A judicial relapse. A setback, 2½ years of hard work. To call this blog post troubling is an understatement.

Is there going to be a ‘relapse’ in the the fight against sober homes once again here in the City of Lake Worth and other municipalities along coastal Palm Beach County?

May be. Continue reading more about this very serious topic.

First. How we got here.

And the reason why you need to get involved. Today.

On September 26th, 2016 the public had had enough. They demanded change. Our elected leaders listened. Sober homes were once thought to be a problem with no solution. Communities and neighborhoods were anxious and worried.

There was talk of forming a task force back in 2016. And one was. It is called the Sober Homes Task Force and Lake Worth Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso is a member. Below is more information about that.

Amoroso is worried. And you should be too. You should reach out to Andy Amoroso (contact information below). And reach out to Rick Christie too. Find out who Mr. Christie is a little later.

What happened that September evening 2½ years ago in the City of Lake Worth (see link in caption below) set off a chain of events that shocked our County government, the State legislature in Tallahassee and then ended up in the halls of the U.S. Congress. It suddenly became a top priority at the White House then occupied by President Barack Obama.

Change happened. And quick. Word came from Washington, D.C. to Tallahassee. Get this fixed. You have the full support of the Federal government.

And now because of one ruling by a Circuit Court here in Palm Beach County so much progress that has been made in 2½ years is at risk of being erased, you can call it a judicial relapse if you wish.

The editor at The Palm Beach Post, in an editorial headlined “Judge’s ruling threatens Aronberg’s war on opioid abuses” wrote this on Feb. 13th:


Too much is at stake here.

After years of lives lost and neighborhoods damaged, our communities — like Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Lake Worth — can’t afford a relapse. To call this ruling “troubling” would be an understatement.


This editorial in the Post was posted fourteen (14) days ago [as of Feb. 27th]. There have been no follow-ups on this troubling news since and that has to change.

The public needs to get engaged NOW and so does our paper of record here in Palm Beach County. Contact Rick Christie, the editor at the Post and make your voice heard. This issue needs to be a top priority.

“The Palm Beach Post welcomes your letters.”

Let the editor at the Post know you, your family and neighborhood are very concerned about this recent ruling by a circuit court judge here in Palm Beach County.

Your letter must include name, address and daytime phone number. Try to keep your letter to a maximum of 200 words:

• Email: letters@pbpost.com
• Fax: 561-820-4728
• Snail mail: Letters to the Editor, The Palm Beach Post, 2751 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm, FL 33405

If you submit a letter today it should be enough time to make the most-read Sunday print edition of the Post.


Use this link if you wish to learn more about the Sober Homes Task Force led by the Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg.

For residents of the City of Lake Worth. To reach out to Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso call 561-586-1733 or send an email to: aamoroso@lakeworth.org

For the entire City Commission click on this link.

To learn more about what happened at the public meeting held on Sept. 26th, 2016 click on this link. Please scroll up and compose your letter to the editor today. And later on today or tomorrow follow up. Explain why your letter is important. Call 561-820-4476 or email: rchristie@pbpost.com

Lake Worth Christian High School in the City of Boynton Beach.

Questions: How much do you know about non-public secular education in Palm Beach County? Do you support prayer in schools? Do you think your local public school is substandard? Not the teachers but the system.

Are all non-public schools effective at teaching history and math and all the basics? Of course not. 

All of these questions, for many in the public, are relevant in many areas of Palm Beach County. Questions that parents and municipalities and public policy professionals grapple with all the time.

Oft-asked are the pros and cons of a public education. And the pros and cons of charter schools and private schools too. There is a lot of excitement in the City of Lake Worth now about public schools and on the Lake Worth City Commission is an excellent public school civics teacher any municipality in the County would be proud to have teaching civics to children and young adults.

And on topic this year’s municipal elections in Lake Worth are the most civic of any in recent memory, not at all a “war of words” as reported in The Palm Beach Post recently.

But it needs to pointed out once again, this blog post today is a very long story about a very short story published in the Post last Saturday.

It was a brief story by reporter Wendy Rhodes.

And before we continue there is terrible news today. Sarah Peters left The Palm Beach Post last Friday. But she joins an exclusive club. A lot of reporters have left the Post recently.

Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach is very fortunate. For quite some time Peters has been one of the most reliable reporters at the Post. Steady and always newsworthy. Stay tuned to find out what Peters will be up to.

What this portends for Gatehouse Media in Palm Beach County is unknown. The turnover of reporters at the Post is unsettling to say the least. The turnover should be occurring further up in the leadership, not in the younger and energetic rank and file. May 1st is the one-year anniversary of ownership by Gatehouse Media.

Maybe some really big changes will happen by then. But don’t hold your breath. The Post rarely reports anything about what is happening at their headquarters located at 2751 S. Dixie Hwy. in West Palm.

Now back to that very long short story.

If you are reading this blog today you most likely did not see that news in the Post about a fundraiser for a non-public secular religious school in Boynton Beach. The City of Lake Worth has at least one such school.

Check back soon for the entire list of public, non-public and the one charter school in this City.

