Saturday, September 27, 2014
As schoolyard tactics mount, Florida Dem chief lashes out at Scott campaign | Post On Politics
This recalls the days when we had local fundraisers and meet-and-greets at various residences in Lake Worth. One candidate made the mistake of publishing the planned events ahead of time, on social media, for everyone to see. Well, everyone did see, including the opposition. Wouldn't you know, our pals Dee and Larry, showed up at every one heckling and handing out fliers in front of host's homes. The fliers were usually negative copy related to the candidate having the fundraiser. Part of keeping it classy in Lake Worth. This article made me think of those tactics. Click title for link.
Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant lashed out Friday at Republican Gov. Rick Scott’s campaign for sending more than a dozen protesters to a recent fund-raiser at her home where they harassed guests and photographed the license tags of those attending.
The Florida Republican Party in concert with the Scott campaign has been dispatching handfuls of operatives for months to demonstrate, chant and shout questions at appearances by Democratic nominee Charlie Crist or his supporters.
But Tant said crashing the private fund-raising affair at her Tallahassee home took the middle-school tactics too far.
Editorial: Most provisional ballots aren’t counted in Palm...
Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher continues to play ostrich on this issue. She's not talking to the Palm Beach Post and she is not responding to requests regarding the total number of countywide provisional ballots from the August 26th election. What is she hiding? It could be plenty. Oh, and then we have the mid term election coming up in November. What will happen then? Click title for link for a strong editorial article from the Palm Beach Post on the issue.
When Palm Beach County poll workers ask voters to cast provisional ballots, they don’t tell them that their votes most likely won’t count. But it’s true. If you’re asked to vote with a provisional instead of a regular ballot in this county, the odds are that it will never be tallied.
According to our analysis of five general elections from 2004 to 2012, more than half of all provisional ballots cast in Palm Beach County were never counted, a rejection rate far higher than either the national or statewide average.
The county’s rate of rejection was at its highest in the 2012 presidential election, when the county’s canvassing board disqualified an astounding 72 percent of the more than 2,000 provisional ballots cast. That was the highest rejection rate in the state and three times the national average.
[Later...]
Will these trends continue in the November election? Given the cause for concern, it would be instructive to know how provisional ballots were handled countywide in the Aug. 26 primary. But a month after the fact, Bucher has not released information about those ballots, or even said how many were cast. Given the stakes, such a lack of transparency is troubling.
Too much residential development in the Agricultural Reserve?
What follows is an excerpt from a Sun Sentinel article about the Ag Reserve. The article isn't spectacular for what it points out, but what is spectacular is how did an article about an Audubon Society issue get through to print without a quote from Drew Martin? Click title for link. Here is some from the article:
"The Palm Beach County-based Audubon Society of the Everglades has called for county Inspector General John Carey to investigate whether too many new neighborhoods and other development have been allowed on prime farmland where building limits are intended to preserve room for agriculture.We really should still be following the Eastward-Ho! plan and be directing redevelopment dollars to the already developed coastal communities.
This comes as the County Commission is considering easing development rules in the 21,000-acre Agricultural Reserve area that spreads west of Boynton Beach and Delray Beach.
In addition to calling for an investigation, Audubon has called for a halt to most building in the Agricultural Reserve and a moratorium on more development approvals during the investigation.
"Residential development is seriously impeding the ability of farmers to conduct large-scale farming operations within the Ag Reserve," Paton White, president of the Audubon Society of the Everglades, wrote in his Sept. 21 letter requesting the inquiry."
From the "journalist" who appeared out-of-no-where...
At the last Commission meeting, a "journalist" appeared at the podium to endorse the violence-charged graphics of the other blogger. Click title for link for a blog post from Ms. Menge dating from 2012 which outlines her opinion of Ms. Bucher.
Friday, September 26, 2014
How Lake Worth appears on VisitFlorida.com...
Yesterday a story appeared in the Palm Beach Post from Jennifer Sorentrue about the incredible amount of traffic the Florida Tourism website, Visit Florida, received last year. Here is an excerpt from the article:
What I want to do is challenge my readers and fellow Lake Worth citizens to send new photos and update the information on Visit Florida website as it concerns Lake Worth. Why? Consider the following screen grabs from the Lake Worth section on the Visit Florida. Let's get more of our share of tourists to Lake Worth! Remember, the Gulfstream Hotel is reopening! I have added some of the Lake Worth beach as a trial run and they were accepted. Credit is also given.
Question: Why is a golf course in Wellington highlighted as a "Lake Worth" destination and our own municipal golf course not listed on Visit Florida? Visit Florida is the most visited site for tourists interested in Florida.
