Author: commtims

     Gerry Cooper passed away at 10:30 a.m. this morning…

     His son tells me a celebration of his life will be planned shortly. I will let you know as soon as I get the details……..

     Cooper was one of the most successful men in the history of Fort Lauderdale. 

    

     Gerry Cooper, one of Fort Lauderdale’s leading citizens, is gravely ill and might not pull through.

     Cooper built an empire of rental buildings over the last three decades throughout Fort Lauderdale. He has also served in many volunteer capacities, including the Rotary Club, the Sister Cities Program, the Planning and Zoning Board, and many others.

     Cooper’s son, Caldwell Cooper, choking back tears, told me that his dad is “one tough son of a bitch”, but added that things aren’t looking good.

     Gerry has been battling Leukemia for many years, and is in a undisclosed hospital in the North East, fighting for his life.

     The family asks for prayers for Gerry.

     Meet homeless person Theodore Adams.

                  
                                                             “Mayor” Ted

     I met Ted today in Stranahan Park. One of the City’s neighborhood Presidents called me this morning and wanted to see what all the fuss was about in Stranahan Park, and asked me to take him down for a look.

     We met Ted shortly after arriving. Ted said I should probably remember him from Tent City. Tent City was the open air frenzy of a homeless camp just north of Broward Blvd. and just west ( outside the windows) of City Hall.

     Thankfully, Tent City closed at the end of the 1990’s.
    
     Ted lived there back then and says he was the leader of the pack. He said he marched into the Mayor’s office one day and demanded toilets for the camp. He said former Mayor Jim Naugle just said “OK”, and Ted was shocked to see the toilets being trailered in a few weeks later. He says he became “Mayor Ted” of tent city from then on.

    
      Naugle said OK

     Ted hasn’t been homeless the whole time since then. He was living indoors for awhile, courtesy of the State, for a conviction of armed robbery (Ted says he was innocent).

     Ted’s intelligent. He says he can’t work due to lots of physical problems ( he mentioned diabetes), and can’t get into an apartment,( with first last and security) on his meager $651 a month in social security payments. 

     Ted says there are quite a few like him there. He says there are also many who “don’t want to change”. He says there are also quite a few with drug and alcohol problems. And some with mental problems –  “that’s a whole different story”, he said.

     Ted says if the current Mayor would give him a call, he could fill him in on the situation and a few good solutions. Ted’s phone number is 954-687-3325.

         

     Looks like the Fort Lauderdale City Commission’s latest plan to open a Vagrant Feeding Camp off Sunrise Boulevard is dead on arrival. ( thank God ! )



     The proposal, which passed out of the Commission Conference meeting just yesterday, with Seiler, Rogers, and Roberts in favor of the feeding center, and Rodstrom and Dubose opposing, didn’t last 24 hours.
    
     This morning the building owner apparently balked at the short term lease of 3 months. That detail had been proposed by Mayor Seiler, who favored a short term trial period in case the feeding center had problems.

     This e-mail was received by the Commission this morning from Genia Ellis, member of the homeless task force. Ellis is also member of the Fort Lauderdale Woman’s Club that sits next to Stranahan Park where most of the feeding currently occurs.

…..                     Ellis’s e-mail follows …..

     …..  I flew home to Fort Lauderdale the day after Thanksgiving expecting a thorough groping. 
                   
                       
                                                  arriving in Fort Lauderdale 

     Here’s what happened!

     As usual, I was running late. I was in Georgia at my mountain hide-a-way, and Cindy was chirping at me,  …… “hurry up, you’re late …. as usual ! “  …..

     But as luck would have it, as I sped down the mountain road, a gigantic tree blocked the only way out . I ran back to the cabin and grabbed a chain saw. I zipped, chopped and made mincemeat of the tree, but it looked like I’d never make it in time –

     ….. but what troubled me much more – I was reeking of GASOLINE ! …. there was no time to go back and change. I would have to head for the airport smelling like a human bomb…. 

     People were sniffing me, I was sure….. But somehow, I sailed right through! … No gropes, no grabs, nothing but a nice smile and a “have a nice day!”.

     Not everyone was as lucky though.

                               
                                        they were checkin  ’em from the rear

                                
                                                 checkin ’em from the front

     And then there was the terrorist   …..

                      

     I caught up with him on the way to the gate. He had been checked nine ways from Sunday…. bags opened …  front and rear check-ups  …wanding … bending… anything they could think of  ….  He met the profile! …. 

    …… But he told me it happens to him everytime … then he said ” I don’t care, anything to keep us safe!”  

     Now there’s a good sport !



    

     I watch too much cable TV.

                 
    
      If I see one more goob saying they were sexually assaulted by the TSA, I’m going to scream. I’ve just searched the web, aggressively looking for any groping evidence, any sexual assaults, even a passing grab, but it’s just not there.
 
     Mostly, I found myself feeling sorry for the TSA folks! As I scanned through hundreds of pat down pics, let’s just say I didn’t find myself lusting to grope most of the flying public !

                                   
                                               I bet his buddies rib him bad !

     I did find it strange that the protocols called for a brief prayer prior to the pat down.

                                                     
                                                     Dear Lord, please don’t let my hands stray!     
                                    

     Anyway, you don’t need to place yourself in the danger zone of the totally trained touchers. Just place your privates in the cold, unfeeling machine. 

                                     

     But I get what you’re worried about …..

                                    
                                        does this make my butt look big?

