[UPDATE] New Sign at the Lake Worth Municipal Pool

UPDATE: For all of you out there who think everything is just wonderful/blissful at the Lake Worth Municipal Pool your advised to not follow any of my blog posts about the pool for the next several days. I've come across quite a lot of information and it's going to take a while to go through it all. 

It's not a pretty picture.

The revenue numbers are terrible and so are the attendance numbers. Some believe that adding more convenient hours for the public is the answer and there may be some truth to that. However, with added hours comes additional expenses: lifeguards, support staff, and more maintenance. For instance, how much money was spent in chemicals to keep the pool operating for 29 hours a week? Almost $20,000:

This is a partial image of the graph showing how the $20,000 in chemicals/equipment was itemized.

And then there is the million dollar question: why isn't the public in the City supporting the pool? It used to have broad support in the community but then something happened. Did the public lose interest when a previous city commission shut down the pool for all those months back in 2010? Many who used the pool back then, the regular swimmers, likely found other things to do for exercise or maybe found another pool facility:

If you're interested in learning more about this situation with the municipal pool check back here to this blog over the next several days. If your in the "everything's just fine" group then don't.

[Below is a blog post from yesterday (10/5) on one idea to increase revenue and attendance at the facility:]

According to this sign, just to the right of the cashier's window, you can now buy a twenty-visit pool pass. For Lake Worth residents, the new pass will be $60. So you can think of it as an additional dollar off per visit (the regular resident rate is $4), or a total of five (5) free visits. If anything, it will help offset the cost of parking. Non-residents can get the same sort of twenty-visit pass, but must pay $75. That equates to $3.75 per visit and is a more substantial discount than the one for residents. If you pay by the visit, the non-resident rate is $5. There are similar savings with the children's (17 years old and younger) pass.

If you go the pool regularly this makes some sense. However, if the city is concerned about the revenue coming from the pool, I am not sure this helps a great deal. If most of the people that will take advantage of this opportunity are current and frequent pool users, then the city will bring in less money. I think what would really help the situation is to offer additional or different hours that cater to those who work a typical Monday through Friday, daytime work schedule.

But it's good to see that the City and staff are working through various ideas to plug the hole in the pool's operating deficit.

In Boulder, CO: "This is Mega-NIMBYism at work"

The title of this article in CityLab is, "They Are Coming for Our Neighborhoods"; who is 'They'? Developers of course. Some in Boulder want to stop development, all development, and in effect freeze any possible growth in that city. Here are three excerpts from the article:

     In context, “they” means developers. But in reality, “they” are people: workers, families, low-income residents, and other people who might one day like to call Boulder home. If voters affirm the Neighborhoods’ Right to Vote on Land-Use Regulation Changes amendment (ballot issue #300) on November 3, then they will be effectively freezing growth in Boulder—by turning one city into 66 new exclusionary zones with final say on housing and density. [emphasis added]

[and . . .]

     This is mega-NIMBYism at work. It essentially yields the municipal government’s authority over zoning decisions to neighborhoods acting as zoning boards—66 of them, none of which have any incentive to accommodate higher density or affordable housing. As in just about any “zoning rights” discussion, the measure’s boosters support the right for homeowners to preserve high land values in single-family home districts—and force developers and affordable-housing advocates to look elsewhere.

[and lastly . . .]

     “Livable Boulder's neighborhood right-to-vote initiative would create two classes of Boulder citizens for any given land-use issue,” Yates [Jessica Yates, an attorney] writes. “Only one class would be eligible to vote on a council land-use action, leaving the vast majority of us on the sideline on any given issue, even if we live adjacent to or work in the neighborhood in question and have a direct interest in the proposed land use.”

Something very similar was tried here in Florida with Amendment 4; it failed in a spectacular fashion. The reality is if voters approve a freeze nothing actually gets frozen in time. The inevitable would occur like what happened in San Francisco and everywhere else development is stopped: prices for property and homes will rise and many residents will be displaced—even some who support this proposed measure. 

The vote will be on November 3rd. I'll let you know how it turns out. The post below is a flashback to Amendment 4 in Florida.

