Aug 31, 2012

The Morning Call's Delusion

It's becoming harder and harder to be a print paper junkie. My paper used to come at five in the morning, proper time for ink and coffee. Delivery now is at seven, but I don't complain. Although late, the carrier now is reliable, more than I can say about her predecessors. Once you trained puppies with newspaper, now the newspaper trains it's readers. Because of this new schedule, I'm forced to purchase a digital subscription, and finally glance at the hard copy several hours after morning coffee. On Wednesday, the Morning Call informed me that I should be grateful that I'm still getting the pulp edition seven days a week. The Harrisburg Patriot-News is cutting back to three day publishing.
Morning Call Publisher Timothy E. Ryan said his newspaper, with a combined print and online weekly penetration of 70 percent of Lehigh Valley adults, is "committed to providing comprehensive seven-day-a-week coverage."
Mr. Ryan, in all due respect, although you put out the paper seven days, it's been many years since the paper has been "comprehensive." Monday's paper has been like a grade school Weekly Reader for a decade. Considering that you only have one reporter on duty over the weekend, your Saturday, Sunday and Monday material is formulated on Friday. When you switch to three days it should be an easy transition.

Aug 30, 2012

The King's Men

Last evening, although dozens of concerned citizens spoke against the water lease plan, the Administration made sure that the plan had advocates. Although effective, nobody can accuse Pawlowski of being subtle about choosing his representatives; All to a man, are beneficiaries of the mayor. The arena's main benefactor, J.B. Reilly, told Council that capitalization rates may change, making the lease deal time sensitive. Strange how time is always of the essence with Pawlowski propositions. Charlie Thiel, purveyor of the city's security cameras, also pitched the plan. The original driving force for the upcoming 19th Street upgrade, Damien Brown, did his duty. Last, but not least, Bob Buck for The Chamber of Commerce, sang the mayor's song. Although not performing, but waiting in the wings as backup, was Alan Jennings employee Dan Bosket.

The Morning Call article, which emphasized the few supporters of the plan

The Express Times article, which emphasized the numerous opponents of the plan

The water works in 1905

Aug 29, 2012

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!

reprinted annually during the fairweek

Aug 28, 2012

Allentown Memories


click on photo to enlarge
From low income sections of center city, to expensive suburbs, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley is becoming home to more and more outsiders. I'm afraid the time will soon come when local memorabilia will have little appeal. Fortunately, for those interested, some impressive collections still exist. This past year Robert Bungerz published Allentown Remembered, documenting his outstanding collection of historical postcards and other objects. David Bausch, former County Executive and authority on Automobile Art, is also a expert on things Allentown. Then there are the many small collections, home of the hidden treasures. Above is an early aerial photograph of the Allentown Fair. Those interested in the recent commotion concerning the 19TH Street Theater District may find the upper right of the photograph interesting. There is no theater, there are no houses on Saint George Street and most of the buildings seem to to garages and automobile in nature (don't tell Auto-Zone). This gem is probably from the late teens or early 20's, and comes from the Thomas Reed Collection. Thomas is aka Z1pyro, long time expert shooter for Zambelli Firework Company. He retired several years ago, and we who appreciate fireworks, notice his departure.

reprinted from previous years

Aug 27, 2012

Allentown's Future

According to The Morning Call,  one quarter of  the Arena project debt service falls directly on the cigarette tax. Pawlowski and Company are fond of saying that the arena project will not impact the city taxpayers. This blogger has once again donned my janitor disguise, and managed to overhear an important strategy meeting between those who rule us. The concern was the longevity of our smokers, now a valuable commodity in the arena's future. Worse still, new smokers are not being cultivated in sufficient numbers to guarantee a cash flow for the next thirty years, the life of the bonds. Our forward looking leaders have come up with several proposals in protect what they affectionally call The Project. The Allentown Health Bureau and Police will stop conducting underage cigarette buying stings, once an annual public relations promotion for those departments. No sign or zoning regulations will be enforced in regard to store front cigarette advertising. City workers, who smoke, will be encouraged to take breaks in pocket parks that have playgrounds, such as Bucky Boyle, Franklin and Stevens. The Sweep Program will issue no tickets for cigarette related litter. A public relations firm, with ties to the tobacco industry, will be hired to explore any possible promotions under existing federal law.

