From former Lake Worth Commissioner Cara Jennings' deposition on August 19, 2011

FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA
CASE NO.: 50-2009-CA-039320

CITY OF LAKE WORTH,

Defendant.

Question. I've got to ask you this one too, and it seems like an appropriate time: Have you or are you or have you at any time been an avowed anarchist?
Answer [Cara Jennings]. I am an Anarchist. I identify with that political philosophy, yeah.

The "War on Religion" Show in Lake Worth, Florida: Part 1, Acts 1–3—The plot, actors, and props

[Just because. . .a blog post from November 20th, 2015. The anticipated "War on Religion" show hasn't began yet but it's still early. Fresh blog content below. Enjoy! As always, Thank You for visiting my Lake Worth blog!]

On Friday, January 30th, 2015 (Vol. 1/Issue 3) in Margaret Menge's now-defunct (always-FREE, delivered-FREE, advertising-challenged) tabloid, she wrote the words below in her "House Editorial". In her pitch she gave clues to the nonsense that was to come about her "larger truth" vis-à-vis pastor Olive and the curiously named 'Common Ground' church:

     Media bias is often more to do with what newspapers decline to cover than what they do cover. There is almost no coverage whatsoever of churches or of faith in most American newspapers, except in articles about the African-American community. Churches don't get written about. Looking back at old newspapers one time, I saw newspapers reprinting whole Sunday sermons from a local church as a regular thing.
     I'm not planning to do that in these pages. But I do want to write about our churches, and the faith of the people who attend them. And I want to write about many other things, as well, to tell the larger truth of our community, and to make a more complete record of what is happening here.

There are so many churches in our 6 square mile City of Lake Worth that do so much for the community; way too many to name here. And most of us in Lake Worth, including myself, are very appreciative.

On Friday, February 20, 2015 (Vol. 1, Issue 6) Ms. Menge made good on her promise to tell her "larger truth". Unfortunately a local TV news station and some that were duped in the national press picked up on the nonsense before the real story could be told. It was a black eye the City didn't deserve:

CBS12/WPEC's Kathleen Walter with her news segment on February 26th, 2015, about 'pastor' Olive and his Common Ground (no 's') nonsense. Interesting to note, and completely off topic, the segment aired 12 days prior to election day.

A "soviet-style crackdown"? So much for searching for the "common ground" (no 's').

Now you know the real story.

As far as churches and religion not mentioned in newspapers? Each week's Lake Worth Herald dispels that ridiculous notion. There is almost no news coverage about faith by the media? Did Ms. Menge ever hear of Pope Francis? And as far as sermons not printed in entirety in newspapers any longer. . .a thing called the internet made the effort unnecessary. And so did email. And Facebook. And YouTube. And Twitter. . .

[Stay tuned for Part 2 of the War on Religion Show. Just in time for the March 2016 elections in the City. Remember, Menge's first tabloid appeared out of nowhere on January 16th and went downhill from there.]

Come see "High Society" at the Lake Worth Playhouse in downtown Lake Worth and try Callaro's too!

Here's what people are saying about High Society:

      "A wonderful performance Thursday evening .It was very much enjoyed by our women's group. The costumes were lovely and the songs were beautifully performed. I always enjoy the shows here."
     "Very enjoyable show."
     "The venue was very nice. All seats are good. Well done performance!"

The Lake Worth Playhouse is located on Lake Ave a short walk from the Cultural Council. Here is a synopsis of the show:

• Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter.
• Book by Arthur Kopit.
• Additional Lyrics by Susan Birkenhead.
• Based on the play "The Philadelphia Story" by Philip Barry: Imagine that Philip Barry had written "The Philadelphia Story," his classic 1939 romantic comedy, not as a play but a musical, with Cole Porter as his collaborator, and you have ... HIGH SOCIETY! 

Downtown Lake Worth has lots of restaurants and plenty of free parking. It's election season so you're going to hear a lot of silly things being said about Lake Worth and most of it is nonsense, like the crime rate for instance (which is down considerably), and no, tall buildings are not popping up everywhere. So come into Lake Worth and visit one of my personal favorite restaurants very close to the Playhouse: Callaro's Steak House!

tonight it's happening at Callaro's brr... pic.twitter.com/ZnOWPdcFFy

— Callaros Steak House (@CallarosSteak) January 18, 2016

Get ready for more stray dogs and cats roaming our streets in Lake Worth and elsewhere?

