....for ridicule being heaped on the City Commission for 'Talk Like a Pirate' Day.
http://tampa.cbslocal.com/2012/09/21/former-commissioner-denounces-talk-like-a-pirate-day-declaration/
The Drudge Report is now getting 37 million hits a day from readers worldwide, and a billion hits a month, making it the top online source for news in the world.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Rash of Violent Robberies in Lake Worth: Old People Targeted, Gold Chains Ripped Off Necks, Hispanic Immigrants Targeted, Beaten
In the space of five days at the end of August and beginning of September, a number of white and Hispanic residents of Lake Worth were attacked, robbed and some beaten badly by between one and five black men. The incidents are alarming because they occurred in different parts of the city to average people who seem to have been just going about their lives.
Most notable is the ripping of gold chains from the necks of two different women in two different incidents -- one on 12th Avenue North and one on 15th Avenue North. Both women were at their homes at the time.
The first of these crimes was on August 28 when a woman answered a knock on her door to have a yellow gold necklace ripped off her neck by a black man who was an acquaintance of her granddaughter. On August 29 an 86-year-old woman returning home from visiting her husband at the nursing home was robbed by a black man who smashed through her car window as she sat in her driveway, ripped the gold chain off her neck, grabbed her purse and sped off with his accomplice in a maroon car. Also on August 29, a black man grabbed a woman's purse containing $1200 and ran. On August 31, a black man attacked a woman walking out of Harry's Banana Boat on North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth, pushed her down and ran off with her purse. But it gets worse.
In the early morning of Saturday, September 1, a Hispanic man walking on 12th Avenue South had five black guys ages 18-20 pull up beside him and ask for a cigarette. Then one jumped out of the car and took a swing at him. The Hispanic man ran down the alley and the black guy who'd swung at him chased him, with the four others following in the car. They caught up to him and beat him with their hands and kicked him with their feet, then took his wallet, phone and $10.
The same group of five black guys did the same to a white guy on North Dixie Highway an hour later, again beating the man with their fists and kicking him with their feet to get his cell phone and money. Sheriff's deputies spotted their car shortly after and arrested all five. They denied that they robbed and beat the men, but when two were placed in a room together, one said to the other in Haitian Creole: "I can't believe we got caught, when we had such a good night." As of today, two of the five had been released on bond ($10,000 and $11,000), with three still being held at the Palm Beach County Jail.
Had enough? So have I. But there is one more incident, and it is maybe the worst. In the early morning on September 1, a 32-year-old immigrant told deputies through a translator that while walking towards his home on the 100 block of South A Street, a black man came out of nowhere and punched him in the face with a closed fist. He fell to the ground where 2-3 more black men punched and kicked him repeatedly while yelling, "Give me your money!" The immigrant began to lose consciousness as he was being beaten and remembered lying face-down on the concrete while the men dragged his body from the street to a nearby house where they left him. He said that he regained consciousness some time later and made his way to his home on South C Street where his family called the sheriff's office. The police report describes the man as having swelling to his entire face and top of his head, with his eyes swollen shut. He had cuts all over his face, teeth broken and knocked out and scrapes on his torso from being dragged. The man said he had been unconsious for most of the day following the attack. His wallet containing $200 had been taken, along with his Mexican ID card and blue Nokia phone. He was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. The five who were arrested for two other attacks in the early morning of September 1 were not charged in this case.
The information on all of these incidents was contained in a report that was made available to The Lake Worth Sun this month by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. The Lake Worth Sun thanks the sheriff's office for providing this information, but wants to ask, now that our worst fears have been realized -- What Can be Done?
The Lake Worth Sun would like to suggest that the most important thing is to speak with moral courage and without malice and insist that the community address this issue and find a way to protect our citizens from violent and unprovoked attacks.
Most notable is the ripping of gold chains from the necks of two different women in two different incidents -- one on 12th Avenue North and one on 15th Avenue North. Both women were at their homes at the time.
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| A yellow gold Hand of God necklace, similar to the one that was torn off a woman's neck on August 28 by a robber. |
In the early morning of Saturday, September 1, a Hispanic man walking on 12th Avenue South had five black guys ages 18-20 pull up beside him and ask for a cigarette. Then one jumped out of the car and took a swing at him. The Hispanic man ran down the alley and the black guy who'd swung at him chased him, with the four others following in the car. They caught up to him and beat him with their hands and kicked him with their feet, then took his wallet, phone and $10.
The same group of five black guys did the same to a white guy on North Dixie Highway an hour later, again beating the man with their fists and kicking him with their feet to get his cell phone and money. Sheriff's deputies spotted their car shortly after and arrested all five. They denied that they robbed and beat the men, but when two were placed in a room together, one said to the other in Haitian Creole: "I can't believe we got caught, when we had such a good night." As of today, two of the five had been released on bond ($10,000 and $11,000), with three still being held at the Palm Beach County Jail.
