Town-Crier Newspaper September 11, 2015

Volume 36, Number 35September 11 - September 17, 2015Your Community Newspaper Serving Palms West Since 1980

TOWN-CRIERTHEWELLINGTON ROYAL PALM BEACH LOXAHATCHEE THE ACREAGE

INSIDE

DEPARTMENT INDEXNEWS ................................3 - 9OPINION ................................. 4CRIME NEWS ......................... 6PEOPLE ........................ 11 - 12SCHOOLS ............................. 13COLUMNS ......................14, 21NEWS BRIEFS ...................... 15BUSINESS .................... 22 - 23SPORTS .........................27 - 29CALENDAR ...........................30CLASSIFIEDS ................31 - 34

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OPINION

The Women of the Western Communities kicked off its new season on Thursday, Sept. 4 at the Wanderers Club in Wel-lington. The club meets the first Thursday of each month. The club supports the YWCAs Harmony House throughout the year, and collected donations at the meeting. Shown here are Treasurer Faye Ford and co-presidents Donna Kuebler and Lynda Chicano. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 5

PHOTO BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

WOMENS GROUPBEGINS NEW SEASON

By Julie UngerTown-Crier Staff Report

The Village of Wellington held the final in a series of four town hall meetings regarding the future of the controversial K-Park prop-erty Tuesday evening in the Wel-lington Village Council chambers.

The meeting was led by Wel-lington staff members Jim Barnes, Mike ODell, Bruce DeLaney and Bob Basehart, and focused on future uses for the 66.8-acre site, located at the southwest corner of State Road 7 and Stribling Way.

The council and staff are in-terested in having input from the community, residents and business people, providing us with what you think ultimately should be done, Planning & Zoning Direc-tor Bob Basehart said.

The land currently has a reuse water pond and pump station and is under lease with a farmer for agricultural production. Since the village purchased the property for nearly $8.5 million in 2003, there has been a great deal of interest in the land, Basehart explained.

K-Park was originally planned to be a large park project, and later considered for a college campus and an equestrian venue. Most recently, there were six propos-als submitted to buy the land for mixed-use projects. The propos-als varied between $15 million and $25 million for the land and included mixes of commercial, recreational and residential uses.

Wellington Projects Manager Mike ODell explained that al-though the conversation is current-ly about one small parcel, it is part of the larger State Road 7 corridor. Approximately 45 percent of that is retail, 35 percent residential, 8 percent office, 7 percent churches and schools, and only 5 percent undeveloped space.

Thats our last chance, basi-cally, to look at whats going on the State Road 7 corridor, ODell said. It also gives us some op-portunities to kind of chart the course for the future. We have to ask ourselves, is what we have on SR 7 really sustainable? Because

what were looking at today are the things that were going to see in the next 20 years.

Parks & Recreation Director Bruce DeLaney explained that Wellingtons award-winning parks and recreation program is an important part of the community. With 175 programs a year, the village has been able to meet, for the most part, the recommended recreation standards for the com-munity at its current population.

Our previous councils and committees got together and made tough decisions as to whether or not to purchase that property, he said. Keep in mind, it was originally slated as a park for the village. Not a specific type of park, but a park, because theres only so much land.

Things change, DeLaney ex-plained, and the council is now looking for direction as to what to do with that land.

At Village Park alone, he said, every Saturday, 6,000 people participate in sports. In the last four years, he has seen a 9 percent growth in participants.

I would highly doubt that the demand for our facilities will reduce in any capacity, he said.

Director of Operations Jim Barnes began the question-answer part of the meeting, where 91 clickers were passed out for resi-dents to provide survey responses. This meeting, as at the other three meetings, had the same questions in order to allow residents to voice their opinions during a consistent presentation.

Ninety-six percent of those in attendance were Wellington residents. Almost everyone in attendance came to the meeting to provide input on the future of K-Park.

The vast majority of survey participants were homeowners, and almost half (42 percent) live within one mile of K-Park, while 29 percent were within three miles.

When asked whether Welling-ton needs additional park space, 12 percent said yes with programmed

Wellington Wraps Up K-Park Town Hall Public Input Series

See K-PARK, page 7

County Approves Larger Budget For New Fiscal Year

DANCE TROUPE GOES HOLLYWOOD

14 Years Later, WeMust Work To Keep The Memory Of 9/11 AliveIt has been 5,113 days since four commercial airliners were hijacked, effectively becom-ing guided missiles, wreaking large-scale destruction and ushering in a new era of ter-rorism. Has it really been 14 years since Sept. 11, 2001? While the images of memories of that day are seared into the brains and hearts of American adults, we have now entered a period where 9/11 is history for most of todays school children. As times passes, we must work harder to keep the memory alive. Page 4

By Ron BukleyTown-Crier Staff Report

Theres a new fish in the neigh-borhood, joining several other invasive, exotic species that have infiltrated Floridas waterways.

The bullseye snakehead fish has migrated north from Broward County and has been seen in Royal Palm Beach and Wellington wa-terways, according to Royal Palm Beach Councilman David Swift,

New Invasive Fish Causing Concern For Local Species

who last week asked for residents help in controlling them.

Exotic fishes in our canals [are] nothing new. We have the walking catfish that has been here for quite a bit, Swift said in a report to the Royal Palm Beach Village Council on Sept. 3. I actually saw one of these crawling up a driveway after the rainfall this afternoon.

He cited the sailfin catfish, Mayan chiclid and blue tilapia as several other examples of invasive exotics.

The clown knifefish is another species that has been introduced into to local waters from home aquariums after they grow too large. They put these little clown knifefish in there, and they dont want to kill them, so they put them in the canal system, Swift said.

The knifefish can grow to more

Wellington Ballet Theatre presented Going Hollywood at the Wellington High School theater on Saturday, Sept. 5 and Sunday, Sept. 6. The production, choreographed by Melissa Waters, Rocky and Dorie Duvall and Kristen Lang, featured music from a wide range of movies. Shown here, Maci Leitner, Ava Grave de Peralta, Daniella Braun, Kaylee Quinter and Lilly Simpson-Gay dance to Promontory from Last of the Mohicans. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 9

PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

RPB COUNCIL APPROVES 2016 BUDGETSEE STORY, PAGE 3

ROTARY PEACE CELEBRATION SEPT. 20SEE STORY, PAGE 11


The Palm Beach County Com-mission held it first formal public hearing on its budget for the upcoming fiscal year on Tuesday. The commissioners approved a tax rate of 4.7815 mills, unchanged from last year.

However, rising property values mean that the tax rate will take in more revenue, and the budget will also spend more money.

The total proposed budget for fiscal year 2016, including all county districts, is $4.04 billion, compared to $3.97 billion in fiscal year 2015.

Of that, about $1.17 billion is in the general fund, which pays for day-to-day services. The proposed ad valorem property taxes for the

general fund at 4.7815 mills would generate just under $730 million.

The commissioners also left the tax rates unchanged for the library district at .5491 mills and the Fire-Rescue Municipal Service Taxing Unit at 3.4581 mills.

County Administrator Verdenia Baker pointed out that the mill-age rate has been held steady for several years.

During public comment, Lillian Hall, representing the Acreage Landowners Association, asked for more police and fire coverage there.

We currently have only three deputies and a sergeant on each shift who must cover 150 miles of roads and 39,000 people, Hall said. I know that the number of calls is lower than elsewhere, but

the call number is misleading. Sadly, the majority of calls are domestic disturbances, which are two-car calls. Two police of-ficers must respond to these calls because they are so dangerous.

Hall added that the serenity of The Acreage masks the activ-ity that goes on. There are grow houses, halfway houses, juvenile shelters, drug overdoses, burglar-ies, vehicle thefts, as well as the domestic calls daily, she said.

Commissioner Melissa McKin-lay asked law enforcement and fire-rescue representatives to ad-dress Halls request.

Palm Beach County Fire-Res-cue Administrator Jeff Collins said that his budget reflects the same millage rate as the previous year with the same minimum staffing

See FISH, page 3


Wellingtons Equestrian Pre-serve Committee this week sug-gested making equestrian activities more accessible and affordable to a larger number of people.

The suggestion came during a discussion Wednesday on how the proposed Equestrian Master Plan should be developed.

Wellington Projects Manag-er Mike ODell said that village staff had come up with recommen-dations based on several town hall forums and three surveys on the future of the Equestrian Preserve Area (EPA).

