Lori J. Durante on the locally produced Health in Balance radio podcast—Taste of History Culinary Tours

Juice and Essence podcast with guest Culinary History Tour leader Lori J. Durante who talks about her culinary tours and other interests of hers. After the halfway mark, she talks about how various local communities differentiate themselves from others, including Lake Worth.

Found on Twitter

Tonight's (7/7) City Commission agenda link: http://t.co/AoRle33phL. Mtg. 6:30p. Follow along on Twitter at #BBCommissionMtg

— City of Boynton (@cityofboynton) July 7, 2015

Noise issues popping up in downtown West Palm Beach...

Noise raises its head in many south Florida communities. A few years ago, led by former Commissioner JoAnn Golden, there was a re-write of Lake Worth's noise ordinance. It was focused on a few establishments in the downtown that had open-air music venues. One of the targets was "The Cottage" that no longer plagues the complainers' night time solitude since it closed. PBSO would respond to noise complaints made by a handful of people, but those same people would be upset if there was no response due to PBSO handling of emergency or life-threatening situations going on at the same time.

Classic photoshop by the inimitable, superbly-talented Tom McGow.

Question for news media (and other interested parties): How many Zip Codes does "Lake Worth" have?

Not to sway anyone one way or the other, the City of Lake Worth is a tiny city in Palm Beach County, less than 7 square miles with about 36,000 residents. Here are your choices (if you prefer, email me to have your vote tallied). Is it:

• One
• Two
• Three
• Five
• Nine
• Fifteen

Check back tomorrow for the answer.

FREE SUMMER FILM NIGHT: La Marseillaise (1938) Monday, July 13th

On Monday, July 13th, at 6 pm in the Rosenthal Lecture Room at the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach’s offices, the film La Marseillaise (1938) will be shown.

The showing is FREE to ALL and open to the general public. However, only reserved seating is available. To reserve seating, please call 561.832.0731, extension 111. Email responses are NOT accepted.

PLEASE NOTE, ONCE THE FILM BEGINS THERE IS NO ADMITTANCE.

As with all events, the Preservation Foundation expects attendees to act respectfully. We reserve the right to turn away anyone.

Just in time for Bastille Day, La Marseillaise (1938) presents an entertaining example of a culture in flux at a movement in time when one culture and way of life was trying to preserve itself in the face of another. Director Jean Renoir's (son of the famous painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir) epic account of the French Revolution, La Marseillaise is shown from the eyes of the citizens of Marseille, counts in German exile and, of course the king Louis XVI each showing their own small problems. It juxtaposes the opulent life of King Louis XVI with the poverty of the commoners who rose up to overthrow the monarchy in 1789. The film's title comes from the rallying song which grew out of the peasants' march on the Bastille, the song that ultimately became the French national anthem.

"Fascinating." - Chicago Reader

"The heady, idealistic days of the French Revolution as seen from the street, through the eyes of an idealistic group of Republicans from Marseilles..." - Turner Classic Movies

The Foundation’s President Alexander C. Ives will present a short introduction, linking the film with the causes and work of the Preservation Foundation.

The showing will begin at 6 pm.
Please note, doors lock at 6:15 pm.
Refreshments will be provided.

The Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach is a private, non-profit, 1500 member organization dedicated to the preservation of the historic, architectural and cultural heritage of Palm Beach, Florida. As the community advocate for maintaining the outstanding quality of life in Palm Beach, the Foundation has created a community-wide perspective seeing the unique buildings of Palm Beach as integral to the Town’s character as well as its future. What once would have been only issues of growth have been reshaped as issues of quality of life. By combining history, inventiveness and ingenuity the Preservation Foundation has helped forge a contemporary Palm Beach informed by its achievements in architecture, culture and design, not dismissive of them.

Over 30 years, the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach has given millions of dollars for the preservation and restoration of historic properties; worked advocating for over 290 landmark properties; recognized numerous architects, owners, and properties with awards; educated hundreds of thousands of children about the architectural, cultural and environmental legacy of Palm Beach; and saved thousands of archival documents in its library, among many other accomplishments.

Alexander C. Ives
President
Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach
311 Peruvian Avenue
Palm Beach, Florida 33480

Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches Recognizes Dedication of Its Volunteers

More than 75 Volunteers and Guests Attend Volunteer Appreciation Brunch

Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches recently recognized the dedication of its outstanding volunteers with a Volunteer Appreciation Brunch. 

“Our volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization,” said Director of Volunteer Services Debbie Emerick. “They truly are the wheels beneath our meals.”

Thanks to more than 100 volunteers, Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches makes close to 500 home visits a week, providing clients with nutritious, freshly prepared noontime meals as well as companionship.

During the volunteer appreciation brunch, Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches honored four of its senior volunteers – Ernie Pate, Ruth Windle, Fran Sauer and Tom Marx – for their outstanding service. 

Volunteers are still needed to assist with meal preparation and deliveries. To find out how you can volunteer or support the organization, call 561-802-6979 or visit MOWPB.org

MaryAnn Hadman, Terri Abrams, Terry Ralston and Kathy Mardambek

Volunteer honorees Ernie Pate, Ruth Windle, Fran Sauer and Tom Marx

About Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches
Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches is a non-profit organization dedicated to nourishing and enriching the lives of the homebound in the local community. An affiliate of Meals on Wheels America, the organization provides nutritious mid-day meals to those unable to prepare their own and living alone.  A community-based organization, Meals on Wheels of the Palm Beaches relies on volunteers and the financial support of local residents, corporate partners and foundations, operating without government funding.
CONTACT: 
Rich Pollack 
Pollack Communications
(561) 573-5092

From All Aboard Florida: Construction of the AAF MiamiCentral Station

About the video: Construction has begun in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach for the All Aboard Florida train project. Each station will be completed in advance of the 2017 train launch. View the latest construction in action for the All Aboard Florida MiamiCentral station.

