By Rachel Galvin

A large crowd attended the ribbon cutting at Mawi’s Café on March 25. The Italian bistro has been opened since the end of December in the location where Cove Bagel used to be. Owners Ilaria Romano and Danilo Salatino just moved here from Rome, Italy with two daughters, ages 6 and 4, to create better opportunities for their family.

Their café serves up American breakfast and lunch specialties with Italian flavors, including omelets; egg sandwiches and platters; bagels; pancakes; French toast; waffles; paninis and salads at very reasonable prices. They also have bakery and dessert items, and beverages like espresso and cappuccino. Ask for their special Kuoppos, or pizza cones, and take them to go.

They are currently open every day but Tuesday and will be open for dinner soon. Their hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends. They offer free delivery. Call 954-481-8600.

By Gary Curreri

When it comes to the expansion of the South Florida Baseball School, Bruce Charlebois said his prayers have been answered – literally.

“We have wanted to run a home school division, which is something that we have been praying for a long time and God has answered that prayer with Marc (Carpiniello) and his family,” said Charlebois, owner of the school and head baseball coach at Highlands Christian Academy, where the school is located. “We have also started a softball division this year and that has been another desire of ours for years.

“That is ridiculously great!” Charlebois added. “People believe in our system and we have been able to help in the area of character and baseball training throughout the years and people are investing in us. Again, it is a miracle that we get to do this and people love us enough to invest in what we are doing.”

Charlebois, 49, of Deerfield Beach, said the school is celebrating its 20th anniversary and adding a home school division was just a natural progression.

Carpiniello, 45, also of Deerfield Beach, said the home school division for children ages 6 to 13 began a few months ago with a Tuesday camp and just three players. It has since grown to 14.

“I think it is more of a want, than a need,” said Carpiniello, who home schools his children, Vince, 7, and Jami and Justin, twin 6-year-olds. He coaches his children in several leagues and about 30 games each, however, there are not many practices.

“Even though my kids adapt quickly and make friends fast they are still not in the same circles as most of the other boys since they are home schooled,” Carpiniello said. “With our program, we do a little skill training with them and then break into a wiffle ball or tennis ball game. We will then do some speed and agility, and then some baseball. We will also focus on the pitchers and catchers a little bit. I think it is huge for the kids to be able to play with their friends. They like that they have a league of their own.”

The South Florida Baseball School recently broke ground on a brand new state-of-the-art, 6,000-sq. ft. indoor hitting and pitching facility, currently being built with completion expected by June. They have also added “Rookie Ball” for kids ages 2-5, a softball division, clinics for little league players and coaches.

“The hitting and pitching facility is a game-changer for us as far as the academy goes,” Charlebois said. “It will be built where the exiting hitting area and bullpen area is. It is down the left field line.”

Charlebois said the schedule varies depending on the time of the season.

“We have home school stuff available at any time during the day – from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and our prime time schedule is available from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. during the week,” said Charlebois, who also offers private lessons, small groups and team workouts. “We have Saturdays all day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. We also have winter and summer camps. We had a three-day power camp during winter break.”

Looking back over the 20 years, is there one thing that stands out?

“For the baseball academy, the best memory would, honestly. be God bringing Marc and his family into our lives,” Charlebois said. “His excellent wife Janis has built our website and is doing administrative work for us.

“We have done a lot over the years,” he added. “We have guys in the big leagues with Mike Fiers (Houston Astros) and Michael Taylor (Washington Nationals), both guys who trained in our academy. We also have a number of guys who are in pro ball or Division 1 in college.”

For more information, visit southfloridabaseballschool.com, or call 954-326-2373.

By “Cinema” Dave

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

“They don’t have much talent, but they got a lot of guts,” said my Aunt Virginia about a garage concert my cousins and I held on a backyard in Westfield, New Jersey, circa 1990. Encouraged by a family reunion and fueled by a keg of beer, we sang all forms of American tunes and Italian folk music. We were good, or so we thought. The video revealed a definite lack of vocal talent.

Set in an age before the advent of video recording (early 20th Century), Marguerite features a protagonist who believes she is an opera diva. Unfortunately for Marguerite (Catherine Frot), she is tone deaf and she cannot hear the limitations of her vocal intonations. However, she is a high society patron of the arts, so the Hoi Poloi crowd tolerates Marguerite’s scratchy vocals because of her generous donations to the arts.

In this narcissistic age, a film like Marguerite is very timely. The first half of the movie is very comedic as we watch hypocrites praise Marguerite to her face, but mock her behind her back. For the first 90 minutes, Marguerite is a satirical comedy; however, this film is over two hours long.

