The LuLac Edition #142, Jan. 29, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: THE LATE FATHER ROBERT DRINAN WHO SERVED AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS IN THE 1970s AND WHO CAST FOR A VOTE FOR THE IMPEACHMENT OF RICHARD M. NIXON DURING WATERGATE AND BASEBALL PITCHER CURT SHILLING.


FATHER DRINAN DIES

Father Robert Frederick Drinan, S.J. was a Jesuit Catholic priest lawyer, human rights activist, and a former Democratic U.S. Congressman from Massachusetts. He was also a law professor at Georgetown University Law Center for the last twenty-six years of his life.

Education and legal career
Drinan grew up in Hyde Park, Massachusetts and graduated from Hyde Park High School in 1938. He received a B.A. and an M.A. from Boston College in 1942 and joined the Jesuit Order the same year; he was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1953. He received an L.L.M. and L.L.B. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1950, and a doctorate in theology from Gregorian University in Rome in 1954, in addition to receiving 21 honorary degrees throughout his life. He studied in Florence for two years before returning to Boston, where he was admitted to the bar in 1956. He served as dean of the Boston College Law School from 1956 until 1970, during which time he also taught as a professor of family law and church-state relations. During this period, he was also a visiting professor at other schools including the University of Texas law school, and served on several Massachusetts state commissions convened to study legal issues such as judicial salaries and lawyer conflicts of interest.

Membership in the U.S. House of Representatives
In 1970, Drinan sought a seat in Congress on an anti-war platform, narrowly defeating longtime Representative Philip J. Philbin, who was chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, in the Democratic primary. Drinan won election to the U.S. House of Representatives and was reelected four times, serving from 1971 until 1981. He was the first Roman Catholic priest to serve as a voting member of Congress. He sat on various House committees and was the chair of the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice of the House Judiciary Committee. Drinan was the first to introduce a resolution in Congress calling for the impeachment of President Nixon, though not for the Watergate Scandal that would end Nixon's presidency; Drinan believed Nixon's bombing of Cambodia was illegal. As part of the Judiciary Committee, Drinan played an integral role in the subsequent congressional investigation. He was also a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention.
Drinan's consistent support of abortion rights drew significant opposition from Church leaders throughout his political career, who had also repeatedly requested that he not hold political office in the first place. Drinan attempted to reconcile his position with official Church doctrine by stating that while he was personally opposed to abortion, considering it "virtual infanticide," its legality was a separate issue from its morality. This argument failed to satisfy his critics. In 1980, Pope John Paul II unequivocally demanded that all priests withdraw from electoral politics. Though this was framed as a general order, it seemed to some that Drinan in particular was the target. Drinan complied and did not seek reelection. "'It is just unthinkable,' he said of the idea of renouncing the priesthood to stay in office. 'I am proud and honored to be a priest and a Jesuit. As a person of faith I must believe that there is work for me to do which somehow will be more important than the work I am required to leave."
He continued to be a vocal supporter of abortion rights much to the ire of the Church, and notably spoke out in support of President Clinton's veto of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in 1996.
Drinan was succeeded in Congress by Barney Frank.

SHILLING VS. KERRY?

John Kerry has certainly been taking his lumps lately from the conservative talk show hosts. All of them seem to be using the same misinformation and twisting of words that helped doom his 2004 Presidential effort. Kerry, in a foreign interview said the U.S. has become a "pariah" among foreign nations. Well, the right wing talkies have been kicking that statement around like a sadist kicks a defenseless puppy. The fact is we have no credibility with our foreign allies due to this war in Iraq, the deceitful way we got into it and the on going strategy to keep it going at any cost. We have lost many alliances not because of what John Kerry said but because of what this current administration has done. Yet the radioheads take one word and run with.
Some were sqealing with delight nationally that perhaps BoSox righty Curt Shilling might make a run against Big John in the Bay state. Shilling has opinions, is articulate and would be an attractive candidate. He's a bit of a showboat (this was the guy who attended Richie Ashburn's wake in full uniform which I had no problem with but others thought it self promoting) and can tend to be alienating. However, Shilling put those political rumors to rest when he told the talkies in Beantown that he wants to pitch in 2007 and 2008 so that would technically rule a Senate run out.
Or would it? Maybe Shilling can get a Clemens like deal where he shows up in June and pitches until the end of the Series. That would give him the winter and early spring for the primary and from October to Election Day to campaign. (And if the Sox wins the series, well Curt can sit on a bench outside of Faneuil Hall and sip some Red Bull just waiting for that landslide to coast him into office. And if there is no Series, maybe Kerry and Shilling can debate each other with Shilling showing up in full Sox regailia and Kerry showing up in that nifty wet suit he wore when para sailing. Now that debate might be regarded as a "pariah" to beat all "pariahs".

ROLE REVERSAL

While former newspaper columnist Steve Corbett surfaced last week on the radio, in today's Times Leader former Radio Talk Show host Fred Williams showed up on the opinion page with a guest column. Williams railed against the evils of Mohegan Sun Gaming Casinos and how gambling will destroy our area. Yeah, just like that blasted old Arena screwed up everyone's life here!

The LuLac Edition #141, Jan. 28, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: SENATORS JOHN MCCAIN AND HILLARY CLINTON, COULD THIS BE A HARBINGER OF THINGS TO COME IN THE 2008 GENERAL ELECTION?, 1960's ROCKERS SONNY AND CHER AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MY GIRL MARIA SHARAPOVA, (SHE CAME IN NUMBER TWO IN THE AUSTRAILIAN OPEN BUT IS STILL THE TOP RANKED WOMEN'S TENNIS PLAYER IN THE WORLD). I SETTLED IN ON FRIDAY NIGHT WITH A CHILLED TAB, A SANITARY BAKERY ECLAIR AND SMALL BAG OF DORITOS. TURNED OUT THE MATCH WAS SO QUICK, I BARELY GOT THROUGH THE TAB. BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME, YOU LOST MARIA, BUT GOD YOU LOOKED FABULOUS GETTING YOUR CONSIDERABLE CLOCK CLEANED.


LUPAS’S "PODCASY" PROBLEM

With the recent revelations of some cases in the District Attorney’s office not be prosecuted because the files were misplaced or the defendants were not brought before the court in the proper time frame, it appears that candidates running for the offices of Judge and D.A. now have a legitimate issue to campaign on. As we all know, for the last 8 years, Judicial candidate David Lupas has served as a pretty high profile D.A. Media savvy, the D.A. was no stranger to crime scenes as well as follow up press briefings on said crimes. However, a few cases got by his staff which resulted in other notice Mr. Lupas could’ve lived without.
The best example was the Hugo Selinski escape charges that escaped prosecution when it is alleged a staffer misplaced a file. Plus there were some exchanges between Mr. Lupas and Judge Peter Paul Olszhefski where the Judge in effect told Lupas to shape up his office. These were all of course made public.
Now comes the news that a few cases have gone by the wayside because of the time passed before the individuals could be brought to trial. One was involving a teacher from the Shickshinny area, the other a hit and run driver that killed the victim in the case.
Oversights happen. Staffs sometimes can’t get to a particular file. Sometimes confusion reigns. But that falls at the feet of the leader of the office. Surely in this election cycle Mr. Lupas and his first Deputy, Jackie Musto Carroll will have their feet held to the fire. Candidates running against them will have an issue of competence. Competence is such a nebulous term that it can be twisted like a pretzel by a challenger. Plus it is a tough charge to disprove. By saying you run a competent team, you are in effect admitting to a lower standard because is that not the basic requirement for public service.
One issue could sink a candidacy. In 1984 when Congressman Frank Harrison wasn’t around for the water crisis, his opponent Paul Kanjorski hammered him on the issue. It won him the election and since then he’s never looked back.
In 1985, Bernard Podcasy, Junior was appointed by the court en banc to succeed resigning D.A. Robert Gillespie. Podcasy’s father was one of the Judges who voted for his son to get the job. Issue number one: nepotism. Then when Podcasy failed to get cases in on time and could not get traction on the sensational Betty Wolseffer murder case, the second issue, competence came up. It just wasn’t the fact that Podcasy’s staff was on top of their game or not, it was the perception that they were not. And this is what might derail the Lupus candidacy. The D.A.’s office has many cases that are adjudicated smoothly. You never hear about those but you do hear about the ones where the file is missing and the deadline has passed. A D.A. or Judicial candidate can say that a few cases fell through the cracks but if the public perception is that the entire office is incompetent, that could be a campaign problem. Lupas does not have to deal with the nepotism issue like Podcasy did in his failed effort in 1987 against Correlle Stevens (who became the D.A.) but he might run into the problem of “perceived incompetence” if his opponents make hay of the snafus that have happened under his watch.

