183rd Update: Fellowship Manor To Host Forum With Phillips Armstrong Today

I've written pretty extensively about Cindy Miller and Zach Mako, the two Republicans seeking their party's nomination in next week's election. A Democrat, Phillips Armstrong, is also running. He is the current President of Whitehall Township Commissioners and will participate this afternoon in a question and answer forum for the residents of Fellowship Manor and the general public about issues affecting the residents of the 183rd Legislative District. He is a retired educator from the Whitehall School District.

183rd legislative district. Whitehall Township, part of South Whitehall Township, Slatington, and Washington Township in Lehigh County, and Allen Township, Lehigh Township, North Catasauqua, Northampton Borough and Walnutport in Northampton County.

WHAT: Question and Answer Forum hosted by Whitehall Manor
WHEN: Thursday, April 20, 2016
TIME: 3:00pm
WHERE: Fellowship Manor, 3000 Fellowship Drive, Whitehall, PA 18052

Hozza Rules Out State Rep Race

Whitehall Mayor Ed Hozza would be a shoe-in as successor to retiring State Rep. Julie Harhart. If he were to seek the Democratic nod, he'd get it and would have to be considered the favorite over the three Republicans seeking the job. He's been courted by a lot of people to enter the race.  Last year, he fend off a Fed Ed-inspired attempt to extend his domain into Whitehall. Hozza was able to survive an onslaught from Fed Ed, Miked Fleck, and the money they got from Abe Atiyeh, J.B. Reilly and Sean Boyle. But he told me yesterday he likes being Whitehall's Mayor.

But in a statement provided to me yesterday, Hozza declared that he will honor the commitment he made to voters when he sought a third term as Mayor.

After spending quality time and consulting with my wife Denise, our three children Elyse,Ted, Michael, our future son in law Thomas,my parent's, our very large extended family and friends over the Holiday's I made the decision not to run for the Pennsylvania State House 183rd District seat. I am honored and humbled by the number of Democrats, Republicans and Independents who have reached out to me asking me to run for the seat being vacated by Representative Julie Harhart.

In 2015 I made a commitment to the people of Whitehall in seeking a third term that will begin on Monday, January 4, 2016 at 8:00 P.M. It would be unfair to the people of Whitehall in 2016 to divide my time between seeking the 183rd and the day to day operations of the Township.

In a few weeks, a strong Democratic candidate from the 183rd District will announce. I will endorse, and strongly support that candidate for the 183rd district.

That strong Democrat would have to be Phillips Armstrong, a Whitehall commissioner. and retired teacher and basketball coach.

There's also a Republican three-way. Lehigh Township Supervisor Cindy Miller, former Lehigh County Commissioner Marc Grammes and Allentown-are blogger Michael Molovinsky are currently seeking the Republican nod.

Molovinsky Starts Radio Campaign

Credit Michael Molovinsky Facebook page.
This is as close as he gets to a smile.

Blogger Independent state house candidate Michael Molovinsky, who's running for the state house seat held by incumbent Julie Harhart, is the first local candidate this election cycle to start running radio ads. They started airing last week on WAEB-AM.

Democrat Terri Powell, a title agent, is also running for this seat.

Molovinsky is running another campaign to save Wehr Dam, which might matter more than the political race. The Wildlands is on a crusade tear down every dam it sees with grant money. This is the subject of recent Morning Call feature story.