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7 August, 2023 2 2 Comments

The Heat Is On

August 7, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 2 Comments

Reminiscent of our politics. Locked in combat, where all “sides” lose.

Congratulations you have just experienced and survived the warmest month in the history of the world.

Yep. It’s in hot out there.

The ocean temperatures off the coast of Florida have reached hot tub levels.

We are using phrases like “ heat dome”, a description I had never heard before this year but now you can’t turn on the news without hearing those words.

I don’t know about you, but I find the situation daunting.

I’m writing this from the comforts of Southern Maine, where this morning the temperature was 58 degrees.

I’m here for a few weeks in large part to escape the heat. After 36 years living in South Florida, the heat and humidity have officially gotten to me. I don’t like it.

I’m fortunate to be here, and I certainly don’t mean to rub it in, but I am beginning to believe that all of us in our own way will be doing what we can to avoid the heat.

I think we will look back on the summer of 2023 as the year where climate change became real for a majority of people who are experiencing what it means and how it will impact our lives.

I’m hearing reports of local businesses altering hours because of strained A/C systems and watching the comments from friends on social media about their frustration with day after day of 100 plus degree days if you consider the “heat index” the final word, and I do.

Yes, 2023 is the year we will look back on.

But what will we do about it?

That’s always the question isn’t it?

Here in Maine, there is a big push to install heat pumps to get homeowners off heating oil.

They are talking about an influx of residents from warm weather states, climate refugees moving here to avoid the heat.

There is worry about the heat here as well, with Portland recently setting a few records.

Maine may grow in popularity as a result of the changes we are seeing.

But for places like Florida and Arizona, the heat poses a threat to future economic growth.

Futurist David Houle recently caused a stir with a series of predictions about Florida’s future which used words like environmental collapse, and mass migration out of the state.

Houle himself is moving from Sarasota to Chicagoland, in part to escape the heat and what he sees as a toxic political environment with leadership putting their own agendas above the state’s welfare.

While Houle is a highly respected futurist, I think some of his predictions may be a bit overblown. But only a bit.

Our climate is a challenge.

I’m a great believer in innovation and in humankind’s ability to adapt.

But the first step toward solving a problem is acknowledging you have one. The second step is working together to find a solution.

Right now, we are doing neither.

Sigh.

In Freeport, Maine LL Bean has a flagship store with a rather sad but fascinating display. The exhibit is called “The Final Charge” and it features two bull moose whose antlers became entangled. Sadly, the moose died and now these majestic creatures are preserved by taxidermy for shoppers to gawk at.

Honestly, I find it sad and emblematic of what happens when opponents fail to compromise. Both sides starve. And both sides die.

And that’s where we seem to be these days on so many issues large and small, including climate change which I believe is the biggest issue of all.

But maybe just maybe we will find a way to work together to save our planet.

The heat of 2023 may just be the tipping point that spurs action and innovation. This record setting summer—still burning on- is just the beginning.

We’ve been warned and warmed. It’s time to do what we can to save the only home we will ever have.

[Read more…]

17 July, 2023 6 6 Comments

Honoring A Special Friendship By Seeding The Future

July 17, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 6 Comments

Carl DeSantis and Jerry Kay in NYC circa 2018.

Longtime friendships are magical.

They feed our souls and enrich our lives. And sometimes, when they are really special, they enrich the lives of others.

When I see old friends, my mind instantly scans the years. I can still picture my buddies as young men, with everything in front of them. Of course, we are now 40 and 50 years older, so the “boys” are well into middle age or dare I say it: old age. As my friend Scott reminds us: how many 116 year-olds do you know?

He’s right, but we aren’t old—yet. Hopefully, we will get there. Together.

Regardless, as we age, I can still see the boy in every face. I know their laughs; I know their voices and their expressions. I still see the 8-year-old and the 18-year-old when I talk to the 58-year-old.

It’s oddly comforting.

Once again, old friends are top of mind.

Recently, the foundation I’m involved with—the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation—honored a special friendship between our namesake and his best friend Jerry Kay, who passed away suddenly in March.

Below is the story.

It’s a good one and I wanted to share it because friendship is one of life’s biggest blessings.

Many of us at CDS International Holdings—where I work—got to witness the chemistry between Carl and Jerry. We relished hearing the stories of long-ago adventures and we happily tagged along as these two gentlemen—who are gentle men—made new memories.

Please enjoy, and if you are so inclined, call an old friend. We never know how long we have left.

Entrepreneur Carl DeSantis’s gift pays tribute to the legacy of his lifelong friend and business partner E. Gerald “Jerry” Kay.

By Debbie Meyers

Carl DeSantis began his entrepreneurial journey in the 1970s by running his home-based, mail order vitamin and herbal supplement company out of his garage in Florida. Meanwhile, up in New Jersey, after years of working with his father in the nutrition industry, E. Gerald “Jerry” Kay became the sole owner of Manhattan Drug Company.

When DeSantis and Kay met, they had an immediate connection. DeSantis’s spark and drive moved Kay to invest in him. DeSantis’s business flourished to become Rexall Sundown, one of the world’s largest vitamin manufacturers, which DeSantis sold in 2000. Kay’s enterprise also experienced growth as he founded Integrated BioPharma, a company which manufactures, distributes, and sells vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products.

Kay died in March 2023, weeks before his 87th birthday. To honor his lifelong friend and supporter’s memory, DeSantis’s foundation has given $1.25 million to establish an endowed scholarship in Kay’s name for students enrolled in a Rutgers nutrition program.

“Since Mr. Kay was a pioneer in the nutritional field, we thought it made sense to support the next generation of leaders in that space,” says Jeff Perlman, a director of the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation. “We researched several programs and were deeply impressed by Rutgers. Since Mr. Kay lived and worked in New Jersey, choosing Rutgers felt right. It’s a wonderful university.”

Laura Lawson, executive dean of the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, says the scholarship will benefit students in the school’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, which is ranked tenth nationally for undergraduate and master’s programs in nutrition. “We are honored that the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation has chosen to memorialize Mr. Kay’s memory through the E. Gerald Kay Scholarship in support of nutritional sciences students,” Lawson says. “This scholarship will help to ease our students’ financial burdens and allow them to develop careers that will support the common good, improving health locally and globally.”

In addition to undergraduate students majoring in the nutritional sciences program, of which there are 150, any undergraduate studying nutrition at Rutgers will be eligible for the scholarship. This includes students in the School of Public Health and the School of Health Professions.

