Quote: Margaret Singer (1921–2003): expert on religious cults and brainwashing

"[Cults] prey on the most lonely, vulnerable people they can find, cage you with your own mind through guilt and fear, cut you off from everyone...they don't need armed guards to keep you. Liars, tricksters, it's been the same ever since Eve got the apple, and I doubt it will ever change. They're all basically, really the same, con men. "
Margaret Singer, Ph.D.

NAPC: From our Nice Neighbors in Parrot Cove—Meeting Tonight.

We will have our regular meeting TONIGHT at 7:00 pm at the Beach Club located at the Lake Worth Golf Course. Our meeting is open to all neighbors. Our speaker this month will be City of Lake Worth Preservation Manager Aimee Sunny.

Aimee will be speaking to us about our historic neighborhood, preservation efforts, facts of local interest and how to navigate the process of performing improvements to historic homes and how that affects those who own them. Also the role of City staff in the process and what resources are available to homeowners. She will give a short presentation and answer questions from our membership.

Editor's note: As chair of the Historic Resource Preservation Board, I highly recommend that people attend this talk. I find that there is a lot of confusion out there about what historic preservation is and what it isn't. The more you know the less likely it will seem to be just another set of hoops to jump through but more like a way to increase the value of your home and neighborhood. It also will eliminate surprises as you make plans to improve your house in a historic district.

Congratulations Pat Beall and Lawrence Mower at the Palm Beach Post

In Sunday's paper (4/19) is a short story in the 'A' section about two Palm Beach Post reporters, Pat Beall and Lawrence Mower, who are finalists for the "prestigious Investigative Reporters & Editors national awards to mark the best investigative reporting in newspapers in 2014." (Could not find a link to the Post story in the on-line edition.) Good luck to the both of you.

What caught my eye was this: they are finalists "in the category for newspapers with circulation of less than 150,000". I don't know about you but that was a shock to me. Under 150,000? Palm Beach County is the second largest county in the United States east of the Mississippi River. How could the circulation be so low?

So did a few minutes of research (Google search). The Tampa Bay Times is the best newspaper in Florida and one of the best in the nation so would expect a high circulation. How they stack up against newspapers in south Florida might surprise you:

Tampa Bay Times: 240,024

Sun Sentinel: 226,591

Miami Herald: 147,130

Palm Beach Post: 88,231

People can speculate as to why the number is so startlingly low. I have my thoughts and if you're a reader of this blog you probably know what they are: if they're interested in increasing their circulation they might want to consider a new editorial board. 

Kim Miller: must read article about the "boomerang buyers"

This is absolutely amazing. With so much focus on new residents from out-of-state moving to Florida to escape the miserable Winters there's been less attention paid to those that live here and lost a home due to a foreclosure or some other reason. We're talking about a lot of people and families. From the article in the Real Time blog:

     Foreclosures and short sales devastated America’s housing market following its 2006 peak, taking down borrower credit and personal savings with it.
     But a National Association of Realtors report released today found that 1.7 million homeowners nationwide who lost a property to short sale or foreclosure between 2006 and 2014, will likely return to the market by 2023.
     That includes 277,000 in Florida, which ranks second only to California in the number of so-called “boomerang buyers.” [emphasis added]

Not for the lo-rise crowd. See what you are missing?

Click here for related article about the elevator in the One World Trade Center building in New York. It includes an amazing historic panorama of Manhattan island from the 1500s on. The video is built into the elevator itself.

Lake Worth City Commission meeting tomorrow night: DZ, the Monitor Lizard, and CATS!

You can look at the agenda for tomorrow's meeting here (Tuesday, 4/21). Some interesting things are moving the floating docks closer to the boat ramp (about time) and designating the ficus trees in the Cultural Plaza as "historic"; that should be interesting.

Of course what everyone is talking about is what DZ is going to say. DZ, as well as many others, are concerned about the feral cat population. It's a terrible problem in some parts of the city. As soon as the news hit about the Monitor Nile lizards eating feral cats some reacted with horror; some saw this as an opportunity.

On an entirely different topic Mr. John Schrade of Port Saint Lucie had a Letter to the Editor published in the Palm Beach Post titled, "Use rabbits to bait pythons, lizards"; here's an excerpt:

     Over the past several months, there has been much talk about the Burmese python crisis. Recently, there also has been talk about the Nile monitor lizard. I think an opportunity has been missed here.
     There was also a study where rabbits were fitted with tracking devices. None of the rabbits was found, but many of the devices were found in the pythons. Solution: Have many many rabbits neutered, then fitted with the tracking devices. (Neutered, so they don’t just feed the the snakes with their offspring.)

