By Gary Curreri

George Disch recently picked up his first career hole-in-one when he aced the Par-3, 125-yard 7^th hole at the Pompano Beach Golf Course.

“I had no idea it was going in,” Disch said. “I hit a nice high shot straight at the cup and knew it was going to stop. It hit the hill and the hole was back in the green that day.”

Disch used an 8-iron to get the hole-in-one during a four-man scramble event for the Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association at the Greg Norman Signature Pines Course.

“There was a very strong wind, so I used my 8 iron,” said Disch, 67, of Pompano Beach, who has been playing golf for 35 years and is a 17-handicap. “It bounced once, hit an upslope and went right into the cup.”

Disch said he normally would hit a wedge on the hole, but went with the 8-iron because of the wind and pin placement.

“It is my first one, I was really excited,” Disch said. “Hopefully, I’ll get another one. It was great that we won (the tournament).”

Disch and his partners, Paul Murphy and George Torres, won the tournament by two strokes with a 63. Since they were a threesome, they played alternate shots.

Cote pockets $2,250 with win

Charles Cote of Pompano Beach, birdied three of his last nine holes to pull out a one-shot win on the Florida Professional Golf Tour (FPGT) Tuesday at Wekiva Golf Club in Longwood, FL.

Cote outdueled Patrick Sheehan of nearby Oviedo 133 to 134. They were tied for the first round lead at seven under par 65. Sheehan led by two after 27 holes but parred the back nine as Cote birdied Nos. 10, 15 and 16.

In regulation, Cote made 12 birdies and a bogey, at the par-4 seventh hole the final round, for a closing 68. Sheehan also had seven birdies Monday but just three on the front nine Tuesday, on the first two holes and at the 9^th for 69.

Scoring his first FPGT win, Cote earned $2,250 from the $13,150 purse. Sheehan, second among 62 entries, collected $1,520. Sheehan has five FPGT victories over the past five seasons.

After a short Christmas break, the FPGT resumes its 10^th season Jan. 4-5 in the New Years Open at Black Bear GC in Eustis. For information and entry, go to www.floridaprofessionalgolftour.org.

Local skater takes 12^th at Championship

Pompano Beach’s Lara Annunziata, 12, recently placed 12^th in the Eastern Sectional Figure Skating Championships in Simsbury, CT with a score of 87.10.

Annunziata, who represents the Skating Club of Florida out of the Palm Beach Iceworks in West Palm Beach, qualified for the Sectional competition when she won the Novice Ladies Group B session en route to a 3^rd place finish overall in the South Atlantic Championships in Aston, PA one month earlier. She was second after the short skate.

By Dave Montalbono

Compared to the previous year, 2015 has been a consistent year for the box office. As predicted, Disney dominated with their Marvel and Star Wars franchises. While not the Disney Juggernaut, Universal Pictures scored big with 50 Shades of Grey, Furious 7 and Jurassic World. However, 2015 low budget independent fare like Ex Machina produced a high profit margin for investors.

In April 2003, The Observer covered the Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF) for the first time. Recent Oscar winner Adrien Brody, producer Robert Evans, musician Michael Jackson and the legendary Fay Wray were in attendance at an elegant gala held at the Boca Raton Resort & Club.

Concurrently in Houston, director/writer Richard Linklater had completed filming the first year of Boyhood, a film that took 12 years to complete. At 2015’s PBIFF, Ellar Coltrane, one of the stars of this ambitious independent film attended.

The film, which was well received at the Academy Awards, also featured Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke.

Tired of being on the sidelines, I invested in a student short subject, Give Me Trouble starring local Blues Legend Joey Gilmore and featuring Robert “Hi Hat” Carter as the bass player. This film details a blues man’s last concert and will hopefully be entered in either the Palm Beach or Fort Lauderdale Film Festivals. Gilmore and his band frequently perform in our neighborhood, so check ‘em out!

Best known for playing “Marcy Darcy” on Married with Children, Amanda Bearse found her niche behind the scenes as a television director. A Winter Park native, Ms. Bearse also appears on the soap opera All My Children and the movie Fright Night. Of the many celebrities that I have met this year, Amanda Bearse was a true class act; she asked every individual their name and was generous with her time.

