The LuLac Edition #1070, Jan. 15th, 2010

PHOTO INDEX: OUR 1966 LOGO, GOVERNOR TOM RIDGE WITH JIM FITZGERALD AND THIS BLOG EDITOR.

RIDGE IN TOWN

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge will deliver the keynote speech at this year’s Lincoln Day Dinner hosted by the Luzerne County Republican Party. The event will be held at 6 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Ramada Hotel on Public Square. Ridge, a two-term governor and first Secretary of Homeland Security, will present an award to Patrick J. Solano, a longtime party worker and former GOP County Chairman. County Republican Chairman Terry Casey said the organization is “thrilled” that Ridge will join the group for its annual fundraiser. Republicans across the United States traditionally hold Lincoln Day events to honor the Feb. 12 birth of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president. “We’re excited to be hosting Gov. Ridge who is a motivating speaker and we’re glad that he has accepted our invitation to honor his longtime friend Pat Solano,” Casey said. The award will recognize Solano, 84, of Pittston Township, for his decades of service to the Republican Party, both on the local and state levels. Solano is a past chairman of the county GOP and worked with several governors including Ridge. Ridge, 64, is president and CEO of Ridge Global LLC, a team of international experts that helps businesses and governments address a range of needs throughout their organizations including risk management and global trade security. He resigned as governor in January 2002 to accept the position of Secretary of Homeland Security under George W. Bush. He served until February 2005. A decorated Vietnam veteran, Ridge is an honors graduate of Harvard University and a graduate of Dickinson School of Law. He served in Congress before running for governor. He and his wife Michele have two children. Tickets for the Lincoln Day Dinner cost $50 each. Reservations may be made by calling 208-4671 or e-mailing lcgop@luzernegop.org. Tables of 10 are available for sale. Guests are asked to specify an entrée choice of prime rib, chicken francaise or grilled salmon.

PALIN ON TV

Sarah Palin is getting a TV gig on Fox. No big surprise there but what you will see is a more relaxed, confident polished Palin who will improve her intellectual persona. Ronald Reagan stayed in the public eye in the late 70s before his Presidential bid in 1980. Palin is taking a page out of that playbook.

CALLING DR. JOE

Dr. Joe Leonardi will be on Channel 44's Call the Doctor Sunday afternoon at 2PM. The former Congressional candidate will be spreading his message of health on the popular Public TV program.

ONWARD SILLY SOLDIERS

Thursday on the 700 Club, former Presidential candidate Pat Robertson stated that the earthquake in Haiti was, “God’s vengeance upon the Haitians for making a deal with the devil to rid themselves of the French.” This is another good reason
WHY I’M A ROMAN CATHOLIC INSTEAD OF A CHRISTIAN. First a bit of background. The French left Haiti in 1825 so I’m wondering why God would wish to exact his “vengeance” almost 200 years after the fact. I’ve read the Bible. I took Bible classes at King’s College with great theologians like Fathers Campbell and Grimes. Sometimes when I’m not thinking of tall women or baseball stats or the NFL, I even listen to the sermons in church. That’s not the type of God I heard about. Pat Robertson and his ilk are what’s wrong with this country today. But what about free speech?” you might ask. What about it? I’m not saying anyone can't have the right to express themselves, but they have no right to claim their opinions are true facts. And mindless people nod their heads and say yes. And some are even stupid enough to give money to these Christian clowns. We live in a country where two people who love each other can’t get married because they just happen to have the same gender and I believe it’s mainly because of fear mongers like Pat Robertson. You know there are thousands of idiots who because of Robertson’s speech, believe a whole country of people in pain who are suffering from a catastrophic earthquake deserved this. If their ancestors some time along the way made a “deal with the devil", then what about America's deal? Robertson didn’t blame 911 on our sins did he? ” Those signs at sporting events “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.” (John 3:16). Let me say that Jesus dying for all of us makes me wonder if the likes of Roberton’s crazy vengeance was worth the sacrifice.

LEADING IN THE LAC

In Lackawanna County the County Commissioners approved a purchase agreement to sell the county nursing home for $13.4 million, That is more $3.6 million more than the appraised value. The deal with is expected to close March 1, pending regulatory approvals, said Harriet Franklin, of Stevens & Lee, the law firm hired to help manage the deal. There is no anticipation of problems with approvals, she said. The Scranton Times reported that the sale was necessary to fill a $3.1 million hole projected in the 2010 budget. Majority Commissioners Mike Washo and Corey O'Brien said of more significance is that the action will reduce the size of county government. It will cut the county work force by 22 percent and take the county out of the nursing home business. A government-run nursing home in Lackawanna County has existed in some form for more than a century, but Mr. Washo said private businesses are now successfully managing nursing homes. "Government has no business running businesses," Mr. Washo said. Meanwhile in Luzerne County, After four years of waiting, Luzerne County Commissioners will be free to sell the Valley Crest Nursing Home property in Plains Township next month because the home’s operator is moving into its new facility. A grand opening of the company’s new nearby facility, which will be called Timber Ridge Health Care Center, is scheduled for Jan. 21. Complete HealthCare paid for the $12 million, 180-bed facility. Valley Crest’s 160 residents will start moving into Timber Ridge the first week of February, said Pete Licari, Complete HealthCare’s president and chief executive officer.

THE LONG GOODBYE

You know when I left jobs, I never got a few checks a few years after I exited. But that's what happened to Tom O'Donnell. According to the Times Leader Thomas O’Donnell may have retired as administrative director last February, but the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center is still writing checks for him, a source said, including one worth more than $25,000 and another for $45,000 this month. The school also is covering O’Donnell’s life insurance through the 2013-14 school year. You have to wonder why taxes in Wilkes Barre Area continue to go up. Politically you know the answer why any of O'Donnell's sons can't get elected to anything in this county. Neil O'Donnell lost in a 3 man race for State Senate in the nineties and Brian O'Donnell was beaten by current Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski in the 2006 Legislative race to succeed Kevin Blaum. Plus Bill Amesbury beat an O'Donnell daughter in law for Magistrate in 2001 to launch his political career. You can't tell me that isn't big time political blowback from daddy O'Donnell taking care of himself....quite comfortably I might add.

1966

United States President Lyndon Johnson states that the United States should stay in South Vietnam until Communist aggression there is ended....Robert C. Weaver becomes the first African American Cabinet member, by being appointed United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development....In the Commonwealth, Governor Scranton opens up the Farm Show in Harrisburg. Scranton, munching on apples and a goblet of whole milk cut the ribbon for the fiftieth anniversary of the successful agriculture event………….in Wilkes Barre Wilkes Barre City Republican Chairman Attorney Joseph Kasper called January 4th a day in tax infamy. Kasper said Mayor Frank Slattery and Councilman Peter Casterline created a pork barrel budget. This was in response to the enactment of a 1% wage tax by Wilkes Barre City Council at the behest of Mayor Slattery…and in this week of 1966 the number 1 song in the U.S. and LuLac land was “Sounds of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel.