The LuLac Edition #186, March 28th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: LUZERNE COUNTY MINORITY COMMISSIONER STEVE URBAN, PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S SWEARING IN ON AIR FORCE ONE ON NOV. 22nd, 1963. JACK VALENTI AIDE TO JOHNSON WAS THERE. VALENTI IS THE GUY CROUCHED DOWN NEXT TO THE GUY IN THE BOW TIE AND HAZLETON MAYOR LOU BARLETTA.




URBAN-JAMES



In a move that many disgruntled GOPers predicted, Minority Commissioner Steve Urban who obviously loves his job picked Bill James of West Pittston as his running mate in the spring primary. James I’m sure is a nice enough guy and most likely very good at what he does in his day job. But you have to think that picking James is not the strongest political choice for the General Election. But then who’s thinking about that now? Urban has a reputation, deserved or not for protecting his turf. That turf is of course the Minority Commissioner’s chair. Bill Jones of Mountaintop has a solid constituency, David Shipula of the Hanover Area District has great strength and stands out like a giant. Kristine Katsock ran strong in many races and has name recognition and the gender vote on her side. Would any of these three standout as a better alternative to James? Certainly. And reports are rampant that Katsock entered the race because of her friction with Urban over unrelated issues. But the question is whether Urban is playing toward the General and again running with James (who has had nearly as many election defeats as Katsock) to insure another four years. Now to be fair, Urban as a Commissioner is no flack, he is thoughtful, actually seeks out people who run agencies that the county funds and takes his job seriously. Urban seems to want to be this century’s John Senio. (Senio was Minority commissioner for years under the Corcoran & Alberiggi regime in Lackawanna County) until a few party upstarts got angry and voted him out. It appears Urban is not in that political position………………yet. But events in the primary will tell the tale of this story.




SICK BAY

Tony Snow, Press Secretary to President Bush with a recurrence of colon cancer. If you want to send him best wishes, go on http://www.whitehouse.gov. and check out the link.

Jack Valenti: Former aide to Lyndon Johnson, he was in the cockpit when LBJ got swown in as President in Dallas, later became head of the Motion Picture Association of America. He’s ill with a stroke.

Steve Flood, former County Controller and current candidate for Luzerne County Commissioner. The Demo businessman is hospitalized with a serious illness.



MAYOR LOU ON PCN

Mayor Lou Barletta takes live call in questions Thursday Night at 7PM on PCN TV.