Short video of the Lake Worth Raft Race Parade today; more videos to come

Pics from the 2015 Lake Worth Raft Race (videos to come later, stay tuned)

Mayor Triolo, City Manager Bornstein, and Vice-Mayor Maxwell.

More pics and videos to come!

From Walkable West Palm: a more bike friendly Flager Bridge to be constructed

Jesse Bailey at the Walkable West Palm blog has been lobbying hard to get a more bike friendly Flagler Bridge designed and the FDOT listened to his concerns. He didn't get everything he wanted but a 6' wide bike lane is quite an achievement; here's an excerpt:

Good news, friends. We recently received an email from new FDOT District 4 Secretary Gerry O’Reilly, in followup to our requests for a better, safer design on the Flagler Bridge reconstruction. Here’s the email reply, pasted below, along with a typical bridge section. 

Mr. Bailey, 

We appreciate your interest in the bike facilities on the Flagler Bridge project. The project team has reviewed your February 14, 2015 request and will implement the following lane configuration.

Here is the link to read the entire post and see the new design by FDOT.

Bill Meredith: "Bamboo Room reopens briefly, with a bang"—see below for performers later today

Bill Meredith has this special report in the Post about the Bamboo room. An excellent piece with some history of the venue and the special acts performing there tonight. Here are two excerpts:

     Any reopening by the Bamboo Room in Lake Worth, one of South Florida’s top all-time nightclubs, qualifies as can’t-miss [emphasis added] — even if it’s for three nights only.
     The iconic venue, purchased from previous owners Russell Hibbard and Karen McKinley earlier this year, officially lit back up on Thursday with sets by soul singer Bobbi Conwell and reggae/funk/ska quintet The People Upstairs.

[and. . .]

     “This place is special,” says managing director David Minton, Blaine’s father. “Musicians, patrons and sound engineers from throughout South Florida all think it’s important that it comes back as a live venue. We’re hopeful, and our new slogan is simply ‘For the Music.’”
     See jazz group Lina & the Blue Collective from 7-9 p.m. and reggae-rockers the Mighty Quinn from 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m. on Friday, and jazz by Renee & the Chills from 5-6:30 p.m., reggae fusion by the Charley Sol Project from 7-9 p.m., and blues and funk by Mumbo Jumbo from 9:30 p.m.-2 a.m. on Saturday, all for free at the Bamboo Room, 25 S. J St., Lake Worth (561-585-2583).

Here is one of my favorite YouTube videos taken at the Bamboo Room:

Lake Okeechobee water level below normal for this time of year

John Nelander at the Palm Beach Daily News (aka, The Shiny Sheet) has this information on Lake Okeechobee:

     South Florida’s rainfall shortage is having a wider impact than just dry conditions at the coast. Lake Okeechobee water levels are below normal at 12.21 feet — well short of the average of 13.41 feet for this time of the year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported Wednesday.
     The lake was at 13 feet a year ago and 14.23 feet in 2013.
June rainfall was well below normal throughout most of South Floria, with “advancing drought conditions” in coastal areas, the South Florida Water Management District reported.
     “SFWMD weather record show this year’s district-wide May-June period was the driest since 2004 and the ninth driest since record keeping began in 1932,” the agency said.

You may want to familiarize yourself with local watering restrictions; here are the restrictions for the City of Lake Worth:

• Home Addresses Ending With Even Numbers (including zero) May Water Lawns & Gardens on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday
• Home Addresses Ending With Odd Numbers May Water Lawns & Gardens on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
• No Watering between 10am & 4pm

Critical Mass ride in the little City of Lake Worth last night

Getting close to that 100-rider mark. About 90+ attended last night; surprising since it was a holiday weekend. August 7th is the next ride. 

TJ Cane, the owner of Papa Wheelies, was there taking video of the ride and will post that on the blog soon. 

Stopped at the traffic light on Lake Ave just west of Dixie Hwy.

U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel goes to Commissioner Materio's re-election kick-off party

Tony Doris at the West Palm Beat has this about Lois Frankel and her attendance at Shanon Materio's kick-off party earlier in the week; here's an excerpt:

     We bumped into former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel at Commissioner Shanon Materio’s re-election kick-off on Tuesday. U.S. Rep. Frankel looked much more relaxed, much less stressed than when she was the city’s hard-driving chief executive from 2003 to 2011.
     We recall that six hurricanes terrorized Florida during that period, while Hurricane Frankel was blowing down the old library, building a new one and a city hall and navigating a steady stream of political intrigues, a couple of grand jury inquiries and the cuffing of two corrupt city commissioners. Ah, the good old days.

'Journalist/editor' Margaret Mange is Back! Sneak Peek at her first issue this Sunday!

Margaret Mange, previous publisher of failed tabloid in Lake Worth is back! Her last ALWAYS-FREE, delivered-FREE, advertising-challenged tabloid failed. How? It's a mystery. But she's giving it another go!

The Simply Sassy Style blog on the little City of Lake Worth!

