The LuLac Edition #1152, Apr. 16th, 2010

PHOTO INDEX: OUR DEBATE LOGO, KRONOS CLOCK SYSTEM, LARRY KING AND HIS TALL WIFE, AND OUR 1966 LOGO.

DEBATE SET

Two debates are set in the race for the Democratic nomination in the 14th Senatorial District. Rep. John Yudichak, and Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton have accepted invitations from the League of Women Voters to debate on May 6 at King’s College. The next day on May 7th the duo will face off on WVIA-TV on May 7 to discuss issues in their race. They are running for the Senate seat now held by state Sen. Raphael Musto, who is retiring. The league will host the May 6th debate at the King’s Burke Auditorium. The two Democrats will then travel to WVIA TV at 7 the following night. The PBS station will also air a debate between candidates in the 22nd Senatorial District race at 7 p.m. May 6.

CARNEY’S BUCKS

The three Republican candidates vying to challenge U.S. Rep. Chris Carney are lagging behind the incumbent congressman in the campaign contribution column. Attorney Tom Marino, of Lycoming Township, Lycoming County, Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk, of Freeburg, and former chiropractor David Madeira, of Lehman Township, Luzerne County, combined to raise about $140,000. That total is $98,000 less than Carney raised alone in the first quarter of this year, according to campaign financial statements filed with the Federal Election Commission.

GO WITH KRONAS

The great time clock debate rages on in Luzerne County. What should have been a no brainer turned into a delay because a local vendor tried to shut out other bidders. According to the Times Leader Chief County Clerk Doug Pape said Hillman called him a few weeks ago, after the proposals were submitted to the county, indicating that he had helped to prepare the county document seeking proposals and “did it in such a way that would make it that Kronos Inc. and ADP (Automatic Data Processing Inc.) wouldn’t be able to respond.” Pape said Hillman asked him to keep that information “between me and you.”Pape responded he didn’t do business that way and reported his finding to the Commissioner. Personally I feel the Commissioners should go with Kronos. First off they are beyond reproach and are used by many local companies. Second, the county row officers and middle managers have proven that they are incapable of managing their employees. Further the employees have shown to the taxpayers that they can’t be trusted. Kronos will ensure that county workers are putting in their time. Kronos is used in the real world, keeping real records from real companies with real employees who work real hours. Mary Anne Petrilla is right on this one and any delay will give people pause to again suspect the motives of county government.

LARRY ON THE OUTS

CNN talk show host Larry King and his wife, Shawn King, each filed for divorce Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. Both cited "irreconcilable differences" in their filings, but they disagreed over custody of the two children from the 12 years of marriage. He wants to share legal and physical custody of the boys with her, but she is asking the court to grant physical custody to her alone. The Kings have two sons, ages 9 and 11. Rumor has it that Larry showed an interest in his wife’s younger sister. Larry, you’re no kid. Settle down.

BAKER HONORED

State Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, will be honored for her outstanding service at the first GOP Women In Politics Breakfast set for 10 a.m. April 17 at the Ramada Hotel, Public Square. The event is hosted by the Luzerne County Council of Republican Women. The event will honor all Republican women who are holding elected office at the state, county, school board and municipal levels. Baker, 48, of Lehman Township, will be presented the 2010 GOP Woman In Politics Award. Baker, a longtime party worker and committee person, is completing her first term in the Pennsylvania Senate where she represents the 20th District which includes parts of Luzerne, Monroe and Susquehanna counties and all of Pike, Wayne and Wyoming counties. She chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and is a member of these committees: Aging and Youth; Appropriations; Communications and Technology; Environmental Resources and Energy; and Public Health and Welfare. Baker is active in the community and serves on the board of directors of the United Way of Wyoming Valley; WVIA Public Broadcasting; and the advisory board of Penn State Wilkes-Barre. She held top-level positions under governors Tom Ridge and Mark Schweiker and was chief of staff to state Sen. Charles Lemmond. A graduate of Dallas High School and Shippensburg University, she and her husband Gary have a son Carson. Tickets for the event are $15 each. Reservations must be made by calling Donna Baloga, council secretary, at 239-9404. Dolores Grabko is president of the Luzerne County Council of Republican Women.

