Volunteers will be decorating the Butler House for the holidays this Saturday, Nov. 9 around 10 a.m. The Woman’s Club is helping and the effort is being lead by Sally Potter and Amie Kay Tanner.

Deerfield Beach Historical Society is also about to trim the Butler Tree in the backyard, which is believe to be one of the oldest trees in Broward County.

Breakfast With Santa is coming up on Dec. 7 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. with food, pictures with Santa, entertainment by the Banyan and face painting.

A Holiday Party at the Butler is also being planned with wine and cheese on Thursday, Dec 5 for a $10 donation to Breakfast With Santa.

We are decking the halls!

For more information, call 954-461-1152.

By Gary Curreri

After starting the season 0-4 and being outscored in those games by a combined 147-58, Blanche Ely football coach Charles Hafley tried to keep his team focused on the final goal.

The Tigers captured its first district championship in four years as it manhandled host Northeast, 45-12, to win the District 14-7A championship on Friday night.

“Our senior captains –Tyquan Fields, Terrance Blands, Broderic James, Aris Knight, were phenomenal,” Hafley said. “They come to practice every day. They come ready to work and they believe in what we talk about. Holding the rope … and that’s what the kids did, during that wave we had the first four games and through the grunt of the season. We just came out in district play and did Blanche Ely football.”

Blanche Ely opened the season with a 45-15 loss to M.L. King (Georgia); a 46-6 loss to Deerfield Beach; a 31-21 setback to Glades Central and a 29- 15 loss to Miami Northwestern. The Tigers have won four of its past five games – the only loss coming at the hands of Plantation, 32-26. They’ve won three consecutive games, including the district-clinching win over Northeast.

Senior quarterback Nelson Ervin threw for 148 yards and four TDs Friday night, as the Tigers finished 3-0 in the district.

“I think the biggest difference is all about believing in themselves,” Hafley said. “Nelson Ervin got himself together, mentally, physically and emotionally. He just led this team. He hasn’t had a turnover in any of our district games. He just focused and played Tiger Pride football.”

Northeast (2-7, 1-2) took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards in 14 plays capped by a 9- yard scoring run by Hurricanes’ quarterback Brion Sanchious to take a 7-0 lead.

From there, Ervin took over as he threw three touchdown passes and Anson Benton returned an interception 28 yards for a score as the Tigers scored 28 unanswered points to take a 28-6 halftime lead.

Ervin threw touchdown passes to Laderrick Smith (37 yards); Edward Walker (13 yards) and Chazton McKenzie (13 yards) in the first half. He added a 12- yard TD pass to Kenneth Rawls in the second half. The Tigers also got a 17-yard field goal from Charite Carmeley and a fumble recovery for a touchdown by Steven Carter. Northeast added a late score on a 4-yard TD pass from Deangelo Fulford to Binjimen Victor.

Hafley said the team would need to play mistake-free football to go deep in the playoffs.

“You have to control your turnover battle and make sure you keep your penalties to a minimum,” Hafley added. “If we can do that, we can be successful and make a run at this thing.

“There are many monsters out there in 7A and we respect them, but, in the playoffs, everybody starts 0-0,” he continued. “You could be 10-0 or 5-5, but, at the end of the day, when the first round of the playoffs come, everybody is 0-0 and each week counts, and we take it one game at a time.”

The slow start “hardened” his team and prepared them for a deep run in the playoffs. Hafley said the team would go as deep as his seniors will allow and credits the team chemistry from the administration and the community to the players and coaches.

“The kids believe that,” Hafley said. “The teams we played were traditional powers, all the way from Miami Northwestern, Glades Central, Deerfield Beach and MLK. Hats off to them and their coaching staffs, but it just gave us an opportunity to watch that film and get better. One thing about this team is we are the scariest team in 7A right now.”

