Neighborhood Clean-up in Tropical Ridge 2/25/21

 

PBSO- Lake Worth Beach- District 14 - Weekly Update

We had a mixed week crime wise.  There were two shooting calls, both in the Sunset Ridge neighborhood. . One was domestic related.  The other was a drive by to a business where no one was struck. We had one robbery to a person in the Memorial Park neighborhood. We had two business burglaries where copper was stripped from the building along with four residential burglaries and ten auto burglaries. The burglaries were mostly in the north half of the city and nine of ten auto burglaries were to unlocked vehicles. We are following up some good investigative leads on the burglaries. 

In the past week, three of your Lake Worth Beach deputies have been recognized for their actions.

 

Lifesaving Medal : Deputy Goodman and Deputy Concepcion responded to a call where the owners dog had mauled her. The deputies had to first deal with the dog before finding the victim and rendering aid. She suffered critical injuries and lost a lot of blood, however the deputies actions saved her life.

 

Combat Star (Similar to the Purple Heart) : Deputy Acierno received the Combat Star for actions that he took on a traffic stop where the driver purposely struck him with the vehicle. Deputy Acierno sustained serious injuries including a dislocated hip. I am happy to report that he recovered from his injuries.

 

These are just a couple examples of the bravery displayed by our deputies on a daily basis.

 

Covid 19: The vaccine news is promising and hopefully it will be more readily available soon. This is not the time to let your guard down. I have seven employees currently out with it or in quarantine due to a direct exposure. Continue to follow CDC guidelines so we can get this under control.

 

Community Policing: We had a great event today at North Grade Elementary. Through a partnership with “Jacobs Shoes” we were able to provide new sneakers, socks and bags to forty children that were chosen by the school. We have events planned at the other schools in the near future.

 

Be safe,

 

Captain Todd Baer

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Commander – District 14 – City of Lake Worth Beach

Enhance Your Big Game Experience with TooJay’s Deli’s Game Day Bundle

 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (January 21, 2021) – Nothing says Game Day more than party platters of piled-high sandwiches. Be the MVP of the Big Game with TooJay’s Deli’s Game Day Bundle.

Available now, TooJay’s Game Day Bundle feeds eight to 10 people and offers an assorted signature sandwich platter, potato salad, Cole slaw, pickles, a dessert platter with TooJay’s signature sweets, condiments, plates, utensils and napkins.

The Game Day Bundle is available for takeout or contactless curbside pick-up. Guests can order online through TooJay’s website or call their nearest location to place an order. Curbside is available only on pre-paid orders through the app or website. Delivery is also available on orders of $50 or more. Delivery times are limited so orders should be placed in advance. Guests are encouraged to call their nearest location for delivery details.    

TooJay’s is excited to welcome guests into its dining rooms at all locations throughout Florida in accordance with all state and local requirements, including safe sanitation and food handling with team health checks and enhanced cleaning procedures. For information on how TooJay’s is implementing COVID-19 safety regulations, please visit TooJays.com/how-we-are-navigating-covid-19. Guests also can enjoy TooJay’s great comfort food through curbside, takeout, delivery and catering.

 

Founded in 1981, TooJay’s currently serves guests in Palm Beach and Broward counties, the Treasure Coast, the Orlando area and The Villages.

 

TooJay’s received three Palm Beach Post 2020 Best of Palm Beach County Awards for Best Sandwich, Best Dessert and Best Caterer; two Fort Lauderdale Magazine 2020 The Best of Fort Lauderdale Awards for Best Family Friendly Restaurant and Best Locally Made Food Product; 2020 Best of Orlando Award for Deli; 2020 South Florida Family Favorites Award for Favorite Family Restaurant;  the 2019 South Florida Gay News Golden Spoon Award for Outstanding New Spot in Fort Lauderdale; and the 2019 Restaurant Neighbor Award as a State Winner from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation for its work with Feeding Florida

 

For more information about TooJay’s, visit TooJays.com. Follow TooJay’s at twitter.com/therealTooJays and instagram.com/toojaysdeli or visit the Facebook fan page, which has over 93 thousand fans, and become a fan at facebook.com/TooJaysDeli.