"Florida tourism leaders on Tuesday unveiled a series of marketing efforts designed to lure more millennial and international visitors, and they are creating a hospitality training program to ensure there are enough employees to serve the travelers.Visit Florida has done an amazing job promoting Florida and they continue to explore new avenues to increase tourism.
Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing agency, aims to reach a younger audience by inserting its logo and other marketing material into a popular motocross video game that has been downloaded more than 4 million times. The agency also expects a partnership with National Geographic and an aggressive marketing campaign at Fashion Week in Sao Paolo, Brazil in April will bring more international tourists to the state.
Nearly 95 million people visited Florida last year. State leaders intend to boost that number to 127 million visitors by 2020 — a push that is expected to create 315,000 new jobs."
What I want to do is challenge my readers and fellow Lake Worth citizens to send new photos and update the information on Visit Florida website as it concerns Lake Worth. Why? Consider the following screen grabs from the Lake Worth section on the Visit Florida. Let's get more of our share of tourists to Lake Worth! Remember, the Gulfstream Hotel is reopening! I have added some of the Lake Worth beach as a trial run and they were accepted. Credit is also given.
Letter to Editor at the Palm Beach Post re Spring Training
Congrats to the county commissioners for voting against jobs, prosperity
and the chance to assist an underserved portion of Palm Beach County.
The commissioners voted against the proposed spring training and
minor-league stadium at 45th and Military Trail. That parcel has been
vacant for decades and is now overgrown and filled with broken glass and
trash. Let’s keep it that way. The fact that the Nationals and Astros
were even interested astounds me. My advice to the two teams would be to
look elsewhere. There must be a location that would welcome jobs and
associated local development.
T. NEELY, WEST PALM BEACH
Click title for link.
T. NEELY, WEST PALM BEACH
Click title for link.
Looking over various campaign Treasurer Reports...
A gentle reader brought these to my attention. Do you think these signatures from our District #2 Commissioner were from the same person? I am interested in knowing what you think.
Wellington Vice Mayor calls out Palm Beach Post reporter at public meeting.
Click title for link. He doesn't hold back his criticism of the beat reporting that has been done for the Village of Wellington over speculation regarding the Village Manager's position or other matters. To be fair, the video appears on the Palm Beach Post website.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
This is a hoax: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME IN AN ATTEMPT TO CHARGE YOUR iPhone
Hurricane Jeanne 10th anniversary: Storm caused floods, death and destruction
John Nelander reviews the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Jeanne, the storm which followed Hurricane Francis two weeks to the minute later back in 2004. Click title for link to the Shiny Sheet article.
Thursday is the 10th anniversary of the Florida landfall of Hurricane Jeanne, which lashed the peninsula’s East Coast just 20 days after Hurricane Frances in September, 2004.
It was part two of a double-whammy that was followed up by Hurricane Wilma 13 months later and triggered another round of soaring homeowners insurance rates. It was a storm that will be remembered for its meteorological oddities as much as for the damage and deaths it caused.
[Later...]
For several days after raking Haiti, it appeared that Jeanne would not be a problem for Florida, or for the U.S. It meandered north of Hispaniola, regaining tropical storm strength, and then headed north to a point more than 500 miles northeast of the Bahamas.
But then, due to a complex weather pattern to Jeanne’s north — including conditions caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan — Jeanne began a loop to the northeast, east, south and then west as it regained hurricane strength. It moved over its own previous track on Sept. 24, according to the NHC. Because the storm had churned up cooler water on its track north, the storm weakened slightly but then began gathering strength again as it continued west toward the Bahamas and Florida.
Our Commissioner Scientist and his "thinking" process...
If someone can explain the logic of Commissioner McVoy, please give it a try.
At last Tuesday's commission meeting, the Commission voted 4 to 1 to change the qualifying period to run for office in Lake Worth. Commissioner McVoy was the lone dissenting vote. The qualifying period is 14 days for one to file before the end of the qualifying period. That is how you go about getting your name on the ballot and become an official candidate. The item concerned the amount of time allocated after that deadline and before the election.
The next election day is 3/10/15; District Two Commissioner McVoy and District Four Commissioner John Szerdi are up for re-election is they choose to run again.
As it was before the vote on Tuesday, if someone were to choose to challenge either of the incumbents, and they qualified on the first day of the qualifying period that person would have only 42 days to run a campaign for the office.
Now, with the change that was approved on Tuesday to the election rules, a person can qualify starting 11/25/14 through 12/9/14. If someone chose to qualify to run for office on 11/25/14, they would have 105 days to actively and openly campaign until election day, on March 10, 2015.
So, the Lake Worth commission voted to extend the campaign time frame by 63 days (105 days versus 42 days), if someone chose to qualify on the first qualifying day, 11/25/14.