RIGHT WING TALKERS

TARGET HILLARY

Well, it has started. Sean Hannity now bills his program as the “Stop Hillary Clinton Express”. Rush Limbaugh has been weighing in on the Senator’s record before the year 2000 and her time in the White House. The boys are just about jumping out of their skins trying to take down the Democratic front runner. Hillary’s husband, former President Clinton was aided with his boatload of political troubles by the vehemence of his enemies. Look for that to happen with Mrs. Clinton too. These guys are really strident and make me (even though I disagree with their opinions, I like to hear what they say) just pop in a CD or turn on the WARM Oldies station.


WB CHAMBER AT AN IMPASSE

It seems like the Search Committee at the Wilkes Barre Chamber is having a problem finding a successor to Steve Barrouk. Former Commissioner Todd Vonderheid has applied for the job. The honchos can’t decide if they should hire a local person or an out of towner. Typical. You have a few great quality candidates, born, bred and educated here but nooooooooo, you want to have some out of town “jasper” come in and tell us why we’re so screwed up and how he or she can save us from our pathetic little lives. Then the “out of town jasper” settles in, only to revamp the organization to model it like the one in East Blessed Mother, Illinois where they came from. Then, after two years goes by, the “jasper” slaps his or her forehead and says, “What the hell am I doing here?” and leaves the area getting a new job, this time in West Blessed Mother, Arizona. And the Chamber nimrods slap their collective foreheads and say, “Why didn’t we hire the local guy”? As Sonny and Cher said, “And the Beat Goes On”.

The LuLac Edition #140, Jan. 26, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: REPRESENTATIVE TOM TANCREDO OF COLORADO, CURRENT JUDGE HOPING NOT TO BE A FORMER JUDGE, ANN LOKUTA, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE AND FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON WHOSE POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY MATCHES MINE RIGHT ON POINT IN THE CONSERVATIVE/LIBERAL TEST LISTED BELOW.


TAKE THE TEST

Just how conservative or liberal are you? Here's a link for you to take a test. I scored a 16 which put me squarely in line with Bill Clinton's thinking. Let us know on the comments page how you scored. http://franz.org/quiz.htm .

AL'S MOVIE IS NOMINATED

Who says politics is show business for ugly people? "An Inconvenient Truth," Al Gore's film on the perils of global warming, scored two Oscar nominations Tuesday for best documentary feature and best original song.
While he is not technically a nominee _ the film's director, David Guggenheim, won the nod, as did singer Melissa Etheridge for the song "I Need to Wake Up" _ Gore said he was "thrilled" that his movie was honored.
"The film ... has brought awareness of the climate crisis to people in the United States and all over the world," Gore said in an e-mail statement. "I am so grateful to the entire team and pleased that the Academy has recognized their work. This film proves that movies really can make a difference."
Aides say the former vice president plans to walk the red carpet with Hollywood's beautiful people at the Academy Awards ceremony next month.
"An Inconvenient Truth" has been a critical and box office success, bringing in more than $24 million to make it the third highest- grossing documentary in history. A companion book has been on national best-seller lists for months.
Other films nominated for best documentary feature include "Deliver Us From Evil," about the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church; "Iraq in Fragments," about the Sunni-Shiite conflict in that country; "Jesus Camp," about a summer camp for evangelical Christians, and "My Country, My Country," about the months leading up to the January 2005 elections in Iraq.


AND NOW FOR SOMETHING

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT


Congressman Tom Tancredo is considering running for president. He is gauging the level of public interest.
Do a million citizens care enough about loose borders and runaway immigration to just sign a petition that they would like him to run to ensure their concerns show up in the campaigns?
CLICK HERE to let Tom Tancredo know what you think.
Again, his Petition for President is located at http://teamtancredo.com/petition.php.
For years, individual citizens and grassroots groups have spontaneously been printing up TANCREDO FOR PRESIDENT bumper stickers.
If you've ever seen the Congressman on TV championing the right of America to defend itself against foreign invasion, you know why people are excited about him.
Before the 9/11 attacks in 2001, Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) was about the ONLY national politician who routinely spoke for the majority of people about the need to control our borders.
Now, dozens of politicians have followed his lead. But so far, most presidential candidates have been luke-warm to extremely scary on border security.
Tancredo is the pioneer, the leader who turned a disorganized and dispirited group of border-security Members of the U.S. House into one of the largest and most powerful caucuses in Congress.
He is considering taking that leadership a GIANT STEP FURTHER.
He has just formed an presidential exploratory committee to consider whether to run in the primaries so he can use that soapbox to shout the opinions of the majority of Americans on immigration matters.
WHY A PETITION IS SO IMPORTANT
A person doesn't take on the huge sacrifice of a year of constant campaigning based only on a general feeling of support from the public.
That is why the staffs of potential candidates offer devices like petitions to assess the level of enthusiasm. Petitions are ESSENTIAL to finding whether interest is REAL and DEEP.
When I think of all the mail I have received through the years asking if there isn't some way to persuade Congressman Tancredo to enter the presidential primary sweepstakes to advance our message of border security. . .
. . . I certainly hope that hundreds of thousands will let Tancredo know in time for him to make the decision.
I am the president of the largest immigration-reduction group of activists in the country – NumbersUSA Action.
My organization does not endorse candidates. But we DO assess which candidates have the best records and stances on immigration/borders.
You can see the records and stances of all possible Republican and Democratic presidential candidates at:
http://www.betterimmigration.com/candidates/2006/prez2008.html. You can get to the campaign website of each by clicking on his/her name.
The web page for the Tom Tancredo Petition is: http://teamtancredo.com/petition.php.


LOKUTA UPDATE

Luzerne County Judge Ann Lokuta says her misconduct charges should be dismissed for a number of reasons, including the age of some of the allegations.
Because the allegations are so old, Lokuta has been prejudiced in being able to adequately defend herself, Lokuta’s attorney said in a response to the charges filed Friday.
State law, the attorney said, calls for charges to be dismissed when the accused has been hampered by such a delay.
In November, the state’s Judicial Conduct Board filed charges against Lokuta, claiming she violated the Judicial Code of Conduct by being “discourteous, rude, impatient, undignified, abusive, unprofessional, demeaning, humiliating, intimidating and volatile” toward attorneys, court personnel and her staff.

The LuLac Edition #139, Jan. 25, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: CYNTHIA ORE, AKA EMILY TIFFANY CARTER, CARL ROMANELLI AND PETER GAGLLIARDI.

ROMANELLI NAILED UNJUSTLY

Wilkes-Barre resident Carl Romanelli has been ordered to pay more than $80,000 in
legal fees stemming from his failed effort to make the ballot in last year's U.S. Senate race.
A Commonwealth Court panel issued the ruling Thursday, siding with a group of Democrats who challenged Romanelli's nomination petitions and sought to make him pay their court costs.The Green Party candidate submitted nearly 95,000 signatures to land a ballot spot, but he was removed from the ballot after more than a third of the names were stricken as invalid, leaving him nearly 9,000 short of the required 67,070 signatures required by law.The $80,408 legal tab includes $48,285 in fees for the lawyers who represented the Democrats, $25,481 in court-ordered costs, $5,141 in copying and stenography fees and $1,500 for handwriting experts.The court order gives Romanelli and his attorney, Lawrence Otter, 30 days to pay.
As a supporter of Robert Casey, I felt Romanelli had no place on the ballot. I have always felt that the Green Party was nothing more than a nuisance and that Romanelli could better serve the community by becoming a member of a nationally recognized party. I do not believe however that Romanelli should be held responsible for these debts. It is wrong, it is a clear abuse of judicial authority and that should be investigated.

LATINSKI BOWS OUT

Incumbent councilman Phil Latinski has decided not to run for another term. The 16 year veteran, at the age of 67 made the announcement to the surprise of many political observers. A former school district official, Latinski has been a mainstay on council for years.

THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 10

Did you know that with the re-districting plan in place for city council elections, it will only take ten signatures for a candidate to get on the ballot? Look for a very crowded election line.

THE BEST ELECTION EVER!

