| May, 2015

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Posted on 14 May 2015 by LeslieM

Mother’s Day

Dear Editor:

We all look forward to Mother’s Day, when we celebrate the cherished bond between mother and child.

Ironically, dairy cows — worldwide symbols of motherhood — never get to see their babies.

The newborn calves are torn from their mothers at birth and turned into veal cutlets, so we can drink the milk that nature designed for them. The distraught mothers bellow for days, hoping for their return.

Most cows spend their lives chained on a concrete floor, with no access to the outdoors.

Each year, they are impregnated artificially to keep the milk flowing.

When their production drops, around 4 years of age, they are turned into hamburgers.

Let’s honor motherhood and our natural compassion by replacing cow’s milk and other dairy products, all laden with fat and cholesterol, with delicious, healthful, cruelty-free nut or soy-based milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. These are available in every supermarket. Mother cows, and our own bodies will be most grateful.

Dimitri Olask

Deerfield Beach

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HAPPENINGS

Posted on 14 May 2015 by LeslieM

Cocktails & Canvases

Thursday, May 14, 6:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Pompano Citi Centre 1955 N. Federal Hwy. Pompano Beach, FL 33062

An instructor will be leading a “May Flowers” canvas painting activity in a fun, outdoor setting. $10. Admission includes one complimentary beer or glass of wine provided by Amato’s Italian Grill, paint instruction, light food samplings from Pompano Citi Centre restaurants and live entertainment. (Valid ID will be needed at check-in for alcohol consumption.) Two painting sessions (6:30 and 7:30 p.m.). Each session will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. However, participants who purchase their tickets online will have the opportunity to reserve a session. For tickets, call 954-943-4683 or visit www.pompanociticentre.com

DB Elementary 3rd Annual Silent Auction

Friday, May 15, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Deerfield Beach Elementary 650 NE 1 St, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

All Proceeds to Deerfield Beach Elementary. 954-778-5700.

12th Annual MadHatter’s Tea Luncheon

Saturday, May 16, 11:30 a.m.

DoubleTree by Hilton 100 Fairway Dr. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Honoree and Speaker: State Senator Maria Sachs. Luncheon tickets: $50. RSVP: 954-942-8711 or maggie_davidson@comcast.net.

7th Annual Exchange Club Charity Benefit Classic Car Show

Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Registration, 8 a.m.)

Shoppes at Beacon Light 2400 N Federal Hwy. Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

Hosted by The Exchange Club of Pompano Beach. Awards go out to the Top 50 entries. FREE. Meet and greet with Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders. Flat screen TV and 50/50 raffle, live music, food and other entertainment. Proceeds go to children’s charities, such as the Broward Children’s Center and the Children’s Healing Institute. $20. To pre-register for the event, go to www.jumpinjackproductions.com.

Armed Forces Day event

Saturday, May 16, 8 a.m.

Duffy’s Sports Grill 401 N. Federal Hwy. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Free breakfast for vets. $15 for all others. Sponsored by Knights of Columbus at St. Joan of Arc. Speaker: Robert Chelberg, retired army 3-star Lt. General. Reservations required. Call Bob at 561-716-6070.

George Washington’s mysterious letter

Saturday, May 16, 2 p.m.

Horizon Club auditorium 1208 S. Military Tr. Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Did you know that George Washington wrote a letter asking for tolerance for the Jews back in 1790? According to The Jewish Daily Forward, that piece of history went missing but was eventually found in an art storage facility in an industrial park in Maryland. The letter is owned now by the Morris Morgenstern Foundation and has been on loan to the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum in Washington D.C. Now, a copy of that important document will be read to those in attendance at a special event this Saturday. The Club’s Executive Director, Mary Beth Rutenis, will emcee and resident Al Sher will tell Washington’s story. A lively discussion is sure to ensue. For those who would like to attend, call Danielle in the marketing department at 954-481-2304. .

Island Paws Rescue’s 3rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament

Saturday, May 16, 11 a.m. (registration)

Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course 1101 N. Federal Hwy. Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Enjoy golf while helping animals in need. Participants will also be able to enter various athletic pursuits, including longest drive, horseshoes and closest-to-the-pin contests. Awards ceremony and after-party held at Galuppi’s Restaurant. Proceeds support Island Paws Rescue’s mission of saving the lives of stray dogs and cats throughout South Florida and from the island of Bimini through sterilization, adoption and education. $125 per golfer, $500 for a team of four. For more information, call 954-661-3899, email info@islandpawsrescue.org or visit

www.islandpawsrescue.org.

Undy Run/Walk

Saturday, May 16, 7:30 a.m. (registration)

Quiet Waters Park 401 S. Powerline Rd. Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Family and dog friendly 5k race that raises awareness and funds for colon cancer awareness and prevention. For information, call 202-628-0123.

