Recent Issue Updates

The Palm Beach Post reports that tourism in Florida is up, despite oil spill publicity. Jorge Pesquera, president and chief executive of the county's Convention and Visitors Bureau, says he's heartened by recent reports that oil no longer threatens Palm Beach County shores.

Palm Beach County leads state in number of Silver Alerts: Of about 200 issued between October 2008 and July, 24 were from Palm Beach County /via Palm Beach Post

Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County to hold 3rd Annual Home in One Golf Classic on Oct. 8: From the Course to the House: Playing to Make a Difference  /via TCPalm

There are five youth empowerment centers in five Palm Beach County ZIP codes with high crime.  On Oct. 1, 2010, funding for these centers in West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth and Belle Glade runs out, and it's likely there will be some closures.  /via Palm Beach Post

The Palm Beach Post reports that a Boca Raton condo association is being sued for banning children, in violation of the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968.  To legally ban children, condo associations must qualify as "housing for older persons" under fair housing laws, and prove that 80% of the units have at least one resident 55 or older.

A Riviera Beach youth center, originally created by PBC's Criminal Justice Commission, may close due to lack of funding. The city council has been asked for $150,000 to fund the center at a time when layoffs and budget reductions abound.  A Riviera Beach police officer noted that the center is "a positive alternative to the influences of drugs and gangs."  /via Palm Beach Post

Foreclosure filings spiked 77% last month in Palm Beach County as a backlog of pending cases abruptly moved through the court system. /via Sun Sentinel

In spite of these ugly numbers, the Clerk's office reports that new foreclosure filings in July were down almost 28% from July 2009. /via @ClerkPBC

Domestic violence calls increasing with high unemployment rate: Local 211 call centers have received large numbers of domestic violence reports this past year /via Sun Sentinel

Parking shortage at VA hospital makes criminals out of many senior patients /via Palm Beach Post

Scammers have been targeting grandparents in south Florida, calling to say a grandchild is in jail and needs money. The Club at Boca Pointe Performing Scam Troop, a group of actors over 60, acts out cons like the Grandma Scam or the Pigeon Drop for senior groups, educating them on what to avoid. /via the Sun Sentinel

Due to current economic conditions, South Florida Water Management District is considering reducing the U.S. Sugar land purchase, which is to be used for Everglades restoration. The reduction from 180,000 acres to approximately 26,800 acres would cost nearly $200 million, with the option to acquire an additional 153,200 acres over the next ten years. /via SFWMD, Reviving the River of Grass Fact Sheet Aug. 2010

Florida led the nation in foreclosures in the first six months of the 2010, accounting for nine of the top 20 metro areas with the highest foreclosure rates. /via the Palm Beach Post

Effective July 1, 2010, a new bill requires a teen dating violence and abuse component to be added to Florida's current comprehensive health education curriculum for students in grades 7 through 12. /via Circuit 15 Juvenile Justice Board DJJ Quarterly

Verizon Offers $100,000 in Grants to Florida Organizations Assisting Survivors of Domestic Violence /via WFLX, Fox 29

Guatemalan women who flee violence in homeland find it catches up in Palm Beach County /via Palm Beach Post

A group of tea party activists is protesting Florida's plan to purchase U.S. Sugar land to use for Everglades restoration.  Environmental groups such as the Audubon Society and the Sierra Club say the purchase is crucial to restoring the Everglades and sustaining clean drinking water in south FL. /via Palm Beach Post

County staff has made the recommendation that the county invest NO FUNDING in Peer Place this year. This would mean a REDUCTION of $39,000 in funding for Peer Place at a time when the need is for $59,000. /via Pam Gionfriddo, Mental Health Association of PBC

$400,000 in funds from the FL legislature is being used to hire temporary employees to help with the backlog of PBC foreclosure cases.  The PBC clerk's office estimates that the extra funds will allow for 16% (8,400) of the outstanding foreclosure cases can be processed. /via South Florida Business Journal