In Commissioner McVoy's seemingly twisted logic he sees this as disadvantage for someone considering a run for elected office. Commissioner McVoy is a Cornell University graduate and it's possible he learned something at Cornell that is a mystery to the rest of us, The Great Unwashed.
Could it be 42 days is just a short enough period of time to hide behind smoke and obfuscation? Doesn't a longer campaign period add in the local democratic process in terms of providing more information for voters regarding candidates, where they stand on issues and how they are going to lead the city forward? Isn't more time better than less time? Of course, you could declare your candidacy whenever you want, but the most recent system allowed for people to wait in the shadows, essentially until the last minute, and then attempt to mount a campaign. By this time, campaigning and the legendary telling-of-stories could go on with abandon and it would be hard to get the cows back in the gate. I am all for the new change.
At last Tuesday's commission meeting, the Commission voted 4 to 1 to change the qualifying period to run for office in Lake Worth. Commissioner McVoy was the lone dissenting vote. The qualifying period is 14 days for one to file before the end of the qualifying period. That is how you go about getting your name on the ballot and become an official candidate. The item concerned the amount of time allocated after that deadline and before the election.
The next election day is 3/10/15; District Two Commissioner McVoy and District Four Commissioner John Szerdi are up for re-election is they choose to run again.
As it was before the vote on Tuesday, if someone were to choose to challenge either of the incumbents, and they qualified on the first day of the qualifying period that person would have only 42 days to run a campaign for the office.
Now, with the change that was approved on Tuesday to the election rules, a person can qualify starting 11/25/14 through 12/9/14. If someone chose to qualify to run for office on 11/25/14, they would have 105 days to actively and openly campaign until election day, on March 10, 2015.
So, the Lake Worth commission voted to extend the campaign time frame by 63 days (105 days versus 42 days), if someone chose to qualify on the first qualifying day, 11/25/14.
In Commissioner McVoy's seemingly twisted logic he sees this as disadvantage for someone considering a run for elected office. Commissioner McVoy is a Cornell University graduate and it's possible he learned something at Cornell that is a mystery to the rest of us, The Great Unwashed.
Could it be 42 days is just a short enough period of time to hide behind smoke and obfuscation? Doesn't a longer campaign period add in the local democratic process in terms of providing more information for voters regarding candidates, where they stand on issues and how they are going to lead the city forward? Isn't more time better than less time? Of course, you could declare your candidacy whenever you want, but the most recent system allowed for people to wait in the shadows, essentially until the last minute, and then attempt to mount a campaign. By this time, campaigning and the legendary telling-of-stories could go on with abandon and it would be hard to get the cows back in the gate. I am all for the new change.
Healing words for Greenfield, CA
"Hope is what makes us strong. It is why we are here. It is what we fight with when all else is lost.. - Pandora
Assault with Deadly Weapon
09/21/2014
200 Block 13TH ST
Breaking & Entering
09/19/2014
200 Block 6TH ST & OAK AV
Theft
09/19/2014
200 Block 6TH ST & PALM AV
Vehicle Recovery
09/18/2014
300 Block EL CAMINO REAL & APPLE AV
Theft
09/18/2014
500 Block WALNUT AV & EL CAMINO REAL
Homicide
09/18/2014
300 Block PEPPER DR
Breaking & Entering
09/18/2014
200 Block VINEYARD DR & NINO LN
Breaking & Entering
09/16/2014
1200 Block ELM AV
Assault with Deadly Weapon
09/14/2014
1000 Block CHALONE DR & FRANSCIONI DR
Assault
09/12/2014
1100 Block ELM AV & 12TH ST
09/12/20141000 Block GAVILAN DR & 12TH ST
Assault with Deadly Weapon
09/21/2014
200 Block 13TH ST
Breaking & Entering
09/19/2014
200 Block 6TH ST & OAK AV
Theft
09/19/2014
200 Block 6TH ST & PALM AV
Vehicle Recovery
09/18/2014
300 Block EL CAMINO REAL & APPLE AV
Theft
09/18/2014
500 Block WALNUT AV & EL CAMINO REAL
Homicide
09/18/2014
300 Block PEPPER DR
Breaking & Entering
09/18/2014
200 Block VINEYARD DR & NINO LN
Breaking & Entering
09/16/2014
1200 Block ELM AV
Assault with Deadly Weapon
09/14/2014
1000 Block CHALONE DR & FRANSCIONI DR
Assault
09/12/2014
1100 Block ELM AV & 12TH ST
09/12/20141000 Block GAVILAN DR & 12TH ST
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Charles Osgood
"It was while making newspaper deliveries, trying to miss the bushes and hit the porch, that I first learned the importance of accuracy in journalism."