Aug 26, 2012

Say It Ain't So

Excuse me Mayor Pawlowski for writing again, I know that you're a busy man. Me and my friend, who also worked at Mack back in the day, walked up and saw where that hockey arena is going to be. It took us a while, between my cane and his oxygen. We could barely believe the size of that hole! I bet that buildings going to cost a million dollars! My friend said that they're using the cigarette tax for the top of the building, but I told him that's nuts; That money's for children without health insurance. He's on oxygen because of those cigarettes, and you wouldn't allow the children's money to be spent that way. Anyway, with the stores gone, there was hardly anybody on Hamilton Street, but I know you know what you're doing. Those hockey games do save cities, don't they? I think my friend with the oxygen may be losing his marbles. He also said that you're going to sell the water works! I told him that he must be taking his medicine wrong. I'm going to mention it to his daughter next time she comes to Allentown. She used to live a few blocks up on Walnut Street, but moved to Catty after you sold the neighborhood parking lot to your house building friend. She got her Dutch up, because they went to meetings at the church about it, but you sold the lot anyway. You know the fancy people never moved there after all, and they had to rent those new houses out. I'm worried about my friend. He even said that you're going to mix the garbage with the poop, and burn it. I know that you're not crazy, so he must be nuts! Maybe you could come over to the senior high rise here on Walnut Street, and tell everybody that these things ain't so. Thank You.

Aug 24, 2012

Just Rewards

The Rubber Stamp Council of Apparatchiks (an all Democratic body of bureaucrats, as is traditional in the City With No Spending Limits) passes a resolution praising the lengthy jail sentence recently given to former dissident writer Michael Molovinsky. Molovinsky, as could be expected, ran afoul of Governor Ed Pawlowski's long-awaited "Fairness Doctrine" shortly after the sweeping law was enacted. The disgraced dissident was formally convicted of "gross political agitation, conspiracy to incite counter-revolution and blogging without a government permit". That and a few other charges revolving around heinous crimes against humanity. "It's good to know that a dangerous and ruthless criminal like Molovinsky got twice as much prison time as Jerry Sandusky," Mota related. "It's rather unfortunate that notorious IronPigPen character got away, though." (The aggrivating IPP, after a brazen smash and grab operation which left the Phantoms' Allentown ticket office effectively looted of all cash and valueable credit card information, was barely able to sneak across the unguarded border with Mexico but proceeded to make his way to east Germany on the strength of a phony passport provided by Republicans)

guest post by Rolf Oeler, from comment submitted to Back To The Future.

Aug 23, 2012

Allentown's Mickey Mouse Club

The Allentown Economic Development Corporation is wasting another $half million dollars on it's Baby-Diaper Changing Station, which they call the Bridgeworks Enterprise Center. Somehow, by changing the skylight panels, Allentown and Washington think that they're investing in the infrastructure of business. Meanwhile, Corbett was in Macungie visiting a real enterprise; A part manufacturer making axles for Mack Trucks. The Morning Call combined both these stories in one article, but failed to see the difference between productivity and Mickey Mouse.

More Big Adventures by Mickey
  Adorable AEDC
  AEDC's Choo Choo
  Figment of My Imagination
  Note To The Mayor

Back To The Future


It's the year 2018 and Mayor Guridy has just received the long anticipated study from A&P Associates. Advice from Afflerbach and Pawlowski doesn't come cheap, $475,000, but as City Council President Cynthia Mota said,"Sometimes it pays to invest in the best." Some of the recommendations to revive Hamilton Street and it's ailing arena complex are nothing less than brilliant. Reilly's dormant City Center Three and Four will be conveyed to The Allentown Housing Authority, to be converted into rent subsidized housing. The Lanta Terminal will become the Park Department's long anticipated Pit Bull Center, the intercity skate and dog park. The bus transfer stops are to be placed back on Hamilton Street between 7th and 9th, creating foot traffic and enhancing a sense of security. Meter rates will be reduced, once again accepting quarters and other coins. The old Allentown Brew Pub, closed since the Arena Sports Bar opened, will be torn down to create a convenient pocket parking lot. The renovations would be implemented by the Butz Company, and as is the policy, no estimates will be provided. Guridy will make the announcement early next week, and a translation in English will be available.

