| December, 2013

Publisher’s Perspective: Historical Essay No.74

Posted on 26 December 2013 by LeslieM

Since our family, the Eller family, has lived in Deerfield Beach since 1923, I’ve often been asked to put in writing some of the history of the area, either experienced personally, or that I heard from my parents or grandparents. For some of you old timers that might be worried about certain old “scandals,” don’t worry, I won’t be writing about those (smile).

David Eller, Publisher

My most memorial Christmas yet my wife’s best and worst

For a Christian, having your birthday on Christmas Eve is a bummer. People can give you a present and say, “This is your birthday and Christmas present. This actually happened to my wife’s father, Arthur, and her mother’s father, Edward, both of whom were born on Christmas Eve. Therefore, when my wife, Deborah, was pregnant with our first child in 1971 and the doctor predicted our baby would be born toward the end of December, we all laughed about it making some sort of record if our baby was also born on Dec. 24.

However, on Dec. 23 about 4.30 p.m., our baby son, Dana, decided he wanted out of his mama’s belly and started kicking hard. This was before cell phones. My wife was at home, and I was driving around locally delivering Christmas gifts to some of our customers and calling her from a customer’s office every hour. I’d just talked to her about 4:15 p.m. and she told me everything was fine. Therefore, I was having a good time at Consulting Engineer John Grant’s office party in Boca Raton. But, when I called home about 5: 15 p.m.and no one answered, I knew I was in trouble. My wife, shortly after talking to me on the phone had suddenly gone into hard labor. Not able to reach me, she called my mother who lived nearby, who rushed over to drive her to Bethesda Hospital in Boynton. My mother, very excited, got lost a couple of times trying to find the hospital, but they finally got there just a few minutes before my wife gave birth. I also arrived to the hospital just in time to also welcome our first born, son Dana, into this world. It was 42 years ago this week. He weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 20 inches long.

The next day, Dec. 24,I went to the store and bought a little boys’ red outfit 20 inches long with Santa and reindeers on it. It turned out to be way too big, as I had forgotten to adjust the length down for his head sticking out of it.

However, unbeknownst to me, the “fun” had just begun. The next day, Christmas, Dec. 25,1971, the Miami Dolphins were playing the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City for the AFC divisional championship.

Both had identical 10-3 records. I just had to watch this game and figured I could visit my wife and new son in the hospital as soon as the game was over. I had no idea that this game would ultimately go down as the longest professional football game in history.

Meanwhile, two of my mother’s brothers arrived in town to visit my grandmother in Boynton. They were big Kansas City supporters and they invited me to watch the game with them and make a $100 bet for the Dolphins to win. I agreed since I figured I would still have time to visit my wife and new son after the game. Big mistake. Miami spent most of the game playing catch-up to Kansas City. Miami tied the score at 24-24 with just 1:25 left in regulation when Bob Griese threw a 5 yard pass to Marv Fleming.

They were still tied after the first overtime. But, midway through the second overtime, Miami kicker GaroYepremian, with shoe laces still untied, kicked a 37-yard field goal to win the longest game in NFL history.

I collected my winnings from my uncles and headed off to the hospital. I arrived just as visiting hours were over. But, when I explained why I was late, I was able to convince them to let me have a short visit with my wife and new son. My wife was not a happy camper, but our new son didn’t seem to care, and, now, he has four sons of his own.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Stone, Zion looking ahead

Posted on 26 December 2013 by LeslieM

Pages 09-16By Gary Curreri

Zion Lutheran School junior forward Keith Stone is certainly making up for lost time on the basketball court.

After a strong summer of playing with Nike Team Florida in the AAU Showcase and then playing in the AAU National Championship game on ESPN, Stone has had nearly three dozen NCAA Division I colleges come through to evaluate his talent on the basketball court. Not a bad accomplishment for someone who has been playing basketball for just four years.

It’s going good,” said Stone, 16, of Deerfield Beach. “It’s slowly happening, but I am glad I am starting to see what my options are.”

Stone, a 6-foot, 7-inch, 225-pound junior forward from Zion Lutheran, scored 32 points to lead the Lions to a come-from-behind, 60-54 victory over Coolidge High of Washington D.C for third place in the Rock Challenge Bracket of the recently concluded Kreul Classic at the Coral Springs City Gymnasium. The Lions are 8-4 on the year.

