At The Trough

Uncle Sam has given the Lehigh Valley $3.4million dollars to study development. Our tax dollars will be spread out among the bureaucrats, and those in training, to insure that nothing tangible results from the money. Those in charge are experienced in the art of nebulous double talk. Holly Edinger, from the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. said "This spending from HUD will enable the Lehigh Valley to have an unprecedented community conversation about our future." Allentown will use our share to study the now closed factory, where both Obama and Romney had press conferences. Community Development Director Sara Hailstone said "What this will allow us to do is bring jobs back to the core where people can walk to work and walk home from work and we believe that is one of the most sustainable projects we can be involved with." Actually, Sarah, in a time long before you, workers did just that, using the WPA Fountain Park Steps. Using our share to repair those steps would actually produce a return on both the money and your words. Phil Mitman said "This is really about our taxpayer money coming back to the Lehigh Valley." I suppose Phil's right, at least the money is being wasted in the valley.
Alan Jennings and Renew LV are dancing in their underpants about the HUD grant. Most of grant will fund the salaries in various such organizations to conduct public input meetings and other abstractions.
This post is a commentary on a Morning Call article by Scott Kraus.
 reprinted from November 2011
UPDATE July 9, 2012  I've known of Holly Edinger since 05, when I ran as an independent candidate in Allentown,  she  worked for the Chamber at that time. She has also since served on the Allentown School Board.   Today, she pretty much had The Morning Call to herself. Now working for the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, an article featured the planned dog and pony show, as part of that organization receiving a $3.4 million dollar grant on regional planning. When the article mentioned affordable housing, I said, here comes Alan. Jennings showed up in the next paragraph. She also had the editorial space, to lip synch the regional patter. If any of this sounds familiar, it's because it is. Back in November, I first wrote about the grant. titling the above post, The Three Cities, hence the photo chosen. Here we are, eight months later, and you can go over to Steel Stacks Wednesday evening and give your opinion about the Valley's future. Will they entertain opinions about using our tax dollars for such grants? Now, there's an expensive question.
UPDATE: Although the original post from last November mentions Ms. Edinger,  as does  yesterday's update,  she is not the issue of this post; I have changed copy in the above update accordingly.  The issue is taxpayer value from such organizations, meetings and planning.  I'm sure that she is a conscientious employee of the LVEDC, performing the assigned task in a competent manner.

Only The Best for Public Housing

For an Allentown historian with an interest in photography, the photo above is as good as it gets; Eleanor Roosevelt visiting Allentown's new public housing project in 1942, Hanover Acres. I snatched the photo off The Morning Call this morning; Paul Carpenter has a column where he brooded about public housing recipients complaining that they can't smoke, while living on our dime. I'll do him one better. They're now griping about it in new housing, Overlook Park. Hanover Acres and the newer project, Riverview Terrace, were both torn down several years ago to construct new townhouses. It's supposedly a mixed income project, with homes both for sale, and Section 8 rentals.

Over the years Hanover Acres became a "terrible" place to live, a crime-ridden eyesore. Overlook Park, the $88 million development that's sprung up in its place, however, is "beautiful." Daniel R. Farrell, executive director of the Allentown Housing Authority, described turning Hanover Acres into Overlook Park as "an amazing transformation."The development features 269 rental apartments and room for 53 single-family homes.

It was built by Pennrose Properties, which specializes in politically correct and politically connected housing for profit. They have done well in Allentown with Mayor Ed. Not long before Hanover and Riverview were demolished, they were completely remodeled, with high end kitchen cabinets and counters. Shown below is yours truly, in Little Lehigh Manor, built in 1944. Those brick houses of the same vintage are still new enough for home buyers today. Most of Allentown's existing row houses were built between 1895 and 1930. If Carpenter is upset about smoking, he should drive over to Overlook Park and see what they're smoking in.

The Sign of The Beast

The following was written by Dennis Pearson, and is a reaction to the Department of Parks wanting various Neighborhood groups to organize their sports programs under the city's umbrella. This was recommended by a consultant hired by the City. Just like Allentown to pay a consultant on how to fix something which is not broken. Yesterday I checked out the $77,000 expense at Franklin Park. Apparently, we purchased a few pieces of playground equipment from the same vendor that Weitzel always used. More Shenanigans, although he departed already. Glad to see Dennis Pearson fighting this latest nonsense from the Allentown Park Department. Pearson's been fighting the good fight for decades. Thank you Dennis.
  Allentown is buying into municipalization of as much of the activities in this city as possible. In otherwards you can't buy or sell without the mark of the beast. That means that someone in City Hall or some national group would have the say. There would be no place for independents or enterprising groups not approved by City Hall. If this system was present in 1957 my dad would not have formed the East Side Rams. The City would have stopped him. Especially if he was not one of their favorite clientele. The East Side of Allentown was once able to support 4 youth organization programs. East Side Rams, East Side Youth Center, East Side Memorial Little League and Midway Manor. Could this ever happen again, not under this structure and in this economy. And I hate to see the East Side Youth Center facilities seized like Castro did to American Companies in the 1960's because the City which is not known for sound decision making wants to municipalize all activities and control who plays where. Personally as a former coach for the now-defunct independent group known as the East Side Rams I dedicated myself to teach sound baseball and basketball practices to those who played for me. I would never allow parents to influence who would start or play where. I would never put a child in a position he could not handle. I practiced my teams a lot far more then they do today to work on the deficiencies of players that needed help. But I never held back the better players because of the poorer players. Perhaps under this new municpalization plan I wouldn't have ever been given the opportunity to coach because of City politics in the selections. You know I have never been appointed to an important agency in this city ... My success has been with independent agencies which these grabbers of power and decision-making would love to control completely as well. Forming these groups according to their rules and they putting their own people in charge. I hope that those who currently serve on Council don't buy into this nonsense. If they do then they again are showing how little they know. Let's stop this socialistic move. And people should know this ,,, My behavior in the community forums I participate in is neither Republican or Democratic... I am a citizen who does his citizenship duty and takes his responsibilities seriously. I remain vigilant of my liberties which other of lesser knowledge and mind want to take away. Dennis Pearson

The People's Candidate

In the late 1970's, neighbors would gather in the market on 9th Street to complain and receive consolation from the woman behind the cash register. Emma was a neighborhood institution. A native Allentonian, she had gone through school with mayor for life Joe Dadonna, and knew everybody at City Hall. More important, she wasn't shy about speaking out. What concerned the long time neighbors back then was a plan to create a Historical District, by a few newcomers.