Former GOP city council candidate Peter Gaglliardi recently wrote a letter to the Citizen's Voice about the upcoming city wide elections. Here's his thoughts:
The next election for city council will be the first district based election in the history of the city. I am writing to ask your assistance in making this the best election in the history of the city of Wilkes Barre. We can make it a great election by encouraging everyone to register and vote and to express their views on the issues publicly, on radio talk shows and in the newspapers.
I am appealing to our young people in the workforce and in the schools. Register and vote and demonstrate to the world that you are ready for the responsibility of leadership. I would like everyone between the ages of 18 and 22 to actually vote and I would like Wilkes Barre to be the first in the nation in this category.
We should also encourage as many candidates as possible to run for office. Every candidate brings a great deal to the table and enriches our discussion of the issues. Some will give us solutions to our problems that we can use long after the election is over. To help these candidates get their message out, I would encourage as many organizations and as many businesses to host a meet the candidates night. The press should also cover these events. The bottom line is let’s make this a great election and demonstrate to the world that we are the great city we say we are and not just a dot on the map.
Peter Gaglliardi
Wilkes Barre, Pa.

CYNTHIA/EMILY/WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS

SHOVE IT!!!!

So it seems ex Congressman Don Sherwood has stopped payments on Cynthia Ore's settlement regarding the charges involving Mr. Sherwood and Ms. Ore. Sherwood's people have told Ore's people that because the confidentiality agreement was breached (a settlement number came out shortly before the election) the agreement is null and void. Ore has changed her name to Emily Tiffany Carter. No word if that was a name picked out of a hat or her porn star name.

The Lulac Edition #138, Jan. 23rd, 2007

PICTURE INDEX: FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NEWT GINGRICH, GOVERNOR ED "MY RESUME IS JUST FINE THANK YOU" RENDELL AND SENATOR ROBERT P. CASEY, JUNIOR WITH HIS FAMILY.

PRAYING FOR BOBBY

The pro-lifers of Northeastern Pennsylvania went on their annual trek to Washington, D.C. on the 22nd to mark the 34th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision allowing for abortions, Roe vs. Wade. Casey, a Pro-Life Senator still was chided for not being 100% supportive of the Pro-Life agenda. (He's about 97% there but apparently that's not enough). The group told the Senator they'd pray for him. I'm sure he appreciates that gesture.

NEWT THE GAMBLING MAN

Newt Gingrich, a former House speaker and a possible presidential contender, jump-started his new political group with a check for $1 million from a source many in his conservative base would shun -- the gambling industry.
Gingrich's American Solutions for Winning the Future reported to the Internal Revenue Service that it collected a $1 million check from Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman Sheldon G. Adelson shortly after the November elections. The IRS reported the donation in recent days.
Newt Gingrich, a former House speaker and a possible presidential contender, jump-started his new political group with a check for $1 million from a source many in his conservative base would shun.
The contribution dwarfed the other checks, totaling just $60,000, gathered for the group's start-up. Gingrich announced the group late last fall, setting it up as a "527" organization, a type of political nonprofit that can collect and spend donations of unlimited size.
Though Gingrich says his group is seeking bipartisan ideas, his movement is clearly courting conservatives with a new "Contract With America for the 21st Century" that proposes private savings accounts for Social Security, "patriotic education" in public schools and the appointment of judges who understand the "centrality of God in American history."
A decade after $100,000 checks to political parties and groups were the jaw-dropping phenomenon, Adelson's donation marks a new frontier in political fundraising -- a seven-figure check to a group associated with a single politician whose aspirations may include the White House. Gingrich has said that he will decide by the fall whether to enter the crowded race for the Republican Party's presidential nomination.
Kent Cooper, a former Federal Election Commission official, said: "A check of this size could either bankroll the start of a new organization or underwrite the exploration, traveling and contacts of a potential presidential candidate."
Gingrich's spokesman, said last night that the former speaker was traveling and unavailable to comment. Adelson's office in Las Vegas also declined to comment.
Adelson's check underscores the uncomfortable position that Republicans face on the issue of gambling. The party rose to power under Gingrich in the early 1990s on the strength of social and religious conservatives, and many of the latter oppose gambling on moral grounds.
Conservatives were stung during the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal when it was revealed that one of their champions, political strategist Ralph Reed, made money from Indian gambling sources and that many GOP lawmakers wrote letters or intervened on behalf of Abramoff's casino-operating tribes and received donations from them.

QUOTE OF THE YEAR

I know it's early but Governor Ed Rendell's quote last week on PCN was a classic. When asked if he wanted to run for President, Rendell said that undertaking such a venture would be a tremendous task. He did indicate that he would be willing to serve a President in a designated role. Rendell did not rule out the Vice Presidency or a Cabineyt position expressing enthusiasm for a Cabinet level position centering on energy issues. The Governor said, "I've been District Attorney for 8 years, Mayor of Philadelphia for 8 years, God willing Governor of Pennsylvania for 8 years, I really don't need the title of President to improve my resume". What candor! If he keeps that up, it may get him to Washington sooner than later.

NIPPER ON THE LOOSE

George “Nipper” Nowakowski said he will definitely run as a Democrat for Luzerne County sheriff in the May Primary.
The county Democratic executive committee last week endorsed Democratic contender, Michael Savokinas.
Republican incumbent Barry Stankus has said that he will seek re-election. Stankus will be seeking his third term.
No word yet if "Nippper" is going to trot out the "Melody of Love" polka commercials.

The LuLac Edition #137, Jan. 21, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: THE LATE FLORIDA SENATOR AND JFK WINGMAN GEORGE SMATHERS, DOCTORED PHOTO FROM SPY MAGAZINE CIRCA 1993 OF HILLARY CLINTON AS A DOMINATING FORCE (WHAT THE HELL, WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO CLAIMS HE'S A "DECIDER", WHY CAN'T WE HAVE A "DOMINATOR", COULDN'T DO ANY LESS DAMAGE!) WILK'S NANCY KMAN, THE LATE TREASURER OF PENNSYLVANIA (1980-1987 WAS HIS TENURE) R. BUDD DWYER AND STEVE CORBETT (PHOTO CIRCA 1988) CO-HOSTING THIS WEEK'S WILK MORNING PROGRAM WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED AND PICTURED KMAN.




HILLARY MEANS TO DOMINATE

The announcement from Senator Hillary Clinton that she is forming a committee to run for President gives you a clear indication that she is leaving nothing to chance regarding her Presidential bid. As the satirical, cropped photo from a mid 90s now defunct Spy Magazine indicates, the lady means to dominate the competition. Here are some interesting aspects of her recent actions:
1. Clinton might have announced later but the web announcement of Barak Obama earlier this week forced her a hand a bit. Still that’s a good thing because she has the opportunity to let Democrats know she has 14 million dollars in her coffers, can get more almost overnight and is in fact the only person in the race with 100% name recognition.
2. If you notice her Web speech, note the background. Very muted images of the former President and most current and only spouse. Bill Clinton, like herself in his administration is a two edged sword. Mr. Clinton can raise a ton of money, has already provided valuable campaign staff resources that could have gone elsewhere and for the most part was a pretty popular President. The other side of the equation is that there is a perception that the Clinton prosperity coincided with strong economic times and the Lewinsky scandal and Mrs. Clinton’s reaction or lack thereof to it, might be a liability. Either way, Senator Clinton has to know that her husband is a mixed bag of both good and bad. The good thing about this is that when Mr. Clinton served as President, he and his staff walked a fine line regarding Mrs. Clinton’s own roles as spouse, First Lady, and health care advocate.
3. The timing of the announcement was professional and impeccable. A Saturday morning in a relatively slow news week. She gets total coverage on the Cable News Networks on Saturday where there is no big sporting events going on except the tennis matches in Australia and a few basketball games. Her announcement is talked about on all the Sunday morning talk shows and can even be part of the upcoming State Of the Union discussion.
4. Her message seemed calming. While Obama earlier this week called for a new way of thinking about politics, and was not specific, Senator Clinton talked about having a national conversation. She sat in a living room with muted, conservative colors and asked for the thoughts and ideas of Americans as she set out for the Presidency. This was a far cry from the perception of the 1990s of Mrs. Clinton as a staunch and unbending health care advocate who was going to tell America how to fix its problems, not ask. Also there was none of the blather about getting “two for the price of one” that her husband offered during the ’92 campaign.


