Lehigh County's Toilet

Allentown park system, and especially Lehigh Parkway, is becoming Lehigh County's toilet. It's where the waste ends up, and occasionally overflows. The new water line to the suburbs is currently being laid through Cedar Park, shown above, but the waste comes back through Lehigh Parkway, right along the stream. Although the County has been under federal mandate to upgrade the waste system, we continue to sell more water. Yesterday's Morning Call article concentrated on the jobs that Ocean Spray will supposedly bring to the western edge of the Valley, but failed to mention why Ocean Spray is moving. They have decided to move, rather than update their factory to current New Jersey standards for pollution. Apparently, making cranberry juice involves a nasty discharge. Our elected leaders can never wait to cut a new ribbon, regardless of it's true cost.

News Behind The News

This morning, molovinsky on allentown begins a new feature entitled, News Behind The News. Every morning, The Morning Call has my head moving side to side. First, as I retrieve my late arriving paper, then, as I read the articles which contain no knowledge about the subject's past. I believe that these shortcomings result from their two types of reporters; One is young with no institutional memory of Allentown. The other, older, has turned into a nine to fiver, who can't wait to get out of Dodge every afternoon. News Behind The News will provide few links to the paper's archives, those clicks are no longer free. When possible, a click will be provided to molovinsky on allentown archives. The feature will be in tabloid fashion, large photo, small copy.

Yesterday's Morning Call article, on the demolition starting, showed the storage facility on Linden Street. This building had an interesting past. Up till about 1990 it was Cata Garment, a successful textile factory and large inter-city employer. When the factory closed, the owner turned the building into condominium format, hoping to sell different sections as potential loft apartments. That plan never succeeded, and Atiyeh purchased the building for pennies on the dollar from his estate. City Council granted the building KOZ status in 2004, taking it off the tax rolls, but making it marketable for Atiyeh. Across the street, the parking lot is another interesting story. A couple years ago, Ed Pawlowski and The Parking Authority wanted to sell it to the then flavor of the week, Nic Zawarski. The only opposition to the sale was this blogger, molovinsky on allentown. Although the Authority approved the sale, Nic never followed through on his purchase option. The lot is now touted as part of the ample parking plan for the arena.

Arena's First Injury

Although Allentown is more than a year away from it's first hockey game, we already have an injury. The Morning Call's Devon Lash reports that earned income tax revenue , despite a higher rate last year, has not met the projections for 2011. Starting this year, all new earned income tax from the NIZ zone, up to 130 acres, will be diverted to pay debt service for both the arena and certain kingmakers, Butz and Reilly. Now, factor in the lost tax from the former businesses in that square block, and we can see another increase just to stay even. The collection of the earned income tax is complicated. I suspect that with the changing rules between where one lives and works, the cost of record keeping and collection might approach the revenue produced. Small businesses are already overwhelmed by the paperwork. Many have taken to out source payroll, even for only a few employees. Let not a few taxpayer teeth or dollars get in the way of ribbon cuttings.

Breaking Some Eggs

I'm afraid that once again some eggs got dropped in the 2011 recipe for molovinsky on allentown. Don't blame this chef if the politicians and newspaper don't always deal from the top of the deck, and I take notice. This blog realized early on that Zahorchak's Pathway to Success was anything but, and apparently responded appropriately, considering his departure before school ended. Along the way, The Morning Call helped itself to one of my reports, and defended the snatch. Those dropped eggs are a mess. Speaking of eggs, one of my favorite posts of the year was titled Boxing Eggs. In that post, I recall working in my father's market, and the ride there. Such posts allow me to introduce Allentown history, and share photographs of that by-gone era. I also promote 95 year old boxers, who fought in the 1930's. Occasionally. I get to combine history and current political mistakes, such as in Saving the Queen City. I also stretch the recipe to advocate, be it for the abused former merchants of Hamilton Street, or the neglected WPA park structures. The comment section of molovinsky on allentown is moderated. I reject repetitive and off topic submissions. Your readership, as always, is greatly appreciated.

King Levinsky

In 1964, a young Cassius Clay trained in south Miami Beach for his first fight against Sonny Liston. At that time, this section of the city was home to mostly retired Jews on fixed income. The hotels, decades after their prime, became pension rooming houses. Decades later, these same buildings would be restored to their art deco splendor, creating today's South Beach. As Clay trained, a middle aged punch drunk necktie peddler told him, "After Liston punches your head, you'll be selling ties with me." The street peddler was a fixture in Miami Beach. He didn't ask, he told people they were going to buy a tie. The future champ probably didn't realize that the heckler was none other than King Levinsky, legend of the 1930's, and veteran of over 118 heavyweight fights. Levinsky was born Harris Krakow in Chicago, and worked at his parent's fish market on Maxwell Street, the Jewish section during the roaring twenties. Although he never got a title shot, and weighed only 185, he fought all the leading heavyweights of his time, including the 265lb. giant, Primo Carnera. Managed by his sister Lena, he was known never to turn down a fight, including those against Max Baer.
copy reprinted from Jan. 23, 2010
photo shows Levinsky with sister/manager Lena in 1932

Down The Rabbit Hole

The unfortunate sinkhole on N. 10th Street has spawned the usual debate , which came first, the sinkhole or the water main break? We who have been around for a long time pretty much know that it's the water main break. In addition to holes, the breaks most likely caused some tragic gas explosions. This conclusion is based on the fact that there is almost always a water main break associated with the holes, and the rate of occurrences have been increasing as the pipes age. Even the famous Corporate Plaza implosion was probably caused by a water main break. Understand that for liability reasons, the City never admits that a water leak created a sinkhole. This post is not about that debate, but rather to question our priorities. It is acknowledged that the city has miles of pipe in excess of 100 years old. In spite of an infrastructure causing periodic tragedy, we are building a $158 million dollar arena, which is only phase 1 of more ambitious plans. Down the rabbit hole is an expression which means entering a state of confusion. By ignoring our infrastructure and the myriad of other quality of life issues, we are going down the hole.