A Guided Tour of Portland

Last night, I was provided a guided tour of Portland and Delaware Water Gap by none other than His Eminence, the Right Rev. Ron Angle. We went pass the Indian head mountain, which I think really does look like an Indian head. We passed stone walls constructing along Route 611 during the depression, and although some have crumbled, large stretches are still in good repair. We drove through the now shuttered businesses of what was once a busy little borough. Many of the older Victorian homes are breathtaking., We also shot through the Delaware Water Gap, where Ron p[rovidided vivid descriptions of each of the businesses, including a Japanese Ramen shop that offers pies and, from time to time, lobster rolls. We finished off the tour at Pho Saigon II in Bartonsville, which has the best pho in a 50-mile radius next to Bethlehem's Pho Bowl. 

If you'd like a guided tour, complete with stories of gangsters that used to frequent the foothills of these mountains and other entertaining stories, I'm sure Ron could be persuaded to give a guided tour for the modest fee of $1,000 per person (cash only, nonrefundable). Let me know. 

Portland's Former Mayor, Billie Golden, Facing Harsh Penalty Over Junk Yard

This is a story about what Bob Cartwright insists is the Cancun of Northamptom County - Portland. Before you start trashing it, remember, you live downstream. It's a fascinating little borough. There may only be 579 people, but there are at least that many stories about its colorful residents. One of them was Fred Angle, Ron Angle's dad. He was in his prime a Yankees minor league baseball player who grew so strong from working on the railroad that he could walk the tracks with one tie on each shoulder. Another was cRaZy George. He was given that name because of his penchant for jumping off a footbridge crossing the Delaware River. He charged $1 a jump, and took a header even if the river was mostly dry. This story is about Billie Golden, a former Portland Mayor and Council member.

Back when Ron had his own radio show, Billie was one of his regular callers. He was always pleasant - a trusting and live and let live kind of guy. He has authored a book, but the person who was going to publish it for him seems to have disappeared after taking his money. Nobody is after that guy. Instead, it's Billie who's in hot water. He's facing a million years in the electric chair over a junk yard at his property.

I've never seen it. Then again, neither has Billie. He's blind as a bat. But his neighbors have. Sometimes, they sometimes get upset and complain. Other times, they help clean things up.

This junk yard, if you want to call it that, exists because that is where his two sons store things until they have enough to go to a scrap metal yard. A little slow, this is how they make a living. They walk along the sides of roads, collecting cans or scrap metal that no one wants.

One of these brothers loves to go to church. Doesn't matter what kind. Families sometimes pick him up and take him along. They say he lights up God's house with his smile.

Sometimes, these fellows make mistakes. They will take metal they think is being tossed. They once took radiators that were outside of Duckloe's Furniture Store. The radiators were sitting right where the garbage is placed, and the brothers mistakenly assumed this was garbage. Billie tells me that it was an honest mistake.

For those of you looking for a second career, Billie assures me that the state of Pennsylvania allows you to take anything that is left for the garbage man.

Once this garbage reaches a certain point, Billie gets cited. He's facing charges right now for operating a dump. He tells me that he's been found guilty, and is awaiting sentence.

A rumor began circulating earlier this week that authorities are so worked up that Golden is facing a major fine and possible jail time. but that makes no sense. A verdict and sentence must be announced immediately after a summary trial. If Billie was previously found guilty, and the court delayed the sentence for whatever reason, it is unable to impose any sentence now.

I asked Ron Angle, who is friends with Billie, to find out what is going on. He told me he's been muzzled by court order, just like Kathleen Kane. But he still has a great defense for blind Billie. "Just tell the judge you threw your garbage and it missed the can," he advised.

DA John Morganelli would like to see an Elder Abuse Task Force established. What is happening to Billie demonstrates clearly why this is needed.  Ageism is the one acceptable form of discrimination. Billie lost already lost money to some con artist. Hios property might be a mess, but this is a problem that could be addressed by the County's Department of Aging.

I hope he gets a break,and will be following this story.

Is Portland Borough Full of It?

You might think so if you lived there. In East Bangor Borough, the sewer bill runs $125/quarter. Bangor Borough does a little better, charging only $355/year. But if you're unfortunate enough to be one of the 579 people who lives in little Portland, located along the western side of the Delaware River, you get to pay $100 per month. Whether you're hooked up or not, that's the monthly bill. It's the highest sewer bill in the entire state.

How the hell did this happen? According to Express Times reporter Doug Brill, a $5.8 million project suddenly became a $9 million venture because someone screwed up estimating the cost to lay pipes. Believe it or not, civil engineer Derek Hughes actually lists the Portland sewer project as an accomplishment. It's actually a disaster that has hurt people on limited incomes, which is most of this tiny borough.

$6.46 million of this money is borrowed and, according to Brill, "even if everyone paid his or her sewer bill on time -- including the 30 property owners who wound up on the delinquent list -- the borough would not collect enough money per month to cover the upper end of its projected [loan] payments." So basically, borough residents are being squeezed.

Consider the case of one woman. A college secretary on a limited income, her water was going to be shut off because she was six days delinquent. Her savings were wiped out, literally flushed down the toilet.

Hook-up fees are $1,500. Construction of laterals can cost much more, as much as $7,000.

When this sewer project first started, Northampton County made some CDBG money available for people seeking grants for a hook-up. While borough officials told discouraged some residents from applying, they made sure to take care of themselves. Mayor Kay Bucci took a grant. Borough Council Prez. Sherma Godshalk, who just happens to be the meter reader, got 5 free hook-ups for herself and her family. Councilman Tom Fish, unemployed at the time, legitimately qualified for a grant. Then, before he received it, he got a job as a Bangor teacher. He took the money anyway. Councilman Steve Knott thought he turned down the money, but the grant was included in the closing costs of a home he bought or re-financed.

On Thursday night, Northampton County Council voted unanimously to apply $36,000 in CDBG money "to offset the cost of the construction of sewage laterals for all remaining income-qualified homeowner-occupants when connecting to the sewer system."

"Portland's out of control," commented Prez Ron Angle.