In The Jungle, The Mighty Jungle, A Lion Sleeps Tonight

This coming November 3th, Allentown will have the opportunity to restore the Lion to the sleepy City Council. Without Hershman, the new Council will provide no checks and balances, what-so-ever, to the Administration's version of government. Lou Hershman is a one man thorn bush. Rest assure that if any counter balance can be cajoled out of this essentially one party town, Lou is the man to do it. Regardless of one's political persuasion, there can be no down side to electing Lou. Which executive in our little world doesn't need at least some scrutiny, at least to answer an occasional question.

photocredit:molovinsky

reprinted from October of 2009

In memory of Lou Hershman

Upside Down Allentown

For someone like myself, with institutional knowledge of Allentown, yesterday was another rough day reading the Morning Call.  A featured story was Allentown losing its managing director. A former mayoral candidate is quoted saying that he'll look into the legality of the city operating with the position empty.  Actually, the city charter never authorized the position in the first place.  When the current charter was created, it was decided that Allentown would stay with a strong mayor, rather than have the city run with a managing director.  One of the first things Pawlowski did after taking over in 2006, was to hire a managing director anyway. So, for the last 15 years we have been paying for an unauthorized position.  Of course that's the least of it, considering that Pawlowski's managing director was part and parcel of his administration's corruption. 

Another featured story yesterday was the Wildlands Conservancy adding to their South Mountain Reserve.  The article mentioned that they secured a $half million dollar grant  from the state for the purchase.  What the Morning Call won't reveal is that this back channel with Harrisburg is being used to set aside the referendum about Wehr's Dam.  Although the citizens voted to keep their cherished dam,  the Wildlands is actively working behind the scenes to have the state condemn it.  While I handed the Morning Call the story on a silver platter, they refuse to print it.

Of course if I walked on water, they would say that I couldn't swim. Actually, they wouldn't say anything at all about me. Although there have been numerous mentions of current write-in candidacies, nothing has been mentioned about my write-in for the 183rd state house district.

Trolley Demise In Allentown

A local young urbanist speculated that automobiles put the end to trolleys in the Lehigh Valley. He was half right, actually it was the Mad Men from General Motors. In the early 1950's, Americans were still a one car family, even in the prosperous Lehigh Valley. The mass transit system was still full of the other family members, still using the system for work, shopping and school. Between the late 1940's and 1953, Hamilton Street had both trolleys and buses. In the late 40's, General Motors wined and dined transit officials all over the country, exhorting the benefits of their buses. Shown above is a Lehigh Valley Transit work car, towing a trolley to Bethlehem Steel to be scrapped. The photograph was taken in 1952 on St. John Street, heading toward the Fountain Hill route. In June of 1953, the last trolley would run on Hamilton Street.

 reprinted from September of 2011

Lehigh Valley vs National Politics

In addition to publishing this blog for over 13 years, two years ago I started a social media group named Allentown Chronicles. The group is designated for local history and occasional local politics. When I announced my write-in campaign for state rep, a couple members complained about the political nature of the post.

Being on social media, I took the opportunity to visit their pages. In both cases the pages were full of memes about national politics. It appears that although they’re very interested in the presidential election, they have no political interest in their own backyard. Their attitude seems very widespread in the Lehigh Valley. 

The state house is full of representatives who went there straight out of college and have been there ever since. While their party affiliation seems important in this region of straight party lever pullers, nothing else, certainly including their lack of accomplishment, seems to matter. 

As an independent, I offer them no blind party loyalty. As an involved activist, I offer them informed advocacy, but no campaign gimmicks. 

This blog will serve as campaign headquarters for Write-In Molovinsky. I’m not on the ballot, and my name must be written in by those wanting better government in their own backyard. 

The photo was taken at Wehr's Dam. I have been fighting to save local historic structures for many years.

Write-In Molovinsky

If the map below of the 183rd Pa. District looks gerrymandered to you, you might want to consider my write-in candidacy for the state house this election. In 2012, when this map was approved, Julie Harhart was in her umpteenth term. Reports indicate that her successor is not very innovative when in Harrisburg, which supposedly isn’t very often. 

The state house is full of representatives that have been there way too long. Although numerous candidates have broken term limit promises, I offer sincerity in that regard and all others.

I’m unaffiliated with any political party, and have been a vocal advocate for good government for decades. 

As a write-in candidate, I need your help recommending me to your friends in Slatington, Walnutport, Danielsville and Northampton. I need their help recommending me to their friends. 

Unlike usual state representatives, I will send no birthday cards, but will actually work for you in the state house. I will not wave from parade floats, but will work to make sure that your taxes benefit you. 

Let me put my tenacity to work for you. 

                                   

                                                       Michael Molovinsky

 

Hypocrisy Of The Wildlands Conservancy and The Morning Call

Yesterday, was the last day of the Conservancy's Annual Lehigh River Sojourn. The event was well covered by The Morning Call, with both a reporter and photographer on board one of the rafts. The three day event started with a talk by Chris Kocher, President of the Wildlands. The group gets grants during the winter to demolish dams, and grants during the summer to conduct this educational sojourn on the Lehigh river. Last year, Wildlands spend over $250,000 in grant money on just a study, promoting the removal of Wehr's Dam. Their website stated that the Lehigh Sojourn would take place rain or shine, but doesn't explain why. What Chris Kocher and The Morning Call fail to reveal is that their raft adventure is scheduled to coincide with the water release from the Francis E. Walter Dam in White Haven. It is only because of this dam that the Lehigh has a steady flow of water, and that these hypocrites can get their whitewater thrill. 

reprinted from 2015

UPDATE September 21, 2020: The Morning Call announced that the Wildlands Conservancy was paddling on the Lehigh River this past weekend. Of course hypocrisy isn't limited to the Wildlands Conservancy. The Morning Call has more than its share, hiding the story of the Wildlands Conservancy conspiring against Wehr's Dam and the citizens of South Whitehall Township