Duck Paté Once Again At Cedar Park

In yesterday's post, I wrote about the Poison Hemlock and other invasive species taking over the creek banks in the Allentown Park System. This is a result of the ill-advised riparian buffers, promoted by the Wildlands Conservancy.

Yesterday morning the park department started to clear cut the stream banks in Cedar Park, the only way to get rid of the invasives. Removing them by hand would require the labor of the whole department, for the whole summer.

The buffers serve no ecological purpose in Allentown, because the storm water is piped directly into the streams, under the buffers.  However, the Wildlands Conservancy never lets specific realities get in the way of their generalized science.

These faux buffers have numerous victims. Yesterday this year's batch of ducklings were turned into paté  and mulch, when the mower went over their nests. For the rest of the summer, the city will allow the faux buffer to grow,  blocking both view and access to the creek.  It's not a good plan for the ducks or the children.

Allentown should defer to General Trexler's landscape architect, and again allow its citizens to enjoy the parks, as designed.

Beauty and Beast In Allentown Parks

My recent photograph of a Blue Heron in Cedar Park has a slight Rousseau quality to it.  The visual element contributing to that effect is the white flowered plant behind the beauty.  Unfortunately, that element is a beast, Poison Hemlock, an invasive species which is taking over the creek bank.

While I campaign against the Wild Conservancy's riparian buffers in our parks,  so do real botanists.  To keep such invasive species from along our un-mowed creeks would ironically take much more labor than simply cutting the grass.  Unfortunately, for the iconic Allentown Park System, the Wildlands and their invasive species are winning the war.  Last week the park department planted 100 trees, not along the creek banks, but 75 ft out, at the edge of the Conservancy's designated buffer border. 

Although I have lost the buffer battle, I will continue to fight for the WPA,  hoping to save some structures.

Allentown truly had an iconic park system.  It's a shame that it doesn't have the will or sense to preserve such an asset. 

A Newspaper And The Governor

Occasionally, an idea or article emerges which pushes all my buttons. Such was the case Sunday morning, when I read the Morning Call's coverage of Wolf's plan to employ the unemployed to track the virus.  Talk of illness, which of those things is more sick?

The Morning Call compared the plan to the WPA era, complete with pictures of structures in the Allentown park system.  As somebody who struggles everyday to bring some attention to these neglected, irreplaceable icons,  the paper's hypocrisy is stinging. They refuse to print my informed letters or cover the current neglect.

In what way could the typical unemployed person be qualified to track the virus?  In what way could that gathered data not be flawed?

Governor Wolf, you're no Franklin Roosevelt.  The Morning Call,  if you want to know about our crumbling remnants of the WPA,  call me.  Better yet, if you're sincerely interested in politics and historic structures, report how South Whitehall is conspiring with the Wildlands Conservancy to override the voter referendum, and demolish the Wehr's Dam.*

* The current Morning Call Editor/Publisher told me back in February that the paper would look into the Wehr's Dam situation...They never did.

Loyalty Bites Browning

In regard to the 7th Congressional contest, I fully intended this blog to be neutral, and probably silent. On that note, or lack of it, I certainly wouldn't be commenting on the primary race. However, with Trumps' tweets... Whatever you think of him, he certainly has introduced that medium into politics.

His tweet on Friday supporting Lisa Scheller was surprising, and certainly surprising to no one more than Dean Browning. Whatever you thought of Browning, nobody could question his support of Trump.

Primaries are usually the realm of super-voters. I suppose with this year's massive mail-in ballots, it might be more inclusive than normal. Browning contends that the Trump endorsement came from Scheller's money and connections. I suppose that the more informed members of his party might agree with that conclusion. However, if they conclude that those attributes are a positive or negative, is less clear to me.

What is clear to me is my choice of party, unaffiliated or independent, with a small i. In Pennsylvania I sacrifice my right to vote in the primary, but the alternative would be too costly for me. Imagine getting paid back for years of loyalty like Browning just did.

photocredit:The Morning Call

UPDATE: Same topic covered by Bernie O'Hare today

Time Capsule

Long time readers of this blog realize I occasionally revisit the streets of my youth, which seem idyllic in retrospect, although probably not at the time (certainly my shenanigans were not idyllic for my parents). My neighborhood was called Little Lehigh Parkway, and it was wedged between the southern top of the Parkway and Jefferson Street. Realtors now refer to this area as Little Lehigh Manor, but I have no recollection of that designation. The self-contained neighborhood even had it's own elementary school, where nursery rhymes of the time adorned the brick (they're still there)

As a little boy growing up, Spanky and Our Gang was a TV program, not an urban problem. When boys divided up to play cowboys and indians, being Hopalong was a coveted role. Our fathers experienced working in one of the most prosperous times in American history, post WW2. Children of Mack and Steel workers could well afford college if they so chose. Mothers could afford to stay home and watch their children grow and play.

Time has been most kind to my old neighborhood. A local leader told me that she is well satisfied with the current city government. The post war subdivisions, such as Midway Manor, remain oasis from the difficulties in central Allentown.

reprinted from March 2009

A Hammer From 7th Street

The other day I noticed a ball peen hammer head for sale.  It was stamped 521 N 7  Allentown PA   Although I've seen machinist stamp their tools with their initials and even work ID numbers,  usually a stamping like this means that the hammer was made at 521, or at least sold there.  Allentown has a long tradition in iron, steel and hardware.  In the next block, C.F. Wolfertz, knife maker, was in business from 1862 to 1989.

Although I have yet to identify the hammer head,  521 has its own story.  Over the years many people lived in the apartments over the store. Although I won't mention people by name, there were births, deaths, accidents, robberies,  marriages and arrests.  Although the walls don't talk, the newspaper archives do.

Over the years many people worked in the storeroom, in many businesses.  In the mid 1940's, Clements Variety Store had about everything,  but I suspect the hammer is from before then. In 1958 a business called Niagara offered a good living to good salesman, but apparently you had to apply before learning what you sold.  I suppose not that many people applied, because the storeroom was for rent in 1959.  By 1961 Melody Organs gave the space a try.  However, by 1962 you could buy a whirlpool by Jacuzzi there. In 1963 a dry cleaner gave it a shot.  The 1960's must have been slow on 7th, because the space was again vacant in 1964.

In 1971 the building was offered for sale at $22,500.  Filmlab operated there throughout the decade and into the 80's, until they moved up to the corner on Liberty. Today that storeroom, at 445, is owned by Peter Lewnes,  current 7th Street Development Director.

Back at 521,  rough times were coming again. In 1991 Unique Treasures opened. Apparently, the merchandize wasn't unique enough, because by 1993 it was the People's Choice Store.  They were ahead of the times by about 25 years, and were dispensing marijuana, until the police thought better of it.  Years later, in 2012, a barber shop fronted for an after-hours club in the basement.

Peter Lewnes is doing a terrific job  managing the street. Over the decades I had many favorite eating spots on 7th Street.  I look forward to the continued development of the street,  and I will learn more about that hammer.

Protest At Fountain Park

Long time Readers of this blog know that I have been an advocate for the WPA structures for over a decade, with some modest results.  Recently, my research discovered an old newspaper article from 1935, which adds another dimension to my understanding of that period.

Lehigh Parkway, Union Terrace and Fountain Park are the WPA masterpieces in Allentown.  In Fountain Park, there is the stairway which leads up to Junction Street, and then continues through a tunnel in the massive wall on Junction Street,  up to Spring Garden Street.  After the steps were completed, hundreds of workers would use these stairs every day,  to go from their center city row houses to the Mack and Traylor factories on S. 10th Street.

On September 11th, 1935 there was a protest involving the 400 WPA workers assigned to the stairwell and wall construction.  The rally took place by the creek, and was led by the Lehigh County Unemployed League, Keystone Workers Association and the Citizens Welfare League.  Although there was no violence, tools were tossed into the creek.  The protest centered on the $55 monthly wage, and the 35 hour work week.

The concept of workers during the Depression being upset with conditions frankly never occurred to me.  I just assumed that they were grateful for the job, and whistled while they worked.  Next time I walk those steps,  my thoughts will be somewhat more informed.

reprinted from January of 2019

Pawlowski's Legacy In Allentown

For her Mother's Day facebook post this past weekend, local Democratic activist Phoebe Harris thanked Ed Pawlowski for his stewardship.

When Pawlowski ran for his infamous 4th term while indicted, I chronicled how he courted the minority vote, and cobbled together a victory. Ed seduced his new minions by appointing them to various commissions and boards. In many cases these people were newcomers to Allentown, with no institutional knowledge of the city. Of course that reality meant nothing to Pawlowski, whose focus was always his own success.

At the time, Ms. Harris and other new found supporters could rationalize that their mentor, although indicted, was innocent until proven guilty. Now however, 18 months after being found guilty on 47 counts of bribery, it's disheartening to see a community leader clueless about the message of integrity in government.

Besides for this blogger, Phoebe and other aspiring members of the local minority community have a pass from scrutiny. Political correctness, wokeness and the fear of the dreaded racist accusation, usually tamps down such evaluations.