I briefly met Burt Reynolds on the red carpet at PBIFF six years ago. Having just recovered from open heart surgery, Reynolds seemed timid among the paparazzi. Despite walking with a cane, Reynolds appeared “born again” at the Spooky Empire convention. He was chatting with his diverse fan base, fans of films like Deliverance or the Smokey and the Bandit movies.

Reynolds has done much for the film culture in South Florida. The Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theater in Jupiter has provided a valuable stepping stone for local talent. At the peak of his stardom, Reynolds was generous to Palm Beach culture and his alma mater, Florida State University.

The film business is a forward-focused culture; however, it would be wise to reflect upon those Florida pioneers who paved the way for our future. Happy New Year!

Crown TV talks about the resurgence of Vinyl

By Rachel Galvin

First, it was the 8-track then the cassette tape and CD, and later, the digital era that seemed to wipe the vinyl record out of popularity. But the times they are a changin’. Vinyl records are back and in a big way. Stores are selling albums like hotcakes to the millennials. It seems the hipsters enjoy a little blast from the past. According to Billboard.com, the growth in vinyl records sales was up 52 percent in 2014 alone.

So, besides nostalgic reasons, what accounts for this resurgence?

Gene Tamburri, owner of Crown TV and Records (1140 E. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach), says records have a more natural, full range of sound than other types of music.

“Kids learned about [records] from their parents,” he said.

He started adding records to his shop three years ago. The store has been a mainstay in Deerfield, opening in 1967, focused on repairs of televisions and electronics. Tamburri took it over in 1998.

He has a wide range of retro records, including a first pressing of a Rolling Stones record from 1967 and from the Beatles in 1966.There is a master recording of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon,” albums from Metallica, Jethro Tull and many others. Besides records, he also sells record players and turntables of various types.

He started adding collectibles, which are placed around the store, including The Three Stooges, Star Wars and Star Trek, The Forbidden Planet, Marvel and DC Comics toys, etc., T-shirts and posters, including fabric posters of Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles and more. In addition, he carries VHS tapes and DVDs.

Looking for something they don’t have? Write it down and he will try to track it down, let the customer know the price and bring it in.

They still service televisions, sound systems and guitar amps, and they have speakers, receivers and other equipment. The head technician, Lou Medaglia, has worked in his field for 40 years.

“We get people from all over the world coming in – from Canada, Argentina, Germany …” said Tamburri, who added, “Anyone who mentions this article will get 10 percent off!”

For more information, call 954-427-2594 or visit www.crowntvonline.com.

• Vinyl enthusiasts will also enjoy Vinyl Lives On: Profiles of Musician Collectors and Record Store Owners by local writer James. P. Goss and David Hamsley’s To Disco With Love: The Records That Defined an Era, filled with pictures of disco-era album covers. Both can be found through com.

By Gary Curreri

After starting off the season 0-3, the Highlands Christian Academy boys basketball team has started to hit its stride.

“Each game we were improving and still trying to establish our identity,” said Knights coach Jim Good, who is in his 19th year at the school and also serves as the school’s athletic director. The team recently won its own, 38th annual Holiday Classic with a dramatic, double overtime, 89-81 victory over King’s Academy. “Early on, I tried to stay positive and encourage the guys. Looking back, we didn’t play a complete game and it was usually one quarter where we would break down.”

“The boys are really starting to buy into the system and it all came together in that championship game,” said Good, whose team last reached the title game when, in 2010, it defeated St. Andrew’s School. “It was by far, our best win of the season!”

The Knights team has now won six of its past seven games and has improved to 6-4 on the season. Reg Cook, former AD and boys varsity basketball coach at Highlands Christian started the Holiday Classic in 1978 in which Highlands won the first of its nine championships.

Knights’ junior point guard Herman Robinson was named the tournament’s MVP as he recorded his first triple-double of his career with 25 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds in the championship game.

Robinson also hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds in regulation to send the game to its first OT.

HCA junior forward Kyle Lassen was named to the All-Tournament team as he scored 24 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, while sophomore shooting guard Matt Veynovich chipped in with 18 points going 5 for 6 from the 3-point line. He had a total of 12 three pointers in the 3-day tournament.

Beating King’s Academy in double overtime was a special moment for Good and the team.

“I’m extremely proud of the guys and their commitment to work, learn and improve,” Good said. “We have a special group this year. Once a week, we have been meeting for team devotions and emphasizing: being unselfish, love your teammate, display self-control, persevere, have a positive attitude. It’s very rewarding to see the guys ‘buy in.’”

Good started coaching the elementary school team in 1997 and is now in his eleventh year with the varsity squad. Robinson and Steven Ludwig are the team’s two captains and have provided excellent leadership, according to Good.

“Herman is leading the team in scoring with 15 points per game, and 6.9 assists,” Good said. “He started playing varsity in the 7th grade. Kyle Lassen has been doing a great job for us in the post and is averaging right around 12 points per game. Sophomore Matt Veynovich, who moved up from JV, has added some much needed scoring to our offense and leads the team in 3s made with a total 22.”

“It’s been very rewarding as a coach to watch our team these past few weeks,” Good added. “During the beginning of the year, we were still trying to find our identity and I think we’ve done that now.”

Seagull strolls Hillsboro Beach shoreline.

By Diane Emeott

The Town of Hillsboro Beach wants the City of Deerfield Beach to either remove all the “revetment groins” placed there some 50 years ago in the 1960s – or  — renourish their beach.

In fact, at the next Hillsboro commission meeting on Jan. 5, 2016, Hillsboro Beach is going to take a vote on authorizing a Chapter 164 action (from Florida Statutes), which Hillsboro Beach Town Manager Robert Kellogg, on Tuesday, called “an attempt to mediate a settlement to resolve issues with Deerfield Beach regarding the groin situation.”

Kellogg declined to comment on what the expected outcome of the meeting would be, other than to say, “I’m not sure what the [Town] commission will decide to do.” 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers defines “Groins” as the oldest and most common shore-connected beach stabilization structure. “Revetments” are described as a cover or facing of erosion-resistant material placed directly on an existing slope, embankment or dike to protect the area from waves and strong currents.

Other structural methods of coastal shore protection include: sea walls, bulkheads, dikes and levees, break waters, sills/perched beaches, jetties and piers.

PAST PARTNERSHIPS

Deerfield Beach has already partnered with Hillsboro Beach on several beach renourishment projects in 2015, 2011, 1998 and 1972, according to Deerfield Beach Director of Sustainable Management Chad Grecsek. (For general public access, the only way to get onto Hillsboro’s private beach is through Deerfield’s public beach.)

Deerfield Beach expended money for renourishment of its own beach in a project that was completed in March.  Deerfield contributed $700,000 toward completion of the project. The State of Florida contributed $700,000. And Hillsboro Beach paid another $700,000 for sand and hauling — plus $250,000 in engineering costs, to equal $950,000 of the total $2.1 million beach renourishment.

The City of Boca Raton did not participate in this project.

Hillsboro Beach also did a beach renourishment in Spring 2014, according to Kellogg.

Regarding reports of Hillsboro Beach stopping placement of sand at a certain point in 2015, Grecsek said, “I do believe the Town [of Hillsboro Beach] ceased placing sand on their beaches because they had accreted sand and additional sand would have them exceeding authorized permitted thresholds.”

According to a story that ran in the March 26, 2015 Observer newspaper, reporting on aMarch 20 Hillsboro Beach Special meeting on beach renourishment, Hillsboro Beach Vice Mayor Deb Tarrant said at the time, “We were handed a golden opportunity. Mother Nature did us a huge favor. She sent a large accretion of sand to the north end of town.”

With that large accretion, Tarrant noted, [Hillsboro] commission could save taxpayers money by being able to send less sand to that area of town.

On Dec. 11, when asked about the current sand situation along Hillsboro beach, Grecsek responded, “We are very much aware that the beach has sustained a significant amount of erosion due to sustained strong northeasterly winds over the last several weeks — which is typical for this time of year.”

