “We offer an exciting variety of classes including all types of painting, mixed media, encaustic, ceramics, drawing, photography, as well as a program for home-schooled students and special-needs students,” said Robyn Roberts, the Lighthouse ArtCenter’s education coordinator. “We also offer workshops for artists on how to photograph their artwork. Any artist wanting to operate as a professional needs to know these basics.” The Lighthouse ArtCenter is located in Gallery Square North at 373 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta, one half mile west of U.S. Highway 1. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with admission free for members and $5 for nonmembers age 13 and up. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free admission. The Lighthouse ArtCenter is a member-supported not-

LeeAnna Yater earned third place for Fractal Series, a modern composition of fiber. for-profit charitable organization, providing excellence in art exhibitions, instruction, education and outreach for all ages. For more information on the

Lighthouse ArtCenter Museum & School of Art, and its exhibitions, programs and events, visit www. lighthousearts.org or call (561) 7463101.

Hispanic Heritage Month Events Planned Throughout County

Centro Paraguayo of Palm Beach will perform Sept. 30 at the Hagen Ranch Road branch library.

The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County invites visitors, residents, friends and guests to enjoy a host of events and activities planned to take place throughout the county in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The national designation, observed from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, was originally adopted in 1968 with National Hispanic Heritage Week. The annual celebration expanded to a month-long period in 1988, with a Congressional resolution that calls “on the people of the U.S., especially the educational community, to observe National Hispanic Heritage Month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.” “At the Cultural Council, we celebrate the diversity of our arts and cultural community every day,” said Rena Blades, president and chief executive officer of the Cultural Council. “Hispanic Heritage Month provides a stage for the wonderful diversity that makes Palm Beach County so rich — to truly shine.” On Sept. 30, at its Hagen Ranch Road Library Branch, the Palm Beach County Library brings the community “Paraguay: Historia y Cultura Desde 1811” (“Paraguay: History and Culture Since 1811”), presented by Centro Paraguayo of Palm Beach. This 3 p.m. performance is a presentation of folkloric dancing, music, arts and painting, and informative videos that explore the culture and history of

this South American country. For more information, visit www.pbc library.org. Also on Sept. 30, beginning at 2 p.m., the public can enjoy a live salsa performance with the international and versatile Florida Latin Beat Band, and salsa lessons, at the Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach. For more info., visit www.mycitylibrary.org. Also in September, Arts Garage in Delray Beach kicked off the celebration early on Sept. 8, with Jazz Project: Bobby Ramirez. Ramirez, a flutist and saxophonist from Cuba, brought to Arts Garage the sound of Latin Jazz fusion. Now, on Sept. 22, Arts Garage showcases the rhythms of Sammy Figueroa and his Latin Jazz Explosion. For more information, visit www.arts garage.org. On Oct. 3, Livin’ La Vida Boca at the Boca Raton Museum of Art, planned in partnership with Networking Hispanos, will have visitors feeing the Latin beat, sampling traditional culinary favorites, and meeting iconic Hispanic artists from the museum’s collection. For more information, visit www.boca museum.org. Extending the festivities beyond Oct. 15 is the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County and Mainstreet at Midtown’s presentation of the third annual Latin American Food & Wine Festival on Thursday, Oct. 18 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in Palm Beach Gardens. The event offers an extensive selection

Sammy Figueroa: Jazz Project will perform Sept. 22 at Arts Garage in Delray Beach. of fine wine from multiple wineries, as well as gourmet food from local eating establishments. The evening will also feature live Latin music and more. To find out more about these and other cultural events and happenings in Palm Beach County year-round, visit www.arts calendar.com/thepalmbeaches. Admission to the Cultural Council’s gallery and visitor area is free and open to the public Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Cultural Council is Palm Beach County’s official arts agency and serves nonprofit cultural organizations and professional artists throughout the county. For more information, visit www. palmbeachculture.com.

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HEALTH & FITNESS SPOTLIGHT

Xtreme Tae Kwon Do Helps Children Learn Self Respect By Gustavo Pope-Guerriero Special to the Town-Crier Now that the school year is underway, Xtreme Tae Kwon Do reminds parents to do their part to keep their children safe as they walk to school. Parents should be proactive and take the time to talk about safety with their kids. One thing that parents can do is walk the route to school with their kids. This will allow parents to assess hazards and select a course with the least number of traffic crossings. Parents can also talk to their children about safety while walking to and from school. In this discussion, parents should reinforce to their kids what to do if someone approaches them. Parents need to remind their children that they do not have to be polite and that they can say no to a stranger.

