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Town-Crier Newspaper January 27, 2012
Local news for Wellington,Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, The Acreage
RPB SEEKS GRANT MONEY FOR WILLOWS SEE STORY, PAGE 7 THE TOWN - CR IER WELLINGTON � ROYAL PALM BEACH � LOXAHATCHEE � THE ACREAGE Volume 33, Number 4 January 27 - February 2, 2012 GREAT MUSIC AT ACREAGE PARK JAM SEE PHOTOS, PAGE 9 Your Community Newspaper Serving Palms West Since 1980 INSIDE Palms West And Lake Worth Chamber Merger Now Set For February The planned merger of the Palms West and Greater Lake Worth chambers of commerce has been postponed until February, giving both sides more time to work out the details. "We were hoping to have some really great announcements today regarding our chamber merger," Palms West Chamber Chairman Carmine Priore III said at a luncheon held Monday at the Wellington Community Center. "We're heading in the right direction, so I don't want anybody to think we've come to a stall." Page 3 FAIR SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS Wellington Eyes Medical School By Lauren Mir� Town-Crier Staff Report Wellington has its sights set on hosting a medical school in the community as early as this year after a visit last week by an official from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM). "It's not 100 percent set," Wellington Principal Planner Bill Nemser told the Town-Crier. "But they seem committed and have indicated this is something they would like to see happen. They have been proactive in reaching out to us." The school is expected to present the new campus for consideration in its budget in June, Nemser said. "Once that's approved, they can go ahead and acquire space," he said. "We anticipate them having a location here by the end of 2012." LECOM is based in Erie, Pa., with a branch campus in Bradenton, Fla., and offers careers in osteopathic medicine, pharmaceuticals and dentistry. Already, Wellington Regional Medical Center trains third- and fourth-year students from LECOM, making Wellington an ideal place for a new campus, Nemser said. "They already have rotations with the students," he said. "They've been working with Wellington for the last three years, and they were impressed with the community. They have found that it's becoming more and more difficult to find a community with a longrange vision." Last weekend, Dr. Silvia Ferretti, the provost, vice president and dean of academic affairs at LECOM, visited Wellington to meet with local officials and business leaders. The trip was meant to begin deSee MED SCHOOL, page 20 Sheriff's Office Holds Ribbon Cutting For Wellington Substation The centennial edition of the South Florida Fair continued last weekend at the South Florida Fairgrounds. The 17-day fair runs through Sunday, Jan. 29. Shown above are fair scholarship winners Matthew Philmuse of Wellington High School, Amber Johnson of Berean Christian School and Celina Scholl of Royal Palm Beach High School. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 22 PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER After months of preparation, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office dedicated its new Wellington substation with a ribboncutting ceremony Thursday, Jan. 19. The substation is located at 14000 Greenbriar Blvd. in Wellington's old municipal complex. Additionally, hockey's Stanley Cup was on hand to mark the grand-opening festivities. Page 5 Ron Jarriel Will Seek Another Term On Groves Town Council By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report Loxahatchee Groves Councilman Ron Jarriel told the Town-Crier this week that he plans to run for re-election in March in order to follow through on town projects. "I've decided I'm going to run for re-election to Seat 1 on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council," Jarriel said Wednesday. Jarriel said that he had put the word out that if anyone else was interested in running to replace him, he would love to meet with them to discuss it. "Nobody has come forth that I really would be confident in," he said. Meanwhile, Jarriel sees good things coming in the near future. "The new town management really impressed me with what I think we're capable of doing this year," he said. As an example, he said town staff is looking into grant money for a combined equestrian, bicycle and pedestrian trail system. "These trails would be for bicyclists, horse trails and hikers -- basically a multiple trail throughout town," Jarriel said. "I'm hoping it will be brought up at the next council meeting to apply for a grant." If the grant is approved, it would be the first the town has received since incorporation. "I'm looking at possibly a $200,000 grant for an equestrian trail and parkway," Jarriel said. He added that he is impressed with the progress of the town's three volunteer committees: Finance Advisory & Audit; Roadway, Equestrian Trails & Greenway; and Planning & Zoning. "This takes quite a bit of pressure off the council members because we've got qualified people on these committees," Jarriel said. "They're going to come back to us and recommend certain things, and either we'll agree with them or we won't agree, but the people I've picked for these committees are very good at their job." Jarriel said he is impressed with the devotion of the volunteers. "When I've got people like that wanting to make the community a better place to live, then I'm willing to give another three years to try and help them," he said. He thinks that communication with the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District has improved considerably and said the two entities are working well together. "I see some real progress with improvement of the roads, and making the roads safer and healthier and quieter to ride on for the residents," he said. Jarriel would like to see discussion of a possible bond issue to pave district roads, to be repaid with gas tax money. "We wouldn't have to raise taxes, and we wouldn't have to get it from the residents," he said. "Hopefully, we'll have four roads completed by April that are dirt roads now." Another of Jarriel's goals is to get a traffic light on Okeechobee Blvd. "We've heard from George Webb, the county engineer, that it's possible, so we're going to move to the next step," he said. With the resolution of several issues, including a challenge to the town's comprehensive plan by See JARRIEL, page 20 JUSTWORLD PARTY Marketing Expert: Businesses Should Focus On Service Members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce got some valuable marketing advice Wednesday when keynote speaker Tom Feltenstein shared strategies that small businesses can use to market to the community. Page 7 JustWorld International held its ninth annual fundraiser Friday, Jan. 20 at Maria Newman's Belle Herbe Farm in Wellington's Grand Prix Village. Guests donned their best from the "roaring 1920s" and were treated to a night of food, drinks and fun, all in the name of charity. Pictured above is Joan Kalman with Olympians Nick Skelton and Laura Kraut. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 11 PHOTO BY LAUREN MIR�/TOWN-CRIER OPINION Medical School Plan Great For Wellington Wellington officials met with a representative from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine this month in hopes of bringing a medical school to the community. This is a wonder ful opportunity. A thriving medical community will benefit the entire community, and it's something we'd like to see move ahead quickly. Page 4 DEPARTMENT INDEX NEWS ............................. 3 - 11 OPINION .................................4 CRIME NEWS .........................6 NEWS BRIEFS........................ 8 POLO/EQUESTRIAN ............ 15 SCHOOLS ..................... 16 - 17 PEOPLE ............................... 19 COLUMNS .................... 27 - 29 BUSINESS .................... 31 - 33 ENTERTAINMENT ................ 34 SPORTS ........................ 39 - 41 CALENDAR ...................42 - 43 CLASSIFIEDS ................ 44 - 48 Visit Us On The Web At WWW.GOTOWNCRIER.COM RPB Acts To End Okee `Speed Trap' By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Village Council gave preliminary approval last week to a plan that reduces the speed limit from 50 mph to 45 on Okeechobee Blvd. from Wildcat Way east to the village boundary and increases the limit from 35 to 40 from Wildcat Way to the western edge of the village. At the council's Jan. 19 meeting, Senior Planner Bradford O'Brien said various changes along Okeechobee Blvd., including the construction of Royal Palm Beach High School, the Fox Property commercial development and PortoSol by Minto, have changed the character in the area where the speed changes are proposed. Village staff conferred with county staff, who agreed that the changes are appropriate, O'Brien said. The change westbound would also eliminate the abrupt speed limit change from 50 to 35. Mayor Matty Mattioli said he agreed that the proposal makes sense. "We're trying to eliminate a traffic trap," Mattioli said. "I don't want us to be `Trap City, USA.' I'm hoping that this proposal will go through." Councilman Fred Pinto said it is safer to have the gradual transition that is proposed. "One of the options proposed was to make the limit 45 mph," Pinto said. "My reaction to that was that was too fast. Remember that when you get to the west end of the village, it ramps back up to 45 miles an hour." Pinto said the change also makes sense because Okeechobee narrows from eight lanes to six where the change is proposed. "This seems to make sense to have a better regulation there," he said. "And 40 miles an hour is 40 miles an hour. The sheriff will be out there." Village Attorney Brad Biggs also pointed out that the speed limit would transition in 5-mph increments. "We have 50 in the county, See SPEEDS, page 4 Don't Miss The Big Debut Of Wellington Idol This Weekend By Lauren Mir� Town-Crier Staff Report Mark your calendars -- the premiere of Wellington Idol comes to the Wellington Amphitheater this weekend. While households across America are tuning in to watch singers compete for a recording contract, Wellington residents will have the opportunity to cheer on their own, local talent. On Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28, 36 performers will vie for $750 and a $2,000 scholarship from Talent Inc., which will give them the opportunity to perform in front of top agents. The performances start at 7:30 p.m., and guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. "We'll have 18 performers Friday night and 18 Saturday night," Cultural Programs & Facilities Manager Joe Piconcelli said. "We'll reduce it to 24 acts who will go on to compete in the semifinal round Feb. 10. Then we'll reduce it to 12 for the finals on Feb. 11." Just like on the TV show, acts will perform in front of a live audience and then hear feedback on their performance from the judges, Piconcelli said. Judges include local actress Lee Marlow and John Stevens of Talent Inc., the event sponsor. "Talent Inc. is offering the winner a scholarship to their convention in Orlando in March," Piconcelli said. "It's valued at $2,000 and will give them the chance to perform in front of at least 50 agents." Talent Inc. is a nationwide talent scouting company that looks for the next big star in the modeling, singing, dancing and acting fields. Talent Inc. model Brooklyn Decker appeared on the cover of the 2010 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. "It's going to be a great opportunity for someone," Piconcelli said, noting that it could launch a star out of Wellington. "If that happens, this will become a very big contest." Unlike the original TV show, Wellington Idol contestants won't face similar harsh criticism from the judges, Piconcelli said. But, as on the show, the audience is encouraged to cheer for their favorite contestants. "There is no Simon [Cowell] in the group," he joked. "But See IDOL, page 20 Tiger Shark Cove Plans Update Under-The-Sea Theme By Lauren Mir� Town-Crier Staff Report A new generation of Wellington children made their mark on the community last weekend with the unveiling of the new look for the playground at Tiger Shark Cove Park, designed by kids for kids. On Saturday, Jan. 21, children and their families gathered at their park to see how their ideas had been incorporated into the new design. The playground, located at the corner of Greenview Shores and Greenbriar boulevards, was built in 2000 through a community-led effort. As part of a plan to revamp the playground, designer Jane Lewis Holman of Leathers & Associates met with kindergarten through fifth-grade classes at Wellington schools and let them have a say in the design. "Ten years is a great legacy for one of our projects," she told the crowd, noting that her firm had come up with the park's original design. "We are so happy to have been invited back to help refurbish the park." Holman said that including kids was an important part of the process. "I told them that I'm an adult," she said, "so I don't know what it's like to have a lot of fun on a playground." Children were also asked to design the original playground, which prompted the under-the-sea theme, Holman said. "We're bringing it full circle and encouraging the next generation to get involved," she said. "We got some really great drawings from the kids and narrowed their ideas down to include some of the most popular items." Holman said that although she would have liked to include all of the ideas, some were too grandiose for a playground. "You might expect them to talk to me about swings and slides -- and they did," she said. "But it was a lot more complex than that." The overall structure will remain the same, she said, with a castle fa�ade and much of the same layout. All of the slides will be replaced with brand-new ones, and the balusters will be redesigned to allow for better visibility for parents. Other portions will get a face lift, See TIGER SHARK, page 20 Wellington Councilwoman Anne Gerwig shares her experience building the original playground at Tiger Shark Cove Park. PHOTO BY LAUREN MIR�/TOWN-CRIER Page 2 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 3 Palms West-Lake Worth Chamber Merger Postponed Until February By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The planned merger of the Palms West and Greater Lake Worth chambers of commerce has been postponed until February, giving both sides more time to work out the details. "Unfortunately, sometimes you have to say there's good news and bad news," Palms West Chamber Chairman Carmine Priore III said at a luncheon held Monday at the Wellington Community Center. "We were hoping to have some really great announcements today regarding our chamber merger. We're heading in the right direction, so I don't want anybody to think we've come to a stall." Priore said both chambers are moving carefully in order to make the right business decisions. "We really want to have all the risk mitigated to the greatest extent possible before we move forward with the official announcement of the merger," he said. The merger will bring about new branding and a new name, Priore said. "I think we've gotten through the few issues that were holding us up," he said. "There just was not enough time to get everything together for today. The good news is that it is moving along well, and we're really looking forward to moving ahead." Priore said there is general agreement in both chambers that a merger is a good idea. One positive aspect is increased viability of the Palms West Chamber's Economic Development Task Force. Having the Lake Worth Chamber joining in that effort will make the task force more effective, he said. "We will be moving things forward for the benefit of our area and all of our businesses," Priore said. Another advantage is expanded networking opportunities. "The merger will put the chamber at 1,200 members, which will make us one of the strongest chambers in the county," Priore added. The merger will also expand both chambers' influence to a larger area. "Bringing so many other governments into our efforts going forward, will allow us to position ourselves to take positions in support of various businesses when it's appropriate and applicable," he said. Priore said the merger pushes forward the chamber's mission to lead the way in business communities. He recognized team members involved in the merger, including Bland Eng, Rachelle Crane, Terri Wescott and Frank Gonzalez from the Palms West Chamber, and Rick Tourville, Greg Rice, Roger Manning and Dan Perrin from the Lake Worth Chamber, for working together with staff to mitigate the risks and move forward as one organization. "One of the things that I specifically mentioned when we first started talking about this was that we will not be two separate entities," Priore said. "We have to move together as one organization in order to make this work. In order to continue that process, we have to be one organization, and that's where we're headed." Priore said both committees have been looking at profits and losses to shape a more efficient operation. The merger will add marketing costs with the expansion of the chamber's newsletter throughout the central portion of the county. "This gives us more coverage, but there's more cost associated with it," Priore said. "So how do we balance those risks associated with the costs?" A strong advantage is the addition of signature Lake Worth Chamber events, such as the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival, the Reggae Festival and the Tropical Triathlon. "These are all great additions to an arsenal of great events that we have within the Palms West Chamber of Commerce," Priore said. Although they will operate as one chamber, the chambers will keep their respective buildings. "In February, I'm really looking forward to coming up here and letting everybody know where we're at," Priore said. "I'm pretty confident now that we're going to make February, based on getting through the last couple of items that we had to get through." Palms West Chamber CEO Jaene Miranda said the merger would require many changes. "Our board is working overtime, especially our merger transition team," Miranda said. "We're looking at board structure; we have to update our bylaws, and even discuss borders." Miranda said committee members have wrestled with how far they want to expand. The Palms West Chamber's traditional municipalities of Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, The Acreage and Greenacres would expand into Lake Worth, Atlantis, Lake Clarke Shores and Palm Springs. "We actually shared the Greenacres area," Miranda said. "If you cut it out all the way to the east coast you would have South Palm Beach and Manalapan. Do we go down as far as Lantana?" Areas in between include unincorporated neighborhoods, and perhaps as far west as the Glades communities. "We have three trustees who are the major sugar producers in the nation," she said. "We have U.S. Sugar, Florida Crystals and the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative, so should we start getting more involved with the advocacy that happens within the Glades? We need to discuss this and come to an agreement with the merger transition team, and then get it ap- NEWS (Above) Holiday Parade winners were recognized during Monday's Palms West Chamber luncheon at the Wellington Community Center. (Below) Members of the parade and SalsaFest committees were thanked for their services. proved by the boards to move forward with that kind of an expansion in our territory." Technology is also being discussed, such as e-mail blasts, social marketing and a coordinated phone system. "We have two different offices, and we want to have consistency," Miranda said. "We want people to not feel like they're calling two separate offices and make it feel like they're calling the new chamber's office." Miranda thanked Quigley Marketing for helping to create a completely new brand. "I'm telling you we've been going around in circles on that, but I think we're locked in to make it work," Miranda said. "We have to do our due diligence and get it legally checked out. Hopefully, at the February luncheon, we'll do the unveiling of the new organization." RPB Zoning Board OKs Phasing For Minto's PortoSol Project By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval Tuesday of a request by the developers of the PortoSol residential community to divide its next building phase into three parts, due partly to the slow market for new residential real estate. Development Review Coordinator Kevin Erwin said PortoSol by Minto, a 499-home planned unit development on about 250 acres north and west of the Target shopping center at the corner of State Road 7 and Okeechobee Blvd., is requesting that Pod B of the development north of Okeechobee be separated into three different pods. The first, B1, Minto plans to start soon, but pods B2 and B3 will be postponed. Agent Jan Polson of the planning firm Cotleur & Hearing said there originally were three phases, A, B and C. "Pods A and C have been platted and have been under construction for some time," Polson said. "C is the clubhouse. B is the southern portion. There are no increases in density, no changes other than to add phasing to the site plan." Commissioner Barbara Powell asked why street and sewer plans for pods B2 and B3 were in the application if they were not going to be developed immediately, and Polson said that was a requirement of the application. Polson said the lot lines will remain the same, explaining that the developer has filed a preliminary plan for Pod B1, which she said will come before the board in the near future. Commissioner Darrell Lange asked about construction of the clubhouse, and Polson said it is finished. "It is complete, and it is fabulous," Polson said, explaining that pictures of the clubhouse can be found at www.minto.com. Lange asked about the requirements that triggered building the clubhouse, and Erwin said Minto finished the clubhouse long before it was required. Commissioner Jackie Larson asked why Pod B is being phased, and Polson said it is due to the residential real estate market. "The residential market is improved, but it's still weak," Polson said. "They don't want to get ahead of themselves, and they are proposing the phasing as part of an effort at doing this, so that they can develop each phase and get to it separately, and move forward as the market demands." Brian Cale, director of land development for Minto, said part of the strategy is to maintain an orderly development of the large overall site, as well as reduce bond interest payments, which is about $80,000 a year. "You have two years of that across those lots, and you're adding several thousand dollars per lot to the cost of some home buyer in the future," Cale said. "It gets rid of that cost." Lange made a motion to accept the application, which carried 5-0. In other business: � The commission approved an application by Buckeye Plumbing, located at 250 Business Parkway in the Royal Palm Beach Business Park, to replace existing canvas awnings with metal awnings of the same color. Erwin said the awnings are the same as others already installed nearby. Powell made a motion to approve the application, which carried carry 5-0. � The commission was also informed that an application by Target to infill its closed garden center with walls and shade cloth had been postponed to Feb. 28 at the applicant's request. � The commission also elected a new chair and vice chair. Powell was elected chair, while Michael Newkirk, who was not present at the meeting, was named vice chair. Commission Chair Genevieve Lambiase said she would be stepping down in February in order to care for her family. Page 4 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier A Medical School In Wellington Would Bode Well For The Future Wellington officials and business leaders met with a representative from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) last week with the goal of bringing a medical school to the community as one of the key anchors of the planned Medical Arts District centered around the campus of Wellington Regional Medical Center. Dr. Silvia Ferretti, the college's provost, was given a tour of the community, which her college might soon be calling home. This comes in addition to a potential deal to build a science and technology park on the K-Park property, just down the street from WRMC on State Road 7. If these two projects come to fruition, it would create a solid base for the Medical Arts District, which Wellington officials hope will attract high-wage employers. If things go according to plan, this has the opportunity to be a very transformative moment for Wellington. Not only will this create high-paying jobs for people who live in the community, but it would also attract businesses that are looking to move. As Wellington Mayor Darell Bowen told members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce during his "State of Wellington" address last fall, the village traditionally has relied on the construction industry, but the people who had those jobs are among those suffering the most today. With construction and real estate having suffered from the difficult economy, Wellington needs to reach out to other industries, and having the Medical Arts District on the horizon is the perfect opportunity. Bowen also noted that Wellington has been working with the state's new Department of Economic Opportunity as well as Enterprise Florida to draw businesses to the area. The addition of the Medical Arts District will greatly change the face of the SR 7 corridor, which is largely retail and residential. Further down the road to the south is Palomino Park, which is already a large medical establishment. The Medical Arts District would add to the size and permanence of the area's medical infrastructure, and having a research park would increase that infrastructure beyond the original plan. There are currently 27 LECOM medical students already training at Wellington Regional Medical Center, and LECOM could possibly have its own location here by the end of the year. A big part of what attracted the school to Wellington is the village's long-term planning. Perhaps most important, as Wellington Principal Planner Bill Nemser told the Town-Crier, having LECOM in Wellington will create sustainable employment, with a variety of jobs. Between the medical school, new and existing medical businesses -- as well as the nearby Palm Beach Atlantic University campus on SR 7 and the planned Palm Beach State College campus in Loxahatchee Groves -- Wellington is smart to invest in a future that is not tied to real estate or construction. A thriving medical community will benefit the entire community, and it's something we'd like to see move ahead quickly. OUR OPINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Project Will Put Wellington On The Map As I see it, the proposed Equestrian Village encompasses everything the residents of Wellington could wish for in parallel with the emerging quality of schools, recreation, parks, safe streets and municipal services. Without question, the present equestrian center has placed this community on the map nationally as one of the premier facilities in this country for equestrian competition. The directors and supporters of this enterprise should be applauded for the gift they have constructed for our recreational pleasure, our tax support and the uniqueness of adding to our cultural distinction, a community blessed with advantages other centers hold in envy. Why not finish this project and have Wellington appear on international maps as the place to visit not only for equestrian sports, but for its other assets leading to interests that in time may positively impact on housing, business, employment, etc.? In the long term, this project underwrites an insurance policy for Wellington's future stability, growth and success. L. Vernon Steinbaum Wellington ple. I do not see how that could be bad for the economy of Wellington. People from Europe and the U.S. are very excited to come and be a part of this facility. But our barn is not a four-month business. We operate year round and would very much like to be profitable more than four months of the year. We have the opportunity to not only make Wellington comparable to show facilities like Aachen, Germany, but to make it one of a kind. This will bring people to our city to eat in our restaurants, shop in our stores -- spend their money here. There has been much fear spread that if you build the Equestrian Village, it will take away from the restaurants and shops that already exist. If you have quality, people are always going to come. I, for one, go to Boca or PGA at least once a week for dinner. What is wrong with adding more business in Wellington so that we keep that revenue here? People have argued, "I'm OK with the show facility but the hotel should go across the street, not in the preserve." Moving the hotel will change the dynamics of the overall Equestrian Village. Having the hotel with the shops and courtyard area attached to the show facility is a phenomenal idea. The Equestrian Village is intended to be all together -- a place where families can go and hang out, whether it is at the show venue or the courtyard area. It is designed to bring in corporate sponsors for dressage, which is something that we do not have. People like convenience. That does not mean they are going to only eat and shop in the hotel, but that they know they have the convenience if they want it. If we separate everything, it will not be anything unique or different. That is the whole beauty of this project. That is what will set us apart from anywhere else in the world and make it more marketable year round, which will in turn help businesses that stay here like myself. I have heard the arguments about traffic. The major traffic will not be from the hotel, as the people who are staying at the hotel will be there because of the convenience for the show grounds, hence lessening some of the traffic. The traffic would be before or after major nighttime shows. This will be a major sports venue, and people who go to them expect to sit in traffic. I have heard the argument that there is no turnout, making it not in the best interest of the horse. These people have no idea what they are talking about. First, it is a dressage show facility. Even people coming in from Europe will have a local facility that they will train out of. We do not leave our horses at a show facility any longer than necessary. That said, we do not turn our horses out at a show facility. I ask people to get their facts straight. Look who the opposition really is and what their real motives are. Do they really have Wellington's best interest at heart or their own? And look at who has been fighting for this; we are people who live here, employee local residents, are on the boards of local nonprofit organizations like Vinceremos. We truly care about the future of Wellington. Terri Kane, Diamante Farms Wellington posted limit? Why would a licensed engineer approve a project with this clear safety issue in place? It's no different than designing a parking structure that could only hold vehicles up to 2,000 pounds and posting a sign that said up to 3,000 is permitted! Many officials have stated their disappointment in the design of the F Road speed humps and that they were installed incorrectly. From what I see, the ones that are going to be installed on D Road will have the same issue. Why aren't speed tables being installed that will allow travel at 30 mph? Some say lower the speed limit to 20 mph. The speed limit should be set to appropriately balance risk and travel time, not based on improperly designed roads. Everyone claims no cars have been in the canal on F Road since the OGEM. I agree it is since the OGEM (not the speed humps). Cars go into the canal not simply because of speed but because they lose control on the washboard of the dirt road. Interstate 95 would be guaranteed to have no traffic fatalities if no cars were allowed on the road. Is it reasonable to close it down to save lives? I voted in favor of OGEM for our road with the verbal commitment from the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District that we would not suffer the mistake of speed humps as on F Road, but this is not happening. According to the Institute of Transportation Engineers: � Speed humps are not typically used on major roads, bus routes or primary emergency response routes; � Speed tables are designed for main roads through small communities; � Speed humps are designed to a maximum of 21 mph; and � Speed tables are designed with a maximum speed up to 27 mph. Clete Saunier agreed placing them 500 feet apart was too close. Guess what? D Road humps are designed 500 feet apart! Do we not learn from our mistakes? Typical spacing is 300 to 600 feet apart for a piece of equipment designed for a maximum speed of 21 mph, not 30 mph. Each speed hump ads up to 10 seconds to travel time. For a loaded ambulance, this would add nearly 3 minutes to my travel time just to get to Okeechobee Blvd. when seconds count! Please do not just hope the speed humps will be better than F Road, but demand it! Todd McLendon Loxahatchee Groves spector General shall initiate, conduct, supervise and coordinate investigations designed to detect, deter, prevent and eradicate fraud, waste, mismanagement, misconduct and other abuses by elected and appointed county and municipal officials and employees." The OIG expended only 69 percent of its allocated budget for the reporting period June 28, 2010 through Sept. 30, 2011. The OIG operating budget was never intended to be a burden to taxpayers. The funding for the OIG is to come from one quarter of 1 percent of vendor contracts. For each $100,000 vendor contract, a $250 fee would be taken to fund the Office of Inspector General. Even if the full budget of the OIG were to be funded by the people of Palm Beach County, this would cost each resident the equivalent of two postage stamps! Miami-Dade County has effectively operated its OIG for almost 14 years. Their efforts to scour county contracts for fraud, waste and mismanagement has saved that county millions of dollars over the years. We, the residents of Palm Beach County, should demand this badly needed oversight, mandated by an overwhelming 72 percent of voters. All 38 municipalities in Palm Beach County, including Wellington, should welcome the OIG. All municipal council members have an obligation to the citizens to provide a government that is transparent, efficient and accountable. John Greene Wellington Editor's note: Mr. Greene is a candidate for Seat 1 on the Wellington Village Council. Greene Supports Inspector General I want to publicly express my support for the Office of Inspector General in Palm Beach County. At a recent community forum hosted by County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, I had the opportunity to talk with Palm Beach County Inspector General Sheryl Steckler. Steckler presented her annual report, and it is clear to me that the work of her office is essential to enhancing public trust in both county and municipal government. In November 2010, over 72 percent of the voters approved a countywide referendum to amend the county charter and include all 38 municipalities under the oversight of the Office of Inspector General. The OIG report went on to state, in part, "The Office of Inspector General is established to promote economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of and, as its priority, to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in programs and operations administered or financed by the county or municipal governments. The In- Equestrian Village A Great Idea I own Diamante Farms, a dressage training facility on Indian Mound Road, since 2002 and a house in the Polo Club. I am directly affected by the Equestrian Village. This year, for the first time, in anticipation of the new dressage facility, our barn is not only full, but we rented the barn next door, added tent stalls and still had to turn people away. Because of the expansion in our business, we have hired three additional peo- Speed Humps Are Dangerous I am trying to let people residing on the upcoming OGEM (open graded emulsified mix) roads be aware of the dangerous condition they will soon face. The newly planned speed humps are designed for a maximum speed of 21 mph, according to the Institute of Transportation Engineers. [Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Administrator] Clete Saunier has stated they are designed for 25 mph. How can our designed speed limit be set at 30 mph with a designed piece of equipment that will not allow safe travel at this The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit letters, with contact name, address, and telephone number (anonymous letters will not be published), to The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to (561) 793-6090; or you can e-mail them to firstname.lastname@example.com. Star Power No Longer A Sure-Fire Way To Boost Hollywood Profits Hollywood studios are suffering through a tearful tale of plummeting revenues these days. Did someone say technology like cheap downloading and streaming formats? Did someone say, "Movies are worse than ever?" So how come the conundrum that movie sales are booming overseas? OPINION Footloose and... By Jules W. Rabin Box office revenues in North America were down 4.9 percent in 2011 from the year before. There were fewer movie tickets sold than in any year since 1992. And piling on the trailers of bad news seems to be the fact that big-name movie stars are few and far between. Even Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts failed, in tandem, in Larry Crowne. Only three of 2012's top 20 films even featured "star power." They were Johnny Depp, Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. in Pirates of the Caribbean, Mission: Impossible and Sherlock Holmes sequels. Cartoon patrons are bidding bye-bye as well. Animated features were five of the top 10 selling movies in 2010. In 2011 just one (Cars 2) hit the big time. Young males, previously top supporters of the animated hijinks, now opt to stay at home with video games and social networking, according to recent surveys. Perhaps there is a future bit of profitable light for the movies as Hollywood weeps through 2012. In July, a new Dark Knight is scheduled to appear on screens. In December, there may be an additional "revival" with Peter Jackson's first Hobbit film. Ah, the good old days when Duke Wayne or Katharine Hepburn would take an ordinary movie script and entertain us for a couple of hours at the local movie house. NEWS Speeds Okeechobee Changes continued from page 1 then we go to 45 for a short period of time, and then we go to 40, so it is a gradual deceleration." Vice Mayor Richard Valuntas agreed with Pinto's comments about the traffic flow. "It helps to add consistency," Valuntas said. "I think we have three roads in the village that are divided highways with three or more lanes. I think 50 in front of the high school is too high as well." Councilwoman Martha Webster made a motion to approve the or- dinance's first reading, and it carried 4-0. In other business, the council accepted a feasibility and marketing analysis of a potential senior housing facility to be located at the entrance of Royal Palm Beach Commons Park along Royal Palm Beach Blvd. Facilitator Philip Gonot of PMG Associates of Deerfield Beach said his firm had conducted a needs assessment for the 10-acre site, which would contain between 120 and 180 units of senior housing. "We looked at a number of different options of independent living, assisted living and skilled care, either at market rates or subsidized," Gonot said. Under the proposal, Royal Palm Beach would provide the land at no cost to the developer, who would construct and maintain the facility at no cost to the village, and the village would retain oversight to assure that the facility is maintained the way it wants. Gonot said PMG conducted two public meetings in October and November to get resident input. "The first one was attended by about 20 people," he said. "The second one, we had a crowd of almost 80 people." Gonot said discussion centered on the desire that whatever was put there should meet market conditions. "Independent living was not really a preferred type because BARRY S. MANNING Publisher JODY GORRAN Associate Publisher JASON BUD JINSKI Community Editor that would be something akin to a condominium," he said. "That's not necessarily what you're looking for. The preference was for assisted living with some subsidies available at the site, and the other was skilled care. I think the final conclusion was probably for what you would call a step-up facility, where someone could come in for assisted living, and as their needs grow, additional facilities would also be included." One question posed originally was the possibility of restricting the facility only to residents of Royal Palm Beach, which was deemed not feasible because it would preclude subsidies. "That is not something we JOSHUA I. MANNING Executive Editor DAWN RIVERA General Manager RON BUKLEY Managing Editor would recommend," Gonot said. "Additionally, if the village decides to allow subsidies there, under federal law you would not be allowed to restrict who would be able to come into that facility." Other points of discussion included limiting the facility to two stories and making sure it fit in with the surrounding park. Another concern was the traffic impact on Royal Palm Beach Blvd., which was determined not to be a significant factor. A needs analysis found that most facilities in a 10-mile radius have occupancy of more than 95 percent. "In a commercial sense, 95 percent is full occupancy," Gonot said. There was also discussion on whether the park was the best location, and residents were divided, Gonot said. During public comment, Iris Levin said she and her neighbors, as well as members of the Young at Heart Club, felt that a location in a 160-acre park was ideal. "A lot of people, when they had an understanding of what it was about, were favorable," Levin said. "This will allow us to continue to reside in the community we love." Village Manager Ray Liggins said that now that the council has accepted the report, additional studies into the project will likely take about 18 months before anything moves forward. TOWN-CRIER Your Community Newspaper 12794 West Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31 The Original Wellington Mall Serving The Palms West Communities For 32 Years Published Weekly By Newspaper Publishers, Inc. Wellington, Florida 33414 Phone: (561) 793-7606 Classified Ads: (561) 793-3576 � Fax: (561) 793-6090 World Wide Web: http://www.goTownCrier.com E-Mail Address: firstname.lastname@example.com EDITORIAL STAFF/ Chris Felker � Denise Fleischman Jessica Gregoire � Lauren Mir� CONTRIBUTORS/ Jules Rabin � Ellen Rosenberg � Leonard Wechsler � Deborah W elky ART & PRODUCTION MANAGER/ Stephanie Rodriguez ADVERTISING/ Betty Buglio � Evie Edwards � Wanda Glockson STAFF/ Shanta Daibee � Carol Lieberman � Geri O'Neil POSTAL STATEMENT The Town-Crier (USPS #021547) is published weekly by Newspaper Publishers Inc., 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414-7458. Periodicals Postage Paid at West Palm Beach, FL. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The TownCrier, c/o Newspaper Publishers Inc., 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 334147458. Founded In 1980 By Bob Markey Sr. Copyright 2012, Newspaper Publishers Inc. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. THE The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 5 SHERIFF'S OFFICE HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING FOR NEW WELLINGTON SUBSTATION After months of preparation, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office dedicated its new Wellington substation with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, Jan. 19. The substation is located at 14000 Greenbriar Blvd. in Wellington's old municipal complex. Additionally, hockey's Stanley Cup was on hand to mark the grand-opening festivities. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER NEWS Mayor Darell Bowen and his wife, Sherry, with Steve Bowman. PBSO and village officials take part in the ribbon cutting. Col. James Stormes, Capt. Jay Hart, Chief Deputy Michael Gauger and Wellington Village Manager Paul Schofield. Brian Daly, Sgt. John Howley and Denise Frazier. Vice Mayor Matt Willhite, Dina Poston, Capt. William Bruckner and Deputy Chris Santa with the Stanley Cup. Wellington Safe Neighborhoods Advocate Meridith Tuckwood and Lt. Chris Myers. Balmore Place In The Acreage Offers Family-Style Assisted Living By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report Located in a tranquil wooded area of The Acreage, Balmore Place is a homey assisted-living facility. It had always been owner Fae Smith's dream to open a facility where residents can receive personalized attention in a warm, family-style house setting. "Ever since I can remember, I've always wanted to be a doctor or a nurse," Smith said. "After I had my children, I went back to college and became a nurse." With her nursing background, Smith was not pleased with the way patients were treated in the facilities she worked in. "I've seen clients neglected or live at home alone without proper intervention," Smith said. "It led me to do something different." After moving to Florida, Smith decided to open her own assisted-living facility, along with her daughter Tania Cohen, who is also a registered nurse, where they could give residents the best possible care. "We are there to be the care manager," Smith said. "We go the extra mile, and we have seen a lot of improvement." Smith opened her first Balmore Place location three years ago on 86th Road North. The facility received a favorable response from residents and their families. Recently, Smith opened a second location, on 83rd Lane North. "We saw so much improvement in our residents that we decided to expand," Smith said. "We wanted to give more people the opportunity to receive the same personalized treatment." The new location is situated on one and a quarter acres of land and has 3,200 square feet of living space. Each facility is well-maintained in a comfortably designed home, with accommodations for six residents. The residents have the option of having their own room or having a roommate. The facility has caretakers who are there 24 hours a day in case of emergencies, and doctors and nurses who are on call. "Everyone who comes, stays," Smith said. "They are happy with their meals and the care they get." Smith understands how it feels See BALMORE, page 22 (Right) Balmore Place owner Fae Smith (third from left) with resident family members. PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER Page 6 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier Man Robbed While Walking Through RPB's Willows Park By Lauren Mir� Town-Crier Staff Report JAN. 19 -- A deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to Willows Park last Thursday afternoon following a robbery. According to a PBSO report, the victim was walking his two dogs through Willows Park at approximately 4:45 p.m. carrying his iPad tablet when two men approached him. According to the report, the victim said that an unknown Hispanic male bumped his arm and stole the iPad from his grasp. The suspect, along with another unknown white male, began to flee on foot, but the victim chased them. According to the report, when the Hispanic male saw that the victim was catching up, he kicked the sandals he was wearing off his feet. Both suspects exited the park at the southeast corner, turned right and then traveled southwest on Bobwhite Road and Dove Circle. The sandals were taken into evidence, but there was no further information at the time of the report. ��� JAN. 17 -- A resident of Donlin Drive called the PBSO substation in Wellington last Tuesday evening to report an act of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 7 p.m., the victim arrived home from work and parked his vehicle outside his home. When he left his home about half an hour later, he discovered that someone had smashed the vehicle's rear window with an unknown object. According to the report, the perpetrator(s) did not gain entry to the vehicle and fled the area in an unknown direction. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. JAN. 18 -- A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to Royal Palm Beach Commons shopping plaza on State Road 7 last Wednesday afternoon regarding a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, the victim left his home at approximately 1 p.m., placing a small bag containing a diamond engagement ring and a white gold diamond necklace in the pocket of his passenger seat. The victim made several stops along SR 7 and was unsure whether he locked his vehicle. According to the report, it wasn't until several hours later that he realized the bag was missing. The victim said he did not know when the bag was stolen. The stolen items were valued at approximately $15,192. DNA evidence was taken at the scene, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. JAN. 20 -- A woman was robbed last Friday as she exited the Walgreens store at the corner of Southern and Crestwood boulevards in Royal Palm Beach. According to a PBSO report, deputies were dispatched to the store after an unknown black male attempted to steal a gold necklace from around the victim's neck. According to the report, the victim entered the store at approximately 7:15 p.m. and passed an unknown black male. On her way out approximately 15 minutes later, the victim passed him again. According to the report, the suspect came up behind her and pulled on her right shoulder. When she turned around, the victim said that the man grabbed the necklace around her neck. According to the report, the victim held on to the necklace and a struggle ensued. The suspect pushed the victim to the ground and removed the necklace. However, the suspect dropped it while fleeing the scene. Video surveillance footage of the incident was available, but there was no further information at the time of the report. JAN. 21 -- A Wellington woman was arrested early last Saturday morning on charges of drunken driving following a traffic stop near the intersection of Forest Hill Blvd. and Wellington Trace. According to a PBSO report, a deputy from the Wellington substation pulled over 26-year-old Alicia Black, who appeared to be impaired. A second deputy arrived on scene and, according to the report, could smell the odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. According to the report, the deputy asked Black to perform roadside tasks. She was arrested and taken to the Palm Beach County Jail, where breath tests revealed she had a .113 blood-alcohol level. She was charged with driving under the influence. JAN. 21 -- A deputy from the PBSO's Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was dispatched to a home on Coconut Blvd. last Saturday morning regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14 and 8:30 a.m. last Saturday, someone entered his property and removed the sprinkler pump and pool heater. According to the report, the victim said he See BLOTTER, page 20 CRIME NEWS Man Dies In Acreage Vehicle Accident JAN. 21 -- A man was killed early last Saturday morning after the vehicle he was driving flipped into a canal in The Acreage. According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office report, a resident of 81st Lane North called the PBSO's Acreage/Loxahatchee substation to complain about the noise coming from a silver Dodge Durango parked along the canal bank. According to the report, the driver of the vehicle, 25-year-old Spencer Hubbard, drove south along the canal bank, where the right side tires of the vehicle drove off the edge. The vehicle rolled into the canal, coming to rest upside down and fully submerged under water. According to the report, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue personnel responded and removed the vehicle from the water. Hubbard, whose address was unknown at the time of the report, was pronounced dead at the scene. It was later discovered that the vehicle had been stolen last Friday from Lake Worth. According to the report, alcohol and/or drugs might have contributed to the incident. Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the public's help in finding these wanted fugitives: � Jybray Air-Barber, a.k.a. Jybray Barber, is a black male, 6'3" tall and weighing 160 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. His dat e of birth is 07/09/90. Air-Barber is wanted for burglary of a dwelling, grand theft from a dwelling, dealing in stolen property and false verification of ownership. His occupation is unknown. His last known addresses were Silk Carnation Way in Royal Palm Beach and Montauk Drive in Wellington. Air-Barber is wanted as of 01/ 26/12. � Rene Molina-Gonzalez is a white male, 6'1" tall and weighing 220 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. He has tattoos on his arm and back. His date of birth is 10/19/ 86. Molina-Gonzalez is wanted for violation of supervised own recognizance on charges of carrying a concealed firearm, possession of cocaine with intent to sell and tampering with evidence. His occupation is unknown. His last known address was Jackson Avenue in Greenacres. Molina-Gonzalez is wanted as of 01/26/ 12. Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestopperspbc.com. Jybray Air-Barber Rene MolinaGonzalez THE INFORMATION FOR THIS BOX IS PROVIDED BY CRIME STOPPERS OF PALM BEACH COUNTY. CRIMESTOPPERS IS WHOLLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT SHOWN HERE. The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 7 Royal Palm Hopes Grant Money Will Help Refurbish Willows Park By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach Recreation Board recommended approval Monday for village staff to apply for a $200,000 grant to upgrade aging facilities at Willows Park. "We have an opportunity to apply for a land and water conservation grant with a maximum amount of $200,000," Parks & Recreation Director Lou Recchio said. "In our capital projects, one of the items we wanted to address was Willows Park." Recchio said the oldest Willows Park baseball diamond dates to the early days of the village's park system. "That baseball field has been there since I can remember, and I moved here in 1983," he said. "It is in dire need to be refurbished." Recchio said RPB has already earmarked $340,000 for improvements there next year. "The baseball organization was asking about expanding the size of the facility, and the way that field is laid out, we are limited as far as ages that can use that particular field, so we are looking to extend the outfield fence about 50 feet, which means we will have to take up a portion of the asphalt walking path along the canal," Recchio explained. "We will be going closer to the canal, but it's not going to be interfering with the canal. We're just going to reroute that trail." He said the redesign will also preserve a small natural area near the field. "One thing we've done throughout the village is try to hang on to our preserve areas," Recchio said, adding that drainage will also be improved during the refurbishing. "The drainage is horrible. When we get a rain, the following day the field is worthless. You really can't use it, so at this time we will tear up the outfield and put in some under-drainage so it drains properly." Recchio said that when other ball fields were outfitted with under-drainage, it made a tremendous difference. "The baseball seasons are during the rainy seasons mostly, so we need to address that," he said. The field will also get new lighting. "The lights there date to 1987," Recchio said. "They are very old. They are in dire need of being replaced." Recchio said he had hoped to get to this project sooner. "We were looking to do it this year, but with other projects online, we had moved it out to the next budget year," he said. "We will pursue this, and because of that, it's actually fortunate because we will be able to use these grant monies for it." Recchio asked for the committee's approval to move forward with the grant application. "The application has to be in Tallahassee in March," Recchio said. He said the state will usually respond in July and present contracts in September, so the village can move forward at the start of the next budget year in October, when the additional $340,000 will be available. "When the state sees that you are putting in dollars, that's a feather in your cap," Recchio said. "We'll be able to do a really nice job out here." Recchio said the village plans to move ahead with the project regardless of whether it receives the grant. "We've already earmarked money for the project," he said, adding that the applications are very competitive and money is tight. "This is the only grant cycle that's been funded potentially by the state to this point," he said. "Other grants that we've usually applied for every year or every other year, the state has actually cut the funding. This is the only one that is actually fully funded, but it's competitive." Committee Member Phyllis Katz made a motion to approve the grant application, which carried 50. NEWS Marketing Expert: Businesses Should Focus On Customer Service By Lauren Mir� Town-Crier Staff Report Members of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce got some valuable marketing advice Wednesday when keynote speaker Tom Feltenstein shared strategies that small businesses can use to market to the community. Feltenstein has more than 30 years of experience as a marketing consultant to Fortune 500 companies including CVS Pharmacy, Chick-Fil-A, Coca-Cola and the Walt Disney Co. He told members that they are responsible for the face of their business. "Your No. 1 responsibility is recruiting," Feltenstein said. "If you hire the wrong people, all the fancy management techniques in the world won't bail you out. The most important decisions I make are hiring decisions." Feltenstein said that more money spent on recruiting and training means less money has to be spent on marketing. "Y ou'll see how your sales will go up," he said. "Your front line is your bottom line. At the end of the day, it's people you count on, not strategy." Feltenstein encouraged business owners to "hire sunshine," people who bring a positive atmosphere to the business. In return, he said owners must treat their employees well. One of Feltenstein's favorite things to do, he said, is invite a new employee to a "first-day dinner." "Everyone is nervous on [his or her] first day," he said. "T ake your new employee out to dinner. Celebrate that they are with the company." Having employees invested in the business will make a better experience for customers, he said, who will return because they like the service. "The most expensive employee you have is the one you have to fire," he stressed. Feltenstein said that giving all employees -- no matter their position -- a business card to hand out is a simple marketing strategy that is easy to implement. Though much of society relies on technology, Feltenstein said that he has seen best results with direct mailers that offer customers something substantial. "I've seen up to 30 percent returns," he said. Often, businesses want to give away smaller incentives to get customers in the door, he said. "Everybody wants to give away something cheesy and small," Feltenstein said. "Entice them. The higher the incentive, the better off it will be for you." Feltenstein told chamber members that successful marketing is about embracing change, breaking patterns and being willing to innovate. But the most important thing business owners can do, he said, is to surprise their customers with individualized, personal service. "Seeing a customer engaged is your new 30-second ad," he said. "That's what's important when you're serving people." For more information, visit www. tomfeltenstein.com. Lox Council To Seek Engineer, Plan List Of Capital Projects By Ron Bukley Town-Crier Staff Report The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council approved a number of actions at a special meeting last week, including sending out requests for a town engineer and directing staff to prepare a list of capital projects for the town to pursue. Also approved were contracting for a new web site provider, broadening the duties of the town's solid waste monitor and incorporating fees for business tax receipts. Town Manager Mark Kutney said the laundry list of changes comes as the result of an assessment of first-quarter activities by the town's new management company, Underwood Management Services Group. This included the correction of a number of issues. Kutney said that in many cases, files and documentation were poorly maintained or, in some cases, nonexistent. "It was very difficult to find things," he said, adding that the electronic backup was lacking. He also said the town's computer system had consisted largely of several personal computers and laptops not backed up on a common drive, as far as he could tell. Kutney added that the existing data was not housed on a secure network. Kutney said the financial system is being updated. "That's going to be a continual work in progress, and we'll bring that back to you a few more times," he said. Financial records for 2011 were not complete, and the completed budget notification was incorrect, Kutney said, explaining that his big concern is that the 2012 budget was not large enough to cover operational expenses. "It is woefully inadequate, although I will say, in fairness, a lot of the cost we incurred was because of the situation we inherited," he said. Bill Underwood, owner of Underwood Management Services Group, said the town has an adequate budget, but he sees several places where there will likely be shortfalls. "The big one that I recollect is the special magistrate," Underwood said. "The budget is $3,000, and we've already spent $4,700, and we're probably going to double or triple that before the end of the year." Kutney said the town also lacks purchase order forms and that existing contracts lack performance measures, without which it is difficult to determine whether a contractor is doing a good job. "We're going to have to go back and create all this stuff ourselves, which we can do, but it's going to be timeconsuming," Kutney said. Kutney said his staff is in the process of creating a new filing system and continuing to search existing files for missing documents. For electronic data, they have replaced all the network hardware, and the network is hardwired to prevent infiltration into the system. "I will tell you, we're not a law enforcement agency, but we will do our best to take a look and see what's missing," he said. The office has been outfitted with appropriate work stations and computer equipment, and they implemented new office application software and eliminated all wireless activity. Underwood added that the town's data storage now complies with the Federal Information Management Security Act (FIMSA). Kutney said the special magistrate meetings are causing the most cost and time. The completion of the town's Uniform Land Development Code brought on a string of costs, including code enforcement and planning and zoning, he said. At Kutney's request, the council unanimously approved a number of actions. Among them were to: � Execute agreements for citizenrequest web services and for web site and content management systems. � Incorporate local preference language to encourage use of local vendors where applicable. � Allow the town's solid waste monitor, Frank Schiola, to provide broader public works services. � Purchase town-branded polo shirts for the council, staff and advisory board members. � Direct staff to prepare a capital improvement program for future council approval. The council also directed Kutney to prepare a request for qualifications for engineering services. Mayor Dave Browning asked whether that is something they could coordinate with Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Administrator Clete Saunier, who is also the district engineer, but Councilman Tom Goltzen� said Saunier seems to be busy with his district duties. Browning said putting an engineer on a retainer would cost a lot, but Kutney clarified: "We're not looking at putting an engineer on a retainer. We're looking at paying him to work for us." Finally, Kutney asked the council to allow him to prepare an ordinance authorizing a $75 fee for research and execution of business tax receipts and other fees as appropriate. Kutney said the fee is a way to recoup general government expenses. "That fee might be too high," Kutney said. "It was inserted in there as an example to look at, but it's the only way that I know of that we can try to get some money back for general government assistance." Councilman Jim Rockett made a motion to draft the ordinance, which passed 4-0 with Goltzen� off the dais. Keynote speaker Tom Feltenstein with Wellington Chamber of Commerce President Michael Stone. PHOTO BY LAUREN MIR�/TOWN-CRIER Wellington Extends Deadline For Father-Daughter Dance Tickets Fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers and all types of families are invited to take part in Wellington's annual Father-Daughter Dance on Saturday, Feb. 4. It will be a night of delight designed for dads to share with their daughters ages 5 to 14 and includes dancing, a delicious dinner, games and pictures. Each couple will receive a free keepsake to cherish the memories of this fun evening. The Father-Daughter Dance will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Village Park gymnasium (11700 Pierson Road). Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The deadline to purchase tickets has been extended to Thursday, Feb. 2. Tickets are available at the Wellington Community Center and the Village Park gymnasium. The cost is $50 per resident couple and $62.50 per non-resident couple. Additional tickets may be purchased for $20 per resident and $25 per non-resident. This is a popular event, so be sure to buy your tickets as early as possible. For more information, call (561) 791-4005. This event is sponsored by Simon Orthodontics, and additional sponsorship opportunities are still available. AL PAGLIA CAMPAIGN KICKOFF PARTY Wellington Village Council candidate Al Paglia held a campaign kickoff party Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Wellington home of Dominic and Nancy Salviola. Paglia, a former councilman, is running against Vice Mayor Matt Willhite for Seat 4. Pictured here is Paglia with his supporters. Page 8 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier Connecting Cops & Kids Program Wellington is the first municipality in Florida selected to host the Connecting Cops & Kids training program. Developed by the Fred Rogers Company and provided by a grant through the National League of Cities and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, the program is a no-cost training designed to enhance community policing services and public safety by improving law enforcement interactions with children and teens. On Thursday, Feb. 9, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, Palm Beach County school resource officers, Wellington's Safe Neighborhoods Office and local nonprofits will participate in the Connecting Cops & Kids training from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Wellington municipal complex (12300 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). "We are very excited to be among the 20 municipalities nationwide and the only city in Florida selected to host this no-cost training," Wellington Mayor Darell Bowen said. The Fred Rogers Company, well NEWS BRIEFS known for producing Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, has produced Connecting Cops & Kids, a video-based professional training program for law enforcement officers and community support agencies. Its goal is to help officers increase their effectiveness when interacting with children. The training is designed to raise officers' awareness of the tremendous impact their presence has on children and to demonstrate how basic knowledge of childhood development can enhance an officer 's influence and ability to achieve law enforcement goals. The training includes an in-depth look at how children see police, weighing options during encounters with atrisk youth, partners in crisis, children and trauma. For more information, contact Neighborhood Advocate Meridith Tuckwood at (561) 753-2476. For additional details about the program, visit www.fci.org/cops. take place Saturday, Feb. 11 at Wellington Village Park. All proceeds from the event will benefit Friends of Abused Children Inc. The tournament will take place at Village Park softball fields 22, 23 and 24 beginning at 8 a.m. This family-friendly event will include food, appearances by local celebrities and softball play. Friends of Abused Children is 26-year-old nonprofit organization serving children in Palm Beach County who have been adjudicated to state care. Proceeds will help support programs and services such as tutoring, sending children to summer camp or safety patrol, purchasing clothes and school uniforms, providing emergency medical and dental care, and offering to send children to enrichment programs such as music lessons or after school athletics. "Jim has been a true community leader, not only on television, but because of his hands-on support of so many local charities," Friends of Abused Children President Laurie Briggs said. "We are truly grateful for his dedication to the 1,600 children in Palm Beach County who are in foster and shelter care." Admission costs $5 for adults and is free for children younger than age 3. For more information, call (561) 659-5005 or (561) 632-1170. Visit www.friendspbc.org for info. struction. In addition, online registration is available by visiting www.wellingtonfl.gov, clicking the Parks & Recreation icon and selecting Online Registration in the left-hand pane. For additional information, contact Senior Services Advocate Howard Trager at (561) 791-4785. EWPB Seeks Nominees Executive Women of the Palm Beaches is seeking nominations for its annual Women In Leadership Awards. The awards are given to three Palm Beach County women who have made outstanding accomplishments in the volunteer, private and public sector, recognizing outstanding accomplishments, generosity of spirit, and a commitment to integrity and diversity. Nominations must be received on or before Friday, Feb. 10. The nominee must have lived or worked in Palm Beach County for at least five years, excel in the category for which she is being nominated and must have made a demonstrated difference in Palm Beach County. More criteria can be found at www.ewpb.org. A nomination form and a 4-inch by 6-inch photo are all that is needed to nominate a friend or co-worker. The form is available online at www. ewpb.org. Those interested may also e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com or call (561) 684-9117 for information. The awards will be presented at the WILA luncheon on May 3. Financial Series For Seniors Wellington seniors can become more financially savvy by attending free financial seminars, including a free lunch, hosted by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney These . "Lunch and Learn" financial seminars will take place from noon to 2 p.m. one Thursday per month through May at the original Wellington Mall (12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 14B). The seminar dates and themes are as follows: Feb. 16, "Municipal Bonds: Are They Right for You?"; March 22, "To Estate Plan or Not to Estate Plan, That is the Question"; April 19, "The Truth Behind Risk-Free and No-Risk Investments"; and May 17, "What You Need to Know About Social Security." Participants can pre-register by visiting Village Park at 11700 Pierson Road. The Wellington Community Center will also accept registrations until it closes for con- Garden Club To Meet Feb. 6 The Wellington Garden Club will meet Monday, Feb. 6 at the Wellington Community Center (12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). The business meeting starts at 10:30 a.m. followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m. and a program at 12:15 p.m., presented by Dr. Joe Schaefer. Schaefer is district extension director of the University of Florida/IFAS Florida Extension Services. His degree is in wildlife ecology and conservation, and he has worked with a variety of critters. His presentation is titled "Encounters With Our Wild Neighbors." Guests are welcome and there is no admission fee, but seating is limited. To reserve a seat, RSVP to Jayne at (561) 791-0273. Jim Sackett Invitational Softball Tourney The Jim Sackett Invitational celebrity softball tournament will Thomas Flannery, M.D. Apurv Varia, M.D. Stephen Miller, M.D. Augusto LopezTorres, M.D. Sherry Ellis, M.D. WELLINGTON 10111 Forst Hill Blvd., Suite 255 561.245.4550 561.422.3700 OTHER LOCATIONS: Atlantis - 5053 South Congress Ave., Ste 202 Delray Beach - 4675 Linton Blvd., Ste 203 Boynton Beach - 10301 Hagen Ranch Rd., Ste B 550 The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 9 The Acreage Landowners' Association and Indian Trail Improvement District host ed the monthly Acreage Community Park Jam on Saturday, Jan. 21 at A creage Community Park. The family-friendly event is free and open to the public, featuring live music, poetry, comedy, food and a classic car show. For more info., visit www.acreagelandowners.org or call Bob Renna at (561) 602-0676. LOCAL MUSICIANS PERFORM AT MONTHLY ACREAGE COMMUNITY PARK JAM PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER NEWS Members of the community play music t ogether. Linda Renna and Domingo Flores. Norman Bratcher with his '79 Corvette. Community Jam coordinator Bob Renna runs the sound board. Mike Moore and Arlene Pollock look at cars. Dart Drew and Chris Bernard listen to musicians perform. MATT WILLHITE HOSTS RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN PARTY AT THE PLAYERS CLUB Wellington Vice Mayor Matt Willhite kicked off his re-election campaign with a fundraiser Jan. 12 at the Players Club. Approximately 60 guests were in attendance, including Councilman Howard Coates, former Mayor Tom Wenham, Congressman Ted Deutch (D-District 19), County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, International Polo Club Palm Beach President of Club Operations John Wash, Neil Hirsch, and family members and friends. Hyacinth and Newbolt Wilson, Morley and Irene Alperstein, and County Commissioner Jess Santamaria. Congressman Ted Deutch and Vice Mayor Matt Willhite. John Wash of IPC and Neil Hirsch of the Players Club. Don Dufresne and Councilman Howard Coates. Page 10 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier TEMPLE BETH TORAH SISTERHOOD PRESENTS SPECIAL HEALTH-RELATED EVENT The Temple Beth Torah Sisterhood held "New Year, New You" Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the tem ple's social hall. Business professionals provided expert advice on health and well-being, and donated services for raffle prizes. For more info., e-mail sisterhood@templebeth torah.net or call (561) 793-2700. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER NEWS Jennine Jones, Andi Parker, Elizabeth Thal and Darlene Lebowitz. Dr. Mark Cutler and Colette Miller. Temple Beth Torah Sisterhood Membership Vice President Donna Rosman and President Tammy Smith. Sylvia Windmuller, Lori Warner and Corinne Ingerman. Personal trainer Dina Sitomer. Mindy Sepinuck of Fab Finds by Mindy. Palms Wellington Plastic Surgery's Dr. Itzhak Nir and Sanda Gan� of Sanda Gan� European Day Spa. GATHERING TIME RETURNS FOR CONCERT AT THE WELLINGTON AMPHITHEATER New York folk rock trio Gathering Time performed Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Wellington Amphitheater. The trio includes Hillary Foxsong, Stuart Markus and Glen Roethel. The "Tribute to Folk Music" show was part of Wellington's current tribute music series. Gathering Time members with Mike Pugh (third from left) after the show. Gathering Time's Glen Roethel, Stuart Markus and Hillary Foxsong. Hillary Foxsong with a copy of the group's CD. The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 11 JustWorld International held its ninth annual fundraiser Friday, Jan. 20 at Maria Newman's Belle Herbe Farm in Wellington's Grand Prix Village. Guests donned their best from the "roaring 1920s" and were treated to a night of food, drinks and fun all in the name of charity. For more info., visit www.justworldinternational.org. PHOTOS BY LAUREN MIR�/TOWN-CRIER A 1920S THEME AT JUSTWORLD INTERNATIONAL'S FUNDRAISER IN WELLINGTON NEWS FTI Consulting Executive Chairman Dennis Shaughnessy with his wife, Mary. Sponsors Caryl Phillips and Frank Zeiss, along with Jane Fernandez, pose with Simon Silva and Pablo Buge�o. Tuny and David Page with Susan Guinan. Dane Iacangelo with Lauren Belinsky of sponsor Whole Foods Market. Carlene and Andy Ziegler enjoy the evening. JustWorld International founder Jessica Newman with her mother Maria. Joan and Ernest Kalman. GRACE FELLOWSHIP ACREAGE BIDS FAREWELL TO ITS YOUTH MINISTRY LEADER Grace Fellowship A creage said goodbye to Youth Ministry leader Reagan Sims on Sunday, Jan. 22. Sims is the son of church Pastor Jim Sims, and will be moving to Texas to become the junior high youth pastor at Crossroads Baptist Church in the Woodlands. Church members and Youth Ministry members said their goodbyes after Reagan Sims received his license to preach and preached his last sermon at the church. For more info, visit www.gfacreage.com. PHOTOS BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER Reagan Sims (back center) with Youth Ministry members. Reagan Sims with his sister Mary-Madison Sims, and mother and father Becky and Pastor Jim Sims. Reagan Sims in front of his car, which was painted with words of encouragement by Youth Ministry members. Page 12 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 13 Page 14 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier LEARN MORE: Q&A Session With Mark Bellissimo Sunday, Jan. 29, 5 PM, The Gallery at PBIEC International Arena Open To The Public - Refreshments Will Be Served Answers To Your Questions About The Equestrian Village Project By Mark Bellissimo, Managing Partner, Wellington Equestrian Partners What is the Equestrian Village? The Equestrian Village (EV) is the most important investment that WEP will make in Wellington. It is more than just a real estate project. It is also a business strategy to develop a connection to the community, enhance the current business, and provide an engine for economic growth. The location of the EV is critical as it represents a very strategic, visible, and accessible location. It will become the "gateway" to the equestrian community. It will provide a central gathering spot open to the entire community that educates, entertains and inspires residents about the equestrian industry. There are four components of the Equestrian Village; 1) local shop s with an exhibition arena and a Wellington Hall of Fame; 2) a riding academy; 3) a world-class Showgrounds with dressage complex, covered arena, and derby field; 4) and a resort condo/ hotel. All of the elements are integrated. The hotel on the corner will become a worldwide recognizable piece of architecture for Wellington. class facility in which to compete. There is an increasingly large group of dressage riders that make Wellington their full time home. I believe that will increase and there will be a longer season. Internationally, there is no real winter home for dressage and we are already seeing hundreds of new dressage horses and riders flowing into the community. The sport is growing and I think it will give Wellington an important new dimension. elements of the equestrian preserve. The balance of the square feet is supporting the hotel and equestrian pavilions that are located within the property. A lot of the square feet beyond what is necessary to support the condo/hotel is going to be used for spas, banquet facilities, conference rooms and hospitality areas that will support the events. Why is the hotel important? It is by far one of the most important investment s to bring Wellington to the next level and it will have the biggest impact on extending the season. First, the most obvious issue is meeting demand and serving our customers. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission recently published an independent report that highlighted that the Winter Equestrian Festival generated 47,700 bed nights during the 12-week event. The only hotel in town at full capacity during that time period could only support 8,400 of those bed nights leaving a gap of 39,300 bed nights, which means 83% of the demand is filled outside of Wellington. This translates into tens of millions of dollars spent outside of Wellington and a tremendous amount of unnecessary traffic on the roads. Those guests are most likely eating and supporting non-Wellington businesses. Second, attracting world-class Sponsorship is critical to our long-term success. One of the biggest complaints from our sponsors is that there is no full service hotel to put up their senior executives and customers. The Hampton Inn is the only hotel in Wellington, and it does not have room service or conference facilities. Some of our sponsors have to put up their guests at the hotels throughout Palm Beach, which can be a 30-40 minute trip each way. Our largest sponsor FTI believes it is critical to maintain our standing and attract broader sponsorship. Many of our existing and potential sponsors would love to bring in their key customers and entertain them locally, however, it is inconvenient. A world-class hotel would dramatically expand our sponsor base. Finally, and most importantly, the existence of a hotel will allow us to create and or attract new events to Wellington. A hotel would allow us to attract new events, industry conferences, trade shows, or to develop a new equestrian tourism product. The hotel would act as the headquarters for the events, trade shows, conferences, and sponsors. These events will allow us to extend the season before and after the winter, which will create jobs. If you bring a big conference, you would use the hotel as the headquarters for the event with the banquet and conference facilities. The event would be unique because you could leverage the other components of the property like the village shops, the covered arena, the equestrian arenas, and the riding academy, which would make the event unique. This would also bring commerce to other hotels, local businesses, rental properties, and restaurants. As for tourism, this year the Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureau ran an ad in Horse & Hound magazine, the largest equestrian-oriented English-language magazine in the world, which is based out of England. I believe that it has generated one group of 30 people and over 70 other tourists to experience Wellington and the W inter Equestrian Festival. Since there was no place to stay in Wellington, they are staying as far away as Delray. A destination equestrian resort would also be unique in that you could bring your horse to the local stables and compete on site during off-season shows. I believe it will also be critical for our bid for the 2018 World Equestrian Games. How does your vision benefit Wellington? We believe that Wellington is just scraping the surface of the opportunity. The goal of this project is to not necessarily to make the winter season busier but rather to provide a platform to make the fall and spring months stronger. Executing on this vision will provide for the following benefits: � Provide hundreds of critical short-term construction jobs. � Provide Wellington a strong base to develop the very important dressage market. � Develop hundreds of long-term, full-time jobs in all areas of the industry (horse shows, hospitality, lodging, administration, equestrian support, specialty retail). � Elevate the real estate market, which enhances the tax base that supports community services. � Reduce seasonality, which strengthens and supports local businesses. � Create a common gathering spot to engage the community. � Firmly establish Wellington as the number-one equestrian destination in the world. How do the four components of the EV help you accomplish your objectives? The four components above allow us to accomplish four key objectives that are critical to Wellington's long term success; engaging the community, increasing community particip ation, expanding the equestrian season, and finally as a vehicle to market Wellington to the equestrian industry and to the world. How will the EV engage the community? The EV provides a central gathering spot open to the entire community that educates, entertains and inspires residents about the Wellington equestrian industry. The limited number of shops and restaurants at Equestrian V illage (only 45,000 square feet) will surround an exhibition area where there can be daily and nightly exhibitions, demonstrations, training, and/or clinics highlighting all dimensions of equestrian sport including riding, horse training, horse care, horse welfare, or job opportunities within the industry. On some days and evenings it could just be pony/horse rides (a live carousel, so to speak) for residents of all ages to get exposed to and ride a horse. Some examples of demonstrations could be explanations of the different disciplines, jumpers, hunters, dressage, polo, driving, vaulting, reigning, cutting, etc. It could be an Olympic rider demonstrating their craft, or a horse groom (some grooms can make over $50k per year plus housing and benefits -- there are thousands of grooms in Wellington with positions always available) or a farrier (hoof care/horse shoeing) explaining what they do. It also could be a demonstration by disabled riders showing how they overcame their adversity to pursue their dreams. There would be an online schedule that would be available to those interested in attending, as well as a process for people who wish to make presentations. It would also include a "Legends of Wellington" Hall of Fame exhibit that educates the community on Wellington's history. It would include a "Golden Horseshoe" on a walk of fame that would initially include C. Oliver Wellington, Bill Ylvisaker and Gene Mische. What do you see for the future of WEP and Wellington's equestrian industry? How will the partners both expand and preserve the equestrian lifestyle for years to come? While many would sit back and enjoy what they have accomplished in their first five-year plan, we believe they have just scraped the surface of the opportunities for Wellington and are poised to launch a new five-year plan that is centered around integrating the community by making the equestrian world more relevant, affordable, and accessible with the unifying theme being the love of the horse. � Increase the level of participation in direct equestrian activity of Wellington children, adults, and seniors through after school programs, clinics, summer camps, adult riding programs, scholarships, and seniors programs. � Create a public interscholastic riding program in Wellington that will be a model for the country. � Increase spectator p articipation in Saturday Night Lights and the dressage activities at the new stadium property. � Increase the level of annual fund raising for the FTI consulting Great Charity Challenge to $3 million dollars per year within five years. � Increase the equestrian season to 7-8 months by bringing in new equestrian disciplines and new events, which will create full-time jobs and opportunities for Wellington residents. � Create training programs for Wellington residents who want to seek employment in the equestrian industry . � Create an indoor arena to support a broader range of equestrian and community events. � Create a world-class equestrian village that is the gateway to the equestrian domain that provides a central architectural feature in the form of a world-class hotel and a corresponding equestrian plaza that would be a gathering inviting for the community. � Secure the World Equestrian Games in 2018. Why will it increase community participation? Once people become engaged and knowledgeable we believe they will want to participate. If they have an interest in riding they would now find the high quality, accessible and affordable Palm Beach Riding Academy. The Academy provides a facility that will allow residents to p articipate in the sport whether a child, adult, or senior, whether for recreational or competitive rider. It will also be the center of the universe for our new public school riding initiative and our proposed interscholastic riding program. Also, with the right level of awareness, education and training, we think that residents will increase their interest in jobs that are available within the industry. Why does the hotel need to be 5 stories? While the hotel is five stories at its maximum point, the hotel has been designed to be an attractive architectural landmark. In order to maximize green space and equestrian activity we went vertical instead of horizontal. The allowable height in Wellington is three stories. The design of the hotel steps down from 5 floors to 4 floors to 3 floors giving it a layered feel making it less than of box structure. The fifth floor is only 10% of the total area of the hotel so on average it is about four stories, which is one story above what is allowed. Again, the height is important in order to get the number of rooms and to achieve the green space. How will it expand the equestrian season? The EV will strengthen and stimulate the expansion of the equestrian season by adding new events (e.g. the Global Dressage Festival, breed shows, young horse shows, horse auctions, etc...). With an integrated hotel option and covered arena, we believe we can pursue regional and national finals for licensed events as well as collegiate events. With a world-class Showgrounds, an indoor arena, and a hotel option, we can pursue the 2015 World Cup Finals and/or the 2018 World Equestrian Games. We are also exploring western, cross country, and driving disciplines to add to the calendar of events. The more events, the longer the season and the more economic impact on the community through increased spending and jobs. Why don't you use the commercial property across the street and put the hotel there? Our strategy entails bringing more equestrian businesses and jobs to Wellington. That site is approved for commercial professional and offices. At this time we think the expansion of the season, increase in number and types of events, increased awareness of Wellington, along with county and state incentives can elevate Wellington for a potential site for a corporate headquarters or a regional office for an equestrian targeted enterprise. In combination with the great infrastructure of Wellington; schools, recreational facilities, lifestyle, quality home inventory, it leverages the strengths of the two complementary worlds. Further, it is critical that the hotel is a resort hotel with many amenities (spa, banquet, conference facilities, stables, pool etc. with beautiful grounds that will support many types of activities that are directly linked to the equestrian activity. With a strong world-class product, we can attract many equestrian events during the non-winter periods. Why do you believe the equestrian community is important to non-equestrians? I don't think it is as relevant as it could and should be. I would estimate that less than 30% percent of Wellington residents know where the facility is and less than 10% have ever been there. The biggest challenge and one of the biggest goals of our partnership is to make the equestrian center and the corresponding equestrian activity directly relevant to the community. To accomplish this you have to make it accessible, affordable, and inclusive. Let's face it, the sport as configured is inaccessible, expensive, and exclusive, but it does not have to be that way. Over the next few years we are going to be opening up the facility and its resources to the community. It is a multistep process that will require a lot of effort and investment. First, we have to get people to know where the facility is by providing a high quality, low cost entertainment that excites the community and inspires them to come to the facility and learn about equestrian sport. Second, we then have to create an access point or a vehicle that allows families (children and adults) in the community to experiment and experience the majesty of the sport through free lessons, camps, accessible riding programs, and scholarship program for children that have an interest in the sport. That vehicle is the Palm Beach Riding Academy. Third, we need to create a low cost interscholastic public school riding program that starts in element ary school and ends up in high school and allows the particip ants to become educated and positioned to access the tens of millions of dollars of collegiate scholarships available to them for intercollegiate equestrian sport. Once people become insiders to the sport and not observers to a "distant world," they will become interested, engaged, and fellow enthusiasts. Once we engage the community, I am hopeful that within three years, we can get 50% of the community to go to at least one equestrian event per year. What does it mean to market Wellington to the industry and to the world? The EV allows us to introduce and market Wellington to a broad array of industry professionals (horse owners, veterinarians, trainers, product manufacturers, equestrian retailers, drug companies, and tourists) in order to enhance the exposure of Wellington through trade shows, industry conferences, spectator-oriented equestrian events and festivals (e.g. Equitana, BreyerFest, Equine Affair). Those events can leverage the hotel, competition arenas, covered arena, and various hospitality complexes. Many of these events would occur during the shoulder periods (i.e. non-winter) and would allow us to attract new riders, sponsors, and new businesses interested in relocating to Wellington, or new tourists (some of whom can be converted to participants). There is empty commercial space in Wellington. Why should we create more? Nearly all the tenants will be locating in Equestrian Village because it is an equestrian venue. They will be economic base businesses in that they will be associated with the equestrian industry, and therefore support local, non-base businesses. This property is already zoned Commercial Recreation with a floor to area ratio (FAR) of 10%. This 59-acre property thus has existing entitlement for almost 250,000 square feet of commercial activity. Despite the misleading information that is flowing around, the pure commercial elements are only 75,000 feet split between restaurant (20,000), retail (25,000) and office (30,000) all small numbers. The increase in FAR that is being requested to 15% is intended to be more consistent with what is allowed in other Why focus on a dressage complex? Dressage has been the stepchild of equestrian sport in Wellington for years. There is a large p assionate group of people who participate in the sport who have not had a world- PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT OUR VISION! Wellington Council Meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 7 p.m., Wellington City Hall PAID ADVERTISEMENT The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 15 Coca-Cola Defeats Heathcote 12-8 In Joe Barry Memorial Cup Action The sun wasn't the only thing glittering at Piaget Field at the International Polo Club Palm Beach last Sunday as Coca-Cola defeated Heathcote 12-8 in Joe Barry Memorial Cup action. Miss Florida USA 2012 Karina Brez hosted the official coin toss alongside hockey's gleaming Stanley Cup and Boston Bruins principal and National Hockey League Alternate Governor Charlie Jacobs. Prior to the match, Jacobs introduced the cup, which is now headed to the White House before going into the hands of the next winner. Coca-Cola and Heathcote each went into the match undefeated. Coca-Cola's Julio Arellano led the attack with eight goals, outscoring Heathcote's Tommy Biddle, who had six goals. But it was Coca-Cola's solid defense that shut down Heathcote. Coca-Cola's win has earned the team a spot in Wednesday's Joe Barry Memorial Cup semifinals against the unbeaten Circa team. Action will continue in the Joe Barry Memorial Cup competition Sunday, Jan. 29 with the finals taking place at noon and 3 p.m. Enjoy any of International Polo Club's entertainment options including reserved lawn seats, Wellington Zone, Kids Zone or general admission seating, or watch the match field-side with a champagne brunch in the pavilion. Come and experience a thrilling polo game, fabulous cuisine, entertainment, fashion and more every Sunday. Ticket levels range from cocktails and hors d'oeuvres to a full Veuve Cliquot brunch. For season information and tickets, visit www.internationalpolo club.com. Find IPC on Facebook at facebook.com/ipcpb and visit the new www.ipcscoreboard.com for up-to-date scores, schedules, rosters and more. POLO & EQUESTRIAN The crowd pours onto Piaget Field. Rodrigo and Andres Casanova enjoy the afternoon. Miss Florida Karina Brez, Lauren Duffy and IPC President of Club Operations John Wash with hockey's Stanley Cup. IMAGES COURTESY LILA PHOTO Scott Brash And Intertoy Z Top Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix A great crowd came out to watch the $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix, CSI 2* Saturday, Jan. 21 during the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival. Topping a full field of competitors and winning in front of more than 4,000 spectators was Great Britain's Scott Brash on Stan Brash's Intertoy Z. Olympic gold medalist Eric Lamaze was second on Torrey Pines & Ashland Stables' Derly Chin de Muze. Eighteen-year-old Katherine Dinan was third on Grant Road Partners' Vancouver. The second week of the FTI WEF was sponsored by Wellington Equestrian Realty. Last week's course designer in the International Arena was Luc Musette of Belgium. The class had 50 entries, and 12 of those were clear to advance to the jump-off. The jump-off started slowly, with the first four riders having faults. But then Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum recorded a clear round on Cantano, owned by Octavia Farms LLC. She crossed the timers in 42.16 seconds, which would hold up for fourth place. The next clear round came from Andrew Bourns on Roundthorn Madious. They stopped the clock in 42.50 seconds for fifth place. Brash was the next in, and he brought the winning pace down to 40.02 seconds. Lamaze went for the victory with Derly Chin de Muze, but they were just off the pace in 40.23 seconds. The final horse on course was Vancouver with Dinan. They were quick and clean in 41.20 seconds for third place. Dinan was also named the Leading Lady Jumper Rider, an award sponsored by Martha Jolicoeur of Illustrated Properties in memory of Dale Lawler. Dinan trains with McLain Ward, who was injured last week and still recovering at home this week. The 26-year-old Brash already has a wealth of international experience, and has had his own business for seven years. Brash has owned Intertoy Z, a 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding, since he was 5 years old, and they have grown up together to compete in the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and the European Championships. Brash has come to the FTI WEF for the entire circuit this winter and brought four horses. He hopes to get his top horses ready for an Olympic Games bid. "It is great to win here," Brash said. "Hopefully I can continue to do as well. It is quite important. You want to come here and get up and running for the season and get your horses going early... When it comes down to championships, there are only so many horses that can do them to be honest, and you just have get your horse in good form and then keep it sound, and then keep things right until the championships. That is the main idea." For sponsors Wellington Equestrian Realty, last Saturday night's class was a great event in a successful week. "I think for a couple of weeks now we have had a great crowd," Matt Varney said. "It is Wellington coming out to support the sport. It is just something that we as a company are proud to be a part of." Sambalino and Becky Gochman, of New York, N.Y., scored the championship tricolor for Week 2 in the Elite Shavings AmateurOwner Hunter Over 35 division. The pair placed first, second and second over fences and finished second under saddle. Katie Robinson and Deeridge Farm's Lady O received the reserve tricolor, placing first, second, third and fifth over fences and earning sixth place under saddle. Sambalino is a 10-year-old Brandenburg gelding by Samba Hit. Scott Stewart imported the horse from Germany as a 4-year-old, and he has been winning classes throughout the country ever since. On the way to earning the division championship, Sambalino scored an impressive 92 in the stake class. High scores of 86 and 89 also kept the gelding in the top ribbons. "I feel like this older group of amateurs are amazing riders with Scott Brash and Intertoy Z. PHOTOS BY SPORTFOT Becky Gochman and Sambalino. spectacular horses, and we are all riding up to each other," Gochman said following her win, commenting on the tough competition in the Amateur-Owner division this year. "It feels really good to be part of this group, and I feel like we are all having a blast. It was so competitive out there. I think we are all good friends and it is a neat group of people, so when everyone has such nice horses and we are all out there doing our best, it makes the show a happy place." Gochman has owned Sambalino for three years now and this is her second year showing him. She explained that she has gotten to know the gelding very well now and feels lucky to have him. The 2012 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival features 12 weeks of competition that conclude on April 1. It will be awarding more than $6 million in prize money through the circuit. Week 3 of the FTI WEF runs from Jan. 25-29 and is sponsored by Horseware Ireland. For full results, visit www. showgroundslive.com. The Palm Beach International Equestrian Center is located at 14440 Pierson Road, Wellington. For more information on the festival, visit www.equestriansport. com or call (561) 793-5867. Page 16 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier NEW HORIZONS HOLDS MATH & SCIENCE FAIR Elbridge Gale Competes In Chess Tournament Elbridge Gale Elementary School's chess program fielded a team with close to 40 members in the yearly scholastic chess event. All public, private and homeschooled students from Palm Beach County are eligible to enter to the championships, which were held Saturday, Jan. 14 at Freedom Shores Elementary School. Nearly 100 students participated in the five divisions based on grade level. National USCF Tournament Director John Haskel acted in that capacity while Freedom Shores teacher William Smith was the event organizer; both have worked together for many years. While competition for each division between schools has been fierce over the past five years, Elbridge Gale's team, with Antonis Loudaros as chess program director, has won all three elementary divisions for the past two years and most of the divisions in the years immediately prior. Elbridge Gale's program is a model for the state's elementary schools, and its teams have placed in the top five in the state on numerous occasions, including winning the K-1 division in the 2009 Super State Invitational Chess Championships. The school is looking for sponsors to assist the nonprofit program and fund chess-related activities. For more info., e-mail captain email@example.com. SCHOOL NEWS New Horizons Elementary School students recently participated in the 2012 Math and Science F air. Students in grades K-5 submitted math or science projects based on the scientific method. Projects were judged by area teachers and science students from Wellington High School. Parents and students were invited to participate in the annual Math and Science Fair, an evening set aside to enjoy viewing the projects. The top two winners from each category will advance to the district math and science fair. Pictured here are first-place, second-place and honorable-mention winners with math and science fair teacher sponsor Cheryl Lay. Third-grader Patrick McCue, who placed second in the K-3 division, signals he is ready to play. I-CAN Kicks Off At Ideal School In Royal Palm For the fourth year in a row, Ideal Elementary School and Dream Middle Schools are sponsoring I-CAN, a local food drive for the community of Royal Palm Beach. Each month, students, faculty and parents get together and walk or run from the campus to the local fire station with cans of food for the needy. Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue has been delivering these items to local food banks and soup kitchens since 2008. "This whole program came about as a result of an incident we had here at the school several years ago," Principal Wendy Soderman said. "Our water bill suddenly skyrocketed over the holidays one year, and we discovered that a local family was stealing water from the school. When the police went to the family's home, they discovered that their living conditions were difficult at best, and they were stealing the water because their own water had been turned off." This was an eye-opener for the school. "We realized that this family was probably one of many just struggling to survive," Soderman said, "and we decided rather than press charges we'd work to make a difference. That's how we came up with the idea for I-CAN. Now it's a monthly event we do from January through April each year." More than 100 people participated in the January I-CAN, along with more than 200 cans of food. The next event will be held Friday, Feb. 3 and anyone from the community is welcome to attend. "My hope is that other schools throughout Palm Beach County will replicate this program and help their local communities as well," Soderman said. "It's free to set it up and can make a difference to people who really need it." The Ideal and Dream school are pioneers in the use of multiple intelligence theory in the classroom. Their expertise in innovative education draws students from preschool through eighth grade throughout Palm Beach County. To find out more, visit www. dreamideal.com or call (561) 7912881. BINKS FOREST DWYER AWARDS NOMINEES Elementary and middle school students participate in I-CAN. Binks Forest Elementary School has announced its nominees for the 2012 William T. Dwyer Awards. Mary Beth Wedgw orth was nominated in the Elementary category, and Donna Eldredge was nominated in the Special/Support Programs category. Binks Forest is honored to have both teachers representing the school. Shown above are Assistant Principal Elizabeth Morales, Eldredge, Wedgworth and Principal Michella Levy. Send school news items to: The Town-Crier Newspaper, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: email@example.com. RPBHS Speech & Debate Team Third In Sweeps The Royal Palm Beach High School Wildcat speech and debate team competed at a few important tournaments recently. At the Sunvitational held Dec. 6-8 at the University School in Davie, Wildcats competed against students from 13 different states. Anthony Nadeau took second place in Oral Interpretation, Nadeau and Delisa Stephenson took seventh place in Duo Interpretation, and Stephenson was a semifinalist in Dramatic Interpretation. RPBHS students competed at the Crestian Classic tournament Jan. 13-15 at the Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale. Nadeau and Stephenson took third place in Duo Interpretation; Stephenson took fourth place in Dramatic Interpretation; Nadeau, Stephenson and Luis Hernandez were semifinalists in Dramatic Interpretation; and Nadeau was a semifinalist in Oral Interpretation. In addition, Royal Palm Beach received third place in Sweeps for Interpretation, which means once again, that RPBHS is the top placing team from Palm Beach County. The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 17 Congressman Allen West Visits TKA Students MARINE PHOTOGRAPHER Congressman Allen West (RDistrict 22) spoke to the junior and senior classes at the King's Academy on their first day back to school following Christmas vacation. West discussed his personal background growing up in Atlanta, Ga., and serving as an officer in the U.S. Army, as well as delving into current issues facing government. He opened and closed his address with professions of his faith, encouraging students to start each day, as he does, reading a daily devotional "In God We Still Trust." He added to the assembly's closing prayer his thankfulness for schools that can still freely pray. Following his speech, West answered many scholarly questions asked by students. He also stayed to take pictures and speak to students and faculty individually. This gave senior Michael Nisip the opportunity to personally thank West for nominating him to the United States Air Force Academy, and senior Kimmy Ruch thanked him for her nomination to the United States Naval Academy. The King's Academy serves students and their families across Palm Beach and Hendry counties at its main campus at Belvedere Road and Sansbury's Way in West Palm Beach, its Clewiston campus on Caribbean Avenue and its satellite preschool campuses in Greenacres, Palm Beach Gardens and Royal Palm Beach. More information about the King's Academy is available online at www. tka.net. SCHOOL NEWS VISITS WELLINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Congressman Allen West with TKA Headmaster Kevin Colling. Congressman Allen West addresses students. Congressman Allen West with students Cathryn Urso, Shelby Johns and Robin Seitz. Hawk Debaters Compete In Three Tournaments The Seminole Ridge High School Hawk debate team recently managed to be in three places at once -- the Palm Beach Catholic Forensic League tournament at Wellington High School, the Crestian Classic invitational tournament in Boca Raton and the Crestian Classic invitational Congressional tournament in Fort Lauderdale. At the PBCFL meet, Giana Abrams placed second in Dramatic Performance, Nathaniel Core placed fourth in Extemporaneous Speaking, and the duo of Herman Castro and Taylor Godfrey placed fifth in Public Forum Debate. At the Boca Crestian Classic, Robert Botkin and Cash Galko placed in the top 16 of more than 100 teams. At the Lauderdale Crestian Classic, Wayne Selogy made it to Super-Congress, securing his spot as one of the top Congressional speakers in the nation. On Tuesday, Jan. 12, children's author Michael Patrick O'Neil visited Wellington Elementary School. O'Neil is the author of several non-fiction books about marine life. Students were fascinated by his stories and photographs about his marine biology adventures, and they learned about the patience an underwater photographer must have. O'Neil brought his dive equipment, including his underwater camera, to show the tools of his trade. Students prepared for his visit by reading O'Neil's books and followed up by viewing his web site. Several of the students thought being a photojournalist would be a great career. Shown above are fourth-graders Taylor Pitts and Colin Matias with O'Neil. Page 1 8 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 19 Barbara Casey Publishes Her Seventh Novel Gauthier Publications has announced the publication of The Cadence of Gypsies, the latest novel written by author and literary agent Barbara Casey. In the story, Carolina Lovel, a teacher at Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women, takes three of her extremely gifted students to Italy to help her discover the strange connection between a letter she received on her 18th birthday and the most mysterious document in the world -- the V oynich Manuscript. In an effort to help their favorite teacher, the FIGs (Females of Intellectual Genius, as the mischievous girls call themselves) will have to rely on their special intellect and abilities when their search takes them into the mystical world of gypsy tradition and magic, more exciting and dangerous than any of them could have imagined. "Barbara is one of our most gifted authors," said Elizabeth Gauthier, publisher of Gauthier Publications. "She has strong characters and a wonderful sense of how to unfold a story. We are happy to be able to publish her latest book." Casey is the author of numerous articles, poems and short stories. Her seven award-winning novels have received national recognition, including the Independent Publishers Book Award for her novel, Shyla's Initiative. Her novel The House of Kane, released in 2008, was considered for a Pulitzer nomination, and her latest novel, The Cadence of Gypsies, was reviewed by the Smithsonian for its list of Best Books. In addition to her writing, Casey is a manuscript consultant and president of her own literary agency, which was established in 1995, representing adult fiction and nonfiction as well as children's. She has served as judge for the Pathfinder Literary Awards in Palm Beach and Martin counties, and was the Florida Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators from 1991 through 2003. Now residing in Georgia, Casey is a former resident of Wellington. For more information about Casey and her books, visit www. barbaracaseyagency.com. PALMS WEST PEOPLE MORROW TAKES FIRST AT PBC SCIENCE FAIR Barbara Casey Marlins Player Sends Kids To Baseball Camp Miami Marlins outfielder Logan Morrison awarded 10 baseball camp scholarships to area children at the Parent-Child Center, a nonprofit organization that serves the behavioral health needs of children and families in Palm Beach County. The scholarships covered the cost for these deserving children to receive first-class professional baseball instruction during the second annual LoMo: Camp for a Cure, which took place Jan. 14 and 15 at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. Teammates and coaches of Morrison assisted with the camp for children 8 to 18 years of age. At the scholarship presentation, Morrison spent time speaking with and meeting the ten scholarship recipients. The outfielder handed out baseball gloves donated by Dick's Sporting Goods and answered questions about how he approaches the game of baseball. "The most rewarding part of being in the major leagues is getting a chance to meet kids like this," Morrison said. "That is why I am so excited for camp weekend. Not only do I get to spend time teaching baseball to kids in the local community, but it is also an opportunity to help a cause that is very close to my heart." All proceeds from the camp will be donated to the American Lung Association, a particularly important cause for Morrison, who lost his father, Tom, to lung cancer in 2010. Morrison was named the charity's V olunteer of the Week in November 2011 and has contributed over $20,000 to its Florida chapter alone. With the help of Keith Olbermann, Dick's Sporting Goods and Farkas Eye Black, the camp was able to sponsor a total of 14 children who will now have the opportunity to experience the game that passionately connected Morrison and his father. For additional information ing, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness. The capstone event of boot camp is "Battle Stations." This exercise gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the fleet. Battle Stations is designed to galvanize the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical application of basic Navy skills and the core values of honor, courage and commitment. Its distinctJohn-Sebastian Morrow won first place in the recent Palm Beach County Regional Science and Engineering Fair. Out of the students in Palm Beach County, both high school and middle school, 1,100 were asked to compete in the county science fair. A total of 250 were invited to the ceremony held at Lake Worth High School. John-Sebastian Morrow won first place in the Consumer Science category. His project was titled "Barnacle Busters." He attends Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School and has lived in The Acreage his entire life. Scholarship recipients gather with Miami Marlins outfielder Logan Morrison. IMAGE COURTESY FASHION FORWARD FOTOS about LoMo: Camp for a Cure and Morrison's efforts with the American Lung Association, visit the camp's web site at www.lomo4 lungs.org. The Parent-Child Center Inc., a member of the Community Partnership Group, is a nonprofit organization serving Palm Beach County since 1979. Its mission is ly Navy flavor was designed to take into account what it means to be a sailor. Wilson is a 2011 graduate of Wellington High School. to partner with communities to passionately promote the social and emotional well-being of children and families. For questions about Parent-Child Center, contact firstname.lastname@example.com or call (561) 841-3500. For more information about programs and donor opportunities, visit www.parent-child center.org. sive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate's degree in applied science through the Community College of the Air Force. Salazar earned distinction as an honor graduate. He is the son of Roxana Salazar of Boynton Beach and a 2008 graduate of Wellington High School. Ferreira Named To The Dean's List At CCU Kaelin Ferreira of Wellington was among the students at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina who earned dean's list status for the fall 2011 semester. To qualify for the dean's list, freshmen must earn a 3.25 grade point average, and upperclassmen must earn a 3.5 grade point average. All students must be enrolled full time. Coastal Carolina University is a dynamic, public comprehensive liberal arts institution located in Conway, just minutes from Myrtle Beach, S.C. CCU offers baccalaureate programs in 54 major fields of study, including acclaimed programs in marine science, resort tourism and professional golf management. Graduate programs include an MBA as well as master 's degrees in education, writing, and coastal marine and wetland studies. Nearly 9,000 CCU students from across the country and the world interact with a world-class faculty, and enjoy a nationally competitive NCAA I athletic program, an inspiring cultural calendar, and a tradition of community interaction fueled by more than 100 student clubs and organizations. The university's many international partnerships make it possible for students to study in places such as Australia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, England, Greece, France, Germany, Japan and Spain. For more information, visit www. coastal.edu. Marcus Wilson Graduates Navy Basic Training Navy Seaman Recruit Marcus Wilson, son of Yasuko and Ondra Wilson of Wellington, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. During the eight-week program, Wilson completed a variety of training which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefight- Franko Salazar Completes Air Force Training Air Force Airman Franko A. Salazar has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Salazar completed an inten- Page 20 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM Annual `Remembering Haiti Walkathon' In Lake Worth A Success By Chris Felker Town-Crier Staff Report Leaders of the Lake Worth� based Haitian American Tree Trust declared their second annual "Remembering Haiti Walkathon" Jan. 14 a success and now are making plans for a tree-planting trip to Haiti as well as a golf tournament fundraiser this spring. They'll also be plotting how to improve the walkathon experience for 2013. Perhaps 400 hardy souls braved chilly temperatures in the low 50s and a stiff wind that Saturday morning, listening to presentations by HATT founder Quetel Osterval, Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triollo, City Commissioner Andy Amoroso, State Rep. Jeff Clemens and Bishop Mathieu Jean-Baptiste, founder of the Haitian Evangelical Crusade Association. Triollo issued a proclamation declaring Jan. 12 "Remembering Haiti Day" in Lake Worth; a prayer meeting took place that Thursday night; and the walkathon will be an annual event on the Saturday nearest the anniversary of the 2010 earthquake that killed an estimated 230,000 people. The group marched en masse to Lake Worth Beach, where each participant received a live plant as a reminder of HATT's mission. HATT is a nonprofit charity devoted to trying to alleviate the suffering in Haiti caused by the earthquake and a cholera epidemic, which together have killed more than 300,000 people. Four students and two professors from Lynn University in Boca Raton were among the earthquake victims. Because Haiti is one of the most deforested places on the planet, a prominent HA goal is to plant TT 300,000 fruit trees there in memory of those people who died. Plans are being made for a trip in which volunteers will travel to Haiti and plant some of those trees themselves. It's intended that the trees will help both families and the island's devastated economy because, being fruit-bearing, they're less likely to be cut down for firewood. Another of HATT's goals is to build water-treatment plants to alleviate the cholera pandemic. HATTTreasurer Emmanuel Vincent said about $2,000 was raised the day of the walkathon, and roughly $6,000 more had been raised by volunteers selling Tshirts and seeking sponsors in the months leading up to the event. Osterval said plans are in the works for a golf tournament to benefit HATT. Next year's walkathon will be on the actual third anniversary of the quake, on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013. For more information, visit www.haitianamericantreetrust.org. NEWS The Town-Crier HATT founder Quetel Osterval clutches his plant and the mayor's proclamation. Some of the hundreds of HATT Walkathon participants cross the Lake Worth Bridge. PHOTOS BY CHRIS FELKER/TOWN-CRIER ITID Delivers SR 7 Postcards To Gov. Scott Devoucoux Sponsors On Wednesday, Jan. 11, four of the Indian Trail Improvement District supervisors delivered 2,466 postcards from Acreage residents supporting the extension of State Road 7 to Northlake Blvd. to Jon Costello, director of Gov. Rick Scott's Legislative Affairs Office. According to Florida Department of Transportation engineer Beatriz Caicedo-Maddison, the project manager, the environmental assessment on the SR 7 extension project is still under review by the Federal Highway Administration. FDOT is expecting a public hearing on the project to be held in March. The roadway extension is of critical importance to residents of The Acreage and the greater western communities to provide emergency evacuation access and to improve limited northsouth and east-west roadway connectivity for unincorporated Palm Beach County and multiple incorporated areas, such as Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Greenacres, Loxahatchee Groves and Palm Beach Gardens. ITID has consistently supported the extension of SR 7 to Northlake, and ITID officials reiterated their ongoing support to the governor's office and state legislators during a visit to Tallahassee this month. Devoucoux fielded a strong team of riders for the Pro DerbyCross competition held Friday, Jan. 20 during the FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington. The Professional Riders Organization produced this innovative competition, in which teams compete individually against the clock over a hybrid course of crosscountry and show jumping obstacles. All proceeds benefited Operation Homefront, an organization providing emergency financial relief for U.S. service members and their families as well as Wounded Warriors during their recovery. Each of the five teams consisted of two event riders, a polo player and a showjumper. Team sponsors included Devoucoux, the premier French saddle maker; Farmvet/Cavalor, the source for animal health products and premium feeds; Guardian, a premium horse bedding; Omega Alpha, effective supplements through science; Smartpak, the innovator in equine supplements; and Windsor, a private residential sporting club. The Devoucoux team riders included two Pan Am Games gold medalists in Eventing, Hannah Pro DerbyCross Team At Equestrian Festival Burnett and Shannon Lilley, as well as Jon Holling, a successful event rider, show jumping rider Candice King, a successful Grand Prix competitor for over two decades and Devoucoux-sponsored rider for over ten years, and Doug Barnes, an experienced high-goal polo player who has competed internationally and is founder of a top polo instructional facility. The team led in the early rounds and finished a close third place in the final round. The riders agreed it was a fun night of competition and were enthusiastic about supporting this new type of class. Devoucoux has always had a strong commitment to supporting horse sports of all disciplines and riders at all levels and was pleased to be a part of this exciting night of equestrian competition. Several other Devoucoux-sponsored riders also competed on other teams, including Bruce Davidson (Team Farmvet/ Cavalor), Sharon White (Team Windsor) and Boyd Martin and Jennie Brannigan (Team SmartPak). For more information about Devoucoux saddles, visit www. devoucoux.com. finalists will come from the 13-17 age group, Piconcelli said. "There were almost twice the amount of contestants in our 13-17 age group than the other two," he explained. After this weekend's competition, the semifinalists will know by Monday whether they've advanced. But for the finals, the votes will be tallied live. An overall winner will take home the grand prize of $750 and the scholarship, Piconcelli said, and runners-up -- one from each age group -- will receive $250. He encouraged the community to come out and support the event. "It's good entertainment," Piconcelli said. "You'll be supporting good, local entertainment, and it's going to be a fun night." For more information, visit www.wellingtonfl.gov. spending them to bring results back to the residents, and this is the year I'd like to do it." Jarriel's seat and Seat 3, held by Councilman Ryan Liang, are up for election this year. Liang is also seeking re-election. Candidate packets are now available at the town offices. Qualifying documents must be submitted between noon on Tuesday, Jan. 31 and noon on Tuesday, Feb. 7. The election will be held Tuesday, March 13. suspects caught up to them and began following them. At the intersection of Avocado and Orange boulevards, the male suspects exited their vehicle and hit the victim's car with beer bottles and their fists, causing dents. The victim drove away and contacted the PBSO. There was no further information at the time of the report. JAN. 24 -- A deputy from the PBSO substation in Royal Palm Beach was dispatched to the Subway restaurant near the intersection of Southern and Crestwood boulevards Tuesday afternoon regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, the victim entered Subway at approximately 1:45 p.m., leaving his wallet on the driver's seat of his unlocked vehicle. He left the area about half an hour later and discovered that his wallet was missing. According to the report, the wallet contained the victim's driver's license, Social Security card and $300 cash. Fingerprints were taken from the car, but there were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. (L-R) Indian Trail Improvement District supervisors Carol Jacobs, Carlos Enriquez, Michelle Damone and Ralph Bair with Jon Costello, director of Gov. Rick Scott's Legislative Affairs Office. Tiger Shark Community Build Day In March continued from page 1 like the artwork and the lighthouse, she said. Another important item that will remain is the tiger shark -- the park's mascot. "They all liked our shark mascot," Holman said. "He'll always stay." She said most of the students agreed that the oceanic theme should stay, and many offered ways to improve on it with sea creatures, submarines and more. "The park really began with the idea of an undersea adventure, so the kids decided to build on that," she said. "One of the ideas that we brought forward was creating something out of creatures that the children could play on." The new park will have a large octopus with its eight legs made of netting that children can climb on. "They wanted starfish and sea urchins as well as an octopus," Holman said. "We wanted to incorporate it in a way that they could engage in and climb all over." Other new structures will include rock-climbing walls and a new submarine maze that will have kids feeling as if they're underwater. One of the biggest updates, she said, will be to the pirate ship. The ship now has a steering wheel and tic-tac-toe game that kids can interact with. The new design will add a center platform that rocks back and forth, giving kids the illusion that they are sailing the high seas. "It's not going to be an ordinary ship anymore," she said. "It's now a sunken pirate ship. Expect that while you're on that ship you'll feel just like a pirate -- or maybe like you've been captured by pirates." Holman said the goal was to keep it a fun community playground. "It's big, it's fun, and it has lots of room to play," she said. "We wanted to make sure we found a way to keep it just as fun as it always has been, and make it even more fun." Holman encouraged the crowd to come back in March and help rebuild the park. "We always try to involve the community and get them to come out and help us build these projects," she said. "Ten years ago, hundreds of people came out each and every day and made it happen. It's all volunteer-based. It will be in March. We need the community's help." For more information, or to sign up to help build the playground, contact Kim Henghold at (561) 791-4137 or e-mail khenghold@ wellingtonfl.gov. Idol Designer Jane Lewis Holman of Leathers & Associates with Councilwoman Anne Gerwig, Mayor Darell Bowen and Vice Mayor Matt Willhite in front of the new park's design board. 36 Hopefuls To Perform continued from page 1 just in case, I've told the contestants that we'll have tissues on stage." The competition is also unique because dance troupes will be competing against singers. "We have four dance groups," Piconcelli said. "But most of the performers are singers." The performers will be separated by age group: ages 8-12, 13-17, and 18 and older. Groups will be sorted by the oldest person in the group. Six contestants will advance out of the 8-12 and 18 and older age groups, and the remaining 12 semi- Jarriel Seeking Re-Election The children who worked on designing the park gather to see the finished design. PHOTOS BY LAUREN MIR�/TOWN-CRIER continued from page 1 Callery-Judge Grove, Jarriel said that he would like to make 2012 the best year the town has seen since it incorporated. "W set aside $1 million for cape ital improvements," he said. "We've got the gas tax funds to work with. I think it's time to start Med School Blotter ington in the near future, she said, would be ideal for Wellington's time frame in developing its planned Medical Arts District. "It fits perfectly with the Medical Arts District plan," she said. "Their growth rate fits into our timing. I think it will be a good fit for both Wellington and the medical school." A medical school has long been in Wellington's economic development plan and part of the Medical Arts District. "They loved the cohesive approach of the Medical Arts District," Nemser said. "They feel that things are running smoothly. We're proud to have made them feel that way. It shows we've practiced responsible economic development." The school will be vital to the Medical Arts District project, Nemser said. "Having a medical school is a fantastic way to attract research and other uses to the area," he said. "It provides a vital component. We always knew we'd have an educational component, and it completes another portion of the Medical Arts District vision." Likewise, Wellington was impressed with LECOM and its dedication to the communities in which it has campuses, Nemser said. "They really made themselves a part of the town in Erie," he said. "They have a commitment to keeping people in their communities healthy, and becoming a part of the community that the school is in. They place a high value in developing the character of their physicians and students, and they feel it's reflected in the community." Not only will having a medical school attract medical professionals, Nemser said, but residents will benefit from higher education and an influx of stable employment. "There's a vision at LECOM called `High School to Med School,'" Nemser said. "They feel that when you have your first local high school student come through their medical school, then they've shown their value to the community." The school will also require support services, bringing additional employment to the area, Nemser said. "It's going to create all kinds of jobs," he said. "From instructors to support personnel, it's going to create sustainable employment." Bowen noted that the students would also be likely to stay in the community and support its local businesses, as well as one day maybe open their own practice. "Ultimately, you're going to have about 100 students living here and spending money here," he said. "Studies show that a large percentage of medical school students stay within a short distance of where they go to school and open practices in that area. Having the medical school will be a great resource and allow us to expand the medical professional offices we already have." continued from page 6 does not currently live in the home but stops by for maintenance. He also observed that the gates on the east side of the property had been broken. The stolen items were valued at approximately $4,250. There were no suspects or witnesses at the time of the report. JAN. 22 -- An Acreage man called the PBSO's Acreage/Loxahatchee substation last Sunday night to report an act of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, the victim and his friends stopped at a gas station on Royal Palm Beach Blvd. at approximately 9:55 p.m. when a car with two unknown black males and a black female pulled up. According to the report, the victim's friend went inside the gas station and a disturbance broke out between the occupants of the two vehicles. The victim said that the store clerk broke up the fight. According to the report, the victim and his friends left the gas station and were driving along Royal Palm Beach Blvd. when the Could Open This Year continued from page 1 veloping partnerships, shared programs and shared facilities. "I think the meetings went very well," said Mayor Darell Bowen, who met with Ferretti during her stay. Bowen said he felt confident that Wellington would have a medical school in its future. "I think they're committed to Wellington," he said. "They already have their students here, so the natural progression is to expand it." Councilwoman Anne Gerwig, who also met with Ferretti, noted that Wellington is uniquely poised to have a medical school because of its proximity to hospitals and medical offices. "That's what they need," she said. "The students need to be able to do their rotations and get training." Having the school open in Well- The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 21 Page 22 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The centennial edition of the South Florida Fair continued last weekend at the South Florida Fairgrounds. The 17-day fair runs through Sunday, Jan. 29. For more info., visit www.southfloridafair.com or call (561) 793-0333. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER THE 2012 SOUTH FLORIDA FAIR CONCLUDES ITS 17-DAY RUN THIS WEEKEND NEWS Fair Queen Brittani Robins is "put in jail" by Jack Smith. Emerald and Onyx Club dancers from Royal Palm Beach High School: Ayana Ford, Melissa Fenelus, Allilantra Moore, Bianca Lacady and Rose Antoine. Paws 4 Liberty guide dogs participate in a pet costume contest with volunteers Skye LeConte (with Sandy), Talitha Ferri (with Gunner) and Stevanie LeConte (with Sarge). Destiny Herr, one of the mutton bustin' contest winners, gets her prizes from Bettye Thompson. Fire Chief Wil Danley with Aaliyah, Alexis and Adriana Soto. Balmore Trent Ferrier, who won one of the mutton bustin' contests, with Bettye Thompson. Providing Quality Care Hailey and Brianna Cooper get up close with the sea lions. Fair scholarship recipients are awarded. continued from page 5 to be a patient and need special comforting care. "I was once in the hospital for 12 days, and it was a wakeup call," Smith said. "I began to think about how I would like to be taken care of when I was older and couldn't care for myself anymore." For Smith, running Balmore Place is more than just a job. "It's rewarding to see how our residents are so happy here," she said. "It's not about how much money I can make out of this; the driving force for me is how I can change lives." Residents are able to do whatever they want at Balmore, and even if they are independent, they have help when they need it. "The clients have everything here," Smith said. "Whatever they need, we can provide it for them." Balmore Place works with the families of the residents to provide the best care possible. "If the resident needs to go to the doctor but nobody in their family can take them, we step in and take them," Smith said. Balmore Place residents come from all walks of life. "They all get along very well," Smith said. "And we have activities for them like bingo so they can keep active." For additional information about Balmore Place, call (561) 7536002. The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 23 PALM BEACH POLO SEASON AT INTERNATIONAL POLO CLUB JANUARY 8TH-APRIL 22ND Discover Sunday Polo Sunday, January 29th Joe Barry Memorial Cup Finals � 3:00 Featured Match � Field Side Champagne Brunch � General Admission Seating & Food Trucks in Wellington Zone � Kids Zone � Half Time Divot Stomp � Polo Player Autographs Following Match View Schedule | Purchase Tickets | General Information Internationalpoloclub.com | Box Office: 561.282.5334 Club Line: 561.204.5687 3667 120TH AVENUE SOUTH | WELLINGTON, FLORIDA 33414 Page 24 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The girl's team will aim to defend their title SATURDAY, JANUARY 28 AT 7:00 PM in this exhilarating team competition of boys against girls. Face Painters * Street Performers * Petting Zoo * Shopping * Restaurants * Live Music FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! � ManciniPhotos � ManciniPhotos Free general admission. VIP and box seating available. For tickets, information, and a complete schedule: WWW.EQUESTRIANSPORT .COM 561.793.5867 Palm Beach International Equestrian Center 14440 Pierson Road � Wellington, Florida � ManciniPhotos �Sportfot �Sportfot The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 25 PBC Mounted Posse Begins 2012 Season Next Week The Palm Beach County Mounted Posse pleasure show circuit is back for its 52nd year. Their big opening will take place next week, a twoday show over the first weekend in February. The show begins Saturday, Feb. 4, with the dressage and jumper classes. Ellen Rosenberg's Column, Page 27 Wildcat Basketball Squad Tops Santaluces 70-56 The Royal Palm Beach High School boys varsity basketball team earned a decisive win at home Frida y, Jan. 20, defeating the Santaluces Chiefs 70-56. The Wildcats came out early, clawing away to maintain the lead over the Chiefs and capitalizing on Santaluces mistakes early on. Page 39 Shopping Spree A TOWN-CRIER PUBLICATION INSIDE Business CR Jewelers Sells Custom Jewelry, While Buying Gold, Silver And Diamonds CR Jewelers began as a jewelry store 32 years ago in local flea markets in Miami. It has since grown to become a large company conveniently located in malls throughout the country. Owned by brother s Donald, Steve and Lawrence Weinberg, the company's newest location is in the Mall at Wellington Green, on the first floor across from Aeropostale. CR Jewelers' merchandise includes an array of jewelry, watches, charms and charm bracelets. Page 31 Sports PBCHS Basketball Girls Soar Past Wellington 64-24 The Palm Beach Central High School girls varsity basketball team topped Wellington High School 64-24 on Thursday, Jan. 19 at home. The Lady Broncos took the lead early on and never relinquished it, despite Wellington's fight to put points on the board and keep them from scoring. Page 39 THIS WEEK'S INDEX COLUMNS & FEATURES ........................ 27-29 BUSINESS NEWS.................................. 31-33 DINING & ENTERTAINMENT ...................... 34 SPORTS & RECREATION........................ 39-41 COMMUNITY CALENDAR ......................42-43 CLASSIFIEDS ........................................44-48 Page 26 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - Februar y 2, 2012 Page 27 PBC Mounted Posse Begins 2012 Season Next Week The Palm Beach County Mounted Posse pleasure show circuit is back for its 52nd year. Their big opening will take place next week, a two-day show over the first weekend in February. The show begins Saturday, Feb. 4, with the dressage and jumper classes. The dressage starts at 8:30 a.m. and includes everything from introductory tests all the way up to Prix St. Georges, traditional English and newer Western dressage -- even driving dressage, in conjunction with the Florida Whips. "Basically, if you have a dressage test you'd like to ride, bring along a copy, and you can ride it," Posse President Alyce Michelbrink said. Michelbrink is rightly proud that, for the third year, Linda Zang is returning as the dressage judge. She's one of only four "O" level FEI judges in the United States. (There are only 20 worldwide.) She competed in the 1978 World Championships, the 1979 Pan American Games and the 1980 Alternate Olympics, and was chairman of the ground jury for the dressage portion of the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Kentucky. Additionally, Zang has judged the 2009 World Cup, six World Cup finals, 32 World Cup qualifiers and eight World Cup league Get updates all week long... follow Ellen Rosenberg on Twitter at twitter.com/ HorseTalkFL or stop by the Tales from the Trails page on Facebook and click "like." FEATURES Tales From The Trails By Ellen Rosenberg finals. She's vice president of the International Dressage Judges Club and has been inducted into the USDF Hall of Fame. In other words, showing at Posse affords you the opportunity to ride a dressage test with one of the best dressage judges in the world. Not bad for a local schooling show! The jumper classes begin at 5 p.m. under the lights, and again, classes run the gamut, from basic easy cross rails right up through 3-foot courses. "People love coming out to compete or just to watch," Michelbrink said. "It's a free and fun family outing. We have a very exciting Add-back 3-foot Jackpot class, which pays out 40/30/20 percent of the entry fees. That one's always thrilling to watch." Michelbrink is happy to see the circuit growing. "Since we added dressage, the jumper classes have become a lot more popular," she said. "A lot of people are into eventing, and even though we can't offer the crosscountry phase, people like doing the dressage and jumping. Over the last three years, we've seen a big increase in entries. We even get riders from WEF coming over to school now and then." The English, Western and Hunter classes will be Sunday, Feb. 5. The Hunters begin at 8 a.m., Western Pleasure at 9 a.m., and the English Pleasure starts off the afternoon session no earlier than 1 p.m. "We've changed a lot of our offerings," Michelbrink explained. "We have a new 2foot-9 Working Hunters Division, and Baby Green is now 2-foot-3 Low Hunters. There are warm-up classes at all different heights. We've dropped some poorly attended pleasure classes." One thing that really makes Posse stand out from other show organizations is its bottom-up rather than top-down management style. "We're here for the equestrian community," Michelbrink said. "Even though the programs are already printed, we're always willing to add new classes this year if there's enough interest. We always want to tweak our class list, add new offerings and let less popular ones fall by the wayside. We listen to our members. We don't tell them what our shows should include -- they tell us." Held at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, the circuit includes eight shows held during the first weekend of every month, February through November, except during July and August. Participants can trailer in daily or rent a stall at one of the two barns. Membership costs $20 for a single and $5 `We're here for the equestrian community,' Posse President Alyce Michelbrink said. `Even though the programs are already printed, we're always willing to add new classes this year if there's enough interest. We always want to tweak our class list.' extra for each additional family member. The classes cost $10 each, $15 for Jackpot classes, and $20 for dressage. You can join the day of the show. Programs are available at local feed stores, tack shops and vets' offices. "People don't realize that we're a true South Florida show," Michelbrink noted. "Our members are not just from Palm Beach County. We distribute our programs, and get riders coming from Stuart all the way south to Davie. We offer great prizes -- trophies, ribbons and gift certificates to a wide range of equestrian-related stores all over South Florida, and terrific year-end awards. A lot of people enjoy our laid-back, friendly atmosphere and good, fun competition." For more information, or to see a copy of the 2012 show program, visit www.pbcposse. com, or call Michelbrink at (561) 670-4917. Page 28 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 29 Have You Heard About `Sad Packers Fan?' She's My Cousin The world is coming to an end, and here's how I know -- my 80-something mother is watching YouTube. "I'm going to have to watch that on the UTube," is how she put it. Obviously, any video clip that has my "Idon't-do-computers" mother tuned in would have to be something big -- and it is. Her grandnieces have gotten over 1.7 million hits for their "sad Packer fan" video. It was even featured on the TV show Ellen. So I checked in with "the U-Tube" myself and watched as my second cousin, Megan, filmed her sister Casey having a nervous breakdown after the Green Bay Packers lost their final game of the season. Had the Packers won, they might have been going to the Super Bowl, but, thanks to Megan's rotten advice to CaGet your Sonic Boomer humor every day! Follow Deborah Welky on Twitter at twitter.com/TheSonicBoomer. On Facebook, stop by "The Sonic Boomer" page and click the "Like" button. FEATURES Deborah Welky is The Sonic BOOMER sey, they are not. In case you do not follow YouTube, I will synopsize the rant for you here: Casey (despondently): I painted my nails and you told me to put the sparkles on and they lost! The Packers were supposed to go to the Super Bowl!" Megan (realistically): Casey... Casey (somewhat hysterically now): Just because you told me to put the sparkles on my nails! Megan (apologetically): I'm sorry. Don't cry. Casey: No, this is your fault! You told me to put on the sparkles! (She waves green spark- ly fingernails in Casey's face.) You told me to do it! You said "It's pretty." I don't care about pretty! I want the Packers to go to the Super Bowl, MEGAN!" But that's not all this misguided Megan did. She also told her sister to wear her Clay Matthews jersey. The tragic scene continues: Casey: And I wore my Clay Matthews jersey! I said, "Let me wear my Aaron Rodgers jersey" and you said, "No, wear Clay Matthews!" The rest is history. Since then, the diatribe has received some notable response. While Ellen DeGeneres commented: "I wish I had been there. I would have told her not to wear the sparkles," Clay Matthews responded succinctly to YouTube with, "Damn you, Megan!" See? Even Clay Matthews knows that if Casey had just been wearing her Aaron Rodgers jersey instead of his and not put the sparkles on her nails (evidently the straw that broke the camel's back), the Packers would be on their way to the Super Bowl on Feb. 5. It is just disheartening to think that they won't be there, especially when you consider the hours that each of those individual Packer players spent playing Pee Wee football, the hundreds of games they played throughout high school, the stress of trying to earn a college degree while simultaneously playing on the football team, the extensive NFL training, the pre-dawn practices, the exhausting travel and then this! Why, oh, why, did Megan tell her to put the green sparkles on her nails? Oh, yeah! Because she said it would look "pretty." Yet another example of vanity getting in the way of success. If Casey and Megan weren't my cousins, I'd be ashamed to hold my head up. I'd be afraid to set foot in Wisconsin ever again. As it is, I have to hope and pray that Casey has the good sense to stick to her guns next year -- the Aaron Rodgers jersey and no sparkles on the nails -- that's the way to win a football game. And maybe a little less alcohol. `Red Tails' A Fun Movie That Teaches Important Lessons There are two very good reasons to see Red Tails. The first is that it is a really fun "B" movie about black fliers during World War II. And the second is that it is about these fliers, the Tuskegee Airmen. They were true pioneers in the battle for equal rights in the country. The movie works on its own terms. The characterizations are vivid if a bit stereotypical for this kind of movie: the flight leader torn by doubts who drinks when he flies; the hotdog pilot who obeys only those orders he likes; the kid trying to prove that he's a man and a hero; the stiff-necked commanding officer. Ironically, these are exactly the kinds of stereotypes we would have in a similar movie made back during World War II, except that in this case, almost all the actors are black. And the movie moves along well on those terms. Sitting in the theater along with a largerthan-expected audience on a Friday afternoon, it was clear that everyone there, of all races, identified with the American fliers. We all tend to root for the underdogs, and the Tuskegee Airmen certainly qualified. I had the distinct honor of introducing one of the real airmen, Lt. Col. Lee Archer, to stu- `I' On CULTURE By Leonard Wechsler dents at Dewitt Clinton High School when I was an administrator there. He was a graduate of the school who occasionally returned to discuss what it was like to be an American flier at a time when black Americans, including those fliers, faced intense discrimination. Archer told the students that every one of the men who volunteered realized that their actions would not only reflect on all members of their race, but would help determine the future of this country. Things were not solved as easily as shown in this film, where despite bad treatment, the hard work of the airmen in protecting American B-17s quickly resulted in better treatment, in respect. Despite the heroism of many of the fighters, it took several years after the war before an American president forced the armed services to integrate. And many of the brave men who served so well were poorly treated after the war. Col. Archer, when asked about that by students, said that the treatment was unfair, but over time things had changed for the better, and he predicted that at some time in the future, we would see a black person elected president. He died in 2007, just missing seeing it himself. The lesson presents a unique history lesson in that it focuses on entertainment so adroitly that the historical message slides in smoothly. We wind up caring about Capt. "Easy" (Nate Parker) and "Lightning" (David Oyelowo), "Joker" (Elijah Kelley) and "Junior" (Tristan Wilds). Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. play their slightly stuffy but supportive superior officers. The film has been a labor of love for executive producer George Lucas, who has tried to get it on screen for 20 years. And it is a film worthy of love. How often do we get to enjoy ourselves, get a history lesson about an important part of our history and learn a moral lesson in how far we have actually come? Racism, of course, is hardly finished in this country. But listening to the cheers coming from a very mixed audience, it was clear that most of us identify ourselves differently than did the people of that World War II era. At that time, it was accepted that blacks would not be able to fly or even maintain planes, and that they would not be able to be effective warriors. Today, we know better. We have black officers in the highest ranks, and our armed forces are considered exemplars for integration. And the reason we reached this current state is that young black men, victims of horrendous racial discrimination in their own country, volunteered to fight and even die back in World War II. We owe all of those people a vote of thanks, and learning about them in a fun movie provides a good way to do it. I would guess a lot of classrooms will be showing DVDs of the film soon. It will be a good message to transmit. This is not a great film, but I loved it more for what it stands for than simply for the fun I had watching. Royal Palm Covenant Church Offers After-School Tutoring Royal Palm Covenant Church will launch its after-school tutoring program Monday, Feb. 6. The program is designed for those who cannot meet the expense of private tutors to help with their children's education. This tutoring program is sponsored by Family Central and is a year round after-school and summer program that serves students from kindergarten to eighth grade. Those who qualify through Family Central will receive assistance with their tuition. There is also a limited scholarship program that will be available based upon financial need, and scholarship amounts will be determined by the executive director and the administrative coordinator. Royal Palm Covenant after-school tutoring is an extension of ministries at Royal Palm Covenant Church. Rev. Michael Rose Sr. is the executive director of the program, and his goal is to "achieve a higher graduation rate, increase FCAT scores and improve school ratings for local area schools in Palm Beach County." "Students, teachers and our tutors will work together to develop stronger study habits, note-taking abilities, test preparation and testtaking skills to improve overall performance of each child that is enrolled in his program," Rose said. The program also includes individual assistance in math, reading and writing by accredited tutors while receiving daily homework assistance, studying for exams or helping with a child's school project. Administrative Coordinator Racheal Hustad will oversee all aspects of the program. She has over 30 years of management experience and has worked in various children's organizations. Hustad will also be in charge of fundraising and promoting financial support through donations from Palm Beach County businesses so the program can award scholarships to those in need. The Royal Palm Covenant after-school tutoring summer program will begin June 4 and run through Aug. 31. Students will be able to remediate or accelerate their skills in areas of math, reading comprehension and writing through an array of fun activities and resources. There will be several educational field trips and park visits throughout the summer for additional learning. The curriculum comprises tutoring and instructional activities related to academic coursework, literacy and computers. Royal Palm Covenant would like to thank My Brothers'/Sisters' Keeper Charitable Trust and West Palm Beach Family Doctor for their contribution to the program. Operational hours will be 2 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Registration is open now and takes place from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. The cost of the program is $70 per week with a registration fee of $35. Spaces are limited. Royal Palm Covenant Church is located at 660 Royal Palm Beach Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach. For more information, call (561) 793-1077. Volunteers are welcomed to apply. Page 30 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - Februar y 2, 2012 Page 31 BUSINESS NEWS CR Jewelers Wellington store manager Maely Reis with human resources director Linda Jackson. PHOTO BY JESSICA GREGOIRE/TOWN-CRIER CR Jewelers Sells Custom Jewelry, While Buying Gold, Silver And Diamonds By Jessica Gregoire Town-Crier Staff Report CR Jewelers began as a jewelry store 32 years ago in local flea markets in Miami. It has since grown to become a large company conveniently located in malls throughout the country. Owned by brothers Donald, Steve and Lawrence Weinberg, the company's newest location is in the Mall at Wellington Green, on the first floor across from Aeropostale. CR Jewelers is typically located in outlet malls and offers a small personalized jewelry store setting for customers. Part of its business is to sell jewelry, noted human resource director Linda Jackson. "We sell quality value jewelry at very good prices," she said. CR Jewelers' merchandise includes an array of jewelry, watches, charms and charm bracelets. "We carry every type of jewelry, from bridal to silver as well as stainless steel and watches," Jackson said. Aside from sales, a prominent part of its business is the buying of gold, diamonds and silver. "We are known for buying gold, diamonds and silver, and our excellent customer service," Jackson said. Customers are able to sell jewelry items containing gold, diamonds and silver at any one of the CR Jewelers' locations. CR Jewelers makes it easy for customers to sell their gold, diamonds and silver. "We test it and weigh it for them, and we pay them cash on the spot," Jackson said. The three sales associates, along with store manager Maely Reis, assist clients in understanding the quality of the jewelry. "We educate them and let them know the different kinds of metals, and then we start talking about and showing them what the different ones are," Reis explained. The jeweler uses a number of different tools to assess the jewelry that is brought in by customers and determine the quality and pricing. "For stones, we have tools and acids that we scrape on the stone," Jackson said. "Depending on the color of the acid, we know whether it's real or the level of quality." When assessing the quality of gold or silver, the jeweler looks at whether it has a stamping on it, smells it or uses a magnet. "If the gold has a metallic smell, then it's probably not gold and it's usually fake," Jackson said. "All these tools help us determine the pricing and quality of the jewelry for the client." CR Jewelers sales associates greet clients, asking them whether they are interested in buying or selling a particular jewelry item. "Although we have been in business for 32 years, most people don't know us outside of South Florida," Jackson said. "We like to let customers know who we are and what we do." CR Jewelers also makes custom jewelry, from customized rings to necklaces. "We have an office jeweler who is a craftsman," Jackson said. "So if someone comes in and says, `I want a necklace with a heart and sapphires on the side,' and they give us a drawing, we give it to the jeweler and he creates what the piece would look like for the client first, and then makes the custom jewelry." CR Jewelers is a family-owned business that treats its employees and customers as part of the family. "They are three wonderful brothers, and are so involved in the day-today activities," Jackson said. "It's like a big family, and they want people who are open and ready to bring new ideas to the business." For more information about CR Jewelers in the Mall at Wellington Green, visit www. crjewelers.com or call (561) 753-1313 or (888) 338-8411. Page 32 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier Leading Edge Homes Partners With Binks Forest Golf Club Binks Forest Golf Club in Wellington has announced that Leading Edge Homes Inc. has become a Play 18 partner. The Play 18 Partner program is a marketing partnership providing local businesses with access to thousands of golfers and members of the golf club. "This is an exciting program for local businesses to reach their target demographic and to do so on a very personal basis," Binks Forest Golf Club Marketing Director Bob Still said. "Having both a private membership base as well as thousands of local golfers to draw upon gives companies with unique services an opportunity to build a solid relationship with new customers." Leading Edge Homes is a Wellington-based building contractor specializing in residential home remodeling and room additions. It was established in 1991 by Todd Perry, who uses his 30-plus years in the construction field to design and supervise all projects. Homes throughout Palm Beach County have benefited from the company's extensive experience and outstanding craftsmanship, including several in the Binks Estates development next to the golf club. "Today's marketplace is making many homeowners realize that upgrading their existing property makes more sense than moving to another house," Perry said. "Whether it's a simple bath remodel or a complex master suite addition, the key to client satisfaction is setting realistic expectations, handling the entire project, and making the experience as lowstress as possible while over-delivering. This partnership will allow us to build long term relationships with many new clients with whom we can share our talents and services." For additional information about Binks Forest's Play 18 Partnership program, contact Still at (561) 6708489. Perry can be contacted at Leading Edge Homes at (561) 7952551. BUSINESS NEWS Tendrich Family Focuses On Care Industry With NuVista I am the numbers guy." Chad manages his own investments as well as the Tendrich family portfolio from their West Palm Beach office. Chad is also a founding director of Professional Bank in Miami, where the Tendrich family settled 85 years ago. "My experiences as a director at Professional Bank are proving to be valuable to the Chad, Steven and Dean Tendrich. family, Dean brings value, and of course our father's ex- some of the county's premier comperience helps a great deal as well. munities, such as Devonshire at We make a great team." PGA, which he and his partners sold The brothers are under the watch- in 2007. NuVista Living at Wellingful eye of their father and one of the ton Green opened its doors in June principals of NuVista Living, Steven 2011 and is the first new post-acute A. Tendrich. "I am very proud of my care community in western Palm sons; they have worked very hard Beach County in more than 25 years. and have earned their spots within NuV offers a 120-bed skilled nursista this company," he said. ing facility and 52-bed assisted livSteven has a long and distin- ing community. guished career in senior-related serFor more information, visit vices. He is the mastermind behind www.nuvistawellingtongreen.com. Former TV meteorologist turned businessman Dean Tendrich sold his interest in the national casual dining concept Hurricane Grill & Wings to focus on his healthcare investment, NuVista Living. "Hurricane's was a great experience," he said. "During my time with the company, we went from 28 locations in one state to over 50 locations in seven states and more on the way. Healthcare is a growth industry, and I know it's a 180-degree turn from the restaurant world. However, I am confident the decision is the correct one, especially with what we are doing at NuVista Living." Tendrich is not only an investor but also the marketing and advertising director for the organization. "It's truly a family effort, he said. "Most of our partners are Palm Beach County residents," Tendrich said. "It's extremely gratifying to see how our business is helping people." Chad Tendrich, Dean's brother, said, "We hear it all the time: `It's got to be tough working with family.' I tell them no it's not ... in our situation, we all have our expertise. Dean knows marketing, while The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 33 Local Couple Selling Greeting Stones As Alternative To Cards After retiring from their professions in New Jersey and moving to South Florida in 2005, Marty and Joan Karasick decided that they wanted a new challenge. They decided to start both a new business and a new industry. Their business is called Greeting Stones. "What do you do with most of the greeting cards you receive? You toss them, right?" Joan said. "That is what most people do with them. So the average person spends about $5 on a greeting card, which is quickly read and tossed shortly thereafter. To do this, we chop down trees to manufacture the cards. Even ecards are read and quickly deleted. We decided that there is a better alternative. Suppose that the cost of Greeting Stones was low enough to compete with greeting cards." Greeting Stones are premium good luck river stones that are highly polished and engraved. People can write a short sentiment on them using a fine-tip permanent marker. "What would you do with it?" Joan asked. "Probably, you would not toss it. Probably, you would find a great place to display it and always remember who gave it to you." BUSINESS NEWS Planning Congress Elects New Board The Palm Beach County Planning Congress has announced the election of its 2012 board of officers. The new officers are as follows: President Bill Nemser, Vice President Aimee Craig Carlson, Recording Secretary Jennifer M. V Membership ail, Secretary Erin Fitzhugh and Treasurer Wes Blackman. At-large officers are Pete Banting, Erin L. Deady, Tom Mullin, Barbara A. Powell and Rob Rennebaum. Also new to this year's non-voting board are Professional Development Officer Susan Coughanour and Publicity Chair Caroline Villanueva. The Planning Congress, with nearly 40 years in existence, is a multi-disciplinary organization composed of public, private and nonprofit sector professionals actively involved and interested in the growth and development of the Palm Beach County and region. "We are excited to welcome Bill Nemser as our president as we continue educating our peers and colleagues on growth and development in Palm Beach County and the region," Immediate Past President Seth Behn said. The Planning Congress was among the county's professional societies that recently co-hosted the legislative breakfast in December. Other key events are its annual seminars, "Ethics" and "Planning Challenges of the 21st Century." These events are aligned with its goals and objectives to provide a public forum, develop policy positions and encourage sustainable and responsible growth management practices. The Planning Congress strives to educate professionals and interested parties in the social, physical and economic development environment within Palm Beach County, the region and the state. It is non-partisan. Although first established as a forum among certified land planners, the Palm Beach County Planning Congress has diversified its membership to include legal, engineering and landscape architecture experts. The Planning Congress is actively seeking new members, noting that annual dues cost $40, which easily pays for itself by attending only a handful of events. For additional information, visit the Palm Beach County Planning Congress web site at www.pbcplanningcongress.org. Marty and Joan Karasick of GreetingStones.com. Joan noted that the stones are sold on GreetingStones.com. "They are imported with pre-inscribed popular phrases in five different collections, ranging from business stones to celebration stones," she said. Marty is responsible for getting the stones to the Eagle Shipping Fulfillment Center in Lake Worth. Joan has the harder task of finding ways for people to locate the business on the Internet. "I have learned much about Internet retailing in the six months we have been doing this," Joan said. "It is easy to sell on eBay, but creating our own web site took lots of time, and we made mistakes until we worked out the bugs." For more information, visit www. greetingstones.com. Page 34 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier Musical `Midsummer' Returns To DSOA Theater March 9-10 Last November, the Dreyfoos School of Arts Theatre Department embarked upon an exciting adventure: the creation of a new musical called Midsummer, which combined the works of Shakespeare and classic rock legends the Moody Blues. The musical had four sold-out performances. By popular demand, the Dreyfoos thespians will present an encore Friday, March 9 at 7 p.m. and a special "Save the Arts" gala performance Saturday, March 10. Described by the Florida State Thespian Festival Main Stage Screening Committee adjudicators as "brilliant, creative and beautiful," the show has been selected as one of only 10 representing the state at the 2012 festival with a performance in Morsani Hall at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa. This is the largest high school theater festival in the world, with over 7,000 in attendance. The Dreyfoos troupe will have five hours to load-in the set and only two hours to strike it. The school holds the record for bringing the most main stage shows to this festival. The musical is based on Shakespeare's classic comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream, which tells the story of two pairs of star-crossed lovers who encounter faeries and pranksters in the forest of Athens. Putting a new spin on the story, creator/director Beverly Blanchette (Dreyfoos' Dean of Theatre) has set the play in modern Greece and has added "faerialists" to provide an illusion of flight. Midsummer features Moody Blues' favorites "Nights in White Satin" and "Tuesday Afternoon." Musical direction and arrangements are provided by Bruce Linser (with special orchestrations by Anthony Espina), choreography by Garry Q. Lewis, scenic design by Michael McClain, scenic artistry by Cindi Blank Taylor, costume design by Penelope Koleos-Williams, lighting design by Stuart Reiter, and technical direction by Edward Blanchette. Midsummer is produced by Marcie Gorman-Althof and managed by Wade T. Handy. Of special note is the aerial artistry choreographed by Rain Anya of the Paper Doll Militia. Anya, a 2002 Dreyfoos graduate, returned to her alma mater with the assistance of the Hearst Foundation, which provides grants for guest artists to train/mentor young performers. The Midsummer "faerialists" worked with Anya during the two-month rehearsal process to be able to maneuver the hanging silks adorning the brightly colored, wonderland set. Tickets cost $15 for the March 9 performance may be purchased by calling (561) 802-6052 or by going online to www.seatyourself.biz/ awdsoa. The March 10 gala performance tickets cost $50 to $100 (which includes a reception) and are available by calling (561) 805-6298. The show will be presented in the school's Meyer Hall Theater, located one block north of the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. DINING & ENTERTAINMENT Midsummer is a musical is based upon Shakespeare's classic comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream. Madeleine Albright To Lecture At FAU Symposium Feb. 15 Florida Atlantic University's Alan B. Larkin Symposium on the American Presidency presents Madeleine Albright with "Economy and Security in the 21st Century." The lecture will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 3:30 p.m. in the Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium on FAU's Boca Raton campus (777 Glades Road). A book signing will follow the lecture. Albright was the 64th secretary of state of the United States. In 1997, she was named the first female secretary of state and became, at that time, the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government. Prior to her appointment, Albright served as the U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations and as a member of U.S. President Bill Clinton's Cabinet and National Security Council. As secretary of state, Albright reinforced America's alliances, advocated democracy and human rights, and promoted American trade, business, labor and environmental standards abroad. Albright is currently a professor in the practice of diplomacy at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She chairs the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, the Pew Global Attitudes Project, and serves as president of the Truman Scholarship Foundation. Albright serves on the board of directors of the Council on Foreign Relations and the board of trustees for the Aspen Institute. In 2009, Albright was asked by NA TO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to chair a group of experts focused on developing NATO's New Strategic Concept. Albright is the chair of Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm, and chair of Albright Capital Management LLC, an investment advisory firm focused on emerging markets. Albright is author of four New York Times bestsellers: Madam Secretary (2001); Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God and World Affairs (2007); Memo to the President: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership (2008); and Read My Pins: Stories From a Diplomat's Jewel Box (2009). The two most recent bestsellers will be on sale after the lecture. Her next book, Prague Winter, is slated for release in April 2012. Prague Winter tells the story of Albright's experiences and those of her family living in Prague during and immediately after World War II. Single tickets cost $35. For groups of 15 or more, the cost is $30 per ticket. FAU faculty and staff tickets cost $10, and FAU students may obtain admission for free with a student ID. Tickets can be purchased at www. fauevents.com, by calling (800) 5649539 or at the box office in FAU's Student Union. For more information on the Symposium on the American Presidency, visit www.fau.edu/larkin. Madeleine Albright Irish Comedy Tour Comes To Jupiter's Atlantic Theater Feb. 4 The Irish Comedy Tour takes the party atmosphere of a Dublin pub and combines it with a boisterous, belly-laugh trio that will perform Saturday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at the Atlantic Theater in Jupiter. The clever clover comedians, whose ancestors hail from the Emerald Isle, include Detroit native Derek Richards, Boston-born Mike McCarthy and guitarist Derrick Keane from Dublin, Ireland. Audiences howl at Richards' tales about his pale Irish skin, the holidays and dating a stripper. He has appeared on The Bob & Tom Show and SiriusXM, and has entertained U.S. troops overseas. McCarthy's no-holds-barred humor has landed him on Comedy Central and Showtime. The "comedy barbarian," as he calls himself, takes no prisoners when it comes to poking fun at society's most sensitive topics. And finally Keane, who leads the band Inchicore, named after the Dublin district where he was raised, adds authentic Irish music to the mayhem. Inchicore has shared the stage with the Wolfe Tones, the Fureys, Brendan Grace and more. For video clips and more, visit www.theirishcomedytour.com. Tickets cost $27 in advance and $30 on the day of the show. To purchase tickets, call (561) 575-4942 or visit www.theatlantictheater.com. The Atlantic Theater is located at 6743 W. Indiantown Road in Jupiter. (Right) Derek Richards, Derrick Keane and Mike McCarthy will perform Feb. 4 at the Atlantic Theater in Jupiter. The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 35 Page 36 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 37 Page 38 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 39 P.B. Central Basketball Girls Soar Past Wellington 64-24 By Lauren Mir� Town-Crier Staff Report The Palm Beach Central High School girls varsity basketball team topped Wellington High School 6424 on Thursday, Jan. 19 at home. The Lady Broncos (14-4) took the lead early on in the game and never relinquished it, despite Wellington's fight to put points on the board and keep Palm Beach Central from scoring. Lady Bronco Mariah-Cauhryn Smelser started off things with a basket seconds into the game, followed by two more points only moments later. Alex Duporte was fouled and added two foul shots, followed by Smelser, who also went to the line and scored 2. Combined, the score was 8-0 with four minutes left in the first quarter. Though Palm Beach Central continued to pull away with added baskets by Smelser and Kensha'dra Smith, Wellington put its first points on the board late in the first quarter. Cameron Heath went to the foul line and made one basket, making the score 13-1 with a few minutes left. But Palm Beach Central took advantage of their time, scoring several more times. Heath put in one more basket for Wellington to finish the quarter 20-3. Wellington came into the second quarter with more fire and managed to cut into the Lady Broncos' lead. Heather Brown started it off for the Lady Wolverines with a basket earPHOTOS BY LAUREN MIR�/TOWN-CRIER SPORTS & RECREATION ly in the quarter, making the score 20-5. Wellington's Brianna Sabbat was sent to the foul line and scored 2 points, making the score 20-7. However, back-to-back baskets by Crystal Primm and one from Smelser kept the Lady Broncos well ahead. Though the Lady Wolverines fought to make up for lost points, they lost opportunities to score on foul shots and turnovers. Ultimately, the Lady Broncos won 64-24. The Lady Broncos hosted Boynton Beach High School on Wednesday, Jan. 25, but results were not available at press time. Wellington hosts Royal Palm Beach High School on Friday, Jan. 27 for a 7:30 p.m. game. Ashante Doby looks for a shot while Cameron Heath guards. Wellington's Cameron Heath takes control of the ball from Ashante Doby. Crystal Primm runs around the Lady Wolverine defense. Palm Beach Central's Brianna Gonzalez shoots a basket. Wildcat Basketball Squad Brushes Past Santaluces 70-56 By Gene Nardi Town-Crier Staff Report The Royal Palm Beach High School boys varsity basketball team earned a decisive win at home Friday, Jan. 20, defeating the Santaluces Chiefs 70-56. The Wildcats came out early, clawing away to maintain the lead over the Chiefs. Royal Palm Beach capitalized on Santaluces mistakes in the first half to sustain a 13-point lead at the buzzer to end the half 32-19. During the second half, Santaluces managed to put together some offense, but the Wildcats would consistently respond with an offensive attack of their own, continuously maintaining at least a 9-point gap throughout the second half. Santaluces seemed to struggle defensively with the Wildcats' speed and quick countering ability. Royal Palm Beach finished the contest with a convincing 70-56 victory over the Chiefs. Royal Palm Beach's C.J. Hammond led the Wildcats with 15 points. Stephon Gordon and Joe Joe Williams each put up 12 points. Christian Cromarte added two 3-pointers. Royal Palm Beach hosted Palm Beach Lakes Tuesday, coming away with another decisive win, 83-68. The Wildcats then traveled to Forest Hill on Thursday for a 7:30 p.m. game, but the score was not available by press time. RPB's C.J. Hammond tries to get by the Chiefs' Perrin Carriere. Wildcat Jimmitry Leblanc goes up to tip the ball in for a score. RPB's Tivoujhn Brown defends against Santaluces' Jess Ewald in the second half. Wildcat Jimmitry Leblanc tries to block Jess Ewald. PHOTOS BY GENE NARDI/TOWN-CRIER Page 40 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier WAVE U-13 BOYS WIN TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS SPORTS & RECREATION WHS Wrestlers Compete At Coral Springs, P.B. Central The Wellington Wave U-13 boys travel soccer team recently was crowned champions of both the Wellington Shootout and the PBSL League Championships. The Wave put up an impressive 37 goals, with only four scored against them. The Wave players are Marcello Ber tuzzelli, Camilo Cedeno-Tobon, Francois Dulysse, Jonathan "Tank" Gordon, Anthony Grnja, Enzo Lerer, Papo Lestido, Austin Lukasik, Matthew Lyras, Nicky Martinez, Alec-Michael Petrizzi, Brandon Spalding-Riese, Remy Suarez, Alec Sunshine, Jared Tolbert, Christian Urreiztieta, Patrick Vernis and Evan Waldt. Coaches are Patrick Zoete and Bob Arrue. The Wellington High School wrestling team competed at Coral Springs High School over the Jan. 14-15 weekend, finishing in third place in the 12-team dual tournament with an 8-2 record. Senior Collin Bachi (152 pounds) led the way for the Wolverines with a perfect 10-0 record and improved his season record to 31-6. Other top wrestlers were sophomores Nik Bonadies (120) and Josiah Cleghorn (220), who each finished with an 8-2 record. The Wolverines improved their record to 17-8 this season. The WHS varsity and junior varsity wrestling teams both defeated Palm Beach Central Wednesday, Jan. 18. The JV team started with a 36-3 victory led by Bobby Bernstein (106 pounds), Matt Wunderlich (120), Andy Leal (126), Steven Crawford (138), Jonathan De Laura (145), Angel Lopez (220) and Chase Denhart (285). The varsity team defeated Palm Beach Central 45-26 and were led by Andrew Mitchell (106), Nik Bonadies (120), Juan Ferro (126), Brandon Paz (138), Dylan Crosby (145), Collin Bachi (160), Noah Wellingt on High School's wrestling team celebrates a recent victory. Coulter (182) and Josiah Cleghorn (285). Senior Collin Bachi earned the 100th win of his career and moved into fifth on the all-time Wellington High School win list. Coach Travis Gray said he is very excited for Bachi and his 100th win. "He never wrestled before high school and really didn't become a full time varsity wrestler until his 10th grade season," Gray said. "He is currently 17 wins behind the all-time wins record holder at Wellington High School, Nate Mendenhall, who is now an assistant coach with us, so he is really making a push for that record. Both teams earned a win, and I was pleased with the intensity and effort that everyone put forth." The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 41 Wellington Wave U-11 Boys White Are League Champions The Wellington Wave U-11 boys white team defeated the Boynton Beach Knights 4-1 in the final game of the Palm Beach Soccer League's playoff tournament held Sunday, Jan. 15 at Klock Fields in Palm Beach Gardens. It was the final competition between adversaries during an event that featured the best of the league's teams vying to win over three days during the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. Wellington's U-11 boys white team finished the league with 7 wins and 3 draws, topping the Gold Division of teams from St. Lucie County all the way south to Broward County. The Jan. 15 game was Boynton's final chance to upset the reigning champs. It was a no-go for Boynton as the Wave came out strong from the box. A hat trick by Nico Diaz of Stuart secured the lead, and the final goal, scored by Chris Pappas of Wellington, sealed the victory. "It was a total team effort with brilliant passing and execution by all members of the team," coach Edner Breton said. "Every goal is the direct result of all players working to- SPORTS & RECREATION SRHS Wrestlers Triumph In Conference Meet Seminole Ridge would like to congratulate the following Hawk wrestlers who went 3-0 in the tournament: Troy Artilles, Pierce Beaubien, Brayden Gilles, Zach Hallmann, Sam Harghesheimer, Evan Kauffmann, Nick Keller, Cody Lasagna, Trace Thome and Scott Watson. The Seminole Ridge High School wrestling team won its fourth tournament of the year at the West Conference dual meet Saturday, Jan. 14, defeating Glades Central High School 84-0, Royal Palm Beach High School 78-6, and Palm Beach Central High School 57-16. Two Events Planned For Girls On The Run PBC (Front row, L-R) Blake Weger, Nico Diaz, Pablo Maradiaga, Luis Cano, Logan Fenimore, Chris Pappas, Chris Rumsey and Fabian Kagnus; (middle row) Casper Gunderson, Luke Mattessich and Lucas Roldan; (back) coach Edner Breton, assistant coach Steve Sparks. gether for the common good." Goalie Blake Weger saved a penalty kick that was fired at him full speed by Boynton's best, which set the tone for the remainder of the game. "I am so proud of my boys," Breton said. The Silver Cup Trophy will be displayed with the team's other trophies at their home field at Wellington Village Park. The Girls on the Run PBC program will start Monday, Jan. 30 at Wellington Village Park (11700 Pierson Road). The program features runningbased lessons and games. Spots are available for girls ages 8 to 13 who want to learn self-worth, how to have fun and make healthy decisions... and run 5k. Register at www.girlsontherun pbc.org, call (561) 313-9179 or e-mail email@example.com for additional information. Girls on the Run PBC will host the Rugged Runner Challenge on Sunday, April 1 at Dreher Park in West Palm Beach. The event is a 5K obstacle run for adults and children. All proceeds benefit Girls on the Run PBC. Visit www.active.com to register or www. girlsontherunpbc.org for further information. Send sports news items to: The Town-Crier Newspaper, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. Fax: (561) 793-6090. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com. Page 42 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier COMMUNITY CALENDAR Saturday, Jan. 28 � Visit the Wellington Green Market on Saturday, Jan. 28 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater. Call (561) 7532484 for more info. � The Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association will host an 8-mile hike in Apoxee Park in the West Palm Beach Water Catchment Area on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 8 a.m. Plenty of water is a must. Call (56 1) 616-8790 for more info. � The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will feature "Writing Series: Plot" for adults Saturday, Jan. 28 at 9 a.m. Learn the foundation of plot structure and how to craft a plot that makes your book smooth and engaging. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register. � The Royal Palm Beach library (500 Civic Center Way) will host a dance performance by members of the Dance Arts Conservatory on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. for age 5 and up. Call (561) 790-6030 to pre-register. � The Palm Beach Makos Football Club will host its first home game of the season against the Broward County Bears on Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Palm Beach Central High School stadium. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the game will start at 7 p.m. The cost is $5 per person. For more info., visit www.palm beachmakos.com. Sunday, Jan. 29 � Temple Beth Tikvah (4550 Jog Road, Greenacres) will feature Open Teenage Vocalist Auditions on Sunday, Jan. 29 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for an upcoming concert. Call (561) 967-3600 for more info. � Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will host "Happy Healthy Sweets" for children ages 6 to 12 on Sunday, Jan. 29 from 2 to 3 p.m. Health Starts Here helps kids learn how to satisfy their sweet tooth the healthy way. There is no charge. Call (561) 904-4000 to pre-register. Monday, Jan. 30 � The Wellington library (195 Royal Fern 1 Drive) will host "Bilingual Story Time" for age 2 and up Monday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. Learn Spanish with songs, dances and stories. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. � The Wellington library (195 Royal Fern 1 Drive) will feature "Legos" for age 8 and up Monday, Jan. 30 at 4 p.m. Builders inspire themselves to create vehicles or buildings out of Lego pieces. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. Tuesday, Jan. 31 � Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will host "Ear Infections, Colic, and Asthma, Oh My!" on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 10 a.m. Come hear Dr. Ian Shtulman, a family chiropractor, review home remedies and natural methods you can use for common childhood problems. Call (561) 9044000 to pre-register. � The Wellington library (195 Royal Fern 1 Drive) will host "Rock Your World" for ages 3 to 5 on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 11:15 a.m. Get inspired by tales of these rock star animals, then rock out with rhythm instruments to your favorite nurser y rhymes. Call (561) 7906070 to pre-register. � Wellington Regional Medical Center will host a free Knee Pain Lecture by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michael Mikolajczak on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at noon. The lecture is titled "A Better Approach to Knee Replacement." Mikolajczak will discuss the components of his integrated approach to knee replacement. A light lunch will be served. Space is limited. To reser ve a place, call (561) 7989880. � The Wellington library (195 Royal Fern 1 Drive) will host "Presidential Panderings" for ages 5 to 8 on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 3 p.m. How well do you know the presidents of the United States? Test your knowledge. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. � The Wellington library (195 Royal Fern 1 Drive) will feature "Teen Game Night" for ages 12 to 17 on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m. Play Nintendo Wii and board games. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. � Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will host "Pre-Game Block Party: Beer and Wine Tasting" on Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Enjoy free samples of ultimate football party appetizers. For a $10 donation to Wellington High School's Project Graduation, you will receive a Whole Foods Market tasting mug to enjoy wine and beer samples around the store. No registration is necessar y. Call (561) 904-4000 for more info. � The Wellington Village Council will meet Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. at the municipal complex (12300 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 791-4000 or visit www.wellingtonfl. gov for more info. Wednesday, Feb. 1 � The Wellington library (195 Royal Fern 1 Drive) will host "Once Upon a Time" on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 10:15 a.m. for age 2, 10:45 a.m. for age 3, and 11:15 a.m. for ages 4 and 5. Make a wish for stories about See CALENDAR, page 43 The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 43 COMMUNITY CALENDAR CALENDAR, continued from page 42 fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. � The Wellington library (195 Royal Fern 1 Drive) will feature "Board Game Challenge" for age 6 and up Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 3 p.m. Challenge others to Chutes and Ladders, Candyland and other board games. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. � The Swing and Jazz Preservation Society, in cooperation with District 14 of the Florida Bandmasters Association, will sponsor its first School Band Spectacular, open to all public middle and high schools across Palm Beach County. The first round will be held Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 1 and 2 at Wellington High School. Performances are free and open to the public. For more info., visit www.flmusiced.org/fba. Thursday, Feb. 2 � The Wellington library (195 Royal Fern 1 Drive) will host "Fairies & Dragons" on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 10:15 a.m. for ages 2 and 3, and 11:15 a.m. for ages 3 to 5. Do princesses tell stories? Sure they do, at fairy tale story time. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. � The Nor ton Museum of Art (1451 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach) will host the Jaime Ousley Jazz Band CD Release Party as part of its "Art After Dark" series Thursday, Feb. 2 from 5 to 9 p.m. For more info., call (561) 832-5196 or visit www.norton.org. � The Wellington library (195 Royal Fern 1 Drive) will host "Writers' Critique Workshop" for adults Thursday, Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. Share, offer and accept constructive criticism and comments to improve your fiction, nonfiction and poetry in a supportive atmosphere. Call (561) 790-60 to pre-register. 70 � The Palm Springs Acoustic Bluegrass Jam takes place on the first Thursday of each month at the Palm Springs library (217 Cypress Lane). The next jam will take place Feb. 2 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Anyone who plays a bluegrass acoustic instrument is welcome. No food or drink is allowed except water in a covered, leak-proof container. For more info., call the library at (561) 965-2204, Sandy Bradbury at (561) 358-7975, or Rosemari Vincent and Randy Powell at (561) 5850937. � The Royal Palm Beach Village Council will meet Thursday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. at Village Hall (1050 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.). Call (561) 790-5100 or visit www.royal palmbeach.com for more info. Friday, Feb. 3 � Whole Foods Market (2635 State Road 7, Wellington) will feature local artist Kathy Morlock on Friday, Feb. 3 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Morlock will display paintings inspired by the natural Florida landscape. Enjoy live music and wine and cheese tasting. Morlock will discuss her art on display and answer questions. A $5 fee will benefit the Wellington Art Society scholarship fund. Call (561) 904-4000 for more info. � The Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.) will present a free screening of the movie Night With Glee: The Concert Movie Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Bring your own seating. Call (561) 753-2484 for more info. Saturday, Feb. 4 � Visit the Wellington Green Market on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater (12100 W. Forest Hill Blvd.). Call (561) 753-2484 for more info. � Royal Palm Beach will host its fifth annual Kids Garage Sale on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Veterans Park (1036 Royal Palm Beach Blvd.). Items include infant goods, clothing, toys and kids athletic gear at great prices. For more info., call the Royal Palm Beach Cultural Center at (561) 790-4159. � Horizon Pool and Patio (12785-A Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington Plaza) will offer Pool School, a free service to the community, on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 10 a.m. The topic will be the "Variable Speed Pumps." Learn how some pool owners have saved enough money to pay for their monthly pool service. For info., visit www.horizonpool.com to register or call (561) 790-0665. � The Wellington library (195 Royal Fern 1 Drive) will feature "Beginning Chess" for age 8 and up and adults on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 2:30 p.m. Want to learn how to play chess? Be introduced to the pieces and basic moves. Call (561) 790-6070 to pre-register. � Wellington's annual Father Daughter Dance will take place Saturday, Feb. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Village Park gymnasium (11700 Pierson Road) for dads and daughters ages 5 to 14. Tickets are on sale through Thursday, Feb. 2. The cost is $50 per resident couple and $62.50 per non-resident couple. Additional tickets may be purchased for $20 per resident and $25 per non-resident. For additional information, call (561) 791-4005. Send calendar items to: The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414. FAX: (561) 793-6090. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com. Page 44 January 27 - Februar y 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier Legal Notice No. 553 Notice Under Fictitious Name Florida Statute 865.09 Public notice is hereby given that the undersigned desires to engage in business under the fictitious name of: MALLORY PARKS PHOTOGRAPHY Located at: 16685 75th PL. N. LOXAHATCHEE, FL 33470 County of Palm Beach, Florida and intends to register said name with the Division of Corporations State of Florida,forthwith MALLORY PARKS Publish :Town-Crier Newspapers Date: 1-27-12 HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER -- in Wellington needs EXAM PREP COORDINATOR Bachelors Degree- Demonstrate Solid Performance on SAT and ACT (either verbal or math sections) Available to work evenings and Saturdays. Also needed: EXAM PREP TUTORS Now Hiring SAT/ACT Preparation T utors. Must have a 4 year degree preferably in Mathmetics or English. Be available to tutor on Saturdays. Please e-mail your resume to email@example.com VOLUNTEERS NEEDED -- 14 years and over for community service. Have fun with animals & kids 792-2666 DRIVERS! DRIVERS! DRIVERS! Drivers wanted for Wellington Cab. Retirees welcome. Cleaning Driving Record. Call 561-333-0181 ENTRY LEVEL RECEPTIONIST -- Computer literate. Heavy phones & filing. Fax resume 561-333-2680 WINDOW INSTALLERS WANTED Subcontractors only. Top Pay. No Brokers. Call Matt 561-714-8490 PIZZANO'S PIZZA -- Looking for mature person for delivery. Please apply in person. Must own vehicle and have auto insurance. 561-7902345 Apply at: 601 Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 DYNAMIC EDUCATION BUSINESS Need Part-Time Executive Assist ant in Palms West Area. Must be Quite Computer Literate with Good People Skills. Fax 561-828-8128 or Email: email@example.com NAIL TECHS -- Experienced clients waiting - full-time & part-time. Apply at Permanent Elegance7070 Seminole Pratt,Loxahatchee 561790-5777 RENTAL TO SHARE -- Traveling adult male willing to share 2/2 apt. 5 minutes to horse and polo grounds. Washer/Dryer and Amenities included $1,200 mo. Nonsmoker please. 808-489-3989 CNA -- Mature,experienced in all area's. I speak English only. No Live In. Seeks Part-Time/FullTime work. Call 561-632-0464 HOUSE FOR SALE -- 3 bedroom/ 2 bath home, 10.5 plus acres, also approved to be sub-divided into 4 parcels. Horse Lover 's Dream. Wellington Little Ranches. 12033 Acme Road Just Reduced Please call Julie Poof, 561-222-0601or rent $3500/monthly STOP SMOKING HYPNOSIS Sherri Austin Certified Hypnotist 561-247-1116 HypnosisWithSherrie.com WE BUY YOUR OLD & BROKEN GOLD -- diamond, & silver jewelry, coins, silverware, flat-ware, etc. Wellington Green Mall. CR Jewelers (outside Aeropostale) 561-7531313 The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM Januar y 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 45 JOHN C. HUNTON AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION, INC.--Service & new installation FPL independent participating contractor. Lic. CAC 057272 Ins. "We are proud supporters of the Seminole Ridge Hawks" 561-798-3225. Family Owned & Operated since 1996. Credit Cards Accepted HOUSECLEANING -- 20 yrs experience. Excellent local references. Shopping available. 561572-1782 I AM A PROFESSIONAL CNA -- FL License w/ `level 2' security; hosp i tal & private experience. Wellington Resident 561-531-4179 CALL THE TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS TODAY AT 561-793-7606 MOBILE-TEC ON-SITE COMPUTER SERVICE -- The computer experts that come to you! Hardware/ Software setup, support & troubleshooting w w w.mobiletec.ne t. 561-248-2611 D.J. COMPUTER -- Home & office, Spyware removal, websites, networks, repairs, upgrades, virus removal, tutoring. Call Jeff 561-3331923 Cell 561-252-1186 Lic'd Well. & Palm Beach. We accept major credit cards. THE MASTER HANDYMAN -- All Types of Home Repairs & Improvements. No job too big or small done right the first time every time 40 yrs of satisfied customers. See me on Angies List. Tom (561) 801-2010 or (954) 444-3178 Serving Palm Beach and Broward Counties. BILLY'S HOME REPAIRS INC. REMODEL & REPAIRS -- Interior Trim, crown molding, rottenwood repair, door inst allation, minor drywall,kitchens/cabinets / countertops, wood flooring. Bonded and Insured U#19699. Call 7919900 or 628-9215 HURRICANE SHUTTERS P&M CONTRACTORS -- ACCORDION SHUTTERS Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffit s, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777 PLACE YOUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AD HERE! CALL THE TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS TODAY AT 561-793-7606 J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. -- Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch 309-6975 or visit our website at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com MINOR ROOF REPAIRS DON HARTMANN ROOFING -- Roof painting, Carpentry. Lic. #U13677 967-5580 ROBERT G. HARTMANN ROOFING -- Specializing in repairs. Free estimates, Bonded,insured. Lic. #CCC 058317 Ph: 561-790-0763. ROOFING REPAIRS REROOFING ALL TYPES -- Pinewood Construction, Inc. Honest and reliable. Serving Palm Beach County for over 20 years. Call Mike 561-3090134 Lic. Ins. Bonded. CGC023773 RC-0067207 CALL THE TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS T ODAY AT 561-793-7606 ROBERT CHERRY ROOFING INC Reroofing - Repair - Waterproofing 561-791-2612 or 954-741-4580 State Lic.& Ins. #CCC-1326048 JOHN C. BEALE BUILDING & ROOFING -- Additions, remodeling, roof repairs & replacements, screened porches. Licensed & Insured. Call for Free Estimates. 561798-6448 ccc1326383 ccc1250306 ACCORDION SHUTTERS -- Gutters, screen enclosures, siding, soffits, aluminum roofs, Serving the Western Communities. Since 1985. U-17189 561-791-9777 JOHN PERGOLIZZI PAINTING INC. -- Interior/Exterior - Repaint specialist, pressure cleaning, popcorn ceiling, drywall repair & roof painting. Family owned/owner operator. Free Est. 798-4964 Lic. #U18473 COLORS BY CORO, INC. -- Int./ Ext. residential painting, over 20 yrs exp. Small Jobs welcome. Free est. Ins. 561-383-8666. Owner/Operated. Lic.# U20627 Ins. Wellington Resident \ JEREMY JAMES PLUMBING -- Licensed plumber, legitimate estimate. Water heaters, new construction. CFC1426242. Bonded Insured. CFC1426242. 561-601-6458 NATIVE SPEAKER -- Affordable. Translations and tutoring. Lessons tailored to your level (beginner to advanced) Lilly H. 561-248-1786 AQUATIC SPRINKLER, LLC -- Complete repair of all types of systems. Owner Operated. Michael 561-964-6004Lic.#U17871 Bonded & Ins. Serving the Western Communities Since 1990 BOB CAVANAGH ALLSTATE INSURANCE -- Auto �Home � Life� Renters �Motorcycle �R V � Golfcart � Boat Serving the Western Communities for 24 years Call for a quote 798-3056, or visit our website. www.allstateagencies.com/ rCavanagh SPECIALIZING IN BATHROOM REMODELING -- Free estimates serving South Florida since 1980. Quality you expect, service you deserve. Lic. bonded & Ins. U21006 561-662-9258 ANMAR CO.--James' All Around Handyman Service. Excellent craftman Old time values. Once you've had me! You'll have me back! Lic. Ins. Certified Residential Contractor CRC 1327426 561-248-8528 MOLD & MILDEW INSPECTIONS Air Quality Testing, leak detection. US building inspectors, mention this ad for discount. 561-784-8811. State of Fl. Lic. & Ins. #MRSA1796 DRIVEWAYS -- Free estimates. A & M ASPHALT SEAL COATING commercial and residential. Patching potholes, striping, repair existing asphalt & save money all work guaranteed. Lic.& Ins. 100045062 561-667-7716 HOME INSPECTIONS -- Windstorm Mitigation Inspections, Mold Inspections, Air Quality Testing. State of Florida Lic. & Ins. #HI2147 US Building Inspectors 561-7848811 RJA PAINTING & DECORATING, INC. -- Interior Exterior, Faux Finish, Residential,Commercial.Lic. #U17536 Rocky Armento, Jr. 561793-5455 561-662-7102 J&B PRESSURE CLEANING & PAINTING, INC. -- Established 1984. All types of pressure cleaning, roofs, houses, driveways, patios etc. Commercial & Residential. Interior & Exterior painting. Certified pressure cleaning & painting contractor. Lic. #U21552 Call Butch at 309-6975 or visit us at www.jbpressurecleaningandpainting.com SECURITY -- American owned local security company in business 30 plus years. Protection by officers drug tested. 40 hour course. Licensed & Insured. 561-848-2600 PAPERHANGING BY DEBI -- Professional Installation,Removal. Repair of Paper. Neat, Clean & Reliable. Quality work with a woman's touch. 30 years experience. No Job too big or too small. Lic. & Ins. References available. 561-795-5263 JOHN'S SCREEN REPAIR SERVICE -- Pool & patio rescreening. Stay tight,wrinkle-free,guaranteed! CRC1329708 call us 798-3132. www.poolscreenrepair.com PLACE YOUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AD HERE! CALL THE TOWN-CRIER CLASSIFIEDS TODAY AT 561-793-7606 Page 46 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM Januar y 27 - Februar y 2, 2012 Page 47 Page 48 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 49 This Week at The Four Arts Exhibit Opening Saturday, February 4 Recapturing the Real West:The Collections of William I. Koch $5 � (561) 655-7226 On Display All Season Florida's Wetlands � No charge � (561) 655-2776 Ongoing Mondays,Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. Campus on the Lake Class:Yogalates with Rassika Sabine Bourgi $15 per session � (561) 805-8562 Sunday, January 29 at 3 p.m. Concert:Trio Solisti � $15 � (561) 655-7226 Monday, January 30 at 10:30 a.m. (Preschool); 2:30 p.m. (Family) Story Time: Rosemary Wells Day � No charge � (561) 655-2776 Monday, January 30 at 2 p.m. Feild Trip: Pelican Island Sunset Cruise with Claudine Laabs $75 � Reservations required � (561) 805-8562 Wednesday, February 1 at 2:30 p.m. Lecture: From Giotto's Bell Tower to Brunelleschi's Dome: Florence and the Origins of the Renaissance with Giuliana Castellani Koch $20 � Part of the Splendors of Italy series � (561) 805-8562 Wednesday, February 1 at 8 p.m. Concert: Arnaldo Cohen, piano � $40/$45 � (561) 655-7226 Thursday, February 2 at 10:30 a.m. (Preschool); 2:30 p.m. (Family) Story Time: Groundhog Day � No charge � (561) 655-2776 Thursday, February 2 at 2:30 p.m. Lecture: In the Vanguard of Haute Jewels- A Conversation Between Artist James Taffin de Givenchy and Decorative Arts Historian John Francisco Andreu $20 � (561) 805-8562 Saturday, February 4 at 11 a.m. Illustrated Lecture with William I. Koch for the exhibit Recapturing the Real West:The Collections of William I. Koch No charge � (561) 655-7226 Saturday, February 4 at 11 a.m. Lecture: Landscapes of the Mind: Neuroabstractions with Elizabeth Horowitz No charge � Reservations required � (561) 805-8562 Sunday, February 5 at 2:30 p.m. Western Film Festival: Cowboys and Outlaws:The Real Lonesome Dove and Cowboys and Outlaws:The Real McCoy � No charge � (561) 655-7226 FOUR ARTS. FOR EVERYONE. 2 F o u r A r t s P l a z a � P a l m B e a c h , F L 3 3 4 8 0 � ( 5 6 1 ) 6 5 5 - 7 2 2 7 � www.fo u ra r t s .o rg Page 50 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier The Town-Crier WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM January 27 - February 2, 2012 Page 51 Page 52 January 27 - February 2, 2012 WWW. GOTOWNCRIER. COM The Town-Crier