adapted from a previous post

Aug 22, 2012

New Park Ranger

When the doctor told me about my incredibly low vitamin D, he asked if my family was from Transylvania? When I replied that we were, he apologized for his faux pas and we determined that my condition was caused by blogging. I decided to get some sun by walking in our parks, combining my vitamin deficiency with my civil annoyance. Because I have never owned shorts or sneakers, the first week saw me in jeans, shirt and shoes. I went to a local discount store and purchased shorts and a tank top. Fashion now dictates that men's shorts go below the knees. Because I have short legs, the shorts went halfway to my ankles, looking like knickers from 1920. I took them to be shortened, but apparently mismarked them. Besides at the Pride Festival this past Sunday, no man wears shorts that short. I also made a mistake with the tank top. Apparently, I had inadvertently crossed over into the women's section at the discount store. When I washed the shirt, I saw the flowers on the label. Anyway, I am getting plenty of sun and investigating our parks. My first reports dealt with the No Maintenance Zone and included a letter from a dog owner, who can no longer enjoy the stream at Cedar Park. An apologist for City Hall suggested tick and insect repellant. Tony Martin replied: The no-mow zones does absolutely nothing beneficial to the creek in cedar creek park. My dog is small. Not a lab. He is only 10 inches tall and I prefer not to marinate his or my body with pesticides to repel ticks and other insects. Neither should any children be subjected to that. I, nor my best friend, have access to this once great park's best asset,the creek. You cannot even tell that a creek exists unless you cross the bridge. Please speak out about this issue,and let Mayor Pawlowski know that you the people, that pay his salary, will not stand for this nonsense to continue any longer. Mow the weeds already and restore both the view and access to this once beautiful creek/park. - Tony Martin Although I certainly do agree with Tony, currently the citizens must fight for fresh drinking water. With the private for profit Trash To Energy Plant, we have already lost the right to fresh air. Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself in my new persona as Park Ranger. More reports surely to follow.

Aug 20, 2012

Grandstanding

Next Wednesday evening, August 29,at 6:30pm, citizens will have the opportunity to speak out against the Water System Lease. Mayor Pawlowski refers to this right of expression as grandstanding. He may be half right, but perhaps the grandstanding is by City Council. Take for example the hearing on the Trash To Energy Plant. Although one environmentalist after another spoke out against it, including those normally supportive of Pawlowski, Council still voted yes. If the water plant is profitable enough to attract buyers, why shouldn't the city retain the asset? Normal Pawlowski sycophants, such as Schweyer and Schlossberg, might want to consider the long term political consequences. Both Councilmen visualize a political career starting in Harrisburg. When a private water company starts raising the rates, which will affect the entire valley, their votes may well provide their future opponents an issue. I must exclude Jeanette Eichenwald from the grandstanding implication. She was sincere in calling for the public meeting. Will her colleagues seize their opportunity for leadership?

UPDATE: The Morning Call announced the meeting on it's website with the following headline: Public to get say on Allentown water, sewer plan.   The public will be allowed to speak, if they get a "say" remains to be seen.

UPDATE: Jeanette Eichenwald has an editorial today urging her fellow council persons to vote  against the water system lease and explore alternatives.  Although her independence is nothing new,  I applaud her effort to influence her colleagues.

Boxing Eggs


When I was a little boy, I would work at my father's meat market, boxing eggs. The job was pretty straightforward. I would take eggs from a big box, and put them in small boxes with folding lids, each of which held a dozen. If I did a whole crate without breaking an egg, I did a good job. The real adventure was the drive to the shop. We lived just off Lehigh Street, and would take it all the way to Union Street. The many landmarks are now gone forever, only remaining in my camera of the past. Shown above in 1952, is the portion of Lehigh Street near the Acorn Hotel, which is not visible in the photograph. Before reaching the Acorn, you drove under The Reading Railroad bridge overpass, which recently has been dismantled and removed. That line served the Mack Plant on S. 10th Street. Just beyond the area pictured, the Quarry Barber railroad spur also crossed Lehigh Street, at the bridge over the Little Lehigh Creek. That line also crossed S. 10th, and served Traylor Engineering, now known as the closed Allentown Metal Works. Just last week Mitt Romney was there, to rebuke Obama's former visit to the site. Mayor Pawlowski is now rebuking Romney, but none of them really know anything about it's past. A half block away, on overgrown steps built by Roosevelt's WPA, a thousand men would climb home everyday, after working at Mack and Traylor. Freight trains, on parallel tracks, from two different railroads, were needed to supply those industrial giants.

After my father rounded the second curve on Lehigh Street, we would head up the steep Lehigh Street hill. It was packed with houses and people. At the top of the hill, we would turn right on to Union Street. Going down Union Street, Grammes Metal was built on the next big curve. Grammes made a large assortment of finished decorative metal products. Beyond Grammes were numerous railroad crossings. The Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks crossed Union, as did the Jersey Central and several spurs, near Basin Street. It was not unusual to wait twenty-five minutes for the endless freight trains to pass. A two plus story tower gave the railroad men view and control of the busy crossing. A few more blocks and we were at the meat market, in time for me to break some eggs.

reprinted from July 2011

Aug 19, 2012

Dumbo The Flying Elephant

Lehigh Valley International Airport has just completed a deal with Delusion Airlines, which will pretend to fly passengers anywhere in the world they want. It is estimated that there might be up to 250,000 people in the valley with occasional hallucinations. Since the planes don't actually go anywhere, Delusion Airlines will not be sticking LVIA with a $million dollar fuel bill, as did all the previous airlines. Currently, there are not many flights that actually go anyplace. There are no direct flights to any city in Florida, except Orlando twice a week. There are no direct flights to Boston, or any other city considered a destination in the travel business. The busiest flight is the Continental Airline Bus to Newark. Despite still owing $16 million for land they never used, despite having less domestic flights than the old airport shown above, yesterday The Morning Call reported a plan to spend $5 million for a U.S. Customs station for international flights.

