Sunday, December 31, 2017

My Dear Friend Dustin.

Dear Dustin,

Your one-liner at the Lake Worth City Commission last year was one of the classics, all time. Whilst sitting home and watching that City Commission meeting I laughed myself silly. It was that good. The timing and choice of agenda items? Priceless. You truly did, my Dear Friend, you “brought the house down” with your clever one-liner about my football team, the Michigan State Spartans.

Truly, I can’t recall a time seeing everyone, the mayor, all the commissioners, City attorney and manager laughing so hard. Written by Dustin on a comment card which was handed to the mayor to read aloud, Dustin. . .

“[W]rote that everyone should wish Wes Blackman and the Michigan State Spartans good luck on their bowl game.”

What was so funny last year. . .

For those of you who don’t follow college football, my Michigan State Spartans did not go to a bowl game in 2016. Why not? Their record was 3-9. It was a terrible year for my beloved football team. I know. I watched every single game.

But 2017 turned out a bit differently. My team, the Michigan State Spartans defeated Dustins beloved Michigan Wolverines this year. And in 2017 the Spartans went 10-3, a remarkable turnaround. And they crushed Washington State in the Holiday Bowl too.

So as we all prepare to watch the Outback Bowl tomorrow at noon between the Michigan Wolverines and the South Carolina Gamecocks, well, would just like to remind my Good Friend Dustin that in the game of football every second counts, including the final seconds:



Below is the logo of my new, most favorite football team. Click on this link to read about the storied history of the South Carolina Gamecocks:

Remember amigo, ‘Wolverine’ tears taste like sugar! Mmmm mmmm Delicious!
The Outback Bowl tomorrow is also being called the “Unranked Bowl”.

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Over two years ago: Greenacres PD and PBSO kickoff the goal of consolidation.

If you live in the friendly, outstanding City of Greenacres, do you remember when you once had
a beat reporter from the Post covering your
local news and politics?

It’s true. It actually happened once upon a time. And the proof is below, an excerpt from an article published in the Post on Nov. 12th, 2015 (see below). The process of amalgamating a local police department with PBSO is a timely process and began over two years ago in Greenacres and was completed 2½ months later, in February 2016.

Below is a post from this blog
on November 14th, 2015.

[FYI: If you read along closely, you’ll pick up on a bit of satire. But just a little bit. The blog post was titled, “News from Greenacres: PBSO’s takeover of law enforcement begins”:]

The Palm Beach Post’s reporting on law enforcement issues in Palm Beach County has been exceptional, especially news concerning PBSO and Sheriff Bradshaw. In almost every case they’ve taken an unbiased and professional approach to keeping the public informed and they should be commended. Especially with Sheriff Bradshaw up for re-election it’s easy to lose focus but the County’s paper of record works very hard at keeping to the high ground.

They’ve continued that effort with this latest news, PBSO taking over for the Greenacres Police Department. Here is an excerpt from the article in the Post:
Like a blended family, merging a city’s police force with a sheriff’s office takes work.
     “There are a ton of meetings going on almost daily,” Public Safety Director Mike Porath told the City Council at the Nov. 2 [2015] meeting.
and. . . 
     But, between now and then, Porath said the city and PBSO still need to iron out several details, including merging county and city public records into one database, settling on how the gun range will be managed and determining which city ordinances Greenacres will keep and which county ordinances it will adopt.
Sheriff Bradshaw and PBSO took over for the Lake Worth PD in 2009 and you can read about that using this link. Back then there remained some concern about PBSO by some in the community but former Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill put a stop to that nonsensehere is what she said about PBSO’s contribution to the City of Lake Worth:
“Fabulous. They’ve exceeded our expectations. The Sheriff has done a fantastic job and it’s unquestionable that we want them to stay.”
Of course, Mulvehill called PBSO “Fabulous” only after the public caught on the plan all along was to end the contract with PBSO.

The video below is a press conference in May 2011 by a former City commissioner, Suzanne Mulvehill along with a former city manager, Susan Stanton “IN FULL RETREAT” after the community rallied to keep PBSO in our City.


[Note: At the 6:15 mark Yours Truly asks Stanton two questions; however, she dodges both of them.]

Friday, December 29, 2017

Have you been to TooJay’s yet to
“See Our New Look!”


To learn more about TooJay’s in the City of Lake Worth click on this link. Located in the Downtown at 419 Lake Ave. Open every day, 8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Follow TooJay’s on Twitter (@TheRealToojays) for specials and more information:

“Download our Delicious Rewards app now . . . Guests receive a FREE small plate or dessert just for joining!”

To place an order online click on this link 
or call 561-582-8684 to place an order.
The “new look” was unveiled last Wednesday.

Recognize anyone?
Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triolo and Lantana Mayor Dave Stewart at the ribbon cutting.

Lot’s of happy faces in Downtown Lake Worth.

View inside. Just one “new look” at TooJay’s
in Downtown Lake Worth.
“DELI  ●  BAKERY  ●  RESTAURANT”

Post reporter Michael Readling makes the case: Why Sister Cities are good public policy, ‘worthy’ of support.

And how does Darwin, Australia fit into all this? Continue reading to find out.

By the way, the City of Lake Worth is already promoting the 2018 Street Painting Festival and the upcoming Tree Festival as well on February 17th. And the City is promoting events next year at the Cultural Council in Downtown Lake Worth and the 2018 season at the Lake Worth Playhouse as well. But. . .

Have you heard anything at all about the Midnight Sun Festival coming up the first week in March?

