News from The Lake Worth Herald: PrideFest begins in Lake Worth*

"Compass will present the annual PrideFest celebration Saturday [today], Mar. 19 and Sunday, Mar. 20 at Bryant Park from Noon–6 p.m. The annual PrideFest Parade will be held Sunday, Mar. 20 beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Lake and Lucerne Avenues in downtown Lake Worth.
     Due to the PrideFest Parade, parking at the following locations will be prohibited from 9 a.m. until the conclusion of the parade at 1 p.m.:

• Lake Avenue from South Dixie Highway to South Golfview Road
• Lucerne Avenue from South Dixie Highway to North Federal Highway
• The streets J, K, L, M, N, O, So. Palmway, So. Lakeside Drive, So. Golfview Road from 1st Avenue South to Lake Avenue
• Streets J, K, L, M from 2nd Avenue North to Lucerne Avenue

     To assure a safe and successful parade the public’s 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.
     The Lake Worth (Robert Harris) Bridge will remain open during the parade."

*To subscribe to The Lake Worth Herald use this link. To pick up this week's print edition you can find one at the newsstand at 600 Lake Ave., just west of the Starbuck's in downtown Lake Worth. There is a very nice man named Andy who will assist you.

Sea level rise, infrastructure in Lake Worth, and the roads that need fixing. Remember the 2014 'LW2020' bond vote that failed by just 25 votes?

Over "concerns" about sea level rise Commissioner Chris McVoy campaigned against the City's 2014 bond to fix our roads. The next time you go to Publix, commissioner, try taking North 'J' Street.

You'll learn why the bond vote failed later in this blog post. But first read the laughable hypocrisy of this letter published in the Palm Beach Post:

McNamara was one of the most vocal opponents of the LW2020 Bond that would have upgraded 1st Ave South and many other roads too. If he was hoping to elicit empathy from his fellow Lake Worth residents. . .

Anyhow, back on topic, if you live in Lake Worth and sea level rise is a concern for you, know that the LW2020 bond, had it passed, would have brought this City up to current infrastructure standards that take sea levels into account. Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, for example, understands sea levels are a concern and for that reason he attended the 7th Annual SE Florida Regional Climate Leadership Summit in Key West this year and here is a quote from a City Newsletter:

“What is reassuring to me,” says Vice Mayor [Scott] Maxwell, “is that all levels of government are coming together to address the issues, each within their own individual capabilities. In Lake Worth, we need to focus on practical solutions and protect citizen’s property and wellbeing while balancing the fact that we must live within our means.”

The City of Lake Worth isn't like Miami and isn't like Ft. Lauderdale either. Those cities have much more resources than Lake Worth to deal with multiple, complex issues but they're always brought up as examples of what Lake Worth should do. Sea level rise is an important topic but shouldn't, in my opinion, be any more important then the neighborhoods currently without adequate lighting and have too few fire hydrants—just two of the many challenges our City faces.

The concern many have with too much focus on sea levels is that human health and safety will take a back seat to what is essential and necessary for our City now. A balanced, thoughtful approach is necessary but with a keen focus on the current needs of our residents. Lake Worth Commissioner McVoy also attended the conference and he is quoted saying:

"The gorilla in the room is the rate of melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, which would add tens of feet of rise.”

Think many of our approximately 37,000 residents will disagree with McVoy about the true "gorilla in the room" as any car or bike ride through some City streets can attest.

Consider for a moment how small Lake Worth is: We're just 37,000 residents in Palm Beach County (PBC) which has nearly 1.4 million people. PBC is nearly 2,400 square miles and Lake Worth is only 6 (six square miles) of that total. Our beach is only about 1400' long. FYI, Lake Worth is only one municipality among 38 in PBC.

The "LW2020" bond vote would have gone a long way towards solving this issue and many others by bringing our City up to current standards. By just 25 votes it failed. That failure to pass the bond was primarily due to a former Lake Worth mayor from many years ago who now lives in Atlantis, Mr. Dennis Dorsey. He started a PAC called, ironically, "Citizens Against Unfair Taxation" (or "CAUT") along with a City resident named Katie McGiveron.

Do you remember these signs courtesy of CAUT? Remember when North 'J' Street north of Publix had these signs all up and down the street?

Know that commissioners Ryan Maier and McVoy also opposed the "LW2020" bond but they are also insistent on reminding City residents that we need to prepare for rising sea levels. If you can figure out that logic please let me know (my email address is in the right-hand column of this blog). We have yet to hear another plan to fix our City that's better then the bond proposed in 2014 but in an interesting twist, when Mayor Pam Triolo, Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, and Commissioner Amoroso (all big supporters of the "LW2020" bond) take the long ride to Tallahassee for money to fix these issues, they were criticized for that too by many who lobbied against the bond.

