Month: August 2019

Gadfly has a heavenly afternoon

“We must be in heaven, man.”
Woodstocker, 1969

Gadfly is older than the Hippies.

Gadfly completely missed the Sixties we talk of as “the Sixties” while in college and graduate school.

The only marijuana Gadfly has had in the house (that we know of, anyway — boys, ‘fess up!) has been in the last three weeks, and that of the medical variety. True.

So it’s no surprise that Gadfly never got to Woodstock, that “three days of peace and music” creating a sense of community much different than that which Gadfly tries to foster in these pages.

On the Ohio Turnpike 50 years ago this week, Ken Kesey’s old schoolbusload of Merry Pranksters tooling to Woodstock passed the Gadfly old Volkswagenbusload of squashed children and Salvation Army belongings on the way to Bethlehem.

The middle-seat of that bus of revered memory served as our living room sofa for a year.

Gadfly was no merry prankster in 1969.

But sometimes life grants you something close to a second chance.

Gadfly moonlighted this afternoon at the SteelStacks showing of the Woodstock movie — all 3hrs. and 45mins. of it.

It was like being in heaven, man.

And the Anthem, however performed, and whether acknowledged with palmed heart or on bended knee, never fails to inspire.

A modest proposal: “press conferences” for the Mayor and City Council

(8th in a series of modest proposals)

“There seems to be no mechanism to receive answers to questions.”

So transparency, accountability, visibility, and their synonyms roll easily off the various political platforms — especially at election time.

But we’re missing something here.

It’s something I noticed right away about City meetings before I was even Gadfly.

Interaction . . . Feedback . . . Response > true communication.

I remember pre-Gadfly likening public commentary at City Council meetings to something out of a Kafka story — petitioners speaking to a silent wall of inscrutable judges.

Happily I now feel I know our Mayor and Council members much better, so the impersonality I felt then in those early days is a good deal mitigated.

But there is still no interaction . . . feedback . . . response > true communication.

Like, for instance, to Gadfly #1’s question at the last Council meeting. Or to yours truly Gadfly00’s questions about Polk Street.

Not that the Mayor and Council members couldn’t respond at meetings. There is no “law” against such. The Harrisburg Open Records folk tell me there could be response — but most public agencies simply choose not to respond to public commentary at meetings.

So “we” can ask questions or make statements that invite, need, or demand response, but “they” remain quiet.

Gadfly gets it. He’s had administrative experience. He knows what its like on the other side of the Head Table.

City Council meetings are basically business meetings. Doing the business is the primary purpose of the meetings.

So we need something else.

What is that something Gadfly asks himself.

More and more Gadfly thinks we need something like a periodic press conference with the Mayor and Council or perhaps separately.

Now some of you younger followers might glaze over, ignorant of what a press conference is — since the words have been disappeared from the Trumpster White House dictionary.

Can you imagine Nicole, Sara, Doug, and the others asking the Mayor and/or Council members freewheeling questions on topics of current interest in a give-and-take format?

Probably not — the newspapers are declining in various ways and not interested in or capable of that kind of coverage anymore.

If the Mayor and/or Council would volunteer to appear at a “press conference” (we’d need to find another name), say once a month, could we find a neutral, objective, respected, experienced, journalistic figure (a Bill-White-type figure or Bill himself) to act as facilitator/interlocutor in a format that would enable expansion on topics of interest and concern?

Out there right now at this very moment, perhaps even reading this, are people who are planning to run for Mayor. Can we ask them to think about putting some muscle and foundation under the campaign rhetoric transparency promise.

Firm proposals to achieve transparency.

In any event, Gadfly’s latest modest proposal is that we institute “press conferences” for the Mayor and Council.

Temptation

(Latest post in a series on Affordable Housing)

Gadfly is facing the downsizing dilemma.

Gadfly is facing the downsizing doldrums.

Gadfly is facing the downsizing decision.

He has recently told you that his neighborhood is changing, that student rentals are increasing.

He has a five-bedroom house, wonderful for raising a brood of “Irish sextuplets” (6 boys in 9 years).

A developer would not have to spend a penny in rehabbing.

Kim Carrell-Smith recently pointed out in another post that we should read again that houses in the First Terrace section on the Southside sold for the “extraordinary sum” of an average of $240,000 each: “housing prices are going nuts”!

Gadfly paid $13,500 for his house a thousand years ago.

He could now make a fortune.

A house on his hum-drum, routine, middle-class, nothing-special block sold for just shy of $200,000.

Seriously.

The temptation is to sell and hang the “out to lunch” sign on Gadfly.

Feathering his own nest (so to speak).

Apres moi, le deluge!

Gadfly needs an intervention.

