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.

Traveling Arena Show

Ed Pawlowski has been on the show circuit, selling the arena to the disenchanted. Last night he performed for CUNA.* After a woman complained that she lost her job at a day care center torn down for the arena, Pawlowski explained about a Community Benefit Agreement. Although there will be no instruction on becoming a hockey player or real estate tycoon, she can train to hand out peanuts, like a monkey, at the arena events. CUNA prided itself on not criticizing the project, how civil. The audience for today's show, real estate developers, might be tougher. Pawlowski softened up this group by filing a $50million dollar lawsuit against one of it's members. Needless to say, these performances should have occurred before the hole was dug.

 *Scott Kraus/The Morning Call/April25,2012

Understanding The Implications

Attorney Jerome Frank must have been surprised last night. Hanover Supervisors declined to vote* on the newest proposal from Allentown to settle the lawsuit filed against the arena project, before understanding the implications.

"I'm not going to have supervisors accept an offer minutes after they get it," Broughal said of the new offer presented behind closed doors Tuesday by Allentown attorney Jerome Frank. "I need some time to review it. We need to make sure we fully understand all the implications."

The Allentown Commercial and Industrial Economic Authority (ACIDA) always approved Frank's agreements and contracts even before they were finished being written. Due diligence is something Frank never encountered in Allentown. Besides ACIDA being a rubber stamp, there is the new Arena Authority, and of course the famous Allentown City Council. The big push now is the notion of completing the arena for the 2013 minor league hockey season. To meet this most important of deadlines, we expelled merchants with an illegal threat of eminent domain. Gave out $20 million in pocket money to Reilly. Spent $45-million on acquisition, demolition, and excavation. Signed documents before they were finished being written, and operated under a law with serious constitutional flaws. I would think that before the Leigh Valley goes on the hook for up to $600million dollars, they should tell the Phantoms to keep playing where they are for another season.

  *Matt Assad/The Morning Call/April 24,2012

Two Few Benefit from Arena

When Lee Butz addressed the Chamber of Commerce Real Estate Luncheon last week,  he inadvertently made a prophetic statement.

"Allentown is on the brink of tremendous resurgence due to the creation of the Neighborhood Improvement Zone," Butz said. "If implemented properly, it's going to be a huge benefit to every business in the Lehigh Valley and every individual in the Lehigh Valley and a tremendous opportunity for every developer in our community. 

"I said implemented properly. The reason I said that is it is incumbent on us to make sure the benefits of this don't just go to a few people."

What seems odd and ironic is that so far only two developers have approved projects; By approved, I mean that those projects will be financed by bonds, repayable by taxes. The two developers are J.B. Reilly and Butz himself. Since when is two even a few? Butz also received the largest contract of his career to build the arena complex, including an office building and hotel, to be owned by Reilly. Just as Hanover Township was joined by other townships in it's lawsuit against the NIZ, other developers may end up joining Atiyeh's lawsuit.

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

The Wages of Greed

Shown above are former customers with a former merchant, in a former store, in a former building on Hamilton Street. They are all gone now, replaced by a hole and lawsuits. When I first starting blogging about the arena, over a year ago, there wasn't too much interest. I wrote about fairness, level playing fields and the years those merchants had invested in Hamilton Street. They pleaded to no avail with the Administration and City Council; They even had a meeting with Pat Browne. They are an industrious people, and landed on their feet. I cannot say the same for Allentown. If it was greed or arrogance, apparently the Reilly/Pawlowski/Browne cartel reached for a little too much. Townships have joined townships defending their tax-base against the EIT grab. Developers outside of the NIZ will now also legally assert themselves to remain competitive. As Pennsylvania cuts back on services, local representatives will have to explain their vote for HOCKEY-GATE. As the bonds are delayed, if not cancelled, a local banker and bank will have to hope for repayment. J.B. Reilly is now sitting on a square block of inter-city apartments, not the clientele he envisioned. One thing is for certain, if the project gets back on track, the pot will not be as sweet as the big boys hoped, nor should it.

 April 16, 2011 Involuntary Conversion
 April 19, 2011 Late, and Maybe Wrong
 April 19, 2011 Hailstorm at City Hall
 May13, 2011   Hardball for Hockey
 May 17,2011  A Quick Learner
 May 18.2011  Another Day, Another Battle
 May 19,2011  The Night Hamilton Street Died
 May 21,2011  Pawlowski's Sham
 May 24,2011  A Better Arena Site
 May 27,2011  Exaggerating the Arena
 May 30,2011  Stealing Allentown's Treasures
 June 2,2011   Ripping Out Downtown's Heart
 June 3,2011   Open Letter to Lee Butz
 June 8,2011   Moving the Gooks 
 June 8,2011   Molovinsky Takes Aim
 June 15,2011 Asians Offered Rickshaw Concession
 June 17,2011 Step Right Up, Prize Every Time
 June 28,2011 Arena Shell Game
 July 7,2011    Raw Cookie Dough
 July 14,2011  Allentown's Double Standard
 Aug. 25,2011New Twist to Arena Dance
 Aug. 26,2011Arena Gets Press Pass
 Sept.  8,2011 Allentown's Future
 Sept.11,2011 The End of the End
 Sept.15,2011 Who Needs Shopping
 Sept.20,2011 Allentown's Malaise
 Sept.21,2011 Your Esteemed Opinion
 Oct. 3, 2011   Korean on Mayor's Menu
 Oct. 6,2011   Allentown's Tea Leaves
 Oct.11,2011  Unhappy Campers
 Oct.14,2011  The Morning Call Forgets The Meat
 Oct.20,2011  Who Thinks You're Dumber
 Oct.23,2011  Future Downtown Arena Attendee
 Oct.27,2011  Allentown Picks Winner, Then Announces Contest Rules
 Oct.31,2011  Gentrification Day in Allentown
 Nov.3,2011 Pawlowski's Palace of Sport
 Nov.5,2011 Secrets From The Shadow
 Nov.14,2011Public Arena Meetings
 Nov.20,2011Selling The Arena
 Nov.30,2011Arena Dooms Old Allentown
 More Hockey Arena Posts from the molovinsky on allentown  archives will be added later in the week