In what may have unintended consequences for city's like Lake Worth the county's animal shelter is changing the rules for dropping off unwanted animals. We all can hope that people turned away from the shelter will take the animal back home for a "two-week waiting" period or, just as likely, the animal will be dropped off in a neighborhood somewhere and become a problem for someone else.

Andy Reid at the Sun Sentinel has this article that, unless I missed it, hasn't been news publicized anywhere else. If it has been reported send me an email which you'll find in the right-hand column of this blog and will provide a link to that information for my readers. Here is an excerpt from the Sun Sentinel article:

     Palm Beach County's animal shelter is making it harder for people to give up their pets, in a new move aimed at saving more unwanted dogs and cats.
     People trying to get rid of their pets may now face a two-week waiting period before the crowded shelter will take them. [emphasis added]
     The goal is to get people to reconsider unloading their pets at the shelter, or find an alternative home where they wouldn't face the risk of being euthanized.
     "There are times when giving up your pet is a rash decision," said Dianne Sauve, the county's director of animal care and control. "Oftentimes, (people) may solve the problem on their own. ... Sometimes it's just giving people the resources that they need."

[and. . .]

     Shelter space constraints limit how long dogs and cats can be held awaiting adoption before they are at risk of being euthanized. The shelter last year euthanized nearly 1,300 dogs and about 4,200 cats, according to the county.

If you're interested you can read about what feral and stray cats are doing to the native bird species here in Florida. Cats should be kept indoors or on a leash if taken outside.

Is there a "curfew" coming to Lake Worth? No. CBS5/WPTV dispels that myth reported by their "News Partner": The Palm Beach Post

Watch this news segment by Brian Entin to learn more about what is happening in Lake Worth

vis-à-vis the efforts by the City to make parks safer and reduce criminal activity at night. Here is an excerpt from the text of the news segment:

     A new ordinance in Lake Worth will not allow people to be in some public areas [emphasis added] during the overnight hours.
     The areas include the Cultural Plaza and the space around some city buildings.
     The ordinance will not actually go into effect until commissioners vote to decide the exact times to enforce the rules.

Here is the video from WPTV:
Please share this information with your friends and neighbors in Lake Worth. Thank you.

Note that in the news article by Kevin Thompson, the City's beat reporter, the word "curfew" is not mentioned at all. Then why add the word to the headline?

Use this link to learn more about this important situation.

[PINNED POST*] The City of Lake Worth doesn't need to hear this from an elected representative:

[Pinned Post: Please scroll down for the latest content below. As always, Thank You! for visiting my blog, Wes.]

As of Friday, January 22nd, there are 53 days until election day (March 15th). If you haven't been paying attention to what is happening in Lake Worth politics it's about time you started. In the video below is Maier at the City Commission meeting on 1/19 that was all about the homeless and nothing about the neighborhoods that are in such need for services and funding (Maier speaks first and then Commissioner Amoroso responds):
So, it's OK for people to urinate on the front door of businesses as long as nobody sees it?
*"Pinned" means this blog post is kept near the top of the blog because so many people are requesting to read about this situation. Please scroll down for new content. Thank You! for visiting my blog, Wes.

Reward increased to $25K to solve the murder of Cynthia Moffett (and one more reason you should't get your news from ABC25/WPBF)

PBSO released the following video on YouTube to hopefully generate more leads to solve the murder of Cynthia Moffett: If you get your news from ABC25/WPBF this is the false information they report to the public:

Moffett was killed March 23, 2006, while working at the Forest Oaks Golf Club in Lake Worth. Deputies believe she was shot and killed during a robbery between 5 and 6 p.m.

Why is this important? This murder occurred way out west in unincorporated Palm Beach County west of Jog Rd. and east of the Florida Turnpike, south of Wellington. Somebody who lives in that area may have seen or heard something and ignored it because they think, wrongly because of ABC25, that the murder occurred many miles away in the City of Lake Worth.

If you know anyone who lives in that area of the county please forward this information to them. Somebody may have that crucial, tiny clue that can solve this murder. PBSO detectives believe whoever committed this crime is familiar with the area and possibly lived in the area and maybe still does.

If you think you know something that can help contact or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-8477.

Question: Can Palm Beach County's Climate Change and Sustainability Coordinator offer Lake Worth some guidance?

Natalie Schneider is Palm Beach County's Climate Change Coordinator. We have heard a lot about the issue of Sea Level Rise (SLR) and the responsibility of local governments like Lake Worth have to take it on.

I attended a meeting that included candidate Ryan Hartman and Lake Worth Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell. Three elected Lake Worth representatives (Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell and commissioners Ryan Maier and Chris McVoy) attended the Climate Change Summit in Key West recently and they all returned with their observations and ideas for proceeding forward.

