Town-Crier Newspaper February 26, 2016

Volume 37, Number 9February 26 - March 3, 2016Your Community Newspaper Serving Palms West Since 1980

TOWN-CRIERTHE

WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE

INSIDE

DEPARTMENT INDEXNEWS ..............................3 - 11OPINION ................................. 4NEWS BRIEFS ...................... 10PEOPLE ................................ 15SCHOOLS ............................. 17COLUMNS ..................... 18, 29BUSINESS .....................30 - 31SPORTS .........................37 - 39CALENDAR ...........................42CLASSIFIEDS ............... 43 - 46

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OPINION

The Equestrian Aid Foundation hosted an outdoor film screen-ing of the new documentary Harry & Snowman on Sunday, Feb. 21 at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival facility. The film features famed rider Harry de Leyer and his amazing journey with a horse he rescued. At the event, the EAF honored de Leyer with its 2016 Luminary Award. Shown here are Harriet and Harry de Leyer with Shannon Eckel, Taylor Griffiths and Elizabeth Cohen. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 20

PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

EAF LUMINARY AWARD

By Ron BukleyTown-Crier Staff Report

Six candidates for three seats on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council squared off in a forum Monday, hosted by the Town-Crier and moderated by retired WPTV News Channel 5 anchor Jim Sackett.

Councilman Fred Pinto and for-mer Councilwoman Martha Web-ster are seeking the mayoral seat, while Lenore White is challenging incumbent Jeff Hmara for Seat 1 and Selena Smith is challenging incumbent Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas for Seat 3.

During introductions, Hmara, a four-year councilman, noted that he graduated from the Citadel, led artillery commands in Vietnam, Korea and Germany, and rose to full colonel before his retirement, whereupon he managed programs for the National Atmospheric & Oceanographic Administration and the Federal Aviation Admin-istration. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree in manage-ment. He and his wife, Carolyn, have lived in Madison Green for 13 years.

White, who lives in Greenway Village, said she thinks there’s a disconnect between residents and those who manage the village.

“My motive to run was to be sure that this is the community we want instead of a future decline in the quality of life,” she said. “We need help to restore transparency, honesty, trust and listen to the

residents, not just a select few.”Pinto said that he has had the

pleasure of serving the community for nearly 13 years during a period of extraordinary success for the village.

“Our village was chosen one of the 10 best places to raise a family because, as council members, we made decisions based on what was best for the village and the citizens, and we listen to our citizens,” he said. “This comment that we are disconnected is absolutely false, and I don’t understand where it is coming from. This village is where it is today through hard work, and working closely and listening closely to what our citizens want and what their needs are. Now that Mayor Matty Mattioli is moving on, it is my intent to make sure that this village stays on the right track.”

Webster, who has lived in the village for 20 years, previously served on the council for five years. “I am very pleased to say that I have been endorsed by [Councilman] David Swift,” she said. “I am honored because many of you know that David and I have not always shared the same point of view, but we both share the same passion for this village and the desire for this village to move forward as a family community.”

Webster pointed out that she was on the council while Commons Park was being created and taxes were being reduced.

“I was part of all of that, too,”

RPB Candidates Talk Issues At

Town-Crier Forum

See RPB FORUM, page 23

Despite Improvements, School Testing RemainsA Deeply Flawed ProcessNext week area juniors will get their first crack at the newly revised SAT standardized high-stakes test, courtesy of the School District of Palm Beach County, which has offered the test to all 11th graders for the past few years as a means of helping boost their opportuni-ties for higher education ac-ceptance. It’s the beginning of a battery of tests students will take. We believe there is a time, a place and a purpose for prop-erly structured testing. However, Florida’s system remains deeply problematic. Page 4


Dave Browning, who has served as mayor of Loxahatchee Groves since the town’s incorporation, is being challenged for Seat 4 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council by community activist Thais Gonzalez. The election will be held Tuesday, March 15.

Browning recently sat down with the Town-Crier to discuss his record on the council and his goals for the future.

Browning served 11 years on the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Supervi-sors before the town incorporated. In 2007, he ran for a seat on the inaugural town council and has been re-elected ever since.

Loxahatchee Groves does not have a directly elected mayor. The ceremonial title is chosen annually from among council members.

Browning has held the title for the past nine years.

Browning believes that he is the best candidate for Seat 4 because of the time he has lived in the com-munity and his long years of expe-rience. He and his wife, Sharyn, built their home in Loxahatchee Groves in 1979. Aside from his time on the LGWCD board and on the council, he also spent several years as president of the Loxahatchee Groves Landowners’ Association.

“Besides experience, I’ve built a lot of relationships over the years, whether it’s with county staff or county commissioners, and things like that benefit our town,” he said.

Browning lists his top accom-plishment as slowing down growth in the town and keeping it as rural as possible.

“Hopefully, I’ve slowed down the urbanization that happens

Browning Puts His Focus On Years Of Community Service

typically in the rural areas of South Florida,” he said.

He thinks the top issues this election are horse trails, roads and pulling the community back together after a divisive year.

“We’ve been pretty well split

By Julie UngerTown-Crier Staff Report

Get your boots, spurs, chaps and cowboy hats ready for this week-end’s Royal Palm Beach West Fest, taking place Friday, Feb. 26 through Sunday, Feb. 28 at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park.

“It’s going to be a great week-end,” Community & Cultural Events Superintendent Carlos Morales said. “We have some really fun and interesting things going on. It’s definitely the thing to do for the weekend.”

The Paul Bunyan International Lumberjack Show will be coming down to Royal Palm Beach from Orlando, and it is a show that shouldn’t be missed, Morales said.

“They are going to be a per-fect fit for this event,” he said. They’re going to be doing dif-ferent 20-minute and 30-minute shows throughout the weekend — log rolling, chainsaw cutting, ax throwing — and all kinds of fun lumberjack things you see on TV. We think it’s going to be a great addition to the event.”

Community involvement is imperative, and the Police Athletic League (PAL) will be conducting a “Boxing Under the Stars” show-case Saturday at dusk. The boxing exhibition will take place in front of the sporting center building in the interactive sound area, Morales said. There will be kids of all dif-ferent classes and weights from all over Florida competing in the sanctioned tournament.

See BROWNING, page 6


Loxahatchee Groves resident Thais Gonzalez is challenging Mayor Dave Browning for Seat 4 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council. The election will be held Tuesday, March 15.

Gonzalez, a community activist who has been critical of town pol-icy in a number of areas, recently sat down with the Town-Crier to explain why voters should choose her for the council seat.

Gonzalez has a diverse cultural background. She was born in Chile to a family with German, Italian and Spanish roots. She has been in the United States for 23 years, arriving at age 21. Gonzalez lived in California for 11 years, then Il-linois, where she managed a polo club. She followed the polo season to South Carolina, where she met her future husband, Carlos.

After a return trip to Chile fol-lowing the death of her father, Gonzalez returned to Illinois, and then back to South Carolina. “Then, my husband and I got together, so I never left South Carolina,” she said. “We decided to form a family.”

Her husband is a horse trainer who has been training and selling high-end polo horses for more than 30 years. They traveled frequently because of equestrian season, but eventually chose Loxahatchee Groves as the place to raise their family in 2010. Their two boys are 8 and 9 years old.

“We loved it,” she said. “I think it is an awesome place to raise children. My children run around, they play.”

Gonzalez previously avoided politics, considering it a waste of time. However, her experiences with the town changed that. “I

Thais Gonzalez Wants A More Proactive Groves Town Council

moved to Loxahatchee Groves thinking we were going to have our barn, our horses, our happy life,” she said. “A year and a half, two years later, I have two proper-ties, and all of a sudden I have code enforcement knocking on my door.

See GONZALEZ, page 9

Also, a petting zoo will be run-ning all weekend long, and there will be nighttime campfires, along with a western village with gold mining, gunslingers, an encamp-ment, horse and carriage rides, hayrides behind the stage area and more — for free.

In front of the stage, attendees are invited to dance the night away as Mike Soper Music takes to the stage Friday at 5 p.m., followed by the J Collins Band at 6 p.m. and Fast Forward at 7:30 p.m.

The stage will come alive Sat-urday starting at 1:05 p.m. with the Sweeney Family Band, also performing at 3:05 and 5:05 p.m.; the Samantha Russell Band at 1:30 p.m.; Saturday Night Special at 3:30 p.m.; Levi Lowrey at 5:30 p.m.; and the Long Run Band at 7:30 p.m.

Mike Soper Music will return Sunday at 11 a.m., followed by Promenade Action at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m., Raquel Renner and the Ramblers at 1:30 p.m. and Simply Shania at 4:30 p.m. Samplings of the performers are available at www.rpbwestfest.com.

The Miss and Mr. West Fest Pageant begins at 11 a.m. Sat-urday, where babies, toddlers, children of all ages and adults 19 and older will compete in western wear.

Keeping with the fun, there will also be a cornhole tournament at 4 p.m. Saturday.

“There’s something for every-

Enjoy A Weekend Of Fun At West Fest

Thais Gonzalez

Dave Browning

ELECTION 2016: LOX GROVES, SEAT 4

Outside Legal Fees Concern Wellington Council Members


The Wellington Village Council on Tuesday approved the contin-ued use of outside professional ser-vices with the law firm of Lehtinen Schultz Riedi Catalano de la Fuente, which has defended the village in numerous environmental cases, for up to $125,000 for the current fiscal year.

Village Attorney Laurie Cohen said that the item was to approve the firm’s expenses as part of the council’s legal budget for outside counseling.

“When they exceed the $25,000 approval threshold, it has to come back to the council,” Cohen said.

Councilman John McGovern asked how much has been paid to the firm during the current fiscal year, and Director of Administra-

tive & Financial Services Tanya Quickel said that the village has paid about $7,700, and about $68,000 is due, for a total of $76,000. Cohen said that puts the firm on track for what had been projected in the budget.

McGovern asked how many outside law firms the village has, and Cohen said that Wellington uses several that specialize in particular fields.

“We have this firm. We have one that does contracting for human resources. We have firms that have expertise in certain areas, such as Ken Edwards’ firm for the bond issue that we are doing with Saddle Trail,” Cohen said. “When an is-sue comes up that requires some special expertise, we will contract out for that.”

She said her staff has begun to

handle some of the code enforce-ment appeals in house.

“We have a number of matters that are being worked on inter-nally, but if it gets to a point where it really involves a lot of discovery and depositions and hearings, that’s something we typically send to outside counsel,” Cohen said.

McGovern asked how many matters attorney Claudio Riedi’s firm is working on, and Cohen said a total of 12. “Three of those do not involve any entity related to Palm Beach Polo or Polo West,” she said. “Nine of them involve issues or cases involving one of the polo entities. Some of those are code enforcement appeals, which are generally shorter in nature and less complex.”

A number of them, she said, See LEGAL FEES, page 4

ELECTION 2016: RPB SEAT 3 CANDIDATES SELENA SMITH AND RICHARD VALUNTASSEE ELECTION PROFILES, PAGE 7

The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center held its 29th annual dinner and auction Friday, Feb. 19 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Included during the event was the 2016 Buck Off Finals, won by Team Palm Beach Forge. Shown here is Rider of the Year Riley Shidaker with the Team Floridian Community Bank Night Riders Shahmir Quraeshi, Will Piper, Thomas Schweizer, Josh List and Marcus Funk in costume. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 11

PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

VINCEREMOS DINNER AND AUCTION

See WEST FEST, page 23

Royal Palm CouncilWants Western TrafficRouted North Of VillageRoyal Palm Beach Village Coun-cil members last week ex-pressed continuing concerns over western development and its impact on the village, primarily on Okeechobee Blvd., deciding that the best strategy would be to support routing traffic to the north, rather than east through the village. Page 3

Women’s Group Enjoys ‘Sunday Funday’ AtInternational Polo ClubThe Women of the Western Communities hosted its sec-ond annual Sunday Funday at Polo on Sunday, Feb. 21 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington. The lavish luncheon supported the YWCA Harmony House and the Wom-en of the Western Communities Scholarship Fund. Page 24

Popbar Hosts Grand Opening Party AtWellington GreenPopbar held its grand opening Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Mall at Wellington Green. The first 50 people received a free popbar, handcrafted gelato on a stick. Popbar also carries sorbet and yogurt on sticks, and other treats. Page 5

12794 W. Forest Hill Boulevard, Suite 20Wellington, Florida 33414

Reservations Call:

(561) 469-1109

Visit Us:

Diners enjoying great food and drinks.

Ribbon cutting at the grand reopening.

Live entertainment on weekends.

The New “Cheers” Bar in Wellington Is Fun, Fun, Fun With Great Food!

whiteelephantwellington.com

BY JOE NASUTI

February 26 - March 3, 2016 www.gotowncrier.com The Town-Crier

White Elephant features great music and dancing on Sundays from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. featuring special offers: buy one, get one free, 20 percent off the check and ladies drink free on Sunday from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. DJ Johnny Vega is on the patio, piped inside to add to the flavor of the food, such as Jerk Chicken Wings ($10.50). These jumbo beauties are fried to perfection and tossed in homemade jerk sauce. The Beef Brisket ($9.95) was our table favorite for the evening. Pizza lovers will also love the White Elephant’s pizza choices, such as Brisket, Reuben and Margarita Pizza ($14).

Don’t forget to leave room for dessert. The homemade bread pudding and unique elephant ear are incredibly delicious, and the perfect way to end your dining experience!

So, if you are looking for some fun and good food tonight or any night, head to the White Elephant Bar & Grill and tell them that the Phantom Diners recommended a visit.

The White Elephant Bar & Grill is also a great place for you to host a special occasion, party or business function. For more information, call (561) 469-1109 or visit www.whiteelephantwellington.com.

Make plans to enjoy what many of your neighbors have already discovered — the White Elephant Bar & Grill. Located in the original Wellington Mall, this is the new happening place to be any night of the week, inside at the “Cheers” bar or outside at the cheerful patio bar. Whether it’s Taco Tuesday, Wings & Wine Wednesday, Ladies & Karaoke Thursday, Live Music Friday and Saturday, or Caribbean Calypso Sunday... there is always something to do at the White Elephant.

Don Patel, one of the partner owners, is not a stranger to the restaurant industry. We are truly fortunate that he has brought his talent for making everyone happy to our backyard.

We came for the food, and we were not disappointed. In fact, we were impressed! The menu is a collage of American and international fare.

What caught my eye was the Curry Shrimp Risotto ($16.50), which combines three of my favorites perfectly. This Indian-spiced shrimp with a curry cream sauce over risotto is not to be missed. Other specials include Fish & Chips, the Rib Eye and the popular Pan-Seared Salmon. One of the house signature dishes, the salmon, was perhaps the best I’ve ever tasted!

The Town-Crier www.gotowncrier.com February 26 - March 3, 2016

NEWS


Royal Palm Beach Village Council members last week ex-pressed continuing concerns over western development and its impact on the village, primarily on Okeechobee Blvd., deciding that the best strategy would be to support routing traffic to the north, rather than east through the village.

At the Feb. 18 meeting, Coun-cilman Jeff Hmara said that he and Village Manager Ray Liggins had spoken at the Palm Beach County Planning Commission meeting Friday, Feb. 12 and presented a resolution approved earlier by the council opposing GL Homes’ request for the density increases necessary for its planned devel-opment of approximately 3,900 homes on about 4,900 acres north and west of The Acreage.

“In my comments, I included a portion of the council’s resolution that states our opposition to the

GL Homes application, and I also provided the alternative density increase from our resolution that would have lessened the traffic impact,” Hmara said.

The resolution asked for a den-sity increase from the current 0.1 units per acre to 0.2 units per acre, as opposed to the 0.8 being requested by GL Homes, which Hmara said would have major impacts on Royal Palm Beach and the surrounding communities.

At the planning commission meeting, County Engineer George Webb outlined the anticipated traffic impacts on communities surrounding the proposed devel-opment, but the panel ultimately recommended approval of GL Homes’ requested density increase on an 8-3 vote.

One major issue is how to fund the necessary roadway improve-ments.

“There’s still a question of where the money will come from,

RPB Council Wants Western Traffic Routed North Of VillageCouncilman Fred Pinto said it

appeared to be a foregone conclu-sion where the county commission would go with the decision.

“I would ask if we should con-tinue to spend our capital and put ourselves in a position where we’re the lone wolf out there, and we’re kind of fighting against the wind,” he said. “What’s to be ac-complished other than diminishing our standing?”

Pinto said he would prefer to put together a strategy that would protect the village and neighbor-ing communities, with a concept of what roads really need to be improved, and not let Okeechobee Blvd. be on the list.

“I think this continued going before the county commission when it appears it’s a clear deci-sion that has been made in where they’re going only diminishes our standing,” he said.

Vice Mayor David Swift agreed with Pinto. “That’s kind of what

and I think, for the most part, we know it’s the taxpayers,” Hmara said. “Having said that, we’re talking about a lot of money, and they described a rather extensive amount of right of way purchasing that would have to take place.”

He added that there would be a significant environmental impact.

“We finally got around to the real question: will there be enough political will to deal with these is-sues, to find the money, and deal with the environmental issues and other politically sensitive aspects?” Hmara said. “Not too surprisingly, no one offered a response.”

The Palm Beach County Com-mission is scheduled to hear the item in April.

“Once again, under the guidance of the council, we will be planning to present our resolution again,” Hmara said, asking council mem-bers to speak to individual county commissioners before the meeting.

my position really was on the Minto West issue,” he said. “I clearly saw that the will to build was there. There wasn’t much we could do about it. Looking at the roads that would most affect us, and working with them on it, is probably a better way to go.”

Swift said he shared concerns about paying for the develop-ment’s traffic impact.

“I never saw where single-family homes really brought in a lot of money,” he said. “How are they going to pay for the roads? I know what the answer is: you and I are going to pay for the roads. I think Fred’s correct, we need to work with them and take a look at what roads will be best to focus on. Obviously, Okeechobee Blvd. is a major one that we can take a look at.”

Swift also pointed out that the Town of Loxahatchee Groves has similar concerns about Okeechobee Blvd.

Hmara said that offering alter-native road networks made sense to him.

“I think I know what Council-man Pinto is talking about, and I think that’s a great strategy,” he said. “That was pretty much what we were looking for when we sat down during the strategic planning session — moving forward, deal-ing with what seemed to be the inevitable.”

Pinto suggested engaging in a dialogue with the county en-gineer with a strategy to leave Okeechobee Blvd. alone and focus on roads to the north.

In other business, the council heard its annual Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue report from Battalion Chief Mike Arena, who noted that calls are up, probably due to population and traffic in-creases. He added that response time is down slightly, due to better dispatch procedures and reduced time getting on the road.


Several hundred residents at-tended the Wellington Seniors Club luncheon held Wednesday, Feb. 17 at Village Park. The after-noon featured a candidates’ forum moderated by retired WPTV News Channel 5 anchor Jim Sackett.

On the podium were mayoral candidates Councilwoman Anne Gerwig and incumbent Mayor Bob Margolis, and Seat 1 candidates attorney Michael Drahos and in-cumbent Vice Mayor John Greene.

Councilman John McGovern, appointed last year and unopposed in his election to Seat 3, also put in an appearance.

Margolis is a 33-year resident. He has served as mayor for the past four years, and previously served on the council.

“When I came down here, I got involved immediately,” he said. “Whether it was the Parks & Rec-reation Advisory Board; whether it was caring for all the issues of the Village of Wellington. We are one Wellington. We are not equestrian; we are not parks and rec. Ninety percent of us are non-equestrians, and those are the ones who I care for every day.”

He added that he has been a member of the Wellington Seniors Club for the past 30 years. He is

excited about the new Wellington Community Center that will open sometime in June, noting that it was specifically designed to ac-commodate senior programs.

“What keeps me awake at night is quality of life issues, making sure that you are safe, that your property values are secure,” Mar-golis said. “I’ve raised my family here; I want my son to come back and raise his family here.”

Gerwig, a six-year council member, has lived in Wellington for 26 years. She built a house here, and all three of her children were born and raised in Wel-lington.

“It is a wonderful place to live,” she said. “It provided safety for our communities and wonderful opportunities for education and all kinds of activities for us. The kind of community we have here, where we’re all a part of it, is very important to me, and I do agree with the statement that we are all one Wellington, and we work together to solve our problems.”

Gerwig noted that she also serves on the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and on the county’s Citizens Advisory Council for Health and Human Services. “It’s amazing to be able to be involved in that and find out how many services there are in

Wellington Candidates Talk Senior Issues At Club’s Luncheonin 1986 as a child. He noted that his parents were at the lunch that day. He said his parents settled in Wellington because it was a new and growing community.

“I couldn’t wait to get here as a kid,” he said. “I was fortunate, because when I moved here, Wel-lington was growing up with me.”

When he moved here, Drahos said he was essentially attending schools as they were built. “I went to brand new schools my whole life,” he said.

He attended Florida State Uni-versity and on a summer break he met his wife, Nathalie, and they both went back to FSU. Drahos later earned his law degree. Upon graduation, they moved back to Wellington, where they are now raising two daughters.

Drahos spent two years on Wellington’s Education Advisory Board, and has served on the Plan-ning, Zoning & Adjustment Board the past six years. He founded the Young Professionals of Wellington in 2013.

Asked what senior services there are currently and if more are planned, Margolis said Senior Service Specialist Meredith Tuck-wood is doing a fine job relaying information to the council.

“She is the leader, and she brings us information as to what

Palm Beach County,” she said.Greene, who was elected to the

council in 2012 and has lived in Wellington since 2001, said he understands what’s important to the community.

“We talk about community. Coming together today is not about getting a box lunch, it’s about neighbors and friends coming together,” he said. “This is a com-munity, this is what’s important, regardless of your age or what neighborhood you live in or what your hobbies or interests are.”

He also looks forward to the opening of the new community center.

“We continue to make the in-vestments, and we continue to make sure that the people in the village and the folks responsible on a day-to-day basis are working for you, so you can do so without fear, without conflict, and under-standing how we work together.”

Greene said that the village has continued to invest in schools, while also cutting spending and opening up the bidding process.

“The result is that we’ve saved millions of dollars of your money, and that’s our job,” he said. “This is your money. Property values are up more than 25 percent since I have been in office.”

Drahos moved to Wellington

we need,” he said. “That didn’t happen in a vacuum. It happened with council support.”

As an example of services that the village provides to seniors, Margolis said that after the hur-ricanes, village officials developed a list of seniors who needed medi-cines or food because they could not get out of their homes.

“This village is very senior-friendly,” he said, adding that the council worked hard to get input on what they wanted at the new community center.

Gerwig agreed that naming Tuckwood as the village’s senior specialist was a wise decision. She added that in 2010, the village qualified for block grant funding to provide special services.

“We use that funding to offset the cost of senior transportation and rides when you need them,”

she said. “I had questions about whether that would meet our needs, but people who have used the service have said it’s fantastic. They get to know the drivers. They feel safe, and if you need extra services, you can get them.”

Gerwig noted that the grant also provides services for seniors still living in their homes.

“If you need ramps, if you need accessibility, that’s all covered with that grant, and it’s not even coming out of your tax dollars from us,” she said. “But we also participate in those to try and make sure that you can stay in your com-munity for as long as you want to, and get the services that you need.”