In case you missed it: The Obtuse Blogger (TOB), the Klu Klux Klan . . . and the flame of hate being doused in Lake Worth

TOB (aka, Lynn Anderson), if you didn't know, is a member of pastor Olive's 'Common Ground' (no 's') church. pastor (lower case intended) Olive's church is the dead end for those in the City looking for a bastion of hate. The City of Lake Worth has turned its back on hate and is moving forward healing many of our special, and uniquely different, communities. It's an exciting time to live in Lake Worth.

Inexplicably, 'pastor' Olive wrote a prayer for me you can read here. Why me? Don't you think TOB needs a prayer written for her? You would think so. The following video is explanation enough:

So very charming, isn't it?

Here are more charming messages from TOB:

The Libertarian candidate for Florida Senate killed a goat and drank its blood

It's hard to believe but it's true. When this story first hit about former-chair Adrian Wyllie resigning in protest it sounded like an article from The Onion. Here is more on this from the New York Daily News:

A Florida man running for U.S. Senate is supported by neo-Nazis and acknowledged he once sacrificed a goat and drank its blood. [emphasis added]
     Augustus Sol Invictus is the Florida Libertarian Party's candidate and has faced other accusations ranging from his support of eugenics, prophesizing a "great war" within America's borders and drawing support of neo-Nazis.
     Invictus, who declines to reveal his given name, is the only Libertarian candidate looking to fill the vacant seat left by presidential hopeful Marco Rubio. His position as the only representative of the party led now-former party chairman Adrian Wyllie to resign in protest.

The St. Andrews Episcopal Church and the Blessing of the Animals in Lake Worth

Some pictures from our Feast of St. Francis Day Blessing of the Animals! #Episcopal pic.twitter.com/cYnJZqcbRt

— St Andrews LakeWorth (@SAEpiscopalLW) October 5, 2015

To 'Follow' St. Andrew's on Twitter click on the icon in the Tweet above. Here is the website for St. Andrews. Some history of the church:

     On January 25, 1914 [emphasis added], William Henry Sampson, the first settler of Lake Worth township, along with fourteen other communicants, founded St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. The first services of the mission church were conducted by the Rev. Gilbert Ottman, who came from Holy Trinity Church in West Palm Beach. The first building was constructed on the existing site in the fall of 1914, and a small concrete parish hall was added in 1920. This building was destroyed in the disastrous hurricane of September 16, 1928, but a new church took its place a year later. The handmade altar, an 18th Century Italian eagle lectern, and the cypress pews that furbished this new church are still in use today.

[and. . .]

     Today St. Andrew’s is a living, loving church. Distinguishing our church today is its active pastoral ministry which reaches dozens of shut-ins and hospitalized persons weekly; a nursing home ministry; Sunday school; an active youth group; and Integrity chapter; and an ongoing program of forums, discussions and workshops of a religious and philosophical nature.

Here is the church's address and contact information:
100 North Palmway, Lake Worth Florida 33460
Office is open 9 am to 1 pm, Monday–Friday
Phone: (561) 582-6609 and email address.

You would be surprised at the number of churches in the little City of Lake Worth, just like St. Andrew's, who go about their work with dignity and respect for our City.

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.

About the Town Hall last week in Lake Worth

The event last Thursday night was very well attended; here is the article by Kevin Thompson on what happened and what to expect going forward. An excerpt from the article:

     “This meeting,” Commissioner Andy Amoroso told the standing-room-only crowd, ” is about finding new leaders in our community.” [emphasis added]
     The one-hour session, organized by Community Partners, Lake Worth’s Community Redevelopment Agency and Bridges at Lake Worth and Bridges at Highland, was an attempt to reach out to an area that isn’t known for participating in the political process, mainly because of cultural differences.
     The goal was to encourage residents to sign up for two, six-week dialogue groups that will run from Oct. 22 through Dec. 3 where participants will meet for two hours each week to come up with an action plan on how to improve their neighborhoods.
     One group will be held in English, the other in Spanish.

I was told quite a few of our Guatemalan neighbors attended. That is very encouraging. If you have more positive, community news in the City of Lake Worth, suburban Lake Worth (including Palm Beach State College) and Greenacres here is how you contact the Post reporter:
Email: kthompson@pbpost.com
561-820-4573
Twitter: @kevindthompson1

Sheriff Bradshaw, PBSO, and THE LINE OF FIRE: Analyzing the data—what the number 252 really means

[It won't be long now before THE LINE OF FIRE gets rolled out once again. Sheriff Bradshaw is up for re-election and the Post likely has everything ready to go just waiting for the right time.]

