Frustration

Well, after trying out a new piece of technology at last night's City Commission meeting, I met with disappointment upon my return to find that nothing I recorded last night ended up on my memory card. But, the memories are still vivid in my mind. Busy day today so I thought I would get these thoughts out quickly for your information.

The green pool. Put away your conspiracy theories. An $8,000 pool pump broke and the city has found a replacement pump. Help is on the way and life will go on. All efforts are being made to get the pool back up and operational as was discussed at the last City Commission meeting.

And how about a public information request by none other than Mary Lindsey, over a period of four months, on the current franchise agreement for Lake Worth to provide electricity to about a third of the village of Palm Springs? And then we find out that Palm Springs Village Council approved a franchise agreement, on first and second readings within the past two months - but what are the terms of that agreement? And we were greeted by "cow eyes" on the dais in reaction to these revelations.

Commissioner McVoy admitted that the city should be using the "new website" to get out information on the pool as rumor control. If someone wants me to come by with my point-and-shot digital camera and take a 3 minute video to put on YouTube and start a city YouTube channel, let me know. I am donating my services. I won't charge $20,000.

The residential development at Boutwell and Lake Worth Roads was approved, but only after hearing from Commissioner McVoy how he has some problems with this being rushed forward. He voted "for it" on first reading, by the way. We heard the unbelievable questions about "Who are these people? What is their track record? Is the city giving away the store here? The always charming Ms. Anderson wanted a complete vetting of the company. What are their other projects? Where's the "D and D?"

THE CITY DOESN'T OWN THIS PROPERTY.

IT IS NEVER GOOD ENOUGH FOR SOME PEOPLE. HERE WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THE ALL THE REQUIRED PROCEDURES. THE APPLICATION WAS FILED IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR AND IS ONLY NOW BEING APPROVED AND WE ARE SOMEHOW RUSHING THIS THROUGH. THE PROJECT IS NOT USING ANY LOCAL, COUNTY, STATE OR FEDERAL MONEY AND WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING AT THE FINANCIALS OF A PRIVATE ENTITY LOOKING TO BUILD A PROJECT IN OUR CITY THAT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF TRANSIT AND PROXIMITY TO THE PARK OF COMMERCE - WHO HAS SUPPLIED OVER A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN "PUBLIC BENEFITS" AND STILL THE SAME PEOPLE ARE NOT SATISFIED??? I PROCLAIM THEY WOULDN'T KNOW HAPPINESS IF IT BIT THEM IN THE FACE.

The good news is that is was approved 4-1, but the speech made by Commissioner McVoy was nothing more than an Annabeth Karson/Lynn Anderson rant. It's the same kind of thinking that has held back the city for EIGHT LONG YEARS IN GETTING ITS LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN APPROVED. MONKEY-WRENCHING AT ITS FINEST.

End of rant. I hope you all have a productive and prosperous day.

The Other Mar Lago Beach Club - Boynton Beach Historical Society

This I did not know. Click title for link.

Coming up this Thursday!

Florida State Senator Jeff Clemens 06/21 by High Noon in Lake Worth | Blog Talk Radio

Join your host Wes Blackman as he welcomes Senator Jeff Clemens to the High Noon in Lake Worth studios. Senator Clemens, a former Mayor of Lake Worth, will bring us news from the recently completed 2013 legislative session, what we can expect in the future and how the legislature operates. A former state representative, Senator Clemens will also talk about the differences between the two chambers of state government.

Click title for link to the live show between 12 and 1 p.m. this coming Friday or for the archived show after it airs. Leave questions and comments below to be asked during the live show.

We'll hear a lot about this tonight (6/18) at the City Commission meeting...

We took these pictures yesterday of the "green" pool. Is there a connection between the pigeons and the condition of the water? I can hear the conspiracy theories now.

Here is a link to tonight's agenda.

A while ago...

I posted about my visit to Cain's Barber Shop and my chat with Malcolm Cain while he cut my hair - what's left of it anyway.  Someone left a message last night that I thought would be good to share separately here this morning, since it would probably go unseen otherwise. It is from "Ed."

