Tim Smith's Fort Lauderdale

Blowin in the Wind

2012-05-24T12:46:45Z

                                                          Blowin in the Wind



How many days til the hurricanes come

                                              And blow Shippey House to the sea?

                                              And much more history will we save

                                              If this one goes sailing the breeze

                                              The answer my friend is .......


                                      Shippey needs to be set on a foundation NOW !!!

     Whether you were for or against the move of the Shippey House from Sailboat Bend to its current location in the historical district, today's efforts should be to get that house secured to the ground.!


     Don't you think?

     Here is a picture of the recreated first Fort Lauderdale School House that sits about 50 feet away from the "soon to be airborne" Shippey.



The answer my friend ......   is us!

        If you want to help, go to the ShippeyHouse.org site and donate, or call the Mayor and Commissioners and ask them what can be done.

Justice For Timmy!

2012-05-22T19:27:31Z

     You old timers will remember this story. It's about my son, Timmy.

     It happened in 2003. It was scary, ugly, unfair, but after 9 nine years, justice may be coming for Timmy after all!

     I was a City Commissioner serving my last year of a second term. I was known as a neighborhood crime fighter, having always lived off Dixie Hwy in an area that was crime ridden, and under attack by the crack cocaine drug trade.

     I had become known as the point person in the fight to clean the area up.

     Little did I imagine that the criminals would target my family, but I was wrong, and they did.

     One day in 2003, my 13 yr. old son Timmy was walking home from his friends house, when he felt someone grab him around the throat, and drag him off the road and down the RR tracks.

     Before he knew what was happening, another thug appeared in front and began pounding his fists into my son's face. As Timmy was blacking out he remembered his attackers say, "this was for your father, tell him we're going to kill him next".

      Timmy regained consciousness and found his way back to the street, dripping blood. A motorist stopped and brought him home. We called 911. Timmy spent the night in the hospital.

     The fortunate thing was that Timmy was OK, other than the golf-ball size lumps on his head, and, he knew who one of the attackers was - in our neighborhood anti-crime walks, we would see this thug dealing drugs and call the Police, and Timmy had remembered him!



     We knew him as Peter Lewis, but his real name is Hudson Joseph. His rap sheet is long - includes armed robbery with a weapon, multiple assaults, loads of drug charges etc.


                         Timmy and Dad in 2003, just before the attack

     Well they got Lewis/Hudson in 2003, and sentenced him to .... time served

         -  15 days, for two adults lying in wait and beating an innocent 13 yr. old bloody and unconscious -

     - miscarriage of justice at best ! They had reduced the charge from Felony Assault to Simple Battery, because Timmy had " no permanent disfigurement!

      We were flabbergasted, and mad. But we put it behind us and moved on.

     Until yesterday!

     I get a call from a fabulous new State Attorney - Whitney Mackay. She said that Hudson Joseph was going to trial today for the vicious beating of Timmy in 2003!

     I was confused. Hudson had gotten the ridiculous sentence of 15 days back in 2003. But it turns out Joseph wasn't happy with that! His attorney filed a motion to have the conviction overturned!

     Then, Joseph didn't show up for that hearing. A warrant was filed, and he's be on the run ever since.

     The new State Attorney is going to fight for some real justice in the case this time around. She's pushing for the maximum sentence - 364 days in jail.

     Timmy is in college and doing great. He got real tough after that. Here he is as the Captain of his wrestling team at Fort Lauderdale High a few years back, a few years after the assault.



     That's Timmy pinning another opponent. Timmy is looking at the ref, that's his opponent's legs up in the air! I often wondered if the many opponents Timmy pinned were paying the price for Hudson!

     We're due back in court in July. I'll keep you abreast.

Homeless Voice Collecting

2012-05-19T14:49:27Z

     We all see them - the Homeless Voice collectors.

     You can't miss them, in the intersection, with the yellow vests and the plastic collection tubs. We hear stories about who they are, why they are there, etc..

