Saving A Treasure

Yesterday I had an amazing experience, I decided to research the WPA items at the Lehigh Valley Historical Society. I found that particular documentation lacking. But, from out of nowhere, an elderly lady handed me a photo from her pocketbook; a picture of the Boat Landing she had taken with a Kodak Brownie camera in the early 1940's. She had the picture with her because she had shown it to several friends who also lamented the loss of our icons.












Today I went to the park to photograph the remaining element of that structure, the steps, to write a post I intended to title "Lost Treasures". Despite my fear of ticks and other organic matter, I proceeded down the steps and pushed the bushes aside. There to my surprise, I found that the retaining walls were mostly still there.

Emboldened by this discovery, I went over to the other side of the creek and worked my way through the riparian buffer; there to my utter amazement I saw that the curved creek walls of the landing have withstood the years of time. Despite decades of neglect by our Park Department, I believe that a half dozen people equipped with a few clippers could unveil a lost treasure. There is a few large trees which have grown on the landing, and there are missing stones, but most of it still exists, waiting only for a few urban archaeologists with an appreciation of what once adorned this park. Will you join me in this act of civil unvandalizing and help restore this gift from our past?
reprinted from October 2009

UPDATE: In the fall of 2009, a half dozen people helped me uncover part the boat landing, buried for over 40 years. It ended up requiring much more than a few clippers; pickaxes, shovels, and wheel barrel after wheel barrel of removing earth.  Amazing as this feat was, The Morning Call never wrote one word about it. Come join me and others on Saturday April 6th, 10:00a.m. at the Robin Hood parking lot, as we tour the WPA treasures in Lehigh Parkway.

The Prophets of Allentown

Not unlike ancient Israel, Allentown has it's prophets and Kings.

While the kings speak, dress and present themselves better, it is the prophets who know the law and our history.

While they may never get elected or appointed, the kings know to listen and learn when the oracles speak.



In Tribute To Dennis Pearson, For Many Decades of Devotion To Allentown

Lehigh Valley Bureau Of Nonsense

When I comment on a story in The Morning Call, I like to do it in a timely way, so that my readers can find it before their parakeet messes it too much. Sometimes things must be put off. A candidate gets disenfranchised, so this little blog must produce an afternoon story. That story gets a bigger treatment on a bigger blog, and before long, our trusted press assigns space on the parakeet mat. Do people still have parakeets? I'm also restricted by having the hours of a three year old. While I'm blog blabbering here, someone recently asked if I don't want comments? My moderation system and baby naps certainly don't allow for immediate gratification. I also would rather reject a comment, then print it, and have to insult it's sender. So, let's just say that I do appreciate your readership, and that your insightful comments are always welcome, even if printed in a delayed fashion. With all that out of the way, lets move on to today's topic, those taxpayer funded development agencies. An article in The Morning Call last week quoted some official from the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, we also have one here in Allentown. They get federal grants to study each other. The  quotes from the golfer who works there;  He pointed to housing developments like The Townes at Trexler Square on Walnut Street in downtown Allentown as being attractive to incoming families. (According to its website, the $200,000-plus town houses by Nic Zawarski & Sons are sold out.) In all due respect to the golfer and the Parakeet Mat, here's the reality. Most of the units were purchased by investors, not yuppies wanting the urban dream. The last batch of units were sold by auction, at fifty cents on the dollar. The last section of townhouses were never completed, the foundations filled in with stone. Never the less, the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation gets millions of dollars in grants, to gather and dispense nonsense.

Circling The Wagons

Experienced Democratic operatives today are scrutinizing Kim Velez's petitions, hoping to substantiate the apparent bluff employed by Attorney Tim Brennan, denying Velez's rights as a candidate. The effort is intense enough that they're triangulating the petition signatures, in regard to her residence. The desperate insinuation is why aren't the signatures from the neighborhood in which she claims to live? There are no rules about where candidates must collect signatures. There are, however, ethic codes for lawyers. Ms. Velez, by every measure, withdrew as a candidate under duress. I invite Tim Brennan to comment on whose regard he called Ms. Velez.  One must also ask why Brennan's client didn't file a conventional challenge to any signatures with the chief clerk of voter registration?  Hopefully, the democratic process will be restored quickly, and Ms. Velez will be reinstated as a candidate.

UPDATE: Emily Opilo, of The Morning Call,  has published a report on the Velez situation.  Brennan appears, in my opinion,  evasive in his answers.  Mr. Tim Benyo, Chief Clerk,  concedes that the withdraw occurred in an unusual fashion.  He appears to not have gone out of his way to consul or question Ms. Velez,  despite the unusualness.   Benyo  rejected the  water  referendum ballot petition last month on a technicality, but doesn't question Velez's reasons.  Apparently, the machine picks their clerks well.

Teachers Should Share Sacrifice, says Armstrong

For some time now, many Allentown teachers have appeared before this board to express their concern for Art, Music and Physical education in the ASD and their commitment to its importance as a core subject for learning and intellectual growth. Being on education’s front line they are the experts on what motivates learning. Likewise, they see first hand the detrimental effects of cuts in Arts, Music and Physical education. However, they also have the power to rescue these at the elementary level for the children of the Allentown School District by simply agreeing to extend the pay freeze. In the face of dire economic circumstances/times, the taxpayers will be doing their part to balance this budget. They will be directed by this board to makea sacrifice, their tax bill will go up, and more money will be taken out of their pockets. If ASD teachers would make a similar sacrifice, Arts, Music and Physical education could be continued in the district’s elementary schools. If the teachers wanted to save more positions then they could consider a small salary decrease. The amount of salary reduction necessary to save positions could be quickly calculated by the district. The teachers are not powerless in this budgetary crisis. They could choose to do the right thing for the district’s students and their fellow teachers facing furlough. They can provide an example of selflessness and demonstrate their commitment to public education.

