The LuLac Edition #1106, Feb. 26th, 2010

PHOTO INDEX: THE LAST TIME WE HAD THIS MUCH SNOW, MY CAR WAS WHITE AND MY HAIR WAS NOT!!! BOB MORGAN AT THE LULAC 2009 CONTROLLER'S FORUM, OUR 1966 LOGO AND SCHOOL BOARD APPLICANT HARRY HAAS.

BLIZZARD BUSINESS

Where were you during the great blizzard of ’10? If you had the opportunity to stay home in the warmth of hearth and family, good for you. This edition of LuLac is kind of late because I spent Thursday morning into late Friday afternoon in or near the friendly environs of my new job. When I interviewed for the position, I was told there was no such thing as a snow day. They weren’t kidding. Our snow policy is that because we are an Internet company, people in California or Nevada don’t care if you have 24 inches of snow. When the storm came out, in the great entrepreneurial spirit of American business rides were provided for employees and for those living under the mountain like me hotel accommodations were provided. So I spent the night in beautiful downtown Drums Pennsylvania and was very glad when one of my co workers the next day found the road for us to get into our facility. As we trudged into work amidst 40 mph winds one of my fellow employees said, “I wonder if we’ll get any mail today”. “Naw” said another one, “That’s government work. Even Tobyhanna closed down today”. National defense and “rain, snow and all kinds of weather” be damned. My company worked at full force this day and I was damn proud to be part of it. The thought occurred to me that working here might ruin me for government work. But I was never one to sit on my ass.

MORGAN UP AGAIN

Bob Morgan who ran a very good campaign for Luzerne County Controller in ’09 is setting his sights on a higher office. The former Young Democrats head (knew the guy since he was a kid!!) is ramping up a campaign to snare John Yudichak’s seat in the 119th. Here’s his announcement: Bob Morgan announced his candidacy to become the next Representative from the 119th District. The seat will be vacated by John Yudichak, who is currently running for State Senate. Morgan, 47, is a Financial Advisor from Fairview Township. Morgan, a Democrat, feels that economic issues are a priority for the constituents of the House District: “I believe that many of our residents have felt the effects of the recession and have had to make tough financial choices in the face of ever present increases in the cost of health care, prescription drugs and school and county property taxes. I believe that my background in finance provides me with a keen awareness of the impact of these issues on our everyday lives and has prepared me to clearly assess the ramifications of proposals before the General Assembly in these areas.”
“Completing the budget in a timely manner and getting people the property tax relief they were promised are tops on my list of priorities; we need to have smart solutions to handle these issues and not just anti-Harrisburg rhetoric,” stated Morgan. “Seniors need relief from crushing tax burdens, jobs need to be created by it. Instead, we need plans. We need green energy programs that provide new skilled, long-term jobs to skilled workers. We need to continue to develop the industrial parks as well as the downtown revitalization projects in our district so that we can keep employers here as well as create new, good-paying jobs. We need to have solid schools so that our teachers are able to shape the leaders of tomorrow and a solid vision for our educational system to train the next generation of workers. I will dedicate myself to these projects to benefit our citizens.”
“The people of the 119th District work hard, pay their taxes and make sacrifices to educate their children. I believe that we need a person who recognizes their needs, works hard to address their concerns, and reaches out,” said Morgan. “My office will always be open to help people in any way that the state government is able. The people of this district deserve that in their representative.”
The 119th District extends from Bear Creek Township, portions of Mountaintop, Nanticoke, Newport Township, Nanticoke, Hanover Township, Sugar Notch, Warrior Run, Plymouth, Plymouth Township, Larksville and Edwardsville.

FINALLY!!!!!

I was very impressed with President Obama yesterday when he met with the party of no marionettes. Obama took no crap, called out the ridiculous statements of his invited guests and finally showed he had a set of stones. This health care bill has to be passed by reconciliation. These GOP national miniatures are so worried about the budget deficit, where the hell were they when we ran up the bills paying for a war that assassinated 4,000 of our troops? Obama better pass this now or he’ll get a primary challenge and be certain to be a one term President.

