GREENACRES — The city’s iconic CocoCabana restaurant is finally returning to its glory days before the pandemic the kitchen is busy and the live salsa and bachata shows have brought back people to the dance floor Abreu said he tried everything to revive the restaurant that he bought in 2022 hired a DJ to host karaoke nights and reached into his pockets to renew the live performances the Latin restaurant had become known for we depend on night-live entertainment to survive,” said Abreu "Even if they approve two or three of the new ordinances I would probably have to give up the restaurant because we would go bankrupt.” Greenacres restaurant owners received a letter two weeks ago from the city stating there would be new regulations for places offering live entertainment and those that didn't comply would be fined and considered nightclubs City planners say the new laws are meant to clarify rules the City Council approved in 2022 to crack down on venues illegally operating as nightclubs. The language of the ordinances mirrors the language of similar ones in neighboring Wellington and Royal Palm Beach But those standards might not translate in Greenacres whose Hispanic population has surged in the past 30 years and where even casual eateries host local musicians and clients can dance next to their tables Greenacres residents and restaurant owners filled City Hall on April 21 to voice their opposition to the new rules saying they would strip away the culture of the eateries that have become crucial spaces for Hispanic families 'Honrado': Joel Flores becomes first Hispanic elected to Palm Beach County Commission "It would devastate our restaurants,” said Alan Cassarubias who manages El Rey del Taco on Lake Worth Road with his dad held community meetings and celebrated all of her daughter’s birthdays at Sabor Latino on Jog Road “Please do not close the dance floors in our community,” Mendez said You are taking away a space where we celebrate connect and spread joy because that's who we are We dance when we are happy and when we are sad.” From the courts: Girl told SouthTech teacher she wanted to kill herself. He let her buy the rope to do it. The City Council postponed its second vote on the regulations for live entertainment Members said they wanted more time to review the concerns raised by residents and small-business owners Council members announced the city will host a workshop with local restaurant owners to revise some of the proposed rules and understand how it would affect them said the ordinances would create definitions and standards for rules adopted in 2022 He added the rules are also meant to address public safety concerns about restaurants operating past the city’s 2 a.m Buying a home? $100,000 down payments available for first-time homebuyers in Palm Beach County and lounges must obtain an annual permit from the city for any indoor and outdoor live entertainment They would also need a special-events permit for larger gatherings restaurants will also be required to submit a detailed summary of the proposed live entertainment a description of the event and a layout of the areas The application also will cover the number of entertainers a noise-control plan and photos of the setup restaurants that have a dance floor or allow space for dancing would be fined up to $5,000 The proposed regulations also set the criteria to decide if the venue is operating as a nightclub: If it is open between 10 p.m has a dance floor or “other open area used by patrons” for dancing and a combination of four or more of the following elements without a permit: It charges a cover charge or door charge or has a minimum drink requirement It serves alcohol on the premises.It advertises live entertainment events online or in flyers or other open area for performances or entertainment.It forbids persons under the age of 21 to patronize the venue between 10 p.m and 7 a.m.The presence of security personnel hired specifically for ticket sales and crowd control."We are recognizing the cultural nuances that we do have in the city,” Gionni said “The point of this was really for just clarification on the current regulations ‘A vicious cycle’: SunFest’s big music bet thrilled millions, then drove it out of business Abreu bought CocoCabana after years of frequenting the venue as a client He said he knew the food business was tough but he knew people gravitated to CocoCabana for more than meals They sought the experience of being immersed in the flavors and rhythms of Latin America and the Caribbean "It's a place to foster our culture where the adults can go with their families to enjoy the music and ambiance that characterize us Latinos.” He said the restaurant would lose between 40% and 50% of its revenue without the ability to host live performances His clients would choose to go to Palm Springs "COVID hit us and it took three years to recover and now worried when he read the new rules proposed by the city His casual taco joint could be considered a nightclub: It has a bar El Rey del Taco often has mariachis and local Mexican singers who serenade clients as they walk between tables late-night restaurants in Greenacres are brightly lit serve clients with sit-down menus and offer an atmosphere that welcomes parents with babies The Mexican restaurant can’t survive only on food sales The entertainment is what brings people in and makes them stay to enjoy more tacos and margaritas The Casarrubias had filed plans with the city to expand the Lake Worth Road location to add more tables they would be considered a nightclub due to the size of their stage "We would be left with your hands up in the air without knowing what to do and paying for rent that we couldn't afford.” Mike Melendez's family opened El Chivo Linero in Greenacres’ Green Tree Plaza a battered strip mall along 10th Avenue North The Dominican restaurant has helped revive the plaza and is frequented by families for dinner and to enjoy live music during the weekend Melendez decided to open in Greenacres because he saw how the Hispanic community had grown and that the area lacked places where families could be entertained without leaving the city he doubts the restaurant will stay open for long the people just stand up and dance," Melendez said "Food costs are extremely high and we depend on people coming to eat — Residents in Greenacres can begin applying for a grant to renovate their homes the city is accepting applications for its Property Enhancement Grant Program "This initiative provides financial assistance to property owners and businesses encouraging them to enhance and maintain the value of their properties through renovations and rehabilitations that improve their appearance and contribute to the city's overall aesthetic," the city stated in a press release Residents can receive up to 50% of the total project cost with a maximum award of $5,000 for residential properties and $10,000 for commercial properties for eligible improvements Funding is provided through an application and is distributed on a reimbursement basis Download Application: Applications are available online at greenacresfl.gov/grants Pick-Up Application: Applications can also be picked up in person at Greenacres City Hall located at 5800 Melaleuca Ln Submission Deadline: Completed applications and all required documents must be submitted no later than March 1. Submissions can be delivered to City Hall or emailed to ahernandez@greenacresfl.gov For additional program information or assistance, residents can contact Program Coordinator Aileen Hernandez at 561-642-2071 or email ahernandez@greenacresfl.gov Read WPTV's latest "Coverage Collapse" stories below: Spokane Valley’s first park since the city’s incorporation in 2003 is set to get an upgrade this summer The Spokane Valley City Council voted 6-1 Tuesday to award a construction project to Valley-based contractors Cameron Reilly that will bring additional sports facilities an expanded splash pad and a community garden to Greenacres Park Councilman Al Merkel was the lone dissenting vote The project will be the first major work to occur on the park’s 8.3 acres since it was constructed in 2012 Construction is expected to start in mid-March and stretch into midsummer The majority of the project’s $2 million cost will be covered by a pair of state and federal grants totaling $1.5 million The remainder will be covered by the city’s capital reserve fund as part of the grants’ matching funds requirements “A lot of that state and federal grant money is collected from our citizens through taxes,” Hohman said “This is bringing that back into our community.” Spokane Valley parks and recreation director told the council the outside funding allows the city to move forward with long-awaited plans to expand the park’s offerings “It’s an exciting night for Green Acres Park and our community,” Bottelli said The planned work will include adding a new backstop to the multiuse sports fields multiple shade structures and a community garden The parks department also plans to expand the park’s splash pad bringing the total of available spaces to 52 The contract approved Tuesday includes a provision to add a mini artificial soccer pitch identical to the one in the Valley’s Balfour Park the club’s charitable organization the RAVE Foundation and team sponsor Delta Airlines agree to partner with the city again The Sounders coalition set out to build 26 free soccer fields as part of a campaign to do so by the time the World Cup comes to North America in 2026 It has announced plans to build another 26 in the years to come the city’s project manager for the Greenacres renovation said the group has shown interest in placing another in Spokane Valley Merkel said he believes the city’s match funding needed to secure the grants would be better spent on the council’s ongoing goals to bolster the city’s police force He said he sees the value in investments like parks but believes soon no one will be able to enjoy them if the council does not hire more deputies “I still think that there are some needs in this community that should be respected before we do some wants,” Merkel said Councilman Ben Wick responded by saying the city’s reserve funds were set aside for the project years ago and are “one-time funds” that should not be used for recurring costs like law enforcement that we can vote on executing this contract and bring some of the money together one-time costs that we can do with one-time dollars,” Wick said “And it makes a lot of sense and returns a lot of money to our community.” While public safety is the council’s priority it is not the only effort to improve Spokane Valley “People want a return on their taxes for a multitude of projects and for services not just one or two things,” Hattenburg said Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens © Copyright 2025, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy The Greenacres City Council officially proclaimed Aug as “India Independence Day,” commemorating the 78th anniversary of India’s liberation from British colonial rule in 1947 This proclamation not only honors the enduring legacy of India’s non-violent struggle for independence but also underscores the deep cultural and democratic ties between India and the United States highlights the shared values between the two nations human rights and the rule of law that both the U.S It also recognizes the invaluable contributions of the Indian diaspora whose vibrant presence and achievements continue to enrich communities across the globe A notable aspect of this proclamation is the acknowledgment of the work of Surinder K founder and president of Kashmir Solidarity USA the organization has been at the forefront of combating global terror promoting peace in the Kashmir region and advocating for the rights and stories of the Kashmiri Pandits Zutshi’s efforts have made a significant impact fostering greater understanding and unity between the Indian and American communities Zutshi also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris praising her unwavering dedication to justice equality and the well-being of all Americans inclusion and her deep understanding of the challenges faced by immigrant communities “Kamala Harris embodies the spirit of progress and unity that our country so desperately needs experience and vision for a better America align perfectly with our mission to promote cultural harmony social justice and solidarity among all communities.” Shaw congratulated Zutshi and the Indian American Festival Committee for their tireless efforts in strengthening the bonds between the Indian and American communities “Their dedication to mutual respect for freedom independence and unwavering support for the constitution exemplifies the essence of a thriving and vibrant democracy,” Shaw said As Greenacres and the broader Indian community in the United States celebrate India Independence Day the community stands united in honoring the contributions and achievements of Indian Americans and looks forward to continued collaboration and cultural exchange between the two great democracies