Based on input from those meetings and surveys, ODell and his staff came up with five sug-gested options for the committee to consider:

Focus solely on improving the events and venues currently within Wellington. Under this option, the primary goal of the Equestrian Master Plan would be to improve infrastructure such as roadways, bridle paths, utilities

and the communitys signage, and improve land development regulations to support the events and venues.

Promote solely the expansion of equestrian competitions with-in the EPA. Under this option, the primary goal of the Equestrian Master Plan would be to focus the villages efforts on promoting the equestrian venues. The village would look to modify the special use permitting process and estab-lish policies that support a variety of equestrian events village-wide.

Provide for a specific eques-trian events area within the EPA. The primary goal of this Equestrian Master Plan would be to focus on creating a specific equestrian events area within the village. This land use designation would allow for equestrian events to be held without restrictions within a specified geographic area.

Adopt a comprehensive, long-term strategy, to support the events and venues that ex-ist, and support expanding the equestrian competitions within

Wellington Committee WantsRiding To Be More Accessible

the EPA. The primary goal of such an Equestrian Master Plan would be to build upon specific improvements which, through phased implementation, would support and expand the competi-tive events throughout Welling-ton. This option would focus on improving the infrastructure, such as roadways, bridle paths, utilities and the communitys appearance. It would develop a marketing ef-fort that brands Wellington as a great hometown and a world-class equestrian community, and pro-mote equestrian venues and events.

React to conditions and change only as required to evolve. This Equestrian Master Plan would be primarily reaction-ary in nature, doing only what becomes necessary.

ODell said the last option is what the village currently does, and the fourth option was more of a combination of all the options and recommendations.

We hope that you can discuss for us tonight, if not picking one of

See COUNTY, page 16

See MASTER PLAN, page 4

levels of 285 employees per day.The three main stations that

cover The Acreage have a mini-mum staffing level of 14, and we do not anticipate increasing those levels in this current year, Collins said. I can assure you that we do constantly look through our plan-ning section at the numbers and the statistics of call volume along with turnout times. The numbers are relatively good in terms of the entire system.

He explained that The Acreage is also protected by two stations outside of The Acreage.

We all know that there is going to be development in The Acre-age, he said, pointing out that one station in the area currently occupying a storefront with en-gines outside anticipates having a

real station with the development of Westlake/Minto West.

Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office Major Tony Araujo said that during his 33 years as an officer, he drove a beat car in The Acreage.

I think its fair to say that The Acreage has changed, Araujo said. It used to be rural-type folks who were individualists and only wanted to see the police when something really bad happened. Im not a planner, but its not the best laid out community to get to any point north, south, east or west, so those are some of the challenges that we have every day out there policing.

He pointed out that in 2009, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw made a commitment to open a district

A Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission officer holds a bullseye snakehead fish. PHOTO COURTESY FWC

RPB Moves Closer ToAnnexing Acme RanchesThe Royal Palm Beach Village Council approved ordinances last week likely to lead the way to annexation of about 120 acres of land near the south-west corner of State Road 7 and Southern Blvd. known as Acme Ranches. The annexation is in two parts because not all of the owners are in agreement with the annexation. Page 3

Need Help? Call The Wellington AgencyFor anyone needing help, be it domestic services or child care services, the Wellington Agency is there to help. Wel-lington resident April J. Berube finds people the help that they need, from a housekeeper to a personal assistant, an estate manager, a personal chef, a laundress, a butler, a baby sit-ter, a baby nurse, a nanny, a governess and more. Page 7

Hand & Stone Massage And Facial Spa OpensHand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, located at 2863 S. State Road 7, Suite 300, in Wel-lington, held its grand opening celebration on Sunday, Sept. 6.

Page 17

Acreage Green Market Held Twice Each MonthThe Acreage Green Market took place Sunday, Sept. 6 at Acre-age Community Park. The Acre-age Green Market takes place on the first and third Sundays each month. Page 5

September 11 - September 17, 2015 www.gotowncrier.com The Town-Crier

The Town-Crier www.gotowncrier.com September 11 - September 17, 2015 Page 3

NEWS


The Royal Palm Beach Village Council approved ordinances last week likely to lead the way to annexation of about 120 acres of land near the southwest corner of State Road 7 and Southern Blvd. known as Acme Ranches.

The annexation is in two parts because not all of the owners are in agreement with the annexation, according to Village Manager Ray Liggins.

In separate actions on Sept. 3, the council approved the first reading of an application by the Wantman Group seeking volun-tary annexation of five parcels of land totaling just over 22 acres.

The other action was the sec-ond reading and adoption of an ordinance for the involuntary annexation of 21 parcels totaling almost 98 acres.

The involuntary annexation is the eastern portion of the prop-erty, where not all of the property owners are in agreement to be annexed, Liggins told the Town-Crier. They will vote, and if a

majority of the property owners agree, it will be annexed.

The Big Dog Ranch Rescue site farther to the west was voluntarily annexed into Royal Palm Beach about a year ago. The nonprofit currently operates out of a con-verted wildlife sanctuary, and did not receive the necessary approv-als from the county to reconfigure its design to be more amenable to housing dogs. It has since pur-chased property in Loxahatchee Groves to relocate its operation.

At the Sept. 3 council meeting, Planning & Zoning Director Brad-ford OBrien said the involuntary annexation request met county and state requirements, including contiguity and compactness. The parcel is completely surrounded by land that is now part of Royal Palm Beach.

The village will hold a special mail ballot election ending Tues-day, Oct. 27 to determine whether the 98 acres should be annexed. Persons eligible to vote are regis-tered voters in the area proposed to be annexed. On Oct. 7, the Supervisor of Elections will mail

ballots to those eligible to vote. Voters must mail or deliver the marked ballots to the Supervisor of Elections office no later than 7 p.m. on Oct. 27.

Developer Brian Tuttle, rep-resenting the applicant, thanked the council for letting the people decide whether or not they should join the village.

Were very excited, Tuttle said. We were here last week, and we had 11 residents. We under-stand now that there are a couple of residents who are not excited about the opportunity to come into the village. We think that Royal Palm Beach is one of the best villages in Palm Beach County.

He said proper planning is the key to having a good community. Tuttle noted that the area has been in Royal Palm Beachs future an-nexation area for at least 10 years.

By having the entire area an-nexed into the city, then proper planning can be done for that area, he said. Proper planning hasnt been done yet. There are a couple of ideas on the table.

Village Attorney Jennifer Ash-

ton said that she has been working with the Supervisor of Elections on the exact mail ballot language that will be sent to residents in the area.

The supervisor had a few minor modifications to what I had proposed, Ashton said. They are very minor. They do not change the substance of the question.

The second ordinance was the preliminary reading by the Want-man Groups voluntary annexation of five tracts of land totaling just over 22 acres, west of State Road 7, north of Acme Road and im-mediately south of Southern Blvd. That property is to the northwest of the land up for involuntary an-nexation.

The property is currently in single-family residential use.

OBrien said that the Wantman Group parcel also meets county and state requirements for annexa-tion and will reduce the size of an existing enclave. All the owners of the affected parcels have sub-mitted petitions for this voluntary annexation, he said.

Both items were approved by the council 5-0.

Royal Palm Beach Moves CloserTo Annexation Of Acme Ranches


The Royal Palm Beach Village Council reviewed a total 2015-16 budget of $41.2 million at the first of two public hearings on Thurs-day, Sept. 3.

The budget is funded by a property tax rate unchanged at 1.92 mills. Finance Director Stan Hochman said that the tax rate is the same as last year, but will bring in more revenue due to increasing property values.

The proposed tax rate is 7.76 percent above the rollback rate of 1.7818 mills, which is the rate that would bring in the same amount of actual tax dollars next year as in the current year.

General operating expenses

will account for 54 percent of the budget, with 32 percent for capital projects, 7 percent for re-serves, 4 percent for debt service and 3 percent for the stormwater utility.

The economy is on the upswing, with property values projected to rise by 11.4 percent and revenue growth expected to increase in most major areas.

Our total operating revenue increased 4.14 percent, and the stabilization fund remains intact, Hochman said, adding that the budget plans to use $5.5 million from the sale of the villages for-mer wastewater treatment plant site toward the Strategic Capital Improvements Plan.

Total taxable property values

increased to $2.285 billion, com-pared with $2.0521 billion in the current year an increase of $234 million.

