Clemens Recount Could Begin Tomorrow

State Rep. Jeff Clemens, left

Jeff Clemens beat Mack Bernard by just 35 votes in Tuesday's State Senate primary, triggering a recount that may begin as soon as Friday.

Clemens and Bernard, both Democrat members of the Florida House, were running for the State Senate District 27 seat, which includes Lake Worth.

With all votes counted, Clemens had 50.07 percent to Bernard's 49.93 percent.

Clemens got a total of 12,140 votes, while Bernard got 12,105. The difference between them is 35, but 18 votes swinging from Clemens to Bernard in a recount would make Bernard the winner of the primary. It would also make him our next state senator, given that no Republican will be on the November ballot.

Clemens was mayor of Lake Worth from 2007 to 2010. In 2010 he was elected to the Florida House.

Mack Bernard is a former Delray Beach city commissioner. If he wins the recount, he would be the first person of Haitian descent elected in Palm Beach County.

Lake Worth 19-Year-Old Charged With Attempted Murder

Jean Innocent of 1015 South H Street in Lake Worth was arrested this afternoon by the sheriff's office, accused of shooting another man from the window of a car at the corner of South Dixie Highway and Lantana Road last week. Both Innocent and the shooting victim, whose name the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is witholding, are 19.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/lake-worth-man-behind-bars-accused-of-shooting-a-m/nRCLd/

New Crime Blotter!

The new crime blotter is posted at right. I included a stolen vehicle that happened just over the city line at 2700 Lake Worth Road, right near John Prince Park. All other crimes occurred in Lake Worth.

OF NOTE:  There were two burglaries yesterday -- one on South "E" Street and the other on Griswold Drive, in the Lake Osborne area. I'll see if I can get more information on both of these.

City Interviews Power Providers

The Lake Worth Power Plant, 2nd Ave North

Florida Power & Light was at City Hall last night to sell the mayor and commissioners on its proposal to serve as the city's alternate power provider.

But it had company. Seven other firms were there to do the same thing.

First up was Constellation Energy, one of the largest suppliers of energy in the country, which promised that it could meet the city's demand for power at all times.

Constellation also said it is the best company to help Lake Worth get back to being a completely independent utility "on par with others in the state."

Lake Worth has two main sources for power -- the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant on Hutchinson Island, near Fort Pierce, and the Stanton Engery Center in Orlando. The Lake Worth Power Plant, on 2nd Avenue North, is not currently in use, but could be called into service, if needed. All power reaches the city through transmission lines owned by FPL.

The city commission is expected to pick an alternate provider of energy next month, or to at least narrow down the list to two or three companies. The other companies that submitted bids are: Covanta Energy ("We help communities generate energy from waste.") Gainesville Regional Utilities, Orlando Utilities Commission, Tampa Electric Company, UR Solar Power and Wartsila, a Finnish company.


Animal Control Rescues Cats From Home on North B Street

Animal Control workers rescued 23 cats and retrieved the skeletal remains of two other cats yesterday from a home on North B Street in Lake Worth. The woman who owns the home has not been found. She is thought to be in an area hospital.

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region_c_palm_beach_county/lake_worth/skeletal-remains-of-two-cats-found-23-others-found-alive-in-lake-worth-womans-home

The Immigrant Mentality

The Tampa Bay Business Journal Reports that one in three businesses in Florida is owned by an immigrant:

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/blog/morning-edition/2012/08/immigrants-own-nearly-1-in-3-florida.html

There is something to be said for the "immigrant mentality" -- thrift, initiative, independence at all costs. Hats off.