“Someone needs to explain to us why 5”

(Latest post on such topics as Neighborhoods, Southside, Affordable Housing)

At the last City Council meeting the indefatigable Gadfly #1 — Stephen Antalics — did his “thing” (as we used to say) on the definition of “family” again, the definition that permits developers to load 5 students into a house.

Gadfly sardonically remarked that Stephen is like the Flying Dutchman — the legendary ghost ship that can never make port and is doomed to sail the oceans forever — on this issue.

El primo Gadfly raised this issue at least as early as 2012, and this Gadfly has heard him raise it at least a half-dozen times in his Council attendances in the last 18 months.

“After extensive research into the matter,” said the Ur-Gadfly, “Bethlehem may be the only college community in the state allowing five unrelated students to be classified as a family.”

Which is why we are so appealing to developers.

“The key to good community is the single family.”

No denying that.

“Someone needs to explain to us why 5.”

No denying that.

“It becomes incumbent upon you on Council to get an answer for us.”

Lay it on, Stephen.

“What’s happening is contrary to the welfare of the Southside.”

No denying that.

“Can you help us to get an answer?”

Aiii, here’s the rub.

Now the solution to affordable housing etc. on the Southside may be more complicated than Stephen says.

Gadfly refers you to the recent post by the wise Anna Smith, a post that should be read again for sure.

That’s not the point on which Gadfly would like to focus here (forcing himself, Tony, to avoid ending with a preposition!).

The point on which Gadfly would like to focus is communication — two-way communication.

There seems to be no mechanism to receive answers to questions.

Gadfly has posed some questions in regard to the Polk Street Garage that will not be answered.

There seems to be no mechanism to receive answers to questions.

Stephen’s “Someone needs to explain to us why 5” will hang in the air endlessly.

Gadfly feels a modest proposal coming on.

The Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem(CADCB)

(Latest in a series of posts about Neighborhoods and the Southside)

Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem
409 East 4th Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015
http://cadcb.caclv.org/

“Empowering people and transforming South Bethlehem”

If you watched the Bonn Place Brewing video in the previous Gadfly post, you saw Anna Smith.

Anna is a Gadfly follower and contributor of some of our most thoughtful, fact-based, experience-based posts on the Southside, affordable housing, and related topics — most recently, “It’s time to move forward with some zoning or code changes to address student housing.”

Anna is also — in her day job! — director of the Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem (CADCB).

Gadfly has been trying to familiarize himself with the myriad organizations in and related to our City. And seeing Anna in the video reminded him that he visited her a month or two ago to get a better bead on CADCB.

Unfortunately, such time has passed that his notes have gone cold. But we can work from the very good CADCB web site to get an idea what’s up there. Gadfly’s betting that, like him, most of you, though perhaps having heard of CADCB (or Anna), couldn’t describe in any detail what they do.

Let’s take a post or three to walk through the CADCB web site. Please click and browse along with Gadfly.

The ambitious CADCB mission:

The mission of Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem is to promote social and economic change by fostering business and other economic opportunities within the community of south Bethlehem.

CADCB is a subsidiary of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley (CACLV). There will be a test on these acronyms! The mission of the CACLV is:

to improve the quality of life in the Lehigh Valley by building a community which all people have access to economic opportunity, the ability to pursue that opportunity, and a voice in the decisions that affect their lives.

Wow! Missions to die for!

The nature of CADCB and CACLV is spelled out in more detail here:

  • As an ADVOCATE, CACLV is the conscience of the Lehigh Valley.
  • As a COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, CACLV values neighborhoods that are economically self-sustainable.
  • As a HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, CACLV values people.
  • As a NON-PROFIT CORPORATION, CACLV values responsible stewardship of the funds entrusted to us and the resources available to us.
  • As an EMPLOYER, CACLV values our employees.

Wow! You’ve got to like organizations that see themselves as the conscience of their communities.

CADCB organizes “a steering Committee of community residents, business owners, clergy, non-profit organizations, city government, and community leaders . . . responsible for implementation of Southside Vision 2020.”

More on the Southside Vision 2020 plan next.

CADCB: “Empowering people and transforming South Bethlehem”

Thank you Bonn Place Brewing, thank you TD Bank

(Latest post in a series about Neighborhoods and Southside)

You can watch TD Bank’s video of the Masottos at https://bit.ly/2YPijKH

Bonn Place

Morning Call photo

Building community is what the Gadfly project is all about.

You can watch TD Bank’s video of the Masottos at https://bit.ly/2YPijKH.

“Community” is literally the first word in this video, “Community means family,” says Gina Masotto. “This is the community we can change. What we can change is right here and right now.”

“Bonn Place is a catalyst for the regrowth of this community,” says TD banker Ryan Schuck. “They’re also now helping other young entrepreneurs get started. . . . How much they are committed to the growth of Bethlehem as a whole — that’s the real story. . . . The integrity of this community is real strong. This is just the beginning.”

