By Rachel Galvin

May 17 marked the annual luncheon at Deerfield Beach Rotary Club when deserving students from Zion Lutheran, Highlands Christian Academy and Deerfield Beach High School received scholarships from the organization. One by one the students came up in front of the group and received a check for $1,000.

These future leaders want to contribute to the community in a variety of ways. Their career of choice runs the gamut from attorney to journalist, physiologist and kinesiologist to cardiologist, sports manager to psychologist and even teacher.

But students were not the only ones honored.

DART, a longtime sponsor, was honored, represented by Retired VP of Sales and Marketing Al Nigro and Charitable Committee members Marlyn Spencer and Mabel Urena.

Pictured: (Zion) Allison Newcombe, David Gagne, Patrick Byndloss and Jasmine LaBrousse; (DBHS) Hellen Ospina, Jesse Morgan, Joseph Angello, Victor Araujo and Alexis Chetkin; (HCA) Danielle Stromquist, Alexi Rivera and Stephen Kies. (Front Left) Commissioner Joe Miller and Rotary President Bill Stradling (Back Right).

By Gary Curreri

Reg Cook said he’d spend more time with his family after stepping down as Athletic Director at Highlands Christian Academy. Photo by Gary Curreri

Reg Cook said he is not “relieved” to be giving up the reigns as athletic director at Highlands Christian Academy.

Cook, who turns 60 on Sept. 29, is completing his 37th year at the school. He told school officials recently that he would give up his duties as athletic director, but would stay on and help Jim Good as an assistant. Good would remain as head basketball coach as well.

“I wouldn’t use the word relief because it sounds like I am getting out of a job I hated, and that’s not the case,” said Cook, who went 518-265 at the school as its boys basketball coach for 28 years. The gym floor was named after Cook in 2005-2006.

“An athletic director (AD) puts in a lot of hours and that goes without saying,” Cook added. “At this time in my life, my new contract is less hours … It gives me some more time at my home with my wife. It is cutting back a little bit. It’s a great job, and Jimmy is a great boss.”

Cook started at Highlands when his father, Bernie, was the AD at the school. Cook began as a PE teacher and a coach. He piloted the JV team three years under his father, who was also the varsity coach and then took over the varsity team until six years ago when he handed that to Good as well. Cook has enjoyed his tenure at the school.

“Oh my gosh, it’s just been great,” said Cook, whose three children went to the school, and he was able to coach two of his brothers also during that time. “It’s been wonderful because I haven’t had to check the clock when it is time to go home. It’s a great job because I work with wonderful people. It was just a family affair, and I am not just talking about my own family, I am talking about the whole Highlands family.”

Cook said he enjoys staying in touch with former players and the fact that he has been able to work with his best friend and former college roommate, Ken Lopez, who is the school’s principal. He said he’s enjoyed “making a difference” in people’s lives. He’s toyed with the idea of stepping aside for the past three or four years.

“It wasn’t a matter of us waiting until he was ready,” Cook said. “Jimmy could have taken over years ago and done a super job. I don’t think it’ll change that much except he will be the one making the final decision. I am sure Jimmy has some new ideas, and I am totally excited about doing things in a different way. We don’t have to do everything the same way we have been doing.”

Good, 35, who lives on the property at the school and overlooks the softball field, is looking forward to the challenge.

“I am excited,” said Good, who has been at the school 14 years. “Those are definitely big shoes to fill. I know the athletic director position is a different set of challenges, but also a different set of rewards as well.”

Good is happy that his mentor of the past 14 years will remain on as an assistant AD, putting in between 30 and 35 hours a week.

“I don’t think words can describe what he has meant to the school,” Good said. “He has been the face of the athletic department since 1974. His priorities, focus and approach to athletics have meant a lot to me.”

Cook’s wife, Melanie, said there was a conversation she recalls her husband having with a new coach at the school. She said it sums up her husband’s influence with the students he coached.

“The younger coach asked my husband, ‘do you want the kids to like you?’” Melanie Cook recalled. “And he said, ‘I want them to like me five years from now.’ So his philosophy was that they would appreciate the discipline later. So many of these boys, especially the boys who grew up without dads, have said, ‘without coach Cook, I don’t know where I’d be.”

Melanie Cook said her husband never looked at his position as a job and never complained about going to work.

“He’s loved it, maybe a little too much,” she said with a laugh. “I’ll be glad to have him a little bit more. We are going to be doing some traveling —  a Mediterranean cruise later this year and a family trip to Africa next year.”

Reg Cook said the journey at Highlands was well worth it.

Broward County Commissioners unanimously passed an ordinance regulating Pain Management Clinics in the unincorporated area and have agreed to educate and encourage all cities to adopt the same ordinance.   The ordinance also included amendments by Commissioner Kristin Jacobs to prohibit these clinics from operating within 1200 feet of another pain management clinic, place of worship, child care center or educational center.  The Pain Management Clinic ordinance is intended to serve as a model Ordinance for cities to consider in establishing regulations for pain management clinics within their municipal jurisdiction.

“The intent is to have a uniform ordinance across all jurisdictions to prevent loopholes, “said Commissioner Kristin Jacobs. “Our next step is to take this to the cities for adoption.”

