Saturday, May 14, 2016

More on 'Gentrification!' (aka, the "Wolf at the Door") and more information for the Bearers of Myths in L-Dub

For more on the Wolf at the Door look in the right-hand column of this blog for, 'Gentrification!' & politics of fear: Latest effort to undermine City's street lighting project. Those who cry the loudest about gentrification (which is too often confused with people just wanting to improve their neighborhood), seem to be just fine with all the poverty that surrounds them. But did you know this:
The image above is from this article titled, "Poverty is a bigger problem than gentrification" Below are two excerpts:

"Poverty displaces more people than gentrification and is a bigger, more intractable problem, according to research by City Observatory."

[and. . .]

"For every one poor neighborhood that gentrified between 1970 and 2010, 19 remained in poverty. In addition, many neighborhoods that were formerly wealthy become poor over time (often slowly, so people don't notice)."

So it would seem those who are all concerned about 'gentrification' aren't focusing entirely on the real problem: poverty. Question: Wouldn't they do more good working with organizations like the CRA, for example, instead of fighting them every step of the way?

From the Palm Beach Post editorial board—Opening up endless future possibilities. . . "on the other hand"

"Give me a one-handed economist!  All my economists say, On the one hand. . . on the other."
Quote by Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States

Here's the latest from the stalwart Post editorial board today (5/14):

     "Two weeks ago in this space, we urged a spirit of compromise [emphasis added] that would enable the Wawa to operate without degrading the quality of life for the neighbors.
     But we have come to learn more about the neighborhood. And the more we learn, the more we can see that it’s an area deserving of special protections."

Just think of the possibilities now. The editor(s) at the Post can come out now in full support of Sheriff Bradshaw and PBSO. They can support sending water south from Lake Okeechobee, change their mind, and then change their mind again! Or, how about the penny sales tax? They can now say it was wrong to take the money for cultural activities off the November ballot. Western sprawl? Great idea!

Or consider this: What if an elected body, let's say the current majority on the Lake Worth City Commission, for example, does some things the editors don't agree with. Now they can change their minds. And it's OK now.
Remember this next time elected's have to make hard decisions. . . and they get roundly criticized by the Post editor(s) from the comfort of their armchairs. On the other hand. . .

This weekend, why not check out the City's pool? It's still there and so is the BEACH!

Below are just three of my many videos to choose from on my YouTube channel (for a wide selection see below). Most of these videos don't get a tremendous amount of attention since they're mostly of Lake Worth City Commission meetings and other topics about this little City; so the audience is, well, not very large.

However, this video of the Lake Worth's pool got a lot of attention and there's recent news too. See if you can spot Your's Truly and the new pool manager, Sally Welsh:
This next one is Commissioner Andy Amoroso smacking down claims made by a few in the Residences (not the "Residents") of Lake Osborne (ROLO). In a funny side note, in City offices and around town this 'neighborhood association' is referred to as "The Hermit Kingdom":
The video below is a special treat for everyone who fell for the empty promises by Commissioner Maier on wanting to bring more opportunities to the City. Maier's Big Idea hasn't been brought up one single time since he was elected; he's been a commissioner for well over a year now:
If you become a subscriber (use this link and click on "Subscribe") you will get notification of new videos as they are uploaded to YouTube. 

The next City Commission meeting is this Tuesday, 5/17, in City Hall beginning at 6:00. Maybe Maier will bring up his Big Idea again about a "new college" in the City or maybe one of his former supporters will remind him.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Braves Spring Training baseball and news from the Great Walled City of Atlantis

Haven't heard any news of late about a baseball stadium in John Prince Park? Just assumed nothing is happening? Think again. When more information about this becomes available will let you know. From the City of Atlantis' website:

City of Atlantis
260 Orange Tree Drive
City Council Workshop
Wednesday, April 13, 2016 at 6:00 p.m.


From the minutes of the meeting:

Mayor Kintz called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. 

[and. . .]

     Mayor Kintz opened the discussion of a baseball spring training facility and homeless resource center in John Prince Park. [emphasis added] County officials are pursuing the Atlanta Braves to build a spring training facility in the park along 6th Avenue. County officials are also considering putting a homeless center in the park across from JFK Drive. By consensus, a Resolution in support of the spring training facility will be brought to Council at the April 20th meeting.
     Meeting adjourned at 7:56 p.m.

