Trexler Smiles, Landing Revealed

I believe that today, for the first time in decades, General Trexler had something to smile about. Most people never understood why three steps were near the lower entrance of Lehigh Parkway; they seemed to lead nowhere. This morning eight people joined a grass root effort to unveil, for the first time in decades, the structure I called the Boat Landing.

Buried under the dirt and grass were several more steps leading to a landing. Chris Casey was the first to arrive and cleared these steps and the first landing himself. A second set of steps led from the landing to the main landing on the creek. These second steps had a foot or so of ground and plants.

The quality and condition of the stonework is excellent, as was all our WPA icons. I will be polite and say only that it was a crime to have let this neglect occur. On the main landing the accumulated earth was two and half feet thick. The crew dug out the curving retaining wall several yards in each direction, and cleared off the top of the wall.

Eight people working four hours managed to reveal about one third of the landing at the bottom of the steps. It was a thrill to realize we were standing at creek's edge as the WPA architects had envisioned. I stood there often as a boy. There still remains a large portion of dirt to remove at the steps base, but you can now experience the Boat Landing.

The retaining wall and the landing continue for fifty feet or so in both directions. Unfortunately a huge tree has grown on the landing to the right, but the left appears reclaimable.

We who worked there today, hope to return and clear off the remainder of the dirt at the bottom of the steps.

Perhaps others will be motivated to clear off the remaining portion of the landing to the left. Now that might even be an idea for the City; imagine restoring an irreplaceable icon instead of buying something from a catalogue. I'm most grateful to all those who helped today, and will reveal their names with their permission.

ADDENDUM:Michael –

I just wanted to thank you for organizing today’s cleanup at the “Boat Landing” in the Lehigh Parkway. It’s not often that one gets to help unearth a treasure while barely leaving home, but that’s exactly what happened today.

It was truly impressive what big difference a small group of people can make. I can’t even estimate the amount of dirt that was moved with nothing more than a few shovels and a lot of hard work.

We can only hope that the City and the Trexler Trust will become aware of this location and start giving all the great structures in the Parkway the care they deserve.

However, the best part of the story for me came after we all left. I got home and my daughter Lucy (age 7) wanted to know how things went. We hopped in the car and soon we were walking up to the stairs leading to the landing. The sun was shining, and the sunlight trickled through the trees and onto the freshly-exposed stairway.

Lucy asked if she could go down to the landing by the water and next thing I knew we were both there at the waters edge, standing on what had been buried only a few hours earlier and marveling at the beauty of the location.

We spent a few moments there - a father and daughter both enjoying something completely “new” to us (even though the landing is over 70 years old). We talked briefly about what was – and more importantly what could be again.

Thank you for making that moment possible, and I hope many others take the opportunity to visit the landing in the near future.

Mike Schware

P.S. – After visiting the landing, Lucy and I walked further upstream and saw the remnants of the bridge to the island (near the water fountain). The remaining supports of the bridge confirmed what you
had told me earlier about the island being much smaller years ago.

reprinted from March 2013

UPDATE: The dig described above occurred in 2009. We came back and removed the reminder of the dirt at the bottom on the landing, and a few more feet in either direction on the landing. Although I had conservations with both the previous and current park directors, the city has not keep up with the site. History is fragile.

History of Lehigh County, Wehr Dam

Wehr Dam figures predominately in the history of Lehigh County, particularly in South Whitehall's history. William Wehr was born in 1871 and worked at H. Leh and Company in Allentown. While there he attended the American Business College in the evenings, graduating in 1894. By 1903 he began working at Sieger Mill, and purchased it in 1905. He remodeled the operation with the most modern rolling equipment, and soon the renamed Wehr Mill was producing his famous White Rose Flour. The concrete mill dam, considered the best constructed in the area, still delights residents of Lehigh Valley, and ties them to our agricultural and milling history.

photograph by Cyber X Ref

South Whitehall's Dilemma

The photographer and her assistant were photographing the newlyweds by Wehr Dam. She told me last Sunday morning that it is her favorite backdrop. Besides myself watching her work, was an elderly couple, who visit the dam every Sunday, to relax and appreciate the beauty. Unbeknown to them, their sanctuary is being threatened. The Wildlands Conservancy has targeted Wehr for their next dam removal project. I had seen the elaborate presentation they gave Allentown City Council, about the little dam in Lehigh Parkway. They used a professionally produced power point presentation, and brought in expert witnesses. They even had Allentown's brand new park director testify, although he had yet to even explore the park himself. Dam removal is fashionable, the only problem is that it destroys history and beauty, which you can't buy in a catalog. In South Whitehall's case, the township history is essentially that of the mills, which were built along both the Jordan and Cedar Creeks. I visited the dam again this week with a committed environmentalist. Although an advocate of dam removals, he agreed to survey the dam and adjoining covered bridge. He told me that in this case, the beauty and history trumped any environmental benefit, and that this was one dam that certainly should remain.

It's Not Enough To Just Campaign

It's not enough to just campaign for an office, you must work and advocate for those things that are important for the district's future. Please sign the petition to save Wehr's Dam, in Covered Bridge Park. The petition can be found on my facebook page, thank you.

