Note To The Mayor

Mayor Pawlowski, you may not remember me. I'm the widower who lives in the highrise on Union Street, who wrote you before here on Mr. Molovinsky's computer page. Last night I saw him at the library, and he gave me a ride home after some meeting he had. I used to work in the Mack factory where you now have a go-kart track. I saw pictures of it in the paper and it said you were now going to have City Council give it a liquor bar, so that they could get tanked up before they drove those carts around with children. Are you sure that's a good idea? Anyway, Mr. Molovinsky and his group want to fix up the stairs leading down to Lawrence Street. When I worked at Mack my kids would meet me on those steps and walk home with me. I miss that old Allentown. Mr. Molovinsky says that your hockey game will now cost $200 million dollars. Is it possible that just a few of those bucks could be used to fix up those stairs? My uncle helped build those steps along with a lot of other Allentown men. Sorry to bother you again, thanks for your time.

Works Progress Administration Meeting

Tonight is the meeting on Allentown's iconic WPA structures. When I first began this project three years ago, the steps leading from Union Street to Spring Garden were overgrown with weeds and saplings. My persistent, annoying blogging on the subject caught the attention of then opinion page editor Glenn Kranzley and columnist Paul Carpenter. The publicity they generated resulted in the city cleaning up those steps. My next target was what I called the boat landing. As a boy I had often played at that site. Long buried, it was now the step to nowhere.
Readers of this blog, on two separate weekends, succeeded in digging out the steps and the portion of the landing at the bottom on the steps. Blogger Chris Casey provided the lion's share of manpower in this accomplishment. The remainder of the landing was lost to large trees which grew over a period of forty years. There has been some speculation that my independent demeanor and blunt writing has alienated people, both at City Hall and The Morning Call. Although probably true, the merits of the projects stand on their own.
I managed to get the miniature bridge and spring pond cleared by appealing directly to Mike Gilbert, who is in charge of the watershed for the Park Department. I have been in communication with Park Director Greg Weitzel about tonight's meeting. Yesterday, I received a phone call from a women in her late 80's, whose father worked on the Lawrence Street steps. I believe a worthwhile future project would be to chronicle about those who did the labor; However, it's first necessary to insure that the fruits of that labor are preserved. Please join me this evening, so that I may prevail upon City Hall that a large number of our citizens hold these structures invaluable.

The meeting is at 7:00PM this evening in the lower level of the Allentown Library

Priority Basis

The excellent article in today's Morning Call by Devon Lash quotes city spokesman Mike Moore as saying park items are addressed on a priority basis. The city hopes to get grants to refurbish the WPA structures. I have observed over the years that if the city determines something is a priority, then they do manage to get the grants. In today's article the boat landing is referred to as a set of steps. The Landing was a major feature of Lehigh Parkway. Unfortunately, forty years ago, one park director took it upon himself to decide that it was expendable. These structures are the heritage of the citizens of Allentown. Please join me tomorrow evening, and help make their preservation a priority for Allentown. I'm grateful to Devon Lash and The Morning Call for their support in this effort.

Jewish Das Boot

The Israeli submarine fleet consists of three small boats, German made diesel-electrics, named Dolphins. The boats are early 1990 design. Two are stationed in the Mediterranean, and one supposedly in the Red Sea. Three more Dolphins are on order, and expected to arrive by 2013. Military analysts consider these Israel's second strike weapon, and may be armed accordingly.

Tragedy Play At Theater

There is a tragedy playing at the Union Terrace Amphitheater. It cannot be seen on the magnificent grass stage, but
on the top wall of the double stairwell leading down from St. Elmo Street. The top surface mortar has not been properly maintained, and the stones are in danger of falling. Unfortunately

the stones from the far right corner have already fallen, and currently
lay at the base of the wall and staircase. It's imperative that this icon be repointed in very short order, or the entire top surface of the wall will be jeopardized. It's my understanding the the amphitheater was the last WPA project built in Allentown. It's necessary for it to be first in a new wave of upkeep. Please join me this coming Tuesday evening, September 6, and help make this a must do for Allentown.

WPA Project Support Meeting Allentown Public Library (lower level) Tuesday, 7:00 PM

The Mighty Atom

Years ago, at the Allentown Fair, as one would push through a sea of carney delusion, tucked back by the 4H animals, was an island of reality. There, in an old battered truck, an ancient Jewish strongman performed incredible feats of strength, to sell only homemade kosher soap. Standing on a platform on the rear of his truck, flanked by photographs from his performing youth, he would bent horse shoes and bite through nails. Many years earlier, my mother as a little girl in Bethlehem, saw him pull a truck uphill with his hair. Even as an old man, like a reincarnation of Samson, his grey hair was still long.
In the summers of 1964 and 1965, myself and a friend,(Fred Schoenk, retired Allentown art teacher) made and sold printed tee-shirts at the fair. We had the honor to know Joseph Greenstein(The Mighty Atom) and his wife. For those interested, there are various articles on the Mighty Atom and even at least one book. Enjoy the fair!

reprinted annually during the fairweek