Rumble In The Morning Call Jungle

In my post last Thursday,  I called the Morning Call/Muhlenberg College Poll flawed.  Somehow, almost arbitrarily,  they assigned 22% to Ray O'Connell, although he wasn't included in their original question about choosing a candidate on the ballot;  Ray is a write-in, and not on the ballot.  Blogger Bernie O'Hare wrote about this topic yesterday, and the Morning Call editor provided an explanation that is as vague as the original article in the paper.  I can certainly understand why Nat Hyman was perplexed about how contrived and labored it was for the paper to justify covering three candidates,  when they appear to ignore their own guidelines in doing so.

Hyman brings some unique qualities to the race and hopefully on to City Hall, come November 7th.  While Ed's surrogates deride Hyman because he's a property owner,  in truth housing is perhaps the biggest issue in Allentown, and Hyman knows the subject, inside and out.  The paper endorsed Pawlowski in his first term, and generally supported him until his behavior rose to the current criminal accusations.  It is refreshing to see a candidate who is willing to question the paper.  But Hyman didn't become the success he is by obsessing on perceived slights.  Allentown City Hall needs a completely fresh start, and Hyman has the skill set to provide it.

Answering A Critic

On social media this weekend someone wrote about me;  Have you ever published anything positive about Allentown?  Although,  this person apparently has a professional agenda for his question, let me respond first as if he didn't.  This blog was never intended to promote a particular party,  public official or policy.  Rather, it was meant to try and safeguard some unique  aspects of Allentown.  Consequently, I defend the traditional park system, among other institutions.

My critic(s) can't suggest that I attend meetings and try to change policy,  because I've been to countless ones.  My critic(s) can't suggest that I run for office, because I have.

I think that what Allentown actually needs is more critics.  Public meetings are sparely attended.  There are plenty of smiling faces to come out for a free swim. Give them a free hotdog, and they could care less about how much the project cost,  or what else was ignored to build it.

This is a focused blog with a mission.  Entertainment, popularity and/or comments are not my objectives.  I do appreciate the readership of those who find the posts here worthwhile.

Now, getting back to this weekend's criticism of me.  He was complaining because I posted that the new pool may be leaking.  My critic has done media work for Pawlowski.   I wonder if he also considers the FBI  to be naysayers in regard to his client.  Lisa Pawlowski liked his comment about me.

I use the Sidewalk Superintendent Photograph, shown above, as a representation of my efforts to scrutinize city hall.   

Pawlowski's Pool Party

I suppose with the trial judge coming, and the election a month away,  Pawlowski doesn't have much time or reason to act dignified.  He has been campaigning hard among the least informed in the city.  On those notes, he has announced that Cedar Beach pool will be open this weekend.

“It has been a long haul to overcome the setbacks and get the project completed,” said Mayor Ed Pawlowski.  “The walls are plaster, so the pool is never emptied. The weather is going to be warm, and the pool has passed all the necessary inspections, so I want to give our residents an opportunity to enjoy it, or just come out to see it, even if it is only for this weekend.”

As an advocate for the park system, especially the crumbling WPA structures, I can only shake my head about Lindsay Taylor, the park director.  She apparently goes along with Pawlowski's nonsense, or has no say in decisions concerning her department.  If she's not embarrassed, she should be.

ADDENDUM:  I have observed city employees adding water to the pool every day.  A well placed source now informs me that indeed the new pool is leaking.  This delayed, over budget pool project originally started because the previous version of the pool was leaking.  Three years and $3 million later,  is it still leaking?

UPDATE:  Somebody on Facebook asked me if I'm sure the pool is leaking. That answer is NO.  I am sure that I observed them adding water every day.  My source tells me that the pool  is losing up to 6 inches of water overnight.

Muhlenberg Poll Flawed

Nat Hyman better not put too much faith in the current poll released by Muhlenberg College, and campaign as if he's behind, because he just might be.  The Muhlenberg polls are historically wrong, and this one seems no different.  Their lead question asked about the four candidates on the ballot, which excluded Ray O'Connell.  Although, the Morning Call article states that the poll puts O'Connell's support third,  behind Pawlowski,  it's unclear as it where that piece of data came from.

These polls are a joint project by the Morning Call and Muhlenberg College.  The article quotes one gentleman.

Leonard Glazier, a 91-year-old Democrat who lives in the West End, said he voted for Pawlowski in the primary but likely will support O’Connell in this election. The city is in pretty good shape under the mayor’s leadership, Glazier said, but the criminal charges against the mayor make him uncomfortable.“He’s going on trial supposedly after the election. What happens if he is convicted,” Glazier said. “The city doesn’t need that.”

What the article doesn't reveal is that this gentleman is closely related to a city official, and was well aware of the pending charges against Pawlowski when he voted for him in the primary.  Frankly,  I hope that Nat Hyman takes my warning to heart. Neither the paper or the college currently have the institutional memory to truly understand this election. In the 2005 mayoral race, The Morning Call/Muhlenberg College poll was off by 26%.  

Stagecoach Back To Allentown

This past Friday I wrote a post referring to Allentown as Dodge City.  That post resulted from our police department determining that a shooting was justified.  Yesterday's double daytime shooting and killings have managed to get the police chief's attention.  He considers the daytime shootings less acceptable, because of the risk to school children.  A local coffee shop owner said that such things can happen anywhere,  even in the suburbs.

Actually, the incidence of such things happening in the suburbs is much, much less than downtown Allentown, north of Linden Street.  Normally, such violence for an incumbent mayor running again would be a problem. However, here in Dodge City/Allentown, nothing is normal.  We have an indicted mayor running for his fourth term while awaiting trial for corruption.  The dominant Puerto Rican/Hispanic downtown population rarely sees or hears anything, before the ambulance and police come to pick up one of their own off the street.

If this post seems insensitive,  you're at the wrong blog.

Disappointments Beyond Allentown

I was disappointed that United States objected to the Kurdish referendum on Independence. As John Bolton observed, Iraq as a sovereign nation is so shattered,  a new boundary in the north wouldn't much matter.  The Kurds have provided the only security afforded to Christians and other minorities in that strife ridden part of the world.  They have been on the front line fighting against our common enemies in both Iraq and Syria.

I was disappointed that Trump undermined Rex Tillerson with  his tweet about Rex wasting his time in regard to North Korea.  Tillerson was the adult in the administration, and his appointment was one of the main reasons that I have defended Trump on several occasions.  I would not be surprised to see Tillerson resign within two weeks.

Yesterday, the stock prices went up on firearm manufacturers. After each tragic mass shooting legislators react by threatening to restrict guns, and the public reacts by buying more.  I believe that we need to adopt the Giffords/Kelly* endorsement of the enhanced Brady type regulations, which puts more scrutiny on the who/purchaser, rather than the what/type of gun.

I wish that none of these above noted events happen, and that I could instead complain about Pawlowski and Cedar Beach.

*Giffords/Kelly started Americans For Responsible Solutions.

A Contested Race In South Whitehall

Come November 7th, the Lehigh County once again features many UNcontested races.  The political apathy of this area is truly remarkable;  It's a good thing that in addition to politics, I blog about local history.   Even the mayors race in Bethlehem is uncontested, as is that city's council race.  However, there are a few contested races, one of which is for South Whitehall Commissioner.

Mark Pinsley's campaign emphasizes that he is running to add a Democrat to the all Republican board of commissioners.  Both his opponents are Republican incumbents.  and voters are to pick two of the three candidates.  As an advocate who fought long and hard to save Wehr's Dam, I support Mr. Pinsley as someone who wasn't involved in the conspiracy to demolish the dam.  No one was more shocked when the referendum To Save The Dam passed, than the commissioners.  That ballot question was a disingenuous attempt by them to do away with the dam, with no political consequence to themselves. Before they connived  the referendum, they had ignored eight thousand signatures to save the historic structure.  Since the referendum passed,  the township has fallen silent, with not one word about the dam.

South Whitehall needs some new blood on its board.  With me, it's not an issue of Democrat or Republican,  but being responsive instead of arrogant.  I will cast only one  hyper-vote for commissioner, and it will be for Mark Pinsley.

photo: Wehr's Dam by K Mary Hess