WiFi on the Go! Lake Worth Beach City Library

Check out a TMobile Hot Spot from the Lake Worth Beach City Library. If you have a City Library card you can check out a hot spot for 2 weeks to use at home or on the go.

Mobile hotspots can connect more than just a laptop to the web. They’ll work with a tablet, a camera, and pretty much any other Wi-Fi enabled device. With a mobile hot spot, you can bring Wi-Fi with you wherever you go.

A fully charged mobile hot spot’s battery can provide up to 17 hours of service. Video streaming and Zoom applications may drain the battery at a faster rate.

The Library’s mobile hot spots are provided through a 1 year grant from SEFLIN (South East Florida Library and Information Network).

MLK Unity Interfaith Brunch Free · Bryant Park Band Shell - Monday, January 18, 2021

Music and sing-along by Mel & Vinnie featuring vintage Civil Rights Era songs.

Poetry and Readings by LWCHS students.

Ever-joyous presentation by For The Children pre-school.

Inspirational remarks from Catholic and Protestant, Jewish and Gentile leaders will foster the legacy of Dr. King.

The MLK Committee has chosen an outdoor venue for your safety. Please wear masks and social distance during the event.

(More information on Facebook: (20+) MLK Unity Interfaith Brunch | Facebook.)

Democracy is Undeterred...

In the wake of the mayhem at the Capitol, here are the addresses where thank you letters can be sent to custodial staff:

AFSCME Local 626

Ford House Office Building

2nd Street Southwest

Washington, DC 20024

OR

Architect of the Capitol

US Capitol

Room SB-16

Washington, DC 20515

You can also email thank you letters to the union, AFSCME Local 626, at localbamma@gmail.com or to the Architect of the Capitol at communications@aoc.gov.

Click here for informative article.

Bryant Park Neighborhood Newsletter 01 16 21

 Friends and Neighbors,

We hope you're all having an excellent start to the new year! There are many concerns over a wide variety of topics surrounding our neighborhood so let's get to it:

Upcoming Bryant Park Neighborhood Association Meeting: Monday, January 25 @ 7:00pm via Zoom. Please mark your calendars. Invite to follow.

Upcoming March Elections For Mayor And Commission Seats In Districts 1, 2 and 3:

It's Election Time again in the City Of Lake Worth Beach.

Debates with the candidates will be held soon by the NAPC, (Neighborhood Association Presidents Council)  in 4 separate presentations. To maintain the secrecy of the questions, all 4 will be presented publicly through the NAPC YouTube channel after they have been recorded.

It is also traditional for the various neighborhoods throughout the city to hold their own debates, forums, and Neighborhood Association meet and greets with the candidates. Bryant Park, being the first neighborhood association many years ago to hold their own debates, will be doing so again this year. As there are quite a few candidates this year, 13 in all for Mayor and Commissioners for Districts 1, 2, and 3, the debates will have to be broken into 2 or more sessions, and will be held via Zoom at the end of February, dates to be determined.

Neighborhood members are asked to submit your questions for the candidates via email in advance of the debates. 

Please send to BRYANTPARKNEIGHBORHOODNEWS@GMAIL.COM

Also NAPC related:

The NAPC has extra money in their coffers and are asking for ideas on how to spend it. Please let us know if you have any ideas!

Gulfstream Hotel: 

Due to the pandemic situation, the buyers are still trying to secure all the necessary financing, so for the time being there is not much new to report unfortunately. The city is helping and working with them.

A City Parking study for South L and South M Streets and the downtown area, has been paid for by the city, but no results are yet available. Due to the concerns from residents in the Gulfstream Condominiums regarding costs to continue parking on the property owned by the Gulfstream Hotel, a lawsuit has been started involving the City of Lake Worth Beach. The condos will be meeting with the City soon.

