Shanon Materio wants appointment to Bill Moss' seat

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Shanon Materio, former member of Lake Worth's CRA, has thrown her hat in the ring for appointment to Bill Moss's seat.

"Materio, 55, is the owner of McMow Art Glass in Lake Worth, a board member of the South End Neighborhood Association and a committee member of Art in Public Places. Materio has also been closely aligned with Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell over the years, and she was on the committee in 2010 to extend mayoral term limits in West Palm Beach. Had that committee been successful, Lois Frankel could have been an office for a third term. Materio supported Dodger Arp over Moss in the March commission race."

Read more about Shanon.

Redistricting Update

Update on Preclearance Submissions for Redistricting

Today, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) “precleared” (approved) Florida’s enacted state house, congressional and state senate maps. Click here to see the approval letter from DOJ.

Lake Worth Beach Decals

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Tomorrow is the start of the new beach decal season. I am beach decal permit owner number 110. That means right now if the beach redevelopment was completed, there would be only 55 spots available for residents with decal permits. That is some time away, so for this year, we will be able to park any where we can find a spot of our choosing.

If you are a year-round resident, the decal cost $$21.20 including tax. If you are a seasonal resident, it costs $63.60. If I go to the beach during the course of this year for 11 hours, this decal has paid for itself. Originally decals came to pass because a city commission decided that it was only fair to give the residents a break on parking at their own beach as the taxpayers are the ones who pay to maintain every aspect of it.

The new decals were printed incorrectly. The "glue" was printed on the wrong side of the sticker. So you will have to stick it to your windshield with Scotch tape.

In the past, we have had over 700 decal permits sold. Several years ago the number was double that. I am sure that those who want less parking at our beach (they forget that parking is an important revenue source, not to mention convenience) will not worry about buying their decal. They can hop on their bikes. But all the rest of you, buy it soon if you want to save on $2 an hour parking, an outrageous sum. You won't get a break on price by parking at Kreusler Park--the price is the same.

Ladies' Day at Lake Worth Golf Club

One-half cent increase in sales tax proposed by PB County

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News flash from Tea Party--

On Tuesday, May 1st, the Palm Beach County Commission will be considering a $100 Million, 1/2% increase (raising existing 6% to 6.5%) in the sales tax to fund transportation related spending. The Administrator is requesting board feedback on putting this proposed tax on the November ballot, and the Commission must give approval prior to the August 10th ballot language deadline.

The agenda item is 4A2 – and it falls early in the morning’s schedule – after special presentations and the Consent Agenda, and an item related to the Supervisor of Elections.

South Florida Tea Party has issues with this proposed sales tax increase:

This is a tax increase. It affects most purchases and services. And unlike the fire/rescue sales surtax proposed to the Commission in 2010, it makes no claims that it will be revenue neutral nor is it accompanied by any decrease in ad valorem.

This tax would be permanent. Unlike the recently expired school sales tax, this tax is not for a specific set of projects nor does it have an end date.

This will be a revenue windfall for the county. We remain in an economy close to recession. Inflation is already here in our fuel and food prices, and will continue to increase.

There is no accountability. The spending isn’t subject to any board, nor does the county have any performance or productivity benchmarks.

Planning & Zoning Before the Lake Worth City Commission

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Other than self-satisfaction for a fleeting moment, when has retribution done anyone any good? Is it satisfying to know that one has received his " just deserts" or met with a comeuppance by three city commissioners with the power to show who is boss? Maxwell, Triolo and Amoroso want to exercise control and fulfill the wishes of their supporters. Amoroso, former member of the CRA, spoke out against the P&Z Board when he was campaigning. Now with the power, it was just easier to change the Ordinance. Now they can justify their "fairness" towards volunteers who have done a great job for Lake Worth. There is not one fault from the P&Z that I can state other than my personal opinion on the Venus Cafe variance.

Tomorrow night, all the trumped up political propaganda of late will come to fruition--this visionary commission has the power to eliminate all present members on our Planning & Zoning board no matter their appointment expiration date on the pretense 1) they want "qualified" people and 2) they want a 5 member voting board, not 7. This will no longer be an independent planning and zoning board but one they want to appoint consisting of members with special interests...those who make their money from development. They want to get rid of their "undesirables" and shhh, an "anarchist."

It shows you the power of one political group that wants to "give away" our city by making things easier for their developer friends. Some squawk about heights, mentioning our comprehensive plan that was developed years ago before we had a sustainability director and a professional who actually knows what he's talking about...they want higher buildings. They want to take control and continue to give favors by making it easy for developers who come before the P&Z board to get their site plan approved on first try. Afterall, they say, development is what we need for our tax base, any kind of development. It doesn't matter that we have empty and foreclosed townhouses all over town. They want more.

Even though this present P&Z (smart and knowledgeable people who followed our code as well as making common sense decisions when necessary) insisted that some of the projects before them be better designed and asked a few developers to improve their plans, and even though this present board has not denied one request before them, this doesn't matter to this majority commission. They have been listening to some complainers and have drummed up an excuse of "qualifications" in order to replace many of them well before their terms expire. This action is unprecedented in Lake Worth. I ask you--who are the real anarchists?

Look for more Lucerne condos in the future. Look for many more variances and not just the type they gave to the Venus Cafe which has happened with frequency in this City. If any member of the P&Z had gone against that particular variance and had followed our Ordinances, it would have been suicide for sure. It just shows you should always stand up for principles. The Commission approved it on a 5/0 vote. We just don't have enough bars. Give it to one, you have to give it to all. This started years ago.

What brought about removing members and changing out the P&Z was a result of the highly contentious CRA townhouse plan, ooops loft plan, that was previously before them. The CRA, dying to spend part of that $23 million grant on time, packed the P&Z meetings with angry people who spoke in their normal caustic manner using all sorts of negatives to make their points. When you want "angry," you know exactly who to call upon. Some of these folks are probably on speed dial. The CRA did not want any deterrents to its plan. There is no civility any longer in this city. What we have is bad politics and a few vocal sheep who act as if they are leftovers from Charles Manson's cult, continually bending the ear of this majority commission.

