The City of Lake Worth will not be constructing a new lap pool at the Lake Worth Beach and Casino Complex.

And check back tomorrow to find out why.

Here is a hint:

What you see below is the proposed site plan for a large aquatic complex to be constructed in unincorporated PBC within a short drive of the Lake Worth Casino.

Click on site plan to enlarge.

More information about this site plan will be forthcoming tomorrow. What is more likely is the City of Lake Worth will construct one or possibly even two public pools in another area of the City for more public access and FREE parking too.

It’s hard to believe but some still think that constructing another lap swimming pool next to the ocean is a good idea. It’s not. The damage from salt spray alone on the pool pump equipment at the now-condemned pool is proof of that. Pool pumps can be quite expensive for a large pool and difficult to maintain too.

Think of all the things that space at the Beach can be used for? An outside movie theater, skate park, additional parking and more ADA spaces, a splash park with cabana pool, or maybe an open space for public events?

Take for example the monthly car show at the Lake Worth Beach and Casino Complex. As it is now the road in front of the Casino is closed to make room for this event.

The Lake Worth Beach Car Show is next week, the second Thursday of the month from 6:00–9:00. Below is more information and photos from a recent show at the Beach.

For more information about, “What’s going on with that pool at Beach and Casino Complex?” click on this link.

So whilst you’re pondering those questions here are more photos from a car show at the Lake Worth Beach:

The view to the east.

Click on images to enlarge:

The view to the west:

“Hey. Look at that! Why is the engine in the rear?”

Some cars lined up. . .

The American flag flying full mast. . .

“To the Shores of Tripoli”:

Note the “U.S. Marines” license plate.

 The next generation. . .

And two more. . .

What other ideas do you have for a more functional Casino at the Beach? Be creative! And maybe ask a Millennial or a young adult for ideas too.

About “LAKE WORTH” from The Palm Beach Post in the print edition.

An alert blog reader sent me this from last Thursday published on p. B3 in the ‘LOCAL’ section with this headline:

Holiday wreath laying to
honor veterans

This was information in the Post about “National Wreaths Across America Day” being held next Saturday, December 15th at noon.

One could have concluded from that news about ‘LAKE WORTH’ in the ‘LOCAL’ section. . .

But you would be wrong.

This is an annual event at the South Florida National Cemetery located in suburban (unincorporated) Lake Worth. The actual address is 6501 S. State Road 7 and uses the ‘Lake Worth’ zip code 33449 (see map at end of this blog post).

This national cemetery is west of the City of Atlantis — past the Florida Turnpike — and to the south of the Village of Wellington on the edge of the Florida Everglades.

In other words, if you are a resident in or near the City of Lake Worth, and are elderly or have trouble getting around, visiting the South Florida National Cemetery may not be possible.

However, there are fallen veterans at the Pinecrest Cemetery in this City of Lake Worth you can honor yourself, or organize as a group, on Saturday, December 15th. Learn more about the Pinecrest Cemetery later in this blog post.

About the event next Saturday and  “Wreaths Across America” at the South Florida National Cemetery:

Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 1,400 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad.


The reporter at the Post could have been much more helpful as to where the South Florida National Cemetery is located. One convenient and direct route to this national cemetery is to take Lantana Rd. west to Rt. 441 (SR 7) and then head south. The cemetery is on the right (west side of the road).

Hard to believe, but last year the Post referred to this national cemetery as the ‘Lake Worth National Cemetery’ and prior to that called it the “South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth”.

No. It is not located “in Lake Worth”. However, from last Thursday a staff writer at the Post did provide this helpful information:


Parking is limited, so attendees are encouraged to carpool. Handicap parking is reserved in the cortege lanes, north of the administrative building.

For more information about the event, contact WAA local coordinator James King at 561-902-8869, email king_james2@yahoo.com or visit wreathsacrossamerica.org


For veterans and residents of this City of Lake Worth unable to travel to the South Florida National Cemetery and would like to honor the fallen on December 15th with a wreath or some other way, consider visiting Pinecrest Cemetery located here in the City.

The address for Pinecrest Cemetery is 1724 12th Ave. South. For more information about this cemetery contact Andy Helbling, the City of Lake Worth’s Grounds & Cemetery Supervisor on Monday–Friday from 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. at 561-586-1677 or by email at: ahelbling@lakeworth.org

The history of Pinecrest Cemetery began in 1915.

From the Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County is this excerpt about the “Pine Crest” cemetery which later became known as Pinecrest:


In 1915, the Lake Worth governing body appointed a committee to scout around and find a suitable location for a cemetery. The committee members reported that there was a 9.2 acres parcel adjoining the southwest corner of the town, immediately west of A Street between 9th Avenue South and 12th Avenue South. The city commission was urged to buy the land before the price went up, which they did, paying $10 per acre for a total of $920.00.


FYI: The City of Lake Worth’s I. A. Banks Memorial Park (the former Osborne Municipal Cemetery) is a 1½-acre cemetery located in what was called the “Osborne Addition” which was for African Americans during segregation. This cemetery is located at the northwest corner of Washington Ave. and Wingfield St. In 1983 the City was petitioned to rename this cemetery in honor of Rev. Ira A. Banks, the founder of New Hope Baptist Church located diagonally southeast across Washington Ave.

For reference, the map of zip codes
in Central Palm Beach County.

For exactly where places, cities, towns and villages in Palm Beach County are located and why it matters click on this link.

Remember, the zip code for the South Florida National Cemetery is 33449, a ‘Lake Worth’ zip code far west of the actual City of Lake Worth.

Click on map to enlarge.

The actual City of Lake Worth is
zip code 33460 and a portion of 33461.

More ‘Lake Worth’ zip codes not serving the
actual City of Lake Worth are: 33462, 33463, 33466 (within zip code 33461), 33467 and 33449.

Hope you found this information helpful and, as always, Thank You for visiting once again today.

City of Lake Worth news from yesterday you may have missed.

Mr. Ben Kerr was published in this week’s Lake Worth Herald.

Mr. Ben Kerr is the City’s public information officer (PIO). By the way, briefly, how Mr. Kerr became the City’s PIO is an interesting one. Post reporter Joe Capozzi recently penned a fascinating article about Kerr but prior to that, back in 2016, it was another Post reporter that ended up creating the need for the position of PIO following an egregious story that should have never been published. Read all about that by clicking on this link.


Now back to our regularly scheduled program today.

Kerr penned a column this week about the contest called, “Best. Municipality. Ever.” Lake Worth City Manager Michael Bornstein was the contest winner. A huge honor for both Bornstein and this City of Lake Worth.

The news this week by Ben Kerr is below. But first, more backup about this story.

This contest was one created by author and Pulitzer Prize winning satirist Dave Barry. Barry is the author of the wildly popular book titled,

Best. State. Ever. A Florida Man
Defends His Homeland.

Learn more about this longtime best-selling book below.

The Best. Municipality. Ever. contest was held at the Harriet Himmel Theater last week. An event organized by the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County.

In a news story about this event themed “Read Together Palm Beach County” an editor at The Palm Beach Post misspelled Dave Barry’s last name. Not once. But four times!

How could Dave Barry’s last name be spelled “Berry”?

By an editor at the Post! Unbelievable. And don’t think the good folks at the Literacy Coalition were amused at all. Read more about that a little later.

To the news article by Ben Kerr headlined,

Lake Worth Wins Best. Municipality. Ever. Contest

Lake Worth’s City Manager, Michael Bornstein, submitted an entry to the Read Together Palm Beach County “Best. Municipality. Ever.” essay contest last month and on Wednesday, Nov. 28, his essay was announced as the winner.

After the awards ceremony, Mayor Triolo said that “working with the City Manager on this was so much fun! He truly captured the spirit of our City and its people, and our beautiful diversity and quirkiness with humor. And it’s true, if Dave Barry was a city, he’d be Lake Worth!”

This contest gave the City an opportunity to showcase what makes Lake Worth such a special place to live. Mayor Triolo, Vice Mayor Amoroso and Commissioner Robinson joined the City Manager to record a special reading of the essay [see video below] for all to enjoy and share.

As we embark on the holidays it is a perfect time to remember what makes Lake Worth, and all the friends and neighbors who form the Lake Worth community, the Best. Municipality. Ever!

Enjoy the video!

And following this video learn more about Dave Barry’s award-winning book “Best. State. Ever.” and that very unfortunate typo in the Post.





Without further ado. . .


CORRECTION

Because of an editing error, a story in Wednesday’s [Nov. 28th] Post misspelled author and columnist Dave Barry’s name. The brief appeared on Page B3 in the Local section.


Yes. Hard to believe but true.

An editor at the Post misspelled Dave Barry’s name. Not just once. Four times.

The irony here is this ‘news’ is about an event sponsored by the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County’s “Read Together Palm Beach County”. About that event at the Harriet Himmel Theater here is an excerpt published in the Post:


The title selected for the 2018 “Read Together,” was bestselling author, columnist and humorist Dave Berry’s “Best. State. Ever. A Florida Man Defends His Homeland.”


Berry? Really? 

Briefly, before we proceed, the book Best. State. Ever. A Florida Man Defends His Homeland is available on Amazon:


A brilliantly funny exploration of the Sunshine State from the man who knows it best: Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times best-selling author Dave Barry.