Last night's (9/23/14) commission meeting
Last night, 9/23/14, at the Lake Worth city commission meeting at the public comment period someone, claiming to be a journalist, came to the defense of Lynn Anderson and her erratic, bizarre behavior. Why a "journalist" would come to the defense of horrific images like putting names on bullets and burning the mayors image in effigy is beyond me. What happened on 9/9/14 as the public had had enough of Lynn Anderson's inappropriate behavior, someone "called her out." Bloggers are not special. They don't deserve special treatment. The First Amendment isn't just for the protection of bloggers. The First Amendment also protects the public against the abuses of so-called "bloggers" who are unable to control themselves by giving the right of people to speak up against what they find objectionable.
To the "journalist" who came to the defense of Lynn Anderson and her hateful activities? The truth is what you saw was the First Amendment at its best.
To the "journalist" who supports the violent and hateful behavior of Lynn Anderson, I direct her to the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).
Here is the SPJ Code of Ethics
Some excerpts from the SPJ Code of Ethics:
- "Never deliberately distort facts or context, including visual information. Clearly label illustrations and re-enactments."
- "Label advocacy and commentary."
- "Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect."
- "Balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness."
- "Acknowledge mistakes and correct them promptly and prominently. Explain corrections and clarifications carefully and clearly."
- "Recognize that legal access to information differs from an ethical justification to publish or broadcast."
Click here for an example of a journalist not following the code of ethical journalism.
Now here is an example of commentary correctly labelled "commentary" and not "news." This is how commentary and opinion should be shown.
So much for "professional" journalism in Lake Worth, don't you think?
Oh, and here we have Katie McGiveron feigning surprise and crying "How could this be? on Facebook:
To the "journalist" who came to the defense of Lynn Anderson and her hateful activities? The truth is what you saw was the First Amendment at its best.
To the "journalist" who supports the violent and hateful behavior of Lynn Anderson, I direct her to the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).
Here is the SPJ Code of Ethics
Some excerpts from the SPJ Code of Ethics:
- "Never deliberately distort facts or context, including visual information. Clearly label illustrations and re-enactments."
- "Label advocacy and commentary."
- "Ethical journalism treats sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public as human beings deserving of respect."
- "Balance the public’s need for information against potential harm or discomfort. Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness."
- "Acknowledge mistakes and correct them promptly and prominently. Explain corrections and clarifications carefully and clearly."
- "Recognize that legal access to information differs from an ethical justification to publish or broadcast."
Click here for an example of a journalist not following the code of ethical journalism.
Now here is an example of commentary correctly labelled "commentary" and not "news." This is how commentary and opinion should be shown.
So much for "professional" journalism in Lake Worth, don't you think?
Oh, and here we have Katie McGiveron feigning surprise and crying "How could this be? on Facebook:
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| Showing respect for our leaders? Remember her Mighty Thumbs! |
The public needs to attend a class on who owns the railroad crossings
People are getting the lesson that the railroad was here first. After that, everyone else followed. When you are here first, people have to get your permission and not the other way around. Click title for link.
Gregory Stuart, executive director of the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization, said several cities in Broward County have signed the crossing agreements, but the county government has not.
“The original agreements are almost 100 years old, and they’re all written a little bit differently,” Stuart said. “It’s unfamiliar territories for the cities. When they become familiar with it, they’ll understand that they might want to negotiate.”
If the agreements aren’t signed, Stuart said federal law supersedes local decisions and the municipalities will still be billed for maintenance and repairs under the existing plans.
“Railroad law predates most of our communities in Florida,” he said.
Palm Beach County balks at cost but keeps baseball stadium proposal alive - Sun Sentinel
John Prince Park is still being discussed, but in slightly hushed tones. The loud talker seems to be the money needed and some Commissioners are balking and want to make sure all bases are covered. Click title for link.
The push to expand spring training baseball in Palm Beach County is stretching into extra innings.
County commissioners Tuesday balked at committing $24 million more of public money than once planned to build a new spring training baseball stadium to lure two more Major League Baseball teams.
But the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals did agree to take another month to keep negotiating with county officials to try to strike a deal to build a $140 million, publicly funded stadium that supporters say could attract more tourists.
"The consensus is to keep on talking," said County Mayor Priscilla Taylor, who heads the commission. "This board wants baseball."
While team officials say they still want to move to Palm Beach County, they also say they have been approached by at least three potential suitors from Florida's West Coast. They are angling to have a stadium ready by 2017.
The stadium proposal goes back before the County Commission Oct. 21.
"We need answers quickly," Houston Astros owner Jim Crane said. "This is where we want to go."
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Eleanor Roosevelt
"People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built."
