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Jennifer Seidenstucker, the treasurer at Eagles Landing Middle School in West Boca, has been honored as one of five finalists for Florida’s 2013 School-Related Employee of the Year. Seidenstucker was honored earlier as School-Related Employee of the Year for Palm Beach County, then moved up to the state level.
Florida Commissioner of Education, Tony Bennett, and Florida Chancellor of Public Schools, Pam Stewart were among education leaders from around the state who recognized the finalists at a reception at LEGOLAND Florida on May 17.
Seidenstucker was recognized for her outstanding work and support of student learning.
In her nomination letter, school principal Cynthia Chiapetta wrote: “Jennifer Seidenstucker is proactive in her duties, and has had three consecutive years of perfect audits that indicate her talent, skills, dedication and work ethic.”
Chiapetta noted further that Seidenstucker has an open line of communication with staff, students and community about fiscal policies and procedures. Additionally, she coordinates all of the school incentive programs, serves as the United Way chairperson, volunteers during Family Reading Night and Saturday tutorials, and has mentored other support staff for more than five years.
According to the nominating committee, Seidenstucker was instrumental in the design, implementation, and distribution of the school’s Emergency Response Plan. She also works with PTSA, and played an important role in making the Eagles Landing PTSA the Florida State PTSA of the Year in 2012. Seidenstucker and the PTSA president worked together on many fundraising programs, including the $500,000 acquisition of donated equipment through NASA.
In the community, Seidenstucker is known for her photography. In addition to winning awards for her skill, she donated one of her photos to the Palm Beach Zoo to help raise funds through their auction.
Sue Mullen from Bay County was selected as the Florida 2013 School-Related Employee of the Year.
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Details are final for West Boca’s annual July Fourth celebration, the Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation department has announced.
The Shindigs will kick off the event at 6:30 p.m. at Sunset Cove Amphitheater in Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park in West Boca. Admission is free.
The band will perform classic hits from the '50s, '60s and '70s, accompanied by several costume changes. A musical fireworks display by Zambelli Fireworks will follow the concert. Food trucks will be on site. Picnic baskets and lawn chairs are permitted. No barbecues, pets or personal fireworks allowed.
Sax player Sid Parker and his Big Band will perform jazz and swing from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday May 31 in the amphitheater. Bring lawn chairs, picnic baskets and blankets. No pets. Admission is free. For a schedule of events and directions, go to this link: http://www.pbcgov.com/parks/amphitheaters/_portlets/SunsetEvents.htm#.UZqAGEpRySo

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Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller Sharon Bock is warning residents about two scams where people are impersonating Clerk’s office employees to get personal information, such as bank accounts and Social Security numbers.
In one scam, people claiming to be Palm Beach County court clerks are calling citizens to inform them of money from a timeshare fraud settlement in the court registry. These fraudsters tell their targets they must first wire money to claim a portion of the settlement. The callers identify themselves with a three-digit “clerk I.D.” number and call from phone numbers with a 561 area code.
Clerk’s office employees do not have three-digit identification numbers, and would never call to request money to claim proceeds from the court registry.
The second scam involves text messages regarding jury duty. The texts come from a 704 area code, and tell recipients that they missed jury duty and now must pay a $500 fine or face misdemeanor charges. While the penalty for missing jury duty is not $500, the consequences are serious. Anyone who misses jury duty is subject to a $100 fine, ordered to appear in front of a judge and held in contempt of court.
If anyone receives one of these calls or texts, write down as much information as possible about the call and contact the clerk’s office. Anyone who sent money because of one of these scams also is urged to contact local law enforcement.
For more information, go to www.mypalmbeachclerk.com or call 561-355-2996.

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The family of Sidney and Ruth Heimberg has presented a gift of $20,000 to the Boca Raton Public Library. In recognition of the Heimberg family gift, the city of Boca Raton announces the naming of the Sidney and Ruth Heimberg Business Meeting Room at the new Downtown Library. The new library is expected to open this summer.
In announcing his family’s gift, Fred Heimberg stated, "My parents loved reading and attending adult education programs. My brother Paul and I decided to make donations to libraries in Boston and Boca Raton in their memory."
The Sidney and Ruth Heimberg Business Meeting Room is designed for executive meetings of up to 10 participants. Amenities include a conference table with technology ports and connections, ergonomic chairs, serving counter and cabinets, adjustable lighting, oversized windows, original art and high speed wireless Internet access. The Business Meeting Room may be reserved and used by individuals, community organizations, and businesses according to the BRPL usage policy and fee schedule.
The new Downtown Library will provide improved services and community spaces accommodating more than 700 people using study, meeting, computing, and reading areas. Features of the new Library include a Community Meeting Room with seating for 155 people, 70 public access computers and Wi-Fi services, as well as 10 private study and tutoring rooms. The building will seek a Silver LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