[UPDATE] Who is monkeywrenching (hijacking) the Lake Worth, FL Wikipedia page?

[A lot of work has been done fixing the City's Wikipedia page. A big 'Thank You' to everyone who helped. The background is this: early last month it was discovered that misinformation and disinformation had been added to the page. For instance, the 'pastor' Olive and his Common Ground (no 's') Church nonsense was added and has since been erased/expunged from the Wikipedia page. There was also other false and misleading information that was either erased or fixed. Read on. . .the original post from June 5th follows, that's when the monkeywrenching was first discovered:]

In footnote 18 in the text of the City of Lake Worth's Wikipedia page you find this courtesy of 'Pastor' Mike Olive and his Common Ground (no 's') church:

Image from TV news segment on the false, non-story about the "crackdown" on churches in the City of Lake Worth. Lake Worth residents wondering if they live in the "former Soviet Union"?

This is the un-Christian and undeserved black eye that the 'Pastor' gave to the City of Lake Worth. All this high faux drama over the need to have his structure inspected and a fee all establishments are required to pay.

And there's more. Who changed the Zip Code?

The City's Zip Codes are 33460 and 33461. And this:

Lake Worth has a large population of new immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean, though the downtown area has become increasingly gentrified in recent years. Some of South Florida's most attractive architecture can be found in College Park, an affluent neighborhood in the northeast corner of the city.

And these distortions and twisted facts with no footnotes or backup information:

It was revealed in the spring of 2015 that a committee was meeting behind closed doors to consider a proposal to build a convention center and private beach club at the beach, and to destroy the Olympic-sized municipal pool, the only oceanfront Olympic-size [sic] municipal pool in South Florida. 

And of our Sister Cities:

• Lappeenranta (Finland)
• Saint-Marc (Haiti)
• Southend-on-Sea (England)
• Sopot (Poland)

And this about our City Manager Michael Bornstein: "Acting"?

Anyone have an idea who is responsible for this? An editor/journalist with some spare time maybe? Just to demonstrate the lengths some will go to tarnish our City image won't do any edits but that won't stop someone else from fixing this nonsense. 

So very charming, isn't it? 

West Palm Beach tackling zoning issues on Broadway

We face many of the same issues on sections of Dixie Hwy. that go through Lake Worth. Many of the changes made to our land development regulations were designed to address the issue of shallow lots on the east side of the road. One of the changes made was that to occupy one of the existing buildings along U.S. 1 in Lake Worth is that a business or property owner does not need to provide for on-site parking.

Here is what West Palm Beach is attempting. This is a video prepared by the city's own video production studio:
Broadway Corridor Zoning Kickoff Meeting from City of West Palm Beach on Vimeo.

From the State Archives of Florida:

"Are you looking for a dish to bring to your next barbecue? Try this recipe for Lemon and Banana Pie, which calls for the pie to be placed “in a moderate oven.” The recipe is from the San Luis Vineyards Records, 1890-1933 (Collection M88-44). The collection consists of four ledgers containing general business records, recipes and newspaper clippings.

The San Luis Vineyards was one of the early producers of wines in Florida. After moving to Tallahassee in 1882, Emile Dubois and his business partner, Maxmillian Berlitz, purchased two-thirds of the San Luis tract from Helen Dodd. They established a vineyard on the property, which produced 4,000 gallons of wine a year by 1890. They sold the land after a disease or insects damaged his vineyards and Leon County became a dry county in 1904. The vineyard was purchased by a series of people including James Messer. Messer’s widow sold the property, now the site of the Mission San Luis, to the state in 1983."

(Collection M88-44, Volume 2)

Under Construction. The Seven Mile Bridge. Florida Keys

Courtesy of the Monroe County Library:

Snagged this from Facebook this morning from the Historic Florida VII! page there. Here is a comment by Seth Bramson, official historian of the Florida East Coast Railway that clarifies what we see in this picture. Mr. Bramson was a two time guest on High Noon in Lake Worth.

"To be a bit more specific, the original “Seven Mile Bridge,” which only gained that name with the coming of the Oversea(s) Highway is NOT what is shown here. These are the cofferdams for the supports for the Knight’s Key Viaduct or Pacet Channel Viaduct. Remember, the bridge was called Knight’s Key Viaduct and had two other named sections when built by the FEC. That adding of the “s” when it became the highway was ridiculous. It was the “Over-the-sea” or Oversea Railway, NOT “overseas.” It didn’t go overseas. It went over the sea to Key West, and, yes, there is a difference."

And...

 "The title of the ONLY complete history of the Key West Extension ever written is THE GREATEST RAILROAD STORY EVER TOLD: Henry Flagler and the Florida East Coast Railway’s Key West Extension. There have been books written on the construction and on the ’35 hurricane, and even a novel, but that is the only complete history ever written. (The History Press, 2011) Mr. Flagler spent $50 million (not $20 or $30 or any of the other numbers shown, but $50 million) building it. The largest collection of Key West Extension memorabilia that exists is in Miami at The Bramson Archive. Monroe County Public Library in Key West has a nice collection and there are several very good collections in private hands but the collection at The Bramson Archive is the largest and most complete, including the complete company blueprint maps in four mile sections of the extension from Homestead to Key West. Hundreds and hundreds of documents, news articles, booklets, brochures, timetables, photographs, original badges from the “Key West Over-the-Sea Railway Celebration,” and even the American Railway Express Co., Key West, Fla. wax sealer & more, so, and as always, those who are interested are always welcome, but, and again, with arrangements made in advance, please."

