Palm Tran Connection Receives State Awards

 

Palm Tran Connection, the paratransit service of the county’s public transportation agency, recently received top honors at the 17th annual Transportation Disadvantaged Training & Technology Conference.   The event, sponsored by the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged, was held in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.  

 

Palm Tran Connection was recognized as the 2009 Urban Community Transportation Coordinator of the Year as the best paratransit service in Florida. This award is presented annually to the transit agency that has demonstrated outstanding performance, service delivery and cost-effectiveness. 

 

Connection was also presented with the 2009 Innovation of the Year Award for its role in operating The Link, Palm Tran’s route-deviation service. The Link was cited for offering greater mobility options for residents in Palm Beach County in areas where fixed-route service is not accessible, and also for serving as an alternative method of transportation for paratransit riders.

 

In addition, Connection paratransit vehicle operator Hector Pezzuto was chosen as the 2009 Driver of the Year. On April 23, Mr. Pezzuto was driving his route with a passenger on board when he noticed a burning smell coming from his vehicle. He quickly pulled to the side of the road and safely removed the passenger from the vehicle. Within minutes the vehicle was engulfed in flames. His quick actions limited the loss in this emergency situation.

 

The Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged works to ensure the availability of efficient, cost-effective, and quality transportation services for transportation disadvantaged persons. These awards recognize Palm Tran’s services as safe and reliable methods of transportation in Palm Beach County.

ˆ Go to the top of this page

 

 

Mounts Offers Admission Specials

- Admission Fee Waived for First-time Visitors to Mounts Botanical Garden in November

 

“During turbulent times, two things are really important – saving money and treasuring tranquility,” said Mounts Garden Director Allen Sistrunk.     Accordingly, during October, all high school and college students are admitted to the garden free; in November, all first-time visitors are admitted free of charge and in   December, all families are admitted free.

 

Mounts Botanical Garden is a 14-acre display of tranquil beauty and horticultural splendor.  It contains tropical and subtropical plants from around the world, including plants native to Florida, exotic trees, tropical fruit, herbs, citrus, palms and more. As a component of the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service, and through its affiliation with the University of Florida, Mounts is the place to connect with Extension horticulturists, master gardeners, the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program, and professional horticultural advisors.  Mounts also offers a variety of horticultural classes and workshops.

 

Located at 531 North Military Trail in West Palm Beach, Mounts Botanical Garden is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. (It is closed on all county observed holidays.) For more information, call 233-1757 or visit www.mounts.org.

ˆ Go to the top of this page

 

Consumer Trap & Tip:  Wreck Chasers

 

Trap

Margie was driving home and stopped for a red light. The car behind her didn’t stop and ran into her. Although dazed, Margie was able to call 9-1-1 and report the accident. 

 

Within minutes, a man appeared and gave Margie a business card for a body shop. The man said that he could tow her car to the shop, and they would fix it like new. The shop could also waive her insurance deductible! Although still upset, Margie agreed.

 

The next day she spoke with her insurance agent and decided to have her car repaired elsewhere. Margie called the body shop and was told she would need to pay $750 in cash to get her car released. Margie was stunned. How could this happen?

 

Tips

Beware of “wreck chasers” and remember these tips:

• Wreck chasers monitor the police channels with scanners to get to accidents and take advantage of drivers who may not be thinking clearly. They promise discounted rates and savings on insurance deductibles. 

 

• Wreck chasers usually have an affiliation with a body shop that pays them for their services. 

 

• Most law enforcement agencies have procedures to call for a licensed and insured towing company to recover your vehicle safely after an accident. If the law enforcement agency is not under contract with a towing company, the maximum fees are regulated by the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners.

 

• Keep the business card of a local reputable licensed tow company in your vehicle, just in case.  It is a good idea to establish a relationship with a towing company.  Even though you may be a member of AAA, often their tow companies are unable to timely respond.