A recent study by DJC Law has identified the 10 US states most at risk for natural disasters in 2025 A wildfire near Hot Springs is 75% contained according to Great Plains Fire Information A wildfire near Hot Springs was 75% contained as of Sunday the South Dakota Department of Public Safety said an estimated 15 to 20 engines are on scene engines and "other staff assisting in the effort." According to Great Plains Fire Information the Green Acres Fire was reported at 12:19 p.m The affected area is 3 miles southwest of Hot Springs Great Plains said 340 acres are affected by the Green Acres Fire "Current estimate 150 acres as crews still working to get containment Earlier-2 large air tankers & 2 National Guard helicopters helping from air." Great Plains Fire Information is an interagency cooperative group of public information officers providing information about incidents within the Great Plains Dispatch Zone the Green Acres Fire was reported at 12:19 p.m Contact Executive Editor Mike Brownlee at mbrownlee@rapidcityjournal.com Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter Email notifications are only sent once a day The request came after the city found the complex was already renting out only 22 units at affordable pricing Officers detained the juvenile male after he shot someone Thursday afternoon The victim was transported to the hospital for serious The 22nd annual Realtors for Kids benefit auction is a Kentucky Derby-themed event Dancers and attendees at the Liberation Day Wacipi rocked the Club for Boys on Saturday March 1 as the powwow celebrated the 52nd anniversary… From Your Two Cents: "To the disrespectful Trump-haters out there Containers must be kept upright for collection and city trash collection drivers will not stop to pick up overturned containers or pick up ba… The water line break affects the West Park Apartments with water service impacted to approximately 80 apartments The committee will review public project proposals and make funding recommendations to the City Council The council will ultimately vote on w… accepted nearly $600,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds from the city to const… and individuals from the ranching community It will be the first time the city has implemented a new TIF po… Snowfall settled into Rapid City early Thursday afternoon as green prehistoric creatures stood on Dinosaur Hill The city’s deer harvest program is administered by the parks division and provides for the management of deer within the city limits The most expensive project proposal came from the Rapid City Sports Commission which asked for $10 million to support a $52 million indoor sp… Snow is expected to total between three to seven inches in Rapid City with wind gusts up to 25 mph Motorists are warned to plan slippery roads Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is investigating a vehicle versus pedestrian crash in Greenacres Spokeswoman Teri Barbera said the sheriff's office is in the beginning stages of the investigation (CBS12) — The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is investigating a vehicle versus pedestrian crash in Greenacres See also: Teen accused of manslaughter in deadly Palm Beach Co. shooting Photos from the crash show a heavy law enforcement presence near Forest Hill Boulevard Traffic also appears to be congested in the area with numerous deputies in the streets directing vehicles but photos taken by CBS12's photographer show what appears to be a body bag on the scene At this time PBSO has not confirmed if there were any fatalities as a result of the crash Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day's top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can't miss video Even though Bossier City’s engineer wasn’t in favor of it the city council approved placing a 4-way stop sign at the intersection of Greenacres Boulevard and Fairmont Drive in the Greenacres Place subdivision Sponsored by District 5 councilmember Vince Maggio the additional stop sign is an effort to “control speeding and other unsafe driving,” according to the ordinance.  At-large councilmember Chris Smith worried that adding a third four-way stop on the Boulevard might lead to adding a fourth at Southwood Drive ultimately leading to traffic backups.  “I know I’ve voted for other stop signs that the traffic engineer says it’s warranted but Fairmont and Airline are so close to each other I worry about congestion during peak travel time,” Smith said there would already be a sign there.” City engineer Ben Rauschenbach said the 4-way stop “will make that intersection safer over the long term.” he said it might also introduce traffic delays “When we’re looking at traffic engineering we are biased towards the highest volume of traffic but we are creating a condition for people going north-south that want to get there,” Rauschenbach said “It’s the same thing when you’re on the Boulevard and you want to make a left turn to go north; why isn’t there a turn arrow there And the last thing you want to do is create more delay north-south So we’re biased towards that leading high volume traffic All seven council members approved the ordinance Real Bossier news in your email inbox first thing every morning. Sign up now Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission (Aug https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1Qq3W8lJQgN6RPvbpeW34xzCZvL3DZbo&usp=sharing The view southward from 8th Street along North Jefferson Street (June 16 All the structures in about 125 acres situated in the eastern central part of Bloomington have been placed under interim protection against demolition That’s based on action taken by the city’s historic preservation commission (HPC) at a special meeting on Monday night The interim protection applies to upwards of 450 properties, even though the original impetus for establishing the district stemmed from a request for demolition of 5 houses  in the Green Acres neighborhood—four along Jefferson Street and one on 7th Street The decision on interim protection was made only after the HPC voted 6–1 to nominate the area as a historic conservation district Dissenting on the vote was HPC member Sam DeSollar The interim protection will last until Bloomington’s city council makes a decision on establishing the proposed area as a conservation district The area includes most of the Green Acres neighborhood the proposed conservation district is bounded on the west by Indiana University’s campus the McCloskey Room at Bloomington city hall was packed to standing-room only capacity.  The B Square counted 52 people attending the meeting in person which did not include several more who connected on the Zoom video conference platform Comment from the public was a solid mix of those who supported the Green Acres nomination as a conservation district and those who opposed it Several of the arguments—both for and against—fell outside of the range of criteria that Bloomington’s historic program manager But those arguments are almost certain to surface again when the question lands on the city council’s agenda According to Sandweiss’s report the following three criteria are met by Green Acres: The application submitted by neighborhood residents contended that additional criteria were met Sandweiss’s argument that the proposed conservation district meets the first historic criterion which is related to the city’s development heritage Although the western half of Green Acres was platted in 1923 as Highland Homes and contains several blocks of well-preserved 1920s cottages and bungalows most of the area’s development took place between the 1930s and 1960s making Green Acres effectively Bloomington’s first postwar suburb Sarah Alexander took that description as an opening to critique the suburban character of Green Acres “According to the petitioners’ own application the story of Green Acres is the story of the rise of the suburb—of automobile supremacy.” saying that a map of the area shows the “destructive path of post war development.” While the southwest part shows gridded streets and alleys “You see the beginnings of the disconnected winding style of development that has transformed the edges of this city into unsustainable sprawl.” Sandweiss’s argument that the proposed conservation district satisfies the historic criterion involving the cultural The development of Green Acres largely coincides with the tenure of Indiana University President Herman B Wells (1937-1962) a period of massive expansion in the size and academic breadth of the University Owing in part to its rapid development and integrity of historic resources the green Acres neighborhood exemplifies the built environment in an era of history characterized by a distinctive architectural style The bulk of the neighborhood was built up from the 1940s through 1960s with American Small Houses While the neighborhood’s historic period of development spans four decades the style of much of the neighborhood can be best described as Minimal Traditional— the blending of colonial DeSollar pointed to the three criteria named by Sandweiss For the criterion related to development heritage DeSollar quoted it like this: “has significant character or value as part of the development heritage.” For the criterion related to the social heritage of the community and the criterion related to the architectural merit Dessolar quoted them out in turn like this: “exemplifies the historic heritage of the community or exemplifies the built environment in an era of history characterized by distinctive architectural style.” DeSollar concluded: “On all three of those described the situation in terms of the facts that were on the pages of the staff report and in the application “I heard very little to refute the facts on the page.” Cross said that Sandweiss as well as the residents who put together the application had done a lot of work to put the facts on the pages The four residents who put the application together were: Lois Sabo-Skelton “I didn’t hear anything to refute the facts that matter—the ones on which our decision is going to be made After reading the staff recommendation in favor of the district “I have not heard anything to make me doubt that these facts are legit.” Arguments against the conservation district included the idea that a conservation district would decrease affordability and the idea that existing zoning regulations for the district were adequate for protection and were precisely what had helped the neighborhood to evolve to be the kind of neighborhood where people wanted to live Several property owners reported that they had not even known about the proposal until they received the required legal notice of Monday’s hearing in the mail from the point of view of the conservation district Bloomington corporation counsel Margie Rice confirmed the point that Evans was making Rice said that the HPC did not have to be “rushed” in its action just based on the required timing petition for the conservation district Rice said the time-sensitive issue was the Aug 14 expiration of the demolition delay order that was protecting the five houses on Jefferson Street for which a demolition permit had been requested The demolition delay had been extended by 30 days making the delay period a total of 120 days to recommend that the city council establish the conservation district the HPC could not have put the area under interim protection until the city council acts a conservation district is elevated to a historic district unless a majority of property owners object to the elevation any exterior alterations are subject to review by the city’s HPC or constructing new buildings that are subject to HPC review it does not appear that the city council has a timeframe within which it has to act on the question of establishing the Green Acres conservation district the council will be occupied with the 2025 draft budget that Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson is expected to release in a little under two weeks The final budget proposal on which the council is expected to vote will be presented to the council on Sept Greenacres will host public meetings this week to hear from residents business owners and visitors on what their city is lacking and what they envision it can be like in the future Greenacres spokesperson Austin Lee said the city especially want to hear from private businesses and what it would take for them to come to the city and make it a destination 'Stuck in time': Palm Beach County housing crisis squeezing blue-collar workers out of two Hispanic cities but we also want to be a community that people come to come to visit and not just drive through," Lee said we want people to stop and visit our shops and parks." The community event will kick-of on Tuesday It will be followed by three days of focus groups and one-on-one interviews by the city staff with residents business owners and members of the general public The presentation will also be livestreamed online on the Greenacres YouTube page business owners and members of the public who want to participate in the interviews can