Kathleen Wilker: "Teaching the Next Generation How to Ride a Bike"

Most experienced bike riders take bike lanes, sharrows, and navigating around car traffic as the norm. But what about those who are just learning to ride a bike for the first time? It doesn't necessarily have to be a child; it could be someone older who wants to learn (or re-learn) how to ride. You can imagine how frightening it would be riding a bike down the road for the first few times.

Below is an excerpt from the article that's subtitled, "Kathleen Wilker reflects on what it will take to help our kids grow up as Generation Bike":

     Back in the fall, I was invited to participate on a panel about biking in the shoulder season. I was happy to accept, but wanted our ten-year-old daughter, Anna Sierra, to be part of the panel too.
     All too often our streets are not designed with children’s travel in mind. Sharrows on a main street, for example, guide experienced cyclists to ride in the center of the lane, but they don’t create routes that children can take on their own bikes. There is a lot of skill and confidence required to make quick decisions when sharing the road with parked cars and traffic, especially at intersections.
     So whenever there is an opportunity for our kids to be included in conversations around cycling, I invite them to join in. To create cities where everyone can get where they want to go, we need to ask kids where they want to go and what would make it possible for them to get there. Separated bike lanes and pedestrian scrambles at intersections would certainly help. Crosswalks on direct routes to school would too.

Palm Beach County mayor wants problems with homeless fixed now

Click title for link to an article in The Palm Beach Post by John Pacenti. Mayor Vana wants the homeless congregation that uses John Prince Park as their home addressed. This is important to the city of Lake Worth as the park is right at the city's western boundary. I am sure that many of the homeless that we see in Lake Worth are part of the same group that can be found in the park. The article talks about small barriers that are large to the homeless population—like how to access the medical and mental care system to even knowing how to use the bus system. Even a minimal fee of $3 for this population can prevent them from accessing services.

From the article:

     Vana wants the problem fixed now.
     “Either the homeless people are going to be out panhandling to get our money or they are going to be in my house taking my computer again,” she said.
     She also criticized the fact that homeless people must make an appointment to get into the Philip D. Lewis Center, the county’s homeless shelter, must often get referrals from specialists to get the care they need and might have to pay a $3 to $5 co-pay for prescriptions.
     “These are homeless people who don’t have the skills to deal with all of this,” she said.

Definitely worth the read and it is good that it has the county government's attention, for now. 

10 More Reasons to Visit Lantana and the little City of Lake Worth

From the FloridaEscape blog is this information about the culinary tour this coming Saturday:

     Palm Beach County has plenty of natural beauty to attract visitors from all over the country, and combined with the fascinating history and local foods of this region, travelers have 10 more good reasons to visit Lantana and Lake Worth Florida.
     Lantana and Lake Worth are the two main stops for the Taste History Culinary Tours of Historic Palm Beach County scheduled every second Saturday of the month at 11:00 a.m. The tours take place rain or shine and the cost per person is $45 and must be paid in advance. Children under 14 are free with a paying adult.
     All of the tours offer a combination of bus travel plus four to six blocks of walking from restaurant to restaurant, where visitors can sample each eateries special dishes. A guide walks tourists through these historic parts of Palm Beach County while they lunch and learn their way through one of the loveliest regions of the Sunshine State. Bring comfortable walking shoes as well as a hearty appetite.

When you visit the blog they have a write-up about each stop on the tour. Make sure to pass this on to all your foodie friends.

Did you miss the Residents of the Residences of Lake Osborne at the Raft Race!

Here they are! The raft didn't work out but it's all about community. Thank you for being there RROLOH!

Stroll down memory lane: the day Lake Worth City Manager Susan Stanton was fired (12/12/2011)

The City of Lake Worth on Twitter, are they up for another important task?

The City rolled out their Twitter feed yesterday (July 4th) and it was a sight to behold. For the very first day they did a spectacular job, using text efficiently, links, pictures and even video. Share the City's Twitter with all your friends and family: @lakeworthpbc.

For example here is one Tweet that was sent out:

For those of you unfamiliar with Twitter, here is a "Tweet".

Stay with me here. . .how many people realize how small the City of Lake Worth is? Palm Beach County (PBC) is well over 2,000 square miles and Lake Worth makes up less than 7 square miles of that. A large part of Palm Beach County is unincorporated and there are 38 municipalities in the county. The county population is about 1.4 million people and Lake Worth makes up 36,000 of that: about 3%, that's all.

The actual size of 'Lake Worth'. Note Lake Osborne and the E-4 (Keller) Canal to the west.

But if you pay attention to what some in the mainstream media think the size of Lake Worth is you get an entirely different message. Because the media relies on false information and Zip Codes they think the City extends all the way to the Florida Turnpike and south almost to Boynton Beach. For instance, there was a terrible accident in "Lake Worth" yesterday that didn't happen in Lake Worth; it occurred in unincorporated PBC, or if you prefer, 'suburban' Lake Worth. I corrected a TV news station yesterday for a false news report they sent out on Twitter:

I am not suggesting the City social media department monitor Twitter all day for false news reports but when they are informed of such instances an 'Official Tweet' would be in order. This would go a long way in educating the news media about city borders and distinguishing between what is suburban PBC and what a municipality is.

Some of yesterday's pre-Raft Race festivities. . .

The psychology of 'no' in Vancouver (if you live in Lake Worth does anything sound familiar?)

Vancouver, Canada recently had a referendum on fixing the city's infrastructure. The city's administration had taken a "go big or go home" approach to the problem of crumbling streets and the terrible transit situation. They wanted to build new roads, add more bus lines, and build an underground rail system. This was all going to take a lot of money. The referendum failed.

