(Deerfield Beach, FL) – An elderly driver escaped serious injuries after his sport utility vehicle slammed into the living room of his condo late Tuesday afternoon. Just before 4 p.m., BSO deputies and Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue were called to Century Village. The 60-year-old male driver of the Chevy Envoy was transported to Broward Health North for treatment of neck and back injuries that were not serious. The BSFR Technical Rescue Team also responded and determined there was no structural damage to the building. The Deerfield Beach BSO Traffic Unit is continuing the investigation.

BSO Deputy Steven Rossman investigates the crash in Century Village Tuesday afternoon.

Photo by Mike Jachles/Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue © 2012

By Gary Curreri

Ken Zeber has played in the Sunshine Seniors Softball League at the 4-Fields Complex in Pompano since 2003, and, despite having five bypasses 16 years ago, he still loves playing. Zeber, who will turn 69 in December and lives in Oakland Park, said he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“The best part is probably seeing guys older than me out there playing and getting exercise even though I still go to the gym,” Zeber said. “The bypasses came after being too active at night with my playing softball, coaching little league for my son, the wife and I were bowling and my daughter at dance. With all this activity, we ate (fast food) five nights a week and I believe that’s what caused them.”

The league recently concluded its summer season as Wally’s Raiders rallied for an 11-inning, 18-14 victory over the Reds in the championship game of the slow pitch summer league that plays on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the complex.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Bill Coyne, who retired from the Town of Davie three years ago where he was a police lieutenant. “There is great camaraderie and you meet a lot of people from all walks of life and areas.”

Coyne, 61, of Coral Springs, is also a member of the No Stars All-Star team that plays in the Florida Half Century Softball Association. They’ve won three tournaments in the 60s age group this season and they play once a month around the state. The Pompano Beachbased league has many travel team players still competing at the highest levels despite their ages.

“I see myself playing as long as I am healthy,” Coyne said. “We have some guys that play in the league that play well into their 80s and (play) at a good level. You forget that they are that old and still doing that.”

This is the 16th year of the Sunshine Seniors Softball League, which will have between four and six teams during the three seasons the league holds.

“It is the greatest thing in the world, especially for the ages of players that we have,” said Bart Grillo, 83, of Deerfield Beach, who serves as commissioner of the league. “I would say the majority of our guys, at least 50 percent of them, are over 70. They enjoy the game.”

Grillo, who hung up his cleats three years ago because of health issues, said he tries to downplay the competitive nature of the seniors.

The 55-and-older slow pitch softball league plays on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will play occasional tournaments on Saturdays at the 4-Fields complex in Pompano. Grillo said there are players who are involved in the Florida Half Century Amateur Softball Association that features tournaments around the state for seniors.

Grillo, who was inducted into the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame in January 2007, joked there is an age limit for his league. He credited the city of Pompano for its support and that the league has been able to succeed.

“You can play up to 100 if you can make it,” Grillo said with a laugh. “We have a dozen guys who are in their 80s. I would still be playing if I didn’t have a problem with my breathing. It is a lot of fun. It is enjoyment and something to do.”

For more information on the league, contact Grillo at 954- 421-6892.

Youth soccer registration

The city of Pompano is currently taking registrations for its youth soccer program. Registration began on Nov. 5 and the program begins on Dec. 17, for players ages 5-7 and 11-13 (Monday & Wednesday); Dec. 18, for players ages 8-10 (Tuesday & Thursday). Cost is $54 for residents and $110 for non-residents.

It is an opportunity to experience a great program that offers the fundamentals and skills in the sport of soccer. The city will be hosting evaluations for ages 8 and up to determine team assignments. For more information, call 954-786-4119.

By Gary Curreri

Highlands Christian Academy sophomore Andrew Celesti made school history recently as he became the first member from his school to reach the FHSAA state bowling championships.

Celesti rolled a three-game total of 733 (255-198-280) to finish just 17 pins shy of tournament champion Pablo Cerda of Coral Springs Charter at Strikes at Boca recently.

