From Jill Carlin...

Hi Wes,
Great to bike ride with you last night on the Lake Worth Thursday night ride. I wanted to let you and your friends/listeners, blog readers know that next Tuesday night at 6:30p.m. the tile painters are meeting at The Scottish Rites Masonic Lodge dining room, at the corner of 22nd Ave. N. and D Streets in Lake Worth, 33460. This ambitious project will be the central focus of the living vertical wall which we are constructing in the garden. The mural is going to be 20' long by 10' tall, almost 1000 hand painted tiles. We appreciate and value all community assistance in the project. Some painters get to learn new skills painting tiles with underglaze, then they are glazed with two coats of glaze and fired in the kiln. We also will so appreciate people with kilns and knowledge of ceramic work, but not necessary. Great community project....betadolphin@yahoo.com for more information.

This is a cool project - getting ideas anyone?

http://www.humansofnewyork.com/about

Abandoned, Historic Fire Stations Now Up For Bid in Detroit - Properties of Potential - Curbed Detroit

I hear they are perfect for communal living!  Click title for link.  Some great architecture here.

Doing as I am told, spreading the word...

The video...

If you have time, you might want to check out these educational videos, especially if you are planning or participating in clandestine events.  BEWARE THE INFILTRATORS!  From the Earth First! Newswire.


So much for kooky conspiracy theories.

Lake Worth Herald Editorial, April 25, 2013 Find Another Place Leave Me Alone!

(Used with permission)

What is this world in which we live? Is it cruel? Is it loving? Is it safe? Is it....
     Just read excerpts from an author named Ruth O'Brien. She is listed as author and professor. She is worried we are too mean to terrorists. 
     She wrote, "This said, the mortuary pictures of the older brother of the two are extremely disturbing, raising questions as to whether the Boston Police Department captured him with too much force."
     Just a minute, while I would expect something like this to come from a couple former politicians in Lake Worth, it makes me realize THEY are everywhere. The fact his brother ran him over doesn't have any bearing on the fact his body is a mess.
     Personally, I don't think you can be "not nice" enough to a terrorist, and further, I don't think you can be "not nice" enough to anyone who would sympathize with one.
     Before you get on my case about freedom of speech, let's put it in its place. Freedom of Speech does not give one license to be obscene. Human decency does not lead one to cheer for a cruel murderer under any name, including terrorist. Freedom of Speech does not allow anyone to say "bomb" in an airport. Freedom of Speech in this case is Freedom of Idiocy.
     Three innocent bystanders dead and scores wounded, an MIT police officer dead, carjacking and throwing lead at many other police officers, and these people think we should arrest them gently and maybe use fleece lined handcuffs, AND, take the blame for his brother running him over with a stolen vehicle. 
     If this "author" came to this area to speak, who might you think would be the first few in line to listen to her rants. They would probably camp outside for days like shoppers during the holidays.
     To think the citizens of Lake Worth ever elected someone like minded with O'Brien puts a lump in my throat.
     In March, the fine citizens of Lake Worth will once again go to the polls to elect our "leaders" and without doubt, some of THEM will be among the names on the ballot. They are out to systematically destroy government, and personally, I don't have any room for them in my hometown. Sympathizers are just as bad. Tell them to go away.

     Lake Worth is financially strapped. Current elected officials and staff are working diligently to make things better. The previous commission managed to blow through nearly $9 million of reserves without improving a damn thing. Let's wake up and smell the coffee.

VEGETATION AMNESTY WEEK:

The City of Lake Worth Refuse Division will be having a RESIDENTIAL VEGETATION (ONLY) AMNESTY PICK UP SERVICE.

Zone 1:  Monday    May 27
Zone 2:  Thursday May 30
Zone 3:  Friday       May 31
Zone 4:  Tuesday   May 28

The vegetation amnesty week is designed to allow residents to dispose of large amounts of vegetation prior to the commencement of Hurricane Season.
(NOT TO EXCEED 12 CUBIC YARDS PER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY)

Please place all vegetation curbside on your regular scheduled day and it will be removed at no charge.

Community Post: South-Central Palm Beach County » Blog Archive » Lake Worth Utilities to separate water and electric bills

You might say that this is a shell game.  If you are still paying with one payment coupon, what is the real difference?  And are we paying for two mailings per month instead of one or just two bills in one envelope?  Click title for link.  Also note that this is from something called the Community Post and Mr. Howard is referred to as a quasi-blogger.

