Wednesday, January 7, 2015

From the Dark Ages...


Everglades EarthFirst! is having a protest this Friday in Palm Beach Gardens from 4:30 to 6:30

Did you ever wonder what it is like to join a protest? You can dig out your old jeans and tie dye T-shirt and take a selfie or three. You might even get your picture in the Palm Beach Post or an action shot on Channel 12 (WPEC)! You can rub elbows with some of the elite of our Anarchist community! Continue reading, details to follow later.

Everglades EarthFirst! (EEF), the protest organizer, likes to do artwork promoting their protests. Here is their artwork promoting the Actions on December 5th and December 12th:
Here is the art produced by "Kat Eng" promoting the protest this Friday, January 9th:
The Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a crucial, iconic animal for EEF as they fight to stop Scripps and the biotech industry in the Palm Beach Gardens Briger Tract. I was able to find interesting information about the Gopher Tortoise at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Gopher Tortoise is a "threatened" species in Louisiana, Mississippi, and parts of Alabama. However, the Gopher Tortoise is only a "candidate" for protection in eastern Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. The Gopher Tortoise is doing relatively well in our neck of the woods in south Florida. There are established relocation requirements for greenfield sorts of development for the species. Many suffer from a specific, lethal virus and are even administered blood tests at times so that resources are not wasted moving sick turtles that have a shorter life span.

If the Gopher Tortoise is important to the folks at EEF, shouldn't they be moving their operation to Louisiana, Mississippi, and western Alabama? But I digress, more on the protest this Friday:
Activists and concerned citizens from all around will be gathering from 4:30-6:30 on January 9th, at Donald Ross and Central Ave in Palm Beach Gardens [see map below] to help save this forest from the corporate interests who fail to see its value and beauty.
This 681 acres is currently home to several threatened and endangered species, including the gopher tortoise and snowy egret. It is slated to become home to more strips malls, more residential units and a biotech city complete with animal testing labs.
This is a new one to me, the Snowy Egret. I could be wrong but don't think EEF has ever mentioned the Snowy Egret before. If I am wrong, I apologize. The Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature is a species of "Least Concern" of protection and notes that "[T]he population trend [of Snowy Egrets] appears to be increasing".

Back to the planned protest. Here is more about the protest from EEF on Friday:
In its current state, the Briger Forest is an uncommonly large and valuable piece of habitat, boasting an ecosystem that is the last of its kind in this area. It is the home to several species under threat of extinction, including the gopher tortoise and hand fern.

However, after much controversy, the Scripps Research Institute is looking to fulfill their dream of a commercial/residential offshoot of their facility on Florida Atlantic University’s FAU campus— by bulldozing one of the largest tracts of intact forest remaining in southeastern Florida.


But we can stop it! There are several legal challenges being pursued, so let’s keep the pressure on and let them know we still care!

JOIN US TO SAY “NO!’ TO OVERDEVELOPMENT AND “YES!” TO THE WILD!
EEF says " 'YES' TO THE WILD!" If you plan on joining the protest with EEF on Friday, note the Briger Tract is not exactly "THE WILD". You're never going to see an episode of Survivorman in the Briger Tract as professional Les Stroud goes with, "No food, no shelter, no fresh water, no tools" with the ever-present traffic noise of I-95 and the clatter of dishes and smell of hot wings at the nearby Hurricane Grill.

And lets be clear. There are designated preservation areas that are part of the approved plan.

Of course we all wish the EEF "leader" (horizontal as the organization may be) and Anarchist Panagioti Tsolkas the best. For years now, he's sacrificed and fought to save the Briger "Forest". With most efforts such as these public perception is everything and a misstep can be catastrophic. When a member of EEF threw a vehicle battery into a nearby lake at their first protest on November 7, 2014, well...you can see how the simplest misstep can have devastating consequences.

If you do attend the protest by EEF please send me some pictures, please! Let's wish everyone involved good luck on Friday and don't forget to check out the Tropical Smoothies just down the street (see map above) afterwards.
And here is a great bike route to get there so you don't have to worry about your carbon footprint there and back. This eliminates the parking problem too. Make sure you have working lights; white in front and red in the rear.

City Commission Meeting from 1/6/15 - Commissioner Reports


Lots of good information from the dais on a number of issues including same sex marriage, traffic calming, visitor information center, blue light initiative, etc.

Last night's Lake Worth City Commission Meeting - 1/6/15 - Agenda Approval and Arbor Day Proclamation


Great News...Lake Worth Visitor Information Center to Open

We heard about this at last night's City Commission meeting. Look for the video coming soon from the Public Comment on Unagendaed Items section of the Lake Worth City Commission meeting last night for more information.

A special Evening on the Avenues on Friday, January 16th (6:00 to 10:00 p.m.)

 
From the Lake Worth Neighborhood Association Presidents' Council (NAPC): On Friday, January 16th, the NAPC will host a very special Front Porch at Evening on the Avenues in the Cultural Plaza. In appreciation for our Lake Worth First Responders, PBSO District 14 and PB County Fire Rescue, Stations 91 and 93, the Front Porch will be lit with special blue lights and we invite all our neighbors to join us as we celebrate the important relationships we have with these two organizations. Information about many of the community services offered by PBSO and PBCFR will be featured with Officers and Firefighters on hand to answer questions. A Special Statement of Appreciation will be offered from the stage followed by cake for everyone. Please join us for this special evening recognizing our Lake Worth First Responders.