What concerned Emma wasn't so much the concept, but the proposed size of the district, sixteen square blocks. The planners unfortunately all wanted their homes included, and they lived in an area spread out from Hall Street to 12th, Linden to Liberty.* Shoving property restrictions down the throats of thousands of people who lived in the neighborhood for generations didn't seem right to Emma. As the battle to establish the district became more pitched, Emma began referring to it as the Hysterical District.
Emma eventually lost the battle, but won the hearts of thousands of Allentonians. Emma Tropiano would be elected to City Council beginning in 1986, and would serve four terms. In 1993 she lost the Democratic Primary for Mayor by ONE (1) vote.

Her common sense votes and positions became easy fodder for ridicule. Bashed for opposing fluoridation, our clean water advocates now question the wisdom of that additive. Although every founding member of the Historical District moved away over the years, Emma continued to live on 9th Street, one block up from the store. In the mid 1990's, disgusted by the deterioration of the streetscape, she proposed banning household furniture from front porches. Her proposal was labeled as racist against those who could not afford proper lawn furniture. Today, SWEEP officers issue tickets for sofas on the porch.

Being blunt in the era of political correctness cost Emma. Although a tireless advocate for thousands of Allentown residents of all color, many people who never knew her, now read that she was a bigot. They don't know who called on her for help. They don't know who knocked on her door everyday for assistance. They don't know who approached her at diners and luncheonettes all over Allentown for decades. We who knew her remember, and we remember the truth about a caring woman.

* Because the designated Historical District was too large, it has failed, to this day, to create the atmosphere envisioned by the long gone founders. Perhaps had they listened to, instead of ridiculing, the plain spoken shopkeeper, they would have created a smaller critical mass of like thinking homeowners, who then could have expanded the area.

reprinted from March 2010

Another King To Visit Easton

This coming Tuesday, Easton's Sal Panto will be hosting the Burger King. When it was pointed out to Panto that the King is actually just an actor wearing a paper mache head, he issued the following statement. "I know this article will give the naysayers something to talk about and write here but personally I am looking forward to his visit. Lastly, I don’t know how many insignificant individuals travel with an entourage that includes a cultural performing troupe."

Allentown School District Retrospective

One of the most amazing things about Allentown is that the population, despite the problems, has remained about the same since 1928. That was the year Allentown celebrated reaching 100,000. Today, we are about 106.000. Although the numbers stayed the same, the demographics have changed drastically. We are now officially a minority city. When I grew up, there was a saying, If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much. How's that for political correctness? Today, if you want to see a Pennsylvania Dutchman, you have to look at the picture on a bag of pretzels.

During my school years, a delinquent was a kid smoking a cigarette in the alley. Today, we have machete attacks, and parents beating someone else's kid in a classroom. In this environment, should we be concerned about math scores in Singapore? There is a disconnect between the discipline problems and the preoccupation for better scores on the standardized tests; Increasing civility is much more important. If we could get that math score up, will the public overlook the machete attack? We'll build a new school next to Jackson Elementary, move the students, and put the machete attackers in the old Jackson. Then, we'll take the real achievers and put them in an academy of excellence. Let's hope not too many parents insist that their child belongs in the academy. Let's hope that the prison school works out. We all agree that all the students are a precious commodity. What we really need is safe classrooms, conducive to learning. We need supervised streets, conducive for getting to and from school safely. Isn't it interesting that a child can leave Central Catholic at 4th and Chew, and be safer than a child leaving William Allen at 17th and Chew?

The photograph, from the late 1940's, shows a kindergarden class before Lehigh Parkway Elementary School was completed. One of the twin houses served both as the neighborhood school and church.

reprinted from December 2010

School District Damage Control

(Allentown, PA, July 3, 2012) – Having committed to starting his employment yesterday as director of communications with the Allentown School District, Keith Pierce APR has informed Superintendent C. Russell Mayo, Ed.D., that he has decided to withdraw from the position in light of the ethics violations that surfaced after the interview process and acceptance of the job offer took place. “There was no evidence of these civil violations during the interview process and Keith did not mention them,” says Dr. Mayo, Ed.D. “The district was not informed of them through calls made to past employers or during standard protocol checks. I am sorry to learn of this situation after the selection of Mr. Pierce. Additional measures for screening have been put in place as a result of this experience. I accept and appreciate his withdrawal, and I wish Keith well in his further career pursuits."

The above release was distributed this morning by Susan Williams and Associates, on behalf of Allentown School District. Pierce was hired to provide communications and public relations in house. Those services had been provided by Williams for a number of years, and apparently will continue to be, at least for the immediate future.

UPDATE: The Morning Call obtained a copy of Mr. Pierce's resignation letter.

Coming To Easton

This blog has beat up Sal Panto on more than one occasion. The problem started for me years ago, when Sal insisted on supporting a parking deck behind Wolfe School. This deck would have been inconvenient for everybody, and practically useless, but that didn't deter Sal. The current proposed deck, now moved and merged with Lanta and the Al Bundy Museum of High School Sports, is still looking good to Sal. The other month Sal announced that a king was coming to Easton. Although it has been documented that the kingdom is limited to this guy's head, he still remains a king to Sal.

Ghana's ambassador to the U.S. said Quartey's claim is phony. Quartey, said Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum, doesn't know what he's talking about. Prominent Ghana expatriate Dr. Samuel Quartey, a podiatrist in Philadelphia and a member of the Ga tribe, agreed with the ambassador.

When The Morning Call discovered that a new school district hire in Allentown had shenanigans in his past, the Superintendent quickly distanced himself from the impostor; Sal Panto doesn't seem to have that capacity.

photo of Sal with his king by Michael Kubel / The Morning Call

The Corner Market

Although I doubt that there will ever be a show at the Historical Society, or brochures at the Visitors Bureau, perhaps nothing encapsulates the history of Allentown more than the corner grocery stores. Allentown proper, is mostly comprised of rowhouses built between 1870 and 1920, long before the era of automobiles and suburban supermarkets. Most of the corner markets were built as stores, and over the years many were converted into apartments. Up until the late 1940's, there may have been well over a hundred operating in Allentown. Some specialized in ethnic food. The bodega at 9th and Liberty was formally an Italian market. Live and fresh killed chickens were sold at 8th and Linden, currently H & R Block Tax Service. A kosher meat market is now a hair salon on 19th Street. The original era for these markets died with the advent of the supermarket. In the early 50's some corner stores attempted to "brand" themselves as a "chain", as shown in the Economy Store sign above. That market is at 4th and Turner, and has been continually operating since the turn of the last century. Ironically, as the social-economic level of center city has decreased, the corner stores have seen a revival. Most of these new merchants, many Hispanic and some Asian, know little of the former history of their stores, but like their predecessors, work long, hard hours.
above reprinted from March 2009

photo of Yost Market by Carl Rubrecht, 1970

A Blogger's Saturday Photography

Alfonso Todd, Fuzion 2012
photocredit:molovinsky

Hat Tip to Steve Esack

I tip my hat to Steve Esack, education reporter for The Morning Call. This morning he reveals that the recently hired public relations officer for the Allentown School System has a history of being loose and free with public school money. He apparently was cited in the past for ethic violations, concerning the use of a school district credit card for his personal purposes; But, there's a much more disturbing question about the article. Why does Allentown need a PR man? Our main problem has been poor hiring, by both the school administration, and the school board. Zahorchak was hired because he had been a Director of Education under Rendell. In reality, it was a political appointment of favor, not a surprise in Pennsylvania. This PR man apparently rode the coat tails of a previous such appointment. Although I recently praised the school board, here's hoping that they dump their new PR man, and the position itself. I'm on the mailing list of a private contractor who currently handles the communications for the district. She does an excellent job, for a fraction of the cost. UPDATE: This story made the headline of Monday's hard copy edition. How pathetic that the School District hired a person for public relations at $87,000, and got this result. How pathetic would it be for taxpayers to now pay this guy to defend himself? Time for both the gentleman and the position to quickly depart. Time for Russ Mayo and the School Board to realize that taxpayers are disappointed that they would still hire glorified bubble blowers in these hard economic times. I now deeply resent my 2.6% tax increase.

Natural Born Promoter

Hamilton Street was hot and barren on Saturday afternoon. When the elevator opened onto the fifth floor of the BreW Works, I entered the world of cool and hip; It was Alfonso Todd's Fuzion 2012. Hundreds of people mingled, listened to music, and saw what was new in the Lehigh Valley. Unfortunately, when I left, the cool and hip didn't stick with me.
photocredit:molovinsky

A Warrior for Israel

After Yizhak Yzernitizky's father was murdered in the woods of Poland for being a Jew, the 20 year old immigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine in 1935. His sisters would remain behind and die in the Holocaust. He took a new name, Shamir, and came to command the underground Stern Gang, which targeted the British prior to Israel's independence. Twice captured by the British, he escaped both times. After Independence, he served Mossad for ten years. In 1983 he began his first term as Prime Minister. In his second term as Minister, he oversaw the mass migration of Soviet Jews, and the airlift of Ethiopian Jews. Yizhak Shamir died yesterday, at the age of 96.

Allentown:Fountain of Delusion

When the PPL Plaza first opened in 2003, the architect envisioned suburban families celebrating the rebirth of Allentown, in the mist of the plaza's fountains; Reality was a low income free water park. I don't know if it degenerated into a free car wash, I haven't seen any water on there for a while, but we do have a new fountain of delusion. Amendments to the NIZ Law have been passed by our conscientious State Representatives. "I think it puts the whole litigation to bed and allows us to proceed with the redefinition of downtown Allentown. This is in the best interest of the Lehigh Valley and the whole commonwealth that the third largest city is revitalized," said state Sen. Jennifer Mann, D-Allentown. Said state Rep. Justin Simmons, R-Lehigh: "The changes in the law will take care of both the local litigation and address and constitutional issues raised by the original law," He said the arena represents an "opportunity for the city. You can't have a strong Lehigh Valley and have its' biggest city struggling." In all due respect to Jenn and Jus, are you serious? Not only will the arena fail to revitalize Allentown, it will make it a hopeless cause for the next 30 years. With the block of stores now gone on one side of Hamilton, the street has become a dead zone. It will make little difference if it's a hole or a closed arena during the daytime, this project already succeeded in killing Hamilton Street. "One of the ugliest episodes in my 30 years working in the Lehigh Valley is almost over," said ANIZDA board member Alan Jennings, executive director of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley. "Maybe now we can bury the hatchet and get on to a new day for Allentown and the Lehigh Valley." Alan, let me tell you what ugly is. Ugly is displacing 34 businesses with a white elephant, which has buried Allentown's future. All available resources will be directed to this boondoggle for decades, while the remainder of the city languishes.

Union Terrace Gets Shaft

Timber lined shaft dug to water main in Union Terrace

Allentown City Council recently approved two park items funded by the Trexler Trust; Improvements to both the Franklin Playground and the Fish Hatchery. Both involved payments to vendors repeatedly used by the departed park director. Meanwhile, the iconic WPA structures continue to crumble throughout the park system. Although this blog, through the recently formed Allentown WPA Association, informed the Park Department of the conditions at Union Terrace, nothing has been done or scheduled. This summer, Shakespeare will be performed on the Terrace Stage. Last year, I documented the WPA condition there in a post entitled Tragedy Play At Theater.

Shown above is a project by the city water department. A cast-iron water main runs under the Terrace, feeding the West End from the water plant on Martin Luther King Drive. A private company will reline the existing 30" main, dating back to 1905, with a new plastic liner. The Terrace was built over the main in 1937, and was the last WPA project completed in Allentown.

A Bridge Still Stands

Last night, Glenn Solt, project manager for Lehigh County, came to the county committee meeting prepared with a twelve page report, and the engineer who wrote it. They testified that the condition of the Reading Road Bridge has deteriorated, the cost of repairing it has increased, but that the cost of replacing it has gone down. Solt's determined to rid Union Terrace of that old stone arch bridge. Never mind that it was completely rehabilitated in 1980, 156 years after it was built in 1824. Never mind that Hamilton Street Bridge is a quarter block north, and a new Union Street Bridge is being built a half block south.