In 1971, at 11 years old, my family and I moved to Lake Worth and I soon found my young self in Mr. Cain's barber chair. He cut my hair throughout those formative years, until my graduation from Lake Worth High in '78. My departure for the Army brought those haircuts to an abrupt end - but not quite, as I still paid him a visit every time I came back on leave for the next 23 years. My advice to youngsters today is to go there and make sure there are a few people customers ahead of you so you can pick up useful tidbits from Mr. Cain as he talks with the customers. You'll learn what's going on in the Pony Leagues, pick up some golf tips, and even hear that TV is not all that bad. Most of all, however, what you'll carry away with you is his optimistic attitude. He epitomizes what I consider "Old Lake Worth" - the Lake Worth of my youth. 

Unfortunately, Mr. Cain's wife of many years died recently. The Mayor mentioned it before a City Commission meeting a few weeks ago. When you are downtown, stop in and say "Hi" to Mr. Cain and, by all means, leave his shop looking spiffy after he gives you a trim.

These pictures are representative of the sidewalk's condition...

...running along 5th Avenue North and 309 (the property highlighted below)

Due to the extent of the renovation on this property, the owner will be improving the public sidewalk as a requirement of the city.

309 5th Avenue North

While a certain other blog seems to focus on the blight in Lake Worth, I thought I would do a series on things that are moving in the right direction here in the city.  Three things that were on the agenda at last Wednesday's Historic Resource Preservation Board meeting (6/12) - click here for video - are of particular note. One I have already mentioned and that is the house which may contain the remains of one of the James family associated with the founding of Lake Worth, then Jewel. I will have more on that after Wednesday morning when I plan to take a camera to that property while they use some sophisticated equipment to check for remains or evidence of a burial site on or near the property.

The one that I will focus on here is 309 5th Avenue North.  Click here for the section of the agenda dealing with this project which contains the staff report.  Below are some pictures that I took after the meeting showing the existing building on the property. It is being incorporated into the new design of the property in what I think is a "cool" and historically sensitive manner.

Looking southeast, the only building on the property is this two-story frame garage structure with 1 bedroom and 1 bath

This is the rest of the existing yard area. There is no record of a house ever being built on this portion of the property.

This is looking west towards the east elevation from the sidewalk on North O Street. Parrot Cove townhouses are seen in the background.

Apparently a couple who have horses in Wellington and are here for the winter months will be living here during the horse season. The changes they propose will not only allow them to live very comfortably in our tropical environment; the changes will also compliment and contribute to the surrounding neighborhood.

Here are some of the plans and renderings showing what is now approved. A variance was needed since the code says that you cannot have a pool between the main structure and the street. That was approved separately. The board's decision was unanimous.

This is the guest house being added on the North O Street side of the property. It will have a center hallway, with a gate and one bedroom and a recreation room split by the walkway.

This is the north elevation view showing the new guest house on the left (east) and the existing two story structure which will gain a covered second floor porch over a patio area.The garage doors will remain to retain the look of the original structure.

This is a view looking west which shows the new guest house in front with the existing two story structure to the rear along the alley.

This an elevation showing just the existing building, with the addition of the second floor porch. It will overlook a pool and patio area that will take up the center part of the property.

South elevation showing the area between the two buildings and representative landscaping. The board was concerned about privacy and security due to the pool and that was translated to the applicant.

An aerial perspective looking towards the southwest, with the changes to the existing building, the addition of the pool and patio and then the guest house to the east.

An overhead rendering. This shows the new guest house a little too close to North O Street and the applicant agreed to move it more to the west. It was an initial misunderstanding.

You can see the floor plans in the staff report and application link if you want to see more details.

Jose Jaramillo represented the owner as the project architect.

The current owners picked up this property for $87,000 in October of 2012. Good things are coming to Lake Worth and this Wellington/Lake Worth connection seems to be a trend.

Finland has its priorities in order...

Click title for link to a BBC article on their infant care policies.  

For 75 years, Finland's expectant mothers have been given a box by the state. It's like a starter kit of clothes, sheets and toys that can even be used as a bed. And some say it helped Finland achieve one of the world's lowest infant mortality rates.

And this...