OVERVIEW

It appears Senator Clinton has learned the lessons of the past and seems poised to be the front runner in this campaign and embrace that role. But that said, it is early and events can derail many a frontrunner. Examples are Howard Dean, the late Edmund Muskie and the late George Romney. But for now, Senator Clinton has ended the speculation and seems poised to do battle and possible vanquish Mr. Obama.

DON’T FORGET THESE GUYS

Senator John Edwards has a message and organization that seems to resonating with early voters. People are impressed with his frank answers to the Iraq war issue. Senator Chris Dodd in New Hampshire recently conceded that as a twenty five year veteran of the Senate he should not be outshone by Obama and Clinton who have less than a decade in the upper body. Dodd mentioned that the times call for people who don’t need on the job training, which was a clear jab at the two Junior Senators from Illinois and New York. Senator Joseph Biden has been touting his years of foreign policy expertise and former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is set to announce. Richardson will be the first Hispanic to run for President. All of these competitors will not shy away from Senator Clinton and will do their best to make a race of it.
However the way Democratic primaries are structured, or for that matter any election, Senator Clinton as the lone female might have a huge advantage. She will come into the contest with a block of people just voting on gender and that may be enough to carry a close primary state. Recent history has shown that current Ltn. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll in 2002 won the Democratic primary over 6 males and current Representative Karen Boback of the 117th District won her primary over 5 males with a consolidated block starting out.
Currently, Senator Clinton leads in the polls by a whopping 47%.

KMAN AND CORBETT TEAM

While Kevin Lynn basks in the Jamaican sunshine this week (he picked a great week to go) Nancy Kman will be joined this week by former Times Leader columnist Steve Corbett. WILK has been extremely creative in getting guest hosts while some of the regular staffers take vacations. The show airs 6AM to 9AM with news from Bud Brown, Sports with Joe Thomas and Traffic updates from my good friend RustyFender.

TWENTY YEARS AGO JAN. 22, 1987

Twenty years ago today, Pennsylvania was shocked by the televised suicide of state Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer. Dwyer was convicted of taking kickbacks from a computer company that did business with the state. In hindsight many have said that Dwyer got a raw deal and took the fall for other Republican officials in the State. Dwyer was first elected Treasurer in 1980, then re-elected in 1984. Up until the investigation, he had been touted as a candidate for Ltn. Governor. As a matter of fact, the day he held his news conference, Dwyer, looking down at the Capitol as preparations were underway for the swearing in of the Casey-Singel team, he remarked that if not for the investigation, “that could have been me and Bill Scranton down there”. Dwyer never ran for Ltn. Governor when the investigation broke. Scranton’s running mate was State Senator Mike Fisher who later ran for Governor in 2002. Scranton and Fisher were beaten by less than 70,000 votes.
It has never been mentioned in press reports which has always surprised me but the Thursday before Dwyer killed himself, NBC ran an episode of L.A. Law where an attorney in a conference room pulls out of a manila envelope a pistol and shoots himself in exactly the same way Dwyer did a few days later. That has always made me wonder if the distraught Dwyer had seen the show.
A year after the suicide, I attended an appearance by Dwyer’s wife at Bloomsburg University on a Sunday night. His wife answered questions about mental health and depression and spoke about the warning signs of someone contemplating suicide. Her comments about his specific situation was that he just snapped and was in deep despair.
MONDAY NIGHT, Jan. 22nd at 10PM on PCN TV, the reporters in the room where Dwyer died will be interviewed.
Here’s a recap of who Budd Dwyer was and the circumstances that led to his death:
Budd Dwyer was an American politician, born in 1939 in St. Charles, Missouri. He was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1965 to 1970, the state Senate from 1970 to 1980, and state treasurer from 1980 to his death in 1987. He is best known for the spectacular way in which he died -- he arranged for the broadcast of his suicide to a nationwide audience. During the early 1980s, employees of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania overpaid millions of dollars in FICA taxes. As a result, the Commonwealth began requesting bids for the task of calculating refunds to each employee. One firm, California-based Computer Technology Associates, was owned by a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania native named John Turquato. Turquato used his Harrisburg-area connections and a series of bribes that totalled approximately $4,700,000 to obtain the contract, worth $12-15 million. An anonymous memo then reached the governor's office, describing the bribes that had taken place. In late 1986, Dwyer was charged as having accepted a related kickback of $300,000. Dwyer was convicted, but continued to maintain his innocence. If sentenced, he would have been removed from office and spend up to 55 years in prison. On January 22, 1987, the day before the sentencing, Dwyer called a press conference to "provide an update on the situation". At the conference, a visibly agitated and nervous Dwyer stated that he would not resign his position as state treasurer. He then handed out a series of envelopes (which contained copies of a suicide note), then pulled a .357 Magnum from another envelope. Chaos broke out as those in attendance pleaded with Dwyer to put the gun down. "Please leave the room, If this will...if this will offend you.", he asked, "Stay away....this will hurt someone." He put the barrel of the firearm into his mouth and pulled the trigger, paying little regard to the still-rolling television cameras. Dwyer was killed instantly. Much to the chagrin of Dwyer's family, fascination with the suicide continued long after his death. Copies of the suicide footage continue to circulate on the Internet to this day and have also appeared in many Faces of Death-type movies. In 1995, rock band Filter had a hit with the song "Hey Man, Nice Shot", which, although not explicitly mentioning Dwyer, was clearly about his suicide. The case of the Dwyer suicide has long been a favorite of professors of journalism ethics. The suicide is often used to demonstrate that news editors, especially in the medium of television, must be prepared to make near-instant decisions, weighing both the psychological impact on viewers and the need to compete with other outlets. In the Dwyer case, news editors had to decide whether or not to air the graphic images live, in the middle of the afternoon, or to delay broadcast of the tape (or portions thereof) until the evening news. Of the six Pennsylvania TV news stations covering the "press conference," only one elected not to cut away; five others aired the footage, in drastically edited form, on the evening news; and one used no footage at all.

GEORGE SMATHERS

George Smathers died this weekend, he was 93 and a United States Senator from Florida. Smathers, a bachelor in 1950s Washington was John F. Kennedy's "wing man" and also was a great friend and confidant of the late President. Smathers in his later life donated millions to the Florida State Library system, even having a huge learning center named after him. When the Bobby Baker case (a bribery scandal case involving a former Lyndon Johnson aide) seemed to be taking root and possibley involving Vice President Johnson, Smathers was looked upon as a possible replacement with Kennedy on the '64 ticket. Dallas of course changed all that. The Florida lawmaker however is most known for the Urban campaign legend of a speech he made against his opponent, incumbent Senator Claude Pepper. This was set in the backdrop of 1950s Florida. Here's what Smathers supposedly said about his foe from no less a source than Time Magazine reported that Smathers had said, "Are you aware that Claude Pepper is known all over Washington as a shameless extrovert? Not only that, but this man is reliably reported to practice nepotism with his sister-in-law, and he has a sister who was once a thespian in wicked New York. Worst of all, it is an established fact that Mr. Pepper before his marriage habitually practiced celibacy." However, no Florida newspapers covering the campaign ever reported such remarks contemporaneously. Smathers offered $10,000 to anyone who could prove he said it, and to this day there have been no takers.

The LuLac Edition #136, Jan. 19, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: LUZERNE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, OR AS THEY USED TO CALL IT IN THE OLD DAYS, "THE HOUSE OF JUST US".

DEMS ‘DHAT HAVE

ARE

DEMS ‘DHAT GET

The Luzerne County Democratic party gave its party endorsements to various candidates Thursday. The people who are “in” and have the “power” just got one more tool to keep it: a party endorsement. No big surprises here.
The endorsements were made unanimously by 43 members of the committee.
Commissioner Greg Skrepenak and candidate Maryanne Petrilla were endorsed for county commissioner.
No other Democrats bothered to apply for the position against Skrepenak and Petrilla. Both are also on the Executive committee.
D. A. David Lupas was endorsed for a judge’s seat. Thomas Marsilio, who campaigned as a Republican against Lupas for district attorney during the primary election in 1999, addressed the committee to no avail. He recently switched to the Democrat Party.
First Assistant District Attorney Jackie Musto Carroll was endorsed for Lupas’ seat as district attorney.
If elected, she would be the first female district attorney in the history of Luzerne County.
The committee endorsed Michael A. Savokinas for county sheriff. Savokinas, a Canadian Pacific Railway employee, resides in Exeter Township. George “Nipper” Nowakowski is expected to run. Can't wait to hear the polka radio spots if he does!
Luzerne County Coroner Dr. Jack Consalvo was endorsed for coroner. Consalvo was appointed after Dr. George Hudock died in October 2005.
James “Red” O’Brien, the only person to apply for Recorder of Deeds, was endorsed by the committee. He served as mayor in Avoca and was unsuccessful in his bid for the Democratic nomination for the 118th District state House seat last year.
Also endorsed were two incumbents: Bob Reilly, the Luzerne County clerk of courts, and Michael L. Morreale, treasurer. Reilly was elected in 1987, Morrealle in 1979, between the two they both have 48 years of government service.
The Luzerne County Republican Executive Committee did what it does best: NOTHING! They voted not to endorse any candidate for the upcoming primary election on Wednesday night. Only in Luzerne County would a County GOP committee not endorse the row officers of Sheriff and Recorder of Deeds for another term. All the two office holders did was something uncommon to local Republicans: WIN AN ELECTION!!!! Jeez, it’s no wonder why the Dems win everything without breaking a sweat.

