Allentown's Fading Memories

I have written recently that the market for Allentown memorabilia was closing fast. With so many new comers to the area, and the graying of the old timers, those interested in acquiring such objects are far and few between. Nostalgia is a different story. The internet allows former Allentonians to remember the good old days. In Allentown's case, many feel that the expression is unfortunately very true. Shown above is the first mayor for life, Joe Daddona, with Willie Restum. Willie was a nationally known sax player, who never forgot his Allentown roots in the Syrian 6th ward. Adding to this blast from the past, is Willie wearing the Allentown All American City tee-shirt. This post was for the subset, born in Allentown before 1960.

reprinted from November of 2013

The Lehigh Valley Railroad

The Lehigh Valley Railroad began as an carrier of anthracite coal in 1846. At it's peak, it stretched from the docks of New York harbor to Lake Erie. Although mostly a freight carrier serving the hearths of Bethlehem Steel, it operated a well known passenger line from New York City to Buffalo, The Black Diamond. As a child in the 1950's, I would sit in the car with my father waiting for the long freight trains to cross Union Street. A train watch tower stood over the busy crossing. By 1976, remnants of the railroad were absorbed by Conrail. Shown above, from the late 1930's, is the streamlined engine of the Black Diamond.

UPDATE: The track previously running along Allentown's new  riverfront development was the "Old" main line of the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

reprinted from 2011

Mayoral Madness In Allentown

So far, four of the seven city council members have declared their candidacy for mayor, or consideration there of.  If that field isn't large enough, two development officials are also in the mix.  In addition to these six,  a developer and former candidate is weighing his options.  What these seven aspirants have in common is that they're all Democrats. 

While Allentown is a Democratic city with its majority registration,  only one Republican has expressed interest.  Considering that only one of the seven Democrats would end up on the ballot, becoming a Republican of convenience may not be a bad strategy for this upcoming election.

While I have dug out this old tee-shirt to pose in the picture shown, I stand alone as not a candidate for mayor.

The Trains Of Allentown

As a blogger, at the moment, I need a rest from those bureaucracies which I find so exasperating, and perhaps visa versa. I suppose it would be a good time to stop and reminisce some more about trains, both model and real. Shown above was the real deal when the 0 gauge was king. Before I go too far, let me state that growing up I never had a train. For a few years I had a friend whose father, looking back, was rather obsessed with the hobby. He had the transformer shown. It was 275 watts, and could operate four trains and an assortment of accessories. For many years, Bloch's Hobby Store, in the 400 block of 7th Street, was a model train expert. Trains were also sold at Pollard's Firestone Tire Store, also on 7th Street.

I've presented a number of Barber Quarry branch line photographs in previous posts. The one below shows the siding at the former Traylor Engineering Plant on S. 10th Street, now owned by the AEDC. About 20 years ago the track was removed for the entire  length of the former rail line.
  photogragh by Mark Rabenold, 1987

reprinted from 2013

When Neon Was King

During the glory days of Hamilton Street, when it came to neon, bigger was better. No store had a bigger sign than Hess's, and that was appropriate. When the city planners decided to built the canopy, that was the end of the great neon age for Allentown. That structure bisected the building's facades, and the vertical signs had to go. Since then we have progressed into sign regulations. Shopping is not a primary part of the new Hamilton Street transformation. Let's move this discussion around the corner to Allentown's new Hispanic shopping district on 7th Street. Hispanic Shopping District is my designation, not the city's. I call it that, because that's what it is. The street is being managed by Peter Lewnes, who is doing a good job. He's giving facade grants and sign guidance. The buildings end up with a historic look, and a very professional  sign. Although it's neat, clean and presentable, it's not too exciting. Of course the City Fathers don't want too much excitement, as the people from Catasauqua drive in to the new arena. These new subsidized merchants are on a short leash. City inspectors remind them that besides for OPEN signs, no neon is permitted, and it must be inside the store. Now I know that I'm not a paid consultant,  and there's no grant involved with this idea, but how about letting our new merchants put up some neon?How about letting them pursue the same dreams as the merchants once did on Hamilton Street. How about lengthening that leash?

above reprinted from 2014

Christmas Past In Allentown

For over a century, before Allentown was a hole charging your credit card for tickets to a yet to be built hockey arena, it was a holiday destination. Shoppers from near and far would flock to Hamilton Street, where merchants fulfilled their every expectation. This post chronicles the golden era of that street. By the early 1950's, our major department stores were operated by the second generation owners. Max Hess Jr. become a merchandizer of national reputation. His store windows presented displays as sophisticated as any major city. One holiday novelty exists to this day, Pip The Mouse, and can be seen at Zion Church. The fourth floor toy department had eye popping, life sized, automated stuffed animals from Germany. Needless to say, Santa Claus was on duty at Hess's. Families had their favorite department store. While my mother patronized Hess's, others were loyal to Leh's and Zollingers. Although I'm sure that their Christmas displays were also top notch, I have no personal memories. While we now charge citizens to drive through a park with lights, downtowns used to compete with attractive displays. Allentown was famous for the Bell Lights on our iconic light posts, which would rock back and forth, as if ringing. Although times have changed, this blog will remind those few who remember.

artwork by Karoline Schaub-Peeler 

reprinted from December of 2012

No More Strawberry Pie At Hess's

Some of you may have heard that this holiday season Pip The Mouse is returning for a limited engagement to the northeast  corner of 9th and Hamilton, former location of Hess's.  Using my molovinsky on allentown press pass, I stopped by for Pip's rehearsal.  

Like all of us, Pip has aged over the years, both physically and mentally.  I introduced myself and assured him that I was a native Allentonian.  He looked at me in distress and asked, 

Where the hell am I?

I explained to him that he was at the former location of Hess's, brought here by the new out of town building owners.  He had walked down Hamilton Street earlier, and recognized very little. Like all of us his age, not seeing anything familiar can be disconcerting. When he introduced himself, nobody on the street had ever heard of him.  He explained that perhaps when they were little, their mothers brought them to the Hess's window to watch his show?  Nobody he met was born in Allentown, or even knew what Hess's was... He thought perhaps he was going crazy.  He looked at me with his scared old mouse eyes, and asked, 

Why did these new owners come to the retirement home to take me out to this? Do they hate me, I had such fond memories of Allentown.

