The Lehigh Parkway Entrance Wall

When the Lehigh Parkway wall collapsed last summer, it was no surprise to me. The city already had barricades along the leaning wall for three years. During that time the city had two chief engineers and three park directors, none of whom made the wall a priority. During those years I spoke with all five of them, and got five different stories. We are now informed that the missing section will be replaced by May. The new wall section is to be poured concrete, faced in stone along the Parkway entrance. I have received several inquires as to my opinion of this plan. As the main advocate for the WPA, I have no problem with this method of replacement construction. In addition to being a barrier along the road, the wall is primarily a retaining wall, holding up the roadway. Concrete will satisfy the engineering requirements, and the visible portion will be faced in the original stone. This method was utilized at Union Terrace, when the Union Street bridge was replaced last year. So, while I approve of the planned method, some other observations and criticism are also in order.

The wall was a victim of neglect, as is most of the WPA structures throughout the park system. The wall was in dire need of mortar repointing, especially on the top. That particular entrance was built with a concrete drainage swale along the road, to keep rainwater from pushing against the wall itself. At some point the swale was paved over, extending the macadam right to the wall. I suspect that vehicle weight exerted enormous pressure through the macadam now against the wall, especially being on a curve. For a number of years now, since the closing of the park depot by the stadium, heavy trucks  have added to the exerted pressure. Last, but not least, in heavy storms, the manhole covers blow off at the top of the hill, resulting in enormous amounts of water rushing against the wall. I hope that the city addresses these issues, so that more sections of the original wall are not endangered.

In addition to replacing the missing section of the wall, they will also repoint just a small portion of the remaining wall. For a city that just spent $1.4 Million dollars to buy unneeded, distressed land from a Pawlowski campaign contributor, it is a crime to have neglected these WPA structures. 

surveying the fallen wall day of collapse

Before Corruption Tainted Allentown

It's becoming apparent that Chicago native Ed Pawlowski introduced a new level of corruption to Allentown. Going back to the Daddona and Heydt years there was certainly cronyism, but these native Allentonians always put the city first. Neither they or their predecessors had ambitions beyond being mayor of Allentown. Pawlowski, on the other hand, thought that he was a political sophisticate in a land of local yokels. He imported out of town subordinates, and tried to cultivate connections with outside king makers. One example of those ambitions was the ill fated Delta Thermo plant proposal. When he allowed council chambers to be overwhelmed with out of town union workers, he was showing his contempt for local opinion.

I have watched Allentown's iconic park system be abused and depreciated by outside priorities. Others have noticed mismanagement in other departments. Now is the time for those who have been silent to speak up. Now is the time for those of us who have spoken out, to do so much louder.

A Vacancy In Allentown's Democracy

When I ran for office in 2014, I asked Michael Donovan to serve on my vacancy committee, an obscure requirement for independents. He kindly accepted. Michael knew of such things, because he had run the year before as an independent for mayor. Michael and I became acquainted about a decade ago, both as advocates for a better city. Although Michael was a liberal democrat, and I am anything but, we found many common denominators.

While Michael became somewhat critical of the NIZ this past year, as a former city councilman he never regretted voting for it. He believed that it still has the potential for community benefit, to help Allentown's underclass. Until just a few weeks ago, we would often discuss local current events over coffee in the morning. Although he was fighting a progressively aggressive illness, this past summer he made a cross country motor trip to visit his sons.

Michael was a dedicated college professor and a proud father. His optimism and energy, even while fighting cancer, spoke volumes about his character. His passing leaves a void in Allentown's democracy.

photographed at The Epicenter

The Photography and Politics of Lehigh Valley

K Mary Hess is an extraordinarily gifted landscape photographer, whose soft, sensitive use of color gives her images a painterly quality. Her page on Facebook, Photos Of Lehigh Valley, receives thousands of views each week.

The criminal investigation of Allentown City Hall has now spread to both the Parking Authority and Lehigh County.  The private tax collecting agencies used are so lucrative that they pay our local government for the contract. They made their money on the fines and fees, levied on the backs of the citizen voters.  The Parking Authority charges more per hour than resort cities.

Fortunately, we have local gifted artists,  to give us some pause and respite from the corruption surrounding us.

Photography Page of K Mary Hess

The Art and Politics of Lehigh Valley

Usually, when you meet a good artist who is prolific, they are also so versatile it's hard to define their work.  Among many other descriptions, it can be said that Alison Bessesdotter makes tranquil paintings and watercolors that resemble fabric.  She also makes fabrics which resemble paintings. Her tools, paint, brush and sewing machine are used interchangeably, sometimes all on one piece. If that merging isn't enough, she also puts her art on wearables, such as jackets and wristbands. Bessesdotter's studio is located at the Banana Factory in South Bethlehem.