What a wonderful blog post about Lake Worth. Dawn took the "TASTE HISTORY CULINARY TOURS - THE LAKE WORTH EXPERIENCE". She visited several venues in the City including South Shores Tavern, Brogues Down Under, Andy Amoroso at his shop downtown, and the tour ended at Mama Gizzi's:

Last but not least, we got the chance to visit the most amazing gourmet specialty shop Mama Gizzi's. They carry a huge variety of pasta, home made desserts, imported products from Italy and meals to go. This sassy little place is also Home of the "No Drama Mama" Dinner Kit, which includes 1 Lb. Pasta, 32 oz. of Mam's Gravy and 2 Meatballs. Can you say Yummy!!! Everyone on the tour loved the food and Mama Gizzi's sassy personality! What a great way to end this amazing tour!

Here is more information about this tour:

The tour is owned and operated by the non-profit Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History. Lori J. Durante is the Executive Director/Chief Curator/Executive Tour Director. She established the non-profit museum in 1999 and curated about 17 exhibits. The public tours travel to West Palm Beach on first Saturdays; Lake Worth and Lantana on second Saturdays; and to Delray Beach and Boynton Beach on third and fourth Saturdays, year-round, plus private tours are offered during weekdays.

Thank you Simply Sassy for visiting our little City of Lake Worth and make sure to let us know the next time you're in town.

Lake Worth City Manager at the Grand Opening of Mama Gizzi's.

Jeff Speck interviewed by WFLA in Tampa on large project in the works

Here is a link to the interview. Here is some text from the article on pedestrian safety and how important shade is to a cities walkability:

     Speck’s prescription for achieving that includes adding parallel parking along the road to make walkers feel more protected than they do now. “When a car passes you on the sidewalk, you lack that barrier of steel that makes you feel safe and actually protects you from vehicles coming at you,” he said.
     Speck also said plans call for creating “continuous deep shade” in the Florida heat. “Every building will likely have either an awning or arcade or something that shadows the sidewalk,” he said. Plans for the area involve adding retail and other destinations to the mix, but Speck said the biggest difference in the future may be “the number of people on the sidewalks.”

Laura Lordi at the Post: information on Lake Worth's 4th of July activivites

This appeared in The Palm Beach Post. Send this information to all your friends and family. See you at the parade!

From Slate: Chlorine isn't the answer for everything in public pools

This is a cautionary article about a nasty little thing called Cryptosporidium. It's something all pool operators need to consider and prepare for. Megan Cartwright has this article that appeared in Slate. Here is an excerpt:

     Unlike bacteria such as E. coli or parasites such as Giardia, Crypto can live for days in chlorinated water. It lurks in a protected form called an oocyst. When a swimmer swallows the oocyst, the parasite pops out and squirms into the cells lining his or her gut, where it multiplies. These new parasites then ride out the swimmer’s other end, with up to 100 million oocysts coming out in every fecal release.
     In 1997, 73 people came down with diarrhea from Crypto after playing at a sprinkler fountain in Minnesota; two years later, 38 got sick from Crypto and another bacteria after visiting a badly maintained splash fountain in Florida. In 2000, more than 200 swimmers in Ohio and Nebraska got sick. In 2005, more than 1,700 were infected with Crypto after playing at a New York spray park—a massive outbreak that led to a class-action lawsuit. Then in 2007, Utah suffered an outbreak of at least 1,900 cases, prompting officials to ban kids younger than 5 from public pools.
     So what’s behind the increase in outbreaks?
     For one thing, pool operators don’t often have the tools they need. Pools rely on chlorine to kill most germs, and it’s expensive and difficult to retrofit pools so their systems irradiate or add ozone to the water—methods that actually kill Crypto and are used nowadays by drinking water treatment plants.

Lake Worth Launches Official Twitter Account

Here is the text from the press release:

     The City of Lake Worth will be launching an official Twitter account on Saturday, July 4th to document events and local culture in Lake Worth. The launch of @LakeWorthPBC will begin with a live tweeting session of the Great American RIF Raft Race, including visual content and information, starting at 10:30 AM.
     Twitter will be the first of several new social media platforms that will be implemented by the City over the next several months in an effort to strengthen the City’s brand and communicate relevant news and features to residents. City events as well as culture will be documented in a fresh way using photography, video, text, and graphic design. The various social media accounts will be linked to the City’s website and promoted on printed materials.
     All content on social media will contribute to the City’s brand, “The Art of Florida Living,” by demonstrating the original, quirky, artistic, and environmentally beautiful elements of life in Lake Worth. Frequently published content will include festivals, art shows, performance and musical arts, footage of landscapes and the outdoors, youth and school related events, and soft news.
     City employees and residents are invited to follow @LakeWorthPBC, and enjoy a new way of connecting with their local community.