The bond to fix the roads and infrastructure failed by just 25 votes. I never did get around to congratulating Mr. Dorsey on his win. Mr. Dorsey, who lives in the fine, well-kept city of Atlantis funded the effort to kill the bond. Katie McGiveron ran the ground campaign to confuse and mislead the public and she won. I forgot to congratulate her too.

I hope Dorsey and McGiveron didn't hit a pothole on their way out of town after their victory party because a streetlight wasn't working. The City is doing what it can to fix that. But congratulations Mr. Dorsey: all that money you spent paid off. The question is: Who really was the winner in that 2014 vote? We know who the loser is though: the City of Lake Worth.

Katie McGiveron (in white "Frank McAlonan" shirt) and Mr. Dorsey (in dark shirt next to her) at a candidate forum leading up to the last election. Did the voters remember what Dorsey and McGiveron did in 2014 which contributed to the recent landslide re-election of Mayor Triolo, Vice Mayor Maxwell, and Commissioner Amoroso?

Get ready all my loyal readers: The "Beating of the Dead Horse" in the right-hand column of my blog is going away soon.

I know many of my blog readers will be unhappy about this but it's time to move on. If last Tuesday's landslide elections proved anything, it's that another blogger here in Lake Worth has "beaten that dead horse" for far too long. Who is that other blogger? If you don't know it really doesn't matter.

One of my blog readers, a local iconic business owner, will be unhappy this image is being taken off the blog. He laughs hysterically every morning, each and every day at this image (soon to be deleted in the right-hand column):

Don't fret! You can continue to laugh watching the "Beating of the Dead Horse" by the inimitable former Lake Worth blogger, Tom McGow, using this link.

It should be noted that the other blogger's non-attendance at the City Commission swearing-in ceremony yesterday (3/18) made the event so much more pleasant and enjoyable for everyone. Meet the winners in that landslide: Mayor Pam Triolo, Vice Mayor Maxwell, and Commissioner Andy Amoroso:

Of all the challenger's in the election it was only Commissioner Amoroso's opponent that called to congratulate the winner. To watch the video of the swearing-in use this link.

Press Release from City of Lake Worth: New pool hours Saturday, 3/19 and Sunday, 3/20 at the municipal pool

Due to the number of staff that will be needed to protect people in the ocean and on the beach this weekend, lifeguards will be needed from duties at the pool. Here is the press release from the City:

"March 18, 2016

Contact: Doug Yoakum, Chief of Ocean Rescue
Phone: 561-718-4304; DYoakum@lakeworth.org

     In anticipation of large Spring Break Beach crowds, the Lake Worth Municipal Pool will be closing at noon on Saturday, March 19th and at noon on Sunday, March 20th. The pool hours are:

• Saturday, March 19th, 9:00–Noon
• Sunday, March 20th, 9:00–Noon"

The swearing-in ceremony in Lake Worth last year and that dreadfully awful behavior by 'A Woman' in City Hall chambers

The swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Triolo, Vice Mayor Maxwell, and Commissioner Amoroso is today at 5:30. Hopefully, lessons were learned and there won't be a repeat of any uncivilized behavior like what occurred last year.

At last year's swearing-in for now-Commissioner Maier and his associate Commissioner McVoy, 'a woman' caused quite a scene in public. In the most memorably déclassé incident to ever occur at City Hall another woman wrote this about what happened:

     [Delores] Key* walked up to ['that woman'], according to Laurence McNamara, and asked her to move, telling her the front row was reserved for the candidate's family.

[and. . .]

     "She ['that woman'] pointed at her own skin and said, 'Are you calling me a n[----]r?' " Laurence remembers.
     Dolores Key, who is white, took offense.
     "She [Dolores Key] got all bent out of shape," said Laurence, and told ['that woman'] about seven times to apologize.†

*The Economic Development Manager for the City of Lake Worth.
†No apology or explanation was ever given for this incident.

Below is a video of former Commissioner Retha Lowe at the following City Commission meeting (3/24/2015) and she had a few thoughts about that 'that woman': Due to a camera equipment problem, I will not be able to video the event but when the City's video becomes available will let everyone know.

On a side note, 'that woman' who made that terribly insensitive comment in City Hall last year also happens to be a member of the 'red sign brigade' that's been trying to confuse and mislead the public for many years now about City's "BEACH!":

The Big Lie: The implication that there is (or ever was) any development plan on the Lake Worth beach is false. These signs are also illegal per City code.

Anyhow, hope to see a big turnout today at City Hall!

The Stonzek Theatre's film fest begins in downtown Lake Worth starting today (Friday, 3/18 until Sunday)

For schedule and tickets use this link. The theater is located at 713 Lake Ave in the City's charming and quirky downtown. The box office number is 561-586-6410. FYI, If you're thinking it's time for a steak dinner try Callaro's just a few steps away.

38 oz's of pure magnificent meat, glorious, a proper piety to all meat lovers.. just devour the "Tomahawk" pic.twitter.com/23rnr6H1AV

— Callaros Steak House (@CallarosSteak) March 16, 2016

The Challenge. Last chance—Today (3/18). Lake Worth City Hall. Commission chambers. 5:30 pm. Bring your proof Commissioner Christopher McVoy. The public deserves an answer.

Today (3/18) at 5:30 at City Hall is the swearing-in ceremony for Lake Worth Mayor Triolo, Vice Mayor Maxwell, and Commissioner Amoroso. This would be the perfect time for Commissioner McVoy to put up or shut up. Yes or No. Do you have proof of Sunshine Law violations by your fellow re-elected officials?

Commissioner McVoy (on far right) has accused his fellow elected colleagues of violating the law.

Proof would be more than just an email sent requesting information. For example, the following excerpt from an email sent on February 21st, 2015 IS NOT proof of anything except the ability to click the 'Send' button on your email browser:

From: Christopher McVoy [CMcVoy@LakeWorth.org]
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 3:56 PM
To: Inspector [Office of the Inspector General, Palm Beach County]
Subject: Request for a ruling ["a potential Sunshine Law issue"]

Below is a picture of the Guide To Palm Beach County Code Of Ethics. Note the picture is taken in the sunshine. Show me where it says an elected official cannot endorse, attend a fundraiser, have a meal with, attend a BBQ, attend victory parties, share political signs, or hang around with other elected officials. Remember, it was an editor at The Palm Beach Post that fell for this nonsense in last year's election cycle. Read about that using this link.

Is it the standard that the facts are not as important as "the seriousness of the charge" even though the 'charge' is baseless to begin with?

The short answer is this: those rules do not exist.

You'll hear whispers and accusations of breaches of ethics and a cry about the Sunshine Law. Why? The aforementioned elected officials were all up for re-election. Some would have you believe elected officials give up their First Amendment rights. This is absurd and the people making these accusations are irresponsible. 

False accusations like this are an assault on Free Speech and a tactic to try and silence elected officials and confuse the public at the same time. Commissioner McVoy claims to hold high ethical standards. On Tuesday, March 14th, 2017, if McVoy's name is on the ballot, you'll have your chance to let him know what you think about his conduct as an elected official tasked with protecting the public's trust.

From the front page of The Lake Worth Herald, above the fold, dated March 17th, 2016

Following last Tuesday's election results Frank McAlonan called Amoroso and congratulated him.* Many will be pleased about this as the City and its residents pivot from election season to focusing on our pressing issues at hand.†

     "Lake Worth voters made a bold statement Tuesday re-electing the three incumbents in a landslide. Mayor Pam Triolo garnered 62.66 percent of the vote in a three candidate race.
     Commissioner Scott Maxwell collected 64.65 percent of the vote soundly defeating Ryan Hartman and Commissioner Andy Amoroso pulled in 58.05 percent to defeat Frank McAlonan and retain his seat. 
     The voters showed they are satisfied with the progress Lake Worth has shown in the past four years.
     The campaigns of the victors were based on the accomplishments achieved while they have been in the majority on the City Commission. 
     The defeated candidates were supported by Commissioners Ryan Maier and Christopher McVoy who vote against the victors on many issues of City business. They have consistently argued to slow decision making and stall the business of the City."

*To subscribe to The Lake Worth Herald use this link. To pick up this week's print edition you can find one at the newsstand at 600 Lake Ave., just west of the Starbuck's in downtown Lake Worth.
†There were no congratulatory calls from Diane Jacques, Gary Antieau, or Ryan Hartman.

What do you say if someone says this about Lake Worth politics: “It’s a little crazy for local politics.”

The quote above is in this article that also appears in today's (3/17) Palm Beach Post's print edition, page B3, below the fold.

Here is how you answer if someone says Lake Worth politics is "a little crazy": It's not ordinary for a small American city to be the headquarters for a known international ecoterrorist organization doing everything they can to destabilize its neighborhoods and institutions. That organization, EarthFirst!, is led by Cara Jennings and Peter 'Panagioti' Tsolkas.

