The LuLac Edition #1511, March 17th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: THE HOTEL STERLING, (PHOTO TIMES LEADER) THE LATE MARY JANE LEADER WHO WAS PENNSYLVANIA'S FIRST LADY FROM 1955 TO 1959, OUR 1972 LOGO, THIS BLOG EDITOR AT THE AGE OF 18 WITH SENATOR HUBERT HUMPHREY (PHOTO BY TIM PRIBULA) A BLURB FROM THE SUNDAY DISPATCH FROM MARCH 19TH, 1972, MY UNCLE TIM PRIBULA WITH HUBERT HUMPHREY (PHOTO BY DAVID YONKI WITH THE HELP OF THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT-SEE OUR FEATURE 1972) SENATOR HUMPHREY SIGNING MY PROGRAM AS I SROOD IN FRONT OF HIM WITH A VERY DREADFUL SPORT COAT, (PHOTO BY TIM PRIBULA) ATTORNEY JOE QUINN, HUBERT HUMPHREY, CONGRESSMAN DAN FLOOD AND FRIENDLY SONS PRESIDENT ROBERT DAUGHERTY, THE LATE MAYOR OF PITTSTON ROBERT LOFTUS PRESENTING THE KEY TO THE CITY TO HUMPHREY AS BOB DAUGHERTY LOOKED ON AND DAN FLOOD WAS SEATED (PHOTO BY TIM PRIBULA) HUBERT HUMPHREY AT THE WILKES BARRE/SCRANTON AIRPORT THE NEXT MORNING AT A NEWS CONFERENCE, (PHOTO BY JOE WALSH) AND THEN CALIFORNIA SENATOR JOHN V. TUNNEY GETTING THE KEY OF THE CITY FROM WILKES BARRE MAYOR CON SALWOSKI. ALSO IN THE PHOTO IS "CITIZENS FOR MUSKIE" CHAIRMAN JOHN CRESKO AND CONGRESSMAN DAN FLOOD. (PHOTO BY FRANK KASHUDA). CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.

6 MILLION $ QUESTIONS

The Times Leader reported yesterday that CityVest, the group that bought the Sterling Hotel has informed the Pennsylvania Museum Commission that they want to tear the building down because they can’t complete the project. Naturally CityVest is asking the government for the funds to tear down the building. More than 10 years ago the group got 6 million dollars in public funds to renovate the Sterling. Here are a few questions that need to be asked:
What happened to that 6 million dollars?
Are there bills and receipts for how that money was spent?
Who benefited from that 6 million dollar grant? Who were the vendors? Who were the contractors? Why after ten years is there suddenly a rush to tear it down? Was there KOZ money spent on this project? How many people involved in this project were cronies of Commissioners Vonderheid and Skrepenak? Why wasn’t there any structural improvements done to that building in the last ten years? Why are the windows not shuttered? Does plywood cost 6 million dollars? Were there expenses incurred trying to find a buyer and where was that money spent? Did some architect or surveyor get paid a million bucks for a construction plan and if so where is that plan? Was that plan followed? And what’s up with CityVest’s phone being disconnected? Christ even the one bed ad agencies I dealt with as a radio sales rep kept up the pretense of doing business with a connected phone line! I talked to a cousin who just happens to be a contractor/builder. “The first order of business in any renovation is to make sure the property doesn’t degrade. What you want to do is take the project and maintain it. Then if you don’t have the money, at least you have the shell protected. That saves you money in the long run” he stated.
When I mentioned to the contractor/builder that it was estimated that it would take 100 million dollars to renovate the project, he was aghast. “Look the 8th Street Bridge cost 3 million dollars to renovate, even with paying off debts if there were any, 6 million dollars is two bridge projects. A school building is much more expensive than a commercial renovation, the square footage on a school newly built is 150,000, if you price that at $200.00 a square foot, you come up with 20 million dollars. You could build 5 schools for that 100 million dollars they are saying it would cost to renovate. The numbers just don’t add up. Shame on them for letting this get so out of hand, I wonder what they were thinking”, he continued.
Here’s what I think they were thinking. CityVest was ill prepared for this project. I will concede that this was a monumental undertaking. I go by the motto “Go Big or Go home”. I understand that the hotel might not have had the infrastructure for air conditioning and heating units in the individual condos they sought to build. I understand that there are huge bank buildings in and around Wilkes Barre that sit empty from the second floor up to the top because of inability to make the other floors computer ready. I’ll grant CityVest all of that. But surely you could experiment in tearing down walls and seeing if you could do something to convert it. I mean they had a few million bucks. I had an uncle who worked on the railroad with my dad. He worked overnights and during the day he did home remodeling. He didn’t need a feasibility study to know that with a distressed property with nothing to lose, you could experiment. Donald Trump’s success as a real estate magnate is partly based on his ability to communicate. When he was in debt, every project he undertook was chronicled to the media week by week. It would have helped if CityVest did that. I hate to say this but most likely they (CityVest) were super connected. Do you think any one of you, my readers involved in any type of business would get that deal? Do you think I would or my cousin or a guy like Virgil Argenta who has numerous properties in Wilkes Barre? No because we aren’t in the little cliques and clubs known as economic development partnerships that do these type of deals that involve millions of dollars that isn’t their own money. No wonder all we get here are $9.00 an hour jobs from these “business leaders”. This is Luzerne County folks. Someone has their eye on that lot. I commend Steve Urban for saying the County is owed that property and that money. This isa not pocket change. The tax payer, the people of Luzerne County need to be paid back. They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Honest to God, I’m afraid we don’t even have that with this CityVest deal. I know the FBI is busy looking for another guy who took a suit or some hapless school director who passed money on to someone else but this screams for some sort of accountability and investigation as to what was done with all this money.