Where to get accurate information about what's happening in Lake Worth: Have you thought about going to the City's website?

There was so much mis- and disinformation about the recent union negotiations you can see how the public was so confused. But how many people thought to put down the paper, ignore social media and the blogs and just go to the City's website? Going forward, when the 'next big thing' comes along check out the news the City has on the issue before you draw conclusions from other sources that have their own particular "ax to grind", as they say. Here's an excerpt from the link above on the City's official site for news and other information:

"It has come to our attention that members of the public may not have accurate information regarding the status of the City’s negotiations with the three unions representing the majority of its employees: IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers—mostly electric utility/water employees); PEU (Public Employees Union—general employees); and PMSA (Professional Managers and Supervisors Association). The City has been actively engaged in properly noticed negotiations with all three unions. These meetings take place in the sunshine. Notices are posted in City Hall relating to the dates and times of same."

Thursday, May 12, 2016

More important community news from The Lake Worth Herald in this week's (5/12) edition

Read below about a very important Haitian American Conference at Lake Worth High School addressing the issue of education in the Haitian community.

Also in this week's issue of The Lake Worth Herald is the County Update by Commissioner Shelley Vana, news on "Dollars for Scholars" at the high school, the "Simply Lake Worth" art exhibit, a list of events, a wonderful montage from Mayor Pam Triolo's "National Day of Prayer", and so much more including ads for local businesses and the latest going on at the Cultural Council.

To subscribe to the Herald use this link or visit the City's news stand at the corner of 'L' Street and Lake Ave. in the downtown to pick up the print edition. Below is the news on the upcoming Haitian American Conference:

     "Parents, students, teachers, community leaders and the community at large is invited to attend the State of Education of the Haitian and Haitian-American Students Conference at Lake Worth High School, May 14, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This is a free event.
     The theme of the conference is Improving Educational Outcomes and the Quality of Life for Haitian Americans.
     Dr. Edwidge Crevecoeur Bryant will be the keynote speaker. Discussions at the conference will include graduation results and Haitian and Haitian-American students, strategies for engaging Haitian parents and the community, concerns related to educational issues, information regarding the new District Strategic Plan and how it will affect Haitian and Haitian-American students and options and opportunities through Adult Education."

To read about the sponsors and other information there is more in the Herald article. The Lake Worth Community High School is located at 1701 Lake Worth Road.

"Palm Beach home an orchid paradise". Article by David Rogers in the Shiny Sheet

To read the entire article in the Palm Beach Daily News (aka, the Shiny Sheet) use this link. Here is the video that accompanies the story about Polly Reed's garden:

On City Manager Bornstein: Has his "stamina" been tested? Oh, and a little about critics of the City's CRA

[This is a re-post updating the tenure of Michael Bornstein which thankfully continues. If you've been following recent developments in Lake Worth please also read the blog post that follows this one. And Thank You for visiting.] 

"Michael Bornstein seems to be a happy soul and seems to be happy with the job," [Barbara Jean] Weber said. "I suspect his stamina has not yet been tested."
Ms. Weber quoted by former City beat reporter Willy Howard in a Palm Beach Post article titled, New City Manager Michael Bornstein makes welcome changes in Lake Worth, 6/3/2012

Today (5/12/16) marks 1,487 days since City Manager Michael Bornstein was hired on April 16, 2012. There is nothing significant about 4 years and 26 days except as a matter of perspective. The previous city manager, Susan Stanton, was fired on December 6, 2011 after just 953 days on the job.

