The LuLac Edition #734, Feb. 20th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: OUR 1964 LOGO, PROBATION SERVICES DIRECTOR SANDRA BRULO, (TIMES LEADER PHOTO) FORMER WILKES BARRE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES AND PROSPECTIVE GOVERNMENT STUDY COMMISSION HOPEFULS PETE GAGLIARDI AND WALTER GRIFFITH.

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

Another wing tip dropped in the Luzerne County Corruption case this afternoon. Luzerne County President Judge Chester Muroski issued an order suspending Sandra Brulo without pay following the filing of a federal charge against her. Brulo was employed as Probation Services Director. In the recent layoffs of court olfficials, Brulo was not one of them. Before joining the Probation Department, Brulo worked at the Children’s Service Center of Wyoming Valley and built a stellar reputation as the agency’s main advocate for funding as well as providing a public relations presence for the organization. She was arraigned today on a charge of tampering a court record. According to the Times Leader, U.S. Attorney Martin Carlson said Brulo altered a juvenile court file with the intent to impair the file's integrity for use in federal proceedings. Brulo was released on her own recognizance following a brief hearing. Keep in mind this was only one count and one has to pose the question why it was this one particular file. More details will be forthcoming in her proceedings.

THE SHARK’S BIG RIDE

There’s much speculation as to how Court Administrator William Sharkey got away with using a county vehicle after he took sick leave in August. On the day after the FBI raided his office, Sharkey became ill (who wouldn't after a visit from the G Men!) and drove home with a sleek black county Chevrolet Impalla. He never returned it until President Judge Chester Muroski (a very busy fellow these days) directed someone to get the car. Now I don’t blame Sharkey here because after all, he was used to the perks and entitlement. I mean old habits die hard. And if Sharkey dealt with the incompetence in the Courthouse on a daily basis, I’m figuring he was instituting his own, “they didn’t ask…….so I won’t tell” policy. No, my questions are for the person in charge of the county fleet. Did you notice the car was missing? Was Sharkey’s power so intimidating that you were afraid to ask him for the car? Was there a beware of dog sign in his front window? Did you mix up the car with someone else’s? Did you think the county was auctioning it off as a fundraiser somewhere? Years ago I had dealings with a former Luzerne County Clerk. Back then, the vehicles of choice were Crown Vics. This guy knew where every car went, who had them, doled them out in lieu of raises to certain department heads who needed them, and kept all the keys locked away in a place where only he and his secretary knew where they were. Something happened along the way in county government to make the use of cars as important as dispensing candy bars. This never happened in the old days and again my question is two fold: who held the keys to the cars and why haven’t they been fired yet?

MEET AND GREET

People interested in serving on the Home Rule Commission met yesterday in Wilkes Barre to talk about their ideas and aspirations. The Home Rule Committee declined to endorse candidates. They did video tape individuals for use on their web site. Interested parties were; James T. Gaughan, mayor of Courtdale, Meghan Godwin who teaches critical thinking and ethics at local colleges; Walter Griffith, a business owner for 20 years and former Wilkes Barre Council candidate, Peter Gagliardi, two time Wilkes Barre City Council candidate and part of the teams that won the Cold War and the Gulf War, Ray Gustave, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam, C.J. Kersey a political science major at Dickinson College and now a teacher of advanced placement government at Wyoming Seminary, Paul Krombel, an electrician who owns his own business, Rick Morelli of Sugarloaf Township, a business owner in Hazleton, who served for four years on the Hazleton Area School Board, Frank Sindaco, coordinator of the NEPA Organizing Center, Phil Struzzeri who said he’s not sure whether he’s in favor of home rule, but if ever there was a time to examine it, it’s now, and Edward Transue, a Back Mountain resident, with degrees in psychology and history and owned his own business before turning to teaching.

YORK PEPPERMINT PATTIES

York Peppermint Patties will no longer be made in Pennsylvania but in Mexico. Today was the last day of production. From YOU TUBE:

KEATING’S NEW GIG

State Sen. Raphael Musto created a new job called Municipal Liaison as Chairman of the Local Government Committee. Musto hired Pittston Mayor Joe Keating. Musto sought him out, offered it to him and the Mayor accepted. The job was not advertised but went through that undercurrent of political pipelines that only a few privileged know about. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve met Joe Keating, like him and think he’ll do a good job. But Musto’s action in this smacks of the old adage, “money goes to money” or in this case “power goes to power”. Next time you create a position Senator, advertise the damn thing, if only to make it look good.

1964

Cassius Clay beats Sonny Liston in Miami Beach and is crowned the heavyweight champion of the world……U.S. politician John Glenn slips on a bathroom rug in his Columbus, Ohio apartment and hits his head on the bathtub, injuring his left inner ear, and prompting him (later that week) to withdraw from the race for the Democratic Party Senate nomination….The government of Italy asks for help to keep the Leaning Tower of Pisa from toppling over…….Pennsylvania incumbent Senator Hugh Scott clears out all primary opposition in anticipation of his fall re-election. Scott refuses to endorse any of the early entrants in the GOP 1964 Presidential race…………..in Wilkes Barre, a hot item is the Trexler Brothers Allied Van Lines calendar. The business was located on Horton Street in Wilkes Barre and forty five years ago this week, the Beatles dominated the charts again in America and LuLac land with this number 1 song "Please Please Me".