(Latest posts on such topics as Neighborhoods, Southside,
1st Terrace, Affordable Housing)
In a model display of public participation and activism, a group of residents associated with the 1st Terrace situation that Gadfly reported on earlier attended City Council last night, announcing the formation of “Bethlehem Residents for Responsible Development,” describing the deteriorating situation in their neighborhood from the increasing pressure of student housing and firmly pushing the Mayor and City Council to take action NOW before it is too late.
You can find audio of the full individual statements from these residents at the bottom of this post, but here just below Gadfly has arranged clips in the form of an interview to capture the powerfully cumulative effect of their presentations.
Describe your neighborhood. (Moglen)
Why are you living there? (Mendez)
What is your purpose in coming here to this meeting? (Moglen)
Isn’t off-campus housing for students needed because of Lehigh’s expansion? (Handler)
What’s it like to live next to students? (Handler)
Are you opposed to neighborhood students and development? (Handler)
Give us some historical perspective. (Evans)
What’s the developer like? (Stark)
What’s your experience with the developer? (Long)
How urgent is the problem and how committed are you to pushing for a solution? (Saunders)
Edward J. Gallagher, Bethlehem immigrant, retired, nearly 50 years as Professor of American Literature at Lehigh University, known as "Dr. G" and "Conan the Grammarian" to students, whose virtual world avatar "EdwardScholarhands" stares at you here, has reinvented himself as the Bethlehem Gadfly.
View all posts by The Bethlehem Gadfly
