-
Latest proposal gives new life to Carefree Theater
The Carefree Theater on 2000 and 2100 S. Dixie Highway proudly hosted comedians, movie stars and locals for over 50 years. It weathered a car crash and a hurricane, only to be torn down and forgotten for a decade. Three more years of negotiations left its fate in limbo. Now, 80 years after Carefree Theater first opened as an ice cream parlor, it’s back. . . maybe. Owner of the property Charles S. Cohen had been struggling to come up with a proposal that matched his vision and satisfied community standards. But the leaders and locals who came to preview Cohen’s plan last week seem to think it is a…
-
Community leader determined to pass civil rights fight to next generation
Edith Bush is not your average octogenarian. Within five minutes of meeting her, it is clear her mind is as sharp as ever. The years of hard work that have turned her hair gray seem to only have invigorated her passion. She has no trouble confidently walking around a park in the Florida heat. But Bush’s strength is more than just physical. There is a quiet determination about her which is more than the result of age. Born in 1932 in Andalusia, Alabama, Bush has spent most of her life facing segregation and discrimination. “There is an expectation where African-Americans have to be overly prepared, overly qualified,” Bush said. “Whereas…
-
Struggle to compromise over Carefree Theater property redevelopment
An ice cream parlor. A bowling alley. A theater and comedy club hosting acts like BB King and Jerry Seinfeld. An abandoned lot. That is the story of the property that once housed the legendary Carefree Theater in West Palm Beach. And for the people trying to figure out what comes next for the historic site, 2000 S. Dixie Highway is anything but carefree. Even before the Carefree Theater began hosting up-and-coming celebrities and fancy film festivals, it was more than a typical movie theater. Longtime West Palm Beach resident and President of the Citizens for Thoughtful for Growth Nancy Pullum remembers the community the site attracted in the 1960s.…
-
WPB Community Redevelopment Agency cuts security funds for Northwood Village
Even though the Northwood Village neighborhood in West Palm Beach is a growing business district, it is surrounded on all sides by crime, according to Neighborhood Scout. Despite attempts to make the area appear safer, the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency has decided to cut funds for security. Sam Worth grew up nearby and has watched Northwood Village change since the Community Redevelopment Agency became involved 15 years ago. “You can see it with the art on the wall, they are trying to beautify it,” Worth said. The Community Redevelopment Agency is an independent government organization. But its annual plan is approved by an advisory board. In West Palm Beach, this board is made…
-
Community reeling after 17 die in Parkland school shooting
On Wednesday afternoon, a 19-year-old male opened fire in the hallways of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, killing 17 people and seriously injuring 14 others. It was the third deadliest school shooting in American history. Nikolas Cruz, who has confessed to the shooting, arrived at the school in an Uber at 2:19 p.m. According to reports from authorities, he pulled an AR-15 rifle out of a black duffle bag filled with loaded magazines and started firing inside five different classrooms. After firing shots in and around the freshman building for about 20 minutes, Cruz left his gun and ammunition in a stairwell. He then exited the building, blending in amidst…
-
Trump’s one year anniversary met with protests, shutdown
Meeting on Worth Avenue at noon on Saturday, over 300 people from all over the country gathered to walk 1.7 miles to President Donald Trump’s Florida home for the Inaugural Impeachment March to Mar-a-Lago. They arrived with bullhorns and signs reading phrases like, “We shall [over comb],” and “There comes a time when silence is a betrayal.” The crowd chanted, “We need a leader, not a creepy tweeter.” Some even donned elaborate costumes, dressing like the oppressed women in Hulu’s popular political satire, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” or carrying a coffin for the American flag. Participants used these demonstrations to communicate a message. The event’s Facebook page asserts that…