Very important: The media spin is the landslide elections last Tuesday were because of campaign contributions. Don't fall for this narrative (meme): It's not true. That is explained using this link.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

     Bruce Webber, an art gallery owner, said voters made the right choice to move the city forward.
     “If we lost one seat on the commission, it would have set us back ten years,” [emphasis added] he said. “We need development and we need to fix our roads.”

The truth is "The Three" incumbents were forced to respond to the threats by the Anarchists in Lake Worth and one of the tools at their disposal was fundraising. If JoAnn Golden et al. had not put Ryan Hartman on the ballot then fundraising would never had become an issue in this election. The public became engaged and motivated to save this little City.

It was the cabal's decision to put Hartman on the ballot. The public rallied in response and the rest is history.

A door hanger used by the 'eco-friendly' Anarchist produced using harmful chemicals and his campaign signs, made of #5 plastic, continue to litter the City.

Disrespect at a community center and garden following the elections on March 15th in Lake Worth

It's customary after the polls close in Lake Worth for each campaign to pick up their trash and any campaign signs. The simple rule is this: The only thing you should leave behind are your footprints.

There are ten voting locations in the City and eight of them are at either a church or a temple. One of those is the Scottish Rite Masonic Center at 2000 North 'D' Street. Along with their community center, all the volunteer support offered, they're also home of the Gray Mockingbird Community Garden. To say the Scottish Rite is an iconic, respected institution in Lake Worth is an understatement.

However, that didn't mean a whole lot to the campaign workers who staffed that location for the Frank McAlonan and Ryan Hartman campaigns. After the polls closed they all went to their cars and left. They didn't bother to pick up all their trash or any of the signs. It was left to the other campaigns to do that work for them:

My thoughts about Dean Sherwin

It is with a sense of great loss that I report the passing of Dean Sherwin. I knew Dean as a fun and intelligent soul and engaged Lake Worth resident who gave of his time to serve on the Planning and Zoning Board. He also became a significant part of the "Cottages of Lake Worth" book project, which is just now nearing completion. Most of the text happens to be his work, much of which was done during a period of ill health. He poured his intelligence and wit into those pages and helped stimulate all of our thought processes. His text is surrounded by pictures of the cottages that he loved. The book will have a new layer of meaning now. I would like to think that his engagement in the process allowed him to enjoy life a little longer. Lake Worth is less today with his loss, but we will be able to cherish his gifts long after. We are working on a special way to memorialize Dean in the final edition.

PrideFest is this weekend! And did you know Sunday, March 20th, is 7 years to the very day of Jeff Clemens' dedication of Compass?

It's true. First, St. Andrew's and PrideFest invite you to Lake Worth this Sunday starting at 10:00. For more information about St. Andrew's use this link and learn more about PrideFest at the Compass website. PrideFest begins on Saturday (3/19) and the always-popular parade is on Sunday:

Everone loves a parade, and next week, we have 2, 1 for #PalmSunday @ 10AM & 1 for PrideFest @ 11:30AM. #Episcopal pic.twitter.com/AKGHlSuoeV

— St Andrews LakeWorth (@SAEpiscopalLW) March 13, 2016

Now for one of my favorite videos on my YouTube channel: Then-Mayor (now State Senator) Jeff Clemens at the dedication of Compass on March 20th, 2009 which coincidentally falls on this Sunday's PrideFest parade in Lake Worth!

The Truth Keeps Marching on...

Don't Get Angry All You Volunteers! Make plans to be at the swearing-in ceremony this Friday at City Hall

The swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Pam Triolo, Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, and Commissioner Andy Amoroso will be this Friday at 5:30 in the City Hall commission chambers.

From likely the same editor at The Palm Beach Post who created the 'curfew' nonsense is the newly coined meme "financial support" in this last Lake Worth election. Whatever you do Don't Get Angry! This tremendous victory was much more than 'financial' as anyone who was part of one or more the campaigns can attest. Probably more volunteer hours were logged in this election than any other in recent memory.

Expect the obligatory editorial soon about the influence of money in elections while at the same time the paper is imploding from the lack of financial support in their own institution. One of these days, hopefully soon, the paper will learn that their not-so-clever editorializing of news stories is really angering a lot of people. Don't hold your breath though, it's an organizational dysfunction that will take a long time to fix.

Anyhow, here is a link to the online edition and below is what appears in the print edition of the paper today (3/16) following last night's landslide re-elections of Mayor Triolo, Vice Mayor Maxwell, and Commissioner Amoroso:

Have you ever been to the Blue Front BBQ? You should have lunch or dinner there one of these days.