email alee@greenacres.gov Where the American Dream is alive: Hispanic businesses of Greenacres, Palm Springs prove it. Lee said this will be Greenacres's first rebranding effort since the 1990s when city leaders coined its slogan "a good place to live." and we strive to be better than good," Lee said "So we're hoping that we can come up with something a little a little more representative." the city created a strategic vision plan but it was focused on identifying long-term actions to bring the services housing and commercial areas that are lacking in the village This effort will be driven by resident feedback on what specific projects and businesses they want to see and will include a new city seal The present seal shows trees against a green background Living in Greenacres, Palm Springs: What drew Hispanics to these cities? Three share their stories Greenacres has seen its population nearly double to 44,000 residents and once a mostly white community is now 40% Hispanic Lee said Greenacres doesn't have a clear identity and needs a new image that also represents how it has shifted from being a community made up mostly of retirees to one that is home of many young professionals and young families He is betting the rebranding efforts will "put Greenacres on the map" and showcase it as a safe city with affordably priced homes green parks and robust recreation programs "We've met people in our company that never heard of heard of our city is to uncover that and show people what we have to offer." Workforce housing: Can it help Greenacres, Palm Springs retain their growing Hispanic core? Greenacres has remained a bedroom community and now needs private companies to invest in redeveloping its aging shopping plazas into new shops and possibly even homes Lee said the city is looking to attract companies such as The Pickleball Club which bought land where it is building an indoor pickleball facility that will help to bring people from around the county to Greenacres He added Greenacres lacks entertainment venues and residents usually to drive 20 minutes to West Palm Beach "We're not trying to become a large downtown," Lee said "We want people to come and visit here and we want people to bring their businesses here — Despite increased efforts to prevent people from sleeping in public residents say part of a Greenacres park has at times become a homeless hangout WPTV reporter Cassandra Garcia looked into the issue on Thursday and found out why some say it's creating unsanitary conditions Those who use the pickleball courts at Samuel J Ferreri Community Park along Jog Road in Greenacres said it's not uncommon for someone to sleep near the courts overnight Kathy and Larry Robinson play at the courts three days a week They said starting around Thanksgiving sanitation concerns grew after they found puddles of urine at the courts "We're dealing with a homeless gentleman that spends the night," Kathy Robinson said "He leaves us an area of urine every day." Given a recent change in Florida law to crack down on camping and sleeping in public the Robinsons are seeking help to remedy the problem saying they're stepping in to clean up the area the first thing we do is take bleach and throw down bleach all in front of the bench where he's urinated," Kathy Robinson said "Then we have bottles of water that we throw out and then we take a broom and broom it all away." Opponents of the Florida law have argued the new measure criminalizes homelessness The residents that WPTV spoke with said they recognize the need for more resources but contend that the park should not be an option "Treat them with dignity," park visitor Bill Wallace said The city of Greenacres said they are aware of the people sleeping in the park and are addressing it with the help of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office The city also said the courts are scheduled to be pressure washed Friday morning (CBS12) — A Greenacres Fire Rescue captain stumbled upon a raging tree fire in Greenacres leading to the arrest of a 30-year-old Lake Worth man The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) stated that they responded to a fire on Wednesday at 5730 10th Avenue North a captain from Greenacres Fire Rescue told deputies that he was on his way to another emergency when he noticed smoke in the area he discovered a tree completely engulfed in flames the captain said he observed two men walking away from the burning tree sharing a photo of the individuals with PBSO which assisted detectives in their investigation See also: 87-year-old woman dies as car crashes into Port St. Lucie home PBSO officers were able to identify and apprehend the suspects: Nicholas Prater Prater has been accused of malicious land burning and causing property damage estimated to be over $1,000 Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day's top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can't miss video — A family of five escaped their burning mobile home Friday morning in Greenacres after a quick-thinking young girl alerted them to the danger The fire ripped through their home in the Colonial Estates Mobile Home Park off Lake Worth Road at about 10:30 a.m Children inside the home were awakened when they smelled smoke me and my little sister," 13-year-old Valerie Morales said WATCH BELOW: Girl explains how she helped alert family the oldest of the two children who live at the home said her 8-year-old sister smelled the smoke The two girls opened the bedroom door and saw a thick cloud of smoke billowing toward them from the back of the home "and I yelled at them to get out because there was fire and smoke." parents and pets escaped their burning home Greenacres Fire Rescue tells WPTV that the blaze was likely caused by a faulty electrical wire in the back of the mobile home neighbors came by to comfort the Morales family The Red Cross and neighbors are now helping the family Below is a statement from the Greenacres Fire Rescue regarding the fire: GREENACRES — The key to keeping housing costs in Greenacres and Palm Springs affordable for the working-class people now living there may require a giant bet on an idea many embrace but few understand The area has the potential of becoming Palm Beach County’s hub for workforce housing who grew up in Palm Springs during the 1980s and is now the CEO of the county’s Business Development Board Bringing more apartments and affordable homes to the communities not only would spur their economic development but also show everyone how important they are to the county's economy “There's still the misperception that workforce housing is lower-income “It's for people who get up and go to work every day and are the economic engine.” 'Developers need more skin in the game': County affordable housing bonds plan hits stumbling block Smallridge's thoughts are in line with what officials in Greenacres and Palm Springs have discussed in recent months Both have targeted their mostly built-out commercial corridors for redevelopment and are taking inspiration from how parts of other Palm Beach County cities have grown And they need developers willing to buy into their dreams of vibrant business corridors that include homes and apartments that the teachers construction workers and others who live there can afford Smallridge knows the consequences if the region fails to act “It doesn't matter what companies we bring here if they can't find a workforce and the workforce can't find housing,” she went on to say “We're really missing a very important leg of the stool.” A taste of Greenacres: These 3 restaurants take diners to Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Venezuela Palm Springs and Greenacres have learned they face a similar set of challenges The area lacks enough homes and apartment rentals to meet the needs of its growing population five people are living in homes that 30 years ago housed two.Both communities are mostly built out “horizontally,” with the land within their borders filled with single-story homes and shopping plazas whose storefronts are separated from their walkways.Commercial areas are lined with privately-owned properties without a unifying design Some planners call the corridors “faceless.”An overreliance on homeowner property taxes for revenue making the tax burden higher than it might be.Some areas still work on septic tanks instead of sewers The Palm Springs Community Redevelopment Agency envisions establishing high-density districts along its busiest streets Village Manager Michael Bornstein says they would be like Renaissance Commons in Boynton Beach and PGA Commons in Palm Beach Gardens He said the village has identified “obsolete” plazas that could be transformed Its planners have discussed three possible zones A “South Village” or downtown near Second Avenue North and Lake Worth Road A Lake Worth Road District would cover some of the 300 acres between Military Trail and Keller Canal It would be centered around its existing multinational Hispanic and Caribbean restaurants.The Congress Avenue District would be dedicated to the arts complementing the G-Star School of the Arts and the Hamilton Piano store.The Palm Springs CRA is creating a master plan with proposed new development rules to allow mixed-use and high-density residences to be built along the corridors for the first time Bornstein said a key issue is uniting fragmented The CRA can buy land and create an incentive package for developers faster permits and granting height bonuses in exchange for public spaces and amenities Palm Springs hopes to have its first public meetings on these plans before the end of the year How Palm Springs is growing: More than 400 apartments come to central Palm Beach County village Greenacres will follow a different path than Palm Springs Officials say Greenacres is reliant on developers because it doesn't have a CRA and is left with playing dealmaker between landowners and builders as it did in bringing The Pickleball Club to 5 abandoned acres along Haverhill Road Greenacres has identified areas along 10th Avenue North Lake Worth Road and Jog Road for redevelopment formerly Greenacres’ director of economic development said the lack of walkable downtown or activity centers forces residents to travel outside the communities to eat Officials say that puts the city at risk of losing young professionals to other cities that can offer more "We want them to come spend time here and offer them things to do here so they ultimately have a better quality of life.” Chuck Shaw replaced Joel Flores as mayor in the March election The founding principal at Liberty Park Elementary and Okeeheelee Middle Schools he has seen the area's population explode and grow more and more diverse Shaw wants to tap Palm Beach County's $200 million bond to build workforce housing in Greenacres but questions whether the city can find the land to do so on a large scale of building a three- or four-story building "that becomes a distraction to the single-family homes that are around it." might be to repair and rehabilitate existing homes and improve the infrastructure on which they rely could help people like older residents remain in their homes and not add to the demand for new housing Greenacres also has started a rebranding effort to show developers and businesses of the opportunities available within the city Smallridge said Palm Springs and Greenacres have plenty of advantages in their efforts to change They are centrally located and boast younger and the land is still cheaper than in other cities Buildings with workforce housing will allow Palm Springs and Greenacres to increase their densities and in turn lure private companies to invest and have a presence in the area “Workforce housing will attract corporations whether it be retail restaurants or otherwise,” Smallridge said She pointed to buildings such as The Spruce in West Palm Beach where the developer received incentives in exchange for renting about 30% of its 270 apartments at workforce prices as an example of a public-private partnership that Palm Springs and Greenacres could follow said high-density development may “break with tradition" but that time is ticking away If the communities don’t hurry to create new housing that will allow their residents to stay Palm Beach County stands to lose the backbone of its workforce “We don't need buildings with tons of bells and whistles,” Johnson said "People just need a place they can afford." Unlike other Palm Beach County municipalities Greenacres and Palm Springs residents are eager to see their communities grow and welcome the idea of workforce housing said she would be thrilled to have workforce apartments built next to her medical spa in Greenacres “That would mean more customers for my business,” Bustinza said a place my employees could afford to live in closer to work.” two cousins who now manage their family’s Tropical Bakery and Restaurant said the diverse population of Latinos that has moved into Palm Springs and Greenacres is the reason small businesses in the area have thrived They say area families have become a tight community where neighbors make an effort to support each other's establishments They want to see new housing that builds on that and they want to give people a chance to discover what Palm Springs and Greenacres have to offer That extends to helping existing businesses improve their roofing “We need a facelift,” said Natasha Cabrera “We need to give people that are not from here a reason to come visit us.”  (CBS12) — A Jeep flipped onto its side after a crash at the intersection of Forest Hill Boulevard and Jog Road in Greenacres on Wednesday morning Photos show a white Jeep flipped onto its passenger side near the McDonald's units responded to the scene but cleared it within approximately 15 minutes GREENACRES — Welcome to a land where time stood still, whose problems capture Palm Beach County's crucial question — Who can afford to live here — and whose future raises issues about its blue-collar workforce That growth has come from the Caribbean and South and Central America and has made the area the hub of the county's Hispanic community Its residents have become the people who make the county's economy go driving 30 minutes or more every day to jobs in construction “It’s like it's gotten stuck in time and not moved forward,” said School Board member Alexandria Ayala a Palm Springs resident since coming to Florida from Puerto Rico more than 20 years ago turning some of their aging strip malls into town centers teeming with workforce housing and places where people can gather They know it will take time — and that time may be running out on the community they want to preserve "If we can't build housing for people that work service-oriented jobs the magic of living here will lose its luster," said Florida Atlantic University professor Ken Johnson Palm Springs and Greenacres stayed behind because previous leaders wanted to preserve them as bedroom communities and now the housing and commercial areas don’t meet the needs of its residents who was Greenacres’ mayor for eight years before leaving office in March Palm Beach County all around them has been transforming rents in Greenacres and Palm Springs have soared The rise in demand for the limited supply of rentals has driven prices up and residents are being priced out of the communities that make them feel at home a two-bedroom apartment in Greenacres and Palm Springs rented for $1,200 a month “My community is a blue-collar community,” Flores said “They can't afford for housing to just continue to skyrocket." multiple families have resorted to moving in together or have opted to leave the county and often their jobs behind appointed last year to represent the majority-Hispanic district thinks the area has gone ignored and neglected for years He says it is crucial that funds from the county's $200 million housing bond go toward projects in the area Thousands of families “don't have a place to live in Palm Beach County right now,” said Barnett who faces a challenge from Flores for the commission seat in the November election one drawn to have a majority of Hispanic voters How Palm Springs is growing: More than 400 apartments come to central Palm Beach County town Area leaders say they are eager to take up the challenge of shaping the area’s future making Greenacres and Palm Springs a more enjoyable and affordable place to live sharing ideas has proven easier than turning them into realities The communities are mostly built-out with single-family homes and have outdated plazas that need to be redeveloped "How are we able to attract a developer to come in flip it and turn it into something a destination that is going to attract people?" who was raised in Greenacres by Cuban parents who own Tropical Bakery in Palm Springs says both communities need to build apartments that cater to low- and middle-income families and revitalize blighted shopping plazas to lure people and businesses Cabrera says the most important factor is that redevelopment occurs in a way that doesn't gentrify the communities he is afraid the area will lose what makes it special: the people who brought their families culture and work ethic from Latin America and the Caribbean “I want people who live here to stay here,” Cabrera said Ayala said Hispanics in Palm Springs and Greenacres contribute to the county's economy beyond the traditional dishes they serve residents “We're not just here to cook for you,” Ayala said firefighters and community service workers.” Ayala and Cabrera say they hope the district grows and remains an affordable area where Hispanic and Caribbean cultures are celebrated “I would like to see Palm Springs and Greenacres become the hub of affordable housing and Palm Beach County,” Ayala said (CBS12) — A 20-year-old Greenacres woman was killed in a deadly Lake Worth pedestrian collision Saturday morning a Toyota Corolla was traveling southbound on the 4600 block of Haverhill Road at 6:35 a.m when Palm Beach County deputies (PBSO) say Jalleyla Taisha Pierre Toussaint 'improperly' crossed the roadway westbound See also: $250k armed robbery in Boca Raton; three suspects sought The car impacted Toussaint and the driver of the vehicle came to a controlled stop on the roadway Toussaint was pronounced deceased on the scene from injuries sustained in the collision GREENACRES — A driver struck and killed two people in their 80s as they tried to cross Forest Hill Boulevard in Greenacres on Tuesday night the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said Investigators did not immediately identify the victims by name but a crash report states they were an 82-year-old woman and an 80-year-old man It also said the sheriff's office is trying to notify their next of kin The two victims were walking on Forest Hill near the Riverbridge Centre shopping plaza about 7:10 p.m attempting to cross north through a marked crosswalk a 2016 Chevy Silverado driven by a 28-year-old Greenacres man was traveling west on Forest Hill and approaching a green light at Olive Tree Boulevard near the entrance of The Reserve and The Park at Riverbridge communities Palms West beating: Hospital CEO decries 'unprovoked, senseless violence' in patient's attack on nurse This area is the beginning of a busy stretch on Forest Hill flanked by fast-food restaurants and commercial plazas just east of Florida's Turnpike Both pedestrians crossed in front of the Chevy Their bodies were “thrown to the ground” before the truck came to a stop Paramedics pronounced the woman dead on the scene and drove the man to Delray Medical Center The crash report does not indicate that the driver is facing any charges It also did not specify the speed of the Chevy at the time of the crash One teen was killed and another is accused of murder after several juveniles allegedly mishandled a gun Saturday night in Lake Worth (CBS12) — A teenage boy was killed and another is accused of murder after several juveniles allegedly mishandled a gun Saturday night in Greenacres according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) Deputies were dispatched to a shooting on the 5000 block of Edgecliff Ave where they reported discovering a 16-year-old boy deceased from a gunshot wound Detectives from the Violent Crimes Division say they determined the shooting occurred when several juveniles mishandled a firearm See also: $250k armed robbery in Boca Raton; three suspects sought One juvenile was identified and booked for second-degree murder with a firearm and tampering with evidence Deputies say the investigation is still active and more information will be provided as it becomes available GREENACRES — The makeup of Palm Springs and Greenacres has changed enormously over the past 30 years even if the houses and strip malls in the area appear stuck in time What were sleepy, white suburbs between West Palm Beach and Wellington in the 1990s are now the home of Hispanics in Palm Beach County and in many ways the hub of Palm Beach County's workforce their residents having service jobs across the region Here are some interesting numbers about the two communities: GREENACRES — Charles "Chuck" Shaw is the new mayor of Greenacres after on Tuesday defeating Jonathan Pearce for the city's top office, according to preliminary results from Palm Beach County's Supervisor of Elections. The March 19 municipal election pitted the two longtime local elected officials against each other He spent 57 years in the Palm Beach County schools as a teacher served two terms in the Greenacres City Council and as deputy mayor in 2015 and 2016 Incumbents John Tharpe and Paula Bousquet secured a second and third term in the City Council Florida presidential primary election: See voter results for Palm Beach County Tharpe won a new term in Seat 1 with about 57% of the vote military veteran who has lived in Greenacres for 13 years Bousquet took more than 80% of the vote in defeating Fule Dogic The results of the election will be certified in the next several days Valentina Palm covers Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Greenacres, Palm Springs and other western communities in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today (CBS12) — A man died late Thursday evening when his mobility scooter collided with an SUV as he tried crossing one of Greenacres' main roads when John Katros went to cross South Jog Road at the Ramblewood Circle intersection the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office explained was heading west on Ramblewood Circle and was going across the six-lane road his scooter collided with a Ford Edge that was headed south in the westernmost lane The Edge’s driver immediately stopped and called 911 See Also: Police partnering with big box stores to combat retail theft Katros was rushed to Delray Medical Center where he died approximately two hours later Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day's top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can't miss video Greenacres Park in Spokane Valley was vandalized with racist and white supremacist messaging over the weekend Valley resident Becky Graham said she took her dog for a walk through the park Saturday morning when she noticed the restroom structure near the park’s east entrance and directly in front of the playground had been defaced with large “My home had been attacked” was her initial reaction Two of the messages on the restroom’s door stalls and walls had a racial slur associated with a Black person followed by “kill yourself” and “WHITE POWER.” The latter was accompanied by four swastikas below Other vulgarities were written in large text throughout the space “I walk my dog there regularly and love that park,” Graham said I was just really surprised to come across that.” Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Mark Gregory said deputies with the Spokane Valley Police Department are investigating the incident which is believed to have occurred between Friday night and Saturday morning Some of the vandalism and messages had been cleaned by the time officers arrived The vandalism caused an estimated $3,000 in damages and is initially being considered a second-degree felony malicious mischief case which functions as a precinct of the Sheriff’s Office is still in the initial stages of investigating and could not reference the vandalism as a hate crime at this time without being able to prove the intent of the vandal Hate crime charges have not yet been ruled out “We are still investigating,” Gregory said Spokane Valley Deputy Mayor Tim Hattenburg denounced the “racist” messaging at the City Council meeting Tuesday evening and thanked the city’s parks department and Senske Services which contracts with the city for park maintenance He said the bulk of the spray paint was removed within a couple hours of its discovery Hattenburg learned of the vandalism from Graham who called to report it Saturday morning around 9:30 a.m Graham also contacted Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation Director John Bottelli racially and otherwise,” Hattenburg said during the meeting “That does not reflect our community that I grew up in there’s a few people who do stuff like that.” Hattenburg shared in the meeting that the park is popular for the many families who live in the area and he observed about 30 kids playing in the park by the time he arrived at the scene around 11:30 a.m “I’m really disappointed about what happened obviously,” Hattenburg said in an interview Wednesday The park doesn’t have surveillance cameras and has not been flagged as a problem area in the past to necessitate cameras Hattenburg said that may need to change following the incident “It’s really frustrating that we have to use taxpayer money to do that,” Hattenburg said Graham travels nearly 5 miles from her home in the Valley to the park almost every day to walk her 18-year-old dog Fiona around the property “I go on walks because it’s got the sidewalk and I have trouble with my balance and there’s a lot of people that are regular walkers.” The city opened Greenacres Park in 2012 as the first new park since the city incorporated in 2003 and Graham said it has been an incredible place to meet