Find out more about the Midnight Sun Festival that celebrates our City’s long Finnish heritage below, news from Palm Beach Post reporter Michael Readling. Other cities nearby aren’t letting their Sister City programs languish, for example, here’s news by Post reporter Alexandra Seltzer:

BOYNTON BEACH — Boynton Beach residents: You have a new sister, and her name is Rauma. City officials this week agreed to becoming Sister Cities with Rauma, Finland.

and. . .

     There are about 26,000 Finnish residents of Florida, and between 10,000 and 12,000 in Palm Beach County, Makila [Honorary Consulate of Finland Peter Makila] said. Traditionally, the Finnish residents have lived in Lantana and Lake Worth, but Makila said there has been a recent shift south of there.

What is the City of Lake Worth doing to stop this trend. Not much. The City of Lake Worth’s loss in Boynton Beach’s gain.
 

Our Finnish friends and neighbors deserve more support from the
City of Lake Worth.

Can anyone please explain why the City doesn’t have a Sister City program to foster a strong kinship with our friends in Lappeenrant, Finland? Why dont we
have a Sister City in Guatemala?
Post reporter Michael Readling penned a feature article about this festival organized by our friends in the local Finnish-American community last March. If this doesn’t make the case for a Sister City program, nothing will.

Mr. Greg Rice has an idea
for a Sister City:

“Wes Blackman has posted on his well-read blog the importance of a sister city board. It seems that the genesis of sister city boards goes back to President Eisenhower. It was Eisenhower’s hope that sister city boards could be a hub of peace and prosperity between people from different cities around the world.
     Well, if we ever are able to find the leadership and will to resurrect our struggling sister city board, here’s a city I believe we need to approach, Darwin, Australia. Seems we have a lot in common.
     They, Darwin, share the same fun-loving spirit, community pride and competitive nature as us. Last Sunday, July 9th, they held their 2017 Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta.
     It would be great to maybe field a team down the road and send them down under to Darwin and show how we share so many things with that fun-loving city.
     Good idea?”

By the way, Darwin has a downtown
with a lot of hotels:

That took a lot of leadership. Maybe Darwin’s political establishment can offer the City of Lake Worth some fresh new ideas? Anyhow. . .

Darwin, like the City of Lake Worth, enjoys hosting a lot of festivals. From Wikipedia, an excerpt:

     The Darwin beer-can regatta celebrates Darwin’s love affair with beer and contestants race boats made exclusively of beer cans. Also in Darwin are the Darwin Cup horse race, and the Rodeo and Mud Crab Tying Competition. [huh?]
     The World Solar Challenge race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations although some are fielded by high schools. The race has a 20-year history spanning nine races, with the inaugural event taking place in 1987.

Whilst on the subject, a Sister City in Guatemala?

     “We’re going to see cultural, commercial, economic affairs — in order to have a more intense and big link with Palm Beach County,” said De Mora [Miami Consul General Rosa Maria Merida De Mora].
     Lake Worth is the first of four new Guatemalan Consulates in the U.S. The others are opening in Seattle, Oklahoma City, and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Last November was the 2nd Annual Día De Los Muertos or “Day of the Dead” celebration.
By the way, the Town of Jupiter has a sister city in Guatemala. Use this link to read the article
by Post reporter Bill DiPaolo.

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Deadline tomorrow. RFP 18-201: “Compass Community Center HVAC Replacement Project”.


Update: The deadline to submit questions is December 29th at 5:00. For more information call 561-586-1654 or send an email to: Purchasing1@lakeworth.org

Learn more below about this Request For Proposal (RFP), and “Small business participation is strongly encouraged”.

An interesting website to follow is the City of Lake Worth’s “Bids & Proposals” page:
Lake Worth’s procurement process is managed by the Finance Department . . . responsible for contracts and services related to construction or services provided to the city.
Compass Community Center — HVAC Replacement Project:

The City of Lake Worth is seeking proposals from qualified HVAC/Mechanical contractors to replace the existing air conditioning system at the Compass Community Center facility. The goods and/or services being sought include, but are not limited to: Replace the existing chiller system with a new 40 ton, 2 stage air cooled TRANE chiller system.
     Work includes materials, installation, wiring, piping, controls, sensors, thermostats, coil coatings, mounting hardware, and applicable work.

and. . .

Interested parties may obtain a copy of the RFP by contacting the Financial Services Office at 561-586-1651 or from the City’s website. All proposals must be hand-delivered or mailed to:

City of Lake Worth Financial Services
2nd Floor
7 North Dixie Hwy.
Lake Worth, FL 33460

Envelope must be identified as RFP #18-201. Small business participation is strongly encouraged.

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Hudson Holdings’ public meeting held at our Lake Worth Beach: “Better Beach”? “Better Life”? “Better Lake Worth”?


“Our plans are to rehabilitate this hotel [and] bring it back to its historic significance in the public areas, the lobby, corridors etc.,” said Steven Michael, principal of developer Hudson Holdings during a tour Friday. “We’ll do a complete rehabilitation of the whole building from top to bottom.”
—Quote from this article in the Sun Sentinel datelined April 14th, 2017.


In the article cited above it’s all about the Gulfstream Hotel and a “complete rehabilitation”. There is no mention of the Beach. And there was no mention of Code Enforcement either. Draw your own conclusions. Below is a very short video, only 24 seconds long, everyone should watch.

Following that public meeting at the Lake Worth Casino on August 24th, 2015, Hudson Holdings did receive much “open and honest feedback” from the public (see image below).

