If you have business with the City of Lake Worth tomorrow (Christmas Eve) take heed

Message from Shilah James, Executive Secretary to City Manager: In celebration of the holiday season, the City Manager would like to extend his gratitude to all staff for their hard work.

Press Release from the Lake Worth Water Treatment Plant

To maintain high water quality in the City of Lake Worth water distribution system, the City of Lake Worth Water Treatment Plant will temporarily change the water chlorination methods for two weeks from December 27, 2015 through January 16, 2016. The City of Lake Worth will also increase hydrant flushing during this time. This is a preventive maintenance process. 

Starting December 27, 2015 a “free chlorine residual” water treatment method will be used to provide a somewhat stronger disinfection process than the “combined chlorine or Chloramines” treatment which is normally used. The City of Lake Worth will revert back to the “combined chlorine” method by January 16, 2016. As part of this process, the City of Lake Worth will be flushing fire hydrants. This flushing will cause temporary water in the swales of the roadways. Please do not be alarmed by this water as it will dissipate within a few hours. 

The City of Lake Worth and their Consecutive Systems water utility customers including Lake Osborne Estates, Hypoluxo Village, John Prince Park, Lantana Cascade and Palm Breezes Club may notice a slight chlorine taste or odor in their tap water during this period; however, these temporary conditions will not cause adverse health effects. If you are especially sensitive to the taste or odor of chlorine, keep an open container of drinking water in your refrigerator for a few hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate. Tropical fish tank owners, hospitals, dialysis patients and residents with pools should be aware of the chlorination changes and make adjustments accordingly. Any questions should be directed to the City of Lake Worth Water Treatment Plant (561) 586-1710.

[RE-POST] A crazy question: Is a possible future spike in Lake Worth's electric rates a human rights issue? A woman's rights issue?

[This is a question I posed earlier this month. Starting at the next City Commission meeting on January 5th many issues will be brought up and sea level rise will be one of them. Once again an issue that the City has little or no control over since this is a matter for the county/counties and state to address. But what this wordy topic of debate will do is take away time and effort from the pressing issues that face many of our residents such as inadequate infrastructure and safety concerns. Does the issue of sea level rise trump the rights and expectations of needy residents who need help NOW? I'm hoping there will a big turnout at the next City Commission meeting from residents demanding their elected representatives focus on the issues at hand instead of abstractions and distractions that do little or nothing to improve current problems in the City.]

An immigrant rights issue? Sounds crazy doesn't it? An acquaintance planted this idea in my head several weeks ago and thought it was absurd. But I never stopped thinking about it. The background is commissioners Chris McVoy and Ryan Maier pitched the idea very hard that electric rates should go up at a City Commission meeting on September 8th. In a clash of ideals and convictions Mayor Pam Triolo, Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, and Commissioner Andy Amoroso objected strongly and won the day.

It was a spirited and enlightening debate. Note that everyone, all five of the elected, focused mostly on the economics and finance aspect.

The pitch by commissioners McVoy and Maier to raise electric rates failed.

Electric rates are higher in Lake Worth than rates by FPL but those have been steadily coming down the last few years, credit due to the mayor, vice mayor, and Commissioner Amoroso. The City Commission is in effect their own electric utility commission and can raise or lower rates at will. 

The idea by McVoy and Maier shocked many people and they got the message. At the City Commission meeting on 9/22 there was barely a mention of raising the rates. That, though, did little to quell public angst over this big issue in the City. Looking forward I advised people how to protect themselves and their home and suggested switching to natural gas to soften any future electric rate hike. Again, an economic/financial response. What do you need to switch from electric appliances to natural gas? Money. The benefit pays off handily but it's over time.

Were rates to go up that money going into the City coffers will ostensibly be for fixing the problems at the City Casino building, for example, but that is no guarantee the money won't be directed to other areas like the project du-jour by any elected representative. McVoy makes the case that any hike in rates will be "just pennies" and belittled any suggestion that anyone would even notice the rate spike. 