Creating a password between parents and children is another helpful safety tactic. If someone the child does not know approaches them and tells them that their parent sent him or her to pick them up, the child can ask them for the password. Parents should tell their kids to always walk with a friend. Parents need to talk to their children about strangers and danger. When we teach children tae kwon do, we teach much more than just the physical personal protection aspect. We teach them confidence, respect, self control and self defense: • Confidence — To carry themselves in a way so that they are not going to be a target. • Respect — To know where other people’s personal space or boundaries start. • Self control — To be able to control yourself in difficult situa-

tions (i.e., someone calls you a name). • Self defense — To be able to protect yourself in the case of a physical confrontation. Now that kids are safely back in school and we are all settling back into our routines, now what do I do with extra my time? Here at Xtreme, we have multiple activities that not only give you a great workout but also help you to build confidence, balance and self-defense skills. We offer tae kwon do and karate. These two martial arts will teach you how to protect yourself and your loved ones. It will teach you the basics and as you progress through the ranks, you will see how your body is changing, how your confidence and balance improves and one day you will be able to reach your black belt. Another class we offer is contact

kickboxing. In this class, you will learn the basics of kickboxing while experiencing a workout that has a level of intensity unlike any other. We also offer mixed-martial arts (MMA). Did you ever watch an MMA fight? Did you notice the type of conditioning an MMA fighter has? We at Xtreme offer this type of work out. If you like a little more intense than a typical work out, this is the one for you! Classes are forming now for the fall. Just remember, a body in motion stays in motion. Kids are back in school. Let’s use that time to get in motion. Give Xtreme Martial Arts a chance — you won’t regret it! Be safe and stay aware. Gustavo Pope-Guerriero is director of Xtreme Martial Arts at Ultima Fitness/Xtreme Tae Kwon Do. He is a grand master seventh-degree black belt. Ultima is located

Gustavo Pope-Guerriero at 12799 W. Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington. For more info., call (561) 795-2823 or visit www. ultimafitness.com.

Health & Fitness Spotlight Sponsored By Ultima Fitness Of Wellington

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SPORTS & RECREATION

Wellington Football Squad Upsets John I. Leonard 15-7 By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report The Wellington High School varsity football team hosted John I. Leonard on Friday, Sept. 14, defeating the fifth-ranked Lancers 15-7 and giving them their first loss of the season. The Wolverines remain unbeaten at 3-0. Wellington was able to muster enough offense when needed on several big plays. Solid defense was the backbone of the victory, coming up huge, shutting down the Lancers twice on a fourth and goal and denying scores. “Our defense came up big tonight, and our offense is coming along,” Wellington head coach Tom Able said. The first quarter was scoreless, as both teams tried to control the game. The first score of the game came with 4:15 left in the second quarter, when Lancers quarterback Adam Johnson threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Tavares Martin, giving them a 7-0 lead. Wellington responded on the ensuing drive when quarterback Cole Smallridge faked the entire Lancer defense with an inside handoff, and took off around the left side and down the sideline 54 yards untouched for the score. The point-after attempt was no good, cutting the Lancers’ lead to 7-6. The Lancers failed to field the next kickoff, which was caught down field by Wellington, giving the Wolverines possession in Lancer territory. Wellington managed to move close enough to attempt a 36-yard field goal, but Nicholas Rubinowicz’s kick was wide right. Leonard moved

down the field but turned the ball over with a fumble. Wellington regained possession, and with 1:32 remaining in the half, sophomore Shamar Jackson ran through the Lancer defense, breaking several tackles and scoring on a 65-yard run. The score gave Wellington the lead for the first time in the game, 12-7, which ended the first half of play. The second half brought more frustration to the Leonard sideline as the Wolverine defense held the Lancers, forcing a punt, which was blocked by Wellington, giving them possession at the Leonard 38 yard line. Wellington’s of fense was stopped at the 19 yard line and forced another field-goal attempt. This time, Rubinowicz put the 29-yarder through the uprights, extending the Wolverine lead 15-7. Although there would not be any more scoring, the action was continuous. Twice, inside the closing minutes of the game, the Lancers moved the ball to inside the Wellington 10 yard line, but again, the Wolverine defense found ways to stop the Lancers from scoring. “Again, defense, defense, defense — that’s what we keep preaching to these boys. We’ve been telling them they’re winners, and now they’re starting to see it,” Able said. Defensive back James Foster came up big at the end of the game when the Lancers were threatening to score. They continuously picked on Foster, but Foster was able to cover and break up several pass attempts in the end zone. “I had to come through because I missed that big catch earlier in the game, and I didn’t want to let my