Pawlowski's Expensive Hole

Allentown eventually had success with former mayor Heydt's hole at the Hess's site, the PPL Plaza was built. Although Pawlowski's hole is much bigger, and has cost much more, eventually private developers would build separate buildings for real tenants. With home hockey games only 40 nights a year, and the Sands already having booked first rate acts as a draw to their casino, the arena is doomed to failure. The hotel plan is a moronic pipe dream. Who will want to deal with 7th and Hamilton for a medical appointment at the proposed sports medicine center? After 5 years of failure, the Arena Authority will hire a new manager. In 10 more years, Allentown will tear it down. I prefer leaving an expensive hole.

reproduced from an update on a previous post

A Sexist Post

Much like Popeye, I can't take it anymore without saying anything. Half the women driving upscale SUV's are driving with one hand, and holding their cellphone in the other. Who are they taking to? They're talking to other women with unlimited cellphone plans. What's so important? Absolutely nothing. Until recently, Presidents of the United States didn't have cell phones. The No Texting Campaign is anemic; Not only shouldn't you be typing while driving, you shouldn't be holding a cell phone. Ohio is the only other state surrounding Pennsylvania which submits drivers to this danger.

Pushing Pawlowski Back

I grew on Liberator Avenue. Liberator and Catalina Avenues, and Coronado Street, were named for Vultee-Consolidated WW2 planes, and are next to the airport built as part of the war effort. Vultee Street was built to connect the hangers with the Mack 5C plant, which was given over to Vultee-Consolidated for plane part manufacturing during the war. Vultee Street was the runway, and Lehigh Street would be closed off if a plane was landing. Today, this small airport now known as Queen City, has been under relentless threat by Mayor Ed Pawlowski, now a member of the Lehigh Valley Airport Authority. This past Tuesday, fellow board members started pushing back against Pawlowski.

"You're not the mayor of the Lehigh Valley International Airport." board member Frank Kovacs to Pawlowski

The board voted to build a new taxiway, indicating there's not much consensus to sell the airport, which has been Pawlowski's objective. Pawlowski wants to add to Allentown's real estate glut, for a short sighted tax gain. Matt Assad, from The Morning Call, wrote an excellent article explaining the arguments to both sell and keep Queen City. He also provides quotes of the tense discussion between board members and Pawlowski. This blogger is not surprised by Pawlowski's position, but questions Don Cunningham's judgement in appointing him to the Authority.

State Of The Parks

The Park Master Plan, done by a Philadelphia planning firm, and commissioned by the Trexler Trust in 2005, concluded that Cedar Park was being loved to death. Since then, construction and activity in that park has at least doubled. The mega destination playground attracts hundreds of children whenever schools out. The parking lot for the swimming pool is filled with cars for the playground. This summer, pool patrons will be forced to park on the grass. All the paths on the rose garden side of Ott Street have been paved, and a new path constructed across the former open space between the garden and picnic pavilions. Also, a new water line has been laid through that section to feed the demands of western Lehigh County, while the waste return will flow along side the Little Lehigh Creek, through Lehigh Parkway. The parks are just plumbing for the county and recreation for the city. In the Parkway, the entrance road has been made one way, and one side of the bridle path closed, because of the leaning WPA wall. Although $millions of dollars have been spent on over-using Cedar Park, not one cent was spent on maintaining the iconic WPA stone structures. In addition to the wall problem in the Parkway, the steps and pillars at Union Terrace are structurally endangered. While the park department goes ahead with plans to connect the various parks with more bike paths, the WPA steps at fountain park are deteriorating. Welcome to Allentown, where community, infrastructure and history are all ignored, while new projects are planned.

A Failure To Prioritize

In a recent Morning Call article, about making the entrance road into Lehigh Parkway one way because of a leaning WPA wall, the City defended itself citing priorities. That's exactly the problem in Allentown, misplaced priorities. While the irreplaceable WPA icons have been allowed to crumble, we have macadamized every walking path in Cedar Park. While we concentrate on a new bridge over the Lehigh River for the American Parkway, we allowed the 15th Street Bridge to rust away. Now, because the 15th Bridge is half closed, the historic Schreibers Bridge is being damaged by intensive traffic and heavy trucks. An article in yesterday's Morning Call concerns Allentown possibly overcharging the suburbs for sewage. The article fails to mention that both the City and The Lehigh County Authority have been cited for sewage overflow into the Little Lehigh Creek. and mandated by the DEP to upgrade the system. Both political entities concern themselves with expansion and cash flow while ignoring infrastructure and our quality of life; A failure to prioritize.

