The LuLac Edition #674, Dec. 21st, 2008

PHOTO INDEX: FIRST LADY IN WAITING, MICHELLE OBAMA, WILK'S NANCY KMAN, ACTRESS JENNIFER ANISTON, WYOU TV ANCHOR LYNDALL STOUT, THE LATE CATHERINE BAKER KNOLL, LTN. GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA, EVIE REFALKO MCNULTY, LACKAWANNA COUNTY RECORDER OF DEEDS, MEET THE PRESS PRODUCER BETSY FISCHER, FORMER WBRE TV REPORTER JILL KONOPKA FACING THE MICROPHONE FROM THIS BLOG EDITOR, LUZERNE COUNTY COMMISSIONER MARYANNE PETRILLA, SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON AND WBRE TV ANCHOR CANDACE KELLY.

WOMEN WE LOVE

Esquire Magazine used to have an annual feature in their magazine called "Women We Love". LuLac had one last year and decided to make this an annual event. We picked these women with no special criteria whatsoever, just on our gut reaction as to their public personas, (some we've met, some we did not, all we've observed) and what we feel they have contributed to politics, pop culture, media and society in general. So here we go:

MICHELLE OBBAMA: Despite numerous chances to lose her cool, the new First Lady designate played a vital supportive role for her husband in the Presidential race of 2008. She deftly avoided much controversy despite her "first time to be proud to be an American remark" and was a valuable partner in and outside of the campaign. I think her style and education will make some of those White House social gatherings interesting places to be. And you can count on her being a covert player in administration policy.

NANCY KMAN: WILK'S talk show host as well as Entercom Company executive keeps a fine balance going on the "Morning Show with Kevin and Nancy". She has made WILK a radio station of consequence with a variety of talk programming that spans ideals and philosophies. In addition to her duties at WILK, she serves as a correspondent for WVIA TV's "State of Pennsylvania". A cancer survivor, she has been known to reach out to people afflicted with that disease.

JENNIFER ANISTON: "Friends" was never one of my favorite TV shows and I just had a passing notice of actreess Jennifer Aniston. But recently, she appeared for the second time on GQ Magazine, sans clothing. This time she was only wearing a men's tie. I later learned that she has been reportedly doing these covers as "revenge" against her first hubby Brad Pitt. I love that! As a recipient of a few "revenge" dates in my life from beautiful woman, (yeah call 'em mercy dates if you want, I don't care) I say go for it Jennifer. I would have published the current magazine but Mrs. LuLac claims it got misplaced last week while she was efforting to decorate the Christmas tree.

LYNDALL STOUT: After having her first child, Lyndall Stout made a smooth transition from WBRE TV to WYOU TV Interactive News. A good interviewer as well as a top notch reporter and anchor, Stout is balancing her career, motherhood and career objectives with a sunny optimism that serves her well on and off the air. She is also involved with the "Buddy Check" for breast cancer awareness in the community.

CATHERINE BAKER KNOLL: Knoll was one of our winners last year. This time around, we give her the award posthumously for her last days battling with cancer. Catherine not only showed great grace under pressure, she also insisted on defending the integrity and profile of her office. Her most famous moment in '08 was grabbing a microphone from a master of ceremonies at a Hillary Clinton campaign rally featuring former President Bill Clinton. Defending the significance of her office, her move, criticized by some, got a great reaction out of the former President who most likely understood her motivation in the matter. RIP, CBK.

EVIE REFALKO McNULTY: The Lackawanna County Recorder of Deeds is a dynamo in terms of local politics. She navigated the Presidential war between Senators Clinton and Obama in 2008, winding up front and center with both of them in the national headlines. A virtual font of knowledge on political trivia (as if it's ever trivial) Evie is engaging, funny, gracious and is destined to be a political player for a long, long time.

BETSY FISCHER: She started out as an intern for the venerable NBC program "Meet The Press". By the time 2008 came around, she was producing the program working side by side with Tim Russert to make the show a ratings winner. After Russert's untimely death in June, Fischer held the show together, shepherding it into another era with a new host. Tim Russert would be proud of her work and dedication.

JILL KONOPKA: One of my favorite people in the local media, Jill went to Germany on a fellowship to study the Eueropean Media, specifically in that country. After her return to the area, she moved on to better things in New England. She now works at the CBS affiliate in Hartford, CT, WFSB. She is doing the weekend anchor duties (pretty much as she did them on WBRE TV) and is a field reporter roaming the New England landscape for news stories she can only report in her own style.

GEORGIA CARROLL: Now 88, Georgia Carroll lives in relative quiet in her retirement. But when she was a big band singer with the Kay Keyser Orchestra, she made a lot of righteous noise. Sporting that All American Girl look of the 40s, she was one of the Keyer band's biggest assets. From YOU TUBE: Georgia Carroll.

MARYANNE PETRILLA: Her first year as Luzerne County Commissioner has brought her many challenges and she has met them all. From a political parting with her election team mate Greg Skrepenak, to controversial firings, to a battle with her own Judiciary, Petrilla has done something remarkable for a politician in these parts: she is actually leting her conscience be her guide. She has been vilified by some, shouted down by many, but admired by those who are looking for a government leader who will lead, not follow. Kudos and continued success to Commissioner Petrilla.

HILLARY CLINTON: The former First Lady almost became President if not for a bad strategy in avoiding the caucus states and overloading her campaign staff with overpaid underachievers. Clinton ran an energetic campaign, giving incredible speechs that hit home to a middle class sick and tired of being stomped on by the current administration. She fell short of her goal but established the fact once and for all that a woman could run for President and be taken seriously. So seriously in fact that the sharp knives and sharks were ready and willing to gut her campaign at every turn. When it was over Clinton lined up behind her foe and is now part of his team taking on the Foreign Policy challenges of this new time. With her leadership abilities, the world will be in good hands.

CANDACE KELLY: Kelly has made a great transition from the WYOU Interactive Team to being co-anchor on WBRE TV News. The Minnesota native has established roots here in NEPA and knows the terrain of the news business locally. Her on air demeanor accentuates the mission that WBRE TV is trying to accomplish with their news broadcasts. Her election night coverage was very impressive and was ranked as one of the best by segments by some of the local print media.