PA. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY SWITCH

The State Legislature is trying to come up with a plan to move the state's Presidential primary from April to March. Governor Rendell has long been a proponent of the change saying it will give the Commonwealth greater input and impact in choosing a President. I agree totally with him. My opinion is that hayseeds in Iowa have long been wagging the tail of the dog as far as the Democratic party and even the GOP is concerned. The electoral vote total and general election turnout is anemic compared to other big states. New Hampshire, while it has its history of being first should also be cut down to size. Iowa and New Hampshire are respoinsible for picking Presidents Harkin, Gebhardt, Dole, McCain, McGovern, Robertson, and Buchannan. Enough already. Let Pennsylvania as a large state help make the large decision.

The LuLac Edition #135, Jan. 18, 2007

PICTURE INDEX: PHOTO OF ST. JOHN'S HIGH SCHOOL, PITTSTON, PA., CIRCA EARLY 1960s, I GRADUATED ST. JOHN'S IN 1972, STANDING ON THE VERY SAME CHURCH STEPS WHERE THE LAST GRADUATING CLASS (PICTURED TO THE RIGHT) STOOD. MY COMMENTS ON THIS SITUATION ARE BELOW. TO ALL THE DEAD NUNS WHO TAUGHT ME, I HOPE I MADE YOU PROUD!

THE CATHOLIC CRISIS

I am tempted to call this article a “crisis in Catholic Education” but that would be totally inaccurate. The forced closings of Catholic schools in Northeastern Pennsylvania has as much to do about Catholicism in the New Century as much as it has to do with education.
Everyone is up in arms regarding the school closures. People in Hazleton are already saying that “lower Luzerne County still believes there is a God but not necessarily a Catholic church”. Parents in Pittston and Kingston feel used because they were led to believe that if they came up with a workable solution, they could keep the schools open for their kids. The frustration level for these parents has to be incredible. Post baby boomers that have given their kids everything, Ipods, Cell phones, and state of the art computers now are impotent against a Catholic Church that to some resembles “The Sopranos In Vestments”. Once the church family makes a decision, there isn’t a reprieve. These parents are the same ones who grew up with post WWII era parents who struggled to give them material things they never had. Matters of Catholic education were a given. If you belonged to the church, your kids could be educated at a Catholic school. How cruel and ironic that the current day parents, arming their children with material goods so they can compete in the world on every level now find that the one rock they thought they could count on, a Catholic education is nothing more than random grains of sand.
When did this slide begin? Who is at fault? Many right now are blaming the Bishop who without a doubt is a mercenary stopping by and doing the bidding of the higher ups. I thought it strange that Bishop Timlin said on the eve of his 75th birthday that he was looking forward to retirement. Did this charismatic, gregarious fixture of the Scranton diocese know something we didn’t? No, he knew as well as most Catholics did that the Church was changing. Not just the schools but the social identification of what it was to be a Roman Catholic.
Church attendance started to drop off in events that in the past were Catholic mandates. Hardly a young soul ventured out for Novenas or Stations of the Cross. The grandmas and the granddads held the fort. Then as some of that generation died off, actual Mass attendance started to slide. There was a feeling among young Catholics that they could pick and choose the maxims of the church they wanted to follow. Dubbed “cafeteria Catholics”, these individuals identified themselves as Roman Catholics in name only. Church on Sunday became secondary to ballet, mini football and soccer leagues. The majority of “Labeled Catholics” rarely supported the churches and schools financially, showed up for Mass on Christmas and Easter, held on until Junior or Sis got their slap across the face from the Bishop at Confirmation and then were rarely seen or heard from again until they either married or had children. Like society itself, Catholics were not immune from having illegitimate children, and having single parent families who struggled to keep the family above sea level. Holy water? That was a term used in a far away place in a CCD class a long time ago.
Every religion goes through a process of secularization. Most church structures have the flexibility to deal with the changes society thrusts on the institution.
The Catholic Church however, with its long time dependence on uniformity, teamwork and faith in its teachings had a difficult time absorbing “Labeled Catholics”. For a time, the Church denied the existence of them chalking up the bi- annual appearances at church as serendipity. But like any foundation dependent on total support, the Catholic Church found out that the “Labeled Catholics” were a weak link. Most, not all of their children did not go to a Catholic based school, and most, not all of the children’s parents contributed anything to the Church as a whole.
This left the Catholic Church in the Scranton diocese with the “Heritage Catholics”. These were the people who went to Mass every Sunday, contributed to the church and school drives and honored the continuity of what the Church was when they were growing up. These “Heritage Catholics” built upon the legacy of the generations before them. Sitting in the grand churches built by their ancestors at the turn of the century, marveling at how immigrant, penniless workers could erect hundreds of ethnic-Catholic shrines, they thought that continuing that legacy in a modern day of affluence would be easy. After all, they had more formal education, wealth and luxuries than their ancestors. How could they not provide something as basic as a Catholic education?
Here’s what they didn’t count on. The “Heritage Catholics” were outnumbered by the “Labeled Catholics”. Each group is a member of God’s family from a spiritual standpoint, the Bishop will even admit to that. All are counted as Catholics at the end of the day. Final judgments of their life as Catholics are not ours to make. But since this is all about the numbers as the Diocese points out, the sad, hard true fact is that the “Heritage Catholics”, a distinct minority from a spiritual and social standpoint are paying the price for the inaction and inertia of the “Labeled Catholics”. The answer to that lies not in any education report from Wisconsin, but in the way the Catholic Church has dealt with these two distinct groups under its own roof. The closings of the schools is just a symptom of the disease that may ultimately kill the Catholic Church.

ST. JOHN'S ALMA MATER

Loyal and true,
We pledge alligience to you,
This is our high school,
We are all for one and all for St. John's High School,
Here's to our school,
And long and high may she rule,
Forever more you will find us,
Always loyal and true.

The LuLac Edition #134, Jan. 17, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: ALI IN PICTURE FROM HIS AGENT, ALI WITH PRESIDENT WILLIAM CLINTON AND DRAWING OF GRADE SCHOOL CLASSMATE ROBERT PARA WHO DREW HIS OPINION ON ALI'S STANCE AGAINST THE VIETNAM WAR.

ALI AT 65

I couldn't let the day pass without commenting on the great fight, Ali's birthday. When he made the decision to not accept the government's draft and fight against the Vietcong, Ali caused great debate and controversy. Even a grade school pal of mine took pencil in hand and penned this anti-Ali (note the Clay reference) drawing. But Ali, known for grandstanding and proclamations of great ego, also proved to be a man of principle. Vindicated by a Supreme Court ruling, Ali returned to the ring after a three year abscence from the prime years of his career. Once in the ring, Ali once more dominated as a fighter, just as he reigned as a true man of his beliefs. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALI!!!!!!

The LuLac Edition #133, Jan. 17, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: JON BON JOVI, SENATOR OBAMA WITH THE OTHER CLINTON, BILL, TIME MAGAZINE COVER OF 1984 ON THE HART-MONDALE PRIMARY RACE, SENATOR GARY HART FROM COLORADO WHO IN 1984 HAD A "NEW IDEAS" CAMPAIGN STRATEGY, AND EX WILKES POLICE CHIEF TONY GEORGE. (HEY TONY, IF YOU RUN FOR MAYOR, SEND ME A BETTER PICTURE).




