The LuLac Edition #1713, August 12th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: DISTRICT ATTORNEY CANDIDATE STEPHANIE SALAVANTIS, THE LATE JONATHAN BALESTER AND OUR 1972 LOGO.

SALAVANTIS ISSUES STATEMENT

Stefanie Salavantis, Candidate for Luzerne County District Attorney, Responds to Ciavarella Sentencing. Here's what she said. August 11, 2011 marks a day of infamy in Luzerne County. Today is a sad, but significant day in the history of Luzerne County. Former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella, one of, if not the key figure in the “Kids for Cash” corruption scandal, has desecrated our County courts, government and community and has branded us with statewide, even nationwide, notoriety. While a sentence of 28 years is a sign that Ciavarella must pay for his crimes, it certainly does not equal or alleviate the harm done to the children, the community and the families directly affected by his actions. Through the corruption cases, and as stated by the chief probation officer also caught in the scandal, the FBI and US Attorney proved that Ciavarella set up a system where the children arrested were immediately incarcerated in a detention center in which Ciavarella had an interest. After appellate court rulings that juveniles should have lawyers and statements by Ciavarella himself that he would not hold hearings unless they did have lawyers, more children were incarcerated despite rules that say every effort should be made to send them home to their families. This scandal made it clear that those who should have been watching and protecting, whether following Ciavarella’s orders or standing by, unfortunately, were not. I hope that this sentence begins the healing for the families who suffered as a result of this corruption and hope that it continues to turn a new page toward a fair, just and bright future in Luzerne County." Salavantis has been visiting events throughout the summer and is making a good impression. Whether the GOP has the juice to help her make it a competitive race is still unclear but she is a good candidate and even though the Ciavarella case is now in the rear view mirror, there is still a trail in the DA's office that goes through two administrations. That is a good campaign issue.

GOP DEBATE

In last night's GOP Presidential debate, the Minnesota Twins went at it. Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachman didn't remind me of my old political idols Walter Mondale and Hubert Humphrey who always played nice. These two went at it hammer and tong virtually assuring us of the fact that there won't be a President from Minnesota any time soon. Here's a recap from the Huffington Post:
The Republican presidential primary debate provided plenty of fireworks Thursday night, a stark contrast to the two more sleepy affairs earlier this year. Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty took off the gloves and threw several punches at one another. Ron Paul and Rick Santorum nearly screamed at each other over whether to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. And Newt Gingrich didn't like some of the questions thrown his way, which he angrily denounced as "Mickey Mouse games."
The key exchanges were between Bachmann, a congresswoman from Minnesota, and Pawlenty, Minnesota's former governor, who are in a battle to see who can come out ahead of the other in a key straw poll vote Saturday in Ames.
For weeks, the two had been bashing one another, mostly on the campaign trail here in Iowa. Bachmann has claimed the title of Iowa frontrunner, while Pawlenty has been playing catch up in advance of Saturday's straw poll. Fox News' Chris Wallace was quick to give the two an opportunity to fight it out in person.
Pawlenty, whose argument has been that he has the executive experience as a governor that Bachmann lacks, said the congresswoman has "done wonderful things in her life, absolutely wonderful things, but it's an indisputable fact that in Congress her record of accomplishments and results is nonexistent. That's not going to be good enough."
As Pawlenty, whose fiber was questioned after he failed to take on Mitt Romney in the last debate, delivered his rebuke, he turned to face Bachmann, but turned away after a few moments. Bachmann, in her response, faced Pawlenty the entire time she spoke. She blasted his record as governor.
"Governor, when you were governor in Minnesota, you implemented cap and trade in our state, and you praised the unconstitutional individual mandate, and you called for requiring all people in our state to purchase health insurance," she said. She also dinged him for saying in 2006 that "the era of small government is over." "That sounds a lot more like Barack Obama if you ask me," she said as Pawlenty shook his head. The two went back and forth for a few more minutes, with Bachmann lauding her own record of fighting Democratic proposals, such as President Obama's health care overhaul as well as cap and trade legislation. But Pawlenty, growing more animated, said that she had failed to stop the health care bill, as well as increases in spending and the 2008 bailout of Wall Street banks, which was actually implemented under Republican President George W. Bush.
"She said she's got a titanium spine. It's not your spine we're worried about, it's your record of results," Pawlenty said. "If that's your view of effective results and leadership, then please stop because you're killing us."

BALESTER FUNDRAISER

Tomorrow night at the Lakeside Skillet the County GOP will hold their first annual Jonathan Balester Memorial Picnic.The fundraiser will be held on August 13th at the Lakeside Skillet Deck and Ballroom. It is the first annual Jonathan Balester Memorial Family Picnic. Cost is $15.00 for adults, $5.00 for kids. It should be a fun event in memory of a dedicated GOP volunteer. It’s going to be a nice today tomorrow so I’m sure they’ll take tickets at the door.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT


MEDIA MATTERS

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Weekend on Sunday Magazine: Brian Hughes speaks with Aqua Pennsylvania Chairman Nicholas DeBenedictis about his company's infrastructure projects in our area, work in the Marcellus Shale region, and how America ranks globally when it comes to water infrastructure. And an encore of Brian's interview with nutrition expert Stuart Tomc about the effects of Omega 3 supplements on cardio vascular disease.
Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5:30am on JR 93.7 & 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:30am on Magic 93, and 9:30am on WARM 590 AM.

STORM POLITICS

Concerned Parents, a Hazleton-based organization working with today's area immigrants on positive things...ESL classes, homework assistance and citizenship course work. Tiffany Cloud’s Storm Politics can be seen on WYLN TV 35, Sat 5pm, Sun 11am, Mon 9pm, Tues 4:30pm, only on WYLN TV.

ECTV

ECTV Live will feature information on the upcoming Pittston Tomato Festival next week. Guest Lori Nocito will join Host Judge Tom Munley and co-host David DeCosmo for the program which airs on Comcast Ch19 throughout the week at Noon and Midnight.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

This week Shadoe Steele hosts Corrine Drewery of Swing Out Sister on Saturday Night Live at the Oldies on WILK AM & FM. The program can be heard Saturday at 7pm until midnight with ABC News on the top of the hour.


1972

A brilliant, daytime meteor skips off the Earth's atmosphere due to an Apollo asteroid streaking over the western US into Canada………..in ennsylvania Secretary of Community Affairs William Wilcox continues to work with Flood victims in the state setting up regional field offices……in Luzerne County Frances Slocum State Park becomes home to thousands of Valley residents as HUD trailers populate the scenic landscape as temporary dwellings for displaced residents and 39 years ago this week the number 1 song in America and LuLac land was “Alone Again Naturally” by Gilbert O’Sullivan. Let the swan dives off the nearest bridges begin!