It's true that some people won't notice a spike in rates and those that do will respond in ways such as changing the thermostat in the Summer from 68° to 69°. Others will see the benefit of switching to natural gas or purchase better windows. The suggestion that no one will notice or not alter their behavior in any way is ludicrous. A spike in electric rates will change how people live—the one's that can afford to change. 

People have benefited from lowered electric rates and their quality of life has improved; a rise in rates will reverse that trend. Who will suffer the most if rates should go up as McVoy and Maier want to do? The poor, single women with children, immigrants, those on fixed incomes. . .the one's that can least afford to pay. 

So, to the question: Are "electric rates a human rights issue?" I think I answered my own question.

The rest of the story that the Post's Kevin Thompson and CBS12/WPEC's Lauren Hills don't know. . .or don't care to know

[The blog post below was posted on December 19th, 2015, in response to the online 'news' by Kevin Thompson on the "too white" mural at La Joya Villages in Lake Worth. . . interestingly leading up to the March 2016 elections. That absurd 'news' made the print edition on December 23rd but the public remained kept in the dark on some crucial facts. So, read on about that "one woman" who is trying to create racial disharmony and the media who is aiding her:]

Now that the City of Lake Worth is 87 days away from election day we've been treated with the first serious salvo of media spin from The Palm Beach Post and from CBS12. Here is my take on Kevin Thompson's pitch about the child depicted in the mural with the too-white skin color, according to "one woman". Lauren Hills follows up this nonsense with the same "one woman" with her story at CBS12; here's an excerpt from the text:

It's a colorful mural, a little boy with fair skin and blue eyes, she's referring to. It's painted on a new affordable housing complex on 6th Ave. South near the rail road tracks.

The "one woman" is Tuesday Gilliam and she has close ties with the Anarchist group called Everglades EarthFirst! (EEF). A candidate in the upcoming March elections happens to be an EEF member—a coincidence? You'll see Ms. Gilliam in a video below from October 2014 along with Peter "Panagioti" Tsolkas and Cara Jennings in opposition to a new road being proposed on 7th Ave. South near the La Joya Villages upon which the mural of the 'too-white' Cuban-American child is depicted.

Here are the parts of the video to pay special attention to:

The 16:10 mark to 17:24: Tuesday Gilliam refers to some group (the Lake Worth CRA?) and their "super apparent" designs for the neighborhood and goes on to say the La Joya Villages are a "huge amount of rental properties towering over our homes." [Note: the La Joya Villages are 3-story buildings and Ms. Gilliam lives at least 2 blocks away.]

The 22:00 mark to 26:18: Peter Tsolkas and Cara Jennings (the leaders of EEF) chime in with their thoughts on the 7th Ave South road project and the La Joya Villages.
Tuesday Gilliam cleverly tricked the Post reporter and CBS12 Lauren Hills using multiple logical fallacies, relying heavily on the hasty generalization fallacy, among others. Gilliam's objection all along has been to stop any development, road building, and/or new housing south of 6th Ave South—that much is clear. Would you expect any less from a sympathizer of EEF? 

Gilliam gives up the gig in this excerpt from the CBS12 story, what the objection to the "mural" is really about:

"There are arts initiatives all over the country in use for gentrification, and I feel like we might be seeing that play out right here in our own backyard," she [Tuesday Gilliam] said.

So, you see, the mural of the 'too-white' Cuban-American child isn't about race, it's about "gentrification" or what most others would call long-delayed community improvements and upgrades. Ms. Gilliam claims she wants to "start a conversation" but she's not really doing that at all. How do you start a meaningful conversation by begging the question and circular reasoning? Well, true, that job does get easier when you can trick some in the press into falling for it.

Question: If you knew Ms. Gilliam has been a strong opponent of the CRA's La Joya Villages project all along would that have given you a different perspective on this 'news' story? Probably so.