DEERFIELD HIRES LAW FIRM

In light of Hillsboro Beach preparing to do a Chapter 164 (predicate to a lawsuit), Deerfield Beach City Attorney Andy Maurodis recommended to Deerfield Beach city commission on Dec. 7 that the city  retain the legal services of the firm Conrad Scherer.

Maurodis added that a number of months ago, Deerfield had received notice from Hillsboro Beach “giving us 60 days notice before enforcement of a permanent condition.”

William Scherer was hired by Gov. Rick Scott’s campaign in July 2014 in his bid for re-election; was lead counsel, representing the banks defrauded by Scott Rothstein, and recovered much of the money lost by investors in the million-dollar scheme; and was a leader in the legal effort of George W. Bush to resolve the dispute [with Al Gore] over who won the election in Florida in 2000.

Costs associated with the firm are: $300 to $550 per hour for all the partners assisting and $850 per hour for Mr. Scherer’s fees.

Maurodis offered an alternative; “We [also] have excellent attorneys, who can do it for less.”

“What is more important to us than our beach? Our beach is our most important asset!” said Mayor Jean Robb.

Deerfield Beach City Manager Burgess Hanson explained that the Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) “is not even sure our groins are impacting this, or they would see a much larger area of erosion. [Hillsboro Beach] has changed their consultant twice. They want not only our city, but the City of Boca Raton [to be involved] as well!”

“We do want to protect this. We need to take them on full force,” Hanson continued.

Maurodis added that The City of Deerfield Beach has attempted to negotiate with the Town of Hillsboro Beach – and still wants to do so.

“This is a shot to the groin. They have a novice elected official over there,” said Vice Mayor Bill Ganz, saying he hoped this would be as painful as possible for them.

“They overlook the fact that since they have a private beach, they are not entitled to the same dollars that we are,” Ganz added.

Deerfield Beach city commission unanimously approved the hire of Conrad Scherer firm – Maurodis’ add-on agenda item — following a separate discussion that same evening on increasing compensation for the City Manager.

View from Deerfield Beach.

HILLSBORO’S SIDE OF THE STORY

The Hillsboro Beach portion of the nourishment was begun in March of this year and completed in April, according to Hillsboro Beach Vice Mayor Deb Tarrant on Dec. 15.

The permit included approximately an equal number of linear feet in both Hillsboro Beach and Deerfield Beach.

Tarrant said that for whatever reason, the engineering costs associated with both the Hillsboro Beach coastline as well as the Deerfield Beach coastline were added to the Hillsboro Beach tab.

These engineering fees include pre-construction costs as well as post-monitoring fees, as required by DEP.  

Every project has regulations and conditions that must be met as per the permits and guidelines issued by DEP.  

The reason “post-monitoring” studies are required is to be sure that as the “placed” sand migrates (which it always does), it does not damage the “hard bottom” (living reef) in the process.  

There are very stringent rules in place for protecting the hard bottom. Too much loose sand is a dangerous thing for a living reef.  If the reef gets buried by the sand that was added to the system unnaturally through a nourishment, the reef will die.  

The mitigation for correcting this kind of damage is extremely expensive and often ineffective.  

This is one reason a nourishment permit is done for a specific amount of sand within a specific template with limits set on both the north and south ends, she explained.

“In January of this year, the sea water was lapping at the seawalls of condominiums in the north end of Hillsboro Beach, and residents were desperate for a nourishment.  

“In late February, a major accretion event took place.  (When Mother Nature brings sand to a beach, it’s called accretion.  When man brings sand to a beach, it’s a nourishment.)  

The beach that was none-existent in January was partially restored by Mother Nature in February.  

“As a result, the engineering consultants for Hillsboro Beach advised the Town that the original amount of sand scheduled for the nourishment within the permitted area would be too much and would very likely cause damage to the hard bottom as a result of ‘over filling’ the area.  

“Therefore, the Town acted quickly to reduce the amount of sand being brought in,” Tarrant explained the rationale for Hillsboro stopping placement of the sand during renourishment.

Asked how much money the Town of Hillsboro Beach was able to save, Tarrant said

$178,613.

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach High senior quarterback Teddrick Moffett ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more to lift the North team to an easy 46-6 victory over the South team in the 19th annual BCAA All-Star Classic last Thursday night at Nova High School.

