Friday, May 24, 2019

Support LOCAL journalism: This week’s LOCAL newspapers are out: Lake Worth Herald and Coastal/Greenacres Observer.


Worth Noting: Below is very important information for residents of suburban Lake Worth (unincorporated areas west of Lake Worth Beach including Lake Osborne Estates).


To see this week’s front page LOCAL headlines click on this link. The Herald print edition is still just ¢50!

Become a subscriber to the weekly print and/or online edition. The Observer is FREE. To contact the editor call 561-585-9387 or send an email to Editor@lwherald.com


Each week community meetings and public events are published by the editor; for example, here is one happening this evening in Lake Worth Beach, the Excuelita Maya Summer Camp fundraiser:


The Guatemalan Center, the Palm Beach Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and Arts for Everyone is hosting the musical group “Chixot Maya” to kick off their fundraising drive for the Excuelita Maya Summer Camp. The event will take place Friday, May 24 [tonight], 7–8:30 p.m. at the Quaker Meeting House, 823 N. A St., Lake Worth Beach. Enjoy the music for a $10 donation and help a Mayan child go to summer camp.


And here is very important information for all those who reside west of LWB in suburban Lake Worth, news headlined, “Memorial Day Waste Collection in Unincorporated PBC”:


Garbage, recyclables and yard waste will be collected on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, for those residents and businesses in unincorporated Palm Beach County.

Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County disposal facilities will be open and haulers in unincorporated Palm Beach County will run their regular routes. Residents should place all garbage, recyclables and yard waste curbside by 6 a.m.

While SWA administrative offices will be closed, a limited number of customer service team members will be available to assist residents with any garbage or recyclable collection questions or concerns. SWA Customer Service can be reached at 561-697-2700 or 866-792-4636.

Residents in unincorporated Palm Beach County can always see their updated collection schedule, set reminders and sign up for collection information by clicking on this link, “Find your collection day”.

Lake Worth Beach City Commission Work Session, “Presentation of proposed Strategic Plan 2020–2025”.


The public Work Session last night lasted a little over one hour. One of the slides was titled, “Navigating towards a sustainable community”:


Focus on implementing technological innovations to support sustainable development, improving resiliency, meeting residents’ expectations and attracting investment, new business and talent”


Worth noting this public meeting last evening was not publicly noticed on the City’s temporary official website. The City’s new website will be launched next week.


The backup material for this Work Session
is available at City Hall:

Lake Worth Beach man saw stars and flashing lights after being run over by police car while stargazing in park.


Hey wait, that news about Lake Worth Beach can’t be true!


Or did this all happen in West Palm Beach
which does not have a beach?


And why is the West Palm PD the lead agency and not PBSO which is the law enforcement in LWB? Who knew LWB and WPB and PDs could be so complicated?

It is most definitely true almost everyone would be seeing stars after being run over by a motor vehicle, whether it be daytime or nighttime. That is if they are fortunate enough to survive that encounter with rubber and steel in the first place.

The police officer was found to be not at fault for this ‘accident’. One can imagine he was just as surprised as anyone would be when hearing that one thump and then the second thump. How would he know those two speed bumps were two people laying on the road in the dark of night just around the corner? Gee wiz. Who lays in the middle of the road at night?

Now moving on. . .

Did you happen to see that news in the Post online edition? Or on the front page of the ‘LOCAL’ section of print edition headlined,


“Victim run over by police car broke back”


And once again it makes our City look pretty silly and people all over Palm Beach County shaking their heads and wondering, “What is wrong with that place!”

As reported in the Post this particular man from Lake Worth “who lives near Lake Worth’s Northwest Park” went out one evening with a friend to watch the stars and boy did he. And her too. He and her ended up getting run over by a police car and seeing a whole lot of ‘stars’ that starlit night during the lunar eclipse last January.

The Lake Worth man, according to the Post, “suffered a broken back, a punctured lung, broken ribs, and a broken ankle” and the woman, “sustained scrapes, abrasions and multiple cuts”.

The story was headlined,


“Man’s back broken when West Palm police car ran over couple lying in road watching eclipse, report says”


The Lake Worth man spent almost two weeks in the hospital due to the injuries sustained.

The lesson is even while watching the stars one must always keep safety a top priority.

Lake Worth Beach is a “built out” City meaning there is very little open space available, potential for more development is limited and there is street lighting almost everywhere. This City is awash in ambient lighting from homes, businesses and motor vehicles which is not good for stargazing. Simply put, there are no places left for “Dark Sky” nighttime star watching any more.

However, not very far away is the Arthur R. Marshall (ARM) Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge west of Boynton Beach.

But before you head out to the ARM Wildlife Refuge find out when the next stargazing event is coming up: Call 561-734-8303 or send an email to: armloxahatchee@fws.gov

You see. If you enter this national park after hours you could very well be cited for trespassing.

For public safety reasons, officials at this park don’t want to run you over with one of their vehicles on patrol in the dark of night, you know, an unexpected speed bump or two.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Urban forestry efforts honored in Lake Worth Beach, “Tree City USA”.


Press release datelined May 20th, 2019.


Lake Worth Beach, Florida — The Arbor Day Foundation has named Lake Worth Beach a 2018 Tree City USA in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management.

Lake Worth Beach achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

“Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community first hand,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Additionally, recognition brings residents together and creates a sense of community pride, whether it's through volunteer engagement or public education.”


Lake Worth Beach Mayor Pam Triolo raised the Tree City USA flag at City Hall yesterday (Tuesday, 5/21) formally announcing the prestigious award. Tweet showing flag amidst the dense tree canopy:





For more information about LWB, the Tree City USA designation and urban forest management contact LWB PIO Ben Kerr, 561-586-1630; email: bkerr@lakeworth.org


Located in Central Palm Beach County, Lake Worth Beach 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.