The LuLac Edition #229, May 19h, 2007

PICTURE INDEX: WLYN TV 35's L.A. TARONE, WBRE TV'S JILL KONOPKA, WILK'S STEVE CORBETT, WILK'S MORNING HOST SUE HENRY AND WBRE TV REPORTER JEFF CHERICO.

MEDIA MATTERS

ELECTION COVERAGE

Election night coverage is something that should come easy to TV stations. After all, it's a breaking story of human drama with a winner and a loser. But TV sometimes gets flumoxed by the sheer number of candidates involved in a primary, with various names, towns, townships, boroughs and cities to keep straight. WNEP TV, long a ratings leader in news coverage just relegates the returns to one anchor who handles it with some reporters. WYOU with its interactive news had a few professors on. The best coverage, in my view, was WBRE TV's. WBRE had each of their working reporters in headquarters of the hottest races. Each report was quick, to the point and gave you the information you needed in case you wanted to go to bed knowing who won or turn on something else. Perhaps WBRE's finest report was the cogent and uncomplicated explanation of the District wide city council races in Wilkes Barre by Jeff Cherico, normally a consumer reporter. You understood who won, by how much, who was defeated and would there be any opposition in the fall. Election night proved to me at least that WBRE TV has a stable of young, aggressive reporters and producers who take their profession and coverage of the news seriously. Loved their work election night.

Meanwhile in another part of TV land, L.A. Tarone out of Hazleton had a great pre-election show on his weekly program. Afterwards, as a follow up, Tarone did an interview with longtime area newsman Pat Ward on the coverage of this past election. Rarely do any news programs do post mortems on elections anymore. Tarone's program is on WLYN TV 35.

On the radio, WILK once more stood head and shoulders above everyone else. Sue Henry teamed with Steve Corbett from 8PM until shortly after 11:30PM to take reports live from Joe Thomas and Gary Farantino as well as talking to winning and losing candidates, concerned citizens and yes, even a blogger or two. This wall to wall coverage is sadly a throwback to the old days of local radio when election coverage mattered. Both Henry and Corbett worked well together and really made listening an enjoyable and informative experience.

LUZ COUNTY LIVE

The posting of election results on the Luzerne County web site was really something. Kudos to the Voters Services Office for getting that innovation up to speed. It was especially helpful to those individuals in smaller communities wondering about their local races. It was time stamped by the count. Great job!

WRITE IN MANIA

NOT DEAD YET

That Coroner's race in Luzerne County is not over yet. Turns out that Democratic candidate James Desiderio, who ran third in the race behind Dr. Consalvo and John Corcoan has come up with more than 250 write in votes on the GOP side. This will give the Republicans who did not put up a candidate a slated office with Desiderio on the ballot.

OTHER RACES

In Hazleton, City Democrats have chosen Dominic “Dickie” Cusatis and Maureen DeCosmo Pozzessere to battle Republican council members Evelyn Graham and Joe Yannuzzi in the November election, according to unofficial primary election results.
The incumbents, who ran unopposed in the primary, are teamed with Mayor Lou Barletta, who defeated local government watchdog Dee Deakos Tuesday in a battle for the GOP nomination for the mayor’s seat, as well as former Mayor Mike Marsicano for the Democratic nomination through a write-in campaign.
Cusatis and Pozzessere formed a ticket with Marsicano, who was unchallenged in the primary – at least on the ballot. They easily defeated Craig Kocher, Rudy Espinal and Antonio Rodriguez, each of whom ran independently.

In Wilkes Barre's only Magisterial race, voters from both major political parties overwhelmingly supported incumbent William Amesbury over challenger Donald Winder for Wilkes-Barre district judge.
Based on unofficial returns with 10 of the 10 precincts in the district reporting, Amesbury received 2,155 Democratic votes and 416 Republican votes.
Winder received 527 Democratic votes and 142 Republican votes, according to unofficial returns.
Both men filed for the Democratic and Republican nominations.

Amesbury was first elected in 2001 on the Republican ticket when he faced the wife of Atty. Neil O'Donnell in a hotly fought contest. Even though Amesbury won the GOP nomination with under 400 votes, he prevailed in the fall. This seat was held by the late Atty. Michael Collins.

In Pittston City, Kathy Cunard beat out two other opponents for the Democratic Pittston City treasurer nomination during Tuesday night’s primary election.
Cunard, 56, received 763 or 55.17 percent of votes with all precincts reporting, according to the Luzerne County Bureau of Elections.
Democrat Tony Lombardo, 69, received 327 or 23.64 percent of the votes. Democrat Joe Casale, 47, came in third for the Democratic nomination with 291 or 21.04 percent of the vote.
Jack Gavigan, 85, is retiring in December after 12 years as Pittston’s city treasurer.