Anthony Salamone, “Why a bank made one Bethlehem brewer the face of its ad campaign.” Morning Call, August 12, 2019.

The video opens with an introduction to the Masottos — Sam and Gina — who own Bonn Place Brewing Co. It heads into a bit of history about south Bethlehem, where Bonn Place is based, with Ryan Schuck of TD Bank highlighting how small businesses have led the charge in revitalizing the community from what was one of America’s greatest steel towns. The short film shifts back to the Masottos, who relate how they try to give others advice about starting a business.

“This is the community we can change,” Gina says. “What we can change is right here and right now.”

That change they hope to bring is what led to TD Bank recently honoring the Masottos and their brewery in an ad campaign about companies giving back. Bonn Place was one of three small businesses recognized throughout the bank’s eastern U.S. footprint; TD, based in Canada, honored seven in total covering North America.

TD is also donating $10,000 to Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley in the Masottos’ name toward a business program. . . . The money will be earmarked toward an arm of CACLV aimed at helping female-owned entrepreneurs and others who aspire to open a businesses.

Community Action, through its Rising Tide Community Loan Fund, loaned the Masottos $130,000 when they embarked on Bonn Place in 2015. That, and a boost from city officials and neighbors, they say, helped them launch the brewery in 2016. “We needed a bit of help to get this place opened … and everybody needs help,” Gina Masotto says on the video.

“I think the biggest thing that stuck out for us was their desire to help other local entrepreneurs and the transformation of Bethlehem at large,” said Orpello, senior vice president of brand channel and field marketing.

You can watch TD Bank’s video of the Masottos at https://bit.ly/2YPijKH

Sketch plans for $50m charter school

(24th in a series on Education and Charter Schools)

Gadfly has been following charter school news because of the budget impact on our Bethlehem Area School District taxes. See the “Charter school” link on the Gadfly sidebar.

Of special interest will be LVA’s request to the BASD for permission to build.

Sarah M. Wojcik and Jacqueline Palochko, “Lehigh Valley Academy prepares to make new school pitch in Bethlehem Township.” Morning Call, August 12, 2019.

The Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School is moving forward with plans to build a school in Bethlehem Township, filing sketch plans with the township last week.

The school, which comes with a preliminary $50 million price tag and would house kindergarten through 12th grade, was originally planned for Hanover Township, Northampton County, but Lehigh Valley Academy nixed that plan because of “insurmountable zoning issues.” It won’t face that problem at the 58.7-acre Bethlehem Township tract along Hecktown Road, north of Route 22. That’s because the land, owned by the estate of Fred Jaindl, is zoned agricultural and a school is among the permitted uses.

Because LVA is a regional charter school, it needs permission of both Bethlehem Area and Saucon Valley school districts. As of last week, LVA had not filed a formal request with Bethlehem Area, Superintendent Joseph Roy said. Most of LVA’s 1,700 students come from the Bethlehem region.

The sketch plans on file in Bethlehem Township indicate the building could support 1,950 students. The plans show athletic fields at the rear of the building, behind a 326-space parking lot and bus dropoff area. Two parking lots, each with 75 spaces, are in front of the building.

 

Porch thoughts

(Latest post in the series on City Government and affordable housing)

It is a stunningly beautiful day on the porch in Gadfly’s backyard.

Preternaturally quiet.

Next-door neighbors gone for the week. Student renters gone for the weekend.

Just Gadfly. And the birds. And the butterflies. And an occasional lantern fly.

So quiet he can hear the wasps (is that what they are?) drinking from the birdbath.

Great thinking time.

Two thoughts came to mind:

1) A memory of Seth Moglen enunciating a call to action from the newly formed Bethlehem Residents for Responsible Development in front of the Mayor and City Council a few weeks ago that included a kind of threat: we aren’t going away, we are paying attention, we will vote.

2) At this very moment the Bethlehem City Democratic Committee is hosting their annual picnic in Bethlehem Township (have they sucked all the noise out of town? is that why it is so quiet?).

Those two thoughts led to two others:

3) Nobody’s vulnerable to an election defeat in the near future.

4) Where are the Bethlehem Republicans when we need them?

These 4 thoughts arc’d in Gadfly’s mind, leading to a sobering conclusion.

Nothing might get done about the “existential threat” Seth dramatically articulated because the threat about voting the Mayor and Council out of office was empty.

The Mayor cannot run again, and, in any event, the next mayoral election is basically two years away. An eternity. The Mayor isn’t worried.

There is a Council election in November, but it is a meaningless mid-term, turnout will be low, and — worst of all — there is no opposition for the primary winners at this time. Does any Council member fear defeat?