In the lead-up to the vote was an article in the National Post titled, "The psychology of ‘no': Vancouver transit vote is case study in why it’s so hard to do what makes us happy". For those of you who remember the recent failed bond vote in Lake Worth you will find this excerpt below very interesting:

     We are more attracted to stories than spreadsheets [emphasis added] — the simpler and more mythical, the more compelling. We crave identifiable heroes and villains. The “No” campaign has supplied that story, painting local transit authority executives as a corrupt, wasteful band of thieves.
     It doesn’t matter that their assertions are inaccurate. (Translink is arguably one of the most efficient and reliable big-city transit agencies in North America.) It doesn’t matter that the plebiscite is not actually about Translink, or that the results will affect the public much more than Translink leaders. The emotionally charged story feels truer than numbers.
     So for many voters, the plebiscite is reduced to an opportunity to express anger about their commute, or engage in a symbolic struggle against a cartoon-like enemy. But this will actually harm voters’ own interests in the long run.
     How can we overcome such barriers in order to get this — and other urban decisions — right?

Here is video from YouTube with a humorous take on referendum (a definite 'Yes' voter):

Lake Worth artist featured in the Sun Sentinel: "Patriotism Revisited" exhibit

Briana Erickson at the Sun Sentinel has this article about Lake Worth artist Rolando Chang Barrero:

     Rolando Chang Barrero was born and raised in Miami, the son of Cuban immigrants who arrived in the United States in the early 1960s.
     The artist and founder of the Boynton Beach Arts District and the Rolando Chang Barrero Fine Art Gallery in Lake Worth said he remains inspired by — and grateful for — the political asylum and citizenship granted to his family.
     Barrero began painting a flag series referencing patriotism in the United States, Cuba and other countries about two years ago, in response to what he has perceived as anti-American sentiment.
     Now he's displaying his solo exhibit, "Patriotism Revisited," at The Great Project Art Gallery in Fort Lauderdale until July 6.

An image from the article in the Sun Sentinel.

Miami Herald—"Sharing space: South Florida co-working centers proliferate"

Nancy Dahlberg at the Miami Herald writes about this national trend you see happening in downtown Lake Worth:

     Locally, the growth of downtown during the last two real estate cycles has helped make the urban core a nexus of cool for young professionals and entrepreneurs, doubling its population since 2000. An explosion of entrepreneurship programs — many funded by the Knight Foundation, which has put its weight behind the entrepreneurship and tech movements in its Miami program — has also fueled the trend. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area was the nation’s No. 2 locale for new startup activity in 2014, according to a Kauffman Foundation study.
     Startups and freelancers have been seeking affordable, convenient and collaborative work spaces where they can network, learn from one another, and attend workshops and events. Costs vary, but most run about $200 to $300 a month for full-time use of the co-working space and its amenities; a dedicated desk or glass-walled office costs extra. Co-working spaces also offer WiFi, access to conference rooms, generous hours of operation to accommodate night owls and weekend warriors, and of course, plenty of java.

For example, the DaVinci Virtual Office is located at 728 Lake Avenue. There are others in town also. Some day soon will visit these venues, take some video and do a blog post on how the Millennials are changing the way business and new ideas are being created.

Some are still fighting the Civil War like Battle of Palmito Ranch never happened

The Battle of Palmito Ranch in 1865 was officially the last battle of the Civil War. The war was declared over on August 20, 1866. The Miami Herald reports yesterday (July 4th, 2015) that there are still holdouts in this news article titled, "Police remove unauthorized Confederate flag flown in Florida":

     Police said in a report released Saturday that an anonymous caller alerted them to the flag found flying Friday afternoon outside City Hall. Police impounded it.
     City Hall was closed for the July Fourth weekend. Mayor Andrew Gillum condemned the flag-raising, vowing whoever put the flag up would be held responsible.
     "Today we proudly celebrate the founding of our Nation" under a single flag, he said. "While this reprehensible act may have been an attempt to divide us, I know that our community will instead choose to unite and focus on the values that bind us together." [emphasis added]

It would seem we have one of those holdouts locally. Here is a charming message from The Other Blogger (TOB) a few days prior to Independence Day:

Not exactly what you would call a message of unity or community, is it?

[REPOST BY REQUEST] The latest from the "Keep Lake Worth Beach Public" Facebook page

Below is the new City of Lake Worth logo that is being used on social media, for example, on their soon-to-be-rolled-out Twitter feed:

From the City's website: "Lake Worth is a dynamic, multi-cultural city with an individualistic style. People are drawn to the city by its acceptance of different cultures and lifestyles, historic districts, hip downtown and colorful arts district." 

Below is a photo-shopped image being distributed by a few malcontents in the City. The hysteria continues about THE BEACH!:

This "symbol" is confusing. The use of the city's logo, erasing the words "City of Lake Worth, Florida" and replacing them with "Private Property - Keep Out", and then using the international "no" symbol over top of it creates a confusing double negative. 

Don't be wrong, most everyone gets its intent. We can see this attitude manifested in many ways throughout the City's recent history. Remember the eight years it took to develop workable land development regulations? During that time there was no commercial development in the city. There was a "de facto" moratorium on development and private investment that continues to some extent in the present. 

It reflects a xenophobic mentality held by some in this city. It's a message from the "red sign" people that says if you aren't from here, we don't want you. It confuses the notion of "private" and "public." Like it or not, our beach is a regional attraction. Many more people go to and use the beach than only Lake Worth residents. At a recent City Commission meeting Commissioner Maier floated the notion if anything in Lake Worth was actually a regional attraction at all. He called for more facilities to be only open to Lake Worth residents.

This attitude is not far away from the "moat mentality" by some in Lake Worth that somehow our municipality of 36,000 people is not part of the over 5 million person metropolitan area that is south Florida. We, in some people's minds, can exist autonomously within our borders with our own electric and water company, we can get by with blight and vacant properties because that is part of what makes up our idea of what Lake Worth is; and it is so very charming after all. 