INAUGURAL WRAP

If anyone saw the concert honoring Ed Rendell and his second term administration Tuesday night, you were treated to a musical extravaganza featuring the Trammps, (of "Disco Inferno" fame, some slow news day I'll have to tell you my Trammps story) Frankie Avalon (who sang "Venus" then left immediately after) The Dixie Hummingbirds (who appeared at the Kirby with Al Green in November) soul singer Jill Scott, and Jon Bon Jovi. At one point, First Lady Midge Rendell got up on stage and sang with the singer/Democratic party activist. The duo sang Bon Jovi's "Hometown Boy" and it was evident that the First Lady had some soul.
Locals seen on PCN's coverage were Wilkes Barre Chamber official and former Mayor of Pittston Michael Lombardo and current Wilkes Barre Mayor Tom Leighton.
PCN lost its feed midway through the event but recovered quite nicely.
Rendell joined Bon Jovi and his wife on stage and admitted that he had made one big blunder in the event planning by not bringing up and recognizing his newly minted (for another term) Ltn. Governor Katherine Baker Knoll. This mistake pointed out two things about Ed Rendell, the first is that his relationship with the elder Knoll is sketchy at best but more importantly that he himself admitted the omission and brought CBK up with a rousing introduction. The Ltn. Governor graciously came on board with stage and screen actor Mickey Rooney in tow. In a surreal development, the elder Rooney grabbed the microphone from gala host Michael Barkan (the Governor's broadcast partner on Comcast's Eagles post game live) and began to talk about how important mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and cousins were in the state of Pennsylvania. Barkan and the Governor thanked the actor enthusiastically at the same time getting the microphone away from him.
Various video tributes filled the screen from opinion makers, sports figures and average Pennsylvanians.
Although not in person for this year's event, I found it comparable to the 2003 event.

TONY GEORGE IS THINKING

Former Chief of Police Tony George is thinking about running for Mayor in the Democratic primary against Tom Leighton. George told the Times Leader that he thinks the development of the downtown is a good thing but thinks the success there has been at the expense of the neighborhoods. George sites the lack of street cleaning and sweeping, the neglect of storm drains, and the closing of the East fire station on Northampton street in the Heights section of the city.
George is correct on the city's concentration of the downtown. Neighborhoods have gone without
street cleaning and the recylcing calender is erratic. Some weeks the calender says there will be no reclycling but then you hear the truck coming up the road. Another troubling development in the neighborhoods is the seemingly blind eye turned toward landlords who do not take care of their property. In late 2006, one of the city's landlords asked Council for money and tax forgiveness for fixing up a problem property that had more problems than he anticipated. The very fact that this notion was even entertained by Council and the Mayor was a slap in the face to all city homeowners.
George said he will discuss the matter of his candidacy with his family to see if this is the right time to challenge the incumbent Democrat.

PAST HISTORY

If Tony George wants to win the nomination in the primary, he will be bucking history. Each Democratic Mayor going all the way back to Thomas McLaughin has had challenges after a first term and beat back those election foes.

1983
Tom McLaughin vs. former City Councilman Joseph Burns. McLaughin won.

1991
Lee Namey vs. John "Jack" Smith, Junior. Namey won.

1999
Thomas McGroarty vs. Edward Soltis, also a Wilkes Barre police retiree. McGroarty won.

OBAMA IN?

The news that Barak Obama has all but decided to run for President has sent the political pundits scrambling for thoughts on his entry. Here's my humble opinion,
Obama needs to come up with some hard core issues. Currently he is speaking in platitudes. His strength right now is that he was an early opponent of the Iraq War but on other specifics Democratic voters feel are important, well so far Obama has not articulated many of them.
In addition to raising money, Obama has to take care to not become the 2008 version of 1984's Gary Hart. Throughout the primary campaign, Hart talked about his "New Ideas" but never got specific on what those ideas were. At one point during the campaign, Hart's main rival, former Vice President Walter Mondale asked in a debate, "Where's the Beef?" The question echoed the Wendy's ad campaign featuring senior citizen Clara Peller who kept on asking Wendy's competition where the meat was in their burger product. Obama needs to establish some benchmark issues that will carry him through or else he'll get eaten alive in the primaries.
His experience factor, both political and policy is troubling to me. First off, he couldn't win a race for Congress against former Black Panther Bobby Rush prior to being a State Senator. Then his opposition in 2004 essentially dropped out over a sex scandal. While articulate, intelligent and glib, I'm not sure Obama has been battle tested.
As far as policy experience, Obama will have had 2 years as a State Senator and four years as a United States Senator. George W. Bush was the Governor of Texas for a mere six years before he became President. I'm not sure that with the complex foreign policy issues facing us in the next Presidency, plus the clean up of many of this administration's mistakes both domestic and international, that the Democrats and the country as a whole should hand the keys over to this guy. We are due for and need someone who could hit the ground running on day one to meet the challenges of 2008 and beyond. Obama talks about a new way and direction. All well and good but put him in the U.N. or have him stay in the Senate and get more seasoned before he and his generation tell the baby boomers how to govern. He is being compared to the spirit and enthusiuasm John and Bobby Kennedy brought to their campaigns. The big difference is both Kennedys governed before. Obama's experience is comparable to a one term Governor from Georgia named Jimmy Carter. And we all know how that Presidency turned out.

THE HUBER BREAKER

I'm trying to clean my attic out of a tremendous amount of crap I have acumulated in half a century. I picked up a Citizen's Voice from 16 years ago that talked about the fate of the Huber Breaker in Ashley and how important it was to preserve this piece of history. Today in the Times Leader, one of the paper's columnists wrote about, what else, the Huber Breaker. Let's either preserve it, blow it up or hang the laundry on it. But my God, let's quit talking and writing about it already!

The LuLac Edition #132, Jan. 16, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: MAYOR LOU BARLETTA AND GOVERNOR ED RENDELL.

BARLETTA'S FUTURE

Monday night Lou Barletta let the community in on his future. Barletta will run for another term as Mayor of Hazleton. This announcement was not unexpected. Barletta said he wanted to finish some of the things he started. Before a packed crowd of supporters, Barletta and his family basked in the warmth of the crowd's enthusiasm.
Barletta's career choices at this point are pretty limited. A run for County Commissioner might have been problematic because the Mayor would have to have formed an alliance with a down county Republican. And having a base vote from Hazleton would not guarantee a victory. In 1975 Republican Bob Warren ran from Hazleton and was defeated in the primary.
Announcing for another Congressional run against Paul Kanjorski would be deemed too premature as well as a run for either State Senate or Ltn. Governor in 2010.
It seems tro me that Barletta accomplished a few things with his announcement. He did the following:
1. Put to rest the rumors he's going for higher office..at least for now.
2. Established an announcement early enough to garner more support for a third term.
3. Puts him a position to still have a forum to articulate his message both nationally and statewide.
Perhaps the most significant announcement was not that of Barletta's but of Antonio Rodriguez, who said he would seek a nomination in the May primary. Even though he is a Democrat and agrees with the Mayor's immigration stance, Rodriguez's entry into the race gives Hispanics in that community a candidate to get behind. It will be interesting to see the impact his candidacy will have on the Council Race. Two other candidates, Council President Joe Yanuzzi and Evelyn Graham also announced for re-election.