• Kate Sheffield (appt. October 26, 2011) serves as a planner and her term expires in 2013

• Cara Jennings (appt. August 11, 2011) serves as a citizen at large and her term expires in 2014 (They forgot to say she was elected twice to our city commission and previously worked on our Master Plan and has untold knowledge of this city)
  

• Gael Silverblatt (appt. August 11, 2011) serves as a citizen at large, but has extensive landscape experience and her term expires in 2014 (They forgot to say how intelligent and conscientious she is)
  

• Lawrence McNamara (appt. March 25, 2010) serves as a citizen at large, but has real estate experience and his term expires in 2013 (They forgot to say he is a paralegal and obtaining his law degree)
  

• Robert Waples II (appt. July 31, 2009) serves as a project management and his term expires in 2012
  

• Linda Davis (appt. July 31, 2009) serves as an appraiser and her term expires in 2012

• Lynda Mahoney (appt. February 5, 2009) serves as a real estate mortgage investor and her term expires in 2012. (They forgot to mention she does her homework and understands the big picture, our Code and Ordinances and is always looking out for Lake Worth, we the citizens)
  

Also, under Consent Agenda is an owner at 182 Vassar Drive wanting approval on a variance involving installation of pavers on their driveway which causes an encroachment on city right-of-way. I see no evidence that this came before the P&Z or even the Historic Preservation board but instead it is approved by the Public Works Director. Perhaps this property is some exception.

Is this what the City has now become? No law. No order. A board literally "thrown under the bus" to the detriment of the City of Lake Worth all for politics...all for a couple of people who wanted to derail our casino, or got a nose bent out of shape because he was not appointed to the "right" board, or build to one hundred feet.

Female Mallard

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The Mallard lives in wetlands, eats water plants, and is gregarious,
according to the description on the Internet.
I have news for you--they also eat bread.

This is one of four who lives near my residence and I have been
watching her grow.
She appears to be saying, "Here's looking at ya."

Obama Whitehouse Correspondent's Dinner Speech

Dinner Theater at Lake Worth High School

Click to enlarge

The Lake Worth Culinary Arts and Drama Departments are presenting the show, A Prom to Die For on May 5th at 6pm. The dinner show will be held in the Lake Worth High School Auditorium and tickets are only $25 per person. Dress attire is fancy.

Dinner is a three course meal including appetizer, salad, entrée and desert.

Tickets must be purchased in advance at LWHS main room 14-115 or Main Office by Monday, April 30. Hurry, you don't want to miss this.

Obama best bet for Communists

The Communist Party USA isn’t always happy with the Democrats, but in the 2012 election, its chairman says, the best bet for advancing the Party’s goals is to back Barack Obama...communists need to join other left-leaning allies in ensuring Republicans are defeated in November

Read the rest of the story here.

Obama Woks the Dog

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From the Conservative Daily News.com

Internal Auditor Lake Worth

As we all cry for transparency and getting to the bottom of things, having an Internal Auditor is something that we, the citizens, have waited and wanted for several years.

Back on March 20, the city commission ranked their top candidates for Internal Auditor based only on the application and resume and then voted on accepting 5 candidates to interview: Glenn Holloway, Robert Marksmeier, Kathleen Matthews, Christina Seymour and Steven Wolkomir.

The applicants for Internal Auditor were narrowed down to three with Kathleen Matthews withdrawing Friday. Prior to yesterday's public interviews that took place at City Hall before the Commission, each applicant met with each City Commissioner in a private meeting. The IA reports directly to the city commission, not the city manager. The only city employees present at yesterday's meeting were Mark Farrington, Human Resource Director and Pam Lopez, City Clerk. There were less than two handfuls of residents observing this momentous occasion, something that we all have been asking for since the position was eliminated from the Budget back in 2009.

We used to have an internal auditor and he was good. Back in September 2009, the position was not funded because of budget constraints. The Commission went along with the thinking that we had an external auditor and justified the elimination of the internal auditor position. Scot Menke, IA at that time said, "The City Commission needs to restore the independence of the internal auditor in any future internal audit services." Both of the candidates below stressed that the position was not management but independent and that the position be free from politics.

Steven Wolkomir

29 years as an internal auditor--
school districts, Citizens Property Insurance
and for various cities.
BA in Accounting, CPA, Member of IIA, ALGA
and other professional groups.
He is well experienced in internal auditor start-ups
and describes himself as a generalist.
Gives objective and constructive appraisals and mentioned
auditor accountability and independence.
Used to working with politicians in his career.
He was ranked in the top 5 by all 5 commissioners
thus getting on the short list of consideration.

Robert Marksmeier

Senior Auditor and advisor Miami/Dade County for 11 years--
was involved in the GSA investigation audit.
BA, MBA, is a Certified Internal Auditor & candidate for CPA.
Has CIA, CGAP, designations as well as other professional affiliations.
Utilities would be his number one priority.
Says we need the right structure and the IA needs to be transparent
and independent of politics. His job must be objective.
Would involve the entire commission and the citizenry.
Does not want the department set-up to fail.
Based on his submitted resume,
originally ranked in top 5 by 3 commissioners.

All Politicians Whore for Money

Romney Holds Fundraiser at NYC Billionaire’s Townhouse

First it's Obama and his one per-centers and super PAC's. Now the Republican candidate has accepted donations from controversial hedge-fund billionaire John Paulson, but Romney made their association more explicit Thursday night when Paulson hosted a fundraiser. The Daily Beast’s Ben Jacobs reports on the big-money event at a townhouse owned by the man who made a fortune shorting the housing market and subprime mortgages.

Read more about it at The Daily Beast.

Congressman Ted Deutch having a Town Hall Meeting

Congressman Ted Deutch will host a town hall meeting at Lynn University to discuss the latest political developments as well as immigration. His guest will be Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) who wants a mass amnesty bill. Deutch's office sent out the details:

Monday, April 30 at 2:30 p.m.

Free event. You are all invited and please announce or invite friends. Held at Lynn University at the site of the upcoming October presidential debate.

RSVP online at www.Deutch.House.Gov or contact Cong. Deutch's office at 561-988-6302.