If someone even suggests we do something different or entertain the notion of investment in the city in the form of a new building or infrastructure, the people of the "red sign" brigade will come along with a wheelbarrow of lies, knocking on doors, trying to make certain that Lake Worth is kept poor—more in common with communities in the Glades than other eastern Palm Beach County communities. Then a frenzy erupts based upon untruths and rumors, leaving the people that are attempting to improve conditions here with the task of proving what they are not doing, not actually focusing on what they could be doing.

It's the same sort of sentiment that goes into another creation that sends this message. Have you seen t-shirts that say "L-Dub - For Locals Only" in local stores? Not the most welcoming message to people who are looking to buy a house, rent space, buy property or work here. This way of thinking is prevalent enough and it always seems to raise its head around our election cycles. Now it appears these malcontents are attempting to maintain this frenzied paranoia 365/24/7. 

Can we get back to looking at the same facts, not fiction, and reacting to those facts rather than the emotions which are based on half-truths or outright lies? It won't happen if the malcontents are driving the agenda. 

Pew Research: "Counties Where Minorities are the Majority"

Image from the map produced by Pew Research. Five counties in Florida are now majority Hispanic (a change since 1980).

Here is a map from Pew Research showing counties in the U.S. that switched from White majority to minority majority since 1980: the number has doubled. The different colors represent the minority groups that live in that county. Six counties in Florida are now majority minority including Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

You can see how this will have tremendous policy implications even in counties that remain a White majority. For instance, what effect will the change in Cuba policy have? And the economic turmoil Puerto Rico is currently experiencing?

Short video of the Lake Worth Raft Race Parade today; more videos to come

Pics from the 2015 Lake Worth Raft Race (videos to come later, stay tuned)

Mayor Triolo, City Manager Bornstein, and Vice-Mayor Maxwell.

More pics and videos to come!

From Walkable West Palm: a more bike friendly Flager Bridge to be constructed

Jesse Bailey at the Walkable West Palm blog has been lobbying hard to get a more bike friendly Flagler Bridge designed and the FDOT listened to his concerns. He didn't get everything he wanted but a 6' wide bike lane is quite an achievement; here's an excerpt:

Good news, friends. We recently received an email from new FDOT District 4 Secretary Gerry O’Reilly, in followup to our requests for a better, safer design on the Flagler Bridge reconstruction. Here’s the email reply, pasted below, along with a typical bridge section. 

Mr. Bailey, 

We appreciate your interest in the bike facilities on the Flagler Bridge project. The project team has reviewed your February 14, 2015 request and will implement the following lane configuration.

Here is the link to read the entire post and see the new design by FDOT.

Bill Meredith: "Bamboo Room reopens briefly, with a bang"—see below for performers later today

Bill Meredith has this special report in the Post about the Bamboo room. An excellent piece with some history of the venue and the special acts performing there tonight. Here are two excerpts:

     Any reopening by the Bamboo Room in Lake Worth, one of South Florida’s top all-time nightclubs, qualifies as can’t-miss [emphasis added] — even if it’s for three nights only.
     The iconic venue, purchased from previous owners Russell Hibbard and Karen McKinley earlier this year, officially lit back up on Thursday with sets by soul singer Bobbi Conwell and reggae/funk/ska quintet The People Upstairs.

[and. . .]

     “This place is special,” says managing director David Minton, Blaine’s father. “Musicians, patrons and sound engineers from throughout South Florida all think it’s important that it comes back as a live venue. We’re hopeful, and our new slogan is simply ‘For the Music.’”
     See jazz group Lina & the Blue Collective from 7-9 p.m. and reggae-rockers the Mighty Quinn from 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m. on Friday, and jazz by Renee & the Chills from 5-6:30 p.m., reggae fusion by the Charley Sol Project from 7-9 p.m., and blues and funk by Mumbo Jumbo from 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m. on Saturday, all for free at the Bamboo Room, 25 S. J St., Lake Worth (561-585-2583).

Here is one of my favorite YouTube videos taken at the Bamboo Room:

Lake Okeechobee water level below normal for this time of year

John Nelander at the Palm Beach Daily News (aka, The Shiny Sheet) has this information on Lake Okeechobee:

     South Florida’s rainfall shortage is having a wider impact than just dry conditions at the coast. Lake Okeechobee water levels are below normal at 12.21 feet — well short of the average of 13.41 feet for this time of the year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported Wednesday.
     The lake was at 13 feet a year ago and 14.23 feet in 2013.
June rainfall was well below normal throughout most of South Floria, with “advancing drought conditions” in coastal areas, the South Florida Water Management District reported.
     “SFWMD weather record show this year’s district-wide May-June period was the driest since 2004 and the ninth driest since record keeping began in 1932,” the agency said.

You may want to familiarize yourself with local watering restrictions; here are the restrictions for the City of Lake Worth:

• Home Addresses Ending With Even Numbers (including zero) May Water Lawns & Gardens on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday
• Home Addresses Ending With Odd Numbers May Water Lawns & Gardens on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
• No Watering between 10am & 4pm

Critical Mass ride in the little City of Lake Worth last night

Getting close to that 100-rider mark. About 90+ attended last night; surprising since it was a holiday weekend. August 7th is the next ride. 

TJ Cane, the owner of Papa Wheelies, was there taking video of the ride and will post that on the blog soon. 

Stopped at the traffic light on Lake Ave just west of Dixie Hwy.

U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel goes to Commissioner Materio's re-election kick-off party

Tony Doris at the West Palm Beat has this about Lois Frankel and her attendance at Shanon Materio's kick-off party earlier in the week; here's an excerpt:

     We bumped into former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel at Commissioner Shanon Materio’s re-election kick-off on Tuesday. U.S. Rep. Frankel looked much more relaxed, much less stressed than when she was the city’s hard-driving chief executive from 2003 to 2011.
     We recall that six hurricanes terrorized Florida during that period, while Hurricane Frankel was blowing down the old library, building a new one and a city hall and navigating a steady stream of political intrigues, a couple of grand jury inquiries and the cuffing of two corrupt city commissioners. Ah, the good old days.

