The LuLac Edition #1622, June 5th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: WEST PITTSTON MAYOR AND NOW TOM CORBETT EMPLOYEE BILL GOLDSWORTHY, JOHN EDWARDS AND RIELLE HUNTER AND THE BACK SIDE OF THE HOTEL STERLING.

STERLING BATTLE GOES ON

The Times Leader reported this week that Luzerne County Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla said recently she thinks the county could obtain a $1 million federal grant to knock down the now-decrepit Hotel Sterling, but Controller Walter Griffith said he would do his best to block that move.
Public records indicate CityVest, the nonprofit corporation that has been trying to renovate the aging landmark, does not have the estimated $1 million needed to level the North River Street structure.
“I think that CityVest has been given enough money to make sure the building is preserved,” Griffith said. “I don’t think that they should be entitled to any more money to rip the building down.”
According to an independent auditor’s report submitted to the county commissioners on Wednesday, CityVest had less than $2,000 in its account at the end of 2010, less than it needs to demolish the Sterling.
I think if the County can get a grant to knock it down and possibly do some sort of renovation, then go for it but under no circumstances should City Vest be involved in it.
We still want to know where all that money went for the supposed restoration. And you have to give Petrilla credit because at least she’s doing something. I agree with Walter that CityVest should not get any more money, the solution to that would be for them to get it and have it watched over by a guy like Walter.

JOHN EDWARDS

John Edwards is fighting the indictment because he doesn’t want to lose his law license. This is a guy that if Kerry won would have been the Vice President. Cheating is one thing but this was cheating on a level that makes even the worst philanderer look like a saint. When the wife is sick, when she is committed to your career, you suppress whatever urges you have and don’t cheat. And the interesting thing about this is it was his own staff from the Presidential campaign that leaked this because they thought if he gained traction against Hillary Clinton, he’d be the nominee and go down to defeat. The Edwards case is a sad one and just goes to show you that fast success sometimes comes with delusions. In an ironic sort of way though, Edwards made Obama possible. Edwards was a one term Senator that made a run for President in 2004,he finished a strong second then got the Veep nod. Obama and his people saw that and thought, “we can get to the top prize without doing all the time”. Hillary Clinton eschewed a race in 2004 because she didn’t have enough electoral experience under her belt. That was the conventional wisdom back then but Edwards and Obama threw that out the window. Edwards in the meantime, no matter how this trial turns out will go down in history as a power hungry cad who cheated on his dying wife. How’s that for the first line about you in the history books.

GOLDY GETS THE GOLD

West Pittston Mayor Bill Goldworthy struck gold with the new Corbett administration. The Times Leader reports that Goldsworthy will submit his resignation Tuesday in order to work in the governor's Northeast regional office.
Goldsworthy said he began working as deputy director in the office last week and will serve as representative of Gov. Tom Corbett in the region that covers 18 counties. He said he traveled to Harrisburg a few times to meet with representatives of the governor about the position that opened when Corbett, a Republican, took office in January. "I was very interested in it," said Goldsworthy of the position that pays $65,000 annually. Goldsworthy, 56, a lifelong Republican, has been mayor of West Pittston for approximately 15 years.
This type of job was held in the previous administration of Democrat Ed Rendell by another former Mayor, Jimmy Connors of Scranton. Connors was an early backer of candidate Rendell bucking the Lackawanna County party establishment who were for local hometown boy Bob Casey Junior.