May 4, 2009

IN THIS ISSUE

• CJC Celebrates Grand Opening of Lakeside Youth Empowerment Center
• Fair Housing Month Contest Winners
• Assistant County Administrator Honored by League of Women Voters
• Light Harbor Park to Open May 9
• “Cracker” Judge Coming to Vista Center

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CJC Celebrates Grand Opening of Lakeside Youth Empowerment Center

On April 24, officials with the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) celebrated the opening of the new Lakeside Youth Empowerment Center in Belle Glade. The modular facility, located at 227 SW 6^th Street, will serve 13 to 19-year-olds in Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay.

This is the fifth youth empowerment center CJC has opened countywide. The crime-prevention facilities provide after-school programs and activities, tutoring/mentoring, employment services and job training, youth gang-prevention outreach, parenting classes, and a place for teens to do school work or just socialize with friends.

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Fair Housing Month Contest Winners

The Office of Equal Opportunity and the Realtors Association of the Palm Beaches recently honored winners of the 2009 Fair Housing Month Art, Essay and DVD contest. The ceremony was held at the County Governmental Center.

Winners were recognized by members of the Realtors Association, the Fair Housing/Equal Opportunity board, family and friends.

During the ceremony, students had a chance to show off their winning work, which included posters, DVDs and essays. Pictured above are two of the winning posters. The top poster earned first place and was created by Margaret Schuettler of Lantana Middle School. The bottom poster earned second place and is the work of Demorah Avariano of Jeaga Middle School in West Palm Beach.

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Assistant County Administrator Honored by League of Women Voters

On April 18, Assistant County Administrator Brad Merriman was honored during the Palm Beach County League of Women Voters’ annual meeting at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in West Palm Beach.

Merriman, who oversaw the county’s 2008 judicial ballot recount, was a special honoree at the event for “Outstanding Leadership in the Democratic Process.”

Merriman led a massive recount effort after about 3,500 ballots went missing in the Aug. 26 primary race between Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Richard Wennet and challenger William Abramson, an attorney.

“This was an honor for everyone participating in the election process, particularly county employees,” Merriman said. “Running an election is the ultimate team effort and that’s what the county is all about. This was a great example of that team effort.”

Formed in 2005, the Palm Beach County League of Women Voters focuses on nonpartisan political organization that encourages political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government.  The league formed after the merging of the South Palm Beach County and West Palm Beach area Leagues.

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Light Harbor Park to Open May 9

County officials will cut the ribbon to a new park in Riviera Beach on Saturday, May 9 at 9:30 a.m. that will add three new boat ramps and other new boating amenities to Palm Beach County’s park system. Representatives of partnering agencies will also join the celebration, including the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

In addition to the three new boat ramps, Light Harbor Park includes a boat ramp basin with 290 feet of floating staging docks, restrooms, two picnic pavilions, park benches, and landscaping. Seventy-two boat/trailer parking spaces and 20 standard parking spaces were also added along with site lighting.

Displays and other information highlighting recently completed and future boating improvements planned for Light Harbor Park and other county park locations will also be available at the May 9 opening event. Local boaters are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to meet with county officials and staff that will be on hand to answer questions.

Light Harbor Park is located at 1800 Broadway in Riviera Beach, approximately half a mile south of Blue Heron Boulevard. Operating hours will be from sunrise to sunset.           

Please visit www.pbcparks.com for more information about boating and other leisure opportunities available through the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department.

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"Cracker " Judge Coming to Vista Center

Environmental Resources Management will be hosting Judge Nelson Bailey, also known as “Florida’s Cracker Storyteller,” on May 12 at 3 p.m. at the Palm Beach County Vista Center.

Bailey was once listed as the only person in the “Directory of American Storytellers” exclusively for Florida’s history. He frequently performs around the state, sharing his knowledge of the state’s unique history and multicultural heritage. His tales include the Native-American mound builders prior to the 1500s, Spanish explorers and the Black Seminoles of the 1700s and 1800s.

Bailey is also a sitting Palm Beach County court judge for the 15th Circuit Court presiding at the branch courthouse located at the southern end of Lake Okeechobee in Belle Glade. His presentation will be held in Room 1W-47 and 50 in the Vista Center, 2300 North Jog Road in West Palm Beach. For more information, click here: http://www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/erm/pdf/techpresentations/Judge_Bailey_05.12.09.pdf

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