Town of Palm Beach (33480) to hold elections in February; no help from the county

David Rogers at The Palm Beach Daily News (aka, the Shiny Sheet) has the latest on the town's election preparations:

     Details are being nailed down to allow the town to conduct Town Council elections in February with little or no help from the county.
     “I think things are going very well right now. We’re definitely keeping busy,” Town Clerk Susan Owens said. “There are new things to learn, but we have everything under control for now.”
     After the Florida Legislature scheduled both municipal and presidential primary elections for March 15, Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher told Owens that her office could not conduct more than one election at a time because of the significant preparation time necessary for the primary.

Staci Sturrock: Railroad pioneer Henry Flager is now on Twitter

This is the news from Staci Sturrock about Henry Flagler's new Twitter account. Remember, it wasn't long ago I had a link to God's Twitter feed. If you wish to "Follow" Henry Flagler click the 'Follow' button below. Welcome back Henry Flagler!

Take a moment to view this moving picture of the momentous Overseas Railway https://t.co/Z8jS7WjwlX #LoveFL

— Henry Flagler (@HenryFlagler) July 27, 2015

All Aboard Florida: street closings in West Palm Beach

The Post's Jennifer Sorentrue has this news about the street closings:

     Sections of Clematis and Banyan streets in downtown West Palm Beach will be closed in the coming days as All Aboard Florida works to upgrade train tracks near Quadrille Boulevard as part of its planned express passenger rail service between Miami and Orlando.
     Construction crews will close the intersection of Banyan Street at Quadrille Boulevard beginning Sunday in order to work on sections of the Florida East Coast Railroad tracks as part of its plan to build a 60,000-square foot station near CityPlace.

A letter from West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio on recent city shootings

Note from aGuyonClematis: This was sent out on the City of West Palm Beach insider mailing list:

You have no doubt heard about the recent rash of shootings taking place in our city’s north end. To say this violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated is the usual comment we public officials make at times like this. They are easy positions to take and make good material for sound bites. But it is not enough.

What they don’t do is cut to the heart of why these shootings are happening, or why our police department is facing significant challenges in arresting the shooters

Tragically our city does not have an exclusive on gun violence. It is a horrible reflection of our society that if you Google “movie theater shooting,” you now must specify which one you are seeking. I have long been focused on getting illegal weapons off our streets.

Last year we held a gun buy back program during which we collected over three hundred weapons. I am a member of Mayor’s Against Illegal Guns whose only focus is reducing the number of illegal weapons in our cities. But while getting the guns off our streets will help, the guns themselves are not the most significant obstacle facing our police department.

Our police have significantly increased patrols in the area. In many cases they know the young people involved. But our officers cannot arrest suspects and our prosecutors cannot convict criminals if no one is willing to come forward and help.

I understand the reluctance to come forward. It is based in fear. Fearful victims refuse to talk to officers about what happened and choose instead to seek revenge on their own terms. We have one case where a young teenage victim told his mother he knows who shot him but refuses to tell even her who it is.

And the refusal to cooperate extends beyond victims. Fear creates a situation where our detectives cannot find witnesses to these shootings. One shooting took place in front of a neighborhood party of over three dozen people, yet not a single witness has come forward.

This puts our police officers in the impossible position of trying to stop this wave of violence on their own.

Unfortunately our young people find it easier to reach for a gun than to reach for help.

On Wednesday of this past week we held a meeting with approximately two dozen clergy and community leaders. It is my hope that these men and women will do everything in their power to encourage our residents to join us in publicly standing up against violence.

In addition we decided to walk the community and reach out to those who live there. Together we must assure them we are there for them.

But there must be more. We need your help. If you see something or know something reach out to me or to your Pastor or to a community leader you trust.

Help us help you. Help us help our community.

It is easy for me to shout from the mountain top that this violence will not be tolerated. What we need is for all of us to stand together and work together to take back our city.

How another local government distributes information on controversial items

The City of Boca Raton recently approved a development application for a house of worship that generated a lot of concern among its residents. One of the concerns was the possibility for additional height, from 30 to 50 feet. Their Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval of the site plan and the height increase. The City Council approved the requested height increase. Now, the opponents of the project filed an appeal of the Planning and Zoning Board's approval of the site plan. That issue goes before the City Council at their July 28, 2015 meeting.

Here is the city using its Facebook page to communicate where people can find additional information on the process and status of this item:

Going to their webpage, items in the "News & Information" section are listed prominently in the left side of their homepage:

The item in question appears at the top of the list. Click here for the quick, two-page summary. This is what the top part of the pdf looks like:

This is the sort of information our City of Lake Worth should be providing as way to control rumors and quelling mis- and disinformation. Here is how another community handles rumors and gets its information out to the public.

Grant money left on the table that can help children in Lake Worth

Jennifer Sorentrue at The Palm Beach Post has the most unbelievable article today. For a host of reasons the Palm Beach County Cultural Council has grant money available to help teach children and they're having a hard time giving it away. Not kidding.