Translating Molovinsky

My WPA walk this weekend was held in conjunction with Friends of the Allentown Parks, a city affiliated organization. Although I could organize and publicize the walks without Friends, we have a mutual interest. It's director, Karen El-Chaar, appreciates my knowledge and advocacy for the WPA, and I appreciate her potential influence to move the stone structures to a higher priority in the city's budget. This year, as we moved from site to site on the tour, I was rather blunt about the city's failure to maintain or appreciate the various structures. On each occasion, Karen politely rephrased my words more diplomatically. By the end of the tour, I was referring to her as my translator.

A Rewarding Weekend

molovinsky on allentown had a rewarding weekend. Pride badge number 1 is my pleasure to announce that the young woman who was bullied, and consequently lost her chance to achieve membership in the National Junior Honor Society, is now a member. Because of the girl's tenacity, and her mother's unwavering support, they did finally prevail upon the school system to revisit her tests for that marking period. Needless to say that girl aced them, and now has her certificate, truly earned under adverse circumstances.

Several years ago on this blog I printed excerpts from a 1920 journal, on a very long shot that some details might be heard out in cyberspace, and resonate with someone. Long and behold, out of nowhere, came a reply this weekend.

On Saturday I once again had the pleasure of showing a new group the former WPA structures in Lehigh Parkway. It remains a shame that the park department doesn't recognize the treasures with which it was blessed between 1935-1937.

Special Invitation To South Whitehall Commissioners

I'd like to especially invite the South Whitehall Board of Commissioners to my WPA tour tomorrow afternoon. Unfortunately, it's mostly a tour and history lesson about wonderful structures which previous park directors and officials allowed to be destroyed or filled in, for someone else's agenda. Tomorrow's tour is a repeat of the tour I gave last year, minus one feature. Last summer the Wildlands Conservancy gave the exact speech to Allentown City Council, which was used again on you this past Wednesday. Although the companion dam for the Parkway's WPA bridge was only 14 inches tall, demolishing it reaped the Conservancy a sizable grant, and administrative fees used for their salaries. The tour starts at the Robin Hood Bridge Parking Lot at 1:00pm, Saturday June 7, and ends up back there, in less than an hour.

photocredit: Wehr Dam by Gregg Obst

Endangered Site's Tour

On Saturday afternoon, at 1:00pm, I will lead the endangered WPA Site's Tour. The dam shown above, will not be on the tour this year. It has joined several other previous gifts by the WPA to the City of Allentown, which have been either discarded or destroyed. The tour takes less than an hour, and is a leisurely stroll along the creek, starting and ending at the Robin Hood Bridge parking lot.

The Park's Poor Priorities

About five years ago I started advocating for the WPA structures throughout the Allentown park system. Three years ago I organized a group which surveyed the structures in all the parks. At that time, I published a picture of the top wall at the Union Terrace Stairwell, on St. Elmo Street, which showed one stone missing. In the last two years, as you can see from the current picture, several more stones came loose, and mortar is missing from entire stone cap of the structure. In these past five years not one cent has been spent on the stoneworks. Two expensive patterned concrete walkways have just been completed on Trexler Blvd, leading from the west end to Cedar Park. The new park director, John Mikowychok, informs me that about $30 thousand has been allocated to repairs on the Fountain Park Stairwell. Unfortunately, over half the funds will be used for a consulting engineer. Needless to say, the park would be better off with all the money used for a stone mason. No disrespect to the engineer, but these structures are way beyond his paygrade; Just fix the things like they were.

This Saturday at 1:00pm, I will lead a tour of the WPA Structures in Lehigh Parkway. This is a repeat of last year's tour. I hope some city officials take the opportunity to join us and learn about these irreplaceable structures, with which they have been entrusted.

J. Molovinsky, Part 3, Wenz Company

This past weekend there was an auction at the former Wenz Company monument factory in the 1900 block of Hamilton Street. This facility has played several parts in Allentown's history, besides having produced thousands of tombstones. Enormous blocks of granite still remain from when it was the last stop on the Quarry Barber railroad branch line. Sculptures remain from the Phil Berman era, when artists used the Wenz equipment for monumental art. lastly, there are hundreds and hundreds of old tombstones, which were replaced over the decades, in local cemeteries with replacement markers. As mentioned in Part 1 of this post series, part of an old tombstone led me to discover my great grandmother's grave on Fountain Hill. That sculpture was made at Wenz, and Jennie Molovinsky's original stone also lies at Wenz's.

My grandfather came to Allentown as a young man in 1893. After working and saving for a number of years, he brought his parents over from the Old Country. The former synagogue on 2nd. Street had just acquired their cemetery off Fullerton Avenue when his mother died. Jewish tradition dictated that a man was the first burial in a new cemetery, so she was buried in an old Jewish Cemetery, on Fountain Hill. Several years later her husband, my great grandfather, was killed while being robbed on Basin Street. He is buried on Fullerton Avenue.