Kelly Smallridge and Mayor Steven Abrams 04/26 by High Noon in Lake Worth | Blog Talk Radio

This week's show picks up after a one week hiatus with two guests.  Kelly Smallridge, President and CEO of the Palm Beach County Business Development Board will be a guest for the show's first 30 minutes.  Click here for background information on Ms. Smallridge.  We'll be talking about the county's economic development efforts and how Lake Worth can set itself up to compete in this economic, geographic and demographic environment.  Then, for the second half-hour, I welcome Palm Beach County Mayor Steven Abrams.  Click here for his background information.  Mayor Abrams is Palm Beach County's first "Mayor" and he also serves as Chair of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority - and is a regular Tri-Rail user himself.  We will talk about the importance of a regional transit network and discuss the expanded "Coastal Link" service that will soon be started on the FEC RR tracks.

Click title for link to live show between noon and 1 p.m. tomorrow 4/26 or for the archived show after it airs.  You may leave questions for both guests under comments at the bottom of this post.

Pyongyang's 'hotel of doom' delayed again | CNN Travel

Opening of a hotel here seems to be almost as problematic as in Pyongyang.  If you click title for the link, beware that you will see a 105 story pyramid-like building.  It has been under-construction since 1989.

Mayor Muoio goes to Washington | www.palmbeachpost.com

Meanwhile, West Palm Beach goes looking for cash from the feds.  Click title for link.

Lake Worth finds its history buried under the city | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

This is a cool find, but a grim reminder of the age and condition of our city's infrastructure.  When is Second Avenue North gong to be officially two-way again?  I know that we are waiting on the proper signalization at the RR tracks.  The traffic flow around that intersection is confusing, given the traffic light configuration, signage and pavement markings.  Click title for link to article.

Cleanup - Lake Worth Lagoon Shoreline this Saturday 4/27/13

Deja vu all over again?

It appears that City Manager Stanton is again in full retreat mode regarding a desire for her own police department.  This from FaceBook today:

The Growing Trend That Should Terrify Walmarts Everywhere

More evidence that the trend is more people moving to urbanized areas, such as the city of Lake Worth.  Are we ready? Are there other urban areas that are more attractive?  Click title for link.

From the City Clerk's office this morning...

"Please be advised that Andy Amoroso has filed documents declaring his intent to be a candidate for District 3."

Feud over unpermitted golf-ball-proof windows spikes | www.palmbeachdailynews.com

So goes it in the rarefied place that is Palm Beach.  The owner of the house replaced windows ten years ago without a permit to protect the property from golf ball damage.  He is now facing around a $50,000 fine and is at a point where he would rather demolish the house.  The Town may foreclose on the property.  Click title for link to the Shiny Sheet article.

New Boynton community sells 73 homes in two hours

There has got to be a market in between our Lake Worth milieu and this market.  Click title for link. From the article:

“This is our eighth Valencia community in Palm Beach County and there is tremendous pent up demand for lots, especially select lots,” DePlaza said. “We had more than 2,300 people on our waiting list to get more information about Valencia Cove.”
The 55-plus development located on Lyons Road between Boynton Beach Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue features a 39,000-square-foot clubhouse on more than 10 acres of recreation space. The 823 homes in the community are priced from nearly $400,000 to about $650,000.

CALL TO ARTISTS: LULA’s Mural Project- Dave’s Last Resort

If you are a talented mural artist, looking for new venues and new challenges, then you may be ready to enter LULA’s Mural Project. LULA’s Mural Project is a multifaceted project designed to create commission jobs for artists, revitalize blighted buildings to strengthen the community and create art-based educational sessions through live art demonstrations at project events. 

The Lake Worth CRA developed a strategic approach to redeveloping the district using Art and Culture as a tool for redevelopment, the program to assist with this approach is LULA Lake Worth Arts. The mission of LULA Lake Worth Arts is to unify the existing arts community around a shared vision, implement goals for strengthening property values, improve access to the arts through educational programs, and invest in partnerships that support the talent and the creative community in Lake Worth.

