World War Ringside

Joe Louis had won his previous 23 fights, and was expected to do the same against Germany's Max Schmeling in June of 1936. Instead, the large crowd at Yankee Stadium saw the older Schmeling, a former World Champion, outscore Louis, and then knock him out in the 12th. Schmeling would go back to Hitler's Germany a national hero. Louis would go on to beat the Cinderella Man, James Braddock, for the World Championship. The stage was set for the most anticipated rematch in history. The famous 1938 fight, again at Yankee Stadium, was a sellout. Louis and Schmeling embodied everything about the pending war between the two countries. They were given pep talks by no less than Roosevelt and Hitler themselves. Louis carried the mantle for all Americans, but especially Black Americans, in the late 1930's. He would leave nobody down, by knocking out Schmeling in the first round.top photo of German toy produced between the first and second fights
bottom photo, one of three first round knockdowns in 1938 reprinted from March 2012

You Talkin To Me?

About 25 years ago I got into target shooting. As my interest and skill progressed, I purchased several guns. All the guns were designed to punch precise holes in paper targets. They had sophisticated adjustable metal sights, and were long and heavy to control recoil. Recently, I decided to sell them, and visited the local gun stores, for the first time in decades. As is often the case in my life, I once again aged into a dinosaur. The guns stores are now full of very light weight, highly concealable, high caliber pistols, supposedly sold for defense. The light weight creates high recoil, and lack of accuracy. In my era, Carry Permits were sought by merchants who had to make after hour store deposits, into mailbox type chutes, located on the outside of banks. Easy carry laws now permit anybody a gun, for any or no reason. It's little surprise that gun battles, with multiple shooters, are erupting. Welcome to the new wild west. By the way, is anybody interested in a Kodak Instamatic, which uses 126 film cartridges?

Boxing 1930's, Primo Carnera

When Abe Simon fought Joe Louis in 1942, Abe was the biggest heavyweight* fighting. That wasn't the case when Abe began his career in 1935. Primo Carnera was an Italian strongman on the European circus circuit. He fought his first fight in Paris in 1928. It is pretty well known that he was brought to N.Y.C. by mobsters who arranged and managed his fights. The 6'6" giant upset Jack Sharkey in 1933, and held the title for a year until Max Baer had a go at him.

In 1935 Carnera fought the up and coming Joe Louis, who pulverized him into a bloody mess. Primo would return to Europe. Shown in the ring with him in 1933 is Jean Harlow, promoting her movie classic Bombshell.

* 6'7" Buddy Baer, brother of Max, had retired after a beating from Louis earlier in 1942.

reprinted from February 2010

Tragedy At Union Terrace Amphitheater

Last year this blog reported that creek water was becoming dangerously close to the northern pier tower of the Union Terrace stage. An inspection yesterday revealed that the situation has deteriorated, and the pillar is now surrounded by water. It is imperative that the city fill in three sides immediately, and start to plan for a small coffer dam, to enable some fill to be placed on the fourth creek side of the pillar. Union Terrace was the last WPA project in Allentown, and perhaps the one of greatest long term benefit to the citizens. Over the years many generations have enjoyed an occasional performance there, recently being used for outdoor film. The visual symmetry of the two pillars is an esthetic we cannot afford to lose, especially in this the year celebrating our history.

The Legend Begins

On July 4th, 1934 Joe louis made his debut as a professional fighter. Eleven months and nineteen straight victories later, most by knockout, 62,000 fight fans would jam Yankee Stadium to watch the new sensation fight the giant, Primo Carnera.

New York, New York - Primo Carnera, giant Italian boxer and former heavyweight champion of the world, and Joe Louis, hard-hitting negro heavyweight from Detroit, Michigan, weighed-in this afternoon at the offices of the New York State Boxing Commission for their fifteen round bout tonight at the Yankee Stadium. - 6.25.1935

Although badly battered from the first round, Carnera would gamely stay in the fight till it was stopped in round six. The legend of the Brown Bomber was clearly established.
photo of Primo Carnera

This blog has produced 24 posts chronicling the Joe Louis boxing era, many featuring Abe Simon, a Jewish heavyweight of the era; Simon and my mother were cousins. Lately, Allentown political shenanigans have allowed me little time and space to visit Madison Square Garden in the early 1940's. During the next few weeks I will reprint these posts, while still assigning staff to City Hall. One of my attractions to the boxing world is the black and white photography produced during that era. The public would listen to the fights on the radio, and then see the photographs in the newspapers the following day. While reproducing these posts, I may in some instances substitute alternative photographs, all classic images from the age of film and flash bulbs.