Lantana reviewing A.G. Holley redevelopment plan

An article in The Palm Beach Post tells how town officials are giving a cool reception to the redevelopment plan for the A.G. Holley site. The site is nearly 70 acres and has been off the tax rolls as a state hospital. The plan submitted for the property is underwhelming to town officials:

From a planner's perspective, this could be the development pattern at any major intersection in Palm Beach County. The first plan even included a gas station. The town is concerned by the separation of retail, residential and office uses. Although the developer says they are making an attempt with office space being on the second floor. In my view, looking at this, suddenly it's 1980 all over again; and it's missing the mark and the high expectations of Lantana's planning staff. For one of the last remaining large developable areas east of I-95 in Palm Beach County the town of Lantana wants more imagination and new ideas—and I agree with them. 

Check this out from the Strong Town's website on what is an urban place versus a non-place. Parking and "green space" areas qualify as non-places.

July 4th Great American Raft Race: the Official schedule starting with the Parade

For more information visit the NAPC website or the NAPC Facebook page. 

The Governing Institute: "The Transportation Choices That Millennials Want"

This is the subtitle to Bob Graves' article: "To attract young professionals, cities increasingly are going to have to think multi-modal." Here is an excerpt:     

     The APTA [American Public Transportation Association] study also looked at "hot spot" neighborhoods in an effort to understand what motivates the millennials flocking to them. Residents of these neighborhoods, the study found, are less likely to personally own a car, drive one regularly or frequently use car-sharing services. [emphasis added] They are more likely to use a bus or subway a few times a week. And they are more likely to cite the need to save money and avoid traffic, as well as environmental considerations, as motivations for their transportation choices and routines.
     Clearly, communities that attract millennials are increasingly going to be those that provide a multitude of transportation choices to support multi-modal lifestyles. Some, like Portland, Maine, are even starting to promote themselves as cities where young professionals can live without a car; it may be no accident that Portland also happens to lead the nation in declining vehicle ownership. 

[UPDATE] Interactive graphic: what Dixie Hwy could look like in the future

Update—This short post from yesterday generated a lot of buzz: 

This is a must-see graphic from Tony Doris' article in the West Palm Beat. Dana Little from the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council is working with residents and businesses to remake South Dixie Hwy in West Palm Beach.

     The proposal covers the stretch of South Dixie from Okeechobee Boulevard south to Albemarle Road.
     The design varies in different sections of South Dixie, but the overall concept calls for more than 90 shade trees, narrower lanes to slow traffic — and only one traffic lane in each direction — wider sidewalks, room for bikes, more on-street parking where possible, a central left-turn lane to reduce rear-end accidents, and scattered medians with more shade trees.

The Palm Beach Post editorial today (7/2) couldn't be more timely. Here is an excerpt:

     We shouldn’t let that delay us from encouraging more bike riding now, especially in cities with distinct downtowns, like Delray Beach, Boca Raton and Lake Worth. In other cities in America and Europe, data have shown that an increase in bicycles can actually bring an increase in safety.
     “The more people you put into the transportation environment who are walking and bicycling, the safer and safer it gets,” Clemente [Raphael Clemente, executive director of West Palm Beach DDA] told The Post Editorial Board, “because the motoring public becomes more aware and more courteous.” 

Stay tuned.

Tri-Rail is big news: Sun Sentinel and Palm Beach Post

Angel Streeter has this welcome news:

     Getting to Palm Beach International Airport from Tri-Rail is going to get a lot easier.
     A new shuttle service is starting in the fall that will take passengers between the airport and Tri-Rail's West Palm Beach station.
     The West Palm Beach airport has been the only major South Florida airport that had no direct connection to Tri-Rail.
     Tri-Rail provides shuttle service to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. And from its new Miami International Airport station, passengers can take a quick ride on a people mover to the terminal.

The Post's Jennifer Sorentrue has this about Tri-Rail in Miami:

     If there were any doubts about whether All Aboard Florida would be able to pull off it’s planned rail line linking southeast Florida to Orlando, the sheer size of the company’s station planned in the heart of downtown Miami might be enough to dispel them.
     Construction fencing spanning six-city blocks now hides much of the work going on at the site, located within walking distance of the American Airlines Arena and a short shuttle ride from PortMiami, which processed more multi-day cruise passengers than any other port in the world last year.
     Soon there will be another link — this week the Miami-Dade Commission pledged $13.9 million to connect Tri-Rail to the planned MiamiCentral project.

PBSO District 14 Cpt. Silva taking another position with the Sheriff's Office

Cpt. Silva at a recent crime walk in the City.

Cpt. Silva will be missed. Whoever replaces him has big shoes to fill. He took over the policing duties of the Lake Worth PD when the crime situation was about the worst it had ever been. The Post's Kevin D. Thompson has this news about Cpt. Silva and here is an excerpt:

     PBSO didn’t say who’s in line to replace Silva, who was named District 14 captain in 2008 after the sheriff’s office took over the city’s police department.
     Silva, a 25-year sheriff’s office employee, wasn’t available for comment. PBSO didn’t give a reason for the change.
     Many residents, however, will be sorry to see Silva go, saying he played a key role in starting several neighborhood crime watch programs throughout the city.
     “His dedication to law enforcement and community policing is unparalleled,” said Mary Lindsey, former president of the College Park Neighborhood Association. “He helped make Lake Worth a model for community policing.”
     Tammy Pansa, a member of the Mango Groves Neighborhood Association, said Silva attended many neighborhood meetings and was responsible for getting the association’s Crime Walk started again.

