Sunday, February 7, 2016

Good news about Brightline and future Coastal Link in Lake Worth (and note that Comm. Maier DOES NOT "sit" on the TCRPC)

There's real good news about the future of transit in Lake Worth (below) but first to clear up something very important. Commissioner Ryan Maier said the following at the City Commission meeting on Feb. 2nd:
"I sit on the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council [TCRPC]. I've spoken about that many times." [quote made at the 8:50–9:00 mark in the video below]
Commissioner Maier is the City's liaison to the TCRPC. He is not a sitting member and has no formal role; he sits with the rest of the public at meetings there. Use this link to see all the members of the TCRPC and the list of alternates also. The next meeting, if you're interested, is TODAY (February 19th).

On the discussion that followed at the City Commission about Brightline (formerly All Aboard Florida) the vote taken was 5-0 to support rail transit going forward. You see, bipartisanship is possible here in Lake Worth. Mayor Pam Triolo, Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell, Commissioners Andy Amoroso, Ryan Maier and even Chris McVoy all agreed on "WHAT IS POSSIBLE" and the bright future that the soon-to-be passenger rail project, Brightline, presents for city's like Lake Worth.

Another topic of discussion was the future "Coastal Link":
The Coastal Link will follow the Brightline service and link all of the coastal cities in Palm Beach County together. For instance, you'll be able to take the train from Lake Worth to West Palm Beach and then take Brightline to Disney, for example, or if you wish go to Ft. Lauderdale/Miami.

On the subject of bipartisanship the city manager had a few words about that last year. The video below was taken at the extreme height of debate last year concerning the City's failed Casino business plan at the beach. Focus on what the city manager says starting at the 2:00 mark:
"Somehow just asking the question is taboo and I think that's what I keep hearing from people. Don't ask the question, "what is possible" in this city [Lake Worth]. Don't ask the question about what is possible, be it the beach, be it the road infrastructure. . ."—City Manager Michael Bornstein
Yes, every now and then cooler heads and reasonableness prevail and the City moves forward. Little by little. Don't get frustrated or down on LDub especially if you read the papers and watch TV news. Wonderful and exciting things are happening in Lake Worth now and into the future.

Unfortunately, at the City Commission meeting on February 2nd (following you know what) you had to hang around almost to the very end of the meeting to hear good news. I'm glad I was there to videotape this discussion/vote about Brightline and the Coastal Link.

As always, Thank You! for visiting my blog.

[A look back to August 4th, 2014] From Herman Robinson (Installment One): Why you should vote "Yes" for the LW2020 Bond

 [Note: The LW2020 Bond failed by 25 votes on August 26th, 2014, and you can learn why using this link. Continue reading the blog post below from August 4th, 2014. Now you can understand why so many neighborhoods and communities look the way they do.]

Mr. Herman Robinson, the Chair of the Lake Worth YES PAC, supporting the City's LW2020 Bond Vote this August 26, wrote a letter to me supporting the City's Plan. He titled the letter, "We are WORTH it!" I am going to post Herman's letter in two segments. This is the first segment (for the second segment use this link):

"We are WORTH it!", by Herman Robinson

The City of Lake Worth is finally facing up to the reality of long-deferred maintenance on our hidden assets: water and sewer pipes, drains and road infrastructure, as well as the equally long-deferred maintenance of visible assets as sidewalks, street lighting and streetscapes. To remain a viable community, all of our publicly-owned infrastructure must be repaired and brought up to modern standards, the sooner the better. Estimated cost: $63.5 million for the roads and about $20 million for water utility pipes, which the city already has.

The majority of involved citizens in Lake Worth do not take exception to the necessity of these repairs. However, there are some who disapprove of funding a maintenance plan that is beyond our annual budget limitations. Objections to the plan and funding options are:

1. This maintenance work should have been done before, it doesn't make sense to do it now.
2. There is a connection between other of the City's issues (utilities, rate of home ownership, etc.) and funding strategies for deteriorated infrastructure.
3. Our current City government is incapable of proper spending and completion of any projects.

