West Deerfield is experiencing vehicle burglaries to victims who are dropping off their children at Quiet Waters Elementary in the morning. Two burglaries were reported this morning. The first victim was parked in the rear parking lot of the Dollar Tree store while dropping off her child at the school. The second victim was parked behind Publix at approximately the same time.  In both cases windows were smashed and property removed.  Please do not leave valuables in your vehicle.  If you see suspicious activity call 911 immediately.

The Knights lift the sword after their victory over Coral Springs Christian. Submitted photo

By Gary Curreri

Arelious Burns carried 18 times for 103 yards and three touchdowns to lift Highlands Christian to a 48-7 victory over visiting Coral Springs Christian School in the annual Battle for the Sword. This annual match-up dates back to 2002 when the Crusaders defeated the Knights, 43-27, in their inaugural game.

During the past nine years, the Crusaders had won six consecutive games, before the Knights reversed their fortune and won the sword the past four years in a row. The Knights suffered a difficult stretch from 2004-2006, losing all three games by one point: 29-28 (2004); 21-20 (2005) and 7-6 (2006).The Knights’ first win came in 2007 – ironically, with a one-point win 45-44.

“Winning four straight games against our rivals has been great,” said Highlands Christian Academy coach Jordan Adair. “I’m especially happy for our seniors, who were able to go through their entire high school careers without losing ‘The Sword.’

“We expect this win to propel us to a very successful second half of the season. We’ve struggled at the start, but we’ve played some tough competition with a lot of newcomers this year, and we knew it would take time for us to gel and build team chemistry. The difficult start has helped us to build character, and it will pay dividends down the line.”

A 24-yard punt return by Courtney Fowler set the Knights up in great field position its first TD, while Jay Mentecky tossed a 31-yard TD pass to Tyson Graham as time expired in first half to stake Highlands Christian to a 34-7 lead. Graham also added a 50-yard punt return, while Wilfred Hunter and Matt Elder each had interceptions.

Adair said the team has a huge contest coming up in two weeks against Jupiter Christian School.

“That game will decide our playoff fate,” said Adair, whose team is 1-2 in the District 7-2A race and 1-3 overall. “If we can build on last week’s win versus CSCA, we’ll have some momentum heading into that game.”

Bucks win first

Brandon Powell ran for 209 yards and two touchdowns as Deerfield Beach spoiled host Douglas’ homecoming, 21-0. Douglas only managed to gain two first-downs in the game and turned the ball over seven times with three fumbles and four interceptions in the District 11-8A win. The Bucks (1-4) earned their first win for new head coach Allen Jackson as they held the Eagles to just 46 yards of total offense for the contest. The defense forced three fumbles and four interceptions.

Tigers rally again

Blanche Ely rallied from a 14-9 halftime deficit as they scored 28 unanswered points in the second half to defeat the Monarch, 37-14, in Deerfield Beach. It marked the second time in as many weeks where the Tigers (4-1, 2-0) came from behind to win.

Ely quarterback Alex Edwards threw for 87 yards and rushed for a touchdown, while Tyquan Fields passed for 80 yards and two scores. Devante Peete hauled in a 46-yard score and Darren Allen caught a touchdown pass and ran for another. The Tigers’ Robert Scott also rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown in the District 14-7A win.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

In its second week of release, Dolphin Tale has not enjoyed the critical acclaim of 50/50 and Moneyball. However, this film will be remembered as an influential motion picture for young people with disabilities.

At a recent Saturday matinee screening, young people in wheelchairs cried, cheered and applauded this motion picture shot in Clearwater, Florida.

As the opening credits roll, we witness Winter (the marine mammal portrays herself) gallivanting in her element, under the sea in the Gulf Coast. When Winter becomes entangled in a crab trap and is beached, Sawyer (Nathan Gamble) contacts Dr. Clay’s (Harry Connick Jr.) Animal Hospital. The patient survives, but with the loss of her flipper.

Nonetheless, the animal rescue is a turning point for Sawyer, who is a shy student failing summer school. After much consternation from his mother (Ashley Judd), Sawyer finds his niche in the  marine world. When his wounded warrior cousin returns from the battlefield, Sawyer makes friends with Dr. Cameron McCarthy (Morgan Freeman), a man who specializes in making prosthetic limbs.  Together, Sawyer, Dr. Clay and Dr. Cameron pool their individual talents and create a special flipper for Winter.

Much like his previous motion pictures Air Bud and Stone of Destiny, Director Charlie Martin Smith creates personal movies about big subjects. While this movie bows to the concession of 3-D entertainment, Dolphin Tale provides a life-affirming story about growth, maturity and community. With Martin-Smith’s sure hand, Dolphin Tale is a rollercoaster ride from the height of comedy to the depth of tragedy.