The public came, they listened, and then they said: “NO. Leave our Beach alone.”

Following that meeting — held almost 2½ years ago — Hudson Holdings then wrote they were, “hard at work refining a proposal that we believe will work for everyone . . .”, because their idea for a “Better Beach” was rejected by the public.


Click on image to enlarge:
Then on January 17th, 2017, an excerpt from an article in the Post titled, “Real estate company considers selling historic Gulfstream Hotel
in Lake Worth”
:

 . . . City Manager Michael Bornstein, who called Hudson Holdings’ decision a “huge” disappointment, disputed Michael’s characterization, saying more than $100 million worth of new private investment and projects are underway in Lake Worth.
     “This is from a city that seven or eight years ago had no commercial permits pulled to now over $100 million,” Bornstein said. “(Michael’s comments) don’t match up with the realities.
     Bornstein also pointed out Lake Worth has $116 million in upcoming infrastructure improvements, including road, sewer, water and electric work.


The public was listening to Hudson Holdings back in 2015. Then Hudson Holdings asked the public to come out and speak. And the public did. In big numbers. They came and kept on coming. Crowds of people in cars and on bikes and by foot over the bridge. And they spoke at our Beach.


When the public speaks you need to take the time and energy, and try to listen, and try to understand
what they have to say:

Dear blog readers: You decide. Why do you think the blog post below is the
most-viewed all month?


It’s a blog post from Dec. 20th titled, “About an incident in ‘suburban Lake Worth’ by reporter Meryl Kornfield.”

After you finish reading this blog post, scroll back up and click on this link for another December news article by Post reporter Olivia Hitchcock. Then ask yourself this question, “Why would an article in the Post about an incident in ‘suburban Lake Worth’ receive so much attention on a blog called Lake Worth City Limits”?

To follow the reporter on Twitter click on this link.

The news report by Post reporter Meryl Kornfield, see excerpt below, is the type of reporting one usually expects from Olivia Hitchcock and Julius Whigham II. And it’s a good sign the Post is discovering new talent that will actually take the time, like Hitchcock and Whigham, to inform the public about where a crime or crimes actually happened.

This is the kind of news reporting
the public deserves:

A 22-year-old Greenacres man has been arrested on armed robbery charges after an altercation at a suburban Lake Worth apartment [emphasis added] last week, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said.
     A resident of the apartment identified Tyrio S. Mortel as one of three men who walked uninvited into an apartment on Mooring Court, just south of the Lantana airport, at about 11:30 that morning, according to an arrest report.

To read the entire article in the Post click on this link.

Click on image to enlarge. The Lantana Airport is also in unincorporated Palm Beach County, referred to
as “suburban Lake Worth”:
Close by the airport is the “Emerald Lakes development on Sixth Avenue South”, the location of a recent dog attack reported in the Post

Where did this dog attack happen? This attack also occurred in suburban Lake Worth. But after the article by beat reporter Kevin Thompson was published in last week’s Sunday edition decided to create a short quiz for my blog readers. Did this dog attack happen. . .
  1. In the City of Lake Worth?
  2. In the Village of Palm Springs?
  3. None of the above?
Of course, the answer is 3.

The Palm Beach Post, remember, is the County’s ‘Paper of Record’. A paper of record relies on its editors to make certain the ‘news’ is accurate and reliable for the public. Should the City of Lake Worth come to expect any less?

Now please scroll back up to read about the article by Olivia Hitchcock published in the Post on Friday, Dec. 15th.

Monday, December 25, 2017

Merry Christmas and congratulations
to reporters Kristina Webb and
Meryl Kornfield!

Both are featured on the front page of The Palm Beach Post today.


In today’s Monday Christmas Day edition of The Palm Beach Post in the “Local” ‘B’ section, reporter Kristina Webb received the banner headline story about the Village of Wellington’s “Voter-approved surtax will yield millions for Wellington’s coffers.” The banner headline is,

“Sales tax might fund park projects”

And congratulations Meryl Kornfield!

Post reporter Kornfield has three (3) articles on the front page of the “Local” section. Three on Christmas Day!

If you recall it was a recent article by Meryl Kornfield that has received so much attention on this blog from the news reading public here in the City of Lake Worth and beyond. . . Ask yourself this question:

“Why would an article in the Post about an incident in ‘suburban Lake Worth’ receive so much attention on a blog called Lake Worth City Limits”?

Hopefully this new wave of Millennial reporters at the Post will get the attention of the ‘good ole boys’ and so-called ‘experienced’ beat reporters covering the City vis-à-vis the difference between the actual City and all those areas out in unincorporated Central Palm Beach County called “suburban Lake Worth”.

Just don’t hold your breath.

Anyhow, here are the 3 articles by Kornfield in today’s Monday Christmas edition:

For a long time here in the City of Lake Worth many have wished that Post reporter Lulu Ramadan would be sent to our City to be our local beat reporter but that’s not going to happen. Ramadan is stuck covering the stodgy Delray (‘Dull’-ray) and Boca beats. How terrible!

So the cry, “We want Lulu” and that news segment by Lulu at LULA — HATCH at 1121 Lucerne Ave. — is sadly never going to happen.

But who knows what the New Year 2018 will bring! Before long maybe we’ll see a young lady from The Palm Beach Post at a future City of Lake Worth Commission meeting.

Wouldn’t that be a breath of fresh air, a
young female beat reporter covering our
City of Lake Worth beat?

For a brief time back in 2010 Post reporter Lona O’Connor was the City of Lake Worth’s beat reporter.

