The LuLac Edition #2918, May 28th, 2015

DR. DAN KOPEN AND THE INJUSTICE OF HIS DEATH

The late Doctor Dan Kopen.

Dr. Dan Kopen passed away Tuesday after a tremendous battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. If you read the man’s obituary you will see a line of accomplishments and talent that saved thousands of lives while he was in practice here in Luzerne County. Mrs. LuLac was a patient of his but also attended Wilkes College with him. She told me he was a guy who “just got everything” in terms of learning. In addition to the medical degrees, he had a law degree. He worked hard and never rested on his laurels.
Dr. Kopen was not one of those high flying egotists you see in the Medical or Legal field. He was friendly and down to earth. He treated his patients and their families with compassion and respect.
On an office visit to Dr. Kopen’s office with Mrs. LuLac, he started chatting me up about health care and how he felt there should be a fix. It was methodical and to the point and cost efficient.
Kopen wrote the book “Common Sense Health Care Reform”. The book, all 80 some pages of it has some intriguing suggestions and suppositions. Dr. Kopen said that currently we have no health care system but rather we possess “a murky amalgamation of special interest groups which in aggregate provide the semblance of a dysfunctional system of health care delivery”. In his book, Dr. Kopen touched on the player’s involvement in this which ranged from Doctors, Insurers, Lawmakers and Drug companies. The doctor also wrote about a special court that would handle medical malpractice, taking the judgments out of the hands of lay jurors and having impartial medical experts weigh in on any problems. On rationing care, the doctor told us that the very nature of today’s health care system does just that, universal health care does not necessarily mean coverage for everything.
The book was comprehensive but to the point. He told me he was going to send it to lawmakers and I’m sure only Eddie Day Pashinski read it. If some ideas had been adopted the system might be less difficult.
The very fact that this talented good man suffered from a disease like ALS is a total injustice. With all of his talents, skills and kindness it makes me angry. What did this guy ever do to deserve this?
They tell me Dr. Kopen lived out his days with determination and courage. In my short time knowing him, I’d say that was typical. We can still be angry that he’s gone and the way he went. But we should also look to him as an example of how we should live every day of our lives.
I’ll admit it readily, I am a lesser being in terms of contributions to humanity than Dr Kopen. The very least I could do with every day I have is to be the best I can be to honor his life. So should all of you. It is the only way I can put my arms around this awful injustice of a death that took from all of us a very dedicated Doctor, an intelligent scholar and a very good man. If God were before me as I write this, I’d tell him, “This stinks!”

LEIGHTON WINS “I BELIEVE” AWARD

On the roof in 2010 with Mayor Leighton. (LuLac archives).

Through the years when his slogan for Wilkes Barre was being vigorously debated Mayor Tom Leighton still believed. As a matter of fact he even signed his correspondence “I Still Believe”. Leighton is the recipient of the final “I Believe” award from the Chamber of Commerce.
Leighton will receive the award on June 23 beginning at 4:30 at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre.
There are those that criticized Leighton for the slogan and the rah rah spirit of it. Bu if you take a snapshot of Wilkes Barre in 2004 when Leighton became Mayor and today you’ll see a city developed and improved. There were tough decisions like the demolition of The Hotel Sterling and the one strike ordinance for problem landlords. If you wanted warm and fuzzy, Tom Leighton was not your guy.
But once in a while he’d have this excitement at what was happening. Around 2010 there was a party on the roof of the Intermodal Transportation Center. There was a band playing and on a Friday night in August people were gazing at the skyline of the city. We were chatting and Leighton said, “Who would have ever thought that we can have an event like this?” His eyes were lit up like a little kid on Christmas Day.
He believed then, still believes now. At the very least he should get the award for that alone.

BARLETTA AND THE HONOR OF VETERANS

Rep. Barletta speaks with Jackie Katz of California, daughter of murder victim Bertie Smith

