Deerfield’s Jason Pierre-Paul celebrates winning Super Bowl. Submitted photo

By Gary Curreri

Two years ago, Deerfield Beach’s Jason Pierre-Paul was a relative unknown.

The 23-year-old Deerfield Beach High School graduate was a first round draft pick in 2010 for the New York Giants (15th overall). Now he has quite a resume starting with Super Bowl XLVI champion after the Giants held on to defeat the New England Patriots, 21-17, recently.

“It didn’t really hit me until the parade,” said Pierre-Paul, a 6’5”, 278-lb. defensive end, named to the Pro Bowl this season despite not being on the ballot. “It is a great feeling. I’m having a great time. I am soaking it all in until it is ready to go again for next season.”

Pierre-Paul had a breakout season this year as he was named to the Pro Bowl after he recorded 65 tackles, 16.5 sacks, a safety and two forced fumbles during the 2011 season. Pierre-Paul became the first player in NFL history to record a sack, forced fumble and blocked field goal in the same game in a 37-34 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 11. With injuries plaguing the Giants’ starting defensive ends, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, Pierre-Paul received a significant amount of playing time, including 12 starts.

Pierre-Paul’s father, Jean, who is blind, took in his son’s Super Bowl performance in Indianapolis in person.

“I talked to him about it,” Pierre-Paul said. “He said it is a blessing to see me play. He said this is the happiest he has been in his lifetime. Even though he couldn’t see me, he knew I was doing good. He listens to the game and my whole family tells him what is going on and he understands it.”

The Giants were 7-7 and facing elimination before winning its last two regular season games and finishing the year winning six straight. Pierre-Paul said the team never gave up and he is looking forward to defending the title and contributing again.

“I knew I could be good,” Pierre-Paul said. “Two years ago, I was going into the draft and now I am a playmaker in the NFL. I am still learning the parts of the game and I am taking it all in.”

Another local, Blanche Ely High School grad, Patrick Peterson, also had a stellar rookie season for the Arizona Cardinals as he set several NFL marks and was also named to the Pro Bowl.

Peterson had the most punt return yards by a rookie in a season with 699, tied for most punt returns in a season for touchdown with four, longest game-winning punt return touchdown in overtime with 99 yards.

Peterson was selected fifth overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2011 NFL Draft and immediately made his mark on his first NFL play when he intercepted a Philip Rivers pass and returned it for a touchdown.

Pompano’s Patrick Peterson. Submitted photo

Peterson, 21, a 6’-0”, 219-lb. cornerback, was selected to the 2012 Pro Bowl and was the only rookie to be selected to the 2011 All-Pro First Team, as a kick return specialist. He finished the season with 64 tackles, a sack, 2 INTs and four punt returns for TDs.

Peterson said his teammates, Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes, have kept him grounded.

“Those guys have definitely given me the keys to success and taught me how to be a professional,” Peter-son said. “They taught me how to grow up fast – faster than I probably needed to.”

By Carol Porter

The first order of business at the Lighthouse Point city commission meeting on Feb. 14, was to accept the results of the Jan. 31 election, according to the city charter, and then swear in three commissioners: Commissioner Earl Maucker, Commissioner Rebecca “Becky” Lysengen, and Commissioner Michael Long.

After the results were certified, Hasis and Gordon, who were sitting on the dais for the last time, gave some closing comments and thanked their fellow commissioners and staff for serving with them.

Hasis said that the time he had spent on the commission would be something he would treasure forever. Commission President Susie Gordon concurred with Hasis and also thanked her family for being behind her while she served on the dais.

After Gordon and Hasis left the dais, Commission Vice President Michael Long asked for nominations for President and Vice President from the floor. Commissioner Michael Long was nominated for President, and Commissioner Sandy Johnson was nominated for Vice President.

[  ] City Administrator John Lavisky asked for commission approval of a resolution awarding the bid and approving the agreement with Florida Coastal Services for $9,475 for corrective pruning of trees in the city’s right of ways, and to authorize expenditure of $15,600 to take full advantage of the grant funds awarded by the state.

[  ] Lavisky also asked for commission approval on a resolution for a grant application in the amount of $287,200 for the 2012 Transportation Enhancement Cycle to install solar powered pathway lights on Lighthouse Drive in the area from NE 24th Street to NE 36th Street (Sample Road.) After a few questions about both items, commissioners approved both resolutions.

[  ] Commissioners then recognized Broward County Commissioner Chip LaMarca, who was in attendance that evening and asked him to say a few words. LaMarca, a former Lighthouse Point Commissioner, congratulated the new commissioners, the new President and Vice President, and said, “Let me know if there is anything I can do at the county level for you.”

Lighthouse Point Police Department is seeking help from the public in locating a missing/endangered adult.

Tiffany West, 21 years of age, ran away from her residence in Lighthouse Point, FL on 2/8/2012. She is 5 ft. tall, weighs 120 lbs. has blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink or orange shirt and blue jeans. Tiffany is mentally disabled and may place herself in potentially dangerous situations by associating with strangers. She is known to frequent the Oakland Park area.

Due to the circumstances, Tiffany has been entered as endangered into the FCIC/NCIC missing person database. If anyone has seen Tiffany or knows her location, please contact your local law enforcement agency or the Lighthouse Point Police Department, Detective Kevin Hancock at 954-942-8080.

Victim(s):

• Adult male (DECEASED)
• One male child. Age 9 (DECEASED)
• Adult female (INJURED)
• Male child. Age 7 (INJURED)

Suspect(s):

• adult male (DECEASED)

Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) investigators are trying to determine why a man fatally shot another man Thursday night, Feb. 9 at a quiet Deerfield Beach R.V. park before he barricaded himself inside an R.V. and attempted to kill his family. When BSO SWAT medics were able to get inside the R.V., they found the suspect and a 9-year-old boy dead. A woman and a 7-year-old boy were critically injured.

The bizarre ordeal, which lasted more than seven hours, started around 6:20 p.m. BSO was called to the Highland Woods R.V. Park after someone reported a shooting with a possible injured person. When deputies arrived, they saw a man lying unresponsive on the pavement. Inside a nearby R.V.just feet away from the victim, the suspected shooter said he was holding a woman hostage and that he would kill her if they approached. Initially unable to get to the injured man on the ground, deputies tried to convince the suspect to release the hostage and surrender peacefully. He refused. SWAT paramedics successfully extracted the shooting victim from the scene and determined that he had died from his injuries.

Around 7:30 p.m., a woman emerged from the R.V. unharmed. She told detectives that the suspect’s wife and two sons were with him. For hours, the SWAT Team tried to make contact with the suspect, to no avail. All the while, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue paramedics were staged nearby in the event injured hostages would need medical attention. The SWAT Team, with the help of Coral Springs Police Dept.’s SWAT Team, made entry around 1:30 a.m. Friday and discovered the victims. SWAT medics and BSFR paramedics rendered aid to the injured woman and boy before transporting them to North Broward Medical Center and Broward General Medical Center, respectively. Both were in critical condition. BSO Criminal Investigations Division detectives are investigating to determine what circumstances led to the attacks. They believe the suspect was a stranger to the shooting victim.

Quiet Waters Robotics team wins South FlL Regional Competition.

By Rachel Galvin

Fifth grade Quiet Waters Elementary teacher Maryellen Pinzon has been coaching First Lego League (FLL) Robotics team for the past eight years and time and again, her kids come home with oversized trophies for their accomplishments. Recently, this year’s team, the Kitchen Kommandos won the South Florida FLL Regional Competition at Mc Nichol Middle School. This was the second Champion’s Award they received. In addition, they were invited to compete at the Florida State Championships on Feb. 26 at the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) in Melbourne. They will be one of 48 teams asked to compete out of 450 teams total.