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Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services Department is having an open house from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 18 at all eight city fire stations.
People are welcome to visit their local firehouse, meet the firefighters/paramedics and see apparatus and equipment. Fire/rescue related give-a ways will be available for children. No appointments are necessary.
Below are the Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services Department Fire Stations:
Station 1 1151 North Federal Highway at Glades Road 33432
Station 2 903 W. Palmetto Park Road east of I-95 33486
Station 3 100 S. Ocean Blvd. south of Palmetto Park Road and A1A 33431
Station 4 351 N.W. 51st St., known as Yamato Road east of I-95 33431
Station 5 2333 W. Glades Road west of Butts Road 33431
Station 6 1901 Clint Moore Road west of Military Trail 33496
Station 7 3001 W. Yamato Road east of Powerline Road 33434
Station 8 190 S.W. 18th St. on west side of Dixie Highway 33432

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“Boca Airport Authority is thrilled to learn that the Department of Transportation has announced that the FAA will fund the Boca Raton tower through September 30,” the authority said in a statement.
Florida U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s office announced Friday the Department of Transportation determined the Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013 would allow the Federal Aviation Administration to transfer enough funds to keep the 149 contract towers open for the rest of the fiscal year. That will include Boca Raton Airport.
“We fought hard to reverse the decision to cease funding and it worked,” the authority statement said. “We will continue to fight for continued funding to protect the safety of airport users and the residents residing in communities near the airport.”
“This is the news we’ve been waiting and pushing for,” Nelson’s statement said. “Having these towers remain open is an issue of public safety and a huge part of the respective local economies.”

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Gumbo Limbo Nature Center’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Department has released six sea turtles on five days since May 3.
The turtles ranged from 8 ounces to more than 50 pounds. Their injuries included three boat strikes, two plastic ingestions, and one case of fibropapillomatosis.
The turtles originally came from Hollywood to Canaveral in Brevard County, and were brought back to where they stranded.

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Mike Arts and Barbara and Irving Gutin will be added to the Walk of Recognition at a ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9, under the Addison Mizner statue at Royal Palm Place. The Boca Raton Historical Society holds the event.
Mike Arts was a member of city council and president of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce for 20 years, among his community contributions.
The Gutins are involved in Boca Raton Regional Hospital, where Irving is a member of the board of trustees of hospital and foundation. Barbara serves on the Women’s Advisory Committee of the Lynn Health and Wellness Institute.
Started in 1997, the Walk of Recognition award has been presented to 77 members of the community. Each inductee’s name is inscribed in a black granite plaque, underwritten by Marta Batmasian.

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Palm Tran is introducing limited-stop bus service on Route 1 during weekday morning and afternoon peak times, effective May 13. Limited-stop service will be offered on a select number of weekday trips, in addition to regular service between Boca Raton and Palm Tran's Intermodal Transit Center in downtown West Palm Beach.
Limited-stop buses will pick up and drop off customers only at predetermined stops along Route 1. There are 14 set stops northbound and 12 stops southbound compared with regular Route 1 buses which may stop every three to four blocks. (Please see the attached schedule for times and stops.) Buses will display "Limited-Stop Route 1" in the exterior destination signs.
During March and April, Palm Tran tested this concept and received a strong endorsement from riders. There is no additional cost to Palm Tran or to customers for this service. If successful, Palm Tran will look to expand this concept on other trips on Route 1, which has the highest overall ridership of Palm Tran routes, serving more than 9,000 passengers on an average weekday. For bus route and schedule information, call the customer service department at 561-841-4287.

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Lt. Kim Puchalski has been chosen as the 2013 Paramedic of the Year Award. Her experience, knowledge, skills and abilities have been demonstrated by leading Medic 4 (ME4) on two successful cardiac arrest resuscitations on Oct. 28, 2012 and April 2, 2013.
Puchalski has four years experience as an emergency room registered nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital. That combination of paramedic and nursing experience helped her make intuitive decisions, such as on Aug. 29, 2012. She was persistent and convinced an earlier fall victim for 37 minutes to permit transportation by Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services the emergency room. The patient was upgraded to a trauma alert enroute to Delray Medical Center and later diagnosed with a hemopnuemothorax and three rib fractures.
Puchalski goes over and above in the area of call volume and response readiness; consistently taking alarms whenever closer without hesitation. In addition, whenever ME4 is still busy from the previous shift, Puchalski has ME24 ready to respond and has responded when called upon.
Her service & dedication to the community is exceptional, always placing others first. On November, 1, 2012, a Boca Teeca citizen knocked on the door at Station 4, concerned for the welfare of a new Highland Beach friend who had not arrived for a weekly card game. Puchalski researched the condominium information, found a complete name, contacted police for a welfare check, and found the person while calling hospitals at Boca Raton Regional Hospital ICU. On Feb. 1, 2013, she assisted a disabled motorist by safely pushing their vehicle to the side of the roadway in the middle of the night.
Puchalski participated in the Boca EMS competition in 2012, MDA boot drive in 2012, Boca Fire Benevolent Golf Tournament in 2012, Santa Toy Drop in 2012, Sweetheart Ball in 2013, and the Department Fire Expo in 2013. She recently became a certified Child Passenger Seat Technician and has since assisted parents with at least 10 car seat installations.
Over the last three years she has trained seven new employees.

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