Wildlands Conservancy Targets Another Dam

The dams associated with this beautiful grain mill in Hellertown has been targeted by The Wildlands Conservancy. The conservancy has been in the dam demolition business now for several years. They are allowed to keep 15% of the grants received for administrative costs, which in turn they use for their salaries. The caretakers of the mill shown above have wondered aloud if the dam removal on Saucon Creek will affect the flow of water to the mill run. Although the easy answer is of course, the Wildlands will conduct a study, producing an answer which serves their needs.

It's unfortunate when organizations like the Wildlands and DEP, which are sacred cows, become so arrogant that they feel justified and entitled in whatever they do or spend. The 110 year old Wehr's Dam is an excellent example of this abuse. In 2012, the DEP reported that the dam was in overall good condition. Two years later, when the Wildlands wanted to tear it down, they spend $259,000 on a study to convince South Whitehall that the dam should go. That study concluded that it would cost $1 to $2 million dollars to repair the dam. That figure was based on a total rebuild, as if it was holding back the lake behind Hoover Dam. A director of the DEP had publicly stated that there is no reason for any mill associated dam to exist. Quite a historian. The DEP paid for the study with our tax money. That $259,000 could have kept the dam maintained for the next 110 years.

I'm proud to have started the movement to save Wehr's Dam, and glad of our success saving such a picturesque part of South Whitehall's history. I hope that kindred spirits in Saucon Valley likewise defend their dam and history,  both of which are irreplaceable.

Allentown's Pawlowski Dilemma

Allentown City Council is beginning to realize that you cannot legislate integrity. Although freshman council member Hendricks called for Pawlowski's resignation, council as a whole is reluctant. Understand, that Pawlowski isn't going to respond, but such a request by council is long overdue. Of course, another elephant in the room of elephants, are the citizens requesting that certain council members also resign. Politically, this isn't a sophisticated place. For the most part, the voters elected Pawlowski's recommendations last month, despite knowing that he going to the pokey.

While I'm talking about legislation and integrity, allow me to clear up a common misconception. People wonder when the FBI will be going after the NIZ? They won't be, everything about that development was legal, immoral, but legal. It conformed with a custom made law by Pat Brown, to benefit mainly J.B. Reilly. Because, you're served in Harrisburg by incumbent midgets, they approved it, hoping to get their back scratched in return sometime. Pawlowski saw these $millions being made two blocks west from city hall, and wanted his own taste. It appears that a scheme was devised that normal city contracts, having nothing to do with the NIZ, would be influenced by contributions to Pawlowski's Campaign Coffer.

I believe that corrupt elected officials will always find loopholes for profit. You cannot legislate against a wink and nod. Until which time the public puts aside partisan politics, and measures candidates by different criterion, we will need a FBI.

Pawlowski Overstaying His Welcome

As the second defendant has pleaded guilty to wrongdoing as part of a Pawlowski Pay to Play scheme, our mayor is grandstanding by asking for more Syrian refugees. I'm not stating a position on the refugee issue, but on Pawlowski, still making executive decisions which will affect Allentown, long after he's indicted. There are those that feel an honorable Pawlowski would resign. Accepting that he is not honorable, he should at least not be making decisions that impact Allentown's future.

Allentown City Council should  have the consideration to publicly chastise him. Our local state representatives, who as recently as early July were inappropriately part of his PACs, also remain mute.

From Allentown to Harrisburg, we have a political system based on cronyism, diplomacy and mutual personal benefit.  It is a system which does not value honestly, nor considers consequences to the public.

Because,  I have no respect for anybody serving in Harrisburg, I am once again considering running for the 183rd  Statehouse District. If I decide to run, and would get elected, I pledge not to get along well with the others there.

Allentown's Revitalization and Our Frame Of Reference

I suspect that the millennials are most enthused about the changes in Allentown, while the baby boomers are the least. How you feel about what is new there now, is probably based on your frame of reference.  We who experienced Hamilton Street in it's heyday are not so impressed with current developments.  Although the Whitehall Mall opened in the mid 1960's, Hamilton Street continued on for another 30 years. When the Lehigh Valley Mall opened in the late 1970's, Hamilton Street's decline as a destination was swift. Although the former Hess Brothers store would stay open through Christmas of 1995, most of it's shoppers entered and left via it's own parking deck, never stepping foot on Hamilton Street.