There remain the sycophants in this City who continue to lionize Stanton, attempting to resurrect her tenure with delusional logic, misinformation, and outright disinformation. Below are some initiatives by Stanton her supporters will not tell you about or wish you would forget:
  • The "Day Labor" Center (succeeded)
  • Gutted the Code Enforcement Department (succeeded)
  • The "Street Light" Assessment (failed)
  • Pay to Park in Downtown (failed)
  • Red Light Cameras (failed)
  • Eliminate PBSO and restore the LWPD (failed)
  • The Regional Sewer billing fiasco (super fail)
  • Casino complex fiasco (another super fail)
A local blog at the time, referencing the coming holiday season and the firing of Stanton earlier in the month (December 2012), wrote:

     "In this joyous season, I am celebrating the potential for renewal in Lake Worth which began with a bold move to clean out city management from the top down.
     From Paul Boyer, Bob Baldwin to Susan Stanton… inept, corrupt, wasteful and often cruel leadership disregarded the public and common sense honesty and openness.
     Yes, I know there are those who are disappointed to see Stanton fired but dwelling on one side of her performance while ignoring the other side of the story… is delusional."

Under Stanton, the relationship between the business community and the City was strained, to nonexistent. Under direction of then-sitting commissioners (Cara Jennings, Jo-Ann Golden, and Suzanne Mulvehill), Stanton gutted code enforcement and sent neighborhoods already on the brink on a downward spiral for almost three years. What was undoubtedly one of the worst decisions was playing the role of obstructionist and trying to thwart the CRA's acquisition of NSP2 funds.

Stanton, along with Commissioners Golden, Mulvehill and Jennings, DID NOT want the CRA to acquire the $23 million dollars available to rehabilitate the City. It was only action by the CRA to apply for the funds that allowed many blighted areas of our city to be home to new residents and families. Subsequently, due to the NSP2 funding, the CRA led by Joan Oliva has received national recognition for their outstanding efforts.

So, the next time you hear the critics of the CRA go on and on how they coulda woulda have done a better job understand this is all just delusional revisionism created to alter the past.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Remember what the Post editorial board said about the majority City Commission recently all re-elected by landslides. . .

. . . and all the 'satire' in the world can't change that fact, Jack. Or, errrrrr, I mean Frank:
"Lake Worth's current leadership has kept its eyes on the right goals", wrote the editor at the Post.

What a Lake Worth commissioner left out when he sounded the alarm about "Climate Refugees"

You can read about the 'Climate Refugees' that aren't refugees at all by reading this article in "The Gray Lady". Below are two excerpts:

     But even a plan like this — which would move only about 60 people [emphasis added] — has been hard to pull off. Three previous resettlement efforts dating back to 2002 failed after they became mired in logistical and political complications. The current plan faces all the same challenges, illustrating the limitations of resettlement on any larger scale.

[and. . .]

     “Ain’t nobody I talk to that wants to move,” said Edison Dardar, 66, a lifelong resident who has erected handwritten signs at the entrance to the island declaring his refusal to leave. “I don’t know who’s in charge of all this.”

And for more from Commissioner Chris McVoy, PhD, from the file, "Would you believe me if I told you. . ."
Also note the seawall 'protecting' the Casino was never properly inspected prior to construction of the 'renovated' structure.

A Look Back: JoAnn Golden at the Lake Worth City Commission employs Rule #8 from the "Rules for Radicals"

Here is Saul Alinsky's Rule #8:
"Keep trying new things to keep the opposition off balance. As the opposition masters one approach, hit them from the flank with something new."
After all the political wedge tactics, staged protests, and divisiveness created by JoAnn Golden (using her family's enormous wealth), she said the following at the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, 3/22:
"It's been a very divisive time and I hope we can get back to being a city that we're all proud of."
Can you believe it? To read all about this use this link.

As the little City of Lake Worth moves forward with crucial infrastructure projects and other initiatives it's very important not to be distracted by the media who have, for the most part, little or no idea what is happening in this City. For example, read the following blog post.

Latest YIMBY news: "Boulder Will Host the First National 'YIMBY' Conference"

The subtitle for this article sums it up nicely, "More local-level policy wonks are saying 'yes in my back yard' to density, transit, and change."

Here in Palm Beach County, if you've heard the term YIMBY, it's likely because of former Delray Beach mayor and author, Jeff Perlman. Read about that using this link. Here is an excerpt from the article about the upcoming YIMBY conference:

     "Last November, voters in Boulder, Colorado, narrowly rejected a ballot measure that would have given neighborhoods the ultimate say over zoning changes. The measure would have essentially transferred the city’s zoning authority to 66 different neighborhood-level associations. It was a disaster in the making.
     Ballot issue #300 and #301—a separate effort to require every development in Boulder to pay for upgrades in infrastructure and amenities—would have stifled growth in Boulder. That was the whole point for the homeowners who already reside there."