Moffett, who was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, scored on touchdown runs of 85 and 10 yards in the first half, and added fourth-quarter TD passes to Blanche Ely’s Thomas Geddis and Boyd Anderson’s Basil Spencer in the fourth quarter for the North squad.

Locals fare well

in winter

championships

Several local swimmers turned in solid performances in the recent 25th annual Speedo Winter Championships expecting the best, and at the end of the four-day meet at the Plantation Aquatic Center Central Park.

Tyler Zuyus, 15, who was the high point winner for the 15-16 Boys Division and Victoria Miyamoto, 15, who finished second in the high point race for the 15-16 Girls Division, paced the Pompano Beach Piranhas.

Others from the Piranhas who finished in the top 10 in the meet included Sloan Sizemore, 15, who was fourth in the 15-16 Girls Division; Emilio Barrantes, 12, who tied for fifth in the 12 Boys Division; Mattheus Santos, 14, who was sixth in the 13-14 Boys Division; and Summer Schulte, 12, who was 10th in the 12 Girls Division.

The Piranhas finished sixth in the Boys Division with 316.50 points and ninth in the Girls Division with 285 points and took 8^th in the combined totals as it scored 601.50 points.

Meet director and Plantation Swim Team head coach Jimmy Parmenter said the meet first attracted about 480 swimmers and 35 teams a quarter of a century ago. Parmenter said the event has been held in Plantation every year except once when it was held in Miami due to a problem with the Central Park pool.

“I cut it this year to 1,100 swimmers and 51 teams to keep the timeline tight,” Parmenter said.

Simply Soccer

Simply Soccer Holiday Camp, which has boys and girls, ages 5-14 of all skill levels, and has attracted children from throughout Broward County, will host its Holiday Camp at Mullins Park in Coral Springs. The camp will be held from Dec. 28-Jan. 1.

There are three sessions ranging from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a Tiny Tot program from 9 a.m. to noon. Players will be taught a variety of soccer skills from dribbling to shooting.

It is the longest running soccer camp offered by the city. Campers must bring a soccer ball, swimsuit, shin guards, water bottle and lunch. For information call 954-345-2200.

Thursday, Dec.17, 5 p.m.

Percy White Library

837 E. Hillsboro Blvd.

Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

The Deerfield Beach Library offers holiday music performed by Harpist Lisa. Includes pop, Broadway, Top 10 hits and movie themes. Sponsored by the Friends of the Deerfield Beach Percy White Library.

Tune in this Sunday evening, December 13th to watch the Pompano Beach Boat Parade LIVE on ObserverTV!

The City of Deerfield Beach, The Deerfield Beach Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Broward Sheriff’s Office Division of Fire Rescue and Emergency Services proudly presents Operation Santa 2015.

An annual Deerfield Beach tradition, Santa and Mrs. Claus along with their elves will be traveling on Santa’s sleigh throughout the main roads of the various Deerfield Beach subdivisions spreading holiday cheer during the month of December.

Santa’s schedule is as follows:

Friday, December 11, 2015 – 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

From Powerline Road east to the Tri-Rail tracks, from SW 10^th Street to Sample Road

Including Crystal Lake, Crystal Heights, The Lakes, Waterford Courtyards, Meadows of Crystal Lake, Eastridge and surrounding neighborhoods

Saturday, December 12, 2015 – 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

From Military Trail east to Federal Hwy., north of Hillsboro Blvd. to the Boca line

Including Hillsboro River Estates, College Park, Pleasant Ridge, Twin Oaks, Commonwealth Gardens, Deerfield Beach Estates and surrounding neighborhoods

Sunday, December 13, 2015 – 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Century Village

Sunday, December 13, 2015 – 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

From the Tri-Rail tracks east to I-95, from SW 10^th Street south to Sample Road

Including Highland Meadow Estates, Country Knolls, Woodsetter North, Woodsetter/Lake Island, Spring Lake, Bonnie Loch

Monday, December 14, 2015 – 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

All of Deerfield from Federal Highway east to the ocean

Including the beach areas, The Cove, Little Harbor, Barwal, Deerfield Ridge, Eastway Park, Floresta Estates and surrounding neighborhoods

Tuesday, December 15, 2015 – 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

From the Turnpike east to Military Trail, from Hillsboro Blvd. north to the Boca line

Including Riverglen, Coquina Lakes, Villages of Hillsboro, Starlight Cove, Deer Creek and surrounding neighborhoods

Thursday, December 17, 2015 – 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

City of Deerfield Beach Winter Wonderland at Villages of Hillsboro Park, 4111 NW 6 St.