And that's the rest of the story you won't read or watch in the local press.

Special Request: Our Cottages of Lake Worth (your's truly interviewed by radio host Allan Mason/WBZT)

The Cottages of Lake Worth will have a hardcover book available next year about Lake Worth's iconic cottages with high-quality color photographs and professionally edited. Everyone involved in this project is excited about this as you can imagine. You can learn more about this project here and if you wish help with the book's publishing by contributing to their GoFundMe account.

Below is a YouTube video with images and more information about the cottages along with the audio of my interview with Allan Mason at WBZT:

There are several events upcoming and will list them soon. There is also a self-driving, walking, biking tour available.

Will the "epic battle" in the City of Lake Worth continue through the Christmas holidays? What about "Joy to the World"?

While most of Christianity celebrates the coming of Christmas Day with messages of peace and joy. . .

. . .the 'Common Ground' church is engaged in an "epic battle" for the City of Lake Worth?

In November the 'Common Ground' (no 's') church made claim to be the superior religion to all others in Lake Worth because they aren't a religion. It's confusing but you can real all about that here.

"Jesus hates religion" in Lake Worth?

In case you didn't know, the 'Common Ground' church is a recovery church and they hold their Sunday service at a nightclub/bar in downtown Lake Worth. Learn about that here and show up if you can. From what I understand they have coffee and danish prior; a welcome prospect if you had a rough night on the town.

More positive Christmas season messages from the 'Common Ground' (no 's') church:

Huh?

"We must develop the skill of listening and speaking less", pastor Olive says. Good advice. A New Year's resolution perhaps?

Worried about gentrification in Lake Worth? Chill! Our City didn't make the list

The good folks at Thrillist have a list of 12 areas that are high on the scale for future gentrification and the closest one to Lake Worth is Hialeah, FL. So take a deep breath all you delusional Anarchists in the little City of Lake Worth! From the article:

     But what are the next cool, mildly affordable neighborhoods just waiting to be overtaken by young creatives? Sure, there are plenty of sexy ‘hoods, bro-ish ‘hoods, and even hipster ‘hoods, but let's be honest, they’re all pretty much played at this point. And more importantly, they're all too expensive for anyone without a trust fund or investment-banking job.
     Which is why we decided to tap trendsetters, developers, and real-estate professionals -- folks with their fingers on the pulse of America's cities and towns -- for their predictions of the country's next hotspots; neighborhoods that are affordable now, but poised to blow up. 

Here is what the folks at Thrillist write about The Leah Arts District in Hialeah, FL:

     As once-artsy Wynwood becomes the domain of developers and the artists get priced out, Miami’s creative community needs somewhere to go. And as it turns out, warehouse-ridden and comically Cuban Hialeah is now that place. Yes, the city that’s been the butt of Miamians' jokes for decades is poised to be a landmark arts destination.

The other cities on the list are:

1. North Central neighborhood in Charleston, SC
2. South Bronx, New York
3. East Bank in Sioux Falls, SD
4. Pilsen in Chicago, IL
5. Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA
6. Trinity Groves in Dallas, TX
7. Downtown Tacoma, Tacoma, WA
8. Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA
9. Southwest Waterfront in Washington, DC
10. Cesar Chavez St in Austin, TX
11. Lents neighborhood in Portland, OR

Kwanzaa begins in Lake Worth starting on December 26th at the Cultural Plaza

To learn about Kwanzaa use this link and you can learn more at Wikipedia:

Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration held in the United States and in other nations of the Western African diaspora in the Americas. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving. Kwanzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba). It was created by Maulana Karenga, and was first celebrated in 1966–67.

Below is a Tweet sent by the City of Lake Worth with plans for this Saturday:

Celebrate Kwanzaa | Sat, Dec 26 | 2pm | City Hall Annex Meeting Room | 414 Lake Avenue | Free pic.twitter.com/ANWIf7urp9

— Lake Worth (@LakeWorthPBC) December 17, 2015

The City Hall Annex is at the Cultural Plaza on the corner of Lake Ave and Federal Hwy.

Now, what about those electric rates in Lake Worth?

Electric rates in Lake Worth are below the municipal average in the State of Florida.

That's right. Along with the plummeting crime rate things are actually going very well here in Lake Worth. What realtors, for instance, hear all the time is that the crime rate and electric rates are very high in the City. It's a myth. You can see it for yourself here.

Electric rates have been coming down in the City for several years now as the City weans itself off the cash cow: the electric utility. Good news, right? Not if your Commissioners McVoy or Maier. They want at that cash cow again in a big way:

The pitch by Maier and McVoy to raise electric rates failed thanks to Mayor Triolo, Vice Mayor Maxwell, and Commissioner Amoroso. But that doesn't mean Maier and McVoy are done trying to raise your rates.

But there are ways to protect yourself and your family and finances from a cash grab by commissioners Ryan Maier and Chris McVoy: convert many of your appliances to clean, cheap, and plentiful natural gas and soften the blow of any possible future spike in electric rates. 

Megan McArdle: "Gentrification Is an Irresistible Force"

If you've been following the debate about gentrification (there! I used the 'G' word) you've probably read about the paradox the anti-gentrification groups find themselves in. By opposing development and new housing they risk getting 'gentrified' out of the very cities and neighborhoods they are trying to 'save'. Look no further than the failed social experiment in San Francisco. 

Megan McArdle wrote a long piece in BloombergView about gentrification and in the article she cites the number of tactics used to stop the process, or at least slow it down:

• City-wide upzoning
• Increase the crime rate
• Underfund schools and education initiatives
• Inclusionary zoning
• Rent control
• Scatter site development
• Tax credits
• Vouchers

But none of theses tactics solve the problem: there is not enough housing. So what happens when the supply is too low? The prices go up. This is exactly what happened in San Francisco. This sentence from the BloombergView article stood out:

Gentrification tends to stop when affluent people stop wanting to move into the city -- and while there are many government-sponsored ways that we could potentially achieve this end, they would involve things like deliberately underfunding schools, and allowing crime to rise. [emphasis added]

And this from the end of the article:

     If this sounds like I’m pointing and laughing at activists hoist by their own petard, let me say that this is the furthest thing from my mind. I don’t want another Robert Moses, and I do want more housing built, and unfortunately, there is an inevitable tradeoff between these priorities. The trade we made has limited the government's ability to preserve and create affordable housing while also limiting its ability to destroy communities. And I don't see any way to make a different one at this point, so blame is sort of beside the point. Maybe the legal changes of the 1970s were a mistake, but if so, they are a mistake that we cannot easily undo.
     And so here we are: The government simply has relatively little power to create more affordable housing in the face of massively increasing demand for homes in desirable cities like Washington, New York and San Francisco.

And you can add the desirable Palm Beach County to that list.

Was there a suspicious package found in Lake Worth on Dec. 19th? No. But CBS12 thinks there was

CBS12/WPEC's pitch is they are the "one to turn to" for TV News. My suggestion is you "turn to" some other channel, like NBC5/WPTV, which is by far the most accurate of all the local affiliates. CBS12 screwed it up again with this 'news':

     Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue are investigating a suspicious package on Hypoluxo Road at the intersection of Jog Road in Lake Worth.
     The package was discovered just before midnight.
     Fire Rescue officials say they are at the scene along with PBSO's bomb squad.

The intersection of Hypoluxo Rd. and Jog Rd. is nowhere near "Lake Worth":

Image from Google Maps.

How can you trust CBS12 for news about Lake Worth when they don't even know the borders of the City? 

Can you Guess the Candidate in Lake Worth challenging Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell?

[Hint: Do you remember the "battery in the lake" at a protest in Palm Beach Gardens in November 2014?]