So Gadfly started thinking about what a shame it is in this instance that we don’t have an opposing party in town that might take up now before the November general election the “cause” that the BRRD and others have generated and spur the active leadership in regard to affordable housing and neighborhood property-value security that comes when your office is on the line.

Will the Mayor and Council — partying right now in the wilds of Memorial Park — be complacent?

Who will step up?

Is it still possible for an Independent to challenge in the general election and shake things up a bit?

Sharing your reading: turning renters into owners

(Latest in a series of posts about affordable housing)
(also 5th in a series about sharing your reading)

Jeff Speck: “Turn renters into owners.”
(Walkable City Rules, 2018)

(The Gadfly blog is turning into the “Journal for the Advancement of Affordable Housing”! Hey, have you — no matter where you live in the City — gotten on the mailing list of the Bethlehem Residents for Responsible Development at moglen@lehigh.edu? If you haven’t, wouldya?)

There are 15 homes in Gadfly’s extended block.

A decade ago there was just one rental. Now there are 6. Rentals now are 40% of Gadfly’s immediate neighborhood.

2 of the 6 rentals are student housing — the landlords enjoying the benefits of the infamous “5 students = a family” rule.

Things are going downhill: peeling paint, trash clutter, unmowed grass, unshoveled snow removal, competitive parking, trees lost, missing teeth on railing’d porches, deteriorating facades, etc., etc. You name it.

One very good neighbor has rented for 10 years. What’s up with that?

$1400/mo. x 12/mo. a year x 10yrs = $168,000.

The landlord has not raised the rent in that time. These good people pay regularly, not always the case in rental management. So he wants to keep them. But he has done little in upkeep on the property and won’t until they move and he is forced to for new tenants.

Why rent so long? And seemingly so irrationally economically.

You would think if they could pay (substantial) rent steadily for 10 years, they could make mortgage payments.

Their specific situation is a bit more complicated — general issues of credit and possible need for quick moves — but one main reason, they say, is the down-payment hump.

Speck: “Babylon, N.Y., . . . reached out to all local renters with a down-payment assistance program.”

Just tryin’ to stir the idea-pot . . .

If you aren’t reading, you may not be thinking. What are you reading these days? How about sharing with us? Gadfly invites you to share a few clips of your reading  — with or without comment — or a few thoughts from your reading pertinent to the Gadfly project of the good conversation about Bethlehem that builds community.

Sharing your reading: Granny flats

(Latest in a series of posts about affordable housing)
(also 4th in a series about sharing your reading)

Jeff Speck: “Pass an Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance . . . and create a City program encouraging their construction.”
(Walkable City Rules, 2018)

So you see what Gadfly is doing here, right? Trying to educate himself.

Bethlehem has an acknowledged problem with lack of affordable housing.

(Remember, he’s liking the term “attainable housing” too.)

We could hop over to the sidebar, click the “candidates for election” link, and find several of the candidates affirming attention to affordable housing as a campaign platform position.

Easy to say in campaign mode.

And, of course, in that setting, nobody talked about how to do anything to further affordable housing.

The Mayor’s response to the South Bethlehem Historical Society letter named a housing program example but hardly indicated any wide-ranging program to address affordable housing.

So Gadfly’s trying to educate himself.

Speck says, “there is a way to almost invisibly increase density, affordability, and diversity in single-family neighborhoods.”

That is:

the Accessible Dwelling Unit (ADU): the Backyard Apartment, the Garage Apartment, the Mother-in-law Apartment, the Granny Flat.

Now just with inclusionary zoning, we may already have codes for ADU’s. Gadfly doesn’t know. And just like with inclusionary zoning, Speck may be glossing over big negatives,

But this idea as a partial solution to the lack of affordable housing was new to Gadfly and sounded kinda interesting.

ADU’s have a small footprint: 500 – 800 sq. ft. They work well in neighborhoods with rear alleys. They increase property values. They (Gadfly’s antennae go up) “make aging in place possible,” as seniors rent them out or live in them and collect rent for the main house.

One town offers zero-interest loans up to $20,000 to build them.

Seattle offers a guide. Look at the pictures!

There are 11 houses on Gadfly’s block. The yards are 60ft. long. Only two “use” the yards. A couple are jungles. Is my neighborhood ripe for Granny flats?

Take this eyesore of a single-car garage, for example, that hasn’t housed a car in the 50yrs Gadfly has lived next to it.

Ripe for a Granny flat?

Just tryin’ to stir the pot . . .

What are you reading these days? How about sharing with us? Gadfly invites you to share a few clips of your reading  — with or without comment — or a few thoughts from your reading pertinent to the Gadfly project of the good conversation about Bethlehem that builds community.

