Citi Bike Gets Ready for Major 4,000 Bike Expansion | Inhabitat New York City

More is better. The expansion brings the total to 10,000 bikes. Click title for link.

Away from the crowds at the Lake Worth Beach today...

More pics tomorrow from the art festival taking place there. All the upper parking area is being used for vendors.

Print media hawking their wares at the Lake Worth Beach Art Festival today...

Few Support Delaying Changes in Flood Insurance - ABC News

Seems like the higher flood insurance rates are likely to go into effect after all. Will this help push redevelopment and investment towards the east coast in Florida? Click title for link. Here is some of what the article says:

The changes in the program are most acutely felt in places like the Gulf Coast, the New Jersey shore and Florida.
-------------------------
Some conservative Republicans are adopting a "tough-love" approach to implementing the law.
"The fundamental question posed by the flood insurance reform bill is one of fairness. Is it fair for everyone to subsidize the insurance of a few?" asked Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga. "The answer is simple. Taxpayers should not continue to subsidize the flood insurance of those who live in flood-prone areas. It's not fair."

WPEC-TV CBS12 News :: News - Top Stories - Riviera Beach Council Member Apologizes for Gay Slur

This is the least he could do. Some are suggesting more. The thing that isn't talked about in this story is that Riviera Beach has had a vendetta on Lozeman since seizing his home and then losing in the Supreme Court on a takings claim. Mr. Lozeman is still attempting to get compensation from the city. Click title for link to article.

Here is what some residents think:

CBS 12 spoke with several residents who said even if Guyton was quoting something someone else wrote, He could've handled it differently.
"Should have better respect being a councilman," said one resident.
And some say his actions should have consequences.
"Suspend him for a week or two, do something about it, not right," said another. 

America's anger epidemic: why? - New York News

Our anger seems to be concentrated in certain discrete areas: North D Street, Lake Osborne Drive, sometimes North O Street. Click title for link.

Lake Worth manager among former FSU student body presidents to...

Nice recognition for our own Lake Worth City Manager. From the article, click title for link.

City Manager Michael Bornstein is one of several former Florida State University student body presidents who will be honored at Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday when the Seminoles take on the Idaho Vandals. Bornstein, who served as FSU student body president during the 1985-86 school year, said he planned to attend a special dinner Friday and watch the football game in a luxury box with FSU President Eric Barron.

Mr. Bornstein served in 1985-86.

Jupiter bridge construction earns national recognition | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Nice to have national recognition of this sort. Click title for link to article by Jodie Wagner.

Roads & Bridges, a 103-year-old trade publication that covers the transportation, construction and maintenance marketplace, selected the Jupiter project — completed in February — as well as nine others based on their use of innovation to overcome specific design or construction challenges.
Construction on the project involved placing temporary work trestles at each of the four bridge locations. The trestles were built so the cranes used to demolish the old structures and build the new ones were able to move over the top of the structure with no impact to the waterway below, the FDOT said.
“Whenever we do projects like this, we always make sure we do everything we can to protect the environment,” said Chuck McGinness, FDOT spokesman.

Coming back from the NAPC Thanksgiving event at South Shores Tavern...

We met up with Walter Chruscinski. He came before the Historic Resource Preservation Board recently for permission to have a art gallery just north of the alley, along M Street.

We happened to catch him just leaving his store. He is originally from just north of Chicago, but has spent much time in Poland. His gallery is filled with folk art from that country. A nice addition to the downtown area, make sure and drop in if the lights are on and you see someone in the gallery. If not, give him a call and make an appointment to look around the store. He is always looking for interesting things that catch his eye.

Here is some of what we found in the store.

I hope this isn't a city of Lake Worth resident...

What was the Post's editorial board thinking when they allowed this letter to be printed?

In today's paper.

Just over the border, in the hamlet of Palm Springs...

How many gas stations have closed on North Dixie Hwy. in Lake Worth? Where do you get your gas on a regular basis? Note the conclusion of the staff report in the back-up material.

Two follow-up links from today's High Noon in Lake Worth episode...

Click here for locations of alternative fuel stations around the nation.

Click here for information on the Southeast Florida Clean Cities Coalition.