J. Molovinsky Part 2, Mt. Sinai

Jews have been buried in a small section of Fairview Cemetery, called Mt. Sinai, for over 138 years. Although the markings on several stones have worn away, Hannah Dreifuss was buried there in 1868. The September 10th Chronicle in 1875 reported that two members of the Jewish faith, prominent Hamilton Street merchants, Joshua Schnurman and Simon Feldman, purchased a section from Fairview Cemetery and applied for a charter for Mt. Sinai Cemetery, thus creating the first Jewish Institution in Allentown.
Fairview Cemetery itself was not formally laid-out until 1870, when the renowned architectural firm Lathan of Buffalo was hired to create the premiere resting place in the Lehigh Valley. The giants of Allentown would be buried there, among them Harry Trexler, the Leh's, and the Mack's of truck fame.
The History Lehigh County, published in 1914, notes Mt. Sinai contained 29 graves. Among them was Julia Wolf, who died in 1907. Her husband Morris served with the local regiment in the Civil War, and lived to be 98 years old. Feldman and Schnurman were among the earliest Jews in Allentown, immigrants from Germany who practiced the modern "Reformed" Judaism. These gentlemen and their extended family members would go on to form the "Young Ladies and Men's Hebrew Society" in 1883, a predecessor to the Keneseth Israel Congregation organized in 1903. Mt. Sinai remained the resting place for Reformed Jews till 1928, when Keneseth Israel established its own cemetery. Burials continued at Mt. Sinai through the 1940's as spouses and passing family members joined those previously departed in family plots. Today there are 78 graves. In July of 2006, thirty years after the previous burial in 1976, Joseph Levine was laid to rest at the age of 103.  The cemetery is not affiliated with any synagogue.

Editor's notes: The above is reprinted from 2009.  My search to find the grave of M. Azrilian led me to Mt. Sinai.  At the time,  the entire Fairview Cemetery and Mt. Sinai were in terrible shape.  Numerous posts on this blog led to story on the situation by The Morning Call.  Subsequently, I organized a meeting between the cemetery operator and the public.

Jennie Molovinsky, Part 1

I was at a party where the host recently acquired a lawn sculpture. Unknown to him, a section of it was comprised of an old Jewish tombstone, of a wife and mother, M. Azrilian, who died at the age of 25 in 1918. It's a beautiful carving of a branchless tree trunk, symbolizing a life ended prematurely.
I became concerned as to where this stone had come from. Who would know if their great-grandmother's stone was taken? I had no idea even where my great-grandmother was buried. I searched for this young woman's grave. Finally, Rabbi Juda from Bethlehem directed me to the old Agudath Achim Cemetery in Fountain Hill. There I found the woman, M. Azrilian, with a new grave marker. Next to her I discovered Jennie Molovinsky, my great-grandmother.

My thanks to Rabbi Juda and M. Azrilian (1893-1918)

I  wrote the above paragraph in July of 1997.  In searching for M. Azrilian, I first became aware of Mt. Sinai, the small Jewish portion of Fairview Cemetery on Lehigh Street in Allentown. Early posts on this blog deal with my advocacy for that cemetery, and the history of the Mt. Sinai portion.  When Jennie died in 1913, the former Agudath Achim Synagogue on 2nd Street in Allentown had just consecrated their new cemetery on Fullerton Avenue. Jewish tradition requires that the first burial be a man, so Jennie was buried in the old cemetery, on Fountain Hill.

A Thorny Issue With Old Allentown

Although I'm friendly with a number of people who live in Old Allentown, I must once again take their Association to task. Their current press release: Please come out and help us beautify our neighborhood and meet your neighbors... The Old Allentown Preservation Association is planting roses bushes along the Union and West End Cemetery's fence on Chew St. from 10th St. to 12th St...We have cleared a 3 foot rose bed along the whole Chew St. fence and will be planting 142 3 gallon roses along the fence. Partially funded by a grant from the City of Allentown and by the United Way. The last thing that cemetery needs is more plantings to take care of. It's been well over a decade since that cemetery has been properly maintained. Even as the group prepared a bed for the rose bushes, large sections of the cemetery, and the area around the tombstones, have yet to be mowed this year. I made this observation on Facebook today, and a member replied, There are plans in the works to assist with dealing with weeds and mowing the grass. OAPA has not finalized them yet. OAPA has been in existence for 30 years, the cemetery, in the middle of the district, has been in distress for 20 years. Time for you folks to finalize those plans.

UPDATE: Perhaps the true intention of the roses is to be a sight barrier between Old Allentown and the reality of the cemetery's neglect.

The Forever Bridge

As the recently departed city engineer, Richard Young, was giving his blessings to the Wildlands Conservancy phonies to demolish the Robin Hood Dam, supposedly for ecology, the Cedar Creek, just south of the Taking Forever New Union Street Bridge, was disastrously eroding it's banks. In the destruction, caused by the coffer dams and resulting creek rerouting for bridge construction, the trees are dying and the pedestrian bridge has been virtually destroyed. This bridge served the parking lot and children of Hamilton Park for decades. Another casualty of the Taking Forever Bridge, is that both the Union Terrace baseball fields are out of commission. Save for this blog, where has the Park and Engineering oversight been hiding?