The Miami-Herald notes that although a wage theft ordinance was passed in February, many workers are unaware of the new law and continue to be unpaid or underpaid. /via Miami Herald

Gov. Crist has called a special legislative session for July 20-23, to debate a constitutional amendment banning drilling for oil in state waters.  While this is already illegal, an amendment would be more difficult to overturn than current legislation.  If FL lawmakers approve the amendment, it will be on the ballot in November. /via Miami Herald

A new NOAA study shows a 61% to 80% chance of PBC seeing BP oil offshore, within 7 or 8 weeks. /via PBPost

Is the Dept. of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is an undue financial burden for the state of Florida? An op-ed in the Post suggests re-combining the DJJ with the Dept. of Corrections to save money. -via Randy Schultz, Palm Beach Post 

The federal Making Home Affordable loan modification program has provided permanent monthly payment reductions for about 15,050 borrowers in Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Broward counties. ~via Real Time, a Palm Beach Post blog

The Fran Reich Preserve in West Boca will be used to help restore the Everglades and increase south Florida's water supply.  The preserve nearly became a landfill in the 1980s, but after a 12 year struggle, the West Boca Community Council succeeded in protecting the land that now has such an important role to play. / New Everglades takes shape: Palm Beach County project latest in transformation - Palm Beach Post

Miami-Dade Wage Theft Ordinance Amended - via wageandhourlawupdate.com

Riviera Beach police: 3 teens arrested for murder, carjacking - via the Palm Beach Post

The Lord's Place says that if 2% of the residents in Palm Beach County donate $1 a day ($30 a month), sufficient resources will be available to end homelessness in Palm Beach County. 

"Florida's struggling homeowners could get an 18-month reprieve on mortgage payments under a state plan to spend $418 million in federal foreclosure prevention aid," of which Palm Beach County would receive $28.9 million. /via the Palm Beach Post

The Palm Beach Post reports that housing affordability is on the rise in PBC, as a result of falling home prices. Local nonprofit Housing Partnership notes that this is true for homebuyers, but renters in PBC still struggle to find affordable housing.

Thanks to stimulus funds, a onetime landfill site west of Boca Raton will be used to help restore the Everglades, grab stormwater runoff before it goes out to sea, and serve as a water reserve. - via the Sun Sentinel

Thanks to stimulus funds, a onetime landfill site west of Boca Raton will be used to help restore the Everglades, grab stormwater runoff before it goes out to sea, and serve as a water reserve. - via the Sun Sentinel

South Florida courts face huge foreclosure backlogs.  "In Palm Beach County, one judge handles foreclosure cases full time, another spends half the week on them and 10 other judges devote a day a month to the hearings." -via the Sun Sentinel

Squatters are taking over S. Fla. homes, claiming "adverse possession," in what police call latest fraud in housing crisis. Via sun-sentinel.com.

Palm Beach County Utilities will begin flushing drinking water lines starting Tuesday, June 15, and continue for one month. Customers may notice a chlorine taste or odor in the water.  Details at wptv.com.

Former Palm Beacher Adam Boalt is helping develop MIT's Grassroots Mapping Initiative, which is using balloons and kites to take aerial photos of coastline expected to be impacted by the oil spill in the Gulf. Via Palm Beach Daily News

The Mental Health Association of Palm Beach County says belonging to a youth club gives participants a stronger sense of self. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/191549.php

We are sad to learn that no Palm Beach County restaurants are participating in the nationwide Dineout for the Gulf Coast effort June 10-12, aimed at benefitting the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund.  Several landlocked states - such as Tenneessee and Ohio - boast one or two participants

The Palm Beach Post reports that 824 homes were repossessed in PBC in May 2010, six times that of May 2009.  Temporary federal loan modification programs delay foreclosures. As the temporary modification period ends, some borrowers are approved for permanent loan modification, and others are denied, resulting in repossession of their homes.

Palm Beach County Reef Rescue wants protection for natural coral reefs included in the county's oil spill response plan.