For Whom The Development Tolls

Myself, and other skeptics, have long maintained that the main beneficiaries of Allentown's NIZ are the few millionaires who will become billionaires. I do recognize that besides the few chosen developers and Pawlowski, there are citizens of good will who welcome what the mayor calls the transformation. However, some recent announcements seem to have little to no public benefit, but will cost the public in lost state taxes. The arena complex includes a new hotel facing 7th Street. The Holiday Inn at 9th and Hamilton will also be remodeled with zone tax funds. Business at that hotel has been marginal for years, and it has housed a series of taxpayer subsidized restaurants. Can minor league hockey fans support two hotels, can they support one? The Americus property at 6th and Hamilton also is seeking a $13 million dollar Authority loan for renovation. A new Butz proposal for the Farr Lot on 8th Street will soon push the Arena Authority loan portfolio close to the $Billion dollar mark. Contrary to Corbett's claim that there are no new taxes, we at the gasoline pump know better. Despite the cheerleaders for this development, all state residents will be paying for it, one way or another.

In a Town Without Pity

A few years ago Donald was living under the 8th Street Bridge, until he graduated to sleeping on the floor at St. Pauls Church. Last night he implored Allentown City Council to do something about the homeless crisis, so that he and others can survive, besides from the good will of a few angels. A couple of those angels were also at Council last evening. Donald thanked Diane Teti for her help in the last year. Councilwoman Eichenwald called her one the righteous, a compliment of biblical proportion. Speaker after speaker told council that the time and weather has come for the Administration to address the issue. Council President Guridy and City Administration Manager Dougherty suggested a Lehigh County committee, until Teti assured them that the committee was part of the problem, not the solution. Teti wants them to open City Hall on freezing nights, to provide shelter to those who can not find shelter elsewhere. Council, which was to meet about this problem on February 12th, did agree to meet sooner because of the cold weather. I have seen them in the past suspend the rules, and vote on a spontaneous resolution, but that didn't occur last night.

Logging South Mountain

Rich Fegley doesn't know what to worry about next. In addition to the water lease, the trash and sewage to energy plant, the homeless, now he's discovered that they're logging South Mountain. In a furry of emails today between Fegley and Chris Kocher of the Wildland's Conservancy, Fegley was assured that the logging is occurring on privately owned land. Not to throw gasoline on the fire, but Fegley should know that this blog disclosed several years ago that Allentown had plans, and even a contract, to log the mountain. The Morning Call picked up on my scoop, and the ensuing story embarrassed Pawlowski into backing off the plan. At that time neither the Conservancy, the Allentown Environmental Advisory Council, or the local college science professors expressed any objection. Today, Fegley copied all the above parties and media with his concerns. From my recent experience with the Conservancy and the environmentalists mentioned, concerning the dam at Robin Hood, I wouldn't take their word on anything.
in the picture above the light green wooded area is under supervision of The Wildland's Conservancy

The Conservancy, with the support of the "environmentists", demolished the dam and piled the broken dam rubble around the stone bridge piers, depreciating a place of beauty since 1941.

No Room At The Inn

Although it's campaigns took in over $2 million dollars in contributions last year, WFMZ reported that the Allentown Rescue Mission rejected some homeless during last week's record cold,  despite having empty beds. The Rescue Mission, with a $3 million dollar annual budget, has become very administrative, just hiring a Development Director, and seeking a new CEO. Meanwhile, Reverend Baumann at St. Pauls Lutheran Church on South 8th Street, has actually been giving the homeless shelter from the cold, with a $6 thousand dollar budget. With that modest amount of money he served the homeless over 300 times last year. Community activists Diane Teti and Rich Fegley have also lent their energy to this homeless crisis. They intend to bring the problem to the attention of City Council Wednesday evening. A town spending $600 million on new development should be able to provide some warmth to their unfortunate.

The Pioneers of Israel

When the Syrian tank entered the gates of Degania Alef, in the early morning hours of May 20, 1948, it was greeted with molotov cocktails: It hasn't moved since. Started by Russian immigrants who arrived in 1909, sitting on the southern end of the Sea of Galilee, it's the oldest Kibbutz in Israel. When Moshe Dyan was born there in 1915, they were still under Ottoman rule. He was named after the first defender killed, in 1913.
reprinted from November 2010

A Force of Israel

When the combined Arab armies attacked newly declared Israel in 1948, Ariel Sharon was then only twenty years old, but already a force that they would have to face in battle over the next 34 years. Israel's great general was born in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine, in 1928. In 1973 he turned the tide in Israel's favor against the surprise Yom Kippur attack, by leading his armored column across the Suez Canal, getting behind the Egyptian forces. The warrior died yesterday.

The History Mission of molovinsky on allentown

Since it's inception, molovinsky on allentown has published local history along with political commentary. Allentown has become a city of immigrants; Whether it's our from out of town mayor and his from out of town staff, or our new population demographics, it's difficult to find someone who has lived here for more than twenty years. Redevelopment is nothing new to Allentown. Entire neighborhoods and portions of Hamilton Street have disappeared in the past. There has never been a shortage of new bridges or political ambition. This blog, unencumbered by considerations of political correctness or business promotion, posts these short historical markers, as reference points for the curious.

When opened 1913, the Eighth Street Bridge was the longest and highest reinforced concrete arch bridge in the world. The Lehigh Valley Transit Company organized the Allentown Bridge Company in 1911 for the sole purpose of building the bridge. The structure operated as a toll bridge from its November 17, 1913 opening until the 1950s, at which time the toll was five cents for an automobile. The concrete standards that once supported the trolley wire are still standing. Harry C. Trexler, founding member of the Transit Company and Lehigh Portland Cement Co., was a principle player in the construction of this bridge. General Trexler's grave-site, in Fairview Cemetery on Lehigh Street, affords unique views of the bridge and center city Allentown.