The LuLac Edition #2642, April 24th, 2014

MUSTO LEGACY WILL ECHO FLOOD’S

Former State Senator, State Representative and Congressman Ray Musto passed away this morning at his home after a long battle with cancer. Musto recently returned home from the Federal Medical Center at Butner, North Carolina for a medical evaluation. Judge Richard Caputo agreed to his release in March after physicians estimated that Musto had two months to live. It turned out to be a couple of weeks.
For as long as I can remember Musto was a constant on the Luzerne County political scene. As his father James represented the old Legislative Third District in his old age, his son Ray acted as a defacto aid at the family business helping to process requests from area residents. When his father died in 1971, third District Democrats led by party Chair at the time Pittston Mayor Bob Loftus endorsed Roscoe Mulcahy for the vacant seat. Musto ran on the GOP ticket in the fall and became the State Representative. This upstart campaign was one of the first local races I became involved in.
Musto was selected to be the nominee for the seat vacated by Dan Flood and won the special election only to be defeated in the Reagan landslide of 1980 by Jim Nelligan. Two years later Musto parachuted into a more secure electoral position succeeding Senate Leader Martin L. Murray. Through the years Musto beat back Democratic challengers like Attorney Brian O’Donnell and Commissioner Frank Trinisewski.
If you saw Musto on the street and spoke to him about an issue or a problem, he’d always say, “If you are in Harrisburg or are coming, you can use my office if you need to make some calls”. I’m not sure how many people took him up on that offer but it was a unique approach.
His governmental critics called him an uninspiring plodder who seemed to shun the spotlight outside of his home area. Musto would seem more comfortable attending a Little League Opening or Church picnic than being interviewed on TV. But he was known on both the House and Senate floor. One time when I was in Harrisburg at a meeting, I had mentioned the name of a State Representative Italo Cappabianca from Erie. Musto who at the table excused himself and in an instant standing before our party was Representative Cappabianca. He knew the players and they respected him .
His political friends were sometimes stunned by his allegiance to his family at victory celebrations having the entire Musto clan on stage while the grunt workers were relegated to the seats below. The political enemies were vicious and not being able to get to Musto took their wrath out twice on his brother Joe an appointed Judge and later his niece Jackie Musto Carroll. With all of that criticism though, no one ever questioned Musto’s integrity.
Musto for whatever reason was the target of a sting operation during the Abscam scandal in the 1980s and on film turned down a bribe walking out of a hotel room.
Musto declined to seek re-election in 2010 after nearly 40 years in Harrisburg. Musto was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of accepting $25,000 from a contractor who developed properties in both Luzerne and Lackawanna counties.
Musto allegedly accepted the cash and other items of value from the contractor as part of a scheme designed to secure his support of construction projects, The contractor turned out to be Robert Mericle who coincidentally and ironically will be sentenced tomorrow.
The Musto case has been puzzling. Why after years of no hint of scandal did Musto in his later years succumb to a paltry sum of $25,000. Or was there more we didn’t know about? And after years of throwing money around to political heavyweights, why did Mericle need Musto’s help so bad? No doubt something was going on and there was an impropriety that needed to be investigated. But I liken this whole scandal to a piece of dialogue in the movie “The Godfather”. (And I’m not implying here that Musto had anything ever to do with organized crime). But when Marlon Brando’s character The Godfather was shot, Al Lettieri playing Virgil Sollozzo told Robert Duvall playing Tom Hagen, “Let's face it, Tom, and all due respect, the Don, rest in peace, was -- slippin'. Ten years ago could I have gotten to him?” If Musto had retired earlier would this have ever happened? We can only guess.
But the fact is he was indicted but never convicted. Minutes after his death, Sue Henry’s show was inundated by callers choosing to remember Musto as his years as an effective Representative for his district. There will be a huge funeral and many respects paid. On his record Musto will have the charges against him but they were never proven. That will be a fact frozen in time. It is a little different than Dan Flood who Musto succeeded in Congress and copped to a plea. But years later Flood is revered despite those charges. Right or wrong, Musto in death will have that same consideration for his legacy. For every person calling him a crook, there will be five more defending him. It is something many will decry but that type of political hero worship is part of politics and our cultural DNA in LuLac land.
All that said, we send condolences to his family.

MUSTO THROUGH THE YEARS

Ray Musto photo in Legislative Directory of 1974. (Photo: LuLac archives).

Three Congressmen, Ray Musto Dan Flood and Frank Harrison. (Photo: Ron Ungvarsky).

Ray Musto for Congress Election card. (LuLac archives).

Ray Musto in his final year in office. (Photo: Times Leader).

