Subculture Radio

05/03/2024

Another Uncontested Election?

After our unprecedented uncontested Mayoral election last year, where Keith James walked into another four-year term without any opposition, we are again facing the same dilemma: Two commission seats are going unopposed, and the third would have been if it were not for the brave efforts of a relatively unknown candidate Mathew Luciano for district 5.

When has the City of West Palm Beach ever had an unchallenged Mayoral election? Answer never! When has the City of West Palm Beach had two elections in a row where five commission seats have gone unopposed? Again never!

So the next question you may ask yourself is why? Answer POLITICS (yes, all capitalized) and one organization Cornerstone Solutions https://www.csteam360.com/

Cornerstone runs political action committees where the amount of money given is hidden and unlimited. They then pair this money with the political candidates that will do their bidding. Top donors to Cornerstone Solutions include The Related Development Group, Big Sugar, and FPL. And Guess what? All our commissioners and Mayor are Cornerstone Solutions clients and recipients of those hidden dollars.

This unlimited pool of hidden money puts favorable candidates in positions where their votes will financially favor their clients on the PAC side. Cornerstone has also gone so far as paying off potential candidates to not run for office. see https://www.stetnews.org/p/west-palm-beach-city-commission-election?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2

Can this all be legal? Answer yes. It's hard to believe, but it's where our "democracy" is.

Now our City, feeling bold and untouchable, is going one step further… Our Mayor, Keith James, and all five commissioners voted to put two questions on this month's ballot, making it even harder for someone to run against the Cornerstone-appointed candidates. They are so hungry for power and money that they will do whatever it takes to control and own our City.

That's why if we have any hope to Take Our City Back, you must vote NO this March 19th at the polls or request a mail-in ballot.

The two initiatives our City is putting to the voters is
1- INCREASE THE RESIDENCY PERIOD REQUIRED FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO RUN FOR OFFICE FROM SIX MONTHS TO TWELVE MONTHS
2- PROHIBITING MAYOR'S OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT AND LIMITING BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS

Why are these two ballot initiatives proposed by Mayor James and voted unanimously by our commission all suddenly showing up in this election? When was the last time a proposed amendment to our City's charter further restricted political candidates? Again, Never (we are breaking some new ground here). Why now? Why are they trying to make it harder for someone to run for office when we are experiencing record uncontested elections?

I'll let you come up with your theories. I would rather have the local hardware or pharmacy store owner, the local plumbing company owner, or a local CEO as our Mayor or commissioners. Unfortunately, we mostly get career politicians and lawyers.

These ballot initiatives eliminate the possibility of a local business owner running for office.

I'm surprised again that this can be legal, but I am learning whether it is or not; if no one stands up to fight it and sue at great financial expense, then the point is mute. If the tree falls in the forest…

I am surprised all five of our commissioners went along with it.

If our Mayor and commissioners successfully dupe the public into voting in the affirmative for these two ballot initiatives, we all lose, and democracy takes another step backward.

REMEMBER VOTE NO THIS MARCH 19TH OR MAIL IN BALLOT FOR DEMOCRACY.

Please join us this Friday, March 8th, at Camelot 114 s Narcissus Ave, West Palm Beach, at 6 pm, where we will discuss the state of our city politics and introduce our two new ballot initiatives. We are fighting back, and we will Take Our City Back.

Visit TOCB.org to read our ballot initiatives to create a Community City Ethics Board and to Revert to Single-member Districts, which will level the playing field so we can have fair elections with competing candidates.

If you would like to help, request a yard sign, go to TOCB.org, or you can always text or call me at 561-714-2382
Respectfully
Rodney

21/11/2023

Come celebrate 36 years of Respectable Street with an epic block party - join us for a night of non-stop fun, music, and good vibes!

28/04/2023

Mayor Keith James Cancels Pride Fest!

Last week the Pride on the Block organizers asked me if they should be worried about Mayor Keith James canceling the 3rd annual Pride Fest in Downtown West Palm Beach. I reassured them although Mayor James would most likely do anything, he could to hurt me and my businesses, he won't dare cancel the Pride Fest organized by and to benefit Transpire Help, a not-for-profit created to provide support for the LGBTQ+ community in recovery.

I was dead wrong! Mayor Keith James surprised and shocked us all and denied the permit for the Pride Fest with no reason given.