More on our "High Noon in Lake Worth" guest today, Jeff Greene with Wise Gas, Inc.

Jeff Greene has dedicated the past 15 years to business development for a number of start-up companies.  His interest in the area of Natural Gas was provoked in 2008 and he has become an industry expert.  Jeff developed a passion for understanding alternative fuel and became the head of Business Development for Wise Gas, Inc. (www.wisegasinc.com).

Jeff focuses on negotiating strategic partnerships with entities ranging from natural gas providers to equipment manufacturers and contractors.  He serves as Chairman of the Development Committee for the Gold Coast Clean Cities Coalition, recruiting new members within the local industry alternative fuel and keeping the community momentum strong.  Jeff has consulted the Big Bend and First Coast Clean Cities in Tallahassee and Jacksonville in their desire to start chapters.  Jeff was an early contributor and served as the Florida State Leader of the Pickens Plan.   Jeff served on the Advisory Board of the 2009 and 2010 Living Green Fair, and has spoken at numerous conferences and trade shows about the benefits of CNG and alternative fuels.

Jeff Greene is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Economics and a former President of the Sigma Chi fraternity. 

While focusing on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Jeff believes that there is no “silver bullet” to end our oil addiction and advocates all forms of alternative fuel.

Click here for link to show starting at 12 p.m.

All Aboard Florida announces Fort Lauderdale station location

Interesting details related to the All Aboard Florida project and the selection of one of the station locations in Ft. Lauderdale. Click title for link.

Inaugural nonstop West Coast flight lands at Palm Beach... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Good news coming from PBIA where there will be non-stop service from Los Angeles to Palm Beach. That will eliminate stops at such busy airports like Atlanta, St. Louis, Dallas, etc. Perhaps when the convention center hotel opens, we will attract more non-stop flights to major cities. Click title for link to article.

Image from Historic Boynton Beach on Facebook...

Summer of Love: June 1967 photo of a Love-in at Lantana Beach. Steve Grossman and Peggy Murphy center. Image for sale on eBay.

A message of what to take forward in light of the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination...

These images, put forward by the other blogger on her blog, really should have no place in the political theater. Or anywhere for that matter.

Advocate urges leaders to make West Palm Beach ‘more walkable’ | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

His presentation to the West Palm Beach City Commission was being played on the closed-circuit TV system at City Hall on Tuesday. Mr. Speck has some good ideas and I am currently reading his book on my kindle. I find the concept of creating "useful" trip opportunities a particularly interesting part of his formula. From the article, click title for link.

Mayor Jeri Muoio said the city supports street parking but has clashed with the Florida Department of Transportation, which is responsible for major roads such as Dixie Highway and has concerns over volume and safety.
Speck described the concept of “induced demand,” calling it “the great big black hole in traffic planning. We widen streets to absorb anticipated demand. But when you reduce congestion, more people drive and developments go in where you built large (arteries).”

Editorial: Will Flagler Memorial Bridge favor turn into a... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

The Post's Jac Wilder Versteeg makes an excellent comparison here in talking about the problems of the north bridge in contrast with the stoic Lantana residents who lived with a 6 mile or more detour for 20 months. They saved money doing it to. Click title for link.

To the south, residents waiting for the new Lantana Bridge — a county project rather than a state project — had to use alternative routes for 20 months during construction of a new span. The decision not to build a temporary bridge saved $18 million, and the new $32 bridge opened on schedule this month.
The Lantana bridge example suggests that it sometimes is better to keep projects as simple as possible. Mr. Ecclestone might not have done Palm Beach, or taxpayers, any favors when Gov. Scott did him a favor.

DOT: North bridge to reopen today | www.palmbeachdailynews.com

North bridge to open today, with some cross-fingers. Click title for link to Shiny Sheet article.

In addition to announcing the re-opening, Mayor Gail Coniglio, Town Manager Peter Elwell and DOT officials also will discuss ongoing traffic coordination and the plan for continuing construction on the replacement bridge.
Wolfe said last week that the DOT is considering re-designing the new bridge foundations so they create fewer vibrations.