Perlman says the DeSantis Foundation created this scholarship as homage to Kay, someone who gave DeSantis years of joy and friendship. Their friendship took them on travels and adventures all over the world. Their professional relationship endured, and they were advisers to each other’s businesses for decades.

“The common thread for both men was entrepreneurship—they were always discussing ideas for new businesses, new products, new packaging, and exciting marketing campaigns,” Perlman says. “As much success as they had, they never stopped dreaming. For them, it was less about financial success and more about the process and whether they could create something consumers would benefit from. It’s inspiring to be around that kind of passion because it is so rare.”

They ultimately were passionate about supporting good health. “Health and nutrition are inextricably linked—you can’t have one without the other,” Perlman says. “Since health is so important to a good life, the advancement of nutrition is essentially an investment in people. We’re hoping that the next generation can be as innovative as Carl and Jerry have been so that we can improve the health and quality of life for people all over the world.”

Kay’s daughters, Christina Kay and Riva Sheppard, continue to follow the family’s vocation as executive officers of both Manhattan Drug Company and Integrated BioPharma, which are based in Hillside, New Jersey. “My dad was a dedicated family man,” Christina Kay says. “Family also included the staff present and past at the company and great friends he met during his 60-plus years in the business. He loved life and went to the office every day, even if just to say hello to Riva, me, and his work family.”

Sheppard adds, “Our family is honored, especially our mother and his wife, Heidi Kay, that his name will be remembered for years to come through the E. Gerald Kay Scholarship. Our father—a man who believed that a balanced lifestyle is key to longevity—would have been thrilled that many will be given the opportunity to pursue their interest in the industry that he dedicated his life to along with his best friend Carl.”

10 July, 2023 2 2 Comments

The Power Of The Tribe

July 10, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 2 Comments

Catch the magic every Wednesday morning.

Do you watch Delray Morning Live?

The 30-minute show is on Facebook and YouTube and you can watch it every Wednesday at 8:30 a.m.

If you miss it, you can catch the archived version and watch at your convenience.

I like to have it on while I work. I find the show—hosted by Amanda Perna and Jamael Stewart— to be fun and informative. Amanda and Jamael are terrific hosts—as good as any pair you’ll find on the networks—and they have great chemistry.

I was watching recently and was struck by the comments made by one of their guests Tim Charron, a singer-songwriter who lives in Delray. Mr. Charron is what they call a multi-hyphenate: he sings, he writes, he runs a booking agency etc. etc. He’s a talented and busy man.

Anyway, what struck me were comments about living and working in Delray. He talked about how the city is attracting creative people who like the vibe of modern-day Delray. He also said the best thing about Delray are the people who live and work here.

“I found my tribe in Delray,” he said.

How cool is that?
His comments stayed with me and got me thinking.

I know many people who can say something similar. They moved here and found their tribe. In other words, they found community.

You can’t put a price tag on community because it’s priceless. When you find your tribe, you’ve found your home and when you’ve found your home it’s a big moment in life.

A few years back, the author Peter Kageyama came to Old School Square as part of a lecture series. Mr. Kageyama wrote a book called “For the Love of Cities.”

It’s a great book. The premise is simple but profound; if you create a place that people love, you’ll succeed. If cities engage in a relationship with their citizens, and citizens begin to consider their emotional connections with their places, we open new possibilities for social and economic development by including the most powerful of motivators—the human heart.

That makes a lot of sense. Because when you fall in love, you commit and when you commit, magic happens.

Tim Charron seems to have fallen in love with Delray. Many of the guests on Delray Morning Live feel the same way and the hosts themselves are big-time cheerleaders for our village by the sea. There’s value in what they do—because positivity builds civic pride which is a very powerful asset; maybe the most powerful asset a city can have.

I’m also intrigued by the group Friends of Delray, which has done a dozen or so video podcasts covering a variety of subjects of importance to our community. The podcast—available on You Tube—keeps getting better and better. The latest edition focuses on micro communal housing, which seeks to solve a pressing issue, where to house people making less than $35,000 a year. One in five people in Delray fit in that category.

Kurt Jetta, who has a doctorate in economics, is the entrepreneur seeking to tackle this challenge. I’ve gotten to know Dr. Jetta and had the privilege of touring one of his micro communal housing projects on Northwest 5^th Ave. I was struck by his passion, his analytical mind, and his commitment to Delray Beach.

Again, another talented person attracted to our community and its possibilities.

I don’t want to end this upbeat blog with a negative sentiment, but the other idea that occurred to me after I watched the Friends of Delray podcast and Delray Morning Live was the notion that our often toxic politics doesn’t match our reality.

Recently, I got a text message from a friend from my old political days saying she would rather “eat nails than work again in Delray politics.”

Yikes.

But I get it.

Still, even on this front there’s good news. The recent March election may have ushered in a new era of civility, collaboration and civic engagement that has been missing for quite some time. The operative word in that sentence is ‘may’…it may have.

Civic engagement is a muscle that was once strong in this town, but it has atrophied from a lack of use; too many people have been made to feel marginalized.

We need to bring visioning back, we need to involve citizens in the great challenges we face: housing, climate change, how to provide services efficiently, education, economic development and the list goes on. I believe the city commission believes in citizen engagement, transparent decision making and the power of building community. Now they have take actions that support all three of those pillars.

There’s promise in the air and everywhere I go people are talking about the new energy, the lack of fear and the possibilities of returning to what we used to call the Delray Way, which simply meant we listened to each other, worked to involve the community and valued compromise. Not exactly rocket science, but it built a town that attracts a lot of cool people.

We veered from that simple formula, and it has cost all of us, a whole lot. More than can be quantified. But it didn’t kill the town. Delray has changed, so has everything. It’s a different world. But the heart still beats.

Still, progress and positivity require effort and vigilance. More people need to be engaged. More people need to vote. The low voter turnout in Delray is embarrassing and does not reflect a healthy and engaged community. Our politics should reflect our town. It used too…it can again.

Yes, there’s lots of work to do.

Building community requires effort and passion. But it’s worth it.

I see a lot of green shoots sprouting all over town: there’s the Concours D’ Elegance car show run by Max Zengage, a young man on the rise. There’s Community Greening, a non-profit, planting trees all over town and there’s the EJS Project mentoring our children and hosting a Community Block Party enjoyed by many.. I also see artists and entrepreneurs finding a home here. They and others know that this is a good place to invest their time, money, and passion.

And if they don’t stop believing…anything is possible.