We never know what will happen next in Florida. We know only that, any minute now, something will. Every few months, Dave Barry gets a call from some media person wanting to know, “What the hell is wrong with Florida?”


Anyhow, if you would like to learn more about the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County click on this link. And you can also say “Thank You” to the Literacy Coalition for bringing such wonderful authors such as Dave Barry to inspire the public to learn how to read and to appreciate how important literacy is here in Palm Beach County.

And Gee Wiz! Dave Barry won a Pulitzer Prize and wrote for the Miami Herald for over twenty years.

Shouldn’t every single editor at the Post know who Dave Barry is? And just wondering. Has a ‘satirist’ at The Palm Beach Post ever won a Pulitzer Prize for humor?

From Wikipedia:

David McAlister Barry (born July 3, 1947) is an American author and columnist who wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for the Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. He has also written numerous books of humor and parody, as well as comic novels. Barry’s honors include the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary (1988) and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism (2005).


And in conclusion. . .

Support LOCAL small town journalism.

Click on this link to see this week’s
front page headlines.

Pick up this week’s print edition at the City’s newsstand at 205 N. Federal Hwy. in Downtown Lake Worth. The Herald is still just 50!

Tonight from 6:00–10:00 is the monthly Block Party on Lake Ave., first Friday of every month.

Traffic and Parking Alert in Downtown Lake Worth: Lake Ave. beginning at 4:00 today, east of Dixie to Federal Hwy., will be closed to traffic. Parking along Lake Ave. will not allowed on the street. If you are driving please follow the signs and detours.

And if you happen to see anyone tonight acting erratically on J Street please do not be alarmed. They are completely harmless. Their flustered behavior is normal when Lake Ave. is shut down for festivals and parades and those J Street merchants are actually quite entertaining. Just give them some words of encouragement and maybe purchase an item or two. Then quickly and briskly proceed to Lake Ave. for all the fun!


And on J Street you’ll hear the same litany of complaints the following Friday (Dec. 14th) when the next Beach Bonfire of the 2018–2019 Season happens!

And the next day, on Saturday, Dec. 15th, is the annual Christmas and Holiday Parade on Lake Ave.! Will the merchants on J Street be able to tolerate all this frivolity and good cheer? We’ll see.

Save The Dates: Tomorrow is the Lake Ave. Block Party, the following Friday is another Beach Bonfire at the Lake Worth Beach and then the Christmas Parade the very next day.

Monthly Lake Ave. Block Party.

Click on image to enlarge:

For the comprehensive list of Special Events in this City click on this link and learn more about the City’s Dept. of Leisure Services.

Vintage postcards: Visitors to the City of Lake Worth from “back in the day”

A special thanks to Frank Palen for allowing me to borrow and scan these historical postcards:

Click on images to enlarge.

Looking for a home out west? You may want to reconsider and look at coastal Central Palm Beach County.

If you’ve been paying attention — “reading between the lines” — western sprawl continues but future growth will be slowing down considerably.

The future is our established cities, towns, and villages closer to the ocean. Why? Please continue reading the blog post below from one year ago.

For those of you paying close attention to press and media reports, real estate news, and following local and government meetings one knows this sad fact: we cannot rely on the State and Federal governments or even our Congressional and U.S. Senate representatives to step in and solve our pressing problems. The answer going forward is cities working together, e.g., Palm Springs, Lake Clarke Shores, Greenacres, Lake Worth, Lantana, and other cities nearby all working together as a region.

For many in the public news such as this from Post reporters Sarah Peters and Tony Doris (news about the Coastal Link and West Palm Beach golf course, respectively) are stand-alone news items. But they’re not. Both of these news stories, in their own way, have a profound effect on everyone living in the cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth.

The news articles cited above and many others are linked (pardon the pun) to the Brightline train station in West Palm Beach, Blueway Trail project, Palm Beach MPO charrettes and new housing projects in the City of Lake Worth, hotel construction, road repair, and many other items that are coming together:

There is a vision for coastal Central Palm Beach County (CPBC) and that future is inexplicably linked to ingenious and creative answers to transportation.

When this vision comes together in the mind of the public, all those people who bought houses and condos out in western Palm Beach County will come to regret that decision. But by then it will be too late. Their ‘investment’ will be worth pennies on the dollar and the reasons they moved out west, one reason being the “fear of crime”, will arrive on their doorstep as socioeconomic problems increase exponentially.

Crime is an important issue. And so is the perception of crime. For more about “Revitalizing Southeast Florida’s Urban Core” along I-95, and why the Florida East Coast (FEC) and CSX railroads are so vitally important to the future of Palm Beach County click on this link.