MIDDLE CLASS EROSION

What has been speculated about for years now has been backed up by facts. The American Middle Class, once the ticket to upward mobility has stalled. The United States is behind our neighbor to the North, Canada in raises given to middle class workers. Plus Canada is dead even with us in Middle class mobility. What is worse is that the poor of Europe have higher earnings than the working poor of the United States.
While the United States economy seems to be on the rebound and corporations and individual executives are earning more than ever, the middle class of America has not benefited from those gains. Instead Americans are working harder for less and that trend does not seem to be on target for reverse.
Businesses in the United States economy distribute a smaller share of their profit to the middle class and poor than similar corporations in the world. The profits produced by the American economy has not been growing as fast than in Canada or Western Europe. While executives take their big bonuses for not substantially innovating or growing their business, the economic punishment is doled out to middle class workers who get meager raises and wages for their effort.
It is easy for a Rush Limbaugh who earns 32 million a year to talk about raising yourself up by your bootstraps because his are golden. What is astounding to me are the working poor making 11 bucks an hour cheering him on and agreeing. The middle class has been getting screwed and apparently as long as we have “The Voice”, the NFL and Bud Light that’s just fine and dandy.
But the facts are the facts, the only difference between working in NEPA in 2014 vs. 1914 is the lack of coal dust.

BLOGFEST TOMORROW NIGHT

CARTWRIGHT'S EDUCATION MEETING

U.S. Representative Matt Cartywright. (Photo: LuLac archives).

Cartwright to Host College and University Presidents to Discuss Issues Facing Higher Education

Congressman Cartwright will host a round table with college and university presidents to discuss issues facing higher education. The round table will give college and university presidents the opportunity to address and highlight how their respective institutions are meeting the needs of their students and how they plan to address concerns.
A list of topics to be discussed include: student loans, graduation rates, science and tech education, veteran’s educational opportunities, high school readiness for college, improving accountability and accreditation, President Obama’s new proposed rating system for colleges, improving the transfer of credits from one institution to another.
The event is Friday April 25th from 9am to 11am at Wilkes College. Henry Student Center 2nd Floor – Miller Room 84 West South Street Wilkes-Barre, PA.

MEDIA MATTERS

GOOD LUCK BUD BROWN

WILK did an outstanding job saying goodbye to its 40 year veteran newsman Bud Brown. Brown retired yesterday and was the recipient of a lot of good wishes from news makers, community leaders, listeners and little old bloggers like myself. Brown was a mainstay at WBRE Radio, ‘KRZ Radio and WILK. It is rare that broadcasters sometimes get the chance to walk away in dignity. Especially in this area. Kudos to the Entercom Broadcasting group for cherishing longevity and long time professionalism. And to Mr. Brown, enjoy those sunny days in Arizona. And remember it’s a dry heat!

ECTV

ECTV Live hosts David DeCosmo and Rusty Fender will welcome Paulette Merchel from Marywood University's Theater Arts Department to the program during the week of April 28th. As a 50th anniversary gift to the public, Marywood Children’s Theatre will be presenting a lively interactive play featuring a character from Russian folklore, Baba Yaga, as directed by Michelle Summers. Details about that production will be discussed during he program which airs daily on Comcast Ch19 in our area.

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Week on Sunday Magazine
Magic 93's Frankie in the Morning speaks with representatives from the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute about the Judi H "Rock On" Fundraiser, coming up on Sunday May 4th at the Scranton Cultural Center.
An encore of Brian Hughes' interview with Bridget Purcell, who discusses the Pat Purcell Memorial Scholarship 5K Run, coming up on Saturday May 3rd at Nay Aug Park in Scranton.
Brian speaks with Jodi Olshefski from The Hartford about safe driving for seniors.
And an encore of Frankie's interview with Nicole Ash who discusses Autism Awareness Month.
Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on NASH-FM, 93.7, 5:30AM ON 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:25am on Magic 93, and 7am on True Oldies 590, WARM.

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

This week on Community Forum Mike Remish talks with Dr. Nat Bushwick from the NEPA Autism Center. You'll hear the program Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker, 6:30 on NEPA Sports Radio-The Game 1340/1400 am and 106.7 FM, and at 7:30 on 105 The River.

PAPAL CANONIZATION SUNDAY

NBC TV will be airing live from Rome the canonization of Popes John the XXIIIrd and Pope John Paul II. NBC’s Vatican analyst, George Weigel will offer commentary during NBC’s live coverage of the papal canonizations in Rome this Sunday, April 27, beginning at 4 a.m. ET. He is also scheduled to appear on MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown and Andrea Mitchell Reports on Monday, April 28.

WOMEN TODAY

Host Liz Tolan and her cast members on the new season of Women Today. (Photo: WYLN TV)
Season Five of Women Today premiers Monday May 5th on WYLN 35
Women Today, the show created by women, for women, on issues important to us, will begin season five on May 5th on WYLN35. The show is seen weekdays at 10am, and additionally on Wednesday nights at 8:30pm and Friday nights at 9:00 pm. The show is produced and hosted by Liz Tolan, Director of Sales and Marketing for WYLN, who is joined in Season Five by returning Co-Hosts Lonnie Polli of the Early-Polli Agency and Cathy Kutchi of Carmen’s Bakery and Deli and Carmen’s Country Inn. Joining the team this season is Cathy Colangelo, of “Your Life is Now” life coaching. Ms. Colangelo has been a frequent guest in previous seasons, and is delighted to be joining the Women Today team on a full time basis.
The group will explore topics of significance to women, with a focus in Season Five on living a healthy life as the new season coincides with National Women’s Health Week which falls May 11th – May 17th, 2014. http://womenshealth.gov/nwhw. Shows will include Natural Beauty Treatments, Eating Clean, The Mind-Body Connection, as well as health topics such as Breast Feeding, Women and Fitness, Post-Partum Depression, Pelvic Health, and much more.
The Greater Hazleton Health Alliance has been the master sponsor for Women Today since its inception, and WYLN is pleased to announce that the Lehigh Valley Health Network will be continuing in that fashion this season. Once again in Season Five the Ladies of Women Today will be joined by physicians from the LVHN, offering our viewers expert health advice on medical topics.
Viewers can once again in Season Five expect to see the segment “Cooking With Cathy”, presented by Heritage Hill Senior Community. The segment offers seasonal cooking and entertaining advice , with recipes posted on the “Women Today” Face Book page for future reference. As the season spans the summer months, we’ll have an “Ice Cream Flavor of The Week” for viewers to see what new cool treats are available locally, presented by Scoopers in the Valley.
One of the main goals of Women Today is to educate and empower women of all ages. In continuing with the shows tradition of highlighting sensation women in our viewing area, this season we will celebrate “Inspiring Women”. Each week we will acknowledge women of inspiration in our area, and will present them with a unique piece of Fair Trade Jewelry provided by Kathleen’s Collectibles in Drums. Viewers are welcomed to nominate their “inspirational woman” now by emailing Tolan at ltolan@wylntv.com, or by messaging the show on their Face Book page; Women Today.

DEM GUBERNATORIAL FORUMS TO AIR LIVE ON PCN

PCN will continue its extensive Election 2014 coverage with back-to-back evenings of Democratic gubernatorial forums on Wednesday, April 30th and Thursday, May 1st. Following the conclusion of each event, PCN will air a special LIVE PCN Call-In program.
Wednesday, April 30:
•6:00 p.m. – LIVE coverage of Democratic gubernatorial forum on education at the Free Library of Philadelphia
•8:00 p.m. – LIVE PCN Call-In program with guests Fletcher McClellan, Dean of Faculty and Professor of Political Science at Elizabethtown College and Wes McDonald, Professor of Political Science at Elizabethtown College
Thursday, May 1:
•7:30 p.m. – LIVE coverage of Democratic gubernatorial forum at Franklin & Marshall College, courtesy of WGAL-TV
•9:00 p.m. – LIVE PCN Call-In program with guests Jeff Coleman of Churchill Strategies and John Hanger, former Democratic gubernatorial candidate
During each of the hour-long LIVE PCN Call-In programs, viewers can share their thoughts or ask questions by dialing toll-free 1-877-PA6-5001.

SUE HENRY’S SPECIAL EDITION

Tune in to Sue Henry's "Special Edition" this week as Sue recaps the week's news. Special Edition is heard Saturdays and Sunday on these Entercom stations, WILK FM Saturday at 2pm Sunday at 6 am on Froggy 101 Sunday at 7 am on The Sports Hub 102.3 Sunday at 7 am on K R Z 98.5 Sunday at noon on WILK FM 103.1.

BUDDY RUMCHEK

Want to hear some great parodies on the news? Tune in to WILK Radio at 6:40 and 8:40 AM on Mondays. As Ralph Cramden used to say, “It’s a laugh riot!”

KAREL ON THE STREET

Tune in Wednesdays on WILK Radio for Karel on the Street. Hear some of the funniest and heartwarming comments on the issues of the day on Webster and Nancy with Karel Zubris.

Our 1974 logo.

1974

In the Watergate scandal, Special Prosecutor Jaworski issues a subpoena for 64 White House tapes. And on April 30, 1974: White House releases edited transcripts of the Nixon tapes, but the House Judiciary Committee insists the actual tapes must be turned over. The transcripts become the big news of the week. National Publix Radio reads transcripts over the airwaves, the three major networks dedicate hours of TV specials regarding the release of the conversations from the Oval Office…..in Pennsylvania Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott comments that he is dismayed at the tenor of some of the conversations made by President Nixon and his advisers……in Scranton Congressman Joe McDade gears up for his reelection saying he is concentrating on his district and not the problems engendered by the Watergate scandal..and forty years ago the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Come And Get Your Love” by Redbone.