Just to be clear, a religious school is one that has a religious component for the mission of educating children and/or adults in the faith of Christianity, Judaism, Islam or any other faith. Like public schools these schools can be good or bad. At the end of this blog post is an example of an excellent non-public secular school in the City of Lake Worth

There really is no debate about prayer in schools. There are options if this is a major issue for your family. But there is a lot more time and effort required like weekend car washes, fundraisers and other events to promote the school.

Random questions. How much do you know about the Sacred Heart Catholic School in the City of Lake Worth?

Did you know the City of Boynton Beach had a Christian high school?

Do you support the mission of non-public private education vs. a public education?

And what is all this about the City of Lake Worth changing its name and where exactly is unincorporated Palm Beach County and all thirty-nine (39) municipalities? Which ones have non-public schools?

“Gee wiz, this is getting complicated!” But actually it’s not; it’s elementary unless you happen to be a reporter or an editor who doesn’t care about accuracy.

As reported last Saturday in the Post there was a very short story on p. B3; it was a minor story and a major one too. And it was all true and accurate as well.

That brief news story is further below with a few redactions.

Depending on one’s perspective it was either a normal news story or one that took a lot of time and research. Because according to the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser the Lake Worth Christian High School has a ‘Lake Worth’ mailing address. You have to dig deeper to find out the facts. And knowing how to do that takes some time and effort.

But either way some or many in the public learned more about what is the City of Lake Worth and what is not the City of Lake Worth.

Did you know there is a well-respected and productive Catholic elementary school in this City? And in the City of Boynton Beach there is a school in a formerly unincorporated area in suburban Lake Worth called the Lake Worth Christian High School? It’s unclear when this property was annexed by Boynton Beach but will try to find out some time soon.

Will explain this image at a later time.

Click on map to enlarge.

See a red box? That is where the Lake Worth Christian High School is located — in Boynton Beach south of Town of Lantana (shaded Verdenia Lantana)  — unshaded areas are unincorporated PBC, also called “suburban Lake Worth”.

Keep in mind the effort to rename this City to the “City of Lake Worth Beach” is already a lost cause. Every week the editor at The Lake Worth Herald makes fun of this effort and the Post published another negative letter by the same malcontent who often gets published in the Post, this latest one referring to how ridiculous renaming this City is, which was a topic of numerous public meetings after which ALL our elected officials ALL voted unanimously to put on the March 12th ballot.

But then later a few suddenly came up with better ideas. Not surprising at all. Sadly, it was expected.

Now back to that news story published in the Post last Saturday.

It was published in the “IN BRIEF” section on p. B3 above the fold, the very first item ‘In Brief’ right next to the top news story of the day by long-time reporter Olivia Hitchcock. Being tasked with reporting about a stolen monkey named “Kari” was a welcome break from the normal mayhem in West Palm Beach which does not have a beach but the news about that rare and missing Goeldi monkey WAS big news.

But there was also important information above the fold too in the Post last Saturday for those who support education with a focus on faith. And one of the ways these schools support themselves is by fundraising. And up against the Palm Beach County School District’s public and charter schools they sometimes need to be very creative. And they need to be accurate too.

For example, the news from Post reporter Wendy Rhodes last Saturday. Here it is with some information redacted and remember, this event was held last Saturday, but if you wish you can contact this school to learn more about what they do.


BOYNTON BEACH

Collectibles for sale at annual show today

The 27th annual South Florida Political and Historical Collectibles Show is from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. today at Lake Worth Christian High School, 7592 High Ridge Road.

The event will feature nearly 50 dealers from 12 states selling rare books, antique toys, vintage postcards and political collectibles like buttons, posters, china, glasses and even hot pads.

If you think you have something special tucked away in your attic, organizer ■■■ ■■■■■■■ says they will offer on-the-spot estimates and bidding at the event.

Whether you are buying, selling or just browsing, the show offers the opportunity to connect with the history and politics in an up-close and personal manner.

Admission is $5. For more information, call 561-■■■-■■■■.

Wendy Rhodes


So that’s it for the day. And check back tomorrow for more information about this topic of “Where exactly is the City of Lake Worth?”

It’s taken a lot of hard work by a lot of people to get the “City of Lake Worth Beach” to ballot. But maybe it’s just not the right time and no one should feel bad. And the critics need to let off too. Whether you agree or not this has been a wonderful public debate and we are all the better for it.

Oh. And to learn more about the Sacred Heart School in the City of Lake Worth, located at 410 North M Street, click on this link.

Mission Statement

“As a faith community enthroned in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our mission is to provide all our students, of diverse cultures and abilities, an education of excellence, in a Christ-centered environment, encourage them to live the gospel values of love, peace, justice, respect, and service, and prepare them for success in higher education and life, and to be productive, responsible, and effective members of society.”

Information Worth Noting. Tonight at 6:30 is another candidate forum here in the City of Lake Worth.

Note that if you plan on attending this event this evening and have an issue of concern please educate yourself about ‘the food chain’ first which is also referred to as an upward linear network for problem-solving. One example would by your missing pet in John Prince Park. This public park is not in the City of Lake Worth.

FYI: For the list of public parks in this City click on this link.

The list of things your elected officials CAN CONTROL vs. the list of things your elected official CANNOT CONTROL would truly shock you.

Many times the solution to your problem can be solved by contacting State Representative Mike Caruso or PBC Vice Mayor Dave Kerner or State Senator Lori Berman. The list of all of your elected officials higher up in the chain is later in this blog post.

How the upward linear network works is contacting Caruso first and then either Kerner or Berman or both. Still no answer? Then contact your elected leadership in Washington D.C., e.g., the honorable Congresswoman Lois Frankel.


Now moving on.


Everyone is invited this evening to The Beach Club bistro at #1 7th Ave. North, the City’s municipal golf course. Last Monday at The Beach Club was standing room only for candidate forum.

Please show up early tonight for a good seat.

For a primer on where we are right now, ahead of the elections on March 12th, please click on this link for the latest from journalist Joel Malkin. And also on the topic of politics and the future of this City, there will be another candidate forum on Thursday, March 7th just five (5) days prior to Election Day.

What will be one of the topics under discussion this evening? It could be anything. Maybe even an issue from west of I-95 or even about alligators at the municipal golf course.


Without further ado, let us proceed.



“Gators really don’t like humans to eat. They eat other things like fish.”

—Quote. Published in The Palm Beach Post on Jan. 31st, 2019, in a story headlined, “Harmless or harmful? Massive 12-foot gator dragged out of Lake Osborne” (link to story below).



Having your pet alligator taken away is a huge problem because Lake Osborne is located in suburban Lake Worth, in the County’s John Prince Park.

But there is a solution!

Contact your elected leadership on the County Commission and your elected leadership in the Florida legislature. How? All that information is below.

The following scenario actually happened.

This incident was published in The Palm Beach Post by a beat reporter with contribution from a community staff writer. To learn more click on link below (highlighted in yellow).

Worth Noting: The alligator’s name has been changed to avoid harassment.


Here we go. . .


You are a resident of the City of Lake Worth but you have a pet 12′ alligator you keep in Lake Osborne. The gator’s name is “Ripples”. But Lake Osborne is in John Prince Park which is outside the municipal limits of the City. John Prince Park and the lake are managed and controlled by the County, not the City of Lake Worth.

Imagine that, every day you are close enough to wave and yell, “Good Morning, Ripples!” but one day Ripples is gone. Frantically you search and then find out that trappers took Ripples out of the lake for so-called ‘public safety’ reasons. Before Ripples ends up gator nuggets on an appetizer menu you want answers. So you march on down to Lake Worth City Hall demanding that Ripples be returned. But the City cannot help you!

Ripples and Lake Osborne are outside the City’s control.

That’s where your state representative comes in. Contact you representative in Tallahassee and say, “I want my Ripples back!” But Ripples is a really big alligator. And therein lies the big question an editor the Post asked, is Ripples “Harmless or harmful”.

Join the debate about Ripples! Return Ripples to Lake Osborne because he or she is just a harmless pet? Click on this link to learn more.


Hope you found the scenario above helpful..

Now moving on, who is YOUR elected state representative in Tallahassee. . .

In the map (see below) the un-shaded areas are a combination of unincorporated PBC, suburban Lake Worth and what is called the Lake Worth Corridor.


Shaded areas in map below are:

• Town of Lantana (shaded red) is to the south.
• Village of Palm Springs (shaded blue) and the Great Walled City of Atlantis (shaded Royal White) are to the west of County-owned (unincorporated) John Prince Park, PBC Park Airport and PBC State College.
• Town of Lake Clarke Shores is to the northwest.
• West Palm Beach is directly to the north (border is the C-51 Canal).

Note in this map one can see the process of “annexation” occurring.

So if you live in one of those unincorporated areas now, that may change in the very near future.

Click on image to enlarge.

Now compare the map above with the district map of the House of Representatives below:

Four districts pass through and include the City of Lake Worth. They are Districts 87–90.

The east-west State Road “802” is Lake Worth Rd. and Lake and Lucerne avenues in Downtown Lake Worth.

The north-south highways are Dixie (US 1) and Federal (nearest the Intracoastal).

Click on map:

To learn who represents your neighborhood and community here in this City in the Florida House of Representatives note the links below.

Going from the east (Lake Worth Casino and Beach Complex) to the west (unincorporated Palm Beach County and nearby western municipalities):

District 89 will be represented by recently-elected Mike Caruso (R; shaded lime green): Areas of this district include Lake Worth Beach and all areas east of Federal Hwy. to the Intracoastal. Click on this link for the news about Caruso’s win defeating Jim Bonfiglio (D) by a very slim margin.

District 88 is represented by Representative Al Jaquet (D; shaded lemon yellow): District includes Dixie Hwy. to Federal Hwy. and then expands west at 6th Ave. South to I-95 and District 90.

District 87 is represented by Representative David Silvers (D; shaded bright lavender): District includes areas west of Dixie Hwy. extending outside the City and south to 6th Ave. South and is bordered by District 90 as well.

District 90 is represented by Joseph Casello (D; shaded pear green): District includes areas west of I-95 but not all (a small area of District 87 is west of I-95). District 90 continues west into suburban Lake Worth including the unincorporated John Prince Park, Palm Beach State College, and the Great Walled City of Atlantis.

Also very important:

Your representative in the Florida Senate is Senator Lori Berman.

Your representation on the Palm Beach County Commission is District 3 County Commissioner Dave Kerner and District 7 and Vice Mayor Mack Bernard.

And here is your Lake Worth City Commission:

Election Day is March 12th. District 2 Commissioner Omari Hardy (to left of Mayor Pam Triolo) and District 4 Commissioner Herman Robinson (to right of mayor) are up for re-election. Click on this link to learn more about these two races and all the candidates on the upcoming ballot.

Public notice in Herald: Public meeting on “single destination retail”, major site plan at 10th Ave. North and A Street.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Planning & Zoning Board of the City of Lake Worth, Florida, will hold a public hearing in the City Hall Commission Chambers, 7 North Dixie Hwy., at 6:00 PM or as soon thereafter as possible, on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 to reconsider a request for the following, due to the applicant’s traffic study inadvertently being excluded from the January 16, 2019 agenda packet:

PZB Project# 18-01400009: a request for a Major Site Plan to allow the construction of a 7,441 square foot “single destination retail” use at 1615 10th Avenue North. The subject property’s PCN is 38-43-44-21-15-262-0031.

Written responses can be sent to the Lake Worth Planning & Zoning Board at 1900 2nd Avenue N, Lake Worth, FL 33461 and must arrive before the hearing date to be included in the formal record. You also have the opportunity to attend the meeting to provide oral testimony. For additional information on the above issues, please visit the City of Lake Worth Division of Planning, Zoning and Historic Preservation [link added] located at 1900 Second Ave. North, Lake Worth, Florida 33461 or contact City Staff at 561-586-1687. 

Public meeting of Palm Beach County Housing Authority TOMORROW morning at 8:00 a.m. in West Palm.

ALL residents of Palm Beach County (PBC) means, e.g., if your family is in need of rental assistance in West Palm located in the vicinity of the coast or near the Village of Wellington in western PBC  — be it a “Housing Choice Voucher” or public housing — this public meeting tomorrow morning will be of great benefit to you.

This is a public meeting of the Palm Beach County Housing Authority (PBCHA). Everyone from the public is encouraged to attend. More details are below including a link to the PBCHA website.


UPDATE: Also below is more information about PBCHA on-line applications for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program Waiting List to begin on Monday, March 4th at 12:01 a.m. and ending on Friday, March 15th at 5:00 p.m.


A public notice of the public meeting tomorrow morning by PBCHA was published in the Sunday, February 17th print edition of The Palm Beach Post on p. D5 in the very last column below the fold. You may have been distracted last Sunday because the editor(s) at the Post published their endorsements for the District 2 and District 4 races in the City of Lake Worth.

The Post endorsements for the races in West Palm ‘Beach’ should be published any day now. What gives? What is taking so long is a mystery.

The municipal elections in West Palm on March 12th (a municipality without a beach) are exactly sixteen (16) days from today. The endorsements in Lake Worth were published on February 17th, twenty-three (23) days prior to Election Day and in the Sunday paper too! Sorry West Palm. Maybe if you had a beach that would make your elections more worthy of note.

Anyway, here is that public notice of a public meeting that was published in the Post, a public meeting to be held tomorrow morning:

Notice of Meeting

Palm Beach County Housing Authority
Board Meeting

A Palm Beach County Housing Authority Board Meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 25th, 2019 at 8:00AM. The meeting will be held at:

The PBCHA Main Conference Room
3432 W. 45th Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33407
(561) 684-2160

To learn more about the PBCHA click on this link.

UPDATE: On PBCHA on-line applications for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program Waiting List beginning on March 4th, “Applications must be completed online at www.pbchafl.org [link added] via computer, tablet or smartphone. Applications will not be accepted at Housing Authority offices or any sites.”


The information quoted above was published in the print edition of the Post yesterday (Feb. 23rd) on p. B5 in the last column.

Street Painting Festival, Sunday, February 25th, 2007.

Today begins the twenty-fifth annual Street Painting Festival!

A special treat today. Below is a look back to the festival thirteen years ago, the twelfth annual Street Painting Festival back in 2007.


With no further commentary or quips. . .

Enjoy.

Click on all images to enlarge:

Most significant political event of the year: Mayor Pam Triolo’s annual State of the City Address.

Save The Date:

Come and join Lake Worth Mayor Triolo next Tuesday evening (Feb. 26th) at 6:00 in Ballroom at Lake Worth Casino.

All elected officials, the entire City Commission, will be on the stage with Mayor Triolo at the State of the City Address.

The City administration and staff will be in attendance as well. In past years some elected officials would not show up in protest for the mayor’s State of the City Address which is very bad form. The State of the City is a show of unity and nonpartisanship.

The annual State of the City speech by Mayor Triolo should be about thirty minutes long. The City in their annual press release always says it will be about 30 minutes long. But due to the amount of applause it’s typically a bit longer.

Note FREE parking will be available starting at 5:30, seating is available on a “first come first serve basis” and the State of the City begins around 6:00. Admission to the event is also FREE. Mayor Triolo will discuss the present and the future for our City. There will be department heads and City staff attending to answer any questions you may have afterwards.

Make plans now to be in attendance at the State of the City Address. Expect a very large crowd this year.