Expectant parents all over the world considered moving to Finland last week after the BBC’s report Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes (title link) went viral. What new mother wouldn’t want this care package: A cardboard box that doubles as a bassinet, and comes packed with bodysuits, a sleeping bag, outdoor gear, bathing products, diapers, and bedding — all care of the Finnish government. And that’s not all Finnish mothers get. Perks of having a pikkuvauva (little baby, in Finnish) include 105 days of paid maternity leave, 158 days of parental leave that can be shared between new parents, and then shortened hours until the child is two. Plus, paid child-care leave and free daycare. OK, sure, Finns pay pretty high taxes that can reach beyond 50% in some instances. It’s still little wonder Finland is the 9th happiest country in the world.
— By Barbara Kollmeyer, Jonnelle Marte and Quentin Fottrell

At one time, Lake Worth had the largest concentration of Finns living outside of Finland.

Free Admission to the Norton Museum

Thursday June 20th at Art After Dark!
FREE admission for all Florida Residents!

5 - 9 p.m. / Exhibition Opening
Block by Block: Inventing Amazing Architecture and Architecture in Detail: Works from the Museum Collection open to the public

5 - 9 p.m. / Music
Acoustic solo artist BJ Parks performs / Atrium

5 - 7:30 p.m. / Music
A pop-reggae performance by Future Prezidents / Theater

5:30 p.m. / Tour
Architecture in Art sponsored by pbpulse.com

5:30 - 7:30 p.m. / DIY Art Project
Be a LEGO Architect / Reynolds Classroom

6 - 8 p.m. / Sketchbook Thursday
Life on the Edge: Contour Lines, featuring a live model

6:30 p.m. / Curator's Conversation 
Block by Block: Inventing Amazing Architecture, led by Maggie Edwards, Curatorial Assistant

Developers propose 216-unit apartment complex on Lake Worth Road | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Nice to see this type of project approved at this location - NW corner of Boutwell and Lake Worth roads.  It is a good link between the Tri-Rail station, Palm Beach State College and whatever eventually happens in the Lake Worth Park of Commerce.  A news release was released by the Realtor's Association about this project after the first reading and was widely circulated about the state. Click title for link to article.

Word from Beilinson/Gomez Architects (sent Saturday):

To Friends and Clients of Beilinson_Gomez Architects: 

We lost Les Beilinson last night. 

He fought a brutal, three week-battle following abdominal surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Les was 66 and nowhere near ready to leave South Florida or his beloved Miami Beach where he lived since age 5.  

Both are richer thanks to his inspired preservation and new design work over the past 35 years.  

Les was my mentor, friend and partner. He was also a pioneer and visionary who played a key role in restoring South Beach to its glory days, starting in the late 70s when he and a handful of architects and historic preservationists fought developers' plans to raze much of South Beach.

During ensuing years, Les was instrumental in helping preserve South Beach history, with more than 200 projects to his credit. It is safe to say that without Les, South Beach would not be what it is today.

The list is endless -- renovations of the Espanola Way Hotel, Essex House, Marlin, Edison, Breakwater, Park Central, Century, Shore Park, Traymore, Tiffany, Betsy Ross, Ritz Plaza and Imperial Hotels. Then there's the Lyric Theater, Opa Locka City Hall, Coral Gables City Hall, the Old Fire and Police Station in Coral Gables and Merrick Manor there.

Most recently, our firm completed a historic renovation of the renowned national landmark Hialeah Park.  There's News Cafe, Armani Exchange, the Super Bowl arch over Ocean Drive, Capt. Harry's Fishing Supply on I-95, the Vintro Hotels in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Modani’s furniture showroom, Miami’s Mayfair Hotel, Omphoy Hotel in Palm Beach and custom residences and sculpture park at Altos Del Mar.  You can’t walk down Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue or Lincoln Road without benefiting from his work. That's just a fraction of the many projects, which earned our firm dozens of accolades and awards over the years. 

Equal to his architectural contributions to landmark properties, Les established a culture of integrity, excellence and an unparalleled commitment to client service in our firm.  He set protocols, secured resources and nurtured talent to allow us to deliver a wide-range of architectural services for generations.  Les was as proud of this firm and our dedicated team as he was of any project he ever developed. These hallmarks are embedded in all we do and the work at Beilinson_Gomez Architects will continue as we expand on Les' profound legacy.  