Sharing your reading: inclusionary zoning

(Latest in a series of posts about affordable housing)
(also 3rd in a series about sharing your reading)

Jeff Speck, “Pass a mandatory Inclusionary Zoning ordinance”
(Walkable City Rules, 2018)

Gadfly had never heard the term “inclusionary zoning” before reading Speck. Maybe we already have it. He doesn’t know. But the term felt new and got him thinking about this subject of affordable housing that we have been following lately.

(Speck, by the way, gifted Gadfly another new term worth incorporating into your wordbank: “attainable housing.” For Gadfly, it adds a layer of meaning to “affordable.” Try it on.)

Gadfly probably doesn’t have to tell you that he can be a drama king. If you need a reminder, go to his “A Plea for Affordable Housing,” the post that started this thread back in June.

At least take 70 seconds and listen again to the guy who somberly ended the parade of resident speakers at the Nitschmann meeting on the Martin Tower demolition.

Gadfly will never forget that quiet, unassuming guy and his moving simplicity. Pleas for help like this — and the South Bethlehem Historical Society letter — are like those sticky wall balls thrown at Gadfly’s mind.

Here’s Gadfly in full drama mode:

Let’s keep that muffled elderly voice and the vigorous chorus of audience support in mind as we think about what the City can do to remedy the lack of affordable housing.

There is a problem, and “we” know in our guts something has to be done about it.

Martin Tower, 548 apartments proposed (or is it 528? or 598? The mind boggles). The Boyd Theater, 120. Skyline West, 50.

How many of these housing units will be affordable, attainable?

Enter “inclusionary zoning.”

Speck:

What are you reading these days? How about sharing with us? Gadfly invites you to share a few clips of your reading  — with or without comment — or a few thoughts from your reading pertinent to the Gadfly project of the good conversation about Bethlehem that builds community.

Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan on the move

(The latest in a series of posts relating to the environment, Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan, and Bethlehem’s Environmental Advisory Council)

“There is no reason why good cannot triumph as often as evil.
The triumph of anything is a matter of organization.”
(Kurt Vonnegut)

Councilman Reynolds has been the main driver in the formation of a local Climate Action Plan, dating back to his “Bethlehem 2017” report, which can be found linked on the Gadfly sidebar.

Here we are two years later, and Gadfly was pleased to attend the Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) meeting last night at Illick’s Mill at which members discussed proposals from four organizations to write a plan for the City.

The EAC is chaired by Lynn Rothman, and the members are Elizabeth Behrend, Elisabeth Cichonski, Kathy Fox, Brian Hillard, Brian Nicas, and Mike Topping. Nine other members of the public were also present.

As explained by chair Rothman, the EAC had input into the call for proposals and now was invited to make recommendations before the City made the final decision and awarded a contract to one of the bidders. The City has allocated funds for the project to begin this year, and it sounded to Gadfly that the project would take about a year to complete.

Next year we could have a Climate Action Plan!

Each of the four proposals was lengthy and densely packed with information. EAC members reviewed them beforehand and discussed them one-by-one at the meeting.

Gadfly is always proudly pleased to show our non-tax dollars profitably at work. Here to give you a taste of the meeting is the final section in which Council members ranked the proposals for their recommendation to the City. Most interesting in the later portion of this clip is a discussion of attention to underserved populations.

Nicely done!

It’s Friday, August 9, do you know where your local Climate Action Plan is?

The Bethlehem Area Public Library portrait of H. D. needs our help

(22nd in a series of posts on H.D.)

Finding H.D.:
A Community Exploration of the Life and Work of Hilda Doolittle

Bethlehem-born writer Hilda Doolittle — H. D. —  (1886-1961) is
the “Lehigh Valley’s most important literary figure.”

hildadoolittleh.d.

A few days ago Gadfly reported that Moravian College’s Angela Fraleigh was commissioned to do the portrait of H. D. that will hang in the Bethlehem Area Public Library, literally on the spot where she lived as a child.

“Not only is H.D.’s poetry evocative and mesmerizing,” says Fraleigh, “but her work aligns with my own interests, as she helps reconstruct a mythic past for women. It’s an honor to receive this commission.”

Fraleigh is a distinguished artist — take a look at her work here.

And see her talk about her work here: “Inside the Artist’s Studio: Angela Fraleigh”

Fraleigh_ Where the Bones of Us

Where the Bones of us Hunger for Nothing
Angela Fraleigh 2014

The H. D. portrait will be a museum-quality work of art by a professional painter.

As Gadfly writes, the library has raised $515 of the $3000 goal.

Gadfly is in — how about you?

Go to http://www.bapl.org/hd/ for information on how to donate either by check or online.

“Writing. Love is writing.”

