The SCENE says... That's just WRONG!

This week in Lake Worth
NOTHING HAPPENED!

Apparently the downtown merchants are ALL out of business... too bad... they should have read our "7 reasons Business Fail"

After nearly 3 years of promoting the City of Lake Worth,
The SCENE will no longer encourage guests to visit.

The SCENE's Editor, Jef Lawlor says," I'm truly disheartened about the downtown "SCENE". Yes, the economy is rough and instead of doing the smart thing by encouraging business with incentives like local discounts they've just got greedy! Sure.. blame your slumlord!!

The restaurants charge outrageous prices for mediocre cuisine, the City, just threw away another $50k to update their website.. don't bother looking at it...my kids have a better My Space page! The club owners get away with not paying MINIMUM scale for very good talent.. yet... charge $3-5 for a cup of beer... more for a cheap wine, and they wonder why business is at an all time low.

Oh.. and don't get me started about the "self-proclaimed" promoters using OUR NAME.. Now THAT's just WRONG!

What about the extremely poor service around town. Yes, we all appreciate that your cousin needed work, but hey... train them to take care of customers before they start texting their cronies!!

Wise up people... your former clients have!

We would love to hear YOUR comments about the decline of demise of Lake Worth... editor@lakeworthdowntown.com

Last week Marijah announced that she and her band have excluded from the Reggae Fest. Marijah and the Reggae Allstars is the only local Lake Worth reggae band and one of the most popular groups in Florida!. Tom Ramiccio told her manager that "people are tired of seeing her". This makes no sense, since Marijah has a loyal local following and has the only female-led reggae band around.

To the editor:
My name is Marijah Speziale and I am a homeowner and resident of Lake Worth for 12 years. I am a singer, songwriter, percussionist, poet, artist and teacher. I have 2 c.d’s that have both been played on the radio across the country, and had 2 songs in the top ten on WLRN in Miami. My band, Marijah and the Reggae Allstars was chosen best live band of 2007 by the New Times. I have played at Sunfest in West Palm Beach. I have performed at Clematis by Nite numerous times to a capacity crowd, and also at various festivals across South Florida, as well as Jamaica and Europe. I have been written about in the Palm Beach Post, Sun Sentinel and Neighborhood Post, and most recently was featured along with my band, on a t.v. program which highlighted Clematis by Nite. I have performed on the Lake Worth Caribbean Festival for the past 6 years, and have assisted Tom R. in obtaining the bands for the event. This year I was not selected for the festival, and people are wondering why. Many come specifically to see me, and. they expect me to be there. Everywhere I go people inquire about my performance. My drummer Bradley Brown is also a Lake Worth Resident of 7 years, and is an amazing vocalist, and is well known and loved by all as probably the best reggae male vocalist in South Florida! My background vocalist Kalimba Yancey is also a Lake Worth resident of 10 years and is a singer, songwriter, and public speaker in her own right. I believe that L.W. should support its artists, and businesses. My business is Marijah Music Inc. I believe that Lake Worth Festivals, (street painting, Tropic Fest, Reggae Fest should reserve x amount of spots for its resident artists and musicians. I personally know many talented artists, and musicians, of different genres and races who haven’t had a chance to display their art or perform in their own community. In closing I would like to state that as a woman I have a lot to say about life, love compassion and peace.

Lake Worth, lets support our talented artists!

-Jef Lawlor, Editor
Lake Worth SCENE

Is it is really necessary to have a meeting when we are all aware of the drop in gasoline prices?

It would be a great service to the people the Lake Worth Commission serves to call for a relinquishing of this surcharge and let the citizens of Lake Worth feel our newly elected policy makers are keeping an eye out not only when they have to increase charges and pass them on to the homeowners but to eliminate and automatically reduce and readjust those assessments as fuel prices for such services fall.

Our other concern is this. When Lake Worth utility users were told increases would be phased in to cover costs of the new generator/s there was no timeline set. How long can we expect to pay for this? As you are aware homeowners are being capsized by the escalated utilities costs. It is hard enough to absorb the costs of upgrading the power generating plant but to not know when that upgrade will be paid for is a question that needs to be addressed immediately.

Another important part of Lake Worth’s future.

We have one of the largest beachfront/boardwalk areas north of Miami. Most waterfront communities north and south of us are separated from the beachfront by a main thoroughfare and there is no boardwalk along the beach. We need to build the area as a playground for tourists meaning, we need to develop the beachfront as a pedestrian-way or boardwalk with shops, restaurants and entertainment that capitalizes on our natural resource and prime property location. Block off the upper access and create a pedestrian mall. Turn the pool area into an enclosed swimming club for year round use. Build a three–four story parking deck and reinstate Molly to run the traffic from the beach area to downtown Lake Worth. We can create an extension of the downtown festivals by linking a pedestrian/bike pathway as well as trolley from the beach to Lake/Lucerne/Bryant Park.

We have this goldmine right here. It seems everyone is looking out their backdoor instead of right in their front yard when it comes to the possibilities. Look at the real potential it holds for the city of Lake Worth. We can do this without sacrificing conservation and protection of our natural resources by designing green/environmentally friendly energy resources with wind and solar capacity structures along the beach. Think of the increase in property values, the offset of property taxes and utility costs if the area is developed as such. Most importantly, Lake Worth becomes an environmentally conscious model for future communities to develop their own beachfront projects after.

Richard Manganaro
Lake Worth, Florida 33460

The moral of the story other then trying to stop an attack and running like the wind is we have a crime problem that we need serious help.