Scott Armstrong:Morning Call Editorial

Republican Party Needs An Urban Strategy, Not A New Message
Since the presidential election, much of the political discourse has shifted to an analysis of why Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney lost and what the Republican Party needs to do to win in 2016.
Much of the talk mistakenly focuses on the idea that the GOP needs to reformulate its message to gain a larger share of minority votes. In other words, the Republican stand on important issues such as abortion, amnesty, tax cuts, small government and limited entitlements must be reformulated to match what pundits pronounce is the more left-wing outlook of America's urban poor.
Adopting this strategy would, in my humble view, be a huge mistake for the Republican Party. The Republican message is not the reason we take such a drubbing in the cities; the real fault is the complete failure of the Republican Party to communicate its message in these areas.
How are people expected to vote for a party they have never seen in their neighborhood? Why would it be logical to expect people to endorse a message they have never heard?
Republicans need to face the fact that America's urban residents vote Democratic largely because Democrats have been selling the party's message on the residents' radio stations, on their local television stations, at their doors, on their streets, and at their polling stations. Until the Republican establishment commits resources to a long-term strategy to compete on this level directly to the nation's poor and minority urban residents, we have no hope of winning their votes no matter what our message is.
One more warning to Republican Party leaders: Any plan to attract the votes of America's minority voters that puts reformulating the party's tenets ahead of an effort to communicate its philosophy directly to America's urban neighborhoods will fail completely and create a wider divide between the Republican establishment and its conservative base. That will guarantee failure in 2016 and beyond.
Scott Armstrong, a member of the Allentown School Board, is former chairman of the Allentown Republican City Committee, former member Lehigh County Republican Latino Committee and former member of the county Republican Executive Committee.

The above Your View Editorial appeared in The Morning Call on Saturday Dec. 1, 2012

A Shovel At The Trough

The citizen's event on Wednesday didn't receive the fanfare of yesterday's hockey arena groundbreaking. Over at the big hole yesterday were the big people, who are going to benefit on the public's dime. Although I wasn't there, I'm sure I'll be able to see pictures and video galore. They have a ticket to ride for the next decade. Jennifer Mann thanked everyone who stuck their necks out, I think they stuck their hands out. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the citizen's petition against privatizing their water was submitted to the Administration. Although Mayor Pawlowski had repeatedly told the public, and City Council, that a 35% tax increase would be necessary without the water lease, on Wednesday, he told the press that the increase would be 100% or more. The numbers didn't really change, it's that his respect for the little people got lower; He doesn't believe that they deserve a serious dialogue on the issue, and except for Jeanette Eichenwald, neither does City Council.

photocredit: Denise Sanchez / The Morning Call / Nov. 29, 2012

Dressed Up With Nowhere To Go

Now that Lehigh Valley Airport has finished their recent remodeling, they're facing less destinations than they had in decades. It has become the airport to nowhere. Although much blame was assigned to the previous underperforming director, I think that the board must share responsibility for approving a succession of poor ideas, which were expensive to execute. The mother of bad ideas, of course, was taking the Fuller Land by force, necessitating a $26 million dollar compensation. An article in The Morning Call, which outlined cutbacks, failed to mention the cost of remodeling. I do credit the board with their decision to retain Queen City Airport, despite lobbying by Allentown Mayor and board member Ed Pawlowski. On the questionable side, they're considering spending even more money to build a customs station for international routes. One would think after you went broke dressing up in suit with nowhere to go, you wouldn't spend even more on a tuxedo.

Allentown Becomes A Monarchy

Park and Shop Lots

Downtown Allentown boomed for about 100 years. During the prosperity years following World War II, the two car family emerged. Several business leaders of Allentown realized both the parking problem and the potential to enhance sales. Park and Shop was begun by Harvey Farr, Donald Miller and John Leh. The current small parking deck at 10th and Hamilton, above the current uptown police substation, was the first deck in the country. To make the parking lots, shown in the postcard above, houses were purchased and torn down. Although the gentlemen mentioned in this article profited from their influence, they always provided solutions for the betterment of the community. They seemed to be a benevolent oligarchy. As the viability of the Park And Shop enterprise declined along with the intercity shopping, The Allentown Parking Authority was conveniently formed by local politicians, and it purchased the lots using Municipal bonds; The process allowed the aforementioned gentleman to land on their feet, in a downward market.

Flash ahead thirty five years to another downward market, and we have one gentleman, J.B. Reilly, buying up center-city with municipal bonds backed by state taxes. Reilly has purchased far more property than ever owned by Park and Shop. He has purchased virtually the four square blocks surrounding the arena, a significant portion of the Neighborhood Improvement Zone(NIZ). Again the process was facilitated by our elected officials. Let us hope that the new monarchy will be as benevolent as the old oligarchy.

At The Mayor's Pleasure

Yesterday morning, as is my usual routine, I wrote down a topic for today, and in true tabloid fashion, searched the molovinsky on allentown archives for a photograph. The premise was a speculation on why Fire Chief Scheirer was compromising fire staffing standards to endorse Pawlowski's budget. In addition to the short staff, we are short the fire station on the east side. Although I have a better picture of the former station, this was the only one the staff could locate. About mid-day, Emily Opilo, Morning Call Allentown reporter, wrote a blog post about Scheirer. She had located a public letter he wrote about ten years ago, to his wife. In it, he explains that if he is killed fighting a fire, it's probably because the department is understaffed. Powerful stuff Ms. Opilo unloaded. I decided that I would still go ahead with this post, because my slant was the perilous condition that having no firehouse imposed on the east side. Apparently, Emily Opilo and I had the same breakfast yesterday. An article by her on the missing fire house will appear in Tuesday's paper. Not only an article, but an excellent piece, questioning why the former fire house was allowed to deteriorate beyond repair, and acknowledging Dennis Pearson, for his consistent east side advocacy. The supposed delay constructing the new fire station is a one million dollar cost overrun on the estimate. Is this the same city in which a $77 million hockey arena will now cost $244 million, without losing a beat? If ever there was an example of misplaced priorities in a city government, the East Side Fire Station wins the national prize. My early morning speculation yesterday was that Chief Robert Scheirer was playing ball because he wants to be Allentown's first Public Safety Director. Sources at City Hall tell me that such a reorganization is probably not in the current cards, and he simply serves at the mayor's pleasure, to keep his chief's hat.

