The non-story that just won’t go away: Hoffman’s Chocolate and “not enough business”?

But first, remember what’s coming up next Monday:

The Food Truck Invasion is always on the second Monday of the month. Have you been yet?

In retrospect, isn’t the non-news story by Kevin Thompson at The Palm Beach Post about Hoffman’s Chocolate closing their location (“not enough business”?) in Downtown Lake Worth look silly now, especially considering all the news about business closings in West Palm Beach?

Ironically, a few days after that non-story about Hoffman’s the reporter writes a gushing, glowing article about a new restaurant opening up in our Downtown. I also visited Lilo’s of Lake Worth and this is my account of my wonderful meal there.

While at Lilo’s and watching all the going’s-in our Downtown recalled an earlier article in the Post and jotted down a “note to self”. Remember back last September when our City was referred to as a “jumping off place” and just “music and booze”, another quote from that ‘news’. Following that strongly urged my blog readers to write a Letter to the Editor to set this nonsense straight: use this link to learn how. It’s very easy and you should give it a try.

And on the topic of business and our Downtown, there’s this looming question that’s never been answered: Why won’t commissioners Ryan Maier and Chris McVoy, PhD, “take the walk” with our Downtown merchants? Michelle Sylvester asked this question at a City Commission meeting.

There’s a constant drumbeat from the media and press for the public to hold politicians and governments accountable: the reason why many people chose a career in journalism in the first place. The public should hold the press’ “feet to the fire” as well. Over and over again am reminded of a news segment by NBC5/WPTV’s Alex Hagan leading up to Lake Worth’s bond vote last November.

Hagan’s news report may or may not have influenced that vote but what it did do was explain the choice to the voters in a fair and even-handed way. With the next election coming up in the City on March 14th, hope springs eternal that the press will not think it’s their role to be that of picking winners and losers.

But if the past is any clue. . .