Historic 17 South M Street House Tentatively Being Moved to Bryant Park:

Voted on 4 to 1 at the last commission meeting with no input from the residents of the city or neighborhood. Herman Robinson was the one dissenting vote. What does this mean for us?

The City Manager has secured the needed funding to begin the initial plans to move this historic and recently refurbished structure. However, specifically where it will move has not yet been determined. The City Manager has suggested Bryant Park, in the area near the jetty to be used potentially for community events and organization activities. However, he has been made aware that our Neighborhood Association has not been included in any conversations about this proposed move, and that we would expect such an opportunity.

Our District 4 Commissioner, Herman Robinson, is concerned with this very significant and noticeable move that would be seen by all city residents and visitors alike. He has brought those concerns to the full commission to ensure that an appropriate location selection is considered to maintain neighbors' views and to be best utilized and appreciated.

Is this concerning to you? If so, please reach out to us.

Ocean Breeze and North Ocean Breeze:

There has been some concern among neighbors this week about the street name of Ocean Breeze being changed to South Ocean Breeze largely due to a new sign that has been erected at Lake Ave and Ocean Breeze that has added "S" before the street name. This is not an official or city sanctioned change.

An authorized change by the city and subsequently with the post office requires an official vote. The city commission had conducted a vote to change North O street to North Ocean Breeze, as the result of the Parrot Cove Neighborhood Association requesting it.

However, the idea of changing Ocean Breeze to South Ocean Breeze has not been requested by our Neighborhood Association, nor brought up by the City Commission. According to District 4 Commissioner Herman Robinson, the city has no plans to put it up for a vote.

If anyone is still concerned, the BPNA Board members voted unanimously to send a letter to the city commission clearly stating our opposition to any name change. Our neighbor, Jane Thomas, is also working on a petition and if you'd like more information on that please contact her directly- therealjanethomas@gmail.com

Birthday Cake Castle: 

You may have noticed the large event held at the home in early December, and you may have also seen commercial grade catering equipment on the property. Be assured, the city is aware of what they have been up to. While the owners of this home intended to run a destination location for outdoor events, this property is located in a Residentially Zoned area, they Do Not have a business license, and the city says they have no plans to grant them one. 

To even be considered, they would have to receive a zoning variance to Commercial Zoning by way of the Historic Preservation Board and city staff recommendation, and then finalized by a City Commission vote with public and neighborhood association input and support...all very unlikely.

The home is on our neighborhood border with the South Palm Park Neighborhood, and they too have notified the city of their concerns including noise, traffic, and parking. If this is concerning to you, please attend a commission meeting and take the opportunity to speak at the public input portion of the meeting or consider writing to your commissioners.

Next Regular City Commission meeting Tuesday, January 19, 2021:

You can find the agenda here: https://lakeworthbeachfl.gov/government/commission-agendas-and-minutes/

Neighborhood Improvements and Safety Updates-

Your Neighborhood Association asked, and the city responded. More sidewalks are being repaired! However, traffic issues continue as we've heard new concerns over increased speeding and wrong way driving on 5th Ave S & S Lakeside. The city says they will be erecting new reflective poles and other traffic calming devices in this area to reinforce the single direction flow of traffic. 

We feel that we have noticed an increased Sheriff's presence in the area, again, because our local neighborhoods have let the City and PBSO leadership know, which is helpful, but we know many of us have seen more wrong way driving lately and there is still room for improvement.

Road Improvements are still a challenge, regarding 1st and 2nd Avenues surrounding the Gulfstream property as the city plans to make upgrades there once redevelopment has begun and not before then. Still, we have been asking for those and other nearby areas to be reconsidered for a sooner update.