Question: How does the mayor of Lake Worth, Florida get to and from capital in Tallahassee in an “MAU with FAU”?

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATON. The mayor of Lake Worth, Florida DID NOT take an ‘MAU’ [networking Multiple Access Unit ] to the capital in Tallahassee. She took an “MOU” which is a networking Mobile Operating Unit. A small but very significant difference in the Acronym community. Hopefully this explanation will satisfy Chris McVoy, PhD.*

Readers: The previous version
of this blog post.

 

Last updated on Friday, February 22nd, 2019 at 2140 hundred hours.

Let us proceed.

What do Lake Worth Mayor Pam Triolo, Lake Worth City Manager Michael Bornstein and Director Gabriel Alsenas at SNMREC all have in common? And State Senator Lori Berman and State Representative Mike Caruso in the Florida House of Representatives too?

You see. There was a topic of discussion in Tallahassee last week. And another one this week. And more meetings coming up next month.

To get to and from Tallahassee where the capitol of Florida is located, Mayor Triolo used a “MAU [sic] with FAU” meaning a vehicle repurposed as a Multiple Access Unit (networking device) with someone from Florida Atlantic University.


Correction Worth Noting once again: It WAS NOT an ‘MAU’. It was an “MOU”.


And whilst on topic what does the 46th Governor of Florida and the Office of Policy and Budget fit into this topic today? And State Senator Wilton Simpson? The Committee on Innovation, Industry, and Technology in the Florida Senate? And a whole lot of other elected officials, staff and offices in the Florida capital too like the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy?

What do they all have in common? This story officially began just over two years ago. It was a meeting held in the ballroom at the Lake Worth Beach and Casino Complex on the morning of February 12th, 2017. There were many elected officials present including then-State Representative Lori Berman who would later succeed then-State Senator Jeff Clemens who was formerly a state representative during the former Gov. Ric Scott administration and formerly to that was the mayor of Lake Worth, Florida.

The last sentence above is a bit complicated but elections in Palm Beach County can be that way sometimes.

But Clemens’ indiscretions are old news. What the public focuses on now is Clemens’ bold decision ten years ago to disband the LWPD and merge with PBSO; that was truly significant.

And thankfully Mr. Mark Easton, the editor at The Lake Worth Herald, showed up at the Lake Worth Casino two years ago. Because no one else from the press or news media did. But a blogger also showed up at that meeting too and took some photos as well.

Would you like to learn more about what is happening up in Tallahassee?

Then please re-visit this blog some time time in the near future..

And once again, Thank You for visiting.


*Chris McVoy, PhD, is a former elected official in Lake Worth, Florida and was recently appointed to the prestigious Lake Worth Tree Board by Mayor Pam Triolo. Lake Worth is a tolerant City and welcomes FREE SPEECH even when those like McVoy promote Socialism and political repression in other countries. For example, in 2015 McVoy demonstrated his unwavering support for Presidente Nicolás Maduro and proclaimed it was good for democracy in South America.

Beach Bonfires at the Lake Worth Beach: Very last one of 2018–2019 Season is TONIGHT at 6:00!

Have you been to a Beach Bonfire yet? There is one this evening and after that no more bonfires at the Beach until later this year in November for the 2019–2020 Season.

What are you waiting for?

Below Palm Beach Post correspondent Sir Eddie Ritz reports on “Gooey marshmallows and chocolate” at the Lake Worth Beach!

Click on image to enlarge: 

 

Hear Ye, Hear Ye. Come Ye All to the Lake Worth Beach and Casino Complex. And this weekend is the Street Painting Festival!

FYI: The City of Lake Worth is your OFFICIAL news source for events, entertainment, and other fun stuff. To learn more click on this link for the City’s website “Special Events”.

In TGIF breaking news last year the Post’s Sir Eddie Ritz reported in the Post there will be Graham Crackers and “Gooey marshmallows” too.

The headline, “Light up the night at
Lake Worth Bonfire”:

“Looking for that perfect evening? Want the ambience of the ocean but maybe a little short on cash?” and, “Gooey marshmallows and chocolate nestled comfortable between two Graham Crackers will round out the night”!

Small business community. To succeed in Downtown Lake Worth. A case example: Artsy Fartsy Dècor & More.

Why did Artsy Fartsy go out of business in April 2017?

And why couldn’t Artsy Fartsy succeed on Clematis Street either as reported in The Palm Beach Post in February 2018?

However, Mr. Brian Schlitz, the owner of Artsy Fartsy, explained nearly two years ago why he relocated from Boca Raton to the low-rise City of Lake Worth this way, two excerpts:


“Lake Worth is a very artsy, charming town and the perfect place for a specialized, fun décor store.”


And Mr. Schlitz continued,


“Lake Worth’s top business assets are the public officials in place.”

—Quote from the Lake Worth CRA News Blog in April 2017.


Could Mr. Schlitz be referring to City Manager Michael Bornstein and Lake Worth CRA Director Joan Oliva?


Now moving on . . .

Today at 4:00 is deadline to RSVP for a FREE event.

An event sponsored by the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).

