Feb 28, 2013

Short Notice, High Culture: A Tribute To Greg Weaver

For about ten years, mid 70's to 80's, Allentown was graced with a one man art machine. Greg Weaver studied at Carnegie Mellon and then returned to the Valley to become artist, promoter and inspiration to dozens of local artists. His large studios, which moved from one low rent location to another over the years, became hubs for innovation and social activity. He was very prolific with his work, and generous with his encouragement. This art "scene" cost the taxpayers nothing, it was done by artists, and it was real. Greg suffered from diabetes, and eventually lost his sight. Although blind. he continued to produce art and inspire people until his death in 1994. Several friends of Greg have collaborated to present a small sample of his work, Friday, March 8, 7-9 pm. The show will be held at the Bessesdotter Verksted, which is located on the third floor of 542 Hamilton Street. That same evening, the Antonio Salemme Foundation will be presenting the work of six women artists, one floor below.

Water War Continues

Although the people's ballot initiative against the water lease is off the table, the water war continues. In order for the Lehigh County Authority, aka LCA, to bid on the Allentown lease, their charter must be extended by the County Commissioners. Yesterday, an editorial by Lisa Scheller, outlined the conservative slate's attitude about the lease. They believe that a private company would best suit the needs of county residents, otherwise, county residents would be subsidizing Allentown's pension dilemma through higher rates. Although her points are well taken. because LCA purchases water and sewage service from allentown, down the long road of a fifty year lease, all citizens of Lehigh County could be at the mercy of a private company. Putting aside Allentown's pension situation, I think that in the long run it would better serve county residents if this asset is under local control. Although a private company would have to honor long term contracts that exist between Allentown and LCA, they will pass along the capital improvements, one way or another.  All LCA water is looped through the filtration plant in Allentown, regardless of where it originates. LCA has not been the perfect steward of water.  Rob Hamill, who has guest posted on this blog, blames them for fostering over development in Lower Macungie, and sewage woes along the Little Lehigh. Never the less, valley residents will have more control and accountability from the local entity LCA, than some multi-national corporate conglomerate headquartered in Europe.

Feb 27, 2013

Petition Group Throws In Towel

The citizen group which organized the petition against the water lease has thrown in the towel, with the following release:
Greetings,                                                                                                                                As reported below in the Express-Times, the wording in Allentown's Home Rule Charter regarding referendum initiatives is incorrect for those initiatives that seek to amend the charter. It turns out that referendums specifically seeking to change the charter must follow state rules and not the rules contained in the charter. While the referendum is dead, your efforts were not in vain. Through your efforts, those who collected signatures and those who otherwise worked on this campaign we collected some 4,500 signatures. Combined, we are a major force that can effect change. Five sitting City Council members are running in the Democratic primary May 21-- Cynthia Mota, Ray O'Connell, Julio Guridy, Jeff Glazier, and Joe Davis. All have voted numerous times against our efforts to slow or halt the march toward privatization. There are five challengers wanting their seats. We, you have to let those in office know that we will vote out of office any council member that continues to support privatization.                                                                                  ~Citizens for Allentown Water
The group made a strategic mistake by wording the petition as a charter change, rather than a simple ordinance against the unpopular lease of our water system. They felt that by pursuing the charter change they could save the water system, and prevent the Administration from selling off additional assets in the future. If I had expended the energy that they did on gathering the signatures, I would pursue this rejection by the election board in the courts.  My title, Throws in Towel, might be a bit harsh.  If the group does succeed in making council members more responsive to the wishes of the public,  their efforts were not totally in vain.

Feb 26, 2013

Disenfranchising Allentown's Voters

You have asked us to review documents you received from the City Clerk, Mr. Michael P. Hanlon. Mr. Hanlon writes in his letter dated January 10, 2011 to you: Thus begins a nine page opinion to deny the voters of Allentown their rights
Colin McEvoy of The Express Times reports that the people's petition, opposing the lease of Allentown's water system, will not appear on the ballot in May. Apparently, the County did not receive the petitions by the required deadline. Initially, the signatures on the petitions had to be approved by Allentown's City Clerk. He was instructed by the city solicitor to employ stricter guidelines than had been previously employed on ballot questions. To my knowledge, the city was in control of the petitions after their approval. Although the solicitor claimed previously unknown knowledge on the rules concerning petition circulation, and placed obstacles in the way, it seems that for some reason he was less versed on the required timelines. If the failure to deliver the approved petitions to the county, in a timely fashion, ultimately rests with the city, or the petition organizers, remains unclear at this time. At any rate, it's apparent that over 4000 registered voters of Allentown are being disenfranchised in their right to challenge the water lease.

UPDATE: From I have have been able to cobble together this morning, the same procedure was followed as was utilized on the successful Rental Inspection Ballot Initiative of 1998.  It appears that the head  of the Election Office, Tim Benyo, ruled that the city procedures were not in conformity with state law.  One would think that the previous ballot initiatives would constitute a precedent.  Poresky and his petition committee should certainly legally challenge Mr. Benyo's interpretation.   I must also wonder why Mr. Benyo didn't inform the petitioners that they were not in compliance in a more timely fashion, allowing recourse on their behalf.  These obstacles,  now on both the city and county level,  have the appearance of being  politically orchestrated.

UPDATE 5:00PM:  I have managed to secure a copy of the legal opinion written by the County Solicitor.   In 1998 a local landlord challenged the Rental Inspection Ballot Initiative, and the City Charter procedure was upheld by the court.   The solicitor bases his opinion denying this ballot question on the fact that unlike 1998, this question deals with a  change in the city charter, not just an ordinance.   Apparently Mr. Benyo sought the opinion of the solicitor:  WHY?  Who or what motivated him to question Allentown's referendum procedure  now, on this question?  As a layman, the opinion justifying the rejection of the ballot question appears laborious and meager.  Hopefully, the petitioners will seek legal recourse.

Feb 25, 2013

Eccentric or Incompetent

What's the difference between being eccentric and incompetent? Money. If you're wealthy enough, you're eccentric, as opposed to the poor people, that we call freaking nuts. Last week the valley learned that Linny Fowler, long time patron of many respectable valley organizations, gave some couple over a $million dollars, hundreds of thousands for dental care alone. That couple now faces criminal charges. I suspect that the same lack of discretion was in place for years, and that many worthwhile groups benefited from her deteriorating health and decision making. Don't expect them to be indicted.

Feb 24, 2013

Allentown, A Town Without Pity

One can imagine the anonymous newspaper comments concerning the confrontation between the machete wielder and the police; One more problem removed from Allentown, and worse. The comment sections have never been a bastion of compassion. The tragedy raises some questions about both the perception and priorities of Allentown. I maintain that potential arena patrons are more concerned about machetes and shootings, than which corporation's name is under the ice at the arena. Although about $600 million in new bricks is being planned in center city, every aspect of public and human service has been cut to the bone. By the end of the year, we will virtually have a new police department, without the normal graph curve of experience. Under the infamous hyper-pension contract, half the force ran out the door. Those induced to remain, the top brass, are all exiting this year. Meanwhile, back on the streets, the sociological changes to Allentown have not been kind. Center city continues to be populated by a poor element, in dire need of various services. The Confrontation showed the catch 22 of our current mental health system; Assistance isn't available until after a problem occurs. I believe that the realities of Allentown require new priorities. I'm not motivated by kindness, but by practicality. Both the police and health department will have to become more pro-active about behavioral issues, to protect both the public and private investments in this city.

Feb 22, 2013

The Hard Streets of Allentown

I've been bothered by the shooting of Saturnino Perez De La Rosa. It's easy to dismiss him as a machete wielder, as I did earlier today. In reality, he was a father, and a man with mental problems, whose family tried to get him help this week. I'm reluctant to second guess the police who responded to a situation. I will say that for a family trying to get help for a loved one, it must be difficult to accept his death, one day later, by 13 bullets. This aspect of the story, and the picture of the man, was presented this evening by Colin McEvoy, of The Express Times.

Machete Center

Yesterday's news was a juxtaposition between Allentown's hopes and it's reality. While Mayor Pawlowski and other dignitaries were attending yet another ceremony at the Arena Hole, the police department was expending numerous rounds to down a machete wielder, only a couple blocks away. Back at the Hole, one dignitary after another saw the arena as a Transformation of Allentown. If Allentown is to transform, it will be through the Reillyville Office Complex. The arena itself, silent and dormant every day, with only 120 nights of use anticipated, will make no change. The adjacent hotel, repeatedly mentioned by The Morning Call, will be another apartment house. Let us hope that the tenants don't have machetes.

The Wailing Wall


Israel had hoped that Jordan would not join the Arab forces against them in 1967. It was not to be; their artillery opened fire on Israel. Israeli paratroopers fought with small arms in the Old City. They were ordered to use no artilley, which could damage Holy Shrines.