Here is the video from last night's City Commission meeting where our local first responders were honored:
 

Must Watch Video! From Bill Gates' blog...From toliet to tap?


On January 5th, Bill Gates wrote this on his blog
I watched the piles of feces go up the conveyer belt and drop into a large bin. They made their way through the machine, getting boiled and treated. A few minutes later I took a long taste of the end result: a glass of delicious drinking water.

The occasion was a tour of a facility that burns human waste and produces water and electricity (plus a little ash). I have visited lots of similar sites, like power plants and paper mills, so when I heard about this one—it’s part of the Gates Foundation’s effort to improve sanitation in poor countries—I was eager to check it out.

The water tasted as good as any I’ve had out of a bottle. And having studied the engineering behind it, I would happily drink it every day. It’s that safe.

Commissioners Hal Valeche and Steve Abrams did nothing wrong

There was a short item in the Palm Beach Post yesterday (in the online edition) about the Double D Ranch on Southern Boulevard out west past the Turnpike. For those of you unfamiliar, this topic is a hot one in that area of the county. The Double D Ranch is going to be a strip club and it was permitted in 2001. Yesterday the Post reported on the 're-review' of the permitting process after a public outcry and the result is still the same, the project can proceed. Wayne Washington of the Post writes this:
Palm Beach County found no irregularities or discrepancies in what staff members called a “re-review” of the permitting of a strip club now being built on Southern Blvd. west of the Florida Turnpike.

The review, conducted in December at the behest of a county resident opposed to construction of the Double D Ranch and Saloon, confirmed what staff members have told county commissioners — that there is nothing they can do to stop the project, which has generated fierce opposition.
On December 5, 2014, Post reporter Chris Persaud along with Wayne Washington wrote this article about the Double D Saloon controversy, titled: Abrams, Valeche accepted donations from strip club manager

From the article:
Two Palm Beach County commissioners — Hal Valeche and Steven Abrams — PREVIOUSLY [emphasis added] accepted campaign contributions from the man behind the Double D strip club, whose construction along Southern Boulevard west of Florida’s Turnpike has generated fierce opposition from western communities’ residents.
A full eight paragraphs later in the article, Mr. Persaud and Mr. Washington write this:
The permit to build the Double D was issued in 2001, long before either Valeche or Abrams won a seat on the county commission. [emphasis added]
Some day in the near future, I will go out and take some pictures of this location for my readers, for perspective. Zoning issues can be very complex, but in this case the zoning process was fairly simple and straightforward. Without any churches, schools, parks, and other strip clubs nearby you simply cannot deny a project because people don't want it there. Zoning laws serve a real purpose and if someone follows the rules and goes through the process in good faith they have the right to proceed regardless of the public's displeasure. This falls under the First Amendment freedom of speech and expression provisions of the Constitution.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Will the County take her?

Hurry up! This deal isn't going to last long...

From Kim Miller at the RealTime blog we have this about some hot properties in and around Lake Worth. Can you say "revitalization"?

Here is the title:

Deal of the year? Two Lake Worth homes selling as package for under $40,000

From the article:
Two homes in and near Lake Worth are selling as a package deal for $39,999, but the marketing materials carry an ominous warning _ “Savvy investors only.”

An email blast was sent yesterday to clients of 32 West Realty in West Palm Beach advertising the homes in unincorporated Lake Worth and on 6th Avenue South within Lake Worth city limits. 
[and...]
Still, a dwindling supply of cheap homes had some investors chomping at the bit. Just 33 homes were for sale in Palm Beach County in November for under $50,000. Restrepo said her phone was ringing off the hook Monday. [emphasis added]

Always a great event - Lake Worth's Festival of Trees - January 17th


Channel 5 (WPTV), Channel 12 (WPEC), and Channel 25 (WPBF) all got it wrong

In the continuing effort to clarify the corporate limits of the City of Lake Worth, here is a review of what happened with a recent story. The Palm Beach Post got it right. Here is the Post headline (with emphasis): PBSO seeks gunman in suburban Lake Worth shooting late Saturday

The good news is the shooting victim has non-life threatening injuries. We all wish him a quick and speedy recovery.

After I saw the first TV news report of the shooting in "Lake Worth", within 90 seconds I knew the news report's location was too general and therefore inaccurate. How? I went to Google maps and typed in "State Street, Lake Worth" and then to the Google street view of the 900 Block of State Street where the shooting occurred. After I saw a house number went to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser and typed in the address. Here is what I found:
Note that the double zeros in the first part of the Parcel Control Number indicate unincorporated Palm Beach County. So does the "Municipality."
The shooting location, the 900 block of State Street, is in unincorporated Palm Beach County: Suburban Lake Worth. Remember, I found this out in under 2 minutes. As high-tech as modern day news is today why did all the TV stations get it wrong? Newsrooms must have fact-checkers; people who verify dates, times, names, details and LOCATION, right? Or do all of the TV stations rely on each other for the facts, playing follow the leader after the first news report?

Here is Channel 5 (WPTV)
Here is Channel 12 (WPEC)
Here is Channel 25 (WPBF)

In the continuing effort to teach the local TV news the borders of the City of Lake Worth, here is a map from the PBC Property Appraiser's website with some points of reference added:
The shooting location is indicated on the map. State Street runs north/south across 10th Ave North from the Walmart in Palm Springs. State Street is well west of Wayne Akers Ford and also west of the E-4 Canal. 