Les leaves his wife of 43 years, Sherry; a daughter, Tory Johnson, and her husband Peter; a son, David Beilinson, and his wife Julie; five grandchildren, to whom he was devoted, Nick, Jake, Emma, Charlotte and Morgan – all of New York; and his mother-in-law, Evelyn Goldstein of Aventura.

You are welcome to join us at a memorial service celebrating Les' life and work, which will take place this Wednesday, June 19 at 3pm at Temple Beth Sholom, located at 4144 Chase Ave on Miami Beach.

Please join me in sending Les' family our deepest condolences for their sudden, unexpected loss.

As always, I’m available at your service by phone, email and in person. 

Sincerely,

Jose Gomez
Partner
Beilinson_Gomez Architects

Note to blog readers - this firm responded to the Casino building RFQ, but really turned into more of an RFP, and had what I thought was the most historically appropriate proposal for the rehabilitation of the complex.  You might remember it.

This would have preserved the actual historic integrity of the building more than what ultimately resulted.  We must remember that the building that no one really liked that ended up being 96% demolished, had historic significance and was eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.  What we have there now is not.

So, it is with a heavy heart that I pass on this information about the death of Mr. Beilinson.

Evening falls...

Neighborhood Clean-up with Commissioner Amoroso

Where? - 1405 Lake Avenue
Who? - Royal Poinciana Neighborhood Association
Time? - Saturday, June 15th from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The neighborhood association covers the area from Lake Avenue to Sixth Avenue South and from I-95 to Dixie Hwy.

Clutch the pearls height-sensitive people...

And count your lucky stars that you live in Lake Worth! This is what is proposed for what is referred to as the Chapel-by-the-Lake site.  Just east of the Palm Beach Atlantic campus and south of the middle bridge in West Palm Beach.  Currently proposed at 29 stories and around 400 feet tall - which must include parking.  The structure to the south is existing.

New Smyrna Beach's oldest hotel site to become assisted living facility | News-JournalOnline.com

What we don't want for the Gulfstream property. Click title for link.

The developer of a 63-bed assisted living facility slated to be built at the former site of the city's first hotel said he is in talks with three companies interested in operating the center.

Chauncey Mitchell Depew, US Senator from 1899-1911

“I imagine that one fine morning we shall wake up with apparatus ready to take us to our offices by an automobile carriage…But…I cannot conceive our active Americans adapting themselves to the pursuit of pleasure in carriages moved…by any other motor but the horse. What has made the bicycle so universally popular but the one fact that it permits of action on the part of the rider, that it affords excitement?”

- Quoted in "The Horseless Age" by Henry W. Fischer, Munsey’s Magazine, May 1895 

If you wondered what was going on in Paris last night...

Try this "bird's eye" video view of the "Dinner in White", taken courtesy of a drone.

Video shared by the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission on FaceBook

Lake Worth is categorized as a "Fun and Entertainment Beach."  Nice production, not sure about how some of these beaches found their categories.  The Lake Worth beach has been used as a movie location in the past - including the pier. Can you name the movies?

An example of just what I am talking about concerning cities' use of social media...

This is a snippet from the City of Dayton, Ohio's FaceBook page:

This is "Episode 20" of "Take 5 with the City Manager."  It's a simple YouTube video that is done in his office and he is either talking into a laptop with a webcam in it or using a simple video camera or a point-and-shoot camera on a tripod. Both inexpensive, or already existing, easy-to-use pieces of technology to communicate to anyone who may be interested in what he has to say. It's nothing that would likely go "viral" but it shows that there is an effort to reach out and communicate - proactively - with the public, without the need to go to a meeting to do so.

This is the actual video from the Dayton's YouTube channel which happens to have 582 videos on it. As of today, they have a total of 210 subscribers. That's more people than can fit in our City Commission chambers.

Will this change the world if Lake Worth starts doing something like this?  Maybe not, but it does demonstrate an effort to communicate to the residents the city serves and provides another means to interact.  And IT IS NOT THAT DIFFICULT!

Video from last Tuesday's (6/11/13) City Commission Special Meeting

Found a new trick on YouTube where you can create a playlist from multiple videos.  This might be more easily digestible than putting together one hour long video.  You might find it easier to skip around and listen to what interests you. Or, you can watch the whole thing as if it was an entire video.