NerdWallet Research: "Miami named America’s Fifth-Greenest City"

Miami got beat out by San Francisco in this research while Orlando came in at number 8. This story highlights passenger rail and residents there eschewing the motor vehicle lifestyle. All Aboard Florida is also seen as a major factor in Miami's 'Green' momentum. Here's an excerpt from the article:

     Miami also shined in comparison to other cities with its percentage of carpooling residents and housing density. About 10 percent of Miami’s population carpools, which tied for fourth-best in the nation. Honolulu had the highest carpool rate, with 13 percent. Miami’s number of high-density developments is also decreasing transportation needs, another boom to a green lifestyle. About 41 percent of Miami’s residential buildings have 10 or more units, which ranked fifth-best in NerdWallet’s study. Honolulu had the best high-density percentage at 51 percent.
     The completion of All Aboard Florida, a planned 35-mile, $2.5 billion rail system from downtown Miami to Orlando International Airport, should only increase Miami’s green lifestyle. All Aboard Florida’s rail system is expected to be completed by 2017. The express passenger rail will enhance Miami’s 25-mile Metrorail, which already services the airport and myriad cities.
     America’s Greenest Cities: 1.) Honolulu, 2.) Washington, D.C., 3.) Arlington, Va., 4.) San Francisco, 5.) Miami, 6.) New York City, 7.) Boston, 8.) Orlando, 9.) Seattle, 10.) Jersey City, N.J.

Pastor Mike Olive and the Common Ground (no 's') church. Very welcome change in tone. Praise the Lord, LOVE>HATE

LOVE>HATE

[Truer words were never spoken:]

When we speak publicly, we open ourselves up to both public praise and public criticism. Everybody has that right and opportunity. But when we use that opportunity to call people out, we must understand that we are risking aggravating the situation.

I am speaking for my own benefit about this as well. I deeply regret the many times that I have violated the guidelines below and the damage that resulted.

How to avoid escalation of a conflict:

• Never pre-emptively attack.
• Never retaliate.
• Say as much good about your adversaries as you can.
• Be clear about specific actions that people took (past-tense only) that bothered you.
• Never call people out publicly unless you have done EVERYTHING in your power to resolve the matter privately. (See Matthew 18)
• Never call people out publicly unless you have other people who are actively and publicly holding you accountable (meaning that your relationship to them is easily verifiable using public sources and in that relationship it is clear that they have the power to reprimand you if you behave inappropriately) for such action.
• Never speak out against anyone's sin unless you are simultaneously being honest about your own (current) sinfulness.

It's time to stop blaming each other when our worst enemy is our own evil desire. (See John 8, Matthew 7, James 1:14)

#PayGreceForward

West Palm Beach Loves Social Media

West Palm Beach recently held its first City meeting to begin talking about rezoning the Broadway corridor and they have the news on their website. When you visit their City website you see the tab "NEWSROOM" under the banner. For example how integrated WPB is using social media: within a few hours they were Tweeting out Mayor Muoio's comments on SCOTUS' same-sex marriage ruling and directing those interested to the video on the City's website; very quick and efficient. 

Where is Nassau Road in the City of Lake Worth?

The Palm Beach Post and NBC5/WPTV both mentioned Nassau Road as the location of a terrible vehicle accident. The accident occurred at the corner of Lake Worth Rd. and Nassau Road. "Hmmm, where is Nassau Road?" some might wonder.

The road is located east of the Florida Turnpike well outside the City limits of Lake Worth. So, once again for TV crews and beat reporters here is the difference between the City of Lake Worth and suburban Lake Worth.

Jeff Speck: a project to make Tampa a more walkable/bikeable city

Jeff Speck, if you recall, was in West Palm Beach last year and did a study for the city. He changed a lot of minds on traffic, making cities walkable and more safe for everyone: pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. He is not a fan of FDOT's wide lanes and one-way streets. Had a chance to talk with him about our Lake Worth downtown and his suggestion was to make Lake and Lucerne Avenues two-way streets. Traffic would slow down, there would be increased business downtown (instead of cars zipping by at 35 to 40 mph and not seeing anything) and more pedestrians and bikes would be attracted to the area.