A selection panel consisting of art professionals will review the submitted images and will select 4 qualified artists based on credentials and artistic design. The commission is $500.00 per artist.
The 4 selected artists will duplicate their submission on the side wall of Dave’s Last Resort. The theme for the murals is a taste of Florida Keys- tropical beach scene / underwater scene.
Mural artists are encouraged to apply to this commission exhibition. Submission of digital images of artwork and a non-refundable entry fee of $25.00 is required. Make checks payable to Lake Worth CRA. The submission period is April 2, 2013 through May 1, 2013; late submissions will NOT be accepted.
All submissions must include:
• (4) copies of the following: Completed Application Form with an artist statement maximum 2 paragraphs describing the vision of submitted work and a signed Wavier of Liability and Indemnity 
• (4) copies of a professional resume * Artists name on application form must match name on all material submitted
• Submission Fee: $25.00 per artist –non-refundable by cash or money order made out to the Lake Worth CRA
• (4) CD copies of up to THREE artwork images for submission CD-R must be sent as a quality high resolution tiff or Jpeg format. Images must correspond to Image Register example: 1) artist name/title of work.jpg
2) artist name /title of work.jpg
3) artist name/ title of work .jpg
• Incomplete submissions will not be accepted
• Notifications of acceptance will be by email no phone calls please.

Criteria for the LULA’s Mural Project/ Dave’s Last Resort:
• Artists that are eligible to apply must reside in Palm Beach County
• A taste of Florida Keys style- tropical /underwater theme is required
• The call is open to artists over the age of 18
• All artists must sign a Waiver of Liability and Indemnity for the Lake Worth CRA.
• The selection panel will review all complete artists applications. Art will be reviewed for concept, scale and originality of the artwork submitted.
• Artists are responsible for the paint and ladders

Check List:
• (4) copies of the following: Completed Application Form with an artist statement maximum 2 paragraphs describing the submitted work and a signed wavier of liability and indemnity 
• (4) copies of a professional resume * Artists name on application form must match name on all material submitted
• Submission Fee: $25.00 per artist –non-refundable by cash or money order made out to the Lake Worth CRA
• (4) CD copies of up to THREE artwork images for submission CD-R must be sent as a quality high resolution tiff or Jpeg format. Images must correspond to Image Register example: 1) artist name/title of work.jpg
2) artist name /title of work.jpg
3) artist name/ title of work .jpg
• The submission period is open April 2, 2013 through May 1, 2013, all submissions must be post marked or dropped off by 5pm sharp May 1, 2013. No exceptions.

Please submit this application to:

LULA Lake Worth Arts 
Lake Worth CRA
29 South “J” Street
Lake Worth, Fl 33460

LULA’s Mural Project/ Dave’s Last Resort Application Form

Please print legibly:

Full Name_________________________________ Date_______
Mailing Address________________________________________
City__________________ State___ Zip_______
Phone____________________
Email Address______________________________________________
Website Address_______________________________________

Image Register:

1) Artist name______________________
Title___________________________
Description________________________________
2) Artist name____________________
Title__________________________
Description________________________________
3) Artist name____________________
Title__________________________
Description_______________________
*Two paragraph description of the vision for submitted work

LOCK YOUR BIKE: Total bike thefts in Florida by year (data not yet available for 2012)

2011: 20,508

2010: 17,394

2009: 17,617

2008: 17,857

2007: 16,906

2006: 17,785

Bicycle thefts by county in Florida 2010 to 2011 (data not yet available for 2012)

Broward

2011: 1,557

2010: 1,357

Increase: 14.7%

Palm Beach

2011: 1,370

2010: 1,250

Increase: 9.6%

Miami-Dade

2011: 1,924

2010: 1,507

Increase: 27.7%

Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Use as good a lock as you can afford, park in a populated area, lock bike wheel and frame to fixed object.

Florida's job recovery continues, unemployment at 7.5 percent

More indications that things are different now and improving.  Click title for link.

Earth Day Special: Marjory Stoneman Douglas

This video is taken roughly five years before her death at the age 98.  She, of course, is best known for her book The Everglades, River of Grass in 1947 and was a major environmental advocate on behalf of the Everglades.

Street Artist Roadsworth Transforms the Streets of Montreal into a Visual Playground | Colossal

Taking street art to a new level.  Click title for link.  In order to enjoy some of these, you might need to be in a building over 45 feet, just sayin'.  An example:

John F. Kennedy

"All of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea -- whether it is to sail or to watch it -- we are going back from whence we came."
Speech given at Newport at the dinner before the America's Cup Races, September 1962

West Palm Beach's Earth Day Video

From their website and shared through social media...

