Sep 29, 2010

Peace Upon Israel


On Thursday Sept. 20, for the first time in nine years, Israel's Chief Rabbi's prayed at the ancient synagogue*, in one of the world's oldest cities, Jericho. Shalom Al Yisrael (Peace Upon Israel) dates to the 6th century and was discovered in 1936, during the British Mandate. There are several magnificent mosaics, including the Ark of the Covenant. Although under Palestinian Authority, under the 1995 Oslo Accords, Jews were to have access to the site.
*The synagogue is located in the ancient city of Jericho (Yericho in Hebrew), north of the Dead Sea in the Jordan Valley. Some 1,500 years old, it was discovered in 1936 by D.C. Baramki of the Antiquities Authority under the British Mandate. Its 10x13 meter mosaic floor features images of a menorah, shofar, lulav, Holy Ark, and the Hebrew words "Shalom Al Yisrael” (Peace Upon Israel).

Sep 27, 2010

In Praise of Panto


Easton's Mayor Sal Panto has proposed something I have advocated in Allentown for years; Using the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) strictly for city purposes. Politically, it's tough love. The Minsi Trail Scouting Program was requesting $15,000, and Girl Scouts, especially Brownies, know how to cry. In Easton the total CDBG is $990,000, and there is a $2.6 million city budget gap for 2011. In Allentown, the multi million dollar grant feeds the poverty magnet; it finances the social agencies who rely on fresh low income clients. In addition to lowering the burden on taxpayers, city use of the grant money would gradually reduce the workload created by a transient population.

Shown in the photo is Mayor Panto with the Brownies and Cub Scouts, before he announced the cutback.

Sep 25, 2010

The Producer

The Allentown Parking Authority Officer shown here is by far the most productive person they have, he may well be the most productive city worker period. I estimate he easily writes over a $half million dollars a year by himself. He spends the day hoping from one fertile hot zone to another. You can see him everyday, several times working Chew Street, between 16th and West. That block, because of the hospital, has time restricted parking. He's like a fisherman, a very good one, who knows the good spots. For those less familiar with this blog, please use the search engine on the upper right; type in parking authority. Along with taking them to task numerous times, I documented fictitious data they provided to City Council to justify doubling the meter rate and fine structure. I also
"They're acting like a vampire sucking the blood out of downtown," Molovinsky said of the authority.

conducted a news conference, covered by Channel 69, on unnecessary parking meters as far out as 10th and Chew. Those meters were finally removed, only this year. Some comments on the previous post suggest that there is justification for the Authority and their policies. As a student of this bureaucracy for years, I can tell you that it has actually had a negative affect on center city commerce. It's simply a back door tax, mostly on those who can least afford it. The cars shown are being ticketed for not moving for street sweeping, despite the snow.*
*photographs from 2007, Parking Authority supposedly no longer gives "sweep tickets" during snow storms.

Sep 24, 2010

From the Belly of the Beast

The following letter was sent to Michael Donovan from a center city resident. Although I am reproducing the letter with permission from the writer, he wishes to remain anonymous. He lives in the roughest part of town, in the belly of the beast.

I am writing to express my surprise and dismay upon receiving yet another citation from the City of Allentown.
This time a street cleaning ticket. THIS ONE IS FOR 50.00!! It states repeat offender.
I have lived in this city for more than twenty years. I pay plenty of taxes.
I also pay a man to sweep the area in front of my house every single day.
This is unbelievable - I work an all night and come home to no available parking on the non-sweeping side of the street.
By the time I get up I have a ticket on each of my vehicles, one labeled repeat offender.
Michael, I believe you are probably the most reasonable and approachable member of our city council as well as being on the board of the APA.
So I am asking you, just who thought this was a good idea?
People get sick, meetings run long, stuff happens.
Is this really how to construct a GOOD neighborhood?
Now I am in the pool for the city to collect fifty dollars at a time?
This policy is unbelievable and unconscionable.
I realize that the city is hurting for money, but this is not the way to raise revenue.
Sweep tickets, APA tickets, all kinds of inspections, fees to visit fish, and what else?
I really wanted to have a good experience living in this city.
I have done my civic duty.
I fought for years to close down Trinkles bar.
The results of that closing were immediate and positive.
We almost have a real neighborhood here now.
You must not allow the city to tax/fine/extort this kind of money from cash strapped intercity residents.
I will not pay 50.00 for a street sweeping ticket.
The insult is further compounded because there is no redress to these matters prior to the escalation of the fine fee.
No good will come from the City of Allentown continually stepping on the very citizens that stabilize our neighborhoods.
Respectfully,