I really wasn’t that good before,” said Stone, who played goalkeeper in a recreational soccer league and in baseball before giving basketball a try when he enrolled at Zion Lutheran. “I spent a lot of time in the gym with (Zion Lutheran boys’ basketball coach John Guion) and the other coaches.

I love everything about basketball, getting up and down the court, shooting, all of that,” added Stone, who also maintains a 3.2 grade point average in the classroom. “I do feel pressure to contribute, but I don’t let it affect my game. I just go out and try my hardest and try and prove everybody wrong.”

Stone said he’s surprised that he is starting to get the attention of colleges, but said he’s also glad his hard work has paid off.

I couldn’t make a layup, or dribble when I first started,” Stone said. “I have improved my shooting a lot. I figure I’ll play the three (small forward) or the four (power forward) in college.”

Guion said the attention that Stone is getting is also opening the doors for his teammates like Vince Stubbs, a 6- foot, 3-inch junior forward who is also drawing interest at the next level.

Keith has not missed a workout in three years,” said Guion, who is in his third year as basketball coach and is also the school’s assistant athletic director. “He is the first one to get in the gym and the last one to leave. He’s a doer. He very seldom questions anything that is asked of him. He is new to the game and he understands he has to be more assertive.

I am not surprised in how well he is doing,” Guion added. “He had decent hands and he is big. His feet weren’t horrible. We started him in the post and he is now playing all five positions. Being able to play multiple positions keeps you on the court longer.”

Guion hopes his team will make a deep run into the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) playoffs this season. He said his team has the potential to do well; however, it needs to gel as a team.

It’s December, and it’s a process,” Guion said. “I think we have steadily shown progress. The Lions returned all of its starters from last year and will return everyone next year as well.”

Guion said the last two weeks have challenged his team and in the end, they will have to get past Grandview Prep.

That’s a great team,” Guion said. “They are a big roadblock. I am not concerned with how far we go. I just want everyone to play to their strengths and we’ll throw that in the bucket and be strong.”

The Lions finished last year 22-8 and enjoyed the best season in school history after it won the district championship and reached the Class 2A regional finals where it dropped a 71-48 decision to Westwood Christian. It had been a dozen years since Zion Lutheran had reached the state tournament.

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FLICKS: Philomena

Posted on 26 December 2013 by LeslieM

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

In storytelling, the most affecting tragedy includes the tears of a clown. Shakespeare includes comic relief even in his tragedies. The terror of the original “Wicker Man” is made more horrific by the goofy characters and cheesy music that is played previously. Given his work in Dangerous Liaisons, The Grifters, Mrs. Henderson presents… and The Queen, director Stephen Frears knows how to balance the humor and sadness of Philomena.

When journalist Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) loses his high profile job with a national newspaper in Great Britain, he begins slumming in “human interest stories.” Given his international career covering the fall of the Soviet Union, Sixsmith finds “human in- terest” stories beneath his standards. Desperate for income, Sixsmith gets in contact with Philomena (Judi Dench).

When she was a naive teenager visiting the county fair, Philomena had a son out of wedlock. Without parental support, Philomena is forced into indentured servitude at a Catholic nunnery. When the boy is born, Philomena’s maternal instincts kick in. One day, rich parents from Washington D.C. adopt Philomena’s boy, while the heartbroken mother continues to fulfill her medical debt to the nunnery. Fifty years later, Philomena wants to know what happened to her baby boy.

With a mystery afoot, Sixsmith and Philomena uncover clues. Why is there an unkempt graveyard of young mothers and premature babies? How does the Reagan Administration fit into this mystery? Philomena answers these and many more questions, but it is personal resentment and human interest that form this core mystery of evil. As Philomena, Judi Dench will provide Meryl Streep competition during awards season. Dench retains the grit from her previous acting challenges as Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria, but with Philomena, the actress reveals a vulnerability not seen in many decades.

Best known from his British comedy performances, Steve Coogan co-wrote and produced this film. With low key precision as the straight man, Coogan lets Dame Judi Dench shine without shadow. With Philomena,

Coogan enters the next stage of British Royal filmmaking.