*Our commissioner Herman Robinson laid out his new year's resolutions and hopes for the city of Lake Worth Beach and it is definitely worth a read. Check it out here:  https://www.facebook.com/herman.robinson.9

PBSO Update:   

Heightened crime data during the holidays including a couple of shootings in other neighborhoods in LWB, plus unfortunately another shooting this week off of 17th Avenue North. According to Capt. Baer's latest update, "It was domestic violence where there was a specific victim." Also from his latest newsletter:

 "We conducted a prostitution operation yesterday. Five prostitutes were charged with offering to commit prostitution.

 *Community Policing: Hopefully you are seeing and interacting with our deputies out there. They have been doing more park, walk and talk activity and we have been using other vehicles such as bicycles and ATV’s which make us more approachable. Lt. Lavigna and I had a good meeting last night with local pastors from south end churches."

Trends include:

• Burglaries to Vehicles

• Robberies to Persons

• Shootings – In LWB and many other cities countywide

• Business Burglaries – Looking for tools

COVID-19 Vaccine: 

Via the City newsletter- "As we embark on the journey of a New Year there is long awaited news about the next step in our fight against COVID-19, the vaccines are starting to become available in Palm Beach County. To ensure that the vaccine goes where it is most needed first, Governor DeSantis has ordered (EO 20-315) that the first wave of vaccines will go to individuals in the following priority groups:Long-term care facility residents and staff.Persons 65 years of age and older.Health care personnel with direct patient contact.Persons deemed to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 by hospital providers.The Florida Department of Health will be distributing the vaccine by appointment only and strictly to those who meet the requirements in the Governor's order. If you, or a loved one, is in one of the priority groups you can make an appointment by emailing chd50feedback@flhealth.gov. In your email you must include the name, phone number, and date of birth of the person who will be receiving the vaccine. Questions about the vaccine should be directed to your primary care provider.

Further information about the vaccine can be found at these resources: https://discover.pbcgov.org/coronavirus/Pages/vaccine.aspx

If you have questions about COVID-19 you should contact 1-866-779-6121 or email COVID19@flhealth.gov.

The City of Lake Worth Beach will continue to work with our partners at Palm Beach County and the Florida Department of Health to ensure our residents remain healthy during this pandemic, however the City is not involved in the deployment and administration of the vaccine.

Although the deployment of the vaccine is the beginning of the end, COVID-19 remains a threat. Residents should continue to follow the guidance from the CDC for their own safety and the safety of those around them.

Continue to social distance, wear a mask, and wash your hands regularly."

MLK events:  Please see attached flyer for additional info 

Lake Worth Kiwanis Club needs help to get the word out about this year's events. Due to Covid, note that the annual breakfast is now a brunch, to be held outside at Bryant Park by the Bandshell at 11 am on MLK Monday (January 18th).

There is a Candlelight March at 4:30 pm.

No dinner is planned, but a Commemorative Program will begin at 5:30 pm at the Cultural Plaza.

Masks required for all events. Please see attached flyer and feel free to share and post. Keep an eye on the Kiwanis Facebook page for further information.

CRA Updates: 

Tax Workshop presented by the SBA & SBDC – Fort MyersNavigating Taxes during Unprecedented TimesWednesday, January 20, 2021 from 11:00am to 12:30pm 

Register here: Navigating Taxes during Unprecedented Times

Tickets, Wed, Jan 20, 2021 at 11:00 AM | Eventbrite

Call for Volunteers:

Via an email sent to Lake Worth Beach NAPC- 

"In a partnership between The City of Lake Worth Beach and The School District of Palm Beach County, The Mayor's Education Taskforce is requesting citizen input and support for our LWB schools. The goal of this committee is to strengthen the connections between our schools, principals, city and community. Participants will have the opportunity to hear from the SDPBC leadership and work on developing additional supports for our schools and students. This taskforce is particularly important due to the impact that the COVID pandemic and distance learning/teaching is having on our children. We will meet virtually until it is safe to meet in person, once a month, beginning in February.
If you are interested in participating please email

Angela.Santacruz@palmbeachschools.org .

Thank you very much. I am also available to answer any questions that you may have."