Since at least 2008 every other beat reporter from the Post has been male, e.g., Willy Howard, Eliot Kleinberg briefly, Chris Persaud (who won two prestigious awards for election reporting) and then — after almost a year of not having a beat reporter from the Post in then comes Kevin Thompson who was supposed to covering our City and Greenacres as well, two similarly-sized small cities.

For the recent history of beat reporters here in
the City of Lake Worth click on this link.
Isn’t it about time for fresh new outlook,
“IN YOUR COMMUNITY”?

Press release:

“Prestigious Awards to be Presented to Donald Trump for Mar-a-Lago and Trump International Golf Course PALM BEACH, Fla. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Feb. 13, 2001”

The Florida Society of the American Institute of Building Design will present awards to Donald Trump for the Mar-a-Lago Club restoration and the innovative special construction techniques applied to the Clubhouse at Trump International Golf Course at an awards ceremony and presentation February 24, 2001.
     The Florida Society of the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) will present the Honor Award of Excellence, the highest commendation presented by the Florida Society, to Donald Trump for the restoration of Mar-a-Lago, formerly the home of Marjorie Merriweather Post, and now an exclusive private club in Palm Beach.
     “Mar-a-Lago is unique in all the world,” commented Mr. Trump. “As a collector of great buildings, I thank the American Institute for Building Design for recognizing my efforts in restoring this architectural masterpiece and in making Mar-a-Lago the successful private club that it is today.”
     In reference to the future, an Award of Merit will also be presented to congratulate Mr. Trump on the implementation of a special construction technique called “phased” or “Fast Track” construction for the Clubhouse at Trump International Golf Course located a few miles west of the Mar-a-Lago Club.
     “The phased construction method is an idea whose time has come. The AIBD feels this new technique will have an important impact on the future of the building design industry,” stated Steven Mickley, Vice President of the Florida AIBD. Members of the media are invited to attend the ceremony that will take place on Saturday, February 24, 2001 at 12:15 p.m. in the Special Events tent located at the Trump International Golf Course, 3505 Summit Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33406.
     The awards will be accepted by Mr. C. Wesley Blackman, Director of Projects for the Trump Organization, and Mr. Pat Capalbo, Construction Supervisor for the Trump Organization who will also speak on the restoration process and the development of the “phased construction” technique. Ms. Barbara Knick, President of the Florida Society AIBD, and Mr. Steven A. Mickley, Vice-President Florida AIBD, will present the awards.
     Following the awards presentation, there will be a tour of the clubhouse construction site and an overview presentation of the golf course.

Florida History from the Florida Historical Society: The Breakers in Town of Palm Beach.


“Originally opened in 1896 and named
The Palm Beach Inn. . .”

“Originally opened in 1896 and named The Palm Beach Inn, the hotel was part of oil and railroad tycoon Henry Flagler’s East Coast Hotel system which offered places to stay for those traveling on Flagler’s East Coast Railroad. The wooden structure burned down in 1903, but was soon rebuilt. Named the Breakers due to its close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, it burned again in 1925 and was finally rebuilt using concrete instead of wood. Some the wealthiest and most influential people in America at the time stayed in the Breakers including the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Astors, the Morgans, and several U.S. presidents. Today the facility still functions as an exclusive hotel and covers 140 acres of prime real estate along the Atlantic Ocean in Palm Beach County.”

“I have to tell you, in 23 years I’ve never, ever seen so many people come out. . .”


Coming up on January 5th, 2018, will be the second anniversary when the community in Lake Worth rallied to save our historic Gulfstream Hotel. And we’re still left wondering and looking for answers. Again.

But on January 5th, 2016, the future looked so bright:

The Coastal Observer ran a popular series of articles focusing on Lake Worth history, one that’s hard to imagine without our iconic Downtown hotel.

It was on Jan. 5th, 2016, at a Lake Worth City Commission meeting where one of South Florida’s most well-known land use attorneys, representing the owners of the Gulfstream Hotel that day, said this:

“I have to tell you, in 23 years I’ve never, ever seen so many people come out, leave their homes at dinner time to speak in favor of an application. It just doesn’t happen. People come to speak against, but people don’t come to speak in favor. So I am overwhelmed by the volume of people that have been here this evening.”

Earlier that evening, the video below is Lake Worth resident and businesswoman Ariana Peters giving testimony why she believed the Gulfstream Hotel redevelopment would be so positive for our City. At the 1:00 mark she says:

“I believe the Gulfstream project is not only the right step but also a very crucial step in the right direction. I thank the board for their consideration of this project and I’m looking forward to the re-opening of this great landmark bringing people to Lake Worth who have always been hesitant and to finally showing off our town’s incredible Downtown and one of the best assets Lake Worth has to offer. Thank you.[standing applause follows]

Three dogs, one a “sweetheart” named Lesi, who attacked Layla whilst Oreo, a Chihuahua mix, stood by helplessly.

A very special news story for
New Year’s Day in the L-Dub . . . and hoping for accurate news reporting in the New Year of 2018.


Please take note, this is not a joke: The ‘news’ you’ll read about below was actually published on Dec. 17th in the Sunday Palm Beach Post. However, please keep Layla in your prayers still recovering from the attack by that ‘sweetheart’ Lesi who wasn’t given the same chance to go after little Oreo.

Everyone wants to know. How are Lesi,
Layla, and Oreo doing?
“Did you know today, New Year’s Day, is the Lake Worth Very Very Special Monday Cursory Print Edition (LWVVSMCPE)?”