COREY ON KANJO/CARNEY

The fallout from Paul Kanjorski’s betrayal of Northeastern Pennsylvania continues Politico reported that Kanjorski is to blame for igniting “open warfare” on Congressman Carney. According to a chief of staff to a member of the Pennsylvania delegation “The person to blame for this … is Kanjorski.”Paul Kanjorski voted against Chris Carney for a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, and in doing so, cost our region hundreds of millions of dollars. Despite Congressman Carney’s requests for an explanation, Kanjorski has failed to provide a reason for his betrayal and instead continues to hide behind secret ballots and lame excuses.We can no longer afford old-style politicians who put personal interests and secretive insider politics before the needs of their constituents. We need new style leadership in Congress, and we must elect representatives who can work together to solve problems and move our region forward. Help replace old-style politics with new style leadership, and support Corey O’Brien today.

MEANWHILE……

Congressman Kanjorski’s office is criticizing Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta and not even acknowledging O’Brien. In a statement by Ed Mitchell, spokesman, Pennsylvanians for Kanjorski says, like he does when discussing Hazleton city finances, Mayor Lou Barletta cooked the books all week on how much money his congressional campaign raised this quarter. In press releases, Barletta said he took in about $300,000 since he began his race. He actually took in $286,013. He says he has $202,000 cash on hand, but when you subtract the $136,000 debt he has, the amount is actually closer to $67,000 cash on hand. Barletta fails to inspire people. People don’t donate to him like other Republican candidates for congress in the state. He’s a spin meister. He’s actually spinning his wheels. And despite telling potential donors that he was raising money to pay off his debt to himself, Barletta has paid nothing back yet. He misled donors to get them to encourage him to run and he might pay himself off at any moment thus further weakening his cash situation. Another sorry fundraising quarter for Barletta who’s lost twice now to Congressman Kanjorski and looks to be on his way to “Strike Three and You’re Out.”

BARLETTA ON TAX DAY

Barletta made this comment on his campaign web site about Tax Day:
Today is April 15, Tax Day, and all across the United States, citizens are hurrying to file their income tax forms. Just four days ago (April 11), Pennsylvanians marked Tax Freedom Day, the day when Americans have earned enough money to pay all their federal, state and local taxes before they can pocket the rest of their earnings for the rest of the year.You have to work 24 days just to earn enough money to pay your federal income tax obligation. It's hard to believe, but on average, Americans will pay more in taxes in 2010 than they will spend on food, clothing, and shelter – combined. It's going to get much worse.Our representatives in Washington keep spending our money on a failed stimulus package and more government bureaucracy. They're spending so much that, if every American had to pay for all government spending – including our massive budget deficit – we wouldn't start earning money for ourselves until May 17. Enough is enough.We need financial discipline in Washington. And if we're serious about creating new jobs, we need to cut taxes on our businesses, especially our small businesses. When you remove the high taxes and crushing over regulation from businesses, they will start hiring again. Our economy will start growing again. Higher employment rates. Lower taxes. Responsible federal spending levels.Wouldn't that be a day to celebrate.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT


1966

President Johnson signs the 1966 Uniform Time Act, dealing with daylight saving time......The South Vietnamese government promises free elections in 3–5 months.......An anti-President Nasser conspiracy is exposed in Egypt......China declares that it will stop economic aid to Indonesia.....In Pennsylvania a bill that would increase the salary of Common Pleas Court Judges was passed by the State House 192 to 11 and by the State Senate 46-2. The bill was sent b Governor Scranton to sign….in Kingston Ralph Brown who took control of Council says that his fellow Council member Frank O’Connell would make a pretty good State Representative…..in Lackawanna County Grocer Arthur Piasecki campaigns for the GOP nomination for the 22nd Senatorial District seat held by Robert Casey……and 44 years ago today the number 1 song in America and LuLac land was “Love Makes The World Go Round” by Deon Jackson.