Property taxes will generate about 17 percent of the gen-eral fund revenue, with 24 percent coming from other taxes and fees, 13 percent from licenses and permits, 16 percent from intergov-ernmental revenue, 2 percent from charges for services, 1 percent from fines, 5 percent from miscel-laneous revenues, 9 percent from fund balance carryover and 13 percent from transfers in.

Personal services will account for 37 percent of the expenditures; contractual services, 36 percent; other charges for services, 13 per-cent; commodities, 3 percent; debt

services, 7 percent; and transfers out, 4 percent.

Ninety percent of the contrac-tual services is the police depart-ment contract, Hochman said, referring to the villages contract with the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office.

Merit raises are planned at an average of 3.5 percent, as well as a cost-of-living adjustment.

Anticipated revenue from the stormwater utility fee is expected to be slightly over $1 million. Of that, 73 percent will be used for operations and 27 percent will be held in reserves.

The final public hearing on the budget will be held Thursday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Royal Palm Council Approves $41.2 Million Budget At First Public Hearing

FishInvasive Speciescontinued from page 1

than 8 pounds, and consume lots of native fish in the process.

For one pound of fish to grow, you need 10 pounds of little fish to eat, Swift said. Theyre fun to catch; no question about that. Its kind of how much of and what they eat thats the question and they are voracious. Theyre in our canals. Theyve been here at least since 2008.

Knifefish are found in Earth Day Park, and have been caught off the dock at Robiner Park.

Theyre quite established in our canal system, but just recently another one has come up thats called the bullseye snakehead fish, Swift said. You may have heard of the northern snakehead fish that causes similar problems. It was first introduced into the C-14 Canal down in Fort Lauderdale. They like the little canal systems. They like the vegetation thats out in the canal system, and they do very well in those canals.

Originally from Southeast Asia, the bullseye snakehead has been featured on the River Monsters TV show, where it was suggested that they can do harm to people. Swift wouldnt go that far.

They dont harm people at all, he said. They dont eat little dogs; they eat crayfish, small fish, native fish and exotic fish, and they eat little ducklings and other small birds. They eat anything that moves; let me put it that way. They have a really good teeth system.

Swift showed a picture of a bullseye snakehead that he saw in the canal behind his house in La Mancha a month ago, with hun-dreds of baby snakeheads hovering around her.

I have two bullseye snakeheads in my canal, he said. This is the mother, and she carries a cloud of offspring in August and Sep-tember.

They have also been seen in the canal on the east side of the Village Golf Course, he said.

What wed like to do is ask some of our residents if they are also seeing them in our canal system, Swift said. We actually had the game commission out, and they did some shocking in the canal system and couldnt get far enough north to see if they could actually kill the ones Ive seen, but wed like the residents to call us.

The involuntary annexation is the eastern portion of the property, where not all ofthe property owners are in agreement to be annexed, Liggins told the Town-Crier.They will vote, and if a majority of the property owners agree, it will be annexed.

Swift said that it is important to control invasive exotics because they are encroaching on the habi-tat of native fish, harkening to a story and photo in the Town-Crier many years ago about his 14-year-old son, now 43, catching an 8.5-pound bass behind their house with a newly acquired Christmas rod and reel.

It provides a lot of activity here for our kids here in Royal Palm Beach, whether you know it or not, he said. Its a valuable resource that we need to protect.

Swift said that the local canals are still a good fishery. If you work at it, you can catch some nice fish, he said.

Anyone who observes a bulls-eye snakehead is encouraged to call Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish-eries Biologist Kelly Gestring at (561) 292-6007 or e-mail [email protected].

Callers will be asked to provide their name, address and phone number, and the location where the fish was seen.

If it is in a place that they can put an 18-foot boat, they can actu-ally get into the canals and help us with the shocking thing, Swift said. They, too, would like to not see these big fish take over the canals like theyve taken over in Fort Lauderdale.

The best lure to use is a rubber or plastic frog fished on top of the weeds, he said. Anyone who catches one is asked not to release it back into the water.

A lot of people catch and re-lease, and they dont have a use for it, so they throw it back, Swift said. The game commission tells us theyre really good eating, but I dont recommend eating any fish from our canal system, quite frankly.

He said not to leave them on the canal bank because they have rudimentary lungs and can live up to five days out of water.

If you want to try to find them, theyre under aquatic weeds, Swift said. Weve done a pretty good job in the canal system of knocking the weeds down. I live on a canal that is maintained by the golf course. They have not done a good job this year and theres quite a few weeds in my canal.

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TOWN-CRIERTHEOUR OPINION

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LETTERS TO THE EDITORBe Active In Town

GovernmentIf I died tomorrow, it would be

having accomplished part of my political goal. And that part is to meet with and listen to Groves residents whom I dont know.

Since being elected to the Loxa-hatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Supervisors in June, a few people whom Ive never met have actively sought my ear and openly shared their concerns. For that, I am humbled and grateful.

What did they say? The univer-sal consensus: We are scared about what is happening in our town. How do we fix it?

The fix is simple, but not easy; there is a distinct difference be-tween the two words. The fix is yet another demand on our time. The fix requires abiding by law. The fix requires accepting our dif-ferences. The fix requires omitting vendetta. The fix requires solutions and compromises that benefit the many, not the few or the one.

Please stop here, take a min-ute, then reread the preceding paragraph. The solution: Become involved in your towns future. Come to meetings!

Dont fear the idea that if I speak at a meeting, code enforcement will be enforced on my property. Whether it is, or isnt affected, this directly relates to abiding by law. If you are unjustly coded, pursue righting the injustice.

Be respectful, focused and con-cise when you speak, so everyone can understand the point that you are trying to convey. State your concern using facts and, if possi-ble, offer a potential solution that benefits the whole.

If you are completely vexed by town goings-on, ask questions! As elected officials, councilmen and board supervisors are obligated to answer residents questions silence is not acceptable. We serve the residents and are accountable

for your money and the towns future!

As a resident, seek your own in-formation and answers. LGWCD Administrator Steve Yohe wel-comes communication with resi-dents. Underwood Management is accessible to residents. Supervisors and councilmen are accountable to you the residents.

Finally this is my favorite stop lying! This statement includes omitting information and exagger-ating facts. As we become more in-formed and involved, it gets easier to determine fact from fiction. Im still learning and acquiring infor-mation from all sides.

And I promise, as a resident and town representative, I will support whatever enhances or complements our rural lifestyle, privacy and law. I also promise to call junk when I can prove it.

Laura DanowskiLoxahatchee Groves

Anne Gerwig Responds ToDr. Bill Louda

I feel compelled to respond to Dr. Bill Loudas inaccurate comments attributed to me (Wel-lington Work With Haulers Is Im-portant, Letters, Sept. 4). I did not dismiss the firm of Eco Green that was referenced. In fact, I met with them repeatedly. The comments that the doctor did not seem to understand are this: while we do establish best practices (BMPs) for the storage and disposal of manure, we cannot require the farms to dump, tip, donate or dispose of their agricultural product (manure) at any one location.

I am not the difficulty here. I do not make state laws, but alas, we must all abide by them. If I owned a horse, or if the municipality owned a horse, we could make that decision. We can establish the rules for safety and environmen-tally responsible disposal/storage of manure. We have worked with any and all ideas regarding this. I

The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words). Submit let-ters, 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 [email protected].

RON BUKLEYManaging Editor

am very pleased with the progress that has been made in the use of manure, and I would be even more pleased to announce the uses Dr. Louda seems to endorse. It is just that we cannot direct the manure to any one particular location. The producers (farm owners) have the right to do that, not the municipality.

I would imagine a research professor could be very useful in influencing the state laws on this, and would hope that one would fo-cus on the problem and solutions. Blaming me for pointing out our legal limits on this is not helpful, but I appreciate the continued conversation toward environmen-tally sound uses that will hopefully continue to be developed.

Anne GerwigWellington Councilwoman

A Season Of Healing

I wish to thank Mayor Dave Browning, Vice Mayor Ron Jarriel and Councilman Tom Goltzen for extending the contract for town management with Underwood Management.

Vice Mayor Jarriel, your deci-sion to retain Underwood Man-agement is a positive kickstart for placing Loxahatchee Groves in a forward direction. I wish to thank you for considering the thoughts and concerns of our town brothers and sisters. Your decision is right and proper. Thank You.

May now be the time for healing to begin in the Groves.