Bucks pound South Plantation

Quarterback Danarious Graham ran for two touchdowns and passed for a third as Deerfield Beach rolled to the District 11- 8A championship and remained undefeated at 9-0.

Senior running back Aeron McNeal rushed for 172 yards and scored on a 72-yard TD as Deerfield Beach ran its record in the district to 7-0 with a 42-16 victory over host South Plantation.

Brandon Powell was limited by an injury in the first half; however, he finished with 40 yards and a TD.

An elderly couple was found dead at 2440 “C” Deer Creek Country Club Blvd.,

Monday night, Nov 4.

Authorities said there are possible signs of foul play. The bodies were found just after 6:40 p.m.

The couple was found by their daughter, who also lives at the apartment complex.

“They are just a nice couple, they’ve been here a long time and the daughter lives above and she checks on them all the time. Apparently she walked in and found both of them in there,” a neighbor said.

The crime scene people seemed to be zeroing in on the front door as if there was a forced entry. Authorities haven’t identified the couple.

Anyone with information can report it anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Broward County at 954-493-847

By Diane Emeott 

“Today, with the website working, we were able to complete a few applications online…

“[In fact,] we’ve processed about 350 applications in person, over the phone and online from Oct. 1 until last week. We’ve probably done 30 since then,” — Jerson Dulis countered national media reports on MSNBC and CNN about recent glitches with the U.S. government’s website that have kept people from applying for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act known as “Obamacare.” 

Dulis, Community Outreach Manager for Broward Community & Family Health Centers, Inc., was one of three panelists who informed about 50 area residents and answered their questions at an Affordable Care Act Town Hall at Westside Park Recreation Center in Deerfield Beach, Tuesday night, Oct. 29. 

Notables attending included: a representative from U.S. Congressman Alcee Hastings office, Broward Democratic State Committeewoman Maggie Davidson and local Pastors Anthony Davis and Nathaniel Knowles.  

Said State Representative Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed, District 92, “We’re very pleased to get all the people out tonight. As we hear all the negatives on the news, we’re going on. We’re moving on. This is the law of the land and we’re going to abide by it. 

“In 2010 this law [the Affordable Care Act] was passed. Since 2010, folks have had the opportunity to learn what’s going to happen.” 

Clarke-Reed said the issue of whether the insurance marketplace would come through the State of Florida or the feds was one of the things she and others were fighting the Republican Party for during the last Legislative session in Tallahassee this past March through May.

“Whether to accept $52 billion so that 1.3 million Floridians could be insured? The House of Representatives refused. The Senate was willing to take the money. This marketplace now is through the federal government,” she said of the 9 approved insurance companies that offer the plans.  

They are: **Cigna, Coventry Health, Sunshine State, Aetna, Preferred Medical Plan, Molina Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, Health Options.** 

Reasons for individuals to explore the new healthcare options are: no discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, subsidies and tax credits “make insurance more affordable,” essential health benefits increase coverage.

Contrastingly, CBS news reported that same morning that Obamacare is making everything **more expensive,** not just premiums. As [some] insurance companies have chosen to cancel policies and offer more expensive replacements, allegedly 2 million are losing their policies, the report stated.

BACKGROUND

**Currently:**

[  ] ½ of Americans have insurance through their jobs.

[  ] 1/3 have insurance through the government, either Medicare — or Medicaid, which will be expanding. 

[  ] 1/10 buy insurance themselves. 

[  ] Another 30 million Americans have no insurance at all. 

Under the Affordable Care Act, employers with 50 or more employees will be required to supply health insurance or pay a penalty. 

Smaller employers will have incentives to offer health insurance to their employees. 

IMPORTANT TO KNOW

Open enrollment goes from Oct. 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014. 

“It is vital. If people don’t apply by Dec. 15, 2013 your coverage may not come into play by Jan. 1,” explained Dulis. 

“It’s pay-as-you-go. If you don’t pay for a month, you aren’t covered for that month,” said panelist Vince Johnson from Broward Health. 