In what can only be called the newspaper's "Dewey Defeats Truman" moment, below is what appeared on the Post's website yesterday afternoon prior to the landslide victories:

Does the word "disconnect" come to mind?

Here is an excerpt from the article by one of their staff reporters (one that made it through the latest round of newsroom staff cuts):

     [Todd] Townsend, a self-described green anarchist, said environmental issues such as Lake Okeechobee discharges are what continue to bring him out to the polls. 
     As far as the primaries, Townsend said he voted for Bernie Sanders. 
     “I like Hillary. I’ve always liked Hillary. But I’m voting for Bernie,” he said. A woman, who didn’t want to give her name, said two of her biggest reasons for getting out to vote are overdevelopment and building heights in Lake Worth. 
     In her 11 years as a resident, she ["A woman"] said she’s seen private companies try and come in and build up the city and is worried the current officials may make the beaches private with all the development. “We want to keep our beaches public,” she said.

The beach was, is, and will forever be a public beach. Here are the facts about building heights in Lake Worth:

The silver lining in the City is those red and white signs that have littered our City for so long will be going away real soon. Like Mark Twain said. . .

The red and white lie in Lake Worth. You can say the truth put "on its shoes" and caught up.

The LDub election is over. Three landslides for the good side. Now it's on to March 14th, 2017.

It's healing time in Lake Worth. A good place to start is with volunteers who've been unfairly attacked in this City

The information below was originally posted on March 2nd. Below is the statement by Greg Rice, the Chair of Lake Worth Planning and Zoning Board. Mr. Rice wants an apology for false statements made about volunteers who serve the City. Now that the election is over, hopefully an apology will be forthcoming. Below is the statement by Mr. Rice:

"I would like to make a public statement. Somebody running for city commissioner [Frank McAlonan] has made public comments at public meetings accusing members of this Planning and Zoning Board, and there are several of them in this room tonight, for being involved in secret meetings with the developer of the Gulfstream hotel and the Planning and Zoning Board. He's making a slanderous statement. That has never happened. I want everybody to realize that. I don't know why, whatever that means, to possibly create doubt and suspicion about what's going on here at City Hall. But these volunteers on this board that aren't elected officials that are serving this City, making the sacrifices, this could have a significant, things like slanderous statements like that, could have a significant impact on their ability to be able to make a living. Especially those that are involved in professions that are construction-related or design-related. I would like an apology before the election that ["secret meetings" alleged by McAlonan] never happened."

[You can hear this statement for yourself in a short video taken (below) from a TV screen which is of poor video quality but the sound is quite clear.]

Mr. Rice gave his yearly Planning and Zoning Board update on March 1st. At the 10:30 mark in the video he thanks the volunteers and the City staff for all their hard work and sacrifice. At the 11:00 mark he makes the statement above. Here is that video:
For the entire background on this important election issue use this link.

McAlonan relentlessly continued to spread this lie in the community and so did his supporters. Not only did no "secret meetings" occur but the Gulfstream hotel redevelopment project never went before the Planning and Zoning Board in the first place.

You can better understand now why it's so hard to find volunteers, especially professionals in a specific field, to serve communities like the City of Lake Worth.

Now that the election is over it's healing time. And that needs to start with the volunteers.

Did you get a scary RoboCall yesterday? The reality about height limits in the little City of Lake Worth

One of the challengers to Mayor Pam Triolo sent out a RoboCall yesterday that said huge, tall buildings were going to be built all over the City. This is simply not true.

It was the current majority on the City Commission led by Mayor Pam Triolo that lowered height limits throughout the City. Here is an excerpt from Mayor Triolo's State of the City Address:

[M]ost of the tall buildings that were built years earlier east of Federal Highway cannot happen under our new rules. The height restrictions we placed in the Comp Plan actually reduced the allowed heights that were in the previous code the City was functioning under when I first arrived in office.
      Within the 12 block hotel district east of Federal Highway, the limit is 45 feet with one exception. Only a hotel of 50 rooms or more can go to the 65 foot height allowed in the Charter. Contrary to false statements put out there for political purposes, the Commission lowered heights across the City’s neighborhoods to 35 feet or less for Single Family Residential and 30 feet for Single Family Two. And we did so to protect our neighborhoods and again preserve our small town character.

So. . .on your walk to the polling location if anyone mentions gigantic buildings being built all over the City now you know the truth. And did you happen to have a "Dear Neighbor" letter dropped in your mailbox? Read about that latest election trick using this link.