her fellow community members She said many of the parkgoers she meets are immigrant families and she goes out of her way to connect with them like the young couple from Ukraine she’s gotten to know after running into them repeatedly on her visits “It’s a really good way to welcome people who just really don’t know much about us,” Graham said it’s their first exposure to anybody other than an official.” Gregory said anyone with information on the vandalism should contact Crime Check at (509) 456-2233 and reference case number 10093934 TDS Telecommunications continues expanding its high-speed all-fiber internet network into more Spokane-area neighborhoods FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (CBS12) — A 73-year-old Greenacres man was ordered to spend two years in federal prison for threatening a member of Congress as well as the Congressmember’s children Michael Shapiro called the unnamed Congressmember’s U.S All the calls came from his home in South Florida He was arrested at that home just over two weeks later Department of Justice announced Shapiro’s sentence Thursday in a statement that included quotes from the calls “I’m gonna come after you and kill you [expletive].” “I’m going to come and kill your children you mother[expletive],” another message continued See Also: Driver caused deadly 6-car crash while fleeing Atlantis PD, PBSO reports Shapiro pleaded guilty in May to transmitting threatening communications District Judge David Leibowitz sentenced him to 24 months in prison Palm Springs and Greenacres are quiet communities that rarely make headlines they have become the Hispanic heart of Palm Beach County nearly doubling in size with immigrant families from the Caribbean and South and Central America Many of these new residents hold essential jobs in the county Greenacres and Palm Springs are stuck in time with little new housing built in recent years at prices working families can afford Rising prices may force a large number of their new residents to move out of the county to cheaper places to live There is hope in Greenacres and Palm Springs that the communities can act before that happens if they can find land and developers interested in building workforce housing whose problems capture Palm Beach County's crucial question — Who can afford to live here Tap here for the full story The makeup of Palm Springs and Greenacres has changed enormously over the past 30 years What were sleepy, white suburbs between West Palm Beach and Wellington in the 1990s are now the home of Hispanics in Palm Beach County Tap here for the full story Alexandria Ayala remembers the moment Palm Springs finally had its turn in the spotlight a Dollar Store and a Ross Dress For Less replaced the 99-cent store where her father got his first job after arriving from Puerto Rico “That was the biggest deal in the world,” she said Brandon Cabrera has the fondest memories of Christmas Eve his family descended on Tropical Bakery to finish preparing the holiday orders uncle and cousins and make them listen to jingles in English but I loved it,” Cabrera said of the landmark Cuban business in Palm Springs I was making cakes and we were all together filling orders and delivering our products for our people.”  Tap here for the full story The wave of Hispanic and Caribbean immigration into Greenacres and Palm Springs since 2000 has done more than swell the communities' populations to more than 70,000 combined It's also made them a hotbed of entrepreneurs building businesses that honor the tastes and ways of home as they chase the American Dream People who visit a family-owned business in these communities can expect warm greetings in Spanglish a sonic embrace of salsa or merengue blasting from speakers and business owners hugging clients and offering them a midday coffee Restaurants and businesses in Palm Springs and Greenacres are filled with stories of uprooted families immigrants who reinvented themselves with new careers and young entrepreneurs taking “a leap of faith” to start enterprises that survived the COVID-19 pandemic offered spaces where they could afford to open their restaurants and businesses and provide crucial services to an underserved Hispanic and populations — one they hope will survive a shortage of housing that has led some of its members to leave the county U.S. Census: Hispanics increasingly call this Palm Beach County bedroom community home Tap here for the full story GREENACRES —The key to keeping housing costs in Greenacres and Palm Springs affordable for the working-class people now living there may require a giant bet on an idea many embrace but few understand The area has the potential of becoming Palm Beach County’s hub for workforce housing 'Developers need more skin in the game': County affordable housing bonds plan hits stumbling block Tap here for the full story GREENACRES — You don’t need to fly hundreds of miles if you crave authentic Jamaican jerk chicken crunchy Puerto Rican mofongo or stuffed Venezuelan arepas The city in the heart of Hispanic Palm Beach County is filled with eateries tucked away in strip malls that take your palette on a trip to the Caribbean and Latin America Many of the restaurants are family-run and owned by immigrants who have brought their condiments recipes and flavors all the way to Palm Beach County all with food that a diner won’t find just anywhere and all of them operated by people with stories to tell “A Taste of . . . “ is a Palm Beach Post series that aims to highlight the county’s lesser-known culinary gems and the humans behind the food Tell us what area and restaurants you would like to see us write about next Critic's pick: My five favorite empanadas in Palm Beach County, from Boca to Palm Beach Gardens Chef and owner Robert Leslie marinates the chicken for over 24 hours in a tub full of secret sauce and a blend of 12 spices and herbs before sizzling it on a flaming grill and drizzling it with Red Stripe beer nutmeg and thyme and is served on a bed of rice and a side of boiled coleslaw The curry goat ($13.99) is slow-cooked in a yellow Goat meat is similar to lamb and the dish bursts with aromas of ginger Diced goat meat pieces bathed with the curry sauce served with white rice and boiled coleslaw Leslie grew up immersed in his family’s kitchen in Jamaica and moved to Palm Beach County at age 22 He started washing dishes at a Caribbean eatery a friend got him an interview at Mar-a-Lago Leslie cooked for former President Donald Trump and his guests for over four years his vision for a place where people from different nationalities and walks of life would meet to slow down unite and enjoy traditional Jamaican flavors “This is the Jerk chicken that is going to make America great again,” Leslie said with a laugh waving and greeting clients with a wide smile Leslie also has opened a second Reggae Jerk location on 45th Street in West Palm Beach Your favorite pizzas: Meet the best pies in Palm Beach County, picked by Post readers! Hours: Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m covered by a layer of rice and beans and crunchy chicken or lechon — tender pork roast — topped with “coqui sauce.” The colorful meal pairs yellow ($16) a sample platter of fried appetizers that includes stuffed potatoes alcapurria (fritters made of green plantains and taro) and a pastel When owner Jeanette Carillo moved to Greenacres in 1998 there weren’t many Boricua eateries around So she took on the challenge of replicating her family recipes at home she ate at El Coqui and promised her classmates she would one day own it Puerto Ricans lined outside and around the block Carillo bought El Coqui and fulfilled her dream of owning a restaurant where she could serve dishes with the traditional “sazon” of Puerto Rico She is usually in the kitchen or peeking at the door because when a regular walks in “I’ve kept the same flavor for over 20 years,” Carillo said “The best compliment is when someone tells me ‘Your food tastes just like the island,’ or ‘how my abuelita used to make it.' ” National attention: Palm Beach County favorite named one of USA TODAY'S best restaurants of 2024 Hours: Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m order the bite-sized platter Doña Arepa Mix ($16.99) a Venezuelan drink made with raw sugarcane Co-owner Emiliana Herrera says their signature arepas can be stuffed with over 20 fillings including pork belly and cheese fish and sweet plantain and shredded beef with cheese and black bean Herrera and her two cousins bought the restaurant last year They were born and raised in Venezuela and wanted to start a family business rooted in the culture and flavors they missed They set out to create a new menu and purchased boxes of their favorite sweets from Venezuela such as Samba They noticed area residents were curious to try their stuffed hand-held meals One of their main goals is also to bring people from other nationalities to Doña Arepa to give them a taste of their faraway home family-size frozen meals that taste homemade and plan to open a second location next year “It's our way of giving back to this country,” said Herrera GREENACRES — Mayor Joel Flores wasn't on the ballot but may have been the big winner in Tuesday's municipal election in Greenacres District 4 challenger Susy Diaz Piesco defeated incumbent Jonathan Pearce by 46 votes from 2,768 votes cast a narrow win with the potential to change the balance of power on the City Council Diaz Piesco was one of three candidates endorsed by Flores, who made no secret of his desire to see Pearce and two other longtime incumbents — Peter Noble and Judith Dugo — voted off the dais who is 87 and a council member for nearly a quarter century defeated 21-year-old FAU student Nathan Galang for the District 2 seat while Dugo easily won her race against Leonard Grant Flores said before the election that the incumbents had lost "connection with the community: and did not "resemble" the city's demographics more than 66% of Greenacres' population of 44,000 residents are either Hispanic or Black Diaz Piesco, along with Vice Mayor John Tharp and council member Paula Bousquet the mayor does not vote on issues before the council unless there is a tie vote "I'm glad that we have some fresh perspective on the dais," Flores said Wednesday. "This was never about me This was about the direction that we want to move Greenacres toward The community constantly changes...so the council needs to represent that." Diaz Piesco, executive director for the Bak Middle School of the Arts Foundation accumulated 50.83% of the unofficial vote count compared to Pearce we knew this was going to be a tough election," Diaz Piesco said who have been in office since 1998 and 2013 respectively Flores said: "I hope they realize they need to come prepared to the meetings that they need to be in touch with the people they represent." City officials said voter turnout was the highest in Greenacres' history With regard to The Palm Beach Post article, "Noise complaints, rare in Palm Beach County, can pit neighbor versus neighbor" (May 2): I truly feel the pain of the gentlemen that is having problems with his neighbor Because I too experience this every day from sunrise until 10 p.m My worst neighbor is the City of Greenacres Much like Los Angeles is known as the City of Angels Greenacres should be known as the "City of Noise." the City Council decided that expanding the community center -- built with a generous grant from Palm Beach County -- which was not disclosed to those of us who were against it until after the fact would be in the best interest of their residents and ta payers We now live with a county park in the middle of our neighborhood and am appalled by the garbage and bums that I encounter every day the City Council thought it would be a great idea to move a heavily used basketball court from a location in the complex where it didn’t seem to bother anyone saved the city a lot of my tax dollars) to the middle of our street The basketball court is exactly 50 feet from my home Noisy neighbors can be dealt with by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office reverberating hoops and vulgar language 16 hours a day 50 feet from our home is unacceptable and a perfect example of how pathetic our democratic system has become My husband and I have owned our home for 28 years Our kids didn’t need a community center or basketball court We are plagued with not only noise and garbage We live in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Palm Beach County Our elected officials have destroyed something incredible GREENACRES — Two longtime residents with years of experience in public service are vying to become the next mayor of Greenacres Former City Council and School Board member Charles "Chuck" Shaw and former City Council member Jonathan Pearce are competing to replace Mayor Joel Flores who is running for a seat on the Palm Beach County Commission Two other seats in the Greenacres City Council will be on the ballot on March 19 Residents will vote to keep incumbents John Tharp and Paula Bousquet or elect newcomers Edward Ayala