Disturbing. The number of septic tanks west of Lake Worth Beach.

UPDATE.

The issue of septic tanks in coastal Palm Beach County is an important topic in The Coastal Star this month, here are two excerpts from a recent editorial by editor Mary Kate Leming headlined, “Sewage disposal issues leave no time to waste”:


A perfect day in paradise can be spoiled by a backed-up toilet. An out-of-order sign on a bathroom door can turn a pleasant outing into an anxious search for functioning facilities. And after a storm, I can’t imagine anything more discombobulating than being told not to flush.

It’s indisputable: We all depend on smooth-functioning wastewater disposal to keep life clean and simple.

Over the next few months, our newspaper plans to explore what happens after we flush the toilet.

We plan to take a close look at how local municipalities are working to stay ahead of population and development increases during a time when that very growth is challenging the environment that defines the popular Florida lifestyle. Adapting to this change will not be cheap. Already we’re seeing municipalities struggling to make necessary improvements.

For August, Rich Pollack spent time talking with the people who manage our waste-processing plants and gives an overview of the improvements they are making, how much it all costs and what potential disasters keep them awake at night.

Next month, Pollack plans to illustrate problems with septic systems on small, urban lots and show how new technology is attempting to address environmental concerns.

and. . .

Sewage may not be a topic most of us like to discuss, but it’s about to hit us all in the wallet. Hard.


To read the entire editorial in The Coastal Star click on this link.

On the topic of septic tanks what follows is a blog post from last month:

Lake Worth Beach has very few parcels left on septic tanks and that is very good news. But the news west of Lake Worth Beach is anything but good news and this should alarm everyone in this City, especially those concerned about the environment, water quality and threats of blue-green algae in local lakes (e.g., Lake Osborne), canals and waterways all of which drain into the Lake Worth Lagoon, also referred to as the Intracoastal Waterway.

Many of you will be shocked by the number of septic tanks just in one unincorporated area called Lake Osborne Estates (see map below).

The issue of septic tanks became an issue last year when Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso requested a map of all septic tanks in the vicinity of the City and you can read all about that by clicking on this link.

Here is the latest: From Budget Work Session #2 held last Thursday, June 20th at the LWB City Commission on the topic of the City’s water and sewer funds we learned that Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management is working on a septic tank “Heat Map” and this map of septic tanks in the County will be completed in the near future.

The topic of septic tanks came up several times at the City Commission last Thursday. For example, from the City’s YouTube video (see below) is a back-and-forth between Vice Mayor Amoroso and Brian Shields, P.E., the director of the Water Utilities Dept.

But it was later in the workshop that the surprising numbers came out. According to Shields there are 1000–1200 property parcels still on septic tanks west of this City and of that number there are four hundred and sixty-six just in Lake Osborne Estates alone. Also from the budget work session last week Vice Mayor Pro Tem Scott Maxwell wants to make it a priority to get these properties off septic tanks working with the state and the possibility of grants to aid the conversion from septic to sewer which can be very expensive.

Not only will septic-to-sewer conversion be a huge benefit for the environment but the additional customers will be a benefit for the City and the utility as well. Here is the exchange between Vice Mayor Amoroso and Dir. Brian Shields:



Very important for readers to understand. The actual City of Lake Worth Beach is approximately six square miles but the utility service areas (electric, sewer and water) cover many areas west in parts of the Village of Palm Springs and suburban (unincorporated) Lake Worth. For example, Lake Osborne Estates is in suburban Lake Worth.

Click on map to enlarge (note Lake Osborne, PBC Park Airport and John Prince Park to the west, all located in unincorporated PBC):

In this map Lake Worth Beach is shaded yellow, the Town of Lantana is shaded red. The unshaded area east of Lake Osborne is the unincorporated area called Lake Osborne Estates where there is a high concentration of septic tanks (note Lantana Rd. to the south).

For reference, to look over all the utility service areas (water, sewer and electric) click on this link for the online GIS maps.