Finding H.D.:
A Community Exploration of the Life and Work of Hilda Doolittle

Two thumbs down on police armed with assault rifles at Musikfest

(The latest in a series of posts on City government)

It would be hard to disagree with Chief DiLuzio’s thought that he “will ever err on the AK47side of caution,” but I’m not sure having police officers armed with assault rifles is the way to do that.

There are at least two major problems with this misguided approach:

1. If there’s a threat in a crowd of Musikfest patrons, the assault rifle is not a useful response tool. If officers think their superior firepower will solve the problem, it is likely to delay a more constructive response.

2. It normalizes the ideas that guns make people safer and that having officers with military weapons is the best way to be safe.

“Two thumbs down.”

Peter Crownfield

Beyond the Bethlehem beltway

Gadfly is just shy of 11 months old.

Largely motivated by the divisive mess of national politics, Gadfly hoped to contribute to doing some good on the local level.

Focus inside the Bethlehem beltway.

Where you have a chance of making a difference.

Begin where you live.

Get involved.

Try to get others involved.

“Good conversation builds community.”

Make the world better one town at a time.

But he is oscillating between despair and rage this morning.

Images from the ICE raid in Mississippi on the news just now.

ICE kids 2

ICE kids 1

Gadfly hopes we are thinking hard about what’s happening beyond our beltway.

Gadfly welcomes good conversation by and about the Bethlehem Latino/Hispanic community.

Mark your calendars, buy your tickets, Touchstone Theatre “Festival UnBound” in October

(Latest in a series of posts on the Arts)

“Festival UnBound is part of Touchstone’s mission of community-building.”

Faithful followers know that “community” is aphrodisiac for Gadfly.

Musikfest is in full FEST mode, but it is time to mark your calendars for another major, similarly 10-day-long festival, this time featuring a variety of local talent.

Festival UnBound

Look at the participants and locales on the above web site or in the article linked below: Touchstone Theatre and its ensemble members, the Greenway, Charter Arts students, the Bethlehem Area Public Library, Sisters’ House, Bethlehem highschoolers, Payrow Plaza, Mock Turtle Marionettes, SteelStacks, Nazareth High School choir, Zoellner Arts Center, Moravian College undergrads, the Cafe the Lodge, the Charles Brown Ice House, Godfrey Daniels, Sigal Museum, Miller Symphony Hall, etc., etc.

Amazing array!

Stunning!

Gadfly has, of course, been following Finding H.D.:  A Community Exploration of the Life and Work of Hilda Doolittle and hopes to do more in highlighting local artistic talent and events.

Such as Touchstone’s Festival UnBound.

Gadfly hopes you will get on board and help provide community support for this wonderful project.

Not too early to get your Festival UnBound tickets here or here!

And please consider donating here as well.

Craig Larimer, “Touchstone Theatre announces 10-day Festival Unbound schedule and ticket sales.” Morning Call, August 6, 2019.

On Monday, Bethlehem’s Touchstone Theatre announced a schedule and ticket plan for Festival Unbound — a 10-day series of about 20 events that intends to use the arts community to help chart a course for the creative future.

The festival will feature free and ticketed events Oct. 4-13 throughout the Lehigh Valley, but with a concentration in Bethlehem. According to festival organizers, Festival UnBound will use art to spark conversations about how the city has changed since Bethlehem Steel closed, and to imagine a future together — after being “unbound” from the Steel.

The festival was organized in collaboration with the City of Bethlehem, local African American and Latino communities, educational institutions such as the Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts and Moravian College, and area steelworkers and other residents.

The program plan includes nine pieces of original theater by local, national and internationally known artists and musicians, and will include parades, youth activities, street performances, panel forums/discussions and more.

About half of the events require tickets, while many are free.

Touchstone Theatre is one of the country’s longest continuously producing ensemble theaters. Festival UnBound is part of Touchstone’s mission of community-building.

Info on the proposed market at Riverport

(Latest post in a series about Neighborhoods and Southside)

Ahhh, now here’s the info Gadfly was looking for when news of the state grant came out the other day.

Sounds good!

Nicole Radzievich, “Here’s how fast developers expect to open shuttered Starters Riverport as a public market.” August 7, 2019.

Bethlehem’s shuttered Starters Riverport, once the Lehigh Valley’s largest restaurant, could be home to a public market by spring.

The developers cast the Riverport Market as having a “clean, urban, industrial vibe” with about 35 vendors, a demonstration kitchen, anchor restaurant and a brewing tasting room sprawled across 24,000 square feet in part of what was once a former finishing mill that housed Bethlehem Steel’s alloy and tool division.

The market is expected to feature culture, music, art and culinary events daily. The hours would be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, with the restaurant and tasting room to be opened later.