Before any news story hits 'the air' it is produced and then edited. It would be fair to say at least 5 people from each station had a part of this news story. If the number 5 is about right, then approximately 15 people (presumably Palm Beach County residents) from three TV stations didn't take the few minutes to get the location correct for their viewership.

Why is this important? Because there are people that are perennially "loose with the truth" in order to put forward their agenda here in the City of Lake Worth. There are some that do not care about these location distinctions, especially if it points to their effort to malign the efforts of PBSO in terms of service in the City of Lake Worth. Continue to be cautious regarding what is reported and where the media says the incident takes place. And, the same goes for other bloggers as well. 

"Employ every economy consistent with thoroughness, accuracy and reliability." --Arthur C. Nielsen

Arrest for Attempted Murder in Greenfield, CA


Be careful out there pedestrians, 4 hit-and-runs over a few days in PBC

Click title for link to a WPTV story on one of the latest incidents.

About Major League Spring Training Baseball in Palm Beach County

From Joe Capozzi and Eliot Kleinberg we have this latest news for Spring Training baseball in West Palm Beach, a possible land swap. If these negotiations don't succeed there is always John Prince Park, remember. From the article in the Palm Beach Post:
Spring training baseball took a big step Monday toward returning to West Palm Beach.

A private developer has withdrawn plans for a mixed-use project on the same 160-acre site where the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros want to build a $135 million baseball complex.

Parkside Commons’ decision to abandon its proposal prompted West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio to open negotiations with Palm Beach County on a land swap that represents the missing link in the baseball project.

“We have an unexpected window of opportunity,” Muoio said Monday at a press conference outside City Hall.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Things to leave behind us in 2015...


Allan Mason WBZT 1230AM Radio Show Appearance - 11/15/14 - The Cottages of Lake Worth


The National political divide is not Lake Worth's problem

From the Lake Worth Herald last week (1/1/15) comes this sage advice for those who see the tiny City of Lake Worth as a crucial cog in the fight between the forces of Progressives and Conservatives, good and evil, ICLEI, Agenda 21, the MPO's, GMO's, and SmartMeters, to name just a few. Here are some excerpts from the Lake Worth Herald:
     Comes a new year. Will it bring new attitudes to Lake Worth?
     One can only hope with the new year would come a sense of cooperation and understanding. This is Lake Worth and there really is no place for the polarized political attitudes of the National Front.
[later...]
     We need to learn tolerance of each other's points of view. We need to listen and communicate. Without this, Lake Worth will continue to feed the local TV stations with fodder upon which to discredit our city as they have in the past. It is from their feeds the national news picks up and spreads the unflattering news about Lake Worth.
     With cooperation and understanding of each other we can compromise and turn this city around.
[and...]
     Happy New Year and remember to resolve to work hard to make Lake Worth shine.
     WE CAN DO IT!
If you reside in Lake Worth know this: It's difficult enough trying to influence county policy at the Palm Beach County Commission, let alone state policy in our capitol, Tallahassee. Even more absurd is anyone who believes our little City is going to change national policy in Washington, D.C. It's just absurd. For some perspective: Lake Worth is a medium-sized municipality, one of 38, in Palm Beach County (PBC). The available data shows there are 1,372,171 residents of PBC and Lake Worth accounts FOR ONLY ABOUT 3%, or 34,910. 

Lake Worth elected officials and staff are working hard to secure funding for our little City of Lake Worth. And they need our help. They need our encouragement and support. What they don't need are distractions like rumors of 'ICLEI' taking over planning issues in Lake Worth, George Soros influencing local officials, or SmartMeters with 'mind-control' capability. The politics of paranoia does nothing to contribute to the quality of life in our City. 

And neither does content like this from another blogger in Lake Worth:


More on the Chapel-by-the-Lake highrise condo story...

In just over two weeks, the condo proposed for the Chapel-by-the-Lake site will go before the West Palm Beach planning board for a zoning change. The project will go once again before the city commission which voted unanimously for the project last year. The group that opposes the project scored a procedural victory in that the city of West Palm took advice from an attorney that was incorrect as reported by Eliot Kleinberg in last Sunday's Palm Beach Post. Mr. Kleinberg also interviewed a Florida Atlantic professor who said:
And he [Frank Schnidman] said this case is by no means rare.

“Procedural problems are the most common reason that the development approval process is delayed,” Schnidman said.
The Post editorial today continues to support the project and they offer this justification: 
We agree that it’s unlikely any commissioners will be changing their minds. Nor should they at this point. As we’ve said previously, given that First Baptist Church intended to sell the property regardless, the City Commission did the best it could to fulfill its responsibility to demand a project that balances private profit and public benefit. That was evidenced by the long months it took for the developer to win commission approval.

But again, expediency cannot be a fall back for circumventing the process — intentional, or no — that allows for residents to make their voices heard.

Opponents who have staunchly fought against the condo project from the beginning, most assuredly will continue to do so before the planning board later this month.

That’s fine. And city leaders are wise to encourage that part of the process this time around, even if the planning board for some reason does not approve of this latest version.

Remember the restaurant review to end all reviews? We'll just call it THE "Review"

On January 3rd, I wrote about Liz Balmaseda's horrendous restaurant review of Bravo! Cucina Italiana. Liz Balmaseda trashed the new restaurant at Jupiter's Harbourside, even going so far as to give a thumbs down on Bravo's house tomato sauce, a supreme insult to any Italian restaurant and chef. 