While Connick Jr., Judd and Freeman provide strong ensemble support, this film’s success falls on the shoulders of Gamble as Sawyer.

For the first 15 minutes of the movie, Sawyer is a mumbling mess. When he finds acceptance from his single mother and Dr. Clay’s marine community, Gamble makes the transition believable.

Urban elitist critics have noted the mounting clichés in this motion picture – shy kid, injured animal, foreclosures, grumpy teachers; yet, there was no denying the tears of joy from the ticket-buying audience. The fact that Dolphin Tale was top at the box office last weekend, reveals that movie consumers are hungry for such a life-affirming motion picture.

Dolphin Tale is a gentle movie that approaches harsh subjects. As one little girl (perhaps 5 years old) whispered to her momma, “This is a good movie.”

By Emily Rosen

ERosen424@aol.com

www.emilyrosen424.com

iTunes – iPhones – iPods – iPads … Eye yi yi yi! Kindle – Kindle Touch – Kindle Keyboard – Kindle Fire – The Nook – The all-new Nook – the Droid – touch pads – swipe pads – 3G – 4G – apps – more apps – Xbox – Wii and blogs, blogs, blogs …  OMG! There’s a whole new language sprouting up all around me. HELP! I feel like I’m standing at a train station, and the express has just whizzed by me – and oops! That was my train and I missed it.

On a scale of 1 to 10 regarding cyberspace, I’ve slid to about a 5. Twenty-six years ago, I was cutting edge, the only person I knew who owned, and could use a computer, my trusty 1985 Mac, full price about $6,000.  I could not even carry on a dinner conversation about my computer because there was no one who could talk the language. I probably should have kept it. Someone on eBay could be looking for it.

Today, I am working with Windows XP on my flat screen desk computer – probably the eighth one I have owned, exclusive of my husband’s laptop.  I love my mouse. As I stare at it, I feel like I’m looking at the tail of a Dinosaur.  It’s two years old. People around me are swiping and pad-touching and sending me email messages from Blackberries and iPhones  and text messages about sunsets, about walks with their dogs and urging me to find them on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Every two weeks or so, I check on LinkedIn and find only people who want to sell me their wares or who complain about the sorry state of Journalism today. I haven’t checked my Twitter account for two years. And when I go to my Facebook page, I find a bunch of people I don’t even know, showing me pictures of their pet poodles in costume or their adorable grandkids, or their Harley Davidson’s. Some of them exhort me to check their YouTube creations, where I am urged to engage in a more spiritual life, to love my neighbors and, more important, to love myself (I do, I do!).

Where is this all going? I know we are only on the cusp now. I read The Futurist. I follow some of the work of Ray Kurzweil – Google him!

(Google is happiness!)  – a scientist, futurist, who sees humans living for many hundreds of years by 2029, encased in myriad robotic body parts. Robotic genitalia? Lord – take that image off my radar screen!

Ah, but I’ve wandered afar. I intended to make this a treatise on eBooks. It looks like the new Kindle can do everything except make pizzas, and I am about to succumb. If you can’t fight ‘em, join ‘em, but I’ll never catch that train.

DEERFIELD BEACH

Sept. 27 A home at 417 NE 1 Ave. was reported being broken into. A tote bag with nail tech supplies was stolen. The home was ransacked.

Sept. 28 An unknown individual or individuals stole 10 rolls of copper wire worth about $3,900 from an underground line. Theft was reported at 71 SE 21 Ave.

Sept. 29 A man reported his home at 3841 NE 4 Terr. broken into and a flat-panel television and desktop computer stolen.

Sept. 29 A home at 4040 NE 6 Ave. was reported as having been broken into and about $25,000 worth of jewelry stolen from a box in the master bedroom.

Sept.30 A woman reported her car stolen from her home at 1295 SE 7 Court. She also reported $6,400 worth of scuba diving equipment taken from her garage. An individual suspected of taking the equipment attended a social event at the woman’s home. Detectives went to the suspect’s home and saw the scuba equipment. Suspect was transported to the district office and questioned.

Sept. 30 A complaint was received from US Auto LTD at 4371 N. Dixie Hwy. The person making the complaint said that a BMW M-5 for sale was stolen.

Sept. 30 A man reported that an attempt was made to break into his home at 1487 SW 27 Terr.

Oct. 1 The property manager of a warehouse at 661 NE 42 St. reported that a bay at the warehouse was broken into.

Oct. 1 A woman reported that her home at 1421 SE 14 Court was broken into and two televisions, a play station and video games were stolen.

Oct. 2 A woman reported her home at 215 NW 2 Way was broken into and jewelry valued at more than $5,000 stolen.

Oct. 2 A woman reported that her wallet was stolen from her bag while she was at the Royal Fiesta Event Center at 1680 SE 3 Court.