As far as the content of the meeting, a few things stood out to me.  It was made clear that the improvements that would be undertaken and funded partly by this $150,000 state grant were for the interior only and would not affect the shuffleboard courts at this time.  It was also made clear that the city and the CRA will both be able to use the facility, but the priority will be for arts and cultural activities.  It seemed as though the occasional city meeting could happen there.  One of the improvements listed as part of the project is a public address system for the building. If you have ever been to a meeting there, you know that being able to hear people speak to a group is a problem.

It also sounded to me that much of the city's match, beyond the $37,500 in actual cash, has already been spent on computers, equipment and some building improvements that have already been undertaken.

What was surprising to me is that the Commission and the City Manager seemed to have to justify the focus on the arts as a redevelopment tool and that this focus was somehow a "surprise" to the public. There was the usual talk from Commissioners McVoy and Maxwell about the need for the public to "buy in" to the art's focus. This left me scratching my head since the CRA already has created momentum in this direction with the LULA program, the Artist Lofts that are in the block next to the shuffleboard court building, the Street Painting Festival, etc.  It was also distressing to hear that the City Commission and the CRA haven't had a joint meeting for a while and seem to be two ships passing in the night.  That has to change.

We were also reminded by the city manager, in response to complaints about this being a "last minute" request, that the city as an organization is not at a point where it should be (staffing, skills, etc.) that it can proactively respond to opportunities like this.  And that it is apparently incapable of communicating much of anything to people in the general community, other than those people that regularly attend meetings. Can we include in the next city budget a position of PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER for the City of Lake Worth? And, along with that a special events coordinator - either in the same position or person - or share that responsibility with other departments?  Maybe then the city can start filling in this apparent information "gap" and start employing social media tools that other cities around us are already successfully using.

The good thing is that, after all the discussion, the Commission voted unanimously to approve the lease of the building to the CRA for 10 years, which will allow it to apply for the state grant.  And the lease would be "null and void" if the CRA is not successful in obtaining the grant.

Charlie Crist roots for his new team at Congressional Baseball Game | Post on Politics

Patrick Murphy (D) proves he's a winner again.  Who's that guy he replaced?  Oh, that's right, that guy was the BEST CONGRESSMAN.  Ever.  Click title for link.

Palm Beach County tourism leaders debate how to spend tourism... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Kind of hard to justify funding the Lake Worth pool at the beach with this money as some suggest.  It looks like the County Commission has locked up this money for a while.  This is from the article, click title for link:

Nearly half of the bed tax collected goes to luring more visitors to the county, and by law all the tax money must be spent on tourism-related functions. In Palm Beach County, about 40 percent goes to debt for Roger Dean Stadium and the convention center, large infrastructure projects that cater to visitors.
Currently at the heart of the debate is a capital projects reserve fund with $12.5 million. About $4 million is added to the fund each year.
During the recession, $3 million from the fund was tapped for emergency advertising, which helped the industry recover more quickly than most, and in 2009, $10 million was put into a maintenance fund for the stadium and convention center.
Some key hoteliers with the Palm Beach County Hotel & Lodging Association want those idle dollars spent on ads and marketing now.
Roger Everingham, general manager of The Colony Palm Beach and longtime association board member, queried TDC and county officials Thursday about how it is being used.
Jergensen and county Deputy Administrator Verdenia Baker explained that the reserve fund is for capital needs and will be used to renovate the Airport Center in the next three years for bed-tax agencies, and it will be tapped for debt service on a $50 to $60 million parking garage needed for the convention center.

What the competition is doing via FaceBook:

I am sure that they are using other social media as well. We found out at last night's Historic Resource Preservation Board meeting that there are still some "tire kickers" interested in the Gulfstream Hotel property - for use as a hotel!  Apparently, things seem to get bogged down when the discussion turns to price with the current owners.  Stay tuned...

Lantana to throw $25,000 fireworks bash to reopen bridge | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Lantana promises to open its new bridge with a BANG later this year.  Click title for link.

Raphael Clemente - Executive Director West Palm Beach DDA 06/14 by High Noon in Lake Worth | Blog Talk Radio

Join your host Wes Blackman as he welcomes Raphael Clemente to the High Noon in Lake Worth studios.  Besides being the Executive Director of the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority, Mr. Clemente also is an avid bicyclist and is known for integrating biking into his daily routine.  He also grew up in Lake Worth and will share his recollections of what Lake Worth was like back when.

