The LuLac Edition #127, Jan. 11, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: SENATOR CHRISTOPHER DODD, WBRE TV I TEAM MEMBER AMY BRADLEY AND MONICA LEWINSKY.

CRIME ON SOUTH FRANKLIN STREET

Amy Bradley, I-Team Reporter for WBRE TV didn’t have to go far for one of her latest investigative stories. On Tuesday, Bradley and her crew covered various arrests that occurred on South Franklin Street, up a few blocks from the WBRE studios. Three people were arrested on drug charges and the reporter interviewed neighbors who said that the area has been deteriorating for a long time. The I-Team reporter even interviewed a man who runs a Bed and Breakfast in the neighborhood (now there’s a guy that has taken the “I Believe” slogan to serious heights-a Bed and Breakfast smack dab in that area???) as well as other residents who were too scared to be interviewed on TV. Bradley tracked down the landlord, who the neighbors blamed for inaction as well as poor screening. The owner, Atty. Sherry Dellasandro said on TV that she did credit and background checks on the tenants and that everything that could be done were done to ensure a proper screening process. That is a credible defense but here are my two questions:
1. Drug dealing and using are usually a long term endeavor. Before they moved to South Franklin they were doing so elsewhere. I cannot believe that after moving in to a house on South Franklin Street the boys all of a sudden slapped their foreheads and said, “Hey, let’s start using illegal substances. This is as good a place as any to begin our desperate spin into the bowels of illicit activity!” It is true that under the Constitution it is difficult to pry into someone’s personal life but it seems to me more needs to be done to protect our city’s neighborhoods. Years ago an elderly woman in Wilkes Barre was questioned about how bad her residential area declined. A reporter asked her “Why?” Her response was “These are not my people”, meaning that the people causing the problems were people she did not know. This was a diverse neighborhood too so she wasn’t casting aspersions on race or class. Investing in properties is a good thing and I believe Atty. Dellasandro is most likely a good person (at least for an Attorney) but it seems there has to be one more step we’re missing. The safety of neighbors depend on it.
2. If these renters had any references from previous landlords, perhaps there should be a quick investigation into how those references were obtained, (again no aspersions on the Attorney/Landlord here) and why they stated that these people seemed A-OK.
With Scranton debating whether people could smoke in restaurants and Wilkes Barre pondering a 911 Memorial, perhaps some nitty gritty work needs to be done in protecting the city neighborhoods before taking on such issues of minutia.

LUPAS TO BENCH?

With District Attorney David Lupas announcing his intention to run for Judge, he becomes another Luzerne County DA in a long line to aspire to the bench. Some others were;
Judge Peter Paul Olsewfski, Jr., who served as DA in the 90s,
Judge Correale Stevens, who served from 1988 to 1992,
Judge Chester Muroski, who served in the late 70s,
Judge Patrick Toole who served as DA from 1971 to 1979.
One District Attorney who did not make the transition was Republicans DA Tom Mack who lost his race in 1967 (before judicial cross filing was allowed by the PA Constitution). Mack teamed with Robert Hourigan (who was elected) against Democrats Peter Paul Olshefski Senior (who won) and Atty. Ralph Johnston (who was defeated).
It appears Lupus will have his hands full in the primary with Atty. Tom O'Connor of Kingston, Atty. Conrad Falvello of Hazleton, Atty. Thomas Marsilio of Mountaintop (who announced Wednesday) and with non Attorney, Hugo Selinski.

DODD FOR PRESIDENT

Connecticut Senator Thomas Dodd has acknowledged that he may try a Presidential bid in 2008. Dodd who has served in the Senate since the 70s has never made a move on the Presidency in his long tenure. A liberal and former drinking and womanizing buddy of Teddy Kennedy (which in my view is not a bad thing!) Dodd may stake out the Liberal anti war position in the Democratic field. So many people seem to be entering this race, it reminds me of the 1976 campaign when over 25 candidates entered the race. Only two were Republicans, President Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan.

CONGRATS MONICA

Congratulations and kudos go out to my favorite former federal government employee Monica Lewinsky who recently obtained her Master's Degree in Government Studies and International Business from the London School of Economics. Her Master's thesis is titled, according to Reuters: "In Search of the Impartial Juror: An Exploration of the Third Person Effect and Pre-Trial Publicity." I always knew she was one of the smart ones.