In addition to online applications, people can do phone applications, or pick up, fill out and send by certified mail written applications.  

Certified application counselors and navigators are available to assist you for FREE in filling out an application, said panelist Mayte Canino from Planned Parenthood Public Affairs.  

In order to compare your current insurance with possible savings in the new Health Insurance Marketplace, steps are to: 1) Make an application 2) Receive correspondence with spreadsheet options regarding your personal situation — they’ll shop it for you with the different insurance agencies. 

If you decide to go forward with Affordable Care, 3) Enroll.

“If you have insurance with an employer, etc. it doesn’t preclude you from going through the Exchange and Open Enrollment,” explained Clarke-Reed. Then, **you** decide whether you’re going to accept and enroll.” 

She added that after serving on the State Board of Military & Veterans Benefits, “If I was a veteran, I would not move one step.”

PLAN TYPES

The Health Insurance Marketplace has been described as being ‘like an insurance mega mall, with cheaper plans to platinum plans.’ 

**There are four types of plan:** 

Platinum — 90 percent of costs paid by Health Plan/10 percent by Individual.

Gold — 80 percent of costs paid by Health Plan/20 percent by Individual. 

Silver – 70 percent of costs paid by Health Plan/30 percent by Individual. 

Bronze – 60 percent of costs paid by Health Plan/40 percent by Individual. 

There are no specific plans for those with cancer, diabetes, or other serious health conditions. While **all** the plans will cover such a person, platinum and gold are more geared to those needed extended health services, while silver and bronze are geared to basically healthy, young people.  

CHECKLIST

To make the best use of your time, and not have to reschedule an appointment with an application counselor or navigator, make sure to bring appropriate documentation to answer these questions on a 2-to-3-page individual application: Income, Family size, Zip code, Smoker or Nonsmoker.

For the 7-page family application, you will be asked to provide: Social Security number, Driver’s License, Proof of Income for taxes.

Things that can delay the process are having different names on different forms of ID, or two last names when comparing Driver’s License, Social Security Card, and Green Card, if applicable. 

CONTACT INFO 

[  ] To register for the Health Insurance Marketplace, visit www.healthcare.gov or call the hotline at 1-800-318-2596.

[  ] Broward Health North has a local enrollment site at 201 E. Sample Rd., Deerfield Beach, 33064. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 954-786-6589 for an appointment. 

[  ] For assistance in filling out an application through Broward Community & Family Health Centers, Inc., contact Outreach & Enrollment Specialists Dontraey R. Oliver-Johnson in Pompano at 954-970-8805 or Lynore Patrice Dyer in Hollywood at 954-967-0028. For more information, go to www.bcfhc.org.

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach’s football team can clinch the District 11-8A championship with a victory at South Plantation on Friday.

Deerfield Beach (7-0, and 5-0 in district) will win the district title outright with a win over South Plantation (5- 2, 4-1). A loss would force a three-way tie with Monarch and South Plantation.

Brandon Powell, a UM commit, rushed 12 times for 123 yards and scored on runs of 18 and 20 yards and added punt return 45-yards for a score in the 56-0 victory over Coral Glades. Bucks’ receiver Justin Morgan caught 6 passes for 145 yards and two TDs – both coming from quarterback Danarious Graham from 56-yard and 7-yards out.

Ely stuns Cardinal Gibbons

So much for finishing the season undefeated.

Blanche Ely’s Terrance Blands scored from a yard out on the final play of the game as the Tigers edged previously undefeated Cardinal Gibbons, 16-10, last week to spois’ homecomin

It was the second TD run of the game for the senior running back who helped his team improve to 2-5 for the year. The Tigers are 2-0 in the District 14-7A race and will attempt to win the district with a victory over host Northeast (2-5, 1-1) on Friday.