Congressman Lou Barletta, has introduced legislation that ensures that veterans buried in military cemeteries are truly eligible for that honor, and have not been convicted of state or federal capital crimes. The legislation, Bertie’s Respect for National Cemeteries Act, is named for Pennsylvanian Bertha “Bertie” Smith, who was murdered by a man who was subsequently interred in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Pennsylvania. The legislation also provides for her killer’s removal from the cemetery. This legislation is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
“Our national military cemeteries are hallowed ground, and they ought to be treated that way,” Barletta said. “Our brave men and women have sacrificed so that we may remain free, and they should be afforded every right, privilege, and honor they have earned. The cemeteries we reserve for them should not be tainted by those who have been convicted of the most heinous crimes imaginable.”
Bertie’s Respect for National Cemeteries Act was made necessary by the burial of George Emery Siple at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. Siple was convicted of the October 15, 1969 capital murder of “Bertie” Smith outside a local store front. He was interred in the cemetery upon his death in prison in 1999, despite his evident ineligibility under current law. Smith’s family has been unsuccessful to this point in petitioning for his disinterment.
Bertie’s Respect for National Cemeteries Act
• Requires Department of Veterans Administration (VA) National Cemeteries and Arlington National Cemetery to take every reasonable action, including searching public criminal records, to ensure that a veteran is eligible to be buried.
• Allows for the disinterment of veterans convicted of capital crimes, to apply to all burials after 1997.
• Provides for the disinterment of George Emery Siple.
Background
In 1997, Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators led the effort to protect the integrity of our VA National Cemeteries and Arlington National Cemetery, by barring veterans convicted of a federal or state capital crime from being buried or memorialized in these esteemed cemeteries. At the time, veterans across the nation were justifiably appalled that Timothy McVeigh, a domestic terrorist and convicted murderer, could be buried with full military honors.
The 1997 law was not actively enforced until 2006 – almost a decade after passage. Since then the VA has relied on an “honor system,” which requires family members to willingly report their relative’s criminal record. On December 20, 2013, Congress once again sought to protect our VA National Cemeteries by passing a law to explicitly allow the VA to disinter veterans convicted of a federal or state capital crime. However, this law does not extend to veterans buried between 1997 and 2013, a time period that includes George Emery Siple.
“A VA National Cemetery is a place of honor,” Barletta said. “I don’t think it’s too much to state that murderers should not be buried next to true American heroes.”

MEDIA MATTERS

ABC COMES UP

David Muir the newest anchor ABC "World News Tonight" just topped the May sweep in both the 25-54 and 18-49 demographics for the first time in eight years.
In the May sweep period, "World News Tonight" beat "Nightly News" by 62,000 viewers 25-54 and by 15,000 18-49.
However not to be outdone, Lester Holt has done a very good job steadying the ship that was almost sunk by Brian Williams. Lester Holt's NBC program still eclipsed David Muir's ABC offering by 35,000 audience members, 7.708 million viewers to 7.673 million.

ECTV

ECTV Live hosts David DeCosmo and Rusty Febder will welcome Stephen Perillo as their guest during the week of June 1st as he discusses the history and concert series for Making A Difference Ministries.

ECTV Live is shown on Comcast Channel 19 (61 in some areas) and is broadcast three times daily throughout the week.

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

This week's guests are Marie Onukiavage, Executive Director, and Owen Dougherty, President of NAMI-Scranton. They'll discuss mental health Sunday at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on NEPA's Sports Radio-The Game 1340/1400/1440 am and 100.7/106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on 105 The River

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Week on Sunday Magazine

Brian Hughes speaks with Stephanie Wissman from API Pennsylvania about who the natural gas industry opposes Governor Tom Wolf's proposed gas severance tax.

Magic 93's Frankie in the Morning speaks with author and Wyoming Valley West student Ashlee Harry about her new book.

And Brian speaks with makeup expert and beauty and style writer Felicia Walker Benson about how women can make a "power move" in the  workplace.

Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on NASH-FM, 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X & Sports Radio 590, WARM and 6:25am on Magic 93.

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.

CORBETT’S SOMEBODY’S WATCHING ME

Every Wednesday at 5PM, Steve Corbett shines the light on a Public official with his “Somebody’s Watching Me” segment. Corbett picks an alleged public servant to eye ball and observe. Batten down the lawn furniture in the driveway and that e mail machine. There is nowhere to hide when “somebody’s Watching”. Wednesdays at 5 on WILK’s Corbett program.

1965

Our 1965 logo.

France performs nuclear test at Ecker Algeria (Underground)……- Marlene Hagge wins LPGA Babe Didrikson-Zaharias Golf Open- Viet Cong offensive against US base Da Nang, begins- Vivian Malone is 1st black to graduate from University of Alabama- Jim Clark becomes 1st foreigner in 49 years to win Indy Indianapolis 500: Jim Clark wins in 3:19:05.370 (242.506 km/h)…..A Penzias & R Wilson detect 3°K primordial background radiation..in Pennsylvania Phillies Dick Allen hits 529' HR out of Connie Mack Stadium….

 and in Luzerne County elections were held. Here’s what happened…..it was a very light primary race. The big County offices were for Controller and Prothonatary. Steve Yanoshak was unopposed for the GOP nomination. The Democrats had a primary fight with Simon Russin and Joseph Yanik. Russin prevailed. The Prothonatary’s race had Democrat Bernard Podcasy unopposed as was his GOP counterpart Peter Kanjorski. In the Register of Wills race on the GOP side to take on Helen O’Connor in the fall, Helen Selecky bested Frank Farrel. In Wilkes Barre City, Ethel Price and Fred Bell 

were the high vote getters on the Republican side Bob Brader and Ernest Waskell were unopposed. A two year term pitted Patrick Lenahan on the GOP side winning to run against Frank Delaney who beat Tom Lavery. and fifty years ago this week the number one song in LuLac land and America was Bob Dylan’s "Mr. Tambourine Man" by The Byrds.