Seems like so long ago. . .

You have to admit, LINE OF FIRE: BULLETS, BADGES, AND DEATH ON THE STREET! is a catchy line.

The number 252 was used a lot by Lawrence Mower at The Palm Beach Post and Katie LaGrone at NBC5/WPTV. And many people are believing falsely that 252 is the number of people who have been shot at by a PBSO deputy. Not even close.

The number 252 is the number of times a deputy or police officer fired his weapon during an incident in Palm Beach County AND the Treasure Coast. Here is an excerpt from The Palm Beach Post:

In an unrivaled look at police shootings in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast since 2000, The Palm Beach Post and WPTV NewsChannel 5 detail more than 250 incidents of officers firing guns. The shootings killed 86 people and wounded 97.

Here are the categories the discharge of a weapon by officers fall in to:

• Unknown
• No injuries
• Injured
• Fatal

Since 2000 the number of people fatally shot by a PBSO deputy who was "shielded" by his badge: 45. Since Sheriff Bradshaw was sworn into office in 2005? 37. The number of Blacks fatally shot: 12 since 2005. That number is statistically higher than the Black population which hovers about 20%. The reason for that number is a subject of debate and not the reason for this blog post. The numbers are what they are.

You can search the data yourself using this link of shootings by deputies who were "shielded" by their badges. (Note: there is no data for 2015.)

Below you can see how massive the area/population PBSO serves and the number of deputies who are "shielded" by badges:

The number '45' is misleading. These numbers start from 2000. Sheriff Bradshaw wasn't sworn in until 2005. 

Now things get interesting. The City of Lake Worth you would think having the reputation for crime it once had would have had many fatal shootings by PBSO. FALSE. Since 2009 there have been 3 fatal shootings. How many Blacks? 0. 

So the next time you see former Lake Worth Commissioner Cara Jennings wearing her "Black Lives Matter" T-shirt you can say she is absolutely right. They do. They matter as much as everyone else's life, including the law enforcement officers who are tasked with protecting her and her Anarchist friends:

This is our sad reality. #AllLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/eMQqcr2oSu

— PBSO (@PBCountySheriff) August 30, 2015

From the Town of Palm Beach: Southern Boulevard Bridge Maintenance Scheduled for Oct. 5 & 6 Postponed

The FDOT has advised the Town that the planned maintenance work on the Southern Boulevard Bridge, originally scheduled for Monday, Oct. 5 and Tuesday, Oct. 6, has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. An updated notice will be provided once the work has been rescheduled.

From EVObsession: "Two-Thirds Of Americans Would Utilize High-Speed Rail If It Was Available"

Here are two excerpts from the article in EVObsession:

     Nearly two-thirds of all Americans would use high-speed rail if it was available, based on the findings of a new survey from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). To be more exact here, 63% of those surveyed stated an interests in utilizing high-speed rail service if it was available.
     Also worth noting here is that this number jumped 4% to 67% when survey respondents were given information detailing cost + time savings benefits accompanying high-speed rail use.

[and. . .]

     The survey also found that 71% of those surveyed are in support of the reduction of regulatory hurdles for the development of real-estate development near high-speed rail.
     “High-speed rail not only provides a great transportation option, but the public’s interest in amenities near high-speed rail stations is another way to create economic growth and jobs in local communities across the country,” stated Melaniphy [APTA President and CEO Michael Melaniphy].

On the topic of high-speed rail here is All Aboard Florida's tribute to Florida visionary Henry Flagler:

How Christians are being persecuted by not being persecuted: The twisted logic of the "War on Christianity"

"One way in which the evil one persecutes the church in America is by not persecuting the church in America!"

—Quote from the blog Christianity Today, in a post titled, "The Silent War of the Church"

If you've been following the twisted tale of the 'church' here in Lake Worth that's being 'persecuted' the quote above explains a lot. I found a link to this material in one of that church's news feeds. There is no war on Jesus (or God) in our City and there never was. But there was a 7-month attempt to create one in the minds of those who are either paranoid or easily manipulated.