Erica Whitfield, School Board Member, District 4

561-434-8139 (office)
Erica.Whitfield@palmbeachschools.org

New & Upcoming Events from Leisure Services: Please see attached flyers for more info

Via an email from the Department of Leisure Services head Lauren Bennett:

• We are currently accepting registration for Adult Basketball, Youth Basketball Clinics and Flag football. Registration can be found at lakeworthbeachfl.gov 

• Registration is also open for Youth Baseball and Softball. Please visit Phippsparkbaseball.com for more info. 

• Season has started for Youth Soccer but we still have a few spots left. For more information please call Nick at (561) 221-1595 

• Save the Date- City staff are working on a Family Date Night on Saturday, February 13^th. More details to come soon. 

• We will be hosting a socially distanced Kids’ Field Day on February 27^th. We sure hope to see a lot of participation  

• The LWB Library is now renting wifi hot spots! Details below:

Check out a TMobile Hot Spot from the Lake Worth Beach City Library. If you have a City Library card you can check out a hot spot for 2 weeks to use at home or on the go.

Mobile hotspots can connect more than just a laptop to the web. They’ll work with a tablet, a camera, and pretty much any other Wi-Fi enabled device. With a mobile hot spot, you can bring Wi-Fi with you wherever you go.

A fully charged mobile hot spot’s battery can provide up to 17 hours of service. Video streaming and Zoom applications may drain the battery at a faster rate.

The Library’s mobile hot spots are provided through a 1 year grant from SEFLIN (South East Florida Library and Information Network).

* ** ** ** ** ** *

With all the changes going on in the neighborhood and the city we hope that you will join us in voicing your opinion and getting involved with local issues that matter to you. As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas for the neighborhood. Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Courtney Kline, Secretary and Marshall Pass, President

Bryant Park Neighborhood Association

--

Bryant Park Neighborhood Association

Artists to Begin Work on Lake Worth Beach’s Osborne Community “Unity Wall” During MLK Weekend

Wall with a history of separating white from black communities to be turned into a symbol of unity.

WHAT: The Whispering Palm Neighborhood Association and Healthier Lake Worth Beach, a Palm Health Foundation initiative, has come together to repaint and revitalize the Lake Worth Beach Unity Wall. This wall is a 1,100-foot cinder block wall that runs along Wingfield Street in the South end of Lake Worth Beach. There was a time when this wall represented separation. Today this wall will forever stand for people of all races and cultures coming together to break down the walls and barriers of hate, injustice.

Built in 1954, the wall served as an unofficial border between residents of the "Osborne Colored Addition" and their white neighbors in the Whispering Palms community at the city's south end. In 1954,the city's zoning code required Black residents to live in the Osborne subdivision. It remained that way until 1969. "For today’s generation and society, that wall does not represent segregation anymore,"said Retha Lowe, the city's first Black commissioner and a lifelong resident of the Osborne community.."It’s about bringing our city together — all types of people. That's what it represents today for our community — a wall of unity.”

WHEN: Saturday, January 16, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Work on the wall will continue each Saturday over the next six to eight weeks until the project is complete.

WHERE: Wingfield Street, near the corner of 12 th Avenue South, in Lake Worth Beach. The Unity Wall extends almost 4 blocks on Winfield Street in the Osborne Community in the city of Lake Worth Beach.

LETTER FROM FIRE-RESCUE CHIEF, DARREL DONATTO re Vaccine for Town of Palm Beach Residents

 Dear Palm Beach Residents,

The past nine months have been unprecedented times for all of us. The SARS-CoV-2 virus and the COVID-19 disease that it produces have been both debilitating and deadly to many people, including those right here in our community. I had COVID back in September and spent some time in the hospital because of it.

The availability of a vaccine is excellent news for everyone. The vaccine has been developed faster than ever before and is being distributed as quickly as production allows.