I explained that they're just desperately trying to compete with the NIZ. He said that it was all too much for him to understand, and if I would kindly drive him back to Mouse Haven Manor?  

Lehigh Valley Old Main Line

The last portions of the Old Main Line were recently removed from Jaindl's NIZ waterfront parcel. Save for this blogger, not a peep from anybody else in protest. On the contrary, the track removal was spun as a positive, with notions that it would become part of the rail to trail network.

Shown in the photo above, the Old Main crosses Hamilton Street. There was a siding for the large white warehouse on the far right side of the photo. The line had numerous sidings, serving companies both along the river and on Front Street. For A&B Meats, the siding went into the plant.

Just south of Union Street there was a freight terminal and small yard. Although the old iron trestle bridge still spans the Lehigh north of American Parkway, only little scattered sections of rail remain on the west side of the Lehigh River.

ADDENDUM: My pieces on local history are not taken from Wikipedia and other sources, but rather from my experiences growing up in Allentown.  My father's family operated a small meat packing operation on Union Street. Included in the parcel was a garage on Walnut Street, and the white warehouse shown above on Hamilton.  I spent many hours waiting for the trains to cross Union Street.

reprinted from previous post

Allentown's First Waterfront

Although cheerleaders for the current waterfront NIZ think that they're inventing the Lehigh River, Allentonians already had a river port in the 1800's. As this section of the 1899 map shows, Wharf Street, which is still partially there, led to a man made river port, with two channels back to the river. The Lehigh Port was dug out in 1829, and was used in conjunction with the canal on the other side of the river. In the early 20th century, as the canal commerce was replaced by the railroads,  the port was filled in,  by an expanding Arbogast & Bastian Meat Packing.  Currently, a private boat club utilizes the river front near that location.  I exhibited the map at a recent session held for those interested in Allentown history.

The river port was slightly north of the current America On Wheels Museum, by the Hamilton Street Bridge, going over the Lehigh River to East Allentown.

reprinted from April of 2016

General Trexler's Bridge

The 8th Street Bridge is one of the marvels of Allentown.  It was built to facilitate the Liberty Trolley run, from 8th and Hamilton to Philadelphia.  I posted about it before, with its impressive statistics. At the time it was the largest concrete bridge in the world.  It involved two business interests of Harry Trexler,  both the transit company and the local cement industry.

Harrisburg and The Morning Call have been braying about the bridges scheduled for improvement and replacement in the area.  Although, I virtually stopped attending municipal meetings,  I still partake in field trips to the local construction sites.  I don't announce myself, and try to be quick and quiet on these unauthorized inspections.  I would prefer not to vanish like Jimmy Hoffa.  I want to inspect the bridge, not end up in the bridge.

On first glance the work on the bridge looks very impressive. The bridge walls have been replaced with new concrete walls, almost identical to the original, even including the lighting pillars. My question is that the roadbed has been raised about 18 inches, but is still supported by the same arches. Eighteen inches of additional concrete on the roadbed and sidewalk is an enormous additional weight load. Furthermore, I have learned that there was bonding issues between the older base and new concrete. Only the approaches, on both ends of the bridge, have been replaced.  This was done because they are the lowest part of the bridge, and the most feasible parts to replace.  However, they were replaced with pre-stressed concrete beams, and the new arches are only decorative panels.  The original approach bases were massive constructions, which probably would have stood another 1000 years.

Only now is the part of the project which I knew to be necessary beginning.  The massive bridge arches has been showing spalling damage over the last decades.  That is the process where old concrete lets loose from the steel re-bar used as the construction frame.

When the project is completed, I do not expect to be invited to the ribbon cutting. 

reprinted from July of 2016

Allentown's Planning Puppies

The Morning Call article says that City Planning Commission had some concerns that the waterfront portion of the NIZ might have a negative impact on traffic, but the plans were passed, and the project will proceed on to the next hurdle. That hurdle is if City Council will agree to sell the developers (Mark Jaindl) a piece of land needed as an entrance road. What suspense! What hurdles! What should concern the planning puppies is the old LVRR line still in place, after all these years. This is a true historic treasure of Allentown, and should be retained, perhaps for a future tour train. Shown above was the private engine of Structural Steel, which is the primary location of the proposed new development. At one time the former industrial giant called Allentown, had several fabricators that required their own engines to push material around their plants.

photo from the Mark Rabenold Collection

reprinted from July of 2013

UPDATE NOVEMBER 12, 2020: The above is reprinted from July of 2013. Approval for the waterfront NIZ is a long done deal.  The LVRR Old Main has been removed, along with private tracks within the former Structural Steel. The Jaindl Company has announced that construction will begin on the first waterfront office building.

Allentown Forsakes Its History

Once again the plan of a developer is being promoted as progress in the destruction of our history. Waterfront developer Mark Jaindl is going to rip out the LVRR Old Main Line, and give the yuppies another trail for their spandex clad bicycling. He has Whitehall, Allentown and the local planning rubber stamps on board. None of them have a clue about this historic rail line along the west side of the Lehigh River. It is simply the link to the success of Allentown, and in many ways the valley, state and country. I have no plans or allusion about stopping it. I will not be speaking to any more boards and commissions of deaf ears and blind eyes. They are even calling it a Memorial Trail for 9/11. A more enlightened community would preserve the historic track, for a future tourist train ride of our industrial past. Instead, here in the valley we destroy our history, and replace it with a sign. This blog will present photographs of the line and its place in our history, for the edification of those who care.

Heat Exchanger by Air Products sided at Lehigh Structural Steel, on Lehigh Valley Railroad Old Main near the Tilghman Street Bridge

above reprinted from February of 2015

UPDATE JUNE 11, 2019: The historic rail line documented above has been removed. It was serving the last active rail customer in Allentown.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 11, 2020: Jaindl Company has announced that construction of the first office building in the waterfront NIZ zone will begin. 

Shootings In Allentown

Over the weekend there was another shooting in Allentown. Funny thing about these shootings, in most of the cases, nobody knows nothing. Nobody hears, sees or says anything to help the police solve these crimes. However, let someone get pushed down by a police officer, then we have videos and testimony against police brutality.