26 June, 2023 4 4 Comments

Protecting A Special Culture

June 26, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 4 Comments

Delray Citizens for Delray Police co-founder Perry DonFrancisco has been supporting our local department for decades.

I’ve been fascinated by the Delray Beach Police Department since I discovered this town in 1987.

I’ve seen a lot of legendary officers come and go, personally know 8 of the 17 people who have served as chief and spent many hours on “ride alongs” which taught me a lot about the city that has been my home for 35 years.

There was a time when I knew most, if not all, the police officers in Delray. Those days are long gone.

I’m no longer current, but I still feel connected to the department and take great pride in supporting the men and women who risk their lives every day to protect and serve.

Diane and I went to the 18^th annual Delray Citizens for Delray Police Awards Banquet at the Opal Resort recently and we had a great time. My company, CDS International Holdings, is a regular sponsor, because we believe in supporting the men and women who make our town safe to live, work and play.

The annual banquet recognizes the outstanding police work being done in our community and in a world where law enforcement can go unrecognized or worse, it’s nice to see an organization take the time to honor public servants.

As a result, we saw a rookie honored for his work protecting us from drunk drivers and learned about a detective who solves crimes at an impressive rate (he happens to be the son of a retired captain).

We also got to hear from Chief Russ Mager, someone I have known for years. It’s nice to see a home-grown leader climb the ranks to lead an organization that has done so much for Delray Beach.

Readers of this blog know how much I respect our Police Department. I believe– in my bones— that their hard work made it possible for Delray Beach to turn the corner and make a municipal comeback that has turned heads from coast to coast.

When I came to Delray Beach in the summer of 1987, it was a very different city from the one we enjoy today.

Downtown was down and out…the crime rate was awful and entire neighborhoods were open air drug markets.

As a young journalist, it was fascinating for me to shadow detectives, observe midnight warrant sweeps and follow the Tact Team (known on the street at the “jump out crew) into crack houses where I saw all sorts of crazy things—senior citizens held hostage by dealers who used their homes for cooking crack, people who burned off their fingertips holding pipes and kids as young as 7 used as “look outs” to spot the cops before they could disrupt drug sales.

I was reminded of those days recently due to the news coverage of Duane Owen’s execution June 15 for the brutal murders of Karen Slattery, a 14-year-old babysitter and Georgianna Worden, a 38-year-old mother of two who was slain by Owen in Boca almost 40 years ago.

I saw archival footage of detectives I knew, and I saw recent interviews with the officers tasked with finding and ultimately taking Owen off the streets. I was reminded how special these officers were, how invested they were in solving the crime.

Indeed, several of the now long retired detectives travelled to north Florida to support the Slattery family.

There was Lighthouse Point Chief Ross Licata standing behind Karen’s sister at a post execution press conference, flanked by retirees Bob Stevens, John Evans, Jeff Messer and Scott Lunsford. Seeing these fine and brave men standing side by side with Karen’s sister, herself now a Deputy Sheriff in Monroe County reminded me of how lucky we are to have such a high caliber department.

Chief Licata was a detective in the 80s when Karen was murdered. He remained close to the family and served as a mentor to Karen’s sister who was in the 5^th grade when the tragedy happened. He and other Delray officers inspired her to become a law enforcement officer. Isn’t that amazing?

Out of unspeakable horror comes the gift of care and concern.

I saw my old friend Rick Lincoln interviewed on Channel 5. He was a detective assigned to the case and it left an indelible mark. He talked about Delray in the 80s as a place that had its share of violent crime, but nothing like what he saw when he was called to the scene of Slattery’s murder.

Rick would rise through the ranks in Delray and become interim chief before becoming number two at the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and chief in Lantana. He was a fine officer and a good man who taught me, a young reporter, some of the ins and outs that I needed to do my job.

Little did I know that one day, those lessons learned “riding along” would help me as a policy maker in Delray.

I came to the job of commissioner and then mayor with relationships with the men and women who were on the front lines of making our city safe for investment and progress.

So, walking into the doors of the Opal Grand and seeing retirees I knew and admired—Ralph Phillips, Tom Judge, Tom Tustin—and learning about the accomplishments of current officers felt good.
We are in good hands. And that means a lot to our quality of life.

I was also thrilled to see four city commissioners in attendance, as well as a county commissioner. It’s important for elected officials to support our officers, important to show pride in their work.

As I mentioned, I don’t know many officers these days. But I still feel connected to our Police Department… Fire-Rescue and City Hall too.

The Police Banquet is a connector. I hope you go next year. You’ll be glad you did.

19 June, 2023 9 9 Comments

The Challenge Of Our Times

June 19, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 9 Comments

The bar is high for home buyers and renters.

Editor’s note: Today we mark Juneteenth. Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining June and nineteenth, it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order by Major General Gordon Granger proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas on June 19, 1865.

Recently, I bumped into a friend who runs an essential government agency.

I asked him how things were going. He sighed. It was a loooooong and loooooud sigh.

“I’m understaffed and the staff I have is underpaid,” he said. “Workers can’t afford to live here anymore. We’re doing the best we can, but it’s hard.”

Then he mentioned a news story that broke that morning. He quoted from it, and I was stunned.

Here’s the synopsis from the Sun-Sentinel:

“Renters in South Florida need to make over $100,000 in order to rent comfortably in the tri-county area, according to a new study.

In order to avoid paying more than 30% of their income toward rent, the average household would need to make at least a yearly income of $112,183 to afford the typical rent in South Florida, the study conducted by researchers at Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University and University of Alabama revealed.

“So, if you make less than $112,000 and you live in the average rental place, you are rent burdened,” said Ken Johnson, real estate economist at Florida Atlantic University. “It shows how unaffordable housing is.”

For those making $67,310.30 and under, they would be considered “severely cost burdened,” or dedicating at least 50% of their income to rent.”

Yes, I know things are rough out there. I have kids who pay big time rent—more than my mortgage for far less. Buying something— even a small condo— seems like a pipe dream for a whole generation.

Still, the figures jumped out at me; $112,000 is a big-time salary. How many workers make that kind of money—even if they are married, have a roommate or a significant other?

New teachers in Palm Beach County make $49,133; that’s among the top starting salaries in the state and it doesn’t buy you much. But wait, it doesn’t get better. If you have a master’s degree you can make a whopping $52,133 to start, and if you have a doctorate the salary balloons all the way up to $55,133.

So where do these essential workers live? What about police and firefighters? How about nurses? Retail workers, restaurant staff? What about the people who keep your A/C running, fix your car, patch your roof, or work retail?

What about our children who go off to school and want to come home and begin their careers in Boca or Delray?