Downhill on Lehigh Street

During the early 1970's, Allentown demolished the entire neighborhood between Union and Lawrence Streets. It was, in a large part, home to the black community. How ironic that we destroyed the cohesion of a neighborhood, but renamed Lawrence Street after Martin Luther King. The only remnant of the neighborhood is the St. James A.M.E. Church. Going up the hill today we now have a vacant bank call center on the east, and the Housing Authority Project on the west. A whole neighborhood existed in from both sides of Lehigh Street, including black owned shops. The houses were old and humble, but people owned them, many for generations. Some blacks at the time wondered if the project was Urban Renewal or Negro Removal?

reprinted from May 2011

Bahá'í Gardens

The Bahá'í Faith World Headquarters is on the slope of Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. It was near there, in Acre, that Bahá'a'lláh, the most recent messenger of
G-d, was exiled during the Ottoman Empire Period. There, for his remaining years, he would produce the doctrines of the faith, The oneness of humankind. All His other social teachings are means of achieving and sustaining the practical unity of humanity so that people may fulfill the purpose of their creation, to peacefully carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. The faith began in present day Iran in the mid 1800's, and believes that G-d's word comes through a succession of messengers. Today, there are over five million followers, with Bahá'í Temples throughout the world.

Governor Pawlowski

With three posts written since yesterday, this blog was about to turn off the presses until at least Saturday night, when The Morning Call broke a new story. Seems as if Mayor Pawlowski has visions of himself in the Governor's Mansion. When asked for clarification by reporter Scott Kraus, he indicated that another run for mayor would come first in 2013. The next opportunity for Governor isn't until 2014. Just when you thought things couldn't get better.

No Shopping Zone

Ed Pawlowski and Company have officially declared Hamilton Street a No Shopping Zone. Many years ago I was prohibited from operating a business near 16th and Walnut Streets. I was told that if I wanted to conduct business, I should have opened up in the Business District. The merchants of Hamilton Street learned last year that they were in the Hockey District. Today, Black Friday, Hamilton Street will be closed from 7th to 6th Street, to accommodate the demolition of the former 1st National Bank Building.

watercolor by Karoline Schaub-Peeler

Open Thanksgiving Letter to Charlie Dent

Congressman Dent,
Today I learned from Scott Kraus's informative article in The Morning Call, that you have joined the Cranberry Caucus. Although I thank you for your attentive attitude toward local business, I would like to add a few points of information not discussed in the article. Most of Ocean Spray's employees will follow the company from New Jersey, not providing many new local jobs. New Jersey didn't fight the relocation with much vigor, because the discharge from the juice process is particularly potent, providing an unwanted challenge to their waste water systems. On the other hand, bottling companies have been coming to the Lehigh Valley, because of Allentown's abundant supply of water, and capacity to treat sewage, as distributed through the Lehigh County Authority. As you know, Mayor Pawlowski is eager to lease these systems for fifty years, despite widespread public opposition. In this regard, Ocean Spray is but one more customer for a private water company. Will such a company safeguard both the supply of water, and it's waste treatment, with as much scrutiny and concern as the current public oversight? In the past few years the bottling industry has become a concern to those advocates concerned with the quantity of our drinking water. The Mayor's plan is beyond an Allentown issue; It affects the entire region, which should be involved in the deliberation.
My best wishes for your holiday,
  Michael Molovinsky

The Pension Surprise

When Ed Pawlowski ran for Mayor in 2005, he bored listeners with a long power point presentation, showing that Allentown would be hit with a huge pension shortfall. He had a plan, and would make all necessary adjustments to avoid the calamity. Here we are in 2012, and the sky is falling; Sell the water and layoff the firemen! He brags that there has not been a tax increase under his administrations; There should have been. There should have been both cutbacks in redundant supervisory personnel, and measured increases in taxes. In fairness to Pawlowski, other mayors also buried their head in the sand in the same manner, but I never had to suffer through their power points. Also in fairness, the market crash of 2008 contributed to the shortfall, but that was four years ago. What happen to that supposed steering skill to avoid the calamity? The administration now claims that those calamities are opportunities. He dragged a former mayor from New Jersey to Allentown to explain how wonderful private water companies can be. He now has the Fire Chief saying that we really don't need more than two men on a fire engine. We are a town that can build a $277 million dollar arena, but can't afford proper fire protection.

Burt Luckenbach, Park Activist

`Green' Curtain Blocks Sledding And The View
January 09, 1992|The Morning Call
To the Editor:

Hold your sleds girls and boys! Others, too, on the alert! With the planting of a dense cluster of 60 evergreen trees and the erection of a "No Sledding" sign, creating a veritable iron curtain, the park and watershed people have once again undertaken their repetitive effort of the past 45 years to eliminate a most popular sledding slope in Lehigh Parkway. The motive -- crass self-interest in defiance of public good. The effect -- an impassable barrier and concealment of a magnificent vista of "one of the finest valleys in Eastern Pennsylvania."

Children and adults from the 400 homes with longtime and easy access to the slope and others arriving in cars have enjoyed sledding here after school and into the night and throughout the day and night on weekends. Yet sledding is but one of the attractions of this enduring slope. In summer children and teachers from Lehigh Parkway Elementary School have enjoyed a walk down the slope and into the park for a break from book and blackboard. Birders, joggers, hikers and others on a leisurely stroll engrossed in their particular interest have found the slope irresistible.