The recent shooting was on 4th Street, but don't expect to see any advocacy groups protesting the violence, or the public's lack of cooperation.

molovinsky on allentown is published weekdays Monday thru Friday.  You will find a perspective and candor here not found anywhere else in the valley. Comments are accepted using your name or by establishing a pseudonym. Pseudonym identities remain unknown to both myself and other readers. Your readership is appreciated. 

reprinted from September of 2018

UPDATE NOVEMBER 10, 2020: Although the above post is over two years old, in regard to this past weekend's shooting, it could be a new post.  Once again, the advocates against police brutality, who have been louder than ever in this past summer, are silent about the shootings this weekend. Some of these advocates have been hyped as leaders by the Morning Call, and now are candidates for mayor. 

Reflections On The Election

To me, politics has always been local.  The Scheller/Wild contest certainly mirrored this election, with  early, in person returns being red, and later, tabulated mail-ins being blue.

I was somewhat perplexed and disappointed by Wild's endorsement of Enid Santiago's write-in campaign in the 22nd. There was no basis to Santiago's charges against the primary results. Three separate inquiries failed to turn up one vote that was changed or repressed. Peter Schweyer was the party's legitimate candidate. Santiago was attempting to redo her primary loss,  first in court, and then by write-in.  Other than Santiago being a minority woman popular in the Hispanic community, there was no apparent reason for Wild to become involved.  If Wild wanted to be so woke, she should have been sensitive to Everett/Erica Bickford, who was viciously thrown under the bus in the process. It was conclusively proven that no voter's intention was changed by his/her actions.  

I have always given Wild credit for her availability and access to the community, and I'm comfortable enough with her continuing to represent the Lehigh Valley.  

Likewise, I have no distress about Biden having won.  As a proponent of independents and third parties, my vote, on principle, went to Jo Jorgensen,  although that ticket certainly didn't have the gravitas of Johnson/Weld in 2016.  I credit Trump with some historic accomplishments in foreign policy and trade.

I again want to applaud the Pa. state house for doing away with the mindless straight party voting option this year. 

In his recent speech, Biden wished healing for the country...That would be a good thing, that certainly is now needed.

photocredit:Brown and White/Lehigh

Grammes Metal Stamping

As a local historian, one place on my to do list has been L.F. Grammes & Sons Metal Stamping.  I've always been waiting for a photograph of the large plant from the Union Street prospective. The front of the plant angled to conform to the turning road, as it approached the Jordan Creek. Recently, I did see a photo card from the Jordan Creek side of the plant, facing north.

Grammes made a large assortment of metal objects, both utilitarian and decorative, for almost a hundred years. They were mostly stamped out of metal, and many were then enameled.  

In addition to decorative items such as small boxes, and their made to order items, such as badges, they also produced items promoting their business. Shown above is a promotional small measuring scoop.  

ADDENDUM: This post is replicated on Allentown Chronicles where additional Grammes photos will be on display.

Big Rock On South Mountain

This past summer,  I walked in off the E. Rock Road to visit Big Rock, on the crest of South Mountain, east of S. 4th Street, or old Rt. 309.  The rock formation, aka Bauer Rock, is covered in graffiti, and the path to it is neglected.  While designated a 77 acre county park, the administration is obviously more concerned with its tenants,  two communication companies taking advantage of the location for their transmission towers, than it is with safe access for the citizens.  It was my intention to investigate the leases, as to their return and value to the taxpayers. There have been decisions made by previous administrations, which I believe were not in the best interests of the citizens.   While I have yet to work on that self assignment, recently I came across this old card.

In 1910, a German company produced a line of postcards featuring what they considered interesting visuals of this area, in the period.  I do not know how popular the cards were at the time, but I certainly find them interesting now, 110 years later.

Back To The Future With Emma

Although the Progressives, who campaigned against the waste to energy plant and the water lease this year, didn't like Emma Tropiano back in the day, or now, here's a history lesson they may find interesting. Shown above is Emma camping out by the entrance to Kline's Island on October 13, 1989. Her statement to the press. "The deal with the Lehigh County Authority to open Kline's Island to outside sewage sources has promoted massive development in western Lehigh County, drawing potential commercial and industrial development away from Allentown and resulting in higher taxes for city property owners." She was running against The First Mayor For Life Joe Daddona's fourth term. His reply. "It's obvious once again that Emma, because of her lack of knowledge and understanding of a problem, is shooting from the hip and hitting herself in the foot." She was also outspoken about the direction the city was heading in: Is Allentown in an ugly decline, with drugs, crime, filth and mismanagement rotting away the core of the Queen City, as challenger Emma D. Tropiano insists? Or is it squarely facing its problems and coming up with sound, creative solutions, as Mayor Joseph S. Daddona says?" The Morning Call, Nov. 5, 1989.

reprinted from November of 2013

ADDENDUM: On Tuesday Bill White repeated his quote about Emma from 2001; I like Emma, but she wouldn't know fresh ideas and positive leadership if they were driving down Hamilton Street in a blue Cadillac. Bill has made Emma one of the symbols of his Hall Of Shame. Bill White protests against this designation, coined by yours truly years ago, and cites the philanthropic Cipko Brothers as proof that the Hall isn't limited to shame. However, I remember back when, and the gag about them was their ridiculous toupees, which White featured in photographs. Philanthropic or not, their toupees put them in the Hall, not their charity. Anyway, I digress. Bill White has been wrong about Emma for over 40 years.  The problem is that now a whole generation of people disparage her, based on  Morning Call distortions.

reprinted from May of 2017

A Thank You For Your Consideration

Today winds up about the most contentious election in memory.  Voters are certainly energized, both for and against Trump.  In this sort of environment, the coattails will likely affect the local congressional election. I'm hoping that by the time voters consider their choices for State Representative, their partisanship will turn to their own best interests.

For their own best interest, my candidacy offers unique advantages.  I've been preoccupied with local issues and needs for decades, ready to make informed decisions from day one.  I have no interest besides the best service for local constituents.  I'm an independent, free from any party platforms or constraints. I'm not looking for a political career or a pension,  just the opportunity to bring you more value from Harrisburg. 