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CRIME WATCH

Posted on 26 December 2013 by LeslieM

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

DEERFIELD BEACH

Dec. 12 An attempt was made to break into Gentle Dental at 2265C W. Hillsboro Blvd. with a blow torch.

Dec.12 A home at 4430 NE 3 Ave. was broken into and electronic equipment, a watch and cash were stolen. Total loss was estimated at $2,650.

Dec. 12 It was reported that someone walked out of Target at 3599 W. Hillsboro Blvd. with a flat-screen television.

Dec. 12 A woman reported that a woman stole Christmas decorations from her home at 2036 SW17 Circle.

Dec. 13 A vehicle parked at 883 Siesta Key Dr. was broken into and a satchel with personal papers and a tool box were stolen.

DEERFIELD District 4

Dec. 20 Fraud was reported at Pine Tree apartments, 1761 W. Hillsboro Blvd. A customer presented a fake FL driver’s license to cash a forged payroll check at SunTrust. The customer suddenly became wary and fled without the check and driver’s license.

Dec. 20 Theft – Retail/ shoplifting was reported at Super Target, 3599 W. Hillsboro Blvd.Video surveillance shows two females taking tablets and walking out of the store, passing all points of sale without paying.

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

Dec. 11 A man reported that an unlocked clubhouse at Lighthouse Colony, 2800 NE 30 Ave., was entered and a flat-screen television was stolen.

Dec. 13 A man reported that a lion statue in his yard at 3232 NE 31 Ave. was broken and someone rummaged through a boat parked at his home.

Dec. 15 The loss prevention officer at Publix at 3700 N. Federal Hwy. reported that a man took at bottle of syrup off a shelf and tried to redeem it for a gift card. The man was issued a trespass warning and told not to return.

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HAPPENINGS

Posted on 26 December 2013 by LeslieM

New Year’s Eve Celebration

Tuesday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Deer Creek Country Club 2801 Deer Creek CC Blvd. Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Hors d’oeuvres, buffet, open bar, DJ and photo booth, champagne toast at midnight. Pre-paid reservations required: 954-426-6588. On Jan. 1, come back for buffet. Reservations required: 954-421-5553. See ad on Pg. 14 for more details, including menu.

New Year’s word of faith/dinner

Tuesday, Dec. 31, 9 p.m.

Comunidade Evangelica Internacional Zona Sul-Florida 2205 W. Hillsboro Blvd. Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Free Admission. Come receive a bold word of faith. FREE buffet dinner. 954-421-7737. www.ceizsflorida.com.

First Night Celebration

Tuesday, Dec. 31, 4 p.m. to midnight.

Downtown Delray Beach

Fun-filled evening for families with indoor/outdoor venues located throughout downtown area. Includes music, dance, theater, visual art, film programs, arts and crafts, obstacle courses, face painting, Improv Theater, carousels, ice skating, dancers, magicians. Fireworks at 9 p.m. & midnight. First Night buttons required & can be purchased for $10 in advance/$15 night of event. Call 561-279-1380 or visit www.VisitDelray Beach.org for details.

Lecture: Jewish American Composers on Broadway

Wednesday, Jan. 1, 11 a.m. to noon

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

Cantor Irving Bell continues series including examples from their shows. Lectures held first Wednesday of each month. Fee: $10 for entire series. Call 954-421-7060.

Holiday Fantasy of Lights

Through Saturday, Jan. 4, 6 to 10 p.m.

Tradewinds Park 3600 W. Sample Rd. Coconut Creek, FL 33066

Drive through a magical world created with lights. Wednesday through Sunday, $14 per car. Monday and Tuesday, $10 per car. 3-D glasses, extra $3. 15+ capacity buses, $35 daily. Visit www.holidaylightsdrivethru.com for printable coupon. For more info., call 954-357-8870.

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CLERGY CORNER: God Surprises

Posted on 26 December 2013 by LeslieM

Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”

(Matthew 1:23)

One of the least recognized lessons from Joseph in the Christmas story highlights the importance of change; the willingness to change when we should, stay the course when we should and the wisdom to know the difference.

We all have “God surprises” from time to time and it goes without saying that Mary’s surprise is unmatched in the history of humankind. The divine delivery speaks for itself, but Joseph took a good jolt himself and he eventually did exactly what he needed to do.

Change is hard once we are invested where we are, once we are invested in where we think we’re headed. How does the saying go? “The more we care, the longer we’re there, the less likely we’ll dare to change!”

You don’t have to live very long to learn the greatest blessings in the world involve God surprises. We had one of these God surprises and big changes in our family over Thanksgiving when our middle child announced she was going to have a baby.

How cool is that?

Talk about a big change that leads to a little blessing and a little blessing that that leads to a big change. Some of the more emotional people in my family get all teary in the eyes when they hear about this sort of God surprise. I only required a small towel…

Christmas is a great big God surprise, although it shouldn’t have been a surprise at all given the predictions… You know the story. Joseph and Mary are betrothed. They have wedding plans and they’re excited as any young couple would be. The families long-since approved. Nazareth is a small town. Word gets around.

Joseph and Mary are mentally, emotionally and personally invested when Mary turns up with child. Joseph may have been teary in the eyes, too, given the story told that Mary is still a virgin. How could that be true?

I personally think it would have been great if the angel appeared to Joseph back when the angel appeared to Mary. Gabriel could have just held a little premarital counseling session with the two of them and let them wrestle with the news about the baby together.

But God surprises have a way of happening the way God wants and not the way we want! And we’re left to wonder and believe, or not .

There is disbelief in Joseph’s first change of plans, which is to quietly send Mary away. This remains his plan until Joseph is shown an angel of his own. With the help of the angel, Joseph eventually has the right frame of mind. He changes when he needs to change and stays the course when he needs to stay the course. Ultimately, Joseph does what all of us are supposed to do. He uncrosses and opens his arms to the will of God.

Pray for God surprises in 2014, little blessings, big blessings and maybe even an angel or two to give us the wisdom and willingness to change when we need to change and stay the course when we need to stay the course. But be prepared to be a little teary in the eyes because God knows sometimes it takes a good jolt to change…

Reverend Dennis Andrews

Reverend Andrews is a minister at Community Presbyterian Church of Deerfield Beach (Steeple on the Beach) located five blocks south of Hillsboro on AIA. See more at www.comm unitych.org or on Facebook.

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2013 Yuletide on Atlantic

Posted on 26 December 2013 by LeslieM

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Water is safe; Boil water order rescinded, Deerfield Beach

Posted on 20 December 2013 by JLusk

12-21-2013

UPDATE: BOIL WATER ORDER IS RESCINDED

The  “Precautionary Boil Water Notice” is hereby rescinded. All bacterial test results showed no contamination of our drinking water. Therefore, be advised that your water is safe to drink and use for all household purposes.

If you have any questions, please call the City of Deerfield Beach at 954-480-4370

——————————————————————–

12-20-13

DRINKING WATER WARNING: BOIL YOUR WATER BEFORE USING

Broward County Well Tested Positive for Fecal Indicator

The North Broward Regional well field, from which the City of Deerfield Beach gets a portion of its groundwater supply, detected fecal indicators (E. coli) in one of its wells. The City of Deerfield Beach is not responsible for maintenance of the North Broward Regional well field. However as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we are further doing to correct this situation. One process control sample in The North Broward Regional well field tested positive for Total Coliform and E. coli. This well is now being treated and repaired and it is no longer feeding raw groundwater water to our water treatment plant. The City of Deerfield Beach in an abundance of caution is collecting additional bacteriological samples throughout our distribution system to rule out any contamination. This sampling began on December 19th and will continue for two days or until deemed necessary to ensure the safety of the drinking water supplied to our residents. As a precaution you will be asked to take a few actions until the boil water notice is rescinded. The areas within the City of Deerfield Beach that are affected by this notice are zip codes 33441, 33442 and only North of SW 15th Street within the zip code 33064.

What should I do?
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a rolling boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using it. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. You may also use bottled water. Use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, preparing food, and washing dishes until further notice.

Also, if you have a severely compromised immune system, have an infant, or are elderly, you may be at increased risk and should seek advice about drinking water from your health care providers. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. If you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor. We are also providing regular updates on this situation via postings.

What does this mean?
Inadequately treated or inadequately protected water may contain disease-causing organisms. These organisms can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, cramps, and associated headaches. Fecal indicators are microbes whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term health effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems. These symptoms are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice.

