South Florida Sun Sentinel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida • 14

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2004 PB OBITUARY M. Luxner, writer, ad man 50-year area resident was editor at The Broward News BY DOREEN HEMLOCK BUSINESS WRITER Morton "Mort" Bennett Luxner, a prolific writer and advertising man who served in the Army in World War II, died Saturday night in Coral Springs after an extended illness. He was 86. A resident of South Florida for almost 50 years, Mr. Luxner is perhaps best known for teaching writing for adults at high schools and colleges in Broward County after his retirement from the ad business.

He also was editor-in-chief of The Broward News community newspaper for 10 years. "He was the one who introduced me to The Broward News, and I've been writing for them: and Senior News ever since," said octogenarian Leo Comorau of Tamarac, who took classes from Mr. Luxner and recalls him as "very helpful" and "with a good sense of humor." Born June 2, 1917, in Newark, N.J., and raised in Brooklyn, Mr. Luxner signed up for the National Guard in 1934 and later enlisted in the Army, where he served in World War II in the European theater, mainly in France. It was during a one-day stopover in Southampton, England, in September 1945 that he proposed to a fellow Army member who would become his wife of 58 years, Gertrude "Trudy" Wolfe.

Mr. Luxner popped the question in a parking lot where truckers were trying to sleep. She said neither yes nor no, and the couple talked on. "Marry the bloke, so we can get some shuteye," one lorry driver shouted out, she recalled in a eulogy. Outside work, Mr.

Luxner was active in veterans groups, serving for a time as deputy editor of a Jewish War Veterans publication. He also was a Mason and was proud to have interviewed former President Harry Truman in 1960 for a publication he edited for the Hibiscus Lodge in Miami Beach. At home, Mr. Luxner often spent time writing poems for family and friends, employing many witty rhymes. He also loved to travel and wrote about places he visited, from U.S.

cities on Elderhostel trips to nations overseas from Israel to the Caribbean. In addition to his wife, Mr. Luxner is survived by three children and five grandchildren: daughter Marilyn, her husband, David Lashmore, and their sons, Michael, Daniel and Joel, of Lebanon, N.H.; daughter Adrienne Armstrong and her daughter, Erin, of Tallahassee; and son Larry, his wife, Vera, and her daughter, Rachel, of Bethesda, Md. Mr. Luxner was buried Monday at Menorah Gardens Funeral Chapels in Fort Lauderdale.

Doreen Hemlock can be reached at or 305-810-5009. Fund drive for schools falls short Campaign to raise more than $500 million for construction nets only $3,282. BY MARC FREEMAN EDUCATION WRITER The campaign to raise $560 million for school construction, announced with great enthusiasm by community leaders last August, has just $3,282 in the bank after fundraising efforts fizzled. Palm Beach County Citizens for Quality Education raised $22,222 and spent most of it on two consultants and a telephone poll of 500 likely voters, according to a campaign finance report filed this week with the county supervisor of elections. Organizers with the political committee have previously said they received more than $100,000 in pledges.

The last actual contribution arrived Nov. 5, more than a month before the School Board canceled a March property-tax referendum and agreed to consider putting a half-cent sales tax increase proposal on the November ballot. "You can see why March was out of the question," said political consultant Batchelor of Orlando. "It would have been suicide." Superintendent Art Johnson expects the board will decide between the sales tax and borer's rowing the money, to be repaid with increased property taxes, before April, allowing plenty of time for a successful drive for votes and campaign cash. Johnson said the poll which the report lists as a $10,000 expense -showed far greater voter support for the sales tax to pay for new schools and upgrading old ones to accommodate about 5,000 new students each year.

The Economic Council of Palm Beach County, a group of 150 top business executives, is strongly urging the district to seek the additional half-penny, which would raise the sales tax to 6.5 percent in the county. Since business leaders often give the largest political contributions, the council's participation is considered essential for a successful campaign. The latest campaign treasurreport covers the period between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.

It shows 14 contributions of $21,872 up from $350 in the previous filing period. There were two contributions of $10,000 from: UBS Financial Business, environmental leaders at odds SCRIPPS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B nomic development project and a biotech nucleus and not WaterWorld," Fagan said. A preliminary conceptual drawing of Mecca's future, released last week by county officials, envisions The Scripps Research Institute anchoring a pedestrian-friendly setting, with 100 acres allocated to Scripps; 400 acres for other biotech firms; 279 acres for schools, restaurants, shops and other retail; and 80 acres for affordable housing. The plan also sets aside 500 acres for a flow way to move water across the property, as needed by the South Florida Water Management District to replenish the Loxahatchee River, and another 500 acres of wetlands and lakes. Environmentalist Joanne Davis, a planner with 1,000 Friends of Florida, said she hopes the county won't give way to political pressure.