'Journalist/editor' Margaret Mange is Back! Sneak Peek at her first issue this Sunday!

Margaret Mange, previous publisher of failed tabloid in Lake Worth is back! Her last ALWAYS-FREE, delivered-FREE, advertising-challenged tabloid failed. How? It's a mystery. But she's giving it another go!

The Simply Sassy Style blog on the little City of Lake Worth!

What a wonderful blog post about Lake Worth. Dawn took the "TASTE HISTORY CULINARY TOURS - THE LAKE WORTH EXPERIENCE". She visited several venues in the City including South Shores Tavern, Brogues Down Under, Andy Amoroso at his shop downtown, and the tour ended at Mama Gizzi's:

Last but not least, we got the chance to visit the most amazing gourmet specialty shop Mama Gizzi's. They carry a huge variety of pasta, home made desserts, imported products from Italy and meals to go. This sassy little place is also Home of the "No Drama Mama" Dinner Kit, which includes 1 Lb. Pasta, 32 oz. of Mam's Gravy and 2 Meatballs. Can you say Yummy!!! Everyone on the tour loved the food and Mama Gizzi's sassy personality! What a great way to end this amazing tour!

Here is more information about this tour:

The tour is owned and operated by the non-profit Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History. Lori J. Durante is the Executive Director/Chief Curator/Executive Tour Director. She established the non-profit museum in 1999 and curated about 17 exhibits. The public tours travel to West Palm Beach on first Saturdays; Lake Worth and Lantana on second Saturdays; and to Delray Beach and Boynton Beach on third and fourth Saturdays, year-round, plus private tours are offered during weekdays.

Thank you Simply Sassy for visiting our little City of Lake Worth and make sure to let us know the next time you're in town.

Lake Worth City Manager at the Grand Opening of Mama Gizzi's.

Jeff Speck interviewed by WFLA in Tampa on large project in the works

Here is a link to the interview. Here is some text from the article on pedestrian safety and how important shade is to a cities walkability:

     Speck’s prescription for achieving that includes adding parallel parking along the road to make walkers feel more protected than they do now. “When a car passes you on the sidewalk, you lack that barrier of steel that makes you feel safe and actually protects you from vehicles coming at you,” he said.
     Speck also said plans call for creating “continuous deep shade” in the Florida heat. “Every building will likely have either an awning or arcade or something that shadows the sidewalk,” he said. Plans for the area involve adding retail and other destinations to the mix, but Speck said the biggest difference in the future may be “the number of people on the sidewalks.”

Laura Lordi at the Post: information on Lake Worth's 4th of July activivites

This appeared in The Palm Beach Post. Send this information to all your friends and family. See you at the parade!

From Slate: Chlorine isn't the answer for everything in public pools

This is a cautionary article about a nasty little thing called Cryptosporidium. It's something all pool operators need to consider and prepare for. Megan Cartwright has this article that appeared in Slate. Here is an excerpt:

     Unlike bacteria such as E. coli or parasites such as Giardia, Crypto can live for days in chlorinated water. It lurks in a protected form called an oocyst. When a swimmer swallows the oocyst, the parasite pops out and squirms into the cells lining his or her gut, where it multiplies. These new parasites then ride out the swimmer’s other end, with up to 100 million oocysts coming out in every fecal release.
     In 1997, 73 people came down with diarrhea from Crypto after playing at a sprinkler fountain in Minnesota; two years later, 38 got sick from Crypto and another bacteria after visiting a badly maintained splash fountain in Florida. In 2000, more than 200 swimmers in Ohio and Nebraska got sick. In 2005, more than 1,700 were infected with Crypto after playing at a New York spray park—a massive outbreak that led to a class-action lawsuit. Then in 2007, Utah suffered an outbreak of at least 1,900 cases, prompting officials to ban kids younger than 5 from public pools.
     So what’s behind the increase in outbreaks?
     For one thing, pool operators don’t often have the tools they need. Pools rely on chlorine to kill most germs, and it’s expensive and difficult to retrofit pools so their systems irradiate or add ozone to the water—methods that actually kill Crypto and are used nowadays by drinking water treatment plants.

Lake Worth Launches Official Twitter Account

Here is the text from the press release:

     The City of Lake Worth will be launching an official Twitter account on Saturday, July 4th to document events and local culture in Lake Worth. The launch of @LakeWorthPBC will begin with a live tweeting session of the Great American RIF Raft Race, including visual content and information, starting at 10:30 AM.
     Twitter will be the first of several new social media platforms that will be implemented by the City over the next several months in an effort to strengthen the City’s brand and communicate relevant news and features to residents. City events as well as culture will be documented in a fresh way using photography, video, text, and graphic design. The various social media accounts will be linked to the City’s website and promoted on printed materials.
     All content on social media will contribute to the City’s brand, “The Art of Florida Living,” by demonstrating the original, quirky, artistic, and environmentally beautiful elements of life in Lake Worth. Frequently published content will include festivals, art shows, performance and musical arts, footage of landscapes and the outdoors, youth and school related events, and soft news.
     City employees and residents are invited to follow @LakeWorthPBC, and enjoy a new way of connecting with their local community.