The project, owned by Lehigh Riverport Investors Fund LP, is being developed by Lou Pektor of Ashley Development in Bethlehem. He was behind the Riverport redevelopment project 15 years ago. The old industrial building was converted into a multiuse project that included a garage, 172 condominiums and commercial space, including Starters. Starters closed six years ago and has been vacant since.

Mayor Robert Donchez said he believes the market to be a good fit in a neighborhood that includes the Banana Factory arts and education center, which will be undergoing an expansion, and new office buildings.

What the American Flag Stands For

Peter Crownfield is officially retired but spends most of his time working with students in his role as internship coordinator for the Alliance for Sustainable Communities–Lehigh Valley.

Following on Martha’s post yesterday, this was written quite a few years ago by a 12-year-old in Maine:

What the American Flag Stands For

by Charlotte Aldebron

The American flag stands for the fact that cloth can be very important. It is against the law to let the flag touch the ground or to leave the flag flying when the weather is bad. The flag has to be treated with respect. You can tell just how important this cloth is because when you compare it to people, it gets much better treatment. Nobody cares if a homeless person touches the ground. A homeless person can lie all over the ground all night long without anyone picking him up, folding him neatly and sheltering him from the rain.

School children have to pledge loyalty to this piece of cloth every morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair wage, or enough food to eat, or affordable medicine, or clean water, or air free of harmful chemicals. But we all have to promise to love a rectangle of red, white, and blue cloth.

Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her creation has become. But Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to see how little of the flag’s real meaning remains.

Charlotte Aldebron wrote this essay in 2002, when she was 12.

Provocative ideas for Polk Street

(106th in a series of posts on parking)

Although she’s lived in Bethlehem for almost 20 years, Carol Burns’ new career as a freelance marketer is giving her an opportunity to “discover” her hometown. She volunteers for several arts-related organizations, and her newest adventure is dipping her toe into local politics and community organizations.

Gadfly:

Curious about “best practices” for parking garages?

Like — could the top deck have a percentage of space allotted to greenery / bee-loving plants / trees / solar? Could there be a more favorable rate for vehicles with more than one passenger or (better) more than two?

Carol

Refreshing! Doesn’t Carol get you thinking?  Now that’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout — what are your ideas for the Polk Street Garage design or practices?

Climate Action Plan taking a big step

(The latest in a series of posts relating to the environment, Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan, and Bethlehem’s Environmental Advisory Council)

Hey, speakin’ of the Environmental Advisory Council and the Climate Action Plan:

NOTICE is hereby given that the Bethlehem Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) will conduct a special meeting on Thursday, August 8, 2019, at 6:30 PM, at Illick’s Mill, 100 Illick’s Mill Road, Bethlehem PA 18018. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss and make any pertinent recommendations to the City regarding proposals from four environmental consulting firms to write a Climate Action Plan for the City of Bethlehem. 

This is a public meeting and all interested parties may attend and be heard. Rescheduled or special meetings will be advertised in compliance with the Act of July 3, 1986, P.L. 84. Information about the EAC is available on the City of Bethlehem’s website at www.bethlehem-pa.gov, under Authorities & Boards.

Elisabeth Cichonski

Secretary, EAC

It is still Wednesday, August 7, do you know where your local Climate Action Plan is?

The Environmental Advisory Council recommendations on the Polk Street Garage

(The latest in a series of posts relating to parking, the environment, Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan, and Bethlehem’s Environmental Advisory Council)

The good ol’ Environmental Advisory Council (EAC). Love ’em!

Always a step ahead.

Look at this July 29 letter to the Bethlehem Parking Authority about the design of the Polk Street Garage (be sure to note the interesting photos):

EAC to Parking.Authority

The EAC has recommendations concerning electric vehicle charging stations, solar panels, stormwater management, tree replacement, and car idling impact.

This is exactly the kind of thing that Gadfly expressed concern about in a post yesterday when he said, “Gadfly is wondering, for instance, how the garage fits in with any related City goals — like walkability or Climate Action or whatever.”

Gadfly worries that the BPA works independently.

He hopes that the Polk Street Garage design will have plenty of public review as well as the routine technical scrutiny from the City departments.

He is not sure what “power” the EAC has, but you would think the City would be under great pressure to make sure the BPA follows such recommendations.

If we are serious about a Climate Action Plan, such recommendations must be followed.

It’s Wednesday, August 7, do you know where your local Climate Action Plan is?

Greeting Grace!

(The latest in a series of posts on City government)

After saluting Shawn for his service, let’s greet Grace Crampsie Smith, who will fill the remainder of Shawn’s position before taking over the Council slot to which she was recently elected in January.

Grace steps up early!

Gadfly runs into many people who think City Council is a full-time job. No. Part-time. Time consuming. Large responsibility. And not at pay you get rich on. Truly public service.

Let’s welcome Grace!