Why RSVP today and attend this exciting upcoming event? This is why, an excerpt from the The Palm Beach Post by a beat reporter who heavily promoted Artsy Fartsy Dêcor and More and that ultimately failed in Downtown Lake Worth proving that a regional newspaper is not the most efficient way to attract customers. The beat reporter wrote:


That brings me to Lake Worth. OK, work with me here. Imagine, if you will, the city hosted a show called “The L-Dubs” and handed out trophies to businesses on Lake and Lucerne avenues, the heart of Lake Worth. What’s that new Key West-looking business in downtown Lake Worth?

—This quote.about Artsy Fartsy Dĕcor and More, a ‘new Key West-looking business’ is from January 2017. By February 2018 Artsy Fartsy was out of business.


Promoting yourself as a ‘Key West-looking business’ selling repurposed beach riff raff in L-Dub is not quite the best approach to attract the sophisticated shopper or the Quirky LOCAL shoppers in the City either. 

Despite being heavily promoted often in The Palm Beach Post this business, Artsy Fartsy, ended up leaving Downtown Lake Worth.

Which leads into a FREE event sponsored by the Lake Worth CRA:

“Do you have a great product or service, but still not enough customers?”

“Join us to learn how to use market research to identify who your best customers are, where they live and how to market to them more effectively.”

This FREE event by the Lake Worth CRA:

Featuring Guest Speaker Deborah Lanford, MBA, Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) at Florida Atlantic University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Please RSVP to Emily Theodossakos at the CRA no later than 4:00 this afternoon. Call 561-493-2550 or send an email to: etheodossakos@lakeworth.org

March 7th at 7:00: Candidate forum at the Lake Worth Casino and Beach Complex.

This event is FREE. And parking is FREE. This event is sponsored by the Lake Worth Business Committee (LWBC) and the Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce.

Did you know there will be no municipal elections in the Town of Lantana this year? At the end of this blog post is more about that latest development.

And whilst on the topic of the small business community below is very important information recently published in The Palm Beach Post by business journalist Jeff Ostrowski.


This news is. . .

Big News for
Small Business Owners.

Did you catch that news in the paper?

Would guess you probably did not because the editor(s) decided not publish it prominently in the print edition, not a feature story in the Business Section by any means and that news has quickly faded away in the online edition. But more about that later on.

If the business community in this City is of importance to you then please continue reading and learn why small businesses is this City are joining the LWBC and merging with a neighboring town which will make both of us “Better Together”.

A few members of the Lake Worth Business Committee, a recent meeting at TooJay’s.

And much thanks to reporter Jeff Ostrowski for making the case for business chambers of commerce merging with neighboring municipalities and suburban neighbors too.

The news from Ostrowski published by Gatehouse Media, the owner and publisher of  the Post is of utmost importance to the City and to our business community as well. The news was about one of the County’s smallest chambers of commerce that is merging with one of the largest. In a word, this is significant.

The fact that the City of Lake Worth and the Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce was not mentioned one single time in the business news by Ostrowski does nothing at all to lessen the importance of what was reported. If anything, it should spur you to action, especially if you are a Realtor or an investor or even a potential developer.

For the City of Lake Worth and the Town of Lantana to become stronger our City’s business community needs to be “Better Together” with our neighbors and business community in the Town of Lantana. The traditional small town chamber of commerce is a thing of the past, unfortunate but true, as you will learn more about below.

Later in this blog post today is more information about the LWBC, which has partnered with the Greater Lantana Chamber of Commerce, news that has never been reported in The Palm Beach Post. Hope springs eternal now that Gatehouse Media is the new owner and publisher of the Post that local reporting of small chambers of commerce will get more attention.

However, the news by Ostowski in the print edition about Boynton Beach and Boca Raton may have caught your eye. Or maybe not. This news was buried on p. B7 below the fold near the gutter, what some refer to as the fold betwixt verso and recto, or the left side page and the right side page which together is called the spread.

Why is this important? Because it’s no mistake where news appears in a newspaper. Above the fold is what the editor(s) deem more important and below the fold much less so. From p. A2 going forward the eyes drift left to right on the spread and then to the next spread and the next.

Next time you pick up an actual print newspaper you can judge for yourself the priorities of your local or regional newspaper just by viewing each and every spread. Don’t bother with all the content. Just see where that content is on the spread.

The last news item on the pp. B6–B7 spread was an AP story about the “social media giant” Facebook. So if you were in a hurry you probably didn’t pay much attention to the headline,

“Boca Raton, Boynton Beach chambers of commerce merge”

The headline above was near the gutter below the fold.

Along with the story by Ostrowski was a photo of Mr. Troy McLellan who is president and CEO of the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce. But being a small business owner in the City of Lake Worth you say to yourself, “OK. That’s Boca. So what?”

Well here’s what’s what. Two excerpts from the news by Ostrowski:


The Greater Boynton Beach Chamber of Commerce said this week that it is now part of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce. The Boynton Beach group reported $202,000 in annual revenue, compared to $1.7 million in receipts for the Boca Chamber.

The Boca Chamber said the merger gives Boynton business owners access to a broader array of professional development courses.

“They just don’t have the resources to deliver what we can in Boca,” Boca Chamber President Troy McLellan said. “Their leadership said, ‘What’s our next step? What can we do?’”