Although Israeli Jews and Christians were barred from both the Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the twenty years of Jordanian rule, Israel immediately opened access to all. Administrative control of the Temple Mount, upon which sits the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque, were immediately given to the Jordanian Waqf (Islamic Trust).

The Wailing Wall is the Western Wall of the Mount, which is considered the closest and only remnant of the Second Jewish Temple, and is the holiest site in Judaism. No matter where in the world, all Jews have always prayed facing Jerusalem and the Wall. reprinted from April 2010

Feb 21, 2013

Bottom Feeding News

PhotoCredit:WFMZ 69
It turns out that Alfonso Todd's big crime was parking tickets, even though Bill Villa's emails suggested that it was much more. Todd's failure to pay his tickets resulted in his license being suspended. Today he was imposed with a monetary fine, while Villa harassed the Judge that there should have been imprisonment. Addicts of the blogosphere are used to Bernie O'Hare referring to himself as a bottom feeder. Today. that title clearly belongs to WFMZ 69, who covered the hearing, apparently responding to Villa's hateful emails. Rather than taint an earnest candidate of the people like Alfonso Todd, they should have done a story on how they were manipulated by Villa.

Moshe Dayan


Moshe Dayan on born on a kibbutz near the Sea of Galilee in 1915. When he was 14, he joined the outlawed Haganah, an underground defense force to protect Jewish settlements from Arab attacks. Although caught and imprisoned by the British for two years, he would fight for them in Lebanon during WWII, losing his eye. In the 1948 War of Independence, he fought on all the fronts, defending Israel; by 1953 he was Chief of Staff of the Israeli Armed Forces. In 1956 he led the Suez Campaign.

In 1967 he was Defense Minister for the Six Day War. He remained in that position through the War of 1973. Although a genuine hero in every sense of the word, he was held responsible for the initial success of Egyptian forces in the surprise attack on Yom Kippur (1973), and would resign from his position.

Israel is too small of a country, and it's enemies too numerous, for any miscalculations regarding it's security.

reprinted from April 2010

Feb 20, 2013

Harassing Alfonso Todd

Feb 19, 2013
James J. Narlesky, Magistrate Judge
District Court # 03-1-04
248 Brodhead Road
Suite 2 Bethlehem, PA 18017 
RE: Docket Number: MJ-03104-TR0000434-2013

Judge Narlesky, Your Honor:

I understand there's a private meeting or a public hearing (your secretary Jenna has pledged to call me back on this) scheduled for this Thursday, Feb 21, 2013 @ 9:00am regarding.... habitual recidivist scofflaw defendant and Allentown City Council candidate Alfonso Todd ...... 

As a "sidebar," Your Honor, I am pleased to have been the civic-minded catalyst for Alfonso Todd finally contacting you and accepting some small measure of accountability for his antisocial behavior through my Lehigh Valley Somebody blog post on Alfonso, LVS Exposé: "We CAN Do Better" than Alfonso Todd on Allentown City Council. 

Your Honor, considering the fact that Mr. Todd has been thumbing his nose at police and the courts..... and finally, Your Honor, that this man has the audacity to insult the citizenry and run for Allentown City Council, I humbly ask that you impose the maximum 6-month jail sentence on Alfonso Todd as you have the full authority to do.

Thank you, Your Honor, for considering being as civic-minded as I am. 

Best Regards,
Bill Villa
610.428.1253

Bill Villa's harassment against Alfonso Todd and others, including myself, continues every day. I've been told that on Villa's blog he now falsely claims that I challenged him to a fistfight. As I said before, I do not challenge anybody to any form of physical altercation, but do challenge the Allentown Police Department to protect me, and others, from these increasingly hostile threats from Mr. Villa. In addition to myself, Villa sent a copy of his email to both Allentown City Council and Mayor Pawlowski.  It's a quandary if one should report on Villa's despicable  behavior. Needless to say, he certainly isn't really civic minded; He is a predator, trying to cause harm to people he barely knows, and have done no harm to him.  He is a distorter, who has sent hundreds of such letters, as shown above, about dozens of people. He is a cyber stalker.  Most people don't even care to read about such things, much less write about them.  I also would prefer not to write about his abhorrent behavior, but he counts on his ability to intimidate his victims into not defending themselves.

Feb 19, 2013

The Butchers of Allentown

photograph by Bob Wilt
A&B (Abogast&Bastian), dominated the local meat packing industry for almost 100 years. At it's peak, they employed 700 people and could process 4,000 hogs a day. The huge plant was at the foot of Hamilton Street, at the Lehigh River. All that remains is their free standing office building, which has been incorporated into America on Wheels. Front and Hamilton was Allentown's meatpacking district. Within one block, two national Chicago meatpackers, Swift and Wilson, had distribution centers. Also in the area were several small independents, among them M. Feder and Allentown Meat Packing Company.
reprinted from January 2011

Feb 18, 2013

Dan Hartzell Discovers WPA

The Morning Call's Road Warrior, Dan Hartzell, has discovered the WPA. His article today explains the progress, or lack of, concerning the wall in Lehigh Parkway. Like my article four months ago, he interviewed Rich Young, head of public works. Although Dan learned nothing new that my readers didn't know about the wall, he does mention that city is waking up about our WPA treasures. I don't know how Dan got to the Parkway for his photo, but he probably had to cross Schreiber's Bridge. The condition of that bridge is the real road story needing his attention. When I had interviewed Young, although the western approach wall on the north side of the bridge had just been rebuilt, the eastern approach wall had also been smashed. Young acknowledged that this damage was caused by trucks trying to make the turn onto Martin Luther King Drive. The rebuilt western wall approach has again been smashed. Although the bridge is weight restricted, the trucks are ignoring the sign. Allentown can install dozens of security cameras downtown, but not one to protect our bridge built in 1828. I invite Hartzell to join my tour of the Parkway WPA structures on April 6th. If he shows up, I'll suggest that he read and copy my reports about Schreiber's Bridge.

Feb 17, 2013

A Snowy Morning In Jerusalem



Snow is a rare occurrence in Jerusalem, but on January 10th it snowed 6 inches, the biggest storm since 1992.  Although this blog concentrates on local political commentary, I do indulge in a few distractions. Among those are local history, boxing from the Joe Louis era, and stories from the Holy Land.  With all topics, the quality of the visual image presented here is paramount to me.

Feb 15, 2013

The Hibernating Morning Call Newspaper

A month ago I wrote a post entitled Top Brass To Cash In Chips. At that time, I wrote; Check with The Morning Call in ten days to two week, for what will be just a longer version of my exclusive. It actually took the Call one month. How is it that a blogger can scoop a paper? How is it that a feature story can be team written that contains virtually no new information? How can columnists use their bully pulpit to write about grammar, week after week? I think the answer lies in the recent bankruptcy period of the Tribune Organization. During that period business decisions were made from financial distress, not journalistic accomplishment. Those retaining their jobs were probably frozen somewhat, knowing that decisions were being made 1,500 miles away, by people who likely never even read The Morning Call. Now that the Tribune has emerged from bankruptcy, I wish the remaining staff well, with whomever their new employer turns out to be.

UPDATE: Question for Bill White.  Bill, should it be whoever or whomever your new employer turns out to be?

Feb 14, 2013

Sal Panto's Obsession

I became interested in Sal Panto years ago, when he first championed for a new parking deck behind the Wolf School. I'm somewhat familiar with center city Easton, and recognized that as a third rate location. Sal then pushed for a location further up Northampton Street, again away from the square. Finally, he bought into the Lanta Terminal/Deck formula, first done in Allentown. At the time, in Allentown, it removed the shoppers from the shops. Now of course, Allentown has removed the shops. Panto then paired the Al Bundy High School Museum of Sports with the deck, specifying that Sal's high school picture be included. He now wants City Hall in the proposed complex, so that he may view the picture through out the day.

Feb 13, 2013

An Attempt To Smear AlfonsoTodd

There is an effort under way to sabotage Alfonso Todd's candidacy by Bill Villa. Apparently, Todd has some issues with his driving record, which Villa managed to uncover, and distribute. I first started receiving emails from Villa smearing Todd several weeks ago. Alfonso is on Villa's enemy list, along with dozens of other people, who never in reality caused him any harm. When you're on Villa's list, he contacts your employer, and complains that you're sadistically provoking him, even though in truth he's harassing you. If the boss doesn't comply with Villa's demands, then the boss goes on the list, and Villa contacts the boss's superiors, making the same demand. It is in this way that all the local college deans made the list. Also included are ministers, priests and bishops. Todd decided to go public with this attack on him and submitted a comment to my blog. A little OT and I KNOW it won't make the Morning Call but this is how Candidates for City Council are treated.... So, I have received my first threat of BLACK MAIL since I began running for the office of ALLENTOWN CITY COUNCIL. Now, 3 people had warned me that this would happen and I was like OK. But when they dig up what they THINK is going to embarrass you and will make you drop out of a race that I KNOW will help Allentown,PA become a better place, then I have no choice but to do as I said I was going to do and offer full transparency ANSWER: Sure, parking tickets and a forgotten ticket. It happens and as a human (average person) I have made mistakes. I have paid or am paying my fines and i move on. It still has nothing to do with my desire to make Allentown, PA into a better place for my children, your children, and everyone else. My past has nothing to do with the great future I envison for Allentown. Thanks for the information by the way. It's appreciated! Alfonso Todd 484 619 6541 Todd's correct in that this would probably not have made The Morning Call. The only person less likely to be mentioned in the paper than me is Bill Villa, who has put most of their staff on his enemy list.

Feb 12, 2013

Allentown Becomes A Monarchy

Park and Shop Lots
Downtown Allentown boomed for about 100 years. During the prosperity years following World War II, the two car family emerged. Several business leaders of Allentown realized both the parking problem and the potential to enhance sales. Park and Shop was begun by Harvey Farr, Donald Miller and John Leh. The current small parking deck at 10th and Hamilton, above the current uptown police substation, was the first deck in the country. To make the parking lots, shown in the postcard above, houses were purchased and torn down. Although the gentlemen mentioned in this article profited from their influence, they always provided solutions for the betterment of the community. They seemed to be a benevolent oligarchy. As the viability of the Park And Shop enterprise declined along with the intercity shopping, The Allentown Parking Authority was conveniently formed by local politicians, and it purchased the lots using Municipal bonds; The process allowed the aforementioned gentleman to land on their feet, in a downward market.

Flash ahead thirty five years to another downward market, and we have one gentleman, J.B. Reilly, buying up center-city with municipal bonds backed by state taxes. Reilly has purchased far more property than ever owned by Park and Shop. He has purchased virtually the four square blocks surrounding the arena, a significant portion of the Neighborhood Improvement Zone(NIZ). Again the process was facilitated by our elected officials. Let us hope that the new monarchy will be as benevolent as the old oligarchy. reprinted from November 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                 UPDATE: There was never any criticism of the old oligarchy, because one of the members, Donald Miller, owned the newspaper, The Morning Call. Flash ahead thirty five years, and again there is no criticism of the new monarchy by The Morning Call. Instead, on the contrary, valid questions raised by the alternative media, such as this blog, are dismissed as misguided and snide. Morning Call readers know that Reilly acquired property, but they don't know that with three exceptions, he acquired all the property adjoining the arena block. They are given the deed transfer dates as proof of no insider information, while ignoring the real relevant dates when agreements of sales were pushed on the owners. This distorted reporting goes back to the beginning of the project. In the first meeting, between the former merchants of Hamilton Street and the Pawlowski administration, the merchants complained that they didn't know the identity of the real buyer. While Sara Hailstone admitted the buyer was indeed the city, and that the realtors involved were indeed strawbuyers, those details never made the paper, despite the reporter's presence at the meeting. Similar intimidation tactics were used by Reilly in assembling his current monopoly of adjoining arena property. Similar cover is again being provided by The Morning Call.

Feb 11, 2013

Welcome To The Vendig


In 1933, with the end of Prohibition, my grandparents(maternal) started operating the Vendig Hotel. They were the working partners, another immigrant family, here longer, were the silent backers. The hotel was directly across from the current Main Street Depot Restaurant in Bethlehem, which was the old New Jersey Line Terminal. With my grandmother cooking, they became well known for crab cakes and other shelled seafood. What wasn't known, was that she was strictly kosher, and never even tasted anything she prepared. As some may recall, my grandparents came from Hungarian Transylvania (now Romania) in the early 20's. Family lore* says Bela Lugosi visited the hotel. Lugosi was born in the same area of then Hungary, and started his acting career playing Jesus in Passion Plays. In 1931, after immigrating to America years earlier, he got his big break playing Dracula. Typecast as a villain, Lugosi was reduced in later years to drug addiction and playing in low budget monster films. He died in the mid 50's and was buried in his Dracula cape.