But. . . where did this kerfuffle happen between Lesi, Layla, and Oreo? That’s the ‘inexplicabe’ thing about this entire incident. Why? Because it starts out like a mystery wrapped up in a word salad. But the puzzle was solved. And you will be very surprised. Please continue reading about Lesi, Layla, and little Oreo:

And then, “Meanwhile, back
in Lake Worth. . .”?


Once again, this story actually appeared in the print edition of the Post, on page B3, the ‘Local’ section on Sunday, Dec. 17th. After reading this article many of you will be left scratching your head wondering,

“Where did this dog attack happen? In my neighborhood in Lake Worth or near a City park?
Is the Lake Worth City Commission aware of this?”

Where exactly did this dog attack happen? Learn the answer below following a short quiz.

But first, compare and contrast the ‘news’ on December 17th vs. a news report published on the Friday prior:
Reporter Olivia Hitchcock clearly cited where the incident “Crash knocks out electricity to 3,000” occurred. Why did the Lake Worth Electric Utility respond to an incident in Palm Springs?

Click on this link to learn why.

The ‘news’ story that appeared in the Dec. 17th print edition will have you shaking your head like a boxer with fleas “sniffing the grass”. Trust me, you’ll be asking yourself, “Where did this dog attack happen?” You’ll have to read it at least twice before it even starts to make sense.

This dog attack, one that “can sometimes be fast and inexplicable” is in itself ‘inexplicable’, like a day old word salad tossed away, wrapped up tightly in a newspaper that costs too much anyway. 

Or is this ‘news’ about a dog attack actually solvable? Like a puzzle of words that include:

Palm, Springs, suburban, Lake, Worth, unincorporated, Melaleuca, 6th Ave., Emerald, Vista, apartments, County, Animal, and Control?

Where did this dog attack happen? Would this be the apartments along Emerald Vista off Melaleuca Lane in Palm Springs? Take the quiz; pick one. Did this dog attack happen. . .
  1. In the City of Lake Worth?
  2. In the Village of Palm Springs?
  3. None of the above?
The answer is 3. “Emerald Lakes development on Sixth Avenue South” is in unincorporated Palm Beach County or also referred to as suburban Lake Worth.

However, within the article in the Post yesterday — if you can make it that far without getting a headache — is some very helpful information: 

     “When incidents and attacks happen daily, they do, but the severity will vary,” Walesky [Cpt. David Walesky at Palm Beach County Animal and Control] said.

And then in the story about Lesi, “Meanwhile,
back in Lake Worth. . .”

“But a lot of those [dog attacks] are happening inside the home with visiting family members, friends who visit the homes, it’s not necessarily dogs running loose,” he [Walesky] said.
     Meanwhile, back in Lake Worth, ■■■■■ said he was in shock about what happened. “I trusted that dog and she’s never hurt anyone before,” he said. “I’ve never seen her be aggressive before.”

Click on this link if you’re interested in learning more about Palm Beach County Animal Care
and Control.

The main facility is located at 7100 Belvedere Road in suburban West Palm Beach (west of Florida Turnpike). Main phone number is 561-233-1200.

Animal Care & Control offers a variety of low-cost services for pets residing in Palm Beach County: rabies vaccinations, annual vaccine packages, microchipping and more!
     Please note, all pets surrendered to Animal Care & Control must be current on vaccinations (this is for the health and safety of the pet).
     Proof of vaccinations is required. For pets not current on vaccines, they can be brought to the shelter for this service; pet owners will then need to take the pet home for 14 days to allow the vaccines time to take effect before surrendering.

Sunday, December 24, 2017

For some the holidays are a good
time for vehicle maintenance.


For example, when was the last time you replaced the blinker fluid? Learn how:

Saturday, December 23, 2017

A timely message from Lake Worth Commissioner Andy Amoroso in this week’s Lake Worth Herald.

“Thank You!

Residents of Lake Worth for your Support & Confidence in allowing me to serve as your Commissioner for 3 more years.

I wish you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous
New Year!

Happy Holidays!”


To congratulate District 3 Commissioner Amoroso call him at 561-398-8340 or send an email to: aamoroso@lakeworth.org

To see the front page news in this week’s Herald and Coastal & Greenacres Observer click on this link. Have news or an upcoming event to promote? Interested in subscribing or advertising in the Herald? Contact the editor at 561-585-9387 or email: Editor@lwherald.com

“Table Talk” reading the Lake Worth Herald begins on
January 9th. Click on this link to register. It’s free.
Want to pick up the print edition? Go to the City’s newsstand at 600 Lake Ave. and say “Hello” to
the proprietor, Commissioner Andy Amoroso.
The Herald is still ¢50!

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Those full-page ads published in The Palm Beach Post in early November last year, “VOTE TRUMP!”

All of us Democrats in Palm Beach County were in stunned disbelief when Mr. Donald Trump was elected President of the United States on
November 8th, 2016.

Readers of The Palm Beach Post supporting Hillary were in stunned disbelief two days prior as well, on Sunday, November 6th, when they turned to page A5 (see image below; note: may be disturbing for some readers), a full-page ad with that blaring message in BOLDFACE!, ALL CAPS! with the message:


“DRAIN THE
WASHINGTON SWAMP!”

Ads for then-citizen Donald Trump appeared in the Post, three total, the last one on Sunday, Nov. 6th, two days before election day.
Following the election the editor held a “Facebook Live Chat” with Republicans to discuss concerns about the Post’s reporting. The editor never reached out to us Democrats to explain why Hillary Clinton was not endorsed.

However, the big unanswered question is why didn’t the Post editorial board endorse Hillary Clinton in heavily Democrat-leaning Palm Beach County? They didn’t endorse then-citizen Mr. Trump either.

The big question is, why didn’t the editor at The Palm Beach Post make an endorsement for
President of the United States?

Did the decision of no endorsement for Hillary Clinton simply come down to appeasing the Bernie Sanders supporters?

If that’s the case, the editor forgot about the
primary results in 2016.

Is the City of Lake Worth too complex for the press and news media to understand in this time of quick news cycles?


Oft-repeated on this blog, our City of Lake Worth really deserved positive recognition from the press and news media following Hurricane Irma, for example, on the Post’s editorial page. But because of several factors, most notably because the City of Lake Worth owns its own Electric Utility, that adds an element of “complexity”:

“I think one of the greatest casualties of the high metabolism of the news business is complexity. That’s a big loss.”
Quote by Bill Keller, journalist and former editor at The New York Times.

Also of note, local beat reporters at The Palm Beach Post were absent leading up to, during, and post-Hurricane Irma, except for reporter Joe Capozzi who helped the City get its news out on Twitter to local TV news organizations. Also remember, for several days delivery of the Post’s print edition was stopped due to windy conditions.

Despite all this, the City performed spectacularly and kept the public informed and updated with all the latest information. And for this they deserved some special recognition in the Central Palm Beach County “paper of record”.

Following Hurricane Matthew in 2016 a Letter to the Editor (LTE) by Lisa Stewart made the print edition (see below). But following Irma there’s not been one single acknowledgement or even “a nod” from the editor at the Post to the City of Lake Worth or the Electric Utility.

A few weeks after the storm encouraged my readers to send a Letter to the Editor (LTE) or a Point of View about their positive experiences and the swift, professional response from the City, for example:

“Were you pleased how well the City of Lake Worth and Public Information Officer, Ben Kerr, got so much information out to the public and to the media as well? Write an LTE about that!”

Remember the Hurricane Irma updates posted on YouTube by the City? This is just one of many:



Here’s the LTE published in The Palm Beach Post following Hurricane Matthew in 2016:
So. Do you have a recent positive story to tell? Maybe about the CANVAS Outdoor murals?
Write a LTE about that!

Instructions:

How to get your LTE published in the Post.

  • Keep your LTE to 150–200 words in length. The “shorter the better” is a good rule.
  • An LTE submitted by email (see below) is the best method and remember to include your phone number and complete address.
  • Listing your credentials will help greatly.

Then always follow-up!

  • Follow up your LTE with an email or fax later that day or the next morning.
  • Then later, call the editorial department and explain why your letter is important.
  • Don’t be timid talking to the editor and be polite.
  • Just ask outright, “Are you planning to publish my letter?”

Who knows, maybe your LTE will get published
in this week’s Sunday edition?

  • Email: letters@pbpost.com
  • Fax: 561-820-4728
  • Phone: 561-820-4441
Snail mail:
Palm Beach Post
ATTN: Letter to Editor (LTE)
2751 S. Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL 33405


Good Luck!

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

On December 11th Drew Martin, yes, that Drew Martin, qualified to run for mayor of Lake Worth.


Now here it is 9 days later and the beat reporter from The Palm Beach Post has yet to report this election news.

“Real News Starts Here”?

Remember. Martin ran against County Commissioner Dave Kerner last year in the primary. And lost. By a huge margin. Now Martin has his eye on a smaller prize, mayor of Lake Worth.

Political mailers, by the way, are FREE SPEECH. Other than a disclaimer (in 6′ type grayscale) a candidate can pretty much claim anything. And did you know reporters and editors just hate pull quotes!

But, once again, pull quotes are FREE SPEECH as well. “Pull Quotes are Fair Use”. 
Click on this link to learn more: “Explained: What happened on Tuesday, December 12th, the final day of qualifying to be on the ballot?”

But will Martin remain on the City of Lake Worth ballot? Stay tuned as they say.

A month later and still nothing in the press about “gunshot detection technology”?


From Wikipedia: “A gunfire locator or gunshot detection system is a system that detects and conveys [in real time] the location of gunfire or other weapon fire using acoustic, optical, or potentially other types of sensors, as well as a combination of such sensors. . . . Systems used in urban settings integrate a geographic information system so the display includes a map and address location of each incident.”

The topic of  “gunshot detection technology” came up once again after this editorial in the Post datelined November 11th: titled, “Unacceptable rise in WPB homicides requires quicker action”:

“The death toll understates the violence. As charted by Post reporter Olivia Hitchcock, gunfire has injured 12 people as well as killed two, just since Oct. 20. The mayhem has resulted in only two arrests. [emphasis added]
     The shootings stem from the drug trade, sure, but for other, depressingly mundane reasons as well: a domestic dispute, an insult. Minor provocations that used to prompt a fistfight now end in semi-automatic fire.
     It’s clear that there are too many guns around and too little sense.”

To read the entire blog post from Nov. 17th click on this link for an idea that might deserve some consideration:

Instead of looking at gun violence and shootings as a “Lake Worth problem” or a “West Palm Beach problem” could the solution be Lake Worth’s District 14 PBSO and the West Palm Beach Police Dept. working together and collaborating to acquire gunshot detection technology to help solve a regional problem here in Palm Beach County?

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Palm Beach Post promoting our City: “This is not the Lake Worth of old.”


First, there’s some new news about
Downtown Lake Worth:
The café on the second floor of The Book Cellar bookstore is now open. Learn more about
this exciting new business below.

Did you used to read a blog called “Central Palm Beach County” or maybe recall that Post
platform for local City news?

This was a very popular blog created by The Palm Beach Post, was very helpful, got a lot of attention during last year’s holiday season and is credited with boosting sales here in the City. The operative word is ‘was’ (explained below).

For example, on Dec. 16th, 2016 one of Post beat reporters posted this news on the Lake Worth blog:

LAKE WORTH — Earlier this year, the city passed an ordinance banning stores from selling prepackaged alcohol between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The ban upset many local convenience store owners who said it would cut into sales.
     But the new law, according to [Vice Mayor] Scott Maxwell, seems to be doing what it was meant to do — help clean up the city. . . . “This is not the Lake Worth of old. Things are getting better.” [emphasis added]

And the result as reported by PBSO Cpt. Todd Baer:
If you’re interested in learning about “com-
ments and feedback from many neighborhoods”
click on this link.

Plus that isn’t the only blog at the Post that’s been neglected. The blogs “Western Palm Beach County” and “Real Time” stopped adding new content last August as well. And then there’s the “Eye on Palm Beach County” blog too.

Has the Post given up completely on these popular social media platforms?

“Journalists document change in real time. Sometimes, the change is about us.
     Last week [Oct. 31st], the owners of The Palm Beach Post and the Palm Beach Daily News put our newspapers up for sale.”
Timothy D. Burke, publisher, commentary titled “Mission of Post, Shiny Sheet will not change” dated Nov. 4th, 2017.

On this blog you’re reading now, “Lake Worth City Limits”, have been focusing recently on the ways businesses can get attention from business reporters at the Post, help promote the business community here in the City and along the way help the public in Central Palm Beach County better understand what and where the City of Lake Worth actually is.

For the list and contact information for the five business reporters at the Post click on this link and discover helpful tips too, information about ways to boost holiday sales and actual examples from the 2016 Christmas and holiday seasons, for example: What one business did wrong and what another organization did right! Briefly, knowing how to contact the right business reporter with quality and news-‘Worthy’ information makes all the difference, for instance, do you know what “B-roll video” is?

Now back to the blog created by the Post to promote the Lake Worth business community.

Do you remember all the excitement when the Post’s blog focusing on the City of Lake Worth was rolled out in late 2015? It created quite the stir and excitement for the 2016 holiday season and then, for some reason, just fizzled out. The last entry posted was in late August this year. Now the effort is on to have the Post begin using that blog once again promoting the business community.

It was a news story on December 16th last year, promoted by the Post’s Alexa Silverman, that helped sell over 40 Cottages of Lake Worth hardcover books at an event held at the Palm Beach County Cultural Council located at 601 Lake Ave. in the Downtown.

Whilst on the topic of the business community here in the City have you been to The Book Cellar yet? This is a new bookstore in the Downtown located at the corner of Lake Ave. and “Jumpin’ J Street”. The Cottages of Lake Worth hardcover book is there for you to look over and maybe purchase. It makes an excellent Christmas and holiday gift. To learn more about the book and The Book Cellar bookstore click on this link.

So. Stay tuned. Maybe some time soon the Post’s blog highlighting the City of Lake Worth will begin stirring once again. And scroll back up for the list of business reporters earlier in this blog post. Why? Because if your business hasn’t tried contacting a business reporter by now, maybe your competition already has.

Monday, December 18, 2017

What’s so very unique about the City of Lake Worth and why elections are so very important.


Because whomever gets elected has a say in what you pay for electricity. Why? Because the City has its own Electric Utility. This is the “element of complexity” that’s befuddled so many beat reporters and editors over the years.

How does the City make decisions about the electric rates and other topics related to the Electric Utility? They rely on the Electric Utility Advisory Board (EUAB). Learn more about the EUAB below.

The Lake Worth City Commission is unlike any of the other thirty-eight municipal governments in Palm Beach County in that they can lower or raise electric rates; they do not need to get approval from the State or from the Florida Public Service Commission. The Lake Worth City Commission has the final say on electric rates. Period.

Yes. The City does have a power plant — albeit a very old one — and there is the new solar field as well. But like everyone else in Florida, what mostly powers our City are the big three sources: natural gas, nuclear power, and yes, coal too. And almost all of the City’s electric power is delivered via a tie-in line with FPL. The City needs two tie-in lines. But for the foreseeable future will have to depend on that one tie-in with FPL.

Then when it comes to environmentalists, for example, promoting solar power as the answer to our energy needs suggesting it’s even possible to be ‘off the grid’, that creates even more confusion.

That’s why elections are so important.

In September 2015, 6 months after being elected, two City commissioners dropped this bombshell:
Then, 1½ years later, Ryan Maier opted not to run for re-election and Chris McVoy, PhD, lost his bid for re-election. Every time there is talk of raising electric rates that pushes more of the public to consider switching over to natural gas.

Now. What exactly is the Lake Worth Electric Utility Advisory Board? From the City Charter:

The board’s purpose is to advise the city commission, on behalf of and for the benefit of the citizens and residents of the city, on electric utilities policies, plans and programs. The board will advise the city commission on the establishment of:
  • Fair and equitable policies.
  • Plans and programs that are consistent with customer needs.
  • Legal mandates, public policy, operational requirements and the long-term financial stability and viability of the electric utilities.