Pancake breakfast

Sunday, May 17, 9 a.m. to noon

Elks Lodge 700 NE 10 St. Pompano Beach, FL 33060

Hosted by the Benevolent Patriotic Order of DOES, Drove 142. Adults: $5. Children: $2.50. Open to the public. For information, call 954-255-3130.

Fair Housing Act Seminar

Tuesday, May 19, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Kaye Bender Rembaum 1200 Park Central Blvd. S. Pompano Beach, FL 33064

Free. RSVP: seminars@KBRLegal.com or call 954-928-0680.

Deerfi eld Beach Woman’s Club meets

Wednesday, May 20, 7 p.m.

910 E. Hillsboro Blvd. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

For more information, visit www.DBWC.org.

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CLERGY CORNER: Pastor Tony Guadagnino to stand down, for now

Posted on 14 May 2015 by LeslieM

I will not be able to continue to write articles for the Observer any longer — between the Sheriff’s office and my church, I just don’t have the time anymore.

I will miss writing the articles. Thank you again for allowing me to be a part of the Observer Family the last few years. I enjoyed it all.

I appreciate all you do for me. You are always a great help.

-Pastor Tony Guadagnino

Christian Love Fellowship Church

Equipping God’s People”

Pastor Tony, you have become an MVP with our newspaper. Because of you, we have ObserverTV.

-Jim Lusk, Observer Vice President

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Everything’s Coming Up Rosen

Posted on 14 May 2015 by LeslieM

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

l’ll bet you have seen one or more of the hundreds of movies that address issues concerning mental illness. To name just a few: Psycho, A Streetcar Named Desire, Ordinary People, Rainman, Gilbert Grape, American Beauty, Black Swan, The Soloist, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Silver Lining Playbook.

Each addresses a different diagnostic malfunction of the many that attack our population, just as physical diseases are the scurge of mankind.

I’ll bet you never heard of NAMI – (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Each year, millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental health condition. During the month of May, NAMI, in conjunction with other mental health advocates, is bringing awareness to mental illness.

Each year, their supporters fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for equal care.

Who doesn’t know someone with any of the following conditions: bi-polar, clinical depression, schizophrenia, autism, ADHD, mental retardation, dementia, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), Agoraphobia, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), anxiety and panic attacks, insomnia, and too many more to list.

These are not conditions that are treatable with a simple toss of a “Get over it” approach that belies any understanding of the pain and suffering experienced by victims and families. And, yet, the added burden of social stigma has not been eradicated, despite every effort to educate the public to the practical need for parity in funding, research and treatment for both mental and physical anomalies, as well as the compassionate need for the same kind of empathy for mental patients as we give to cancer patients.

Here are some facts: 1 in 5 adults experiences a mental health condition every year. 1 in 20 lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. In addition to the person directly experiencing a mental illness, family, friends and communities are also affected.

When we think about cancer, heart disease or diabetes, we don’t wait years to treat them. We start before Stage 4. We begin with prevention. We don’t ignore them. So why don’t we do the same for individuals who are dealing with potentially serious mental illness?

Perhaps because people may not realize that their symptoms are being caused by a mental health condition or they feel ashamed to pursue help because of the stigma associated with mental illness. It’s up to all of us to know the signs and to take action so that mental illnesses can be caught early and treated. People can and do recover and reclaim their lives.

One way to see if you or a loved one may be experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition is to take a screening. Visit www.mhascreening.org to take a quick, confidential screening for a variety of mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, mood disorders or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

There are many treatment options, ranging from talk therapy to medication to peer support, and, although it may take time for a person to find the right treatment or combination of treatments that work best for them, the results can be life-changing.

For more information about what you should know and what you can do at each stage, visit www.mentalhealthamerica.net/may. And get information from local low cost facilities, like www.faulkcenterforcounseling.org.

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SOCIETY: Eva Larue at Royal Blues Hotel

Posted on 07 May 2015 by LeslieM

society1-043016By Rachel Galvin

CSI Miami’s own Eva Larue took time to give back by having a meet & greet brunch at Royal Blues Hotel (45 NE 21st Ave.) in Deerfield Beach on April 27 with proceeds going toward SOS Children’s Village. The intimate gathering was held in the boutique luxury art hotel’s restaurant, Chanson.

CAPTIONS

1. Max Tucci, Eva Larue and Royal Blues Hotel General Manager Claude Dubois.

2. The brunch benefited SOS Children’s Village.

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SOCIETY: TLC celebrates 60 years

Posted on 07 May 2015 by LeslieM

society2-043016By Rachel Galvin

On April 15, TLC Engineering for Architecture, Inc. held its 60th anniversary party at their Deerfield location. For their soiree, people came from all around to enjoy some tasty tidbits, drink some wine and mingle. Some lucky winners received free trees and everyone enjoyed the musical stylings of Martin Hand.

Since 1955, TLC has been providing their clients with exceptional high-performance engineering design, consulting and energy services. Their headquarters is in Orlando and they have many offices in Florida, as well as in other states. The Deerfield Beach office opened in January 2005.

For more information on this company, visit www.tlcengineers.com.

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Bengals win county flag football championship

Posted on 07 May 2015 by LeslieM

sports050715By Gary Curreri

It didn’t take long for Pompano Beach Middle School to flex its muscle in the Broward County Middle School boys’ flag football championship game against Plantation Middle School recently.

Just 10 plays into the game, the Bengals were able to put the game away early as it scored on its first three possessions to take a 20-0 lead. It held off a late charge by Plantation and hung on for a 20-13 win.

Pompano Middle School boys flag football coach Khristopher Ramsey said some players quit the team during the season and the rest remained a “family” and stuck it out.

The most gratifying thing is to see the kid win in life, so if we can win a championship here, it’s awesome, but I think my coaching job is not complete until I see those kids move on and move forward in their lives,” Ramsey said. “We felt confident. We planned on coming out here today and winning this game.”

The Bengals (9-2) held Plantation on its first drive and scored on its second play from scrimmage on a 16-yard scoring run by Jervon Williams for a 6-0 lead.

Plantation Middle School quarterback Benjamin Hernandez was intercepted on the next play from scrimmage by Jerico Wilson and his 15-yard return set up a 2-yard scoring run by Keven Walker. LaDarius Queen caught the 2-point conversion pass from tournament MVP James Wallace for a 14-0 advantage. Wallace, 15, of Pompano Beach, said winning was important for the players.

We were looking forward to winning everything,” said Wallace, an eighth-grader. “We just had to play as a team and execute the plays we needed to execute and we would come out with the victory.”

Pompano Beach Middle School stretched the cushion to 20-0 on a 30-yard TD scamper by first-year player Sean Martin, of Pompano Beach, midway through the first quarter.

I didn’t think we would be playing for the title,” said Martin, 15, of Pompano Beach. He is also an eighth-grader and this was his first year playing flag football. “I knew we had it in us to play for the championship. I wasn’t sure we’d make it all of the way.”

Plantation Middle School (9-2-1) cut the deficit to 20-7 on a 25-yard interception return for a TD by David McFadden and a conversion pass from Hernandez to Daniel Carter. The Patriots cut the lead to 20-13 on a 31-yard scoring toss from Hernandez to McFadden with 1:30 remaining in the game, but could get no closer.

Pompano Beach Middle School won four consecutive county titles in flag football from 2003-06 before the sport was among the sports trimmed by Broward County because of budget cuts.

Martin said the team’s two late losses helped the team focus for the playoffs.

Losing the last game of the regular season to Crystal Lake was a good lesson,” Martin said. “It showed that winning all of our games didn’t mean nothing. We had to play as a team and not argue with each other and stuff like that.”

Pompano Middle School eighth grader Keavan Walker said teams around the county doubted the Bengals’ ability.

It is a big opportunity to play for a county championship,” said the Pompano Beach eighth grader. “You have other schools and people think that a school from Pompano couldn’t make it like this, so it is an opportunity for us to have a team and make it here. We learned from the losses. We learned we had to play as a team.”

Walker said the school will put a picture up on the gym wall for winning the county title.

This is great!” Walker said. “We can take it back to our school. It is a huge accomplishment because they haven’t won this in seven years. Now, we can come back and see our picture up there and everything.”

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FLICKS: Felix and Meira, Avengers: Age of Ultron

Posted on 07 May 2015 by LeslieM

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

One of the stereotypes about comic book fans is how lonely individuals come out of the woodwork for a comic book movie like Avengers: Age of Ultron.

With a domestic gross of $191 million, lonely individuals found unity at local movie theaters this past weekend.

Slightly down the evolutionary box office chain is Felix and Meira, which opens this weekend in limited South Florida cinemas.

This is a quiet motion picture about two lonely people who find each other (without the virtue of comic books).

Felix (Martin Dubreuil) is grieving the loss of his father. Meira (Hadas Yaron) is a new mother who is trapped in a loveless marriage to a Hassidic man. Living for years in the same Montreal neighborhood, Felix and Meira meet for the first time as adults.

As Felix and Meira grow and learn about themselves, their friendship becomes more passionate. Traveling from Brooklyn, New York to Venice, Italy, the two develop a deeper connection by finding new interests in things like dancing and blues music.

Will Felix and Meira’s relationship prosper? Stay tuned to the last frame of film and draw your own conclusion.

The conclusion of Avengers: Age of Ultron is solid, but open-ended enough to carry the Marvel supehero comic book franchise through 2019. With nine previous motion pictures produced since 2008, the wisdom of each of these Marvel films is the self-contained storyline of each motion picture. It just enhances one’s viewing pleasure if one is more familiar with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America’s (Chris Evans) personal motivations.

After a successful raid on Baron Stucker’s castle, the Avengers party in Manhattan. The science bros. (Iron Man & Hulk) skip out of the festivities to experiment with Loki’s scepter and create an artificial intelligence that names itself Ultron (James Spader). Ultron assumes command of Iron Man’s technology and decides the best course to achieve peace in our time is to exterminate the human race.

With echoes of classic mad scientists like Dr. Frankenstein (Iron Man) and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Hulk), Avengers: Age of Ultron strives to be a darker version of the original Avengers movie from three years ago. That is why this new film is not as much fun as the previous incarnation. In terms of antagonists, Ultron lacks the charisma of Loki and this film misses the clear moment when good defeats evil.

In the following weeks, the big budgeted Tommorowland and Mad Max: Fury Road are on deck to knock Avengers: Age of Ultron off the box office throne. However, don’t ignore smaller marketed movies like Felix and Meira, Iris and D Train.

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CRIME WATCH

Posted on 07 May 2015 by LeslieM

Remember, if you see anything suspicious, call 911 immediately.

DEERFIELD BEACH

April 19 A motorcycle was reported stolen from 4061 NW 9Ave.

April 19 A vehicle was entered at 340 NW 3 Ave. and an iPod was stolen.

April 20 A man reported that he believes that two former employees stole an iPad, and two cabinets from his business at 239 Goolsby Rd.

DEERFIELD – District 4

April 24 Theft – Retail /Shoplifting took place at the Super Target at 3599 W. Hillsboro Blvd. Suspect entered the store and removed a GPS system from the box and exited the store with no attempt to pay for the item.

April 25 Theft – Retail /Shoplifting occurred at Deerfield Mall, 3812 W. Hillsboro Blvd. Suspect entered TJ Maxx and took purses from the sales floor. The suspect then went to the bathroom to conceal the purses inside a diaper bag. She later attempted to exit the store without paying for the merchandise.

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

April 12 A subject left a store at 2149 NE 48 St. with a 12-pack of Heineken beer and fled in a vehicle. Loss was $15.99.

April 12 Someone used an employee’s notary stamp at a business at 1849 NE 25 St. and forged a real estate document.

April 15 A subject was arrested after failing to pay for a bar tab at 2202 NE 36 St. The tab was $74.80.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Posted on 07 May 2015 by LeslieM

Assessment or Parking Meters for Cove Shopping Center?

Dear Editor:

[Installing] Cove parking meters is just a bad idea, period.

The District 4 commissioner says the taxpayers should not be paying for maintenance of the parking lot.

Who does he think parks there? I go to The Cove all the time. My dentist is there and I go to the Tip [Tipperary Pub] and American Rock [Bar & Grill] at least twice a week.

I own a small business in Deerfield. I don’t charge for parking — that would be a death sentence for any business.

The city manager says we need a study to figure out how much the owners would pay. Why does the city always need a consultant? Just do the math yourself. I’m sure we employ somebody who can figure out how much it costs a year to take care of the parking lot, then split [it] up with the building owners — who are more than willing to pay.

Sorry for such a long letter, but this subject really gets me going. It’s just plain common sense.

Steven J. Fabrizio

Deerfield Beach

Observer column speaks to reader

Dear Editor:

I thoroughly enjoy your column [Everything’s Coming Up Rosen] in the Observer.

Over the years, I have always been excited when Everything’s Coming Up Rosen shows up in the [news]paper.

Your viewpoint on the matters of life consistently provides me with a moment’s reflection.

Your column on love was particularly inspiring [“It’s Love Time Again,” Feb. 5, 2015, Observer]. As I have reached my young age of 36, I have seen how past advice or wisdom tends to come true.

Love is complex and wonderful and requires nurturing to stay alive.

I can read from your lines the complexity of a sustained love and imagine folks in my life who strive to ride the different phases of love.

I have told numerous friends who are in a situation of weakness that falling in love with the idea of falling in love will not satisfy your situation.

I have really enjoyed your column and thought it important to let you know that your work is appreciated.

Albert Blake Salas

Deerfield Beach

Note: Look for Emily Rosen’s column soon

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