BREATHING ROOM

Got a very interesting link via the e mail this week from long time Democratic consultant Ed Mitchell. (I have an article on Mr. Mitchell perculating and it’ll come down te pike soon). But Mitchell makes some very good points about Commissioner Mary Anne Petrilla and here’s that link: http://bit.ly/aSyGXy.

WILD ABOUT HARRY!!

The Wilkes Barre Area School board has a decision rto make about a vacancy. The board can go along way in appointing a guy like Harry Haas who has some good ideas, actually has some serious thoughts about how a school district can be run and has passion for education. The board will go a long way in restoring confidence in appointing a true independent thinker rather than following the lead of the Valley West Board who appointed Lois Schumacher , a very nice woman– but one who is politically connected to replace Allen Belles. The county GOPweighed in on this too:
The Luzerne County Republican Party is urging the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board to “do the right thing” and appoint Harry Haas to the open seat on the board. Haas, a Republican, finished fifth in the November 2009 race for four seats on the school board. Haas missed out by 116 votes. “We are asking the School Board to do the right thing,” Republican Chairman Terry Casey said. “Harry is exactly the type of person we need to make decisions for the district, its taxpayers and most importantly, its students. He is intelligent, open-minded, fair and has a background in education.” Appointing Haas to the vacancy created by the resignation of Frank Pizzella would offer the school board the opportunity to prove to residents of the district that it is “not business as usual, or even, politics as usual,” Casey said. Haas, 34, of Wilkes-Barre, is a teacher in the Dallas School District. During his campaign last year he advocated the preservation of the Wilkes-Barre Area School District’s old buildings, promised a fair-hiring process and supported training and advanced technology to meet the needs of a changing student body. Haas has submitted a letter of interest to the school board which is expected to make an appointment on March 8.

BILL McCLANE

William J. McClane died way too young the other day in Scranton. McClane was a former State Re[presenjtative and long time politico in the Lac. He ran spirited campaigns for the State House in the 70s and stayed actoive in public life. Here’s his obit from the Times:
William J. "Bill" McLane, 62, died Monday at VNA Hospice at Community Medical Center. He had been a resident of the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center, Scranton. Born in the Minooka section of Scranton on March 5, 1947, son of the late John "Jack" and Miriam Gilroy McLane, he was a graduate of South Scranton Catholic High School. Bill earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Scranton in 1969. Initially employed as the director of the Lackawanna County Head Start program, after returning from the Army Reserve officers training, Bill ran for and was elected to the office of state representative in the 112th District. Following four years of service in the Legislature, Bill was employed as the executive director of United Cerebral Palsy of Pennsylvania. Later, Bill was employed by Prudential Insurance and McCarthy Cab Co.

BOOZE, BROADS AND CEEGARS

The Canadian women’s hockey team is in hot water after its impromptu on-ice celebration Thursday night. The gold-medal party has drawn the ire of the International Olympic Committee. Nearly an hour after the Canadians won their third consecutive Olympic gold medal with a 2-0 win over the Americans, the players came back out on the ice in the near-empty arena, smoking cigars and swigging champagne and beer. (Rebecca Johnston even tried to drive the zamboni.) I’m glad they won but you know true champions display class not crass. But that is a lost commodity these days among self absorbed young people who feel they are entitled to everything with no regards to consequences or methods of behavior. They earned the gold, let them keep it. Even though their actions reminded me of tin, which is far from a precious mettle.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT:


1966

U.S. astronauts Charles Bassett and Elliott See are killed in an aircraft accident inSt. Louis, Missouri....Soviet space probe Venera 3 crashes on Venus, becoming the first spacecraft to land on another planet's surface...Statewide, Ltn. Governor candidate Walter Allesendroni begins to barnstorm the state in hopes of running with current Ltn. Governor Raymond Shafer….in Wilkes Barre a huge fight breaks out among members of the Democratic party in the city of Wilkes Barre who protest Mayor Frank Slattery’s wage tax idea. The party in Wilkes Barre becomes deeply divided over the issue and in LuLac land the number 1 song here and in America was “These Boots Are Made For Walking” by Nancy Sinatra.