Click title for link to live show between 12 and 1 p.m. Friday 6/14 or later for the archived show. Leave comments below for questions to be asked during the show.

Atheist monument at Florida courthouse to rival 10 Commandments display | Fox News

More on the atheist monument in Starke, Florida - that will be installed near the Ten Commandments monument.  Click title for link.

Coastal plan and Beach Management Agreement get go aheads | www.palmbeachdailynews.com

The Town of Palm Beach approves funding for a number of beach re-nourishment and seawall projects. They are also allocated money for dredging "lagoon-side" access to channels in the Intracoastal
Waterway. Click title for link.

Palm Beach Outlets names restaurant, moves forward with big... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

More commercial venues and retail space to drive to from Lake Worth. This is the former site of the Palm Beach Mall and West Palm Beach has given it sort of a "blanket approval" based upon the size of the former mall space.  That amounted to about 1.5 million square feet. Click title for link.

Forget about Southern Waste Systems as a polluter, check out our own power plant!

This image is part of NPR's Interactive "Poisoned Places" map.  Put in 33460 and click on the location of the plant.  No other sites appear in Lake Worth.  Click here for the plant's EPA record.  If someone can help with interpreting this information, that would be welcomed.

Two City Commission Meetings Tonight (6/11) : A special meeting and a work session on the budget

The special meeting is first, starting at 6 p.m., in the Commission Chambers and immediately following will be the 2nd work session on the coming year's budget.  There is a lot of back-up information related to the budget work session - some 150 pages - and it will focus on five of the city's infrastructure funds: water, local sewer, regional sewer, refuse and stormwater.

The subject of the special meeting is an execution of a 15 year lease from the city to the CRA for it to create and use the building and land as an arts and cultural center.  According to the program, the city cannot receive the grant, but the CRA can in order to accomplish the anticipated improvements.  The grant would be for $150,000 from the state program and requires a $300,000 match in the form of financial assistance ($37,500) and the rest from in-kind contributions.  So, that would bring the total project to around $450,000.

These schematic aerial views show the general concept of the project.  The area where the existing shuffleboard courts would be made into exhibit and market space for art and cultural-related activities and displays.

This comes as a bit of a leap from previous discussions which included keeping all or some of the shuffleboard courts intact.  The same issues related to security of the property, especially with the addition of artist work need to be addressed.  But, on the positive side, it does blend in well with the artists loft project that is a literally a stone's throw from this project and it keeps the property in the general public realm so that opportunities for a new city hall or some sort of coordination with an eventual transit train station in the area can still be made..

I plan to attend the meeting on the shuffleboard court building and will attempt to video most of it.

Just got back from the meeting.  The Commission approved the lease for 10 years, not the 15 included in the back-up material.  It also specifically did not decide on what to do with the shuffleboard courts since those are outside improvements and what is contemplated by the grant relates to the interior space.  Below is one rendering of the interior space that was presented at the meeting:

ArtPlace America's grant to fund transit project in Baltimore - baltimoresun.com

Art and transit combine, with help from European artists.  One wonders if Baltimore is out of artists, or if this is just a way to fund the project.  Click title for link.

European artists will help transform Baltimore bus, train and light rail stations to be more attractive, better designed and more user-friendly as part of a $200,000 grant from ArtPlace America, a consortium of banks and foundations that gives money to art projects with the potential for regenerating communities.

Project for Public Spaces | How to Be a Citizen Placemaker: Think Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper

This is a great concept and follows the do-it-yourself principles of "Build a Better Block."  Lots of good ideas here for making more out of public space.  Here is how "Restaurant Day" transformed Helsinki, Finland:

Building off of that last point, the organizers of Restaurant Day have turned cooking into an excuse for a carnival, giving residents of Helsinki, Finland, a chance to showcase their creativity in the kitchen and turning the city’s streets into a delectable buffet in the process. Their idea to organize a one-day festival where anyone could open a restaurant anywhere (from living rooms to public plazas), started when Antti Tuomola was struggling through navigating the onerous process of starting up a brick and mortar restaurant in the city. Recalls Kirsti Tuominen, one of the friends who works with Tuomola on organizing the event, “We knew from the beginning that we wanted to do something that would be fun, easy, and social at the same time. Something positive. We didn’t want to go the protest route. That’s the not-so-efficient way of trying to make a difference; it’s often better to show a good example and then it’s harder for the opposition.”
The first Restaurant Day took place back in 2011; today, it has been celebrated in cities all over the world. The festival is a brilliant example of how a completely normal daily activity can totally transform a city’s public spaces when approached in a creative way. “The street experience itself was a joy to behold,” wrote City of Sound blogger Dan Hill after participating on one of the festivals. “It truly felt like a new kind of Helsinki. International, cosmopolitan, diverse yet uniquely Finnish…It felt like a city discovering they could use their own streets as they liked; that the streets might be their responsibility.”
Tuominen echoes this in her own reflection on the event, explaining that “[Finland] is so full of regulations that people tend to see regulations even where they don’t exist! That’s been hindering things for a long time, but Restaurant Day has encouraged people to use their public spaces in a new way. Sometimes people just need someone to show them, or give them a gentle kick in the butt, and things will start happening.”

Click title for link to article.  Note that this is the third in a series, so be sure to check out the two preceding articles.

Outdoor concerts, inflatable pools planned for downtown Lake... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Cool idea.  J Street is turning out to be a destination! Click title for link.

West Palm Beach using its FaceBook page to promote that it is now on Linked-In

And they are using it to post jobs available, which seems like a logical place to do it.  And what is Lake Worth doing?

Lake Worth Lagoon Initiative - Management Plan

Public Comment Sought on
2013 Lake Worth Lagoon Management Plan Update

The Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management is accepting public comment on the 2013 Lake Worth Lagoon Management Plan Update. The plan summarizes the progress made over the past five years towards understanding, restoring and enhancing the Lake Worth Lagoon ecosystem and charts the course for continuing improvements.

The public is invited to view the plan and provide comments to
ERM-lwlmp13@pbcgov.org

Comments will be accepted through June 15, 2013.

2013 Draft Management Plan Update  [36MB]

If you have questions or would like to discuss specific sections of the plan or comments that you have submitted, please contact Alessandra Medri, Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management, (561) 233-2512.

Tips for Preparing Comments

• Be specific. Cite the section heading and page number to which each comment refers.
• Be clear and concise. Be sure that comments are as clear and straightforward as possible. Also, use a separate paragraph for each issue discussed.
• Cite references if appropriate. Where data can be cited, be sure to include a full and accurate citation.

Bicycle Parking/Storage Japanese Style

Who knew? Some interesting facts about the border between the U.S. and Canada...

We tend not to think too much about international borders since we live on a peninsula which essentially creates a natural border.  I never heard about the "no touching zone" or that there are some disputed areas.

Three big-ticket ZIP codes at high risk for storm surge damage | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Fortunately, 33460 is not mentioned, but a super storm like Sandy or a Category 5 that affects the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro area would no doubt have a great impact to Lake Worth.  There are some areas that are more vulnerable and have a higher value of real estate.  Click title for link.

Papa Ruby Koskoff /Obituary / June 4, 1924 – June 8, 2013

Artist Rubin “Papa Ruby” Koskoff, who painted hundreds of murals with his mural artist daughter, Sharon Koskoff, passed away on Saturday Evening after spending four days in Hospice of Palm Beach County at Delray Medical Center. Papa Ruby had Alzheimer Disease, but Congestive Heart Failure was the cause of passing to heaven.

In Brooklyn, Rubin Koskoff owned a blouse factory where ladies garments were sewn. He retired to Lake Worth in 1985 and then lived in Delray Beach for the past 9 years. In South Florida, Ruby designed and sewed all of the clothing his wife Shirley Koskoff, wore each day.

Over the years in Palm Beach County, Ruby Koskoff worked with his daughter Sharon at the below list of schools and public places. Principals loved him and even at age 80 couldn’t be kept off the ladder or scaffolding. In 2001, at Loggers Run Middle School, Papa Ruby fell off a ladder, broke his pelvis and had a 14” metal rod inserted into his left arm.  As recently as last summer, Papa Ruby worked with Sharon as an artist in residence at Roosevelt Middle School under Principal Joanne Rogers.

