HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

National Park Service reverses course, grants permit for Memorial Day Mass inside cemetery

A lawsuit was filed

National Park Service has granted the permit for the Knights of Columbus to host a Memorial Day Mass inside a national cemetery, according to a May 23 news release from legal organization First Liberty.

“The Knights are thrilled that they will be able to exercise their religious beliefs and keep this honorable tradition alive,” First Liberty Senior Counsel Roger Byron stated in the news release. “We appreciate the tremendous support of Governor Youngkin and Attorney General Miyares in this case.”

The Knights have hosted a Memorial Day Mass inside Poplar Grove National Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia, every year since the 1960s.

National Park Service under the Biden administration halted this tradition in 2023, when it denied the Knights the permit to host the Mass within the cemetery, citing a policy change that prohibited “demonstrations,” which included non-committal religious services, inside the cemetery.

The Knights and the Park Service reached an agreement and the lawsuit was dropped.

Read about it...

Lake Worth (Beach) beach Park closed

Beach closed

The Beach and Beach Park at Lake Worth Beach are CLOSED to ALL VEHICULAR, BICYCLE, AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC! Exception remains for vehicles picking up food from Benny's, Mulligan's, Kilwin's, or Mama Mia's

Atlanta Braves WANTS 26% of our dry acreage at John Prince Park for free

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Top 10 Parks in Palm Beach County

But we already knew that John Prince Park was one of the best.

John Prince Park consists of 726.36 acres (includes 338 lake acres). If you subtract the water, it leaves 388 dry acres.

The County Commission along with our Trio Lake Worth Commission are pushing this park for the Atlanta Braves to bulldoze and occupy 100 acres for a stadium as well as a building to house their players. This means that this billion dollar corporation wants to take (for free) a little over 25.8% of our dry land in our park for private enterprise.

When someone says, "Oh, it's just a little piece of the park," you can tell them it really is a large part. Taking nearly 25.8% of anything is significant. Put it in terms of your paycheck at $1000 a week. That reduction would amount to $258.00 a week less.

City-Wide Community Barbecue at Sunset Ridge Park this Sunday

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Scott Maxwell says, "Join us this Sunday, February 28th at 12:00pm for our City Wide Community BBQ--

Sunset Ridge Park
1528 14th Ave N
Lake Worth, FL 33460

Corner of 14th Avenue and North A street)!! Come out and watch the Palm Beach County Firefighters and Paramedics show off their cooking skills! There will be plenty great food and drinks to help pass another beautiful South Florida day by. Hope to see you there!!"

Public Meeting in Lake Worth on Domino Park

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 November 4, 2015
Contact: Jamie Brown, Public Services Director
Phone: 561.586.1720
Email: jbrown@lakeworth.org

PUBLIC SERVICES DEPARTMENT PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

The City of Lake Worth’s Public Services Department would like to inform the community that on
November 17, 2015 from 6:00pm – 7:00pm there will be a public meeting regarding the “Domino Park” project at South G Street, between 8th Ave. South and 9th Ave. South at the railroad tracks.

$39,505 in Community Development Block Grant funds shall be allocated to this project. The site is
currently unimproved and is utilized by residents as an informal location to play checkers and dominoes on makeshift tables and chairs. In order to better accommodate the needs of these residents, the City intends to provide a more attractive venue that is better protected against the elements in which such activities can be more comfortably conducted. Planned improvements include clearing and grubbing of the site and the installation of a 15’x15’ open pavilion with metal roofing on a concrete slab, a concrete table with benches, type D curbing and 4” mulch ground cover.

This meeting will be a discussion with residents about current issues in the area and to ensure that
proposed improvements will meet the community need.

For more information regarding this project meeting, please feel free to call Public Services
Administration office at 561-586-1720.

Racoon hitches a ride

We've heard a lot about the free lunch but this is the free ride--

Former Mayor Rodney Romano on Lake Worth Beach

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Rodney Romano - 

It's a public park and should remain public. It isn't supposed to make a profit. Ironically, a better, less expensive, financially stable project financed by a GO bond was killed in favor of what's there now. But what's done is done and we have a beautiful property now, which should be strictly reserved to the public, like Central Park. Perhaps the project should be refinanced by a GO bond. That vote would filter the Big Mouths from those truly committed to preserving the beach.

Editor's note:  Rodney Romano is our former mayor in Lake Worth. We all knew (the city and the residents) that it would take several years for the casino complex and beach project to start paying for itself.  We need to get the upstairs space utilized in order to allow this building to generate more revenue. The present commission has deferred paying principal payments @ $500,000 a year (other than one $250,000 payment) that we borrowed from ourselves.