Commissioners authorized the lobbying of cities on behalf of Broward County in order to meet guidelines set in the Broward County Code of Ethics.

“We need to treat this like a 31 city campaign.  We should let our cities know that all nine of us support this ordinance and want the same ordinance enacted in all cities,” said Commissioner Chip LaMarca.   Commissioners LaMarca and Jacobs have participated in protests outside of Pain Management Clinics organized by the group STOPP NOW—Stop the Organized Pill Pushers.

The ordinance provides a specific legal definition for Pain Management Clinic, creates zoning regulations in unincorporated Broward County and mandates a “Certificate of Use” which requires the following:

• name of the owner/operator
• proof of registration with the Florida Department of Health
• an affidavit stating that no one convicted of a drug-related felony within a five year period will work, volunteer, or be allowed on the premises
• limited hours of operation between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday
• posted Certificate of Use in a conspicuous and easy to read location
• one parking space per ten gross square feet of customer waiting area and one parking space per two hundred gross square feet of the remainder of the building
• all activities be conducted within a completely enclosed building

The ordinance states that Pain Management Clinics already legally in existence must comply with the requirements within 60 days of the effective date and provides one year for pre-existing clinics to comply with parking and location requirements.

Currently there are no Pain Management Clinics in unincorporated Broward County. Any Pain Management Clinic wishing to operate in the unincorporated Broward County area would have to apply for a Certificate of Use and associated business fees would be collected under the proposed ordinance.

In March, the Broward County Pain Management Clinic Task Force issued its final report with recommendations for the licensing and location of pain management clinics otherwise referred to as “pills mills”.   The Commission instructed the County Attorney to draft a model ordinance based on those recommendations.

Broward County has been referred to as the “pill mill” capital of America. In 2009 a Broward County Grand Jury issued a report noting the proliferation of pain clinics throughout the County. The number of pain management clinics in Broward more than doubled from August 2008 to November 2009.

On May 23, BSO were called out to a robbery that happened in the 400 block of W. Hillsboro Boulevard. Suspects had fled but not after choke-holding the victim and taking her purse. But a citizen witnessed the incident and reported right away. Next, BSO deputies came in, set up a perimeter and apprehended the two suspects, who were charged with strong arm robbery.

By Gary Curreri

Lareisa “La La” Fulmore looks for running room in the FHSAA second round state play-in game against Ft. Lauderdale. Fulmore passed for 182 yards and one interception as the Tornadoes lost the contest, 20-0. Photo by Gary Curreri

When asked what it would be like without senior quarterback Lareisa “La La” Fulmore, Pompano Beach High girls flag football coach Jonathan Plummer paused and took a deep breath.

“Oh my gosh,” Plummer said as he dabbed at his eyes. “She has been such a strong force on this team, it is going to be real difficult. It is going to be very interesting to see if we can find someone to replace her.”

Fulmore passed for 182 yards and one interception as the Tornadoes lost to Ft. Lauderdale, 20-0, in the FHSAA second round state play-in game. She also ran for 46 yards. Pompano finished 11-3. The team’s other losses came to Plantation and Taravella.

“This is a heartbreaker for us,” said Plummer, whose team graduates four seniors. “I am pleased with the year. It was rocky in the first five games and it got better as the year went on. Taravella was our last loss and we went on to win six in a row after that. We had a good run. We won three district playoffs in a row and now we will try and go for a fourth.”

Plummer said the team also received strong play from Shelby Petik, Hannah Hamilton, Chelsea Waters,
Diamond Frazier, Sydney Alexander and Synae Jones.

Quarterback Karnisha Coleman passed for 243 yards and three touchdowns as the L’s (13-1) won their sixth consecutive game and returned to the state finals for the first time since 2004 when it was state runner-up. Ft. Lauderdale, which won the inaugural state championship in 2003, went on to lose in the state semifinal game.

Highlands Christian comes up short

Deerfield Beach pitcher Nick Miller fires a pitch home during the District 10-6A final. Photo by Gary Curreri

Miami Brito capitalized on an error in the sixth inning to snap a 1-1 deadlock and defeated Highlands Christian Academy, 4-1, in the Class 1A regional final on Friday afternoon at Florida Memorial College.

Brito (20-8) avenged a 10-run mercy rule a year ago in a regional final loss to the Knights as Emil Alvarez hit a 2-out single in the sixth that landed fair by inches in right field.

Trailing 1-0 entering the sixth, Highlands Christian (13-11) rallied to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the stanza as Jason Hepple singled and was replaced by pinch runner Nick Vasquez, who came around to score on a double by Kevin Yambur.

Bucks stun Douglas

Deerfield Beach High pulled off the baseball shocker of the season when it eliminated Douglas from the postseason with an 18-15 victory in a District 10-6A semifinal at Taravella in Coral Springs.

The Bucks, which went on to lose the District title to Coral Springs and the regional quarterfinal to Jupiter, rallied from an 11-5 deficit in the sixth inning and scored 13 runs on seven hits and three walks and a few errors, highlighted by a pinch hit double from J.T. Holgerson and a double from Joey Ursetti.

“This was a big win for us,” said Coach Scott Bragg, whose team had been mercy-ruled in its two previous games against the nationally ranked Eagles, 14-0 and 10-0.

Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives have arrested two men in connection with a widespread problem that was leaving many throughout the county with a flood of problems.

At around 3 a.m. May 18, BSO Oakland Park sergeant John Nash was on patrol in the 4500 block of N. Dixie Highway when he stumbled upon a location where a backflow valve had been stolen and water was gushing out. The sergeant noticed there wasn’t much water on the ground, so he figured the thieves must have just stolen the valve and could potentially be in the area. He conducted a search of the surrounding neighborhood and spotted two suspects in a white Grand Marquis exiting from a warehouse complex at 4700 N. Dixie Highway.
The sergeant observed the rear of the car was dripping water, had mud on the hood of the trunk and appeared to be holding excessive weight. Upon speaking with the two males the sergeant noticed they were both soaked and had mud on their legs. The men claimed they were returning from the beach. Sgt. Nash had reason to believe the men were lying and placed them under arrest.
A search of the vehicle revealed there was an ax and 26 backflow valves in the trunk and a canvass of the warehouse complex revealed five locations where water was spewing from broken pipes.
The suspects, John Martin, 29, and Gannon Wing, 20, admitted to stealing the valves. Each has been charged with loitering or prowling, but additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.
Detectives investigating similar thefts that occurred on May 18 in at least six jurisdictions in Broward and one in Palm Beach will be looking at the stolen items to determine if the suspects were the culprits in their cases.

Former Deerfield Beach commissioner Steve Gonot has been convicted by a jury on three felony charges related to his 2008 political campaign. Gonot, who turned himself in and resigned from the commission in December 2008, finally saw his case go to trial last week before Judge Barbara McCarthy.

After days of testimony, including his ex-wife and other witnesses who revealed in a surprise testimony that Gonot went to Las Vegas to play in a poker tournament the day after he wrote a check for $5,100 from his campaign account to a personal family friend, allegedly for computer equipment.

In 2008, Gonot was charged with grand theft in the 3^rd degree, official misconduct and falsifying public records. On Tuesday, May 10, Gonot was convicted, and could face up to five years in prison. McCarthy told Gonot he could remain on bond but required he leave his passport behind pending sentencing.

Photo reported at the Incident Information System Website: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2212/. This site is a gathering point for information for all fire-related and other incidents by multiple statewide agencies.

Most of Broward County, including the Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point areas, awoke to a smoke-filled environment Tuesday morning, Continue Reading

By Gary Curreri

Patrick Peterson

Patrick Peterson realized a boyhood dream last week when he was the fifth overall pick in the NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals.

The 6-1, 219-lb. Peter-son, who was considered by some to be the best player in the draft, will keep a family tradition going. His cousins Bryant and Walter McFadden, and Santana and Sinorice Moss all play in the NFL.

Peterson, who was known as Patrick Johnson during his days at Blanche Ely, clocked a 4.31-second, 40-yard dash in the NFL combine and also had a 38” vertical jump, a 10-6 broad jump and ran 4.07 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle, 11.01 in the 60-yard shuttle and 6.58 in the three-cone drills.

“It is a great opportunity for me and my family to start a new journey,” Peterson said. “It was something I waited for my entire life. You work so hard to get to this moment. Playing in the NFL is a dream come true.”

He was named the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year, the SEC’s Special Teams Player of the Year, and captured both the Jim Thorpe Award, as the nation’s top defensive back, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, as the nation’s best defensive player.

Tornadoes fall in regional semifinal

Pompano Beach High’s Shelby Petik throws the ball to first base during the Class 3A regional semifinal game against American Heritage-Plantation. Photo by Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach girls’ softball coach John Thigpen made the most of his first year at the school. The Tornadoes reached the semifinals of the Class 3A regional playoffs before falling 13-0 to powerhouse, American Heritage-Plantation.

“My goal for this team was to win the first regional game,” said Thigpen, whose team made its first trip to the postseason. “We had a lot of great players on this team and a lot of freshmen on the team that came in and were good. I thought we had a chance to get here.”

Pompano Beach (15-7) came up short in the semifinals as Aimee Chapdelaine tossed a no-hitter and American Heritage batted around in the first two innings, sending 14 batters to the plate in the first and 11 in the second,  grabbing a 13-0 lead.

“We have four seniors who are graduating,” Thigpen said. “This team has a lot to offer next year.”

He will miss Shelby Petik, who is one of the four seniors  graduating.

“She is a really big leader of the team,” Thigpen said. “She’ll play anywhere. She just wants to play. She really enjoys the game. There is a lot of drive.”

Thigpen, who coached a couple of travel teams in Coral Springs and his daughter through league ball, said he learned a lot during the season. He said the team performed well.

“They have a lot of integrity,” Thigpen said. “They don’t give up. They know if they are down, their bats are so strong that they can come back. There were a couple of games that we were really down and they fought back. There is a lot of will there.”

Pompano Beach High’s Danielle Conboy fires a pitch. Photo by Gary Curreri