Instead of migrating west like so many others have in the past, residents who chose to stay in coastal CPBC — and those who opted to relocate here from other places in Florida, northerners escaping the cold Winter, or from other countries — will reap the benefits. The “cookie-cutter” communities out west will have no appeal any longer. The Millennials will be long gone and so will everyone else who came to Florida to be closer to the beaches.

Putting the pieces together, in no particular order:

• Brightline Station in West Palm Beach.
• Moving excess truck traffic (I-95) and freight train traffic (FEC/CSX) to U.S. 27 multi-modal corridor.
• Tap your phone for an electric taxi.
• C-51 Canal, Blueway Trail, and water taxis.
• Palm Beach MPO charrettes on future of Dixie Hwy.
• Been following what’s going on at the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council?
• What’s that about a new bus service in Lake Worth?

Before long the Millennials will have no
use for a car. And. . .

Oh. And did you see that article in the Post about the Coastal Link?

Click on image to enlarge:

A future trip: Uber to Downtown Lake Worth, take in all the excitement for a bit. Stroll to Bryant Park for a scenic water taxi ride to the Coastal Link, then Brightline to Miami, Orlando . . . and all the while wonder why you bought a house or condo in a cookie-cutter community out west somewhere.

And missing all the fun.

Tonight at City Hall are scheduled meetings of the P&Z Board and EUAB.

Both meetings begin at 6:00. The Planning and Zoning Board meets in the City Hall chambers. The Electric Utility Advisory Board (EUAB) meets in the conference room.*

The agenda for tonight’s EUAB meeting is below.

To look over the P&Z agenda for tonight click on this link and scroll down to download the “Agenda Package”.

And stay tuned for the minutes of the November 5th meeting of the Finance Advisory Board (FAB). The fabulously FAB met last Monday (Dec. 3rd) and they approved the November meeting minutes. And prior to the end of the year the minutes from the meetings held last January, May, June, August and September will be made available as well.

The agenda at the EUAB tonight:

• Roll Call.
• Pledge of Allegiance.
• Agenda: Additions, deletions, reordering.
• Presentations (no public comment on presentation items).
• Public Participation of Non-Agendaed Items (three-minute time limit).
• Approval of Minutes: July 11th, August 1st, August 15th, August 30th.
• Unfinished Business: Electric Utility Power Purchase Contract.
• New Business.
• Board Comments.
• Board Liaison Reports and Comments.
• Adjournment.

*Note: One of more members of any volunteer board or member of the City Commission may attend and speak at the P&Z and EUAB board meeting.

Despite what happened at City Hall last night, this six square mile City of Lake Worth is still the: Best. City. Ever.

One could say, at least temporarily, the wheels have fallen off the bus. Procedurally speaking. But that bus is still heading in the right direction.

Last night was not a good night for our City. A Commission meeting that goes to almost midnight is never good. However, “Lake Worth Beach” did pass unanimously once again. For more about that see the blog post following this one.

But first. A brief message.

Lake Worth City Manager Michael Bornstein wrote an award winning essay about why Lake Worth is the best city in Florida for the Read Together Palm Beach County “Best. City. Ever.” essay contest.

Here is that essay being read by
our elected and City leaders:

WPTV reporter Andrew Lofholm at the Lake Worth City Commission meeting last night. It was a bit too eventful.

Remember it was Andrew Lofholm who broke the story last month about the City of Lake Worth considering renaming this City to “Lake Worth Beach”. Lofholm and cameraman extraordinaire Eric Pasquarelli were in attendance last night.

To say they got more than they expected is an understatement.

Briefly, it seems the only thing that draws The Palm Beach Post and other TV news stations to the City of Lake Worth any more are vehicle crashes and the occasional crime. Despite some grumbling and a few complaints about this City changing its name it really is a huge story and will continue to be until March of next year.

After WPTV broke this story the Post had no choice but to chime in and it won’t be long now before the Post editorial board chimes in too. Along with all those negative letters to the editor too about “Lake Worth Beach”. Basically the normal stuff.

It was a packed house last night in City Hall. Shortly after the meeting began Lofholm raced out of City Hall to report on a terrible motorcycle crash nearby. And then it took until after 11:00 until the “Lake Worth Beach” item came up for discussion and a vote was taken. But this was after Mayor Pam Triolo got up and left City Hall. Yes. That’s right. Mayor Triolo left the meeting and went home. She had had enough. And there will be more about that later on this blog.

Ordinance 12E, First reading, “Ballot language to change name of City to Lake Worth Beach by referendum on March 12, 2019” passed unanimously. Again. This time 4-0.