To smooth the transition, McLellan said, Jonathan Porges, the chief executive of the Boynton Chamber, will stay on. The Boca Chamber also will keep the Boynton Chamber’s office space through the end of the year.

After the combination — which mirrors a national trend of consolidation among chambers of commerce — the Boca Chamber now has 1,700 members.


Ostrowski reports there are now five major business chambers in Palm Beach County: Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce, Greater Boca Raton, Greater Delray Beach, Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, and Central Palm Beach County.

And in the article by Ostrowski is this line:


There are smaller chambers of commerce in Palm Beach and Wellington.


To become a force, to become “Worth Noting”, the Town of Lantana and this City of Lake Worth — and everywhere else in this coastal region of Central Palm Beach County — the business community needs to get more involved and more active.


Creating a new business chamber is a daunting task which can take many months if not years. And even then it may never become a success. For too long this City has been in dire need of a Chamber to represent the business community.

For small business owners in this City of Lake Worth you will meet the members, ask questions, and find out how the LWBC can help make your voice heard. As per the title of this blog post today, on March 7th at 7:00 will be a “Candidate forum at the Lake Worth Casino and Beach Complex”. The LWBC will be there prior to and after this public forum to answer your questions and explain how becoming a member will benefit your business.

Briefly, here is a short sample of new and renewing members:

• Posh Properties: Jerilyn Walter
• Kiwanis Club of Lake Worth: Brian Kirsch
• Street Painting Festival: Nadine Burns
• The Related Group: J. Nicholas Dusseau
• Tacos Al Carbon
• Illustrated Properties: Sally Ott
• Palm Beach Yacht Center

The LWBC and all the members of the Greater Lantana Chamber in nearby municipalities and suburban areas are encouraged and excited to hear about what is happening in this City.

You may be interested to know with an additional $50.00 to your regular membership you can become a member with the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce located in Downtown Lake Worth.

This is important because the extremely popular annual Midnight Sun Festival celebrating our Finnish heritage will be held in Lake Worth’s Bryant Park once again next March. For more information about that click on this link.

Also worth noting the Town of Lantana WILL NOT be holding municipal elections in March.

The two incumbents — the honorable councilmen Malcolm Balfour and Dr. Lynn Moorhouse — were both re-elected without opposition.


Congratulations to both of you!

Two (2) pressing press releases from the City of Lake Worth (two links below).

Visitors, residents, business community, and information for the press and news media.

What you need to know about the Street Painting Festival this weekend.

For news from Mr. Ben Kerr, PIO, information about parking and traffic, click on this link. For a message from City Manager Michael Bornstein, “Dear merchants and business owners” including tips on Street Painting festival etiquette and proper conduct please use this link.

Ventusky. The most amazing weather website/app you’ll ever use.

A few days prior to Hurricane Irma in September 2017 stumbled across the most incredible weather websites ever called Ventusky.

You’ll never look at TV and press weather reports in the same way ever again. Ventusky is a,

“. . . [C]ombination of two words. The first is Latin word, Ventus, means wind, the second is English word, Sky.”

You can customize Ventusky to your liking for the time of day, shows estimated wind speed, waves, etc. You can choose what you want to see on the left side of the page using various tabs. It will ask to follow your location (“Search for location. . .”) and works on mobile devices as well.

Once you enter your location into Ventusky (e.g., your zip code) you’ll be blown away (pardon the pun):

“The Ventusky web application has been developed for you at our company, InMeteo, in collaboration with Marek Mojzík and Martin Prantl. We are a Czech meteorological company based in Pilsen. At our company, we focus on weather prediction and meteorological data visualisation. We have a wealth of experience in presenting weather data from our portal, In-počasí, which was founded in 2006 and is now one of the highest-traffic servers in the Czech Republic.”


This weather application is really amazing and encourage you to share it with all your friends and family.

Election Season 2019 in L-Dub: Campaign signs.

Very important: The ordinance about political campaign signs is not being enforced any longer by the Lake Worth Code Enforcement Dept.

Everyone is on the honor system. The unwritten City policy is:


Because the Silly Red Signs [see below] have been out there for nine years now, all political signs are allowed with no time limit or regulation whatsoever. The sign’s political message, no matter how silly or stupid, must remain untouched by the City.

Here’s one of those “Silly Red Signs” by the SRS platoon that first appeared on City right-of-ways in early 2009.

How much do you know about “Red
Sign Syndrome” (RSS)?

Here’s another version of the SRS; in total there were twenty-six (26) versions since 2009.

How much do you know about SSR, Sthaltus signentititis robrusistiticus?

To learn more about SRS, RSS, and SSR
click on this link.

By the way, did you know political campaign signs are protected Free Speech and that stealing or vandalizing a campaign sign is a crime? It’s true. Learn more about that at the end of this blog post.

The City of Lake Worth has had its fair share of political drama and hot-button topics the last few years. However, in the context of history — taking into consideration the last 25–30 years and following the Great Recession as well — in comparison, the last six to seven years has been a period of time marked by political calm and stability.

Remember: Signs don’t vote. People do.

But if you are a candidate and plan on putting out political yard signs below are some ideas, suggestions, and radical color designs.

