| February, 2011

Historical Essay No. 67

Posted on 03 February 2011 by LeslieM

How I made it to college!

In the spring of 1959, my senior year at Pompano Beach Senior High School was rapidly coming to a close. I had applied to the University of Florida in Gainesville, the University of California at Davis and Stetson University in Deland, Florida, and they had all accepted me into their mechanical engineering programs. I had assumed, with Principal Walden’s encouragement, that I would get the substantial scholarship offered to an engineering student from Pompano High each year by a certain unnamed benefactor. However, about a month before graduation, Principal Walden called me into the office to let me know that the benefactor had decided instead to give the scholarship to one of my classmates who was planning to study electrical engineering.

When I got home that night, I shared the bad news with my parents and apologized to Dad saying, “I hope you’ve got some money to send me to college.” Dad looked surprised and blurted out “I don’t think you need to go to college. You’re a good machinist. You can stay here and make good money as a machinist.”

I reminded Dad about the big pump project our company had lost to a sugar company in Belle Glade because we didn’t have a graduate engineer on staff. Although our prices were the best, they gave the job to a company that had professional engineers on staff to certify the product.

I told Dad, “I don’t want to ever be in that position again wherein a potential customer doesn’t buy from us for that reason. I intend to get an engineering degree and ultimately a professional engineering license, so that kind of thing can never happen again.” Looking exasperated, he said, “Well, good luck. But I don’t have the money to send you to college.”

Taken aback, I went to bed and prayed. The next day, I went to Principal Walden and told him what happened. He responded with compassion saying, “David, I’m so sorry. Don’t you worry. I’m going to get on the phone today and see if I can get you some scholarship money! Come see me in two days.”

I knew he had good news when I walked into his office two days later. “Come on in, David,” he said with a big smile on his face. “I’ve got your whole engineering education planned out for you. My alma mater, Stetson University has agreed to give you a substantial scholarship to their pre-engineering program — they co-operate with the University of Florida. You can go there for two years and then enter the University of Florida as an upper classman. I’ve arranged two other scholarships, one local and one from the State of Florida, to make up the rest of your financial needs as long as you maintain high academic standards.”

Impressed, happy and surprised, I jumped up to give him a hug as he stuck out his hand instead, which I grabbed and shook with both hands. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mr. Walden, I will never let you down,” I said.

I didn’t let him down and graduated a few years later from the University of Florida with an engineering degree and a minor in business. The fellow who was awarded the original engineering scholarship by the unnamed benefactor ended up flunking out of college. It seems he was great in math and science classes, but could not spell or write very well.

By my second year, my father relented and bought me a new car and helped pay expenses.

David Eller, Publisher

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Crime Watch

Posted on 03 February 2011 by LeslieM

DEERFIELD BEACH

Jan. 25 Repairmen went to a home on SW 15 Street and found four children ages 7,5,4 and 2 home alone. Police responded, found them alone and waited an hour before Maquasa Douglas returned home. A total of eight children were removed from Douglas’ custody and she was charged with four counts of child neglect and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Jan. 25 Victim was walking through Palms Apartments on SW 13 Place when he was approached by two black males in hoodies. First suspect showed a handgun, ordered victim to the ground and took his backpack, cell phone, wallet and $80 before fleeing.

Jan. 25 Thieves entered fenced in area at City of Deerfield Utilities Department and stole two fire hydrants, one manhole cover and three valve covers worth $2,900.

Jan. 26 $6,300 air conditioning unit was stolen from homeowner on NW 3 Street.

Jan. 26 Cristiano Dasilva was arrested for shooting a gun off near NW 3 Street. Thomas Otero and Arthur Lobe were arrested for obstructing the investigation.

Jan. 26 1999 GMC van was stolen from SE 4 Street with $15,000 worth of tools inside.

Jan. 28 Police responded to unidentified address in Deerfield to resuscitate a 2-year-old found at bottom of pool. He was taken to hospital, where he was reportedly revived.

Jan. 28 Honda CBR 1000 motorcycle was stolen from NW 9 Avenue.

Jan. 28 Homeowner on Springs Circle reported nine fishing rods stolen from her patio.

Jan. 29 Anthony Fischer and Tristen Leonard were arrested for burglaries in Deer Creek on Jan. 17. Five burglary cases were cleared by these arrests.

Jan. 30 Boca resident was visiting friend at Tivoli when she was robbed by two black male subjects and one white or Hispanic person. Victim did not give up her purse, then fell on the grass, where thieves tried to remove her pants before she started screaming. She sustained minor injuries before they fled.

