The LuLac Edition #912, Aug. 19th, 2009

SNAPPLE "REAL FACT" #867, Franklin Roosevelt was related to 5 U.S. Presidents by blood and 6 by marriage.

PHOTO INDEX: P.J. BEST AND TERRY BEST.

P.J. STEPS ASIDE

Reports out of Pittston tell us that P.J. Best withdrew his candidacy for nomination for the November ballot for Pittston City Council seat last night. The deed was done at the Luzerne County Democratic executive committee meeting. P.J. and his family have been under fire when he was nominated by his dad Terry to take his place on Council when the elder Best decided to remain on the School Board. The announcement created a political firestorm in Pittston evoking cries of nepotism. Also, with the current scandals scrutinizing virtually every politician, the arrogant jokers who call themselves row officers at the courthouse as well as the inaction and inability of the State Legislature to pass a budget, this action created a huge backlash. I am in the minority here but I truly believe that Terry Best and his son P.J. had the best interests of the people of Pittston at heart. But it was the wrong time for something like this. Joe Chernouskas, a Council candidate in the primary in Pittston, garnered the nomination overwhelmingly.

NO BAIL?

A woman on my street was accused by police on Tuesday on charges she manufactured checks using a personal computer. She was charged with four counts each of theft and unlawful use of a computer, and two counts of forgery. She was arraigned by District Judge Martin R. Kane in Wilkes-Barre and released without bail. If she was clever enough to manufacture checks, can’t she do something similar with travel documents and be long gone?

Another woman was charged by Plymouth police on Monday with threatening a neighbor who allegedly witnessed an assault in June. Police accused the woman of forcing her way into a residence and threatening an eyewitness with a chain wrapped in a sock on June 12. The woman was arraigned by District Judge Donald Whittaker in Nanticoke on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, intimidation of witness or victim and retaliation against witness or victim. She was released without bail. Someone intimidates a witness, threatens retaliation against said witness and victim and gets no bail? What motive does a citizen have to come forward and help the police if they are going to be intimidated by someone and then that someone doesn’t even get bail? Maybe Magistrates should have some primary opposition to put a scare into them politically. These two incidents are just plain wrong.