Brevard backs plan to double billboard spending | FLORIDA TODAY | floridatoday.com

This area of the state is particularly hard hit by the NASA cutbacks. They just approved $600,000 in billboard spending along the Interstates as far north as South Carolina. Some people on the board wondered about the effectiveness of such a campaign versus working on social media exposure. This is a novel idea found on the second page of the article, click title for link.

Thompson also suggested trying something out of the box, like renting trucks wrapped in advertising promoting the Space Coast’s sunny beaches, and deploying them to cold-weather cities in the middle of winter.

Being the from the frozen tundra of the midwest, I'm not sure how well this would be received. That truck might draw more ire than awe.

Wildlife commissioners wrangle with water managers over Everglades flooding | The Florida Current

It seems that confusion reigns at the South Florida Water Management District. "Management" is part of their name after all. Click title for link to Florida Current article.

South Florida Water Management District officials said those water diversions to the east and west were reduced in late summer through projects that sent more water south toward the Everglades. The 671,831-acre Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area was closed during the summer because of record high water levels.
Commissioner Ron Bergeron of Fort Lauderdale warned that too much water is "sudden death" for wildlife that is stranded on islands within the wildlife management area. He repeatedly asked whether state and federal officials could have a plan ready to prevent future flooding and wildlife kills.

Two blasts from the past worth reading again...

Click here for the other blogger's take on Cara's "Squeaky" clean image. Here's more on the real Squeaky.

Click here for insightful analysis on what it's like to read this blog and what people get from it. (If the font is too small once you click on the link, use your browser's zoom function to make type larger.)

Earth First! 2014 Organizer’s Conference and Winter Rendezvous | Earth First! Newswire

Eco-tourism shifts into overdrive this coming February courtesy of our own EF! peeps. Big shindig planned that will bring everyone out of the woodwork to luxuriate in our beautiful Winter sunshine. This is right about the time of the Street Painting Festival too. Bookings at the Canew are limited, so get your reservations in early! Click title for link and don't miss all the excitement! Imagine the tons of tourist dollars flushing into our local economy.

Jeff Greene - Wise Gas, Inc. - Compressed Natural Gas 11/22 by High Noon in Lake Worth | Politics Podcasts

Join your host Wes Blackman as he welcomes Jeff Greene to the High Noon in Lake Worth studios. Mr Greene is associated with Wise Gas, Inc. The corporation describes itself as "consisting of all the key components necessary to forge ahead and emerge as a strong cornerstone of the development of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative fuel across the nation.  The Wise Gas, Inc. family is comprised of grant writers, engineers, mechanics, technicians and more."  We will talk about the challenges and opportunities surrounding the use and distribution of this alternative fuel source for our transportation needs in the state of Florida and the nation.

Click title for link to live show between 12 and 1 p.m. Friday or afterwards for archived version of the show. Leave questions as comments below.

Lake Worth Holiday Parade - 12/14/13

The Lake Worth Beach ArtFest (Ocean Blvd & Lake Ave) November 23rd & 24th, 2013 Saturday & Sunday 10:00AM - 5:00PM

West Palm Beach planning board green-lights convention center... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

West Palm Beach's planning and zoning board approved a 13 story, 400 room hotel that will be built next to the Palm Beach County Convention Center. It is thought by many this will help unleash the potential of the Convention Center and allow it to compete for better events, with more a national draw. One of the city's planner's brings up a good point, which is a weakness in the connection between City Place and the downtown in general. From the article, click title for link.

Principal planner Eric Schneider conceded that developers still haven’t found a good solution to the difficult foot crossing of Okeechobee Boulevard between the hotel/convention center complex and CityPlace. He said the Florida Department of Transportation and the developers’ traffic engineer will try to work out solutions.

There must be some sort of market for even one-tenth the number of rooms being built in West Palm Beach - this is just one of seven different hotel projects - that could find a market and a return on investment if they build in Lake Worth.

West Palm Beat blog | The Palm Beach Post » Blog Archive » WPB Commissioner asks for ruling on whether mayor alone can pick CRA firm

Things can get more complicated with a "strong mayor" form of government like that in West Palm Beach. Now, the Commission has hired another attorney so that they can get a second opinion on opinions made by the existing city attorney, who is more under control of the Mayor. Commissioner Materio brings up a worthy issue here. The CRA in West Palm Beach has a lot of money and resources, much more than the Lake Worth CRA. The West Palm CRA is run by the City Commission, with a few extra members thrown in, I believe. This issue surrounds the way the CRA will be staffed. The Mayor is pushing for an outside firm. Click title for link.