In 2009, Palm Beach Fire Rescue developed and executed a plan to vaccinate our community for the Swine Flu through what is known as a Closed POD or point of distribution. Those plans were incredibly successful and resulted in us being prepared to do the same for COVID-19. We began our planning to administer the COVID-19 vaccine back in April, anticipating a vaccine becoming available at the end of January or beginning of February. On December 30, 2020, we contacted the Department of Health, and to our delight, we were able to secure 1,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to be administered through our Closed POD.

Vaccinating our community for COVID-19 is not something we had to do, but rather, something we wanted to do, something that we felt was the right thing to do for our community. From the moment we received those doses, we knew that some people in our community were going to be upset, but we hoped and prayed for everyone’s understanding. About 5,000 people in Palm Beach are 65 years of age or older, and we only had 1,000 doses. We wanted to do for one what we could not do for all. So, despite knowing there would be some disappointed people, we executed our Closed POD plan.

We studied the way others across the country were doing what we wanted to and quickly realized that the most effective and most efficient systems used an online appointment system. We chose a system that could handle a large volume of traffic in a very short period of time, and that was certified as HIPPA compliant to protect the privacy of those using the system. While not perfect, it was the best solution to accomplish our goal of vaccinating as many people as we could as fast as we could. It has worked perfectly, despite some feeling otherwise because they did not get an appointment.

The community should know, the terrific men and women of Palm Beach Fire Rescue have stepped up in a big way to vaccinate our community. I am so proud of them and the work they are doing. We have received many compliments on how kind and caring our firefighters are, how efficient our system is, and how much what Fire Rescue is doing is appreciated. However, we have also received a few complaints because people were unable to get appointments. I wish that we had enough vaccines for everyone today, but we do not. That said, I am thankful for the vaccines we have been able to administer.

We are working tirelessly to bring more vaccines to all of Palm Beach County, vaccinate more residents of our community, and help other Fire-Rescue departments do the same thing we are doing in their communities.

There will be more vaccines available in the days to come. Everyone who wants one will eventually have access to a COVID-19 vaccine. Please be as patient as possible. Please continue to practice social distancing and wear a face mask. And, please know that the men and women of Palm Beach Fire Rescue care about you and will do everything we can to help you as fast as they can.

Respectfully,

Darrel Donatto, Fire-Rescue Chief

Town of Palm Beach Fire Rescue

January 6, 2021 Announcement from the City of Lake Worth Beach re: COVID-19 Vaccine

As we embark on the journey of a New Year there is long awaited news about the next step in our fight against COVID-19, the vaccines are starting to become available in Palm Beach County. To ensure that the vaccine goes where it is most needed first, Governor DeSantis has ordered (EO 20-315) that the first wave of vaccines will go to individuals in the following priority groups:

Long-term care facility residents and staff.

Persons 65 years of age and older.

Health care personnel with direct patient contact.

Persons deemed to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 by hospital providers.

The Florida Department of Health will be distributing the vaccine by appointment only and strictly to those who meet the requirements in the Governor's order. If you, or a loved one, is in one of the priority groups you can make an appointment by emailing chd50feedback@flhealth.gov. In your email you must include the name, phone number, and date of birth of the person who will be receiving the vaccine. Questions about the vaccine should be directed to your primary care provider.

Further information about the vaccine can be found at these resources:

https://discover.pbcgov.org/coronavirus/Pages/vaccine.aspx

https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/covid-19-vaccines-in-florida

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

If you have questions about COVID-19 you should contact 1-866-779-6121 or email COVID19@flhealth.gov.

The City of Lake Worth Beach will continue to work with our partners at Palm Beach County and the Florida Department of Health to ensure our residents remain healthy during this pandemic, however the City is not involved in the deployment and administration of the vaccine.

Although the deployment of the vaccine is the beginning of the end, COVID-19 remains a threat. Residents should continue to follow the guidance from the CDC for their own safety and the safety of those around them. Continue to social distance, wear a mask, and wash your hands regularly.