Greene said that the village puts out surveys on how to meet the needs of the senior community.

“We get a lot of responses, and

Candidates speak at the Wellington Seniors Club luncheon.

See SENIORS, page 23

Political advertisement paid for and approved by Anne Gerwig for Mayor of Wellngton.

Anne has been the voice of reason on the council, including:

≈ voting to hold the line on property taxes and cut wasteful spending. Our tax rate is 2.45 mils, one of the lowest in Palm Beach County.

≈ voting to create the Senior Advisory Board to better understand the needs of our seniors and bring them the services they need to stay in our community.

≈ supporting the STAR program which provides affordable rides for our seniors.≈ opposing the council’s efforts to cut down the palm trees heading into the

Aero Club and the trees along the canal banks without any public input.≈ establishing the Keely Spinelli grant, providing funds to assist our public

schools’ lowest performing students with the additional tools they need to succeed.

≈ voting against the council majority decision to relocate the tennis courts, against the tennis players’ wishes. Their decision cost taxpayers more than $4 million.

≈ voting against the council majority who wanted to sell the K-Park property to one of their campaign supporters so he could build a horseback riding facility on the last large available parcel of open space our village owns.

For more information, visit Anne Gerwig for Mayor of Wellington or call Anne at 602-1630.

As your Village Councilwoman for the past six years, I’ve taken a stand on issues important to our community time and again. That’s why I’ve been called a “champion for our residents” and the “voice of reason on the village council.” And, that’s why I’m running for Mayor - to bring civility and thoughtful decision making back to our council.

Anne

On Tuesday, March 15th, vote for Anne Gerwig for

Mayor of Wellington

The leadership we NEED on our council.

Endorsed by the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches

Dane, Luke, Alan, Anne, Jessica and her fiance Jordan

2160083 gerwig ad.indd 1 2/23/16 9:51 AM


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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

NEWS

The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep let-ters brief (300 words suggested). 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 33, Wellington, FL 33414; or you can e-mail [email protected].

See LETTERS, page 23

JULIE UNGERNews Editor

It’s that time of year again. The moment where high school students across the county grab their lucky No. 2 pencils and sit for hours at a time in classrooms, computer labs and gymnasiums, answering all sorts to questions about math and literature.

That’s right, next week area juniors will get their first crack at the newly revised SAT standardized high-stakes test, courtesy of the School District of Palm Beach County, which has offered the test to all district 11th graders for the past few years as a means of helping boost their opportunities for higher education acceptance after they graduate.

About a year ago, we commended Florida Gov. Rick Scott for his executive order suspending the 11th-grade Florida Standards Assessment for English language arts, which helped to lessen the overflow of alphabet soup tests our students are required to take each year. It was one small step in the right direction. Unfortunately, it seems this action was the only step recently to reduce the number of days our students are forced to take a battery of tests assessing reading, writing, math, science and history. Freshmen and sophomores are still taking the FSA (and will do so in the days following the SAT). In April and May, area students will take AP, Cambridge AICE and International Baccalaureate subject area tests. And as if national and state testing wasn’t enough, there’s always the Palm Beach Performance Assessment thrown their way by the very district in which they live. When autumn rolls around, the testing cycle begins all over again. And that’s

just the high school level. The testing culture works its way as far back as the early elementary school years.

If our children were automobiles, this would be the equivalent of being in the shop every oth-er day going through diagnostic tests to see how they are performing. Of course, these various assessments aren’t even truly “diagnostic” in nature; teachers and administrators don’t get to see the student responses to be able to truly analyze where improvements are needed in the teaching process, and even if they do get the results, it’s usually months later — and often, the students have different teachers by that point.

We believe there is a time, a place and a purpose for properly structured and presented testing. But one of the other huge issues is that the tests keep changing, and the bar keeps shifting as to what constitutes “passing” or “good” scores. If these tests are truly to be incorporated into the formal educational process as a way of analyzing student learning, the state legislature and testing companies have to stop making changes on what seems to be a whim. The best way to truly assess learning is to use a stable method of assessment. With structural changes taking place every year, there is no true way to measure results on a year-to-year basis.

We call, again, to end the madness. Let our students learn more; let our teachers educate more; let both groups test less.

Alan Gerwig Defends AnneRecently, there have been at-

tacks on my wife’s character and integrity using innuendo to insinuate that her service on the Wellington Village Council has financially benefited our fami-ly-owned engineering business.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Our engineering firm, Alan Gerwig and Associates, has been in business since 1998. We have clients all over the state, including Palm Beach County. We have pro-vided civil and structural design services to Palm Beach County since 1999.

We do not do any work for the Village of Wellington.

The suggestion that our firm cannot do business with other governmental entities outside of Wellington, just because my wife is a Wellington councilwoman, is ridiculous.

With the upturn in county spending on infrastructure these past few years, the county has begun much-needed infrastructure repairs. Our firm has been awarded engineering services contracts, in a public selection process. Using false figures, her opponent asserts that Anne has “raked in over a half a million dollars last year.” Not true! The reality is that it is much less.

Since Anne’s opponent has never owned a small business, he doesn’t understand that the great majority of these dollars cover the cost of employees, expenses and are passed through to various subconsultants who do work with us on these infrastructure projects.

This desperate attack is simply an attempt at distraction, a smear campaign by Anne’s opponent, who has some very real and dis-appointing ethical problems of his own, including a finding of guilt and fines by the Florida Ethics Commission.

Despite the noise, Anne is con-tinuing to talk about the issues important to residents and her vision for the future of Wellington.

Alan GerwigWellington

Support For RPB Incumbents

My wife and I have been res-idents of the beautiful Village of Royal Palm Beach for the past 26 years.

We have been active in follow-

ing the actions of Mayor Matty Mattioli and the councilmen run-ning for re-election. Mattioli is retiring in March after more than 20 years on the board. We believe that our vote should be based on the past performance of the three councilmen running for office in Royal Palm Beach.

Fred Pinto, who is running to become the next mayor, has had many accomplishments as a councilman. We know he is very qualified for that position. He has been on the council for the past 13 years and is endorsed by Mayor Matty Mattioli, School Board Member Marcia Andrews, Port of Palm Beach Commissioner Wayne Richards, former County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, and the Professional Firefighters & Paramedics of Palm Beach County.

Jeff Hmara has been on the council for four years and has been extremely active in many areas of the village. He keeps res-idents updated with an e-mail on happenings and future meetings in our village. He is a member of the Florida League of Cities, a member of the Palm Beach County League of Cities, a member of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, a member of the Met-ropolitan Planning Organization and a member of the Palm Beach County Water Resources Task Force.

Richard Valuntas has been on the council for six years, present-ly serving as vice mayor. He has been endorsed by the Firefighters & Paramedics of Palm Beach County, the Police Benevolent As-sociation of Palm Beach County and the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches.

Some of the accomplishments of the above councilmen are: no tax increase for the past 18 years; provided leadership in establishing long-term future financial stability for our village; opened Commons Park including the dog park; pre-paring to bring a senior housing facility to our village; fought to keep the former wastewater treat-ment plant site zoned residential, compatible with surrounding homes; corrected the FEMA flood maps, which helped reduce the cost of flood insurance; and saving village residents $50,000 per year by stopping improper assessments by the Indian Trail Improvement District.

These are some of the accom-plishments that these three coun-cilmen and Mayor Mattioli have done.

Based on their accomplishments

for our beautiful village, we are voting for them.George and Leah Peltzmacher

Royal Palm Beach

Honor David Swift’s ServiceDavid Swift has given many

years of stellar service to the Vil-lage of Royal Palm Beach, and that service and his dedication deserves to be respected by our residents. I have sat on the dais with him and seen many residents come in for his support on issues, and he has been there to listen and encourage the other members of the council to stop and consider their views. I hope that those residents remem-ber what he has done for them over the years and will stand with him as he has stood for them and not allow the very ugly and baseless attacks that are now being made against his character.

I am honored that he has chosen to endorse me in my candidacy for mayor. Many know that we have not always shared the same point of view, but we have both always shared our passion for our village and its residents. Good government is when there is pub-lic discussion and many sides to each argument before coming to consensus. That is transparent government in action; government you can trust.

David has chosen to endorse me over my opponent, Fred Pin-to, because he knows that I have and will continue to represent the best interests of the citizens of our village, and I am not beholden to any big development or the influence of their money. You, the people and families of Royal Palm Beach, have always come first for David, and your interests are what are most important to him. He has been a significant contributor to all the good things this village has to offer and will see to it that your quality of life, the safety of your communities and the future of your families continues by making wise choices as he weighs the projects that come before him. I am glad that he stands steadfast on the council and continues to be the voice of reason. I am sure his supporters feel the same.

Martha WebsterRoyal Palm Beach

Be Informed Before RPB Vote

To make an informed judgment on who best will represent Royal Palm Beach on our council, I at-

tended the candidates forum held Monday, Feb. 22. It left no doubt that our current council members Jeff Hmara and Richard Valuntas (seeking reelection) and Fred Pinto (running for mayor) are the best choices. They demonstrated the dedication, knowledge and variety of experiences necessary to keep our village on a sound financial path (no tax increase in 16 years); maintain an open and responsive government for all members of our community (strategic planning sessions and wide publication of all meetings); and provide outreach/support for small businesses and attention to education, infrastructure and other village needs. As a homeowner, I remember and was particularly impressed with how, several years ago, they challenged FEMA’s flood maps, which would have put most of us in a flood zone and highly inflated our flood insurance rates. Their reevaluation saved us personally a lot of money.

Unfortunately, the three chal-lengers for council were poorly prepared: one was unable to an-swer questions because she had little information, yet claimed she was ready to start on day one; another was either misinformed or deliberately twisted the facts; and the third made snide comments.

We have had a well-functioning council for many years; there is no need to change it. There will be another candidates forum for Royal Palm Beach, sponsored by the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans on Monday, March 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center (151 Civic Center Way). I urge our citizens to attend and judge for yourselves who will be the best people to represent you.

Judith KohlerRoyal Palm Beach

Where HaveYou Been?

For those of you who opposed the RaceTrac gas station because of the private school in the area, or because of the potential traffic issues, where have you been and where are you now?

H.L. Johnson Elementary School is on the corner of Crest-wood Blvd. and Royal Palm Beach Blvd. It is an A-rated school with 866 students. Monday mornings, when the school is in session, 1,019 cars hit the intersection of Crestwood and Royal Palm Beach boulevards. Crestwood turns into La Mancha once you cross over Royal Palm Beach Blvd.

Our councilmen approved a new development to go in behind the school, which will bring an estimated 800 additional cars to that intersection. A way to relieve this already-congested traffic is-sue would be to open the Madrid Street roundabout to State Road 7. However, Councilman David Swift, some of his neighbors and our councilmen stopped it from being opened, as he lives on the corner of Madrid and La Mancha. Now that roundabout is slated to be removed when construction of the SR 7 enhancements begin.

So, ladies and gentlemen who were opposed to the RaceTrac, where are you now? Where have you been? If you are truly con-cerned about the kids and the traffic, why aren’t you fighting to open the Madrid/SR 7 roundabout that will reduce the traffic in front of H.L. Johnson, or was it just a po-litical move for name recognition?

Laurel BennettRoyal Palm Beach

What’s InA Name?

As a vital member of the Royal Palm Beach Village Council, May-oral Candidate Fred Pinto worked with his fellow residents and coun-cil members to ensure that all of the following became a reality in our wonderful hometown. What’s in a name? Everything we need in a leader for our great village!

F-ought crime and cost by transitioning from local police to the sheriff.

R-allied to keep property taxes low for residents year after year.

E-xtended State Road 7 to alle-viate traffic congestion.

D-edicated to creating senior housing to keep families united.

P-rovided parks for families, friends and pets.

I-ncreased jobs with the Aldi distribution facility.

N-egotiated to secure long-term financial stability to the village.

T-alked and listened to the con-cerns and needs of residents.

O-pposed zoning that kept res-idential and commercial separate.

Absentee ballots have been mailed. Election day is soon ap-proaching. The future of this awe-some village lies in our hands. We must choose the best candidate,

who has proven time and time again that he is knowledgeable, efficient, diligent and dedicated to maintaining and improving the lifestyle we have all come to enjoy as residents of Royal Palm Beach.

Lori CabreraRoyal Palm Beach

Keep Tommy Cheatham

Editor’s note: The following letter is addressed to Wellington officials. A copy was sent to the Town-Crier for publication.

It has come to my attention that you have put the Wellington Tennis Center’s contract out to bid. While I understand this is completely normal operating procedure when presented with expiring contracts, you have, in fact, more logical options at your disposal.

I have been a resident in this village for more than 19 years. I have been a passholder at the Wel-lington Tennis Center since 1999. I’ve been through this process several times and I am amazed that the village still feels the need to go through this almost every single bidding cycle.

I am respectfully asking you to consider other options.

Tommy Cheatham has been run-ning the tennis center for the last 17 years. Since moving to the new facility, he has increased mem-bership (passholders), grown the adult and junior programs, added more women’s, senior men’s and women’s teams, league nights and participation in general.

While I understand there may be areas that can be improved upon, why not give Mr. Cheatham that chance? He has been a longstand-ing successful employee and a proven product. When you open the door for others to analyze and underbid an incumbent, you aren’t always getting a true picture of what a new bidder can actually achieve.

I would venture a guess that the vast majority of passholders and those who frequent the tennis center are extremely satisfied. The tennis center is a focal point where the equestrian community, recre-ational supporters, young families, senior members and competitive

BARRY S. MANNINGPublisher

DAWN RIVERAGeneral Manager

JOSHUA I. MANNINGExecutive Editor

Legal FeesOutside

Consultantcontinued from page 1

are related to issues surrounding the Big Blue Preserve, an environ-mentally sensitive area in the Palm Beach Polo community.

McGovern asked about the ex-pertise of Riedi’s firm, and Cohen said it has a good reputation.

“They have handled the issues related to the Big Blue Preserve for us in the past,” she said. “In 2004, when we originally obtained the Big Blue judgment, it was an iteration of this firm that handled that litigation. So they have a depth of experience in dealing with the particular issues that are related to Palm Beach Polo and the Big Blue Preserve.”

McGovern asked what the total outside legal budget is, and Cohen said it is $295,282.

“Is it fair to say that the bulk of the outside legal expenses is with this one law firm?” McGovern asked.

“Yes, that’s fair,” Cohen said.“I’m going to support this to-

night in that this firm has done good work for us, but are we working to diversify our outside counsel in some way, particularly with emphasis toward Wellington firms and firms inside Palm Beach County?” he asked.

“I think that as cases arise, and if that’s the desire of the council to do that, then we can certainly diversify,” Cohen replied. “Right now we have pending cases that are being worked on, and those cases involve the Palm Beach Polo matters, but there will be other cas-es in the future where it’s perfectly appropriate to diversify.”

McGovern, who is an attorney himself, also asked whether the village’s legal staff is looking to keep some of the litigation cases

in-house, and Cohen said that will be easier with the two-lawyer department established recently.

She said that the Comprehen-sive Everglades Restoration Pro-gram petition that arose from the appeal of the 130 violations in the Big Blue Preserve is being handled in-house.

“We handled an appeal in-house. We’re going to be handling a code enforcement appeal in-house. So we are moving to handle some of that in-house,” she said. “But remember, there was a long period of time where I really didn’t have an assistant, so it’s difficult to handle that type of litigation in-house when you’re just one lawyer and a paralegal.”

Of the 12 cases being handled by Riedi’s firm, Cohen said most of them are headed toward closure. One, in fact, was dismissed last week.

Cohen pointed out that in almost all the cases, the village is not the

plaintiff. “We are defending the lawsuits, and we have an obliga-tion, a duty as a village, to defend,” she said.

McGovern pointed out, and Co-hen agreed, that as the defendant, the village will be able to recover the legal costs.

Councilwoman Anne Gerwig recalled that the village specifical-ly wanted Riedi on the Big Blue case because of his background.

“He has a particular knowledge in this and has been successful in the past on this issue of environ-mental preservation,” Gerwig said.

Cohen agreed, noting that he also has a background with the South Florida Water Management District and navigating permits.

Vice Mayor John Greene said it seems that the same people seem to be standing before the magistrate.

“It’s unfortunate that we seem to be having the same violators,” Greene said. “Why do we keep

finding ourselves in this litigation with 75 percent of the caseload being outsourced with this expense to taxpayers?”

Cohen said there were a number of actions taken that were not done with proper permits or some sort of approval by the village.

“When that occurs, and particu-larly if it involves property as sen-sitive as the Big Blue Preserve or the Big Blue Forest, that’s some-thing that we take very seriously,” she said. “With respect to the code violations, the code enforcement department cites when they find a violation, and the parties have a right to a hearing before a mag-istrate. They have availed them-selves of that right, and they also have the right to appeal.”

She said the result of that is that it does cost the village money even when it prevails and recovers legal fees. “We have prevailed on ev-erything that has been appealed,” Cohen said.

Greene said it is hard to defend the council’s position on legal fees when residents challenge him on them. “We’re defending [the appeals], and we’re asking people to be responsible citizens and to follow the rules,” he said.

Greene asked for the legal budget going back several years, and Quickel said that for 2012, the budget was $212,000, and the actual cost was $680,000. For 2013, the budget was $400,000 and the actual cost was $769,000. In 2014, the budget was almost $1 million, but the actual cost was $689,000. The budget for 2015 was $903,000, and the actual cost was $645,000. “For this year, we have budgeted $838,000, and it appears we’re on track in the $630,000 range at the rate we’re going now,” Quickel said.

McGovern made a motion to ap-prove the outside legal fees, which carried 4-0 with Councilman Matt Willhite absent.


NEWSPOPBAR HOSTS GRAND OPENING PARTY AT THE MALL AT WELLINGTON GREEN

Abigail Maldonado enjoys a treat with Emily and Matthew Schutz.

Popbar held its grand opening Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Mall at Wellington Green. The first 50 people received a free popbar, hand-crafted gelato on a stick. Popbar also carries sorbet and yogurt on sticks, and other treats. For more info., call (561) 513-6688 or visit www.pop-bar.com. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Dr. Deborah Balliram-Manohalal and Jayna Manohalal.

Popbar staff members Taylor Melville and JadaCrockett with owners Clifford and Shannon Mays.

ULTIMA FITNESS HONORS THE MEMORY OF LATE WHS COACH MATT MOUNTS

Dr. Matthew DiLallo, Dr. Addison Seitter and Chicago Bears player Patrick O’Donnell, a former student of Mounts,

display the fundraising T-shirt now on sale.

In memory of Wellington High School coach Matt Mounts, Utima Fitness & Wellness hosted “One Last Workout,” a special event Sunday, Feb. 21 at the club to raise donations for the Matthew S. Mounts Scholarship. The club offered two one-hour circuit-style sessions led by former athletes, coaches and friends who knew Mounts’ workouts. To order a T-shirt for $25 to benefit the Matthew S. Mounts Scholarship, contact Dr. Matthew DiLallo at (303) 718-8562 or [email protected]. Donations can also be made at the PNC Bank at Forest Hill and South Shore boulevards by mentioning the Matthew S. Mounts Scholarship Fund.

PHOTOS BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Participants gather after one of the day’s workouts.

Co-owner Shannon Mays dips a popbar in chocolate.

Family friend Cheryl Anders with Dr. Matthew DiLallo,

who was trained by Mounts.

There are many flavors of popbars to choose from.

Brittany Wallrath with the T-shirt being sold to benefit

the Mounts Scholarship.

Zachary Hill and Chuck Morris with their popbars.


NEWSBrowning

ManyYears Of Service

continued from page 1up,” he said. “On the horse trails, we are finally in the process of getting the rights-of-way worked out with the water control board. A lot of people did not understand that dynamic. They thought we could walk in and, with the stroke of a pen, establish the horse trails. It comes down to ownership and control. Now that we’ve been a town for almost 10 years, we are able to come in and get some legislation to help us use those rights-of-way.”

In a recent referendum, a major-ity of residents indicated that they wanted their roads paved, but did not agree how to pay for it. “The 70 percent who wanted it did not want to pay for it,” Browning noted.

There are still a lot of hard feelings over the 2015 election, he said, when it was discovered that absentee ballots were sent to voters who did not order them.

“There are feelings of animosity toward the water control board,” he said, explaining that four of the five LGWCD supervisors are elected by acreage, not popular vote. “Because of the different voting system, there is a lack of trust.”

Asked what the relationship should be between the town and the district, Browning said that the relationship is changing now that the LGWCD is turning control of roads over to the town. He expects that the district will revert to its original purpose, the maintenance of canals.

In general, he believes that the town provides the basic services that residents want and does not want to see a major increase in town services.

“When I moved out here, brush fires were an issue, and now we have fire hydrants that are able to refill the trucks along North Road, Okeechobee and Southern, so you don’t have to go to a canal and drop the line in and try to pump it up,” he said. “I’m not a big fan of city water and city sewer. I think we have what we need out there. Most of us who live out here un-derstand it’s not a city.”

There has been discussion of having a public equestrian facil-ity, Browning said, and that falls in line with the major recreation project already in the works. “That’s why we’ve been working hard on the trails,” he said.

Road improvements should include some type of dust control, whether chemical stabilization or paving, Browning said.

“Sometimes there is the law of unintended consequences,” he said. “When I first moved out, there were horses on the road. Now it’s more and more OGEM [paving]. We seem to get more and more traffic. That has driven us to get more of the roads stabilized or OGEM put down because of cut-through traffic. I think, ultimately, all the roads will have some type of paving material.”

Although residents have indi-cated that they do not want to pay for paving, Browning said that the town does get gas tax revenue from the state, and he thinks that the time is close for the LGWCD to become a dependent district, and then the town will have access to some of its funds.

He pointed out that there are some who still oppose a dependent district and that it would require legislative action in Tallahassee.

Regarding the future of Okeechobee Blvd., Browning would prefer that it remain two lanes, but said it is sometimes difficult now to get out onto Okeechobee from the lettered roads.

Regarding development along Okeechobee, he noted that the town has always expressed in-terest in low-impact uses, with industrial and commercial uses along Southern Blvd.

“That is really what we’re working on right now,” he said, explaining that he tried to get the intensity on the Day property at Okeechobee Blvd. and Folsom Road reduced from what the ap-plicant had originally requested, under pressure of a lawsuit. “I’m looking for input from the people. I can’t sit here and say I want this and that and the other, but I am hoping that what develops along there will be neighborhood-serv-ing.”

In general, Browning does not believe that the town needs more commercial uses. “We’ve got 3,000 residents,” he said. “I have heard almost no clamor for more businesses.”

He pointed out that the Day property will have several com-mercial uses, including a restau-rant.

“[Day] is not going to be able to build as intensely as he wanted,” Browning said. “We eliminated two buildings from his site, so instead of five, I think he’s got

three. I’m not against commercial, I just want to be careful.”

Asked about Town Manager Bill Underwood’s job perfor-mance, Browning said that he is doing a great job.

“He is getting things done, he is responding to the public, he is dealing with stuff,” Browning said. “We have had issues with code enforcement, and we’re trying to get that worked out, but I think Bill and Underwood Man-agement are doing a great job.”