TARONE'S TAKE

Here's a dispatch from L.A. Tarone on the Mayor's announcement:

Barletta shoots for three


Monday, 15 January 2007
By L.A. TARONE


Monday night, Lou Barletta told the 250 or so people who jammed into the Elks Lodge that being Hazleton mayor was "the most important job."
Then he formally announced his intention to seek the office for a third term."I’ve been asked to address the state House of Representatives, the United States Senate and delegates to the United Nations," Barletta said. "I’ve been invited to the White House to meet with the president of the United States in the Oval Office. But of all my professional achievement, nothing had made me more proud than to serve the people of Hazleton, and to be the mayor of my hometown."
"I have been encouraged to run for many different elected offices, but the most important office that I can hold is the office of mayor of Hazleton," he added.Barletta’s formal speech was fairly short – only about 20 minutes. It was briefly marred by a problem with the sound system and was frequently interrupted by applause. The largest applause came after he said, "I am pleased to announce my candidacy for a third term as mayor of the City of Hazleton."
He thanked supporters who "shared my vision" and looked back to his first term."We all know how close Hazleton came to the brink of financial ruin," Barletta said. "We remember the tough steps we had to take to secure our future. But each difficult choice, every hard decision, has led us to this point in Hazleton’s history."
"This city no longer hides from its problems, sweeps them under the rug and hopes they go away," he added "Hazleton is attacking those problems head on because the challenge will make us stronger and we know we will overcome them."Barletta referenced several projects during his address. He called the Pine Street Neighborhood Project "a remarkable achievement."
In an apparent reference to the former A.D. Thomas Elementary School, he said critics doubted old schools could be rehabilitated, adding, "But we did and we’ve created new jobs and new housing opportunities in our neighborhoods."Barletta spoke directly about the dredge/amphitheater project.
"Some said we would never be able to clean up the former dump on Hazleton’s South Side; that the land there would remain that way forever," Barletta said. "But we are doing something about that land. We’re cleaning it up…and we’re getting paid to do it — money that will be used to hire police officers and make Hazleton safer.""The dredge project will reclaim that dump," he added. "The amphitheater will increase the city’s economic base. But we need to do more."
As examples of the "more," he pointed to completion of the Intermodal Center, the Broad Street Corridor project and full revitalization of the Markle Building."Hazleton is worth fighting for and Hazleton needs a mayor who will stand up and fight for this city," Barletta said. "I am that mayor."
Before beginning the formal address, Barletta made a few impromptu remarks. He thanked city council – pointing to President Joe Yannuzzi, Vice President Jack Mundie and Evelyn Graham, who were in the crowd – for its role, adding that council was "part of the success of why Hazleton has been revitalized."He also thanked members of his administration and said he relishes the job.
"My father once told me ‘as long as you like what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.’ I go to work whistling every day."After he was finished, Barletta joked about the offices he was rumored to be seeking.
"It got kind of ridiculous – I was said to be running for governor, lieutenant governor, the state Senate, the U.S. Senate, county commissioner," he said. "I want to finish what we started. I want to make sure our projects are so far along, no one else can come in and destroy them."However, he did not rule out a run for higher office at some point.
"When I’m satisfied everything is done, I can walk away," he said.

RENDELL'S SWEARING IN ADDRESS

Text of the speech given by Gov. Ed Rendell at his inauguration.

Let me begin by thanking the thousands of people whose work in this long campaign year helped bring me here today. Let me also thank the men and women of our administration whose talent, energy and commitment have helped us achieve so much and who have joined with me again in our efforts to do even more. And lastly I thank the people of Pennsylvania who demonstrated their confidence in me and have given me the opportunity to lead once again.
Four years ago, I stood on these steps and said that we needed to change our state's direction. We were a commonwealth in crisis: facing a $2 billion budget deficit; with an economy that had bypassed too many of our smaller cities and towns; a property tax system that threatened the ability of working citizens and especially the elderly to keep their homes; and education system in desperate need of comprehensive public investment - investment that had been forestalled for nearly a generation. We needed to change course, to rededicate ourselves to protect Pennsylvania's environment; to expand and improve the way we deliver health care to our citizens; and to make government more efficient and less wasteful.
Together, Democrats and Republicans from every part of the state took action to address these pressing problems. Decisive action came from hard decisions and bipartisan compromise. Change worth making never comes easy, and there was intense, sometimes bitter debate about the choices we faced. But in the end, we made great strides in positioning Pennsylvania to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
First and foremost, we invested in Pennsylvania's children, with more than $1.8 billion of new funding for public education. We triggered new momentum in Pennsylvania's economy through an innovative $3 billion economic stimulus program. We reinvigorated Pennsylvania's commitment to the environment through the $625 million investment in the Growing Greener II initiative. We achieved savings of $1 billion in the operation of state government. We dramatically expanded drug prescription coverage for senior citizens through the PACENET program and ensured that all Pennsylvania's children will soon be covered by health insurance. And finally, we enacted the most far-reaching property tax reduction in the state's history.
I am proud that our administration and legislators on both sides of the aisle made the tough decisions that the times demanded which let us achieve so much over the last four years. Together, we enacted into law a record number of significant pieces of legislation. As a result, I believe that we have put Pennsylvania firmly on the road to enduring progress.
But today is not the time to rest on our laurels. There is much yet to be done.
In 1936, four years after he was elected to lift America out of the Great Depression, Franklin Roosevelt noted the progress that had been achieved to that point and asked: "Shall we pause now and turn our back upon the road that lies ahead? Shall we call this the promised land? Or, shall we continue on our way?"
It would be easier, certainly, to stop and rest of a while. For we have made great progress and the road ahead, much like that which faced F.D.R., presents unknown risks. It offers and uncertain future - one with no guarantee of success.
Yet the road ahead offers unparalleled opportunity as well. Fellow citizens, Pennsylvania is poised for greatness. I see a state that has the ability to educate and train all of its children in today's global economy, and one willing to make the kinds of strategic investments that attract high-wage jobs to keep these young people at home in Pennsylvania for a lifetime.
I see a state that makes health care affordable for everyone, especially our most vulnerable citizens - seniors and children. Ours can be a commonwealth that provides a financially sound system of mass transit and a first-class network of highways and bridges. And to help us get there, I see a Pennsylvania that builds on its status as one of the nation's leaders in the production of renewable sources of energy, like solar or wind, and bio-diesel or ethanol - sources that rely on coal and woodchips, saw grass and agricultural products that we have in abundance.
And finally, I see a Pennsylvania that continues to squeeze every nickel of waste from the operation of government even as it addresses the pressing need for a variety of governmental reforms - a government that consistently puts common interest ahead of special interest.
To accomplish this vision, in the next 30 days, I will set forth an Agenda for Pennsylvania Progress that calls for major new strategic investments in education, in alternative energy development, in transportation and in growing our economy. And we will start with a major new plan for health care reform. Tomorrow, I will announce the details of the Prescription for Pennsylvania, a comprehensive initiative to make health care more affordable for all of our citizens, while also boosting the competitiveness of businesses statewide by reducing the crushing burden of spiraling health care costs. Enactment of this proposal will make health care more affordable for nearly 1 million Pennsylvanians, and will eliminated billions in wasted health care dollars.
Many in Pennsylvania and across the nation were surprised by the election results this past year. What happened in Pennsylvania told me two things. First, that the voters strongly support the positive investment-oriented agenda that we put in place over the last four years. It also told me that the voters believe that the political process needs reform. I agree with the voters.
Citizens have the right to information about what their government is doing. I strongly believe we need a new open records law to ensure that every citizens can engage in the political process and hold their elected officials accountable. We need laws and rules that guarantee that all bills or amendments are carefully considered by those who cast the votes and by citizens who have the right to express their opinion before legislative action is taken. We need controls on campaign contributions to level the playing field and ensure that those interests with lots to donate don't unduly influence the political process. We must select our state appellate court judges on merit. I believe we must have and independent expert panel to ensure that our judiciary includes only the most qualified jurists. We should amend the constitution to take politics out of the defining of legislative districts and leave it solely in the hands of the citizens. We should establish a bipartisan commission to study and recommend the appropriate size for a smaller legislature. And finally, I believe we should amend our constitution to establish term limits for every state office.
We all have a deep concern for the health of our democratic institutions. The reforms I've called for will revive the democratic debate, ensure greater participation and inspire more citizens to engage and protect this great experiment called democracy.
I call on the members of the Legislature to resist the temptation to engage in partisan politics and choose to do what is right for the future of the commonwealth. That does not mean that we will not have differences. I don't presume to corner the market of good ideas, and in the past we have all benefited from different viewpoints represented in both the House and the Senate. We can disagree, but I pledge to you that our disagreements will not, indeed they cannot, stand in the way of building a brighter future for Pennsylvania.
I have taken the oath of office again today with an abiding respect and affection for the great people of Pennsylvania, who have voice overwhelming support for a government that works together in the service of its citizens.
Over the last four years, I have learned a lot about the awesome potential of our commonwealth, which has its roots in the great resourcefulness and unflagging optimism of our fellow citizens. That spirit has sustained me on many difficult days, and it continues to inspire me to lead with all of the courage, energy and passion that I can muster.
Pennsylvania's future lies in the many challenges ahead and there can be no stopping to rest. But if we work together, there will be no stopping us. Together, we can realize our common dream of greatness for Pennsylvania. Thank you.