Try to follow this logic from a member of that flock who believes there really is a "war" happening in Lake Worth:

• Christians were killed (somewhere/anywhere)
• There is a war on Christians
• There are Christians in Lake Worth, FL
• There is a war on Christians in Lake Worth
• You can't see the war being conducted
• Why? Because it's a secret war

Here is an excerpt from the blog post referenced above:

Consider this thought: a strategic method of Satan in America is to engage in a "silent war," one that is so subtle that the church can easily forget its true nature and the identity of their true enemy. In other words, one way in which the evil one persecutes the church in American is by not persecuting the church in America! Allow the American dream of prosperity dominate the values of the average Christian. Provide a way so that they indeed achieve success as the result of their years of education, hard work, and countless hours spent in their professional area of expertise. Their success is not seen as a blessing that results from the Lord's sacrifice, but a result of their own sacrifice. Then give them a craving for more success that can only come by working even harder.

When you read this twisted logic it becomes very clear why the Millennials are abandoning churches in the U.S. Who would blame them when there is such a culture of negativity and fear.

The Church That Ran Away with the Circus!

Circuses, bears, performers, 'pastors', and more. . .oh my!

The City of Lake Worth and the Urban Chicken: A bad idea that just won't go away

With all the issues that need addressing in our City of Lake Worth, Commissioner Ryan Maier needs to state definitively that the urban chicken will not be added to any City agenda going forward. Maier is the founder of the Lake Worth Chickens Facebook page, by the way. And the additional city employees needed to monitor those "Urban Chickens"! Do you remember a previous city commissioner (Cara Jennings) and her big issue of the day?

"Chicken Tacos or Omelets will be served depending on the outcome of the match" --Tom McGow

Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell fought valiantly against the Urban Chicken and won.

The image above is from the talented and gifted Tom McGow. Mr. McGow published this on his blog in July, 2011. You would think Lake Worth has gotten past this silliness—but have we? 

Maier (pictured above) founded the Lake Worth Chickens Facebook page.

Maier should state once and for all for the record: Backyard chickens will not be on the agenda, EVER, in Lake Worth. With infrastructure and roads such an important topic for our City do we want to spend one second debating whether to allow chicken coops in the City? Of course not. We don't need the distractions, or the health hazards, in our City.

Coming to a house on your block?

Owner of Benny's on the Beach: Why no one wants to rent 2nd floor of our lovely, charming Lake Worth Casino

It was good to hear Mr. Lipton at his first City Commission meeting in June. This gentleman has owned Benny's for the last two years and increased its employment from 21 to 76 employees. He's made many changes and has been hugely successful doing so at the BEACH!. He has high standards. Read about my recent dinner at Benny's here.

He looked at the restaurant space (second floor) above Mulligan's. His question: if it's such a beautiful place for a restaurant, why aren't they lined up around the block waiting to sign a lease? He speaks of missed opportunities and how the city should realize that there are people willing to invest around $100 million in the City. He thinks this could create up to 200 jobs ultimately. And he thinks the pool is an embarrassment—not because of what it is, but because of what it could be.

That concept of "potential" strikes again. Tough to argue with what he says. Most definitely worth a listen. As the video below demonstrates the Lake Worth Municipal Pool is far too large for the number of people who use it on a regular basis and an old, dilapidated building blocks the view of the ocean. Go figure.

Spectacular church news in the little City of Lake Worth

Kevin Thompson, the Post beat reporter, has this good news about one of our treasured churches here in the City:

     Sacred Heart Church on [425] North M Street spent the summer undergoing $250,000 worth of renovations [emphasis added], which included adding a new roof, updating the AC along with the marble and porcelain tile. The pews were also taken apart, shipped to North Carolina and restored to its original oak finish.
      “It was time to give the church a fresh look,” said Milka Santos, an advancement director at Scared Heart School.
      All the money was donated, Santos said.
      While Sacred Heart was closed, services were held in Madonna Hall.
      Now, Sacred Heart is ready for its coming out party, of sorts, as the renovations are complete. The Most Reverend Bishop Gerald Barbarito will rededicate the church [NOTE: dedication ceremony was held on Sunday morning, 9/27]

Here is the Mission Statement for the Sacred Heart Catholic Church:

We, the Roman Catholic family of Sacred Heart Church in Lake Worth, empowered by the Word and the Sacraments, are a welcoming, Christ-centered, culturally diverse community. Together, we answer our Christian calling to worship God, grow in holiness and share our faith in Christ by loving and serving our brothers and sisters.

I'm looking forward to stopping by and seeing all the work that was done. I've attended services there several times and it's very interesting to watch the mass done in three languages.