     With budget cuts limiting art and music instruction in schools, field trips to and programs at cultural centers could help fill some of the void — if teachers and students can access them. So, a local nonprofit group wants to help provide free field trips to Palm Beach County school students who might not otherwise have a chance to visit an art museum, theater or other cultural venue. [emphasis added]
     As students and teachers prepare to return to school this fall, the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County is trying to raise awareness about a grant program it uses to help cover the cost of field trips and buses needed to transport students to area cultural attractions.
    Two private donors have pledged a total of roughly $10,000 a year to help send students on “cultural expeditions” that allow them to experience the arts outside of the classroom.

Get with it folks. Go there today and pick up the paperwork: the PBC Cultural Council is located at the Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building, 601 Lake Avenue, in downtown Lake Worth.

[UPDATE] Staci Sturrock, the movie 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre', a map, and making the case for changing the name of our City

[See end of post for name suggestions thus far. Email me if you wish.]

Staci Sturrock has an item in the Post about a movie showing in 'Lake Worth'. Lake Worth only has one movie theater, the Stonzek, and it's not showing there. The theater Sturrock is referring to is out west past Jog Rd. in unincorporated Palm Beach County:

Notice the 'Lake Worth Surgical Center' and the 'Movies of Lake Worth', neither of which is in the City. These locations have a Lake Worth zip code and a close proximity to Lake Worth Rd. and that is it; this area out west is very different than the City both in character and sprawling design. But you can see how anyone would conclude they were in 'Lake Worth' and it's hard to fault them. Below is a map of the (barely) 7 square miles that IS the City of Lake Worth:

The north-south white line above the label "The City of Lake Worth" is I-95. A small part of the City is west of that highway.

Many in the public out west and even some City residents who should know better don't understand the City's municipal borders. There's even a blogger in Lake Worth that's lived here for 80 years who still doesn't understand the difference between the City and unincorporated Palm Beach County. 

So. . .the question: Is it time to talk seriously about changing the name of our City? Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell brought this up last year and he was ridiculed by some and laughed at by others. He floated the idea and after a few weeks scrubbed it. I think it was and is a good idea and we need to talk about it. I didn't say DO anything; just float some ideas. 

How about 'Lake Worth Beach'? (And, in an odd twist of fate there is also a Lake Worth, Texas. It's named after the same general as our fair city, William Jenkins Worth.)

Here are the ideas submitted thus far:

• Lake Worth Beach
• South West Palm Beach
• Jewell
• Worth Beach

Keep 'em coming!

The "New" Lupitas in Lake Worth: Dinner Last Night

I decided to try something new last night for dinner. Of course, Lupita's isn't exactly new, it just moved exactly one block south on the same side of the road. It's new address is 301 N. Dixie Hwy. They've been open about a week or so.

Many long-timers in Lake Worth will know the building as home to the Holiday House buffet for many years, perhaps from the building's inception. The restaurant that had the longest stint there was Pegasus, and then some short-lived attempts by others to make a go of it there. The former location is closed and dark, leaving another opening on Dixie Hwy. for another business to fill.

The biggest change for Lupita's is the scale of the place and the fact that you can dine indoors now. There is a large walk up counter with the menu overhead against the south wall, in front of the kitchen. Here are some shots of the menu.

According to signs in the restaurant outside patio service is coming. Work is still underway and it will be a while before that option is available.

Another new addition is the availability of beer and wine. The interior is bright and colorful. I got there around 8 p.m. and business was very brisk. Some people were coming in for take-out but most were in larger groups and families it seemed. There were so many people that my only complaint about the visit was the noise. Some fabric panels here and there around the building, especially the high ceiling might do the trick.

The manager and staff were exceptionally pleasant and courteous. I ordered the tamale plate which was excellent. The food took a while to come out, which could be partly due to adjusting to the new location and the increased business. The wait wasn't boring at all with all the people coming and going and they have large-screen TV's (3) with soccer games and other sports. This is how my plate came out, accompanied by full squeeze bottles of hot sauce, green and red. The green was more of a tomatillo sauce and the red was definitely the hot variety.

Combination tamale plate

The food was enjoyable and spiced perfectly. The sauces were an excellent accompaniment to the refried beans and rice. When you visit make sure to grab a menu to make your ordering quicker next time: it's a big menu. I think the next time I go I'll try one of the standard taco plates: they are offered with twelve different protein preparations and they also vegan and gluten-free items on the menu.

They also have extended hours now. It's nice to know a place that is open to 11 p.m. during the week and 12 a.m. on weekend nights. If you want to try their breakfast, doors open at 7 a.m. I have heard good things about their Huevos Rancheros.

There is little doubt that they will be a great success in this location. If you visited the former location or not, make sure to check out Lupita's now. In a few weeks I am sure they will work out some of the "kinks" I experienced.