What is being done?
We will keep you informed of the steps we are taking to protect your drinking water and will provide information on any steps you should be taking, until this problem is corrected.

For more information, please contact:

The City of Deerfield Beach Water Plant at 954-480-4370

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

This notice is being sent to you by the City of Deerfield Beach Environmental Services Division.
State Water System ID# 4060254 Date Sent: December 19th, 2013

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7th Annual Sweet Dreams

Posted on 19 December 2013 by JLusk

By Rachel Galvin

Within the Seminole Coconut Creek Casino Pavilion, a winter wonderland emerged Dec. 13 and 14. Besides a wintery landscape, 24 vendors provided samples of some of their sweet treats.

Carolers strolled and a band played. Celebrity Chef Keegan Gerhard used humor and skill to demonstrate how to make a Swiss Meringue on Friday. On Saturday, Chef Gale Gand, a James Beard Foundation award-winner, made holiday treats.

The event, with its wealth of desserts and frosty façade, benefits a different charity annually.

This year, it is the Make- A-Wish Foundation. The casino made wishes come true for two families.

2-

Celebrity Chef Keegan Gerhard demonstrated how to make a Swiss Meringue at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek on Dec. 13. The event lasted 2 days.

Sweet Dreams 037Sweet Dreams 051Sweet Dreams 001 Sweet Dreams 063 Sweet Dreams 064 Sweet Dreams 059 Sweet Dreams 013 Sweet Dreams 031    Sweet Dreams 068 Sweet Dreams 040

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Moroney shines in winter meets

Posted on 19 December 2013 by LeslieM

Pages 17-24By Gary Curreri

It’s been quite a winter for Deerfield Beach’s Megan Moroney in the pool.

The 16-year-old won two state titles for St. Andrew’s at the Class 1A state high school championships. She captured the 200-yard freestyle (1:46- .51) for the second consecutive year and the 100-yard butterfly (54.39) for her third consecutive win in the event at state. She was also a member of the silver medal winning 200 and 400-Freestyle relays.

At the recent Winter Championships in Plantation, she was on the winning girls 800-free, 200-free, 400-medley relay and 200-medley relays; won the 100-back and took second in the 1,000 free and 500 freestyle events, in addition to placing second in the 50-fly.

At the state high school meets, she has accumulated five individual golds, a silver and a bronze and captured three relay gold medals, four silvers and three bronze medals.

Moroney recently returned home from the AT&T Winter National Championships in Knoxville, TN at the University of Tennessee where she also turned in some solid performances against some of the top swimmers in the nation.

I did pretty well. I went a few best times so it was good,” said Moroney, a junior at St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton.”

Moroney bettered her previous best time by three seconds in the 500-freestyle event when she went 4:59.83 and placed 22nd. Her effort in the 200-free was a little off her best time. She swam 1:47.30 in the prelims and came back with a 1:48 at night (16th place). She also broke the 50-second barrier in her prelim with a 49.96 in the 100. She followed that up with a 50.30 in the evening and took 21st.

I was happy with my 500 and 100 free because I finally broke the two barriers I’ve been aiming for,” Moroney said. “I can’t be upset with my 200 free because it’s really tough to bounce back from doing a best time at states, but I wish it would have gone better. My 100 back and 200 fly were best times technically speaking, but I know I can go much faster in both. I was definitely tired from everything that was going on before, so, with that in mind, I was very happy overall.”

Moroney has been on the high school team at St. Andrew’s since sixth grade, so this is her sixth year on the squad.

I just remember in the sixth grade how excited I was just to make it to regionals and I was so thrilled that I made it to states,” Moroney said. “I made it by 10ths of a second, and there was no greater feeling for me back then. I never imagined that this was where I was going to be.”

Moroney also went to the U.S. Olympic trials and hopes to someday represent the United States.

It could have gone better,” she said. “It was totally different from any meet I had been to before. I had the cut in the 100 back and time trialed in the 400 free and 100 fly. What I learned is that there are so many fast people out there, that it is not just the people in South Florida. I will work really hard to get there.”

Moroney was looking forward to exams at school this week and will take a short family vacation before hitting the pool for more hard training.

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