Wellington quarterback Cole Smallridge rolls to his left to find room to pass. team down,” Jackson said. “I had to come through.” Jackson was referring to a near touchdown catch he mishandled, after a Lancer defender fell to the ground. Wellington had 169 yards on the ground. Jackson had three carries for 78 yards, Smallridge had 10 carries for 51 yards, and fullback Matt Sabatino had nine carries for 37 yards. The 15-7 victory marks Wellington’s third in a row, keeping them unbeaten. Wellington will begin district play as the Wolverines travel to Seminole Ridge on Friday, Sept. 21 to face the sixth-ranked Hawks at 7:30 p.m. Seminole Ridge is 0-2 and looking for its first win to stay in the top 10. A Wolverine win could possibly propel WHS into a top 10 spot.

Wellington fullback Matt Sabatino finds running room for a big gain. PHOTOS BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER

Wellington running back Shamar Jackson breaks through the Lancer defense and runs 65 yards for the score.

Bronco Football Squad Falls To Palm Beach Gardens 10-6

The Broncos take down a Gardens ball carrier. PHOTOS BY LAUREN MIRÓ/TOWN-CRIER

By Lauren Miró Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach Central High School boys varsity football team faced Palm Beach Gardens on Friday, Sept. 14 at the Broncos’ home in Wellington, falling short 10-6. In a game that saw only two touchdowns, it was the Gators’ thirdquarter field goal that clinched the win for Palm Beach Gardens. The Broncos, on the other hand, struggled to make moves and keep control of the ball. The Gators started off strong, getting in an early touchdown. On their second possession, they drove the ball 98 yards. On the next down, they ran in the ball for a touchdown. An extra-point kick made the score 7-0. It wasn’t until late in the second quarter that the Broncos put points on the board. Trinton Hanson jumped up to intercept a Gator pass, giving Palm Beach Central control

of the ball on the 12 yard line. After several attempts to score, Tommy McDonald ran the ball 1 yard into the end zone. But an extra-point kick by Cameron Golob was blocked by the Gators, and Palm Beach Central fell short of tying the score, bringing it to 7-6. For much of the remainder of the game, both teams seemed gridlocked on the field. With strong defense on both sides, neither team could move the ball. Both teams also made mistakes. The Broncos fumbled the kickoff going into the second half, putting the Gators dangerously close to the end zone. But Hanson made a second interception, blocking Palm Beach Gardens’ chance at a touchdown. Late in the third quarter, the Broncos fumbled the ball and turned it over to the Gators. Palm Beach Gardens advanced to the 37 yard line and, with 1:30 left in the third quar-

Bronco quarterback Kyle Shafer lines up a pass. ter, kicked a field goal to extend their lead 10-6. Neither team was willing to give up the fight, though, and they clashed on the field for the remainder of the game. Unfortunately for the Broncos, they were not able to catch up and ended the game in defeat. Palm Beach Central travels to Royal Palm Beach High School on Friday, Sept. 21 for a 7 p.m. game.

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SPORTS & RECREATION

Palm Beach Sharks Compete In The Cooperstown Classic The Palm Beach Sharks 12-U travel baseball team competed in the 2012 Cooperstown Classic Aug. 2529 in Cooperstown, N.Y., taking on 103 teams from throughout the United States and Canada. The Sharks were the only team to represent Florida. The Sharks came out strong, winning their first pool play game against the Cape Cod Clippers 12-3, followed up with a loss to the Middlesex Blue Jays by one run in the bottom of the sixth inning despite a homerun by Dio Mateo. The Sharks continued to struggle through the next four games, narrowly losing to the St. Paul (Minn.) Great Northern, South Shore (N.J.) Chiefs and Scarborough Stingers in a three-hour, seven-and-a-half inning game, again by one run despite homeruns hit by Dustin Reville and Danny Maloney. After six games of pool play, the Sharks fell to 1-5, seeding No. 82 for the single elimination tournament playoff bracket. On a picturesque day in the mountains of New York, temperature in the 70s, not a cloud in the sky, American flag waving against the backdrop, the Sharks made a run for the championship. Though most of the players are residents of The Acreage, reports of flooding, school clo-

sures and the unknown regarding Tropical Storm Isaac were set aside. The Sharks started their pre-game warm-ups and batting practice at 8:30 a.m., taking the field for game one at 10 a.m. as the visiting team against the No. 81 Taylorsville (Utah) Warriors. After six innings, a homerun by the pitcher Mark Espaillat would rally the Sharks to an 8-0 victory, moving them into the next bracket where they would face the No. 62 Edina (Minn.) Hornets. Homeruns by Matt Smith and Maloney added to base hit scored runs, and after two hours, the Sharks won 8-4 in six innings. Next the Sharks would face the No. 39-seeded San Diego Renegades and win 7-3 in a two-and-a-half hour, six-inning game after continued team base hits and homeruns by Nicholas Bunchuk, Sebastian Gutierrez and Maloney. On a six-and-a-half hour, threegame win streak, the Sharks were in a feeding frenzy, eating up the competition. As the sun began to fall late in the afternoon, the Sharks were going up against the well-rested No. 26 Virginia Thunder (5-1). The Sharks turned up the heat by leading off with three base hits to load the bases for the cleanup batter, Bunchuk, to then put up a grand slam homerun in the first inning. The Thunder re-

sponded by bringing in faster pitchers, but that didn’t matter as Dustin Reville put one out with runners on, as well as Maloney, who put up homeruns in his next two at-bats. After six innings and two-and-a-half hours, the Sharks won 10-7. Next the Sharks would face the No. 7 Big League Outlaws (6-0) from Pennsylvania. The Sharks again came out of the box strong, putting up three runs in the first inning and holding the Outlaws to one run going into the fourth inning but allowing three runs in the fourth. The Sharks took the lead 5-4 going into the fifth inning after a solo homerun by Logan Thomas. After 12 straight hours of baseball, 15-minute breaks between games, with the temperature dropping into the low 50s, the Sharks’ stamina began to fall in the fifth inning of game No. 5. The Outlaws rallied to put up 13 runs, ending the game at 17-5 at 10:20 p.m. Moving through the brackets, each team the Sharks faced brought bigger and better players, faster and better pitchers, stronger and harder-hitting batters, and smarter and more strategic coaching. The Sharks responded with patient and precise pitching shared between 11 players, consistent and bigger hits by the entire team, making few to no errors,

The Palm Beach Sharks represented Florida in the 2012 Cooperstown Classic. and playing more as a team. Throughout the tournament, the Sharks had a team batting average of .415, with 350 plate appearances, 130 hits, 17 homeruns, 30 stolen bases, threw more than 1,000 pitches, struck out 28 batters and played more games than any other team — 11. Mark Espaillat placed third out of 104 competitors in the roadrunner individual base running event with

a time of 12.61 seconds. The Palm Beach Sharks are Nicholas Bunchuk, Jayson Colon, Mark Espaillat, Hayden Fabacher, Sebastian Gutierrez, Danny Maloney, Bryce Martin, Dio Mateo, Christian Pence, Dustin Reville, Matt Smith, Logan Thomas and Marlin Wightman. The team is managed by Keary Pence and coached by Adam Bunchuk, Jayson Colon and Dino Mateo.

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ACREAGE COLLEGIATE THE COLLEGIATE DOLPHINS CHOSEN AS DOLPHINS ACREAGE SQUAD OF THE WEEK TEAM OF THE WEEK

The Acreage Collegiate Dolphins cheerleaders have been chosen Squad of the Week by Acreage Cheerleading and the Acreage Athletic League. This cheerleading squad consists of girls ranging in age from 7 to 10 and is coached by Jessica Norman and Gloria Torres. The members of the squad include Haley Demao, Anela Gribkoff, Helena Pilone (not pictured), Rilee Rimes, Amilia Torres, Sierra Velazquez, Presley Rodriguez, and mascots Camilia Torres and Sophia Torres.

