The LuLac Edition #871, July 8th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: MAYOR JAMES HAGGERTY OF KINGSTON AND GOVERNOR ED RENDELL.

ED PLAYS HARDBALL

As many as 800 Pennsylvania state employees may have to be laid off because of Republican lawmakers' demands for spending cuts and labor unions' refusal to accept less drastic measures, Gov. Ed Rendell said Tuesday. While there are meetings between the Governor's staff and legislative leaders, this bit of news does not bode well for any breakthrough any time soon. he unions are livid at Rendell regarding this latest statement but having unions angry at him is nothing new for this Governor. Things are bound to get interesting in this latest budget battle.

ANSWERS TONIGHT

If anyone is interested in getting answers on the budget impasse, my suggestion is to tune in to PCN Tonight. What was originally rumored to be a debate between Governor Rendell and Senate Pro Tem and Ltn. Governor Joe Scarnati will be two seperate programs tonight on PCN. As part of PCN’s extensive coverage on the PA budget, the statewide network will dedicate tomorrow evening’s programming to the subject. Beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, PCN will air a block of special “On the Issues” programs featuring key lawmakers involved in the budget process. Following these one-on-one interviews, Lieutenant Governor/ PA Senate President Pro Tempore, Senator Joe Scarnati and Governor Ed Rendell will take viewers’ calls during two separate LIVE PCN Call-In Program specials set to air starting at 6:00 p.m.
Each hour-long Call-In program will give viewers an opportunity to talk directly to the featured guest by dialing toll-free at 1-877-PA6-5001.
The schedule, including replay times, for this special PA budget programming block is as follows:
Wednesday, July 8:
5:00 p.m. – On the Issues: Rep. Mario Civera (R) – House Minority Appropriations Chair
Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
5:15 p.m. – On the Issues: Rep. Dwight Evans (D) House Majority Appropriations Chair

Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 8:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
5:30 p.m. – On the Issues: Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R) – Senate Majority Floor Leader

Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
5:15 p.m. – On the Issues: Sen. Jay Costa (D) Senate Minority Appropriations Chair
Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 8:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
6:00 p.m. (LIVE) – PCN Call-In program: Sen. Joe Scarnati, Lieutenant Governor/ PA Senate Pro Tempore
Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 9:00 p.m; Thursday, July 9 at 12:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.
7:00 p.m. (LIVE) – PCN Call-In program: Governor Ed Rendell
Replays – Wednesday, July 8 at 10:00 p.m; Thursday, July 9 at 1:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
Throughout the budget process, PCN will air gavel-to-gavel coverage from the floor of the PA House and Senate during this extended legislative session. The statewide network also offers featured videos on its PCN Anytime Streaming page at pcntv.com. A PA Budget 2009 Resources tab has also been added to the network’s streaming page to give users special features including links for the latest budget news as well as special PA Budget program video selections.
For updated information about special budget programming and other programming information, visit the daily schedule at pcntv.com.

HAGGERTY ILL

Kingston Mayor Jim Haggerty, 43, underwent emergency bypass surgery at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital Tuesday. Haggerty was transported to the hospital Tuesday morning after suffering from chest pains. Haggerty is also chair of the Luzerne County Home Rule Government Study Commission. We wish him well in this health challenge.

BAKER'S BILL

Legislation aimed at preventing further cases of corruption in county juvenile courts has been unanimously approved by the state Senate according to Sen. Lisa Baker (R-20), who sponsored the measure. "With so many kids adversely affected, with such casual denial of fundamental constitutional protections, the Luzerne County situation cannot just be written off as a horrible aberration," Baker said. "We cannot run the risk that greed, intimidation, callous disregard of ethics and oaths, and criminal audacity combine to allow this to happen again." Baker's measure would establish an 11-member Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice, appointed by the Chief Justice, General Assembly and Governor, to conduct a thorough review of juvenile justice procedures, practices, rules and regulations and pursue remedies and reforms. The goal, she said, is to ensure that children and families who enter the juvenile justice system are granted fundamental constitutional protections and that judges are monitored to make sure their decisions are ethical and correct. Baker said the commission is the result of strong cooperation among all three branches of state government and will not interfere with or duplicate the work of investigators and the criminal justice system. Rather, it is charged with finding forward-looking remedies for the wrongs, and restoring public confidence that there is justice throughout the juvenile justice system. "To the extent that laws must be changed, rules revised, proceedings opened up, data more carefully scrutinized, this commission will put together that case. Legislators will then decide on changes in law. The courts will decide on rules changes," Baker said. "By virtue of how this commission was conceived and how it will be constituted, we can trust that the end result will be reliable, responsible, and right – a better-protected, better-run system of juvenile justice."

SO LONG MICHAEL

Michael Jackson had a memorial service that lasted a few hours. It was televised on all 4 major networks as well as all the cable and entertainment channels. When Mr. E. Presley died in 1977, there was coverage on the Nightly News and a half hour special on the night he died in the 11:30 to midnight time slot. His funeral was not covered. When Mister F.Sinatra died in 1998, there were numerous hour long specials on TV but his funeral was not covered. I make the point because I’m getting quite tired of hearing Rev. Al “Tawana Brawley” Sharpton telling anyone who would listen that Michael Jackson was not getting any “respect” from the media. American media does not even cover Presidential Inaugurations or Political conventions gavel to gavel anymore. All they do is showcase democracy at its finest. Certainly I feel bad for Mr. Jackson’s family and children (his daughter’s final farewell was very touching) but there seems to be something lacking in today’s media in terms of what and who they cover as major news. I think they call it perspective.