A Synagogue Story

When I saw the photos of the collapsed synagogue in Mahanoy City, I thought about Agudas Achim on 2nd, St. in Allentown. Actually, there is an identical synagogue as Mahanoy City in Lehighton, built at the same time in 1923 by the same builder. Mahanoy City never had more than fifty Jewish families, and now only one elderly Jew remains.

Beyond the collapse, there is a side story playing out about the former synagogue's stained glass windows. After the synagogue closed in around 2005, they ended up in a synagogue on Long Island several years later. The cemetery for the old coal town congregation is essentially abandoned and out of maintenance funds. Descendants, who no longer live there are trying to get remunerated for the windows. Before the collapse, the Long Island representative stated that they had saved the windows from neglect. That statement turned out truer than known at the time.

What brings this story to this Allentown blog are two tie-ins. Cable TV was started in Mahanoy City by John Walson, who then moved to Allentown and created Service Electric. On a personal note, years ago I questioned an uncle why they were selling the former Agudas Achim on 2nd. St. He explained that the remaining few elderly members had found an appropriate buyer, who would repurpose and maintain the building in compliance with guidelines for former synagogues.

Principles First Comes Up Short

The Principles First recent convention was far from standing room only. Supposedly even the reduced amount of chairs put out weren't filled. This group was started by Republicans who did not support Trump, or Never Trumpers, if you will. Does this mean that these people have seen the light and are again in the Trump fold? Not at all.

I think that Republicans opposed to Trump have only increased, but Trump and his minions are exhausting. Take the tariff ruling. Does Trump consider his illegal tariffs illegal, no way....He just will impose them under a different code, until that then is successfully challenged.

What his minions don't get is that he doesn't care about long term damage inflicted upon Republicans. Short of being impeached, he could care less about what happens to Republicans, including those sycophants in his administration.

Trump's Constitutional Ignorance

When a giant portrait of a sitting president is unfurled over the Justice Department, our democracy has a problem. When a sitting president says "I'm ashamed of certain members of the (Supreme) court. Absolutely ashamed for not having the courage to do what's right for our country," our democracy has a problem. When a sitting president claims that the Supreme Court is “very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution." we have a problem.

As Trump berated the Supreme Court, it became indisputably clear that he is unfit for the Presidency. He doesn't know and understand the difference between the branches of our government. The sycophants that surround him, many of whom are lawyers, have compromised themselves for their careers.

The only tool we have to defend our system of government is the ballot box. None of the Republicans running, even for special elections, have repudiated Trump.

FCC Courting Women

The FCC is investigating whether The View violated the equal time doctrine with a segment featuring JamesTalarico, an anti-administration senate candidate from Texas. Their premise is that liberal politicians and liberal media are using entertainment shows to bypass long established equal time rules by conventional news sources. The Talarico controversy also recently surfaced on the Stephen Colbert show.

I question whether conventional news sources still exist. All the stations now-a-days seem to have a slant, one way or another. What is new is weaponizing these agencies, such as the FCC.

Not to reveal my sexism, but isn't there an old expression about a woman's scorn? Attacking The View before the midterms must have James Carville snickering. Talk about snickering, The Morning Call just gave Ryan Mackenzie promotion to announce that he doesn't know about any ICE detention centers planned for Lehigh Valley. Considering they're planning one next door in Berks County, why would they build one here? They're not McDonalds, not yet anyway.

Divide And Conquer For Allentown's 22nd District

During last week's debate for the Special Election to fill Josh Siegel's vacated Pa. House Seat, Ana Tiburcio on several occasions answered that she was not familiar with a particular issue. Meanwhile, on the dais, Bob Smith was animated and appeared more informed. Now keep in mind that Tiburcio just learned that she was a candidate after Julian Guridy disqualified himself. Smith, meanwhile, had run in the past.

Immediately, in response to Tiburcio's performance, several people have called for writing in Ce-Ce Gerlach, who is a candidate for the full term primary in May. It occurs to me that the intention of promoting a write-in vote is to divide the Democratic vote for Smith's benefit. 

There are people, such as streetwise activist Eddie Aviles, who feel that if Tiburcio wins, she may well go on to win the full term in November of 2026, and that she is the least qualified of all three previously mentioned.

photocredit:VictorMartinez/101.7FM

Radio Returns To Center City

In 1952, WSAN opened its office and studio at 39 N. 10th Street. A pioneer in local radio, the station started in 1923. Although long filled in, next to the door there was a microphone carved into the granite.  In 1982, the station sponsored a contest with three men living on a Rt.22 billboard. The stunt lasted 261 days and attracted national attention.

In the 1990's, former WAEB DJ Guy Ackley produced his iconic radio ads from a sound both inside his advertising agency at 7th & Linden. Bobby Gunther Walsh has hosted a morning show on WAEB with a conservative theme for decades. While Republicans flock there for exposure, for Walsh it's just a gig.

Victor Martinez is building a new studio for his La Mega 101.7FM (WTKZ) on the upper floor of a building in the 600 block of Hamilton. Unlike the Dopey Duncan era of Pennsylvania Dutch, the Martinez show is completely in Spanish. While mostly music, Martinez does produce a news segment.

This blogger is looking for some early morning microphone time, for a balanced discussion of issues local and beyond.

shown above 1982 billboard stunt