At their first competition, they won the 1st Place Champions Award. That event was held at Crystal Lake Middle School. They competed against 18 other teams.

The First Lego League is an international competition that has over 20,000 teams in over 61 countries. It is for elementary and middle school students, grades 4-8. The students create robots who can move, pick up items and complete certain tasks. Each year, the contest focuses on a different real-world topic related to the sciences. Students work out solutions to the various problems they are given. Then they meet for regional tournaments to share their know-ledge, compare ideas and run their robots.

This year’s theme was “Food Factor” and dealt with the science of keeping food safe.

The Kitchen Kommandos are competing for a Global Innovation award for their Glove Factor invention. This invention helps keep gloves used by food service employees sanitary by creating a vacuum chamber that inflates the gloves, allowing employees to insert their hands without touching the outside of the gloves. It also helps keep gloves sterile for the medical field. Help them win. Visit http://fllinnovationaward.firstlegoleague.org/glove_
factor to cast your vote for this local team!

The Robotics team meets every afternoon from 2 to 5 p.m. Pinzon volunteers to coach the team after school.

“I do not get paid for the time I put in. I just love the ideals of the program and the Core Values instilled in my students/team. They learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals and that helping one another is the foundation of teamwork. Of course, I love a good competition.”

She said the most rewarding part is that high schoolers come back to mentor the program.

“I have them [the students] for one school year and then they go to middle school and compete against me for three years! However, I have high school mentors who were on my team when they were in 5th grade. One is a senior applying to MIT. One is a sophomore. Two are freshman. Mentors come on Fridays, our official meeting day.”

Nathan Revell was recently named Highlands Christian Academy’s new football coach on Jan. 24. Submitted photo

By Gary Curreri

Revell, who graduated from Highlands Christian Academy in 2006 where he played football (linebacker and fullback), basketball and track, was named the school’s new football coach on Jan. 24.

“Nathan is an incredible young man who has a positive future as a head coach,” said Jim Good, athletic director and boys varsity basketball coach at Highlands Christian Academy.

“It’s amazing how God is in control and literally has worked out all the details. Coach Revell is definitely an answer to prayer. It’s obvious he has a love for football and the weight room, but his ultimate priority is to honor and glorify Christ, and football is just the platform.”

Revell graduated from Liberty University in 2011 with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Youth Ministry. He played five years at Liberty as a fullback and linebacker.

Last season, he was the special teams coordinator and offensive line coach for Calvary Christian, also the defensive coordinator for the J.V. He is currently leading the HCA seventh hour weight training class and after school weight training programs. Revell is also an assistant coach for the track team, specifically working with the throwers.

Abbate records first ace

Pompano Beach’s John Abbate recorded his first-ever hole-in-one at the Oriole Golf Club when he used a 3-wood on the Par-3, 150-yard third hole recently.

“That’s my first one,” said the 69-year-old Abbate, who has only been playing golf for the past three years. “I have only been playing three years, so I am pretty happy when I just get on the green. I hit the ball up, it bounced before the green and I am walking up and figured with the 3-wood, it probably went over.

“I am picking up my tee and one of the guys said, ‘I think it went in,’ ” Abbate recalled. “I am thinking, ‘yeah, he’s kidding me.’ We walked up to the hole and I am looking behind the green and couldn’t find it. I looked in the hole and there it was, in the cup.”

When he saw the ball in the hole, he smiled and said the three other members of the group, three Canadians who he was paired with that morning, were probably more excited than he was.

“I thought I was pretty damn lucky,” Abbate said with a laugh. “I like being outside and I like sports. Golf is a pretty tough game because it changes every day.”

The retired construction worker said he had played “maybe twice” in his life before some men who live in his condo got him started.

“It is mostly me against the game and me against the course,” Abbate said. “It is funny because when you play against better guys, you sort of up your game. You try a little harder maybe.”

