Explained: Why I correct the news media on crime in "Lake Worth" that isn't in Lake Worth

I received this comment from a reader of my blog today which needs to be addressed:

Anna [Maria] is telling everybody that the Oktoberfest of the Palm Beaches is in Lake Worth on her blog and on Facebook, only 4 miles from downtown Lake Worth. Please inform her that she is spreading false information. How can she volunteer at our Welcome Center if she says these things? I can understand a news reporter not being knowledgeable, but her?

The commenter is referring to this blog post about Ari Hait at WPBF. True. The Oktoberfest is in suburban Lake Worth.

The key word here is "crime". Yes, the news media (and others) often wrongly identifies Lake Worth as the location of an event and I don't make a big deal of it. One of the latest was by Mary Thurwachter and this event at John Prince Park in "Lake Worth". John Prince Park is in suburban Lake Worth, not "Lake Worth". It happens all the time and it's mostly innocent and doesn't damage our City image. However, this report by Ari Hait about an incident in John Prince Park did.

The crucial issue is this: For many years there has been a concerted effort in the City of Lake Worth to misrepresent the crime situation, most notably by The Obtuse Blogger (TOB), who has since given up on her efforts mostly because of this blog. The fact of the matter is the crime rate has fallen dramatically since PBSO took over and there are some who don't want you to know that. Here is what was attempted by TOB and her allies:

• Perpetuate the myth that crime is out of control in Lake Worth
• Damage the City's image and the morale of the citizens here in the City
• Make PBSO look ineffective, like they're unable to control "all the crime"
• Offer the solution: remove PBSO and bring back the LWPD

What made TOB's effort easier was the press, mostly the TV press in Palm Beach County. For many years, either wittingly or unwittingly, they attributed crimes all over suburban Lake Worth as happening in the City and this further damaged the reputation of the City. In the last two years or so this has changed quite a bit, most notably with NBC5/WPTV and Fox29/WFLX taking care to correctly identify the location of incidents (but they make mistakes now and then). CBS12/WPTV has moments of clarity and ABC25/WPBF will likely never understand the difference. They are and probably will always remain clueless. 

My primary concern is the City's image. As much as I've decried TOB's efforts to damage our City, the City itself is just as complicit by not standing up for themselves and correcting the news media and their misreporting. Frankly, it's something I've never understood.

But to the issue the commenter raises: To compare an error by AnnaMaria on the location of Oktoberfest to a news report about a shooting in "Lake Worth" is ludicrous and it's no wonder you kept your identity 'anonymous'. Oh, and carry on AnnaMaria! One of the greats in Lake Worth who've done so much to improve the image of our wonderful little City of Lake Worth BEACH!.