Man Dies -- Illegal Hit-And-Run Driver

Now it is even more serious than originally reported. The victim of the hit and run has now died. Read about it HERE

Lake Worth Trojans Basketball

Last night was the last game of the season as well as Alumni Appreciation Night. The alumni were all given a LW High T-Shirt...mine says "Lake Worth Varsity Letterman" and I have it on now and will wear it today at the Art Show downtown.

In spite of losing by 8 points to Boca, our team did a great job considering it is basically a freshman squad with only 2 seniors. Grade point average kept many from participating, something that Dr. Saltzman is working diligently on improving. Top scorer for LW was Desorvil with 28. I was told that he is only a Junior.

Watching Ian Saltzman, Principal and Brett Packard, Assistant Principal as well as the coaches, students, fans and alumni all interact, gives you a feeling of hope for our school. There is so much love and attention and pride for Lake Worth High.

It was an exciting game...my hands were red from clapping and I annoyed everyone around me for cheering the loudest.

The Underwear Bomber and all the rest of the Terrorists

The PB Post’s editorial today agreed with President Obama on trying terrorists in a civilian court. Is anyone surprised?

The reason why I don’t agree with this is that these terrorists are automatically given all the rights under our Constitution that a citizen of the U.S. has in a criminal trial. They are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The terrorist has to be given his Miranda rights. He can have a lawyer paid for by the U.S. taxpayer, the very people for whom he committed atrocious offenses. He can be given a plea bargain and cut a deal. He can hire a super-click defense attorney like O.J. did and get off. National security issues can and will be revealed.

These terrorist murders don’t have any rights and we should not give them any bandstand to spout their political bull. A military court is the only sensible solution. Try them in Guantanamo and keep that base opened.

Lake Worth, Sanctuary City

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

• Bring 14 trillion dollars while you're at it.

• Balance our Budget

• Get rid of the "illegal labor hiring hall" aka Resource Center

• Build the wall higher (only kidding--won't work)
  

• Deputize, authorize and train state and local law enforcement people to identify and prosecute illegal aliens

• Penalize employers who hire illegal aliens. Initiate E-Verify immediately.

• Incorporate the 287(g) Program

• End public services and benefits for those who cannot prove they are in the country legally

• No driver's licenses for illegal aliens

• No more anchor babies

Does that about cover it? Oh, I forgot. Stop the Socialists and bleeding heart "progressives" who are ruining our country and ruining our city, some of whom I agree with on many other issues. If you can't follow the law, you are in the wrong profession BECAUSE--you represent the taxpayer citizen, not the criminal. I expect my elected officials to do nothing less and certainly not to remain silent because you are not on the side of the 3 to 2 vote.

Crime in Lake Worth

Comment Up (Click on Title)
For all of you east of Dixie and who continue to say that crime is "down" in order to justify the costly decision to go with the Palm Beach County Sheriff, the cold hard facts state otherwise.

In seven days through February 4, we had 251 crimes. There were two vehicle recoveries but then two more car thefts.

What is causing all of this in our city? Drugs and gangs and more and more poor people who are unemployed. There was even a guy with balls who stole a condom the other day. We encourage these people to come here by not addressing the slum and blight. This is what you have and this is what you will get.

Dawn of a new Day

Every time you pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV, the economy is in a total disaster...like today--another $1.9 trillion to our national debt. It's scary as hell. Yesterday the market took a dive and went under 10000. And all the government wants to do is tax and spend, borrow and give away. You and I now owe $40,000 as our part of the national debt that we did not cause and it's growing like a weed.

And that's exactly what's happening in Lake Worth. Expenses are out of control. Next year Lake Worth will have to tax to the limit by law...10 mils. Where is the forensic audit? We are in this “colossal” financial “mess.” We finally hire a Finance Director who tells us the truth and what happens? He gives notice because his wife doesn’t like Florida. Who in the heck doesn’t like Florida? Come on, Michael. Reconsider. We will treat you nicely. Promise.

If you think about it, why would anyone want to take on this job? Why would even a city manager want to be hired by a City with these monumental problems and some blaming her and the present commission for it? Staff has lied and covered up the messes, shifting money from one line to another to keep us afloat. Our previous city managers never asked the tough questions and never knew our real situation. In fact, we were lucky if they showed up for work. In the past, the City Commission made decisions based on some of the facts—not all.

City Manager, Susan Stanton, has come on board and is just the opposite from what we have had in the past. Demanding the truth and accountability is tough for some to accept. So be it. This is what it takes. If we do not stop spending and stop the waste, it will force us to

1) give up our Charter and go to the County or

2) give up our Charter, file bankruptcy and come back as The City of Lake Worth Beach, hire new people, get a volunteer fire department, renegotiate with the Sheriff or get our own, forget about the unions and start from scratch.

A dawn of a new day might be in order.

Action hero disses Florida

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, while speaking at the Next American Economy Conference, said that "Florida is for the old people" and that no one wants to take a vacation in Iowa.

Now Arnold, we know that we all do not look like you even when we were in our 20's but your perception of Florida, just like your Terminator movies, is just plain fantasy!

• Florida has no income tax

• We have warm water. Try putting your toe in the Pacific in the middle of summer--frost bite.

• Never gets too cold in Florida

• Homesteaded property with $50,000 exemption

• Flat, humid and we never see snow (well, hardly ever!)

• We have the Everglades; California has Death Valley

• Everything is cheaper here from food to housing

• Florida has no earthquakes (We won't mention hurricanes)

• California is invaded by illegal immigrants, mostly Mexicans. (Florida has all the rest)

• California has great oranges--Florida's are better.

• Florida has less people moving out of our State than does Califiornia

• The number one destination state for people moving from Hawaii is California--the number one destination state for people moving from New York is Florida (not sure if this is a plus)

• Florida is Republican; California is Democrat and look how they have screwed it all up!

• California is bankrupt--Florida is not--yet.

• Most of all, Governor, you don't have a Lake Worth "boy' and former Mayor running for District 89. :)
  

And a quote from The Terminator, "Chill out...dickwad." Come to Florida and enjoy a little piece of heaven.

Our Lake Worth Casino Restoration- Part II

Comment Up

The Casino will be built to at least a 50 year life expectancy and will be around long after any possible or questionable global warming could possibly affect our coastline. It has been predicted that our coast will change by the end of this Century or within the next 100 to 200 years. It is uncertain and no one knows if it will happen at all. Scientists have predicted anywhere from 1.5 feet at the end of this Century to 15 feet. There is no scientific proof of any of it. Their guess is a good as yours.

If we make a decision, it should be based on scientific certainty, not best guesses. All we know is that since 1921, the building stands and we have not lost any of our coastline.

January 2010

The Omphoy, formerly the PB Hilton, was just restored for a cost of $27 mil and its location is reported more east than our Casino.

One firm that specializes in restoration has already guaranteed a fixed price based on the number of square feet. No matter what is found in the renovation/restoration, the cost will be absorbed by the Contractor and the City will make sure that there are no cost over-runs. It will cost less to restore than to build new as the foundation is already in place. Everything in the building will be new and up to present code.

Our former Chair of the Planning & Zoning Board, Wes Blackman, has met/talked with a few of the firms that have submitted proposals. He has advocated for “altering the approach to this project so that the best process for the residents in terms of time, money and quality are achieved.” He said that he did not blog his perspective during the RFP process because he did not want “to unduly change the level of responses to the RFQ or influence the content of the responses.” I guess an actual conversation or meeting interjecting his personal opinion did not influence any of them to his perspective—that of demolishing and building from scratch.

The tenants approve. They are not in the “driver’s seat” nor have they given any demands to the City in any way. The residents approve. The only people who do not approve are the same ones who have always wanted the building torn down or who keep complaining that our tenants should be paying "market rates." Soon, with a newly restored building, the City Commission will decide what rates they need/want to charge and the present tenants have first choice to lease under new terms.

On Saturday, February 13th, 14 architects will make presentations at City Hall. From this, a short list of firms will be chosen. To read all the proposals, CLICK HERE

Look for construction to begin by Fall.

Another Illegal immigrant at Fault in Serious Accident

Comment Up
Lake Worth man in hit and run

Wrong is Wrong

“Joe Kroll is not the bad guy here,” said City Manager, Susan Stanton.

Sorry, Ms. Stanton. Joe Kroll over-reached his authority. He did not have the right to make the decision to move a parking lot at our major park, Bryant Park. You even stated in the January 19^th meeting that when the scope of work changed, all work should have stopped. Now you say he is not the “bad guy?”

It is nice to stand up for your employees but when they are wrong, they are wrong. After 90% completion, the city then became aware that a parking lot had been moved! What happened to accountability? Now it will cost us $80,000 to put the parking lot back. The City Manager says we have "no money" to do that. Kroll might have made the best decision ever but that is NOT the point.

The entire Bryant Park looks like a war zone and we have Independence Day celebrations coming up in 150 days.

He who Screams the Loudest....

Just say "NO" to all stupidity

At the center of various scandals and operating in 130 countries, AIG (American International Group) is an insurance and financial services giant and still in business thanks to the U.S. taxpayer.

On September 16, 2008 The Federal Reserve became its effective owner in exchange for a 79.9% ownership stake, to prevent the firm's possible collapse and a deepening of the general financial crisis. This company was the biggest taxpayer funded bailout with the government originally giving them $182.3 billion which represents several bail-outs. The stock in AIG is worth $23.97 yesterday from almost $1,000 in 2007.

Today AIG will pay out $100 million in bonuses.

On a local scale, "We got to inherit a colossal mess," was the quote of the night by Mayor Varela in describing our dire financial situation in Lake Worth. The largest contributors to this shortfall to our budget were retirement benefits from the Fire, Police and General Employees Unions. The solution? Move $1.7 mil to cover the budget deficit...raise fees to all who do business or play in lake Worth...lay-off employees...cut benefits.

Between corporate and union greed, this country is fastly becoming third rate with NO power and no credibility. And the slum and blight continues in Lake Worth while we go bankrupt. The Commission worries about wordage on an Ordinance that "must" include (social, racial, religious, linguistic, cultural and economic groups that comprise the City) on a Financial Advisory Board. When we have monumental financial problems, just how stupid is that?

Good News--Bad News

GOOD NEWS:
Ted Deutch wins District 19 Primary for Robert Wexler's seat.

BAD NEWS:
Palm Beach incumbents Richard Kleid and David Rosow are re-elected over challengers Jeff Cloninger and Cynthia Simonson. The winners want to consider Sterling's development plan and tear down the Royal Poinciana Playhouse (a world renown and historic building) and build condos on the Intra-Coastal Waterway

Not too "smart" afterall

After failing to keep Florida Hometown Democracy off the November 2010 ballot, the Florida Chamber of Commerce has pulled the plug on their front group, “Floridians for Smarter Growth.”

This front for the (over-) development industry admits to having spent $4 million to cook up a bogus, trick petition designed to derail the Hometown Democracy campaign.

The “Smarter Growth” petition demonstrates the profound contempt held by the over-development industry for Florida voters:

They would let you have a referendum on a change to your local growth plan only if of your fellow registered voters went down to the Supervisor of Elections office, showed a bunch of ID, and then signed a petition. Most shockingly, their referendum process discriminated against our deployed military, disabled and homebound people, and working folks chained to their job from 9 to 5 – locked them out of participation because they couldn’t get to their local Elections office to sign a petition, the only place they were to be available.

In court, and in the press, our campaign pointed out that no other such discriminatory petition process has ever been allowed in the United States. After FHD “outed” them on the discrimination issue, they quietly abandoned their petition collection efforts. February 1st was the deadline for qualifying their petition numbers for the November 2010 ballot. They fell far short of the state requirement…their “Smarter Growth” petition is dead in the water.

But wait! The same cast of characters has now reincarnated themselves with a new identity: “Citizens for Lower Taxes and a Stronger Economy”.….Lower Taxes? From the same crew who has stuck Florida taxpayers with the ever-growing bill for over development that doesn’t pay its way? Stronger Economy? From the same crew who crashed Florida’s economy with overbuilding?

These folks also have multiple, other fake identities, all couched in wonderful sounding names such as… “Foundation for Leadership Integrity”; "Floridians for Principled Government”; "Committee for Florida's Future”; "Coalition for Florida's Families”; “Citizens for Housing and Urban Growth”; “Committee Supporting Utilities and Competitive Commerce”...all being run out of the same office….same old gang, different name, different day…same game.

Lesley Blackner

Vote 4 Amendment 4!

One Bad Guy Down

One bad guy down. How many thousands throughout the State of Florida yet to go?

Florida Hometown Democracy will stop a lot of them because voting on land use changes will be up to you--NOT the developers and developer backed "good ole boys" who have ruined our State.

"The boss of one of Florida’s biggest government contractors has announced he’s stepping down. The news comes weeks after embarrassing disclosures about his personal involvement in a corporate pay to play scandal, and disclosures about possible corrupt payoffs overseas by company officials." This is a guy who is a big contributor to Floridians for Smarter Growth (The Florida Chamber of Commerce's PAC) and verbal opponent of Amendment 4.

Read more about this bad guy HERE.

Get a Government Job

If any of you have kids who come to you and say, Mom, Dad, I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up—or they are in college and looking for a profession, be sure to tell them to get a skill and work for government—any government--and don't forget, join the Union.

It used to be thought, decades ago, that working for private enterprise offered the best and most lucrative employment packages for the average worker. That was not necessarily the case then and it certainly is not true today.

Back in 1975 when Bruce Pelly, Director of the Palm Beach County Airports, began his employment with the County, he was making $5 an hour. The minimum hourly wage then was $2.10. Mr. Pelly made the right decision for his future, considering now he will get the following and still come back to work in his $197,000 a year position with all the benefits:

• $304,000 in lump sum payout from State Pension Plan

• $80,461 in unused vacation and sick days

• $70,968 a year in State retirement income until he dies
  

He won’t be a monetary burden to his family in his golden years, just to taxpayers still picking up the tab. So, parents, be sure to encourage your kids to get a government job, maybe even the City of Lake Worth, a city that is in a financial bind thanks to the Unions negotiating policies favorable to its members rather than considering the municipality that pays the bills.