Are all the septic tanks in Lake Osborne Estates being inspected on a regular basis? What affect are all these septic tanks having on the water quality in Lake Osborne?

The public concern about algae and water quality is very real. Many of you will recall what occurred back in 2016. Because of reports of toxic blue-green algae in the C-51 Canal, reports that turned out to be false, the July 4th Raft Race festivities in the Intracoastal were cancelled.

Stay tuned for more information. In the meantime contact your elected leadership in Lake Worth Beach and let them know that septic-to-sewer conversions west of the City are a concern of yours.

“Living Large in Small Spaces”: Cottages of Lake Worth book honored as finalist of Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards are referred to as the ‘Sundance’ in book publishing, these are literary awards honoring authors and publishers of notable and noteworthy independently published books in seventy categories ranging from “Action/Adventure (Fiction)” to “Best Overall Design Non-Fiction”.

Would you like to see the Cottages book? It is available at the following locations:

The Book Cellar bookstore in Lake Worth Beach (more details below), the Lake Worth Beach Public Library located at 15 North M St., the Maria Paz Art Studio at 515 Lake Ave. and at the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County at 601 Lake Ave.*

The Cottages of Lake Worth book is cited by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the category of “Coffee Table Book/Photography”:

Here is the front cover of

The Cottages of Lake Worth hardcover book:

Worth noting is The Book Cellar bookstore in downtown Lake Worth Beach where one can peruse The Cottages of Lake Worth book on display. The Book Cellar is located at 801 Lake Ave. at the corner of Lake and J Street.

*Other locations outside Lake Worth Beach: Hand’s Art Supplies at 325 E. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach, the Palm Beach Book Store at 215 Royal Poinciana Way in the Town of Palm Beach, and several venues in West Palm (Excentricities, 1810 S. Dixie Hwy; Mecox Gardens, 3900 S. Dixie; Norcross Patio and Gift, 5023 S. Dixie; and The Painted Ox at 5800 S. Dixie.

News from Andrew Boryga headlined, “Just add humidity: How this air-to-water machine can quench your thirst”.

Learn more about the South Florida Sun Sentinel reporter at the end of this blog post including his contact information. Now is a very good time to become a subscriber to the Sun Sentinel, for unlimited digital access click on this link.

This latest news from Boryga will have you wondering about the inconceivable, what if the humidity here in South Florida can be turned into a necessity for everyone, an everyday and essential need? On that Boryga asks his readers,


But what if that humidity could serve as a commodity for our current and future water needs in South Florida and beyond? What if clean water could be created . . . right out of thick air?


Below are two excerpts from the Sun Sentinel story about a company called Atmospheric Water Solutions (AWS). Later in this blog post are ways to contact AWS and find out where their products are available locally.

The information about AWS changes the narrative model about drinking water in any number of ways including improving the environment and reducing plastic pollution. One can see how this technology can help eliminate plastic water bottles and on a larger scale bank more clean water underground for future drought conditions.

This technology acts like a dehumidifier and an air cleaner and works optimally at 75° and 40% humidity and a home unit can produce up to five gallons of water per day. AWS says, “It’s time to reimagine water”. Here is a list of FAQs produced by AWS including why water produced from the air is more efficient and healthy than distilled water:


There are many volatile organic compounds found in ground-sourced water used to create distilled water — and many of them have boiling points below that of water (like pesticides or herbicides and a whole lot of other volatile chemical compounds that have names far too difficult to pronounce, much less spell). The point is that when water boils into steam and then re-condenses as distilled water it still contains these dangerous volatiles. And distilled water has a large carbon footprint — it takes a tremendous amount of energy to boil water.


Skeptics of atmospheric water generators may recall the history of air conditioning, once thought to be too expensive and too cumbersome to ever be economical on a large scale. Here are two excerpts from the story in the Sun Sentinel:


Atmospheric Water Solutions or AWS, sits in a very unassuming office park, but since 2012 they have been tinkering with a very remarkable product. They dub it the AquaBoy Pro. Now in its second generation (the AquaBoy Pro II), it is one of the only atmospheric water generators available to the everyday buyer on the market in places such as Target or Home Depot.

