As an IronPigs season ticket holder since day one, I find it very frustrating that they have decided to reduce the amount of fireworks shows during the season based on the opinions of five. It is a good thing that those five people don’t like the fact that the team on the field consistently loses games.
I don’t know what I found more incredible. That you bothered to use the front page for the troublesome fireworks article or that you and Allentown bothered to respond at all. I wonder if a list of complaints by at least 10 people exists in Allentown because if it does, I’m sure it must be a long one. Those five people complaining should get so much attention is admirable, but doesn’t Allentown have a few problems that are more important than the IronPigs fireworks? I’ve been in the historic Allentown district on Friday nights and couldn’t hear the fireworks over the noise of super loud, bass-thumping cars. Let the Pigs alone and let the fireworks go on.
Maybe the reason there were only five complaints to Allentown police regarding Lehigh Valley IronPigs fireworks is because East-siders felt that their complaints would just fall on deaf ears — pardon the pun. I sent several e-mails last year to IronPigs executives about the late hour and artillery caliber of noise and received no response or reply. The gentleman who claims to be an East side spokesperson and says we just love our IronPigs neighbors doesn’t speak for me.
How sad it is that a few people can spoil the fun for more than 9,000 who just want to have a good time.
The recent negativity about Coca-Cola Park fireworks may persuade other potential businesses to relocate elsewhere rather than Allentown, ultimately harming the city and its revitalization efforts.
Allentown Councilman Michael Donovan is right on point with his comments pertaining to the fireworks and the mentality of stadium-goers. Living a few blocks from the ball park, I complained repeatedly in 2009. The fireworks have been set off as late as 12:15 a.m. on a weeknight. Also, the so-called show is not eight minutes as stated, but closer to 15 minutes. Many nights I am kept from sleeping and I time the show. A few times it sounded like gunshots.
Doesn’t U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent owe the voters in his district a good reason why he voted “no” on House Bill 1586, a deficit-neutral $26 billion aid package for ailing school districts and state Medicaid programs, and states that are struggling to keep their heads above water? One of the other benefits of the bill is that it closed a loophole used by multinational corporations to reduce their U.S. taxes.
I read with some consternation and a great deal of concern the Aug. 8 article about farm preservation in The Morning Call. In 1999 and 2005, the vast majority of voters approved the Growing Greener campaign. I realize that the economy has dwindled, but what can be more important than preserving farmland in Pennsylvania? There is money for developers to destroy farmland and use the land for commercial, industrial and residential use (witness the David Jaindl deal with Lower Macungie mentioned in the article).
The article regarding Abraham Atiyeh’s planned treatment center for West Easton in the Aug. 16 Morning Call is confusing.
I was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley and worked for Bethlehem Steel Corp. for 33 years. During that time, I worked in a few union positions, including legislative chairman of Local 2599, United Steelworkers of America.
