Jerry and The Cookie Lady

I'd usually pull in around 6:30 a.m., Jerry had the coffee made and maybe a deputy sheriff or two had already arrived. Downtown is nice in the early morning, most of the unsavory characters are not early risers. Jerry had opened the coffee and cold sandwich shop in around 2004 in the 500 Block of Hamilton Street. By 7:30 several City Councilmen, a few cops, a couple of gadflies and other assorted early morning types would be pontificating on solutions for Allentown. It sure didn't hurt Allentown to have twenty or so gainfully employed people start their day on Hamilton Street. Jerry had started his shop the old fashion way, with his own money. Toward the end of 2005, to accommodate several customers, Jerry made a few eggs on a flat George Forman Grill. Come 2006, the new regime insisted on a code compliant grill, exhaust and fire suppression system, for a couple eggs; The necessary architectural drawings alone would cost thousands. Because his location in the building didn't lend itself to a feasible exhaust system, Jerry was forced to relocate. Again, totally with his own money, Jerry moved his shop up to the corner of 7th and Hamilton. I'll spare all the details, but he could have built a nuclear reactor with no more bureaucracy. Jerry will never recoup his investment (his life savings) because the city closed the building in 2008 because of violations on upper floors which were not in use. That abuse of power is chronicled on several posts on this blog.

Vicky, the cookie lady, opened her very small shop about the same time the city was forcing Jerry out of business. Her shop, Vicky's Sweet Spot, opened in a building operated by one developer who received multiple facade grants from the city. These locations are easily identifiable from the same appearance, stained wood fronts. Although Vicky's shop is only about 250 sq. ft., only sold coffee and cookies, she received a $10,000 restaurant grant from The City of Allentown. Her grant and other similar ones are chronicled on several posts on this blog and of course she was introduced on Allentown Good News. I patronized her shop several times. The last time, right before she closed the business earlier this year, I noticed she was making eggs on a small grill.

I shouldn't have to elaborate on the conclusions, but there are so many apologists in this city, let me spell it out. One man invests his life savings, works his butt off, and gets nothing but grief from City Hall. Another person gets set up for a free ride at taxpayer expense. Vicky's, even after first opening, kept irregular hours and was often closed. I doubt if the whole show; rent, equipment, etc. used up the 10 grand; maybe that's why she called it the Sweet Spot.

This post is reprinted from August of 2009, and is a prelude to tomorrow's post. Study it well, there will be a quiz.

ADDENDUM: My take on Allentown's new retail program,  Cookie Crumbs For The Little People, will publish about 10:00AM

Icon of Allentown's 10th Ward

While the pulpit section of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Orthodox Church is adorned with murals and icons of Mary, parishioners may notice that there is no such imagery on the beautiful stained glass windows. More careful inspection reveals that while there are no graven images in the glass, Stars of David and scrolls can be seen. As the ancestors of the current members came from eastern Europe and the Czarist Russian Empire, so did the building's original congregation. The gothic edifice was built as a synagogue in 1909 by Allentown's Russian Jews. The Orthodox Jewish congregation, Sons Of Israel, utilized the structure for 50 years before it was repurposed by the current American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox congregation.

This was the synagogue I attended as a boy with my father, as he did with my grandfather, growing up on the corner of Chew and Jordan Streets. In the front, under those golden domes with the crosses, are Stars of David. I rekindled my memory of those times when I visited the church last year. The stained glass windows are surely among the most beautiful in Allentown.  The synagogue turned church is located on the northeast corner of 6th and Tilghman Streets in Allentown.  The area, Allentown's 10th Ward,  has a strong neighborhood group. The exterior photograph of the church is from their facebook page.  The large round window shown above is behind the balcony,  in the back of the church. Inside, the congregation faces east,  toward Jerusalem.

Geriatric Rants Hurt Allentown

The other day on facebook, I stumbled upon these kind words about me, You can never trust Molovinsky's geriatric incessant rants about the city. He hates the city.... The young man who wrote this is one of the city's new gung ho boosters. I find his animosity curious. I understand those who are enthralled with Allentown's transformation. These new buildings, if on Hamilton Street or the waterfront, are the city's new reality. Hopefully, they will prosper, and give Allentown a long overdue awakening. However, these changes were not without victims and consequences. These changes deserve some scrutiny, which was for the most part not provided by the local press. I'm proud that this blog could shine a light on some of the shenanigans, even if it makes some people uncomfortable. With the local paper acting practically as a promoter, I would think that a little balance is in order. The young man must think that my negativity will stop the city's renaissance. I assure him that J.B. Reilly will continue building, as long as the NIZ keeps transferring the tax money to him. But, what happens with no scrutiny is that too many people are tempted to get a taste for themselves, sometimes even a mayor.  Allentown is actually in for some real hurt, much more severe than my ranting. The mayor refuses to resign, and the city charter provides no remedy until which time he is actually convicted.  When that pending calamity finally occurs, Allentown will be rudderless for an extended period.  Hopefully, I will not be blamed for that coming commotion.

molovinsky ranting to city council

A Contested Convention In Cleveland

Yesterday's post generated much more back-channel input than usual. The consensus of the advisory staff is that a Trump victory at the convention in Cleveland would be gift that Hillary hardly imagined. On the other hand, denying Trump the nomination would disenfranchise millions of voters, and needless to say, alienate them. After watching a large portion of the debate last night, I'm struck by the differences between perception and reality. Although Trump is the least prepared candidate to participate in a debate beyond a few sound bites, he certainly has the extensive executive experience to which he alludes. On the other hand, a more articulate debater, such as Rubio, has none. Many Republicans are convinced that there is no path to victory in November with Trump. I think that there certainly oould be, however, they would have to be more creative with their packaging.

The Drew Carey Show, based in Cleveland, was based on the concept of   "everyman"

Republicans Can't Stand To Win

Pardon me, but I snicker a lot.  Lately, I'm snickering at all those Republicans who claim that they couldn't vote for Trump. Meanwhile, back in reality, he has energized a base more than their two previous candidates for president. Today, Mitt Romney is scheduled to speak about the turmoil in his party.  He apparently wants a more dignified loser, than a cruder winner.  Needless to say, nobody could afford to buy the television time or headlines that Trump has generated.

Although your readership is appreciated, but please note that  molovinsky on allentown has moderated comments.  While submitted comments can express any point of view, only those which contribute to the dialogue will appear. Comments submitted in the evening will not appear until early the next morning.

ADDENDUM: Some have speculated that because Romney didn't endorse an alternative to Trump, that he was actually trying to position himself to be nominated at a brokered convention.  By tomorrow, we should see who was actually helped or hurt by Romney's speech.

A previous Republican from Manhattan

Pawlowski For 2018

MOLOVINSKY EXCLUSIVE

Mayor Ed has been telling confidants that he plans on pre-launching for his forth term later this year. He has been studying cases where the FBI, while indicting underlings, have never actually indicted the top dog. Now, while I find this delusional, it does explain Ed's facebook posts and other behaviors of denial. It also explains Ed's new appreciation of the little people, and his photo ops at their gatherings. Such a pre-launch would also keep the vultures, such as Sam Bennett and Charlie Thiel, at bay.  Last night,  The Morning Call began running an interview with Jack McMahon,  Pawlowski's high powered Philadelphia criminal attorney. He states that Pawlowski,  "clearly has done no wrong," and that Pawlowski is tried of being a punching bag.  molovinsky on allentown may have to rent an office downtown to keep up with this development. Wonder if J.B. Reilly would give me a good deal?

ADDENDUM: In the tape and interview with The Morning Call, McMahon explains that Pawlowski is a religious, honest family man. It's a large city and if people under him participated in play to pay, it was without his knowledge. Any criminality must have been orchestrated by Mike Fleck, because like Schultz in Hogan's Heros, Pawlowski saw nothing;  He was busy campaigning, for governor and then senator.  I understand that McMahon is a paid mouthpiece, but I find his tape and explanation unsettling. Is it meant to intimidate people?  Is he implying that those who have pleaded guilty, such as Mary Ellen Koval, acted on their own, or mistook Fleck as speaking for Pawlowski?   What does this interview do for the morale of city workers? The mayor is actively looking for scapegoats. Have we gone from amusingly delusional to scary?

Partisan Politics In The Lehigh Valley

I know something about partisan politics in the Lehigh Valley. In 2014, I ran as an independent for state representative in the 183rd District.  There has not been an independent in the state house since the mid 1930's.  Not only is the state house partisan, there's even competition between the counties, by members of the same party.  This area just isn't much for open elections.  In 2014,  seven of the eleven incumbents had no opponent, neither in the primary or general election.  This cycle there's slightly more competition, especially in the 183rd, where eleven term Julie Harhart has chosen not run for a 12th term.

On the Lehigh County Republican side,  with Scott Ott having moved to Texas, and the Woodman/Scheller family unit no longer being kingmakers,  Dean Browning was hoping to reassert himself. He and Glenn Eckhart are working to get Marc Grammes from Slatedale  elected as state representative in the 183rd.  Just across the Lehigh River, in the Walnutport area, the Northampton County Republicans are backing Cindy Miller. She is state senator Mario Scavello's aide, and supposedly Harhart's anointed successor.  I also was interested in running as a Republican, but as an outsider, received no offers of help from the Lehigh party hierarchy.  Cindy Miller has filed challenges to both Grammes, and another person also running from Northampton County.  Grammes supposedly failed to file his financial disclosure with the ethics office, which may well be a fatal error.  Eckhart has already mentioned running a write-in campaign on Grammes' behalf. On the Democrat side in the 183rd,  there is supposedly also a challenge to a second candidate seeking the seat.

The whole scene reminds me why I'm so much more comfortable as a independent.

billboard from 2014 election

Allentown's NIZ Revealed

Although the office workers and their income taxes used for Reilly's mortgage debt service are real, this blog has always maintained that the so called demand for restaurants and high end stores is fakery. Worse, that fakery is hyped as reality by The Morning Call. Between the lines of the Shula's Bankruptcy, my contention is proved correct.  Shula's owed virtually every vendor they dealt with money. They were just another prop in Reilly's illusion show. Reilly operates the Dime and the Starbucks himself, and reportedly provided the liquor licenses to several of the other eating spots.  I also still contend that there are many ghost tenants in the Strata Flats, as indicated by dark windows and few people seen, coming or going. Although, none of this is a crime,  the paper printing the promotions as news, is disturbing.

photocredit:Harry Fisher/The Morning Call