Liz Balmaseda criticized the plating, the sauces, the salads, the flavors, called the menu items "prepackaged", and referred to Bravo Cucina Italiana as "a sign of the apocalypse". Not the sort of review that you would likely see displayed on the restaurant's wall.

It didn't take long for a letter to be published in the Palm Beach Post from Michael Baz in Tequesta titled, Critic’s review aims to bury restaurant:
Friday’s restaurant review by Liz Balmaseda was disturbing — not for what she had to say about the food, but that she made it personal (“Except for pizza, no ovation for Bravo’s”).

“Lost in the faux: Jupiter” — “faux” means “imitation,” or “not real.” Does this mean the restaurant is serving fake food?

Even more unfortunate is her closing remark: “Quite possibly, this is a sign of the apocalypse.” I would not describe food I didn’t like as “an event involving catastrophic damage.”

For some reason, she has decided to bury this restaurant. She owes readers and the restaurant an apology.
Usually reviewers will give a restaurant that they had an initial bad experience a few more chances to get things right before a negative review. I agree with Mr. Baz of Tequesta. Ms. Balmaseda's review of Bravo! Cucina Italiana was unfair and the restaurant deserves at least another chance.

This is so cool for so many reasons...Sharon Bock, Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts


Number one, this is a good example of government using social media to get information out that is important to a lot of people. Number two, our Palm Beach County Clerk Sharon Bock is going out of her way to accommodate couples that are now able to legally marry in Florida. It should be noted that there are at least 14 of Florida's 67 counties that have chosen to discontinue marriages held at their courthouses. This is done in an act of defiance and demonstrates some of the deep divisions in our society.

We should be proud to have such a public servant here in Palm Beach County.

From the official press release:
Clerk Bock Announces Group Wedding Ceremony on January 6 at 12:01 a.m., South County Courthouse located at 200 W. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach.

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (January 3, 2015) – At 10:30 p.m. on Monday, January 5, the South County Courthouse will begin processing marriage license applications to be issued at midnight on January 6, 2015
Shortly thereafter Clerk Sharon Bock will perform a group ceremony marking this historic occasion. For information on the requirements to obtain a marriage license please visit the Clerks’ website at www.mypalmbeachclerk.com
Those planning on attending the group ceremony at midnight on January 6 at the South County Courthouse in Delray Beach are encouraged to take the state required premarital preparatory course online or with a provider. 
“I am pleased to be part of this historic celebration and I look forward to officiating the group wedding ceremony,” said Clerk Bock. 
All five Clerk & Comptroller locations will resume normal operations on Tuesday morning, January 6, at 8 a.m. All locations will be issuing marriage licenses and performing ceremonies for all couples.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

West Palm Beach to give Tallahassee five trolleys

Why not give them to the lovely city immediately south of their city limits? Click title for link to Eliot Kleinberg's article.

Project: Identity Lake Worth

This item appeared on the Facebook page Lake Worth Local:
This "news" was originally posted on the Palm Beach County Alerts Facebook page. The person who hosts this site writes this about his experience: "I have worked in Emergency Services for the past 18 years, and I post breaking news/incidents in Palm Beach County!" It really is a cool thing and acts a lot like a police/fire scanner for the Internet age.

The location of this incident was not in the City of Lake Worth. State Street is located south of the Walmart on 10th Ave North, outside the city limits of Lake Worth. For the person who hosts the Palm Beach County Alerts site please read this and educate yourself on what is Lake Worth and what is not Lake Worth. Hint: just because someone has a Lake Worth mailing address is irrelevant as it relates to city boundaries. There should be a clear distinction between Lake Worth and Suburban Lake Worth, as other blog posts here and here attest. 

It does seem that the message is getting across. Imagine if the City of Lake Worth did this on its own Facebook and Twitter accounts in an official capacity? That would be quite a change agent in people's minds. We'll continue to wait for those official announcements, hopefully not too far in the future.

Location is a critical part of a news story. Get it wrong and you put your own credibility on the line. Continued sloppy misreporting without needed correction erodes the city's identity and its many positive qualities.

Don't text and walk!

The Mother Jones online magazine has a very good article about texting and walking. The number of injuries is truly alarming. As part of their story they have this video which is not for the faint of heart. Watch the video first and then decide if you want your children to watch.

The title of the Mother Jones story is: Texting While Walking Is Obviously Dumb. So Why Can't We Stop Doing It?

According to a 2012 Pew study, most grownups have bumped into stuff while looking at their phones, or been bumped by someone else on their phone. A Stony Brook University study in 2012 found that texting walkers were 61 percent more likely to veer off course than undistracted ones, a finding backed up by other researchers.

Greatest "hits" compilations abound on YouTube. One woman tumbled into a mall fountain, another off a pier. A man nearly collided with a roaming bear. While pride suffered most in those cases, more than 1,500 pedestrians landed in emergency rooms due to a cell-phone related distracted walking injury in 2010—a nearly 500 percent jump since 2005—according to a recent study from Ohio State University.
Put the phone down and pay attention to your surroundings. In recent memory, I can't think of a single text message that couldn't wait a minute or two.

The Number One searched zip code in the United States is...

Orlando, Florida!