Dave Vespo brought the PBCSO to Lake Worth. The Lake Worth Police took a pay cut so they could be part of the merger. I have spoken to many police officers and they feel that their lives were at risk every night because of the limited # of police on the street before the merger and our crime problem. We are only 2nd in crime problems to Riviera Beach. After living in Lake Worth during the mid to late 80’s I can tell you, it can get very bad very quickly. The fact that Dave Vespo cared enough to Fight the hard Fight to bring in Palm Beach County Sheriff’s should get him re elected.

Please go out to the polls tomorrow Tuesday November 18th and vote.
If you want to go for a run let me know, I’m always up for it, beginners are always welcome and I promise not to go hunting for crowbar attackers to get pumped up for a race.

Your Neighbor and Friend,
Maura Hennessey

________________________________________________________

Jef,

As you are aware, one of the things I do is work for the Mental Health Association of Palm Beach County. Our drop-in center is host to veterans, young and senior adults living with a mental illness who are high functioning meaning they live on their own, drive and can hold jobs. One of our staff members, Heide A. Den Hartog, who is our art therapist and lives a full and rich life in spite of having bipolar disorder, created the mural that graces the walls on the public pool courtyard at the Lake Worth beach. (By the way, Heide was just chosen as one of the artists to have a painting displayed for Art in Public Places at Palm Beach International Airport.)

Jef, I am asking for you to support the preservation of that mural so that it can be saved moved to a safe place and stand as a reminder for the fight the mentally ill face everyday against the stigmas surrounding mental illness. I would like to see it standing in Bryant Park, perhaps incorporated at some point at the entrance to the proposed new pier or boardwalk.

I know you believe in causes for human rights and this is one of the greatest rights that have been neglected for centuries. By having this wonderful mural erected in Bryant Park, it not only serves as a reminder of the Lake Worth Casino that once was, it reminds all of us that Lake Worth embraces all humankind and equal rights for the mentally ill.

It is a tough reminder but one in five people suffer from a form of mental illness. Mental Health America estimates 500,000 new cases of mental illness to surface from the effects the war in Iraq has taken on soldiers and their families within the next few years. With the plight of our economy, foreclosures and job loss, more American families are suffering from depression and suicide has risen 17 percent. What this means is we have a new generation of caregivers meaning the children of these adults who are now having to face a lifelong situation of dealing with their parents illness. Incorporate the wonderful art community of Lake Worth and let's make something positive out of the demolition of our historic landmark.

Jef, whatever you need me to do to help bring attention to the right people to get this done, let me know.

Thanks,
Richard Manganaro

Richard,
I'm certainly glad you sent me this. Such a terrific idea and noble cause.
I know what a fine job you do for the MHA. Let's put it out there and see if The Scene can help!.

To our readers.."lets make this happen"! ............~ Jef Lawlor

On behalf of the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches, the Realtors Commercial Alliance and on behalf of all of our property owners in Lake Worth, I attended Tuesday evening’s Lake Worth City Commission meeting where the millage for the new budget year was scheduled to be set. This year’s millage rate for the City is 7.29 mills after last year’s mandated rollbacks.

I was one of only two attendees who spoke about the millage rate – both of us urged the Commissioners to follow the voter mandate from Amendment One and keep the millage the same as this year for next year. I also addressed with them the fact that Lake Worth already has one of the highest millage rates in the County.

The City Manager told the Commissioners that the millage rate voted on now is only preliminary but it is the highest that they could charge for next year and the rate could be lowered later this year – as late as September - after more budget data is received and reviewed. Upon hearing that, and with very little additional discussion, the City Commissioners voted to set the millage rate at 8.0702 mills in order to be able to collect the same amount of tax dollars next year as they did this year.

This is potentially devastating for those with property in the Lake Worth Park of Commerce for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that our properties are not protected by homestead and “Save Our Homes” tax limitations and the fact that the property appraiser continues to raise values on commercial properties even though absorption and leasing have slowed to a crawl AND vacancies are increasing daily, thereby de-valuing the property for many owners. WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THE CITY COMMISSIONERS UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD ANY INCREASE IN TAXES!!!

I recommend that the City Commissioners receive a letter from as many Lake Worth property owners as possible explaining our position in writing and that we again urge them to roll back millage for next year to the current level. If it would be helpful to you, I can circulate a form letter for you to insert your name and company address then sign and mail or email to the City Commissioners stating our position.

Christina Morrison Pearce, P.A., CPM
Southdale Properties Inc.
Realtor, Broker-Associate
Phone: 561.573.7083
Fax: 561.432.3428
ChristinaPearce@comcast.net

After being interviewed by the school administration, the teaching prospect said,

'Let me see if I've got this right:

' You want me to go into that room with all those kids,
correct their disruptive behavior,
observe them for signs of abuse,
monitor their dress habits,
censor their T-shirt messages, and
instill in them a love for learning.

' You want me to check their backpacks for weapons,
wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and
raise their sense of self esteem and personal pride.

' You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship, sportsmanship and fair play, and
how to register to vote, balance a checkbook, and apply for a job.

You want me to check their heads for lice,
recognize signs of antisocial behavior,
make sure that they all pass the provincial/state exams.

' You want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of their handicaps,
communicate regularly with their parents by letter, telephone, newsletter, and report card.

' You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps.

You want me to do all this and then you have the nerve to tell me.................
'I CAN'T PRAY!?!'

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