Aug 17, 2012

No Grandstanding






The public meetings on the Water System Sale(lease) are being conducted using Pawlowski's tried and true, dog and pony method. After the public is made to suffer through a PowerPoint presentation, survivors are allowed to submit a written question. Since City Council must approve the plan, Jeanette Eichenwald has called for a public input meeting. Pawlowski's not thrilled about that format. At the Pawlowski controlled information meetings, the public is not allowed to speak, or directly ask the mayor a question. The City Council format allows a citizen to speak for up to three minutes. Pawlowski believes that leads to grandstanding.  Although Council must approve the lease concept, it has not been determined if they will be allowed to vote on the actual contract. Another Council, in another era, would have automatically voted NO the first time, to insure they get to approve any contract. This post is based on an article by Scott Kraus, which appeared in yesterday's Morning Call, buried on the obituary page. I have been unable to find the story on their website, or provide a link. The streams which run through our park system provide water for the water filtration plant, and are called The Watershed. Control of these streams would be part of the lease to a private company.
Those concerned about the sale/lease of the water system are welcome to express their displeasure by joining us, when we plant a weeping willow on the bank of Cedar Creek, time and date to be announced.

Aug 16, 2012

The Sign Of Delusion

When I first saw the new street signs in Old Allentown, I gave them about a year. I must now downgrade that lifespan to about 6 months. The old green and white signs are going on 60 years of use. Generations of boys did pull ups on the old sign at 12th and Turner; This sign will support one pull up by one boy. The Allentown planning office told Morning Call reporter, Dan Hartzell, that the antique looking signs are to enhance the historic nature of Old Allentown. Hartzell thought that it's wonderful that the Old Allentown yuppies get something, because they Walk the Walk. He did not report that the signs have no structural integrity, are too short and are junk. Although Hartzell took the above photograph only one week ago, the Turner has since broken off the sign. In truth, we do not have an historic district, we have a poverty district with a few yuppies and a city hall deluding itself. In the City Without Limits, we wasted another half a $million dollars.

Aug 15, 2012

A New Tree For Cedar Park

The storm last year was devastating to the old willows of Cedar Park. To the members of our group, the weeping willows symbolize the finest aspects of our park system. This year the park was dug up while the Lehigh County Authority laid a new water main from Cedar Crest Blvd. to across Ott Street. The pipe then turned north, was dug under the creek, and up Ott Street under a new sidewalk. As noted in the post below by the Sierra Club, if Mayor Pawlowski has his way, the stream banks may soon be controlled by a private company with no ties to Allentown. Before that happens, our group will plant a symbolic willow tree along the banks of Cedar Creek. Although there is some debate on the appropriateness of riparian buffers in our park systems, it is agreed by all that the current No Mow Zones are not riparian buffers, but actually just No Maintenance Zones. Under the guidance of a riparian consultant, 20 feet of creek bank will be cleared to host the new willow.

Aug 14, 2012

Sierra Club Opposes Privatization


 The Lehigh Valley Sierra Club urges the City of Allentown to not rush to privatize its municipal drinking water and sanitary sewer system. The Lehigh Valley Sierra Club has several hundred members residing in the city, with 1,400 members living in the Lehigh Valley. The Sierra Club is the nation’s oldest and largest environmental organization, with almost one million members, 24,000 of whom live in Pennsylvania.
            Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski is proposing leasing Allentown’s municipal water and sewer system to a another, possibly commercial, entity for 50 years, in exchange for millions of dollars that could help shore up the city’s teetering employee pension fund. This seems at first blush like a lifeline to a city struggling financially but in actuality may be a recipe for disaster.
            Not only are water rates to residents projected to double under any leasing scheme but privatization would put Allentown’s jewel of a park system – much of it along the Little Lehigh Creek, the city’s prime drinking water source – under the control of a private entity that could exploit that watershed without concern for environmental damage that could result. Opportunities to market Allentown’s plentiful water to others would pass away from the city to an entity not controlled by Allentown’s citizens. In what condition would the system and its watershed be returned to the city after 50 years of private exploitation?
            The national Sierra Club recommends any municipal water system privatization follow five necessary steps before adoption:
            -- full public disclosure of all the details of the lease before approval
            -- evidence that privatization would not cost more than continued municipal control
            -- guaranteed continued and effective oversight by the municipality
            -- sufficient time for a vigorous public debate before privatization
            -- a public vote by the citizens on whether to undertake privatization.
            The current proposal to privatize Allentown’s water and sewer system includes none of these safeguards. Until this proposal follows these essential steps, Allentown should not blindly jump to hand off its water and sewer system to another entity. 

Sierra Club press release courtesy of Lehigh Valley Ramblings

A Picture Postcard

Hamilton Street once had three large five and dimes. which sold many  souvenirs of Allentown, including a  large assortment of postcards. Many of cards featured Allentown's picturesque park system, known for it's idyllic streams, weeping willows and iconic WPA stone structures. The card above, from 1948, shows the double sided stairwell in Lehigh Parkway, by the Little Lehigh.  The stone constructions, now over 75 years old, are in desperate need of some budget attention. A new philosophy of stream bank management has compromised access and view of the water, while not meeting the goals of it's advocates. The current administration, unlike the willow trees, doesn't have many roots in Allentown. You are welcome to join a group of citizens,  endeavoring to protect our parks' traditions, while tastefully merging the system with current demands. We will be meeting this evening in the lower level of The Allentown Library, at 7:00pm.

Aug 13, 2012

Park Defender Meeting

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday August 14, the Allentown WPA Association will once again meet in the lower level of The Allentown Library at 7:00PM. Although the group was originally started to cast light on the deteriorating condition of the WPA structures throughout the park system, we also discuss other issues affecting park users in Allentown. Regardless of your interest in the park system, or your point of view, you're most welcome to join us. The meeting will end promptly at 8:00pm, because of summer hours at the library.

The steps at Fountain Park connected the children of city center with the park, and their fathers with work at Mack Truck

Aug 11, 2012

Better Park Days

A Guest Post
My walks with my dog along the creek in Cedar Creek Park between Ott and Cedar Crest Blvd. have been some of the best times of my life. I have met many nice people and dogs in the past twelve years. I have seen and spoke with many people picnicking, reading a book, or just relaxing to the gurgling of the water while laying on a blanket along this beautiful creek. None of my dogs through the years, nor I, have ever had any ticks in this park until recently. All of this is gone now, along with many friends who will no longer come here because of the decision to "save" this creek (the clearest, cleanest in the area) by allowing weeds to grow along it, outwards of 20-30 feet or more. Please tell mayor Pawlowski and the park department to end this nonsense. No one at the park agrees with or likes the weeds, but say that there is nothing anyone can do about it. General Trexler intended for this land to be enjoyed by people, their children and pets, not to deny access to the creek. Please people speak up and demand that these weeds be cut. It will not take long for the ticks, mosquitos, snakes and vermin and the deadly diseases they carry, lyme disease, west nile virus, etc. to spread out from the park to the homes and neighborhood surrounding it. No one would tolerate their neighbors to have weeds growing next door to them. Please do not allow the city to destroy the beauty of this park any longer.
Tony Martin

The WPA and other park defenders will meet this coming Tuesday evening at 7:00p.m. in the lower level of The Allentown Library 

photo of park in 2008, when the creek was still accessible

Aug 10, 2012

Weitzel's World

The homepage of the Playworld Systems website features a picture of Allentown's Cedar Park Destination Playground. A close examination of the picture reveals that it shows less equipment than what Allentown actually installed. Weitzel shoved so much equipment into that playground that it exceeded the company's recommendations and best practices. An artist was employed to airbrush Weitzel's excesses out of the picture. Cross Ott Street, follow the yellow brick road and you come upon the LifeTrail senior exercise stations, which cost  $10,000 apiece. These stations are also produced by Playworld. Playworld, centered in Lewisburg Pennsylvania, also installed the new playground equipment at Franklin Park. Did I mention that Weitzel came to Allentown from Lewisburg?  They say that there's a framed picture of Weitzel on the boss's desk at Playworld.

Aug 9, 2012

No View Zone

Recently, a former park user contacted me through a Morning Call reporter. For many years he took great joy in taking his dog to Cedar Park, where he could play in the stream. That tradition ended last year, when both he and his dog couldn't access the creek without getting ticks. For those who haven't been to the parks in a few years, let me explain. We now have No Mow Zones and riparian buffers. The uncut brush is supposed to prevent herbicides from the surrounding neighborhoods from entering the water. In Allentown's case, the zones and buffers are just for show, because our storm sewer pipes empty directly in the streams, bypassing the buffers. Why would our former park director deny the public both view and access to the water? He teamed up with Abigail Pattishall from the Wildlands Conservancy, another grantmeister, to take advantage of a current grant buzz word, riparian. They're even allowing the six feet between the reflection pool and the creek to grow up. In addition to ticks, the thick underbrush encourages snakes. Did I tell you that Abigail is a trained herpetologist, specializing in water snakes? The water is now only seen from three bridges which cross the creek. Traditionally, the stream banks were stabilized by willow trees. I would like to see both new willow trees and children return to the stream banks in our beautiful parks. The Allentown WPA Association will meet on Tuesday August 14, at 7:00 p.m. in the lower level of the Allentown library. If you also have concerns about the park system, please join us.

Aug 8, 2012

Get On Board

I had a chance encounter with a supporter and associate of the mayor, an influential man, accomplished by any measure. He asked me why I have to be so negative? He said that I should get on board with the arena, it's going to happen anyway. I suggested that perhaps some dissent is healthy for a community. Sure of his position, rather than consider my point, he proceeded that Allentown needed to be revitalized. Although I might agree with that, I don't see the arena doing it. Yesterday, in a Morning Call article about the arena, a hockey fan from down the line can't wait for the arena to open. Although that portends well for the arena owner, the Brooks Company, will this fan be spending money in town? Will he patronize a restaurant outside of the arena, either before or after the game? As our conversation proceeded, I learned that the gentleman was unfamiliar with this blog, and based his assessment of my negativity on a letter or two to the editor. I suppose that if he ever ventured here he would have saved his breath. I have not identified the mayor's associate, nor will I host comments speculating on his identity. My point is that although the administration faced no opposition from city council, or from the press editorially, they even resent a lone voice or two asking a few questions.

Aug 7, 2012

Monopoly Allentown Style

Earlier this year I reported how J.B. Reilly had plans to acquire the entire block on the south side of Hamilton Street. Two holdouts at this point have been both the jean and wicker stores on Hamilton Street, otherwise, his conquest has been on course. Recently, he closed on three buildings containing 16 units on S. 8th Street. I can tell you that neither the apartments, nor it's tenants, will give Mr. Reilly pride of ownership. What motivates him to become a reluctant landlord? Is this to be Four City Center? I don't think so, it will be challenging enough to rent his three other planned office buildings. We have been told that the NIZ was not specially designed for Mr. Reilly, and that other developers were welcome to apply. However, it's becoming apparent that they will have to buy their parcel from J.B..

Aug 5, 2012

A CyberVisit

The responses and comments to the political posts are usually within a day or two. The historical posts have a much longer shelf life. People using search engines find something of their youth often years after I wrote the post. I still occasionally get a comment from someone who worked at a Mohican Market, often somewhere in upstate New York. Yesterday, a former post on the 6th Ward received such a comment.

 Hello molovinsky, I found your blog today. I was born in the 6th ward in 1933. My grandfather, who died very young, long before I was born, was Emanuelle Markowitz and was, I believe, the first religious head of Aguda Achim. His wife was Ida Markowitz. We lived at 234 and then 244 Hamilton St. and went to Harrison Morton grade school before departing permanently to New York City. Arnold Fein (brother is Barry)

 My grandparents lived on Second Street in around 1900, and belonged to the Agudas Achim congregation. After Arnold and I exchanged a couple comments, I invited him to send me a note about Allentown via email.

  Yeah, Michael, I went back for a visit about 3 yrs. ago. All of lower Hamilton St,is part of a highway and the Jersey RR Station ,I was told, failed as a restaurant.The stores I remember on Hamilton between 2nd and 3rd were, Queenies Luncheonette, Bucky Boyle's Bar, Harry Gross Shoes,an A&P on the corner of 1st (Front?)and Hamilton, a "holy roller" storefront church, a travel agency with a large steamship model in the window,Taylors Plumbing Supply (now Weinstein's-I visited the place when I was there), a "Giant" supermarket on 5th and Hamilton across from the P.O., Francis the barber on the hill,the Colonial theatre,etc.Harrison Morton is still there and 2nd St.off Hamilton is still the same including the "A Treat" sign on the little store near HM, which I remember. Some friend's names from that time are: Stanley and Nancy Kulp (Culp?) who lived in an old wooden house next to the Lehigh Valley RR Freight terminal across from Taylor's. Michael Miller, Bobby Kressler, George Mevrides(sp?), Andrew Kent,Dickie Catalina(whom I'll never forget as the guy who came running out on Hamilton St. on 12/7/ shouting, "the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor"), the 4-5 Delaney kids,Dickie Gross who lived in a stone house on 2nd St.just off Hamilton where his father had his dental practice, Lucille Wiener, Phyllis Malatrott,Victoria Minner,Ronald DiLeo whose father was a Dr., (told me my first "off color" joke in the 1st grade while we were standing side by side at a HM urinal)), Marvin Karll, 2 HM footballers (who were not friends as such), Barney Garulla(sp?) and Albert Casium, whom I believe was Albanian.Other places were the slaughter house, Arbegast and Bastion (sp?). Couldn't miss that!, Riverfront Park, and a horse watering trough on the corner of Hamilton and Front(?)Lots of others. Something priceless about childhood, no matter where it's spent.

