When I started this blog back in 2007, the first Morning Call person I skirmished with, Mike Miorelli, is now the new Editor-In-Chief. Miorelli had removed attribution to my blog in a story about the school district, even though the reporter had included it. Since that time, several of my posts have been borrowed without attribution, but things got worse... The Morning Call has ignored two large scoops reported on this blog: Department heads of Lehigh Valley Health Network had offices above the arena, so that the state taxes on their payroll checks could be funneled to J.B. Reilly. The South Whitehall Commissioners allowed The Wildlands Conservancy to attempt to undo the voter's referendum on Wehr's Dam, by challenging the state's favorable inspection report on that structure.
In an article about the changes at the Morning Call, they credit the retiring editor, Terry Rang, with investigative journalism....In their dreams... they didn't even recognize a mayor giving out crooked contracts for 13 years.
dissident blogger Molovinsky at Wehr's Dam, photo by Michael Adams
They are the main cause of Allentown's decline. Period!
ReplyDeleteI wrote the following as a response to a moderator comment on LVR, but it's since been deleted. I hope you'll accept it here since I think it's still on-topic:
ReplyDeleteOver the past two or three decades, the Call has become a mouthpiece for the Left and the local Democrat Party, so it's not really surprising that Pam Lehman (and others before her) have found landing spots in democrat-controlled local government.
That advocacy for the Left has been most obvious in one-sided coverage of national events, and turning a blind eye and covering up what's gone on in their own back yard.
Not only did they miss the biggest municipal corruption case in the region's history - despite being a block away from Allentown City Hall - they also missed reporting on the dangers of Roy Afflerbach's police pension deal until it was too late. That deal and lack of scrutiny screwed taxpayers for decades to come. Nor did the Call attempt to hold those who supported that pension deal accountable, including some who remain in City Hall even today. All that after previously flogging Bill Heydt (a Republican) for such transgressions as starting Lights in the Parkway and trying to have a PRIVATELY-FUNDED arena built downtown.
On top of those failures, the Call continues to ignore the obvious fact that nothing has changed in City Hall since Pawlowski left. You would think that after a sitting Mayor is led off to jail, there'd at least be the thought of a follow-up on which department heads were changed out and what reforms have been implemented to prevent it from happening again. Not from the Call, although we did get a few glowing articles about how well Pawlowski is doing in prison.
To the person who thinks Paul Muschick is the "conservative" voice at the Call, I guess I missed those "conservative" articles after he started advocating for gun bans and doing away with due process. I suppose I can understand mistaking Muschick for a conservative when the Road Warrior (Tom Shortell) is openly supportive of the state mandating that EVERYONE has to blow into a alcohol-detection device before starting a CAR. Again, not exactly a conservative position.
I've tried to stick with the Call, hoping they would recognize their lack of balance, but apparently they lack the ability for self-examination. So I left, as have many others that I know. Not only that, I try my best to avoid doing business with those who advertise in the Call.
You can't be that out-of-touch with at least half of your potential audience and expect to stay in business. They're now reaping what they've sown.
Great wrap up of all the failures and partisan corruption of what once was our local paper. They could have done so much to help and improve the city but instead dug a grave for it, and yes I believe they did it out of petty partisanship. By the way, where are the exposes of the ASD and the fact that they still haven't provided a preliminary budget for the next fiscal year which starts on July 1st. This after they "under budgeted" two years ago and passed an illegal budget, 6 million in red last year. No curiosity, no questions, it's more of the same see no evil, hear no evil, report no evil when it comes to Allentown and it's Democratic machine.
DeleteThis article implies that Riely is not only ripping off the whole of PA's tax base with this farce there my also be federal implications of the same.
ReplyDeleteX@2:22, I have NOT implied any illegality. The NIZ is a unique state statue, for which only Allentown qualifies....there are no precedents.
ReplyDeleteThis post addresses how the Morning Call exempts local sacred cows from scrutiny.
GHOST= in name only no real occupants driving up hhousing costs and STRONG ARMING remaining hamilton street vendors except property owner that colluded with X mayor and those still in public positions at cityhall.
ReplyDeleteOur family has subscribed to the Morning Call (and Evening Chronicle) for many decadesm Unfortunately it has gone the way of too many liberal one sided papers. The Miller's would be appalled!
ReplyDeleteI personally do not ascribe the Morning Call catering to local sacred cows either a Republican or Democratic issue. Rather, it seems that they are not motivated to take on the local establishment, regardless of the political persuasion.
ReplyDeleteGreat Insight Michael,
ReplyDeleteExcellent Comments Gentleman....No more needs to be said from yours truly !
"The Old Allentown Curmudgeon"