              .

      Well, this morning after b-fast, I decided to stop and chat up a couple of the collectors, and see if I could understand it all a little better.

     That's Cathy and Laura above, they were working the intersection at SE 17th Street and Federal Highway this morning. They say they usually work the intersection about 8 hours a day. Their cans usually have between $30 and $80 at the end of the day.

     Their stories of why they are homeless are sad, but they don't seem to be.



      I first met Cathy, when she pleasantly asked me if I would like to donate to the cause. I said "no, but I'm going to come back and interview you after I have my new blueberry oatmeal at McDonalds across the street".

     Cathy looked perplexed, gave me a big smile and waved me off.

     After b-fast, I walked over to the intersection where the two ladies had been hard at work. Cathy had just stopped for a break, bought a Red Bull at the gas station, and was looking for a lite for her cigarette.

     She said " let's go over there and talk", pointing to a bus bench across the Causeway. She introduced me to Laura, her collector compadre, and the three of us talked for about 10 minutes.



     Laura, 55, has been living in the Sean Connonie homeless shelter in Hollywood since August.

      She  came here from Michigan after meeting a guy online. She says the relationship "never took off", and she found herself at the shelter of last resort.

     I asked her what life was like at the shelter. She says after she got a padlock for her fanny pack, life at the shelter has been OK.

      Cathy, 43, isn't currently living at the shelter. She had lived there for six months, after her boyfriend became abusive after falling back into a crack habit. She's a native Floridian, and moved home with her mother recently , who might have cancer, to help care for her.

      Turns out you don't have to live at the homeless shelter to work the intersections for it. If you don't live in the shelter, you get 60% of the money you collect, if you do live at the shelter, you get 60% minus $26 a day for the room and board. Connonie furnishes his collectors with bus passes to get to Fort Lauderdale.

      Both girls seem to have hope. Cathy has met a new guy, and Laura is hoping to get a full time job and move out of the shelter.

Jog .... Tour

2012-05-17T16:58:11Z

     It was the last of Tim's Citizens' tours of the season, combined with the last Jog with Jack ( the Mayor) for the season (until September)..

     We went over to Holiday Park, where trained professionals (from L.A. Fitness) were there to give us pointers of how to use the park's many exercise stations.

     It was less painful than you thought - you should've come!



      Here we are on our opening stretches, (that's Commissioner Bruce Roberts' assistant - Robbi Uptegrove, throwing her hands in the air when she couldn't understand the beginning exercises!)



      Much of the kudos for the success of the event goes to Malena Mayea, the "onsite wellness coordinator" for the City, who did most of the organizational work. Here she is ... just looking good!

     I took my lessons from the experts from LA Fitness, as prescribed!...Here I am, at age 55, learning the proper way to do a push up!



     Most of the group paid key attention to the program, but some proved you can work-out, and work, both at the same time!

                   guess who?


     In the end, we were all sweaty and feeling proud of ourselves.....   Fortunately, the neighborhood of Middle River Terrace was waiting for us at the finish line with some ice cold water!



                ... so how is it that Commissioner Bruce Robert's assistant Robbi Uptegrove is seen here with a water in a silver can marked Coors? ..... hmmmm

Neighborhood Council President Out!

2012-05-13T21:54:32Z

     It's the umbrella organization for the neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale - the Fort Lauderdale Council of Civic Associations, and it's President, Doug Sterner, was just forced out of office.


                                  Sterner

                 Here's the sordid tale - follow closely!

     The coup to oust Sterner as the associations' head had it's roots a few years ago, when he and Ron Centamore, another well known neighborhood activist, got mixed up in the City's Homeless problems.


                                         Ron on right

      Ron and Doug initially told the Fort Lauderdale Mayor and Commissioners that the neighborhood they both owned propery in, Progresso Village, would approve of the City placing a homeless feeding facility there.