Now Speck is involved in a major project in Tampa. Here is an excerpt from Anastasia Dawson's article in The Tampa Tribune:

     Meridian Avenue, near the Channel District, has seven lanes of traffic, which should accommodate 35,000 cars a day. However, only about 5,800 actually use the street, [Jeff] Speck said. That extra space could be used to add wide bike paths and parallel parking, which serves as a “wall of steel” making sidewalks feel safer. [emphasis added]
     “I’ve reached the conclusion that number of lanes are the principal determinant of whether people will choose to walk in your city,” Speck said. “You need to give pedestrians the feeling they have a fighting chance against being run down by an automobile.”
     Despite the big lanes, Tampa was designed with smaller blocks than the average city, which makes it “exceptionally poised” to become safe and walkable and provides “good bones” for diverse blocks of housing, offices, churches and retail, Speck said.
     The city is already working to re-stripe many one-way streets into two-way streets, which will cause drivers to slow down and roads to become safer for everyone, Speck said. Another prudent move would be to make some streets’ width narrower, like the neighborhoods around Hyde Park, so cars have to slow to pass each other.

One of the justifications for one-way streets is they are safer: that is a myth. Slowly more and more people are coming to that realization.

Condé Nast Traveler—Anna Maria Island: One of the Top 30 Islands in the World

Condé Nast Traveler has their 30 Top Islands in the World and Anna Maria Island is number 26 on the list. VisitFlorida did a story about this on their tourism site:

     This stretch sand home to the island's three cities – Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach and Anna Maria. And all three cities provide access to great beaches, waterfront hotels, rustic rental cottages, seafood restaurants, eclectic boutiques and outdoor activities.
     Go for a stroll along the beach, dine in one of the excellent waterfront restaurants and listen to live music by the pier. There's a free trolley that will take you anywhere you want to go on the island.
     The beach is a great place to spend the entire day splashing in the waves and playing in the sand. And be sure to pack a picnic lunch like a local. Stop by one of the beachside shops like Olive Oil Outpost to get all stocked up on homemade bread, artisanal cheeses and international wine.

For your friends and family up north here is the Lake Worth VisitFlorida site. This is their write-up about the Lake Worth BEACH!:

There's a lot going on at that 1,200 foot long BEACH!

From The Lake Worth Herald: Road Closures for July 4th Fireworks Show

The Annual July 4th Fireworks Display will be taking place in the City of Lake Worth on Saturday, July 4, from 9:00 to 9:30 p.m. (approximate). In preparation for the display and deployment of the fireworks the following roads will be closed from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. (approximate) and parking prohibited:

• 1st Ave South & South Golfview Road
• Lake Ave & South Golfview Road
• Lake Worth Bridge, east & westbound lanes
• A1A & 802–west bound traffic
• Lake Worth (Robert Harris) Bridge will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic 

To assure a safe and successful Fireworks Display your cooperation in this matter is urged. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office may tow vehicles left parked on the street in violation of this temporary order.

[UPDATE] Pastor Mike Olive of the Common Ground (no 's') Church: A member of your flock needs you

[See end of post for UPDATE. The Common Ground (no 's') Church is praying for me!]

Pastor Mike Olive of the Common Ground (no 's') Church giving a sermon. Note the T-shirt, "LOVE > HATE".

The Other Blogger (TOB) known for her KKK imagery and other violent images could seek the guidance and counsel of Pastor Mike Olive. TOB frequently publicizes the Common Ground (no 's') Church on her blog and has attended service, including this last Easter service in the downtown Cultural Plaza. TOB's pictures of the service were lovely. 

One of the roles of a pastor is to help communities and people find the common ground. Read what Romans 12 6–8 has about a pastor and the community:

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;
8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Posting images of the Klu Klux Klan, a mayor's image burning in effigy, and posts attacking Blacks is a serious indication that something needs to be addressed.

[Below is Mike Olive's (no 's') prayer for me. I am honored and humbled. And thanks to everyone at the Common Ground (no 's') Church too. Odd, but you'd think a pastor would know to put a apostrophe after 'Jesus' (yes 's') in the possessive (no 's') form of sentence (no 's') structure (no 's' and yes 's').]

Thank you everyone for turning out last night! Huge crowd at the Mad Hatter

Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triolo serving a cocktail with flair and aplomb.

Julie Seaver of Compass (left) with THE MARY Lindsey in front of the trophies to be handed out on July 4th.

The Mad Hatter is at the southeast corner of 16th Avenue North and Dixie Hwy. Our Mayor Pam Triolo was the Celebrity at last night's party. This is one of the warm-up events to the Rif Raft Race this coming Saturday, July 4th.

Contact the Neighborhood Assoc. Presidents Council (NAPC) for more information. Here is their Facebook page.

[UPDATE] State Senator Jeff Clemens and former City of Lake Worth mayor. . .

JUST IN: Judge blocks new Florida law that requires women to wait 24 hours before getting an abortion. - @AP

— WPTV (@WPTV) June 30, 2015

The 24-hour waiting period was signed into law by Gov Scott. But not so fast. A judge just blocked the law.

Anthony Verdugo, CFC founder, on his members opposed to gay marriage: "Their conscious [sic] is not being protected."

