Hurricane Diane, 1955

Hurricane Diane hit the Lehigh Valley in August of 1955. Living in Little Lehigh Manor, I remember huddling in the house, while the metal garbage cans of the era flew around the neighborhood. My father, whose meat market was on Union Street by the Lehigh River, worked throughout the night. Fortunately for him, his market had an second floor backup cooler, and a small freight elevator. While the retail business district on Hamilton Street is elevated enough to be unaffected from flooding, center city Easton was devastated by the Delaware. The next morning was rather surreal for a nine year old boy. A large willow tree on the corner of Lehigh Parkway South and Catalina Ave. was lying on its side. Although the Little Lehigh receded quickly, the park road and basin had been flooded. Diane remains a record in flooding and damage. Let us hope it remains that way.

photo from August 1955. Lehigh River rising by former A&B Meats. The row of houses shown were demolished to make way for a new bridge approach several years later.

reprinted from August of 2011

Beyond Disillusioned With Netanyahu

Oct. 7th was atrocious, and Israel of course had the right to defend itself. The attack by Hamas was very low tech and a complete failure of Israeli security. The prolonged counterattack has been very disproportional. 

Between Trump talking about turning Gaza into a resort, and Netanyahu's government looking for other countries to take Palestinians, no wonder G-7 will recognize a Palestinian State this fall. I understand that with planned Jewish construction on the West Bank, such a State will be virtually landless for now, but world attitude favoring a state has turned strongly toward it. Netanyahu and his obsessions have done for the Palestinians what they wouldn't and couldn't do for themselves. 

More consequential is that Israel has squandered its reputation. It has depreciated the Jewish reality of the holocaust. The disservice that Netanyahu and his coalition inflicted on Israel and world Jewry will be a long term burden.

shown above the Tomb of Aaron

Mike Schlossberg's Self-Flagellation

You have to give Mike Schlossberg credit, he's not afraid to confront mental illness, in himself or his constituents. Recently, to atone for any and all misguided votes over the years, he suggested voters dunk him. For three consecutive days, Mike allowed voter after voter, regardless of political affiliation, to throw balls at the target. He was dunked no less than three hundred times.

Asked if this will be a yearly ritual, he's hesitant to commit. He doesn't doubt that his future votes will deserve public punishment, but confused by the enthusiasm of the participants. 

Some ball throwers in the long line exhibited anger far beyond any decision made in Harrisburg. His aides had to monitor against people wanting a second and third time in line, despite the long wait. His intent was to reduce mental illness, not contribute to it.

Archer Music Hall

I'm sure I don't know as much as I think I do about most things I write about, but with today's post, I know nothing. Dr. Google has been helping me out here with band schedules and reviews. If I was fifty years younger, maybe I would have heard of some of these groups, but I wasn't very hip back then either.

The reviews suggest that the venue is doing well. People complain about the wait to get in, but that suggests the shows are successful. My big question is about spin off business after the shows? I know they have their own bar, but are the other restaurants benefiting before or after the performances? Another question is about the Allentown Parking Authority. Are they preying on the concert goers?

J.B. Reilly seems intent on injecting some life into his Potemkin Village. Considering how many of our state tax dollars have been invested into his empire, we must wish him well on that.

Open Question For Bill White

In 2012, I appeared on a Business Matters show about the upcoming arena and NIZ.  I and Steve Thode from Lehigh spoke against it, while several people were chosen to champion it, including Mike Fleck and Sy Traub. 

I had been helping out the former merchants, and attended a couple meetings at City Hall with them. They were being threatened with eminent domain if they refused to sell. Although they were compensated fairly for the real estate, they got nothing for their businesses. While one of them relocated to 7th Street, all the others went out of business. In all cases it was more than their livelihood, it was also their past and future.

Bill White wrote a column about the debate, and referred to me as dour and misguided. Not one business from anywhere on Hamilton Street prior to the NIZ remains. No businesses, including restaurants, had any lasting success. Nobody still considers Hamilton Street a business district, it is now an urban office park. Mr. Fleck got indicted along with Pawlowski. Sy Traub remains on the NIZ board. 

I hoping Bill White responds to this post. Was I as misguided as you thought? BTW, I'll accept the dour label, especially when it comes to the NIZ.

Move Over Alan Jennings

Yes, I know that Jennings retired from Community Action, but there's a new sheriff in Dodge anyway. Gregory Edwards has grown his church into a multi-faceted program. A couple of years ago his organization was gifted the historic Zion Church, where the Liberty Bell was hidden during the Revolutionary War. But, the Allentown of 2025 isn't much for history. 

Resurrected Community Development Corp., an arm of Resurrected Life Community Church, will renovate and build an addition to its Children’s Academy at 916 W. Turner St. The $7mil project is mostly funded by federal tax credits funneled to the corporation by Finanta.  Finanta appears to be the king of community non-profits. It was started with a $90mil grant, and has developed into a credit union and statewide lender.

If I was a nicer and smarter man, this blog would be a 501c. It's truly non-profit, I don't even get a salary. I do, however, get a lot of dirty looks...

photocredit:Economidis/TheMorningCall