Note the use of 5-pointed stars and the subdued greens and blues on white #5 non-recyclable Chloroplast.

Color progression is also very important. See how
the red pops to blue and then blends into the
green and then the blue again:

Silly Red Signs can mix up the color scheme. Have a sign with vibrancy! Draw the viewer in.

A slate of candidates in 2015: Gary, Frank, and Ryan! They all lost but got points for patriotism and
promoting “The American Way!”

And who knew that Mr. Ryan Hartman loved
the United States of America so much!

Note the mix of blues and red: Be patriotic! Show your love for the planet: Go GREEN! You may not win but you do get points for style!

Location. Location. Location.

Street corners (intersections) are the BEST locations.

Don’t have all the signs facing the same way.
Get them coming and going!

Important. Find a location with an unobstructed
clear view. Note the parked car:

Another tip: Write down the location of all your signs. You might need them again!

What if signs get stolen? Use this link for instructions on how to handle that issue. Good luck to all the candidates in 2019!

Saving Planet Earth, reducing carbon footprint, and values: Bourgeoisie in New York vs. bourgeoisie in South Florida.

If one is from the bourgeoisie class but also happens to be environmentally-conscious then the true value in property is to be found in South Florida. Why? It all comes down to how willing one is to reduce their carbon footprint. Sure, caring about the environment in itself doesn’t add value to property but you’ll never run out of things to talk about at parties.

Learn more below about the huge economic benefit of air conditioning homes in South Florida vs. the much higher cost (including destruction of the environment) of heating a home in the northeast.

And also below learn about the bastions of bourgeoisie in northeastern American cities who,

“[P]ut a moral value on the thermostat that doesn’t correspond to common sense.”

From an environmental perspective when a tourist visits South Florida to escape the freezing cold Winter what happens when their vacation is over? They return back to their home up north burning up more fossil fuels than had they just stayed here in Florida. You see — just by living in South Florida and doing nothing more to save the planet — one already has a smaller carbon footprint than those living in the northeast. 

Following is one of the most popular posts ever on this blog since the very first one back in May 2006. Why? Maybe it tapped into a slice of the Big Apple readership!

“Anti-AC sentiment persists in spite of basic facts, and without convincing evidence. It relies instead
on naked ideology and posture. To rail against the
air conditioner is a way for cosmopolitans to
claim their bona fides. . .”
—Quote from an article by Daniel Engber at Slate.

Engber takes on The New York Times for an essay they published titled, “Why is America so over air-conditioned?”

Seems some special enclaves in that city have their own “brrr-geoisie” and “thermal bigots” who think they have special status because they don’t use air conditioning — they rather use an array of fans throughout the house because they think they’re staving off the “engine of apocalypse” — Mr. Engber smacks them down convincingly. 

The little City of Lake Worth, and I bet every town and city in Florida, each have their own cabals of the bourgeoisie and ‘thermal bigots’ who have achieved special status for not having AC. Seems a very low bar for worship or adulation but that’s just me.

Air conditioning is no more a “gross indulgence” than taking a shower more than twice a week or using a modern toilet, but some ‘radical’ Millennials in this City would try to have you believe otherwise. 

So without further ado, a special treat from Daniel Engber, an article titled “Hot and Bothered: Air conditioning isn’t bad for you or even (relatively) for the planet”, and why Northerners should move to Florida:


     Summer cooling is no more damaging to the climate than the heating that we do in winter. In fact, it’s substantially less so, since the United States burns more fuel on radiators than it does on air conditioners. According to the most recent stats available from the federal government (which cover 2010), the average American household puts 40.4 million British thermal units into home heating, and just 9.3 million BTUs into home cooling. As I’ve pointed out before, this explains why the long-term shift in population from our coldest, Northern states into the hot and humid South has in sum reduced the amount of fossil fuel we burn to keep our houses at a comfortable temperature. [emphasis added] Simply put: It’s more efficient to air-condition homes in Florida than it is to warm the ones in Minnesota.
     Anti-AC sentiment persists in spite of basic facts, and without convincing evidence. It relies instead on naked ideology and posture. To rail against the air conditioner is a way for cosmopolitans to claim their bona fides, and to place themselves in opposition to irresponsible, American excess. When they proudly say they’d rather use electric fans, they show their neighbors that they’re tasteful intellectuals—right-minded and upstanding. That is to say, they’re members of the brrr-geoisie.
     They’re also victims of a blinding bias. The brrr-geoisie are thermal bigots: They put a moral value on the thermostat that doesn’t correspond to common sense. Heating, good; cooling, bad—that’s their moral calculus. Why discriminate among degrees? They have no cogent answer. It may be true that America is overcooled, but then again it’s also overheated. No one writes op-eds to make the latter point.

Now, for all you reading this who live up north, use this link to plan a trip to the City of Lake Worth.

Why don’t you come down and visit some time? You might like it here and decide to move here and do your part to cut down on fossil fuels and help to save Planet Earth. Please note this sage advice by one of our very own iconic City residents:

“Why would anyone want to
live in places where you have
to wear socks?”

Check this out everyone. . .

No socks!

Want to learn more about the City of Lake Worth? Click on this link for the City’s official website.