In 2005, mayoral candidate Ed Pawlowski gave a press conference at a house in the 400 block of Liberty Street. He praised the renovated house being occupied, as typifying his vision of Allentown moving forward. The Morning Call reporter, Daryl Nerl, wrote a glowing story. I decided to research the property. It turns out that the house was passed back and forth between two low income housing agencies for six years. (Pawlowski had been Director of the Alliance for Building Communities, a low income housing agency). After the six years it was "sold" to a low income couple who defaulted on the easy loan, but also destroyed the renovated house in the process. After six more years, two more agencies, and another renovation, Pawlowski gave his press conference.
At my press conference, also attended by the media, I spelled out the problem; Twelve years, no taxes, two renovations and two unqualified "buyers" attracted to Allentown by these give away programs at the expense of the tax paying homeowners. Channel 69 ran the story, but nothing in the Morning Call. I asked Daryl if he thought the story would resonate with the public? He replied that it certainly would. I asked if he was going to print the story before the election? The story never appeared.
photo: Channel 69, Liberty Street Press Conference
I don't think that the reporter liked you. He was definitely a Clown. The Morning call is kind of like a Clown College, you could say. It looks like that reporter has graduated.
ReplyDeleteMedia + Democracy = Medi-ocracy!
ReplyDeleteMy kids told me that one!
Can you give an estimate of the grant monies wasted on these two renovation projects? Also, what if anything has happened to the properties the mayor has dubbed "Slum Landlord" specials? Have these dwellings been cleaned up or demolished?
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm just not sure why you think that Daryl would be the decider in what to print. I've written for a few publications over the years, and other than blogs, I don't know a single instance in which a writer has much decision at all about what gets printed and what doesn't.
ReplyDeleteanon 7:59, neglect has its reward. both the original properties featured in pawlowski's first news conference have been purchased by the Redevelopment Authority at much more than their value. the "slumlord" is delighted.
ReplyDeleteanon 8:11, if you use the link on the preceding post and go to the dialogue between nerl and myself, his bias against me is blatant. his editors only know what he reported back to them concerning my news conference. what about the above post do you find un -newsworthy?
I am honestly astonished everytime I read this so called former reporter's remarks that he held you in such contempt as a candidate. He admits in a backhanded way that his personal feelings directly affected his ability to cover you fairly.
ReplyDeleteIt might be four years too late, but it truly justifies the perception of many in the community that there are members of the media who are biased.
I bet he could get a job at FAUX NEWS, he would be at home there.
Faux News?
ReplyDeleteAs compared to what
All Barrack Channel?