To each of these objections, I answer:

1. Compare the City's maintenance needs to dental work, for example, "I know I should have had that filling done years ago but I didn't. Now I need bridgework and a plate." Repairs are always more expensive (and painful) the longer you wait.
2. The City does have many issues to address; each is interrelated with the other. Good stewardship and sound planning is to move forward and accomplish what can be done. Success in one area will form the foundation of future endeavors. Old, crumbling infrastructure leads backwards and will make future endeavors impossible.
3. It is easy to point fingers and complain about the flaws of government; mistakes will be made. Unless these mistakes are of the malicious or egregious sort, to deny your government the ability to maintain the public's assets is perverse. Our community cannot become paralyzed because people and results are not always perfect.

Paid Political Advertisement Paid for By Lake Worth Yes P.A.C., 114 Ocean Breeze St., Lake Worth, FL 33460

This about sums up the latest kerfuffle created by the press about Lake Worth. . .from Facebook

Did you hear about a "curfew" in Lake Worth? And what is a 'kerfuffle'?

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Add Some/Take Some: An Abstractions Show soon in the little City of Lake Worth (Opening Party on Feb. 27th)

Stay tuned for more information on this upcoming show in Lake Worth by ArtsUnited, LuLa, and the Armory Arts Annex:
For more information contact Emily Theodossakos, the Marketing and Program Manager, at 561-493-2550. She also can be reached at (copy & paste) etheodossakos@lakeworth.org

You can also ask about new murals and street signs that are being talked about!

The Post's Carlos Frias, "What is the real truth behind our obsession with conspiracy theories?" [And the debate happening now in Lake Worth]

This is a real interesting article that appears in the Post today (D section, front page). The reporter, Carlos Frias, interviews University of Florida professor Mark Fenster who wrote this book about conspiracy theories. The article deals with the return of "The X-Files", the JFK assassination, and the Sandy Hook elementary school shootings, etc.

The article ends with this:
     Conspiracy theories are as popular as ever.
     "It never dies," Johnson[*] said. "I wish people would lose their enthusiasm about them."
 *Keith Johnson, the spokesman for the HONR Network.
"Conspiracy theories" are very popular on a smaller scale too, such as the little City of Lake Worth. There are things that happened here and are happening now that some would have you believe are silly and should not be believed. Like the Anarchist Ryan Hartman that is challenging the vice mayor of Lake Worth, Scott Maxwell. Hartman's been stepping away from that, or at least distancing himself from the Anarchists, and before too long maybe he'll be an Anarchist in the tradition of George Washington or some other iconic American. With 38 days to go before election day (as of 2/6), with some help from the press blowing the wind in the sails for Hartman, anything can happen.

If you've been paying attention to this blog lately, and throughout the years, I've chronicled the Anarchists, former Commissioner Cara Jennings, Panagioti Tsolkas, and all the 'merry-making' at Everglades EarthFirst!. For anyone to claim they haven't had a significant impact on how the City of Lake Worth is today is myth-making. Just the fact that an Anarchist is running for a commission seat again is proof of that.

Interestingly, some podcasts recently have become available and they've been getting a lot of attention, both on this blog and they're also on some Facebook pages as well. When you listen to the videos (recordings) many get the sense they're not actually podcasts at all, not like an interview as one is accustomed to, but actually performances where the speaker is reading from a script. When you listen see if you can pick up on that and take note of the dramatic heavy breaths taken throughout, it's hard not to notice. Is this a new 'conspiracy theory' in Lake Worth? Not at all. Just an observation. Encourage everyone to listen for yourself and draw you own conclusions.

The video below begins with Hartman at a recent City Commission meeting and the Podcast begins at the 2:00 mark; a question follows below the podcast. Enjoy!

Now to the question, is Hartman an Anarchist or not? Or is he just one of those harmless, cuddly Anarchists that no one should worry about voting for?

Will Lake Worth's unique 'two main streets' make it to the print edition soon? Or did Lake and Lucerne avenues get forgotten?

An article about a child painted on a mural made the print edition and so did many stories about curtailing hours in City parks to keep the public spaces safer. But the Post's beat reporter for Lake Worth has had an article ready for the print edition that made the online edition on January 24th. This would really be "news" for a lot of people and is what can be called a 'teachable moment'.

The news by Thompson for those who have been paying close attention over the years isn't really new. The issue of Lake Worth's "two Main Streets" has been talked about for at least ten years, maybe longer. If you didn't know roads such as Dixie Hwy., Federal Hwy., Lake Ave., and Lucerne Ave. are not owned by the City of Lake Worth. This will be big news for a lot of people. What makes Lake Worth special is that unlike most cities that have "a main street" this City has two: Lake and Lucerne avenues. However, the City has little say about what happens on these avenues except to make suggestions and hope the Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT) will listen.