Browning said that he thought the recent request for proposals seeking a new management com-pany was an unnecessary slap in Underwood’s face.

“I went on record saying so,” Browning said. “It was basically almost a lack of confidence, and he was doing a great job. It was not the first time that some of the same people pulled the same issue.”

He pointed out that one of the things Underwood guided the council through was purchasing the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce building to use as the new town hall, which he believes was a bargain for Loxahatchee Groves.

Asked about the town’s budget, Browning described it as a tool to help the council spend money wisely.

“I always want to keep a reserve because you never know if a disaster comes through,” he said. “I tend to be a fiscal conservative. I don’t want the government to grow and spend more and more money. I think that’s a danger, because if you do that, we become like every other town.”

Browning reiterated his goal to keep the tax rate and services low. “That’s why people moved out there,” he said, adding that he thinks the town is doing well contracting for police, fire and other services.

His vision for the future of the town is to keep it like it is.

“It would break my heart if Loxahatchee Groves became like every other town in South Flori-da,” Browning said.

Browning is seen as a swing vote on many issues, and he said he wants to represent all voters, not a specific group.

“Therefore, I’m going to listen to either side,” he said. “Most of the time, the truth and the practicality is somewhere in the middle.”

He pointed out that the town was very divided when it incor-porated.

“Incorporation won by 80 votes,” Browning said. “There were feelings both ways. The wa-ter control board at the time was very much against incorporation, and the large landowners were against incorporation because they felt it would limit what they would be able to do with their land. On the other side were what tended to be the horse people and those who wanted incorporation to protect from the county coming in and basically approving anything that they wanted.”

Asked how the controversial 2015 election will color this elec-tion, he said it is difficult because it has not been finalized.

“Everything is still out there,” Browning said. “Rumors fly, everyone is taking two different sides, and it has never been put to bed. We’re still waiting on deci-sions from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement regarding that election. It’s something that needs to be healed in our town.”

Asked about who he is sup-porting in the other race on the ballot — Councilman Jim Rockett versus Todd McLendon for Seat 2 — he said he would keep that to himself. “I have always chosen not to take a side in other elec-tions,” Browning said.

With the election taking place the same time as Florida’s pres-idential primary, Browning said that he expects larger voter turn-out, but does not expect it to alter the outcome.

“I don’t fear it at all,” he said. “The majority of the people of Loxahatchee Groves know me, they know where I stand, and I believe I have earned their trust.”

At the same time, Browning said that he will not underestimate his opponent. “She is a lovely lady, and she’s got her agenda,” he said.

He characterizes his opponent’s top strengths and weaknesses as regularly attending meetings but not actively participating on boards or committees, nor having lived in the town for a long time.

“Her issue tends to be the horses,” Browning said. “They train polo ponies. The issues of Loxahatchee Groves are much broader than that.”

He said his own strengths are his experience and longevity in the town, and his ability to work with others.

Browning said that voters should vote for him because they know what they’re getting.

“They know me; my phone number hasn’t changed in 38 years,” he said. “They can call me, they can stop me on the road, and I try to be open to everybody.”

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43


ELECTION 2016: ROYAL PALM BEACH VILLAGE COUNCIL, SEAT 3


Businesswoman Selena Smith is look-ing to unseat incumbent Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas in the race for Seat 3 on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council.

Smith recently sat down with the Town-Crier to discuss her goals should she be elected to the council on Tuesday, March 15.

Smith, a La Mancha resident, moved to Royal Palm Beach in 2009. She ran un-successfully for a seat on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council in 2012.

“I was involved in the community prior to moving out here through the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Com-merce and fell in love with the area and moved out here,” she said.

Smith earned a degree in marketing from Barry University. She worked in marketing with various sports teams and later ended up in Wisconsin working at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Prior to moving to Royal Palm Beach, she lived in West Palm Beach and helped her mother start an Edible Arrangements franchise.

Her top accomplishments include being a mother, raising a child in Royal Palm Beach. “Professionally, I was the third woman ever hired by the NHL as an off-ice official,” she said. “I was voted employee of the quarter when I was over with the Dolphins and employee of the month with the Panthers.”

She also worked with the Marlins be-fore going to the NHL.

“I was the first woman to chair the ambassador committee with the Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Com-merce, and I am currently the youngest chair for Women in Business,” Smith said.

In Royal Palm Beach, Smith has worked with the Central Palm Beach County Chamber, on the board and its economic development committee, where she brought the Buy Local program to the chamber. She is a founding member and current board member of the Western Business Alliance.

Smith currently has her own market-ing firm that focuses on helping small businesses and nonprofits accomplish their goals while working full-time for HomeSafe, a nonprofit focused on child protection issues.

Also a past president of the Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club, Smith believes her skill set and accomplishments would be advantageous to the council.

“I believe I bring a different perspective to the council than is already there,” she said. “I’m heavily involved in the commu-nity. I’ve been supporting the local busi-nesses that are here, small businesses.”

Smith believes that Royal Palm Beach needed the charter high school that potentially could have been built near Royal Palm Beach High School and is concerned about what overdevelopment in the housing market will do to the current school system.

A charter school, she explained, would also help students who learn differently.

“I was on the talent supply and educa-tion pillar with the Florida Chamber — the six pillars — and that’s one of the things that focused on, where the direction our education is going,” she said.

Smith would like to see term limits for council members.

“Is eight years enough to get something done and accomplished? It certainly works on a national level, so can we do it on a lo-cal level? Is a shorter term better for what we’re doing in the village?” she asked.

Other goals include having more options for the local senior population and focusing on small businesses. For example, signage is a problem for small local businesses that have to have some-one on the street corner flashing signs to attract patrons. Large companies seem to be allowed larger signage, she explained.

Her approach would be to provide the same opportunities to smaller companies that are provided for large companies.

A top issue in her campaign is transpar-ency, Smith said. “If you have agreements or deals being made behind closed doors

that the general public doesn’t know about, I think that’s an issue,” she said.

For example, there was more public awareness about plans to connect Madrid Street to the State Road 7 extension than there was over plans for the RaceTrac gas station. “The only reason why RaceTrac received the attention that it did, was based on that there were a couple of people who found out about it and said, ‘Whoa, wait a minute. Everyone needs to know about this,’” she said.

The council’s vote in favor of RaceTrac causes concern for Smith.

“My thought is not so much whether it was the right decision to do or the wrong decision to do, but why it seemed to be a back-alley deal,” she said. “My concern is the process that was gone through.”

If the residents of RPB wanted it there, she said, it should be there. If residents of other municipalities were for it, they should not have been taken into consid-eration, Smith explained.

When asked about the job that Ray Liggins does as village manager, Smith said he seems competent, from a resident’s standpoint.

“However, I do not review him as a staff member as I would when I’m elected,” she said. “I’ve seen him out in public; he seems very personable. As far as his job duties and his title, he seems to be doing the job that he’s hired to do.”

While there is opportunity for public input at council meetings, Smith said that the public input isn’t always respected.

“As an elected official, I am an elected official representing the community. I am not up there for myself. I am not up there for my own personal gain. I am not up there for my contributors. I am up there for the residents,” she said, suggesting that meetings need to be conducted more professionally.

Regarding traffic problems in the village, Smith expressed frustration as a resident about having to stop at every street light. “The timing of the lights is a huge issue,” she said.

Selena Smith Stresses Business Experience, Volunteer WorkSmith said she is supportive of opening

the Madrid Street connection to SR 7. The last time the issue was discussed, residents were divided on the issue and it stayed closed. Smith believes it needs to be brought up again.

Smith lives in La Mancha, and discov-ered that moving from her home to the corner of Okeechobee Blvd. and SR 7 takes 10 minutes. If Madrid were open, it would take her three minutes.

Commons Park has had traffic issues at major events because there is one way in and one way out, which Smith said is a common issue in the sports industry. “The village does a good job of offering shuttle service,” she said, noting that residents who live nearby can also walk to the park.

Smith is a supporter of Royal Palm Beach’s park system, adding that’s why residents live in the community.

“Am I moving in because it is fami-ly-friendly, park-accessible and easy to maneuver, or am I coming in here because I want skyscrapers and fast-paced traffic coming through?” she asked. “I moved here because of the green space. I get more land for my money, and I have the option of walking to several different parks.”

Smith was curious about the many al-terations on the Acme Ranches property along Southern Blvd. west of SR 7 and the village variances that were approved. With the smaller apartments, Smith wants to know how much they plan on renting the units for, and what the target demo-graphic is.

While other candidates running say they were motivated by the RaceTrac issue, Smith said her reasons were not so specific.

“Running for office is not something that I take lightly,” she said. “I made the decision to run based on the issues that I think we still need to work on in the village.”

RaceTrac, Smith said, has made her see a different perspective about transparency issues in the village.

“Not only do I pay taxes and live in the

village, but I pay the salary of the council,” she said.

Smith tried unsuccessfully to get on the council four years ago. Now, she thinks she has a better chance of winning.

“I think the residents and the fact that the council has continued in the direction that they’re going in has now really ag-itated people,” she said. “When I was a board member of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber, the village had granted the chamber $5,000 for an art and music festival. At the last minute, the village said, ‘No, we’re not going to give it to you.’ That money was to pay for security and things that they needed, plus it was a village event.”

With several seats to choose from, Smith chose to run against Valuntas because she feels that he has been there too long.

“This would be his fourth term. After six years, thank you very much. We ap-preciate your service to the village. Let’s get some new blood up there and some new perspective,” she said.

She noted that grouping her with Seat

Selena Smith


Royal Palm Beach Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas faces a challenge from business-woman Selena Smith as he seeks reelec-tion to Seat 3 on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council.

Valuntas recently sat down with the Town-Crier to discuss his record and his goals for the future in advance of the Tuesday, March 15 election.

A South Florida resident for 42 years, Valuntas grew up in Broward County, where he attended public schools. He received his bachelor’s, master’s and law degrees from Florida State University, and later also earned a master’s degree in pub-lic administration from Florida Atlantic University and a criminal justice degree from the University of Central Florida.

Valuntas moved to Palm Beach County in 1998 and had a house built at Cypress Head in Royal Palm Beach in 2001, where he has lived ever since. He has three young children attending local schools and works as an assistant attorney general in the Criminal Appeals Division. He was first elected to the council in 2010.

“I think I have contributed a good amount and seen some good improve-ments in Royal Palm Beach over that period of time,” he said.

Valuntas highlights his top accomplish-ments as keeping the tax rate unchanged or lowering it each year, and bringing the Aldi regional distribution center to the village. Shortly after he was elected, he discovered and eliminated an issue where the Indian Trail Improvement District was improperly taxing several areas in the village.

“They were hitting us with an assess-ment, and they had been doing so for several decades, and there was no legal basis for it,” Valuntas said.

He also shot down the village’s pro-posed ordinance for red light cameras after researching it, persuading his colleagues to reject the plan.

“It was basically unconstitutional, and the Florida Legislature had enacted

legislation to make it OK,” Valuntas said. “Now there is federal class action against all the cities that are engaged with the red light cameras.”

He believes that he is the best person to serve on the council not only because of his educational background but also because of his experience.

“I’ve been working for the government in some capacity for 15 to 20 years, not in-cluding Royal Palm Beach,” he said. “I’ve worked for the Department of Revenue. I’ve worked for municipal government over the summers as a recreational leader in Pembroke Pines when I was in college. As far as experience, I think I’m a better choice than my opponent.”

Valuntas volunteered on the village’s Recreation Advisory Board before he was elected and has coached his sons’ baseball teams.

Goals over the next two years include getting started with some type of senior living facility at a designated site near Royal Palm Beach Commons Park.

“That’s an important issue, and I’m hoping it comes to fruition with someone coming in and being able to provide some-thing on that site,” he said.

Valuntas also wants to see that the State Road 7 extension is kept in the Florida Department of Transportation’s 2017 bud-get. He vowed to keep fighting challenges from the City of West Palm Beach until the road is built.

He also advocates for the commercial portions of the Cypress Key development on Southern Blvd. being built consistent with the plan approved by the council — an issue he has fought for since before his time on the council.

Valuntas said the top issues of the cam-paign involve the future development and redevelopment of the village, and making sure the village respects people’s private property rights, highlighting the recent ap-proval of the RaceTrac gas station at Royal Palm Beach and Southern boulevards.

“A lot of people didn’t seem to care about the property rights of the owners,” he said.

He believes Village Manager Ray Liggins is doing a great job and is very responsive to any requests for information.

“Sometimes I’ll get e-mails from con-stituents asking about certain issues, and I can’t think of any issues where he didn’t follow up,” Valuntas said. “I’m very happy with the job Ray has done.”

About how council meetings are con-ducted, he thinks there is ample opportu-nity for public input when procedure is followed.

“Unfortunately, the process doesn’t go the way it should and comments are made by the mayor that I think are inappropriate and kind of turn people off,” Valuntas said. “I think that’s a poor reflection on the village. That is a disappointment, but I’m sure with a new mayor being elected, that shouldn’t be an issue after March 15.”

While his opponent has been critical of the village’s transparency in doing business, Valuntas disagrees. He cited his experience with Cypress Key before his election. Valuntas was involved because it’s close to his home.

“I was going through and asking for anything and everything that I could get my hands on about the project,” he re-called. “I never had a problem… I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of a resident not getting something from the village that was requested.”

He feels there is more than adequate notice of village meetings.

“I think the village does a pretty good job. What’s the old saying? ‘You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.’ The village provides anyone who wants to know with more than enough information about what’s going on,” Valuntas said.

He pointed out that the RaceTrac issue, which some believe was not publicized sufficiently, had been a subject of dis-cussion for more than a year before its approval, including a Planning & Zoning Commission meeting where it was ap-proved unanimously.

“Nobody showed up,” he said. “It wasn’t until after the Planning & Zoning

Richard Valuntas Puts A Focus On His Record And BackgroundCommission meeting that it somehow became a much bigger issue.”

He said the council made the correct decision because it is a commercially zoned area.

“Basically, they’re entitled to build a gas station or get approved for the gas station if they prove their 10 criteria,” Valuntas said. “This is where I think my experience as a lawyer helps me a little bit more. I was able to weigh the evidence… they met their burden, and if we would have voted the other way, we probably would have been hauled into court, and we probably would have lost.”

Asked what he would do to ease traffic problems, he said one thing will be sub-stantial improvements near the RaceTrac intersection that will not be financed by village tax dollars.

“That intersection is going to go from a failing intersection to a non-failing intersection, which I think is an excellent thing,” Valuntas said.

He also wants to remain involved with the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization, where he is the council’s appointed member, to remain aware of future transportation issues.

He did not have a specific answer to address traffic problems at Commons Park during major events. “I wish I had an answer to that, but the one thing I can think of is providing an alternate exit somewhere on the front of the property, depending on how the senior housing thing pans out,” Valuntas said, adding that having a north-only exit for events such as the Fourth of July celebration, with southbound traffic exiting only at the main entrance, might be an alternative.

Valuntas is supportive of Royal Palm Beach’s large park system.

“I think one of the attractive parts of Royal Palm Beach is our parks and recreation space,” he said. “It does cost us money to maintain our properties, but we’ve been doing fine, and I think with the sale of the wastewater plant, that is something that can help if the costs get a little bit too high.”

While he favors the Aldi warehouse project, he does not see another location in the village for another large project like that.

“Anything else of that magnitude, unless we annex more area, I don’t see anywhere in Royal Palm Beach where something of that scope would fit,” Valuntas said.

He said the traffic impact of future development west of the village should be addressed through working with neigh-boring municipalities.

“Loxahatchee Groves is pretty steadfast on limiting growth and not having things get too big, but I think expansion of State Road 80 going west is just going to hap-pen,” he said.

Valuntas said he will continue to fol-low plans for construction in the SR 80 corridor.

“There’s a lot of discussion of other development farther west to spur the economy out there, and pretty much, they’re all going to come down Southern Blvd.,” he said.

Valuntas said the village will continue its fight for the completion of the SR 7

Richard Valuntas

See SMITH, page 23

See VALUNTAS, page 9


QUESTION 1

Protects the boundaries of the preserve and makes it harder to shrink the size of the Wellington Equestrian Preserve Area.

QUESTION 3

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But voters like you have the power to change all that. On March 15th, Wellington voters will have their say.

Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve is critical to our Village’s identity and our local economy. By approving two questions on our Village Charter Wellington voters can protect the Preserve for generations to come.

On March 15, Vote to SAVE THE EQUESTRIAN PRESERVE Vote YES on Charter Questions 1 & 3

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NEWS

ValuntasGovernment Experience

continued from page 7extension by working with other western entities and the MPO.

“I’ll advocate for and join with our neighbors on the Western Communities Council to pursue that fight,” he said. “I know we’ve chipped in for the lobbyist to advocate our position, not only in Tallahassee, but now more in Washington, with the permitting process that’s going on up there. That seems to be West Palm Beach’s point of attack now.”

He said the residential develop-ment at the Acme Ranches prop-erty on the south side of Southern Blvd. looks great on paper, and compared it to the Enclave devel-opment on State Road 7 south of Southern Blvd. completed recent-ly, which he said appears to be ful-ly occupied. “This will give more young professionals the ability to have a nice, high-end place if they want an apartment, because a lot of people are getting priced out of the home market,” he said.

Asked about the effect of the

election coinciding with the pres-idential primary, Valuntas plans to step up his effort due to a greater voter turnout. “I’m going to have to raise more money and get more fliers out,” he said. “My job is to get my message out to the voters, and now instead of maybe 1,200 votes in our normal village elec-tion, we’re looking at somewhere between 6,000 and 8,000.”

He said filling the vacant seat created by Councilman Fred Pinto resigning to run for mayor should be done as they have in the past, by advertising the vacancy.

Asked about his top strengths, Valuntas said he is approachable. His weakness is that he tends to take on too much.

His opponent’s top strength, Valuntas said, is that she is a nice person who is involved with sev-eral community organizations. For her weakness, he cited her lack of government involvement.

Valuntas thinks he will benefit from people being able to look at his track record and feel confident voting for him. He said voters should vote for him because he has been a solid voice on the council and has done what’s right for the community.

GonzalezChange On Lox Council

continued from page 1I had councilmen coming to my house.”

She claimed that her problems stemmed from a dispute with a neighbor and ended with Gonza-lez feeling as though she and her family were being harassed.

“I like to inform myself,” she said, noting that she started doing research to learn more about agri-cultural legislation.

The neighbor complained about code enforcement regulations regarding clearing land, digging a pond and issues that come with raising horses, such as manure and flies.

“Those were the accusations. When we bought that property, it was overgrown. You couldn’t see anything,” she said. “I cleaned it; I didn’t clear it.”

Gonzalez went to the town for answers and was told that without implementing best management practices on her property, she wasn’t considered agriculture.

“They blew me off. They didn’t look at the paperwork I had or anything,” she said. “This is the issue I have with the town.”

Gonzalez got deeply involved in the issue. She called Tallahassee, the Florida Department of Agricul-ture, then-County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Of-fice and other officials.

“To make a long story short,” she said, “Palm Beach County told the town, ‘You guys are wrong. What you’re doing is wrong. You have no authority; no jurisdiction. She is agricultural classified. She is bona fide. She does not have to abide by the town’s rules.’”

After two years of fighting, the attorney general was consulted.

“I’m classified agriculture. I’m bona fide agriculture,” she said. “It took me two years of fighting.”

Gonzalez feels that the town’s leadership needs a change.

“I am very involved. I moved

here because of what the town is. I want to protect it. I’m raising my children in this town,” she said. “I look for answers. I am proactive. I fight for what I believe in, and I am very passionate.”

Her passion, she said, could be considered a weakness by some, but she considers it a strength. “I think that I have new ideas and a lot of passion for this town,” Gonzalez said.

Her top accomplishments in-clude learning the laws to prove she was right in her fight against code enforcement.

Gonzalez listed road problems, attaining more grants and better planning as the top three issues in the campaign.

“The town incorporated 10 years ago to protect and preserve Loxahatchee Groves. In order to do that, you have to plan; you have to negotiate. You have to apply for grants,” she said. “What I feel they have been doing is patching Loxa-hatchee Groves here and there.”

The way the roads are fixed, she explained, is not organized.

The relationship between the town and the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District should be divided with the town responsible for roads and the LGWCD re-sponsible for water, if both entities must exist.

Gonzalez believes that the best way to approach the necessary road improvements is to make a detailed plan.

“It’s not about me. It’s about what we can do and what people want,” she said. “I love dirt roads. I do. Not dusty. Dirt. Good-quality dirt roads, to me, they’re beautiful. But I have been around town, knocking door to door, talking to everyone I can talk to, and I realize that most people want it paved. I have to be fair. If most people want it paved, maybe that’s the way we should go.”

Deciding what type of material should be used and whether the town can afford it still needs to be determined, Gonzalez said.

“I think the town has a very, very professional management company with a lot of knowledge,

and they should take advantage of that, but they don’t. The council doesn’t take advantage of the tools they have. That’s one of the big reasons why I’m running, because I feel that all of these tools are available and they’re not using them,” Gonzalez said.

The town is not providing road maintenance service to an accept-able level, she said.

As an elected official, Gonzalez would be someone who respects people and listens.

“I’m trying to be a real public servant,” she said, asserting that code enforcement in Loxahatchee Groves has been selective and based on favoritism.

Gonzalez noted that she has managed 50 people as a supervisor in a call service and learned how to positively direct individuals toward improvement.

When asked about the future of Okeechobee Blvd., Gonzalez likes the idea of two roundabouts and something else for speed control to slow traffic.

Southern Blvd. was intended as the commercial corridor for Loxa-hatchee Groves, she explained, and if commercial is brought to Okeechobee Blvd., extra care must be taken.

“Ten years since incorporation, and our ULDC [Unified Land Development Code] has too many loopholes. It’s not protecting us,” she said. “If it’s up to me, I’m fix-ing that before I fix anything else.”

The town management compa-ny, she said, is doing an excellent job.

“I really admire them. I think they’re very, very professional. And not only that, but they’re also good people, and it’s kind of hard to find the combination. I think they’re very dedicated, and I think they love what they do,” Gonzalez said.

The current town management is better than in the past, she said, when she felt as though her con-cerns were ignored.

The town’s budget, she said, needs to be better planned out.

“We need to plan, plan, plan and find out,” she said. “We need

to look for resources. There are many resources available, and this town council is not searching or looking. It’s almost like they’re sitting on those chairs, and they’ve been there for too long.”

Gonzalez envisions the future of Loxahatchee Groves as the town where everyone wants to live.

“We are going to keep it so unique,” she said. “We want to keep it big lots, agriculture. I really want to protect this town. It’s going to be the last frontier for real. When everything else is built around here, we’ll still have our natural lifestyle.”

Gonzalez was active in the fight against allowing Palm Beach State College’s new Loxahatchee Groves campus. Describing her-self as “pro education,” she said her goal in that fight was to get a referendum so residents could make the decision about the cam-pus before it was approved.

It is her belief that most Loxa-hatchee Groves residents were not in favor of allowing the college campus, which Gonzalez said will have a huge impact on the town.

Now that the project is under-way, she thinks the town should make the best of it. “It’s here. Let’s do the best that we can. There’s nothing we can do. We don’t have jurisdiction over it,” she said.

Gonzalez chose to run against Browning because the seat was open.

“It’s nothing against him,” she said. “I think he’s a real good ol’ boy. I think he has his heart in the right place.”

However, on the council, resi-dents need someone more proac-tive, who is willing to fight for the town, Gonzalez said.

“In all the years he’s been there, he hasn’t done anything wrong,” she said. “But, I would have loved to see him bring things like the ULDC and say, ‘Hey, there’s a problem here. Let’s change it.’”

Gonzalez has faced criticism that she is a single-issue candidate focusing on equestrian issues.

“I am an equestrian, no doubt; but that’s not my issue,” she said. “I happen to be an equestrian, but

what I am is agriculture. I do an agricultural activity.”

Gonzalez suggested a greenway around the town, where everyone could use a horse or bike to get around the town. “We have all of this wild beauty,” she said.

Gonzalez supports Todd Mc-Lendon’s bid to unseat incumbent Jim Rockett in the race for Seat 2. They are running separate campaigns, with many common goals, she said. Gonzalez ran Mc-Lendon’s previous campaign three years ago. “I think he is going to win. I hope I am going to win,” she said. “I think he will have an easier time winning.”

Gonzalez categorizes research-ing, dedication and passion as her strengths. “It’s hard for me to let go sometimes,” she said. “I’m very passionate.”

Gonzalez said Browning proj-

ects a good image as everyone’s grandfather, is a good man and his heart is in a good place. However, he has not been a strong enough advocate for the town. “As a grandpa, you can’t just give can-dy to the grandkids all the time,” she said.

Gonzalez wants voters to vote for her because she wants what is best for the town. “I’m willing to put in my time and effort to fix the problems and protect our town; protect our lifestyle,” she said. “Because it’s not so much as a town, it’s our lifestyle.”

Her goal is to fight the develop-ment interests that look at Loxa-hatchee Groves and see cheap land. “For us, every decision we make as a town is jeopardizing or putting at risk our lifestyle,” Gonzalez said. “That’s what I’m fighting about.”


Songs will be sung and dreams will be fulfilled at Wellington’s fifth annual Wellington Idol com-petition.

During the audition round on Friday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m., 31 teens and children will take to the stage at the Wellington Amphithe-ater to sing their hearts out. The finalists will return on Saturday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. to find out who will be named Wellington Idol 2016.

Singers will perform on the same stage where previous Wellington Idol winners Emily

Brooke, Lexi Luca, Jessica Pereira and Adrianna Siena reached for the stars and wowed the crowd.

This year’s event will be slightly abbreviated, Cultural Programs & Facilities Manager Joe Piconcelli explained. No one signed up for the 18 and older division, so the two age groups for the competition will be 8 to 12 and 13 to 17.

“It’s still going strong, and people are still interested in it,” Piconcelli said. “We’re going to keep it going as long as kids keep signing up.”

Rather than occurring over the course of two weekends, everything will take place March

4 and 5, unless there is rain. If there’s bad weather, check the Wellington calendar, because March 11 and 12 are being held as rainout dates.

Judging the aspiring singers will be Earleen Marlow, Palm Beach Central High School Choral Director Scott Houchins and Julie Schrager. Mike Soper will serve as the master of ceremonies.

Wellington Idol hopefuls will compete for a $500 grand prize, with the first runner-up in each division receiving $250 — and, of course, bragging rights.

About a third of the 2016 com-petitors are returning singers,

Piconcelli said, but many of the names on the list are new to the competition.

In the past, Wellington Idol win-ners have gone on to appear on TV shows. Emily Brooke appeared on American Idol twice, while Lexi Luca was on The Voice and chosen by Blake Shelton.

“Some of these kids have gone pretty far,” Piconcelli said.

The idea behind the compe-tition, he explained, is to give aspiring singers the opportunity to perform on a live stage in front of an audience.

“We’re looking forward to having an exciting evening and

Wellington Idol Returns To Amphitheater Stage March 4-5

Family Dentist Fundraiser To Support

Make-A-Wish Family Dentist of Palm Beach

will be raising money during Royal Palm Beach West Fest this weekend to help support Make-A-Wish Southern Florida.

Dr. Sunitha Sirivolu and Dr. Manoj Patel of Family Dentist make it a point to participate in charitable activities that help local residents.

Family Dentist will be selling West Fest T-Shirts during the event Saturday, Feb. 27 and Sunday, Feb. 28 at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park, with 100 percent of the

proceeds going to Make-A-Wish.Make-A-Wish Southern Florida

is the well-known organization that grants the wishes of children facing life-threatening medical conditions. Each wish experience is tailor-made to exceed expecta-tions. The Southern Florida chap-ter grants a wish every 16 hours and has granted more than 10,000 since its inception in 1983.

Family Dentist of Palm Beach is a general, cosmetic and laser implant dental practice in Palm Beach County. For 13 years, the Family Dentist team has been providing a friendly and trusting place where families can come to achieve healthy teeth and smiles for life. The practice specializes in providing a full-range of dental care for all ages.

There are two locations in Palm Beach County; one serving Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, West Palm Beach and surrounding communities, and another serving residents of Lake Worth, Palm Springs and Palm Beach.

For more information, call (561) 693-6752 or visit www.familyden-tistpalmbeach.com.

Robert Sharon Chorale To

Perform March 6The Robert Sharon Chorale will

present Fauré’s Requiem, a benefit concert for Wounded Warriors Family Support, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 6 at the DeSantis Family Chapel at Palm Beach

Atlantic University in West Palm Beach. Tickets are $20 per adult and $10 for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased online at www.rschorale.com/tickets.

Comedy For Critters March 4

At Oak In RPBComedy for Critters, featuring

New York City’s Janice Messitte and Greg Kritikos (a.k.a. Greg the Greek) with emcee Angela Corvello, will take place Friday, March 4 at Oak Bistro & Wine Bar (11051 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach). Doors open at 6 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m.

Don’t miss a wild night of

laughs to benefit the Christie’s Critters Foundation. Tickets are $50 and include two drinks and appetizers. They are available at www.christiescritters.org. VIP reserved tables for four are also available. Attendees must be 21 and over.

Women’s Group To Meet March 3

The March meeting of the Women of the Western Com-munities will be held Thursday, March 3 at the Wanderers Club in Wellington.

A happy hour/mix and mingle will begin at 6 p.m. for those who can come early to enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine while chatting

with members and guests. Plan to arrive no later than 6:30 p.m. to check in and be seated.

The guest speaker will be Dottie Carson, who will speak about her “younger onset” Alzheimer’s dis-ease and how she and her husband are spreading awareness of clinical trials and research for a cure.

The monthly donation for Har-mony House is cleaning supplies of any kind, such as Lysol or Clorox wipes, floor or and win-dow cleaners, dish soap, cleaning sponges, clothing detergent and more.

RSVP for the March meeting no later than Saturday, Feb. 27. The guest fee is $30 to attend. For more information, e-mail Mair Armand at [email protected] or call (561) 635-0011.

NEWS BRIEFS

watching young talent bloom on stage,” he said. “That’s what I’m looking forward to — giving them a chance to perform on a live stage in front of an audience.”

Though not everyone can win, the contest serves as a valuable learning experience.

“You learn from it, you come back, you dust yourself off and start all over again and try harder,” Piconcelli said. “That’s what it is all about.”

For one talented contestant, however, March 5 will change the course of his or her year, as the title of Wellington Idol is passed down.

“I’m excited because we’re

going to get a new Wellington Idol winner,” Piconcelli said. “Last year’s winner [Adrianna Siena] was so great. Anytime we asked her to perform at all of the events, she came forward to perform the national anthem and sing songs for us. It’s exciting to see these kids and how much they progress over the course of the year, and there will be another one. That’s exciting to me.”

Plan on bringing chairs and blankets to the Wellington Am-phitheater and prepare to have an entertaining, fun-filled night out.

For more information, visit www.wellingtonfl.gov.


Legion Auxiliary To Meet March 2

American Legion Auxiliary Unit #367 of Royal Palm Beach will meet Wednesday, March 2 at 10 a.m. at the Palms West Presby-terian Church (13689 Okeechobee Blvd., Loxahatchee Groves). For more info., call Marge Herzog at (561) 791-9875 or Joan Shew-make at (561) 792-2317.

ALA Chili Cookoff & Music

Fest March 5The Acreage Landowners’ As-

sociation will host the Loxapaloo-za Chili Cookoff & Music Fest on Saturday, March 5 from 2 to 11 p.m. at Acreage Community Park (6701 140th Avenue North). Ad-mission is free to enter and $5 per person to sample and vote on chili.

Starting at 2 p.m., guests can sample delicious chili at multiple booths. Prizes will be awarded for People’s Choice, Judges’ Choice and Best Decorated Booth.

Five live bands will perform, and a number of food trucks will be on site. Soft drinks, beer and

water will be available for sale. Arts and crafts vendors and other exhibitors will be on hand. Other activities include a car show, 50/50 raffle and a kids zone with a bounce house and games.

For more information, call (561) 510-0311 or visit www.acreage-landowners.com.

Easter Events Start March 4

At The MallIt’s springtime and that means

bunny time at the Mall at Welling-ton Green. Bring the kids and visit the Easter Bunny in Bunnyville complete with a 24 Carrot Bank, Hare Salon, Hoppin’ Fresh Bakery and Stone Bunny House in the Grand Court. All children visiting the Easter Bunny will receive a free packet of carrot seeds.

The Easter Bunny will be avail-able for photos from Friday, March 4 through Saturday, March 26. For details on photo packages, call guest services at (561) 227-6900.

On Saturday, March 5 at 9 a.m., bring the little ones for a special breakfast with the Easter Bunny in the food court, part of the Mall

at Wellington Green’s MallStars Kids Club. Enjoy a hot breakfast from Chick-fil-A and listen to live entertainment. Each child will receive a goodie bag. Visit guest services to RSVP.

Create fur-ever memories on Sunday, March 20 from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. at “Pet Photos with the Bunny.” All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier.

To learn more about these events, visit the events section at www.shopwellingtongreen.com.

Garden Club Meeting March 7

The Wellington Garden Club will meet Monday, March 7 at Vil-lage Park (11700 Pierson Road). A business meeting will start at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m., and a program at 12:15 p.m. on “Tropical Bamboo in the U.S.,” presented by Robert Saporito.

Saporito, a past president of the American Bamboo Society’s Florida Chapter and the owner of Tropical Bamboo in Loxahatchee Groves, supplies ornamental tropi-cal bamboo plants. He will discuss how bamboo varieties are used as

a controlled element in landscapes and the challenges these woody perennial grasses bring to South Florida.

Guests are welcome but seat-ing is limited. To RSVP, contact Jim Wenham at [email protected]. For more info., visit www.wellingtongardenclub.org.

Annual Dark Sky Festival Feb. 27 At Okeeheelee On Saturday, Feb. 27, the Palm

Beach County Environmental Resources Management and Parks & Recreation departments will “celebrate the night and turn down the lights” by hosting the fourth annual Dark Sky Festival at the Okeeheelee Nature Center from 6 to 10 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The purpose of the Dark Sky Festival is to expose citizens to the marvels of astronomy and the im-portance of protecting dark skies, not just for astronomy purposes, but also for human health and the values that darkness provides to area wildlife. The festival will include stargazing with local as-

tronomers, night time photography lectures, exhibits, vendors, nature walks, a children’s activity area, food trucks, a campfire and more.

Dr. Mario E. Motta of the Amer-ican Medical Association will discuss light pollution and human health. Shari Blissett-Clark, a member of the Florida Bat Conser-vancy Board, will lecture about the importance of bats in our environ-ment and have live bats on exhibit. New this year will be the premier of the short film, Pitch Black Light, A Journey Through America’s Darkest Skies, featuring stunning night-sky time-lapse images cap-tured by local artist Max Jackson.

The Okeeheelee Nature Center is located in Okeeheelee Park at 7715 Forest Hill Blvd. For more info., contact Jacey Biery at [email protected] or visit www.pbcgov.com/erm/darkskyfest.

FLARA To Host RPB Debate

On Monday, March 7, the Flori-da Alliance for Retired Americans will host a candidates forum and debate for the Village of Royal Palm Beach, featuring candidates

for mayor and the two available council seats. It will be an op-portunity to meet the candidates, and hear them discuss issues, so bring your questions. The forum will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center, located at 151 Civic Center Way. The event is being sponsored by FLARA as a public service and is free to attend. For more info., contact Sharon Lascola at (561) 204-9376 or [email protected].

Kosher Pickle Factory Event

The Chabad Jewish Center of Royal Palm Beach will present the Kosher Pickle Factory on Sunday, March 13 at 6 p.m. at the Chabad building, located at 129 Sparrow Drive in Royal Palm Beach. Join the nationally traveled “Rabbi Pickle,” who will share the secrets of making a kosher pickle. Atten-dance is $10 in advance and $15 at the door, and includes making your own jar of pickles, with cof-fee and refreshments served. For more information, e-mail [email protected]. To RSVP, call (561) 225-1766.

NEWS BRIEFS

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8 a.m. - 6 p.m.Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

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NOW ACCEPTING HUMANA X-PATIENTS

LOXAHATCHEE GROVES WATER CONTROL DISTRICT NOTIFICATION OF JUNE 27, 2016

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ELECTION

Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District (District) announces two seats on the District’s Board of Supervisors are up for election on June 27, 2016 and results will be announced at the Annual Landowners Meeting sched-uled for 7:30 pm on June 27, 2016.

Interested candidates must file a NOTIFICATION OF CANDIDACY form which can be obtained at the District office located at 101 West “D” Road, Loxahatchee, Florida or printed from the District’s web site at lgwcd.org.

To qualify for the June 27, 2016 District election, interested candidates must complete the NOTIFICATION OF CANDIDACY form and submit on or before March 29, 2016 to Susan Bucher, Supervisor of Elections, Palm Beach County, Florida, Post Office Box 22309, West Palm Beach, Florida, 33416.

District landowners can obtain a VOTING PROXY form at the District of-fice or on the District’s web site at lgwcd.org.By: Diane DiSanto, MMC, Village Clerk

The Town-Crier Newspaper, February 26, 2016

VILLAGE OF ROYAL PALM BEACHPUBLIC NOTICE

The Village of Royal Palm Beach volunteer boards/commissions will have several terms expiring/openings in March. If you are a resident of the Village and would like to be considered by the Village Council to serve on any one of these boards/commissions, please stop by the Village Clerk’s office to pick up an application or download it from our web site www.royalpalmbeach.com. Under Departments go to the Village Clerk sec-tion and then click on downloadable forms to Committee Board Application Form. Return completed application to the Village Clerk’s office no later than March 25, 2016 for Council consideration at its April 7th meeting. It is important to note the particular day of the week each of these boards/commissions meets to ensure that your schedule will be such that you are available on that particular day.

Seats available are:(4) on Planning and Zoning Commission meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month(2) on Recreation Advisory Board meets on the 4th Monday of the month

If further information is desired, please call the Village Clerk at 790-5102.


NEWSVINCEREMOS THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER DINNER & AUCTION A SUCCESS

Sarah and Ruth Menor, Special Olympian ChristinaCooney and Kim Elie with actor Quinton Aaron.

The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center held its 29th annual dinner and auction Friday, Feb. 19 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. The successful evening raised crucial money for the local nonprofit. Included during the event was the 2016 Buck Off Finals, won by Team Palm Beach Forge. For more information about Vinceremos, call (561) 792-9900 or visit www.vinceremos.org.


Team Palm Beach Forge with Dana Glass, Andrey Ferrier, HannahBressler-Jaques and Donnie Mills won the 2016 Buck Off Finals.

Ruth Menor with ridersof the year Riley Shidaker

and Juan Burbano.Team Zoetis After Dark featured Joey Nome,

Pete Jordan, Tyler Smith and Jonathan Williams.

Ruth Menor and Bill Carter with volunteers of the yearDiane Haumann, Lauren Bordeaux and Kathy La Page.

Vinceremos employees and volunteers at the annual event.

Bill Carter, Devon Kane, Tuny Page,Ruth Menor and Brian Lookabill.

Devon Kane andBobbi Rottman.

Thomas Schweizer, dressed as Superman, flies to the bull.

Team Orion with Luis Galindo, Lucy Nyland-Elliott, JamesFairclough, sponsor Linda Evans and Sophia Calamari.

Judges Chip Perkins, Mike Smith, P.J. Rizvi and Visse Wedell.

Michael and Wendy Smith with Ruth Menor.


650 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. (Corner of Southern Blvd.)Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411

For Reservations, Call 561-249-7168

Featuring a fully stocked bar. Guests toasting to a delicious dinner. Elegant private room perfect for small parties or meetings.Owner Mahendra Patel and Chef Tapan.

popular Vegetarian Delights ($9.95 to $14.95), and all can be prepared vegan style. A customer waiting for takeout recom-mended the Vegetable Malai Kofta ($14.95), croquettes of ground vegetables and cheese, stuffed with nuts and raisins in a creamy and tasty sauce. Everything I tasted was incredible!

There are more than 70 authentic offerings from which to choose, so if you are a connoisseur of Indian food, then all you need to do is either try something you have never heard of (I do this all the time) or close your eyes and point. Either way, you are in for an incredible treat. As good as the dinner is, dessert is something else entirely. Here, I would order Mango Kulfi, a traditional Indian mango ice cream... Try it, and welcome to India. Over the years, I have become accustomed to the best Indian restaurants, and India Grill + Bar is one of the best. I will be going back very soon, very often!

In addition to the main dining room, there is much more than meets the eye, including a private dining area and bar that accommodates up to 90 guests for holiday parties, banquets, business meetings and even weddings. The bar area is a great place to host a social event for upward of 50 guests. My favor-ite is the private cozy dining room — this well-appointed area is top notch for a VIP party that will impress up to 18 of your guests.

Dinner is served Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. For reservations, or further information, call (561) 249-7168 and please tell them that Joe Nasuti, the Phantom, highly rec-ommended that you visit his favorite Indian restaurant!

India Grill + Bar was opened in 2012 by owners Mr. Soye Thoma and Mr. Mahendra Patel and is located in the Royal Plaza shopping center at the corner of Royal Palm Beach Blvd. and Southern Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach.

visit us:

RATED EXCELLENT BY ZAGAT, THEIR REPEAT CUSTOMERS, AND ME!

The best way to describe my visit is... yummy... yummy... yummy! This is the best Indian food for my tummy... and yours!

The India Grill + Bar is the home of the best Indian food in the Palm Beaches! If you’ve never tried Indian food, you don’t know what you have been missing. I became a fan of Indian food in the early 1980s at a Christmas party hosted by an In-dian doctor in Philadelphia, and I’ve been addicted ever since to the wonderful flavors of India.

Let me make it very simple for first timers. I would highly recommend the following. For starters, try the Onion Bhajee ($5.95), the spicy Indian version of the blooming onion, but far better, along with the Garlic Naan Bread ($3.95). For an entree, I would recommend either Chicken Tikka Masala ($16.95), or the incredible Mixed Grill Platter ($25.95), an assortment of Tandoori grilled shrimp, lamb chops, chicken Tikka and Malai lamb, or any delicious curry dish ($11.95 to $18.95). They are simply amazing and large enough to share.

Next to curry, naan bread is as Indian as it gets, and the gar-lic naan at India Grill + Bar is a must — then again, any and all of their curry dishes are my favorites and will soon become yours. I travel around the world and always seek out an In-dian restaurant while on vacation. My travels include New York City, where you will find some of the best Indian restaurants in America, and my travels to England. There are 2,100 Mc-Donald’s restaurants in England and 2,200 Indian restaurants, where you will find some of the best in the world. Fortunately, you and I only have to travel to Royal Palm Beach to experi-ence the wonderful flavors of India!

India Grill+ Bar is vegetarian/vegan friendly. Enjoy their eight

BY JOE NASUTI


Asador Patagonia: Home Of Amazing Argentine Charcoal-Grilled SteaksBY JOE NASUTI

El Feugo Argentinian Grilled Steak Asado ArgentinoThe Friendliest Bar in Town

(561) 651-9477

The Argentine cuisine can best be described as an international blend of all the flavors of Europe’s best, taken to the next level... Argentine style. For example, what they do with beef is incredibly delicious.

While Italy is known for its pasta, France for savory sauces and Spain for paella, Argentina’s claim to fame is the asado, the Argentine bar-becue, with such unique and delicious flavors! While Patagonia, the second part of the restaurant’s name, makes reference to the fresh-est fish and seafood found in that part of Argentina, the steak and sausage are prepared to perfection.

The zest and pride of Argentine life, culture and dance transcends into the food. In other words, Argentina is the birthplace of the tango, and the spice in that dance has made its way into the cuisine.

Being that it was our first experience, we relied upon the excellent staff to help guide us in the selection process. We started our experi-ence with the delicious pickled eggplant ($3.90), followed by grilled

provolone with tomato and ham ($10.90), seasoned to perfection and very tasty. The Traditional Argentinian Grill for Two ($47.99) includes short ribs, flank steak, chicken breast, sweetbreads, blood sausage, Argentine sausage and chitterlinds. The unique taste comes from the charcoal, so this dish is without a doubt the best way to appreciate what Argentina is all about!

Other menu selections include the international cuisine. Pasta from Italy; fajitas, enchiladas and chimichanga from Mexico; as well as American favorites, so there is something for everyone.

Asador Patagonia is owned and operated by Juan and Natalia Ayala and Osvaldo and Viviana Oneca, from Argentina. In addition to the restaurant, they offer their authentic dishes to cater weddings, birth-days, baby showers, private meetings and special events. For more information, call (561) 651-9477 and tell them that Joe and Sun-shine, the Phantom Diners, highly recommended this unique Argen-tine experience!

675 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. • Royal Palm Beach, FL • AsadorPatagonia.net


PALMS WEST PEOPLE

Sacred Heart To Host Pro-Am At Breakers West

The King’s Academy Retires JerseyOf NFL Vet And TKA Alum Heath Evans

Heath Evans, a veteran of two Super Bowls and 10 years in the NFL, presented his alma mater, the King’s Academy, with the NFL’s Golden Football in a ceremony at the school on Wednesday, Feb 10. Evans is currently an analyst on NFL Network’s Total Access and a game analyst for the NFL on Fox. The school retired Evans’ high school jersey number (#10).

The NFL’s Super Bowl High School Honor Roll celebrates players, coaches and the commu-nities where they grew up. High schools around the world will receive a commemorative Golden Football produced by Wilson for every player or head coach who graduated from the school and was on an active Super Bowl ros-ter. It is designed to link the past 49 Super Bowls with this year’s

Wellington Dentist Earns Angie’s List Service AwardDr. Steven M. Miller of Wel-

lington has earned the service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award, reflecting an exemplary year of service provid-ed to members of the local services marketplace and consumer review site in 2015.

“It is truly special to be award-ed this honor again for the second year in a row,” Miller said. “My staff and I do our best to make a

potentially uncomfortable expe-rience into a pleasant one. This is our third honor in the last five years, having won it in 2014 and 2011.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2015 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade and review period grade. The compa-ny must be in good standing with

Philanthropists Richard J. Schmeelk, Walter “Pete” Phillips, Jack Donsky, Candace Tamposi and Fr. Quesnel Delvard will host the seventh annual Sacred Heart School Pro-Am Heroes Golf Tournament honoring Walter Ross and the Cathleen McFarlane Ross Foundation at Breakers West on Monday, March 14.

Last year, this event raised more than $100,000 and organizers

Heath Evans signs his retired #10 jersey. (Back row, L-R) TKA President Jeff Loveland, Executive Vice President Randy Martin, High School Principal Sonya Jones, Director of Development Glenn Martin, Athletic Director Adam Winters, and varsity football coach Keith Allen.

The sixth annual Tyler’s Team Charity Poker Classic will take place Sunday, March 20 at the Palm Beach Kennel Club.

The Texas Hold ’Em fundraiser will offer players a great day of camaraderie and some good poker and fun while helping a worthy cause that helps to keep kids in youth sports. The event will offer all players a complimentary buffet and soft drinks from noon to 3 p.m., along with a 50/50 raffle, celebrity bounties and a silent auction. Buy in is $50 with $20 re-buys and $10 add-ons.

The tournament will start at 1 p.m. sharp with prizes, and pay the top 10 percent of the field. The first-place winner will receive the

Tyler’s Cup Trophy, a cash prize and a $580 buy-in at the World Series of Poker Event in 2016. Ty-ler McLellan Foundation staff will be on location at the Palm Beach Kennel Club during the month of March for a $40 tournament pre-registration promotion. Visit www.tylermclellanfoundation.org for dates.

“Every year, this event has grown, and we want to do some-thing to make this event bigger and better,” Kevin McLellan said. “This year, as in past, we are hav-ing the ultimate 50/50 raffle that we started in 2014. It will be drawn the day of the event. The best part of this raffle is you don’t have to be present to win, and we are posting

Sixth Annual Tyler’s Team Charity Poker Classic Coming At Kennel Club March 20

Angie’s List, pass a background check and abide by the Angie’s List operational guidelines.

“Only about 5 percent of the dental offices in Palm Beach County have performed so con-sistently well enough to earn our Super Service Award,” said Ang-ie’s List founder Angie Hicks. “It’s a really high standard.”

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List.

Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality.

Angie’s List helps facilitate hap-py transactions between more than three million consumers nation-wide and its collection of highly rated service providers in more than 720 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to healthcare.

game and honor the communities that have positively impacted the game of football.

Evans appeared in Super Bowl 42 with the New England Patriots and was also a member of the Super Bowl 44 winning New Orleans Saints. He enjoyed a 10-year career in the NFL playing for the Seahawks, Dolphins, Patriots and Saints, after being drafted in the third round of the 2001 NFL draft. Evans played college ball at Auburn University. He is also a member of the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2011.

Speaking to the current TKA Lions varsity football team, Evans emphasized “the value of parents, teachers and coaches who push you in the classroom, on the field, and in life as they prepare you for success. Buy into what your

teachers and coaches at King’s are selling; it will serve you well in life as it has served me.”

ST. DAVID’S HOLDS ANNUAL BENEFIT FOR ST. JUDE’S HOSPITAL

On Friday, Feb. 12, St. David’s Episcopal School in Wellington held its annual fundraiser to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospi-tal. Snow was bought in for the children to play in, and they rode their bikes, trikes or scooters to collect donations for a worthy cause. This is the 12th year that St. David’s Episcopal School has held the event, raising more than $14,000 over the years for the charity — a tremendous accomplishment for a small school due to its generous families.

2015 winner Jackie Stone.

the pot total on our web site.”Tickets are $5 each and six for

$20. They can be purchased online at www.tylermclellanfoundation.org or at the Palm Beach Kennel Club. For more info., call Kevin McLellan at (561) 215-3717.

Since forming in 2008, the foundation has helped children in many different communities in the South Florida and Boston areas through sport registrations, college scholarships, sports equipment, donations, and sponsoring events associated with their individual sport or organization. Not only does the foundation work and promote its own events, it also has volunteered hundreds of hours assisting many other organiza-

tions with fundraising efforts and events.

(L-R) Richard J. Schmeelk, Jack Donskey, Fr. Quesnel Delvard, Candace Tamposi and Walter “Pete” Phillips.

expect to surpass that figure this year. Profits will go toward Sacred Heart School’s Scholarship Fund.

“We are the school determined to provide scholarship opportuni-ties which will help prepare our students to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” said Candace Tamposi, principal of Sacred Heart School.

For more info., visit www.sacredheartschoollakeworth.com.

For more information about the King’s Academy, visit www.tka.net.

NOTICE OF MUNICIPAL AND REFERENDUM ELECTIONCALLED BY WELLINGTON, FLORIDA’S COUNCIL

TO BE HELD MARCH 15, 2016The Village of Wellington’s Council will hold a Municipal and Referendum Election on Tuesday, March 15, 2016. The purpose of the Municipal Election is to fill the offices of Mayor and Village Council Seat 1 which are four-year terms. The Referendum Election is to consider the adoption of the proposed Charter revisions set forth in Ordinances #: 2015-16; 2015-17; and 2015-18 all of which, if adopted, will revise the Village Charter.

The Municipal and Referendum Election will be held March 15, 2016. The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Your polling location is listed on your Voter ID Card.

You must notify the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office if you move from the address listed on your Voter ID Card. If you are unsure of the polling location for your precinct, contact the Supervisor of Elections Office at (561) 656-6200.

The ordinances pertaining to the proposed Charter revisions are published below in their entirety.

Rachel R. Callovi , Acting Village Clerk

Dated: February 10, 2016

PUBLISH: The Town-CrierFebruary 19, 2016, February 26, 2016, March 4, 2016, March 11, 2016

VILLAGE OF WELLINGTON REFERENDUM QUESTION NO. 1





SCHOOL NEWSWES COMPETES IN OPEN

CHESS TOURNAMENTDanica Patrick At PBSC STEAM LuncheonA crowd of more than 500 at-

tended the Palm Beach State Col-lege Foundation’s fourth annual STEAM luncheon recently at the Kravis Center for Performing Arts. The luncheon featured NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, the first woman speaker for the event.

The event raised money for the foundation’s STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) initiative to help prepare students for the high-paying, high-demand positions immedi-ately available in these industries.

Before Patrick’s remarks, Yvonne Boice, event chair, an-nounced that the Boice Family Foundation would give $150,000 toward student scholarships in STEAM fields.

During the conversation-style interview, moderated by Dan Cane, CEO of Modernizing Med-icine, Patrick spoke about starting her racing career go-karting with her younger sister, the technology that goes into the design and ma-terials of her race cars, and ways to inspire more young women to enter and stay in STEAM careers.

“It’s about taking something they’re interested in and letting that grow,” Patrick said. “We need to nurture those interests and show them the many ways that they can use their talents. I firmly believe

that you can make a career out of anything that you’re interested in. You just have to figure out how to adapt it into a job.”

Patrick also noted that although many women see her as an inspira-tion in the male-dominated world of race car driving, she doesn’t feel the pressure of being a role model to women.

“I don’t feel different, and I don’t want to single anyone out because of gender or anything else,” Patrick said. “I never had a role model, so I didn’t want to be like anyone else. I just wanted to be the best I could be, and I encour-age everyone else to do the same. I can give advice to a woman, but I would do the exact same thing for a man.”

When asked what race day was like, and the physical toll it takes on her body, Patrick said, “It’s basically like doing a marathon. This is why I rely so much on my engineers. If my engineers do a good job, it’s easy to drive. However, the heat inside the car is the worst. It will reach anywhere from 130 to 140 degrees, and a lot of drivers have passed out.”

Patrick also explained some of the key factors to winning a race.

“You always want to establish good teamwork with your engi-neers, and as a driver, your ex-

RPBHS DANCERS CELEBRATE BLACK

HISTORY MONTH

On Saturday, Feb. 6, the Wellington Elementary School Chess Club competed in the inaugural Gove Elementary School Open Chess Tournament. It was an exciting day, where schools from around the county competed. The WES Chess Club has been in existence for more than 10 years. Players meet every Thursday afternoon to learn the game’s strategies and tactics, improve their focus and make predictions of possible outcomes, while demonstrating good sportsmanship. Fourth-grade teacher Brian Gallagher enjoys running the club and believes that these skills will help students all through their lives. The 20-plus members enjoy playing tournaments and look forward to their weekly meet-ings. Shown above are students Benjamin Taylor, Jimmy Mercado and Joshua Dimaiwat. Mercado tied for second in the fifth-grade division. Congratulations to all participants of the tournament.

NEW HORIZONS MARKS CHINESE NEW YEAR

Monday, Feb. 8 marked the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, celebrating the beginning of the Year of the Monkey on the Chinese calendar. New Horizons Elementary School kindergarten students treated the students and staff to a colorful Chinese New Year pa-rade in the courtyard. All classes came out to see the kindergarten students’ culminating activity on their studies of China. Shown above are kindergarten students in costume parading around the New Horizons campus.

The Wildcat Dancers Dance Team and director Michelle Blecher from Royal Palm Beach High School were proud to be a part of Royal Palm Beach library’s Black History Celebration on Wednes-day, Feb. 17. The dancers performed a musical dance tribute to famous black musical artists, highlighted by historical facts about African-American history in between seven dance routines. There was standing room only for the audience, and the dancers are looking forward to more performances at the library. Shown above are: (front row) Marxena Doster, Shelia Azpiri, Captain Stephanie Sanchez, Lazaro Palenzuela, Sasha Linton, Dallas Bailey and Annelee Dunkley; (middle row) Antonia Ysaguirre, Tamara Nar-cisse, Shirely Medina-Trenche, Dellisa Lewis, Markia Goldson, Julian Bailey and Arianna Sanchez; and (back row) Jada Brown and Verneka Williams.

JUMP ROPE FOR HEART AT CYPRESS TRAILS

On Friday, Feb. 12, Cypress Trails Elementary School students and faculty participated in the American Heart Association’s “Jump Rope for Heart.” This is the 12th consecutive year that Cypress Trails has participated, and the students raised more than $3,400 this year. Students are taught about heart health in physical ed-ucation classes and win prizes for their knowledge and jumping skill during the event. Shown above are students participating in Jump Rope for Heart.

Dan Cane and Danica Patrick.perience gives you an advantage, too,” she said. “I can help identify by experience what needs to be adjusted based on the feeling I get while driving the car. Instinct plays a big role.”

To date, the STEAM initiative has raised $2 million. With those funds, it has created 623 new stu-dent scholarships, created 65 new student internships, established 55 new business partnerships and enhanced 66 programs.

The event’s presenting sponsor was Bank of America. Other top sponsors were Yvonne Boice, Balfour Beatty, FPL, Modernizing

Medicine, Palm Beach Broad-casting, Tenet Florida Physician Services, Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, The Palm Beach Post and WXEL.

To learn more about opportu-nities to support the foundation’s STEAM initiative, visit www.palmbeachstate.edu/foundation/steam or call (561) 868-3450.

Established in 1933 as Florida’s first public community college, PBSC offers more than 130 pro-grams at locations in Lake Worth, Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens and Belle Glade, and soon in its new Loxahatchee Groves campus.

14569 Southern Blvd. • Loxahatchee Groves, FL 33470561-793-1370 • www.arthurmurrayre.com

10 ACRES LAND — beautiful high and dry, cleared 4/2.5, CBS, fenced. Loxahatchee Groves $699,000

10 ACRES LAND — South of Okeechobee, fenced, cleared, electric, water subdivided into two 5 acre lots. $739,000

20 ACRES LAND — Okeechobee Rd. frontage Great Commercial potential, cleared, fenced, water, electric. $2,200,000

5 ACRES LAND — with cabin, paved road, fenced, electric, water, septic, clear, high and dry. Loxahatchee Groves $324,999

OKEECHOBEE RD. FRONTAGE — Commercial potential, electrical, high and dry, fenced. Loxahatchee Groves $995,0005 ACRES LAND — House pad, well, electric, high and dry, fenced, 900 feet from pavement. Loxahatchee Groves $299,000

1.25 ACRES — hi, dry, close to schools and shopping. The Acreage $68,0001/2 ACRE 3-2 — fantastic location 200 Ft. From South-ern Boulevard Loxahatchee Groves. $225,000

1.25 ACRES 5-3 CBS HOME — plus 1000 Sq.Ft. Guesthouse, 25X40 detached garage. The Acreage $282,900

1 ACRE 3-2 HOUSE — W/1-1 guest house, four stall barn, fenced, 200 feet from Southern Blvd. Loxahatchee Groves. $345,000

1.15 ACRES —3-2 w/garage Close to schools and shopping. The Acreage $224,900

2.5 ACRES LAND — Owner financing, South of Okeechobee, paved road, paddocks, fenced and cross fenced, full irrigation and lighting. Loxahatchee Groves $285,000

10 ACRES PRE-CONSTRUCTION — 16 stall barn paved road, loxahatchee Groves, fenced, water electric.

2.5 ACRES LAND — South of Okeechobee 1/8th of a milefrom pavement $175,000

Loxahatchee Groves

5 ACRES LAND — with cabin, paved road, fenced, electric, water, septic, clear, high and dry. Loxahatchee Groves $259,000

5 ACRES LAND — water, electric, septic, high and dry,paved road. $529,900

2.5 ACRES — two lots from pavement, cleared, high dry $159,000

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FEATURESI Thought I Had My Desk Well-Organized, But Tess Disagreed

Jesse Owens Biopic ‘Race’ Focuses More On Racism Than Racing

DeborahWelky is

The SonicBOOMER

‘I’ OnCULTUREBy Leonard Wechsler

The Jesse Owens biography Race focuses on the great athlete and the fa-mous 1936 Olympics in Hitler’s Berlin. Unfortunately, the emphasis on good and bad (some of which is manufactured just for the film, although some of the more astounding elements are true) makes Owens essentially a cardboard cutout in his biography. That is a shame, since the story itself is a wonderful tale about overcoming racism.

Owens (Stephan James) begins as a student at Ohio State University in 1933, where track and field coach Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis) quickly spots his poten-tial and grooms him for a possible appear-ance at the upcoming Olympics. At that time, there was enormous pressure within the United States to boycott the Olympics because of Hitler’s rampant racism. Avery Brundage (Jeremy Irons), head of the U.S. Olympic Committee, visits Germany, gets friendly with Hitler’s right-hand man

Joseph Goebbels (Barnaby Metschurat) and comes back reporting that there is no reason to skip the Olympics.

The movie skips over, to some degree, Brundage’s keeping many American Jewish athletes from competing… after all, this is a movie about racism, not anti-Semitism. Brundage convinces Am-ateur Athletic Union President Jeremiah Mahoney (William Hurt) that there would be no harm in going.

At any rate, Snyder gets snubbed and almost has to sneak into the whole Olym-

pics thing. Owens competes and wins four gold medals, which really upsets Hitler and his racial purity buddies. There is a nice scene between Owens and German Olympian Luz Long (David Kross), which actually happened, where Long gives the American some technical advice that keeps him from fouling out of the long jump, which he wins. On the other hand, the movie essentially ignores the fact that a whole group of black athletes competed at those games, and many of them also won medals.

James, unfortunately, was flat in terms of acting. Things were going on around him, and he seemed simply to be there, being acted upon instead of being the prime mover. The only exceptions were the scenes between him and Snyder, where we could see the warmth of their relation-ship. There the film worked. But it is also troubling that, as in many similar movies, it seems that in Race, black men cannot

move up without a white mentor. Granted, at that time there was a lot of truth to that, but the movie seemed far more involved in the machinations of the whites.

The strongest characterization, that of Brundage, was too strong. Irons is a great actor, but he turned the man into a combination of villain and village idiot. Brundage had many flaws, but here he is presented as going overboard in his will-ingness to ignore what Hitler was doing. There is no doubt that he really was an anti-Semite. (As head of the International Olympic Committee in 1972, he blocked attempts to hold a memorial for the Israeli athletes murdered in Munich.) But there should have been more subtlety in the portrayal.

The intent of the movie seems focused more on racism both in the U.S. and Nazi Germany than on anything Owens did. The movie winds up focusing far more on racism than on racing. Owens is presented

almost as a nonplayer. He is there only to run, jump, win and stand out as a rebuke to the believers in racial purity.

In real life, however, Owens was no-toriously apolitical, refusing to get into political arguments or campaigning even when many people put pressure on him. But this film forgot the main topic and, as a result, its focus is scattered.

There is a small card shown at the end of the film noting that Franklin Delano Roosevelt did not invite Owens to the White House. True, perhaps, but those type of invitations only became common in more recent years.

Hating racism is a good thing, and making movies about it is fine. But they should be good movies, ones focusing on character. If the producers wanted to focus on the racism around those Olympics, a good documentary would have cost less money and been more to the point. The film is OK, but not a really fine one.

Seeing as how it’s almost March, I cleared the Christmas cards off my desk. I pride myself on a clean, organized desk.

My 17-month-old granddaughter, Tess, prides herself on cleanliness and organi-zation, too. Unfortunately, she just has a different take on it.

One of the things that Tess loves most in the world is to climb onto my lap while I’m typing and, with a broad, sweeping motion, clear everything out of the way so she can draw on my blotter. The blotter is really a large calendar, so now the time of my appointment reads as eight blue lines and a lopsided black circle.

“When do you see the chiropractor?”“Tuesday.”

“What time?”“Black and blue.”She also likes to pull open the drawer

(which she does with much authority) and sort out my office supplies.

The way I originally had them (which was, evidently, the wrong way) was —

rubber bands in one tray, large paperclips in a second tray, small paper clips in a third, safety pins in a fourth, binder clips in a fifth and random keys in a sixth.

Easy and convenient but — no. All these little trays need to be dumped into a pile in the bottom of the drawer so she can waggle her fingers through them and study their tactility. She smiles and stares at the ceiling while she does this. Then she sorts them back into the trays her own way (which is, evidently, any old way) and pours them back and forth.

I suppose it is a sign of weakness on my part that I sort them all out again when she’s gone.

Tess also loves tape. It’s sticky and

bothersome, but nothing tops the sound of yards and yards of tape being pulled from the spindle. Turns out it’s not as invisible as they claim. She finds it every time. I let her mess with it because it’s difficult for her to get into the paper clips when her fingers are taped together.

I also have three little tin buckets on my desk — one with pens, one with pencils and one with markers. I put the one with markers as far from the edge as I can, so, of course, those are the ones she wants. I have to agree with her that a line drawn with a marker is much more satisfying than a line drawn with a pencil, but how does she always manage to seek out the permanent markers? She has her own collection of

child-friendly, washable markers in an array of lollipop colors and smells, but she prefers to use the same brand major athletes use to sign basketballs.

In a quest to retain some semblance of order among my receipts and important papers, I have hidden little plastic toys and dolls throughout my desk drawers, but, like an FBI agent looking for damning evidence, she examines each toy upon dis-covery and then drops it unceremoniously onto the floor.

“Well, Deb, there’s an easy solution to this problem,” you say. “Quit taking the child up onto your lap!”

But I thought I already explained this — she’s my granddaughter.


NEWSAMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY PRESENTS BARK FOR LIFE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS

PBSO K9 Unit Cpl. Nick Barbera, Event CommitteeMember Bill Lerner and PBSO Deputy Ed Quinn.

The American Cancer Society hosted its third annual Palm Beach County Bark for Life event on Sunday, Feb. 21 at the South Florida Fairgrounds Agriplex. All money raised will go to support the fight against cancer. Admission was a donation of $10 per dog to the American Cancer Society and included a Bark for Life bandana and a goody bag. Activities included pet vendors, pet photography, a dog costume contest, a kids activity area and more. A survivor walk was held to honor those that have battled cancer and the furry family members that support them. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Critter Sitter’s KathrynMarchman with Bailee.

PBCFR officers gave demonstrations of CPR for cats and dogs.

ST. RITA KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS BID FAREWELL TO D.J. AND RALPH GURIERE

Susan LaFay, D.J. Guriere, Kathleen Leischen and Nancy Wall.

The Knights of Columbus M.J. Benvenuti Council 8419 held a going-away party for D.J. and Ralph Guriere on Saturday, Feb. 20 in the St. Rita Parish Hall in Wellington. Members enjoyed a potluck buffet supper. Friends then took turns wishing the couple well. D.J. and Ralph Guriere are moving to Tennessee but plan to continue to work with the Knights of Columbus and do other charity work, such as “Coats for Kids.” PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Richard Campione, Ken Deischer, Frank Truligo, Ralph Guriere, Mike Romeo, Vince Devore and Father Michael Parrotta.

Lori Hill with Talula and Tulip, Karen Roberts withFreddie Mercury, Stacy Narcisse with Cristiano

Ronaldo and Debra Schneiderman with CoraLee.

Ed and Ginny Kelle with D.J. and Ralph Guriere.

Daisy, Junior, Brownie and Girl Scouts from Troop 20292.

Cancer survivor Joyce Gropper with Diva.

Meredith King and her dog Kevin from K-9 Perceptions.


NEWSEQUESTRIAN AID FOUNDATION GIVES LUMINARY AWARD TO HARRY DE LEYER

Harry and Harriet de Leyer with announcer Peter Doubleday, producer Karin Reid-Offield and director Ron Davis.

The Equestrian Aid Foundation hosted an outdoor film screening under the stars on Sunday, Feb. 21 at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival facility in Wellington showing the new documentary Harry & Snowman, featuring famed rider Harry de Leyer and his amazing journey with a horse he rescued. The evening supported the Equestrian Aid Foundation, a nonprofit supporting horsemen and equine professionals suffering from illness or injury. At the event, the EAF honored de Leyer with its 2016 Luminary Award.


Erin Brown and Ali Sirota.

Francesca Calamari, Sophia Calamari and VictoriaWatson with horses signed by Harry de Leyer.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES DEER & RAPTOR WALK AT OKEEHEELEE NATURE CENTER

Volunteer Skip Breen with Tundra, a peregrine falcon.

The Okeeheelee Nature Center held a Deer & Raptor Walk on Saturday, Feb. 20. Visitors received a behind-the-scenes tour of the deer and raptor compounds, saw the animals up close, and learned about these unique animals. PHOTOS BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Bob Schein takes a photo of Alex, a great horned owl.

Francis Briggs, Christina Fiore, StephanieIngram, Martha Ingram and Missy Smith.

Jason Kristian feeds a carrot to Handsome the buck.

Jodi Kelly, Walt Dover, Carol Dover,Amanda Stewart and Elizabeth Zecca.

Mimi Tashjian withStephanie Riggio Bulger.

Lauren Hampton andHannah Bressler-Jaques.

Scot Evans presents Harryde Leyer the Luminary Award.


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NEWS

Style icons jockeyed with equestrian aficionados at the Yl-visaker Cup match on Sunday, Feb. 21 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach.

Ladies and gents sported fash-ionable ensembles, blending in colorful harmony as beautiful as watching polo superstar Adolfo Cambiaso on the field.

Stylish and high-fashion de-signer dresses, sassy kicks and chic sunnies set the pace at the Lilly Pulitzer Patio, the Veuve Clicquot Airstream Lounge and the exclusive Coco Polo Lounge for the lavish champagne brunch and polo experience. During the halftime divot stomp, the London Essentials serenaded fans with an eclectic, acoustical performance that elicited cheers from the crowd.

Valiente advanced into the Yl-

Valiente Edges Out Tonkawa 9-6 In Ylvisaker Cup Action At IPC

Jeff Hall, Jerome Wirth, John Pirovano,Matias McDonough and Carlucho Arellano.

The London Essentials performed for the crowd.PHOTOGRAPHY BY LILA PHOTO

visaker Cup semifinals with a 9-6 victory over Tonkawa on Engel & Völkers Field. The world’s top player, Cambiaso, displayed his skilled stickwork and scored five goals for Valiente, while Valiente’s 5-goaler Felipe Viana earned MVP honors, and Sebastian Merlos’ mare, Guitara, was named Best Playing Pony.

IPC’s winter high-goal season continues Sunday, Feb. 28 with the final match of the Ylvisaker Cup.

The International Polo Club Palm Beach is located at 3667 120th Avenue South in Wel-lington. Polo matches are open to the public, with a wide range of hospitality and guest seating. Tickets start at $30. For ticketing and sponsorship information, call (561) 204-5687 or visit www.internationalpoloclub.com. Jill and Rich Switzer with John Wash and IPC’s mascot Chukker.

Jupiter Medical Center Foundation’s Amy Powers and Laura Golden Barker present awards to winning team, Valiente.

Alisa Miller, Christina Antinori and Diana Tardonia Adolfo Cambiaso in action.

SmithCommunity Involvement

continued from page 71 candidate Lenore White and mayoral candidate Martha Web-ster as a slate is something that is expected.

“It’s easy to group us together, but it’s also easy to group the three gentleman together who tend to vote the same way, tend to listen to the same things, and tend to react the same way,” she said. “It’s just another tactic to take, and it depends on who wants to spin it.”

Smith envisions a future Royal Palm Beach keeping its small-town feel. “I think people move to Royal Palm Beach for the quaint-ness, for the small-town feel,” she said. “My vision it to make it someplace that people want to come, that they want to buy here and to stay in their home.”

Smith lists her strengths as her ability to compromise and negoti-ate, taking on the role of mediator, and her ability to try to accommo-date multiple people with different

visions and perspectives.Her weakness, she said, is that

she is not a politician, noting that you can tell the difference between a career politician and someone who wants to create change and then leave the political realm.

Valuntas’ top strengths, she said, are his education. “He’s a very talented lawyer and he is a very nice person,” Smith said. “His weakness is that I don’t believe he is in touch with the residents. I don’t think he has enough com-munity involvement.”

When asked why voters should choose her, Smith said it is because she is there to represent the resi-dents of Royal Palm Beach.

“I’m not up there for my own political gain,” she said. “I’m not up there for my own career path. I’m up there to represent the resi-dents. I have a strong commitment not only to the area, but my volun-teerism as well. I’ve been involved in a lot of community projects in the village itself. I have a good understanding of the village, and I have a good understanding of what direction residents want the village to go in.”

SeniorsCandidates At Luncheon

continued from page 3people are telling us that they want to age in place,” he said, adding that the village has provisions that allow residents to modify their homes so that they can maintain a strong quality of life and an inde-pendent lifestyle.

“We’ve got those funds avail-able to you today,” Greene said. “From the time I’ve been in office for the last four years, I’ve support-ed the senior lunches. We continue to reinvest in those services that really are here for you.”

He said that the village supports many applicants that come to the village saying they need to expand the type of services that serve the aging population. “We’ve got a new Alzheimer’s care facility that has recently come online,” Greene said as an example.

He said some seniors complain about not being able to get to their destination because of congestion, and the council is taking that into consideration when pondering new development applications.

“I’m trying hard to make sure

your needs are met,” Greene said, adding that the village’s Senior Advisory Committee meets once a month to listen to residents’ concerns.

Drahos said he recalled former Councilman Al Paglia years ago, who initiated the first senior trans-portation program.

“We have the STAR [Senior Transportation and Rides] pro-gram, which I will continue to support, and I actually want to see grow,” he said. “There’s also Wel-lington Cares… It is a charity that I have supported. I will continue to support it and continue to expand its reach.”

Drahos said that he wants to make sure seniors have a voice in village issues.

“The Wellington Senior Advi-sory Committee is an interesting point because it is something that I am hoping to grow once I get into office,” he said. “I believe that the committees have not been used effectively enough, and I want to work with these boards and com-mittees, particularly the Senior Ad-visory Committee, because they are the voice that speaks directly to the council.”

The Wellington election will be held Tuesday, March 15.

RPB ForumCandidates On Issues

continued from page 1she said. “The point is where are we going from here, and I am con-cerned about some of the decisions that have been made recently.”

Smith said that she has been a village resident since 2009, and she is raising her family here.

“One of the things that drove me to run this year was small businesses and transparency in the village,” she said. “We also have a problem with our elder population, so that they have somewhere to belong, and making options for our children.”

Valuntas has been on the council for almost six years, and a resident for 14 years. He has three children who all were born in the village and attend local public schools.

“My day job is keeping bad guys in jail as an assistant attorney general in the Criminal Appeals Division,” he said.

An almost lifelong South Flor-ida resident, Valuntas was born outside Philadelphia, attended public schools in South Florida and received bachelor’s, master’s and law degrees from Florida State University.

The candidates then took turns answering more than a dozen questions on a wide range of topics posed by Town-Crier staff mem-bers and submitted by members of the public.

Asked what they would like to see done with the many millions of dollars the village has accumulated from the sale of its water utilities and a recent land sale, Hmara said the council has already taken steps to pay off its debt on Commons Park, rather than continue to pay interest on the bond.

“We decided that we would pay down the one bond issue that we have… in order to be able to remove the debt, which was a substantial burden each year, more than a million dollars,” he said. “We decided to pay off that loan, which was about $15 million.”

White said that there is about $42 million in the budget.

“I have a copy here,” she said. “I have read budgets all of my ca-reer life, and this does not include raw data or detail,” she said. “It’s very difficult to obtain the right data from the village. We have a lot of dollars, and where are they going?”

She also asked what happened to money that was given by the village to the new Aldi regional distribution center that was sup-posed to go to landscaping, which some residents complain has not been done.

“Paying off debt is a wonderful thing, but until I can get a complete budget with raw data in it, I’m not qualified to answer this question,” White said.

Pinto said he was a key player in the decision to sell the water utility that put the village in a great financial position.

“The fact of the matter is that the decision has made the village $103 million,” he said. “The right decision was made to retire the debt because we’re paying more in interest than we could earn if we put the money in the bank. That was a very easy financial decision to make.”

Pinto said one of his goals is to get the village to a zero millage rate by taking advantage of its favorable financial standing and

the recently increasing property values.

Webster agreed that the village is in good financial position.

“We’ve run it like a business for years, and I, too, was part of that,” she said. “The right thing was done by paying down our debt. We are debt-free. It costs more to have debt than to invest. We will have $75 million remaining in reserves.”

She said that the reserve put the village in a good position to weather through the recession, but said caution should be exercised in what to do with the remaining reserve.

Smith said that as a business major, she agreed that paying down the debt was wise. “We were paying more interest than we were earning by retaining it,” she said.

Although she agreed with pay-ing off the existing loan, she added that there are still expenses being incurred in finishing the park.

“They’ve done a great job with it, but there are things that need to be done to it,” she said. “We’re also talking about parks in the area, and many of them are starting to decline. Veterans Park just had some issues with the kids’ playground there, so that, to me, has to be looked at.”

Valuntas said that the money from the water utility sale has been a source of revenue for the village for many years.

“I think it might be a good idea to keep some of these reserves, be-cause one of the original purposes for the water plant sale was to keep the revenue stream coming into the village,” he said.

He also agreed with Pinto that the village would be in a position to further reduce the tax rate as property values improve.

Asked about the way council meetings are run and what they would like to see done different-ly, White said that there is not enough advertising for people to know when council meetings are going on.

“They need to expand more than 300 feet when they are going to build something, to inform resi-dents of the plans, and you should advertise,” she said. “If we record every town meeting and give citi-zens the ability to download those meetings, that would help, but that would not eliminate the conversa-tions that transpire in backroom deals. Technical reviews currently are not available to the public, and somebody needs to explain to me why that is.”

Pinto said he wants meetings to be cordial, and to create an environ-ment of inclusiveness for citizens.

“We meet or exceed all of the requirements for publications and notifications,” he said. “Our council meetings are the first and third Thursdays of every month. That is a matter of public record.”

Webster said council meetings are for the people.

“The people need the opportuni-ty to come forward and be heard,” she said. “In the last couple of years, people have been shut off when they tried to speak. I believe this should be an open meeting. I believe people should have the opportunity to speak, and I think the agenda should be constructed so they have more time to speak than they have.”

Smith shared Webster’s con-cerns about council interaction with the public. “I have been some-body who has tried to approach the council on various reasons,” she said. “Sometimes they have been

favorable, sometimes they haven’t. Mr. Pinto said the council meets on first and third Thursdays. Perhaps that is a problem with residents and it is something that needs to be looked at. Perhaps the time is also an issue.”

Valuntas said he thinks council meetings are publicized fairly well. “There’s more than enough access to [information],” he said. “Sometimes I’ve been not happy with the way some of the meetings have been conducted, and the way sometimes things get out of hand. I definitely see with the two folks running for mayor tonight that that will be addressed and it won’t be an issue anymore, but I want us to do better.”

Hmara agreed with Valuntas that the meetings could improve interactions with the public.

“Sometimes it’s as subtle as body language,” he said. “One of the things I’ve tried to focus on is whenever someone is speaking, I try not to have sidebar conver-sations… I’m also watching the speaker, because eye contact is so powerful… The bottom line of a good meeting is not only an or-derly meeting, but also one where there is mutual respect.”

Asked about what the council can do to bring new business to the village, Webster said that Royal Palm Beach has been successful in that regard.

“I was part of bringing Aldi in, but I was not happy with the RaceTrac [gas station], as you well know,” she said. “That’s because I felt it was the wrong project in the wrong place. However, if we had been able to get the 12 pumps, it would have worked very well.”

Smith said that, coming from a long line of entrepreneurs, she thought the village does not do enough to help mom-and-pop businesses.

“We do have quite a few large businesses that come through here, and I think they’re represented well. However, the heart and soul of what makes us a village are mom-and-pop shops,” she said. “If you put those people out of business, I lose that touch and that small-town feel.”

Valuntas said that in his time on the council, he believes it has done a tremendous job bringing businesses into the village.

“Aldi was a huge boon in not

only bringing in the business and the revenue that it will generate, but more important is the jobs it creates,” he said. “I know a young family that my son plays baseball with. They were struggling with employment. Now I’m happy to say the mom is a manager at the Aldi warehouse, and she has prom-ising, longtime stable employment — and that is exactly the kind of thing the council wants to do.”

Hmara said that the village has reached out to new businesses both directly and indirectly through local organizations.

“We also play a role in the Cen-tral Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce, and we stay in-volved with many of their initia-tives,” he said. “One of the things I’d like to do is get businesses involved with internships, work-ing with our schools. The whole idea being to make a connection between business and our kids as they are growing up.”

White said that she owned a small business years ago, and that it’s very important to a village.

“What I’m hearing is that there is a challenge, as Selena said, for mom-and-pop stores,” she said. “The signage code here in the village needs to be addressed and looked at [so] that logos may be al-lowed to be put on the marquees.”

She suggested that people check out the Western Business Alliance for local operators, rather than patronizing big-box stores.

Pinto agreed that small business is crucial to the economy.

“I believe it’s something like 90 percent of all business in Florida are classified as small businesses,” he said. “This village has worked very hard to expedite processing and application processes to help any projects that come before us that are going to bring growth to the village.”

He said that many times, the council finds itself wishing it could do more for small business enterprises. “The reality is, the markets will do what the markets will do,” he said.

Other question topics included fighting crime in the community, road maintenance, recreation is-sues, services for seniors and more. A video of the entire forum can be found at www.royalpalmbeach.com/mediacenter.aspx. Once there, click the “Candidate Forums” link.

The golf range and playgrounds will be open all weekend long.

Shuttles will be available for those within the park needing extra assistance. Morales sug-gested bringing chairs to enjoy the concerts.

This is the third year that the Village of Royal Palm Beach is running West Fest, and it wouldn’t be possible without the sponsors, including the Royal Palm Auto Mall, the Port of Palm Beach, Republic Services, Storm Tight Windows, FPL, the Police Athletic League, Red Barn Feed & Supply, Waste Management, Fink Golf Cars, iHeart Media, the Wild West Diner, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, South Florida 103.1 WIRK Country, 94.3 Real Audio, Wild 95.5, Wave 92.7 and Sunny 107.9 FM.

West Fest is open from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call (561) 790-5149 or visit www.rpbwestfest.com.

West FestIn RPB This Weekendcontinued from page 1

body,” Morales said. “It’s going to be a jam-packed weekend. It will be really fun for people to come out. I definitely recommend a great time out in the park and enjoying the huge event all weekend long.”

The only costs associated with the event are the food vendors (including a beer vendor), items purchased from craft vendors and the expanded selection of carnival rides. There are all-day bracelets available for $20, and individual tickets are also available. For convenience, ATMs will be set up at the park.

“It’s a unique event because it’s tied into an already established park that has playgrounds, pavil-ions and activities, and we put an event right inside of that,” Morales said. “There’s even a lake there, if people want to go fishing.”

(L-R) Moderator Jim Sackett with Royal Palm Beach candidates Jeff Hmara, Lenore White, Fred Pinto, Martha Webster, Richard Valuntas and Selena Smith. PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Letterscontinued from page 4

players all come together. During traditional peak hours of operation, the tennis center is at capacity. Just try to find a parking spot at 10 a.m. during the week, or on a Saturday.

Please don’t turn over the keys to this jewel of a facility to some unknown entity. I respectfully urge staff and council members to rethink the decision to put the center out to bid. The community would be better served if the con-

cerns that you have are addressed by the knowledgeable members of your staff and didn’t require tremendous upheaval. Speak di-rectly with Mr. Cheatham. Tell him where you think costs can be cut, ask where he thinks improvements can be made — then allot a certain amount of time for that to happen.

The tennis center isn’t broken, there is no need to try and fix it.

Rosemond HammondWellington


NEWSWOMEN’S GROUP ENJOYS ‘SUNDAY FUNDAY’ AT INTERNATIONAL POLO CLUB

Zola Thompson, Lowe Thompson, Lily Sloan andRuby Sloan of Finally Farm sang “Downtown.”

Faye Ford, Allyson Samiljan, Terri Wescott,and B.J. and Bobby Ewing.

The Women of the Western Communities hosted its second annual Sunday Funday at Polo on Sunday, Feb. 21 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington. The lavish luncheon supported the YWCA Harmony House and the Women of the Western Communities Scholarship Fund. For information about upcoming events, e-mail Mair Armand at [email protected] or call (561) 635-0011.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Alisa Miller, Lenyce Boyd, ChristinaAntinori and Diana Tardonia.

Chris and Tara Zimmerman with Al and Ivannia Heinen.

Astrid Von Oetinger, Theresa LePore and Suzanne Turner.Donna Kulak, Terri Priore, Racquel White-Jean,

Sachi Yannaone and Marie Priore.

(Seated) Violet Pillen with Scott and Mair Armand;(standing) Keri Chicano and Cheryl Dunn Bychek.

Lynda Chicano, Donna Kuebler,Lisa Schwartz and Terri Chevalier.

Andrea Pellosmaand Julie Anusbigian.

Tammy Bomia with herdaughter, Amanda

Thibodeau.

Diane Becker, Debbie Sanacore and Lorraine Garafola.

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No Fee to attend. Just show up. Buy your own coffee or Breakfast and connect with other TWBA members as you grow together in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.

The Western Business Alliance would like to invite its members to our “Business Over Easy” Breakfast on Tuesday, March 1st at 8:00 AM at the Wild West Diner.

We meet on the 1st Tuesday each month, 8:00 AM- 9:00 AM at the: Wild West Diner, 12041 Southern Blvd, Loxahatchee, FL 33470 Phone: 561.469.2333

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Aaron’s Catering of The Palm Beaches ............................ Aaron MenitoffAmbassador Lawn & Landscape Maintenance ................ Frank VitaniAsador Patagonia ........................................................... Natalia YamashiroCatania Family Style Restaurant ...................................... Brian ScottoCentanni Italian Restaurant ............................................ Fidel AlvarezCreative Contracting Group ............................................ Lisa Addis

CSI Palm Beach ............................................................... Marc MelnickFloridian Community Bank ............................................. Joanne DeeHi-Tech Plumbing & Air ................................................... Jathynia GarciaInternational Polo Club Palm Beach ................................ John WashLiberty Tax Service .......................................................... Bob SalernoLion Country Safari ......................................................... Jennifer Berthiaume

Mario The Baker ............................................................. Kevin PueblaNRI Institute of Health Sciences ...................................... M. Daniel SplainPalms West Monthly ...................................................... Robert HarrisPrestia|Holtz P.A. ........................................................... Thomas PrestiaSharp Shopper Magazine ................................................ Barbara ChaikenWellington Interior Design Center ................................... Michael Gordon


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ShoppingSpreeShoppingSpree

INSIDE


THIS WEEK’S INDEXTAILS FROM THE TRAILS ............................ 29BUSINESS NEWS ...................................30-31SPORTS & RECREATION ........................37-39COMMUNITY CALENDAR ............................ 42CLASSIFIEDS .........................................43-47

BusinessOTTO Sport Paddock Mat System HelpsArea Farm Owners During Recent RainsWith recent heavy rains, the equestrian haven of Wellington has been turned upside down this winter. Competitions have seen delays and cancellations, and horses and riders have had to stay indoors during uncharacteristically rainy weather. But some eques-trians have outfitted their farms with an elite arena system that allows them to continue riding and train-ing as normal, even through bad weather. Page 30

SportsWolverines’ Playoff Run Ends WithDouble-OT LossThe Wel l ington High School basketball squad hosted Coral Springs High School in the Class 8A re-gional title game on Feb. 19 and fell to the visiting Colts 85-79 in double overtime. The Wolver-ines’ postseason run at defending their state title came to an end before a packed gym. Page 37

PBC Posse Starts 2016 Circuit At Jim BrandonThe Palm Beach County Mounted Posse opened its 2016 circuit at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center the weekend of Feb. 6-7. Dressage classes ran all day Saturday. Jumping classes started that evening. Hunter and western pleasure classes ran Sunday. Ellen Rosenberg’s Column, Page 29

Hawks Lacrosse Team Falls To Cardinal NewmanOn Thursday, Feb. 18, the Seminole Ridge High School girls lacrosse team hosted Cardinal Newman High School in a non-conference match-up and suffered its first loss of the season, 18-7. The Lady Hawks were unbeaten at 3-0 prior to the night’s loss. Page 37

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WELCOME TO THE WINTER EQUESTRIAN FESTIVALheld at the Main Grounds at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center

Watch The Equestrian ActionVisit WEF during the day from Wednesday through Sunday, take in the exciting scene of several thousand horses and riders competing in 12 arenas.

Stroll the grounds at your leisure, grab a bite to eat and shop till you drop at our unique boutiques, art galleries, jewelers, high-end fashion and so much more.

Grab a Bite to EatA variety of Food Vendors are located throughout the property, including:

• Coliano’s Pizza

• Tito’s Tacos: Margaritas, Tacos, Burritos, Chips, Salsa

• Tiki Hut: Grilled Chicken, Variety Burgers, Grilled Fish, Salads

• Oli’s Fashion Cuisine: in the Vendor Village

Take a Lunch & TourSee the world-renowned equestrian competition, vendors, stables and various venues that Palm Beach International Equestrian Center has to offer, followed by a catered lunch with your group. Your tour will allow you to explore twelve of the competition rings, the stabling area where horses prepare for competition, and a stroll through Vendor Village. The tour will be both exciting and informative, and there is a good chance you will see some Olympic riders gearing up for competition! Equestrian Lunch & Tours are available by appointment Wednesday through Sunday during the WEF season.

Shopping Around the Show GroundsYou are invited to shop in a variety of locations throughout the PBIEC, including the Vendor Village, Hunter Hill, and The Bridge Deck, the outdoor courtyard oasis filled with exquisite shops and boutiques offering fashion, jewelry, home design, fine art, photography, horseware and more.Visit a new Vendor area each week!

Children’s ActivitiesEntertainers, live band, balloon artists, face painters, bounce houses...and more!

The SuitesIf you want to watch the Winter Equestrian Festival in style, host a corporate event, or entertain friends and family, reserve your Suite today! With upscale decor and dining, these ringside seats for up to 22 people are available and offer a full buffet and premium bar options. Reserve a whole suite, a table, or individual seats. Contact 561.784.1110 for more information or to make reservations. Reference Palms West This Week to receive a discount!

Join Us Every Wednesday through Sunday to Experience Equestrian Sport at Its Best!

MAIN GROUNDS AT PBIEC | 3400 EQUESTRIAN CLUB DRIVE, WELLINGTON, FL 33414 | 561.793.JUMP (5867) | WWW.PBIEC.COM

VENDOR VILLAGE

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Alessandro AlbaneseAnn Hubbards Tack ShopAnne Gittins PhotographyAntarès Sellier FranceBeval SaddleryBomber BitsCavalleria ToscanaCharles Ancona NYCM Hadfields Saddlery Inc.CWD Custom SaddlesDer Dau Custom BootsEquiline Equestrian FashionEquine and CountryEquine Tack & NutritionalsEquis LLCFrench Corner, Inc.Horseware Ireland EquestrianIll.Fabbri Riding BootsJames Leslie Parker PhotographyJods Equestrian ApparelKocher Tack ShopLa Mundial Custom BootsLe FashME.N.U.OnTyte Stirrups & FootwearParty of 2Personalised ProductsRunning Fox EquestrianSharon Lynn CampbellSofie Belgium BoutiqueStylelinerTack ’N’ RiderTato’sTurner & CoVander Moore Designs Inc.Voltaire Design Fine SaddleryWEF Official Boutique

BARNS 3 & 4Dandy ProductsFarmvet Inc.RC Saddle & Tack RepairBARN 5Woody’s Shoe RepairJosey’s Laundry Service RING 6Amberway Equine SolutionsHorse Gym USA®

RINGS 9 & 10Barn SaversButet Saumur SaddlesDevoucoux Custom Saddles& TackGPA HelmetsMcGuinn Farms Inc. Tack Trunks and Stable Equipment SportFot USA Inc. INTERNATIONAL ARENA WARM UPAnimo USABruno Delgrange Custom SaddlesEquisafe LLC

BRIDGE DECKSBIBA of NY BoutiqueKingsland EquestrianSwatches & Rags Fine MenswearWEF Official Boutique

HUNTER HILLAdvantage BiosciencesBJ’s Hunt RoomC Jones Silver HousewaresDanny & Ron’s Dog RescueFab Finds by SarahIllustrated Properties RealtorJust FUR Fun – Goodies for DogsOlive and Bette’sPinnell Custom Leather Inc.Jods Equestrian ApparelSarm Hippique & Pariani INTERNATIONAL SHOPPESDouglas Elliman Real Estate Equiline Equestrian FashionHunt LTD Karina Brez JewelryKeyes Art ConsultingLugano DiamondsMaybach Icons of LuxuryMichelle Farmer

TIKI HUT TERRACEAriat®

Copious Row Luxury GiftsElizabeth Locke Jewels Inc.Eyes of WellingtonHermèsMichel McNabb JewleryPeng Custom HandbagsSkiffingtons BoutiqueTucci by NewstarZadeh – Men’s Jewelry

PLACES TO EAT INTERNATIONAL ARENATito’s TacosTiki Hut VENDOR ROWHarry’s LemonadeLoopy’s Crepe CaféColiano’s PizzaOasis Café RINGS 9 & 10Professional ConcessionsMagadelena’s Mexican FoodMuddy Paw CoffeeNathalie’s Café BARN 4Burgess and Clark Coffee

EquestrianSportProd_PWTW2_26_16.indd 1 2/24/16 10:52 AM


FEATURESPBC Mounted Posse Starts 2016 Circuit At Jim Brandon

Tales From The Trails

By Ellen Rosenberg

The Palm Beach County Mounted Posse staged its first new show of the 2016 circuit at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center the weekend of Feb. 6-7.