and Fule Dogic The elected officials will be tasked with bringing new housing and commercial projects to a mostly built-out city of 43,000 people and redeveloping vacant and aging shopping plazas the mayor and council members serve four-year terms without limits Polling places across the county will be open from 7 a.m For more information about the March 19 vote, contact the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office at (561) 276-1226 or at votepalmbeach.gov Endorsement: Post Editorial Board: Who should lead Greenacres: Charles “Chuck” Shaw, John Tharp, Paula Bousquet the sitting commission member for District 1 military veteran who grew up in New York City and Puerto Rico has lived in Greenacres for 13 years and is pursuing his first run for office She is seeking her third term in office in District 3 Newcomer Fule Dogic was born in Serbia and lived in Los Angeles before moving to Greenacres almost two years ago The Palm Beach Post Editorial Board endorses Charles “Chuck” Shaw for Greenacres mayor and incumbents John Tharp and Paula Bousquet for city council experienced voices for stable operations in a city with few polarizing issues served for 18 years on the council before departing for a 10-year run on the Palm Beach County School Board He remains a respected community voice and promises to be a consensus-builder to replace Joel Flores who is running for Palm Beach County Commission West Palm Beach endorsement: Palm Beach Post Editorial Board: We endorse Christina Lambert for city commission While the city long known as an affordable place to live has little vacant space to bring in more affordable housing Shaw said he is open to density increases in the right places after talking to firefighters about safety issues he would consider raising the city’s height limit to four or even five stories from three “I see this community as a model for affordable housing I think our most immediate need is to rehab areas where neighborhoods are struggling to encourage new people to move in and to encourage development and replacement of substandard locations,” he said More on politics: DeSantis campaign hangover: Florida bills that limit media criticism of elected officials Shaw fears his opponent, Jonathan Pearce, is running “to get back at staff who opposed him,” when he served for 10 years on the council. Pearce, who did not meet with the Editorial Board, was known as a polarizing figure who engineered the 2015 firing of longtime City Manager Wadie Atallah “I have always been a leader who has shown the ability to work with people get things done (and) never been questioned about my ethical principles,” Shaw said Judging from his long tenure in public service Tharp, 52, lost his council seat in 2015 to Lisa Rivera but was appointed to replace her in 2017 after Gov. Rick Scott removed her from office following her arrest on theft charges He is a tech support/customer service executive for Lumitec To bring in more reasonably priced housing he spoke of expanding the city’s boundaries and raising the height limit to five stories Of his opponent’s proposal to hire registered nurses to be paramedics he wisely deferred to the wisdom of the fire chief is an Army instructor and a customer service manager for the U.S He criticized Tharp for being subservient to Flores But Ayala is working to win Latino votes for County Commissioner Michael Barnett even though Barnett’s opponent would be the first Latino elected to the County Commission which seems driven by partisan allegiances being in the same ethnic group doesn’t mean you’re going to work together.” She cited her experience and ability to get along with her council colleagues as a reason to choose her over opponent Fule Dogic whom she said has lived in the city only one year Dogic did not meet with the Editorial Board Bousquet supports City Manager Andrea McCue praising her as a visionary for her ability to cut through complicated issues to move forward on the widening of Chickasaw Road west of Jog Road after years of false starts She points to her work about 10 years ago to ban the sale of dogs at pet stores in the city as one of her top accomplishments on the council She also praises the current board’s civility Dogic cited his role on the Republican Presidential Task Force in a recent YouTube video Bousquet is a Democratic Party precinct committeewoman The Post recommends returning incumbents Tharp in District 1 and Bousquet in District 5 and electing Shaw to the mayor’s post — Pickleball has become the fastest growing sport around the world and it's the talk of the town in Greenacres The ink is dry on a new deal to bring a state-of-the-art world-class indoor pickleball facility to the city The Pickleball Club secured a deal to bring a private membership-based high-amenity experience to the site It's the ninth location in Florida for the club and for Greenacres it's a match made in heaven "We're very excited," Greenacres City Manager Andrea McCue who helped secure the future of pickleball in the city Within three to four weeks there was an agreement and sale on the property and they're already in the due diligence period." The Pickleball Club has already swung into the market with a Port St Lucie location under construction The hope is to mix quality and demand for a firm grip in Greenacres The 5-acre site in Greenacres is located just off Haverhill Road The club is on track to break ground in June 2024 with a target to open in 2025 "I got to admit it's like a little jewel going to Greenacres and seeing all their excitement about pickleball," CEO Brian McCarthy said He broke into South Florida with a ninth location and hopes to double that amount especially with one unique feature: his locations are indoors "We went out to 4,000 pickleball players and we said city officials said easy access and its central location will put pickleball and Greenacres on the map "I think for us it just continues to contribute to us being a destination," McCue said The Greenacres location will offer 16 indoor courts Wollongong Council’s commitment to creating inclusive employment opportunities has brought about a fresh partnership with local community organisation Greenacres whose staff will carry out essential maintenance of various parks and public spaces around our city Greenacres is a leading Wollongong-based disability service provider that aims to source and provide employment and career opportunities that allow people with a disability to pursue life and career goals It’s a vision Council shares through our Diversity and Inclusion Access Plan that aims to generate positive social outcomes including employment opportunities for people that may otherwise face barriers to entering the workforce “We’re proud to be a large employer of local people in our region with the vast majority of our more than 1800 employees living working in our local government area,” Wollongong Council General Manager Greg Doyle said “Providing that opportunity is a core mission of Council and it’s one that extends to the local businesses and suppliers that we partner with Greenacres is a wonderful organisation and it’s great to be able to share in its mission of providing inclusive employment opportunities while ensuring vital maintenance of our parks and public spaces is capably carried out “The Wollongong community is a famously diverse one and we have a responsibility at Council to ensure that that diversity is reflected but extends to our partnerships with businesses and organisations we work with.” The partnership sees Greenacres employees carry out maintenance works and develop professional skills as an introduction to the workforce and as a pathway to longer term employment “Our partnership with Wollongong City Council represents a powerful step toward inclusive employment providing people with disability the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the maintenance of public spaces,” Greenacres Head of Marketing and Business Development Aleisha Brooke-Smith said “This initiative highlights the value of collaboration between community organisations and local councils fostering a more inclusive and vibrant community It also serves as a stepping stone for our supported employees helping them gain the skills and experience needed to transition into open employment.” Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said Council will continue to seek mutually beneficial partnerships with local organisations “We are proud of the various partnerships we have with local social enterprise groups and will continue to explore opportunities for these to expand,” Cr Brown said “Sourcing locally has obvious economic benefits but as shown by our partnership with Greenacres connected business community that everyone can feel a part of.” For more information please visit Council’s website at www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au or call Customer Service on (02) 4227 7111 Visit our News page to find out what's happening in your community, or sign up for e-news. We show our respect and acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Dharawal Country, Elders past and present, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. You can also use the number above for after hours Council-related emergencies Email council@wollongong.nsw.gov.au Webchat We show our respect and acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Dharawal Country and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People the population of Greenacres is now about forty-five thousand people.It's an increase of about nine-thousand people from the last census (CBS12) — It is no secret Palm Beach County is rapidly expanding and with growth comes a need for more safety measures the population of Greenacres is now about forty-five thousand people It's an increase of about nine thousand people from the last census City leaders say with new developments on the horizon they are making plans for many more residents “We have been having more people moving into the city a lot of inquiries development in addition to non residential we do have residential development so there’s definitely an increase and an uptick,” said Denise Malone Director of Development and Neighborhood services in Greenacres In her more than two decades in Palm Beach County Malone has seen a lot of changes City leaders say they expect approximately three hundred new homes in the next year and a half with planned developments Greenacres Fire Chief Brian Fuller tells us the city of Greenacres has no shortage of fire hydrants but the fire department is currently working with the city to develop a new fire station they are utilizing their data to find the best spot to put the new fire station a fire truck to order today would take over three years to receive so well in advance of a community expansion and getting the appropriate equipment in to meet that risk,” said Chief Fuller Chief Fuller says the department measures the areas with the most calls yearly so they can allocate more resources for the communities that have more people — A local Cuban artist used his talents to create a wall mural in Greenacres This was a collaboration effort with the city as they've launched an initiative to display art in public places The mural is painted on the outside of wall of the racquetball courts and city leaders tell me they hope it'll improve the visual quality of public spaces Ferreri Community Park off Jog Road was done by local artist Anthony Hernandez and living here in West Palm for about 24 to 25 years now," Hernandez said It's been a passion of his since he was a kid I think my mother said that drawing and painting kept me calm," Hernandez said The mural is the first of its kind in the city of Greenacres Hernandez said he hopes it'll bring out more people to the park "You have a couple of people while I was doing the mural they would always come in the morning and see my progress So I decided to paint their silhouettes there and she would come here every morning and see how I was doing so it's kind of homage to the people in the park," Hernandez said The mural is part of the city's new initiative of art in public places "We went through a visioning and strategic action plan and found that art in public places really does add to the quality of life of residents," said City Manager Andrea McCue “Art in public places was a vision of mine when I took office and I’m thankful we were able to start this program My hope is that we continue to enrich the lives of our residents," said Mayor Joel Flores Mccue said the mural represents the diversity in the community as well as those who love the outdoors The girl who is actually on the wall will be tapping the shoulder of the person sitting there The brush strokes don't stop here as the city is planning to do more on blank spaces (CBS12) — As Palm Beach County continues to grow what impact is that having on our crime rates This week, a teenager was killed in a drive-by shooting near a school There are now concerns it could be gang-related The teen was shot outside his home in the 500 block of Fleming Avenue His uncle says he believes the killer was a gang member CBS12 News tried to take those concerns to our authorities and elected officials SEE ALSO:Friend-with-benefits facing several charges of violence against woman, her brother "I don't think it's ever gonna get better," said Autumn Duncan a Greenacres resident and college student studying nursing "I think it's a lot of retaliation Some who live near the scene of Tuesday's deadly drive-by shooting that claimed the life of a student at John I Leonard High School feel gangs are a problem here The teen who was killed Tuesday had also been wounded in another shooting April 13 we went to Greenacres City Hall to try to see if city officials feel gangs are a growing problem here We were told Greenacres city manager Andrea McCue was out of the office only sending us a written statement which says in part This is an active investigation being handled by PBSO It would be premature for the City to speculate and/or make comment until all information is received." We also tried to reach the Greenacres mayor for comment He lives in a gated community and did not respond to a call or e-mail The only Greenacres City Council member were could reach was Peter Noble He did not open the door but spoke to us through a window "We'd like to know if you believe there's a gang problem in Greenacres," said CBS12 reporter Al Pefley "You have no comment if there's a gang problem here?" Pefley asked Noble referred us to a city spokesperson at Greenacres City Hall whom we had already called and left a message "We're waiting for him to get back to us So we wanted to find one of the City Council members to talk with us You have nothing to say about this?" Pefley asked again "I don't have information on that," Noble said "Are you concerned there may be a gang problem in Greenacres?" Pefley asked We also reached out to PBSO to find out if they feel Greenacres has a gang problem and what they're doing about it "This investigation is active and ongoing We have NO known suspect information at this time." When we asked if there is a gang problem in Greenacres and if so "There are gangs in Palm Beach County." We also asked PBSO how many shootings in Greenacres and nearby Lake Worth Beach in the past two years have been gang-related PBSO said they're working on our records request PBSO did not respond to our request for an on-camera interview and has not given us any information on a possible motive for the teen's murder here GREENACRES — A private pickleball complex will do more for Greenacres than redevelop 5 abandoned acres along Haverhill Road "This makes us a destination," Flores said after the City Commission voted Feb 5 to approve The Pickleball Club's plans for a 19-court complex "It will be a place that people beyond Greenacres will come and visit." table tennis and badminton and is considered one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States Cities across Palm Beach County have been struggling to keep up with the demand for courts and have moved to build more of them That's in part what led the Sarasota-based company to Greenacres where it will build a 42,000 square-foot complex that will feature 16 indoor and three outdoor courts as well as a mezzanine with a café and two boccie courts Flores said the project is a step toward the city's goal of redeveloping outdated properties and abandoned lots to spur economic growth "It helps our economic development," Flores said "It brings a different offering to the community Best of the rest: 14 Palm Beach County spots we wish made the USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list The Pickleball Club's complex will sit at Haverhill Road and Nautica Isles Boulevard where a religious school was proposed before the COVID pandemic Founded in 2019 by CEO Brian McCarthy and Matt Gordon indoor pickleball facilities with a membership system The club will also offer programs for youths The company opened the first pickleball center last year in Sarasota it announced plans to spend $180 million to build 15 facilities across Florida Greenacres is its ninth announced location and its first South Florida site Lucie West and Village Park are under construction The company is scheduled to break ground in Greenacres by the end of the year and expects to open during the summer of 2025 The 42,000 square-feet pickleball center will feature: 16 indoor pickleball courtsThree covered outdoor courtsTwo bocce ball courtsA 3,850-square-foot players’ lounge featuring a pro shop and a café184 parking spacesOne mystery yields another: Divers seeking traces of missing man find car at bottom of West Palm pond Flores said the project was a city-led effort to bring more commercial activity to Greenacres which is mostly built out with low-density Greenacres had previously identified the land as a potential site for new commercial activity It had houses built in 1965 and 1977 and two undeveloped parcels that had remained vacant The city staff reached out to the land's owner last year and connected them with McCarthy's team which entered a contract to buy the land last October "We probably wouldn't be here without your staff," McCarthy told the council Feb "This has been the best experience I've ever had anywhere in the country of developing a commercial project." Greenacres is a "superb" location because it has over 1 million people living within a 25-minute average drive from where the pickleball facility is planned Flores said he was pleased Greenacres didn't have to spend one public dollar to bring The Pickleball Club to the city "This is a private company who is coming in making an investment and meeting the needs of the community," he said pickleball has become increasingly popular in Greenacres The city has four permanent pickleball courts in Freedom Park on Pinehurst Drive which has become one of the most popular sites for families to play in western Palm Beach County The city built the first two courts five years ago and added two more in 2019 kept some people from playing on the outdoor courts the city opted to use the indoor basketball courts in its community center as temporary playing sites making them available only during school hours and before the youth athletic programs Flores said the new facility will make Greenacres a pickleball destination in Palm Beach County for years to come and give residents a family-friendly activity to enjoy inside the city "Pickleball is a very diverse sport," Flores said "When you have something that makes the community rally together it's just another building point for the city The western communities of Palm Beach County will have a busy spring election season The region's three largest communities — the villages of Wellington and Royal Palm Beach as well as the city of Greenacres — all will have races for mayor in the March 19 election There will be council seats on the ballot in Wellington Royal Palm Beach and Westlake will see council members run without opposition when Florida's presidential primary elections also will occur For more information about the March 19 vote, contact the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office at (561) 276-1226 or at votepalmbeach.gov Three of the five seats on the Wellington Village Council will change next year as longtime village mayor Anne Gerwig and two council members are termed out of office Vice Mayor Michael Napoleone and Bart Novack are vying to replace Gerwig who is seeking election to the Florida House of Representatives has served two consecutive terms on the village council since winning election in 2015 who unsuccessfully ran against councilman John McGovern in 2018 native who moved with his family to Wellington in 2002 currently held by Councilman Michael Drahos Former Mayor Robert Margolis is aiming for a return to the council He was first elected as councilman in 2003 and later as mayor in 2012 Margolis works as the development director for the Young Singers of the Palm Beach the chair of the village’s Education Committee has lived in Wellington for 15 years and is a partner in the law firm Billing Marcella Montesinos also is making her first run for office She is the director of the Honors College at Palm Beach State College and has also served as an advisor to the village’s Boys & Girls Club Amanda Silvestri owns an insurance agency with her husband and serves in the School Advisory Council at Wellington Landings Middle School Silvestri unsuccessfully ran for a school board district seat who is also serving his second and last term is the CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce She has served on the village’s architectural review board and is part of the Wellington Rotary Club is pursuing her second run for the village council She has served on Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve Committee and chairs the village’s Planning Coleman has also led the Wellington Garden Club Karen Morris-Clarke ran unsuccessfully last year for Seat 2 Morris-Clarke is a real estate agent for Keller Williams Realty Wellington and has lived in the village for over 22 years Peter’s United Methodist Church as the youth programming director and is a consultant to nonprofits Also new to village elections is Michael Partow His professional background includes pharmaceuticals New at the Mall at Wellington Green: Pop culture, Ecuadorian fast food, Colombian jewelry Three of the five seats on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council go up for election next year but only the mayor’s seat will be contested Village Mayor Fred Pinto is seeking a fifth term in the office Pinto is a technology and business consultant and the agency development manager for the health-services company Colonial Life He interned for County Commissioner Sarah Baxter’s office With no opponents to challenge their reelection bids incumbent council members Jeff Hmara and Selena Samios will keep their positions for another two-year term Who wants pastelitos? Popular Miami's Vicky Bakery bringing Cuban-style treats to Royal Palm Beach Three of the five seats on the Greenacres City Council will be on the ballot Former council members Charles "Chuck" Shaw and Johnathan Pearce are vying for the mayor’s seat is running for the Palm Beach County Commission who worked 57 years for the School District of Palm Beach County had previously served on the city's board for 18 years as a councilman and deputy mayor was first elected to the council in 2010 and served for two consecutive terms incumbent John Tharp will face Edward Ayala who is seeking his second full term in office was appointed to the council in 2017 and elected in 2020 who is the comptroller for Temple Beth Tikvah on Jog Road is being challenged for District 5 by newcomer Fule Dogic was first elected to the council in 2011 and later reelected in 2020 Part pickleball, party country club: Company targets Greenacres site for members-only complex Maniglia has held the seat since 2018 and is vying to secure her third term incumbent Marianne Miles will face former council members Todd McLendon and Anita Kane McLendon works in the computer and air conditioning industries and raises exotic birds Kane is the executive director for 1 Education Place in Wellington and previously served as the chair of the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Drag racing: Plan to use Pahokee airport gets cold reception from Palm Beach County officials WestlakeTwo of the five seats on the Westlake City Council are up for grabs Councilwoman Charlotte Leonard received no opposition to serve a second term in Seat 3 who was appointed last year to replace councilman John Paul O’Conner will serve his first full term in Seat 3 starting next year No elections are scheduled until 2025 when the village mayor and two council seats will be on the ballot (CBS12) — It can be overwhelming for parents to keep the kids busy over the summer That's why Palm Beach County leaders are hosting the Family Resource Fair on Saturday to ensure parents know their options for when class lets out theGreenacres City Community Center gymnasium will be filled with music food and activities as organizers help parents register for events like summer camps and athletic programs Some of the services include registration assistance for prekindergarten andswimming classes Trained staff fromPalm Beach County Youth Services will also be available to guide guardians as they find the best choice for their child kids can sit down for free face painting and hang with therapy dogs from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Organizers will also inform caregivers on available scholarships for these programs The Family Resource Fair is a bilingual event with services provided in Spanish by Familias Latinas of PBC which is a co-organizer withChildren's Services Council of Palm Beach County (CSC) "This group plays a vital role in informing the Hispanic community about the programs and assistance offered by CSC through its agencies," stated the news release Other community partners include Healthy Mothers Attending parents should bring their child's