Ultimately, FDOT doesn't have to answer to Lake Worth or even Palm Beach County. They have to protect the interests of all the citizens and taxpayers of Florida who have paid taxes to maintain these roads for many decades. And the other thing to remember is nothing happens very fast at FDOT. When it comes to bureaucracies and going through channels and doing things exactly by the book FDOT sets a very high standard.

Many believe, including myself and a lot of other people, it would be a real good idea for the City of Lake Worth to take over control of Lake and Lucerne avenues. If it did happen it wouldn't happen any time soon. The process would be very complicated and will take a very long time. This will become a public topic of discussion especially since the City's Street Painting Festival is coming up shortly and Lake/Lucerne avenues will be closed to traffic for a weekend.

Here are two excerpts from the article by Thompson that might make it to the print edition tomorrow:
     The city, however, wants the department [FDOT] to upgrade and repair them [Lake and Lucerne avenues] first, a project that could cost more than $3 million, according to City Manager Michael Bornstein.
     “We want those two roads to be almost like new,” Bornstein said. “We don’t have the money to completely rebuild them. We can’t even fix our own streets.”
     Jamie Brown, the city’s public services director, said portions of the road are cracking and need to be resurfaced.
     “From A Street to A1A, we want to see the entire Lake and Lucerne avenues resurfaced, with fresh striping and fresh asphalt,” Brown said. “There’s a disconnect on what they’re willing to provide and what we’re willing to accept.” [emphasis added]
[and. . .]
     “For us, it’s just as important for us to have people come downtown, get out of their cars and have pedestrian and bicycle access,” he [City Manager Bornstein] said. “It’s not about rushing people from point A to point B in cars. How you manage that right of way is important to us.”
     But not a top priority, considering the city has so many other issues to address, Bornstein pointed out.“I’ll wait them out,” he said, referring to FDOT.
It will be refreshing to see this article about Lake Worth in print.

A gathering in Lake Worth tomorrow at the Sacred Heart Church

The front page of The Lake Worth Herald on 1/28.
There will be a gathering in Madonna Hall at Sacred Heart Church where Loretta was a parishioner tomorrow from 2:00–4:00. There will be light snacks and refreshments. We'll celebrate her devotion to all our communities and to the entire City of Lake Worth as well.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church
425 North 'M' Street in Lake Worth
Phone: 561-582-4736

Friday, February 5, 2016

Lake Worth Mayoral Candidate Antieau isn't a big fan of fences

Lawn decorations in his front yard sans a fence to keep the dogs out.
If you can't read the headstone too well, it says, "R.I.P. Here Lies The Last DOG that PooPed On My LAWN".

Interested in baseball memorabilia? Then read about an event this Saturday (did Babe Ruth really play golf in Lake Worth?)

This article is online and in the print edition today (2/5) on page B3, above the fold.

Baseball has deep roots in Palm Beach County. Did you know Babe Ruth played golf at the Lake Worth golf course? He did:
Read about a feature story on the City's golf course and more about the course here.
City Manager Michael Bornstein and Mayor Pam Triolo receive recognition for the City's golf course at City Hall.

Nicole Danna with more food news in the little City of Lake Worth: An iconic venue reopening with a new theme

Nicole Danna isn't new to food/restaurant news here in Lake Worth. She's a reporter from the Broward/Palm Beach New Times. She visited Benny's on the Beach last September and wrote a review you can read here and she's reported on other news as well here in the City:
If you've been hearing something might be in the works for the "Cottage" on Lucerne Ave in downtown Lake Worth then the reporter has this news. Here is an excerpt:
     Stache owners Jeff John and Brian Freed have selected downtown Lake Worth to debut a new concept they've dubbed C.W.S. Craft Cocktails and Kitchen, a bar and restaurant slated to open in March [emphasis added] at 522 Lucerne Ave., the space formerly occupied by the Cottage. Both men describe C.W.S. — short for Stache's fictional proprietor Charles William Stache — as a casual, sophisticated establishment serving craft cocktails and contemporary fare.
     "The opening of C.W.S. will be a significant move for us, because it signals 3-J Hospitality's expansion north of its Broward home base, as well as its evolution," says John, who founded 3-J Hospitality in 2003. "C.W.S. will be a must-try for craft cocktail enthusiasts and late-night carousers, as well as foodies. This is a concept we've been developing for some time and we're thrilled to be going to Lake Worth."
Welcome to Lake Worth!

