The LuLac Edition #226, May 15th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: COUNCILMAN TONY THOMAS IN GROUP SHOT FROM LULAC FORUM, COUNCIL CANDIDATE RICK CRONAURER FROM DISTRICT A AND COUNCILMAN BILL BARRETT FROM DISTRICT D.

WB COUNCIL RACE

It appears that the Council re-districting plan had a few casualties among incumbents. In District A, Shirley Morio Vetonivic lost her bid for re-election being defeated by Rick Cronauer. Cronauer ran a big grassroots effort and came out on top. Cronauer will face Walter Griffith, Junior in the fall. You have to think that the current Dems are not unhappy with this development because it can stunt a Griffith insurgency campaign against an established incumbent who has been part of Council for years. The Dems can counter Griffith with, "hey look, new face!"

In District B, Tony Thomas won over Bruce Reilly. Thomas ran ahead of his foe by over 120 votes. Close but still enough to hit the ground running against either Lisa McGlynn Cope or Vince Guarnari of the GOP.

District C saw incumbent Kathy Kane distance herself from Justin McCarthy and Sam Troy. This was not unexpected. Kane will face off against Republican Peter Gagliardi in the fall.

District D saw one incumbent win, another long time public servant lose. Bill Barrett won the Dem nomination over a croweded field. Joe Daniel came in a strong second while Mike McGinley, a former School Board and Council member came up with under 250 votes. This District saw the Democratic party actually endorse both men. Barrett will face GOPer Linda Stetts who is also running for Mayor in the fall.

District E saw Mike Merritt outlast a field of opponents. Merritt who recieved the Demo endorsement did a lot of door knocking and beat a field that included neighborhood activist Charlotte Raup and Ron Silkoski among others. Republican John Yencha will square off against Merritt in the fall.

So, after all the dust has settled, a few points:

1. A council seat was won by the winning candidate by less than a thousand votes. In some cases, less than 500.

2. Two incumbents are gone, but are replaced by people who may be part of the same agenda as the people they are replacing.

Here are the final vote totals by district:

CITY COUNCIL WILKES BARRE CITY COUNCIL DIST A

TIM GRIER . . . . . . . . . . 76

RICK CRONAUER . . . . . . . . .824

JOHN R. MADAY . . . . . . 60

SHIRLEY MORIO VITANOVEC. 521

DISTRICT B

RAY ARELLANO . . . . . . . . . 102
BRUCE J. REILLY . . . . . . . . 396
TONY THOMAS JR. . . . . . . . . 460

DISTRICT C

JUSTIN MCCARTHY . . . . . . . . 259

SAM TROY. . . . . . . . . . . 123

KATHY KANE . . . . . . . . . . 400

DISTRICT D

JOE DANIEL . . . . . . . . . . 323

TIMOTHY ANDERSON . . . . . . 98

BILL BARRETT . . . . . . . . . 439
SARAH MCCAFFREY . . . . . . . 60

MICHAEL J. MCGINLEY . . . . . 213

BRUCE SZCZECINSKI. . . . . . 175

DISTRICT E

VIRGIL ARGENTA. . . . . . . . . 104

FRANK MATELLO SR.. . . . . . . 92

MIKE MERRITT . . . . . . . . . 332

CHARLOTTE RAUP. . . . . . . . .166

RON SILKOSKY . . . . . . . . . 165