Second Reading will be next week, on Thursday, Dec. 13th, 6:00 in City Hall. Following another expected unanimous vote this question will be forwarded to the PBC Supervisor of Elections and will appear on the ballot for the voters to decide.

And some time after Dec. 13th and before January 15th, the next regularly scheduled City Commission meeting, there needs to be a workshop on procedure and Robert’s Rules of Order. There is no delaying this. It needs to happen soon.

Here is a Tweet from last night.

"The A-Team" from @WPTV is at @LakeWorthPBC City Hall tonight: @AndrewLofholm & @PhotogEricP.

Do you work at @pbpost @CBS12 @WPBF25News? Want to know what's happening in #LakeWorth tonight? Watch 11:00 o'clock news on @WPTV tonight.

Most of you get your news from WPTV anyhow. pic.twitter.com/jdkMWsHWac

— Wes Blackman (@WesBlackman) December 4, 2018

To watch Lofholm’s news segment from last night click on this link. Here is an excerpt from the text of the news:


LAKE WORTH, Fla. — Lake Worth is one step closer to putting it up to a vote: Do you want to keep the name of the city Lake Worth or change it to Lake Worth Beach?

Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday night in its first round. It will take one more vote next week by the council, which is expected to pass.

After that, it will be on the March 12 ballot, up for Lake Worth voters to decide.

Those for it say they want to let tourists know they have a beach and to distinguish itself from the crime that the city gets lumped into in unincorporated Lake Worth.

There are 7 zip codes that carry the lake Worth name but only 2 are actually within city limits.


Stay tuned as they say. There will be much more about this topic to come.

Did you know an annual subscription to The Palm Beach Post cost $683.79?

Almost seven hundred dollars a year for the print edition and online access.

Wow. That’s pretty steep, isn’t it?

Many of you who subscribe to The Palm Beach Post* are hopping mad today.

And that will be understandable when you see the news on page A1 above the fold. And the public who hasn’t seen that news in the Post today will be hopping mad later when they hear about that irresponsible and reckless story on the front page about Palm Beach County Commissioner Dave Kerner.

In response to the editor(s) at the Post here is what Commissioner Dave Kerner wrote:


I am ready, willing, and able to defend any policy proposal I put forward. I am ready to discuss any policy proposal my colleagues or constituents put forward. Always strive to do your best, and be unafraid in doing so.


Note that on page B1 in the ‘LOCAL’ section, above the fold in today’s paper is this news from Charles Elmore headlined, “Florida gas prices drop to 16-month low”.

The news from Charles Elmore should have been front page news today; not pushed off the front page and buried in the LOCAL section.

However, the editor(s) at the Post chose another story for page A1 instead.

Commissioner Kerner is now the Vice Mayor of Palm Beach County. And many of you who know him understand how committed he is. And for the Post to associate Kerner with the loaded word ‘slush’ as in “slush funds” is about as dirty as the press can get.

So what is the public to do?

Don’t get mad. Relax and take a deep breath. And then think about what to do next.

Maybe cancel your subscription to the Post. To do that click on this link or send an email to: subscriberservices@gatehousemedia.com

Or contact the office of Commissioner Kerner and leave a message of support: click on this link for contact information.

Another thing you can to is write a letter to the editor at the Post. And ask how something so irresponsible could be published in that newspaper.

Your letter could make tomorrow’s print edition or receive the biggest prize of all: Get published in the Sunday paper.

The instructions and helpful tips are below and it only takes about 5–10 minutes to submit a proper Letter to the Editor (LTE):

The Instructions:

How to properly compose and submit an LTE. The simple steps:

• 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 name, daytime phone number and complete address.
• To draw attention to your cause engage like-minded “average citizens” to write LTEs on the same subject.
• Listing your credentials will help greatly; and then the part that so many people forget: Always follow up your LTE!

This is very important:

• Once you have submitted your LTE follow up with an email or fax (fax number below) later that day or the next morning.
• Then later, call or contact the editorial department and explain why your letter is important. The editor of the editorial page is Rick Christie: 561-820-4476; email: rchristie@pbpost.com
• Don’t be timid! Stay pleasant and respectful but make a strong pitch.
• And to hammer it home just ask outright, “Are you planning to publish my letter?”

So get cracking and have your LTE published in
the Post, hopefully some day very soon:

• Email: letters@pbpost.com
• Fax: 561-820-4728
• Phone: 561-820-4476

Using snail mail:

Palm Beach Post
ATTN: Letter to Editor (LTE)
2751 S. Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL 33405

Write an LTE today and remember to follow up with the editor.

*GateHouse Media is the owner of The Palm Beach Post.
     As reported by Post business reporter Jeff Ostrowski: “Fortress Investment Group LLC is contracted to manage and advise New Media Investments Inc., which owns GateHouse Media, the parent company of The Palm Beach Post.”

Re-posted today: Just in case you may have missed this latest development. . .

Published in The Palm Beach Post: A double-whammy.

There was a clarification and a correction in last Wednesday’s print edition.

Did an editor at the Post really misspell the name of Pulitzer Prize winning author Dave Barry? Is that even possible? Hard to believe, but that did happen. Four times! More about that and the correction that got published is a little later in this blog post.

First to the clarification:

CLARIFICATION

A story that appeared in Saturday’s [Nov. 24th] Post stated that a poll on American first ladies was released by Lynn University. The university said that the poll was conducted by Lynn professor Robert Watson “independently of the university.” [emphasis added] The story appeared on the front page.


This story about first lady Melania Trump ranking near the bottom historically of all first ladies since 1948 made the online edition on November 20th. Here is an excerpt from that story that needed to be corrected vis-à-vis, “The poll was conducted by Robert Watson, distinguished professor of American history at Lynn University in Boca Raton”:


Historically, presidential rankings have taken place since 1948 but it was not until 1982 that a poll of first ladies was conducted. Since then there have been seven more, with three by [Robert] Watson.

In all fairness, Watson admits that it is early in her husband’s [President Trump] presidency to assess the totality of her role as first lady. It is not until the papers of the president and first lady are released, biographies are written and archives established that a true and complete assessment can be made, Watson said.


To learn more about Lynn University and their Bachelor of Arts degree in multimedia journalism, ethical communications and communication theory click on this link.

And FYI: The title of “first lady” is not an official title and is therefore not capitalized. However, it depends on House Style. Some news organizations do use the title “First Lady” as in First Lady Melania Trump.


And without further ado. . .


CORRECTION

Because of an editing error, a story in Wednesday’s [Nov. 28th] Post misspelled author and columnist Dave Barry’s name. The brief appeared on Page B3 in the Local section.


Yes. Hard to believe but true.

An editor at the Post misspelled Dave Barry’s name. Not just once. Four times.

The irony here is this ‘news’ is about an event sponsored by the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County’s “Read Together Palm Beach County”. About this event at the Harriet Himmel Theater last Wednesday evening is this excerpt from the Post that needed to be corrected in yesterday’s paper:


The title selected for the 2018 “Read Together,” was bestselling author, columnist and humorist Dave Berry’s “Best. State. Ever. A Florida Man Defends His Homeland.”


Berry? Really? 

Briefly, before we proceed, the book Best. State. Ever. A Florida Man Defends His Homeland is available on Amazon:


A brilliantly funny exploration of the Sunshine State from the man who knows it best: Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times best-selling author Dave Barry.

We never know what will happen next in Florida. We know only that, any minute now, something will. Every few months, Dave Barry gets a call from some media person wanting to know, “What the hell is wrong with Florida?”


So. In the news article in the Post, Dave Barry’s last name was misspelled four times as ‘Berry’.

How is it possible that Dave Barry, a famous Floridian and author, could have his last name misspelled in The Palm Beach Post? Four times!

Anyhow, if you would like to learn more about the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County click on this link. And you can also say “Thank You” to the Literacy Coalition for bringing such wonderful authors such as Dave Barry to inspire the public to learn how to read and to appreciate how important literacy is here in Palm Beach County.

And Gee Wiz! Dave Barry won a Pulitzer Prize and wrote for the Miami Herald for over twenty years.

Shouldn’t every single editor at the Post know who Dave Barry is? And just wondering. Has a ‘satirist’ at The Palm Beach Post ever won a Pulitzer Prize for humor?

From Wikipedia:

David McAlister Barry (born July 3, 1947) is an American author and columnist who wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for the Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. He has also written numerous books of humor and parody, as well as comic novels. Barry’s honors include the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary (1988) and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism (2005).

The 2019 Palm Beaches Marathon must include the Lake Worth Beach!

Check out this news from journalist Tony Doris published in today’s Palm Beach Post, the very first paragraph in a story headlined, “Marathon weekend a success”:


WEST PALM BEACH — The 2018 Fitteam Palm Beaches Marathon weekend wasn’t about elite runners breaking speed records as they raced through West Palm Beach and Lake Worth. [emphasis added]

West Palm Beach does not
have a beach!

If the marathon yesterday “wasn’t about the elite runners” as Tony Doris reported, then what was all the buzz about?

The 2018 marathon weekend was about
this race not having a beach!

Lake Worth has a BEACH!

The spectacular Lake Worth Beach was not included in the 2018 Palm Beaches Marathon. There was not one single beach in this year’s race. Not one! Without a beach shouldn’t the race be called the “Palm Marathon”?

Can you imagine a marathon runner hailing from Germany, Brazil or Russia and wondering, “Where the hell is the beach?”

West Palm Beach does not have a beach. The City of Lake Worth does have a spectacular beach.

Next year the 2019 Fitteam Palm “Beaches” Marathon must include the Lake Worth Beach and Casino Complex:


On the shores of the Atlantic Ocean . . . It has quickly become the new travel destination in South Florida. The new casino building remains true to the original 1920's architecture; and while there is no gambling at the new building, the name “Casino” remains as a reminder of the history and importance of the building to the citizens of Lake Worth.


To learn more about this topic please read a blog post from yesterday about the “Palm Beaches Marathon which includes no beaches in Palm Beach County.”

Tonight is the College Park neighborhood Christmas and Holiday Season social at The Beach Club.

The first twenty (20) attendees at the social tonight get a ticket for one FREE drink.

There is no agenda tonight at the College Park Neighborhood Assoc. (CPNA) monthly meeting. Just show up, hand around and have some fun. The fun and frivolity is from 6:30–8:30.

The Beach Club is located at #1 7th Ave. North, the City’s municipal golf course,

“[I]n the beautiful Old Florida Charm of the Lake Worth Golf Course. . . . We are open to the public. No membership is required to enjoy one of Lake Worth’s hidden jewels!”

The Beach Club will have their full menu and bar available to everyone at the meeting tonight.

You may be wondering, where is the College Park neighborhood in the City of Lake Worth Beach?

And specifically, what exactly are the borders of the College Park neighborhood within the greater Neighborhood Assoc. Presidents’ Council?


Good question!


This historic neighborhood in the City extends from Dixie Hwy. east to the Lake Worth Lagoon and north from Wellesley Drive (north side of street) to the C-51 Canal which includes the City’s Spillway Park. The C-51 Canal, by the way, is the historical border between the City of Lake Worth and our neighbor to the north, West Palm Beach.

It needs to be clearly noted, despite what you have been led to believe, West Palm Beach does not have a ‘Beach’. This City of Lake Worth has a beach. And the Lake Worth Beach is a spectacular one too.

Now that is cleared up, let’s proceed.

Click on image to enlarge:

“The College Park subdivision was created by plats filed between December 1924 and May 1925. Edgewood Realty Co. of West Palm Beach opened the College Park development.”

College Park within the six-square-mile City of Lake Worth is, “Between the Dixie and the Lake, South of the Palm Beach Canal”:

The “Dixie” is now a major thoroughfare (U.S. 1; Dixie Hwy.), the freshwater “Lake” is now the Intracoastal and “the Palm Beach Canal” is now the C-51 Canal managed by the South Florida Water Management District.

The C-51 Canal will be undergoing major changes in the near future on both sides of the canal — in the City of Lake Worth Beach and in the City of West Palm too — in addition to the future Blueway Trail project bypassing the S-155 Spillway structure, creating more access for the public between the Inland Chain of Lakes and the Intracoastal (Lake Worth Lagoon).

Back to the CPNA. . .

Our goal is to protect and improve the neighborhood by building strong relationships among neighbors, our neighborhood merchants, our City government, local law enforcement [PBSO] and other neighborhood associations throughout the City of Lake Worth.

Why is this neighborhood called College Park?

Unique to College Park is the naming of each street after prominent American colleges and universities. From Wellesley to Maryland; from Holy Cross to Vanderbilt, and from Carolina to Notre Dame.


For the CPNA website click on this link and there is also a Facebook page.

About one of the College Park neighborhood’s biggest challenges. . .

A vacant eyesore which could be a nice addition to the neighborhood when it finally catches the eye of a developer some day.

That empty lot on one of our major thoroughfares entering the City — actually made up of three lots on the east side of Dixie which include 2302, 2314, and 2318 N. Dixie Hwy. — was once a thriving part of this region in coastal Central Palm Beach County:

The former Patio Coffee Shop.

Across the street from the Patio (at 2401 N. Dixie Hwy.) is where the former Park Avenue BBQ once stood.

Where the Park Avenue BBQ was is now a parking lot for World Thrift, a very nice parking lot, it’s nicely landscaped and kept clean and tidy. Unlike the unkempt lots on the east side of Dixie Hwy.

Those empty lots which make up the frontage of an entire block are in the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) district. It was once a popular destination for residents and visitors just like World Thrift is today here in this City.

Having a parking lot on the west side of Dixie isn’t my dream for that location but World Thrift is a very good neighbor. They keep their parking lot clean and well lit up at night in addition to the new signage. A very big improvement.