"Plague! We are in the middle of a plague!" Larry Kramer shouts through the noise of people arguing at a meeting of Aids activists.

Some of us are old enough to remember the beginning of the Aids epidemic and the refusal of our government to address the crisis. Then, finally, a group named Act Up, headed by a charismatic rageful Larry Kramer, did just that, Act Up, and they made all the difference in turning the minds of most Americans and, in turn, our elected officials to not just stand by but commit vast resources to combat the Aids epidemic.

Larry Kramer’s words, unfortunately, ring true today as they did in the 1980s. There is a Plague today: not deadly biological virus but a Plague of the mind: of intolerance and stupidity. From the reversal of Roe V Wade, word assassination, banning gender identity and sexual orientation in the classroom, and making it illegal for Drag Queens to perform, our society has genuinely regressed half a century in just a few years. All the struggles of Larry Kramer and Act Up, Norma McCorvey, aka Jane Roe, were all for naught.

I have been losing faith in our City over the years as we live under a veiled dictatorship called the strong Mayor system. I'm sure the citizens who in 1991 voted to create a strong Mayor and elect Nancy Graham may have never envisioned the possible abuse of power this system allows and possibly encourages.

A strong Mayor may be beneficial when we are lucky enough to have an honest, dignified righteous Mayor with only the interest of its citizenry at heart. Still, when the opposite of those values is elected, we are in trouble.

And that is where we are now! We are in trouble.

The Plague is here, in Tallahassee, in far too many states, and in our City. This is no time for complacency. Serious consequences are at our doorstep if we do not act up.

Pride Fest was attended by over 2,000 citizens of West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County last year. It was a great success and well received. As a result, the organizers this year decided to expand the event to 2 days, Friday and Saturday, June 2nd and 3rd, and add Rosemary Square as an additional location with events running simultaneously. A full lineup of national performers and speakers was booked, and tickets purchased; expected attendance this year was over 3,000 people, all celebrating diversity and tolerance.

That has all vanished with one simple signature by our strong Mayor Keith James,

All of us involved in this event have reached out to our commissioners, congresswomen, City officials and community leaders to try and instill some reason into Mayor James and have him change his mind. All were sympathetic and supportive, but we repeatedly heard the same thing. Mayor Keith James holds power solely, and only he can grant the permit for Pride Fest on the Block.

We will continue the fight. We are not giving up. We can't.
Join us tonight, Friday, on the 500 Block for the final Drag Show performance (as Mayor James also revoked the 500 Block weekend permits) and show your support for the LGBTQ+ community and our entire City and County.

Celebrate our diversity!
https://prideontheblock.com

Please fill out the petition to send to Mayor Keith James telling him to approve Pride on the Block 2023
https://form.123formbuilder.com/6425713/save-pride-fest-2023

“The dynamism of any diverse community depends not only on the diversity itself but on promoting a sense of belonging among those who formerly would have been considered and felt themselves outsiders.”
— Sonia Sotomayor

03/04/2023

The City is evicting Subculture Coffee from the Artist Alley today, A community space open to the public. The Artist Alley has been home to Local Art Shows, Poetry, Philosophy, Live Bands, and Charity Events. The City is demanding all improvements be removed from the Artist Alley, and it returned to

31/03/2023

Help Hospitality Helping Hands reach their goal by donating or sharing with your friends.

04/11/2022

35 years ago a few of my friends said I was crazy for naming a new indie/punk rock club I was opening in an old formerly condemned Salvation Army building on the 500 block of Clematis Street, “Resoectable Street”. Back then you could sit and have lunch or a 3am late night snack , Bills Tuxedo rentals was across the street, Badcock furniture to the east and that was about it.

Although we have managed to remain somewhat relevant over the years and most importantly remain open, most do not know where the name “Respectable Street” came from.

Tonight that indie/punk clubs namesake, XTC will be performing their song “Respectable Street” Live!

We’ve been waiting 35 years for this momentous occasion.

It’s about damn time… Thank you XTC!

“Don't he realize this is respectable street”
XTC

Also see Respects,Respectables, Rejectables, RSC etc.

https://www.byjoecapozzi.com/post/this-is-respectable-street-nightclub-s-namesake-band-humbled-to-play-west-palm-beach-show-nov-4

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/entertainment/2022/11/02/respectable-street-west-palm-turns-35-extc-play-namesake-song/10484295002/

They laughed when Rodney Mayo opened in the run down Salvation Army building in dicey 500 block of Clematis, but 35 years later, it's still a hot spot.

25/09/2022

SS SUBCULTURE CRUISE

11/09/2022

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16/08/2022

Mission Fox-town, Abaco Bahamas : Hospitality Helping Hands
We would like to thank everyone who donated funds, dropped off dog food and supplies, and of course all our wonderful volunteers that travelled with us to Abaco on Mission FoxTown.
It was a whirlwind trip to say the least. Very positive while at the same time very upsetting. The state of the Potcakes in upper Abaco is dismal. We set up a make shift surgical center in the St Thomas Church just outside of Foxton. We set out to collect strays, talk to locals about care and control and adopt as many strays as we could manage. Word got out very quickly we were set up and islanders started bringing us there pups the first hour of the first day we set up. Despite what we were told most folks in Abaco want their animals spayed and neutered, there just has been no access for them to do so.
Day 2 we had a line when we opened with locals bringing us their sick dogs and cats. Some were strays and they were just caring individuals bringing us animals in bad shape. Our amazing Vet Techs and Volunteers worked tirelessly treating these amazing animals. Common ailments were mange, malnutrition, worms and most notably tics. The tic problem is out of control for the animals on Abaco. One 12-pound pup had 2 volunteers working for 2 hours removing 100 tics. From what I saw the 3 major causes of death were the abundance of tics, malnutrition and heat stroke. Most pets in Abaco live outside and with the increasing heat and lack of rainfall the conditions are aggravated.
We were able to spay and neuter 35 dogs and cats, general care for over 120, distribute over 1,000 pounds of pet food, flee and tic medicine and bring back 12 lucky pups with us that were strays, turned over to us or abandoned.
One special dog Max stared at me when she was brought in and as any dog lover can attest to saw right into my soul. She was dropped off by the Pastor of the Church we were set up in with severe heat stroke and was in seizure and unable to walk. She had neurological damage. We cooled her down, gave her an IV with fluids and let her rest. She tested positive for heartworms and hookworm. She was touch and go for a couple days but did show signs of improvement. The day came to move all the dogs and cages off Abaco for the boat trip to Freeport and then on the Margaritaville Cruise ship back to West Palm Beach. The strain of the move and heat put poor Max back into another seizure and again in a very touch and go situation. We considered not taking her with us… but only for a second… We put her in one of the fast boats (pics attached) to Freeport and into the coldest van we had. The Margaritaville was so caring and kind and allowed us to keep Max in my cabin. She started to show signs of improvement. She ate several helpings of chicken and steak from the buffet and started to really perk up.
We brought max to a Vet back here in West palm Beach. The prognosis was not great with the neurological damage from the several heat strokes. It was basically wait and see how she does. We started treatment for the heartworms.
I am thrilled to report in just 4 days Max is doing great. She improves 10% every day, she goes for slow walks, eats well and I think she will recover fully.
If the only thing we, as group accomplished, was to bring Max back, the trip would have been well worth it. Fortunately, we were able to do much much more.
Our departure from Abaco was bittersweet as there were many animals, we did not have the time to care for and as we left the dock our stray Potcakes we had been feeding the week we were there huddled under whatever shade they could find and watched us depart. None of us wanted to leave.
So, we all vowed we would be back. We are planning Mission #2 mid to end of September. We will again set up for a week. We will bring more volunteers and we will be more prepared so we can treat more animals. We will set up 2 permanent flee and dipping stations in the community and we will distribute more food and supplies.
For this one small island this problem is solvable. With regular spay and neuter pop up clinics, tic and flee control and affordable food we can help the lives of the adorable sweet Potcakes and assist the Bahamians with their beloved pets.
If you are interested in joining us for the next Mission please email me at [email protected]
I big thank you to all the that helped us make this mission possible
⁃ The Margaritaville Cruise Ship and Anita, O’Neil and Kevin without whom none of this
would have been possible.
⁃ The Humane Society
⁃ Peggy Adams Rescue
⁃ Big Dog Ranch
⁃ Shores Animal Clinic
⁃ St Thomas Church
⁃ Tashard Major, DVM (who at the last minute flew in from Nassau and saved the day!)
⁃ And all our amazing volunteers that worked day and night!