Slaughter of the Innocents

Much of the dogma, liturgy and shrines of the Coptic Church deal with the Holy Family's stay in Egypt, when they fled the Slaughter of the Innocents. With of the fall of various despots in the middle east, the iron fists which protected religious minorities are no longer there. Particularly affected, is the ancient Coptic Christians of Egypt. Saint Mena Coptic Orthodox Church dates back to the 6th century, and was rebuilt in 725 AD. It was put to the torch by a mob on Saturday, while the army stood by.

Public Money Lovefest

Although everyone present at the train forum conceded that it was absurdly expensive and impractical, they wanted to proceed. The moderator, a professional consultant, preached resolve and grants. Between the $Billion dollar price tag, and the $12Million yearly loss projected, the Paul Marin inspired $250,000 report seemed like a bargain. The report, by the Systra Design Group, essentially said what everyone over 25 years old, or not a professional public money spender, already knew. Of course the sponsors of the event, LV Renew, are in the under 25 category. Most of the speakers were in the public spending group. One of my favorite targets and quotes is from my pal Panto; he sees tourist coming on the train. Imagine, New Yorkers getting on the train at Penn Station, to come to Easton's Al Bundy High School Sports Museum. If the train plan went full steam ahead, it would take to 2030 before we heard the actual whistle. By then, the Renew kids will probably be living in the suburbs, telling their kids to keep away from the city. Panto, and the public money spenders, will be in Depends.

photo explanation; picture is from the future, 2035, The Poverty Express, bringing more needy to the Lehigh Valley

reprinted from April 21, 2010

Layoffs Approved

May 8, 2011, Allentown, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has approved Allentown School District’s 2011-2012 education program. Submitted to PDE on April 1, 2011, the program outlines refinements from kindergarten through high school course offerings to “alter or curtail” the district’s education program.

At the secondary level, ASD’s revised program of studies is directly aligned with the Pathways to Success framework adopted by the district for the 2011-2012 school year, which provides every student with more structured academic plans that lead to projected higher numbers of graduates with more success in post-secondary education or at jobs paying with higher self-sustaining wages. In order to accomplish this, the 2011-2012 program of studies is designed to increase opportunities for dual enrollment and advanced placement, to encourage more students to take technology studies, and removes some courses and modifies others to eliminate redundancy. Class sizes are planned to be 25 students at the elementary level and 30 at the secondary level. PDE reviewed programming for early childhood and elementary education, general academic secondary education, special education, English language acquisition and student support programs.

“With this approval to change the educational program and the approval of the Allentown School District Board of School Directors, you will continue to be in compliance with the educational mandates of the Public School Code of 1949, as amended, and Chapter 4 of 22 Pa. Code as long as you comply with the requirements of Chapters 4.21, 4.22, and 4.23 to provide planned instruction in those areas,” affirmed Stephen Fisher, Acting Director of the Office of Elementary/Secondary Education School Services Unit at the Pennsylvania Department of Education in a letter to the district dated May 5, 2011.

The above is a news bulletin from the Allentown School District. I added the Z Letter Banner, and also highlighted the layoff justification.

The Monster's Appetite

A Guest Post
The most recent outrage being perpetrated by the APA in their quest to be ever more profitable:
Citations no longer come with mailing envelopes.
AND:
You will know when it's time to renew your residential parking sticker when you find an over time citation on your wind shield.
There is no way to know that a renewal is in order, you must go to the APA office and ask about the latest ticket.
I was out of town and came home to find two tickets for over time meter parking. I have been a RPP holder for many years.
When I went to the APA office to renew the permit, I was told that I had three parking tickets.
The APA apparently cancelled two of them (or maybe they didn't - I just don't know) and mailed me a citation for $50.00 for the third (?) citation.
The $50.00 fee is (I think) for repetitive over time at a meter?
To make it better, when I re-upped my RPP I was told that I still had to feed the meter for the rest of that day even after the APA took my payment for the year upcoming.
So that is another $8.00 added to the cost of a RPP.
This amounts to charging me $78.00 for my RPP.
Unbelievable.
I am one of the people trying to exist here in center city.
How in hell can anyone attempt to live here when THIS city agency
behaves with total disregard towards the public?
What is wrong with this picture??
If in fact it should exist at all, the Parking Authority should exist to facilitate life in the city.
It should not be a continuous burden to all the people living here - especially those of us living on streets with no (0) businesses.
The Allentown Parking Authority as it exists, needs to be abolished.
Below, link to an excellent site with clear information;
http://www.brokenladders.com/allentown_parking_authority/
A guest post from "Local"
title and photograph added by molovinsky

AEDC's Choo Choo

The Allentown Economic and Development Corporation has received a $1.8 million grant, toward a $4 million dollar project, to restore a portion of the Barber Quarry branch to service an industrial building on South 10th Street. The building once housed Traylor Engineering, which was a giant back in the day. Recently, it housed a smaller fabricator who President Obama visited on his Allentown photo opportunity mission. The business has since closed, but let's not have that reality stand in the way of grants. Last summer, I fought against Allentown's Trail Network Plan, which catered to the spandex cyclist crowd. The new trail was to be built on the Barber Quarry track line. Not only didn't the AEDC oppose the plan, it's director was an advocate. Now they will be funded to develop that which they wanted to destroy. Where do I begin in Allentown's World of Mirth? Only in the unaccountable world of agencies and grants, would $millions of dollars of our money be available for projects which are twenty years too late. The track is long gone. The only industry (Traylor Engineering) which would have need, is long gone. The business reality of South 10th Street is now a go-cart track and the Hive, which is a Junior Achievement type project.

Barber Quarry Branch Line Posts
The Train of Lehigh Parkway
Allentown Archeology
Junkyard Train

Adorable AEDC

At the meeting last month between the City and Hamilton Street merchants, the new Community Development Director, Sarah Hailstone, was a case study in evasion. I asked how come Pawlowski said the previous week that he didn't know anything about the offers to buy the buildings, but now we're sitting there with her and the agent from Summit Reality? Hailstone said that previously it was being handled by AEDC,(Allentown Economic Development Corporation) but now it was in the City's court, and that eventually it would be passed on to a new Authority. The AEDC has always been a handmaiden of convenience for the City. I remember years ago reading an article that they overseer seven empty buildings, had a staff of four, and a budget of $millions. I know plenty of guys who overseer more empty buildings than that, with a used pickup truck and cell phone. During a gathering several years ago, then City Development Director Joyce Marin asked if anybody knew what the inside of the Schoen Building looked like? What struck me was months before Marin was head of AEDC, and the Schoen building was one of the seven she got big money to manage. Joyce was recently hired by the School District to promote before and after school activities by outside agencies. Gotta love the bureaucrats; Oh well, back to the adorable. The AEDC has announced an innovative program at the Bridgework Building on S. 10th and Harrison Streets. They will operate the Hive, where people who normally work at home on the computer, can work together in a common space, with wifi and a coffee machine. Unknown to AEDC, their innovative Hive was done years ago, in two locations on Hamilton Street. Of course on Hamilton Street the participants could actually see other human beings and patronize a lunch spot or store. Did I mention that AEDC also operates a blog called Allentown Good News. Maybe I could operate molovinsky on allentown from the Hive....