The LuLac Edition #131, Jan. 15th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: GOVERNOR ED AND HIS BLOGGER FAN, GROUP PHOTO OF FORMER TIMES LEADER COLUMNIST STEVE CORBETT, FORMER WILKES BARRE CITY ADMINISTRATOR HARRY MILLER, FORMER DISTRICT ATTORNEY COREALLE STEVENS, YOUR BLOG EDITOR WHEN HE COULD ACTUALLY PLAY SOFTBAL, RUN AND AMBULATE WITHOUT A CANE AND SOFTBALL PITCHER TEDDY GLAZINSKI.

RENDELL'S SECOND COMING

The ceremonies for the second term of the Rendell administration are set to begin. As usual, the network of record will be PCN. Starting on Monday, January 15 at 8:00 p.m., PCN will take a look back at some past state inaugurations. Then the action will get going on Tuesday, January 16 starting at 10:00 a.m. with live coverage of the swearing-in ceremonies of Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll and Governor Ed Rendell as well as the Inaugural Ball and Gala that night at 7:00 p.m. Unlike 2003, I did not recieve an invitation to the Inagural festivities. I'm going to miss Frankie Avalon and the wife squeezing into this incredible Royall Blue number for thew ball, but on the other hand I'm saving money on gas and tux rental. This time, I will watch it from the comfort of my living room. The weather promises to be as cold this year as it was in 2003. Here is a program schedule for this year's activities:



PA Gubernatorial Inaugurations
8:00 PM
Gov. Author James Inauguration, 1939


8:05 PM
Gov. George Leader Inauguration, 1955


8:35 PM
Gov. Raymond Shafer Inauguration, 1967


9:10 PM
Gov. Milton Shapp Inauguration, 1971


9:55 PM
Gov. Dick Thornburgh Inauguration, 1979


10:25 PM
Gov. Robert Casey Inauguration, 1987


11:30 PM
Gov. Robert Casey Inauguration, 1991


12:00 AM
Gov. Robert Casey Inaugural Ball


12:10 AM
Gov. Tom Ridge Inauguration, 1995


1:00 AM
Gov. Tom Ridge Inaugural Address, 1999


1:30 AM
Gov. Mark Schweiker Inauguration, 2001


2:25 AM
Gov. Ed Rendell Swearing-In Ceremony, 2003





TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2007


6:00 AM
PCN Profiles Scott Newkam

Chair and CEO, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts


7:00 AM
PCN Tours Philadelphia Ethnic Markets


7:45 AM
PCN Tours Afro-American Collection

Philadelphia


8:00 AM
Gov. John Fisher Inauguration, 1927


8:15 AM
Gov. Mark Schweiker Inauguration, 2001


9:10 AM
Gov. Ed Rendell Swearing-In Ceremony, 2003


10:00 AM
Inauguration Day - LIVE

Vincent Carocci, Former Press Secretary for Gov. Robert Casey

David LaTorre, Former Press Secretary for Gov. Mark Schweiker

Swearing-In of Lt. Governor Catherine Baker-Knoll

Swearing-In of Gov. Ed Rendell

Open Phones


2:00 PM
Inauguration Day

Vincent Carocci, Former Press Secretary for Gov. Robert Casey

David LaTorre, Former Press Secretary for Gov. Mark Schweiker

Swearing-In of Lt. Governor Catherine Baker-Knoll

Swearing-In of Gov. Ed Rendell


5:45 PM
Weather World - LIVE


6:00 PM
Inaugural Celebration of the Arts

Indiana University of PA Jazz Ensemble

Governor's School of Arts Students, Harrisburg


7:00 PM
Inaugural Concert - LIVE

Jon Bob Jovi

Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Jill Scott

Frankie Avalon


9:00 PM
Inaugural Ball - LIVE


10:00 PM
Swearing-In of Gov. Ed Rendell.

CORBETT RETURNS

If you tuned into the Sue Henry program on Martin Luther King Day, you heard the dulcet tones of Mr. Steve Corbett who used to work for the Times Leader. Corbett's column followed TL opinion writers like Hank Pearson, Bill Thompson and Jean Torkleson. Corbett's columns always made people talk if not wince. Personally, having been on the positive and negative side of Corbett writings, my feelings toward the guy's opinions are mixed. However, no one can argue that when you were mentioned in a Corbett column, you became part of the local pop culture whether you wanted to or not. Corbett sounded a little more subdued but still is as full of opinions as he used to be on Friday night get togethers at a little bar on Parish Street called Schnappsies. (Actually it was a combination bar and Mexican restaurant that had the best Mexican food I've ever eaten in my life. Somehow, I wound up managing their softball team)and Corbett and his girl (as he called her) hung out there. Corbett left the Valley to go to California. He was replaced by Casey Jones who turned out to be a non entity as a writer. According to the California newspaper's website,(Santa Maria Times. com ) it looks like he left there sometime in 2005. Corbett's writing style was personal. In a piece he wrote for his paper, The Santa Maria Times, he recalled a visit to Wilkes Barre and reflected on the Mary Leo killing. Here's that article:

New home, old home a paradox of similarities

When the plane touched down Tuesday night in Santa Maria, I stepped into the cool night air and gave thanks for my good fortune. After spending a week in the sweltering East Coast heat and humidity, I was thrilled to be home.
I even missed the marine layer - a phenomenon that I tried and failed to explain to family and friends.
My "new" home meets my needs far better than life in my old home, where I grew and learned but eventually decided to move on. Although we have our problems in Santa Maria, desperation defines a diminishing quality of life in the Pennsylvania city I used to call home.
Last Thursday afternoon, with the thermometer hitting 96 and the humidity feeling as thick as Pea Soup Andersen's specialty, I drove past block after block of abandoned buildings before stepping into the air-conditioned refuge of a state store.
That's what the government calls places that sell bottles of liquor and wine in Pennsylvania. In the "Keystone State," you can't buy those products anywhere else. Weird as it sounds, I picked up three Central Coast wines, including one from Santa Maria that I had never heard of before.
People I knew in the store expressed surprise that I had returned and quickly brought me up to date. Life in South Wilkes-Barre was worse than ever. Crime, drugs, prostitution and poverty were particularly worse than ever.
As we talked, I watched through the window as cops swarmed the parking lot and cuffed some emaciated-looking no-account. Whatever his alleged offense, four city squad cars and a county sheriff's cruiser seemed a bit much to take him into custody.
But the cops were making up for lost time because they couldn't make up for lost life.
Two days earlier, just steps from the grandiose police presence, somebody stabbed and killed 87-year-old Mary Leo in her apartment above the hot dog restaurant that has been in her family for generations. Deaf but otherwise in good health, she lived alone and took pride in caring for herself as the neighborhood around her fell apart.
Knowing that the dying neighborhood where I lived was just a few blocks from the murder scene all the more reaffirmed in my mind why I had exchanged what I knew best for a new life in a land about which I knew so little.Still, good news among friends and neighbors grew between the cracks of the downtown squalor and heartache - blossoming despite delusional community leaders who sound more like cult leaders as they hawk "I Believe" as a business development slogan.Serious crime happens everywhere and Santa Maria has its share.But, life is very different here.Trying to explain us to them became an exercise in futility. To them, California is a liberal place where we perform the "litmus test" for the rest of America. Between beers, another of my cousins sang, "If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair" as if the message in the song from the late 1960s still shapes the Golden State, let alone San Francisco.Maybe it never did.Yeah, we're weird, all right, I said, but for reasons very different from those you might expect. I'm still trying to get a grip on California history - how and why this vast state became what it is.A frontier streak of independence still exists here that I've never dealt with before, compounded by a distinctly Californian libertarianism that I had no reason to know existed. Also, political parties aren't as strong or as organized here as the politics I knew all my life there.But what we still have going for us here that they have lost there is a great willingness to embrace the international influences that make my growing city of 90,000 a glorious melting pot of race and ethnicity.Of course, not everybody in Santa Maria is part of the welcoming committee or wants to be. But, unlike Wilkes-Barre, a city of about 42,000 where population and business continue to crash and burn, this city still depends on newly-arrived immigrants to labor in its core industry.Here, immigrants farm.There, immigrants used to mine coal.There, what are called "coal fields" closed long ago.Here, the strawberry, broccoli and lettuce fields remain open.Big city hopelessness is bleeding unchecked into smaller East Coast cities.Mary Leo is another casualty.I didn't know Leo personally, but I remember her old-fashioned manners from when I used to occasionally stop by the tiny restaurant as I walked the streets of another city in another time. Now, as I walk the streets here, I sometimes think of there.And I'm very sorry for their trouble.