As the Congressman has not replied to requests from NumbersUSA on the issue and even his own political web site offers no opinion on where he stands, I put in a call to his office to find out. Joshua called me back to let me know that Congressman Deutch believes that immigration reform must be solved at the Federal level, not by the states. When I said that Washington was doing a lousy job on immigration reform, he said, "If the states implement their own laws, it would be a patchwork immigration system." That holds true to form for Deutch as he never talks about the illegal immigration situation in Florida and was opposed to Arizona 1070. If we pretend that a problem doesn't exist, it doesn't.

With 950,000 illegals in the State of Florida or 5.2% of our overall population, illegal immigration has cost the residents of this State:

1. $3.4 billion a year to educate illegal immigrant children and the U.S. born children of illegal immigrants.
2. $290 million a year on free health care for illegal aliens.
3. $90 million a year to incarcerate criminal illegal aliens.

The total represents an annual cost to each of Florida’s native-born headed households of $678.

Twenty-five Americans die at the hands of criminal aliens every day in the U.S. (12 murders + 10 drunk-driving fatalities + 3 negligent homicides = 25 deaths every day) In the year 2005, criminal aliens killed more than three times the number of Americans murdered in the terrorist attacks of 9-11 died. 9,125 Americans died at the hands of criminal aliens in 2005, as compared to approximately 3,000 Americans who perished in 9-11.

Politicians are always giving citizens a song and dance about illegal immigration. Aren't you sick of it? Isn't it about high time that political leaders stop the pandering to the illegal immigration lobby and start enforcing laws that serve the interests of ordinary Americans? No more excuses by shoving this all off to the federal government that wants to take the easy way out by doing nothing. Stop the bull.

Brown promoted to Public Services Director in Lake Worth

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No one fired this week by City Manager Bornstein, well at least as far as we know. In fact, there was one major promotion:

City Manager Bornstein says, "I am pleased to let you know that as of today, Jamie Brown has officially been hired as the Director of Public Services. Jamie has been serving as Acting Director and has demonstrated a high level of professionalism and a commitment to improving our City. He has a tremendous sense of teamwork as well as being a conduit for better relationships with the community.

I look forward to having him continue being an important member of my Management Team. Please join me in Congratulating him.

The United States' Deadly Debt

The most indebted nations keep buying each other's debt in the most transparent and potentially deadly shell game in history. To read more about the Ponzi scheme, click here.

As Scotty Starnes says, "
The media isn't talking much about the fact that the U.S., under Obama, has just turned into Greece. Yes, the U.S. debt is now more than the United States Gross Domestic Product. These numbers haven't been seen since World War II.

Click Chart to enlarge

We are educating a lot of idiots

Some students want to take high scores from top students who study hard and redistribute part of those scores to students of lesser ability or failing students who do not crack the books...sort of like redistributing wealth from the 1 percent and giving it to those at the bottom of the rung...those who want to live off of handouts through government assistance or give it to the losers.

Those students conducting the poll were spoofing those who were asked the question but everyone they queried took the entire matter seriously. All those with low GPA's liked the idea of a free "skate."

Tonight's Sunset

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The Plump Tomato

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Wandered down to the Plump Tomato located at 821 Lake Avenue yesterday to try their lunch menu. There were about 6 people in there behind the counter. We were the only customers at 11:45am. What drew us to this restaurant was the promotion painted on the window on Dixie Highway advertising gluten free. No previous restaurant has been successful in this location because of the lack of parking there. The Plump Tomato took over the old Miami Subs space and it is almost the identical decor and set-up.

After we sat down and got our drink orders, a temporary looking menu was presented. The waiter failed to mention the daily specials. No where on the menu did it mention any item being gluten free. When we asked about it, we were told they didn't have gluten free food...maybe in a few weeks, he was uncertain.

After looking at the menu with an average price of around $9 on up, we decided to leave and give it a try on another day.

Bringing the World to Lake Worth presented by Palm Beach State College Students of Architecture

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It's always interesting to see what young people are up to these days and we got to do that last night at the Shuffleboard Court Building where three teams of architecture from Palm Beach State College gave us their views of Lake Worth well into the future. They were all given the same land site, our 19 acre beachfront property, to design as if it were raw in order to use their imagination on what would make Lake Worth stronger.

The science fiction genre is diverse. Obviously, inspired by Sci-Fi movies, video games, and even Dubai and Disney World, their assignment was to make our city more appealing to a larger and even more diverse group of people by connecting us physically, culturally and globally. Commissioner Mulvehill mentioned that already we have 67 languages spoken at Lake Worth High School, so the residents already here fit into their "diverse" mold.

They want visitors to interact with the natural environment but want to change that natural look and create mountains, rain forests even going so far as to remodel and move the pier. Giving examples of accessibility versus exclusivity, one team suggested taking out all of the parking at our beach/park even the streets on Lake and Lucerne between Federal and Dixie and put in green. This concept, if ever remotely implemented, would eventually keep everyone away because of impracticality. People want easy access and want to park close to where they are going whether it be the beach or shopping. One citizen even agreed about taking out all beach parking.

It was stated that most people want to leave Lake Worth to experience the world, but the students want to bring the world to Lake Worth, a highly dense small city with no land in which to build unless it is the landfill as suggested by Jack Simons. He also suggested that some of the designs could be used on small pockets on 6th Avenue South or 10th Avenue North, gateways into our city. With some artistic futuristic ideas, their objective was to allow us to enjoy our city even more by pretending that we are somewhere else. People who come to Lake Worth are seeking exactly what we have here--a laid back lifestyle with a fabulous beach, 18 hole golfcourse, a walkable city with a vibrant downtown and a great Bryant Park...but who knows what the futuristic population will desire.

I will say that it was an interesting presentation through the eyes of youth. Many times throughout it I kept saying to myself, "Is this for real?" I give the students an A for creativity and purity of thought. Architecture should also encompass the pragmatic aspects of design which were somewhat missing. Through their enthusiasm, flair and intrepid boldness, they formed futuristic images of Lake Worth most of which were not present in reality or practicality. But you never know about the future--some people said that we would never land on the Moon.

Florida House Bill 1013

HB 1013 is a "posterchild for the anti-consumer attitude of the Florida legislature, so says the Community Association Member Party. If this bill is enacted, developers can create subpar roads and drainage systems, charge homeowners a lot of money for those items -- and then leave homeowners with nothing but expensive repairs. No more warranties for faulty construction of common elements -- and that's retro-active!

If Governor Rick Scott signs this bill into law, only people with a financial death-wish would buy into a developer-run community. Horror stories about developer fraud and scams have already ruined Florida's reputation among retirees from up North who think about relocating to warmer weather. The flow of new retirees moving to Florida has stopped."

Florida should not protect developers who want to make a fast buck at the expense of the home-buyers and Florida residents.

And remember in November not to vote for the legislators who want to ruin our life-style in exchange for campaign funds.

New Black Panthers

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Law enforcement ignores New Black Panther Party Islamist fatwa on the head of George Zimmerman..they don't follow American law, only street people's law.

Barton Elementary - Student's uncle arrested for guns

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Sunlight on a Vampire

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Click to enlarge

"For those who continue to complain that 'We the People', mainly conservatives, are cutting government too much, this should put everything into perspective. I know liberal progressives dislike me because we promulgate the truth which for them is like sunlight on a vampire. America, we are becoming a socialist egalitarian welfare nanny state and hardworking American taxpayers are on the road to Serfdom," said Allen West.

John Davidson to appear in Fantasticks

Our next door neighbor, John Davidson who lives in Atlantis, Florida, will appear in an Off Broadway production of the Fantasticks in June. Read about it here.

Bea-isms: on a Political Hiatus

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Now that Bea Gardner has taken down her blog, would anyone like to reach Ms. Gardner to get her latest Bea-Isms and political perspective now that she is running for a County Commission seat in Indian River County? Sometimes things change when circumstances dictate and candidates have to look at a whole new picture.

Bea Gardner (R)
Address: 4480 25th Lane
Vero Beach, FL 32966
Phone:772-569-6405
Email: bea@beagardner.com

If anyone reaches her, ask her about Heady and Heran. Lake Worth residents want to get the scoop.

A Heady Group

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Two links to a blog that I provided under my article entitled Propaganda and written on Tuesday, were removed the very next day...not just the blogs but the entire web site.

The blog posts implied that Heady and Heran who were ready to present their slick Power Point on the sale of our electric utility to FPL at Lake Worth City Hall had special interests. The person who wrote the blogs is Bea Gardner who is running for a council seat in Indian River County and against the sale of its utility to FPL. One of her blogs was entitled, Who is the Liar, Cheat and Thief? The other was about Glenn Heran and Brian Heady finding new playing fields in Lake Worth.

I have been unable to reach Ms. Gardner to ascertain the reason for her web site removal. It is still down today. Although her opinions on Heady and Heran have been on the Internet for quite some time, I find it coincidental that these two gentlemen want to promote the sale of our electric utility to FPL and now we can't find out what their biggest critic has to say.

These gentlemen were placed on the Lake Worth Agenda by commissioner Amoroso but the item was removed by Steve Carr. These were the same two who paid for the bus to the FMPA meeting in Orlando just one week ago that was filled with citizens who were either just curious, wanted to socialize with their friends or who had special interests themselves. Mary Lindsey and Greg Rice were on the bus.

Glenn Heran is a staunch advocate of the sale of Vero's electric system to Florida Power & Light Co. decided against accepting an appointment to serve as the city's representative to the Florida Municipal Power Agency. Read more here: Vero Beach electric critic turns down seat on FMPA

A political action group supporting a key referendum for the sale of the electric utility in Vero Beach has raised more than $7,000. Who is behind that PAC? Group founder Glenn Heran, who has been the most vocal critic of the city's current electric utility system along with Steve Faherty. More here: Group favoring Vero Beach electric referendum raises more than $7,000

Brian Heady describes himself as "tenacious" in his advocacy to sell the Vero Beach Utility. Read about him here.

The local newspaper in the Vero area, TCPalm says, "What the city has received is a contract that could bankrupt the city, bring years of debt payments for city taxpayers and easily lead to a doubling of city taxes. The attorney fees alone have kept the city from reducing its electric rates even further."

So, the question remains, why would these guys bother giving their spiel to Lake Worth? What is the motivation? What is in it for them? Why come to Lake Worth? Who contacted them to come here? What is their interest here? Is it all just a noble effort to save us from ourselves? Who wants our Utility? Who wants us to sell? Who has the big bucks?

Blue Heron at Dusk

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I kept experimenting --
this one was to get the blue to pop out

Susan Stanton on List in Sarasota

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Sarasota city manager applicant list at 100 names

Susan Stanton on List

Allen West and Adam Hasner get Endorsement

The Washington Times, Eric Golub, endorses West and Hasner:

Colonel Allen West for Congress, District 18. This South Florida district covers all of St. Lucie and Martin Counties, and part of Palm Beach County. Colonel West is a war hero who entered Congress in 2010 as one of only two black Republicans. From the moment he entered Congress, the left went after him. They tried to eliminate him by redistricting him. This man has looked terrorists in the eye. He is not going to be afraid of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. Her hatred for him alone is enough reason to make supporting him a priority. He is also a staunch supporter of Israel.

Adam Hasner for Congress, District 22. This area of Florida covers many of the coastal communities of Broward and Palm Beach Counties. This district was at the heart of the 2000 presidential election that Al Gore tried to steal from George W. Bush. This was the district Colonel Allen West won in 2010 before immediately being redistricted to a nearby district. In 2007 he became the first Jewish Republican to become the Florida House Majority Leader. A staunch fiscal conservative, he has pushed for a Balanced Budget Amendment and consistently rejects stimulus spending money.

Utility Workshop

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Part of the discussion at last night's workshop was the Electric Utility's long range plan touching on Reliability, Systems operations capability, Safety, and System configuration which will be implemented, primarily through city staff.

The Plan consists primarily of a 26.4kV sub-transmission system and 13.2kV distribution circuits. The sub-transmission system will be a dedicated system that loops all substations and is not used to serve customer load. Substation voltage will be stepped down to 13.2kV (industry standard) for distribution circuits

The Electric Utility Task Force Chairman, Bill Coakley, was adamant about that years ago and was vilified and stonewalled and stopped by the other volunteer task force members on that board particularly by two alternates, Tony Plakas and Jim Kelly, which ended up costing us perhaps $6 million more than necessary. "They did everything in their power to sink my ship," said Coakley. He further stated, "Always build standard."

We have $16.7 million left for our electric conversion out of the original $34.9 mil that was from the 2004 Bond for the electric and water, divided equally, of nearly $70 mil ($69,925,000). It was reported that we will need to spend another $6 million on the electric. Find a Plan to finish within the money we DO have and do the rest with revenues. Find the right people.

Back on JUNE 10, 2010, our Commission rated what they felt were the most important considerations for our Utility with the lowest number being the most important or the top weight:

1. Reliability: Varela (4), Jennings (1), Golden (1), Mulvehill (1), Maxwell (5)---Weight: 20%
2. Competitive Rate/Fuel Diversity: Varela (1), Jennings (4), Golden (2), Mulvehill (4), Maxwell (2)---Weight: 20%
3. Load estimation/forecasting/Demand: Varela (2), Jennings (2), Golden (6), Mulvehill (2), Maxwell (6) ---Weight: 20%
4. Use of Renewable Energy: Varela (3), Jennings (3), Golden (4). Mulvehill (3), Maxwell (7) ---Weight: 20%
5. Bill stability: Varela (5), Jennings (5), Golden (3), Mulvehill (5), Maxwell (3) ---Weight 10%
6. Own vs. Purchase: Varela (6), Jennings (7), Golden (5), Mulvehill (7), Maxwell (1) ---Weight: 5%
7. Term: Varela (7), Jennings (6), Golden (7), Mulvehill (6), Maxwell (4) ---Weight 5%

The City put out an RFP for a power supplier as we will be out of FMPA's All Requirements by the end of 2013. Eleven providers responded, one of which is FPL and instinctively I would think that FPL has the advantage for many reasons that I won't go into now. All bids are due by the close of business on April 30.

There was to be a selection committee consisting of the City Commission, Finance Director, and the City Manager but last night it was suggested to eliminate the City Manager from this process as he will be in the negotiations and include whoever will be Chair of the new citizen volunteer Utility Board, someone with no professional credentials. If the Chair is Lindsey, she will be more valuable to this process than some Commissioners (see the commission ratings above that will pin-point what I am talking about here) who know absolutely nothing about this. At least the commission is accountable to the residents, not a non-credentialed volunteer citizen and I appreciate Commissioner McVoy's concerns even though they will go nowhere.

The bids will be opened at Energy Advantage Consulting in Newberry, Massachusetts, the offices of the consultant, however it was mentioned that the bids don't have to be opened there and Mr. Bornstein will pursue. Thirty days from the bid openings, the redacted information will be made public.

A report was given by Burton & Associates on their audit of commercial accounts. They discovered many errors in meter reading and billing to a tune of an estimated historical impact loss of $1.3 mil. Palm Beach State College was not billed for sewer services. Most of the audits have not yet been finalized.

Palm Beach State College Students to Present at Lake Worth Shuffleboard Courts

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Palm Beach State Community College architectural students developed ideas to enhance the city of Lake Worth.

Come to the meeting on Thursday to see what Lake Worth could look like going well into the 21st Century. All of you artists out there will love this inspirational and re-imagined image of our great city.

What: A group of architecture students at Palm Beach State College in Boca Raton, guided by Professor Dharmesh Patel, have spent part of the Spring Term developing innovative ideas for how to spruce up the city of Lake worth. Now, they will present their “Lake Worth Image-ability” project, aimed at enhancing the city’s characteristic and charm, to city officials in a public meeting this week.

When: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 26, 2012

Where: Lake Worth Shuffleboard Courts Community Center, 1121 Lucerne Ave.

Background: This Think Local, Learn Global initiative is part of a three-way split cultural exchange program with Lake Worth’s sister city in Southend-on-Sea, England.

The students’ work focuses on three areas: (1) Biomes, natural simulated environments that entertain, educate and inspire; (2) Connect, which includes the creation of a cell phone app for the city (3) Access. The students have created site plans, PowerPoint presentations and other visuals to show how the city could look.

Patel worked with Lake Worth City Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill to get the project underway. “We want to try to improve Lake Worth and create a better image of the city," Mulvehill said.

Media Professor Dharmesh Patel
Contact: (561) 862-4430

Tabatha McDonald
College Relations and Marketing Specialist
(561) 868-3127

Serving more than 51,000 students annually, Palm Beach State College is the largest institution of higher education in Palm Beach County, providing the bachelor’s degree, associate degrees, professional certificates, career training and lifelong learning. Established in 1933 as Florida's first public community college, it offers more than 100 programs of study at locations in Lake Worth, Boca Raton, Palm Beach

"That's the Ticket"

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THE STAR TREATMENT

Democrat comic John Lovtiz said: Obama's a f---ing a--hole and the Saturday Night Live legend goes ballistic on president. Read about it.

Propaganda

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Back on April 9, Steve Carr sent out a memo informing the commission that the utility Director would discuss our Utility as there has been mention of selling our electric utility to FP&L. There appears to be renewed discussion about the possibility of selling the Electric Utility. In order for you to have some idea of the complexities surrounding that idea, I asked the Utilities Director to draft the attached memorandum.

I don't recall ANY MENTION of selling our electric utility other than some disgruntled rate payers in the city. Commissioner Amoroso was attempting to have two gentlemen give a presentation that night and it was pulled off the agenda by the acting city manager. The above is the slick Power Point that we all were spared.

The above is what was presented on the Lindsey bus...propaganda from Brian Heady and Glenn Heran, whoever they might be. What is their interest? What do they have to gain? They won't tell but they will try and take advantage of unsuspecting residents and a commissioner.

UPDATE: The links below from beagardner.com are no longer functioning as of 4-25-12 as the web site owner, Ms. Gardner, closed her site. Was it pressure from someone? She says she doesn't have the time any longer to write her blog.

Read about them here.

Read about Who's the liar, cheat and thief?

NAACP, who are they kidding?

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What a bunch of phony crap! Here's a guy, Jerry Gore, President of the Martin County NAACP and Assistant Pastor of the Pentecostal Church of God in Christ in Stuart, being as "reverent" as they come.