Who would have thought when World Thrift opened it would attract so many customers from the Town of Palm Beach and West Palm too?

And hopefully some day soon that vacant block on the east side of Dixie Hwy., on one of our major thoroughfares entering this City of Lake Worth Beach, will once again become a destination.

And maybe even a place where the CPNA can hold meetings in the future, a prominent place actually located in the College Park neighborhood.

Just in case you missed this from last week. Let’s dive into the question:

Can the municipal pool at the Lake Worth Beach be repaired?

There is a very small but vocal group of residents here in the City of Lake Worth, along with a contingent from the Town of Palm Beach and others west of this City, who think the pool at the Lake Worth Beach can be fixed.

And once it’s fixed, which should only take a day or two, then everyone can go to the Beach and go splashing around in the pool once again. Just like the good ole days.

So let’s consider that question.

Is it possible to fix the pool?

Well. There is a wonderful product called “Pool Patch” available on the market. This product is designed to be applied on a dry repair surface and the curing time is just 3–4 hours. Then the pool can be filled with water!

According to The Home Depot, Pool Patch offers:

“[E]ase of workability and clean-up, rapid cure, high compressive strength, low shrinkage [emphasis added] and excellent bond strength.”

So next week some day if the City of Lake Worth had 80–100 pallets of Pool Patch delivered and hired 50–60 workers to patch the pool and they got done around noon could the pool at the Beach then be filled with water once again — after Pool Patch had cured in the late afternoon — and in a day or two the public could begin swimming and frolicking in the water in total, complete bliss?

Hardly. Pool Patch is a wonderful product.

But this product does not perform miracles.

There is no pool repair kit on the Planet Earth that can fix the pool at the Lake Worth Beach. The problem is not what you can see. The bigger problem is what you cannot see: What is happening under the pool. And a few other issues as well.

Click on image to enlarge:

Read it and weep, as they say.

To read more about the presentation given to the Lake Worth City Commission on August 7th by CPZ Architects click on this link.

Simply put. The argument comes down to whether or not this City of Lake Worth needs a large municipal pool at the Beach or one constructed somewhere else in this City for swimmers, water exercise and for public safety, e.g., teaching children how to swim.

And really now folks, seriously!

Does the Town of Palm Beach need another large pool nearby for lap swimming and to teach water sports like synchronized swimming?

Click on image to enlarge:

Image courtesy of Tom McGow from eight years ago. Some of you will recognize a former city manager, a former mayor and commissioners, and the current Vice Mayor Pro Tem Scott Maxwell who has been working hard ever since 2009 to fix all this mess at the Lake Worth Beach and Casino complex.

In conclusion, the Pool Patch Plaster Repair Kit cannot repair the City’s municipal pool at the Beach. And this information published in March 2010 is still very applicable to the present day:


Stand alone “rectangular pools” are a thing of the past and even our pool’s location by the beach is not enough of an attraction to draw people on a regular basis or attract swim meets. Across the nation older municipal pools are being shut down, often replaced by aquatic parks that cater to whole families.

No amount of “out of the box marketing” can succeed in bringing people to a facility that is no longer viable in today’s recreation market.

End of story.

From Butch Ward: “Want your newsroom to collaborate? Help veterans and beginners learn from each other”

To learn more about Butch Ward click on this link.

Here are two excerpts from Ward’s tips on collaboration in the changing newsroom:


     Editors frequently ask me the secret to managing millennials.
     After all, they say, they act entitled, quit on a moment’s notice and seem more concerned with how much vacation they get than whether they should work some extra hours.
     Of course, editors also ask me how to manage veterans who, they say, are resisting the need to learn the skills everyone needs in a digital newsroom. 

and. . .

     Fact is, people of all ages and experiences populate newsrooms (as they always have), and they bring a variety of talents, motivations and ambitions to their jobs. Asking how to manage discrete groups of people is the wrong question.
     Instead, here’s the question I think editors should be asking:
     How can I best manage an entire staff of individuals — some young and inexperienced, others seasoned by work and life — and help them discover how to learn from each other, work with each other?


Just trying to help.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony tomorrow!

Please RSVP to Mrs. Jenny Bretz at Neighborhood Renaissance. Call 561-832-6776 or by email: jbretz@neighborhoodrenaissance.org

Joan Oliva is the Executive Director of the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency. For more information call 561-493-2550; email: joliva@lakeworth.org

Click on image to enlarge:

The Arts Lofts is the second phase of live-work-create residences designed to spur business development in West Village. For more about recent developments click on this link for a joint press release from the City of Lake Worth and the CRA.