Recently, after being lobbied to do so, I did a post on Promise Neighborhoods and a critic. Not wanting to be an agitator, I chose my words to downplay the confrontation between parties. As the week progressed, the critic became tamer, lastly describing the confrontation as a manly conversation.
Over the weekend, the critic's former personal page had disappeared from Facebook. Today's post isn't to rehash his previous complaints, but to note Promise Neighborhoods protecting its turf. It's my understanding that complaints from Promise succeeded in having the critic's page removed.
The local establishment is invested in Promise, from Tuerk through the Trexler Trust to Josh Shapiro. Apparently, the powers that be also choose to ignore any criticism of their investment.
ADDENDUM: The critic is Johnny Gomez. His organization is called Walk With Me. His current facebook page is Whatzz Tea
Promise Neighborhoods sounds like a criminal organization to me. I'd like to see the FBI investigate it with regards to the RICO Act.
ReplyDeleteThe critic, up from the street as it were, got the message. It is a dangerous scene out there in the once prosperous Queen City. Now Allentown has Promise Neighborhoods, very scary with a new layer of malice, both real and perceived, out there in those streets and neighborhoods. The tension is palpable. Fear has an odor. The more sensitive among the players, from the Wards to the Board are getting an occasional whiff coming in on the early Spring breezes.
ReplyDeleteWill we witness a classical hot summer?
I will be careful choosing the color of my tee shirt on any given day and at any specific occasion.
Well, one good thing. If some of Promise Neighborhood’s funding has been filtered down 3-4 times from USAID deceptive and wasteful spending, that funding will be coming to an end.
ReplyDeleteYa all get straight. Prisoner mentality in gear and rollin. Peeps in the streets see the play, Ain’t nobody gonna explain it to ya.
ReplyDeleteAin’t no respect now, and plenty of $ and face. We all gotta see who the punks are who OG,
Boyz will be boyz. Summer be crackin.
ReplyDeleteanon@1:03: The critic, Johnny Gomez, formally Whatss Tea, is still active. This past weekend his organization Walk With Me, sponsored free haircuts for boys on 7th St.
ReplyDelete" Apparently, the powers that be also choose to ignore any criticism of their investment."
ReplyDeleteThe powers that be ignoring criticism of something in Allentown? Shocking, I tell you.
Like with most politicians, the “powers that be” have little care about what happens in the neighborhood where someone else lives. Until THEIR neighborhood is affected negatively, they blindly go about their daily business.
DeleteI’m still here it’s Whatz tea if you go on fb page and look for the group Whatz tea you’ll find it .. always remember they can take them fb down 100 times just always look out for a new what’s tea the next day.. I will never stop
DeleteJoseph Goebbles and Lavrentiy Beria would be proud of how their traditions of dictatorial censorship are being carried out today, authors of the First Amendment would be mortified and every American citizen worth the ground he occupies should be called to action.
ReplyDeleteanon@8:09: I assume you're referring to the establishment ignoring complaints about Primose, but I'm somewhat "paranoid", because I declined two anonymous comments myself today, and would have done so, even if signed. Although I will report on the situation (which is more than other local media), I will not intentionally print anything which might increase the tension.
DeleteOne wonders if the Game Show Mayor was given a good talkin to in a less than well let corner of the city by a couple of reformed convicts how the rest of deal would play out.
ReplyDeleteI seem to find this situation more disturbing than most commentators do.
I too would like Promise Neighborhoods checked out. Starting your own 501c-3 is an easy way to become an executive of your own organization, rather than being employed. It gives you access to grants and other people’s money. I also wonder why Promise Neighborhoods is located in an industrial building on Union Street rather than IN a neighborhood where they would be visible.
ReplyDeleteWatching from another community, all I can say is this. I still don’t understand what that group actually does. I mean, SPECIFICALLY does. Members do appear on streets where a crime has already happened, but what goes on other days of the week? Does it provide meals, daycare services, afterschool sports, educational tutorial services, volunteer ‘clean team’ labor picking up litter, doing minor labor for seniors, rides to medical appointments, event security?
DeleteThe messaging could be better. That’s all.
The director of Promise Neighborhoods is now a leader of a mosque in Allentown. Masjid Tawheed of Greater Allentown. Who ever is looking into this stuff should also probably look into the mosque. Since accusations of funneling money from one organization to another or to LLC’s associated with the director and people associated with him, this could be a new endeavor since this mosque is pretty new. Is there any funny business going on there with money? I hope not, but again it’s awfully suspicious. Can anyone list what agency to contact to make reports?
ReplyDeleteIf my memory serves me correctly, your illustrative photo is a picture of the mayor reviewing the 2023 budget for the community at the PNLV site. How does that photo complement your post except to again jab your displeasure and bias against Tuerk?
ReplyDeleteSave for this blogger, there was nobody from the community there. The forced chair sitters had no idea what Tuerk was talking about, except that he was there pandering. What a strange location to choose if Tuerk wanted to explain the budget to the greater community.
DeletePeople can’t wait to take down those who look like them while ignoring the other people doing far worse.
ReplyDeleteYall let a dude who never did anything for the community until now gas you
anon@5:57: hosting your comment, but please spell out who and what you're referring to next time.
DeleteI accidentally deleted the following comment, which was submitted anonymously.
ReplyDeleteEvidently, Allentown’s Promise Neighborhood Group is one of DOZENS across America. But, here’s the kicker . . .
Promise Neighborhood is listed as an adjunct organization of the United States DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION! Some funding comes from there.
Coincidentally, TODAY, a formal announcement will be made at the White House of President Trump’s long-standing pledge to eliminate that same Federal Department of Education and send those responsibilities back to each STATE Department of Education. Every state already has one of those.
The present Federal Department of Education has already been undergoing a massive down-sizing by the Trump Administration. It has been accused of wasteful spending and redundant programs that don’t also align with it’s original stated mission.
It’s entirely possible, Promise Neighborhood has been undergoing closer scrutiny to determine the future of its funding.
Promise Neighborhoods LV has absolutely nothing to do with the national model that focuses on education.
DeleteBetter check that statement by going to the Dept.of Ed. website. In one respect you are right. Whatever Promise Neighborhood does has little to nothing to do with academics instruction. Thus, why is it receiving D of Ed funding?
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