Sure, we can blame “greedy developers” for building luxury housing, but what do we think happens when land in east Delray costs between $10- $12 million an acre (not a typo) and buyers are willing and apparently able to pay well over $1,000 a square foot for condos anywhere near downtown. Even out west, where it used to be affordable, prices have soared for renters and buyers.

Add to these powerful —and very real— market forces the lovely philosophy of NIMBYism; which is the knee jerk opposition to every development project that comes before your local council or commission; regardless of whether they meet land use rules.

In addition, the cost of construction has escalated thanks to inflation, and the long approval process found in most cities adds costs as well/

It’s no wonder that Palm Beach County is said to have a net deficit of 20,000 housing units.

But wait a minute, didn’t voters pass a $200 million housing bond in 2022?
Yes, they did. And that equates to $10,000 in gap financing per unit, which while helpful, is a pittance in the scheme of things. There are other issues with the bond, but that’s for another column.

Regardless, there’s no question we have a problem. It may be the challenge of our time, because housing is not a nice thing to have, it’s essential.

As a result, there are some efforts being made.

The state has passed legislation seeking to override local zoning rules and add more housing. I’ve talked to several developers and their views are mixed as to whether units will be produced because of the legislation.

So while the state may have good intentions, if we want to see action, we will have to act locally.

But first, we must decide that we want to solve this problem.

There are people who don’t want to do anything, in other words they are in the boat so pull up the ladder.

We’ve all seen the opposition to apartments and other multifamily housing. The most recent Delray election was about Old School Square and whether candidates were for or against adding places to live for people who work in our community or nearby.

Others acknowledge the issue but feel that it should be solved by someone else—namely another city.

I am not in that camp.

In fact, I am passionately not in that camp. I believe that the people who serve our community should be able to live here. I also believe that if they were given a chance to live here, they would enhance our community by volunteering, voting, paying taxes, supporting local businesses etc.

As for density, it shouldn’t be a dirty word. It’s a more nuanced conversation than labeling it either good or bad. And we need to have that conversation because without adding to our supply, prices will continue to soar, making it hard for essential workers to get traction in our community. That hurts families, businesses, and all of us who rely on services, which is everyone.

It’s about design, not density, my friends. We learned that during the dozens of conversations and workshops we had during the downtown master plan sessions 20 years ago. Then we promptly forgot those lessons.

I know, I know, traffic, there’s too many people living here etc. etc.

Well, here’s my response: can we talk about it? Can we attempt to analyze the situation and craft policies that make sense. Can we use data and get past the tired mud slinging around this important issue?

We must bring planning back.

Visioning too.

Of course, we should not overwhelm our local infrastructure and we must consider mobility.

We should not allow tall buildings downtown. We should insist on quality design and plan, plan, plan.

But to say nobody can live here unless they can cough up tons of money ignores our need for nurses, teachers, restaurant workers, police officers, firefighters, service workers etc.

It’s the law of supply and demand.

Limit supply and watch prices soar. We happen to live in a desirable place, so there’s demand. We do need to make sure that our community has a place for the workforce to live, otherwise we become a playground for the rich.

As for traffic, I would argue that much of it is created by a workforce that has to drive long distances to get to their jobs in our coastal cities.

I live just off Lake Ida Road. When the 284-unit Delray Station was approved, many of my neighbors were concerned that Lake Ida would be gridlocked.

I can understand the concern because getting across Lake Ida Road between 7:30 and 8 a.m. is the most dangerous part of my day— during the school year at least. Now it’s easy.

But I’ve made it a point to go west to see how many cars are leaving Delray Station at “rush” hour. I’ve never seen more than 2-3. This morning there was one car.

These days people may work remotely, or they work a hybrid schedule, or they work staggered shifts.

Delray Station has not added much to Lake Ida’s traffic woes. It’s commuters not residents who are clogging our roads.

By the way, a one-bedroom at Delray Station can be yours “from” $2,550, 3 bedrooms are $3,428. It’s not inexpensive to live off I-95 and Congress either. They are very nice apartments but that’s a lot of money.

When it comes to development, we get emotional and it’s understandable—to a point.

Again, we should never mess with height limits downtown; our scale is our charm. But we need to figure out where our workforce can live. And we don’t have the luxury of saying, “the heck with that, they can live in the Everglades, or in Port St. Lucie, or in Boynton Beach or Lake Worth Beach.”

We should want the people who serve this community to be able to live in this community.
Back in 2005, the original Congress Avenue plan strived to address this issue. That’s right, 18 years ago, there was already a housing affordability crisis. The plan allowed for a mix of uses on the Congress corridor, to take pressure off the downtown, build the tax base, and give workers an opportunity to live in Delray Beach. Traffic was a consideration and road capacity was studied. It was determined that Congress could handle additional development. It still can.

The Bexley Park neighborhood (the city bought the land and put it out to bid for workforce housing), the creation of the Community Land Trust and other initiatives were also attempts to create opportunities for workers and families. Good efforts all—but not enough to meet either the need or the demand for housing.

So where do we go from here?

I would suggest a visioning process, in which we as a community, sit down and have a conversation that allows for emotions but makes room for facts.

It is time to have a serious discussion about housing. The problem won’t be solved overnight, and market forces are strong. But if we continue to restrain supply, we will continue to have a problem. Mobility needs to be a big part of the conversation, not to mention water and environmental sustainability.

Sprawl is not the answer to any of these concerns, nor is paving over what’s left of the Ag Reserve.

Again, we should want the people who serve this community to be able to live here. As someone recently said, “if your barista can’t live within 30 minutes of the coffee shop, you don’t live in a community, you live in a theme park.”
Same for police officers, firefighters, nurses, teachers, servers etc.

Delray has always prided itself on tackling challenges. This is a big one, but pretending it doesn’t exist or hoping that a neighboring community will solve our needs won’t work.

5 June, 2023 2 2 Comments

If You Tell A Lie Big Enough…

June 5, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 2 Comments

Connections and landmines.

Last week, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy did something extraordinary.

He issued an advisory, warning the public that social media is doing “harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.”

The advisory—19 pages in length–noted the effects of social media on adolescent mental health were not fully understood but there are ample indicators of “profound” risk.

According to Axios:

“Nearly every teenager in America uses social media, and yet we do not have enough evidence to conclude that it is sufficiently safe for them,” Murthy wrote. He argued that kids have “become unknowing participants in a decades-long experiment.”