Jan. 30 Victim left her purse in car unattended and unsecure. It was stolen with $1,500 inside.

DEERFIELD – District 4

Jan. 24-25 Auto theft at Tidewater Estates/Pine Tree, 750 Lock Rd., between 9 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. Unknown suspect(s) stole two-door, light green, 1998 Nissan 240SX from parking lot on north side of this building.

Jan. 25 Grand theft at Business Park, 4250 N. Powerline Rd., between 11 and 11:15 a.m.

Unknown suspect stole two rear wheel slides from a 1998 GMC tow truck worth approximately $350. Suspect was said to be driving a black pick-up truck.

Jan. 24-25 Conveyance burglary in Deer Creek, 700 Emerald Way, between 7:45 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. Victim was texted by his bank concerning unusual activity on his credit cards. Cards were used in Boca Raton at 4:51 and additional charges later in Dade County. Victim left credit cards in vehicle parked in driveway of home. No signs of forced entry.

Jan. 31 Burglary of an occupied residence at Deer Creek, 2440 Lob Lolly Lane, at 3:05 p.m. Victim observed suspect use a hammer to pry open rear door. Suspect fled through same door after realizing someone was home. A perimeter was quickly established as deputies searched for a tall, thin, white male in his 30s. Suspect was not captured. This is the third burglary in the area with a similar MO (prying a rear door). BSO deputies will continue operational efforts in the area until issue is resolved.

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

Jan. 19 Gold Shiamno Series 400 Calcutta reel was stolen from homeowner on NE 26 Terrace.

Jan. 19 Suspect was detained at Publix for shoplifting sandwiches and was trespassed from the property.

Jan. 23 Thief attempted to leave the Publix at Sample Road with King Crab and vitamins worth $95. When confronted, she dropped the items and fled.

Jan. 24 Homeowner on NE 27 Terrace reported check fraud in the amount of $17,000 after losing his checkbook.

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Life is great

Posted on 03 February 2011 by LeslieM

Life is not easy!  I have heard that many times, but I must say that life is not hard either. Life is just different — different battles, different obstacles and different hurdles. I think life is great. Is life great or what? Life is exciting and wonderful because it is so different and adventurous.  Tests and trials we face in life are only temporary, but the things we learn from the tests and trials will last forever. Do we face obstacles in life? Yes!  Do we have battles that we face in life?  Yes! Then why is life so great? Life is great because we win, and I love to win. These are the things that make us stronger and better. These are the things that make us winners and not quitters.

2 TIMOTHY 2:5

5 And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.

NLT

If we want to win, we have to play by God’s rules and not by our own rules. We must work and train hard because you can’t cheat or you will lose. Do we look at and focus on the size of the obstacles in our lives or do we focus on the power of our God?

JAMES 1:5

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

NLT

We have an advantage that, if we need help with something, we can ask God for the wisdom we need and He will give it. But, will we listen to what God has to say? Will we learn wisdom without experiences, tests and trials? David said that God delivered him from the lion and the bear. Remember that, whatever we are facing, our God is bigger and stronger than anything or anyone. If God has changed us from the inside out, then life cannot squeeze us from the outside in. We may be knocked down every once in a while, but we will never be knocked out.

We must guard against self-sufficiency. When God gets no credit, success makes people self-sufficient (I don’t need anything or anyone) and this leads to spiritual poverty. We need to put ourselves in a spiritual time-out every day in order to spend time with God because time-out is better than burn-out, and without God, we definitely will burn out. We are in a marathon and not a sprint, and our goal should be to endure and not to burn out. Who renews our strength every day — the job, our paycheck or God?

1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us that, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Who or what is impacting our morals and our children’s morals? Just because someone says they are a Christian does not mean they are a positive influence on your life or your families’ lives.  Stay away from bad company and instill God into your life and into your children. Character is who you are when no one is watching. Bad company does not pull us in a different direction, it pulls us down. Every time you try to back track, you will get side tracked. Life is great. We win.  Don’t quit, give up or give in!

Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

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The Fighter

Posted on 03 February 2011 by LeslieM

By Dave Montalbano

Of all the Oscar-nominated best picture nominees from 2010, The Fighter is probably the most energetic entry. With the soundtrack blasting The Heavy’s hit commercial song “How do you like me now?” we are introduced to younger brother Micky (Mark Wahlberg) and older half brother Dicky (Christian Bale) during the opening credits. With such economic confidence, director David O. Russell hijacks his audience bringing them into the seedy streets of Lowell, Massachusetts.