DEERFIELD —District 4

Sept. 29 Auto theft was reported at La Quinta, 100 SW 12 Ave., between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Victim parked his 2007 Ford F-350 in the parking lot at this location, and when he returned to the vehicle, he found it missing. Victim had miscellaneous tools and electronic equipment inside the vehicle.

Sept. 30 Residential burglary took place in Waterford Homes at 1487 SW 28 Terr., at 12:17 p.m. Victim reported that unknown person(s) attempted to gain access to the residence by breaking out the rear sliding glass door. Suspect(s) did not gain entry and fled after the residence’s alarm sounded. No latent prints recovered/no video/negative canvass.

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

Sept. 21 A man reported that he and his girlfriend were punched in the face by a man known to them. The woman who was struck reported that the girlfriend of the man who threw the punch stole her pocketbook. When the woman contacted the woman who had taken the pocketbook, she was told the pocketbook would not be returned. Report was filed at 3870 NE 22 Terr.

Sept. 22 In an incident involving the people in the previous report, a man said he allowed a man, his girlfriend and their baby to stay in his apartment at 3870 NE 22 Terr. Later, the man noticed three gold charms missing from his bedroom. The man later heard that man’s girlfriend pawned the charms.

Thank you – and Happy Birthday!

Dear Editor:

On behalf of the LHP LifeSavers, a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to all who attended, sponsored and donated to the 3rd Annual LHP Luau held on Sept. 16 at Lighthouse Point Yacht & Racquet Club.

With your help, we were able to raise $11K to help local patients and their families in the fight against breast cancer and create a world with more birthdays!

Patty Miranda & Janis Sreenan

Lighthouse Point

P.S. Our entire family and staff wish to Mr. David Eller a Happy Birthday, filled with health, happiness and abundance of graces. – Olympia Flame Diner

RE: Taxes

Dear Editor:

In the 9-29 Observer Letters to the Editor, a resident asked to know where the money goes regarding the Communications Services Tax on his cell phone bill.

The communications services tax applies to telecommunications, cable, direct-to-home satellite, and related services. Two parts comprise the tax: the Florida communications services tax and the local communications services tax.  The Communications Services Tax Simplification Law, which applied to bills issued by communications services providers on or after Oct. 1, 2001, also provided for locally imposed communications services tax to be administered by the Department of Revenue. Chapter 2001-140, Laws of Florida, established the revenue-neutral tax rates for the statewide and local communications services taxes.

Florida Portion

The Florida portion of the tax includes a state tax rate plus a gross receipts tax rate, for a combined rate of 9.17 percent. The rate for the state tax is 6.65 percent. The total rate for the gross receipts tax is 2.52 percent, which is composed of .15 percent and 2.37 percent.

Dealers may bill and collect the 6.65 percent state tax rate, along with the .15 percent gross receipts tax rate (a total of 6.8 percent), provided the amounts are properly reflected on the tax return.

Local Portion

Each local taxing jurisdiction (municipality, charter county, or unincorporated county) has a specific local tax rate. All municipalities in Broward County have a communications services tax. For major Broward County cities, the rates range from 4.80-5.62 percent. In Deerfield Beach, and the majority of Broward cities, the rate is 5.22 percent.

The communications tax was implemented on Oct. 1, 2001.  Prior to that, the City imposed a franchise fee on the telecommunications providers.  Local governments may exercise their home rule authority to impose a franchise fee upon a utility for granting a franchise and the privilege of using local government’s rights-of-way to conduct the utility business. The fee is considered fair rent for the use of such rights-of-way and consideration for the local government’s agreement not to provide competing utility services during the term of the franchise agreement.

Rami Altherr Musto

Marketing Communications Manager

City of Deerfield Beach

Palm trees on Dixie Hwy.

Dear Editor:

I can’t believe my eyes. I just looked outside the front bay door of my repair shop on Dixie Highway to the east, which, if you don’t know are railroad tracks in Deerfield, and they are planting palm trees. I cannot believe this. There are thousands of people in Florida losing their homes, and somebody had this bright idea: Palm trees on Dixie. There has got to be a better way to spend money than that!

Steven J. Fabrizio

Deerfield Beach

Blood pressure & depression screenings

Thursday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

NE Focal Point Senior Center, 227 NW 2 St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

No cost. Age 60 years and older. 954-480-4449

Deerfield Chamber breakfast

Thursday, Oct. 6, 7:30 a.m.

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

Speaker: Michael Galvin, VP Marketing – Better Business Bureau. Topic: “10 Most Successful Scams.”

Sisterhood of Temple Beth Israel Meeting

Thursday, Oct. 6, 11:30 a.m.

Temple Beth Israel, 201 South Military Tr., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Guest speaker: Robert Kunst, of Shalom International. Donation – $2.50.  Mini-lunch served. Guests welcome.
954-421-7060.