The Scripps project won't need additional land if it's planned properly with compact development and less sprawl. "They cannot be allowed destroy a wild and scenic river for one development," Davis said. But Skeet Jernigan, president of the Community and Economic Development Council of South Florida, said planners have a responsibility to follow through on promises made to Scripps and to taxpay- SCRIPPS DEVELOPMENTS The Palm Beach County Commission on Tuesday: Created a $1.8 million fund for expenses associated with The Scripps Research Institute. That money is coming from general property taxes, and ultimately could be part of or an addition to the $200 million the commission previously committed to buy a Scripps site and build a facility. Allocated $923,900 of the money for planning and development services from Kilday and Associates Inc.

Audrey Wolf, director of the Facilities Development and Operations Department said not all that money would go to consultant Kerry Kilday himself, but also for other staffers working on various site and permit ers. "If it was the plan of some to make this an environmental site they should have told us that in the beginning," Jernigan said. Atwater and Klein suggested that some of the wetlands conceived for the Mecca site could be moved to Vavrus on the east and to the Corbett Wildlife Preserve abutting Mecca to the west. Klein also is not convinced the county is coordinating its plans for Mecca with the development board's plans for the Vavrus land. "I'm concerned that this is being done in piecemeal fash- issues.

She said the compressed time frame for approval and simultaneous action on various permits makes the consultant services less expensive. Voted to spend $89,200 with Brown and Phillips Inc. for survey services. I Decided, at the request of Commission Chairwoman Karen Marcus, to enter into a planning agreement with Palm Beach Gardens, the municipality nearest the Scripps property. Marcus represents Palm Beach Gardens to the east of the site.

Commissioner Tony Masilotti, who represents areas to the south, went along but emphasized that Scripps is a county project paid for by county taxpayers. ion when we need to be taking a big- picture approach," Klein said. County Commissioner Mary McCarty said the concerns are overblown and premature. She and Beaudet said the county is actively collaborating with the Business Development Board on compatible plans to map out the Mecca and Vavrus properties. Beaudet said he expects today's meeting with Klein and Atwater to allay fears to the contrary.

Both county and development board officials agree that coordinated planning is necessary, not just to create a seam- Community colleges seek their place in Scripps development BY JENNIFER PELTZ STAFF WRITER While The Scripps Research Institute is known for discoveries made by people with doctorates, community college leaders say their institutions also have a place in Scripps' upcoming expansion in Palm Beach County and the economic and educational benefits it's expected to provide. The presidents of Broward and several other community colleges visited Scripps' California headquarters Tuesday, emerging eager to help the local branch planned west of SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL THE ORIGINAL HOME IMPROVEMENT SPECIALISTS" One Call Gets The Things You Want DONE. Handyman EXPERIENCED CRAFTSMEN QUALITY WORKMANSHIP What do you need to get done today? SAVE CARPENTRY DRYWALL ELECTRICAL PLUMBING PAINTING $25 CERAMIC TILE SSFR KITCHEN BATH GENERAL ON ANY WORK OVER $100 REMODELS HOME REPAIRS SAVE Broward County Palm Beach County 954-747-1422 561-433-3252 $50 WOR SSFR GUARANTEED BUSINESS ON ANY WORK OVER $250 A BBB Offers subject to change without notice. MEMBER Not valid with any other offer. LICENSED.

INSURED BONDED www.handymanconnection.com LICENSE Local Palm Beach Gardens, whether by training workers or helping spur interest in science. "We came out here initially thinking, 'How could we help them with employment and training needs and things like 99 BCC President Willis Holcombe said by phone from La Jolla, Calif. "But I come back here with even more excitement about ideas about spreading education." Those include working to encourage more students to pursue science, especially students from racial and ethnic Services, which lists a New Jersey mailing address for the international investment banking firm; and James Pirtle Construction Inc. of Davie. Pirtle, one of the most active school contractors in the county, is building the new West Boca Raton Community High School and a new high school in the Acreage, among other projects.

Smaller contributions, from $1,000 to $1, came from engineering consultants, a real estate firm and a few individuals. In addition to paying for the poll, the campaign also gave $8,500 to Batchelor and $440 to attorney Mark Herron of Tallahassee. Marc Freeman can be reached at or 561-243-6642. less biotech village across both sites, but because Mecca and Vavrus will share roads and other infrastructure. "It's a reasonable concern, but I think it's addressable," Beaudet said.

"We're already planning jointly." But aspects of the Vavrus and Mecca projects may have to be developed separately by necessity. The Vavrus site, which has been locked up in environmental litigation with the city of Palm Beach Gardens for years and falls in the city's jurisdiction, may not be ready for development as quickly as Mecca. McCarty and Beaudet said the county won't hold up the Scripps project if the development of Vavrus can't meet Scripps' tight deadlines. Scripps officials understand the county's plans for the site will change. "Experts on staff said this is a place to start.

But the opinion is that this will not be the final configuration," Scripps spokesman Keith McKeown said of the Mecca drawing. "My understanding is that it's preliminary, and basically what they wanted to do to see if everything we wanted would fit on the site." Staff Writer Anthony Man contributed to this report. Nicole Sterghos Brochu can be reached at or 561-243-6603. offers an associate's degree in biomedical engineering technology. Palm Beach Community College offers various computer-related and business degrees that could have applications at Scripps and might develop new programs tailored to the institute's needs, said spokeswoman Grace Truman.

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