"And I got to talk about anarchism to a jury!" How sweet.

This challenger to Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell may have already knocked on your door or a group of his Anarchist friends did. This challenger looks much, much different today. Sacrificing principles and changing like a chameleon is one of the talents of a committed, well-trained Anarchist. All of them are so nice when they're trolling for votes.

He'll show up at your door looking like a harmless preppie with long sleeves to cover up the tattoos, a sporty hair cut, clean-shaven, and a laundry list of bullet points tailored for your neighborhood and a vote. Oh, and he'll have wide, beaming smile and you'll say to yourself, "I hope my daughter meets a nice, young man like this some day." And it's all a big show. 

Stay tuned as they say. The effort to get this Anarchist elected will reach all the way to The Palm Beach Post editorial board and a local TV News station will also be enlisted along with anonymous mailers, brand news PAC's, and all kinds of dirty tricks.

45-Second Video: What is the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)?

About the video: Ever wonder where your gas tax dollars go when you fill up your tank, and who makes those decisions about what transportation improvements to fund? In Palm Beach County, FL, it's the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Learn more and get involved in the transportation planning process!
Lake Worth is represented by our Mayor Pam Triolo. This is the group that the City worked with and through to go after the money the legislature approved for the Park of Commerce, only to be vetoed by the Governor. Good to see a public agency using social media to educate people about who they are and what they are doing.

From the Associated Press: "Where have all the Canadian tourists gone?"

Had a conversation a few days ago with a merchant in downtown Lake Worth and the dearth of Canadian tourists is quite apparent. The main reason is the status of the loonie against the U.S. dollar. The merchant relayed to me that Canadian tourists will still be coming in large numbers but they're waiting until after the new year and will be staying for less time than in recent past seasons.

Here is an excerpt from Mike Schneider at the AP that explains the situation:

     The Canadian dollar, also known as the loonie, this year has dropped to its lowest level against the U.S. dollar in more than a decade. The loonie has slid 25 percent against the U.S. dollar in the past three years and now is worth, in the ballpark, of 75 cents. [emphasis added]
     After Canada, the biggest sources of international tourists in the United States are Mexico, with a forecast of 17.9 million visitors this year; the United Kingdom, 4.4 million visitors; Japan, 3.5 million visitors; and Brazil, 2.3 million visitors.
     In Florida, where 4.2 million Canadians vacation annually, Canadian visits are down 1.4 percent for the first three quarters of the year, even though overall tourism is up by 5.5 percent, and Florida is on the path to break the 100 million visitors mark. Florida is the second most-popular state for Canadian visitors, trailing only New York.

Keep your fingers crossed and hope, in this instance, we'll see more these loonies (as opposed to our year-round resident loons) heading our way in the near future to the City of Lake Worth.

Benny's on the Beach will soon stay open later https://t.co/IpnrkX0IfG @bennysbeachfans pic.twitter.com/Gt0vMO2WLR

— The Palm Beacher (@PalmBeacherMag) December 14, 2015

News from Gabrielle Sarann at NBC5/WPTV: The Guatemalan-Maya Center needs your help

Gabrielle Sarann at WPTV has this sad story about the Guatemalan-Maya Center in Lake Worth. A major donor to the center backed out of a pledge and left them with a big problem: not enough Christmas gifts and other needed supplies for the Holiday season. Here are 2 excerpts from the text of the news segment:

LAKE WORTH, Fla.- - Hundreds of Palm Beach County children could be without gifts for the holidays. The Guatemalan-Maya Center in Lake Worth is scrambling for toys after a donor pulled out at the last minute.
     The thought of Christmas makes 3-year-old Cynthia smile. She wants new shoes and anything from the movie Frozen.

[and. . .]

     If you would like to help the Guatemalan-Maya Center, drop of toys or monetary donations at the center, 430 North G Street, Lake Worth. You can also call Mara Martinez at (561) 713-6414. 

Here is the video from the news segment: