The LuLac Edition #1731, August 25th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: VETERAN'S EVENT AD (CLICK TO ENLARGE) STATE REPRESENTATIVE PHYLLIS MUNDY, THE SCRANTON WILKES BARRE YANKEES 2011 GIVEAWAY HAT, HEXAGON PROJECT VOLUNTEERS BETH BRUKAHUSER, HEXAGON PROJECT CHAIR; SARRAH DIBBLE, HEXAGON PROJECT CO-CHAIR AND ART TEACHER AT BLUE RIDGE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL; JUDGES: ROBIN PHILLIPS, ART TEACHER, MT. VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL; KATHY CORKILL, ART TEACHER, RETIREE, ABINGTON HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL, LUZERNE COUNTY GOP COUNCIL CANDIDATE BLYTHE EVANS AND OUR 1972 LOGO.

ANOTHER YANKEE OFFER?

So Doctor Steven Vale and a group of people want to offer 15 million dollars to buy the local Yankee franchise? This news was released yesterday after a meeting was held to discuss this bid. Earlier in the day the Lackawanna County Commissioners hired an architect to do the proposed Stadium renovation work. Where this will go only heavens knows but if you're the Yankees of New York, you have to be asking when is a done deal a done deal.

A MEATY EVENT

The 8th Annual Kielbasa Festival sponsored by Plymouth Alive will begin at 9 a.m. Aug. 26 and 27 along Main Street in Plymouth. Entertainment will be provided daily and admission is free. This is one of the best events of this dwindling summer. Mrs. LuLac and I went out to dinner last night and no word of lie, we heard two tables talking about this upcoming event.

BROKE!!!

Judge Edwin Kosik declared former Luzerne County Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. a legal pauper, allowing him to go ahead with an appeal of his corruption conviction without having to pay filing fees and other court costs.
The ruling, came a day after Ciavarella filed a handwritten financial disclosure form listing his last day of employment as Aug. 8 - and his estimated income as $2,500 per month. According to a Citizen’s Voice story Ciavarella owns no stocks, bonds or real estate and his automobile is "virtually valueless on the market," according to the documents and Ciavarella's handwritten disclosure form. To me this opens the door for Ciavarella’s attorneys to get paid to work on his appeals.

MUNDY BREAKFAST

A Breakfast Fundraiser for State Representative Phyllis Mundy will be held on September 24, from 9am-11am at Genetti's Conference Center. This year's event will feature as guest speaker, former DEP Secretary John Hanger. The cost of the event is $20. For tickets email phyllis.mundy2012@gmail.com or call 570-407-0173. Mundy has been in office for over 2 decades and has a legion of supporters and friends. This September breakfast will become as popular as the annual September get togethers the former 14th District State Senator Ray Musto used to hold

ROGERS BARBECUE.

BBQ in the Park- Committee To Elect Jennifer Rogers Judge Friday, August 26 at 5:30pm
Location: Plains Pavilion, Clark Lane, Plains. Rogers is kicking off her fall schedule of events that proved successful in the primary for her.

HEXAGON PROJECT

The Hexagon Project will celebrate its fifth year with their opening on First Friday, Sept 2, 2011 at ArtsWorks Art Gallery 503 Lackawanna Ave, Scranton starting at 6 PM.
Opening Night Program, Friday, September 2, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
• Hexagon –making hands-on: Express yourself and have global Impact!
• Installation: Outstanding Community Partnership Blue Ridge Middle School’s Hexagon Houses and Community Fundraising
• PowerPoint Projection: Keystone College Art Education, Howard Gardner Students and Haiti: How hexagons make the connections
• Refreshments and Live Music
Special Student Recognition Event: Sunday, September 11, 2:00 – 4:00PM
• Introductions and The Declaration of Interdependence
• Recognition Awards to Junior and Senior High School Students
For Outstanding Creative Expression of Interdependence Themes
• Community Partnership Award Presentation
• All exhibiting students, families are welcome
• Refreshments
This year the Hexagon Opening will have a new location according to Beth Burkhauser, co-chairman. She also made note that there will be a special student showing on Sunday, September 11, 2011.
The Interdependence Day Hexagon Project showcases hexagons created by junior high and high school students both regional and worldwide, for its celebration in September.
Students are asked to address issues of social justice, human rights, civil society, democracy, freedom of speech and religious worship, women’s children’s rights and the environment through research, dialog and the arts process in any medium.
The goal of the project is to communicate a unifying theme about Interdependence through the production of art that reflects skill in various media, processes and techniques and exhibit these works in a public forum. To demonstrate interdependence by working collaboratively through art-making and theater activities, during a public exhibition opening in order to concretize the spirit of interdependence for attendees. To demonstrate, in an international forum, that young people are aware of and can respond to the issues and concepts surrounding interdependence through artistic expression by the creation of virtual gallery and blogspot on the Interdependence Day Website.
Beth Burkhauser has sent 45 amazing hexagon images to the Interdependence Monument’s Visual Art Exhibit in NYC. This is part of the Ben Barber's Interdependence Day in NYC this year. For more information on the Interdependence Day in NYC you can log onto the website InterdependenceMovement.org.

DEPUTY DISMISSED

Luzerne County officials along with the obvious blessing of Sheriff John Gilligan has dismissed deputy sheriff Jeniffer Roberts. Roberts, 33, was recently charged by Wilkes-Barre police with harassment, simple assault and burglary stemming from a July 22 incident in which police said she harassed and assaulted the girlfriend of her former partner. A few comments here, first off inter office romances usually turn out pretty bad. From what I have seen in the places I’ve worked at, little good comes of them. If not for the constitutionality of it and the lack of jobs in this area, I’d ban them like smoking in the workplace. (And yes I did have one of those relationships in the late 70s and yes it ended up in one big mess). But with this situation, you have two people who were hired to uphold the law, set an example as public employees and had access to guns. Plus there is the authority factor thrown in there too. The Commissioners made the right decision. As for Roberts, in years to come she will look back on this time in her life as “lost years” and “wasted energy” that she wishes she could get back. The affairs of the heart can be cruel……and dangerous as a bad storm. But like that storm, eventually it (the bad feeling) passes.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT


EVANS MAKING THE ROUNDS

Plymouth resident Blythe Evans is making the rounds this summer in his quest to win a seat on the Luzerne County Council. Here’s some information I received via the e mail machine:
My name is Blythe Evans and I am running for Luzerne County Council. I would like to introduce myself and explain why I am running for a position on the new Luzerne County Council. I grew up in Plymouth where I still live today. My father was an attorney and my mother was a Sunday school teacher. I received an Associates Degree from Valley Forge Military College, a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Moravian College and a third degree in Legal Studies from Harrisburg Area Community College. I own and operate a rental business and a recording/mastering studio based in Plymouth. My grandparents, the Reverend Harold F. Mante and Bettie Mante ministered at the Forty Fort Presbyterian Church from 1953 to 1979. They, along with my parents, raised me in the traditions of faith and family values helping me to spiritually grow in the Christian walk. I intend to carry these values forward during my campaign for County Council and if elected, will continue in my fight to put citizens first. I believe that we will need fresh ideas to move forward and I hope to bring those new ideas to the platform of the County Council. Some of those ideas include changes in our tax code, protecting our natural resources from special interests and most importantly, a sobering examination of the way money is being spent in the county. We have seen what self-serving behavior and corruption has done for Luzerne County and this must end. I am not a career politician. I have not
accepted endorsements from any political groups and I have never taken money from organizations looking to finance my run for County Council. I am simply a private citizen looking to put taxpayers first. Because we have always come second. And we deserve better.

MULLEN ON THE RUN

Tim Mullen is running as a Libertarian candidate for County Council. Here’s his take on the race and the issues:
Editor:
On the national level the dysfunctional two party system has chosen the path of least resistance avoiding a default in a lose/lose compromise that history tells us will lead us on toward a hyperinflationary depression.
I have never felt better in my life about having left the Republicans and Democrats many years ago.
Back on the home front the debt situation in Luzerne County is in no better shape, in fact, worse due to the lack of a printing press to inflate away our debt and postpone the inevitable.
When in a hole, to get out, one must first stop digging.
As your council member, I will never approve of any further borrowing.
I am a taxpayer advocate. I will never approve of any tax increase or new fees to bring in more revenue during my term. In future writings I will be outlining ways to save money to avoid tax hikes and begin to pay down debt. Attrition will be the preferred means of reducing overstaffing. Some layoffs may be necessary. I have zero tolerance for nepotism and cronyism.
I advocate a nationwide search for the most qualified candidate for manager with a proven track record of leadership, management, finance and accounting skills.
There is almost no way I would approve of local talent for this job due to the likelihood of political ties to the courthouse.
I am fully aware of the potential drawbacks regarding releasing names of candidates for manager to the public. Transparency trumps the draw down to the pool of candidates. Like a spouse that has been abused, the citizens of this county are damaged goods and it may take a long time, if ever, to regain their trust in county government. I will stand by my word.
If the same old voters vote for the same old parties, we can expect some of the same old results, regardless of the form of government we have. I implore every eligible citizen of Luzerne County to vote this Nov. 8.
Tim Mullen
Kingston Township
Candidate for Luzerne County Council


MEDIA MATTERS

ECTV

Rusty Fender was the guest co-host for ECTV Live this week while Judge Tom Munley took some vacation time. Judge Munley will rejoin David DeCosmo for the week of August 29th as ECTV Live welcomes Chris DiMattio to discuss plans for this year's La Festa Italiano in Scranton. The programs runs each day at Noon and Midnight on Comcast Ch19.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Shadoe Steele’s guest this week on WILK’s Saturday Night Live at the Oldies will be Donnie Iris of The Jaggerz. That group had a big hit in the spring of 1970 with “The Rapper”. Saturday Night Live at the Oldies can be heard every Saturday night from 7pm to midnight with ABC News at the top of the hour.


STORM POLITICS

This week WYLN’s Tiffany Cloud has an encore performance of former Mayor Michael Marsicano. The former Mayor has some pretty interesting things to say about the state of the city and the region. Atorm Politics can be seen THURS @ 9:30 PM , SAT @ 5 PM, SUN @ 11 AM, MON @ 9:00 PM, TUES @ 4:30 PM.

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Week on Sunday Magazine, Brian Hughes interviews Chef Michelle Dudash about getting the kids ready to go back to school by packing healthier lunches Magic 93's Frankie in the Morning speaks with Ann Marie McCauley from St Vincent DePaul Kitchen in Wilkes Barre about increasing demand for the kitchen's services, and how you can help through their Sponsor for a Day program And Brian speaks with Deb Pace from EarthSpring Foods about how to battle hormonal imbalance.
Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5:30am on JR 93.7, and 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:30am on Magic 93, and 9:30am on WARM 590 AM.


1972

The Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, Florida renominates U.S. President Richard Nixon and Vice President Spiro Agnew for a second term...John Wojtowicz, 27, and Sal Naturile, 18, hold several Chase Manhattan Bank employees hostage for 17 hours in Gravesend, Brooklyn, N.Y, an event later dramatized in the film Dog Day Afternoon……….In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Governor Shapp says that contractors taking advantage of flood victims will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law……..in Wilkes Barre Mayor Con Salwoski oversees the continued clean up of City Hall and 39 years ago the number 1 song in LuLac land and America was "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" by Jim Croce.