Kim Miller at the Real Time blog has this story with the full list, here is an excerpt:
Realtor.com has released its annual list of the  most searched ZIP codes of the year and one Florida city ranked above all others.

Orlando’s 32801 ZIP found its way to the top spot not for Disneyworld, but for its downtown. [emphasis added]

According to Realtor.com, the downtown Orlando area is popular with searchers for its eclectic mix of people, housing and entertainment. While just 28 percent of residents in this ZIP are homeowners, the area is a “magnet for young people and empty nesters alike.”

Clerk Bock Announces Group Wedding Ceremony

Clerk Bock Announces Group Wedding Ceremony on January 6 at 12:01 a.m., South County Courthouse located at 200 W. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach.

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (January 3, 2015)

At 10:30 p.m. on Monday, January 5, the South County Courthouse will begin processing marriage license applications to be issued at midnight on January 6, 2015.
Shortly thereafter Clerk Sharon Bock will perform a group ceremony marking this historic occasion. For information on the requirements to obtain a marriage license please visit the Clerks’ website at www.mypalmbeachclerk.com.

Those planning on attending the group ceremony at midnight on January 6 at the South County Courthouse in Delray Beach are encouraged to take the state required premarital preparatory course online or with a provider.

“I am pleased to be part of this historic celebration and I look forward to officiating the group wedding ceremony,” said Clerk Bock.

All five Clerk & Comptroller locations will resume normal operations on Tuesday morning, January 6, at 8 a.m. All locations will be issuing marriage licenses and performing ceremonies for all couples.
For more information about the Clerk’s office, please visit www.mypalmbeachclerk.com or call (561) 355-2996.

Check out AnnaMaria's blog and the year 2014 in pictures!

From her blog:
There were so many [pictures] that brought back memories of 2014 that for one reason or another did not fit in this blog, yet I liked them for one reason or another. This backward look then took on a life of its own.  Like or dislike I was there in the moment!

Be careful; if you see them it doesn't mean they see you...

From the Sun Sentinel on hit-and-run fatalities in south Florida:
In the past month, six men, women and children were left to die on South Florida streets after hit-and-run drivers struck them and sped away.

They died in Hollywood, Miami, Dania Beach, Pembroke Pines, Boynton Beach and Deerfield Beach. Among them: Two children walking home from a basketball game in two separate cities, a deaf woman who was remembered as an adventurer and a handyman who was a grandfather to 11.

Arrests have been made in at least two cases. But the other hit-and-run drivers remain at large.
Many of these accidents are at night. Of course, we cannot excuse the act of the driver not staying at the scene of an accident. Most of these seem to happen at night, along busy roadways. Please make sure to wear light colored, or better yet, reflective garments when you walk or bike at night. If you do bike at night, make sure that you have a white light on the front of your bike and a red light facing the rear. You can be pulled over and assessed a ticket for not having either, or both. The fine is $60 for either; it is $120 if you lack both. Do not skimp on the quality of either light. Make sure that each has multiple modes and various flash settings that suit various environments. Try to stick to roads with lower traffic volumes. If walking, try to choose an area with sidewalks and ample street lighting. If not, consider carrying a flashlight with you. These simple precautions may prevent you from being a victim of this sort of incident.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

The Other Blogger and her version of community...



Lake Worth officials look for new ways to fix old problems

Good coverage from Channel 12 on our infrastructure problems. Click title for link to video/story. From the segment:
Commissioner Andy Amoroso says he and his colleagues are bankrolling their own trips to Tallahassee and Washington D.C. as they lobby for more money to be sent the city’s way.

“It’s our job to continue on, to look for other options,” said Commissioner Amoroso.

The Post editorial today smacks down the incinerator critics

From the Post editorial:
It’s a classic win-win [the county incinerator importing out-of-county trash]. But a vocal group of critics, put off by the troubling image of this county serving as a dumping ground for other regions, has used an ever-shifting list of rationalizations to oppose it. The opposition prompted county commissioners last month to postpone a final vote on the proposition until February.

These rationalizations have been debunked one after another. No, importing trash will not unleash hordes of out-of-town garbage trucks on county roads. No, it will not hurt the county’s tourism industry. It won’t create unusual amounts of noise or unpleasant smells. And importing trash will not cripple the county’s landfill.

So critics are now seizing on the last and perhaps weakest argument for rejecting this proposal: the fact that the “tipping fee” charged to out-of-county trash haulers would be lower than the ones paid by county users.

Let's not go to Bravo! Cucina Italiana!

If you haven't read Liz Balmaseda's restaurant review of the new Bravo! Cucina Italiana at Harbourside in Jupiter it's worthy of a read. Trust me, this is the review you don't want to read if you own a restaurant and it's about your product and service. The Post's restaurant reviews tend to be puff pieces which is what you would expect in a county so dependent on tourism. However, this review takes the cake. Err, the pie.
Bravo! - Before opening. Pic taken 10/28
Not only does Ms. Balmaseda trash the brand new Bravo! restaurant she also can't believe that the folks in Jupiter would ever think of eating there. Can the people of Jupiter be so déclassé? Probably not. And, after this, fewer will probably go there.
 
This is how the reviews ENDS:
Diners are waiting more than an hour for a table at Bravo on busy nights. They brave the traffic, the parking woes and now a line at a mediocre chain restaurant. In Jupiter.