Michael (molovinsky)
You may absolutely use my post.
I would much appreciate this on your blog.
Mr. Donovan also stated that a 10% tax increase would be preferable to the nickel diming that is occurring across the spectrum here in the city.
So far the city has gotten me this year for much more than a 10% tax hike would have cost.
If instead of hiring more people to issue more citations - producing an endlessly growing circle of pain, maybe we should end the sweep program, disband the parking authority, the redevelopment authority - hell, anything ending with the word authority..... and not stop there.

Sep 23, 2010

Saving the Queen


When I grew up on Liberator Ave., I would walk up Catalina Ave. toward school, which was at the end of Coronado. The streets were named for the Vultee-Consolidated WW2 planes, and the neighborhood was next to the airport built as part of the war effort. Vultee Street was built to connect the hangers with the Mack 5C plant, which was given over to Vultee-Consolidated for plane part manufacturing. Today this small airport is known as Queen City, and is threatened by Mayor Ed Pawlowski.

Pawlowski covets this unique part of our history to expand the tax base. What he doesn't understand is that more housing or commercial space is not in Allentown's best long term interest. Unfortunately, long term interest is not a term understood by our current leadership. There is a whole development of started houses off S. 12th St. and Mack Blvd. which were never completed. There are filled in foundations on 8th Street, also never completed. More housing is the last thing both the real estate market and school system need. Likewise, the existing commercial sector has been struggling to maintain an acceptable occupancy rate. Queen City airport is an unique asset to Allentown. If LVIA does successfully expand, a separate airport for small planes is very desirable for safety. Considering Pawlowski's predetermined objective, I question whether he should have been appointed to the LVIA Board.

Dennis Pearson, long time community activist from the East Side Rittersville area, reports last night that a portion of the State Hospital grounds had been given to the Allentown Commercial and Industrial Development Corporation. Just last week, Dennis requested that the City inform him of any plans concerning that land. Although representatives of the Administration were present, nobody had the consideration to response to Pearson's statement. These open spaces in Allentown, both Queen City and the State Hospital, are too important to let Pawlowski and Cunningham squander them for a short term, politically expedient, tax fix.

Sep 22, 2010

Hardest Working Blogger


The hardest working journalist in the Lehigh Valley, hands down, is Bernie O'Hare. This week, The Morning Call's Bill White tried to split hairs about the difference between bloggers and trained reporters; Could have been a argument years ago, but the multiple layoffs at the paper has taken the ink out of that bottle. Purchaser's of the hard copy paper are submitted to large photographs of White, Carpenter, Hartzell and the other columnists. They are made to wear costumes and pose like boxers. Did they teach that in journalism?

O'Hare attends no less than two governmental meetings each week, pesters the participants in between, and writes at least 10 posts a week. He still genuflects to the professional reporters with his canned testimonials; "They can find out more in a day than I can in a week.." White raised the issue of objectivity and editors, but again, I think he was being reminiscent of days past. I'm afraid the newspaper has turned into a 9 to 5 business; Monday's paper always looks like a flyer. Although the actual Bill White is shown above, Bernie O'Hare is portrayed by James Brown, who was another hard working guy.

Sep 20, 2010

New Sheriff in Town


This past Wednesday evening, Bob Romancheck asked Allentown City Council who actually reads the legal notices in The Morning Call? Actually Bob, I do! As a matter of fact I'm concerned that there is an effort under way to allow municipalities to forgo the notices in favor of publishing them on their website; But that's a topic for another day, today's flavor of the week is Upper Saucon Zoning Officer Trent Sear. A recent post of mine took Trent to task for forcing Independent Candidate for the 15th Congressional District, Jake Towne, out of his campaign office in Center Valley. Today's newspaper legal public notice are dominated by Upper Saucon Zoning, four and half columns worth. Trent has prepared 92 revisions to the general 2009 Zoning Regulations, and 17 more to the Village Commercial Overlay Zone, one specially for temporary signs. (Revision 2 to Section 322.D for Tables 1 and 2 and a new Table 5). Now, I'm not sure if Jake was hammered under the old regulations or the new revisions, but I am sure that the citizens of Upper Saucon are having their property rights grossly impeded.

Sep 19, 2010

molovinsky on eyewear fashion


This week I bought my first pair of prescription glasses. I had been using readers from the drug store, and it worked out well for both of us; I could see, and the store counted on my continuous purchases. The problem was my shirt pocket, it became too small to carry all the pairs I now need; Close-up, intermediate and distance. I went to the small optical store at the eye doctor's office, where I had the choice of about three pairs. Had I been willing to buy the kind with the nose pads, my selection would have been considerably larger. However, since nose pads may require adjustments, and once, forty years ago, a nose pad made a temporary indentation on my nose, that option was out. The woman and I sat down at a small table with the three plastic pairs without nose pads. There was a woman's makeup mirror on the table, and she asked which pair I liked. No way was I going to try on those glasses, and stare in that little mirror, with her staring at me. One pair had black temple ear pieces, but they were white on the inside, that's out. The second pair had a very narrow nose opening. That pair was from this decade, but Bobby Edwards used my nose as a punching bag all through 5th grade. If you see a guy walking around looking like an old, small Clark Kent, say hello, I'd like to meet you.

Sep 16, 2010

Jake Towne Fouled











As an old geezer, I'm constantly frustrated by The Morning Call's lack of institutional memory. I suppose that is what happens when a struggling paper has young journalists come and go. I suppose they're also annoyed with my "scoops"; I see no link to this blog on the current Mcall story about the fish hatchery. Well, here's another dip from Molovinsky's 28 favors. Trent Sear, the Saucon Valley Zoning officer who closed Jake Towne's Campaign headquarters,  is/was very active in Republican politics. The space, the historic Center Valley Tavern, has been used commercially for a century. He simply could have requested the landlord pay the $25 fee.  I have never heard of a  campaign office closed by zoning.  They didn't even close Molovinsky for Mayor.
This was nothing more than a temporary use with temporary signs

After numerous appearances with this official prowling in a car through the parking lot and snapping photographs, the campaign decided to leave the premises in order to save the landlord further grief.

Sep 15, 2010

Marcellus Shale 2020



The second video (from Hickory, Pa.) appearing on the LVCI Blog, has chilling similarities to the environmental catastrophe noted in the Erin Brockovich movie.

Sep 14, 2010

Admission for Fish Hatchery



This blogger has learned that the Administration is contemplating charging admission to the Fish Hatchery. A rite of passage in Allentown has been for a father to take his children to this treasure, built by General Trexler. I suppose all the new asphalt in Cedar Park cost more than expected.

Sep 12, 2010

Pennsylvania as Whore







The Marcellus Shale gas deposits have turned Pennsylvania into a whore, and there is nothing pretty about it. Already two thousand wells have been dug, with thousands more being approved. The gas extraction method, hydraulic fracking, uses millions of gallons of water to fragment the shale, releasing the gas. The water is treated with lubricants and other chemicals to facilitate the process. The short and long term consequences to our water supply are being ignored to produce this mislabeled "clean energy." Governor Rendell, to the shame of his legacy, has justified this environmental rape in order to impose a state tax on the extracted gas. Although I'm not an environmentalist, it's apparent even to me that Pennsylvania's natural resources are being contaminated and compromised. Please use the following links for more information.

