Donations Sought

The head of the Old Allentown Preservation Association, Jim Villaume, needs our help. On nights that the Iron Pigs have fireworks, he is forced to rent an out of town hotel room because of the noise. Apparently, gunfire doesn't bother him. The Administration, with City Council urging, has prevailed on the team to cut back the number of displays, even though fireworks are a time honored minor league tradition. Send donations to cover Mr. Villaume's hotel expenses to the Association office. You know that Allentown Fair is really a noise burden on the surrounding neighborhood.........

cityscape by Mark Beyer

The Legend Begins

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

New York, New York - Primo Carnera, giant Italian boxer and former heavyweight champion of the world, and Joe Louis, hard-hitting negro heavyweight from Detroit, Michigan, weighed-in this afternoon at the offices of the New York State Boxing Commission for their fifteen round bout tonight at the Yankee Stadium. - 6.25.1939

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

photo of Primo Carnera

Starr in Allentown

Brenda Starr is an adventurous newspaper reporter who started her career at the Chicago Tribune, current parent of The Morning Call. The strip was always written by a woman, from it's start in 1940. Rumor has it that Jarrett Renshaw has requested that Brenda be assigned to Allentown, to assist him in his investigation of City Hall.

Brenda was created, illustrated and written by Dale Messick for 43 years.

The Mayor's Basement

Until now, I have refrained from commenting on the Mayor renovating his basement without a permit. My initial reaction was that Bernie O'Hare crossed the line discussing the Mayor's house, and especially involving his wife. I still feel that way, but now the story has appeared in The Morning Call. Jeff Pooley writes that the mayor should follow the "Good Rules" imposed on everybody else. Richard comments on Pooley's blog that the whole chain of city command should be investigated. It is these reactions, by both Jeff and Richard, to which I now respond.

Richard, are you really surprised that rules are not applied to everyone equally? This inequity is a widespread fact of life; It is the same everywhere, and is certainly not unique to just today's Allentown. Jeff, accepting this fact of life, are you sure that having so many rules is good policy?

I have often written that Allentown has never heard of an ordinance that it doesn't want. It wants to inspect your property when you buy it, if you rent it, if you want to sell it, and next, if it's vacant. I personally don't feel that an investigation of the Mayor's renovation is necessary. I would however, appreciate City Council realizing that we have more than enough ordinances governing private property, and it's time to show our taxpayers some respect.

Before Musikfest

In 1909, Bethlehem city fathers decided it was time to improve on the Broad Street Trestle Bridge built in 1871. The new concrete arch bridge was a major project, still serving Bethlehem well, 101 years later.

Internationale de Futbol

A Site for the Soccer Aficionado