More delay and decay versus the renovation of the Gulfstream hotel: Why your vote today is so important

Those that are opposing Mayor Triolo, Vice Mayor Maxwell, and Commissioner Amoroso are using a very clever and disingenuous tactic. They're telling people, "I'm for the Gulfstream hotel reopening but just against THIS project." This is a false choice. Why? Because if this project gets derailed there are no other plans on the table. The hotel has been vacant for over ten years. Are they proposing the hotel stay closed for another five, ten years or even possibly never open again?

That's not to say everyone will be happy with each element of the proposed Gulfstream hotel redevelopment; anyone who examines the project will have his or her critique or criticism be it traffic or an architectural element but that's not a reason in itself to scuttle the project, is it?

Anyone who says they SUPPORT the Gulfstream hotel but DOESN'T SUPPORT the efforts and economic realities to make it happen is offering a false choice.

All along Mayor Triolo, Maxwell, and Amoroso have been making the hard decisions:

The three incumbents strongly support the renovation of the Gulfstream and just recently the owner of the hotel has received the final approvals to move this project forward from the City.

Can I have just one moment of your time to ask you one question?

All three incumbents were endorsed, enthusiastically, by The Palm Beach Post and pretty much all other legitimate endorsing organizations. If you've been following some blogs, Facebook pages, mailers, and/or had someone come to your door and say that Mayor Triolo, Vice Mayor Maxwell, and Commissioner Amoroso have violated the public trust. . .

Then here's the question: Why would The Palm Beach Post endorse them?

The answer, of course, is all three incumbents have behaved ethically and professionally despite what the critics want you to believe. The image below is from the editorial penned on Wednesday, March 9th:

Where do you go to vote TODAY in Lake Worth? Read the information below:

It's actually very easy to find out. If you don't already know where you vote use this tool from the Supervisor of Elections office.

There are 17 precincts in Lake Worth but some of those share the same polling location. For instance, Precincts 3042 and 3064 both vote at the 1st Congregational Church on North 'K' Street.

Below are all 10 voting locations in Lake Worth with the precinct numbers following in parentheses:

• Lake Worth Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 2000 North 'D' Street (3034 and 3040)
• Sunlight Community Church/Christian Reform Church, 1325 North 'A' Street (3036 and 3038)
• First Congregational Church, 1415 North 'K' Street (3042 and 3064)
• Our Savior Lutheran Church, 1615 Lake Ave (3052, 3058, 3060, 3076)
• Lake Worth Towers, 1500 Lucerne Ave (3062)
• First Baptist Church, 127 South 'M' Street (3066 and 7164)
• St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 100 North Palmway (3068)
• Lakeside United Methodist Church, 1801 12th Ave. South (3078)
• St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 928 South 'E' Street (7160)
• Osborne Community Center, 1699 Wingfield Street (7162). TAKE NOTE: This precinct used to vote at the Oasis Rehab Center but that was changed.

Whatever you do, DON'T GET FRUSTRATED if you have trouble finding out where you vote. Remember, in 2014 that happened to a lot of people and the 'LW2020' Bond vote ended up failing by just 25 votes. That's why the potholes aren't getting fixed fast enough and that street light still isn't working. You can read all about that here.

Do you remember getting something in the mail that looked like this? If you saved this mailer it has your precinct number on the back.

Mrs. Krier at North Grade Elementary School in Lake Worth needs your help

Mrs. Krier is a teacher at North Grade Elementary at 824 North 'K' Street here in the City. You can read more about what she needs for her students at DonorsChoose. Here is an excerpt:

My students need two iPads. Our computers are always being used for testing.
     I have two groups of students who are learning Spanish and English together while learning reading, math, science, and social studies. They are smart, friendly, and curious kids. They are excited about working with technology like most kids their age. [emphasis added]

[and. . .]

The two IPads are very important for this project. The students will be able to access the use of the IPads after leveling up twice. This will motivate them to work together and do a good job. These IPads will not be used for testing like the rest of the technology available in school. They will just be used for classroom projects.

Mrs. Krier's goal expires on March 21st and she needs $556 more. Share this information with your friends and neighbors.

Dirty Dining in Lake Worth? No. That Chinese restaurant in the news is not in Lake Worth

If you caught one of those "Dirty Dining" episodes on NBC5/WPTV you may have caught the one about Kingdom Buffet located at 4335 Lake Worth Rd. The street number '4335' should be the first clue you're not in Lake Worth; actually, anything above the high 2000's and you're most likely not in the City.

For the definitive explanation about what is Lake Worth and what is not Lake Worth use this link.