     Only problems was - they forgot to ask their members!

     Well, the feeding camping didn't end up coming to Progresso, but most of the association's members didn't forget the slight. When they had a chance to remove Sterner as Progresso's President, they did, and the Council of Civic association's by- laws say the President must be the appointed person from a neighborhood.

     Exit Sterner! Sterner reportedly resigned without any "drama".

     The Council's Vice President, Marily Mammano, will be acting President until an election is held June 12th. Mammano says she will be running for the position.


                                        Mammano

Congratulate Us !

2012-05-11T01:41:31Z

     We decided about a decade ago, that our politicians should only serve for about a decade!

     Unfortunately, some politicians at the Broward County level decided they knew better than all the rest of us, and sued at the Florida Supreme Court level, to overturn the term limits that were voted in by 80% of the citizens, so they could try to serve as long as they wanted.

    Today, they lost!   ... Our term limit's law was upheld at the Florida Supreme Court! ....   YEA !





     No, .... you wait one minute John .....

     John Rodstrom is one talented guy .... I hope he finds a way to give back without being an elected official......

                                          Tim

Next Citizen's Tour .... Ouch!

2012-05-09T16:25:07Z

     This year's Citizens Tours ( I like to call them Tim's Tours, since I organize them!), have been very interesting, educational, even a blast. These are tours meant for YOU, so you can see things that the ordinary citizen seldom sees.

     The intricate Sewage Treatment Plant, going deep inside the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, getting tipsy on the veranda of the Bonnett House, just as the Bartletts did in the 1920's, how do we deserve so much fun ?


                                   the Sewage Plant had it's challenges!

     Anyhow, the last tour (until the fall), will take place next Wednesday, May 16th at 6:30 p.m., at Holiday Park.

     I want you to go over to your calendar right now and put it on there, even before I tell you about it ..... because it might scare the dickens out of you and I want you to commit!   ...... scroll down slowly !!



     that's right, we're going to exercise! .... YIKES!

     We're going to be joining up with Mayor Jack Seiler, and his last Jog with Jack until the fall. You have seen how skinny Jack has gotten haven't you?

     City Manager Lee Feldman will also be joining us, as will some City employees, as part of their "Get Fit" City Program.

     And don't worry, there will be professionals there to help us with the exercise stations. And you can do as little or as much of the grueling work out as you are comfortable with.

     Wear good shoes, and work-out attire.

     We did a short run through with some of the drill sergeants last week!


         That's the Mayor's assistant, Safea Ali, leaning on the push up bar!


     So get ready for the fun, I been getting some private coaching to make sure I look good on the 16th!



     See you at Holiday Park, at the first exercise station ( over by the football fields/ Social Center/ gym) ......

                                    6:30 p.m. May 16

      ..... call me if you need more info ... 954-822-4727

                                                Tim

Las Olas Post Office To Go?

2012-05-04T14:47:39Z

     You might remember that Las Olas merchant Robin Merrill began a mission to save the little Las Olas Post Office from closing last year.

     The U.S Postal service is in trouble (mostly due to e-mail), and needs to close down offices. Closing some Post Offices makes good sense. Offices in Muddy Ill. and Odd, W.Virginia, for example, are set to close, probably for good reasons!

     But Fort Lauderdale Fla.?

     Well for now the Fort Lauderdale Las Olas branch is still open, but is still on the chopping block, so Merrill is not giving up.

Merrill

     Merrill's next big effort to save the station is tomorrow, when she's planned a rally, unlike no rally I've seen!



     Merrill has pulled out all the stops. She's got a Seminole Chief, alligators, barefoot mailman re-enactors etc. !

     I'm half expecting the President to show up!

     The rally starts at noon at the Stranahan House, where the mail will be taken down river by the Seminoles, just like the old days.

     For more information, call Robin at her store - Mission Gifts Fair Trade & Upper Room Art Gallery on Las Olas.

Odds and Ends

2012-04-28T15:30:17Z

     Two items on Tuesday's City Commission meeting of interest!

     1.) Extending terms for the elected officials ?



     The Charter Review Board is recommending that each term of office for Mayor and City Commissioners be extended from 3 to 4 years.

     Currently, the terms are three years long, and the Mayor and Commissioners can serve for up to three terms ( nine years total). The Advisory Board ( I'll get to their make - up in a minute), says the City Charter should make the terms 4 years long ( which will give Mayor/Commissioners a possible total of up to 12 years).

Also, the Board says the current Commission's term should be extended 20 additional months, so that their terms will go to the next Presidential election in 2016, instead of expiring in March of 2015 as it says now.

     Now changing the elections to November is a good idea, there will be a much larger turn out of voters, but making the elected officials terms longer is a very bad idea.

     Fort Lauderdale finally enacted term limits in 2000. Before that, Mayor/Commissioners could serve forever ( and some did!). Nine years of service on the City Commission is plenty. As the saying goes -

     Politicians are like diapers, and need to be changed often for the same reason!

     The Board recommending these changes had only 4 members - here are three of them ....


                                  Clay Shaw - former politician


                                Alain Jean - works for politicians


                                           Judy Stern !

                                           (need I say more ? )

     2.) Red Light Cameras

     The Red Light Cameras are back on the City Commission agenda to add a whole bunch more of the little bastards!



     There are about 8 of them now, and I got snagged at the one just east of I95 on Sunrise Boulevard.. I ( just barely) cruised through that red light, costing me about $150.

     The stats on the cameras are troubling.

     Although it's called the Red Light Safety Program, accidents at the Red Light Camera locations have actually gone up!

     And the financials are ridiculous. The cameras grossed $1,062,000, but after the State gets its share, the company gets its share, and the costs for the program are taken out, the City only netted $74,000 so far.

     If we are going to keep them - and get more - at least drive a better bargain!

Popeye Change of Address

2012-04-24T23:59:59Z

     Popeye has moved.



     But it's not like he has to fill out a change of address form for the Post Office.

     He has been booted out of his old home - the outdoor elevator at the Home Depot. He says the new boss at H.D. "is a ball buster".



     He says his life has gotten tougher. He says he spends most nights out on the corner of Sunrise Blvd. and NE 4th Avenue with a tarp over him and his wheelchair....

     I worry for Popeye. But he's the "Man that won't come in from the cold"!

     He has tried the shelters, says they are dangerous. His life fell apart years ago, and there doesn't seem to be any forward progress.

     I always expect the next thing I hear about him
won't be good.



     Popeye only has one good foot, the right one. Last time I wrote about him, some good samaritan brought him a pair of shoes. He says that right shoe now has a big hole in it.  He says he wears ten and a half, but if you bring him a left shoe only, make it an eleven ..

      As I drove away he yelled " and I need a shirt!"

Predestined Neighborhood Activist ?

2012-04-22T12:55:19Z

     People have called me lots of things    .....   but one that I actually like is

                                  Neighborhood Activist

     Little did I know, until I looked through that box that Mom sent me long ago, that I was

                                       Predestined

    to be one of those "activists" ..... Check out the following writings from "Timmy", when he was just aged seven !


                                     Timmy at 7, musings below !

                                                                                  November, 1963




          Predestined !

Sistrunk Makes It To Federal ?

2012-04-20T15:54:54Z

     Almost.

     Earlier in the week, it looked like Sistrunk Blvd. had made it all the way to Federal Highway!



     You see, lots of efforts have been put into our most needy part of the City for the last few years, including this multi- million dollar road project on Sistrunk Blvd.

     And this week, the new signs went up for that project, but inexplicably, Sistrunk Blvd. crept eastward, all the way to Federal Highway (Sistrunk used to stop at Andrews Ave.)



     But that didn't last long.