* My surviving uncle, who as a boy lived above the hotel, has no recollection of Lugosi. The partner families would later merge through marriage and 40 years later come to own the old vaudeville theater in South Bethlehem known as The Globe. It too is gone.                                                      reprinted from June of 2008

Feb 10, 2013

The Morning Call Can't Spell Molovinsky

Out of frustration, J.B. and Kathleen Reilly have stopped reading the political blogs that snidely refer to downtown Allentown as Reillyville or Reillytown, so writes Scott Kraus and Matt Assad in today's feature story. Although a large portion of the article defends against criticism from this blog, including the phrases Reillyville and Reillytown, reporters and editors have once again chosen to not give attribution to molovinsky on allentown. Although perhaps J.B. has stopped reading this blog, I know that Kraus and Assad are reading these words: So boys, here's the biggie you missed today. You forgot to mention that the City gave Reilly $20 million (loaned from National Penn) in seed money, with no specifications, which he used to buy those 32 properties for $15.1 million. I say the City, because the loan was made even before the NIZ Authority was formed. You forgot to mention that some of the owners displaced by Reilly's buying spree felt intimidated, supposedly even including the possibility of eminent domain. Although you keep parroting Pawlowski's premise of risk on Reilly's part, the only real risk was ours. Although you have presented a defense against all the apparent connections, the fact remains that we now have Reillyville.
UPDATE: Kraus and Assad write; records show he(Reilly) didn't buy his first new property until March 2011 — three months after the new downtown NIZ map was adopted, and a week after the city publicly announced it was shifting the arena downtown. Public records refer to deed transfers, but when were the Agreements of Sale signed? Reilly wonders why other developers are not taking advantage of the NIZ.  Perhaps because Reilly has already purchased all the adjoining blocks? Perhaps because they are not assured that their project will be granted the same NIZ Authority approval, necessary for  the tax debt funding, being enjoyed by Reilly?  

Feb 9, 2013

Cliffsmanship vs. Disingenuity

At Tom Muller's press conference announcing his candidacy for County Executive, he said he created a word, Cliffsmanship, to describe the dreaded reform slate of commissioners. I have a hard enough time using existing words properly, but I do know disingenuous when I hear it. Muller said he isn't interested in the national debate on spending, that's an issue for our representatives in Washington. However, supposedly he was interested enough in the national discussion to change parties back in May. Speaking of last spring, here's his story back then: Cunningham indicated today he would choose Thomas Muller, the county's director of administration. Muller is a Republican, so he would not be eligible for the permanent job, and said he would not be interested in it anyway. After that statement, Tommy apparently scampered down to the lower level of Government Center and changed his voter registration. He will now be negotiating with the County unions as a Democratic candidate for Executive; Donny Cunningham the Second.

Feb 8, 2013

A Personal Journey


I was at a party where the host recently acquired a lawn sculpture. Unknown to him, a section of it was comprised of an old Jewish tombstone, of a wife and mother who died at the age of 25 in 1918. It's a beautiful carving of a branch less tree trunk, symbolizing a life ended prematurely. I became concerned as to where this stone had come from. Who would know if their great-grandmother's stone was taken?
I had no idea where my great-grandmother was buried. I searched for this young woman's grave. Finally, Rabbi Juda directed me to the old Agudath Achim Cemetery in Fountain Hill. There I found the woman, M. Azrilian, with a new grave marker. Next to her lies Jeannie Molovinsky, my great-grandmother. 
My thanks to Rabbi Juda and M. Azrilian (1893-1918)

I wrote the above piece on July 18, 1997. In my search for M. Azrilian, I discovered Mt. Sinai Cemetery inside Fairview Cemetery on Lehigh St., subject of one my early posts. The photograph above is the Mt. of Olives in Jerusalem.                                                                           reprinted from 2008                                                                                                                     UPDATE:   My grandfather came to Allentown as a young man in 1893. After working and saving for a number of years, he brought his parents over from the Old Country. The former synagogue on 2nd. Street had just acquired their cemetery off Fullerton Avenue when his mother died. Jewish tradition dictated that a man was the first burial in a new cemetery, so she was buried in an old Jewish Cemetery on Fountain Hill. Several years later her husband, my great grandfather, was hit in the head with a pipe and killed while being robbed on Basin Street. He is buried on Fullerton Avenue.

Feb 7, 2013

Don Cunningham the Second

I always had an affinity for older objects and construction, they tended to be overbuilt. They were built to last, and past the test of time. New things are engineered for cost and landfills. Allentown will never again see the likes of the former multiple stone arch bridge which spanned the Jordan Creek on Linden Street. When Don Cunningham ran for County Executive in 2005, eight county bridges were deemed unsound by state inspectors, including the Linden Street Bridge. I learned from a source, high up in the new bridge project, that the historic bridge could have been repaired at a fraction of the cost of the new concrete slab monstrosity now in it's place. However, that would have interfered with Cunningham's plan for a ribbon cutting. Cunningham, and his project manager, Glenn Solt, went into the bridge business. They have already replaced fifteen bridges, seven of which didn't need replacing. They also want to replace the historic stone arch Reading Road (Walnut Street) Bridge by Union Terrace (Daddona Park). Yesterday, flanked by Ed Pawlowski and other members of the local Democratic Machine, Tom Muller announced his candidacy for County Executive. Muller was Cunningham's top administrator, and architect of the reassessment. Problem with the reassessment is that real estate prices have dropped so dramatically in the last seven years, that the values are very close to the 1990 previous assessments. Muller didn't have the flexibility to realize that market changes made the new assessments unnecessary. Yesterday, he also praised the unnecessary bridge replacement business. He's a bureaucrat straight through, apparently void of creative thought. Muller thinks that if something has been planned for years, you do it, even if circumstances change. He thinks that if the money worked it way down the tubes through the years, you spend it, even if the project is no longer relevant. Now, if only he had Cunningham's smile and played the guitar.                                                                                                                      UPDATE: I did not attend Muller's press conference yesterday, but Bernie O'Hare did. Bernie thought that Cunningham could walk on water, and will also try and sell you on Cunningham the Second. Today Bernie reports on Muller's speech, video records Muller's speech and prints Muller's speech.

Feb 6, 2013

A Blog and a Cemetery

About ten years ago, I began searching for the grave of a young Jewish woman, who died around 1900. Among several Jewish cemeteries no longer in use, I searched Mt. Sinai, a small section of the sprawling Fairview Cemetery on Lehigh Street, just west of the 8th Street Bridge. The cemetery is the history of Allentown past, including the graves of Harry Trexler, John Leh, and Jack Mack. As one proceeded deeper into the cemetery, away from sight on Lehigh Street, conditions worsened. As is the case with many old cemeteries, fees paid for perpetual care, 100 years ago, were long gone. Complicating the situation, the current private operator wasn't particularly assessable. In addition to extended family members upset about conditions, the situation was compounded by his refusal, with few exceptions, to allow private upkeep. My early posts on the situation drew response and phone calls from people with no interest in local political blogs; They were just exasperated relatives, with a family member buried long ago at Fairview. After beginning a series of posts, and letters to the editor, I prevailed upon The Morning Call to write a story one year later. The Call's story appeared on August 11, 2008. Within two weeks, the cemetery operator agreed to a public meeting I had organized at a local church. Arrangements were made between the operator and several parties. As with several of Allentown's older cemeteries, the issue of maintenance will be ongoing. This would be a worthwhile project for City Hall.

Mt. Sinai in Fairview Cemetery


Jews have been buried in a small section of Fairview Cemetery, called Mt. Sinai, for over 138 years. Although the markings on several stones have worn away, Hannah Dreifuss was buried there in 1868. The September 10th Chronicle in 1875 reported that two members of the Jewish faith, prominent Hamilton Street merchants, Joshua Schnurman and Simon Feldman, purchased a section from Fairview Cemetery and applied for a charter for Mt. Sinai Cemetery,* thus creating the first Jewish Institution in Allentown.
Fairview Cemetery itself was not formally laid-out until 1870, when the renowned architectural firm Lathan of Buffalo was hired to create the premiere resting place in the Lehigh Valley. The giants of Allentown would be buried there, among them Harry Trexler, the Leh's, and the Mack's of truck fame.
The History Lehigh County, published in 1914, notes Mt. Sinai contained 29 graves.** Among them was Julia Wolf, who died in 1907. Her husband Morris served with the local regiment in the Civil War, and lived to be 98 years old. Feldman and Schnurman were among the earliest Jews in Allentown, immigrants from Germany who practiced the modern "Reformed" Judaism. These gentlemen and their extended family members would go on to form the "Young Ladies and Men's Hebrew Society" in 1883***, a predecessor to the Keneseth Israel Congregation organized in 1903. Mt. Sinai remained the resting place for Reformed Jews till 1928, when Keneseth Israel established its own cemetery. Burials continued at Mt. Sinai through the 1940's as spouses and passing family members joined those previously departed in family plots. Today there are 78 graves. In July of 2006, thirty years after the previous burial in 1976, Joseph Levine was laid to rest at the age of 103.

* Chronicle source courtesy of Frank Whelan
** states "people of Hebrew faith" purchased section in 1881
*** Congregation Keneseth Israel 100th Anniversary History

Blogger's Note: Mt. Sinai Cemetery is unaffiliated with any synagogue, and with few exceptions, has been unused for 60 years.

reprinted from February 2012

Feb 5, 2013

Parkway Tears


Director Harms Lehigh Parkway
February 04, 1993|The Morning Call
To the Editor:

How much longer must park devotees put up with Allentown Park Director Donald Marushak's misuse of evergreen trees, no trespass signs, and wrecking tools to destroy cherished elements of the people's parks?