Thursday, February 4, 2016

ATTENTION—AAF Media Advisory: Rail deliveries in West Palm Beach & Lake Worth

FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:

What: Crews working for All Aboard Florida will offload rail at various locations within the Florida East Coast Railway right of way throughout the Cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth
When: Today [2/4] through Monday, February 8
Where: Throughout today, crews will be working in the downtown area of West Palm Beach. The 3rd Street grade crossing could be blocked for more than an hour. Safety personnel are on site to help direct vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
      Tomorrow and through the weekend, crews will be in the area south of Okeechobee Boulevard and north of Lake Avenue in Lake Worth.

Save the Date: February 17th at 6:00—The Gulf Stream hotel project continues to move forward

I'm told, with just minutes left prior to the deadline, another lawsuit was filed to delay a crucial Lake Worth project from moving forward. However, the work to bring our historic Gulf Stream hotel back into operation continues. Below is part of a legal notice in The Lake Worth Herald in the latest editon (2/4/16):
It's important to remember this lawsuit was completely expected by many, including myself. What's surprising to me is what took so long.

Part of the reason for the lawsuit is to stall progress restoring the hotel. But the other reason is to demoralize you and make you upset. So what should you do? Do the opposite. Be excited about the future of one of the most important structures from an era long ago. And when you're needed to show up a City meetings, SHOW UP!
Stay excited about the Gulf Stream hotel being revived and just look at this as a bump in the road. I'm excited about the future of our historic hotel and so should you. We'll need a big turnout at the Historic Resource Preservation Board (HRPB) on 2/17. Stay tuned for other meetings and information regarding the Gulf Stream hotel.

Here is the lawsuit filed against the City:

Visit downtown Lake Worth and take a nice walk to the City's new Visitors' Information Center

Our Visitor Center is going viral! Below is a screen grab from Twitter yesterday and take a look at the image of Lake Worth's Visitor Center below in this blog post:
Below is more information on our new Visitor Center.
The total Twitter followers of CulinaryTour, currentlyexploring, and VISIT FLORIDA is about 120,000 people. Two things: Thank You! for "Liking" the little City of Lake Worth and to everyone else, tell everyone you know to visit our City's downtown and take a stroll to our Visitor Center. And remember, the Street Painting Festival is only a few weeks away:
"In the heart of Historic Downtown Lake Worth, the Visitor Information Center is the place to pick up a map or brochure, and speak with a volunteer who can assist you in making your visit easy, enjoyable and unforgettable."
Here is more information:
  • Call at 561-540-5304
  • Located at 414 Lake Avenue, the City Hall Annex
  • Hours: Monday–Friday, 10 am–4 pm
  • Email: (copy and paste) lakeworthvic@gmail.com
  • They are also on Facebook
  • Finding a hotel room is easy. If a hotel room isn't available in Lake Worth, just a few minutes north is West Palm Beach and their Visitor Center will assist you. 
Make Lake Worth, "where the tropics begin" part of your visit to central Palm Beach County!

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

The Gulf Stream Hotel: When news isn't news and remember, Don't Get Upset!

Soon everyone who has rallied so hard to save our historic, downtown Gulf Stream hotel, will be hearing news. And many of you will get very upset. But it's important to remember this 'news' isn't news at all. This move was completely expected by many, including myself. What's surprising to me is what took so long.

Part of the reason for the tactic being employed is to stall progress on restoring the hotel. But the other reason is to demoralize you and make you upset. So what should you do? Do the opposite. Be excited about the future of one of the most important structures from an era long ago. And when you're needed to show up a City meetings, SHOW UP!
Stay excited about the Gulf Stream hotel being revived and just look at this as a bump in the road. I'm excited about the future of our historic hotel and so should you.

From last night's City of Lake Worth Commission Meeting (2/2/16): Commissioner Comments and Public Comment


Comments and reports by the City Commission members is the first part of the video. At the 12:00 mark, public comment begins on unagendaed items.
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