Wednesday, December 23, 2020

PBSO - Lake Worth Beach - Weekly Update - 12/23/20

 Here is your latest PBSO weekly update for Lake Worth Beach:

Crime: We had a busy and tragic weekend. There was a shooting in Tropical Ridge Sunday in which one of the two victims was killed. We had a second shooting the following morning in Royal Poinciana where one person was shot. The two incidents do not appear to be related. Our Violent Crimes Division is investigating. We had three robberies to persons with no specific patterns. Regarding property crimes, we had five burglaries (three to businesses, one residence and one vehicle). Suspects were looking for tools in most of the cases. We also had one stolen vehicle.

Please continue to look out for each other and when you see something suspicious “make the call”. The holidays are traditionally busy for law enforcement. There is usually an uptick in crime and mental illness related calls for service. This year has been no different.

Community Policing: This has been a busy month for us. This year was different from previous years due to the pandemic however , we were still able to purchase and deliver toys for 400 + children in Lake Worth Beach. The toys were delivered to the four elementary schools which chose the families based on need.  

Covid 19: We continue to see a spike in Covid 19 cases within our region. I currently have a couple deputies out with it and a couple quarantined. Fortunately all of the cases are mild. The vaccine information is great news but please remain vigilant until it is available to everyone.

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday,

Captain Todd Baer

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Commander – District 14 – City of Lake Worth Beach

Friday, December 11, 2020

Former District #2 Commissioner - Mac McKinnon

 From Carol Webster, Lake Worth High School Alum, passed this word on to me today:

"I’m sorry to share with you that I got word this morning that former LWHS coach and former LW Vice-Mayor Mac McKinnon lost his fight with Covid last night.  He was truly a kind and caring man.  He played an important role in the lives of many in Lake Worth and the surrounding area.  He was a teacher, coach and public servant.  He will be missed."

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

A note to my friends, supporters and residents of the City of Lake Worth Beach:

After being contacted by, and reaching out to, fellow Lake Worth Beach residents this past October, it was clear that they wanted a new direction for the city and were not satisfied with those who indicated a desire to run for the position. Most of the people I talked with suggested that such a candidate was me and running for Mayor would fill that need.

After much reflection and consideration, I’m announcing that I will not be continuing my campaign for Mayor. After consulting with family members, trusted friends, colleagues and key supporters, I realized that the most important factor was relatively easy to recognize: The relatively recent decision to run for office did not provide enough time and resources to be able to win in March of 2021. 

A further realization was to be an effective Mayor in a sizable, diverse city like Lake Worth Beach, one must be prepared to dedicate more time to campaign than my current and projected business volume was going to allow me to do.  Suddenly we were engaged in a full-time effort for the campaign to raise enough financial resources to compete in a potential 5-way race. We also quickly discovered that raising money to compete during a pandemic, when so many of our neighbors are suffering badly from the impacts of Covid-19, proved especially challenging. 

I wish the best of luck to the remaining competitors for the job. I pledge to stay involved as a vocal participant in our local government. I urge the next Mayor and Commission to move forward on what would have been the foundations of my campaign. 

These were to improve the quality and increase the volume of communication coming from City Hall to our residents and businesses. We must vastly improve customer service and look at the quality of the experience residents and businesses have when doing business with the City. I fully support the City conducting a comprehensive Charter review and will continue my efforts in helping make the Lake Worth Beach dais be more representative of our diverse population in that regard.. Finally, we must go forward with improvements to the oceanfront park, the disposition of a city swimming pool and the Blueway Paddling Trail project. Successful execution of these opportunities will increase the quality of life for all City of Lake Worth residents.

I thank everyone  for their support and encouragement. I hope everyone stays safe, wears their masks and enjoys the best holiday season possible under different and challenging circumstances.

With continued love for Lake Worth Beach, I remain...

Wes Blackman

Resident of Lake Worth Beach

Sunday, December 6, 2020

The public in this City of Lake Worth is screaming, “We can’t hear you!” From May 16, 2018 - Over two years ago.

Below is a post about the importance of reaching out to Neighborhood Associations prior to making big decisions at the City Commission level. This is above and beyond statutory requirements. It would be more than the standard effort required. This is something I've always supported: more communication from the City prior to considering items that will have a profound effect on residents and property owners.

Click on image to enlarge:
William Waters is the Dir. of Community Sustainability. On March 7th he said, “Neighborhood associations could be noticed.” And the board attorney said at this same meeting, “[W]e are meeting the statutory requirements.”

Our residents in this City deserve better than just the minimum effort when it comes to communication.

Below is the video of last night’s City Commission meeting, “First Reading, Amending Chapter 23, Land Development Regulations”. It was hard to watch. The public, however, needs to commended for being so respectful and coming forth with their well-thought and researched observations and complaints.



A Tweet from last night (please pause to load):


The public was calm and reasonable. And so was the City Commission. But to the staff it was like the public was talking to a bunch of people so completely out of touch and disconnected, hoping and praying that they’ll finally get it this time.

The public gets it. The City staff doesn’t. And there are too many people between the staff level and the Commission that don’t get it either.

Did you know this City has a “Neighborhood Planner”? What exactly does that person do?


This City of Lake Worth needs to learn how to communicate with all our neighborhoods. Why it’s taking so long to learn that bypassing the Neighborhood Assoc. Presidents’s Council (NAPC) is a really bad idea is beyond comprehension. Waiting for Commission meetings to hear from the public is way too late as evidenced by a packed house last night.