Florida must plan for growth - Letters to the Editor - MiamiHerald.com

From the 1000 Friends of Florida - a letter to the editor which appeared this past Saturday in the Miami Herald.  Click title for link.  From the piece:

Citing a 2013 Moody’s report, state House Speaker Will Weatherford recently noted that Florida is poised to once again grow at the rate of 1,000 new residents each day. Given the history of growth and development issues in our state, that is either good or bad news, depending on your perspective.
The last time Florida experienced that kind of growth, the comprehensive 1985 Growth Management Act was adopted by the governor and Legislature. This act was designed to deal with the many challenges new growth presented to roads, schools, drinking water supplies, stormwater drainage, coastlines and natural areas. And even with this program in place, Florida still didn’t keep up with all the impacts new growth caused.

Fort Worth, not Lake Worth, rolls out a bike-sharing program on Earth Day...

Three hundred bikes available at 30 different stations around the city.  You can read all about how the program works by clicking here.  Annual memberships are $80 - bike locations and usage is tracked by GPS and RFID cards and records the number of calories burned and greenhouse gas emissions saved. All information is then uploaded to a personalized webpage.

Click here and enter our 33460 zip code to say that "We want it more" than other communities.

I have this on my MP3 player during bike rides...

Russia: Stray Dogs Master Complex Moscow Subway System - ABC News

If dogs in Moscow can do it, humans in south Florida can too.  Click title for link to article from 2010.  See below from a FaceBook link today from the Eden Movement.

But these aren't just any daily commuters. These are stray dogs who live in the outskirts of Moscow Russia and commute on the underground trains to and from the city centre in search of food scraps.
Then after a hard day scavenging and begging on the streets, they hop back on the train and return to the suburbs where they spend the night.
Experts studying the dogs, who usually choose the quietest carriages at the front and back of the train, say they even work together to make sure they get off at the right stop – after learning to judge the length of time they need to spend on the train.
Scientists believe this phenomenon began after the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s, and Russia’s new capitalists moved industrial complexes from the city centre to the suburbs.
Dr Andrei Poiarkov, of the Moscow Ecology and Evolution Institute, said: “These complexes were used by homeless dogs as shelters, so the dogs had to move together with their houses. Because the best scavenging for food is in the city centre, the dogs had to learn how to travel on the subway – to get to the centre in the morning, then back home in the evening, just like people.”
Dr Poiarkov told how the dogs like to play during their daily commute. He said: “They jump on the train seconds before the doors shut, risking their tails getting jammed. They do it for fun. And sometimes they fall asleep and get off at the wrong stop.”
The dogs have also amazingly learned to use traffic lights to cross the road safely, said Dr Poiarkov. And they use cunning tactics to obtain tasty morsels of shawarma, a kebab-like snack popular in Moscow.
With children the dogs “play cute” by putting their heads on youngsters’ knees and staring pleadingly into their eyes to win sympathy – and scraps.
Dr Poiarkov added: “Dogs are surprisingly good psychologists.”

And this from Wikipedia.

And this:

Review: Development Opportunities on the FEC Corridor: An Interactive Forum from 4/17/13

Click title for .pdf of program.  Pertinent section appears below.

The south Florida urban planning world has been all "a buzz" about the re-initiation of passenger service on the Florida East Coast (FEC) tracks - this is the easternmost rail right-of-way through Palm Beach County, neighboring Broward County and into Miami-Dade.

WORK IN PROGRESS

It is important to note that with the 2010 Census, West Palm Beach and most of urbanized Palm Beach County is included in the Census as one Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).  With the addition of part of Palm Beach County, our metropolitan region has a total of 5,564,635 inhabitants.  This makes it the eighth largest metropolitan area in the nation.  The city of Lake Worth's 36,000 + residents make up part of that total, which equates to .65% (that's less than one percent of the area's total population).

Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach MSA

With the Atlantic Ocean as a barrier to the east, environmentally sensitive land (the Everglades) to the west, the Keys to the south and with the urbanized area stretching about as far north as it can go, the only way that we will be able to accommodate expected population growth and maintain some type of mobility within the region is through the re-invigoration of our train and transit alternatives.  That is what those of us heard who attended this symposium last Wednesday (4/17/13).