Quite possibly, this is a sign of the apocalypse.
Here are some excerpts from the review:
"Except for that spicy pizza and decent salad, the dishes I sampled here are neither. They not only lacked flavor nuances, they lacked identifiable flavors."

"The contents of my pasta bowl – thin wedges of chicken breast, campanelle and sauce – begged for a hint of garlic, spicy pepper flakes, fresh green onion … something."

"In this case, the finished pasta sauce was made with a base that was overly sweet and lacking in aromatics."

"Our side salads that night ($3.99 with the entrees) proved to be serviceable at best. In both the house Caesar salad and the Insalata della Casa, the greens seemed to have been tossed onto the plate with little concern for presentation."

"Bravo, after all, is the first eatery to open in the long-awaited, $150-million Harbourside Place, Jupiter’s newly baptized piazza del popolo. Yet the food tastes prepackaged."
So, Ms. Balmaseda, what do you really think? Was your dinner companion Pete Wells? The most curious thing about Ms. Balmaseda's review was her rating of Bravo! Cucina Italiana: B-. Why not a 'C'? Or a 'D'? How low is the bar to get an 'A'? From this review it seems to get an 'A' all you need are some chopped green onions, more oregano, and some staff training on plating. 

Where else in Jupiter are diners waiting an hour to eat? The Food Shack is an excellent choice, by the way. No pizza there, but it is a foodie paradise.

Everglades Earth First! (EEF) going to protest AGAIN!

Never satisfied and always restless, EEF is putting this out there on short notice; the protest is next Friday from 4:30 to 6:30. EEF is shying away from the secretly-planned protest tactic ever since three of their members got arrested, closed down a school, and scaring little children and the parents. This will be their 4th recent protest and no tree sitting up to this point. Thus far, little has been gained other than self-promotion with opportunistic zeal.

EEF's first protest was on November 7th of last year. Curiously these cards (see below) started showing up around town the month previous, in early October. A coincidence? These cards have no contact information: no phone number or email, only the class location, the Quaker Meeting House here in Lake Worth.

Details on next Fridays protest to come.

Friday, January 2, 2015

One of the squeakier squeakers...


Happy Birthday, Henry Flagler! A Great American Visionary

Image from Wikipedia.

Henry Morrison Flagler was born on 
this day, January 2nd, in 1830.

The reason I post about the little town of Greenfield, CA with 17,000 residents...

[Now that the PBSO/Sheriff haters are once again ramping up their attacks in Lake Worth, read this post from August 17th of last year.]

I was downtown the other day and a reader of my blog approached, asked me curiously why I post about crime and other issues in Greenfield, CA of all places. It occurred to me it's been quite some time since I explained that and I'll do so once again.

First understand this, my posts about Greenfield, CA are about demonstrating hypocrisy. Period. I have nothing but sympathy for the victims of crime and am not in any way making light of crime. Now...the reason for my Greenfield posts, the little town 2,940 miles away with a population about half the size of Lake Worth?

Prior to our current city manager, Michael Bornstein, the city manager was Susan Stanton. She was ingloriously fired in December 2011. There were many reasons for her dismissal. In a nutshell, she had become ineffective and towards the end had almost completely insulated herself from the community. Her conflicts with staff were the stuff of legends. It was a terrible situation for everyone and swift action was taken. Done. Big sigh of relief.

Oddly enough there are still a few ardent supporters of Susan Stanton despite the facts. One such supporter is the other blogger (TOB). Some think TOB has a shrine to Stanton in her tiny condo with burning incense, celestial offerings, and bottled tears. One of Stanton's most important goals was to rid Lake Worth of the Sheriff, PBSO. Stanton, in a hallucinogenic moment, believed Lake Worth should have its own police department and its own police chief. Imagine that, Stanton already had shown incompetence doing the most mundane duties of a manager and she believed that having her own police chief was going to miraculously solve all the city's problems...and save money. Just absurd.

Now to my Greenfield, CA posts and demonstrating hypocrisy: In the other blogger's effort to salvage Stanton's honor and haplessly try ridding our City of the Sheriff, she posts every single crime in Lake Worth in an effort to show how much better Lake Worth would be with its own PD. Some facts about Greenfield, CA. Greenfield has its own PD. Earlier this year Greenfield hired its own police chief; until then they shared that service with a neighboring city. There is crime in Greenfield. There is gang activity in Greenfield. Recently there was a homicide. There are assaults, break-ins, thefts, shootings...in Greenfield, CA.

Susan Stanton is now the city manager for...drum roll please...Greenfield, CA.

From The Washington Post: "11 of the worst policy ideas of 2014" - One of them in Wellington

From the The Washington Post's Wonkblog is this: "11 of the worst policy ideas of 2014".

And Wellington was third on the list!

From the article in Wonkblog:
The science is clear: Fluoride in water is a very good thing, because it prevents the decay of your teeth. The CDC heralds public water fluoridation campaigns as “one of the 10 great public  health achievements of the 20th century.” Nonetheless, 2014 was another year in which anti-fluoridation campaigners scored some victories. The Fluoride Action Network lists a number of U.S. localities that rejected public water fluoridation this year, including the village of Wellington, Florida, in Palm Beach County, home to some 60,000 people. Earlier this year, Wellington’s city council voted to end fluoridation 14 years after the practice initially started.