This is a CBS12/WPTV news report by Lauren Hills. Oddly there is no video available on-line; maybe it will be uploaded later. Here is a short excerpt from the text of the story:

     "What we're seeing is people who disagree with the Supreme Court are not being respected," said Anthony Verdugo, CFC [Christian Family Coalition] founder. "Their conscious [sic] is not being protected." [emphasis added]
     He said they're worried laws could be enacted that would try to force churches to perform same sex marriages against their will.
Pastor [Mark] Boykin, and many others are, too.
     "If they arrest us, fine us, they have to do what they have to do, but if it comes down to civil disobedience, we will do that," said Boykin.

The New York Times has a very good analysis of church groups that are opposed to the SCOTUS ruling on gay marriage and their struggle going forward to deal with the new reality.

Yesterday CBS12 sent out a tweet announcing the forthcoming news conference with the Christian Family Coalition. When anyone clicked on the link they were directed to a screen to await the "Live News Stream":

Obviously an editing error.

The Washington Post: "Shark bites man. Man punches shark in head."

The shark picked the wrong guy to mess with. This occurred at the Outer Banks in North Carolina:

     A shark bit Patrick Thornton.
     So Thornton punched it in the head. [emphasis added]
     The 47-year-old Charlotte man’s ankle had just been bitten by what he thought was a crab off North Carolina’s Outer Banks, he told the Virginian-Pilot. Then, he saw the 5-foot shark nearby.
      “I yelled, ‘Shark! Shark!'” he recalled.
     According to the National Park Service, the attack took place Friday morning, where Thornton had been swimming with others a mile north of the Avon Fishing Pier off the coast of Avon.

Jamel Laneé: "Residents upset over Klu Klux Klan and Swastika graffiti spray painted on signs"

Jamel Laneé at NBC5/WPTV has this news segment about KKK and Swastika graffiti in The Acreage. Here is text from the news segment:

     Nearly a week after KKK recruitment flyers were found in Western Palm Beach County, more symbols of the Klan have been popping up in the same area.
     Susan Matarazzo didn't expect to see that on her walk by Hall Blvd and 100th Lane North, through The Acreage Monday morning.
     "I think it's absolutely horrible," said Matarazzo.
     Road signs were tagged with KKK letters and Swastika graffiti.

If you recall there was an incident in Boynton Beach recently with spray painted hate symbols:

If you see graffiti of any sort call your local police department or PBSO and report it:

Watercolor exhibit at the Cultural Council in Lake Worth

Tabitha Bavosa has this information about an exhibit at the Cultural Council here in the City of Lake Worth. From the article:

     Colorful pieces of artwork will catch your eye at the Palm Beach Watercolor Society exhibit in downtown Lake Worth.
     Featuring all things nature, from flowers to sea life, the free show is on display through Aug. 1 at the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.
     The watercolor paintings from society members were juried by Chris Lopez, an internationally published painter, graphic designer and photographer from Barcelona, Spain. His work is shown in galleries across Europe and in the United States. Lopez now lives in Fort Lauderdale and teaches at the Boca Raton Museum of Art School.

The Cultural Council is located at the Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building, 601 Lake Avenue, in Lake Worth. The phone number is 561-471-2901.

Huge crowd last year: The July 4th Raft Race in the little City of Lake Worth

For more information on this year's Raft Race visit the NAPC website or the NAPC Facebook page.

Is the "war on religion" over? Has the KGB returned home? So many questions for 'pastor' Mike Olive

What happened to all the drama by the 'pastor' and his 'Common Ground' (no 's') church? 

A "soviet-style crackdown"?

The 'pastor' Mike Olive gave Lake Worth an undeserved black eye on the national stage. He's never apologized.

And the 'pastor' has some in the community who continue to ignore the damage he's done to our City.

City Press Release—July 4th Celebration and the Bryant Park Boat Ramp

The Annual Lake Worth 4th of July Celebration will be held on July 4, 2015. The City will be closing down the Bryant Park boat ramps on Friday, July 3, 2015 at 9:00pm and will reopen on Saturday, July 4, 2015 at 10:00 p.m. For event details please visit the City’s website.

For any further information on the July 4th Celebration please contact the Leisure Services Department at 561-586-1600.

Editorial: The economic power of historic preservation

From the Savannah Morning News was this recent editorial about a study linking historic preservation to economic development. Donovan Rypkema is an award winner in the field and was brought to Savannah, Georgia to explore the link historic neighborhoods play in the economic activity and lives of the general area. He found that its role was "substantial."

His conclusions are simple:

    Savannah, he said, is an international example of local business development through preservation rather than instead of preservation.
It’s time, Rypkema said, to permanently eliminate the false choice of we have to choose either to have economic development or historic preservation.
     “In Savannah, you’re doing the former by using the latter,” Rypkema said.
     Rypkema’s findings are hardly surprising to anyone who’s been paying attention for the last few decades, but they serve as useful reminders that ideas and approaches long advocated by a variety of organizations within the community are on track.

Earlier on the editorial points out the following:

     Did anything in the results surprise Rypkema?
     The answer was yes. He found that what he called “the extraordinary attractiveness of the historic districts to both small businesses and start-up businesses was at a magnitude that was quite surprising.”
     One element of the attractiveness of the city’s historic district, he said, is that they’re not museums frozen in time but, rather, are dynamic neighborhoods.
     Evidence of that, he said, is the fact that over the last 15 years more money has been invested in new construction in the neighborhoods than in rehabilitation.