     Victoria Park resident and rogue activist Charles King saw it and sent an e-mail inquiry to Commissioner Rodstrom's office.


                                              King

      Here are some excerpts from King's inquiry -

     It must be a mistake or a conspiracy at this point so late in the game, one or the other. It isn’t just one sign, there are a bunch of permanent ones along those streets through there. I just think if they were going to change addresses and rename the street for 3 blocks, they should have told people first, publically....

     From my point of view as a 39 years old native, Sistrunk Boulevard is probably the scariest street in Broward County, a place where terrible crimes, drugs and prostitution went on for decades without anyone caring......

     Saddling Flagler Village with that baggage would be highly counterproductive to getting young professionals who might be living with their parents right now out in the western suburbs to move to an area bordering Sistrunk Blvd. The young people might not care but the parents most certainly will. ....

      .... doing it as a giant secret if this isn’t a mistake is really wrong.....

     I keep re-hearing Commissioner Dubose’s words in my ears from the late night you guys voted to give that government subsidized low income developer $125,000 in taxpayer CRA dollars. He gave a little speech about “being the most offended he had ever been in his entire life that night” and that the government subsidized low income high-rise towers proposed being part of the process of “finally crossing the tracks in this city.”
                                 ..............................................

      Well King can worry no longer - according to the City, the Sistrunk street signs were a mistake, and the signs have been removed - east of Andrews ...



     ..... the signs remain, over by the RR Tracks, where many think Sistrunk still belongs!

Who Wants Charlotte's Seat?

2012-04-18T23:10:08Z

      Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor Charlotte Rodstrom will have to submit her resignation for her City Commissioner seat next month, (the one she won a few months back!) as she is running for the County Commission seat currently held by her husband, County Mayor John Rodstrom ( who is term limited, we think, but the Florida Supreme Court will say definitively next month).

     But Rodstrom won't have to quit the City just then, as the resignation won't take effect until the County Commission election day in November.

     If Rodstrom wins in November, it's off to the County Commission, and a special election is called to fill her City Commission seat. If she loses, most people think she would be able to join in and run in the special election to regain her old seat. ( The law regulating that is somewhat murky, and the lawyers haven't opined yet).

     But there are some that aren't waiting to see how that plays out - they are poised and ready to start running for the open District II City Commission seat now!

      Here's what I'm hearing

Lester Zalewski, who ran against Rodstrom last time around, says he is running.

William Stanton, who ran LXR, locally ( think Bahia Mar), until last year, and has served on numerous Boards around the City, is telling folks that he is looking at getting in.

  Friends of Bradford Cohen, local criminal lawyer and infamous for being fired by Donald Trump on Apprentice, say Cohen is toying with idea of running again ( he ran in the District II open seat in 2003), and has recently run and won the President seat of the neighborhood Progresso Village.

Steve Glassman, who ran the Central Beach Alliance for quite awhile, and ran unsuccessfully against Rodstrom in 2006, says he is looking at running for this open seat, but hasn't made his mind up yet.

Chuck Black, President of the Lake Ridge neighborhood, and former head of the City's Navy League, is talking to people about possibly getting in.

Former District II Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Dean Trantalis, who didn't run for re-election after his first term (2003-2006), but came back three years later to run for the open Mayor seat election that Jack Seiler won, has told friends he is definitely running for the seat, and will probably announce next month when Rodstrom submits her resignation.

      There is only one person who some rumors say might run, that I've been able to put the rumor to rest- because he says unequivocally that he won't run.... no way...no how !..

                                                    ......

                         Let me know if you've heard anyone else thinking of running

                                                        .... Tim

Team Seiler

2012-04-17T15:46:00Z

    It's a good time to challenge Team Seiler to tackle some big issues!

     I'll get to them in a minute!


                             Commissioner Roberts .... Fire Chief ..... Mayor Seiler


      John "P" Jack Seiler has been good for Fort Lauderdale.