Tornadoes volleyball team wins

Pompano Beach’s girls’ volleyball team ran its record to 22-5 and continued its mastery of Suncoast by defeating the host Chargers for the third consecutive year in the regionals of the Class 5A girls’ volleyball playoffs.

Pompano Beach, which topped the Chargers, 25-20, 25-16, 25-19 in straight sets, will take on district rival Cardinal Gibbons in the regional semifinals next Monday at Cardinal Gibbons. The Chiefs won the district title over the Tornadoes last week.

“This was not our best volleyball,” said Pompano Beach coach William Strachan, whose team has dropped all three previous meetings with Carar. “We’ve got to be more consistent on the little things and not let a team reel off six or seven straight service points.”

After winning the first two games, Pompano Beach fell behind 12-4 in third game before it rallied to tie the game at 17 on an ace by sophomore libero Cori Smothers. Junior middle blocker Paige Alsten delivered one of her 11 kills in the match on the next point and the Tornadoes never looked back. Alsten also had six blocks in the match.

Junior outside hitter Nikki Esposito had a team-high19 kills, 12 digs and two aces to help in the winning effort.

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

It is amazing to me that a culture like the film industry consistently makes films that are anti-Capitalist.

Based on a French novel by Stéphane Osmont, Capital is a film directed by Costa Gavras, an international director best known for left of center films like Missing, Z and State of Siege. Capital is multilingual with English subtitles.

The film opens on a golf course in which a bank CEO dies. Marc Tourneuil (Gad Elmaleh) becomes the heir apparent and flies to Ft. Lauderdale for a business deal. Upon returning, Marc is given the task of firing his employees to receive a substantial bonus. Tourneuil is your typical Woodstock hero — infidelity and stealing from the rich are morally correct, paying for your sins is considered stupid.

The Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival continues with some interesting screenings this weekend.

The Pin is a minimalist motion picture that takes place in two separate time periods set in either the countryside or the morgue. A Canadian motion picture in Yiddish with English subtitles, The Pin is a tale about a Shomer, a religious watchman who is responsible for guarding the recently deceased. As fate would have it, this Shomer is reunited with the corpse of this long, lost love. The film flashes back to more innocent times when they were refugees hiding in an abandoned farmhouse.

With a literate title, themes about cultural differences and shot composition worthy of a Guggenheim Art Museum, Chasing Shakespeare is your typical “festival” entry. Set in the west, it features a talented Native American who wants to perform Shakespearian monologues in a society that thinks that only pretty white girls should be allowed to perform. Graham Greene and Danny Glover are given strong supporting roles.

While not screened at press time, Alyn Darnay’s Krissy Belle makes its festival debut this weekend. A recently divorced Southern belle relocates to Latin real estate in Miami. Krissy Belle is played by Carole Wood.

More film noir than Halloween, The Insomniac traces the rise and fall of John Figg (Eddy Salazar), a victim of theft. The thief confiscated many of Figg’s personal items, and the protagonist starts an all-night vigil in an effort to catch the thief.

Happy Halloween!

Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies is helping the family of a man whose death is the subject of an investigation by BSO to hand out flyers in the area where his body was found a year ago. Jay Harper’s relatives are in Broward County to meet with BSO homicide Det. Frank Ilarraza. Harper, 47, of Southbury, CT, was in South Florida for a business conference when a BSO deputy found his body on the beach at 4:10 a.m. Oct. 17, 2012. The cause of his death remains undetermined. Harper’s family is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Crime Stoppers of Broward County is offering up to $3,000

Friday, Oct. 18, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Island Water Sports 1985 NE 2 St. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Skateboarders extravaganza! Biggest sale of the year. Benefitting Calvary Chapel Benevolence Care and Carolyne Koos.

By Gary Curreri

It will be a homecoming of sorts for Deerfield Beach football coach Allen Jackson when his team travels to Coconut Creek High School on Friday to take on Monarch in a key District 11-8A game.