Photo Gone Viral: Black official in SC comes to aid of racist suffering heat exhaustion

Protesting can be hard work especially when someone gets all worked up and emotional about a Confederate flag and saving their 'heritage'. See the picture that's gone viral and an excerpt from the text of the story:

     The black director of South Carolina's public safety agency said Monday he was surprised a photo showing him helping a white man wearing a racist T-shirt went viral. But now that it has, he is hoping it will be a catalyst for people to work toward overcoming hate and violence.
     Leroy Smith said in a statement that the photo, taken at a Ku Klux Klan rally, captured "who we are in South Carolina" and represents what law enforcement is all about: helping people "regardless of the person's skin color, nationality or beliefs."
     "I consider myself like every other officer who was out there braving the heat on Saturday to preserve and protect," he said.
     The photo, taken by Gov. Nikki Haley's spokesman, shows Smith leading the unidentified man, who is suffering from the heat, to shade at the top of the Statehouse steps, to be treated by local emergency workers. The man has a swastika on his T-shirt.

All Aboard Florida and big plans for the Ft. Lauderdale station

Jennifer Sorentrue at The Palm Beach Post gives us a sneak peek at what we can expect at the West Palm station under construction right now:

     The plan [the AAF station in Fort Lauderdale] would transform the area around the train tracks, which now consists of quiet offices, industrial buildings, and uninviting roadways, into a pedestrian-friendly district full of commuters, new residents and tourists.
     The district is set to include a mix of residential, office, and retail space, scattered over roughly a half-dozen individual sites. Plans for each of those sites have not been finalized, officials said.
     “It is really the same principles that are in all of our station locations,” Reininger said.
     All Aboard plans to create similar districts around its station in Miami and West Palm Beach. The high-density development and pedestrian traffic are key to the company’s business model and provide riders for its express-passenger trains. [emphasis added]

The video below shows how long you can expect to wait for an AAF train at a crossing (NOTE: it's a very short video):

Movie Trailer: Steve Jobs, a new movie out soon about his life

When nature calls outside DON'T LIGHT IT ON FIRE!

When you gotta go you gotta go. But when you're out in nature just cover it up with dirt and carry on. See what happened when one fella took environmentalism a little too far:

     A fire that damaged more than 73 acres of land in the Hulls Gulch Reserve area of the Boise foothills in Idaho was reportedly started by a cyclist attempting to destroy his used toilet paper by lighting it on fire and burying it.
     According to the Bureau of Land Management, the unnamed man was cycling in the foothills on Wednesday when nature called. After doing the deed in a ravine, the man lit his used toilet paper on fire in an attempt to destroy the waste. He then buried it to extinguish the flames, but a burning ember spread to some nearby dry grass, igniting the fire.

The River of Grass Greenway . . . a future pathway across the Everglades: Become a 'FROGG'

This is one of those great ideas that come along and make you want to cheer. If you've ever driven the Tamiami Trail (US-41) you know it as an unfriendly road for pedestrians and bicycles. Now that could change. You can become a FROGG: a Friend of the River of Grass Greenway. This is the FROGG mission statement:

     Our mission is to promote the establishment, preservation, and safe use by the general public of a non-motorized transportation and recreation corridor across the Everglades between Naples and Miami.

Here is more information about the River of Grass Greenway:

     Parallel to the Tamiami Trail (US. 41), the ROGG [River of Grass Greenway] will be a hard-surfaced 12-14 foot wide corridor (separated from the highway) suitable for a range of non-motorized recreation activities such as bicycling, walking, bird-watching, photography, fishing, and general enjoyment of the greater Everglades natural area.
     The goal of the ROGG is to extend from Krome Avenue (eastern edge of Everglades National Park near Miami) to the outskirts of Naples/Marco Island (western terminus to be determined). In the middle, there will be a three mile spur to Everglades City.

[and. . .]

     ROGG is much more than a recreation corridor. An important facet of the pathway is the potential for environmental education and stewardship. The pathway will be designed and built for sustainability, with acute awareness of potential environmental impact.

Become a FROGG today! Here's how:

     The ROGG is an ambitious goal that is attainable only with widespread support. Join the Friends of the ROGG (FROGG) today to increase our support base.

Barbeque Smoke a Nuisance? - This is going too far

This was a video from a Facebook user who started recording a conversation between him, his friend and a Pinellas County (Florida) environmentalist saying bbq smoke out of your yard is illegal! I'm not sure if the person pointing out the "infraction" is a public employee or not.

Facebook Message from the Town of Jupiter and the Jupiter Police Department:

The Jupiter Police Department is continuing to support the Tequesta Police Department and the United States Coast Guard in regards to the two missing boaters, Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen. The Jupiter Police Department Marine Patrol Unit continues to patrol the area in and around the Jupiter Inlet. Jupiter Police Officers are also monitoring all parks along our waterways and are available to pass along any information related to the missing boaters to the Tequesta Police Department and United States Coast Guard.

“We have been in close contact with the Tequesta Police Department and will continue to support them as well as the Coast Guard with any and all assistance we can provide. We are all working together to bring Austin and Perry home safe,” said Jupiter Police Chief, Frank Kitzerow.

We ask anyone with any information concerning this case to call the Tequesta Police Department at 561-768-0500. You may also contact the Jupiter Police Department at 561-746-6201.