The LuLac Edition #2111, July 3rd, 2012

Vice President Joe Biden. 

WELCOME MR. VICE PRESIDENT 

LuLac land is something else. We get the Vice President of the United States coming in for a visit on the day before the Fourth of July. Yes it is political and yes there will be security. But only people in this area would bitch about being temporarily put out and used politically. It’s the fourth of July, it’s a Presidential election, enjoy the night. Jeez!

17th District candidate Matt Cartwright hanging at the Glider Diner in Scranton.  

CARTWRIGHT ON COURT RULING

17th Congressional District candidate Matt Cartwright weighed in on the Supreme Court decision last week upholding the Affordable Care Act. Here’s what he said: "I applaud the United States Supreme Court for ruling to leave the Affordable Care Act (ACA) intact. Their decision will ensure that all Americans have access to affordable health care. In Pennsylvania alone, ACA has provided health care coverage to 91,000 young people under the age of 26 under their parents’ plan. Further, President Obama’s health care legislation has also helped cut costs on medications as 235,820 seniors saved $645 on their prescription drugs in 2011. But the fight is not over. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt explicitly included in his 2nd Bill of Rights in 1944, “The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health.” As a Member of Congress, I will work to make sure that his vision becomes a reality." Hear hear, Attorney, hear, hear. 

GAS PAINS IN WILKES BARRE 

It seems like Mayor Tom Leighton and his staff are under the gun again. This time because the Times Leader found a discrepancy in the fuel taken by the Mayor and certain members of his administration from the gas that is used primarily for DPA vehicles. The Mayor says that there was a mix up  because even though he was saving the city money using his own vehicle, he wasn’t keeping track of what days he and others used the gas. Okay, first off, I drive through the downtown every morning to get to work. The transformation of it is wonderful. And it looks clean. (The city seems to have gotten the message to the slobs who live and visit the city that they should pick up after themselves). That said, there always seems to be “something” to explain by this administration. And they don’t do the explaining until a Times Leader or Citizen’s Voice reporter comes across it! Then the explanations start. A few points: 
1. The Mayor makes $76,000 a year. Does he actually need to get mileage in addition to that salary? 
2. Maybe its because I make significantly less than the Mayor, I can tell you the days and time I get gas for my vehicle. And how many times I filled up and how many times I just threw in 10 bucks to get to the end of the month so the AE balance doesn’t get too high. 
Once more, the pattern with this administration continues. When they are found out, they explain. But the question needs to be asked, what if they were never found out? Would we ever know?  Plus, how can we expect receipts from LAG Towing when the City doesn't even keep them?

LOOK OUT WORLD 

There will be a brand new news organization starting tomorrow. The people who are activists in the area are banding together and putting out an on line publication. Plus their video guy is going to the intrepid Tony Antonello. Check this out: it’s called the Wilkes Barre Independent Gazette. You own the media, you own the message: the time has come for that message to be true and honest. Our first delivery is Monday night sometime between 8-10pm. We welcome you to join us at our new offices for a paper signing and get-together with some of our local activists. We go live with our awesome new site once the papers arrive: www.wbindependentgazette.com Look for live video's throughout the month from our roving and investigative reporter, the none other, Tony Antonello. You can also listen to us on Sanity Check with Tea Party Mike and Libertarian Lou, Saturday morning's 94.3FM The Talker, home of the David Madeira Show, Glen Beck, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, and others.

The late Hanover Area School teacher Marion Zurinski and the book mark she gave me so many years ago. 

MARION ZURINSKI 

A retired area educator passed away this weekend and I had the pleasure of briefly working with her in the late 80s and early 90s. Marion Zurinski taught at Hanover Area High School and taught English, Spanish, and Latin. I’m told she was also a basketball coach but that was before I knew her. She always had an encouraging word for her students and loved teaching and telling you about Shakespeare. She regularly took trips to Shakespeare’s birthplace with the students. One day I was reading a book with a very ratty book mark. She reached into her sweater vest pocket and gave me a black faux leather book mark from her travels to England. She said, "I bet you use candy bar wrappers for bookmarks". Which I did! That was nearly 20 years ago and I still have that bookmark. It has traveled to many a city and country.  Sometimes I misplace it and panic sets in because it is something I never want to lose. Much like the inspiration and love of literature that she imparted to thousands of high school students in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Our thoughts go out to her friends and family.