“It was pretty cool,” said Celesti, who went on to place 109th out of 183 bowlers after rolling a four-game total of 697 (202-176-167-152) at the state tournament at Boardwalk Bowl in Orlando. “It was amazing to be going to state. I didn’t really have that thought at the beginning of the year.”

Celesti said he averaged 180 in the league during the year, but put up a career-best, 280 in his final game at district to ensure his team would have a shot at the Baker games. His previous high was a 267.

“We were bowling good in competition and, in the third game, we went all out,” Celesti said. “I kept the mindset to strike out and I did it.”

Celesti’s brother, Chris, a senior, took fifth (205-212- 235-652) and narrowly missed advancing to state with his brother.

Knights’ teammate, Tyler Current, rolled a three-game series of 557, while Jonathan Cunningham totaled 461 for his three-game series. Ethan Peraza bowled a three-game series of 358.

Highlands Christian was a surprising qualifier for the Baker games at the statequalifying District 14 tournament as it made up a 36-pin deficit on Coral Springs Charter in its final game by bowling a 1,022. Coral Springs Charter School was only able to muster an 863 in its final game.

The Knights finished with a three-game total of 2,761, while Coral Springs Charter was fifth with 2,638 pins.

Highlands lost 3-1 to Boca Raton in the opening round of the Baker games, but rallied to top Santaluces, 3-1 in the second round. Boca Raton then swept Highlands in three straight games to advance to the final where it lost to Park Vista, 3-2. Only the Top 2 teams and Top 2 individuals advance to the state tournament.

First-year coach Timothy Celesti, father of both Chris and Andrew, said advancing to the Baker games didn’t surprise him.

“There was some good talent and I knew the boys could do it if they kept their minds clear,” the elder Celesti said. “What I did at districts was that they were loose so I left them alone. It would have been unbelievable to get a berth to states, but the fact that we were even in that position was a huge accomplishment because it is only our second year bowling at Highlands.”

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach football coach Allen Jackson hoped to use last Friday night’s regular season finalé against St. Thomas Aquinas as a tuneup for this week’s Class 8A regional quarterfinal game at Cypress Bay.

What he discovered was there was still some tinkering to do as the visiting Bucks went back to the early season mistakes that led to a 0-3 start as it dropped a 45-0 decision to St. Thomas Aquinas. Deerfield Beach (5-4) had seemed to put those miscues aside in recent weeks as it rolled to five consecutive wins and advanced as the No. 2 seed in the district tiebreaker.

The Raiders scored 31 points off four Deerfield Beach turnovers and a muffed punt to record its second consecutive shutout and third of the season.

Quarterback John O’Korn passed for 138 yards and ran for two scores to lead the way.

The running back tandem of Aeron McNeal (15 carries, 38 yards) and Brandon Powell (13 carries, 36 yards) were held in check most of the night.

“We knew we couldn’t make mistakes against a team like this,” Jackson said. “They are one of the best teams in the state.”

Jackson admitted his team suffered from playing three times in a week – an emotional win over then-undefeated South Plantation to force the three-way district tiebreaker, defeating Taravella before falling to South Plantation in Monday’s tiebreaker, and then playing St. Thomas Aquinas in a road game.

“It took a lot out of us going back-to-back two weeks in a row,” Jackson said.

“You just have to take care of bruises. We’ve seen Cypress Bay before so we have to get ready for them.”

The Bucks fell to Cypress Bay, 29-6, in the season opener; however, Jackson still believes his team can go deep in the playoffs.

“The kids just started believing in what we were trying to do,” Jackson said. “After the Taravella (regular season) game, we just went back to the basics. We decided to go back to the drawing board. We have two special backs back there so we are going to run it a little bit. We didn’t know if we were a running team or a passing team. Now, we have our identity.” Jackson gushes when he speaks of Powell, who is fourth in the county in rushing behind South Plantation’s Alex Collins (145 carries, 1263 yards, 14 TDs). Powell has 140 carries for 1,116 yards and 13 scores, while McNeal has 112 carries for 813 yards and 7 scores. “Brandon, oh my goodness,”

Jackson said of his junior running back. “He’s special. He’s a great kid, who gives you everything he’s got. He’s going to play hard until the final whistle blows every game.”