A line on her page says slow art made here.  While her high quality art is made painstakingly slow, our local politics are fast and sloppy.

Allentown City Council appointed one of their own to the controller position, Jeff Glazier.  He was originally appointed to city council, and only managed to get elected with assist from the Pawlowski PAC.  Although his latest appointment is a disappointment,  he creates an opportunity for council to finally rise above its tainted reputation.  Once again council will have to appoint another new council member,  and therein lies its chance for redemption.

editor's note: I have wanted to feature some good artists and history, however, our bad government hasn't provided an opening.  Perhaps some good images will sweeten the bad taste from our elected officials.

Artist's Website

Jennings Remains True To His Mission

Over the years, Alan Jennings and I have become friendly. That's pretty amazing, considering that in 2005, if I succeeded with my long shot run for mayor as an independent, I would have locked him up in the basement at city hall. During that period I started proclaiming that Allentown was becoming a poverty magnet, which was a very politically incorrect thing to say. But as a landlord, I knew how many organizations were fixing up hardcore non-workers with move-in money, and what the long term consequence to Allentown would be. Of course, I was profoundly correct, and the consequences are now very obvious.

Yesterday, Alan had an editorial in The Morning Call, which called on Allentown to increase* and improve its affordable housing. Alan stays true to his mission, and I must likewise stay true to my observations. It is self evident that there is no shortage of affordable housing in Allentown, or we simply wouldn't have such a high poverty level. Jennings suggests that people report both deficient landlords and tenants. Systems are already in place for the landlord problem, and what would you do with the problem tenants? Because I remain politically incorrect, I suggest we need only observe the endless litter in the area north of Linden Street, to appreciate our problem is much more than a few bad apples.

Allentown has become a place with the urban problems of usually much larger cities. That toothpaste is not going back into the tube. While these larger cities have spent decades and $billions looking for corrective programs, solutions remain evasive. I commend Alan for his advocacy, but don't look for a fix, much less a quick one.

*ADDENDUM: Alan Jennings has pointed out to me that no where in his editorial did he call for additional affordable housing,  only that existing substandard units be improved.

photocredit: The Morning Call

Pawlowski As The Messiah, Special Weekend Edition

I just watched Pawlowski's State Of The City Address, and all I can say is,  move over Jesus, Pawlowski is here.  Considering the elephant in the room, some of his statements were priceless. He praised his administration for providing predictability in government, I hope he wasn't referring to pay to play. Not only did he thank all the little people who rub elbows with the unwashed, he apparently summoned them all there for a shout out. Included in his sermon on the mound were the veterans, the homeless, the Syrian refugees and last but not least, the poor.

 Pawlowski, as I have been recently writing, is a case study in delusion. In the speech, in regard to Allentown's revitalization, he said No one bailed us out. That might be a surprise to the Pennsylvania taxpayers, who have to make up the shortfall being used for J. B. Reilly's building boom.

Mayor Ed ended his speech by saying that service should be above self. I believe a forthcoming indictment will show that he put self above service.

 although I didn't attend the speech, I watched it live courtesy of WFMZ-69.

Subpoena and Award Same Week, Only In Allentown

This week Boyle Construction, received both an award from the Chamber of Commerce, and is the subject of a subpoena to the Allentown Parking Authority.  I believe that it may actually be the second  time the company has appeared on a FBI inquiry, the first at city hall. Seems as if the Feds are interested in the new Parking Authority Deck at 6th and Walnut, and it's connection to contributions to Pawlowski's campaign fund.  Boyle beat out other Pawlowski contributors also being probed, including J.B. Reilly, Jack Rosen and Pennrose. None of the mentioned have been charged with any crime. One must wonder exactly what attribute the Chamber awarded.  I had just mentioned in a recent post that both the Parking Authority and the Park Department have been tainted by Pawlowski shenanigans.  Iannelli invited Candida Affa to a recent taping of Business Matters.  She has served faithfully as a rubber stamp on the Parking Authority,  and now has been promoted to City Council.

Although it was my hope to  end the week with a historical post,  this town provides no rest for a political blogger,  as the Morning Call called me announcing my condensed flirtation with running for the state house.

On that subject,  since I dropped out, I have discussed the election with several of the movers and shakers in the local Republican Party.  In my short candidacy, I described myself as an outsider, and that's almost too insider for me.  The values and methods of political parties don't do much for me,  I'll be re-registered as an independent before this ink dries.

My staff informs me that I haven't insulted the Morning Call or Bill White in two days.  Yesterday, Bill White reguritated the Homeless Put Out In The Snow Story.  He repeated a mistake in the paper's first story on the incident,  that the shelter is half a mile away from Zion Church.  As I mentioned before,  the distance is at least double that, and mostly uphill to boot. Hopefully,   Bill will make that walk as research for the next rendition.