**ATTENTION LAKE WORTH BEACH RESIDENTS & BUSINESS OWNERS**

Florida Department of Transportation - DISTRICT FOUR

I-95 Northbound at 10th Avenue North to Undergo Full Closure on January 13, 2021*

I-95 Bridge Beam Replacement at 10th Avenue North

From south of 10th Avenue North to north of 10th Avenue 

North Palm Beach County

Financial Project ID Number: 443322-1-52-01

I-95 Northbound at 10th Avenue North to Undergo Full Closure January 13, 2021*

The I-95 northbound lanes at 10th Avenue North in the City of Lake Worth Beach will be closed to traffic overnight, Wednesday, January 13th for new bridge deck construction. The first lane will close at 9:00pm, the second lane will close at 10:00pm, and all lanes will be closed by 11:00pm, reopening by 5:00am. 

Traffic will be detoured via the 10th Avenue North interchange, with motorists diverting off of I-95 via the northbound exit ramp and re-entering I-95 northbound via the 10th Avenue North entrance ramp. 

FHP will be on site to assist motorists. 

*Thursday night, January 14, 2021 will be used as a contingency if needed.

Construction Cost: $444,903 

Construction Start: October 10, 2020 

Anticipated Completion: Spring 2021

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Saira Rothschild, P.E., FDOT Project Manager Ido Shimony, P.E., CEI Project Administrator

Saira.Rothschild@dot.state.fl.us or 561-370-1194 Ishimony@eismanrusso.com or 954-579-4892

Daniela Silva, Community Outreach Specialist

Msilva@corradino.com or 786-441-3088

PBSO - Lake Worth Beach - Weekly Update - 12/23/20

 Here is your latest PBSO weekly update for Lake Worth Beach:

Crime: We had a busy and tragic weekend. There was a shooting in Tropical Ridge Sunday in which one of the two victims was killed. We had a second shooting the following morning in Royal Poinciana where one person was shot. The two incidents do not appear to be related. Our Violent Crimes Division is investigating. We had three robberies to persons with no specific patterns. Regarding property crimes, we had five burglaries (three to businesses, one residence and one vehicle). Suspects were looking for tools in most of the cases. We also had one stolen vehicle.

Please continue to look out for each other and when you see something suspicious “make the call”. The holidays are traditionally busy for law enforcement. There is usually an uptick in crime and mental illness related calls for service. This year has been no different.

Community Policing: This has been a busy month for us. This year was different from previous years due to the pandemic however , we were still able to purchase and deliver toys for 400 + children in Lake Worth Beach. The toys were delivered to the four elementary schools which chose the families based on need.  

Covid 19: We continue to see a spike in Covid 19 cases within our region. I currently have a couple deputies out with it and a couple quarantined. Fortunately all of the cases are mild. The vaccine information is great news but please remain vigilant until it is available to everyone.

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday,

Captain Todd Baer

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

Commander – District 14 – City of Lake Worth Beach

Former District #2 Commissioner - Mac McKinnon

 From Carol Webster, Lake Worth High School Alum, passed this word on to me today:

"I’m sorry to share with you that I got word this morning that former LWHS coach and former LW Vice-Mayor Mac McKinnon lost his fight with Covid last night.  He was truly a kind and caring man.  He played an important role in the lives of many in Lake Worth and the surrounding area.  He was a teacher, coach and public servant.  He will be missed."

A note to my friends, supporters and residents of the City of Lake Worth Beach:

After being contacted by, and reaching out to, fellow Lake Worth Beach residents this past October, it was clear that they wanted a new direction for the city and were not satisfied with those who indicated a desire to run for the position. Most of the people I talked with suggested that such a candidate was me and running for Mayor would fill that need.

After much reflection and consideration, I’m announcing that I will not be continuing my campaign for Mayor. After consulting with family members, trusted friends, colleagues and key supporters, I realized that the most important factor was relatively easy to recognize: The relatively recent decision to run for office did not provide enough time and resources to be able to win in March of 2021. 

A further realization was to be an effective Mayor in a sizable, diverse city like Lake Worth Beach, one must be prepared to dedicate more time to campaign than my current and projected business volume was going to allow me to do.  Suddenly we were engaged in a full-time effort for the campaign to raise enough financial resources to compete in a potential 5-way race. We also quickly discovered that raising money to compete during a pandemic, when so many of our neighbors are suffering badly from the impacts of Covid-19, proved especially challenging. 

I wish the best of luck to the remaining competitors for the job. I pledge to stay involved as a vocal participant in our local government. I urge the next Mayor and Commission to move forward on what would have been the foundations of my campaign. 

These were to improve the quality and increase the volume of communication coming from City Hall to our residents and businesses. We must vastly improve customer service and look at the quality of the experience residents and businesses have when doing business with the City. I fully support the City conducting a comprehensive Charter review and will continue my efforts in helping make the Lake Worth Beach dais be more representative of our diverse population in that regard.. Finally, we must go forward with improvements to the oceanfront park, the disposition of a city swimming pool and the Blueway Paddling Trail project. Successful execution of these opportunities will increase the quality of life for all City of Lake Worth residents.

I thank everyone  for their support and encouragement. I hope everyone stays safe, wears their masks and enjoys the best holiday season possible under different and challenging circumstances.

With continued love for Lake Worth Beach, I remain...

Wes Blackman

Resident of Lake Worth Beach

The public in this City of Lake Worth is screaming, “We can’t hear you!” From May 16, 2018 - Over two years ago.

Below is a post about the importance of reaching out to Neighborhood Associations prior to making big decisions at the City Commission level. This is above and beyond statutory requirements. It would be more than the standard effort required. This is something I've always supported: more communication from the City prior to considering items that will have a profound effect on residents and property owners.

Click on image to enlarge:

William Waters is the Dir. of Community Sustainability. On March 7th he said, “Neighborhood associations could be noticed.” And the board attorney said at this same meeting, “[W]e are meeting the statutory requirements.”

Our residents in this City deserve better than just the minimum effort when it comes to communication.

Below is the video of last night’s City Commission meeting, “First Reading, Amending Chapter 23, Land Development Regulations”. It was hard to watch. The public, however, needs to commended for being so respectful and coming forth with their well-thought and researched observations and complaints.

A Tweet from last night (please pause to load):

Chamber packed in @LakeWorthPBC & City Commission meeting hasn't even started yet. Stay Tuned for Live Streaming of this meeting momentarily: https://t.co/MK1oL9mVhu #LakeWorth pic.twitter.com/hw6G03AvdA

— Wes Blackman (@WesBlackman) May 15, 2018

The public was calm and reasonable. And so was the City Commission. But to the staff it was like the public was talking to a bunch of people so completely out of touch and disconnected, hoping and praying that they’ll finally get it this time.

The public gets it. The City staff doesn’t. And there are too many people between the staff level and the Commission that don’t get it either.

Did you know this City has a “Neighborhood Planner”? What exactly does that person do?

This City of Lake Worth needs to learn how to communicate with all our neighborhoods. Why it’s taking so long to learn that bypassing the Neighborhood Assoc. Presidents’s Council (NAPC) is a really bad idea is beyond comprehension. Waiting for Commission meetings to hear from the public is way too late as evidenced by a packed house last night.

Having this many people show up at a

Commission meeting is not a good thing. 

This is a sign the City has a communication problem.

Check back to this blog later on today and tomorrow for more about this meeting. Briefly, several items from this agenda item will come back to the City Commission for another First Reading on June 5th. For the rest of everything from “Ordinance 2018-07” it’s back to the drawing board. Again. Is anyone surprised?

The public is saying, “We can’t hear you!” And the reason is there are too many people working for this City who are not listening, or worse yet, don’t care.

This “New Business” item on the agenda took up 2½ hours last night at the City Commission. Would encourage everyone to watch this video in short segments over the next day or two. Commissioners Omari Hardy and Herman Robinson were out of town attending an Urban Land Institute conference in Savannah.

Public Comment begins at
the 1 hour and 10 second mark.