East Village Uncorked

Friday, Oct.7, 6 to 9 p.m.

2600-2700 block of E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach, FL 33062

Oktoberfest, features German music, wine and beer. Free art, wine, strolling, featured specialty merchants, restaurants and planned improvements. Free parking available.  954-786-7824.

Yom Kippur Services

Friday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m. (Kol Nidrei Prayer Service)

Chabad Jewish Center, 4081 N. Federal Hwy., Pompano Beach, FL 33064

Saturday, Oct. 8:

10 a.m. (Morning Prayer Services)

11:30a.m. (Yizkor Memorial Service)

5:30 p.m. (Closing Prayers followed by a delicious break-fast spread)

To RSVP, ask questions, call 347-410-1106. www.JewishLHP.com

K9 Water Fest

Saturday, Oct. 8 & Sunday, Oct. 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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

Water playgrounds open only to dogs (and lifeguards). Dogs must be off-leash when inside and will be free to play in water park, must be well-behaved, have proof of current rabies vaccination, county license tag. Donations of dog and cat food, treats, blankets, toys accepted for homeless animals. $5/dog/ 50-minute session, plus $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) park entrance fee. Both days from 4 to 4:50 p.m. will be for small dogs only (under 25 lbs.). 954-357-5100.

Benefit for the Observer’s Karen Rice

Sunday, Oct. 9, 4 p.m.

Boca Raton Plaza, 2901 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton, FL 33431

DJ, beer, hot dogs, hamburgers, sides, jello shots and raffle. $20-adults/$5-kids. Karen is currently battling Cancer. Please support her and her family! Contact Ariel Rice: 954-324-6994 or Denise Jann: 561-702-5294. To donate: www.wepay.com/donate/181410.

Pink Heals Tour

Sunday, Oct. 9

• ONLY 9 to 11 a.m. – Register for Classic Car & Truck Show

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

(Cars caravan down to beach. $20 tax deductible donation.)

• 11:30 a.m. – Parade (starts at Quiet Waters Park; Powerline Rd. to Hillsboro Blvd.; east on Hillsboro Blvd. to the beach).

• Following on beach (Main Beach Parking Lot, S. Ocean Way & SE 1 St., Deerfield Beach, 33441)

(Approximate times:)

12:30 to 1 p.m. – Opening ceremonies

1 to 3 p.m. – Broward Sheriff’s Office PAL Boxing Event

2 to 5 p.m. – Live music by Amber Leigh

7 p.m. – Luminaries on the beach

Support women in the fight against Breast cancer. Mammography Van – provided by Boca Raton Regional Hospital (pre-registration required – 561-955-4700), pink fire trucks, skin cancer screenings, bounce houses, food from local vendors, kids play area, etc. Parking at The Cove, shuttles available. www.pinkhealsdb.com.

PINK Paragon Monday

Monday, Oct. 10

Paragon Theaters – Deerfield 8, 3984 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, FL  33442

Watch 50/50 at any time this day and Paragon will donate 50 percent of proceeds to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (Walk Oct. 22). Wear PINK, receive free glass of wine at Wine Bar. 5:30 to 7 p.m., bring a bra and decorate it PINK – supplies, provided. 954-571-2445. www.paragontheaters.com.

Mammo-palooza

Wednesday, Oct. 12, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

North Broward Medical Center, 201 E. Sample Dr., Deerfield Beach, FL 33064

Part of week-long event countywide. Includes walk-through tour of AmeriBreasts exhibit (3-D representation of breast and pathology, info. on self-exams, etc.). Mammograms offered for $99. Insurance accepted. Schedule appointment: 954-759-7500 or visit www.BrowardHealth.org/mammo.

Save the Date: Flu and Pneumonia vaccines

Friday, Oct. 14, 3:30 until 6 p.m.

Dixon Ahl Hall (across from City Hall), 2220 NE 38 St., Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

City of LHP Employees only. $25 per person (cash only) for Flu/H1N1 vaccine (walk-ins are welcome). Pneumonia vaccine (effective for 10 yrs) available for $70. Medicare recipients inoculated free with copy of Medicare docs., photo ID. For Pneumonia vaccine, advance notice must be given by Oct. 10 by contacting 954-784-3425.

LHP 2011 Fall Sports registration

• Pee Wee Flag Football

Registration Ages 7-9

Saturday, Oct. 15, 9 a.m.

Frank McDonough Park, 3500 NE 27 Ave., Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

• Youth Soccer Registration

Ages 10-13 (cannot be 14 before December 1)

Wednesday, Oct. 19, 7 p.m.

Dan Witt Park, 4521 NE 22 Ave., Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

For info., call 954-943-6500.