Author: commtims

     Does Fort Lauderdale have Neighborhood Watch programs? We certainly have lots of crime in some neighborhoods, but could we have a shooting death like what happened in Sanford if citizens are out there patrolling?

                       Here’s the deal ……

     The City’s Police Department has a program called Citizen’s on Patrol.

      These are the active citizens in the program ( that’s wife Cindy bottom row, second from right). They are well trained, drive around in City issued old police cars, dress in official looking uniforms,  and are instructed how to call in problems to Police Dispatch. They take additional training to help in accident traffic control.

     They use Police Radios, have to file a report after each outing, and can’t patrol alone. And they absolutely can’t carry any weapons!

     There is no other official citizen patrolling going on that I know of, but one neighborhood is in the process of forming there own Neighborhood Watch Program.

     LakeRidge President Shannon Harmeling (right), and  board member Juliette Rocque have been working with Police Chief Adderley on their new Neighborhood Watch program.

     They say the LakeRidge Neighborhood Watch program will have strict rules.

     1.) The participants will have to be approved by the neighborhood Public Safety Committee  and the neighborhood’s Board of Directors.
  
      2.) They will also have to attend an orientation conducted by LakeRidge and  the FLPD.

      3.) They must do a “ride-along” with a Policeman during the “evening shift”.

      4.) They must attend the Citys’ CERT (Citizen Emergency Response Team) training within a month of being a neighborhood watchman.

               Should the city sanction, or encourage more watch programs like LakeRidges ?

     Do you profile?

     A big issue in the Zimmerman trial is whether or not he profiled Trayvon Martin as a criminal, and that got me to thinking about profiling. Do I profile? …Do you profile?

                                            Let’s play the profile game !

     Look at each picture below. Give me the first word or phrase that comes to your mind. Don’t try and beat  the game…just play it honestly and send your answers into the site as a comment –

                                           ( if you dare ! )

          your answer here

              your answer here

                 your answer here

           your answer here 
 

                    your answer here

                     your answer here

                           
                                                      So, do you profile?

     I don’t often pontificate on matters outside of Fort Lauderdale, but I think I might have some special insight into how this terrible tragedy of the killing of Trayvon Martin  happened.

     You see, I was a neighborhood watch guy.

      Let me start by saying that I don’t believe that George Zimmerman is guilty of murder or manslaughter.  ….. I’ve thought that from the beginning….. And if you’ve never lived in a neighborhood with a lot of crime,  never had to concern yourself with it, I understand why you might not see it this way, but  …

                                    This is my opinion – and here’s how I see it….

                       ………………………………………………

     For almost a decade during the 1990’s, I  spent lots of time with neighbors trying to stop criminals from destroying  neighborhoods. Crime was out of control. We formed anti-crime groups after it seemed the Police were losing the battle with the street criminals. We marched the streets, started bike patrols,  called the press, demanded action. We were mad as hell and were not going to take it anymore!

     The criminals then were mostly drug dealers.  [And yes, there was a racial component then. The dealers were almost all young black men, and the drug addicts (buyers) were most often white guys]. We followed the dealers, (and the buyers), profiled both, called the cops incessantly. 

     We never confronted the dealers, just followed and called the cops. And on a few occasions, the dealers got mad at our meddling into their profitable business and tried to assault us, but we’d back off and call the cops some more.

      I’m glad we did not carry guns.

    In Sanford, Florida, the crime that frustrated the neighborhood was burglary. Even though Trayvon Martin was not a criminal,  Zimmerman thought he was.

      Zimmerman said as much to the 911 operator – these “fucking punks always get away”. So Zimmerman followed Martin, profiled Martin, called the cops on Martin, made sure Martin didn’t get out of his site. None of that is illegal, but it certainly pissed Martin off.

     Martin told his friend on the phone that this “creepy ass cracker” was following him. I think Trayvon  knew that he was being profiled, that Zimmerman was calling the cops on him. But Trayvon knew he wasn’t doing anything wrong.!

      Why should he put up with this dude disrespecting him like that? Why should he go run into the house? He had a right to walk there!

     Then Martin’s anger built, and he did what many 17 year-old males might have done  – set out to teach Zimmerman a lesson….. Got the drop on Zimmerman –  clocked him – climbed onto him, not stopping to think things out.

      Zimmerman was armed, he fired, and the rest is just tragedy.

    

     Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner Dean Trantalis is not happy.

     Here is Trantalis when elected to a three year term just a few months back, beating incumbent Charlotte Rodstrom by just 18 votes.

                       

     But since then, Trantalis has been upset with a number of  positions the Fort Lauderdale Commission has made, and is making no bones about it!

                             

     The latest decision by the Commission that has made Trantalis angry is Galleria Landings.