The surgeon general’s report focuses on the impacts of social media on teens and kids—both positive and negative—and the attendant health risks. The report outlines two types of dangers associated with social networks: content-related problems, such as negative self-image or bullying, and use-related problems, such as poor sleep and addiction.”

My kids are older, but I have friends whose children are teenagers, and they see a difference. Often, moods are dictated by what’s happening online.

Like 3 billion people worldwide, I’m on Facebook. Like 2 billion, I log in every day. I enjoy keeping up with distant family, old friends, former teachers, college classmates and people I used to work with. I try to avoid national and local politics although I do glance at some of the “groups” that post about Delray Beach and Boca Raton. Sometimes, I learn about a new business opening and sometimes I shake my head at the rampant misinformation and relentless negativity I see about all things local.

If you didn’t know better and just relied on Facebook for local “news” you would think that Delray is a hellscape. It’s not.

As for posting, I look at Facebook as an online memory book. I post this blog, pictures of my pets and scenes from our travels. I like looking at them again years later in a memory app I have. I’m reminded that life is more about moments than milestones. Facebook is a good way to capture some of those moments and share them with friends.

But I understand why social media is risky for kids. I also believe it’s a risk for adults and a peril for communities as well.

Why?
Because it’s easy to bully people online. It’s also easy to spread misinformation.

I come from the stone age of technology. I served on the Delray Beach City Commission in the years before social media. We did get a ton of e-mail and we did experience a fair amount of misinformation spread via email, pamphlets etc., but the power of social media goes way beyond anything my colleagues and predecessors had to contend with.

Prior to email, if you were angry at a decision, you had to type a letter, print it out, find a stamp and mail it. It took a lot of time and effort. Or you could pick up the phone and vent. But it was hard to misinform a great deal of people easily.

In my era, we had a woman that went door to door in The Set claiming the city was going to use Eminent Domain to “take” their homes when in fact, our Downtown Master Plan outlined strategies to encourage “development without displacement.”
It turns out the spreader of the false info was a realtor, who really wanted people to sell their homes to her quickly before the city came and “took” them. We pushed back with a public information campaign when we heard from scores of people who were frightened about being displaced.

I remember a long-ago Father’s Day when our commission was forced to respond to hundreds of emails because a political opponent claimed—falsely—that we were going to eliminate the words “village by the sea” from our city’s plans and visions. We answered every single email; it was not a fun day.

Today, the ubiquity of social media allows misinformation to flow instantly to thousands of people. It’s a huge challenge for elected officials.

Of course, social media also can inform and present facts, but for some reason as Mark Twain once said: “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.”

Such is human nature.

Social media is here to stay, I believe. Although personally, I’ve noticed my own use diminishing and I hear others tell me the same. Like many things, it has gotten too divisive and too ugly.

I don’t have any solutions to the Surgeon General’s concerns, other than standards. We need standards. Not government imposed standards, but good old-fashioned standards of decency. We seem to have lost the thread. We seem to reward bullying and vulgarity.

In search of inspiration, I often turn to people I admire.

Last week, I watched a State of the City speech given by a man who many consider to be the best mayor in America—Jim Brainard of Carmel, Indiana.

Mayor Brainard has served 7 terms in office and is widely credited with transforming Carmel into one of the best small cities in America. Look up his record and read up on Carmel, his accomplishments are astonishing.

This will be his last term so I thought I would check out his 2022 State of the City speech to see what he’s learned. I think he might have one more speech scheduled, but this was his latest.

Here’s a link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK1_d7vuI0w

If you love cities, you’ll find yourself listening to the whole thing. But if you don’t have the time, fast forward to the 27-minute mark and listen to what he says about civility and compromise. Listen to what he says about sitting down respectfully and working things out with those you disagree with.

That can’t happen on Facebook, which is instantaneous, sometimes anonymous, and always done in a vacuum without having to face the person you differ with.

What Mayor Brainard says isn’t some Eureka concept and he’s a bit of a dry speaker, but his advice is profound. It’s common sense, which come to think of it, isn’t that common these days.

Those with whom we disagree are people, they aren’t enemies. They just see things differently. So why not sit down and compromise? Why not set a standard for your community and make it a safe place to serve and debate?

I’m not naïve enough to believe there is no evil in this world. There is plenty of it. And those people cannot be reasoned with. But most people aren’t evil and that’s where we must start, with those willing to sit and listen.

29 May, 2023 4 4 Comments

The Four Freedoms

May 29, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 4 Comments

On this Memorial Day please remember that some gave all.

I’ve been watching the debt ceiling debate for months now.

Most people, I suspect, have been focused on this for a few weeks, but I’ve been concerned for a while because I’ve learned (the hard way) to be wary of extremists—on both sides of the aisle. As Maya Angelou warned us: “when someone shows you who they are, believe them.”

Good advice. Please be forewarned.

We live in an age where norms, values, expertise, experience and even morals are being brushed aside, like lint on your collar. We used to question and challenge assumptions and that’s healthy.

But these days we conclude and we slam our minds shut. We discard, disparage, and destroy.

This is troubling news, but very real. It’s a fever that promises to break us before we break the fever.

So, when I heard rumblings about the debt ceiling months ago, I became alarmed. We have gone to the edge of a cliff a few times with the full faith and credit of the United States at risk only to pull back. But this time feels different to me, I hope I’m wrong, but I believe there are forces who want us to jump off that cliff. I hope there’s really a deal.

But this isn’t a discussion about the nation’s deficit, which is atrocious and embarrassing. Future generations will curse us, of that I am certain. We need to live within our means. It’s just that simple. But we don’t.

Still, this debate is about paying our bills. It’s about not endangering America’s economy and our place in the world.

A responsible government would pay its bills and then immediately sit down and come up with a plan to tackle the debt or at least get it under control. But we are no longer responsible, we are tribal. There’s a difference.

We have become captive to the extremes, and I believe that most of us are not extreme. Therein lies the problem.

We are stuck in a car with reckless drivers and that car is running over the norms, values and morals that built this nation. It’s heartbreaking.

Whenever I get overwhelmed by the gravity of a situation, I seek a change of scenery and the advice of wise counsel. I highly recommend both.

We happened to have a trip to New England scheduled so I was able to change my scenery to that of the Maine seacoast. There’s something about the history of New England, the architecture, the kindness of the people and the lobster that settles you. (Ok, I don’t like lobster, but I hear it’s good in Maine).