Alliance for Sustainable Communities
Damascus Citizens for Sustainability

Sep 11, 2010

A Lesson Plan


City Councilman Michael Donovan is disturbed by this photograph on the Allentown School District Website, showing the new superintendent talking to a predominately white group of teachers. Donovan writes on his blog;
Oh one other point, what is wrong with the picture at the ASD website of the superintendent talking to what appears to be over 80 white people? Are they parents? Teachers? Seems strange when 75% of our students are of color. Do you hear me school board?

Years ago the school system sent a delegation to Puerto Rico, hoping to recruit more Hispanic teachers, to no avail. Well qualified teachers of color are in great demand, exactly because of the mentality Donovan's post exhibits. We are fortunate in Allentown to have excellent teachers and administrators. Every aggressive attempt to become more “representational” in hiring has been less than successful. I can assure him no one of color has been excluded, quite the contrary. Although I agree with the desirability of more minority teachers, let us not go down the slippery slope he advocates, but appreciate the dedication of our current staffs; We may not be so lucky in the future. Perhaps his shot across the bow would be better directed at the minority community organizations, rather than the School Board, which is a thankless job by definition. (as is City Council)

occasionally my point of view is so different from a fellow blogger, I feel that my reply should constitute a separate post

Sep 10, 2010

The Synagogues of Jerusalem


Except when barred by one conqueror or another, Jews had lived in Jerusalem since King David. Prior to Jordanian rule in 1948, there was a Jewish majority for 150 years. In 1864, eight thousand of the fifteen thousand population was Jewish. By 1914, two thirds of the sixty five thousand residents were Jewish. In 1948 the United Nations Partition Plan divided the British Mandate of Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. Jerusalem was to be initially an international city, with access guaranteed for all. This plan was rejected by the surrounding Arab nations, which attacked Israel in concert immediately upon the UN vote. When the truce was declared, Israel had survived, but East Jerusalem(walled Old City) was in procession of TransJordan. The Jordanians subsequently destroyed over 50 synagogues in the Jewish Quarter, which dated back to the 1400's. For hundreds of years both Christians and Jews were prohibited from building higher than Muslim structures. The few synagogues which survived were the ones built mostly below street level. The oldest surviving synagogue, The Jerusalem Synagogue, was built by the Karaite Jews in around 900. Shown above is the Ben Kakai, a Sephardic Synagogue built in the 16th Century.

Perhaps the most famous synagogue destroyed by the Jordanians was the Ashkenazi Hurva Synagogue built in 1720, it's dome visible in the top center of this photograph from the 1920's. It's replacement has just been completed.

reprinted from April 27, 2010

Sep 7, 2010

Watchmen for Jerusalem


Isaiah 62:6-7
Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the LORD in remembrance, take no rest, 7 and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.

Christian Zionism is appreciated by Israel
Today, Christians by the thousands, by the tens of thousands, by the hundreds of thousands, by the millions, by the tens of millions – today they have heard this call, and they stand with Israel. I salute you, the people of Israel salute you, the Jewish people salute you.                                                                                                 Benjamin Netanyahu
From a Christian Zionist radio station operated in Israel by Stan Goodenough, to the mega ministries of John Hagee  and Joel Olsteen, Christian appreciation of the Jewish State continues to grow.       Christians United for Israel








On May 28, 1948 the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem fell to the Arab Legion; They immediately destroyed the Hurva Synagogue (in anticipation of the arrival of King Abdullah) and began burning and looting Jewish shops. No Jew would again pray at the Western Wall until 1967. Photo from 1948 Life Magazine shows residents of the Jewish Quarter on the shortest exile in modern Jewish history; 500 yards, through the Zion Gate to the New City.