So, where is the restaurant located? In suburban Lake Worth? No. It's located in Palm Springs!

The leader of EEF!, Peter Tsolkas, comes out in support of his Anarchist candidate on the ballot in Lake Worth

Typically Mr. Tsolkas comes out with some sort of communiqué a few days prior to an election and this time he's chosen Facebook to get the word out. No big surprise, he's supporting a member of his Anarchist group here in the City.

Peter Tsolkas (holding sign) promoting an "uprising". Following an 'uprising' who do you think the Anarchist's propose to lead the county? The Anarchist's, of course.

In the Anarchist News Mr. Peter "Panagioti" Tsolkas had an article published titled, "No System but the Ecosystem: Earth First! and Anarchism by Panagioti Tsolkas". It's a laborious read but here and there are some very interesting elements such as the following (with emphasis added):

     The skills, experience and culture of groups such as EF!, who straddle the line of aboveground and underground action, can play a significant part in creating contexts where things like anti-industrial blockades and office occupations occur in tandem with generalized uprisings, providing inspiration and social space for militant attacks and strategic sabotage to also take place.

Tsolkas' candidate, another Anarchist named Ryan Hartman, is on the ballot in Lake Worth and he has his own set of issues. He advocates the shooting and killing of police and he's since offered a lame apology to the community for this 'charming' comment:

Hartman said it was "the heat of the moment" when he made this and many other inflammatory comments. Fine. If he's elected what about a heated moment at a City Commission meeting?

Hartman, by the way, looks very different these days knocking on doors and you can read about his makeover using this link. Below is what Lake Worth's Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell thinks about all this in a recent mailer he sent to City residents:

Mayor Pam Triolo's bio and a mailer that was recently delivered to your Lake Worth mailbox:

Mayor Triolo, along with Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell and Commissioner Amoroso, were all endorsed by both The Palm Beach Post and the Lake Worth Herald. Below is from a mailer you recently received in Lake Worth

"Mayor Pam Triolo is the owner of her downtown Lake Worth firm where she currently employs 4 Lake Worth residents. Triolo, a BFA Graduate from Emerson College, has spent a good part of her life in broadcasting and the arts. In 1997, Pam launched her award winning company, First Impressions Creative Services. She’s held top positions in professional and government organizations including President of American Women in Radio and Television, VP for Advertising Federation, Liaison to the PBC CVB, currently serves as a member of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, PBSO Pension Board, Florida Bar Grievance Committee, and is the Neighborhood Association Presidents Council (NAPC) liaison, City Employee Pension Board Chair and creator of the city’s first Mayor’s Education Council. 
     Since 2011, Mayor Triolo’s accomplishments include creating over 100 new ordinances to eliminate blight/slum and reduce crime, the elimination of streetlight and fire assessments while bringing in new LED streetlights, negotiating a $700,000+ savings on our police contract, consistently lowering electric rates and is working to secure funding for infrastructure improvements to make roadways safer and bring in much needed jobs." 
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Pam Triolo for Mayor.

If an Anarchist was on the ballot in Greenacres there would be just as much or more campaign money raised than was in Lake Worth

This article by the Post's Kevin Thompson didn't appear in the print edition today (Sunday, 3/13) so that means it will likely be tomorrow, the day prior to election day. It's an interesting spin he puts on the amount of campaign money raised but this issue wouldn't be an issue if an Anarchist wasn't on the ballot. That's a fact. This campaign season is an anomaly because the Anarchist's created the environment of fear in this City.

Remember the Anarchist's "musical" when they threatened disruptions and an influx of agitators from around the country?

The word 'musical' is a code word that means something very different to Anarchists.

Another flyer handed out in downtown Lake Worth. Very "charming" isn't it?

I think the reporter would agree if an Anarchist was on the ballot in Greenacres, his other city beat, he would be writing almost the same article with different names of politicians. The public in Greenacres would be just as alarmed and upset about their politics being hijacked by someone who hated cops and advocated for them being shot.

Anyhow, in Thompson's article Commissioner Andy Amoroso is quoted and he explains why there is so much interest in Lake Worth politics now, not only in the City but throughout the county as well:

     “You have self-proclaimed anarchists in the race and people aren’t happy with that,” Amoroso said, referring to Ryan Hartman, who is up against Maxwell in the District 1 race. “People are like, “Oh my God, are these people going to run our city?’ ”

And you might want to take a look outside at that pothole. The county, state, and federal government hold most of the pursestrings. If you think any politico with his/her own constituents to answer to will be thrilled about giving Lake Worth money with an Anarchist on the City Commission you're kidding yourself. And that goes for all the infrastructure in this City.