documents such asproof of residence in Palm Beach County and proof of income or a free or reduced-price lunch letter from school — Money can be tight at times especially if you want to make some improvements around your home or business One South Florida city has a financial program to help Loris Baez is a single mother with three kids and works full-time She is applying for the city of Greenacres property enhancement grant Baez says she's optimistic about the program and hopes to make improvements to her home of 20 years “It helps people like me that couldn't afford to do it if it wasn't through this program It also brings value to your home and the neighborhood Homeowners and businesses are encouraged to maintain the value of their properties by renovating and rehabilitating the physical appearance The city has set aside $100,000 from their general budget for this incentive “We approve $50K for residential and another $50K for businesses So they have to invest up to $5,000 and we’ll match another $5,000,” said Joel Flores change my front door and fix the landscaping a little bit I hope to get to do all of that,” said Baez Shawn Ho-Hing King is the founder of the Talented Teen Club in Greenacres Her organization helps teens build self-esteem through motivation and participation She has been at this location off Swain boulevard for 17 years In the last round she received the grant to make improvements “This program is a godsend to our community “We were able to beautify our location with some new doors When you have a great place for students to come in its uplifting We are here for self-esteem and there’s no other self-esteem building than your place being nicely kept.” The deadline to apply for the grant is March 1 The city has bilingual staff to help Spanish speakers https://greenacresfl.gov/grants/page/grant-application-checklist (CBS12) — During Monday night's City Council meeting Vanilla Ice Project co-star and former Greenacres resident donated a Little Free Library to the city along with the show's crew which are filming Season 8 of the "Vanilla Ice Project" in Palm Beach County came to Greenaces to speak with young people about "being the kind of person others want to be around and making good choices," according to a press release Because of this and the many other times Kain has visited Greenacres surprised him with a proclamation that dedicates the 200 Block of Jackson Avenue to him “In getting to know Wes over the past few years – I have learned that there is a right way a wrong way and the Wes Kain way," Dugo said "I am proud to present him with his own street sign that will be called “Wes Kain Way,” which will be posted on each end of the 200 block of Jackson Avenue I can’t thank him enough for continuing to return to our city and having a positive influence on our children.” Monday is also Kain’s birthday; the Departure Films crew will be filming this for a segment in the next season’s show on the DiY network Kain has visited the Community Center Youth Programs several times in the past few years and bought all of their wish list items in December 2016 When he gave backpacks to all of the kids in May 2017 for the summer the teens said they wanted to see the mayor challenge Kain to a basketball game on the teams with them Kain brought Vanilla Ice and Rob VanWinkle to youth programs and they played basketball against Mayor Joel Flores Flores is excited to see Kain continue to give back to the youth saying City Council unanimously voted to honor Kain in this way “Greenacres is a great place to be and raise a family," he said It is important to show the kids that no matter where you grow up you can come home and give back to your community (CBS12) — A group of families living in the heat and fighting to get the lights back on at a Greenacres condo are now breathing a sigh of relief “I saw the kids and that’s what really drove me to step forward to do what I can do,” said Lake Worth Beach electrician Raphael Simon After our story aired Wednesday night Simon took it upon himself to temporarily fix the electric panel “We do deal with emergencies on a regular basis but usually not when they’re without power for this long.” Florida Power & Light were on scene shortly after to officially turn the power back on “I feel very good,” resident Moises Ortega said “I’m really thankful that finally after two weeks the 600 building had no electricity after a fire October 20th damaged the electrical panel Residents blamed the Homeowner’s Association a company called Crest Management Group for not taking immediate action According to Simon, what he did is a temporary solution, until the H.O.A can afford to replace the whole panel. Crest Management tells CBS12 News they have since been working on getting a larger generator that would power the entire building after the fire broke out. However, it’s $40,000 to rent it for a month, adding that it’s too costly. The Red Cross, the City of Greenacres City Manager and City Building Inspector were also in the neighborhood Thursday. As for the two remaining units without power, those families will be staying at a nearby hotel with the help of the Bobby Resciniti Healing Hearts. The nonprofit worked with the City of Greenacres to make it happen. “Anything the city can do, we're going to do whatever we can to help them as well,” said Greenacres City Manager Andrea McCue. McCue tells CBS12 News Crest Management Group will have to appear at a code enforcement board hearing at Greenacres City Hall November 30. In what can be seen as a coup d’etat by a band of three city council members, City Manager Wadie Atallah was fired effective immediately at Monday’s meeting. “We cut the head off the serpent,” Deputy Mayor Jonathan Pearce, who made the motion to replace Atallah, told The Palm Beach Post Tuesday morning. “It’s time to make a change.” Pearce, Lisa Rivera and Judy Dugo voted in favor of ousting Atallah, the city’s manager since 2001. Council members Peter Noble and Paula Bousquet were in opposition. Mayor Sam Ferreri doesn’t vote on council matters except if there’s a tie, but said he was also opposed to the change, made after a heated 30-minute discussion on why Atallah should be axed. “They had no cause to fire him other than they don’t like him,” Ferreri said. Ferreri also took exception to Pearce’s “serpent” quote. “The serpent really has three heads,” he said, referring to Pearce, Rivera and Dugo. Earlier this year, Pearce tried to get former City Attorney Pam Terranova to step down sooner from her August retirement date by hiring an interim replacement, a move that incited some council members and many residents. The city named newly hired City Attorney Jim Stokes as interim city manager until a replacement is found, which Pearce said should take up to seven weeks. Stokes, an arbitrator, mediator, special magistrate and former police officer and deputy sheriff, said he was caught off-guard by Monday’s events. “I’ve heard rumors of discontent, but not to the extent that action was going to be taken,” he said. “It was a surprise to me.” As for why the council didn’t name Assistant City Manager Tom Lanahan the new city manager, Pearce pointed to Lanahan’s close ties to Atallah. “Tom is a great guy, but comes from the same mold,” he said. Pearce said he took issue with the city manager’s contract, which he said states the city has to pay Atallah one month for every year of service. But, instead of the year of service starting in 2001 when Atallah became city manager, Pearce said Atallah’s year of service starts in 1989 when Atallah was hired as a city engineer. Atallah’s severance pay amounts to close to $380,000, Pearce said. Atallah’s annual salary is about $175,000, he added. Atallah did not return a call seeking comment. Rivera also said Atallah’s contract didn’t sit well with her. “How many people get a perk like that?” she asked. “I give him respect, but his salary is a liability.” “This will cost the taxpayers $400,000 plus the cost to replace him,” he said. “There will be some chaos and people looking for jobs.” Pearce and Rivera also said they were concerned about low morale among city workers, particularly fire-rescue workers whose futures are up in the air after the city merged its police department with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. “They don’t want the fire department to go the way our police department went,” Rivera said. Pearce said he’s heard numerous complaints from city workers on Atallah’s management style and how he uses fear as a motivator. City workers, Pearce said, are often afraid to speak up over job concerns, fearing retribution. In August 2013, Atallah denied those claims to The Palm Beach Post, saying all city workers who have a complaint can have those issues addresses through the proper channels and that each complaint is dealt with independently. “I’m not really sure where this is coming from or what it really means,” Atallah said at that time. Ferreri also questioned the timing of the firing since the city is still ironing out details with the sheriff’s office over their 10-year contract. “There’s a bunch of nuances that still need to be negotiated,” Ferreri said. “Wadie was the only one who has any knowledge on what’s going on.” Estelle Friedman, a long-time resident, said she’s sorry to see Atallah go. “I always respected him for his professionalism and calm demeanor,” she said. “I hope the city goes in a positive direction.” Have a Greenacres issue you’d like to see The Post tackle, or a story idea? Contact Kevin D. Thompson at 561-820-4573 or KThompson@pbpost.com. All I could do was talk Hungarian and do imitations of Zsa Zsa Gabor Oliver Douglas: Who? Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb The City Council is poised for a shakeup in the March election as a new batch of fresh-faced candidates prepare to battle incumbents in Districts II In this sleepy city of more than 38,000 residents political challengers are about as rare as a Bigfoot sighting where Mayor Sam Ferreri has been in office since 1988 and where Wadie Atallah served as city manager for 14 years until he was fired by the City Council in October But the political winds of change have been blowing much stronger of late as the council started undergoing an extreme makeover with novices Judy Dugo and Lisa Rivera winning council seats in 2014 and 2015 a retired educator from upstate New York and president of a River Bridge Homeowners Association will attempt to fend off Anderson Thelusme with members often attacking each other during meetings That dysfunction played a big role in Molow’s decision to try to oust Dugo “I’m very disappointed in the behavior of the city council and I want to right a wrong,” said the 81-year-old Molow who has lived in Greenacres for nearly two decades All she does is back up (Pearce and Rivera) I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes there Molow said he’s the better candidate because he has no personal agenda and doesn’t harbor any vendettas “The people have to have a voice,” he said “I think it’s great because it gives the citizens the opportunity to hear facts and not just rumors,” she said “But in the two years I’ve been on the council (I’ve) helped to change the direction of our city and (been) the one who made the motion for the city to merge its police force with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.” “The current council talks and debates,” she said “Previous councils went in with their minds made up and that’s not the responsibility of a council but some of these people need a lesson in how to speak with each other.” said he’s also been put off by the public sniping at meetings “The personal attacks need to be stopped,” he said Thelusme also said he didn’t like how the city ousted Atallah who walked away with a hefty $483,721 severance package “We should have had town hall meetings to talk to the residents instead of firing him without cause.” Pearce alleges Ferreri is behind Thelusme’s campaign in an attempt to bump him off the council Pearce and Ferreri have publicly butted heads for years “I’ve been living here for six years and I’ve seen what’s going on and it’s my responsibility to get involved.” Pearce said his business and financial experience plus his five years on the council give him a leg up on his challenger noting he wants to see a police substation at 301 Swain Blvd to help combat crime and that he also wants to see an economic development position created in the city’s planning department said she’s not running because of council controversies “We need to grow and to bring more businesses in here should host more festivals and needs to do a better job of marketing itself “They keep saying we need a budget to have someone come in and work on a social media website but you can get a high school intern to do that,” Willey said He said this is only the fourth time since he was elected in 1998 Noble said he wants to run again to prevent the council from being “negatively transformed,” a reference to Pearce “We have three council persons who completely control the council,” he said.