     
     I think it’s crazy –  all much ado about nothing. I could only find one picture that I think crosses the line.

                                                    


                          And I have to fly on Friday !!!!

     
     

    

     While the rest of the Cities and Counties in the United States are placing Term Limits on their elected officials, Broward County seems intent on dismantling theirs.

                                   
                             old picture of the County Commission – one’s in jail,
                                                          at least one other is on the way –
                                                      one was defeated in the last election

     Here is a list of the Term Limit initiatives that took place in the U.S. in 2010. Thirty-four of the thirty- five initiatives passed, most of them with giant margins.

     Judge Naugle has overturned the will of the people, apparently for a handful of unnamed, long – serving politicians.

     On this past election day, when everyone was focused on the coming Republican landslide, Judge Naugle quietly released an opinion that overturned the Broward County Term Limits law.

                                                  
                                                            Carol Lisa Naugle, before being 
               appointed Judge by the Governor, with daughter, husband (you know who), and dog


     It didn’t seem to matter much that the giant majority ( 80%) of the voters believe in, and voted for term limits for their County politicians, (and their City Politicians in Fort Lauderdale).

     Naugle’s ruling was based on an earlier court decision in another County. That verdict said that since there were term limits specifically established for the Governor, State Reps, etc.  in the Florida Constitution, that it must “necessarily follow” that no other Term Limits for County/City officials were allowed…. HUH? 

     Judge Naugle also regurgitated the worn out slogan that “politicians already have term limits, there called elections.”

     So this is how it all went down. Term limits were just about to go into effect.

     Commissioners John Rodstrom and Ilene Lieberman were about to lose their $90,000 a year jobs in 2012. Rodstrom will have been a County Commissioner twenty years, Lieberman sixteen. The mission was clear – overturn the term limits !

     Enter attorney Bill Scherer. Scherer is probably the most connected attorney in our town. He was one of G.W. Bushs’ “pioneers” for raising over $100,000 for Bush’s re-election effort. He served for years as attorney for the North Broward Hospital District and the Stranahan House, and was appointed by John Rodstrom to the Ethics committee. Sheesh! 

     Scherer was supposedly hired by Rio Vista resident William Telli, who, when asked why he was suing to overturn term limits, said he didn’t really know much about it!

                                    

                            Here’s the rest of the story in pictorial form ….

                                                     
                                                   attorney Scherer
                                                                     sues in front of
                                               
                                                
                                                   Judge Naugle 
                                                                  who’s married to

                                              
                                                   
         &nbs
p;                               formerly term- limited Mayor Jim Naugle
                                                     who served with

                                                                   

                                                         
                                           Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom,
                                                       who’s married to

                                                  
                                                       
                               (used to be term limited) Commissioner John Rodstrom
                                                                           who represents the

                                                                   

                                               screwed citizens
                                                 
                                                      

     

    

     Time to come joggin with Jack ….. again ! 

    You missed last month’s “fitness time with the Mayor”,  because you had a dentist appointment, you were going to be out of town, your grandmother was ill, and your dog ate your homework !! So, I’m guessing you will all be available this time!

     Last month we got healthy by walking and jogging and talking (some bicycled) through the historic neighborhood of Sailboat Bend, and finished up with some free cold frosties provided by the Tarpon Bend restaurant in Himmarshee Village.

     Here’s a picture of some of the sweaty finishers ( the Police Chief is the one with the skinny legs!)
 
    
                                                   

     Here’s a picture of how they got sweaty  …. 

                                                    
                                                                                       sweaty Jack !

     OK, so this month’s walk/jog will be along our beautiful Fort Lauderdale Beach front !

                                         

                          Meet on the Sand at Sunrise Boulevard and A1A

                                Monday evening, November 8th
                                7:00 P.M.
                                ( park by the Parrot Lounge- extra parking will be available)
     We will be walking down to Las Olas, where a special treat awaits us ( you’ll have to come to find out!) , and then we slowly jog back to Sunrise Boulevard where Tim Schiavone’s World Famous Parrot Lounge will be there with our reward  ……

                              free cold beer and healthy snacks !

                  ( if you have any questions, call the Mayor’s office at 954-828-5003)  Tim
                               

     13th Street, Fort Lauderdale….. 

     You remember (because I never let you forget!) , that 13th Street, Fort Lauderdale, is trying to make itself over. The street was once a thriving area where Canadian tourists stayed during the winter.

     Then came crack cocaine !

                                      

     Drugs moved in, good folks moved out!

     But it’s finally a new day on 13th Street. The new association, led by dynamo Katherine Barry, are beginning to turn the area around. New owners are buying up the buildings, crime is on the run, and a new government-backed Community Redevelopment Association is in place.

     The street got pricey African sculptures placed in the wide medians last summer, but as with all progress, a small set-back came when a sleeping motorist plowed into one of the sculptures. What was once a $35,000 Zimbabwian sculpture, became a worthless little unrecognizable stub.

     But some good came of it, interestingly, many credit the sculpture with saving the sleeping motorist by stopping her before she headed into oncoming traffic!

                                                           Here’s the little stub

                                                   
                                                                      little stub

      And the association got really lucky also. The motorist was insured by State Farm, who did the right thing and paid for a replacement sculpture.

                                                         Here’s the new one !

                                               
                                                        new cactus head sculpture

     New landscaping and painting of the base comes this week. With any luck, this one stays for a long time!~