First Marushak closed off a much-used slope by planting a dense cluster of 60 evergreen trees across its width.

Next, four "No trespass" signs were posted to prohibit access to 30 acres of deciduous woodland with its magnificent understory of many species of plant life. Trespass, a legal term, is defined in a children's encyclopedia as intrusion on private land. The term has no application for restricting passage on public land.

The WPA in the 1930s created a three-acre island by diverting water from the Little Lehigh Creek. The island had remained a source of joy for birders, naturalists, and nondescript strollers. No one foresaw Marushak arriving on the scene with wrecking tools to rip up the bridge, terminating public access to the island. Three masonry piers remain in place. Also remaining are 12 discarded auto tires gathering silt in the small stream.

BERT LUCKENBACH
ALLENTOWN (February 4, 1993)

20 years later......
Most people have long ago forgotten that there was a bridge to the island, although the stone piers still remain, obscured by overgrowth. The curved wall and landing of the Boat Landing, shown in the lower right of the photograph, are buried. In 2009, with help from others who appreciate our treasured parks, I had the privilege to
rescue the steps which lead to the landing. This Spring, in conjunction with Friends of The Parks, I will conduct a tour of current and former WPA sites remaining in Lehigh Parkway.  Michael Molovinsky

Feb 4, 2013

The Candidacy of Alfonso Todd

Todd's Fuzion 2012
I've known Alfonso Todd for number of years. While the City hired special event coordinators, and created whole bureaucracies, Alfonso outdrew them at his own promotional events, at no cost to the tax payer. While the City events hosted the usual non-profits that clamor every year for grants, like baby birds for worms, Alfonso attracted minority entrepreneurs who will be part of Allentown's real future. There is a self starting, pragmatic aspect to the man. Over the years, starting in 2008, I attended a number of his events, and was always impressed with his attention to detail. Alfonso has decided to offer that same due diligence to the citizens of Allentown, and run for City Council.

Feb 3, 2013

The Sunday Drive



My family wasn't much for recreation.  My father worked six days a week, from early morning till early evening.  We did go for a long car ride on Sundays.  Back then gasoline was cheap, and having no destination wasn't thought of as wasteful.  Children were more content to sit in back seat and look out the window, now they want a video screen in the vehicle.



Even children's play then involved more imagination and interaction.  Howdy Doody was just a puppet on strings,who spend most of his time talking to an adult, Buffalo Bob, can you imagine?




 Sitting in that back seat in the mid fifties, I might well had



my "coonskin" hat with me.  Fess Parker was a genuine American hero.  It mattered little if he played both Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, both were king of the wild frontier.  The ride probably lasted for two hours and then we would go to a restaurant to eat dinner.  Compared to now, there were very few restaurants.



My mother would cook all the other meals that week, and we probably ate out more than most.  Supermarkets were the new rage in food shopping, but the butcher, baker and candle stick maker were still going strong.  If my father headed west or south, chances are we ended up at Shankweiler's Hotel, famous for chicken and waffles.   They were at the intersection of Old 22 and Route 100.  The building still exists and currently is a bank.  The family also owned another hotel on Route 309.  Both locations also operated adjoining Drive-In movies.



If my father headed north or east,  we would end up at Walp's, which was on the corner of Union Blvd. and Airport Road.  Walp's was a much more urban place.   While Shankweiler's was an old country inn,  Walp's was built as a modern restaurant.  I enjoyed those rides, they were a learning experience.


reprinted from May 2010

Feb 1, 2013

Remaining Merchants Pay For Reilly's World

Pat Browne is confident that 2012 is the only year in which the Arena Authority will have to dip into the base state tax, I'm confident it is not. Browne's excuse for breaking the promise not to use those funds was the delay caused by the lawsuit, filed by the surrounding municipalities not wanting to pay for J.B Reilly's real estate empire. Of course they also were promised that their taxes would be returned. Sy Taub, Authority Chairman, said it stands to reason that during the period of the hole, before revenue starts pouring in from completed construction, that there would be a shortfall. He has more confidence in the pending success of both the Palace of Sport and Reilly's Office World than I do. They used up the taxes of the small merchants this year because the NIZ law allows them to do so. Expect more broken promises and excuses in the coming years.                                                                         commentary based on Morning Call report by Scott Kraus and Matt Assad