Groves residents want real leadership that focuses energy on fixing issues confronting Groves residents. The equestrian and nurs-erymen seek support of their in-dustries by considering controlled seasonal temporary housing. Res-idents living on Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District roads have been asking for years for the council to take steps to keep our air dust free and provide safer roads. Residents have been

asking for neighborhood improve-ments and physical infrastructure upgrades.

It is time to make the LGWCD dependent to the Town of Loxa-hatchee Groves. Please consider maintaining or even lowering the millage rate. And, like always, the council needs to provide citizens access to equal representation. All residents of Loxahatchee Groves are deserving of equal benefit from the councils actions.

Keith HarrisLoxahatchee Groves

Comments On The Circus In Washington

We find ourselves at a point in our history where special interests have all but devoured our govern-ment, and Lincolns words of the people, for the people and by the people is beginning to sound hollow.

Washington is no longer a place where reasonable men argue about serious matters that many times in the past resulted in compromise.

Todays Senate and House of Representatives are filled not with honest men representing the inter-ests of the constituency, but only the special interests that promise to get them re-elected.

The arguments are not about compromise and finding a way forward, but rather just more empty promises, carefully skirting real issues affecting the poor and the middle class.

The top presidential hopefuls leave much to be desired. On the liberal side is Mrs. Hillary Clinton, and setting aside the red herring of e-mails which the Justice De-partment describes as not criminal but procedural and conservatives describe as Watergate, Mrs. Clin-ton has not fully satisfied her con-stituency with what appears to be duplicity regarding her opposition to the Alaskan offshore oil project while being hesitant to take a stand in opposition to the graver issue,

the Keystone XL pipeline, which could destroy the largest fresh-water aquifer in North America and put at risk freshwater needed for agriculture and cattle in eight states. Apparently, she opposes the president over the Alaskan offshore oil with no problem, but she says she must wait until a decision is reached by this same president. Her positions are so contradictory, and some, unfor-tunately, may be the influence of campaign supporters.

On the conservative side, things that they hoped would be murkier have been all too clear with no sup-port for the poor and middle class, but promises to special interests of maintaining the status quo, if not improving it.

The showboat in all this melo-drama is the king of deals, Mr. Donald Trump, who constantly reminds everyone (especially reporters) that he is very rich and not to ask any embarrassing ques-tions that require answers dealing in substance...

Mr. Trump has tapped into the anger and frustration of the American people (especially Re-publicans, who have lost in the last two presidential elections) over the inability of Congress in forming any degree of compromise with this president, resulting in a frozen legislature and reduced the effec-tiveness of this president.

Mr. Trump has promised that if elected, he will send back 11 million illegals, but immediately bring back the good ones. Gee! What could go wrong there?

The reality is that in order to prevent anchor babies from

becoming American citizens, Mr. Trump would have to suspend the 14th Amendment to the Consti-tution, or change by the rigorous amendment process. Neither one promises to be successful.

Mr. Trump also has a problem with promising support of equal pay for equal work for women. Here he equivocates by putting into such discussions, parity, com-petitiveness of positions touching on fair pay scales elsewhere, may-be China, Mr. Trump?

Whether Mr. Trump can main-tain his entertaining but reckless style and his amazing lead over the Republican herd remains to be seen. Being sketchy on details may work in the early days of the campaign, but may not sustain him should he survive to the actual primary votes. While entertaining, his banter with the press and his speeches may cause him to lose some of his charm and sparkle when the discussions grow more serious and he is forced to give details on his solutions.

We are now down (or up) to Sen. Bernie Sanders, who some fear because his socialistic views of government may bring us more programs like Social Security and Medicare for everyone. I seriously doubt that his strong support of Social Security, Medicare, the rebuilding of the infrastructure of America and the rejection of Middle East involvement would garner the kinds of funds needed to make him a viable candidate for president. Special interests will not support such programs.

Richard Nielsen Royal Palm Beach

heads and later make a donation to fight ALS.

Well, this bit of Slacktivism raised $115 million in just six weeks! And the huge amount of money raised has already allowed scientists at Johns Hopkins Uni-versity to follow a stronger path toward a breakthrough for a cure to

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease.

According to Professor Philip Wong, who indicated new discov-eries inserting a custom-designed protein to affected cells, allowing them to return to normal, The extra funding certainly facilitated the results we obtained.

Taking Part In Some Slactivism? You Bet! Especially When It HelpsOPINION

The research at Johns Hopkins was already underway when this new money arrived and facilitated the scientist to conduct some high-risk experiments that were critical. Now it is thought that the expand-ed research may also impact on Alzheimers disease.

Across the ALS community,

Footlooseand...

By JulesW. Rabin

It was in 2014 that the word Slactivism came into use. It means a cheap way to feel good without doing anything truly meaningful. It became quite pop-ular as skeptics derided the Ice Bucket Challenge, where ordi-nary people and endless person-alities poured cold water on their

It has been 5,113 days since four commercial airliners departing from airports on the east coast were hijacked, effectively becoming guided missiles, wreaking large-scale destruction and ushering in a new era of terrorism. Has it really been 14 years since Sept. 11, 2001?

While the images and memories of that day are seared into the brains and hearts of Amer-ican adults, we have now entered a period where 9/11 is history for most of todays school children. It isnt even a distant memory anymore for them; it was an event that changed the world before they even entered the world. Todays high school seniors might have fleeting memories of that time period, but younger students likely have none at all.

Even this years college freshmen and sophomore classes were too young then to have much understanding of what had occurred. And it seems likely that before long, 9/11 will be purely a historic moment, much like the Dec. 7 anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, trigger for Americas entry into World War II.

Now, its true that there are regular reminders about that awful day; whether it be passing through security at an airport, discussing the problems that Afghanistan and Iraq veterans deal with in terms of PTSD and healthcare, or driving past the many memorials, such as the one in Wellington. Less visibly, millions of security cameras track our movements, and the government has amassed vast powers to collect information through post-9/11 legislation like the USA Patriot Act.

Despite this, time has lessened the impact we feel on a daily basis. The sense of fear that gripped our nation in the immediate days and weeks following the attack has dissipated, and terrorism while still out there as a threat has taken a back seat to the economy

and other issues in the current presidential campaign. Relaxing our senses is a natural part of humanity, but it can be a bit scary. Terrorism should not be relegated to an afterthought. Of the many things done in the United States since 9/11, some were intelligent (such as reinforcing cockpit doors on jetliners), others not so much (such as the much-mocked and ignored color-coded alert system).

But after 14 years, its time to reassess the threat and recalibrate the responses. To a large degree, the threat has evolved. It might not be as organized as when, say, Osama bin Laden was in charge of al-Qaeda, but its still out there, and as our attention span wanes, and we follow other troubling events, we pay less attention to the threat that is always out there.

Dealing with terrorism is a difficult job. Our security forces are always on the defense, hoping we can gain knowledge of our enemies plans. But those plans can be shrouded in deception, and sometimes we dont know what those plans are, or how seriously we should consider them. And we hope not to be taken by surprise, or to react too slowly to make a difference.

But first and foremost is to keep the memory alive. That is why observances such as the one this Friday in Wellington is so important. Wellington will host its annual 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on Friday, Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. at the Wellington Patriot Memorial, located at 12198 W. Forest Hill Blvd. Speakers will include John Napolitano, a Wellington resident who lost his son, FDNY Lt. John P. Napolitano, in the tragedy, and Denise Makarius, a Wellington resident who lost her husband from the effects of the tragedy. Make a point to check it out. If you cant make it for the event, visit the Patriot Memorial and help keep the memory alive.

we are probably in our highest time of hope, said Barbara Newhouse, president of the ALS Association.

Thus, next time you want to par-ticipate in a form of Slacktivism, you can still pick up that bucket of water and go to work. Sure, that water is cold but it is a win-win situation!

NEWSMaster Plan

More Accessible

continued from page 1these options, tell us maybe how you look at the options that we have provided to you and any ones that you may have, he said

Committee Member Mary Jo Shockley said that she felt the first three options are very specific and limiting, and asked ODell to com-pare the fourth and fifth options.

ODell said Option 4 would cre-ate milestones, where they would look at things that the village wants to see happen in the EPA.

Certain items fall into the capital improvement program, the roadway and trail improvements, infrastructure improvements those are things we can do on a capital basis, he said. Weve also heard about the idea that some of the land development regulations should be looked at, so we can look at improving and enhancing those kind of things.