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| Nathan Louis-Fils, age 18, of West Palm Beach, was arrested and charged with two counts of robbery and two counts of battery for attacking, beating and stealing money and phones from two Lake Worth men on Sept. 1. He was released after posting an $11,000 bond. |
That same day, September 1, two Hispanic immigrants living in Lake Worth were beaten in two separate instances by black men, one of them savagely.
A man named Pancho Pablo told deputies a black man he met at the Tropical food market on Lake Avenue in the early afternoon had invited him back to his home to drink a beer. Once inside the home, the man turned on him, saying, "Hey, Mexican, m------ f-----, give me money." Pancho said he gave the man $20 out of fear for his life, but told him: "I'm Guatemalan, not Mexican," at which point the black man punched him in the eye, knocking him down. When he tried to stand up, the man punched him in the face again, knocking him to the floor again. After a scuffle, he managed to get away, but the man followed him, yelling: "Come here, Mexican."
Had enough? So have I. But there is one more incident, and it is maybe the worst. In the early morning on September 1, a 32-year-old immigrant told deputies through a translator that while walking towards his home on the 100 block of South A Street, a black man came out of nowhere and punched him in the face with a closed fist. He fell to the ground where 2-3 more black men punched and kicked him repeatedly while yelling, "Give me your money!" The immigrant began to lose consciousness as he was being beaten and remembered lying face-down on the concrete while the men dragged his body from the street to a nearby house where they left him. He said that he regained consciousness some time later and made his way to his home on South C Street where his family called the sheriff's office. The police report describes the man as having swelling to his entire face and top of his head, with his eyes swollen shut. He had cuts all over his face, teeth broken and knocked out and scrapes on his torso from being dragged. The man said he had been unconsious for most of the day following the attack. His wallet containing $200 had been taken, along with his Mexican ID card and blue Nokia phone. He was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. The five who were arrested for two other attacks in the early morning of September 1 were not charged in this case.
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| Frantz Louinasse, age 19, of West Palm Beach, threw the first punch and helped chase, beat and rob two men early the morning of September 1. He was released after paying a $10,000 bond. |
The information on all of these incidents was contained in a report that was made available to The Lake Worth Sun this month by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. The Lake Worth Sun thanks the sheriff's office for providing this information, but wants to ask, now that our worst fears have been realized -- What Can be Done?
The Lake Worth Sun would like to suggest that the most important thing is to speak with moral courage and without malice and insist that the community address this issue and find a way to protect our citizens from violent and unprovoked attacks.
86-Year-Woman Followed to Her Home, Robbed by Two Men
An 86-year-old Lake Worth woman who'd been visiting her husband at the nursing home on North A Street at the end of August was followed by two black men in a maroon car who smashed the window of her locked car as she sat it in in her driveway and ripped the necklace off her neck, grabbed her purse from the seat and a suitcase from the back seat and fled.
The horrible crime ocurred in the driveway of the woman's home on 12th Avenue North in Lake Worth on the afternoon of Wednesday, August 29. It was described in a crime report that was recently provided to the Lake Worth Sun by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
The woman told sheriff's deputies she'd noticed a suspicious maroon-colored vehicle while she was at the Avante center at 2501 North A Street in Lake Worth visiting her husband. She said that the men in the car appeared to be following her home. She pulled down a side street to let the car pass. It did, and so she continued to her house.
The woman said she'd gotten out of her car and was at her front door about to go inside when she saw the maroon car turn down her street. She went back to her car, got in and locked the doors. One of the men approached the car on foot from the rear on the passenger side, asking if she lives in the home. When she did not repsond, he smashed the rear passenger-side window, reached inside, grabbed the necklace that was around the 86-year-old woman's neck and tore if off, and then grabbed her purse and a suitcase from the back seat. The men then fled in the maroon car as one of the woman's neighbors bravely drove after him. The neighbor was able to track the vehicle to 10th Avenue North, and then onto I-95 northbound where he lost sight of it.
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call police immediately. The phone number of the sheriff's substation in Lake Worth is (561) 586-1611.
The horrible crime ocurred in the driveway of the woman's home on 12th Avenue North in Lake Worth on the afternoon of Wednesday, August 29. It was described in a crime report that was recently provided to the Lake Worth Sun by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
The woman told sheriff's deputies she'd noticed a suspicious maroon-colored vehicle while she was at the Avante center at 2501 North A Street in Lake Worth visiting her husband. She said that the men in the car appeared to be following her home. She pulled down a side street to let the car pass. It did, and so she continued to her house.
The woman said she'd gotten out of her car and was at her front door about to go inside when she saw the maroon car turn down her street. She went back to her car, got in and locked the doors. One of the men approached the car on foot from the rear on the passenger side, asking if she lives in the home. When she did not repsond, he smashed the rear passenger-side window, reached inside, grabbed the necklace that was around the 86-year-old woman's neck and tore if off, and then grabbed her purse and a suitcase from the back seat. The men then fled in the maroon car as one of the woman's neighbors bravely drove after him. The neighbor was able to track the vehicle to 10th Avenue North, and then onto I-95 northbound where he lost sight of it.
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call police immediately. The phone number of the sheriff's substation in Lake Worth is (561) 586-1611.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Judge: YES, Clemens Won State Senate Race
A circuit judge heard Mack Bernard's challenge to Jeff Clemens' declared win in the state senate race yesterday, and ultimately confirmed Clemens as the winner, though by less than the number of votes determined by Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher:
http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/lawyers-mack-bernard-palm-beach-elections-supervisor-not-counting-every-democratic-vote
http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/lawyers-mack-bernard-palm-beach-elections-supervisor-not-counting-every-democratic-vote
Friday, September 14, 2012
Black Teenagers Assault Car on Lake Worth Road
A woman driving on Lake Worth Road just east of the gas station on September 2 had her white Mazda pelleted by rocks or some other object thrown by three black teenagers who were walking on the sidewalk. All three were male, she told the sheriff's deputy who responded, and one of them was wearing all white. She said she saw one of the three "make a throwing motion" and then heard a loud noise in her car. The deputy saw a small gouge in the window and small scratches on the glass.
The incident happened just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, September 2, east of the gas station and close to the Tri-Rail train tracks on Lake Worth Road. A sheriff's deputy searched the area, but could not locate the suspects.
The incident happened just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, September 2, east of the gas station and close to the Tri-Rail train tracks on Lake Worth Road. A sheriff's deputy searched the area, but could not locate the suspects.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Brogues Owner Tackles Purse Robber!
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| Brogues Down Under at 621 Lake Avenue |
The owner of Brogues Down Under and his bartender chased down a man who grabbed a girl's purse inside the bar two weeks ago, tackling him and holding him until a sheriff's deputy arrived and handcuffed him.
Rod Regan, who owns Brogues Down Under with his family, and his bartender Mark Yokum, are the heroes of this story, chasing robber Benjamin Kairall and the pink purse belonging to customer Britnee Epps down South K Street until they caught up with him.
Nice work, guys!
This happened on Wednesday, August 29. The Lake Worth Sun just obtained the report of the incident from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office this week.
Miss Epps told the deputy that she'd been sitting at the bar with her purse directly in front of her when the man grabbed it and ran.
The man (Benjamin Kairall) had been trying to pay for his $14 bar tab with a credit card, which was declined. He told the bartender he wanted to go to his car to find "another method of payment," but instead grabbed the pink purse and ran.
Think Your Assessment is Wrong?
Deadline Nears For Challenging Proposed Property Tax Notice
Petitions Must Be Filed By September 17
Palm Beach County taxpayers have until September 17 to file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board (VAB) to challenge their property’s market value, classification, or an exemption.
Taxpayers have three options to file VAB petitions: online using myVAB, in person at the Clerk’s Governmental Center or branch locations, or by mail to 301 North Olive Avenue, Room 203, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.
For more information, please see our Frequently Asked Questions for the Value Adjustment Board.
Best regards,
Sharon R. Bock, Esq.
Clerk & Comptroller, Palm Beach County
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Lake Worth to Spend More Than it Brings In
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| Pam Triolo, mayor of Lake Worth and a long-time Republican, voted to approve this budget |
City Commissioner Scott Maxwell jumped the gun at last night's city commission meeting and proposed to vote to approve the almost $29 million city budget as presented and move to schedule a second reading (as required by law) later this month even though the budget proposes to spend almost a half a million more than the city plans to bring in during the next fiscal year, which starts on October 1.
Oh, it's technically a balanced budget, because the big $423,000 hole is filled by taking that amount out of the reserve fund. That leaves a little over $2 million in the reserve fund. Fine, you say. But according to the five-year budget projection provided by city staff, that reserve fund is emptied out a little more than a year from now and by 2015 is showing a negative balance of $3 million.
Only outgoing city commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill seemed at all perturbed by this.
"We're just postponing the diasaster...is what is essentially happening," she told fellow commissioners.
She also questioned why the amount of money proposed to go to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is going up and up in future years when the city of Lake Worth was promised that the total contract amount will go down, with savings to the city over the next few years.
Police and Fire Pensions Shooting Up
Lake Worth is paying more than $14 million this year to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office for police protection. Three years from now, the city is expecting to be paying $16 million to the PBSO, according to the city's five-year budget projection.
The increase, says city finance manager Steve Carr, has to do "totally" with pensions. The cost of paying out pensions to retired PBSO officers is expected to jump from just over $2 million this year to almost $3.5 million three years from now.
Those pension promises were made by PBSO. But Lake Worth has options, reminded Carr, as the amount Lake Worth pays to the PBSO will be revisited at the end of this year.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Hot Topic: 200 Block of North Lakeside Drive
Below is an artist's rendering of the home that Cabrera Construction wants to build on the 200 block of North Lakeside Drive. The city's Planning Department is having a public meeting TONIGHT at 6 p.m. at City Hall to discuss.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Friday, September 7, 2012
Work Slowdown at The Lake Worth Sun
The Lake Worth Sun is slowing down, with more infrequent postings while the editor spends a couple of months working furiously to establish a small neighborhood pre-school in the downtown Lake Worth area. I'm now at Step One with the city of Lake Worth and the Palm Beach County Health Department. Step One is where you get deep enough into reading through regulations and city code and go: "Oh Man, this is going to be one gigantic pain in the rear."
All I want to do is establish a small, wonderful little environment where my child and other Lake Worth children can spend their days. To do this, I'm having to learn about zoning, and parking and trees and irrigation and flooring and so many other things. But, Ok. It will all be worth it in the end. And when it's set up, the Lake Worth Sun will return with greater strength, with more sections, more topics covered in greater depth and breadth and in paper form, ..if all bank acconts are not emptied by that time!
To read more about what is provisionally called The Bryant Park Pre-School, click here.
-- Margaret Menge, Editor
All I want to do is establish a small, wonderful little environment where my child and other Lake Worth children can spend their days. To do this, I'm having to learn about zoning, and parking and trees and irrigation and flooring and so many other things. But, Ok. It will all be worth it in the end. And when it's set up, the Lake Worth Sun will return with greater strength, with more sections, more topics covered in greater depth and breadth and in paper form, ..if all bank acconts are not emptied by that time!To read more about what is provisionally called The Bryant Park Pre-School, click here.
-- Margaret Menge, Editor
Thursday, September 6, 2012
BREAKING: Cops Arrest Bus Thug
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office says "THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE," to the media for reporting the story of the man who ripped a gold chain off a bus rider's neck Aug. 21 in between 10th Ave and 4th Ave. South in Lake Worth.
"Due to your coverage, witnesses came forward and identified the suspect as Jerome Smith Jr. He was arrested and booked into PBC for Robbery by Sudden Snatching," writes PBSO in their release.
Smith's city of residence is listed as West Palm Beach. He and two friends were riding the Palm Tran heading north on Dixie Hwy. on Aug. 21 when Smith ripped the chain off a 32-year-old man's neck. He and his buddies jumped off when the bus stopped at 4th Avenue South and took off running.
"Due to your coverage, witnesses came forward and identified the suspect as Jerome Smith Jr. He was arrested and booked into PBC for Robbery by Sudden Snatching," writes PBSO in their release.
Smith's city of residence is listed as West Palm Beach. He and two friends were riding the Palm Tran heading north on Dixie Hwy. on Aug. 21 when Smith ripped the chain off a 32-year-old man's neck. He and his buddies jumped off when the bus stopped at 4th Avenue South and took off running.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Burglaries Spreading Into Lake Worth's Finer Neighborhoods
People who live on Lakeside Drive and Palmway have felt secure in the knowledge that criminals don't go that far east. Not burglars, anyway. Well, that's no longer the case. A home on the 300 block of South Lakeside Drive was burglarized on Friday night a little after 9 p.m. See the crime blotter at right.
The initial crime report does not give the exact address, say whether someone was home or not or list what was taken. The Lake Worth Sun will work to get more information from the PBSO at the start of this week.
Burglaries seem to be taking place now in almost all neighborhoods of Lake Worth. On Friday afternoon, a home on the 500 block of North L Street was burglarized, and on Thursday, a home on 18th Avenue North, a home on Barber Drive (off 6th Avenue South) and a home on North D Street were all burglarized.
The initial crime report does not give the exact address, say whether someone was home or not or list what was taken. The Lake Worth Sun will work to get more information from the PBSO at the start of this week.
Burglaries seem to be taking place now in almost all neighborhoods of Lake Worth. On Friday afternoon, a home on the 500 block of North L Street was burglarized, and on Thursday, a home on 18th Avenue North, a home on Barber Drive (off 6th Avenue South) and a home on North D Street were all burglarized.
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