From Walkable West Palm, news about its expansion in coverage

From our friends at Walkable West Palm we have this message to start off the New Year:
This year has seen further refinement of what this blog is all about and an expansion in reach. We’ve added a regular contributor, Baron Haussman, whose talent for street design has contributed greatly to the conversation here. The blog has been featured on Strong Towns, Streetsblog, and Transit Miami, some of the most widely read websites for urbanists and city builders. I have also become a regular contributor to the Strong Towns blog. We’ve also had media appearances in the Palm Beach Post and news channel 5 to talk about issues affecting West Palm Beach.

Now, we need you. This blog is 100% non profit and subsists on volunteer time and effort. If you enjoy our content and think you can add value to the conversation, please get in touch with us. Of particular need are individuals who desire to cover the northend and southend of the city in regard to land use issues and new development (for example, the Publix on Belvedere). In addition, we desperately need a new logo to use across all platforms and media. Anyone willing to help us pro-bono would be greatly appreciated.
I visit the Walkable West Palm blog two or three times a week and would encourage my readers in Lake Worth to read the blog also. Lake Worth will be experiencing many changes in the near future and watching how West Palm Beach adapts to the changing walkable/bikeable world will aid our City going forward also. 

Lake Worth and West Palm Beach share an amazing asset that's gone neglected for too many years, Dixie Highway. Big ideas are being floated to revitalize Dixie Highway and Lake Worth is part of the conversation, yes folks, West Palm Beach and Lake Worth are talking about our shared futures!

That's how it should be.

From our friends at Channel 12, a change in tone this New Year? [correction]

[Note correction below in boldface]

Last year there were many posts here reporting on Channel 12's news segments concerning the City of Lake Worth: the constant errors, one-sided political 'news stories', and the inflammatory screen images were the norm for Channel 12 (WPEC). From Jonathan [not "Matthew" as in original post] Beaton's take on the panhandling issue, to Michael Buczyner's terrible piece on commissioner travel, to Israel Balderas' "Holy War" in Lake Worth, it was hard to interpret this reporting as anything else but an organized effort to discredit the city and our current majority commission. Or was it buffoonery, plain and simple?

The topic of Channel 12 and their 'reporting' is brought up often in conversations around the city and there are many theories. Someone who I know that is very familiar with the situation is convinced most of the reporters are oblivious to what is going on. The reporters are hard working professionals, however it's the assignment editors and news editors that choose the news stories and work them up for the news viewing audience, like this for example:
There are so many good things happening in Lake Worth. Lake Worth is a city that was hit particularly hard by the Great Recession. Commercial investment in the city was non-existent for seven years and openly discouraged by our elected representatives at the time.  Out of all Palm Beach County municipalities, you could make the case that one or two other cities in the county suffered worse than our City of Lake Worth. As our City revives and grows we're not asking for any special treatment from the news media, only fairness. Is that too much to ask? 

When Channel 12 does a news story about blight in Lake Worth and they interview two ordinary concerned citizens, Katie McGiveron and Lynn Anderson, you know that Channel 12 has a problem. (I have heard of Mrs. McGiveron recently ranting in the utility offices about how high her bill was, with four of her disciples in tow.)

On New Years Eve, Lauren Hills did a story from the American Legion on Dixie Highway here in Lake Worth. It was a good story and she interviewed some local veterans who shared their wishes and concerns on the war in Afghanistan. 

The good people of Lake Worth look forward to many such stories from Channel 12 in 2015. Let's hold them to this resolution.

Change in tactics; the Anarchist evolving strategies in the era of social media

If you recall the protests in Ferguson, MO and New York City you'll remember the people with cameras running through the crowds. The cameras were either handheld filming the action or sometimes the camera was mounted on the body somewhere, like the forehead with a strap. Other times the cameras were hidden in bags or under a scarf. These videos, within minutes, were broadcast to the entire world using social media sites. Those filming with cameras and posting the videos are called "Streamers".

Initially, the purpose of the 'Streamers' was to get police abuses on video to further incite even more violence. Initially some of these videos did just that. But then an unexpected thing happened. Many of these videos became evidence for the police to charge protesters with crimes. Oooops. 

In the excitement of the moment, some 'Streamers' were yelling out peoples names, identifying the protest leaders, giving away tactical information, and capturing images of people engaged in illegal activity. 

Streamers used to be really cool, and now suddenly they're not cool at all. You can read all about this in the Anarchist News. From the article titled, Live Streamers Make Great Informants:
A common issue with Streamers is their display of entitlement, often citing the value of bringing the movement to the people. But Streamers have a hard time admitting that the police find their work more valuable then [sic] demonstrators.

In a world of voyeurism and exhibitionists, Streamers often get carried away, interpreting their role as being a narrator for the movement. They often film people without their consent, placing more value in presenting to their viewership, then protecting the group that is already taking risks by just getting out into the street to protest.
Believe it or not, the Anarchists want the Streamers to follow a long list of rules called, " 'Good' Livestream Tactics" and they have a list of "Very Poor Streamer Etiquette". Here are some examples of poor Streamer etiquette:
-Calling People out by Name on Streams.
-Filming Peoples’ Identities on Streams
-Narrating your Interpretation of what Kind of Action is Taking Place
-Streamers often divulge personal opinions rather than facts when narrating about actions. Are you prepared to be a witness for law enforcement in the future?
-Filming Direct Actions
When you read the article about 'Streamers' note the long lists. Aren't people attracted to the Anarchist philosophy to get away from the oppression of the "list makers"? And then there is "etiquette". Since when do the Anarchists want some vague, broad societal construct to determine their behavior? Maybe the Anarchist lifestyle isn't what it's cracked up to be. There's a lot of rule makin' going on here if you know what I mean. Lastly, were these rules codified using the horizontal decision-making method?

