The FireTower Caper

A molovinsky on allentown exclusive. The residents of Allentown are being told that if we do not sell the fire training tower to the Lehigh Valley Hospital Laboratory for expansion, we're in danger of losing a large employer. It appears much more likely that it's the back end of a long standing plan, and that the hospital is accommodating us. There have been plans for at least two years for a new fire training facility, and the city has been soliciting grants for such. The multi-story, multi-million dollar training facility is to be built adjoining the police academy in Lehigh Parkway. The location is the road and hill currently used as the temporary exit road for the park,  and also used as the exit during the Lights In Parkway. In the past this area served the public as park land, used for many years by model plane enthusiasts. The new training center would bring all the heavy fire equipment from nearby counties, necessitating a wider road, moved further east of the current single lane exit road. This would be in line with the new park tradition of spreading more macadam. molovinsky on allentown has also learned that with new adjoining police and fire training facilities, there is discussion of a new position, Public Safety Director. The Director would oversee Police, Fire and EMS. The new position would require appropriate assistants and secretaries, in The City Without Limits.

Living Here In Allentown

In 1982, when Billy Joel wrote Allentown, they were still serving strawberry pie in the basement at Hess's. Mayor Pawlowski has hired an Australian, from Macungie, to rewrite the iconic song. I don't think that toothpaste is going back in the tube. Perhaps, it would be better if Pawlowski concentrated on improving the city, instead of the song. There's even a delusion that perhaps Billy will come back to Allentown, and perform the new version. A comment to The Morning Call said that in retrospect, 1982 were the good old days.

Rumors From The Gristmill

The Fegley Family Brew Works is reportedly in jeopardy of losing it's golf course concession, because they dared speak against the Trash to Energy Plant. This plant uses technology not used anywhere else in the country, and was opposed by a broad spectrum of those involved in the environmental and green movements. Fran Dougherty, Allentown's Managing Director, told the Lehigh County Commissioners that a new $multi-million dollar training center will be built in Lehigh Parkway, to replace the fire tower facility being sold to Lehigh Valley Health Network, to expand their laboratory at Lehigh and Vultee Streets. Dougherty discounts the FAA prohibition of the sale as a temporary misunderstanding. In 1928 this city reached a population of 100,000 people. Although we are only slightly larger now, we are being operated with the shenanigans of multi-million person city.

The Great White Hope

Jack Johnson was the first black man to hold the World Heavyweight Championship, in an era which did not celebrate such an accomplishment. A former champ, James Jefferies, was induced by $100,000 in 1910 to come out of retirement to challenge Johnson. Jefferies was called The Great White Hope. The story became a movie in 1970, starring James Earl Jones. By the time Joe Louis became champion three decades later, although the resentment was gone, he was still referred to as the Negro Champion and the Brown Bomber. A promo for Abe Simon's first Louis fight even refers to Simon as The White Heavyweight. Simon certainly was no bigot, his trainer for the fight was none other than the great Jack Johnson himself.

Buyer's Remorse

The video above was sent to me as a preview of the campaign by the Republican Jewish Coalition, which I support. It's not clear to me if the advertisement will be aired for the general public, or targeted specifically to Jewish groups. Barack Obama received 78% of the Jewish vote in 2008.

Before The Queen

The original hanger and tower at Queen City Airport were built as part of the war effort,  and dedicated as Convair Field on October 10, 1943. In 1928, the Chief of the Reading Police flew to Allentown to attend the fair, landing at Mitchel Field. Despite Mayor Pawlowski's efforts to sell Queen City, the Lehigh Valley Airport Authority has decided that the south side airfield will continue it's aviation tradition, and even expand it's hanger capacity. Pawlowski, who previously declared July Privatization Month, then suggested that the Airport Authority should at least privatize the Queen's operation.