The Hummingbird Hotel
In last weeks Lake Worth Herald, 9/18, Helen Vogt Greene wrote an article about the renovation of the old Hummingbird Hotel. Here is an excerpt:
Here are some pictures taken last weekend of the location:
"Daniel Gorman, of Universal Exports, is no stranger to recreating the beauty of history. Lake Worth is fortunate to have Gorman's latest project - The Hummingbird Hotel. The name is not new, but the vision and the results will bring new life to 631 Lucerne Avenue.To read the entire article, read more news about Lake Worth, FL, and contemplate the musings of our "Pelican Pete", go to LWHerald.com
The Hummingbird Hotel was, since 1921, the McCarty or New McCarty Hotel. The original owner was Mary A. McCarty. McCarty was part of the company owned by A.D. Clark Insurance. Clark, Mayor from 1923-1926, sold insurance and was a prominent realtor in Lake [Worth] for 39 years. She was an active member of the Board of Realtors.
The hotel remained the McCarty Hotel until c.1995 when Rose Belanger and JoAnn Davis purchased the hotel. They changed the color, refurbished the rooms and renamed the hotel - The Hummingbird."
Here are some pictures taken last weekend of the location:
Judge hears arguments in countersuit in “chapel” condo fight | West Palm Beat
No ruling yet in the "tortuous interference and abuse of process" file against citizens against the Chapel-on-the-Lake decision in West Palm Beach. Click title for link.
Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Gregory M. Keyser heard arguments Tuesday morning, but didn’t rule, in a move to toss a countersuit by the developers of the high-rise condominium at West Palm Beach waterfront “chapel-by-the-lake” site.
Citizens for Thoughtful Growth, a neighborhood group, says the city broke its own rules in January when it approved the project.
GAK Partners, the developer, later sued Citizens, arguing the group’s legal moves constituted “tortuous interference and abuse of process.”
Some analysis on the composition of city advisory boards:
Click title for link to city website to refer to the rosters of the various advisory boards.
For purposes of this analysis, there are nine citizen volunteer boards in the City of Lake Worth:
- Community Development Agency
- Electric Utility Advisory Board
- Finance Advisory Board
- Historic Resources Preservation Board
- Library Board
- Planning and Zoning Board
- Recreation Advisory Board
- Sister City Board
- Tree Board
Tonight on the Consent Agenda, Vice Mayor Maxwell will be appointing another volunteer member to the Library Board.
I decided to perform a tally of those currently on city advisory boards in order to determine how many people were appointed by each elected official. This is what resulted:
Mayor Pam Triolo: 11
Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell: 11
Commissioner John Szerdi: 6
Commissioner Andy Amoroso: 5
Commissioner Christopher McVoy: 3
Clearly Commissioner McVoy is the one with the least current appointees. Besides Vice Mayor Maxwell, he has had the longest time on the Commission. He was elected in November of 2010. So by November of this year, he will be completing his fourth full year as Commissioner. His term is extended now due to the change to March elections.
Here are the boards on which his appointees are serving:
Electric Utility Board: 1
Library Board: 1
Tree Board: 1
Now, I know that there can be a lot of turnover in board positions, so these data do not suggest that he has only made three appointments over that entire period of time. But it does show a lack of engagement or recognition of the importance on advisory boards and the role they play in the governance of the city. The difference is too stark not to think so.
If you are a supporter of Commissioner McVoy and think that his constituents (which are really all city residents) are under-represented on appointed boards, you should point this out to him. Perhaps you should consider applying for one of these positions. Click here for the application. There is currently a vacancy on the Historic Resource Preservation Board.
For purposes of this analysis, there are nine citizen volunteer boards in the City of Lake Worth:
- Community Development Agency
- Electric Utility Advisory Board
- Finance Advisory Board
- Historic Resources Preservation Board
- Library Board
- Planning and Zoning Board
- Recreation Advisory Board
- Sister City Board
- Tree Board
Tonight on the Consent Agenda, Vice Mayor Maxwell will be appointing another volunteer member to the Library Board.
I decided to perform a tally of those currently on city advisory boards in order to determine how many people were appointed by each elected official. This is what resulted:
Mayor Pam Triolo: 11
Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell: 11
Commissioner John Szerdi: 6
Commissioner Andy Amoroso: 5
Commissioner Christopher McVoy: 3
Clearly Commissioner McVoy is the one with the least current appointees. Besides Vice Mayor Maxwell, he has had the longest time on the Commission. He was elected in November of 2010. So by November of this year, he will be completing his fourth full year as Commissioner. His term is extended now due to the change to March elections.
Here are the boards on which his appointees are serving:
Electric Utility Board: 1
Library Board: 1
Tree Board: 1
Now, I know that there can be a lot of turnover in board positions, so these data do not suggest that he has only made three appointments over that entire period of time. But it does show a lack of engagement or recognition of the importance on advisory boards and the role they play in the governance of the city. The difference is too stark not to think so.