[and. . .]

     "Those measures lost at the ballot, but they galvanized Better Boulder, a coalition made up of the groups who mobilized against the November ballot measures."

The big issue in south Florida is housing as well. Here more housing is being built but it's western sprawl bypassing the coastal cities. Stay tuned to this: How long before the YIMBY's rise up and demand more housing opportunity in the coastal cities and along the I-95 corridor in central Palm Beach County?

Read the following blog post or use this link to see how those in the "environmental community" have contributed to this problem that will not go away any time soon.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Hmmm. Media is all over Boynton Beach Mayor Grant but turns a blind eye to a Lake Worth elected's false claim about serving on a City board?

Read below about Lake Worth Commissioner Ryan Maier's false claim about serving on the Sister City Board. He used this 'credential' to get elected to the City Commission and it was completely untrue. The press completely ignored it then and still does now. However, some elected's aren't so fortunate. Boynton Beach Mayor Steven Grant is getting the special treatment from the Post; here is an excerpt:

     Two weeks after making his first public speech as the new mayor of Boynton Beach, Steven Grant said Tuesday that he used John F. Kennedy’s famous inaugural address as a guide, got all ideas from him, changed some words around, but failed to tell anybody he did so — until he was asked by The Palm Beach Post.
     The 33-year-old mayor is defending himself saying, “I don’t think that the whole having a speech at a legislative session requires me to cite my sources.”
     When asked if he misled the public to believe that the words he recited at the April 19 commission meeting were his, he responded, “It doesn’t matter. It’s a speech to let people know what I want to accomplish."

Now let's compare what Mayor Grant did, or didn't do, with what Maier actually did, or didn't do. Below is from Maier's campaign website when he was a candidate back in 2014/2015:
"[I was] a member of the Sister City board in Lake Worth. I have the energy, enthusiasm and experience needed to represent our multi-faceted city."
His enthusiasm for being on the Sister City Board was low: he was removed from the board due to lack of attendance and not participating in mandatory ethics training. Why would Maier refuse to take his mandatory ethics training? It only takes 20 minutes. From the office of the City Clerk:

"Mr. Maier was removed from the Sister City Board for not participating in the mandatory ethics training and his membership was declared vacant due to excessive absenteeism on March 19, 2012."
Demonstrating more lack of enthusiasm, from the Minutes of the City's Special Meeting on 8/29/2012, page 2 at the top of the page:
Note the line, "Ryan Maier was absent for his interview." Watch the video below and pay special attention to what Maier says starting at the 1:00 mark: By the way, Monday, May 9th, was the first meeting of the Sister City Board in quite some time. Read about that using this link. Also note that Commissioner Maier is up for re-election in March of next year. Go to right-hand column of this blog and look for "Deadline fast approaching to get your name on March 2017 ballot" to read all about that too.

Palm Beach Post wins high honors with journalism awards from the Society of Professional Journalism

For those of us in Lake Worth and surrounding areas these awards are nothing new. Most of you will recall those joyous days, honking of horns, and back-slapping after our previous beat reporter, Chris Persaud, won his two awards. He then took his new-found fame and went to to bigger and better things.

There was that one bump in the road though when he had to publish a correction, and then a correction to the correction, which is likely a first in the history of newspaper publishing.

On this recent award news is an article by Andrew Marra on "investigative reporting for newspapers with daily circulations between 50,000 and 100,000". You can see this for yourself at the Society of Professional Journalism website.

Congratulations!

It will be interesting to see if and when the Post pivots to their next investigation. Go to the next blog post below or use this link to see an idea for a series with information to be found on the Post's very own website.

"Hmmm, I wonder what it's like to be a volunteer on a City board? Is there one coming up soon?"

The answer is Yes! Later today (Monday, May 9th), the Sister City Board meets at the City Hall Conference Room at 5:30. The room is next to the City Commission chambers at 7 North Dixie Hwy. This board would be a great way to "get your feet wet" so to speak and possibly inspire you to become a volunteer. Here is what the board is tasked with doing:

"Board initiates, plans, sponsors, organizes and promotes cultural exchanges for the City of Lake Worth. Members also act as the City’s official hosts for international guests. Members serve for two years."