Not trying to give you any ideas DZ!

Gonz: Free Car Show this Saturday

This time of year is always good for car shows. The weather is key, of course. I'll be there with camera in tow and maybe take some video. The time to get there is as early as you can. They'll have coffee and breakfast bites. 

[UPDATE] Sneak Peek at Lake Worth tabloid, see it here first!

[SHOCK: The Cribune is STILL FREE! We're at Vol. 1/Issue 13, why would anyone subscribe if you pick it up for FREE? Is it, "You Get What You Pay For?"]

Now if you see a pile of Marge Mange's tabloids at a news shop you can legally throw them all in the trash. If there are 10 just pay $1.20 and away they go! 18? Then it's $2.18. You get the idea. 

Can't wait to read about that "shocking scene" at the Cultural Plaza! Maybe it's on video? 

Dive: Pictures of underwater cleanup off Lake Worth shoreline

PBSO in City of Lake Worth: it's time to re-evaluate

My faith in PBSO and Captain Silva has taken a huge hit this week. Each week's Crime Blotter by Margaret Menge has taken its toll on me and I don't know how much more I can take.

Crime is a huge issue in Palm Beach County and as we all know most of the crime takes place in Lake Worth. 

Along with reports of "Stolen Tag", "Neighbor Trouble", and "Drug arrest" there were two crimes reported by Margaret Menge that have me especially frightened:

Stolen Vehicle: A man told police that he had a party on April 7 and became "extremely intoxicated." When he woke up, his 2001blue [sic] Ford Mustang was missing, along with the keys. He was told that he had loaned the car to a black man named "Zoe Blood." He had no memory of loaning out his car, he said, and had left many messages for Blood, asking for his car back.

And this one:

Internet Scam: A woman reported to police that she believed she was being targeted by a scammer, who was e-mailing, she said, from Turkey, where he said he was just approved to construct a shopping mall and needed money to "tip" a local elected official before the contract could be signed. The man identified himself as Gooz Adalwin Kenneth.

Seriously now, Margaret. Have you lost your mind? You mention some fella named "Gooz Adalwin Kenneth" from Turkey in your crime blotter? Would you like to inspect my spam folder for similar messages? I am sure there are about a dozen there, probably more than a few from "Gooz." An intoxicated man thinks he may have loaned his car to "Zoe Blood" and you call it a "Stolen Vehicle"? Some might think this is a stab at comedy, but it's not. These are "crimes" in Margaret Menge's Lake Worth Crime Blotter.

Pretty soon we will have to revisit why PBSO is policing the City of Lake Worth. There are many people who live in our City who don't remember those very dark days when there was the Lake Worth Police Department and how the gangs had taken over many parts of the City. 

14th Annual Lake Worth Great American Raft Race Theme is Reading Is Fun (RIF)!

Mary Lindsey has the latest special report in The Lake Worth Herald on the upcoming Great American Raft Race:

      A theme for this year’s Raft Race has been chosen by the Neighborhood Association Presidents Council, The 14th Annual Great American RIF-Raft Race! RIF stands for Reading Is Fun! Raft entries will select a favorite book, author or literary character(s) as a theme to decorate their homemade rafts for the parade downtown and the raft race at the Boat Ramp on the Intracoastal on the 4th of July. 
     Last year’s Art on the Water Raft Race brought out 26 entries, many for the first time. Neighborhood Associations, other non-profit service organizations, local businesses and even the City of Lake Worth are expected to be among this year’s participants in what can only be described as Lake Worth’s most chaotic and cherished annual event. 
     Rafts are homemade with no manufactured hulls and people powered only, no motors. Huge slabs of styrofoam, plastic barrels lashed together, air mattresses stuffed inside wooden pallets and origami inspired folded coroplast canoes are but a few of the many raft designs used in the past.

[and some history about the Great American Raft Race]

     From 2002 until 2009 each entry chose whatever theme they wanted. Beginning in 2010, an overall raft race theme was chosen and each entry designed their raft accordingly. Here are the Raft Race Winners from every year: 
     2002, 2003, 2004 Bryant Park 
     2005, 2006, 2007 Kiwanis 
     2008, Tropical Ridge 
     2009, Bryant Park 
     2010, “Movies”, Sabal Palm House and Mango Inn with Pajama Game 
     2011, “Nursery Rhymes”, A tie for First with South Palm Park and Tropical Ridge 
     2012, “Broadway Musicals”, Kiwanis 
     2013, “The Lake Worth Centennial”, South Palm Park 
     2014, “Art on the Water”, Kiwanis (with ongoing and everlasting protest by Downtown Jewel) 
     Trophies are also awarded for Best Decorated, Crowd Pleaser, Best First Timer, Best On-shore Performance, and the Run Aground trophy, awarded to the raft team that perseveres in the face of insurmountable odds, like sinking! It’s been rumored that a new Trophy may be awarded this year called The Paddle for the team voted by the crowd who displays unneighborly sportsmanship. Tough call in a race with no rules, but in the Great American Raft Race, the Golden Rule reigns supreme.

You know one of the themes is going to be Fifty Shades of Grey, wonder who will be first to pick that theme? See you at the Raft Race!

[UPDATE] Lake Worth, Florida: A City With So Much To Offer

Beautiful promotional work for the City of Lake Worth. Look at the image above. Notice anything unusual? Or wrong? I'll give you the answer tomorrow. 

South Palm Park Progressive Dinner next Saturday (need to purchase tickets by Tuesday)

Where is the South Palm Park Neighborhood Association? This is information from their website:

South Palm Park is a historic district located in Lake Worth, Florida, between 5th Ave South and 18th South, East of Federal Highway to the Intracoastal Waterway. If you live within these boundaries, or are an official of the City of Lake Worth, you are invited to join the association.

The South Palm Park Progressive Dinner is Saturday, April 25, 2015.

Appetizers:
Hosted by Teresa and Daren Hamberger
1031 S. Palmway
6:00

Entrée:
Hosted by Danielle and Mark Herbert
1417 S. Palmway. Loretta Sharpe will be providing the entrée.
7:15-ish

Dessert:
Hosted by Jim Durbin
1230 S. Lakeside
8:30-ish

Tickets for the event are $10 per person and must be purchased by Tuesday, April 21. Tickets can be purchased from Danielle Herbert (1417 S. Palmway), Irene Guthrie (823 S. Palmway) and Maryann Polizzi (1529 S. Palmway).

Unbelievable Palm Beach story in the Shiny Sheet: "Swing set rule criticized as anti-family"

William Kelly at the Palm Beach Daily News (aka, the Shiny Sheet) has an unbelievable story about a code case in the Town of Palm Beach. Palm Beach has very strict rules and they enforce them. But did they go too far in this case? Here's an excerpt:

     This spring, [Nick] Coniglio and wife Carissa replaced their children’s 4-year-old swing set with a new one. It was set up in the same spot as the old one, in the northeast corner of their lot at El Dorado Lane and North County Road.
     Then came an April 3 letter from the Town of Palm Beach, informing them that they had violated an open yard setback ordinance by putting the set within 25 feet of the street.
     The town requested that it be removed. After initial hesitance, Coniglio took the set down on Wednesday to avoid having to appear before the Code Enforcement Board, which could have fined him $250 a day, plus $150 administrative in fees, for the violation.

Are you an artist in Delray Beach and considering other options?

The Artists Alley in Delray Beach is back in the news. I've written about this situation and posted a YouTube video of a Delray Beach city commission meeting on this very subject. We all wish the artists, the city, and their CRA the best as they try to come up with a solution to this problem.

However, if the result isn't a positive one for the Artists Alley, or if you're planning ahead just in case, come and visit the little City of Lake Worth. We're not that far away; only a few miles north. Drive here or take the bus. We have a Tri-Rail stop here too: hop on a bike or grab the shuttle to the Tri-Rail station; when you arrive in Lake Worth go east. It won't be long before you see interesting things and possibly get inspired with all the little City of Lake Worth has to offer.

Out of all 38 municipalities in Palm Beach County, the City of Lake Worth was one of the worst hit by the Great Recession and you'll see evidence of that still. You'll also see that things are improving here and fast thanks in large part to the CRA and leaders such as Joan Oliva, our Mayor Pam Triolo, City Manager Michael Bornstein, PBSO, and many others. When Lake Worth hit bottom, and then hit bottom again and again and again the CRA was able to do things such as acquire millions in NSP2 money to save the day and help stabilize neighborhoods. The city commission at that time was a hot bed of inaction and filled with cheerleaders who made much noise but didn't get much done. You'll see evidence of their inaction in many neighborhoods west of Dixie Highway.

Who can forget this "regrettable" comment from the dais back then:

Image from the Tom McGow Archives.

JoAnn Golden, a sitting city commissioner back then during the Great Recession told a constituent he had to "get used to living in a ghetto". As you can tell, we've been through a lot but we're coming back.

As you make your way downtown you'll see the great strides Lake Worth has made over the past few years. There's a sense of pride many of us have and hopefully you'll pick up on that when you get here.

So see you soon and tell your friends and neighbors about our City!