When I returned, I checked in with my good friend Kerry Koen for a heart to heart. I wrote about Kerry, our beloved former fire chief (he served both Boca and Delray in that capacity) a few weeks back. Anyway, Kerry loves history as do I. In preparation for our talk, I spent time on the plane reading about FDR’s “Four Freedoms” speech and the Atlantic Charter, written by Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. I also read the 14thAmendment, especially the clause that says the “validity of the public debt, authorized by law … shall not be questioned”.

Pretty heady stuff for a short flight—I’m so glad we bought the comfort plus seats on Delta which gave us an extra centimeter of leg room….

I digress.

The Atlantic Charter and the Four Freedoms speak to fundamental American values. Not Democratic values or Republican values—American values.

The first of Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms is freedom of speech and expression—not just here but everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom to worship G-d in his or her own way—everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want—-which means that everyone the world over should be economically secure.

The fourth is freedom from fear—especially the horrors of war.

Later, in the same speech FDR outlined six goals:

Equality of opportunity for youth and for others.

Jobs for those who can work.

Security for those who need it.

The ending of special privilege for the few.

The preservation of civil liberties for all.

The enjoyment of the fruits of scientific progress in a wider and constantly rising standard of living.

The Four Freedoms served as a justification for America to confront Hitler and his fascist followers. As captured by painter Norman Rockwell, the freedoms were considered values central to American life and an example of American exceptionalism.

Ask yourself, how we are measuring up to those values?

The Atlantic Charter, issued in August 1941, was a joint statement by America and Great Britain which called for no territorial aggrandizement, no territorial changes made against the wishes of the people (self-determination), restoration of self-government to those deprived of it, reduction of trade restrictions, global co-operation to secure better economic and social conditions for all, freedom from fear and want, freedom of the seas, abandonment of the use of force, and disarmament of aggressor nations.

The charter, ambitious and idealistic, was hugely influential and historians believe it was one of the first steps toward the formation of the United Nations.

It’s a monumental document written by serious people trying to save the free world from unimaginable evil.

Values and ideals should be ambitious. They should inspire and move people toward building a better world.

Like everything else, there are local parallels to national and world affairs.

Cities should have visions, values, and ideals. They should be inspiring and exciting to old timers and newcomers alike.

Those visions need to be updated every 20 years or so, if you believe what my good friends Chris Brown and Kim Briesemeister write in their great book “Reinventing Your City.” If Chris’ name sounds familiar, well it should. He was a pioneering CRA director and currently sits on our Planning and Zoning Board. Kim used to run the West Palm CRA. They know their stuff.

Visions are meant to be refreshed, but values and morals are meant to last. Still, even the strongest values are vulnerable to indifference and bad behavior.

Once lost, we enter dangerous seas. We become adrift from our moorings. There’s a reason we refer to a moral compass—our morals should guide us— always.

We hear a lot of talk around these parts about the Delray Way, but I wonder if we have lost sight of what that phrase means.

Here’s what I remember and understand it to be.

When confronted with a problem, we acknowledge the challenge and work together to make things better.

We try to be inclusive and involve the community.

We strive to make the community a safe place to serve, whether we work here or volunteer.

We respect differences, celebrate our diversity as a strength and find ways to move forward. We compromise. We put the community first, above our egos and our ambitions.

I grew up in this town watching people who practiced the Delray Way every day. I watched them revive a dead downtown, I saw them address education , I saw them clean up crime riddled neighborhoods and I saw them take three old and dilapidated buildings on the corner of Atlantic and Swinton and turn it into a community gathering place.

As I reviewed my friend Chris Brown’s book last week, I saw a photo of Old School Square in 1985. It was barren, beaten and blighted. Chris and Kim used the restoration of Old School Square as an example for other city leaders to take look at the assets in their community and make the most of them.

A few hours later, the magic of serendipity occurred. Chris called. We don’t speak regularly, but we do stay in touch. He made a point to call me each month as I recovered from Covid. I make it a point to learn from him when we speak. So, I asked Chris about Old School Square, and he told me that all the redevelopment we saw in Delray—the value, the vibrancy, the excitement—emanated like rays from that site.

As you know, the group that created Old School Square, that shepherded the restoration and more importantly infused the place with the idea of community was booted by the previous commission from the site after 32 years.

The election in March saw candidates who supported the eviction lose to candidates who want to restore the site and heal a community that needs healing.

When a community or a nation needs healing, I would argue the best path is to go back to your values and ideals. If you’ve strayed, you should come home.

We need to go home. We have the compass. Do we have the will and the leadership?

Update

Last week, we wrote about the tragic murders of Karen Slattery and Georgianna Worden and the death warrant signed by the governor for the killer Duane Owen. A day after publication, it was reported that a hold was put on the execution pending psychiatric evaluation.

According to the Florida News service: “Gov. Ron DeSantis temporarily put a hold on the execution of Duane Eugene Owen and ordered a psychiatric evaluation of the death row inmate after his lawyers argued that he may be insane.

Owen, 62, is slated to be executed by lethal injection on June 15. But DeSantis issued an executive order calling for three psychiatrists to evaluate Owen.

According to the order, Owen’s lawyers sent a letter to the governor that included a neuropsychologist’s “recent evaluation” saying that Owen “meets the criteria for insanity.”

Owen was “feeling that he is a woman in the body of a man” and “was trying to fully become the woman he really was,” according to the order, which quoted from the neuropsychologist’s report.

We will keep you posted.

22 May, 2023 7 7 Comments

Reliving Heartbreak; Appreciating Our Officers

May 22, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 7 Comments

Duane Owen at the time of his arrest.

Duane Owen today. Photo courtest Florida Department of Corrections.

The name Duane Owen is back in the news.

If you’ve been around Boca-Delray since the 80s, that name may ring a bell and give you pause.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for the convicted murderer last week and the date for execution is June 15.

Owen murdered Karen Slattery, 14, while she was babysitting in Delray Beach almost 40 years ago. I wasn’t living in Delray Beach back then, but when I arrived a few years later people were still talking about the tragedy and the murder of 35-year-old Georgianna Worden, a mother of two in Boca Raton who was also brutally killed by Owen. The community had been traumatized by the crimes which were savage in nature. Those scars remain.

As a reporter, I got to know Karen’s father Eugene who became a victim’s right advocate and devoted the rest of his life to the memory of his daughter. Mr. Slattery would die in a plane crash at age 58 in June 1989. He was flying a homemade single engine plane when it crashed on Hypoluxo Road just west of I-95. Once again, the community was shocked, but Mr. Slattery’s advocacy lived on.

He had raised $50,000 for a reward leading to the arrest of Karen’s killer. While the reward was never claimed, the money was used to fund the Karen Slattery Education Research Center at FAU. A student at Pope John Paul II High School, Karen’s 1987 class memorialized her by planting a tree in her honor on campus. I think the tree is still there.

I also got to know the detective who worked the case, Rick Lincoln.

Rick was a lieutenant at the time and would rise to interim chief before becoming the number two official at the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office.

Rick would talk about the case during Citizen Police Academies and often referred to it as the worst crime scene he had ever seen.

After an extensive investigation by Delray and Boca police, Owen was arrested. He seemed to delight in teasing detectives with bits of information. He admitted to a flashing charge at FAU and some burglaries but was mum on the murders.

Instead, he would dangle bits of information. He wrote vile poems for the detectives.

“Roses are red, you pigs are blue, if you count up my victims, there’ll be quite a few.”

But the game ended when police found a single fingerprint at the Worden home. Owen was careful, using his socks to cover his hands but they found that one print. He would later be tied to other violent crimes including a rape at a motel in Boca.

Even after the fingerprint tied him to the Worden murder, he refused to admit to killing Karen Slattery. A few days later he finally confessed.

He has spent the ensuing decades fighting the death sentence. Those appeals lasted more than twice as long as Karen Slattery’s short life. Such is the system….

Around this time, I was covering a lot of police stories. I spent hours on “ride-alongs” with our Tactical Team who were battling street-level drug sales in Delray. I also tagged along on midnight warrant sweeps and sat in the back of cruisers while Field Training Officers were working with rookies. I developed a great respect for the men and women in blue.

I also interviewed several criminals including murderers, traveling to prisons all over the state. I made a few attempts to interview Owen, for what in hindsight, I can’t tell you. You are not going to gain any insights, only excuses. You stare into empty eyes.

But I did learn a lot from the cops I came to know. Some were hard lessons about how people can be so cruel to each other. Our police officers and firefighters see so much. But while these images are seared into their brains, they still have a desire to serve and protect.

Why?

It’s not for the money—because they don’t make much, especially if you consider the job they are tasked with. The risks are enormous, the toll is both physical and emotional. The job isn’t getting any easier as we invent ways to hurt each other.

Still, the best officers care…a lot.

Rick Lincoln cared. I admired him and so many others along the way.

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak to a local detective. We talked about how far Delray has come.

I told him what I tell others: the Delray Beach Police Department made it safe for people to invest here and therefore we can thank our officers for Delray’s revival. That doesn’t mean there isn’t crime…there is. But I think we have a great Police Department. A great Fire-Rescue department as well. I feel safe here. Along the way, we made an investment in these departments, and they have served us well. We must continue to invest in public safety.

Still, when I see the mug shot of Duane Owen I am reminded of the evil in this world. I’m reminded of the damage they do to generations. And I am reminded that communities have scars. Eventually we heal and life goes on, but the scars remain. The painful memories linger.

Let’s be grateful for the men and women who devote their lives to ensuring that justice is served.

15 May, 2023 3 3 Comments

A Wake Up Poll, Saying Goodbye To A Special Planner

May 15, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 3 Comments

Scott Pape gets an earful of praise from City Manager Terrance Moore at his retirement party last week. Three mayors, three planning directors and a room full of current and retired city staff came to celebrate Scott’s storied career.

Recently, the Wall Street Journal published a poll that blew people’s minds.

The pollsters asked a cross-section of Americans whether they thought that life for their children’s generation would be better than it was for them.

The answer: no.

Check that: it was heck no.

By a 78-21 percent margin, Americans did not feel confident that their kids would have a better life. One percent didn’t know.

That’s a startling number and as one commentator put it: “the poll quantifies a generational and political divide that shows a rot at the very soul of our nation.”

When you use the word “rot,” good news usually doesn’t follow. Whether it has to do with your house, your marriage, or your nation, you really want to avoid rot.

Here’s what the Journal found.

Asked to describe the state of the nation’s economy, 1% (not a typo) chose “excellent.”
56% said a four-year college degree is “not worth the cost because people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt.”
33% said they have very little or no confidence in public schools.
Tolerance for others, deemed very important by 80% of Americans as recently as four years ago, has fallen to 58%.

The numbers look even worse when compared to Journal polling data from 1998.

Patriotism is very important: Dropped from 70% to 38%.
Religion is very important: Dropped from 62% to 39%.
Having children is very important: Dropped from 59% to 30%.
Community involvement is very important: Dropped from 62 % to 29%.
Money is very important: Rose from 31% to 43%.

Blame it on politics, Covid, inflation or the very wrong decision to end Ted Lasso, but something is amiss in our society.

Patriotism, community involvement and having kids–and believing they will live in a better America— are the core values of our nation.

It’s a lot to grapple with, but grapple with it we must because so much is at stake.

As concerned locals, we should be asking what we can do here in Boca/Delray to address some of these issues?

If you are involved in a college or university, you need to be laser focused on the value you are providing students. Will they get a return on their investment of time and tuition?

I’m happy to report that I think Lynn University, FAU and Palm Beach State are focused on those very questions. As a trustee at Lynn, I’ve been impressed with the focus Lynn puts on providing “hands-on” educational opportunities and making sure students are engaged and getting what they need to succeed. As a private institution, Lynn can pivot and innovate– and they do.

FAU, coming off a basketball season for the ages, is blossoming and serves as an economic engine for our region. Let’s hope the specter of partisan politics surrounding the selection of a new president doesn’t set the school back. If the powers that be recruit a great educational leader in the seat, not a political hack who needs a job, FAU will soar.

Likewise, Palm Beach State is doing a good job preparing students for careers with low-cost certificate and degree programs in fields ranging from manufacturing and welding to construction and marine services.

As for local public schools, this requires a very deep dive.

Delray Beach schools need our care and attention. Our city has a rich history of supporting local schools and it looks like we need to undergo another visioning process to address some pressing issues which includes test scores, graduation rates and declining enrollment at local schools.

We need to empower our Education Coordinator and Education Board to bring the stakeholders to the table so we can find strategies to positively impact local schools. Promising programs to support our youth exist: Bound for College, Milagro Center, KOP Mentoring Network, Roots & Wings, EJS Project and the Achievement Center are good examples. We have a foundation in place on which to build something unique in Delray. It will take a village and a vision to knit these programs together and create a compelling narrative that this can be a learning community

The distressing numbers on community involvement are another cause for alarm.

Some of the lack of interest may stem from cynicism, some may be caused by economic strain and some by the lack of a “community water cooler” (i.e. local news) that once made it easy to find out what was going on in town.