Having this many people show up at a
Commission meeting is not a good thing. 
This is a sign the City has a communication problem.


Check back to this blog later on today and tomorrow for more about this meeting. Briefly, several items from this agenda item will come back to the City Commission for another First Reading on June 5th. For the rest of everything from “Ordinance 2018-07” it’s back to the drawing board. Again. Is anyone surprised?

The public is saying, “We can’t hear you!” And the reason is there are too many people working for this City who are not listening, or worse yet, don’t care.

This “New Business” item on the agenda took up 2½ hours last night at the City Commission. Would encourage everyone to watch this video in short segments over the next day or two. Commissioners Omari Hardy and Herman Robinson were out of town attending an Urban Land Institute conference in Savannah.


Public Comment begins at
the 1 hour and 10 second mark.

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Saturday Food Give-Away Church by the Glades 127 S M St, Lake Worth Beach - 12/5/20

 Each Saturday morning Restoration Bridge distributes free food to anyone in need in the parking lot at Church By The Glades. Individuals and families will receive boxes of fresh produce, dairy, meat, and more. All are welcome! Please visit www.restorationbridge.com if you are interested in volunteering. #feedthehungry #localfood #volunteer

Click here for Facebook event link.

INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL PHYSICIANS WHO ARE EXPERTS ON COVID-19

I highly recommend watching this informative video. It is timely information provided by experts in the field of public health and members of the medical community.

In conjunction with the Town of Palm Beach, the Palm Beach Civic Association dedicated its December 3rd episode of “Your Town, Your Safety, Your Well-Being” to giving the community an update on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Three local doctors, who are experts on COVID-19, were featured in this episode. They included Dr. Alina Alonso, who is the Palm Beach County Health Department Director, Dr. Kenneth Scheppke, who is an emergency medicine physician and the State EMS Medical Director, and Dr. David Dodson, who is double board certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases.

To view this very informative and important episode, please click on the link below. https://vimeo.com/486966696

Friday, December 4, 2020

Loyal Readers: Working for Change in Lake Worth Beach this March!


I'm excited to announce my campaign for Mayor of Lake Worth Beach for the upcoming election on March 9th.

We'll have a website up soon, meanwhile you can visit, like and follow our campaign Facebook page at https://lnkd.in/eh2DC7i and please share the page with your family, friends and neighbors who care about the future of our wonderful city.

Your financial support is also most appreciated, running election campaigns can get expensive these days! You can use this safe and secure link ( https://lnkd.in/eGfYEEp ) to our contribution form or mail checks to the Wes Blackman Campaign, 241 Columbia Dr., Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460

Thank you for your support!

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Thanksgiving For Food-Challenged Lake Worth Beach Families

Arms of Hope Community, Inc. and the Kiwanis Club of Lake Worth Beach are teaming up to provide a total of $1,000 in Thanksgiving food gift cards to ten Lake Worth families. Patrick Livingston, who runs Above the Sea community restaurant on Wingfield Street, serves as project coordinator. Want to join us in making a difference? Any donation will help make an impact.

Food-challenged families are always in need of help. Patrick is there for them, day in and day out. Yet, the need is so much keener NOW. Thanks in advance for your support.

Donations needed on or before Thursday, November 19 so that families may receive their gifts in time to purchase food for Thanksgiving. For further information about Arms of Hope click.

Click here for GoFundMe link.

PBSO Lake Worth Beach - November 9th Weekly Update

Crime – Overall crime has come down from the rough start to the beginning of the year. This past week we had a shots fired call in the 200 block of South Lakeside Drive where no one was hit. We had three robberies to persons with no particular patterns. Lastly, we had 10 vehicle burglaries. All ten were unlocked vehicles and another gun was taken out of one of them. We are following up on some good leads. It appears the same suspects committed most if not all ten burglaries.

Covid 19 – The numbers are rising again. We have several deputies out in our region who either have it or are awaiting testing results after being exposed. Please continue to follow all CDC guidelines.

Traffic – We have had a few special operations lately to curtail speeding and other violations. Several Commercial Motor Vehicle units (CMV) worked a special detail in the areas near 6th Ave South, 10th Ave North and LW Road to enforce the commercial vehicles traveling through residential areas . Our motor units are also out in regards to speeding and failing to stop for stop signs.

Commission Presentation – My next quarterly presentation to the commission is Tuesday, 11/17/2020 at 6 pm. You can attend virtually by clicking on the link on the city web page. I will be presenting the crime data and talking about what PBSO is doing in the city, particularly with community policing.

Stay safe !

Captain Todd Baer

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Commander – District 14 – City of Lake Worth Beach

Monday, November 9, 2020

Power Outage City of Lake Worth Beach Electric Utility 11/9/20 at 8:20 a.m.

 

Announcements from the City of Lake Worth Beach regarding Tropical Storm Eta

All Lake Worth Beach City Offices will be closed Tomorrow (Monday the 9th) Due to Hurricane Eta

In an abundance of caution the Lake Worth Beach Casino Park, Beach and Property will be closed Monday, November 9th. The Casino Complex will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.

Lake Worth Beach Residents due to storm Eta there will be no refuse collection of any type in any Zone Monday November 9. Do not Push trash, vegetation or recycling on the curb.

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

BREAKING NEWS: WES BLACKMAN FILED HIS INTENT TO RUN FOR MAYOR OF LAKE WORTH BEACH!

Today I filed paperwork with the City Clerk that indicates my intent to run for the Mayor's seat during the March 9, 2021 municipal election. The qualifying period for officially putting one's name on the ballot begins at noon on November 24th and ends noon on December 8th. 

Standby for news and announcement as the campaign gears up. Contributions can be made with checks made out to "Wes Blackman Campaign" Contact me at the phone number in the righthand column for my address or where you would like me to pick up your campaign contribution. Donations are limited to $1,000 per person or business entity. Any amount, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated.

Thank you and stay tuned! Truly excited about all the support I've received since the announcement.

Friday, October 23, 2020

Lake Worth Beach: This Van is Here in our Town for Mail Ballot Drop-Off

Drop-off your mail in ballot for the Presidential Election at this convenient location. Others available throughout Palm Beach County.


Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Census Self Response Is Open Until 11:59PM on Thursday, October 15th

It is time to sprint to the finish line. The self-response site will be open for online census responses until 11:59PM on Thursday, October 15th-giving us 2 working days. We can do it! We know there are MANY people that have not been counted because just yesterday at the events in Lake Worth Beach many households were added to count.

Please explain how important the decennial census is to every person you see and ask them to respond NOW. It is important to collect the names and ages of every person at that address to ensure that the next decade has the best data for planning and funding.

Click here now! 

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Good news for students in these difficult times...

Lake Worth Beach Electric Utility in conjunction with the Palm Beach County School District have collaborated to provide Wi-Fi service to students and their families who might not otherwise be able to afford the requisite level of connectivity for learning from home. The project will provide for the attachment of 225 WiFi radios to City’s Electric Utility Poles with an estimated in like kind value of $292,500 annually, based on $1300 year per pole attachment. 

The placement of the radios will be identified with a focus based on density of students on free/reduced lunch and parent survey results (indicating no internet access at home). Additionally, Wi-Fi radios will be installed on School District buildings and provide electricity for the radios. 

This project was important prior to COVID but has become vital due to the high number of local children who are now learning from home. The project will ensure that no child falls behind due to a lack of internet access.

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Announcement from the City of Lake Worth Beach...

 
The City of Lake Worth Beach is disappointed to announce that the 2021 Street Painting Festival has been cancelled due to COVID19. Although organizers had hoped to find a safe way to host the annual event, due its nature there was no way to do so while keeping participants and attendees safe. The 27th Annual Street Painting Festival will instead be hosted in 2022 and the City and Event Organizers look forward to welcoming guests back for a weekend of chalk artistry.

Thursday, October 1, 2020

LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE TO PRESENT THE 9TH ANNUAL L-DUB FILM FESTIVAL October 9th - 11th.

 The Lake Worth Playhouse will resume its century old tradition of showing movies on a big silver screen in its Stonzek Studio Theater featuring some of the newest and best cinema work by filmmakers from South Florida and around the globe. 

The festival opens on Friday night Oct 9th at 6 pm with JOSE, a Venice Film Festival Award Winner and tender moving coming of age tale of gay love blossoming in violent, repressive Guatemalaby Li Cheng. 

October 10th will feature a host of comedies, shorts, documentaries, music videos and features for every taste along with director Q&A's both live and zoom. 

The festival will conclude October 11th with a focus on featuring several local films from area filmmakers. 

All current health safety precautions will be observed. Due to capacity restrictions, seating is limited and social distancing enforced. Temperature's will be checked at the entrance and in accordance with local mandates, masks are required in the theater.

As seating is limited we urge people to buy tickets online at our website: https://www.lakeworthplayhouse.org/welcome/ldub/

We've all been tethered to our televisions and computer monitors for the last seven months. It is now time to break out into a new direction...the past. Come see the newest movies, the old way. 

Welcome back to the movies and the Lake Worth Playhouse!

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

New Development at 1715 North Dixie Hwy on the Way!

New redevelopment project coming to North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. This is the block immediately north of The Mid project which is in the final stages of completion. This is the site as it appears today. It is owned by the Lake Worth Beach Community Redevelopment Agency.
From the August 11, 2020 LWBCRA meeting: 

"Office America Group – 'Deco Greene': a 121-unit mixed-use residential project consisting of 3 buildings. This project will consist of 1/1, 2/2 and 3/2 rental apartments. Also included is 966 sq. ft. of office and 7406 sq. ft. of retail. A 30,000 sq. ft. public green space and parking garage are part of the development. This development team is offering $2.49M to the CRA for the right to develop the lot."

The Lake Worth Beach CRA unanimously approved the sale of this property to the respondent to the Request for Proposal.

Aerial view:
Click here for back-up from the meeting when the item was discussed. Click here for the video.

Monday, September 21, 2020

PBSO - Lake Worth Beach Weekly Update


 Greetings,

This is your weekly update from PBSO – Lake Worth Beach.

Crime – We had a fantastic week crime wise – We had zero robberies for the week. Our one violent crime was a sexual battery where the victim and suspect knew each other. We had three residential burglaries and two vehicle burglaries. Both of these numbers are well below average. Unfortunately once again a firearm was taken out of an unlocked vehicle.

DOJ CBCR Grant - The DOJ Community Based Crime Reduction grant is in year two which is the implementation phase. In addition to paying for a full time violent crimes detective and grant coordinator we are now putting out extra deputies in saturation details designed to curtail violent crime in the grant area. Covid 19 has hampered much of our community involvement plans for this grant. For those that are not aware, the grant area runs from the Lantana city limits north to 10th Avenue North and from Federal Highway west to I-95. 85% of our violent crime occurs within this area.

City Contract with PBSO – The Sheriff’s contract with the city will not increase for the upcoming fiscal year.

Covid 19 – We have not had a deputy assigned to our district test positive in a couple months. I am currently at full staff. Please continue to adhere to all CDC safety measures.

Census – We are days away from the end of the census count. This affects so many facets of the city to include, political representation, funding, crime data, etc. Please go online and complete your survey. There are some census workers going door to door right now. They will have identification.

Stay safe,

Captain Todd Baer

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Commander – District 14 – City of Lake Worth Beach

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

City of Lake Worth Beach Road Closure T O D A Y

 

Please be advised Boutwell Road between 2nd Avenue North and 7th Avenue North will be closed for an underground roadway project starting at 7AM Wednesday, September 16th.

The roadway will be re-opened on Thursday, September 17th at 8AM.

Monday, September 14, 2020

TooJay’s Deli Kicks Off Football Season with Game Day Catering

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (September 14, 2020) – With football season finally here, nothing says Game Day like party platters of piled-high sandwiches from TooJay’s Deli.   

Game Day catering is available for takeout or contactless curbside pick-up. Guests can order online through TooJay’s website or call their nearest location to place an order. Curbside is available only on pre-paid orders through the app or website. Delivery is also available on orders of $50 or more. Delivery times are limited so orders should be placed in advance. Guests are encouraged to call their nearest location for delivery details.    

Party platters for at-home tailgate parties of any size feature an assortment of sandwiches or wraps served with Cole slaw or potato salad and pickles. In addition to popular sandwich choices such as Turkey Breast, Roast Beef, Ham and Cheese and Tuna Salad, other catering selections include hot entrées, fresh salads and delectable made-from-scratch dessert trays. To view the full catering menu, visit https://www.toojays.com/menus/catering-menu/.   

TooJay’s is excited to welcome guests into its dining rooms at all locations throughout Florida in accordance with capacity and distancing requirements from local and state governments and enhanced sanitation procedures. For information on how TooJay’s is implementing COVID-19 safety regulations, please visit TooJays.com/how-we-are-navigating-covid-19.  

Founded in 1981, TooJay’s currently serves guests in Palm Beach and Broward counties, the Treasure Coast, the Orlando area and The Villages.  

TooJay’s received three Palm Beach Post 2020 Best of Palm Beach County Awards for Best Sandwich, Best Dessert and Best Caterer; 2020 Best of Orlando Award for Deli; 2020 South Florida Family Favorites Award for Favorite Family Restaurant; the 2019 South Florida Gay News Golden Spoon Award for Outstanding New Spot in Fort Lauderdale; and the 2019 Restaurant Neighbor Award as a State Winner from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation for its work with Feeding Florida. 

For more information about TooJay’s, visit TooJays.com. Follow TooJay’s at  twitter.com/therealTooJays and instagram.com/toojaysdeli or visit the Facebook fan page, which has over 93 thousand fans, and become a fan at facebook.com/TooJaysDeli.

News Worthy Episode 3 - City of Lake Worth Beach - 2020 CENSUS

2020 Census ALERT: VOLUNTEER Opportunity: September 28 (4-8PM)

Come volunteer at the CENSUS COLLECTION CELEBRATION, a drive-through event at Harold Grimes Memorial Park parking lot. Volunteers are needed to distribute produce boxes, prepared meals, books, etc. 

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Jess Savidge,Strategic Improvement Project Manager at jsavidge@lakewothbeachfl.gov

Sunday, September 6, 2020

Yours truly about to give a talk: CREW Palm Beach/ Treasure Coast

Join us on September 8th at 11:45am to learn about historic preservation as an economic development and real estate tool featuring Wes Blackman, AICP. Register here.

It would be great to see you in this virtual meeting. CREW stands for Commercial Real Estate Women. Here's a bit about the group:

CREW Network is the premier business networking organization dedicated to transforming the commercial real estate industry by advancing women globally. The organization was founded in 1989 to bring together women involved in the many aspects of commercial real estate to exchange information, develop business contacts and help each other succeed professionally.

CREW Palm Beach/Treasure Coast follows the core mission of the network on a local level and helps its members excel in the commercial real estate industry by providing networking opportunities and platforms, informative programming, support to today's women in the industry as well as paving the way for the future women leaders through scholarships, mentorship and internships.

CREW Network provides support to its 11,000+ members worldwide in 70+ markets through business development, leadership development, industry research and career outreach.

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Wall of Unity Mural Redo - Volunteers Needed

Dear Friends:

As you may have read in this week's Lake Worth Herald, the long-discussed project to redo the Mural of Unity on Wingfield is now making progress.

This mural is on a wall that separated African-American community from the rest of the city in Jim Crow days. About 20 years ago, a Mural of Unity was painted on that wall. The painting has deteriorated and is now being restored.

The organizers are putting out a call for volunteers. Please distribute that info (flyer attached) to your congregations, friends and other interested parties.

You can contact Retha Lowe or Javier del sol for further information.

Thanks,

Ted Brownstein 

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

PBSO - Lake Worth Beach - Weekly Update 09 02 20

 Crime – We had good numbers again this week.  In fact,  have had a few good weeks in a row. I am hopeful we can put together a few more. This will help to lower the numbers for the year which started very high. This is the first time in a long time that we had zero robberies for the week. We also only had three auto burglaries which are up a lot this year. We did have one handgun stolen again from an unlocked vehicle. That is another gun in the hands of a criminal

Community Policing – Even with Covid 19 hampering us, we held several community events this past week:

·         We handed out one hundred school backpacks to the four elementary schools. They will give them to the students who need them the most

·         We did a traffic enforcement day where we handed out coffee mugs, teddy bears and coloring books instead of citations

·         We handed out bike helmets and will be giving out hundreds in the coming weeks.

Covid 19 – The numbers continue to trend in the right direction. This is not the time to become complacent. Keep following CDC guidelines so we can get through this. Phase two is in the works. This is encouraging.

Census 2020 – We will have to live with these numbers for ten years. You are running out of time to complete the census. Please do so and encourage friends and neighbors to do the same. The city desperately needs accurate numbers. The census affects many things from crime data to school lunches, aftercare and many other facets of the city.

Stay safe,

Captain Todd Baer

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Commander – District 14 – City of Lake Worth Beach

Thursday, August 27, 2020

Palm Beach County Eviction Mitigation Assistance

Palm Beach County has partnered with the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County and is offering free assistance and representation with landlord/tenant matters and past due payments through the CARES Act Rapid Response Eviction Assistance Project (RREAP). The program term runs from August 1 through December 30, 2020.

The services include: pre-suit mediation between landlords and tenants, legal advice regarding the eviction process, referrals for rental assistance, preparation of responses to an eviction lawsuit, assistance in negotiating repayment plans, and court representation.

For more information, click here.

Gulfstream Hotel Presentation with Bryant Park Neighborhood Association



More on this later. Please ask questions in the comments in the meantime. This was a Zoom meeting, facilitated by the Neighborhood Association Presidents Council (thanks Ryan Oblander). About 20-30 people attended this virtual meeting where the prospective purchasers of the Gulfstream Hotel property answered questions and shared some details about the plans for the project.

There are still some loose ends on financing, but as posted previously, the Lake Worth Beach CRA made a major commitment to the project and its August 11th meeting. Both principals of the company May and Amrit Gil participated in the meeting. You will hear what directed their design choices, the timeline for the project and how much parking will be provided by the redevelopment.

Watch the video - it's not very long. And, for now, leave questions in the comments section. Thanks!

Palm Beach County Community Services Department to Temporarily Suspend Rental and Utility Assistance Applications

 On Sept. 1, 2020, the Palm Beach County Community Services Department (CSD) will temporarily suspend the acceptance of rental and utility applications to allow sufficient time to process applications currently in the queue.  The county will reopen the application portal in October if funds are still available.  Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 31 in order to be processed.

Currently, more than 3,400 applications have been submitted for a total request of approximately $8 million. An additional 3,300 applications are in draft status. Individuals who have already submitted applications can check their status at www.pbcgov.com/clientservicessearch

To date, Palm Beach County has processed close to 1,000 rental and utility payments totaling over $1.4 million. The review process has been completed for an additional 360 payments totaling approximately $560,000.  There are 620 applications currently pending due to missing documents, 320 have been denied, and 1,120 applications are under review.

The rental and utility application portal will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 31, 2020.  Households seeking assistance can apply by visiting www.pbcgov.com/OSCARSS.

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Let TooJay’s Do the Cooking on the Jewish High Holy Days

 It’s Time to Make Your Reservation or Place Your Order 

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (August 25, 2020) – With the Jewish High Holidays fast approaching, TooJay’s Deli has begun taking reservations for in-restaurant dining and orders for its menu of traditional favorites available for convenient takeout, catering and contactless curbside pick-up.  

Rosh Hashanah 

Reservations are required for Rosh Hashanah dine-in at the restaurant on Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19. In keeping with current requirements from local and state governments, seating will be limited.  

 

Takeout and catering orders must be placed by Tuesday, September 15. Curbside pick-up is available only on pre-paid orders through the TooJay’s website or Delicious Rewards app. To order online, visit toojays.com/order-now.  

 

The Rosh Hashanah menu of traditional savory and sweet specialties includes the following popular choices: lean and tender brisket platter; herb roasted half chicken; broiled salmon with dill sauce; roasted Cornish game hen; and grilled London broil. All dine-in entrées include a glass of kosher wine, made-from-scratch matzo ball soup, gefilte fish or chopped liver, mini potato pancakes, carrot tzimmes, coffee or tea and a choice of dessert.  

 

Yom Kippur 

Orders must be placed by Wednesday, September 23 for Yom Kippur takeout, catering and contactless delivery in time to prepare for the break-fast on Monday, September 28.   

The classic TooJay’s Yom Kippur break-fast includes platters of sliced Nova, baked salmon and whitefish salad, bagels, cream cheese and accompaniments all ordered in desired quantities. Blintzes, mini potato pancakes and other holiday favorites from TooJay’s kitchen also are on the Yom Kippur menu, along with freshly baked breads and desserts from TooJay’s famous bakery. Classic, made-from-scratch round challah, raisin challah, almond cake, honey cake, sponge cake and macaroons top the list of traditional favorites.  

TooJay’s has welcomed guests into its dining rooms at all locations throughout Florida in accordance with capacity and distancing requirements from local and state governments and enhanced sanitation procedures. For information on how TooJay’s is implementing COVID-19 safety regulations, please visit TooJays.com/how-we-are-navigating-covid-19 

 

Founded in 1981, TooJay’s currently serves guests in Palm Beach and Broward counties, the Treasure Coast, the West Coast of Florida, the Orlando area and The Villages.  

 

TooJay’s received three Palm Beach Post 2020 Best of Palm Beach County Awards for Best Sandwich, Best Dessert and Best Caterer; 2020 Best of Orlando Award for Deli; 2020 South Florida Family Favorites Award for Favorite Family Restaurant; the 2019 South Florida Gay News Golden Spoon Award for Outstanding New Spot in Fort Lauderdale; and the 2019 Restaurant Neighbor Award as a State Winner from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation for its work with Feeding Florida

 

For more information about TooJay’s, visit TooJays.com. Follow TooJay’s at twitter.com/therealTooJays and instagram.com/toojaysdeli orvisit the Facebook fan page, which has over 93 thousand fans, and become a fan at facebook.com/TooJaysDeli. 

Monday, August 24, 2020

Vice Mayor Amoroso’s Design-A-Mask Contest

 Contest Rules

Vice Mayor Amoroso and the Lake Worth Beach Recreation Division would like to invite you to join our Design-A-Mask Contest! While we all do our best to follow safety protocols to keep our families and community around us safe, we can also have fun while doing it. Use your inner artist to style a unique mask that speaks to you. The community will come together to vote on the top masks. You can submit individual and/or group themed masks.

Starts Monday, August 17th
Submissions are due Thursday, September 17th

There will be 3 Categories to allow for a wider range creativity and submissions of masks including:

Most Creative - Most Inspiring - Most Comical

Guidelines

Materials for the masks may be purchased from any arts and crafts store, found around the house, or ingeniously crafted.

  • Mask submissions with pre-assembled simple store-bought masks will not be accepted.
  • Masks must be able to be worn on a face without additional hands or structural support if the materials are too heavy.
  • Masks must cover at the minimum the nose and mouth.
  • Submission photos must show a full head and upper shoulders of each person in the photo.
  • Submissions can include a short 1 paragraph text on what inspired the mask.
  • All masks must be in good taste and not display any profanity or offensive language.
  • Submissions should be submitted on our website at https://lakeworthbeachfl.gov/recreation/.

Sunday, August 23, 2020

Reason for Optimism: The Gulfstream Hotel

Frankly, I was beginning to wonder. I hadn't heard much of anything about the rehabilitation, restoration and expansion of the Gulfstream Hotel since the March election. You may recall that the ballot contained a question on whether to amend the city's Charter to allow for buildings to be built to the same height of the historic hotel. This only applied to the block between Lake Avenue, Golfview, 1st Avenue South and Lakeside Drive. That question passed with 65.21% of voters saying "yes."

The date of that election was March 12, 2020. Almost immediately afterwards, we all began to feel the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and we entered a period of stay-at-home orders. Our lives have been altered ever since. 

We also got word through a Palm Beach Post article that Restoration St. Louis, the contract purchaser of the Gulfstream Hotel property, received an extension of their due diligence period until October. Later on, I heard through the grapevine that another extension had been granted until December 2020. The extensions were made necessary due to the pandemic and what appeared to be skittishness on the part of lenders regarding the project.

Other than that information, I heard little about the project or its progress until I talked to someone who had watched a recent Lake Worth Beach CRA meeting. 

It turns out that a lot happened at the August 11, 2020 Lake Worth Beach CRA meeting. Click here for link to the meeting video. I'll do another post on the project north of The Mid, which is under construction now. You'll be excited to see what is planned for that site and the CRA accepted the $2.49 million offer for the 2.3 acre Dixie Hwy. property from Office America Group of Coral Gables, Florida.

I'm going to let the following snippets from the staff report speak for themselves regarding the Gulfstream Hotel project. Suffice to say that project is REAL, the CRA is offering significant financial incentives and the project is about as real as it gets. Check out the following:

Tomorrow night at 7 p.m., a Zoom meeting is being held by the Bryant Park Neighborhood Association. It falls on the same night as their regular monthly meeting. It is my understanding that the developer of the project will be in attendance, make a presentation and answer questions. As there is a limit on the number of attendees, you are asked to email your questions to bryantparkneighborhoodnews@gmail.com. You can ask for the link to the Zoom meeting and you can attend as long as there are enough places.

In the meantime, I plan on attending and will be able to give you a sense of timing and when this will make its way through the Historic Resources Preservation Board for review.

And, most importantly, the CRA board voted unanimously in support of the project.

2020 Census - Announcement from City of Lake Worth Beach

 How Can You Verify That Someone Is a Census Taker?

If someone visits your home this year to collect information for the 2020 Census, check to make sure they have a valid ID badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. Census workers may also carry Census Bureau bags and other equipment with the Census Bureau logo.


Friday, August 21, 2020

Antigen Rapid Testing Site

 Rapid antigen testing is now available at the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. The site will be open Tuesday – Saturday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. for anyone 65 years of age or older, 18 years of age or younger, or anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19. Appointments are required. Registration can be done online at www.tourhealth.com or by calling (866) 416-6341. Online scheduling is preferred.

Information about additional testing sites in Palm Beach County can be found at https://lakeworthbeachfl.gov/testing

Blog Update: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

You may have noticed that the posts have been few and far between for the last year and a half. Frankly, dear reader, the focus has been elsewhere. I'm still alive and well, living in Lake Worth Beach. Besides the COVID-19 pandemic, my planning, zoning and historic preservation business took the front seat. Now, I hope to create a better balance between what had been a very active blog and that business.

You will notice more frequent updates and they will likely be geared to my line of work, but still with a major focus on Lake Worth Beach. Regional issues will also be addressed that impact our quality of life.

Besides doing some major housekeeping on the material found in the right-hand column of the blog today, I also turned back on the ability for readers to comment on entries. You'll find a comment tab at the end of each post. A "pop-up" window will appear where you will be able to submit comments. As before, all comments will be moderated and reviewed prior to posting. Long-time blog readers may remember that I exercised a light editorial touch to the comments. There were very few that I could not all to be posted. I also plan to interact, so that would be a good place to ask questions about the topic at hand.

You will also notice that I moved my contact information up to the top of the right-hand column. If you feel the need to contact me via other means, all the information is there. 

No promises that you will see a regular five or more posts per day on Lake Worth Beach goings-on. I am sure it will be crawl, walk and then maybe run. Just expect to see more regular updates with a little more narrow range of subject matter. I will be announcing up-coming City meetings and attempt to pass through other announcements of general public interest.

Another note: I am keeping all the older material up. There is a robust search engine in the upper left-hand corner that is specific to this blog. It's very good at retrieving that post with just the keywords you are looking for.

"Hello again!" I proclaim. Be patient at first and we'll get things underway again. There is a lot going on.

One last thing, don't be afraid to click on the ads you find on the blog. You will find that they cater to your particular interests. Each click helps put a few cents in the tip jar. If you appreciate the content you find here, it is an easy way to support this blog.

 Thanks for your loyal readership. 

Lake Worth Beach CRA REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #03-1920

The Lake Worth Beach CRA is seeking Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of vacant, City-owned parcels along Lake Avenue and North “B” Street in the mixed-use east zoning district.

The site contains three lots located between Lake and Lucerne Avenues and between “A” and “B” Street.

SITE: .6 acres

LAND USE / ZONING:

• Zoning: Mixed-Use East

• Land Use: Mixed-Use East

• Over 20 units allowed + 4 stories

PROPERTY FEATURES:

• Within Arts District

• 1 mile to beach

• 5 miles from Palm Beach International Airport

• 1.2 miles from Palm Beach State College

• .2 miles from Tri-Rail

• 1/2 mile to I-95 access

• Several redevelopment projects underway nearby

• Frontage on Lake and Lucerne Avenues

The CRA is seeking one proposal for the development of all three lots. The intent of the RFP is to create a unified vision with similar uses in the District that complement the evolving landscape as seen further east on Lake and Lucerne Avenues.

A proposal from one developer, willing to develop all of the parcels is required. It is the CRA’s intention to competitively select a Developer with the proven ability and interest to construct a development, and own the property once constructed.

Projects must be at least three stories in height. The project should have a mix of uses, predominately residential. Due to the site’s location, at the entrance-way to the City of Lake Worth Beach, the proposed development must be distinct, iconic and welcoming in its design.

Proposers are encouraged to speak to City Staff to discuss architecture, ideas and possibilities.

BID DEADLINE:

OCTOBER 14, 2020 • 3:00PM

For FULL RFP 

For more information please contact via email: cdabros@lakeworthbeachfl.gov

COVID TESTING 08 21 20

 Free COVID testing continues in the City. These sites offer free testing.

Saturday |22-Aug| 4-8 PM | Pre-Registration Required (561) 547-0085|Harold Grimes Memorial Park

Thursday | 27-Aug |9AM-1PM|Pre-Registration Required after 11AM at (561) 547-0085 or (561) 770-2370 |Peniel Haitian Baptist Church

Saturday |29-Aug | 4-8 PM| Pre-Registration Required (561) 547-0085 |Harold Grimes Memorial Park

In addition to tests within the City, the County’s COVID page has an interactive map and list of testing sites.

COMBAT COVID Palm Beach County APP AVAILABLE

 In English, Español, and Kreyol

CombatCOVID is a tool developed in coordination with state and local governments, physicians, and public health officials to help stop the spread of COVID-19. It uses Bluetooth technology to inform you if you have been in contact with anyone else using the app who has voluntarily, anonymously, and confidentially self-identified as being COVID-19 positive. This information is not shared in any way with any third-party or any local, state, or federal government or public health organization. This system=not any person or government agency – notifies you of your potential exposure and then suggests locations form which you can obtain COVID-19 testing.

This helps with containment efforts and combating the pandemic.

It is your decision alone to choose to share that you are VOID-19 positive through CombatCOVID. If you do so, the data you share will help further COVID-19 response efforts by allowing people to learn about their potential COVID-19 exposure anonymously and confidentially.

Your use of CombatCOVID is voluntary. You can at any time direct us to delete your personal information by choosing to do so within the app.

For more information please visit the Palm Beach County website at www.pbcgov.org

Sunday, August 9, 2020

What comes around goes around...

 All along U.S.1, there was a time when the City of Lake Worth Beach's economy run from the tourists that filled motels that lined that same road. That land use pattern and design of lodging established flourished before the dawn of the Interstate Highway System.

During a tourist family's stay, they would visit our beach and on their way, drop money at our downtown retail establishments along Lake and Lucerne Avenues. Given the Covid-19 pandemic, there are those that think the time has come for a rebirth of the open hallway model of motels. Click here for what may be an idea whose time has come again. 

Friday, August 7, 2020

Reminder about care and treatment of the City's alley network...

 

NOW is the time! All Census Data Collection activity to cease on September 30, 2020

Only 54 days remain for the Lake Worth Beach community to collect a complete census count for the next 10 years. This is the last chance to get an accurate population count for the next 10 years. Let’s Make It Count Lake Worth Beach!

The administration has accelerated the 2020 Census timeline so that ALL responses and census data collection activities will cease on September 30, 2020.

There is no time to wait! The City has collected only 49.7% of the potential residential homes. PLEASE don’t allow this Census to under-fund and under represent the City.

PLEASE text and call EVERY neighbor, customer, and client to ensure they have been counted.  Please ask if they have responded to the census for their address in Lake Worth Beach.

Community schools, roads, parks, healthcare, housing, representation and much more depend on EVERY PERSON responding. Without a complete count these programs/services will be underfunded, under-prepared, and under-represented for an entire decade.

You may see Mobile Questionnaire Assistants (MQAs) around the City beginning this week. MQAs are Census Bureau employees that can answer questions and encourage responses out in our community (in front of supermarkets, at food distributions, at service providers, etc.)

Census Bureau employees will begin to visit homes that have not responded beginning next week. They will have visible Census Bureau identification, US Department of Commerce photo badge (with watermark) and trained to practice CDC COVID prevention recommendations.

Please remind people of the confidentiality and security of their responses. NO INFORMATION would cause deportation, incarceration, benefit reductions, etc.

Big SHOUT out to Census Tract 52.02 (Memorial Park, Downtown Jewel, Pineapple Beach, and Royal Poinciana) for 4-days of impressive increases (0.1% + 0.4% + 0.6% + 0.1%) for a 1.2% increase since July 28!! Keep up what you are doing! 

Please contact me if you need any census materials or promotional items.

I have attached the City’s email newsletter full of information. If you are not receiving it directly, you may sign up on the City website’s main page at www.lakeworthbeachfl.gov.  

Monday, August 3, 2020

PBSO Weekly Update - August 3rd

Greetings,

Hurricane:

We got lucky again with Hurricane Isaias. It was a good practice run. The way 2020 has been I have no doubt there will be another one or two this season. Now is a good time to prepare by cleaning up yards and trimming foliage. Stock up on food and water, etc.

Crime: 

Crime was up a bit this week from last. 

We had five robberies and made arrests in two of the cases.

A three year old was shot in his home. We made an arrest in this case.   

We had seven auto burglaries with 5 of the 7 left unlocked. A handgun was taken out of a truck. This is a pattern countywide. Please spread the word not to leave guns in your vehicles, particularly pickup trucks.  

Covid 19: Please follow all of the recommendations so that we can curb this pandemic. We are all in this together and it takes everyone doing the right things.  

Census 2020:  

Lake Worth Beach’s reporting numbers are dismal. I cannot stress enough the importance of the census  

Stay safe and healthy,

Captain Todd Baer

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Commander – District 14 – City of Lake Worth Beach

Friday, July 31, 2020

Hurricane Isaias Special Update 4

City staff have secured many of the buildings and are working to secure the pier for Hurricane Isaias. At this time continue to follow updates from NOAA and the National Hurricane Center and continue your personal preparations. 

Make sure you secure your refuse containers by either bringing them in to your garage or filling them a quarter full of water while empty to stop them blowing away. Recycling containers should be secured indoors if possible.

Please continue to watch for updates and follow the advice of the Governor and other officials.

City staff have been working hard to prepare the City in case the storm is to hit Lake Worth Beach. You can expect multiple information releases to come from the City before, during, and after the storm.

If you haven't already followed us on social media please click the links below and look out for regular updates.

We are all in this together! We are Lake Worth Beach, a strong and resilient community that will stick together no matter what the weekend brings!

Monday, June 29, 2020

Emergency Order Issued Closing Beaches July 4th Weekend...

All public, municipal, & private beaches, including all beach parks, in Palm Beach County shall be closed from 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 3, 2020 until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 5, 2020.


From the City of Lake Worth Beach Utility Department...

The Electric Utility continues to move forward with system upgrades to better withstand high winds associated with storms, reduce outages due to vegetation and animal contacts, and allow for growth without stressing the system.  Areas of concentrated work include:

The western part of our service territory with 129 pole replacements and upgrades of associated hardware, as well as installation of remotely operated devices to more rapidly restore customers after outages.  Evidence of the work completed can be seen along Lake Osborne Drive, Detroit Street, Lake Worth Road, and Engle Street.  Additional aggressive vegetation clearing, and wrapping of poles with animal guards, was performed along the French Avenue canal bank where the large population of iguanas had led to multiple outages when they climb our poles and come in contact with energized wires.

The eastern part of the service territory has seen neighborhood electric system upgrades to include new poles and associated hardware, new transformers, and a conversion to a higher operating voltage to reduce stress on the system and provide capacity for growth.  Over 550 customers spread across the area from Lake Avenue to 16th Ave North on Palmway, Lakeside, and Golfview and from Lake to 3rd Ave North from Federal to Palmway, are now being fed from newly hardened electric infrastructure.

The area of 7th Avenue North leading to Boutwell Road is undergoing upgrades of poles and associated hardware, including some undergrounding of electric lines, in support of improvements to the Park of Commerce roadways and sidewalk infrastructure.

Additionally, vegetation management comprised of tree trimming and mowing of alleys, as well as wrapping of poles to prevent wildlife from climbing up to our wires continues daily across the entire system.

Our dedicated team of IBEW employees, both from our own staff and contractors, are working six day weeks across daytime and evening shifts to bring these much needed improvements to our customers.  Please thank them for their efforts when you see them in your neighborhoods, and of course slow down and be extra careful as you drive by their job sites for their safety as well as your own.