Atmospheric water generator sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. But Reid Goldstein, the executive vice president of AWS who took over in 2015, says the basic technology traces back to the development of air conditioners and dehumidifiers. “It’s essentially dehumidification technology with modern science thrown in.”


And looking forward in South Florida, why atmospheric water generator technology makes sense from the perspective of the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD):


By 2025, 6 million new residents are projected to make Florida their home and more than half will settle in South Florida, according to the SFWD. This will increase demand for fresh water by 22 percent. Smith [Randy Smith, SFWMD spokesman] said that any technology that would aid in the conservation of water is “critical.”

AWS believes products like theirs, which requires zero groundwater to function, are perfect to reduce day-to-day needs, such as drinking water or filling up your coffee machine.

However, their leaders have a vision of expanding business for needs such as growing agriculture, servicing kidney dialysis machines, and providing drinking water to hospitals — some of which they already do. They are currently developing a mobile unit that can create 1,500 gallons of water a day, which they say could serve construction sites, emergency relief and remote areas.


Click on this link to read the entire story in the Sun Sentinel.

AWS is located in the South Florida region, in Cooper City, Broward County. For any questions you have call 954-306-6763, fill out this form on their website, or send an email to: info@atmosphericwatersolutions.com

And to learn more how AWS and their atmospheric water generator technology can help to reduce plastic pollution and also reducing the amount of ingested microplastic particles in the body follow their page on Facebook.

About the reporter,

Andrew Boryga is a general assignment reporter at the Sun Sentinel. Previously he freelanced for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times and other outlets. He has taught writing to college students at the University of Miami and inmates at Everglades Correctional Institution. He is a Bronx, New York native and current Miami resident.


To follow Mr. Boryga on Twitter use this link. If you have a story to share with Boryga send an email to: aboryga@sunsentinel.com

Today at 5:30: Public meeting at LWB City Hall.

FDOT will be holding a “Project Kick-Off Meeting” concerning the intersection of 10th Ave. North, I-95, and North A St. at Lake Worth Beach City Hall. The public open house begins at 5:30 and the FDOT presentation starts at 6:00.

This is a public meeting open to everyone from the public interested in this topic.

Click on flyer to enlarge:

For more information from FDOT about the I-95 Interchange Improvements at 10th Ave. North click on this link.

Press release: Road closure in Lake Worth Beach.*

Lake Worth Beach, FL — In order to install a watermain the City of Lake Worth Beach will be closing South A Street between 6th Ave S and 10th Ave S from Monday, July 22–Friday, July 26 between the hours of 8am–6pm.

During the closure hours, traffic will be redirected to South B and South C streets. Drivers are encouraged to schedule extra travel time if passing through this area.


For more information and media inquiries contact Ben Kerr, PIO. Call 561-586-1631 or send an email to: BKerr@lakeworthbeachfl.gov


*Located in Central Palm Beach County, Lake Worth Beach is a dynamic, multi-cultural City with an individualistic style. People are drawn to the City by its acceptance of different cultures and lifestyles, historic districts, hip downtown and colorful arts district.

Lake Worth Beach Library news in this week’s Lake Worth Herald.

Have you been to the public library in the downtown lately? Below is more information about this public facility. Here is the headline, the byline and an excerpt from the news in the Herald:


LWB Library CreatElab to Expand

By Cindy Ansell, Children’s Services Librarian.

The Friends of the Lake Worth Beach Library have been awarded a grant for $5060.00 from Healthier Lake Worth to increase the equipment available for use by the students.

“There are many more students using the Lab today than when we opened the Lab almost three years ago, “ said Kay Ralston, supervisor of Lake Worth Beach Public Library’s CreatElab. The Lab, located in the children’s area within the Library, seeks to offer support to Lake Worth Beach students. Students, who possess library cards, have access to desktops, laptops, and tablets to complete homework assignments or play computer games.