Lantana reviewing A.G. Holley redevelopment plan

An article in The Palm Beach Post tells how town officials are giving a cool reception to the redevelopment plan for the A.G. Holley site. The site is nearly 70 acres and has been off the tax rolls as a state hospital. The plan submitted for the property is underwhelming to town officials:

From a planner's perspective, this could be the development pattern at any major intersection in Palm Beach County. The first plan even included a gas station. The town is concerned by the separation of retail, residential and office uses. Although the developer says they are making an attempt with office space being on the second floor. In my view, looking at this, suddenly it's 1980 all over again; and it's missing the mark and the high expectations of Lantana's planning staff. For one of the last remaining large developable areas east of I-95 in Palm Beach County the town of Lantana wants more imagination and new ideas—and I agree with them. 

Check this out from the Strong Town's website on what is an urban place versus a non-place. Parking and "green space" areas qualify as non-places.

July 4th Great American Raft Race: the Official schedule starting with the Parade

For more information visit the NAPC website or the NAPC Facebook page. 

The Governing Institute: "The Transportation Choices That Millennials Want"

This is the subtitle to Bob Graves' article: "To attract young professionals, cities increasingly are going to have to think multi-modal." Here is an excerpt:     

     The APTA [American Public Transportation Association] study also looked at "hot spot" neighborhoods in an effort to understand what motivates the millennials flocking to them. Residents of these neighborhoods, the study found, are less likely to personally own a car, drive one regularly or frequently use car-sharing services. [emphasis added] They are more likely to use a bus or subway a few times a week. And they are more likely to cite the need to save money and avoid traffic, as well as environmental considerations, as motivations for their transportation choices and routines.
     Clearly, communities that attract millennials are increasingly going to be those that provide a multitude of transportation choices to support multi-modal lifestyles. Some, like Portland, Maine, are even starting to promote themselves as cities where young professionals can live without a car; it may be no accident that Portland also happens to lead the nation in declining vehicle ownership. 

[UPDATE] Interactive graphic: what Dixie Hwy could look like in the future

Update—This short post from yesterday generated a lot of buzz: 

This is a must-see graphic from Tony Doris' article in the West Palm Beat. Dana Little from the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council is working with residents and businesses to remake South Dixie Hwy in West Palm Beach.

     The proposal covers the stretch of South Dixie from Okeechobee Boulevard south to Albemarle Road.
     The design varies in different sections of South Dixie, but the overall concept calls for more than 90 shade trees, narrower lanes to slow traffic — and only one traffic lane in each direction — wider sidewalks, room for bikes, more on-street parking where possible, a central left-turn lane to reduce rear-end accidents, and scattered medians with more shade trees.

The Palm Beach Post editorial today (7/2) couldn't be more timely. Here is an excerpt:

     We shouldn’t let that delay us from encouraging more bike riding now, especially in cities with distinct downtowns, like Delray Beach, Boca Raton and Lake Worth. In other cities in America and Europe, data have shown that an increase in bicycles can actually bring an increase in safety.
     “The more people you put into the transportation environment who are walking and bicycling, the safer and safer it gets,” Clemente [Raphael Clemente, executive director of West Palm Beach DDA] told The Post Editorial Board, “because the motoring public becomes more aware and more courteous.” 

Stay tuned.

Tri-Rail is big news: Sun Sentinel and Palm Beach Post

Angel Streeter has this welcome news:

     Getting to Palm Beach International Airport from Tri-Rail is going to get a lot easier.
     A new shuttle service is starting in the fall that will take passengers between the airport and Tri-Rail's West Palm Beach station.
     The West Palm Beach airport has been the only major South Florida airport that had no direct connection to Tri-Rail.
     Tri-Rail provides shuttle service to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. And from its new Miami International Airport station, passengers can take a quick ride on a people mover to the terminal.

The Post's Jennifer Sorentrue has this about Tri-Rail in Miami:

     If there were any doubts about whether All Aboard Florida would be able to pull off it’s planned rail line linking southeast Florida to Orlando, the sheer size of the company’s station planned in the heart of downtown Miami might be enough to dispel them.
     Construction fencing spanning six-city blocks now hides much of the work going on at the site, located within walking distance of the American Airlines Arena and a short shuttle ride from PortMiami, which processed more multi-day cruise passengers than any other port in the world last year.
     Soon there will be another link — this week the Miami-Dade Commission pledged $13.9 million to connect Tri-Rail to the planned MiamiCentral project.

PBSO District 14 Cpt. Silva taking another position with the Sheriff's Office

Cpt. Silva at a recent crime walk in the City.

Cpt. Silva will be missed. Whoever replaces him has big shoes to fill. He took over the policing duties of the Lake Worth PD when the crime situation was about the worst it had ever been. The Post's Kevin D. Thompson has this news about Cpt. Silva and here is an excerpt:

     PBSO didn’t say who’s in line to replace Silva, who was named District 14 captain in 2008 after the sheriff’s office took over the city’s police department.
     Silva, a 25-year sheriff’s office employee, wasn’t available for comment. PBSO didn’t give a reason for the change.
     Many residents, however, will be sorry to see Silva go, saying he played a key role in starting several neighborhood crime watch programs throughout the city.
     “His dedication to law enforcement and community policing is unparalleled,” said Mary Lindsey, former president of the College Park Neighborhood Association. “He helped make Lake Worth a model for community policing.”
     Tammy Pansa, a member of the Mango Groves Neighborhood Association, said Silva attended many neighborhood meetings and was responsible for getting the association’s Crime Walk started again.