Scott Armstrong

UPDATE:  The Teachers Response
Here is the unions response to Mr. Armstrong's ideas
This email is for all members.

Dear Mr. Armstrong and Board members,

Thank you for your belated request to negotiate with the AEA. I will gladly forward your email below to our members today.

Is Dr. Mayo aware that you have made this request? If this is a formal request to negotiate with AEA, it is the first such request made of the Association, to date. Ordinarily, we receive requests to negotiate from the Superintendent.

Our teachers demonstrate their "selfless commitment to public education" every day. I don't know if you realize how dedicated they are to their work, their students and the Allentown School District.

I would like to remind you - and I have said it many times recently - our members chose to enter into a three-year contract with the district just last year. They agreed to a complete freeze this year and two more years of concessions, for the duration of the contract. Had the board or the district needed more from us, in anticipation of future financial difficulties, those needs should have been addressed before January, 2012. To vilify this Association after the fact is disingenuous.

Sincerely,
Debra Tretter

Water Workings 2013

According to a Morning Call report by Samantha Marcus, Allentown will permit the Lehigh County Authority, aka LCA, to bid on the water lease, even though the County Commissioners declined to extend their charter from 36 to 50 years. The explanation used by the Commissioners was that their rejection would spare county residents from indirectly paying for Allentown's pension problems. There also was the allegation that LCA, although a public authority, was unaccountable and aloof to public dialogue. Ironically, any bid now submitted by LCA would be amortized over a shorter term, actually increasing the debt service. This blogger had inquired behind the scenes, concerning the Commissioners rationale in rejecting the LCA charter extension. The commissioners felt that the LCA was prepared to overbid, much more than a private company would offer. With LCA out of the way, perhaps the private company bids would not even rise to a level acceptable by Allentown City Council. It's apparent that the rules of this game are very flexible. Pawlowski is hellbent on leasing the system, and would likely accept the highest offer, regardless of previously stated bottom lines. Also, over a third of county residents are Allentonians, and the remainder currently get their water from Allentown, through the LCA. I believe that creating a new Allentown Water Authority, then issuing revenue anticipation bonds, would have been the best option to meet pension obligations. However, that option was never on the table. Unless City Council exerts itself with alternatives, under the game imposed by Pawlowski, the LCA is our best choice.

Candidate Bluffed Out

UPDATED:Preliminary reports indicates that at least one new candidate for Allentown City Council, opposed to the water lease, was bluffed into dropping out by an attorney, supposedly Brennan.  Who was employing the attorney is unclear. The candidate, Kim Velez, then realized that her decision was premature, but failed in her attempt to be reinstated.  There will now be eight candidates for City Council, five incumbents, and three challengers, two of whom are opposed to the water lease. UPDATE: Ms. Velez will retain counsel, and attempt to be reinstated.

Bernie O'Hare report on the Velez saga

The Poresky Editorial

Dan Poresky has an excellent op-ed piece in today's Morning Call. He explains how the water lease is shortsighted, especially with the concurrent redevelopment of Hamilton Street. He implies that those councilpersons who vote for the lease will tarnish their legacy. I agree with Poresky's article, except the last sentence; To drive home his legacy point, he states that it will take more courage to vote with the mayor, than against him. I am afraid that Dan overestimates the sophistication of the Allentown ballot box. While Dan at this point in the game must play the cards he has left, I do not. Voters will quickly come to resent the privatization. High gasoline prices alone will eventually drive up the consumer price index, resulting in annual double digit water price increases. Pawlowski will be blamed for the water fiasco of 2012, like Afflerbach is blamed for the police pension of 2005. Historically, that blame never expands beyond the mayor at the time. Understand that a person who voted for the pension is still on council.

Chris Casey post on the Allentown City Council Race

Shame On Trexler Trust

The City of Allentown is embarking upon a $3.8 million dollar capital plan to change the nature of our parks, funded in large part by the Trexler Trust. Although a number of fads will be accommodated, not one dollar is earmarked to preserve the existing WPA treasures, shame on the Trexler Trust. General Trexler envisioned the parks as a reserve for the passive enjoyment of nature. Among the new Disney-World type plans are a wedding pavilion in the Rose Garden, and the largest playground in eastern Pennsylvania to be built in Cedar Park, shame on Trexler Trust. The trail through Cedar Creek Park will have lights installed, and the picnic area's will be expanded, shame on Trexler Trust. Anybody driving past Cedar Beach on a Monday morning sees the trash generated currently by only a few picnic tables. How many more park workers will be required to deal with the consequences of these new plans? The playground is being billed as a "Destination Playground", who will pay to keep that clean? Shame on the Trexler Trust. Allentown should build and monitor numerous playgrounds throughout center city, within walking distance for children and parents. Here's an idea; lets keep the parks as is, lets maintain what we have, and stop using the Trexler Trust as a political arm of the Administration.


photo info: the dedication stone is on the Union Street wall. The steps shown go through a tunnel in the wall and climb up to Spring Garden Street. They are in total disrepair.

UPDATE: This post first appeared in September of 2008. For several years I spearheaded a movement to foster appreciation of our historical park system. Our group succeeded in tempering some of the plans. The wedding pavilion near the Rose Garden was never built, and the historic adjacent house was not converted into a catering facility for weddings. The Destination Playground was built, and has turned out to be very popular for families with young children. The plan for a commercial style water park at Cedar Beach was shelved, and the former ambitious park director moved on to another position elsewhere. In the next couple of weeks,  I will reprint a number of posts outlining my efforts in regard to our iconic WPA structures. For the historical record, I will leave the original posts as written. Please pardon the bluntness. When the Trexler Trust first began in 1935, a significant amount of their assets were utilized to augment the work being done by the WPA. I believe that they are once again realizing the significance of these treasures.

A Walk In The Park

In Conjunction with Friends Of The Allentown Parks, I will be conducting a tour of Lehigh Parkway's WPA structures on Saturday, April 6th, at 10:00A.M. The walking survey will last approximately one hour, beginning and ending at the Robin Hood parking lot. I'm expecting local historian Frank Whelan to join me, so between us, any questions concerning the  history of the structures should be able to be answered. With this blogger's past, concerning park policy, this walk represents a leap of faith.  I hope soon to be able to announce that preservation of these irreplaceable icons has moved higher up on Allentown's priority list.

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.

Today's Morning Call has a 5,000 word feature on 7th Street.  Above is my article, from June 2012, in 162 words that will actually be read.

UPDATE:  Upon reevaluation, the feature story by Emily Opilo  provides background material that I mistakenly take for granted.  I have probably been on 7th Street at least once a week for my entire adult life.  Years ago, mostly every day.

Previous Posts on Subject:  The Main Street Program, October 2009
Allentown's Business Barrio, January 2010

The Sabaean Mandeans of Iraq

I'm glad that the plight of Christians in Iraq is starting to attract main stream media attention, but there is another persecuted group you may not hear about. The Mandeans predate Christianity, do not believe in Christ, and are believed to have been followers of John the Baptist. Accepting no converts, their numbers have always been small. Apparently, they migrated to the swamps south of current Baghdad after the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Their writings are in Aramaic, the language of the Bible in the time of Jesus. Their rules and ethics are similar to Jewish tradition. Baptism is their central ritual; they call the water Jordan.

reprinted from December of 2010

Allentown Johnny Leonard

Born Johnny Lakatosh in 1902, Allentown Johnny Leonard fought between 1920 and 1928. Allentown became part of his fight name, to identify him from another Leonard of that period. Although the tough featherweight never got a title shot, he fought and beat some of the best, including the future champions. Fifteen of his fights occurred in Allentown, one at the Lyric Theater, now known as Symphony Hall. Many of his other Allentown fights probably took place at Mealey Auditorium, which was located in the vicinity of 4th and Hamilton. Allentown Johnny's record was 32/27/11.

Commissioners Poison The Water

The Lehigh County Commissioners have tried to chop the Lehigh County Authority at the knees, by not extending its charter the full term required to lease the Allentown water system. That bid currently requires a 50 year proposal, while the LCA's charter will expire in 36 years. Although residents of Allentown and Lehigh County would best be served by an Allentown Water Authority, issuing its own revenue anticipation bonds, that alternative was never on the table. The Commissioner vote strengthens the hands of the private company bidders, which will offer residents no local accountability. The LCA would become a middleman, between an Aqua America type company and the residents of Lehigh County. In reality, the longevity of LCA, at 36 years, is more assured by public charter than any private company, susceptible to business failures throughout its national network.

A Message From Dennis L. Pearson

Behold the siege ramps have reached the City of Allentown, calamity is assured if its leadership only has eyes for the short-range self-serving solutions. I don't see much of a depth chart in this years primary... But maybe I would be surprized. I am a life-time resident of Allentown and Lehigh County whom is very familiar with the problems that confront Allentown, Lehigh County and their origins ... But my name will not appear on the spring ballot ... The fact is, although I am a life-time resident and a knowledgeable one at that , sometimes to use parady a Gailiean is a stranger in his own community. As I inferred in an earlier post, my mission is to do good ... But obviously some have blurred vision and seek to deter me from my mission, not wanting me to be visible. Indeed some want me to give them my ideas but in the same breath they don't want me. It is great to see that there are so many challengers for the Allentown City Council... It is not so great that the election season 2013 may be over with in spring...And it would be not so great if the current field consists of ambitious people who don't have a complete view of the issues and problems that confront Allentown.                                                                                                                     Dennis L. Pearson   March 13, 2013

A Monopoly of Policy

Yesterday, petitions from both Democrats and Republicans were due at the voter registration office. Although Allentown is the third largest city in Pennsylvania, and the sole recipient of the largeness called NIZ, only one party is represented at the polls; There are no Republican candidates, either for mayor or city council. It's still possible for an independent to run; The last time that happen was in 2005, with Yours Truly, who now struggles for Allentown with a keyboard and this blog. Regardless of your view of Allentown's policies, nobody can deny that being a one party town is detrimental to good government. Currently, even the fourth estate has been silent for years. With the newspaper property included in the arbitrary NIZ zone, the machine seems to have covered it's bases. Although I and this blog have been called naysayer, presenting an alternative point of view seems more important now than ever.

Dressing Advertisements as News

This weekend The Morning Call had a special four part feature called OUTLOOK/2013. Sorry, that I can't be more specific if it was Saturday or Sunday; It was a Sunday feature delivered in Saturday's paper, you know the one, it said to put the clocks back for Daylight Savings. The articles were written by the news staff, and looked like news, but there were no downsides presented, not even the usual token ones. The back of each of the four sections had advertisements by the businesses written about within. The first section let us know that the valley business was growing. That section had a large ad by the Jaindl Companies, which assures us that in addition to turkey production, they do Responsible Developing. The second section gets more specific about Ocean Spray and Nestle Waters, but not specific enough to mention that Ocean Spray discharge is so acidic that they had to build their own pre-treatment plant, and that they failed even New Jersey's low EPA standards. Needless to say, in the article about Nestle, not a word about sucking the Little Lehigh Creek dry, to put that fluoridated Allentown water into plastic bottles, with pictures of mountain springs, to be distributed all over the country. Section three concentrates on the Arena and NIZ in center city Allentown. "Hundreds of people walking to work, not just from our apartments, but from other people's. We're going to have that again." said J. B. Reilly, City Center President. The final section contained essays by our esteemed leaders; Elected, appointed and anointed.

The Landed Gentry

One of the popular misconceptions in our granola society is that our open space is threatened. Consequently, in addition to welfare and corporate welfare, we now have landed gentry welfare. We purchase land, at almost market value, and even allow the owner to keep it. Although there is a deed restriction prohibiting development, who can guarantee it will be enforced in future generations? In every case I'm personally familiar with, the owner never had any intention of development; In one instance, the owners were compensated over $1million.

In some cases the owners are working farmers, in many, just gentlemen farmers with country homes. An article in Sunday's Morning Call laments the reduction in the farmland preservation funds. Nothing in the land preservation compensation really guarantees continued farming, that would be somewhere between indentured servitude and slavery. In 2006, Pennsylvania spent $102 million in Growing Greener handouts. Although the program has been cut back in recent years, there is a long list of applicants hoping to get some of this handout. The granola eaters should drive across Pennsylvania. There is a lot of open space even in this heavily populated state, over 8 million farm acres. While we close mental hospitals and sell nursing homes, we pay yuppies playing weekend farmer, development rights on land they never intended on subdividing anyway.

reprinted from August 9, 2010

UPDATE: My associate, Bernie O'Hare, recently had a post touting the success of the Northampton County program, in purchasing practically everybody's development rights who wanted to get in with this politically correct scam. When the state government is cutting back on education dollars, when teachers are being laid off, this is an absurd misappropriation of taxpayer money.

A Crack In The Facade

The exchange between Alan Jennings and Alvin Blount had an element of tenseness. The Arena Authority announced that as part of the $600 million development plan, $107,000 would go toward starting a job training program for center city residents. Blount, a member of the local NAACP said, "So, at the end of the day, we're saying this ship could sail without any benefit to the community," Ironically, defending the Authority was Alan Jennings.

More likely than not, the program will be run by part of the Jennings' organization. $107,000 translates to hiring one program director and an assistant. In truth, beyond cleaning the arena bathrooms, neither the arena or the NIZ will bring jobs suitable for such a training program. Companies induced to relocate in the zone have professional employees; Lehigh Valley Healthcare Sports Medicine,  National Penn Bank Center, and a large accountant. And don't except the crack in the facade of opportunity to spread too far; The local NAACP is headed by Dan Bosket, who works for Alan Jennings.

High Culture Tonight

Ladies and Gentlemen, step right up and enjoy this evening, as outlaw vagabonds of the 1970's have joined together to celebrate Greg Weaver. Many of the paintings have never before been seen by the public. It is the essence of Weaver; Unaffiliated people, from all walks of Allentown, rubbing elbows for high culture with free admission. Seven o'clock tonight, 542 Hamilton Street.

JCC To Move

The Jewish Community Center recently announced that they plan on relocating from 22nd and Tilghman Streets, to a location yet determined, west of Allentown. I remember when they moved into their current location, in the late 1950's. The facility served the baby boomer generation with a superb gym and swimming pool. The pool was managed by Dennis McGinley, and his programs resulted in the numerous kids developing into competitive swimmers. Hal Grossman coached the basketball teams, and it was common for Allen High to have one or two center players on it's varsity team. In recent years,  the early childhood programs were well received by the entire community. As someone noted, the move will be a tremendous loss of social capital in Allentown's west end.

A Question Of Priorities

Recently Dan Hartzell, traffic columnist for The Morning Call, wrote that the 15th Bridge construction is ahead of schedule. Dan's not much for controversy. His easy light column is based on asking the spokesman at PennDot a question, then paraphrasing the answer into a column. PennDot, Allentown, nor anything, is ever criticized; Easy light for the long haul. I suppose the six men working on the bridge are on schedule. In the four months since the photograph above was taken, they have completed one of six piers necessary for the bridge. Meanwhile, the 100 plus men working on the arena have laid over 200 times more concrete, practically completing the arena foundation around a square block. While the arena will benefit J.B Reilly and the two brothers who own the hockey team, 30,000 residents of south side Allentown are inconvenienced by the snail pace of the bridge construction. It's a question of priorities.

Allentown Arena Digest Vol.1, Issue1

Official News About Your Arena
State and local income taxes collected from the NIZ district exceeded $31 million dollars in 2012. After the Authority took the yearly arena debt service off the top, the remainder went to J. B. Reilly's Ever Expanding Empire Incorporated. Remaining funds, which will never exist, are earmarked for the children and seniors of Pennsylvania. CUNA and The Community Action Committee of Lehigh Valley, have decided to go their separate ways in extracting community benefit from the arena complex. Jenning's group will be getting a percentage of loans made to developers by the Arena Authority, on which he sits. CUNA members will be getting a discount on hotdogs and soda at all arena events.

No portion of this news release can be reprinted without permission.

Water Lease Jeopardizes Public Safety

Over the decades, there has been a number of water leaks and catastrophic gas explosions in Allentown; The Mountainville Inn, Oak Street, Corporate Plaza and North 5th Street, pictured above. Although the city, for liability reasons, doesn't confirm water leaks as the cause, it was the reason in at least several of the cases. Leaking water erodes the ground supporting the metal gas pipe, which in turn sags and cracks. After the gas tragedy last year on 13th Street, UGI is replacing their aging infrastructure. The water pipes in Allentown are much older than the gas pipes, many over 100 years old. The city has been systematically rebuilding entire streets in center city for years. They have the institutional knowledge of this underground situation. This fall we relined a portion of the Schantz Spring feed pipe near Union Terrace, which is a metal pipe from 1905.  Recently, an advocate for the lease to a private company  wrote that private companies will have an incentive to repair leaks, to save water and maximize profit.  I respectfully disagree, they make their money selling the water, which is obtained free of charge, taken from the springs and the Little Lehigh creek.  On the contrary, they will maximize their profit by deferring maintenance and pipe replacement.  Leasing the water system to a private company will jeopardize public safety.

photo:molovinsky/1990

Invitation To Weaver's Loft

Back in the era, underground comic artist Mark Beyer produced several invitations to Weaver loft events, which often combined art and music.

Family

Jessica Lenard/Mixed Media

Dog Show At Ag Hall, 1993

photocredit:molovinsky

The Allentown School

Facebook

The Diversity of Allentown

If Allentown has become anything in the last twenty years, it's diverse. I'm not just talking about skin color, but social economic status; We have become largely a poor city. Although Julio Guridy and Cythnia Mota ethnically represent a large demographic, their votes are somewhat detached from the condition of Hispanics in Allentown. Although Alfonso Todd is familiar and comfortable with the street culture, he is not a hand out entitlement type person, quite the contrary. Alfonso believes in empowering people with information and fair access. He's a man for Allentown's reality, capable of relating to both poor and affluent. Alfonso would represent all people; Black, brown, and white. He is a self starter, who now wants an opportunity to serve a larger constituency through elected office. Next Thursday, March 7, the public is invited to meet the candidate for City Council in his business offices in the Hamilton Business Center, 1101 Hamilton Street. Alfonso will be available from ten in morning, until eight that evening.

Short Notice, High Culture: A Tribute To Greg Weaver

For about ten years, mid 70's to 80's, Allentown was graced with a one man art machine. Greg Weaver studied at Carnegie Mellon and then returned to the Valley to become artist, promoter and inspiration to dozens of local artists. His large studios, which moved from one low rent location to another over the years, became hubs for innovation and social activity. He was very prolific with his work, and generous with his encouragement. This art "scene" cost the taxpayers nothing, it was done by artists, and it was real. Greg suffered from diabetes, and eventually lost his sight. Although blind. he continued to produce art and inspire people until his death in 1994. Several friends of Greg have collaborated to present a small sample of his work, Friday, March 8, 7-9 pm. The show will be held at the Bessesdotter Verksted, which is located on the third floor of 542 Hamilton Street. That same evening, the Antonio Salemme Foundation will be presenting the work of six women artists, one floor below.

Water War Continues

Although the people's ballot initiative against the water lease is off the table, the water war continues. In order for the Lehigh County Authority, aka LCA, to bid on the Allentown lease, their charter must be extended by the County Commissioners. Yesterday, an editorial by Lisa Scheller, outlined the conservative slate's attitude about the lease. They believe that a private company would best suit the needs of county residents, otherwise, county residents would be subsidizing Allentown's pension dilemma through higher rates. Although her points are well taken. because LCA purchases water and sewage service from allentown, down the long road of a fifty year lease, all citizens of Lehigh County could be at the mercy of a private company. Putting aside Allentown's pension situation, I think that in the long run it would better serve county residents if this asset is under local control. Although a private company would have to honor long term contracts that exist between Allentown and LCA, they will pass along the capital improvements, one way or another.  All LCA water is looped through the filtration plant in Allentown, regardless of where it originates. LCA has not been the perfect steward of water.  Rob Hamill, who has guest posted on this blog, blames them for fostering over development in Lower Macungie, and sewage woes along the Little Lehigh. Never the less, valley residents will have more control and accountability from the local entity LCA, than some multi-national corporate conglomerate headquartered in Europe.

Petition Group Throws In Towel

The citizen group which organized the petition against the water lease has thrown in the towel, with the following release:

Greetings,                                                                                                                                As reported below in the Express-Times, the wording in Allentown's Home Rule Charter regarding referendum initiatives is incorrect for those initiatives that seek to amend the charter. It turns out that referendums specifically seeking to change the charter must follow state rules and not the rules contained in the charter. While the referendum is dead, your efforts were not in vain. Through your efforts, those who collected signatures and those who otherwise worked on this campaign we collected some 4,500 signatures. Combined, we are a major force that can effect change. Five sitting City Council members are running in the Democratic primary May 21-- Cynthia Mota, Ray O'Connell, Julio Guridy, Jeff Glazier, and Joe Davis. All have voted numerous times against our efforts to slow or halt the march toward privatization. There are five challengers wanting their seats. We, you have to let those in office know that we will vote out of office any council member that continues to support privatization.                                                                                  ~Citizens for Allentown Water

The group made a strategic mistake by wording the petition as a charter change, rather than a simple ordinance against the unpopular lease of our water system. They felt that by pursuing the charter change they could save the water system, and prevent the Administration from selling off additional assets in the future. If I had expended the energy that they did on gathering the signatures, I would pursue this rejection by the election board in the courts.  My title, Throws in Towel, might be a bit harsh.  If the group does succeed in making council members more responsive to the wishes of the public,  their efforts were not totally in vain.

Disenfranchising Allentown's Voters

You have asked us to review documents you received from the City Clerk, Mr. Michael P. Hanlon. Mr. Hanlon writes in his letter dated January 10, 2011 to you: Thus begins a nine page opinion to deny the voters of Allentown their rights

Colin McEvoy of The Express Times reports that the people's petition, opposing the lease of Allentown's water system, will not appear on the ballot in May. Apparently, the County did not receive the petitions by the required deadline. Initially, the signatures on the petitions had to be approved by Allentown's City Clerk. He was instructed by the city solicitor to employ stricter guidelines than had been previously employed on ballot questions. To my knowledge, the city was in control of the petitions after their approval. Although the solicitor claimed previously unknown knowledge on the rules concerning petition circulation, and placed obstacles in the way, it seems that for some reason he was less versed on the required timelines. If the failure to deliver the approved petitions to the county, in a timely fashion, ultimately rests with the city, or the petition organizers, remains unclear at this time. At any rate, it's apparent that over 4000 registered voters of Allentown are being disenfranchised in their right to challenge the water lease.

UPDATE: From I have have been able to cobble together this morning, the same procedure was followed as was utilized on the successful Rental Inspection Ballot Initiative of 1998.  It appears that the head  of the Election Office, Tim Benyo, ruled that the city procedures were not in conformity with state law.  One would think that the previous ballot initiatives would constitute a precedent.  Poresky and his petition committee should certainly legally challenge Mr. Benyo's interpretation.   I must also wonder why Mr. Benyo didn't inform the petitioners that they were not in compliance in a more timely fashion, allowing recourse on their behalf.  These obstacles,  now on both the city and county level,  have the appearance of being  politically orchestrated.

UPDATE 5:00PM:  I have managed to secure a copy of the legal opinion written by the County Solicitor.   In 1998 a local landlord challenged the Rental Inspection Ballot Initiative, and the City Charter procedure was upheld by the court.   The solicitor bases his opinion denying this ballot question on the fact that unlike 1998, this question deals with a  change in the city charter, not just an ordinance.   Apparently Mr. Benyo sought the opinion of the solicitor:  WHY?  Who or what motivated him to question Allentown's referendum procedure  now, on this question?  As a layman, the opinion justifying the rejection of the ballot question appears laborious and meager.  Hopefully, the petitioners will seek legal recourse.

Eccentric or Incompetent

What's the difference between being eccentric and incompetent? Money. If you're wealthy enough, you're eccentric, as opposed to the poor people, that we call freaking nuts. Last week the valley learned that Linny Fowler, long time patron of many respectable valley organizations, gave some couple over a $million dollars, hundreds of thousands for dental care alone. That couple now faces criminal charges. I suspect that the same lack of discretion was in place for years, and that many worthwhile groups benefited from her deteriorating health and decision making. Don't expect them to be indicted.

Allentown, A Town Without Pity

One can imagine the anonymous newspaper comments concerning the confrontation between the machete wielder and the police; One more problem removed from Allentown, and worse. The comment sections have never been a bastion of compassion. The tragedy raises some questions about both the perception and priorities of Allentown. I maintain that potential arena patrons are more concerned about machetes and shootings, than which corporation's name is under the ice at the arena. Although about $600 million in new bricks is being planned in center city, every aspect of public and human service has been cut to the bone. By the end of the year, we will virtually have a new police department, without the normal graph curve of experience. Under the infamous hyper-pension contract, half the force ran out the door. Those induced to remain, the top brass, are all exiting this year. Meanwhile, back on the streets, the sociological changes to Allentown have not been kind. Center city continues to be populated by a poor element, in dire need of various services. The Confrontation showed the catch 22 of our current mental health system; Assistance isn't available until after a problem occurs. I believe that the realities of Allentown require new priorities. I'm not motivated by kindness, but by practicality. Both the police and health department will have to become more pro-active about behavioral issues, to protect both the public and private investments in this city.

The Hard Streets of Allentown

I've been bothered by the shooting of Saturnino Perez De La Rosa. It's easy to dismiss him as a machete wielder, as I did earlier today. In reality, he was a father, and a man with mental problems, whose family tried to get him help this week. I'm reluctant to second guess the police who responded to a situation. I will say that for a family trying to get help for a loved one, it must be difficult to accept his death, one day later, by 13 bullets. This aspect of the story, and the picture of the man, was presented this evening by Colin McEvoy, of The Express Times.

Machete Center

Yesterday's news was a juxtaposition between Allentown's hopes and it's reality. While Mayor Pawlowski and other dignitaries were attending yet another ceremony at the Arena Hole, the police department was expending numerous rounds to down a machete wielder, only a couple blocks away. Back at the Hole, one dignitary after another saw the arena as a Transformation of Allentown. If Allentown is to transform, it will be through the Reillyville Office Complex. The arena itself, silent and dormant every day, with only 120 nights of use anticipated, will make no change. The adjacent hotel, repeatedly mentioned by The Morning Call, will be another apartment house. Let us hope that the tenants don't have machetes.

The Wailing Wall

Israel had hoped that Jordan would not join the Arab forces against them in 1967. It was not to be; their artillery opened fire on Israel. Israeli paratroopers fought with small arms in the Old City. They were ordered to use no artilley, which could damage Holy Shrines.

Although Israeli Jews and Christians were barred from both the Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the twenty years of Jordanian rule, Israel immediately opened access to all. Administrative control of the Temple Mount, upon which sits the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque, were immediately given to the Jordanian Waqf (Islamic Trust).

The Wailing Wall is the Western Wall of the Mount, which is considered the closest and only remnant of the Second Jewish Temple, and is the holiest site in Judaism. No matter where in the world, all Jews have always prayed facing Jerusalem and the Wall. reprinted from April 2010

Bottom Feeding News

PhotoCredit:WFMZ 69

It turns out that Alfonso Todd's big crime was parking tickets, even though Bill Villa's emails suggested that it was much more. Todd's failure to pay his tickets resulted in his license being suspended. Today he was imposed with a monetary fine, while Villa harassed the Judge that there should have been imprisonment. Addicts of the blogosphere are used to Bernie O'Hare referring to himself as a bottom feeder. Today. that title clearly belongs to WFMZ 69, who covered the hearing, apparently responding to Villa's hateful emails. Rather than taint an earnest candidate of the people like Alfonso Todd, they should have done a story on how they were manipulated by Villa.

Moshe Dayan

Moshe Dayan on born on a kibbutz near the Sea of Galilee in 1915. When he was 14, he joined the outlawed Haganah, an underground defense force to protect Jewish settlements from Arab attacks. Although caught and imprisoned by the British for two years, he would fight for them in Lebanon during WWII, losing his eye. In the 1948 War of Independence, he fought on all the fronts, defending Israel; by 1953 he was Chief of Staff of the Israeli Armed Forces. In 1956 he led the Suez Campaign.

In 1967 he was Defense Minister for the Six Day War. He remained in that position through the War of 1973. Although a genuine hero in every sense of the word, he was held responsible for the initial success of Egyptian forces in the surprise attack on Yom Kippur (1973), and would resign from his position.

Israel is too small of a country, and it's enemies too numerous, for any miscalculations regarding it's security.

reprinted from April 2010

Harassing Alfonso Todd

Feb 19, 2013
James J. Narlesky, Magistrate Judge
District Court # 03-1-04
248 Brodhead Road
Suite 2 Bethlehem, PA 18017 
RE: Docket Number: MJ-03104-TR0000434-2013

Judge Narlesky, Your Honor:

I understand there's a private meeting or a public hearing (your secretary Jenna has pledged to call me back on this) scheduled for this Thursday, Feb 21, 2013 @ 9:00am regarding.... habitual recidivist scofflaw defendant and Allentown City Council candidate Alfonso Todd ...... 

As a "sidebar," Your Honor, I am pleased to have been the civic-minded catalyst for Alfonso Todd finally contacting you and accepting some small measure of accountability for his antisocial behavior through my Lehigh Valley Somebody blog post on Alfonso, LVS Exposé: "We CAN Do Better" than Alfonso Todd on Allentown City Council. 

Your Honor, considering the fact that Mr. Todd has been thumbing his nose at police and the courts..... and finally, Your Honor, that this man has the audacity to insult the citizenry and run for Allentown City Council, I humbly ask that you impose the maximum 6-month jail sentence on Alfonso Todd as you have the full authority to do.

Thank you, Your Honor, for considering being as civic-minded as I am. 

Best Regards,
Bill Villa
610.428.1253

Bill Villa's harassment against Alfonso Todd and others, including myself, continues every day. I've been told that on Villa's blog he now falsely claims that I challenged him to a fistfight. As I said before, I do not challenge anybody to any form of physical altercation, but do challenge the Allentown Police Department to protect me, and others, from these increasingly hostile threats from Mr. Villa. In addition to myself, Villa sent a copy of his email to both Allentown City Council and Mayor Pawlowski.  It's a quandary if one should report on Villa's despicable  behavior. Needless to say, he certainly isn't really civic minded; He is a predator, trying to cause harm to people he barely knows, and have done no harm to him.  He is a distorter, who has sent hundreds of such letters, as shown above, about dozens of people. He is a cyber stalker.  Most people don't even care to read about such things, much less write about them.  I also would prefer not to write about his abhorrent behavior, but he counts on his ability to intimidate his victims into not defending themselves.

The Butchers of Allentown

photograph by Bob Wilt
A&B (Abogast&Bastian), dominated the local meat packing industry for almost 100 years. At it's peak, they employed 700 people and could process 4,000 hogs a day. The huge plant was at the foot of Hamilton Street, at the Lehigh River. All that remains is their free standing office building, which has been incorporated into America on Wheels. Front and Hamilton was Allentown's meatpacking district. Within one block, two national Chicago meatpackers, Swift and Wilson, had distribution centers. Also in the area were several small independents, among them M. Feder and Allentown Meat Packing Company.
reprinted from January 2011

Dan Hartzell Discovers WPA

The Morning Call's Road Warrior, Dan Hartzell, has discovered the WPA. His article today explains the progress, or lack of, concerning the wall in Lehigh Parkway. Like my article four months ago, he interviewed Rich Young, head of public works. Although Dan learned nothing new that my readers didn't know about the wall, he does mention that city is waking up about our WPA treasures. I don't know how Dan got to the Parkway for his photo, but he probably had to cross Schreiber's Bridge. The condition of that bridge is the real road story needing his attention. When I had interviewed Young, although the western approach wall on the north side of the bridge had just been rebuilt, the eastern approach wall had also been smashed. Young acknowledged that this damage was caused by trucks trying to make the turn onto Martin Luther King Drive. The rebuilt western wall approach has again been smashed. Although the bridge is weight restricted, the trucks are ignoring the sign. Allentown can install dozens of security cameras downtown, but not one to protect our bridge built in 1828. I invite Hartzell to join my tour of the Parkway WPA structures on April 6th. If he shows up, I'll suggest that he read and copy my reports about Schreiber's Bridge.

A Snowy Morning In Jerusalem

Snow is a rare occurrence in Jerusalem, but on January 10th it snowed 6 inches, the biggest storm since 1992.  Although this blog concentrates on local political commentary, I do indulge in a few distractions. Among those are local history, boxing from the Joe Louis era, and stories from the Holy Land.  With all topics, the quality of the visual image presented here is paramount to me.

