Misguided, But Not Demeaned

Bill White usually doesn't concern himself with politics. Over the years, like a teacher with decades of lesson plans, Bill has a file of themes to fill the space. By the time the last Christmas light column appears, it's almost time for Eating his way through Musikfest. Before judging the cakes at the fair, he has his Hall of Fame. He claims it's intend is not to ridicule, and cites the Cipko brothers as proof, because they were philanthropists. White omits that he portrayed them as buffoons with oversized toupees. For those who think I'm being harsh on Bill, let me quote him from May 22, 2008. I’ve milked the Hall of Fame for all I can this year, as is my wont, but there’s one more bit of unfinished business. Bill wrote his second column on the Great NIZ Debate and described me as misguided, once again. Apparently, Bill has gotten emails criticizing his first column, with one claiming he demeaned me. I didn't "demean" the blogger on the program, project opponent Michael Molovinsky. I summarized his views and said I felt he is misguided. There's nothing demeaning about that. The problem of course is that he summarized my views incorrectly. He mischaracterized my comments as being preoccupied with the former merchants, and ignored all my points about the Arena and NIZ in general. But I'm starting to repeat myself, and I don't want to sound like a paid columnist.

 I'm being rough on Bill. Although he did get two columns from the debate, this is my second blog post about his columns. I probably have some jealously. He gets paid to mostly ignore Allentown politics and write three columns a week. I write six posts a week on local politics, for free, and get called dour and misguided for my effort.

A Disdainful Blogger

The email was accidentally sent to me from a cellphone during a three way communication. I was pitching a Morning Call reporter to publicize an issue, and he was requesting permission from an editor. The email said yes Molovinsky is disdainful, but it would make an interesting article. I earned the disdainful tag by taking the reporters to task for their shortcomings reporting the news of our community, and failing to credit myself and other bloggers when appropriate. My ability to alienate has hurt the success of my efforts on community issues. More diplomatic advocates receive the publicity which moves their agenda forward. As a younger man I was apparently too dumb to learn, now, I'm too old. With that introduction, let me take a swipe at the On The Cheap columnist, Spencer Soper. Spence, the big news isn't that House of Chen ended their economy buffet, but that J.B. Reilly is ending their business. Those buildings are being bought with the same threatening tactics used by the City against the merchants across the street, now home to the hole. This dour, misguided, disdainful blogger will appear this evening on Business Matters on WFMZ69 at 8:00p.m. During the program I insult the host, Tony Ianelli; It figures.
WATCH THE DEBATE, CLICK HERE

WATCH SPENCER SOPER'S MUSICAL VIDEO,THE HOUSE OF CHEN

Consigliere's Marathon

The photo shown here is one year old. Last year at this time, O'Hare and I were engaged in a Blog War, passionately taking opposite sides on the Gracedale issue. Because Bernie has the expertise to file lawsuits, I actually cropped off his stomach in the photo, as not to enrage him. I labeled the photo The Consigliere. I reprint it now because yesterday Bernie ran and completed a half marathon. Anybody who can lose that much weight and prepare to run 13 miles in less than a year is probably nuts, just the same, congratulations.

Bernie's Blogosphere

This post is about Bernie O'Hare. Because I haven't seen him in about a month, and he's been losing about 20lbs. a week, I decided to represent him with the high energy geezer from the amusement park, instead of an outdated photograph. Last night Bernie wrote 7 posts on his blog. The Morning Call had 8 local stories, but they were written by seven different people. In addition to being the most prolific writer in the local blogosphere, he attends more meetings than the newspaper staff(s) combined. (Morning Call and Express Times). In between he writes for the Free Press, runs off 20 lbs. a week, and operates his title search business. I write one post six days a week, and next to Bernie, may well be the most productive blogger. (definitions of productive and blogger may differ). In tribute to his productivity, or obsessions, depending on your point of view, I publish this today, instead of tomorrow.

Molovinsky Breaks Stories

April of 2011 was a big month for this blog. On April 14, I broke the story that former school superintendent Zahorchak had hired Joyce Marin,

 to accommodate Ed Pawlowski. The hiring was snuck into a long list of minor personnel changes, and unnoticed by the school directors. Two days later, I broke the story that the City was buying up the arena block, and using a straw buyer to boot. As I worked the Marin story, it would come to include an email exchange between myself and Zahorchak, acknowledging the hire, and a public statement by school director Zimmerman. Zimmerman's note confirmed the subterfuge used by Zahorchak. On April 19, Morning Call caught up on my stories about Joyce Marin and also the Arena. Education reporter Steve Esack wrote about the Marin hire, crediting this blog. His editor, Mike Miorelli, changed "molovinsky on allentown" to "local blogger". Needless to say, I didn't take that well. I wrote a post criticizing Miorelli for failing to give proper attribution. Yesterday, the School Administration announced that Marin's position was eliminated. An article in today's Morning Call mentions the controversy and Zimmerman, but not this blog. Although it's my normal practice to link to Morning Call stories I refer to, and credit the reporter, I'll skip that courtesy today.
 UPDATE: Several days ago I noticed that my November post, entitled Mayo Can't Add, which took the new superintendent to task for not undoing some of Zahorchak's manipulations, was getting multiple views. Yesterday, Mayo announced the elimination of some new positions created by Zahorchak. Regardless of what factors influenced Mr. Mayo, I congratulate him for tightening up the ship.

Small Victories

In the best case, molovinsky on allentown chronicles my efforts in community activism, in addition to being a source of analysis for local issues. Last week a small victory resulted from such efforts. Our local dignitaries broke ground for a new garage at Lanta. Several years ago, when the garage plans were first announced, it was to be built on the parking lot of Bicentennial Park. Allentown needed money, and Lanta had a grant to build a new garage. Lanta claimed that the ball park property was the only feasible location, and the City claimed that Bicentennial Park had outlived it's usefulness.

Bicentennial Park is virtually the history of baseball in Allentown. First opened in 1939 as Fairview Field, it was home to the minor league team of the Boston Braves; The Allentown Dukes played there through 1948, when Breadon Field was built in Whitehall, site now of the Lehigh Valley Mall. Over the years thousands of Allentown kids had the yearly thrill of playing "Under The Lights". In addition to hosting the Allentown Ambassadors, it currently serves women's fast pitch softball. In addition to the outrage in our park system, I will be adding the ballfield as a topic in my upcoming SPEAK OUT ALLENTOWN MEETING. from Lanta Mugs City, May 14,2009  

I conducted a meeting at a small local church, which attracted a couple members of City Council and the Hunsicker Family, who led the drive to build the park, decades ago. City Council went on to pass a resolution recommending that the park not be sold, and Lanta did eventually figure out an alternative space for the garage. Needless to say, I wasn't one of the dignitaries invited to the ground breaking, nor were my efforts mentioned in the newspaper article, but a small victory, never the less.

Baseball Memoirs, June 3, 2009