The LuLac Edition #437, March 11th, 2008

PHOTO INDEX: LUZERNE COUNTY COMMISSIONER MARYANNE PETRILLA, RETIRED ADULT FILM STAR ERICA BOYER AND CHELSEA CLINTON.

MAKES YA WANNA SPIT-ZER!

A very cynical co-worker came up to me on Monday afternoon with the news of New York Governor Elliot Spitzer's involvement with a prostitution ring. She took sheer delight in telling me since on my screensaver is a shot of another former New York Governor Mario Cuomo. Getting on the web, I soon found out the sordid details and began to think of the ramifications of this scandal. First off, it finished off a promising political career. But that political career was built on a lot of self righteous tub thumping that made Spitzer a target for this type of ridicule. When another former New York Governor and Vice President died with his pants off in a Midtown brownstone with a woman half his age, make that two thirds his junior, people shrugged and said "That's Rocky". Nelson Rockefeller had never said he was a choirboy in the lady's department. Neither was Bill Clinton which is why he got a pass on impeachment. Both Rockefeller and Clinton never preached like saints and when there was a sin, there was some uproar but not enough to get rid of Clinton or diminish Rockefeller's career as one of New York State's most progressive Governors. However with Spitzer and his tough guy no nonsense family values persona, the scandal does greater damage because he led a double life. When the news broke, the first word out of most people's mouths was "hypocrite". If you're going to walk on the wild side and you're in public life, don't hide behind the family and your moral judgement on the way people should live their lives.

When the news broke, I could not help but think of an old radio client that owned an establishment that provided, uh companionship to men in the area. His head would be spinning with the prices Spitzer paid. And to put it in perspective, in her adult film career, Erica Boyer never made $4300.00 in an hour or $31,000 in a day. *

Source: adult film base historical facts.*

NO JOKE LEAH

So when the Clinton advance team went to Revello's (great pizza but too noisy for my tastes) my cousin Leah Klink thought they were kidding. The staff member told her Mrs. Clinton “was in the mood for Old Forge-style” pizza. The 24-year-old engineering major at Penn State Wilkes-Barre and master baker at the pizza shop told her boss, Pat Revello, whose mother, Delores, owns the shop at West Grace and Main streets. And when Senator Clinton grabbed her slice on Monday afternoon, that was certainly no joke.

The Old Forge visit was also a coup for the first woman elected Mayor in the borough, Michelle Avvisato.

CHELSEA IN TOWN

Chelsea Clinton, daughter of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Hillary Clinton, will host a Q&A at Wilkes University on at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday in the Henry Student Center (1st floor), 84 West South St. Wilkes Barre. The Senator and former President's daughter was in town Tuesday to open up the Scranton campaign headquarters. The appearance of Chelsea Clinton is just another indication as to the importance of this area to the Pennsylvania primary.

HOME RULE

Luzerne County Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla told the Times Leader she has been contacted by people who want to revive the push for a home rule form of county government.
While she has agreed to meet with them soon, Petrilla said she doesn’t know if they could convince her to support putting a home rule study question on the November ballot.
Minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban said he supports home rule, and Commissioner Chairman Greg Skrepenak said Monday that he does not.
If commissioners don’t put a home rule study question on the November ballot, it would be up to voters to round up an estimated 5,000 signatures on a petition. The last time Home Rule was on the ballot was 2003 when it was defeated. During that election, Democratic candidates Todd Vonderheid and Greg Skrepenak told the voters to forget about home rule and "trust us". They did and now the discussion on home rule has started up again.
Kingston resident David Capin started a Web site -- www.homeruleyes.com – but Wilkes-Barre activist Tim Grier said the site hasn’t been updated. Grier supports home rule and is willing to help the cause. Grier, like others believes a new form of government would add more checks and balances, rather than allowing a majority of three commissioners to hold all the marbles. More talk began to emerge about Home Rule when the debit card scandal broke and when former aide to the commissioners Sam Guesto quit the County Clerk job and was rewarded with a newly created job with the Judges. Guesto said he left the first job to spend more time with the family. Activitists like Grier want Home Rule to ensure that many more elected officials get to spend time with the folks at home and out from under the dome.