“Papa Ruby” was a great painter and that’s where I got all of my talent from!. His work ethic was to work hard, honest and always give more than expected… I will miss him dearly!” says Sharon Koskoff. “The art world has lost a true artist and I have lost a great father!

Funeral Services for Rubin Koskoff will be at Eternal Light Memorial Gardens Tuesday afternoon, 1:30 p.m.  June 11, 2013

Former Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill's Blog Entry upon Returning to Lake Worth

Click title for link to her blog.  Read the following out-loud in the overly-dramatic tone in which it is intended:

"This morning I was taking a walk to the beach and I crossed the bridge. Literally and figuratively. As I walked across the bridge, tears filled my eyes and I was overwhelmed by what I saw.  The building that I worked on so desperately to restore and renew and that had caused me so much pain was now complete.  It stood before me with confidence, glory and grace. It’s energy and vitality had been restored. I painstakingly participated in this building’s transformation, desperately fighting for it’s renewal, for its life. I watched this building be stripped to its core – to its foundation – with only a few pillars remaining before its restoration began.  Many times, I went to that building during its transformation and just stood there and cried."

I suggest she still be watched for hyper-Europeanization and extreme horizontalism, based on this.

And, today, we as a city, literally and figuratively, cry about all the loose ends and missed opportunities associated with the project.

City looking to privatize CRA; current director Briesemeister wants bid | West Palm Beat blog | The Palm Beach Post

More tinkering with West Palm Beach's CRA and economic development functions.  Click title for link. And it seems like an odd situation where the current director of the CRA would be allowed to have a company of hers involved in the operation of CRAs in other communities.  Coincidentally, I will have Raphael Clemente, who is the Executive Director of the West Palm Downtown Development Authority, as a guest on "High Noon in Lake Worth" this coming Friday (6/14).  We will see if he can help sort out what is going on this front.  By the way, Mr. Clemente was born and raised in Lake Worth and is also an avid bicyclist, so I am sure we will have a lot to talk about.

Critics: Reconsider eliminating Planning and Zoning Commission | www.palmbeachdailynews.com

The Town of Palm Beach is having a tug-of-war over its Planning and Zoning Commission.  Their Council is divided over whether or not to keep the advisory board.  Seems like a repeat of some of the same issues when, a few LW Commissions ago, we had to keep beating back a takeover of the CRA by the City Commission.  But this is more about how the elected officials are not always experts in everything and should rely on others with broader experience or specific skills in helping to render decisions.  Click title for link.

Cerabino: Broward woman not horsing around when it comes to... | www.mypalmbeachpost.com

Oh oh...Frank gets a hold of Ms. "Prancercize."  Click title for link.  This is from the article:

The interest over her self-published book, “Prancercise: The Art of Physical and Spiritual Excellence,” also exploded, at least in the rush of people who recently posted reviews on Amazon.com’s site. But a lot of these comments seem to come from jesters.
“I was prancercising and accidentally pranced my way onto a rock and sprained my ankle,” one reviewer wrote. “The doctor tried to shoot me! Stay away, unless you have strong legs.”
Another wrote: “I love prancercising but each time I leave the house my neighbors try jumping on my back. Oh well, at least they give me apples.”

In case you missed it, this is the YouTube video that as of time of this posting is at over 6 million views!

The article points out that had she turned on the "ad" feature on YouTube, she'd already be prancing on $100,000.

Pafford: State Budget Doesn’t Help Those In Need

Representative Pafford gives his take on the past state legislative session. From the article:

He acknowledged that some great projects were included, but questioned why 35,000 people in Florida were on waiting lists for healthcare and other aid while the legislature allocated money for road beautification.
“Thirty-five thousand people we chose not to help,” Pafford said. “We don’t report how many people die on wait lists. We’re talking frail, elder seniors.”

You can check out Representative Pafford when he was a recent guest on "High Noon in Lake Worth"  Click title for link to article. 

Using the “Transportation Revolution” to Sell Real Estate in Miami | Streetsblog.net

Some residential projects in downtown Miami are using car share and bike share programs, in addition to proximity to "premium" public transit.  This in place of including parking spaces as a physical part of the project off-site.  Arrangements are made with parking garages nearby for people with vehicles, but they are actively marketing the project as if people can live without owning cars themselves.  Click title for link.

Happy Saturday!