Sep 5, 2010

Courtesy of the Floor


This video clip was shot by Bernie O'Hare at Council on Wednesday Sept. 1, 2010, and was presented on his blog Lehigh Valley Ramblings.

Sep 3, 2010

Censure Time


Allentown City Council has been much more assertive against it's citizens than the Administration. To my memory, no Pawlowski initiative has failed to pass, but they're pretty tough with the public. When I asked Council President D'Amore if he would distance himself from Stephen Barron's threats to T-Mobile, his reply was silence. When Bob Romancheck asked Council if they would censure D'Amore, the answer was silence. Northampton County, in it's first scheduled meeting since this controversy became public, has censured Barron. Their County Executive immediately sent an apology to T-Mobile. Allentown has spent $millions of dollars trying to lure business here. What's the message, come to Allentown and be harassed about unionizing? For my tax dollars D'Amore can resign, his arrogance has well exceeded his accomplishments. Unless he has at least the consideration to defend his actions to the citizens of Allentown, his fellow Councilors should censure; He was elected, not anointed.

Sep 2, 2010

Time To Go


It's time for Michael D'Amore to go; It's time for him to resign. I first realized how much contempt he had for the citizens last summer.


Over 60 citizens signed a petition last July, under the Home Rule Charter, to put an item on the Council Agenda. Council President D'Amore declined to include the item, although all conditions were met, and the signatures were verified by the City Clerk. He even attempted to prohibit discussion of the issue, (Cedar Park Plan) although more than 150 concerned citizens had come to the Council Meeting. A discussion only occurred at the insistence of Council member Jeanette Eichenwald. I have provided a copy of the charter rule below; Inclusion is not at the option of Council President.

Apparently, Mr. D'Amore feels that as President he does have options above and beyond the Charter, even if the citizens deserve less rights. He may visit Lehigh Valley employers, and be part of a threat if they don't respond to his Mummer Parade Strut up to the door. He was fully part and parcel of Stephen Barron's threat. He didn't disclaim Barron's words or Barron's use of the word "We're", then, or since. The reason I seek D'Amore's resignation is that City Council is suppose to be the watchdog on contracts with the various unions representing city workers. Can D'Amore now claim that he is putting the taxpayer's interest ahead of the union when the next contract comes up for approval? This union advocate even wants to be Mayor. Could you imagine him negotiating, he'll make Afflerbach look good. Michael, I wish you well. Go back to teaching full time and being a union sycophant, but please first resign from City Council.
SECTION 1010
CITIZEN'S RIGHT TO PLACE AN ITEM ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
A. The qualified voters of the City of Allentown, upon receipt of a petition by the City Clerk, may
enter one agenda item on the regular agenda of City Council.
B. The petition filed with the City Clerk must contain the signatures and addresses of thirty-five
(35) registered qualified voters of the City, and the item to be placed on the agenda of City Council for
discussion/consideration before Council. Upon receipt of such petition and a two (2) day
review/certification period of the petition by the City Clerk, the President of City Council must include the
item on the agenda at the next regularly scheduled meeting of City Council.

The Mighty Atom


Years ago, at the Allentown Fair, as one would push through a sea of carney delusion, tucked back by the 4H animals, was an island of reality. There, in an old battered truck, an ancient Jewish strongman performed incredible feats of strength, to sell only homemade kosher soap. Standing on a platform on the rear of his truck, flanked by photographs from his performing youth, he would bent horse shoes and bite through nails. Many years earlier, my mother as a little girl in Bethlehem, saw him pull a truck uphill with his hair. Even as an old man, like a reincarnation of Samson, his grey hair was still long.
In the summers of 1964 and 1965, myself and a friend,(Fred Schoenk, retired Allentown art teacher) made and sold printed tee-shirts at the fair. We had the honor to know Joseph Greenstein(The Mighty Atom) and his wife. For those interested, there are various articles on the Mighty Atom and even at least one book. Enjoy the fair!

post reprinted from Aug.24,2007 and Sept.2, 2009