Some boards have liaison from the City Commission. For instance, the liaison for the City's Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is Commissioner Andy Amoroso. The liaison for the Sister City Board is Commissioner Chris McVoy, according to the City's website.

Here is agenda for the Sister City Board:
  • Roll call
  • New board members
  • Sunshine Law
  • Goals and objectives
  • Adjournment
This meeting will be a very short one. Come out, see what it's like, and hopefully you'll be inspired to consider other volunteer boards in the City as well.

The "March to Support Cara Jennings" and what do you call a viral video that isn't viral any more? Just another video?

It can't be long now before the puppet strings get played and the next 'news' item takes center stage like a "curfew" or a push for the Urban Chicken once again. Whatever it is won't be anything like Cara Jennings' "a--h---" video. That video is quickly fading from the collective conscience and Michael Auslen at the Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau recently had something about that:

     "The plan was for people fed up with Gov. Rick Scott and inspired by the coffee-fueled viral spectacle at Starbucks last week to rally at the Capitol and let the governor know how they feel.
     But only two people showed up. [emphasis added]
     Frank Day, who owns a home repair business and lives in Point Washington, up in the Florida Panhandle, tried to gather supporters on Facebook for a 'March to Support Cara Jennings,' the woman featured in a viral video from a Gainesville Starbucks where she called Scott an 'a------.' Fred Williams of Jefferson County, a 31-year state worker who retired from the Florida Department of Health about 10 years ago came, as did six reporters."


Good thing all those reporters showed up, huh? To read what the editor at The Palm Beach Post had to say about all this use this link.
If you're interested in my take on all this use this link. Hint: you might be very surprised.

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Zika news: "Genetically modified mosquitoes could join Zika virus fight"

This is news from the News Service of Florida republished in the Post:

TALLAHASSEE — U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said Thursday he'd support the use of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys to help stop the spread of the Zika virus.
     "I think this is going to be such a crisis that we've got to move ahead with it, certainly the pilot study," Nelson told reporters during a stop at Tallahassee International Airport.

Just a reminder: Are you considering a run for a City Commission seat?

Districts 2 and 4 are on the ballot next March in Lake Worth. Would you like some training on what is required of a candidate and answers to other FAQ's?

Coming up on March 12th, March 24th, and June 1st is training held by the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections. Use this link to sign up.

For more on election day in March of 2017 and the deadlines to be met, look for "Deadline fast approaching to get your name on March 2017 ballot" in the right-hand column of this blog.

Good Luck!

Editorial in The Lake Worth Herald: Sober homes, the ADA, and the cities are working hard to get back control

To read the entire editorial on sober homes, see ads for local business, notice of City meetings, utility news, looks back at City history, events, upcoming hurricane seminar, and so much more, the Herald has it covered. If you don't get the Herald you can subscribe using this link or go to the City's downtown news stand across the street from Paws on the Avenue to pick up the print edition. Walk in and a nice man named Andy will assist you. Below are two excerpts from this week's editorial:

     "In the past couple of years, sober homes have sprung up throughout the sunbelt states and Palm Beach County an abundance of them.
     Insurance companies pay big money to sober homes or half-way houses and there isn't a very good system in place to regulate them. Many addicts are sent here to rehab and find it too easy to access their drug of choice.
     They get booted from the program and are left to fend for themselves on the streets with no money and no place to stay. They return to their old ways to get their next fix and the local municipalities are plagued with prostitution, robberies, burglaries and aggressive panhandling.
     Homeless addicts move into our parks and public spaces, leaving their syringes on the ground for our children to step on as they enjoy the park. They use restrooms in local businesses to make their deals and expose everyone else to the dangers of dirty needles. [emphasis added]
     To some, any effort to make public spaces uncomfortable for addicts is an attack on all homeless. This is not the case. Many organizations work hard to help the truly homeless and provide for them. It is the homeless addicts who cause the problem.
     The majority of the homeless addicts are here because they were sent to rehab in sunny South Florida by family members up north who are trying to help them rehabilitate but don't want them anywhere near their home until they are rehabilitated."

[and. . .]

     "Local government attempts to stem the problem of sober homes has run afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and their attempts have been futile.
     Fortunately, municipalities aren't giving up and are looking for chinks in the ADA armor with the assistance of State and Federal government bodies.
     Keep the fingers crossed this abomination of a disability can be exposed for what it is and the ADA protections can be removed."

Florida Governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, a "champion of Everglades drainage"

Did you know Broward County is 101 years old? It is. Western sprawl in south Florida began many years ago with the drainage of the Everglades. Below are two excerpts from this article in The Palm Beach Post from last year:

     "On April 30, 1915, Broward County was formed from parts of Palm Beach and Dade counties. Palm Beach had itself been carved out just eight years earlier from Dade. [emphasis added]
     Bill McGoun, a now-retired longtime Post writer and editor and a frequent contributor to Post Time, wrote a short history of Broward for the Broward County Historical Commission. Here are excerpts:
     Broward’s first non-Indian settlers arrived in the late 1700s, settling in what’s now downtown Fort Lauderdale on the south side of the New River."

[and later . . .]

     "Its [Broward County's] namesake was one of those people history scholars either love or hate. Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, the state’s 19th governor, had been elected in 1904 as a champion of Everglades drainage, and during his four-year tenure, dredges worked day and night to turn wetlands into farmlands.
     Broward County wasn’t immune to the 1920s real estate boom and bust, and the population explosion that followed World War II. The county’s population went from 5,135 in 1920 to 620,100 a half century later."

Below is a picture of Florida Governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward on a tour of the Everglades drainage in 1906. In the Post article you'll learn about "Major William Lauderdale", the Second Seminole War, and a man named Henry Flagler who had a little part in all this history of what's called south Florida.
Florida Gov. Broward standing on the right in this picture. Photo credit: State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory.

Final Notice, Time Running Out: All elected leaders who would like to speak at ROLO's meeting this Tuesday

The Residences (not the "Residents") of Lake Osborne (ROLO), aka the "Hermit Kingdom", will be holding their bi-monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 10th. If you've been misrepresented, maligned, or otherwise disrespected and would like to set the record straight here is what you do:
  • Send an email to rolohlakeworth@gmail.com
  • ROLO will then hold a meeting to decide if you will be allowed to speak
  • Then you will be contacted by ROLO with their decision, hopefully with a reason if you're denied the opportunity to speak to their membership
Prior to the meeting if you see puffs of smoke, either white or black, that's a sign to check your email inbox to see if you'll be granted permission. This is an example of what to look for*:
To learn more about ROLO use this link. Some information that might be helpful:

Membership: Open to all residents within our borders. NO DUES
Board of Directors:
Katie McGiveron, President 

Robert Waples, Vice President

[and. . .]

Boundaries: The Residences of Lake Osborne (ROLO) Boundaries start at the north side of Lake Osborne on the East side of Detroit Street and the South side of Lake Worth Road, West of I-95 and the east side of Lake Osborne Drive South to Lake Geneva Drive and part of Nanette Court on the East Side of High Ridge Road. Our boundaries Include Lakeside Point and Parkview Villa’s, however does not include the trailer/mobile home areas or Murry Hills. [emphasis added]
Meetings: Our meetings start at 7:00 PM hosted by the Lake Osborne Presbyterian Church located at 2102 6th Avenue South in the education building.

Don't waste any time if you're a City or County Commissioner! There's a lot to be done if you want to speak to the membership of ROLO.

*The reference to smoke signals is, of course, satirical.

Happy Mother's Day: Free admission at the pool for all adult women starting at noon (facility closes at 4:00)

Today is a great day to try out the City's municipal pool if you haven't done so already. You don't have to swim laps if you don't want to. Just wade around and enjoy the day!
Been to the pool lately? Use this link to learn more. It's open 9:004:00 today.
Sally Welsh is now the official pool manager employed by the City. She started on April 18th. Sally was a lifeguard at the beach, has taught swim lessons and leads the water aerobic class too.

So. . . the pool is still there. So is the beach. Now back to the question: Been to the pool lately?