The LuLac Edition #14-May 25h, 2006

NEWS OF THE DAY..............A business group canceled a dinner featuring gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann and returned more than $15,000 in campaign contributions after Swann begged off to campaign in Erie. Swann broke the date to campaign with popular former GOP governor Tom Ridge in his (Ridge's) hometown.
About 270 people were expected to attend the May 30 West Branch Manufacturers' Association dinner, featuring a keynote address by Swann, in Williamsport. Many were disappointed about the cancellation.
One of Swann's staffers contacted William Metzger Sr., an association board member about the change of plans. "It makes you wonder, if he were going to be governor, would he keep his commitments?" Sharbaugh said in Wednesday's editions of the Williamsport Sun-Gazette.
Swann spokeswoman Melissa Walters told the newspaper the campaign regretted postponing the appearance. Metzger said Swann's campaign had chosen the date of the speech. It was originally scheduled for a luncheon reception, but was rescheduled as a dinner after the campaign later said he could not make the luncheon. The campaign contributions had been collected for a VIP reception that was scheduled to take place before the dinner. Officials of the manufacturing association declined the campaign's offer of Swann's running-mate, Jim Matthews, as a substitute speaker.

The new airport terminal's first day went smoothly. Delta flights were the first ones to leave at 6AM from the terminal named for former Congressman Joe McDade. McDade served in Congress from 1963 to 1999. He replaced William Warren Scranton, the former governor in that seat. Congressman Don Sherwood currently holds the seat in the 10th Congressional district.

COMMENTARIES...........Recent news reports have would be Hollywood and Broadway show biz people approaching the Lackawanna County Commissioners for funding for movIe and TV projects in downtown Scranton. Apparently buoyed by the success of the NBC show "The Office", set in Scranton, officials are parting with tax revenues and providing funding for projects from the likes of Paul Sorvino and others. While this is admirable and gutsy, news reports have said that the Sorvino group has only speculated materials, in other words nothing is actually finished. I don't live in Lackawanna County but as a taxpayer, I'd at least like to see a first draft instead of an outline.......................You have to love the national attention the Casey-Sazntorum race is getting. (See Media Watch). By the time this is over, many millions will be spent on this very important seat....................The recent ABC news story that House Speaker might be indicted on conflict of interest charges due to an investigation has many conspiracy theorists thinking that the Bush administration and the GOP party itsaelf might have a "Deep Throat" like moll mucking up the works. I mean it seems impossible that one President, one party and one Congress could inflict this much damage on itself, doesn't it?????

MEDIA WATCH...............WILK News Radio mentioned in Philadelphia Daily News columnist's John's Baer's thrice weekly column. The controversy is over the Santorum Penn Hills home and the fact that a local Democratic party operative said the house was empty. That was not the big news though, the news was Santorum's reaction to the story on the newswires and WILK Radio where the Senator referred to Roberty Casey Jr., his general election foe as a "thug." This brought an e mail reaction from Mary Ann:
I heard the allegations on NPR yesterday and I was having trouble understanding how Santorum got from “someone looked in the window” to “someone trespassed” to “it must have been a Casey operative” to “Casey is a thug”. Now you know I am not a big Casey supporter. But the last thing anyone could ever call the man is a thug. He is about as un-thuglike as they come. I thought maybe Ricky was slipping his trolley.
Mary Ann

Local newspaper reporters featured on PCN's Journalist's Roundtable tonight at 8PM. The show is repeated Sunday night at 7 and 11PM. The guests are; Pat McKenna, Scranton Times-Tribune, Borys Krawczeniuk, Scranton Times-Tribune and Jim Gittens, The Citizen Voice, Wilkes-Barre.

UPCOMING: LLOYD BENSTEN EMEMBERED.