If you are a supporter of Commissioner McVoy and think that his constituents (which are really all city residents) are under-represented on appointed boards, you should point this out to him. Perhaps you should consider applying for one of these positions. Click here for the application. There is currently a vacancy on the Historic Resource Preservation Board.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Naked Politics | Miami Herald
Huge money being spent on television advertising in the Florida Governor race. Check this out. Click title for link.
Another week. Another $10.4 million thrown in the fire we call television advertising.
Florida’s governor’s race is now a $50 million-plus commercial spectacle, with more than 71 percent of that spending from Gov. Rick Scott.
During the week that ended Friday, Scott dropped an additional $8 million for current and future ads. That’s about a 23 percent increase for the Republican, dwarfing Democrat Charlie Crist’s ad-buy increase of 17 percent, or almost $2.5 million.
If TV ads decided the governor’s race, Scott would win in a landslide.
There’s more to an election than running commercials, however, just as there’s more to winning a war than just using air power. Like a military campaign, a political campaign needs infantry — the “ground game” or “field operations” of paid staff and volunteers who phone voters and reach out them face to face.
Lake Worth Auditorium built by the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA)
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| Credit: Florida Archives |
Our current City Hall was part of the Civic Center for Lake Worth and known as the "Municipal Auditorium." It had a larger auditorium, with a stage (parts of which still exist). It was retrofitted to become home for the city administration in the early 1970s. Eventually, I would like to see it returned back to a multipurpose auditorium.
Baseball stadium money to be debated again this morning by PBC... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com
The County Commission will be meeting on the matter tomorrow morning (9/23) at 9:30 a.m. Today's meeting is of the Tourist Development Council. Click title for link.
West Palm Beach mayor hints at Lake Worth site for baseball | West Palm Beat
Click title for link. It seems to me to be more of an endorsement of the John Prince Park site for a spring training facility if you read Mayor Muoio's Open Letter. Check this out.
An Open Letter From Mayor Jeri Muoio on Baseball
This week saw a flurry of baseball news here in Palm Beach County.
I am often asked about the city’s role in the baseball story.
Preserving major league baseball in Palm Beach County does have advantages for our region.
There is no doubt that a sports venue available for tournaments and other events would serve as an economic driver.
Regardless of where it may be located, a stadium would have a positive impact as visitors seek out places to stay and play in our area. This is why renewed talk of building a facility in Lake Worth is so appealing.
Several of cities have already passed resolutions supporting Lake Worth’s John Prince Park as the location.
It is critical to understand that our city is not involved in negotiations to build a baseball complex. The County and other countywide partners are working on how they would pay for it.
Not one single city dollar would be spent to build a stadium.
Yet our city remains involved because the city owns the land on which the teams want to build the facility.
The deal requires the city to donate the land to the county for free. Our one hundred sixty acre property located near Military Trail and 45th Street is a valuable city asset and something I have refused to simply give away without significant compensation.
Donating the land would remove it from the tax rolls since the county (not the teams) would own the land. (Palm Beach County government is exempt from paying property taxes.) West Palm Beach would never receive property tax revenue from a huge piece of property with tremendous economic potential.
We had originally proposed a trade with the county. We offered our 160 acres in exchange for 1.7 acres on a mostly vacant county-owned block in our downtown. We would have redeveloped the block into an economically significant project to revitalize the area across from the TriRail station.
That offer was rejected.
This past Friday, the city received an unsolicited offer from a private developer to buy our 160 acres near Military Trail and 45th Street and build a mixture of residential and nonresidential projects. The $14 million dollar offer also includes the construction of a 39 acre public park for our residents.
Once constructed, the project would produce significant annual property tax revenue to be used to fund a multitude of city services.
Because of the tremendous potential such a project promises, the only responsible choice is to give it serious consideration.
Yes, acceptance of the offer would take our land out of consideration for baseball. But it would not take baseball out of Palm Beach County.
The redesigned plans for John Prince Park in Lake Worth provide a renewed possibility that even the county itself says is a viable option.
As the expression goes, “timing is everything.” And perhaps it says something that the offer to buy our land came at the same time Lake Worth and its neighboring cities are putting forward a new plan for John Prince Park.
I continue to support the idea of keeping baseball in Palm Beach County.
But I have an even greater responsibility to preserve and protect the interests of the residents of West Palm Beach. If we can find a path that will uphold that obligation while keeping baseball in our region then it’s a home run for everyone.
An Open Letter From Mayor Jeri Muoio on Baseball
This week saw a flurry of baseball news here in Palm Beach County.
I am often asked about the city’s role in the baseball story.
Preserving major league baseball in Palm Beach County does have advantages for our region.
There is no doubt that a sports venue available for tournaments and other events would serve as an economic driver.
