What is the big difference between then and now?

Neighborhoods, Serious Issues 1 Minute

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Gadfly:

As Deputy Director of Community Development, I would attend neighborhood blockwatch meetings regularly along with then Chief Housing Inspector Mike Palos. By our presence we were able to tackle issues before they become big problems, and we could channel matters to other departments the day after attending these meetings. What is the big difference between then and now? I lived in Bethlehem all of my life and treated people as if I was living next door to them. Mike, although living in a nearby municipality, had grown up in Bethlehem’s southside and lived here for many years after until moving before he became a city official. Nowadays, many of the non city residents working in city hall don’t want to be bothered!

Residents knew our families, and we knew theirs. It was about service first. Sadly that concept has been lost.

Dana Grubb

Festival UnBound
Ten days of original theatre, dance, music, art and conversation designed to celebrate and imagine our future together!
October 4-13

Published by The Bethlehem Gadfly

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.

Published

One thought on “What is the big difference between then and now?”

  1. You are right Dana, people who work in Bethlehem but live outside of Bethlehem could give two hoots about zonine, code enforcement, etc. It ani’t gonna change unless residency requirements change. Period!

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