Currently, the lab has 22 seats, but only has equipment for 12 students at a time. According to Ralston, the Lab serves more than 350 students per month, requiring students to place their names on a waiting list on a daily basis.

The Friends of the Library will use the funds to purchase additional devices for student use, as well as a charging station and other Lab supplies. “We are thrilled to expand the Lab,” Ralston stated, “thanks to the generosity of Healthier Lake Worth.”


To follow librarian Cindy Ansell on Twitter use this link.

The LWB Library is closed on Sunday and Monday; open 10:00 a.m.–7:00 on Tuesday and Wednesday; on Thursday the hours are 10:00 a.m.–6:00; Friday and Saturday the library is open 10:00–5:00.

The address for the library is 15 North M St., a historic structure located just to the west of the Cultural Plaza in the downtown. There is plenty of FREE parking nearby. For much more information and all the services available click on this link.

To speak with someone at the library or to leave a message, call 561-533-7354; the email address is: lwlibrary@lakeworthbeachfl.gov

Item 11A at the LWB City Commission meeting last evening: “Continuation of discussion about Accessory Dwelling Units in the City”.

It was a huge turnout last night on this topic with a lot of pushback from the public on moving forward with Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The discussion took a little over one hour including public comment. The vote ultimately was 3-2 to end discussion and move on.

To watch the proceedings for yourself this agenda item ends at the two hour and thirty-seven minute mark:

News from Palm Beach Post reporter Lady Hereford, “Neighborhood groups multiply in Lake Worth”.

“In five years, the number of coalitions, mostly neighborhood associations, has grown from
three to 11.”

Published in the Neighborhood Post, June 2nd, 2002 (see newspaper clipping below).

A man named Herman C. Robinson was quoted in this article,

“Recently, the Bryant Park Neighborhood Association challenged the other associations to a raft regatta, which will be held during the Tropic Fest on July 4.”

Mr. Herman Robinson is now District 4 Commissioner Herman Robinson.

Continued from page 1 . . . “Businesses, residents, churches uniting around common goals”.


This newspaper clipping is from sixteen years ago.
Click on image to enlarge:

Click on this link to learn more about the Neighborhood Assoc. Presidents’ Council. The NAPC is also on Facebook.

Baby and toddler news in The Lake Worth Herald.

There is tons of LOCAL club and event news in the most recent Herald including this headline on p. 2 about an event coming up this Friday, “Toddler Fun at LWB City Hall Annex”:


Lake Worth Beach Public Library will present Baby and Toddler Sing and Play Time on Friday, July 19 from 11–11:40 a.m. at the City Hall Annex.

This special play time is designed for children under two years of age. Children must be accompanied by a parent.

City Hall Annex is located at 414 Lake Avenue, corner of Lake Avenue and Federal Highway.


The Herald is still just ¢50! Pick up this week’s LOCAL paper at Andy’s newsstand at 205 N. Federal Hwy.

Have an upcoming event or club meeting you would like to publicize? Here are the instructions from the editor for a FREE posting in the Herald:


Free listing for service clubs’ and charitable organizations schedules and special events open to the public. Send information to About Town, 1313 Central Terrace, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460, fax 561-585-5434 or email lwheraldje@gmail.com

Front page news in this week’s Observer, “Village Improving Quality of Life with Surtax and CDBG”.

The Observer is a FREE newspaper reporting LOCAL community news and is published weekly by The Lake Worth Herald Press.

Here are two excerpts from a front page news feature article datelined July 11th about the municipality of Palm Springs, “a great place to call home”:


The Village of Palm Springs, always a village for the people, has been busy spending its share of the Penny Sales Tax revenue. Village staff has been busy upgrading parks and improving the walkability of the Village by adding and repairing sidewalks throughout the Village.

The recently completed $136,000 Lakewood Sidewalk project provides residents of the area a safe sidewalk to use instead of walking in traffic lanes, as was the case. Reo Lane Sidewalk project, approximately 50 percent complete is also attributing to the safety and quality of life of Village residents at a cost of $107,000.

Under the watchful eye of Justin Lucas, Parks and Recreation Director* several parks are receiving upgrades to improve the quality and safety of the parks with funding from the surtax the Village is receiving from the County.

Areca Fitness Park has seen a $180,000 upgrade to include low maintenance fitness equipment with $115,000 funding from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the balance from the Surtax fund.

Sago Palm Park, the park that has the most facility rentals in the Village, is being re-designed.

and. . .

Royal Palm Park, on Davis Rd. will have a fishing dock and a shade structure provided by the Village through the use of surtax funds.

The Village Complex will have a complete Bermuda grass replacement, fencing and a new playground with an estimated price tag of $400,000–$500,000 all funded from the surtax fund.

It’s not all about the parks and sidewalks, the Village has purchased 3 new buses for the Recreation Department to transport residents to and from Village activities.

The outgrown Police Department building needs repairs and more space. The areas designed for storage when the current PD was built are now being used as offices. An Architectural Selection Committee is working on the design for the new PD. The new building will be funded with the surtax revenue.

In the plans for the village is a Gymnasium for the Recreation programs and several sidewalk projects to improve safety for the Village residents. The pedestrian bridges on Davis Rd. and Kirk Rd. have been widened to make them more pedestrian friendly and safer.


To download this week’s FREE Observer click on this link and then use the “Options” menu to download as a PDF.

Support LOCAL newspapers and LOCAL community journalism!

The Observer serves the communities and neighborhoods in suburban Lake Worth, Palm Springs, Greenacres, Lake Clarke Shores, Atlantis, South Palm Beach, Manalapan and Hypoluxo.

The Lake Worth Herald Press is located at 1313 Central Terrace in Lake Worth Beach. For more information call 561-585-9387 or send an email to: Editor@lwherald.com


*To contact Dir. Justin Lucas and learn more about the Parks and Recreation Dept. in the Village of Palm Springs click on this helpful link.

Lake Worth Beach press release.

Lake Worth Beach, FL — Mayor Pam Triolo was honored at the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) 87th Annual Meeting during the Mayors Climate Protection Awards Ceremony for the City’s ocean current energy project and the completed solar energy farm creation. Competing against cities from across the Nation, Mayor Pam Triolo has been able to spotlight what a small city can accomplish with determination and leadership. Additionally, the mayor was honored to present on the City’s ocean current energy project at the “Pathway to 100% Renewable Energy in America’s Cities’ Best Practice Forums”, bringing a focus on Lake Worth Beach.

Attendees to Mayor Triolo’s session included representatives from Japan as well as from across the United States. While at the conference Mayor Triolo was appointed to the USCM Energy Committee and was chosen to speak at the Women Mayors Leadership Alliance plenary session at the USCM main stage.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the conference by its chief elected official, the mayor.


End of press release.

To receive updates and press releases from Lake Worth Beach become a subscriber in just a few moments.

For the entire YouTube video of the 2019 Mayors Climate Protection Awards Luncheon click on this link. Here is one segment from the video sponsored by Walmart, a corporate sponsor for Climate Protection Awareness:

News you can use from the Sun Sentinel, “Buyer beware: CBD products could be this century’s snake oil”.

For those of you concerned about CBD oil and products containing CBD, or wish to learn more about this topic, there is a must-read article recently published in the South Florida Sun Sentinel by journalist Cindy Krischer Goodman; here is one excerpt focused on the lack of regulation:


Chris Martinez, who operates Evio Labs, an industry-accredited cannabis testing laboratory in Davie, has observed the ways in which companies are taking advantage of the absence of regulations. His lab tests CBD products for pesticides, bacteria, metal, solvents and potency (the levels of cannabis). Martinez said not all labs have the same machinery and the ability to detect smaller levels of substances.

“Some labs will run a test and show not an element is not detected, but their instrument can’t go deep into the product and the consumer doesn’t know,” Martinez said.

Martinez said while testing products he has seen results that illustrate how haphazard the industry is at this time. "We might test five bottles from a manufacturer and one has two and one has one, and one has none at all. There is no consistency in products,” he said.

Martinez said some products have substances made in China that have high levels of metals, and some have ingredients to simulate CBD. “They will put melatonin in so you will feel relaxed and think the CBD is taking effect,” he said.


To read the entire article in the Sun Sentinel click on this link.

About the reporter:

“Cindy Krischer Goodman covers the health beat for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, providing readers information on healthcare delivery, consumer news and public policy. Cindy is an award-winning journalist, former business columnist, and 32-year veteran of the South Florida news industry. She also is a Florida native and double UF grad.”

“Vwazen Lake Worth Beach yo! ~ Èske nou te pase nan Ti Bibliyotèk Gratis ki sou katye’nou an?”

“Atención vecinos de Playa Lake Worth: ¿Han visto las pequeñas bibliotecas gratuitas localizadas en su vecindad?”

“Have you visited a Little Free Library in your City of Lake Worth Beach neighborhood?”

Read about “One Small Town, Over 100 Little Libraries” and books, especially children’s books, are always in need. Have a book or books to donate? Send an email to: LakeWorthLFL@gmail.com

By the way, the question in the blog title is in Creole. The second question in Spanish.

Please see the
entire message below.

And always remember!

“Take a Book  ~  Leave a Book”.

Here are all three messages from the Little Free Libraries in English, Spanish, and Creole:

Hey Lake Worth Neighbor! — Have you visited the Little Free Library in your neighborhood? Did you know that these little book exchange boxes belong to all our neighbors in Lake Worth? Everyone is invited to open the door and look inside. If you see a book you or your children might enjoy, take it. You may keep it as long as you like. When you are finished with the book, we hope you will pass it on to a friend or just place it back in any of the Little Free Libraries you happen to come across. You do not have to leave a book in order to take one, but we hope you will next time you visit.

and. . .

Atención vecinos de Lake Worth: ¿Han visto las pequeñas bibliotecas gratuitas localizadas en su vecindad? ¿Sabía que estas pequeñas cajas de intercambio de libros pertenecen a todos nuestros vecinos? Los invitamos a que abran la puerta y vean los libros que se encuentran dentro. Si hay algún libro que les interese a ustedes o a sus niños, llévenselo y disfrútenlo por el tiempo que quieran. Cuando terminen de leer el libro, esperamos que lo compartan con un amigo o lo puede devolverlo a cualquiera de las bibliotecas pequeñas que encuentren. Aunque no se requiere dejar un libro para tomar uno, si se agradece que dejen uno en su próxima visita.

and. . .

Vwazen Lake Worth yo! ~ Èske nou te pase nan Ti Bibliyotèk Gratis ki sou katye’nou an? Èsken nou te konnen ti bwat pou echanj liv sa yo se pou tout vwazen nou yo nan Lake Worth la ? Tout moun envite pou louvri pòt gade sa k gen anndan yo. Si je ou tonbe sou yon liv ou menm osnon pitit nou ka li ak kè kontan, pran’l. Ou ka kenbe l toutotan w vle. Lè w fini ak yon liv, nou espere w’ap pase l bay yon zanmi osnon remete li nan nenpòt ki Ti Bibliyotèk Gratis ki sou chemen’w. Ou pa oblije mete youn liv lè’w pran youn, men ou ka toujou fè sa pwochenn fwa ou pase.

Here’s what the little-mini LFLs look like:

Once again, do you have a book or books to donate? Here is the email address once again: LakeWorthLFL@gmail.com

Yesterday in Lake Worth Beach, the Stars and Stripes Flute Orchestra!

This is a short video from the concert in the City Hall Annex building. Enjoy!

Ending the Iguana Plague in South Florida: Everyone hope for a deep cold snap this 2019–2020 Winter Season.

Worth noting in Lake Worth Beach: This year is the ten year anniversary of the Great Iguana Crisis of 2009 which was no crisis at all for connoisseurs of fresh iguana meat on the grill! And yes it’s true, iguana does taste a whole lot like chicken.

Later in this blog post today is more about the 2009 Iguana Plague as reported by a Lake Worth blogger at the time, Mr. Tom McGow.

A freshly butchered iguana is delicious but a frozen iguana is a public menace. What happened in 2009 is iguanas sought safety in trees and other high perches to avoid predators and the dinner plate but when they freeze and lose their grip they fall to the ground creating a public safety hazard for people, pets and property.

As bad as the iguana infestation is this year in many areas in South Florida, next year could very well be much worse. Mother Nature in South Florida only has one long-term answer to solving the infestation of iguanas. And that is 2–3 days of very cold weather with overcast skies so the critters cannot warm their bodies up during the daytime.

When the temperature hovers near freezing on the first night it zaps the reptile’s energy but they can still hang on. On day two around midnight is when they begin falling out of trees which sounds funny but it’s not if it lands on your head or on your pets head. Or your car.

And then on Day 3 when the sun goes down it’s “Thump! Thump! Thump!” all night long. It’s not all bad though for those who enjoy eating iguana and below are a few new recipes. But for everyone else hope for the best.

Because if this weather prediction is accurate, well, we’re in for some deep doo-doo next Spring and Summer. The Farmer’s Almanac predicts a mild Winter in South Florida. That is good news for iguanas and very bad news for humans.

This 2018 iguana infestation was big news in the Sun Sentinel, The Coastal Star, and other press outlets. This very serious problem was first noted in Miami-Dade and Broward counties in the Sun Sentinel in June 2018 (see news below). Reporter Dan Moffet at The Coastal Star broke the news about the infestation of iguanas here in Central Palm Beach County as well. Here is more helpful information:

Ways to eliminate iguanas, news from WLRN reporter Nancy Klingener:

According to the FWC [Fish and Wildlife Commission], iguanas are not protected in Florida — except by anti-animal cruelty laws. It is legal to shoot them on private property during daylight hours with the property owners’ permission — but everyone should check with their local law enforcement agency about local laws regarding firearms before discharging them. [emphasis added]


DO NOT HUNT IGUANA within municipal limits of Lake Worth Beach or in unincorporated areas in Palm Beach County with a shotgun, rifle, handgun, crossbow, bow and arrow, blow gun, or any weapon that fires a projectile unless you contact PBSO first (or your local law enforcement agency) and find out what the rules are. More helpful information:

• For the video, “How to Kill and Eat an Iguana” click on this link.
• Recommended on this blog is the grilled tail with Wicked Okra and crusted Sriracha and also quite a delicacy are Iguana Carnitas Tacos using other cuts of meat from this invasive pest.
• Here in the City of Lake Worth many iguana meat lovers call Hot n’ Sweet Mango Sauce “to die for”, an essential with any iguana dish.

The news about iguanas should be front page news in food section too if you happen to be a connoisseur of iguana tails and other prime cuts from the genus Iguana rhinolophus. Iguanas are referred to as Gallinas de Palo (“Chicken of the Tree” in Spanish) and they are delicious! Really. It’s true. Especially when cooked on a gas grill because “Nine out of 10 professional chefs” prefer clean Green natural gas to propane.

Iguanas, if you didn’t know, are not native to South Florida. You see them around because people buy them as pets and release them when the creature gets too big. The population of iguanas goes away after a deep freeze. Ergo, that sound you hear of something falling out of the tree and hitting the ground with a loud “Thump”.

Sun Sentinel reporters Ellie Rushing and Doreen Christensen broke the iguana plague story in June 2018. A pestilence that has now reached Central Palm Beach County. Click on this link to read about “Out of control iguanas infesting South Florida”, an excerpt from the Sentinel by reporters Rushing and Christensen:


South Florida’s not quite Jurassic Park, but it’s getting close.
     Packs of green iguanas are swarming seawalls, roaming yards and parks, and leaving a path of destruction and filth in their wake. Like a shot of espresso, the hot summer sun has stoked activity in the cold-blooded creatures, which experts say may be at record numbers.
     “This year is the most iguanas I’ve seen and I’ve been in business for nine years,” says Thomas Portuallo, owner of Fort Lauderdale-based Iguana Control. [emphasis added] He says the invasive lizards are out of control with “many hundreds of thousands” creeping around Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.

The Great Iguana Crisis in 2009.

What happened during The Great Iguana Crisis here in Lake Worth Beach is the stuff of lore and legend. Jeff Clemens was the mayor of this City then and it was during this crisis when anarchist Cara Jennings (a former commissioner, 2006–2010) rose to the challenge that Winter ten years ago. It was bad. Real bad. Iguanas were everywhere. A true plague in every sense. Unless, of course, you’re an afficionado of perfectly cooked and seasoned iguana tail, legs, loin, strip, etc.

Back in January 2009 was a dangerous time for Lake Worth residents including a report of a Yorkshire Terrier being squashed by an iguana that froze and fell out of a tree. In a blog post written back then by the inimitable Mr. Tom McGow (see below), then-Mayor Jeff Clemens was quoted:


“We are in a state of crisis this morning,” stated Lake Worth Mayor Jeff Clemens. “We will be closing all city parks until this crisis has passed.”

Dateline: Monday, January 19, 2009,
City of Lake Worth, Florida:

     The chilly weather in South Florida this week was cold enough to force some iguanas to fall from trees.
     Experts say the cold-blooded reptiles go into a deep sleep when the temperature falls into the 40s. Their bodies basically shut off and they lose their grip on the tree.”

and. . . 

     “[Cara] Jennings has proposed shutting down the courts at the shuffleboard center and enclosing them as a haven for the iguanas. ‘I have already looked in to a State Grant Program to provide heating pads and lettuce for the Iguanas until this crisis passes’, commented Jennings.”


If you haven’t figured it out by now the ‘news’ above about Jeff Clemens and Cara Jennings was an excellent parody by the inimitable former blogger Tom McGow.

But in all seriousness, 2009 was a very bad year for iguana infestation.

So in preparation for this Winter it might be a good idea to find recipes ahead of time for cooking the “Chicken of the Tree”. For most people, if you recall, grilling is the preferred method.

If you’re interested in learning more about The Great Iguana Crisis click on this link to read the entire article by the inimitable Mr. McGow. . .

AND REMEMBER! If a very cold Winter is coming up and you have tall trees in the backyard keep in mind that highly unusual sound. . .

Thump.
It’s Dinnertime!

 The Iguana, genus Iguana rhinolophus.

The pest, or as some people call it, dinner.

Hope you found this blog post informative, helpful and entertaining as well.

Here are some recommendations on discouraging iguanas:

• Never feed iguanas.
• Keep a water hose ready and available to spray basking iguanas on pool decks or boats.
• A startling noise will also create an unwelcome atmosphere for a sunning iguana.
• Hang CDs near seawalls or dangle them like wind chimes from trees or prized plants. Their reflective surfaces often scare away iguanas.
• Protect plants with cages or screen enclosures.
• Use iguana-resistant plants such as citrus, milkweed, pigeon plum, oleanders, coonties, etc., in your landscape.
• Avoid planting iguana favorites such as hibiscus, orchids, impatiens, roses, garden greens, melons, etc.
• Remove protective cover such as dense thickets and piles of landscape timber or rocks.
• Fill vacant burrows with rocks.

This FWCC link provides additional information on removal, deterrents and prevention of iguanas.

Please feel free to contact the FWCC Regional office at 561-625-5122 to speak with a wildlife assistance biologist or an exotic species biologist.