If you haven't been to Savannah and walked through their downtown and surrounding areas, you really need to. The city plan is laid on a grid, but with the addition of "squares" which serve as urban oasis(es) and help define the character of individual neighborhoods. There isn't a parallel in Lake Worth like the "squares", but there is the abundance of public land that we have on the water. That really has always been a defining characteristic of Lake Worth. We have the beach, the golf course, north and south Bryant Park, the county's Lake Osborne and adjacent John Prince Park. All attractive elements that our city's leaders of past generations attempted to make the most of.

Anyway, back to historic preservation, more and more I am referring to the concept of historic evolution as it relates to preservation. Neighborhoods and cities are not static things or museum pieces that exist in a vacuum. The natural order of life is change and finding the balance between historic preservation and that innate constant of change is the challenge that we face here, and in other historic communities around the nation.

[UPDATE TO THE UPDATE] From Andrew Marra—"West Boca principal’s speech to grads: poignant but plagiarized"

[UPDATE: Sonja Isger has an update on this story. UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: The Post had another article about this in Sunday's paper (6/28) titled "Principal’s plagiarism soars over bar set by local teachers". The original post on this blog about the article by Andrew Marra follows:]

This article by Andrew Marra delves nicely with another recent case of plagiarism. The Boca Raton Tribune plagiarized FAU editor Emily Bloch and she, well, got really really really pissed off. You can read about that here. Ms. Bloch makes the point of what would happen to her academic career if she got caught stealing. Here is what she had to say:

Andrew Marra at The Palm Beach Post has this article about a commencement speech that was too similar to another famous speech given a few years ago that went viral. Here's an excerpt from Marra's article:

     Citing Sophocles and Henry David Thoreau, the principal of West Boca High School regaled hundreds of graduating seniors and parents last month with a stirring commencement speech [emphasis added], calling on them to “resist the easy comforts of complacency” and “be worthy of your advantages.”
     What Principal Mark Stenner didn’t tell them: He had plagiarized almost the entire seven-minute performance from a well-publicized commencement address, one written three years earlier by an English teacher in Massachusetts.

[and. . .]

     A video of it reveals it is almost identical to the popular commencement delivered by David McCullough Jr., a Massachusetts English teacher and the son of Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough.
     McCullough’s 2012 speech, in which he told students they were “not special” and that “it’s where you go from here that matters,” gained national media attention and acclaim for its straight talk. It drew millions of views on YouTube and led to a book deal.

Here is the speech that the principal of West Boca High was so impressed with:

If you are interested, you can read the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Code of Ethics here.

All Aboard Florida's CDO Mike Reininger on the train service and jobs

All Aboard Florida will create thousands of jobs in Florida. Mike Reininger, President, Chief Development Officer of All Aboard Florida, discusses job creation for the $2.5 billion dollar passenger rail project that will take visitors from Miami to Orlando in less than 3 hours and have stops in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

And. . .don't forget about the Coastal Link that will serve the smaller cities along the route after AAF is operational:

NBC5/WPTV's Brian Entin did an excellent news segment about the Coastal Link you can read about here.

News from Kevin D. Thompson about the Bamboo Room in the little City of Lake Worth, FL

This story made the front page of the print edition today (6/29), 'B' section, above the fold. Here is an excerpt from the article:

     On a recent afternoon, inside the storied — and empty — Bamboo Room, Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk” is booming over the sound system as the swivel-hipped Bruno Mars stylishly croons about being hotter than fire.
     In a sense, that the hit song is playing as sweat-drenched workers feverishly scramble to give parts of the trendy blues and jazz lounge a quick nip-tuck before its upcoming close-up, is fitting.
     The new owners of the Bamboo Room, after all, want the 16-year-old club to be hot again, to be part of the hipster fabric that is downtown Lake Worth, to be, well, downright funky the way customers always remembered it.

If you have good news you want The Palm Beach Post's beat reporter to know about here is his contact information:
Kevin D. Thompson, beat reporter
Email: kthompson@pbpost.com
561-820-4573
Twitter: @kevindthompson1

Main Street News in Town of Palm Beach (33480) closing at end of month

Michele Dargan at the Palm Beach Daily News (aka The Shiny Sheet) has this about the Main Street News closing up shop. Here is an excerpt from the article:

     Main Street News, a popular stop for locals and tourists since 1928, will close its doors July 31st.
     Owner Thomas Morrison confirmed Sunday that he’s forced to close the business at 255 Royal Poinciana Way because the the shop’s mainstays, newspapers and magazines, aren’t selling. The costs associated with selling those items have increased, while profits have decreased, he said.
     Morrison said he’s “heartbroken” but had no other choice.
     “I wish we could stay open,” he said. “I’ve had no other opportunities to make it work. I finally had to pull the plug.”