Michael Molovinsky, an Allentown blogger who has previously written about the bridge, accused the county of exaggerating the condition of the bridge and the cost for rehabilitating it rather than replacing it. Molovinsky said the bridge's historic value is irreplaceable, "Let me be frank: Mr. Solt has no feel for history whatsoever," Molovinsky said. "... This bridge cannot be replaced. It's that simple." Colin McEvoy/The Express Times/June28,2012

This was the first bridge built west of Allentown, crossing Cedar Creek, on the route west to Reading, and one of the last remaining stone arch bridges. Although I would like to see a stake driven through the project, technical legalese demands that I periodically appear and defend our history and culture. The bridge replacement funds were approved years ago, and the matter at hand is a small contract for engineering studies.

Blogging Allentown

This blog is in it's sixth year of publication. During that time, among other things*, I have advocated for maintaining the Lanta bus stops, maintaining the traditional park system, maintaining the WPA structures, and maintaining the Hamilton Street business district. Besides sharing the big stories with Bernie O'Hare's Lehigh Valley Ramblings, I pretty much have the city to myself. Other blogs have come and gone, or resurface with one story every few months. There's a couple other daily blogs, but you will never find them at a meeting, or on the editorial page. Like O'Hare, I've broken a number of stories, and offended a number of people. A recent comment assumed that I dislike a certain person. I would like to clarify that I do not dislike anybody, but disagree with quite a few people in local leadership positions. You may dislike this blog, or ignore this blog, but you can never accuse it of being a puff blog. It it were, there would be little point in either us being here every day. Although I will not commit myself to any rules, I try and produce a piece six days a week. Comments are usually in the moderation mode. Comments placed after 8:00 PM may often not appear until the next morning. Very insulting comments, especially submitted anonymously, may not appear at all. Thanks for stopping by.

*protest unlevel playing field because of grants
  prevent sale of Bicentennial Park
  oppose point of sale home inspections
  attempt preserving the Reading Road Bridge
  improving Fairview Cemetery
  protest Parking Authority selling neighborhood lots
  protest LCA drilling wells and neglecting sewage problems
  conducted public Allentown Speak Out Meetings
  question school district during Zahorchak era
  defend Queen City Airport

More Nonsense From Jennings

steered to house in east Allentown

Alan Jennings, friend of both the poor and NIZ developers, found a new battle to fight. For a mere $25,000 of taxpayer dollars, he had a sister organization in Philadelphia conduct a sting operation against Allentown Realtors. According to the results of 22 phone calls and 11 appointments, whites and minorities were steered to different parts of the city.The Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley, with the help of the city of Allentown, organized the fair housing test after hearing anecdotes of housing discrimination for years, said Alan Jennings, executive director of the CACLV. I think perhaps someone should investigate the expenditure of the $25,000. That's over $1300 a snoop, especially pricey for the phone calls. The Fair Housing Laws are explicit. Anybody who feels that they were discriminated against may file a complaint, and the Federal government will investigate specific charges. Were the phone calls leading? Are there white homeowners in the West End who feel cheated that they didn't know about center city housing? Are there minority homeowners in center city who didn't know about other sections of Allentown? Have potential buyers been denied the opportunity to view and make offers on houses of their choosing? Have these Realtors caused Allentown's current problems? Ryan Conrad, CEO of the Realtors Association promises to re-potty train his troops. Conrad should be concerned about this nonsense that wasted the time of his realtors. I wonder if after the potty training, will the arena still be needed to transform Allentown?

The Compromise of Alan Jennings

In an incredibility distorted piece of writing about the NIZ, Alan Jennings has personified Allentown into a poor outsider of a different culture, which the surrounding blue bloods don't care to help. The supreme irony is that the NIZ will not help the poor of Allentown. The poor of Allentown had no input into the NIZ. Even those with more of a share stake, had little, to no knowledge. Conversely, minority businesses and their low-income customer base were displaced by the project. The project's purpose is to gentrify Hamilton Street, and push the poor out of sight. None of the proposed components of the project will help the plight of low income. CUNA recently recognized these realities, and is seeking a Community Benefit Agreement. What is it that causes an Alan Jennings to compromise his principles so much? Simply put, the designers of this project are the gatekeepers of grants. Once a year, the social agencies gather at City Hall like baby birds. Pawlowski distributes the Community Development Block Grant into their hungry mouths. Likewise, Jennings is dependent on the generosity of the other large players in the Valley, all proponents of the NIZ.

UPDATE:  Bernie O'Hare weighs in on Jennings

UPDATE 2: Alan Jennings' organization was apparently paid $25,000 to set up a sting, showing that local realtors steered white and minority potential home buyers in different directions. I can testify, for free, that the City of Allentown did NOT inform the displaced merchants that they might qualify for a NIZ backed loan. Not one of the 34 displaced property owners where made aware that private parties were eligible. (Alan Jennings serves on the NIZ Authority)

Before The IronPigs

Max Hess Stadium 1959

Guest Post By Dennis Pearson

During the Steel strike of 1959 my dad took a job as a groundskeeper for the Allentown Red Sox. Those were the days when it rained, they were allowed to burn the field to dry it off.
My dad was allowed to bring my friends and myself to the park. Those were carefree days for me and we wondered around the park which was located where JC Penny now is located in the Lehigh Valley Mall.
Breadon Field was renamed Max Hess Stadium when he was allowed to take control of the park for $1. Memory fades as whether Max Hess himself sold the premises or his successors , but I boycotted JC Penny's for many years for locating its business where the park was.
One of the personalities that played at the park was Tracy Stallard who achieved some sort of notorious fame as the pitcher who served up Roger Maris' sixty first homer.
Another personality that played there was Curt Simmons, a native of Egypt PA, who in his later years pitched at Max Hess Stadium in a rehab assignment. The presence of Curt Simmons filled up the house.
Another personality that played there was myself. Playing for the East Side Rams City Midget team against the West End Youth Center in a pre-game exhibition game, I went one for two. My hit was a double,
I am indeed delighted that professional baseball is back in the Lehigh Valley and that it is located in East Allentown. As President of the East Allentown Rittersville Neighborhood Association I went before the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners approving the then ongoing efforts to bring baseball back.
I applied for the recent vacancy on the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners. It would have been very nice to have been appointed County Commissioner as baseball returned. Unfortunately that did not happen to my disappointment.
I trust that my advocacy for the return of baseball is not lost on the Commissioners and the Ironpigs themselves.

