Hope and Promise For Allentown

Hasshan Batts years ago augmented his social services salary by dealing drugs, now he deals Democrats... And it's much more lucrative.  

Newly re-elected Congressman Susan Wild just delivered the goods for Batts, over $1.5mil!!!.  Batts is the new Hope and Promise for Allentown. We're putting our faith in his mentors, rather than our police department. 

In this era of victims and sympathizers, Batts and Company Inc., offers one stop shoppers a place to feel good about themselves. Fortunately for Batts, Wild and Tuerk, in this valley local government delusions are only reported upon by a couple of bloggers.

Wild's gift is the fruit of the just passed federal budget of $1.7 Trillion!!! Add that to the Stimulus money, and we have a new generation of non-profit goldbrickers.

For those of you who came here today looking for the hope and promise, I apologize for the post's title. I further apologize for such reality bombs during the season of joy.

A Reflection On Christmas Lights

When I was a child, when it came to Christmas lights, more seemed better. I recall my father taking us to see a house out on Union Street, beyond Union Terrace, which decorated lawn, house and roof. The home owner continued that tradition for many years, until he became too old to perform that labor of love. 

When I became older and more visual, I found less decorations more tasteful. Not only was I drawn to less, but also older. Over the years my camera would turn to the retro decorations, especially those faded and shopworn. The film elmusion has held up better than my memory...I can only guess where the photo above was taken. 

Today's inflatables are not, in my opinion, camera worthy.

reprinted from previous years

ADDENDUM DECEMBER 23, 2022: This is the second reprinted post this week that mentions the big light show of my youth, just west of Union Terrace on Union St. I also again complain about the inflatable decorations. Originally, these posts weren't presented the same year, much alone the same week. 

My distain for the inflatables has only deepened. The gentleman on Union Street had to work...Lights, ladders, muscle power and storage. Today, the pile of inflatables is spread around, and the pump turned on. Even complaining about it takes more effort and creativity than required for those displays of vinyl future litter. 

Nevertheless, even if you put up an inflatable, I wish you a Happy Holiday! 

Fotografia

In 1969 I bought my first 35mm camera, a Mamiya Sekor 500. The 500 referred to the top shutter speed. My new digital camera's top electronic shutter speed is 32,000. Although I have been doing photography for over fifty years, I have no idea what use I would have for any speed over 1/2000 of a second. Truth be told, I have no idea or use for 98% of the function choices on the new camera, nor in the editing programs.

After grade 16, and a short stint doing audiovisual for a school system, I worked in a camera store in Nashua, N.H.. Photography was popular then, and Massachusetts' residents saved the sales tax by crossing the state border.

I returned to Allentown, and operated a small custom darkroom on 8th Street for a few more years. Although I stopped doing my own darkroom work, I continued taking pictures. I reluctantly gave up film emulsion for digital about twenty years ago. 

I have the pleasure of using my own photography in many of my blog posts. For social media size purposes, today's cell phone cameras can duplicate the quality of my old Mamiya Sekor 500, but they don't command the same commitment to the image. 

photocredit:molovinsky/Nashua,N.H./1974

Molovinsky Christmas Tour

Yesterday I posted about Bill White's recommended Christmas Light tours.  I hope that caravans of  new SUV's are taking White's tours, because he publishes his recommendations every year.  Bill, after all these years,  has his job down almost on autopilot;  Christmas light tours,  Eating his way through Musikfest,  Cake contest at fair, Grammar columns,  Hall of Shame, Worst sentence writer. etc., etc.

Anyway, I recommend that nobody take my light tour,  it's in the hood in center city Allentown. Actually, the block shown has had its share of crime in recent years. The alley is narrow,  so there is no passing another car.  The double parkers get very annoyed if you beep your horn.  Best to stick with White's tours out in suburbia, with the inflated decorations that are flaccid during the day.  Personally,  I prefer the center city house decorations.  There is something so much more inspiring about decorating a low income house, many of which are rentals.  It makes me feel better and more hopeful about downtown.

reprinted from December of 2017

Bill White's Christmas Lights

I was never on Bill White's Christmas Lights tour, but all I could think of was Chevy Chase, putting together the plug in his Christmas Lampoon Movie. I imagined that in Bill's mind, the more the better, aesthetics beside. Yesterday the newspaper showed photographs of some of the houses; Yep, I was right. Now, I understand the appeal of wattage, especially for children. As a child, my father would drive us by a house on Union Street, just beyond Union Terrace. It was a ranch house with easy access to the roof. This man did the whole shebang; roof outline in lights, Santa sled and reindeer on roof, and lots of lawn ornaments. As the gentleman and his display aged, less would appear each year. Fortunately for children, Santa, although no spring chicken and fat, never gets too old to deliver. Blogger's Note: Christmas lights are enjoyed by people of all ages and faiths. Bill White and his crew have spent many hours locating those houses which best give what he calls the gift of WOW. Pictures and directions for the light tour can be found on The Morning Call Website.

reprinted from December of 2010

Christmas Time In Allentown

The other day Kenneth Heffentrager announced that he was interested in being appointed to the Redevelopment Authority. Ken has a dilemma; Such appointments are made by the mayor, and Ken is a grass roots street level organizer. Pawlowski historically has appointed certified yes men to his boards. It is for that reason that often one person will serve on several boards in Allentown. Although Ken is a founding member of the Allentown Tenant Association, he has also been somewhat of a thorn in Pawlowski's side, advocating for more housing inspectors. Although he is completely qualified for the position he seeks, this blog post isn't really about him.

Ken made his pitch for appointment on facebook. One of the readers wished him well, but then commented that she did not want to concern herself with such matters during the Christmas season. Politicians count on such reactions. Add in those that concentrate on Thanksgiving, Easter and their summer vocation, and you can end up electing an indicted mayor.  Another reader, who herself was appointed by Pawlowski to another commission, wondered if Ken would be able to function objectively,  considering his past tensions with the mayor.  I think that citizens should wonder if someone who is an avid supporter of Pawlowski could function fairly in such a position?

While my interest in local politics isn't reduced by holidays, the recent election results were very discouraging. Perhaps that is why this blog has been concentrating on its other component, local history. On that note,  I have used this old A-Treat Seasons Greetings as today's illustration. The A-Treat Company, after closing several years ago,  has been purchased and restarted by the Jaindl family.

above reprinted from December of 2017

ADDENDUM DECEMBER 19, 2022: Readers of this blog lately have seen more reprints of my history based posts. When it comes to the political component, I'm becoming more and more subdued. With a corrupt mayor like Pawlowski, I had one abuse after another to expose. Tuerk, although not corrupt, is more of a pied piper.  Playing his flute, his followers are so flattered by the cultural tune, they're willing to overlook litter, crime and a declining quality of life. Council now would rather fund and empower hope and promises, rather than hire more policemen for more enforcement. 

In this blog's earlier years, I would attend city council meetings and speak out against such shortcomings. Now, it seems that both council, and enough residents to re-elect them, are satisfied with the status quo. 

There are those of us who still remember when Allentown had different values.

Markets Of Allentown's Past

When I was growing up my parents lived on two ends of Allentown, first the south side and then the west end.  I was fortunate to have experienced two great independent markets of Allentown's past.

The Lehigh Super Market had a great section of small inexpensive toys for a small boy.  An easy walk from Little Lehigh Manor,  I could keep my Hopalong Casidy six shooter in caps, and replace my lost water pistol each summer.  The ice cream fountain featured hand dipped Breyers.  While the kids took a cone, the parents would have a quart or gallon scooped and weighed to take home.

Before  Food Fair was built farther west on Lehigh Street,  my mother would do all her shopping, except for meat,  at Lehigh Market.  Although I didn't pay too much attention, I do remember the cookie selection.

In the late 1950's my parents moved to the west end, and my times at Deiley's West Gate Market began.  Although too old to notice the toy selection,  the soda fountain became a hangout.

In addition to numerous corner markets, every section of Allentown had a popular larger independent, like Lehigh or Deiley's.   A few like Hersh's Market, have survived to this day.

photo of Deiley's Market in 1938

reprinted from April of 2020

The Butchers Of Allentown

photograph by Bob Wilt

A&B (Arbogast&Bastian), dominated the local meat packing industry for almost 100 years. At it's peak, they employed 700 people and could process 4,000 hogs a day. The huge plant was at the foot of Hamilton Street, at the Lehigh River. All that remains is their free standing office building, which has been incorporated into America on Wheels. Front and Hamilton was Allentown's meatpacking district. Within one block, two national Chicago meatpackers, Swift and Wilson, had distribution centers. Also in the area were several small independents, among them M. Feder and Allentown Meat Packing Company.

Allentown Meat Packing was owned by my father and uncle. The area was criss-crossed with tracks, owned by both LVRR and Jersey Central. All the plants had their own sidings. This is an era when commerce was measured in factories and production, not just relocated office workers.

Molovinsky On Allentown occasionally takes a break from the local political discourse to present local history.  My grandfather came to Allentown in 1891 and lived in the Ward on 2nd Street. By the time my father was born in 1917, they lived on the corner of Chew and Jordan Streets.

reprinted from previous years