Month: October 2014

…..    It was  Make a Difference Day in Fort Lauderdale, and we did!

 

There were a few dozen projects around the City today, but here is my story…..

 

….. In my neighborhood, Middle River Terrace, there is a little store on Dixie Highway that we painted a mural on the side of,  20 years ago, and we decided it was time to go back and finish the front!!

 

!

 

About 25 neighbors showed up, starting at 8 a.m. We had the same artist from 20 years ago, Louise Birmingham, sketch out the fishes, and the rest of us filled in ….

 

     …..        

 

…………

 

………….   We took a group shot about half way through the morning ….

 

…….

 

 

…………..  We had our City leaders come out a lend a hand  –

 

 

……..   or just look amazed!   …..

 

……………   Even the neighborhood kids had a blast …

 

 

…….. And, in the end ……

 

……………………………………….

 

We Made a Difference !!!

 

…….. 

………   I just voted, and it was easy as pie!

 

…… You can early vote right now. I was reminded of that when I drove past the Wilton Manors City Hall this morning and saw this sign.

……  And I was impressed. It took me all of 8 minutes, from parking at the free meters, walking in ( they only want to see your Drivers License) voting, and gone.

……. There were voting workers every 3 feet, you couldn’t screw up if you tried. I told the ladies out front how impressed I was and took one of their pictures …..

 

 

…..well, kind of !

 

……As I was leaving, one of the advocates asked me if I voted their way –

 

 

…….   hell yea 🙂

 

 

…..It was the cryptic wording of the Commissioner Dean Trantalis invite that had some wondering.

 

 

…… Just what were those BIG Election Plans? Well, last night it was revealed, at Trantalis’s Big Party!

 

Trantalis greeting me last night

 

……  The announcement was made in a big warehouse in Fat Village, after a nice party that seemed more like a geriatric discotheque than a political gathering!  Loud dance music blared, and the red wine flowed freely –

 

……..   Then Trantalis took to the microphone and announced –    #3  (see previous post for the answer)

 

……… I then was asked to lead a nice rendition of Happy Birthday to Trantalis, that I did happily.

 

 

…… The Commissioner that represents the majority – black part of Fort Lauderdale on the Fort Lauderdale City Commission has been elected to the Florida House of Representatives, and his temporary replacement will be chosen in a few weeks.

 

…..  Bobby Dubose is leaving

 

….. It will only be a temporary appointment, as a permanent Commissioner will be elected next March, during the regularly scheduled elections.

 

The four temporaries in the running are –

 

Barbara Houston Wilson-  a long time area educator that has run for the Broward School Board multiple times – that picture is from those races ( City races are non-partisan) .

……………………………………………………

John H. Hill III, ( no picture available) is part of a family dynasty of business pioneers in NW Fort Lauderdale.  There is a monument to the Hill family on NW 7thAvenue, due to the family’s philanthropic actions.

Oddly, Hill’s mother was once acquitted of killing her husband, ” by reason of insanity”.

……………………………………………………..

 

Robert L. McKinzie Jr., who ran strong, though unsuccessfully for a County Commission seat, is the only one of the four that has announced that he will be running for the permanent Commission seat. Some on the Commission are reticent to choose a candidate for the permanent seat as the temp. The thinking is that it would give the temp an unfair advantage in the March election. I agree!

…………………………………………………………

 

Samuel F. Morrison, (my choice) is a long – time respected community activist, and is best known as the former administrator of the Broward County Library system.

 

……  We should know the outcome October 21st.

 

…… So Commissioner Dean Trantalis sent out an e-mail- invitation to supporters today that has left some wondering …..

Here is the invite –

 

……  I got a few calls and e-mails about the line in the invite where Trantalis  says – Announcing BIG Election Plans –

…..   The calls I got were like “BIG Plans? …He’s running for Mayor isn’t he , come on, tell me Tim!”

Though I do know the answer, I’m not going to ruin Deans’ big  announcement by telling you here! ….  but I’ll give you three guesses- how’s that sound? …..  and we’ll all know for sure Tuesday! Here’s your choices –

1.) Trantalis has been picked by Charlie Christ to be his in house lawyer in Tallahassee?

 

or

2.) Trantalis is running for Mayor?

 

or

3.) Trantalis is running for his District II seat again, and just wanted a little drama ?

 

………………   what do you think?