Dressage classes ran all day Saturday. A diverse offering of jumping classes started that evening, with levels from 2’3” cross rails to 3’3” add-back money. Hunter and western pleasure classes ran Sunday, with multiple rings filled to capacity.

“Last year’s opening show had more than 700 entries, and we left after 9:30 p.m.,” Posse President Alyce Michelbrink said. “So we divided the eight biggest divisions evenly, getting everyone home a lot earlier.”

The dressage show, entering its fifth year, regularly fills before the entry-close date every month.

“This year we’re offering 2’6” Medal Class and 2’6” Child/Adult Hunter classes for the Southeast Medal Finals in Jacksonville. It’s a great opportunity for local riders to qualify without spending a fortune or having to travel to find a rated show,” Michelbrink said. “Our pleasure ring experienced the same growth spurt, and the addition of a separate trail ring and judge reduced waiting time. This year we’ve created lead line and walk/jog off lead divisions, starting them on a small pattern, novice walk/jog/lope for those moving up, brought back the popular bareback equitation

Get updates all week long... follow Ellen Rosenberg on Twitter at twitter.com/Horse TalkFL.

class, and added western riding, a combination of reining and horsemanship.”

Pam LiVecchi, owner of Desert Rose Ranch Equestrian Center, was glad the new circuit had begun.

“We’re especially excited about the medal classes,” she said. “That’s a huge opportunity for a lot of local riders, a huge deal. We love the posse. We attend every show. This is a terrific venue for schooling barns like ours. I especially appreciate being able to move in and school the day before. The staff is fantastic; very hard-working. The judges are great. Everything is top-quality and definitely family-friendly. They also offer lovely year-end prizes, trophies and awards, and have a fun banquet. It gives everyone something to strive for.”

Pam’s entire barn often comes to the shows. “This time we have 19 riders and 13 horses. There are classes for more advanced riders, but it’s especially welcoming for novice riders and green horses,” she said. “They welcome all breeds; no one pooh-poohs anyone because they don’t own a fancy whatever. They care

more about safety, manners and suitability, which makes it fair.”

Pam called it “the greatest schooling show in the country.”

“I can’t recommend it enough, whether you’re a big barn with lots of clients or a single person with a backyard horse,” she said. “I feel very fortunate to be allowed to show here. It’s

an honor. Once you try it, you’ll be back.”I wandered about that Saturday, meeting

many old friends, reflecting on how much nicer these show grounds were compared with the original, smaller posse venue at the corner of Belvedere and State Road 7. I spent many happy Sundays there, showing all sorts

Veterinarian Rebecca Adkins with her horse, Lancelot.

See ROSENBERG, page 39

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BUSINESS NEWSPaddock Mat System Helps Farm Owners During Recent Rains

With recent continuous heavy rains, the equestrian haven of Wel-lington has been turned upside down this winter season. Competitions have seen delays and cancellations, and horses and riders have had to stay indoors during uncharacteristi-cally rainy weather.

Equestrians from all disciplines have found themselves surrounded by rising water and limited from their competition plans. But some equestrians have outfitted their farms with an elite arena system that allows them to continue riding and training as normal, even through disastrous weather.

Olympic dressage riders Debbie McDonald and Adrienne Lyle, based out of TYL Farm owned by Kylee Lourie in Wellington, are among a select few whose horses have the luxury of staying high and dry — turned out and continuing with their normal daily schedules. Their paddocks are outfitted with the OTTO Sport Paddock Mat System.

Premier Equestrian, a leading innovator in arena footing and supporter of prominent equestrians such as McDonald and Lyle, is the exclusive North American distrib-utor of the German product. With a little strategic planning, and the OTTO Sport Paddock Mat system

from Premier Equestrian, McDonald and Lyle’s training facility continues to function smoothly.

The OTTO Sport system is based on its perforated mats that can be outfitted beneath riding arenas and paddocks, such as the paddocks at TYL Farm. The OTTO system provides maximum drainage, con-cussion mitigation, stability for horse and rider, and a proper and durable separation of footing and substructure. Drainage holes in the mat remove excess water quickly, making the arena usable soon after a storm. Built-in reservoirs hold enough water to rehydrate the footing later. These features make the OTTO system well-suited for any arena or farm in the world, and crucial in times of extreme weather.

“OTTO Sport offers a system of drainage, concussion relief, biome-chanics benefits and longevity,” said Heidi Zorn, president of Premier Equestrian. “The OTTO Sport system is a proven product that has been around for over 30 years. Many riding and equestrian surfaces are still standing and performing as well as they did the first day the system was installed 30 years ago.”

Fellow dressage icon and Olym-pian Steffen Peters is also keenly aware of the importance of select-

ing a proper arena system for his training facility Arroyo Del Mar in California. Recently, one of the strongest El Niño weather systems on record pummeled California, leaving devastating conditions for equestrians with flooding in paddocks and riding rings. Paying close attention to warnings of this year’s El Niño, Peters sought out the Premier Equestrian and the OTTO Sport arena system for the facility he and his wife, USDF gold medalist Shannon Peters, use.

Peters believes that the advanced OTTO Sport arena system is essen-tial, and his arena proved its worth throughout the series of intense El Niño storms. Peters’ team continued to train while most of California’s equestrian population saw them-selves virtually stall-bound.

Today, many in the Wellington equestrian community are seeing those very same effects — and, like Peters, McDonald and Lyle, are glad to have taken the precaution of installing the Premier Equestrian and OTTO Sport perforated mats and arena systems prior to the winter competition season.

To learn more about Premier Equestrian and the OTTO Sport arena system, visit www.premiereq-uestrian.com or call (800) 611-6109.

These two photos were tak-en on the same day at TYL Farm in Wellington, where Adrienne Lyle and Deb-bie McDonald are based. Horses were able to enjoy their dry paddocks (shown right) even after flooding from heavy rains (shown below) thanks to the OTTO Sport perforated mat sys-tem installed at TYL Farm in Wellington.

PHOTOS COURTESY ADRIENNE LYLE


BUSINESS NEWSSeagull Services Opens Food Pantry In Riviera Beach

Seagull Services has opened a food pantry, bringing fresh meats, produce and pantry staples to an area lacking in easy access to nutritious food.

The food pantry is operated out of Seagull’s charter school, Seagull Academy for Independent Living, and provides both its program participants and neighbors in the community with the opportunity to select the items they need twice a month. The first distributions took place this month.

“Getting a food pantry has been a longtime goal for us to assist the families of our students and other area families with their food needs,” said Barbara Nurenberg, president

and CEO of Seagull Services. “We discovered that our school is located in... a food desert, so this brings great benefit to members of the communi-ty, as well as our students.”

Food deserts are areas where a low-income population has poor access to affordable, nutritious food because of a lack of major grocery stores, coupled with poor public transportation. Seagull Services is in partnership with Feeding South Florida to obtain the food for the need-based program.

The pantry will be open to indi-viduals and families requiring sup-plemental food who live in the area of SAIL, located at 6250 N. Military Trail, just south of the Rapids Water

Park. People wanting to obtain food from the SAIL food pantry need to fill out a simple three-question pre-registration at the school.

“There really wasn’t anything like this in our area during non-work hours, and we know the need is substantial,” said Linda Moore, COO of Seagull and principal of SAIL. “We’ve got a great variety of food I’d like to distribute to our community. With our pantry, you shop for what you will eat.”

Pre-registration takes only a few minutes. To prevent delays, SAIL can fax or e-mail a pre-registration form. People wanting to obtain food can complete the form, then return it on the next pantry day

Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants in Florida and Georgia, including the one in Royal Palm Beach, helped raise more than $56,000 for the for the Toys for Tots initiative during the recent holiday season. The money was raised during Applebee’s annual Breakfast with Santa events. Shown here, Marc Prince (right), director of operations for Applebee’s, presents a check for $56,277 to Chief Warrant Officer A.T. Wilson of the U.S. Marines in support of the Toys for Tots program.

APPLEBEE’S RAISES OVER $56K FOR TOYS FOR TOTS

prior to shopping. People who have pre-registered are invited to shop anytime between 4 and 6 p.m. on pantry days. Next month, the pantry will be open March 10 and 31. SAIL

also is looking for volunteers to help operate the pantry.

For more information, or to re-ceive a pre-registration form, call Moore at (561) 540-8110.

Luxury Home Marketing Institute Sets Training In WPBThe Realtors Association of the

Palm Beaches will host the popular Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist two-day training course next month in West Palm Beach.

Local agents can attend the two-day Institute for Luxury Home Marketing session and gain insights into working successfully in the ever-changing real estate market. As a bonus, attendees will have the opportunity to receive Florida con-tinuing education credit, as well as elective credit toward the National

Association of Realtors’ Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) des-ignation.

The course is open to Realtors from any brokerage firm. The train-ing course takes place in West Palm Beach on March 16 and 17.

Details on the program’s location and registration are available at www.luxuryhomemarketing.com/westpalmbeach.

Attendees who complete the two-day course will become members of the institute and are eligible to

earn the CLHMS designation. Tami Simms, institute trainer, will conduct the training.

The course includes information on luxury residential trends, demo-graphics of luxury buyers and sell-ers, special competencies required to find and serve the affluent, and exclusive research information on how to work with the key categories of the wealthy.

For more information, visit www.luxuryhomemarketing.com and www.luxuryinsights.com.


#1 Education Place offers Summer Academic and Enrichment camps to help students improve, maintain or acquire new academic skills in small teacher-led groups. Campers have the opportunity to choose enrichment camps such as Chess Camp conducted by USA Chess, Video Game Creation Camp presented by Active Learning Systems, Scratch Programming Language by Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab, Armory Art Camp by the Armory Art Center and more. Additionally, #1 Education Place is offering Spanish and Robotics camps. One-week sessions run from June 5 to Aug. 12. For more information and rates, call (561) 201-4531 or visit 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd. Suite 23.

Art Cellar Summer Camp is providing social and interactive art lessons, providing step-by-step instruction in a fun atmosphere for all ages during its summer camp, where young artists will learn to color outside the lines. Geared toward ages 7 to 12, nonstop art fun is available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended hours and sibling discounts available. Young artists will paint, craft, learn about art history, play art-related games, have creative free time and more for only $55 a day or $220 for the week. Spots are limited. For more information, or to register a young artist, call (561) 792-2272 or visit www.facebook.com/artcellarwellington or www.artcellarwellington.com.

Casperey Stables Horse Camp is a small, fun-filled day camp for children ages 7 to 14. With four riding opportunities each day, arts and crafts, and outdoor games, camp-ers find little time to be bored. The low counselor-child ratio ensures that each child receives individual attention. There are camp sessions for spring and winter school breaks and during the summer. Each two-week session has a theme, such as Indian Days, Circus Days and Medieval Days. Casperey Stables has a weekly swim party and ends each session with a horse show and family barbecue. To learn more about the camp, located at 2330 D Road in Loxahatchee Groves, call (561) 792-4990 or visit www.caspereystables.com.

Engineering for Kids is holding an Engineering/Science Summer Camp for children ages 6 to 14 where they will have a blast while learning in a fun, supportive environ-ment. Children will be able to solve Minecraft engineering challenges, battle robots, build and launch rockets, race dragsters, create their own sailboat and more as they learn the science behind it all. Camp takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with extended hours available. There are multiple Palm Beach County locations. Register early, since camps fill up quickly. For more information, visit www.engineeringforkids.com/palmbeach or e-mail [email protected].


High Touch High Tech & Joey’s Outback Adventures in Wellington have partnered to bring the “Hottest Camps in Town” to children this summer. High Touch High Tech, the proud leader in science education for the last 20 years, brings science to life with hands-on experiments for children. Each day will be a new adventure, from interacting with real animals to launching rockets and panning for gems. The camp offers afford-able pricing, experiments with lots of cool take-home projects, arts and crafts, and awesome physical activities in Joey’s amazing indoor playground. The camp taps into a children’s natural curiosity and provides them with safe and fun activities to help them learn about the world around them. Expect awesome fun as campers make slime, erupt volcanoes, make ice cream and more. For more information, or to register, call (561)792-3785 or visit www.sciencemadefunsfl.net.

The Lake Worth Playhouse is holding a summer camp where campers learn acting, voice, dance and stage movement through daily activities and rehearsals, which culminate in full-scale productions of popular musicals. Campers will be engaged in studio-style rehearsals for music, dance and production. Campers 12+ will also par-ticipate in behind-the-scenes roles and other theatre-related education at the Lake Worth Playhouse, located at 713 Lake Ave. in Lake Worth. For more information, call (561) 586-6410 or visit www.lakeworthplayhouse.org.

Lion Country Safari will hold its popular summer day camp again in 2016. Each day at Safari Day Camp is filled with fun, adventure and hands-on learning. Campers ages 6 to13 experience wildlife and wild places, become a zoo keeper for a day, swim, play games, make crafts and enjoy behind-the-scenes activities at Lion Country Safari. Camp sessions run Monday through Friday from June 13 through Aug. 12. Tuition includes daily lunch and snack, a T-shirt, a water bottle and a cap. Camp spots fill up quickly. Register online at www.lioncountrysafari.com or call (561) 793-1084, ext. 2127 for info.

The Goddard School is a trusted name among parents and families for more than 27 years, with its safe classroom, nurturing environment and age-appropriate exploration and discovery opportunities. The school’s summer camp incorporates its F.L.EX (fun, learning experience) Learning Program and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) learning into exciting, one-of-a-kind and fun experience every day for children. Children ages 1 to 7 will enjoy the five different themes presented during camp, which runs from June 6 to Aug. 12 at 2665 State Road 7 in Wellington. To register, or for more information, call (561) 333-2020 or visit www.goddardschool.com/wellingtonfl.


The Little Place and The Little Place Too, Wellington’s premier nationally accredited childcare centers for more than 37 years, offer childcare for children up to 8 years old. The Little Place offers a quality, caring environment for children age 6 months to 5 years old. Staff works hand-in-hand with local elementary schools to help each child develop, to promote vital academic skills and to reinforce positive social interaction. For children ages 3 to 5, activities include utilizing tablets in the classroom with interactive programs that introduce basic math, reading and other skills. With exciting activities and outings, elementary-age children are kept busy with educational activities and playtime. For more information, or to register, call either the 1040 Wellington Trace location at (561) 793-5860 or the 2995 Greenbriar Blvd. location at (561) 790-0808.

St. David’s Episcopal School, conveniently located on Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington, is offering an onsite summer camp for children 3 to 8 years old. Camp activities include water play, outside play, movie day, Bible stories, games and music. The theme this summer is “Journey through Imagination.” Campers will explore through the mind’s eye of authors of well-known children’s books and ignite creativity with special crafts and activities. Camp takes place Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and costs either $30 per day or $125 per week. For more information, or to register, call (561) 793-1272 or visit www.stdavidsepiscopalschool.com.

Temple Beth Torah’s Leonie Arguetty Preschool is holding a “Summer of Fun” enrich-ment camp for children 2 to 6 years old. Children will enjoy a variety of fun activities that will make them smile, while promoting learning and social development. Activities include art, gymnastics, computers, sports, nature, cooking, water play and enjoying the preschool’s state-of-the-art playground. Children are sure to love the weekly en-tertainment, including High Touch High Tech, storytellers and animal shows. All of this takes place in a loving and nurturing environment. Camp is available for eight weeks, with full-time and part-time participation available. Temple Beth Torah is also now en-rolling for 2016-17 preschool classes. For more information, or to register, call Sandy at (561) 793-2649 or e-mail [email protected].


SPORTS & RECREATION

Hawks Lacrosse Team Falls To Cardinal Newman 18-7By Gene Nardi

Town-Crier Staff ReportOn Thursday, Feb. 18, the Sem-

inole Ridge High School girls lacrosse team hosted Cardinal New-man High School in a non-confer-

ence match-up and suffered its first loss of the season, 18-7. The Lady Hawks were unbeaten at 3-0 prior to the night’s loss.

Seminole Ridge found itself down 7-1 early in the game to a

tough Crusader offense. The Hawks collected themselves defensively, surrendering only one more goal prior to the end of the first half, heading to the locker room down 8-2.

PHOTOS BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER

The Hawks mounted an early second-half rally, with three goals from Bethany Enriquez and one from Kylie Shivers to close the margin to 11-5.

The Hawks just could not match

their offensive run on the defensive side of the ball. The Crusader of-fense proved too difficult a puzzle to solve. Cardinal Newman would match the Hawks score-for-score, and then some.

Enriquez would drive in two more goals with seconds remaining on the clock to chisel into the Crusader

PHOTOS BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER

Wolverines’ Playoff Run Ends With Double-OT LossBy Gene Nardi

Town-Crier Staff ReportThe Wellington High School bas-

ketball squad hosted Coral Springs High School in the Class 8A regional title game on Friday, Feb. 19 and fell to the visiting Colts 85-79 in double overtime. The Wolverines’ postsea-

son run at defending their state title in Lakeland this year came to an end before a packed gymnasium in Wellington.

The Wolverines appeared poised to take their second regional title away from the Colts. They put together a strong attack early, led

by Lester Gates and Trent Frazier, that lifted the team to a 13-4 lead. The Colts would kick back, but not enough. The first period closed with Wellington holding on 15-10.

Frazier and Alex Dieudonne ignited the Wolverine offense in the

Wellington’s Nick Brown finds a lane to move the ball up court.

Wolverine Trent Fraziergoes for the layup.

See LACROSSE, page 39

Wellington’s Lester Gates goes up for the shot.

Kylier Shivers defends for the Hawks.

See WOLVERINES, page 39

Seminole Ridge’s Julie Blair finds a seam

in the Crusader defense.Bethany Enriquez takes a shot on goal and scores for the Hawks.

Sage Chen-Young looksfor a pass under the net.


SPORTS & RECREATION

USA Baseball unveiled its 50-player preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list recently, beginning the process of identifying the top amateur baseball player in the coun-try for the 2016 season. Sponsored by Major League Baseball, and presented in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation, the 39th Golden Spikes Award will be pre-sented on June 30 in Los Angeles.

Wellington Wrestling Club mem-ber Justin Henry captured the AAU I Own Florida Award recently at the AAU State Championships. Henry, an eighth-grader at Polo Park Middle School, had to win five tournaments in the series and the state tournament held in Bradenton to win the prestigious award. The Wellington Wrestling Club practices all year round on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Village Park, offering classes for beginners and advanced wrestlers. For more info., contact coach Travis Gray at [email protected] or (561) 827-8595.

WRESTLER JUSTIN HENRY WINS BIG STATE AWARD

Keiser University junior desig-nated hitter/pitcher Keivan Berges was among the names included on the list. Berges is the lone player from the NAIA and one of seven non-NCAA Division 1 players on the list. Wellington is his hometown.

The preseason watch list features 50 of the nation’s top amateur play-ers, from high school and college baseball. The Golden Spikes Award

Advisory Board will maintain a rolling list of athletes, allowing players to play themselves into con-sideration for the award throughout the season. “This is a huge honor for Keivan,” head coach Jeremy Kennedy said. “The Golden Spikes Award is a who’s who list of players in amateur baseball, and to even be mentioned is a big deal for him and for our program. I am very proud of Keivan for the work he has done to get to this point. He has put in a lot

of work on and off the field in order to get to where he is today as a player and a person. I am very happy for him and proud of him. I am also very appreciative to the Golden Spikes Award committee for recognizing a college player who isn’t at a major Division 1 program.”

This season, Berges is batting a team leading .438 with 14 hits in-cluding three doubles, one homerun and 10 runs batted in. A season ago, he was named First Team All-Amer-

ican, Sun Conference Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference. Berges led the team in doubles (20), home runs (15), RBIs (73) and slug-ging percentage (.652).

The winner of the 39th Golden Spikes Award will be named on Thursday, June 30 at a presentation in Los Angeles. The finalists and their families will be honored at the Rod Dedeaux Foundation Dinner that evening at the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles.

PBCHS Grad Named One Of Top 50 College Baseball Players

The Wellington Wrestling Team recently captured the District 3A-10 title for the third-consecutive year. Individual champions were Donovan Ortiz (106 lbs.), Jared Abramson (113 lbs.), Tyler Difiore (132 lbs.), Jacob Treanor (145 lbs.), Eric Saber (170 lbs.) and Isaac Adonis (195). All 13 WHS wrestlers qualified for the region-al tournament. The top four in each weight class will advance to the state finals. (L-R) Ian Posada, Tyler Difiore, Colton Macfarlane, Jacob Treanor, Camron Allen, Eric Saber, Cameryn Townsend, Alec Trias, Pharaoh Charles, Roland Kupoluyi, Isaac Adonis, Donovan Ortiz and Jared Abramson.

WHS WRESTLERS WIN DISTRICT TITLE


SPORTS & RECREATION

Rosenberg2016 Posse

Circuitcontinued from page 29

of horses. The classes were a lot smaller, and there were only two rings.

I ran into Rebecca Adkins, a veterinarian who works for Reid & Associates. She had been out to my house just a few weeks earlier stitching up one of my mares.

Rebecca had brought Lancelot, her 13-year-old draft cross. “I’ve

had him nine years,” she said. “I decided to try him in one of the dressage classes, first level. This is our first time showing at the posse. Our first time at Jim Brandon, too. I hope to get him back into training and hope the judge has some helpful comments so we can improve our training.”

After she had finished, Rebecca was pleased. “The show was nice, quiet and ran smoothly. Everyone was friendly. We did well. The judge gave us good marks and made some excellent suggestions,” she said. “We’re going to work on a better

carriage in our downward transitions and also on our lateral movement. It was a good learning environment; really excellent for bringing along new or green horses. I hope to go back again next month, if my work schedule allows.”

The posse started as a small local schooling show for Palm Beach County, but it’s no longer just a local show. “We draw riders and trainers from as far as Vero Beach, Davie, Parkland, Plantation and Southwest Ranches. We have bar-rel racers coming from the Keys to Okeechobee, and our new Saddle

Series Jackpot show brought riders from Florida’s west coast,” Michel-brink said. “We have WEF riders schooling with us, and our judges are top-notch. Olympian Carol Lavell was a dressage judge at this first show — what an opportunity to ride before such a knowledgeable person, then talk with her and get feedback before riding a second test. Riders are welcome to ride any test, everything from Introductory through Grand Prix.”