ODell suggested a tiered ap-proach where the village might step through three or four different goals over a period of time.

The master plan is a living, breathing document that would need to be reviewed on a regu-lar basis, he said. Typically,

a time frame of 10 years is not unreasonable for a plan like this to be executed, at least in phases. Option 5 is really what weve been doing, taking on the changes in the equestrian industry that we see as they come forward.

Committee Chair Linda Elie asked if Option 4 could include the village becoming a stakeholder in the Equestrian Overlay Zoning District (EOZD) by purchasing land or having restrictive cove-nants on private purchases.

At the moment, the village really has no stake in whats go-ing on in the EOZD, Elie said. Thats something Ive heard expressed in the last three years

that Ive been involved.She suggested that if a polo

farm or a large tract of property in the EOZD comes up for sale, the village could look at taking it on.

ODell said that could be part of the program, but the question would be how to go about it.

Committee Member Houston Meigs said that if the village had some easement access to property, it might require that the land be used for a particular purpose.

Im suggesting that you might own the property, but you dont have the right to put a gazillion houses on it, Meigs said. The village can control use without having to own it.

Committee Member Linda Smith-Faver said that the Nicole Hornstein Equestrian Park in The Acreage, owned by the Indian Trail Improvement District, is an example of what Wellington might do.

People get along just fine in The Acreage, she said, pointing out that equestrians ride to and from the park, where there are numerous activities and riding amenities for the average rider.

Elie said that there is nothing for the beginner riders in Wellington, and Smith-Faver agreed that the village needs a facility that is more community driven.

We should start to think about

that while there is still land out there, she said.

Smith-Faver suggested that the equestrian overlay be allowed to expand, and asked about the unused golf course property at the Wanderers Club, where she said she saw people riding recently.

What if the village or someone acquired that and made it into an equestrian facility? she asked. I would rather see large tracts of land for riding, and expand the preserve rather than narrow it.

ODell said that he would add acquiring some type of public riding facility to Option 4. I have some ideas on how to incorporate that, he said.


NEWSGREEN MARKET HELD TWICE EACH MONTH AT ACREAGE COMMUNITY PARK

Forgotten Florida Felines foster mom Cheryl Hennecy with Arrow.

Acreage Landowners AssociationPresident Perry Williams donated blood.

The Acreage Green Market took place Sunday, Sept. 6 at Acreage Community Park. The Acreage Green Market takes place on the first and third Sundays each month. For more information, call (561) 723-3898 or visit www.acreagegreenmarket.com.

PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

The Jimeson family stops by Andres GourmetHot Sauces made by Andre Lewis.

D.R. Bates Liners & Gallons owner David Batesshows Sixto Costa a bald cypress tree.

Oven Made Goodies & Produce ownerKathy Elliott sells fresh produce to Helen Brower.

NEW SEASON GETS UNDERWAY FOR WOMEN OF THE WESTERN COMMUNITIES

Mair Armand with new membersLorraine Gliatta and Terri Wescott.

Co-presidents Lynda Chicano and Donna Kueblerwith YMCA Special Events Coordinator AllysonSamilijan with donations for Harmony House.

The Women of the Western Communities kicked off its new season on Thursday, Sept. 4 at the Wanderers Club in Wellington. The club meets the first Thursday of each month. The club supports the YWCAs Harmony House throughout the year, and collected do-nations at the meeting. For more information on the Women of the Western Communities, e-mail Mair Armand at [email protected] or call (561) 635-0011. PHOTOS BY DENISE FLEISCHMAN/TOWN-CRIER

Denise OSullivan, Joanne Kapsos and Terri Priore.

TLC Productions President Sandra Love Semande

with Maggie.

Chriss Country Creationsowner Chris Blackwell with

her handmade soaps.

G&A is continuously fusing in-depth legal experience, high level customer service, and custom built technology to find optimal solutions for our clients.

Photos by Tiffany Rachel Photography & Design www.tiffanyrachel.com

Family Law Litigation Business Formation and Transactions Equine Law

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Richard LublinerShareholder, Chair of

Business Law Division

Nicholas MooreShareholder, Chair of Foreclosure Division

It is my pleasure to announce that Richard Lubliner and Nicholas Moore are now shareholders with the firm of Greenstein & Associates.

Blanca GreensteinFounder

Our firm continues to enjoy delivering fifty years of combined experience to support you in the areas of:

Wellington12300 South Shore Blvd., Suite 210

Wellington, FL 33414

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561-222-2222 | www.greenstein-law.com


CRIME NEWS


SEPT. 6 Deputies from the Wellington substation of the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office were called to Old Lighthouse Circle in the Grand Isles commu-nity Sunday morning regarding multiple vehicle burglaries. Ac-cording to the first PBSO report, sometime between last Saturday at 11:30 p.m. and 10 a.m. on Sunday, someone entered the victims 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe and removed an Apple iPod, passport, work ID and red Jansport backpack. According to the report, a neighbor was able to provide pictures of the suspects, who also attempted to enter his vehicles. The surveillance video captured four white juvenile males in light clothing with white ban-danas attempting to open multiple vehicles. According to the second PBSO report, sometime between 11 p.m. last Saturday and 3:30 a.m. Sunday, someone entered the victims vehicle and stole mis-cellaneous credit cards, a drivers license, $25 and a car phone char-ger, valued at $15. According to the third PBSO report, sometime between 7 p.m. last Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday, someone entered the victims vehicle and stole an Apple iPhone 6, valued at $625, from the vehicle, along with the victims GPS unit.

SEPT. 1 A deputy from the

PBSOs Royal Palm Beach sub-station was called to a construction site on Okeechobee Blvd. last Monday regarding a construction burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between last Monday at 5:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. last Tuesday, someone cut the lock to the gate and removed assorted roofing supplies.

SEPT. 1 A deputy from the PBSOs Royal Palm Beach substation was called to home on Morgate Circle last Tuesday morning regarding a residential burglary. According to a PBSO report, deputies were contacted regarding a suspicious vehicle that seemed to be casing the com-munity. According to the report, deputies performed a traffic stop and discovered that the vehicles passenger, Michael Schmalix, had entered the residence and stole assorted jewelry and coins, val-ued at $141.50. According to the report, Schmalix also removed two laptops and a rifle, but was not able to get them to the vehicle, driven by William Wells. Schmalix was arrested for armed burglary and possessing a controlled substance. Wells was arrested for armed bur-glary and driving with a suspended license.

SEPT. 2 A deputy from the PBSOs Wellington substation was called to a home on World Cup Lane last Wednesday regarding a residential burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 10 p.m. last Monday and 6 a.m. last Tuesday, someone entered the victims garage and stole two bikes and a cordless drill, valued at $1,701. One of the bikes was re-covered. DNA evidence was gath-ered from the recovered bicycle.

SEPT. 2 A deputy from the PBSOs Wellington substation was called to a home on Teakwood Court in the South Shore com-munity last Wednesday morning regarding a case of vandalism. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 8 p.m. last

Tuesday and 8 a.m. last Wednes-day, someone threw a landscaping brick through the living room window of the victims residence. According to the report, the victim noticed the brick on the living room floor, but did not hear a crash during the night.

SEPT. 2 A deputy from the PBSOs Wellington substation was called to a preschool on Greenbriar Blvd. last Wednesday afternoon regarding a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 5:55 and 6 p.m., someone entered the victims 2013 Volkswagen Passat and stole an Apple iPhone 6 Plus, valued at $600, and a DKNY purse and wallet, valued at $275. According to the report, the purse was left on the front passenger seat. When the victim returned to her car, the front window had been smashed and her purse was missing.

SEPT. 2 A deputy from the PBSOs Royal Palm Beach sub-station was called to a tire store on Southern Blvd. last Wednes-day evening regarding a business burglary. According to a PBSO report, at 7:21 p.m. last Wednes-day, Enrico Nelson and Lamar Ellison were observed removing used tires from a locked storage area behind the store. They were arrested and charged with bur-glary to a structure, petit theft and unlawful transportation of more than 25 tires.

SEPT. 3 A deputy from the PBSOs Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was called to a home on 69th Street North in The Acreage last Thursday morning regarding a vandalism incident. According to a PBSO report, at approximately 6 a.m. last Thursday, the victim noticed an older-model, dark-col-ored SUV driving down the road with a person hanging out of the front passenger seat window. The victim saw the person hit his mail box, breaking it off of its pole and causing $25 in damage.