There are people and organizations, like the philanthropic type, that want to help this City. But they're sitting on the sidelines waiting to see how the vote turns out on Tuesday. Cast your vote wisely. Your vote, either way, will have consequences that last for many years: the good kind or the bad kind.

Delay and decay versus keeping forward progress: Why your vote on election day is so important for the Gulfstream hotel restoration

The latest news is the Gulfstream hotel redevelopment project has been given all their approvals by the Historic Resource Preservation Board (HRPB) with many conditions following discussion. A tremendous amount of work was done by the City staff, the all-volunteer HRPB, and the owner of the property,

However, all this progress could come to a stop following the elections next Tuesday. Remember, it's been the majority on the City Commission who has done the heavy lifting to get the project to this point. By the way, can you imagine all the jobs this project will create? And imagine having family and friends visiting and staying at the Gulfstream? How cool that would be.

One of the critics of the Gulfstream project is Frank McAlonan. He is challenging Commissioner Andy Amoroso for the District 3 seat. McAlonan wants to have it both ways: He says he wants to save the hotel but find some other plan. In other words, wait another ten years or so for another interested party to take on this project. More delay and decay.

McAlonan has made naïve comparisons of a two-story 'beach house' in Delray Beach and how that can be a benchmark on how to save the Gulfstream hotel—about as absurd as one could get. McAlonan is also using the new Hyatt in Delray Beach, not even a historic structure, as another example of how to proceed forward, adding into the mix "secret meetings" and attacking volunteer board members (he's been asked for an apology which has yet to happen). He hasn't lived in Lake Worth for very long and it's easy to tell: Lake Worth and Delray Beach are two very different cities and he has yet to understand that.

Lake Worth Commissioner Andy Amoroso's position on the rezoning of the Gulfstream hotel is unambiguous: He supports the efforts necessary to move the project forward despite the anger and ire from a very small group that disagree. Here is how the Lake Worth City Commission voted:

Remember: The "overwhelming" support to limit the building height surrounding the Gulfstream hotel property is a myth.

McAlonan claims to support saving the hotel but doesn't support taking the steps to save the historic structure. So he's for saving the hotel and against it at the same time. The citizens of Lake Worth deserve better politics than this. Telling voters a two-story structure of about 15,000 square feet built circa 1950 (a beach house/tiki bar/'hotel') in Delray Beach in any way compares to our historic hotel in Lake Worth is nonsense.

All this angst, remember, IS OVER 20 FEET OF BUILDING HEIGHT. That's all. Just 20 feet. Twenty feet is about 6 adult steps by a human being. Twenty feet is about the width of the goal post in football. And just twenty feet is the difference between a big leap forward for our Gulfstream hotel or more years of delay and decay.

If this issue is important to you, please cast your vote wisely.

Lake Worth Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell has a message for the community

First, an interesting observation/question from a reader of my blog: Lake Worth Mayor Triolo, Vice Mayor Maxwell, and Commissioner Amoroso have all expressed great concern about the Anarchist's comments (see below) advocating violence against the police. However, of the slate of candidates that include the Anarchist, not one of those campaigns has issued a statement distancing themselves from those comments advocating violence and the shooting of police officers. Note one. Why would that be? Another thing to remember when you vote on Tuesday, March 15th:

A mailer from Vice Mayor Maxwell about the Anarchist opposing him for a seat on the Lake Worth City Commission.

Here is Hartman the Anarchist prior to announcing a run for a City Commission seat. Remember when all he cared about was the homeless in Lake Worth and nothing else?

Here he is all cleaned up to begin knocking on doors. He looks a bit different doesn't he? Note the hole in his earlobe where the large wrench bolt once was and he keeps the Anarchist tattoos covered up now.

It was only following public outcry did he apologize for the comment above. It's still uncertain if he's apologizing for just this comment or the many others he's made advocating violence.

Wheels For Kids in the little City of Lake Worth's downtown TODAY at noon

Use this link for the Wheels For Kids website.

For more events, ongoing and upcoming in the City of Lake Worth, use this link.

Voter Alert in Lake Worth: Wrong polling location/address on the City's website for Precinct 7162

The information on the City of Lake Worth's website gives the wrong information about Precinct 7162. The location of this polling location IS NO LONGER the Oasis Health and Rehab Center. See below for the correct information:

Precinct 7162 now votes at the Osborne Community Center at 1699 Wingfield Street. Note the details in the image below.

The Osborne Community Center is south of the Municipal Gym next to Howard Park. Please share this information.