Powers and duties. The powers and duties of the electric utility advisory board shall include the following:

  • Serve as a channel of communications between the city commission, utility department staff, and the citizens of the city and the business owners of Lake Worth, in order to understand and solve the many complex problems relating to water, sewer and electric utilities.
  • Promote public access to information on the city facilities, services, policies and programs concerning the future energy needs of the community with respect to the electric utilities.

The EUAB’s role is to review:

  • Existing and proposed policies, plans and programs of the city utilities department for electric utilities.
  • Proposed capital improvement plans and programs of the utilities department for the electric utilities and electric power plant.
  • Existing or proposed electric rate changes, electric rate structures, and the electric utilities portion of the annual budget of the utilities department.
  • Assist utility staff by suggesting and reviewing policies affecting programs and services that affect acquisition, delivery or utilization of electric utility resources within the community.
  • Perform any other duties which may be within the purview of the committee which may be assigned by the city commission.

Hope this helps to explain the role of the City Commission and your electric rates.

And it’s time to start paying close attention. March 13th, 2018, is Election Day once again. Click on this link to see the candidates for mayor and District 1 commissioner (Commissioner Andy Amoroso had no opposition and will serve another term).

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Remember when we were told the “upscale Curio Collection brand” was going to manage the Gulfstream Hotel?


Read more about that below. But first, here’s interesting news from reporter Samantha Tatro about the historic Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego:

“The iconic Hotel del Coronado, with its
red turrets, is one of the most recognizable
hotels in the world.”

     The 129-year-old historic property, known by many across the world, will join the Hilton's smaller Curio Collection, an ensemble of upscale properties, according to Curio’s website.
     The Hotel Del is expected to become a part of the Curio portfolio by the end of July, according to a statement from The Del. The Curio Collection includes dozens of four- and five-star independent hotels across the world, like the Boulders Resort in Arizona. Three of those are in California, including the Hotel La Jolla.

Remember this news from reporter Dan Weil at The Real Deal in June of last year titled:

“Developers flock to middle cities of
Palm Beach County”

One of the “Notable projects” listed by the reporter was this one, datelined June 7th, 2016:

     A $70 million renovation of Lake Worth’s historic Gulfstream Hotel by Delray Beach-based developer Hudson Holdings. It plans to restore the crumbling [sic], six-story hotel, built in 1925, shrinking its room count to 87 from 106. And the developer intends to wipe away two nearby buildings so it can erect a five-story, 87-room annex to the hotel instead. Both buildings will carry Hilton’s upscale Curio Collection brand.
     “We started working three years ago in Boynton Beach and Lake Worth, and there’s a lot of value, especially in Lake Worth,” Steve Michael, co-founder of Delray Beach-based Hudson Holdings, told TRD.


“. . . there’s a lot of value, especially
in Lake Worth”

Saturday, December 16, 2017

The breaking news yesterday morning from Palm Springs, “Crash knocks out electricity to 3,000”.

Below is a blog post from yesterday titled, “Reporting the facts, making the complex understandable for the public”. Kudos go to Palm Beach Post reporter Olivia Hitchcock.

Below is the news article by Hitchcock that also appeared in yesterday’s print edition. And also below are two maps of Central Palm Beach County (CPBC) that will help anyone who still has any questions.

But first. . . a question and then the answer:

“How can a car crash in the Village of Palm Springs, west of Palm Beach State College in suburban (unincorporated) Palm Beach County, north of the Great Walled City of Atlantis, and outside the municipal City limits of Lake Worth involve the Lake Worth Electric Utility? Isn’t that FPL territory?”

The answer is “No”, that is not FPL territory.

Here’s why: The Lake Worth Electric Utility services parts of Palm Springs and other areas in suburban Lake Worth as well. Use this link for the “City of Lake Worth Service Areas”. FYI: Mr. Ed Liberty is the Dir. of Lake Worth Electric Utilities and Walt Gill is the assistant director. To learn more about the Lake Worth Electric Utility click on this link.

Without further ado. . .

Two excerpts from the article by Olivia Hitchcock that also appeared in the print edition (12/15) on page B3 titled, “Crash knocks out electricity to 3,000” [note: “Palm Beach State College’s Lake Worth campus” is outside the City of Lake Worth but uses a ‘Lake Worth’ zip code; refer to zip code map below]:

PALM SPRINGS — Three thousand Lake Worth Utility customers, including some of Palm Beach State College’s Lake Worth campus, were without power Thursday morning after a car crashed into a utility pole on Lake Worth Road, authorities said.
     The multi-vehicle wreck happened at about 6:30 a.m. between Military Trail and Congress Avenue, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue authorities said.

and. . .

     The crash caused a utility pole to snap in half and catch fire.
     Lake Worth Utilities had restored power by 8:30 a.m.
     “We sincerely apologize to all customers affected by this outage,” said city manager Michael Bornstein in an emailed statement. “I would like to commend the electric utility team whose quick response allowed us to fully restore power within two hours of the initial accident.” [emphasis added]

Click on maps below to enlarge.
Maps courtesy of your Palm Beach County government.
Take note of Lake Worth Rd. (areas shaded white are unincorporated CPBC). The large body of water is Lake Osborne in the County’s John Prince Park which includes Palm Beach State College. Note the Village of Palm Springs and the Great Walled City of Atlantis in relation to these landmarks.

Please note: The City of Lake Worth only uses zip code 33460 and a small part of zip code 33461.
As you can see, parts of the City of Lake Worth and the Village of Palm Springs share the zip code 33461. The area in white between is called the
Lake Worth Corridor”.