         

     The proposed condo on the banks of the Middle River passed the Planning and Zoning Board by an 8-0 vote, but Commissioners have a right to “call up” the proposal for review and have the last say.

     Trantalis made that motion at the last City Commission meeting, but could not get any of his fellow Commissioners to second his motion.

     ” I called up the matter because I do not believe the issues of neighborhood compatibility were properly addressed.”  

     ” the decision not to call up [Galleria landings] is nothing less than a mockery of the process, and a fraud upon the people of this city”

     “If the Commission is not listening to the people, then who are they listening to?”

     ” I know the people are on my side”


                            

      Commissioner Trantalis is not happy.

                I’ll keep you informed …. Tim

 

     Okay  …. I heard from some “friends”, that my posting on my medically private business is not what they come to Tim Smith’s Fort Lauderdale  to read about……

     But listen here,  Bob – Bill – Jean- Steve, and Sissy , there is also a political angle to this post ( I’ll get to that in a minute), so take a chill pill and read on……

    
     First there is good news –

     I know, you’re grossed out, but remember, it was me who was on the table !!

     I”m turning 57 and had never had a colonoscopy, and I was overdue.

     And my commenters on the last post were right, it’s the prep that’s the worst. They give you a bucket of sand, tell you to mix it with a gallon of apple juice, and drink ‘er up in a few hours .

.     Roto – Rooter  would be embarrassed by the outfall!
                ………………………………………………..
      Back to Politics –

     I wrote that I was a bit concerned when I saw on the referral document that the doctor on my case was Dr.  J. Noggle.

     Now Mayor J. Naugle was surely a pain in my you know what when I served on the Commission, but still?

     No, it was Dr. J (Joe) Noggle, a great Doctor……

                            ………. and I didn’t feel a thing!

     So, I’m turning 57 next month, and figure I can’t put it off any longer – it’s time for my

                                           Colonoscopy

       ……….  but some of you that follow local politics, or followed my political career ( 1997- 2003)  will find the rest of the news either a tad funny, or a bit disconcerting! (the rest of you can ignore this altogether)  …

            …….the physician at the helm ?

                    Dr. Noggle   …..  no kidding

       ………. should I get a second opinion?

     I love announcing good news , especially  for the 13th Street corridor in Fort Lauderdale.

     For you long time readers, you know we have been working on revitalizing 13th Street  for years – decades!

     Things seem to be really happening, finally!  Things like my son’s crazy fun thrift store, Oddballs, which is doing real well at 530 NE 13th Street –

     Well here’s more good news  ….

     Audi has bought the abandoned and troubled –  4 acre parcel – at 13th Street and the RR tracks , and they plan on building their service and detail center, (and fleet lot) there….. That is the proposed site plan above…

     The company’s local lawyer, Robert Lochrie, says Audi is excited to locate their service center for their new dealership ( which will be at the old Fuddruckers site on Federal Highway) in the oncoming 13th Street corridor.

     He says the building on 13th will have “substantial glass and lush landscaping”,  and the rear of the property will also have a 30′ landscaping buffer for the residential street behind it.

     The 13th Street Alliance Board will review the proposal at their meeting in July!

     I’m betting that they’ll love it – as I do ! 

    Blocking views …..

     I’d like your opinion.

     In our town, every condo, or every building above one story tall, blocks someones’ view of something. And that makes someone very unhappy.

     The latest view-blocking proposal, that passed the Planning and Zoning Board last Wednesday, was no exception.

     It is called the Galleria Landings, and all the speakers said it was beautiful, even the group that opposed it.

                 

              The group that opposed the application before the Planning and Zoning Board were the residents of the condo just to the south, the East Point Towers.

                                              

      East Point Towers was built in the 1970’s, and the irony is that it surely blocked someones’ view went it was built back then.

     Views mean quality of life – and – property values, and I understand why they would oppose the new building next door.  Here is the current view out the window of an East Point Tower condo window today –

                                 

     Residents of East Point have said things like

          .   “the size of the building is truly shocking”
                                    and
                 ” it will become our view”
                                    and
                 ” it is absurdly out of character with the neighborhood”

                   – what do you think?
        

            

    

     It took a village !

     Here are some photos of the resurrection of the Shippey House that took place last Saturday.

     Citizens of all stripes and philosophies came early and worked their hearts out until – voila – see for yourself …….
 
     (all the photos are courtesy of Cal Deal   ……thanks Cal)

        


     In a little over 3 hours, about 75 volunteers   …..


            

     Business people, historical activists, high school students, neighborhood leaders, church people, even  ……

                   

                     
                                        politicians !!!


    The effort took a lot of faith and trust …..

                   

     Caldwell Cooper, (who is donating an all new front porch), almost holding the ladder for me !


     The day finished on a high note ……


                   


      I guess the lesson is that we can save important parts of our past, yet build for the future !