Considered the pride of Lowell, Dicky once knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard in a welter weight contest. A crack addict who hangs out with lowlifes, Dicky is his baby brother’s fight manager. While Dicky provides excellent boxing tips, Micky’s career is in shambles. After losing a bout in Atlantic City in front of a national audience, Micky decides to take control of his career.

Micky’s career-changing decision does not sit well with his mother, Alice (Melissa Leo) or his six peroxide blonde harpy sisters. However, Micky reconciles with his long-suffering father (Jack McGee) and dates a new gal, Charlene (Amy Adams), whose natural red hair offends the sisters. As Micky makes the transition from stepping stone to ladder climber, Micky’s success creates a schism within this dysfunctional family.

Based on a true story, The Fighter has all the earmarks of a successful boxing movie. Yet, the screenwriters Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy strive for more intellectual depth about the double-edged sword of success. Both Dicky and Micky sit on opposite ends of this sword, yet it is their mother who provides the pricking tip.

Bale and Leo have been gathering the best supporting acting kudos at the award’s circuit. Their performances echo the urban world inhabited by Robert DeNiro and Marlon Brando. Leo delivers the funniest lines, but it is Bale’s transitional performance from drug abuser to trusted consigliore that is Oscar-worthy.

The weight of the story falls on Wahlberg’s welterweight shoulders. As the movie ringmaster, Wahlberg gains audience empathy, but it is Amy Adams’ eyes that reveal her boyfriend’s conscience. While she is likely to lose the Oscar race to Leo, Adams is proving to be a consistent commodity for well-written award-winning motion pictures.

Compared to Toy Story 3, The King’s Speech and True Grit, The Fighter does not hold up as best picture champion this year. Yet, it is a hard film to dislike and will be an audience pleaser like Rocky Balboa.

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Highlands falls in regional

Posted on 03 February 2011 by LeslieM

By Gary Curreri

The final chapter to the girls’ soccer season at Highlands Christian Academy wasn’t quite the storybook finish the Knights had hoped for.

Stephanie Perret-Gentile and Erica Johnson each scored second half goals to lift Boca Raton’s Pope John Paul II to a 2-0 Class 2A regional quarterfinal victory over the host Knights on Jan. 27. First-year goalkeeper Dani Chase earned her 15th shutout of the season as she made three saves.

Despite the defeat, Highlands Christian Academy girls soccer coach Shelly Wik was pleased with the effort of her team as it made history by winning its first-ever girls district soccer championship in the 10-year history of the program last week. It was also the first time the Knights (16-3-1) ever hosted a regional quarterfinal contest.

“We played a great game and we are just excited that we got to play in this game for the first time in school history,” Wik said. “This is the first time they got this far. They played hard. I am proud of them.”

“They definitely have more experience than we do,” Wik added. “The level of skill they have on that team is phenomenal. They are crying now, and it’s not because they lost the game, it is for the seniors because they are not going to play another game together. It is always an emotional time when they realize that. I started coaching two years ago and these girls are like one big family. We have a rough middle, but they just championed on. They did well, and they were rewarded by winning districts. They are upset – not that they lost, but that they don’t get to play as a team anymore.”

The best chance the Knights had to score came in the 68th minute when Kaitlyn Leta’s left-footed shot, following a poor clearance by the Eagles’ defense, was saved by Chase.

One minute later, Johnson put the game away; she scored from 18 yards out for the victory.

As she has been all season, Knights’ sophomore goalie Kayla Wincko was stellar with 13 saves in the match.

Jackson to coach Deerfield Beach

Allen Jackson, who has coached at Coconut Creek the past three seasons, was named the football coach at Deerfield Beach earlier this month.

Jackson replaces former Bucks coach Adam Ratke-vich, who stepped down after the 2010 season which Deerfield finished 2-9, yet still qualified for the postseason.

“It’s an honor and privilege to coach at Deerfield Beach,” said Jackson, who was an assistant coach at Deerfield Beach for 13 years before coaching at Monarch and Coconut Creek High Schools. “I’m happy to be here and hopefully we can get back to the big stage.”

Highlands’ boys fall in district soccer final

Calvary Christian defeated Highlands Christian Acade-my’s boys’ soccer team, 3-0, for the district title. The Knights will travel to American Heritage-Delray on Thursday for a regional quarterfinal game.

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