LIVE results streamed staring at 730 PM Eastern for state and federal races.

Interviews from candidates and LOCAL voters.

Click on OBSERVERTV

Update: He was Michael J. Webb, 56, of Deerfield Beach.

—————————————————————————–

A serial bank robber was shot and killed by Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies after being forced to stop his getaway vehicle on I-95 in Pompano Beach.

At 11:21 a.m. the suspect entered the Chase Bank at 2285 N. Federal Highway in Pompano Beach, armed with a handgun and wearing a ski mask. Because glass was recently installed at the teller windows the robber was not able to jump the counters, as he has in past robberies. He fled from the bank empty handed. A description of his blue Dodge Ram pickup truck and his license plate number were immediately relayed to BSO deputies.

Deputies spotted the getaway truck on Atlantic Blvd and attempted to make a traffic stop but the driver refused to pull over and headed north on I-95. Just north of the Copans Road on-ramp Deputy German Bickbau performed a PIT maneuver, successfully sending the suspect’s truck onto the large grassy space east of the interstate. Dep. Bickbau’s marked cruiser struck a light pole and he was injured. Other deputies approached the suspect’s truck after it rolled and came to rest. Two deputies fired their weapons, striking the suspect and killing him.

Deputy Bickbau was flown to Broward Health Medical Center, complaining of back and abdominal pain. He is being treated at this time and is expected to recover.

According to FBI agents who responded to the scene, the suspect has an extensive criminal history and is suspected of committing six recent bank robberies at two Broward County banks:
Chase Bank at 2285 N. Federal Highway on 5/10/12, 6/15/12, & 11/2/12 and the Bank Atlantic (now BB&T) at 1299 S. Military Trail on 8/8/12, 8/29/12 and 9/29/12. For more details on the robberies, contact the FBI.

At 11:21 a.m. the suspect entered the Chase Bank at 2285 N. Federal Highway in Pompano Beach, armed with a handgun and wearing a ski mask. Because glass was recently installed at the teller windows the robber was not able to jump the counters, as he has in past robberies. He fled from the bank empty handed. A description of his blue Dodge Ram pickup truck and his license plate number were immediately relayed to BSO deputies.

Deputies spotted the getaway truck on Atlantic Blvd and attempted to make a traffic stop but the driver refused to pull over and headed north on I-95. Just north of the Copans Road on-ramp Deputy German Bickbau performed a PIT maneuver, successfully sending the suspect’s truck onto the large grassy space east of the interstate. Dep. Bickbau’s marked cruiser struck a light pole and he was injured. Other deputies approached the suspect’s truck after it rolled and came to rest. Two deputies fired their weapons, striking the suspect and killing him.

Deputy Bickbau was flown to Broward Health Medical Center, complaining of back and abdominal pain. He is being treated at this time and is expected to recover.

According to FBI agents who responded to the scene, the suspect has an extensive criminal history and is suspected of committing six recent bank robberies at two Broward County banks:
Chase Bank at 2285 N. Federal Highway on 5/10/12, 6/15/12, & 11/2/12 and the Bank Atlantic (now BB&T) at 1299 S. Military Trail on 8/8/12, 8/29/12 and 9/29/12. For more details on the robberies, contact the FBI.

The suspect’s name is being withheld until he is positively identified and his family is notified.

By Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach girls volleyball coach William Strachan wasn’t sure what to expect out of his team this season after losing five starters to graduation.

The Tornadoes finished 21- 4 last season as it lost to Jensen Beach in the regional semifinals, and Strachan knew his team would have to develop quickly to have a shot at the post season.

“Coming into the year, I thought we would take our licks this year, but we are playing well,” said Strachan, who is in his fifth year at the school. “We are relatively young. We have two seniors on the team and the rest are underclassmen. We graduated six seniors last year, but it was most of our offense. We lost a couple of all-county players.”

It didn’t stop Pompano Beach from capturing its second consecutive district championship as Paige Alsten had 21 kills and 13 points in the District 16-5A championship win over Mourning High School on Oct. 29.

The Tornadoes (17-7) polished off Mourning in relatively quick fashion as it won in three games – 25-19, 25- 12, and 25-17. Pompano Beach was slated to play Riviera Beach Suncoast on Wednesday night in the Class 5A regional quarterfinals.

“It was just a matter of fine tuning the discipline,” Strachan said. “We have a lot of beach talent. We are like a pipeline to college beach volleyball. We are making up in athleticism. There is a difference between the indoor and outdoor game, but our ball control skill is there.”

Pompano Beach senior Savannah Davis has committed to FIU’s sand program, which will make its debut this spring. She will join another pair of Tornadoes’ graduates who have gone on to play beach volleyball in college.

The Pellitteri sisters, sophomore Stephanie and freshman Kristina, went on to Florida State, where they helped the Seminoles finish third in the nation last season. Younger sister Brittney Pellitteri, a junior at Pompano Beach, is likely headed to a college sand volleyball program as well.

The team has also received strong play from sophomore Casey Calhoun and freshman Cori Smothers this season.

Early Voting In Broward County- General Election

October 27 – November 3  2012, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily 

• North Regional Library

1100 Coconut Creek Blvd., Coconut Creek

•  Supervisor of Elections Office inside  E.Pat Larkins in Pompano Beach

520 Martin Luther King Dr., Pompano Beach

• Pompano Beach City Hall

100 West Atlantic Blvd.  Pompano Beach

———————————–

In the sample ballot published in the October 25^th edition of “The Observer,” we inadvertently omitted our recommendation in the race between Ellyn Bogdanoff and Maria Sachs. We regret this omission and we strongly urge our readers to vote for the reelection of  Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

As Giancarlo Esposito accepts his Career Achievement Award in the Bahamas this weekend, locally the 27th Annual Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) continues its three ring cinematic circus at Cinema Paradiso, the Sunrise Civic Center and Muvico Pompano.

Last Saturday night, Muvico Pompano opened FLIFF in grand style.

Premiering to a sold-out crowd, The Sapphires lived up to expectations. Based on a true story about Aboriginal soul singers with the backdrop of the Vietnam War, this film had people dancing in the aisle. If you are seeking a feel-good movie with R & B soul, check it out.

Deadfall followed and was the antithesis of The Sapphires. A film noir thriller set in a Courier & Ives snowy landscape, Deadfall held audience interest for 95 minutes. Within the first 15 minutes of the story, the audience is introduced to nine characters and their conflicting motivations. Credit Director Stefan Ruzowitzky for telling a simple story with character depth.

Ruzowitzky was in attendance Saturday night and answered questions about the film. Having won an Oscar for The Counterfeiters for Best Foreign Language film of 2007, Ruzowitzky talked about directing his first American film with an ensemble cast, featuring Eric Bana, Kris Kristofferson, Olivia Wilde and Sissy Spacek.

“I was not intimidated, but it was a privilege that Sissy Spacek had trust in me. Many big stars do not have guidance from a director. A director should be like a mirror and provide a reflection for the actor,” he said.

In direct contrast to the cynicism of Deadfall, Cowgirls & Angels premiered at the Sunrise Civic Center to another sold-out audience. This family movie earned its laughter and tears while providing a fine performance from 13-year-old Bailee Madison.

While receiving her Star on the Horizon Award, Madison shook hands, hugged and signed autographs for free for her fans. These gracious moments were a reminder of what “Class Act” celebrities ought to be for film fans.

Muvico Pompano has been granted an exclusive screening of George Romero’s zombie classic, Night of the Living Dead, which has been remastered in 3D. Get all the details on this and other upcoming films and events at www.fliff.com.

Happy Halloween!