My name is not printed on the ballot, you must write-in Michael Molovinsky for State Representative in the 183rd District.  Thank you for your consideration.

A Write-In Campaign During A Mail-In Election

While this blog is normally published each weekday,  I started my pre-election wrap up posting yesterday. So this week, Sunday is the new Monday.  Since the post pertained to my write-in candidacy, and so many ballots are being cast by mail, I thought it better to speak out sooner than later. 

The post pertained to my issues with the Morning Call.  While my issue is my candidacy not having any mention,  your issue is the paper protecting various local sacred cows.  It is in this type of atmosphere  that corruption thrives. 

Right now the paper is headed by an in-house editor by default, who is out of his league. Hopefully, the Tribune will decide to send in a professional, or better yet, the paper will change ownership.

The Morning Call's Steep Price

On Saturday, the Morning Call featured a story about Enid Santiago's challenge to the primary election, mentioned that she is now a write-in candidate, and linked to the voter's guide they published the day before. The paper's pre-election coverage now included every candidacy, except mine.

Ironically, the article documented that there was no basis for Santiago's charges alleging ballot irregularities.  The newspaper cheerfully cooperated with her to gain maximum publicity for a write-in campaign, after losing a primary election. 

I have paid a steep price for scrutinizing local government, and calling out the newspaper for not doing the same.  However,  my activism, and subsequently this blog, wasn't motivated because all was well in the Lehigh Valley.  Between ineptitude and corruption, watchmen are always needed.  The Morning Call went from good old boy local ownership, to outside corporate indifference, with neither entity motivated to upset the local status quo. 

Years ago a critic such as myself was limited to an occasional letter to the editor, or a soapbox on the corner. Things have changed with the internet. Myself and other bloggers can present information previously kept from the public.  Somebody researching former Mayor Pawlowski will find questions about his integrity here on this blog, more than a decade before the Morning Call broached the topic.  On many other topics, such as the Parking Authority and the NIZ, which I have scrutinized,  the paper has yet to take its head out of the sand.  

In regard to the NIZ,  this blog documented that the city, through straw buyers, was using strong arm tactics to dislodge the former merchants of the arena block.  The Morning Call was not only compliant, but complicit in that scheme.  They were the only private entity included in the NIZ map, on the north side of Linden Street. 

Although my criticism of the paper has cost me any coverage in regard to my campaign for Harrisburg, it's a price I'd rather pay, than joining their endorsement of status quo mediocrity in our community.

The Morning Call Excludes Molovinsky

Today, the Morning Call published their guide to the state house election, but forgot to mention one of their critics, yours truly. Voters in the 183rd District are told, with accompanying photographs, that they only have two choices for their state representative. 

I've been at war with the editor/publisher, Mike Miorelli, over his repression of the news...Mainly that South Whitehall is attempting to subvert the Wehr's Dam referendum. 

While the paper sponsors an election poll with Muhlenberg College, they actively repress democracy. 

While the guide is attributed to staff, I feel bad for the reporters, who know that their journalism and careers are being compromised by inept leadership.

ADDENDUM OCTOBER 31, 2020: Today, the Morning Call features a story about Enid Santiago's challenge to the primary election, mentions that she is now a write-in candidate, and links to the voter's guide referenced above.  The paper's pre-election coverage now includes every candidacy except mine. 

The Mohican Markets

Once, before the malls, there were three thriving cities in the Lehigh Valley, and some merchants would have a store in each of the downtowns. Some of the buildings still exist, and have been reused; The Allentown Farr (shoe) Building is now loft apartments. Two of three Mohican Market buildings, famous for baked goods, no longer exist. The Easton location, on S. 4th St., was victim to fire. The Allentown store became a bingo hall and then a parking lot.  Butz's newest office building now occupies the space.

The Mohican Markets were owned and operated by Bernard Molovinsky, who purchased the three Lehigh Valley stores from a small chain located in New York and Pennsylvania.

revised and reprinted from September of 2007

Send Your Message Down Ballot

Although Voter Registration is in the basement of Lehigh County Government Center, yesterday the line stretched out the first floor building entrance and up 7th Street, toward Center Square.  

The Election Office reports that most of the new registrants are Democrats.  While news reports speculate on a 70% turnout, including mail-in votes,  I expect it to be higher.  I know that 100% of those standing in that line yesterday will vote.

I've never seen a more polarized, energized electorate.  As  an independent write-in candidate, it is my hope that voters will refrain from straight ticket voting. While I know that the inclination is to send a message,  I'm hoping that at the bottom of the ballot,  I will be their message in the 183rd State House District.

While I have no connection to the Biden/Trump contest,  I'm well connected to the issues facing citizens of the Lehigh Valley. While I have no connection to either the Democratic or Republican Party, my commitment to better government has spanned decades of involvement. 

Write-In Michael Molovinsky

Jennie Molovinsky Was A Quiet Neighbor

For nearly a hundred years the Wenz Memorial Company had a tombstone factory at 20th and Hamilton.  Their parcel extended from Hamilton Street back to Walnut Street, across from the home of former mayor Joe Daddona.   Years ago, large granite slabs would be delivered by railroad, using the the Barber Quarry spur route.  During the Phil Berman era,  the facilities were also used to produce large stone sculptures.  Behind the office and production building, most of the property was used for storage of tombstones.  Some of the stones were samples of their handiwork, and others were old stones that had been replaced with new ones, by family members.  Such was the case with my great grandmother's first stone, which has laid at Wenz's for several decades.  The row houses and their front porches on S. Lafayette Street faced this portion of Wenz's, and it was very quiet, indeed.

Some readers may have noticed that Wenz's has been demolished, and the parcel will now contain a bank,  Dunkin Donut, and Woody's Sport Bar.  The residents of Lafayette Street,  experiencing complete quietness for all these years, attended the zoning hearing as objectors.  Their previous view, a dark, quiet lot, would now be replaced with a lit parking lot, with bar patrons coming and going.  Although I will not comment on the zoning issues,  residents were supposedly told by the zoners that the development would improve their quality of life.  It's one thing to have the quality of your life degraded,  it's another to have your intelligence insulted, to boot.  Perhaps the zoners need some training in sensitivity.

reprinted from May of 2016

My Challenge For The State House

Recently, I decided that the voters in the 183rd District needed a better option, and entered the race as a write-in candidate.  The Democratic candidate, Jason Ruff, was complaining how disengaged the Republican incumbent, Zach Mako, was from Harrisburg.