Dennis Pearson

GUEST POST; Dennis, a lifelong Allentonian played little league as a boy, and coached as an adult. I also remember Breadon field, but only as a spectator

reprinted from March 2008

A Trolley Runs Through It

When the Allentown-Kutztown Tractor (Trolley) Company purchased Dorney Park in 1901, trolley companies were buying or building amusement parks all across the country. Perhaps the most famous was Coney Island. Usually located between two cities serviced by the company, it was a plan to increase weekend rider-ship. Passengers could spend a day at the park, swimming, picnicking, and partaking of the rides and amusements.

photo of Dorney Park courtesy of a blog reader

The William Penn School

An argument at the Allentown School Board meeting made today's paper; Board member Scott Armtrong suggested keeping the building's historical name, William Penn, for the new alternative school. The controversy surfaced when he further mentioned that perhaps because it's a school for the trouble makers, new name sakes would not be flattered. Joanne Jackson took offense, defending the educational potential of the under achievers. I know Scott and Joanne, and fully support both of them as board members. I think all taxpayers should be glad that we have a highly qualified board, willing to go toe to toe on any issue. Although Scott and Joanne both have a point, let me add my taxpayer dime. There was an element of political correctness with the Louis Ramos naming. Although I'm sure that Ramos was dedicated, being involved with the school system was part of his job at PPL. His choice appeared to be a homage to a new demographic. Similarly, naming an alternative school could conceivably offend sensibilities, creating a somewhat contrived pool of names. Considering the historical significance of William Penn, it certainly would be appropriate to keep that name. Perhaps the suggestion by board member Julie Ambrose to step back from the emotions of the evening was best.
 UPDATE: In addition to the commotion Thursday evening about naming the alternative school, Armstrong presented the following statement to the record.
  Future ASD Budgets cannot Be Balanced on the Backs of Taxpayers
 In light of the projected 300% increase in cost of the defined benefit pension plan of ASD employees this board must begin to consider how it will bridge the resulting 40 million dollar deficit gap. One thing seems clear; the burden cannot be placed solely on the backs of the taxpayer. To do so would be to ask those with less to subsidize those with more. Can this board look the taxpayers in the eye and explain to them why they should accept annually escalating school taxes to finance a pension plan that is far more generous than their own? That solution is neither fair nor reasonable. Clearly the burden must be shared equally, therefore unless relief is provided from the district’s defined benefit pension plan this board must act to control the cost by commencing staff reductions. Of course these cuts will reduce the quality of education and those who lose their positions will experience real hardships in these tough economic times. Higher taxes, reduced staffing, less opportunities, and lower outcomes will be the fruit of a refusal to work out a sustainable fixed contribution pension plan.

Armstrong also expressed this sentiment in a letter to The Morning Call which appeared on June 20th.

A Grumpy Old Man

At 3:53 this morning, the following comment was sent to Arena Shenanigan Continues, the previous post.

I know you will never allow this to post. But I know you will read it. You are a grumpy old man that doesn't even live in the city of Allentown. And hates everything that is new a growing I am sure you did not attend the party tonight. There were over 500 people who showed up. Write a post about that. Allentown is progressing while you attempt to drag it down. I hope that everything in South Whitehall was comfortable for you. Asshole!

For a hockey arena which wants to attract people from out of town, and wanted to also tax them for it's construction, don't squander your remaining brain cells worrying about where I live. I do not attempt to drag allentown down, but rather have it spend it's resources in the most productive way. The arena will certainly not Transform Allentown; Neither will it produce the spinoff benefit subscribed to it. Pawlowski is simply making the same mistake as his predecessors, but on a much more expensive scale. Daddona built the canopies at a huge expense. Heydt torn them down, and continuously reconfigured the parking, at a huge expense. While this concentration of resources was centered on Hamilton Street, the rest of Allentown suffered from neglect. The notion that Hamilton Street is the center of Allentown, and that Allentown is the center of Lehigh Valley, is a slogan, not a fact. While we obsess on building a new American Parkway bridge to bring people to center city, we allowed our other bridges to decay. While you danced on top of a parking deck, this Administration wants to close two neighborhood pools. In addition to an Arena Authority, and at least one administrative position, this project will kept Allentown myopically focused on center city for decades to come. That current hole will soon become a money pit of epic proportion. In a city of over 100,000 people, vocal opposition to any $220 million dollar project should center on more than a couple of bloggers, who are insulted in the middle of the night for their efforts.

Arena Shenanigan Continues

The State House will amend the NIZ legislation to address the complaints in the lawsuits, and arena construction will resume. Although there may be a few hockey fans gladdened by this news, I have yet to met anyone who believes that the project will Transform Allentown. I have yet to meet anyone who believes that fans will remain in town after the games, to patronize the local establishments. Justin Simmons, boy representative from the 131st District, summed up the current thinking,"You can't have a hole in the middle of Allentown." If Justin knew more Allentown and it's history, he might well conclude that a hole is better for the town than the arena. In conjunction with the arena, J.B. Reilly is building a hotel. This new hotel will render the older hotel at 9th and Hamilton Streets into flophouse status. Over the years, one administration after another, had kept that place viable with financial assistance. Although Mayor Heydt had torn down Hess Brothers, and likewise created a hole for a hockey arena, eventually, Liberty Trust built the Plaza for PPL. Pawlowski's expensive hole has some potential of attracting viable users, while the arena condemns Allentown to failure. Currently, we have the south side of Allentown virtually isolated because this administration allowed the 15th Street Bridge to rust away. We have a swimming pool closed because this Administration wouldn't spend $160,000 on repairs. We have a dirty, crime ridden city which will now be preoccupied with propping up a quarter billion $dollar hockey arena for the next 30 years. I'll take the hole any-day.

current hotel and future flophouse at 9th and Hamilton Street

Sal Panto's King

This blogger has taken a number of shots at Sal Panto, especially concerning his Al Bundy Museum of High School Sports. For a wise-guy like me, Panto is the gift that keeps on giving. Last week Sal announced that an African King would be visiting Easton. Panto said that he's "very royal" and that he could go anywhere, but chose Easton. Turns out the kingdom is pretty much limited to inside the guy's head. In the past, Panto has invited me to Easton to discuss, face to face, those things which I criticize, such as the Lanta Terminal. If he's willing to give me the royal treatment, I will come.

