Behind The Curtain of Blogging

Recently, a fellow blogger frustrated by the lack of comments submitted to his blog, complained that two blogs seem to dominate the valley. I believe that he was referring to Bernie O'Hare's Lehigh Valley Ramblings, and yours truly. The complaining blogger posts anonymously, on a wide range of topics, assuming that the public should find something interesting about his opinions. The information being transmitted over the airwaves is limitless, and highly competitive. Bernie works the local political scene half the day, and every night; He is a fixture at Northampton County meetings. Although I'm much more reclusive than O'Hare, last week I sat down with a party chairman, a school superintendent, a county judge and a state representative. Please don't get the impression that these distinguished people invited me to lunch, on the contrary. In each case I ambushed them in a public place, and left before they could summon security. In addition to gonzo journalism, I use this blog to publicize causes in which I'm involved, such as the WPA, and preserving the traditional park system. Nobody cares about my opinion on the Oscar nominees, nor should they.

Helping Democracy in Allentown

As a party candidate to run for the state house you need 300 signatures. Today, a State Representative told me how difficult that can be even for an incumbent. Steven Ramos is running as a Republican in the new Allentown 22nd District, which is overwhelmingly Democratic. I ask all registered Republicans in the District to contact Steven and arrange to sign his petition. Regardless of who you support, everybody benefits from more choices. Steven can be reached at 610 335=5247 or steven.ramos@hotmail.com

Republican Party Chairman Blasts County Executive Muller

Yesterday, Democrat Tom Muller gave the state of the union address at Coca Cola Park. The Morning Call today provides good coverage of the speech, with measured rebuttals by Republican Commissioner Mike Schware. Bernie O'Hare, who has made Muller his current pol of choice, posts the speech in it's entirety, as if it were the Gettysburg Address. I only broach the subject to bring you Wayne Woodman's comment from his Facebook page.

The man most responsible for creating a hostile environment blames others. The man who is on the record saying he will resolve our deficit (which he helped create) without hiking taxes is upset that our Commissioners passed a resolution asking him to abide by his promise to voters. Mr Muller is a phony....an ally of the status quo cronies from union bosses to developers looking for a handout. He calls our Reform commissioners terrorists for daring to ask questions and propose solutions. I suppose it's easier to lash out than to actually engage in a deliberate and civil debate. Muller is the poster child for what's wrong and taxpayers will pay his tab.

As Samantha Marcus notes in the Morning Call, it's going to be a combative year at Government Center.

Allentown's Housing Future

Some people read tea-leafs, I read deed transfers. It would be more accurate to say that I study deed transfer. There has only been two weeks in the last 35 years that I failed to scrutinize the list, and those omissions were failed attempts at relaxation. Recently, I mentioned Kenneth Heffentrager and his Tenant Association of Allentown. Kenneth has become a fixture at City Council meetings, complaining about housing and landlords. Kenneth is going to become a very busy boy. For the last several years the deed transfers have been dominated by landlords buying owner occupied houses. Many of these landlords are new to the business, attracted by $25,000, and even cheaper houses in center city. Landlording is tough for experienced operators, and the learning curve is steep. It will take years for the city to identify all the new landlords, and many will walk away when confronted with the realities of their new venture. Although Allentown has a strategy for Hamilton Street, it needs one for the remainder of center city.

Arena Authority Potty Training Abdouche

According to today's Morning Call, Albert Abdouche must jump through numerous hoops to receive the benefit of NIZ financing for the Americus property. Abdouche proposes a hotel on the lower floors, with apartments on the upper. Although the apartments are feasible, the hotel is not. This blog has previously stated that the new arena hotel will render the Holiday Inn, at 9th Street, to second class status, at best. Who could possibly believe that center city can support three hotels? Apparently, not the NIZ Board, because they have imposed requirements on Abdouche not inflicted upon the other beneficiaries of their financing. While J.B. Reilly was fronted money on his projects, Albert must secure his own financing. It's an enormous building, for which I believe the GodFathers have a plan, but I'm not sure that Abdouche is part of it.

Depot At Overlook Park

Old timers have noticed that the contractor's building on Hanover Avenue transformed into a community center for Overlook Park. But only the oldest, or train buffs, realized that the building was the freight depot and office for the Lehigh & New England Railroad. Lehigh & New England was formed in 1895, primarily as a coal carrier. The line ran from Allentown to Maybrook, New York.

In 1904 it was acquired by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. The line ceased operation in 1961. Among it's infrastructure were impressive bridges across both the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers, both of which were dismantled. Ironic that a remnant of our industrial era is being utilized by the successor of a public housing project.

reprinted from May26,2012