Regardless, there was a time when city government was designed to encourage civic engagement. Virtually every department in the city was focused on getting the community involved.

Examples include citizen police academies, resident academies, police and fire volunteer programs, open houses, neighborhood dinners, neighborhood task teams, charettes, visioning, community reading initiatives, events, festivals etc. There were numerous and varied “connection” points; opportunity upon opportunity to get involved.

It’s never been easy to engage the public, but community building is critical and worth the effort.

The Journal poll was a wake-up call. I hope we answer the alarm.

AMERICAN VALUES BY THE NUMBERS:

70.0%: In 1998, 70.0% of Americans said that patriotism was very important.
38.0%: In 2023, 38.0% of Americans said that patriotism was very important.
62.0%: In 1998, 62.0% of Americans said that religion was very important.
39.0%: In 2023, 39.0% of Americans said that religion was very important.
59.0%: In 1998, 59.0% of Americans said that having children was very important.
30.0%: In 2023, 30.0% of Americans said that having children was very important.
62.0%: In 1998, 62.0% of Americans said that involvement in community was very important.
29.0%: In 2023, 29.0% of Americans said that involvement in community was very important.
31.0%: In 1998, 31.0% of Americans said that money was very important.
43.0%: In 2023, 43.0% of Americans said that money was very important (Sources: NORC at The University of Chicago and The Wall Street Journal, 3.27.23).

Odds and Ends

Congratulations to Detective Charles Lunsford who was named 2022 Officer of the Year by the Delray Elks Lodge.

Charles’ dad Scott was a legendary Delray officer, so clearly the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

Great job.

Condolences to Lt. Gary Ferreri on the loss of his wonderful grandfather Richard Lewis who passed away recently at the age of 98.

In March, Mr. Lewis received the Legion of Honor Award for his service in World War II. The Legion of Honor is the French government’s highest honor. Mr. Lewis saw action in the Battle of the Bulge.

“He was a man that never complained about anything, he literally went through hell and back as he was captured and held as a POW for 4 months in Germany. I have had the honor and privilege to hear many of his stories, about the men he saved on the front line, his time in prison camp, and so much more,” Lt. Ferreri said in a Facebook post.

His grandfather went back to Normandy to walk the beaches last June.

He will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

Recently, Delray lost a local icon with the passing of Bruce Gimmy.

The long-time owner of The Trouser Shop on Atlantic Avenue, Mr. Gimmy was known for his colorful wardrobe and lately for his participation in Delray Fashion Week.

Rest in Peace.

I’d also like to wish a happy retirement to Scott Pape, who spent 37 years—most of them in Delray Beach—working as a city planner.

Scott is not only a great guy, he is universally respected. Known as the “fixer” Scott was often tasked with the most sensitive projects in town—including Ipic and Atlantic Crossing because Planning Directors through the years knew he would be fair, thorough and professional regardless of circumstances.

It’s not easy being a city planner in any city—especially Delray which can be a challenging place when it comes to the public square. But this town has always been known for its outstanding planning department and Scott was a star among stars. We wish him well in his next chapter.

8 May, 2023 1 Comment

Gord’s Gift

May 8, 2023 By Jeff Perlman 1 Comment

Music as medicine.

We interrupt our regular programming to talk about the loss of Gordon Lightfoot.

The Canadian singer-songwriter passed away at 84 last week and I’ve been playing his music non-stop.

Each song perfectly crafted, every song a story, revealing truths that are universal and lasting. And that’s why the music of Gordon Lightfoot will endure.

Music is the most magical art form. The best songs reach into our souls and tap into something deep.

I’ve been listening to a broad range of Gordon Lightfoot’s songs this week, but I keep going back to “If You Could Read My Mind.”
The song was released in 1970 and 53 years later, after countless plays, it still packs a wallop.

In 3 minutes and 49 seconds, Gordon captures love gone wrong, failure, the loss of passion and the pain of being brutally honest. It’s not an angry song. It’s a love song. But he’s letting go and it breaks your heart.

In under four minutes, I’ve taken a ride with a master and the music allows me to better understand my own journey.

If you’ve ever had love and lost it, the song just slays because of its truth and its humanity.

This is what great art does—it touches us, shapes us, defines us, and makes us feel things we’d just as soon bury.

I’ve loved music for as long as I can remember.

But as I grow older, the songs reach deeper, and I find I need them more to help me understand a very confusing world. I am rediscovering old songs, listening to lots of new music and searching for songs that convey meaning.

It’s a happy search and when I find a special song or a promising artist, I want to share my discovery with my wife Diane. It’s like sending flowers that last forever.

My friend Blake shared something on Facebook after Gordon Lightfoot passed. It was from a column written by Bob Lefsetz. Lefsetz is one of my favorite writers because he angers and delights me often in the same piece. Here it is:

“I’m not talking about a performer. I’m not talking about an award-winner. I’m not talking about someone who is rich. I’m talking about someone who learns the basics and then walks into the wilderness, on their own journey, following their own compass, not someone else’s. And it’s got nothing to do with what you look like, but rather what goes on in your brain. AI (Artificial Intelligence) can create something that sounds like the past, but it can’t create something that sounds like the future, after all it’s based on scraping the internet, and the new, the bleeding edge, the breakthroughs are never there. No one can teach you to be an artist. Not even Rick Rubin. Sure, you can be encouraged, but more often you’re discouraged. The odds are too long. Your choices are bad. You’re not that good. But some stay the course and break through. That’s Gordon Lightfoot.

Decades from now people might not know Gordon’s name, but I guarantee you they’ll be singing his songs. Because they contain truth, and for that reason they are timeless. But it’s not only the words, but the changes and the vocals. Gordon Lightfoot had it all. I’d implore you to remember him, but his songs will do the work for him.”

Yes!

Those songs will do the work. They will endure. Mr. Lefsetz captures the artistic process, it’s about finding your voice, sharing insights, revealing truths—even if they are inconvenient, maybe especially if they are inconvenient. This is how we evolve as people.

Art endures.

Art moves us forward or makes us look back and truly see.

There’s so much noise in our world these days…so many distractions.

But art clarifies, explains, and raises questions too. Music enlightens, calms, excites, and touches us. It reminds us of our humanity.

And we need reminders.

“If you could read my mind, love

What a tale my thoughts could tell

Just like an old time movie

‘Bout a ghost from a wishing well

In a castle dark or a fortress strong

With chains upon my feet

But stories always end”

Yes, stories always end. But the music lives on.