SEPT. 3 Deputies from the PBSOs Wellington substation were called to the Sugar Pond Manor community last Thursday morning regarding several cases of vandalism. According to one PBSO report, on Sunflower Court, sometime between 7 p.m. last Wednesday and 7 a.m. last Thurs-day, someone smashed the front passenger-side window of the victims vehicle, causing approx-imately $1,000 in damage. Ac-cording to another PBSO report, on Bottlebrush Court, sometime between 10 p.m. last Wednesday and 7:50 a.m. last Thursday, some-one broke a window on the vic-tims 2014 Nissan Sentra, causing approximately $500 in damage. In both cases, nothing appears to have been taken from the vehicles.

SEPT. 3 A deputy from the PBSOs Wellington substa-tion was called to a home on World Cup Lane last Thursday afternoon regarding a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 10 p.m. last Wednesday and 4 p.m. last Thursday, someone entered the victims 2015 Audi and removed a blue Izod wallet, $300 in cash, an American Express card and a drivers license.

SEPT. 5 A deputy from the PBSOs Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was contacted by a res-ident of 52nd Road North in The Acreage last Saturday regarding a

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

Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach Coun-ty is asking for the publics help in finding these wanted fugitives:

Laszlo Bihary, alias Laszlo Kirsch, is a white male, 511 tall and weighing 150 lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is 09/23/77. Bihary is wanted on felony charges for violating probation for uttering a forgery and violating probation for the possession of cocaine. His last known addresses were Polo Gardens Drive in Wellington and Parkway Court in Gre-enacres. He is wanted as of 09/03/15.

Israel Cortes, alias Israel Cortes-Car-dona, is a white male, 511 tall and weighing 180 lbs., with black hair, brown eyes and multiple tattoos. His date of birth is 08/05/76. Cortes is wanted on felony charges for animal cruelty. His last known address was Treasure Lane in Greenacres. He is wanted as of 09/03/15.

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. Israel Cortes

Laszlo Bihary

See BLOTTER, page 16

Several Vehicle Burglaries In Grand

Isles CommunitySMART Goals Help Achieve SuccessBy Lynette Laufenberg, CPT

The Wellness Center at Ultima Fitness

Health Coaching Acupuncture Weight Management Workshops & Lectures Therapeutic Massage Corporate Wellness Programs

Tell me if this sounds familiar: My training goal is to tone muscles, lose some weight, or get more flexible. Clients generally express their ideas in general terms. Trainers and health coaches help clients define goals in more specific and measurable terms so that progress can be evaluated. Ef-fective goals are commonly said to be SMART goals, which means they are: Specific: must be clear and un-ambiguous, stating specifically what should be accomplished Measurable: must be measurable so that clients can see whether they are making progress Examples include performing a giv-en workout two times a week, losing 5 pounds, or being able to touch your toes with straight legs Attainable:should be realistically attainable by the individual client as the achievement of attaining a goal reinforces commitment to the program and encourages the client to continue

exercising. Relevant: must be relevant to the particular interest, needs, and abilities of the individual client Time-bound: must contain estimat-ed timelines for completion. Clients should be evaluated regularly to moni-tor progress toward goals. The SMART goal concept is stan-dard in coaching manuals and articles on goal-setting. Client and trainer/coach should work together to devel-op long- and short-term objectives that work within this framework as a natural part of the process. Developing goals that align with a clients values must be the foundation of any successful life change. Are you ready to get started? Need help reaching your fitness and/or wellness goals? Ultimas team of specialists is here to help! Please call 561-795-2823, email us [email protected] or stop by 12799 W. Forest Hill Boulevard, Wellington, FL 33414.


NEWS


For anyone needing help, be it domestic services or child care services, the Wel-lington Agency is there to help.

Wellington resident April J. Berube finds people the help that they need, from a housekeeper to a personal assistant, an estate manager, a personal chef, a laun-dress, a butler, a baby sitter, a baby nurse, a nanny, a governess and more.

The Wellington Agency was founded by Berube after moving to Florida from Bos-ton, where she operated a nanny agency called Nanny Poppins.

We opened up an agency there, and it just really took off immediately, Berube recalled. When I moved to Florida, I thought, you know what, Im going to do the same thing here, just on a different scale.

Berube followed her instincts and created Wellington Nannies of the Palm Beaches.

When I first moved to Wellington in 2004, I knew that there was a need for nan-nies, and I knew I could do that, she said.

After Wellington Nannies took off, Be-rube learned that there was a need for full-time housekeepers. Her clients brought her to their homes seeking solutions for a wide variety of the help they needed. Something clicked. I realized its not just nannies, she said.

The Wellington Agency was created in 2009 to meet this growing need.

So many of our clients were looking for butlers and chauffeurs, she explained.

Now, the Wellington Agency is a com-plete domestic staffing agency. We staff everything, she said.

The agency will find staff for almost any kind of domestic services imaginable, Berube explained, noting that Wellington residents seem to have a high demand for private chefs, housekeepers and nannies, and that during the winter season in Wel-lington, private chefs and housekeepers are in high demand.

For the last two years, the season start-ed early, she said. People are looking to hire now for when they get down here.

The strength of need in the last two years, Berube explained, seems to indicate a strengthening economy. Those most frequently in demand are estate managers, housekeepers and chefs.

The Wellington Agency, Berube said, is a unique, full-service staffing agency.

We really cater to everyone, she said. You have people who are going to work, you may have some professionals or someone who is working and looking for a nanny or someone to clean we have full-time and part-time nannies, as well as full-time and part-time house-keepers.

Once youre dealing with someone who

owns one of Wellingtons larger estates, with residences sometimes as large as 20,000 square feet, those clients need more assistance, Berube said.

Those are the people who need three housekeepers, a chef, an estate manag-er, she said. Those are the full-staffed homes.

Her company caters to both sides of the spectrum, Berube explained, working with clients ranging from regular parents who could use an extra hand, to clients who have staff for everything.

Something that would surprise most people about the industry, Berube ex-plained, is that there is an abundance of great child care available, including those certified in CPR and those able to help with homework.

It depends on the parent, Berube explained, but options ranging from a mothers helper to a full-time nanny are available.

Everything is customizable based on the clients unique needs, she said, explaining that some want the nanny to do everything while others may just want the nanny to provide an extra hand.

The services are expensive, she said. But you dont have to be wealthy to hire a nanny, a part-time nanny or a tutor.

One option is to have a chef come and make meals and freeze them, which is less expensive than having a full-time chef. It

Need Household Help? The Wellington Agency Is There For Youis unique in that aspect, she said. Not everybody has a full-time staff.

With more than 20 years of experience, Berube is devoted to helping others find the help they need.

I am a professional, but Im also very personal, she said. I get involved, and I really care about my clients. Whether its royalty or its the mom next door, I really have a passion for what I do. I like making families happy.

She also makes sure to conduct all of the proper background checks and ref-erence checks, staying very involved in the process.

Berube estimates that her companies have placed more than 20,000 individuals in staffing positions. She credits her suc-cess to having a good connection with her clients and staff.

Its not just about Im going to place you. I know theyre going to come back to me for years and years, she said.

The agencys namesake, Wellington, was important to Berube.

I love the name Wellington. I love Wellington. Its the only reason why its the name Wellington. I live here, and I love living in Wellington, she said.

While she has clients from all over Boston, New York, Los Angeles, London Wellington residents are the ones who really put the agency on the map, Berube said.

The people here are the ones who have made the agency so successful, she said, explaining the importance of referrals, noting that many of her clients recommend her agency to their friends and families.

To learn more about the Wellington Agency, visit www.thewellingtonagency.com or call (561) 713-2663.

April J. Berube

The Morikami Museum & Japa-nese Gardens popular fall celebra-tion, Lantern Festival: In the Spirit of Obon, will return Saturday, Oct. 17 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The iconic local festival is inspired by Japans traditional three-day Obon holiday honor-ing ancestors, and will include a breathtaking lantern floating cer-emony, taiko drum performances, a fireworks display, Japanese folk

dancing and more.Expected to be a sold-out event,

tickets have been available for pur-chase by Morikami members since August and opened to the general public Sept. 1. Tickets will not be sold at the gate.

In addition to nonstop enter-tainment throughout the evening, Morikamis lively street celebra-tion will feature games and crafts for people of all ages, traditional

Japanese street festival foods and shopping. Visitors can also enjoy the Kirin Beer Garden and Sake Station.

