Photo Gone Viral: Black official in SC comes to aid of racist suffering heat exhaustion

Protesting can be hard work especially when someone gets all worked up and emotional about a Confederate flag and saving their 'heritage'. See the picture that's gone viral and an excerpt from the text of the story:

     The black director of South Carolina's public safety agency said Monday he was surprised a photo showing him helping a white man wearing a racist T-shirt went viral. But now that it has, he is hoping it will be a catalyst for people to work toward overcoming hate and violence.
     Leroy Smith said in a statement that the photo, taken at a Ku Klux Klan rally, captured "who we are in South Carolina" and represents what law enforcement is all about: helping people "regardless of the person's skin color, nationality or beliefs."
     "I consider myself like every other officer who was out there braving the heat on Saturday to preserve and protect," he said.
     The photo, taken by Gov. Nikki Haley's spokesman, shows Smith leading the unidentified man, who is suffering from the heat, to shade at the top of the Statehouse steps, to be treated by local emergency workers. The man has a swastika on his T-shirt.

All Aboard Florida and big plans for the Ft. Lauderdale station

Jennifer Sorentrue at The Palm Beach Post gives us a sneak peek at what we can expect at the West Palm station under construction right now:

     The plan [the AAF station in Fort Lauderdale] would transform the area around the train tracks, which now consists of quiet offices, industrial buildings, and uninviting roadways, into a pedestrian-friendly district full of commuters, new residents and tourists.
     The district is set to include a mix of residential, office, and retail space, scattered over roughly a half-dozen individual sites. Plans for each of those sites have not been finalized, officials said.
     “It is really the same principles that are in all of our station locations,” Reininger said.
     All Aboard plans to create similar districts around its station in Miami and West Palm Beach. The high-density development and pedestrian traffic are key to the company’s business model and provide riders for its express-passenger trains. [emphasis added]

The video below shows how long you can expect to wait for an AAF train at a crossing (NOTE: it's a very short video):

Movie Trailer: Steve Jobs, a new movie out soon about his life

When nature calls outside DON'T LIGHT IT ON FIRE!

When you gotta go you gotta go. But when you're out in nature just cover it up with dirt and carry on. See what happened when one fella took environmentalism a little too far:

     A fire that damaged more than 73 acres of land in the Hulls Gulch Reserve area of the Boise foothills in Idaho was reportedly started by a cyclist attempting to destroy his used toilet paper by lighting it on fire and burying it.
     According to the Bureau of Land Management, the unnamed man was cycling in the foothills on Wednesday when nature called. After doing the deed in a ravine, the man lit his used toilet paper on fire in an attempt to destroy the waste. He then buried it to extinguish the flames, but a burning ember spread to some nearby dry grass, igniting the fire.

The River of Grass Greenway . . . a future pathway across the Everglades: Become a 'FROGG'

This is one of those great ideas that come along and make you want to cheer. If you've ever driven the Tamiami Trail (US-41) you know it as an unfriendly road for pedestrians and bicycles. Now that could change. You can become a FROGG: a Friend of the River of Grass Greenway. This is the FROGG mission statement:

     Our mission is to promote the establishment, preservation, and safe use by the general public of a non-motorized transportation and recreation corridor across the Everglades between Naples and Miami.

Here is more information about the River of Grass Greenway:

     Parallel to the Tamiami Trail (US. 41), the ROGG [River of Grass Greenway] will be a hard-surfaced 12-14 foot wide corridor (separated from the highway) suitable for a range of non-motorized recreation activities such as bicycling, walking, bird-watching, photography, fishing, and general enjoyment of the greater Everglades natural area.
     The goal of the ROGG is to extend from Krome Avenue (eastern edge of Everglades National Park near Miami) to the outskirts of Naples/Marco Island (western terminus to be determined). In the middle, there will be a three mile spur to Everglades City.

[and. . .]

     ROGG is much more than a recreation corridor. An important facet of the pathway is the potential for environmental education and stewardship. The pathway will be designed and built for sustainability, with acute awareness of potential environmental impact.

Become a FROGG today! Here's how:

     The ROGG is an ambitious goal that is attainable only with widespread support. Join the Friends of the ROGG (FROGG) today to increase our support base.

Barbeque Smoke a Nuisance? - This is going too far

This was a video from a Facebook user who started recording a conversation between him, his friend and a Pinellas County (Florida) environmentalist saying bbq smoke out of your yard is illegal! I'm not sure if the person pointing out the "infraction" is a public employee or not.

Facebook Message from the Town of Jupiter and the Jupiter Police Department:

The Jupiter Police Department is continuing to support the Tequesta Police Department and the United States Coast Guard in regards to the two missing boaters, Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen. The Jupiter Police Department Marine Patrol Unit continues to patrol the area in and around the Jupiter Inlet. Jupiter Police Officers are also monitoring all parks along our waterways and are available to pass along any information related to the missing boaters to the Tequesta Police Department and United States Coast Guard.