Mr. Hartman when asked about this said he was prepared to reach out to Maier and McVoy but wasn't interested in talking to Maxwell about this subject. My question is this: Should the county's Climate Change Coordinator set guidelines going forward on who sets policy concerning SLR?

Clearly, anyone who knows the situation Lake Worth is in financially knows that the City is very limited in what it can contribute to solving the problem of SLR. And some guidance going forward would be very helpful.

Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell's view on SLR is not extreme by any means:

Maxwell is not a "denier" and he, like almost everyone, is searching for the answers to the problems we face in Lake Worth, Palm Beach County, and the state of Florida.

The question is simply this: What should the role of local governments be to solve SLR and should those burdens be carried by each City individually or should the county take on that burden, set the policy, and give cities the ability to focus on present issues that face each resident each and every day?

What we also need to keep in mind is that if the 2020 Bond had passed, we would be designing all of our new infrastructure to TODAY'S standards. All of the elevations and hydrology related to the improvements would have to take sea level rise into account. The point is that if we don't have this kind of infrastructure funded, we are going to maintain our existing infrastructure to the standard that it was designed. That may be a 1930 standard, a 1956 standard or a 1974 standard. Any new infrastructure designed by licensed civil engineers would take into account current projections and design accordingly. Doing nothing by saying "no" to the bond keeps the City in the past, without a way to adequately address sea level rise projections. If those 25 people had voted the other way, we would be on our way to meeting the sea level rise challenges.

Breaking News: Palm Beach County's First-Ever Cultural Concierge Coming to the Cultural Council in Downtown Lake Worth

Below is great news, not just for Lake Worth, but for the entire Palm Beach County. For additional information contact Judith Czelusniak at the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County: 561-471-1602 and use this link for additional contacts. The Cultural Council is also on Twitter and Facebook. Following are excerpts from the Press Release:

THE PALM BEACHES OFFERS VISITORS FIRST-EVER CULTURAL CONCIERGE PROGRAM

Cultural Council of Palm Beach County Connects Tourists, Hotels and Arts Organizations to Curate the Perfect Cultural Experience for Travelers

Lake Worth, FL, January 19 – The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County is taking the visitor experience to an unprecedented level with the introduction of the innovative, new Cultural Concierge program. The first project of its kind in the global tourism industry, this free service will provide travelers with never-before-offered access to insider recommendations, exclusive amenities and customized experiences.

The Cultural Concierge will work with tourists, visiting groups, travel professionals and event planners to ensure that every visitor to Palm Beach County can take full advantage of the more than 42,000 cultural experiences available in the destination. Palm Beach County is Florida’s Cultural Capital™ and home to myriad museums, art galleries, performance halls and more.

“This partnership, where the hospitality industry works together with the cultural community to provide truly customized experiences for travelers, is breaking new ground in the travel industry,” said Marilyn Bauer, director of marketing and government affairs at the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. “We designed this program to better serve visitors, and we expect to increase cultural tourism, support arts organizations and stimulate economic growth through the distinct cultural opportunities offered with this service.” 

[and. . .]

Guests who wish to utilize this new service can use this link, or contact the concierge via email at (copy and paste): Concierge@PalmBeachCulture.com or by telephone at (561) 214-8082.

[and. . .]

The Cultural Council presents exhibitions featuring Palm Beach County artists and provides additional programming at its headquarters in the historic Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building in downtown Lake Worth. Also at the Cultural Council headquarters are the Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store featuring products by Palm Beach County artists, and the Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Visitor Information Center, a VISIT FLORIDA designated Florida Certified Tourism Information Center.

The Cultural Council galleries, visitor information center and store are open 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

[Update] Good Luck, Jupiter, and hope you work things out and everyone becomes happy once again

 [Update: Everyone in Palm Beach County, including all your friends in Lake Worth, wish the people of Jupiter the best. However, if the latest news is any indication, they're not going to find a solution any time soon to solve their pressing issue of the day. Here is the latest from Bill DiPaolo, "Harbourside’s war of words escalates with memo, newspaper ad":]

Anyone familiar with Lake Worth knows a lot of people have moved away and been replaced by new residents. It's nearly impossible to find a house to buy in the City for many who are looking to live here. So where did all the former Lake Worth residents go? From the looks of it many of them have moved to Jupiter. It's still "dysfunction junction" here in Lake Worth (things have gotten much better) but when the City arrives at a point where it HAS to make a decision they manage, somehow, to trip or stumble in the right direction.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. It's all very entertaining here and that's part of the reason this blog continues to remain so popular. Anyhow, I drove up to Jupiter during the construction of Harbourside and it was an impressive tour I took of the facility, not yet open:
Since Harbourside opened there have been a few hiccups you might say. They can't have music outside any more and there is another issue that's popped up in another part of town. Bill DiPaolo, the Post's reporter in Jupiter, has job security.

