The LuLac Edition #237, May 31rst, 2007

PICTURE INDEX: FORMER SENATOR FRED THOMPSON AND WALTER REED ARMY HOSPITAL.

A VIEW OF WALTER REED

A few weeks ago, a letter circulated in the paper regarding Walter Reed Army Hospital. I thought I'd share the contents with you.

SUPPORT WRAMC


Editor:
On a recent trip to Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), I saw first hand our wounded service men and women. With all the bad press as of late pertaining to the living conditions at WRAMC, I would like to say a few words on their behalf.
I first must say up front that I did not see or encounter these reported living conditions that has been reported in the news. These news reports urged everyone, from The President on down to the new commander of the hospital to make corrections on these problems. Let me give you a tour of the facility through my eyes.
All the rooms (quarters) at WRAMC are now only for the wounded vets coming back from overseas duty. All the other patients must find a room with a civilian hotel/motel nearby. In the past one could stay at the prestigious Malone House on post.
If you read the reports that are out on the sub-standard living conditions, they are in the housing units on the post grounds itself, detached from the hospital. With all this brought to light we know this will be fixed and our service men and women will have a better place to stay while receiving top notch medical treatment.
With that said I wish to state 3 facts which I saw first hand at WRAMC.
The professional staff of doctors, nurses and technicians are 100% supportive of all the wounded there. I saw and heard the hospital staff talking with a wounded service man. They were working out details for a time frame of events to have his family come there in time for his treatments.
When you see these seriously wounded service men and women you need not stare at their afflictions. I found myself looking at their eyes. I could see about nine out of every ten had an up-beat look about them, considering their existing condition. I feel that they had the look of satisfaction with their treatment they received and continue to receive. They did not have a look of disgust or the why me attitude about them. They surely did not want any pity, just a thank you for what they have done, would be just fine.
With all the political arguing as of late and especially in dealing with the war and it’s wounded, you best leave your party affiliation at the front door of the hospital. No one in that facility cares what party you support. The only support is for the physical and emotional wounds of our service men and women.
With the large numbers of wounded from this war coming to WRAMC, they are in the process of converting it from a regular hospital to strictly a facility for the wounded from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Giving them the best possible treatment and physical therapy, to facilitate their recovery is the main goal.
With a little more time and command emphasis, WRAMC will once again regain the status of “second to none”. Remember it is always easy to point the finger at someone for these latest deficiencies found there. Now is the time to support our country and get the best care possible for all the wounded service members.
Let’s thank God that we have such a facility like Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Just because their engine back fired and sputtered a little during their transition to a different type of medical care facility, it is the best we have for these wounded right now. Let’s give WRAMC all our support it needs to make it a gem of a facility. I know for a fact that the troops would appreciate it. Like telling them a job well done.
A closing thought:
Let us not forget those who did not make it to a place like WRAMC.
Let us always keep them in our prayers.


Respectfully,
Bruce J. Prandy

THOMPSON GETTING IN

On May 30th, The Weekly Standard reported that Fred Thompson will set up a "testing-the-waters" committee that will begin accepting contributions on June 4. Also on May 30, The Politico reported that Thompson plans to enter the presidential race over the Independence Day weekend. But a Thompson associate quoted in The Hillary Spot said "there will not be a presidential announcement from Fred Thompson on July 4." Either way, if you'd like some Thompson stuff or want to join the effort to draft him, here are some links. http://www.grassrootsvoter.com/?gclid=CPyOqojPuYwCFQLAQAod9i8fXw and

http://www.cafepress.com/buy/Fred+Thompson/?CMP=KNC-G-HIT-RP-FredThompson&gclid=CISjmKfPuYwCFQ1dPgodAVfAXA.

The LuLac Edition #236, May 29th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX:

JOHN F. KENNEDY

JFK AT 90

Today marks the 90th birthday of John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States. For anyone over the age of 48, the killing of Kennedy on November 22nd is a seminal moment in our history. We remember where we were, what we were doing and what our circumstances were like when it happened.

The legacy of the Kennedy Presidency is "unfulfilled potential". We wonder what America would have become had he lived. The Kennedy family dwells on JFK's date of birth instead of the day he died to celebrate his accomplishments and life. With Kennedy's medical history, it is doubtful he would have lived to 90. But we don't know that for a fact. So we speculate. It is our only option.

Gone over 40 years, John F. Kennedy still has a hold on my generation. It'll be the same when and if a few us are lucky enough to hit the big 9-0 too. The legacy of JFK, a constant in our lives.

The LuLac Edition #235, May 25th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: MEMORIAL DAY 2007.

MEMORIAL DAY

This weekend we observe Memorial Day, honoring all those who died for freedom. Freedom also means the ability to engage in debate about the military we honor, the mission they are on and the ultimate price of it. A sad legacy to the Iraq War is that if you don't support the war, you can't possibly support the troops. That is not true. An example: an arsonist starts a fire, firemen respond. We don't support the actions of the arsonist but we support the men who fight the fire. On this Memorial weekend, let's remember that over 3,000 soldiers have died in Iraq. We honor and cherish that sacrifice, all the while questioning the wisdom of the mission. That my friends, is America at its most confusing to our enemies, but at our best in terms of why we cherish our liberty and those who fought for it.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

Do more than eat a hotdog or drink a cold beer, buy a poppy, go to a cemetery and fly your flag.

REMARKS FROM RONALD REAGAN

May 26, 1983

"Memorial Day is a time to take stock of the present, reflect on the past, and renew our commitment to the future of America.
Today, as in the past, there are problems that must be solved and challenges that must be met. We can tackle them with our full strength and creativity only because we are free to work them out in our own way. We owe this freedom of choice and action to those men and women in uniform who have served this nation and its interests in time of need. In particular, we are forever indebted to those who have given their lives that we might be free.
I don't have to tell you how fragile this precious gift of freedom is. Every time we hear, watch, or read the news, we are reminded that liberty is a rare commodity in this world.
This Memorial Day of 1983, we honor those brave Americans who died in the service of their country. I think an ancient scholar put it well when he wrote: ``Let us now praise famous men . . . All these were honored in their generation, and were the glory of their times. Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore.'' As a tribute to their sacrifice, let us renew our resolve to remain strong enough to deter aggression, wise enough to preserve and protect our freedom, and thoughtful enough to promote lasting peace throughout the world."
Ronald Reagan

The LuLac Edition #234, May 24th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: WILK LOGO AND STEVE CORBETT.

BREAKING NEWS

Here is an e mail notice sent to WILK insiders regarding a change at the station.

"Right now if you turn your radio on to 103.1FM you hear the busy sounds of construction. Northeast Pa's newest radio station is being built before your ears and is taking shape to debut at 6am Friday May 25. In some ways it's not a new station at all, but an old friend in brand new clothing. WILK has always been on three powerful AM dial positions with coverage in Wilkes-Barre on 980 am, Scranton on 910am (with a tower high atop the Scranton Times Building) and in Hazleton on 1300am. Now with the additional FM frequency the station's unique brands of news, talk and sports programming will be heard on 103.1. Additionally long time newspaper columnist Steve Corbett will begin a new live and local talk show at 3pm, appropriately titled "Corbett". Steve's show will feature his always provocative and never dull personality every weekday from 3pm to 7pm. So now you have a choice. WILK on AM and 103.1."

The LuLac Edition #233, May 23rd, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: FORMER SOVIET PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN, THE REVENDER ANDREW STRISH, MERCURY, GEMINI AND APOLLO ASTRONAUT WALTER "WALLY" SCHIRRA, AUTHOR OF "1964" DAVID HALBERSTAM, NEW YORK CULTURAL ICON KITTY CARLISLE AND PETER "IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN PENNSYLVANIA" WAMBACH.

TRANSITIONS

While we were covering the elections, some of our favorite people who touched our lives passed away. Here are their stories in my words:

Pete Wambach-

Pete Wambach was known to a few generations of Pennsylvanians for his radio program called "It's A Beautiful Day In Pennslyvania". Heard in every market of the state, the commentary touted the strengths of the Commonwealth, its natural beauty, the historical landmarks and the significant role Pennsylvania played in the development of the nation. Wambach made an unsuccessful run for Congress in the 70s but his true home was behind the mike highlighting Pennsyvania's virtues. As a young boy, I heard the gravel voiced commentator and thought, "his voice is not as velvet as others". But the content of what he was offering was remarkable and informative. Wambach was 90 when he passed away.

Boris Yeltsin-

Boris Yeltsin has been out of sight for so many years that no one can be blamed if they thought he had already died. He had a tumultous run as the first duly elected President of the Soviet Union. Sometimes his behavior was disappointing and open to criticism. But his actions proved that democracy sometimes is not pretty. Yeltsin's term as President was more of a historical footnote, his true courage and greatness came when the Soviet Union's system of communism was falling. Charting unknown territory (there were after all still a few Soviet hardliners pushing for the status quo) Yeltzin stood tall, kept his beliefs intact and led a country into the world of a free democracy with all of the pitfalls that would entail. Yeltsin was immortalized locally by TV weatherman Joe Snedecker's segment every Friday morning featuring the "Boris dance". Perhaps that was his legacy as a Russian "everyman", "What you saw, was what you got". And in a free democracy, that's not such a bad thing. Yeltsin was 76 when he died.

Kitty Carlisle-

She epitomized New York glamour. In glorious black and white, the creamy skinned brunette traded quips with all the guests on those late 1950s, early 60s game quiz shows on CBS. She had class, sttyle and dignity. Something, we as children of working class parents were told to aspuire to. Upon later investigation, we found that Kitty Carlisle Hart was married to the brilliant playright Moss Hart, we found her romping with the Marx Brothers on film in the 30s and later on we saw her as a cultural icon and mainstay in New York City. Carlisle reminded all of us of that relative that moved out of town, made it big and then led by example on how to live a long, prosperous and engaging
life. Kitty Carlisle was 90 when she left the confines of her beloved city.

David Halberstam-

The Best and the Brightest. We knew him by that book. It was the coda for young college students who wanted to learn how the Vietnam War came about. He told us how all the smartest men in the universe led us down the path to a war in Southeast Asia that had the most incredible mistakes any team can make. They were mistakes of arrogance made by men of entitlement and purpose. And Halberstam chronicled all of them as a catalogue to history. Unfortantely, history repeats itself, despite his book. In authoring sports books, Halberstam excelled. My favorite book on sports was written by him. It was the journey of the 1964 baseball season and world series. How the Phillies collapsed, the Cardinals beat the Yankees and how America dealt with race issues in this country in what I regard as one of my favorite years (I was just 10)on this earth. When he died in a car crash at the age of 77, Halberstam was working on a book about the 1958 Championship game between the Colts and the Giants. That would've been something!



Andrew Strish-

This week, I realized that the last vestiges of my boyhood church and school are now gone. Two years ago, the Bishop closed down St. John the Baptist grade school in Pittston. In July 2006, an ailing Father Strish, the pastor retired and the church was merged with St. John's across the street. Up until last year, on the church grounds, the old familar fire escape the nuns used to force us to walk up in summer and winter was still there, as was Father Strish. Father Strish was the Assistant Pastor when I was in the eigth grade in that crazy school year of '67-68, full of myself and thinking I knew just about everything. He was a reserved
man with a deep voice. In the playground, he attempted to engage us in stimulating, elevating conversation. Sometimes he succeeded. I found out that Andrew Strish went to school on Larksville, worked as a baker, his favorite song at that time was Hensen Cargell's "Skip A Rope" went to the Priesthood later in life and at the age of 28 was assigned to his first parish. He strolled the grounds at lunch time, sometimes appearing aloof but very approachable. When we had our first seventh and eighth grade co-ed dance, he made sure the music was "correct". There was a question about Mitch Ryder's "Sock It To Me Baby" and that immeditaly went off the playlist. With the jet black hair and booming voice, you sometimes got the feeling that he might have had a leather jacket in his closet. The man was full of surprises. In the school yard on the walls where we used to bounce off rubber balls in a makeshift game of baseball, Father Strish drew cartoon characters for the younger children. He wanted them to regard that asphalt parking lot as a kid's playground. I later learned he painted a mural at St. Pius Xth Seminary. He never bragged about his talents. You had to get to know him for any information about himself. After high school and college, I lost touch with him. Mrs. LuLac and I once went to a church picnic in Larksville because I knew it was his parish. Thought we'd have a reunion. We didn't. He was on Army Reserves. Still another surprise. The years went by and I caught rare glimpses of him until my work schedule changed in 2006. No longer able to attend my home church, I went to the 530PM Mass at St. John the Baptist. It was a depressing experience. All of my hopes and dreams, the people near and dear to me as a youth from that church were now gone. It wasn't a bad experience mind you, just something different. A change, a realization that as an adult, the memories of your youth are just frozen in time but reality and life as we know it, is not. Father Strish had changed too. Illnesses had invaded his body. But Christmas time at the church was festive. The alters were festooned with numerous decorations. Critics in the church called it "Father's Strish's Christmasland".Colors and decorations of all shapes and sizes. It gave you the idea that despite the illness, he was still pluugging along, caring about his art and his church. When I heard he had died, I hesitated to go to the wake, remembering how I felt when I attended Mass there. But I went anyway and I found the church was not the place of my broken dreams and lost family members. At least not on this day. Father Strish was there in repose, the church was filled, his comrads in arms from the Army paid him the last respects as well as family members and parishoners. As I walked out, someone said that he looked finally at peace from his illnesses. I realized then, the church of my youth stood at peace too. There were no thoughts of lost memories, friends or opportunities. Just peaceful remenbrances of a good man placed in my life at a crucial time. I can't point to anything to say that he was a huge influence on my life, but then I can't point to anyting to say that he wasn't either. He was just a constant of my youth, now gone, as well as the parish he served. Time marches on. And all we have are the precious minutes of its memories. On the day they buried Father Strish, I thought about that and it eased the pain.

Walter Schirra

When I was growing up, we all had favorite astronauts.
Mine was Gus Grissom and secondly Gordon Cooper. My friend David Dellarte's was Wally Schrrra. Schirra spanned the entire NASA program flying in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs distinguishing himself in every aspect. Later on, after he left NASA, he sold a cold remedy on TV further giving him more national acclaim. In the rear view mirror of history, it is easy to take for granted the courage of a Wally Schirra.
These guys were flying without a net and as Gus Grissom used to say, "we are flying these things from people who were the lowest bidder". Schirra was one of those courageous pioneers of my youth who seemed to pull it off with aplomb and ease. No wonder why he was David D's favorite.

The LuLac Edition #232, May 22nd, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: AL GORE, DULY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES BY POPULAR VOTE IN YEAR 2000.

IS GORE GOING??

They say he's slimming down, ready for a fight. Polticians are a lot like fashion models, they give out telltale sings when they are ready to enter the arena or the stage. For the model, it might be butter buds instead of the real thing. When Teddy Kennedy revved up his ambition engines, it is said he gave up ice cream. Whether Gore is running or not, he looms as a big presence as evidenced by this week's Time Magazine Cover story, THE LAST TEMPTATION OF AL GORE. We have said for a long time that Gore adopted the Nixon model of staying out of a race right after he lost and coming back eight years later. That may happen and if it does, I'm booking an airline ticket to Denver. Anyway, here's the link to this fascinating article on a truly great American, Al Gore.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1622009,00.html

The LuLac Edition #231, May 22nd, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: WBRE ANCHOR LYNDALL STOUT AND FORMER GOVERNOR BILL SCRANTON, CIRCA 1966.

TONIGHT AT 6PM

WBRE TV's co-anchor Lyndall Stout interviews former Governor William Scranton. Don't miss this one.

The LuLac Edition #230, May 21rst, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: WILK'S NANCY KMAN, FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER AND FORMER 11TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT CANDIDATE DR. JOE LEONARDI WHO SPENDS HIS TIME NOW IN HIS PRACTICE BUT ALSO COMMENTING THROUGH HIS SITE AS WELL AS BEING A FREQUENT GUEST ON RADIO STATIONS ACROSS THE NATION.

CATCHING UP

There have been some things we have not been covering on the site due to the recent elections. In the next few editions, we are going to be playing catch up on some things we didn't cover.

LEONARDI ON NPR SHOW

Former Congressional candidate in the 11th District, Joe Leonardi recently was a guest on a Public Radio program in Baltimore. Dr.Leonardi has been active since his candidacy with an opinion blog as well as reaching out to various outlets across the country giving his unique perspective on things. Here is the audio link for the interviewDr. Leonardi participated in recently.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wypr/local-wypr-

Here's his blog link too:

TheConservativeOasis@mac.com.

THE WORST PRESIDENT

Former President Jimmmy Carter recently let fly with criticism on President Bush. Carter called the current administration the worst in history when it came to Foreign Affairs. I'm amused by the Carter bashing of the radio right in this country. Carter merely pointed out that Bush's mistakes on foreign policy would have long term ramifications. The fact that Carter, whose Presidency was consumed by domestic turmoil dared to attack the President was noted by many observers. First, usually former Presidents do not attack current office holders but Carter, a foreign polcy wonk and some say, a policy interloper (ask President Clinton) really was specfic in his criticisms. Second, Carter's success rate as a President has been fodder for those who support the President. The GOP is certainly attacking the messenger in this. It is true that Carter was not our best President and precisely because of this, his criticism may not be taken seriously by many. But Carter has some good points which he has scaled back on due to an uproar from the right. However, a successful Presidency is predetermined by a legacy. And it appears the Bush legacy is not going to be very good. First, there's Iraq and how we got there. Second, the way the administration has stomped on the Constitution in the name of protecting us from terrorists makes Richard Nixon's crimes against the Bill of Rights look like child's play. Third, Bush has referred to himself as a "uniter" but the evidence demonstrates that his administration has done nothing but divide us. The politics of "if you are against the war, you hate the troops will be the cornerstone of this President's legacy, "if you dare to disagree, you hate your country". And Carter, saying that his comments were not put in their proper context (he said he was comparing Nixon ands Bush on foreign policy) is more diasppointing than if he stood by his original statement. Nixon's foreign policy was brilliant even though he was a tad, crazy. While Bush's foreign policy has been an insane trip of miscalculations that in any other time on our history would cry out for an impachment on the grounds of incompetency. (Coming soon: my list of the worst Presidents.)

LEADERSHIP INDEED!!!!

Saw a story over the weekend about a Leadership Class in the Poconos that raised money to take an entire group of WWII veterans to view the beautiful monument dedicated to "The Greatest Generation". The Leadership class provided air fare, creature comforts and made the trip something each and every Veteran would never forget. The local Wilkes Barre Chamber Leadership class should take a good gander at what their counterparts in Honesdale did. Our local group hangs planting baskets on the Market Street Bridge that die by July for lack of upkeep. But I understand the WB Leadership crew has a heck of a happy hour. Anyway, kudos to that Leadership class in the Poconos for recognizing and putting into action a plan for those wonderful WWII vets. When I was a kid growing up, I had 9 uncles who served in WWII, now only one, my Godfather survives. Time is running out to say thanks and I'm glad someone did in such a grandoise way.

NANCY COME BACK!!!!!!

I love my job but I hate Mondays. I count on Nancy and Kevin, and Rock 107 to ease me into the day. But this morning, Nancy was missing. Kevin solo? Cool. He handles it well and can sustain a 12 hour talk show on his own as far as I'm concerned. But this morning, he had on a Kathy O'Donnell, O'Connor who constantly stepped on his comments, and had a gutteral cackle in place of a laugh. Okay, I can deal with that, I love L.A. Tarone and his are not dulcet tones. But when asked by a caller about President Carter's bashing of President Bush, she repled, "it's all about advertising. It's the advertising that's what it is!" HUH??? NANCY, HURRY BACK!

MARIO WINS!!!!!

Okay, all you anti-Mario Fiorucci posters, looks like the former Commissioner candidate has won a nomination in SugarNotch. Here's his comment made to the Times Leader, Winning the primary was great, but the real challenge will be to unseat the current mayor, who was appointed by council, over me, in 2006. It will be a tough race and voter turnout will be key. The main issues will continue to be recycling, reducing council by 2 seats and police regionalization. Also, the future of the town's independence should be explored by considering a merger with Ashley and Warrior Run, or with Hanover Township.

RESISTING TEMPTATION

Saturday night, I popped open a nice bottle of Reisling and watched a Geena Davis movie. I resisted the urge to post a photo of Geena. I'm getting better. By the way, the movie was "Stuart Little". Okay, on that getting better part, scratch that!

NEXT TIME

TRANSITIONS

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.

The LuLac Edition #228, May 17th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: PITTSBURGH MAYOR LUKE RAVENSTAHL, NEW PHILADELPHIA MAYORAL NOMINEE MICHAEL NUTTER AND WILKES BARRE MAYOR THOMAS LEIGHTON.

MORE ELECTION NEWS

We were so busy with the local races, we never got a chance to tell you about the races for Mayor in the big cities. In Philadelphia, Michael Nutter took the Democratic nomination beating not only a Congressman but a State Legislator too.

In the Steel City, 26 year Luke Ravenstahl, the young Mayor who took office upon the death of Bob O'Connor was unopposed and looks to have a free ride to November.

LEIGHTON WINS DEM NOD

Mayor Tom Leighton beat back a spirited challenge from Wilkes Barre activitst Tim Grier. Leighton polled two to one and touted his record of downtown revitalizatiion. Despite some political troubles in some neighborhods in the city on snow removal and litter pick up, Leighton ran up an impressive total. There are some who will say Grier, with vitually 10 signs in the city and no resources to speak of pulled a good vote with 1500. Every incumbent Mayor has had primary challenges after their first term going back to Thomas McLaughlin. McLaughlin had Joe Burns to contend with in 1983, Mayor Namey had Jack Smith Junior in 1991 and Tom McGroarty had Ed Soltis in 1999. A challenger is nothing new. Leighton faces GOPer Linda Stetts in the fall.

COMMISSIONERS RACES

So in Luzerne County, there will be three races to watch for Commissioner. Greg Skrepenak and Mary Ann Petrilla will have their campaign, Steve Urban, GOP Minority commissioner will have his and challenger Bill Jones will also conduct his own race. Both Republican nominees have indicated they'll go their seperate ways and not run as a team. So Skrep and Petrilla will run their effort and the other two Republicans will have their seperate slates, volunteers and staffers out and about. Terrible for the Republicans in the county but fun for the political junkies.

SELF INTEREST VOTING

A recent poster to the last edition talked about how voters sometimes do not vote in their own interest. I've always contended that not everybody should vote because many people are just too damn uninformed on the issues and stupid. My political friends are horrified when I say this but that's how I feel. C'mon, how many times have you had a conversation with someone who tells you they vote and you realize how scary their ideas are? Anyway, I digress. The poster talked about the Coroner's race and how area voters let go a qualified Doctor and replaced him with a Funeral Director. Luzerne County has had Doctors as Coroners for over fifty years, there was Dr. Hudak and before him Dr. John Gibbons. (And full disclosure here, in College I dated a young lady whose father was the Coroner in Sullivan County. He was a Doctor and had his hands full. If Sullivan County recognized the need for a Doctor, why can't we?) Nothing against John Corcoran, he goes to my church, but now, after that time, we vote "down" in terms of qualifications. But this is not only in Luzerne County. It happens in politics all the time. During the 2004 Presidential race, I worked with a shrill, empty headed young lady who loved George Bush. Thought he was the savior of the world. In the same breath she was lamenting the fact that her "WIC" program funding was reduced. When I told her that it was the Bush administration that reduced that program she relied on, she still looked me square in the face and told me what a drunk Kerry's wife was and how cowardly the Democratic standard bearer was in Vietnam. Despite getting less "WIC" money, she loved the President. People routinely vote against their own interests. Our founding fathers and brave serviceman and woman fought and died to protect American freedoms. Even the one that allows you to be as stupid as you want.

MEDIA MATTERS

My buddy L.A. Tarone had a show on today talking about the media coverage on election day. In a future edition, we'll give you our thoughts on election night coverage and who we thought was good.

The LuLac Edition #227, May 16th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: LACKAWANNA COUNTY RECORDER OF DEEEDS EVIE REFALKO MCNULTY, GOP COMMISSIONER STEVE URBAN, ATTY. COREY O'BRIEN, THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR LACKAWANNA COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND D.A. NOW JUDGE DESIGNATE DAVID LUPAS.

THE DAY AFTER

Some quick observations on some key races the day after the primary election.

LACKAWANNA COMMISSIONERS

The Democrats just couldn't take a chance on Evie Refalko McNulty. It should be remembered that the Munchak/Cordaro team only won the Commissioner's Majority four years ago by a mere 200 votes. Another 250 votes in various parts of the county and Corcoran would still be there. With the tax issues of both Munchak and Cordaro, the Dems needed two people who could raise that issue without recprecussion. Mrs. McNulty's claim to history did not fly because of the financial problems she had. Because of that, McNulty was viewed by some Democratic voters as "not the right woman for the right time". That is why, despite some powerful city wide backing, McNulty lost. As predicted here earlier this month, O'Brien started to gain steam in the Moosic and Mid Valley areas biting into traditional Democratic strongholds. Look for O'Brien and Washo to become fast friends and become focused on "re'taking" the Majority back in November. And as a good soldier, Mrs. McNulty will help.

IN LUZERNE COUNTY

Greg Skrepenak and Mary Ann Petrilla won easily in the spring and will do so in the fall. The reason is the GOP situation. Steve Urban on the news last night talked about trying to get a third term for himself while Bill Jones talked about his grassroots effort that would translate into the fall. Obviously these guys are not running together. Unlike Crossin and Wideman of the 60s and 70s who ran together but did not govern together, these guys are going to be touting themselves on the trail and not each other. The GOP in the county is too weak for a split but they'll have one between Jones (the new wing of the party) and Urban (the old guard). So it looks like Skrep can hunker down at Big Ugly's in the fall and enjoy the NFL on his way to another term as Commissioner taking with him Mary Ann Petrilla.

HERE COME 'DA JUDGE

Dave Lupas won it going away. As predicted here, on both tickets. He had money, he had the respect of the legal estblishment as well as the powerful Democratic organization. Tom Marsillio, a nice man had less money and might have miscalculated by switching parties. He might have recieved more GOP votes to stave off the Lupas double nomination. The word on the street was that Marsillio's choice of a chief campaign operative did not help him with the Legal or Law enforcement community.

SHERIFF

Mike Savokinas won with a slight margin over George "Nipper" Nowakowski. The battle ground was the Pittston Area and one has to wonder how this race would've played out if there was a third candidate. Again, the likeability factor seemed to hamper "Nipper" as well as some dubious statements to the papers regarding how he'd staff his office.

CORONER

This is a perfect example of what happens when a third person gets into a race. Dr. Jack Consalvo, the appointed one to succeed Dr. Hudock seemed to be in the driver's seat. But wiley political Plains veteran John Corcoran ran a campaign saying that only a Pathologist could conduct an autopsy. Dr. Hudock was one but apparently John Corcoran, Dr. Consalvo and Mr. Desidserio weren't either. Even though Corcoran raised the issue, it brought to attention the fact that Consalvo, an ER doctor was not. With Corcoran's strong base in Plains, Desiderio's votes factoring into the race and the void left by Dr. Hudock, Consalvo, expected to win by many lost narrowly to the Funeral Director.

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

The LuLac Edition #225, May 15th, 2007

ADVENTURES IN VOTING!!

So at lunch hour, I decide to go and vote. They (The Election Bureau) have changed my polling place three times in the last three elections. That was no big deal. But when my wife and I scoped out the location a few weeks ago (we do that now because of my accident, whether we are in town or away) we became concerned because it looked like the terrain might be rough at the new location, 666 North Main Street, the home of St. Stan's Church. I played phone tag with Bureau of Election Chief Len Piazza who did his best to get back to me. (Called me three times as a matter of fact). But we just kept missing each other.
This morning, I thought, "how bad can this be?" Well, it turned out that the polling place is all the way in the back of the church and another building type garage. Frank Matello Junior who was working for his dad saw me park across the street and yelled for me to go inside the long, deep driveway and park in a designated spot for handicap spaces. When I did, I was still a walk away downhill from where I parked. As I made my way to the voting place, the pavement was un-even and if you didn't watch yourself, you could trip. When I got to the actual polling place, there looked to be a makeshift ramp on both sides that made you climb up and then down. Again, uneven.
I voted, the people were nice and the machines ran well.
Then I made my return trek toward my car. It was an exercise in democracy. It was an exercise...period. I called Mrs. LuLac and told her to forget about "Curves" tonight.
Here's my point: I'm semi disabled. I'm relatively young and have practice "walking deliberately" the last few years because of an auto accident. So, being careful and watching where I stepped, it was an effort for me, but not one that was completely challenging. However, that said, I wonder how many elderly, other people worse off and less able than I physically and those wheelchair and walker bound fared in this new polling place. Let's hope for their sake, they make another change next time that is more "disabled friendly".

The LuLac Edition #224, May 15th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: OLD GLORY. A SYMBOL OF FREEDOM, EXPRESS YOUR FREEDOM OF CHOICE-VOTE TODAY!




PREDICTIONS



God, I hate doing this but here goes. Not all the races, just a few.



LUZERNE COUNTY COMMISSIONER (GOP)



URBAN and JONES.



LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGE



LUPAS on both tickets.



LUZERNE COUNTY CORONER



DR. JACK CONSALVO



LUZERNE COUNTY SHERIFF



SAVOKINAS



WILKES BARRE CITY COUNCIL



DISTRICT A: VITONEC by a narrow win.



DISTRICT B: THOMAS by a narrow margin. Reilly close behind.



DISTRICT C: KANE.

DISTRICT D: An upset, JOE DANIEL.


DISTRICT E: RAUP.



The interesting thing about these council races is that it might takes less than 1,000 votes to win in a crowded field. That's why I gave it to the incumbents in most of the districts except "D" where I believe McGinley and Barrett will split votes making way for a newcomer. I picked Daniel in "D" because he's been around.



LACKAWANNA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS (DEMS)



O'BRIEN and WASHO, with McNULTY trailing closely.



LACKAWANNA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS (GOP)



MUNCHAK. CORDARO gets his write in but it'll be court challenged weakening the GOP, despite the Yankees at PNC Park, for the fall.



ENJOY THE SUNSHINE, GO AND VOTE TODAY.

WE'LL FIND OUT LATER TONIGHT.

OPINION AND RESULTS LATER TONIGHT OR WEDNESDAY.

The LuLac Edition #223, May 14th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX:

"JUST DO IT.....

V O T E !!!!!!!!!"

THE BALLOT QUESTION

There have many many reports on how the Ballot Question will affect individual taxpayers in various districts. WBRE's Amy Bradley did a pretty comprehensive report on this last week. Still, because every district is different, voting for this will mean many things to many people. The Times Leader's Mark Guydish had a great column today which we'll repeat in its entirety. It cleared up a lot of things for me. I've hghlighted in red the most important parts to remember.


It's almost upon us, yet many residents still don't seem to know about it, and I'm a little tired of hearing people say "Why wasn't this in the newspaper?" It was, dozens of times. I guess I get a little testy because I wrote a lot of those stories.
Tomorrow every voter in Luzerne County gets a chance to approve or
reject the idea of raising their local school income tax so eligible homeowners can see property taxes drop. It's a pretty big deal known as the Act 1 referendum. As Dave Davare of the Pennsylvania School Board Association said during an informational luncheon Thursday, since each district is proposing different tax changes, the outcome will someday sway decisions by people looking for jobs or a place to live.
Graduates deciding where to launch their working lives may opt for a place that votes the referendum down, since they'll be renting and working, making the more attractive option a place with higher property taxes and lower income taxes. Affluent retirees selling homes and looking to relocate would likely prefer a place where the referendum was approved, making property taxes lower and income taxes higher.
Yet after Davare finished his presentation, one of the first comments from an attendee was, why hasn't this been publicized more?
Aside from the fact that reporters were standing right there prepared to pen yet another story, it was publicized. We've been writing stories since August, including front page overviews and explainers. School boards and the county advertised the whole process. Yet people still never heard of it.
Breaking it down.
Part of the problem is that those ads were small-print legal items in the classifieds; part is that eyes glaze the moment you mention tax rates and state laws; and part is, sadly, that we as citizens often shirk our civic duty to study before we vote, preferring to gripe aboutthe outcome afterward.
Most of the problem comes from the fact that Act 1 and the referendum process are gnarled, snarled nonsense. The law functions like a glop constructed by kindergartners gone wild with glue, sticks and ribbon.
Every state legislator had a pet plan for definitive property tax
reform, so they loaded the law with nonsense until it was neither
definitive nor reformative.
Still, the election is tomorrow and it merits one more review. Remember, even though it's a primary, any registered voter, including Independents, can vote on this referendum.
The referendum will ask if you want to increase the local school income tax a specific percentage in order to lower homeowner property taxes a specific dollar amount. Four Luzerne County districts are offering to switch from an earned income tax on wages to a personal income tax also levied on interest and dividends. If you want it simple, ask yourself
two questions:
1) Will your overall taxes go up or down if you vote yes? My wife and I both work and we own a home in Wilkes-Barre Area School District. If the referendum there is approved, our income tax will increase more than our property tax will drop. By that wallet measure, we should vote no.
2) Do you feel shifting a bit more of the school tax burden onto wage earners and off homeowners is fair? Right now, my wife and I can afford to pay the tax increase a yes vote would bring more than many lower-income homeowners we know can afford to pay escalating property taxes if the vote fails. So we're leaning toward voting yes.
It's a choice between pocketbook and principles. Weigh which matters most. And vote.


THE BEST OF..............

As another primary elections winds down, its time to hand out some LuLacBest and Worst awards in media, Campaigning and politicing.

BEST SIGNS: Virgil Argenta and Dr. Jack Consalvo.
MOST SIGNS:Virgil Argenta.
BEST RADIO ADS:None I can think of and I love radio and love politicalads.
BEST TV AD Bill Jones Commissioner ad. It was an attack adbut not violently so. Cordaro and Munchak/Yankee ad.
MOST VISABLE CANDIDATE IN WILKES BARRE CITY: Joe Daniel.
MOST INVISABLE CANDIDATE IN WILKES BARRE CITY: Frank Matello, Sr.

MOST FRUGAL CANDIDATE: Peter Gagliardi, Council District C.
BEST CANDIDATE WEB SITE: Walter Griffith. Ron Silkosky, Honorable Mention. (Should have posted photo of himself).
BEST INNOVATION: Ron Silkosky with his DVD.
MISSED OPPRTUNITY AWARDS Christine Katsock (would've won a council seat in her district. ) and Ted Wampole (one time Demo Council candidate, he helped create the plan inplace now.
MOST MISSED: The "Nipper" Polka Radio spots featuring the Bobby Vinton hit "My Melody of Love"

CELEBRITY CAMPAIGNER: Out of LuLac land technically but former WDAU TVnews anchor/sports guy/weather guy, WGBI AM and WEJL/WBAX jock, Hoyt Keyser running for Wyoming County Commissioner.
BIGGEST PROJECTED WINNER IN REDISTRICTING: Kathy Kane (despite her opposing the plan).
BIGGEST PROJECTED LOSER IN REDISTRICTING: Bill Barrett or Mike McGinley. On Wednesday morning, one of them will be quoting Curly Howard saying,"I was the victim of circumstances!"

WORST WEBSITE COLORS: Tom Marsillio.
BEST BILLBOARDS: Skrep and Petrilla. Neaty sized, very well done. Walter Griffith, Junior,honorable mention.

The LuLac Edition #222, May 13th, 2007

PHOTO INDEX: FORMER COLTS AND DOLPHINS BACK UP QB EARL MORRALL, FORMER PACKER BACK UP QUARTERBACK ZEKE BRATKOWSKI, FORMER PHILLIES BACK UP CATCHER GUS TRIANDOS AND THE BLOG EDITOR WITH HIS MOM. MOM'S NOT SURE ABOUT WHAT I DO ON THIS BLOG THING BUT SHE'S OKAY WITH IT AS LONG AS IT KEEPS HER BOY OUT OF TROUBLE! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM, YOU'RE THE BEST!

BACK UPS

When I was a kid growing up, the NFL was still in its formulation stages. It was a golden age for players and many a young boy followed and emulated Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas. They were the crème de le crème of the NFL quarterbacks. Me? I followed the back up QBs of those teams, for the Packers Zeke Bratkowski and the Colts, Earl Morrall. As for baseball, while other kids loved Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, I cheered on guys like Gus Triandos and Pat Corralles. When I met Corralles at the Vet as an adult, I introduced myself as a fan of his when I was a kid. He looked glumly at me and said, "So you were the one!" My status of cheering for back up players was later vindicated when Gus Triandos, a journeyman back up catcher caught Jim Bunning's Perfect Game on Father's Day 1964 against the Mets. Anyway, Triandos and the two back ups came to mind this week when I received an e mail telling me that Wilkes Barre City Council incumbents have been contributing to their opponents in the primary races in some districts. Good government? Generosity? Good sportsmanship?

The more cynical in Wilkes Barre have said that this is the way for the Democratic machine to keep control. If one of the incumbents goes down in a district, then there is a "back up" or "second choice" person to rubber stamp the Mayor's agenda. There is no doubt contributions have been made, but politicians have been contributing to each other for years. John F. Kennedy routinely gave money to Richard Nixon's early campaigns when they were both starting out in D.C. However when an opponent gives money to an opposing candidate in the same race, then that has to raise some eyebrows. Buying a ticket for an event to "show up and be seen" is one thing but an outright contribution against a district foe is unchartered territory. Yet, with this new district format, we are on unchartered turf. Mayor Tom Leighton has been criticized for giving money to non incumbents running against incumbents in certain districts. However, even the Democratic Executive Committee couldn't figure out who to endorse in District D, so they endorsed both McGinley and Barrett. But when you think about it, maybe the Mayor is employing a smart stretegy. When the dust clears, he could always say to the winner, whoever that is, "I was with ya!" Wilkes Barre and Luzerne County have always enjoyed a tangled web of political intrigue and gossip. The revelation that candidates are giving money to each other in the same race is just another delightful anecdote we can pass on to generations later in life. If the incumbents win, it'll be business as usual. And critics of this fundraising largesse have said if the back ups win, it'll be business as usual but with a different cast of chracters. REmenber this though, it's a strange thing about back ups, sometimes they take over and lead a team to an undefeated season (Morrall in Miami 1972), sometimes they steady the team when its leader is shakey and injured (Bratkowski in 1967) and sometimes they happen to be in the right place at the right time (Triandos in 1964) using the skills that prepared them for their moment in destiny. And when they achieve that moment in time, not many remember the logistics of how they got there.

LAC COMMISH RACE IN FULL TILT

The Lackawanna County Democratic Commissioner's race is in full tilt this weekend. Evie Refalko McNulty is on the air with her funky eyewear touting her strengths with the message that voters can make history by choosing her as the Dem nominee, after a faltering start the Washo effort has seemed to find its message with a clear, crisp TV ad telling us of the candidate's business experience and Corey O'Brien is on the air saying he'll be ready from day 1 to lead. We'll find out very soon. In the meantime, just for fun, as reported in LuLac Edition #221, here's Corey O'Brien's airplane again. This is old style campaigning at its finest. In the 1975 Commissioner's race, a young James Barrett McNulty leased a train that ran through the Lackawanna Valley the weekend before election. It was regarded as an old time tactic that people would embrace and love. They did and he lost anyway. Came in dead last. Anyway, here's the link: http://www.brightcove.com/title.jsp?title=879697046