Regardless of where it may be located, a stadium would have a positive impact as visitors seek out places to stay and play in our area. This is why renewed talk of building a facility in Lake Worth is so appealing.
Several of cities have already passed resolutions supporting Lake Worth’s John Prince Park as the location.
It is critical to understand that our city is not involved in negotiations to build a baseball complex. The County and other countywide partners are working on how they would pay for it.
Not one single city dollar would be spent to build a stadium.
Yet our city remains involved because the city owns the land on which the teams want to build the facility.
The deal requires the city to donate the land to the county for free. Our one hundred sixty acre property located near Military Trail and 45th Street is a valuable city asset and something I have refused to simply give away without significant compensation.
Donating the land would remove it from the tax rolls since the county (not the teams) would own the land. (Palm Beach County government is exempt from paying property taxes.) West Palm Beach would never receive property tax revenue from a huge piece of property with tremendous economic potential.
We had originally proposed a trade with the county. We offered our 160 acres in exchange for 1.7 acres on a mostly vacant county-owned block in our downtown. We would have redeveloped the block into an economically significant project to revitalize the area across from the TriRail station.
That offer was rejected.
This past Friday, the city received an unsolicited offer from a private developer to buy our 160 acres near Military Trail and 45th Street and build a mixture of residential and nonresidential projects. The $14 million dollar offer also includes the construction of a 39 acre public park for our residents.
Once constructed, the project would produce significant annual property tax revenue to be used to fund a multitude of city services.
Because of the tremendous potential such a project promises, the only responsible choice is to give it serious consideration.
Yes, acceptance of the offer would take our land out of consideration for baseball. But it would not take baseball out of Palm Beach County.
The redesigned plans for John Prince Park in Lake Worth provide a renewed possibility that even the county itself says is a viable option.
As the expression goes, “timing is everything.” And perhaps it says something that the offer to buy our land came at the same time Lake Worth and its neighboring cities are putting forward a new plan for John Prince Park.
I continue to support the idea of keeping baseball in Palm Beach County.
But I have an even greater responsibility to preserve and protect the interests of the residents of West Palm Beach. If we can find a path that will uphold that obligation while keeping baseball in our region then it’s a home run for everyone.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Click here for link to the Residences of Lake Osborne Heights website...
Announcing the Pineapple Beach Neighborhood Association meeting tomorrow night, Monday, September 22, 2014 from 7-8 pm, South Grade Elementary School (716 South K Street). Networking starts at 6:30.
Jeff Perlman and Steven Michael, the new owners of the historical Gulfstream Hotel, will be our guest speakers. We would like to fill the room for this interesting and informative presentation. They will discuss the renovation plans and the future of the Gulfstream Hotel.
Jeff Perlman and Steven Michael, the new owners of the historical Gulfstream Hotel, will be our guest speakers. We would like to fill the room for this interesting and informative presentation. They will discuss the renovation plans and the future of the Gulfstream Hotel.
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| Purple area denotes boundaries of the Pineapple Beach neighborhood. |
Another John Prince Park protest, our Larry the Lenz is there...(re-post from May 22, 2014)
Stirred and shaken by this week's City of Greenacres resolution in favor of John Prince Park as a location for a spring training baseball stadium, protesters worked up into a frenzy rushed the area where the stadium is proposed. Here was the catalyst for their "action." Thanks Larry for all your Googling assistance.
Seeing the above, the protesters with fire and smoke coming through their nostrils, gathered en masse yesterday at the proposed site. Here are some of Larry's pics.
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| That Larry the Lenz, he's sort of a ham, is he not? |
Dalai Lama
"If your mental attitude is positive, even when threats abound, you won’t lose your inner peace. On the other hand, if your mind is negative, marked by fear, suspicion and feelings of helplessness, even among your best friends, in a pleasant atmosphere and comfortable surroundings, you won’t be happy."
Editorial: Leadership needed to protect, preserve local...
Strong editorial piece from the Palm Beach Post on how our neighborhoods are changing character after the Great Recession. Included in the discussion of sober homes, short-term rentals for tourists made possible through a matching process courtesy of the Internet and how many homes in existing communities are changing over to rental properties.
Fully 65 percent of all homes bought locally in the second quarter of 2014 were bought for cash, the highest rate in the nation. Nearly 10 percent of all home sales were to institutional investors like Wall Street hedge funds. And while the county once enjoyed a homeownership rate of 71 percent in 2005, that rate has slid to 58.7 percent as of December, according to The Post’s Kimberly Miller.
In practical terms, this means neighborhoods where people once lived in the homes they owned, invested in their beautification, and knew their neighbors, are giving way to tracts of rentals owned by profit-focused absentee landlords, and sometimes crammed with the maximum number of residents possible.