     He's just begun his second term ( fourth year) as Mayor.

    When he took over from Jim Naugle, ( 25 years on the Commission), the City didn't act like a team. It was the greedy developers and their lobbyists against the whiny neighborhoods. It was the right wing religious against the protesting gays and lesbians. It was Naugle against Carlton Moore, and progress in the Northwest.

    The City was often marginalized, sometimes a national embarrassment!

                        ............................

     Seiler and his team has mostly changed that.

     That's why I think it's a good time to challenge that TEAM to do more!

     Because maybe they can!



     The Homeless Problem

     I have to give the TEAM credit as of late. They have pushed new laws to stop the aggressive panhandling, bussed people back to their homes up north, landscaped the tortured Stranahan Park.

     But it's time to double down. Soon it will be summer, many of the homeless will leave, and the Commission should take that respite to enact more solutions and be ready for the seasonal onslaught next winter.



      American (NOT) Golf Course

     Now here's a problem that needs a big solution ! ... This 18 hole golf course closed down in 2006. It's been sitting here like this ever since. It's in Commissioner Roberts' District, which has the biggest tax base and no big park.

     The Commission is pretty smart and resourceful. I think they could come up with a plan to make this a big winner - they should!



        The Missing RiverWalk

     Here's another very tough problem. Our Riverwalk is supposed to start at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and go right onto Las Olas. It doesn't. It stops here behind the old Pantry Pride grocery store and drops into the river.

     It's not connected due to a dispute with the property owner - developer Jorg Perez. Perez was ready to build the City its' Riverwalk connection in conjunction with a high rise condo, but was stopped when the City sued him in an attempt to take his land for a park. The effort failed, and the building lot is just an eyesore on trendy Las Olas and the Riverwalk is a casualty.

                   ...............................................

     I challenge TEAM Seiler, because they are acting like a team, have lots of capability between them, were just elected, and have three years before the heavy political pandering has to start again!

     I hope they take the challenge!

Cheap Motel .... by the Half Hour !

2012-04-13T20:40:34Z

     Who says all of the Fort Lauderdale Motels are too expensive !



      This beauty will only set you back $17. - for the half hour!



     The "motel", is just off Sistrunk Boulevard, just west of I-95.

     And it's quite well known - to the area's prostitutes, the Fort Lauderdale Police, and the City's Nuisance Abatement Board!

     It's currently under control of the Nuisance Abatement Board - for the second time.

     Here is a Police Report which will tell you all you need to know about the "services" provided within!


     The Motel is a scourge for this low income neighborhood, but has been tough to control, or shut down, even though the Nuisance Abatement Board and the Police Department continue to try.

     But they have been able to arrest the owner -


                  owner - 60 year old Tania Ouaknine, booking photo

      Ouaknine says - “They say I am running a whorehouse,” “I run a motel. The only thing that I don’t have is the five stars.”

     The City and the Nuisance Board don't buy it. They have imposed conditions that Ouaknine must abide by, or face stiff fines and possible closing, including -

     ..... placing a sign saying the property is under control of the Nuisance Board

     .... Place 16 cameras around property, making the video available to Police

     ....  Prohibit room rentals for less than one day duration

    ..... Pay investigative fees of $672.00

    ..... Face a $250.00 daily fine if the items in the Nuisance order are not followed

                         I'll keep you posted - Tim

Bonett House Tour A Blast!

2012-04-12T14:05:53Z

     You should have come!


                            Bonett House and grounds!

     The private, after hours tour of the 1920's Bonett House was truly a blast!



     The 35 acre historic House is well hidden, just off the beach, south of Sunrise Blvd..

     We were only supposed to come with 20 people, but somehow 26 showed up ( I was never good at math!).

     The tour group was composed of neighborhood presidents, business leaders, historic group leaders, even a City Commissioner (Rodstrom).

     The tour got off on a good footing, when the World Famous Parrot Lounge owner Tim Schiavone, showed up with a giant (free!) tub of the Bonett House drink -



                             ........ the Rangpur Rum Punch!

     .....the recipe is a well guarded secret, but the house owners, Frederick and Evelyn Bartlett, reportedly belted down a few, daily, on the veranda of the amazing house.


                                         the Bartletts


     The citizen's group was lucky to be given the tour by the House Director, Karen Beard, and the House's Development Director, Patrick Shavloske.


                                     Shavloske behind screen door

     The house is so full of wonderful art and whimsy. I was so taken, I even tried this old, but dangerous, circus trick -



     The House doesn't allow pictures inside the very open style home, so you'll have to go see the amazing inside yourself. The drawing room, kitchen, music room, art studios, etc. were all very impressive.

     We finished the tour out back on the pond that used to have gators, until Sunrise Blvd. was cut through and denied access.




     The tour over, I thanked Karen and Patrick and Tim, and the House workers, and Art Seitz for some of these pictures -

     .....there was only one thing left I wanted to do -




                      Have another one of those Rum Puches!

Set Up The Big Top!

2012-04-05T13:02:32Z

     It's a great idea that's been totally fouled up -

                           Citizen Presentation Program


     It happens at the first meeting of the month of the Fort Lauderdale City Commission. Any citizen that has something to say, can fill out an application and get his/her three minutes to vent.

  Unfortunately, this great idea has been hijacked by a few grandstanders, and some assorted wackos - turned into a circus side show!

     Here's how this month's circus went!



     It started out normal enough. Here, Salvation Army's Jim came to complain about the clothing donation boxes that are sprouting up around the City. His complaint was that the boxes were NOT Salvation Army boxes, but some "out of towners". He thought only the Army's boxes should remain.



     The Commission listened repectfully, then Mayor Seiler gave Jim the bad news. The City doesn't allow ANY clothing donation boxes, and all of them would be removed. Jim slinked off, appearing confused, disappointed -

          - the program went down hill from there



     Look up gadfly in the dictionary, you'll get Art Seitz. Art never misses his chance on Citizen Presentation Day!

     His application said this months' topics for his three minutes would be -

               ...ISHOF
              ..... A1A Greenway
              .... Scenic Highways
              ..... Bahia Mar
             ..... Lobbyists, campaign donations, Commissioner e-mails , ...

    Art's three minutes came and went!



     Commissioner Rogers gave the Mayor a look - ( a picture is worth ....)

     ..... then further down hill the presentation's rode!



     It was Dr. Sue's turn. If the Mayor was watching, he should have turned her away for her lack of fashion sense right off!

     Sue came from Bellevue, Washington for her three minutes! Her application said she was going to talk about mistreatment of the homeless, and Police abuse of the badge. Instead she mumbled incoherently for at least three minutes ( seemed like more!) about Darfur, her house and it's view, all sorts of daffy things.

     For Commissioner Dubose, it took all he had to keep a straight face -



      Then came the show that people actually came to see-

          The Robert Walsh Show.

     Walsh is the City's main malcontent, and Walsh says anything he wants to - no holding back from this guy - Walsh never seems to miss a citizen presentation opportunity either !



      Walsh's application said he would be talking about Police Chief Frank Adderley's "abuse of power, dereliction of duty", and that the Chief " is a disgrace".

      Walsh's last line in his application was meant for another reason, but surely could be a postscript for the entire Citizen Presentation Program -

                       "total mess in plain English"

Citizen Tour You Can't Miss!

2012-04-03T21:10:31Z

     The third Citizen Tour is Wednesday, April 11th, and is the most fun one yet ! And YOU are invited!


                                The Bonett House on the beach

     The Bonett House is one of Fort Lauderdale's best kept secrets. It's on the beach, but unless you knew it, you wouldn't know it. It's tucked away in a most beautiful tropical setting, on the west side of A1A, just south of Sunrise Blvd.

     The House was built in 1920, the land a gift to his daughter by Hugh Taylor Birch. Birch had bought - something like 40 acres- of beachfront property for $5000., as nobody else wanted to live at the unpopulated, mosquito laden beach!


                                   unpopulated beach !!!

     The Citizen tour is a private, backstage tour, held after closing hours.


                                                  monkeys live there

     After the fascinating tour of the House and Grounds by Patrick Shavloske, the Development director of the House, we will all be treated to the special cocktail that the Bartletts drank back in the 1920's (as they held up at their secluded, empty beachfront Shangra La) - the Rangpur Rum Punch ( lots of ingredients including Maple Syrup!), served up by the infamous beach pub owner, Tim Schiavone, of the World's Famous Parrot Lounge.

                     Space is limited - here's the deal

                                          Tour:

                             Wednesday, April 11th
                                           5 p.m.
                              $10 donation required

                         * if you want to attend, either post a comment on this blog, like -" hell yea Tim, I'm coming for the Rangpur Rum Punch", or send me a private e-mail to Tim@TimSmith.com and tell me you're in ! ... Hurry!

                                                 Tim

That Little Red Caboose

2012-04-02T01:23:41Z

     You've all seen it.

     The little red Caboose that sits on the tracks just east of the Home Depot store on Sunrise Boulevard.

     Lately, some of you have complained to me about it's condition ( thinking of you, John A.)




     You were right. And, you see, the neighborhood I live in, Middle River Terrace, accepted the responsibility of the train's condition when we convinced Dick Winer, train collector, local activist and famous author ( The Devil's Triangle) , to put the historic relic in the neighborhood as a "conservation piece".

     We painted the train in 2004 and 2007, but it was that time again, last Saturday, 2012.



     Here we are after a day of painting "caboose red", flat black and yellow highlights!

     Notice that the Home Depot managers are on sight for the photo op, as they furnished all the paint and supplies - free of charge !  thanks!

Seiler Gay Move Called Insane, Bold, Unexplicable !

2012-03-31T01:45:38Z

April 1, 2012
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

      You've probably read in the newspaper that Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler was dragged, kicking and screaming, into the issue of gay marriage this week, but you haven't heard about the official action that Seiler took (absolutely no one expected, wait til you hear!).

      It all started when some Mayors across Broward County came OUT for gay marriage by signing on to the National campaign, Mayors for Freedom to Marry.

     Seiler was reportedly troubled by a scathing missive sent this week from the local gay group, the Dolphin Democrats, taking Seiler to task for not signing on to the National effort of Mayors, although mayors from Pembroke Pines, Hallandale, and Miramar did.

       Seiler troubled

     So Seiler took a most unusual, unprecedented action. (you'll be shocked). Seiler asked his old friend, former Governor Charlie Crist to join him in his announcement.

     Seiler signed his official, binding order, straight from the Mayor's Office - (see below)

      The action even confounded Gay Congressman Barney Frank!

   confounded Frank

                                                    Official Order of Mayor John P. "Jack" Seiler

                         " Here henceforth, with respect to Gays and Lesbians marrying, within the official City boundaries of Fort Lauderdale, I do hereby declare, by the power vested in me by the Charter of the great City of Fort Lauderdale .....

     --- It is now   ...... Mandatory ... for all gays in committed relationships, in the City, to marry, immediately."

     Seiler went on to say, in his press conference, that he finally realized that the heterosexuals in the City shouldn't carry all the weight of marriage, do all the dishes, put up with menopause, face divorce, watch TV in the garage, always change the oil in the car!

     The Gay reaction was mixed.

     Some celebrated, but some, realizing the table - turn that Seiler accomplished, started protesting the order - carrying a new banner - Marriage = 1 Man + 1 Woman!

     To early to tell how it will all work out- but if this post confounds you, and you want to understand it all better, check out the date at the beginning of this blog post.

                                                    .....   Tim