NerdWallet Research: "Miami named America’s Fifth-Greenest City"

Miami got beat out by San Francisco in this research while Orlando came in at number 8. This story highlights passenger rail and residents there eschewing the motor vehicle lifestyle. All Aboard Florida is also seen as a major factor in Miami's 'Green' momentum. Here's an excerpt from the article:

     Miami also shined in comparison to other cities with its percentage of carpooling residents and housing density. About 10 percent of Miami’s population carpools, which tied for fourth-best in the nation. Honolulu had the highest carpool rate, with 13 percent. Miami’s number of high-density developments is also decreasing transportation needs, another boom to a green lifestyle. About 41 percent of Miami’s residential buildings have 10 or more units, which ranked fifth-best in NerdWallet’s study. Honolulu had the best high-density percentage at 51 percent.
     The completion of All Aboard Florida, a planned 35-mile, $2.5 billion rail system from downtown Miami to Orlando International Airport, should only increase Miami’s green lifestyle. All Aboard Florida’s rail system is expected to be completed by 2017. The express passenger rail will enhance Miami’s 25-mile Metrorail, which already services the airport and myriad cities.
     America’s Greenest Cities: 1.) Honolulu, 2.) Washington, D.C., 3.) Arlington, Va., 4.) San Francisco, 5.) Miami, 6.) New York City, 7.) Boston, 8.) Orlando, 9.) Seattle, 10.) Jersey City, N.J.

Pastor Mike Olive and the Common Ground (no 's') church. Very welcome change in tone. Praise the Lord, LOVE>HATE

LOVE>HATE

[Truer words were never spoken:]

When we speak publicly, we open ourselves up to both public praise and public criticism. Everybody has that right and opportunity. But when we use that opportunity to call people out, we must understand that we are risking aggravating the situation.

I am speaking for my own benefit about this as well. I deeply regret the many times that I have violated the guidelines below and the damage that resulted.

How to avoid escalation of a conflict:

• Never pre-emptively attack.
• Never retaliate.
• Say as much good about your adversaries as you can.
• Be clear about specific actions that people took (past-tense only) that bothered you.
• Never call people out publicly unless you have done EVERYTHING in your power to resolve the matter privately. (See Matthew 18)
• Never call people out publicly unless you have other people who are actively and publicly holding you accountable (meaning that your relationship to them is easily verifiable using public sources and in that relationship it is clear that they have the power to reprimand you if you behave inappropriately) for such action.
• Never speak out against anyone's sin unless you are simultaneously being honest about your own (current) sinfulness.

It's time to stop blaming each other when our worst enemy is our own evil desire. (See John 8, Matthew 7, James 1:14)

#PayGreceForward

West Palm Beach Loves Social Media

West Palm Beach recently held its first City meeting to begin talking about rezoning the Broadway corridor and they have the news on their website. When you visit their City website you see the tab "NEWSROOM" under the banner. For example how integrated WPB is using social media: within a few hours they were Tweeting out Mayor Muoio's comments on SCOTUS' same-sex marriage ruling and directing those interested to the video on the City's website; very quick and efficient. 

Where is Nassau Road in the City of Lake Worth?

The Palm Beach Post and NBC5/WPTV both mentioned Nassau Road as the location of a terrible vehicle accident. The accident occurred at the corner of Lake Worth Rd. and Nassau Road. "Hmmm, where is Nassau Road?" some might wonder.

The road is located east of the Florida Turnpike well outside the City limits of Lake Worth. So, once again for TV crews and beat reporters here is the difference between the City of Lake Worth and suburban Lake Worth.

Jeff Speck: a project to make Tampa a more walkable/bikeable city

Jeff Speck, if you recall, was in West Palm Beach last year and did a study for the city. He changed a lot of minds on traffic, making cities walkable and more safe for everyone: pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. He is not a fan of FDOT's wide lanes and one-way streets. Had a chance to talk with him about our Lake Worth downtown and his suggestion was to make Lake and Lucerne Avenues two-way streets. Traffic would slow down, there would be increased business downtown (instead of cars zipping by at 35 to 40 mph and not seeing anything) and more pedestrians and bikes would be attracted to the area.

Now Speck is involved in a major project in Tampa. Here is an excerpt from Anastasia Dawson's article in The Tampa Tribune:

     Meridian Avenue, near the Channel District, has seven lanes of traffic, which should accommodate 35,000 cars a day. However, only about 5,800 actually use the street, [Jeff] Speck said. That extra space could be used to add wide bike paths and parallel parking, which serves as a “wall of steel” making sidewalks feel safer. [emphasis added]
     “I’ve reached the conclusion that number of lanes are the principal determinant of whether people will choose to walk in your city,” Speck said. “You need to give pedestrians the feeling they have a fighting chance against being run down by an automobile.”
     Despite the big lanes, Tampa was designed with smaller blocks than the average city, which makes it “exceptionally poised” to become safe and walkable and provides “good bones” for diverse blocks of housing, offices, churches and retail, Speck said.
     The city is already working to re-stripe many one-way streets into two-way streets, which will cause drivers to slow down and roads to become safer for everyone, Speck said. Another prudent move would be to make some streets’ width narrower, like the neighborhoods around Hyde Park, so cars have to slow to pass each other.

One of the justifications for one-way streets is they are safer: that is a myth. Slowly more and more people are coming to that realization.

Condé Nast Traveler—Anna Maria Island: One of the Top 30 Islands in the World

Condé Nast Traveler has their 30 Top Islands in the World and Anna Maria Island is number 26 on the list. VisitFlorida did a story about this on their tourism site:

     This stretch sand home to the island's three cities – Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria. And all three cities provide access to great beaches, waterfront hotels, rustic rental cottages, seafood restaurants, eclectic boutiques and outdoor activities.
     Go for a stroll along the beach, dine in one of the excellent waterfront restaurants and listen to live music by the pier. There's a free trolley that will take you anywhere you want to go on the island.
     The beach is a great place to spend the entire day splashing in the waves and playing in the sand. And be sure to pack a picnic lunch like a local. Stop by one of the beachside shops like Olive Oil Outpost to get all stocked up on homemade bread, artisanal cheeses and international wine.

For your friends and family up north here is the Lake Worth VisitFlorida site. This is their write-up about the Lake Worth BEACH!:

There's a lot going on at that 1,200 foot long BEACH!