7th Street As The Combat Zone

Years ago, in addition to being a blogger, I was also an activist.  I fought against the dislocation of the former Hamilton Street merchants, as their properties were being assembled for the coming NIZ.  They were threatened with eminent domain and other heavy handed tactics by City Hall.  Those interested can find the stories here in this blog's archives, but not in the Morning Call, which was part and parcel of the NIZ from the get-go.

While those merchants were considered a "cancer" on Hamilton Street, the same merchants are now called a "success story" on 7th Street. On a recent post, someone comments that they will no longer patronize 7th Street,  which they now consider rude, crude and dangerous. 

In the 1970's, downtown Boston had a section called the combat zone.  There, the riff-raff could enjoy themselves, and not despoil the upscale shops elsewhere in the city. We have created a combat zone in Allentown, called 7th Street. Credit a street manager with doing a great job dressing up the buildings, but the double parking attitude remains. 

Unfortunately for Allentown, no upscale shopping has taken hold on Hamilton Street. But, actually, the Hamilton Street NIZ wasn't really meant as an urban renewal project, but rather a privately owned, publicly financed, real estate bonanza for a few connected individuals. Again, it's a story you'll only find in this blog's archives.

photocredit:Boston Combat Zone/molovinsky

Allentown Police Believe This Is An Isolated Incident

Early Sunday morning there was a shooting at the VIP Lounge in Allentown.  Police issued what has become their standard disclaimer... Police believe this is an isolated incident and there is no threat to the community. 

In reality, this was neither an isolated incident nor not a threat to the community. As these shootings become more commonplace, we need an administration which does not attempt to normalize them. Mayor Tuerk has been flirting with the Hispanic community... They have been in turn very flattered. The current chief, Charles Roca, is both of Guatemalan descent and a native Allentonian...Politically, that is as good as it gets from Tuerk's POV.  However, Roca became chief by default. Those ahead of him in rank became Chief For The Day, and then left Dodge while their reputation was still intact. If Roca isn't really up to the position, Tuerk will have to man-up and replace him, politics aside. 

What I just wrote above is of course heresy in Latino Allentown...but that's why I'm a blogger.

photocredit:WFMZ69

UPDATE: The first version of this post misindentified Roca as Puerto Rican 

A Bastard Blogger and Lights In The Parkway

As dusk falls, cars start entering Lehigh Parkway to enjoy the annual Christmas light display.  In the darkness they drive past the top of the Double Stairwell, built by the WPA in 1935. It was designed as the signature structure in the park. In daylight they would see that the top landing is breaking up, and the subsequent landings down the double stairs are even in worse condition. These cracked landings allow seeping water to undermine the steps below them,  jeopardizing the entire structure.  I have been reporting these deteriorating conditions to the Park Department for six years. While nothing has been done to rehab this irreplaceable structure, the department is actively seeking grants to build another new park, near the old incinerator plant off Basin Street.

As a long time public critic of the former Pawlowski administration,  his park directors may have dismissed my criticism of park policy as political discontent. However, with the current mayor and park director I have a long time rapport, but to no apparent avail.

When I drive through the park I don't see the pretty lights, but a sad situation. I see crumbling WPA structures. I see neglect and misplaced priorities.

reprinted from December of 2019 

UPDATE DECEMBER 2020: The Park Department did repair the vertical surfaces on the stairwell structure this past summer through a Trexler Trust grant, but not the landings. Because the landing surfaces are essential to maintain the structural integrity, I will keep up my campaign for such repair.

UPDATE DECEMBER 2021: In a few weeks we'll have a new mayor, but this old blogger will to continue to focus on the same shortcomings to our park system. Rather than seeking outside grants for the WPA structures, they must become main park budget items. They must be given the priority their place in our history deserves.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 28, 2022: Another year has passed, and the landings on the Double Stairwell  have still not been repaired. The city has announced that this will be the last year for the Christmas Light display. While at this point it has almost become a tradition, I remember when the attraction was new and controversial. Electrifying the park didn't sit well with park traditionalists, myself included. Long traffic lines, wrapping back and over the stone arch bridge, didn't sit well with neighbors. However, things become old, including the lights and bastard bloggers.

Covid Corruption

I'm not qualified to opine on the value of the Covid-19 vaccine, but the stimulus money which followed the pandemic has been squandered in wholesale fashion.  Even so, there is still more to dispense than they know what to do with. The most recent plan in Pennsylvania, to fund homeowner repairs up to $50,000 each, is a testament to the weak minds of our elected officials.

The decision to allow chosen, so called non-profits, to pick who the lucky homeowners will be, is a testament to our embrace of corruption.

Before they realized that they had more funds than they could find uses for, even the infrastructure projects were compromised. For instance, here in Lehigh Valley, rather than widen traffic-logged Rt. 22, we're building a special exit, to create a new warehouse complex for a connected developer.

While the virus stubbornly continues on, hopefully Washington will be cured of the ill-advised spending.

Molovinsky and Wehr's Dam

On June 26th, 2014 the Parkland Press reported my initial presentation to the South Whitehall Commissioners to save Wehr's Dam.  I knew from previous experience with the Wildlands Conservancy that they would seek quick approval, and even quicker demolition, when they obtained the green light. The commissioners had already approved a new park master plan, which called for the dam's removal. 

My efforts alerted others, including descendants of the dam's original builder and owner, to join the battle. The commissioners, for political purposes, went through various insincere gestures in response to the public outcry to save the iconic dam. They sponsored a referendum in 2016, never expecting it to pass, tying it to a tax increase.  Although the referendum did pass, the commissioners managed to stall committing to the dam for another five years. 

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the Widlands Conservancy interacted with Harrisburg, using their influence to mandate repairs five times more complex and expensive than necessary,  attempting to undo the referendum by cost limitations. The previous commissioners never ceased trying to accommodate the Wildlands Conservancy.  During this period I had become a persona non grata at the Morning Call, and they refused to print my submitted letters on the situation.  When I finally prevailed upon editor Mike Miorelli to assign a reporter to the topic,  they ignored Right To Know information I provided them, and then white-washed the entire conspiracy against the dam.

While I was barred from the Morning Call (I still am), I continued to advocate for the dam here on this blog, and revealed the culprits working against the dam. I'm happy to report that all involved in the conspiracy are now out of office, and also out of the township's administration. The dam is now being repaired for state approval. While the reconstruction is much more extensive and expensive than it needed be, at least future residents will still be able to continue enjoying both the beauty and history of the park's landmark feature...water flowing over the dam and under the covered bridge!

ADDENDUM: Those interested in more details about the conspiracy can refer to my previous post on the dam. Those with still further interest can type Wehr's Dam into the search engine box on this blog's  web version sidebar. That search will yield over a dozen posts on the topic.

Shootings In Allentown No Threat

Yesterday Allentown was assured by the police and Morning Call that the shootings on 5th Street were no threat to the public.  While the victims were hauled off on the conveyor belt to the ER by the EMS, life continues in center city as usual.

We have a mayor, about Hispanic as a Taco Bell sandwich, telling everybody in Spanish that he understands both their language and sentiments. 

We have a school board that only hires Black people, who in turn only hire Black people, so that they look like the brown people that they're supposed to teach.

We have a local NAACP calling everyone racist.

We have a newspaper who proved that they wouldn't know corruption if it occurred under their nose for over a decade.

artwork by Mark Beyer