The LuLac Edition #1406, Dec. 16th, 2010

PHOTO INDEX: HAZLETON AND LUZERNE COUNTY ACTIVIST KATHY DOBASH AND SANTA PROMOTING HAZLETON'S FIRST NIGHT, LUZERNE COUNTY COMMISSIONER STEVE URBAN, OUR 1966 LOGO, THE BLOG EDITOR AND BOB FELLER AS WELL AS A 1984 PHOTO OF RAPID ROBERT.

SWITCH HITTER

I had this story last Saturday and I held it. Oh well, it was brewing anyway. Steve Urban Luzerne County Commissioner switched parties. Here are the implications of his mood:
1. Urban has been successful in winning three terms as County Commissioner under the GOP banner but essentially has done it on his own. He has not run with many of the GOP candidates in the Commissioner’s race.
2. But Urban has been criticized for being a lone cowboy. Many believe that a change in party affiliation will bolster that image as being an independent minded conservative devoid of party.
3. Steve Urban owes the GOP nothing. In his statewide race for State Senate he didn’t get any major help from the state party against John Yudichak. Why should he stick around when he gets no respect.
4. Urban has been a political survivor. With the new change in County government, you can bet Urban wants a seat at that County Council table. In a race with 11 seats open, and where name recognition is key, a switch to the Dems who are still the majority party will help. There are plenty of conservative Democrats who agree with Urban on many issues.
5. Other County Commissioners have switched party affiliation successfully. Long time Democrat Ed Wideman was a Republican before changing over to the Dems, both A.J. Munchak and Bob Cordaro were Democrats before joining the GOP in 2003 and Frank Trinicewski’s party switch in 1988 didn’t hurt his reelection bid as County Commissioner. There will be some GOPers angry but they were going to be mad at him anyway.

TAX CUTS AND PA.

With the clock ticking toward tax hikes for all Pennsylvania residents and a loss of benefits for people out of work for an extended period of time, the President is repeating his call for the House of Representatives to act quickly on a bipartisan package of tax cuts and an extension of unemployment insurance benefits.
“This tax cut plan, while not perfect, will help to grow our economy and create jobs in the private sector. It will help to lift up middle class families, who will no longer need to worry about a New Year’s Day tax hike. It will offer emergency relief to help tide folks over until they find another job. And it includes tax cuts to make college more affordable; help parents to provide for their children; and help businesses, large and small, to expand and hire,” President Obama said today. “We worked hard to negotiate an agreement that’s a win for middle-class families, and a win for our economy, and we can’t afford to let it fall victim to delay and defeat. So, I urge Members of Congress to pass these tax cuts as swiftly as possible.”
The stakes are significant for Pennsylvania. If approved, 6.7 million Pennsylvania residents will receive more money in their paychecks as a result of the payroll tax cut – something nearly every mainstream economist agrees is one of the most powerful things that can be done to boost economic growth. Pennsylvania residents also would benefit from the continued American Opportunity Tax Credit that helped 335,000 families across the state last year. Additional tax cuts in the legislation also geared at middle-class families include the Earned Income Tax Credit, that helps families to climb out of poverty, and the Child Tax Credit extension, that will make sure families don’t see their taxes jump by up to $1,000 for every child.
Additionally, this bipartisan legislation would strengthen the safety net for 353,989 residents who are at risk of having their unemployment insurance (UI) benefits evaporate without Congressional action. Across the country, this month alone, 2 million Americans will lose their UI coverage if Congress fails to act. With Senate approval, this afternoon the measure moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

FIRST NIGHT SET

First Night is a community celebration of the New Year through the arts. It is an alcohol-free, public celebration that marks the passage from the old year to the new with art, ritual and festivity. The logo for 2011 was designed by Paul Venit.
First Night revives the ancient traditions of marking the passage of time in a present day context. It was invented by a group of civic-minded artists in Boston as a meaningful alternative to traditional New Years Eve revelry. Offered to the city as a finale to its Bicentennial events in 1976, it was also the beginning of a new tradition that brought the neighboring communities together through a joint celebration. The objective of First Night is to recapture the symbolic significance of the passage from the old year to the new; to unite the community through a shared cultural celebration; and to deepen and broaden the public appreciation of the visual and performing arts.

MUSTO’S PICK

Ray Musto always was a political survivor. Now he’s trying to survive to stay out of jail. What better Attorney to pick than the man who counselled former
Congressman Joe McDade when the feds were after him. When he appears before a federal magistrate for arraignment on bribery and other charges today, former state Sen. Raphael J. Musto will be represented by an attorney who won an acquittal for Congressman Joseph McDade on similar charges in 1996. John E. "Jack" Riley of the Philadelphia law firm of Vaira and Riley convinced a federal court jury to acquit McDade of accepting bribes from military contractors and lobbyists following an eight-week trial. Riley has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, chief prosecutor with the International Nazi War Crimes Investigation Project and chief of the President's Drug Task Force during the Reagan Administration. Many of Musto’s fans and supporters are hoping Musto can go the distance one more time and clear himself of these charges.

HIS HONOR

Hazleton City Council voted Wednesday to appoint one of its own, Joseph Yannuzzi, as mayor to replace Lou Barletta. Yannuzzi, a Republican and council president, will serve until January 2012, when Barletta’s term expires. Barletta, also a Republican, beat U.S. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke. Council appointed Christopher Puza to replace Yannuzzi. Yannuzzi stood beside Barletta during the Mayor’s Immigration fight.

BOB FELLER

The longest living Hall of Famer Bob Feller died Wednesday night. I had the opportunity to meet Feller in May of 1984 when Rapid Robert came to the Clarion in Scranton. He was there to sign autographs for my friend Mickman’s card show. I spent a few hours with Feller and he was very down to earth and a wealth of baseball knowledge. He had no use for pampered modern players and was the first to tell you that he would have won more than 266 games if he wasn’t in the Army. Feller traveled the country with his wife going to various shows. He unabashedly said he was cashing in on his fame. When Bob Feller retired the Major League minimum for a rookie was around $6800.00. When he died they were getting $414, 000. Who knows maybe hearing that figure killed him. Feller joined the Cleveland Indians without having played in the minors. He spent his entire career of 18 years with the Indians, being one of "The Big Four" Indians pitching rotation in the 1950s, along with Bob Lemon, Early Wynn and Mike Garcia. He ended his career with 266 victories and 2,581 strikeouts and led the American League in strikeouts seven times and bases on balls four[9] times. His fastball was nicknamed "the Van Meter Heater." He pitched three no-hit games and shares the major league record with 12 one-hitters. Feller was the first pitcher to win 20 or more games before the age of 21. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, his first year of eligibility. When he was 17 years of age, he struck out 17 batters. Feller was signed by a scout for $1 and an autographed baseball. He was 92.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT


MEDIA MATTERS

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

Brian Hughes interviews 2 nurses from Mercy Hospital in Scranton about their concern over the possible sale of the hospital to a for profit company, and what that may mean regarding the future health care at Mercy, and maintaining Mercy mission in the community. Brian speaks with Shannon Ludwig form the Red Cross about the big regional blood drive in Scranton, Wilkes Barre and Hazleton. Frankie in the Morning speaks with the maker of the 2011 picture calendar, with proceeds benefiting pediatric care at John Heinz & Allied. And Brian speaks with a diamond expert on picking out the right diamond for Christma time. Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5:30am on JR 93.7, 6am on 97.1 97.9X, 6:30am on Magic 93, and 9:30am on WARM AM 590.

SAT. NIGHT LIVE

Shadoe Steele has another go at it this week on WILK AM and FM. This week you'll hear him spin the hits. Peter Tork of the Monkees will also be Shadoe's guest. Here's one of those hits you'll hear Saturdday Night:


1966

How the Grinch Stole Christmas, narrated by Boris Karloff, is shown for the first time on CBS, becoming an annual Christmas tradition...Harold Wilson withdraws all his previous offers to the Rhodesian government, and announces that he will agree to independence only after the founding of a Black majority government....In the state of Pennsylvania, Governor Scranton and his wife Mary host a holiday gathering for veterans of the Scranton administration. The crowd is peppered with the old Scranton hands as well as the members of the incoming Shafer administration….Hazleton businessman Vic Diehm who ran unsuccessfully for the 14th Senatorial District seat swears off the political bug saying he was returning to run his radio stations WAZL and WVCD FM. ….and the number 1 song in America and LuLac land was another monster hit by the Monkees. This time the Monkees hit # 1 with A Neil Diamond penned song. "I'm A Believer".