The LuLac Edition #1027, Dec. 4th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: STATE REPRESENTATIVE EDDIE DAY PASHINSKI, THE WILK TALKERS NANCY KMAN, KEVIN LYNN, SUE HENRY AND STEVE CORBETT, A SUNSHINE SUPERMARKET AD FROM 45 YEARS AGO (CLICK TO ENLARGE AD) AND OUR 1964 LOGO.

HEALTH CARE FORUM

State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Luzerne, will participate in a health-care forum from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10 in Room 132, Educational Conference Center, Luzerne County Community College, 1333 S. Prospect St., Nanticoke.
Pashinski, who is a member of the House Insurance Committee, will join members of the Northeast Health care Reform Task Force to host the forum titled "Health Care: The Right Solutions at the Right Time for the Right Reasons." "We are holding this forum on health-care reform to present research and conclusions that were developed by the Northeast Health-care Reform Task Force over the past three years," Pashinski said. "With debate over the national health-care plan, this is a prime opportunity to present the facts and dispel the misconceptions of health-care reform." The Luzerne County lawmaker organized the Northeastern Pennsylvania Health care Reform Task Force. The panel is comprised of health-care professionals and policy leaders who research health-care technology and how that technology impacts insurance providers and the community. Pashinski said reservations will be accepted for the forum but are not required. Residents are encouraged to call his constituent service office at 825-5934 for details. I will be in New York on that day and regret I will not be there. But Pashinski indicated there will be many of these community events in the future and you can be sure I’ll be attending.

ANGRY TV

You heard of “Mad TV”, all sports TV, well last night’s program “State of Pennsylvania” was all about anger in America and northeastern Pennsylvania. Nancy Kman, Kevin Lynn, Sue Henry and Steve Corbett faced off with a rambunctious TV audience that wanted to prove that indeed they are angry. The anger was not directed at the talk show crew but rather the situations facing our government. I asked what some people regarded as a softball question saying “that life was unfair and we could tolerate that but we have trouble with life being unjust”. The WILK crew then cited the litany of scandals that has dominated the news in 2009. Sue Henry predicted that 2010 would be even more interesting. Duke from Dallas talked about a health care rally he went to with the local teabaggers saying that these grass roots organizations are paid for by right wing interest groups. I sat down next to the local teabagger group who loudly protested that remark and actually made a rebuttal on camera. That got Kevin Lynn in the fray who asked the people in the tea bag group “where were they when President Bush was taking us into a war that cost billions a month?” Steve Corbett fielded a majority of the questions and constantly reiterated his chagrin (mild word there) at the FBI that carved out a plea agreement with Judge Michael Toole that allowed him to stay on the bench for a full two months after he admitted wrong doing. He is not alone in his anger, Mrs. LuLac wants to know if the feds will pay for any court challenges to Toole’s rulings from September 25th through the time he went on vacation. Host Bill Kelly encouraged the discussion prodding some students in attendance from Riverside High School to ask a few questions. The hour flew by as the talk show hosts met their public. Kevin Lynn and Steve Corbett got into a debate over what their role is as talk show hosts, Lynn saying he was part entertainer, opinion maker while Corbett pointed out his column writing on the WILK website and his numerous contacts as a working journalist. Corbett said was good for people to keep on getting involved in the process and Lynn said that even though he disagreed with the philosophy of the tea baggers, he applauded their efforts to get into the streets and effect change that way. Nancy Kman and Sue Henry made the point that corruption and favoritism has to end if this region is to thrive. This was a lively exchange that could’ve gone on for hours. The rebroadcast of the show will be Sunday 1PM on TV 44.

SUNSHINE FADING

An area shopping institution will be closely very soon. Sunshine Supermarket is in its last days. I went up there on Sunday to buy a few deli items and pick up my last few 6 packs of Tab. The store will be closing soon to make way for an expanded Mohegan Sun casino. I’ve known the folks at Sunshine as a customer and radio rep and always was treated with respect and a great attitude. When a store like Sunshine closes it’s like a death in the community. In my numerous visits the last few weeks I saw a lot of hugs and tears. Relationships have been built in this store and the parting is difficult. I admit it’s tough to ask the employees what they feel since they will be out of work. Frankly for me it’s an awkward situation to talk about. But one part time employee who works elsewhere said, “I’ll miss coming here. It was a place for me to fill a void in my life. I feel bad for the others who had this as their primary income”. As I made my way down an aisle to pick up some Shasta Diet Orange, I saw a young mother on her cell describing the barren shelves and just saying over and over, “This is just so sad”. How very true.

1964

How’s this for historical irony, 45 years ago on Dec. 1st, President Lyndon B. Johnson and his top-ranking advisers meet to discuss plans to bomb North Vietnam (after some debate, they agree on a 2-phase bombing plan). 45 years later President Obama announces an increase in troops for the war in Afghanistan…. Police arrest about 800 students at the University of California, Berkeley, following their takeover of and massive sit-in at the Sproul Hall administration building. The sit-in most directly protested the U.C. Regents' decision to punish student activists for what many thought had been justified civil disobedience earlier in the conflict……….Governor Scranton visits the campus of Penn State to continue discussions on an expansion program that will put regional 2 year campuses in places throughout the Commonwealth…Locally Pennsylvania Gas and Water gathered home economic teachers from, Luzerne County to present a program “The Pleasures of Chinese Cooking” at the Holiday inn in Wilkes Barre. Guest speaker was Grace Zia Chu. Utility employees Wilma Jones and Frank Petrosky hosted the program…and 45 years ago this week the number 1 song in America and LuLac land was The Beatles and "I Feel Fine".