Our Lake Worth Casino Restoration - Part 1

Comment Up

The design bids are now in. During this month, the applicants will be narrowed down to three by the Casino Committee consisting of the Commission and two citizens. One suggested for this Committee by Cara Jennings is John Paxman, Chair of our P&Z Board. This is an interesting choice as public commentary bears witness that his heart is not into restoration of the present building. John was also behind the political move that tried to alter our Comp Plan to put in higher density on the 4.02 parcel at Sunset, going against an entire neighborhood of 450 dwellings for two "friends."

In spite of all the politics, we are proceeding in the complete make-over of our building, a building that was certified in August 2009 as structurally sound. Bill Coakley and others had been reporting on this for years but those involved in development and politics wanted everyone to believe differently. In fact, and more specifically, Wes Blackman former Chair of the Planning and Zoning Board and former Mayor Jeff Clemens went so far as to suggest that the building should be demolished because of spalling that could/would fall and injure someone. NOT SO.

Taurinski Engineers said the following:

1. Casino building made of reinforced steel and concrete.
2. Areas that were jack-hammered when Rodney Romano and Jeff Clemens were in office and never repaired, must be cut out, cleaned of all corrosion, coated with an anti-corrosive agent and patched with a high-strength cementitious material.
3. Only minor concrete repairs are required.
4. No signs of structural collapse
5. It is safe to occupy
   

By “restoring” the building and leaving it in its original spot that has been there since 1921, allows the City to proceed without going through a lot of government red-tape. We will not have to worry about the coastal construction line. It was built where it is for a reason and has withstood all hurricanes. Because the Gulfstream is closer to our shore than anywhere in Florida, the probability of getting a category 5 hurricane (probably the only thing that would do major damage to that building) is slim to non-existent as the hurricane will not have any time to build up intensity.

Category Five Hurricane:

Sustained winds greater than 155 mph (135 kt or 249 km/hr). Catastrophic damage is expected. Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings will occur. Some complete building failures with small buildings blown over or away are likely. All signs blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes (built in any year). Severe and extensive window and door damage will occur. Nearly all windows in high rise buildings will be dislodged and become airborne. Severe injury or death is likely for persons struck by wind-blown debris. Nearly all trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Hurricane Camille (pdf) (1969, 190 mph at landfall in Mississippi) and Hurricane Andrew (1992, 165 mph at landfall in Southeast Florida) are examples of Category Five hurricanes at landfall.

Coming up later, Part II.

Rubio ahead of Crist

Marco Rubio AHEAD of Charlie Crist in latest Rasmussen Poll

The Answer is to Punt

Go Saints

What we don’t seem to be concerned about--

1. The United States says it will sell $6.4 billion in armaments to Taiwan. China is threatening to limit dealings with U.S. corporations.
   

2. China owns most of our outstanding debt.
   

3. Senate votes to increase our national debt to $14.3 trillion.
   

4. Healthcare is expected to rise by $222 billion over the next ten years. No one wants it but we're all going to get it.
   

5. Unemployment is at 10% national average.
   

6. Obama accelerates anti-missile defense in Persian Gulf as Iran proceeds with its nuclear program.
   

7. U.S. keeps up pressure in Pakistan carrying out 13 drone strikes.
   

8. President Obama proposes $200 mil for security for civilian trials of terrorists instead of trying them at Guantanamo Bay in a military court.
   

What we do seem to be concerned about--

1. The only thing on everyone's mind is the Super Bowl—planning our day around it and spending a projected $463 mil during this coming week. So, let's kick back this Sunday, have a beer and root for the Saints!

Call to Street Painting Artists from Nadine

Yet it is time to start planning for the Street Painting Festival in Historic Downtown Lake Worth.

February 20-21^st, 2010 will be here before you know it.We would like to make sure that we are on your calendar and that we have good contact information for you. Volunteers like you are critical to the success of the largest sidewalk chalk event in Florida.

Friday 19th we will begin working on marking off the artist spots and early setup. Saturday 20th we will begin early at 8 and continue until 7pm distributing chalk, giving directions, assisting our youngest artists with their masterpieces, and providing support staff to our work locations. Sunday 21st we will start at 9 and do more of the same until 7pm when we reopen the downtown for business.

Please provide us with your phone # and complete name and age (if you are under 18). Preference for day working and the location of your choice will help us make this a fun and exciting event for you. Remember friends and relatives are encouraged to come or volunteer to share in this experience.

Nadine Burns
LW Chamber of Commerce