A Failure to Impress

I believe it's safe to say that the leaders of South America found President Obama unimpressive. Propelled to the Presidency on his speaking abilities, anointed with a Nobel Prize on pure speculation, he has failed to have any gift beyond the spoken word. It is articulate babble. In Colombia he blabbered that the cold war is over, yet defended the embargo against Cuba. His position against the legalization of drugs frustrated the Latin American leaders, overwhelmed by the illegal drug activities in their countries. His promotion of a trade program frustrated American labor leaders. His description of a month delay in talks with Iran as progress, frustrated Israel. The Secret Service indiscretion was not the biggest embarrassment on his trip.

134th Legislative District

On April 24th, voters will see Ryan Mackenzie(R) and Patrick Slattery(D) on the ballot twice. Both are running in the special election to finish Doug Reichley's term as State Representative, and both are running for the full term position in November. In the primary for November, Mackenzie has an opponent, independently minded Arlene Dabrow. Dabrow has been an activist and student of state government for decades. She told Mary Young of the Reading Eagle that if the inefficiencies within state departments were fixed, more money would be available for necessities. She's not a fan of long winded, self serving speeches by the usual minions of the status quo. If you're looking for an sincere agent of change, she may well be your candidate.

Join the Party

Mayor Pawlowski has told developers concerned about the unlevel NIZ playing field that they are welcome to join the party. He left out a couple important passwords in that invitation. First of all, their project must be approved by the NIZ Pawlowski appointed, connected board.

Pawlowski said. "It's hypocrisy of the highest degree. This whole argument is ludicrous. No one is stopping Rich Thulin or any other developer from taking advantage of the NIZ."

Remember that the displaced merchants, despite meeting with the City and Pat Browne, were never told that NIZ tax benefits were available for private parties. Secondly, J.B. Reilly has already purchased most of the available surrounding properties adjoining the arena block. He did this with $20million dollars provided by the City (ACIDA), which is repayable by NIZ taxes, although it was not assigned to a particular property or project. This seed or hand money was not offered to any other developer, or even mentioned in the rules specified after the fact. With two exceptions, Reilly now owns all the property on the entire block from Hamilton to Walnut, 7th to 8th.

Allentown's Grim Future

In the 1991 movie, Nothing But Trouble, Chevy Chase and friends inadvertently drive into a fictional Pennsylvania, where they are terrorized by a corrupt legal system. A local judge is portrayed by Dan Aykroyd, who rules over a well and mine infested junk yard. The corruption runs right up the chain of command to the state government. Here we are, twenty years later in real Pennsylvania, victimized by fracking and private menu laws. I expect our local government to back down on borrowing the EIT, so that the NIZ can proceed to burp our taxes for private gain, for the next 30 years. Allentown was apparently written off, now sold off, and in the process of being cannibalized.

The NIZ, Regurgitation and Digestion

Mayor Pawlowski has offered the discontented surrounding municipalities a guaranteed return of their EIT in exchange for dropping the collective lawsuit against the arena project. He would use Parking Authority funds to replenish that loss of revenue. This blog has often referred to the Parking Authority as a Frankenstein that preys on Allentown's poorest residents. The Authority already has the debt service of two recent parking decks; The deck next to City Hall and the deck at 6th and Linden, which was to serve the Arts District. What were they thinking and what is the Arts District? If this scheme comes to pass, the Parking Authority would turn from aggressive to predatory. Bernie O'Hare had an intriguing post today that suggests that the NIZ was really authored by J.B.Reilly, it's chief beneficiary. When one factors in the exclusionary fact that only Allentown qualifies for this law, property owners may have been improperly threatened with eminent domain, $20 million hand money was given to one private developer before any guidelines were publicly announced, would a visit by the Attorney General be in order? UPDATE: 9:40pm> Bernie O'Hare in his post speculated that the NIZ would unfairly drain tenants from other office complexes throughout the valley. I question how successful the NIZ offices will really be? So far, only tenants connected with Reilly have expressed interest. Is Allentown better served by the Hospital Network moving to an office building at 7th and Hamilton, or making a renewed commitment to 17th and Chew Streets? If Reilly builds the office buildings on speculation, will we end up paying for the empty space in some way? According to Pat Browne and Jenn Mann, the NIZ rules are too complicated for us simple folk to understand. How many more surprises can we afford? I read several times that nobody wants to see the project stopped after this much progress. Perhaps the taxpayers of Allentown would be better served by a hole in the ground, rather than an unregulated monster stuffing our taxes in a few private pockets.
UPDATE: My comment #6 at 6:40am.

we had success with heydt's hole, eventually the PPL Plaza was built. although pawlowski's hole would be much bigger, and have cost much more, eventually private developers would build real buildings for a real market. with hockey only 40 nights a year, and the Sands already having booked first rate acts as a draw to their casino, the arena is doomed to failure. the hotel is a moronic pipe dream. who would want to deal with 7th and hamilton for a medical appointment? after 5 years of failure, the arena authority will hire a new manager. in 10 more years, allentown will tear it down. i prefer leaving an expensive hole.

Forsaking the Children

Long time readers of this blog know that on several occasions I have identified Alan Jennings with hypocrisy. I generally stand alone with this accusation; Most people do not have my combination of institutional memory, independence and total lack of political correctness. Jennings' enterprises concern the poor and minorities, sacred cows among the diplomatic. I don't suffer self delusion well; On that note, CUNA (Congregations United for Neighborhood Action) is going to meet with Pawlowski* about the benefits and housing that the arena's NIZ can bring to low income residents of center city. What doesn't CUNA understand? The intention of the arena is to push that demographic away from 8th and Hamilton. City Center Investment Corporation speaks only of upscale apartments in phase 2. CUNA is an naive Johnny Come Lately, asking to be told lies. Enough of this sweet talk, back to Jennings. He published a commentary in the Easton Express, urging the suburbs to support the arena project. Jennings is a member of the NIZ Board. As such, I would think he should concern himself with it's just implementation, and leave the defending and promoting to the paid professionals. Previously, I took Jennings to task about using government money to train minority entrepreneurs, while standing silently by, while 34 minority businesses were displaced for the Palace of Sport. He now ignores the fact that J.B. Riley will be using over $7 million in cigarette tax to fund his speculative office buildings. Those millions would normally be going to fund CHIP, providing health insurance for low income children. I understand that Jennings is motivated to use his prestige to curry favor with grantmeisters, such as Pawlowski and Browne; But, when he promotes a program which has forsaken the poor, especially the children, he's putting his organization's budget ahead of it's mission.

*by Devon Lash/The Morning Call/April 8, 2012

The Life of Riley

The situation comedies of the 50's had a common theme. The father would have to resolve some family commotion within 30 minutes, but back then 30 minutes was longer, there were many less commercials. Diversity was limited to social-economic circumstances. Ozzie Nelson lived in an idealized suburban house and had all day to find the solution. Riley worked in factory, lived in a duplex, and had to do his conflict resolution after work.

Conflict is no stranger to this blog, often only lubricated by turmoil. Though usually dissecting Democrats, I have also bickered with the remnants of the local Republican party. Seems the remnants resented it when I revealed that the majority of homeowners in the West Park area were opposed to the Historic District, imposed upon them a decade ago. They can't understand why the opposers didn't attend their coffee clutches at the time; They say that they would have dropped the plan if only they knew. They didn't offer that option back then, to the standing room only protesters, at the City Council Meetings.

William Bendix, as Riley, would end every episode by saying "What a revolting development this turned out to be!", pretty much like Allentown.

UPDATE: This post is adapted from April 2009. In retrospect, they were the good old days. An outrage at that time was having an historic district imposed on a neighborhood. Now, we have a mayor who takes an entire square block, tears it down, and burdens the community with $200 million in debt, with no public input what-so-ever. What a revolting development this turned out to be.

Passover Libel

German Nobel Literature Laureate and former SS officer Gunter Grass, has been banned from Israel, not that he wants to go there anyway. In a new poem published last week , he wrote "the nuclear power Israel is endangering an already fragile world peace." Israel and world Jewry no longer suffer this sort of distortion well. "The Germans will never forgive the Jews for Auschwitz." The sentence is attributed to Israeli psychoanalyst Zvi Rex. He believes that Germans are filled with pathological guilt and shame about the Holocaust, and turn Israel " into a punching bag to purge their guilt complexes. " Grass believes that Israel is a threat to Iran, and Germany could be a “supplier to a crime” in connection with it's decision to supply Israel with a sixth Super Dolphin-class submarine. Emmanuel Nahshon, deputy chief of mission for the Israeli Embassy in Germany, said, “what must be said is that it belongs to the European tradition to accuse the Jews of ritual murder before the Passover celebration.”

Gethsemane 1934

Maria Magdalene (Mary Magdalene) is the Russian Orthodox Church located on the Mount of Olives, in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem, Israel.
The church is dedicated to Miryam of Migdal, a follower of Jesus. Maria Magdalene was the first to see Christ after he was resurrected, and was a crucial and important disciple of Jesus, and seemingly his primary female associate, along with Mary of Bethany, whom some believe to have been the same woman.
The church was built in 1886 by Tzar Alexander III as a commemoration for his mother, Empress Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, in the traditional tented roof Russian style, including seven onion shaped golden domes. Photograph dates from 1934

reprinted from April 2011

No Egg Hunt

For the first time in over 60 years, the children of Little Lehigh Manor will not be enjoying an egg hunt on the same slope of Lehigh Parkway. The event was started in the late 1940's by the homeowners association, then taken over by the local chapter of the Optimist International in 1960. That chapter now has been reduced by the years to three men, all in their eighties, and one of them now lives in Florida. Ever the optimist, Dave Jordan put up the sign above, hoping to create some interest for next year. So far, he has received only two calls, one from an older Jewish blogger, who hunted for eggs there as a child growing up in that wonderful neighborhood. If you have an interest in volunteering to take over the event, please phone Dave at 610 437-3443.

Parkway Memories

We who lived in the Parkway during the 1950's have a special bond. We know we grew up in one of the most nurturing neighborhoods possible. Slow driving parents would keep a sharp eye out for dashing kids. The Halloween Parade would start and end at our own elementary School. The Easter Egg Hunt would take place on a open slope of our beloved park.

reprinted from April 2010

A Modern Mein Kampf

In 2007, University of Chicago Professor John Mearsheimer co-authored The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy. His premise was that AIPAC successfully manipulated our foreign policy to serve Israel, not United States. The book was a best seller and has launched a career way beyond his tenure at Chicago. He has graduated to criticizing Israel directly, and now, Jews. In 2010 he proclaimed Israelis as belonging to either the Righteous Jews or the New Afrikaners, stating that Israel was becoming an apartheid state. Last year he wrote a dust jacket endorsement for a book by a Hitler apologist. He can be found as a commentator on Al Jazeera and a speaker at Palestinian seminars. Yesterday, some of his misconceptions about AIPAC were parroted as comments in the local blogosphere.

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

A Sore Winner

Back in early March, I employed Wimpy to help me pander for votes in The Morning Call blog contest. I asked you to go everyday to the paper's website, and vote for me in the Opinion classification; You did, thank you. I will now bite the hand that gave me the prize. Out of 18 winners, the paper printed the name of 10 highest vote getters on Friday. At my complaint, they reprinted the list on Saturday, to include the entire 18 winners. Neither list on their website linked to the actual blogs. There were 90 contestants in the contest, sending hundreds of readers to the paper's website for two weeks, but they couldn't provide a simple link to the winners? The paper uses the contest to promote the paper, not the bloggers.

Señor No Credit

Many years ago, when I was a young man, I went on a trip to Mexico. At that time, in the mid 1970's, I had no credit card to give the hotel upon check-in. I joined a group of new acquaintances, sitting around the pool, taking turns buying a round of drinks. When my turn came, the waiter came running back, shouting, Señor no credit! Señor no credit! Last evening I won The Morning Call blog contest in the Opinion classification. My name does not appear on the winner's chart published in today's paper. Señor no credit!

UPDATE: A revised, expanded chart was included in Saturday's paper, which lists all the winners, including myself.

The Last Fight

When Abe Simon stepped into the ring at Madison Square Garden on March 27, 1942, it would be his last fight. He had been recently married, and promised his wife that he would stop fighting. One year earlier he had fought Joe Louis the first time, and endured a tremendous beating for thirteen rounds. Fighting since 1935, ranked 6th by Ring Magazine, a shot at the title was something a fighter cannot pass up. Many fight historians consider Louis the hardest hitting heavyweight of all time. Because of the publicity Simon gained from these Louis fights, he was offered a lucrative cross country boxing tour, which he declined. It was also Louis's last title defense for four years, until fighting Billy Conn in June of 1946. After the Simon fight he joined the U.S. Army, where he would fight 96 exhibition bouts at bases throughout the country. Shown above, Simon got knocked out in the sixth round.

reprinted from February 2010

Speculating on the Public's Dime

The approval of ACIDA to hand over $135 million more to J.B. Reilly, in addition to the previous $20 million pocket money provided, demonstrates a complete lack of over-site and public accountability. Although this sort of looseness is common on the state and federal level, it's unprecedented on the local level; Welcome to the new Allentown.
"I applaud J.B. Reilly for taking the lead and taking the risk," Mayor Pawlowski deadpanned.
Just last year we thought the police and fire pensions were the yoke around taxpayer necks; They are nothing compared to this Transformation. In decades past, it was felt that too much money was directed toward Hamilton Street, at the expense of other sections of Allentown. This project insures that we will be able to afford nothing else but Hamilton Street, for the next fifty years.

Blogging and The Arena

Over the years, or more accurately, over the controversies, I had developed a unique relationship with the merchants of Hamilton Street. Last spring, I was honored to join them at their meeting with City officials, concerning the abrupt demands to sell their property. Despite their decades of keeping the lights on for Hamilton Street, their departure was swift and without mercy. They were literally evicted just prior to the Christmas shopping season. As the buildings and history was leveled to the ground, my interest in the controversy has waned. Last week, I speculated about the current state of the project; I believe that the Allentown Arena and office buildings will have some success with foot traffic. The actual cost to bring those people here, will never be known. The Lehigh Valley Hospital sports medical facility will guarantee some traffic flow. Fellow blogger Jon Geetings noted my concession with this reply: What I wonder about is why anyone should care how much it costs to create a larger production cluster in Allentown. We’re talking about PA’s third largest city. If all this ends up costing $2-3 billion in taxpayer subsidies, but it works, is anyone actually going to be arguing that this wasn’t worth doing 50 years from now? Although the former stores of Hamilton Street stood for 150 years, I seriously doubt if the new arena will be here in fifty years. I think that the taxpayer cost does matter, especially since they had no say in the matter. Last, but not least, an anonymous comment: Another I hate Allentown blog post by South Whitehall resident Molovinsky. He fails to mention all the new development as usual. For Molovinsky it is 1950/60's or bust. It is unfortunate that you live so far in the past. Yes, I came from a era when if the public was not given a vote on such a large project, they would have at least been afforded input. Our politicians were arrogant enough to put the cost of this Transformation not only on the local residents, but the surrounding municipalities as well.

Urban Renewal

Urban renewal projects are nothing new to Allentown. Every couple decades some Mayor thinks he has a brighter idea. In a previous post, I showed the historic Lehigh and Union Street neighborhood, totally destroyed by city planners. Today, an under used Bank calling center sits awkwardly alone on that Lehigh Street hill. The picture above shows another hill of merchants and residents, fed to a mayor's bulldozer. The picture is from 1953, and shows Hamilton Street, from Penn Street down toward the railroad stations. At that time we still had two stations, The Lehigh Valley Railroad and The New Jersey Central. The current closed bar and restaurant occupies the Jersey Central. Everything on Hamilton Street, west of the bridge over the Jordan creek, with the exception of the Post Office, was demolished up to Fifth Street. Government Center would be built on the north side of the street, and a new hotel on the south, to accommodate the many anticipated visitors. Recently we had to remove and replace the facade of the county courthouse, which leaked since it was constructed. The hotel is now a rooming house.

Unannounced plans are underway for a new hotel to service anticipated visitors to Pawlowski's Palace of Sports. It will be up to some future blogger to document how that hotel becomes a rooming house.

reprinted from June 2011

Baseball Memoirs Reprint

Bob Lamson saved the newspaper clipping all these years. On Oct. 31, 1975, The Morning Call reported that $200,000 had been raised to built the stadium. Times were different then, there were no KOZ's or cardboard checks from professional politicians. Bob is now 77, he played for the Patriots, and knocked on doors for two years to help build Bicentennial Park. Much of the construction was done by Vo-Tech instructors and students, who donated countless hours of their time. Contributors included the community leaders of their era; Van Schiver, Alvin Butz, and former Mayor Hock. The stadium opened in 1976 to host the National Fast Pitch Softball Tournament. Where will the plaque of contributors to Bicentennial end up thirtyfour years later; at a scrap dealer? Does Lanta really need the space, or does Allentown need the money? Would people again contribute their sweat equity, to build a field of dreams, only to see it torn down by a politician's fast pitch?

Reprinted from June, 2009. Bicentennial survived the threat.

Evolution of The Transformation

There's a long history to everything that appears new in Allentown. The American Parkway, with it's new bridge scheduled to begin, goes back to Joe Daddona's era, 35 years ago. Some of the things that were to be serviced by that road no longer exist, others never materialized, and are long forgotten. All the while mayor after mayor obsessed on this new bridge, the existing ones have accumulated more neglect. While we accelerate the American Parkway Bridge, 15th Street receives another delay. The concept of a hockey arena goes back to Bill Heydt, when he tore down the former Hess's Store, and attempted to secure private investors. Thanks to the new Neighborhood Improvement Zone, we have found an effective financing mechanism, the taxpayer. In the real world, it seems the Sands Event Center will dominate the local entertainment market. I believe that the Allentown Arena and office buildings will have some success with foot traffic. The actual cost to bring those people here, will never be known.

rendering of proposed Corporate Plaza*, 1984/The Morning Call Archives
*destroyed by sinkhole in 1994

Take Your Medicine

If the NIZ bestowed any benefit upon Allentown, it was that Sacred Heart Hospital was included. Stranded down at 4th and Chew, the small old hospital serves those residents with the least ability to pay. Now the giant, Lehigh Valley Health Network, will open a sports medicine facility at the arena complex. Sixty percent of the staff will be transferred from their current suburban location. Although the clinic will benefit the arena project, and a private developer, it's unclear to me that it serves the best interest of the greater community.

Baggage Wars

When I grew up, Allentown produced Mack Trucks, General Electric appliances, and Black and Decker Tools, and that was within a block of my house. Four railroad spur lines fed a hundred factories. In addition to heavy industry, we were known for textiles. We now aspire to make money off of other people's loss, literally. The pawn shop owner snickers and laughs, and asks the poor son of a bitch if he wants to donate his treasure. We watch the leeches bid on abandoned storage spaces, hoping some other person left his grandmother's jewelry there, in a box. We don't even aspire to produce anything anymore, just profit from someone else's misfortune. We have become a society of lottery ticket buyers.

Deeds

CUNA To Question Pawlowski

Nobody could ever accuse CUNA* of being pro-active. Now, that the entire square block has been demolished, CUNA wants Pawlowski and Hailstone to come to a meeting and explain what guarantees has the City given that the public investment will truly benefit existing residents and living conditions.(education, housing, poverty)? They plan on holding four informational meetings before inviting Pawlowski. The first occurred last night; The second meeting will be held at 2:00PM at Zion Church, 620 Hamilton, this Sunday, March 25th.
UPDATE: Click on Cuna letter to enlarge


*Congregations United for Neighborhood Action

Allentown's New Parade Route

Yesterday I went to the beauty parlor. About five years ago my downtown barber retired, and I was forced to go to a unisex shop. She assured me she also cuts men's hair, but I have yet to see another one there, but I don't go that often. I'm not sure what she calls her shop or herself, but I use the terms I remember from my childhood; My mother would go to the hairdresser at the beauty parlor. My mother would also take me to the Halloween Parade on Hamilton Street. Parades started at the fairgrounds and ran down Hamilton Street. The Street would be lined with people all the way downtown watching the parade, and hawkers would sell balloons and treats. One of last ones I remember featured Hopalong Cassidy, movie cowboy star of the 1930's. They featured his movies on a weekly TV show in the 50's, so I was very surprised about how old he looked in person. Years later, I heard that they had to tie him to the saddle, so he wouldn't fall off his horse during the parade. In recent years they had Sally Star in a parade down Hamilton Street, also long past her prime, but the people who remember her were afraid to go downtown. Last year organizers of the St. Patrick's day parade started a new tradition in Allentown, taking the parade west, away from downtown. My hairdresser noted that parade would go by her old shop on the way to downtown, and now by her new shop, to get away from downtown. I know there is nothing racist about the organizers or the parade, but there might be something classist about the new parade route.

reprinted from March, 2009

photocredit: molovinsky

Barbarians At The Bridge

Although both Cunningham and Pawlowski hosted celebrations of our regional birthdays this year, neither cares about our history, nor do their minions. Glenn Solt, Lehigh County's project manager, and supposedly aspiring County Executive, seems contemptuous of our history. He repeatedly claimed that the 188 year old Reading Road Bridge is neither historic or unique. He states that there were 14 such bridges in the county when he began his watch. Unfortunately, for our history, this is the only one that this blog has concerned itself with. When the effort to preserve the bridge began, Cunningham said that if the community wanted to keep the bridge, the plans could be modified; But, by this past Wednesday, Solt was putting on a full court press for a new bridge. Perhaps, he sees the aggressive bridge replacement program as an accomplishment for a future political campaign. Downstream, Schreibers Bridge is now being jeopardized by Pawlowski. Because Allentown allowed the beams on the 15th Street Bridge to rust away from lack of paint, the northbound traffic now uses Schreibers, another stone arch bridge, also 188 years old. Car and trucks now line up for a block to cross the historic bridge. Three weeks ago, I personally informed Pawlowski that an outside stone on the northwest approach had come off, and others were being stressed. When the 15th Street Bridge is closed this summer for replacement, the traffic flow on Schreibers will be overbearing. History is more than blowing out a candle at Agriculture Hall, or hosting a dinner at the Holiday Inn.

The old postcard shows Schreibers Mill from the east. Although the mill has been gone since the beginning of the 20th Century, the bridge in background is still serving Allentown.

The Uncertainty of Allentown

One man's transformation is another's destruction. Although Allentown's 700 Block of Hamilton Street had long lost it's glimmer and glamor of the 1950's, it was still a destination for the new demographic. That clientele is now being steered to outer 7th Street. The Planning Meeting, this past Wednesday, demonstrated all the uncertainty of the Arena Plan. My post on the Planning Puppies was not satire. Those gentlemen were actually reduced to asking about a tree and a garage door. One puppy mentioned that things should look pretty, so that when patrons walk beyond the arena, new shopping venues will develop; Good luck with that puppy, eat your treat. In the real world, the architect explained how hotel patrons will not have to venture outside, to access the arena, restaurants or bars. More important, she confessed that as of yet, there was no hotel operator on board. The puppies were approving merely a concept; A transformational, taxpayer funded hope, by Pawlowski, Reilly and Company. As outside municipalities begin to organize against the EIT funding mechanism,* the demolition of the entire block has been completed. While those stores had always provided the hope for more affluent days, I doubt if that will be true in the future for the arena complex.

* EIT Funding Suit story broken by Bernie O'Hare

Before the Transformation

For most of Allentown's past, there was no need for a Transformation. We were the ideal city, so much so, that in the early 60's, we were proclaimed The All-American City. We were Mayberry, only much larger. Our little leagues played under the lights, and our fathers worked for top union wages. Imagine a city that could boast that it actually manufactured in own fire engines! Imagine a city that had no litter. We now have so much litter, not only do we need trash cans, we need trash compactors. We once were a destination and envied; We are now resented, and sued. This blog will continue to report current city events as I perceive them, engage with the bureaucrats as my energy permits, and occasionally share a glimpse of our past.

A Failure to Intimidate

The Cunningham Administration failed to intimidate the County Commissioners into approving the Reading Road Bridge this evening. Earlier in the day, Commissioners received a seven page memo attempting to negate points recently made on this blog; Their usual nonsense, that the bridge isn't historic, and that it's filled with crap. The last page was a memo from someone in Allentown Public Works, stating that the bridge was responsible for the flooding upstream, and posed a danger to public safety. Cunningham's staff then send what they thought would be the knock out punch; A legal opinion from the County Solicitor, that since that note said that the current bridge threatened public safety, a no vote would make the County liable if anything happen. They had been served notice. The tactic seemed to push the Commissioners too far, they decided to table the resolution. Allentown Public Works would be more honest to write that they are depending on an almost identical stone arch bridge, Schreibers, to link the South Side with Center City. They should write how they allowed the beams on the 15th Street Bridge to rust away. They should write how they cooperated with the County in 1980 to build the pedestrian bridge for Reading Road Bridge. Now, after 188 years, they send a memo the day of the vote, that the bridge causes problems? Gotta love the arrogance.
UPDATE: The Morning Call report by Samantha Marcus

Joseph S. Daddona

Joe Daddona was mayor of Allentown four terms. Yesterday, when I visited the Reading Road Bridge, I saw the For Sale sign on the Daddona house, which adjoins Union Terrace. Actually, the park is now named for the former mayor. One of Joe's many accomplishments was to refurbish the historic Reading Road Bridge in 1980. It was under his leadership and pride that the adjoining pedestrian bridge was added at that time. Built in 1824, it was one of first bridges in Lehigh County. The current leadership takes campaign credit in replacing the bridges throughout the county. Although all identified defective bridges have already been replaced, they are now simply replacing older bridges. This bridge, in addition to being part of the county history, is part of the park's charm. Please join me this evening, and convince the County Commissioners to retain this important part of our past. Your presence would be appreciated at either one, or both, of two meetings on the topic. The committee meeting will be at 5:45 on the 4th fl. of Government Center. The main Commissioner Meeting, and vote, will take place at 7:30, in the first floor chamber.

file photograph from The Morning Call archives.

Allentown's Planning Puppies

Back in January, I told you how the Allentown Planning Puppies were miffed that the Arena was approved without them. Today, that more components have been added to the plan, and the puppies have completed their obedience school training, they were permitted to sniff the new plans. After viewing slides of the square block showing the arena, office building, hotel and parking deck, the head puppy asked if they were going to replace a tree that was removed for demolition access. A second puppy asked if the garage doors at the service entrance would be pretty. A third puppy begged for a treat, then they all voted yes. The End.

The Train of Union Terrace

The Conrail engine backs across Walnut Street in 1979, as it delivers a flatcar of large granite slaps and blocks to the Wentz Memorial Company, by 20th and Hamilton Streets. The Union Terrace track was next to the former ice skating pond, behind the WPA Amphitheater Stage Mound. The train locomotive, and it's boxcar of granite, weighing untold tons, passed over a simple trestle with 8" inch beams. The pedestrian bridge which Cunningham and Solt claim is inadequate, has 24 inch steel beams. The industrial era of Union Terrace has passed. Even the Wentz property is now for sale. Please join me tomorrow evening, Wednesday March 14th, and help save the Stone Arch Bridge at Union Terrace. The Commissioner Meeting is at 7:30pm. For those unable to attend at that hour, your presence would be appreciated at the committee meeting on destroying the bridge at 5:45. Ice Skating is no longer permitted on the pond. The Amphitheater is falling apart. Let us assert ourselves, and save something of Allentown's history.
Train photograph was taken by Dave Latshaw in the 1979, and is part of the Mark Rabenold collection. Rabenold is a local train historian, specializing in Allentown's former branch lines.
click train photo to enlarge

Governance by Misinformation

Donald Cunningham is so hell bent on fulfilling his 2005 campaign pledge to replace the bridges, that he is providing false information to the County Commissioners.Glenn Solt is so tormented about the Mickley Bridge failure in Whitehall, that he tells reporters that all stone arch bridges are filled with junk and crap.

"There's nothing better than opening a bridge," said County Capital Projects Manager Glenn Solt, June 1, 2006

Cunningham told Samantha Marcus, of The Morning Call, that regardless of the bridge's fate, the county will likely have to close down the pedestrian walkway, which was added in 1980. Apart from the oversized I- Beams badly needing paint, which is actually negligence by Cunningham and Solt, the pedestrian bridge could support elephants all day long. If it were a little wider, it could support army tanks all day long. It's three piers and concrete walkway are in perfect shape. I also question the traffic count associated with the bridge. According to Cunningham and Solt it's 2,600 vehicles a day, which would be more than 100 an hour. Considering virtually no use from midnight until dawn, it would require about 130 cars an hour. Three cars crossed the bridge in the 15 minutes I was there this morning. I was there to completely document the bridges photographically, (car and pedestrian) to insure that the County Administration inflicts no intentional damage to these structures. If I was a County Commissioner given misinformation about something which I can so easily observe, I would have to seriously question everything coming down from this Administration.

Please join me Wednesday evening, 7:30, at the County Commissioner Meeting, and prevail upon the Commissioners not to squander our tax money and our history.

Lehigh County's Hypocrisy

As Lehigh County celebrated it's 200th Anniversary yesterday at Agricultural Hall, it's real commitment to history will be tested this coming Wednesday evening. County Executive Don Cunningham, and his director of destruction, Glenn Solt, have already failed the test. The issue is the Reading Road Bridge, built in 1824, and rebuilt in 1980, when a pedestrian bridge was added. Glenn Solt recently told a Morning Call reporter that the bridge is filled inside with debris and junk. Two years ago, when I started the campaign to save the bridge, he told blogger Bernie O'Hare that the bridge was filled with crap. Although conceding it's structurally sound, he's speculates that a storm in a few years could destroy it, and he already has approved plans and funds to replace it now, ready to go. Solt also points out that the bridge was never officially designated historic. Considering that the bridge is 188 years old, survived hurricane Diane in 1955, I believe it has more chance of getting hit by a meteorite than failing in a rain storm. Preeminent local historian Frank Whelan signed copies of his book at yesterday's event. The book contains old photographs of many Lehigh County structures which no longer exist. Let us hope that Wednesday evening the County Commissioners save our bridge.
Cunningham photo by The Morning Call/March 10,2012/Donna Fisher

Morning Call Blog Contest

If you vote for Bernie O'Hare and me today, we'll gladly buy you a hamburger tomorrow. Bernie and I have decided to enter The Morning Call Blog Contest. Unfortunately, rather than being judged by journalists, it's a simple popularity contest. We need you to vote for our blogs, and place the votes every day, until March 25th. Please consider Bernie (Lehigh Valley Ramblings) for the Politics category, and this blog (molovinsky on allentown) for Opinion. Click here to reach the contest.