ˆ Go to the top of this page

 

Consumer Trap & Tip:  Employment Scams

Trap

Ed from Lake Worth saw an ad in the newspaper for a job in corporate finance.  He faxed his detailed resume and personal information as requested to the 800 number.  He received a call almost immediately from a woman who said her company works with many businesses to find employees to fill their positions.  He was told the fee was $495 but would be refundable if he found a job on his own or was dissatisfied with their efforts.   Ed wired the money but never got any interviews and now cannot reach the company. 

Tips

• Be skeptical of any employment service firm that charges first, even if it guarantees a refund.  Obtain a copy of the firm’s contract, and read it carefully before sending any money.

• Avoid grand, unsupported claims.  “We work with major companies” or “We have thousands of jobs” are red flags. 

• Beware of ads guaranteeing employment or offering too-good-to-be-true salaries with no experience necessary.

• Limit personal information on your resume.  Do not provide your Social Security number, driver license number or financial information before a face to face interview and job offer. (Crooks post fake job ads and use personal information to steal money or the identity of the unemployed.)

The following free and low-cost resources are available for your job search:

• All federal government jobs are on http://www.usajobs.gov.

• Federally funded and state-operated Public Employment Service (also known as Job Service) provides Internet access to America’s Job Bank (AJB).  They post vacancies and offer counseling and referrals to other job resources (http://www.ajb.dni.us).

• Local libraries can direct you to information on writing a resume, interviewing or compiling a list of companies to contact.

• These agencies provide more information to avoid employment scams: Federal Trade Commission (http://www.ftc.gov); Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (http://www. privacyrights.org); and World Privacy Forum (http://worldprivacyforum.org).

For more information, contact the Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs Division at 712-6600 (Boca/Delray 1-888-852-7362) or visit the Web site http://www.pbcgov.com/consumer to view company consumer complaints.

Landscaping Tip:  Planting Fruit Trees in Your Yard

 

Many resourceful gardeners grow plants in their gardens that will produce excellent fruit. Fresh dooryard fruit is an economical way to provide great tasting healthy snacks for your family and gifts for your friends.  Why buy fruit flown in from halfway around the world, when you can go green and just walk out your back door and collect your own ripe tropical fruit? 

 

Extension Agent Deborah Levulis recalls the old days of eating local produce.  “When I was a kid my mom would send us and Dad down to the fruit stand to buy local fruit in season by the bushel basket, then she spent days canning those fruits that we enjoyed year round,” said Levulis.  Nowadays, you can dry or freeze fruits for easier preservation or gift giving. 

 

Choose smaller fruit trees that fit simply into your existing landscape or are easily kept pruned to pickable size like juaboticaba, Barbados cherry, grumichama, Key lime, Carrie mango, loquat, pitomba, dwarf bananas or fig.  Plant prolific fruit-producing carambola, also called star fruit, which is a  crisp, juicy and flavorful fruit.  Avocado trees that have more than one grafted variety on them can be planted so you may enjoy avocados nearly year round.

 

The loquats bear two-inch-long yellow fruit January through April; grafted varieties are generally the best. Grumichama are small compact trees that produce purplish-black fruit April to June that taste similar to bing cherries. Pitomba is a small evergreen tree that produces bright yellow fruit May through July. Barbados cherry is another tall shrub or small tree that produces fruit throughout the year; each bright red fruit is full of vitamin C.

 

If you live in a condo and you are interested in growing tropical fruit in a small patio area, consider growing fruit trees in containers.

 

Mark your calendars now to attend the Mounts Botanical Garden Fall Plant Sale Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8 to get the best selection of tropical fruit trees for your yard from some of the best growers in South Florida.  The Mounts Plant Sale is located at 559 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach.  If you are interested in joining the Palm Beach Chapter of the Rare Fruit Council, you can call 514-1846 for information on membership and the council fruit tree sale dates and locations.

 

If you have any difficulty choosing or growing tropical fruits, call the county Master Gardener Volunteer Hotline at 233-1750, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ˆ Go to the top of this page