Greg Weaver Tribute

I had made arrangements to use the Hotel Grand, they have an old bar from the turn of century. I also arranged to borrow a super 8 bolex camera. Greg's girlfriend(Fran) was to be the flirt. The camera owner, the Grand owner and Fran all changed their minds. I shot behind Greg's studio on 10th St. using a kodak brownie movie camera and a woman friend of mine. Greg is the shooter. John Lotte is the victim.

reprinted from May 23, 2008

A Runaway Train

Back in 2007, I would have coffee early in the morning, around 6:30, at a coffee shop at 7th and Hamilton. The shop is now closed, so is the building; that's another story which was told on this blog two years ago. Anyway, during this time I met Fran Dougherty, who would also frequent the shop. Fran was then the city manager, imported by Pawlowski from Philadelphia. Fran in turn interviewed Greg Weiztel, from Lewistown, for the Park Department job. Dougherty was impressed with a giant playground Weitzel had built, Weitzel's background is in recreation. But lets go back even further, back to Afflerbach. It appears Roy had dipped into Trexler Trust funding for routine maintenance and the Trust went to court to stop the misuse of their funds. They then commissioned a Philadelphia landscape firm to recommend the sort of projects which would be appropriate with the General's money. A report called the master plan would be produced which suggested some park projects for Allentown's future. WHO COULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT AFFLERBACH'S MANY MISTAKES , WOULD JUSTIFY PAWLOWSKI HIRING A CITY MANAGER (DOUGHERTY), WHO WOULD HIRE WEITZEL, WHO WOULD THINK EVERYTHING IN THAT REPORT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BUILT WITHIN 3 YEARS.

All these changes have been rough on the parks, especially Cedar Park. Although the "improvements" are not complete from the Cedar Park Plan, Weitzel is now working on the Trail Network Plan. Poor Cedar Park has so many paths being dug it looks like Venice when it rains. This picture of the flooded path ditch was taken by Andrew Kleiner, who has been doing an excellent job of documenting our park system. He has concluded that the paths are adversely affecting the streams, which are in desperate need of remedial attention, not more adjoining paths.

On April 7, City Council is to vote on the new Trail Network Plan. I request that Council members visit Cedar Park before the vote and see first hand how all the construction is overtaxing the park. Perhaps it's time to slow down the runaway train and put off approving any more plans. The parks themselves are in peril. One wouldn't expect the danger to come from the Park Department, but never the less, City Council must now save the pride and joys of Allentown from any more improvement.

Allentown Memories

click on photo to enlarge
From low income sections of center city, to expensive suburbs, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley is becoming home to more and more outsiders. I'm afraid the time will soon come when local memorabilia will have little appeal. Fortunately, for those interested, some impressive collections still exist. This past year Robert Bungerz published Allentown Remembered, documenting his outstanding collection of historical postcards and other objects. David Bausch, former County Executive and authority on Automobile Art, is also a expert on things Allentown. Then there are the many small collections, home of the hidden treasures. Above is an early aerial photograph of the Allentown Fair. Those interested in the recent commotion concerning the 19TH Street Theater District may find the upper right of the photograph interesting. There is no theater, there are no houses on Saint George Street and most of the buildings seem to be garages and automobile in nature (don't tell Auto-Zone). This gem is probably from the late teens or early 20's, and comes from the Thomas Reed Collection. Thomas is aka Z1pyro, long time expert shooter for Zambelli Firework Company. He retired several years ago, and we who appreciate fireworks, notice his departure.

reprinted from July 9. 2008

The Chen Arts Group

I had a little to do with the background of the Chen Arts Group. My posts about the art scene in the 70's, started by Greg Weaver, got Angie Villa thinking perhaps she could start a group. It started at the House of Chen, because at that time I had joined forces with the owner to fight the Lanta bus changes. I promoted the first few Chen meetings on this blog. To turn that first meeting into the group which it is today, took a lot of work, which I had nothing to do with. All that work was done by Angie and others. I provide this short history for the benefit of Pancho. Who is Pancho? I don't know, currently he is the moderator of the Chen Art Blog, last week it was Angie Villa.

Back in Lanta battle days, I met Barba-Del Campbell. She helped Jenni, from the House of Chen, gather petitions at the then new Lanta terminal. Barba-Del came to rock, wearing the protest regalia from the 60's. I would pick her up in front of her apartment on 4th Street to drive her to the various meetings. Last week I thought it fitting to add my comment, in her memory, to those already on the Chen Art Blog. It never appeared, I should have known better. Ironically, the last time I submitted a comment there was in memory of Fran Weaver, Greg's wife. Angie Villa, at that time, turned that comment into a lewd insult. When I noticed that the Chen Blog had turned moderation off this week, I submitted a comment under the post on Barba-Del

my comment in tribute to barba-del was blocked from this site, prior to moderation being suspended. barba-del had many friends who will not attend on saturday, but never the less, will miss her.

Moderation was turned off to facilitate a discussion about a new group show for the group. The Villa's, around the time of the Lanta protests, started a then, normal enough blog, LV Somebody. Later they would confess to me that their blog was always intended to become a vehicle against their perceived enemies. That list has grown to include dozens of members of the community, myself included. Their blog is now recognized as a hate blog; in addition to venom, there are continuous implied threats of violence.
I don't know if the art group was started as another vehicle for them, but it providing legitimacy for their agenda. At their Museum show last year, Bill Villa followed Alfonso Todd out into the street and harassed him for not joining the Villa crusade. You're either with Villa, or you're his enemy. Todd is now portrayed as an uncle tom and whore. Many people who normally would attend art shows now shy away because of the Villa's. I thought this reality should be part of the group's discussion. Here's my first comment.

what you should be discussing; my comment last week to the previous post was prevented from appearing. ironically, the dynamic responsible for that happening also prevents more patronage of your shows and events. you, members of the chen art group, have been passively endorsing a source of increasing hostility by turning a blind eye; art should be more than two or three dimensions.

Pancho replied that my comment was off topic and future comments would be deleted. My reply:

pancho, at the museum show alfonso todd was followed out and harassed. others, including myself, were threatened if we appear at your shows. if you don't find this information relevant to the topic of group shows, perhaps it was the nile you crossed, not the rio grande (Pancho mentions that he crossed the rio grande in his blogger profile)

Pancho did delete my reply. It's ironic that the Chen Arts Blog is moderated. Prior to Bill Villa spamming every blog with his compulsive comments, moderation was not needed on the local blogosphere. I do not believe that worthwhile art can be produced without a conscience. Art is more than the ability to draw, Hitler could draw. Should the Chen art shows be a venue for Villa's to glare and intimidate viewers and patrons on their ever increasing hate list? Should the Chen Arts Blog be a place where they can pose as acceptable after spewing poison on their blog? Can the members of Chen really be artists if they cast a blind eye to all that?

ADDENDUM: BOTH MY COMMENTS AT THE CHEN ARTS BLOG HAVE NOW BEEN DELETED, INCLUDING MY COMMENT IN THE BARBA-DEL TRIBUTE

ADDENDUM 2: BILL VILLA EXPLAINS WHY HE DELETED MY COMMENTS

Open Mike

This posting is intended to provide an opportunity to comment on any topic, or on an earlier posting.

A Woman of Letters

Barba-Del Campbell was in the hallway at the overflow Council meeting this past July on Cedar Creek Park. She handed me a handwritten letter which I put into my pocket. I met Barba-Del a few years earlier at the first meeting for the Lanta merchants. There were at least two passions in her life, activism and art; Apparently, she had a long relationship with both. This past summer, The Morning Call had a feature story about her role in commemorating Paul Robeson with a postage stamp.

I typed and printed Barba-Del's letter and faxed it along with my own to the Morning Call. Both our editorials appeared side by side in the paper. My effort resulted in a handwritten thank you note. Barba-Del didn't have a computer. I would print out pieces I wrote on the merchants or on the parks, and leave them at her "office", that would be the first table to the left at The House of Chen.

There will be a gathering this Saturday in her memory at the restaurant. Barba-Del is on the far right in photo above, which was taken after that Lanta meeting by participant Bernie O'Hare. Ann Elizabeth Schlegel and Heather Sincavage also remember this remarkable woman.

ADDENDUM:  I STOPPED INTO THE HOUSE OF CHEN TRIBUTE TO BARBA-DEL TO PAY MY RESPECTS,  THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
Heather Sincavage reflects on the memorial service