The LuLac Edition #974, Oct. 14th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: NUMBER 1 RATED WILK TALKERS SUE HENRY, STEVE CORBETT, BLOG EDITOR, NANCY KMAN AND KEVIN LYNN AND ATTORNEY RICHARD HUGHES. (HUGHES PHOTO FROM TIMES LEADER).

THE BIGGEST LOSERS

Wonder statistically who were the biggest losers in the hundred day budget fiasco? Labor and Industry was cut by $29 million, nearly 25% of its budget. They lost vocational rehabilitation, entrepreneurial assistance and self-employment assistance line items. Conservation and Natural Resources were reduced by 19 percent hit, including more than half of what it spent on forest pest management. $9.3 million from state parks operations were slashed. Historical and Museum Commission support for eight museums were down more than 50 percent, and the Public Television Network’s total state subsidy, $11.3 million, was eliminated. The Scotland School for Veterans’ Children in Franklin County will be closed for good, and there is transition money to shut down the Scranton State School for the Deaf. Department of Environmental Protection was reduced by $58 million, or 27 percent. Line items that got no funding included climate change initiatives, the consumer energy program and an $11 million safe water effort. The Legislators did make some cuts in their own areas. Politically they had to but critics are saying the cuts are in areas that will not hurt them personally. The state Senate’s budget fell 9.6 percent to $92 million, while the House of Representatives took a 3.8 percent cut, to $185 million. The Legislature lost its $48,000 to buy flags and $454,000 to conserve flags and rare books. And the state’s judicial branch sustained a nearly 10 percent reduction, to $277 million. Libraries took a 20 million dollar hit and the cuts to public broadcasting already have manifested themselves in voice tracking on WVIA FM. An announcement between the music comes on from Station GM Bill Kelly who tells listeners used to hearing the on air staff that they are on unpaid furlough because of the budget cuts. A listener complained to me that they heard Ravel’s “Bolero” twice during the broadcast day. With this budget and the ramifications of it, let’s just say the proverbial stuff has yet to hit the fan.

HUGHES FUNDRAISER

Richard Hughes had a remarkable fundraiser last Wednesday night at the Woodlands. Our LuLac correspondent reports that over 350 people attended the event and an enthused crowd welcomed the Judicial candidate and his family. Attending were fellow candidate Bill Amesbury who stopped by with Mayor Tom Leighton for a few minutes. Amesbury was having a rally the troops night for his forces at the Barney inn and also stopped by the Polachek Gartley funder. Other Judicial candidates from the spring seen at the Hughes event were C.J. Bufalino, Mike Blazick and Michael Pendolphi. The admission was $150.00 per person which will give Hughes some added dough for his campaign effort. Hughes has a presence, (as well as Amesbury and Polachek Gartley) on billboards and will most likely be utilizing other media in the final push. Hughes is also planning a bash at Genetti’s in Downtown Wilkes Barre on October 29th with Stanky and the Coal Miners. The Hughes campaign will have an old fashioned polka party. Cost for this event $20.00. The Hughes campaign is chugging along making inroads into the heavily Democratic registration. Judging by the event last week, Hughes can draw a crowd willing to contribute to his effort.

WILK # 1

WILK Radio for the first time it it’s over 70 year history has place number 1 in the local Arbitron ratings book. Hat is a huge accomplishment for an AM FM talker. You can say all you want about the on air staff, the fact is people are listening. WILK scored the top spot in the 12 plus listener category. Congradulations to the staff for a job well done. I hope bonuses are in order for the on air staff. Editors note: Whenever we feature something about WILK staff we always get some pretty raunchy and hateful e mails. Save your energy because I'm not going to post them.