Party On The Deck

Tomorrow, from 5 to 8PM Allentown will have it's annual Party On Top of the Former Hess's Parking Deck. The party will alternatively be known as Melt Your Cheerleading Ass as the temperature hovers around 100 degrees. Regular readers on this blog know that such language is not my norm, but neither is the delusion and distortion brought to Allentown by this Administration.

A Road Runs Through It

Once, there was a time when gasoline was twenty five cents a gallon, there was no internet, and a family would go for a drive on Sunday. There was no traffic congestion or road rage. The cars were large, and they all came from Detroit. You could drive through a park, even an amusement park. There was no rush to get back to the television; It was very small, with only a few channels. Life now seems to revolve around small silicon chips, I preferred when it was large engines.

photograph shows the road through Dorney Park
reprinted from December 2010

The Barrooms of Allentown

The Allentown of my youth had bars and working men, and lots of both. After work, the men would sit on the stools at their favorite tavern, and have a few shots and beer. Most of these bars were made from former row houses, and many have reverted back to such; Allentown's organic that way. These barrooms were small, only the length of the former combined living and dining rooms. The customers were all men, and the beer was local. Some of the larger ones were called hotels, and rented rooms above. The current apartment house on the southeast corner of 8th and Liberty Streets was called Ripenstahls, where many men lived and drank over the years. Shots now has a different meaning in Allentown.


photograph by Carl Rubrecht, circa 1970

Fill Wanted

By the late 1950's, residential Allentown was pretty much built up. The remaining lots were of the odd ball topography; Most of which were either significantly above, or below street level. It was common to see signs which said either Fill Wanted, or Free Fill, depending on the odd lots problem. We have an odd lot problem on Hamilton Street, between 7th and 8th. Currently, there is enormous political pressure to make sure that Allentown doesn't remain with a hole downtown. We got this hole because our esteemed political leaders figured that if they could pull off the caper fast enough, there would be no stopping them. That hole should now be filled in, even if the citizens eventually decide that an arena should be built. No project costing a quarter $billion dollars should be built just because we already have the hole.

photo:Harry Fisher/The Morning Call

Celebrate Allentown

This week Allentown City Council will decide if the new Managing Director must live in Allentown; A better question would be if Allentown needs a managing director. This new position was created by Mayor Pawlowski in 2006 to help him manage the city. Depending upon who you ask, anywhere from 30 to 44 new white collar positions have been created by this Administration, while at the same time police officers are retiring in mass, and the streets are strewn with litter. One of the positions the Manager would overseer is the Special Events Manager. Yesterday, Hamilton Street was closed for CELEBRATE ALLENTOWN, nobody came.  Nobody coming was the good news, the bad news was what the street closure cost the merchants. This was the third Saturday that Hamilton Street was recently closed to traffic. Matthew Tuerk told the reporter covering the event he was having a great time. Matt once again forgot to mention he's acting director of the Allentown Economic Development Corporation. In July a private promoter, Alfonso Todd, produced UPWARD BOUND, a Multi-Cultural Celebration on the 600 block of Hamilton Street. That event was reasonably well attended at no cost to the taxpayers. It required no full time director with benefits and pension to manage a full time coordinator with benefits and pension. I suspect the taxpayers could have sent the few people who attended on Saturday to DisneyWorld, for a week, and still saved money.

reprinted from September 2008


UPDATE 2012: It's four years later, the managing director referred to above,  left and returned. The litter remains. The park department is down one third it's former crew. We now have torn down an entire square block to build a $220 million dollar arena, which will use all local and state income tax for the next 30 years.

The Litter of Allentown

On Monday mornings, from the amount of litter on 6th and 7th Street, you would think that there was a parade over the weekend. Back in the day, Allentown was known for it's cleanliness. Women in babushkas would compulsively hunt out any errant scrap of paper, and remove that offense to their pride. Allentown has changed. In 2006, the SWEEP program was put into place to milk center city property owners, fining them for tenants putting the wrong color container on the porch, at the wrong time. In 2011, the program burped $228,000.00 from the hapless owners. Now, with Allentown's Transformational arena coming, Allentown passed an ordinance quadrupling the littering fine from $25 to $100. "It's really difficult to see someone littering and actually catch them in the act," said Ann Saurman, director of recycling. "You see litter on the street, but you don't often see people littering." Actually, you can see them littering. Park near any center city market, and watch the wrappers drop like leaves off a tree in the fall.

photo:Denise Sanchez/The Morning Call

Weigh In On 1948

1948 was a good year for Allentown and the Lehigh Valley. Mack Trucks, Lehigh Structural Steel, General Electric and almost all factories were going full steam. President Truman stopped by to give a speech. The Allentown Cardinals played the first game in their new ballpark, Breadon Field. The baby boom was going full tilt:



The school district unveiled Lehigh Parkway and Midway Manor Elementary Schools and the new professional style football stadium. Donald Hock was Mayor, and although the last beer was being brewed on Lawrence Street at Daeufer Brewery, the Paddock joined many new restaurants opening that year. Photo's from Dorney Park in 1948.

reprinted from July 2009

The NIZ Lawsuits

The article in Saturday's Morning Call seemed to suggest that the lawsuits against the NIZ were a big ado about nothing. Broken down into two columns, the figures showed the tax loss for each municipality for 2012's first quarter. One town, Alburtis, only lost $590 bucks. Why are these mean spirited jealous nay-sayers crippling the Transformation of Allentown over a few dollars? Mayor Pawlowski and State Senator Pat Browne hoped that the townships would come to their senses with the release of these figures. Although the total EIT captured by the NIZ for 2012 will be $2.3 million, that figure doesn't really reveal anything. The whole purpose of the zone, and especially it's size of 130 acres, is to attract businesses to relocate there. The figures presented reflect only existing businesses, in what is pretty much now considered a dead zone. If the NIZ proceeds as currently written, what will the figure be in 2015? How many of those dollars would come from existing businesses now located in Lehigh and Northampton Counties? This blog does not cover surrounding Townships, but would be surprised if the figures released reduces their apprehension.

UPDATE: An article in today's Morning Call says that the lawsuits will continue, despite release of the EIT figures. The article mentions Walnutport joined the suit, but stands to lose $265 in quarterly EIT collections, and Stockertown's quarterly amount is $370... Jay Finnigan, manager of Hanover Township, Northampton County said "They (Pawlowski and Browne) just don't get it -- it's not a matter of dollars and cents," The Morning Call doesn't get it either.