The Acreage Athletic League and the Acreage Tackle Football League have announced that the Collegiate Dolphins were chosen as the Spotlight Team of the Week. The Collegiate Dolphins are currently undefeated in both league play and inter-league play with Boca Raton. The team is coached by Davy Rimes, Robert Torres, Andrew Suarez and Jesse Schneider. The Collegiate Dolphins players include Ajani Frank, Jonathan Artigas, Tyler Perez, David Rimes, Salverio Molina, Daniel Lopez, Brando Gallo, Joseph Gallo, Dalton Blakeney, Kaimyn Castillo, Logan Walstrom, Wyatt Wisey, Daniel Proano, Jethro Joseph and Caleb Goertzen. For additional information about the Acreage Athletic League, as well as the Acreage Tackle Foo tball League, visit the AAL’s web sit e at www.acreageathletic league.org.

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Wellington Wolves Seek Coaches The Wellington Wolves travel basketball program consists of third- through 11th-grade boys and girls teams. This season, the Wolves organization is looking to add a few more teams to the program, expanding a few grade levels by allowing an A and B team in certain grades to capture both levels of competition. This will depend on the number of coaches who apply. There is a tryout process that will start in December. Practice begins in January 2013. Games begin in mid-January and can run through the end of June. Coaches should be designated and in place by Oct. 15. The interview process will start Oct. 5. Teams are required to have a head coach, assistant coach and a team parent to handle all of the clerical and administrative needs. The Wolves are seeking fun, dynamic, responsible role models to provide instruction and coaching in basketball. Applicants should have a

basketball background and must enjoy working with kids. Applications must be submitted to boardofdirectors @wellingtonwolves.com by Sunday, Sept. 30. For more information, call Chris Fratalia at (561) 252-9530 or visit www. wellingtonwolves.com.

Freshman Hawks Defeat Cobras The Seminole Ridge High School freshman football team traveled to rival Park Vista on Sept. 6 and defeated the Cobras 33-14. Hawk Joey Schergen scored on a kickoff return of 80 yards and returned a punt deep in Hawk territory 70 yards for another score. Derrius Austin was the rushing leader for Seminole Ridge, scoring two touchdowns of over 50 yards each. Quarterback Dalton Trimble, starting his first game as the freshman signal caller, ran the offense and kicked three extra points as well. The Hawks’ defensive backs and linebackers made their presence known early in the game, with three interceptions.

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Saturday, Sept. 22 • The inaugural Wellington Kids Triathlon will take place Saturday, Sept. 22 at the Wellington Aquatics Complex (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Participants will swim, bike and run at distances based on their age. Start times range from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., divided by age group. Competitors must have a USA Triathlon membership card or have their parent/guardian purchase a one-day membership for $10 on the day of the race. For info, visit www.wellingtonfl.gov. • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host “Writing Series: SelfPublishing vs. Traditional Publishing” on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 9 a.m. Learn the pros and cons and potential pitfalls to avoid along the way. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Autumn Fun” for ages 6 to 10 on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 10:15 a.m. Celebrate the start of a new season with stories, games and a special craft. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. • Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will hold a cooking class titled “Wow, That’s Grape!” on Saturday, Sept. 22 at noon. Learn how to serve a special lunch or dinner celebrating grapes. The cost is $5 per person. Call (561) 904-4000 for info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will present “Bagels & Books: Out of My Mind” for ages 8 to 12 on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. Enjoy bagels and discuss the winner of last year’s Sunshine State Young Reader’s Award. Call (561) 681-4100 to preregister. • Caribbean-Americans for Community Involvement (CAFCI) will host its annual Friendship Ball on Saturday, Sept. 22 starting at 7 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). The cost is $65 per person. For more info., call CAFCI at (561) 790-4002, e-mail cafci@bellsouth.net or visit www.cafcipbc.org. • The Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will host a free concert with the band Whitestone on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m. Call (561) 753-2484 or visit www.wellingtonfl. gov for more info. Sunday, Sept. 23 • The Royal Palm Beach Parks & Recreation Department will host a Miami Dolphins bus trip Sunday, Sept. 23. The cost is $95. The bus will leave the RPB Recreation Center (100 Sweet Bay Lane) at 9 a.m. Barbecue will be served at the stadium. Call (561) 790-5124 for more info.

• Kutzs & Style (10229 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach) will host a cut-a-thon to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association on Sunday, Sept. 23 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (561) 333-4246 for more info. Monday, Sept. 24 • Royal Palm Beach will begin accepting applications Monday, Sept. 24 for its 11th annual Fall Fantasy Craft Show at Veterans Park (1036 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.), which will take place Saturday, Nov. 17. The cost for vendors is $35 for a covered space and $20 for an open 10- by 10-foot space. Eightfoot tables will be available for $10 and a chair for $3. All items for sale must be handmade products. Interested crafters may pick up applications at the RPB Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). Call (561) 790-5149 for more info. • Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will hold a free “Savvy Shopper Tour” on Monday, Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. Call (561) 904-4000 for more info. • The Palm Beach County Commission will hold a public hearing on the budget Monday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. in the government center’s Jane M. Thompson Memorial Chambers (301 N. Olive Ave., Sixth Floor, West Palm Beach). For more info., visit www. pbcgov.com. • The Mid-County Democratic Club will meet Monday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Tree’s Wings & Ribs in Royal Palm Beach. For more info., visit www.midcountydems.com. Tuesday, Sept. 25 • The Palm Beach County Commission will hold a workshop meeting Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 9:30 a.m. in the government center’s Jane M. Thompson Memorial Chambers (301 N. Olive Ave., Sixth Floor, West Palm Beach). For info., visit www.pbcgov.com. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Tween Game Day” for ages 8 to 12 on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 2:30 p.m. Challenge your friends to board games and Nintendo Wii. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Teen Game Night” for grades 6 to 12 on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 4:30 p.m. Play Nintendo Wii and board games. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. • Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will hold “Pain! How Many People Live Without It” on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 6:30 p.m. If fibromyalgia or arthritis pain are affecting your life, learn the natural secrets See CALENDAR, page 37

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR CALENDAR, continued from page 36 of a youthful, pain-free life from chiropractic neurologist Tim DeCanio. Call (561) 9044000 for more info. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will present “Club Pokémon” for ages 6 to 12 on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. Bring your DS or Pokémon cards and get ready to battle, trade and make new friends. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register. Wednesday, Sept. 26 • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host “Craft Extravaganza!” for age 2 and up on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 2:30 p.m. Spend an hour completing pictures and crafts. Call (561) 790-6070 to preregister. • The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will feature “Hooked on Crochet” on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m. Start to crochet by learning beginning techniques or bring current projects to share and work on. Pick up a materials list when you pre-register. Call (561) 790-6070 for more info. • Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will host a free Gluten-Free Cooking Class on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m. Call (561) 904-4000 for info. • The Wellington Village Council will meet Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Wellington Municipal Complex (12300 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). For more info., call (561) 7914000 or visit www.wellingtonfl.gov. Thursday, Sept. 27 • The Palm Beach County Commission will hold a zoning meeting Thursday, Sept. 27 at 9:30 a.m. in the government center’s Jane M. Thompson Memorial Chambers (301 N. Olive Ave., Sixth Floor, West Palm Beach). For info., visit www.pbcgov.com. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will present “Bilingual Fiesta” for all ages Thursday, Sept. 27 at 3 p.m. Sing, clap, move and dance with Jody Dreher. Call (561) 6814100 to pre-register. • Generations: A Hair Salon (10240 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington) will host a night of hair, couture and cocktails on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. with complimentary blowouts and styles, hors d’oeuvres, champagne, cocktails, wine tasting, trunk shows and shopping. RSVP to (561) 753-2232. • “Evening with the Stars,” a benefit gala for Lista “Lucy” Faircloth, will be held Thursday, Sept. 27 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Co ttage (522 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth). Proceeds will benefit Faircloth while she continues to fight her battle with cancer. A dona-

tion of $20 at the door is requested. For more info., contact Tracy Smith Coffey at echoltd3@gmail.com. • The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will present “Teen Game Night” for ages 12 to 17 on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m. Challenge your friends to Wii or board games. Snacks will be provided. Call (561) 6814100 to pre-register. • Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will host “Got Sleep?” on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. Dr. Ian Shtulman will share some secrets to getting a better night’s sleep without medication. Call (561) 904-4000 for more info. Friday, Sept. 28 • Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will feature “Mom’s Morning Escape” on Friday, Sept. 28 from 9 to 11 a.m. Moms will receive a free mini-massage, coffee or tea, and muffin from the coffee bar. Call (561) 904-4000 for more info. • The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host a Go Club meeting for ages 8 to 17 on Friday, Sept. 28 at 4:30 p.m. A member of the American Go Foundation will teach you how to play this ancient Asian strategy game. Adults with young family members can also play. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register. • The South Florida Science Museum (4801 Dreher Trail North, West Palm Beach) will open its newest traveling exhibit “Treasure!” on Friday, Sept. 28. It runs through Jan. 6, 2013. For more info., call (561) 8321988 or visit www.sfsm.org. • Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will feature “Engine 2: 28-Day Challenge” orientation and start on Friday, Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m. and running through October. Each week, a chef will create different nutrient-dense recipes to sample, and talk about ways to continue this eating plan on your own. There is no charge. Visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com to pre-register or call (561) 904-4000 for more info. • The Wellington Amphitheater (12100 Forest Hill Blvd.) will feature a free theater performance of Wonderland, an adaptation of the popular children’s story Alice in Wonderland, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. Bring your own seating. Call (561) 753-2484 or visit www.wellingtonfl. gov for more info. 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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HONEST, KIND & RELIABLE CNA/HHA — with 20 years experience. References available, Private Duty Day or Night. Call 561-7539209 or 561-386-1867

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

HOUSECLEANING — 20 yrs experience. Excellent local references. Shopping available. 561-572-1782 HOUSECLEANING — affordable cleaning services, Royal Palm Maids. 561-666-7738 “For all your cleaning needs”

HURRICANE SHUTTERS P&M CONTRACT ORS — ACCORDION SHUTTERS Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, sof fits, aluminum roofs, Serving the W estern Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561791-9777

WE CLEAN OFFICES & PRIVATE HOMES — Licensed & Insured. Call for an estimate and to schedule your apartment. Discount for Central Palm Beach County Chamber members and to all new clients for first cleaning. 561-385-8243 Lic. #2012-252779

BOB CAVANAGH ALLSTATE INSURANCE — Auto •Home • Life• Renters •Motorcycle •R V • Golfcart • Boat Serving the Western Communities for 24 years Call for a quote 798-3056, or visit our website. www.allstateagencies.com/ rCavanagh

MOBILE-TEC ON-SITE COMPUTER SERVICE — The computer experts that come to you! Hardware/ Software setup, support & troubleshooting w w w.mobiletec.ne t. 561-248-2611 D.J. COMPUTER — Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-3331923 Cell 561-252-1186 Lic’d Well. & Palm Beach. We accept major credit cards.

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

WH LANDSCAPE & DESIGN — Specializing in Landscape Design Pressure clean your driveway, sidewalk or p atio. For estimate call Mike or James 561-818-5298 or 561-965-0539 Email:mickstur28@gmail.com Lic. #45-5033273 Very Reasonable ALL credit cards accepted

RJA PAINTING & DECORATING, INC. — Interior Exterior, Faux Finish, Residential,Commercial.Lic. #U17536 Rocky Armento, Jr. 561793-5455 561-662-7102 J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor . Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975 or visit our website at

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 561-3090134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC023773 RC-0067207 JOHN C. BEALE BUILDING & ROOFING — Additions, remodeling, roof repairs & replacements, screened porches. Licensed & Insured. Call for Free Estimates. 561798-6448 ccc1326383 ccc1250306

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 call us 798-3132. www.poolscreenrepair.com 561-577-9176 We answer our phones! Build all type ENCLOSURES, rep air, reinforcement s & RESCREENING , slabs/footers/fascias. If u don’t like sloppy jobs Call us! Recession rates AAA Pro Screeninglic # U-21289/ins

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

www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

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. BILLY’S HOME REPAIRS INC. REMODEL & REPAIRS — Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair, door inst allation, minor drywall,kitchens/cabinets / countertops, wood flooring. Bonded and Insured U#19699. Call 7919900 or 628-9215 HANDYMAN AND CLEANING SERVICES — Caza Services for all your handyman and cleaning needs. 18 years experience. No job is too small. Call us today. Insured 561-802-8300 or 754-242-3459

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

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. — Int./ Ext. residential p ainting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free est. Ins. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. W ellington Resident \ JEREMY JAMES PLUMBING — Licensed plumber, legitimate estimate. Water heaters, new construction. CFC1426242. Bonded Insured. CFC1426242. 561-601-6458

J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior p ainting. Certified pressure cleaning & p ainting contractor . Lic. #U21552 Call Butch at 309-6975 or visit us at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

MINOR ROOF REPAIRS DON HARTMANN ROOFING — Roof painting, Carpentry. Lic. #U13677 967-5580

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SPECIALIZING IN BATHROOM REMODELING — Free estimates serving South Florida since 1980. Quality you expect, service you deserve. Lic. bonded & Ins. U21006 561-662-9258

TREES TRIMMED AND REMOVED — 561-798-0412 D.M. YOUNG TREE SERVICE. Family Owned & Operated Lic. & Insured 1992-12121 Visit our website at dmyoungtreeservice.com

PAPERHANGING BY DEBI — Professional Installation,Removal. Repair of Paper. Neat, Clean & Reliable. Quality work with a woman's touch. 30 years experience. No Job too big or too small. Lic. & Ins. References available. 561-795-5263

APAR TMENT OF RENT I N LOXAHATCHEE - Small apartment for rent. Quiet Neighborhood. All utilities included. $700.00 per month. Call 305-481-3789

WELLINGTON W ATERFRONT APARTMENT FOR RENT — 3/2 - 1 car garage. 561-714-8376 or 561793-1718

FURNISHED HOUSE FOR RENT/ SHORT OR LONG TERM — situated in a cul-de-sac and 5 minutes away from Spruce Meadows, this 2000 sf. 2 story newer house in Shawnessy has hardwood floor throughout and 2.5 bathrooms. Leather furniture, 48” TV and a Piano in main floor. Master bedroom has Jacuzzi. 2 large size bedrooms and bonus room. Wireless Internet, double attached garage, fenced backyard with BBQ. Weekly housekeeping, linen service and lawn cutting plus all utilities included. For more details call (403) 808-7254 OR (403) 700-2065 106.33 ACRE EQUESTRIAN FARM NEAR AIKEN, SC — Please call Debbie Harrison, Realtor with Blanchard and Calhoun Real Estate Co., at 803-480-5245 for details.

HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER — in Wellington needs EXAM PREP COORDINATOR Bachelors Degree- Demonstrate Solid Performance on SAT and ACT (either verbal or math sections) Available to work evenings and Saturdays. Also needed: EXAM PREP TUTORS Now Hiring SAT/ACT Preparation Tutors. Must have a 4 year degree preferably in Mathmetics or English. Be available to tutor on Saturdays. Please e-mail resume to marlenegiraud@hlcwellington.com ENTRY LEVEL RECEPTIONIST — Computer literate. Heavy phones & filing. Fax resume 561333-2680 FRONT DESK — Loxahatchee/ Boynton Beach. Busy Dermatology practices, full-time, experience preferred, must be available for flexible hours, evenings and weekends. Fax resume to 561-790-7568 MEDICAL ASSISTANT NEEDED IN LOXAHATCHEE/BOYNTON BEACH — Busy Dermatology practice, full-time, experience preferred, must be available for flexible hours, evenings and weekends. Fax resume to 561-790-7568 B2B FIELD REPS WANTED— Expanding Counterfeit Money Detection Agency. Top commissions and bonuses paid weekly. No cold calling. Fax resume to 561-5337400 WINDOW INSTALLERS WANTED Subcontractors only. Top Pay. No Brokers. Call Matt 561-714-8490

DRIVERS — DEDICATED ACCOUNT! TOP PAY! $2,000 sign on bonus. Benefit s, miles, great hometime and more. 1-888-5674854 Werner Enterprises. AVON START YOUR OWN BUSINESS - $10! Sell everyday products that people love! Little risk lot of rewards. FREE ongoing training. Avon store. 798-9011 Newborn Photographer: BELLA BABY PHOTOGRAPHY has revolutionized newborn photography by using real photographers to take high end, artistic pictures in the hospital room. We are currently seeking contracted photographers for our W ellington location. REQUIREMENTS: digital SLR photography experience & equipment necessary, including laptop; basic computer skills including editing sof tware (Photoshop/ Lightroom); comfortable with babies & hospital environment; customer service and sales experience a plus. DETAILS: training provided; must comply with hospit al's medical requirement s; schedule based on your availability; commissionbased, opportunity for great income. T O APPLY: Email resume and include link to your website to bellaflorida@bellababyphotography.com; describe your equipment; what days of the week are you available; how far do you live from Wellington.

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