More from our New Zealand Correspondent Capt. Wm. S. Stafford:

Hi, Wes;

 I read with interest the article on your blog about the problems of South Pine Street. 

 By now you should have received the photos of South Pine Street from 40 years ago.  While it is now a dead-end (both literally and figuratively) to 6th Avenue South, you can see that probably not much has changed.  Seems to lend credence to the old saying 'the more things change, the more they stay the same', or over time get exponentially worse...

 South Pine Street and southwest Lake Worth was and has been very different from the rest of the city. 

 Essentially, it was a working class area, and many of the families from years ago took-up residence there beginning in the late 1940's, as there was a post war housing shortage. Whispering Palms came about in the 50's, just about the same time as Lake Osborne Estates.

 The CBS homes began filling-in many vacant lots east of South A Street, which gave rise to both post-modern and 1930's dwellings.

 There have always been problems on South Pine Street, but in those days it was basically kids who remained within their neighborhood during their socializing and play.There were also extended families of cousins who roamed about and caroused occasionally to the ball field on Sunset Drive, or played games on the street pavement.  But, there were always the fights, insults, etc. that seemed to exist only ion that part of town. I was stabbed twice during my 'tenure' there in the 1960's.

 But reading a Palm Beach Post Times article last year revealed that there were no less than 13 gangs operating in and around Pinecrest Cemetery. 

 If I were living there today, I would fully support razing the neighborhood as needed, and going with a corporate juncture at this point to enhance and improve the area as suggested by the corporate proposal to do so while changing the zoning and ordinances.  Pinecrest Cemetery needs to be high-gated, and the Sheriff's Department needs to build, staff and man a sub-station in the area. Even if it meant razing the old homestead, I would say 'go for it!'

 Enjoy the pics; one is of me at age 13 in front of the house on South Pine Street which I grew-up in, sitting on my Schwinn Sting Ray. I rode this bike all over the eastern part of the county in an effort to find other things to see and do away from southwest Lake Worth.  This was replaced by a Schwinn 5-speed Krate that gave me even greater range.  One could pretty much ride without fear of 'getting capped' on the streets., or losing 2-wheeled traction due to spent rounds rolling on the side of the pavement, or a flat tire from the hypodermic needles.

 As I said before, you could get quite a bit accomplished if you ran as a county commissioner for the precinct / district that is Lake Worth.  But then again, with all of the little power struggles, blame, and obstructive interference which hasn't really changed over the years, one could exhaust oneself and have no yielded results.

 Have a good week ahead.

 Cheers-

Will

Aftermath of Hurricane Cleo, 1964