“We have been in close contact with the Tequesta Police Department and will continue to support them as well as the Coast Guard with any and all assistance we can provide. We are all working together to bring Austin and Perry home safe,” said Jupiter Police Chief, Frank Kitzerow.

We ask anyone with any information concerning this case to call the Tequesta Police Department at 561-768-0500. You may also contact the Jupiter Police Department at 561-746-6201.

Developing story: big changes coming to Dixie Hwy. in the little City of Lake Worth

Sun Sentinel reporters Angel Streeter and Yiran Zhu have a very short but highly significant news item about Dixie Hwy. in Lake Worth. Their sources are the FDOT, the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, and the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

You can read the article and see an interactive map here. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Cities like West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach and Tequesta also are planning for big changes to the road by narrowing it, building bigger sidewalks and adding bike lanes and shade trees. Some want more vibrant downtowns; others are reacting to the influx of residential development to the corridor.

Too cute: this was on Twitter yesterday

Breaking News: A police officer in Netherlands found a baby owl roaming on the streets today. pic.twitter.com/9xwJWLmjUd

— Gautam Trivedi (@Gotham3) July 24, 2015

News item in The Lake Worth Herald this week

I've been getting many calls and others contacting me about this item in The Lake Worth Herald this week:

Click here for the entire letter and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Thank you everyone for the kind words.

NBC5/WPTV reports about the rash of shootings in West Palm Beach

The Cpt. Silva Farewell Potluck Picnic is TODAY in Bryant Park

[UPDATE] Lake Worth Artists and Cottage Entrepreneurs (ACE): Frequently Asked Questions

[UPDATE: Thursday evening (7/23) I had a meeting with ACE concerning their 'home occupation' zoning change proposal. Check back here tomorrow for my thoughts on the meeting, the ACE proposal, my conclusion/recommendations and research I've done to support my conclusions. In the meantime here are my first thoughts on the proposal by ACE below from Thursday morning (7/23)]

This is from an information sheet (FAQ) put out by the group. They have agreed to meet with me to answer some of the questions that I put forward here yesterday. This 'FAQ' doesn't quite do that, but it is a start. I am glad they are reaching out to people but think that should ideally have been done earlier in the process.

My main concerns center on the extent of the geographic area they may be talking about: Eighty-percent of the city, approximately the total of residential land in Lake Worth is a very large area. I am also concerned about how these changes will be reviewed and by whom. And I have many questions about how much is too much to allow in a residential zoning district.

I also find it interesting that the supporters of this initiative seem to be made up of many in the group who were against the height ordinance. It seems to me that these residential zoning changes would have much greater impact on people's daily lives and affect people where they live, much more than whether a hotel can be six stories instead of four stories east of Federal Hwy.

I'm having trouble with this Princess and the Pea attitude toward height, but being very laissez faire when it comes to people living in residential neighborhoods with one- and two-story homes. Many homeowners bought property in theses neighborhoods expecting certainty in their zoning code; not expecting whimsical changes from time to time because some think they have a better idea and hired lawyers and PR people to sell it to the community.

But I am glad we are going to be talking. Hopefully compromise and understanding will carry the day.

Cultural Plaza Screen on the Green CANCELLED for tonight

After much consideration and pouring over weather forecasts from several different sources, the CRA has announced they will be postponing tonight's Screen on the Green. A new date will be announced next week. The NAPC Front Porch will be there when the Screen on the Green returns! Please share this information with everyone.

No, you're not smelling burning bodies and hair in Lake Worth

Jamel Laneé at NBC5/WPTV does a very fair and accurate news segment on the crematorium in Lake Worth having issues with their facility. Here is an excerpt from the text of her report:

     Some living near the All County Funeral Home and Crematory are concerned that dark smoke coming from the funeral home is possibly ashes of deceased people. [it's not]
     The Palm Beach County Health Department said that what people are actually seeing is soot, which it said is similar to what is seen when diesel is burning.
     The Health Department, which oversees crematories, showed up after it received several complaints along with pictures showing the thick, black smoke coming out of the building.
     Burners within the incinerators are reportedly not working correctly and the Health Department is trying to figure out why.

Here is the definition of soot: a black, carbonaceous substance produced during incomplete combustion of coal, wood, oil, etc., rising in fine particles and adhering to the sides of the chimney or pipe conveying the smoke: also conveyed in the atmosphere to other locations.

For example, when you see a truck going from a stop and gaining speed you'll see a puff of smoke from some vehicles. This is when the truck is switching gears and the result is 'incomplete combustion' of the diesel fuel.