In keeping with the traditional Obon celebration, guests will have the opportunity to purchase paper lanterns to personalize with special messages to honor and remember their loved ones. When night falls, visitors will pay homage to those who have passed on as the lanterns

are lit with candles and set afloat across Morikami Lake. As part of a traditional Japanese ceremony known as tr nagashi, the lan-terns will create many lights that signify the guidance of departing souls after their brief visit with the living.

Morikami members will enjoy a special members-only hour from 2 to 3 p.m., with an exclusive taiko drumming show, members-only

sake selections and early bird lantern sales.

Tickets are limited and expected to quickly sell out. For pricing info., visit www.morikami.org/lanternfest.

The Morikami Museum & Jap-anese Gardens has been a center for Japanese arts and culture in South Florida since its opening in 1977. Morikami invites guests to discover South Floridas heritage

and its connection with Japan, and explore a series of six diverse gardens inspired by a different his-torical period and style of Japanese gardening.

Experience traditional and contemporary Japanese culture through world-class exhibits, varied educational programs and seasonal events, a world-class bonsai display, Pan-Asian cuisine and a distinctive museum store.

Morikami Museum Getting Ready For Oct. 17 Lantern Festival

K-ParkFinal

Town Hall Meetingcontinued from page 1

fields, 49 percent said yes but with passive fields, and 39 percent said no. Further, 76 percent believe that park space should be provided at K-Park.

When asked if Wellington needs a walking or entertainment district, 18 percent favored something similar to CityPlace, 44 percent favored something like the Delray Marketplace and 38 percent did not want such a district.

Of the survey respondents, 60 percent did not want the village to sell the K-Park property, or part of it, for private development to fund community infrastructure

improvements, while 75 percent did not want any of K-Park to be sold for commercial development. A senior housing development was also frowned upon, with 84 percent voting no.

The closest vote for the night, 49 percent to 51 percent, was whether or not a mixed-use downtown con-cept, with three-story buildings, would be ideal. Respondents voted against high-population residen-tial, an arts building, and golf or bowling locations.

After the survey portion, about a dozen speakers stepped forward to voice their views.

Castellina resident Neal Dicker-man said that K-Park should serve its original purpose.

Make it a park. Make it a bo-tanical garden; make it something. Every part of Wellington doesnt have to be developed, he said. This is a beautiful piece of land

in a beautiful community dont allow any of us to be bullied into any kind of a decision. Stay true to what you believe that you want and where you want to live.

Ken Gutman proposed smart growth, with a mixed use includ-ing planned entertainment. Have it a destination. Make it unique. We have an area. What can we do with it thats different? Why come to Wellington? he proposed.

Mark Meyers pointed out that if there are restaurants and other businesses in K-Park, they will be competing for customers with all of the other establishments in the area.

Dr. Neal Warshoff attended the first and final K-Park meetings, and noticed a difference. For me, the paradigm that we have doesnt work, he said.

He suggested finding a middle ground of an open space, where

Director of Operations Jim Barnes leads the question-answer part of the meeting.PHOTOS BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

people can talk, join others and share ideas. Come up with some reasonable decisions and get it done. We cant keep going like this, Warshoff said.

Larry Sweetwood suggested that nothing be done with K-Park until other properties are built out. His suggestion was to create something similar to Central Park in New York City.

Just build a park. That was the original plan. Thats what our tax dollars paid for. And this way, it

would serve the entire communi-ty, Sweetwood said.

Olympia Homeowners Asso-ciation President Bill Flack sug-gested visiting Okeeheelee Park for those who want more park space. He wanted a destination project there.

Anybody who thinks this could be built by any builder without putting in some residential is dreaming, because no builder is coming in here, he said. Do you want to start supporting a park and

paying the taxes? Is that what you want? Or do you want some in-come generated? Why are people living in Wellington? Because its an upscale, well-known commu-nity We need the wow factor.

Marcianne Smith suggested recreational activities at K-Park. My vote is, keep it green, she said. Dont do anything until we can figure out the right use for it. When I purchased my home, it was green land, and thats what Id like it to stay.

Among the dozen speakers at the town hall meeting were (clockwise from aboveleft) Neal Dickerman, Larry Sweetwood, Dr. Neal Warshoff and Marcianne Smith.


This foundation was created in 2015. However, the Jacobs family has been active in the Wellington community since 1972. They formed and funded the Wellington Equestrian Alliance in 1997 and the Wellington Preservation Coalition in 2012. The foundation is focused on making donations that will have a material positive impact on the Wellington community. The foundation does not set a minimum or maximum on grant requirements, but we are looking to make donations that make a significant difference in the community. We prefer to support programs, rather than ongoing operating expenses. We prefer underwriting programs rather than purchasing tables at, or tickets to, events. Family members often attend events, so please let us know about them. First and foremost, please provide a summary of your organization, your event and/or the program you are seeking a grant for. Let us know how this grant will benefit the Wellington community, and how it fits within our mission. If you are a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, please make sure to check that box. If you are looking to fund a program for multiple years, please let us know that, and include the amount of funding needed for the entire program. The board meets regularly to discuss each application and will allocate resources to programs that both make a significant impact in the community, and are consistent with our mission. We strongly believe in programs that focus on education, athletics, at-risk youth, and preservation in Wellington. Therefore, strong preference will be given to these areas. However, we will review all applications. So if you or your organization have a request that falls outside of these areas, and you believe it helps us achieve our mission, then we encourage you to still apply.

If you have any questions, please visit www.jffwellington.org, email us at [email protected], or call us at 561-333-9843.

How to submit your application: Via Email [email protected] Via Mail or In Person Jacobs Family Foundation of Wellington 12794 Forest Hill Blvd. Suite 19F Wellington, FL 33414 Online http://www.jffwellington.org


NEWSWELLINGTON BALLET THEATRE PRESENTS GOING HOLLYWOOD SHOW AT WHS

Sarah Manuel, Halle Schwartz, Sarah Marsengill,Devon Solomon and Abby Judah dance

to the Mission Impossible Theme.

Wellington Ballet Theatre presented Going Hollywood at the Wellington High School theater on Saturday, Sept. 5 and Sunday, Sept. 6. The production, choreographed by Melissa Waters, Rocky and Dorie Duvall and Kristen Lang, featured music from a wide range of movies. For more info., visit www.wellingtonballettheatre.org. PHOTOS BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Dancers return to the stage for a curtain call.Sarah Marsengill and Devan Solomon

dance to Cornfield Chase from Interstellar.

The trainee dancers perform toChim Chim Cher-ee from Mary Poppins.

FLORIDA TRAIL ASSOCIATION HOSTS ICE CREAM SOCIAL AT OKEEHEELEE

Gail Baldwin, Clara D. Bella and Samantha Klein.Active leadership team members Scott Lunsford, John Fenner, Steve Meyers, Roy and Shannon Moore and Paul Cummings.

The Loxahatchee chapter of the Florida Trail Association met for a Labor Day family ice cream social extravaganza on Monday, Sept. 7 at the Okeeheelee Nature Center. For details about the organization, visit www.loxfltrail.org. PHOTOS BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Dave Cook sings andentertains members.

Sarah Manuel dances to Dont Want to Miss a

Thing from Armageddon.

Kaylee Quinter, Daniella Braunand Maci Leitner dance to Let

the River Run from Working Girl.

James Hoher and TedWinsberg scoop ice cream.

Daniella Braun, Maci Leitner, Lilly Simpson-Gay,Ava Grave de Peralta and Kaylee Quinter.

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PALMS WEST PEOPLE

Exchange Student From Spain Attending WHS For 2015-16 YearStudents at Wellington High

School will get an extra lesson in geography this year when they welcome Izan Valenciano, an international exchange student from Spain.

Valenciano arrived in Wel-lington last month to live with a local host family and experience the American way of life for an academic year.

Valenciano is sponsored by Aspect Foundation, a nonprofit organization that strives to bridge cultures through international youth exchange.

Aspect Foundation is always seeking more families who want

the experience of hosting an inter-national student.

Exchange students are aged 15 to 18, speak English, and have their own spending money and insurance.

Volunteer host families provide room, board and a loving home environment for a semester or an academic year.

For more information about hosting an Aspect Foundation international exchange student, call Elizabeth Caron at (561) 207-1554, the Aspect Foundation na-tional office at (800) US-YOUTH or visit www.aspectfoundation.org.

