Month: March 2013

     We’re proud of our sons’ entrepreneurial spirit, and you are invited to his grand opening!


                               
                                    entrepreneur Tim


     Tim is opening a really cool store, and, as he is a glutton for punishment (like his daddy), his new store is located on the needy
NE 13th Street in Fort Lauderdale. It will be the first new business to open on 13th Street in quite some time!

     You know there has been alot of effort to kick start this long depressed corridor in the City. Just last month we were all out painting murals on some of the buildings.

                

     This month, a real new business – and this is it! ..


           

     It’s called Oddballs’ Nifty Thrift, and the name is just right! It is kind of a thrift store, but not exactly. It has plenty of thrift for sure, but also some collectibles ( slot machine, Indian carvings, Star Wars stuff etc.!)

     It has some crazy $400 things, but also gads of $2 and $5 bargains, and everything in between …..   And it’s already been said that the store has some serious Feng Shui !

    And if you have anything to donate, Tim will be giving half of the proceeds from your donations to the 13th Street Improvement fund… (Tim will also be taking some consignment … call Tim direct at 754-422-7623 to arrange a pick-up).

     And the transformation of the 3000 square feet space in just over three weeks has been nothing short of a miracle.  Here is what the last tenant left for little Tim to fix – 


           

     ……..  So …… you are invited to the grand opening, (and a free cheeseburger!)

      Monday, April 1st ( and that’s no joke!) at 530 NE 13th Street … at 5:30 pm…. The Mayor and Commissioner Trantalis will be there to cut the ribbon!

                        See you there …Tim

    


    

     Just a month back, Commissioner Tim Ryans’ plan to double the size of one of the Citys’ parks was thwarted by former Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom.

                                  
                                        Ryan

     Ryan was trying to move funds from an arsenic laden lot that is on a park-land funding list, and sits to the south of the park. That land can’t be bought due to the arsenic.

     Ryan was attempting to move the funds to a bigger (and cheaper) lot, on the parks’ northern boundary.

      Rodstrom opposed moving the funds from the arsenic lot, and enlisted one of her key supporters, neighborhood President Laura Croscenko, in opposing it.

                                     
                                              Croscenko on right

     
      Days after opposing the park land addition, Rodstrom signs covered that lots’ fencing, reportedly placed there by Croscenko.


            

    
     The campaign is over, but the signs are still there. There is some hope that the land will still become park land, now that a new City Commissioner (Trantalis) has been elected.

      In the meantime, here is how the land has looked for the last few weeks!


           

             ……………  thanks Laura and Charlotte !


     

    

     South Side School …..




     Pictured above is a very old photo of the Southside School. The caption tells how the historic Fort Lauderdale school was built in 1922, enlarged in the 1940’s, but closed in 1967.

    Then it goes on to say that “the City took on the admirable job of restoring it for a community center”.

     Well, not exactly!

     The restoration has been a nightmare…  mold and many millions in overruns later, the original estimate of $4 million (when former
 
Commissioner Cindi Hutchinson  proposed the project) is up around $12 million and counting.


                        

     An update was given at this weeks’ City Commission meeting.
 
         The City Manager called it “the project from deep recesses of lots of places”. Activist Donna Morganhaven called the mismanaged project  “purgatory”.

     Council of Civic Associations President Marilyn Mammano said “we’re in the situation of horrible choices”.

     But the brand new Commissioner, Dean Trantalis, is standing alone in calling for a way out ” I don’t see spending another $2 million on this project” 
                                       

     We haven’t seen the last of this boondoggle!

     
    

     Caldwell Cooper, owner of Cooper Properties, the largest apartment house operator in the city,  is crying foul.

    ……  During the tumultuous political campaign between newly elected Commissioner Dean Trantalis and former Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom, Cooper received this Code Citation from the City.

                
     The notice instructed Cooper to remove the Trantalis political sign he had posted on one of his properties just off Las Olas on SE 2nd Court, saying it was too large.

     He called the Code Inspector, Ursula Thime, to inquire. Cooper said he was surprised when Thime told him the complainant was not other than Charlotte Rodstrom herself!

     Cooper said the “kicker” was that Rodstrom has the exact same size sign just a block away – 

                

     Trantalis gets sworn in as the new Commissioner Tuesday. at 11:30 am.

    

    It’s official now….

           Commissioner Trantalis ….

     And as we celebrate our new Commissioner, we should thank the prior Commissioner  …

                                  

                             Charlotte Rodstrom

      Charlotte worked very hard at the job, and it’s a hard job to begin with ( trust me!) ….

     I hope that Charlotte and John Rodstrom will both volunteer their time now, it will show that they really care, but only time will tell!

                  ……………………………………………..

     And for Dean, a hearty congratulations  …

     

     Good luck to us all !

     …In one of the closest elections in Fort Lauderdale history,

             

         … former Commissioner Dean Trantalis beat former Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom, for the Fort Lauderdale District II seat, by 18 votes …… yes, your vote can count!

     No one, (including me) could call this election…everyone knew it would be a nailbiter  …

     It turned out to be mostly a battle between the wealthiest parts of District II ( that went strongly for Rodstrom), and the blue collar areas, (that went strongly for Trantalis).

             

     The beach area, that essentially was tied in the primary between Rodstrom and Trantalis, went Trantalis this go round, strongly helped by former beach area president Steve Glassman…

     More analysis later ! …

              Tim is happy !


 

     Floated their float!

             


            


            


                   


            

                       A Good Time Was Had By All !

     We’ve been following the progress of the 13th Street Alliance of neighborhoods and businesses, trying to concoct their odd Saint Paddys’ Day float – in time for todays’ parade, for a few weeks now….

     It had been looking dicey, but late into last night something amazing happened! 


             

     A small group of committed volunteers pulled it together –


           

     The way I hear it –  they were so thrilled with themselves that they celebrated a bit too much  …

     Now the question is –

     Can they get the float to the Parade this morning ???

     The political race for the Commission seat in Fort Lauderdale is just a week away …… and the political ugliness has begun!



      You might not think this little Commissioner race is important, but you’d be wrong…..

     There are only 5 people that make the decisions that affect nearly 200,000 people and decide a $600 millon dollar yearly budget, and one of these two candidates will be one of the five!

     The two contestants in the race next Tuesday are both former Commissioners – …Charlotte Rodstrom and DeanTrantalis…….

                           

     
      They once were friends and supporters of each other, but no longer….

     Rough mailers have been sent out and are now in the mailboxes of the super voters!


               

    
    Rodstrom has accused Trantalis in this mailer of being the dreaded  lawyer lobbyist. Rodstrom forgets to mention in the mailer that Trantalis is a lobbyist … but in another City …Wilton Manors!

               

     On the other side, pro- Trantalis peeps sent out this mailer – Queen Charlotte –which highlights the fact that this special election, necessary because Rodstrom vacated her seat just weeks after winning re-election,  is costing the Fort Lauderdale voters $220,000- …. a true fact..

     Expect more negative politics in mailboxes before next Tuesday  …..


    … but just remember, if you live in District II, Fort Lauderdale ….

                           VOTE !
    

                  
    

     The popular Fort Lauderdale St. Paddys’ Day parade is just a week away, and the little float makers of the 13th Street Alliance are scurrying, but are a bit behind!

     Today they got some important float infrastructure done –

 
      

     There is little time left, but they say no sweat, they’ll be ready AND win the $500 best float prize by parade day! … Chutzpa!

     Today, during their float making, they got a surprise visit …..
 
          

     from City Manager Lee Feldman, who snuck up on the float making by bicycle, but declared that all was copacetic!


     Stay tuned to see if they finish the float in time for the parade!