HAGGERTY/GELB ON TOP


Kingston Mayor Jim Haggerty and Attorney Lesa Gelb got top ballot positions for the 6 openings on the Luzerne County bench. Haggerty is a Republican and very well regarded by both parties. Gelb is a Democrat. Both candidates can cross file. More in future editions of LuLac on the positioning of other candidates.

CORBETT’S CABINET

About a month ago some of the fine Pennsylvania newspapers did some research on Tom Corbett’s new Cabinet. What they found was that if you donated large sums to his campaign, you got a job.
Here’s a round up of the jobs, the connections and the cost. (plus the source where the information came from).
C. Alan Walker, Department of Community and Economic Development
Tom Corbett's first cabinet appointment, C. Alan Walker, has given approximately $112,000 to Corbett since his first campaign for Attorney General. (The Times Leader, January 11, 2011)
Dan Meuser, Secretary of Revenue
Tom Corbett appointed Dan Meuser as the Secretary of Revenue. According to The Times Leader, Meuser and his family donated over $132,644 to the Corbett for Governor campaign. (The Times Leader, January 11, 2011)
Sheri Phillips, Department of General Services
Sheri Phillip, who Tom Corbett appointed to the Department of General Services, gave Corbett over $14,000. (The Times Leader, January 11, 2011)
Carol and Stephen Aichele
Tom Corbett nominated Carol and Stephen Aichele as the secretary of the commonwealth and the general counsel. The husband and wife donated $19,900 to Corbett's campaign. (ittsburgh Post Gazette, January 17, 2011)
Other Cabinet appointees, their families or their employers were donors as well, including Glenn Moyer the Banking Secretary appointee, who gave $1,150 to Corbett's campaign (The Times Leader, January 11, 2011). Kenya Mann Faulkner, the nominee for Inspector General, gave $1,000 and her firm gave $20,000 (Pittsburgh Post Gazette, January 17, 2011). Michael F. Consedine, the nominee for Insurance Commissioner, works for the law firm Saul Ewing, who gave $59,540. Kelly Powell, the Secretary of Administration nominee, gave $3,700 (Pittsburgh Post Gazette, January 17, 2011). Michael Krancer, the Secretary of Environmental Protection nominee, did not donate, but his relatives gave $206,750 (Pittsburgh Post Gazette, January 17, 2011).
Now politics is a game of money. And it is understandable that a new Governor is not going to be giving jobs to people who have been throwing shots at him in the last election cycle. But this is not my $50.00 in the primary and $50.00 in the general election to Ed Rendell. This is big money. And it makes you wonder if the new Governor or any of his Cabinet have any idea of the damage the cuts in the new budget is going to make. Now to give Corbett credit, he did say at a News Conference on Monday that he wished he had access to the Legislative surplus. But that said, maybe we should watch carefully the actions of this Cabinet more so than this Governor.