Ruff himself, and several of his surrogates, have asked questions on my facebook promotions.  I have yet to see an insightful comment or idea from that camp.  He heralds the usual union endorsements, and supports the party positions, which would all require more taxes to implement. Of course, at the same time, he wants property tax reform.

I can assure voters that with Mako or Ruff, there would be no changes coming your way from Harrisburg. They both need the job, and the security that the old incumbent system provides.

While the primary function of a state representative is to make sure that the state returns proportional benefits to those communities within the district,  I have objectives beyond the obvious.  If elected,  I would work to eliminate some representatives,  there are far too many districts in Pennsylvania.  I would work to eliminate pensions for representatives,  there are too many long term incumbents,  preoccupied by being re-elected.  I would work to eliminate most of the commissions, many unnecessary, stuffed with patronage jobs. 

I would vote on each bill with quality government being the only criterion, not a party platform.

I understand that voters are passionate about the national election,  and some think that by voting straight ticket that they're sending more of a message.  If you live in the 183rd, make your message at the top of your ballot, but improve your state government by writing-in my name for State Representative...Michael Molovinsky    

The Corner Market

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

ADDENDUM: The first supermarket's in Allentown were the A&P. In addition to occupying a former corner store near 2nd and Hamilton, they operated the super store on 19th St, home later to the Shanty Restaurant.  

ADDENDUM 2: Although there was an attempt to brand the corner stores to appear as a chain, the Economy Stores sign shown, apparently came from an early A&P format in 1912 when they leased small stores. If this particular store was such an A&P, or just dressed later with a reused sign, I have yet to determine.

reprinted from previous years

Growing Up Parkway

I'm a baby boomer. I was born in December of 1946. As soon as my mother climbed out of the hospital bed, another woman climbed in. I grew up in the neighborhood now called Little Lehigh Manor, wedged between Lehigh Street and the top of the ravine above Lehigh Parkway. That's me on our lawn at the intersection of Catalina and Liberator Avenues, named after airplanes made by Vultee Corporation for the War. We had our own elementary school, our own grocery store, and the park to play in. On Saturdays, older kids would take us along on the trolley, and later the bus, over the 8TH Street Bridge to Hamilton Street. There were far too many stores to see everything. After a matinee of cartoons or Flash Gordon, and a banana split at one of the five and dimes, we would take the bus back over the bridge to Lehigh Street.




Not that many people know where Lehigh Parkway Elementary School is. It's tucked up at the back of the development of twin homes on a dead end street, but I won't say exactly where. I do want to talk about the photograph. It's May Day, around 1952-53. May Day was big then, so were the unions; Most of the fathers worked at the Steel, Mack, Black and Decker, and a hundred other factories going full tilt after the war. The houses were about 8 years old, and there were no fences yet. Hundreds of kids would migrate from one yard to another, and every mother would assume some responsibility for the herd when it was in her yard. Laundry was hung out to dry. If you notice, most of the "audience" are mothers, dads mostly were at work. I'm at the front, right of center, with a light shirt and long belt tail. Don't remember the girl, but see the boy in front of me with the big head? His father had the whole basement setup year round with a huge model train layout. There were so many kid's, the school only went up to second grade. We would then be bused to Jefferson School for third through sixth grade. The neighborhood had its own Halloween Parade and Easter egg hunt. We all walked to school, no one being more than four blocks away.

reprinted from June of 2008

When Lehigh County Valued History

Back in the early 1970's, a former teacher in Allentown's West Park neighborhood borrowed my photograph of a grain mill, and championed its preservation to the Lehigh County Commissioners. Her efforts resulted in Haines Mill being preserved. It was a time when the county commissioners understood the concept of history and uniqueness. The county now preserves farmland, with the pollyanna notion that farmers will spout there, wear straw hats, and sell organic vegetables on the weekends. Although 22,000 acres have already been preserved, the county just authorized additional $millions to that end. A comment in the Morning Call said that it will insure that we have food in the future. Amazing how little people know about how food gets to the supermarket in 2016. While there is nothing unique about this farmland, and nothing really guaranteed about the preservation, it seems like progress to the environmentalists. Meanwhile, the commissioners and Historical Society turn a deaf ear to Wehr's Dam and other irreplaceable structures, being needlessly threatened.

That former teacher just passed away at 98 years of age. I still take photographs and champion for places that will never be again, but the current board of commissioners does not have the sense of history and esthetics of their predecessors.

reprinted from July of 2016

The Allentown Parking Authority Monster

Although the shopping district in Allentown has shrunk down to only Hamilton and 7th Streets, the meter district remains as it did during the heydays of the 1950's. The meters extend from Walnut to Chew, from 5th to 10th, well over 1000 meters in 20 sq. blocks. Parking meters extend out to 10th and Chew Sts, three full blocks beyond the closest store.* These meters are a defacto penalty for the residents, mostly tenants. In essence, it is a back door tax on Allentown's poorest citizens. The apologists claim the tenants can purchase a resident meter pass, however their friends and visitors cannot. To add insult to injury, in 2005, to help finance a new parking deck for the arts district, the Parking Authority doubled the meter rate and fines. Testimony to City Council permitting the rate increase indicated it was favored by the merchants. At that time I documented to the Council that in fact the merchants were not informed, much less in favor. The vote was 5 to 2, with Hershman and Hoover dissenting
* I used the above copy on my posting of October 3, 2007. In the past several weeks the Parking Authority finally removed the meters in the 900 block of Chew St, 50 years beyond their legitimate need.

