Gem's of Hamilton Street

Philmore and Rose Tucker opened their first yarn store on N. 7th St. in 1949. The Tucker Yarn Company has been at it's current location at 950 Hamilton Street for over 50 years. For knitting enthusiasts the endless inventory is legendary. Phil recalls how even in May, traditionally a slow month for the industry, Hess's annual flower show kept Hamilton Street and his store busy. A busy Hamilton Street is a memory now shared only by a couple of surviving merchants. Although many of Tucker's customers are elderly, the business is much more than a time capsule. His daughter Mae, nationally known in the trade, gives classes and operates a large mail order web site, TuckerYarn.Com

Stalin's Forgotten Zion

TRAIN STATION WITH RUSSIAN AND HEBREW SIGNS
In 1934 Joseph Stalin created a Jewish Zone called Birobidzhan in the outer reaches of Siberia near the Chinese border; few Jews remain there today. Swarthmore College created an incredible website documenting this story in the saga of the Russian Jews.

http://www.Swarthmore.edu/Home/News/biro/

photocredit:James Bryant

New Youth Programs

Mayor Ed Pawlowski has announced an Anti-Gang Initiative which will use Community Development Block Grants to fund youth programs. Time is short, applications need to be in by May 9th. Secular groups are encouraged to join with a faith based organization. Coaches and Churches should call Heidi Baer for more information at 610 437-7761 Play Ball!

SIMON GETS BROTHER'S VERDICT

Louis F. Simon(Right) tell his heavyweight brother that he is proud that he lasted into the thirteenth round of his fight with Joe Louis last night. Mike Jacobs announced after the bout that the two would be rematched in New York on May 16th.

Blogger's Notes: The above is an Associated Press "Wirephoto" that appeared in newspapers across the country on March 22, 1941. The title and caption is the actual Associated Press copy. Mike Jacobs was Joe Louis's manager. Abe Simon actually ended up fighting four more opponents and waiting over a year before the rematch; they met for second time and the title in Madison Square Garden on March 27, 1942. Simon was knocked out in the 6th round, he never fought again. His career record was 36 wins, 25 by knockout, 10 loses, 1 draw.

Merchant Dog Days

On the front page of today's Business Section of the Morning Call, the Retail Watch column features Hector Diaz and his hot dog cart. It reads "When Hector Diaz noticed business at his hot dog cart on Hamilton Street in downtown Allentown took a hit from the bus stops on the strip moving a few blocks away to a new bus terminal.. Once Lanta opened down there I pursued a location there..." * I give Hector credit for knowing enough to follow the foot traffic, except it's much easier to move a cart (Hector bought a second one) than move a building. But more disturbing, and no disrespect to Hector intended, but we spend over half a million dollars a year on economic planning**, and it seems a vendor with a push cart is ahead of the curve. If one would add up the total taxpayer investment on Hamilton Street over the last two decades, then factor in the hit the merchants took by the Pawlowski endorsed Lanta move, it makes the Afflerbach Police Pension fiasco seem like small change.

*http://www.mcall.com/business/local/all-retailwatch0427.6377491apr27,0,6321365.column

** Allentown Economic Development Planning $180,000, Administration $308,681, Initiatives $70,000

Showtime with Dottie

Calling all artists,
bloggers,
beggars,
thieves and gypsies,
Friday Nite, 6:30 House of Chen

PhotoCreditMolovinsky

Pawlowski Decrees Destiny

In 1934 Perry Minich and his bride opened a jewelry store on the side of the elegant Americus Hotel. The post depression years weren't that easy for a merchant in luxury goods, but they had faith in Allentown. They were rewarded by Allentown's boom years during the 50's . In 1981 a robber entered the store, pushed Mrs. Minich to the floor, then shot and killed her. The Minich family carried on with their Allentown business. Their nephew, who witnessed the tragedy, took over the store. One by one, in Scranton, Easton, and Wilkes-Barre, hotels of the Americus vintage, closed and were boarded up. The Americus, a white elephant, although a dollar short and a day late, stayed open. Enter new Mayor Ed Pawlowski, self-designated real estate expert. He decided because the hotel owner was controversial, and had been demonized in regard to other properties, he could execute a forced sale. He erected a scaffold around the building, declared it unsafe, and ordered the existing merchants to vacate. For those really familiar with the situation the irony abounds. One week after the scaffold was erected, a window fell out the Schoen building, controlled by the city, narrowly missing several pedestrians. Although transient tenants will be offered relocation money to de-convert apartments in Old Allentown, three merchants of the Americus got nothing. While almost seven million dollars in grant money was offered outside developers to purchase the hotel, the city confiscated insurance proceeds from the existing owner. Pawlowski ended what had endured over seventy years through good and bad times, through tragedy, and it will cost the taxpayers many millions to ever put this humpty dumpty back together again.

Clean Up Day

How many bureaucrats does it take to push a broom? Unfortunately this is not a joke. This week Allentown City Council approved the distribution of the Community Development Block Grants. These grants are distributed to non-profits which use our money to make instant business people, instant home owners and of course support hundreds of jobs administrating these funds. I have attended the meetings at city hall and watched the administrators of these programs compete for public funds; surely a growth industry in the Lehigh Valley. Admittedly, some of these programs have social value, such as emergency shelters. Besides the questionable mission of many of these programs ( i.e.,making a business owner), another problem is the sheer quantity and duplication of these organizations. The money spent on offices, utilities, overhead and administrators using these grants could be put to so much better use. Allentown, because of our economic demographics, would be allowed to apply much of this money directly to infrastructure. This approach, would benefit the tax payers in multiple ways. More capital projects could be completed with less millage, and I believe the area would receive less migration from low-income. I believe everyone would win, unless your employment depends upon an endless supply of new needy people.
* Approved the city's annual Community Development Block Grant program, which allocates money to various programs and non-profit organizations. Here's a summary.


CODE ENFORCEMENT AND REHABILITATION (CDBG)
Old Allentown Public Improvements $350,000
Code Enforcement (Salaries Only)
Acquisition 400,000
Focus Area Public Improvements 100,000
Site Clearance (Salaries Only)
Old Fairgrounds Corridor Rehabilitation – SFL 551,223
Rental Rehabilitation (Salaries Only)
Hazard Elimination Program (Salaries Only)
Program Delivery (includes Salaries to be Apportioned) 644,945
PUBLIC SERVICES (CDBG)
Allentown YMCA & YWCA $ 15,000
Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living 15,000
Adult Literacy Center of the Lehigh Valley 15,000
Family Answers – Ways to Work Program 15,000
Grace Montessori School 15,000
Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley 12,000
Baum School of Art 7,500
Communities In Schools 15,000
Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley -
Community Action Financial Services 15,000
Neighborhood Housing Services of the Lehigh Valley –
Operating 15,000
Boys and Girls Club of Allentown 15,000
St. Luke’s Neighborhood Center 15,000
Mosser Village Family Center 15,000
Community Bike Works 15,000
Circle of Stones 5,500
Embrace Your Dreams 5,250
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania 11,250
Allentown Public Library 15,000
Lehigh Carbon Community College 5,700
Lehigh County Conference of Churches – Pathways 15,000
Syrian Arab American Charity Association 15,000
Program for Women and Families 15,000
Allentown Economic Development Corporation –
Securing Industrial/Commercial Properties 15,000
Jewish Community Center 3,750
Mayor’s Anti-Gang Initiative 60,000
Mayor’s Workforce Development Program 40,000
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION (CDBG)
ADA Curb Cuts $180,000
Habitat for Humanity 75,000
Old Fairgrounds Corridor Façade Grants – Residential 220,000
Voluntary Relocation 20,000
Old Allentown Preservation Association 15,000
ADMINISTRATION, PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CDBG)
Redevelopment Authority of the City of Allentown $289,199
Community Action Development Corporation of the
Lehigh Valley 32,500
Allentown Economic Development Corporation –
Economic Development Planning 180,000
Administration 308,681
Allentown Economic Development Corporaation
Economic Development Initiative 70,000
HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM (HOME)
Old Fairgrounds Corridor Rehabilitation – SFL $320,000
Housing Association and Development Corporation –
North Street 150,000
Allentown Housing Authority 600,000
Administration 95,851
Housing Association and Development Corporation –
CHDO Operating 23,962
Alliance for Building Communities – Doorway to
Homeownership 150,000
Alliance For Building Communities – CHDO Operating 23,962
EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANTS PROGRAM (ESG)
Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley -
Sixth Street Shelter $ 29,000
Allentown Rescue Mission 29,000
Salvation Army 29,000
Administration 5,671
Lehigh County Conference of Churches – Daybreak 29,000

*This list appeared on the mcall queen city blog

THIS BLOG WAS INSPIRED FROM A FELLOW BLOGGER INVOLVED IN THE NON-PROFIT SECTION, WHO BELIEVES ALLENTOWN SHOULD PAY A NON-PROFIT GROUP TO HIRE A FOR PROFIT CONTRACTOR TO CLEAN OUR LITTER. I THINK THERE ARE TOO MANY MIDDLE MEN BETWEEN OUR TAXES AND OUR PROBLEMS. I'D RATHER HAVE THE CITY HIRE TWO MEN AND BUY TWO BROOMS.