UPDATE ON UPDATE: In fairness to The  Morning  Call, and reporters Kraus and Assad, on second reading I believe I mischaracterized today's article.  The hard copy edition has Finnigan's quote standing out in a box, and the article is headlined Litigation over arena will continue.

In the Israeli Army

In it's original version this post contained a video showing that all Israelis, including females, are required to serve in the army upon reaching the age of 18. After active duty, they remain reservists, into their 50's. The citizen military commitment is so extensive because Israel is surrounded by hostile neighbors, whose main commonality is their hatred of Israel. Hatred of Israel, and the distortion of it's history and intentions is not limited to the middle east. Those attitudes fester both in Europe and here, in the United States. Many people consider our media pro Israel. Does that mean that they feel that it isn't critical enough toward the Jewish state? As a Jew, and a supporter of Israel, I find the media ranging from fair to hostile, but certainly not pro Israel by any measure. I find Huffington Post anti-Israel and borderline anti=Semitic. What precipitated this post was an article in The Christian Science Monitor on the nuclear tension between Iran and Israel. The bold type sub-title says that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad never said that Israel should be "wiped off the map." As we read on we learn that in Farsi the proper translation might be that Israel "must vanish from the page of time." Only at the end of the section does the reader learn that Ahmadinejad "refused to clarify whether he truly meant that Israel should be wiped off the face of the Earth." Active duty Israeli soldiers will continue to train, and keep their weapon with them, even at the beach.

Panto's Dog and Pony

Last Thursday Sal Panto took the media on an inspection walk. In fairness to Panto, he didn't invent the Mayor's Walk, actually he doesn't invent much. These walks always single out a very small percentage of properties for scrutiny, and scrutiny is expensive for the property owners. A code officer on Panto's publicity stunt estimated that half the properties viewed would be cited. Violations included peeling paint, cracks in the sidewalk, and weeds. Although, now a days, paint starts to peel  ten minutes after it's applied, the cost of application is $thousands of dollars. Sidewalks crack and weeds grow. Although there may be some credence to the Broken Window Theory, there is also the empty taxpayer wallet reality. In Allentown, former Mayor Heydt took walks every summer, but never succeeded in inspecting Quality Of Life into the city. Allentown's program now is amuck, with hundreds of tagged houses actually contributing to the blight. These walks never get out into the more expensive residential areas, where paint also peels and sidewalks crack.
photo:Ed Koskey Jr./The Morning Call/June 8, 2012

A Controversial Editorial

Today, my controversial point of view about keeping the hole on Hamilton Street, made the paper. Although I had expressed the attitude here several times, I wrote the piece in direct response to Bethlehem Mayor Callahan's editorial. He, like several writers before him, said that there was no choice but to proceed with the arena project, even if it was a flawed plan. Official Allentown didn't have much respect for the previous occupants of that parcel. During the WFMZ debate, a speaker from the City's point of view, referred to it as a cancer. Certainly, a level block is no worse than a cancer. Allentown survived when former Mayor Heydt tore down Hess's and left us with a hole. Eventually, a private developer built the PPL Plaza. At that time, private investors could not secure the financing for the minor league hockey team. The risk apparently did not justify private investment. Now, because the project is backed by our local and state income taxes, they want to build an arena which cost ten times more.  

 photo:Donna Fisher/The Morning Call/June 8, 2012

The Transformation of 7th Street

Peter Lewnes is managing to transform 7th Street for about $1 million, while Mayor Pawlowski will spend about $220 million for his transformation. At the end of the projects, 7th Street will be much more successful, in both the number of people attracted, and the total dollars those people spend. To be blunt, which is too easy for me, I think 7th Street would have as many new stores and shoppers without Lewnes' efforts. I think that the Hispanic business district was a natural progression of Allentown's demographic changes. However, considering it's the nature of government to meddle, Lewnes has given us an unusually tremendous return on our investment. He has attractively restored dozens of buildings, created appealing signs, and succeeded in significantly upgrading Allentown's gateway. Yesterday, I visited an independent pharmacy on the 500 Block, located in the former Coleman Electric building. Although not yet enhanced by Lewnes' artistic palette, the pharmacist had four assistants and a delivery driver. Another success on 7th Street.

Allentown WPA Association

I began my effort to preserve our WPA heritage back in September of 2008, posting on this blog about the iconic stairwells and walls at Fountain Park. Posts would follow about the lost treasures of Lehigh Parkway, including the Boat Landing, Island and Spring Pond. Within a year, our work brigade cleared the boat landing, buried for over forty years. Since last fall, our group has surveyed all the WPA projects within the park system, and identified the structures most in need of attention. Hopefully, the press and The City of Allentown will support this most worthwhile project.

Saving The Spring Pond

As a small boy growing up in the twin homes above Lehigh Parkway, I would go down the steep wooded ravine and cross the Robin Hood Bridge. The stone lined spring pond and miniature bridge was just the first in a series of wonderful WPA constructions to explore. Last year, when I organized the reclamation of the Boat Landing, my memory turned to the pond. Although overgrown with several inches of sod, I knew the treasure was still savable.

On May 23, Andrew Kleiner conducted a tour of Lehigh Parkway, there I met Mike Gilbert of the Park Department and pitched the idea of a partial restoration. On May 26th, I posted A Modest Proposal, which outlined my hopes for the pond. On July 24, Kleiner posted Lehigh Parkway:Molovinsky gets his wish. I had no idea my modest proposal was implemented.

Park Director Greg Weitzel has indicated to me that the pond features uncovered will be maintained. Any further clearing will be at the discretion of Mike Gilbert. In our conversation he also stated that there are virtually no funds available for the preservation of the WPA icons.







I will attempt to organize a group and contributions for this most worthy cause. Between the Spring Pond and The Boat Landing there was once a bridge to the island. Wouldn't it be nice if a small boy could go exploring.
reprinted from previous posts

An Important Meeting

The bridge to the island shown above was removed by a park director forty years ago. Although I and several members of my group managed to unearth some of the buried Boat Landing, the portion shown in the lower right of the picture remains covered. Whether you feel that the remaining accomplishments of the WPA must be protected, or are concerned with the environmental consequences of park policy, please join us as we meet this evening. The park department is in a state of flux. In addition to the former director having moved on, several key personnel have retired. Added to the mix, the department has about one third less workers than several years ago. Existing citizen groups, such as Friends of the Parks, either have a political agenda, or appear to be compromised, in one way or another. Although never really interested with the traditional or environmental aspects of the parks, the Administration is currently completely preoccupied with it's center city development. The meeting will take place on the second floor of the Allentown Library this evening, Tuesday June 5, at 7:00.