Also, for a group that considers itself "non-conformist" it seems more than odd that there is such inner-rigidity in thought, action and dress amongst those that "identify" with the group.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

2014 is behind us...


Michigan State beats Baylor 42-41 in the Cotton Bowl!


OUR LAKE WORTH CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE IS TOMORROW!

JOIN US AND BRING FRIENDS AND FAMILY! DETAILS FOLLOW:

Tomorrow you can usher in the New Year with the Lake Worth Critical Mass (CM) bicycle ride around Lake Worth!
The ride is always the first Friday of the month. Last month's ride was special because the ride had nearly 80 riders, the most riders by far for the CM ride here in Lake Worth. Last month's ride was also the best route so far, in my opinion, and went by many holiday light displays that are likely still up, for the most part. You meet in front of the Gulfstream Hotel (east side) and the ride leaves at 7:30 sharp. I would suggest going to our downtown Cultural Plaza for the Evening on the Avenues and the NAPC Front Porch until 7:00 and then proceed to the Gulfstream to socialize until the ride departs. 

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN ATHLETE TO RIDE! The CM ride is for everyone, young or older, singles or couples and families too. The pace is comfortable, with the average speed between 10 and 15 miles per hour, and the leaders of the ride stop occasionally to keep the group together. There are "corkers" who watch out for the safety of the riders and make sure vehicular traffic is aware that bike riders are coming through intersections. 

The only requirement are bicycle lights, front and back. This is very important. Some riders get very creative with their lights and this makes it an impressive visual sensory experience. If you don't have lights there are two bike shops in Lake Worth: Family Bicycle (561-533-6040) and Relentless Bicycle (561-547-1396). My bike shop is Relentless on Lucerne Ave east of the Post Office, if you go there tell them Wes said, "Hi". For more creative lighting options, you can always search the Internet and you will find a lot of ideas that are not too expensive, but add pizzazz to your nighttime bike ride experience.

Start your New Year off with a fun bike ride through our City of Lake Worth! Come out tomorrow and help the CM Lake Worth break 100 riders. Viva Lake Worth!

Happy New Year!


Click here for full episode of "Tiny House Hunting" featuring two Lake Worth cottages

Too bad they chose the wrong one, but two in Lake Worth are highlighted (the second two) and downtown is showcased!

Data interpretation, and defining what is the City of Lake Worth

The data in the Palm Beach Post would have you believe that from January 10, 2009 until November 9, 2014 there have been 50 homicides in Lake Worth. There haven't been. The City of Lake Worth had 30 homicides in that span of 2,129 days. In a city just under 7 square miles, that is still high. However, still a better reflection of reality than 50. (Remember, 2009 was soon after PBSO took over the police services for Lake Worth.) If you didn't read the fine print in the Interactive Map "Palm Beach County homicide victims", a story by Palm Beach Post reporters Julius Whigham II and Michelle Quigley, and you weren't very well-educated regarding the boundaries of Lake Worth then you would come away believing there were indeed 50 homicides in Lake Worth. 

Here is the fine print below the Interactive Map I am referring to: "Note: City refers to mailing address and does not always coincide with municipal boundaries."

Here is one of the homicide locations that didn't "coincide with municipal boundaries". This homicide location, 10920 50th Street is south of Lake Worth Road and west of the Florida Turnpike, which is well outside the municipal boundaries of the City of Lake Worth. For some reference, this homicide location is over 11 miles from our Lake Worth City Hall. 

Of the 50 homicides attributed to "Lake Worth" here is a list of homicides that actually occurred in suburban Lake Worth, outside the city:
Shootings: 12
Child abuse deaths: 2
Suffocation: 1
Stabbing: 4
Vehicular homicide: 1

On the Post's Interactive Map, 40% of the homicides were outside the city limits of the City of Lake Worth. Forty percent. Below the Interactive Map is a menu. One of the choices is, "Filter by city". You will see cities listed from Belle Glade to West Palm Beach. Nowhere is the option to find a list of homicides in unincorporated Palm Beach County (PBC). 

So it would appear all the homicides in Palm Beach County, at least in this map, are being attributed to municipalities. Below I have a map from Wikipedia of Palm Beach County with the municipalities shown:

Palm Beach County is massive: 1,977 square miles. Fifty-five percent of residents live in a municipality of which there are 38, the rest live in unincorporated PBC. By far most of PBC land area is unincorporated. 

Imagine you are a business person, an investor, or looking to move to Lake Worth? Data like 50 Lake Worth homicides from Julius Whigham II and Michelle Quigley could be very troubling. We have difficulty teaching reporters who have been in PBC for years the difference between the City of Lake Worth and suburban Lake Worth so how would a future, let's say future homeowner, unfamiliar with municipal boundaries know the difference? 

Much time and effort went into the Interactive Map by Julius Whigham II and Michelle Quigley. However the information is misleading and inaccurate, especially as Lake Worth is concerned. A simple, small typeface, 14-word disclaimer doesn't make up for inaccurate information.   

This Interactive Map needs more Interactive Fact Checking. And why not do a piece about the importance of municipal boundaries and real-life implications of those jurisdictions?