UPDATE: The post above is reprinted from September 2009. I have published dozens of posts on the Parking Authority. In 2005, I conducted two press conferences on their abuses; One conference was at 10th and Chew Streets, and concerned the oversized meter zone. The second conference, directly in front of their office, concerned the fabricated merchant survey that they  presented to City Council. Old tricks die hard. Forward ahead to 2015, and the Parking Authority will once again penalize both existing merchants and residents.  The new plan is to double the meter parking rate from $1 an hour, to $2, and extend the metering time to 10:00pm.  They claim that the merchants are in favor of this plan. Although I will not conduct my own survey, as I did 2005,  their survey defies logic.  Why would any of the few surviving merchants want their customers submitted to a destination city parking rates in Allentown? Despite the hype,  Allentown is not Miami Beach or N.Y.C.. In reality, just as the taxpayers are subsidizing the arena zone,  now the merchants and residents will be subsidizing the arena plan through punitive parking rates.

UPDATE Memorial Day Weekend 2015: I did end up asking several merchants, and no, they were not surveyed. Eight years from the original date of this post, and the Authority is still up to the same shenanigans.   Reilly's City Center tenants, merchants and customers will get a free pass for the Authority's inconvenient parking lots. Other existing tenants in the NIZ, such as the south side of the 900 block of Walnut Street, will not be eligible for residential parking permits.  If you have a problem with any of this, remember, you must now put money in the meter at night, before  complaining to City Council.

UPDATE MARCH 20, 2020:  As of noon yesterday, the Parking Authority suspended tickets in the residential permit zones.  However, normal parking meter tickets will continue.  This would have of course punish merchants still open for business during this virus crisis. However, while there are virtually no merchants left on Hamilton Street since the NIZ revitalization, the punishment would have mostly affect the minority merchants on 7th Street....or in other words, life as usual in Allentown. Governor Wolf has declared that all non-essential businesses must close. Will the monster also now stand down?

UPDATE OCTOBER 20, 2020: Numerous voters trying to drop off their ballots at Government Center at 7th and Hamilton, report that the monster has awoken, and is giving out tickets. 

Disgrace On Front Street

Students of this blog know that I'm not a big fan of the Allentown Economic Development Corporation.  Under the Pawlowski regime, they adopted his practice of fluff and puff, devoid of much substance.  Up until now my biggest complaint was their ridiculous plan on restoring the Barber Quarry branch rail line to S. 10 Street.  Although I always oppose removing existing tracks,  there is absolutely no reason to restore now missing tracks on speculation.  The probability of them attracting an industry heavy enough to need rail service is no better than zero.  So far, in about 15 years,  all they managed to do is put a go-kart track in a former Mack factory.  Although they have a $multi-$million $dollar budget, I know landlords who better manage more properties with a pickup truck and cellphone.

But today's post is about the former Neuweiler Brewery.  Mike Fleck, Pawlowski's former indicted campaign/business manager,  hooked up Ruckus Brewing with the AEDC,  which gave them the Neuweiler property.  Although Ruckus is primarily a couple young marketing guys with no actual brewing or property development experience,  they were given several extensions on their Neuweiler option.  They are now allowed to harvest income from renting storage space in the former distribution portion of the brewery, but have made no repairs to the brewery portion itself.  Understand that Pawlowski had the former owner actually jailed for conditions at the property, which is in much worse shape now.

The current condition brings us to a new chapter. Despite its imposing industrial architecture, the building may be beyond feasible saving at this point.  Now anything can be saved, but at what cost? The building is under the public expense program called NIZ.  The NIZ is a unique program, which uses public tax dollars for private ownership.  I would prefer that my state tax dollars not be diverted to save this wreck,  only to enrich some NYC owners.

Now for a reality check.  Only this blog (later joined by LV Ramblings) sounded the whistle on Pawlowski's Allentown.  Only this blog chronicled the situation down at the former brewery. Bureaucrats are always reluctant to cut bait on their previous poor decisions.

above reprinted from 2018

ADDENDUM OCTOBER 19, 2020: Although I have been waging a write-in campaign for State Representative in the 183rd District, the Morning Call hasn't reported my candidacy to their readers in those communities,  which  they purport to serve. Furthermore, they know that unlike many candidates, I do not need the job or career, and that I have been an activist about government for decades. 

Those seeking better representation, and better use of their tax dollars, should network my write-in candidacy to their friends in the district.

The Short Life Of Allentown Bill 72

On Wednesday night, Daryl Hendricks introduced a Resign To Run Rule, co-sponsored by Julio Guridy. The bill stated that city employees must resign their position before running for office, and that elected officals, such as city council members, must be in the last year of their term before declaring for another office. Hendricks maintains that such rules help against corruption, and we all know that former mayor Pawlowski is in the big house. 

His proposal woke up the dais, since half of council, and a third of city employees, want to try for the top office in 2021. 

By the time the meeting ended, Julio withdrew his sponsorship. While Julio himself is in his last year, he realized the bill itself was deck stacking. 

The bill reminded me of the old Charlie Tuna ads, when the fish dresses up, hoping to be caught by the Tuna Company. He is informed that they are looking for Tuna that taste good, not just looks good.

One result of the short lived proposal was that Leonard Lightner, Community Development Director, declared his intention to run for mayor. Previously, this was a widely known secret.

Pawlowski's corruption was no surprise to those of us who followed city hall. While we didn't know contract details, we knew that a heavy hand was pushing people around. This blog reported on his shenanigans for years. Combine a strong arm mayor and a complacent local newspaper for a decade, and you get a Pawlowski.

The Sunday Drive

My family wasn't much for recreation.  My father worked six days a week, from early morning until early evening.  We did go for a long car ride on Sundays.  Back then gasoline was cheap, and having no destination wasn't thought of as wasteful.  Children were more content to sit in the back seat and look out the window, now they want a video screen in the vehicle.



Even children's play then involved more imagination and interaction.  Howdy Doody was just a puppet on strings, who spend most of his time talking to an adult, Buffalo Bob, can you imagine?

 Sitting in that back seat in the mid fifties, I might well had



my "coonskin" hat with me.  Fess Parker was a genuine American hero.  It mattered little if he played both Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, both were king of the wild frontier.  The ride probably lasted for two hours and then we would go to a restaurant to eat dinner.  Compared to now, there were very few restaurants.