The Worst of Both Worlds

Recently, I stood on the Ott Street Bridge and watched a mother try to help her two young daughters wrestle through the underbrush at Cedar Park to stream's edge. Although the no-mow zone is too narrow to serve as an effective riparian buffer, it does block view and access to the creek; The worst of both worlds. Whether you support the traditional park system as I do, or think the parks should be in their natural state, all we have now is inconvenience and ticks. Whether you value the view-shed as I do, or favor environmental criterion as Andrew Kleiner, all we have now is mismanagement. Tomorrow evening, Tuesday June 5, I will conduct a meeting* for those concerned with the state of our parks. Although the group was originally started to address the neglected WPA structures, we will expand our mission as a nonpolitical, concerned citizens group, for all park issues. Please join us.
*Meeting at the Allentown Library at 7:00p.m. second floor.

Teflon Don

The article in The Morning Call on May 23 announcing the pending appointment of Don Cunningham as director of LVEDC was pretty amazing. Written by local veteran newsman Scott Kraus, it said that Cunningham served two terms as mayor of Bethlehem. We, who do not think that Cunningham can walk on water, know that he resigned as mayor to take an appointment by Rendell in Harrisburg. He resigned in the same way that he is now resigning to take the Development job.
 In today's article*, Kraus again doesn't mention the Bethlehem resignation, and glosses over the current County Executive walk-a-way. Everyone should run for some office at least once, if only for a close up view of professional pols in action. When I sat next to Cunningham in 2005, I was amazed how Clintonesquely the folksy words rolled off his lips. He introduced his father as an ex-steel worker, and shucks, was just one of us. As Bethlehem Mayor for one and a half terms, he rode to Harrisburg on a series of press conferences about projects for the Bethlehem Steel property, none of which came to fruition. Coming back to run against Jane, 70% tax hike, Erwin, was a cakewalk. Now, after one and a half terms as County Executive, he's off to the proverbial Gracedale of Politics, LVEDC. He promises in today's article to make the agency bigger, hide your wallet.

*The prominent article in the Thursday May 31 hardcopy paper is difficult to find on the website. It can be found  under business articles, under the extended more articles click spot.

Abusing Cedar Park

It's hard to imagine that after $hundreds of thousands of dollars in park plans, $millions in park improvements, we end up inflicting this much abuse on our park. I understand that nature conspired against hope, with three days of continuous rain. But the operative word in MayFair is fair. Put a fair next to a lake in a floodplain, add three days of rain, dozens of trucks, and you produce massive damage. Take a park department down about one third it's staff from just a few years ago, and it will take the rest of the summer just to get the park back to normal. Normal is a relative term. By my standards, we will never return to normal. The new, highly successful destination playground places enormous demands on existing parking, especially with the Cedar Pool season about to begin. Had former park director Weitzel had his way with his proposed Destination Water Park, Cedar Park would be essentially an amusement park, instead of a city park. In terms of protecting one of Allentown's main assets, it's park system, the Pawlowski administration is useless. The organization, Friends of the Parks, is useless. Next Tuesday, June 5, I had scheduled a WPA meeting. We will expand our agenda to protect the park system in general. Please join us 7:00p.m. at the Allentown Library.

TeleCommunications Problems

molovinsky on allentown is experiencing problems with the communication link to the bunker. Our reporters are on duty, and articles are still being written. Publication will be resumed as soon as possible. Our apology for any inconvenience this disruption has caused.

The Mayor's Tool Board

When Mayor Pawlowski chose Andrew Kleiner for Allentown's Environmental Advisory Council, the appointment had to be approved by City Council. I recall Peter Schweyer telling Kleiner that he should let Council know whenever he had any concern about an Allentown policy that adversely affected the environment. Before retiring and dedicating himself to the environment, Dan Poresky had created one of the most successful single store camera businesses in the country; He's a thorough guy. The Advisory members, besides being knowledgeable about the environment, were for the most part, Pawlowski supporters. Poresky recently had an editorial in The Morning Call where he outlined, point by point, the detrimental consequences of the newly approved Trash to Energy plant. He, and numerous environmentalists, spoke out against the project at council, the night it was approved. At a recent Council meeting, the Advisory Council formally stated their opposition to the project."It is the opinion of the EAC that this contract puts Allentown at unnecessary risk for financial losses and environmental damage to the city's air, water, and quality of life while discouraging the adoption of less expensive and environmentally healthier options for its waste." At a previous meeting, Council President Guridy ignored their individual opinions, at this meeting, he told them they were too late. At the next Council meeting, they should tender their resignations, unless they don't mind hanging on the Mayor's pegboard.

UPDATE:  The EAC currently only has three members(Kleiner, Poresky and Thomases), although they're designated for seven.

Syrian Commotion

This weekend there was a disruption in the Syrian community. When the protests first began in Syria, there was a demonstration of support for Assad and the Syrian government here in Allentown. Allentown's Syrian community dates back to the 1900 era, when many families migrated from Amar, in the valley of the Christians. The Syrians, Jews and other ethnic groups lived and worked together in the 6th Ward. Second Street was almost exclusively home to the Jews and Syrians. In 1903 practically every house in the 600 block was Jewish, including my grandparents. Although the Jews migrated up town to 6th Street, there still is a Syrian presence in the Ward. Hafez Assad, father of the current president, supposedly had a Christian nanny, and an affinity for the minority. Ties between Second Street and the homeland have existed for many decades, including Syrian Ambassadors speaking at local events. In more recent years, newer immigrants have a more personal experience with the realities of the current regime. Tensions between the two groups, newer immigrants and the community here for a hundred years, erupted at a protest this weekend in center city. I invite my friends of Syrian descent to elaborate on this post.
reprinted from June 6, 2011


UPDATE: The turmoil in Syria has only greatly increased since this post was written last year. Let us hope for a quick resolution to the tragedies occurring there.