Town keeps eye on Corps plan to deepen, widen Lake Worth Inlet | www.palmbeachdailynews.com

From the Shiny Sheet, the Town of Palm Beach still is voicing concern over the dredging and widening of the Lake Worth Inlet - at the northern tip of the barrier island. One benefit would be to move sand transfer equipment further south to cover more area for beach renourishment. But Mayor Coniglio still has some quality of life concerns:

Mayor Gail Coniglio said she still has many concerns about the project.
“I want to remind everyone that the Town of Palm Beach, including this dais, has continued to take opposition to many of the aspects of the port expansion and I’ve been very watchful in my conversations both with Col. Alan Dodd [commander and district engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Jacksonville District] in Jacksonville and again with Congresswoman (Lois) Frankel.”
She said the short list of concerns includes the actual depths to which the inlet will be deepened and widened, what affect it would have on storm surge, the use of blasting, and the impact larger vessels will have on quality of life and safety.

Click title for link. 

Putnam touts alternative to land-buying but environmentalists say purchases still needed | The Florida Current

Another way to go might be conservation easements, which allow for continued agricultural and related uses on the land. Easements are cheaper than out-right purchases and the state has funded that program already. Here is a bit from the article. Click title for link.

SARASOTA, Fla.: Funding short for buying new conservation lands - Florida Wires - MiamiHerald.com

I just signed a petition to put an item on the state ballot that would fund the state's environmental land purchases through a levy on documentation stamps. It might be a good idea after reading this article, click title for link. It seems that the land the state had as surplus may be worth keeping as well.

Environmental advocates say that without more property available to sell, Florida may fall behind in acquiring new conservation lands.
The Florida Legislature had budgeted $70 million for the Florida Forever land-buying program, but $50 million was to come from the sale of surplus conservation lands already in the state's possession.
"First they said it'd be a great way to fund Florida Forever. Now they'll be lucky to get $12 million to $14 million out of the sale of the land," said Julie Morris of Venice-based Wildlands Conservation, a consulting firm that identifies willing sellers of environmentally sensitive land.

WPEC-TV CBS12 News :: News - Top Stories - City Council Member Uses Controversial Language at Heated Meeting

I would say "controversial language" is an understatement here. Fane Lozman has been on two High Noon in Lake Worth shows. He is the gentleman that won the Supreme Court case versus the City of Riviera Beach on the removal of his house - which was more of a house than a boat so it wasn't covered by maritime law. Click title for link to the latest fracas. Click here for the first show and here for the second show with Mr. Lozman.

Tree Board Special Meeting re Tree Replacement at Cultural Plaza Wednesday 11/20/13 at 5 p.m.

PBC Commissioner Priscilla Taylor named county’s new mayor | www.palmbeachpost.com

The baton is passed to new Palm Beach County Mayor Priscilla Taylor. Click title for link to article.

"Punishment Therapy" For Depression? A Lake Worth Doctor Is Accused of Torturing a Patient | FlaglerLive - Your News Service for Flagler County News Palm Coast News Bunnell Flagler Beach Beverly Beach and Marineland

Local doctor accused of being bad, very bad. He has had a practice here in Lake Worth for many years. Click title for link.

JFK in Palm Beach: Where the ‘Kennedy identity’ grew | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Excellent article summarizing the importance of Palm Beach to the history of the Kennedy family and vice-versa. Click title for link to article.

Repair work begins on Flagler Bridge; span remains closed | www.palmbeachdailynews.com

And this just in from another group of squeaky wheels. Click title for link. From the article:

DOT officials said they are working with construction-management firm Parsons Brinckerhoff to redesign the remaining foundations for the new bridge to cause less vibration. But, if the bridge continues to settle after work resumes on the new bridge, the department said it will revisit the need to close the bridge for safety reasons. 

Tesla's Boca location gets past objections - Sun Sentinel

Boca clutches the pearls over Teslas being displayed outdoors. Puh-leeze. I think we could look the other way and allow Teslas to be stored outside during the day here in Lake Worth on North Dixie Hwy. If we could only have such problems. Click title for link.

Delray-sized development planned in Palm Beach County - Sun Sentinel

And, meanwhile, the County Commission has also been approving some major development projects throughout Palm Beach County. Some are concerned about the cummulative impact.of these new residential and commercial projects. Click title for link to Andy Reid's article.

Palm Beach County’s legislative wish list includes gun, sober... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

The County is mapping out its legislative priorities. Click title for link. Lake Worth's own Pam Bergsma is mentioned. She wants to see legislation requiring eye exams on newborns and infants. Here is the County's list:

Legislative priorities
Here are some of Palm Beach County’s top priorities for the session that begins in March:
* $100 million for Everglades restoration projects.
* $16.9 million for beach renourishment, restoration and inlet management projects.
* $2 million for projects to improve the Lake Worth Lagoon.
* $1 million for water main improvements in the cities around Lake Okeechobee.
* Preventing gambling legislation that would put the Palm Beach County Kennel Club at a competitive disadvantage.
* Seeking money to provide safety measures and quiet zones for passenger rail service on the FEC tracks.
* Passing legislation that defines and establishes regulations for sober homes.
* Passing legislation that allows counties to pass their own gun regulations.

Environment Watch: Rising seas threaten coastal lifestyle | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

Beach renourishment is going to get more expensive. There will come a point when we won't be able to do it any more. Click title for link.

The future of our beach tourism and coastal lifestyles will hinge greatly on how and when our public officials react to this reality, said Robert Young, an expert on the topic and director of program studies of developed shorelines at Western Carolina University.
Right now is the time for public officials to act, Young said. And beach renourishment is not the long-term solution.

New Lake Worth Business on North Dixie Hwy. at Columbia Drive...

Will be checking it out soon...they still have the pizza oven there. Stay tuned.

From a six decade LW resident...

The Snook Islands Natural Area was a great place to go until the citizens of Lake Worth were run out of there by vagrants with bad attitudes. It is rapidly becoming a no-go zone. The boardwalk and observation deck is beautiful but can rarely be used for its intended purpose anymore. Sad.

The first pic was taken shortly after Snook Islands opened and the vagrant pic was taken last year when the problem was just starting to develop. I rarely take my expensive Nikon gear there anymore for obvious reasons.

 I have encountered vagrants on the observation deck many times since then. Last week I went to see how the mangroves were taking root on the new island by the deck and there were two vagrants sleeping on the deck and I startled them and they weren’t very happy about it. A couple months ago I went there to check on the islands progress and there was a vagrant sleeping on the deck. A young woman and her two children were walking down the boardwalk, spotted the vagrant and quickly shooed her kids away in the other direction. Over by the kayak launch we discussed the vagrant problem and she said this would be her last visit to Snook Islands because she had encountered surly vagrants before. I talked to a deputy afterward about the growing problem. He just shrugged it off and gave me the impression that he thought they weren’t a problem. My longtime Lake Worth friend was standing with us and when the deputy walked away. We kinda laughed and reminisced about how problems like that used to be handled back in the sixties and seventies. Back then the LWPD would put them in a car and give them a free ride to the West Palm Beach or Lantana boarder (whichever was closest) and drop them off.

I rarely launch my kayak from there anymore. It’s almost as easy to just go up Flagler drive to Southern Blvd and launch from the Palm Beach side of the bridge. Funny how Palm Beach doesn’t have scary people hanging around public facilities. If I were to do a photo documentation of the problem with dates and times on a regular basis (I’m retired and have the time) would it be of value to anyone? I’ll be happy to do that if it helps.

Last night, cresting the newly-opened Lantana bridge..

 We checked out and crossed the newly-opened Lantana bridge last evening. The bridge has these pedestrian overlooks, which can be queuing areas for people waiting for the bridge to be lowered, or just a place to pause and take in the view.

 Nicely detailed railings and the ability to see through them is retained. There is an elevated sidewalk in relation to the traffic lanes along both sides of the bridge.

 I happened to catch this old Jeep-like vehicle going across while we were there.

The moving part of the bridge is not the typical exposed metal grating that we are used to. This is finished in concrete.  We asked one of the workers why that was and he said that this bridge is built to what he referred to as a "100 year standard." So, this bridge should be here a lot longer than the old one - that one made it 62 years.

Beaches Along The Florida Panhandle Are Slipping Into The Gulf | TheLedger.com

The day will come when either we run out of quality sand for beach renourishment, or we realize it is a big waste of money. Some people are already coming to that realization. Click title for link to article.

Escambia County pumped 7.2 million cubic yards of sand onto Pensacola Beach between 2002 and 2006. Now that much of that sand is gone, the Gulf is washing closer and closer to hotels, condominiums and roads.
Later in the article:
"We're seeing the end of the first nourishment project," said Timothy Day, the county's environmental programs manager. "A project on the Gulf of Mexico typically lasts 10 to 12 years. Sand we've placed here has moved offshore and west."

PARROT COVE HOSTS CITY MANAGER MICHAEL BORNSTEIN - LAKE WORTH 2020 INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 7:00pm at Believers’ Victory Church, Lakeside and 10th Avenue North

Pot Holes, Utilities, Sidewalks Oh My!  LW 2020 Rarely do people think about the basic infrastructure we use every day.  It is such an integral part of our lives that we usually take it for granted.  From water and sewer service to the roads we drive on, we really do not miss it until it is broken.  Unfortunately in Lake Worth we are experiencing some very visible and downright uncomfortable failures in our infrastructure with wheel eating pot holes being the most talked about. 

Infrastructure is everything within the City owned rights-of-way.  That includes the existing roads, curbs, sidewalks, water pipes, sewer pipes, drainage, electric lines and street lighting.  There may be opportunities to add to this list to include landscape/hardscape, entranceway features, additional street lighting and traffic calming.  There may also be opportunities to bring some sections of the City up to minimum standards by actually building the roads and installing the fire hydrants that were never provided in the first place!    

Infrastructure requires continual maintenance and investment in order to maximize its useful life.  Roads and utilities deteriorate each year through use and the effects of nature.  A City either takes care of these basic assets or they fall into disrepair – there is no middle ground.  Unfortunately through many years of benign neglect our infrastructure is reaching the end of its lifecycle. 

The City is currently working on a plan to catch up and fix years of delaying the inevitable.  The LW 2020 Plan is ambitious and is intended to improve our quality of life.  It is also a key strategy to add value to our City so we can become financially sustainable.  City Manager Michael Bornstein will present the LW 2020 Plan, take your questions and listen to your concerns.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME.  YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE AN ASSOCIATION MEMBER OR LIVE IN PARROT COVE.

Remarks from the NAPC Event last night 11/16/13

Pics from last night's 11/16/13 NAPC Fundraiser, South Shores Tavern, LW

City Manager Michael Bornstein and State Senator Jeff Clemens

State Senator and former Lake Worth Mayor Jeff Clemens

Mayor Pam Triolo, Me and City Manager Michael Bornstein

NAPC President Mary Lindsey and State Senator Jeff Clemens

Me and State Senator Clemens

Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triolo

Rendering of the... -Vintro hotel - Sun Sentinel

Rendering of the proposed Vintro Hotel on Fort Lauderdale beach. Grab the smelling salts those of us that are height sensitive. Click title for link.

From Historic Boynton Beach on Facebook...

Water skiing postcard. Postmarked Delray 1964. Probably on Lake Ida.

All about bridges...

Click here for a story about the rich getting their way at taxpayers expense. From the article:

“If I still lived there, I would be the inconvenienced. But I know from years of experience, it’s not a big deal to go down to the next bridge and go over. It’s not a big deal,’’ he said.
“The expense is just not warranted. Why saddle taxpayers with that kind of expense for the few people who would have been impacted in Palm Beach? It doesn’t make sense.’’
But Ecclestone said he reached out to Scott because “it was super-important.”
He said several thousand of Palm Beach’s 8,358 residents live on the northern half of the island.
“I talked to the governor through the whole process. I told him, ‘I think there’s an obligation to the state to keep this open.’ (Scott) said, ‘Llwyd, I will call you back this afternoon.’ He called me back and said, ‘Llywd, we don’t know how yet, but we will keep this bridge open.’’’
FDOT Secretary Ananth Prasad acknowledged Ecclestone’s role in keeping the bridge open while the new one is being built.

Click here for the Shiny Sheet's version of the story. From the article:

Town officials and residents vehemently protested, citing concerns about congestion and emergency responders getting stuck in traffic.
Mayor Gail Coniglio and resident Llywd Eccelstone took the complaints to Gov. Rick Scott and state DOT officials, who eventually reached a compromise: spending $9.4 million in emergency repairs so the bridge could remain open during construction.

Click here for how Lantana approached their bridge rebuilding situation - slightly more pragmatic than the Palm Beach response.

“(Engineers) said the problem with temporary bridge is, if you start pounding pilings around your old structure, sometimes they settle and you still can’t use (the temporary bridge). The same problems they’re having up there,” he said, referring to the Flagler Memorial Bridge that connects West Palm Beach to the town of Palm Beach.
In the first week or two after the Lantana Bridge project started in 2012, Stewart said, residents complained about having to cross the Intracoastal via the Lake Worth Bridge to the north or the Ocean Avenue Bridge in Boynton Beach to the south.
“I told them to suck it up,’’ Stewart said with a laugh. “It’s only 20 months.’’

Vision embraced | www.palmbeachdailynews.com

Petition fever strikes Palm Beach island. From the Shiny Sheet op-ed, click title for link.

If opponents to the plan obtain more than 800 signatures within 30 days, the issue could be forced onto the ballot in February, rescinding the decision of the elected Town Council. This is certainly their right by law but would essentially reflect ideological opposition to change in any form. Unfortunately, this appears to be part of the town’s new political landscape.
As Mr. Rosow noted, there are pitfalls to blind opposition to change. He pointed out that Royal Poinciana Way once had a water tower, railroad tracks down the middle, houses of ill repute, barracks for The Breakers staff and a mule pen.

FTAA Ten Years Later: Protesters Reunite This Weekend, Fight TPP

Sounds like a grand time.

Saturday night, November 23 -- bonfire, party, and storytelling in Lake Worth. I hope that the fire department is notified before the bonfire and that everybody has adequate insurance.

Click title for link to information on the latest attempt to protest the protestable.

FLORIDA TOURISM HITS THIRD-QUARTER HIGH- Press Release

November 15, 2013 - Courtesy Florida News Service

The state's tourism arm, Visit Florida, is estimating that 22.9 million people came to Florida during the third quarter of the year, a 1.7 percent increase from the same period in 2012. Gov. Rick Scott announced the quarterly numbers during an appearance Friday at Busch Gardens in Tampa. The numbers keep Florida on pace to surpass the record-setting 91.4 million visitors estimated in 2012, but slips the state a little more off track from a goal of 100 million visitors in 2013. Visit Florida earlier projected the state drew 49.6 million for the first six months of 2013. "Record visitor numbers equate to record visitor spending," Visit Florida President and CEO Will Seccombe said in a statement released by the governor's office. Visit Florida estimates that in the first eight months of the year travel-related employment in Florida grew 2.8 percent, accounting for 29,700 new jobs. With an eye on pushing the state's tourism numbers over 100 million a year, Visit Florida has requested an $11.5 million boost to its budget that would increase the annual state allocation to $75 million during the next fiscal year. The money, which mostly goes into advertising, is in addition to approximately $110.9 million in private contributions to Visit Florida. Scott will consider the request as he puts together a budget proposal that will go to the Legislature. Ultimately, it will be up to lawmakers to decide. Of the latest quarterly numbers, the area of biggest increase was in overseas visitors, a 10.1 percent jump from the same time in 2012. Domestic visitors, of which there were an estimated 19.5 million between July 1 and Sept. 30, grew by 0.5 percent in the year-to-year comparison. The more than half-million Canadians who visited the state during the third quarter marked a 2.9 percent increase from the prior year.

Just ahead: More billboards promoting Brevard | FLORIDA TODAY | floridatoday.com

Maybe such a sign could be in Lake Worth's future? The city could even rent an ad on our electronic billboard, the one within the city, for special events and the like. I know that many people are working on getting those brown colored signs used on Interstates to point to our historic downtown by our two exits. Something to file away and think about. Click title for link.