If you browse through the “candidates for election” topic on the Gadfly sidebar, you can find a great deal of information about Grace.

Here is her campaign kick-off video:

And here is her answer to a question on development (much in focus on the Gadfly blog these days!) that Gadfly posed to all the candidates:

Grace Crampsie Smith grace crampsie smith

As a school counselor, within the past 2 years I have seen an astoundingly significant increase in the number of students and families facing homelessness. This is a direct result of the lack of housing that is affordable and suitable throughout our country and within our communities such as Bethlehem. The disparity between housing costs and income has grown considerably and has received national and local media attention.

Families who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing are considered cost-burdened and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation, and medical care. An estimated 12 million renters and homeowner households now pay more than 50 percent of their annual incomes for housing. A family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States. Within the Lehigh Valley, 34,000 people pay more than 50% of their income on housing costs.

While development of residential properties is essential, let’s examine the disproportion between the development of high-end luxury apartments and condos versus affordable residential units. We are interdependent upon one another and thus must assure that our neighbors have the basic needs of life met, first and foremost, housing that is affordable and suitable.

As I have noted previously, Council members must be mindful that our community is made up of people from all walks of life who have varied incomes, educations, and skills, and we all want the same thing – to provide for our families and have a good quality of life.

Recent initiatives such as the partnership between the Community Action Development Corp. of Bethlehem and the City of Bethlehem to rehab homes on the South Side is promising and needs to be expanded upon.

To further address this issue, I would propose developing a task force of public and private entities as well as securing grant monies. After all, assuring our community members have affordable and suitable housing promotes stronger, safer neighborhoods, which benefits the community at large.

 

Saluting Shawn!

(The latest in a series of posts on City government)

Departing Councilman Shawn Martell and other City Council members said goodbyes last Shawn M Martellnight.

Four years of service.

Thanks for stepping up, Shawn.

Godspeed!

Sara Satullo, “With resignation of councilman, there’s now a vacancy on Bethlehem City Council.” lehighvalleylive.com, July 18, 2019.

Bethlehem City Councilman Shawn Martell is resigning from his seat in mid-August because he is moving to Washington, D.C., for a new job.

A lifelong Bethlehem resident, Martell is moving to the nation’s capital to join his fiancé and work with the public education team at the United States Botanic Garden. The teacher said it is a difficult choice.

“Bethlehem has been my lifelong home and given me so much over the years,” Martell said in a press release.”… Rest assured that I will also continue to advocate for smart, sustainable and progressive community and economic development.”

Martell said he is most proud of council’s collaborative effort to protect and invest in Bethlehem’s neighborhoods, promote economic stability, prioritize fiscal sustainability and increase government accountability and transparency.

The Mayor and the Chief report on security at Musikfest

(The latest in a series of posts on City government)

Pamela Lehman, “Police beef up security at Musikfest following mass shootings, social media threats.” Morning Call, August 6, 2019.

In light of an unspecified social media threat mentioning Bethlehem as well as three mass shootings across the country in a week, officials are increasing security at the festival with added cameras, traffic barriers and a visible presence of officers armed with the rifles.

Chief DiLuzio at City Council Tuesday, August 6:

“I believe that threat has been rendered unthreatable . . . We did increase security in certain instances . . . We tweak our security plan every year, basically every day . . . To ignore what goes on around you would be neglectful . . . If it can happen in an Amish schoolhouse, it can happen anywhere in the United States . . . We’re being prepared, and I will ever err on the side of caution.”

Mayor Donchez at City Council Tuesday, August 6:

“Public Safety has to be Number 1.”

What social studies teachers do with their time

The Gadfly invites your “local color” photos and reflections of this sort

Martha A Larkin is a lifelong learner, linguist, caffeine connoisseur, and country road commuter. She has found her teaching home in a rural community in the northwest corner of the LV that we call Tiger Country. She attended and graduated from Bethlehem schools (K-M.Ed.). Bethlum is where she resides.
Larkin rule 1

 

Gadfly: While on my morning walk, I noticed the flag at half-mast. I took a moment; it always catches my eye, my thoughts, and sometimes my heart. I had to pause to catch my breath because I wanted to cry, no, scream, no . . . I don’t know. Here I am again at another flag, at a different high school, and in my hometown.

Larkin flag

I haven’t had a flag at my house since the last ceremonious disposal. So, I procured a new US flag. I was hanging it, and my neighbor asked me if it was some sort of protest. I responded, “No. A sign of distress. I don’t know the answers.” He recognized the distress signal from being in the Navy. He agrees, we’re in distress. He’s on his way to get a new flag too.

Larkin Hate

We then spoke with another neighbor.

For me, for this morning, maybe that was the answer, talking to my neighbors.

Martha