 Even in Allentown.

UPDATE: More memories from "Arnie" Fein
Also, my grand parents owned a store on 2nd St. around Tilghman, before I was born. My mother always remembered the few words she knew in Slavic because some of the customers spoke only "Slavisch".Another recollection was in 1943 when a lot of us went to the JerseyRR terminal to watch a train full of German POWs being transported west. Larry and Jimmy Whitman lived above the A&P on that picture you sent. Their name was anglicized from a Polish name their parents shortened.Harry and Jean Getz, friends of my mother, owned a small shoe store between 2nd and 3rd Sts.The name of the travel agency was, if I'm correct, something like Bortz. On Walnut St. around the corner from Weinstein's was the "Perkiomen Transfer Co." The local movie house was the Townie which I believe was in the 6th ward.Further up the hill were the Colonial, the Midway and the Transit.There was a trolley named the Liberty Bell which went from 8th St. to Philly and a trolley to Bethlehem along the "Bethlehem Minsi Trail". Other memories as they come from the distant past...

 photo supplied by Arnold Fein, showing him, brother and mother at Hamilton and the current American Parkway, next to the current Weinstein Supply Company.

Aug 4, 2012

The Sign Of Hypocrisy

Very early this morning I was amused by the article in The Morning Call speaking of something new coming to downtown Allentown, a electronic billboard. I thought I had put the soon to be demolished Monument Building to rest, but now it features in yet another story of Allentown's double standards. Before the Mayor forced the owner to lock the doors, he had installed the exact type of new billboard coming to Allentown. I apparently was not the only one shaking my head over this story. Before 7:00AM I received the following comment.
  In regards to the future digital billboards: The sad part is that a business man had this same idea and placed a beautiful sign on the side of the 645 Hamilton Street building only to have ut turned off due to City politics.. Everything that is being thought of as new and innovative was proposed and DONE by individuals 6-10 years ago who took it "upon themselves" to make Allentown a better City. Unfortunately, we received no support so many have left or became apathetic... SMH Alfonso Todd
There is actually a proud tradition of signs in center square.  For many years during the golden era a large illuminated Neuweiler Beer sign stood atop the Whelan Drugstore, on the northwest corner.  Back to the hapless Monument owner and his innovative sign.  The sign was up for a number of months and being tolerated by the city, until one faithful day.  As a favor to the coffee shop owner,  the sign company programmed an ad for Lou Hershman running for office, just as Mayor Pawlowski was walking down the street.  The Mayor blew his fuse, and the sign shortly thereafter, when the city threw every sign law on the book at the owner.

 The billboard is actually still mounted to the building, as a testament to this hypocrisy.   Is it the same billboard firm now hired by the city to place billboards on certain streets, including N. 7th? I'll leave some meat on the bone for the paper to discover, when they adopt this story.
photocredit:molovinsky

Aug 3, 2012

The Fifth Estate-Blogging

Occasionally I post a comment on The Morning Call website. Invariably, Future Downtown Arena Attendee comes on to say that I live beyond the city borders and only received so many hundreds of votes in my independent bid for mayor. Last time she attributed my criticism of the mayor's initiative on sour grapes, for having lost the election. Of course there could be no other rational reason to oppose all those enlightened plans coming from city hall. In this town, with one party only on city council, and no scrutiny from the local press, this blog is often the epicenter of opposition. Certainly my associate from Nazareth, Bernie O'Hare, adds a larger voice on some issues. The noise Bernie and I make is eventually heard by our newspaper friends. Although you will seldom see mention of our blogs, they eventually adopt the issues.