For a host of others, this opening into the park after a long stretch of woods presents a charming vista and urge to descend. Interest is immediately evoked by the sight of a mid-19th century log house (now tenanted by a city employee whose privacy is further enhanced by the closure of the slope) and a historic wagon trail leading past the site of a lime kiln to tillable lands of earlier times.

The view takes in an expanse of meadowlands, now groomed, to the Little Lehigh River and up the western slope to Lehigh Parkway North. Indeed, a pleasant view to be esteemed and preserved for generations to come. It was distressing on New Year's Day to see a family and their guests intent upon a walk down the slope suddenly stop in amazement and shock as the closure became evident.

The cost in dollars through the years of the park peoples' fixation on destroying the Parkway slope must be staggering indeed without dwelling on other deliberate depletions. Typically, the placement of the 1991 "No Sledding" sign employed a team of four men with three vehicles -- a backhoe, a panel truck, and a super cab pickup truck, the latter furnishing radio music.

BERT A. LUCKENBACH
ALLENTOWN

Burt Luckenbach was a park activist, who wrote this letter in 1992. Few remember sledding on that hill above the Log & Stone house, but I do. The open hill was located at the end of Lehigh Parkway South, near the intersection with Coronado Street. The Wagon Trail has been blocked off for years by several large fallen trees. I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Luckenbach, but like to think that he would approve of my efforts regarding the parks.

Israel's Dilemma Fighting Martyrdom

Rockets fired from inside Gaza City

During the second world War, the United States had trouble wrapping it's head around the kamikaze attacks. There is a similar situation occurring in Gaza. Israel is not targeting civilians; Hamas has placed their rocket launchers in civilian sites, with public approval. The rockets are fired from playgrounds and rooftops. As of Sunday, Israel aborted twenty five air strikes because their pilots reported seeing civilians near the targets. The leadership of Hamas has spoken in the past of jihad and martyrdom. They stated that they form human shields of women and children. Although urban rocket launchers and civilian causalities serve the purpose of Israel's enemies and distracters, Israel must protect it's citizens.

The Mayors of Lehigh Valley

What can one say about The Three Mayors? Bethlehem's mayor John Callahan wants to enact an Amusement Tax. Vision Entertainment Group, which operates the Sands Event Center chose Bethlehem specifically because they didn't have such a tax. In reality, Johnny Callahan already has the ultimate Amusement Tax; This year Bethlehem received over $9 million dollars as their share of the Sands Casino pot. This windfall represents over 14% of the budget, but Johnny wants more. Easton's visionary, Sal Panto, now wants to increase their parking meters to a buck an hour. This is what other destinations, like San Francisco and Miami Beach charge, why not Easton? Sal admits, "Once it is in the budget, it is hard to get rid of." They already have an Amusement Tax. State Theater director Shelly Brown says "The tax adds a challenge." Well Shelly, here comes another one. Last, but not least, Ed Pawlowski thinks that the taxpayers should pay more for their air and water. In an incomprehensible arrangement with a private Trash To Energy & Cash Company, Allentown's trash and sewage will be combined into pellets from hell, and burnt. The technology, or lack of it, is opposed by environmentalists. The plant may also import trash from New York and New Jersey, for more fuel. Our water also will be sold to a preferred bidder. Let us hope he doesn't decide to harvest body parts.

Scrapping Our History

While surveying the progress of the 15th Street Bridge Project, our staff photographer made a depressing discovery. There, lying in the scrap metal area of the City Recycling Yard, was a former icon of Allentown. Once, in our not so distant past, these distinctive light stands symbolized the All American City. This particular light standard, and it's base, were in excellent condition. At one time these lights were so cherished that prominent citizens would use their influence to obtain one for their yard. One can be seen on the northwest corner of Ott and Parkway Boulevard, once home of a well known cardiologist. While the larger version, outfitted with flower bowls, lit Hamilton Street and 7th Street, smaller models illuminated the West End. When Allentown made it's recent plans for it's 250th anniversary, our meager sense of history was apparent. The best our imported mayor could think of was hiring someone to write new lyrics to the Billy Joel song. This city has a proud history, but it will take an archeologist to find remnants of it in the future.

Mobilizing Israel

Although the media is focused on the conflict with Hamas in Gaza, the fighting within Syria has been spilling over the Heights in Golan. Syrian opposition fighters have occupied villages bordering the DMZ, resulting in counter attacks by Assad's army. Israel must defend itself from the weapons of both factions. If

this wouldn't be enough for most military forces, Iran supposedly is much closer to their nuclear goal than previously thought. Although political decisions are second and third guessed in Israel, nobody disputes the the qualifications of their Defense Minister,former Chief of Staff and Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Barak is the most decorated soldier in Israel's history, which has been one fight after another for survival. Born on a Kibbutz, he commanded an important tank brigade during the Yom Kippur War. He led the commandos who freed a highjacked plane. He helped plan the raid on Entebbe in Uganda. As the Israeli Defense Forces mobilize on all fronts, they're directed by a steady hand.

The Obama Era

Once and a while you get to cover a few topics with one post, so it is today. This most compelling painting is currently on display at Lehigh University. The curator explains that the show of African art on Obama was not meant as political, but rather depicts the African art propensity to represent sources of pride. Nelson Mandela is also an often used subject. Although I haven't seen the show, yesterday I chatted with Bill Clark, retired art instructor at Cedar Crest. Clark spends much of his time in Africa, and was very much involved behind the scenes with this show. Because of the subject matter and timing, right before the election, the show was not without controversy. Lehigh art director Ricardo Viera addressed the issue.

"To me that is fine," he says. "I don’t run from controversy." He adds that if it has to occur, the place to be controversial is a university. He says the campus is where these things should be happening because students are supposed to be learning, discussing and seeing all sides of the ideological spectrum."This is about humanistic things," he says. "This is about a person. There are many things beyond politics."

Fordham University President Joseph McShane, as discussed in yesterday's post about Ann Coulter, could learn a lesson from Viera. With your permission, I will squeeze one more topic out of this post. Pride in Obama's ethnicity was not limited to Africa. Also controversial was the voter results from Philadelphia. Obama won every vote in 59 voting districts, with a tally of 19,605 to 0. Although the percentage, and the reported turnout of 90%, would normally fuel a demand for scrutiny, Obama's win was beyond the margins of doubt. As the world turns, my attention turns toward today and tomorrow. Israel is now defending itself on two fronts, with more enemies lining up. Resolution of the budget and tax cuts are crucial to our economy. My hope is that President Obama will fulfill the expectations of all citizens, regardless of who they voted for.

Peter Pan Prevails

I'm not much for academia. What do you call a 55 year old man who has spent his life with 18year olds, Peter Pan. New York City's Fordham University, a Jesuit Institution, recently cancelled an appearance by Ann Coulter. Until I read about the cancellation, I never realized that Fordham was Jesuit. I know that Muhlenberg College is Lutheran, but I also know it's about the only place in Allentown to get a good bowl of matzo ball soup. After their Republican Club announced Coulter's appearance, University President Joseph McShane used the Jesuit card. He expressed hope that the student body wouldn't stand idly by while such a demoness spoke. The Republican Club was forced to cancel her, to spare the speaker from being ambushed. One of the highest voter turnouts in Allentown last Tuesday was at Muhlenberg, students are engaged and curious. Fordham's President did his students a disservice.

A Tailor from North Street

The Allentown Housing and Development Corp. recently purchased a home at 421 North St. That block of North Street was destroyed by fire, and the agency has built a block of new houses on the street's south side; it will next develop the other side of the street. The deed transfer caught my attention because Morris Wolf lived in the house in 1903. Wolf signed up with the Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry on July 18, 1861, in Philadelphia, when he was 22 years old. He was a private in Company A, of the 3rd Cavalry. This unit was also known as the 60th Regiment and was later called Young's Kentucky Light Cavalry.It defended Washington, D.C., until March 1862, then participated in many of the war's most famous battles: Williamsburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. Wolf had signed up for three years and was mustered out Aug. 24,1864.

Recently, to commemorate Memorial Day, the local veterans group placed more than 500 flags at Fairview Cemetery. If that wasn't enough of a good deed, the group also set upright more than 300 toppled grave markers. Visiting Fairview recently, I saw they had not overlooked the graves of either Mr. Wolf, or another veteran, Joseph Levine. I have concerned myself with Allentown's Fairview Cemetery for the last few years. I first became interested in the small Jewish section, called Mt. Sinai. This was the first organized Jewish cemetery in Allentown. Currently, all the synagogues have their own cemeteries, and Mt. Sinai has been mostly unused for many decades.

Mr. Wolf lies next to his wife, Julia, who died in 1907. Morris would live on for 30 more years, passing away in 1937, at age 98.
Mr. Levine, a World War II veteran, and his wife, Ethel, were the first and last people to be buried there after almost 25 years of inactivity. When Ethel died at age 93 in 2000, it was the first burial at Mt. Sinai since 1976. Joseph was 103 years old when he passed away in 2006.

The Housing and Development Corp. and North Street are now part of Allentown's new neighborhood initiative called Jordan Heights.Although soon there will be a new house at 421 North St., there is a history that will remain with the parcel. Once a tailor lived there who fought in the Battle of Gettysburg.

reprinted from November 2011

Hurricane Sandy Tree Fund

My post for last Monday revealed the devastation Hurricane Sandy wrought on the trees of our park system. Early in the week I visited the Park Department, leaving a message that I wanted to establish an independent tree fund to help address some of this damage.

   Although City Officials never responded to my message, last night Friends Of The Parks sent me an advanced copy of their new initiative.  Students of this blog know that for my taste, I find that group too cozy with the Administration.  However, I will put the trees first, and inform my readers that Friends has now established a Hurricane Sandy Fund, they can also be reached at 610 432-7275.

A Modern Inquisition

The leadership of some mainstream Christian Churches, including the Presbyterian, Methodist and Lutheran Dominations, have sent a letter to the United States Congress asking that aid to Israel be curtailed because of Israel's maltreatment of the Palestinians. Ironically, the groups most endangered in the middle east because of their religion, are the Christians.* Copts are fleeing Egypt for their lives, Christians have fled Iraq for their lives, and the Christian sects in Syria will be endangered when Assad falls. Mainstream Jewish groups are finally beginning to be fed up with their Christian counterparts, no longer trying to explain and justify Israel's preference for survival in a hostile part of the world. Today, 20 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel. The church leaders should concern themselves with the fate of Christians in the Arab world, on that they remain almost silent. The Photograph is of a church burning in Egypt.

*Because of Israel, the Jews can defend themselves,and the Christians in Israel.

The Night of Broken Glass

In 1938, on the nights of November 9 and 10, the Nazis whipped up anti-Jewish riots in a pogrom now known as Kristallnacht.


During these two nights, synagogues were set on fire and thousands of Jewish shop windows were broken.



Ninety one Jews were killed. 30,000 were arrested and taken to camps, a harbinger of the Holocaust.

Pawlowski's Freakout

Although President Obama won handily in Allentown, there are a few polling places where Republican and conservative candidates are in play. One of those bastions is the 17th Ward, 3th District, conducted at Sons Of Israel Synagogue. Although one of highest turnout polling places in Allentown, Obama won by less than 30 votes. Voters arriving there witnessed an unusual sight, the mayor of Allentown trying to disenfranchise their right to petition. Pawlowski told the press that he was concerned that the water lease opponents were being deceptive about his proposal.

"We have gotten reports that circulators are telling people that the city will be selling the plants," Pawlowski said in a statement. "We have spent nearly four months educating people about a proposed lease/concession. We can't allow a distortion of the facts. We are seeking to make sure that individuals are getting the correct information."

I have no doubt that the petition circulators were following the letter of the law. They are well aware of the administration's scrutiny and actions against their effort. In regard to distortion, Pawlowski should tell the voters that the lease will not expire until their grandchildren need a nursing home.

I Like Ike

The lawn signs in Allentown's deep west end, and across the Cedar Crest Boulevard into South Whitehall, favored Romney by far. I did notice an Obama organizational house down my street. For three days no less than half a dozen cars were there, with volunteers coming and going all day. Although I was at my polling place by 7:00A.M., I was number 90 in line. The neighbor ahead of me said that he and his wife would be clicking on a different name for President. I had assumed from the yard signs that Romney would take my district, he didn't. Romney lost every district in Allentown, and the total vote in South Whitehall. The pundits say that the Republican Party is out of date with current demographics and values. Shown in the photograph is Chester Riley from The Life of Riley, a program from the 1950's. He would end each episode by saying, What a revolting development this turned out to be.

Roosevelt's Health Declines

When Republicans ask me about Jewish voting trends, I usually reply that the Jews don't know that Roosevelt died, and that he didn't particularly like them anyway. They have been genetically programmed for the Democratic Party since their great-great bubas thought Roosevelt was helping them. Jewish support for Obama slipped from 78% in 2008, to 69% on Tuesday. Although that is a significant move of the needle, considering how important Israel is to the Jewish psyche, and how little affinity Obama has for that nation, genetics still prevailed.

The Analogy Called Allentown

Not so long ago, Allentown was a giant in both industry and commerce. While Lehigh Structural Steel fulfilled orders for oversized fabrications under the Tilghman Street Bridge, Western Electric invented the tiny transistors, a few blocks beyond on Union Boulevard. During the summer months, workers and their families from both heavy and light industry would entertain themselves at the drive-in movie, Dorney Park and the Max Hess baseball stadium, out on MacArthur Road. Western Electric would evolve into Lucent, which pioneered another electronic wonder, the silicon chip. The City of Allentown did it's share by updating our water system, to fulfill the demands of these industries. We now have been reduced to thinking that a baseball stadium on the parking lot of Lucent is commerce. We are reduced to selling our water system to pay for bad decisions by the mediocre. We actually celebrate these compromises.

Photograph of better days under the Tilghman Street Bridge

The Outsiders

Julio Guridy had asked the city solicitor for an opinion about who could collect signatures. because he didn't want outsiders interfering with Allentown's water lease decision. Pawlowski had no trouble about outsiders working today to promote the water lease plan. At the mayor's request, crews from Philadelphia appeared at the two busiest polling spots to distribute literature on the advantages of private water systems, and monitor the activists collecting signatures against the lease. In addition to boots on the ground, Pawlowski has distributed a new YouTube promoting his proposal. The three gentleman shown above from Philadelphia were encouraging voters not to sign Dan Poresky's petition. Just joking about the photograph. Actually, the photograph is from the film classic, On The Waterfront. The three persuaders shown were former heavyweight boxers in real life, all of whom fought Joe Louis for the title.

UPDATE:  Emily Opilo of The Morning Call reports (an hour before me) that Pawlowski himself was at a polling site asking voters not to sign the petition.  The petition itself of course doesn't decide anything, but gives the citizens a voice on the issue in May. His energy would be better spend looking for alternatives to the lease.

Comforting The Comfortable

Never mind that Obama is comforting the owner of North Point Marina, a one percenter, this became the iconic image of the 2012 election. Never mind that as I write, the people of New Jersey are literally wrestling for gasoline. Never mind that although it was a worldwide viral photo opportunity for Obama, it became just another failed mission for FEMA. A version of the photo, with Chris Christie cut out, is featured on The White House Blog. Christie is not only cut out of the photograph, but likely out of future national Republican politics. Hopefully, there are no term limits on the New Jersey governorship.

Devastation At Cedar Creek Park

Scores of mature trees, on both sides of Ott Street, were blown over by Hurricane Sandy. A dozen or so trees around Muhlenberg Lake were lost. Mostly spruce and willow, the 75 year old trees with their large mass and shallow root systems, fell like bowling pins to the sustained wind. Another dozen or so were also lost on the rose garden side of the park. Shown above, one fallen tree destroyed the walk bridge, just west of the garden. Please join me, and donate for new trees to be planted this coming spring.