By Gary Curreri

When it comes to swimming, Pompano Beach High School’s Courtney Stewart made the most of her senior year.

Stewart recently placed fifth in the 50-yard freestyle event as she clocked a 24.30 time at the FHSAA Class 2A meet at the Sailfish Splashpark Aquatic Athletics Center in Stuart to cap off a stellar career.

Stewart had won the 100-yard freestyle and was third in the 50-free in the BCAA meet that featured many of the top swimmers from Broward County.

“I definitely feel like I earned this race because I have been training in USA Swimming for the past three years,” Stewart said after winning the 100 Free at the BCAA competition. “I started in rec [recreational] league, and a lot of people underestimate rec league, but it really taught me how to swim and it really perfected my stroke before I got into the serious level of training.”

She admitted that starting USA Swimming in her freshman year was a little late; however, she was driven to become a better swimmer.

“In my freshman year, I swam the 500 free and the 200 IM and didn’t really know what I was doing,” said Stewart, who trains with BEST (Broward Elite Swim Team) under the direction of Coach Michael Hart. It is a small program composed of just female swimmers and Stewart is the oldest.

“Last year, I was third in the 100 free at the BCAA meet with a 54,” said Stewart, who clocked 53.85. “I was so close last year that I really wanted to win it this year. I didn’t even swim the 50 free last year. I wanted to try out the 50 free in my senior year and have a fun time, really sprint it out with all freestyle.”

Looking back over the past four years, Stewart is happy with her swimming path. She placed fifth at state last year in the 100 free and 14th the previous year in the 100 free.

“I have loved it,” she said. “I made so many great friends over the years that I am still friends with and they are in college now. I am so close with the team now as a captain. I am going to miss it so much.

“I know that, if I swim collegiate, it is going to be tough,” Stewart added. “It is still going to be an awesome experience though.”

This year, at states, she helped the 200 medley relay to a 12th place finish (2:05.42). Other members included freshman Gabriella Costello, and sophomores Sarah Gurdus and Taylor Zascavage. She was also a member of the 200 free relay that finished 13th place (1:43.79). [Additional] members of that relay included sophomores Mia Marquez, Francesca Vandersluis and freshman Gwen Bencie. The 400 free relay, of which she was also a member, picked up a 14th place finish (3:50.76) and that included sophomore Mia Marquez, and freshmen Gabriella Costello and Gwen Bencie.

Another Pompano High swimmer, Shane Schulte, also made the most of his season, yet he has three more years to go.

“I did pretty well this year,” said Schulte, 14, a freshman at the school. “I have dropped a lot of my times from my USA Swim meets, so that is pretty good.

“The competition is totally different from my regular USA Swimming,” added Schulte, who finished 22nd at state in boys 200 IM (2:06.92). “High school (competition) is all the way from 14 to 18 years old and, in USA, I am swimming against my own age group. Sometimes, this is a lot harder, but overall, it is pretty different and I like the challenge.”

Schulte helped the Pompano boys take 12th in the 200 medley (1:43.36). It also included his brother Christopher and fellow junior Race Wilhoite and freshman Matteus Santos.

Schulte also helped the Pompano boys take 13th in the 400 free relay (3:23.55). It also included brother Christopher and fellow junior Taylor Barton and Santos. Christopher Schulte took third in the B final of the Boys 100-yard breaststroke (1:02.51).

Other top performances by the Pompano High School team at the state meet included junior Carolyn Ehrlich, who placed third in diving (424.75), and Bencie, who won the B Final in the 100-yard backstroke (59.38). The girls finished 17th in the state, while the boys took 26th.