Izan Valenciano with host familymembers Alex and Nicolas Fernandez.

Air Force Airman Jake A. Trim-ble recently graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas.

The airman completed an in-tensive, eight-week program that included training in military dis-cipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. Air-men who complete basic training

earn four credits toward an asso-ciates degree in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Trimble , who earned distinction as an honor graduate, is the son of Steven B. Trimble and the stepson of Gloria Trimble of West Palm Beach, and the son of Eileen P. Trimble of Palm Beach Gardens. He is a 2012 graduate of Seminole Ridge High School.

Jake Trimble Completes Air Force Basic Training

Each year in September, the Wellington Rotary Club holds its annual peace ceremony aimed at promoting multicultural under-standing and conflict resolution.

This year, the ceremony will be held Sunday, Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. at the Wellington Rotary Peace Park on Royal Fern Drive near the Wellington library.

The ceremony is the culmina-tion of work that started in January with competitions in local schools.

Elementary school students were encouraged to submit posters

that depict multicultural under-standing and conflict resolution. More than 350 posters were sub-mitted and judged. A winner from each school was chosen, and each will receive a check for $50 and a certificate at the ceremony.

Middle school students enter poems on the same topic. Approx-imately 100 poems were received, and a winner from each school will receive a check for $75.

High school students submitted essays on a chosen theme. This year, the words of Benjamin

Franklin were used: There is no such thing as a good war, and no such thing as a bad peace. A winner from each school will receive $100.

All the winners teachers will also receive a check for $50 for classroom use. Furthermore, lo-cal scout troops were given a set of tasks for which they will be awarded with a Rotary Peace Merit Badge at the ceremony.

A single student has been cho-sen as the person who is deemed to have contributed the most in achieving the goals of the Wel-lington Rotary Peace Initiative. This year, Brandon Schloss of Wellington High School has been selected for his work as teen ambassador for the Stomp Out Bullying campaign.

The annual Wellington Rotary Peace Prize will go this year to former County Commissioner Jess Santamaria for his contributions to Palm Beach County and his other efforts, including advising local schools and his charitable work aimed at improving the lives of the less-advantaged citizens of Palm Beach County.

The ceremony will begin with

the PBSO drill team providing an honor guard as flags are raised by the scouts. The Palm Beach Cen-tral High School Traditions choir will perform, and the words on the peace poles May Peace Prevail on Earth will be read in eight different languages. After speeches by dignitaries, reading the peace declaration and the presentation of prizes, the ceremony will end with the release of doves.

Dr. Wes Boughner, founder of the Wellington Rotary Peace Initiative, stepped down this year after chairing the program for nine years. Rotarian Larry Kemp took over as chairman with help from many other volunteers.

The peace initiative is aimed at reaching out to all within the Wel-lington community and to bringing awareness of the continuing need for multicultural understand-ing and conflict resolution as a way forward to achieving world peace, Kemp said. It is especial-ly important that we start this with our students and young people.

The whole community is wel-come to attend the hour-long ceremony. For more info., e-mail Kemp at [email protected].

Carol Sollak of Engel & Vlkers Real Estate has been named one of Americas top agents by The Wall Street Journal and Real Trends in its annual The Thousand list, which ranks the top real estate sales professionals in the United States. Sollak co-owns two Engel & Vlkers brokerage offices in Wellington and Palm Beach.

Carol Sollak has set the pace as an Engel & Vlkers advisor who is now ranked as our top producer in the U.S., said Anthony Hitt, CEO of Engel & Vlkers North America. Her outstanding pro-fessionalism, dedication and the exceptional service she provides to her prestigious clientele has also put her in the top 10 within our global network, which spans 39 countries worldwide.

Sollak has been listed in the Real Trends rankings of the Best Real Estate Agents in America, since 2008. Her impressive ranking at

No. 58 places her in the top one percent of more than one million Realtors nationwide.

By the end of 2014, Sollak closed almost $150 million in sales, representing a total of 60 transac-tions, far surpassing the national Realtor average of 10 closed trans-actions and less than $1.2 million in volume. Sollak has also been recognized for her professional achievements by The Wall Street Journal as one of its Top 100 Real Estate Agents in the U.S.

I am extremely thrilled to be included on this years list, Sollak said. It adds to the many reward-ing experiences in the real estate profession and the satisfaction in achieving the property goals of clients who expect the very best from me.

Sollak is a leading standout in Floridas robust real estate market and the leading advisor with Engel & Vlkers North America.

Engel & Vlkers Carol Sollak Among Americas Top Real Estate Professionals

The best individual agents and teams, including Carol Sollaks award-winning efforts, are an incredible accomplishment, said Steve Murray, founder of the Den-ver-based publishing and commu-nications company Real Trends, which compiles the annual list.

Engel & Vlkers was founded in 1977 as a specialty boutique agency providing high-end real es-tate services to wealthy European investors in search of real estate experts who were professional and discreet. Quickly, the agency successfully built a highly valued international network. Engel & Vlkers entered the North Amer-ican market in 2006. Worldwide, there are more than 500 offices on six continents.

Engel & Vlkers opened in Wellington in 2013, focusing on equestrian properties and estate homes. For more information, visit www.wellington.evusa.com.

Carol Sollak of Engel & VlkersReal Estate in Wellington.

PHOTO COURTESY JASON NUTTLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Wellington Rotary Aims To PromoteWorld Peace At Sept. 20 Ceremony

Wellington Rotary Peace Initiative founderDr. Wes Boughner and chairman Larry Kemp.

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PALMS WEST PEOPLE

Beta Sigma Phi Celebrates Beginning Day Luncheon In West Palm Beach

Grand Prix dressage rider John Zopatti and Zerbino Interagro, owned by Johnny Robb of Wel-lington, claimed an unexpected victory at the 2015 International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA) National Championships held Aug. 25-30 at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Va.

The pair entered the Dressage Open Hack class, where 16 riders vied for the judges attention and the championship title. It was Zo-patti and Zerbino, a 12-year-old Lusitano gelding, who claimed the 2015 IALHA National Champion Show Hack crown in their first time ever entering a hack class.

It was quite different, Zopatti explained. It was a coliseum with bleacher seating all the way around, and a giant judges booth set up in the middle with comput-ers, tabulators and announcers. The judges watched you go around and around as a group on the rail.

With no prior show preparation

as a team, they took a chance in entering the class. Zerbino had been training in Grand Prix with his owner in Wellington, while Zopatti was summering at Will Faudrees Gavilan Farm in Hoff-man, N.C. Zopatti said it was the first time he had ever competed in a catch ride type of situation, and he was pleased to add the national championship title to his already impressive resume.

The USDF gold medalist and four-time Gold Coast Dressage Association Trainer of the Year was also successful a few days before, when he showed Robbs gelding Uwannabeme WH, a KWPN/Arabian cross, at the Aug. 25 IALHA Virginia Open Dressage Show, also held at the Virginia Horse Center.

Zopatti used the IALHA Vir-ginia Open Dressage Show as an opportunity to prepare Uwan-nabeme WH, known as Slim, for the Arabian Sport Horse National Championships to be held on

John Zopatti And Johnny Robbs Horse Zerbino Interagro Win Dressage Title

Beta Sigma Phi, International City Council of the Palm Beaches, celebrated its annual Beginning Day Luncheon on Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Union Congregational Church Fellowship Hall in West Palm Beach.

The event was hosted by the XI

(Above) Joanne Miuccio, Debbie Shrake, Lynd Halpern and Jeannie Kollar participate in a paddleball contest. (Right) Kaitlyn Reisert with her doll.

John Zopatti and Zerbino Interagro, shown with owner Johnny Robb, won the Open Dressage Hack National Championship title at the 2015 International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Asso-ciation (IALHA) National Championships.

PHOTO COURTESY ROB HESS PHOTOGRAPHY

Sept. 15-20. Uwannabeme and Zopatti are qualified in dressage for second, third and fourth levels at the championships, so the pair

competed at second and third lev-els at the IALHA show.

To learn more about Zopatti, visit www.johnzopatti.com.

Amanda Ng continued her brother Alex Ngs annual backpack drive for Pleasant City Elementary School. Each summer, the Ngs go on their social media sites and ask for gently used backpacks with some new supplies to bring to the school. The student donation coordinator then distributes the backpacks to students who are seen carrying their books

Documents

Town-Crier Newspaper September 11, 2015