Allentown's Mickey Mouse Club

The Allentown Economic Development Corporation is wasting another $half million dollars on it's Baby-Diaper Changing Station, which they call the Bridgeworks Enterprise Center. Somehow, by changing the skylight panels, Allentown and Washington think that they're investing in the infrastructure of business. Meanwhile, Corbett was in Macungie visiting a real enterprise; A part manufacturer making axles for Mack Trucks. The Morning Call combined both these stories in one article, but failed to see the difference between productivity and Mickey Mouse.

More Big Adventures by Mickey
  Adorable AEDC
  AEDC's Choo Choo
  Figment of My Imagination
  Note To The Mayor

Back To The Future

It's the year 2018 and Mayor Guridy has just received the long anticipated study from A&P Associates. Advice from Afflerbach and Pawlowski doesn't come cheap, $475,000, but as City Council President Cynthia Mota said,"Sometimes it pays to invest in the best." Some of the recommendations to revive Hamilton Street and it's ailing arena complex are nothing less than brilliant. Reilly's dormant City Center Three and Four will be conveyed to The Allentown Housing Authority, to be converted into rent subsidized housing. The Lanta Terminal will become the Park Department's long anticipated Pit Bull Center, the intercity skate and dog park. The bus transfer stops are to be placed back on Hamilton Street between 7th and 9th, creating foot traffic and enhancing a sense of security. Meter rates will be reduced, once again accepting quarters and other coins. The old Allentown Brew Pub, closed since the Arena Sports Bar opened, will be torn down to create a convenient pocket parking lot. The renovations would be implemented by the Butz Company, and as is the policy, no estimates will be provided. Guridy will make the announcement early next week, and a translation in English will be available.

adapted from a previous post

New Park Ranger

When the doctor told me about my incredibly low vitamin D, he asked if my family was from Transylvania? When I replied that we were, he apologized for his faux pas and we determined that my condition was caused by blogging. I decided to get some sun by walking in our parks, combining my vitamin deficiency with my civil annoyance. Because I have never owned shorts or sneakers, the first week saw me in jeans, shirt and shoes. I went to a local discount store and purchased shorts and a tank top. Fashion now dictates that men's shorts go below the knees. Because I have short legs, the shorts went halfway to my ankles, looking like knickers from 1920. I took them to be shortened, but apparently mismarked them. Besides at the Pride Festival this past Sunday, no man wears shorts that short. I also made a mistake with the tank top. Apparently, I had inadvertently crossed over into the women's section at the discount store. When I washed the shirt, I saw the flowers on the label. Anyway, I am getting plenty of sun and investigating our parks. My first reports dealt with the No Maintenance Zone and included a letter from a dog owner, who can no longer enjoy the stream at Cedar Park. An apologist for City Hall suggested tick and insect repellant. Tony Martin replied: The no-mow zones does absolutely nothing beneficial to the creek in cedar creek park. My dog is small. Not a lab. He is only 10 inches tall and I prefer not to marinate his or my body with pesticides to repel ticks and other insects. Neither should any children be subjected to that. I, nor my best friend, have access to this once great park's best asset,the creek. You cannot even tell that a creek exists unless you cross the bridge. Please speak out about this issue,and let Mayor Pawlowski know that you the people, that pay his salary, will not stand for this nonsense to continue any longer. Mow the weeds already and restore both the view and access to this once beautiful creek/park. - Tony Martin Although I certainly do agree with Tony, currently the citizens must fight for fresh drinking water. With the private for profit Trash To Energy Plant, we have already lost the right to fresh air. Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself in my new persona as Park Ranger. More reports surely to follow.

Grandstanding

Next Wednesday evening, August 29,at 6:30pm, citizens will have the opportunity to speak out against the Water System Lease. Mayor Pawlowski refers to this right of expression as grandstanding. He may be half right, but perhaps the grandstanding is by City Council. Take for example the hearing on the Trash To Energy Plant. Although one environmentalist after another spoke out against it, including those normally supportive of Pawlowski, Council still voted yes. If the water plant is profitable enough to attract buyers, why shouldn't the city retain the asset? Normal Pawlowski sycophants, such as Schweyer and Schlossberg, might want to consider the long term political consequences. Both Councilmen visualize a political career starting in Harrisburg. When a private water company starts raising the rates, which will affect the entire valley, their votes may well provide their future opponents an issue. I must exclude Jeanette Eichenwald from the grandstanding implication. She was sincere in calling for the public meeting. Will her colleagues seize their opportunity for leadership?

UPDATE: The Morning Call announced the meeting on it's website with the following headline: Public to get say on Allentown water, sewer plan.   The public will be allowed to speak, if they get a "say" remains to be seen.

UPDATE: Jeanette Eichenwald has an editorial today urging her fellow council persons to vote  against the water system lease and explore alternatives.  Although her independence is nothing new,  I applaud her effort to influence her colleagues.

Boxing Eggs

When I was a little boy, I would work at my father's meat market, boxing eggs. The job was pretty straightforward. I would take eggs from a big box, and put them in small boxes with folding lids, each of which held a dozen. If I did a whole crate without breaking an egg, I did a good job. The real adventure was the drive to the shop. We lived just off Lehigh Street, and would take it all the way to Union Street. The many landmarks are now gone forever, only remaining in my camera of the past. Shown above in 1952, is the portion of Lehigh Street near the Acorn Hotel, which is not visible in the photograph. Before reaching the Acorn, you drove under The Reading Railroad bridge overpass, which recently has been dismantled and removed. That line served the Mack Plant on S. 10th Street. Just beyond the area pictured, the Quarry Barber railroad spur also crossed Lehigh Street, at the bridge over the Little Lehigh Creek. That line also crossed S. 10th, and served Traylor Engineering, now known as the closed Allentown Metal Works. Just last week Mitt Romney was there, to rebuke Obama's former visit to the site. Mayor Pawlowski is now rebuking Romney, but none of them really know anything about it's past. A half block away, on overgrown steps built by Roosevelt's WPA, a thousand men would climb home everyday, after working at Mack and Traylor. Freight trains, on parallel tracks, from two different railroads, were needed to supply those industrial giants.

After my father rounded the second curve on Lehigh Street, we would head up the steep Lehigh Street hill. It was packed with houses and people. At the top of the hill, we would turn right on to Union Street. Going down Union Street, Grammes Metal was built on the next big curve. Grammes made a large assortment of finished decorative metal products. Beyond Grammes were numerous railroad crossings. The Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks crossed Union, as did the Jersey Central and several spurs, near Basin Street. It was not unusual to wait twenty-five minutes for the endless freight trains to pass. A two plus story tower gave the railroad men view and control of the busy crossing. A few more blocks and we were at the meat market, in time for me to break some eggs.

reprinted from July 2011

Dumbo The Flying Elephant

Lehigh Valley International Airport has just completed a deal with Delusion Airlines, which will pretend to fly passengers anywhere in the world they want. It is estimated that there might be up to 250,000 people in the valley with occasional hallucinations. Since the planes don't actually go anywhere, Delusion Airlines will not be sticking LVIA with a $million dollar fuel bill, as did all the previous airlines. Currently, there are not many flights that actually go anyplace. There are no direct flights to any city in Florida, except Orlando twice a week. There are no direct flights to Boston, or any other city considered a destination in the travel business. The busiest flight is the Continental Airline Bus to Newark. Despite still owing $16 million for land they never used, despite having less domestic flights than the old airport shown above, yesterday The Morning Call reported a plan to spend $5 million for a U.S. Customs station for international flights.