Dear fellow Palm Beach County municipal friend, Jupiter, there's nothing I can do to help you through your vexing issues of the day except this: Try just sitting back and enjoy the show. It's not going to last forever and some day you might wish you had more entertainment and distractions going on to liven things up a little.

It's a guilty pleasure when the focus is off Lake Worth and aimed like a laser beam at one of our more affluent cities. Some of you in Jupiter might be upset you can't listen to music outside at Harbourside but here in Lake Worth we have one of the most iconic and historic hotels in the country and two of our commissioners and a few City residents want to tear it down.

So, to all the good people in Jupiter, I can feel your pain. And good luck solving your issues of the day. And please hope and pray your neighbor to the south, Lake Worth, can muster the courage and effort to save one more of Palm Beach County's historical treasures: the Gulf Stream hotel.

The Lake Worth Tree Festival on February 13th (and how not to create a flyer to promote the event)

The Lake Worth Tree Festival is one of those special City festivals and there is so much to learn and do—especially for all the kids. You can win a free tree like I did a few years ago. There will be music, lectures, handouts, and demonstrations; more information to be had in one place than you can find anywhere else. SmartyPlants has a big display of trees and shrubs and an expert who can tell you how to plant something and most importantly, where to have it planted on the property. County and city employees will also be on hand to answer any questions you have.

Here is the festival Facebook page and an excerpt:

     A fun and family friendly event held at the Lake Worth Cultural Plaza. For the 11th Annual Festival of Trees we have talks on Butterfly Gardening, Proper Pruning, and the Lake Worth Lagoon. Musical guests include Lindsey Mills, Chaucer, and John Ralston. There will be Yoga at 9, Music & Story time for kids starting at 10, a performance by Downtown Dance and much much more. We hope our whole community will take a moment to celebrate the love we have for our trees: from Sea Grapes to Mangroves, to Banyans, Gumbo Limbos and more, we are so lucky to live 'Where the Tropics Begin."
      This is a free event.

There's a problem though with the flyers that they produced; can you spot what it is?

They don't say where the festival is located and there is no contact information on the front of the flyer. When you turn the flyer over it's blank. Just a square white piece of paper. Plus, nowhere does it say it's a free event—important information to share.

Spread the word to everyone you think is interested and make plans to attend the Tree Festival on Saturday, February 13th. The following week is the City's annual Street Painting Festival—it's an exciting time of year in Lake Worth, FL!

Ryan Hartman's recent, very confusing, and twisted trail of self-discovery: 'Who Am I and Why Am I Here'

I am very confused and a lot of other people are as well. I attended a community meeting last night (1/20) organized for those interested to learn more about the candidates (Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell and Ryan Hartman) in District One and discovered that Ryan Hartman is now an "Anarcho-Realist". Many Anarcho-Realists will be unhappy to find out that Mr. Hartman was a member at a protest that disabled a van by removing the battery and throwing into a lake. Many 'realists' will find that news unreal but it's true. He recently went to trial over that stunt.

Before becoming a candidate the Anarchist took on a more Hipster look and changed his appearance considerably. Definitely not the wardrobe the average Anarchist would use. Most Anarchists get their clothes at World Thrift and I do as well. It's a great store with a wide selection of items at reasonable prices.

As you can see in this video from last night he's taken on quite the mainstream Millennial SalesRep-style that will not offend anyone. Mr. Hartman is trying to distance himself as far as he can from his Anarchist friends.

I asked a question of Mr. Hartman about conflict resolution and I'll write about that later on in the week. I forgot the one I had thought of previously that is very important: "What is your position on the upcoming trouble-making the Anarchists have planned for this February?" And one more: "Would he encourage the use of buckets instead of modern and healthy toilet facilities?" 

Look closely at the written instructions on how and when to empty the bucket containing human waste. And do you think it would be a good idea for Mr. Hartman to take a ride-along with a PBSO deputy in February to spot any public disruption(s)?

One of the ways Palm Beach County is losing our history: "I have a better idea."