The Hibernating Morning Call Newspaper

A month ago I wrote a post entitled Top Brass To Cash In Chips. At that time, I wrote; Check with The Morning Call in ten days to two week, for what will be just a longer version of my exclusive. It actually took the Call one month. How is it that a blogger can scoop a paper? How is it that a feature story can be team written that contains virtually no new information? How can columnists use their bully pulpit to write about grammar, week after week? I think the answer lies in the recent bankruptcy period of the Tribune Organization. During that period business decisions were made from financial distress, not journalistic accomplishment. Those retaining their jobs were probably frozen somewhat, knowing that decisions were being made 1,500 miles away, by people who likely never even read The Morning Call. Now that the Tribune has emerged from bankruptcy, I wish the remaining staff well, with whomever their new employer turns out to be.

UPDATE: Question for Bill White.  Bill, should it be whoever or whomever your new employer turns out to be?

Sal Panto's Obsession

I became interested in Sal Panto years ago, when he first championed for a new parking deck behind the Wolf School. I'm somewhat familiar with center city Easton, and recognized that as a third rate location. Sal then pushed for a location further up Northampton Street, again away from the square. Finally, he bought into the Lanta Terminal/Deck formula, first done in Allentown. At the time, in Allentown, it removed the shoppers from the shops. Now of course, Allentown has removed the shops. Panto then paired the Al Bundy High School Museum of Sports with the deck, specifying that Sal's high school picture be included. He now wants City Hall in the proposed complex, so that he may view the picture through out the day.

An Attempt To Smear AlfonsoTodd

There is an effort under way to sabotage Alfonso Todd's candidacy by Bill Villa. Apparently, Todd has some issues with his driving record, which Villa managed to uncover, and distribute. I first started receiving emails from Villa smearing Todd several weeks ago. Alfonso is on Villa's enemy list, along with dozens of other people, who never in reality caused him any harm. When you're on Villa's list, he contacts your employer, and complains that you're sadistically provoking him, even though in truth he's harassing you. If the boss doesn't comply with Villa's demands, then the boss goes on the list, and Villa contacts the boss's superiors, making the same demand. It is in this way that all the local college deans made the list. Also included are ministers, priests and bishops. Todd decided to go public with this attack on him and submitted a comment to my blog. A little OT and I KNOW it won't make the Morning Call but this is how Candidates for City Council are treated.... So, I have received my first threat of BLACK MAIL since I began running for the office of ALLENTOWN CITY COUNCIL. Now, 3 people had warned me that this would happen and I was like OK. But when they dig up what they THINK is going to embarrass you and will make you drop out of a race that I KNOW will help Allentown,PA become a better place, then I have no choice but to do as I said I was going to do and offer full transparency ANSWER: Sure, parking tickets and a forgotten ticket. It happens and as a human (average person) I have made mistakes. I have paid or am paying my fines and i move on. It still has nothing to do with my desire to make Allentown, PA into a better place for my children, your children, and everyone else. My past has nothing to do with the great future I envison for Allentown. Thanks for the information by the way. It's appreciated! Alfonso Todd 484 619 6541 Todd's correct in that this would probably not have made The Morning Call. The only person less likely to be mentioned in the paper than me is Bill Villa, who has put most of their staff on his enemy list.

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. reprinted from November 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                 UPDATE: There was never any criticism of the old oligarchy, because one of the members, Donald Miller, owned the newspaper, The Morning Call. Flash ahead thirty five years, and again there is no criticism of the new monarchy by The Morning Call. Instead, on the contrary, valid questions raised by the alternative media, such as this blog, are dismissed as misguided and snide. Morning Call readers know that Reilly acquired property, but they don't know that with three exceptions, he acquired all the property adjoining the arena block. They are given the deed transfer dates as proof of no insider information, while ignoring the real relevant dates when agreements of sales were pushed on the owners. This distorted reporting goes back to the beginning of the project. In the first meeting, between the former merchants of Hamilton Street and the Pawlowski administration, the merchants complained that they didn't know the identity of the real buyer. While Sara Hailstone admitted the buyer was indeed the city, and that the realtors involved were indeed strawbuyers, those details never made the paper, despite the reporter's presence at the meeting. Similar intimidation tactics were used by Reilly in assembling his current monopoly of adjoining arena property. Similar cover is again being provided by The Morning Call.

Welcome To The Vendig

In 1933, with the end of Prohibition, my grandparents(maternal) started operating the Vendig Hotel. They were the working partners, another immigrant family, here longer, were the silent backers. The hotel was directly across from the current Main Street Depot Restaurant in Bethlehem, which was the old New Jersey Line Terminal. With my grandmother cooking, they became well known for crab cakes and other shelled seafood. What wasn't known, was that she was strictly kosher, and never even tasted anything she prepared. As some may recall, my grandparents came from Hungarian Transylvania (now Romania) in the early 20's. Family lore* says Bela Lugosi visited the hotel. Lugosi was born in the same area of then Hungary, and started his acting career playing Jesus in Passion Plays. In 1931, after immigrating to America years earlier, he got his big break playing Dracula. Typecast as a villain, Lugosi was reduced in later years to drug addiction and playing in low budget monster films. He died in the mid 50's and was buried in his Dracula cape.

* My surviving uncle, who as a boy lived above the hotel, has no recollection of Lugosi. The partner families would later merge through marriage and 40 years later come to own the old vaudeville theater in South Bethlehem known as The Globe. It too is gone.                                                      reprinted from June of 2008