Aug 2, 2012

The Year Of Promise

Mayor Pawlowski has a new sermon on his Facebook page about selling our water system, actually it's only a fifty year lease. And it was written in a town near Bethlehem "a unique solution has been identified that is not only feasible, but I believe, the right thing to do. City Council and I propose a long-term lease of the city’s water treatment and distribution system and the sewer collection, treatment and disposal system." I was under the impression that City Council had to evaluate and approve this proposal, seems as if they're already on board. The apostle Julio is mentioned. "City Council President Julio Guirdy expressed concern that public consideration be just as important as the city’s, so we have scheduled four public meetings on the first four Thursdays in August to present this proposal to the public and listen to your feedback." If both the mayor and city council has already decided that this is the way to go, these public meetings are just the usual dog and pony shows. In a proclamation biblical in tone, Pawlowski declares 2012 the year of promise. "This proposal represents a fantastic opportunity to cover our costs, shore-up our bottom line and avoid tax increases for the foreseeable future. I called 2012 the Year of Promise. With this option we can realize our promise. It gives us the ability to rebuild our financial foundations, leverage the progress we have forges together, and turn our progress into success." Be sure to attend those public meetings, your opinion on the subject surely matters to them.

Closing The Monument Building

One morning in early July of 2008, code enforcement descended upon the Monument Building like a swat team. Every officer, in every department in the city entered the building at the same time, and spread out looking for every possible violation. Under the previous owner, the same conditions with the same tenants, were lauded as a rebirth. Whatever motivated Pawlowski to pull the plug on the new owner, the tenants were lightweights, of no consequence. At that time myself and few other malcontents, like Lou Hershman, would gather very early in the morning for coffee at Jerry's Cafe, located on the first floor. The building had begun it's life as the 1st National Bank. After being closed for many years, it reopened as Corporate Center. The new buyer renamed it Monument Building. 645 Hamilton Street will now be torn down, to be replaced by J.B. Reilly's Two City Center. This series tells the story of the little people, who were disposed of along the way. Below reprinted from July 2008
The current issue of Lehigh Valley Latino Magazine contains greetings and congratulations from Mayor Ed Pawlowski, complete with his official photograph and the City Seal. The Magazine, along with 5 other minority businesses are being forced out of 645 Hamilton Street, with the city now telling the Morning Call they're just unlicensed nobody's. In April, Pawlowski wrote "I want to thank Valley Latino TV Show and Magazine for keeping the Latino community informed. Your dedicated effort shows a deep commitment...congratulations... I wish you great success!" This week the mobile cords from the Latino TV Show stage lighting were misrepresented as extension cords by the city. Along with the magazine and television studio, a graphic art designer, a festival promoter, and a security company were displaced. You won't hear them complain, they're being assisted and relocated by city hall. reprinted from July 2008

Aug 1, 2012

7th & Hamilton, The Real Story

The Morning Call has a feature story today about the former 1st National Bank, on the northeast corner of 7th and Hamilton. Arena development magnate J.B. Reilly will demolish the building and turn it into Two City Center, which was originally proposed for the parking lot behind the southwest corner; Different corner, same NIZ taxpayer paid loan. Let me present the real history of the building's past. Read about about little people who used their own money, being bullied about, before Pawlowski dreamt of the arena. Part 1, from the archives of molovinsky on allentown.
                                                   below from July 10, 2008

 
A couple years ago the website for the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation described 645 Hamilton St. as "a monument to growth."* Today's edition of The Morning Call, reporting on violations from the City of Allentown, describes the building as unsafe.** It's the same building, with the same tenants, in the same condition. Unlike the city inspectors, or the well meaning reporter, I'm there every day for coffee at Jerry's Cafe. Jerry's was not one of the upstart businesses blessed with a grant. He had to pay for everything, and everything had to be inspected inside out. His plans had to be approved, his electric and plumbing had to be approved, his grill and hood system had to be approved. City inspectors in and out of the building during this process included no less than plumbing, electrical and health. Although the recent violation report issued to the building in general, lists extension cords, it fails to note those cords are attached to a movable lighting grid for the Latino Television production studio and are cords by design. Although the city citation reports cites unlicensed businesses, it omits the fact that the lower level was occupied by Sassi which performs drug testing for the Lehigh County, and the City's action recently caused Melendez Reality and Madison Mortgage to vacate. Unfortunately for this current hapless owner, the City was looking for violations. Last month Pawlowski promoted a building across the street which has not been occupied or improved in decades, although there is no running water there, breakfast was served to invited realtors. It's easy to beat the drums against the greedy absentee landlords, and surely the apologists will applaud Pawlowski for enforcing codes, but private money is running from this town. There is no work currently being done on any project on Hamilton Street without a grant. It's good politics, but bad business.
reprinted from July 10, 2008