City of Deerfield Beach basically tells residents to "cross Hillsboro at MLK at their own risk and peril"...at least until 2015...possibly

Today my heartaches again...

I started my night at the wake for Thetus Fleming Jr.,the 22 year old young black male, who was killed by a hit and run driver at Hillsboro and MLK Blvd on last Friday night (2/17/12).

I would normally link to a newspaper article or some other source for the details, but in this case I can't because there was none.

NONE!!!

A young man loses his life to a hit and run driver, David Calderilla-Alcocer (20) of Coconut Creek (who on Thursday, Feb 23, 2012,  posted to his Facebook page that he was home chillen), in Deerfield Beach and not one single story is posted on any of the news media.  Odd!!!  Hell, from what I understand the young Hispanic male who hit Lil Thet and then dragged his mangled body from the intersection to the near the auto parts store and then left the scene of his crime..to only come back to the scene in a different vehicle, some say his parents forced him to come back...WOW!!!  


Now that is a story right there, but no one got to hear it.  You can check the online police report here.  Notice that no charges have been filed.  Why???  I thought leaving the scene of an accident was a crime in itself...What's going on here BSO???

Sandra Gail Limburgh, a 59 yr old white woman, is killed due to injuries sustained from a hit and run accident on Dixie Hwy in Deerfield Beach and the suspect is a black male and moments later it's on the news.  Which you can read about here or check any of the local news sources from December 10-20 and you will find out about poor Lil Sandra.

Now, all of this makes me wonder and question what is really going on in Deerfield Beach.  Heck, the reason I started this blog was because of the disparity in information that was being presented by the mainstream media and so-called news sources about events here in "Good Ol" Deerfield Beach.  So when I think about it, I am not to surprised that incidents, events, and other from District 2 doesn't even make a splash in the local news media.  I am however, upset that no one seems to care about this, let alone even acknowledge it.

Hell, the closest thing to it was an unrelated incident in the Deerfield Beach Observer's Crime report section detailing that a man had stolen Pringles from the gas station at 300 Hillsboro Blvd.  I guess that's news for you!!!

So, tonight after I left Lil Thet's wake I went to Ben Preston's District 2 Community Meeting.  I heard Ben speak on how important communication is, I heard other department heads speak on how much they do and have done for District 2 and the City.  I even heard Ben and others talking about how important it was to upgrade 15th Street by the High School so that parents could more easily drop their kids off to school without backing up traffic.  Obviously, at this point, especially after leaving the Lil Thet's wake this is not what I wanted to hear.  I didn't want to see City employees giggling and joking around.  I didn't want to hear my City Commissioner telling me that "better traffic flow" on 15th street at the high School was an important and vital part of District 2's future, especially when there is a  dangerous corridor between Natura Blvd to Dixie Hwy on Hillsboro Blvd, which is in District 2 that has seen it's share of accidents, injuries, and fatalities to warrant some kind safety upgrades.  The same corridor that I have been pleading with the City of Deerfield Beach and FLDOT to do something to improve the pedestrian safety to have it all blow up in my face and then result in the death of one of my friends after I warned the City and FLDOT repeatedly about the dangerous conditions.  Then to find out that not only I but District 2 residents for over thirty years have been concerned about that intersection petitioned the City to do something to improve the safety and traffic flow because of the dangerous conditions that it promotes.  To no avail!!!

So when I (visibly shaken and emotional) asked Ben Preston about what are they going to do now...it seems as if he was prepared for my question...well he was prepared to try and demonstrate that he and the City had done everything in their power to have that looked into.  He hurriedly and confidently reached intohis little satchel and pulled out a letter from FLDOT, which he stated he received as a response from his letter to DOT back in December.

Please note that Ben Preston and the City have been on notice since October about these concerns.

The letter basically stated that FLDOT have been made aware and will perform a case study that will be concluded at the end of January 2012...I listen to this Fuckery and had to fight back the tears and emotions that came crashing over me, like the waves at Deerfield's beach because I knew the truth and have the emails detailing the concern that was shown when these concerns were brought forth to the City of Deerfield Beach and to FLDOT.  

SO, end of January 2012 you say, well it's almost March 2012 and he still hadn't heard from FLDOT and obviously he hadn't checked back with them to see what the outcome was of their supposed case study...

I know I have been constantly emailing for an update and have not heard anything from FLDOT, except that someone will get back to me and no one has, not even after I notified them of the death at the intersection because I knew they wouldn't see it on the news or read it in any of the news rags.

So to Ben I say...How important was it for you???  Have you checked on the outcome since the death of Lil Thet on February 17, 2012 at the very intersection that we have been fighting over the pedestrian safety concerns for the last 6 months and not to mention for the last thirty years!!!  

It's late and I will update this post later with the other Fuckery that went on at that meeting from Assistant City Manager Keven Klopp, who tried to demonstrate that the City did all it can and that they have been in constant contact with FLDOT about the safety concerns but he indicated that we would basically have to wait until 2015 before any decision would be reached  about FLDOT making any upgrades to address the safety concerns of Broward County and City of Deerfield Beach residents who fear for the safety of their children and families when they "Cross at their own risk" on Hillsboro in the black neighborhood of District 2.