Paragon’s Mike Whalen with Lt. Commander Leo Gray and Mayor Peggy Noland.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

The Paragon Theater in Deerfield Beach deserves honors for screening Red Tails last Friday evening with a featured appearance by Tuskegee Air Core pilot, Lt. Commander Leo Gray, (ret.) USAF.

More than 14 World War II veterans were acknowledged with prolonged applause in the sold-out auditorium.

In the past, I have written how certain movies from my childhood provided inspiration. These older films contain outdated production values today, yet a film like The Alamo still influences my life. I wonder how young people will respond to a movie like Red Tails (Many were in attendance, wearing cadet uniforms).

Red Tails tells a traditional story with a clear beginning, middle and end. With the backdrop of the World War II European campaign, Red Tails celebrates the Negro pilots from the Tuskegee Air Core training program.

The characters are archetypes. The flight commander secretly drinks alcohol to cope with the stress of command and the second-in-command has a rebellious streak because he is an excellent daredevil pilot. Then, there is “the innocent,” a young pilot who is yet to be tested in battle. Each character fulfills his character arc with little emotional connection with the audience.

Fifty-two years after release, The Alamo retains classic status due to the well-directed action sequences. The same can be said of Red Tails, which features five aeronautical action sequences that even impressed Lt. Commander Gray.

Avoiding attention deficit disorder editing techniques, Director Anthony Heming-way provides clear and concise attention to detail without sacrificing human empathy.

Red Tails has not been a critical darling of the elitist critics circle, yet the sold-out audience at Paragon applauded the film at its conclusion. This crowd behavior is a harbinger for Red Tails durability for the next five decades.

Lt. Commander Gray best sums up my feelings of Red Tails with this quote: “This is a Hollywood version and enjoy it as such. Don’t let it bother you that a little bit of history was overlooked. It is still a good movie and the aeronautical sequences are going to blow your mind.”

Supporters of newcomers Becky Lysengen (seat 3) and Earl Maucker (seat 1) gathered at Packy’s Pub in Lighthouse Point eagerly awaiting the results of the campaign.  At approximately 7:30 p.m., the results were in and Lynsengen had won out over incumbent Susie E. Gordon and Maucker won over Tom Hasis.

For complete story, look in Feb. 2 print issue of The Observer newspaper.    Interviews with winners on ObserverTV.

Congressman Allen West has announced that he will be leaving Dist. 22. In a statement released on Jan. 31, he announced his decision to seek reelection not for Dist. 22, but for the 18th Congressional District. In his statement, he said:

“After much prayer, reflection and discussion with my close friends and family, I am announcing today my decision to seek reelection in Florida’s proposed 18th Congressional district.  I have always believed the state of Florida would be best served by having both Congressman Tom Rooney and myself in the House of Representatives working to solve our nation’s most pressing problems.  I have never waivered from my vision; to work to create jobs, restrain federal government spending, reduce America’s ever increasing national debt, and provide for a strong national defense to ensure a safer and more prosperous future for our children and grandchildren.

Congressman Rooney is a statesman and has been an honorable public servant to the constituents of Florida’s 16th Congressional district.  It is my goal to continue the success Congressman Rooney has had in Florida’s 16th Congressional district in the newly proposed 18th district.  I welcome the challenges and excitement that lie ahead.

As a 22-year United States Army veteran who commanded troops in combat, one should never underestimate my ability to be a strategic thinker.  My voice for the restoration of constitutional principles for our Republic shall continue to resonate through Florida and on Capitol Hill.”

Voters were lined up at Dixon Hall before 7a.m.  voting was steady through

8:30a.m.  City residents were voting for Commissioners and some for

the Presidential primary.  Early polling by ObserverTV showed a 3 to 1

vote in favor of Romney at St. Ambrose Church for the Presidential primary.

We will be out all day and LIVE tonight in LHP

to call the city election results. To see video of early morning voting

click on ObserverTV

Becky Lysengen arrives at

Dixon Hall to cast her vote.

The Observers paperboy Paul Kepinski votes for the first

time in the presidential

primary as a republican

after just turning 18

a few weeks ago