My mother would cook all the other meals that week, and we probably ate out more than most.  Supermarkets were the new rage in food shopping, but the butcher, baker and candle stick maker were still going strong.  If my father headed west or south, chances are we ended up at Shankweiler's Hotel, famous for chicken and waffles.   They were at the intersection of Old 22 and Route 100.  The building still exists and currently is a bank.  The family also owned another hotel on Route 309.  Both locations also operated adjoining Drive-In movies.



If my father headed north or east,  we would end up at Walp's, which was on the corner of Union Blvd. and Airport Road.  Walp's was a much more urban place.   While Shankweiler's was an old country inn,  Walp's was built as a modern restaurant.  I enjoyed those rides, they were a learning experience.

reprinted from previous years

As Harrisburg Turns

In his quest last year to make voting easier, Governor Wolf reluctantly agreed to something this state has needed for a very long time,  the elimination of straight party ticket voting.  While the pundits are not in agreement about which party this change will benefit, I know it will benefit informed democracy. 

While Pennsylvania was one of the last states to still host this mindless straight party lever pull, it constituted nearly 40% of the votes cast.  My phrase about lever pull refers to the mechanical machines previously used in Lehigh County for decades. While I miss the reliability and confidence those metal booths provided,  I welcome the end of the all too easy down ballot. 

If this new policy stays in place, perhaps the voters will have to learn more about the local races, which actually effect their lives much more.   

The Morning Call Shuns Molovinsky

Today, the Morning Call began a series of questions and answers with the candidates in the local state representative races, but did not include me.  In the first installment on the 187th District,  it mentions that each candidate received written questions...None were sent to me.

In the 22nd District, I fully expect to see Enid Santiago listed... She is also a write-in,  not on the ballot, no different than my candidacy.

The Morning Call reads this blog everyday, and is fully aware that I'm waging a write-in campaign. I receive numerous notes from the publisher/editor complaining that I misrepresent the newspaper.

Mr. Miorelli, editor/publisher of the Morning Call,  by excluding me you are grossly underserving your subscribers in  Slatington, Walnutport, Northampton and all the other communities in the 183rd District, in both Lehigh and Northampton Counties.  

When the Morning Call excludes articles and letters on certain topics to reflect their political agenda, they compromise their journalistic integrity. When they start excluding certain candidates, they undermine local democracy.

Pennsylvania's State House Problem

Pennsylvania has a problem with their State House officials, they're in office way too long.  In Pennsylvania incumbents tend to stay in office until they decide to retire,  often serving over ten terms or twenty years.  The Morning Call has done an excellent exposé on the war chests that these Representatives For Life have accumulated.  The article, by Ford Turner,  reveals that the representative overseeing the committee on insurance has over $268,000 in campaign funds, donated mostly by the insurance companies that she is supposed to regulate. 

Pennsylvania has the largest state house in the country, with 203 districts.  An incumbent would be hard pressed to actually need more than $10,000 to wage a campaign for reelection. A war chest of over $200,000 would take care of the next 20 years of campaigning.  There are 24 representatives with chests well over $100,000.

While representatives,  especially ones running for the first time, promise reform and term limits, I know of none who actually did what they promised.  If I were to be elected as the write-in candidate for the 183rd district,  I would limit myself to two terms.  The current Republican incumbent is already running for his third term. His Democratic opponent is running for a job and a paycheck. 

Write-in a true independent for the 183rd, vote for true reform, write-in Michael Molovinsky. 

Allentown's Vanishing History

Years ago a reader sent me the above image.  It looks down the hill from 7th and Hamilton, north, toward Linden Street. He had been attempting to locate the old Lafayette Radio store on 7th street, because of a pleasant memory from his childhood. By my day the store had moved onto the southern side of the 700 block of Hamilton Street. History is quickly succumbing to the wreaking ball in Allentown. All the buildings shown above, on the unit block of 7th Street, have been knocked down for the arena and Reilly's Strata complexes.  When Salomon Jewelry departed,  Tucker Yarn remained one of Hamilton Street's last remaining businesses from the glory days.

Phil and Rose Tucker opened their first yarn store on N. 7th St. in 1949. That first store can be seen on the left side of the above photo. The Tucker Yarn Company had been at its current location at 950 Hamilton Street for over 50 years. For knitting enthusiasts the endless inventory was legendary. Phil told me years ago how even in May, traditionally a slow month for the industry, Hess's annual flower show kept Hamilton Street and his store busy. A busy Hamilton Street is a memory now, shared only by a couple of surviving merchants. Although many of Tucker's customers were elderly, the business was much more than a time capsule. His daughter Mae, nationally known in the trade, gave classes and operates a large mail order web site, tuckeryarns.com

Tucker Yarn has closed.  In the near future you will see the building replaced by one more new office building.  This blogger will continue his downtown recons, but I will no longer be sitting in a familiar place with familiar faces.

The above image can be found in Doug Peters' Lehigh Valley Transit

reprinted from November of 2019

Abuse Of Power At The Monument Building

The building had begun its life as the 1st National Bank. The second owner renamed it Corporate Center. The third owner renamed it Monument Building.

One morning in early July of 2008, code enforcement descended upon the Monument Building like a swat team.  Every officer, in every department , entered the building at the same time, and spread out looking for every possible violation. Under the previous owner, the same conditions, with the same tenants, were lauded as a rebirth.

Whatever motivated Pawlowski to pull the plug on the new owner, the tenants were lightweights, of no consequence to him. At that time, myself and few other malcontents, like Lou Hershman, would gather early in the morning for coffee at Jerry's Cafe, located on the first floor.

Jerry's was not one of the upstart businesses blessed with a Pawlowski grant at the time. He had to pay for everything, and everything had been inspected, inside and out. His plans had been approved, his electric and plumbing had been approved,  and his expensive grill and hood system had been approved.  While all the tenants were put out of business that day,  Jerry was also financially ruined. 

During this sorry Pawlowski era, he used the code department as a weapon.  Although Pawlowski is gone, some of that same mentality apparently still lurks with some of the code officers.  I wrote about Pawlowski's tactics back then in 2008, and I will continue to defend those currently victimized by such abuse.

The Monument Building would be torn down years later by J.B. Reilly, and replaced by one of his Corporate Towers.