Gore said that while he supports many of the things West does as a member of the Congress, as a non-partisan organization, the Martin County NAACP “don’t want nothing to do with” West’s “communist” comments.

“I don’t want to be a part of that politics stuff,” Gore said. “I don’t say things against people like that. We just don’t support that kind of stuff.” Read the rest of the story at ABC News.

Well, Jerry, why not tell everyone that the NAACP is one of the biggest and most influential lobbying groups in Washington. "The job of the NAACP Washington Bureau is to turn NAACP priorities, as approved by the national Board of Directors, into federal public policy through the legislative process. General topics include the promotion and protection of civil rights, securing a fair and equal criminal justice system, ensuring high quality educational opportunities for all Americans, a fair labor environment, and securing affordable adequate housing and health care for all Americans." Do you honestly believe, Reverend, that this does not involve politics?

The close connections between individual socialists and communists dates back to the NAACP’s founding in 1909, according to the Socialist Party USA. In fact, this socialist group says its members played an important role. We know, unequivocally, that Allen West believes in the opposite of socialism.

Everyone knows that the NAACP uses selective racism and is against anyone the least bit connected with the T-Party. At its national convention, Michelle Obama spoke and thanked the NAACP for helping get her husband elected. Is that not "getting involved in politics?"

In its motion, the NAACP said the Tea Party movement engaged in "explicitly racist behavior" and called for people to "stand in opposition to the drive to push our country back to the pre-civil rights era." That's what's behind Jerry Gore's rescindment of its speaker invitation to Allen West. The Tea Party supported West.

Get a grip, Jerry. It's all politics but yours is the phoniest of all.

A Man for All Seasons

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Several years back, if you wanted to bring down your opponent, all you had to do was call him a "racist" for anything he said or did or believed that was counter to your beliefs. Now the buzz word is "revisionist." It's used as a derogatory adjective and the progressives are in full swing.

I personally have always tried to be very cautious and try to concentrate on the issues when I write and not give the appearance of attacking a fellow blogger. When you disagree with someone often times it is difficult to keep personalities out of it but it is a goal worth following or striving towards. Blogger Mary Lindsey does a good job of this. She makes her points and the hell with anyone else's--they don't matter. Focus on the issues. Make the point. I think it only fair to respond to the "other blogger" as he has no compunction about denigrating me and continues to do so.

What he wrote: Ms. Anderson is a leftover of the myth-making apparatus of the previous dais majority. Her specialty seems to be the creation of revisionist history to support her favorites on the dais.

Whatever he meant by referring to me as a "revisionist historian," it is safe to say that he did not mean it favorably. I am a left-over of all commission majorities over many years. He is saying that I distort facts and turn them into something other than the truth. Revision is the lifeblood of historical scholarship. He made a statement that sounded like a good slap down but what did he mean? He gives no clear examples. This is why we have different political Parties. People look at the same issue differently.

History is a continuing dialog between the present and the past. Interpretations of the past are subject to change in response to new evidence, new questions asked of the evidence, new perspectives gained by the passage of time. I have always said and even have it in my disclaimer that I have the right to alter/change my opinion based on new information. There is no single, eternal, and immutable "truth" about past events and their meaning, so says the American Historical Association.

Mr. Blackman won't give up on the casino issue. As he has been on the opposite side of this from the very moment the City decided to "save" it and rebuild, his reporting is his own personal opinion and one-side of the facts at hand. He gives opinion as do I and so did the forensic engineer. So did those on the dais who had the foresight and intelligence to understand that building it where it stands is the only logical and economically feasible place for it.

Rick Gonzales, architect, is an expert on coastal design as is Morganti, the contractor, and both ensured its success in that spot. That was where we wanted it to be and we got there thanks to many, especially Commissioner Mulvehill. Thanks is given to the former assistant city manager who took over the details in mid-stream, not an easy task especially when the beach redevelopment portion and costs were already a tsunami about to happen. Building the Casino new was the most economical construction approach and saved the city money. By "saving" the footprint, we essentially and metaphorically "saved" the building.

I have seen good commissions and have seen bad. None have been perfect. The last commission was not self-serving nor is the present Planning & Zoning Board. I have lived here since the 50's. Time doesn't make me an historian, far from it, but I have learned a thing or three along the way. I don't know how long the other blogger has lived in Lake Worth, but he likes to tell you that he has the answers and implies that he is the only one to turn to when truth matters.

I admire Wes for his knowledge and his tenacity for standing up for what he believes. Often times there are two perspectives to issues and events, to planning and heights, to our casino and beach redevelopment, to hiring good management to oversee our assets, to out-sourcing or even in a city manager. Sometimes adhering and championing for your belief is for the betterment of all concerned; sometimes it is not and divides the city; sometimes it is simply elevated in the spirit of the issue or altruistic. It doesn't necessarily make an opposite opinion wrong--it's just based on different observations and points of consideration, where you've been and what you've experienced. What I see as sincere, someone else might see as self-serving and vice versa. We all have our opinions based on a myriad of circumstances.

More of the public should attend city commission meetings in order to get the meat of the story and to understand it all. You will never really know your commissioners until you actually see them in action and how they inter-act with fellow commissioners and staff and hear their opinions in order to get a good understanding of their knowledge of the issues. Their decisions, past and present, are why we are where we are today. It's a lot of power to place in the hands of essentially three people.

And so, perhaps my blogger friend read Sir Thomas More's quote: "What matters is not that it's true, but that I believe it; or no, not that I believe it, but that I believe it." A Man For All Seasons.

It could be Lake Worth

BEST OF THE ROAD
The 2012 Search is On!

Rand McNally has teamed up with USA TODAY for the second annual Best of the Road Rally and our town could be a stop! They will send amateur travelers across the country exploring the Most Beautiful, Most Patriotic, Friendliest, Most Fun, and Best Small Towns for Food to name the 2012 Best Small Towns in America.

Review and vote to get your town on the map. Tell them about our favorite local spots, and follow them on twitter for updates.

Marco's Dream Act

The dictionary defines a dream as a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep and as an involuntary vision occurring to a person when awake. I wonder what was going on in Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) head when he conjured up his so-called “DREAM Act.” Either he was plagued by a nightmare, or he was having a particularly bad day.

Read more of Fred Lucas' (The Hill's Congress Blog) opinion on Marco's Dreamless Dream Act.

Dream Act opponents have said that Marco's Dream Act is really amnesty for illegals and would encourage more and more of them to cross our borders illegally.

Marco says that those benefiting from his plan would be eligible for non-immigrant visas that would allow them to stay here and work and the visas would not be a path to citizenship.

City of Lake Worth

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Allen West - Extremist groups are influencing U.S. Policy

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“If we continue to be recalcitrant in identifying who the enemy is and want to be less offensive to them, then we’re going to put ourselves in a bad situation,” West proclaimed. “Now you have an environment of political correctness which precludes these (FBI) agents from doing their proper job and due diligence to go after the perceived threat.”

Eat the Dog 2012

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Without a doubt, this has to be the funniest video I have seen in decades.

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz keeps Doing It

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Oh no, another person ticked off at Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. This time it's her boss!

Was Obama born in this country?

Billboard in Albany, N.Y.

It can be found on Interstate 90 facing east, just a quarter-mile west of 787.

Was Obama born in this country? Not if you believe Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona who has been on a crusade to prove Obama's ineligibility to be President of the United States based on his birth. He has said, “My investigators believe that the long-form birth certificate was manufactured electronically and that it did not originate in paper format as claimed by the White House.”

Sheriff Arpaio’s chief investigator on the project said there are so many questions that he couldn’t have cleared Mr. Obama to be an employee of Maricopa County.

Fire-Rescue Benefits

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Letter to the Editor
Palm Beach Post
THOMAS KEATING
Lake Worth

Blame not vital; renegotiating fire-rescue benefits is

Regarding the editorial, "Best response: Cut salaries": Don't Blame Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue employees for the high salaries and pensions their unions were able to negotiate when the tax rolls were booming. They perform a valuable service and should be well-compensated for doing what many others could not.

But the real estate party is over, and the county is now saddled with an unsustainable $316 million fire-rescue budget to fund these bloated salaries and pensions that clearly rocketed far too high in a few short years. Regardless of whether our county commissioners or the union negotiators are more to blame for this debacle, the more important question is how quickly these contracts can be renegotiated back down to more sensible, sustainable levels. If it doesn't happen soon, taxpayers will be whacked again by yet another special property tax to fund boom-time salaries and pensions the county no longer can afford.

The Latest Pew Survey on Republicans and Democrats

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"Another new survey shows that Republican supporters know more about politics and political history than Democrats.

Democrats only know about revisionist history (awh gee, I thought Wes Blackman coined that expression) and have been using it to hide the truth from their brain-dead flock. On eight of 13 questions about politics, Republicans outscored Democrats by an average of 18 percentage points, according to a new Pew survey “Partisan Differences in Knowledge.”

The Pew survey adds to a wave of surveys and studies showing that GOP-sympathizers are better informed, more intellectually consistent, more open-minded, more empathetic and more receptive to criticism than their fellow Americans who support the Democratic Party. (They should do a survey on Lake Worth politics...the results would probably blow your mind)

Again, this shows that liberals are not the open-minded caring folks they pretend to be.

Republicans fare substantially better than Democrats on several questions in the survey, as is typically the case in surveys about political knowledge, said the study."

Read more...

Another interesting sky

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Music Man at The Lake Worth Playhouse

Outstanding performance at The Lake Worth Playhouse...
don't miss it.
Through April 29.

Earth Day

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Today's Trivia:
Do you know why Earth Day is April 22?

Clue No. 1: It didn't start as a celebration of butterflies, recycling, eating locally or solar energy.

Clue No. 2: It was launched on the 100th birthday of the father of 20th century totalitarianism -- a man whose followers have killed tens of millions of innocent people.

Read the latest now on WND.com.

Lake Worth Hero

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Ian McIntee, Grandson of Lake Worth resident
and former CRA member Doug McIntee
surprises his family at Dave's Last Resort

Dollars for Scholars - 6th Annual Hat Luncheon

Dee McNamara
Most Beautiful Hat

Dee McNamara's hat was made by Whiteley Hat Company Limited of Bedfordshire, England. The WHITELEY label is a designer collection of modern classic hats, contemporary headpieces and essential casual wear. Each hat is individually hand made from the finest materials using traditional skills. As Dee used to be a designer in New York City, she knows value when she sees it. Her hat was originally $580 and she bought it at World Thrift, 2425 N. Dixie Highway, Lake Worth for $1.95. So, all you gals who shun coming to this affair because of the price of a fabulous hat, don't get dissuaded. Put this event on your calendar for next year. You could be a winner!

The room was filled with former Lake Worth High graduates and friends of the school. I believe they raised a lot of money for worthy Lake Worth High School students to further their education. Since Dollars for Scholars received its Charter, it has given out $615,700. Many prizes were won by lucky attendees; I won twice. Katie McGiveron, graduate of LW High, won the women's prize for the Most Patriotic hat. Many thanks to Doris Dorsey (who wore the most beautiful hat) and her team for putting on another successful event.

The 14th Annual Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 9, 7pm at Tommy Hansen Hall, at the Lake Worth Community High School campus. Come on out and support your local high school students.

Quotes of the Day - Lake Worth Casino

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Under budget, our new Casino is nearly completed. Read the article in today's Palm Beach Post.

"We're still working on the plans but it's going to be gorgeous," said Mary Hoertz, V.P of Mulligans when speaking about lighted palm trees and a fiber optic bar.

"Our landmark casino building is absolutely stunning. It's opening will send a message of renewal, confidence and success through the community." Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill

"It will be a great source of civic pride." Laurence McNamara

Soledad should know better than to bait Allen West

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Everyone in the world knows what Allen West meant when he said that there were 78 to 80 communists in the Democratic Congress. Everyone, accept for a smart azz reporter from CNN and all those "progressives" trying to make mountains out of molehills.


West responded to her attacks: “I’m calling it this. Communist, progressive, Marxist, statist, another term being used. I’m looking at things they believe in. If you don’t think we have to stand upon truth and be able to identify and clearly contrast the different principles and values and ideologies of governance here in this country, then we’re never going to get to the fact of accepting the true debate happening in America. We don’t need a bureaucratic nanny state. We need to stay a Constitutional Republic. I think a lot of people need to study that and understand what it is.”

Lake Worth City Hall

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Debbie keeps Doing ...

As Debbie Wasserman-Schultz has been screaming for Romney to release his tax returns, it is only fair that the big mouth take her own advice. Congressional candidate Karen Harrington is now calling for Debbie Wasserman-Schultz to release her own tax returns.

First, with a congressional salary of $174,000 plus the numerous free perks that come with being both a congresswoman and head of the DNC such as taxpayer paid travel, immediately disqualify her middle-class claims. In fact, her Congressional salary is more than three times greater than the median salary for individuals in her own district (FL-20) which is $54,194.

Furthermore, for a woman who on a weekly basis demands that Mitt Romney release his financial statements, it is very troubling that since 2004, her husband, who is the Vice President of Commercial Lending at the Community Bank of Broward has his salary listed as N/A on Federal Financial Disclosure Statements required of all Members of Congress.
Newsbusters

Read more at The shark Tank.

Cat Hoarder in Lake Worth

Palm Beach Post article.

Hoarding is a sickness no matter what you are hoarding. This time a Lake Worth resident on North D Street was hoarding cats. 27 cats were removed from the home. In the majority of circumstances, the animals are living in filth and are neglected. What do you do with a person like this?

Zimmerman had a Bloodied Head

A new photograph released by ABC News shows a bloodied George Zimmerman with injuries on the back of his head. The photo, which was reportedly taken three minutes after Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin, could serve as possible evidence supporting the neighborhood watch volunteer's claim of his violent confrontation with the teen.

Blogger's New Interface

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Today is the official day that Blogger switched to its new interface. There is nothing user friendly about it. Why do people continue to change things that are working well? Did they ask the end user? Now it's not only Blogger that has a problem. Their changes affect millions of people because some web designer had a "better" idea. It's sort of like Lake Worth City Commissions but instead of a team of designers, we have three people affecting the lives of residents and our city. When is the last time you got an answer from one new commissioner on anything? They don't care what you think and neither does Blogger. And since they don't, I'll keep writing about them.

Early Morn

Maxwell Punch

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Graphic by Lake Worth "Mystery" Artist

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Don't get in the way of the Maxwell punch.
The question that needs to be asked...who's next on the chopping block?
Anyone you don't like? Is there anyone on staff that has looked at you cross-eyed?
Tell Maxwell the facilitator or one of his accomplices.
You want a solution to a "problem," fire the person in charge.

Read what the PB Post has to say

One of our Leaders

No wonder we are in so much trouble.
This is old news but still worth watching.

"When it comes to the pundits, I'm angry about the rush to judgment," Bill O'Reilly said. "No longer do facts matter."

Links from RedCountry:

It is reported there is a witness that says Martin attacked Zimmerman.

Martin was suspended multiple times and was in possession of ladies jewelry in school with a burglary tool..

The Black Panthers offer a $10,000 bounty on Zimmerman

According to Zimmerman's lawyer and others, Zimmerman is not a racist. The lawyer pointed out Zimmerman was a mentor to a single mother (presumably a Black family) with a 14 year old son and a 13 year old daughter and she had nothing but good things to say about his involvement with them, and he also helped in raising money for their African American church."

Zimmerman told the police Martin decked him and was pounding his head on the ground. The later part has been corroborated by a witness.

Come and take a Peep - Clay Stone Cooperative Gallery in Lake Worth

Clay Glass Metal Stone Cooperative Gallery
Second Annual “PEEPS SHOW”
Friday April 20, 2012
6 PM to 9 PM

Tonight, April 20, the Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery, 605 Lake Avenue in downtown Lake Worth, will once again be covered in sticky, marshmallow “Peeps.”

Once thought to be a kitschy, marshmallow candy seen only in Easter baskets, Peeps are now a staple in the art world! Annual Peeps' Shows, featuring 3-D art and dioramas created using multi-colored Peeps candy, are held throughout the country. CGMSG will be flooded with Peeps of all kinds, shapes and colors.Artists from inside and outside the gallery will be constructing dioramas and tableaux using Peeps as their core element.This year there are rumors of “Peeps Couture” and much more.

Last year’s inaugural show was a “sweet” success, with hundreds of folks flocking to the gallery to view the gooey art installation.We invite all ages to join us for this show, and sample a Peep or two while you visit.

The Peeps Show will be a 3-D art display featuring works created with marshmallow Peeps. The idea was originally presented by the Washington Post several years ago. Each year the Post holds a Peeps art contest, inviting folks to submit their Peeps creations to be judged, with winners receiving different prizes.

Never let it be said that Clay Glass Metal Stone artists let a good idea like this escape them.“Our show is just for the fun of it, or should I say “peep” of it,” said Karen McGovern, inspiration behind many of the innovative themes the gallery has used in past exhibits. “It involves local artists as well as CGMS Gallery artists. We have new artists in the Gallery and we can’t wait to see what inspiration the Peeps will give them.”

Each diorama will be no smaller than a shoebox, and only as large as can be carried by one person. The works will be displayed in the front window of the Gallery beginning April 20th at 6:00 PM, and will remain on display for the following week, or until the ants arrive.

Please come take a “peep,” and be sure to wear your favorite Peeps inspired creations! Last year guests arrived in Peeps decorated hats. We encourage all to join the fun and wear your Peeps proudly! Clay Stone Cooperative Gallery is sponsored by the Flamingo Clay Studio, a non-profit arts organization whose mission is to provide affordable studio and gallery space for three-dimensional artists. The gallery is located at 605 Lake Avenue in downtown Lake Worth. Gallery openings are the first and third Friday of each month from 6-9PM.

Lake Worth Casino Photo Update - We're almost there!

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The name is on the building! Yeah!

City suggested $18 a s.f. for the upstairs space
to Restaurants America that says it projects
$4 million a year in revenues

The City kicked our long-term tenants off the beach
and/or discouraged the rest by not honoring
First Rights of Refusals and/or subjected them to bidding wars

Photos by Carol Webster