Jackson, whose Bucks (6- 0, 4-0) are on a six-game winning streak, will tackle the undefeated Knights (7-0, 4- 0) for first place in the District. Jackson previously coached at Monarch (2003- 08) and then at Coconut Creek High School before taking over at Deerfield Beach three seasons ago.

“It is a little nostalgic and a little bittersweet since my wife still works over there,” Jackson said. “We have a goal in mind, and our mindset is to go over there and take care of business.”

The last time Deerfield Beach started the season 6-0 was in 2007 when it finished 11-3 and lost 19-14 to the eventual state champion Miami Northwestern. Deerfield Beach has outscored its opposition, 272-73, in six games this season. Monarch has outscored its opponents, 262- 124, in seven contests.

“Coach Calvin Davis does a great job over there and we know we are going to have to bring our A game,” Jackson said. “We are going to have to turn it up when we play them over there.”

Senior running backs Aeron McNeal and Brandon Powell did most of the damage again as they combined to rush for 212 yards and scored four touchdowns as Deerfield Beach defeated visiting Piper, 53-8, last Friday. Monarch toppled Taravella, 44-28, on Friday.

Powell rushed for 139 yards on six carries and scored on runs of 25 and 65 yards. He also caught three passes for 46 yards. McNeal added 73 yards and two scores on runs of 7 and 5 yards, while quarterback Danarious Graham also scored twice on runs of 11 and 4 yards.

The Bucks’ defense limited Piper to 69 total yards and added two defensive touchdowns of its own on a Kendrick Catis 45-yard interception return and a Quinton Briggs 24-yard fumble return.

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

Cyndi Boyar is a backstage angel who is a miracle worker for celebrities visiting South Florida.

With work-ethic and skill, this celebrity makeup artist has turned ugly ducklings into red carpet swans.

For this year’s 28th Annual Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF), Boyar’s name will be front and center for two events — the romantic comedy The Trouble with the Truth, featuring Lea Thompson and John Shea, who will be at the screening at Muvico Pompano on Sunday at 2:30 p.m., and the documentary Taking Charge – The Pauly Cohen Story, for which Cohen is scheduled to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award on Oct. 26 at the Sunrise Civic Center. This documentary, centered around Cohen’s 90th birthday, features footage of a master class at Florida International University with the Studio Big Band and uses archive footage featuring the young trumpet player learning from his mentors — Dizzy Gillespie, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw and Charlie Barnett (he also performed with Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett). After the movie screening, the Pauly Cohen Orchestra will be conducting a LIVE Big Band concert.

Boyar wrote about her involvement with this film: “…working in the film industry, I wanted to give back and support my local film festival. I contacted Greg [Von Hausch – FLIFF president and CEO]; [he told me] what films were coming with a list of celebrities attached to them … As soon as I saw Lea Thompson’s name, I was interested. It was important to me that the film would appeal to a wide audience. The Trouble with the Truth fits the bill.”

Danny Murphy is also a local and has a new film premiering called CinemAbility screening this Saturday night at 7:45 p.m. at Muvico Pompano. This documentary looks at the cinematic history of disability portrayals, from Charlie Chaplin’s silent films to the blockbuster X-Men series. A quadriplegic since the age of 19, Murphy makes regular appearances in Farrelly Brothers comedies such as Kingpin, Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something about Mary. Murphy actively supports the South Florida film community and is an advocate for Americans with Disabilities.

Brother and sister filmmakers, Isaak and Eva James, return to FLIFF for the third time. This time, Eva takes the lead role in By Way of Home, directed by Isaak. Filmed in Cape Cod during the dead of winter, this drama concerns the generation of over-educated people who cannot find their dream job.

Swim Little Fish Swim is an international picture with similar themes about family, financial well-being and artistic aspirations. Paul Osborne’s thriller Favor, reminiscent of an Hitchcock film, shows a friendship unraveling after the disposal of a dead body. Either one of these films will be good substitute for the bloated big studio release of Machete Kills.