Volume 1 • Issue 5
October 8, 2014
Wilton Manor Candidates Face Off In Debate By Christiana Lilly
Elections are coming up in November, and three neighborhood associations worked together to bring the city’s 10 candidates for mayor and commissioner for a forum. Hagen Park’s community center was filled to the brim, with every seat taken and others sitting against the wall to hear the candidates share their plans to improve Wilton Manors. The forum was organized by the Wilton Manors East Neighborhood Association, Central Area Neighborhood Association of Wilton Manors, and the Westside Association of Wilton Manors. Michael d’Oliveira of The Pelican moderated the forum, organized by members of the three neighborhood associated in Wilton Manors. Each candidate had a one-minute opening statement, answered five questions with two minutes each, followed by a two-minute closing statement. They did not have access to questions beforehand and were not allowed to use their cell phones. 1. Now that the police department is fully staffed, has implemented 12-hour shifts and is funded for license plate recognition system, what is your plan to proactively prevent crime, improve public safety (including homelessness
issues), and enforce the city code and why will your plan work? A common consensus among the candidates was community policing and bike patrols. Lillie Harris, who has more than 25 years of law enforcement experience in Miami, noted that she already implemented a program in Miami two decades ago. “I understand this job,” she said. Uniquely, Doug Blevin said as mayor he would want to participate in a ride along with police officers to understand their job better. Christopher Warnig admitted to having a run in with the police in Pennsylvania and Wilton Manors, but that helped him respect the abilities of the police force. He wants to promote community policing and more community events for residents to get to know officers, an idea that Naomi Ruth Parker also suggested. Sal Torre, president of the Westside Association of Wilton Manors, said that bike patrols have been working well in his part of the city. Boyd Corbin said he wants working cameras in Colohatchee Park, which he called a “sex park.” As for the homeless, there were various suggestions. Scott Newman admitted that the city’s homeless problem is not a one-day fix and that he would like to work with Broward County and the state to get them off the streets and into a decent home. Blevin suggested building an incentive for the homeless to move into other
“Cozy pleasures” & Sense of Community
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Found at Eucalyptus Gardens
By Michael d’Oliveira Tucked away behind Old Florida Seafood House on Northeast 13 Avenue, Eucalyptus Gardens is part commune, part capitalist venture. With its large, open courtyard, lush landscaping and pergolas, it’s also part farm, part backyard. Matias Jurgeit, manager at The Alchemist, the coffee house, calls it a place to “hide from the city.” Said Jurgeit, “Being [back] here, you don’t hear a lot of cars. This is a place where we can disconnect, do some face to face social networking . . . it’s not for people in a rush.” For Danielle Perry, owner of the wine bar and tapas restaurant, Chateau D’vine, it’s a second home. “It’s kind of like you’re coming into my
home . . . it’s just comfortable.” Perry opened Chateau D’vine, her “upscale dive bar,” three months ago after years serving drinks in the corporate world. Her last gig was at the Hyatt Pier Sixty-Six. “It helped me to get this but it was definitely the last straw.” It’s a straw she’s done as much as she can to break. “My walls are pink. They were always going to be pink.” The aesthetics isn’t the only thing that’s done differently though. Next door to Chateau D’vine is Seed of Life, a restaurant that is 100 percent vegan, 100 percent organic and 100 percent gluten-free. If
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