I photographed the code cars that morning lined up for the raid   

reprinted from previous years

The Slandering Of Louis Hershman

Years ago, in a building that no longer exists,  an assorted group of early risers would meet for coffee.  By 6:30, most of us had arrived at Jerry's for the early morning sessions.  Included in this group of civil critics was Lou Hershman.  Lou's rants were almost exclusively centered on the city budget,  year after year, rant after rant.

What takes me back to that coffee shop is a current post on facebook.  A local Black Lives Matter advocate is supporting a local gays rights advocate, who is offended by the adoration being given Lou Hershman, who passed away last week. She claims that Lou was a bigot against gays.  In all the years and all the conversations that I had with Lou, he never once mentioned gays.  As for the young BLM activist,  I'm sure that he never met Lou, and probably never even heard of him before last week.

Back then, fifteen years ago, when I would drive to the coffee shop at 7th and Hamilton at six in the morning, I would always think about how calm town seemed at that time of day.  I knew that as the day progressed, so would the commotion.  Unfortunately,  the streets are considerably more violent now than they were then.  Allentown would be better off if the young BLM leader concerned himself with making the streets safer.  In fifty years, if he contributes as much as Lou Hershman did to Allentown, let's hope nobody slanders his good deeds.  

photocredit: Bernie O'Hare 

The Carnival Of Enid's Candidacy

In addition to this blog, I also administer a Facebook page titled Allentown Chronicles.  Recently, when I announced my current write-in campaign for the 183rd State House District, I also posted the announcement on the Facebook page. Because the page is defined as both local history and politics, I felt it was not inappropriate, and not too terribly self-serving.  Recently, a member had submitted several promotions for Enid Santiago's write-in campaign.  Two of them I removed, because other members objected to the solicitation of names, apparently to be contacted by her campaign. The third piece remains,  a youtube of a parade by Santiago and her supporters.  While in fairness I felt compelled to allow her campaign to be represented in the group,  I must confess to finding the parade beyond tasteless. 

Gender bender Eric/Erica Bickford is being charged with election crimes by DA Martin.  If ever there was a political victim, it is Bickford.  While Bickford admits he darkened some ovals so that the scanner could read them, nobody thinks or accuses him of changing even one vote.  Even though Enid Santiago won the district administered by Bickford, she initiated the charges he now faces. Bickford is low-hanging fruit to prosecute...  He doesn't make himself up very well as a woman.

I've known Eric/Erica for well over a decade.  Long before the current Stevens Park became fashionable, Bickford was there, advocating for it.  He has been a spokesman for the most underrepresented people in this city...the people in the back alleys, with no voice or connections to City Hall.

While I realize that Bickford seems bizarre to some, what I really find distasteful is people running for office beeping their car horns and hanging out windows.

As I write this piece Patrick Palmer and others are hyping Enid Santiago.  They must equate loud noise with leadership.  Justin Simmons says that if DA Martin is filing charges,  they must be proper. They may be proper by the book, but hopefully, a jury or judge will realize the innocence involved with the crime.

A more savvy candidate than me would be leaving this whole topic well enough alone, much less defending a rather eccentric election judge, and criticizing a minority candidate.   

As both a blogger and a candidate myself,  I only have one mission, and that is to simply always side with the truth, as I see it.

The Political Party Machines Of lehigh Valley

As an independent waging a write-in campaign for the 183rd State House District,  the party machines never cease to amaze me.  The mediocracy of your state government is no accident.  Their sole objective is to get elected, and then remain an incumbent.

In the 183rd, the Democratic challenger charges the Republican incumbent with a poor attendance record because of his duty as a reservist.  The incumbent in turn sends out an expensive mailer, claiming that he fights for his constituents both at home and abroad.

My motivation in running is to provide quality representation for a term or two, not support a party platform, or perpetuate a career.   There are numerous bills pending in the house.  While many are just expansions of a definition or terms,  some are of more significance.

I would support all the bills pertaining to financial aid for small businesses suffering from the consequences of the Covid-19 restrictions.  Pennsylvania certainly failed to provide adequate safeguards for our nursing home residents at the beginning of the pandemic.While a 23 year old feels immortal, a 73 year old feels vulnerable. At this point in time,  masks should be mandatory for indoor public venues. Small businesses should be able to operate with reasonable precautions, and customer discretion. 

photocredit: Richard C. Wolfe

The Mad Men Of Allentown

Back in the day, the titans of Allentown would fill the five barberchairs of the Colonial Barbershop, 538 Hamilton Street. That was when the town had three department stores. That was when Wetherhold and Metzger had two shoe stores on Hamilton Street. That was when Harvey Farr would meet Donald Miller and John Leh at the Livingston Club for lunch, and discuss acquiring more lots for Park & Shop. By 1995 all that was gone, but Frank Gallucci, 82, would still give some old timers a trim. The Colonial Barbershop property, closed for many years, has been purchased by J.B. Reilly. It is my pleasure to present this previously unseen portrait of Gallucci, toward the end of his career.

photocredit:molovinsky

reprinted from previous years

A Better Choice In The 183rd State House District

The voters of the 183rd State House District now have three choices. Two of those choices are the standard party fare.  Zach Mako,  the Republican incumbent, succeeded Julie Harhart's eleven terms. He's operating out of her former offices, using her former formula.  They send out a lot of birthday cards and certificates. He receives the usual NRA recommendation, and other perks in the Republican party basket.

Jason Ruff is the Democratic candidate.  Although neither he nor Mako emphasize their party connection, it's apparent from his endorsements. Ruff has been promoting his endorsement from the Teacher's Union and other unions.

I have now offered the voters a third choice,  a true independent, unaffiliated with either party. It's fair to wonder where my political philosophy generally lies, and that would be slightly right of center.  Needless to say, I won't have any party connected endorsements to tout, but my long term advocacy on numerous issues is a matter of record. 

My campaign really is grassroots,  confined in this covid-era to social media.  Along the way of advocating for one issue or another, I have taken the Morning Call to task so often, I don't expect even acknowledgement of my candidacy. Those who realize that the State House is void from inside scrutiny should take the effort to write me in. Hopefully those familiar with me, but not living in the 183rd, will recommend me to their friends that do live in the district.

photocredit:Slatington At Dusk by K Mary Hess