Scary Stuff

The committee to save the water system for the citizens of Allentown successfully gathered hundreds of signatures at the Halloween Parade. They will have a presence at many of the polling places this Tuesday. Signing the petition will assure that the citizens have the right to vote on this most important issue in the May primary elections.

photo provided by Dan Poresky

Michael Bloomberg and Marie Antoinette

When Mayor Bloomberg announced earlier in the week that the New York City Marathon would proceed this weekend as scheduled, all I could think of was Marie Antoinette. Although the entire lower part of Manhattan was still without electric, although sections of the city were decimated, although bodies were still be recovered, he thought the race would boost the spirits of New Yorkers. He thought that maybe some spandex suited yuppie in expensive sneakers would somehow console the residents of Staten Island's east shore, where a whole neighborhood was destroyed, and over twenty people perished. The citizens of Queens, where 80 houses were burned to the ground, could certainly "take pride in the resiliency of New York."  Canceling the race isn't good enough, he should visit Staten Island and apologize.

No Opposition Tolerated

Pawlowski has his way with City Council. Six of the seven members can't say yes fast or loud enough about selling our water system. Never the less, he resents the one dissenter, Jeanette Eichenwald. When she pointed out that the expert witnesses were only from communities happy with their private water companies, and none from the less delighted and actually unhappy, Pawlowski made a barely audible snide snark* at her. It was personal enough that she said that remark was uncalled for, and to his credit, Julio Guridy supported Eicenwald's protest. Later in the evening, Pawlowski accused Eicenwald of being against the privatization from the beginning of the process. Imagine a City Council member having the audacity to be against a mayor's proposal. Pawlowski's indignation shows how ineffectual City Council has become.

*If possible, this post will be updated with  Pawlowski's actual insult.

Word Verification has been removed from the comment box during daylight hours.

Allentown's Yard Sale

The former mayor of Rahway, New Jersey was the star witness for Pawlowski's scheme to sell the water and sewage systems. Never mind that Rahway is one quarter of the size of Allentown, or that it's water system operated at a loss before privatization. Their former mayor testified that the private company even installed brand new meters. Never mind that Allentown just installed new meters at taxpayer expense, which will benefit a private company. The most viable answer to the mess that Pawlowski helped create, and failed to resolve, the police pension issue, is a Public Water Authority. Although the NIZ hockey arena just completed a sale of bonds backed by a mere hope and promise, water revenue bonds, backed by the public need for a basic of life, were dismissed as unmarketable. By the questions asked last night, or more specifically, by the questions not asked, City Council handed the mayor a pre-approval on the sale. Although Pawlowski dangled the $200 million plus figure last night, and said that he wouldn't sell for just $40 million, what happens with a $100 million offer? There is a good chance that the citizens will lose ownership of the water system, yet not fund the pension liability in a meaningful way. Things like that happen at a yard sale.

Storm Disrupts Mission

Mission Molovinsky, to shine a bright light on the dark corners of our city government, has been adjusted to compensate for a disruption in the power source. Although new posts will not appear until the reactor is repaired, our reporters continue to gather the news. Stay tuned, we will return to warp speed.

An Exclusive Bombshell

molovinsky on allentown has learned that the Pawlowski Administration is trying to put obstacles and roadblocks in the way of the Water Lease Referendum group. Julio Guridy requested an opinion from City Solicitor Jerry Snyder, concerning who can collect signatures for the referendum. In what is a convoluted stretch of the City Charter, Snyder concludes that all petition circulators must be pre-registered  at City Hall, with City Clerk Mike Hanlon, just like the Committee members of the referendum. In reality, there was a precedent, the Rental Inspection Referendum of 1999. As documented in the previous post, over 80 circulators were involved in that previous petition, without pre-certification by Hanlon. It appears as if citizen rights under the charter are being repressed.

Allentown's Referendum History

Dan Poresky announces referendum

In 1998, the Neighborhood Community Groups, under the leadership of Tom Burke, organized the first referendum under the new City Charter of 1996. The ballot question asked the voters in the following 1999 May primary if they supported a rental licensing law, rejected that previous fall by City Council. This coming May, voters for the second time in our charter history may be asked a question. The new referendum effort is being headed by citizen activist Dan Poresky, and is designed to stop Pawlowski's effort to privatize the water system. As reported in The Morning Call on November 26, 1998.

The petitions were collected by more than 80 volunteers beginning in earnest at Allentown polling stations on Election Day. Burke said 10 or 15 of the volunteers still have not turned in their petition forms, so the actual number of signatures collected might be even greater than the 2,700 names turned over to City Clerk Michael C. Hanlon.

While Burke and the neighborhood groups were organizing to put the issue directly to the voters, property managers were also organizing against the licensing law, and conducted a large meeting, with over 150 landlords.

Among those who received an invitation and attended the meeting was Edward Pawlowski, executive director of the Alliance for Building Communities, a nonprofit organization that works to return apartment buildings to single-family, owner-occupied homes. "The thing that impressed me most was how many people turned out," said Pawlowski. "It was a packed house."