During the next 15 years, the downtown survived by serving the neighboring demographic, which was becoming poorer every year. Five years ago, when I debated about the coming NIZ on Business Matters, one of the NIZ board members actually referred to the stores being displaced and their clientele as a cancer. The same merchants and customers are now considered part of 7th Streets' success, what a difference a few blocks make.

Despite one promotional article after another by The Morning Call, the verdict is still out on the success of the new revitalized center city. Because it is being financed exclusively by public funds, and will be for at least the next 30 years, normal barometers of success cannot be used. I spend a lot of time there, but have yet to feel the buzz.

President Trump on Hope and Change

I was going to put up a picture of a murdered Christian woman in Syria, impaled by a cross, but it's just too horrible an image to use to make a point; That point being we're concerned about  words that hurt, or being perceived as xenophobic. While they bury those murdered by terrorists in Paris, Obama wants to accelerate closing Guantanamo Bay, he's worried about legal rights. To paraphrase a movie, Obama wants to bring a knife to a gunfight.

As details emerge about the police shooting in Chicago, apparently his inspirational speeches about Hope and Change hasn't translated into changing any facts on the ground, even in his home town, with his former presidential aide as mayor.

The press is appalled, because they think that Trump may have mocked a  reporter with a disability.  I'm worried about journalists being beheaded for trying to report the news, not Trump being politically incorrect.

I can't say that I'm surprised that hope alone doesn't do anything.  I think to the chagrin of my liberal associates,  if the election was held tomorrow,  ............

Allentown As The Little Apple

Before we start, if you're looking for some nice holiday sentiment, click away now, it's not here. I've called Allentown the Little Apple, but that's unfair to New York City. The comparison gives Allentown too much credit, even with the Revitalization. Understand, that the entire revitalized area is primarily owned by just one person, and that's just too freakish for anywhere, even here. Understand, that we have a newspaper that not only doesn't question that, it promotes it. Understand, that we have a mayor who is the center of a FBI investigation, who goes around like nothing's wrong. Talk about an elephant, or hippo in the room.

Bridge To Nothing But Higher Taxes

Mayor Pawlowski was preening on his facebook page that the new American Parkway bridge is #4 in the country, so I clicked on the link. I still don't know exactly what that refers to. Allow me to quote the author of the article in LV Business, When it opens, drivers will be able to travel on one road from the east side of Allentown near Coca-Cola Park and go over the Lehigh River to the city’s bustling downtown. I have a confession, I never understood the American Parkway, it's the road to nowhere. The new bridge, while being planned for 60 years, is of cookie cutter design, devoid of any uniqueness. All that it accomplishes is bypassing Union Blvd, and taking commerce away from the businesses there.  The Morning Call writes, At last, a link between Route 22 and downtown Allentown. I though that 7th Street already did that,  both quicker and shorter.  The photograph of Pawlowski and city council cutting the ribbon refer to them as dignitaries, which is better than defendants. That $36 million spent on the new bridge would have been better spend maintaining existing bridges. Both Pennsylvania and Allentown neglect their bridges until the point of no return, then build a new one.

Elsewhere in the news,  the midgets, aka state representatives and senators, voted down eliminating school property taxes, but will go ahead increasing your income and sales tax, what a surprise. The voters richly deserve this,  for voting for the same incumbents, election after election.

ADDENDUM/EMAIL TO CITY COUNCIL BY DENNIS PEARSON
;Mike Molovinsky states in his blog about the new American Parkway Bridge : "The new bridge, while being  planned for 60 years, is of cookie cutter design, devoid of any uniqueness. All that it accomplishes is bypassing 
Union Blvd, and taking commerce away from the businesses there. "
What does City Council and the Mayor say about that?
I tend to think that the Bridge may be a benefit to commerce in Hanover Township(Lehigh County) and it does provide an easier way for South Siders to get to 22 if they are going east and north in their travels. 
But It doesn't aid the South side in their travels if they are going west.
But as far as the East Side is concerned we have become bypassed as usual .... And maybe isolated .. The Bridge has no benefit or utility for us getting to downtown Allentown. We have to go out of our way to 
get on it. And as of January 2016 we won't have any resident on Council either and how many of us are selected to server on the cities various boards, commissions and authorities. Very few if any do serve .. Some of our best people are boycotted by the Administration because of their independence of thought. And soon the Tilghman Street Bridge will be closed ... When that happens we will be more connected to Bethlehem then 
Allentown.

photocredit:Emily Opilo/The Morning Call/November24,2015