If you're a regular reader of this blog you know my thoughts on historic preservation. And many of you know my efforts over the years. I can say with confidence that my record contains more than words. Let's say I've walked the walk and I've talked the talk.

Five more historic buildings were lost yesterday (1/20) and many more will fall in the future and once they're gone they're gone forever. I don't know much about those buildings or the people involved in saving them but my heart goes out to them. It was a huge loss.

Many other buildings are heading towards destruction in Palm Beach County and it's only a matter of time. It could be demolition by neglect, by fire, or in most cases it's because, "I have a better idea." You can see this form of structure demolition right here in Lake Worth vis-à-vis the Gulf Stream hotel. Now a few are coming out of the woodwork with "a better idea."

Note that all these ideas are coming out now, many years after the debate began. At the point where the people in Lake Worth can envision a finalized historic building some people want more analysis which is really "paralysis by analysis". My fear is these 'better ideas' will end up with the Gulf Stream hotel being a big pile of debris in the end.

Below is the news story by Brian Entin at NBC5/WPTV from yesterday (1/20) and hope this is a reality check for all those people who say they care about saving our history. An excerpt from the text of the news segment:

     Historians and local architects showed up to the site Wednesday afternoon upset.
     They say the homes were built in the early 1900s and are historic.
     "It is a setback. But it is still important land. Important ground. The goal was to bring that back. Restore it. Bring back the memory and create a place where the residents of this area could reconnect with their history," architect Timothy Hullihan said. It's unclear how the preservation project will move forward.

An olive branch from The Palm Beach Post to the City of Lake Worth and the City's CRA

The Palm Beach Post really didn't have much of a choice in this matter—instead of offering an outright apology the paper did a positive and uplifting article about the City's CRA following the absurd and silly piece about the mural at the CRA's La Joya Villages. Hardly a week goes by when there isn't more good news from the CRA and for the Post to attempt and sully them in such a manner outraged many in Lake Worth. The reaction from the public was swift and in many cases quite hilariously on point condemning the paper.

For the mural non-story the Post reporter searched out for "a woman" who has hardly lifted a finger to improve the City of Lake Worth while another "a woman", Joan Oliva (the CRA's Executive Director), has devoted many years of her life to improve the City while taking the daily slings and arrows with that ubiquitous smile.

Anyhow, the Post reached out to the CRA and published this article titled, "Four Lake Worth intersections could get artsy makeover" and Joan Oliva is quoted several times. Here are two short excerpts:

     “Instead of art and culture being segregated from the public by being in galleries and art shows, we really want to bring art and culture to the public at large,” said [Joan] Oliva, executive director of the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency. “At the same time we wanted to highlight some of the areas that are primed for redevelopment.”
     That vision helped the city become one of 158 finalists in the Knight Cities Challenge, a program open to 26 communities nationwide to receive up to $5 million in grant money for projects that will improve cities, provide economic opportunities and spur civic engagement while attracting — and retaining — young talent.

[and. . .]

     Oliva said initial projections are the project would cost between $250,000 to $300,000 and take about a year to complete.
     “We want to make sure this is something the entire community can get behind,” Oliva said. “What we’re trying to do here fits nicely with what the Knights Cities Challenge is all about — community engagement and economic opportunity.” [emphasis added]

Also stay tuned for more on the "Art Junction" coming up at the Urban Arts Lofts on January 23rd:

Art Junction Urban Arts Lofts 1/23/16 #lakeworth #art pic.twitter.com/q5R4Lze3V7

— LULA Lake Worth Arts (@LakeWorthArts) January 7, 2016

More from the Lake Worth file titled, "You Can't Make This Stuff Up": Candidate for mayor, Diane Jacques and the movie 'Hogzilla'

 [By Request: This was originally published on this blog on December 12th last year.]

Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triolo has two challenging her for the mayor seat on the Lake Worth City Commission and one of them is Diane Jacques. As part of her biography supplied to the NAPC prior to the debate at the Lake Worth Playhouse on January 6th she made mention of her movie career but failed to mention her latest epic, Hogzilla:

Is the woman on the left in fear or is she laughing? And why aren't there any hogs in the movie trailer for Hogzilla?

Anyhow, it now gets curiouser and curiouser. Now we find out she couldn't or wouldn't pay the filing fee required to run for office and claimed a "hardship". This is not a joke. Even the Anarchist running against Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell was able to pay his $169.

To run for a City commissioner seat requires $144 to the state and $25 to the City. To run for mayor $154 is paid to the state and also $25 to the City. Candidate Jacques couldn't come up with the $179 to run for mayor?

Stay tuned as they say.