It’s very relaxed — you don’t need fancy clothes or equipment or braiding — and all for $25 per ride.

“Our judges have commented fa-vorably on the quality of our horses and riders, which is quite special,” Michelbrink said. “We have three generations of riders showing with us — parents, kids and now the grandkids. And even though our shows always have over 600 entries, we haven’t strayed far from our roots. Even though we’re a bigger posse, we’re still the old posse.”

Posse pleasure shows run the first weekend of each month, Feb-ruary through June and September through November. For more infor-mation, visit www.pbcposse.com.

WolverinesLoss In

Overtimecontinued from page 37

second period on a 15-8 run that locked down a 35-24 lead at the end of the half. Nick Brown contributed under the net to feed the ball to the hungry Wolverine offense.

In the second half, Wellington built a 16-point lead over what ap-peared to be a fatigued Colts squad. However, the Colts galloped back into the fight, chipping away at the Wellington lead with precision accuracy at the free-throw line. Mo-mentum swung in the Colts’ favor,

but the Wolverines did just enough offensively to maintain the edge. At the end of the third quarter, Welling-ton held to a 46-41 lead.

The fourth quarter proved to be epic. The Colts, midway through the fourth period, continued their sniper-like shots and took their first lead at 56-55 over a struggling Wellington squad. The game stayed close until the final buzzer.

The score was deadlocked at 60 entering the first overtime period. The game was tied again at 66 mov-ing into the second overtime period. Gates fouled out late in overtime play with a total of 16 points. His absence in the final minutes may have been crucial.

The Wolverines did manage to take a brief lead in both overtime periods. However, the team was bested on the scoreboard 19-13 through the final four minutes of overtime play.

Wellington finished its season at 25-5, with its third consecutive District 9-8A championship crown.

Dieudonne was the scoring leader for Wellington with 31 points in-cluding two 3-point goals. Frazier tallied 21 points and three 3-point baskets.

(Right) Wellington’s Alex Dieu-donne battles for the rebound under the net.

PHOTO BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER

LacrosseFirst Loss For SRHScontinued from page 37

lead, making it 18-7 to close out the contest.

The loss was the first of the season for the Lady Hawks, who fell to 3-1 on the season.

Enriquez earned player of the game for the Hawks, racking up five goals.

The Hawks had two away games against the Oxbridge Academy and Suncoast High School this week, but results were not available by press time.


WELLINGTON 12836 FOREST HILL BLVD. WELLINGTON, FL 33414561.612.7853SUN - THURS 11AM - 10PMFRI - SAT 11AM -11PM

$3 OFFWITH PURCHASE OF $15 OR MORE.**Valid at this location only. Coupon required at time of purchase. limit one coupon per customer. Not to be used with any other coupons or offers. Offer not valid with gift card or alcohol purchases. Void where prohibited. state sales tax applicable. cash value 1/100¢. Offer valid until 03.31.16. Not valid for online orders. @2016 all burgerfi franchised locations are independently owned and operated.

*Valid at this location only. Coupon required at time of purchase. limit one coupon per customer. Not to be used with any other coupons or offers. Offer not valid with gift card or alcohol purchases. Void where prohibited. state sales tax applicable. cash value 1/100¢. Offer valid until 03.31.16. Not valid for online orders. @2016 all burgerfi franchised locations are independently owned and operated.

$2 OFFWITH PURCHASE OF $10 OR MORE.* ©2016 BURGERFI International, LLC.

BURGERFI® and the BURGERFI® logo are registered trademarks of Restaurant Development Group, LLC. BURGERFI system consists of restaurants owned by BURGERFI International, LLC. affiliates, and BURGERFI franchisees. All BURGERFI franchised locations are independently owned and operated.

BURGERFI_WELLINGTON

Thursday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. Call (561) 753-2484 for more info.

Friday, March 4• The Alzheimer’s Association will be the

beneficiary of the Rita Hayworth Luncheon on Friday, March 4 at the Colony Hotel Palm Beach, co-hosted by Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, the daughter of movie star and dancer Rita Hayworth, who passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. Call (312) 604-1680, visit www.alz.org or visit www.thecolonypalmbeach.com for more info.

• The fifth annual White White West Party, an evening of dancing, food, drinks, silent auction and live entertainment will be held Friday, March 4 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the International Polo Club Palm Beach to benefit Horses Healing Hearts, a charity that uses horses to help children of alcoholics and addicts. For more information, call (561) 570-6133, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.hhhannualbenefit.com.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts will present the Acoustic Adventures of Richard Gilewitz, fingerstyle guitarist and raconteur, on Friday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. Visit www.kravis.org for more info.

• Live auditions for Wellington Idol will be held on Friday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. with finals on Saturday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. Call (561) 753-2484 for more info.

Saturday, March 5• The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail

Association will walk in John Prince Park (2520 Lake Worth Road) on Saturday, March 5 at 7:30 a.m. Call Paul Cummings at (561) 963-9906 for more info.

• The Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County (6890 N. Jog Road, West Palm Beach) will hold a sale of surplus items to the highest bidder on Saturday, March 5 at 9 a.m. There will be no buyer’s premium, no minimums and no reserves. Visit www.swa.org for more info.

• The Green Market at Wellington will be held Saturday, March 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Visit www.greenmarketatwellington.com for more info.

• The Acreage Landowners’ Association will present the Loxapalooza Chili Cookoff & Music Fest at Acreage Community Park (6701 140th Avenue North) on Saturday, March 5 from 2 to 11 p.m. with a full day of free family fun featuring a great lineup of bands, a chili cookoff with cash prizes, food trucks, a kids zone, a car show and more. Visit www.acreagelandowners.com for more info.

• The Rotary Club of Royal Palm Beach will host a tribute dinner for retiring Royal Palm Beach Mayor Matty Mattioli on Saturday, March 5 at 6 p.m. at the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center. For information about tickets and sponsorship opportunities, call Dan Splain at (561) 688-5112. are also available.

Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 33, Wellington, FL 33414 or e-mail [email protected].

Tuesday, March 1 from 4 to 6 p.m. Visit www.wellingtonfl.gov for more info.

• India Night to benefit the Salvation Tree Foundation will take place Tuesday, March 1 starting at 6:30 p.m. at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. For tickets, call (561) 254-0406 or visit www.indianight.org.

• The Audubon Society of the Everglades will hold a membership meeting and lecture on Tuesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. Angel and Mariel Abreu, owners of Nature is Awesome Birding & Wildlife Tours will talk about radar birding, a new technique to locate birds. Visit www.audubonev-erglades.org for more info.

• The Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center (1977 College Drive in Belle Glade) will present Women of Ireland on Tuesday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m., with an all-female lineup of Irish step dancers, singers and musicians. Call (561) 993-1160 or visit www.dollyhand.org for more info.

Wednesday, March 2• American Legion Auxiliary Unit #367 of

Royal Palm Beach will meet on Wednesday, March 2 at 10 a.m. at the Palms West Pres-byterian Church (13689 Okeechobee Blvd. Loxahatchee Groves). For more info., call Marge Herzog (561) 791-9875 or Joan Shewmake at (561) 792-2317.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts will present America in Russia from Catherine the Great to Nicholas II on Wednesday, March 2 at 1:20 p.m. Lecturer Stephen R. de Angelis will share a riveting analysis of the relationship between the United States and the Russian Empire over a 150-year period. Visit www.kravis.org for more info.

• Wellington will hold a Neighborhood Watch Meeting for the Pine Valley, Greenbriar Circle and Summerwood Circle neighborhoods on Wednes-day, March 2 at 6:30 p.m. Visit www.wellingtonfl.gov for more info.

Thursday, March 3• The Mounts Botanical Garden will host Mak-

ing a Garden Trough: The Hypertufa Process on Thursday, March 3 at 9 a.m. Watch a pro demonstrate how to create a hypertufa container. Visit www.mounts.org for more info.

• The Women of the Western Communities will meet Thursday, March 3, at the Wanderers Club in Wellington. Happy hour will begin at 6 p.m. with check-in and seating no later than 6:30 p.m. Dottie Carson will speak about her “younger onset” Alzheimer’s disease and how she and her husband are spreading awareness of clinical trials and research for a cure. E-mail [email protected] for more info.

• The Wellington library (1951 Royal Fern Drive) will host Writer’s Critique for adults on Thursday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. Share, offer and accept constructive criticism to improve your fiction, non-fiction and poetry in a supportive atmosphere. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register.

• The Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will host food trucks at 5 p.m. and a free concert by the JD Danner Band on

& Bazaar will take place Sunday, Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Veterans Park (1036 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.). Visit www.rpbgreenmarket.com for more info.

• The Rainforest Clinic for Birds & Exotics (3319 E Road, Loxahatchee Groves) will hold its third annual Rainforest Parrot Party on Sunday, Feb. 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more info., contact Terry Timberlake at (561) 635-0676 or [email protected].

• The International Polo Club Palm Beach (3667 120th Avenue South, Wellington) will con-tinue the 2016 polo season on Sunday, Feb. 28. For more info., visit www.internationalpoloclub.com or call (561) 204-5687.

• Swank Specialty Produce (14311 North Road, Loxahatchee Groves) will host top chefs and sommeliers in the county in “The Envelope Please,” a gourmet dining experience benefiting the Palm Beach International Film Festival, on Sunday, Feb. 28 beginning at 4 p.m. Visit www.swankspecialtyproduce.com for more info.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts will present the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra with conductor Dmitry Yablonsky and pianist Farhad Badalbeyli on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. Visit www.kravis.org for more info.

Monday, Feb. 29• The Florida Alliance for Retired Americans

will host a Wellington Candidates Forum on Monday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. at the original Wel-lington Mall (12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The free event is offered as a public service. It will be an opportunity to meet, hear and discuss issues of importance to Wellington residents before the Tuesday, March 15 municipal election. For more info., call Nancy Tanner at (561) 793-9677.

Tuesday, March 1• Matilda the Musical will make its South

Florida premiere at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts from Tuesday, March 1 through Sunday, March 6. Visit www.kravis.org for more info.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will hold registration for its Crazy 8s Math Club for grades 3 to 5 on Tuesday, March 1 at 9 a.m. The club will meet on Thurs-days at 4 p.m. Children will be introduced to different math concepts in a fun, innovative and recreational approach. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

• The Okeeheelee Nature Center will host Sci-ence for Seniors: Loggerhead Shrike’s Story & Nesting Cycle on Tuesday, March 1 at 9:30 a.m. Join guest speaker Phil Rathner for a photograph-ic series portraying the Loggerhead Shrike’s life story. Call (561) 233-1400 to pre-register.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Create a Memory Page for adults on Tuesday, March 1 at 2 p.m. Create artful displays to commemorate special events and those you love. Call (561) 790-6030 for more info.

• Wellington will host a Walk and Talk in the Folkestone/Yarmouth Communities on

Saturday, Feb. 27• Royal Palm Beach West Fest will take place

Friday, Feb. 26 through Sunday, Feb. 28 at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park, with a carnival-style atmosphere packed with Western-style perform-ers, live country entertainment and more. Enjoy old-fashioned games and activities, like panning for gold, hay rides, pony rides and a petting zoo. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. For more info., visit www.rpbwestfest.com or call (561) 790-5149.

• St. David’s Episcopal Church in Wellington will hold its annual rummage sale on Saturday, Feb. 27 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 28 from 8 a.m. to noon. For info., contact Nancy Schroeder at (561) 792-0244 or [email protected].

• The Green Market at Wellington will be held Saturday, Feb. 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Visit www.greenmarketatwellington.com for more info.

• The Okeeheelee Nature Center (7715 Forest Hill Blvd.) will host a Nature Walk for all ages on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 10:30 a.m. Enjoy a free guid-ed nature walk through the pine flatwoods forest and learn about the plants and animals that live there. Call (561) 233-1400 to pre-register.

• The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host Teen Wii U Gaming & More for ages 12 to 17 on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m., and Teen Karaoke Café at 3 p.m. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register.

• The Acreage library (15801 Orange Blvd.) will host Crafts for Kids for ages 3 to 7 on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2:30 p.m. Make a craft at this relaxed family crafting event. Call (561) 681-4100 to pre-register.

• Saturday Night Lights at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center will feature the $380,000 Suncast Grand Prix CSI 5* on Satur-day, Feb. 27 starting at 7 p.m. For more info., visit www.pbiec.com or call (561) 793-JUMP.

• The Okeeheelee Nature Center will host a Dark Sky Festival on Saturday, Feb. 27 from 6 to 10 p.m. Call (561) 233-1400 to pre-register.

• The Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center (1977 College Drive, Belle Glade) will host a free Beat-les Tribute Concert on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. Call (561) 993-1160 for more info.

• The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts will present Ladysmith Black Mambazo on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. Blending intricate South African rhythms and rich harmonies, the a cappella group borrows heavily from traditional music called isicathamiya, which developed among mine workers seeking to entertain them-selves. Visit www.kravis.org for more info.

Sunday, Feb. 28• The Wellington Chamber of Commerce will

host its first Wellington ColorFest 5K on Sunday, Feb. 28 at Village Park, starting at 7 a.m. For more info., call (561) 792-6525 or visit www.wellingtonchamber.com.

• Royal Palm Beach’s weekly Green Market


COMMUNITY CALENDAR

A/C AND REFRIGERATION

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

CLEANING - HOME/OFFICE

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

SUNSHINE STATE CLEANING — Resi-dential, Commercial & Construction Clean-ing Specialists. Licensed & Insured. $40 Flat Fee For a Basic Cleaning For Home or Office. Call Kristina 561-201-7123

CNA - HOME HEALTH AIDE

CLEAR ENGLISH SPEAKER — Local CNA, clean level 2 background check and a clean driving record, I do not smoke and I do not drink,a.h.a. CPR certified, legal US status, bilingual. EXPERIENCE WITH LIVE-IN PO-SITIONS WITH EXCELLENT REFERENCES PLEASE CALL 561-502-9776. please leave message if I am away from my phone.

DRIVEWAY REPAIR

D R I V E WAY S — F r e e e s t i m a t e s A & M ASPHALT SEAL COATING com-mercial and residential. Patching pot-holes, striping, repair existing asphalt & save money al l work guaranteed. Lic.& Ins. 100045062 561-667-7716

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

ANMAR CO.— James’ All Around Handy-man Service. Excellent craftsman Old time values. Once you’ve had me! You’ll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC1327426 561-248-8528

LAWN SERVICE

YELLOWHAMMER LAWN SERVICE — Serving Loxahatchee, Acreage and Loxa-hatchee Groves ONLY High quality, afford-able yard maintenance. NO CONTRACTS! Locally owned and operated. 561-320-1118

LOCKSMITH

C.K.s LOCK & SECURITY 561-732-9418 Full Service Security Since 1960 — Service and installation of locks, safes, camera’s alarms, monitoring, duplication of keys, car remotes and so much more.

MOVING SERVICES

ICON MOVING SERVICES — Provides ful l service moving, packing & stor-age. Rated “A” plus by BBB. Lic. & Ins. FREE ESTIMATES. Call 561-338-3157.

PAINTING

J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pres-sure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, pa-tios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 3 0 9 - 6 9 7 5 o r v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e a t www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

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

PAINTING

COLORS BY CORO, INC. — Int./Ext. Residen-tial painting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs wel-come. Free est. Ins. 561-578-2873. Owner/Op-erated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident

EMPLOYMENT


Drivers: New Pay! $3,500 Sign-On Bonus!

Consistent Freight, Great MIles on This Regional Account,

Werner Enterprises: 1-855-517-2488

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

PART-TIME ACCOUNTANT ASSISTANT — Part time, flexible, assistant to accountant. Must be organized self-starter, computer literate (Excel, MS Word), to answer phones, do filing, do scheduling. Must be willing to learn new tasks. Royal Palm Beach.REF-ERENCES WILL BE CHECKED.Respond to [email protected] No phone calls.

PART TIME, FLEXIBLE LEGAL SECRE-TARY/ASSISTANT. — Computer Literate (WordPerfect). Answer phones, sched-ule hearings, filing, assist with document preparation, etc. ONLY APPLICANTS WITH SOME EXPERIENCE WILL BE CONSID-ERED. REFERENCES WILL BE CHECKED. Respond to [email protected] No phone calls.

HELP WANTED FULL SERVICE RESTAU-RANT IN LOXAHATCHEE — Looking for experienced Cook/Chef. Please call 214-263-0272 to set up appointment.

CWP & GOV Salesperson

Come work for the BEST! #1 JD Dealership needs a

salesperson to sell new and used CWP agricultural and turf equipment to new and

existing customers. Base Plus Salary. Excellent Benefits, matching 401K.

[email protected]

AG EquipmentSalesperson

Come work for the BEST! #1 JD Dealership needs a

salesperson to sell new and used agricultural and

turf equipment to new and existing customers.

Base plus commission. Excellent benefits, matching 401K.

[email protected]

PAINTING BY JESSE INC. — Special-izing in residential, re-painting, interior, exterior. Since 1992. www.paintingbyjes-se.com 561-723-3100 (Lic. #U16849)

PET DOCTOR - MOBILE/HOME CARE TIRED OF HOLDING YOUR CAT IN THE WAITING ROOM? — Call Critter Home Care and Stay Home Dr. Don Denoff. 561-517-8705

PLUMBING

JEREMY JAMES PLUMBING — Licensed plumber, legitimate estimate. Water heaters, new construction. CFC1426242. Bond-ed Insured. CFC1426242. 561-601-6458

PRESSURE CLEANING

J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINT-ING, INC. — Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, drive-ways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. I n t e r i o r & E x t e r i o r p a i n t i n g . Cert i f ied pressure cleaning & paint-i ng con t rac to r. L i c . #U21552 Ca l l Bu tch a t 309 -6975 o r v i s i t us a t www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com

ROOFING

ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING — Spe-cializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,in-sured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763.

ROOFING REPAIRS RE-ROOFING ALL TYPES — Pinewood Construction, Inc. Hon-est and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-309-0134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC-023773 RC-0067207

NEIL O’NEAL JR. ROOFING — Roofing & Reroofing. Family owned and operated. Residential/Commercial. Wood Replace-ment, Roof Coatings, Solar Vents, Skylights & Roof Ventilation. 561-656-4945 Lic. & Insured CCC1330208.Free Estimates

SECURITY

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

SCREENING

JOHN’S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE — Pool & patio re-screening. Stay tight,wrin-kle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 call us 798-3132. www.poolscreenrepair.com

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC — Com-p l e t e r e p a i r o f a l l t y p e s o f s y s -t e m s . O w n e r O p e r a t e d . M i c h a e l 561-964-6004Lic.#U17871 Bonded & Ins. Serving the Western Communities Since 1990

TRAIL RIDES

TRAIL RIDES AT THE GOOD EARTH FARM — You get a 20 min. lesson on what to do before you go on your trek in the woods, then you go with your experienced trail boss. We can serve up to 3 people. Kids have to be at least 10 years old. Everyone has to wear some kind of boot that covers the ankle and has a heel. We have the helmets. Cost is 75$ each for a 1.5 hour experience and a personalized trail ride, walking (trotting in the ring only) at the end you wash your horse. 561-792-2666

TREE SERVICE

TREES TRIMMED AND REMOVED — 561-798-0412 D.M. YOUNG TREE SERVICE. Family Owned & Operat-ed Lic. & Insured 1992-12121 Visit our websi te at dmyoungtreeserv ice.com

\ WALLPAPERING

PAPERHANGING BY DEBI — Profession-al 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 avai lable. 561-795-5263


BUSINESSOPPORTUNIT Y

DISSATISFIED with M.L.M.? — Are you currently frustrated or Dissatisfied with the MLM company you’re involved with now, or have you been frustrated with your experiences with direct selling and/or MLM opportunities in the past? I’m looking for ‘1’ Leader to Develop Locally...Call me NOW... Bill Childers 561-290-3260.

WATER SUPPLY & TREATMENT

WELL WATER AND CITY WATER — Sup-ply, Service and water treatment. 561-784-5210. Loxahatchee Irrigation Supply Inc.


Town-Crier Classifieds Get Results Call 793-7606

GARAGESALES

WELLINGTONHIDDEN CREEK ANNUAL

GARAGE SALE 15750 BENT CREEK DR.

(BINKS FOREST) WELLINGTON

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2016 8 A.M. - 11 A.M.

PETS FOR SALE

HAVANESE PUPPIES — adorable, small smart, non-shed, hypoallergenic, shots, health certificates, paper-trained, great family pets, owne parents. $900 call 561-965-8651

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

*NEW* ALZHEIMER’S CAREGIVER SUP-PORT GROUP — Every Thursday 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Leo and Anne Albert Alzheimer’s Care and Service Center at St. Michael’s Lu-theran Church, 1925 Birkdale Drive, Welling-ton. Contact Maria Alma, RN 561-331-6576.

GIRLS YOUTH LACROSSE PROGRAM — Starting March 21st! Ages 5-12 at Citrus Grove Park in Loxahatchee, FL. No playing experience necessary. For more informa-tion, go to www.allinsportsandfitness.org.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

A1 TRANSPORT — Gives NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE

OF LIEN AND INTENT to sell these vehichles on

March 16, 2016. 7 a.m. at 14177 51st, West Palm Beach, FL 33411.

Pursuant to subsection 713.78 of Florida Statutes A1 Transport

AUTOMOBILES FOR SALE

2005 Nissan IHGCM56405A095638

2005 Honda IHGEM22365L010150

2000 Chevy 2G1WF55E7Y9230834

1993 Chevy 1G1BL53E4PW155266


PALMS WESTTHIS WEEK’S WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE


HERE’S MY CARD

Lic & Insured CFC057392, CAC1817688

SEPTIC & DRAINFIELD SPECIALISTS


HERE’S MY CARD

A D V E R T I S E Y O U R B U S I N E S S C A R D F O R A S L O W A S $ 2 1 A W E E K

PALMS WESTTHIS WEEK’S WELLINGTON • ROYAL PALM BEACH • LOXAHATCHEE • THE ACREAGE


TUITION FREE!PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS

Learn more at www.CharterSchoolsUSA.com

CSUSA’S NET PROFICIENCY

GROWTH IN READING, MATH,WRITING AND

SCIENCEIS ALMOST

10than the state of FLORIDA.

HIGHERX Renaissance Charter School at Wellington

Renaissance Charter School at Cypress Renaissance Charter School at Central Palm Renaissance Charter School at West Palm Renaissance Charter School at Palms West Renaissance Charter School at Summit

K-8 K-8 K-8

K-8 K-8

K-8

CypressCharter.org CentralPalmCharter.org

WellingtonCharter.org

WestPalmCharter.orgPalmsWestCharter.orgRECSSummit.org

SERVING SIX GREAT SCHOOLS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY

ENROLLMENT SESSIONS Now Available for the 2016-2017 school year

GREATNESSHERES

TAR

TS

At CSUSA we have clearly defined, high standards for academic excellence, personal growth and social development incorporated into our curricula, across all grades.

CHARTER SCHOOLSU S A

Town-Crier Newspaper February 26, 2016

Documents

Transcript of Town-Crier Newspaper February 26, 2016