WHERE’DYA STASH THE CASH?

A federal judge has granted a motion filed by federal prosecutors that sought the forfeiture of nearly $1 million from former judge Mark Ciavarella. U.S. District judge Edwin Kosik granted the motion based on Ciavarella’s conviction last month on corruption charges. The order clears the way for the government to seek to seize any assets Ciavarella may have that were derived from money he obtained from his crimes.


WILKES BARRE GOP

There are 3 candidates running for Wilkes Barre’s highest office, Mayor. They are Karen Ceppa, Lisa Cope, and Frank Sorick. All three will be battling for the nomination to face off against 2 term incumbent Tom Leighton or two of his primary opponents, Charlotte Raup or Nick Punko. First off, I commend them for entering the fray and fury of public office. But with the GOP registration in Wilkes Barre so small, I question what in the world they are fighting for. The Republicans should coalesce behind one candidate and have the other two run for either a Council seat or something else. (Ceppa is also running for Controller). The party needs to be running against the 8 year city administration and the nearly 50 year record of Democratic dominance in City Hall instead of having an internal party squabble. But this is how the Luzerne County GOP has operated since the fall of the John Fine regime and the beneficiaries of that have been the Democrats. And while I wish these people luck, I see no way any of them are going to rewrite political history with their efforts.

TOM CHARLES IN

Small business owner Tom Charles is officially announcing his candidacy for Scranton City Council. "Two years ago, I ran because I believe this city needs an independent voice," said Charles. "That hasn't changed. I want to bring the perspective of a small businessman to city government. The city needs to move forward with everything from development to fair contracts for city employees. We need to make sure our cops have what they need to keep our neighborhoods safe. We need to make sure our firehouses stay open and our streets get paved. We have to do all this while holding the line on taxes. It's going to be tough, but I'll be going door-to-door to take my message to the residents of the City. I'm looking forward to the campaign and to serving my community."
Tom Charles is the owner of the Vine Street Service Station in the city's Hill Section. He resides in North Scranton with his wife Lisa and boys Joshua 10 yrs. & Jacob 8 yrs old.

FORMER MAYOR DIES

One of the last remaining Pearl Harbor veterans in Wyoming Valley, if not the only one, died Sunday. Walter Yablonski, 91, of Luzerne, was 21 when bombing interrupted his breakfast and recounted that day, Dec. 7, 1941, during an interview with The Citizens' Voice in 2009. "It was Sunday morning, around 8 o'clock, and I had just got done with breakfast and was getting ready to read the paper," Yablonski said. "And all at once, it went ba-ba-boom! I said, 'Holy geez, what happened?" The Mayor was a true American hero.

GEORGE KELL

George Kell of Plains died this week. He was a veteran of WWII and was a war hero. But like many of The Greatest Generation, not many people knew about it. His children had no idea that he was wounded twice, not just once.
Janice Keil told the Times Leader this week that she knew her father, George Keil, was a war hero, but she had no idea to what extent.“None of us found out that he was shot in both legs until after he passed,” she said. “We found some articles published in the 1940s in his photo albums and couldn’t believe it.”
He suffered his wounds while in Manila in 1945. A staff sergeant in the 129th Regiment, 37th Division of the U.S. Army, he and a group of infantrymen found themselves stranded on a river bank after meeting heavy Japanese gunfire.
Kell’s heroism is systematic of what these guys endured. When they returned home, there was no time for navel gazing, just time to rebuild their lives and America. That’s why they will always be called “The Greatest Generation”.

FORMER FIRST LADY DIES

Former Pennsylvania first lady Mary Jane Leader died Tuesday after a short illness, according to a statement issued by the family's retirement home business. She was 92. She was the wife of Gov. George Leader, a Democrat who led the state for four years in the late 1950s. Mary Jane Leader, a Williamsport native, grew up in York, where she attended high school with her future husband. She held management roles in family businesses until the time of her death. She had served on the state Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators and the State Council for the Blind. Survivors include the former governor, to whom she was married for 71 years, a brother, two sons and a daughter. A third son predeceased her. George Leader was the state's chief executive from 1955 to 1959. After he left office, the Leaders lived in Gladwyne, King of Prussia and Hershey.

HUGH MARTIN

You might not know the name but you sure know the songs. Martin was a film composer, arranger, vocal coach, and playwright. He is best known for his score for the classic 1944 MGM musical Meet Me In St. Louis, in which Judy Garland sang three Martin songs, "The Boy Next Door," "The Trolley Song," and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." The last of these has become a Christmas season standard in the United States and around the English-speaking world and is widely considered one of the greatest Christmas songs of all time. Martin died last week at age 96.

JAZZ GREAT DIES

Legendary jazz drummer Joe Morello, whose virtuosity and command of odd time signatures made him an integral part of the Dave Brubeck Quartet on such classic recordings as "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo a la Turk," has died at age 82.
Family members said Morello died Saturday at his home in northern New Jersey. A cause of death was not immediately available. Brubeck said the loss of his friend "came as a complete shock to me." Brubeck got the inspiration for "Take Five" after hearing Morello playing a 5/4 beat while warming up backstage before a concert with alto saxophonist Paul Desmond. The pianist asked Desmond to write a melody in 5/4 time for a tune that would feature a Morello drum solo. Brubeck suggested combining two themes that Desmond wrote to create "Take Five," which became a surprise Top 40 hit on jukeboxes and one of the most best-known jazz recordings.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT


MEDIA MATTERS

ECTV

Thought you would like to know that Judge Tom Munley will welcome some old friends on ECTV Live on Monday, March 21st. is scheduled guests will be former WYOU Weathermen Scott Stuccio and Dave uharchik! They'll be discussing the winter we've just gone through and related subjects such as global warming.
ECTV Live is presented each day at Noon and Midnight on Comcast Channel 10 in the nton/Wilkes-Barre area.


SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

This week’s guest on Saturday Night Live At the Oldies with Shadoe Steele is Richie Furay former band member of Poco and Buffalo Springfield. Shadoe Steele hosts the program on WILK AM and FM from 76PM to midnight with ABC News on the hour. This is going to be one of his best segments. Poco and Buffalo Springfield were the seminal bands of the late 60s and early 70s.


SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Weekend on Sunday Magazine March 20th. Brian Hughes speaks Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs CEO Bob Soper about their 2nd Annual “Battle of the Bands” competition, as well as table games and the upcoming harness racing season at the Downs.
An encore of Frankie Warren’s interview with Tanya Olivanti from Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northeast Pa about their “Bowl For Kids Sake” fundraiser coming up next weekend at various bowling establishments throughout the area. Brian speaks with Hazleton Area High School Senior Keenan Monks about his participation in the Intel Science Talent Search in Washington D.C. Keenan finished in 6th place out of 40 participants and took home a $25 thousand dollar award. And an encore of Brian’s interview with Monsignor Joseph Kelly, Executive Director of Catholic Social Services for the Diocese of Scranton about St Francis of Assisi Soup Kitchen’s Host For a Day campaign. Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5:30am on JR 93.7, 6am on 97BHT & 97.9X, 6:30am on Magic 93, and 9:30am on WARM 590 AM.


1972

Clifford Irving admits to a New York court that he had fabricated Howard Hughes' "autobiography"………in Pennsylvania, Grace Sloan makes it official. She says she will be running for another term as State Treasurer……and in LuLac land, Presidential politics comes to the area. Just a few days after the crucial Florida primary where George Wallace took 42% of the vote and Hubert Humphrey finished second with 18%, the former Vice President paid a visit to the Pittston Area as main speaker for the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.
From my account in 1972: I had never been to a Saint Patrick’s Day Dinner. I was under the impression that you had to be Irish to get in, but I was wrong, even David Yonki could be Irish on this big day. My motives however were not pure. I was not going to hear the Irish sing their songs and boast their praises, I was there to see my political idol, Hubert Humphrey. I was accompanied to the dinner by my uncle, Thomas Pribula who is a board member and the Vice President of the Wyoming Area School Board. My uncle got around and he introduced me to the political people he knew attending from the Courthouse. He also introduced me to former Governor George Leader. I had seen pictures of Leader in my Pennsylvania History books and knew that he was the youngest Governor ever elected in Pennsylvania. The dinner began at 7PM and Monsignor Knight of St. John the Evangelist gave the invocation and I thought “Knight Oh” (that was the nickname the girls in my class gave him) did a good job. Dinner was served, again my uncle’s connections came through, we were the third table served (he knew the head waitress). I told you he got around! Everyone then proceeded to enjoy their meal as the Irish dancers performed. Attorney Joe Quinn (who my uncle alspo touted as the greatest young legal mind) started telling jokes because he was the toastmaster. He was right in the middle of one joke when Congressman Flood gpot up and walked to the podium and said, “Will everyone please evacuate the building, there might be a bomb in here, it just might be a scare but will everyone please evacuate the building. I was expecting a mad rush toward the exits but everyone was calm, they just picked up their pitchers of beer and pranced out, some laughing, some cursing, some too happy to do either and filed out of the Mayfair if not quickly, at least orderly. (That was at 8:55Pm. We were ushered back in at 9:12PM and by the time order was restored it was 9:21PM. Attorney Quinn continued on with the program, the Man of The Year was given his award and tenor Gerald King began to sing the melodies of Ireland. At 10:16PM there was a bit of noise behind us, a few shuffles and some more noise. The Irish tenor kept on singing but was interrupted whwen Senator Humphrey walked in the door. My uncle grabbed the camera and took a picture of Humphrey. I thought to myself how lucky I was to see the man I admired most in public life. Congressman Flood then introduced Humphrey and he talked in typical HHH style, he was exhuberant, he was witty and he held everyone’s attention. After the speech, many people tried to get near him. My uncle and Attorney Quinn went toward him and arranged it so I could meet him and get a picture. I talked to him and this is how the conversation went:
SENATOR HUMPHREY: Well, hello how are you?
DAVID YONKI (ME): Fine Senator. you know i’ve been working in your campaign and I hope you do good in the primaries ahead. I also worked in your 1968 campaign and I enjoyed that too.
SENATOR HUMPHREY: That’s good, really good. I need young people in my orgazination. Keep up the good work. I hope you plan to help us in this campaign.
DAVID YONKI (ME) Why of course, I wouldn’t miss this for the world. As a matter of fact I was in touch with Walter Riggs and Marilyn Young already.
SENATOR HUMPHREY: Oh yes they are two of my best workers and they will be able to give you the information you need.
At this stage my uncle took a picture of me with the Senator. He took another one of me looking up while Humphrey signed my program. Our conversation continued on for a little bit longer and then shook hands with him for at least the 20th time and walked away a very happy person.
My uncle then introduced me to more people from the Courthouse and the press. As the crowd started to thin out i asked my uncle if he wanted a picture with Humphrey. So we went hunting for him and found him. My uncle stood with him and I took the picture. Just as I snapped the photo, a guy walked by and Humphrey said, “He must be a Republican”. We tried it again and the flash cube wouldn’t turn. I tried again and it wouldn’t flash. Humphrey said, “No, you have to turn that cube there because you have to make sure its facing us” as he proceeded to give me a lesson in Kodak cameras. Sure enough it worked and we shook hands with him and left the building. HHH impressed me very much that night, more than any public official has. I will remember this night for the rest of my life. March 18th, 1972: 3:15AM.
I was amazed that I had kept that account I typed out that night when I got home. Let me fill in a few gaps that an excited 18 year old didn’t include, the aforementioned but not identified Man of the Year was Leo A. Morris who received the John C. McNamara Memorial Presentation. Morris was an official with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. ………On the dias that night was Attorney Charles Bufalino Junior who was representing the Luzerne County Columbus League….Eugene Hurley represented the Knights of Columbus and Father John Jordan gave the benediction. Because of the late hour and the bomb threat, the singing of “America The Beautiful” was dispensed with……Humphrey left the next morning but gave a news conference at the Airport. Libby Brennan of the Sunday Independent wrote, “Senator Hubert Humphrey was smiling broadly yesterday morning as he wrapped up his 18 hourvisit to the Wyoming Valley. He had just learned that the new Gallup poll had put him in first place outdistancing Maine Senator Edmund Muskie who up until last week was considered the fronmt runner in Pennslvania. More slender tan he was in 1968Senator Humphrey still shows tremendous vitality and great enthusiasm" ……….There was one more party in town. California Senator John Tunney (son of boxing champ Gene Tunney) was at the Hotel Sterling stumping for Senator Ed Muskie, Humphrey’s 1968 running mate. A reception was held by “The Citizen’s For Muslkie" organization. Tunney lauded Muskie as a man of “constant integrity”……and 39 years ago today the number 1 song in Lulac land was “Heart of Gold” by Neil Young.