Tony Doris: West Palm Beach in the Sunshine

Tony Doris at the West Palm Beat has a follow-up on West Palm Beach's Sunshine Law training that was originally held in the dark. The quote by Barbara Petersen below pretty much sums it up. Here are two excerpts:

     West Palm Beach held a second Sunshine Law training session Wednesday for city officials and advisory board members.
     This time it was an open meeting.
     Pat Gleason, special counsel for open government in the Florida attorney general’s office, gave a brief history of the law, which she said offered broadest protections of any government in the sunshine law in the United States.

[and. . .]

     City spokesman Elliot Cohen said later that before the meeting, the administration checked with Gleason [Pat Gleason, special counsel in the Florida attorney general’s office] and was told that training sessions did not need to be held in public.
     But another of the state’s top experts in the law, Barbara Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation, a Tallahassee nonprofit, said that the issue was legally a gray area.
     “But as a policy, particularly when we’re talking about sunshine, I mean, that’s the ironic thing here,” she said.

If the Sunshine Law if of interest to you, Lake Worth's City Attorney Glen Torcivia gave a very good presentation about the law:

[BLOG TRAFFIC OFF CHARTS FOR THIS POST] Palm Beach Post editor Rick Christie: "Charleston was racist hate crime; Now, let’s talk"

Strong words from Rick Christie vis-à-vis Dylann Roof, racism, and "deflective rhetoric":

     The fact that in the face of all of this folks still choose to walk around with racial blinders on is mind-boggling. An attack on faith? A war against Christians? Really? How then do we explain that Roof had to pass by numerous other churches to get to this one? [emphasis added]
     Not everything is about race. But this is a case of racially motivated domestic terrorism. Period.
     There is no amount of deflective rhetoric about dealing with the mentally ill, or debate about taking down the Confederate flag, that will change the evil this incident unveils.

[and. . .]

     Words and symbols have meaning. They have power, especially when they are connected to terrible actions like those of Roof. We can’t keep putting off this conversation.

The video below has nothing to do with the Charleston massacre or Dylann Roof but thought this incident back in March was a perfect opportunity to start "this conversation" but it was ignored by everyone in the media except The Lake Worth Herald. The protests that followed were also ignored by the mainstream media in Palm Beach County.

Watch former Lake Worth Commissioner Retha Lowe respond to Dee McNamara's use of the 'N-word' in our City commission chambers earlier this year:

[UPDATE] HOT NEWS: Mike Olive of Common Ground (no 's') church on Channel 12 tonight? Again!?!?

Is this for real or a parody? Tune in to CBS12/WPEC tonight to find out!

[UPDATE: 'pastor' Mike Olive and his Common Ground (no 's') church didn't make the news last night. However, on his Facebook page he let the world know how upset he is with recent developments:

"Criminalize Christianity"? Just a bit dramatic?

Here is a prayer he wrote for me:

Note the "Wess" (with extra 's') from my friend at the Common Ground (no 's') church.

Here is a video about a member of his flock:

Doesn't That Other Blogger (TOB) deserve a prayer too?]

State Senator Jeff Clemens' remarks on receiving the 2015 Compass Leadership Award:

"I want to thank the members of the Compass team that chose to bestow upon me the 2015 Compass Leadership Award last night. It was frustrating to have it happen in the one year I was not be able to be there, due to a trip planned 7 months ago. I apologize I couldn't celebrate with all of my friends. But from raising the rainbow flag at City Hall in 2007, to pushing for and sealing the deal to bring Compass to Lake Worth in 2008, to establishing transgender as a protected class, to filing bills to stop so-called "reparative therapy," to helping kill this year's absurd transgender bathroom bill, while assisting the elimination of the statutory ban on gay adoption, it has been a wonderful decade of fighting for equality.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for this honor."

The video below is from March of 2009; then-Mayor Clemens' remarks at the grand opening of Compass Gay and Lesbian Community Center in Lake Worth.

Compilation of timelapses from the International Space Station showing Earth's magnificence

West Palm Beach Mayor Muoio on the Same-sex Marriage Ruling

Mayor Jeri Muoio reacts to SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling from City of West Palm Beach on Vimeo.

Charming comments by Matthew Vadum on SCOTUS' Obamacare ruling: "third world bullshit" and "Treason"

Oliver Willis and Libby Watson of AlterNet compiled a long list of outrageous claims made in the media following the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Here is one by Matthew Vadum from The American Spectator:

Decision Is Roberts Court's "Dred Scott," "Treason." In a series of tweets, senior editor of the Capital Research Center Matthew Vadum slammed the decision and compared it to a legal confirmation of slavery, calling it "the Roberts court's second Dred Scott decision," "third world bullshit" and "Treason."

Not to be outdone . . .

MRC's Dan Gainor: "Scumbag Roberts" Was "An Awful Pick." After the decision was released, the Media Research Center VP Dan Gainor tweeted that the "scumbag" Chief Justice Roberts -- appointed by George W. Bush -- was "an awful pick" for the court