The first evidence of this reality is "All Aboard Florida."  This is an effort by the privately held Florida East Coast Industries, Inc., which owns the right-of-way and currently operates a freight operation on those tracks.  The last passenger service on these tracks occurred in 1968.  For more history on the rail line, click here.  For the early history as told by the FEC's resident and pre-eminent historian Seth Bramson, check out a recent "High Noon in Lake Worth" show when Mr. Bramson was a guest.   Suffice to say that south Florida and Lake Worth would not be the same had not Flagler extended his railroad down the east coast of Florida during the late part of the 19th and early 20th centuries.  This new service is designed to move people from cars to trains and airplanes to trains for a "premium" three hour trip from Miami to Orlando, with stops in Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.  The timeframe for establishing this service is two years, with work on the right-of-way between Miami and West Palm Beach beginning later this year.  Click here for frequently asked questions regarding All Aboard Florida.

Keep in mind that the above is separate from the transit service on the same FEC tracks - the roll-out of that service will be over a three to five year period, starting now.  The Palm Beach County leg that will run from Pompano to Jupiter will be the last phase, but still within that time frame.

The following comes from notes taken during the various panel discussions.  The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) is already underway with many projects to expand service north to Jupiter through a connection between the CSX and the FEC tracks (the CSX tracks are the western set that already carry Tri-Rail, Amtrak and freight traffic).  As the SFRTA implements transit service on the FEC tracks, some freight traffic will move to the CSX tracks.  There will be areas that will need to be double-tracked along the FEC.  The SFRTA already has received federal government support to expand its Tri-Rail service.  It has recently received 12 new trains, will be taking over a new maintenance yard and will be receiving air rights at Miami International for a major multi-modal transit facility.  SFRTA is also underway with a critical new link in the Pompano Beach area that will bring the two lines - the FEC and CSX - together.  Service on the eastern tracks will begin first south of Pompano Beach and will be fed for the initial period from only the CSX tracks.  The last phase will be the initiation of service - through Lake Worth - from Pompano to Jupiter.  It is expected that this portion of the transit service will have one hour headways - meaning that there will be an hour's wait between trains.  This will not make it a pure "commuter" service but it is a start.

Some facts you may not know about Tri-Rail:  It was originally started as a stop-gap method to eliminate bottle necks on I-95 during its expansion in the early 90s and was expected to be in existence for only 5 months.  It has since become a part of a regional transit system that runs 50 trains a day on weekdays and 30 trains a day on weekends.  Average weekday ridership is currently 13,300 riders and the system experienced record ridership of 4 million passengers in 2012.  Current Palm Beach County Mayor Steve Abrams is also the current Chair of the SFRTA. (Note to readers:  Mr. Abrams will be a guest on my Internet radio show "High Noon in Lake Worth" this coming Friday - 4/26)  He also happens to be a regular Tri-Rail commuter.  They expect that 2013 will break the record for ridership set in 2012.

The "Coastal Link" expansion is expected to cost between $700 to $800 million.  The following slides are taken from the PowerPoint presentation put together by William Cross, P.E., Manager of Planning and Capital Development SFRTA.

A future post early this week will detail further project costs, station locations, possible transit oriented development in Lake Worth and expected community financial contributions.  However, these are the economic gains expected as a result in investment in rail transit throughout the eastern part of the metropolitan area:

More to come...

"The Wave" - A street car system coming to downtown Ft. Lauderdale by 2015

Click here for related Wave website.  Click here for the site's frequently asked questions.  This is not a rubber tired system, but steel wheels on a track.  You can read about the benefits of a fixed track system through the links, but the main reason why it is a powerful redevelopment tool is that it represents a permanent infrastructure investment that will be there for many years to come.  This certainty creates an attractive investment environment.

This system will have links to other transit systems, including the FEC tracks, Tri-Rail and local bus routes.

Important Dates and Announcements via the City's website...

NEW Code Compliance Counter Hours - Mondays through Fridays - 9:00am to 10:30am and 3:00pm to 4:30pm 

Community Meeting to Discuss Tree Replacement at the Cultural Plaza Date: May 15 - Wednesday Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm Place: Shuffleboard Courts | 1121 Lucerne Avenue 

Public Workshops for Proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendments Housing; Neighborhood Element | Economic Development Element :
 District 3 | April 23 | 6pm | St Andrews Episcopal Church | 100 North Palmway 
 District 1 | April 25 | 6pm | Osborne Center | 1699 Wingfield Street 
 District 2 | May 28 | 6pm | Shuffleboard Courts | 1121 Lucerne Avenue 
 District 4 | May 30 | 6pm | Cultural Council | 601 Lake Avenue