When Marguerite hears her first criticism, the film becomes more serious. To prove herself, she takes lessons from a second rate opera singer. Her goal is to sing at a opera house in Paris for a charity benefit. Marguerite concludes with many motifs that one expects from a five act opera.

While fictional, this film is based on a true story about a delusional American dowager who thought she could sing opera, but she sounded like Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer. This French language (with English subtitles) film won multiple awards at the Venice and Cesar film festivals. Marguerite opens tomorrow.

With the Lenten Season over and the further onslaught of Summer Blockbuster movies impending, take the time to see Miracles from Heaven. Based on a true story, Jennifer Garner stars as the mother of a sick child with a stomach disease. After many painful medical examinations and procedures, the daughter returns home and falls into a hollow oak tree. What happens next is a profound mystery.

After seeing the noir Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice with its computerized claustrophobia (more next week), Miracles from Heaven seemed like a breath of fresh air with amazing cinematography celebrating life. With the appearance of a special butterfly and a soulful rendition of George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun,” Miracles from Heaven is the best feel good movie of the year.

DEERFIELD BEACH

March 14: Someone stole a bicycle from an enclosed porch at 601 Cypress Lake Blvd.

March 15: Someone broke into a van parked at 4560 NE 1 Ave. and stole fishing rods and tools.

March 15: A home at 380 NW 37 St. was broken into and ransacked. Various items were stolen.

March 15: A motorcycle was stolen from 4394 NW 9 Ave.

March 22: A person presented a false ID and social security card to the bank at 3668 W. Hillsboro Blvd. in an attempt to obtain an $18,000 loan. Suspect also signed and forged the contract for the loan.

March 22: Suspect stole $39.98 of merchandise from 1829 W. Hillsboro Blvd. BSO reviewed surveillance video and identified the suspect and his vehicle.

March 23: Victim at 422 NW 37 Way reported her house was being burglarized. Investigation found it was a trespassing issue.

March 23: BSO deputies arrested a suspect at 4008 W. Hillsboro Blvd. who was in possession of Dollar Tree merchandise that he did not pay for.

March 24: Suspect stole merchandise from Target at 3599 W. Hillsboro Blvd. and exited store without paying. He was stopped outside the store and placed into custody.

March 28: Complainant reported a semi-tractor and trailer stolen from the parking lot of Signs by RJ at 3300 SW 11 St. approximately three weeks prior.

Lighthouse Point

March 8: Police were called to 3580 N. Federal Hwy. regarding a prescription fraud. The subject did not know the date of birth of the patient and the doctor was contacted who said he did not write the prescription.

March 11: Someone reached into an open window and stole a cell phone from the front seat of the vehicle parked at 2110 NE 30 St. The subject also stole a blower and a weed whacker. The total loss was $1,110.

March 16: Someone slashed the tires of a 2014 Hyundai and keyed the side of a vehicle while it was parked at 3605 NE 22 Ave. The loss was $750.

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

Feeding the hungry in Deerfield

Congratulations to the First Church of Coral Springs for their efforts to feed the hungry. I would be remiss if I failed to mention that every Thursday the volunteers of St Ambrose Catholic Church distribute food packages to the residents of Deerfield Beach. All of the food is donated by the parishioners, and it is an ongoing work to feed the needy.

Jean M. Robb, Mayor

Deerfield Beach

Congrats to Lighthouse Point

I was just reading the article about Lighthouse Point [Observer, March 17, Pg. 1] about keeping the prayer at the commission meetings. Good for them for standing up for values most of us have, like the Pledge of Allegiance. It should be said in school and at meetings everywhere. This reminds me of a saying I heard: “I’d rather live free in a land of hurt feelings than enslaved by political correctness.”

Steven J. Fabrizio

Deerfield Beach

STEM Education Event

Thursday, March 31, 5 to 7 p.m.

Park Ridge Elementary School

5200 NE 9 Ave.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33064

Interactive STEM exploration stations with hands-on challenges, including creating a wind-powered car, building a freestanding tower and writing code for a digital game. For more information, call 240-662-2661 or shawnee_cohn@discovery.com.

9th Annual Surfers for Autism Festival

Concert: Friday April 1, 5 to 9 p.m.

Festival: Saturday, April 2, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Paddleboard: Sunday, April 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On the beach in Deerfield Beach, FL, 33441

Events especially designed for kids with Autism, as well as activities, music, food trucks and fun for the entire family. Musical acts include Buddy Sparrow, The Resolvers, Islanders All and more. To register kids for surfing or paddleboarding, visit www.surfersforautism.org.

Bird Walk

Saturday, April 2, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Deerfield Island Park

Meet at Pioneer Park dock

217 NE 5 Ave.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Meet at Pioneer Park dock by 8 a.m. to catch the boat shuttle. Tour space is limited and preregistration is required. Sturdy shoes and binoculars recommended. Free. Ages 8 and up. For more information, call Quiet Waters Park at 954-357-5100.

CrawDebauchery Food

and Music Festival

Saturday, April 2 to Sunday, April 3

11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily

Pompano Beach Amphitheater Field

1806 NE 6 St.

Pompano Beach, FL 33060

New Orleans food festival, music, entertainment, crawdad boil and much more. Tickets from $25 to $125 are on sale now and can be purchased at www.CrawDebauchery.com.

Palmview Elementary Spring Yard Sale

Saturday, April 2, 7 a .m. to noon.

Palmview Elementary School

2601 NE 1 Ave.

Pompano Beach, FL 33064

Need to sell something? Looking for that special item? Now’s your chance! Vendor space is $25. Contact Mrs. Reid at 754-322-7600.

Survivor Island

Saturday, April 2, 9 a.m. to noon

Deerfield Island Park

Meet at Pioneer Park Dock

217 NE 5 Ave.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Ages 8 and up. Could you survive on a tropical island, start a fire or make drinking water from sea water? Come learn basic survival skills with naturalists! Closed shoes only. Transport boat departs Pioneer Park at 9 a.m. $8 per person. Register at 954-357-5100 or www.webtrac.broward.org.

Model Railroad Swap Meet and Flea Market

Saturday, April 2, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Oveta McKeithen Recreation Center

445 SW 2 St.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Model Trains, track, books and memorabilia. Donation: $2 Adults, $1 Children. For information, call 561-441-6952.

Car Wash

Saturday, April 2, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Trinity United Methodist Church

3901 NE 22 Ave.

Lighthouse Point, FL 33064

Car wash to benefit youth summer camp trip. Money will help cover costs and scholarships. Visit www.trinitychurchlhp.com for more information.

Cornerstone Park Ribbon Cutting & BBQ

Saturday, April 2, 10 a.m.

Cornerstone Park

1420 SE 3 Ave.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

The City of Deerfield Beach invites you to join in the opening of a new park. The Broward Sheriff’s Office is sponsoring a BBQ. Refreshments include ice cream for children. Call 954-480-4426 for additional details.

Tour the Historic Butler House

Saturday, Apr. 2, 10 to 2 p.m.

Historic Butler House

380 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Donations welcome. Learn about the heritage of Deerfield Beach’s farming pioneers, including the Butlers.

Portrait of a Bride: The Evolving Silhouette

Saturday, April 2, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Sample-McDougald House

450 NE 10 St.

Pompano Beach, FL 33060

The Lighthouse Point Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presents a display of historic, vintage and antique wedding gowns. Buffet luncheon, tour of house and Speaker Leigh Ann Brown. $40 per person to benefit scholarship fund. RSVP to embrauer@bellsouth.net or 754-224-9447.

The Holocaust Survivor Band

Sunday, April 3, 2 p.m.

Temple Beth Israel

201 S. Military Tr.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Saul Dreier and Reuben Sosnowicz started this group out of nostalgia for the tunes of their youth, and have toured America with their music, including playing at The Kennedy Center. Tickets $18, available 9 a.m. to noon at Temple Beth Israel, or mail check to address above. For information, call 954-421-7060.

5th Annual Concert for a Cure

Sunday, April 10, 2 to 6 p.m.

Historic Butler House

380 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Steve Minotti & Friends, the Deerfield Kiwanis Club and Everything Deerfield Beach are holding a concert to benefit Relay for Life of Deerfield Beach, Lighthouse Point and Hillsboro Beach. $10 donation. Cash bar. For information, call 954-592-3150 or email teagen@everythingdeerfieldbeach.com.

T. S. Eliot famously wrote that “April is the cruelest month.” I beg to differ. For me, April is a month overflowing with hope and with promises fulfilled. In the northern hemisphere, it’s the beginning of springtime, and if you’ve ever lived on the cold side of 40 degrees north latitude, then, with the coming of April, you’ve paid your winter dues and are ready to enjoy the first blooming of the cherry blossoms.

I’ve long held a completely unsubstantiated belief, that when our Lord rested on the seventh day of Creation, it just happened to be on a beautiful day in April, and, when He saw what He had made, He declared: “it was very good.”

Yes, our Lord’s Creation is spectacular in April, but we may miss the whole divine show if our thoughts turn to other Aprils – those past, present and future – and the memories of losses and fears that may come to mind. Any Biblical-optimism generated by the wonders of Creation can be a challenge to defend, in the face of our own doubts, and to the skeptics of our world. Remember Saul on the road to Damascus, who could only see a god of anger and was blind to the God of Love.

Our God knows this about our thought process and that’s why He never leaves our side even if we think we’re meant to go it alone and all talk of hope and promises aren’t in the cards for us.

When such thoughts make their appearance, we need to be reminded that, if God permits “a time to weep and a time to mourn,” he also provides “a time to laugh and a time to dance.” Holy Scripture is teeming with stories of the self-inflicted tribulations of flawed humankind, and how our God redeems us with His love when we turn to Him. The story of our redemption is a golden thread that runs through the Bible from beginning to end.

We find an early stitch in this golden thread in the Book of Genesis; there, we learn what happened to Adam and Eve, our first parents, when they made their ill-fated choice to disobey God. They were driven from an earthly paradise in the Garden of Eden, but not before God gently clothed them against the elements of a cruel world. Yes, there are also cruel times in each of our lives, often engendered by the poor choices we make; but our pathway through these cruel times may be successfully navigated when we follow the directions our Lord lovingly lays out for us.

We find another stitch in this golden thread in the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah. He wrote of the Hebrew’s disobedience leading to the Babylonian Exile and to their losing all hope of ever returning to their homeland. Their longing to return is offered as a prayer in Verdi’s stunningly beautiful “Va, pensiero” which is sung by Hebrew slaves on the banks of the River Euphrates in the opera Nabucco. God did lead the Hebrews home to their beloved Jerusalem and enabled them to rebuild their city.

There may be times in each of our lives when we feel an estrangement from friends, family and home and can’t see any way for a re-connection. During these times, we need to remember the power of prayers and that they are like the ever-returning spring. They never leave our lips without the promise of our God’s providential reply.

And, finally, with each spring, God’s golden thread leads to the remembrance of the singular event in the story of our redemption that overflows with hope and with promises fulfilled – the glorious Resurrection of our Lord on Easter morning after he was savagely crucified on Good Friday. Yes, although we also experience times of suffering in this life, the promise of Easter is that we will also rise again to life eternal with our Lord. Is April the “cruelest month”? I don’t think so, especially when we kneel at the foot of the Cross and look up at our risen Lord and all the hopes and fulfilled promises that entails.

Rev. M. Tracy Smith, SSA, Rector is from the Saint Peter’s Anglican Church, 1416 SE 2 Terr., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, call 954-695-0336. Wednesday: Morning Prayer at 10 a.m., Sunday: Holy Communion at 10 a.m.

By Gary Curreri

When it comes to boys’ basketball at Blanche Ely High School, Coach Melvin Randall doesn’t rebuild. He doesn’t reload. He just finds a way to repeat.

Despite early struggles this season, the Tigers (20-13) found a way to roll off five wins in a row at the end of the season to win its second consecutive Class 7A state championship with an 84-70 victory over St. Petersburg at the Lakeland Center.

St. Petersburg (27-7) had won 12 in a row and 18 of 19 – the only loss was a 62-61 defeat to Wellington. Blanche Ely’s victory was the sixth overall for the school and fourth in the past five years, and fifth since 2007.

“It was all a setup,” Ely coach Melvin Randall joked following the contest. “We took all the losses we could so we could come in the back door and do this again. Seriously, though, this team could have laid down, but they worked extremely hard, and, as a result, we’re state champions. This is sweeter even than 28-0.”

Randall was referring to last season’s 28-0 mark. This year’s team started off slowly, but, like most years, found a way to peak at the right time and helped Randall win a state-record seventh state championship as a coach. With the win, Randall surpassed Miami Norland coach Lawton Williams III, and Dillard’s Darryl Burrows, who each have six state titles.

Despite returning just three players from last year’s squad, Randall said it took time for the team to put things together. Injuries didn’t help either as the Tigers found itself at 12-11 at one point late in the season, including a four-game losing skid at one point – something Randall had never experienced in his illustrious 24-year career where he has amassed 555 victories.

“It has been an up and down year,” Randall said. “The youngsters started peaking at the right time. I think a lot of it had to do with the schedule that I presented to them. We definitely took some beatings, but we played against the best.

“I thought they had it in them,” Randall said. “They kept their composure when they had to. I am just pleased. There were times during the season where I had to grab myself and realize how young they are. We had to keep fighting and keep fighting. As a coach, I could have laid down and made excuses that I had all babies and was just going to burn this year, but the kids just fought and fought and, as a result, we finished the job.”

In the title game, junior forward William Maloney finished with a game-high 20 points, while junior guard Geremy Taylor posted a triple-double, finishing with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Senior forward Trevor Goodrum Jr. (12 points, three steals and three rebounds); sophomore guard Michael Forrest (12 points); freshman power forward Joshua Scott (11 points) and senior guard Mark Houston (10 points) all contributed to the title.

“We always felt like we had it in us to come together,” Goodrum said. “We just had to join together as a team and work hard at practice. That was the way we were going to go back to states. We had to go all out and come together as a team and, once we did that, we knew it would happen.”

Goodrum said there were doubts.

“We knew we had to stay together as a team,” he added. “We were a family and we knew if we stayed together we could do whatever we wanted to accomplish. The only thing on my mind was getting another ring. I wanted two on my fingers.”

By the time people read this column, many will know who won the Batman v. Superman fight this Easter weekend. There is no denying the marketing juggernaut that DC Comics and Warner Brothers studios have created to compete with the Marvel/Disney comic book franchise. While Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is expected to dominate the box office, it will be the execution of story, character development and visual imagery that will determine the sustainability of the DC Comic book franchise.

There are many “human” alternatives to this comic book option. Having premiered at the Palm Beach International Film Festival 14 years ago, My Big Fat Greek Wedding changed the box office paradigm for independent film distribution. Writer and lead actress Nia Vardalos and her Big Fat Greek Wedding ensemble cast return this weekend for My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.

The documentary Look at Us Now, Mother! expands this weekend at local theaters. The dysfunctional family pain is real, yet the theme of forgiveness is very appropriate this holiday weekend.

The most fun movie on the big screen this weekend is Hello, My Name is Doris. As the title character, Sally Field is getting her best notices as a leading lady since the 1980s. We have all met someone like “Doris” before, but Field adds depth to create a well-rounded character. Only an actress of Field’s caliber can balance the broad and subtle nuances of a truthful performance.

Doris is a frumpy gal who has lived too many years with her mother, who has recently departed. While taking an elevator ride to the office, she bumps up against artist John Fremont (Max Greenfield). Despite being three times John’s age, Doris feels a stirring in her womanhood. With subtle shades of Harold and Maude, My Name is Doris contains broad comedy in dream sequences.

Like a good episode of Everybody Loves Raymond, this film acknowledges pain. Screenwriters Laura Terruso and Michael Showalter (who also directed) use the pain to set up the punch line, which acts as a cathartic release. One golden moment features the nerdy Doris trying to dance to modern music. At first, she is stiff and awkward; but, by the end of the scene, Doris finds her beat and her mojo.

As I write this column, news of the Brussels terrorist attacks is unfolding. Say a prayer and find some soul refuge this Easter. There is plenty of escapism that can be found at your local movie theater this weekend. Make it a great Easter!

Deerfield Beach

March 6: A surveillance camera at a business at 3144 SW 13 Dr. showed a suspect jumping a fence and stealing a pressure washer, extension cords, shop vac and other equipment for a total loss of $800.

March 7: A man reported his car stolen from 4169 N. Dixie Hwy.

March 8: Someone broke the window of a car and tried to steal it at 4555 NE 1 Ave.

March 8: Someone broke into a residence at 441 NE 43 St.

March 8: A man reported his car parked at 3500 SW 14 St. was entered and items were stolen.

March 15: Suspect keyed the right side of victim’s vehicle at 351 NW 36 Ave., causing about $200 in damage.

March 19: An auto reported stolen by the Coral Springs Police Dept. was recovered at 2620 SW 15 St. after a report of an abandoned vehicle.

Lighthouse Point

March 2: A store employee discovered four empty security cases for Gillette Fusion razors at 3580 N. Federal Hwy. A search of surveillance footage revealed two male subjects in the aisle concealing the razors and then leaving the store. It is believed that they took the razors.

March 3: The victim from 2001 NE 39 St. said someone used her credit card to make three purchases totaling $100.96. She was in possession of her card and unsure how her account was compromised.

March 4: A boat engine valued at $500 was stolen from a dock at 4051 NE 25 Ave.