The $10 Million Dollar Man

There is an interesting letter to the editor in today's paper, where the writer regurgitates the image that Madison Avenue put in his head about Tom Wolf. The writer thinks that Wolf is a folksy guy, as portrayed in the television commercials. I don't know much about the real Tom Wolf, but neither does he. I do know that he's no outsider, having served under Rendell. I suspect that he didn't come back to his family business to save the worker's jobs, but because he stopped receiving payments on a note that he was holding. The letter writer speculates that this marvelous guy went from last to first place because he's such a champion of the people. I marvel about how oblivious people are to the influence of a good commercial.

Power Outage Idles Blog Production

molovinsky on allentown has just gotten back on line, after about 13 hours of another PPL outage. Customers have come to expect disrupted service when wind reaches beyond 6 miles per hour. Although the PPL automated message system first reported that power would be restored by 8:00pm last evening, the message was then changed to 7:00am this morning. As a veteran of these power interruptions, let me translate. A tree or branch fell on a line, and the contracted tree service doesn't start work until daylight. One would think that after all the recent outages, the utility might have considered an in-house tree service. According to an article in The Morning Call, PPL showed some favoritism in 2011, dispatching crews to special customers. We know that I'm not one of them.

Historic Visit To Israel

Although Pope Francis' visit to Jerusalem captured world headlines, the real history was made by Cardinal Bechara Ra'i, Patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church, centered in Lebanon. While over 11,000 Maronites live in Israel, it was the first visit by a leader of that church since 1948, when Israel was created. The Patriarch felt compelled by faith to greet Francis in Jerusalem, but while there met with no Israeli officials. Never the less, the visit has been criticized in Lebanon by Hezbollah, for humanizing the enemy. They said that the Patriarch's visit to Jerusalem cannot pass quietly. Let us pray that it does. Here in the Lehigh Valley, there is a Maronite community in Easton.

the Cardinal at a church in Jaffa

Internet TV Scoops Mass Media

ASSOCIATED PRESS: A small internet TV production has announced the first scheduled interview with Candidate Molovinsky, who is vying to be the only independent in the Pennsylvania State House. Molovinsky has agreed to sit down with hosts Robert Trotner and Lou Shupe this coming Sunday, June 1, at three o'clock. The show, Lehigh Valley Caffeinated, specializes in political content.

UPDATE:This interview has been postponed one week, until Sunday June 8th, same time, same channel

One Question, Yes or No

One of the things I find perplexing as a candidate is people's readiness to accept or reject you on your answer to one question. They are usually the hot button issues, such as gun control, abortion and unions. Never mind that they may not be in the purview of the state government. Never mind that they may not know how the other candidates really feel on the subject. These one topic, yes or no questions come from people in all walks of life, from high school dropouts to physicians. Although I prize core values,  the voters should also want to know that  their representative  has the skill set to employ due diligence on all the other topics.  Harrisburg is so broken and deadlocked by monkeys in empty suits, with empty heads, who keep pushing the same buttons.

Friday Nights In Slatington

This past month I have taken to spend a couple hours each Friday evening in Slatington. It's quaintness masks a frustration about the lack of jobs and opportunity there, the taprooms outnumber the stores. Local Slatedale Republican Marc Grammes beat 10 term incumbent Julie Harhart at the polls there on Tuesday. I hope to earn the vote of his supporters come November. I look forward to meeting some of them this evening, at Darla's Ice Cream Parlor, between 6 and 8.
photo by K Mary Hess

Assault At Allen

The father of a special needs student tells this blog that his daughter was assaulted at Allen, by a security officer. The girl missed her bus, and a security guard was assigned to wait with her, until another van could pick her up.  Supposedly, the guard became frustrated, presumingly by the girl's behavior, and subsequently pushed her into a locker, injuring her fingers. According to the parent, a coverup of the incident has evolved since he first filed a complaint with the school, and then the police. Although he has provided the school administration, school board members and local media with a report detailing the incident, save for this blog post, nothing has been written. He is beginning to believe that the titan's of Allentown are sacrificing his daughter's welfare, for the district and city's image.

Closing In On Harhart

Despite 3 glossy mailers and a robocall by 10 term incumbent Julie Harhart, Marc Grammes garnered 44% of the vote in yesterday's primary. Harhart's mailers, case studies in omission and distortion, will be scrutinized by my campaign in the coming weeks. It is my intention that in January she should start receiving the generous pension for which she voted.

Outpost Molovinsky

The Molovinsky For State Representative Campaign is one month old. The 183rd District is enormous and geographically diverse, but the problems are essentially the same. The district stretches from west of Slatington to just east of Bath, north from Rt. 22 to the Blue Mountain. This economically depressed area has been represented by the same person for twenty years. Although her staff is apparently good at helping people get their driver's license renewed, she is just a seat warmer in Harrisburg. Yesterday, I visited a huge indoor flea market outside Slatington, in the former Keystone Lamp factory. People now scramble to sell their used possessions in the factory where they once worked, welcome to Julie Harhart country. My campaign has established an outpost in Slatington, and is now scouting for the highground in Northampton. Volunteers are still being sought for action tomorrow, gathering signatures on election day. If you're available for duty, please send a comment with your contact information. The application will not be printed, and will only be seen by me.

