April 16, 2024

In this newsletter:

What Gregg's Been Up To
County Recognizes April as Second Chance Month
Call for Community Input on County-Owned Property
AI Outlook
Gregg In The News
Commish In The Community
Elections 2024

What Gregg's Been Up To

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is top of mind for Gregg, who spends a good bit of time reading news articles and case studies, and listening to podcasts about AI. In the past two weeks he’s met with scientists and businesses to see how AI can be used to modernize government. Whether it is learning about tools that can make sense of lots of information or understanding how AI can help zoning staff do their job more efficiently, Gregg is eager to explore AI’s potential.

And he likes to share what he’s learned. Gregg moderated a forum featuring two AI researchers from Florida Atlantic University at the Club at Ibis. He also made presentations on AI for residents of The Vi at Lakeside, The Groves Community in Boynton Beach, and for a group at the United Methodist Church in West Palm Beach. If you’d like Gregg to talk to a group you’re involved with, contact our office.

Artificial Intelligence was also on the menu when Dr. Daniel Diermeier visited Gregg’s office. Diermeier, who serves as the Chancellor of Nashville-based Vanderbilt University, talked to Gregg about Vandy’s interest in opening a campus in downtown West Palm Beach (WPB) that would include a business school and a college for computer science and AI. It would be built on county-owned land across from the WPB Tri-Rail station. Talks are preliminary, Gregg told the Post, but it’s an interesting proposal because there is a real workforce need for the business school graduates that would be attending this school. Take a look at the Gregg in the News section of this newsletter to read more about it.

Last Friday Gregg joined Lake Worth Beach Mayor Betty Resch and Commissioner Christopher McVoy on a PalmTran bus ride from Lake Worth's Tri-Rail station to the beach and back. This was part of a campaign to show that PalmTran is a decent option to get around town without a car. Snacks were served, fun was had, and the regular riders received free PalmTran swag.

This year's annual Point-in-Time homeless count in Palm Beach County showed an increase in people living on the streets. In a 24-hour period, representatives from the Homeless and Housing Alliance along with county staff identified 2,126 homeless individuals and families, up from 1,855 in 2023. Though the overall count had increased, there was a slight decrease in veteran and family homelessness. Homelessness is a complex problem, but lack of access to affordable housing is part of the puzzle. To help provide affordable, clean and safe places to live, the county approved using State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) dollars to buy two apartment buildings (19 units) in Lake Worth Beach. These units are reserved for low-income individuals and families.

If you live in West Palm Beach, the city would like to hear your thoughts on the city’s waterfront. There’s a community meeting tonight at 6:00pm in the South Olive Tennis Center, and another meeting scheduled for Saturday in the Mandel Library.

Let us know if you’d like to invite Gregg to your event.

Thanks for being a reader!

County Recognizes April as Second Chance Month

Palm Beach County (PBC) celebrates April as Second Chance Month to highlight the support available for people returning from incarceration, and by creating opportunities for successful transition to the community. PBC's Public Safety Department, along with partners like The Lord’s Place, helps smooth their transition and reduce repeat offenses.

Nearly all adults leaving prison eventually come back to their communities, including over 1,500 locally each year. But they often struggle with finding work, housing, and healthcare due to their criminal record. To tackle these issues, Palm Beach County offers a voluntary reentry program with trained case managers who create personalized plans. These plans cover everything from basic needs to finding housing and identification.

Second Chance Month honors the Second Chance Act, a federal law supporting reentry efforts nationwide. Throughout April, PBC's Reentry Task Force and partners will hold events, both online and in-person, to raise awareness and rally support for those starting anew.

Upcoming event:

Saturday, April 20, 2024 (10:00am to 2:00pm):

The Lord's Place - Barbecue (Reentry Clients, Staff & Others)

Mann Place, 1750 NE 4th St., Boynton Beach, FL 33435

CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW FOR A COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Call for Community Input on County-Owned Property

On a little more than an acre and a half, a block south of the Norton Museum on the west side of Dixie Highway, sits Flamingo Park. Large banyan trees line the property, which has several benches as well as a swing set on a mulch patch with some cabbage palms in the back. In the past decade, the area surrounding the park has seen significant investment and many of the buildings have been fixed up. So it’s no surprise that investors have expressed interest in obtaining the county-owned building behind the park at 429 Park Place. Staff asked the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) what to do. So, at its March 12th meeting, the BCC gave staff direction to explore disposing of the property, provided that the county gets a similar facility in return, and that there are no costs to the county. Gregg directed staff to explore these options, but to make sure to get input from the Mango Promenade neighborhood where the building is located as well as hearing from residents in the adjoining Flamingo Park and Grandview Heights neighborhoods.

Click For More information

color photo of gregg weiss blended with digital image of artificial intelligence

AI Insights

What's The No. 1 Skill Young People Need to Thrive in the AI Era?

According to millionaire entrepreneur Scott Galloway, a marketing professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, the #1 skill for young people to thrive in the AI era is not coding. It's something that's as old as time, and never gets old. Galloway's take.

AI You Can Use

Hey everyone! Jana here. I'm always on the hunt for AI tools that streamline the process of making digital content. Whether it's editing videos, designing graphics, or brainstorming ideas, if there's an AI tool that can assist, I want to know about it. So when I came across this video it felt like striking gold. I'm sharing it here for all my fellow creatives - or anyone who's just interested in learning what AI can do when it comes to creating content. Bonus database of AI tools.

That’s it for today. If you’d like us to write about a specific AI topic email us at district2@pbc.gov.

AI Calendar

Note: Not all the events listed below are open to the public

5/8/2024 @ 9:00 AM: AI presentation for the Coalition of Boynton West Residential Associations (COBWRA) Safety and Security Committee.

5/11/2024 @ 9:30 AM: AI presentation for Latinos Leadership Alliance at Extraordinary Charities, West Palm Beach. Open to the public; contact Virginia Savietto for more information.

6/1/2024 @ 11:00 AM: AI presentation at Lakeridge Falls Clubhouse. Contact Marsha Auster for more information.

If you would like to invite Gregg to give a presentation in your community on artificial intelligence or any other topic, just contact our office at: district2@pbc.gov or 561-355-2202

South Florida Sun Sentinel:

‘Laws don’t change unless they’re challenged’: Palm Beach County may try to curb hate speech

Palm Beach Post:

Vanderbilt University chancellor: Why we want to build a graduate campus in West Palm Beach

Bloomberg:

Palm Beach Elite Are Raising Money to Lure Vanderbilt to Florida

Commish in the Community

Celebrations, anniversaries, meeting with agencies, recognizing community leaders, joining neighbors' festivities and going to neighborhood meetings... Commissioner Weiss spends a LOT of time in the community.

"As an elected official, I want to be part of the community I represent," said Commissioner Weiss. "I want to understand the issues in my district, and that's why I spend many evenings attending events to listen and learn."

If you'd like to invite Commissioner Weiss to your event, let us know.

Image of PBC Commissioner Gregg Weiss standing among attendees who are seated

Palm Beach Center Combats Bigotry

At the first annual meeting of the Palm Beach Center to Combat Antisemitism & Hatred on April 11th, co-chair Richard Friedman asked Gregg to stand and be recognized by the crowd of around 200 people. Gregg has a record of consistently speaking out against bigotry and hatred of any kind. Picture by Capehart photography courtesy of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County.

Tech Talk at The Groves Clubhouse

The Groves Clubhouse in Boynton Beach was the location for Gregg’s latest presentation (April 9th) on artificial intelligence. As always, the audience was engaged and came armed with questions! Thanks to Shelly Armus for assisting on site, and to Pam Avalos for organizing!

Photo of PBC Commissioner Gregg Weiss with Holocaust survivors

Remembering Holocaust Survivors

Faculty and students at G-Star School of the Arts assembled on April 5th to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day and The Daffodil Project honoring children who perished in the Holocaust. Gregg’s remarks, urging the students to be ambassadors of tolerance, understanding, and kindness, were followed by those of Holocaust survivors who shared their moving stories of loss, resilience, and hope for a better, more compassionate world.

The Lord's Place

On Friday, April 5th Gregg presented The Lord's Place (TLP) with a proclamation declaring April 5 as The Lord's Place SleepOut Homelessness Awareness Day. About 3,000 people experience homelessness in Palm Beach County. TLP's SleepOut event included singing and personal stories of survival. Sponsors of the event show their dedication to ending homelessness by getting out of their comfort zone and sleeping somewhere other than their beds. So far this year's event has raised over $370K to help break the cycle of homelessness.

Photo of PBC Commissioner Gregg Weiss with county 911 dispatchers

Honoring the County's 911 Dispatchers

Palm Beach County's 911 dispatchers handle over a million emergency calls annually and ensure public safety 24/7. On April 5^th Gregg honored these men and women, whose expertise and quick decision-making form the backbone of effective emergency response, with a proclamation declaring April 14-20, 2024 Palm Beach County Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

Image of Gregg Weiss on stage with AI slide projected on screen

The Vi at Lakeside Community

About 100 residents turned out on April 3rd for Gregg's AI presentation at The Vi at Lakeside Community. The audience was engaged and asked lots of great questions. A few residents shared their experiences of having worked in tech during the early days of computing! Thanks to Dick Leeds and everyone at the Vi for making us feel welcome.

AI Comes to the Club at Ibis

Big turnout on March 25th for our panel discussion on Artificial Intelligence at the Club at Ibis! Gregg moderated, with experts Dr. Elizabeth "Sam" Baroni and Dr. Elan Barenholtz, both of Florida Atlantic University's Center for the Future Mind.

Visit Gregg's Facebook Page