Survey on Palm Beach County Parks System

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Help shape the future of your park system

Dear Palm Beach County Resident:

We know how important your park system is to you.

That’s why we’re committed to providing first class parks and recreation services for you and others in our community here in Palm Beach County. To this end, we have contracted with Management Learning Laboratories, a nationally recognized consultant, to conduct a comprehensive community-wide parks and recreation needs assessment. This assessment, which includes an online survey, will help determine the current parks, recreation, and leisure needs of Palm Beach County residents, and it will help us plan for the future.

Your input is important to us. These survey questions were developed by focus group participants who, like yourself, are residents of Palm Beach County.

I hope you’ll consider taking a few moments from your busy schedule to carefully read and respond to the online survey. If it is completed by another member of your family, we ask that the respondent be an adult. Please complete your questionnaire within two weeks. Your privacy is important to us. Please note that your name is not requested, and individual responses are strictly confidential. The survey is available at the following link https://surveymonkey.com/s/PBCII

If you have any questions or need assistance in completing the questionnaire, please call Management Learning Laboratories at (877) 789-5247.

The results of this survey will be made available on the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department website at www.pbcparks.com.

Thank you for your time and for your valuable input.

Sincerely,

Eric Call

Eric Call, Director

Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation Department

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Former Baseball fields

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Photo: Ball Parks of Baseball

Located about 11 miles from downtown Minneapolis, Metropolitan Stadium was the home of the Minnesota Twins for 20 seasons. The history of the stadium dates to the early 1950s when city officials began searching for a site to construct a stadium in hopes of luring a Major League Baseball franchise.

The Minnesota Twins last game at Metropolitan Stadium was on September 30, 1981. For several years the stadium sat empty before being demolished in January 1985. The site was redeveloped and is now the location of the Mall of America. Inside the mall, a plaque marks the location of homeplate and a red chair bolted along a wall marks Harmon Killebrew's 520 foot homerun in 1967. -Read more...

Bush Stadium - photo:  ABNF Co.

It could be worse--Bush Stadium, once home to minor league baseball teams in Indianapolis, Indiana, has found new life as an apartment complex. It was vacated by the ballclub when they moved to the new downtown ballpark Victory Field in mid-season 1996.

Between 2008 and 2011 the Stadium was used as a storage site for cars traded in as part of the Cash for Clunkers program.

In 2011 it was proposed the stadium be turned into an apartment complex, and on March 15, 2012 demolition began. The structure of the stadium was preserved and divided into three floors of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. The field itself retains the look of a baseball diamond with an open grassy area.

If you're looking for a point to all of this, it is that baseball teams come and go. Cities spend multi-millions luring teams with the the false hope of economic development and prosperity to be left holding the bag.  National teams seem to want multi-million amenities after a city has already spent mega millions or they threaten to move-on. This too, could be John Prince Park.

Memorial Park, Baltimore

Photo credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, MD-1111-64

Daytime "Rape" in a Lake Worth park

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Pervert can't keep his pants zipped.

Read about the low-life here

Splash Park at John Prince Park

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There are three shade sails on the playground that provide sun protection. There is a frog and a whale that spray water out from the nozzles and kids love the interactivity. The John Prince splash park is sure to make your kids happy and will provide hours of summer fun. 

Visit the John Prince Splash Park's web site for time and other information.

Lake Worth to pass a Resolution - Visionaries Dreaming big

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John Prince Park is believed to be the second oldest county park in Florida with 726 acres which includes 338 lake acres. John Prince was a Palm Beach county commissioner who got the State of Florida to donate these acres to the county for a park.  It was eventually named after him in memory of his diligence and perseverance in obtaining it for all the residents of Palm Beach County and the tens of thousands of visitors it attracts year round.

It has many amenities some of which include a 4.5 mile walking path,  3 softball fields, a splashpark, 8 tennis courts, 2 volleyball grass courts and 6 sand volleyball courts. It has fishing, an RV park, 4 basketball courts, picnic pavilions, a golf learning center, canoeing and kayaking access and so much more.

The County Board of Commissioners will meet to discuss a Spring Training camp at the park and/or at other locations. UPDATE: There is nothing on their immediate agenda to discuss John Prince Park or any other location. Former congressman Mark Foley was hired by the Nationals to find a site. Coincidentally, Foley gave campaign contributions to our "visionary" present LW commission. Tomorrow night, the Lake Worth City Commission wants to hit the public over the head with a baseball bat by passing  Resolution No. 10-2014 to support a major league baseball training camp at John Prince Park.

The expense of a "dream" of this magnitude makes the roads infrastructure program cost look like "peanuts" in comparison.

Photo: Damon Higgins of the PB Post

Lake Worth Going to the Dogs?