With A Little Help From My Friends

If you are a registered voter, no matter what district you live in, I need some help on Tuesday to get on the ballot as an independent candidate. No matter what your party affilliation, it doesn't matter. If you can spare an hour or two, anytime between 7:00am and 8:00pm on Tuesday, please send me your contact information by comment here. Your message will not be published, and will only be seen by me. Thank you.

Trustworthy Help Still Needed

If you live any District, and are a registered voter, I could use some trustworthy help for a couple of hours next week gathering signatures on my ballot petition. Unlike the Republicans and Democrats, independents such as myself have no organization to help with this chore. Send your contact information as a comment to this post, which will not be published, or visible to anybody besides myself. Thank you.

UPDATE: If you are a registered voter in any district, your help on Tuesday would be appreciated.

A Tale Of Two Cities, #14

It wasn't so long ago that the bus crowd lingered on Hamilton Street, at the transfer point in front of the community college's Allentown branch. While waiting for their bus, they would frequent numerous stores in the 700 block of Hamilton, catering to an urban market. About five years ago our City Father took it upon himself to have those unwashed masses moved around the corner, and down a block. The stores in which they shopped were next to go. Lo and behold, the limited liability corporation City Center has replaced the former center city, and he said That It Was Good. We are less than six months away from cutting the ribbon on this massive gentrification project, made possible by the generous taxpayers of Pennsylvania. As pictured in the architectural renderings, the new streetscape will be peopled by a different demographic, who are generally paler and wealthier than the bus people. It is hoped that these wealthy pale faces will stay on after 5:00pm, and talk stocks and theater with each other, in numerous new bistros.

Meanwhile, the bus people have a new shopping district a few blocks out on 7th Street. City Center LLC is forming a private police force to make sure none of the bus people get confused, and accidently walk the wrong way. Life will be better for them. All their stores have new facades, and a new supermarket will cater to multi-ethnicities. Allentown sure knows how to put the shine on segregation.

Trustworthy Help Needed

If you live in South Whitehall, in the 183rd District, I could use some help for a few hours next week gathering signatures on my ballot petition. Unlike the Republicans and Democrats, independents such as myself have no organization to help with this chore. Send your contact information as a comment, which will not be published, or visible to anybody besides myself. Thank you.

News In The Food Desert

In a recent guest post, public health consultant K Mary Hess pointed out that despite the arena, the NIZ was a food desert by official government standards. Although nothing has changed with that situation in the NIZ, big news is occurring out in the 600 block of 7th Street. The mammoth former Rite-Aid building has been purchased by an urban food store chain from New Jersey. When it rains it pours. Those familiar with the area know that the Little Apple Market is across the parking lot. Informed sources on the street believe that some partnering might occur between the two food companies, freeing up the original Sears and Roebuck department store for other uses. At any rate, work has begun on the building, and busier days are ahead for the merchants and residents in that section of 7th Street.

On the former post, one reader even suggested that the residents of center city take a bus to suburbia to do their shopping. Although those people living in north Allentown will be well served by competing or merging food markets at 7th and Allen Streets, it's a long walk to Linden or Walnut Street, to be carrying groceries. As stated before, a supermarket in that area would be a true community benefit.

photo of N 7th Street between Hamilton and Linden in the late 1940's or early 50's.

Dinner At Darla's And Why?

This Friday evening I'm going to have dinner at Darla's in Slatington. There's an Op-Ed piece in today's Morning Call by the president of the Northampton League of Women Voters, Beverley Hernandez, which takes Julie Harhart to task for not debating her opponents. "How do we determine who is competent if we are allowed only sound bites and bulk mailings close to Election Day? I do not believe the Founding Fathers meant for career politicians to arrogantly gerrymander election district lines to stay in office and then refuse to come out to debate their challengers." Ms. Hernandez does not mention Harhart by name, but does reference Bill White's recent column, which does.

As a candidate for the 183rd I will make myself available throughout the large district on a regular basis. If you couldn't make it last Friday, I'll be there again this Friday, between 6 and 8 pm. Stop by and say hello.

Molovinsky and The Second Amendment

A resident of North Catasauqua recently asked me how I feel about the Second Amendment. New York State is currently running a television campaign to attract new industry. The commercial promises numerous tax incentives for both start up and relocating companies. It does not mention Governor Cuomo's rant last year about pro assault weapon advocates having no place in the state of New York.   Alabama Governor Bentley and House Speaker Mike Hubbard both immediately responded to Cuomo’s comments. "We will protect the Freedoms of individuals and welcome any one or any company to Alabama to discover as so many have, that we are a pro-business state filled with good, hardworking people.” Remington has announced a new factory in Alabama, which will employ 2000 workers. The Remington factory, in Llion, New York, was started in 1816. While New York spends $millions trying to attract new businesses with taxpayer supported incentives, it's losing the benefit of a major company's growth.

While I fully support the Second Amendment, I also fully support every effort to keep existing companies up and running. Both Slatington and Northampton are case studies in lost industry and commerce. This State and it's Representatives have stood on the side lines as one business after another closed, while they have offered one incentive after another, for new companies to the valley. We subsidize a million square foot warehouse that only employs six people, while standing idle while an older business with 100 workers closes.

It's nice that Julie Harhart's staff helps people with their driver's license, and sends people birthday cards, but it's very sad that there's no jobs  for their children. Any representative can send birthday cards and support their Second Amendment rights, but the people of the 183rd deserve more; If they send me to Harrisburg, I'll make their jobs here my top priority.

Citizen Molovinsky's Candidacy

I kicked off my candidacy with a Meet and Greet at Darla's Ice Cream Parlor in Slatington on Friday evening. Although the young man shown above could not sign my ballot petition, his father did. Among those stopping by to meet me were none other than Marc Grammes, another candidate hoping to represent the 183rd District. Marc challenges incumbent Julie Harhart next Tuesday in the Republican primary. Harhart, using a playbook tactic, has chosen to ignore Grammes, and declined a League of Women Voters debate. Harhart will find my candidacy more complex. I don't own a copy of the playbook, nor do I want to. I will be everywhere throughout the district, offering the voters a new concept, putting their interests ahead of those of any political party.
photocredit: K Mary Hess

Harrisburg Is Broken

Harrisburg is broken, and both parties are responsible. It's time for something different.

The Guide of No Choice

The Morning Call, in conjunction with The League of Women Voters has published it's Voters Guide. It could also be called The Guide of No Choice. In the 131st District incumbent Justin Simmons will be unopposed in both the primary and general elections. In the 132nd District incumbent Michael Schlossberg will be unopposed in both the primary and general elections. In the 134th District incumbent Ryan MacKenzie will be unopposed in both the primary and general elections. In the 135th incumbent Steve Samuelson will be unopposed in both the primary and general elections. In the 136th District incumbent Robert Freeman will be unopposed in both the primary and general elections. In the 137th District incumbent Joe Emrick will be unopposed in both the primary and general elections. In the 187th District incumbent Gary Day will be unopposed in both the primary and general elections.

Tomorrow evening, between 5 and 8pm, I will be conducting a Meet and Greet and petition signing at Darla's, in Slatington. I ask readers who live in the 183rd District, or to ask friends or family there, to attend the petition signing, and help me battle another long term incumbent.

A Walk In The Park

On Saturday June 7, at 10:00am, in conjunction with Allentown Friends Of The Parks, I will be conducting a tour of the WPA structures in Lehigh Parkway. It's a slow paced walk, starting at the parking lot at Robin Hood, and circling back there, in less than an hour. This is a duplicate tour of the one I conducted last year, and hopefully will be an annual event.

UPDATE: The Discovery Walk has been rescheduled for 1:00 pm

Hardscrabble In Slatington

Main Street in Slatington is incredibly attractive, a true historic gem of Americana. Behind that charming architectural veneer are vacant storefronts, poverty and despair. Recently, a primary opponent of the incumbent State Representative appeared on Bobby Gunther Walsh. Gunther asked him why he was running against her, as if she was anointed for life. Over her long reign, she certainly has consolidated power. I learned that Monday evening, when my Meet and Greet at the Legion Hall was canceled. Yesterday, I spent the afternoon on Main Street, learning about the unemployment and rampant disability plaguing present day Slatington. This coming Friday afternoon I have scheduled another Meet and Greet. I look forward to being a voice for those living behind the historic facade, in the reality of Slatington.

Disenfranchising Democracy

We often hear of voters being disenfranchised. Supposedly, some voters were turned away in Florida during recent elections. Here, in Pennsylvania, voters currently do not even have to have picture ID to vote. Although we advocate for the electors right to choose, we allow the system to greatly reduce their choice. Locally, the Democratic candidate for state house in district 131 was thrown off the ballot yesterday. In most of the districts this year, the voters will have no choice, with only the incumbent on the ballot. Also yesterday, I was victimized by the political status quo. My campaign had made arrangement with the Legion Hall in Slatington to conduct a meet and greet. I was simply a tenant renting a room, and in no way being endorsed by that group. Details were discussed with long term officers, down to specific snacks that I would be bringing. Less than 24 hours before the event was to occur, we received a call that the event must be canceled. I will avoid disclosing details of that conversation, but will say that democracy is not on the menu at the Legion tonight. However, those hungry for choice will still find me in Slatington today.

Arena No Oasis

The Phantoms Arena is no oasis for those who live in a “food desert”. Congratulations Mayor Pawlowski, your city is a textbook definition of a worst-case scenario.
Definition as provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): Food deserts are defined as urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. Instead of supermarkets and grocery stores, these communities may have no food access or are served only by fast food restaurants and convenience stores that offer few healthy, affordable food options. The lack of access contributes to a poor diet and can lead to higher levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.

The image is part of a map devised by the USDA to designate areas of the United States that are severely deprived of access to fresh food. The orange parts on the map are areas in Allentown with less than adequate access to fresh food. Green areas signify the worst-hit areas, called “food deserts” by USDA and other Public Health agencies. Light blue areas show very low income.
The orange dot in the middle of all of this need is the heralded Phantoms Arena. Yes, “the beacon of hope of Allentown” is sited like a feudal lord’s castle, surrounded by people who are being ignored, inconvenienced, and oppressed like so many peasants. Starved for attention you could even say, but are The Players in the middle of this moneyed deal noticing at all?

