The LuLac Edition #2057, May 17th, 2012

Luzerne County Manager Bob Lawton. (Photo: Times Leader).

LAWTON’S GOOD CALL 

County Manager Bob Lawton made a very good call the other day when he turned back the decision of the previous regime to use 2 million dollars in grant money to renovate the old Market Street Square. In its heyday in the 80s, the place was fabulous. But it fell into disrepair after the death of owner Marvin Roth. Tom Greco sold it to the administration of Skrepenak and Vonderheid for 5 million dollars! In its current condition! If anything proved we needed Home Rule, (never mind the corruption) it was that deal that personified the word stupidity. Lawton’s decision was quite cogent. He rightly said that the building of a Senior Center as well as a Tourist Promotion facility would not create new jobs. It would move staff from current county agencies to a new facility. One of the big draws of Market Street Square was the train station itself. (I had an uncle, Andrew Dziak that worked the 11pm to 7am shift in that rail yard watching and protecting the facility when freight actually went there). The draw of the trains brought many people to the hotel. I always thought that a private developer could make a peddler’s market out of it or something like a craft mart that would feature high quality products like the summer craft fair at Eaglesmere. Add a Santa shop to it and you’d have something. But giving it to two county agencies that can’t create jobs is not good. I’m amused that former County Commissioner Steve Urban says the reason why Lawton turned it down is because the new County Manager wants to show the old Commissioners (of which Urban was one) up. Please! With the mess that was left by corruption, the self serving business community and the money grabbing union employees, Lawton most likely doesn't even think of Urban. Lawton is a new set of eyes with very few biases. This was a good, smart call. This is why he is earning the big bucks. Let’s hope we see more of this from him.

Getting your shots back oin the day.

VACCINATION MANIA 

I find it hard to believe that there are hundreds of students in Luzerne and Lackawanna County schools that have not yet had their immunization shots. What the hell is that all about? Once more the parenting skills of this generation is horrific. Buy Junior an X Box but don’t get him to the doctor to get the shots that are required by law. The school districts have done the right thing by barring the students from class. There are some that are going to harp about how government is telling them what to do….but c’mon, really? You as a parent can’t handle this on your own? And if you put it on the kid saying “he/she doesn’t like needles” or some celebrity bimbo said they’d get instant autism by the vaccination, well shame on you. You are the parent. `YOU! We won’t be satisfied until one kid from an irresponsible family infects everyone with whooping coughs. People still die from these diseases. They won’t die if they don’t get this year’s newest X Box version. 

DISTURBING NUMBERS 

There are some pretty disturbing poll numbers pout on the economy for the Obama administration. A recent poll shows that 50% of the American people think Mitt Romney can do a good job running the American economy. Only 43% say it would be P4resident Obama’s forte. After a bruising primary campaign., it appears that the GOP are lining up solidly behind Romney. If he picks a running mate that won’t rock the boat, who knows. But if I’m sitting in the White House right now, I’m concerned. 

MURPHY ENDORSES KANE

Patrick Murphy endorsed Kathleen Kane today for the office of State Attorney General. Here’s a release from his office: Today, Iraq war veteran and former prosecutor Patrick Murphy endorsed his Democratic primary opponent, Kathleen Kane, for Pennsylvania Attorney General. “Primaries are never easy. But it’s important to remember that this was a family fight. Now that it’s over, we must come together and rally behind our nominee. That’s why I am endorsing Kathleen Kane for Attorney General. Because in the end, Kathleen is Pennsylvania’s best choice for Attorney General,” Murphy said. “Kathleen is a fierce competitor. But she also has a vision for this office. We agree that consumer protection must be the cornerstone of this office and that we must do more to protect children from sexual abuse. We need an Attorney General who will protect the middle class and defend the rights of every Pennsylvanian, not just those with money or power. So now, we Democrats must come together, beat David Freed, and deny Governor Corbett the Attorney General he hand-picked to protect his radical agenda,” Murphy added. 

BIDEN GETS REAL 

Vice President Joe Biden exhibited oner of the reasons why Barack bama picked him as Vice President in 2008 and why Democrats love him. ABC News reported: At a campaign stop in Youngstown, Ohio, today, Vice President Joe Biden lit into Republicans and their presumed presidential nominee Mitt Romney for what he described as a failure to understand the plight of the middle class. “I resent when they talk about families like mine that I grew up in. I resent the fact that they think we’re talking about envy: it’s job envy, it’s wealthy envy; that we don’t dream,” an impassioned Biden told a crowd of manufacturing workers. “My mother believed and my father believed that if I wanted to be president of the United States, that I could be, I could be vice president! My mother and father believed that if my brother or sister wanted to be a millionaire, they could be a millionaire! My mother and father dreamed as much as any rich guy dreams! “They don’t get us! They don’t get who we are!” he yelled before the crowd, drawing loud applause. Biden was referring broadly to Republican criticism of the administration’s push for higher taxes on wealthier Americans and expanded investment in federal programs aimed at boosting low- to middle-income families. The vice president argued for a populist vision — “Obama economics” – that “believes everyone deserves a fair shot, a fair shake, and everybody should play by the same rules.” “Then there’s the Romney philosophy,” he said. “The Romney economics which says as long as the government helps the guys at the top to do well, workers and small business communities, they can fend for themselves but the country will be OK if the big guy is doing well.” 
  

MEDIA MATTERS 

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE 

This week Shadoe Steele hosts Rupert Holmes on “Saturday Night Live” at the Oldies. The best oldies program in the world can be heard Saturday from 7pm to midnight on WILK AM & FM with ABC News on the top of the hour. 
 

ECTV 

John Hart makes a return visit to ECTV Live during the week of May 21st. He'll be discussing numerous public events marking the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War! Mr. Hart is Commander of the The Delaney-Delacy Guard, a component of the Sons Of Union Veterans Reserve. ECTV Live is hosted by Judge Tom Munley and co-hosted by veteran area newsman David DeCosmo who also produces the program. It can be seen daily on Comcast Ch19 in our area. Electric City Television will also be recording this year's Armed Forces Parade in Scranton this Saturday for playback on a rotating basis on the station. DLP is underwriting the coverage as a Public Service to veterans and the community.  

SUNDAY MAGAZINE 

This Week on Sunday Magazine....Magic 93’s Frankie in the Morning speaks with James May and Michael Tatulo from PENNDOT about their “Click It Or Ticket” campaign. Frankie also speaks with Steve Alfano from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs about their 2012 Hot Summer Nights promotion. Brian Hughes speaks with Melissa Sullivan from Move Rescue about “rogue movers” and moving horror stories. And Brian speaks with Karl Pillimer, author of the book “30 Life Lessons”, featuring lessons for living from the wisest Americans. Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on Great Country 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHt, 6am on 97.9X, 6:30am on Magic 93 and 7am on WARM 590 AM.

Our 1967 logo.

1967 

Syria mobilizes against Israel....President Gamal Abdal Nasser of Egypt demands withdrawal of the peacekeeping UN Emergency Force in the Sinai. U.N. Secretary-General U Thant complies... Tennessee Governor Ellington repeals the "Monkey Law" (officially the Butler Act; see the Scopes Trial)........In Mexico, schoolteacher Lucio Cabañas begins guerrilla warfare in Atoyac de Alvarez, west of Acapulco, in the state of Guerrero......NASA announces the crew for the Apollo 7 space mission (first manned Apollo flight): Walter M. Schirra, Jr., Donn F. Eisele, and R. Walter Cunningham. Wikipedia.. In the state of Pennsylvania, representatives to a Constitutional Convention are standing for election. The referendum for a Constitutional convention passed by a two to one margin….…….in Luzerne County, in the Democratic primary for Judge, the winners were Peter Paul Olszewski Senior and Attorney Ralph Johnston. They bested Wilkes Barre Mayor Frank Slattery, Bernard Podcasy and E Charles Coslett. On the Republican side, the two top vote getters were Thomas Mac and Robert Hourigan. All candidates cross filed and the general election would pit two Democrats vs two Republicans…..in an extremely tight nail biter of a race, Blythe Evans squeaked by Wilkes Barre Attorney Joseph Kasper by 228 votes in the official count. Evans an Attorney from Plymouth upset the GOP applecart by running a very strong race. At one point, less than 30 votes separated the two men after the absentee ballots were counted. Democrat Stephen Teller was unopposed…in the ace for County Commissioner, on the GOP side Jim Post and Wilkes Barre Councilwoman Ethel Price beat Clyde Bower, Gene Wagner and Matt Lieb. On the Democratic side, Ed Wideman and Frank Crossin were on top. Wideman the Democratic minority commissioner was renominated along with the Republican Post. The other sitting Commissioner, Bill Goss stepped aside to run for County Treasurer. He won his race against Frank O’Neil and Hazleton’s Robert Sacco…LuLac archives and 45 years ago this week the number 1 song in America and LuLac land was “Respect” by Aretha Franklin.