Meanwhile, lucrative, unregulated sober homes, cloaked in the protection of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, are taking over entire streets. Some deliver what’s promised — a chance to take the final step from treatment to stable life. But many are owned by unscrupulous, greedy companies that flout communities’ zoning rules, advertise themselves to addicts globally, and drain families of assets while providing little in the way of real rehabilitation.
These over-occupied single-family homes are burdening local services like police, fire and garbage, without paying their fair share of taxes.
PBCHRC VOTERS ALLIANCE ENDORSEMENTS.
Absentee ballots are in the mail. We have finished our endorsements EXCEPT in the race for Florida Senate District 34 (incumbent Democrat Maria Sachs and challenger Ellyn Bogdanoff). We will interview the candidates in that race in October.
Here are the endorsements thus far (not all candidates will appear on your ballot). If you live in District 34, please do NOT mail in your ballot at this time. Otherwise, feel free to cast your ballot at this time.
NOT ALL CANDIDATES WILL APPEAR ON YOUR BALLOT.:
U.S. Congressman (Dist. 18) - Patrick Murphy
U.S. Congressman (Dist. 20) - Alcee Hastings
U.S. Congressman (Dist. 21) - Ted Deutch
U.S. Congresswoman (Dist. 22) - Lois Frankel
Governor - Charlie Crist
Attorney General - George Sheldon
State Representative (Dist. 82) - Mary W. Higgins
State Representative (Dist. 86) - Mark Pafford
State Representative (Dist. 88) - Bobby Powell
State Representative (Dist. 89) - Bill Hager
School Board (Dist. 4) - Erica Whitfield
County Commissioner (Dist.4)
CO-ENDORSEMENT
VOTE FOR EITHER CANDIDATE, NOT BOTH
Steven Abrams (Rep) or Andrew "Andy" O'Brien (Dem.)
County Commissioner (Dist. 6) - Melissa McKinlay
Port Commissioner (Group 5) - Peyton McArthur
Soil and Water Conservation District (Group 5) - Karl Dickey
In addition, PBCHRCVA urges YOU to vote YES on the following ballot initiatives:
Amendment 2 - Approving Medical Marijuana
Countywide Question 1 - Children's Services Council
Reauthorization
PLEASE RE-POST ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE REPEATEDLY BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER 4. PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO IS REGISTERED TO VOTE.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This paid electioneering communication, which is independent of any party, candidate or committee, is produced, sponsored and paid for by the The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance.
The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance.
Post Office Box 267
West Palm Beach, Florida 33402
Here are the endorsements thus far (not all candidates will appear on your ballot). If you live in District 34, please do NOT mail in your ballot at this time. Otherwise, feel free to cast your ballot at this time.
NOT ALL CANDIDATES WILL APPEAR ON YOUR BALLOT.:
U.S. Congressman (Dist. 18) - Patrick Murphy
U.S. Congressman (Dist. 20) - Alcee Hastings
U.S. Congressman (Dist. 21) - Ted Deutch
U.S. Congresswoman (Dist. 22) - Lois Frankel
Governor - Charlie Crist
Attorney General - George Sheldon
State Representative (Dist. 82) - Mary W. Higgins
State Representative (Dist. 86) - Mark Pafford
State Representative (Dist. 88) - Bobby Powell
State Representative (Dist. 89) - Bill Hager
School Board (Dist. 4) - Erica Whitfield
County Commissioner (Dist.4)
CO-ENDORSEMENT
VOTE FOR EITHER CANDIDATE, NOT BOTH
Steven Abrams (Rep) or Andrew "Andy" O'Brien (Dem.)
County Commissioner (Dist. 6) - Melissa McKinlay
Port Commissioner (Group 5) - Peyton McArthur
Soil and Water Conservation District (Group 5) - Karl Dickey
In addition, PBCHRCVA urges YOU to vote YES on the following ballot initiatives:
Amendment 2 - Approving Medical Marijuana
Countywide Question 1 - Children's Services Council
Reauthorization
PLEASE RE-POST ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE REPEATEDLY BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER 4. PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW WHO IS REGISTERED TO VOTE.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This paid electioneering communication, which is independent of any party, candidate or committee, is produced, sponsored and paid for by the The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance.
The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance.
Post Office Box 267
West Palm Beach, Florida 33402
Eleanor Roosevelt
"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot."
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![Dr. W. H. Cotton’s ode: “Oh, My Lake Worth, Florida!” [circa 1920].](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL75cv6zJQFjX15ojOIIz9AjnbqH4asHJTYSDhnGnYr7rJZRha1NcNTirj2xPcId158vkz5Hw-wXgOfrlztj8Zr8jLFFCfuEN6PyV44ZlpMRmJ68xbtFL9vzxNiG7xDs_HJvm/s1600/LakeWorthPioneers.JPG)