Grocery stores anchor neighborhoods. Grocers hire, train, offer career paths and not only improve community health but increase the value of housing. Grocery stores attract other businesses, such as dry cleaners, clothing merchants and drug stores. Grocery stores need to be part of an essential development scheme for Allentown and Bethlehem, and that development needs to begin apace with the arena and all of the other City Center plans being touted.

K Mary Hess

guest post by K Mary Hess, a public health consultant

William Allen's Color Change

When I graduated from William Allen in the mid 1960's, the school was lily white. Yesterday, the district attorney filed charges against two juveniles for ethnic intimidation, against a minority there, a white student. This is a story most bloggers would stay away from, especially one running for Harrisburg as a state representative. However, if Allentown is going to have success, beyond some new buildings being subsidized by state-wide taxpayers, it has to embrace it's diversity. The school district in the last fifteen years experienced significant white flight. It is now time, if somewhat overdue, to repackage the assets that Allen has to offer, and make the school attractive to students of all colors. The unfortunate bullying incident should be used as an instrument to begin that lesson plan. Like the school system, the communities of Lehigh Valley, and their elected representatives, have been reluctant to discuss real quality of life issues. While unspoken despair conquers one block after another, in one town after another, their representatives offer little more than a handshake and smile. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the ribbon cutting for what would have been called a new minority owned business years ago. Who is now the minority no longer matters. What does matter is a frank discussion and assessment of the problems facing our communities. If it's a major grocery store needed for downtown Allentown, or better public transportation for Slatington, it's time Harrisburg concentrates on quality of life issues.
UPDATE: ASD Press Release

Allentown School District’s IBEAM Academy

Receives “No Place for Hate” Distinction

Today, Friday, May 2, at 2:00 p.m. the students and faculty at the Allentown School District’s (ASD) IBEAM Academy will celebrate the school’s designation as No Place for Hate, having completed a year of anti-bias and anti-bullying programs. Jeremy Bannett, No Place for Hate Assistant Project Director, will attend the ceremony and present the school with its official designation banner. To earn this distinction, the school formed a No Place for Hate committee, adopted a resolution pledging to create a more inclusive school, and implemented a number of projects promoting respect for differences.

I can only assume that the above press release, issued only 3 hours before the event, is damage control. The IBEAM Academy, conducted at the Jackson School, is the districts alternative school, for students already identified as having discipline issues.

Trouble In Mayberry

Sources close to City Hall say that Mayor Pawlowski is furious over the commotion that occurred last Friday at the soirée to celebrate Allentown's arena development. Supposedly, the pursuing police officers were told to stand down by a captain, before they reached the accident area by 6th and Linden. The defendant was a minor drug dealer, and the cops had already secured his license plate number. The story goes that the officers ignored the command, for whatever reason, and continued the chase. Had the police car not been stopped by the encounter with the telephone pole, it might have well plowed into the tent full of dignitaries. While the defendant has been charged with reckless endangerment, should the police also face the same charge?

Bullying In The Allentown School District

Last month I posted about a young lady who was victimized by both bullies and the Allentown School System. When she complained to the school principal about the bullying, his solution was to throw her, in mid term, into the advanced honor's class. While this didn't protect her from her antagonists, she still had to walk to and from school, it did interrupt her scholastic accomplishment. She had been only one marking period away from making the Jr. National Honor Society, in regular classes. Her mother feels that her daughter should be allowed to retake the finals for that marking period, but the school administration refuses. I share the mother's pride in updating you about her next marking period. This remarkable girl, named Jalonda, tutored herself on the internet for the advanced math classes, and once again made honor roll, even in the advanced honor class. A college professor told me that the school district's decision is defective. Putting the girl into the advanced classes, instead of dealing with the bullying problem, was the school's decision, not the girls. She has since proven to be a true honors student, who deserves the opportunity to retake those exams, and restore her scholastic record.

The Express Times informs us that some bullies at William Allen picked on the wrong kid, the son of an Allentown School Director. I wish the best solution for the director's son, but also want the District to do right by Jalonda, even if her mother isn't a school director.

An Independent Comes Home

My voter registration has changed back and forth between Republican and independent for several decades. Although most of the candidates I have voted for have been Republicans, independent reflects my mindset. Periodically, I became frustrated at being disenfranchised in the primary elections, and then re-registered as a Republican. As previously noted on this blog, I have decided to run for the State House, against long time incumbent Julie Harhart. She is being opposed in the primary by Marc Grammes, and is also opposed in the general election by Democrat Terri Powell. Pennsylvania has become a mess. It is for that reason that current Governor Corbett faces a stiff challenge this fall. Our legislators are now scrambling to fix the electric deregulation mess that they had created. It should be no surprise that these new electric companies, in name only, which have no generation or transmission infrastructure, raised their rates. They are only gloried post office boxes, with fancy literature. The take away lesson from this electric fiasco is to leave the State Store liquor system in tact, rather than to need more regulations and bureaucrats, to deal with new problems created by another privatization.

To Whom Do The Park Features Belong

There are those of us who remember the greenhouse in Trexler Park, but that does not include the current mayor, the park director or his predecessor. Unfortunately, there's a tradition in Allentown of park directors making unilateral decisions, which effect generations to come. The Trexler greenhouse was understandably the pride of Mrs. Trexler. It was a lush tropical paradise, complete with a full grown banana tree. About 30 years ago, the park director decided that it should go, as part of a cost saving measure. A couple years later, the same director planted the wetland area by the intersection of Cedar Crest Blvd. and Cetronia Rd.. That planting cost $750,000. I recall the price, because Longwood Gardens built a new greenhouse for that same amount, and we had just lost our greenhouse and only had some new creek weeds to show instead; Even back then, I was an advocate for the traditional park system. Recently, visitors to Trexler Park have noticed that this Wetland area has been cut down, although very few know that they had also lost a beautiful greenhouse.

The current issue of the park magazine mentions that an engineer has been hired to plan some restoration on the stonework at Fountain Park. I take pride in knowing that my efforts and this blog are behind that long overdue attention to the WPA structures.

Allentown's Reality Show

On Friday afternoon there was a collision between political spin and reality in downtown Allentown. As  Governor Corbett and Mayor Pawlowski toasted The miracle that is Allentown, a police cruiser crashed right outside their gilded tent, while chasing a drug suspect. Pawlowski had said "I want to thank the state, this unique tool has created unprecedented investment in the City of Allentown." What he should have said is that he wanted to thank the taxpayers of surrounding communities, who are subsidizing Allentown's miracle. Although the state income tax rate may not increase, that money is being made up one way or another. If it's more tax on gasoline, or higher fees on renewing their driver's license, the state budget reaches out in many ways to make up for this unprecedented investment in Allentown. Allentown's State Representative wasted no time spinning the fiasco by restricting his comment to the Allentown police. Although the police acted heroically, the representative should have also thought about the residents in his district. While they were not invited to the banquet tent, every day they live with the drug violence. If I'm fortunate enough to be elected to represent the citizens of the 183rd District, I will not be attending such banquets of self praise, but will be out in the district, fighting for a better everyday quality of life.

photocredit:The Morning Call

The 183rd Legislative District

The new Pennsylvania Legislative Districts were postponed for a year, while modifications were made to the map. The final map going into effect for the upcoming election is never-the-less still convoluted. The 183rd District resembles a question mark. The primary change between the current and former map effect the southwest and northeast sectors. While the district loses the north Allentown neighborhood south of Rt.22, north of Tilghman Street and east of Cedar Crest Blvd., it gains the South Whitehall neighborhood west of the Cedar Crest, between Rt.22 and the municipal golf course. The northeastern sector extends closer to, but not including, the town of Bath. It is my intention to provide the residents of the 183rd District a new independent voice in Harrisburg, not mired in convoluted partisan politics.

Shortchanging The Neighbors

The arena machine was held up for several months two years ago, when the smaller municipalities balked at giving up their share of the earned income tax to further support Allentown's mega-project. Rather than endure the time delay of a court case on that attempt to overreach, Allentown backed off, and the neighbors still got their earned income tax share. But do the neighbors get their share of benefits from state taxes? That's a rhetorical question, because the answer has always been a clear no. When Allentown's NIZ is completely built out in several years, the small neighbors like Slatington and Northampton will be subsidizing a $billion dollars of development, but what do they get? Their current Harrisburg representatives will tell them that Allentown endures the problems of a the low income transient population, and then say something about rising tides and all ships. The residents of Slatington and Northampton know better. It's not the life of Mayberry there anymore. Although the tax dollar benefits seldom come their way, Allentown's problems of poverty and crime found their way up route 309. It will be my honor to advocate for their fair share.

photograph by K Mary Hess

Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?

On the entire square block of the arena complex, only two former buildings were spared, the Farr Building and The Dime Bank. The former Farr Shoe building, currently loft apartments, has been continuously occupied since being constructed. The Dime Bank has spend most of it's 90 years vacant. The bank closed in 1931, only six years after being built. It remained mostly vacant until the early 1990's, when the monumental 1st floor room was restored, and housed an antique market for a few years. Since then, ownership changed hands several times, but the building remained vacant. Because of a leaking facade, the arena owners decided to strip the brick off, down to it's steel structural skeleton. Lost was the iconic attic story, in classic art deco style. Also lost was the beautiful ornate ceiling in the monumental banking chamber.

As I begin the mission to provide residents of northern Lehigh and Northampton Counties with a new kind of representation in Harrisburg, this blog will continue to scrutinize the Allentown area. Please follow the campaign on my Facebook page,  Mr. Molovinsky Goes To Harrisburg.  If you live anywhere in the 183rd District, from now on,  I'll be looking out for you.

Mr. Molovinsky Goes To Harrisburg

Actually, the title should be Mr. Molovinsky wants to serve your interests in Harrisburg. Early this morning I decided to enter the race for the 183rd Legislative District, as an independent. The district, covering Northampton and Slatington, has been extended by the new redistricting map to include a section of South Whitehall. Although there is not one independent in the state house, and the incumbent has held the seat for 18 years, Pennsylvania is in dire need of remedy. We are victimized by ingrained partisan politics, always putting special interests ahead of that of the citizen. We keep adding new revenue streams; lottery, casino, fracking, but never providing the homeowner with the promised tax relief. I have established a facebook page, Mr. Molovinsky Goes To Harrisburg, which will be dedicated to the campaign.