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It's no wonder we're in trouble in Lake Worth. We don't follow our own rules--we don't follow our own Ordinances and haven't for years. We had a city manager who tried to turn our city around but she was fired. Our city is consumed by slum and blight that has bred more crime. This commission bends over for snowbirds who complain about not having a beach decal or not being able to vote when they are non-citizens.  I guess we all have to come down with Alzheimer's before we get attention.

Now we have a beautiful beach park that cost multi-millions to renovate with some on our present commission  still bitching about that, complaining that we deferred a $500,000 payment to ourselves, and they all are looking the other way when it comes to following our Ordinance on NO Pets. Fido reigns. It's all about businesses...the slightest little thing that might (I said "might") take one penny away from business is frowned on by this commission. Someone is not going to go to our beach if Fido has to stay home?  Some merchants there are promoting their dog friendly establishment.

Pets are all over our beach park property. Merchants even put down doggy dishes for them.  I know--Fido is cute but can't he stay home? It is worse than ever. Our Ordinance has been allowed to slide just like so many other Ordinances in our city--Why is that? William Waters has said we have no one to enforce them. We either have an Ordinance and we enforce it or get rid of the dang thing...Let all the slumlords and their animals take over.  But--No one needs to bring Fido to the beach.

Months ago, Juan Ruiz, Recreation Manager said, "Dogs at the beach are prohibited by ordinance. We are trying our best to enforce."

The Ordinance in Section 6-3 (b) under domesticated animals prohibited on public property says: "...it shall be unlawful for the owner or custodian of a domesticated animal to knowingly or unknowingly permit such animal to enter or be upon a playground, school grounds, designated sports fields, cemetery, golf course, beach or casino and the beach parking area, or a road, sidewalk, pedestrian path..."

Can anyone do their job? Our city is literally going to the dogs.

The Homeless are freezing

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Homeless in Bryant Park

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Senior citizen got robbed and accosted

Today, a senior citizen was walking in John Prince Park on the pedestrian/bike path across from where she lives and a young, short black man with closely cropped hair came up, put his hand in her pocket and got her cell phone. He then put his hand in her other pocket, got $10 and all of her keys. Luckily for her he was alone and not with a gang that was playing the Knock Out Game. It is disgusting that you can't walk safely, in broad daylight, in Lake Worth.

Walking Tour tomorrow Bryant Park

What: Tour (Walking) of Plans for Plantings along Seawall in Bryant Park
When:  Saturday, November 23rd at 10:00 A.M.
Where: Meet at the Bryant Park Boat Ramp
Who: Presented by Carman Vare, from Environmental Resources Management of PBC

Carman Vare, back by popular demand, will be conducting a 2nd walk along the seawall to explain plans for plantings and habitat along the seawall in Bryant Park, and is open to conversation about your ideas and concerns about the project.  Carman is a Supervisor with the Environmental Resource Management of Palm Beach County and has been very involved in the Snook Islands Project and the conservation efforts along the shoreline of Lake Worth Lagoon which extends from here to Peanut Island.

Taking back Bryant Park

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Two amazing guys--

Maurici Luz and Ozzie Ona pressuring cleaning this morning at the south pavilion at Bryant Park. Thanks for giving back and all that you do to make this city better.

Photos by M. Parrilla

Bryant Park

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Mark Parrilla sent photo and update on Bryant Park:

Happy to report not one vagrant in the Bryant park this morning, bathroom clean and I haven't had to pick up one piece of litter this morning during my workout!

 We have begun to "take it back."

On another note, Susan Ona, Communications Tech for Bryant Park Neighborghood Association says: We have had a few residents of the community who have asked if they could make some comments and suggest some ideas for the plantings along the Seawall. If you would like to send your ideas or suggestions, you may send them to this site: bryantparkneighborhoodnews@gmail.com Please keep your comments brief and thoughtful. Kindly send them by Monday, November 11th, 2013. Make sure you sign you e-mail with your full name. Thanks for your ideas and help.

Scenes from Bryant Park and the Coffee Clutch

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Attended by an enthusiastic small group of neighbors who care about Bryant Park, the second coffee was held this morning at the south pavilion. Some of those attending were Susan and Ozzie Ona, Herman and Laurel Robinson, June Evans, Katie and Randy McGiveron, Mark Parrilla, BarbaraJean Weber, Pam Perini, Rosann Malakates and her husband, Marshall Pass, Maurici Luz and Helen Marino. Forgive me if I failed to mention you. We all enjoyed the camaraderie, the coffee and especially Katie's quiche.

Everyone in the neighborhood association is passionate about keeping this beautiful park exactly the way it is depicted in the photos above-- beautiful--free of trash, slum, blight and commerce.