In 1998, Tom Burke said that he wasn't heading a special interest group with money, and that they had to speak directly to the voters.  Likewise, in 2012,  Dan Poresky is facing the well financed private water industry,  and wants  the homeowners to decide the fate of their water system.

photocredit:Colin McEvoy/The Express Times

This blogger was part of the landlord group opposed to the rental inspection law in 1998

Guridy's Selective Memory

Julio Guridy is the only sitting member of City Council who actually voted for the police pension plan, which is now supposedly crippling the city. He now is advocating for the mayor's 50 year water lease plan. Before starting their referendum petition drive, Dan Poresky, founder of Dan's Camera City, and other members of the citizen committee, offered to work with council and find alternatives to the lease plan. That offer is still on the table.  Guridy rejected their help, because residents of the city would not have as much inside knowledge about the city's financial problems as members of council do. He told Colin McEvoy of the Easton Express Times; "Throwing this issue out to the public would be a big mistake..That's why we're here. We know the ins and the outs. We're more aware of the issues because we're working on it every day." Needless to say, the taxpayers would be much better off with Poresky's business acumen, than Guridy's political considerations. Pawlowski, and his wannabe, Guridy, are working against the referendum, claiming representative democracy knows best. I suppose that depends on who your representatives are. Clearly, some members of this council are not up to a decision that affects rate payers for fifty years.  Looking back at the police pension, I'll take Poresky and the referendum any day.

A Citizen Mission

Yesterday, the citizen group opposed to the privatization of Allentown's water held a press conference at City Hall. There is excellent coverage of the event by reporter Emily Opilo in today's Morning Call. The organizers of this effort are a diverse, impressive group, mostly former supporters of the Mayor's initiatives. They include Dan Poresky from the Mayor's Environmental Advisory Committee and Bill Hoffman, former city controller. Also involved are Richard Fegley from the Brew Works, and the Hunsicker family, icons of southside little league baseball. Below is a condensed version of their statement.

  The public will be asked whether or not the city must come to the voters before it can sell or lease any property or asset worth ten million or more dollars. The mayor's analysis is clearly designed to favor privatization. The mayor is disingenuous in his claims that the only option other than privatizing the water is to have a crippling tax increase. The mayor has said repeatedly that he would prefer not to privatize Allentown's water and sewer operations. But, he says there are no other viable options. Working from the information included in the Mayor's presentations plus our own research, it can be shown that the pension obligation can be met without privatizing our water or having major tax increases. We have petitioned council to give us a chance to work with them and the administration to find the best solution and we were rejected. Our referendum for a ballot question in May doesn't mean we have don't want to work with council now. Our request and our offer to help is still on the table.

Fighting City Hall and putting a referendum on the ballot requires a lot of work. Show above is one of many meetings they will hold to accomplish their mission. They are looking for volunteers to collect signatures on election day. If you support their effort and want to help, call Dan Poresky at 610 434-1396, or other members through their website.

Planet Pawlowski

The front page of yesterday's Morning Call featured a story about how the residents of the Pennrose Senior Housing were coping with the constant noise of the arena construction. The Pennrose highrise sits on 7th Street, adjoining the bank being demolished, and directly across from the arena. The construction projects are scheduled to continue through 2014. The Pennrose building is income restricted housing for senior citizens. Interviewed were Romaine Smith, 69, and Carmen Hernandez, who is 71. Also interviewed was Mayor Pawlowski, whose quote about the inconvenience and noise subtitled the article.

"It's a small price to pay for the new neighborhood they are going to have."

I could write something cute, like I'm not sure how many hockey games Romaine and Carmen will attend, but there's nothing cute about Pawlowski's disconnected answer. What the senior residents of Pennrose lost was their neighborhood and quality of life. Around the corner, among the buildings demolished, was a small grocery store, a pizza parlor, a Family Dollar store, and a pharmacy. Across Hamilton Street, and now closed, was a bargain Chinese restaurant. The senior residents, in the sixty three fixed income Pennrose apartments, have no use for the sports bar or high end bistro's replacing those stores,  which served the necessities of their lives. The Morning Call gave Pawlowski a pass on his insensitivity to these people's reality, I do not.

photocredit: Harry Fisher/The Morning Call/October 24,2012

Ballot Referendum News Conference

The ballot referendum committee will be holding a news conference tomorrow afternoon. Although molovinsky on allentown has received an advanced copy, I will leave reporting of this most important event to our local MSM. Tomorrow evening, at 7:00PM, the committee will be holding a public meeting on the second floor of the Brew Works. Come learn the plans to keep this most important asset in procession of the citizens. Volunteers are needed to gather signatures on election day. Pictured above is the water works in 1901, referred to at that time as Crystal Spring.

Regular or Premium

I would like to apologize for some staff problems at molovinsky on allentown. Yesterday, our aging photographer bulked at the demolition dust downtown, and only snapped a few pictures. Last night, one of our senior reporters misplaced his notes. Since this blog is published at 4:30 am, it's not possible to check sources before press time. This incomplete report has to do with the quality of water. Allentown water currently is comprised from both spring and creek sources. When demand requires that the supply be supplemented by more creek water, more chemicals, specifically chlorine, is necessary. A private water company will be allowed to increase selling water to the bottling companies in Macungie. They in turn will demand the premium spring water; Allentonians will get the regular grade, from the Little Lehigh; Except during heavy rains, when because of sewer runoff, the Lehigh River will be used. Bon Appetit.

Those who prefer to keep getting the premium grade through their Allentown faucets might want to attend the Citizen's Water Meeting tomorrow evening, October 25, on the second floor of the Allentown Brew Works. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm.